I Have turned and turned over and over and yet that Text which you expect (as the subject of an houres) discourse presents not it selfe unto my view; ye may imagine that this Text was in the Apocrapha, for to you it is [...], yet I am sure it lyeth in the canonical Scripture, and that in some part of the old Testament, and though precisely I doe not tell you the place, yet where­abouts it is I can declare, it is in some of the Prophets, and that amongst those which are called Prophetae minores les­ser Prophets, in some of their bookes or writings it lieth; and since it doth not yet appeare, give me leave to make search and inquisition for it amongst them: I'le begin my search at the first of these Prophets and so hold on in the search till I find it out: the substance of it I well re­member and can tell you what it was about, it was a me­nacing and threatning Text and spoke of Gods wrath and displeasure against proud and wicked ones; and therefore where ever I meet with a place of Scripture speaking in [Page 2] language, I shall look on the place and then passe on along in search of what we desire to see; and let me entreat you to accompany me in my search with patience and attenti­on; for if in the search ye find not the thing desired, yet I am sure we shall find many observations resulting from the severall places through which we passe, that may (if not delight the eare of the curious) yet may profit the heart of the humble hearer.

And first we will begin with Hosea the first of the small Prophets. And here looking, I find not my Text; yet I find a place which hath a great Analogy with it, for it is a me­nacing place, and mentioneth Gods displeasure against offenders; yee may please to see it, Hos. 4.3. Therefore shall the Land mourne, and every one that dwelleth therein shall lanquish, with the beast of the field and the fowles of Heaven, yea, the Fishes of the sea shall be taken away. Here is a place much resembling the place sought for, and indeed 'tis worth looking on it, though we spent the whole hour in looking on this onely: but forasmuch as I have a pur­pose to find out the expected Subject; therefore I will onely look a while at this, and so passe away to the next Prophet in search of the Text. Now in this verse I see three things, Fons mali, malum fontis, subjectum mali. Fons mali; A Fountaine of evill, and the worst Fountaine in all the world. Historians tell of strange Fountaines, being noxious to those that taste of them; but none so bad as this, which is commonly called by the name Peccatum, sin: this word sin is onely contained in this verse inclusively, and that in the first word thereof, viz. therefore; which word by its reflection on the former verses, doth plainly in­timate to us, the originall of all the ensuing evils to be sin and onely sin, that is made the Fountaine; and, as above said, the worst Fountaine that ever was, it sendeth forth the worst waters; the waters of Marah were bitter, but these waters are a thousand times worse then those of Marah, [Page 3] for the water flowing from this Fountaine is a venemous water, a poysoning water, 'tis a wormie water, that breeds wormes in those which drink of it; living wormes, sting­ing wormes, knawing wormes, such as will be knawing the conscience, knawing of the soule to all eternity, un­lesse there be a timely cure; and yet silly Mortals will still be about this Well? about this Fountaine, bibbing and sipping, till like birds with cocculi-Indie they are in­toxicated, or like men in an epilepsie, fall a turning and tumbling, till they tumble and turne into perdition. The second is, malum Fontis, The evill of the Fountaine: There are many evils flowing from it, some I named, and could to those adde a hundred more; but those evils which are mentioned in this verse are onely two, viz. expressed by these generall words of mourning and languishing, in which two words, are included multitudes of evils.

The third thing is Subjectum mali, The subject of the evill, or (to follow the Metaphor) the Channell of the evill; or of the evill water flowing from the Fountaine; this is a broad and a very broad channell, it's as broad as a whole Nation, yea, a whole Land, with the Beasts thereof and the Fowles of Heaven and the Fish of the sea, for it overfloweth all, and runneth over all, forsomuch is declared whilst it is said, Therefore shall the Land mourne, &c.

Oh what is this, I read of mourning and lanquishing, and 'tis a strange mourning and lanquishing here mentio­ned; often have I heard of mourning of sinners, of lan­guishing of wicked, but here I read that the earth is to mourne, and the Beasts of the field to mourne, the Fowles of Heaven to mourne; they are threatned, they are menaced, the earth shall mourne, the Beasts of the field shall mourne, Fowles of Heaven shall languish. Alas what a thing, what a strange thing is this, that evill should come on them: The earth it is a harmlesse thing, the Beasts, Fish, Fowle, they are Innocentia animalia, innocent crea­tures; [Page 4] and why must they be brought into this sad conditi­on, what have they done, whom have they offended? What is the Earths offence, the Fowls crime, or the Fishes trans­gression, that they are to suffer, with the Inhabitants of the Earth; I read not, I find not any thing that they have done worthy the evils which are to come upon them, the Scripture layeth nothing to their charge: Read your selves and see what you can find; well, ye have read, and what find ye, ye have found that there is lying in the Land, cruelty in the Land, ignorance in the Land, swearing in the Land, stealing in the Land, killing and murthering and effusion of blood in the Land, and all these things com­mitted by the People of the Land; still I find nothing that the Earth is accused of, or that the Beasts are accused of, or the Fishes or Fowles of heaven are accused of; and yet it is here said that Terra lugebit, &c. The Land shall mourne and lanquish, the Beasts shall mourn and lanquish, the Fowles of heaven shall mourne and lanquish, none of these creatures are accused, onely the Children of men are accused and condemned: and so here menaced or threatned with sorrow and lanquish, and the poore and innocent creatures are wrapt up together with them in this threat­ning; so that though the Children of men are sinners onely, are transgressors onely, are offenders onely, and so onely worthy of punishments; yet the harmlesse crea­tures are to suffer with them, for so here it is said: There­fore, viz. because of those sins and abominations of men, the Land it selfe shall mourne and lanquish, and the Beasts, &c. The words in the original for therfore are [...], which interpreted, is Super sic & super ita. Therefore upon this basis or on this foundation which is laid in the former ver­ses, is built this horrid structure of mourning and lanquish­ing, viz. Upon sinnes and transgresions of the people, which are the sole and proper props, pillars, basis and foun­dation whereon God buildeth his judgments, for so much [Page 5] is intimated in these words. Therefore shall the Land mourn, &c. From whence observe: Doct. Through the sinnes of men, the creatures, the harmlesse creatures are sub­jected to severall evils.)

This we may see in the first beginning of the World, Gen. 3.17. For after that Adam had sinned, presently God is angry, and in his anger fals upon the Earth, curseth the earth, the innocent earth, saying, Cursed is the ground for thy sake (Adam) why must the Earth be cursed, what had the Earth done? I heare of no evill, for the Earth obeyed its Creator in supporting Adam and the rest of the crea­tures which trod upon it; and in bringing forth Herbs, Flowers and fruits, for the severall creatures which fed on them, and so kept the course prescribed by the God of Nature; and yet for all this, here we read of a curse com­ing upon the earth: The sinlesse earth must be cursed, and not for its offence, but for the offence of man that had wandred from his course, Cursed is the ground for thy sake: so that wheras the earth might have abounded with al plea­sant fruits, now it must bring forth bryars and thorns and thistles. This was a strange change for the earth, in respect of what it was in the time of mans innocency; such a change, though somewhat of another nature, was there of a sudden in Ireland; for I know when it might have been said of Ireland, that it was Terra florida, a verdant and flourishing Land; but of a sudden it was changed, that he which had looked on it would have said of it, that it was Terra torrida simul ac horrida: torrid being all scorch­ed with devouring flames, and horrid by reason of the un­couth spectacles of desolation appearing in every County. So I may say of England, there is also a strange change in it, and so strange a change, that England seemeth not to be England; the people of Israel were promised to be called Ammi, my people; but in respect of their sinnes, they deserved the name of Loammi, i. e. not my people; so [Page 6] England by reason of her change deserveth a new name, sometimes it was called Albion, as it were the Alba terra, the white Land, but now whilst we looke on the confusi­on that is in it, we may fitly call it terra nigra; or whilest we consider the effusion of blood on this English soile we may (with sorrow be it heard) call it terra rubra, the red Land, or rather the bloody Land; such changes have our sinnes brought upon these two Kingdomes now of a sudden.

Againe, to further your sight of the creatures subjecti­on to evill through the sinnes of man, see Job 25.5. where ye may read how that the Starres are not pure in Gods sight, the Starres not pure nor pleasing to the sight of God; the words may be taken and expounded comparative to God and his purity, and so also they may be taken decla­rative to shew what they are now; and what are they now? why now they are impure, foule like him that hath breathed on them even man, sinfull man: what is this? are the Starres impure? Tis pitty, there was a day when it was not so with the Starres of Heaven, when there was no staine nor spot of impurity in them. In Gen. 1.31. We read how that in the first creation, God having made his creatures did looke upon them to see how they were, it is said that he found them to be good and very good, the words in the originall [...], that is, very good, very tifull, very faire to looke on; for in that sense the word is taken Ester 2.3. Where counsell is given, that faire Virgins be sought for the King; the words in the origi­nall for faire are [...], good to look on, that is, faire, beautious, such a kind of goodnesse was in every kind of creature at the first, then every created substance was a faire object and pleasing spectacle. God looked on the earth, it was good, that is, faire and beauteous; he look­ed on each creature of the earth, as Stones, Herbs, Trees, and each stone was faire, each herb was pleasing, each tree [Page 7] beauteous. He lookes againe, on the Sunne, Moone, and Starres; in each of them he beholds a beauty, the Sunne faire, the Moone faire, and each Starre faire and beaute­ous in the appearance of it to the eyes of the Almighty. But behold upon a suddain there was a change in all these creatures, and so amongst the rest, in the starres, for soone they became impure, foule, polluted. How came this to passe? What could maculate the glorious Sunne and Moone, or bespot the radiant and brightsome Starres of the Firmament? will ye know what it was, it was sinne, sinfull man breathed upon the heavens and by the breath of sinne did make the very Starres impure, uncleane and ugly in the sight of God. Oh! the penetrant and infectious power of sinne, that passing forth from that silly worme which creepeth on the earth (viz. man) could so sud­denly infect the creatures as high as heaven.

Againe, yet to give you a clearer sight of the power of sinne in subjecting the creatures to evill, see Rom. 8.22. where the Apostle speaking of the creation, saith, that the whole creation groaneth to be delivered. What maketh it groane? It is a burthen, a heavy burthen, a burthen of vanity, a burthen of corruption lying on it; see Rom. 8.20.21. who laid that burthen on the creatures? It was one that subjected himself and the creatures together in hope, ver. 20. in hope of some great matter; so Adam by eat­ing the forbidden fruit, had a thought of attaining so high a degree of knowledge, that he thereby might be like God himselfe; and so aspiring too high, fell downe full lowe, and with himselfe brought downe the whole creation to­gether with the heavy burthen of corruption upon their backs, under which ever since it groaneth in hope of de­liverance, that so with the sonnes of God, it may be deli­vered into a consimilitude of their glorious liberty: the Earth is one of those which groaneth for deliverance un­der her heavy burthen; the Heaven is another of those [Page 8] that groaneth for deliverance under the heavy burthen; and so I may say of each part of the whole creation for all creatures are in hope of a happy change. Not that there shall be terra nova et coelum novum but onely terra novata, novatum Coelum; not a new earth, but this earth renued and made new: Not that there shall be a new heaven, but this heaven renued or moulded a new i. e. brought into a more glorious forme, into an incorruptible, unchangeable, and eternall forme; 'tis for such a change that heaven groa­neth and that the earth groaneth with the rest of the crea­tures here below; you will say how can they groane, they have no sense no reason in them? I answer, that this is but a metaphoricall expression, whereby life and so sense is attributed to inanimate things and yet there be some Phi­losophers will tell you, if you please to beleeve them, then the earth is Grande animal, and the sea is Grande ani­mal; and so the sunne, moone and starres all being so many living and rationall creatures, but I cannot stand to passe censure on their opinions.

Use.Thus beloved, you see the power of sinne in hurting the creatures in provoking and stirring up God to curse his creatures; man sinneth and God is angry, and his anger is exalted ad talem gradum to such a degree that presently he fals a cursing; he curseth the Sunne, he curseth the Moone, he curseth the Starres he curseth the earth, he curseth the sea, and all the creatures with that heavy curse of corrupti­on; he curseth the earth it groweth barren and brings forth nothing but bryars thornes and thistles; he curseth the celestial orbs and the meteors of the ayre and presently they send down their malignant influences; and so he cur­seth the creatures living in their severall elements, and presently they begin to mourne, lanquish and pine away. Heare this O sinners and tremble, if for the sinne of man, the innocent creatures be subjected to a curse; oh then how heavy a curse will fall upon the sinner himselfe. Here [Page 9] I have occasion to set forth the horrid curses and fearfull evils, whereunto poor sinners are liable; but I must not now dwell on this part of Hosea, my purpose being to travaile further in search of my Text.

The next Prophet whereof I enquire is Joel, and here I looke on his writings, but find not the thing enquired for, but yet here is one place much like it, ye may see it, Joel, 1.15. Alas for the day, for the day of the Lord is at hand, and as a destruction from the Almighty shall it come. Here stay and look a while, 'tis worthy a cast of your eye, what see you here? but tell mee your visions another time, and I'le tell ye mine now: I see here two things: first, a Pro­phet, and he is in a passion, and 'tis Passio dolorosa, a dolo­rous passion: I looke againe and see here a day, and 'tis Di­es luctuosa, a sorrowfull day, which is the cause of the Pro­phets passion: the Prophet here appeareth but all in mour­ning, and in the depth of his sorrows he cryes out, Alas for the day, &c. Why, what is the matter? what hath hapned? Oh beloved! the Prophet seeth a day (as a threatning cloud in the Ayre) a certaine day, but 'tis a gloomy day, 'tis a terrible day; which he seeth comming upon the people of God, and the sight or the vision of this day so worketh on him, that it makes him cry out, Alas for the day, &c. why doth he cry? what, can a day of destruction hurt him? what if it were the last of dayes, (when as there shal be a ge­nerall quaking and trembling over all the world) such a day as that cannot hurt a Saint or a Prophet, such an one as Joel was; what then makes him cry so passionatly? Oh! 'tis not for himselfe, but for others he is so affected; as ye may see verse 16.17, 18, 19, 20, &c. the people of God are in danger of being uttterly destroyed, that makes him cry: Whence observe, Doct. Good men are afraid of evill dayes for others sakes: so Paul seeing an evill day comming toward Ephesus through false Teachers, which should arise in that City, was so affected, that he went [Page 10] weeping and crying up and down, and warning every one night and day with teares, Act 20.21.30. And so Moses seeing an evill day comming on Israel, stood in the gap with prayers and teares of sorrow, to keepe out that evill day from the heritage of God: Oh, the stupidnesse of those that are not affected with the evils comming on their own heads, when as Saints are so affected with others miseries; there is now a day, and a cloudy day comming on England, comming on London the glory of England, and yet there be full many that lie at ease in this our Sion, never crying Alas for the day; such as these may take themselves for Angels of light, yet they come short of the likenesse of Saints, whose nature is like Joels, being ready upon the sight of an evill comming towards others, to sigh out, Alas for the day.

Alas for the day, what day is this? Tis a sad day, 'tis a cloudy day, 'tis a destroying day; who brings in this day, Joel tels us here, 'tis the Lords day; that is, a day of the Lords bringing in, a day of the Lords fetching in; the day commeth from him even as destruction from the Almighty, whence observe, Doct. God hath his destroy­ing dayes, his killing times. There be certaine dayes, where­in God useth to walke abroad and destroy people, to ru­ine people, to kill people & therfore 'tis said, Eccl. 3.3. That there is a time to kill; God hath a time to save, so he hath also his times of killing; and so in Pro. 16.4. mention is made of a day of evill, that is, of a certaine day wherein God will kill an evill man; will slay a wicked man; however sinners and wicked ones may escape for a season, yet there is a day wherein if God meeteth them in the way of wickednesse, they are gone, cut up and destroyed without all mercy: Astrologers tels us of good dayes, and of evill dayes according to the dominion of benevolent or malignant Planets; so God hath his good dayes and his bad dayes, not respective ad se, but relative to his ef­fects, [Page 11] and influences upon us mortall creatures; but you will say, which are those bad dayes, those killing dayes of God, that wee may know them and take heed of them to avoid them.

I'le tell ye, first Negative, they are not dayes of repen­tance, nor dayes of purity, nor dayes of righteousnes, &c. no: no: these are none of these killing dayes, these are holy dayes, blessing dayes, wherein God casteth his fa­vours upon the souls of such and such a kind of men. The Penetentiall day is a day of healing, a day of curing; not of brusing not of wounding, not of killing, Hos. 6.1. So the pure dayes, the dayes of purity; they are dayes of vi­sions, for in those dayes. God useth to walke abroad, and shew himselfe to his holy ones that are of a pure heart; on such times he useth to come out of his secret Pavilion, and appeare in some gracious manner, in some irradiant manner, to his people, (as Princes to their Subjects, on some festivals) see Mat. 5.8. and so in John 14.21. He promiseth to the keepers of his Commandements, that is, to the generation of pure ones, to manifest himselfe. The word in the originall is, [...] which signifieth, to shine upon them, to lift up the light of his countenance upon them, as David speakes Ps. 4.6. That day is not a day of harming, or of hurting; and so the dayes of righte­ousnesse, they are not the dayes of killing, or of destroy­ing, but dayes of feasting to the soule, wherein God feeds the spirits of godly men, with the blessed fruits of the Trees of righteousnesse, Is. 3.10. Which fruits are peace of conscience, joy in the holy Ghost, assurance of Gods favours; and these fruits are farre more beauteous, more amiable, and more to be desired, then that fruit our first parents so much longed for, Gen. 3.6.

But now to tell yee affirmative, what these dayes are, briefly thus, these destroying dayes, these killing times, wherein God useth to come forth and kill, to walk abroad [Page 12] and shoot his arrowes of death, to draw his sword and cut off the sonnes of men from the Land of the living; they are dayes of sinne, and to particularize they are dayes of pride, on such a day I well remember King Herod was slaine, Act. 12.22, 23. And dayes of murmuring against God and his anointed ones, and on such a day Corah, Dathan and Abiram perished: and dayes of lying against the holy Ghost, for on such a day Ananias was destroyed: Dayes of security, for on such dayes the old world perished, &c. since then, there be such dangerous dayes as these, let's looke to our selves, and not stirre abroad in such dayes, in such stormy and tempestuous dayes, least we be blowne into confusion. Tis, true there may be such dayes and yet God may forbeare to come forth, or if he doth come forth, yet he may (in his great mercy) forbeare to kill every sinner he meeteth, and every wicked one he findeth in his way, for though his Justice would have him kill all that he seeth, of the evill ones on such a day; yet oft mercy & long-suffering doe crave so hard, doe beg so violently, that ma­ny a time the wicked are spared for a season, to see if they will amend, if they will repent; but 'tis very perilous to venture on such a hazard; for those are his killing dayes, and so he may or may not kill; the wicked have no promise, no word of comfort for their security, or safety: there may be Mors in pane, &c. Death may lye in their bread, or in their meat, or in their cloathes, or in their walkes, or in their chambers, or in their beds, &c. And therfore 'tis great wisdome to prevent the worst, and keepe none of these dayes of sin, but rather to observe and keep those celestiall holy dayes of Repentance, those sweet holy dayes of purity, those blessed holy dayes of righte­ousnesse: and then though God killeth hundreds on our left hand, or thousands on our right hand, yet he will give his Angels charge over us, that nothing shall come neere us, but onely such things as shall be for our good, Rom. 8.28. [Page 13] Now I would runne a little further on this place of Joel, but I must away I have staid over long, and therefore in search of the Text I come to the next Prophet, which is Amos.

And now looking about here, in the writings of this Prophet, I find not the Text yee looke for; but though I find it not, yet here is a place that hath the same voice, and speaks in a menacing manner, ye may heare it, Amos 1.6. Thus saith the Lord, for three transgressions of Gaza, & for foure, I will not turne away the punishment thereof be­cause they carried away the whole captivity to deliver them up to Edom. This place is worth a pause for the observa­tions which are lying in it, here it is said by God himself, I will not turn away the punishment; it seemeth therefore he could if so pleased his wisdome, Doct. Punshments are in the hands of God. As rivers may be altered, changed & tur­ned by severall inlets and outlets by the hands of men, so God hath a turning power, whereby he can turne mala paenae, evils of punishments, and cause them (like so many Rivers or streames) to runne where he pleaseth; some­times he turneth one of these Rivers through Egipt, some­times he causeth one to streame through Babylon, some­times he brings these Rivers through Greece, Hungary, Germany, or makes them overflow this or that City; as proud Nineve, or stately Constantinople, (when ruined by the Turkish Conquerour) and therefore, whensoever yee chance to be in a Kingdome, or in a City of any King­dome, and see one of these Rivers of judgements running through the Kingdome, or overflowing the wals of the City, yee may say there is Digitus Dei, for none could bring the waters in without the peculiar warrant and licence of this God of Justice Amos 3.6.

For three transgresions, &c. I will not turne away the pnishment therof, &c. Here again ye see that God is resolved not to turne away the judgements, they are comming; and [Page 14] God seeth them and can stop them, but will not, decreeth that he will not? Why will he not save Gaza, preserve Gaza, and keepe off those evils from Gaza? Yee see the reason, because of the sinnes of Gaza, and transgressi­on of Gaza, Doct. Sinnes are the cause why God turneth the rivers of his judgements through this or that Land, this or that other Country: For though God hath streames of judgements and rivers of punishments, which he can turne this or that other way. Yet he keepes these waters in their bounds, in their limits, and suffers them not to passe into, or through any place, but where sinnes and transgressions are croaking and crying, and where iniqui­ties beare sway and dominion, these are the Operarij, or the Engineers and Workemen, that makes the Channels for Gods rivers of anger, and streames of wrath to runne in; God hath these at his will, but yet never doe they flow from the maine Ocean of his fury, till sinne digges and makes a channell, a bed or passage for them to flow through. Oh! that these Kingdomes of England and Ire­land, had not had so many of these workers, of these channell-makers in them; for then we should not have seene so many rivers of blood, and rivers of sorrowes, rivers of tribulation, as our eyes have lately seene in an overflowing manner, streaming through these sister Kingdomes.

Againe in this place of Amos, you see Gods anger a­gainst Gaza, but particularly for their cruelty against his people, in being so ready to deliver them up to the Edo­mites, their mortall enemies; and for that reason amongst others, if the judgements will come they shall come, if the channell be made, and the water of his wrath begins to passe out of the Ocean of his indignation, and so to de­stroy Gaza, he will not hinder, because of the barbarous usage of his children: No, he hath borne long with Gaza, yet now he is resolved to suffer Gaza to be overthrowne [Page 15] for this their offence, Doct. God is a foe to those which harme his people: & therefore he is a foe to Turkey, for the wrongs done the Christians in Asia and Europe; and he is a foe to Rome, for the harm done by her, to his heritage in Germany, and in Ireland; and though they escape for a season, yet not for ever, for God will undoe those that afflict his flocke; he will not onely lash them, scourge them, but totally undoe them, as 'tis said Zeph. 3.19. When his time of destruction commeth, when his day of killing commeth, oh! then these foes of God are undone, so when God ariseth in his anger, his enemies will soone be scattered: he will roare out of Syon, and make them tremble; repentance I confesse may doe wonders, and stop an evill, chase away a cloud (if sound if seasonable) but otherwise without all contradiction, the enemies of Gods people will perish: and though for a time, they afflict Joseph, and laugh at Josephs afflictions; yet but a little while, and there will a noise be heard, founding in the eares of the foes of Gods church as in Nahum 1.3. The Lord revengeth, The Lord revengeth; and such a thun­dering from the Throne of his heavy displeasure, as shall make their hearts melt away with terrour to the great a­mazement of those, which behold the wonders that God doth for the Saints of Syon, and for all those that trust in his holy name. I would willingly stay with this Prophet Amos a little longer, but the desire of my Text urgeth me to passe unto the next Prophet in search of it, and that is Obadiah.

Now here I have soone cast an eye over all his prophe­sie, and here is none of the Text, but a place that hath some relation to it, for 'tis full of threats, see Obadiah v. 4. these words Though than exalt thy selfe as the Eagle, and make thy nest amongst the starres, thence will I bring thee downe, saith the Lord. Though thou doest thus and thus exalt thy self, yet I will downe with thee even to the [Page 16] ground: there observe, Doct. God can cast downe and over­turne the mightiest things; for indeed there is in him a fulnesse of power, an omnipotency of doing; the talest Cedars of Lebanon are overturned with the smallest blast of his anger, the mightiest trees of the Forrest of this world, are rooted up with a pluck of his power; he that reads the story of Daniel, will find what a vast bodied tree, or what an overgrowne oake Nabuchadnezzar was; and yet God did but blow upon him and downe he fell, Dan. 4.30. we read of Senacharib he was a mighty tree in the Forrest of this world, he, because he had conquered the people of Amath, Arphad and Sepharvaim, therefore thought to conquer the God of Ierusalem with his chosen people; but worme that he was; what did he doe? No sooner began he to blaspheme the God of Ierusalem, but God sent (and that but one of his Army, to the like where­of he had millions of millions) namely, one Angell, and immediately the Army of Senacahrib was destroyed and totally routed, with the death of an hundred fourscore and five thousand, Is. 37.35, 36. Let none therefore think him­self safe, by reason of any Arme of flesh which doth sup­port him, or because he sits under the spreading bowes of some mighty tree, for these cannot save him from the power of the storme when once it begins to bluster; the sacred tree of Gods providence may and can shelter a man, but all the trees in the world besides cannot secure us.

Againe, once more looke on these words, and here yee may see in what a case Edom stood; Edom thought his selfe safe, and as safe as if his habitation had been placed above in the ayre, as high, as the Eagle flieth, or amongst the starres, whereunto the short hand of mortals could never reach; and therefore blessed himselfe in his present fortunes and prosperous security, never thinking of the power of the immortall God, who all this [Page 17] while lay in silence, secretly preparing engins to fetch downe Edom, and to pluck downe Edom from his lofty habitation of promising security, Doct. men oft flat­ter themselves with hopes of happinesse, when the greatest dangers are at hand: We find the truth of this by daily experiment; we of Ireland were crying peace, peace, when destruction was at our heeles, and ruine hovering over our heads: we read of the people of the old world, how they were feasting and merry, marrying and giving in marriage, little dreaming of any flood, of any deluge; whilest God in the meane time was very busie in devi­sing their ruine, and to that purpose had imployed severall agents; some were set at worke in the sea to convey the waters over the face of the earth, whilest others were as busie amongst the clouds, and in opening the windowes of Heaven, that the waters might overflow the world: yee that heare this, consider and make an application to your selves, and spare me in that worke, having now a motion to passe on further in search of what you desire to behold.

The next prophesie I meet withall, is that of the Pro­phet Ionah, and he is soone overviewed; but yet in all Ionah the Text appeareth not; yet here is a verse that doth in some part resemble that which we enquire after, for here is a mention of wickednesse, and an intimation of Gods displeasure against it, appearing in this, That God sendeth Jonah to cry against the City, for the wickednesse thereof; yee may see the verse Ionah 1.2. the words of the verse are these; Arise goe to Ninive that great City, and cry against it for their wickednesse is come up before me. Here see a wonder, wickednesse goeth into Gods pre­sence, we would not have imagined that God would ad­mit of such a thing; such a Serpent, such a Toade to come into his sight; indeed purity admits it not, but abhorres the sight of it, yet Gods Justice admits it into his pre­sence [Page 18] and suffers it, as he doth the devils to come into his courts of Judgements, to heare their accusations and com­plaints against sinners: but beholds them both, no other­wise then with the eyes of detestation; this they know, yet such is their envy and malice against poore men, that they will rush into these courts of God, to accuse and ca­lumniate. Come here, come here ye sinners of the world, and see your folly, your wickednesse; yee nourish wick­ednesse, yee feede wickednesse, and lodge it in your bo­somes; yee thinke it a faire creature, and a pretty friend, but see her actions; she betrayeth you to the court of Justice, tels all before the terrible Judge of the soules of men; and is still yellowing and howling for judgments and executions against yee, longing to see your ruine; which your gracious God is loath to behold (as formerly he was unwilling to see the perdition of Ninive) and therefore sent his Prophet to cry against it, as here it is declared; Arise, goe to Ninive and cry against it: what was he to cry? destruction, subversion, (and that subitaneous) for within forty dayes, it was to come upon them; Yet forty dayes and Ninive shall be subverted, Ion. 3.4. Ninive was then to be overthrowne; yet God will give the Ni­nivites forty dayes space of repentance: Doct. God warns before he wounds; he useth to give notice of his comming in judgement; but in mercy God seizeth upon a soule, surprizeth it in the armes of love before it is aware, and whilest it thinks not of him, Isaiah 65.1. but giveth warning of the comming of his wrath, that people may runne from the wrath that is to come: Oh happy we in such a God! if we knew our owne happinesse; for before he sends evils to devoure us for our wickednesse, he sends some or other to cry against our wickednesse, as here against Ninive. I could shew yee more things in this glasse, but I must away to behold the prophesie of the Prophet Micah.

In this booke, I find; what? not the Text; but yet I find a place that hath a correspondency with it, you may see it Micah 3.12. the words are these, Therefore shall Sion for your sake be plowed as a field, and Ierusalem shall become heapes, and the mountaine of the house as the high places of the Forrest. What is this I heare of Sion and of Ierusalem, why! 'tis reported that Sion must be plowed and that Ierusalem must be turned into heapes, that is, in a more plain and naked expression, Sion must be ruined and Ierusalem be destroyed; and yet these were the beloved habitations of the God of Iudah: hence, Doct. God sometimes visiteth his owne habitation with judgements. This Isaiah well knew, and therefore in a sorrowing manner he cryed, Woe to Ariel, to Ariel, the City where David dwelt, Is. 29.1. This Antioch, Corinth, Ephesus, &c. (sometimes glorious Churches, now dens of Turkish Ly­ons) have experimentally proved; and many hundreds of Church-assemblies in Ireland with weeping eyes can confirme this truth; and I pray God, that ere long Eng­land be not brought in for a witnesse.

At this instaint we have Templa Domini, templa Domi­ni, Churches for God to dwell in: but how long he will stay amongst us, how long he will be worshipped by us in these Temples, who can tell? for he is not tied to ma­teriall Churches, be they never so beauteous, he is not taken with the beauty of them, nor will he shew himselfe in them to his people, unlesse they themselves be beau­teous in the beauty of holinesse: if a Temple or the outward forme of worship in that Temple, would have prevailed to have held God, with his favouring influences in a Land, then had this threatning never had a being, and we should not have beene reading this day, that Sion shall be plowed, and Ierusalem be made heapes. Alas! what is the reason? Why yee heare that it is for the peo­ples sake, something they had done which angred God [Page 20] so much, that therefore Sion must be plowed, &c. What did they doe? yee may read of their doings in the 9.10. and 11. verses; there yee may read how the Princes. Counsellours of state, and Judges of the Land were cove­tous, abhorred Judgement, perverted Equity, and built up Sion in blood, and Ierusalem in iniquity; Priests and Prophets joyning with them for some sinister ends of their owne, as for money, and preferment, and such like things; but God hereby the Prophet sends them word, that their devices are vaine, their projects foolish, their designes and doings wicked, and therefore they shall come to ruine; they may be building and building, rear­ing and rearing the wals of Jerusalem, but because they build in blood, because they build in iniquity, therefore all shall tumble downe againe; hence Doct. It is an un­profitable thing to build upon an ill foundation. The Jewes here you see were building up Sion, but they did build it on an ill foundation; they laid the foundation of it in sinne, in iniquity, in oppression, in covetousnesse, in lying, in cruelty, in blood (the worst lime and stone that ever man can build withall) and what is the end of it? it wil tumble downe upon their owne heads, and kill the very builders of it.

So Rome buildeth up many churches (as in the East and west Indies) but they will never stand long, because the foundation of them is laid upon lying miracles, false doctrines, covetousnesse and blood (many hundreds, many thousands of those poore Indians being wilfully murthered by the Spaniards, Romes Admirers.)

So Mahomet, he plants Churches in the Levante (Chur­ches after his owne humour) but the foundation of them is blasphemy, blood (and that the blood of many thou­sands of holy Martyrs) these Churches may stand for a while, but ere long they will totter. for the gates of hell will prevaile against them; God abhorreth them and all [Page 21] such buildings, with their builders; and therefore pray we, that our builders and planters, may labour to reare up the wals of our Sion, in truth in meeknes, in equity, in mercy, in compassion, &c. If thus they goe about, the workes and buildings of God, then Christ the corner stone, and foun­dation of all foundations, will prosper their handy workes.

Beloved, I have some small skill in Atchitecture, (for it is my trade;) and therefore I would willingly say some more things unto you, touching the building, rearing, or supporting of our English Sion; but truth it is, I cannot now doe it, for I must hence to visit Nahum, and enquire of him for my Text.

Upon Nahum I looke, but this prophesie conteineth not that place, yet here is one place of great affinity with it, yee may read it, Nahum 1.8. But with an over-running flood, he will make an utter end of the place thereof, and darkenesse shall pursue his enemies. He tels us here two things; first, what he will doe with Ninive, secondly, what he will doe with the people of Ninive.

As for Ninive he will destroy it, An over-running flood shall come upon the place thereof, upon the very place where Ninive is seated or scituated; what will he destroy Ninive, that mighty City? yes! it must be destroyed, how? with a flood, with an over-running flood, that shall flow over the wals thereof; a flood of subversion, here see Doct. Gods judgements can enter the strongest holds) Witnesse towring Babylon, whose wals were once the wonder of the world: and populous No, Na. 3.8. And here proud Ninive, all now lye under water, being overflowed by the water of desolation: Hence may we see what folly it is to trust in strong places, or to place confidence in wals, bulworkes, fortifications or deep water­trenches, for they cannot keepe out Gods judgements; were a Kingdome surrounded with the sea as populous No, or encompassed with hils and mountaines, equall to [Page 22] the Alps, Atlas, or lofty Caucasus, or encircled with bul­workes of iron, or wals of brasse, reaching up to the very clouds, yet judgement will passe through, or runne over all, if God but give them a commission; if God but once bid them goe and enter, goe and destroy such a City, such a Kingdome, it is suddenly done, if he require such a sud­den expedition.

What safety for us then here on earth? Yes, there is some kind of wals; some kind of trenches that are of notable strength for keeping out of evils; these are the wals of righteousnesse, and trenches filled with penetenti­all waters; these will be a defence when Cities, like those of Canaan, will fall downe and crumble into dust. Oh! that our England were encompassed with such like wals, and instead of the Ocean, were surrounded with a river of penetentiall waters, streaming from humbled soules; then might England enjoy the presence of God in mercy, whereas now God appeareth here in England, all clad in fury and indignation.

Againe, as you see the threatned ruine of Ninive, so here behold the tragedy of the Inhabitants; what shall become of them? It is told us, that darknesse shall pursue them; what darkenesse? darknesse of affliction, and if that bring them not back (as it did David, Ps. 119.67.) then followeth darkenesse of judgement in this or that degree; so that they fall upon the beliefe of lies and false delusions, 2 Thes. 2.9, 10. And after these follow darke­nesse of death; and last of all the darknesse of damnation, plagues enough, evils enough to fright men from fight­ing against God; heare this yee sinners, and reconcile your selves unto your God; heare this yee sonnes of re­bellion, and reconcile your selves unto your King, even unto your gracious King Jesus, God blessed for ever; but if you doe not doe this, then Actum est de vobis, yee are an undone people; for ere long, God will send one [Page 23] of his Armies against you, even this here called by the name or darknesse; somewhat more for illustration sake, I would have said of this darknesse, of this pursuing dark­nesse, to have shewed yee the horridnesse of it, but I am in pursuit of another thing, and therefore at present I am urged to leave Nahum and passe over hence to the pro­phesie or Habacuck.

This prophesie like some of the rest is very short and soone overlooked, but without effect in respect of the text: for here likewise it is not found, but here is a part of the prophesie that appeareth in a menacing forme, cor­respondently to the place I enquire for, read it Hah. 2.8. Because thou hast spoiled many Nations, all the rem­nant of the people shall spoile thee, because of mens blood, and for the violence of the Land, of the City, and of all that dwell therein. Here is a burden for Caldea, a destru­ction for Caldea, for it must be destroyed and spoiled, but why must Caldea be spoiled? the reason is given, because Caldea hath spoiled many Nations by pillaging their goods, ruining and burning their Cities, murdering the in­habitants; and therefore now Caldea is cited before God, censured, condemned to ruine, rapine, spoile by a Law called lex talionis: hence, Doct. (Spoilers must be spoi­led) this is not alwayes done de subito at an instant, but God tarieth a season, but at length will come; and though sero yet serio, if not this way, or that way, yet he findeth some other way to destroy them; so that the murtherer shall be destroyed, the cruell one destroyed, they which love blood shall tast of blood, if not here yet hereafter; they shall have ful bowls of blood of wrath powred down their soules, so the oppressour, the pillager, the plundrer, shall here of his doings to his owne terrour.

Object. Why may not one kill, spoile, destroy, pil­lage, plunder? &c.

Answ. Yes, where men have Gods warrant for it; [Page 24] Gods commission for it: the Iewes spoyled, pillaged, and plundered, the pleasant Land of Canaan; and staid not there, but killed and slayed the people, men, women and children, even the very beasts of the Land; and they did well in it, they had Gods command for it, and therefore properly could not be called murderers, pillagers, spoylers, &c but rather justicers, executioners, of the will of God. Mercy in such a case had beene as bad as cruelty, pitty had beene equall to murder in some degree: you see that Saul spared, when God commanded to kill; and what did God thinke of him for it? he called it disobedience, and counted it as a sinne of witchcraft, (1 Sam. 15.3, 9, 10, 11. and so to the 24. so in all such cases, when we have com­mission from heaven, to ruine or destroy this or that per­son, this or that City, this or that Kingdome, then we are bound upon paine of damnation to kill and slay (without pitty or compassion) man, woman, child, father, mother, wife, brother, any one, every one, &c. (if the commissi­on cometh forth in such a forme.) But if wee goe, without commission, or without a sure warrant from Gods Word, then is our killing murdering, our pilla­ging stealing, and he will send after us, such as shall spoile and pillage us; first of our goods, after that of our lives, and last of all of our soules, unlesse we returne from such doings with teares of repentance before the decree com­meth forth: I could most willingly here propound and resolve some questions touching this point, but the desire to comply with my present intentions, forceth me from hence to the Prophet Zephan ah.

I here behold Zephaniah, and see him passionate in his expression of Gods wrath against sinners and ungodly ones: but yet in no part of that prophesie doth that lodge which I seeke, but yet here is somewhat of the fame na­ture, see it Zephaniah 1.2. (I will utterly consume all things from off the Land saith the Lord) God here saith [Page 25] God here faith that he wil consume, not some things only, but all things of the Land of Judah, and if he will doe it, if he hath a mind a purpose to doe it, I am sure he can doe it; for the Psalmist telleth us Ps. 115.3. Our God is in hea­ven, he hath done whatsoever he pleaseth: hence Doct. God hath a consuming power) he that reads and beleeves the Scripture, cannot doubt of this proposition; for as there is in God a creating power, a supporting power, so also is there a consuming power, and a destroying power: and when he hath a will to consume he can doe it, and most easily he can doe it, even with the shaking of his hand, with a blast of his breath, with a call for the spirits of vengeance; a shaking of his hand over a Nation un­doeth it: so we read Zach. 2.9. I will shake my hand upon them, and they shall be a spoile to their servants. They that are mighty on earth, Rulers, Commanders over o­thers subjected to them in vassaladge, these on a sudden, upon the shaking of Gods hand over their heads, fall downe and become a spoile to their vassals, slaves and captives; so he can doe with a blast, great power is in the breath of the Lord, he did but breath and out of nothing came a world; he did but breath, and man was in an in­stant framed out of the earth; he did but breath, and in a moment a soule issued out of nothing into that forme of earth; he doth but breath, and blessings (like Aprill showres) fall from the clouds of his mercies; but then onely thus it is, when he breatheth in love: but when he looketh on creatures in anger, and breatheth on them in displeasure, then death and destruction is in his breath; then he blasteth, when he bloweth; Haggai tels us, that the people of Israel looked for much and it came to little, they looked for great encrease of fruits, and they came al­most to nothing; what was the cause? it was Gods bla­sting of the fruits, he did but blow, and they were blasted and blowne cleare away, Haggai 1.9. he can soone blow [Page 26] a creature into a consumption, into ruine, into death, yea and into hell it selfe.

Againe, it is easie with God to consume all creatures that are upon the face of a Land, or upon the face of a Kingdome, because at his call, all the spirits of vengeance come with all readinesse to execute his commands.

'Tis said in Zach. 10.8. That he will hisse for his peo­ple, and so they shall be gathered; so he may but hisse for the destroying creatures, and they will come, such as Froggs, Locusts, Caterpillers, Haile, Snow, Frost, Mists, Foggs, Raine, Warre, Plague, Famine, Diseases, Windes, Stormes, Earth-quakes, Lightnings, Thunder, Fire and Brimstone, Good and evill Angels, and all standing in a moment before him, saying, what shall we doe? whom shall we destroy? what Nation shall we ruine? what Kingdome shall we devoure? these are the spirits, these are the Guests which the Lord oft biddeth to a feast of his wrath; and they are strange guests, they have hungry stomackes, devouring stomackes: Once God set before some of these a City, a great and faire City, and all on a sudden it was devoured; it was no lesse a City then Ba­bylon. Another time he set before these Harpies, or these Ostriches, a whole Kingdome and they devoured it; it was the pleasant Kingdom of Egypt; and now lately, God being in Ireland and there walking up and downe, and seeing the sinnes of the Land, and the ripenesse of them, waxeth angry; and on a sudden hisseth for some of these hungry Spirits, and suddenly they came and devoured up most of all the Protestants of that Land, and spoiled the forme and beauty of the whole Kingdome, within two or three dayes.

So God being in England, and looking about, obser­ving and seeing, that sinnes like Grashoppers were skip­ping up and downe in every place, or like Froggs croaking in every ditch; at the sight fell into a passion of wrath [Page 27] and hissed, and at his hisse there came one of these Spirits, viz. Warre; and hath spoiled our Kingdome, and falling upon the inhabitants, hath fed on their flesh, and caroused in full bowles of their blood; and where it did least harme, it gnawed, if not devoured the estates of the most part of the surviving people: But what tell I you of a City, or of a Kingdome; why amongst these creatures, there are some that can devoure or ruine a world in a ve­ry short season, as ye have heard was done in the dayes of Noah by Raine.

Henceforth I shall not wonder to heare it said that God hath a consuming power, whereby he is able to con­sume all things as here is said, I will consume all things from off the Land. &c. All things, what! must all goe? must all perish? the People of the Land, the Beasts of the Land, the Fruits of the Land, &c. Yes, all must goe, all must be consumed, for so it is said, I will consume all, &c. Then hence, (Doct. All creatures are subject to a consumption;) [...] here is an evill, and horrid evill; a disease and a consuming disease, like scabies volatica, it runneth up and downe upon all the creatures of the world, as on the Heauen, the Earth, the Men, the Beast, the Fowles, the Fish, &c. they are all subject to this disease, to this consumption, Zach. 1.3. But since it is a disease, so spreading, so common, so uni­versall; 'tis our wisdome to labour to prevent this con­sumption, (if possible we may) or at least procure some Elixirs that may cure us, (if we find it be once on us) and nothing can doe the cure but grace; a few graines, nay, one graine of saving grace will cure out bodies and soules; though it be true the body will be long a curing, viz. till the day of doome, yet it will doe the deed; this medicine of grace, will at length perfectly cure the body, and cause it to rise out of Ashes, out of Dust, out of A­tomes into a most glorious body againe, fit for the glorifi­ed [Page 28] soule to lodge in for all Eternity; Happy are those which have some few grains of this most precious Elixir; I might here more fully set forth before you the nature of this disease, of this consumption, but time alloweth me not, and therefore I'le hence to Haggai.

Haggai is the next Prophet, but yet for any thing I see, here is not the object of my inquisition, but here is that which is not much unlike it, see it Haggai 2.23. I will overthrow the throne of Kingdomes, and I will destroy the strength of the Kingdomes of the heathen, and I will over­throw the Charets, and those that ride in them, and the Horse and the Rider shall come downe every one by the sword of his brother.

Here in this verse, God threatneth to overthrow and to destroy the Kingdoms & the strength of the Heathens; here he decreeth to bring in judgements upon them; and what judgements? destroying judgements, so that they shall fall one upon another; not onely one Nation upon another nation, one Kingdome upon another Kingdome; but those of the same Nation, of the same Kingdome, should arise one against the other, brother against brother, and sheath their swords in one the others bowels: this was the curse, this the destruction, that God would send amongst the Heathens; what is this? God is angry with the Heathens; and see his way of punishing, he will destroy them: and how? by infatuating of them in such a manner, That brother should rise against brother, brother kill brother; this is the Heathens judgement; ah me! is it not thus now even now in England; doth God take England to be a Heathen Land, and the Inhabitants to be Heathens? that we are punished after the way of Hea­thens; that we are so besotted, so infatuated in our under­standings, that we must rise up and kill one another, mur­ther one the other, embrew one the others hands in blood of our brethren, after the manner of the Heathens; [Page 29] whence commeth this evill amongst us? surely we have communicated with Heathens in sinnes, or else we should never participate with them in judgements, accor­ding to that in Reve. 18.4. And what a shame is this for England, where the Gospell hath shined so gloriously, to be taken with such like sinnes as the Heathens (which sate in darknesse) have committed.

Againe, here see Gods severity: the Kingdomes are to be destroyed; what Kingdomes? the mighty King­domes of the Heathens? Alas, alas, the Heathens they are ignorant, they might say, Domine non novimus te, &c. Lord, we know thee not, nor thy Lawes, nor thy will; we have no Seers, no Prophets, no lights, no visions, no revelations amongst us? why then wilt thou be angry with us, ignorant and blinded creatures; thus and thus might they have pleaded their excuse before God; but suppose they had, yet had it beene in vaine, the plea had not beene good in curia Coeli, for it was decreed that judgements should come upon them, though Heathens: whence Doct. The plea of ignorance is not sufficient to ex­cuse a people before God.) The plea of ignorance will not excuse ill deedes, ungodly deeds, the most that it can doe is but to excuse a Tanto, but it doth not excuse a Toto: some stripes are due to the ignorant Luke 12.48. Tyre and Sydon may doe better then Corazan and Bethsaida; but still though they sate (in tenebrie) in darknesse of igno­rance, yet a woe will fall on them, Mat. 11.21.22. If God dealeth thus with Heathens, and those which know not his Lawes; Oh! then what heavy judgements will fall on their heads, that have the Law and the Prophets, the Gospell and the Apostles daily set before them, as we of England have: Here I should distinguish of ignorance vincibilis & invincibilis, of ignorantia purae negationis & pravae dispositionis, and so shew you what kind of igno­rance (and in what cases) ignorance is excusable, and how [Page 30] farre excusable, but the time hasteth and so must I, or misse of what I aime at, and therefore hence I passe to the Prophet Zachariah.

This prophesie containeth many notable things, yet herein is not enclosed the Text so much sought, but how­ever here you may see a menacing and a threatning expres­sion, see Zacha. 7.13. Therefore it is come to passe, that as he cryed, and they would not heare, so they cryed and I would not heare, saith the Lord of Hosts. Here is shewed the just proceedings of God against foolish men; God sent his spirit in his Prophets, as it is verse 12. And he cryeth unto men in this or that other way, and sinners re­gard it not; and when God seeth their carelesse negli­gence in hearing his spirit, then waxeth he wroth and will not heare them in their cries powred out before him; God sent his spirit in the old Testament, and then the cry was commonly like that in Ezek. 33.11. Turne, turne, for why will ye die, oh house of Israel? or like that in Amos 5.4. Seeke ye me and yee shall live; or that in Isaiah 1.19. If yee be willing and obedient, yee shall eat the good of the Land, &c. He sends his spirit now under the Gospell, and it soundeth commonly of faith and repentance, as in Mar. 1 15. Repent and beleeve the Gospell. Or of Love and Charity, as in Mat. 5.44. Love your enemies, blesse them that curse you, doe good to them which hate you, pray for them which despitefully use you and persecute you. Such are the cryes and sounds of the spirit. Now when men hear not the spirits voice, speaking in this kinde and graci­ous language, then God calleth away his spirit; commands it to cry no more, but sends others to cry, and these cryers are judgements; & these roare & yell so loud in the eares of the people, that they beget an horrour in their soules, and make them heare them with a king hearts? their cries, their sounds are of another kind, they speak in a new man­ner, to sinners saying, we are judgments, judgments sent [Page 31] from the living God; to you we are come to torture and torment you, to feed on yee, to ruine yee to take yee and teare yee with the teeth of perdition, and we will not pitty, nor shall our eye spare you. At such a sound the people start and tremble, and then they can find eares to heare, and mouthes to open, and tongues to answer the God of Heaven, saying, Quid vis Domine, &c. what wilt thou Lord that we should doe; we understand by the voice of thy judgements crying in our eares, that thou art angry with us, because we have not done thy will, nor lissened to thy spirit; we are sorry for the fault, Nunc jube quid vis, now command what thou wilt and it shall be done, Nunc mirte spiritum, &c. now send down thy spirit, and we will heare and hearken to the cry; but oft times in such cases it proveth too late (as to the Isralites) for God seeing they would not heare his spirit, crying in his Pro­phets, he now will not heare them crying for feare of judgements; as here it is said; as he cried (that is) as his spirit cryed and they would not heare, so they cryed, and J would not heare saith the Lord of Hosts.

Beloved, ye here see how the case standeth, how dan­gerous it is not to hearken to Gods spirit crying in your eares; and therefore have a care of the danger: as there is a spring time, so there is a hearing time, and that is [...] Nunc hodie, to day, even whilst the spirit is crying to day, heare his voice, Heb. 3.13. Me thinks I hear how the spirit of the Lord running up and downe this King­dome of England is crying in every County, in every City, in every Congregation, repent ye people of Eng­land, repent ye inhabitants of England; repent ye of your pride, repent you of your covetousnesse, repent ye of your oppression, repent ye of your chambering and wanton­nesse, repent ye of your rioting and drunkennesse, repent ye of your strifes and envyings, repent ye of your divisions and contentions, or else the God (to whom [Page 32] vengeance belongeth) will come against yee, and fall up­on you with more violence then as yet hath beene used, and cause your land to overflow with blood, and your Ci­ties to appeare in flames, or bring in famine to kill her thousands, and fetch in a plague to kill ten thousands; so that there shall be (Luctus crudelis ubique) sorrow on all sides, dread on all sides, death and destruction on all sides round about ye, and then may ye cry, Lord we are in misery, have mercy upon us; Lord we are in distresse, have mercy upon us; Lord we are in tribulation, have mercy upon us. And what answer will there be given? perchance such a one as this, hence, away, God cares for yee not, heares ye not; goe cry to your sinnes, goe cry to your pleasures, goe cry to your Mammons, (as the Israe­lites were sent in Judg. 10.13, 14. Oh! this would be a dismall answer for England, and yet such an one must England expect from God, unlesse England heare God crying to her in the language of John the Baptist, Repent (Matth. 3.2.)

Now beloved I could here prosecute this subject, and cry unto you, to heare the voice of God now crying in a lou­der manner then usually yee have heard him cry in Eng­land: but I must on forward to Malachy in search of the Text expected, &c.

Now having passed through severall Prophets, I am ar­rived at the propesie of Malachy the last of Prophets, and here in the last chapter of this last Prophet I find the Text couchant in the first verse of the said chapter, the words are these, For behold, the day commeth that shall burne as an oven, and all the proud, yea, and all that doe wickedly, shall be stubble, and the day that commeth shall burne them up, saith the Lord of hosts, and shall leave them neither root nor branch, &c. Here is a Text and a most observable Text, for the things inclosed in it, and since I have travelled so much in search of it, you may expect [Page 33] some strange rarities from it, but what ever is in it, or deducible from it; I cannot at present stay to shew it unto you, for I see that now, just now, as I read the Text the glasse is runne; with reading of the Text, the houre is expired; but what time doth not allow me now to do up­on the next occasion I shall performe, and so for this pre­sent, I leave this Text as I found it untoucht, unhandled.

Craving of your patience some few minutes of time, to plead my excuse for bringing in the Text, in the ulti­mate conclusion, and finall period of the Sermon.

I know there are some that will censure me deeply for it, whilest they let many passe without a frowne, that read their Text and never come neere it an houre after; yet I may be excused in part, for if the hearers had not this one Text at the first, yet instead of this one, they have had the liberty of looking on eleven other Texts for this one; but brethren be yee not censorious, 'tis true, that the houre is out, and just at the last of the houre I read the Text, whilest others, first reade the Text and then discourse an houre: in this yee will say, I have gone (retro) backward, to common use and custome, walking in a new and unusuall path; but herein is your error, for 'tis no novelty, no new invention to goe retrograde, for in this crosse and back-moving motion; I am but an imita­tor, imitating the whole world in generall, and England in particular.

The world is on her journey, and whether is the world journing? to Heaven, to Heaven, to blisse, to happi­nesse, to the fruition of that which is, summum bonum, for at these things all Nations, all Sects, all Religions aime at; but marke how the world goeth, respectively, to the generall of the Inhabitants: It travaileth (retro) it goeth backward, for the way to Heaven, &c. is a way of 1. Truth, 2. of Holinesse, but the world goeth in the way of errours (Ethnicall, judaicall, malnimeticall, [Page 34] hereticall and seismaticall) and in the way of prophane­nesse, ungodlinesse, licentiousnesse, &c. and is not this iter retrogradum, is not this a crosse going, a backward travailing, judge yee.

So I may say of England in particular, England is now in a journey; and whether is England going? It is tra­vailing to find out Terra pacis a Land of peace; and the way leading to that Land, to that happy Land; is there, directly, there — ☞ Eastwards; but England is now walking Westward, in an occidentall path, and marching in Campo martio, even in the blood of her people; & is not this Iter retrogradum, &c. I know a man may saile to­wards the west, and yet arive in some Iland of the East; but he must make a Drakes voyage of it then, he must goe with a strange compasse, not (without many perils) so a man may come to this Terra pacis by marching through the field of warre; but it is a great compasse a­bout, and thousands of dangers in the way, and very few of such travailours come safe to their journeys end; some lose their Armes, some their legs, some their eyes, some their estates before ever they come there, and most lose their heads or their bodies, perishing in the way.

Againe, England is now on her journey; and whether is England passing? towards a place called Terra prospe­ritatis, she hath a great desire to have all her children sea­ted in a Land of plenty and prosperity, that they may not behold the face of want and misery: but marke how she goeth backward, still backward doth she goe; the direct and straight way, to this Land of prosperity is that there—☞ But now England goeth in a path where there is nothing for the generall but force, violence, fire and sword, compelling and borrowing, pillaging and plundering, &c. and what thinke you, is not this Iter retrogradum, &c.

Againe, England is now a journeying, and whether [Page 35] doth England travaile? towards a place called terra veri­tatis, a Land of truth, for England is much in love with truth, (if you will beleeve her) and desireth to have truth planted and established; and to have all her children live in a Country of truth, that they may not be in danger to be swallowed up by the devouring jawes of errour; Well, 'tis a good desire, and travaile for such a jewell is highly commendable; but now marke the way England taketh, the way to this land of truth lieth there, directly there —☞ But England goeth in a way cleane back­ward, for in this way where England now goeth, there is a tacite licentiation, or permission of errour, as of Popery, of Seperatisme, Anabaptisme, Brownisme, &c. And these by the silent influences of England upon them, doe so bud, so bloome, so prosper, so spread abroad, that ere long (without Gods preventing mercy) they are like to overshaddow those tender plants of truth, which are alrea­dy planted in this English soyle, and what thinke you; is not this iter retrogradum?

Againe, England findeth her children to be sicke of a misunderstanding, and she turnes Phisitian, and for the cure of their distempers, sets them together by the eares; calls on them to beat out one anothers braines; the strang­est cure of wit, misunderstanding and distempers, that ever was heard of. In the dayes of Hippocrates and Ga­len, they used to cure distempers of the braine, with Hel­lebore, and it was thought a violent phisicke: But our phi­sicke is farre more violent; happy for us, if we had Galen, or Hippocrates amongst us, to give us of gentle Hellebore for the operation of it is gentle, in respect of the op­peration of the phisicke England giveth; happy men if we were all shipped hence to Anticyra for cure, rather then follow our Mothers prescriptions here at home; but whether or no, this be not a crosse method, and a retro­grade path to tread in for procuration of health, judge ye.

Many petitions have the Inhabitants of England pre­sented to King and Parliament; I would they would pre­sent one to this effect, namely, that there may be a to­leration for those of the Protestant Religion heretofore, for many yeers fore passed, used in England; as also a to­leration for those that cannot beare the Ceremonies of the Church of England for a season, even till the Papists Separatists, Anabaptists, &c. were disposed of to Englands safety, and Irelands recovery; and then afterwards (if these two must deside the quarrell by the sword) let them fall to it, and kill and murder one another, without pitty or mercy, to man women or childe (if they have Gods warant for it) Quis talia fando temperet a lachrymis? Can truth not grow now in our England, till England be washed with blood? is the English soyle so barren, so ste­rile, that it must be fatned with the blood of our bre­thren? to accelerate the production and conservation of truth? IF SO, 'tis a thousand pitties, is this the way to truth? Oh! it is iter retrogradum a crosse way; 'tis con­fessed that this is a way through which England (possibly) may come to truth, but 'tis via flebilis, a mournfull way, a lamentable way, and those which walke in it, may chance never behold the face of truth, but God (qui so­lus facit mirabilia) who alone worketh wonders, can draw light out of this darknesse and I hope he will; other­wise we may say with the Apostles, Lord we perish.

Thus briefly I have presented ye with the worlds and Englands crosse motions, something more I would have said, but it would have ended as in a mist, and therefore Ile not name it; onely thus much I have said to shew you that I am only an Imitator and not an Inventor of moti­ons Retrogade, but in these motions happier then my na­tive Countrey, for I went (retro) backward in my me­thod in respect of custome; but I am at an end of that journey, and now though with a compasse have I arrived [Page 37] at my text, but the Lord onely knoweth when England will be at an end of her miserable and toyling journey, for he that lookes on the concurrence of evills, and at the intertexture and complication of these concurrent evills, would almost conclude (Quod regni jam fatae jubent) that England should be ruined, for she fetcheth such a a compasse about her in passage to the land of peace, plenty, and truth, and passeth through so maey dangers and perills; of fire sword warre famine plague, pestilence, that it is an hundred to one, a thousand to one, but poore England will perish before she arrive at her journies end) but let us hope the best, pray for the best but in the meane time prepare with patience to endure the worst.

Now beloved you see the occasion of my motion, and I hope you will excuse me; but some will say, I did not lodge the Text in the conclusion out of any intent of imitation for some exemplary purpose, but rather that this happened out of forgetfulnesse, as if I had forgot the Text; well say I had, yet might you passe over the fault in silence, for if you blame a Preacher for this, if such an act be meritorious of censure, then how justly may you hearers be acused and censured: I forgat the Text count you this so strange a thing? why, 'tis famili­ar for people to come to Church, to heare Sermons, and forget to bring their eares, I meane their obedientiall eares, and is not this as strange a thing.

I forgat the Text, count you this so strange a thing? why 'tis familiar with people to come to Church, to draw the water of life at the well of Gods Ordinances, and yet oft they forget to bring the vessels to hold that water; I mean their hearts, for these are left at home, or suffered to wander or rove abroad amongst the bagges of gold, or flockes of Cattell, or gardens of pleasure, &c. Is not this as strange a thing.

I forgat the Text? say I did, count you this so strange a [Page 38] thing? why, 'tis familiar with the people to goe into the Temple to worship God, and yet full oft they forget God is there; witnesse their carelesse preparation for that worship of God, and their unbeseeming irreverence of gesture in the Temple of that glorious God; and is not this as strange a thing? But say I did forget this place, yet at length I found it; but you will say, I found it not till the glasse was runne, even cleane runne out, well 'tis granted, yet herein you may excuse me, for I have done but as others doe, as I shall instance in some particulars: There be full many that seeke for that Bonum, or that good thing, that is, in Temperance and Chastity; yet never find it, till the glasse of their health be clean run out, through their chambring and wantonnesse, whereby they bring diseases upon their bodies, and so become fit sub­jects for Chirurgions to worke upon in Hospitals.

So there be many that seeke to find out that bonum which is in providence and yet never find it, till the glasse of their estates be cleane runne out, through their prodi­gall rioting and disorders, and then like Grashoppers, they are forced to skip about the meddowes of this world, sub forma pauperum.

So there are many that seeke to find out that bonum which is in Grace, but never finde it till the glasse of their life is almost cleane runne out; and then when they are upon their death-beds, ready to breath out their last, and consider the excellency and necessity of grace, then they begin to prize it and cry out for grace, for grace, nothing then is cared for but grace, then a Kingdom, then a world for a graine of grace would they give, were it in their power, if so they could purchase that celestiall gem.

So many there be that spend some thoughts to find out the nature of this world, but never find it, till the glasse of their life is almost cleane runne out; and then when they are upon their dying beds, and see how their riches take the [Page 39] wing and flye away, how their honours take the wing and flie away, how their pleasure take the wing, and fly away, and so leave a dying man naked in his bed, as naked as he came into the world; then he begins to see that the world is vanity, and then seeing nothing certaine before his eyes, but death and another world, he begins to curse his folly in admiring the world, and to cry out a­gainst himselfe, quid mihi superbia, &c. what hath pride profited me, what hath riches honours & pleasures advan­taged me, &c. that now I am left here all alone, all naked, having no heavenly treasures, than I can challenge for mine owne, in Christ Jesus in the other world; at this he begins to mourne, to weepe, and weeping dyes, whom we leave in the hands of Gods mercy.

Here beloved yee have severall instances of late finding, so that I am not alone in finding when the glasse is runne; I would I were in such a case alone, but there are too many of these late finders; and I feare, I feare it much, that one more there is, that is to be inserted into this number, and to be placed in this catalogue, and this one is England in which one are many thousands, &c.

England is now seeking for peace, but I feare shee will not find it till her glasse be runne, i. e. till it be first de­stroyed by warre, and woefull is that peace, which issu­eth out of the bowels of warre; I count it an unhappy peace, for the children, which is conveyed unto them, through a flowing streame of the Parents blood.

England is now in search of truth, but I feare shee will not find it, till her glasse be runne, i. e. till she be obscured if not destryoed by the increasing errours difusing them­selves throughout our Land.

England is now seeking for plenty, but I feare she will not find it, till her glasse be runne, i. e. till she be starved; and destroyed by famine.

England is now in a consumption, sicke and very sicke, and seeking for health, seeking for a Physitian to cure her malady and procure her health, but I feare shee will not find it till her glasse be runne, i. e. till she pine, languish, and consume away.

But you will say, these are but feares, but jealousies, true they are no more, I would there were no occasion for those, but however I hope to see the day, that God will blow upon the causes and occasions of those feares and jealousies: and then you shall see them vanish into Aire.

I hope ere long to see the day, that God will blow up­on this monster Warre, and cause it vanish into nothing, and that he will blow upon these errors, and make them vanish into nothing, and that he will blow upon our pre­sent wants, and make them vanish into nothing; I hope to see the day, that he will breath with the breath of sal­vation on our England, and so cure the consumption, cure her afflicting, malady; that she may recover and arise out of the bed of her sicknesse: and so in her conclusion Eng­land being healed, I hope that God will by his providen­tiall disposing of things here, send some Physitians from hence into Ireland with Balmes, Elixirs, tinctures, for the curing of the mortall wounds, and desperate imposturnati­ons of that bleeding, dying, and perishing Kingdome; Hoc spero, speransque ono, for this I hope, for this I pray, (as one of the sonnes of that dying mother,) and I doubt not but yee have the same hope, now to that hope superadde, your prayers, supplications, teares and humiliati­ons, and the Lord of mercy from his habitation in the highest looke upon us, and lift up the light of his counte­nance and be mercifull unto us, and blesse us now and for ever. Amen.