A PROCLAMATION. OF WAR FROM THE LORD OF HOSTS. OR ENGLAND'S warning by ISRAEL'S ruin: Showing the miseries like to ensue upon us by reason of Sin and Security. Delivered in a Sermon at Paul's Cross july the 23. 16●6. By WILLIAM HAMPTON Master of Arts, and Preacher of God's Word. LUKE 13.3. Except ye repent, ye shall all likewise perish. jer. 26.13. Therefore now amend your ways and your works, and hear the voice of the Lord your God, that the Lord may repent him of the Plague, that he hath pronounced against you. LONDON, Printed by john Norton for Matthew Law and are to be sold at the sign of the Fox in Saint Paul's Churchyard, near Saint Austin's Gate. 1627. TO THE RIGHT HOnourable, and most nobly descended, CHARLES Lord HOWARD, Baron of Effingham, Earl of Nottingham, Lord Lieutenant for the County of Surrey, grace be multiplied with increase of honour in this world, & everlasting glory in the future world. Right Honourable, WHen Socrates his Scholars brought every one rich gifts to him in token of thankfulness, among the rest, Sen. de been. lib. 1. cap. 8. he had one called Aeschines, whose hearty affection was as great to him as any of the rest, but he wanted means to give: whereupon he spoke thus; I have nothing, O Socrates, to give unto thee worthy thyself, but that one thing which I have in my possession I freely give, namely, I give myself unto thee. When I call to mind, the many and noble favours received from your honour, I wish I could express my thankfulness in a more real manner than my ability will permit; but having nothing worthy yourself, with Aeschines I give myself to your Lordship's service. At this time I offer this poor mite of my weak endeavours to your honourable Patronage; A work not fit the Press, neither did I intend (had I not been encouraged to it by your honour's approbation of it, in hope it may redound to the public good,) ever to have published it. Such as it is, it proceeded ex mero motu, out of a hearty desire of God's glory, and my Country's safety. It meets with the security and iniquity of the time; and if it may rouse us from the one, or the other, or both, I shall think my time well bestowed. A double respect makes it due unto your Honour: First the author of it, my particular obligation; because my labours in the Gospel being first countenanced, and daily encouraged by your honour, you may of right challenge this, as the first fruits to be offered unto you. Secondly, the subject of it; because your Lordship (as I attendant in your Honourable house can witness, being daily acquainted with your wishes and prayers) following the steps of your loyal and thrice renowned Father, desire nothing more, than the furtherance of God's glory, the safety of his royal Majesty, and welfare of your Country; all which, and nothing else this aimeth at: It is all my prayer, all my desire. Thus ceasing further to trouble your Lordship at this time, with my daily and hearty supplications to the Father of mercies, for yourself, together with your second-selfe, your religious Lady in whom you are happy, beseeching him long to continue that blessed knot, with as much happiness as ever he bestowed on Abraham and Sarah, or Isaac and Rebekah; and to multiply all those blessings on you which jacob wished to his darling joseph; Gen. 49. vers. 25. heavenly blessings from above, and earthly blessings from beneath, blessings of the breasts, and of the womb, I commit you to his merciful and blessed protection. Your Honour's most obliged and observant Servant and Chaplain William Hampton A PROCLAMATION OF WAR, From the Lord of Hosts. DEUT. 28. ver. 49, 50, 51. 49 The Lord shall bring a Nation upon thee from far, even from the end of the World, flying swift as an Eagle; a Nation whose tongue thou shalt not understand. 50 A Nation of a fierce countenance, which will not regard the person of the old, nor have compassion of the young. 51 The same shall eat the fruit of thy Cattle, and the fruit of thy Land until thou be destroyed, and he shall leave thee neither Wheat, Wine, nor Oil, neither the increase of thy Kine, nor the stocks of thy Sheep, until he have brought thee to nought. IT was the opinion of Lycurgus that wise Lawgiver of the Lecedemonians, that there was no better way to keep men in good order, then to use partly threats, and partly promises; partly rewards, and partly punishments: and in a well-governed Commonwealth he thought the one as needful as the other. GOD Almighty, that great and wise Lawmaker of heaven and earth, hath appointed by these two means, Praemiis & Poenis, by rewards and punishments, to keep the commonwealth of the whole world in good government, and to bring men to obedience to his holy commandments: for after he had in the 20 of Exodus giuen his most sacred Precepts: that he might the rather stir men up to keep, and observe them: in the 26. Chap. of Leviticus, and also in this Chapter, he propoundeth certain blessings, and cursings, menaces and promises, rewards and punishments, as most forcible motives to win them to obedience. From the third verse to the thirteenth, blessings are promised to the obedient; from the fifteenth to the end of the Chapter cursings are denounced against the disobedient. Wherein we may note, what a gradation God doth keep in inflicting punishments on stubborn sinners: first, he trieth by his lesser and lighter chastisements, to make them turn unto him; and if they will do no good, than he comes with the Sword to consume, and cut them off from the face of the earth: Psal. 71 12. as the Prophet David speaks, if a a man will not turn, God will whet his Sword. Thus much we see in this Chapter; but more plainly in the 26. of Leviticus, where first he threatens to chastise them with the Famine; if that will not amend them, he threatens to increase their punishment, and to send the Pestilence among them; If that will not reform them, then in the last place he gives them over to the Sword as it is v. 25. of that Chap. If ye will not for these things be reform by me (meaning the Famine and Pestilence) but walk stubburnly against me, then will I also walk stubbornly in mine anger against you, and I will chastise you seven times more according to your sins, and I will bring a Sword upon you that shall avenge the quarrel of my covenant, and ye shall be delivered up into the hands of your enemies. Beloved, God hath tried by the two former punishments, by the Famine, and by the Pestilence, to win us of this Land unto his obedience: we have had of late many dear years, wherein a number, especially the poorer sort have pinched for it: we have had the last a dying year, Annum mortalem, wherein thousands, and ten thousands have fallen in our Streets. Now if these things reform us not, (as GOD knows there is yet little reformation seen) we are next in order to expect the Sword, War, and the calamities thereof to descend upon us; our Enemies to invade, and overrun us, unless GOD be the more merciful unto us. So the Lord here menaceth his own chosen people, dear Israel: (and we may apply it to ourselves, if we walk in their steps;) if they will not amend by his former punishments, than he will stir up a foreign foe to invade them. The Lord shall bring a Nation upon thee from far, even from the end of the World, flying swift as an Eagle, etc. Which Text is a Proclamation of War, or a Commination of a fearful Invasion; wherein we may note; First, Who proclaims this War? It is jehovah the Lord. Secondly, Against whom he proclaims it? against his own people, his beloved Israel: Yet if they offend him, and sin against him, he will raise up War against them. Upon thee. Thirdly, Who he employs in the execution of his wrath, to punish his disobedient servants? A strange Foe. A strong Foe. A stern Foe. 1 A strange or foreign Foe; A Nation from far, from the end of the World, whose tongue thou understandest not. 2 A strong Foe: compared in my Text to an Eagle, to a flying Eagle: because as an Eagle is the strongest of all Birds, so this Nation: secondly, to a flying Eagle, because as an Eagle being on her wings is able to overtop any other fowl, so this Nation being in Arms, is able to over-match any other Nation. 3 A stern Foe: Which will show no respect, no mercy, no favour neither to old nor young: A Nation of a fierce, or cruel, or barbarous countenance, which will not regard the person of the old, nor have compassion of the young. Lastly, the dreadful desolation that shall follow this invasion, the calamity that shall befall the Inhabitants of that Land, than Enemies shall leave them nothing, they shall take all that ever they have from them; their Goods, their cattle, their Corn, their Sheep; and shall put them either to cruel death, or to such slavery and bondage, that they shall have no pleasure in their life, but shall wish rather to dye then Isue; as it is vers. 66. & 67. Thy life shall hang before thee, and thou shalt fear both night and day, and shalt have no assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were evening; and at evening thou shalt say, Would God it were morning, for the fear of thine heart which thou shalt fear, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see. First, I begin with him, who is α and ω, the beginning and end or all our actions, yea of all things, and that is, who proclaims this War: It is jehovah the Lord. But this may seem a strange Paradox to some; that that God, who is Deus pacis, the God of peace, should stir up War and division, and set Nations together by the ears upon the face of the earth: that God who is not only Bonus, sed ipsa bonitas, good, but goodness itself, should be Author mali, the Author of evil, the raiser of War, which is omnium malorum pessimum, of all evils the greatest. To unloose this knot, the School affords an old distinction of malum culpae & malum paenae: or as Tertullian speaks, lib. 2. cont. Marcionem, pag. 180. Malum delicti, et malum supplicij: or as Saint Augustine distinguiseth in other words, but to the same effect. Tomo sexto. Contra Adimantum, cap. 26. Malum quod facit homo, et malum quod patitur homo. Evil which man doth which is sin, and evil which man suffereth, which is the punishment of sin: Concerning the former, evil as it is sin, God is by no means the Author of it; and therefore accursed, for ever cursed to the pit of hell be that abominable doctrine, which the Church of Rome doth slanderously, and blasphemously cast upon us, that we make God the Author of sin; for we defy and renounce it from the bottom of our hearts as a most sinful Doctrine. But concerning the latter, evil which is the punishment of sin, God is the Author of that: All afflictions & calamities which are the rewards of sin, are sent upon man by the mighty hand of God: Famine a great evil; yet the Prophet tells us God sends that; A fruitful Land he maketh barren, Psal. 107.34. for the wickedness of them that dwell therein. The Pestilence a great evil, yet God sends that; we read 2 Sam. 24. He sent a Plague in Israel, whereof died more than threescore thousand, in less than three days. So digitus Dei, the finger of God hath been lately seen in our Land, especially in this City, scourging us for our sins. This stroke came nor by chance; It was the hand of heaven that smote us; and it is none but his omnipotent hand, that hath healed us: Blessed be his great name for it. War a great evil; yet GOD sendeth that upon a sinful Nation: as'tis he alone that gives peace to his children, and causeth Wars to cease in all the world: So 'tis he alone that raiseth War, and bringeth a revenging Sword upon the sinful sons of men: This should teach to prepare, and arm ourselves with patience to endure it, if it do come, because a Domino est, it is from the Lord, it is the Lords doing; the wicked, our Enemies are but his instruments: the rod of his fury, a sword of his to punish sinners: he sets them on work; O Ashur, the rod of my wrath! I will send him to a dissembling Nation, and I will give him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoil, and to take the prey, and to tread them under feet like the mire in the street, Isa. 10.5.6. And in my Text, The Lord shall bring a Nation upon thee. What? Upon Israel? His dear Israel? his beloved Israel? his chosen people? his inheritance? his sanctified ones? his peculiars? his favourites? those whom he picked and culled out of all Nations? Those on whom he bestowed more precious tokens of his love, then on any other? Will he deal so hardly with them? Will he reject them? Will he destroy them? forsake them? Yes, if they forsake and reject him, he will: God is not tied to any Nation, or to any people, longer than they tie themselves to his obedience, and to his service: 1 Chron. 15.2. Dominus vociscum dum vos cum Domino, The Lord is with you, while ye are with him, and if ye seek him, he will be found of you; but if ye forsake him, he will forsake you. So good Azariah forewarned them, and as he foretell, so it came to pass, this curse was executed to the full; for when they forsook the Lord, and gave themselves over to follow strange Gods; the Lord forsook them, and give them over into the hands of Strangers; they which hated them were Lords over them, their enemies oppressed them, and had them in subjection; he brought upon them, A strange Foe, a strong Foe, and a stern Foe, (first upon Israel, because they first fell from him, then upon judah) even the Babylonians, who invaded their Land, wasted their Country, ruinated their City, burnt their Temple, destroyed all their goodly Buildings, slew their young men with the Sword, even in the midst of their Sanctuary, and spared neither young man, nor virgin, ancient, nor aged, led many thousands of them into most miserable slavery and captivity; took the King himself prisoner, changed his chains of gold into chains of brass, and fetters of iron; killed his Princes, and all his Nobles, slew his sons before his eyes, put out his own eyes, & kept him in most pitiful bondage all the days of his life; as you may see more at large, 2 Chron. and the last Chap. jer. Chap. 52. And if you inquire after the cause of all this mischief, you shall find it to be their sins, their disobedience to God's commandments, their contempt of God's word, their slighting of God's Messengers, their abusing of his Prophets. GOD (whose mercies are more in number them all our sins) out of his infinite compassion was loath to destroy them, unwilling to see their subversion; and therefore he used all means for their conversion: he sent unto them by his messengers the Prophets, rising early, and sending (saith the Text) for he had compassion on his people, and on his habitation: but they mocked the messengers of God, they despised his words, they misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and till there was no remedy, 2 Chro. last Chap. ver. 15.16. His long suffering waited for their conversion, so long as there was any hope, as a Physician seeing any hope of life in his 〈◊〉 Patient, will not give him over; but finding him pa●●●ecouery leaves him: So God seeing no hope of reformation, seeing there was no other remedy, so seek them, gives them over to their own ●●st 〈…〉, bring upon them a Nation from far, a strong Nation, ●●e●ce and cruel, the King of the Chaldeans with all his armed troops, who brought upon them all these calamities. And after 70 years of captivity being expired, he brought them into their own Land again, and restored them to their former and flourishing state: but because they continued not steadfast in his covenant, but rebelled againg him, rejected his word, crucified the Lord of life, refused his Gospel; he brought upon them an Enemy more cruel than the former: even the flying Eagle (as it is in my Text) the Roman Emperor; who brought upon them all the curses threatened in this Chapter; War, Famine, (in so much that the tender and dainty women were glad to eat their own children (as josephus relates) joseph. de bell jud. lib. 7. cap 3. as it was foretold, vers. 57) dispersion, devastation, a final desolation Thus is my Text fulfilled in your cares; the curse is executed; Canaan is invaded; judah is gone into captivity; jerusalem is trodden down, the pleasant Land lies waste: Quid hoc ad nos? And what is this to us will some say? Yet it nearly concerns Vbi ingentia beneficia, & ingentia is peccata, ibi ingentia supplicia: If partaking with them in God's benefits, we partake of their sins, we may justly fear to partake of their punishments: Let us a little parallel our estate with theirs: Gods mercies were great to them, no less to us. His loving kindness toward them appeared in four things: In freeing them from the bondage of the 1. soul, 2. body. In giving them blessings for the 3. body. 4. soul. 1 He brought them out of the Land of Egypt, from the bondage of Pharaoh: Egypt was a Land full of Idolatry, and superstition; the people there worshipped Devils, they worshipped men, they worshipped beasts, they worshipped plants, instead of God: From this Idolatrous Land, God freed them, which was a great mercy: but he hath done more for us; though he hath not brought us out of an Idolatrous Land, yet he hath taken Idolatry out of our Land, he hath cleansed it, and swept superstition from it. 2 He delivered them from the bondage of Pharaoh, who did but tyrannize over the body only, but he hath released us out of that cruel bondage of that proud Pharaoh of Rome, who doth tyrannize both over the bodies and souls of men. He showed wonders for them in the deep, leading thorough on foot as through a wilderness, drowning and overwhelming their enemies in the midst of the Sea: The like he did for us in 88 confounding the invincible Armado of Spain, which came with open mouth to make a prey of us all: neither did he only with Israel save us out of the water, but also out of the fire; when a tormenting Tophet was prepared, with Gunpowder and much Wood, to blow up and consume with one blast, both our King and Kingdom; and wanted but few hours for the execution of it; then did he most mercifully discover it, and deliver us from that infernal and hellish plot: so that we may say of this Land, as the Prophet of jerusalem: Is not this a brand taken out of the fire? Zach. 3.2. 3 GOD seated them in a fruitful Land, a most pleasant, and delightful Land, the Land of Canaan, a Land flowing with milk and honey: so he hath planted us in a most plentiful and fertile land, the abundance and blessings whereof, (as one said, who did for a while absent himself in foreign parts,) are perceived magis carendo quam fruendo, rather by wanting, then by enjoying them: no Nation under the cope of heaven, having such plenty of all God's blessings, both for the preservation, and sustentation, and delectation of man's life, as our land affordeth; therefore no marvel, if the Pope and his adherents, compass sea and land; use all the tricks, and plots they can devose, by treason and treachery, by open hostility and privy conspiracy, to gain this Island into their tyranny, out of which that triple crowned Father sucked so much sweetness: for it is the eye of Europe, and store-house of Christendom: And as it was said, that the Province of Purgatory did yield as much revenue to the Pope's treasury, as heaven and hell both: so it is thought, that that man of sin, and his generation of Vipers, Monks, and Friars, Abbots and Priors, in our forefather's time, did suck as much fatness out of this Kingdom, as out of all Christendom: no wonder then, if they bestir themselves for it; 'tis a sweet bit; terra frugifera, a fruitful land, fitly resembling the land of Canaan. 4 But the head of all God's mercies to them consisted in beneficio animae, in doing the soul a good turn: in revealing his will, his word, his truth, his laws and ordinances unto them: the Prophet reckons it an unspeakable favour; He gave his word unto jacob, his statutes and ordinances unto Israel, he hath not dealt so with every Nation, Psal. 147.19. Such is God's goodness unto us also, he hath made known his word, his will, his truth, his Gospel to us in most plentiful manner: he hath not dealt so with every Nation; no not with any Nation: no Nation in the world hath such store of heavenly Manna, so much knowledge of the truth, so much preaching of the Word, so much glorious light of the Gospel of peace as we have. Thus we see, we go hand in hand with them in the first step, we have received Ingentia beneficia, infinite, unspeakable benefits and mercies as well as they. Let us now see if we have not Ingentia peccata, as great sins as ever they had: would I could say we have not. Have we been more thankful to God for his favours? more obedient to his commandments then they? Would I could say we have. God hath been as gracious to this Vineyard of England, as ever he was to the Vineyard of Israel, both in planting, in pruning, in watering, in hedging, in defending it: but we have not yielded the fruits, the Grapes he expected: I fear, I may say with Moses, we have returned to him, the fruits of Sodom and Gomorrah, our Grapes, are Grapes of gall, our clusters are bitter, our Wine is the poison of Dragons, and the cruel gall of Asps, Deut. 32.32. Sin and wickedness, unthankfulness, iniquity, impiety, these are the Grapes, these the fruits: never so much knowledge and light abounded, and yet never so many works of darkness: never so much Preaching, never so little performing; never did men know the will of God more perfectly, never did men do the will of God more carelessly. And as it was said, there was never less wisdom in Greece, then when the seven wise men lived there; so it is thought, there was never less piety, never less charity, never more iniquity in our Land among most men; then now when the light of the Gospel shines most gloriously amongst us. O barren, unfruitful, unprofitable Vineyard! May we not fear that God will now indispleasure forsake it, break down the hedge thereof, and let in the wild Boar to root it up, and the wild beasts to devour it? Hath Israel felt his rod, and may not England fear his scourge? Are we more dear to him then they were? Or is he more tied to us, then to them? O no: if we partake of their sins, we may expect their plagues. The time would be too short for me, to trace all the sinful steps wherein we have followed them: only this I may say, there was no sin known among them, which doth not abound among us. Wherefore as the Prophet comparing judah with Sodom and Samaria, affirms that she was corrupted in her ways more than they both, and had justified them by her sins, so if we look into the sins of our Land, we shall find that she hath justified and exceeded both Sodom and Samaria, and judah also in her filthiness. O sinful England! Sodom thy sister hath not done, Ezek. 16.48.51. neither she, nor her daughters, as thou hast done and thy daughters, (for surely Sodom never knew the painting and pranking, and pride of our Land) neither hath Samaria nor judah itself, committed half of thy sins, but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more than they. Yet Sodom, and Samaria, and judah, are ruinated; and have drunk the cup of God's fury long agone: and dost thou sleep secure, O wretched England, without any fear? Sure thy judgement sleepeth not. When Calais was taken from England, by the French men, in the time of Charles the fifth: one asked the English men, in scorn, and derision, when they would win Calais again? a wise Captain hearing it, made answer, Cum vestra peccata erunt nostris maiora: When your sins shall be greater than ours; meaning, that whensoever God giveth any land over to the sword to be invaded and ruinated, it is for the wickedness of the Inhabitants, for the sins of the Land: but now Nostra peccata maiora, our sins exceed the sins of Israel; may we not more than fear to taste of the same sauce with Israel, Ingentia supplicia, infinite huge punishments as well as they? Never did our Land (as I can read) enjoy so long a peace, and never did men make so ill use of such a blessing. Often hath it been afflicted with this calamity of War and Invasion; First, it was overrun by the Romans, then by the Picts, then by the Saxons, then by the Danes, then by the Normans: and if we examine the records of those times, we shall find it always imputed to sin; Sin the cause of all the misery: Gildas an ancient Historian writing of the destruction of the Britaines by the invasion of the Saxons, says it was for their sins; and reckoning up a Catalogue, in the end he shutteth up all with this sad Epilogue: Non igitur admirandum est degeneres tales, patriam illam amittere quam praedicto modo maculabant: It was therefore no wonder at all to see, that such degenerate and wicked men did lose that country, which they had so polluted by their sins. And in another ancient History (written as the Author saith, ad cautelam futurorum, for the warning of future ages, instanced by master Fox.) I find the invasion of the Danes, Master Fox Acts and Monu. pag. 126. ascribed to the like cause: In primitiva quidem Anglorum Eclesia, etc. In the primitive Church of the Englishmen, Religion did most clearly shine; but in process of time, all virtue so decayed, that in fraud, in treachery none seemed like unto them, piety was neglected, iniquity respected: wherefore Almighty God brought upon them (Pagan and cruel Nations like swarms of bees, which spared neither women nor children; as Danes, Norwegians, Goths, Suevians, Vandals, and Frisians, who destroyed their sinful Land from one side of the Sea to the another, from man also unto beast. And may we not fear the like scourge now? have not we contaminated, and polluted this Land, by our abominable and horrible sins, more than ever they did? their sins were ignorances', ours presumption: theirs omission, ours rebellion: the sins of our Land are greater now, then ever they were: I am persuaded if our Forefathers were now alive, they would be ashamed & blush to see such a degenerate & sinful posterity: As St. Paul told the Corinthians, there was fornication, & such found among them, as was not named among the Gentiles; so there is such & so much wickedness found now among us in our land, as was scarce ever heard or named among our ancestors: They had Plus conscientiae, minus scientiae: we, Plus scientiae, minus conscientiae; more conscience, though less science than we; we have more science, but less conscience than they. We have justified them, they were righteous in respect of us; Their hospitality is now converted into riot & luxury; their frugality, into pride & prodigality; their simplicity, into subtlety; their sincerity, into hypocrisy; their charity, into cruelty; their chastity, into chambering; their modesty, into wantonness; their sobriety into drunkenness; their Church building, into Church-robbing; their plain dealing, into dissembling; their works of compassion and mercy, into works of oppression and bribery: It is now almost grown out of fashion to be an honest man. Mirandum est degeneres nos: It is a wonder, and a great wonder, that such a degenerate generation as this, such a corrupt and sinful Nation as we, who have so far exceeded our forefathers in all wickedness, should not lose this Country which we have so defiled with our sins? Miranda Mi, cricordia! God's mercy is to be wondered at, that he hath spared us so long: It is his mercy, and nothing but mercy, that we are not consumed. Sin is now in ultimo gradu, at the highest pitch that may be: Satan (I think) cannot make some more satanical, more sinful: our sins cry louder than the sins of Sodom; they ascend higher than the sins of Niniveh; we may expect a judgement at hand, even that judgement, which GOD here denounceth against Israel: for when his two other rods, Famine, and the Pestilence, will not serve the turn; to make us turn, than the Sword must have his turn; although our security tell us no, yet our sins cry, it will be so. The bane of many Nations hath been too much security: jerusalem flattered herself, with peace, peace: and would by no means be persuaded the Enemy should set foot there, till the Enemy had trodden her under foot: who would have believed that the Enemy and Adversary, should have entered into the gates of jerusalem? Lam. 4.12. God grant the same be not the overthrow of our Kingdom: Ah secure people that we are! we will not (with Thomas) believe; till we feel and see: we are sick of their disease, we think ourselves as safe as they: when the messengers of God told them the danger was near, they were as far from believing it, as you are now in London: jer. 36.23.24. Those that heard the words of jeremiahs' roll, denouncing an invasion at hand, were never moved at it: jehoiakim took the roll, cut it with a Penknife, cast it into the fire; that was all the reckoning they made of it, such is the security of these times; our words seem to many as Lots to his sons in law; as though we mocked: or as the women's to the Disciples, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, as an old wines tale, Luke 24.11. They make but a mock and jesting song at all our warn; which makes me more to fear, and tremble to think, that the judgement is at hand, because men are so insensible of it; God (I fear) hath blinded the eyes, and fatted the heart of this people, (as he dealt with Israel) that we might have no sense, nor feeling of our ensuing misery, and so seek no means to prevent it. It may be you think there is no danger this Summer; be it so, God grant. But yet if we defer our repentance, it will not long be deferred, and it may come before we look for it: it is the Spanish policy to bark least, when they bite soon, and sorest. This was the destruction of the Amyclaeans; they, as we, stood in fear of an invasion; diverse times it was noised abroad, that the Enemy was coming, and nigh at hand. Whereupon the City was raised, & much troubled: and still they found it to be a false rumour: whereupon the Citizens of that place like wise men, made a provident law, that no man upon pain of death, should any more bring such news of the Enemies coming; shortly after the Enemy came indeed: and then all being secure, and careless, and unprovided, & no man daring to bring tidings for fear of the law, the City was unawares surprised, the Citizens taken, and all cruelly murdered. The people of our Land are almost of this condition, they cannot endure to be told the danger they are in; it is unpleasing news: GOD grant when we are secure, and think ourselves most safe, the Enemy be not upon us: The Lord for his mercy's sake (as he hath put it into the heart of his faithful Servant, our most gracious Sovereign, to be careful to provide for our defence and safety,) so move the hearts of the people to furnish him with supplies sufficient for the performance of it, before it be too late; better part with something, nay with half, then lose all, lives and all. O when I call to mind the reigning, and crying sins of our Land; being now ripe, like the Harvest of the earth, spoken of in the Revelation; I cannot but fear that God will ere long, (unless our hearty repentance prevent it) command his Angel, to thrust in the great and sharp sickle to cut us down. When I call to mind, how little we have profited by his former punishments; especially by the last year's judgement, and by his mercy, in taking it so soon away; I cannot but tremble to think, that he will ere long (unless our general conversion turn it away) execute this curse here threatened, and already executed on Israel; bring upon us a Nation from far, a foreign invasion; a strange foe, a strong foe, and a stern foe: Now if ever, the Ignatians cry, let Spain set foot in England: and now if ever, we have cause to fear. First, A strange foe. A Nation strange unto us many ways; strange by situation, far remote; strange in affection, bearing an innate grudge unto us; strange in Religion; strange in condition; strange in language; strange in manners; every way strange unto us. A strange and foreign invasion, a thing dreadful to this Kingdom, it having so often smarted by it; and the burnt child fears the fire. But it may be more dreadful to us now, then ever; because we have within us, many homebred and domestical enemies, who will betray us; who (as we may justly fear) will join hands with this foreign foe, in working our confusion. We have especially two domestical foes, who make a foreign foe more to be feared:— Peccata. Papistae. First, our sins, they are our chief, capital Enemies; because they work God to be our enemy: Perditio tua ex te O Israel: Thy destruction, O England, will come from thyself; the Snakes which we breed in our own bosoms, will be the first that will sting us to death. Solum peccatum homicida; Sin alone is the murderer, the bloodsucker that (I fear) will overthrow all: this was the knife that cut the throat of Adam and all his posterity: Sin it was, and nothing but sin, that caused the old world to be drowned, Sodom to be burned, Pharaoh to be plagued, Corah to be swallowed, Achan to be stoned, Haman to be hanged, judah to be captivated: Sin, and nothing but sin, thrust Cain out of man's presence, man out of God's presence, Adam out of Paradise, Angels out of Heaven. When Nicephoras Phocas had built a mighty wall about his Palace, for his own security, in the night he heard a voice crying unto him; Cedrens hist pag. 542. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 though he built as high as the clouds, yet the City might easily be taken, there was a Traitor within it, that would betray it, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the sin within would overthrow all: So imagine we were what we are not: imagine we were as well provided, as I could wish we were; as strong as we could desire; Imagine our Name were ready; all our Ships tigged, manned, and victualled; all our Ports and Blockhouses fortified; all our Coasts guarded; all our Beacons watched; all our Castles repaired; all our men Armed; and our Land environed with a wall of iron round about: yet it is to be feared, we have a Traitor within that will betray us all, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, the evil, the sin which is within the Land will spoil all, unless we repent, unless God be merciful unto us. There are especially three sins, which are great enemies to the State; to the strength and welfare of this Kingdom; and which (unless, they be in time suppressed) will gnaw the very heart strings thereof asunder; Pride, Gluttony, Drunkenness; upon which three, more is consumed wastefully, then would maintain a strong and sufficient Army, able to withstand any foreign force: the Drunkards idle expenses would serve to victual the Ships; the Gluttons superfluity would feed a Camp; our excess in apparel would shorethen clothe an Army. The second domestical foe, that makes a foreign foe more dreadful to us, are the Papists; false-hearted, Spanish-hearted Papists I mean; who have a tongue for the King, and a heart for his enemies; Jacob's voice, Esau's hands: who if the day should come, would be glad to set their helping hand to cut the throat of their native Country. If all were true within ourselves, we need nor so much to fear a foreign Enemy; but what a weak and unstable thing, Regnum divisum, is, our Saviour tells us, it is feeble, impotent, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it cannot stand, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, it comes to desolation, Math. 12.25. One said of the Thracians, that they were the strongest Nation of the world; and yet they were but weak: Strong and weak too, how could that be? Yes: they were strong, so long as they were true among themselves, and joined and united all their forces together: they were weak, being divided, and at variance one against another. We are like the Thracians; strong and weak: we have the name of a powerful, and strong Nation; and this were true, if we were all true within ourselves, and held altogether in one: but considering the faction and division which is in our Land; considering how many wellwishers the Spaniard hath, and what a potent party the Pope hath in this Land, we are but weak. And herein lies all our fear, all our Enemy's hope: for if we have false brethren amongst us; who will be ready at every turn to open the door, and let the Thief in: if we have fly Foxes, who will show the way, for the wild Boar to destroy, and wild Beasts to devour: If we have Vipers, who will rejoice to gnaw out the bowels of their own mother: If there be Canaanites in the Land, who will be pricks in our sides, and thorns in our eyes; a snare and destruction to us; who, if the time should come, would rise against us, and help our Enemies; we are but weak, we have cause to fear. jerusalem had not so soon been won by Vespasian's son, had it not been for civil discord within the City; and nothing more to be feared for the ruin of our Nation, then civil dissension, domestical foes. Therefore let us use the best means we can, for the diminishing, & suppressing of them: for the first domestical foe; sin; we may every one set a helping hand, to the suppression of it: every man will be ready to persecute and execute a Traitor; let us make speed to execute this arch-traitor sin; let us hate it in others, loathe it in ourselves: whatsoever sins we find ourselves guilty of, let us now at last forsake them; kill, mortify, & crucify them: so shall we not need so much to fear a foreign foe, if this domestical foe be crushed under. And though it lie not in every man's power to subvert the second, yet let us pray unto God to convert them: as for those which will not be converted, let us beseech God to continue it in the heart of his Majesty, and the Magistrates, whom it concerns, to curb them and keep them under: not to let them have the reins too much at liberty, lest they take head; & like a pampered Palfry throw their Rider, & bring a ruin to their King and Country in the end. But imagine they should all prove true Subjects, and abhor to give any aid to a foreign foe: (yet how can they be trusted, having so often tripped?) but imagine the Leopard should change his spots, and the black More his skin; imagine they should become new men, and refuse to aid the Spaniard in the Pope's quarrel, and at the Pope's command; yet we have cause still to fear: for this Enemy is of sufficient power himself alone. It is a strong foe: which was the second property. Compared in my Text to an Eagle, to a flying Eagle: What is the strength of Spain the world knows; of what power he is joining his Forces with the Eagle, (I mean with the Emperor whose Arms and Ensigne is the Eagle,) Christendom hath felt by woeful and sorrowful experience: What hath Spain of late days undertaken with the Eagle, or for the Eagle, or under the Ensign of the Eagle, but they have effected it, and gone through with it to the purpose? Bohaemia is subdued, Silesia vanquished, Moravia conquered, the Pals grave oppressed, the Laut-grave distressed, Breda sacked, and all by the combination of Spain with the Eagle. The Spaniard is now stronger than ever he was: all this time of our long peace, wherein we have slept securely, in utramque aurem, without any fear, without any care, never thinking of a wet day to come; they have done all they can to strengthen themselves, and to prepare for this time of war: all this whil that we have sought & sued for peace, they have more than made themselves ready for battle: their huge Armado in 88 was nothing to the number of Ships which now they have. So that comparing our weakness, with their strength; their skilfulness, with our unaptness; their readiness, with our want of experience; their sedulity, with our security; our danger is great: we have no better refuge, then to fly to the mercy & protection of the Almighty, who hath hitherto mightily defended us. Arise therefore, O Lord God of Hosts, maintain thine own cause, and fight for us; be thou assistant to the Armies of our Friends and Allies; prosper thou the Work of that renowned King of Denmark, who is now in the Field, to fight thy bartell, o prosper thou his handy work: for if they should miscarry or sit still for want of supply, woe be to us; in the next place have at England, look to thy house David: Tua res agitur paries cum proximus ardet. Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Spain, and the Pope, and the Eagle, would all fly upon us; combine and conjoin all their forces to devour us. GOD therefore in mercy look down from heaven upon us, help, aid, defend, and deliver his poor Church; For if they should get the Mastery, we must expect no mercy: It is a Stern Foe: which was the third property. A Nation of a fierce, cruel, or barbarous countenance, which will not regard the person of the old, nor have compassion of the young. Fierce and cruel they are, as being Papists; more cruel as they are Spaniards: The rudiments of their Religion teach them to be bloody and cruel towards us; Alco●a Azoar. 2.3.6. Vid. Phil. Morn. lib. de veritat. relig. Christ c. 33. p. 608. For as Mahomet in his Alcharon, promiseth the highest seat in heaven, to him that kills most Christians, Interficite disperdite, quo maior strages, eo dignior & ins●gnior in Paradiso locus: Kill them. slay them, spare them not, the more of them ye destroy, the more worthy and eminent place shall ye have in Paradise. So the Pope and jesuits make it a matter meritorious to kill Protestants, (Heretics as they please despitefully to term us) yea the more of us they murder, the more glorious reward they shall have in heaven. More cruel, as they are Spaniards; The very grim looks of a Spaniard threatens blood and slaughter; like the Wolf they suck cruelty from their mother's breasts: The Spanish Nation (saith Quicchiardine) are covetous, and deceitful, and where they be at liberty, exceeding outrageous, tyrannous, and very proud and insolent▪ Where they are Conquerors, they put all to the Sword, and nothing sufficeth them but blood. I call bleeding India to witness what I say: where this cruel Nation hath exercised such barbarous tyranny, and made such infinite effusion of humane blood, as it seems incredible such monsters should live in the shapes of men: Crudelitat. Hispan in Indies patrat. Hispaenice conscript. per episcop Bar thol. Casa●̄, natione Hispanum, latin excus. Francosurti. 1598. I will relate only the words of their own Writers, that ye may not think it a calumniation cast upon them. Bartholomaeus Casas or Casaus, a Bishop of their own, who lived in that Country, and was (as he saith) oculatus testis, an eye witness of their doings, hath written a Book of it, Dedicaring it to the King of Spain; out of which, give me leave to produce some instances. He there affirms that never since the beginning of the World, was such an havoc of people made, as the Spaniards have made in the Indies. a Pag. 7. That more than ten Realms greater than all Spain, with Arragon and Portugal, and those replenished with multitudes of people, as any Country in the world, are all turned into a Desert: that of three Millions in Hispaniola, they left scarce three hundred alive. b Pag. ●. That within the space of 40 years, 50 Millions of People were destroyed. c Pag. 6. So soon as the Nation was discovered, the Spaniards like Wolves, and Lions, and Tigers long famished, entered, and did nothing but tear them in pieces, and murder, and torment them by cruelties never heard or scene before. In three months they d Pag. 25. starved to death 7000. children: e Pag. 96. they threw down from the top of a mountain seven hundred men together, and dashed them all to pieces. f Pag. 4. At one time they murdered 2000 Gentlemen who were Lords sons, and the flower of all the Nobility. g Pag. 82. They cut of the Noses and Lips of 200 at one time, and so sent them to their fellows, a rueful spectacle to behold. h Pag. ●●. They would lay wagers who should most nimbly, and with most dexterity butcher men. i Pag. 67. They traced the miserable people like horses, and made them carry their stuff; who dying upon the highways for feebleness, when they were laid on with staffs, and had their teeth broken out with the pommels of their swords, to make them rise from the ground where they lay for faintness, would say, I can do no more, kill me here outright, I desire to dye. k Pag. 31. & 78. When any one fainted upon the way with hunger and thirst; they would not vouchsafe to bestow so much labour as to unchaine him; but strike off his head, leaving that in one place, the body in another. l Pag. 20. They would make them carry a hundred weight, one hundred or two hundred miles together, wherewith their backs and shoulders were wrung, and galled like our packhorses. m Pag. 8. They used them not as Beasts, but as the dung, and filth of the earth. When they had wrought all day in the Mines (saith Sequanus) at night if they miss never so little of their task, Praefat. ad Anton. August. praefix. ante Oser. de gest. Eman. pag. 15. they were stripped stark naked, bound hand and foot to a form, scourged all over with whipcord, or a Bull's Pizzle, than scalding Pitch was poured on them: and lastly, their bodies thus rend with stripes, were washed over with Salt and Pepper, and so they lay. The foresaid Bishop protesteth, n Pag. 35. that no tongue, skill, knowledge, or industry of man is able to recount the dreadful doing of these capital enemies of mankind; the actions which they committed were neither of Christians, nor of men, but of devils. o Pag. 9 Any Captain durst adventure to ravish the greatest Queen, or Lady in the Country. Such was the merciless cruelty of this bloodsucking generation, that they took none to mercy: p Pag. 10. They spared no age, no sex, not women with child, nor such as lay in Child bed, but would rip up their bellies, and chop them in pieces. q Pag. 11. They would pluck sucking Infants from their Mother's breasts, and taking them by the heels, dash cut their brains against the Rocks, or hurl them into the Rivers. r Pag 99 & 108. They trained up Mastiff dogs, of purpose to rend in pieces, and devour the people, and for that end, fed them with man's flesh, having a ways a great number of Indians fettered in chains whom they murdered like Swine, as their dogs needed, to feed on them. And he telleth of one s Pag. 60. Who wanting dogs meat, took a sucking Babe from the mother, and chopping off the arms and thighs, fed his Dog's first with them, then with the rest of the body before her face. Yea they did not only feed their dogs but also themselves with man's flesh; t Pag. 50. Whole Armies of them living sometime like Cannibals, eating nothing but the flesh of the Indians; For provision whereof an ordinary Shambles was kept in the Camp, of the flesh of men, and young children, which they roasted, and fed upon; yea and many times, men must be cruelly butchered only to have their hands and feet, which the Spaniard counted a dainty dash. These are the relations of their own Bishop. u Pag. 46. In the Province of Guatimala, the Prince accompanied with his Nobles, welcomed them with Music, and the richest gifts the Country afforded: The Spaniards (after their usual custom) demanded Gold; they made answer, they had it not: (for indeed their Country yielded little, or none:) and for no other offence but this, they burned them all ali●e. x Pag. 29. Another Prince of his own accord, in kindness, brought them a great present of Gold, and they in requital ryed him backward fast to a stake, with his feet hanging over a gentle fire, to make him confess more: he sent home for all he had; yet they were not satisfied, but would have more: the poor Prince not having wherewith to content those unsatiable Horseleeches; they kept him in that unmerciful & cruel torture, till the marrow dropped from his bones, and so he died. A pitiful reward for such a courtesy. To avoid such like cruelty of theirs, the poor people would hang themselves, with their wives and children about them; the women destroy their conceptions, and in grief and despair dash their own children's brains against the stones, lest they should fall into the Spaniards hands: Some of them professed, that if the Spaniards went to heaven when they were dead, they would never desire to come there; As the y Pag. 28. Prince of the Isle of Cuba, who being tied to a stake to be burnt, a Franciscan came to him, telling him of God, and of the Articles of our faith, which if he would believe, he might go to heaven to eternal happiness; if not he must go to hell to everlasting torments. The Prince after a little pause, asked the Friar, Vtrum etiam Hispanis caelorum ianua pateret, If the Spaniards went to heaven? Yea, quoth the Friar; O said the Prince, (without any further deliberation) then will not I go to heaven, but rather to hell, where I may once be free from that cruel Nation. These are the words of their own Bishop, who writeth ten times more in detestation of it to the King of Spain, z Pag. 100 protesting oftentimes that he doth not set down the thousandth part of the cruelties used: and we may the rather believe him, because many other who write the Indian History, relate the like cruelties. This it was that made Benzo, who lived also in the Country, and was an eyewitness of their actions, to cry out; Benz. hist. Ind. O quot Neronis, quot Domitiani, quot Commodi, quot Bassiani, quot immites Dionisijs, eas terras peragravere? O how many nero's and Domitian's, and such like unmerciful tyrants have harrowed those Countries? Is not this the Nation spoken of in my Text, of a fierce and cruel countenance, not respecting the old, nor pitying the young? Now if they used such cruelty against those poor people which never did them hurt, what would they do with us, against whom they bear an imbred hatred, against whom they are so enraged? Those people never offended them, the foresaid Bishop affirmeth a Pag. 19 & 101. That during all the time they were murdered, and made away so cruelly, they never committed any one offence against the Spaniards, that deserved punishment by the Law of man. Now if they used such Barbarous tyranny against them, what will they do with us, by whom they are provoked and stirred up? Assuredly, if our Land should fall into their hands, (which GOD for his mercy, and compassion sake avert) they would not only put all the chief Inhabitants to the Sword, (for that were not a death bad enough) but invent strange, exquisite, and new found tortures for Englishmen, such is their monstrous spleen toward us. Let no man promise better to himself; their cruelty extends to their friends, as well as to their foes: in the Powder-treason Innocents' and nocents should have been blown up both together: the Duke Medina professed, that his sword knew no difference, between Catholics and Heretics: and howsoever some in our Land flatter themselves, and repose great confidence in the Spanish Nation; yet if they should have the day, themselves may chance to rue it: their hands would be heavy upon them also, neither would there be any respect of persons; Papists as well as Protestants should all to the slaughter: they would speed no better than the Catholics did at the sack of Antwerp; the Spanish sword should speed and hasten their journey to the other world: or than those false hearted Britain's did, who called in a foreign Nation, the Saxons, to help them against their lawful Sovereign; but they in stead of aiding, destroyed them; expulsed them out of their Land; dispossessed Vortigerne the usurper of his kingdom; slew at one meeting two hundred, seventy one, of the chief Barons and Nobles: the Britain's fearing no such Treachery; for they had past promise each to other to come unarmed; but the Saxons brought privy knives which (the watchword being given) they sheathed in the bodies of the British Lords: such fidelity would these men find in the Spaniards, should they be Conquerors, who now wish so much for their aid and assistance: they are too politic to trust them, that were untrusty to their natural Prince: Religion then would make no difference; Religion is the least thing they care for; Religion is but a cloak for their covetousness and boundless ambition: they have a deeper reach in all their enterprises. Dominion, and Sovereignty. Religion was pretended in their West Indian voyage, the glory of God and the conversion of Infidels; but the miserable people found the contrary, by a woeful experience of many their houses, Cities, Countries, sacked, ransacked, turned upside down, and the dust of all their ground most narrowly sifted & searched, that a wedge of gold was Deus Christianorum, the God of the Christians. And this they would hold aloft, and make proclamation among themselves, Eu Deus Christianorum! Behold the God of the Christians! Propter hoc è Castella in terras nostras venere: For this they came out of Castille into our Land; for this they are at war among themselves; for this they kill and destroy one another. This it is, or some such matter, that makes their teeth so water at our Land; the riches, the plenty, the fertility thereof: their poor hungry diet in Spain, feeding for the most part upon cold Salads, and sour sauces, grass and herbs, fine Oranges and Lemons, sharpens their appetites to our abundance, and full meals. O, if we could but once game little England, we might feed like Farmers; the world were all our own: we should then have such a Storehouse, to furnish our Armies with Munition and Provision, that we would quickly be Lords of all Christendom, and make our King the Catholic King indeed. The Lowe-Countries would be but a breakfast, France but a dinner, all Christendom beside but a supper, for these ravenous Harpies. And this is the best can be expected from them; to have all that ever we have taken from us: if the Tiger should lose his fierceness, and the Wolf his bloodiness; if they should extend unwonted clemency, and take some to mercy; yet they must look to lose all, and to be made Slaves and Vassals: for this is the calamity that follows the Invasion: The same shall eat the fruit of thy cattle, and the fruit of thy Land, until thou be destroyed, and he shall leave thee neither corn, wine, nor oil, neither the increase of thy Kine, nor the flocks of thy sheep, until he have brought thee to nought. A calamity incident to an invasion, to a conquest: the natives of a vanquished land, must look for no better, then to lose all; if they escape with life, it is the mercy of the Enemy. 2 Reg. 24.13. When judah was invaded and overrun by the Babylonians, all the riches of the Land became a prey unto the Enemy; the Church treasure, the King's treasure, and all things else; the Princes, and Nobles, and all the chief Inhabitants lost their possessions, were put to death, or made bondslaves; only some of the poor of the Land, were left to be Vine dressers, and Husbandmen, to till the Land for the use of their Enemies. But what need we go so far for examples? Look but back to the last Conquest of our Land by the Normans: though they submitted, yet did not the Conqueror dispose of all things at his pleasure? Search our Chronicles, ye shall find it so; M. Fox act. & mon. p●. 155. & 165. ult. edit. He gave away all the possessions of the English men to his own followers, and Soldiers, in so much that they were forced to hold it under them, as their Slaves and Vassals; he altered the Laws and Customs of the Land: rooted out all the English Nobility, left scarce one house of them standing; Hen. Hunting. lib. 6. (as Henry Huntingdon affirms) permitted no Native to bear any office of rule or honour, in the Church or Commonwealth: burdened them with intolerable exactions; yea, to such calamities were they brought, that for many years after, it was counted a great shame to be called an English man. But all this was mercy, in respect of that misery, which these men would bring upon us, should they be Conquerors: they would not only take all from us; cast us out of our possessions; make us their slaves and vassals; alter the laws and customs; extirpate all the Nobility: neither should it only be counted a shame to be called an Englishman, but they would root out the very name of an Englishman, from under heaven; and bring us even unto nought, (as it is in my Text) such is their monstrous and implacable malice toward our Nation. Where then, O where are the hearts of men, that they have no sense, nor feeling of this? Shall we resemble those worldlings of whom St. Augustine complains, Fortius diligentes ressuas, quam seipsos: Love our wealth more than ourselves, more than our lives, more than our wives, more than our children, more than our Country, more than the Gospel? Shall we hazard the loss of all, houses, lands, livings, lives, liberties, freedom, religion, rather than part with any thing? Shall we choose rather to have it all, ourselves and all, fall into our Enemy's hands; then bestow the least part, in offending our Enemies, in defending ourselves? O no: God forbid: Let Constantinoples' misery be our warning; they smarted for it; let us take heed, left we drink ' of the same bitter cup. When that Imperial City was besieged by Mahomet the great; the good Emperor did what he could to the uttermost of his power, Ric. Knowlles his Turkish History, in the life of Mahomet the great. for the defence thereof: sold the very Church Plate, and all his jewels to pay the Soldiers: and having no more left of his own, with tears in his eyes, he besought his covetous Subjects to lend him supplies; or else all would be lost, there was no remedy: They all pleaded poverty, and still protested they had it not; they w●r● grown poor for want of Trading: and thus by their backwardness in not supplying their Sovereign, and covetousness in keeping in their money was that famous City lost. For when the Turks had taken it, they found it to be the richest thing of the world; for Treasure, Money, Plate, jewels; meeting in private men's houses with whole Chests full of gold: wherewith they were so enriched, that 'tis a Proverb among them at this day, if a man grow suddenly rich, He hath been at the sacking of Constantinople. They became a wonderment unto the Turks, that men having such abundance, would part with nothing for their own defence: for if they had in time bestowed some small part at the Emperor's request, they might have safely enjoyed the rest, and not been made a prey unto their Enemies: whereas by their close-handednesse they lost all, and fell into most lamentable bondage. It would make one's heart bleed to read the story of it: Those that were not slain, were at the Soldier's dispose; what, of whomsoever he could lay hands on, was his own: the noble Gentlewomen and great Ladies, with their beautiful Children, who lately flowed with all worldly wealth, and pleasure, became the poor and miserable bondslaves of most base and contemptible Rascals, who made no more reckoning of them, then of dogs (as the story saith.) There might the Parents see the woeful misery of their beloved Children, the Children of their Parents; the Husband the shameful abuse of his Wife, the Wife of her Husband. The great Turk feasting his Bassas and chief Captains for many days together, caused, at every Banquet certain of the chief Captives, both men and women, of whom many were of the Imperial stock, to be in his presence cruelly put to death, as he and his Turks sat banqueting: saucing his meat with the blood of the Christians, cheering himself with their misery; deeming his Feasts much more magnificent, with that doleful music of the dying Captives: which cruelty he used every day, till he had destroyed all the Grecian Nobility, and all the chief Citizens. A pitiful calamity! we condemn them of folly, and say they deserved no better: God grant the world condemn not us of the like folly, and say we deserve worse; because we are armed, being warned: their mishap should be our caveat: If we do not in time take heed, it is like to far with us, as it did with them. I fear we keep our wealth, for our Enemies to make merry with: If we part not with something for our own defence, we are in danger to lose all, as well as they: and to come to worse bondage and misery; more mercy is to be expected from the very Turks, then from the bloody Spaniards. We have a most gracious King, (whom the King of heaven long preserve with a prosperous and happy Reign; and let all good Christians say, Amen) who is more careful and desirous of our safety and happiness, than we ourselves: his wants are great, his expenses greater for the common good: what charge he is at, both at home, and abroad cannot be unknown unto us: he hath a strong and powerful enemy, which wants neither means, nor malice. O let not us discourage him by our backwardness; Vltraposse, non est esse; he hath, he doth, he will do what he may, more he cannot. There is a thing called, nervus Belli, without which War cannot subsist: If we shrink in these sinews, and withdraw the nourishment, will not the whole body be in danger to come to ruin? And verily (from my heart I speak) unless He be in time supplied, we shall all rue it: the Spaniard will rejoice to work upon such an advantage. That man were mad, that would not part with a penny to enjoy a pound; and all the world will condemn our Nation, if we lose our Country for lack of defence, having such means to defend it. It is every man's case, let us all lay it to heart. I have heard of a Marquis of Brandenburge, who was wont to say, he had in his Country, three Monasteries which were three Monsters: one of the Dominicans, who had abundance of Corn, and yet had no Land to sow; another of the Franciscans, who were full of Money, and yet received no Rents: the third of Saint Thomas order, whose monks had a great many Children, yet had no wines. We are like to be a Monster, and wonder, a Proverb, and a common talk to all people, as it is verse 37. For unless our Sovereign be supplied, that some course may speedily be taken for our defence, we shall have neither Lands, nor Rents, nor Money, nor Corn, nor Wives, nor Children, nor any thing else in safety, but all will fall into our enemy's hands: Lord open our eyes, that we may see the danger we are in, and in time provide for it, lest when it be too late, we wish we had. When you see this strange, strong, and stern Foe at your gates; your Country wasted, your Houses fired, your City besieged: when you hear the clangor of the Trumpet, the clamour of the wounded, the clattering of the harness, the beating of the Drum, the roaring of the Ordnance, the thundering of the Cannon: when you see your wives ravished before your faces, your friends slain, your children murdered, your Infants dashed against the stones, or broached on the Pike; and all the Land made nothing but the Shambles of castilian and Ignatian Butchers; than you will wish (but alas too late) would to GOD we had in time been warned; would we had parted with half our estates, rather than lose all, and come to this lamentable slavery and misery. God in mercy put it into all our hearts to consider seriously of it; that every man according to his ability, may condescend unto the necessity of the time. Now for a conclusion: All that hath been spoken, may serve as a strong motive, to stir us up with speed to turn unto God, that he may turn unto us, and turn from us this fearful calamity: Let us repent heartily, and cry unto him mightily, to spare us, to be merciful unto us. Uncessant prayers, repentant tears are most powerful to procure God's mercy, to divert his judgement: he is merciful and will receive our Prayers; he is pitiful and will regard our tears. His Sword was once drawn against Niniveh, a fearful doom pronounced; Yet forty days and Niniveh shall be destroyed. The King, and his Nobles, and all the people fall to repentance; they fast, they pray, they humble themselves to sackcloth and ashes: their sins cry for judgement, their repentance for mercy: there was a contention between them, which should outcry the other: their wickedness ascends up on high, knocks at heaven gate, clamours loud in the ears of God; justice, my Lord, vengeance, vengeance. Their repentance ascends higher, and cries louder in the ears of God; mercy, good Lord, mercy; spare us, O spare us, we beseech thee. Repentance gets the victory; GOD is not so much inclined to judgement, as to mercy: he regards not the cry of sin, if he once hear the cry of sinners: he accepts their sorrow and humiliation; he puts up his sword, he holds his hand; he sees them turn from their wicked ways, and he turns from his fierce wrath: he sees them repent of their evil deeds, and he also reputes of the evil he pronounced against them. The sins of our Land like the sins of Nintueh, are ascended up on high, and cry aloud for revenge to the GOD of heaven: but our religious King hath proclaimed a Fast; he and his Nobles have led the way; if we, with him, and them, send up repentance, and prayers, and tears, to cry aloud in God's ears; they will dull the cry of our sins, that he shall not hear it; and dull the edge of his sword that it shall not wound us. Wicked Ahab had grievously sinned, and a terrible sentence was passed upon him; yet upon his repentance though it were but superficial in outward show, 1 King. 21.19. GOD was merciful and spared him: Seest thou not (says God to Elijah) how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth himself before me, I will not bring that evil in his days, but in his son's days will I bring evil upon is house. If God were so merciful to that wicked man upon his false & feigned repentance, how much more if we turn unto him, with true & unfeigned repentance will he be merciful to us, & not bring this evil in our days? A second means to divert this judgement, is uncessant prayer: wonderful is the force of prayer with the God of heaven: when the Moabites and Ammonites, and they of mount Seir, came up against jerusalem with an huge Army; the people were amazed, not knowing what to do, for they were not able to stand before such a multitude in battle: jehosophat proclaims a Fast, the people all fall to their prayers; 2 Chro. 2●. desire GOD to aid, defend, and deliver them: O Lord God of our Fathers, art not thou in heaven? and raignest not thou over all the Kingdoms of the Heathen? and in thine hand is power and strength, and none is able to withstand thee: O our God, wilt not, thou judge them? for there is no strength in us to withstand this great multitude, neither do we know what to do; but our eyes are toward thee. And such was the force of their prayers, that GOD gave them the victory without fight any stroke: the Lord himself became the Warrior, and laid ambushments for their Enemies, (saith the Text) and made them sheathe their swords in one another's bowels, till they were all destroyed. When Senecharib came into the land of judah with a mighty Host; 2 Chron. 32. and took the strong and defenced Cities thereof: Hezekiah and the people what did they? In the first place they used the best means for their safety; they stopped up the fountains of water, that their Enemies might not be refreshed therewith; they built all the broken wall, they raised up the Towers, they repaired Millo in the City of David, they made many Darts and Shields, they mustered the people of the Land, and set Captains over them: teaching us what to do; It is not enough to sit still, and cry, Lord have mercy upon us, without using means for our defence and safety; for GOD works by means be it small or great; and therefore Hezekiah useth the best means he can, to withstand and keep out the Enemy: and then he and his people pray unto God for a good success, and rely on him, as than surest stay for help and deliverance: Fear not, neither be afraid of the King of Ashur; nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there be more with us, then with him; with him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our GOD, for to help us, and to fight our battles. And the Lord seeing their confidence, and hearing their prayers, gave them a marvellous deliverance; sent forth a Captain out of his own Host, a holy Angel which in one night slew an hundred somescore and five thousand of their Enemies. So through this strong and stern foe should come against us; yet let us not be dismayed, if we repent heartily for our sins, pray earnestly unto God, trust to him; no doubt but he will in mercy look upon us, and work some means for their confusion, as he did in 88 beyond our expectation: there be more with us then with them; GOD is on our side; it is his quarrel; he will defend his Church, if we continue constant in his service, fervent in prayer. One Moses by prayer, saved a whole Nation, from a fearful destruction: when the people forgetting God's commandment, made them a God of gold, and worshipped it, and so provoked the holy one of Israel, that he was minded to make a clean riddance, and consume them utterly for it. Moses stepping into the gap, and praying for them, stayed his hand. The people sin, God is angry, draws his sword, lifts up his hand to strike; and Moses lifts up his hands in prayer: and so long as he prays, God cannot strike, his hands were held by Moses prayers: Exod. 32.11. Let me alone, Moses, (saith God) let me alone, that my wrath may wax hot against them, for I will consume them at once, but I will make of thee a mighty people. It seems Moses by his prayers did hinder and hold God back from destroying Israel; prayer is like a chain or manacle to tie the hands of an angry Lord: Vincit invincibilem, It overcomes him, that overcomes all things. And therefore Moses he still prays, O Lord turn from thy fierce wrath, and change thy mind from this evil toward thy people: and such was the power of his prayer, that GOD altered his sentence, turned from his anger, destroyed them not as he had intended. Though God's anger be kindled against this Land for our sins, yet if some Moses do stand in the gap, if some holy, devout, and faithful men do intercede for it, no doubt but God will be merciful: And herein lies our strongest consolation; for as God would have spared sinful Sodom if there had been but fifty, but five and forty, but forty, but thirty, but twenty, nay but ten righteous therein: So, undoubtedly, it is for some good people's sake that GOD hath spared us so long: for though many are sinful, yet it is to be hoped, there is here and there a Moses that holds up his hands; here and there a Lot that grieves for the sins of the time; here and there an Abraham that makes request for Sodom: for their sakes GOD spares the whole, let them continue constant in God's service, zealous in prayer; yea, let us all betake ourselves to earnest, and hearty prayer, for now it is time and more than time so to do. Spare us good Lord, spare us we beseech thee: O remember not our old sins and offences, but have mercy upon us, and that soon, for else we are like to come to great misery; help us O God, of and salvation for the glory of thy name, O deliver us and be merciful unto our sins for thy name's sake. Or as the Prophet joel exhorts, Let the Priests, the Ministers of the Lord, (yea and all the people) weep between the Porch and the Altar in the Lord's house; and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, spare thy people, and give not thine heritage into reproach, that the Heathen should rule over them. Let not this furious, bloodthirsty, and cruel Nation, worse than the Heathen, ever set footing in this Kingdom, or have dominion over us: but let the Crown flourish upon his head, on whom thou hast vouchsafed in mercy to place it; the man of thy right hand whom thou hast made strong for thine own self: cloth his Enemies with shame and confusion: be as a wall of fire to him and his Realms: Let those that rise up against him, be like Sisera and jabin, who perished at Endor, and became as the dung of the earth, make them and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb, yea make all their Princes like as Zeba and Zalmana; O my God, make them like a wheel, and as the stubble before the wind. Let them fall upon the edge of the sword, that they may be a portion for Foxes: so shall the King rejoice in thy strength, exceeding glad shall he be of thy salvation. For why he putteth his trust in thee; and in thy mercy, O thou most high, let him not miscarry. So we that be thy people, and Sheep of thy Pasture, shall give thee thankers for ever, and will be showing forth thy praise from one generation to another. So shall thy name be glorified, thy Son magnified, thy truth defended, thy Gospel propagated, thy poor Church comforted: which we humbly beseech thee to grant, (O Father of mercies, and God of all consolation) for our blessed Saviour jesus Christ his sake; to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit, three glorious persons, one eternal, omnipotent God, be given all honour, glory, praise and power, now and evermore. FINIS.