A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture, Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 7

A Key Opening Mysterious Texts of Scripture · Collection of sermons 1 · Sermon 7

p. 80PANDORA'S BOXE; OR, THE CAUSE OF ALL EVILS AND MISERY. A Sermon preached before the high Commiſſion in his Graces Chappell at Lambeth. THE SEVENTH SERMON.

HOS. 13.9.

Heſiod. erg. l. 1. foreign.O Iſrael, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe, but in me is thy helpe.

Moſt Reverend, Right Honourable, Right Worſhipfull, &c.

I Should tremble to rehearſe this text in your eares, if there were not comfort in it as well as terrour, joy as ſorrow, helpe as calamity, ſalvation as deſtruction. But you may eaſily diſcerne in it a double glaſſe ſet before us; in the one we may ſee our hurt, in the other our helpe; in the one Iſrael fallen, in the other raiſed up; in the one Adam and all his poſteritie wounded by a grievous fall from the Tree of knowledge, and weltring in their owne blood, in the other healed and waſhed by Chriſts bloud; in the one deſtruction from within, (Thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe O Iſrael) in the other ſalvation from above; (but in me is thy helpe.) In the Originall foreign it hath deſtroyed thee, or one hath deſtroyed thee, or thy deſtruction O Iſrael, or O Iſrael thy utter ruine and deſolation. An abrupt and imperfect ſentence, to be made up with ſomething that goeth before, or to be gathered from that which followeth after, foreign but or for in me is thy helpe.

There were never pictures held in greater admiration than thoſe ofaaPlin. l. 35. c. 10. Timanthes, and they for this eſpecially, that they exhibited more to the underſtanding than to the eye, intimating more than was expreſſed, and preſenting alwayes ſomewhat to the conceit which could not by colours be repreſented to the ſight. And for the like reaſon, thoſe ſtraines of p. 81Rhetorike moſt take the wiſe, and affect the judicious eare, which expreſſe more by expreſsing leſſe, the ſentence being broken off in the midſt, to ſhew the force of violent paſsion which bereaveth us on the ſudden both of ſenſe and ſpeech. The Muſicians alſo in their way tickle the eare by a like grace in muſicke to that figure in ſpeech by unexpected ſtops and reſts, making a kinde of Apoſiopeſis and harmonicall Ellipſis. Surely as the broken joynts and maimed limbes of men uncovered much move us to compaſsion; ſo the imperfect and maimed members of ſentences, uttered in anger or griefe, are apteſt both to ſignifie and to move paſſion. Such is that broken ſpeech ofbb2 King. 13.14.2 Kgs 13:14 Joaſh the King concerning Eliſha, over whoſe face hee wept and ſaid, O my father, my father, the chariot of Iſrael and the horſemen thereof. And that ofccPſal. 6.3.Ps 6:3 David, My ſoule is ſore troubled, but thou O Lord how long! And the like of ourddLuke 19.42.Luke 19:42 Saviour, If thou haſt knowne, even thou, at leaſt in this thy day, the things that belong to thy peace. And ſemblable thereunto is this in my text, Shikethka, Jiſrael perdidit te, or perditio tua, it hath undone thee, or thy ruine O Iſrael. For thoſe words (ex te) which we finde in many latine copies are added by the Tranſlator to fill up the breach in the ſentence: in the Hebrew there is a verball Ellipſis or defect, which expreſſeth a reall Ellipſis or utter failing of Iſraels ſtrength, and a figurative Ellipſis and ſeeming deficiency in God himſelfe, through a deepe taking to heart of Iſraels now moſt deplorate eſtate:

eeVirg Aen. 2.—ruit Ilium & ingens

Gloria Dardanidum.

The Crowne of Iſrael is fallen from his head, and all his honour lyeth in the duſt. Iſrael after many grievous ſtrokes and wounds received, now bleeds at the heart, and is a breathing out his laſt gaſpe; and the God of Iſrael by a Sympathy of griefe ſeemeth to lie ſpeechleſſe. For his words faulter: thy deſtruction Iſrael, or it hath deſtroyed thee, Iſrael is deſtroyed, who hath deſtroyed Iſrael? or why is Iſrael deſtroyed? why is the cauſe and author of Iſraels woe concealed, and the ſentence left abrupt and imperfect?ffTertul. adver. Hermog. c. 22. Adoro Scripturae plenitudinem. Tertullian ſpeaking of the perfection of Scripture ſaith, I adore the fulneſſe of the Scriptures: in another ſenſe, yet true, I may uſe the contrary attribute, and ſay, I adore the deficiencies and ſeeming vacuities in Scripture ſentences, where the roome left for words is anticipated by paſſion, and filled up with ſighs and grones. Will you have the cauſe why God expreſſeth not the cauſe of Iſraels plagues? Becauſe he would not adde unto them. Had he filled up the bracke in the contexture of the ſentence, it muſt have bin with theſe or the like words, by the conſent of Interpreters, It is thy ſtubborne heart, O Iſrael, and thy open rebellion againſt mee: it is thy ſtoning my Prophets, and killing my meſſengers ſent early and late unto thee: it is thy ſpirituall fornication, and Idolatrous worſhip of Jeroboams golden calfes that hath heretofore brought all thy miſerie upon thee, and now hath wrought thy finall overthrow. But alas this had beene to mingle judgement with wormewood, to kill them with a word whom he meant to ſmite with a ſword. It is enough for a Judge to pronounce the dreadfull ſentence of death, it is too much then to fall foule upon the priſoner with p. 82amplifications and bitter invectives. Howbeit, whether for theſe or better reaſons beſt knowne to himſelfe, God doth not here particularly ſet down the author or cauſe of Iſraels woe; yet in the other member of the ſentence (but in mee is thy helpe) removing the cauſe from himſelfe, and profeſſing that there had beene helpe in him for them, but for ſome barre: he giveth them to underſtand in generall what it was hee forbare to ſpeake, but they could not but conceive, and wee muſt gather out this Scripture for our inſtruction, that the cauſe of Iſraels overthrow, and the ruine of all other Kingdomes is in their ſinnes, and from themſelves. As in muſicke, though each ſtring hath a different ſound by it ſelfe, yet many of them ſtrucke together make but one chord: ſo the laſt tranſlation which I follow, and all the former which I have read, though they much differ in words, yet they accord in the ſenſe by mee now delivered. For whether wee reade as ſome doe, Rex tuus, thy King; or as others, Vitulus tuus, thy calfe; or as Calvin, Aliquid praeter me, ſomething beſides me hath deſtroyed thee; or as St. Jerome doth, Perditio tua ex te, thy deſtruction is from thy ſelfe; or as the Kings Tranſlators render the Hebrew, thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe, the ſentence is all one, thy miſchiefe is from thy ſelfe, but all thy hope of help is from thy God. Julian gave for his armes in his Scutchion an Eagle ſtrucke through the heart with a flight ſhaft feathered out of her owne wing, with this Motto, propriis configimur alis, our death flies to us with our owne feathers, and our wings pierce us to the heart. To apply this patterne to my text, and leave the print thereof upon it to imprint the doctrine thereof deeper in your memories. The Eagle ſtrucke dead is the Church and Common-wealth of Iſrael, the arrow is the ſwift judgement of God, the feathers ſhed out of her owne wings which carried the arrow ſo ſwift, and drave the head of it in ſo deepe are Iſraels ſinnes. It is a lamentable thing to heare of the ruine and utter overthrow of any Kingdome; how much more of the downefall of Iſrael Gods choſen people, his chiefe treaſure, his only joy? But that Iſrael ſhould be Iſraels overthrow, that Iſrael ſhould be felo de ſe, and acceſſarie to his owne death and utter confuſion; this muſt needs pricke the quickeſt veine in our hearts. And theſe are the three points which by the aſſiſtance of Gods ſpirit I am firſt to cleare to your underſtanding, and after to preſſe upon your religious affections:

1. The accident to the ſubject: Deſtruction.

2. The ſubject of this accident: Iſrael.

3. The cauſe of this accident in this ſubject: Thou, or thy ſinnes; thou by thy ſinnes haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe O Iſrael.

Firſt, of the privative accident, deſtruction. Deſtruction is oppoſed to conſtruction, as corruption to generation: and as that is the death and diſſolution of all naturall bodies, ſo this of all artificiall. I except not ſuch as are purpoſely made to preſerve corpſes from corruption and putrefaction, as coffins of lead, and ſepulchres of Marble. For theſe alſo in time corrupt and moulter away: —Sunt ipſis quo que fata ſepulchris.

p. 83Nay, we may make this ſtrong line of the Poet a little ſtronger,ver. 14. and ſay truly, ſunt ipſis quo que fatis fata; death it ſelfe hath his dying day: for my Prophet in this chapter threatnethggO death I will be thy plagues O grave I will be thy deſtruction. death with death, and the grave with deſtruction. Howbeit deſtruction here, as it is applied to Iſrael, ſeemeth not ſo much to ſignifie deſtruction in the vulgar acception, that is, the pulling downe of the houſes, or ſacking of townes and villages, as the diſſolution of the ſtate, and downefall of the Kingdome of Iſrael: and therefore the point herein to be ſeriouſly thought upon is the Soph Paſuck full point, and fatall period of all earthly States, Societies, Common-wealths and Kingdomes. All naturall things carry in their ſtile Corruptible, all humane in their ſtile mortall, all earthly in their ſtile Temporall: to diſtinguiſh the firſt ſort from things ſupernaturall, which are incorruptible; the ſecond ſort from things divine, which are immortall; the third ſort from heavenly, which are eternall. The things which are ſeene, ſaith thehh2. Cor. 4.18.2 Cor 4:18 Apoſtle, are temporall, but the things which are not ſeene, are eternall. It is the royall prerogative of him whoiiApoc. 19.16. & 17.14.Rev 19:16Rev 17:14 hath written upon his thigh, and on his veſture, King of Kings and Lord of Lords, that his Kingdome is bounded with no limits, nor confined to time: the eternity whereof is proclaimed in holy Scriptures by five noble Heralds, two Kings, two Prophets, and an Archangell. The two Kings arekkPſal. 45 6. Thy throne O God is for ever.Ps 45:6 David andllDan. 4.32. Whoſe dominion is an everlaſting dominion.Dan 4:32 Nebuchadnezzar. The two Prophets aremmCap. 17.14 His kingdome is that which ſhall not be deſtroyed. Daniel andnnMicah 4.7. The Lord ſhall reigne from henceforth even for ever.Mic 4:7 Micah. The Archangell isooLuke 1.31, 32, 33. Horat. car. l. 1. od 3. Semotique prius tarda neceſsitas leti corripuit gradum.Luke 1:31Luke 1:32Luke 1:33 Gabriel, whoſe trumpet ſoundeth moſt ſhrill, and giveth a moſt certaine ſound: Behold, thou ſhalt conceive in thy wombe, and bring forth a ſonne, and ſhalt call his name Jeſus, ver. 31. He ſhall be great, and ſhall be called the ſonne of the Higheſt, and the Lord God ſhall give unto him the throne of his father David, ver. 32. And he ſhall reigne over the houſe of Jacob for ever, and of his Kingdome there ſhalbe no end, ver. 33. Of all other there ſhalbe. For all politike bodies are in ſome ſort ſubject to the condition of natural bodies. As theſe, ſo they have their beginning or birth, growth, perfection, ſtate, decay and diſſolution. And as the ſtatures of men in this decrepit and feeble age of the world are much diminiſhed, and their life ſhortened; ſo even States and Empires fall ſhort of their former greatneſſe, and are like ſooner to arrive to their period, naturall end, or to ſpeake more properly, civill death and diſſolution, called in my text deſtruction. Some who have taken upon them to calculate as it were the nativitie of the world, and erect a ſcheme of all the living, have ſet the utmoſt day of the duration of the one, and life of all the other to fall within foure hundred yeares, according to an ancient tradition of the Jewes fathered upon the houſe ofppMelancthon in Chron. l. 1. p. 10. Sex millia annorum mundus; duo millia inane, duo millia lex, duo millia dies Meſsiae: & propter peccata noſtra quae multa & magna ſunt deerunt anni qui decrunt. Elias: The world ſhall laſt ſixe thouſand yeeres; two thouſand thereof there ſhall be a vacuitie or emptineſſe; two thouſand the Law ſhall continue; and the dayes of the Meſsiah ſhall make out two thouſand more; of which if any be lacking, by reaſon of our many and grievous ſinnes they ſhall be lacking. The Cabaliſts favour this conceit, and labour to wierdraw it out of the firſt verſe of the firſt chapter of Geneſis, where becauſe they finde ſixe Alephs or A's which in numerall characters ſignifie ſo many thouſand yeares, conclude the duration of the world from the firſt creation to the end ſhall make up juſt that number of yeeres. And many alſo of our Chriſtian Chronologiſts, ſtreining the letter ofqq2 Pet. 3.8. One day with the Lord is as a thouſand yeeres, and a thouſand yeeres as one day.2 Pet 3:8 St. Peter too farre, allot preciſely ſixe thouſand yeares for the continuance p. 84of the world; at the ſeventh thouſand they beleeve we ſhall all begin to keepe our everlaſting Sabbath in heaven. For the period of particular Kingdomes Gaſper qqP…ucer. praeſat. in Chron. Carion. Hanc periodum lege quadam ſancitam divinit…s magnis Impe…iis fatalem eſſe, & univerſales mutationes afferre oſtendunt omnium temporum hiſtoriae.Peucerus obſerveth that it ſeldome or never exceedeth 500. years; which he proveth by theſe inſtances following. From the departure of the children of Iſrael out of Egypt to the building of the firſt Temple we finde much about five hundred yeeres run out: the firſt, as alſo the ſecond Temple ſtood thereabouts: the Aſſyrians ruled in Aſia ſo long: Athens was ruled by Kings, Rome by Conſuls juſt ſo many yeers: From Auguſtus to Valentinian the laſt, five hundred yeeres are reckoned, all which time the ſeat of the fourth Monarchy of the world was fixed at Rome. The Church of Rome in a ſort continued in her puritie for five hundred yeeres: After the Papacie and ſuperſtition grew to the height in the weſterne parts before the thouſanth yeere, and five hundred yeeres after the happy reformation begun by Martin Luther. Yet neither that tradition of the houſe of Elias, nor the obſervation of Peucerus are of infallible certaintie.rrActs 1.7. which the Father hath … in his owne power.Acts 1:7 It belongeth not to us to know times and ſeaſons: and though often God hath tranſlated Kingdomes within the limits of five hundred yeeres, yet not alwayes: ſome have laſted longer, as the Monarchy of the Aſſyrians; ſome farre ſhorter, as the monarchy of the Perſians; and after them of the Grecians. The Chriſtian Kings of Jeruſalem finiſhed their courſe within a hundred yeeres. Men may probably gheſſe at the circumvolution of great Empires and Kingdomes: but neither can the Aſtrologers certainely foreſee by the courſe of the ſtarres, norſſBod. de rep. l. 4. c. 2. ex Plat. pol. 8. Platonicks define by the accompliſhment of the nuptiall number, nor Politicians foretell by their intelligence with forreine States, nor Magicians determine by conference with their familiar ſpirits: but the Prophets of God onelyonly forewarne by inſpiration from him who hath decreed before all time the dayes of man, and continuance of families, and periods of Kingdomes, and ages of the world, and laſting of time it ſelfe. That which Belſhazzar ſaw,ttDan. 5.25.26.Dan 5:25Dan 5:26 a hand writing upon the wall, all Princes and States may ſee and read in the records of heaven kept in holy Scripture: Mene, Mene, thou art numbred, thou art numbred, thy yeares are ſummed, thy dayes are appointed, thine houre is ſet. Be thou as great and glorious as Nebuchadnezzars Image with a head of gold, armes of ſilver, bellie and thighes of braſſe, and legs of Iron; yet thou ſtandeſt upon feet of clay. And what is now become of the head of gold which repreſented the Aſſyrian? and armes of ſilver which reſembled the Perſian? and the thighes of braſſe which ſet forth the Grecian? and the legs of iron which ſignified the Roman Monarchy? Are they not all broken together, and become like chaffe of a ſummers flower diſperſed with the winde? How proudly doth Sennacherib inſult over thoſe Nations whom his Anceſtors had deſtroyed?uuEſay 37.13.Isa 37:13 Where is the King of Hamath, and the King of Arphad, and the King of the Citie Sepharvaim, Hena and Ivah? Little did he then thinke of a bird from the Eaſt, Cyrus by name, that after a ſhort time ſhould chirpe the like note at the Court of the great King of Aſhur: Where is the King of Shinar, and the King of Babylon, and the King of Damaſcus, and the King of Nineveh, and the great Monarch of Aſſyria? Whereas he ſhould with Nebuchadnezzar have xxDan. 4.34.35.Dan 4:34Dan 4:35honoured for theſe victories him that liveth for ever, whoſe Kingdome is from generation p. 85to generation. And all the inhabitants of the earth are reputed as nothing: and he doth according to his will in the armie of heaven, and among the Inhabitants of the earth: and none can ſtay his hand, or ſay unto him, What doſt thou?

xxHorat. l. 1. car. od. 34.Valet ima ſummis mutare: &

inſignem attenuat Deus, hinc apicem

rapax fortuna ſuſtulit, hic poſuiſſe gaudet.

If the ſtate of Kingdomes and Monarchies is ſo fickle, what follie, or rather madneſſe is it for any private man to dreame of perpetuities and certainties, and indefeiſable eſtates? As if a man might be ſafe in a ſmall cabbine under hatches, when the whole Ship is drowned under the water: or a Spider ſecure in his web, when the whole window is pulled downe: or a young bird out of danger in the neſt, when the whole arme of the tree is torne off. All private mens eſtates are ventered in the bottome of the Common-wealth, and all Common-wealthes in the great veſſell of the earth, which was once ſwallowed up with a deluge of Water, and ſhall be ere it be long with a deluge of fire. A houſe infected with ſome kinde of Leproſie by the Law was to be pulled downe and burnt to aſhes: and when iniquitie ſhall ſo abound on the earth that the whole world ſhall be infected with the Leproſie of monſtrous and enormous ſins, this great houſe which hath beene long tottered, ſhall be burned, and fall downe about our eares. And verily if all other ſignes be accompliſhed, as many of the learned in their commentaries upon the Apocalyps contend, I ſhould thinke the world cannot long ſtand: for yyJuvenal. ſat. 1. Quando ub… rior vitiorum copia? quando Major avaritia patuit ſinus, &c Horat. l. 1. car. od. 35. Eheu cicatricū & ſceleris pudet, fratrumque quid nos dura refugimus caetas? quid intactum nefaſti liquimus?Omne in praecipiti vitium ſtetit. Every ſinne is growne to the height. Atheiſme to the height, even in men of high calling: prophaneneſſe to the height, even on the Lords Sabbaths, and in his holy Temple: Impuritie and immodeſtie at the height, even daring the conſiſtory: Iniquitie at the height, poſſeſſing the place and ſeat of juſtice: Drunkenneſſe at the height, reeling at noone-day: Idolatrie, Hereſie, and Superſtition at the height, advancing their followers to the higheſt preferments in the Church, and keeping under pure Religion, and the ſincere Profeſſours thereof.

It will be ſaid, though plagues fall upon all Egypt, yet Goſhen ſhall be free, though the whole world be deſtroyed, all Iſrael ſhall be ſaved. Iſrael is Gods firſt-borne, who ſhall diſ-inherit him? Iſrael is the Vine which the right hand of God hath planted, who ſhall root it up? Iſrael is the Signet on his finger, who ſhall plucke it off? Nay, Iſrael is the apple of his eye, who ſhall pull it out? Let heaven and earth paſſe away, yet Gods covenant with Iſrael ſhall ſtand faſt; his ſeed ſhall endure for ever, and his throne ſhall bee as the Sunne before God. If theſe promiſes ſtand good unto Iſrael, this Prophecie of Iſraels downefall muſt needs fall to the ground. For how can the Kingdome of Jacob, and the captivitie of Jacob, Iſraels gathering out of all Nations, and Iſraels ſcattering abroad into all Nations, Iſraels perpetuall ſtanding, and Iſraels falling and utter ſubverſion ſtand together?

p. 86To compoſe this ſeeming difference betweene Gods promiſes to Iſrael, and his threats againſt Iſrael, we muſt diſtinguiſh of divers kindes of promiſes made to Iſrael, and of divers Iſraels to which the promiſes may appertaine. Iſrael ſometime ſignifieth

1. Properly

1. Either the whole poſteritie of Jacob:

2. Or the ten tribes which were rent from Roboam.

2. Figuratively

The ſpiritual kingdome of Chriſt over the Elect.

Againe, there is a threefold Iſrael:

1. According to the fleſh onelyonly, of which theaaRom. 9.6. Rom. 11.25.Rom 9:6Rom 11:25 Apoſtle ſpeaketh expreſſely; They are not all Iſrael which are of Iſrael. And obſtinacie is come to Iſrael.bb1 Cor. 10.18.1 Cor 10:18 Behold Iſrael after the fleſh.

2. Iſrael according to the Spirit onelyonly.ccHeb. 8.10.Heb 8:10 This is the covenant that I will make with the houſe of Iſrael after thoſe dayes, I will put my Law into their mindes, and write them in their hearts, &c. and ſo all ddRom. 11.26.Rom 11:26Iſrael ſhalbe ſaved, for this is my covenant with them when I take away their ſinnes.

3. Iſrael according to the fleſh and ſpirit; which may rightly be called the Iſrael of Iſrael, as Demoſthenes termeth Athens foreign, the Greece of Greece: to Iſrael in this third ſenſe Chriſt had a ſpeciall commiſſion: I am not ſent, ſaith he, but to the loſt eeMath. 10.6. G… to the loſt ſheepe of the houſe of Iſrael.Matt 10:6ſheepe of the houſe of Iſrael. Saint Paul pointeth to this Iſrael, when the fulneſſe of the Gentiles is come in, all ffRom. 10.26.Rom 10:26Iſrael ſhall be ſaved. And Saint John, ggApoc. 7 4.Rev 7:4There were ſealed an hundreth and fourty and foure thouſand of all the Tribes of the children of Iſrael.

Retaine theſe diſtinctions of Iſrael, and put a difference betweene the promiſes; whereof

Some are

1. Abſolute,

2. Conditionall.

Some are

1. Temporall,

2. Spirituall:

and you ſhall eaſily reconcile thoſe texts of Scriptures which ſeeme to overthrow this prophecie concerning the utter overthrow of the Kingdome of Iſrael, (by which we are here to underſtand the ten Tribes) which fell out not long after this Prophecie, in the daies of Hoſea their laſt King.

As for Judah, thehhGen. 49.10.Gen 49:10 Scepter, according to Jacobs prophecy, departed not from it untill Shilo came: but after he came and was rejected of that Nation, and the ſacred twig of Jeſſe was nailed to an accurſed tree, God cut it off root and branch by the Romans. Within leſſe than halfe an age after our Lords death, Jeruſalem bewailed it with bloudie teares, and the Temple rued it: in the ruines, duſt, and aſhes whereof we may reade this motto: There is no place priviledged from Gods judgement: no Sanctuarie for preſumptuous ſinners: no protection from arreſts taken out of the Court of Heaven. The Palladium ſaved not Troy from the Greekes, p. 87nor the Arke the Iſraelites from the Philiſtims, nor the Temple the Jewes from the Romanes, nor the tombes of Martyrs Rome from the Gothes, nor the Crucifix the Chriſtians in Paleſtine from Saladine the Sultan of Egypt. God moſt hateth ſinne in them whom he loveth moſt, and moſt ſeverely puniſheth it in them; as Moſes, Job, David, and Saint Paul felt by their owne ſmart. When the Jewes in Jeremie cryed out,hhJer. 7.4.Jer 7:4 The Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, the Temple of the Lord, preſuming that God would ſave them for the Temples ſake; the Prophet might have anſwered, Which you have defiled, which you have polluted, which you have prophaned. The cry of our ſinnes will ſoone move the juſtice of heaven (if we ſtop it not) to turne the mouth of this roaring Cannon towards us. We are, we truſt in the God of Iſrael, the Iſrael of God: and if we take not their deſtruction to heart, it will prove ours. For we cannot but thus reaſon with our ſelves: If God ſpared not the naturall branches for their unfruitfulneſſe, will he ſpare the engraffed? If judgement beginneth at the houſe of God, where is it like to end? If God hath ſent a bill of divorce to the beloved Citie, and hath quite forſaken his firſt love, may his latter Spouſe the Church of the Gentiles preſume to eſcape better, if ſhe prove alike diſloyall? If it hath beene thus done, as before is ſpecified, to the greene tree, what ſhall bee done to the drie? If Jeruſalem be made an example, and the Temple a lamentable ſpectacle of divine juſtice, can Babylon and the houſe of Rimmon ſtand long? If the ſeven golden Candleſtickes placed by Chriſts owne hand in Aſia, and furniſhed with burning and ſhining lampes, are removed, and their lights put out, have not we cauſe to feare that our Candleſtickes ſhall bee removed if we love darkeneſſe more than light? Did God not ſpare his owne Houſe, but ſuffered it to bee burnt to Aſhes for the ſinnes committed in it? will hee, thinke yee, ſpare our houſes if ſuch wickedneſſe bee found in them for which hee deſtroyed the Holy of Holies?

But I liſt not to dwell any longer upon the ruines of Iſrael: I haſten to the cauſe of Iſraels woe. Which as it concerned the Iſraelites more nearely, ſo it will come alſo more home to us; Thou haſt deſtroyed thy ſelfe: Tu, Te. Praiſe God O Iſrael for thy former proſperitie, but now thanke thy ſelfe for thy imminent deſolation.iiClem. Alexand. ſtrom. l. 1. foreign. Clemens Alexandrinus obſerveth acutely that although Theologie, flowing from the fountaine of ſacred Scripture, runne all in one channell; yet that many other rivers ariſing from divers heads and ſources fall into it: as for example, in the proper doctrine of this text, that deſtruction is from our ſelves, but ſalvation from God, Morall Philoſophie entervaineth with Divinity in that her aſſertion;kkPlat. apol. Socr. Anytus & Miletus occidere me poſſun…, laedere non poſſunt. Nemo laeditur niſi a ſeipſo, no man is hurt but by himſelfe. Politie in that obſervation,llLucan de bello Pharſal. l. 1. In ſe magna ruunt, Great States as buildings are oppreſſed with their owne weight, and fall upon themſelves. Art militarie in that ſtratagem intus Equus Trojanus, that Trojane horſe is within the walls which ruines the Citie. The ſword of the enemie draweth out but a little corrupt bloud, that may bee well ſpared: it is ſedition and inteſtine warre that giveth the State her deathes wound.

p. 88mmLucan. ibid.—nulli penitus diſcindere ferro

Contigit, alta ſedent civilis vulnera dextrae.

Are not all mixt bodies corrupted by the diſagreement of elements, and the elements themſelves by the ſtrife of contrarie qualities within them?

nnOvid. Met. l. 1.—quia corpore in uno

Frigida pugnabant calidis, humentia ſic cis,

Mollia cum duris, ſine pondere habentia pondus.

Are not all metals defaced with their owne ruſt? Trees and fruits eaten with little wormes? Garments with mothes breeding in them? What need I bring in out of Pliny the Hedge-hog for inſtance, diſarmed by theooPlin. nat. hiſt. l. 8 c. 37. Urinam ex ſe reddunt tabificam te… goriſpiniſque noxiam. water that comes from her, and ſoftens her prickes and rots them? Theppl. 11. c. 19. Nocent & ſua mellaipſis alis ut viſco implicitis & fiſtula quae oris loco eſt obru…ata. Bees often choaked with their owne hony? Theqql. 10. c. 3 Oppetunt fame in tantum ſuperiore accreſcente roſtro ut aduncitas aperiri non qutat. Eagle ſtarved by his ravenous feeding, which makes his bill grow ſo big that he cannot open it wide enough to receive in food? The hiſtorie of all times brings in evidence of fact to confirme the truth of this obſervation in humane affaires. Sodome might have ſtood for all the five Kings that bid her battaile, if the unnaturall fire of luſt had not drawne downe upon her unnaturall fire, I meane the fire of hell, asrrSalvi…n. de gubern. Dei. l. 1. Deus voluit declarar… udicium q…ando ſuper impium populum Gehennam miſit de coelo. Salvian ſpeaketh, from heaven. Troy might have ſtood a thouſand yeeres for all the Grecian Fleet of a thouſand ſhips, if Antenor had not by trechery opened the Scean gate, and the Inhabitants upon the unexpected remove of the Fleet throwne their houſes out at the windowes; whereof the Greekes having intelligence ſſVirg. Aen 2.Invadunt Urbem ſomno vinoque ſepultam: ſurpriſe the Citie, partly in a dead ſleepe, partly dead drunke. It was not Dan's vigilancie, butttJudg. 18.27. And they came unto Laiſh, unto a people that were quiet and ſecure and they ſmote them with the edge of the ſword, and burnt the City with fire.Judg 18:27 Laiſh her ſecuritie that expoſed her to ſpoile. It was notuuXen Cyr. poed. Cyrus his valour and proweſſe, but Babylons effeminateneſſe and luxurie that ſubdued it: the Citizens kept a feaſt, and their King Belſhazzar was quaffing in the bowles of the Sanctuary, when the Perſians ſtole in upon them and ſlew them like beaſts. They were not Fabius his ſouldiers, but Capua's pleaſures which conqueredxxCapua Hannibali Cannae. Hannibal. It was not Titus his ſiege without, but the Zelots ſedition within the walls that diſpeopled Jeruſalem, ſtrowing her ſtreets with carkaſſes, and dying her common Seurs with bloud. It was not the Turkes puiſſance, but the covetouſneſſe of the Citizens of Conſtantinople which made it a prey to the enemie, as the Turk himſelfe confeſſed, when in the ſacking of the City, and rifling the houſes, he found ſuch a maſſe of treaſure as might have eaſily ſecured the place if the owners would have contributed but a ſmall part of it to the maintenance of the Greeke Emperours warre againſt the Saracens. And to come neerer my text, it was not the Aſſyrians horſe and chariots, but Jeroboams golden calves, together with their ſorcerie, witchcraft, and other ſinnes diſcovered unto them by the Prophets Amos and Hoſea, but unrepented of, which deſtroyed Iſrael. It is true which Arnobius affirmeth, p. 89that we uuArnob. adver. gent. l. 2. Procul abſit tam ſcelerata perſuaſio, ut rerum omnium ſalus Deus ulli rei fuerit miſeriarum aut diſcriminum cauſa.may by no meanes ſtaine the decrees of God with any aſperſion of bloudy cruelty, or impute to him the miſeries which befall us: and yet God by his ProphetxxAmos 3.6.Amos 3:6 Amos demandeth, Shall there bee any evill in a City, and the Lord hath not done it? yySalv. de providentia l. 8. A Deo quippe punimur, ſed ipſi facimus ut puniamur, cum autem punire nos ipſi facimus, cui dubitum eſt, quin ipſi nos noſtris criminibus puniamus, vim Deo faciamus iniquitatibus noſtris, & ipſi in nos iram Dei armamus.Salvianus excellently accordeth the ſeeming difference betweene theſe aſſertions; God is the cauſe, and wee are the cauſe of our woe; God puniſheth us, and wee puniſh our ſelves: God indeed puniſheth us, but wee cauſe, and after a ſort force him to doe it: God inflicteth ſtripes, but wee deſerve them: God ſtriketh, but wee provoke: God powreth out the vials of his wrath, but wee fill them up to the brimme by our over-flowing iniquities. God maketh us good if wee are ſo: but in a true ſenſe wee make him juſt, (and which may ſeeme a great Paradoxe) even by our injuſtice. For if wee were not unjuſt in tranſgreſſing, God could not bee juſt in puniſhing; neither would hee deſire any way to exalt his glory by the ruine of his creature. For he delighteth in mercy, (Micah 7.18.) and goodneſſe is his nature. Hee therefore never ſendeth evill upon us before we have it in us, hee never fils us a cup ofzzPſal. 75.8. In the hand of the Lord there is a cup, and the wine is red: it is full of mixture, and he powreth out of the ſame.Ps 75:8 red wine before the meaſure of our crimſon ſinne is full; neither powreth hee out the dregges of his wrath upon any, but ſuch as Moab-like are ſettled upon their lees, Zeph. 1.12.

To ſtrike ſaile then, and land my diſcourſe: If our Iſrael, if the Scepter of our Moſes, and the Rod of our Aarons flouriſh not as in former times, if the people bee multiplied, and yet our joy not increaſed, if our corne, and wine, and oyle abound, and yet wee are not enriched, if the publike weale and every mans private, by ſome ſecret veine inwardly bleeding, hath beene in a kinde of conſumption, if our State hath received any wound, or our Church any blow, wee know where to lay the blame: wee muſt ſay with mournefull Jeruſalem, aaLam. 1.8.Lam 1:8The Lord is righteous, but wee have rebelled againſt him: God hath beene good to us, but wee have rewarded evill unto our ſelves: God hath not forgotten to bee gracious, but wee to bee thankefull: God would bee better to us if wee were better:

bbHor. car. l. 1. od. 3.Sed nos per noſtrum non patimur ſcelus

Iracunda Deum ponere fulmina.

Doth any deſire to know how it commeth to paſſe that our gold is not ſo pure? our ſilver ſo bright? our braſſe and iron ſo ſtrong as heretofore? that is, the honour of our Nobility, the riches of our Gentry, the vertue and ſtrength of our Commonalty is much empaired. If I and all Preachers ſhould bee ſilent, ourccSen. de ira l. 2. Nec furtiva jam ſcelera ſunt, praeter oculos eunt, & in publicum miſſa nequitia eſt. loud ſinnes would proclaime it, blaſphemy would ſpeake it, prophaneneſſe ſweare it, pride and vanity paint and print it, uſury and bribery tell it, luxury vent it, gluttony and drunkenneſſe belch it out. St. Peters argument were now of no force, theſe men are not drunke, ſeeing that it is but the third houre of the day: for all houres of day, yea and night too, are alike to many of our drunkards.ddTacit. annal. l. 3. Praeſtat omittere prae valida & adulta vitia, quam id aſſequi ut palam fiat quibus vitiis impares ſimus. Tiberius his advice in Tacitus may paſſe in point of policy for good, viz. to diſſemble and conceale overgrowne and head-ſtrong evils, rather than by taxing them to make it knowne what vices have ſo got the maſterie of us, that wee p. 90cannot ſtand againſt them: but religion allowes of no ſuch politicke ſilence. God layeth this burthen upon his Prophets, to burthen all ſorts of men with all ſorts of ſin, and to tell the greateſt Potentates upon the earth, that Potentespotenter, that the mighty ſhall bee mightily tormented; that theddApoc. 19.18.Rev 19:18 fowles that flie in the midſt of heaven ſhall eat the fleſh of Kings, and the fleſh of Captaines, and the fleſh of mighty men. The lowder our ſinnes cry, the higher we muſt lift up our voice like a trumpet to cry them downe, even by thundering Gods judgements againſt them.

PopeeePlat. in vita Silv. Silveſter when he was bid beware of Jeruſalem, for that whenſoever hee ſhould come thither, hee ſhould certainly dye, he flattered himſelfe that hee ſhould put off his death long enough, becauſe hee was ſure that he never meant to travell into Paleſtine, little thinking that there was a Church at Rome of that name, into which hee had no ſooner ſet his foot, but hee met with his evill Genius, as Brutus did at Philippi, and ſuddenly ended his wretched dayes. Suffer I beſeech you the word of admonition and exhortation: It is not Rome in Italy which we need ſo much to feare, though it bee the Seminary of Heretickes and Traytors; but Rome in England, Rome at home; I meane the Popiſh faction among us, which caſteth continually fire-balls of diſſention in the State, and of Schiſme in the Church, to ſet all in a combuſtion.ffCant. 2.15.Song 2:15 O take away the foxes, the little foxes that ſpoile the grapes of that far ſpreading vine which God hath planted among us by his word, and watered by the bloud of ſo many noble Martyrs.

But I feare to lance any publicke ſores any deeper: let mee give but a pricke at our private wheales, and then I will ſoone rid you and my ſelfe of paine. Beloved, wee are all querulous, yet none almoſt either knoweth or looketh after the cauſe of their woe. One complaineth that hee goeth backward in the world, and ſinketh in his eſtate, and hee layeth all the blame either upon bad ſervants, or theeviſh neighbours, or racking Land-lords, or hard times, or ſome loſſes by ſea or land; but never looketh into his owne heart, where the true cauſe lyes, be it covetouſneſſe, or diſtruſt of Gods providence, or a quarrelling diſpoſition, or pride, or idleneſſe, or luxurie, or ſacriledge. Another is ſtill whining that hee cannot get or keepe his health, and he imputeth this either to his crazie conſtitution by nature, or ill ayre, or over much labour and ſtudy; whereas indeed the cauſe is his ill diet, his ſitting up all night at Revels, his powring in ſtrong wines, and ſpending the greateſt part of the day in Tavernes, his intemperancy or incontinency. All other ſinnes are without the body, but hee thatgg1 Cor. 6.18.1 Cor 6:18 committeth fornication ſinneth againſt his owne body. Firſt, againſt the honour of his body; for thereby he maketh the members of Chriſt the members of an harlot: next, the ſtrength, health, and life of the body, which nothing more enfeebleth, empaireth, and endangereth, than greedily drinking ſtolne waters, and coveting after ſtrange fleſh. A third is troubled in minde, and hee feeleth no comfort in his conſcience, the good ſpirit hath left him, and the evill ſpirit haunteth him, and ſcorcheth his ſoule with the flaſhes of Hell fire; and hee aſcribeth this to ſome melancholy bloud, or worldly diſcontent, or the indiſcretion of ſome Boanerges, ſonnes of thunder, who preach nothing but damnation to their hearers; whereas the true cauſe p. 91is in himſelfe; hee grieveth the ſpirit of grace, hee turneth it into wantonneſſe, and quencheth the light of it in himſelfe; and therefore God withdraweth this holy Comforter from him for a time. WhenhhJuſt. hiſt. l. 1. Zopyrus qui ſibi labia & nares praecidi curaſſet, queritur crudelitatem Regis. Zopyrus had cut his owne lips and noſe, he gave it out that the Babylonians had ſo barbarouſly uſed him: ſuch is the condition of moſt men; they disfigure their ſoules, diſmember their bodies by monſtrous ſinnes, and yet lay the whole blame upon others.iiMat. 10.36.Matt 10:36 The enemies of a man, ſaith our Saviour, are thoſe of his owne houſe. So it is, ſo it is, ſaith S.kkBern med. c. 13. Accuſat me conſcientia, teſtis eſt memoria, ratio judex, voluptas carcer, timor tortor, oblectamentum tormentum, inde enim punimur unde oblectamur. Bernard, in mine owne houſe, in my proper family; nay, within my ſelfe I have my accuſer, my judge, my witneſſe, my tormentor. My conſcience is the accuſer, my memory the witneſſe, my reaſon the judge, my feare the torturer, my ſinfull delights my torments. llCamerar. med. hiſt. cent. 1. c. 20.Plancus Plautius hiding himſelfe in the time of the proſcription, was found out onelyonly by the ſmell of his ſweet oyles wherewith hee uſed luxuriouſly to anoint himſelfe,mmEraſ. adag. Sorex ut dicitur ſuo indicio. Sylla hearing ſome diſpleaſing newes, was ſo enflamed with anger, that ſtreining himſelfe to utter his paſſion, he brake a veine, and ſpitting bloud died. Remember the words of dying Caeſar, when hee felt their daggers at his heart whom he had ſaved from the ſword; Mene ſervare ut ſint qui me perdant! O that I ſhould ſave men to doe mee ſuch a miſchiefe! O that wee ſhould harbour thoſe ſnakes in our boſomes, which, if wee long keepe them there, will ſting us to death! A ſtrange thing it is, and much to bee lamented, that the ſoule ſhould preſcribe remedies againſt the maladies of the bodie, and yet procure nouriſhment for her owne diſeaſes. What are the vitious affections we feed and cheriſh within us, but ſo many pernitious infections of the minde? What is anger, but a fit of a frenzie? feare, but a ſh…king feaver? ambition, but a winde collicke? malice, but an apoſtem? faction, but a convulſion? envie, but a conſumption? ſecurity, but a dead palſie? luſt, but an impure itch? immoderate joy, but a pleaſing trance of the ſoule? Theſe are the greateſt cauſes of our woe, not onelyonly becauſe they diſturbe the peace of our conſcience, and ſet us upon ſcandalous and dangerous actions; but alſo becauſe they draw upon us heavie and manifold judgements. From which if we deſire to be freed, that they prove not our utter deſtruction, let us

Firſt, confeſſe our ſinnes with David to be the fuell of Gods wrath, and the fountaine of all our miſeries:nnPſal. 51.4.Ps 51:4 Againſt thee, thee onelyonly have wee ſinned, and done this, and that, and the third, and many more evils in thy ſight, that thou mighteſt be juſtified when thou ſpeakeſt, and cleere when thou art judged: and withooSalv. l. 4. de provid. Sive miſe…ae noſtrae ſint. ſive infirmitates, ſive everſiones &c. teſtimoni… ſunt mali ſervi & boni domini: quomodo mali ſervi? quia patimur ex parte quod meremur: quomodo boni domini? quia oſtendit quid mereamur, ſed non irrogat quae meremur. Salvianus, Whatſoever our miſeries are, or afflictions, or perſecutions, or overthrowes, or loſſes, or diſeaſes, they are teſtimonies of an evil ſervant and a good maſter. How of an evill ſervant? Becauſe in them we ſuffer in part what wee deſerve. How teſtimonies of a good maſter? Becauſe by them he ſheweth us what wee deſerve, and yet layeth not upon us ſo much as we deſerve.

Secondly, let us compoſe our ſelves to endure that with patience which we have brought upon our ſelves: Tute in hoc triſti tibi omne exedendum eſt.

Thirdly, let us forſake our beloved ſinnes, and then God will take away his plagues from us: let us be better our ſelves, and all things ſhall goe better with us: let repentance be our practiſe, and a ſpeedy reformation p. 92our inſtruction, ſo Gods judgements ſhall not bee our deſtruction.

Now O Father of mercy and tender compaſſion in the bowels of Jeſus Chriſt, who haſt ſhewed us what wee deſerve by our ſinnes, and yet haſt not rewarded us according to our iniquities, take away our ſtony hearts from us, and give us hearts of fleſh, that thy threats may make a deepe impreſſion in us, and that wee may ſpeedily remove the evill of our ſinnes out of thy ſight, that thou maiſt remove the evill of puniſhment from us: ſo our ſinne ſhall not be our deſtruction, but thy mercy our ſalvation through Jeſus Chriſt. To whom, &c.