WE are fallen into the hands of a blunt Prophet, and He into the handling of a far more blunt ex­positor, yet both into the Armes of truth, which as it seeks no cor­ners, so no colours; her native beauty farre transcends all bor­rowed.

I may not make [...], nor [...]; the whole work an introduction, not the introduction, the whole work: Nor dare I detain you any longer at the door of the Chapter: be pleased to walk into the inner rooms.

The Chapter containing a lamentation over, or for Israel, may serve for Englands meridian; where are [Page 2]four Generalls: the

• 1 Inviters to this Lamentation.
• 2 Invited or called to this la­mentation.
• 3 Grounds or reasons of this in­vitation and Lamentation.
• 4 Cures or remedies to remove this Lamentation.

1. The Inviters are threefold.

• 1. The Prophet of God, ver. 1. He are this word which I take up against you, O house of Israel.
• 2. The God of the Prophet, verse 16. Therefore the Lord of hoasts saith, That wailing shall bee in all streets; they shall say in all the highwayes, Alas, a­las, &c.
• 3. The good people of this God. verse 18. They shal cal the husbandmen to mourning, and such as are skilful in lamentations to wailing.

2. The Invited are of two sorts: described

• 1. Generally, as appears by the universality of places, Streets, Vineyards, Fields, verse 16. and O house of Is­rael. ver. 1.
• 2. Particularly; the skilfull in mourning: either first, The Prophet and the godly people; or Secondly, Such as were accustomed to such doleful solemnities; such as could command a resympathizing passion from their sorrowfull expressions.

3. The Grounds or occasions of this lamentation, which in generall are twofold, 1 their sins: 2. their sufferings.

1. Their sins were twofold, either against the first or second table.

• 1 Their sins against the first table were Idolatry, superstition, hypocrisie, vers. 5. ver. 21. sought to Gilgal, Beersheba, &c. antiently eminent for some extraordinary act of God.
• 2 Their sins against the second table, were oppression, bribery, unjustice, ver. 11. treading on the poor, taking [Page 3]from him burdens of wheat, ver. 7. turning judgment into hemlock, wormwood; building houses upon unrighteous­nesse. ver. 12.13. turning aside the poor in the gate, from his right. verse 13. Therefore the prudent shall keep si­lence.

2. Their sufferings: which were two-fold;

• 1 Corporall.
• 2 Spirituall.

1. Their Corporall sufferings mentioned ver. 2. they shall fall and not rise; a thousand shall go out, and but an hundred shall return. or, an hundred go out, and but ten return to a City. Israel, when they went forth to warrs was wont Decimari, to be tithed forth. ver. 16.17. fly from one danger and fal into a worse, from a Lion to a Bear; a Serpent, both in field and house.

2. Spiritual, viz. Gods slighting, abominating, ab­horring their sacrifices, fats, farinals; not smelling at their solemn feasts, fasts. Away, avant to their melo­dies, incense, and viols. ver. 22.23. And the prudents silence in this evill day, may bee a Judgement, as a sin.

4. The cure, remedy, removall of this lamentation. Consisting of exhortations, threates, directions, vers. 6. Seek ye me, and ye shal live. ver. 8. seek the Lord, least he break out as fire in the house of Joseph. Seek the Lord, that made the seven stars and Orion, that turns the shadow of death into morning. ver. 9.14. that strengthneth the spoi­led against the strong. Seek ye good and not evil, so the Lord of hoasts shal be with you. ver. 15. hate evill, and love good, establish judgment in the gate, so the Lord will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph. And think not to tickle the eares of the Lord with the empty aires of your viols;

But let judgment run down as waters, and righteousness as the mighty stream. And thus at length we have met with our text again: in handling whereof, we shall ob­serve this method.

1. The Explication. 2. The Observation. 3. The Confirmation. 4. The Application.

1. In the explication, the sense of the

• 1 Scope.
• 2 Terms.

1. For the scope, many are the Conceptions of Inter­preters.

Some think it a naked exhortation q. d. I weigh not your external fumes of formalities in my worship, but earn after your hearts real sincerity. Calvin. in loc.

Others repute it a pressure to repentance, with a stating the symptomes thereof, viz. a rectitude in judgment and righteousnesse toward God and man.

A third sort rove far from the marke, as if God threat­ned his judgments against Israels hypocrisie. Who ho­ped to pacifie an angry God with outsides, as chil­dren do their babies, puppets, with faire words and sil­ken clouts.

A fourth sense is that the words are a solution to a vain objection, thus, What, will not hear, smell at what himself commands? Yes: yet not at these externals only and simply; but let judgment also and righteousnesse run down as waters, &c.

A last party repute it a prophesie, reaching the cleerer dayes of Christs larger manifestations. When the Son of righteousnesse shal appear with healing under his wings. Mal. 4.2.

Ile not clash, but close the various opinions of Godly expositors, and say, 'Tis an exhortatory prophesie, or propheticall exhortation. For Calvin renders it in the future, decurret, shall run down.

The Interlineary, [...] Devolvat, ve-Jiggall, in the impe­rative, let it rowl down; as if the first made it a prophesie, the second an exhortation.

In this exhortatory prophesie, are

• 1. The Object, or things exhorted, or prophesied of, scil. Judgment and Righteousnesse.
• 2 The act or motion, let it run down, or it shall rowle down.
• [Page 5]3 The Manner of this motion, under a double meta­phor of
  • 1 Waters in the plurall.
  • 2 Mighty stream or strong torrent.

And now secondly, are we arrived to the Explication of the termes. Mishphat, [...] from [...] judicare, judicium exercere, or litem tractare, to Judge, exercise Judge­ment, or handle a controversie; which skil leans on four particulars.

• 1. Consultation: wherein these two must sit supreme; thus David about the Arks return, 1 Chr. 13.1. consulted with the Captaines of thousands, and Captains of hun­dreds, and every leader, yea with Levites, Priests and all Israel, ver. 2, 3, &c.
• 2. Pleading: Where these two must fix on the lips and conscience; Job ( ch. 13.4.) questions his friends, whether they durst plead a lie for God: if not, much lesse for any man.
• 3. Pronunciation of sentence: Here these two must stand on the right and left hand, without respect of persons in judicialls, Rom. 2.11. Prov. 15.17. 'Tis equall abomination, to condemn the righteous, and acquit the nocent.
• 4. Execution of sentence: To which motion these two Sluces should be so opened, that all corruptions in per­sons, things, actions, may be swept away out of Churches and Common Wealths. Eccles. 8.11. Because sentence against an evill work is not executed speedily, therefore the heart of the sons of men is fully set in them to do evill: Er­go, Let judgment run down as water, and righteousness, &c. Tsedecha, from Tsadick, Divisum, divided;
  [...]
  Righteous­nesse divides to each one his due portion, according to right proportion. Thus Solomon with his sword di­vides true justice to the two mothers, and the sword is still Justices embleme. 2 King. 2.8. Elisha with his mantle divides the waters, and passeth over safely: This division is the author and compleater of our safeties.

Its parts are divided

Into 1. Commutative: consisting in bargaine, sale, contract.

2. Distributive: comprehended

• 1 In Praises, recompences for well doing.
• 2 In Punishments for evill doers, Romans 2.8.9.10, 11.

These two last are the legges of Commonwealths, and Churches; if either be wanting, the whole body halts; If both, 'tis a Dagons trunck.

Some distinguish judgment from righteousnesse, as if the first consisted in condemning condemnables, and the second in approving approvables. Job 36. ver. 17. Let Judgement and Righteousnesse take hold on thee.

Often one is set for the act, the other for the man­ner. Ps. 9.8. Shall minister Judgement to the people in righ­teousnesse. Christ Joynes them, John 7.24. Judge not according to appearance, but judge righteous judge­ment.

Somtimes Righteousnesse is taken more strictly, for defending and rewarding Gods people; and Judgment imports an avenging wrath on Gods enemies, but what God hath joyned, let no man separate. And thus we are come to the second Generall of my method, Which is the observation from the whole words.

Doct. A main cure of corruptions, is, when judgment, righ­teousnesse, execution, resembles the rowling of waters, and mighty streams.

Proof. Psal. 72 containes a Prophesie of Christ un­der Solomons type, who is fronted in the dedication; a Psalm for Solomon: Give thy Judgements to the King, and thy Righteousnesse to the Kings son. ver. 3. then the issue is, Mountains shall bring peace. ver. 4 the children of the needy shall be saved, the oppressor broken. verse 5. they shall fear thee as long as the Sun and Moon endures. ver. 6. he shall come down as rain upon the mowen grasse, as [Page 7]showers that water the earth. And so wash away corrup­tions out of Common wealths and Churches; such were Ezra, Nehemiah, &c. in their dayes: and Christ in his, John 2 15. whips away buyers, sellers in the Temple; and hucksters of Justice will be whipped away by those defluxions.

To clear this channel more perspicuously, Three circumstances in the Text may be dived into more deeply.

• 1 The term à quo, couched in the term ad quem; run down, therefore were first above.
• 2 The term ad quem, arguing the descent of judg­ment, &c.
• 3 The intervenient motion; run, or rowle.

1. Judgment, righteousnesse must derive their pede­gree from above, James 1.17. Psalm 8.9. Justice and judgment are the habitation of his throne; hee loves them highly. Psal. 33.3. God calls his Vice-gerents Gods, and their seats are above men, to stamp on their spirits Jeho­shaphat's charge, 2 Chron. 19.6. Take heed what you do; for ye judge not for man; but the Lord is with you (on the Bench) in Judgment. Vers. 7. Wherefore let the fear of the Lord be upon you: Take your judgments from him. The neerer mens laws border on Gods, the cleerer they run. Other waters are dead, deadden, deadly, breed bar­renness, bursting and death, as those of Jealousie, Num. 5. they can rise no higher then the fountain. Self, man, corruption can cast forth nothing but mire, Isa. 48. ult. Such were our Regalian, Episcopalian, carnalian streams, lately cryed up by some leprous Naamites: Are not A­bana and Pharpar, rivers of Damascus, better then all the waters of Israel? 2 King. 5.12

2. The term ad quem; Down, Psal. 133.3. as oyl from Aaron's head, beard, to the meanest skirt of the garment: it must as well reach a poor Naboth, as a potent Ahab; Too long have our waters been turned into blood, Psalm 105.25. with not onely a tenth, but a fifth part of our [Page 8]men, Rev. 8.10. Were turned into wormwood, gall, hem­lock, Jer. 8.19. Now since Immanuel is more gloriously discovered, imitate him, Psal. 68.5, 6. who is the Father of the father less, a judge of widows causes. v. 6. Sets the Solitary into families, brings bondmen out of chains, but drives the Rebells to dwell in a dry Land.

3. The intervenient motion; run, rowl without demur, the laws common leprosie in England.

What Tully said of Oratory, Elocution is the choi­cest part. Augustine of Christianity, humility is the best ornament. I of Law, wise expedition is the most beauti­full peece. Waters, streams, seas motions, run in a Circular circuit. From the Seas, waters are suck'd up by the Sun into the clouds, these unbucket themselves into the hills, thence flow your fountains, these by pores crawle into the rivulets and brooks; which meeting in an assembly, unite their powers into mighty streams, and these lay themselves down into the oceans lapp again. One act denominates not; the text names waters in the plurall (not a few dribling drops) which rise into a strong torrent.

At the worlds deluge, we find a conspiring concurrence of them.

1. From the swollen Seas. 2. Then from the bigg bellied rivers. 3. Heavens open their windowes, else could never swinge away a whole world of corruptions. Gen. 6.12. Truly, our channels in Churches, Common­wealths, are yet mighty foule, need these mighty wa­ters, streams, to cleanse them. So fall we into the third General, the confirmation of the Observation, by Rea­sons taken from waters.

1. Reas. Celerity: streams will not be interrupted in their journey: If you pervert or divert them into ma­ny or undue courses (as Alexander vapor'd over Ganges, to cut it into severall channels) they'l soon lose their name and glory.

These two should keep like Mary, to what Christ [Page 9]commanded his Disciples Luk. 10.4. salute no man in the way. Court Bribey Greet them, they must make no hault; not stalke in a Portugal pace. And yet may not run as Ahimaaz, with an imperfect errand; but as Cu­shai, with the full truth.

This speedy motion argues them from above, James 3.3 last verses.

Thus God ran down on Israels cry in Egypt, and on the sins cry in Sodom, without delays, after just scrutiny, Slow obedience is the first step to disobedience, which is rebellion, the sin of witchcraft. 1. monstrous. 2 hardly forsaken.

• 1. Whereto tends needlesse delayes, but to keep the differencing party more irreconcileable?
• 2 To play the box with the clients purse?
• 3 To squeeze tears from the eyes of oppressed orphans and widdowes? which argues no truth of Religion, James 1. ult.
• 4 To offer a rape on these pure virgins, judgment, righteousnesse?
• 5 To spread a generall mischief, as they who stop streams from a mill, or water from a common conduit; hazarding many lives of 1. bodies, 2 states, 3 reputations, 4 soules.

O the quarrels started 'twixt the Patriarks and Phyli­stins about damming up the fountains! Jer. 21.12. Execute judgment in the morning (.i.) timely, speedily. Souldiers that must dy, rather chuse a speedy bullet, then a lingring prison.

2 Rea. From their purity and cleannesse. 2 Rea. 1 From base passions of love, fear, hope, &c. 2. Clearnesse from respect of persons, declaimed against in many Scrip­tures. 3. Clearnesse from all sinfull self ends, 2. Chron. 9.17. Solomons throne is of Ivory; pure gold overlay­ing it; two lions standing by the stayes. Lions are free from mous-like. feare: 'twas Ivory, not iron; noting all iron cruelty in Counsells, pleadings, sentencings [Page 10]and executions to be absent thence; not too hard against innocent and harmlesse; not leaden, and easily turned to every side. Isa. 1.6. complains their silver was turned to drosse, their gold to tinne. Ours of late into Excrements: A monstrous metamorphosis, desperate degradation! their wine into water, ours lately into poyson. Our Princes were companions of theeves. First, Cheated cunningly, by others hands; or secondly, commandingly, by open violence.

These corruptions are intollerable in any, in every place, most abominable in places of Judicatory, ordai­ned to spunge away all such filthinesse. Grand sins in hell are no novell spectacles; But in heaven, in heavens Representative, Gods; (so God himself stiles them, Psalm 82.2, 3. this staggers the wisest Solomon, Eccles. 3.16. Moreover I saw under the sun, the place of Judicatory, that wickednesse was there; and the place of righteousnesse, that iniquity was there. This in strangers to the Common-wealth of Israel were no strange thing; but a prodigie in the Common-wealth of Israel. Where (not Princes sons) but poor orphans went with pitchers in hand, and returned not only empty of water, but ful of mud; yea, their pitchers broken; Our fountains have resembled Monasticall Ponds, not only full of childrens, but mens, womens, childrens, and whole families skulls.

May not our God take up Jeremiahs Quere, chap. 5. 7. Shall I pardon for these things? shall not my soul be a­venged on such a nation as this?

Some writers say, some waters in Macedonia be­ing drunk by black sheep, change their fleece into white. Nothing but the pure administration of judgment and righteousnesse can transforme our black­mouthed, blackhanded, blackhearted adversaries into white, who cry, our corruptions are greater then in time of Regall Tyranny, as if Rehoboams little fin­ger were heavier then his Fathers loins.

3 Reas. From waters naturalnesse of motion; 3. Reas. whence issues their facilicy and constancy in running down: this flows from internall principles. Indeed a new nature makes judgements race untireable; and truly, piety is the best policy. Policy forceth Judgements streams as waters out of a pump. If the crew in the ship be compel­led overlong to sweat at pump, 'twill tire the Mariners, and sink the vessell and goods.

The Politicians hieroglyphick, is, A man standing on his head, grasping the grasse with his hands, kicking hea­venward with his heels. Such a station must be very short, and such supports must soon yeeld and faile in such a preposterous posture.

Rehoboams young Counsellors could no more fasten his throne, then a tower in the aire: nor Jeroboams calves no more confirme the crown to posterity, then a suck­ing babe protect a kingdom from an army of Giants.

What is naturall, is facile and amiable, yea irresistible. As law constrains, so nature loves its own actings. Can you command the seas at low water to stand still without reflux; or at full, to keep its mark without flux? Omnia difficili­a facilia et pro­pè. Nulla efficit amor. Imi­tate then the grand Judge, Psal. 33.5. who loves judgement and righteousnesse; do the like. Love makes all things that are difficult, easie; yea, as nothing.

4 Reas. From its irresistiblenesse. Court, complement the running waters, chide or check the mighty streams, they'l drive on, as Jehu, furiously; time, tide, staies for no man. If any great log lye in the streams way, they'l roule them along; if any trash choak their chan­nels, they'l beesome them before them into the grand o­cean. Nor friend nor foe, nor bribe nor promotion, nor self nor passion, should withstand their passages. Remem­ber the Fig trees resolve, Shall I leave my sweetnesse to be­come a wooden King? Felix may leave Paul in prison gaping for a bribe; Herod may a while fear the people, which may stave John from a present decollation. Pilat may tremble at the losse of Caesars friendship, and so may [Page 12]give up innocence it self against his conscience, to grati­fie Jews: But is not Herod afterward haunted with Johns Ghost, and Pilat with Satans hells scourges?

Love of safety, self, ease, honour, have too long stopt our streams; now times of reformation are fallen upon us, and Christ begins to shine in a more Gospel splendor; let not a shut, a bolted doore, or gate of brasse be able to keep him out from entring our everlasting doors, Psal. 24. But let judgement run down as waters, and righteousnesse as the mighty streams. I am now arrived at the fourth generall, the Application.

1. Ʋse Reacheth every soul that heareth me this day. 1 Ʋse. 1. Art thou righteous, and hast troubled the defluxion of those waters, streams? then hast thou fallen down be­fore the wicked, and art a troubled fountain, and a cor­rupt spring; Pro. 25.26. that troubles the streams which glide from it. Thy misexamples are infectious.

2. Art thou unrighteous? then art thou one of them who have raised this lamentation in this chapter, as high as heaven. Thy sins are the troublers of England, as A­chans of Israel. God may for thine own only sake, turn his back upon all our Armies, and make us fly before our Enemies. Again, art thou a private man? as man, thou art a Microcosm, a little world; and can the world continue without water and streams; and these in a con­stant successive defluxion? these two must have their ir­resistible race in all thy borders, else art thou as Israels land in three yeers and half wanting rain, ready to starve all that lived in it; thy gifts must wither, thy Grace will shrivell, thy comforts shall languish and be neer giving up the Ghost. Pro. 14.34. If righteousnesse exalt a nation from a dunghill to a throne; unrighteousnesse will tumble it from a throne to a dunghill, how soon then shall it de­molish a private mans foundation? Thou complainest the ship is leak, many foot of water in the hold, eve­ry particular hand must take its spell at the pump, else the vessel is like to perish for ever.

Again hast thou a family, and lamentest the Great corruptions that swarme in Commonwealth and Chur­ches? Let the waters in thine own cisterne be cleer. Oh that each family in this Land, were as George Duke of Anhalts Chamber, Academia, Curia, Tem­plum.

1. An Ʋniversity, to dispute what waters, streams have run down from Governours, Parents, Masters, Fa­thers, to servants, children, inferiours. This careles­nesse is the ruine of Great and many families.

2. A Court, to passe severe sentence, and see its execution on all corruptions that bubble up under their jurisdiction; Eccles. 8.11. Elies cruell indulgence, cool reproofs, brake the neck, back, and bulke of all that posterity.

3. A Temple, for prayer, praise, holy conferences, hea­venly practises, and Christian encouragements, how soon would this hush our generall complaints gainst comman­ders, and turn the mouth of the Canon upon our own neglects?

Families are Churches, Commonwealths Nurseries. As these trees here are good or bad, such will bee the fruits in the Orchards. Should God come, as once to the Vineyard, Luke 13.6.7. and finde no fruits of righteousnesse, he might after a hundred yeers manuring, trimming, not onely threaten, but actu­ate a decision from the Land of the Living. Doe not many Masters, Parents, Governours actions speake Cains language, Genesis 4. Am I my brothers keeper? Or the blind mans Fathers Idiom; he is of age, let him speake for himselfe? But their blood cries loud in heaven for vengeance, on such servant slayers, chil­dren killers.

3. You that are Judges, Magistrates on bench, at barr, if you hasten not forth to help the Lord against those violent, mighty torrents of headstrong corruptions, that like the hoast of Sisera, [Page 14]threaten our desolation; not I, but the Angel of God threatens a doubled curse against you, Judges 5.23. Curse yee Meroz bitterly, &c. I cannot read of a­ny such obligation on Meroz to come into the Lords help, as I know lies on you, who have your titles from him, to minde you of your duties, scil. to stand for him; not to fight for God, is to fight a­gainst him. Can God fight against God; or Mi­chaels angels against Michael? Are you not Gods? Psalm 82.2. Are you not starrs in the higher sphere? starrs never fought against Israel, but against Sisera. Psalm 82.6. I have said, Ye are Gods, and all of you are children of the most high ('tis monstrous to see children imbattel their own Father) ver. 7. but ye shall die like men, and fall as one of the Princes (remember such a one not long since hath fallen) for helping the mighty against God, ver. 8. Arise O Lord, judge thou the earth. If men in power of Judicature, judge not for God, hee'l arise and take the helm into his own hand, and judg the Judges.

Let me leave one text of Scripture seriously to bee ruminated by you, when I am far remote from you, 'tis Moses charge to the two tribes and half, whose hearts were glued to a plantation on this side Jordan. Num. 32.23. If ye do not this (help your brethren against a numerous Enemy) behold, you have sinned against the Lord, and bee sure your sinne will finde you out, first, to a discovery. Secondly, or battery, or both, as Achan's did.

4. Are you Jurymen, take these two companions in the text, in your consciences, as ye go hence to the Hall, And Davids resolve as he went to the Tem­ple, Psalm 26.6. I will wash my hands in innocency, so will I compasse thine altar, O Lord. Wash'd in such a Bath, you may compasse the barr boldly, cheer­fully.

The lives and estates not only of present persons, [Page 15]but future posterities hang upon your lipps, take these assistants to your consults, results. 1. A good consci­ence. 2. Scripture Evidence. 3. Christian compassi­onatenesse. 4. Right consideration of your latter ends, in which is wrapt up much of wisdom, Deut. 32.29. O that my people were wise, that they would consider their later ends. When the great King of Jury must passe a verdict on all your verdicts, Juries, and souls. And that without any the least atome of hope of rever­sing it. though all the Angels of heaven and Saints there should beg it in tears of blood.

5. You witnesses, carefully carry with you these two in the text; ere any one word run rashly down from your lipps, hearken to the charge, Pro. 14.25. ye that are true ones, A faithfull witnesse delivers souls, in the plu­rall, of selves and others: ye that are false ones) but a false witnesse destroys souls; of selves as others. The scope is to shew what power is hinged on your tongues testimonies, viz. to save, or sinke the estates, credits, and lives of many, many. Go ye false ones, and read your neck verse, Pro. 24.28. A false witnesse shall not e­scape. viz. Gods tribunall; though he may, often doth mans.

2. Ʋse. Consists in exhortation, 2 Ʋse. to each soul in the Nation. Every man hath had a finger in breeding these Cobwebs of Corruption, in weaving these spider frames of poyson. Let each one with all might, labour a sweeping them down; throw them into the fire: to which purpose take these Excitations, or Ar­guments.

1. Motive. From the Exuberancy of these corrupti­ons, Gen. 6.12. 1 Motive. The whole earth had corrupted their ways before God. And this brings in a deluge that destroyes all to eight persons. A floud of blood hath been drow­ning many thousands of English souls of late; and are our corruptions fewer then formerly? instead of superstitions, Idolatries, &c. recited in this chapter, [Page 16]bolstred in England, have not hideous blasphemies, hel­lish heresies, uncouth Errors risen up in their room? and have not some of the prudent kept sile nce, because 'twas an evill time? should not therefore our Davids, their swordmen, Levites, Priests, all Israel, unite shoulders, help to reduce the Ark from the Philistims, and set­tle it in its due posture, place, basis! 1 Chron. 13.1.2. I confesse corruptions are more then my memory, or this time permits a repetition, much lesse a declamation; I shall therefore epitomize all in one Grand one, Theeve­ry, General Theevery.

I have heard of a Corporation of Theeves in the Great City, some termed standers, others walkers, &c. I wish it were banish'd the Land, or confined to London walls only. But, Illiacos intra muros peccatur & extra; This (as the fashions) hath its Country house also.

Formerly this Corruption sate on the Throne, clothed with Tissue, Isa. 1.11. formerly it sate in the Consistory, robed in Lawn sleeves; formerly it sate on the Bench, clad in scarlet; formerly it stood in the pulpit, covered with sable: Antiently the Lord found it too common among the old Prophets, insomuch that he declares himself against it, and them, Jer. 23.30. Behold, I am against those Prophets, saith the Lord, that steal my word e­very one from his neighbour. These had almost stollen a­way our Lawes, liberties, lives, and our Lord Jesus too, (if possible) and would have lain him we know not where. And are our corruptions clean washt from our church channels? I dare not spare my own coat: Are there not some of the younger fry of false Prophets, that can steale in print, imprint those stealths, justifie those stollen impressions even with imprecations? And when all is done, all is Feately Donne. I should be larger in presenting you a messe of such ones, heterodox hogpodges; but Ile shun the imputation of Envy, and fall on the second Motive.

2 Motive. From the necessity of these two, 2 Motiv. as of wa­ters, streams in a Land; how can the inhabitants live without these? will not that place be truely, what false Spies said falsely of Canaan, a Land that eates up the in­habitants thereof? nay, must I not say, a Land, the in­habitants whereof eat up one another? Eccles. 1.7. All the rivers are still running into the seas, else could not be maintained by the seas, not the seas without the ri­vers. What quiet in Commonwealths, Churches, mens estates, or Gods Worship, or what graces in­crease, support, continuance, without a constant pro­gresse of these two?

They mistake a Regulation, that repute it an Anni­hilation; pure waters are wholsomer then puddled ones, which Tirannicall Elephants have thickned to fish, not see their faces in.

'Tis a curse, that the heavens shall be turned into brasse, Deu. 28.23. earth into iron; yet want of waters puls down this curse suddenly, irremediably. And death consequently must sease on all the vegetables, sensitives, rationalls; Yea, the whole Creation must soon surcease its successive In­dividuals. Three years and a halfs want of water be­leaguers King, Peasant, man and beast. Elias rain, is Israels resurrection to life, and, our text waters, streams to England. While no King in Israel, Judges ult. every one did what he list: by King is meant supream Governor, for then Is­rael did not de perirs reges, as in Samuels time, when that Idol was as much doted on by Israel, as by all other na­tions; but its better being where nil licet, then omnia. Now self is the universall Idol, Nebuchadnezzers Image; burn them in hot furnace, that bow not down at its com­mand, and pipe.

3. Motive. 3 Motive. From the severall Excellencies found in waters, streams; too many to Enumerate in so short a scantling; take a taste of some few.

1. These quench flames, fires, heates; so timely execu­tion of judgement doth the contentions in Kingdoms, [Page 18]Commonwealths, Dum crastinam semper appara­mus aquam, prae­senti conflagra­mur incendio. Churches, Countries, corporations, fa­milies; it neglected, occasions the rulne of all. Rome fel by its own civill flames, conflagrations.

2. These conjoyne heterogenealls. God and Israel are at ods, Joshuah and the Camp fly befor Enemies, Achans stealth hath created this Chasma; judgment, righteous­nesse ran down as waters, streams, on the delinquent, and God and Israel are thereupon reunited, as the chappie earth meets, becomes one, after some continued showers, Josh. 7.

3. They Enliven most Creatures, hold up their lives by the chin Isa. 10.2. the fishes dy when waters dry. The lives of states and Churches must expire where is no, or no due administration of Justice. Armies without these crumble to Atomes; and nations untwist to no­thingnesse.

4. They purge, cleanse the streeets channels, sources; so do these two in the text, a land, from 1 Corruptions, 2 Corrupters. 3 Corrupted ones. All which defile a Land as much, nay more then whoredom or Solomons whore, which breeds innumerable transgressions. Right Ho­nourable, the due source of these two in the text will glad­den the City of our God, Psal. 64.4. and as much sadden the Citizens of Babylon.

'Twill not only exalt, but keep our Commonwealth in an established exaltation; Yea, lift your heads above your Enemies. 'Twill break in shatters the compli­cated confederacies of all our Enemies, Isaiah 8.10.11, 12. even for Immanuel, and keep God with us.

'Twill fatten your owne souls, estates, purses, posterities, Proverbs 11.25. He that watereth, shall be watered, as a gardener by watering his flowers, herbs, roots, advanceth then growth, and his profits by their advance.

Last of all, it will cleanse the cankers in Churches and States, drive away our Egyptian froggs, that [Page 19]have been one of our former plagues, change our mournings into melodies, our lamentations into lea­pings, skippings for joy; our reall complaints into rich contents, and our sorrows into a song, not unlike that of Angels.

Glory be to God on high, on earth peace, good will un­to men: Amen.