IT was the opinion of Licurgus that wise Law-giuer of the Lecedemoni­ans, that there was no better way to keepe men in good order, then to vse partly threats, and partly pro­mises; partly rewards, and partly punishments: and in a well-gouerned Common-wealth he thought the one as needfull as the other. GOD Almightie, that great and wise Law-maker of heauen and earth, hath appointed by these two meanes, Praemiis & Poenis, by rewards and punish­ments, [Page 2] to keepe the common-wealth of the whole world in good gouernment, and to bring men to obedience to his holy commandements: for after he had in the 20 of Exodus giuen his most sacred Precepts: that he might the rather stirre men vp to keepe, and obserue them: in the 26. Chap. of Le­uiticus, and also in this Chapter, hee propoundeth certaine blessings, and cursings, menaces and pro­mises, rewards and punishments, as most forcible motiues to winne them to obedience. From the third verse to the thirteenth, blessings are promised to the obedient; from the fifteenth to the ende of the Chapter cursings are denounced against the dis­obedient. Wherein we may note, what a gradation God doth keepe in inflicting punishments on stub­borne sinners: first, he trieth by his lesser and ligh­ter chastisments, to make them turne vnto him; and if they will doe no good, then hee comes with the Sword to consume, and cut them off from the face of the earth: Psal. 71 12. as the Prophet Dauid speakes, if a a man will not turne, God will whet his Sword. Thus much we see in this Chapter; but more plainly in the 26. of Leuiticus, where first he threatens to cha­stice them with the Famine; if that will not amend them, he threatens to encrease their punishment, and to send the Pestilence among them; If that will not reforme them, then in the last place he giues them ouer to the Sword as it is v. 25. of that Chap. If yee will not for these things be reformed by me (meaning the Famine and Pestilence) but walke stubburnly against me, then will I also walke stubbornely in mine anger a­gainst you, and I will chastise you seuen times more ac­cording to your sinnes, and I will bring a Sword vpon [Page 3] you that shall auenge the quarrell of my couenant, and ye shall be deliuered vp into the hands of your enemies.

Beloued, God hath tryed by the two former pu­nishments, by the Famine, and by the Pestilence, to winne vs of this Land vnto his obedience: we haue had of late many deare yeares, wherein a number, especially the poorer sort haue pinched for it: wee haue had the last a dying yeare, Annum mortalem, wherein thousands, and ten thousands haue fallen in our Streetes. Now if these things reforme vs not, (as GOD knowes there is yet little reformation seene) wee are next in order to expect the Sword, Warre, and the calamities thereof to descend vpon vs; our Enemies to inuade, and ouer-runne vs, vn­lesse GOD bee the more mercifull vnto vs. So the Lord here menaceth his owne chosen people, deare Israel: (and we may apply it to our selues, if we walke in their steps;) if they will not amend by his former punishments, then he will stirre vp a for­raigne foe to inuade them.

The Lord shall bring a Nation vpon thee from farre, euen from the end of the World, flying swift as an Eagle, &c.

Which Text is a Proclamation of Warre, or a Com­mination of a fearefull Inuasion; wherein we may note;

First, Who proclaimes this Warre? It is Iehouah the Lord.

Secondly, Against whom he proclaimes it? against his owne people, his beloued Israell: Yet if they of­fend him, and sinne against him, hee will raise vp Warre against them. Vpon thee.

Thirdly, Who hee imployes in the execution of [Page 4] his wrath, to punish his disobedient seruants?

• A strange Foe.
• A strong Foe.
• A sterne Foe.

1 A strange or forraigne Foe; A Nation from farre, from the end of the World, whose tongue thou vn­derstandest not.

2 A strong Foe: compared in my Text to an Eagle, to a flying Eagle: because as an Eagle is the strongest of all Birds, so this Nation: secondly, to a flying Eagle, because as an Eagle being on her wings is able to ouer-top any other fowle, so this Nation being in Armes, is able to ouer-match any other Nation.

3 A sterne Foe: Which will shew no respect, no mercy, no fauour neither to olde nor young: A Nation of a fierce, or cruell, or barbarous counte­nance, which will not regard the person of the old, nor haue compassion of the young.

Lastly, the dreadfull desolation that shall follow this inuasion, the calamity that shall befall the In­habitants of that Land, then Enemies shall leaue them nothing, they shall take all that euer they haue from them; their Goods, their Cattell, their Corne, their Sheepe; and shall put them either to cruell death, or to such slauery and bondage, that they shall haue no pleasure in their life, but shall wish rather to dye then Isue; as it is vers. 66. & 67. Thy life shall hang before thee, and thou shalt feare both night and day, and shalt haue no assurance of thy life: In the morning thou shalt say, Would God it were euening; and at euening thou shalt say, Would God it were morning, for the fear of thine heart which thou shalt feare, and for the sight of thine eyes which thou shalt see.

[Page 5]First, I begin with him, who is α and ω, the begin­ning and end or all our actions, yea of all things, and that is, who proclaimes this Warre: It is Iehouah the Lord.

But this may seeme a strange Paradox to some; that that God, who is Deus pacis, the God of peace, should stirre vp Warre and diuision, and set Nations together by the eares vpon the face of the earth: that God who is not onely Bonus, sed ipsa bonitas, good, but goodnesse it selfe, should be Author mali, the Author of euill, the raiser of Warre, which is omnium malorum pessimum, of all euils the greatest. To vnloose this knot, the Schoole affords an olde distinction of malum culpae & malum paenae: or as Tertullian speakes, lib. 2. cont. Marcionem, pag. 180. Malum delicti, et malum supplicij: or as Saint Augu­stine distinguiseth in other words, but to the same effect. Tomo sexto. Contra Adimantum, cap. 26. Ma­lum quod facit homo, et malum quod patitur homo. Euill which man doth which is sinne, and euill which man suffereth, which is the punishment of sinne: Con­cerning the former, euill as it is sinne, God is by no meanes the Author of it; and therefore accursed, for euer cursed to the pit of hell be that abominable doctrine, which the Church of Rome doth slande­rously, and blasphemously cast vpon vs, that wee make God the Author of sinne; for wee defie and renounce it from the bottome of our hearts as a most sinfull Doctrine. But concerning the latter, euill which is the punishment of sinne, God is the Author of that: All afflictions & calamities which are the rewards of sinne, are sent vpon man by the mighty hand of God: Famine a great euill; yet [Page 6] the Prophet tells vs God sends that; A fruitfull Land he maketh barren, Psal. 107.34. for the wickednesse of them that dwell therein. The Pestilence a great euill, yet God sends that; we reade 2 Sam. 24. He sent a Plague in Israel, whereof died more then threescore thousand, in lesse then three dayes. So digitus Dei, the finger of God hath beene lately seene in our Land, especially in this Citie, scourging vs for our sinns. This stroke came nor by chance; It was the hand of heauen that smote vs; and it is none but his omnipotent hand, that hath healed vs: Blessed be his great name for it. Warre a great euill; yet GOD sendeth that vpon a sinfull Nation: as'tis hee alone that giues peace to his children, and causeth Warres to cease in all the world: So 'tis he alone that raiseth Warre, and bringeth a reuenging Sword vpon the sinfull sonnes of men: This should teach to prepare, and arme our selues with patience to endure it, if it doe come, because a Domino est, it is from the Lord, it is the Lords doing; the wicked, our Enemies are but his instruments: the rod of his fury, a sword of his to punish sinners: he sets them on worke; O Ashur, the rod of my wrath! I will send him to a dissembling Na­tion, and I will giue him a charge against the people of my wrath to take the spoile, and to take the prey, and to tread them vnder feete like the mire in the streete, Isa. 10.5.6. And in my Text, The Lord shall bring a Nation vpon thee. What? Vpon Israell? His deare Israell? his beloued Israell? his chosen people? his inheritance? his sanctified ones? his peculiars? his fauorites? those whom he pickt and cull'd out of all Nations? Those on whom he bestowed more pretious tokens of his loue, then on any other? Will hee deale so [Page 7] hardly with them? Will he reiect them? Will he de­stroy them? forsake them? Yes, if they forsake and reiect him, he will: God is not tyed to any Nation, or to any people, longer then they tye themselues to his obedience, and to his seruice: 1 Chron. 15.2. Dominus vo­ciscum dum vos cum Domino, The Lord is with you, while yee are with him, and if yee seeke him, he will be found of you; but if yee forsake him, he will for­sake you. So good Azariah fore-warn'd them, and as he fore-told, so it came to passe, this curse was executed to the full; for when they forsooke the Lord, and gaue themselues ouer to follow strange Gods; the Lord forsooke them, and giue them o­uer into the hands of Strangers; they which hated them were Lords ouer them, their enemies oppres­sed them, and had them in subiection; hee brought vpon them, A strange Foe, a strong Foe, and a sterne Foe, (first vpon Israel, because they first fell from him, then vpon Iudah) euen the Babylonians, who in­ [...]ded their Land, wasted their Countrey, ruinated their Citie, burnt their Temple, destroyed all their goodly Buildings, slew their young men with the Sword, euen in the middst of their Sanctuary, and spared neither yong man, nor virgin, ancient, nor a­ged, led many thousands of them into most misera­ble slauery and captiuity; tooke the King himselfe prisoner, changed his chaines of gold into chaines of brasse, and fetters of iron; kill'd his Princes, and all his Nobles, slew his sonnes before his eyes, put out his owne eyes, & kept him in most pittifull bondage all the dayes of his life; as you may see more at large, 2 Chron. and the last Chap. Ier. Chap. 52. And if you enquire after the cause of all this mischiefe, [Page] you shall finde it to bee their sinnes, their disobedi­ence to Gods commaundements, their contempt of Gods word, their sleighting of Gods Messengers, their abusing of his Prophets. GOD (whose mer­cies are more in number them all our sinnes) out of his infinite compassion was loath to destroy them, unwilling to see their subuersion; and therefore he vsed all meanes for their conuersion: hee sent vnto them by his messengers the Prophets, rising early, and sending (saith the Text) for he had compassion on his people, and on his habitation: but they moc­ked the messengers of God, they despised his words, they misused his Prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord arose against his people, and till there was no remedy, 2 Chro. last Chap. ver. 15.16. His long suffe­ring waited for their conuersion, so long as there was any hope, as a Physitian seeing any hope of life in his [...] Patient, will not giue him ouer; but fin­ding him pa [...] [...]ecouery leaues him: So God seeing no hope of reformation, seeing there was no other remedy, so seeke them, giues them ouer to their owne [...]st [...], bring vpon them a Nation from far, a strong Nation, [...]e [...]ce and cruell, the King of the Caldeans with all his armed troopes, who brought vpon them all these calamities. And after 70 yeares of captiuity being expired, hee brought them into their owne Land againe, and restored them to their former and flourishing state: but because they con­tinued not stedfast in his couenant, but rebelled a­gaing him, reiected his word, crucified the Lord of life, refused his Gospell; he brought vpon them an Enemy more cruell then the former: euen the flying Eagle (as it is in my Text) the Romane Emperour; [Page 9] who brought vpon them all the curses threatned in this Chapter; Warre, Famine, (in so much that the tender and dainty women were glad to eate their owne children (as Iosephus relates) Ioseph. de bell Iud. lib. 7. cap 3. as it was fore­told, vers. 57.) dispersion, deuastation, a finall de­solation Thus is my Text fulfilled in your cares; the curse is executed; Canaan is inuaded; Iudah is gone into captiuity; Ierusalem is troden downe, the pleasant Land lyes wast: Quid hoc ad nos? And what is this to vs will some say? Yet it neerely concernes Vbi ingentia beneficia, & ingentia is peccata, ibi ingentia supplicia: If partaking with them in Gods benefits, wee partake of their sinnes, wee may iustly feare to partake of their punishments: Let vs a little paralell our estate with theirs: Gods mercies were great to them, no lesse to vs. His louing kindnesse toward them appeared in foure things:

In freeing them from the bondage of the

• 1. soule,
• 2. body.

In giuing them blessings for the

• 3. body.
• 4. soule.

1 He brought them out of the Land of Aegypt, from the bondage of Pharaoh: Aegypt was a Land full of Idolatry, and superstition; the people there worshipped Deuils, they worshipped mē, they wor­shipped beasts, they worshipped plants, insteed of God: From this Idolatrous Land, God freed them, which was a great mercy: but he hath done more for vs; though he hath not brought vs out of an I­dolatrous Land, yet he hath taken Idolatry out of our Land, he hath cleansed it, and swept superstition from it.

[Page 10]2 He deliuered them from the bondage of Pha­raoh, who did but tyrannize ouer the body onely, but he hath released vs out of that cruell bondage of that proud Pharaoh of Rome, who doth tyrannize both ouer the bodies and soules of men. He shewed wonders for them in the deepe, leading thorow on foote as through a wildernesse, drowning and ouer­whelming their enemies in the middest of the Sea: The like he did for vs in 88. confounding the in­uincible Armado of Spaine, which came with open mouth to make a prey of vs all: neither did he on­ly with Israel saue vs out of the water, but also out of the fire; when a tormenting Tophet was prepared, with Gun-powder and much Wood, to blowe vp and consume with one blast, both our King and Kingdome; and wanted but fewe howres for the execution of it; then did he most mercifully disco­uer it, and deliuer vs from that infernall and hellish plott: so that we may say of this Land, as the Pro­phet of Ierusalem: Is not this a brand taken out of the fire? Zach. 3.2.

3 GOD seated them in a fruitfull Land, a most pleasant, and delightfull Land, the Land of Canaan, a Land flowing with milke and honey: so hee hath planted vs in a most plentifull and fertile land, the a­bundance and blessings whereof, (as one said, who did for a while absent himselfe in forraigne parts,) are perceiued magis carendo quam fruendo, rather by wanting, then by enioying them: no Nation vn­der the cope of heauen, hauing such plenty of all Gods blessings, both for the preseruation, and su­stentation, and delectation of mans life, as our land affordeth; therefore no meruaile, if the Pope and [Page 11] his adhaerents, compasse sea and land; vse all the trickes, and plots they can deuise, by treason and treachery, by open hostility and priuy conspiracie, to gaine this Iland into their tyrannie, out of which that triple crown'd Father suck'd so much sweet­nesse: for it is the eye of Europe, and store-house of Christendome: And as it was said, that the Pro­uince of Purgatory did yeeld as much reuenue to the Popes treasury, as heauen and hell both: so it is thought, that that man of sinne, and his generation of Vipers, Monkes, and Friars, Abbots and Priors, in our fore-fathers time, did sucke as much fatnesse out of this Kingdome, as out of all Christendome: no wonder then, if they bestirre themselues for it; 'tis a sweet bit; terra frugifera, a fruitfull land, fitly resembling the land of Canaan.

4 But the head of all Gods mercies to thē consisted in beneficio animae, in doing the soule a good turne: in reuealing his will, his word, his truth, his lawes and ordinances vnto them: the Prophet reckons it an vnspeakable fauour; He gaue his word vnto Iacob, his statutes and ordinances vnto Israell, hee hath not dealt so with euery Nation, Psal. 147.19. Such is Gods goodnesse vnto vs also, hee hath made knowne his word, his will, his truth, his Gospell to vs in most plentifull manner: he hath not dealt so with euery Nation; no not with any Nation: no Nation in the world hath such store of heauenly Manna, so much knowledge of the truth, so much preaching of the Word, so much glorious light of the Gospell of peace as we haue. Thus we see, we goe hand in hand with them in the first step, wee haue receiued Ingentia beneficia, infinite, vnspeakable benefits and [Page 12] mercies as well as they. Let vs now see if wee haue not Ingentia peccata, as great sinnes as euer they had: would I could say wee haue not. Haue wee beene more thankfull to God for his fauours? more obe­dient to his commandements then they? Would I could say we haue. God hath beene as gracious to this Vineyard of England, as euer hee was to the Vineyard of Israell, both in planting, in pruning, in watering, in hedging, in defending it: but we haue not yeelded the fruites, the Grapes he expected: I feare, I may say with Moses, wee haue returned to him, the fruits of Sodome and Gomorrah, our Grapes, are Grapes of gall, our clusters are bitter, our Wine is the poyson of Dragons, and the cruell gall of Aspes, Deut. 32.32. Sinne and wickednesse, vnthank­fulnesse, iniquity, impiety, these are the Grapes, these the fruites: neuer so much knowledge and light abounded, and yet neuer so many workes of darknesse: neuer so much Preaching, neuer so little performing; neuer did men know the will of God more perfectly, neuer did men doe the will of God more carelesly. And as it was said, there was neuer lesse wisedome in Greece, then when the seauen wise men liued there; so it is thought, there was neuer lesse piety, neuer lesse charity, neuer more iniquity in our Land among most men; then now when the light of the Gospell shines most gloriously amongst vs. O barren, vnfruitfull, vnprofitable Vineyard! May we not feare that God will now indispleasure forsake it, breake downe the hedge thereof, and let in the wilde Bore to roote it vp, and the wilde beasts to deuoure it? Hath Israell felt his rod, and may not England feare his scourge? Are we more deare [Page 13] to him then they were? Or is hee more tyed to vs, then to them? O no: if we partake of their sinnes, we may expect their plagues. The time would bee too short for me, to trace all the sinfull steps where­in we haue followed them: onely this I may say, there was no sinne knowne among them, which doth not abound among vs. Wherefore as the Pro­phet comparing Iudah with Sodome and Samaria, af­firmes that shee was corrupted in her wayes more then they both, and had iustified them by her sinnes, so if we looke into the sinnes of our Land, we shall finde that shee hath iustified and exceeded both Sodome and Samaria, and Iudah also in her filthinesse. O sinfull England! Sodome thy sister hath not done, Ezek. 16.48.51. neither shee, nor her daughters, as thou hast done and thy daughters, (for surely Sodome neuer knew the painting and pranking, and pride of our Land) neither hath Samaria nor Iudah itselfe, committed halfe of thy sinnes, but thou hast multiplied thine abominations more then they. Yet Sodome, and Sa­maria, and Iudah, are ruinated; and haue drunke the cup of Gods fury long agone: and doest thou sleepe secure, O wretched England, without any feare? Sure thy iudgement sleepeth not. When Calice was taken from England, by the French men, in the time of Charles the fift: one asked the English men, in scorne, and derision, when they would winne Calice againe? a wise Captaine hearing it, made answere, Cum vestra peccata erunt nostris maiora: When your sinnes shall bee greater then ours; meaning, that whensoeuer God giueth any land ouer to the sword to be inuaded and ruinated, it is for the wickednesse of the Inhabitants, for the sinnes of the Land: but now Nostra peccata maiora, our sinnes exceede the [Page 14] sinnes of Israell; may wee not more then feare to tast of the same sauce with Israel, Ingentia supplicia, infinite huge punishments as well as they? Neuer did our Land (as I can read) enioy so long a peace, and neuer did men make so ill vse of such a blessing. Often hath it beene afflicted with this calamitie of Warre and Inuasion; First, it was ouerrunne by the Romans, then by the Picts, then by the Saxons, then by the Danes, then by the Normans: and if we ex­amine the records of those times, wee shall finde it alwaies imputed to sinne; Sinne the cause of all the miserie: Gildas an ancient Historian writing of the destruction of the Britaines by the inuasion of the Saxons, saies it was for their sinnes; and reckoning vp a Catalogue, in the ende he shutteth vp all with this sad Epilogue: Non igitur admirandum est degeneres tales, patriam illam amittere quam praedicto modo ma­culabant: It was therefore no wonder at all to see, that such degenerate and wicked men did lose that countrey, which they had so polluted by their sinnes. And in ano­ther ancient History (written as the Author saith, ad cautelam futurorum, for the warning of future ages, instanced by master Fox.) I finde the inuasion of the Danes, Master Fox Acts and Monu. pag. 126. ascribed to the like cause: In primitiua quidem Anglorum Eclesia, &c. In the primitiue Church of the Englishmen, Religion did most clearely shine; but in processe of time, all vertue so decayed, that in fraud, in treachery none seemed like vnto them, piety was neglected, iniquity respected: wherefore Almighty God brought vpon them (Pagan and cruell Nations like swarmes of bees, which spared neither women nor chil­dren; as Danes, Norwegians, Gothes, Suevians, Van­dals, and Frisians, who destroyed their sinnefull Land from one side of the Sea to the another, from man also vn­to beast.

[Page 15]And may we not feare the like scourge now? haue not we contaminated, and polluted this Land, by our abominable and horrible sins, more then euer they did? their sins were ignorāces, ours presumptiō: theirs omissiō, ours rebellion: the sins of our Land are grea­ter now, then euer they were: I am perswaded if our Forefathers were now aliue, they would be ashamed & blush to see such a degenerate & sinfull posteritie: As S ^t. Paul told the Corinthians, there was fornicati­on, & such found among them, as was not named a­mong the Gentiles; so there is such & so much wic­kednes foūd now among vs in our land, as was scarce euer heard or named among our ancestors: They had Plus conscientiae, minus scientiae: we, Plus scientiae, minus conscientiae; more cōscience, though lesse science then we; we haue more science, but lesse conscience then they. We haue iustified them, they were righteous in respect of vs; Their hospitality is now conuerted into riot & luxurie; their frugality, into pride & prodiga­litie; their simplicitie, into subtilty; their sincerity, in­to hypocrisie; their charity, into cruelty; their chasti­tie, into chambring; their modestie, into wantonnes; their sobrietie into drunkennes; their Church buil­ding, into Church-robbing; their plaine dealing, into dissembling; their workes of compassion and mer­cy, into workes of oppression and bribery: It is now almost growne out of fashion to bee an honest man. Mirandum est degeneres nos: It is a wonder, and a great wonder, that such a degenerate genera­tion as this, such a corrupt and sinfull Nation as we, who haue so farre exceeded our forefathers in all wickednesse, should not lose this Countrey which we haue so defiled with our sinnes? Miranda Mi, cricordia! Gods mercy is to bee wondred at, that [Page 16] he hath spared vs so long: It is his mercy, and no­thing but mercy, that we are not consumed. Sinne is now in vltimo gradu, at the highest pitch that may be: Sathan (I thinke) cannot make some more sa­tanicall, more sinfull: our sinnes cry lowder then the sinnes of Sodome; they ascend higher then the sinnes of Niniueh; wee may expect a iudgement at hand, euen that iudgement, which GOD here de­nounceth against Israell: for when his two other rods, Famine, and the Pestilence, will not serue the turne; to make vs turne, then the Sword must haue his turne; although our security tell vs no, yet our sinnes cry, it will be so. The bane of many Nati­ons hath beene too much security: Ierusalem flat­tered her selfe, with peace, peace: and would by no meanes be perswaded the Enemy should set foot there, till the Enemie had troden her vnder foote: who would haue beleeued that the Enemie and Ad­uersarie, should haue entred into the gates of Ierusa­lem? Lam. 4.12. God graunt the same be not the ouerthrow of our Kingdome: Ah secure people that we are! wee will not (with Thomas) beleeue; till wee feele and see: we are sicke of their disease, we thinke our selues as safe as they: when the mes­sengers of God told them the danger was neere, they were as farre from beleeuing it, as you are now in London: Ier. 36.23.24. Those that heard the words of Ieremiahs rowle, denouncing an inuasion at hand, were neuer moued at it: Iehoiakim tooke the rowle, cut it with a Pen-knife, cast it into the fire; that was all the reckoning they made of it, such is the security of these times; our words seeme to many as Lots to his sonnes in law; as though wee mocked: or as the [Page 17] womens to the Disciples, [...], as an olde wines tale, Luke 24.11. They make but a mock and iesting song at all our warnings; which makes mee more to feare, and tremble to think, that the iudge­ment is at hand, because men are so insensible of it; God (I feare) hath blinded the eyes, and fatted the heart of this people, (as hee dealt with Israell) that we might haue no sence, nor feeling of our ensuing misery, and so seeke no meanes to preuent it. It may be you thinke there is no danger this Sommer; be it so, God graunt. But yet if wee deferre our repen­tance, it will not long be deferred, and it may come before wee looke for it: it is the Spanish policie to barke least, when they bite soonest, and sorest.

This was the destruction of the Amyclaeans; they, as wee, stoode in feare of an inuasion; diuers times it was noysed abroad, that the Enemie was comming, and nigh at hand. Whereupon the Citie was raysed, & much troubled: and still they found it to be a false rumour: whereupon the Citizens of that place like wise men, made a prouident law, that no man vpon paine of death, should any more bring such newes of the Enemies comming; shortly after the Enemy came indeede: and then all being secure, and carelesse, and vnprouided, & no man daring to bring tydings for feare of the law, the Citie was vn­awares surprised, the Citizens taken, and all cruelly murthered. The people of our Land are almost of this condition, they cannot endure to bee told the danger they are in; it is vnpleasing newes: GOD graunt when wee are secure, and thinke our selues most safe, the Enemie be not vpon vs: The Lord for his mercies sake (as he hath put it into the heart [Page 18] of his faithfull Seruant, our most gracious Soue­raigne, to be carefull to prouide for our defence and safety,) so moue the hearts of the people to furnish him with supplies sufficient for the performance of it, before it be too late; better part with somthing, nay with halfe, then lose all, liues and all.

O when I call to minde the raigning, and crying sinnes of our Land; being now ripe, like the Har­uest of the earth, spoken of in the Reuelation; I can­not but feare that God will ere long, (vnlesse our hearty repentance preuent it) command his Angell, to thrust in the great and sharpe sickle to cut vs downe. When I call to minde, how little we haue profited by his former punishments; especially by the last yeares iudgement, and by his mercy, in ta­king it so soone away; I cannot but tremble to thinke, that hee will ere long (vnlesse our generall conuersion turne it away) execute this curse here threatned, and already executed on Israell; bring vp­on vs a Nation from farre, a forraigne inuasion; a strange foe, a strong foe, and a sterne foe: Now if euer, the Ignatians cry, let Spaine set foote in Eng­land: and now if euer, we haue cause to feare. First, A strange foe.

A Nation strange vnto vs many wayes; strange by scituation, farre remote; strange in affection, bearing an innate grudge vnto vs; strange in Reli­gion; strange in condition; strange in language; strange in manners; euery way strange vnto vs.

A strange and forraigne inuasion, a thing dread­full to this Kingdome, it hauing so often smarted by it; and the burnt childe feares the fire. But it may be more dreadfull to vs now, then euer; because we [Page 19] haue within vs, many home-bred and domesticall enemies, who will betray vs; who (as we may iust­ly feare) will ioyne hands with this forraigne foe, in working our confusion. Wee haue especially two domesticall foes, who make a forraigne foe more to be feared:—

• Peccata.
• Papistae.

First, our sinnes, they are our chiefe, capitall Ene­mies; because they worke God to be our enemie: Perditio tua ex te O Israel: Thy destruction, O Eng­land, will come from thy selfe; the Snakes which we breed in our owne bosomes, will be the first that will sting vs to death. Solum peccatum homicida; Sin a­lone is the murthrer, the bloud-sucker that (I feare) will ouerthrowe all: this was the knife that cut the throate of Adam and all his posteritie: Sinne it was, and nothing but sinne, that caused the old world to be drowned, Sodome to be burned, Pharaoh to be plagued, Corah to be swallowed, Achan to be sto­ned, Haman to be hanged, Iudah to be captiuated: Sinne, and nothing but sinne, thrust Caine out of mans presence, man out of Gods presence, Adam out of Paradise, Angels out of Heauen. When Ni­cephoras Phocas had built a mighty wall about his Pallace, for his owne securitie, in the night hee heard a voice crying vnto him; Cedren hist pag. 542. [...] though he built as high as the clowdes, yet the Citie might easily be taken, there was a Traitor within it, that would betray it, [...], the sinne within would ouerthrowe all: So imagine we were what we are not: imagine we were as well prouided, as I could wish we were; as strong as we could desire; [Page 20] Imagine our Name were ready; all our Shipps tig­ged, manned, and victualled; all our Ports and Block-houses fortified; all our Coasts guarded; all our Beacons watched; all our Castles repaired; all our men Armed; and our Land inuiron'd with a wall of iron round about: yet it is to be feared, we haue a Traytour within that will betray vs all, [...], the euill, the sinne which is within the Land will spoyle all, vnlesse we repent, vnlesse God bee mercifull vnto vs. There are especially three sinnes, which are great enemies to the State; to the strength and welfare of this Kingdome; and which (vnlesse, they be in time supprest) will gnaw the ve­ry heart strings thereof asonder; Pride, Gluttony, Drunkennesse; vpon which three, more is consumed wastfully, then would maintaine a strong and suffi­cient Army, able to withstand any forraigne force: the Drunkards idle expences would serue to victuall the Ships; the Gluttons superfluity would feede a Campe; our excesse in apparell would shorethen cloath an Army.

The second domesticall foe, that makes a for­raigne foe more dreadfull to vs, are the Papists; false-hearted, Spanish-hearted Papists I meane; who haue a tongue for the King, and a heart for his ene­mies; Iacobs voyce, Esaus hands: who if the day should come, would bee glad to set their helping hand to cut the throat of their natiue Country.

If all were true within our selues, we neede nor so much to feare a forraigne Enemy; but what a weake and vnstable thing, Regnum diuisum, is, our Sauiour tells vs, it is feeble, impotent, [...], it cannot stand, [...], it comes to desolation, Math. [Page 21] 12.25. One said of the Thracians, that they were the strongest Nation of the world; and yet they were but weake: Strong and weake too, how could that be? Yes: they were strong, so long as they were true among themselues, and ioyned and vnited all their forces together: they were weake, being diuided, and at variance one against another. Wee are like the Thracians; strong and weake: wee haue the name of a powerfull, and strong Nation; and this were true, if we were all true within our selues, and held altogether in one: but considering the faction and diuision which is in our Land; considering how many well-wishers the Spaniard hath, and what a potent party the Pope hath in this Land, wee are but weake. And herein lyes all our feare, all our E­nemies hope: for if we haue false brethren amongst vs; who will bee ready at euery turne to open the dore, and let the Thiefe in: if we haue flye Foxes, who will shew the way, for the wilde Bore to de­stroy, and wilde Beasts to deuoure: If we haue Vi­pers, who will reioyce to gnaw out the bowels of their owne mother: If there be Canaanites in the Land, who will be prickes in our sides, and thornes in our eyes; a snare and destruction to vs; who, if the time should come, would rise against vs, and help our Enemies; we are but weake, we haue cause to feare. Ierusalem had not so soone beene wonne by Vespatians sonne, had it not beene for ciuill discord within the Citie; and nothing more to bee feared for the ruine of our Nation, then ciuill dissention, domesticall foes. Therfore let vs vse the best means we can, for the diminishing, & suppressing of them: for the first domesticall foe; sinne; we may euery [Page 22] one set a helping hand, to the suppression of it: eue­ry man will bee ready to persecute and execute a Traytour; let vs make speede to execute this arch­traytour sinne; let vs hate it in others, loathe it in our selues: whatsoeuer sins we find ourselues guilty of, let vs now at last forsake them; kill, mortifie, & cru­cifie them: so shall we not neede so much to feare a forraign foe, if this domesticall foe be crush'd vnder.

And though it lye not in euery mans power to subuert the second, yet let vs pray vnto God to con­uert them: as for those which will not be conuer­ted, let vs beseech God to continue it in the heart of his Maiestie, and the Magistrates, whō it concernes, to curb them and keepe them vnder: not to let them haue the reines too much at liberty, lest they take head; & like a pampred Palfry throw their Rider, & bring a ruine to their King and Country in the end.

But imagine they should all proue true Subiects, and abhor to giue any ayde to a forraigne foe: (yet how can they be trusted, hauing so often tript?) but imagine the Leopard should change his spots, and the black More his skinne; imagine they should be­come new men, and refuse to ayde the Spaniard in the Popes quarrell, and at the Popes commaund; yet we haue cause still to feare: for this Enemie is of sufficient power himselfe alone. It is a strong foe: which was the second property. Compared in my Text to an Eagle, to a flying Eagle: What is the strength of Spaine the world knowes; of what po­wer hee is ioyning his Forces with the Eagle, (I meane with the Emperour whose Armes and En­signe is the Eagle,) Christendome hath felt by wo­full and sorrowfull experience: What hath Spaine [Page 23] of late dayes vndertaken with the Eagle, or for the Eagle, or vnder the Ensigne of the Eagle, but they haue effected it, and gone thorough with it to the purpose? Bohaemia is subdued, Silesia vanquished, Morauia conquered, the Pals graue oppressed, the Laut-graue distressed, Breda sacked, and all by the combination of Spaine with the Eagle.

The Spaniard is now stronger then euer hee was: all this time of our long peace, wherein wee haue slept securely, in vtramque aurem, without any feare, without any care, neuer thinking of a wett day to come; they haue done all they can to strengthen themselues, and to prepare for this time of war: all this whil that we haue sought & sued for peace, they haue more then made themselues ready for battell: their huge Armado in 88. was nothing to the num­ber of Ships which now they haue. So that com­paring our weaknesse, with their strength; their skilfulnesse, with our vnaptnesse; their readinesse, with our want of experience; their sedulity, with our securitie; our danger is great: we haue no bet­ter refuge, then to fly to the mercy & protection of the Almighty, who hath hitherto mightily defen­ded vs. Arise therefore, O Lord God of Hosts, maintaine thine owne cause, and fight for vs; bee thou assistant to the Armies of our Friends and Al­lies; prosper thou the Worke of that renowned King of Denmarke, who is now in the Field, to fight thy bartell, ô prosper thou his handy worke: for if they should miscarry or sit still for want of supply, wo be to vs; in the next place haue at England, looke to thy house Dauid:

[Page 24] Gebal, and Ammon, and Amalek; Spaine, and the Pope, and the Eagle, would all flye vpon vs; combine and conioine all their forces to deuoure vs. GOD therefore in mercy looke downe from heauen vpon vs, helpe, aide, defend, and deliuer his poore Church; For if they should get the Masterie, wee must expect no mercy: It is a Sterne Foe: which was the third property. A Nation of a fierce, cruell, or barbarous countenance, which will not regard the person of the olde, nor haue compassion of the young.

Fierce and cruell they are, as being Papists; more cruell as they are Spaniards: The rudiments of their Religion teach them to bee bloudy and cruell to­wards vs; Alco [...]a A­zoar. 2.3.6. Vid. Phil. Morn. lib. de veritat. relig. Christ c. 33. p. 608. For as Mahomet in his Alcharon, pro­miseth the highest seat in heauen, to him that kills most Christians, Interficite disperdite, quo maior strages, eo dignior & ins [...]gnior in Paradiso locus: Kill them. slay them, spare them not, the more of them ye de­stroy, the more worthy and eminent place shall yee haue in Paradise. So the Pope and Iesuits make it a matter meritorious to kill Protestants, (Heretickes as they please despightfully to terme vs) yea the more of vs they murther, the more glorious reward they shall haue in heauen.

More cruell, as they are Spaniards; The very grimme lookes of a Spaniard threatens bloud and slaughter; like the Wolfe they sucke cruelty from their mothers breasts: The Spanish Nation (saith Quicchiardine) are couetous, and deceitfull, and where they be at libertie, exceeding outragious, tyrannous, and very proud and insolent▪ Where they are Conque­rours, they put all to the Sword, and nothing suffi­ceth them but bloud. I call bleeding India to wit­nesse [Page 25] what I say: where this cruell Nation hath exercised such barbarous tyranny, and made such infinite effusion of humane bloud, as it seemes in­credible such monsters should liue in the shapes of men: Crudelitat. Hispan in Indies pa­trat. Hispae­nice con­script. per episcop Bar thol. Casa [...] ̄, natione Hi­spanum, la­tine excus. Francosur­ti. 1598. I will relate onely the words of their owne Writers, that ye may not thinke it a calumniation cast vpon them. Bartholomaeus Casas or Casaus, a Bi­shop of their owne, who liued in that Countrey, and was (as he saith) oculatus testis, an eye witnesse of their doings, hath written a Booke of it, Dedicaring it to the King of Spaine; out of which, giue mee leaue to produce some instances.

Hee there affirmes that neuer since the begin­ning of the World, was such an hauocke of people made, as the Spaniards haue made in the Indies.

Pag. 7. That more then ten Realmes greater then all Spaine, with Arragon and Portugall, and those replenished with multitudes of people, as any Countrey in the world, are all turned into a Desert: that of three Millions in Hispaniola, they left scarce three hundred aliue. Pag. [...]. That within the space of 40 yeares, 50 Millions of People were destroyed. Pag. 6. So soone as the Nation was discouered, the Spaniards like Wolues, and Lions, and Tygers long famished, entred, and did nothing but teare them in pee­ces, and murther, and torment them by cruelties neuer heard or scene before. In three moneths they Pag. 25. starued to death 7000. children: Pag. 96. they threw downe from the top of a mountaine seauen hundred men together, and dash'd them all to peeces. Pag. 4. At one time they murthered 2000 Gentlemen who were Lords sonnes, and the flowre of all the Nobilitie. Pag. 82. They cut of the Noses and Lips of 200 at one time, and so sent them to their fellowes, a ruefull spectacle to behold. Pag. [...]. They would lay wagers [Page 26] who should most nimbly, and with most dexterity butcher men. Pag. 67. They traced the miserable people like horses, and made them carrie their stuffe; who dying vpon the high­wayes for feeblenesse, when they were layd on with staues, and had their teeth broken out with the pommels of their swords, to make them rise from the ground where they lay for faintnesse, would say, I can doe no more, kill mee here out-right, I desire to dye. Pag. 31. & 78. When any one fainted vpon the way with hunger and thirst; they would not vouchsafe to bestowe so much labour as to vnchaine him; but strike off his head, leauing that in one place, the body in another. Pag. 20. They would make them carrie a hundred weight, one hundred or two hundred miles together, wherewith their backes and shoulders were wrung, and galled like our pack-horses. Pag. 8. They vsed them not as Beasts, but as the dung, and filth of the earth.

When they had wrought all day in the Mines (saith Sequanus) at night if they missed neuer so little of their taske, Praefat. ad Anton. Au­gust. praefix. ante Oser. de gest. Eman. pag. 15. they were stripped starke naked, bound hand and foote to a forme, scourged all ouer with whip-cord, or a Bulls Pizzle, then scalding Pitch was powred on them: and lastly, their bodies thus rent with stripes, were wash­ed ouer with Salt and Pepper, and so they lay.

The fore-said Bishop protesteth, Pag. 35. that no tong [...]e, skill, knowledge, or industry of man is able to recount the dreadfull doing of these capitall enemies of mankind; the actions which they committed were neither of Chri­stians, nor of men, but of deuils. Pag. 9. Any Captaine durst aduenture to rauish the greatest Queene, or Lady in the Country.

Such was the mercilesse cruelty of this blood-sucking generation, that they tooke none to mercy: Pag. 10. They spared no age, no sexe, not women with childe, [Page 27] nor such as lay in Child bed, but would rip vp their bel­lies, and choppe them in peeces. Pag. 11. They would plucke sucking Infants from their Mothers brests, and taking them by the heeles, dash cut their braines against the Rockes, or hurle them into the Riuers. Pag 99. & 108. They trained vp Mastiue dogs, of purpose to rend in peeces, and deuoure the people, and for that end, fed them with mans flesh, ha­uing a waies a great number of Indians fetterd in chaines whom they murthered like Swine, as their dogs needed, to feed on them. And he telleth of one Pag. 60. Who wanting dogs meate, tooke a sucking Babe from the mother, and chopping off the armes and thighes, fed his Doggs first with them, then with the rest of the body before her face.

Yea they did not onely feed their doggs but also themselues with mans flesh; Pag. 50. Whole Armies of them liuing sometime like Cannibals, eating nothing but the flesh of the Indians; For prouision whereof an ordi­nary Shambles was kept in the Campe, of the flesh of men, and young children, which they rosted, and fed vpon; yea and many times, men must be cruelly butchered onely to haue their hands and feet, which the Spaniard coun­ted a dainty dash. These are the relations of their own Bishop.

Pag. 46. In the Prouince of Guatimala, the Prince accompa­nied with his Nobles, welcomed them with Musicke, and the richest gifts the Countrey affoorded: The Spaniards (after their vsuall custom) demanded Gold; they made answere, they had it not: (for indeed their Countrey yeelded little, or none:) and for no other offence but this, they burnt them all ali [...]e.

Pag. 29. Another Prince of his owne accord, in kindnesse, brought them a great present of Gold, and they in requi­tall ryed him bakward fast to a stake, with his feet hang­ing [Page 28] ouer a gentle fire, to make him confesse more: he sent home for all he had; yet they were not satisfied, but would haue more: the poore Prince not hauing wherwith to con­tent those vnsatiable Horse-leaches; they kept him in that vnmercifull & cruell torture, till the marrow dropped from his bones, and so he died. A pittifull reward for such a courtesie.

To auoide such like cruelty of theirs, the poore people would hang themselues, with their wiues and children about them; the women destroy their con­ceptions, and in griefe and despaire dash their owne childrens braines against the stones, lest they should fall into the Spaniards hands: Some of them profest, that if the Spaniards went to heauen when they were dead, they would neuer desire to come there; As the Pag. 28. Prince of the Isle of Cuba, who being tyed to a stake to be burnt, a Franciscan came to him, telling him of God, and of the Articles of our faith, which if hee would beleeue, he might goe to heauen to eternall happi­nesse; if not hee must goe to hell to euerlasting torments. The Prince after a little pause, asked the Friar, Vtrum etiam Hispanis caelorum ianua pateret, If the Spani­ards went to heauen? Yea, quoth the Friar; O said the Prince, (without any further deliberation) then will not I goe to heauen, but rather to hell, where I may once be free from that cruell Nation. These are the words of their owne Bishop, who writeth ten times more in detestation of it to the King of Spaine, Pag. 100. protesting oftentimes that hee doth not set downe the thousandth part of the cruelties vsed: and we may the rather be­leeue him, because many other who write the Indi­an History, relate the like cruelties. This it was that made Benzo, who liued also in the Countrey, and [Page 29] was an eye-witnesse of their actions, to cry out; Benz. hist. Ind. O quot Nerones, quot Domitiani, quot Commodi, quot Bassiani, quot immites Dionisij, eas terras peragrauere? O how many Neroes and Domitians, and such like vn­mercifull tyrants haue harrowed those Countries? Is not this the Nation spoken of in my Text, of a fierce and cruell countenance, not respecting the olde, nor pit­tying the young?

Now if they vsed such cruelty against those poore people which neuer did them hurt, what would they doe with vs, against whom they beare an imbred ha­tred, against whom they are so inraged? Those peo­ple neuer offended them, the foresaid Bishop affir­meth Pag. 19. & 101. That during all the time they were murde­red, and made away so cruelly, they neuer commit­ted any one offence against the Spaniards, that deser­ued punishment by the Law of man. Now if they vsed such Barbarous tyranny against them, what wil they doe with vs, by whom they are prouoked and stirred vp? Assuredly, if our Land should fall into their hands, (which GOD for his mercy, and com­passion sake avert) they would not onely put all the chiefe Inhabitants to the Sword, (for that were not a death bad enough) but inuent strange, exqui­sit, and new found tortures for English-men, such is their monstrous spleene toward vs.

Let no man promise better to himselfe; their cruelty extends to their friends, as well as to their foes: in the Powder-treason Innocents and nocents should haue beene blowne vp both together: the Duke Medina profest, that his sword knew no diffe­rence, betweene Catholikes and Heretickes: and howsoeuer some in our Land flatter themselues, and [Page 30] repose great confidence in the Spanish Nation; yet if they should haue the day, themselues may chance to rue it: their hands would bee heauy vpon them also, neither would there be any respect of persons; Papists as wel as Protestants should all to the slaugh­ter: they would speede no better then the Catho­lickes did at the sack of Antwerpe; the Spanish sword should speede and hasten their iourney to the other world: or than those false hearted Britaines did, who called in a forraigne Nation, the Saxons, to helpe them against their lawfull Soueraigne; but they in stead of ayding, destroyed them; expulsed them out of their Land; dispossessed Vortigerne the vsurper of his kingdome; slew at one meeting two hundred, seauenty one, of the chiefe Barons and No­bles: the Britaines fearing no such Treachery; for they had past promise each to other to come vnar­med; but the Saxons brought priuie kniues which (the watch-word being giuen) they sheathed in the bodies of the British Lords: such fidelity would these men finde in the Spaniards, should they bee Conquerers, who now wish so much for their ayde and assistance: they are too politicke to trust them, that were vntrusty to their naturall Prince: Religi­on then would make no difference; Religion is the least thing they care for; Religion is but a cloake for their couetousnesse and boundlesse ambition: they haue a deeper reach in all their enterprises. Do­minion, and Soueraignety. Religion was preten­ded in their West Indian voyage, the glory of God and the conuersion of Infidels; but the miserable people found the contrary, by a wofull experience of many their houses, Cities, Countries, sacked, ran­sacked, [Page 31] turned vpside downe, and the dust of all their ground most narrowly sifted & searched, that a wedge of gold was Deus Christianorum, the God of the Christians. And this they would hold aloft, and make proclamation among themselues, Eu Deus Christianorum! Behold the God of the Christians! Propter hoc è Castella in terras nostras venere: For this they came out of Castile into our Land; for this they are at warre among themselues; for this they kill and destroy one another.

This it is, or some such matter, that makes their teeth so water at our Land; the riches, the plenty, the fertility thereof: their poore hungry dyet in Spaine, feeding for the most part vpon colde Sallets, and sower sawces, grasse and hearbs, fine Oranges and Lymonds, sharpens their appetites to our abun­dance, and full meales. O, if wee could but once game little England, wee might feede like Farmers; the world were all our owne: we should then haue such a Store-house, to furnish our Armies with Mu­nition and Prouision, that wee would quickly bee Lords of all Christendome, and make our King the Catholicke King indeede. The Lowe-Countries would be but a breakefast, France but a dinner, all Christendome beside but a supper, for these raue­nous Harpies. And this is the best can be expected from them; to haue all that euer we haue taken from vs: if the Tyger should lose his fiercenesse, and the Wolfe his bloodinesse; if they should extend vn­wonted clemencie, and take some to mercy; yet they must looke to lose all, and to be made Slaues and Vassalls: for this is the calamity that followes the Inuasion: The same shall eate the fruit of thy Cat­tell, [Page 32] and the fruit of thy Land, vntill thou be destroyed, and he shall leaue thee neither corne, wine, nor oyle, nei­ther the encrease of thy Kine, nor the flockes of thy sheepe, vntill he haue brought thee to nought.

A calamity incident to an inuasion, to a conquest: the natiues of a vanquished land, must looke for no better, then to lose all; if they escape with life, it is the mercy of the Enemie. 2 Reg. 24.13. When Iudah was inua­ded and ouer-runne by the Babylonians, all the ri­ches of the Land became a prey vnto the Enemie; the Church treasure, the Kings treasure, and all things else; the Princes, and Nobles, and all the chiefe Inhabitants lost their possessions, were put to death, or made bond-slaues; onely some of the poore of the Land, were left to be Vine dressers, and Husbandmen, to till the Land for the vse of their Enemies. But what neede wee goe so farre for ex­amples? Looke but backe to the last Conquest of our Land by the Normans: though they submit­ted, yet did not the Conquerour dispose of all things at his pleasure? Search our Chronicles, ye shall finde it so; M. Fox act. & mon. p [...]. 155. & 165. vlt. edit. Hee gaue away all the possessions of the English men to his owne followers, and Souldiers, in so much that they were forced to hold it vnder them, as their Slaues and Vassalls; hee altered the Lawes and Customes of the Land: rooted out all the English Nobility, left scarce one house of them standing; Hen. Hun­ting. lib. 6. (as Henry Huntington affirmes) permitted no Natiue to beare any office of rule or honour, in the Church or Common-wealth: burthened them with intollerable exactions; yea, to such calamities were they brought, that for many years after, it was counted a great shame to be called an English man.

[Page 33]But all this was mercy, in respect of that misery, which these men would bring vpon vs, should they be Conquerours: they would not only take all from vs; cast vs out of our possessions; make vs their slaues and vassalls; alter the lawes and customes; extirpate all the Nobility: neither should it onely be counted a shame to be called an English-man, but they would roote out the very name of an English-man, from vnder heauen; and bring vs euen vnto nought, (as it is in my Text) such is their monstrous and implaca­ble malice toward our Nation.

Where then, O where are the hearts of men, that they haue no sence, nor feeling of this? Shall wee resemble those worldlings of whom St. Augustine complaines, Fortius diligentes ressuas, quam seipsos: Loue our wealth more then our selues, more then our liues, more then our wiues, more then our chil­dren, more then our Country, more then the Gos­pell? Shall we hazard the losse of all, houses, lands, liuings, liues, liberties, freedome, religion, rather then part with any thing? Shall we chuse rather to haue it all, our selues and all, fall into our Enemies hands; then bestow the least part, in offending our Enemies, in defending our selues? O no: God for­bid: Let Constantinoples misery bee our warning; they smarted for it; let vs take heede, left we drink' of the same bitter cup.

When that Imperiall Citie was besieged by Ma­homet the great; the good Emperour did what hee could to the vttermost of his power, Ric. Knowlles his Turkish History, in the life of Mahomet the great. for the defence thereof: solde the very Church Plate, and all his Iewels to pay the Souldiers: and hauing no more left of his owne, with teares in his eyes, he besought his [Page 34] couetous Subiects to lend him supplies; or else all would be lost, there was no remedy: They all plea­ded pouerty, and still protested they had it not; they w [...]r [...] growne poore for want of Trading: and thus by their backwardnesse in not supplying their Soue­raigne, and couetousnesse in keeping in their money was that famous Citie lost. For when the Turkes had taken it, they found it to be the richest thing of the world; for Treasure, Money, Plate, Iewels; meeting in priuate mens houses with whole Chests full of gold: wherewith they were so enriched, that 'tis a Prouerbe among them at this day, if a man grow suddenly rich, Hee hath beene at the sacking of Constantinople. They became a wonderment vnto the Turkes, that men hauing such abundance, would part with nothing for their owne defence: for if they had in time bestowed some small part at the Emperours request, they might haue safely enioyed the rest, and not beene made a prey vnto their Ene­mies: whereas by their close-handednesse they lost all, and fell into most lamentable bondage. It would make ones heart bleed to read the story of it: Those that were not slaine, were at the Souldiers dispose; what, of whomsoeuer he could lay hands on, was his owne: the noble Gentlewomen and great La­dies, with their beautifull Children, who lately flo­wed with all worldly wealth, and pleasure, became the poore and miserable bond-slaues of most base and contemptible Rascalls, who made no more rec­koning of them, then of dogges (as the story saith.) There might the Parents see the wofull misery of their beloued Children, the Children of their Pa­rents; the Husband the shamefull abuse of his Wife, [Page 35] the Wife of her Husband. The great Turke feasting his Bassaes and chiefe Captaines for many dayes to­gether, caused, at euery Banquet certaine of the chiefe Captiues, both men and women, of whom many were of the Imperiall stocke, to be in his pre­sence cruelly put to death, as he and his Turkes sate banquetting: sawcing his meate with the bloud of the Christians, chearing himselfe with their misery; deeming his Feasts much more magnificent, with that dolefull musicke of the dying Captiues: which cruelty he vsed euery day, till hee had destroyed all the Grecian Nobility, and all the chiefe Citizens. A pittifull calamity! wee condemne them of folly, and say they deserued no better: God graunt the world condemne not vs of the like folly, and say we deserue worse; because we are armed, being war­ned: their mishap should be our caueat: If we doe not in time take heede, it is like to fare with vs, as it did with them. I feare we keepe our wealth, for our Enemies to make merry with: If we part not with something for our owne defence, wee are in danger to lose all, as wel as they: and to come to worse bon­dage and misery; more mercy is to bee expected from the very Turkes, then from the bloudy Spa­niards.

We haue a most gracious King, (whom the King of heauen long preserue with a prosperous and hap­py Raigne; and let all good Christians say, Amen) who is more carefull and desirous of our safety and happines, then we our selues: his wants are great, his expenses greater for the common good: what charge he is at, both at home, and abroad cannot be vnknowne vnto vs: he hath a strong and powerfull [Page 36] enemy, which wants neither meanes, nor malice. O let not vs discourage him by our backwardnesse; Vltraposse, non est esse; he hath, he doth, he will doe what he may, more he cannot. There is a thing cal­led, nervus Belli, without which Warre cannot sub­sist: If we shrinke in these sinewes, and withdrawe the nourishment, will not the whole body be in dan­ger to come to ruine? And verely (from my heart I speake) vnlesse He be in time supplied, wee shall all rue it: the Spaniard will reioyce to worke vpon such an aduantage. That man were mad, that would not part with a penny to enioy a pound; and al the world will condemne our Nation, if we lose our Countrey for lacke of defence, hauing such meanes to defend it. It is euery mans case, let vs all lay it to heart.

I haue heard of a Marques of Brandenburge, who was wont to say, he had in his Countrie, three Mo­nasteries which were three Monsters: one of the Do­minicans, who had abundance of Corne, and yet had no Land to sow; another of the Franciscans, who were full of Money, and yet receiued no Rents: the third of Saint Thomas order, whose monkes had a great many Children, yet had no wines. Wee are like to be a Monster, and wonder, a Prouerbe, and a com­mon talke to all people, as it is verse 37. For vnlesse our Soueraigne be supplied, that some course may spee­dily be taken for our defence, wee shall haue neither Lands, nor Rents, nor Money, nor Corne, nor Wiues, nor Children, nor any thing else in safety, but all will fall into our enemies hands: Lord open our eyes, that we may see the danger we are in, and in time prouide for it, lest when it be too late, wee wish wee had. When you see this strange, strong, [Page 37] and sterne Foe at your gates; your Countrey wasted, your Houses fired, your Citie besieged: when you heare the clangor of the Trumpet, the clamor of the wounded, the clattering of the harnesse, the bea­ting of the Drumme, the roaring of the Ordnance, the thundring of the Cannon: when you see your wiues rauished before your faces, your friends slain, your children murdered, your Infants dashed a­gainst the stones, or broached on the Pike; and all the Land made nothing but the Shambles of Castillian and Ignatian Butchers; then you will wish (but alas too late) would to GOD wee had in time beene warned; would we had parted with halfe our estates, rather then lose all, and come to this lamen­table slauery and misery. God in mercy put it into all our hearts to consider seriously of it; that euery man according to his ability, may condescend vnto the necessitie of the time.

Now for a conclusion: All that hath beene spo­ken, may serue as a strong motiue, to stirre vs vp with speed to turne vnto God, that hee may turne vnto vs, and turne from vs this fearefull calamitie: Let vs repent heartily, and cry vnto him mightily, to spare vs, to be mercifull vnto vs. Vncessant prai­ers, repentant teares are most powerfull to procure Gods mercy, to diuert his iudgement: he is merci­full and will receiue our Prayers; he is pittifull and will regard our teares. His Sword was once drawn against Niniueh, a fearefull doome pronounced; Yet fourty dayes and Niniueh shall be destroyed. The King, and his Nobles, and all the people fall to re­pentance; they fast, they pray, they humble them­selues to sackcloath and ashes: their sinnes cry for [Page 38] iudgement, their repentance for mercy: there was a contention betweene them, which should out-cry the other: their wickednesse ascends vp on high, knockes at heauen gate, clamours lowd in the eares of God; Iustice, my Lord, vengeance, vengeance. Their repentance ascends higher, and cries lowder in the eares of God; mercy, good Lord, mercy; spare vs, O spare vs, we beseech thee. Repentance gets the victory; GOD is not so much enclined to iudgement, as to mercy: he regards not the cry of sinne, if he once heare the cry of sinners: he accepts their sorrow and humiliation; he puts vp his sword, hee holds his hand; hee sees them turne from their wicked wayes, and he turnes from his fierce wrath: he sees them repent of their euill deedes, and he also repents of the euill hee pronounced against them. The sinnes of our Land like the sinns of Nintueh, are ascended vp on high, and cry alowde for reuenge to the GOD of heauen: but our religious King hath proclaim'd a Fast; hee and his Nobles haue led the way; if we, with him, and them, send vp repentance, and prayers, and teares, to cry alowd in Gods eares; they will dull the cry of our sinnes, that he shall not heare it; and dull the edge of his sword that it shall not wound vs.

Wicked Ahab had grieuously sinned, and a ter­rible sentence was past vpon him; yet vpon his re­pentance though it were but superficiall in outward shew, 1 King. 21.19. GOD was mercifull and spared him: Seest thou not (sayes God to Elijah) how Ahab is humbled before me? because he submitteth himselfe before mee, I will not bring that euill in his dayes, but in his sonnes dayes will I bring euill vpon is house. If God were so [Page 39] mercifull to that wicked man vpon his false & fai­ned repentance, how much more if we turne vnto him, with true & vnfained repentance will he be mercifull to vs, & not bring this euill in our daies?

A second meanes to diuert this iudgement, is vncessant prayer: wonderfull is the force of prai­er with the God of heauen: when the Moabites and Ammonites, and they of mount Seir, came vp against Ierusalem with an huge Army; the peo­ple were amazed, not knowing what to doe, for they were not able to stand before such a multi­tude in battell: Iehosophat proclaimes a Fast, the people all fall to their prayers; 2 Chro. 2 [...]. desire GOD to ayde, defend, and deliuer them: O Lord God of our Fathers, art not thou in heauen? and raignest not thou ouer all the Kingdomes of the Heathen? and in thine hand is power and strength, and none is able to withstand thee: O our God, wilt not, thou iudge them? for there is no strength in vs to withstand this great multitude, neither doe wee know what to doe; but our eyes are toward thee. And such was the force of their prayers, that GOD gaue them the victory without fighting any stroke: the Lord himselfe became the Warriour, and laid ambush­ments for their Enemies, (saith the Text) and made them sheath their swords in one anothers bowels, till they were all destroyed.

When Senecharib came into the land of Iudah with a mighty Host; 2 Chron. 32. and tooke the strong and defenced Cities thereof: Hezekiah and the peo­ple what did they? In the first place they vsed the best meanes for their safety; they stopped vp the fountaines of water, that their Enemies might [Page 40] not bee refreshed therewith; they built all the broken wall, they raised vp the Towers, they repaired Millo in the Citie of Dauid, they made many Darts and Shields, they mustered the peo­ple of the Land, and set Captaines ouer them: teaching vs what to do; It is not enough to sit still, and cry, Lord haue mercy vpon vs, without vsing meanes for our defence and safety; for GOD workes by meanes be it small or great; and there­fore Hezekiah vseth the best meanes hee can, to withstand and keepe out the Enemie: and then he and his people pray vnto God for a good suc­cesse, and rely on him, as then surest stay for help and deliuerance: Feare not, neither bee afraid of the King of Ashur; nor for all the multitude that is with him, for there be more with vs, then with him; with him is an arme of flesh, but with vs is the Lord our GOD, for to helpe vs, and to fight our battels. And the Lord seeing their confidence, and hea­ring their prayers, gaue them a meruailous deli­uerance; sent forth a Captaine out of his owne Host, a holy Angell which in one night slew an hundred somescore and fiue thousand of their Enemies. So through this strong and sterne foe should come against vs; yet let vs not be dismay­ed, if we repent heartily for our sinnes, pray ear­nestly vnto God, trust to him; no doubt but hee will in mercy looke vpon vs, and worke some meanes for their confusion, as hee did in 88. be­yond our expectation: there bee more with vs then with them; GOD is on our side; it is his quarrell; he will defend his Church, if we con­tinue [Page 41] constant in his seruice, feruent in prayer.

One Moses by prayer, saued a whole Nation, from a fearefull destruction: when the people forgetting Gods commandement, made them a God of gold, and worshipped it, and so prouo­ked the holy one of Israell, that hee was minded to make a cleane riddance, and consume them vtterly for it. Moses stepping into the gap, and praying for them, stayed his hand. The people sinne, God is angry, drawes his sword, lifts vp his hand to strike; and Moses lifts vp his hands in prayer: and so long as he prayes, God cannot strike, his hands were held by Moses prayers: Exod. 32.11. Let me alone, Moses, (saith God) let me alone, that my wrath may waxe hot against them, for I will con­sume them at once, but I will make of thee a mighty people.

It seemes Moses by his prayers did hinder and hold God backe from destroying Israell; prayer is like a chaine or manacle to tye the hands of an angry Lord: Vincit inuincibilem, It ouercomes him, that ouercomes all things. And therefore Moses he still prayes, O Lord turne from thy fierce wrath, and change thy minde from this euill toward thy people: and such was the power of his prayer, that GOD altered his sentence, turned from his anger, destroyed them not as he had intended.

Though Gods anger bee kindled against this Land for our sinnes, yet if some Moses doe stand in the gap, if some holy, deuout, and faithfull men doe intercede for it, no doubt but God will bee mercifull: And herein lyes our strongest conso­lation; [Page 42] for as God would haue spared sinfull So­dome if there had bin but fifty, but fiue and forty, but forty, but thirty, but twenty, nay but tenne righteous therein: So, vndoubtedly, it is for some good peoples sake that GOD hath spared vs so long: for though many are sinfull, yet it is to be hoped, there is here and there a Moses that holds vp his hands; here and there a Lot that grieues for the sinnes of the time; here and there an A­braham that makes request for Sodome: for their sakes GOD spares the whole, let them continue constant in Gods seruice, zealous in prayer; yea, let vs all betake our selues to earnest, and hearty prayer, for now it is time and more then time so to doe. Spare vs good Lord, spare vs wee beseech thee: O remember not our olde sinnes and offences, but haue mercy vpon vs, and that soone, for else wee are like to come to great misery; helpe vs O God, of and saluation for the glory of thy name, O deliuer vs and be mercifull vnto our sins for thy names sake. Or as the Prophet Ioel exhorts, Let the Priests, the Ministers of the Lord, (yea and all the people) weepe betweene the Porch and the Altar in the Lords house; and let them say, Spare thy people, O Lord, spare thy people, and giue not thine heritage into reproach, that the Heathen should rule ouer them.

Let not this furious, bloud-thirsty, and cruell Nation, worse then the Heathen, euer set footing in this Kingdome, or haue dominion ouer vs: but let the Crowne flourish vpon his head, on whom thou hast vouchsafed in mercy to place it; the man of thy right hand whom thou hast made [Page 43] strong for thine owne selfe: cloath his Enemies with shame and confusion: be as a wall of fire to him and his Realmes: Let those that rise vp a­gainst him, be like Sisera and Iabin, who perished at Endor, and became as the dung of the earth, make them and their Princes like Oreb and Zeb, yea make all their Princes like as Zeba and Zalma­na; O my God, make them like a wheele, and as the stubble before the winde. Let them fall vpon the edge of the sword, that they may be a porti­on for Foxes: so shall the King reioyce in thy strength, exceeding glad shall he be of thy salua­tion. For why he putteth his trust in thee; and in thy mercy, O thou most high, let him not miscary. So we that be thy people, and Sheepe of thy Pa­sture, shall giue thee thankers for euer, and will be shewing forth thy praise from one generation to another. So shall thy name be glorified, thy Son magnified, thy truth defended, thy Gospell pro­pagated, thy poore Church comforted: which we humbly beseech thee to graunt, (O Father of mercies, and God of all consolation) for our bles­sed Sauiour Iesus Christ his sake; to whom with thee and thy holy Spirit, three glorious persons, one eternall, omnipotent God, be giuen all honour, glory, praise and power, now and euermore.