coat of arms. A WARNING-PIECE TO Repentance: Presented in an ASSIZE-SERMON Preached in the Cathedral Church of LINCOLN. AUG. 15. 1664. By WILLIAM RERESBY Doctor in DIVINITY. Thus saith the Lord; Shall they fall, and not arise? Shall he turn away, and not return? Jer. 8.4. It may be the House of Judab will hear all the evil which I purpose to do unto them; that they may return every man from his evil way, that I may forgive their iniquity and their sin, Jer. 36.3. Heus tu peccator bono animo sis.— Omnes ad poenitentiam commovet, sub comminationibus quidem. Non comminaretur autem non poenitenti, si non ignosceret poenitenti. Tertull. lib. de Poenitentiâ. LONDON, Printed for G. Bedel, and T. Collins, at their Shop next the Middle-Temple Gate in Fleetstreet. 1664. DIGNISSIMO VIRO DOMINO JOHANNI BUCK BARONETTO, COMITATUS LINCOLNIENSIS VICECOMITI; GULIELMUS RERESBY, S. T. P. HANC CONCIONEM D. D. CQ. Perlegi hanc Concionem cui Titulus (A Warning-piece to Repentance) in quânihil reperio Doctrinae Disciplinaeve Ecclesiae Anglicanae aut bonis moribus contrarium. Ex Aedibus Lond. Dec. 10. 1664. Joh. Hall. R.P.D. Episc. Lond. à Sac. Domest. AN ASSIZE-SERMON Preached in the CATHEDRAL CHURCH OF LINCOLN. August 15. 1664. AMOS 4.12. Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel: And because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God O Israel. JUstice and Mercy do usually in Scripture walk hand in hand, and as the doors of the Temple, 1 Kings 6.34. folding one upon another. For God considering our frame in his Wrath, remembers Mercy. Men shall know if he declare himself to be Magnificus in Justitia, that he is withal Munificus in gratia & misericordia, as St. Bernard sweetly. So in this Chapter, having dealt with his people Israel by the infliction of sundry punishments; and yet, as he saith, at the foot of every verse, They would not return unto him; He will now exalt his hand in judgement, putting them to the trial by a sorer and more grievous plague than all the rest: viz. pluck them out of their Land, by the potent hand of a prevailing Adversary, as Fishes are plucked out of the water their natural Element, being caught by a Hook, and cause them to be led Captive into the Land of their Enemies, where they should serve under an Iron yoke in hunger and thirst, and nakedness, and want of all things. The Lord hath sworn by his holiness, that lo the day shall come upon you, that he will take you away with hooks, and your posterity with fish hooks, ver. 2. Now that this Commination might not drive them utterly into despair, lest they should be swallowed up of overmuch sorrow, as those that had no hope, like a mild Physician, who tempers and allays the bitterness of his Potion with some sweet Ingredient, he adds thereto a comfortable Exhortation, showing them the way how to prevent and avert it, viz. if by Repentance yet at length they would return unto him, and prepare to meet him. Therefore (saith he) thus will I do unto thee O Israel: i. e. I will as I threatened, take you away with books, and your posterity with fishhooks (for it hath reference, as I conceive, to the second verse) Thus I will do unto thee, O Israel: And because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. Now from this gentleness of God towards his people, we may observe: Doctr. That God is very gracious and merciful. God loves mercy best, and we need mercy most. God in Scripture is styled the Father of mercies * 2 Cor. 2.3. De extr. judicio Thes. 3. . Excellent is that of Vossius upon that Text, Go ye Cursed: It is said— Come ye Blessed of my Father; but not go ye Cursed of my Father. Benedictionis author & pater est, non item maledictionis, etc. He is a God so gracious, that as the Church speaks, Lam. 3.33. He doth not afflict willingly, nor grieve the children of men. Punishments are in a manner heterogeneous unto him, whose property is always to have mercy, and to forgive. He hires the Razor wherewith he shaves his people. Esay 7.20. The execution of judgement is opus alienum, his strange work. Esay 28.21. He loves freely, but corrects not willingly. He was but six days in creating the whole World, yet seven in destroying one poor City Jericho. Josh. 6. We see what way God hath gone before us, let us follow his steps. Lactantius reports of the Heathens, that they had this Notion amongst them, That the way to honour their gods, was to be like them, and to do as they did. Certainly the way to honour the great God of Heaven and Earth, is to do as He hath done. It was the height of Caesar's Glory, to walk in the steps of Alexander; of Selimus a Turkish Emperor, to walk in Caesar's steps. Let it be our endeavour, it shall be our honour, to follow our heavenly Father, in being merciful even as he is merciful. Luk 6.36. He doth not, let not us execute Justice, but when there is no place left for mercy. This Duty concerneth all in general, but Judges are more especially to follow God's example herein. He hath vouchsafed to honour them with his own Name, I have said ye are gods, Psal. 82.6. He hath made them petty gods, for his Dixi is a Feci; with him to say they are gods, is to make them so. It is therefore the Duty of these mortal gods, to imitate the Immortal God in the exercise of Mercy. And it is observable, that God instructs Magistrates in the performance of this Duty, before he tells them of their godship. Defend, saith he, the Poor and Fatherless, see that such as be in need and necessity have right. Deliver the Outcast and Poor; save them from the hand of the ungodly, Psal. 82.3, 4. And then, and not till then, he honours them with his own Title, I have said ye are gods, ver. 6. As if he had said, exercise these works of Mercy, and then ye are gods indeed, ye are then like the true God; but without these ye are like the Idols of the Heathen, that had much worship from the people, but were good for nothing. But I would not be mistaken, I am not so far a Patron for Mercy, that I desire Justice should any whit suffer. No! I subscribe to that voice, Fiat justitia, licet confractus corruit orbis. Let Justice be done, though the world perish. But then, as I said, let not Justice have its full course, till there be no room left for Mercy: And that will not be as long as any thing remains doubtful in such cases as are to be determined: For certainly it holds in Law, Idem est non esse & non apparere. Therefore where things are not evident, it is both safer and better to incline to Mercy, than Severity. In such cases the old Rules are excellent: In peccatis evidentiam, in poenis aedificationem. And again: Nec cito in apertis, nec unquam in ambiguis. Better Twenty offenders should escape, than One innocent person suffer. But when things are notoriously plain, Mercy must no longer walk alone, but Justice must take her by the hand. They must then meet together, Psal. 85.10. Mark, they must meet together. Even in plain cases, Mercy is not utterly to be excluded; when there was no way left, but that God was enforced to proceed to the punishment of his people, he passeth sentence with a groan as it were, Esay 1.24. Ah! I will ease me of my adversaries, and avenge me of mine Enemies. It is a great trouble to a good Judge, to be enforced to use Severity. Ille dolet, quoties cogitur esse ferox. But in some cases there is no remedy; for rather than sin and sinners should go unpunished, he must with David, sing not only of Mercy, but also of Judgement, Psal. 101. ●. Unisons make no good Music; such are Gods Attributes, that he will not cease to be just, that he may be merciful: As he is the Father of Mercies, so he is the Lord of Wrath. Baal Chemah, a Possessor of Wrath, Nahum 1.2. The great God of Heaven and Earth hath a time of retroving, as well as a time of reprieving. A time of correcting man for sin, as well as conniving at man's sin. His patience hath fixed bounds and limits; and Magistrates, those petty gods, aught to be like the great God in this also: They must not leave sin unpunished, upon pretence that God is merciful. Aquinas * Secunda Secundae. Quest. 64. Art. 2. Si salutis totius corporis humani expediat praecisio alicujus membri, puta cum est putridum, vel corruptivum al●o●um membrorum, laudabiliter & salubriter abscinditur. upon that Question, Whether it be lawful to put Malefactors to death? concludes it not only lawful, but necessary, as we cut off a putrid corrupted Member, a Leg, or an Arm, when the more principal and vital parts are hazarded— Laudabiliter & salubriter abscinditur. And in answer to another Question, he asserts, Secunda Secundae. Quest. 64. Art. 3. & 4. That Princes and Judges may take away the Lives of flagitious Malefactors, in quantum ordinatur ad salutem totius communitatis: If their death may conduce to the tranquillity and prosperity of the Commonwealth. But enough of this, having only gleaned it up by the way. In the words observe a Denunciation, and a Direction; or if you will, a Prediction, and a Prescription. The Denunciation or Prediction in these words— Therefore thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. The Direction or Prescription in these— And because I will do this unto thee, prepare to meet thy God, O Israel. q. d. Now if thou wouldst not have me do this unto thee, O Israel, I'll tell thee what thou shouldst do; direct thee a way, and prescribe thee a means, whereby thou may'st prevent it, and that is, Prepare to meet me by Repentance. In the first again observe a double Demonstration, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, & 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the Denunciation itself; The Judgement that is threatened, Thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. The 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 being the ground, reason, or cause of it, in the word Therefore— of which first, as it so lies in order. Sometimes it is particula 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, or as they speak in the Schools, Consecutiva; a Particle Syllogistical, or Conclusive, signifying only the sequel of a matter; here it is 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, signifying the cause of that which follows, the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 (as we said) of the Judgement denounced; Therefore; i. e. for this cause. The Collection thereupon is plain. That God never punisheth without a cause; the Judgements that He executes, Doctr. are always just and righteous. For proof whereof, Job 34. look into Job 34. Far be it from God that he should do wickedness, and from the Almighty that he should commit iniquity. Ver. 10. Surely God will not do wickedly, Ver. 12. neither will the Almighty pervert Judgement. Ver. 23. He will not lay upon man more than is right. Again, Chap. 37.23. Touching the Almighty, etc. Job 37.23 He will not afflict (i. e. without cause, saith the English Note in the Margin) Rom. 2.2. We are sure that the judgement of God is according to truth. i e. according to right and equity. (Est verum Vitae, Doctrinae, Justitiaeque) Psal. 9.8. He shall judge the World in righteousness, he shall minister judgement to the people in uprightness. Again, Psal. 92. ver. ult. To show that the Lord is upright, and that there is no unrighteousness in him; Ne minima quidem, not the least unrighteousness in him, as the word signifies. For its a Rule among the Hebrews, that in words of the Feminine Gender, as this, when the Note of the Gender is doubled, as in this (for else it should be Gnaulah, not Gnaulathah) the signification is extended, and something is added thereto. Now what should be the Reasons? I shall name one or two grounded upon Scripture. Reas. 1 And the first is taken from the immutable Justice that is in God's Nature, which seems to be laid down, Psal. 119.137. Righteous art thou, O Lord, and upright are thy judgements. As if the holy Prophet had said, Upright, O Lord, and Just are thy Judgements, which thou hast inflicted on me; they must needs be so; why? for thou thyself art Just and Righteous. Again, Zephany 3.5. The just Lord will not do iniquity, do no wrong; why? for he is Just. The person we know, specificates and qualifies the action; such as is the one, such is the other. A good Tree, saith our Saviour, Matth. 7. bringeth forth good fruit, nay, and which is more, cannot bring forth evil fruit, ver. 18. The Divine Attributes are neither really distinct from the Divine Essence, Suarez. Metaph. 30. Sect. 6. nor yet from one another; his Mercy is the same with his Justice, and both God himself: A man may be a man, and yet be unjust; Justice is not his quid constitutivum: But should the most High be unjust, he could not be God. Justice is not a quality in him, but the very Nature of him; for in Essentia Dei nec aliud, nec accidens. Reas. 2 A second Reason is, because he loves Justice and righteous dealing, and therewith is wonderfully delighted. Ask a man why he uses to do thus, or thus; and all the reason he will give you, perhaps is this, Because I love to do so, it's my de●ight. Now the righteous Lord loveth righteousness, Psal. 11.7. Again, Jer. 9.14. I execute judgement and righteousness 〈◊〉 the earth; for in these things I delight, with the Lord. And if you mark, this Reason is there laid down, I execute judgement and righteousness in the earth; for, or because in these things I delight. Nay! 〈◊〉 so much delights in the execution of ●●dgment, that he is contented, that the 〈◊〉 of his immediate Worship shall, for that purpose, be for a time intermitted, and suspended. When Joshua, and the Elders of Israel were crying to God in prayer, mark God's Reply, Get thee up, why liest thou upon thy face? Josh. 7.10 something else is now to be done; Israel hath sinned, I am highly provoked, Achan must die. Though the prayer of the upright be God's delight; Prov. 15.8 Though prayer be the most acceptable piece of all God's service; Cant. 2.14 Let me see thy countenance, let me hear thy voice; for sweet is thy voice, and thy countenance is comely; Yet Joshua is here called from his Devotion, to the execution of Justice. Reas. 3 Not to mention any more, the third Reason is taken from his Judicial Office at the latter day. He shall judge the World, ponderrng the particular actions of men, and weighing them, as it were, in a balance. So Solomon in the last of Ecclesiastes, God will bring every work into judgement, with every secret thing, whether it be good or evil. And if every work, then among the rest, wrong-doing, and injurious dealing. Now this he cannot do, if injustice and wrong should be found in any of his actions. A Judge must not be guilty of those things he condemns in others. The Philosopher being asked on a time why he laughed? answered, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. I see great Thiefs lead a little Thief to hanging. And this reason I find laid down, Rom. 3.5, 6. Is God unrighteous, & c? How then shall he judge the World? So Gen. 18.25. Shall not the Judge (saith Abraham) of all the Earth do right? q. d. O Lord, Thou art Judge of all the Earth, How then can it be, but thou shouldest do right? Now for Application: And the Use hereof is threefold. For Instruction, Consolation, and Exhortation. Use. 1 1. For Instruction. If God never punish without a cause; if the judgements that he executes, are always just and righteous; it teacheth us when any punishment is upon us, how to obtain deliverance from it, viz. by taking away the cause thereof. The cause of any thing being taken away, its effect ceases; according to that Rule, Sublatâ causâ tollitur effectus. But what's the cause of all kind of punishments? The Prophet Jeremy shall tell you, Lam. 3.39. Man suffereth for his sin. And David, Psal. 107.17. Fools, because of their transgressions, and because of their iniquity, are afflicted. Remove thy sins then, and forsake them, and be washed from them, and let them be unto thee as the waters of Noah, which God hath sworn shall no more go over the Earth; not returning with the Deg unto his vomit again; nor with the Sow to her wallowing in the mire; and than God will remove his judgements. Thou deceivest thyself, if thou expect deliverance any other way. Jer. 30.15. Why criest thou for thine affliction? Thy sorrow is incurable: And why? For the multitude of thine iniquities, because thy sins were increased. Thou dost not cease to multiply and increase thy sins, and iniquities daily, and yet criest unto me for thine affliction, that I should take it away; why dost thou so? its in vain: I neither can, no● will, till thou take away thy sins. Use. 2 The second Use is for Consolation, and the Consolation of those whose Friends that are dear unto them, are any ways afflicted, or visited under God's hand. Look into the 14th. Chapter of Ezekiel, the Lord threatening there to smite Jerusalem with a deadly destruction, bringing his four sore judgements (as he calls them) upon it: The Sword, the Famine, Noisome Beasts, and the Pestilence; yet promises that a remnant should escape, he would spare some few. But what favour was that? They had better have perished with the rest, than survive with grief of heart, and sorrow of eyes, to see the destruction of their neighbours, kinsfolks, friends and acquaintance round about. How can I endure, saith Esther, to see the destruction of my people? No, saith God, in the two last verses, They shall be comforted concerning the evil that I will bring upon Jerusalem. But how? When they consider that I have not done without cause all that I have done. Use 3 3. For Exhortation: And, 1. To all in general. 2. To some more especially in particular. 1. To all in general. Eph. 5.1. Herein to be followers of God as dear Children, taking heed by all means of wrong doing. In God there are some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, inimitable of the Creature; some things 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which are difficult, and hard to be imitated; other things again, 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, which are easy to be imitated. And of this last sort is his just and righteous dealing, and process against sinners. The sin, my Brethren, is greatly aggravated, when what is done, is done without cause, no just occasion being given. They have privily laid a Net to destroy me, saith David of his Adversaries; that was a sin; I, and without cause: Yea, even without cause they have made a pit for my soul, Psal. 35.7. It was greater by that. The Assyrian, saith God, oppressed my people; that was ill; nay, and which is worse, without cause, Esay 52.4. A sin too common and Epidemical in these times, wherein Judgement, as our Prophet speaks, Ames 6.12. Chapter 6. is turned into gall, and the fruit of righteousness into hemlock! Esay 59.14. Or as another Prophet, Esay 59 Judgement is turned away backward, and Justice standeth afar off, Truth is fallen in the streets, and Equity cannot enter. But I wish the Apostles saying were remembered, Col. 3. ult. He that doth wrong, shall receive according to the wrong that he hath done. 2. To some more especially in particular: And they, 1. Those that are instrumental for the execution of Justice, viz. Judges, Lawyers, Jurors, Witnesses. 2. Those that suffer under God's hand howsoever. 1. Those that are instrumental for the execution of Justice. And amongst these, Judges have the first place. They are God's Vicegerents, his Substitutes as it were; or as the Apostle calls them, Rom. Rom. 13.4. 13. His Ministers to execute wrath upon evil doers. In any wise to beware of unjust executions and penalties, such as for which there is no cause. An upright Judge looks at the justness of the cause, not at the persons of their Friends, Kinsmen, or Favourites. Personam judicas exuit qui amici induit. He is too little a Judge, who is too much a Friend. Justice must run down like a River, saith our Prophet, Amos 5 24. Chap. 5.24. It must not be paled in as a Pond, but must lie open to refresh all comers, rich and poor. Ye shall hear the small, as well as the great, Deut. 1.17. Justice is pictured with a veil before her eyes, and a pair of Scales in her hand; her eyes are veiled, to denote unto us the impartiality that should be in a Judge; he should have tars to scan men's causes, but no eyes to discern the persons. Exod. 23.3. Thou shalt not countenance a poor man in his cause: And if not a poor man, much less a rich; for if the person of any should be accepted, certainly in all Equity, the person of the poor doth bespeak pity, rather than the person of the potent; but then see here is a strict Command against this. Again, Justice is pictured with a balance, to show that Judges should scan those Causes exactly that are brought before them It was the practice of holy Job, Chap. 29.16. Job 29.16. The cause which I knew not, I searched out. It is not safe to ride Post over matters; for that Judge doth ill purchase to himself the Title of a man of expedition, and dispatch, that overhastens Causes, and ends them before they be ripe. Not that Causes are to be spun out with unnecessary Demurs and Protractions, to men's great charge and vexation; but only, that a Judge should, with all possible pains and patience, hear both Parties, search Writings and Evidences, weigh every Information and Circumstance, examine Witnesses, and not suffer a bold Lawyer to dash plain men out of countenance, though, may be, they cannot give in their Testimony in a fluent language; but (according to their breeding) are only able to lisp out the Truth in a homespun speech. ' I was good counsel which the good King Jehoshaphat gave unto his Judges, 2 Chron. 19.6. 2 Chron. 19.6. He said to the Judges, Take heed what you do. Rush not at things by guess, but weigh them deliberately, exactly. And if you read the remainder of this verse, and then afterwards the seventh, Ver. 6, 7. you will see three Motives to stir up Judges to this exactness. He said to the Judges, Take heed what you do (now observe) for ye judge not for man, but for the Lord (that's the first) Who is with you in judgement (that's the second) Wherefore now let the fear of the Lord be upon you, take heed and do it; for there is no iniquity with the Lord, nor respect of persons, nor taking of gifts (there's the third.) 1. Judge's ought to look diligently at the justness of the Cause, and to proceed very carefully, because they judge not for man, but for the Lord. Did you only judge for man, though you should act negligently, injustly, yet you might do it with so much untrivance, as you might come off well enough; but since you judge for the Lord, you had need to behave yourselves circumpectly, faithfully; for there is nothing, though never so closely carried, that can scape his eyes, Hebr. 4.12. He makes 〈◊〉 search with Candles, Zeph. 5.12. Nay, 〈◊〉 himself is a light beyond Ten thousand Candles, so that he can with ease make 〈◊〉 discovery of all your Actions, though ●hey should be covered with an Egyptian ●arkness. Quantascunque tenebras factis tuis superstruxeris, Lib. de Poenitentia. c. 6. Deus lumen est, saith Tertullian. And as God sees what's done amiss; so certainly, if he be not prevented by Repentance, he will punish it. The day will come, when you shall be again ungodded; for he that hath said, Ye are gods, hath also said, Ye shall die like men, Psal. 82.7. Dye you must, and come to judgement. All the Lions of the World must bow before, and give account to the Lamb of God. He hath appointed a day (Cornelius à Lapide, calls it Horizon Temporis & Aeternitatis) in which he will judge the World in righteousness. Acts 17.31. And shall the World be judged, and shall you be exempted? surely no. And how severely the Lord Jesus Christ shall exercise his power, the same à Lapide tells you; Ipse à Vobis rationem vel praestitae, vel neglectae justitiae severam exiget, ac pro merritis praemiabit, vel puniet. 2. Judge's ought diligently to mind the justness of the Cause, and to give sentence accordingly, because God is with them in judgement. He stands in the Congregation of gods, Psal. 82.1. stands with attention, stands with power. He takes notice of the whole behaviour of the Judge, all the while he sits upon the Bench; not 〈◊〉 word, not a smile, not a frown passeth from him, but he observes it. There is a saying, That the King is virtually present in his Courts, as long as they continue his Courts: God is really present in these Courts of Justice. In Eccles. 8.10. The ●eat of Judicature is called the place of the ●●ly. I saw the wicked buried, who had ●ome and gone from the place of the holy. ●agnin renders it à loco sancto, from the ●oly place. Junius reads è loco sancto, out of ●he place of the Holy: And why the place of he Holy? I conceive this may be said, because ●e who is Holiness itself, sits chief Justice ●here. Apud R●bbinos Deus dicitur Makom locus, quia omnia in se comprehendit, & nullo loco comprehenditur. Bithner in Exod. 21.13. The Rabbins (as Buxtorf tells ●●s) put Makom, which signifies ●lace, amongst the Names of God. bothner brings them expounding that Text in Esther 4.14. Deliverance shall arise to the Jews from another place, i. e. from God. They ●alled him place, because he is in every ●lace. There is not any place, whether Sacred or Profane, whether Private 〈◊〉 Public, but we may say of it, as Jacob ●●d of Bethel, Gen. 28.16. Surely God 〈◊〉 in this place, and we were not ware: ●t though we cannot go from God's Spirit, Psal. 139.7 or flee from his presence, because he is present everywhere, yet in his own Court● and in yours he is present more eminently, and more perspicuously. When the AEthiopian Judges were set in their Seats of Judicature, certain empty Chairs were set at the upper end of their Consistories, wherein they imagined the Holy Angels came to sit: Angels are very frequent in, and observant of such Solemn Conventions. Hoc judicium animos ad vigilantiam, & reverentiam inflecteret, saith Quintus Pius. This they thought (and so it ought) would work an awe and fear in their Magistrates; a resolution and care in them to do Justice exactly. He who is greater than any of the Cherubins, or Seraphins; He whose Centre is everywhere, and Circumference nowhere; He who fills Heaven with his glory, the Earth with his mercy, and Hell with his fury, how full soever your Hall anon be thwacked and thronged, will find a room among them; and this should make all, from the Judge to the Witness, to beware of wrong-doing in such a dreadful presence. 3. Judge's ought diligently to look to the justness of the cause, because there is no iniquity with our God, no (〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉) not injustice, so the Seventy; therefore let there be none in you. Non tam mei quam ●ei estis Vicarii, etc. as C. à Lapide. You are not so much the Deputy of the King, ●s of the King of Kings. As therefore the Lord is righteous in all his ways, and ●●ly in all his works, Psal. 145.17. so ●e you just in all your Sentences. These are the three Motives which Je●●shaphat presented to his Judges, to stir them up to carefulness; I have only given ●ou the same: And I beseech you, my LORD, remember, 1. That you judge not 〈◊〉 Man, but for the Lord. 2. That God ●s with you in Judgement. 3. That there 〈◊〉 no injustice in the Lord your God. And ●hen I am sure, as you are the mortal picture ●f the Immortal God; so you, as he, will ●ever punish without a cause; and those judgements that you execute, will be al●ayes just and righteous. 2. This Exhortation doth extend itself to Lawyers: Do you, after God's example, look at the justness of men's Cau●●s, and be more ready to compose, than ●art differences. It is Panormitan's ad●ice, Promptior sit quisque vestrum ad ●mponendum, quam ad contendendum. And ●bove all things, take heed that you do not knowingly plead a bad Cause, else you cannot be good men. Bonus vir non agit nisi bonas causas, as Quintil. tells you. Pl●●tarch reports, That Phocyon would not defend his Son-in-law Charles, in an evil Cause. Why should you Strangers? Undertake good Causes only; and having undertaken them, betray them not for want of pleading: Take not Fees of both sides, Demosthenes said to one of his Fellow-Lawyers, that bragged he had received 〈◊〉 Talon for his Pleading, Tush, Fool, I ha●● more for holding my Peace. Some Lawyers sell their very silence at a great rate; but would they deal uprightly, it would be more for their advantage. Some writ of the Ostriches feather, that it will in time moult and consume all the feathers in the T●● wherein it is put. Sure I am, unlawful Fees will consume those Treasures which you have well gotten. You may indeed, by playing Jack-a-both-sides, or by being for any side, right or wrong, heap up an Estate suddenly; but it will neither do you, nor yours, any great good; for it will not be permanent. An inheritance may be hastily gotten at the beginning; but the end thereof shall not be blessed, Prov. 20.21. 3. This Exhortation doth extend itself unto Jurors, they are also to take heed of wrong-doing. Remember thy Oath, ●●d (as far as thou canst) search out the Truth; receive thy Informations attentively, and seriously before thou goest out, and then (all by-respects set aside) deliver ●●y Conscience clearly, and plainly. Let ●ot the nearness of Kinsmen, the malice thou hast to any man, the frowns of great ●en, nor the hope of reward from rich ●en, cause you to clear the Guilty, or oppress the Innocent. I speak to you all, not ●o the Foreman only. I have heard indeed, that in Juries, all the rest are apt to follow the first, as if they were so many Hor●es in a Teem: But I beseech you remember, that you are all to kiss the Book, as well as your Foreman; and therefore be not any ways biased, or coy'd in by him, to bring in an unjust Verdict, but act according to your Consciences. Sheep will follow the first, qua itur, non quà eundum, whether it be right or wrong; but you are Twelve men, not twelve sheep; and therefore let reason and conscience, and not example only, be your guide. 4. This Exhortation doth likewise extend itself unto Witnesses; they must by all means take heed of wrong-doing. Remember God's Commandment, Thou shall not bear false witness against thy Neighbour. Exod. 20.16 Do not forget thy Oath, take heed of Perjury. It is Mendacium juramento firmatum, a Lie confirmed by an Oath. Thou shalt swear in truth and judgement, and righteousness, Jer. 4.2. Si ista defuerint (saith St. Jerom) nequaquam erit juramentum sed perjurium. If these be wanting, it is not an Oath, but Perjury. The Prophet Zachary saw a flying Roll, and in it a curse written against Thiefs and Swearers, such as swear rashly and falsely, Zach. 5.3, 4. The curse of God will follow thee to thy house, it is impossible to overrun it, for it will fly after thee; and when it comes there, it will not stand knocking at thy door, and be gone, but it shall remain in the midst of thy house, and shall consume it with the Timber thereof, and the stones thereof. Did men consider this Threatening well, they would not sell Oaths so cheap, as they say some do. It is not thy Landlords abating thee a little Rent, or his giving thee a piece of Money now and then, not his making thee eat and drink of the best, and to the full all the Assizes, for swearing lustily in his Cause, and coming to him beforehand, to know what it is that will do the deed. Alas, it is not all this, nor greater things than these, thou possibly may'st gain by forswearing thyself, that can lie in balance against the displeasure of Almighty God. Though thou couldst gain the whole World for thy Perjury, thou wouldst, for all that, be a great loser by the bargain: For what shall it profit a man, ●f he shall gain the whole World, and lose ●is own soul? Mark 8.36. These four, Judges, Lawyers, Jurors, Witnesses are in ●he first place, more particularly concerned 〈◊〉 this Use of Exhortation. 2. Those that suffer under Gods and howsoever; and the Exhortation to ●hem is double. 1. To justify God in their sufferings, acknowledging themselves sinners, and that ●e also is righteous in all that he hath done. This hath been the constant practice of all ●e Saints of God in Scripture, as St. Au●stine observes upon Psal. 145. Omnes ●ncti in tribulationibus constituti, non de●●runt Deo injustitiam, etc. The Lord is righteous (saith the Church in the Lamentations) Chap. 1.18. for I have rebelled ●gainst his Commandment. O Lord, righteousness belongeth unto thee, but unto us confusion of faces, Dan. 9.7 saith Daniel, Chap. 9.7. Again, The Lord our God is righteous in all his works which he doth, for we obeyed not his voice, Ver. 14. ver. 14. O my God, saith Ezra, I am ashamed, and blush to lift up my face to thee, for our iniquities are incrcas●● over our head, Ezra 9.6. and our trespass is grown up unto the Heavens, Chap. 9.6. And in ver. ult. Ver. 15. O Lord God thou art righteous, behold we are before thee in our trespasses. Howbeit, Neh. 9 33 saith Nehemiah, Thou art just in all that is brought upon us; for thou hast done right, but we have done wickedly. Chap. 9.33. I know, O Lord, that thy judgements are right, saith David, and that thou in faithfulness hast afflicted me, Psal. 119.75. Psal. 119.75. Again, Righteous art thou, O Lord, Ver. 137. and upright are thy judgements, ver. 137. Or as it is in the Original, upright is thy judgements. To show that every one of his judgements is upright; and so David confessed (for when a Verb singular is joined with a Substantive plural, i● notes a distribution) Again, Psal. 51.4 Against thee only have I sinned, and don● this evil in thy sight; that thou mightest be justified when thou speakest, and be clea● when thou judgest. And if I justify myself, Job 19.20 saith Job, my own mouth shall condem● me, Chap. 9.20. i e. My tongue shall give itself the lie; whereas I cannot but confess, that God who afflicts me is just, and I am a Transgressor. 2. It exhorts them with patience to take up their Cross, and therein possess their souls. Non animo tristi, saith the old Verse, fer poenam quam meruisti. And so Oenone in the Poet speaking to Paris, Leviter ex merito quicquid patiare ferendum est; Quae venit indignè poena dolenda venit. If all punishments be deserved, never any unjustly inflicted, than they must be patiently endured. Micah 7.9. I will bear, saith the Church, the indignation of the Lord, because I have sinned against him. q. 〈◊〉. I will patiently sustain what the Lord ●n his wrath hath laid upon me, because by sin and iniquity I have deserved it, and provoked him thereunto. And so much for the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, Therefore. Follows now the 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉, being the Denunciation, or Prediction itself, Thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. He had dealt with them already by sundry plagues and punishments; given them cleanness of teeth in all their Cities, Amos 4.6 and want of bread in all their places; withheld the rain from them, when there was yet three Months to Harvest; and caused it to rain upon one City, and not upon another, so as two or three Cities wandered to one City, Ver. 7, 8. to drink water. Smote them with blasting and mild-dew, when their Gardens and Vineyards, and Figtrees and Olive-trees increased. Ver. 9, 10, 11. Sent the Pestilence amongst them, and the Sword too in part: Yet, as he saith, for all this, they would not return unto him; therefore now will he do Thus unto them, i.e. lead them Captives into the Land of their Enemies, taking them away out of their own Land, as Fishes are violently taken out of the water with a hook (as it is in the second verse, Ver. 2. whereto it hath reference, as I told you) a sorer punishment than all the rest, to see if yet at last their uncircumcised hearts would be humbled, and they would accept of the punishment of their iniquity, and return unto him. The Deduction thence is obvious. That God, Doctr. when lesser punishments do not prevail to make men return to him, (i.e. come home to him) by Repentance, and amendment of life, will inflict greater. — Vehementius urit Quos videt invitos succubuisse sibi. As Aelian reports of Bees, AElian de animal. lib. 1. c. 9 That the Drone in the Night entering the Hive, Aelian de animal. lib. 1. c. 9 and eating their honey, as soon as they perceive it (for they have a custom for some to wake, and keep watch whilst the rest sleep) fall upon him, and beat him, but it's but with their wings the first time, so as he receives no great hurt; but if he take not this warning and correction, but adventure again the second time, they then deal more harshly with him than before; pricking and goring him with their stings. Or as Tamerlane, to obtain that famous Victory over Bajazet the Great Turk with his numerous Host, used this Policy; Divided his Army into three Bands, not suffering them all to fight at once, but first set upon him with one Division, and when the fury of that was spent, retired them, and advanced with the second, and relieved that likewise with the third; and when it was out of breath, the first was ready to come on again. So God hath several sorts of punishments, and heaps them not all at once upon the heads of Impenitents, but proceeds by degrees; first inflicting lesser and more mild, than sorer, after that, if they do not prevail, yet sorer than they, still coming upon them, as it were afresh, with new and more violent Castigations. For proof whereof, look into Ezra 9.13, 14. And after all that is come upon us for our evil deeds, and for our great trespass, seeing that thou our God hast punished us less than our iniquities deserve, and hast given us such deliverance as this, should we again break thy Commandments, etc. wouldst thou not be angry with us, till thou hadst consumed us, so that there should be no remnant, nor escaping? q. d. We have endured the miseries of a long Captivity, which was brought upon us by reason of our sins; and now that thou dost begin to call us home again, giving us a little reviving in our bondage, and a nail in thy holy place; should we return to the same sins again, we should taste of greater miseries than we have yet felt; instead of Captivity, be brought to utter desolation, and destroyed from being a people any more. In the mouth of two or three Witnesses, shall every word be established; observe therefore two places more: John 5.14. Thou art made whole, saith our Saviour to him he had healed of his infirmity, which he had had Eight and thirty years, Sin no more, lest a worse thing come unto thee. q. d. Thou hast had this infirmity thus long, and art healed, see now thou return not again to thy former sinful and flagitious course of life; for if thou dost, God will have a greater punishment for thee, a worse thing shall come unto thee. The other (and it's a special one) is Leu. 26.18, 21, 24. There, saith God, I will appoint over you Terror, Consumption, and the burning Ague, etc. If ye will not for all this hearken unto me, than I will punish you seven times more for your sins, etc. Now what should be the Reasons? Reas. 1 1. God is a God of Truth, and having spoken it, he will do it; for he is not a man that he should lie, nor the son of man that he should repent, Numb. 23.19. That's the first: He doth so, because he hath said he will do so. Reas. 2 2. He is also a gracious God, greatly desiring every sinner's Repentance and Conversion, and therefore punishes him more and more, till it be effected. For though some men be like the root Anchusa, which they say is hardened with water, mollified with oil; are soon won with mercies and benefits, drawn by fair means; yet most are like the Thracian stone, found in the River Pontus, or the Coals of Namurca (of which they say, that steeped in water, they burn, but sprinkled with oil are quenched) will not be wrought upon with the oil of mercy, till with David, Psal. 69.2. they come into deep waters, and the floods (of Affliction) overflow them. Reas. 3 3. He is likewise a Holy God, that cannot endure iniquity. Hab. 1.13. Thou art of purer eyes thou to behold evil, and canst not look on iniquity, etc. And therefore punishes, not surceasing, till men surcease, and forsake their iniquities. This is it which God said, Psal. 68.21. God shall wound the head of his Enemies, and the hairy scalp of such a one as goeth on still in his trespasses. Reas. 4 The fourth and last Reason, is taken from the end of all punishments, which is nothing else but to bring us by Repentance unto God, Heb. 12.10. Our Fathers in the flesh correct us, etc. but he (mark now) for our profit, that we might be partakers of his holiness. Now that being their end, and they being sent for that purpose, they will not away till it be produced; even as a Messenger will not departed, till he have an answer of his Errand, but continues, and that with more vehemency and importunity, if it be deferred. Use. The Use now of this is twofold: for Instruction and Exhortation. For Instruction; and first to all in general. Secondly, To some more especially in particular. First, To all in general, teaching them, that (since God, when lesser punishments will not serve the turn, will inflict greater) God hath variety, multiplicity of punishments. He is not like a Wasp, that hath but one sting; his Quiver is full of Arrows, so as when one will not serve, he can use another, and after that another and another, as he did with Pharaoh. The Treasury of his Justice, even as of his Mercy, ●s inexhaustible, according to that of St. Bernard, Immensus est Deus, & infinitus in ●ustitia, sicut & misericordia, multus ad ig●oscendum, multus ad ulciscendum: God is great and infinite in Justice, as well as in Mercy; much in pardoning, much in punishing. Wherefore it behoves us to fear and tremble, not daring in any wise to offend him, as the Apostle makes the consequence, Heb. 12.28. Let us have grace, whereby we may serve God acceptably with reverence and godly fear, for our God is a consuming fire. Secondly, The Use of Instruction doth extend itself to some more especially in particular, as Judges, Justices, and all that are in Authority, teaching them, that (since God, when lesser, etc.) they are to rise in their punishments, as offenders rise in their wickedness; if a frown will not serve the turn, they must take the Rod; and if that will not prevail, they must use the Rope. God proportions his punishments to men's offences; and as they add sin unto sin, till at length the measure of their iniquity becomes full; so he adds one drop of anger to another, till the Vials of his wrath become full. His wrath and their sins come to their height at the very same time, and then, and not till then, he pours them out. The Amorites, though very wicked, Gen. 15.16. were reprieved, till their iniquities were full. God will not punish sinners beyond their deserts; little lesser sins, shall have little punishments. I know indeed that to think any sin little, is no little sin; yet some sins are greater than others, and God always inflicts the greatest punishments upon the greatest sins. As God by our Prophet in my Text, threatens to inflict a most grievous punishment upon the Israelites; so he tells them by him, that they were guilty of most heinous transgressions, Amos 5.12. I know (saith God) your manifold transgressions, and ●our mighty sins. Peccata vestra valida, & fortia, as Drusius. Gravia & copiosa, saith Vatablus. Magnopere me irritantia; Ribera. Obstinata & enormia scelera ve●ra vidi, saith Lambertus on the Text: Words are wanting to express the sinfulness of their sins. The Original is more full and emphatical, and might extend to ●e rendered, Your Boney * Peccata Robusta, obdurata q. ossea: As the bones in the body sins..: And when ●●ns are mighty and boney, God's punishments are answerable. He deals thus with ●is own dearest Children; even David himself being polluted with mighty, Boney ●●ns, was afflicted with mighty, boney punishments, as it may appear very plainly ●y that prayer of his, in Psal. 51.8. Make ●e to hear joy and gladness, that the Bones ●hich thou hast broken may rejoice. And as the great God of Heaven equals, and but equals his punishments to men's transgressions; so Judges (those petty gods) should write after his Copy: They should punish Malefactors according to their Crimes, but they are not to plague them beyond the measure of their Offences. I cannot commend Draco's Laws, which are said to be writ in blood, because (as A. Gellius saith) whatsoever the offence was, they were to die that offended. Death is the height of punishments, and ought not not to be inflicted, unless it be upon notorious offenders. Non poena sed justitia delectetur judex, saith Camero well. Let a Judge be delighted with the execution of Justice, not with the infliction of Punishment; in that the Lord delights, not in this, Jer. 9.24. Ferina rabies est sanguine & vulneribus gandere, saith Seneca: Illos crudeles vocabo, qui puniendi causam habent, modum non habent. Many are not just enough, some overmuch. He that Tills his Land overmuch, loseth by it. 'Twas good counsel which Artaxerxes gave to Ezra, Chap. 7.26. Whosoever will not do the Law of thy God, and the Law of the King, let judgement ●e executed speedily upon him, whether it be ●nto Deach, or to Banishment, or to Confiscation of Goods, or to Imprisonment. Here is ●ariety of punishments, all offenders must ●ot suffer alike. We have Stocks for Va●rants Whips for Harlots, Ropes for Felons, Gallows for Murderers. And as God, when ●sser punishments will not serve the turn, ●oth inflict severer; so may you, nay, so must you; only take heed of sentencing ●en to the Gallows, when the Stocks or the Whip will do the deed. Use 2 2. For Exhortation. When at any ●ime the hand of God is upon us, in any ●easure, to make our peace with him by repentance, lest by the neglect of the same, we procure greater evil unto ourselves. Surely it is meet to be said unto God, I have ●orn chastisement, I will not offend any more, Job 34.31. One would think that this, viz, that else we shall procure greater evil unto ourselves, were motive strong enough, every one being willing to avoid punishment; yet further take into your consideration three things, a threefold Cord is not quickly broken. 1. That else (if thou dost not) thou shalt show thyself a Fool; as great a Fool as he, who coming to the games of Olympus to try his strength, and having received a foil, yet would not leave till he had got a fall. Malo accepto, saith the Proverb, stultus sapit: And accordingly the Poet; — Tandem sua poena nocentem Consequitur, passusque sapit tum denique stultus. It is the part of a Fool not to be wise, and take warning before punishment, till thereby he be compelled thereto. And so Solomon, Prov. 22.3. A prudent man forseeth the evil (dangers that are imminent) and hideth himself (endeavoureth to prevent and escape them) but the simple (or a silly Fellow, Pothe. the same word being so translated, Hos. 7.11.) passeth on (goeth on still in his sin) and is punished. Now there is no man can endure to be counted a Fool. Women, saith the French Proverb, cannot endure to be counted hard-favoured, Nor Men to be accounted Fools. 2. Consider, that as its a part of Folly, so an infallible symptom and character of a wicked man. The proud man is not healed by his punishment; why? for (the plant of wickedness) hath taken root in him, Eccles. 3.28. So in Prov. 21.29. The wicked hardens his face, i. e. refuseth occasions whereby he should be brought to Repentance, and obstinately resolves to persist still, and go on in his wickedness. Again, Esay 26.11. Lord, saith the Prophet, (speaking of the wicked, whom he mentions in the former verse) when thy hand (viz. of judgement) is lifted up, they will not see, i. e. take notice of the same, to make an holy use thereof, and thereby be brought to Repentance. Now there's none likewise would be accounted a wicked man, not the wickedest man, and most profane that lives, would be accounted so by his goodwill, Cambden's Remains. it being Nomen abominandi ominis, as Atrius Umber was anciently among the Romans. 3. Consider that such obstinacy, is not only a part of folly, the property of a wicked man, but also greatly grieves, and displeases God, Esay 63.10. His people being afflicted, would not repent, but rebelled and vexed, it's said, his holy Spirit; no small thing. Argumentum fortius est ultimo loco ponendum. There's a Proverb, It's no good living in Rome, when the Pope is not a man's Friend: Surely there's no good living in the World, when the God and Governor thereof is displeased and grieved at us. Nepthali being satisfied with the Lords favour, was full of blessing, Deut. 33.23. David prefers it before all worldly good, Psal. 4.6. There be many that say, Who will show us any good? Lord, lift thou up the light of thy countenance upon us (that's better than all.) Nay! before life itself, which is more than all worldly goods (for skin for skin, Contrariorum eadem est ratio. and all that a man hath, will he give for his life) Psal. 63.3. Thy favour, saith he, is better than life. And if his favour be such, by the Rule of Contraries, what is his displeasure, but full of cursing, worse than any evil in the World, yea than death itself? How then dare we by our contumacious demeanours, and obstinacy in sin● provoke Almighty God? since to do so 〈◊〉 a part of folly, an infallible symptom and character of a wicked man; nay (which is more) it greatly grieves and displeases him, whose smiles are Heaven, and whose frowns are Hell. And here I might put a period to these words, but there is yet some Sand left, and therefore I will make bold to pursue them a little further. It is St. Chrysostom's similitude, Hom. 35. in Johan. As they which dig for Gold, having found the Mine, follow every little vein that goes from it, the commodity being so precious, that not the least part of it is to be lost; so in Scripture, not the least iota, or tittle of it is to be over-passed, but every thing diligently to be searched out; for it all (as he adds the reason) comes from the same spirit, and therein nothing is superfluous, nothing not necessary. There are some things more therefore to be observed in the Denunciation, which I shall but briefly touch, and so conclude. It is a Denunciation. He saith not, Thus have I done unto thee, and because I have done Thus unto thee: But Thus will I do. God never deals in wrath with a Land or People, Observe. but he gives them warning of 〈◊〉 before. If he destroy a Nation or Kingdom, he will speak before concerning the destruction of it, Jer. 18.7. If he bring the Sword upon a Land, his Watchman shall ●low the Trumpet, to give the people warning, Ezek. 33. For he will do nothing, but he will reveal the same beforehand to his servants the Prophets; as it is in this Prophecy of Amos, Chap. 3.7. Jerusalem you know, before its destruction by Titus, had Seventy Weeks warning, i. e. Seventy Weeks of Years, which amount to Four hundred and ninety years, reckoning Seventy times seven Years; for Seven Years are a Week of Years. The old World had an Hundred and twenty Years before the Flood came. Israel in the Wilderness Forty Years. Nineveh Forty Days; sometimes more, sometimes less, but God always gives some warning. I beseech you, my dearly Beloved, let this sink into your ears, and lay it to heart; for God hath given Us warning, not only by the voice of his servants, but he hath also spoken to us in that storm of WAR, (which now through God's mercy is blown over) by the roaring voice of the Cannon; we have heard the confused noise of War, Judg. 5.22. and the prancings— the prancings of the Horses; we have seen the bright Sword, and the glittering Spear, and a multitude of slain, and a great number of carcases, and garments rolled in blood, and God (after that unnatural issue, had held us longer than the issue of blood had held the diseased woman, Matth. 9.20.) did at last by the Thrice-happy Return of our most Gracious SOVEREIGN, make us perfectly whole; and therefore let those warnings which we have had already, serve our turns; else, as you have heard, God both can, and will lay sorer plagues upon us. Again, Thus (saith the Text) will (I) do unto thee, i. e. Thy God; he that frameth the mountains, and createth the wind, and declareth unto man what is his thought, etc. Though men may be Instruments, yet God is the Supreme, and principal Author of any punishment, or evil occurrence that can happen unto us. Howsoever, I say, men may be the Instruments, yet God is the primary and principal cause of all punishments that can come unto us. Shall there be evil in a City, Amos 36 and the Lord hath not done it? saith our Prophet, Chap. 3.6. Deliver my soul, saith David, from the wicked, which is thy Sword, from men which are thy hand, O Lord, the men of the World, Psal. 17.13, 14. They are his Instruments, which may teach us in all our afflictions to acknowledge him, and humble ourselves before him, not being carried with impatience after the instruments, means and occasions of them, like the Dog, who runs at the stone which is thrown at him, and bites it, not regarding him that throws it. Again, Thus will I do unto thee. God in Scripture speaking to his Church, usually puts her in the singular number, second person; and that in a threefold respect. 1. Of himself to us. 2. Of us to him. 3. Of ourselves among our selves. 1. In respect of himself to us, to show his singular love and care towards us, and over us. 2. In respect of us to him, to bring him home to us by particular apprehension, with Thomas, my God and my Lord. 3. In respect of ourselves among ourselves, teaching us to be at one, and so make up three by unity; one in Faith, one in Profession, one in mutual Love and Charity; one in Doctrine, one in Government, and that the best. For as Monarchy is the best Government in a Commonwealth, so is Episcopacy in the Church. Some indeed, in the late Confused and Factious Times, (blanching it over with the specious Titles of Christ's Government, Sceptre and Kingdom) did endeavout to establish the Presbyterian Government amongst us, and they had in part brought it to pass. But, thank God, their design is utterly blasted; for sure I am, had their ambitious imagination prospered, the poor Church should have been enforced to play at an unequal game, for she would have lost all by the elder-hand. Lastly, Thus will I do unto thee, O Israel. What may be meant by Israel, St. Hierom * Preface before the 〈◊〉 small Prophets. resolves us: That whensoever in the Writings of the Prophets, the Ten Tribes are understood, they are set forth by some of these names, Ephraim, Samaria, Jezreel, Joseph, Bethel, Bethaven, Israel, and sometimes Jacob; but when the Two Tribes, they are called Judah, Jerusalem, Benjamin, the house of David, Israel again, and sometimes Jacob: So then choose you whether by Israel here, you will understand the Kingdom of Israel consisting of the Ten Tribes, or all the Twelve Tribes, and take in the Kingdom of Judah also, choose you whether, I say. Israel is threatened, a people ennobled with many singular and excellent Prerogatives; for to them, saith the Apostle, pertained the Adoption, and the Glory, and the Covenants, and the giving of the Law, and the Service of God, and the Promises, Rom. 9.4. from which all other Nations were excluded. In Jury only God being known, and his Name great in Israel; at Salem his Tabernacle, and his dwelling place in Zion, Psal. 76. whereupon observe: Observe. That no outward Privileges, nor Prerogatives whatsoever can exempt a people from God's wrathful severity when they have deserved it, and provoked him thereunto by sin and iniquity. A good Lesson for us to take out (even us of this Kingdom) who for outward Privileges and Prerogatives, surpass (I may aver) all Nations of the World. The Sun of Righteousness shining more resplendently in our Horizon, and the dayspring from on high, through the tender mercy of God having visited us with greatest light. We have the Law, and the Testimony, and Priests, the sons of Aaron that wait on their Office. God hath set his Sanctuary in the midst of us, and here established the mountain of his house, his Church in the top of the mountains. Esay 2.2. And to make us more Renowned, and more sensible of all this glory, of all this happiness, God hath miraculously made it to reappear unto us, and hath reestablished it amongst us, after it had been much eclipsed, after it had been miserably shaken, by a most horrid and unnatural Civil WAR. He, I say, after all our Troubles, hath again restored our Judges as at the first, and our Counsellors as at the beginning, Esay 1.26. Surely therefore this happy change must needs be unto us (as the Apostle speaks in another case, Rom. 11.15.) as life from the dead. The Pope scoffingly told an English Gentleman in the midst of our greatest Confusions, That our ENGLAND was the Land of Wonders, because we changed our Religion once a Month, and our Government once a Week. But now it may be said, and that truly, That ENGLAND is indeed a Land of Wonders, for all those Changes through the overruling Providence of him that changeth not, hath brought about that most Royal Exchange, the restoring of that Government, which we hope will never change: Nay, I am sure it will never change, if we would but change such things as are amiss in us. But this we may be sure of, That if we become guilty of the sins of former Times, and impenitently persevere in them, God can make these Times as miserable as those Times were. Justum est (saith Gregory in his Dialogues) ut quos culpa simul inquinat, par etiam poena adstringat; & qui nequaquam dispari sunt iniquitate polluti, nequaquam tormento crucientur dispari. And Facinus quos inquinat aequat. They that sin alike, must suffer alike, for God is just. Yet though many, very many should persevere, and that impenitently in wickedness, I can tell you a way how, for all that, God's judgements against a Nation may be prevented, viz. when condign punishments are inflicted upon such Notorious Malefactors. God may pardon all, when but one man only is zealous in the execution of judgement, Jer. 5.1. When Phineas stood up, and executed judgement, he preserved not only himself, but also all the rest of the people from the plague, Psal. 106.30. Numb. 25.8. And therefore, my LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, when neither you nor we; you by your Prisons, nor we by our Threaten; you by the Sword, nor we by the Word, can make men good; yet do but punish offenders for being bad, and you may by that means, preserve the Nation from God's judgements. God's Ministers are to beat down sin, but they never do it so effectually, as when the Civil Magistrates are pleased to lend them their helping hand. And I know you will readily give up your best assistance to beat down every sin. But it would be too long to present the enormities of this disfigured Kingdom (so very many are the crying sins thereof) one by one unto your view, and to desire your help against them all. Others, that have more time, may do that. I shall only at present, beg of you to help us to suppress, or justly punish Schism, Swearing, Profanation of the Lords day, and (that most beastly sin of) Drunkenness, which I take to be the chief. It was Royal Counsel which our Henry 8. gave to Sir Thomas Moor, when he made him Chancellor: Look first at God, then at me. Give me leave to present the same to your Lordship: Look first at God, then at the King. First at God's Commandment, and then at two of the King's Proclamations (the one against vicious, debauched and profane persons, the other for the observation of the Lords day) and then I am sure, you will be more ready to help ●s against all these four enormities. And first, my LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, be pleased to help us against Schism; With holy Polycarp may we ●ay, Good God 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉. etc. Unto ●hat times hast thou reserved us, that we should live to see such Separations, Divisions, such cursed Heresies, and horrible Blasphemies! In these late distracted Times, (I tremble to speak it) there was so many Congregations, so many Distractions, so many Companies, so many rents in Christ's Coat, so many Churches, so many Sects, yea more than so, Quot capita, tot Schismata, as St. Hierom saith; So many men, so many minds, and consequently so many Schisms growing and budding out of them. God's inheritance being like Jeremy's Bird, a Bird of divers colours, Jer. 12.9. When there was no King in our Israel, Faction multiplied without all measure. And the many Schisms which were then conjured up, could never yet be got down again. Schismatics are still so numerous, that if we should ask them their name, questionless they must answer as the Devil did, Mark 5.9. our name is Legion, for we are many. And as many as they are, so many Enemies hath God and his Church. I beseech you therefore, my LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, help us against this manyheaded Monster, for it is not fit that the Enemies of God, and his Church, should be spared. Notable is that of Anthony de Guevara, in an Epistle to the Emperor Charles the Fifth: Christianus nulla re magis dignosci potest quam si Deo factas contumelias, & blasphemias, senerissimè ulciscatur, suas obliviscatur. A true Christian can by nothing be better known, than by punishing contumelies and blasphemies committed against God most severely, and forgetting injuries done unto himself. It was the Decree of Nabuchadnezzar a Heathen Magistrate, That whosoever should speak amiss (mark it) but speak ●miss of the god of Shadrach, shall be cut 〈◊〉 pieces, and their houses made a dunghill, Dan. 3.29. Or if his zeal be thought less according to knowledge, as being but a Heathen, yet that of God himself by Mo●s, Deut. 13. If thy brother, Deut. 13.6. the son of by mother, or thy son, or thy daughter, or ●e wife of thy bosom, or thy friend, which 〈◊〉 as thine own soul, entice thee secretly, Ver. 8. saying, Let us go and serve other gods, etc. ●●u shalt not consent unto him, nor hearken ●nto him, neither shall thine eye pity him, Ver. 9 ●either shalt thou spare, neither shalt thou ●●ceal him. But thou shalt surely kill him, etc. This, I say, unrepeal'd, may chal●age its first Authority (where the more ●●eral Rules of Christian Prudence dispense not with it) That wilful and incorrigible Apostasy in Fundamentals, and the Ringleaders especially thereunto, are to be severely chastised. But, I know, we do not, nor do I urge it, that we should punish Heretics with death. And for this (were there no other reason to be given, yet) this were sufficient, That the Reasons of State are not to be pried into by private persons. Who may say to a King, Curio sic facis? Why dost thou so? Eccles. 8.4. Or to the Princes you are unjust, Job 34.18 as Job hath it. May be the higher powers see and know, That if Heretics were cut off with the Sword of Justice, the more they would grow. I know they are Thorns, and our Church is as a Lily amongst them, Cant. 2.2. Now good Husbands say, Cut Thorns, and have them; and a Father tells us, that not only Christianitas, but even haeresis mortibus crescit, the more they are pruned, the more they spring. Yet though it be not convenient to punish them with death, I beseech your Lordship to give it in charge that the Laws enacted against Turbulent Separatists of all sorts, may for the future be strictly executed; for hitherto in many places, those Laws have been as so many golden Swords put into withered hands. I know weak Consciences are to be tendered, yet withal the obstinate are not to be indulged under that pretence; for if that plea may serve for a perpetual protection, it is absolutely impossible to have any perfect settlement either in Church or State. P. Martyr in 1 Sam. 23. Non semper infirmis cedendum est; si enim ●butantur patientia Dei, aut si fides infir●etur, aut dogmata laxentur, fortiter agen●um est. Some of them indeed are ex●eeding smooth in their words, Matth. 24.24. and blameless, for aught we know, in their lives: So smooth, so blameless, that they might well, ●f it were possible, deceive the very Elect. But we must distinguish between Samuel ●nd the Devil in his Mantle. We read of Volves that shall come in sheep's clothing, and that Satan can dress up himself ●●ke an Angel of light. False Prophets have worn rough garments next their fleuh, 〈◊〉 well as the good; and Pelagius was as strict for his life, as he was reprobate concerning the faith. Trust not thine ear, believe not thine ●ye, be not cozened with their outward Sanctity, warm not these Snakes in thy bosom. Remember the Church, and the ●eace of the Church the Coat of Christ, nay, the body of Christ. And Nulla charitas ad eam charitatem qua obstringimur Ecclesiae. Let Saul take heed how he spare Agag, and the fairest under specious pretences. I would they were even cut off that trouble you, was the zealous wish of St. Paul in this case, Gal. 5.12. i e. that they were Excommunicated, saith the learned Dr. Hammon upon the place. But alas! such is the hardness of their hearts, that they regard not the bitterness of that grievous Censure, they value it not at all. Since therefore the power allowed our Church, is slighted by them, it behoves Civil Magistrates to look more strictly to them, and to take care to stop their mouths, that they may not infect the people. And you, my Brethren of the Clergy, let us likewise endeavour to stop their mouths, by our laboriousness in our Calling, and by the holiness of our Lives. We carry the Message of Christ in our mouths, let us have his Image in our hearts. A little Crime in a Minister, is a great offence. He is like a Picture in a Glass-window, every little crack, every little spot is easily discovered in him, and is very scandaleus. It is truly said, An ill man is the worst of all creatures; an ill Christian the worst of all men; an ill Professor the worst of all Christians; and an ill Minister the worst of all Professors. We above all aught to abstain from all appearance of evil. 1 Thess. 5.22. That so with St. Paul, we may cut off occasion from them that desire occasion, 2 Cor. 11.12. And then, if for all this, we cannot win them, we shall howsoever deliver our own souls. Let us do our duties, and then, though Israel be not gathered, Esay 49.9. we shall be rewarded. And Non curatio, sed cura ovium à Pastore requiritur, as a Lapide hath well observed. 2. My LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, be pleased to help us against Swearing, 'tis a very grievous sin. Because of swearing the land mourneth, Jer. 23.10. Yet as great a sin as it is, God knows it is very common, and not only among the common sort, but even amongst those from the civility of whose education we might well expect better things. Even some of the greater, I cannot say the better sort, are so graceless, that they think Oaths do add a gracefulness unto their Speech. Let such take heed, that their Oaths, which they look upon as Rhetorical flourishes, do not bring them to everlasting destruction. Men shall be called to account, Matth. 12.36, 37. and shall be condemned for idle words, much more for vain Oaths. It shall go heavily with all sinners at the day of judgement; but those that are great in this world, shall then undergo the greatest severity. For mercy will soon pardon the meanest; but mighty men shall be mightily tormented, Wisd. 6.6. Great men's sins are great sins; it is the misery of men that be great, that their sins cannot be little, and their punishment must be much. One would think this, the fear of punishment should persuade great persons to circumspection; but because even some of these put far away the evil day, as our Prophet hath it, Amos 6.3. Chap. 6. ver. 3. dread not at all the punishments of another world; It will be necessary for those that have Authority to do it, to make trial, if the pecuniary mulct, which the Law injoins to be inflicted upon vain Swearers, will keep them in any better compass. Let them be compelled to open their Purses, that they may shut their mouths. 3. My LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, be pleased to help us against the Profaneness of the Lords day. Many, very many, notwithstanding the King's Proclamation, take no more notice of it than formerly. If they go to Church in the Morning, they think they have kept the Fourth Commandment to the full. And though they would be loath to pay a Mower or a Shearer a whole day's wages for a morning's work; yet they conclude that God must content himself with a Morning Sacrifice, and will needs make the Lord's Afternoon their own, To walk to the next Town in about earthly business, to talk in about worldly Affairs (or at the time of the year) to run a Nutting in [Nuts will down with them a great deal better than prayers; Let such take heed, that their cracking of Nuts, when they should be saying their prayers, do not bring them to gnashing of teeth] to sleep in, or may be which is worse, to be drunk in. * Aug. de C D. lib. 6. cap. 11. Inter alias civilis Theologiae Superstitiones aprehendit Sacramenta Judaeorum, & maxim Sabbata; inutiliter id ●●s facere affiemans, quod per illos fingulos septem interposi●●s dies septimam fere partem aetatis suae perdunt vacando, etc. Seneca mocked the Jews, because they lost one day in seven; to observe the Lords day, was with him to lose a day; sure I am, these Sabbath-breakers lose half a day in seven, whilst they spend that most refined part of time, either in doing nothing, or wickedly. Time was, our Saviour whipped some out, now there is need of Whips to bring some in to the Temple. And you my LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, would do God good service, if you would use the very utmost of your Authority to enforce all men to a strict observation of the Lords day; for were the Fourth Commandment but kept as it ought to be, it would quickly bring us to a conscionable respect to all the rest; for none walk so much after the Spirit on other days, as they that are most in the Spirit on the Lord's day. 4. Lastly, My LORD, and you Gentlemen of the Magistracy, be pleased to help us against Drunkenness. In the time of the Law, this sin was punished with death, Deut. 21.21. Deut. 21.20, 21. And shall it go (I should have said, shall it stagger) unpunished now in the time of the Gospel? Drunkenness is the Mother of all Vices, and will certainly, unless Repentance prevent it, bring the Drunkard to Hell at the last. 2 Cor. 6.10. Nay, Drunkenness brings Drunkards into Hell, even whilst they are here upon earth. Many 〈◊〉 your Alehouses are little better. Very many of them, as well as Hell, are the very Forges and Storehouses of all kind of Luxury and Wickedness. Where are Blasphemers, Swearers, Liars, Sabbath-breakers, Prodigal and Disobedient Children, Murderers, Lascivious Persons, Slanderers (what not?) but in such places? Drunkards enter into Alehouses, the Ale enters into Drunkards, and the Devil withal. Nay, Drunkenness itself is a very Fiend, so saith St. Bernard (Ebrietas est manifestissimus Daemon) Drunkenness is a most manifest Devil. They that are possessed with Satan, or with Drunkenness, fall alike into the fire, into the water alike, they gnash alike, Matth 17.16.— 21. alike they foam; and as the Disciples could not cast out that one sort of Devils, Epist. 64. Contra Ebriosos Aphros. so not all the Preachers this; so saith St. Augustine in his Epistle to Aurelius, Tanta est (saith he) hujus mali pestilentia, ut sanari prorsus, quantum mihi videtur, nisi consilii authoritate, non possit. The Drunkard is so wedded to his Vice, that he will never give over his throwing the Alehouse out at the Windows, till his own house do throw him out a doors. The Alehouse hath pulled down many a stately Fabric, but doth itself stand firm; and will stand, though a Preacher bestow never so many powerful Sermons to batter it. For those houses, though many of them are (as indeed its proper they should be) rather like Swine-sties, than houses (being patched up of a few sticks, some dirt, and a little straw) yet are more hard to conquer, than a well-fortified Castle. And how it comes to pass (whether by the Covetousness of the Justice's Clerks, or the countenance of some of the Gentry, who are too much addicted to this Vice, or through what other cause I know not) but sure I am, it is almost as easy to beat back the prevailing TURK, as to get down a rotten Alehouse. Let these houses be reduced to a lesser number, and brought into better order, which cannot be done, unless some course be taken, (by those which have authority for the ordering of Civil and Ecclesiastical Affairs) to enforce Constables and Churchwardens to look better to their Offices than they have done. It is through their negligence that Schism goes down so slowly, that the Lords Name is abused, that his Day is sacrilegiously imbezel'd, and idled away, and that this sin of Drunkenness is every day so much practised. Judges and Justices cannot see what is done in particular Towns. They (as I conceive) belong to the inspection, and care of inferior Officers. But they are either so partial, as being guilty of the same sins, or so careless, that they will not make use of the Authority they have; and are so loath of their labour, that they will suffer God Almighty to be highly offended, and exceedingly dishonoured, rather than go one step for a Justice of Peace's Warrant, further to empower them to regulate Abuses: And are so desirous to be accounted peaceable men amongst their Neighbours, that rather than they will hazard the displeasure of any of them, they will not care how much God is displeased, and dishonoured; so that I cannot tell how to compare Constables and Churchwardens better, than to those great brass Andirons which stand in great men's Chimneys, which are more for show, than for use. Let these Officers be compelled to look better to their places, that so sinners may be punished, and Gods judgements avoided. For we must not think that we can long enjoy ●eace upon earth, if notorious sinners be ●●ffer'd unpunished, to fight against heaven. ●ut if all, from the highest to the lowest, do their duties, for the reclaiming of siners, or punishing sin, that's the way to make us live in a peaceful Kingdom; 〈◊〉 when we die, to departed into the King●●● of Peace; Of which blessed Kingdom, Lord make us all partakers, not for our me●●t and worthiness, but for the merits and pithiness of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ the righteous; To whom with the Father, and the Holy Ghost, Three Persons, One Everliving, Everloving Lord God, be given, at is most due, all Honour and Glory, Power 〈◊〉 Praise, Dignity and Dominion, now and so ever. Amen. GLORIA IN EXCELSIS DEO. FINIS.