'r-

Whately, .jilliam, Ticar of Banbury U'y^*'•?l^'^ •
Sinne No More or a Sermon Preached i4^^'l«'*,
London, 1824

I
ijij:-,-
YALE UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY

From the
COLLECTION OF OXFORD BOOKS
made by
FALCONER MADAN
Bodley's Librarian

Sinne no more,
OR
A SERMON PREACHED
in the Parish Church of Banbury on
Tuesday the fourth of March last past, vpoii
occasion of a most terrible fire that happened there
on the Sabbath day immediately precedent, and within the
space of foure houres was carried from the one end of thd
Towne to the other, with that fury, as continuing to burnd
all the night, and much ofthe next day, it consumed
103 dwelling houses, 20 kilne-houses, and other
out-houses, to the nuraber of 660 bayes and
vpwards, together with much malt and
pther grairie and commodities, as
amounted at the least to the
value of twenty thou
sand pounds.
The third time published and enlarged
hy the Author,
William Whately^ Vicar of Banbury ^
2. Pet. 3. 14.
The heauens being- on fire shall be dissoluedi
and the element shall melt withferuent heati

London;
1 Printed for George Edwards m Greene Arhuur
without Newgate, 16x1.
REPRINTED BY J. G. RUSHER,
BRIDGE-STREET, BANBURY,
MDCCCXXIV.

c6
W6T1

TO THE RIGHT
VVORSHIPFVLL THE MAIOR, THE
VVORSHIPFVLL THE
ALDERMEN AND BVRGESSES,
AND THE REST QF THE INHA-
J^ITANTS OF THE TOWNE AND
PARISH OF BANBVRY,
THIS WORK IS
MOST RESPECTFULtV DEDICATED

BY

THE PUBLISHER.

BRIDGE-STREET,
lit jAfivA&Y, 1884.

EXTRACTS FROM THE

LIFE AND DEATH

OF

Mr. WILLIAM WHATELY, LATE
Minister of the Word at Banbury in the
County of Oxford, written bj Henry Scudder
Minister of the Word at CoUingborne-
ducisj in the County of Wilts.
HE Rev. AVilliam Whately was borne
at Banhury a burrough Town, very
well known in Oxfordshiere. His
Parents were both of them forward
professours of the Gospell of Christ,
^nd of the power of Godlinesse and Religion, according as
it is now mainetained in the Church of England. They
were both of chiefe note and place in the Towne, his Father
being oft Major, and a long time a standing Justice of the
Peace in that Burrough. His MJother was a rare Woman
for naturall parts ; but chiefly for Piety, Diligence in her
calling, Frugality and Mercifullnesse to the poore. She
was a right Lois or Eunice* in breeding up this her Son
(as shee did her other Children) in the Knowledge of the
Jioly Scriptures from a child.

* II. Timothy, 1, y. 5.

The Life and Death ofM. Whately. v.
His ripenesse in Grammer learning in Latine, Greeke
and Hebrew was so earely that about the fourteenth yeare
of his age, he was sent to Christs CoUedge in Cambridge;
¦where God prouided him a Tutor of Pietie, Learning,
and Diligence.
In the Vniversity he was an hard Student, and quickely
became a good Logician and Philosopher, a strong dispu
tant, and an excellent Orator. He delighted much in the
study of Poetry and the Mathematiks.
His Father (whether because he was not resolved what
calling fo breed him to, or for what other cause I know
not) after that hee had with credit proceeded Bachelour of
Arts, hee took him home, where he abode some good time,
yet applying himselfe unto his studies.
While he remained at home with his Father hee raarried
the Daughter of Master George Hunt the sonne of that
tryed and prepared Martyr lohn Hunt, mentioned in
the Book of Martyrs, who was condemned to be burnt
for Religion, but was saved from the execution thereof by
the death of Queene Mart/. This Master George Hunt
(after that by importunity hee had got his sonne in law to
make tryall of his ability to preach) he overperswaded him
to intend the ministery. And thereupon hee entred him
selfe into Edmund Hall, in the famous Vniversity of
Oxford, and tooke his Degree of Master of Arts.
Not long after hee entred into the Ministery, and hee
was presently called to be a Lecturer at Banbury, which
he commendably performed above the space of foure yeares,
and then was called to be Vicar of the same Church,
which office hee faithfully discharged neare thirty yeares,
till he died.

vi. The Life and Death ofU. Whately.
Hee was of quicke understanding, of a cleare and deepe
Judgement, of a most firme memory, and of a lively spirit.
Hee was naturally eloquent and a master of words. Had
a most able body and sound lunges, and according as his
matter in hand, and his auditory needed, he was both a
Boanerges, a sonne of Thunder, and also a Barnabas, a
sonne of sweet consolation. He abounded in works of
mercie, and he set apart and expended for the space of
many yeares for good uses fhe tenth part of his yearly
commings in, both out of his temporall and ecclesiasticall
meanes of raaintenance.
Although his mainetenance from the people over which
he was placed was but small in comparison, and unkind-
nesses and discouragements many and his offers of greater
preferment in the Church were oft and importunate, yet
he would not be perswaded to leave them.
Hee was judiciously charitable to any who differed in
some opinions from him, so long as he saw that they agreed
with him in the maine and fundamentall points of religion,
and were diligent to enquire after the truth.
In the time of his sickenesse and weakenesse hee gave
wholesome counsell to his people, neighbours and friends,
that came to visit him : giving particular advice to his
wife, children, and servants, so long as hee was able to
speake to them.
Hee was much in ejaculations and short prayers to
God in the behalfe of the Church and State and for
himselfe allso a little hefore his death. In the time when
a Rev. Brother was praying with him and for him, 
that if his time were not expired God would be pleased
to restore him for the good of his Church, or that hce

The Life and Death ofM. Whately. vii.
would put an end to his paine if he saw gOod ; at the
hearing thereof hee lift up his eyes stedfastly towards
Heav€n and allso one of his hands (hee not being able to lift
up the other) and in the close of that prayer gave up the
ghost, shutting downe his eyes himselfe, as if he were
fallen into a sweet sleepe. He lived much desired and
died much lamented.
Thus he entered into peace and rest in his bed of ever
lasting pleasures, enjoying the fruit of his Faith in Christ
and of his walking with God in uprightnesse.
This Man of God and faithfull Minister of Christ,
departed this life upon Friday the 10 of May,
Anno Domini, 1639. neare the end of the
six and fiftieth yeare of his age.

F^b. 25. Imprimatur,
1639. Thomas Wtkes.

EXTRACTS
FROM THE LIFE OF MEDE,
Folio, Page LXVI, published 1664.

THIS Rare Preacher* (and therefore the Rarer because
so Frequent) had in his Pulpit (upon a Holy-day,
when there was a very full Auditory) with great Zeal, and
with as great Solidity of Reason and Embroidery of Rhe-
torick, pressed (as his Theme led him) Works of Charity.
Among other passages he exhorted his Hearers to make
this Experiment ; When they had received good gain by
Traffick or Bargain^ Sfc. to take 6d or 4d in the Pound,
* Mr. William Whately.

viii. From the Life of Mede.
and put it in a Purse by itself, for works of Piety. This
(he warranted) as it would be very beneficial to their Estate,
so it would take away all secret Grudgings ; For now they
had lat/'d so much aside for such a purpose, they would
rather wish for an opportunity of disbursing it, Sfc.
After Sermon, being visited by a neighbour-Divine, (and
one allied to him) they presently fell into discourse about
that Subject, and Mr. Whately's Judgment was desired
more particularly concerning the Quota pars to be so
devoted. As for that (saith he) I am not to prescribe to
others ; but since here are none but very good friends, and
we are all so private, I will tell you what hath been my
own practice of late, and upon what occasion. You
know. Sir, some years since 1 was often beholden to you
for the Loan of 10^. at a time : The truth is, 1 could not
bring the year about, though my Receipts were not des
picable, and I was not at all conscious to my self of any
vain Expences or of Improvidence. At length I began to
examine my Family what Relief was given to the Poor :
And although I was assured that was not done niggardly,
yet I could not be so satisfied, but resolved instantly to
lay aside every Tenth shilling of all my Receipts for
Charitable uses. And (lo let you see how well I have
thrived this way in a short time) now, if you have occa
sion to use an 100/. or more, I have it ready for you.
Just Mr. Mede's Method, and with a like prosperous
Success. This I can avouch, for I was present both at
the Sermon and at the Conference.
I do not ask the Reader's Pardon for this seeming Im
pertinency, because I rather expect his Thanks for helping'
him to so rare a Project how he may no less certainly then
Piously improve his Estate, if he please to make due Trial
of it.

V>^<^/

To his welbeloued Neig-libours
the Inhabitants of the Borough of
Banbury in the County of Oxon, the Author
wisheth all happinesse, dedicating to them
with this Uttle Booke, himselfe
and all that hce can doe,
Eare Brethren, A true Christian
is the onely happie man. Hee
is a gay ner by aU things. If
his state decrease, his sinne
decreaseth too. If his body be sicke, his
corruptions sicken also. If his outward
man decay, his inward man is strengthened.
If earth fauour him lesse, hee runs faster
to heauen: If friends proue vnkinde, he
trusts more in 'the kindnes of God. If
death kill his body, it kills sinne too, his
greatest enemy, which, before, cannot be
quite killed. But this happinesse faUeth

The Epistle Dedicatory.
not into the mouth of a good man in his
sleepe and in his dreames ; vrithout his
working, labouring, endeuouring : The
blessing of God casts not good things vpon
vs in such a carelesse fashion, to fauour our
idlenesse. Wee must finde them by seeking ;
and attaine them by taking paines for them.
He that would fetch gaine out of losse, must
sweat for it. When I saw therefore the
dammage which you had sustained in your
states, I bethought my selfe of helping you
to reape some profit by that distresse. To
that end I meditated these things, and spake
them to you at our next publike meeting, —
To the same end, I haue made my thoughts
legible, putting them into your hands, and
presenting them vnto your eyes, that you
might not be able to forget them, vnlesse
you will put on wilfulnesse. Accept them
as signes of my tender care ouer you ; and
O that euery man amongst you would get
this book into his house and hands, and

The Epistle Dedicatory.
reade it more than once, and study it with
serious attention. I know it is not of any
great value in it selfe, but it is particularly
and peculiarly fitted for your present vse,
and in that regard may more profit you
than a better treatise in another kinde. I
know mine owne wants well enough ; neither
doe I long to be publike. Yet now haue I
put my selfe forth of my priuate study, for
your greater benefit, in hope also to deriue
the fruit of yomr calamity to many more
besides your seines. I would it might please
the diuine Maiesty, to incline your willes to
the following of the counsell which this
booke presents vnto you. And O that he
would also stirre vp the hearts of all those
that shall reade these lines, to pray for
your profiting by the stroke ; and withall,
out of compassion to your wants, to bee as
forward for your supply as some haue beene
already. How happy should this correction
be (and how blessed the wise corrector)

The Epistle Dedicatory.
which should at once further your reckoning
by procuring your amendment, and further
the reckoning of many more by inlarging
their bounty : and how happy should I ac
count my selfe. If I might become an happy
instrument of both. On the bended knees
of my soule I beg both, of him that can
giue both, but the first in the first place.
If our Hues be better than before, well are
wee, though our states bee neuer, so plenti-
full as they were before : but, woe vnto vs,
if we recouer our wealth, without reforming
our faults. The all-powerfiill and most
gracious God, worke the former in you,
the latter for you : with this prayer I leaue
you to his goodnesse, and rest,
Your well-wishing Pastor,
William Whately.

From my study ia lianbufy.
May 26, 1628.

Sinne no more^
OR
A Sermon preached
AT BANBVRY.

"M^ELBELOUED Neighbours, Friends, and
' » Brethren in our Lord ; To well prepared
Hearers, a Preface is both tedious, and superfluous:
such, I presume, the present hand of God hath
made you, more than any speech of mine can do ;
for sight is a far more powerful and commanding
sense, than hearing. Accept therefore, I pray you,
of a doubly errand, which I haue to do vnto you ;
one in mine owne name, another in the Name of
God. From my selfe, I would speake, paptly, to
thera that haue beene smitten with this heiEtuy,
stroke ; partly, to them that haue escaped it, To
the former, by way of condoling with them first,
then of comforting them. To the latter, to con
gratulate with them, and to instruct thera. JIad

14 Sinne no more.
I beene a stranger, to lodge amongst you for a
night alone ; or a traueller, to bait in your Towne
for an houre, or passe thorow your streets for a
moment, yet I could not but haue sadly lamented
so heauy a spectacle, the flaming of so raany houses
at once, the consuming of so much substance, the
out-cries of so many persons, the desolation of so
great a number of your dwellings ; but being an
inhabitant, borne, bred, and brought vp amongst
you from mine infancie, and neuer absent from you
aboue seuen yeeres, for learnings sake ; and now at
last a Minister amongst you, and Pastor ouer you,
for the space of twentie yeeres together ; I might
be iustly charged to haue lost all sense and
humanity, if I were not deepely touched with your
calamitie. Giue mine eyes leaue therefore, io
speake vnto you in the language of teares : and
seeing I heard so generali a cry for water, water,
the other day ; let me also cry water, water ; and
let all our eyes ioyne together, to powre forth a
streame of water, sufficient to quench the remainders
of those flames which are yet burning amongst
you, yea, to quench the glowing fire of Gods
displeasure for our sinnes, which have iustly kindled
all these flames amongst vs. There haue beene
mournfuU Prophets in Israel whose errand was to
take vp a lamentation ouer their people, and call
their hearts to mourning and sadnesse ; such an
one it becommeth me to bee at this time, and in

Sinne no more. 15
this place, and, O that I could per forme it
effectually. For where should we rather weepe
than here ? in the presence, and in the eares, of
our most gracious Father, who hath louingly
smitten vs ; and loueth to see his children sensible
of his blowes, neither can endure more than our
selues ; such hard hearted sonnes and daiighters,
as will make nothing of a beating. Moderate
teares are pleasing to God that smiteth, who
doubtlesse would haue his children sorry, that they
haue made him angry : neither can any thing lesse
becorae a Christian than senselesse stoicisme.
Moderate teares are profitable to men that are
smitten, who be worse than diuers beasts, if they
profit not by stripes, and cannot wax better by
them, if they refuse to smart vnder thera. Let vs
therefore weepe together, because we haue been
afilicted together, yea, because wee haue altogether
sinned and procured affliction; weepe you that
haue lost your goods or houses in whole, or in
part, and let mee weepe with you ; because the
Lords hand hath falne vpon you, and your sinnes
haue prouoked his hand ; weepe you that haue
beheld the losses of your brethren, because your
selues haue deserued the crosse as well as they,
1 and cannot tell how soone you may feele it. Weepe
you my neerer neighbours of the Towne, that stood
amazed and perplexed with fearefull suspence,
hoping, and yet doubting what would becorae of

16 Sinne no more.
your owne goods and houses. Weepe you my
remoter neighbours of the country, that stood
astonished in the beholding of such a remedilesse
accident, and could not haue leasure then to weepe
for wondring, or helping, or both. Weepe you
that were then absent, and saw it not, but haue
beene this morning spectators of so great a desolar
tion, as 1 thinke few of your eyes haue euer scene
before. Weepe out of feare, as children, that
see their fathers wrath in beating their brethren,
and know not who must suffer next. Weepe in
charity, to shew your selues feeling members of
the same body, whereof when one member is
grieued, all doe sympathize. Weepe in pity to
helpe to ease the burthens of the distressed, who
cannot but finde their crosses mitigated, in finding
a part of their sorrowes borne by others. Weepe
in obedience, to fulfill the most expresse commande-
ment of our God, by weeping with them that
weepe. Weepe as men, because you are witnesses
of the miseries of men. Weepe as Christians, be
cause they be Christians that suffer. Weepe as
next neighbours, because your next neighbours and
familiar acquaintance haue smarted. And let vs
all lift vp our voices and weepe, in the hearing of
the Lord thy God, within his house, that seeing
vs humbled vnder his holy hand, hee may know
what course to take with vs, as once he said to
Israel, after their erecting of the golden Calfe.

Sinne no more. 17
The Lord compares hiraselfe to a father, that
hangs betwixt anger and pity, resolued on neither,
but inclined to that, that the carriage of his children
may call for ; by striking further if they stoope
not, and desisting from stripes if they do, Alas,
alas, what a breach hast thou Lord made amongst
vs? How many dwelling places are become
desolate ? How many inhabitants destitute of
habitation ? How many wealthy men, made lesse
wealthy, and poore men more poore ? How raany
rich men are becorae poore, and poore raen beggers ?
How are the labours of many a father. Grand
father, great Grand-father, suddenly conuerted
into smoke and rubbish, in the space of a day and
night.'' O the raging fury of the tempestous winds,
when they haue once gotten fire and flame within
their blustring mouthes ! O the hideous violence of
fire and flames, when they haue gotten to thera-
selues the wings of the wind to flie about withall !
And O the loathsome odiousnesse of those wicked
sinnes of ours, which like fooles we loue so dearely,
and hug so fast within our bosomes ; yet alas, we
see they cause a tender hearted father to burne in
displeasure against vs. Weepe I pray you and
spare not, but weepe like Christian men, yea, like
men that are sanctified through the knowledge of
Christianitie. Weepe not onely, nor chiefly, nor
scarce at all, for the losse of your goods, the ruine
of your houses, the impouerishing of your states.

18 Sinne no more.
the wants that you may perhaps suffer ; but weepe
also, yea, weepe chiefly, and in a manner onely, for
the sinnes of your soules, the disorders of your
iiucs, the priuate offences of your farailies, the
publique offences of the towne, and particular
transgressions of your persons. The teares of the
flesh be fruitlesse teares, and the sorrowes of nature,
barren sorrowes ; but the teares of grace, and the
mourning of the spirit, are a seed most precious
and most fertile. O that wee could now sow thera
in great abundance for our future benefit. Hee
shall gaine much by worldly losses, that turneth
the griefe of his losses vpon his sinnes. But, my
brethren, let not your weeping and lamentation bee
like that of Rahel, whereof the Prophet foretelleth,
that shee wept and would not he comforted : nay,
but let mee goe on to giue you comfort, and doe
you prepare your selues to take it. In truth, no
griefe is profitable io man, or pleasing to God,
further than it tendeth to corafort, and endeth in it.
As good not raourne at all, as drowne our selves in
our owne teares : now therefore stop your weeping
for a space, and let me becorae your comforter,
and call you to reioycing in the middest of this
crosse, and in despight of it. What can better
become a Minister of the Gospell, than to raise
vp those that are sad and heauie in heart ? and
seeing we be furnished of raeans, to comfort the
soule against its greatest and raost intolerable cuils;

Sinne no more. 19
shall wee not bee able to reuiue it against any
outward calamitie? Make your selues cheerefuU
therefore in the Lord your God, as once we read
that Dauid did at Ziglag, when his case was worse
than the worst of yours. For he had not alone lost
his house and goods ; but his wiues and children
tp boot, and with them the loue of, in a raanner,
all his ancient souldiers, which (iraputing their
miserie to him ) began at length to talke of stoning
their Generali. And if you will but cleare vp
your eyes a little from weeping, and cast them
vpward, towards the Ruler of heauen, there is
store of comfort in him, that can neuer lose that
worthy title of the God of all comfort. For, my
brethren, he hath lost nothing in this great losse of
yours, neither is his state decaied, because sorae of
yours be so ; nor is he lesse wealthy in the lessening
of your wealth. Suppose that one of your children
had lost a groat or a testar, which it pleased one
of you to giue hira, would that losse vndoe him,
thinke you ? must hee be starued or hunger-bitteu
because that poore peece of siluer could bee found
no raore ? Or suppose some man of wealth and
place, should haue had his out-houses burnt, in
which the slaues and hinds of his family did wont
to lodge ? must they therefore embrace the rockes
for a couering, as loh speaketh ? and be wet with
the showers of heauen for want of conuehient
lodging ? O no my brethren, a wealthy master will

20 Sinne no more.
prouide an house for his bondmen io put their
heads in, and set vp a better, if a worse be burnt ;
and the many pounds that remaine in the fathers
chest, shall supply the wants of a childe that hath
lost his small stocke of a few shillings. God is
your master, God is your father; and seeing a
Christians riches are in Gods keeping, he must
count himselfe to haue lost nothing, so long as
God hath lost nothing. The Lord of Heauen hath
as much money, and as much mercie now as euer
hee had. Therefore should you bee as ioyful now
as euer, and say with Dauid, the Lord is my
shepherd, (as much since the fire as before) and
therefore I am sure I shall not want. It is easie
with God to restore you more then all this (and
twice so much as this) which the raging flaraes
haue deuoured : And if his neuer-deceiued wisdome
see it fit for you, he will more than make vp your
losses, and cause your latter end to be more plenti
ful! than your beginnings, as it was once promised
and performed to distressed lob. I called vpon
you to raourne before, not because you had lost
your wealth, but hecause this crqsse doth come
from God, as a signe of his displeasure, I call
vpon you now to be pomforted, because the Lord
will accept your humiliation, and shew himselfe
reconciled. But say it should please your heauenly
Father, to make your earthly portion scanter to
your dying day, than it hath beene heretofore ; yet

Sinne no more. 21
haue you cause, my brethren, and mo&t abundant
cause, to comfort your soules in hira, that ha;th
granted you farre better things than those that are
earthly. Hee hath left you himselfe, his sonne^
his spirit, the hope of his kingdome, the promises
of his Gospell, that rich and pretious lewell of
Faith, and ( that that Dauid thought to be better
than thousands of gold and siluer ) the iudgeraents
of his mouth. He hath left you the spirituali
blessings, wherewith hee hath blessed you in Christ,
that by fixing your eyes on them ( the more in the
absence of these meaner things, which did call your
thoughts frora them) you might cause the con
sideration of these so surpassing excellent things,
to make the losse of the trifles seeme nothing. A
man loseth a payre of gloues, or knife, or hand-
kerchiefe, out of his poket, but his purse ( wherein
were raany rich lewels with store of gold and
siluer) hee loseth not; will that losse torment him,
or breake his sleepe ? God hath giuen thee, that
art his childe, his spirit of adoption to scale thee
to himselfe, the bloud of his Sonne to purge thee
from thy sinnes, and the beginnings of holinesse, as
an earnest peny of thy perfect happinesse, and
shall the losse of a few goods and a dirty house,
make thee looke with a deiected countenance, or
Carrie a sad heart about with thee ? O make it
appeare that you count Gods fauour, Christs
bloud, the Spirits power, riches enough, by ioying

22 Sinne no more.
in these abundantly, euen then when ye want riches,
Reioyce more that thy soule is freed from the
danger of being euerlastingly burnt in those vn-
quenchable flames of hell fire, than grieue that thy
goods are burnt in the flaraes of this fire that is
well neere already quenched, euen within the space
of a day or two. Bee more glad that thou hast
such an enduring substance laid vp in those celestiaJl
habitations ( whether neither theefe nor enemie, nor
water nor fire can approch ) as shall neuer be taken
from thee by fire or any other accident, than be
sad because thy worldly substance is much of it
marred and consumed. If you haue spirituali eyes,
shew it now by looking to things inuisible, and by
taking with ioy the losse of your goods, euen in
this manner, also, as the Saints of old did the losse
of theirs in another raeaning. It were a shame of
all shames, if earthly losses should take away com
fort from a Christian heart, that hath heauenly
benefits remaining entire vnto it. Let them be
tormented with comfortlesse griefes, at the losse of
house and goods, that know not, nor haue, any
thing better than house or goods : but for them
which say they know that all this world is nothing,
and professe that they expect an vndefiled and
neuerfading inheritance in another world, for them
( I say ) to make a great mourning for so little a
losse, when so incomparable gaines abide behind
to delight in, nothing can be more absurd and vn-

Sinne no more. 23
reasonable. Your Father hath store of those trifles.
which you want, he hath granted you store of
things farre better than these; reioyce in him,
reioyce in them, and I require you, in Gods name,
and as you be Christians, let not this crosse crusb
your hearts, what euer become of your estates.
Yea verily brethren, those of you that haue felt
and are like to feele most misery by the present
chastisements, haue yet cause of comforting them-
selues in a thankfull acknowledgement ofthe greater
miseries, which they might haue suffered, and
haue escaped.
Are we not happy that raore than halfe the
Towne is left entire and vndefaced, though I thinke
a third part haue passed thorow the flaraes ? Are
wee not happy that our goods and houses alone,
nor our wiues and children, our limmes and bodies,
haue beene seized vpon by the furie of this insuffer
able element ? Had the wind and fire conspired
against vs at midnight, as at none day ; had they
beene suffered to lie in ambush till wee had all
betaken our selues to quiet rest, as they brake forth
when we were all awake, and stirring abroad io
serue God ; no doubt but many a man had lost an
arrae, many a legge, many an eye, some their Hues,
many their children, many their wiues, many their
friends; which would haue beene so suddenly
surprized with the vnex pected comraing of that
greedy eneray, as they could not haue bethought

24 Sinne no more.
theraselues of a meanes in that haste, and in such
darkenesse, either to haue fled from it, or drouen
it from them.
Herein therefore acknowledge you the gentlenesse
and clemencie of God, that did so moderate this
chastiseraent, in regard of the season of its breaking
forth, as that you escaped a farre greater misery
than that which you haue sustained by it. Wee
must as well looke from what we haue beene deli
vered, as what wee haue endured, that our thank-
fulnesse may moderate our sorrows, and our ioy in
the one, may temper our griefes for the other.
Take corafort therefore, how great soeuer thy
losse is, that thy crosse is not greater : Take cora
fort in this, that your selues or your friends were
not halfe burnt in your beds : Take corafort in this,
that you have receiued those heauenly vertues,
which the fire cannot burne : take comfort, that
God is still yours, still rich and all-sufficient ; and
in this take comfort too, that if you doe, as I hope
you will, make a. good vse of this, the Lord will
finde a meanes to lade you with his blessings, and
restore the things that the fire hath deuoured, as
once he promiseth to doe, those that the Grashop-
pers had eaten vp. Mourne so before God, as
thus to corafort your selues in God, and blessed be
that mourning, blessed that corafort.
Now hauing thus setled your hearts, that came
bleeding hither with Gods blowes, let me turne my

Sinne no more. 25
sjpeech to you that haue onely felt the wind of the
stroake as it were, and not the smart of it, aed
some not so much as the wind : and with you, and
for you, and for my selfe among the rest, let me
blesse and praise God, and greatly reioyce in him,
that hath spared the greater part of the Towne,
quite contrarie to our feares and cries, that said
we were all vndone, and that sure all the towne
would be (as easily it might haue all beene) burnt.
Blessed be God, that a part alone, and not the
whole Borough, hath beene consumed, and that
the greatest part remaineth to succour the lesser.
Blessed be God that Banbury Towne alone, and
not Banbury Country, kept so heauy a Sabbath,
and sitteth in dust and ashes. Blessed be God,
that many Townes at once had not felt what hauocke
wind and fire can make when they raeet together
and ioyne their forces in one. This burning was
terrible indeed, but nothing to that which we haue
heard of, and sorae of our eyes haue scene in other
countries, by narae in Germany, whither a reuerend
Diuine, not long since accompanying an Ambassa-
dour, affirmed that his owne eyes told there at oile
instant, the number of six and twentie villages and
townes, all burning at once round about one citie.
O such a flame as that, would haue made our
burning seeme none other than a playful! bonefire,
for children to sport about. But blessed, blessed
be the most high God, that such fires, so wittingly
C

26 Sinne no more.
kindled by the malitious hands of raortall eneraies,
haue not wasted and consumed Towne and Country
and all, that neither should bee able to releeue
other. Reioyce therefore all of you, that h^ue not
felt that seuerity whereof your neighbours and
friends haue tasted, because the Lord hath pleased
to restraine the furie of the fire, and not suffer it to
seize on your goods and houses : and you that haue
sustained much daramage your selues, yet shew
your selues feeling members, and reioyce with them
that reioyce. Be glad that thou hast scaped what
others haue felt ; be glad that others haue scaped
that thou hast felt : let thy freedorae seeme io thee
greater, because others went not free, and blesse the
Lord the more for it. Let thy misery seeme to thee
the lesse, because others haue not endured the like
misery ; and blesse thou the Lord as much for their
freedome, as thou bemoanest thine owne daraage :
out of freedorae and out of raiserie both, wee must
all picke matter of thanksgiuing ; neither should
any affiiction euer befall vs, but that we ought to
take notice that God doth shew therein more mercie
than rigour, raore gentlenesse than sharpenesse.
But aboue all, ray brethren, I congratulate with
them amongst you, that haue begun to lay the
foundation of an edifice of bountie, for their relcefe
that are now forced to want releefe, and haue
brought it to me, as it were, the first fruits of
bountie and compassion; whom I will not so farre.

Sinne no more. 27
defraud of their iust praise, but that I will name
them vnto you in the same order that they made
themselues knowne to me, and not in the order of
their places in other respects^
The first I will not name, because he is neere
vnto my selfe, the fountaine from whome I haue
issued, who (besides that which his owne bands
haue largely distributed ) did put into mine hands;
also, yesterday morning, the sumrae of twenty
shillings, to distribute to the poorer sort, that were
extreraely comfortlesse.
The second was an old acquaintance, schoole-
fellow, fellow pupill, chamber-fellow of mine,
Mr. loseph Palmer by name, a long Student, and
skilful! Practitioner in the necessarie Science of
Physicke, who sent me the sarae day ten shillings,
to be in like manner bestowed.
The third was a worthy and wel-disposed Knight !
that hath lately taken an habitation amongst vs,
and liueth to bee an ornament to the noble profession
of Armes, Sir Tliomas Dutton of Wickham, in
this Parish, who gaue rae with bis owne hands
twenty shillings for the same present vse, withall
earnestly exhorting mee to stirre vp the liberality
of the Country, at this present meeting.
Lastly, the right WorshipfuU Sir Williatn Cob,
of Adderbury, Knight, with the reuerend Master
Oldis Minister of the same Towne, and the
Worshipful! Master William Danuers, came home

28 Sinne no more.
to mee yesterday, and brought with them that
which was better than money, a declaration of their
pittiful! respect of our losses, requesting rae to
perswade the Magistrates, that they should take
sortie speedy course for the supplying of the present
great necessity of the poorer sort, promising them
selues to shew their louing respect to the Towne,
and tender compassion to the poore.
With those partictrlars which I know, and all
others which I know not, that haue declared thc
like compassioK and bounty, I congratulate the
goodnesse of God to them, and in them. Blessed
bee the merciful!, blessed be they that consider
wisely of the poore, blessed be those that will lend
freely to God, when he comes a borrowing in his
needy seruantS' and children. Blessed be those that
shew themselues lining members of the same body,
by commiserating and relceutng the miseries of the
miserable : and blessed be God for all, who giueth
al! to all, and hatli taken but some frora sorae, and
hath giuen to others an heart to affoord releefe to
thera frora whom he hath ta:ken altnost all.
And now (brethren) let me beseech and exhort
you all to follow the good examples of those that
haue gone before you in the practice of those most
excellent graces of mercy and liberalitie. Now is
a time when we must put you in raind of, and you
must carefully follow the charitable counsell of
lohn the Baptist to his attentiue hearers ; let hira

Sinne no more. 29
that hath two coats, giue one to him that hath
none ; and let hira that hath food, doe likewise.
For this end hath tlie Lord spared you, that you
should learne not to bee sparing to your brethren.
Put your selues to voluntary charges in workes of
mercy, seeing the Lord hath forborne to put you
to/this necessary losse which others haue suffered.
Giue something to thera from whom God hath
taken, because it hath pleased hira not to take from
you that wliich hee had formerly giuen. Bee good
Stewards of that which God hath left in your
•custody, that he may not declare his anger against
you, for your being niggardly of that which hee
voyxihsafed to leaue with you, that it might be an
instrument of bounty. Now forget not to distribute
and comraunicate, and to offer those sacrifices
wherewith the Lord is pleased to testifie hiraselfe
well pleased. Now let your abundance supply
their wants, whom God hath therefore called io
want, that hee might giue you an occasion of
declaring the abundance of your charitie, in com
miserating gild releeuing their want of necessaries.
No cost is raore religiously, raore vertuously, raore
thriftily bestowed, than that which is laid vp in
heauen, though it be laid out on earth. Bountiful!
and raerciful! actions are the best bargaines, and
the best purchases. No fire shall be able to con-
surae those riches, wherewith a man doth enrich
hiraselfe by succouring those that are distressed.

30 Sinne no more.
This is a good and a sure foundation, laid vp against
the time to corae, Shew your thankfulnesse to
God by your liberalitie to his people : let alraes^
deeds bee your thanke-offerings, that God may still
preserue your substance for new thanke-offerings.
There is no surer way to keepe your selues from
euer wanting, than by taking care that others want
not, which but for your liberalitie must needs bee
pressed and pinched with wants. It is a more
blessed tiling to giue than to receiue, as Christ
himselfe hath told vs : Giue willing!}', giue
speedily, giue plentifully, that the Lord may make
you alwayes giuers rather than receiuers.
But I beseech you (brethren) let there be none,
no not one amongst you, that out of a malicious
desire to scurge pietie, so nicke^naraed, vpon our
sides, shall mocke at Puritanisme, vpon occasion of
this hand of God which hee hath stretched out
against vs, whom the world hath pleased, but
falsely, to terme Puritans, Or if any man will
needs take occasion to laugli at his brethren, whom
his father sees good to correct before his eyes, we
cannot but be assured tliat such petulancy and
wantonnesse shall much displease that louing
Father, which vseth his rods to warne one in
anothers sufferings ; am! leauing him to be iudged
by God, that can take his times of fit corrections
for 9,11 his sonnes and daughters, we will pitty his
ignorant follie that doth so raisse-interpret the

Sinne no more. 31
Lords seueritie, comforting our selues with the
Apostles saying, that hath told vs, how ludgement
begins at the house of God, and that the father
correcteth euery sonne whom he receiueth.
And so much ( well-beloued Brethren) thought
I fit to speake vnto you frora ray selfe, and in mine
owne name. Now hauing finished mine owne
errand, I conle to speake vnto you as Christs Ara-
bassadour, in his narae, and in his words, as him-
iielfe did vtter thera in S. lohns Gospell, saying, '
loHN 5. Ver. 14.
Sinne no more, lest a worse thing
come vnto thee.
THIS sentence was spoken by our blessed Sauiour
himselfe, to a man whom himselfe had a little
before miracalousty cured of a long' arid lingering sicknesSe.
It is a plaine sentence, that the weakest capacitie may
conceiue it. A short sentence, that the feeblest memofy
may retaine it. It is very needfull, because it declareth
a most behouefull dutie, and very terrible, because it
threatens a very fearefull punishment : You cannot but
see it diuiding it selfe into two portions. A plaine com-
mandement, a sharpe threatning ; the first, enioyning the
right vse of former calamities ; the second threatning, the
neglect of such vse, with new and worse calamities. Sinne
no more, that is the commandement, know it to practise
it ; lest a worse thing fall vpon thee,- that is the threatning,

32 Sinne no more.
know it and auoid it : The former saying may perhaps
seeme strange, for who can attaine to such perfection, of
sinning no more ? When the Scripture telleth vs, that in
many things we sin all, and that no man liueth and sinneth
not : The latter saying may perhaps seeme impossible, for
who can iniagine a worse miserie, then eight and thirty
yeares sicknesse ? But if we consider the infinitnesse of
Gods lustice, we shall easily perceiue, that it is easie to
him to lay a worse crosse, than any that befell formerly,
vpon him that will not profit by that which he hath felt
already ; for sure the Lord hath as much power, as man
hath sin, and can as quickly make the weight of punish
ment heauier as man can make the weight of sin heauier.
And if we consider the infinitnesse of Gods grace in Christ,
accepting the will for the deed, and working the will and
the deed; we shall easily see the meaning of Christ in
bidding him sinne no more. Know then, that these words
are to be vnderstood euangelically, in that the Lord will
reckon him to haue sinned the more, that doth stedfastly
purpose, and constantly labour tp sinne no more. To
forsake; at least the vsuall practise of grosse sins, and the
willing allowance of all, euen the least knowne sins ; this
is in the Gospell phrase to sin np more, and this is both
possible, and also easie to him that is begotten from aboue.
In these words then, you haue two points to note ; A duty,
and the danger, if we neglec^ the duty : Of the first at
this time, at another time of the later.
Learne therefore I pray you, from the mouth of our
blessed Sauiour, that one speciall vse of our afflictions is
our reformation. His chastisements must reclaime vs from
our euill wayes ; and though before wee were afilicted, we
went astray, yet afterwards, we must cease to sinne any
more, and learne his righteous iudgements ; Goe, a*d sin

Sinne no more. 33
no more. This is the fruit that the Lord doth looke for,
from his corrections. This is that, which Isay the Prophet
doth teach vs also, saying Chap. 27. ver. 9. by this shall
the iniquity of lacob be purged, and this is all fruit to
take away this sinne ; why doth the Goldsmith cast his
gold into the furnace, but that it may come out more pure
from drosse ? And go doth the Lord try vs in the furnace
of aduersity, that the drosse of our sinnes may be purged
from vs. And that we should be reformed by crosses it
(^ppearetb, because the Lord complaineth for want of this
efiect, Isay 1. 5. saying, why should you be smitten any
more ? ye^ will reuolt more and more : as if he had said,
that it is in vaine to correct a people, that will not be
amended by corrections. And by the Prophet Amos,
Chap. 4. ver. 8. the Lord doth fine times together reproue
the people, that notwithstanding the diuers calamities
wherewith he had declared his displeasure against them
for their sins, yet ye haue not retifrned vnto me, saith the
Lord of Hosts. Now there is no true conuersion without
amendment. If we cast not away qur transgressions, we
cannot be counted true conuerts; Seeing then, the not
conuerting to God by meanes of chastisements, is greatly
condemned, and amendment is a chiefe part of turning ;
we must needs confesse that the Lord requireth that this
conuersion and amendment should follow from his stripes.
No man will question this truth. The plainnesse of it
shall spare vs a labour of further proofes.
Two principall reasons may perswade; vs to it ; First,
sin is the cause of all the raiserie we feele, miserie therefore
should induce vs to forsake sini^e. For it is a brutish
folly to complaine of any euill, and not obserue the cause
that deserueth the same, to remoue it. Seeing the Lord is
the Judge and Ruler of all the world, and that nothing

34 Sinne no more.
doth befall the sons of men, but by his appointment, (as
oiir Christian Religion commandeth vs to beleeue, whicli
teacheth the doctrine of Gods speciall prou idence) either
we must impute vniustice and cruelty to God, as if he
were angry for nothing, and delighted in the Creatures
vnliappinesse (which blasphemy nature it selfe abhorreth,
as most repugnant to all right reason ; for how should that
be found in God ? the fountaine of all goodnesse, which
maketh the men in 'whom it is found, to all lose the
honour of goodnesse) or else wee must confesse, that our
wiekednesse is the roote of all our wretchednesse ; and
that therefore wee are smitten by God, because we haue
transgressed the Law of God, and hence also must
conclude (euen out of loue to our owne welfarre, as well as
Out of duly to our Maker) that we will surely cast from
vs those things, which wee finde in experience to be mis-
chieuous vnto vs. What childe is there who beinff
whipped, dofh not cry out I will doe no more, I will doe
lio more ? What malefactor will not presently promise to
leaue the practise of those criraes, that procure his bands
and imprisonment? We are void of that vnderstanding
which is to be found in very infants, and in the worst of
men, if wee make not tJie like conclusions, from the stripes
and punishments which our heauenly Father, and the
chiefe Ruler of his whole world, doth inflict vpon vs.
Tell me then, is not God the Author of thine afflictions,
whatsoeuer tlie secondary cause be ? either confesse this,
or professe thy selfe an heathen, an Epicure ; and if this
be true, either when thou feelest the prints and scars of his
displeasure against thy sinnes, thou must resolue to leaue
thy sinnes, or else confesse thy selfe a foole, a beast, that
hath no regard of his own happinesse and comfort.
Againe, this is tiie sole way of becomming great gainers

Sinne no more. 35
by our miseries, to reforme our liues, and cast away our
sins. And who would not doe that worke (though pain-
fullji) that shall cause afflictions to end in comfort ? not
alone procuring the remoueall of the crosse, but an increase
of blessings also ? If when our heauenly father chastiseth
vs, we fling away our sins, he will not alone cast away his
rods, and cease smiting, but will also bethinke himselfe of
raany benefits, whereby to declare that his anger is turned
into fauour. So wel is God pleased with beholding the
dutifulnesse of his seruants, in stooping to his hand, and
redressing what hath prouoked him, that he will be so
much more bountifull and gracious to them, by how miich
hee hath more afflicted them before, and so it shall be
better with them, than if they had not beene smitten at
all : where is our wisdome ? where is loue to our selues ?
where is our naturall desire of happinesse ? if we take not
so good an opportunity, to turne our woe into weale, our
sorrow into ioy, our sorest calamity into greatest consola*
tion ? If we doubt of this effect of an holy reformation,
the Lord hath put vs out of all doubt, by causing it to
bee, both promised and performed vnto lob, and in him
to all that are afflicted, lob II. 14. verse. Zopher telleth
lob, that which God himselfe did make good at last, if
iniquity be in thine hand, put it farre away, and let not
mctcfidnesse dwell in thy tabernacles. Loe what an afflicted
man must doe, his care must be to purge his hand and his
house of all manner of wiekednesse and sin. This if he
will doe, heare how the Lord will reward his amendment.
His estate shall be amended as much as his soule, and
more, and God will make misery to fly as farre from him,
as hee hath chased iniquity, for then, saith he, thou shalt
lift vp thy face without spot, yea thou shall be stedfast
and not feare ,• meaning, I take it, thou shalt enioy the

36 Sinne no more.
comfortable assurance of the remission of thy sins, and
shalt rest assuredly and fearlesly perswaded, that the staine
thereof is quite done away before the Lord. A man shall
hold vp his head with comfort before his Maker, and with
confident boldnesse appeare without spot and blot before
him, if his afflictions for sinne do bring forth reformation.
And for his outward state he addeth, thou shalt forget thy
misery. His afflictions shall not alone haue an end, but
that so, as he shall be quite freed from all the trouble of
them, there shal be no such remainder of them, as to
make him once thinke of them againe, or if he do rei
member them, he saith, thou shalt remember them as
waters that are past, which cause the meddowes to bee
more fat and fertile, then they would hajie beene : looke
what those flouds be to tbe meddowes, wherewith they
seeme to be little lesse than drowned all the winter (euen
causes of their being more richly clad, with grasse and
flowers in the spring) that shal afflictions proue, to them
that are made to forsake their suis by their afflictions,
means of helping them to much more comfort and prosper
ritie ; and this comfort shall be very great and very lasting
too, and still growing and increasing more and more, thin^
age (saith he) shall be clearer then tlie noon day, thou shalt
shine forth and he as the morning. The comfqrt of a
sinner reformed by corrections, shall be plentiful! and ex-t
cellent as the brightnes of the noontide Sun, and withall
constant durable and on the growing hand, as the light
of the morning. If these be proiraises of God which
cannot be made in vaine, if they be of an vndoubted truth,
and shall be infallibly performed, is he not more stupid
and senselesse than a dead stone ? that will not be moued
by them, to improue his chastisements, for the remouing
of his sins. Do not all men loue prosperitie and comfort.

^inne no more* 37
Ivish it for themselues and for their friends ; pray for,
reioyce in, bestow all their labour to get comfort ? and
why should we not follow Gods directions, rather than
our owne, and learne from him the path that leads to
prosperity ? seeing we confesse him to be Maker and
Giuer of prosperity.
Enough I hope to proue this duty and to perswade it.
Now for your belter direction in the practise of it, I will
stand a while to shew you two needful points. First,
what sins a man must amend by chastisements. Secondly,
by what meanes a man must make his affliction an helpe
to his amendment of these sins. For the first of these.
First in generali, all sins must be forsaken without ex
ception, and therefore doth our Sauiour deliuer the precept
here in these generali termes, sin no more, neither in one
thing, nor in another. And so doth thc Prophet call vpon
Israel, saying, cast away all your transgressions. All sin
is hatefuU to God, all sinne is hurtfull to man. Euery sin
is euill in Gods sight, euery sin is threatned with the curse,
euery sin deserueth the curse, euery sin grieueth the spirit,
euery sin is forbidden by the Law, euery sin was punished
in Christ, and vnlesse we reforme euery sin, we do not in
deed and in truth reforme any sinne. Looke therefore
that your reformation bee generali and vniuersall, without
any limitation or exception ; for you haue to deale with
God, that is a God of pure eyes, and can abide no iniquitie,
no not any of any kind, or any degree. He that spake
one commandement, spake all ; and he that obeyeth one
comandement, must and will in some good measure obey
all. For if any man shall keepe the whole law besides,
and yet allow himselfe in the breach of any one com
mandement of the law, hee shall bee counted a transgressor
of all ; and all his other obedience, because it is hollow,

38 Sinne no more.
&lse, and hypocritieall, shall be reiected and disallowed
by God. More particularly, euery man must amend his
owne sins, the sinnes of his person, nature, place, condition,
the mos:t beloued of all his sins, those that are most
pleasant, most profitable, most creditable to him, those
that he hath most will to commit, and is most vnwilling
to forsake. Those that stick fastest vnto him, and flatter
him with most hope of profit, delight, credit. So saith
the Prophet, let the wicked man forsake his wickednesy
Sf the vnrighteous man his own imaginations, and another
Prophet saith, cast away all your transgressions whereby
you haue transgressed. So our Sauiour calleth vs to the
cutting of the hand & foot, and pulling out the eye, and
casting them away. There are some sins that are as deare
to euery man, as the principall members of his bodie, and
the most needfull and vsefull of all his senses. These,
these must be mortified, forsaken, abandoned. If our
principall care be not to relinquish these principall trans
gressions, our partiall and seeming care in reforming other
euils, shall be nothing at all regarded. Consider then,
each of you, what is his most precious and most esteemed
corruption, what he is most loth to forgoe, what seeraeth
most hard, most difficult, most impossible for him to cast
away, and let him bestow his chiefe paines here where hee
fiudeth most hardnesse. But most chiefly aboue all,
afflictions should worke vs to the leauing of those offences,
which the Lord in afflictuig, doth most chiefly intend and
aime at : as the child must be most carefull to reforme that
fault, for which his father dpth particularly chastise him ;
we raust giue our selues diligently to marke what is the
oflfence or offences, which when God layeth his rod vpon
vs, he doth most dislike in vs, and would haue vs most
willing to glorifie him by amending, For though the Lord-

Sinne no more.^ 39
do correct for sin in general, yet for the raost part, there
are some speciall disorders which doe most prouoke him,
and which he doth in speciall call vs to reforme by his
stripes. Now therefore as concerning the present calamity
which hath light vpon you : let mee striue to be helpfull
vn(o you, in declaring what the faults be, which the Lord
doth most shew himself angry against, and to the leauing
whereof, he doth most particularly call you, by his heauie
stroke of his most righteous, and withall most gracious
hand. But how shall we attain to the knowledge of Gods
intention in this raatter ? Surely my brethren, by consider
ing the raedicine, which a wise Physician doth minister, it
is easie to know the disease or diseases w^i" he seeketh to
cure. Let rae read the prescript of a skilful! Artist, and
know those ingredients whereof his potion is compounded,
& I may soone affirrae wht^t be those humours, which he
would haue purged away. For either like things are
healed with like, or else contrary with contrary. In like
manner, if we do discreetly consider the chastiseraents of
God, wee shall easily perceiue his meaning, and informo
our selues ofthe sins which he seeketh to reforme. I pray
you therefore let vs take a view of our affliction, and looke
chiefly to these foure things : the time when the Lord
afflicted, the place where our sorrow began, the instruraents
by which we suff'ered, and the things in which ; and if we
do with any raediocritie of wisdome, ponder on these par
ticulars, wee shall not chuse but know the Lords minde in
this raatter, and see our owne duty, as concerning the
speciall sins, which we must specially set against. First,
then, the time which the Lord did chuse for our humbling,
was in generali the Lords day, that seuenth after six of
labour, which it seemed good to bim for our spiritual!
benefitj to consecrate wholly to his owne scruice, and our

4tf Sijine no more.
attending the worke of getting holinesse: what can we
collect hence, but that we are punished by the resttesnesse
of this Sabbath, for our not resting an holy rest many
other Sabbaths ? How often hath the Lord vouchsafed y&
liberty and freedome to giue his owne day to him and to
our owne soules ? And then we, out of our prophannessej
and earthlinessei tooke no care to sanctifie it, bnt either
loytered out the day in idlenesse, or wasted it in our own
businesses, or in our own pastims. Now therefore he
would not giue vs leaue to rest, or to bestow our selues in
duties of holinesse, but forced vs by necessity tO spend the
day and night too, in a raost toilesome and most vncom-
fortable labour. Oh how iust is it that they which will
not rest frora worldly or voluptuous labours oh Gods
nesting day, should be compelled ta toyle and moyle like
horses in such an vnhappy buSinesse ? I pray yon, go on
to thinke more particularly at what time this crosse brake
forth amongst vs ; not on the Lords day alone, but when
we were all assembled in his House, to performe his publike
worship, then did he please to interrupt vs by so fearefull
an accident. Why so ? But to warne vs of our great
negligence of these his publique seruices r How many of
vs as very slaeke in comraing to the Congregation of God,
when we haue aboundant leasure ? .4nd this day, loe the
Lord reiected vs, would not giue vs time and opportunity,
to meet againe in his House, but hurried vs together in the
streets, and drew euery man home to his owne house to
saue it from the flames? Could we be more manifestly
smitten for neglecting to come to Gods House, when we
might haue done it, then by his not suffering vs to come
thither now, when we would haue beene glad to haue had
leasure to come thither ? But the cry of fire, fire came
flying in at the Church doores euen in that instant, when

Sinne no more. 41
wee had newly begun to celebrate thef Lords sapper ; when
some had receiued that holy Sacrament, and the greater
number were to receiue, then did God pull vs from his
tablcj and thrust Vs out of his house by force, then was
I cortipelled to request all of you (that had strength and
abilitie to do seiruice there) to make all haste to the place
of danger, and the rest (that could haue but troubled
others with their presense and outcries) to stay still at
Church. Now sure the Lord in pulling this spirituaill
food euen out of our mouths, when he haid shewed it to
allj and giuen it to some, did euen put vs in minde of our
most carelesse and vnprepared cOmtning vnto it, witbont
regard to lament Our sins before, or reforme them after.
How many of you are bold to abuse this blessed ordinance^
comraing often t6 it, and going still frora itj as vnreformed
in life as before, because you come to it without any fit
preparation. Did not God speak to such and tell them,
by thus drining them from his board, that he Couhts them
very vnwelcome' guests at his table ? So haue we considered
the time of this crosse. Think of the place also, where
did the burning begirt ? At a krlne, I say a kilne^ a rtialt
forge, the proper instrument of making that thing, which
is the next and immediate worker of drankeniiesse^ that
huge sin, that fertile broody big-bellied sin j which is (as
they say of the first matter) apt ta fake the formes of all
sinSj which by burying reason, and choaking conscience,
and setting loose' all passions, doth ttirne a man into a
beast, or rather into a Deuill, Which makes a man for the
time, a meere Atheistj a very denyer of God, and thrusts
out of his breast all remembrance, all feare, all loue of
him, which disables him foi^ all diuine' seruices, and makes
that he must needs either neglect at abuse them : which
fils his mouth with blasphemous oaths and execrations:
D

42 Sinne no more.
which will make him raile on the Magistrate, strike his
owne father, deflowre his owne daughter, spend his goods
lauishly, proclaime all his vices, and follow all his lusts.
This transcendent sin the destroyer of grace, reason, nature,
strength, state, name, all. This sin God did surely point
at, and punish : and calleth vpon all to forsake, hate,
oppose this sinne.
The fire began in a kilne, it consumed twenty kilnes, it
left no kilne standing that was within his walke, it leaped
from one side of the street to the other, to fetch in kilnes,
it spared none it carae neere, it spoiled raore raalt, than
of any other goods of one kinde (so farre as I can learne)
Say what you thinke, brethren. Is it not plaine that the
Lord doth admonish you of that fault (whereof the liquor
of raalt is the most comraon instrument) when he bare so
hard a hand against kilnes and against malt.
Looke a little further, I pray you, to the principall in
struments of this desolation : The. fire, a furious Element
of it selfe (yet resistible enough, if store of helpe be pre
sent, whereof yon did not want any, euen at the very
first) this fire did borrow strength and swiftnesse from the
rough and boisterous winds, vpon the tempestuous wings
whereof, it came riding, as it were in triumph, through
your streets, disdaining all resistance, till it had passed
frora end to end of your towne, and could not be re
strained. Now be not these two creatures of very com
mon vse ? What day is it wherein we haue not necessary
vse of fire ? what weeke wherein some such carelesnesse
as produced this calamity, is not to be found amongst
you ? And what yeare is it ? What quarter ? almost what
moneth ? in whieh the wind doth not, for one or other
day speake louder, and bussell somewhat more roughly
than ordinary ? Yet hath it neuer before falne out in any

Sinne no more. 43
of our dayes, tbat these two Elements, fire and ayre (for
no doubt winde is well termed an aire moued, whatsoeuer
be the mouing cause qf that mouing) should lay their
strengths together to hurt you ? Now when God that doth
so constantly chaine vp these hurtfull and violent creatures,
doth please for once so to pull off" his bands, and let them
run loose as it were, and when being so broken loose, they
jdoe so much mischiefe and mal^e so great hauocke, What
is this but a very vpbraiding vs with our notable vnthank-
fulnesse, for that mightie preseruation of God, by which
he doth vsually keepe vs from the like dangers ; and not
so alone, but maketh these creatures very seruiceable to vs,
which if he please to let the bridle slip a little, are able to
ruinate our states in a moment. How often haue you
come to Church in peace, and gone home in peace, and
in peace returned thither againe, and againe homeward
without any noise of fire or feare of losse ? How often
haue the blustering stormes, done nothing else but whistled
you asleepe the faster, "all night long ? And alas how little
did you consider of this benefit of preseruation frora fire
and tempest ? how seldqme haue you giuen the Lord any
particular thanks, for taking order with these his creatures,
that they should not wrong you ? Doubtlesse for this as
one cause hath he licensed them now to fight against you,
that you might take notice of your dulnesse and ingrati
tude, which considered not, nor acknowledged the great-
nesse of your debt for forraer safekeeping.
Bu^ now at length wee are come to thinke ofthe subiect
of this crosse, wherein hath the Lord smitten vs ? In our
houses and in our goods, in the riches and substance of
this present life, insoranch that diuers of you haue nothing
left, many haue bn,t little left, and a great number haue
far lesse left then you had : without all question the Lord

44 Sinne no more.
intends hereby to warne you of those sins and disorders,
which are busied about this paultry riches of the world
wherein he saw it fit to visit you. Goe lo then, and let
vs informe you of the principall faults that are committed
about riches. They are common to all, and particular,
to the wealthier sort, and to the poorer. For the first,
there are some sinnes about riches, which are comraon to
all, the chiefe of them are three, to wit, mis-getting, mis-
keeping, mis-spending. Misgetting by the vse of any
lawlesse meanes, or the immoderate vse of any lawfull :
Mis-keeping from God and man, chiefly from the poore,
and from the publike: Mis-spending, either at all in
sinfull things, or excessiuely in good things. There are
some more particular euills, which are found in richer
men, as pride of it, confidence in it, vnsatiablenesse with
it ; and in the poorer sort, enueying them that haue more,
grumbling that themselues haue so little. All and each
of them the Lord doth shew himselfe offended at, and
would consume as drosse by this fire : For as a good father
keepes many faults together on the score, as it were, and
reckons for all at one beating, so doth the Lord with his
-children ; else, alas, he should be alwaies fighting, because
we are alwayes oflfending. Let me speake a little more at
large of these ettils. For euill getting of goods first, hath
not the Lord threatned that fire shall consume the houses
of bribes ? meaning all the substance which is vniustly
attained, and all the rest in the house, though gotten
iustly, together with the place within which they are both
laid vp, euen altogether for company ? and when he made
so many of your houses to blaze at once, did he not as it
were chide you (so many as be guilty thereof) for your
vnequall and vniust dealing ? as if he had said. Ah foolish
man or woman, wouldst thou hazard a soule, by lying,

Sinne no more. 45
deceit, oppression, bribery, false weights, false measures,
or any like iniquity, to get a little pelfe together, which
now thou seest, the wind is able to blow from thee, in the
space of a few houres ? Will you forfeit a Kingdome, an
euerlasting Kingdorae, by sinning against God, against his
Word, against your consciences, to hook that to you
wrongfully, which you see now you cannot keepe with all
your paines ? now learne to know the ficklenesse of riches,
so well as that thou maist be resolute hereafter ; I will
neuer wound my soule to fill my purse or house, all the
world cannot heale that wound for all ages : these gaines,
one whiffe of wind, and flake of fire can turne into rubbish,
Againe, too much labouring for riches is an euill getting
of riches, euen in the most lawfull course of life. For
Salomon hath coraraanded saying, labour not to be rich,
that is, make not the getting of riches the scope and end
of thy labour, which he surely doth that taketh excessiue
paines to attaine them. And he subioynes this reason to
his precept, for riches taketh her selfe to her wings, and
flyeth away like an Eagle. Now then that God hath
made j'ou to see your riches euen flying away from you
on the wings of a windy flame, doth he not sensibly
punish you, for such immoderate labouring, and call
you to more raoderation ? If then any man haue so farre
giuen ouer himselfe to the seeking of earthly things, by
the most lawfull courses that can be, as to thrust out
quite, or else fo thrust vp in a narrow corner these
exercises that tend to get better things, than wealth, euen
the true riches of the soule, hee must say to himselfe, and
within hin^selfe, Alas, how foolish haue I beene, lo toyle
my selfe in following after that, which, when I haue
attained, I cannot possibly keepe it safely, but may lose
it all, or the most part of it, so suddenly, so irrecoUcrably ?

46 Siime no more.
And must conclude with himselfe, thSit he, will certainly
be more temperate hereafter, and s'eieke this vncertaine
riches, with farre lesse vehemency of paines, than the
things that are of a far more durable nature. But thoUgh
a man get not amisse, yet if he keepe and saue inordi
nately, he is also found guiltie of a fault about wealth.
And sometimes the sonnes of men doe hold and keepe
euen from the liuing God himselfe when they loue their
goods so, that they cannot finde in their hearts to giue
vnto God euen that very portion which God hath chal
lenged as his owne. For when our Sauiour willeth vs to
giue vnto God that which is Gods, must it not follow of
necessity that something is Gods ? And if any thing be
his, (in this particular manner) sure it is the tenth of our
increase, or else nothing, for to none other portion hath
he euer laid claime in any place: and for this seeing God
hath appointed still, holy actions to be done, and holy
functions in which they must be done, and holy persons
by whom they must be done in those functions; surely
he raust haue holy goods too, for the rewarding of those
persons, raaintaining those functions, and honouring and
vpholding those actions. But in this matter how faulty
are all you Tradesmen in generali; for which of you did
euer make conscience to giue the Lord his owne in this
measure? Wherefore, when you see the Lord to corae,
and take away from you euen by force of fire aud tempest,
a great quantitie at once, euen so much perhaps, and
more, as the tenth of your ioci-ease, from yeere to yeere
would haue amounted vnto; must you not needs take
notice, that his meaning was fo recouer that by strong
hand, which you would not yeeld, out of loue aud duty ?
Surely, seeing our Lord Iesus Christ hath ordained that
the Minister!, of the Gospell should liue of the Gospell,

Sinne no more. 47
euen so, as that the Ministers of the Temple should liue
of the Temple ; you must either shew some new ordinance
of his for this purpose, or else must yeeld that he hath
ratified and continued the old still ; and therefore must
resolue to giue God his tenth freely hereafter, that you
may not compell hira to take such a violent course for the
recouering of it out of your hands. But besides, that is
kept from God which is kept frora his poore, whose wants
require releefe oT them, whom hee hath made stewards of
inore abundance. For in promising to reward the liberall,
he must needs tie himselfe to punish the niggardly in this
kinde. Now how extremely pinching are raen (yea godly
men otherwise) iu this expence ? Yea and how are they
wont to excuse theraselues in such occasions, by saying
they haue it not, they cannot spare it ? Hath not the Lord
confuted your vaine excuses actually, by taking away so
rauch at once ? And yet you must raake a shift to liue of
that that is left behind too. If a day or two past, some
man had corae vnto thee for releefe of a poore afflicted
neighbour, wouldest thou haue giuen hira the fift part of
that which the fire hath consumed ? Now the Lord in
robbing thee of so much at once, doth vpbraid thee with
thy too much vnwillingnesse to part with lesse, of thine
owne accord, when himselfe did come to borrow. Say
then with thy selfe, I will giue with a more bountifull
hand, to sUppiy the poore mans wants, that I may not
force the Lord to send his vnexpected messengers, as it
were to destraine vpon my goods, for default of due
obedience to that Commandement, of gluing to six and
to seuen; had it not beene better to haue fed, clad, or
releeued a poore Christian with it, then to haue kept it
for the burning flame? And yet further when the publike
state of the towne or country doth require the cost of the

48 Sinne no more.
members therof, if then they hang backe, and will not
put themselues to due expences willingly, who doth not
see that they saue more than enough ? For could not an
heathen say, that our country hath a great share in our
selues, and in all that wee haue ? Surely then for ouer-
sauing in this case, the Lord might iustly punish you
with this present stroke. Oh resolue therefore that God
himselfe and his poore, and your country shall neuer find
you pinching, giue him his tenth, giue the poore sufficient
for their needs and your country enough for its needfull
publique vses, else thje Lord can quickly fulfill his threat,
qf making the too closcrfisted sauer, to meet with wants.
You haue lost many of you (and all stood in feare to
loose) more than would haue aboundantly sufficed for all
these vses : bee not wanting to such vses any more, lest
the Lord visit you againe with new and more losses, in
this or some other a§ bad a faghjon.
Lastly, the migpending of goods is very offensiue tq
God that lendp them, fqr what master is not discontented,
that his ^eruant doth lay out his substance against hi§
good liking ? And are you any qther than Gqds stewards,
and Gods Bayliefes ? and can you thinke that God allqwes
you to spend in drinking, whqqring, gaming, riot, and
euill meetings, and lewd company ? did he put riches
into your hands to serue the Dluell and sinne ? if your
soules be guilty of ?uch most sinfull lauishnesse, be §ure
that for these sins tbe Lqrd hath smitten thee, and be sure
that hereafter flioii make iiot fl^e Diuell the keeper of thy
purse, and opener qf thyxhest, let not Safan and lust
haue tl^e key of thy coflfer and strings of tliy purse in
their hands tq open them af their pleasure. Tl^e Lord
will not alwayes suffer vnfaithfull stewards, tq goe yn-
punishcd in their yufaithfulnesse, no not in this present

Sinne no more, 49
iife. And besides this, take notice, that to affect curio-
eitieand vaine glory, in the most lawfull and needfull
expences, is wastfulnesse and prodigalitie ; and yet how
much doe many of you exceed in this kinde ? so much
you lay out in ouer plentious feasting, when you make
feasts ; in ouerrgorgious trimming of your bodies and
houses ; that as a barrell of beere, which hath a leake and
runs out where it should not, will nqt hold out as it
should, when it comes to be duly broached at the spigget ;
go you haue neither will nor power to lay out enough for
merciful! vses because you cast away more than enough,
in proud and yaine-glqrious yses, Resolue therefore io be
better husbands, and truer dispencers of Gods goods
hereafter. Be richer iu good workes than in good cloathes,
and good hQusehold stufle, and good fare, and good
buildings : In these things equall your. selues with thera of
the lower sort, that in better things you may be equall
with them of the higher. Driue pot God to cut you
shorter because you abuse your goods to vanity.
These are coraraon abuses, about earthly things in the
richer and in the poorer. I come to the speciall. First,
how often doe rich men wax proud of their wealth, and
thinke them^lues sq much the better than their poorer
neighbours, by how much they possesse more ; crowing
on the dunghill of wealth, and calling all, base and
meane men, whose morsells be not so fat in the world as
theirs. Oh how notably doth God confute those vaine
fancies, in sending for his owne goods home againe by
such sturdie and churlish seruants as those, which will not
regard the rich man more than the poore ? Tell me now,
art thou the better for thaf, that was only lent thee, and
may be fetched home againe by the owner euery moment ?
^ilt thpu bee gqod in thine owne eyes hereafter, for that

50 Sitme no more.
which thou knowest not, how quickly the Lord may strip
thee of with much affrightment ? Be not, be not so
securely foolish hereafter as to prize thy selfe the raore for
those things, which hang about thee so loosely, and
whereof thou hast so slender hold, wherein so little right,
that a coale of fire, and a puflfe of wind, may take all
from thee, before thou hast told two dayes raore. If any
thinke that his reuenues lie in lands, which fire cannot
consume, I answer, water can drowne lands also, and
God hath as much water as fire in his store-house, and
this whole land of ours is so surrounded with wanes, that
if God but bid the winds be violent, they will as easily
and quickly ouerrunne this whole kingdome, as the present
fire hath done this towne in which we abide. If any say,
hee feareth no such inundation, I answer, neither within
this three dayes did we feare any such fire ; but God hath
a thousand wayes, to goe beyond the feares and hopes of
vs weake-sighfed mortals. Goe fo then, be wise for the
time to come, and pride not thy selfe in that, which may
cease to be thine in a moraent. I proceed. Do not rich
men trust in their riches, though the Apostle hath intituled
them vncertaine riches ? When God doth make it appeare
by experience, that they be most fickle, which by the
testimony of his word, wee will not count to be such ; is
not this a plaine punishment of our confidence in them ?
And must we not by these blowes informe our selues so of
Ihis propertie, as to resolue hereafter, I will not trust in
riches, that is to say, I will not build ^ vpon a rotten
quagmire ? I know that almost all tbe world will cry not
guilty of this fault, but it is because they doe not know
the fault. They doe plainly practise it, though they
flatly deny it. For what is it to trust in any thing, but
to hold vp our hopes of attaining the good we desire, or

Sinne no more. 51
escaping the euilT we shune, by the helpe and benefit of
that thing ? he that stayes his beleefe and hope vpon a
thing, he trusts in it, let him say what hee will to the
contrary. Now haue you not thus done with wealth?
Diddest thou not promise thy selfe a weeke since fo liue
merrily and comfoi-fably, and to escape hunger, cold,
nakednesse, &c. because thou hadst a conuenient house,
fit stuffe in if, and fit things to maintaine thee ? And now
tell rae, what is become of these thine hopes ? and this
thy trust ? when all thy goods are gone, and nothing is
left but ashes. Oh see, see, that riches are very runnagates
and fugitiues, that they be very lies and falsifies, and that
if they promise a man comfort in old age, or helpe in
any time, against any misery, they doe but cousin him
with shewes : For how can that helpe thee, which may
runne from thee euery day and houre ? Now learne fo
enioy wealth, so long as God doth giue if thee ; but neuer
to promise thy selfe comfort or benefit from if, which is to
trust in it. It is a thing, as thine eyes haue told thee
lately, raore easily mOueable, more easily loseable, than
that it can make good such proraises. There is yet one
more disease of the soule about riches, the dropsie of
insatiable and insatisfiable wishes for raore, more. Men
haue enlarged their hearts to the things below, as the
graue it selfe, and learne of the Horsbleach to crie giue,
giue. Those that began with a little, and are raised fo
large estates, are no iot lesse greedily desirous of more,
than they were at first, nay their hearts are so retched
with their goods, because they lay them vp in their hearts,
that still they are fitted to hold raore, by how rauch more
is put into them. Now the Lord by taking from you
much of your substance, warned you to cut oS much of
your desires after more. Thou diddest thinke thy state

52 Sinne no more.
too little, and desiredst an increase, God did thinke it too
much, and saw fit fo decrease if, without doubt he is
wiser than thy selfe : now learne to diminish thy longing
after wealth, as much and raore, than he hath diminished
thy wealth. And if is a more happy thing to lose riches,
if withall wee lose that eager desire of them, which their
presence did increase, than still fo possesse thera, and still
to be so eager after more ; learne to know when you haue
enough, because the Lord hath made if appeare, that his
minde was contrary to your desires, and that he accounted
it too much, which you esteemed not enough.
Two great disorders more of this kinde there remaine,
more proper to the meaner sort of people ; Enuying and
raurmuring. Those to whom the Lqrd sees fif fo shew
himselfe somewhat sparing, are as much tormented raany
times with other mens abundance^ as with their owne
penury ; neither is it so grieuous to them, thaf themselues
baue so scant a portion, as that fhe portion of others is
more plentifull. Their eye is euill, because Gods eye is
good. They fret that others enioy the benefits which them»
selues haue not and doe little lesse than hate and maligne
a rich raan only because he is rich. A vice of any other
worthy fo be lamented and abhorred, as being at once
wrongfull fo God, fhe free Disposer of his owne gifts ; to
a mans selfe the beholder, and others the receiuers of the
same ; for either God is wise enough fo finde the fittest
obiects of his bounty, or he is not. Thou darest not
affirme fhe latter in words, for feare qf making thy selfe a
blasphemer. Why dqst thou then affirme it in deeds, by
taking offence at his diuision of his owne substance ? for,
no doubt, he thaf grieueth at anothers action, blames him
af least of indiscretion. And for thy selfe, what a
miserable folly is it, to draw gaule out of bony, and to

Sinne no more. 53
gather misery from anothers corpforf ? How vnnafurall a
part were it in the naked hand fo grudge the foot a good
shooe? and canst thou shew more vncharitablenesse in
any thing, than in being vexed at thy brothers welfare ?
Wherefore, let him whose heart hath beene guilty of re
pining at anothers plenty, obserue, that God in taking
away whaf he had before, corrects his want of being
satisfied in fhe former distribution, and hath made his
little, lesse, fo punish his causelesse griefe and anger at
anothers store. But I will conclude wifh murrauring, a
vise no lesse frequent than fhe former in men of meane
estates. All their complaint is that they haue nothing,
like to vngratefuU beggers, that deny they had any almes
where they had not so large an almes as they desired.
Such were diuers of you, you had such poore houses,
such cold houses, you had nothing to hang vpon you ; I
say all your words fended to diminish fhe gifts that God
had giuen : These were lying and false complaints and
mutterings, and now fhe Lord doth call you to sorrow for
them, and araendraent of them, by verifying them whether
you will or not. How glad wouldest thou bee now, if
that house were standing, or those goods remaining,
which thou diddest often abuse with the name of nothing.
Beware of muttering causelessely, that God may not be
angry to heare those mutterings, and make you proue
them true, to your further smart. Thus, my beloued
brethren, I haue shewed you what ofl^ences they be, fhe
reformation of which the Lord doth expect : Let me adde
one thing more, which the consideration of the instrument
of your misery doth lead vs vnto. In Scripture we reade,
that God hath appeared in fire and tempest, then, when
hee would strike a feare of himselfe info the hearts of men,
and make them tremble and quake before hira. Thus

54 Sinne no more.
in fhe giuing of the Law he clad himselfe with a consum
ing flame ; and in fhe Psalme, there went a smoake out of
his nostrils, and fire out of his mouth consumed. And
in another Psalme, clouds and darkenesse are round about
bim, and a fire goeth before him. So did he shew him
selfe to lob in a tempest and whirle wind, and to Eliah in
a mighty wind and fire. These things are terrible fo man,
and make the stoutest heart to quake. The Lord in
causing his creatures to shew themselues so terrible, would
checke vs for that want of feare of his owne greafnesse,
which is found in vs ; O the feare of God is not before
our eyes. Who is so much afraid fo oflfend God, as he
is of the fury of the flaming fire ? What crying, what
running away from the fire, what conueighing of your
goods from out of his reach ? Is fire so fearefull, one of
Gods host, and will not you leame fo feare before the
consuming fire of his wrath ? Mend, I pray, that carelesse
contempt of God, which is fhe cause of most other sinnes,
and tremble now before him, one or two of whose creatures
you see fo bee so irresistible. How canst thou stand
against God, how darest thou rush vpon his wrath, that
didst raake such haste fo runne away from wind, and
smoake, and flame ?
These be the chiefe faults, which you must endeuour fo
redresse by meanes of this visitation.
I goe forward to shew you by what meanes you may
cause this crosse to further your amendment of these and
other faults. To this end foure things are necessary.
First you must looke vp to God in this misery, a,nd
acknowledge his hand in it, and withdraw your eyes, from
fhe secondary cause or occasion ; For it is fhe Lord thaj
sendeth both euill and goodj both prosperous and aduerse
things fo particular persons, and fo whole townes and

Sinne no more. 5,5
countries. Carelesnesse and negligence of any person,
could not haue produced so lamentable a losse, if Gods
prouidence had not so disposed, that such negligeuce
should haue fallen ouf, at such a time, in such a rough.
and violent wind, sifting in such a point as fo driue it
vpon you, not frora you. The Lord that knew the winds
would then bee very boisterous and violent, and thaf they
would sit fitly fo carrie the flaraes from house to house,
euen till they had passed thorow all the places which' he
saw fit fo strike, he I say, he by his good prouidence, did
order things so that the heedlesnesse of sorae or other
should then giue occasion, fo the breaking out of the fire,
when the frosty wind had made each thing, as drie almost
as tinder fo receiue fire, and when fhe present terapest was
readie to scatter and disperse the fire. Say thou to thy
s^elfe, that hast lost thy goods, or house, or both ; The
God of heauen he rules all things, he disposeth of all
euents, none so great, none so little, but it is subiect to his
prouidence ; casuall things, to hira are not casuall vncer
taine things, to bina are not vncertaine. Fire, water, aire,
earth, wind, fetnpesf, all things, are his creatures, none
qf them can stirre without his power and knowledge.
The ^innes of men, their carelesnesse, their wilfulnesse,
their actions of all sorts, are all vnder his eye, all vnder
his decree ; It is he that dofh moderate euery particular
euent, neither is chance or happe any thing but an idle
word, vnlesse wee meane by it an act of Gqds prouidence
most certainely gouerning those things that fo men are vn
certaine. I will not therefore trouble ray selfe with inquir
ing of or chafing against the person or persons, by whose
faultinesse this vnruly seruant was made a Master : but I
will looke onely to God, and say with lob, hee hath giuen,
and he hath taken. The fixing of thc words or thoughts

56 Sinne no more.
too much vpon fhe secondarie cause of any crosse, hinders
the spirituali working of if for the healing of the soule ;
but fhe looking vp to God, and calling our thoughts to
his all ruling hand, doth make the soule capable of being
reformed by crosses. Tbis doe in the first place. And,
secondly. Take notice of your sinnes as fhe causes that
haue prouoked God, and incensed him the principall
Worker, and so procured this aduersifie. Speake vnto
your soules often, and that not in a few formall and
generali words, but effectually and particularly, saying ;
It is sinne, and ortely sinne, that maketh the Creator fO
send misery vpon the creatures. Hee doth no more desirC
our pouerty, than our death, but thaf we, by transgressing
his Law, doe compell his iustice fo shew it selfe, as it were
in defence of his authoritie. A iust Prince raUst punish
vndutifuU subiects, vnlesse hee woUld forfait the honour
of lustice. Because wee haue sinned in breaking Gods
Sabbath, he hath interrupted vs, in the rest of his Sabbath,
with so hideous an interruption ; because wee haue sinned
in abusing his Sacrament, he hath turned vs from his
Sacrament, in so vncomfortake a fashion. In a word, say
to thy selfe, I haue sinned in raurmuring that I had so
little, or wishing that I had more. I haue sometiraes spent,
sometimes gotten, sometimes kept, vnlawfully and against
my duty. Some of this that I haUe lost, was gotten by
such courses as I cannot iustifie, some saued when God
did call for it, and therefore hee hath now in this manner
depriued me of it. O how vile a thing is sinne, which
forfaifeth the goods as well as the soule, and pulleth vpon
me so sore punishments in this life, besides those of the
other world. Cause your soules, by frequent and earnest
affirming it vnto them, to be assuredly perswaded, that
these sinnes which I haue named, are the true causes of

Sinne no more. 57
your present losse, and the losse you suffer will cause yott
to hate sinne, and hatred will bring forth amendment.
We say that with our tongues many times, when wee doe
not beleeue with our hearts ; but hee that eati raake his
heart fully to assent fo this truth,T my sinnes in generally
and by name such and such sins are the things for which
I am thus smitten, shall not choose but loath his sinnes
when he labours vnder the burden of their euill efiiscts.
But thirdly, you must striue to make your griefes spirituali',
as in part I did exhort you at fhe beginning; A man may
kiH himselfe with crying and weeping fbr his smart ot
wants, and yet his sinnes be neuer a whit the more killed ;
but if when any affliction befalleth himselfe, and hee fihdes
his sorrowes stirring within hira, hee will then set his
sorrowes against his sinnes, that sorrow will surely subdue
the power of sinne. Say to your selues,' I cannot but sigh
and grieue^ and mourne, f o see so great and so lamentable
an alteration. I had an house yesterday, or the other day,
now I am houselesse. I had a bed to lye vpon, but now
it is burnt. 1 had goods fo serue ray turne, and now they
be gone info smoake ; my state is greatly weakned, if not
vtterly vndone ; I cannot but be sad and afflicted in heart
for this. But ah those sins which haue opened the
treasury of Gods lustice, and made him vse those weapons
to fight against me, doe deserue and will procure infinite
more misery. Some is lost now, all must be lost surely,
with body and soule, and all, yea body and soule, and
all, must be burned, and yet remaine for euer burning in
those flames that shall not begin one day, and burne
violently for another, and then slaeke againe in the third ;
but shall continue for euer burning with vnspeakeable rage
and torment. Doth fhe losse of my goods pinch me ?
what shall the losse of heauen doe ? was fitre,, so terrible
E

5§ Sinne no more.
when it seized alone vpon mine house ? what shall it be
when it seizeth on my selfe ? This crosse is nothing, lesse
than nothing, compared to what I haue iustly deserued,
and must certainly suflfer, if I preuent it not by godly
sorrow. I will therefore grieue, not for so trifling a thing
as thisj but for the sinnes which will procure fen thousand
times Worse misery. Ah wretch that I am, ah wicked
wretch, w'hy haue I broken the Lords Sabbath ? why haue
I abused Gods Sacrament ? why haue I beene drunken, or
suffered^ and not punished drunkennesse ? why haue I set
light by Gods threats, which I heard other Sabbaths ? why
haue I beene vniust ? why haue I lyed, coozened, and
vsed hard dealing, fo get that I cannot keepe ? why was
I niggardly when I had if, that could not tell how long
I should haue if ? why did I misspend so much thus, and
so much thus ? why did I thinke highly of my selfe for
my goods ? and trust in them, and could neuer thinke I
had enough ? or why was I so vnthankfull^ as still to
mutter^ that I had nothing, and enuy that others had so
much ? These bee fhe faults that haue kindled this flame,
and will kindle a worse ; O for these let mee weepe. Lord,
They be vile faults, vrireasonable, absurdy foolish, contrary
to the written Word, and the law of naturall wisdorae,
and doe giue thee iust cause of being yet raore angry. Oh
foolish heart, why hast thou thus sinned ! Be ashamed, O
my soule, be sorrowfull, be vile in thine owne eyes, because
thou hast so greatly transgressed thy duty, and prouoked
God. Brethren, if you will endeuour thus to rectifie your
sorrowes, they will become godly sorrowes, and they will
purge aWay sinne.
But lastly, you must remember this crosse often, so as
to consider of if, and pray for this fruit of it. The too
soone forgetting of blowes makes the little childe to be

Sinne no more. 69
little the better for them, and to draw vpon himselfe new
stripes, by renewing his former faults ; but you must not
play the children thus, you raust often, often call fo rainde
the terriblenesse of these flaraes, and the doubts, feares,
pryes and lamentations which you found in your selues,
and heard and saw in others ; and you must beseech the
Lord fo make you profit by fhe strokes of his hand, and
to sanctifie the present affliction, and all other fo your
bettering ; Represent f o your owne thoughts many times
the miserablenesse and fearefulnesse of fhe sight you saw,
when you saw your owne, and so many of your neighbours
houses deliuered ouer to fhe roaring flames, and your selues
vnable fo rescue them. Make those thoughts often present
with you which you had then, and striue fo pull info your
minds fhe same affections, and then cry fo God, O Lord,
now make me fo profit by these crosses in hauing mine
heart made more and more ouf of loue with sinne in gene
rali, and chiefly with such and such sinnes. If God
chastise vs, and teach vs of his wayes, happy be we, and
doubtlesse he will teach vs if we call fo mind his corrections,
and beg teaching. So haue you the best directions I could
giue for the practise of this Truth ; shall I craue your
leaue fo subioyne a few words, for vse, and I haue done.
Two things must be commended fo each of your consi
derations, First, those that are guiltie of not amending
on former chastiseraents, must take notice of their sinne,
to be humbled at it. An incorrigible person is a great
sinner : and what is hee but incorrigible whom the blowes
of Gods hand haue not reformed ? How can that disease
but kill, which is obstinate against medicines ? How can
those sinnes but damrae which will not be driuen away by
corrections ? The rod of correction, saith Salomon, will
chase away the folly that is bound to a childes heart; and

60 Sinne no more.
those to whom their folly cleaueth so fast that the rod of
correction will not stirre it, cannot bee esteemed Gods
children, but his enemies, and therefore the sword of
vengeance must cut them off". I am sorrie to be the
messenger of heauie tydings, but truth must bee told,
tho it displease neuer so much. Let all them know
whom Gods afflictions haue not brought to a carefull
shunning of sinne, that either sorer blowes must come to
effect that which the lighter haue not, or else, they must
yfferly perish. Hath not God met with thee in thy
dayes ? hath not he visited thee in thy children, in thy
goods, in thy health, in thy name, in any of the things
that arc naturally deare vnto thee? if yea, what hath
beene the issue ? Hast thou made light of some of them
refusing to feele them ? and though perhaps some others
haue made thee smart and roare (yea and thaf it may be
so, as fo confesse thy fault aud promise amendment :) yet
no sooner wast thou loosed from the bands of aduersifie,
but thou didst returne to the ancient licentiousnesse of
sinning? wast thou a Drunkard, a follower of vaine comr
pany, a gamester, a Iyer, a coozener, a wanton, a Sabbath
breaker, a swearer, a rayler, a worldly minded man, a
reuengefull man, a sinner in any kinde euen as bad as
before ? I say is this thy case ? then stand still and heare
thy doome from fhe mouth of him whom thou callest thy
Sauiour ; A worse thing shall befall thee. This returning
backe fo the same crimes, after confession, after submission,
after promises of reformation, is a wonderfull dangerous
fault, it shewes a world of guile and hardnesse in fhe
heart ; it shewes that a man flatters God with his lips, it
shewes that hee hath set his loue vpon sinne, and if any
raan haue serued the Lord thus, like a deceitfull bow,
some few times, as Pharoah did, let him bee assured that

Sinne no more. 61
the Lord is euen out of all hope of him as it were, and if
hee be gotten to some present ease and prosperitie, it is
because the Lord is whetting his sword to cut him off".
Great is his danger that hath refused fo receiue correction,
and to turne, thaf hath beene as base mettall, which no
melting can refine, that hath beene like such filthy clouts,
which no washing can make cleane : that hath beene like
the fretting leprosie, which after scraping off" fhe dust and
new plastering, doth breake out againe. That house must
he pulled downe ; those clouts raust be cast to the
Dunghill, that raetfall raust be flung away, and that raan
must sincke into hell. I pray you euery man to consider
if himselfe be not such, and if hee bee, now lake notice
of thine hardnesse, wilfulnesse, guilfulnesse, loue of sinne,
icontempt of Gods hand, obstinacy against his rod, and
now fall downe, and lament this sinne, and returne to
God againe : renew thy promises which thou madest in
aduersifie, and seeke fo perforrae them, that thou maiest
not bee destroyed. O let this adraonition of fhe Word,
so reuiue the remembrance of thy griefes, and of thy
purposes, and of thy faire words which thou gauest vnto
God and raan, that thou mayst tremble fo thinke of thy
great wiekednesse, in going backe frora thy good words
to thy bad deeds, and mayest now returne againe to thy
former purposes, and put thera in execution.
And secondly ; brethren, I raust speake f o you all and
each in regard of fhe present calamitie ; your eyes fell you
that God hath smitten you, who else could haue raade fhe
winde and flarae to raeete so right, and to continue together
so long ? your eares fell you what vse fhe Lord lookes that
you should make of his blowes. Now in the Lords name
I request, yea require you, to take this happy counsell of

62 Sinne no more,
our Lord Iesvs Christ. All of you in generali must doe
this. The Towne is as a common body, one Person. Tho
this stroke haue not light vpon euery one, yet hath it falne
vpon fhe whole, as the childe is corrected, when one part
is made fo smart ; wherefore all in general!, are called by
God fo a carefull amendment of their liues. Doe not
thinke, you whose goods and houses stand intire and vn-
fouched, that you be not as great offenders as your
brethren ; doe not thinke that the Lord hath not shewed
his anger to you, and against you for your sinnes. As the
longue dofh offend in periurie, and the eares are punished
by being nailed fo the pillorie ; and as the hand offendeth
in theft, and fhe backe receiueth fhe stripes in being
whipped : so when a whole Towne hath sinned, God
striketh some one part for the common sinnes, as here
araong you, for if hee should haue smitten euery one, it
would haue beene the destruction of the Towne, and not
their correction. And when hee findeth an whole Nation
sinfull, hee smiteth some Townes and Cities, to admonish
all, as lately by the Plague ; for if all should haue beene
alike smitten, all had beene lost. I beseech you therefore
to see Gods hand against your selues for your offences,
and resolue fo sinne no more in any of those things whereof
you are guiltie. God hath shewed more gentlenesse to
you, in (hat others haue borne the blowes, which the sinnes
that you have committed, as well as theirs, haue deserued ;
make not a lesse good vse of Gods hand, because he hath
shewed more clemency and gentlenesse. It is an ill vse of
mercy to grow carelesse and hard-hearted.
Let vs all therefore resolue to sinne no more, no more fo,
prouoke Gods anger, to hazard our selues no more, no
more to draw his stripes vpon vs. Is not this burning

Sinn& no more. 63
great enough ? Haue not those flames frighted you enough ?
is not this losse sufflcient? Would you another fire?
another winde ? a more violent winde ? a more furious
flame ? if not (as I know you cannot make so fond a
choise) O let fhe Lord haue his purpose^ and attaine his
desires now at this once, without any raore adoe. What
can the childe gaine by neglecting and setting light by his
fathers threats, but^ that blowes raust follow ? What by
stouting it out against one blow, and not regarding fo
mend at the first stroke, but that his father raust take the
rod in hand againe, and make him smart with harder
stripes ? Brethren, I haue often spoken fo you in Gods
name. The last Tuesday, my Text seruing, I called you
to araendraent, you see what hath followed. If being now
admonished againe, after corrections, you refuse to make
this onely right vse of both, the Lord will not be set
dOwne, hee will deale peruersly with the peruerse, as the
Psalme hath if, and be hard-hearted with the hard-hearted,
as we see in the case of Pharaoh ; and though he may
defer a time to giue you space and time for amendment,
yet in due time, and after a fit space he will againe returne
to visit you with more seuerity. Wherefore as you loue
your owne ease, as you desire the continuance of your
prosperity, as you wish no more fo feele such sore and
heauy crosses, promise, resolue, endeuour fo sinne no more,
breake fhe Sabbath no raore palpably, abuse the Sacraraent
no raore grosly. Bee no raore drunken, bee no more
sparing to Drunkards, but let each of you practise sobriety
in himselfe, and the Gouernours punish drunkennesse in
others. Be no raore fearelesse of God, be no raore vn-
gratfuU for your constant preseruation ; Get no more by
vnrighteous dealing, or immoderate labour; keepe no

64 Sinne no morci
more from God or his poore, or the publike state, spend
no raore wastfully, sinfully, excessiuely; Be no raore
proud that you are rich; Trust no more in vncertaine
riches, couet not to get more, grumble not that you haue
so little, enuy not that others exceed you in wealth. I
pray you resolue to fling from you all sinnes, most of all
your most precious sinnes ; and in particular, and with
speciall care, those sinnes which I haue naraed. Why
will you not dwell in safetie, why will you not enjoy your
goods and bouses ? Why will you not saue your selues
from raore and worse miseries ? The Lord sends his Word
amongst you fo make you profit by his blowes. Hee dofh
not grudge you your wealth, but fakes if from you fo giue
you notice that your sinnes displease him. He is not
delighted in your misery, no more than your selues are in
the smart of your children ; It is your amendment that
hee seeketh, eudeuoureth, calleth for ; and without this,
nothing will, nothing can, nothing should please him. If
he should correct for sinne once, and after suffer it vnre
formed, he should deale vniustly, vnwisely, weakely, not
like himselfe. Either those euils thaf I haue naraed, and
the rest of which you are guilty, be naught and wicked,
or they be not so. If they be not wicked, why should he
Correct you at all ? if they be, why should he cease cor-
rectiog, afore you cease sinning ; If is not crying out, it
is not roaring and lamenting, it is not a whimpring con
fession of sinnes, it is not a clamorous calling fbr raercy^
that will pacifieGod, or serue your turnes for safety. All
seeming remorse, all shewes of humiliation, all blubbering
and crying, is worth nothing, nay if is a greater prouoca-
tion to him, if withall, you ioyne not as the effect and
fruit of all, this of our blessed Sauiour, Sinne n& more,.

Sinne no more.

65

Of this you must mind euery man himselfe, euery one his
or her yoke-fellow, his or her neighbour, for this you must
call vpon your selues. Oh thaf I could bee able fo
sinne no more; for this you raust call vpon God,
O Lord, that requirest araendraent, worke
araendraent; Inable as well as command,
and then through thy grace I will
proraise what thou requirest,
and perforrae what I haue
proraised. Lord I will

smne no mord

FINIS.

Aofx 9iS.

Banburies Funerall teares powred
forth upon the Death of her late pious
and painfefuU Pastour Mr. William WhaSely
deciphei-ed ia this Sympathimng Ehgyi
am that Orb ia which of late did shine
An heav'n enlightned starre with raies divine,
Which did arise within mee and dispence
Light, fife, heate, Hea^'n-idfusiiig influence,
And went befdte me, steering right mine Eye
Vato the teiy place wRete CHRIST did lye.
He was a Cynosura in my motion
To Heaven's bright haven on this worlds vast Ocean ;
Or as the .Mgyptian Pharos to descrie
The rockes of sinne and errour to mine Eye.
Hee was my Glorie, Beautie, Consolation,
My very soule, I but the Corporation.
I would goe on with bleedings to recite,
His and mine owne sad fall, but I can't write,
Throbs shake my hand, and griefe my sight destroyes,
And when I speake, ah ! teares doe drowne my voice :
Yet will I sigh, and give my so*rowes pent
Within my breast, by mournefull breathings vent.
Come tjien speake 6igh», write teares, aad sadly storie,
The dark Ecclipse that hath befell my glorie.
My Starre is falne, and Heavens did so dispose.
That there he fell, where he at first arose :
The Starres above us thus their races runne
Returning thither whence they first begunne.
But did I say hee's falleiT ? Star^ tffie there,
He is translated to an hiifher Spheare,
Where (though to th' World he is obscnr'd) he may
Shine forth unvailed in a purer ray,
Fixt to an endlesse rest in heavens bright throne.
Above all starry Constellation.
But ah, alas Death hath dispos'd it so.
That his rise proores my fall, his weale my woe ;

67
His weale my woe ? strange ! what a change is this ?
My welfare was bat now inwrapt in his :
But thus Death innovates ; and did he not
Tell me that he Commission hath got.
And warrant for his fact from heavens great King
I would have brought him into questioning ;
Ah death what hast thou done ? Dost thou not car^
To Jnake a breach which ages can't repairs ?
So rare a Frame in peeces for to take
Which Heav'n and nature did combine to make
A Master-peece ? For who did ere behold
So sound a spirit in so strong a mold ?
Heaven's treasure which within his breast abode
Was by his liberall tongue xlisperst abroad.
AU Graces gave a meeting in him, even,
To make his breast a little map of HeaT'ii.
His lips distilled Manna ; and he stood
Not so for Church. goods as the Churches good.
His voice it was a trump, whose sound was made
With breath divine which it from Heaven had.
His Hfe a dayly Sermon, which alas.
Me tbinkes was measur'd by too, short a, g1as$e.
Ah Death though Painters give thee holes for eyes
Yet thuu canst see to take the richest pri;;?,
To hit the fairest mark ; yet I suspect
It was my «inne which did thine hand direct :
My light had I improov'd it well for gaine
Would have remaind, els lights sha'nt burn in vain.
Yet sure he is not dead, for why ? I find
Hira still surviving, in my breast enshrin'd;
And who can say that he's of life bereaven
That lives in's works, in pious hearts in Heaven ?
He's but a sleepe, by death undrest, not dead.
Or hath but changd his dresse ; for he instead
Of these sin-staind ragges of mortality
Weares a pare robe whose length's eternity.
M. B.

EXTRACTS.

From Dr. Fuller's Worthies of England.
" VirT-fLLIAM WHATELY was born in Banbury,
» V (whereof his father was twice Mayor) and bred
in Christs-college in Cambridge. He became afterwards
Minister in the Town of his Nativity ; and though gene
rally people do not respect a Prophet or Preacher when a
Man, whom they knew whitest a Child; yet he met there
with deserved reverence to his Person and Profession.
Indeed he was a good Linguist, Philosopher, Mathema
tician, Divine, He first became known to the world by
his book called the Bride-bushe. Other good Works of
his have been set forfh since his death, which happened in
the 56 year of his age. Anno Dom. 1 639.
" Sure I am that Banbury had a gracious, learned, and
painful Minister*, and this Town need not be ashamed of,
nor grieved, at what Scoffers say or write thereof; only let
them adde Knowledge to their Zeal, and then the more of
Zeal the better their condition,"
From Magna Britannia,
Vol. 4. Quarto. Published 1727.
" Mr. William Whately was an excellent preacher and
a person of good learning, being well versed in the original
text, both Hebrew and Greek. He was a great writer, and
has many things in print. His Life is written by Mr.
Satdder, Miiiisfer of ColingburnerDucis, in Wiltshire.
He died in 1639, and lies buried in the church-yard here,
under a large raised monument, with a very long Epitaph,
of which this is a part ;
It's William Whateley, that here lies.
Who swam to s Tomb in's Peoples Eyes."
• Mr. AVilliam Whately.

69

FROM A FRIEND.
The very worthy Rev. William Whately, whose
Discourse on the Fire at Banbury you design to reprint,
published, besides that Sermon, a small folio volume of
Discourses on fhe Old Testaraent Saints, a work entitled
the New Birth, &c.
The Rev. Job Orton says, — " I have lately read the
works of one Whately, who was a Minister of Banbury
in James fhe first's time; and, excepting a few obsolete
words, is one of the best practical writers I ever met with ;
full of matter, good sense, and extensive knowledge of
human nature, without any of the metaphysical dis
tinctions, and scholastic phrases which the ministers of
the last age were too fond of."
Report says, thaf he was called ' the Roaring Boy
OF Banbury !' It is certain he was a man of great reli-
gious-zeal, and that he was athletic; and the largeness of
the Old Church of Banbury, in which he preached, required
that he should lift up his voice, if he wished, as he most
certainly did, to be heard ; therefore I suspect the report
is true. Mede suggests, — that he was so popular a Preacher
that " sorae of fhe great wits have liberally acknowledged"
it, " who would often slip out of Oxford on purpose fo
hear hira, "^though the distance is 23 miles.
It is highly probable that the religious Zeal, for which
Banbury has been so long celebrated, it principally owes
to this great and good man.
The work in which you are engaged is very laudable,
and worthy the attention of the nobility and gentry of

70
this neighbourhood, and especially of the inhabitants of
this Borough. I therefore hope they will promote the
sale of if, and that you and they and posterity will all
be entertained and edified by it.
John Wheatly, Esq. the last male branch of this
family, residing in this neighbourhood, died at Broughton
Castle, and was buried in the Chancel of Banbury Church,
on the 29th of March, 1817.

THE END.

*** Jt is the intention of the Publisher to
print, as early as the arrangement can be
made, a concise History of Banbury and the
JVeighbourhood : any information or parti
culars towards the perfecting of which are
earmestly requested.

J. G. Rufiheri Printer and Sta
tioner, Bxidge-fftreety Banbury.

3 9002 00749 3191

•ifrr.f^