Englands Sickness Compared to Israels, Lectures · Lecture 1

Englands Sickness Compared to Israels · Lectures · Lecture 1

To The Right Worshipfull, Sir Iohn Cleypoole Knight, sauing health.

WOrthy Sir, I hauehave ventrously traffiqued with my poore talent in publike, whiles I behold richer graces buried in silence: iudging it better, to husband a little to the common good, then to hurd much wealth in a sullen niggardize. I censure none: if al were Writers, who should be Readers? if none, idle Pamphlets would present themselues to the generall eye, and bee entertained for defect of more sober matter. If the graine bee good, it doth better in the market then in the garner. All I can say for my selfe is; I desire to … whereof if I faile, yet my endeou… … not my conscience without some ioifull content. To your Patronage this flies, to whom the Author is greatlie bounden, and shall yet bee indebted further for your acceptance. Your louelove to generall learning, singular encouragement to Students, (opposed to the common dishartnings, which pouerty, contempt, ignorance assaults vsus with) your actual beneficence to many, especially to Katherine Hall in Cambridge, worthie of death-lesse memorie, lastlie, your reall kindnesse to my selfe, hauehave prompted mee to seale this Booke, with the signet of your name, and send it to the world. Which in humble submission I commend to your kind acceptation, and your selfe, with it, to the blessing of our gracious God.

Your Worships in all duty deuoted Tho. Adams.

p. 1ENGLANDES SICKENES.

THE First Lecture.

Ierem. Chap. 8. Ver. 22.

Is there no balme at Gilead? is there no Physitian there? why then is not the health of the daughter of my people recouered?

SIcke is the daughter of Sion; and the complexion of England giues her not to be sound. If shee feele her own pulse, and examin the Symptomes of her ilnes, her works of disobedience; shee must confesse that her health is empaired, or if shee feele it not, shee is obstupe…ied.

The Coast I am bound for, is Israel: but (like faithfull Merchants) if I can traffique or transport thence any good commodity into our own country, I will venter the welcom of it. Israel & England, though they lie in a diuers climat, may be said right Paralels; not so vnfit in Cosmographicall as fit in Theologicall comparison. And sauing Israels Apostacie, and punishment for it, wee p. 2neede not thinke it harsh to be sampled. They could plead much of Gods mercy; if wee can speake of more, let vsus thankefully embrace our transcendent happinesse.

Two maine passages are directed my discourse to saile through; which shall limit my speech, and your attentions for this time. 1. The Patient. 2. The Passion. The Sicke, and the disease. The Person labouring of griefe, is the daughter of Israel: her Passion or griefe is sicknes: Why is not the health of the daughter of my people recouered? These two coastes will affoorde vsus many subordinate obseruations, worthy both our trauels.

The Patient, whom we must visite, is described, 1. Qu… sit, 2. Cuiui sit. God speaketh of her, 1. Positiuely, 2. Possessiuely. Positiuely, what shee is of her selfe. The daughter of the people. Possessiuely, what shee is by relation, in regard of her owner, populi mei, Gods people.

Daughter. This title is vsuall according to Hebraisme, Daughter of Israel, for Israel. Daughter of Sion, for Slon ccEsa 62.11.Isa 62:11Say yee to the daughter of Sion, Behold thy saluation commeth &c. Daughter of Iudah, for Iudah ddLament. 1.15.2.13.Lam 1:15Lam 1:2Lam 1:13The Lord hath troden the daughter of Iudah, as a Wine-presse. Daughter of Ierusalem, for Ierusalem, Lament, 2. Of Babilon, for Babylon, eePsal. 137.8. Esa. 21.10. Aug in Psal. 72. ver. 4.Ps 137:8Isa 21:10Ps 72:4Oh daughter of Babylon, who art to be destroyed, &c. So Christ cals himselfe the Sonne of man, because he tooke on him mans nature, Esay 2 1. Oh my threshing, and the sonne of my floore, for the floore it selfe, or the corne of it. And Augustine obserues on the 72. Psalme, that by the children of the poore, is meant the poore themselues. This is an abstractiue Phrase, and vox indulgentis; implying propense fauour in the speaker, and tendernes in the person spoken of; filia populi. It is a word of relation, simply taken: for daughter depends on the respect of Parent. Here it is Phrasicall, and therefore not to be forced. Yet because (cunctae apices) eueryevery letter and accent in holy West is diuinely significant; let vsus not neglectfully passe it ouer, without some vsefull obseruation.

p. 3There is somewhat in it,Obseru. 1. that Filia non Filius dicitur, the name of Daughter, not of Sonne is here giuen to Israel. Iaraels offspring, must be a Daughter, that she may be married to the God of Israels Sonne. Christ is the beloued: the Church is his Spouse. ffCant. 2.16.Song 2:16My beloued is mine, and I am his: hee feedeth among the Lillies. Betroathed to him in this life. (ggHos. 2.19.Hos 2:19 I will betroth thee vntounto me for euer: yea I will betroth thee vntounto me in righteousnesse &c.) Solemnly maried in the next: at what time the Saints shall sing: hhReuel. 19 7.Rev 19:7Let vsus be glad and reioyce, and giuegive honour to him: for the marriage of the Lambe is come, and his wife hath made her selfe ready: and verse 9. Blessed are they that are called to the marriage Supper of the Lambe. Thus God the Father, that had a Sonne by eternall generation, hath now a Daughter also by adoption. Hence the Church is called the Kings daughter, Ps. 45. (iiPsal. 45.13.Ps 45:13 The kings daughter is all glorious within, her clothing is of wrought gold. …) because shee is wedded to the Kings sonne. God is a Father in many respects.

1 In Creation, Deut. 32.6.Deut 32:6Deut. 32. Is not he thy father, that hath bought thee? Hath hee not made thee, and established thee? Hee gaue vsus all essentiam & formam, subsistence and forme.

2 In Education, Esa. 1.2.Isa 1:2Esa 1. I hauehave nourished and brought vp children, and they hauehave rebelled against me. We are brought vp in this House of this world, and fed from the table of his blessings.

3 In compassion, Psal. 103.13.Ps 103:13Psal. 103, Like as a Father pittieth his children, so the Lord pittieth them that feare him. Yeeld, that a mother (which is rare and vnnaturall) can forget the Sonne of her wombe; yet God cannot forget the children of his Election.

3 In Correction, Heb. 12.6.Heb 12:6Heb. 12, Whom the Lord loueth hee chasteneth, and scourgeth eueryevery sonne whom he receiueth. Qui excipitur à numero flagellatorum, excipitur à numero siliorum: He that scapes affliction, may suspect his adoption. Wee are not exempted from misery, that wee may not be excepted p. 4from mercy. The rod walkes ouer vsus, left wee should grow wanton with his blessings.

Rom. 8.15.16Rom 8:15Rom 8:165 In Adoption, and that most principally, Rom. 8. Wee hauehave receiued the spirite of Adoption, whereby wee cry Abba, Father: kkGal. 4.4.5.Gal 4:4Gal 4:5God sent his sonne made of a woman, that wee redeemed by him, might receiue the adoption of sonnes.

Singulari…er. Generali…er. Speciali…er.All these may be reduced to three, God is a Father singularly, generally, specially. 1. singularly, the Father of Christ, by nature, 2, generally, the Father of all men, and al things by creation. 3. specially, the Father of the Elect by adoption. The first priuiledge belongs onelyonly to Christ. The second to many, who hauehave made themselues by Apostacie the children of Beliall. The third is blessed, and neuer to bee forfeited.

This is a happy aduancement, that the daughter of Sion is made the daughter of God; whom his equall and eternal sonne hath vouchsafed to marry. It was no smal preferment in Dauids ōpinion, by wedding Saules daughter, to bee made sonne in Law to a King: how farre higher doth the Churches honour transcend, that by marrying the sonne of God, is made daughter in Law to the King of Kinges? Specially, when this bond is indissoluble by the hand of death; vncancellable by the sentence of man, vndiuorceable by any defect or default in the Spouse: for hee that chose her to himselfe, will preserue her from all cause, why hee may not take pleasure in her beauty. And as Christ now in heauen, dwels with his Church on earth by grace: so shee, though partly now on earth, dwels with him in heauen; all her members being Burgesses of that celestiall Corporation. Since animus est, vb…amat, non vb…animat. llPhilip. 3.20. AugPhil 3:20Our conuersation is in heauen, whence also wee looke for the Sauiour, the Lord Iesus Christ. Thus Augustine, Et ille adhuc deorsum est, & no… iam s…sum. His mercies are still descending to vsus, our affections ascending to him. The desires of the faithfull Spouse are with her Beloued. Such p. 5is the insolubility of that misticall vnion, which no eloquence of man can expresse, no violence of diuels shal suppresse. Therefore ascendamus interim corde, vt sequamur corpore: let vsus send vp our affections before, that our persons may follow after. As Christ hath sent thee downe his spirit, as a pawne and pledge of this assurance: so doe thou send him vp thy heart, for a token of thy acceptance: yea of thy hopefull expectation and desire to bee with him: Minus anima promisit se Christo, quae non praemisit se Christo: that soule hath nothing lesse then vowed it selfe to Christ, that houers and hankers about the world, and is loath to come at him.

This is ineffable, inestimable happines. Hence the daughter of Israel (vnderstand me not topically, but typically; not Israel in the flesh, but the mmGalat. 6.16.Gal 6:16Israel of God: children of that Ierusalem, nn4.26.which is aboue, or (at least from aboue,) doth apportion all the riches of her Husband. If it be (vox amici, Tuus sum totus) the voyce of a friend, I am wholy thine: it is more liuingly, more louingly (vox mariti) the speech of a husband. The Bride (among the heathen) on the first day of her marriage, challenged of the Bridegroome, vbi tu Caius, ego C…, where you are Master, I must be mistresse. Mariage is a strong bond by Gods ordinance, and knowes no other methode but composition. God, that increation made two of one, by marriage made one of two. Hence the Daughter of Israell is made one with the sonne of God; by an vnion, which the heart may feele, but no art describe. Those gracious and glorious riches, which the master of all the world, is proprietarie of, are in some sort communicate toys. His righteousnes, holinesse, obedience, satisfaction, expiation, inheritance is made ours: as our sinne, sorrow, suffrings, death and damnation were made his not by transfusion, but by imputation.2. Cor. 5.21.2 Cor 5:21 His sorrow, paine, passion, for vsus, was so heauy, so grieuous, so pearcing such a Sic that all the world could not match it with a Sic…t Our ioy by p. 6him is so gracious, shall be so glorious, that pro qualitate, pro aequalitate nihil in comparationem adm…titur: for quality, for quantity it refuseth all comparison. Oh blessed mutation, blessed mutuation … what wee had ill, (and what had wee but ill?) wee changed it away for his good: what he hath good, (and what other nature can come from goodnesse it selfe?) we happily enioy, vel in esse, vel in posse, either in possession or assurance. Our Sauiour died our death, that we might liue his life. He suffered our hell, to bring vsus to his heauen.

Obseru. 2.It is somewhat, not vnworthy the noting, that Filia dicitur, non filiae, Israel is called by the name of daughter, not of daughters. Sion hath but one daughter. The whole people is vnica, quia vnita: As she is one, shee must be at one, not …arring, not repugnant to her selfe. Confusion belongs to Babel: Let peace dwell in the Pallaces of Ierusalem. They are refractary spirits, vnworthy to dwell in the Daughter of Sions house, that are euer in preparation, for separation from her. The Church consists of a Communion of Saints, an vnited Flocke vnderunder oo1. Pet. 5.4.1 Pet 5:4one sheepheard, not a company of stragling sheepe, getting schisme, & forgetting their chrisme: the vnity of the spirit, that makes men bee of one mind in one house, But as the spirits in man cease to quicken any member sundred from the body, and the scattered bones in ppEzech. 37.7,Ezek 37:7Ezechiels vision receiued no life, till they were incorporate into a body. So the spirit of God, which is anima corporis, the soule of his mysticall body, forbeares the derivation of grace and comfort, to those that cut off themselues from it.

Shee is one, vna vnica, that is mother of vsus all. Though there bee qqCan. 6.8.9.threescore Queenes, and fourescore Concubines, and virgines without number: yet my doue my vndefiled is but one, shee is the onelyonly one of her mother, the choice one of her that bare her. There is one body, many members, 1. Cor. 12.1 Cor. 12.201 Cor 12:20 The eye must not quarrell with the hand, nor the head with the foot, If we be one against another, let p. 7vsus beware, least God be against all. We hauehave one Lord, whose Liuery is LoueLove, Iohn 15.35. Ephes. 2.17.John 15:35Eph 2:17Iohn 15. (By this shall all men know that you are my Disciples, if yee hauehave louelove one to another:) whose doctrine is peace, Ephes. 2. (He preached peace to you that were farre off, and to them that were nigh:) Let vsus then serue him, professing one truth, with one heart. It is wretched, when sects vie number with Cities; and there are so many creedes as heads; Qui conātur vel corrumpere fidem, vel disrumpere charitatem, who striue either to corrupt faith or dissolue charitie; none performing his function without faction. It is testified of those pure and primitiue times, that rrAct. 4.32.Acts 4:32the multitude of them that beleeued were of one heart, and of one soule. Psal. 133.1. Aug in psal. illum.Ps 133:1One mind in many bodies? Behold how good and pleasant a thing it is for brethren to dwell together in vnitie, sayth the Psalmist, when inter multa corpora, non multa corda, as August-sweetly; when among diuers men there are not diuers minds: Sic viuentes in vnum, vt vnum bominem faciant, so louing and liuing together in one, that they all make but (as it were) one man.

There is no knot of louelove so sure, as that which Religion ties: It is able to draw together East and West, sea and land, and make one of two, of ten, of thousands, of all. This is that, which gathereth the saints together, not to a locall, but misticall vnion; whereby they are compacted vnderunder the gouernement of one Lord, tied by the bonds of one faith, washed from their sinsin one lauer, assigned, assured, assumed by one spirit, to the inheritance of one kingdome: but the vnity of brethren agreeing, is not more intire,Prou. 18.19.Prov 18:19 then their dissention, falling out is violent. Pro. 18. A brother offended is harder to be wonne, then a strong City: and their contentions are like the barres of a Castle: but their owne losse is the enemies gaine. It is vsually seene, that (amicorum dispen…a, hostium compendia) dissention is a Lent to friends, a Christmas to foes. They that so labour to vntie vnitie, that true-louers knot, which eueryevery christian heart should weare, and neuer be weary of; finde at last p. 8by miserable experience, that destruction doth striue to follow, where distraction went before. When in steade of ttGalat. 2.9.Gal 2:9the right hands of fellowship, strucke for consent, they like the Atheni…ns will sacrifice for none but themselues, and their neighbours of Chios. Needes must the Daughter of Israel be disquieted, when such opposites, like Rebeccas twinnes, struggle in her wombe. If the distraction of voices hindered the building of Babel: needes must the distraction of hearts hinder the building of Ierusalem.

Behold yee working spirits that must be doing, though you hauehave no thanks for your labour; behold the daughter of Sion,-opposed on both sides, as Christ was crucified betwixt two malefactors; straytened as the uu2. Sam 10.112 Sam 10:11Host of Israel, once betwixt the Aramites and the Syrians (when Ioab & Abishai disposed themselues to mutuall helpe, as need required.) Atheists on one side, Papists on the other. Bend all your forces against them, that make breaches in the walles of Sion; and seeke, ensue, procure the Peace of Ierusalem, who is the onelyonly Daughter of her Mother, and Spouse of her Sauiour.

Obseru. 3.I might here inferre to your obseruation (without any non-residence from the Text) that the Church is called Filia Ierusalem, the daughter of the people, for her beauty, for her purity; I desire you to interpret by Church, not only that Church, then visible in the Iewes, but the Catholike Church also, whereof theirs was but a part; many things being figuratiuely spoken of the particular, which properly belong to the vniuersall. The Church of God (then and euer) may bee called the daughter of Sion, for her virgine fairenesse, matchlesse by all the daughters of women. The Prophet in those solemne lamentations of Israels ruine, giues her the title of Virgin, with this of daughter, Chap. 1. The Lord hath troden the virgine, the daughter of Iudah, as in a Winepresse, and Chapter 2. What shall I equall to thee, that I may comfort thee, oh Virgine daughter of Sion? Lam, 1.15.2.13.The holy promise of God for her restauration is recorded by the same Prophet. p. 9to her vnderunder this vnstained title. aaIer. 31.4.Jer 31:4Again I wil build thee Oh Virgin of Israel; thou shalt again be adorned with thy tabrets and shalt go forth in the dances of them that make merry.

This may insinuate (intemeratam pulchritudinem Ecclesiae) the vnpolluted beauty of the Church. So Christ testifieth of his elected Spouse, Cant. 4.7.Song 4:7Cant. 4. Tota pulchra es amica mea, Thou art all faire, my louelove, and there is no spot in thee. Now beauty consists in a sweet variety of colours and in a concinne disposition of different parts. So the forraine congregations call her, the fayrest among women: bbCant. 6,1.Song 6:1Whither is thy Beloued gone, oh thou fayrest among women, that wee may seeke him with thee? For her simplicity shee is called a Doue, for her fruitfulnes a vine: Mount Sion for her stedfastnesse: for her royalty, she is called a Queene, for her brightnesse and eminence, an Iuory Tower: for her beauty, the fayrest among women. As the Cedar in the for rest. the lillie among the flowers of the valleyes, Sion among the mountaines, Ierusalem among the Cities; as Di…a among all the daughtees of the land, so the daughter of Iudah among her sisters. None so faire as the Shunamite to content king Dauid, none else can plead that the Son of Dauid takes delight in her beauty. But ccPsal. 45.13.Ps 45:13the kings daughter is all glorious within, Omnis decor ab intus. It consists not in outward face, but in inward grace. How comes shee thus faire? Here her speak of her selfe? ddCant. 1.5.Song 1:5I am blacke O yee daughters of Ierusalem, but comely as the tents of Kedar, as the curtaines of Salomon. Blacke indeede by her owne misery, white and faire by her Sauiours mercy. EueryEvery soule is blacke by nature: originally soilde, actually spoyled. Wee hauehave all primitiuam & priuatinum corruptionem, a pennary corruption, that depriues vsus of all habituall goodnes. Wee are borne Moores, and hauehave encreased this swarthinesse, by the continuall tanning of vnceased sinnes. We hauehave no nitre of our owne virtuall, enough to whiten vsus. Iob had no water of snow, nor Dauid of Hysope, nor had the poole of Bethesda, though stirred p. 10with a thousand Angels, power to clense vsus. Let Nature doe her best, we dwelt at the Signe of the Labour-in-vaine. OnelyOnly Christ hath washed …, that wee might hauehave part with him. A medicine of eeIoh. 19.34.John 19:34Water and bloud, let out of the side of Iesus by a murdering speare hath made the daughter of Sion faire. In this sacred fountain hath Christ bathed her crimson sins and vlcerated sores; till she is becom whiter then wooll, or the driuen snow. He made her faire, whom hee found foule, that ffEphes. 5.27Eph 5:27hee might present it to himselfe a glorious church, not hauing spot or wrinckle, or any such thing; but that it should be holy and without blemish. Shee must bee pulchra, or not sponsa, to him that is higher then the heauens, and holier then the Angels. His Spouse must be no blowse: Shee is adorned by him, let him be adorned by her.

The vsefull benefite of this Obseruation teacheth vsus, to make way through our owne naturall wretchednesse, to the admiration of our Sauiours gratious goodnesse. Hee loued vsus tantillos & tales, paruos & prauos, so small in deserts, so vile in defects; without any precedent congruity, or subsequent cond…gnity, in nobis, quod à nobis, in our selues, that was or is of our selues: For all the beauty of S…ons daughter, is deriued from Gods sonne. ggEzek. 16.14.Ezek 16:14Thy renowne went forth among the Heathen for thy beauty: for it was perfect through my comelinesse, which I had put vponupon thee, sayeth the Lord God. God said once to Ierusalem, hhVer. 3.Thy birth and thy Nati…ity is of the land of Canaean, Thy Father was an Amorite, and thy mother as i Iustite. None eye pittied thee, but thou wast cast out in the open field, to the loathing of thy person. But when iiVer. 5.6, &c.I passed by thee, and …wor… thee polluted in thine own blo…d, I had compassion on thee: I washed thee with water, cloathed thee with broydered wo…k, decked thee also with ornaments, put a Iewell on thy forehead, and a beautifull crown on thy head. We hauehave all an Amorite to our Father, an H…ne to our mother; I meane, are concei…ed and borne in sin; to …o…le, and full of corruption, that there could no temptation p. 11be shot from vsus, to wound the breast of Christ with louelove. Sported wee were, and nothing but nakednesse was left to couer vsus: sicke, but without care of our own cure: deformed and luxate with the persecution of vanities; quadrupedated with an earthly, stooping, groping, groucling, couetousnes: not onelyonly spotted and speckled (in concret… ) but spots and blemishes, (in abstracto) pollution it selfe. As Micah cals Ierusalem and Samaria, not pec…antes, but peccata: kkMic. 1.5.Mic 1:5What is the transgression of Iacob? Is it not Samaria and what are the high places of Iudah? are they not Ierusalem? Or as Lucan speakes of the wounded body. Totum est pro vulnere corpus. The whole body is as one wound. Bloud touched bloud, and sore broke out into sore: all vleers were coagulated into one by a generall rupture; that euen llEsa. 64.6.Isa 64:6our righteousnes was as filthy ragges. Oh then how vgly were our sinnes! If olde iniquities could prouoke, or new ones reuoke his fauour, we had store to tempt him. If the raw and bleeding wounds of voluntary sinnes: if the halting foote of neuterality, the bleare eye of ignorance, the eare deafe to his word, the tongue dumbe in his praise: if the sullen brow of auersenesse, or the stinking breath of hypocrisie, (if these) could inflame his louelove, …oe our beautie.

What moued thee then. Oh Sauiour to louelove vsus? besides the incomprehensible delight, and infinite content, which God hath in himselfe; thousands of Angels stand about him, and ten thousands of those glorious spirits minister vntounto him, mmPsal. 144.3.Ps 144:3What then is man, Lord, that thou takest knowledge of him? or the sonne of man, that thou makest account of him? the meditation of Saint Augustine is pertinent to this consideration,Con…ess. 1. 13 cap. 1. and what sonne of man may not confesse it with him? Neque enim equistime, aut egotale bonumsum, quo tu adi…veris: nec minor sit potestas tun carens obsequio men. Neither didst thou lacke me, Oh Lord: nor was there that good in me, whereby thou mightest bee helped: neyther is thy power lessened through the want of my seruice. If wee had been good p. 12yet God needed vsus not: being bad, whence ariseth his louelove? what a roughnesse of soule findest thou, Oh Christ, when tho… embracest vsus? what deformity when thou beholdest vsus?B…rn. in Cant. what stinch of sinne when thou ku…est? when thou discoursest, what rotten speeches drop from vsus? when thou takest vsus into thy garden, what contrariety of affection to thy expectation? our embraces hauehave been rougher then thy crosses, our persecutions like vineger, hidden in the spunge of our sacrifices; our words swordes, our oathes as bitter as crucifige, our kisses hauehave been treasonable to thee; as Iudas his: our contempts thy thornes: our oppressions a speare to gore thy side, and wound thy bowels.

Such was our kindenesse to thee, Oh blessed Redeemer when thou offeredst thy selfe to vsus, and to the Father for vsus The best thing in vsus, yea in the best man of vsus, had nothing of merite, nothing neere it. Our nnRom. 6. vlt.Rom 6wages is death; thy gift is life, bona naturae, melior gratiae, optima gloriae. Thou gauest vsus a good life of nature, thou gauest vsus a better of grace, thou wilt giuegive vsus the best of glory. Whether it bee pro via, or pro vita, for the way or the end, it is thy gratuitall goodnesse, who hast promised of thy mercy, both donaere bonatua & condonare mala nostra, both to giuegive vsus thy good things, and to forgiue vsus our euill things, Wee had miserie from our parents, and hauehave beene parents of our owne greater misery, oo… medit. cap. 2.Miseri miserum in hanc lucis miseriam … : Miserable parents hauehave brought sorth a miserable offspring into the misery of this world. And for our selues, euen when we were young in yeares, wee had an … about vsus,Colos. 3.9.Col 3:9 Tantillus p…er, tantus pec…tor. A little child a great sinner.A…g. Co…. lib. 1. cap. 12. Sic generant pater … regenera…nt p…ter ca…sstis, So wretched our generation left vsus, so blessed our regeneration hath mad vsus. So beggerly were wee, till Christ enriched vsus.

If you aske still, what moued Christ? I answere his owne free mercy, working on our great miserie. A fit obiect for p. 13so infinite a goodnes to worke on. He was not now to part a sea, or bring water out of a Rocke, or raine Bread from heauen, but to conquer Death by death, to breake the head of the Leuiathan, to ransom captiues from the power of hel to satisfie his owne iustice for sinne; and all this by giuing his owne Sonne to die for vsus; by making him man, who was the maker of man. This was dignus vindice nodus, a worke worth the greatnesse and goodnesse of God. rrThem. in Math. 8.Matt 8Decet en…m magnum magna facere. For it becommeth him that is Allmighty, to doe mighty works. Thus to make the Daughter of Ierusalem faire, cost the Sonne of God the effusion of his bloud.

This giues vsus strong consolation. Qui dilexit pollutos, non deseret politos. He that loued vsus when we were not, when we were nought, will not now loose vsus, whom he hath bought with his death, interessed to his lifeaaIoh. 13.1.John 13:1 Hauing loued his own which were in the world, hee loued them vntounto the end. vsque ad finem, L…k. 19.nay absque fine, vntounto the end, in the end, without end. Hee will not neglect Dauid in the Throne, that did protect him in the folde. He that visited Zacheus a sinner will not forsake him a Saint. If he bore affection to vsus in our ragges, his louelove will not leaue vsus, when highted with his righteousnesse, and shining with his rewels. If Ruth were louely in the eyes of Bo…z, gleaning after the Reapers, what is shee, made Mistresse of the Haruest? Hee neuer meant to loose vsus, that laide out his bloud to purchase vsus. Sathan hath no tricke to deceiue him of vsus, vsus of him. As hee had no power, to preuent the first, so none against the second Redemption. bbEph. 4 30. Ioh. 1.29.Eph 4:30John 1:29Christ was Agnus in passione, but R…u 5.5.Leo in R…surrectione: a lambe suffering death, but a Lion rising from death. If he could saue vsus being a Lambe, hee will not suffer vsus to bee lost, being a Lion. Feare not thou daughter of Sion; he that chose thee sicke, sinneful, rebellious, will preserue thee sound, holy, his friend, his Spouse. ddRom. 5 8.Rom 5:8There is neyther death, nor life, nor principal…itie: nor power, nor h…ght, p. 14nor depth that shall bee able to separate vsus from his louelove, or plucke vsus out of the armes of his mercy. But tremble yee wicked; if yee hauehave not fought in his Campe, you shal neuer shine in his Court.

To presse this point too farre, 1. were but to write Iliades after the Homers of our Church, 2. Besides there are many that offer to sit downe in this chayre before they come at it, and presume of God, that they shall not bee forsaken, when they are not yet taken into his fauour. Enow would bee saued by this priuiledge, if there were no more matter in it, then the pleading of it. But in vain doth the beggars sonne boast himselfe of the bloud royall, or the wicked soule of cc2. Pet. 1.4.2 Pet 1:4partaking the diuine nature, when hee cannot demonstrate his adoption, by his sanctification So that as we giuegive comfort to them that except themselues; so terror to them that accept themselues, when God doth not, make sure to thy soule, that thou art once Gods; and my life for thine, thou shalt euer be his.

Obseru 4.Lastly, from this titular phrase obserue, that the daughter of Ierusalem, is our mother ffGal. 4.26.Gal 4:26Ierusalem which is aboue is free, which is the mother of vsus all: foreign. The holy Church is our mother, if the most holy God be our Father. She feedes vsus with sincere milke from her two breastes, the scriptures of both the Testaments;1. Tim. 3.15.1 Tim 3:15 those Oracles which God hath committed to her keeping. God doth beget vsus gg1 Pet. 1.23.1 Pet 1:23of unmortallseed, by the word which liueth and abideth for euer; but not without the wombe of the Church hhIerom.. Non enim nascimur, …edrenascimur Christian… : wee are not Christians by our first, but by our second birth. Neither is she the mother of all, but vsus all, whom God hath chosen before all time, and called in time to himselfe, iiAug.Qui sic sunt in dom… Dei, vt ipsi sint dom…s Dei, who are so in the House of God, that themselues are the house of God. kkReuel. 3.12.Rev 3:12He that ouercommeth I will write vponupon him the name of my God, and the name of the City of my God, which is now Ierusalem, that commeth out of heauen from my God.

p. 15So that à quo dominatio, ab …o denominatio, our name is giuen vsus, according to her name that cherisheth, and is Mother vntounto vsus. Hence eueryevery beleeuing soule is a daughter of Ierusalem, and a spouse of Christ. Anima credentis est sponsaredimentis. The soule of him that beleeues, is the spouse of him that saues. As a multitude is but a heape of vnites; so the Church is a congregation of Saints. And as that which belongs to the body, belongs to eueryevery member: so the priuiledges of our mother Ierusalem, are the prerogatiues of all her children: not onelyonly the daughter of Sion her selfe, but eueryevery daughter of hers, eueryevery faithfull soule, 'is a pure virgin, and so to be presented to Iesus Christ. As Paul to his particular Church of Corinth ll2. Cor. 11.2.2 Cor 11:2: I am iealous ouer you with a godly iealousie: for I hauehave espoused you to one husband, that I may present you as a chast virgin to Christ. Mans soule is of an excellent nature, and like a beautious damsel hath many Sutours.

1. First, the Deuill, who comes like an old dotard, neatly tricked and licked vp: his wrinckled hide smoothed and sleeked with tentations; he comes euer masqu'd, and dares not shew his face. Take away his vizour, and the soule is worse then a witch that can affect him. And as when hee temptes wretched Sorceresses to some reall couenant with him, hee assumes the forme of familiar and vnfeared creatures; left in a horrid and strange shape they should not endure him. So in his spirituall circumuentions, for the more facile, flie and suspect…esse insinuation into mortall hearts; Hee mmCor. 11.14transformes himselfe into an Angell of light.

The promises of this Sutour are large and faire; hee offers the soule, if it will bee his spouse, a greater Ioynture. Iudas shall hauehave money, Esau pleasures, Naball plenty. nnMath. 4.9.Matt 4:9Christ himselfe shall bee ioyntu…'d in many kingdoms, but euer hee indents, that wee must louelove him, and ioyne with him in marriage. Doeg shall hauehave a place in the court so he will maligne Gods Priests. Pilate shall be Iudge, so he p. 16will ply his vsury hard. The Proctor shall bee made an Eccle…asticall Iudge. if he will promise more conuiuence, then conscience, and suffer Master bribery to giuegive the censure. EueryEvery Bal…am shall be promoted, that is readier to curse, then blesse the people.

These things to the wicked doth Sathan forme in speculation, though not performe in action. Hee is an ill wooer that wanteth wordes. Heare his voyce, and see not his face; belieue his promises, and consider him not as a lyer, as a murderer, and he will goe neere to carry thy hart from all. But he that hath two infirmities, nay enormities that betray him: a stinking breath, and a halting foot.

1 For his breath, though it smell of sulphure, and the hote steame of sinne and hell, yet hee hath art to sweeten it. So hee can rellish couetice with thrift…nes, voluptuousnes with good diet, idlenes with good quiet, drunkennes, because it is very sowre, fulsome, and odious …u…n to nature and reason, shall be season'd, sweeten'd with good fellowship. Malice is the argument of a noble Spirit, and murder the maintenance of reputation. Lust is the direction of nature, and swearing a gracefull testimony to the truth of our speeches. With such luscious confections he labours to conserue his lungs from stinking If it were not for those mists and shadowes, sinne would want both fautors and factors.

2 But his lame foot cannot bee hidden (as they once foolishly fabled among the vulgar, that his clouen foote could not bee changed) for his disobedience is manifest. If hee saith, Steale, and God saieth, Thou shalt not steale: Sweare, when God saith, Sweare not, dissemble, when hee cries, Woe against hypocrites: bee an vsurer, when God sayeth, thou shalt not then dwell in my glory: what pretences soeuer glosse his Text, his lamenesse cannot bee hidden. All his pollicy cannot deuise a boot to keepe him from this halting. This is the first & worst Sutour.

p. 172 The World comes in like a blustering Captaine, with more nations on his backe, then crownes in his purse, or (at least) vertues in his conscience. This wooer is handsomely breasted,Eccles. 1.Eccl 1 but ill backed: better to meete, then to follow: for hee is all vanity before, all vexation behind, by the witnesse of him that tried and knew him. Sometimes trouble followes him, but surely followes him. oo1. Tim. 6.101 Tim 6:10The desire of money is the roote of all euill, which while sons coueted after, they hauehave erred from the faith, and pierced themselues through with many sorrowes. Hee is like a Bee or an Epigram, all his sting is in his tayle. Hee is troubled with a thousand diseases, and is attended on with more plagues, then euer was Galens study. He is now growne exceeding olde, and hath but a few minutes to liue. Hee is decayed both in stature and nature: especially hee is troubled with a stooping, and a stopping, a stooping in his ioynts, a stopping in his lungs. He neither hath an vpright face, nor a light heart.

1 For the former, hee is euer poring on the earth, as if he had no other heauen, or were set to digge there for Paradise. His eye neuer lookes vp to heauen, but to obserue what weather it will be. This is his curuitie, hee is a warped, aged and decrepite Sutour. There is no straightnes in him.

2 For the other, hee cannot be lightsome, because hee neuer did giuegive good conscience one nights lodging which onelyonly, truely, can make the ppPro. 15.15.Prov 15:15heart merry. He striues to be merry, but his mirth is madnesse. Hee cannot dance vnlesse vanity be his mate, and iniquity his Minstrell. All his ioy is vel in vitys, vel in diuiti…s, eyther in his wealth, or his wickednesse. He cannot be merry, if God bee in the company. For the good onelyonly keepe Christmas all the yeare in their conscience, though not at their table. Hee hath three inducements to perswade, and three defects to disswade the soule from accepting his louelove. If the former induce any to him, let the latter reduce them from him.

p. 181. His first allurement is a mellifluous language, able to blanch mischiefe. His words drop Nectar, as if hee had beene brought vp at Court. And by his Logicke hee can make quidlibit ex quolibet, anything of eueryevery thing: so by his Rhetoricke hee can make (stones) hard hearted worldlings dance to his pipe, as it is fabled of Orpheus, Cusus ex ore non tam ver…a, quam mella fluunt, as I hauehave read of Origem. EueryEvery syllable is like a drop of honey from his lips. Magicis verborum viribus, quasi transformat homines. There lies a magicke in his tempt…ng speech, able to inchant, and transforme mens hearts, making a voluptuous man a hogge, an oppressor, a Wolfe, the lustfull a Goate, the Drunkard a Diuell. His arguments are not empty, but carry the weight of golden eloquence, the musicall sound of profite and pleasure.

2 Besides his captiuing elocution, hee mends the ill fabricke of his person with rich acoutrements. He weares all his cloathes,Rom. 12.Rom 12 as Saint Paul saith, in the fashion. Hee hath change of suites. Hee puts on pride, when he goes to the Court: Bribery, when hee goes to the Hall: Ebriety, when to a Tauerne: Prodigality, when he shufles in among Gallants: Vsurie, when hee would walke in the Exchange: & Oppression, when hee would ride downe into the Country. OnelyOnly, Auarice is the girdle of his loines, he is neuer without it. It is fashion, to be of any fashion, & to apply himselfe to thy humour, whom he courts. He hath a sute to speed of his suite, to please thy affection.

3 This is not all, he tenders thee a faire and large iointure. GiueGive him but marriage, and he will giuegive thee maintenance. Iura, periura, Defraude, dissemble, sweare, for sweare, bribe, flatter, temporize; make vse of all men, louelove onelyonly thy selfe; and riches (with preferment in his company) shall seeke thee out. Thou shalt hazard no Straights, climbe no Alpes, prison not thy selfe in a study, nor apprentice thy life to the warres: entertaine but the worlde for thy husband, and thou art out of all hunger and cold: p. 19wealth shal come trolling in euē whiles thou sleepest. (But happy is hee, that can bee rich with honesty, or poore with content.) These are the glories, whereof hee would enamour thee: thus would hee possesse thee with his possessions. But hee hath three deterringes: heare them.

1 He hath sore eyes, bleare and raw with cares: for hee is euer in expectation, either of remedy to griefes, or supply to wants. What opulency can boast immunity from sorrow, exemption from crosses? And such is the secure worldlings impatience, when once angred with afflictions, that a little misery makes him greatly miserable He makes his yoke the more troublous to him, because he hath not learned to draw quietly in it. Though hee hath alreadie more then enough, he keepes his eyes sore, with seeking for addition. In the quest of wealth hee denies himselfe rest. Needes must his eyes be sore that sleepeth not. This is one disease incident to the world.

2 He hath swolne legges, diseased with surfets. For the world comprehends more then couetousnesse, by the testimony of S. Iohn: pp1. Ioh. 2.151 John 2:15The lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, the pride of life is of the world. Wee renounced in our Baptism with the world, pompes and vanities Riot, lust, intemperance, Epicurisme, dissolutenes are members of the world as well as auarice. Tam I say, if not tantum. And therfore our Sauiour by that terrible sentence against rich men intends not couetousnesse for a sole and singular obstacle, (yeelde it a principall) but pride, ambition, lust, vaineglory, luxurie, the effects of an opulent state, as well as couetice. There are more burdens to loade the Cammell when he should passe through the smal posterne of Grace, (that needlesse eye) then onelyonly auarous affections. What lesson of vice is not the rich man apt to learne? Therefore this makes the world hauehave swolne legges, as the other sore eyes. Hee is blinde, hee is lame, both ill qualities in a Sutour.

p. 203 He hath a very weak tenur of al he possesseth, he is Gods tenant at will, & hath leasse of nothing, but durante Domini bene placito, during the great Landlord of heauen & earth his fauour. At vtmost, his hold is but for terme of life; & that a warish, short, and transient life, scarce so long as the first line of an indenture. Nay, hee, hath right to nothing; for he holds not in Capite, from the Lord of all, Iesus Christ. Therefore eueryevery wordling shall be accountant, for each crumme of bread, and droppe of water, which they hauehave receiued. For the right of the creatures lost in the first Adam, cannot be recouered, but by the second. So that hee enters on them as an Intruder, and possesseth them as an Vsurper his title being so bad, his tenure is certaine in nothing, but in being vncertaine. Sic transit gloria mundi rr1. Cor. 7.30.1 Cor 7:30: So the fashion of this world passeth away. What soule soeuer marries him, either he leaues his wife, or his wife must leaue him, without euer being satisfied.

You see then the fraudulent proffers of your personable wooer, the world. What is there in him, that any daughter of Ierusalem should affect him? Only be you simple as Doues, in not louing him, but wi…e as Serpents, in liuing by him. ss1. Iohn 2.15.1 John 2:15LoueLove not the world, saith Saint Iohn: yet make tt1. Cor. 7 311 Cor 7:31vse of it saith Saint Paule, Vtere mundo, fruero Deo: Vse the world, but enioy God: for the uuHeb. 1.19.Heb 1:19world, wax…th old as a garment, and fadeth away; but xx13.8.Iesus Christ yesterday, and to day, and the same for euer. The world, like fire, may be a good seruant, will bee an ill Master. Make it thy slaue, it is not good ynough to be thy husband. How base is it, for a freewoman to marry her seruant.

3 The third is the Flesh. This Sutour comes boldly in, like a home-borne childe, and hopes to speede for old acquaintance. He can plead more then familiaritie. euen inherence, inheritance of what nature hath left vsus. He is not only collaterall, but connaturall to vsus. One house hath held vsus, one breath serued vsus, one nutriment fed vsus, euer since one conception bred vsus. Like Hippocrates twinnes p. 21we should hauehave inseparably liued togither, and loued together, if the prerogatiue Court of grace and merciemercy had not diuorced vsus. And euen in the sanctified, this impudent, wooer cannot be quite shaken off, till death shall at once deliuer that to death, vsus to life. For though aaRom. 7.23 24.Rom 7:23with the mind, I delight in the law of God; yet I see another law in my members rebelling against the law of my minde, and bringing me vntounto captiuity to the law of sinne. His companie is wearisom, his sollicitings tedious, to the virgine-daughter of Sion. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall deliuer mee from the bodie of this death? Ver. 25.I thanke God through Iesus Christ our Lord. So then with the minde we serue the Law of God, but with the flesh the law of sinne.

He will perpetually vrge his sute; and not after many reiections be said nay. Thy soule cannot be rid of him, so long as thou holdest him in any hope of successe. And so long he will hope, as thou giuest him a cold and timerous deniall. Sutours are drawne on with an easie repulse, & take that as halfe granted, that is but faintly opposed. In whom this wooer preuailes least, he wearles him with importunity, till a peremptory answere hath put him out of hart. The wauering and weakely-resisting spirit cannot sleepe in the Chamber of quiet: whiles innumerable lusts (which are the sollicitors and spokesmen of the flesh) beate at the dore with their earely knockes: pressing more impudently for audience, then instruments of villany to Machianell, or wronged Clients to an Aduocate. Remisse answeres prouoke his fiercer attempts. He is shamelesse, when he meetes not with a bold heart. He thinkes that though

Pugnabit primò fortassis,Amor. lib. 1. & improbe dicet,

Pugnando vinci se tamen illa volet.

Though at the first the Soule refuse to yeelde,

Shee meanes on further strife to loose the field.

OnelyOnly resolution can make him giuegive backe, giuegive ouer.

His insinuations are many, 1. by promises. Pollicitis diues. He is neither a begger, nor a niggard in promising p. 22They are the cheapest chaffer, a man can part withall, 2. By tedious and stintlesse sollicitations, as if time could win thee.

Quid magis est durum saxo: quid mollius vnda?

Dura tamen teneris saxa cauantur aquis.

The stone is very hard, the water soft,

Yet doth this hollow that, by dropping oft.

As if the strongest sort were not long able to holde out, 3. By shadow (by reall proffers) of friendship, Tut a frequensque via est, per amici fallere nomen, It is a safe and common way: by name of friendship to shew false play. It was not mine enemy (sayth Dauid) but my familiar friend, that did mee the mischiefe. 4. By tendring to the soule, pleasing and contentfull obiects, as if

—non vincere possit

Flumina, si contra quàm rapit vnda, na…et.

The flouds would easily master him,

If he against the streame should swim.

Therefore he formes his insidious baites to our inclinations, diuersifieth his lusts according to the varietie of our humours. Hic Procus innumeris moribus aptus crit. This Wooer can vary his Protean formes, obserue all straines, reserue and conceale his owne, till hee bee sure, that the pill he giues will worke.

This Sutour is dangerous, and preuailes much with the soule: a handsome fellow if you plucke off his skin: for this saith Saint Iude, is spotted all ouer. A virgin well natur'd, well nurtur'd, that sets ought by herselfe, will not fasten her louelove on a lazar, leper, or vlcerous Moore. Why then. Oh why should the soule, so heauenly generate thus become degenerate, as to wed her affections to the polluted flesh. God, indeed, once married the soule to the body, the Celestial to a terrene nature, but to the lusts of the body, which Paul cals the flesh, he neuer gaue his consent. This clandestine p. 23match was made without the consent of Parents, of God our Father, of the church our mother; therfore most sinnefull, most intollerable. Cashier then this sawey Sutour, who (like some riotous yonger brother, with some great heire) promiseth much, both of estate and louelove; but once married, and made Lord of all, soone consumes all to our finall vndoing. He breakes open the Cabinet of our heart, and takes out all the Iewels of our graces; and stintes not his lauisning, till he hath beggerd vsus. This is the third Sutour.

4 The last and best, and onelyonly worthy to speed is Iesus Christ. bbCant. 5.9.Song 5:9What is thy beloued more then another beloued, O thou fayrest among women: Say forraine Congregations to the Church.Ver. 10. To whom she answeres: My beloued is white and ruddy (he hath an exact mixture of the best colours, arguments of the purest and healthfullest complexion.) The chiefest among ten thousand; (Infinitely fayrer then all the sonnes of men;Ver. 11. who, alone may beare the standerd of comely grace, and personall goodlinesse among all.) His head is as the most fine gold; (the Deitie which dwelleth in him, is most pure and glorious,) His lockes are curled, and blacke as a Rauen, (his godhead deriuing to his humane nature such wondrous beauty, as the blacke curled locks become a fresh and well fauoured countenance) His eyes are like doues, &c. who will, let him there reade and regarde his graces: ccChap. 1.3.His name is as oyntment powred forth, therefore doe the Virgins louelove him.

He hath 1 a rich Wardrobe of righteousnesse to apparrell vsus,Reuel 21.Rev 21 2. a glorious house, a City of golde to entertaine vsus; whose foundation is Iasper and Saphire, and such precious stone; the least of them richer then ten Escurials, 3. His Ioynture is Glory, Ioynture I may call it, for so we are with him ioin'd heires, though not ioyn'd purchasers. If the house of this World be so esteem'd,Rom. 8.17.Rom 8:17 wherein God lets his enemies dwell; what is the mansion hee hath prouided for himselfe, and his Spouse, the daughter of Sion … 4. His fruition p. 16is sweet and blessed, ob eminentiam, ob permanentiam, for perfection, for perpetuity, a Kingdome, and such a one, as cannot be shaken, which no sinne, like a polliticke Papist shal blow vp,Heb. 12.Heb 12 no sorrow like a turbulent Atheist shal inuade.

This Sutour is onelyonly beautifull, onelyonly bountiful: let him possesse your soules, which with his bloud he bought out, and with his power brought out from Captiuitie, for him am I deputed wooer at this time, (for as dd2. Cor. 5.20.2 Cor 5:20though God did beseech you through vsus wee pray you in Christes stead, bee yee reconciled to God,) who would faine … eeChap. 11.2.present your soules pure Virgins to Iesus Christ Forbeare the prostitution: of them to any rauisher, to any sinne: For peccare to sinne, in the literall word, is to commit adulterie: quasipellicare, id est cum pellice c…ire. Christ layes iust Title to you: giuegive your selues from your selues to him: you are not your own, vnlesse you be his.

We hauehave heard the Daughter of Sion described, qua sit: let vsus now heare cu…us sit, the daughter of my people saith the Lord. God was pleased with that Title, the God of Israel His owne Scriptures frequently giuegive it him,Ier. 32.36.Jer 32:36 Ierem. 32. Thus saith the Lord, the God of Israel, &c. The children are vsually called after the name of then Father: here the Father is content to bee called after the name of his children.Dan. 6.26.Dan 6:26 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaacke, &c. So Darius proclaimes in his decree:Esa. 44.5.Isa 44:5 The God of Daniel, Esa. 44 One shall say, I am the Lords, and another shall call himselfe by the name of Iacob, and another shall subscribe with his hand vntounto the Lord, Chap. 45.4.and surname himselfe by the name of Israel. Thus sayth the King of Israel, &c. And Esa. 45. For Iacob my seruants sake, and Israel mine Elect, I hauehave euen called thee by thy name: I hauehave surnamed thee, though thou hast not known me. Here might be inferred the inutterable compassion of God to Israel. It is my people, that is thus sicke. But I hauehave not scanted this obseruation before.Obseru.

That which I would now direct my speech, and your p. 25attention to, is the strangenesse of this complaint; agrota^t Israel. Others to hauehave been sicke, not so rare. It had beene no wonder in Aegypt, Ammon, Edom, Babilon, Israel hath the best meanes for health, therfore the more inexcusable her sicknes. They should hauehave beene so maner'd, as they were manur'd; and brought forth grapes according to their dressing: Sidon shall iudge Chorazin; Niniuch Ierusalem; In Sidon where was no Prophet, was lesse wickednesse: in Niniueh, where lesse prophesying, greater repentance. This conuiction was demonstrated in many particulars. The prayse of the Centurion, is the shame of Israel. The mercy of the Samaritan, the Priests and Leuits condemnation. The very dogges licking Lazarus fores, confute the stony bowels of Diues. The returning of the strange Leper, with a song of thanksgiuing in his mouth, was an exprobration to all the nine; when Christ had the tythe of a person, he least expected.

God reproacheth this daughter of Sion, Ezek. 16.46.Ezek 16:46Ezek. 16: that Samaria and Sodo…e were of her Sisterhood, yea, as if their abominations were a very little thing, thou wast corrupted more then they in all thy wayes. Ver. 47.Nay; thou hast iustified thy sisters, in that their abominations came short of thine, Ver. 51.by the one half? ffEsa. 63.18.Isa 63:18The people of thy holines, as the Prophet Esay cals them, are become by the same Prophets testimony, ggChap. 1.4.a sinfull nation, a people laden with iniquity. hhChap. 63.19They that were not called by thy name, are not so rebellious. E… sunt deteriores, quo meliores Deus reddere conatus est. It is grieuous, that Gods goodnes should make men worse; and the more kinde God hath beene to them, the more vnkind they should be to themselues, the more vnthankefull to him. Christ for the Iewes turned their iiIohn 2.John 2water into wine: the Iewes for Christ, turned their wine into kkMath. 27.34.Matt 27:34vineger, & offered it him to drinke. They that were the richest of Gods own making, became the most bankroute sin religion. They changed Cathedrā magistery, wherin God placed their Doctors, in sodem pestilentiae, into the scorners chayre, contemning his benefits: they p. 26had a Vineyard at an easie rate, yet payed no fruites of obedience. It is hard to say, whether God was more gracious to them, or they more greeuous to him. This boldly, neuer was more piery required with lesse piety. God sowed mercy, and reaped a crop of iniquity.

God can brooke this in none, but as hee forsooke his Temple in Sion, when it became a denne of theeues, so he will take out his ornaments where with he graced the temple of the soule, when we set vp the Dagon of this world in it; and withdraw his riches, as from a diuorced Spouse, running after other louers. Whiles Adam serued God, God serued him; he prouides for him a … a companion, and sustentation. We read of nothing, that God did sixe dayes together (and his works were not small nor few) but work for Adam; as if hee had beene hired to labour for him: Is it not strange that such a childe should rebell to such a father? Let none thinke, his fault was small, in eating an apple, or that his punishment waighed heauier then his trespasse. His sinne was so much the greater, because against a God(and) so good vntounto him. The more gloriously the Sunne and Summer hauehave apparrelled a tree, the more wee admire the blazing; when God hath planted a soule in his owne holy ground, watered it with those sacred, purifying dewes of his graces, shone on it with the radiant beames of his soule reuiuing mercies, spent much (& opera & olei) both of care and cost vponupon it; and hath his expectation required, abused with a meere flourish of seaues; with eyther (anequam, ornequic quam fructus) none or euill fruites; there goes out a curse, Neuer fruit grow on thee more. When God hath put his grace into our vnworthy vessels, how abusiue is it, to empty our selues of that precious liquor, and swell our spirites with the poyson of hell? How iust is it with him to take away, what hee gaue, Luke 8.Luke. 8.18.Luke 8:18 and to put a consumption into our vitall parts? Hence (without wonder) our iudgement rusts, like a neuer drawne sword: our knowledge looseth the rellish, like the p. 27Iewes putrified Manna. Our faith dissolues as a cloud, our zeale trembles, as if held with a palsie; our louelove freezeth the harder, as water that once was warme. Our repentance turns to yce, & our hope to snow: which the heat of affliction melts to water, not to be gathered vp; the image of death is vponupon all our religion.

Was this strange in Israel; and is it nothing in England: Looke vponupon the inhabitants of the earth, somwhat remote from vsus, to whose face the Sunne of the Gospell hath not yet sent his rayes; people blinded with ignorance, blended with lusts. What were our desires or deserts, former mater or latter merite, congruity before conuersion, or condignity after, more then they might shew; that God should put vsus into the Horizon of his Grace? whiles they sit in darkenesse and shade of death? Want they nature, or the strength of flesh? are they not temperd of the same morter? are not their heads vpward toward heauen? hauehave they not reasonable soules, able for comprehension, apt for impression,Eph. 4.230.Eph 4 if God would set his Seale on them, as well as we? Are they not as likely for flesh and bloude, prouident to forecast, ingenuous to inuent, actiue to execute, if not more then we? Why hauehave wee that starre of the gospell, to light vsus to Christ Iesus, standing ouer our Country, whiles they neither see it, nor seeke it: It is clearely, meerly Gods mercy. Now why are our liues worse, our knowledge is better? Why deuoure wee their venome, refusing our owne healthfull foode; whiles they would feed on our crums, and hauehave it not. Woe vntounto vsus, if we scant God of our fruites, that hath not scanted vsus of his blessings.

Bring presents to the King of glory; yee childrn of his holinesse, and worship before him. Indanger not your selues to the greater misery, by abusing his great mercy. Hee hath loued vsus much and long in our election, Tantum, tamdiu, dilexit indignos, &c.when we could not louelove him: in our redemption, when wee would not louelove him. His louelove was not merited by ours: let our louelove bee p. 28deserued, inflamed by his. If God preuent vsus with louelove, we can doe no lesse then answere him in the same nature, though not (it is impossible) in the same measure.aaMath. 5.46.Matt 5:46 Publicans will louelove those, that louelove Publicans. The Poet could say,

Martial. lib 6 Epigr. 11Ut prastem Pyladen, aliquis mihi praestet Oreslen,

Hoc non sit verbis: Marce, vt ameris ….

GiueGive me Orestes, I shall Pylades proue,

Then truely, that thou mayest be loued, louelove.

But God loued vsus, euen being his enemies, bbBern. Ep. 11.Eitu charitas est substantia, nostra accidextalis. His louelove is a substance, ours onelyonly accidentall. His, ignis accendens, ours ignis accensu…. His louelove is that holy fire, that inkindles ours. If wee returne not our little mite of louelove for his great treasures, his great louelove shall turne to great anger; and wee shall fare the worse that euer, we fared sowel. God (as he hath aduanced vsus into his fauor) so hath he set vsus as a light on a hill; among the Nations: if darknesse bee on the hill, what light can bee in the valley? A small scar on the face is eminent. If one eye-brow be shaued,August. how little is taken from the body, how much from the beauty? We are now the worlds enuy; oh let vsus not become their declamation.

Is the daughter of Gods people sicke? it may then bee in ferred,Obser…. that the Church may be sicke, though not die and perish; die it cannot. The bloud of an eternal king bought it, the power of an ccHeb. 9.14.Heb 9:14eternall spirit, preserues it; the mercy of an eternall God shall crowne it. The heathens hauehave imagined to vaunt themselues and daunt vsus, with the downfall of our Church. ddAug. in Psal. 70.Ps 70Ad certum tempus sunt Christiani, postea perihunt, r…dibunt Idola, & quod fuit antea. These Christians are but for a time, then they shall perish, and our Idols shal bee returned to their former adoration. To whom that father replies: Verum in cum expectas, miser Infidelis, vt transeunt Christiani, trāsis ipse sine Christianis. But whilst thou O wretched Insulei, exp…test the Christians to perish, thou doest perish thy p. 29selfe, and leaue them safe behinde thee. Whiles they boast in their selfe flatteries, that we had a time to begin, and shall hauehave a time to continue, themselues vanish and wee remaine to prayse the Lord our God from generation to generation. Indeed, Matth. 15. eeMath. 15.13.Matt 15:13EueryEvery plant which my heauenly Father hath not planted, shall bee rooted vp: But ffIoh. 13.1.John 13:1whom he loues, for euer he loues. Yet may his Church whiles it is not freed from militancy bee very sicke in the visible body of it. Aegrotat Israel, yet in Israel was the true Church of God. It was so sicke in Elias time, that Rom. 11. he complayneth, ggRom. 11.3.Rom 11:3Lord they hauehave killed thy Prophets, and digged downe thine altars, and I am left alone, and they seeke my life. The Church was sicke you see; yet the next verse of Gods answere frees it from being dead, I hauehave reserued to my selfe seuen thousand men, that neuer bowed the knee to the Image of Baal.

What Church since hath been so happy, as to ioy in her freedome from this cause of complaint? The Church was from the beginning, shall be to the end without limitation of time,Cant. 4.12.Song 4:12 of place. Yet she is a Garden, (Cant 4. A garden inclosed is my sister, my spouse) sometime by diligence kept neate and cleane, sometimes by negligence ouer-run with weedes. She is a Moone, est cleare and beautifull, est waning and waxing dark esome.Chap 6.10. Die then it cannot, be sicke it may. Time was,In 1. Cor. saith Chrysostome, that Ecclesiacalum fuit, spiritu cuncta administrante &c. Hou…. 36.The Church was a heauen, the holy Spirit gouerning all things &c. Now the very steps and tokens thereof doe but scarcely remaine. Mali prosiciunt, boni deficiunt:Bern. Wickednesse grows strong, goodnesse faints. The lambes are few, the goates swarme,

Little faith shall be found,

When the last trumpe shall sound.

We hauehave read often the Church compared to a body, Ephes. 4 13Eph 4:13Cuius caput Christus, whose head is Iesus Christ. In the 4. 10 the Ephesians, we hauehave it likened to a man, Cuius anima Christus, whose soule is Christ. Till we all come to a perfect man &c. p. 30Now the soule encreaseth in a man, not augmentatiuely, but secundum vigorem; transfusing into the body her virtuall powers and operations more strongly. aaHeb. 13.8.Heb 13:8Christ is (semper Idem obiectiuè, subiectiuè, effectiuè, euer the same in himselfe, and to vsus: but this body growes vp with the head, this man with the soule, this Church bbColoss. 2.19.Col 2:19encreaseth with the encreasing of God. Sickenesse then to the Church cannot be mortall, yet may the body be distempered: her doctrine may be sound, her members want health. Why is not the health of the daughter &c.

But to descend from the vniuersall to a particular, from the inuisible to a visible Church; this may be sicke, 1. Either by some inbred distemperature, 2. or by the accession of some outward malady. There may be grieuances in eyther respect, to afflict the daughter of Israel.

1 Inwardly, Corruption may gather on it by degrees, & put it in neede of physicke. For as the naturall body of man, when it is ouer charged in the veines and parts with ranke and rotten humours, which it hath gathered by misdiet, surfetting, or infest ayres; the man growes dangerously sicke, til by some fit euacuation he can be discharged of that burthen. So the body of a Church being infected with humours, and swolne with tumours of vnsound doctrine, of vnsounder life, superstitious ceremonies, corrupting the vitall pores and powers therof: troubled with the colde shakings of indeuotion, or taken with the numnesse of induration, or terrified with windy passions of turbulent spirits. cannot be at ease, till due reformation hath cured it. Now such a Church sometimes is more swelling in bignes, & oftents a more bulky shew; but once truly purged of such crude superfluities, it becomes lesse great and numerous, but withall more sound, apt and fit for spirituall promotions.

Our particular Church of England, now fined from the drosse of Rome, had a true substantiall beeing before, but hath gotten a better being, by the repurgation wrought p. 31by the Gospell, maintained of our Christian Princes, the true defenders of the faith of Christ. God had doubtlesse his Church among vsus before; for it is Catholike and vniuersall: but his floore was full of chaffe. The Papists demand where our Church was before Luthers time. We answere, it lay hid vnderunder a great bulke of chaffe: and Mat. 3. since Christ vouchsafed to come with his fanne to purge it of the chaffe, it now shewes it selfe with greater eminence, and is clearer both in shew and substance. It was before a wedge of pure gold, but comming into the hands of impostors, was by their mixtures & sophistications, for gain and such sinister respects, augmented into a huge body and masse, retaining still an outward faire shew and tincture of golde. They demand, where was the golde? demonstrate the place. I answere in that Masse. But for the extracting therof, and purifying it from drosse, God hath giuen vsus the true touchstone, his sacred Word, which can onelyonly manifest the true Church: and withall reuerend Bishops, and worthy Ministers, that hauehave beene instruments to refine & purge it from the drosse of superstitions, foule ceremonies, and iugling inuentions.

The Papists brag themselues the true ancient Church, and taxe ours of nouelty, of heresie. But wee iustly tell them, that ccLeo ad Palest.Eccles…enomen tenent, & contra Ecclesiam dimicant; that they vsurpe the name of the Church, yet persecute it. For the truth of our Church, wee appeale to the Scriptures. ddAug. de vnit. Eccl.Nolo humanis documentis, sed diuinis oraculis sanctam Ecclesiam demonstrari: It is fit the holy Church should be proued rather by diuine oracles, then humane precepts or traditions. We stand not vponupon numbers (which yet, wee blesse God, are not small) but vponupon truth. You see, as the Church of the Iewes, so any particular Church may be sicke inwardly. To describe these internall diseases, I will limite them into 4.

1 Error, August.indeed Heresie cannot possesse a Church, but it giues a subuersion to it. Errare possum, Hereticus esse non p. 32Possum, sayth that Father, I may erre, an heretike I cannot be. Now, Quic quid contra veritatem sapit, heresis est, etiam vetus consuctudo. What is diametrally opposed against the Truth,Tertul. is heresie, yea though it be an ancient and long receiued custome. But Logicke, which is a reasonable discourse of things, shewes a great difference betweene diuersae and contraria. A Church may bee sicke of errour, and yet liue: but heresie (a wilfull errour against the fundamentall truth, violently prosecuted and persisted in, kils it. Therefore Haeresis potius mors, quam morbus: Heresie is rather death then sickenesse. When the truth of doctrine or rather doctrine of truth, hath beene turned to the falshood of Heresie. God hath remoued their Candlesticke, & turned their light into darkenes. Error may make it sicke, but so that it may be cured. The Churches of Corinth, Galatia, Pergamus had these sicknesses: the holy Ghost by Paul and Iohn prescribeth their cures. If they had been dead, what needed any direction of Physicke? If they had not beene sicke, to what tended the prescription of their remedy. To God alone, and to his maiesticall word, bee the impossibility of erring.Quisquis cogitando se errar… non posse, in hoc maxime errat. That Church that man shall in this erre palpably, that will challenge an immunity: whosoeuer thinkes, he cannot erre, doth in this very perswasion erre extreamely. I know there is a man on earth, a man of earth, (to say no more) that challengeth this priuiledge. Let him proue it. GiueGive him a term ad exhibendum, and then for want of witnesse ho may write, Teste meipso, as Kinges doe, Witnesse our selfe, &c. Nay aske his Cardinals, Fryers, Iesuites. This is somewhat to the Prouerbe, Aske the son… if the Father be a thiefe. But hee cannot erre in his definitiue sentence of Religion. Then belike hee hath one spirite in his consistory, and another at home: and it may in some sort be said of him, as Salust of Cicero. Al…d stan…, aliud sedens de Republica loquitur. He is of one opinion sitting, of another standing. ccRom. 3.4.Rom 3:4Let God bee true, but euerie p. 33man a lier. One of their owne said; Omnis homo errare potest in side, etiamsi Papa sit: Any man may erre in faith, yea though hee were the Pope. If they will hauehave Rome a sanctuary, let them take along with them Petrarcha's catachresicall speech,Asylum errorum. calling it a Sanctuary of Errors. What particular Church then may not erre? now can it erre, and be sound? Bee the errour small, yet the ache of a finger keepes the body from perfect health. The greater it is the more dangerous. Especially, 1. either when it possesseth a vitall part, and affecteth, infecteth the Rulers, of the Church. It is ill for the feet, when the ccThe Pope cals himselfe the head of the Church.Head is giddy, 2. or when it is infectious and spreading, violently communicated from one to another, 3. or when it carries a colour of truth. The most dangerous vice, is that which beares the countenance, and weares the cloake of vertue, 4. or when it is fitted to the humor, and seasoned to the rellish of the people. Sedition, affectation, popularity, couetousnesse, are enough to driue an errour to an heresie. So the disease may proue a Gangrene, and then enserecidendum, ne pars sinceratrabatur: no meanes can saue the whole, but cutting off the incurable part: Pereat vnus potius quam vnitas.

2 Ignorance is a sore sicknesse in a Church, whether it bee in the superiour or subordinate members. Especially when the Priests lippes preserue not knowledge. Ill goes is with the body when the … are blind. Deuotion without instruction often windes it selfe into superstition. When learnings head is kept vnderunder Auarices girdle, the land growes sicke. Experience hath made this conclusion too manifest. Our fore-fathers felt the terrour and tyranny of this affliction; who had golden Challices, and wodden Priests, that had either no Art, or no hart to teach the people. Sing not, thou Romane Syr…n, that Ignorance is the damme of deuotion, to breed it: it is rather a damme to stifle, restraine and choke it vp. Blindnesse is plausible to please men, not possible to please God. Grant that our p. 34faults in the light, are more hainous then theirs who wanted true knowledge. ffChrysest, in Psal. 9Ps 9Ex furibus enim leges eos grauius puniunt, qui interdiù furantur: For the lawes doe punish those theeues most seuerely, that feare not euen by day to commit outrages. Yet in all reason, their sinnes did exceede in number, who knew not when they went awry or what was amisle. Rome hath (by a strange and incredible kinde of doctrine) gone about to proue that the health, which is indeede the sicknesse, of a Church, Ignorance. Their Cardinal Cusaen faith, that Obedientia irrationalis est consummata obedientia & perfectissima, &c. Ignorant obedience, wanting reason, is the most absolute and perfect obedience. Chrysostome giues the reason, why they so oppose themselues against reason, ggIn opere imperf. Hom. 44. Sciunt enim, si manifestata essis veritas, quod ipsorum Ecclesia relinquenda esset.Haeretici sacerdotes Claudunt ianuas veritatis, &c. Hereticall Priestes shut vp the gates of Truth: For they know that vponupon the manifestation of the Truth, their Church would be soone forsaken. If the light which maketh all things plaine, should shine out, hhHierom. in Esa.Tunc hi qui prius decipiebant: nequaqua… ad populum accodere valebunt, post quam se senserint intellectos: then they who before cosoned the people, could preserue their credits no longer, being now smelt out and espied. Hence the people aime at Christ, but either short or gone, and not with a iust Ieuell. But iiAug. de tem. Serm. 145.Nemo de Christo credat nisi quod Chr…stus de se credi voluit. Let no man beleeue other thing of Christ then what Christ would hauehave beleeued of himselfe. Non minus est Deum fingere, quam negare, saith Hylary. It is no lesse sin to faine a new God, then to deny the true God. The Priestes call the people Swine, and therefore must not hauehave those precious pearles. And so the people (kkTertul. in Apologes. Amant ignorare, malunt nescire, quod iam oderunt,) had rather continue ignorant, as not louing to know those things, which they cannot louelove, because they know not. But alas, Ignorance is so farre from sanity and sanctity, p. 35that it is a spilling and killing sicknesse. Men are vrged to reade the Scriptures, that neuer emptied Treasur-house of knowledge: they answere, llChysost in Math. Hom. 2.Non sum. Monachus, vxorem habeo, & curam domus, I am no Priest, I hauehave a wife, and a domesticall charge to looke to. This is that Pestilence (no ordinary sicknes) that infects to death many soules; to thinke that knowledge belongs onelyonly to Priestes. mmHo… Diabolicae inspiration is opus. st, non sinentu no… aspicere Thesaurum, ne' diuitias acquitamus. Chrys…st, ad Hebraos. Hom. … 17.This is a worke of the Diuels inspiration, not suffering vsus to beholde the treasure, least wee grow rich by it. Dices non legi, non est haec excusario, sed crimen: Thou sayest I hauehave not read: this is no excuse but a sin. The Romists sticke not, as once the Valentinian heretikes (veritatis ignorantiam, cognitionem vocare) by a Paradoxe, Pseudodoxe, to call the ignorance of the truth, the true knowledge thereof. Like those, Wisd. 14. that liuing in a warre of ignorance, those so great plagues they called peace. But nnGreg. 1 Cor. 8.1.1 Cor 8:1Quiea quae sunt Domini nesciunt, a Domino nesciuntur: They that will not know the Lord, shall not be knowne of the Lord. It is obiected, 1. Cor. 8, Knowledge puffeth vp. Let Iraeneus expound it. Non quod veram scientiam de Deo culparet, alioquin seipsum primum accusaret, Not that he blamed the true knowledge of God, for then he should first hauehave excused himselfe. Beloued, ooColoss. 3.16Col 3:16Let the word of God dwell in you plenteously. Do not giuegive it a colde intertainement, as you would doe to a stranger, and so take your leaue of it; but esteeme it as your best familiar, and domesticall friend: making it (as our Postill sweetly) your chamber fellow, study-fellow, bedfellow. Let it hauehave the best roome, and the best bed, the parlour of our conscience, the resting place in our heart. Neglected things are without the doer, lesse respected with in, but neere the dore; Sed quae pretiosae sunt, non vno seruantur ostio: the more worthy things are not trusted to the safety of one dore, but kept vnderunder many lockes and keyes. GiueGive terrene things not onelyonly regard, preserue them with a more remoued care.Math 13.40 Psal. 119.127.Matt 13:40Ps 119:127 But this pearle of inestimable value, this Iewell purer then the golde of Ophir; p. 36lay it not vp in the Porters lodge, the outward eare, but in the Cabinet, and most inward closure of thy heart, Deut. 11. Therefore shall yee lay vp these my words in your heart & in your soule Mary thought that place the fittest receptacle for such Oracles.Deut. 11.28 Luk. 2.51.Deut 11:28Luke 2:51 This is that Physicke, which can onelyonly cure the sicknesse of Ignoranc…s ppChry… in Math. 22.Matt 22Vbi ignorans in…: nit quod …, contum…x quid timeat, laborans quo praemiaetur, … quo nutri…tur, famelicus conuiuium, vulneraetus remidium: where the ignorant may find what to learn the refractary what to feare, the labourer wherewith to bee rewarded the weake nourishment, the guest a banker, the wounded a remedy to cure him. Be not ignorant be not sicke: Search the Scriptures, reade, obserue. This is not all. Non prodest Cibus, qui statim sumptus emittitur, the meate nourisheth not, which tarrieth not in the stomack, It must bee digested by meditation and prayer. qqBern.Meditatio docet quid desit, oratio obtinet ne desit. Meditation shewes our want; praier procureth supply. Let it not be said of our perfunctory reading, as it was of the Delphian Oracle, Quoties legitur, toties negligitur, that wee disregarde what we read; Read to learne, learne to practise, practise to liue and liue to prayse God for euer.

3 A third sicknesse, which may inwardly afflict a Church is Dissention: a sore shaking to the ioyntes, an eueruating the strength, and a dangerous degree to dissolution. The world being but one, teacheth that there is but one God, that gouernes it, one God; that there is but one Church, one truth. 1 Tim-3.15. Cant. 6.10.Song 6:10The Church is not onelyonly (Columna veritatis, sed columba vnitatis) the pillar of truth, 1. Tim. 3.15. but also the Doue of Vnitie. Cant. 6. My Doue, my vndesiled is al…ne. Dissentions like secret and close Iudasses hauehave giuen aduantagious meanes to our common enemies, both to scorne and scourgethe Church. Clemens Alexand… brings in the Heathen, exprobrating our Religion for vntrue, vnwarrantable, … Quia omnis Secta Christianismit… tulum sibi vendicat, 1. S…roma… 1.7tameu aliae aliam execratur & condemnat. p. 37Because eueryevery sect challengeth to it selfe the citie and right of true Christianity, yet one curseth and condemneth another. Within how much the narrower limits this distraction is pent, it so much the more violently bursteth forth and striues to rend the bowels of a Church. Like som angry and furious vapour, or exhalation restrained. that shakes the very earth for vent and passage. Such hath been the distractednesse of some times, that men hauehave laboured to be newters, and studied more to be indifferently disposed to eyther side, then to be religious at all. Such a time doth Erasmus mention, ssIn praesat. in Tom. 2. Ieron.Quando ingeniosares fuit esse Christianum, when it was a point of policy, and wit to bee a Christian. I confesse indeed, that Vnity is no inseparable and vndoubted marke of the Church, for there was an vnity in those murdering voyces, Crucifie him, Crucifie him, The Kings of the earth hauehave banded themselues together against the Lord. Psal. 2.2.Ps 2:2Those fauourers and factors of Antichrist, Reu. 17.Ren. 17.13. that make warre against the Lambe, are all saide to hauehave one mind. Nay Chrysostomo saith, that uuIn Math. Hom 23.Expedit ipsis Daemonibus obaudire sibi inuicem in Schismate. It is necessary for the very Diuels to hearken one to another, and to hauehave some mutuallity in their very mutiny, an vnion in their distraction; yet cannot it not bee denied, but that dissention in a Church, is a sicknesse to it. It goes ill with the body when the members agree not. Those that dwell in one house should be of one mind. It indangers the whole building to ruine, when the stones square and … one with another. What detriment this hath been to whole Christendome, hee hath no mind, that considers not no heart that condoles not, wee may say with the Athenians, Auximus Philippum nos ipsi Athenienses. We hauehave strengthned King Philip against vsus by our owne contentions. Christian Nation fighting with Christian, hath laid more to the possession of the Turke, then his owne sworde. Where is the Greeke Church once so famous? p. 38ⁱ Graeciam in Graecia quaerimus, saith Aeneas Syluitu, We seek for Greece in Greece, & scarse find the remaining ruines. Behold wee hauehave laide wast our selues, who shall pitty vsus? our owne seditions hauehave betraied the peace of our Ierusalem. He hath no teares of Christian compassion in his eies, that will not shed them at this losse. If you aske the reason, why the wild Bore hath spoiled the Vineyard: why the Iim and Zym, filthy and vncleane Birdes roost themselues in those sanctified dominions; Why Mahomet is set vp like Dagon, where the Arke once stood, and Paganisme hath thrust Christianity out of her seat, it is answered; Israel is not true to Iudah, the renting of the ten Tribes, from the two, hath made both the two, and the ten miserable. It is one of the forest plagues, (oh rather let it fall on the enemies of God and his Church; let his owne neuer feele it) when men shall bee aaEsa. 49.26.Isa 49:26fed with their owne flesh, and shall be drunke with their owne blood, as with sweet wine. frighting and fighting one against another, till an vtter extirpation deuoure and swallow all. The malignity of this sickenesse hath been terrible to particular Churches. They that hauehave beene least endamaged, hauehave little cause to ioy in it. Our owne home-bred iarres, hauehave lately more preiudiced our peace then forraine wars. The Spanish blades hauehave done lesse hurt to vsus, then English tongues. Our contentions hauehave laboured about trifles, our damage hath beene no trifle, but (I know not whether more) to our losse, or our enemies gaine. Looke but one the effects, and you wil confesse this a dangerous sickenesses. Rome laughes, Amsterdam insults, whiles the brethren scufle in the Vineyeard, Atheists and persecutors shuffle in to spoile it. Gods Sabbath, his worship, his Gospell is neglected. Some will heare none but the refractary, and refusers of conformity: others take aduantage of their disobedience, to contemne their Ministry. Witched hearts are hardned. good ones greieued, weake offended. Is this no sickenesse? is it vnworthy p. 39our deploring, our imploring redresses. We are all brethen, both by fathers and mothers side. It is more then enough, that our fallings out hauehave beene a griefe to both our parents. If wee proceede, the brethren shal smart for al. Whither we be victour or vanquished, we may beshrew our selues. Let vsus thinke, wee behold our Mother calling to vsus, to stay our quarrels, and to lay down the cause at her feete. Otherwise, as Iocasta told her two sonnes,

Bella geri placuit, nullo; habitura triumphos.

We vndertake a warre, whose victorie shall hauehave a sory triumph. Let eueryevery Starre in our Orbe know his station and runne his course without erring: the inferiour subieting themselues to the higher powers; whiles the courses of Superiours be wisely tempered whith moderation and clemency. For bbCaluin.Et si omnibus verbis ministris commune idemque sit officium, sunt tansen honoris gradus. Though the office of all Gods ministers be common, and the same, yet they hauehave different degrees and places. We hauehave aduersaries enow at home, to moue our tongs and pens against. (Oh that arguments of steele and yron might supply the weakenesse of the other.) Wee hauehave the Edomites with their no god, and the Babilonians with their new god; dissolute Atheists, resolute Papists: the former scoffing vsus for beleeuing at all; the latter, for beleeuing as we doe, as we ought. These oppose (with vsus though vnderunder the pent-house of night) Masse against Seruice, Sacrament against Sacrament, Praier against Praier; confounding the language of England, as the Iewes once of Israel. Whiles we are praying in one place, Oh Lord God of Abraham, &c. they are mumbling in another place, Oh Baal heare vsus. Whiles we pray for fire to consume the sacrifice, they for water to consume the fire: we for the propagation, they for the extirpation of the Gospell; hating vsus, and our Christian Princes more mortally, then if we were Saracens. For as no bond is so strong, as that of Religion: so p. 40no hostility is so cruell and outragious, as that which difference in Religion occasioneth. Hence they crosse, they curse, they persecute, they excommunicate. Nothing but our bloud can stay their stomackes. We know, they hate vsus: let vsus the more dearely louelove one another. The manifestation of enemies should confirme the mutuall league and amity of Brethren. Oh pray for the peace of Ierusalem. Pray wee that the deceiued may finde their error, correct their opinions, and submit their iudgements and affections to the rule of truth. Yea, that the wandring sheepe; yea that those, who are yet goates may become sheepe, and brought into one fold, vnderunder one Shepheard, whiles they continue cokle, there is smal hope. Yet Paul was once a rare, who after proued good wheate, and is now in the Garner of heauen: Recte dicitur glacialem niue calidam esse non posse: nullo enim pacto quamdiu nix est, calida esse pot…st:August. It is truly said: that the frozen snow can by no meanes be made hot…: for so long as it is snow, and frozen it admits not to be cal…fied: Yet if that snow bee melted, the liquidity thereof may be made hote. God that is able to turne a stony heart into a heart of flesh, worke this change vponupon them; vnite all our heats to himselfe; …o one another and heale our soules of this sickenesse.

4 To omit many; (for sinnes as they are innumerab…e for multitude so diuers for quality; and many …an def…ne sinne, but few decline sinne.) The last of these in…ard sicknesses is irreligious Profanenesse: a griefe of all time, a disease of all Churche. Other time hauehave beene notable for this, our… notorious. Not that I praise the former, which doubtlesse were conscious of euils enough. They know theirs, we our owne. The deedes of the flesh (if euer) are now ccGal. 5.19.Gal 5:19manifest, not onelyonly to God, ddHeb. 4.13.Heb 4:13b…f…re whom all things lye naked, a… a dissected Anatomy: b…t euén to the obseruing e…e of man. Oppression the… … selfe in open field, depopulating, ruining City, Country Church, Drunkenne re…les in the street; and Gluttony desire, not to bee p. 41hous'd. Malice not onelyonly discouers, but eeEt ostendis, & ostentat.oftenteth hir deuillish effects. Briberie opens his hand to receiue in in the very Courts. Robberie and murther swagger in the high waies. There is emulation in open schoole: Superstition in open Temple: Sects in open Pulpit. Brokerie stands, like a signe, at the vsurers doore, and invites foolish want to turne in thither, for a (miserable) supply. Whoredome begins to neglect curtaines, and growes proud of an impudent prostitution. Pride holdes the restraint of concealement a plague; and rather would not be, then bee vnnoted. Oathes are lowder then prayers; men scarce spend two howres of seuen dayes at their supplications, whiles they sweare away the whole weeke. If profanenes be not our sicknes. I will almost say, we are sound.

—Niger omnibus aris,Sta … Theb. 5.

Ignis & in nullis spirat deus integer extis.

If this sicknesse be not lamentable, reioyce triumph, and say, you hauehave no need to mourne. If a temporall losse salure vsus, we intertaine it with vlulations and teares. Let Pirates and rockes spoile vsus at sea, the oppressing Sabeans in the field, the fire at home: see we our houses and townes …, our gold and goods (worldlings gods) transporting our wiues, children, friends shrieking vnderunder the hand of slaughter, we need not ffIer. 9.17.Jer 9:17call for mourning women, Ier. 9. to waile for vsus, ggVe…. 18.our owne eyes would run downe with teares, and our eye lids gush out with waters. Let profanenesse lift vp his wicked hand against God, to blaspheme his name, despise his truth, disallow his Saboaths, abuse his patience, deride his treatinges, his threatnings, his iudgements; this we see and suffer without compassion, without opposition But hhRom. 1.32.Rom 1:32knowing the iudgement of God (that they which commit such things are worthy of death) not onelyonly doe the same, but hauehave pleasure in them that do them.

These Sicknesses may afflict a Church inwardly. Shee may be sicke outwardly. 1. by the persecution of man. 2. by the affliction of God.

p. 42By persecution of man, I need not call your thoughts back to elder times, & weary you with antiquities, to iustifie this assertion. This Church of ours so well remembers this sicknes in Q. Maries dayes, as if she were but newly recouered; whence discended those euils, but à culmine Pontifieio, as one cals it, from the top tower of the Pope: yet the Romists stick not to answere this laid to their charge, by auerring paradoxically, that their persecution was in louelove, as Sara to Hagar. In louelove they tyranized, slandered, beat, imprison'd, manacled, massacred, burned vsus; all in louelove. As Philippides cudgelled his father, & pleaded it was in louelove. If this were charity, then sure the very mercies of the wicked are cruell: their louelove is worse then others hatred, iiChry…. in Math. Hom. 19.Nunquid ouis lupum persequitur aliqnando? non, sed lupus ouē. Quem videris in sanguine persecutionis gaudentē, lupus est, saith Chrysost. doth the sheep euer persecute the wolfe? no, but the wolfe the sheep? whom thou seest delighting in the bloud of persecution, let him plead what he will, he is a very wolfe Wee tell the Papists, as Augustine told the Donatists, notwithstanding their distinguishing by tenses and pretenses, that their persecution exceeded in cruelty the very Iewes. For the Iewes persecuted (Christicarnem ambulantis interra: these Christi evangelium sedentis in caelo. Aug.) the flesh of Christ walking on earth; the Papists the Gospell of Christ sitting in heauen. But their cruelty is our glory, we hauehave sprung vp the thicker; for their cutting vsus downe, kkTertul.Plures efficimur, quoties matimur: Contrary to the rules of Arithmeticke, our substraction hath beene our multiplication: The Church of God (ll…. morte vinit, vulnere nascitur) receiueth birth by wounding, life by dying, mmCyp….Occidi possumus, vinci non possumus; as the ineuitable inuincible truth hath manifested. Wee may be killed, we cannot be conquered, nnRom 8.36.Rom 8:36For thy sake we are killed all the day long, as Paul saith from the Psalmist (to shew that both the Church of the old Testament, and of the new giuegive experimental testimony of the truth) yet ooPsal. 44 22Ps 44:22in althese thing we are more then conquerours, Ver 37.through him that loued vsus If our p. 43plant had not beene set vp by the all-prospering hand of God, the malignancie of these enemies would hauehave soone rooted it vp. They hauehave verefied in their persecutions against vsus,Cusan. what one of their own writes of the Turkish Alcoran. Omnium, quae in Alchorano continentur, vltima resolutio est gladius. The last resolution, propagation, propugnation of althings contained in the Alchorā, (in the Popes decretals) is (not the word, but) the sword. But blessed be our God, that hath limited this rage, and sealed vsus our Quietus est. Though they will hauehave no peace with vsus, wee hauehave peace with him, that can ouer-rule them.

But hauehave we no persecutors still? Oh that no Israelite would euer strike his brother. There are two sorts of Porsecutors remaining, Esau's and Ismaels; nourished with the same ayre, borne on the same earth, and caried in the indulgent bosome of the same Church. But Cypr. lib. 1. op. 3.nobis ignominia non sit, patià fratibus, quod. passius est Christus; ne que illis gloria, facere quod fecit Iudas. Let it be no more shame for vsus, to suffer of our brethren, what our Sauiour suffered of his; then it is glory for them, to do the workes of Iudas. Some persecute with the hand, others with the tongue. Exercent hi sapientiam, illi patientiam Ecclesiae. The latter exercise the wisdome, the former the patience of the Church. We are secured from Ahabs, and Herods, and Neroes; the teeth of the dogges be broken, and the iawes of the wolues pulled out: the Bonners and butchers of the Church are husht in their graues. Oh that the Serpents also, which hisse and spet their venime at our peace, when all the birds of our ayre sing acclamations to it, were at quiet. ppGal. 4.29.Gal 4:29But as then be that was borne after the flesh, persecuted him that was borne after the spirit, euen so it is now. Now so, and will be so. We cannot see an end of these things, without the end of all things. Our turne is still to suffer, we returne not blow for blow; but in stead of sounding a point of warre, we cry one to another, patiamur potius, Let vsus rather suffer. Let the Romane affections, like so many pestilent riuers, runne all p. 44(in mare rubrum, or rather in mare mortuum,) into the red Sea, into the dead sea, and snatching the qqRom. 1….19.Rom 1:19sword of vengeance out of his hand that owes it, quit themselues on their (imagin'd) enemies, with …loud and death. Let him that is stiled the Seruant of seruants, shew himselfe the Tyrant of tyrants. Philosophy teacheth, that externall accidentes change inward quality …s. but without an absolute mutation ipsius speciei, they change no substances. A Church may indeed at one time be better or worse disposed, then at another; more hote or more cold; more sicke or more whole. But as it were a strange fitte, that should transform Apuleius into an Alie: so it were a strange variation of accidents in a Church, that should turne patience into cruelty, humili…y into pride, a Tutour into a tormentour. Let their motto be ferio; (the terme whereon all their arguments r…lf) let ours be fero. It is far better to suffer, then to offer wrong. Let sauage persecution sit vnderunder the Ensignes of wolues; meekenes and patience be our armes and armours.

This outward malady of a Church, Persecution discouers the malignity of it selfe in many extentions. Especially, 1. in martyring her professors 2. in treason against her Soueraignes, 3. in seducing her Seers.

1 Martyrdome, God hath in all ages of his Church suffred som witnesses of his holy truth to be purified like gold in the fire. Though they are blessed that hauehave so suffered, & the Church hath in conclusion gained by this losse. yet during the turbulent working of these thunder exhalations in our ayre, we hauehave lamented miseram regionis f…ciem, the miserable state of our country, whose face hath bin scratcht and torne by the bloudy nailes of these persecuting beares, Needs must the land be sicke, where the Gouernors, like ill Physitians hauehave purged away the good humour, and left the bad behind them. When they hauehave imprison'd stripped, scourged, famished, drowned, burnt the innocent, and rewarded the wretched instruments of such deces. When p. 45the poore infant falling out (by the midwifery of fire) from the mothers wombe. hath been call backe againe into the …others flames. When the bodies and bones of the dead, which by the law of nature should rest in quiet hauehave beene digged out of their Sepulchres,Molli…ressa cubent. violated, curled, burnt, as if (saith their Prouerbe) they would kill god-hauehave-merciemercy on's soule. When women hauehave beene dragged out of their …ous…s sick men from their beds: & the woods hauehave abounded with saints, whiles the temples with their persecutors rrHeb. 11.38.Heb 11:38wild desar…s hauehave been frequented with true worshippers, & the consecrated Churches with Idolaters. When the hoy boo… was either not had or must be hid. It is no impeachment of a churches health to hauehave these assaults go…ing her sides? Such a time will giuegive cause to complain with Israel, ssLamen. 1. 120I …m in distresse, my bowels are troubled: mine hart is turned with in me, for I hauehave grieuously rebelled. Abroad the sword bereaueth, at home ther is death. This is the main blow of persecutiō

2 Treason is a fearefull and prodigious euill. Needs must the body of that Realme be in hazard, whose head is broken. They meane Israel no good that strike at the life of Dauid. I confesse that this euill is not so properly (in strict termes) a sickenes as a danger. Yet as a man that hath ill humours in him, though by good diet & strength of nature they are kept from vniting their forces, and casting him down cannot be said in health, whiles those enemies …emaine within him, watching their time of mischiefe. So the Church, though it bee not s…nsit us of the seuer, which (such raw & vndigested crudities as) traitors can put her into, til it be vponupon her, vet can the nor be perfectly well, till purged of such pernicious and malignant aduersaries: were not the Faeux…s of that horrid treason a disease & burden to the stomacke of the land, till it had spewed them …ut? did not those pray against her & prey …other? Would they not as willingly hauehave …, through the fire to than Moloe… of Rome the whole church, as those principal …llars of it, they plotted to blow vp…t …y wanted not wil but power p. 46They would hauehave swell'd their vengeance, till it had runne ouer the verges, and comprised in one worke (Mille actus vetitos, & milie piacula) innumerrble stratagems, the easiest whereof was the intention of murther; till they had made a Catholicke end with an hereticke church, as they call it: But the God of Ierusalem preuented the children of Edom: who is blessed for euer. It appears then Regicides are no lesse then Regnicides; for the ttLamen. 4.20life of a king containes a thousand thousand liues) and traytors make the land sicke which they liue in. This is the second dangerous blow of persecution.

3 The third is, Seducing a Churches Seers, and peruerting the children of the Prophets, which is most commonly done, rather with error then with terror; by beguiling, then affrighting them, I hauehave read, that Iulians cruellest persecution was with rewards. How many hauehave been wasted ouer the seas with golden hands? Promotion rather then deuotion hath cast many on the shores of Rome. There lies an exorcisme, an inchanting power in golde, that coniures many weake spirits into that superstitious circle. Then at last home they come, and proue calthropes to wound the Countries sides, that breed and feede them. Antichrists spel is gold; and they that will worshippe a peece of red earth, will not sticke to adore that glorious Beast. Selfe-conceite blowes them vp with a swelling imagination of their owne worth & if our church doth not (& numerare & munerare inter dignissimos) giuegive regard & reward, estimation and recō pence according to their proude desires, they will shift Realme and Religion too, for a hoped guerdon. You will say, there is little losse to the body, in dropping off of such rotten members. It is true, that the dammage is principally their owne: yet what mother doth not grieue at the Apostacy of her children? There is some hope, whiles they are at home; little, when reuolted to the enemy. Meanetime, let it not be denied, but the seducers are persecutors, and great enemies to the Churches health.

p. 47Thus may a Church be outwardly sicke by mans Persecution; she may bee sicke also by Gods affliction. This is diuerse, accordingly as our sinnes deserue, and his iudgement thinkes fit to punish vsus; 1. By warre, 2. by famine, 3. by pestilence; the easiest of them heauy inough, and able to depriue a Church of health. Though the first might seeme to be mans weapon, and so fitter to hauehave beene inserted among the former persecutions; as Israel tearmed her enemies, uuLam. 4.19Lam 4:19Our persecutors are swifter then the Eagles of the heauen, they pursued vsus vponupon the mountaines; they laide waite for vsus in the wildernesse: yet because God cals Ashur his rod: and it is He that sends eyther peace or warre; and no aduersary sword can be lifted vp against vsus; but by (more thē) his permission; for he hath a punishing hand in it. Let vsus see how he can make his Church of Israel sicke.

1 Warre is that miserable desolation, which finds a land before it like Eden, and leaues it behind like Sodome, and Gomorrah, a desolate and forsaken wildernesse. Happy are we that cannot iudge the terrors of war, but by report & heare-say. That neuer saw our towns and Cities burning, whiles the flame gaue light to the Souldiers to carry away our goods. That neuer saw our houses rifled, our temples spoyled, our wiues rauished, our children bleeding dead on the pauements, or sprawling on the mercilesse pikes. Wee neuer heard the grones of our own dying and the clamors of our enemles insulting, confusedly sounding in our didistracted eares: the wife breathing out her life in the armes of her husband, the children snatched from the breasts of their mothers, as by the terrour of their …laughters to aggrauate the ensuing torments of their owne. Wee hauehave been strangers to this misery in passion; let vsus not be so in compassion. Thinke you hauehave seen these miseries with your neighbors eyes, and felt them through their sides. Let it somewhat touch vsus, that we hauehave been threatned: Octog…simus octanus mirabilis annus, HaueHave we forgotten the p. 40wonderfull yeare of 88? an enemie of a sauage face and truculent spirit; whose armes were bent to harmes, to ruine, to bloud, to vastation: whose numbers were like locusts, able to licke vp a countrey, as the oxe grasse: the Ensignes of whose shippes were Assurance and Victorie: whiles they cast lottes vponupon our nation, and easily swallowed the hope of our destruction: a mortall enemie, an implacable furie, an invincible nauy. Loe in the heate and height of all, our God laughed them to scorne, sunke them, drunke them vp with his waues; tottered, sca…tered them on the waters, like chaffe on the face of the earth, before the wind and tempest of his indignation. All their intentions, their contentions, their presumption of conquest were disappointed, dissolued, discomfited. These things, though they hauehave not seene, let our childrens children to the last generation, that shall inhabite this land, neuer forget: that we and they may praise God, who aaPsal. 147.13Ps 147:13hath made fast the barres of our gates, and hath setled peace in our borders.

2. Famine is a sore outward sickenesse; an affliction sent by the immediate hand of God. For it is he that withholdeth the influence of heauen, and the kindly heate of the Sunne, and the nourishing sappe of the earth. bbAmos 4.6.Amos 4:6I hauehave giuen you cleannesse of teeth in all your cities, and want of bread in all your places, saith the Lord. As it is his blessing, that ccPsal. 65.13.Ps 65:13our valleies are couered ouer with corne: so it is his plague, that ddHag. 1.6.Hag 1:6we hauehave sowen much, and bring in little; that eePsal. 129.7Ps 129:7the mower filleth not his hand, nor he that bindeth sheaues, his bosome. When he is pleased, ffHos. 2.21.Hos 2:21he will heare the heauens, and they shall heare the earth, and the earth shall heare the corne and wine and oyle, and they shall heare vsus. England hath felt the smart of this sickenes; and she that out of her abundance hath been able to lend others, hath also been glad to borrow of her neighbours. The ggAmos 6.Amos 6satte kin… of Bashan, rich gormondizers hauehave not been acquainted indeed with this miserie; and therefore hauehave not sorrowed for the affliction of Ioseph. p. 49But the poore, the poore hauehave greeued, groned vnderunder this burden: whiles cleannesse of teeth, and swarthinesse of looke were perceiued in the common face. Whiles these hhEzec 5 16.Ezek 5:16arrowes of famine wounded our sides, and our staffe of bread, whereon our very life leanes, was broken, we could then cry, hic digitus dei: here is the finger of God. In our plenty, saturity, satietie of these earthly blessings, we acknowledge not (manum expansam) his whole hand of bountie opened to vsus; though then we confessed (digitum extensum) his finger striking vsus, and bewailed the smart. Famine is terrible ynough of it selfe; more dire and tetricall in regard of the company she bringes along with her. For

Saua farmes semper magnorum prima malorum

Est comes.Lucan. 1.4.

Raging famine is the prime companion of many fellowmischiefes. Ex vno grano oritur aceruus: of one graine of this staruing misery, ariseth a whole heape of lamentable woes. The attendants of famine are murthers, robberies, rapes, killing of children, that the same vessels become the wombes and toombs of little ones; and innumerable stretchings of conscience, to the reuoking of former, and prouoking of future iudgements. No maruell if hunger disregard the mounds and fences of Gods laws and mans, when it breakes through stone walls. The Poet, somwhat morally describes Famine.

Qu…esit am que famem lapidoso vidit in antro,Metam. lib 8. &c.

Behold hunger in her stony denne, tearing vp the grasse with her long nayles and sharpe teeth, her neglected haires growne rough and tangled, her eyes hollow, her cheekes pale, her skinne rugged and swarthy, left onelyonly as a thinne scarse to hide her lanke entrals; nothing cleane about her but her teeth, her dry bones starting vp, her breasts hangi…g p. 50ouer in the aire, her ioynts swolne bigge and huge, her sinewes shrunke, as vnwilling to hold her limbes together. This is that monster, that turnes men into Canibals, vnnaturally to deuoure one anothers flesh. I hauehave read, that at Turwyn in France, the famine was so deadly, that mans flesh was solde for food. This sicknesse is worse then death. Happy are we, that Gods mercy hath banished this plague from our land, Oh let not our iniquities reuoke it.

3 The Pestilence wee better know, as one that hath but a little while bin kept out of our dores; and watcheth when our iniquities shall againe let him in. Hee sculkes about, and will not be rid away, till repentance hath made our coast cleare. This is Gods Purseuant, that hath rode circuit in our land, and to whomesoeuer God hath sent him, he neuer returned with a non est muentus, but alwaies brought (Si non corpus taemen animam sum causa) if not the body, yet the soule with the cause before his iudgement seate. This is he that rides on the pale horse, Reu. 6. and catcheth men as with a snare, perhaps when they hauehave most hasted from him. How hath this plague left the verie streetes of our Cities emptie, when they seemed to hauehave beene sowed with the seed of man; how astonied the liuing, frighted the dying; disioyned the mutuall societie and succour of friend to friend, and that in a time, when comfort would hauehave been most seasonably welcome, trembling hands, pulling dead bodies into the graues with hookes, or rolling them into pits.

Turne backe your eyes, that now liue in the Appeniue height of peace and health, and thinke you see the lamentable state of your Country, as few years past discouered it. Imagine you behold the hand-wringing widdowes, beating their bosomes ouer their departing husbands: the distracted mothers falling into swounes, whiles they kisse the insensible colde lippes of their breathlesse Infants: poore desolate Orphanes, that now mourne the vntimely p. 51losse of their parentes, as being made by yeares more sensible, of their want, then when deathes pestilentiall hand tooke them away: the loude grones and strugling pangs of soules departing: seruants crying out for Masters, Wiues for Husbands, parents for children, children for mothers; griefe in eueryevery house, striking vp alarums; belles heauily tolling in one place, ringing out in another: Numbers of people, that not many howres before had their seuerall Chambers delicatelie highted, now confusedly thrust together into one close roome, a little noysome hole, not twelue foote square. They hauehave marble bosomes that will not be shaken with these terrors, and hauehave sucked Tygresses in the wildernesse that cannot compassionate these calamities. How did they grieue a Church to feele them, when they affect, afflict, and make vsus Sicke to heare them?

I know you hauehave long looked for an end. I neuer delighted in prolixity of speech. What remaines? but the more terrible wee conceiue these sicknesses of a Church, the more wee blesse GOD for the present health of ours. Let not our sinnes call backe these plagues: let vsus not prouoke our GOD, least earth, ayre, heauen renew their strokes vponupon vsus. Warres and famines from the earth, plagues from the ayre, iudgementes from the Cloudes; they are all restrayned at our repentance, let loose at at our rebellions. Oh serue wee the Lord our God with feare and obedidience; that hee may delight to doe vsus good, and wee to prayse his name. That wee our selues, and our Children after vsus, and the generations yet vnborne, may see the Peace of Ierusalem all their dayes. That the golden Belles of Aaron may bee freely rung; and the Trophees of Victory ouer all Antichristian enemies may still bee seene amongst vsus. Euen till this Easter & Feast of the Resurrection of our Sauiour Iesus, ouertake p. 52take the Resurrection of all his Saintes.

Grant this O Father for thy mercies, Oh Christ for thy merites; Oh blessed Spirite for thy holy names sake: To whom, three persons in glorious Trinity, one onelyonly true and immortall God in vnity be all power, prayse, maiesty and mercy acknowledged for euer, Amen.