SInce these bee the dayes of dolor and heauinesse, wherein (as holy Dauid Psal. 9. 16 sayth,) The Lord is knowne by executing iudgement, and the axe of his anger is Mat. 3. put to the roote of the Tree, and his Fan is in his hand to purge his Floore: I suppose it shall not bee amiss to write something of mourning, for London to harken counsaile of her great Grand-mother Ierusalem.

Omnipotent Sauiour, it is thy Teares I intend to write of, those affectionate Teares, which in the 23. and 24. of Mathew thou weptst ouer Ierusalem and her Tem­ple; Be present with me (I beseech thee) personating the passion of thy loue. O dew thy spirit plentiful into my inke, and let some part of thy diuine dreariment liue againe in mine eyes. Teach me how to weepe as thou wepst, and rent my heart in twaine with the extreamity of ruth. I hate in thy name to speake coldly to a quick­witted generation. Ratlier let my braines melt all to inke, and the floods of affliction driue out mine eyes be­fore them, then I should be dull and leaden in descri­bing the dolour of thy loue.

[Page] Farre be from me any ambitious hope of the vain me­rite of Art: may that liuing vehemence I vse in lament, onely proceed from a heauen-bred hatred of vnclean­nesse and corruption. Mine owne wit I cleane disin­herit, the fiery Clouen-tongued inspiration bee my Muse. Lend my words the forcible wings of the Light­nings, that they may pierce vnawares into the marrow & reynes of my Readers. New mint my mind to the like­nesse of thy lowliness: file away the superfluous affecta­tion of my profane puft vp phrase, that I may bee thy pure simple Orator. I am a child, (as thy holy Ieremy sayd) and know not how to speake; yet, On nia possum in Ierem. 1. eo qui me comfortat, I can doe all things through the helpe of him that strengtheneth me. The tongues of Phil. 4. Infants it is thou that makest eloqnent; and teachest the N [...]d. 10. heart vnderstanding. Grant me (that am a Babe and an Infant in the misteries of Diuinity) the gracious fauour to suck at the breasts of thy sacred Reuelation, to vtter some-thing that may moue secure England to true sor­row and contrition. All the pours of my soule (assem­bled in their perfectest array) shall stand waiting on thy incomprehensible Wisdome, for Arguments, as poore young Birds stand attending on their Dams bill for su­stenance. Now helpe, now direct: for now I transform my selfe from my selfe, to be thy vnworthy Speaker to the World.

IT is not vnknowen, by how many and sundry waies God spake by Visions, Dreames, Prophecies and Wonders, to his chosen Ierusalem, onely to moue his chosen Ierusalem wholly to cleaue vnto him. Visi­ons, Dreames, Prophecies and Wonders, were in [Page 3] vaine: This gorgious strumpet Ierusalem, too to-much presuming of the promises of old, went a whoring after her own inuentions; She thought the Lord vnseparate­ly tide to his Temple, and that he could neuer be diuor­ced from the Arke of his Couenant; that hauing bound himselfe with an oath to Abraham, he could not (though he would) remoue the Law out of Iude, or his Iudge­ment-seat from Mount Silo. They erred most tempting­ly & contemptuously; for God euen of stones (as Christ told them afterward) was able to raise vp children to A­braham. But what course tooke the high Father of Hea­uen & Earth, after he had vnfruitfully practiced all these meanes, of Visions, Dreams, Wonders and Prophecies? There is a Parable in the 21. of Mathew, of a certaine Housholder that planted a Vineyard, hedged it round a­bout, made a Wine-presse therein, and built a Tower, and let it out to Husband-men, and went into a strange Country. When the time of fruite drew neere, he sent his seruants to the Husband-men to receiue the increase therof. The Husband-men made no more a do, but (his Seruants comming) beate one, killed another, and sto­ned the third Againe he sent other Seruants, more then the first, and they did the like vnto them. Last of all, he sent his owne Sonne, saying: They will reuerence my Sonne, but they handled him far worse then the former.

The Hous-holder that planted the Vineyarde and hedg'd it round about, was Israels merciful I [...]hou [...]h, who in Israel planted his Church, or his Winepresse: made it a people of no people, and a Nation beyond expecta­tion. Long did he blesse them, and multiply their seed on the face of the earth, as the sand of the Sea, or the starres of heauen: from al their enemies he deliuered them, and [Page 4] brought their name to bee a by-word of terror to the Kingdomes round about them; Their Riuers ouerflow­ed with Milke and Honie, their Garners were filled to the brim: euery man had wel-springs of Oyle and Wine in his house, and finally, there was no complaint heard in their streets.

The time of fruite drew neere, wherein much was to be required of them to whom much was giuen: hee sent his seruants, the Prophets, to demand his rent, or tribute of thansgiuing at their hands. Some of them they beat, others they killed, others they stoned, and this was all the thanksgiuing they returned. And then he sent other Prophets or Seruants more then the first, and they did the like vnto them: yet could not all this cause him pro­ceed rashly vnto reuenge. The Lord is a God of long pati­ence and suffering: nor will he draw out his sword vnad­uisedly in his indignation. Stil did he loue them, because once he had loued them, and the more their ingratitude was, the more his grace abounded: hee neglected the death of his seruants, in comparison of the saluation of them he accounted his Sons. He excused them himselfe vnto himselfe, and sayd: Peraduenture, they tooke not these my seruants I sent, for my Seruants, but for sedu­cers and deceiuers, and therupon entreated them so vn­curteously: I will send my only naturall Sonne to them, whom they (being my adopted Sonnes) cannot chuse but reuerence and listen to. This his naturall Sonne was Christ Iesus, whom hee sent from Heauen to perswade with these Husband-men: Hee sent him not with a strong power of Angels, to punish their pride and ingra­titude as he might: He sent him not roially trained and accompanied like an Embassador of his greatnes, nor [Page 5] gaue he him any Commission to expostulate proudly of iniuries, but to deale humbly, and meekly with them, and not to constraine but to entreat them. He sent his owne only Sonne alone, like a sheepe to the slaughter, or as a Lambe should be made a Legate to the Wolues. When he came on earth, what was his behauiour? Did he first shew himselfe to the chiefe of these Husband-men the Scribes & Pharisies? Did he take vp any stately lodging according to his degree? Was he sumptuous in his at­tire, prodigal in his fare, or haughty in his looks, as Em­bassadors wont to be? None of these: Instead of the Scribes and Pharisies, he first disclosed himselfe to poore Fishermen: for his stately lodging, he tooke vp a Cribbe or a Manger, and afterward the house of a Carpenter: His attire was as mean as might be, his fare ordinary, his looks lowly. He kept company with Publicans and sin­ners, the very out-cast of the people; yet in their compa­ny was he not idle, but made all he spake or did prepara­tiues to his Embassie.

If any Noble-man (though neuer so highly discended) should come alone to a King or Queene in Embassage, without pompe, without followers, or the apparell of his state, who would receiue him, who would credite him, who would not scorne him? It was necessary that Christ (comming thus alone from the High-commaun­der of all Soueraignties, the controller of all Principali­ties and Powers) should haue some apparant testimony of his excellencie. According to the vanity of man, he thought it not meete to place his magnificence in earth­ly boast, as in the pride of shame, which is apparell, or in the multitude of men after him, for so met vvicked Esau his Brother Iacob. but in working miracles aboue [Page 6] the imagination of man, and in preaching the Gospell with power and authority; VVhereby, after hee had throughly confirmed himselfe, to be the owner of the Vineyards true Sonne, and that these ill Hus-bandmen the Iewes, should haue no credible or truth-like excep­tion left them, (that they tooke him for a counterfeit or colourable practiser:) he went into their chiefe assem­blies, and there (to the High-priests & Heads of their Si­nagogues) freely deliuered his message, declared from whence he came, gently expostulated their ill dealing, desired them to haue care of themselues: told them the danger of their obstinacy, and wooed them (with many faire promises) to repent and be conuerted. All this pre­uailed not, they set him at nought, as they reiected his Fathers other Seruants the Prophets: Wherefore his last refuge was, to deale plainly with them, and explaine to the full what plagues and warres were entring in at their gates, for their disloyaltie and doggednesse. In the 11. of Mathew, he pronounceth grieuous woes to Cora­zin and Bethsaid [...]: in diuerse other places he intermix­eth curses with blessings, tempers Oyle with Vineger, teares with threates: denounceth sighing, and in his sighes wel-neere swoundeth: euen as a Father constrai­ned to giue sentence on his owne Sonne. In the 13. of Luke, hee telleth how often he had beene an intercessor for the repriue of their punishment. The Husband-man which is my Father (sayth he) hath come many yeeres together to a Figge-tree in his Vineyard, to de­maund fruite of it, and found none. What hath hinde­red him from cutting it downe but I, who haue tooke vpon me to be the dresser of the Vineyard: and desired him to spare it this yeere, and that yeere, and I would [Page 7] prune it, dung it, and digge round about it, and then if it brought not forth fruit, let him deale with it as he plea­sed. Almost this 30. yeere haue I prun'd it, dung'd it, digd round about it: that is, reproued, preached, ex­horted with all the wooing words I could, endeuouring to mollify, melt, and pierce your hearts, yet all will not serue; my prayers and my paines, in stead of bringing foorth repentance in you, bring forth repentance in my selfe.

As I sayd before, no remedy, or signe of any breath of hope, was left in their Common-wealths sinne-surfetted body, but the malady of their incredulity, ouer-maistred heauenly phisick. To desperate diseases must desperate Medicines be applide. When neither the white-flagge or the Red which Tamburlaine aduaunced at the siedge of any Citty, would be accepted of, the black-flag was set vp, which signified there was no mercy to be looked for: and that the misery marching towards them was so great, that their enemy himselfe (which was to execute it) mournd for it. Christ, hauing offered the Iewes the white-flag of forgiuenes and remission, and the red-flag of shedding his blood for them, when these two might not take effect, nor work any yeelding remorse in them, the black-flagge of confusion and desolation was to succeede for the obiect of their obduration.

This black-flagge is waued or displayed in the 23. of Mathew, where directing his speech to his Disciples and the multitude, against the Scribes & Pharisies that were the Princes of the people, he first vrgeth the infamous disagreement of their liues and their doctrines: which that it should breed no scandalous back-slyding in the harts of his Hearers, he inserteth this caution, Do as they [Page 8] say, not as they doe. And to like effect saith S. Augustine, August. tom. [...]0. hom. 5. Sermo Dei proferat eum peccator, proferat eum iustus, sermo Dei est, inculpabilis est: The Word of God, be it preacht by Hypocrite or Saint, is the Word of God, and not to be despised or disanuld. Next this, hee pronounceth eight terrible woes against them, for their eight-folde hypocrisie and blindnesse: Besides other fearefull com­minations wherein he threatens, that all the righteous blood which was shedde from the time of Abel the righ­teous, vnto the blood of Zaccharias the Sonne of Barra­chias, that was slaine betwixt the Temple and the Al­tar, should come vpon them, should call and exclaime on their soules for vengeance, slaine the skie with clod­dred exhalations, interrupt the Sunne in his course, and make it sticke fast in the congealed mudde of gorie Clowdes; yea, dimme and ouer-cast God sitting in his Throne, till he had tooke some astonishing satisfaction for it.

Then on the sodaine starting backe, as ouer-exami­ning the words he had sayd, and condemning himselfe (in his thought) for being so bitter: he presently vvee­peth and excuseth it in these tearmes, that it was not his fault but theirs, O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, which killest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent vnto thee. That is, which are guilty of all the accusations my Father in this time would not in pitty lay against thee: yea, feared to be cruel in once suspecting of thee, though now they are proued, How often would I have gathered thy Children to­gether, as the Henne gathereth her Chickins together vnder her wings, and ye would not? How often would I haue re­uokt, reduced, and brought you into the right way, But you would not? Therefore your habitation shall be left deso- [Page 9] So that in these words most euidently you see, he cleereth himselfe, and leaueth them vnexcusable.

The more to penetrate and inforce, let vs suppose Christ in a continued Oration thus pleading with them.

IErusalem the Daughter of my people, I am sore vex­ed and compassionate for thee, Ierusalem the midst of the earth, the mother of vs all, in the midst of whom I haue wrought my saluation: Ierusalem that for all the good seede I haue sowne in thee, affordest nothing but stones to throw at my Prophets, thou that slayest whom I send to saue thee, and imprisonest any man that wisheth thy peace; thy sinnes are so great, that when I looke on thee, mine eyes can scarce perswade me that thou stan­dest, but that thou art sunck downe like Sodome, and en­tombed in Ashes like Gomorra. O let me pitty thee, for I loue thee impatiently. A thousand shapes of thy confu­sion muster before mine eyes, & the paines on the crosse I am to sustaine; cannot bee so great paines vnto mee, as to think on the ruine and massacre that is already trauai­ling towards thee. Famine, the Sworde and the Pesti­lence, haue all three sworne and conspired against thee: Thou (one poore citty) by these three vnreleming ene­mies shalt be ouercome. Ehu, quantus equis, quantus viris adest sudor? Alas, what huge sweat and toyle is at hande for Horse and Man?

Heere do I weepe in vaine, for no man regardeth me, no man wayleth with me; Heere doe I prophecie, that my weeping in vayne, shall bee the cause of a hundred thousand Fathers and Mothers weeping in vaine. O that I did weepe in vaine, that your defilements & pollutions gaue mee no true cause of deplorement. Often wisht I, [Page 10] that I might haue sayd to mine eyes and eares they li [...]e, when they haue told me what they haue seene & heard of thy treasons. I wisht that I might be as wretched as the damned, so my sences therein were deceiued. I am not deceiued, tis thou that deceiuest thy Sauiour, and deceiuest thy selfe to cleaue vnto Sathan.

Sathan, refraine thine odious embraces, the bosome of Ierusalem is mine: touch not the body contracted to me; Improbe tolle manus, quam tangis nostra futura est, she will touch him, he stretcheth not out his hand to her, but she breaketh violently from mee, to run rauishtly in­to his rugged armes. Alas! the one halfe of my soule, why wilt thou back-slide thus? I loue and can haue no loue againe: I loue thee for thy good, thou lou'st him that flatters thee for thy hurt. What lesse thing then to beleeue and be saued? How canst thou beleeue & wilt not heare? Thy prayers are friuolous vnto God, if thou deniest to heare God: He must first heare God, that will be heard of God. I haue heard quietly all thy vpbrai­dings, reproofes and derisions: as when thou saydst I was a drunkard, and possessed with a diuell, that I cast out diuels by the power of Beelzebub the Prince of the diuels: that I blasphemed, was mad, and knew not what I spake; Nor was I any more offended with these contu­melies, then when thou calledst me the son of a Carpen­ter. If I giue eare to all your bitternesse, will not you vouchsafe me a little audience when I blesse you.

O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, that stonest, and astoniest thy Prophets with thy peruersnesse, that lendest stonie eares to thy Teachers, and with thine yron breast, dravvest vnto thee nothing but the Adamant of Gods anger, what shall I doe to mollifie thee? The raine mollifieth [Page 11] hard stones, O that the stormy tempest of my Teares raight soften thy stony heart. Were it not harder then stone, sure ere this I had broken and brused it, with the often beating of my exhortations vpon it.

Moses strooke the Rocke and water gusht out of it, I (that am greater then Moses) haue strooken you with threats, and you haue not mourned. O ye heauens, be amazed at this, be afraide and vtterly confounded: my people haue drunke out of a Rocke in the Wildernesse, and euer since had Rockie hearts. Yet will the Rockes tremble when my Thunder falls vpon them. The Ma­son with his Axe hewes and carues them at his pleasure. All the thunder of iudgements which I spend on this stony Ierusalem, cannot make her to tremble or refraine from stoning my Prophets. Should I raine stones vpon her, with them shee would arme her selfe against my holy ones. Little doth she consider, that all my Prophets are Embassadours, and the wronging of an Embassadour a­mongst mortall men, is the breaking of the law of Nati­ons; which breach or wrong, no King or Monarch but (at his corronation) is sworne to reuenge. If earthly Kings reuenge any little wrong done to their Embassa­dours, how much more shall the King of all kings, re­uenge the death and slaughterdom of his Embassadors? The Angels in heauen, as they are the Lords Embassa­dors, (in regard of their owne safety) would prosecute it, though he should ouer-slip it. The diuell that vseth daily to sollicite the Murtherers owne conscience for vengeance against himselfe, will hee spare to put the Lord in minde of his auncient decree, A murtherer shall not liue. God said vnto Cain, The voice of thy brother Abels blood, cryeth to me out of the earth: that is, not only Abels [Page 12] owne blood, but the blood of all the sonnes that were to issue from his loynes, cry vnto me out of the earth. It is sayd in the 6. of Genesis, whosoeuer shall shedde humaine blood, his blood shall be shed likewise. Eye for eye, and tooth for tooth, much more life for life shall be repayd, and this equity or amends, the veriest Begger or contemptiblest creature on the earth (cutte off before his time) shall be sure to haue. If I doe them right, that in their owne enmities lauish their liues, shall I let their blood bee tro­den to durte vnder foote, and bee blowne backe by the windes into the crannies of the earth, (when it offers to sprinkle vp to heauen) who in my seruice spende their liues. At my head Ierusalem threw stones when she sto­ned my Heralds. Who stabbeth or defaceth the pic­ture of a King, but would doe the like to the King him­selfe, if he might doe it as conueniently. Euery Prophet or messenger from the Lord, representeth the person of the Lord, as a Herald representeth his Kings person, and is the right picture of his royalty.

O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, what thou hast doone to the least of my Prophets, thou hast done vnto mee likewise: My Prophets thou hast stoned, me likewise thou hast stoned, and with-stood. The very stones in the streete shall ryse vp in iudgement against thee.

By the old Law, he that had blasphemed, reuiled his Parents, or commited adultery, was stoned to death by the Prophets and Elders; Thou hast blasphemed, re­uiled thy (spirituall) Parents, committed adultery with thine owne abhominations: and loe, contrariwise thine Elders and Prophets thou stonest to death. Can I see this and not rise vp in wrath against thee? For this shalt thou grinde the stones in the Myll with Sampson, and whet thy [Page 13] teeth vpon the stones for hunger: and if thou askest any man bread, he shall giue thee stones to eate. The dogges shall licke thy blood on the stones like Iezabels; & not a stone be found to couer thee when thou art dead. One stone of thy Temple, shall not be left vppon another that shall not bee throwne downe. The stone which thy foo­lish Builders refused, shall be made the head stone of the corner. Your harts (which are Temples of stone) I will for-sweare for euer to dwell in. There shall be no Dauid any more amongst you, that with a stone sent out of a sling, shall strike the chiefe Champion of the Philistines in the for-head; And finally, you shall worship stockes and stones, for I will be no longer your God. O Ierusalem Ierusalem, all this shall be-tide thee, because thou stonest the Prophets, and killest them that are sent vnto thee.

The Fathers haue eaten sower-Grapes, and the Chyldrens teeth are set on edge: your Fathers tooke hard courses a­gainst the Prophets, killed those I sent vnto them; And if you had no other crime, but that you are the sonnes of them that killed the Prophets, it were too to sufficient for your subuersion, but you yourselues haue stoned the Prophets, and killed those I sent vnto you, not onely you your selues, but your sonnes (for this) shall be put to the edge of the Sword.

The blood-thirsty & deceitfull man shall not liue out halfe his daies. Who strikes with the sword, shall perrish with the sword. He that but hateth his brother is a homicide. What is he then that slayeth his Brother? Nay more, what is he that slayeth Gods Brother? Not one that beleeueth in me, and doth my wil, but is my Brother and Sister. In slaying them that are sent to declare the wil of God, you resist the will of God, and are guilty of all their damnati­ons [Page 14] which are yet vnconuerted, whom liuing, their preaching might haue reduced. The violating of any of the Cömmandements is death, Thou shalt not kill, is one of the principall Commaundements: your fault at the first sight deserueth Hell-fire. What doe you but pro­claime open warre against heauen, when you destroy or ouer-throwe any of the Temples of the holy Ghost? (which are mens bodies.) They are the Tabernacles which the Lord hath chosen (by his Spirit) to dwell in. But the bodies of my Saints and Prophets (vvhich you slay and stone) are no triuiall ordinary Tabernacles, such as Peter my Disciple, would haue had me to make in the Wildernesse, for Moses, Elias and my selfe, but Taber­nacles like the Tabernacle at Ierusalem, where I haue or­dained my name to be worshipped. Their words as my words I will haue worshipped; Their heads are the Mounts from whence I speake to you in a holy flame, as to your fore-fathers wandring in the desert.

I haue tolde you here-to-fore they are the Salt of the Earth, with whose Prayers and Supplications, if this masse of sinne were not seasoned, it would sauour so de­testably in Gods nostrils, hee were neuer able to endure it. They are the eyes and the light of the world, if the eye lose his light, all the whole body is blind; and hence it came that they were surnamed Seers, for they only fore­saw, praied, and prouided for the people. I tell you plain­ly, if it were possible for you to plucke the Sunne out of Heauen, and you should do it, & so consequently leaue all the world in darknesse, you should not be liable to so much blame as you now are, in killing them I send vnto you. They are your Seers, your Prophets (your chiefe Eyes) which you haue slaine, destroied and put out.

[Page 15] Was Caine a Vagabond on the face of the earth for killing but one Abel? tenne thousand iust Abels haue you slaine, that were more neere, and ought to haue beene more deere to you then Brothers, and shall I not desti­tute your habitation for it, & scatter you as vagabonds through-out the Empires of the world? As you haue made no conscience to stone my Prophets, and slay them I sent vnto you, so shall the strange Lords that leade you captiue, and they amongst whom many hundred yeers you shal soiurne, make no cōscience to cut your throats for your treasure, and giue a hundred of you together, to their Fencers and Executioners, to try their wea­pons on for a wager, and winne maisteries with deepe wounding you. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, deepe woes and calamities hast thou incurd, in stoning my Prophets, and slaying them I sent vnto thee. How often would I haue ga­thered thy children together when they went astray? How often would I haue brought them home into the true sheep-fold when I met them straying? I came into the World to no other end, but to gather together the lost Sheepe of Israell. You are the flock and Sheepe of my pasture, when I would haue gathered you together, you would not heare my voice, but hardned your harts. You gather your selues in counsaile against me, euery time I seeke to call you or to gather you. Deny if you can, that I sent not my Prophets (in all ages) to gather you: That with my Rodde and my staffe of correction, I haue not sought (from time to time) to gather you? that by bene­fits and manifold good turnes, I haue not tryde (all I might) to tye you, or gather you vnto me. Lastly, that in mine own person, I haue not practised a thousand waies to gather you to repentance and amendment of life. If [Page 16] you should deny it, and I not contradict it, the diuell (my vttrest enemy) would confirme it.

Let me speake truely and not vauntingly, (although it be lawfull to boast in goodnes) such hath alwaies bin my care to gather you, that I thought it not enough to gather my selfe, but I haue prayed to my Father, to ioyne more Labours and Gatherers with me, to reape and ga­ther in his Haruest. How often haue I gathered the mul­titude together, and spoke vnto them. When the peo­ple were flocked or gathered vnto mee out of all Citties and had nothing to eate, I fed them myraculously with fiue Barlie-loues & two fishes. I would not haue shewd the wonders of my God-head, but to gather you toge­ther. The first gathering that I made, was of poore Sea-faring men, whome I haue preferd to be myne Apostles.

Would you haue beene gathered together when I would haue had you, you had gathered to your selues the Kingdome of Heauen, and all the riches thereof. Now what haue you gathered to your selues, but ten thousand testimonies in the Sonne of Gods testimony, that he de­sired and besought you to suffer your selues to be gathe­red by him, and you would not? Souldiours that fight scat­teringly, and doe not gather themselues in ranke or bat­taile array, shall neuer winne the day. If you knew how strong and full of stratagems the diuell were, with how many Legions of lustfull desires he commeth embattai­led against you: that secret ambushes of temptations he hath layde to intrappe you, then would you gather your selues into one body to resist him: then would you gather your selues to gather in prayer to with-stand him: then would you gather for the poore, which is, to ga­ther for Souldiers to fight against him. E [...]eemosyna a mor­te [Page 17] liberat, et non patitur hominemire in tenebras, Almes deedes deliuer a man from death, and keepeth his soule Tob. 4. 10. from seeing confusion. As water quencheth fire (saith the Wise-man) so almes giuing resisteth sinne. And if it resi­steth sinne, it resisteth the Diuel which is the father of sinne.

All my Fathers Angels stand gathered together about his Throne; No bread is made, but of graines of Corne gathered together: no building is raysed, but of a num­ber of stones glued and gathered together. There is no perfect society or Citty, but of a number of men gathe­red together. Geese (which are the simplest of all foules) gather themselues together, goe together, flie together.

Bees in one Hiue hold their consistory together. The starres in Heauen do shine together. What is a man, if the parts of his body bee disparted, and not incorporated and essentiate together? What is the Sea but an assem­bly or gathering together of waters, and so the Earth, a congestion or heaping vp of grosse matter together? A Wood or Forrest, but an host of Trees encampt toge­ther? A generall Counsaile or Parliament but a congre­gation or gathering together of special wise men, to con­sult about Religion or lawes? O what a good thing is it (sayth Dauid) for Bretheren to liue or be gathered together in vnity.

If there were no other thing to ratifie the excellence of it, but the euill of his diameter opposite, which is di­uision or distraction it were infinitely ample to establish the title of his dignity. Nor Dauid, nor all the euills of diuision, nor al the instances of Angels, Bread, buildings, Societies, Geese, Bees, Starres, Men, Seas, counsails, Par­liaments may conforme these vngratious degenerates. [Page 18] They will not onely not gather themselues into order, (which I their Captaine might exact at their hands) but scorn to be directed, mustered, and gathered by me, when with the myldest discipline I offer to marshal them. Sor­rie I am Ierusalem, that my kindnes and conuersing with thee, hath left thee without any cloke or clowde of de­fence.

It shall not be layde to thy charge, that thou wert ig­norant, and foolish, and knewest not how to gather thy selfe into my family or houshold the Church: but that when thou mightest haue been gathered or called, thou refusedst, and contemned; neither shall it bee imputed that thou wentest astray, but that going astray, thou re­uiledst and strookest at him that would haue gathered or brought thee into the right way. Ah woe is mee, that euer I opened my mouth to call thee, or gather thee, for now (by opening my mouth, and thou stopping thine eares when I opend it) I haue opened & enwidened Hell mouth, to swallow thee and deuoure thee. I tooke flesh vpon me, to the end that Hell (not Ierusalem) might pe­rish vnder my hand. The vanquishment of that vgly nest of Harpies, hath beene reserued as a worke for me, before al beginnings; Now know I not which I may first confound, Hell or Ierusalem, since both know me, and haue armed their fore-heads against me.

Blessed is thy land, O Ierusalem, for I was borne in it. Cursed is thy Land, O Ierusalem, for I was borne in it. Borne I am to doe all Countries good but thee. Thee I came principally to doe good to, but thou resistest the good I would doethee; Thou interdicts and prohibits me with reproaches & threats, from gathering thee, and doing thee good. Of my birth thou reapest no benefite [Page 19] but this, that I shall come at the last day to beare witnes against thee. Blinde and inconsiderate, what wilt thou doe to thine Enemie, that thus entreatest thy Friend? that thus reiectest thy Redeemer? O were thy sinne (though not to be defended) yet any way excusable, it were some-what. Why did I euer behold thee to make thee miserable, and mine eyes thus miserable in behol­ding.

I might haue beheld the innocent Saints and Angels, that would neuer haue angerd me, but reioiced me: the Cherubins and Seraphins would vncessantly haue pray­sed me; I should not haue prayde them to execute my will, (for they would haue done it with a becke:) much lesse haue solicited them as I do thee, to consent to saue thy selfe. I should haue but sayd the word to the sence­lesse Planets, and it had been done: to thy Children (more sencelesse then the Planets) can I not say that word, which not onely they will refuse to doe, but de­ride. For this shall thine Enemies gather themselues a­bout thy City, and smite thee: the Angels shall gather thee to the Lake of fire and Brimstone, thou shalt then gather thy browes together in howling and lamentati­on; And (as Ieremy sayd) The carkasses of thy dwellers, Ierem. 9. shall lie as the dung in the Fielde, or the handfull after the Mower, and none shall there be to gather them vp. All this hadst thou preuented, if thou wouldst haue permitted me to gather thee. I saw into thy frailty and infirmitie, that thou wert not able to gather thy selfe, I tooke com­passion on thee, because thou wert like sheep which had no Sheep-heard. I forsooke all my immortall pleasures, and mind-rauishing melody, to descend and make thee mine, to come and gather thee to the glorie prepared [Page 20] for thee, The greatest worke was this purpose of thy ga­thering, that euer was vnder-taken in Heauen or Earth. Thus did I argument with my selfe, to salue thy imper­fections of the not gathering thy selfe. The Horse ta­meth not him-selfe: the Cammel tameth not him-selfe: the Oxe tameth not him-selfe: the Beare, the Lyon, the Elephant, tame not them-selues. Then why should I re­quire, that Man shauld tame, recall, bridle, bring vnder, or gather himselfe? But as the Horse, the Oxe, the Cam­mell, the Beare, the Lyon, the Elephant, require Man to tame them: so it is requisite that GOD should tame Man, that God alone should gather him vnto him. Con­tent I was to take vpon me that vnthankfull office of ta­ming or gathering, but thou wert not content to bee so tamed or gathered.

It did not irke me so much that thou wert vntamed, or vngathered, as that (knowing thy selfe in that case,) thou wert vnwilling to be tamed and gathered. Thou could'st not despayre of mine ability to tame thee & ga­ther thee; for if man tameth the beastes he neuer made, shall not I gather thee, alter thee, & tame thee, that made thee? Easie is my yoke, and my burthen is light: I would not haue tamed thee, or tempted thee aboue thy strength; onely I would haue curbd or reaned thee a little to the right hand, kept thee from swallowing in sin with gree­dinesse. Suppose (as the tamer of all Wild-beasts) I had some-time vsed my whyp or my goade; had it beene so much? Your Horses which you tame and spurre, and cut their mouthes with raining, and finally kill, with ma­king carry heauy burdens many yeeres together: you wil not giue so much reward to (when they are deade) as buriall, but cast them to the Foules of the ayre, to bee [Page 21] deformedly torne in peeces; I (hauing tamed thee, and gathered thee home vnto me, enfeofe thee with indefi­nite blessednes, (being deade a space) restore to thee, not onely thy flesh (in more purity,) but the iust number of thy hayres, install thee in eternity with mine Angels, where thou shalt neuer-more need to be gathered, or ta­med, where there shall bee no aduersity or tribulation that shall exercise or try thee, but eternall felicity to feed thee: and that without any care, forecast, or plotting on thy part, (such as in the maintenance, or earthly weale is wont.) I shall bee to thee all in all, thy riches, thy strength, thine honour, thy Patron, thy prouider. Yet all this hope cannot moue thee to consent to be tamed or gathered vnto me.

My voyce which cryeth, Returne, Returne: Whether wanderest thou long strayer, is trouble-some and hatefull vnto thee, thou canst by no meanes disgest it: it is thy Aduersary in the way, which since I haue warned thee to agree with, and thou hast refused, it shall draw & hale thee vnto iudgement, the Iudge deliuer thee to Death his Sariant, the Sariant to the diuell, (conuicted soules Iaylor:) thence shalt thou not escape till thou hast paid the vtmost farthing. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, why shoul­dest thou gather and intangle thy selfe in so many vneui­table snares, when (by gathering thy selfe vnder my wing) thou mayst auoyde them? What haue I requi­red of thee, but to gather thy selfe, & agree with my voice thy Aduersary? Nothing but that thou wouldest haue a care of thy health and well-doing. A thing which thou (in reason) not I, ought to exact and require of thy selfe: yet I, (as I were thy Gardian or Ouer-seer, & thy Father Abraham dying had bequeath'd thee wholy to my trust) [Page 22] follow thee, haunt thee by my Spirit, daily and hourely importune thee to remember and gather thy selfe. How often haue I (to this effect) chidingly communed with thy soule and conscience?

Sinful Ierusalem, why deferst thou to gather thy selfe, & agree with my voyce in the way? Yet thou maist agree, yet thy way is not finished, yet thy Aduersary walkes by thee. Why doost thou proroge till thy wretched life be at his waies end? Is there any other life, any other way, (when this way of woe is ended) wherein thou maist agree with thine Aduersarie? The Iudge, the Sariant, the prison, thou must then awaite, and despaire of op­portunitie euer after, to agree or be gathered to grace: but looke to be gathered like grasse on the house top, and throwne into the fire. Promise not vnto thy selfe too many yeeres trauailing in the way: Thinke not that thou shalt euer liue: thy way may be cut off ere thou bee a­ware: a thousand casualties may cut thee off in the way. But how long or how short so ere thy way be, my voice (thine Aduersary) like thy shadow still haunteth thee, still treadeth on thy heeles, still calls and cries out vpon thee to gather vp thy accounts and agree vvith it. Sha­mest thou not (vild image of carelesnesse) so long to be cald on for so light a matter? so long to liue at variance with so mighty an Aduersary? It is all one as if thou shouldest owe an earthly Iudge money, (who hath the Law in his hand) and braue him, and denie to come to composition, saying: If I owe it you, gather it or reco­uer it as you can. How thinkest thou, is there any earthly Iudge would spare thee or for-beare thee as I haue done? My voice, as it is my voice, is thy friend, but as thou a­busest it, (turnes thine eares from ii, and wilt not agree [Page 23] with it) it is thine Aduersary; It wisheth thee well, and thou wishest thy selfe ill; It bids thee crouch and stoope to the Prophets I send, and thou stonest them; It bids thee pitty the Widdow and the fatherless, and thou op­pressest them; It bids thee repent thee of the euill thou hast committed, and thou doublest it; It bids thee ga­ther and gird vp thy loines close, and take the staffe of Stedfastnes in thy hand, that if the flesh and the diuell assault thee in the way, thou maist encounter them cora­giously. Instead of girding and gathering vp thy loines, thou vnloosest them to all licentiousnes; For the staffe of stedfastnes, thou armest thy selfe with the broken Reed of inconstancy; and for incountering and contending with the flesh and the diuell, most slauishly thou kissest and embracest them.

So thou thy selfe (I altogether loath) makest my voice thy enemy. No friend so firme, but by oft ill vsage may be made a foe. No meruaile thou makest me thy foe, that art a foe to thy selfe. Hee that loueth iniquitie, hateth his owne soule: hee that hateth his owne soule, can neuer loue his neighbour; insomuch as there is no man liuing, [...]hat can loue another better then himselfe. If then his [...]est loue to himselfe, be to hate himselfe, his loue to his neighbour must be a degree lower, there is no remedie. The Law commaundeth, Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe: And he fulfilleth the Law by hating his neighbour as himselfe. I say vnto you, Hee that hateth his neighbour, is guiltie of the breach of all the commaundements: whence it necessarily ariseth, that hee vvhich loues not his owne soule, is guilty of the breach of al the commandements.

Soule-hating, Apostata Ierusalem, that wouldest ne­uer be gathered into any compasse of good life, I heere [Page 24] accuse thee as a Homicide of thine owne life, as a trans­gressor of all the commaundements, in hating thy selfe. The most vnfortunatest is my fortune of any that euer lou'd, to loue those, that not onely hate mee, but hate them-selues.

O Ierusalem, not the Infidell-Romanes, which shall inuade thee, and make thy Citty (now cleped a Citty of peace) a shambles of dead bodies, teare down thy Tem­ple, and sette vp a brothel▪house in thy sanctuary, not they (I say) shall haue one droppe of thy blood layde to their charge, not one stone of thy Temple or Sanctua­rie, testificatory against them; Thy blood shall be vpon thine owne head, whose transgressions, violently thrust swords into their hands. Thy Temple and thy Sanctu­arie shall both cry out against thy security for sacriledg. The Arke, wherein the Tables of couenaunt are layde, shall haue the Tables taken away, and in sted of them, a blacke Regester of thy misdemeanures laid in it: yea, my Father (if all witnesses should faile) would stand vp and article against thee himselfe, how thou hast driuen him (with thy detestable whoredomes) out of his consecra­ted dwelling place. O that thou knewest the time of thy visitation! O that thou wouldest haue beene gathered together! O that thou wouldest haue had a care of thy selfe, had care of me! I must be slaughtered for thee, and yet worke no saluation for thee. One crosse alone (cruel Ierusalem) is not able to sustaine the weight of thine ini­quities: ten times I must be crucified ere thou be clen­sed.

For sinne I came to suffer, thy sinne exceedeth my suffering; It is too monstrous a matter for my mercy or merits to worke on. It woundeth me more with medi­ating [Page 25] on it, then all the Speares or Nayles can wounde [...]e, that are to passe through me. I wold quite renounce and for-sweare mine owne safety, so I might but extort from thee one thought of thine own safety. Carefull am I for thee carelesse. Againe, this renueth my vnrest, that I, which am the Lord and Authour of life, must bee the Authour and Euidencer against thee of death. If thou hadst neuer seene the light, thy walking in darkenes wold haue brought thee no waylement. Ignorantia, si non ex­cusat a toto, saltem excusat a tanto: Ignoraunce excuseth the halfe, if not the whole. Thou hast not halfe an ex­cuse, (hence is my tears) not a quarter, not the hundreth part of a quarter, not a word, not a sigh, not a sillable. Neuer did I looke on such a manifest vnmasked leprous face, on a prisoner conuicted so mute. Sore am I im­passioned for the storme thy tranquillity is in child with. Good Ieremy, now I desire with thee, that I had a Cot­tage of way-faring men in the Wildernes, where I might leaue my people and liue, for they be all Adulterers, and a band of Rebels.

A Tormentor (that abiureth commiseration) when he first enters into the infancy of his occupation, would collachrimate my case, and rather chuse to haue beene tortured himselfe, them torment me with ingratitude as thou doost. More and more thou addest to my vnease, and acquainst mine eyes with the infirmities of anguish; Hauing no sinne before, thou hast almost made me com­mit sin, in sorrowing for thy sinnes. Yet though I haue sounded the vtmost depth of dolour, and wasted mine eye-bals well-neere to pinnes-heads with weeping, (as a Barber wasteth his Ball in the water,) a further depth of dolour would I sound, mine eyes more would I wast, so [Page 26] I might waste and wash away thy wickednesse. So long haue I wasted, so long haue I washed and embained thy filth; in the cleare streames of my braine, that now I haue not a cleane Teare left more, to wash or embaline any sinner that comes to me.

The fount of my teares (troubled and mudded with the Toade-like stirring and long-breathed vexation of thy venimous enormities,) is no longer a pure siluer Spring, but a miry puddle for Swine to wallow in. Black and cindry (like Smiths-water) are those excrements that source downe my cheekes, and farre more sluttish then the vgly oous of the channell. Tis thou alone (vl­cerous Ierusalem) that hast so fouled and soyled them. In seeking to gather fruite of thee, I gather nothing but stayning Berries, which embrued my hands, and almost poysoned my hart. Neuer wold I mention this or mone me, if thou hadst not embrued or brawned thine owne hands, (not in Berries) but in blood: and more then (al­most) poysoned thine owne hart.

What talke I of poyson, when it is become as fami­lier to thee as meate & drinke. Thou hast vsed it so long for meate and drinke, that true nourishing meate and drinke thou now takest for poyson. Consuetudo est altera natura: Custome hath so engrafted it in thy nature, that now, not onely poyson not hurts thee, but fostereth and cherisheth thee. What-soeuer thou art is poyson, and none thou breathest on but thou poysonest. With A­thenagoras of Argus, thou neuer feelest any paine when thou art stung with a Scorpion; Thou hast no sting or remorse of conscience. Thy soule is cast in a dead-sleep, and may not be awaked though Heauen & Earth should tumble together.

[Page 27] For discharge of my duty, and augmentation of thine euerlasting malediction, since Teares, threats, promises, nor any thing will peirce thee, heere I make a solemne protestation, what my zeale and feruent inclination hath beene (euer since thy first propagation) to win & weane thee from sathan, and notwithstanding, thou stonedst my Prophets, and slewest them I sent vnto thee: I stil assayed to reuoke thee, & bring thee back againe to thy first image, not once, or twise, or thrise, but I cannot tell how often, I would haue gathered thee, euen as a Henne gathereth her Chickins vnder her wings, butthou wouldest not. Blame me not though I giue thee ouer, that hast giuen mee o­uer: long patience hath dulled my humour of pitty. No sword but will loose his edge in long striking against stones.

My leane withered hands, (consisting of nought but bones) are all to shiuerd and splinterd in their wide ca­sos of skinne, with often beating on the Anuile of my bared breast. So penetrating and eleuatedly haue I praid for you, that mine eyes would tayne haue broke from their anchors to haue flowne vp to Heauen, and mine armes stretcht more then the length of my body; to reach at the Starres. My heart ranne full-butt against my breast to haue broken it open, and my soule flutterd and beate with her ayry-winges, on euery side for passage. My knees crackt and the ground fledde back. Then (O Ierusalem) would I haue rent my body in the midst (like a graue) so I might haue buried thy sinnes in my bowels. And had I been in heauen as I was on Earth, the Sunne should haue exhalted from thee all thy trespasses as me­teors, which the clowdes his Cofferers receiuing, might foorth-with haue conduited downe into the Sea, and [Page 28] drowned for euer.

Fooles be they that imagine it is the Windes, that so tosse and turmoile them in the deepe, they are no winds but insurrectiue sins, which so possesse the waues with the spyrite of raging. I drowned all the sinnes of the first World in water, all the sinnes of the first World now welter, souse, and beate vnquietly in the Sea, whither the World of waters was with-drawne when the Deluge was ended; And as a guilty conscience can no where take rest, so no more can they in the Sea, but embolning the billowes vppe to the ayre, with roring and howling darte them-selues on euery Rocke, desiring it to ouer-whelme them: and because they know they can neuer be recouered, with the same enuy which is in the diuels, they seeke to drowne and ramuerse euery ship that they meete. If happily there be a calme, it is when they are weary of excruciating them-selues. I that was borne to suppresse & treade downe sinne vnder foote, in the night time, (when that sinne-inhabited element is wont to be most lunaticke) walke on the crests of the surges as on the dry land.

Another cause why the Sea so swelleth, & barketh of late more then ordinary, is, for when I sent the diuels into the Heard of Swine, they carried them head-long into the Sea, where they drowned and perrisht them: and then loth to come to land to be controlled and dis­possessed againe by mee, they entred and inhabited the Sea-monsters, such as the Whale, the Grampoys, the Wasser-man, whome they haue suborned and inspyred to lye in waite for Ships-wrack. Sinne takes no rest but on earth, and on earth no rest in the night, but the day. The night is blacke like the diuell, then hee may boldly [Page 29] walke abroade lyke the Owle, and his eyes nere be daze­led. Solus c [...]m solo hee may conferre with his subiects, tempt, terrifie, insinuate what he will. Hee knowes that God hath therefore hydde all other obiects from mans sight in the night, that then he should haue no occasion to gaze elswhere, but full leysure to looke into himselfe. In which regard, least he shold looke into him selfe, and so repent, hee will not let him see with his owne eyes, but lendeth him other eyes of despaire or security to see withall. If of security, then either hee perswades him there is no God, and that Religion is but subtile Law­gyuers policy, (to keepe silly fooles in awe with scare­crowes:) or that if there be a God, he is a wise God, and like a wise Counsailer, troubles not himselfe with euery vaine twittle twattle, of this man, or that man, but con­siders wherefore we are made, and beares with vs there­after.

Yea (which is horrible) hee sootheth him vp, that if God would not haue had him sinne, hee would neuer­haue giuen him the partes or the meanes to sinne with. If he be a whore-maister, hee remembreth him how A­braham went in to his mayde Hagar: How Lot commit­ted incest with his Daughters: How Dauid lay with Ber­seba, and slew Vrias: And how I (my selfe) woulde not let the woman that had committed adultery bee stoned to death, but bidde her goe home to her house in peace & sinne no more. If he be a drunkerd, Noah was drunke, the fore-named Lot was drunke, and Dauid (mencioned before likewise) made Vrias drunke; Yet all these were This vvas long after Christs teares ouer Ierusalem. men that God delighted in.

If hee bee a periurd person, why Peter for-swore him­selfe thrise, Ioseph swore by the life of Pharao, Dauid [Page 30] swore, God doe so and so to mee, if I leaue to Nab ill yet ere night, one to pisse against the walls. Yet when Naballs wife Abigall (vnwitting to her husband) brought him a lyttle refreshing, his humour was pacified, his oth was dispenst with. A great many more allegations hath hee to this end, which heere to recite, were to weapon presumpti­on, and saue the diuell a labour in seducing. Murther, theft, (what not) hath his texts to authorise him. No­thing doth profite, but peruerted may hurt, Scripture as it may be literally expounded, and sophistically scande, may play the Harbinger as well for Hell as Heauen, and sooner feedes Despaire then Fayth. Hath not the diuel his Chappell close adioyning to Gods Church? Is hee not the ambitious Ape of GODS Maiesty? And as he hath his Tabernacle (O Ierusalem) in thy Temple, so, hath not hee his Oracle or Tripos in his Temple at Del­phos, with as great (if not greater) sacrifices, oblations & offerings then are in Gods Temple? Will hee not take vpon him to worke miracles, cure diseases, & be an An­gell of light, that is, preach the Gospell as I doe. Speake I in thunder or visions, hee speaketh in thunder and visi­ons. Eclipse I the Sunne and Moone, hee will Eclipse Sunne, Moone, and starres. Send I one good-Angel out, he will send out two ill. In conclusion, in any thing hee will imitate me, but humility; and by humillity only, my Children are knowne from the diuells. Pride is that by which the diuell holdes his kingdome, he had nere been a diuell, if he had not beene too proude to be an Angell. Enuy breedes pride, and pryde breeds enuy: There is none can vp-hold enuy, but he must vp-hold pryde, nor can true pryde liue, if it hath nothing to enuy at; If it haue nothing so great as it selfe to ayme at, there is no [Page 31] man vnder it hath any pryde or prosperity, but it enuies and aymes at.

The Sunne, though it can endure no more Sunnes but it selfe, yet it can take in good part to haue more Pla­nets besides it selfe, but pryde can endure no Superi­ours, no equals, no ascendants, no sprigs, no grafts, no likely beginnings. Any thing but vertue it can tollerate to thriue, and that it is too-to afrayd of. Marke a Tyrant when you will, and hee first extirpates the adherents to vertue. Vertue is thrise more inuocating for honor then ambition. What was the diuels first practise in Paradice, but to destroy vertue in Adam, and so by steps to destroy him, by destroying vertue in him? Whome slew Caine, but his iust or vertuous brother Abel? He was afrayd the comparison of his iustnes or vertue, would make him incomparably vgly in Gods presence. Whom hated E­sau and layd waite for, but his vpright brother Iacob, be­cause by his vertue hee had ouer-reacht him in the bles­sing of his byrth-right (Did not Saul persecute Dauid, onely because GOD lou'd him? So through-out the whole course of the Scriptures, Vertue purchaseth En­uy, and her possessors neuer escape briery scratches.

But as before, so once more I will assertionate, Vertue hath no enimy but pryde. I my selfe haue no enemy but Pryde which is the Summun genus of sinne, and may well be a conuertible name with the diuell, for the diuell is nought but pryde, and pryde is an absolute diuell. But for pryde, Ierusalem ere this had gathered it selfe vnder my wing: Forsooth she disdained to be taught & instruc­ted by such a meane-titled man as I. But for pryde of de­spising the preaching of Noah, the first World had not beene deluged. But for pride, there had beene no trans­slation [Page 32] of Monarchies. If Pharao had not beene so proud that hee would not let your fore-fathers goe, (but kept them in despight of me,) I had neuer plagued him as I did.

The reason I deceiu'd you Hierosolomites & Iewes, (in not comming in pride vnto you, in not taking the maie­sty and triumph of mine eternity,) was, because I would not partake with the diuell, in the pompe and glory of this World, which is proper to him. Did not he (pre­sently after the first brute of my Gospell) hoyse me vp vnto an exceeding high mountaine, and shewed me all the Kingdomes of the world, and the glories of them, and sayd, All these wil I giue thee, if thou wilt fall downe and worship mee? When I came to Abraham in his Tent, and to Lot in Sodom, accompanied with another Angel, I tooke vppon me no pompous shape. It is debasement and a punishment to me, to inuest and enrobe my selfe in the dregs and drosse of mortallity. I would resemble the similitude of the meanest, to gather the meanest vnto me.

I came to call sinners to repentance, poore sinners, beggerly sinners, blind sinners, impotent sinners, as wel as rich sinners, noble sinners, potentate sinners, to repen tance. With me there is no respect of persons, the Kings blood attainted of conspiracie against mee, is more base then the caytiues or pesants. What was Abraham, (but that he honoured mee,) I should out of his loynes mul­tiply a Monarchy. There is no cripple or lazer by the high-way side, but would haue honoured me more then the progeny of Abraham, if I had but bestowed the thousand part of the propitiousnes I haue bestowed on the progeny of Abraham. Shall a man call any cripple or [Page 33] Beads-man vnto him; to giue almes to, and hee will not come at him: but contemptuously cast his kinde profer behind him. I haue called you (that often haue beene Beggers and Beads-men vnto me, for blessings,) & hum­bly supplicationd you, to accept of my largesse I lauisht, but you cryde, Auaunt hypocrite, thy proferd ware is odious, we'le haue nothing to doe with an Innouater.

What hath immortality to doe with mucke? Had my Father no employment for mee, but to sende me to scrape on a dung-hill for Pearle, where nothing will thriue but Toade-stooles? Was thought-exceeding glorification, such a cloyance and cumber vnto me, that I must leaue it: as Archesilaus ouer-melodied, and too-much melowed & sugred with sweet tunes, turned them aside, and caused his eares to be new relished with harsh, sower and vnsauory sounds? O no, when I left Hea­uen to liue on earth, I left perpetuall-springing Sum­mer, to sleepe on Beddes of Ise, in the Frozen-zone, the throne of Winter. My super-aboundant loue to men on earth, was all the solace I proposed to my selfe on earth. Vbi cuiusque animus est, ibi animat: where a­mans minde is, there his mirth is.

Myrth was to me no mirth, whyles thou wert not ga­thered vnto mee. No more then I haue gatherd thee, can I gather thee: As a Henne gathereth her Chickins, so would I haue gathered thy Children. The Henne clocketh her Chickins, I would haue clocked and called them by my preaching; The Henne shieldeth them, and fighteth for them against the Puttocke, I would haue shielded them, and secured them against that slie Puttocke sathan. I would haue fought for them, vvith hell, the diuell, and al infernality. The Henne; after she hath clocked & called [Page 34] her chickins, keepeth them warme vnder her soft downe, walleth them in with her winges, and watcheth for them whiles they sleepe. After I had called you (my children or chickens) vnder my winges, which is, into my Church I would haue beene a stronger wall vnto you, then the wall of the Tower of Babell, which (as Writers affirme) Herodot. was the eight part of a mile thick, I would haue sette an Angell (with a fiery sword) in your gate, to keepe out your enemies; Still would I (with the heat and warmth of my Spirit) haue cherisht and encreast the strength and growth of your fayth, and keep it from beeing dead and cold; My vigilance should haue sentineld for all your sleepes: neither the terror by night, nor the Arrow of temptation that flieth by day, should haue frighted you. Sathan (whom you now hold for such a subtile vnder­miner) should haue beene your foole, and your iesting­stocke, and a feare-bugge to your Babes only. All things should haue prosperd and gone wel which you had taken in hand. Happy is that man that sitteth in the shaddow of the winges of the almighty: vnhappy are you, that haue ra­ther sought to dwell in the shaddow of death, then vnder the shaddow of the winges of the Almighty.

O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, that killest my Prophets and stonest them I sent vnto thee: How often would I haue gathered thy children together, as a Henne gathereth her Chickins vn­der her winges, but you woulde not. What is more tender then a Henne ouer her Chickins? So tender and more (O Ierusalem) haue I beene ouer thy Children, yet would they neuer tender themselues, but tend and bend all their courses to ruine. Neuer could I gette them to flocke vnder my Wing, or come vnder my roofe. Who takes charge of him, that in a Towne of warre will not [Page 35] come into the Towne, but lye wilfully without the walles? No charge doe I take of any that will not come within my walles, be gathered vnder my wing, but liue out of the Church. Knew you what a fearefull thing it were, to liue (as Out-lawes) from the winges of my Church, to let ritches, promotion, or any worldly respect hin­der you, from being gathered into the vnity of my body, and communion of Saints, you would vndoubtedly for­sake all and follow me.

All those that repayred not in time into Noahs arke, the waters ouertooke and drowned. Those that gathered not Manna in the morning it did them no good.

Those that made excuses, and came not to the wedding when they were bidden, the King sent forth his War­riours, and destroyed them, and burnt vp their Citties. Sencelesse stones are more obedient vnto Gods voyce then you, for the stony-walls of Iericho (after God had summoned them by his Priests sounding their Trumpets seauen times) at the third sound they prostrated them­selues flat. Not the third, or the fourth, or the fift sound, haue you with stood, but fiue hundred solemne sum­mons and sounds; No iudgement that (in your eares) I or any can sound, can make you fall prostrate or humble your selues. Stil you wil liue as runnagates and banished men, from Gods iurisdiction, you hadrather the diuell should gather you vp then he.

I haue piped, and you haue not daunced, I haue lamented, and you haue not mourned: The dayes will come, when I shall be taken away from you, and then you shall wish (in vayne) that you had danct after my pipe, and borne a principall part in my Consort of mourning. Let all suc­cessions and Citties, be warned by you, how you neg­lect [Page 36] Gods calling: let euery priuat man be admonished by you, how he neglecteth Gods calling. By benefites, by sicknes, by outward crosses, signes and wonders he calleth men: To day if yee will heare my voyce, harden not your hearts: That is, at this present when I call you, har­ken to mee. Who doth not harken at the first, let him looke to be hardned. Pharao, for hee would not at the first voyce or message let the children of Israell goe, his hart was hardned.

God when his voyce will not bee hearde, permitteth the diuell to go and try if his voyce will be heard; if they heare the diuels and not his, then hath he where-withall to conuince them. Ierusalem hath hearde the voyce of God, crying out loud in her streetes and hie places, vnto her to gather herselfe: Her streetes, and al her hie places, are filled with the ecchoes of Gods voyce. The stones of her Turrets haue beene so mou'd with it, that they haue opened their eares, & receiued his eccho into them, and that the Cryer might knowe they attended the wordes which he spake, they (ecchoing) repeated them againe. The very eccho of the walls and the stones, shall eccho vn­to God for sharpe punishent against you; And let any but reade or rehearse this sentence, O Ierusalem, Ierusa­lem, how often would I haue gathered thy chyldren together, as the Henne gathereth her Chickins, the eccho shall replye, But they would not. They would not. Thou wouldest not in­deede. And no damnation hast thou but thou wouldst not. I offered thee peace, but thou wouldst not: I offred thee to repent & be baptized, but thou wouldst not: I offred thee (if thou labourdst and wert loden) to ease thee, but thou wouldst not: I offerd thee to aske and thou shouldst haue, but thou wouldst not: To knocke and it should be opend, [Page 37] but thou woldst not. Great euils shalt thou endure, for thou wouldst not. Great euils did I say? alas little euils, compa­red to the euils I must endure onely for these 4. words, But thou wouldst not.

Heu melior quanto sors tua, sorte mea est. My body shall finde a Sepulcher, but my sorrow neuer any: for thou wouldst not. For euer I must mourne what thou for euer must suffer, for thou wouldst not. This will be thyne vtter impeachment, that the very Samaritans (whome thou accountest Infidels) receiued and acknowledged me, but thou wouldst not. That the vncleane spirits, departing out of men, cryde and confest mee to be the Sonne of God, but thou wouldst not. And lastly, that the Spirite of God himselfe, (discending on my head like a Doue) gaue te­stimony of me, yet thou wouldst not.

Clamor Sodomorum multiplicatus est: The cry of thee Ierusalem, (the second Sodom) that thou wouldst not, in Gen. 19. Gods eares is doubled. To what Nation shall I now preach or appeale, since my elected people (that should harken to me) haue aunswered me they would not? Nini­uie repented at the preaching of Ionas, but Ierusalem at the preaching of her Iesus, she would not. I offerd to wash her feete with the waters of my tribulation, and heale e­uery disease and malady she had, with them, as I healed the leprosie of Naaman with the waters of Iordan: but ouer the waters of my Teares and tribulation, shee pas­seth Psal. 65. on drie-foote, as once they past ouer Iordan. The ri­uer of God is full of water, Ierusalem, were thine eyes the riuers of God, they would bee full of water. The Snow on thy Mountaines, by the Sunne is resolued to water, the Sonne of GOD hath sought to resolue thy snow-colde hart into water, but he could not, for thou [Page 38] wouldst not. Ouer thy principall gates, and the doores of thy Temple, let therefore this for an Emprese be ingra­uen: A kind compassionate man, who grieuing to see a serpentine Salamander fry in the fire, (so pitteously as it seemd) cast water on the raging flames to quench them, and was by him stung to death for his labour. The most or word thereto, ATNOLVISTI, but thou wouldest not. As who should say, thank thy selfe though thou still burnest: I would haue ridde thee out of the fire: but thou wouldst not. By stinging mee (mortally) thou disturbest me.

On thee Salamander-like Ierusalem, haue I cast the coole water of my teares, to keepe Hell fire (if it might be) from seeding on thee, and inwrapping thee: but thou (delighting like that chilly Worme to liue in the midst of the fornace, or as the foolish Candle-flie, to blow the fire, with the beating of thy winges neere vnto it that must burne thee,) hast spit thy poyson at me when I sought to preserue thee. More agreeing is it to thy na­ture, to fry in the flames of thy fleshly desires, (which is but a short blazd straw-fire, to tinde or inkindle Hell-fire,) then to liue temperately qualefied, midst Insulae for­tunatae the fortunate Ilands of Gods fauour. For this shalt thou be consumed with fire. Thy house shall be left desolate vnto thee.

Hetherto with Ieschaciabus thou hast had nought but a plaister of drye-figges layd to thy byle, thou hast beene chastised but with wanton whips, but loe, shortly (the time comes) thou must be scourged with Scorpions: a hooke shall be cast into thy iawes, and a chaine come through thy nostrils. I now but foretell a storme in a calme, but when the Leuiathan shall approach, (that [Page 39] with his neesings chaseth Cloudes,) and you shall see lightening and thunder in the mouthes of all the foure Windes: When Heauen (in stead of starres) shall bee made an Artillery-house of Haile-stones, and no Plannet reuolue any thing but prostitution and vastity, then shall you know what it is, by saying you would not, to make your house vnto you be left desolate.

With the foolish builder you haue founded your Pal­laces on the sands of your own shallow conceits: had you rested them on the true Rock they had been ruine-proof: but now the raine will rough-enter through the crannies of their wauering, the Windes will blow and batter ope, wide passages for the pashing shoures: With roring, and buffetting lullabies, instead of singing and dandling by-os they will rock them cleane ouer and ouer. The onely commodity they shall tithe to their owners, will be (by their ouer-turning) to afford them Toombes vnaskt. Great shall be the fall of thy foolish building (O Ierusalem) like a Tower ouer-topt, it shall fall flatte, and be laid low and desolate.

In the Hauen of Ioppa, shall ariue as many shippes, as would make a Marine-cittie, in bignesse no lesse then thy selfe. The Helle-spont by Xerxes, was neuer so surchargd as it shall bee. All Galile (from the land of Nepthali vp­wards) shall bee but a quarter for their Pioners, and a couch for their baggage. From Ierusalem to the plaine of Gibeon, (which is fifty miles distance) the infinite enemy, will depopulate and pitch his Pauillions. Man, woman, child, he shall vnmortalize and mangle. Oxen Sheepe, Cammels, idely engore, and leaue to putrifie in the open Fieldes, onely to raise vp seed to Snakes, Ad­ders and Serpents. The Mount Tabor, (whose height is [Page 40] thirty furlongs, and on whose toppe is a playne, twenty­three furlongs broade) shall haue all the starre-gazing Townes (on it scituate) iustled head-long downe from the heigth of his fore-head, and breaking their backes with their stumbling rebutment, tumble in the ayre, like Lucifer falling out of heauen into Hell. Yea, their Fir­mament-propping foundation, shall be adequated with the Valley of Iehosaphat: whose sublimity (whiles it is in beheading,) the Skye shall resigne all his Clowdes to the Earth, and light-wing'd dust, dignifie it selfe by the name of a meteor. From that blind-dispersed night of dust, shall many lesser Mountaines receiue their lofty mounting: and part of it (being wind-wafted into the Sea) insert floating Ilands midst the Ocean.

None shall there bee left to fight the battailes of the Lord, but those that fight the battailes of their owne ambition. By none shall the Sanctuary be defended, but those that wold haue none destitute it or defloure it but themselues. The feast of Tabernacles, the feast of sweet Bread, and the feast of Weekes, shall quite bee discalen­dred. Your Sabaothes and New-moones, shall want a Remembrancer; Your Peace-offerings and continuall Sacrifice, (a thousand, two hundred, and ninety dayes, as Daniel prophecied,) shall be put to silence. The abho­mination of desolation, shall aduaunce it selfe in your Dan. 12. Sanctum sanctorum. Vpon your Altars (in stead of obla­tions) your Priests shall be slaughtered. Not so much as the High-prieste,) the vnder-god of your Citty,) but shal be hanged vp (es a signe) at the doore of your Tem­ple.

The particularity of your generall fore-spoken woes, would worke in me a Tympany of Teares, if I should [Page 41] portrayture it. I haue pronounst it, and your House (vn­repriueable) vnto you shall bee left desolate. The resplen­dent eye-out brauing buildings of your Temple, (like a Drum) shall be vngirt & vnbraced: the soule of it, which is the (fore-named) Sanctum Sanctorum, cleane shall bee strypt and vnclothed. God shall haue nere a Tabernacle or retyring place in your City, which he shall not be vn­dermined and desolated out of. The Sunne and Moone (perplexed with the spectacle) shall flie farther vpward into heauen, and bee afraid, least (when the besiegers haue ended below) they next sacke them out of their sieges and circuits, since they haue had God (their com­mon-Creator) so long in chase.

Ierusalem, euer after thy bloudy hecatombe, or buriall, the Sun (rising and setting) shall enrobe himselfe in scar­let, and the mayden-Moone, (in the ascension of her perfection) shall haue her crimson cheeks (as they wold burst) round balled out with bloud. Those ruddy inue­sturings, and scarlet habilements, from the clowde-cli­ming slaughter-stack of thy dead carkases, shall they ex­halingly quintessence, to the end thou maist not onely bee culpable of gorging the Earth, but of goring the Heauens with bloud: and in witnes against thee, weare them they shall to the worlds end, as the liueries of thy wayning.

Not Abrahams sonnes are you, but the sonnes of bloud, for in nothing you imitate Abraham, but that he (hauing no more saue one onely sonne) would haue sa­crific'd him: so GOD hauing no more but one onely Sonne, you lyein waite to crucifie and sacrifice him. For thine owne destruction (disgraded daughter of Syon) thou lyest in waite, in laying waite for mee: that which I [Page 42] hunger and thirst after, is thy saluation in my destructi­on. I am enamoured of my Crosse, because it is all ages blessing: not a nayle in it but is a necessary Agent in the Worlds redemption.

Holy Crosse, Adams of spring, onely holines, I grieue that vpon thee I can spend none of my God-head as wel as my Humanity, to glorify the more this great exploit. For the desolating and disinheriting of hell haue I that reserued, none but the God of heauen may leade capti­uity captiue, and returne Conquerour from that dun­geonly Kingdome. Strange it is (ó Ierusalem) that I should be able to conquer and forrage hell, and yet can­not conquer, or bring vnder thee to my obedience. To speake troth, (as in my lips is no guile) thou art not wor­thy to bee conquéred, or haue the host of thine affecti­ons subdued by me, that hast admitted of a baser con­querour, which is the diuell, after whom I can succeede with no honour.

The Romaines (not I) shall conquer thee, and leaue thy house desolate vnto thee: who being Heathens, and not knowing God, are a degree of indignity inferiour to the diuell, for he knowes God, and with feare and trem­bling acknowledgeth him. Wouldst thou with feare and trembling haue fled to mee for refuge against the diuell and the Romanes, when I would haue gathered thee, both the Diuell and the Romanes (at one instant) had bene subdued to thine hand. But vnder my standard thou wouldst not, thou scornedst to gather thee, therefore shall thy house be left desolate vnto thee: therefore shall Gods house bee left desolate vnto thee. Maiesticall Temple, on whose Pinacle once I was tempted, thou and I (one af­ter another) must perish, for no fault of our owne, but [Page 43] for the sinnes of this people.

No profite but disprofite, shall the scattered ashes of thy obsequies bring vnto them, nor shall they, like the ashes of me the true Phoenix, liue againe: neuer shall thy body (like mine) be raised againe. Raced and defaced shalt thou be, as thou hadst neuer bene. Haply Caues for wilde-beasts (many yeares together) thou maist affoord, but the Lord of Hostes shall abandon thee, the King of Israel shall abiure thee. By Herod (a man of bloud) thou wert last builded, and in bloud shalt thou be buried. O let mee embrace thee while thou yet standest, and I am not translated: hereafter (perhaps) nere may I haue the opportunity to embrace thee. This present houre that is granted, I will put out to Vsury. On thy Alablaster out-side, with scalding sighes and dimming kisses, a greater dew will I raise, then lies vpon sweaty Marble a little before raine.

Me thinkes these stones looke shining and smyling vpon mee, Ierusalem frownes like a Shee-beare seeking her whelpes. These stones start not out of their assigned places, but still retaine their imposed first proportion: from me (her foundation) long agoe hath Ierusalem star­ted, out of those limits and bounds I assigned her hath she started, her order she hath broken; my building she hath subuerted; no forme or face of my workemanship is visible in her. But yet, were nothing but her face and out-side deformed, it were some-what, her in-side is worst of all: her Heart, her Lungs, her Liuer, & her Gall, alare carioniz'd and contaminated with surfeits of selfe­will. Her owne heart she eateth, and disgesteth into the draught with riot and excesse.

Poore Temple, long mightst thou stand, and not haue [Page 44] a stone of thee disquieted till the Iudgement day, if those to whom thou belongest, were not ten-times branded in the fore-head for Reprobates, not with the marke of the Lambe, but the Lyon, who (roring) seeketh whom he may deuoure. Distressefully am I diuided from thee; my soule (when it shall be diuided from mee) will not endrench mee in so much dolour as thou doost. The zeale of thee distraughteth me, and some essentiall part of my life seemeth to forsake me and droppe from mee, when I thinke of thy diuastation. Nothing so much doth macerate and mad mee, as that all the sky-perfu­ming prayers, and profuse sacrificatory expences of ful­hand oblationers, should not haue force to vphold thee. Desolation, for no debt of sin shalt thou extend on this Temple, that thou hast to extend against it, extend against me, for it is my Fathers habitation. It will but augment his indignation against this Citty, and do thee no good to driue him out of house and home, and re­serue him no sanctified mansion vpon earth. Let there bee one peculiar Treasury of supplications and vowes vndestroyed and vnpillaged.

O Father, bee this House more high-pryzed to thee then Paradice; More worship and adoration hast thou had in it then in Paradice. There thou setst a fiery-armed Gardant to repulse insolent inuaders: set some garison­ment before the gate of thy Tabernacle, to oppugne the dispossessors of thy Diety: thou canst not heare me, I pray for them whose sinnes sue against me. Thou hast decreed (in thy secret iudgement) There house shall bee left desolate vnto them: Thou hast decreed I shall be left desolate on the Crosse, and cry, Eloi, Eloi, lamasabach­thani, vnayded or vnregarded. Willing am I to execute [Page 45] thy will, onely let me not in vaine giue vp the Ghost, but some soules of this Panther-spotted Ierusalem, may bee extraught to ioy with me.

O that mine armes were wide enough to engraspe the wals of Ierusalem about, that in mine amorous en­foldment, (vnawares) I might whyrle her to Heauen with me. Why should I not driue all Israel before mee to the great felicity, as a Sheepeheard before him dri­ueth his flocke to the fat Pastures? I shall neuer driue you before me, you will driue me before you (with mur­der and violence) to immortality, & your selues not one foote follow after. Pol me occidistis amici, you whom I thought to bind to me as friends, haue foe-like betraied me. Because I am humble I may not please you: Because I am Christ the iust, therfore you will designe me to the Crosse vniustly. Est mihi supplicij causa fuisse pium. Wold God there were no other exclamatory crime then this to bee obiected againe thee. Yet haue I suffred of thee nothing but feare. More then feare am I (within these few daies) to entertaine at thy hands.

Slay me thou shalt, because I haue vouchsafed to liue. with thee; and doome me an vnworthy end, in leiu of my deere loue. Tu mihi criminis author, no imputation of scandale shall I haue, but the heauy burthen of thy abu­ses. Thou shall be my vninocence, and whole summe of delinquishment: thy right hand of my death shall be ar­raigned. Hoc prohibete nefas, scelerique resistite vestro. Not the prophane idolatry of the Gentles, in my sides shall delue so deepe, as thy stiffe-necked transgressions. Lesse do I deplore my death then thy life: and a thousand times haue I wisht and desired, that thou hadst onely oc­casion to repent my death and not thine own other mis­deeds. [Page 46] Repent yet, & I will repent me of the pronounce­ment against thee. Should I not so haue pronounst and denunciated against thee, thy bloud would haue bene ch. 3. required at my hands. Therefore is my people led captiue, (saith the Lord by Esay) because they know mee not. Your [...]5. pretence of vnknowledge, orignorance, is already coun­terpleaded: you shall not say, Woe bee to mee that I neuer tasted the milke of vnderstanding; but (with Iob) banne the time that euer you suckt the breasts. At my breasts Ierusalem hast thou not suckt, but bit off my breasts, when thou stonedst the Prophets: O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, that stonest my Prophets, and killest them I sent vnto thee: How often would I haue gathered thy children together, as a Henne gathereth her Chickins vnder her wings, but thou wouldst not? Therefore shall thy House bee left desolate vnto thee.

Heere ebbe the spring-tide of my Teares, Eyes from this present prepare your selues to bee recluses. I came not to shed Teares but Bloud for Ierusalem, Bloud for Ierusalem will I shed, to attone for her shedding of in­nocent bloud; So that let her yet turne vnto mee, her at­tonement is made. I will corroborate my Crosse Giant­like, to vnder-beare the Atlas burthen of her insolen­ces. With my Nazarite tresses, to my Crosse will I bind her crossing frowardnesse and contaminations. Not a nayle that takes hold of me, but I will (expresly) enioyne it to take hold of her deflectings and errours. Death, (as euer thou hopest at my hands to haue thy Commission enlarged,) when thou killest mee, kill her iniquities al­so: let thy deepe entring Dart obliuionize their me­mories.

Of man (as of me) thou killest but the body onely, kill [Page 47] the body and the soule both of her vnbounded sinne­gluttony. I will pay thee largely for thy paines. Where­as before, thou neuer tookst any but the subiects priso­ners, now thou shalt haue the King himselfe surrendred to thy cruelty. Thou shalt enrich thy stile with this title, I Emperour Death, the Lord of all flesh, the killer of the King of all Kings, &c. Deale well by Ierusalem, how euer thou dealst with me: Let not her Soule be left desolate, though her Citty bee left desolate vnto her.

Euen the High-priestes that shall binde mine hands, and adiudge my body to be scourged, deale mercifully with, cut them not off suddenly, but giue them a space of repentance. Let them bee crowned with eternity, though they crowne me with Thornes, their crowning mee with thornes I take for no trespasse, for they cannot pricke me so ill with those bryars, as they haue prouokt mee with their sinnes. Nor shall the Gall and Vinegar they giue me to drinke, bee so bitter vnto mee as their blasphemies. Forgiue them Lord, they forget what they doe.

Further I may not proceede, except I should detract from my Passion to adde to my Teares. Hee that can weepe with more soule-martyrdome then I, let him take vpon him to wash (in my steed) the earths Ethiopian face. Euery vaine of me let it burst, to feede the Lake of Gehenna, before Gehenna gather springs from the heart of Ierusalem. Not the least hayre of my body, but may it be as a pegge in a vessell, to broch bloud with plucking out, so in the droppings of that bloud Ierusalem will bathe her selfe. O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, that stonest my Pro­phets, and killest them I sent vnto thee, ten thousand times adiew: I would neuer haue bid thee adiew, or beene [Page 48] diuorced from thee, but that thou thy selfe hast diuor­ced thy selfe. Heauen no heauen hast thou made vnto me, by endlesse performing thy obits. If my crimson Teares on the Crosse, may more preuaile with thee, so it is, or else in vaine I discended, or else to thy paine I discended.

Discende into the closet of thine owne conscience, and enquire how oft I haue come thither, and cald vp­on thee to gather thee. Examine thy heart & thy reynes if I haue not secretly communed with thee by night, to conuert and be turned vnto me. Thou neuer with drewst thy selfe and wert solitary, but my Spirit was reprouing and disputing with thee. At length shall I obtaine of thee to remember and gather thy selfe? Though thou wilt not in respect of me, (whom thou shouldst respect) yet in respect of thine owne benefite, remember and ga­ther thy selfe, enter into meditation of thy lamentable estate: But heare thy Physition though thou intendest not to be ruled by him. Vnderstand the nature of thy disease, which is the first steppe to recouery. Relieue my languor, by being lesse retchles of thy inuisible aspiring infirmity. Glance but halfe a kind looke at me, though thou canst not resolue to loue me; by halfe a looke my loue may steale into thine eies vnlookt for. Thy sight is no way mispent or impayred, by casting away one a­skance-regard on any.

The Sunne shineth as well on the good as the bad: God from on high, beholdeth all the workers of iniqui­ty, aswell as the vpright of heart. It behoueth thee to try all spirits, let my Spirit be one of those (all) which thou bringest to the Touch-stone. I do not will thee with­out tryall, on my bare report to be directed by it, but [Page 49] when thou hast tride it, & sifted it to the vttermost, then as it approues it selfe, to entertaine it. Vpon vn-certaine experiments, (hauing the least protence of gaine in thē,) men will hazard and venture many thousands: try once an experiment to gaine heauen with; venture or ha­zard but a few indifferent good thoughts of mee. I say I am thy Messias, and am come to gather thee, condemne me not rashly, but awaite & see the end of my gathering whereto it sorts. Search the Scriptures & the Prophets, whether I be a lyer and impostor or no. I would giue thee leaue to hate me, so thy hate would make thee in­dustrious & sedulous, to hearken out & enquire whence I am. Were I notorious guilty, and vn-examined, & vn­heard, you should sentence me, you should giue to me amongst men an opinion of innocence: being not guil­ty, you make your iudgements guilty, of knowing I am not guilty, in proceeding against mee without circum­stance or proofe. I speake all this while to the wind, or as a disconsolate prisoner that complaineth himselfe to the stone-wals.

God is mooued and mollified (though hee be neuer so incensed) with often, and vn-slacked intercessions; Gold (which is the Soueraigne of mettals) bends soo­nest, onely Iron (the peasant of all) is most inflexible. Ie­rusalem with nothing is mooued, therefore must her Ta­bernacle be remooued, therefore must her House bee left desolate vnto her. Often, importunatly, violently, eager­ly haue I intercessioned vnto her, to gather herselfe vnto mee: I haue kneel'd, wept bitterly, lift vp mine hands, hung vpon her, and vowed neuer to let her go, till shee consented to retire herselfe into my tuition, & answer'd pleasingly to my petition. Neuer did the Widdow in [Page 50] my Parrable, so follow and tyre the wicked Iudge with fury-haunting instancy, as I haue done her. No where could she rest but I haue alarumd in her eares, her pride, murder and hypocrisie, and with dismall crying, and vo­ciferatiue inculcating vnto her, drawne my throat so hic into the roofe of my mouth, that it hath quite swallow'd vp and ensheath'd my tongue, and threatend to turne my mouth out of his office.

I haue crackt mine eye-strings with excessiue staring, and stedfast heauen-gazing, when with fast-fortified prayer, and eare-agonizing inuocation, I haue distressed my Fathers soule for her; so that (enrag'd) hee hath bid me out of his sight, chid me, rebukt me, & impatiently said as he said vnto Moyses, Let mee alone, that I may wreake mine anger on her, and consume her. None of these may ouer-come her, the bloud of my Prophets, and the hundred-voyc't clamour of her multiplied mu­tinies against Heauen, are far louder before my Father then I, they out-throate mee, and put mee downe I can­not be heard, euen as one that howles puts downe him that sings. Mee would not Ierusalem heare, when with sweet songs I haue allur'd, cluckt, & wooed her to come vnder my wings: therefore will not my Father heare any man that once names her. When I pray for her, her sinnes fall a howling that I should not be heard.

My wings, her gray-headed sturdy disobedience hath now cleane vnpinioned and broken, so that (though I would) I cannot gather her. Besides, she hath steeled my soft impressiue heart, and mirmidoniz'd mine eies, that they shall neuer giue griefe a Teare more almes. Poore Hennes, there is nothing so tender as you are ouer your Chickins, but had you as I haue, none but Kites and Ki­strels [Page 51] to your Chickens, such as flie against the winde as soone as they are borne, and gather themselues in Armes against you when you offer to gather them, you would learne of me, to leaue off to be so tender.

To desolation (Ierusalem) must I leaue thee, desolation that taketh his watch-word from thou wouldst not: Deso­lation the greatest name of vengeance that is, Desolation which hath as many branches of misery as Hell belon­ging to it, Desolation the vtmost arrow of Gods indigna­tion. I cannot in tearmes expresse the one quarter this word Desolation containeth. Dauid in the depth of his despaire of Gods mercy, said; Hee was left as Desolate as the Pellican in the wildernesse, or the Owle on the house top. This is the Desolation of the Pellican in the Wilder­nesse, that when she hath her bowels vnnaturally torne out by her yong ones, (into the world tirannously en­tring,) and they leaue her in the extremity of her tor­ment, and will not deigne her (for all her deere trauell) one comforting aspect of compassion, to herselfe (twixt liuing and dying,) herselfe she complaineth. Bloud and teares equally she spendeth, and as her womb is rent out with vngratefull fruitfulnesse, so now her heart she rents out with selfe-gnawing discontentment, and dyeth, not decayed by age, but destroyed by her of spring.

The mellancholy Owle, (Deaths ordinary messen­ger,) that nere weildeth his lazy leaden wings but by night, and in his huge lumpish head seemeth to haue the house of sleepe built, then is most solitary and desolate, when (restrained from tuning his owne priuate discon­solations to the darke gloomy aire,) he is sent to sing on a desolate house top, a dolefull dreary ditty of destiny, Alijs que dolens sit causa dolendi. Ierusalem, euen as the Pel­lican [Page 52] in the Wildernesse, so (by thine owne progeny) shalt thou haue thy bowels torne out; by ciuill warres shalt thou be more wasted then out-ward annoyance. Those whom thou most expectest loue of, shall be most vnnatural to thee. Not onely teares shal they constraine thee to weepe, but bloud, & vrge thee to rent out thine owne heart, in ruing their irreligiousnesse. As the Owle on the house-top, euer-more howlingly, cals for some Corse, and is the first Mourner that comes to any fune­rall, so (Ierusalem) shalt thou howling, sit like the Owle on thy high-places and house-tops, & tune nothing but laies of ill-lucke and desolation, & funerall Elegies of thy for-lorne ouer-throw. Thus shalt thou sing; Sodom is sunke and I must succeed.

O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, all this might'st thou haue a­uoided, I neuer sought the death of a sinner, my death thou hast sought, for I laboured to saue thee. Saue thy selfe as well as thou maist, for I haue forsaken thee, to desolation haue I resigned thee. If in this world thou en­durest thy punishment patiently, (and canst purge thy soule by repentance,) in my world of Ioy I shall be rea­dy to receiue thee; otherwise, I haue nou [...]ht to do with thee, thy Soule as thy House bee left desolate vnto thee.

HEERE doe I confine our SAVIOVRS colla­chrimate Oration, and putting off his borrowed Person, restore him to the Triumphancy of his Passion. Now priuately (as mortall men) let vs consi­der, how his threates were after verified in Ierusalems ouer-ture.

[Page 54] Should I write it to the proofe, weeping would leaue meno eyes: like tragicke Seneca, I should tragedize my selfe, by bleeding to death in the depth of passion. Ad­mirable Italian teare-eternizers, Ariosto, Tasso & the rest, nere had you such a subiect to roialize your Muses with, Of a late destruction of Ierusalem, Tasso thou wrot'st, wherein thy Godfry of Bulloine the destroyer, beareth the chiefe part of honour. A counterfeite Melpomene (in comparison of this) was thy Muses Mid-wife, when that child of Fame was brought forth. Let no man thinke to enter into this History as he should, but a consumption of sorrow will cut him off ere he come to the end. God forbid I should be so Luciferous passionatiue-ambitious, to take vpon mee the full blast of this desolatiue-trumpet of Ierusalem, a weake breath or two I will writhe into it, and with a hoarse sound, (such as fitteth farre-spent lan­guorment) manifest as it were in a dead-march, her vn­timely interment.

Forty yeares were expired after our Lords lifting vp into Heauen, when the Temple-boasting Iewes, (elate in their owne strength) began to pretend a wearines of the Romane regiment, and coueted to raigne entire Lords, ouer the Lords that raign'd ouer them. Eleazer, the Sonne of Anani the High-priest, was the first that seminariz'd this hope of signiorizing and freedome amongst them. Proudly he controlled Agrippa & all the other Lieftenants, droue them from their dignities to Rome to seeke succour and rescue, and swayed ouer the multitude, as the King and Father of their liues. In the meane-while, the Element was ouer-hung with prodi­gies. GOD thought it not enough to haue threatned them by his Son, but he emblazond the aire with the to­kens [Page 55] of his terror. No Starre that appeared but seemd to sparkle fire. The Sun did shine all day, as it is wont at his Euening going downe. The Moone had her pale-siluer face iron spotted with freckle-imitating bloud-sprink­lings: and for her dim frosty circle, a blacke inky-hood embayling her bright-head.

Ouer the Temple (at the solemne feast of the Passe­ouer) was seene a Commet most coruscant, streamed & tayled forth, with glistering naked swords, which in his mouth, (as a man in his hand all at once,) he made sem­blance as if hee shaked and vambrasht. Seauen daies it continued, all which time, the Temple was as cleare & light in the night as it had beene noone-day. In the Sanctum sanctorum, was heard clashing and hewing of Armour. Whole flockes of Rauens, (with a fearefull croking cry,) beate, fluttred, and clasht against the win­dowes. A hideous dismall Owle, (exceeding all her kind in deformity and quantity,) in the Temple-porch built her nest. From vnder the Altar, there issued penetrating plangorus-howlings, and gastly dead-mens grones. A goodly young Heyfer, hal'd thither for a burnt offering, being knockt downe and ready to be drest, miraculously calued a Lambe.

The sacrificing kniues that diu'd into her entrailes, wold afterwards by no meanes be cleansed, but from her bloud (as from mans bloud) tooke vnto them an vnre­moueable rust. In the feast of Weekes, in the inner re­ceite of the Temple was heard one stately stalking vp and downe, and exclaiming with a terrible base hollow voice, Migremus hinc, Migremus hinc, è Templo emigre­mus: Let vs go hence, Let vs go hence, out of this Temple let vs hie vs. What should I ouer-blacke mine [Page 56] Inke, perplex pale Paper, rumatize my Readers eyes, with the sad tedious recitall, of all the prognostica­ting signes of their ruine. Stories haue lost and tyred themselues in this Story. Should I but make an Index to any one Writer of them, it would aske a Booke alone. Some few abreuiated alleagements I will con­tent my selfe with, and so passe on-ward to more ne­cessary matter.

Aboue, and besides, the Propheticall apparitions, in, ouer, & about the Temple, in the Citty there happened no lesse note-worthy praedictions. The East gate thereof which was all yron, and neuer wont to be opened vnder twenty men together, (the dry rusty creeking of whose hookes and gymmes as it was in the opening, might be heard a mile off,) now, of the owne accord, burst wide ope, and being ope, was twise more hard then before to be shut. A base mechanicall fellow there was, sprung out of the mud of the Communalty, who for foure yeares together before the warres begunne, went cry­ing vp and downe, Woe to Ierusalem and the Sanctuary thereof, Woe to euery liuing thing that breatheth therein, The wars once entred, he got him on the wals, and often re-iterating his stale-worne note, adde thereunto, Woe, and thrice woe to my selfe, and with that, start a stone out of an Engine in the Campe and stopt his throate. Many monstrous birthes at this instant were brought foorth: in diuers places of the Citty sprung vp founts of bloud. The Element euery night was embattailed with Armed men, skirmishing and conflicting amongst themselues; & the Emperiall Eagles of Rome, were plainly there dis­played to all mens sight. A burning sword also was set forth, visibly bent against the Citty. The strangest and [Page 57] horriblest tempests of thunder and lightning had they that euer was heard of.

The Earth left to be so friutfull as it wont. No season but it exceeded his stinted temperature. Euery thing re­belled against kind, as thinking scorne to accommodate themselues to their vses, that had so rebelled against the Lord. For all this, there was no man that would gather himselfe, no man that would depart from the ill worke he had in hand. Ambulabant vt caeci quia Domino peccaue­runt. Their eies were ouer-filmed or blinded, because they obeyed not their Maker.

NOw is the time that all Riuers must runne into the Sea, that whatsoeuer I haue in wit or elo­quence, must be drayned to the delineament of wret­chednesse.

The Romanes like a droue of Wild bores, roote vp and forrage fruitfull Palestine. That which was called the Holy Land, is now vnhallowed with their Heathen swords. Wherefore you Pilgrims, that spend the one halfe of your daies in visiting the Land of Promise, and weare the plants of your feete, to the likenesse of withe­red rootes, by bare-legd processioning (from a farre) to the Sepulchre, vngainefully you consume good houres, for no longer was Iudea a Land of Promise, then her Temple stood. Vespasians inuasion hath prophaned it: a Mount of dead bodies ouer that Sepulchre is raised, which you perigrinate to adore; that Sepulchre you see, is but a thing built vp by Saracens to get mony with, and beguile votiue Christians. They delude your super­stition, and make it their tributary slaue.

No Hog-sty is now so pollutionate as the earth of Pa­lestine [Page 58] and Ierusalem. Our Sauiours steps are quite vn­sanctified in them, and trodden out of sent, by the irrup­tiue ouer-trampling of the Romanes. A new story of flesh-manured earth haue they cast vpon it, and made it no more the walke of Saints and Prophets, but a poyso­nous nurcery of Beasts of pray and Serpents.

O God, enlarge mine inuention and my memory, sin­cerely and feelingly, to rehearse the disornamenting of this mother of Citties.

Vnderstand that before the arriuall of Vespasian, there were in Ierusalem three factions. Eleazers, which was the fundamentiue and first, Iehochanans next, and Schimeons the last. Eleazer and Iehochanan, the vngodliest that euer God made, Schimeon except, (and hee might well haue beene Schoole-maister to Cain or Iudas,) hee was such a grand Keysar of cut-throtes. From the noblest of the Iewes discended, but his Nobility ere he came to it, by his degenerate conditions he forfeited. A man hee was that made a mockery of all Lawes and Religion, and any thing which Authority forbad, most greedily would embrace: thinking, as the best Pastures are hedged in, the best Orchards wald about, the best Mettals hutcht vp, so there was nothing excellent but was forbidden, and whatsoeuer was forbidden, was excellent. For malice or hatred, he would not stab or murder men so much, as against he had iust occasion to stab or murder, to keepe his hand in vre. Hee held it as lawfull for him, (since all labouring in a mans vocation is but getting,) to get wealth as well with his sword by the High way side, as the Laborer with his Spade or Mattocke, when all are but yron; besides, as there is none hath any wealth which he getteth not from another, so deem'd he it as free for [Page 59] him as another, to get from other men; concluding, as there no better tittle to a Kingdome then conquest, so there is no better claime vnto wealth, then by the con­quest of a strong hand to compasse it. Adultery, Forni­cation, Drunkennesse, no sin, but he would defend and offend in.

For the multitude of these and other his abhomina­tions, banisht he was, and longer in Ierusalem might he not roust: wherefore no possibility had hee to preuent beggery, or redeeme his estate, but by proclaiming (in all places where he came) the trade he profest: The Te­nure of his Proclamation was this. That if there were any, that had dudgen-old coughing miserly Fathers they could not endure: If there were any that had repi­ning victual-scanting Maisters, tyrrannizing neuer-the­lesse for their work: If there were any, that were Credi­tor-craz'd, and dead and buried in debt, and knew not which way to rise out of it, let them repaire to him, and till Doomes-day they should haue a protection. Yea, if there were euer a good fellow that lou'd a Harlot as his life, would haue Letters-patents to take purses, had a desire to kill and not be hang'd, would sweare and for­sweare for single-money, and had not so much as a crum of conscience to put in his pottage, let him or them what ere, resort vnder his standard, and their humors should be maintained.

Twenty thousand of these dreggy lees of Libertines hiu'd vnto him in a moment, whom he cleped the Flower of Chiluary: for they feared no man, & cared nei­ther for God nor the Diuell. With them he burnt the greene Corne in the fields, pluckt downe Barnes and Store-houses, stubd vp Orchards and Vine-yards, and [Page 62] made desolate hauocke where euer he came.

To Ierusalem (after much slaughter and spoyle) with this his Out-law Army he reacht, & there enter-leagued himselfe with Eleazar and Iehochanan. The first thing af­ter their ioyning they did, was the displacing of the Sanhadrtn, which were the Iudges, and three-score and tenne Elders, and sharing the gouernèment equally amongst them. Then the Sacrifice they silenced, put the High-priest to death, and conuerted the Temple to an Armory. Long could they not agree, but as Empery ad­mitteth no mate-ship, so did they enuy one another, made heads against one another, mutually skirmisht with one another. Their enemies were without, but within lurkt the plague that went through stitch.

Twenty thousand in one day, the internal ciuil sword eate vp. The Edomites let in by Iehochanan, of the wel­thiest Cittizens, slew eight thousand and fiue hundred in one night. Heere begins the desolation Christ prophe­cied, within and without vengeance bestirreth her; within it raged most, for within sinne raigned most. Let mee suddainely waxe old and woe-wrinkle my cheekes before their time, by describing the deplored effectes of their sinnes within. First, for the desolation of their ceremoniall Religion, some-thing I haue said already, but the summe of all was this, that if any Priest approcht neere the Altar, the bloud of him and his offering was blended together. The reuerent Ephods were made the slaughter-mens Aprons: many venerable Leuites they bound to the Altar by the haire of their beardes. The Vessels of the house of the Lord, they put to vile vses. Not any consectated thing but they arrested and made booty of. Yong children, whom their mothers led [Page 63] in their hands along with them, to the Temple to offer, (inhumaine to be told,) they tooke and mercilesse cast into the sacrificatory flame, and on the same Altar (after they were consumed) most sacriligiously rauisht their Mothers. Some men (whom they could not otherwise draw into their danger) they would inuite to treaty in the Temple, saying; There is the Tabernacle of the Lord, there is the Arke of his presence, there if we shold draw our blades, it were abhomination vn-remissible. Why distrust you vs? suppose you vs to be without GOD? carry wee not the couenant of our Father Abraham in our loines as well as you? By him that ow­eth this Temple wee sweare, and all mysticall riches thereof, you shall depart thence vnmolested. Who so on their oaths, or their words affianst them, were sure to wash the pauement with the best iuice of their breasts.

Not onely those that came to offer, but those that but offred to kneele in the Temple, they ran through. The Marble flore of it they made so slippery, with their vn­respited, and not so much as Saboth-ceased bloud-shed, and bowel-clinging fat of them that were slaine, that a man might better swimme then walke on it. The place without the Citty where they carried their dung, and buried the entrailes of Beasts, halfe so pestilently stunck not, as that stuncke with dung-hils of dead-bodies. The entry of the Court of the Lord, was changed to a stan­ding Lake of bloud. The siluer gates of the Temple, no more were gates for deuoute worshippers to enter in at, but slimy flood-gates for thicke iellied gore to sluce out by. Who hath seene a Vaulte vnder a Church full of dust-died sculs, and rusty dead-mens bones, might (af­ter [Page 62] that grosse streame of gore a little was turn'd aside, and the bloud dryed vp,) rightly allude the Temple thereunto: for now it was no more a prayer-prospering House, but a pudly Vault of dead-mens bones, and cast out bodies kneaded to durt. Her Alablaster wals were all furred & fome-painted, with the bespraying of mens braines dung out against them. Her high roofe was min­gle-colourd with mounting drops of bloud, that se [...]'d by soaking into it, to seeke for passage to heauen.

The siedge growing hot, the seditious hearts some­what quailed, and then they made shew as they would correct themselues, as they would renounce their tu­multuous tyranies; And whereas lately before, they had depriued the High-priest both of life and office, now (dissemblingly remorsed) they would needs in all hast, in his roome set vp another, and by lots he should be chosen. The lot fell vpon a Plow-man, or Carter, one Pani the sonne of Peniel, and hee (not-with-standing his ignorant basenesse, and base rudenesse) as in a mockery, was instal'd in that dignity.

It is not my intent to runne a right out-race, through all the accidents of their reprobation, onely that which I lay downe, is to shew how vnfallibly Christs words were fulfilled, as touching their tenne times merrited desolation. Iudge all those that haue sence of misery, ere they haue occasion to vse it in discerning their own mi­series, whether this were not desolation or no. The Lord at one time visited their Citty with those foure ca­pitall plagues, Fire, Famine, Pestilence, and the Sword. First for fire, thus he visited it: There were a thousand & foure hundred Store-houses, filled vp to the top with victuall, Corne, Wine, and Oile, sufficient to maintaine [Page 63] two hundred thousand men for twenty yeares, all which by the Seditious was set on fire, and consumed in one day. Diuers gorgeous buildings they enflamed to smoke out their rich owners, & many goodly streets end-longs to the very earth they encindred: for nothing but to haue more roome to bicker in.

Euery corner of Ierusalem, had a voyce heard in it as in Ramah, of weeping, mourning, & great lamentation. Scarce could one friend in commoning heare another, for the howling, wringing of hands, sobbing and yelling of men, women, and children. Heere lay they halfe dead, bayting and bathing in their wounds, and roaring and eare-rentingly exclaiming, for some melting-hearted man, to come and rid them out of their lingring liuing death, and slay them out-right. The sons, daughters, and seruants of the Elders thus vniustly massacred, went crying vp and downe the Citty like mad-men, with eies and hands to heauen extended, Iustice Lord, Iustice Lord, Iustice, against the vniust depriuers of our friends and maintainers.

This was the Seditious order, that if there were any man noted to be of more wealth then other, him they pickt a quarrell against, and accused of treason to their Sanctuary, and sending letters to the Romanes. False witnesses they had in pay a Campe royal. Schimeon wold not see them vnproudied in that case. Not onely he that mourned, but he that did not seeme to reioyce at the Martyrdom of those iust men, was dismist the same way. Not a few (in their mindes benummed with the massa­crous monstrousnesse of this quicke Marshal-law) made themselues graues, and went into them aliue. The chan­nell of Iordan was so ouer-burdened and charged with [Page 66] dead carkasses, that the waters contended to wash their hands of them, and lightly leapt ouer their bankes, as shunning to mixe themselues with so many millions of murders: but after many daies abstinence from their proper entercourse, (obseruing they must liue for euer banisht from their bounds, except they made some rid­dance of them,) they recollected their liquid forces, and putting all their wauy shoulders together, bare the whole shole of them before them, as farre as the Sea of Sodom.

Had there beene at that time a Red-sea new to be cre­ated, the bloud (that like a Riuer from a Mountaine foote, flowed forth of Ierusalem) would haue made it rich in surges, and sufficient to wracke many ships. Euen as Iordan, so the Brooke Cedron, and the waters of Schilo­im in like sort were choked. As dead Cats and Dogs in­to Buts of Sacke and Muscadine are throwne, (for their fiery strength to feed on,) so into Wels and Cesternes were dead Corses (innumerable) throwne, for their blacke waters to feede on. From the fury of the Sword, let me discend to Famine and the Pestilence, the two latter plagues of Ierusalem.

In giuing them sutable phrase, had I the command of a thousand singular wits, I should bankroute them all in description. Plucke vp a good courage mine infant pen, and wearily struggle (as well as thou maist) through this huge word-dearthing taske.

The Store-houses burnt, the siege hard plyed, the waste of victuals great, the husbanding of them none at all: there fell such an infestuous vnsaciable famine amongst them, that if all the stones of Ierusalem had ben bread, and they should haue tyred on them, yet would [Page 65] they haue bene behind hand with their appetite. Their watry wesands were like to leape out of their mouthes for meate, and in their crawling vp to seeke passage, rea­dy to haue bene seaz'd on by their iawes for sustenance. Like an ouer-hanging Rocke eaten in with the tide, or Death that is nere picturd, but with an vpper chap only, so did their propendant breast-bones imminent-ouer-canopy their bellies.

So many men as were in Ierusalem, so many pale raw­bone ghosts you would haue thought you had seene. Euen through their garments their rake-leane ribbes appeared. Their sharpe embossed Anckle bones, turnd vp the earth like a Plow-share, when in going their feete swarued. The empty Aire they would catch at in steed of meate, like as a Spaniell catcheth at a flie; the very dust they gnasht at as it slew, and their owne armes and their legs they hardly for-bare. Their teeth they would grinde one against another, to a white pow­der like meale. The durty mosse on the pentisses of their houses, they gnawde off most greedily. Not a weede sprung vp, but (ere it aspired halfe to his growth,) by them it was weeded and rauenously rauncht vp. All the bushes and boughes, within, or round about Ierusalem, were hewed downe and feld, for men (like briute beasts) to brouze on.

Within twelue mile compasse of the Citty, where there were wont to be the most Elizian-like gardens, and flower-gilded fields vnder heauen, what for the Ro­manes and them, was there not now left a crop of any Gourde or greene thing. The Sedetious & the Souldi­ers would come running into the Cittizens houses, and taking them by the bosomes, cry aloud, Giue vs meate, [Page 69] Giue vs meate by the Lord we will haue meate: rob, steale, runne into the Tents of our enemies for meat for vs, or wee will make meate of you and your children. Mens Cellars and Garrets for meat they searcht. If there were but the bloud of any thing spilt on the ground, like hungry dogs they would licke it vp. Rats, Mise, Weafels, Scorpions, were no common mens iunckets.

In the beginning of this scarcity, had any but a dish full of Corne left to send to the Mil, they were afraid to send it, for feare they should set all Ierusalem together by the cares for it. Wherefore in their low vnder earth Vaults, they digd lower Caues, which couering with bordes, and formally pauing ouer, there they eate their Corne vnground (closely,) because they would not be circumuented.

Exceeding rich Magnificos stole victuall one from another, and would lie in waite a whole weeke together to intercept but a chypping. The Father stole from the Sonne, and oftentimes tore the meate out of his mouth; the Sonne could scarce refraine from biting out his Fa­thers throate-boule, when he saw him swallow downe a bit that he died for. The Mother lurcht from them both, her yong weaned Children (famisht for want of nou­rishment) sastned their sharpe edged gums on her fin­gers, and would not let them go, till she pluckt the mor­sell out of her owne maw to put into theirs. Hee that then had had a Kingdome, would haue giuen it for a crust of bread.

Not a Butterflie, Grashopper, Worme, Neuet or Canker, but was persecuted, and sought out to satisfie emptinesse. You should haue seene a hundred together, fighting & scrambling about a dead Horse. Sometimes [Page 67] they would send their children farre out of the Citty to gather rootes and hearbes, thinking that the Romans carried more honourable mindes then to execute their vtmost on them: but all was one, for they spared neither yong nor old. Many Noble-men, eate the Leather of their Chariots as they rid. Miriam a Matron of great port, and of high lynage discended (hauing her receipt of digestion almost closed vp with fasting) after she had sustained her life a large space, by scraping in chaffe and muck-hils for beasts dung, and that meanes forsaking her, she had no other refuge of fosterment, she was con­strained (for her liues supportance) hauing but one one­ly sonne, to kill him and roast him.

Mothers of London, (each one of you to your selues) doe but imagine that you were Miriam, with what heart (suppose you) could ye go about the cooquery of your owne children. Not hate but hunger, taught Miriam to forget mother-hood. To this purport conceit her dis­coursing with herselfe.

At one stroke (euen as these words were in speaking) she beheaded him, and when she had done, turning the Apron from of her own face on his, that the sight might not afreshly distemper her, without seeing, speaking, de­liberating, or almost thinking any more of him, she sod, rost, and powdred him: and hauing eate as much as suf­ficed, set vp the rest.

The Seditious smelling the sauour of a feast, (which at that time was no ordinary matter in Ierusalem) rough­ly (in heapes) rusht and burst into the house, saying: wic­ked woman, thou hast meate, and traiterously concealest it from vs: we'le teare thee in peeces if thou sets not part of it before vs.

With some few words of excuse before them, what she had brought, entertaning them in these, or like, termes.

The Rebels hearing this, were wholy metamorphiz'd into mellancholy; yea, the Chiefe-tanes of them were ouer-clowded in conceite. Was neuer till this euer heard from Adam, that a woman eate her owne Child. Was neuer such a desolation as the desolatian of Ieru­salem.

As touching the Pestilence, some short peroration is now to succeed. Of it there died more then a hundred thousand during the time of the siedge. Out of the least gate of Ierusalem, (which was that towards the Brooke Cedron,) were carried forth to buriall, a hundred fif­teene thousand, a hundred and eight persons: all which were of the Nobles, Gentlemen, and substantialest men of the Iewes. Many fled to Titus, who when they came to meate, could eate none of it, but dyed with the very sight thereof. Of those that fled, a great number swallowed vp their Gold and their Iewels, which (be­ing cleerely escaped) they sought amongst their excre­ments. But when by the Aramites, and Arabians, (Titus [Page 75] mercenary Souldiers) it was perceiued, they slew them out-right, and ript their bowels for their gold, and so left them to the Eagles and Rauens. Two thousand by this couetise slept their last. The Princes of the Iewes, (which Titus as submissioners and succour-suers had re­ceiued to mercy,) he straightly examined on their alle­geance and fidelity, how many were dead in the Citty since he first beleagured it: & the number was giuen vp, (namely of such as were carried forth at all gates to be buried, and were slaine in battell,) seuen hundred thou­sand, fiue hundred, seuenty and fiue, besides many thou­sands that in the streetes and Temple lay vnburied, and were cast downe into the Brooke Cedron. The whole Bil (when the siege was concluded) came to eleuen hun­dred thousand, all which in foureteene monthes mis­fortuned.

Sixeteene thousand Titus led prisoners to Rome, (those omitted which vnder Eleazers conduct peri­shed.) The Sanctum sanctorum was set on fire, and the Priestes therein smothered. All the Antique buildings were burnt and beaten downe. Of Dauid, Salomon, or the old Kings of Israell, was there no Trophy remai­ning, no stone but discituate. Ierusalem was left, not as Ierusalem, but a naked plot of ground; And as it was said of Priams Towne, Iam seges est, vbi Troia fuit, now is that a Corne-field, that was erst called Troy: So that is now a Mount of stones, that in yeares past was intituled Ierusalem.

O Ierusalem, Ierusalem, what shall I say to thee more but Christ fore-told thy House should be left desolate vnto thee: and loe, as he fore-told it is falne out.

Of all thy gates that were plated ouer with siluer, [Page 76] is there not so much as one nayle remaining. Thy streets were paued with Marble, and thy houses ietted out with Iaphy and Cedar: that pauement, those houses, thy ha­bitation (like dust engrauen Letters) is quite abrased and plowed vp. Thine enemies on thy Sanctury tooke com­passion, (beholding the glory of it) thou took'st none. Titus (an Infidell) vnderstanding the multitude of thy prophanations and contumacies, was affraid (hauing entred thee) to stay in thee, saying: Let vs hence, least their sinnes destroy vs. Nothing thou feared'st, in Old-wiues fables thou beleeued'st: with Th'almudisticall dreames (that thy Temple after her destruction should be built vp in a day) thy selfe thou deludest. And whereas thou hadst a Prophecy that thy Sanctuary should not be pro­stituted, till out of thy quarters sprung a Monarch of the whole Earth, thou wert blinded, and wantedst the sence, in Vespasian to picke out his expletement. For hee, com­ming into Iudea but as a subiected Generall to the Ro­mane Empire, by his owne Souldiers (against his will) was there consecrated Emperour: and so out of thy do­minions, or quarters, departed he, leauing his sonne Ti­tus behind him to sacke thee.

See with how many deceits thou art circumuented, for calling Christ a circumuenter and deceiuer. For sto­ning him and his Prophets, and vsing such great in-iustice Math. 27. 25. to S. Iames (his Cosen according to the flesh,) Iosephus, & Eusehus agree all those plagues were laid vpon thee. But to the imprecation ascribe I it rather, where-with when Pilate washed his hands, thou cursedst thy selfe, saying: His bloud be vpon vs, and our children. Inhumane policy another cause I coniecture. Thoulers Eleazer, a priuate man, take the sword of thy freedome into his hands vn­authorized; [Page 77] Thou suffredst him (vnpunished) to resist the Romane Prouinciall Plorus: Ill didst thou therein, for in gouernment, (though it be to resist publique vio­lence,) it is not safe to suffer a priuate man to vnder-take Armes as generall. The reasons, hereafter, I will open in some other discourse, treating wholy of those matters.

The chiefe reason of thy confusion, was the ripenesse of thy sinnes, which were seeded for want of Gods put­ting his sicle into them. Ierusalem, If I were to describe Hell, some part of thy desolation description would I borrow, to make it more horror-some. Eleuen hundred thousand, for these few words, but thou wouldst not, most wretchedly lost their liues. If but one line (thy House shall be left desolate vnto thee) included all this, what doth the whole Scripture include? Not a peece of a line in it that talkes of the Lake of Fire and Brimstone, but by a hundred thousand parts more importeth. It is a quiuer of short Arrowes, which neuer shew their length till they be full shot out, a ball of Wilde-fire round wrapt vp together, which burneth not but cast forth, a close winded clue, conducting those that deale vnaduisedly with it, into the Minotaurs Laborinth of paine euer­lasting.

I would wish no man to be too milde in expounding it. It hath more edges to smite with then it shewes: It is not sely in operation, though it be simple in apparance. Ierusalem, not all thy seuenty Esdrean Cabalizers, who traditionately from Moyses receiued the Laws interpre­tation, could euer rightly teach thee to diuine of the crucified Messias. The Scripture thou madest a too-to compound Cabalisticall substance of, by canonizing such a multifarious Genealogie of Comments.

[Page 78] HEtherto stretcheth the prosecution of thy desolati­on. Now to London must I turne mee, London that turneth from none of thy left-hand impieties. As great a desolation as Ierusalem, hath London deserued. Whatsoeuer of Ierusalem I haue written, was but to lend her a Looking-glasse. Now I enter into my true Teares, my Teares for London, wherein I craue pardon, though I deale more searchingly then common Soule-Surgions accustome: for in this Booke, wholy haue I bequeathed my penne and my Spirit, to the prosterna­ting and enforrowing the frontiers of sinne. So let it be acceptable to God and his Church what I write, as no man in this Treatise I will particulerly touch, none I will semouedly allude to, but onely attaint vice in ge­nerall.

Pride shall be my principall aime, which in London hath plat-formed another Sky-vndersetting Tower of Babell. Ionathan shot fiue Arrowes beyond the marke, I feare I shall shoote fifteene Arrowes behind the mark, King. 19. 22. in describing this high-towring sinne.

O Pride, of all Heauen-relapsing premunires the most fearefull: thou that ere this hast disparradiz'd our first Parent Adani, and vnrightuouz'd the very Angels, how shall I arme mine elocution, to breake through the rankes of thy bily stumbling blocks. After the destructi­on of Antwerpe, thou being thrust out of house and home, and not knowing whither to betake thee) at hap hazard embarkedst for England. Where hearing rich London was the ful-streamed wel-head, vnto it thou ha­stedst, and there hast dwelt many yeares, begetting sons and daughters. Thy sonnes names are these, Ambition, [Page 79] Vaine-glory, Atheisine, Discontent, Contention. Thy daughters, Disdaine, Gorgeous-attire, and Delicacy. O had Antwerpe still flourished, that thou hadst nere come hither to mis-fashion vs, or that there were any Citty would take thy children to halfes with vs.

Thy first sonne Ambition, is waxt a great Courtier, and maketh him wings of his long Furies haire, to flie vp to Heauen with: hee hath a throne raysed vp vnder his heeles in euery start-vp he treads on. His backe ban­dieth colours with the Sunne. The ground he thinketh extremely honoured and beholding to him, if he blesse it but with one humble looke. Nothing he talks on but kentals of Pearle, the conquering of India, and fishing for Kingdomes. Fame he makes his God, and mens mouthes the limite of his conscience. So many greater as there are then himselfe, so many griefes he hath. The deuill may command all his heart and soule, if hee will rid him but of one riuall. Hee that but crosseth him in the course of his ascension, either killeth him out-right, (if he be aboue his reach) or is sure (kill hee not first) in the end to kild by him.

Poore men he looks should part with all their goods, to haue him but take knowledge of them; Hee seekes to get him a Maiesty in his frowne, and doe some-thing to seeme terrible to the multitude. Euen curtesie and hu­mility he peruerteth to pride, where hee cannot other­wise pray. Hath no childe of pride so many disciples as this tip-toe Ambition. Why call I him Ambition, when he hath changed his name vnto Honor? I meane not the honour of the field, (Ambitions onely enemy) which I could wish might be euer, and onely, honourably, but Brokerly blowne vp honour, honour by anticke fawning [Page 80] fidled vp, honour bestowed for damned deserts.

Of this kind of honour is this Elfe (we call Ambition) compacted. Yet will I not say, but euen in the highest noblest birth, and honourablest glory of Armes, there may be Ambition. Dauid was ambitious when he caused the people to be numbred. Nebuchadnezzar eate grasse for his Ambition. Herod was Ambitious, when in Ange­licall apparell he spoke to the people. The truest image of this kind of Ambition was Absolom.

Iulius Caesar amongst the Ethnicks surmounted, who when he had conquered Gallia, Belgia, this our poore Albion, and the better part of Europe, and vpon his re­turne to Rome was crowned Emperour, in the heighth of his prosperity, he sent men skil'd in Geometry, to me­sure the whole world, that whereas he intended to con­quer it all, hee might know how long hee should be in ouer-running it. Letters had they directed to all Presi­dents, Consuls, Dukes, Palatines, Tetrarchs, and Iudges of Prouinces to assist them & safe conduct them. Their Commission was not onely to measure the earth, but the Waters, the Woods, the Seas, the Shores, the Vallies, the Hils, and the Mountaines. In this discouery thirty yeares were spent, from his Consul-ship, to the Consul­ship of Saturnius, when God-wot poore man, twenty yeares good before they returned, he was all to be-poy­niarded in the Senate house, and had the dust of his bones in a brasen vrne (no bigger then a bowle) barreld vp, whom (if he had liued) all the Sea, and Earth, and Aire, would haue beene too little for.

Let the ambitious man stretch out his limbes neuer so, he taketh vp no more ground (being dead) then the Beggar. London, of many ambitious busie heades, hast [Page 81] thou beheld the rising and downe falling. In thy stately Schoole are they first tutord in their Art. With exam­ple thou first exaltest them, and stil lifts them vp, til thou hast lifted vp their heads on thy gates.

What a thing is the heart of man, that it should swell so bigge as the whole world. Alexander was but a little man, yet if there had beene a hundred Worlds to con­quer, his heart would haue comprised them. Did men consider wherof they were made, and that the dust was their great Grand-mother, they would be more humi­liate and deiected; Of a britler mettal then Glasse, is this we call Ambition made, and to mischaunces more sub­iect. Glasse with good vsage may be kept and continue many ages. The dayes of man are numbred, threescore and tenne is his terme, if he liue any longer, it is but la­bour and sorrow.

Glasse feareth not sicknes, nor old age, it gathereth no wrinkles with standing. It hath not so many that scoute and ly in waite for his end as Ambition: for hee (as all man-kind) is continually liable to a million of mischan­ces; besides, a legion of diseases lingering about him. Admit none of those meet with him, Time with his Si­cle wil be sure not to misse him. A man may scape a sick­nesse, a blow, a fall, a wild-beast: he cannot escape his last destiny. External daungers (such as these be) euery one is circumspect and careful to auoide; Not any one pon­ders in his thought, how to auoid the death that growes inward.

From the rich to the poore (in euery street in London) there is Ambition, or swelling aboue their states: the rich Cittizen swels against the pride of the prodigall Courtier; the prodigal Courtier swels against the welth [Page 82] of the Cittizen. One Company swells against another, and seeks to intercept the gaine of each other: nay, not any Company but is deuided in it selfe. The auncients, they oppose themselues against the younger & suppress them and keepe them downe all that they may. The young men, they cal them dotards, and swel & rage, and with many othes sweare on the other side, they will not bekept vnder by such cullions, but goe good and neere to out-shoulder them.

Amongst their Wiues is like warre. Well did Ari­stotle in the second of Phisickes, call sinnes Monsters of nature, for as there is no Monster ordinarily reputed, but in a swelling or excesse of forme, so is there no sinne but is a swelling or rebelling against God. Sinne (sayth Augustine) is either thought, word or deed, opposite to the e­ternall will of God. Then if all sinnes be opposing them­selues against God, surely ambition (which is part of the diuels sin) cannot but be the cherrishing of open enmi­tie against God: and so immediate I conclude, that so many ambitious men as are amongst vs, so many open enemies God hath.

Ambition is any puft-vp greedy humour of honor or preferment. No puffing or swelling vp in any mans bo­dy but is a sore, when the soule doth swell with ambiti­on, both soule and body (without timely phisicke of re­pentance) will smart full sore for it. Humilitie was so hard a vertue to beate into our heads, that Christ pur­posely came downe from heauen in his owne person to teach it vs, and continued thirty yeers together, nothing but preaching and practising it here vpon earth. The foolish things of the world, (saith Paul) God chooseth, and not the hauty or ambitious in conceite. God might 1. Cor. 3. [Page 83] haue chosen Kings and Emperours, or the Scribes and Pharisies to be his Disciples, but foolish Fisher-men he chose.

In worldly policy he vsed a foolish course to win cre­dite to his doctrine: but foolish is the worldly policy, that onely from the diuell borrowes his instance. Christ chose them, whom the diuell scorned to looke so lowe as to tempt, in whose harts he had not yet laid one stone of his building. They were the onely fit men to receiue the impression of his Spirit. Whether it bee a blessing or no, giuen to all Fisher-men (for the Apostles sakes) I know not, but surely there is no one trade (in their vo­cation) liues so faithfully & painfully as Fishermen, that in their apparell or diet lesse exceede. Hee that should haue told the diuell. Christ would cast his nets amongst Fisher-men, he would haue laught him out of his coate for a cockscombe. What reason, what likelihood was there, was he borne in a Fisher-towne? was he allied ei­ther by the Father or the Mother to Fisher-men, Nay, how should he come almost in all his life to heare of a Fisher-man? Tush, tush, hee will be altogether in the Temple amongst the Doctors, the High-priests and the Elders: them will I ply, and way-lay against him.

To their vnbeliefe I will lend arguments. They haue the seedes of ambition rooted in their hearts already. I wil put in their heads, that he commeth to destroy their Law and their Temple, and turne them all out of their stately chaires of authority: and this (I thinke) wil tic­kle them thorowly against him.

Simple diuell, Christ deceiued thee, and only in this he deceiued thee, that thou imaginedst his pride & am­bition to be like thine, and neuer lookst for him amongst [Page 84] Netmenders. I dare sweare for thee, thou wouldst haue sooner sought for him amongst Carpenters. But when thou foundst how thou wert ouer-reacht, I thinke thou rann'st to them (from one to another) with cap in hand, to request them to betray him. And euery one shak't thee off churlishly but Iudas, and on him hadst thou not had power, but that he carried the purse. It is a hard thing for him that carries the purse, (that hath money and golde at commaund) not to be mou'd with ambi­tion.

Peter, Iames and Iohn, had you beene any thing but beggerly Fisher-men, and that you had euer liu'd but a hungerd and colde by the Sea-side, or once come into the great Townes where Ambition sits in her Maiestie, and bewitcheth all eyes, (before Christ met with you,) the diuell had caught hold of you. For your sakes all o­ther of your profession shall fare the worse. Beware Fi­sher-men, the diuell owes you an old grudge, hee takes you for daungerous men. Till your predecessors the Apostles so went beyond him, he neuer suspected you, he neuer tempted you: now hee will sooner tempt you, and be more busie about you then Kings and Empe­rours.

Those that will shunne Ambition, (for which the wrath of God hangeth heauy ouer this our Cittie,) must with-drawe their eyes from vanities, haue some­thing still to put them in minde where of they are made, and whether they must. My young nouice (what euer thou be) not yet crept out of the shell, I say vnto thee as the Prophet sayd to the King of Israell, Caue ne eas in lo­cum illum, nam ibi insidiae sunt: Beware thou comest not in that place, for there thou art beset; So beware thou [Page 85] comest not to the Court, or to London, for there thou shalt be beset. Beset with ambition, beset with vanitie, beset with all the sinnes that may be. The way to know Ambition when it inuades thee, is to obserue and watch thy selfe when thou first fallest into a selfe-loue: if selfe-loue hath seazed on thee, shee will stand on no meane tearmes, nor be content to liue as a common drudge. None (in any case) must stand in her light, the Sun must shine on none but her. Whatsoeuer a man naturally desires, is Ambition. Quod habere non vis est valde bonum, quod esse non vis hoc est bonum. There is nothing is not Ambition, but that which a man would not haue, or would not be. Hauing foode and clothing, (as Paul willeth 1. Tim. 6. vs) let vs be content: what more we require to content, is Ambition. What more then the contented blessed state of an Angell the diuell gap't after, was that which cast him out of Heauen. Wee are sent in warfare into this world, to beare armes and sight it out with the di­uels chiefe Basso, Ambition. Vnder Christs standard we march, hee is our Leader, small is his Armie, and but a handfull in comparison of the others: his outwarde pompe simple, his prouision (in sight) slender or none at all.

If vpon these cousiderations (as distrusting his proui­dence,) we shall grow in mislike with him, and reuolt to Ambition his enemy, and betray him, shal we euer look him in the face more, or will he euer after acknowledge vs? O no, not only he shall forsake vs, but that rich bra­uing Basso, Ambition: (like a wise Prince that will trust no Traytours.) As soone as euer they are come neere him, downe the hill they climbed vp to him, shall hee headlong reuerse them.

[Page 86] Euen in this dilatement against Ambition, the diuel seekes to set in a foote of affected applause, and popu­lar fames Ambition in my stile, so as he incited a num­ber of Philosophers (in times past,) to prosecute their ambition of glory, in writing of glories contemptible­nesse. I resist it and abhorre it, if any thing be here pen­ned that may pierce or profite, heauenly Christ (not I) haue the praise. London looke to Ambition, or it will lay thee desolate like Ierusalem. Onely the ambitious shaking off the yoke of the Romans, was the bane of Ie­rusalem. The dust in the streets (being come of the same house that we are of, and seeing vs so proud and ambiti­ous,) thinks with her selfe, why should not she, that is discended as well as we, raise vp her plumes as wee doe. And thats the reason shee borrowes the winges of the wind so oft to mount into the ayre: and many times she dasheth her selfe in our eyes, as who would say, Are you my Kinsmen and will not know me? O what is it to bee Ambitious, when the dust of the streete (when it plea­seth her) can be Ambitious.

The Iewes euer when they mourned, rent their gar­ments, as it were to take reuenge on them for making them proude and Ambitious, and keeping them all the while from the sight of their nakednesse. Then they put on Sack-cloth, and that Sack-cloth they sprinkled ouer with dust, and ouer-whelmed with ashes, to put God in mind, that if he should arm his displeasure against them, he should but contend with dust & ashes: and what glo­ry or prayse could they afford him? Shall the dust praise thee (sayth Dauid) or those that goe downe to the pit glorifie thee? Besides, it signified, that whereas they had lifted themselues aboue their creation, and forgot by whom [Page 87] and of what they were made, now they repented and re­turned to their first image; In al prostrate humility they confest, that the breath of the Lord, (as easie as the wind disperseth dust) might disperse them, and bring them to nothing. Did Ambition afford vs any content, or were it ought but a desire of disquiet, it were some-what.

O Augustine, now I call to minde the tale of thy con­uersion, in the sixt Chapter of thy sixt booke of Con­fessions, where describing thy selfe to be a young man, puft vp with the Ambition of that time, thou wert chosen to make an Oration before the Emperour, in which, (hauing toyled thy wirs to their highest wrest,) thou thought'st to haue purchast Heauen and immorta­lity.

Comming to pronounce it, thy tongue (like Orpheus strings) drewe all eares vnto it: the Emperour thou ex­ceedingly pleasedst, because thou exceedingly & hyper­bolically praisedst. Admiration encompast thee, & com­mendation stro [...]e to be as eloquent as thou in thy com­mendation. But what was all this to the purpose, the Bladder was burst that had so long swelled, winde thou spents, and nought but winde thou gainedst. For good words, good words were returned thee: like one that gaue Augustus Greeke verses, and he for his reward gaue him Greeke verses againe. The heauen thou dreamedst of, being attained, seemed so inferior to thy hopes, that it cast thee headlong into hell; Home againe (in a me­lancholy) with thy companions thou returnedst, where by the way in a greene Meddow, thou espiedst a poore drunken Begger (his belly being full) heighing, leap­ing and dauncing, fetching strange youthfull friskes, and taking care for nothing. With that thousighedst, [Page 88] and entredst into this discourse with thy companions.

O what is Ambition, that it should not yeeld so much content as beggery? Miserable is that life where none is happy but the miserable. Trauel & care for welth, riches and honor, is but care & trauel for trauel and care. Mad and foolish are wee, who watch and study how to vexe our selues, and in hunting after a vaine shadow of felici­ty, hunt and start vp more and more causes of perplexi­ty. This Begger hath not burnt candles al night a month together as I haue done, he hath made no Oration to the Emperor to day, and yet hee is merry: I that haue poor'd out mine eies vpon books, and wel-ny spit out all my brain at my tongues end this morning, am dumpish, drousy, and wish my self dead: and yet if any man should ask me if I would willingly die, or exchange my state with the Begger, I feare I shold hardly condiscend. Such is my ambition, such is my foolish delight in my vnrest.

Hee hauing but a little money, and a few dung-hill rags clouted together on his backe, hath true content, I (with my grieuous heart-breakings and painfull com­plots,) haue laid to ouer-take it, and canno [...]. Hee is io­cund, I am ioylesse: hee secure, I fearefull. There is no learning or Arte leading to true felicity, but the Arte of beggery. Vngratefull knowledge, that for all the body­wasting industry I haue vsed in thy compasment, hast not blest me so much as this Begger. I hauing thee, hee wanting thee, is preferred in harts-ease before mee. No delight or hearts-ease receiued I from thee, for I haue spoke not to teach, but to please. Vild double-fac't Ora­tory, that art good for nothing but to fatten sinne with thy flattery, that callest it giuing immortality, whē thou magnifiest vices for vertues, and challengest great de­serts [Page 89] of Kings and nobility for dissembling: heere I re­nounce thee as the Parasite of Arts, the whorish pain­ter of imperfections, and onely Patronesse of sinne.

To this scope (reuerend Augustine) tended thy plain­tiue speech, though I haue not exprest it in the same words: but the operation in thee it brought forth, was that from the meditation of beggerly content, thou wa­dedst (by degrees) into the depth of the true heauenly content. O singular worke contriued by weake meanes. O rarely honoured beggery, to be the instrument of re­calling so rich a soule. O faithlesse and peruerse genera­tion, (saith Christ vnto vs as hee said to the Iewes,) how Math. 17 long shall I be with you, how long shall I suffer you, ere my miracles work in you the like meditation. All of you are ambitious of much prosperity, long life and many daies for your bodies: none of you haue care of the po­steritie of your soules.

There is a place in the Ile of Paphos where there neuer fell raine: there is a place within you called your hearts, where no drops of the dewe of grace can haue accesse; Your daies are as swift as a Post, yea swifter then a Wea­uers shuttle, they fly and see no good thing: yet flie you swifter to hell then they. Veniunt anni vt eant, (sayth Austine) non veniunt vt stant, yeers come that they may trauell on, and not stand still: passing by vs they spoile vs, and lay vs open to the tiranny of a cruell enemy, Death. O if we loue so this miserable and finite life, how ought we to loue that celestial and infinite life, where we shall enioy all pleasures so plentifull, that Ambition shal haue nothing ouer-plus to worke on.

Here we labour, drudge and moyle, yet for all our labouring, drudging and moyling, cannot number the [Page 90] things we lacke. Wee are neuer long at ease, but some crosse or other afflicteth vs. As the earth is compassed round with waters, so are we (the inhabitants thereof) compassed round with woes. Wee see great men die, strong men die, witty men die, fooles die, rich Mer­chants, poore Artificers, Plowmen, Gentlemen, high men, low men, wearish men, grosse men, and the fairest complexiond men die, yet we perswade our selues wee shall neuer die. Or if we do not so perswade our selues, why prepare we not to dy? VVhy doo we raigne as Gods on the earth that are to be eaten with wormes? Should a man with Zerxes, but enter into this conceite with himselfe, that as he sees one old man caried to bu­riall, so within threescore yeeres, not one of all our gli­steting Courtiers, not one of all our faire Ladies, not one of all our stout Souldiers and Captaines, not one of al this age throughout the world should be left, what a dampe and deadly terror would it strike. Temples of stone and Marble decay and fall downe, then thinke not Ambition to out-face death, that art but a Temple of flesh. Diues died and was buried, Lazarus died and was buried, brasen-fore-head Ambition, thou shalt die and be buried. King or Queen what-euer, thou shalt die and be buried.

Alas, what madde hare-brain'd sots are we, wee will take vp a humour of Ambition which we are not able to vphold, and know assuredly (ere many yeeres) we must be throwne downe from: yet come what will, (at all a­uentures) we will go thorowe with it; Wee will be Gods and Monarchs in our life, though we be diuels af­ter death. Ouer and ouer I repeat it double and treble, that the spirit of monarchizing in priuate men, is the [Page 91] spirit of Lucifer. Christ said to his Disciples, Hee that will be greatest amongst you, shal be the least: so say I, that he which will be the greatest in any state, or seeketh to make his posterity greatest, shall be the least; The least accounted of, the least reuerenced, (for none that is get­ting ambitious, but is generally hated.) His posterity (though he establish them neuer so) shall not hold out. Fooles shal squander, in an houre, all the auarice of their ambitious wise Auncesters.

Ambition, on the sands thou buildst, regard thy soule more then thy sons & daughters: let poore men gleane after thy Cart, cast thy bread vpon the Waters. Thy greedines of the World, teacheth the diuell to be gree­die of thy soule. He accuseth his spirits and vpbraideth them of sloth by thee, saying: Mortall men in these and these many yeeres, can heape together so manie thou­sands, and what is it that they haue a minde to, which they get not into their hands: but you Drones and Dor­mise, (that in celerity & quicknes shold out-start them,) ly sleeping & stretching your selues by the harth of hel­fire, and haue no care to looke about for the encrease of our Kingdome. Heauen gate is no bigger then the eye of a needle, yet ambitious worldly men (hauing their backs like a Cammels, bunched with cares, and betrap­ped with bribes and oppressions,) thinke to enter in at it.

Ambition, Ambition harken to me, there will bee a blacke day when thy Ambition shall breake his necke, when thou shalt lie in thy bed as on a Racke, stretching out thy ioints: when thine eyes shall start out of thy head, and euery part of thee be wrung as with the wind­chollick. In midst of thy fury and maladie, when thou [Page 92] shalt laugh and trifle, folter with thy tongue, rattle in thy throat, be busie in folding and doubling the clothes, and seratching and catching whatsoeuer comes neere thee: then (as the possessed with the Calentura,) thou shalt offer to leape, and cast thy selfe out of the top of thine house, thou shalt burst thy bowels and crack thy cheeks in striuing to keepe in thy soule; When thou shouldst look vp to Heauen, thou shalt be ouer-looking thy Wil, and altering some clause of it, when thou shouldst bee commending thy spirit.

In thy life hast thou sought more then what is need­ful, therfore at thy death shalt thou neglect that is need­full. Ambition, (like Ierusalem) thou knowest not the time of thy visitation: for thou hast sought in this world to gather great promotions vnto thee, and not gather thy selfe vnder Christs wing, Thy house shal be lest desolate vnto thee.

A speciall branch of this Ambition is Auarice, as ri­ches or couetise there is nothing that so engenders Am­bition. Euery Tree, euery Apple, euery Graine, euery Hearbe, euery Fruite, euery Weede hath his seuerall worme: the worme of wealth is Ambition, the spurre to Ambition is wealth. Ambitions self we haue displaid sufficiently, his supporter we will now call in question. Dificile est, (saith an auncient Father) vt non sit superbus qui diues, tolle superbiam, diuitiae non nocebunt: It is a ve­ry difficult thing for him not to be proud or ambitious that is rich, take away his ambition, his riches neuer hurt him.

Riches haue hurt a great number in England, who if their riches had not beene, had still been men and not Ti [...]nists. Riches as they haue renowned, so they haue [Page 93] reproched London. It is now growne a Prouerbe, That there is no merchandize but vsury. I dare not affirme it, but questionlesse, Vsury crieth to the children of Prodi­gality in the strects: All you that will take vp mony or commodities, on your Land or possibilities, to banquet, riot, and be drunk, come vnto vs and you shall be furni­shed: for gaine we will helpe to damne both your soules and our owne. God in his mercy neuer cal them to their audit. God in his mercy rid them all out of London, and then it were to bee hoped the plague would cease, els neuer.

Ieremy sayth, Woe be to him that buildeth his house with vnrighteousnes, and his chambers without equity, whose eies Iere. 22 and whose heart are only for couetousnes, and to shed innocent blood. The eyes and the heart of Vsurers, are onely for couetousnes and to shed innocent blood. Moe Gentle­men by their entanglement and exactions, haue they driuen to desperate courses, and so consequently made away and murdered, then either France, the Low-coun­tries, or any forreine siege or Sea-voyage this 40. yeers. Tell me (almost) what Gentleman hath been cast away at Sea, or disasterly souldiouriz'd it by Land, but they haue enforst him thereunto by their fleeeing. What is left for a man to do, being consumed to the bare bones by these greedy Horseleaches, and not hauing so much reserued as would buy him bread, but either to hang at Tiborne, or pillage and reprizall where he may. Huge numbers in their stinking Prisons they haue starued, and made Dice of their bones, for the diuell to throw at dice for their owne soules.

This is the course now a dayes euery one taketh to bee rich: being a young Trader, and hauing of olde [Page 94] Mumpsimus (his auaritious Maister) learned to bee his Crafts-maister, for a yeere or two he is very thrifty, and husbandly he paies & takes as duly as the clock strikes, he seemeth very sober and precise and bringeth all men in loue with him. When he thinketh he hath thorowly wrung himselfe into the Worlds good opinion, and that his credite is as much as he will demaund, hee goes and tries it, and on the Tenter-hookes stretches it. No man he knoweth but he will scrape a little Booke curte­sie of, two or three thousand pound (perhaps) makes vp his mouth. When he hath it all in his hands, for a mo­neth or two he reuels it, and cuts it out in the vvhole cloath.

Hee falls acquainted with Gentlemen, frequents Ordinaries and Dicing-houses dayly, where when some of them (in play) haue lost all their mony, he is very di­ligent at hand, on their Chaines, or Bracelets, or Iewels, to lend them halfe the value: Now this is the nature of young Gentlemen, that where they haue broke the Ise and borrowed once, they will come againe the second time; and that these young foxes knowe, as well as the Begger knowes his dish. But at the second time of their comming, it is doubtfull to say whether they shall haue money or no. The world growes hard, and wee all are mortal, let them make him any assurāce before a Iudge, and they shal haue som hundred pounds (per cōsequence) in Silks and Veluets. The third time if they come, they shall haue baser commodities: the fourth time Lute strings and gray Paper; And then I pray pardon mee, I am not for you, pay me that you owe mee and you shal haue any thing.

When thus this young Vsurer hath thrust all his [Page 95] pedlary into the hands of nouice heyres, and that hee hath made of his 3. thousand, nine thousand in Bonds and Recognisances, (besides the strong faith of the for­feitures) he breakes, and cries out amongst his neigh­bors, that he is vndone by trusting Gentlemen; his kind heart hath made him a begger: and warnes all men (by his example) to beware how they haue any dealings with them. For a quarter of a yeere or thereabouts, he slips his neck out of the coller, and sets some graue man of his kindred, (as his Father-inlaw or such like,) to goe and report his lamentable mischaunce to his Creditors, and what his honest care is to pay euery man his owne as farre as he is able. His Creditors (thinking all is Gos­pel he speaks, and that his state is lower ebbed then it is,) are glad to take any thing for their owne: so that wher­as three thousand pound is due, in his absence al is satis-fied for eight hundred, (his Father-inlaw making them belieue he laies it out of his owne purse.)

All matters thus vnder-hand discharged, my young Merchant returnes, and sets vp fresher then euer he did. Those Bonds and Statutes he hath, hee puts in sute a­maine. For a hundred pound commodity, (which is not forty poand money,) he recouers by relapse, some hun­dred pound a yeere. In three Tearmes, of a banqrout he wexeth a great landed man, and may compare with the best of his Company. O intollerable Vsury not the Iews (whose peculiar sinne it is,) haue euer committed the like.

What I write is most true, and hath beene practised by more then one or two. I haue a whole Booke of young Gentlemens cases lying by me, which if I should set foorth, some graue Auntients (within the hearing [Page 96] of Bow-bell) would bee out of charity with me. How euer I flie from particularities, this I will proue, that ne­uer in any Citty (since the first assembly of societies) was euer suffered such notorious cosonage and villa ny, as is shrouded vnder this seauentie-fold vsury of commodi­ties. It is a hundred parts more hatefull then Conny­catching: it is the Nurse of sinnes, without the which, the fire of them all would be extinguisht, and want mat­ter to feed on.

Poets talke of enticing Syrens in the Sea, that on a sunny-day lay forth their golden trammels, their Iuory necks, and their siluer breasts to entice men, sing sweet­ly, glance piercingly, play on Lutes rauishingly; but I say, There is no such Syrens by Sea as by Land, nor wo­men as men: those are the Syrens, that hang out their shining Silkes and Veluets, and dazle Prides eyes with their deceitfull haberdashry. They are like the Serpent that tempted Adam in Paradise, who wheras God stin­ted him, what trees and fruites he should eate on, and goe no further, he entic'd him to breake the bondes of that stint, and put into his head what a number of excel­lent pleasures he should reape thereby; So wheras care­full Fathers send their children to this Citty, in all gen­tleman-like qualities to bee trained vp, and stint them to a moderate allowance, sufficient (indifferently hus­banded) to maintaine their credite euery way, and profit them in that they are sent hither for: what doo our couetous Cittie blood-suckers, but hire Pandars, and professed parasiticall Epicures, to close in with them, and (like the Serpent) to alienate them from that ciuill course vvherein they vvere setled. Tis ryot and misgouernment, that must deliuer them [Page 197] ower into their hands to be deuoured.

Those that here place their children to learne witte, and see the world, are like those that in Affrick present their children (when they are first borne) before Ser­pents: which if the children (they so present) with their very sight scare away the Serpents, then are they legitti­mate, otherwise they are Bastards. A number of poore chyldren & sucklings (in comparison) are in the Court, and Innes of Court, presented to these Serpents, and stinging Extortioners of London, who neuer flye from them, but with their tayle winde them in, and sucke out their soules without scarring their skinne. Whether they be legittimate or no, that are so exposed to these Serpents, I dare not determine, for feare of enuie; But sure legitimately (or as they shold) they are not brought vp, that are manumited from their parents awe, as soone as they can goe and speake.

Zeuxes hauing artificially yainted a Boy carrying Grapes in a Hand-basket, and seeing the Birds (as they had beene true Grapes) come in flocks & pecke at them; was wonderfully angry with him-selfe and his Arte, say­ing: Had I painted the Boy (which was the chiefe part of my picture) as well as I haue doe the grapes, (which were but a by accident belonging to it,) the Birds durst neuer haue beene so bold; So if Fathers would haue but as much care, to paint and forme the manners of their children, (when they come to mans estate) as they haue well to proportion out triflles, (to instruct and educare them in their triuiall infent yeares,) sure these rauenous Byrdes, (such as Brokers and Vsurers) would neuer flye to them, and pecke at them as they doe.

O Country Gentlemen, I wonder you doe not lay [Page 98] your heads together and put vp a generall supplication to the Parliament, against those priuy Canker wormes & Catterpillers. Which of you all but (amongst them) hath his Heyre cosend, fetcht in, and almost consumed past recouery; Besides, his minde is cleane transposed from his originall, all deadly sinne he is infected with, all diseases are hanging about him.

If one tice a Prentise to robbe his Maister, it is fellony by the law; nay, it is a great penalty, if he do but relieue him and incourage him, beeing fled from his Maisters obedience and seruice: and shall we haue no Law for him that ticeth a sonne to robbe his Father? Nay, that shall robbe a Father of his sonne, robbe God of a soule? Euery Science hath some principles in it, which must be belieued, and cannot be declared. The principles and practises of vsury exceed declaration, belieue them to be lewder then penne can with modesty expresse; enquire not after them, for they are execrable. De rebus male ac­quisitis, non gaudebit tertius heres, Ill gotten goods neuer trouble the third heyre. Euery plant (saith Christ) my heauenly father hath not planted, shall be rooted out. Plant they neuer so their posterity with the reuenewes of op­pression, since God hath not planted them, they shall be ruin'd and rooted out. As they haue supplanted other mens posterity, so must they looke to haue their owne posterity supplanted by others.

Augustine in the fourth Chapter of his second Booke of Confessions, pittifully complaineth how heynously he had offended when he was a young man, in leading his companions to rob a Peare-tree in their next neigh­bours Orchard: Amaui perire O Domine, (he exclaimes) amaui perire, amaui defectum turpis animae et desiliens a Fir­mamento: [Page 99] malitie me caeusa nulla esset nifimalitia: I loued to perish (O Lord,) I loued to perrish, in my vngratious­nesse I delighted (foule of soule that I was) and quite sly­ding from the Firmament: of my malice there was no cause but malice. Of the stealing and beating downe of a few Peares, this holy Father makes such a burdenous matter of conscience, as that he counted it his vtter per­rishing and back-slyding from the Firmament: Vsurers make no conscience of cosoning and robbing men of whole Orchards, of whole fields, of whole Lordships; Of their malice and theft, there is some other cause then malice, which is Auarice.

If the stealing of one Apple in Paradise, brought such an vniuersall plague to the world, what a plague to one soule will the robbing of a hundred Orphans of their possessions and fruite-yards bring? In the Country the Gentleman takes in the Commons, racketh his Ten­naunts, vndoeth the Farmer. In London the Vsurer snat­cheth vp the Gentleman, giues him Rattles and Babies for his ouer-rackt rent, and the Commons he tooke in, he makes him take out in commodities. None but the Vsurer is ordained for a scourge to Pride and Ambition. Therefore it is that Bees hate Sheepe more then any thing, for that when they are once in their wooll, they are so intangled that they can neuer get out. Therfore it is that Courtiers hate Merchants more then any men, for that being once in their bookes, they can neuer get out. Many of them carry the countenances of Sheep, looke simple, goe plain, were their haire short, but they are no Sheep, but Sheep-byters: their wooll or their wealth, they make no othervse of but to snarle and enwrap men with. The law (which was instituted to redresse wrongs [Page 100] and oppressions,) they wrest contrarily, to oppresse and to wrong with. And yet thats not so much wonder, for Law, Logique and the Swizers, may be hir'd to fight for any body; and so may an Vsurer (for a halfepeny gaine) bee hyred to bite any body. For as the Beare cannot drinke but he must byte the water, so cannot hee coole his auaritious thirst, but hee must plucke and bite out his Neighbours throate.

Bursa Aua [...]os est diaboli, the Vsurers purse is Hell mouth. Hee hath Hydropem conscientiam (as Augustine sayth,) a dropsie conscience, that euer drinkes and euer is dry. Like the Foxe, he vseth his witte and his teeth to­gether, he neuer smyles but he seazeth, he neuer talkes but he takes aduantage. He cryes with the ill Husband­man, (to whom the Vineyard was put out in the Go­spell,) This is the heyre, come let vs kil him, and we shal haue Math. 21. his inheritance. Other men are sayd to goe to Hell, hee shall ryde to Hell on the deuills backe, (as it is in the old Morrall) and if hee did not ryde, hee would swim the­ther in innocents blood whom hee hath circumuented. No men so much as Vsurers, coueteth the deuill to bee great with; He is called Mammon, the God or Prince of this World: that is, The God and Prince of Vsurers and Penny-fathers. Nay more, euery Vsurer of himselfe is a deuill, since this word Daemon, signifieth nought but Sypiens, a subtile worldly Wise-man.

When a Legion of deuils (in the Land of the Gargi­sens) were cast forth of two men that came out of graues, they desired they might goe into hogs or swine, (which are Vsurers,) many of those Hogges or Swine, they tum­bled into the Sea: many of our hoggish Vsurers the deuill tumbles for gaine into the Sea. Vsurers (with the [Page 101] draffe of this world) so feede and fatten the deuils, that now they almost passe not of possessing any man else. The Iewes were all Hogges, that is, Vsurers, and there­fore if there had beene no diuine restraint for it, yet na­ture it selfe would haue dissawded them from eating Swines-flesh, that is, from feeding on one another. The Prodigall-childe in the Gospell, is reported to haue fed Hogges, that is, Vsurers, by letting them beguile him of his substance.

As the Hogge is still grunting, digging & wrooting in the mucke, so is the Vsurer still turning, tossing, digging, and wrooting in the muck of this world; like the Hog he carries his snoute euer-more down-ward, and nere looks vp to Heauen.

Christ sayd, It was not meete the childrens bread should be taken from them and giuen vnto dogges, no more is it meete, that the childrens lyuing and substance should be taken from them and giuen vnto Hogges. Paul sayth, We must not doe euill that good may come of it: there is no euill which a hoggish Vsurer will not doe, so that goods Rom, 3. or profit may come of it. They will bee sure to verifie our Sauiours words, The poore haue you alwaies with you: for they will make all poore that they deale with. Such­vnnaturall Math. 27. dealing they vse towards their poore brethe­ren, as though they came not naturally into the world, but like those that were called Caesares, quasi caesi ex matris vtero, they were also cutte out of their Mothers wombe, when they came into the world. For this O London! if (like Zaccheus) thou repentest not, and restorst ten fold, Thy house shall be left desolate vnto thee. The cryes of the fatherlesse and widdowe, shall breake of the Angels Ho­sannas and Alleuiahs, and plucke the sterne of the world [Page 102] out of Gods hand, till he hath acquited them. Oppressi­on is the price of bloud, into your Treasuries you put the price of blood, which the Iewes that kild Christ fea­red to doe. You hauing many flockes of sheepe of your owne, and your poore Neighbour but one sely Lambe, (which he nurst in his owne bosome) that Lambe haue you taken away from him, and spared farre better Fat­lings of your owne.

By your swearing and forswearing in bargayning, you haue confiscated your soules long agoe. There is no re­ligion in you but loue of mony. Any doctrine is wel­come to you, but that which beates on good workes. The charity and duty that GOD exacts of you, you thinke discharged, if in speech you neither meddle nor make with him: the charity to your Neighbour, you coniec­ture onely consisteth in bidding good-euen and good­morrowe. Beguile not your selues, for as there is no Prince, but will haue his Lawes as well not broken, as not spoken against, so will God reuenge himselfe, as well against the breakers of his Lawes, as against those that speake against them.

It is not your abrupt Graces, God bee praysed, Much good doe it you, or saying: we are naught God amend vs, Sir I drinke to you, that shall stop Gods mouth: but he will come and not hold his peace; He will seatter your trea­sure and your store, and leaue you nothing of that you haue layd vp, saue the Kingdome of heauen & the righ­teousnes therfore. Rich Vsurers, be counsailed betimes, surcease to inritch your selues with other mens losse. Hold it not enough to fall downe and worship Christ, except (with the Wise-men of the East) you open your treasures, and present him with Golde, Mirhe, and Fran­kinsence.

[Page 103] Bring forth some fruits of good workes in this life, that we may not altogether dispaire of you as barrayne Trees, good for nothing but to be hewne downe and cast into Hell-fire. Palce fame morientem quisquis pascendo ser­uare poteris: Ambro, de offici. si non paun is fame accidisti: Feede him that dies for hunger: Whatsoeuer thou art that canst per­serue and dost not, thou art guilty of famishing him. Christ (at the latter day) in his behalfe, shall vp bray de thee, When I was hungry, thou gauest me no meate, when I Math, 25. was thirsty, thou deniedst mee drinke: Depart from me thou accursed. Erogando pecuniam auges iustitsam, by laying out thy money thou increasest thy righteousnesse. Againe, Nil diues habet de diuitiis, nisi quod ab illo postulat pauper. A ritch man treasures vp no more of his ritches, then he gi­ueth in almes.

My Maisters, I will not disswade, but giue you coun­saile to be Vsurers: Put out your money to vsury to the poore heere on Earth, that you may haue it a hundred fold repayd you in Heauen. As it is in the Psalmes, A good man is mercifull and leandeth, he giueth, he disperseth, Psal. 112. he distributeth to the poore, and his righteousnes remaineth for euer.

So that wee see, by that which wee giue we gaine and not loose, and yet what doe wee giue, but that wee cannot keepe? For giuing but backe againe what was first giuen vs, and which if wee should not giue, Death would take from vs, wee shall purchase an immortall in­heritance that can neere be pluckt from vs. With halfe the paines wee put our selues to in purchasing earthly wealth, we may purchase Heauen.

Welth many times flyes from them that with grea­test soilicitude & greedines seek after it. For Heauen, it is [Page 140] no more but seeke and it is yours, knocke and it shall be opened. With lesse sure (I assure you) is the kingdome of Heauen obtained, then a sute for a Pension or office to an earthly King, which though a man hath 20. yeares followed, and hath better then three parts and a halfe of a promise to haue confirmed, yet if hee haue but a quar­ter of an enemy in the court, it is casheird and non-suted. God will not be corrupted, he is not partiall as man is, he hath no Parasites about him, hee seeth with his owne eyes, and not with the eyes of those that spake for bribes. Hee is not angry, or commands vs to bee driuen backe when we are importunate: but hee commands vs to bee importunate, and is angry if we be not importunate. In the Parable of the godlesse Iudge and the importunate Widdow, hee teacheth that importunity may get any thing of him.

So in the similitude of the man that came to his friend at midnight, to desire him to lend him three loaues, and his friend aunswered him. His doore was shut, his chil­dren Luk. 21. and seruants in bedde, and hee could not rise him­selfe to giue them him: at length (hee still continuing in knocking, & that for him, neither he not his might rest) to be rid of his importunity, (not for he was his friend) he rose vp, and gaue him as many as hee needed. How much more shall our GOD giue vs what wee aske, that asketh no other treuage at our handes for giuing, but as­king and thanksgiuing. We must hunger and thirst af­ter righteousnes, and we shall be satis-fied. Hunger and thirst makes the Lyon to rore, the Wolues to howle, Oxen and Kine to bellough and bray; and Sheepe (of all Beastes the most selie and timorous,) to bleate and com­plaine; Can man then (that in spyrite and audacitie ex­ceedeth [Page 105] all the beasts of the field) hungering & thirsting after righteousnesse hold his peace? Would God euer haue encouraged him with a blessing to hunger and thirst, but that the extremity of hunger and thirst, might driue him to the extreamity of importunity and prayer. I cryed vnto the Lord (saith Dauid) and he heard me: Hee did not coldly, bashfully, or formally onely, cry to the Lord, as not caring whether hee were heard or no, but hee cryed vnto him with his whole hart: euen to the Lord he cryed, and he heard him. Ezekias cryed vnto the Lord, and he heard him. The blood of the Saints vnder the Altar (as all blood) is sayd to cry vnto the Lord for vengeance. Thy brother Abels blood hath cried vnto me, sayd God to Caine. The prayer of the father­less Gen. 4. and Widdow, (which God heareth aboue al things) is called a cry.

Vsurers, you are none of these cryers vnto God, but those that hourely vnto God are most cryde out against. God hath cryde out vnto you by his Preachers, GOD hath cride out vnto you by the poore; Prysoners on their death-beds haue cride out of you: and when they haue had but one houre to intercessionate for their soules, and sue out the pardon of their numberlesse sins, the whole part of that howre (sauing one minute, when in two words they cryde for mercy,) haue they spent, in crying for vengeance against you. After they were dead, their Coffins haue beene brought to your doores in the open face of Cheapside, and ignominious Ballads made of you, which euery Boy would chaunt vnder your nose: yet will not you repent, nor with all this crying be awaked out of your dreame of the Diuell and Diues. Therefore looke that when on your death-beddes you [Page 106] shall lye, and crye out of the Stone, the Strangullion & the Gout, you shall not be heard, your paine shall be so wrastling, tearing, and intollerable, that you shall haue no leisure to repent or pray: no nor so much as lift vppe your hands, or think one good thought. Euen as others haue curst you, so shall you be ready to curse God, & de­sire to be swallowed quick, to excorse the agony you are in.

As the deuill in the second of Iob, being asked from whence he came, answered, From compassing the earth, so you being askd at the day of iudgement, from whence you come, shall answer; From compassing the Earth, For Heauen you haue not compast or purchast, therfore shall Hell­fire be your portion. Euery man shall receiue of God according to that in his body he hath wrought. If in your bodies you haue done no good works, of God you shall receiue no good words. The words of God are deedes, he spake but the word, and Heauen & Earth were made. He shall speake but the word and to hell shal you be had. Good deedes deriued from faith, are Rampiers or Bul­warkes raised vp against the deuill: he that hath no such Bulwarke of good deedes to resist the deuills battery, cannot chuse but haue his soules-citty soone raced.

Good deeds are a tribute which we pay vnto God for defending vs from al our ghostly enemies, & planting his peace in our consciences. In stead of the ceremoniall Lawe, burnt-Offerings and Sacrifices, (which are cea­sed,) God hath giuen vs a new Law, To loue one ano­ther: that is, to shew the fruites of loue, which are good deedes to one another. The Widdowes Oyle was in­creased in her Cruse, and her Meale in in her tubbe, on­ly for doing good deeds to the prophet of the Lord. Few [Page 107] be there now-a-dayes, that will doe good deedes but for good deedes, that is, for rewardes. If seates of iustice were to be sould for money, wee haue them amongst vs that would buy them vp by the whole sale, and make them away againe by retaile. Hee that buyes must sell, shrewd Alcumists there are risen vp, that will pick a mer­chandise out of euery thing, and not spare to set vp their shops of buying and selling euen in the Temple: I wold to God they had not sould and pluckt downe Church & Temple, to build them houses of stone. God shall cutte them off that enritch themselues with the fatte of the Altar.

Oues pastorem non iudicent, (saith an antient writer,) quia non est Discapulus supra Magistrū, multo minus deglu­bent. Let not the Sheepe iudge their shepheard, because the scholler is not aboue his maister, much lesse are they to pluck from their maister the Shepheard: to shaue or to pelt him to the bare bones, to whom (for feeding them) they should offer vp their fleeces. Diis parentibus et Magistris, sayth Aristotle, non potest reddi equiualens: To the Gods, our Fathers, and our Schoolemaisters, can neuer bee giuen as they deserue. Hee was an Eth­nick that spoke thus, wee Christians (onely because he hath spoke it,) will do any thing against it: From God, our Parents and our Schoole-maisters, (which are our Preachers,) say we can neuer bee pluckt sufficient. To make our selues ritch we care, not if we make our church like Hell, where (as Iob saith) vmbra mortis, et nullus ordo est, there is the shaddow of death, & confusion without order.

O Auarice, that breaketh both the Lawe of Moyses and the Law of Nature, in taking vsury or in-comes for [Page 108] Aduousons, and not letting the land of the Priests bee free from tribute: those to whom thou leauest that ill gotten vsury or tribute, shall be a prey to the irreligious. Iob. 15. Fire shall consume the house of bribes.

No Cart that is ouer-loden or crammed too full, but hath a tayle that will scatter. Beware least Hogges come to gleane after your Carts-tayle: that your heyres come not to bee Wardes vnto Vsurers, for they will put out their Lands to the best vse, of seauen-score in the hun­dred, and make them serue out their wardship in one prison or other. The onely way for a rich man to pre­uent robbing, is to be bountifull and liberall. None is so much the thieues mark as the Miser and the Carle. Giue while you liue (rich men) that those you leaue behinde you, may be free from Cormorants and Catterpillers. If there be in your bags, but one shilling that should haue beene the poores, that shilling will be the consumption of all his fellowes: one rotten Apple marreth all the rest, one scabbed sheepe infects a whole flocke.

Euen as a Prince out of his Subiects goods, hath lones, dismes, subsidies & fifteenes, so God out of our goods, demandeth a lone, a tenth, and a subsidie to the poore. Loe, the one halfe of my goods (sayth Zaccheus) I giue to the poore. Is not he an ill seruant, that when his Master shall into his hands deliuer a large summe of mony, to be di­stributed among the needy and impotent, shall purse it vp into his owne Coffers, and either giue them none at all, or but the hundreth part of it? Such ill seruants are we. The treasure and possessions we haue, are not our owne, but the Lord hath giuen them vs to giue to the poore, and spend in his seruice: we (very obsequiously) giue to the poore only the mould of our treasure, and [Page 109] will rather detract from Gods seruice, then detract from our drosse. No where is pitty, no where is pitty, our House must needs be left desolate vnto vs.

The Idolatrous Gentiles shall rise vp against vs, that bestowed all their wealth on fanes and shrines to their gods, and presents and offerings to their Images; To the true Image of God (which are the poore,) wee will scarce offer our bread-parings. The Temple of Diana at Ephesus, was two hundred yeeres in building by all Asia. There was none that obtained any victorie, but built a Temple at his return, to that god (as he thought) which assisted him. Not so much as the Feuer quartan, but the Romanes built a Temple to, thinking it some great God because it shook them so: and another to ill fortune, in Exquillijs, a Mountaine in Rome, because it should not plague them at Cardes and Dice. No Feuer quartanes, ill fortune, or good fortune, may wring out of vs any good workes. Our deuotion can away with anie thing, but this Pharasaicall almes-giuing.

Hee that hath nothing to doe with his money but build Churches, we count him one of God-almighties Fooles, or els (if he beare the name of a wise-man) wee tearme him a notable braggart. Tut, tut, Almes-houses will make good stables, and let out in Tenaments, yeeld a round sum by the yeere. A good strong bard hutch, is a building worth twenty of those Hospitals and Almes-houses; Our rich Chuffes, will rather put their helping hands to the building of a prison, then a house of praier. Our Courtiers lay that on their backs, which shold serue to build Churches & schooles. Those Preachers please best, which can fit vs with a cheap Religion, that preach Faith, & all Faith, and no Good-works, but to the house­hold of Faith.

[Page 110] Ministers and Pastors (to some of you I speake, not to all,) tis you that haue brought downe the price of Reli­gion, being couetous your selues, you preach nothing but couetous doctrine: your followers seeing you giue no almes, take example (by you) to hold in their hands to, and will giue no almes. That Text is too often in your mouthes, Hee is worse then an Infidell that prouides not for his wife and family. You doe not cry out of the Altar, cry out for money to maintaine poore Schollers, cry out for more liuing for Colledges, cry out for re­liefe for them that are sicke and visited: you rather cry out against the Altar, cry out against the liuing the Church hath already.

It were to bee wished, that order were taken vp a­mongst you, which was obserued in S. Augustines time: For then it was the custom, that the poore should begg of none but the Preacher or Minister, and if he had not to giue them, they should exclaime and cry out of him, for not more effectually moouing and crying out to the people for them. Had euery one of you, all the poore of your Parishes hanging about your doores, and ready to rent your garments off your backes, and teare out your throats for bread euery time you stird abroad, you would bestirre you in exhortation to charity and good workes, and make your selues hoarse, in crying out a­gainst couetise and hardnesse of heart.

London, thy heart is the hart of couetousnes, all chari­tie and compassion is cleane banished out of thee: ex­cept thou amendest, Ierusalem, Sodome, and Thou shalt sit downe and weepe together.

From Ambition and Auarice, his suborner, let mee progress to the second son of Pride, which is, Vaine-glo­rie. [Page 111] This Vaine-glory, is any excessiue pride or delight which we take in things vnnecessarie; Much of the na­ture is it of Ambition, but it is not so dangerous, or con­uersant about so great matters as Ambition. It is (as I may call it) the froth & seething vp of Ambition. Am­bition that cannot containe it selfe, but it must hop and bubble aboue water. It is the placing of praise and re­nowne in contemptible things. As he that takes a glory in estranging himselfe from the attyre and fashions of his owne Country. Hee that taketh a glory to weare a huge head of haire like Absalom. He that taketh a glory in the glistering of his apparell and his perfumes, and thinks euery one that sees him, or smels to him, should be in loue with him. He that taketh a glory in hearing himselfe talke, and stately pronouncing his words. Hee that taketh a glory to bring an oath out with a grace, to tell of his cosonages, his surfetings, and drunkennesse, and whoredomes. He that (to be counted a Caualeir, and a resolute braue man) cares not what mischiefe hee do, whom he quarrels with, kils or stabbes.

Such was Pausanias that kild Philip of Macedon, one­ly for fame or vaine-glory. So did Herostratus burne the Temple of Diana, (whereof I talkt in the leafe before,) to get him an eternall vaine-glory. The Spaniards are wonderfull vaine-glorious. Many Souldiers are most impatient vaine-glorious, in standing vpon their honor in euery trifle, & boasting more then euer they did. They are vaine-glorious also in commending one another for murders and braules: which (if they weighed aright) is the most ignominy that may be. By a great oth they wil sweare, he is a braue, delicate, sweet man, for he kild such & such a one: as if they should say, Caine was a braue de­licate [Page 112] sweet man, for kiling his brother Abel. He was the first that inuented this going into the field, and now it is growne to a common exercise euery day after meate. Many puny Poets & old ill Poets, are mighty vaine-glo­rious, of whom Horace speaketh: Ridentur mala qui com­ponunt carmina verum. Gaudent scribentes et se venerantur & vltro. Si taceas laudunt quicquid scripsere beati. They are of all men had in derision (saith he) that bungle and bodge vp wicked verses: but yet they do honie and tic­kle at what they write, and wonderfully to themselues applaude and praise themselues; and of their owne ac­cord, (if you doe not commend them) they will openly commend themselues, and count their pennes blessed whatsoeuer they inuent. Many excellent Musi [...]ians are odde fantastick vaine-glorious. There is vaine-glory in building, in banqueting, in being Diogenicall and dog­ged: in voluntary pouerty and deuotion. Great is their vaine-glory also, that will rather reare themselues mo­numents of Marble, then monuments of good deedes in mens mouthes. In a word, as Paul sayth, Non est Domine in quo gloriaripossim, sed in Cruce Domini Iesu Christi: There is no true glory, all is vain-glory, but in the Crosse of our Lord Iesus Christ. The lewes vaine-glory and presumptuous confidence in their Temple, was one of the chiefe sinnes that pluckt on their desolation. In that Chapter where our Sauiour gaue iudgement ouer Ieru­salem, how bitterly did he inueigh against the hypocrisie and vaine glory of the Scribes and Pharisies.

Let vs examine what this hypocrisie and vaine-glorie was he inueighed so against, and see if there be any such amongst vs here in London.

First, he accuseth them, Of binding heauie burdens and [Page 113] too grieuous to bee borne, and laying them on other mens shoulders, and not moouing them with one finger themselues. That is as much to say, as States of a Country should make burdenous Lawes, to oppresse and keepe vnder the Communalty, and looke seuerely to the obseruation of them, but would keepe none of them them-selues, nor will not so much as deigne with one finger to touch them.

Secondly, The did all their workes to bee seene of men, So doe they that will doe no good worke, but to be put in the Chronicles after their death: so doe they that pub­liquely wil seeme the most precise iusticiaries vnder hea­uen, but priuately mittigate their sentence for mony & Exod. 23. gyfts, which blind the wise, & subuert the words of the iust. The especiall thing Christ in the Pharisies reproueth that they did to be seene of men, was the wearing of their large Philactaries. Those Philactaries (as S. Ierom Ierom on the 23. of Mathew. sayth) were broade peeces of Parchment, whereon they wrote the tenne commaundements, and folding them vp close together, bound them to their fore-heade, and so wore them alwaies before their eyes, imagining thereby they fulfilled that which was said: they shall bee alwaies immoucable before thine eres. That which they had alwaies vaine-gloriously before their eies, that haue we alwaies vaine-gloriously in our mouthes, but seldom or neuer in our harts. Neuer was so much professing, & so little practising, so many good words, and so few good deeds.

The third obiection against the Pharisies, was, That they loued the highest places at feastes, the chiefe seates in as­semblies, and greeting in the Market-place: Which is as much to say, as that they were arrogant, haughty min­ded, [Page 114] and insolent: that they had no spyrite of humility or meekenesse in them; They were besotted with the pryde of their owne singularity, they thought no man worthy of any honour but themselues. By intrusion and not standing on curtesie, they gotte to sitte highest at Feastes, and be preferr'd in Assemblies: which appeareth by that which followeth some few verses after: For who soeuer will exalt himselfe, shall be brought lowe, and whosoe­uer will humble himselfe, shal be exalted. Which inferreth, that they did intrude or exalt themselues, and were not exalted other-wise: therefore they should be humbled or brought low. Diuers like Pharasies haue wee, that will proudly exalt themselues.

After this, our Sauiour breathes out many woes a­gainst them. First, For shutting vp the Kingdom of heauen from before men, and neither entring themselues, nor suffe­ring those that would to enter. Next, For deuouring wid­dowes houses vnder pretence of long prayers. Thirdly, For compassing Sea and Lande to seduce. Fourthly, For their false and fond distinction and interpretation of othes. Fiftly For tithing mynt and Anise seeed and commin, & leauing weightier matters of the law, iudgement, mercy, and fide­lity, foreslowed: for straining at a Gnat, and swallowing a Camell. Sixthly For making cleane the outside of the cuppe or the platter, when within they were full of bribery and ex­cesse. Seauenthly For they were like vnto whited toombes, which appeare beautifull outward, but within are full of dead mens bones, and all filthines. Eightly, For they built the Toombes of the Prophets, and garnisht the sepulchers of the righteous, whose doctrine they refused to be ruled by. Which of all these eyght woes but we haue incurred.

Peculiarly apply them I will not, for feare their refe­rence [Page 115] might be offensiue: but let euery one that is guil­tie in any of them, apply them priuately to himselfe, least euery childe in the streete apply them openly to his re­proofe.

London looke to thy selfe, for the woes that were pro­nounced to Ierusalem, are pronounced to theee. Thou transgressing as grieuously as shee, shalt be punished as greuously. Fly from sinne, take no pride nor vaine-glo­ry in it: for pride or vaine-glory in sinne, is a horrible sinne, though it be without purpose to sinne. Ah what is sinne that we should glory in it? To glory in it is to glory that the deuill is our father. Dooth the Peacocke glory in his foule feete? Dooth he not hang downe the tayle when he lookes on them? Doth the Buck (hauing be filtht himselfe with the female,) lift vp his hornes and walke proudly to the lawnes? O no, he so hateth him­selfe) by reason of the stinch of his commixture,) that all drouping and languishing into some solitary Ditche he with-drawes himselfe, and takes soyle, and batheth till suck time as there fall a great shoure of rayne, when be­ing throughly washed & clensed, he posteth back to his food.

Of the Peacock, of the Buck, nor any other bruit beast can we be taught to loath our filth, but (contrary to nature,) farre worse then brute beastes, wee are ena­mored Aug. lib 3. de lib. arbit. of the fauour of it. Omne vitium eo ipso quod vi­tium est, contra naturam est. Euery vice as it is a vice is contrary to nature. Takes the deuil a vain-glory or pride that he is exiled out of heauen? No, hee rueth, hee cur­seth, he enuies God, men and Angells, that they should liue in the kingdome of light, and hee in the vallie of darknesse.

[Page 116] What cowarde is there that will brage or glory hee was beaten and disarmed. If wee had the witte to con­ceiue the basenesse of sinne, or from what abiect Paren­tage it is sprung, wee would hate it as a Toade, and flye from it as an Adder. Not without reason haue many learned Writers, called it Bestiall, for it is all deriued & borrowed from Beastes. Pride and inflamation of hart, we borrow from the Lyon, auarice from the Hedghog, luxury, ryot, and sensuality from the Hogge: and there­fore we call a leatcherous person, a boarish companion. Enuy from the Dogge, Ire or wrath from the Wolfe, gluttony or gurmandise from the Beare, and lastly sloth from the Asse. So that as vvee apparraile our selues in Beastes skinnes, in selfe same sort we clothe our soules in their skinnes. But if wee did imitate ought but the im­perfections of Beasts, (or of the best Beastes, but the worst Beastes,) it were some-what: if we had any sparke or taste of their perfections, wee were not so to be con­demned. We haue no sparke, no taste, we are nothing but a compound of vncleanes.

Let vs not glory that wee are men, who haue put on the shapes of Beastes. Thrice blessed are Beastes that die soone, and after this life feele nohell; Woe vnto vs, we shall, if wee appeare to God in the image of beastes, and soone redeeme not from sathan the image of our creati­on he hath stolne from vs. O singuler subtilty of our e­nemy, so to sweeten the poyson of our perdition, that it shold be more relishsome and pleasant vnto vs, then the nectarized Aquacaelestis of water-mingled blood, sluced from Christs side. We glory, in that we are in the high-way to be throwne from glory: Wee will not heare our Folders or Sheepehearps, that would gather vs to glory. [Page 117] Our Lord rode vppon at Asse when he gouerned the lawes, vnder the Law (in comparison of vs,) we are the vnbroken-Colt, (including the Gentiles,) which hee commaunded (with the Asse) to be brought vnto him. This thousand and odde hundred yeeres hath he beene breaking vs to his hand, and now, (when he had thought to haue found vs fitte for the saddle,) we are wilder and further of then euer we were. Wee kicke and winche, and will by no meanes endure his managing. Where­fore (though vtterly wearied with both) better he estee­meth of his old obstinate slow Asse, the Iewes, (which therfore he cast off, for they had tir'd him with continual beating,) then of the vntoward Colt, (vs the Gentiles) that will not be bridled.

Ambition and vain-glory, make vs beare vp our necks stifly, and bend our heads backward from the reyne, but age will make vs stoope thrice more forward, and warpe our backs in such a round bundle, that with declyning, our snoutes shall digge our graues.

England thou needst not bee ambitious, thou needst not be vaine-glorious, for ere this thou hast been bowed and burdned till thy backe crackt. As the Israelites were tenne times led into captiuity, so seauen times hast thou beene ouer-runne and conquered. In thy strength thou boasts, God with the weake confoundeth the strong. The least lifting vp of his hand, makes thy men of warre fall backward. Say thou art walled with Seas, how easie are thy walls ouer-come? Who shall defende thy walls if the ciuill sworde waste thee? With more enemies is not India besette then thou art. Vngratefully hath God giuen thee long peace and plenty, since whereas warre can but breed vices, thy peace and plenty hath begotte [Page 118] more sinnes, then warre ouer hearde of, or the Sunne hath Atoms.

Yet learne to leaue of thy vaine-glory, that God may glory in thee. Learne to despise the world, despise vani­ty, despise thy selfe, to despise despysing, and lastly, to despise no man. If you be of the world, you will affect the vaine-glory of the world: if you be not of the world, looke for no glory but contempt from the world. It lies in your election to draw lots, whither you will bee heyres of the glory eternall, or enioy the short breath of vaine-glory amongst men.

The third sonne of Pride, is Atheisme, which is when a man is so timpaniz'd with prosperity, and entranced from himselfe, with Wealth, Ambition, and Vaine-glory, that he forgets he had a Maker, or that there is a Heauen aboue him which controules him. Too much ioy of this world hath made him drunke. I haue read of many, whom extreame ioy & extreame griefe hath for­ced to runne mad; so with extreame ioy runnes he mad, he waxeth a Foole and an Idiote, and then hee sayes in his hart, There is no God. Others there be of these soule­benummed Atheists, who (hauing so farre entred in bold blasphemies, and Scripture-scorning ironies against God, that they thinke, if God be a God of any iustice and omnipotence, it cannot stand with that his iustice & om­nipotence, to suffer such despight vnpunished,) for their onely refuge, perswade them-selues there is no God, and with their prophane wits innent reasons, why there should be no God.

In our Sauiours time there were Saduces, that denied the Resurrection; what are these Atheists but Saducaean sectaries that deny the resurrection? They belieue they [Page 119] must die, though they beleiue not the Deity. By un meanes may they auoyde what they will not admitte. Io the very houre of death, shal appeare to them a God and a deuill. In the very houre of death, to Atheisticall Iuli­an, (who mockingly called all Christians Gallileans,) ap­peared a grizly shaggy-bodied deuill, who for all (at his sight) he recantingly cryed out, Vicisti, Galilaee, vicisti. Thine is the day, thineis the victory ô man of Galilee, yet would it not for-beare him or giue him ouer, till it had stript his soule foorth of his fleshie rinde, and tooke it a­way with him.

Those that neuer heard of God or the deuill in their life before, at that instant of their transmutation, shall giue testimony of them.

This I assure my selfe, that how-euer in pride of minde, (because they would be different in paradoxisme from all the world,) some there be that fantasie phyloso­phicall probabilities, of the Trinities vnexistence, yet in the inmost recourse of their consciences, they subscribe to him, and confesse him.

Most of them, because they cannot grosly palpabrize or feele God with their bodily fingers, confidently and grossely discard him. Those that come to God, must beleiue that God is, and that he is a rewarder of them that seeke him. They comming against God, beleiue that he is not, and that those prosper best, and are best rewarded that sette him at nought. The heauens declare the glory of God, & the Firmament sheweth his handy worke, one generation telleth another of the wonders hee hath done: yet will not these faythlesse contradictours, suffer any glory to be ascribed to him. Stoutly they refragate and withstand, that the Firmament is not his handy-worke, nor, will they credite [Page 120] [...] [Page 121] [...] [Page 122] [...] [Page 123] [...] [Page 120] one generation telling another of his wonders. They followe the Pironiks, whose position and opinion it is, that there is not hel or misery but opinion. Impudent­ly they persist in it, that the late discouered Indians, are able to shew antiquities, thousands before Adam.

With Cornelius Tacitus, they make Moyses a wise prouident man, well seene in the Egiptian learning, but deny hee had any diuine assistance in the greatest of his miracles. The water (they say) which he strooke out of a Rocke in the Wildernes, was not by any supernaturall worke of GOD, but by watching to what parte the Wild-asses repayred for drink.

With Albumazar, they holde that his leading the Chyldren of Israell ouer the Red-sea, was no more but obseruing the influence of Starres, and wayning season of the Moone that with-draweth the Tydes. They seek not to know God in his workes, or in his Sonne Christ Iesus, but by his substance, his forme, or the place where­in he doth exist. Because some late Writers of our side, haue sought to discredit the story of Iudith, of Susanna and Daniell, and of Bell and the Dragon, they thinke they may thrust all the rest of the Bible (in like manner) into the Iewish Thalmud, and taxe it for a fabulous Le­gend.

This place serueth not to stand vppon proofes, or by confutation to confirme principles: neither dare I with the weake droppe of my wit, offer, to vpholde the high Throne of the Godhead, since hee that but stretcht out his hand to vnder-prop the Arke falling, was presently striken dead O Lord, thou hast tenne thousand stronger pillers then I am. I am the vnworthiest of all worme­reserued wretches, once to speake of thee, or name thee. [Page 121] My sinnes are alwaie before me. Princes will not let those come before them with whom they are displeased. I am afraid the congealed clowdes of my sinne, will not let my praiers come neere thee. O fauour thy glory though I haue displeased thee with folly. I will not bee so vn­weaponed-ieopardous, to ouerthrow both thy cause and my credite at once, by ouer-Atlassing mine inuen­tion. That which I vndertake, shall bee onely to throw one light Dart at their faces from a farre, and exhort all able pennes to arme themselues, against thine Atheisti­call maledictours.

Of Atheists this age affordeth two sorts, the inwarde and the outward; The inward Atheist is hee, that de­uours widowes houses vnder pretence of long prayers, that (like the Panther) hideth his face in a hood of Reli­gion, when he goeth about his prey. He would professe himselfe an Atheist openly but that (like the Pharisies) he feareth the multitude. Because the multitude fauours Religion, he runnes with the streame, and fauours Reli­gion: because he would be Captaine of a multitude. To be the God of gold, he cares not how many gods he entertaines. Church rites hee supposeth not amisse to busie the Common-peoples heads with, that they shold not fal aboard with Princes matters. And as Numa Pom­pilius in Rome, and Minos in Athens, kept the people in awe, & thrust what tyrannous laws they list vpon them, (the one, vnder pretence he did nothing without con­ference of the Nimph Egeria, the other, vnder colour he was inspired in a certaine hollow Caue by Iupiter,) so hee makes conscience and the spirit of God, along side-cloake, for all his oppressions and pollicies. A holy looke he will put on when he meaneth to doe mischiefe, [Page 122] and haue Scripture in his mouth, euen whiles hee is in cutting his neighbours throate.

The propagation of the Gospell, (good Saint-like man) hee onely shootes at, when vnder suppressing of Popery, hee striues to ouer-throwe all Church-liuings. So that euen as the Gospell is the power of God, to sal­uatiō, to euery one that belieueth, so is it in him the di­uels power of beguiling and vndoing, to euery one that belieues him. He it is that turneth the truth of God to alie, and buildeth his house by hypocrisie, that hath his mouth swept and garnished, but in his heart a whole le­gion of diuels.

The outward Atheist, (contrariwise) with those things that proceede from his mouth, defileth his heart; He establisheth reason as his God, and will not be per­swaded that God (the true God) is, except he make him priuie to all the secrecies of his beginning and gouern­ment. Straightly he will examine him where hee was, what he did before he created Heauen and Earth; how it is possible he should haue his beeing from before all beginnings? Euery circumstance of his prouidence he wil run through, & question why he did not this thing, and that thing, and the other thing, according to their humors?

Being earthly bodies, (vnapt to ascende,) in their am­bitious cogitation, they will breake ope and ransack his Closet: and if (conueniently) they may not come to i [...], then they will derogate and depraue him all they can. Little do they consider, that as the light which shined before Paul, made him blinde, so the light of Gods in­uisible misteries, (if euer it shine in our harts,) will con­found and blind our carnall reason.

[Page 123] Philosophies chiefe fulnesse, wisedoms adopted Fa­ther next vnto Salomon, vnsatiable Art-searching Ari­stotle, that in the round-compendiate bladder of thy braine, conglobedst these three great bodies, (Heauen, Earth, and the wide world of Waters,) thine Icarian­soaring comprehension, tossed & turmoiled but about the bounds and beginning of Nilus, in Nilus drownd it selfe, being to seely and feeble to plunge thorow it.

If knowledges second Salomon, had not knowledge enough to engraspe one Riuer, and alledge probabilitie of his beginning and bounding, who shall engraspe or bound the heauens body? Nay, what soule is so meta­phusicall subtile, that can humorously sirenize heauens soule, IEHOVAH, out of the concealements of his God-head? He that is familiar with all earthly states, must not thinke to be familiar with the state of heauen. The very Angels know not the day nor howre of the last iudge­ment: if they know not the day nor houre of the iudge­ment, (which is such a generall thing,) more priuate cir­cumstances of the God-head (determinately) they are not acquainted with; And if not Angels, (his sanctifi­ed attendants) much lesse are they reuealed to sinners. Idle-headed Atheist, ill wouldst thou (as the Romans) acknowledge and offer sacrifice to many gods, that wilt not grant one God. From thy birth to this moment of thine vnbeleefe, reuolue the diary of thy memory, and try if thou hast nere prayd and beene heard, if thou hast been heard and thy prayer accomplisht, who hath heard thee, who hath accomplisht it? Wilt thou ratifidely af­firme, that God is no God, because (like a Noune sub­stantiue) thou canst not essentially see him, feele him, or heare him.

[Page 124] Is a Monarch no Monarch, because hee reareth not his refiant throne amongst his vtmost subiects? Wee (of all earthlings) are Gods vtmost subiects, the last (in a manner) that he brought to his obedience: shal we then forget that wee are any subiects of his, because (as a mongst his Angels) he is not visibly conuersant amongst vs? Suppose our Monarch were as farre distanced from vs as Constantinople, yet still he is a Monarch, and his power vndiminished. Indeed so did our Fathers rebell, and forgot they had a King; when Richard cuer de Lyon was warring in the Holy-land, his owne brother king Iohn, forgot that he had a brother, & crownd himselfe King. But God is not absent, but present continually a­mongst vs, though not in sight, yet as a Spirit at our el­bowes euery where, (and so delight many Kings to walk disguised amongst their subiects.) Hee treads in all our steps, hee plucketh in and letteth out our breath as hee pleaseth, our eyes he openeth and shutteth, our feete he guideth as he listeth.

Tis nothing but plentie and abundance that maketh men Atheists. Euen as the Snake which the Husband­man tooke out of the cold and cherisht in his bosome, once attained to her liuely heate againe, and growne fat and lusty, singled him out at the first, whom shee might (vngratefully) enuenome with her forked sting; So God hauing tooke a number of poore out-casts, (farre poorer then poore frost-bitten Snakes,) foorth of the colde of scarcity and contempt, and put them in his bo­some, cherisht and prosperd them with all the blessings he could, they (hauing once plentifully pickt vp their crummes, and that they imagine (without his help) they can stand of themselues,) now fall to darting their stings [Page 125] of derision at his face, and finding themselues to bee as great as they can well be amongst men, grow to enuie and extenuate their Maker.

A seruant that (of nothing) is waxt great vnder his Maister, if his Maister looke not to him, proues the grea­test enemy he hath; Ef [...]soones he wil draw all men from him, and vnder-hand disgrace him, to engrosse all in his owne hand. None are so great enemies to God, as those that (of smal likelihoods) haue waxt greatest vnder him, and haue most tasted the gracious springs of his proui­dence. Oft haue we seene a Begger promoted, forget and renounce his owne naturall Parents: no maruaile then, if these mounted Beggers forget, and will not ac­knowledge God, their common Parent, and foster-Fa­ther.

I cannot be perswaded any poore man, or man in mi­sery, (be he not altogether desperate of his estate,) is an Atheist. Misery (mauger their hearts) will make them confesse God. Who heareth the thunder, that thinkes not of God? I would know who is more fearefull to die, or dies with more terror and afrightment, then an A­theist. Discourse ouer the ends of all Atheists, and their deaths, for the most part, haue beene drunken, violent, and secluded from repentance. The blacke swttie vi­sage of the night, and the shadie fancies thereof, asser­taines euery guilty soule there is a sinne-hating God.

How can Bellowes blowe, except there bee one that bindes and first imprisons winde in them? How can fire burne if none first kindle it? How can man breathe, ex­cept God puts first the breath of life into him? Who leadeth the Sunne out of his Chamber, or the Moone foorth her clowdy Pauilion but God? Why dooth not [Page 126] the Sea swallow vp the Earth, (when as it ouer-peeres it, and is greater then it,) but that there is a God that snaf­fles and curbes it.

There is a path which no Foule hath known, neither Iob. 28. the Kytes eyes seene: the Lyon himselfe hath not walkt in it, nor the Lyons whelpes past thereby. VVho then knowes it, who is there to trace it? Hath the vast azur'd Canopy nothing aboue it, whereunto it is perpendicu­lar knit, then why doe not all things wheele and swarue topsie-turuy? Why breake not thunder bolts through the Clowdes in steade of thrids of raine? Why are noy Frost and Snow vncessantly in Armes against the Sum­mer?

The excellent compacture of mans body, is an argu­ment of force enough to confirme the Deity.

O why should I but squintingly glance at these mat­ters, when they are so admirably expiated by auncient Writers? In the Resolution most notably is this tractate enlarged. He which peruseth that, and yet is Diagoriz'd, will neuer be Christianiz'd. Vniuersity men that are cal­led Diagoras primus De. [...] [...]gans. to preach at the Crosse and the Court, arme your selues against nothing but Atheisme, meddle not so much with Sects & forraine opinions, but let Atheisme be the onely string you beate on: for there is no Sect now in England so scattered as Atheisme. In vaine doe you preach, in vaine do you teach, if the root that nou­risheth all the branches of security, be not thorowly digd vp from the bottome. You are not halfe so wel ac­quainted, as them that liue cōtinually about the Court and Citty, hom many followers this damnable paradox hath: how many high wits it hath bewitcht. Where are they▪ that count a little smattering in liberall Arts, [Page 127] and the reading ouer the Bible with a late Comment, sufficient to make a Father of Diuines? What wil their Disallow­ed by Athe­ists. disalowed Bible, or late Comments helpe them, if they haue no other reading to resist Atheists? Atheists if euer they be confuted with their owne prophane Au­thors they must be confuted.

I am at my wits end when I view how coldly, in com­parison of other Countrimen, our Englishmen write. How in their bookes of confutation, they show no wit or courage, as well as learning. In all other things Eng­lishmen are the stoutest of all others, but being Schol­lers, and liuing in their owne natiue soyle, their braines are so pesterd with ful platters, that they haue no roome to bestirre them. Fie, fie, shal we because we haue Leade and Tynne Mynes in England, haue Leade and Tinne Muses? For shame bury not your spirits in Biefe-pots. Let not the Italians call you dul-headed Tramontani. So many Dunces in Cambridge and Oxford, are entertay­ned chiefe members into societies, vnder pretence, though they haue no great learning, yet there is in them zeale and Religion, that scarce the least hope is left vs, we should haue any heereafter but blockes and Images, to confute blocks and Images. That of Terence is oracu­liz'd, Patres aequum censere nos adolesentulos, ilico a pueris fieri senes. Our Fathers are now growne to such austeri­ty, as they would haue vs straite of children to become old-men. They will allow no time for a gray bearde to grow in. If at the first peeping out of the shell, a young Student sets not a graue face on it, or seemes not morti­fiedly religious, (haue he neuer so good a wit, bee hee neuer so fine a Scholler,) he is cast off and discouraged. They set not before their eyes, how all were not cal­led [Page 128] at the first houre of the day, for then had none of vs euer beene called. That not the first sonne that promi­sed his Father to goe into the Vineyard went, but hee that refused and sayd he would not, went. That those blossomes which peepe foorth in the beginning of the Spring, are frost-bitten and die, ere they can come to be fruite. That religion which is soone ripe, is soone rot­ten.

Too abortiue, reuerend Academians, do you make your young plants. Your preferment (following the outward appearance,) occasioneth a number of young hypocrites, who else had neuer knowne any such sinne as dissimulation, and had beene more knowne to the Common-wealth. It is only ridiculous dull Preachers, (who leape out of a Library of Catechismes, into the loftiest pulpits) that haue reuiued this scornefull Sect of Atheists. What Kings embassage would be made ac­count of, if it should be deliuered by a meacock and an ignorant? Or if percase he send variety of Embassadors, and not two of them agree in one tale, but be deuided a­mongst themselues, who will harken to them? Such is the deuision of Gods Embassadors here amongst vs, so many cow-baby-bawlers, and heauy-gated lu [...]berers, into the Ministry are stumbled, vnder this Colledge, or that Halls commendation, that a great number had ra­ther heare a iarring blacke-sant, then one of their balde Sermons.

They boldly will vsurpe Moses chaire, without anie studie or preparation. They would haue their mouthes reuerenced as the mouthes of the Sybils, who spoke no­thing but was registred; Yet nothing comes from their mouthes, but grosse full-stomackt tautologie. They [Page 129] sweat they blunder, they bounce and plunge in the Pul­pit, but all is voyce but no substance: they deafe mens eares but not edifie. Scripture peradventure they come off thicke and three-folde with, but it is so vgly daubed, plaistred and patcht on, so peeuishly speckt and applied, as if a Botcher (with a number of Satten & Veluet shreds should clout and mend leather doublets and Cloth­breeches.

Gette you some witte in your great heades, my hotte­spurd Deuines, discredit not the Gospel: if you haue none damme vp the Ouen of your vtterance, make not such a bigge sound with your empty vessells. At least, loue men of witte, and not hate them so as you doe, for they haue what you want. By louing them, and accompany­ing with them you shall both doe them good and your selues good; They of you shall learne sobriety and good life, you of them, shall learne to vtter your learning and speak moouingly.

If you count it prophane to arte-enamel your speech to empeirce, and make a conscience to sweeten your tunes to catch soules, Religion (through you) shall reap infamy. Men are men, and with those thinges must be mooued, that men wont to be mooued. They must haue a little Sugar mixt with their soure Pills of reproofe, the hookes must be pleasantly baited that they bite at. Those that hang forth their hookes and no bayte, may well e­nough entangle them in the weedes, (enwrap themselues in contentions) but neuer winne one soule. Turne ouer the auncient Fathers, and mark how sweet and honisome they are in the mouth, and how musicall and melodious in the eare. No Orator was euer more pleasingly persw [...] ­siue,, then humble Saint Augustine. These Athists with [Page 130] whom you are to encounter, are speciall men of witte. The Romish Seminaries, haue not allured vnto them so m [...]ny good wittes as Athis [...]. It is the superaboundance of witte that makes Atheists: will you then hope to beat them downe with fus [...]y brown-bread dorbellisme? No, no either you must straine your wits an Ela aboue theirs, and so entice them to your preachings, and ouer-turne them, or else with disordered hayleshotte of Scriptures, shall you neuer scarre them.

Skirmishing with Atheists, you must behaue your selues as you were conuerting the Gentiles. All antique histories you must haue at your fingers-end. No Phylo­sophers confession or opinion of God: that you are to be ignorant in. Ethnicks, with their owne Ethnick wea­pons you must assayle. Infinite laborinths of bookes he must runne thorough, that wil be a compleat Champion in Christs Church. Let not sloth-fauoring innouation a­buse you. Christ when hee sayd you must forsake all and follow him, meant not you should forsake all artes and follow him.

Luke was a Phisitian and followed him. Phisitians are the only vpholders of humane Artes. Paul was a Pharisie and brought vp in all the knowledge of the Gentiles, and yet he was an Apostle of Iesus Christ. Though it plea­sed our louing crucified Lord, during his residence heere vppon earth, miraculously to inspire poore Fishermen, and disgregate his gifts from the ordinary meanes, yet since his ascention into heauen, meanlesse miracles are ceased. Certaine meanes he hath assigned vs, which he hath promised to blesse, but without meanes no blessing hath he warantized.

When the deuill would haue had him of stones to [Page 131] make bread, he would in no kind consent: no more will he consent of blocks and stones in these dayes to make distributers of the bread of life. What are Asses that will take vpon them to preach without giftes but bread made of stones? Euen as God sayd vnto Adam, Hee should gette or earne his bread with the sweat of his browes, so they that will haue heauenly bread enough to feed themselues and a family (which is a congregation or flocke,) must earne it, and get it, with the sweat of their browes, with long labour, study, and industry, toyle and search after it.

No one Art is there that hath not some dependance vppon another, or to whose top or perfection we may climbe, without steppes or degrees of the other. Hu­maine artes are the steppes and degrees Christ hath pre­scribed and assigned vs, to climbe vp to heauen of Artes by, which is Diuinity. Hee can neuer climbe to the toppe of it, which refuseth to climbe by these steppes. No knowledge but is of God. Vnworthy are wee of heauenly knowledge, if we keepe from her any one of her hand-maydes. Logique Rhethorique, History, Phi­losophy, Musicke, Poetry, all are the handmaydes of Di­uinity. She can neuer be curiously drest, or exquisitely ac­complisht, if any one of these be wanting.

God delighteth to be magnified in all his Creatures, especially, in al the excellentest of his creatures. Artes are the excellentest of his creatures, not one of them Psal. 148. but descended from his Throne. What saith Dauid? Praise the Lord Sunne & Moone, praise him ye bright starrs, praise him heauen of heauens, & waters that be aboue the heauens. That is praise the Lord Metaphusicall Philosophy, which art conuersant in all these matters: Into the maiesty and glory of the Sunne and Moone, thou seest, the bright [Page 132] Starres predominance and moouing, thou knowest the heauen of heauens, and waters that be aboue the heauens (in part though not at large) thou comprehendest: there­fore praise him in all these. Take occasion (preachers in your sermons) from the wonders and secrets these to in­clude, to extoll his magnificent name, and by humaine artes abstracts to glorifie him. Prayse yee the Lord (thus Dauid proceeds) yee Dragons and all deepes, Fyre, Hayle, Snow and vapours, stormy winds and tempests execute his word. Mountaines & hilles, fruitfull trees and all Cedars, Beasts and Cattell: creeping thinges and fethered foules, Princes and Iudges of the world, young men and Mai­dens, old men and Children, prayse yee the name of the Lord.

So that it is lawfull to execute his word, that is in prea­ching of his word by similitudes and comparisons, drawne from the nature & property of all these, to laud and amplifie the eternity of his name. Christ hee drew comparisons from the hayres of a mans head, from Vine­yardes, from Fig-trees, from Sparrowes, from Lillies and a hundred such like. Wee (in this age) count him a Hea­then Deuine, that alledgeth any illustration out of hu­maine Authors, & makes not all his sermons conclout­ments of scripture.

Scripture we hotch-potch together, and do not place like pearle and Gold-lace on a garment, heere and there to adorne, but pile it, and dung it vp on heapes, with­out vse or edification. We care not how we mispeake it so wee haue it to speake. Out it flies East and West; though we loose it all it is nothing, for more haue we of it, then we can well tell what to do withall. Violent are the most of our pack-horse Pulpit-men in vomiting, their [Page 133] duncery. Their prechings seeme rather pestilentiall fren­zies then any thing els. They writhe Texts like waxe, and where they enuy, Scripture is their Champion to scold, and though a whole month together so they should scold they would not want alegations to cast in one anothers teeth. Non fuit sic a principio, I wis it was not so in the Pri­mitiue Church but in our Church euery man wilbe a pri­mate, euery man will bee Lord and King ouer the flocke that hee feedes, or else hee will famish it: This is erring from my scope of the true vse of scripture I am to talke.

Scripture if it be vsed otherwise then as the last seale to confirme any thing, if it bee triuially, or without ne­cessity, cald vnto witnesse, it is a flat taking of the name of God in vaine. The phrase of Sermons as it ought to a­gree with the scripture, so heed must be taken that their whole Sermons seem not a banquet of broken fragments of scripture: that it be not vsd but as the corner stone to close vp any building; That they gather fruit and not leaues, proofes and not phrases onely out of the Bible. As in battaile we vse the weapons & Engins of al Nations so embattelling our selues against sin, we must vse the wea­pōs & arts of al Nations. Scripture must be reserud as the last volley of the victory. It is the great Ordnance which must play vpon our enemies, in the end and cheife hazard of the fight. If we refuse with Demosthenes to reserue alour weighy argumēts til the latter end, like the French-men, we shal fight valiantly at the first, but quaile in the midst.

Scripture is the chiefe power of GOD to saluation. Generals in a pitcht field, will not thrust forth their cheife power first. By little, and little, they will trayne, their enemy out of order with light onsets. Hee that will ascend, must from the low valleys creepe vp. higher [Page 134] and higher; with one caper or iumpe, is not the Moun­taine of Theology to be sealed. This is it I contend, that Stars haue their thrones of illumination allotted them in the Firmament, as well as the Sunne & Moone: that humane writers haue their vse of reprouing vices, as wel as the Scriptures. It is an easie matter to praise God, in that wherein he hath placed the especiall state-house of his praises. He which out of the barrainest, and ba­rest parts of his Lords dominion, shall accumulate and leuy to his Treasury, a greater tribute then he hath out of his richest Prouinces, shall he not (of all other) doe him the most remunerablest seruice? Malicious and maleuolent are they, that will exclude any one Arte, or Athenian or Roman Author, any one creeping worme or contemptible creature, from bearing witnes of God.

Paul alleadged diuers verses out of Heathen Poets, as out of Epemenides, Aratus, Menander, Theocritus: nay, what place is it in the Scripture, where the holy Ghost doth not stoope himselfe to our capacities, by humane Metaphors & similitudes. Our Atheist we haue in hand, with nothing but humane reasons will bee rebutted. Vaunt you yee speake from the holy Ghost neuer so, if you speake not in compasse of his fiue sences, he wil de­spise you, and floute you. He hearing euery one (that in the Pulpit talkes affectedly, coldly, crabbedly or absurd­ly,) say, He talkes from the mouth of God, makes both am obloquy of Gods mouth and the Ministrie. But ill shall his scoffes prosper with him; When he thinkes he hath won the greatest prize to his wit, in putting downe God, God in iudgement shall arise and reproue him. At the day of death, and at the day of iudgement, hee shal reproue him, sight-killingly with his clusterd brows, [Page 135] and clowde-begetting srownes, he shall teach him, both that he is, and what he is.

Reuerend Ecclesiasticall Fathers, and other speciall­titled Church substitutes, you it concerneth, your king­dome (by these Atheists) is called in question, in calling Gods kingdome in question. Prosecute with all your authority, these Prophirtan deriders. Imitate the Athe­nians, who committed Anaxagoras to prison, and but for Pericles, had put him to death, for writing but a booke of the Moones eclipses, after by them she was receiued for a Goddesse. If they so far pursued the dis­grace of a feigned Goddesse, be you twise as zealous, in reuenging the disparagement of the true & euer-liuing God.

Proclaime disputations, threaten punishments, bee vehement in your Sermons: whatsoeuer you write or speake, intend it against Atheisme. Atheisme hath o­ouer-spread vs, our ouer-throw, your ouer-throw it wil be, except (in time) you preuent it. Fall England, fare-well peace, woe-worth our Weale and tranquilitie, if Religion bids vs fare-well. Our house shall be left de­solate vnto vs, for Christ of vs is left desolate and forsa­ken.

The fourth sonne of Pride, is Discontent, which whomsoeuer it throughly enhabiteth, it carrieth cleane away to extreames. If it light on a poore man that hath no meanes to prosecute it, it cutteth him off presently. If on a man of puissance, (be he not more then mother­witted circumspect,) to him and his family it is no lesse fatall. Generally it is grounded on pride, as when a man taketh vnto him a minde aboue his birth or fortune, and is not able to goe through with it. When hee hath re­solued [Page 136] to prize him selfe thus great, and so great, & some man (as proud as himselfe) comes and vnder-bids him, and out-braues him. And thirdly when on iust demerrits hec hath builded but meane hopes, and those not only dy in the dust, but his iustdemerits, indignly, draw vnto him vniust hatred. For such is great mens manner, any one that is troublesome to them, or that they were in­debted to, and cannot well recompence, they come to hate deadly.

There is a discontent proceeding from a naturall me­lancholly humor, or caused by surfeit or misdiet. Some by ouer-studdying come to be discontent and dogged. I haue knowne many, whom shrewd or light huswiues to their wiues, vnthrift obstinate children, sutes in Law o­uerruled by letters from aboue, haue caused to languish and droope away in discontent. The fruites of discon­tent are bannings, cursings, secret murmurrings, out­rage, murder, iniustice, all which are high treasonous trespasses against God.

The deuill is the father of Discontent, One of the greatest miseries of the damned, shall be discontent. No thing so much prouoketh God to iudgement as discon­tent. Hee destroyed the children of Israell whiles the meate was in their mouthes, in the Wildernes, for mur­murring or being discontent: their discontent was sayd to afflict him. Many a time and oft haue they afflicted mee euen from my youth vp, saith Dauid, in Gods person, speaking of their repining at the waters of strife. There­fore whosoeuer is discontent with any crosse or calamity the Lord layeth vppon him aflicteth God, and must looke for speedy confusion. Nothing in this life reuen­geth he so much as it. Hence it is so many stabbe, hang, [Page 137] and drowne themselues, and thereby endaunger their owne soules beyond mercy. It is the grieuousest sen­tence God can pronounce against man, as to be his own Executioner: whereby it appeareth, that Discontent is the grieuousest sinne that man can commit.

When did you euer heare of any but the disconten­ted man, that offered violence to himselfe? What is the sinne against the holy Ghost, (which Augustine conclu­deth to be nothing, but Desperatio morientis, to giue vp a mans soule in despaire,) but a special branch of discon­tent. Wherefote did our Saniour thunder forth such a terrible woe against the causers of offence, or discon­tent, but that it was the most heynous scourge-procu­ring transgression of all others?

Ionas the Lords annointed Prophet, for he was dis­content, and grudged when he should haue beene sent vnto Niniui, had a torment like hel (for the time) inflic­ted vpon him. In the Whales belly, full of horror, dis­paire, stinch and darknes, three dayes and three nights he was shut. Hardly can God abstaine from throwing any man downe into Hell, that is vpbraidingly discon­tent. As the merry man (of all other,) best thriueth in that he goes about, so the discontented man (of all o­ther,) is most fore-spoken, and vnluckie in his enterpri­ses. Few discontented men shall you obserue, that giue vp the ghost in their beds.

There is a Discontent cōtrary to Pride, which is most pleasing to God: which is, when a man grieues, & is dis­cōtent, because he cannot chuse but sin & rebel against God. Also when he is wearied, and discontent with the vanities of the world. So was the Preacher, when he cri­ed, Vanity of vanities, & all thing is vanitie.

[Page 138] There is a tollerable Discontent likewise, which Da­uid and Iob had, when they complained that the Ta­bernacles of Robbers did prosper, and they were in safe­ty that prouokt God. But so little of this true discontent is there in London, that (almost) there is no content in it, but in robbing and prouoking God. Sin is no sin, (saith an auncient Father,) except it be voluntary, and we take a content in committing it. Who is there that oppresseth, committeth adultery, is prodigall, sweareth or forswea­reth, but taketh a content in committing it? There we place content, where we should take vp discontent, and there are wee discontent, were wee should repose our whole gladnes and felicity. We are discontent, if wee heare our sinnes ript vp sharply. We are discontent, if we be detained in the seruice of God, but half an houre extraordinary. We are discontent, if we be constrained to giue to the poore. Euery man here in London, is dis­content with the state wherein he liues. Euery one see­keth to vndermine another. No two of one trade, but as they are of one trade, enuy one another. Not two conioined in one office, but ouerthwart & emulate one another, and one of them vndoes what the other hath done.

The Court is the true kingdom of discontent. There Pride raigning most, Discontent cannot chuse but be a hanger on. No conspiracie, or warre (ciuil or outward) but first springeth from discontent. What makes a number of our wanton wiues in London, conspire the deaths of their old doting husbands, but the discontent of a death-cold bed? Discontent makes Hereticks. Dis­content is the cause of al the Traytors beyond Sea. Dis­content, caused Ierusalems house to be left desolate vnto [Page 139] her. Discontent (O London,) will be thy destitution, if thou takest not the better heede.

The fift Sonne of Pride, is Contention, which bee­ing the youngest sonne hee hath, is harder to be yoked or kept in, then any of the other fowre. It is euer in Armes, neuer out of brabblements. Look what Ambi­tion, Vaine-glory, Atheism, Discontent, shal consult or deuise, it enacteth, and goes thorow with. It is the Law­yers liuing, the Hereticks food, the Swizers house and Land. No Crowne but he challengeth a share in. No Church but he will be of. On words, amphibologies, equiuocations, quiddities and quantities, he stands. He hunteth not after truth, but strife. He coueteth not so much to ouer-come, as contend.

These two little words, Ex and Per, (as Cornelius A­grippa hath obserued,) held the Greeke & Latine Chur­ches play, many yeeres together; they litigiously deba­ting, whether the holy Ghost proceeded of the Father and the Sonne, or not of the Son, but of the Father by the Sonne. So this word Nisi in this sentence, Nisi manducaueritis carnem, set all the Counsaile of Basil in an vprore. This word Donec, as, Ioseph non agnouit vx­orem suam donec, Ioseph knew not his wife vntill, caused the Antidicomariatans, and Eludians, to denie the per­petuall virginity of the Virgine Mary. With a thousand such errors, Contention raiseth his Kingdome.

Our Diuines in these dayes, (though they yet retaine many contentions of the olde Churches,) haue found out certaine new ones of their owne. They contend a­bout standing and sitting, about forms and substances, about prescription and confusion of prayers. They ar­gue, An ater sit contrarius albo, whether it bee better to [Page 140] weare a white Surplesse, or a black gowne, in ministring the Sacraments? Which is like the conflict in Rome, betwixt the Augustine Fryers and the vulgar Chanons, whether Augustine did weare a blacke Weede vpon a white Coate, or a white Weede vpon a black Coate. Like the Geometritians, they square about points and lines, and the vtter shew of things. As, this point is too-long, this point is too-short, this figure is too-much af­fected, this line runnes not smooth, this syllogisme lim­peth. As Preachers, they labour not to speake proper­ly, but intricately. In stead of Bread, they giue the chil­dren of their Ministery, stones to throw at one another: and in stead of Fish, Serpents to sting one another. In the 13. of Mathew, the Sower that went foorth to sow, scattered some seede by the high-way side, which the Foules of the ayre peckt vp: not vnlike to them, whose Hawkes and Field-sports, peck vp all the seeds of Chri­stianity that should be sowne in their hearts; and a mil­lion of others, whose eyes the Foules of the valley pecke out, before the seede of saluation can haue any rooting in their soules.

Other seede the Sower scattered amongst stones, and the Sunn e arising, it withered for want of earth, resem­bling these stony streetes of London, where nothing will spring vp but oppression, auarice, and infidelitie. Other seede he disperst amongst thorns, and the thornes crept aloft and choked it. To those thornes I compare these thorny Contentioners, that choake the Word of God, with foolish controuersies, and friuolous questions. E­uen as the spirit led our Sauiour aside into the Wilder­nesse to be tempted, so are there wicked spirits of Con­tention amongst vs, that leade men aside into the woods [Page 141] and solitary places, to be tempted. Let any (be he the veriest block-head vnder heauen,) raise vp a faction, and he shall be followed and supported. Englishmen are all for innouation, they are cleane spoiled if once in twen­ty yeers, they haue not a new fashion of religion. Som­times Vitia sunt ad virtutem occasio, Contention is the occasion of seeking out the truth: but our Contentions (for the most part) are the seeking to prooue truth, no truth, after she is once found out: and preferring pro­bability before manifest verity. We will not try her by her Peeres, (which are the best expositors,) and auncient Fathers, but by the literall Law, either not expounded, or new expounded, without any Quest of Church, de­cretals or Cannons.

Were it not that in reprouing Contention, I might hapely seeme contentious, I would wade a little farther in this subiect. Yet it were to no end, since fire the more it is stirred vp, the more it burneth: and heresy, the more it is stird & stroue with, the more vntoward it is. Nought but sharp discipline is a fit disputant with snarling Scis­matiques. The Israelites, for they rooted not out the remnant of the Gen [...]ile Nations from amongst them, they were as goades in their sides, and thornes in their nostrils: so if we root not out these remnants of Scisma­tiques from amongst vs, they will be as goades in our sides, and thornes in our nostrils. Melius est vt pereat v­nus, quam vt pereat vnitas: It is better that some few pe­rish, then vnity perish.

London, beware of Contention, thou art counted the nursing-mother of Contention. No Sect or Schism but thou affordest Disciples to. If thou beest too greedie of innouation and contention, the sword of inuasion and [Page 142] ciuill debate, shall leaue thy house desolate vnto thee.

Now come I to the Daughters of Pride, whereof Disdaine is the eldest.

Disdain is a vice, in comparison of which, Ambition is a vertue. It is the extream of Ambition. It is a kind of scorne, that scorneth to be cōpared to any other thing. None are more subiect vnto it then faire women, for they disdaine any one should bee held as faire as they. They disdaine any should go before them, or sit aboue them. They disdaine any should be brauer then they, or haue more absolute pennes entertained in their prai­ses then they. This woman disdains any but she, should carry the credit of wit: another, that any should sing so sweet as shee; a third, that any should set forth the port and maiesty, in gate and behauiour like vnto her. Onely for disdaine and preheminence, their Husbands and their Loues, they draw sundry times into neuer-da­ted quarrels.

Such disdaine and scorne was betwixt the wiues of Iacob, Rachel and Leah, because the one had children, and the other none. Such disdaine was betwixt Sarah and Hagar. There was a disdain of shouldring amongst the Disciples, who should be greatest. Iosephs Brethren, disdained their Father should loue him better then he did them. Diues disdained Lazarus. In London, the rich disdaine the poore. The Courtier the Citizen. The Citizen the Countriman. One Occupation disdaineth another. The Merchant the Retayler. The Retayler the Craftsman. The better sort of Craftsmen the baser. The Shoomaker the Cobler. The Cobler the Carman. One nyce Dame, disdaines her next neighbour should haue that furniture to her house, or dainty dish or deuise, [Page 143] which she wants. Shee will not goe to Church, because shee disdains to mixe her selfe with base companie, and cannot haue her close Pue by her selfe. She disdaines to weare that euery one weares, to heare that Preacher which euery one heares. So did Ierusalem disdain Gods Prophets, because they came in the likenesse of poore men. Shee disdained Amos, because he was a keeper of Amos. 1. Oxen, as also the rest, for they were of the dregges of the people; But their disdaine prosperd not with them, their house for their disdaine, was left desolate vnto them.

London, thy house (except thou repents) for thy dis­daine, shall be left desolate vnto thee.

The second Daughter of Pride, is Gorgeous attire. Both the Sonnes and Daughters of Pride, delight to go gorgeously. As Democritus set vp his brasen shield a­gainst the Sunne, to the intent that (continually gazing on it,) he might with the bright reflection of his beamy radiation, feare out his eyes, and see no more vanities, so set they their rich embroidered sutes against the Sun, to dazle, daunt and spoile poore mens eyes that looke vpon them. Like Idols, not men, they apparrell them­selues. Blocks and stones by the Panims and Infidels, are ouer-gilded, to be honored and worshipped: so o­uer-gilde they themselues, to bee more honored and worshipped.

The women would seeme Angels here vpon earth, for which (it is to be feared) they will scarce liue with the Angels in heauen. The end of Gorgeous attyre, (both in men and women,) is but more fully to enkindle fleshly concupiscence, to assist the diuel in lustful temp­tations. Men thinke that women (seeing them so sump­tuously [Page 144] pearled & bespangled,) cannot chuse but offer to tender their tender soules at their feete. The wo­men, they thinke, that (hauing naturally cleere beauty, scorchingly blazing, which enkindles any soule that comes neere it, & adding more Bauines vnto it of lasci­uious embolstrings,) men should euen flash their harts, (at first sight,) into the purified flames of their faire fa­ces.

Euer since Euah was tempted, and the Serpent pre­uailed with her, women haue tooke vpon them, both the person of the tempted, and the tempter. They tempt to be tempted, & not one of them, except she be temp­ted, but thinkes her selfe contemptible. Vnto the great­nesse of their great Grand-mother Euah, they seek to a­spire, in being tempted and tempting. If not to tempt, and be thought worthy to be tempted, why dy they and diet they their face with so many drugs as they do, as it were to correct Gods work-manship, and reprooue him as a bungler, & one that is not his crafts Maister? Why ensparkle they their eyes with spiritualiz'd distillations? Why tip they their tongues with Aurum potabile? Why fill they vp ages frets with fresh colours? Euen as Roses and flowers in Winter, are preserued in close houses vn­der earth, so preserue they their beauties, by continuall lying in bed.

Iust to Dinner they will arise, and after Dinner, goe to bedde againe, and lie vntill Supper. Yea, sometimes (by no sicknes occasioned) they will ly in bedde three dayes together: prouided euery morning before foure a clock, they haue their broths, and their cullises, with Pearle and Gold sodden in them. If hapely they breake their houres, and rise more early to goe a banquetting [Page 145] they stand practising halfe a day with their Looking-glasses, how to peirce and to glaunce, and looke allu­ringly amiable. Their feete are not so well framed to the Measures, as are their eies to moue and bewitch. Euen as Angels are painted in Church-windowes, with glori­ous golden fronts, besette with Sunne-beames, so beset they their fore-heads on either side, with glorious bor­rowed gleamy bushes; which rightly interpreted, should signifie beauty to sell, since a bush is not else hanged forth, but to inuite men to buy. And in Italy, when they sette any Beast to sale, they crowne his head with Gar­lands, and be-deck it with gaudy blossoms, as full as euer it may stick.

Their heads, with their top and top gallant Lawne­baby caps, and Snow-resembled siluer curlings, they make a plaine Puppet stage of. Their breasts they em­buske vp on hie, and their round Roseate buds immo­destly lay forth, to shew at their hands there is fruite to be hoped. In their curious Antick-wouen garments, they imitate and mocke, the Wormes and Adders that must eate them. They shew the swellings of their mind, in the swellings and plumpings out of their apparrayle. Gorgeous Ladies of Court, neuer was I admitted so nere any of you, as to see how you torture poore olde Time with spunging, pynning and pounsing: but they say his sicle you haue burst in twaine, to make your Peri­wigs more eleuated arches of.

I dare not meddle with yee, since the Phylosopher that too intentiuely gaz'd on the stars, stumbled and fell into a ditch: and many gazing too immoderatly on our earthly starres, fal in the end into the ditch of al vnclean­nesse. Onely this humble caueat let me giue you by the [Page 142] [...] [Page 143] [...] [Page 144] [...] [Page 145] [...] [Page 146] way, that thou looke the diuell come not to you, in the likenes of a Taylor or Painter; that how euer you dis­guise your bodies, you lay not on your colours so thick, that they sinke into your soules. That your skinnes be­ing too white without, your soules be not al black with­in.

It is not your pinches, your purles, your floury iag­gings, superfluous enterlacings, and puffings vp, that can any way offend God, but the puffing vp of your soules, which therein you expresse. For as the biting of a bullet, is not that which poisons the bullet, but the ly­ing of the Gunpowder in the dint of the biting: so it is not the wearing of costly burnisht apparell, that shall bee obiected vnto you for sinne, but the pride of your harts, which (like the Moath) lies closely shrouded a­mongst the thirds of that apparell. Nothing else is ga­rish apparell, but Prides vlcer broken forth. How will you attire your selues, what gowne, what head-tire will you put on, when you shall liue in Hell amongst Haggs and diuels?

As many iagges, blisters and scarres, shall Toades, Cankers and Serpents, make on your pure skinnes in the graue, as now you haue cuts, iagges or raysings, vp­on your garments. In the marrow of your bones snakes shall breede. Your morne-like christall countenances, shall be netted ouer, and (Masker-like) cawle-visarded, with crawling venemous wormes. Your orient teeth, Toades shall steale into their heads for pearle; Of the ielly of your decaied eyes, shall they engender them young. In their hollow Caues, (their transplendent iuyce so pollutionately employd,) shelly Snailes shall keepe house.

[Page 147] O what is beauty more then a wind-blowne bladder, that it should forget whereto it is borne. It is the foode of cloying-concupiscence liuing, and the substance of the most noysome infection being dead. The Mothers of the iustest men are not freed from corruption, the Mothers of Kings & Emperors are not freed from cor­ruption. No gorgeous attire (man or woman) hast thou in this world, but the wedding garment of faith. Thy winding-sheete shall see thee in none of thy silks or shi­ning robes; To shew they are not of God, when thou goest to God, thou shalt lay them al of. Then shalt thou restore to euery creature, what thou hast robd him of. All the Leases which dust let out to life, at the day of death shall be returned againe into his hands. In skins of beastes Adam and Eue were clothed, in nought but thine owne skinne, at the day of iudgement shalt thou be clothed. If thou beest more deformed, then the age wherin thou diedst shold make thee, the diuel shal stand vp and certifie, that with painting & physicking thy vi­sage, thou so deformedst it; Whereto God shall reply, What haue I to doe with thee, thou painted sepulcher? Thou hast so differenced & diuorced thy selfe from thy creation, that I know not thee for my creature.

The print of my finger thou hast defaced, and with Arts-vanishing varnishmēt, made thy self a changeling from the forme I first cast thee in; Sathan take her to thee, with blacke boyling Pitch, rough cast ouer her counterfeit red and white: and whereas she was wont, in Asses milke to bathe her, to engraine her skin more gentle, plyant, delicate and supple, in bubling scalding Lead, and fatty flame-feeding Brimstone, see thou vn­cessantly bathe her. With glowing hot yrons, sindge [Page 148] and sucke vp that adulterized sinfull beauty, wherewith she hath branded her selfe to infelicity.

O female pride, this is but the dalliance of thy doom but the intermissiue recreation of thy torments. Th greatnesse of thy paines I want portentous words t [...] portray. Wherein soeuer thou hast tooke extream de light and glory, therein shalt thou be plagued with ex­treame & despiteous malady. For thy flaring frounzed Periwigs, lowe dangled downe with loue lockes, shalt thou haue thy head side, dangled downe with more Snakes then euer it had hayres. In the moulde of thy braine, shall they claspe their mouthes, and gnawing through euery part of thy scull, ensnarle their teeth a­mongst thy braines, as an Angler ensnarleth his hooke amongst weedes.

For thy rich borders, shalt thou haue a number of discoloured Scorpions rould vp together, and Cocka­trices that kill with their verie sight, shall continually stand spirting fiery poyson in thine eyes. In the hollow Caue of thy mouth, Basiliskes shall keepe house, and supply thy talke with hissing when thou striuest to speak. At thy breasts (as at Cleopatras) Aspisses shal be put out to nurse. For thy Carcanets of pearle, shalt thou haue Carcanets of Spiders, or the greene venemous flies Cantharides. Hels torments were no torments, if in­uention might conceit them. As no eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, no tongue can expresse, no thought comprehend, the ioies prepared for the Elect, so no eye hath seene, no eare hath heard, no thought can compre­hend, the pains prepared for the reiected.

Women, as the paines of the diuels shal be doubled, that goe about hourely tempting, and seeking whom [Page 149] they may denoure, so except you soone lay holde on g [...]ce, your paines in hel (aboue mens) shal be doubled, for millions haue you tempted, milions of men (both in soule and substance) haue you deuoured. To you, halfe your husbands damnation (as to Euah) will be imputed. Pride is your natural sinne, that woman you account as common, which is not coy & proude. Woman-head, you deeme nothing else, but a disdainefull maiesticall cariage. Being but a ribbe of man, you will think to o­uer-rule him you ought to be subiect too. Watch ouer your pathes, look to your waies, least the Serpent (long since) hauing ouer-maistred one of you, ouer-maister all of you, one after another. Banish Pride from your Bours, and the lineall discents of your other sinnes are cut off, you will seeme Saints and not women. But for you, men would nere be so proud, nere care to goe so gorgeously. Nere fetch so many newfangles from o­ther Countries, you haue corrupted them, you haue tempted them, halfe of your pride you haue deuided with them. No Nation hath any excesse, but they haue made it theirs. Certaine glasses there are, wherein a man seeth the image of another, and not his own: those glasses are their eyes, for in them they see the image of other Countries. and not their owne. Other Countries fashions they see, but neuer looke backe to the attire of their fore-fathers, or consider what shape their owne Country should giue them.

Themistocles put all his felicitie, in being discended from a noble linage. Simonides, to be well-beloued of his people or Cittizens. Antif [...]ines, in renowne after his death. Englishmen put all their felicitie in going pom­pously and garishly: they care not how they impouerish [Page 150] their substance, to seeme rich to the outward appea­rance. What wise man is there, that makes the cas [...] or couer of any thing, ritcher then the thing it selfe which it containeth or couereth? Our garments, (which are cases and couers for our bodies,) we compact of Pearle and golde, our bodies themselues are nought but clay and putrifaction.

If (as the case or couer of any thing, keeps it frō dust or from soyling,) so our costly skinne-cases, could keep vs from consuming to dust, or being sin-soiled, it were some-what: but they (contrariwise) resolue into dust, they are no Armours against olde age, but such as are harmed by olde age. They weare away with continu­ance, euen as Time doth weare and fore-walke vs; Our soules they keep not from sin-soyling, but are the only instruments, so to soile and sin-eclipse them. They are a second flesh-asisting prison, and further corrupting weight of corruption, cast on our soules, to keepe them from soaring to heauen.

Decke our selues how we will, in all our royalty, we cannot equalize one of the Lillies of the fielde, as they wither, so shall we wanze and decay, and our place no more be found. Though our span-long youthly prime, blossomes foorth eye-banqueting flowers, though our delicious gleaming features, make vs seeme the Sonnes and Daughters of the Graces, though we glister it neuer so in our worme-spunne robes, and gold-florisht gar­ments, yet in the graue shall we rot: from our redolen­test refined compositions, ayre pestilenzing stinkes, and breath-choking poysnous vapours shall issue.

England, the Players stage of gorgeous attire, the Ape of all Nations superfluities, the continuall Masquer in [Page 151] out-landish habilements, great plenty scanting calami­ties, art thou to await for wanton disguising thy selfe a­gainst kind, and digressing from the plainnesse of thine Auncesters. Scandalous & shamefull is it, that not any in thee, (Fishermen and Husbandmen set aside) but liue aboue their ability and birth; that the outward habite, (which in other Countries is the only distinction of ho­nour) should yeelde in thee no difference of persons: that all auncient Nobilitie, (almost,) with this gorge­ous prodigality, should be deuoured and eaten vp, and vp starts inhabite their stately Palaces, who from farre haue fetcht inthis variety of pride to entrap & to spoile them. Those of thy people, that in all other things are miserable, in their apparel will be prodigall. No Land can so vnfallibly experience this Prouerbe, The hoode makes not the Monke, as thou: for Tailors, Seruing-men, Make-shifts and Gentlemen, in thee are confounded. For the compasment of brauery, wee haue them will rob, steale, cosen, cheate, betray their owne Fathers, sweare and forsweare, or doe any thing. Take away brauery, you kill the heart of lust and incontinencie. Wherfore do men make themselues braue, but to riot and to reuell? Looke after what state their apparell is, that state they take to them and carry, and after a little accustoming to that carriage, perswade themselues they are such indeede.

Apparell, more then any thing, bewrayeth his wea­rers mind. All sorts couet in it to exceed. Old age I ex­clude, for that couets nought but gold couetise. None (in a manner) fore-cast for their soules, they suffer them to go naked, with no good deeds will they cloth them. They let them freeze to death for want of the garment [Page 152] offaith: they famish and starue them, in not supplying them with ghostly cherishment. O soule, of all humane parts the most diuinest & soueraignest, of al the rest art thou the most despicable and wretched? Not any part of the body but thou consultest and carest for. To eue­ry part is thy care more auaileable then thy self. Impart but the tenths of it on thy selfe, be not more curious of a wimple or spot in thy vesture, then thou art of spotting and thorow-stayning thy deere-bought Spirit, with ten thousand abhominations. Whiles the good Angel of mercy, stirres about the blood-springing Poole of ex­piation, haste thou to bathe in it. Thou canst not bathe in it effectually, vnlesse thou strip thy selfe cleane out of the attyre of sinne. All gorgeous attire, is the attire of sinne.

The fraile flesh wherein thou art inuested, is nothing but a sin-battred Armour, with many strokes of temp­tations assaulted & brused, to breake into thee and sur­prise thee. Watch & pray, that thou be not supprised. In vaine is thy prayer against sin, except thou watchest also to preuent sinne. We here in London, what for dressing our selues, following our worldly affaires, di­ning, supping and keeping company, haue no leisure, not only not to watch against sinne, but not so much as once to thinke of sinne. In bedde, wiues must question their husbands about house-keeping, and prouiding for their children and famile. No seruice must God expect of vs, but a little in Lent, and in sicknes & aduersity. Our gorgeous attire, we make not to serue him, but to serue the flesh. If he were pleased with it, why did they euer in the old Law, (when they presented themselues before him, in fasting and prayer,) rentit off their backs, & put [Page 153] on course Sack-cloth and ashes? No lifting vp a mans selfe that God likes, but the lifting vp of the Spirit in prayer.

One thing it is for a man to lift vp himselfe to God, another thing to lift vp himself against God. In prank­ing vp our carcases too proudly, we lift vp our flesh a­gainst God. In lifting vp our flesh, we depresse our spi­rits. London, lay off thy gorgeous attire, and cast downe thy selfe before God in contrition and prayer, least hee cast thee downe in his indignation into hell-fire.

Greeuously hast thou offended, and transgressed a­gainst his diuine maiesty, in turning that to pride, which was alotted thee for a punishment. His worke­manship thou hast scorned, and counted imperfect without thine owne additions put to it. Thou hast con­tended, to be a more beautifull Creator and repolisher of thy selfe, then he. His owne workmanship thou hast made him out of loue with,, by altering and deforming it at thy pleasure. There is no workman, that regardeth or esteemeth his owne workmanship, after it is transla­ted and transposed by others. Except thou quickly vn­doest and with-drawest all thy ouer-working, he will (in wreakfull recompence that thou hast so disgrac't him,) alter thee, deforme thee, translate thee, transpose thee, and leaue thy house desolate vnto thee.

The last Daughter of Pride, is Delicacy, vnder which is contained, Gluttony, Luxury, Sloth, & Security. But properly, Delicacy is the sinne of our London Dames. So delicate are they in their dyet, so dainty and puling fine in their speech, so tiptoe-nice in treading on the earth, as though they walkt vpon Snakes, and fear'd to treade hard, least they should turne againe. Their houses, so [Page 154] pickedly and neately must be trickt vp and tapistred, as if (like Abraham or Lot,) they were to receiue Angels. The floare vnder foote, glisteringly rubbed and glased, that a Iew (if he should behold it,) would suspect it for Holy ground.

Nothing about them, but is wealth-boastingly, and elaborately beautified: onely their soules they keepe poore & beggerly. Iob scrapt his sores with a potshard, if they haue any sore, or noisome malady about them, they will ouer-gilde it, and make it seem more amiable then any other part of the body. Their habitations they make so resplendent and pleasurable on earth, that they haue no mind to goe to heauen. Into heauens pleasures they cannot see, for their eyes are dazled with terresti­all delights. Those that will haue their harts thorowly enflamed, with the ioies of the world to come, must place no ioy in this world, nor frame to themselues any obiect that may too much content. They must haue somthing euermore to amate and check their felicity, and with Macedon Philip, to remember them of morta­litie.

Delicacy is nought but the art of security, and for­getting mortality. It is a kind of Alchimical quintessen­sing a heauen out of earth. It is the exchanging of an e­ternall heauen, for a short momentary, imperfect hea­uen. Blessed are they, that by pining and excruciating their bodies, liue in hell here on earth, to auoid the hell neuer ending. Many of the Saints and Martyrs of the Primitiue Church, when they might haue spent their daies in all affluence and delicacy, and liu'd out of gun­shot of misery, haue notwithstanding, tooke vnto them the contemptiblest pouerty that might be.

[Page 155] They haue abandoned all their goods and possessi­ons, and in the Wildernesse conuersed with penurie and scarcity, to beate downe and keepe vnder their re­bellious flesh. Some of them haue drunk puddle water, & fed on the lothsomest things that might be, to bring their affection out of loue with this transitory infelicity: Some of them haue grated & rawed their smooth ten­der skinnes, with haire shirts and rough garments, that they might liue in vncessant smart, & take no ease or rest in this life, where no rest or ease is to be taken vp but only a watch-mans lodge, to soiourne in for a night: or such a house as the Moath buildeth in a garment.

Others all naked, on sharpe shreds of broken flint, and fragments of of potsheards, haue spred their weary limbs, that lust in their sleepe might not assaile them. Holy S. Ierome, in the Desert thou builts thee a Cell, to liue out of the haunts of concupiscence, where parched and broiled in Sommer, with the raging beames of the Sun, and quiuering and quaking in Winter, all riueld and weather-beaten, with the sharp driuing shours, and freezing Northern-winde, thou drunkest no kind of li­quor, but the Ice-chilled water from the cold Fountain, nor eats any meate but tough dried roots. On the bare ground thou lodgedst, and with abstinence and want of sleepe, lookedst pale and wan. This didst thou to mor­tifie thy insurrectiue masse of corruption. This didst thou to teach mortification and sobriety, to these licen­tious times of ours.

No course doe wee take to mortifie the Lawe of our members: all mortification, we censure by the name of superstition, our fasts are no fasts, but preparatiues to Euening feasts: our mourning is like the mourning of [Page 156] an Heyre, who then laughes inward, when hee weepes most outward. It is not prayer alone may kill the olde man in vs, either it must be sanctified and assisted with fasting & abstinence, or it cannot cast out a spirit of such might. It is heauenly policy as well as humane policie, to weaken our enemy before we fight with him. Wee must weaken our enemy & Gods enemy, the flesh, with abstinence and fasting, before we fight with him, or els he will be too strong for vs.

Physitions minister Purgations before they apply a­ny Medicine. Surgions lay Corsiues to any wound, to eate out the dead-flesh ere they can cure it. Abstinence and fasting, are as Corasiues to eate out the dead-flesh of gluttony, drunkennes, & concupiscence in our loins, which so proiected and eaten out, Christ is that kind Sa­maritan that will come and bind vp our wounds, & car­rie vs home with him, to his house or Kingdome euerla­sting. Thus much of Delecacy in generall, now more particularly of his first branch, Gluttony: which if any Country vnder heauen be culpable of England is.

All our friendship & curtesie, is nothing but gluttony. Great men shew their state & magnificence in nothing so much as gluttony. The birth day of our Sauiour, his Resurrection and Ascension, wee honour onely with gluttony. How many Cookes, Apothecaries, Confecti­oners; and Vintners in London, grow pursie by glutto­nie? Vnder Gluttony, I shrowde not onely excesse in meate, but in drink also. Our full platters and our plen­tifull cups, vnapt vs to any exercise of Christianitie or prayer. We do nothing but fatten our soules to Hell-fire. Our bodies we bumbast and balist with engorging diseases. Diseases shorten our daies, therfore whosoe­uer [Page 157] englutteth himselfe, is guilty of his owne death and damnation.

Qui diligit epulas (sayth Salomon) in egestate erit. Prou. 21 Ierom. ad Eustoch. Hee that loueth dainty fare, shall feele scarcity. Venter maero aestuans dispumat libidinem. The belly abounding with wine and good cheere, vomiteth forth lust. Glut­tony were no sinne, or not so heynous as it is, did it not pluck on a number of other heynous sinnes with it: or that wee so engorging our selues, infinite of our poore brethren, hungerd & staru'd not in the streets, for want of the least dish on our Tables. Very largely haue I in­ueighed against this vice elsewhere, wherefore heere I will trusse it vp more succinct; Text vpon Text I could heape, to shew the inconuenience of it. In London I could exemplify it by many note-worthy specialties, but in so doing, I should but lay downe what euery one knowes, and purchase no thank for my labour.

To my iourneys end I haste, & discend to the second continent of Delicacy, which is Lust, or Luxury. In complaining of it, I am afraid I shal defile good words, and too-long detaine my Readers. It is a sin that now serueth in London, in steade of an after-noones recreati­on It is a trade, that heretofore thriued in huggermug­ger, but of late dayes, walketh openly by day-light, like a substantiall graue Merchant. Of his name or profes­sion, he is not ashamed: at the first being askt of it, hee will confesse it. Into the hart of the City is vncleannes crept. Great Patrons it hath got: almost none are pu­nisht for it that haue a good purse. Euery Quean vants her selfe of some or other man of Nobility.

London what are thy Suburbes but licensed Stewes. Can it be so many brothel-houses, of salary sensuality, [Page 158] and six-penny whoredome, (the next doore to the Ma­gistrates) should be set vp and maintained, if bribes did not bestirre them? I accuse none, but certainly iustice some-where is corrupted. Whole Hospitals of tenne times a day dishonested strumpets, haue we cloistred to­gether. Night & day the entrance vnto them, is as free as to a Tauerne. Not one of them but hath a hundred retayners. Prentises and poore seruants, they encou­rage to rob their Masters. Gentlemens purses and poc­kets, they will diue into and picke, euen whiles they are dallying with them.

No Smithfield ruffianly Swashbuckler, wil come off with such harsh hell-raking othes as they. Euery one of them is a Gentlewoman, and either the wife of two husbands, or a bedde-wedded Bride before shee was tenne yeeres old. The speech-shunning sores, and sight­ircking botches of their vnsatiate intemperance, they wil vnblushingly lay forth, and iestingly brag of, where euer they haunt. To Church they neuer repaire. Not in all their whole life would they heare of God, if it were not for their huge swearing and forswearing by him.

I am halfe of belief it is not a reasonable soule, which effecteth motion and speech in them, but a soule imita­ting the diuel, who (the more to despite God,) goes and enliueth such licentious shapes, and (in them) enacteth more abhomination and villany, then he could in the euillest of euill functions, which is, in diuelling it sim­ply. I wonder there is any of these sher etayling bodie­traffiquers, which when a man commeth to try them, wil easily credit him to be a man, and not rather suspect him to be a forme-shifting diuel, disguised in mans like­nesse. [Page 159] Vtterly are they giuen ouer to the diuel, and he is their God, since they serue him and not God. With ma­ny of their mercenary predecessors, in the proportion of men, haue diuels had carnall copulation. A guilty conscience hath occasion to distrust euery thing.

Sathan would thinke it a dishonour to him, if hee should not tempt and win vnto him, those whom weak­witted man can tempt and winne vnto him. Neuer will they resist Sathans temptations, that cannot resist the temptations of a fleshly tongue. In a damnable state are you, Oye excrementall vessels of lust. In selling your bodies to sinne, you sell them to the diuell, and with a little money he buyes them at your hands from Christ, that paid so deere a price for them. Halfe a Crowne or little more, (or some-times lesse,) is the set price of a strumpets soule. The diuel needeth neuer to tempt her, when for so small a value he may haue her. Wee hate and cry out against them, that like Turkes and Moores sell their Christian brethren as slaues: how much more ought we to hate & cry out against them, that sel them­selues and their soules vnto sinne as slaues? Those skin­plaistring Painters, (of whom in the [...]reaty of gorgeous attyre we dilated) doe not so much alter Gods image, (by artificiall ouer-beautifying their bodies,) as these doe, by debasing themselues to euery one that brings coyne.

Ere they come to forty, you shall see them worne to the bare bone. At twenty their liuely colour is lost, their faces are sodden & perboyld with French surfets. That colour on their cheeks you behold superficializ'd, is but sir Iohn whites, or sir Iohn Red-caps liuery. The Alcu­mist of quicksiluer, makes gold. These (our openers to [Page 160] all commers,) with quickning & conceiuing, get gold. The soules they bring forth, at the latter day shall stand vp and giue euidence against them. The diuell to en­franchise them of hell, shall do no more but produce the mis-begotten of their loynes. Those that haue been dayly fornicatresses and yet are vnfruitfull, hee shall accuse of ten thousand murders, by confusion of seeds, and barrayning their wombes by drugges. There is no such murder on the face of the earth as a whore. Not onely shall she be araigned & impeached, of defeating an infinite number of Gods images: but of defacing and destroying the moulde, wherin he hath appointed them to be cast.

To whom much is giuen, of them shall much be required. God hauing giuen them excellent gifts of beauty & wit, requireth at their hands excellent increase of thē, which when he shall find contrary, he will conuert the excesse of his graces and gifts, to the excess of scourges & cur­ses. Tel me you dissolute harlots, what increase do you render to God of your wits, or your beauties, but wan­tonnesse? The vnworthiest are you of life, of anie that liue. All your life time you doe nothing but spoile o­thers, and spoile your selues. You mar your minds and your beauties both at once, by putting them out to bad vses. What are you but sinks and priuies to swallow in mens filth?

If God (as in Esay) should ask our watch man the de­uill, Esay 21. Custos, quid de nocte? Watchman what seest thou? what seest thou in London by night? He would answer, I see a number of whores making men drunke, to cosen them of their money. I see others of them, sharing halfe with the Baudes their Hostesses, & laughing at the Pu­nies [Page 161] they haue lurched. Others meeting with their cut­urse Paramours in the darke, to whom they deliuer what they haue been getting all day from a dozen. I see reuelling, dauncing, and banqueting til midnight. I see a number of wiues cockolding their husbands, vnder pretence of going to their next neighbours labour. I see Gentlewomen, baking in their painting on their faces, by the fire, and burning out many pounds of Candle in pinning their treble rebaters, when they will not be­stow the snuffe of a light in looking on anie good Book. I see theft, murder and conspiracie, following their bu­sinesse very closely. What would you haue more? Those whom the Sunne sees not in a month together, I now see in their cups and their iolitie.

Well conceited was the Italian, who writ the Sup­plication to Candle-light, earnestly desiring her by wri­ting, to disclose vnto him, the rare secrets she saw in her Emperie.

One iudgement day is scarce enough for God, to take the confession alone of Candle-light. He had need of a night iudgement as well as a day, to endite the sin­ners of the night.

Prouident Iustices, to whom these abuses redress ap­pertaineth, take a little paines to visite these houses of hospitality by night, and you shall see what Courtes of good fellowship they keepe. Hoyse vp Baudes in the Subsidy booke, for the plenty they liue in, is princely. A great office is not so gainful, as the principalship of a Colledge of Curtizans. No Merchant in riches, may compare with those Merchāts of maiden-heads, if their female Inmates were not so fleeting & vncertaine. This is a trick amongst all Baudes, they will faine themselues [Page 162] to be zealous Catholiques: and whereas they dare not come to Church, or into any open assembly, for won­ring and howting at, they pretend scrupulosity of con­science, and that they refraine only for religion. So if they be imprisoned or carried to Bridewell for their baudrie, they giue out they suffer for the Church.

Great cunning doe they ascribe to their Art, as the discerning (by the very countenance) a man that hath Crownes in his purse: the fine closing in with the next Iustice, or Aldermans deputy of the warde: the winning loue of neighbours round about, to repell violence, if haply their houses should be enuirond, or any in them proue vnruly, (being pilled and pould too vnconsciona­bly.) They fore-cast for back-doores, to come in and out by vndiscouerd, Sliding windowes also, and trap­boords in floars, to hide whores behind and vnder, with false counterfet panes in wals, to be opened & shut like a wicket. Some one Gentleman generally acquainted, they giue his admission vnto, fans fee, & free priuiledge thence forward in their Nunnery, to procure them fre­quentance. Awake your wits, graue authorized Lawe-distributers, and shew your selues as insinuatiue subtile, in smoaking this Citty-sodoming trade out of his star­ting-holes, as the professors of it are in vnderpropping it. Either you do not, or wil not descend into their deep iugling legerdemaine. Any excuse or vnlikely pretext goes for paiment. Set vp a shop of incontinencie who so will, let him haue but one letter of an honest name to grace it. In such a place dwels a wise woman that tells fortunes, and she (vnder that shadow,) hath her house neuer emptie of forlorne vnfortunate Dames, married to olde husbands.

[Page 163] In another corner, enhabiteth a Phisition and a Con­iurer, who hath corners and spare Chambers to hide cation in, and can coniure vp an vnphisicall drab at all times. In a third place, is there a grosse pencild Painter, who works all in oyle-colours, & vnder color of draw­ing of pictures, draws more to his shady Pauilion, then depart thence pure vestals. Lodge these Baudes any su­spicious Gentlewoman, and being askt what she is, (be she young and braue,) they will answere, that shee is an Esquires or Knights daughter, sent vp to be plac't with I wote not what Lady or Countesse. Be shee of middle yeeres, she is a widdow that hath sutes in Law here at the Tearme, and hath been a long Counsaile-table pe­titioner. Be she but ciuily plaine, and in her apparrell cittizinizd, she is the good-wiues Niece, or neere kins­woman.

Thus haue they euasions for all obiections, and are neuer (lightly) brought in question, but when they breake and iarre with their neighbours. Monstrous cre­atures are they, meruaile is it fire from heauen consumes not London, as long as they are in it. A thousand parts better were it to haue publike Stewes, then to let them keepe priuate Stewes as they doe. The world would count me the most licentiat loose straier vnder heauen, if I should vnrip but halfe so much of their venerial ma­chauielisme, as I haue lookt into. Wee haue not Eng­lish words enough to vnfold it Positions & instructions haue they, to make their whores a hundred times more whorish and treacherous, then their owne wicked af­fects (resigned to the diuels disposing,) can make them. Waters and receipts haue they to enable a man to the acte after hee is spent, dormatiue potions to procure [Page 164] deadly sleepe, that when the hackney he hath paide for lies by him, he may haue no power to deale with her but she may steale from him, whiles he is in his deepe memento, and make her gaine of three or fowre o­ther.

I am weary of recapitulating their roguery. I would those that should reforme it, would take but halfe the paines in supplanting it, that I haue done in disclosing it. Repent, repent, you ruines of intemperance, recouer your soules though you haue sudded your bodies. Let not your feete be fast locked in the mire of pollution. Meditate but what a brutish thing it is, how short la­sting, and but a minute contentiue. If you should lend it (from the beginning to the ending,) but sutable de­scriptionate politure, or if with your eies, you could but view the meeting of venoms, I know it would worke in some of you an abiuring dislike.

Consider but what lothsome things are engendred of the excesse of it, and how the soule (which was made to mount vpward,) in the heate of it descends downward. Sinne enough of your selues (women) haue you, you need haue no sinne put into you. Your flesh of the own accord, will corrupt faster then you would, though you corrupt it not before his time, with inordinate carnall sluttishnes. Make not your bodies stinking dungeons for diseases to dwell in: imprison not your soules in a sinke.

To you men, this admonition I wil giue, be prodigall any way, rather then giue a whore an earnest pennie of her perdition. Salomon sayth, Qui nutrit scortum perdit substantiam, He that keepeth a harlot, squandreth his Prou. 29 substance. Paul saith, Qui fornicatur in corpus suum peccat, 1. Cor. 6 [Page 165] He which committeth fornication, sinneth against his owne flesh. In the Acts it is sayde, Abstinete vos a forni­catione, Abstaine from fornication, In the Epistle to the Acts 15 Galathians, The workes of the flesh, are adultery, fornicati­ons, &c. In the Epistle to the Ephesians, No whoremon­ger, Ephes. 5 adulterer, or couetous person, shall enter into the King­dome of heauen. Hebrues the 13. Adulterers God wil iudge. Deuteronomy the 23. There shall not be a harlot of the Daughters of Israell. Mathew the tenth, Whom God hath ioyned, let no man separate. An adulterer goes betwixt, or separates whom God hath ioined. Cum cetera possit De­us, Ierom su­per A [...]os. &c. When God can do all things els he cannot re­store a Virgin after she is defloured. Laesa pudicitia, saith Ouid, deperit illa semel, Chastity being once scarred, is neuer salued.

Agamemnon defiling Brisis, his wife Clitemnestra plaid false with Egistus in the meane time. On the other side, Vlisses shunning the enchauntments of Circes, the sweet descant of the Syrens, & immortality of Calipso, to liue with his constant wife Penelope, shee (notwithstanding all the gallant troupes of Grecian woers enticements, that in her house kept a standing court a long time,) kept her selfe chaste for him 20. yeeres. Solon ordained that the adulterer should be put to death. The tale of Selcucus and is son his stale, I haue made my booke too great already, only in displaying the sinnes of London. Whosoeuer they be that haue soules, and would in no means haue them miscarry, let them remember that of S. Augustine, In pollutione anima fit tota caro, In adulte­ry or fornication, the soule is made all flesh, & is wholly employde in impouerishing and debilitating the flesh. Quidam dixit olim, diues eram dudum, sed tria me fecerunt [Page 166] nudū, alea, vina, venus, tribus his factus sum egenus. There was a man sayd late, he was in rich estate, but 3. things haue vndone him, froward Dice, Wine, and Wo­men: only from these three things, all his confusion springs.

The third deriuatiue of Delicacy is sloath, of which I will say a word or two, and so shake hands with all the Sonnes and Daughters of Pride. Security the last deui­dent of Delicacy, it includeth in it: for Security is no­thing but the effect of sloth, therfore will I handle both vnder one. It is a sinne which is good for nothing, but to be Dame Lecheries Keeper when she lyes in. He or she that is possessed with sloth, is slow in good workes, slowe in comming to Sermons, slowe in looking after thrift, slowe in resisting temptations, slowe in defen­ding any good cause. And of these fore-slowers it is sayd, Those that be neither hot nor cold, I will spue them out of my mouth. Reu. the 3.

There is a certaine kind of good sloth, as to be slowe to anger, slowe to iudgement, slowe to reuenge. But there is a sloth vnto iudgement, which is also an il sloth. As when a poore mans cause hangs so long in Court ere it can be decided, that through the Iudges sloth he is vndone with following of it. There is a sloth also in punishing sin, as when Magistrates will haue their eyes put out with gifts, and will not see it, but wink at it, till they be broad waked with the general cry of the Com­mon-wealth. There is a sloth of Souldioury, as of those that come from the warres, and wil not fall to any thing afterward, but cosen, begge and robbe. There is a sloth of the Ministry, as of those that after they be Beneficed, will neuer preach. Doth the wild Asse bray, saith Iob, when Iob. 6 [Page 167] he hath grasse, or loweth the Oxe when he hath fodder? No more do a great sort of our Diuines after they haue li­uing. They haue learned to spare their tongue against they are to plead for greater preferment. So haue a number of Lawyers learned to spare their eares, against golden Aduocates come to plead to them. They can­not heare except their eares bee rubd with the oyle of Angels: they must haue a spur to prick on an old dogg, a few Spurrials to remedy deafnes.

Others there are (though not of the same order) that can neuer heare, but when they are flattered, and they cry continually to their Preachers, Loquere nobis placen­tia, Loquere nobis placentia. Speak to vs nothing but plea­sing Esay 30 things, and euen as Archabius the Trumpeter, had more giuen him to cease them to sound, (the noise that he made was so harsh,) so will they giue them more to cease then to sound, to corupt them then to make them sound feed their sores then to launch them. The noise of iudgement which they pronounce, soundeth too harsh in their eares. They must haue Orpheus melodie, whom the Ciconian women tore in peeces, because with his musicke, he corrupted and effeminated their men. Guide saith, There are certaine diuels that can abide no Guide in musics. musick, these are contrary diuels, for they delight in no­thing but the musick of flattery. Mouing words please them, but they heare them but as passiō in a play, which maketh them rauishtly melancholly, and nere renteth the heart. The delicacy both of men & women in Lon­don, will enforce the Lord to turne all their plenty to scarcity, their tunes of wantonnesse to the alarums of warre, and to leaue their house desolate vnto them.

How the Lord hath begunne to leaue our house de­solate [Page 168] vnto vs, let vs enter into the consideration therof with our selues. At this instant is a generall plague di­sperst throughout our Land. No voice is heard in our streets, but that of Ieremy, Call for the mourning women, Ierem. 9 that they may come and take vp a lamentation for vs, for death is come into our windowes, and entred into our Pala­ces. God hath striken vs but we haue not sorrowed, of Ierem. 5 his heauiest correction we make a iest. We are not mo­ued with that which he hath sent to amaze vs: As it is in Ezechiel, They wil not heare thee, for they will not heare Ezech. 3 mei So they wil not, nor cannot heare God in his visita­tion, which haue refused to heare him in his Preachers. For your contempt and neglect of hearing Gods Prea­chers, euen as S. Iohn Baptist said, There was one come into the world more mighty then he, that carried his fan in his hand, So say I, there is one come into the world, more mighty then the word preached, which is, the Lord in this present visitation: He carrieth his fanne in his hand to purge his Floore. All the chaffe of carnall Gospel­lers, that are blowne from him with euery wind of vani­ty or adu [...]sity, he shall purge from amongst you.

A time of springing and growing haue we had, now is our mercifull Father come to demaund fruite of vs. The fruite of faith, the fruit of good workes, the fruite of patience and long suffering. If he find no fruit on vs, he wil say to vs as hee sayd to the Figge-tree, on which he found nothing but leaues, Neuer fruite grow on thee henceforward. And incontinent it withered, and incon­tinent Mat. 21. 19 Death shall seaze on vs. From the mouth of the Lord I speak it, Except in time you conuert, and bring forth the fruites of good life, the Kingdome of God shall be taken from you, and giuen to a Nation bring­ing Mat. 20. 19 [Page 169] forth worthy fruits thereof. With the two blinde men that sat by the High-way side, when Christ came from Iericho, we haue cried a long time, Lord haue mer­cy vpon vs, Lord haue mercy vpon vs, O Son of Dauid, haue mercy vpon vs: and loe, our eyes haue beene opened, the light of the Gospell hath appeared vnto vs; But (like those blind-men) after our eyes were opened, after the light of the Gospel hath appeared vnto vs, we haue refused to follow Christ.

You Vsurers and Engrossers of Corne by your hoor­ding vp of gold and graine, till it is mould, rusty, Moath­eaten, and almost infects the ayre with the stinch, you haue taught God to hoord vp your iniquities and trans­gressions, till mouldinesse, putrifaction and mustinesse, enforceth him to open them, and being opened, they so poison the ayre with their ill sauour, that from them proceedeth this perilsome contagion. The Land is full of adulteries, & for this cause the Land mourneth. The Ierem. 23. Land is full of Extortions, full of proud men, full of hypocrites, full of murderers. This is the cause why the Esay 24 Sword deuoureth abroad, and the Pestilence at home. Wicked deedes haue preuailed against vs. How long (saith Ieremy) shall the Land mourne, and the hearbes of e­uery Ierem. 12 field wither, for the wickednesse of the Inhabitants that dwell therein? Our Land mournes for the sicknesse, the hearbes of the field haue withered for want of raine, yet will no man depart from his wickednesse. Post ouer the Plague to what naturall cause you will, I Positiuely af­firme it is for sinne. For sinne (sayd the Lord by the fore­named Ieremy,) I will smite the inhabitants of Ierusalem, Ierem. 21 and man and beast shall die of a great pestilence. I will bring a Plague vpon you, that whosoeuer heareth of it, his eares Ierem. 19 [Page 170] shall tingle. Eyther take away the cause, or there is no re­mouing of the effect.

London, thou art the seeded Garden of sinne, the Sea­that sucks in all the scummy chanels of the Realme. The honestest in thee, (for the most,) are either Lawyers or Vsurers. Deceit is that which aduanceth the greater sorte of thy chiefest; Let them looke that their ritches shall rust and canker, being wet & dewed with Orphans teares. The Lord thinketh, it were as good for him to kill with the Plague, as to let them kill with oppression. He beholdeth from on hie al subtile conueiances, and re­cognisances. He beholdeth how they peruert foundati­ons, and will not bestow the Bequeathers free almes, but for brybes, or for friendship. I pray God they take not the like course, in preferring poore mens children into their Hospitals, and conuerting the impotents mony to their pryuate vsury.

God likewise beholdeth how to beguile a sely young Gentleman of his Land, they will crouch cap in hande, play the Brokers, Baudes, Apron-squires, Panders, or a­nything. Let vs leaue of the Prouerbe which we vse to a cruell dealer, faying: Goe thy waies, thou art a Iew: and say, Goe thy waies, thou art a Londoner. For then Londoners, are none more heard-hearted and cruel. Is it not a common prouerbe amongst vs, whē any man hath cosend or gone beyond vs, to say, Hee hath playde the Marchant with vs? But Merchants, they turne it another way, and say, He hath playd the Gentleman with them. The Snake eateth the Toade, and the Toade the Snaile. The Merchant eates vp the Gentleman, the Gentleman eates vp the Yeoman, and all three do nothing but ex­claime one vpon another.

[Page 171] The head of Daniels Image was of beaten golde, but Dan, 2. 23 his feete yron. Our head or our Soueraigne is all golde, golden in her lookes, golden in her thoughts, in her words and deeds golden. We her feete or her subiects, all yron. Though for her vertuee sake, and the prayers of his dispersed Congregation, God prorogeth our de­solation for a while, yet wee must not thinke, but at one time or other, he will smyte vs and plague vs. He shall not take away our sinne, because wee will not confesse with Dauid, that wee haue sinned: or if wee doe so con­fesse, wee holde it full satisfaction for it, without any reformation or amendment. In this time of infection, we purge our houses, our bodies and our streetes, and looke to all but our soules.

The Psalmist was of another mind, for he said, O Lord I haue purged and clensed my spirit. Blessed are they that Psa. 76. Math. 8. are cleane in heart, how euer their houses bee infected. There were thē in the heate of the sicknes, that thought to purge and clense their houses, by conueying their in­fected seruants forth by night into the fieldes, which there starued and dyed, for want of relife and warme­keeping. Such mercilesse Canibals, (in stead of purging their spirits and their houses,) haue thereby doubled the Plague on them and their houses. In Grayes-Inne, Clarkenwell, Finsbury, and Moorefieldes, with mine owne eyes haue I seene halfe a dozen of such lamenta­ble out-casts. Their Bretheren and their Kinsfolkes, haue offered large summes of money, to gette them conueied into any out-house, and no man would earne it, no man would receiue them. Cursing and rauing by the High-way side, haue they expired, and their Maisters neuer sent to them, nor succourd them. The feare of God is [Page 172] come amongst vs, and the loue of God gone from vs.

If Christ were now naked and visited, naked and vi­sited should he be, for none wold come neere him. They would rather forsweare him and defie him, then come within forty foote of him. In other Lands, they haue Hospitals, whether their infected are transported, pre­sently after they are stroken. They haue one Hospitall, for those that haue been in the houses with the infected, and are not yet tainted: another for those that are tain­ted, and haue the sores risen on them, but not broken out. A third, for those that both haue the sores, & haue them broken out on them. We haue no prouision but mixing hand ouer head, the sicke with the whole. A halfe-penny a month to the poore mans boxe, we count our vtter impouerishing. I haue heard Trauailers of credite auouch, that in London, is not giuen the tenth part of that almes in a week, which in the poorest besie­ged Citty of Fraunce is giuen in a day. What is our re­ligion, all auarice and no good works? because we may not build Monasteries, or haue Masses, Dirges, or Tren­tals sung for our soules, are there no deeds of mercy that God hath enioined vs?

Our dogges are fed with the crumbes that fall from our Tables. Our Christian brethren are famisht, for want of the crumbes that fall from our Tables. Take it of me rich-men expresly, that it is not your owne which you haue purchast with your industry: it is part of it the poores, part your Princes, part your Preachers. You ought to possesse no more, then will moderatly sustaine your house and your family. Christ gaue all the victual he had, to those that flocked to heare his Sermons. We haue no such promise-founded plea at the day of al flesh [Page 173] as that in Christs name we haue done alms-deeds. How would we with our charity sustaine so many mendicant orders of Religion, as we heretofore haue, and as now at this very houre beyond Sea are, if we cannot keepe and cherish the casuall poore amongst vs? Neuer was there a simple liberall relieuer of the poore, but prospe­red in most things he went about. The cause that some of you cannot prosper, is, for you put out so little to in­terest to the poore.

No thanks-worthy exhibitions, or reasonable pensi­ons, will you contribute to maymd Souldiors, or poore Schollers, as other Nations doe, but suffer other Nati­ons with your discontented poore, to Arme themselues against you. Not halfe the Priests that haue been sent from them into England, had hither beene sent, or euer fled hence, if the Crampe had not held close your purse strings. The liuings of Colledges, by you are not in­creased, but diminished: because those that first raysed them, had a superstitious intent, none of vs euer after, will haue any Christian charitable intent.

In the daies of Salomon, gold and siluer bare no price. In these our dayes, (which are the dayes of sathan,) nought but they beare any price. God is despised in comparison of them. Demas forsooke Christ for the world: in this our deceasing couetous world, Demas hath more followers then Christ. An old Vsurer that hath not an heyre, rakes vp thirty or forty thousand pounds together in a hutch, will not part with a penny, fares mi­serably, dies suddainly, and leaues those the fruites of niggardize to them that neuer thank him.

He that bestoweth any thing on a Colledge or Hos­pital, to the worlds end shal haue his name remembred, [Page 174] in daily thanksgiuing to God for him: otherwise he per­risheth as the Pellitory on the wall, or the weede on the house top, that groweth only to wither; Of all his wealth no good man reaping any benefit, none but Canckers, prisons, and bard Chestes, liue to report he was rich. Those great bard Chestes hee carryes on his backe to Heauen gates, and none so burdened, is permitted to enter.

There is no Male of any kinde, hath apparance of breasts but man, and hee hauing them, giues no sucke with them at all. Such dry-nurses are our English Cor­mogeons, they haue breasts, but giue no suck with them. They haue treasure innumerable, but do no good with it. All the Abbey-lands that were the abstracts from im­pertinent almes, now scarce affoord a meales meate of almes. A penny bestowed on the poore, is abridged out of house-keeping. All must bee for their children that spend more then all. More prosperous children should they haue, were they more open handed. The Plague of God threatens, to shorten both them and their chil­dren, because they shorten their hands from the poore. To no cause referre I this present mortality but to coue­tise.

Let couetise be enlarged out of durance, the infected ayre will vncongeale, and the wombes of the contagi­ous Clowdes will bee clensed. Pray and distribute you gorbellied Mammonists: without prayer and distributi­on, or almost thinking of God, haue you congested those refulgent masses of substance. With the destri­bution of them, (if you looke for saluation,) your soules must you ransome from Belial. And fortunate are you, if with long intercessions and prayers, you may get your [Page 175] ransome accepted of. Nothing of all your drosse (going downe into the earth) shall you take with you: you shall cary no more hence Nisi parua quod vrna capit, but a Coffyn and a winding-sheete.

They haue slept their sleepe, saith Dauid, and all the men of riches, haue found none of their treasure in their Psalm. 75 owne handes after their sleepe was ended Poore men, to you I speake, (for ritch men haue their Country Gran­ges to flye to from contagion,) humble your soules with fasting and prayer. Elias and Moyses, by their fasting and prayer, were filled with the familiarity of God. En­treate the Lord that he would passe ouer your houses, as in Egypt hee past ouer the houses of the Israelites first­borne: Beseech him, with the Gergazens, (into whose Heardes of Swine the deuills were sent,) to depart (with his heauy iudgements) out of your quarters. Though he seemeth a little to sleepe, (as when hee was on the Sea with his Disciples, and the tempest arose,) yet if you a­wake him with your out crying prayers, as the Apostles did, saying: Lord saue vs. Lord saue vs, or wee perrish, hee will commaund the windes and the Sea, controule the contagion & the sicknes, and make a calme ensue, heale euery disease and languor amongst you.

In the day of my trouble, (saith the forenamed prophe­ticall King,) I sought vnto the Lord, my sore ran & ceased Plalm. 77. not in the night, my soule refused comfort. I did thinke vpon God, and was troubled, I prayed, and my spirit was full of an­guish. Let vs seeke vnto the Lord in like sorte, let our soules refuse comfort, let vs thinke vpon him & be trou­bled, let vs pray, and fil our spirits full of anguish, til such time as he turneth our affliction from vs. If wee be not thus troubled, if our spirits bee not possessed with an­guish, [Page 176] but we make a sport and flea-biting of his feare­full visitation, and thinke (without our prayers) the sea­son of the yeere will cease it, hee will send a rougher stringed scourge amongst vs, a desolation that shall fur­row deeper in our sides, and roote out the memoriall of vs.

If (saith the Apostle to the Hebrues,) they escaped not which refused him that spake on earth, much more shall they Heb. 12 not escape, that turne away from him that speaketh to them from heauen. Now it is that God speaketh to vs from hea­uen, now if we turne away from him, or will not turne to him there shall not one of vs escape.

In the time of Gregory Nasianzene, (if wee may cre­dite Ecclesiasticall records) there sprung vp the direful­lest mortality in Rome, that man-kinde hath beene ac­quainted with: scarce able were the liuing to bury the dead, and not so much but their streets were digged vp for graues; Which this holy Father (with no little cō ­miserate hart-bleeding) beholding, commanded all the Clergie (for he was at that time their chiefe Bishop) to assemble in praier & supplications, and deale forcingly beseeching with God, to intermit his fury and forgiue them. For all this not any whit is abated, hee tooke no pitty on them. There-with that reuerend Pastor, (en­tranced to hell in his thoughts for the distresse of his people,) caused al the Citizens, young and old, to be cal­led foorth their houses, and attende him in a howling procession. Vp and downe the streetes, from one end of the Citty to the other hee led them, and Preachers (as Captains ouer multitudes) were set to direct and en­courage them in their Inuocations and Orizons. Foure daies together in this feruent exercise he detained them. [Page 177] In those places where the mortality raged most, a stande would hee make halfe a day, and with reiterated solici­tings, and prostrate voyce-crazing vehemencie, breake ope a broade clowde-dispersing passage, to the throne of mercy.

The foure dayes concluded, and that with their bel­lowing clamors, and breast-embolning sighes, they had enforced a sufficient breache in the Firmament, there appeared a bright sunne-arraied Angell, standing with a reaking bloody sword in his hand, in the chiefe gate of their Citty, which (they comming neere) in all their sights, on his arme hee wiped and put vp: and (in that very instant) throughout the Citty, the plague ceased. Some (peraduenture) may take exceptions against the certainty hereof, but if we will authorize any thing in the Romaine or Ecclesiasticall histories, we must ascribe truth as well vnto this. I would see him that could giue me any other reason but this, of the building of the yet extant gate and Castle of S. Angelos, on both which, the Angell with his sworde drawne is artificially engrauen. True, or not true, the example can doe no harme: Wee will not be too hasty to imitate it.

In stead of humbling our selues after this manner, and wearying God with our cryes and lamentations, wee fall a drinking and bousing, & making iestes of his frowning castigation. As Babes smyle and laugh in their sleepe, so wee (surprised with a lethargy of sinne,) do nothing but laugh and iest in the midst of our sleepie security. Wee scoffe and are iocund, when the sworde is ready to goe through vs. On our wine-benches we bidde a Fico for tenne thousand Plagues.

[Page 178] Him as a timerous milke-soppe we deride, that takes any antidote against it. Vpon the poynt of Gods sword wee will runne as he is in stryking: rush into houses that are infected, as it were to out-face him. My sonne (sayth the Apostle,) dispise not the chastisement of the Lord. The [...]eb. 12, 5. Lords chastising we thinke to escape, by despysing it. Quod in communi possidetur ab omnibus negligitur. That which is disperst, of all is despised. Est tentatio adducens peccatum, et tentatio probans fidem. There is a temptation leading to sinne, and a temptation trying our fayth. The temptation of this our visitation, hath both ledde vs to sinne, and tryed our fayth. It hath ledde vs to sinne, in that it hath hardned our harts, & we haue not humbled our selues vnder it as wee should. It hath tryed our fayth to be a presumptuous and rash fayth, and that it is built on no firme foundation. Blessed is the man, saith Iob, whom God correcteth. Cursed are we, for God correcteth vs, and we regard it not. Ieb, 5, 17.

As the holy Ghost willeth vs, not to despise the cha­stising of God, so he would haue vs not to faint when we are rebuked of him, and therefore hee giueth a reason, For whom the Lord loueth, he chastiseth, and hee scourgeth euery sonne he receiueth. As there be drunken despysers of Gods present chastisement, so are there them that faint too much vnder it: that thinke it lyes not in the Lordes power to restore them: that no prayers or repentance may repriue them; that imagine, (since GOD in this world hath forsooke them;) he wil for euer forsake them. Thus they argument against themselues, He that denieth vs a small request, of the prolongment of a few earthly dayes, he will surely stoppe his eares, when in a greater [Page 179] sute (for the life eternall) we shall importune him.

O no, foolish men you erre, though long life on earth be a blessing, yet it followes not by contradiction, that GOD curseth all those whose daies hee shortens. Many except their dayes were shortned, would neuer be saued. Many in their prime and best yeares, are raught hence, because the world is vnworthy of them, and they are more worthy of heauen, then the world. The good King Iosias, was taken away in his youth. Our Sauiour was taken vp in his best youthly age. Others fortheir sins, the Lord by vntimely death punishethin this world, that they may bee absolued in the world to come. A large account of them shall he demaund, to whom he lendeth long life. Whome God chastiseth or cutteth off, he lo­ueth, halfe his account he cutts off. Euery son he scour­geth that he receiueth.

Hath GOD chastised or scourged such a man by the sicknes, he is not a greater sinner then thou whō he hath not chastised, but he loueth him better then thee, for in his chastising, he hath shewed more care ouer him then he hath ouer thee. Few men defamed with any notori­ous vice, can I heare of, that haue dyed of this sicknesse. God chastiseth his Sonnes and not bastards. No Sonnes of God are we, but bastards, vntill we be chastned. The He. 12, 8, [...] Fathers of our earthly bodies, for a few daies chastise vs at their pleasure, but God chastiseth vs for our profite, that we may be partakers of his holines. The Fathers of our earthly bodies, though they beate vs and chastise vs, yet cannot (for all the paine they put vs to,) enfeofe vs in glory perpetuall: for how shoulde they doe that for vs, which they cannot doe for them-selues? Onely be­cause [Page 180] they are to benefite vs with a litle transitory chaffe, they tyrannise and raigne ouer vs: and therefore more austere are they to keepe vs in obedience, for we should not (after their death) lauishly mispende the labours of their parsimony.

The guerdon they giue vs, (for all their inflicted sorrow and smart,) is that which they must leaue in spite of their harts, and cannot themselues keepe any longer. They giue vs place, that in selfe-same sort wee may giue place to others. But God our Redeemer, Chastiser and Father, corrects vs, that wee may receiue no corruptiue inheritance, (such as in this life we receiue, by the way­ning of our earthly Fathers,) but a neuer fayling inheri­taunce, where wee shall haue our Father himselfe for our inheritance.

O what a blessed thing is it to bee chastised of the Lord! Is it not better (O London) that God correct thee, and loue thee, then forbeare thee, and forsake thee? He is a iust God, and must punish either in this life, or in the life to come. Though thou considerest onely the things before thee, yet he being a louing fore-seeing father for thee, and knowing the intollerablenesse of the neuer­quenched Fornace (which for sinne he hath prepared,) will not consent to thine owne childish wishes, of win­king at thee heere on earth, (where though he did spare thee, thou shouldst haue no perfect tranquillity,) but with a short light punishment, acquitteth thee from the punishment eternall, & eternally incomprehensible tor­torors.

When Preachers threaten vs for sinne, with this adiunct eternall, as paynes eternall, eternall damnation, [Page 181] eternall horror and vexation, we heare them as words of course, but neuer diue right downe into the bottom­lesse sence. A confused modell and misty figure of Hell haue wee conglomorate in our braynes, drowsily drea­ming that it is a place vnder earth, vncessantly vomiting flames like Aetna, or Mongibell, and fraughtfull of fire & Brimstone, but we neuer follow the meditation of it so farre, (were it nothing els,) as to thinke what a thing it is to lyue in it perpetually.

It is a thousand thousand times worser, then to be sta­ked on the toppe of Aetna or Mongibell. A hundred thousand thousand times more then thought can at­tract, or supposition apprehend. But eternally to liue in it, that makes it the hell, though the torment were but trifling. Signified this word eternall, but some sixe thou­sand yeeres, (which is about the distance from Adam,) in our comprehension it were a thing beyond mind, in­so much as wee deeme it an impatient spectacle, to see a Traytour but halfe an houre groning vnder the Hang­mans hands. What then is it, to liue in threescore times more grinding discruciamēt of dying, a yere, a hundred yeere, a thousand yeere, sixe thousand yeere, sixty thou­sand yeere, more thousands then can bee numbred in a thousand yeares; so much importeth this word eternall, or for euer.

Though all the men that euer God made, were hun­dred handed like Briareus, and should all at once take pennes in their hundred handes, and doe nothing in a whole age together, but sette downe in figures & cha­racters, as many myllions or thousands as they could, so many millions or thousands could they neuer set down, [Page 182] as this worde of three sillables Eternall, includeth, an O­coan of yncke would it draw dry to describe it. Hell is a circle which hath no breakings of, or discontinuing. Hence blasphemous Witches and Coniurers, when they raise vp the deuill, draw a ringed circle all-about him, that hee should not rush out and oppresse them: as also to humble & debase him, in putting him in mind by that circle, of the eternall circle of damnation, where­in God hath confined and shut him. What dullards and blocke-heads are wee, that hearing these tearmes of hell and eternall, so often souned in our eares, sound them so shallowly, or if we sound them as we shold, are no more confounded with them? It should seeme we are not too much terrified with them, when for an houres pleasure, (which hath no taste of true pleasure in it,) we will dare them both to their vtmost.

Foules of the ayre, though neuer so empty stomackt, flye not for foode into open Pit-fals. Quae nimis apparent retia vitat a [...]is, Too open snares, euen simple birdes doe shunne. No Beast of the Forrest, spying a gin or a trap layd for him, but eschewes it. We spy and fore-see the Pyt-fal, the Nette, the Ginne, the Trappe, that sathan (our old entrapper) layes for vs, yet wilfully wee (with­out any flattering hope of foode, without any excellent allurement to entice vs, or hunger to cōstraine vs,) with full race, will dart our selues into them. Yea though Christ, from the skyes, hold out neuer so moouing lures vnto vs, all of them (Haggard-like) wee will turne tayle to, and hast to the yron fist, that holds out nought but a knyfe to enthrill vs.

O if there were no heauen, mee thinkes (hauing that [Page 183] vnderstanding we ought,) we should forbeare to sinne, if it were but for feare of hell. Our Lawes, with nothing but proposed penalty, from offending cohibite vs, they allow no reward to their temperate obseruants: Gods Lawes, (proposing both exceeding rewarde and excee­ding penalty,) are euery day violated and enfringed. Eyther wee suppose him, not able to execute his Lawes, or that (like one of Romes Epicure Emperors,) he more fauoureth their breakers then obeyers: aduauncing men sooner for oppugning then obseruing them. Farre is he from that mad-braine fondnesse, of his Lawes he is not onely not carelesse, but iealous and zealous, and to the fourth generation pursueth their neglecters.

None of them he pardons, though for a space he may respite. If he delayeth or respiteth, his delaying or respy­ting, is but to fetch vp his hand hyer, that he may let it fal on them heauier. His deferring, is the more to infer. Of no ill payment shall he complaine, that hath the wages of his wickednes held from him in this world, to receiue them by the whole summe in Hell. Could the least and sencelessest of our sences, into the quietest corner of hel, be transported in a vision but three minutes, it would breed in vs such an agasting terror, and shyuering mis­like of it, that to make vs more wary of sinne-meriting it, we would haue it painted in our Gardens, our banquet­ting houses, on our gates, in our Gallaries, our Closets; our bed-chambers.

Againe were there no hell but the accusing of a mans owne conscience, it were hell, and the profundity of hell to any sharpe transpercing soule, that had neuer so little inckling of the ioyes of heauen, to be seperate frō them; [Page 184] to heare and see tryumphing and melody, and Tantalus like, not bee suffered to come neere them, or partake them; to thinke when all els were entred, hee should bee excluded. Our best methode to preuent this excluding, or seperating frō Gods presence, is heere on earth (what so euer we goe about,) to thinke we see him present. Let vs fancy the firmament as his face, the all-seeing Sun to be his right eye, and the Moone his left, (although his eyes, are farre more fiery pointed and subtile,) that the Starres are but the congemmed twincklings of those his cleare eyes, that the windes are the breath of his nostrils, and the lightning & tempests the troubled action of his ire: that his frownes bring forth frost & snowe, and his smiles faire weather: that the Winter is the image of the first world, wherein Adam was vnparadized, & the fruit­fostering Summer, the representation of the seede of womans satis-fying, for the vnfortunate fruite of life which he pluckt. Who is there entertayning these di­uine allusiue cogitations, that hath not God vnremoue­able in his memory. He that hath God in his memory, and aduaunceth him before his eyes euer-more, will bee bridled and pluckt backe, from much abusion and besti­alnesse. Many sinnes be there, which if none but man should ouer-eye vs offending in, wee would neuer ex­ceed, or offend in. In the presence of his Prince, the dis­solutest misliuer that lyues, wil not offend or misgouerne himselfe: how much more ought we, (abyding alwaies in Gods presence,) precisely to straighten our pathes? Harde is it when we shall haue our Iudge an eye-witnes against vs. There is no demurring, or exceptioning a­gainst his testimony.

[Page 185] Purblind London, neither canst thou see that God sees thee, nor see into thy selfe. How long wilt thou clowde his earthly prospect, with the misty night of thy mounting iniquities. Therefore hath he smitten thee and strooke thee, because thou wouldest not belieue he was present with thee. He thought if nothing els might moue thee to looke backe, at least thou wouldest looke back to thy striker. Had it not beene, so to cause thee to looke back and repent, with no crosse or plague would he haue visited, or sought to call thee. He could haue been reuenged on thee superaboundantly at the day of thy dissolution, and soules generall Law-day, though none of thy children or allies, by his hand had beene sepulchred. His hand I may well terme it, for on ma­ny that are arested with the Plague, is the print of a hand seene, and in the very moment it first takes them, they feele a sensible blow giuen them, as it were with the hand of some stander by. As Gods hand wee will not take it, but the hand of fortune, the hand of hot weather the hand of close smouldry ayre. The Astronomers, they assigne it to the regiment and operation of Pla­nets. They say, Venus, Mars, Saturne, are motiues there­of, and neuer mention our sinnes, which are his chiefe procreatours. The vulgar menialty conclude, there­fore it is like to encrease, because a Hearnshaw (a whole afternoone together,) sate on the top of Saint Peters Church in Cornehill. They talk of an Oxe that told the bell at Wolwitch, and how from an Oxe, hee transfor­med himselfe to an old man, and from an old man to an infant, and from an infant to a young man. Strange Prophetical reports (as touching the sicknes,) they mur­ter [Page 186] he gaue out, when in truth, they are nought els but cleanly coined lies, which some pleasant sportiue wits haue deuised, to gull them most grossely. Vnder Mai­ster Dees name, the like fabulous diuinations haue they bruted, when (good reuerend olde man) hee is as farre from any such arrogant precisenesse, as the super­stitious spreaders of it, are from true peace of consci­ence.

If we would hunt after signes and tokens, wee should ominate from our hardnesse of heart, and want of cha­ritie amongst brethren, that Gods iustice is hard en­tring. No certainer coniecture is there of the ruine of any kingdome, then their reuolting from God. Cer­taine coniectures haue wee had, that wee are reuolted from God, and that our ruine is not farre of. In diuers places of our Land, it hath rained blood, the ground hath been remoued, and horrible deformed births con­ceiued. Did the Romans take it for an ill signe, when their Capitoll was strooken with lightning, how much more ought London, to take it for an ill signe, when her chiefe steeple is stroken with lightning? They with thunder from an enterprise were disanimated, wee no­thing are amated. The blazing starre, the Earth-quake, the dearth and famine some fewe yeeres since, may no­thing afright vs. Let vs looke for the sword next to re­membrance and warne vs. As there is a time of peace, so is there a time of warre. No prosperity lasteth al­waies. The Lord by a solemne oath bound himselfe to the Iewes, yet when they were obliuious of him, it pleased him to forget the couenant he made with their forefathers; and left their Citty desolate vnto them. [Page 187] Shall he not then (we starting from him, to whom by no bond he is tide,) leaue our house desolate vnto vs? Shal we receiue of God (a long time) all good, and shall we not looke in the end, to receiue of him some ill? O yee disobedient children returne, and the Lord shall heale your infirmities. Lie downe in your confusion, and co­uer your faces with shame. From your youth to this day, haue you sinned, and not obeyed the voyce of the Lord your God. Now in the age of your obstinacy, and vngratefull abandonments, repent and be con­uerted. With one vnited intercessionment, thus reconcile your selues vnto him.