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CHRIST'S    TEARS 


OVER 


JERUSALEM: 


WHEREUNTO  IS  ANNEXED 


^  compatattl)e  ^Xnxionition  to  ilonHxim 


A   JOVE    MUSA. 


BY  THO.  NASH. 


REPRINTED  FROM  THE  EDITION  OF  1613. 


LONDON: 

iFrom  tj^e  ^ribaU  ^xtw 

or 

LONGMAN,  HURST.  REES,  ORME,  AND  BROWN. 

PRINTED  BY  X.  DAVISON,  WHITEFRIARS. 

1815. 


«  (►  -»  '■<>«4-  ><>  ^■- 


»•■»■■»*^  (■••-•l*»«  'V>-»«Si        •#  "I  *♦•»  -^Jitijf'  »  ' 


;^  preface. 

Of  Thomas  Nash  the  noted  controversialist,  whose  hterarj 
squabbles  with  Gabriel  Harvey '  are  so  full  of  bitter  ribaldry,  and 
whose  apology  for  the  character  of  his  unhappy  companion  Robert 
Greene  contains  so  many  curious  notices  of  the  petty  manners  of 
the  Metropolis,  especially  among  hireling  authors  of  his  own  time, 
much  has  been  said  in  almost  all  the  late  publications  which  have 
any  allusion  to  Elizabethan  literature.  The  Editor  thinks,  there- 
fore, that  nothing  less  than  novelty  of  material  would  justify  an 
attempt  to  fill  the  pages  of  the  present  Preface  with  a  Memoir  of 
this  author  ^ 

Nash  took  his  degree  of  A.  B.  at  St.  John^s  College,  in  Cam- 
bridge, in  1585. 

It  is  said,  that  a  life  of  extravagance  and  debauchery  brought 
this  imprudent  man  to  extreme  distress  and  misery.  The  present 
Tract  was  written,  as  he  himself  states,  in  his  "  Address  to  the 
Reader,^'  in  the  sober  hours  of  repentance,  when  experience  and 
suffering  taught  him  to  look  with  horror  on  the  madness  of  his  for- 
mer career.     "  Nothing  is  there  now,''  says  he,  "  so  much  in  my 

*  See  an  account  of  Nash's  Have  with  you  to  Saffron-Walden,  1596 ;  and  of  Lichfield's 
Trimming  of  Tom  Nash,  1597,  in  Restituta,  ii.  358,  367. 

*  See  Cens.  Lit.  vii,  10,  152,  156,  169,  362.  At  p.  152  is  reprinted  Nash's  Address 
to  the  Gentlemen  Students  of  both  Universities.  This  was  prefixed  to  R.  Greene's  Arcadia, 
of  which  a  reprint  forms  the  Second  Part  of  Archaica. 

b 


Vi  PREFACE. 

VOWS  as  to  be  at  peace  with  all  men,  and  make  submissive  amends 
where  I  have  most  displeased.  Many  things  have  I  vainly  set  forth, 
whereof  now  it  repenteth  me.  Into  some  splenetive  veins  of  wanton- 
ness heretofore  have  I  foolishly  relapsed,  to  supply  my  private  wants: 
of  them  no  less  do  I  desire  to  be  absolved  than  the  rest ;  and  to  God 
and  man  do  I  promise  an  unfeigned  conversion." 

The  principal  interest  which  this  Tract  retains,  is  in  the  pic- 
ture which  it  exhibits  of  London,  about  the  close  of  the  sixteenth 
century.  The  vices  and  follies  of  this  Capital  are  painted  in  the 
most  glowing  colours.  They  are  indeed  so  glaringly  wrought,  that 
a  sober  retrospect  must  pronounce  them  to  be  deformed  by  the  most 
gross  and  tasteless  exaggeration.  A  poetical  picture  on  the  same 
subject,  drawn  with  happier  skill,  and  in  more  affecting  language, 
was  exhibited  in  a  dramatic  piece  of  Greene  and  Lodge,  from 
which  long  extracts  have  been  given  at  the  commencement  of  the 
first  volume  of  Excerpta  Tudoriatia,  printed  at  the  private  press  of 
Lee  Priory. 

There  are,  however,  many  curious  passages  in  the  present  com- 
position, which  it  is  unnecessary  to  point  out  to  the  Reader.  Among 
the  rest,  the  paragraph  at  p.  135,  beginning,  "  England,  the  Player^'s 
stage  of  gorgeous  attire,  the  ape  of  all  nations'  superfluities,  the 
continual  masquer  in  outlandish  habiliments,  great  plenty-scanting 
calamities  art  thou  to  await  for  wanton-disguising  thyself  against 
kind,  and  digressing  from  the  plainness  of  thine  ancestors :"  and 
those  passages  which  regard  female  luxury  and  dress,  at  p.  130,  &c. 
beginning  "  First  to  Dinner,'"  &c. 

Nash's  style,  it  must  be  confessed,  is  too  often  inflated  and 
laboured ;  but  does  not  appear,  to  the  present  Editor,  to  deserve 


PREFACE.  vii 

the  unqualified  stigma  thrown  upon  it  by  Malone'.  For  here,  as 
well  as  in  his  Pierce  Pennilesse,  there  are  exhibited  many  proofs  of 
vigour,  and  even  eloquence^. 

A  former  Edition  of  this  Tract  was  printed  by  Andrew  Wise, 
in  1594,  dedicated  to  the  same  "  Lady  Elizabeth  Carie,^"  with  an 
addition  which  puts  her  identity  out  of  all  question,  for  it  calls  her, 
"  wife  to  the  thrice  magnanimous  and  noble  discended  Knight,  Sir 
George  Carie,  Knight-Marshall  ;*'  which  Sir  George  succeeded  to 
the  Barony  of  Hunsdon,  in  1596.  This  Lady  was  daughter  to  Sir 
John  Spencer  of  Althorpe,  and  sister  to  Alice,  Countess  of  Derby, 
To  this  Lady  Carie,  Spenser  dedicates  his  Muiopotmos,  and  in  that 
dedication  speaks  of  name  mid  kindred  sake  by  her  vouchsafed  to 
him^. 

Nash  seems  to  have  been  fond  of  courting  the  patronage  of 
this  Lady's  alliances.  At  the  end  of  his  Pierce  Pennilesse^  he  pane- 
gyrizes her  sister  Alice's  husband,  the  celebrated  Ferdinand,  Earl 
of  Derby,  whom  he  calls  "  Jove*s  Ganimed>  thrice-noble  Amyntas\'' 
"  Here,  heavenly  Spenser,^'  says  he,  "  I  am  most  highly  to  accuse 
thee  of  forgetfulness,  that  in  that  honourable  catalogue  of  our 
English  heroes,  which  insueth  the  conclusion  of  thy  famous  Fairy 
Queen,  thou  wouldst  let  so  special  a  pillar  of  nobility  pass  unsa- 
luted.  The  very  thought  of  his  derived  descent,  and  extraordi- 
nary parts,  wherewith  he  astonisheth  the  world,  and  draws  all 

'  See  Art.  Nash,  in  Theatr.  Poet.  Jngl.  1800. 

*  See  Gens.  Lit.  ii.  236,  237,  311.. 
3  See  Gens.  Lit.  i.  153,  154. 

*  Mr.  Gilchrist  has  lately  announced  a  reprint  of  Pierce  Pennilesse. 

*  See  Todd's  Spenser,  I.  Life,  xl. 


Viii,  PREFACE. 

hearts  to  his  love,  would  have  inspired  thy  fore  wearied  pace  with 
new  fury  to  proceed  to  the  next  triumphs  of  the  stately  goddess : 
but  as  I,  in  favour  of  so  rare  a  scholar,  suppose,  with  this  counsel 
he  refrained  his  mention  in  this  first  part,  that  he  might  with  full 
sail  proceed  to  his  due  commendations  in  the  second.  Of  this 
occasion  long  since  I  happened  to  frame  a  Sonnet,  which  being 
wholly  intended  to  the  reverence  of  this  renowned  lord,  (to  whom 
I  owe  all  the  utmost  powers  of  my  ,love  and  duty)  I  meant  here  for 
variety  of  style  to  insert. 

SONNET. 

Perusing  yesternight,  with  idle  eyes, 

The  Fairy  Singer's  stately-tuned  verse, 

And  viewing,  after  chapmen's  wonted  guise, 

What  strange  contents  the  title  did  rehearse, 
I  straight  leap'd  over  to  the  latter  end. 

Where,  like  the  quaint  comedians  of  our  time, 

That,  when  their  play  is  done,  do  fall  to  rhyme, 

I  found  short  lines  to  sundry  nobles  pen'd, 
Whom  he,  as  special  mirrors,  singled  forth, 

To  be  the  patrons  of  his  poetry. 
1  read  them  all,  and  reverenc'd  their  worth ; 

Yet  wonder'd  he  left  out  thy  memory; 
But  therefore  guess'd  I,  he  suppress'd  thy  name. 
Because  few  words  might  not  comprise  thy  fame. 

.  Nash  also  dedicated  the  scarcest  of  his  tracts  to  the  same  family. 
It  is  entitled  "  The  Terrors  of  the  Night ;  or  a  Discourse  of  Appari- 
tions. Fost  tenebras  dies.  London,  Printed  hy  John  Danier,  for 
Wm.  Jones.  1594.  4>to."  Of  this  work  says  Todd,  "  no  other  copy  at 
present  is  known  to  exist,  except  that  which  belonged  to  the  late 
Duke  of  Bridgewater,  and  now  belongs  to  the  Marquis  of  Staf- 


PREFACE.  ix 

ford*/'  The  dedication  is  "  To  the  new-kindled  clear  Lampe  of 
Virginitie,  and  the  excellent  adored  high  wonder  of  sharpe  wit  and 
sweet  beauty,  Mistres  Elizabeth  Carey,  sole  daughter  and  heire  to 
the  thrise  noble  and  learned  Sir  George  Carey,  Knight  Marshal." 
It  speaks  of  her  mother,  as  having  "  into  the  Muses'  society  herself 
lately  adopted,  and  purchased  divine  Petrarch  another  monument 
in  England/'  This  daughter  married  Sir  Thomas  Berkeley,  son 
and  heir  of  Henry  Lord  Berkeley  *. 

In  the  Pierce  Pennilesse  already  mentioned  are  those  lines  of 
Nash,  so  often  quoted,  descriptive  of  his  despair,  under  poverty  and 
neglect,  after  having  "  tired  his  youth  with  folly,  and  surfeited  his 
mind  with  vanity/' 

Why  is't  damnation  to  despair  and  die, 

When  life  is  my  true  happiness'  disease  ? 
My  soul,  my  soul !  thy  safety  makes  me  fly 

The  faulty  means,  that  might  my  pain  appease ! 
Divines  and  dying  men  may  talk  of  hell ; 
But  in  my  heart  her  several  torments  dwell. 

Ah,  worthless. wit,  to  train  me  to  this  woe! 

Deceitful  Arts,  that  nourish  discontent ! 
Ill  thrive  the  Folly  that  bewitch'd  me  so : 

Vain  thoughts,  adieu !  for  now  I  will  repent. 
And  yet  my  wants  persuade  me  to  proceed ; 
Since  none  takes  pity  of  a  scholar's  need. 

Forgive  me,  God,  although  I  curse  my  birth ; 

And  ban  the  air,  wherein  I  breathe  a  wretch ; 
Since  Misery  hath  daunted  all  my  mirth. 

And  I  am  quite  undone  through  promise-breach. 
O  friends,  no  friends,  that  then  ungently  frown. 
When  changing  Fortune  casts  us  headlong  down. 

'  Todd's  Spenser,  I.  Life,  Ixxiv. 
*  See  Memoirs  of  K.  Jameses  Peers. 


^  PREFACE- 

Without  redress  complains  my  ceaseless  verse. 

And  Midas'  ears  relent  not  at  my  moan : 
In  some  far  land  will  I  my  griefs  rehearse, 

'Mongst  them,  that  will  be  mov'd,  when  I  shall  groan. 
England,  adieu,  the  soil  that  brought  me  forth ! 
Adieu,  unkind,  where  skill  is  nothing  worth ! 

"  These  rhymes  thus  abruptly  set  down,  I  tost  my  imagination 
a  thousand  ways,  to  see  if  I  could  find  any  means  to  relieve  my 
estate.  But  all  my  thoughts  consorted  to  this  conclusion,  that  the 
world  was  uncharitable,  and  I  ordained  to  be  miserable.  Thereby 
I  grew  to  consider  how  many  base  men,  that  wanted  those  parts 
which  I  had,  enjoyed  content  at  will,  and  had  wealth  at  command  : 
I  called  to  mind  a  cobler  that  was  worth  oOOl. :  an  hostler,  that 
liad  built  a  goodly  inn,  and  might  dispend  401.  yearly  by  his  land ; 
a  carman,  in  a  leather  pilch,  that  had  whipped  out  lOOOl.  of  his 
horse's  tail !  And  have  I  more  wit  than  all  these,  thought  I  to  my- 
self.'' Am  I  better  born.'*  Am  I  better  brought  up?  Yea;  and 
better  favoured ;  and  yet  am  I  a  beggar !  What  is  the  cause  ?  How 
am  I  crost  ?  Or  whence  is  this  curse  ?"  Sec. 

Perhaps  there  is  no  class  of  men  more  likely  to  fall  into  poverty 
than  authors ;  and  none  whose  natures  and  habits  render  them  less 
patient  of  poverty.  The  fate  of  Nash,  and  Greene,  and  Savage, 
and  Chatterton,  and  many  others,  always  fills  me  with  horror. 

The  lot  of  Gabriel  Harvey  seems  to  have  been  cast  under 
luckier  stars.     He  survived  till  l630\ 

'  See  Restituta,  iii.  215. 


PREFACE.  xi 


In  the  selection  of  pieces  for  insertion  in  Archaic  a,  the  im- 
possibihty  of  satisfying  every  various  taste  of  those,  who  pursue 
the  study  of  old  English  literature,  is  too  obvious.  He,  who 
possesses  an  old  edition  of  any  piece  here  reprinted,  is  little  grati- 
fied by  the  appearance  of  a  new  one.  But  against  judgments  thus 
biassed  a  strong  protest  may  fairly  be  made.  The  cause  of  literary 
antiquities  must  be  regarded,  not  as  it  affects  the  interest  or  vanity 
of  mere  Collectors,  but  as  it  furnishes  materials  for  enlarging  and 
correcting  the  minds  of  the  scholar  and  the  philosopher.  These  are 
men,  to  whom  the  works  they  require,  must  be  more  easily  acces- 
sible than  to  those,  whose  leisure  and  whose  purses  enable  them  to  be 
vigilant  in  seizing  the  first  offerings  of  catalogues,  or  to  be  unrivalled 
and  resistless  in  the  triumphs  of  the  auction-room  :  men,  who  value 
books  for  their  contents,  and  not  for  their  rarity;  and  who  do 
not  think  the  worse  of  those  contents,  because  they  are  conveyed 
through  the  splendid  improvements  of  modern  typography.  Hi- 
therto the  prose  works  of  Robert  Greene,  Gabriel  Harvey,  Tom 
Nash,  Robert  Southwell,  Nicholas  Breton,  R.  Brathwayte,  and 
others,  had  been  out  of  the  reach  of  all  but  two  or  three  possessors 
of  curious  libraries,  and  the  few  friends  who  had  access  to  them. 
In  future  their  very  combination  and  bulk  will  preserve  them  as  an 
ornament  to  every  well-furnished  English  library :  and  studious  men 
will  hereafter  have  no  difficulty  in  knowing  where  to  find  them. 


London,  June  27,  1815. 


CHRIST'S    TEARS 


OVER 


JERUSALEM. 


WHEREUNTO  IS  ANNEXED 


n  compatatti^e  ^tvmonttton  to  £ontiom 


A   JOVE    MUSA. 


BY  THO.  NASH. 


LONDON: 

PRINTED  FOR  THOMAS  THORP. 

1613. 


81AAMT    ' 


i'T  '   i 


n  T  {: 


A 


■ir  -;- 


:    OJ  U 


SiO'j-l 


t:.j^if  I 


TO 


TIIE  MOST  HONOURED, 


AND  VIRTUOUS  BEAUTIFIED  LADY, 


THE  LADY  ELIZABETH  CAREY, 


XCELLENT  accomplished  court-glorifjing  lady ! 
give  me  leave  with  the  sportive  sea-porpoises 
preludiately  to  play  a  little  before  the  storm  of 
my  tears,  to  make  my  prayer  ere  I  proceed  to 
my  sacrifice.  Lo,  for  an  oblatioa  to  the  rich 
burnished  shrine  of  your  virtue !  a  handful  of 
Jerusalem's  mummanized^  earth  (in  a  few  sheets  of  waste  paper  in- 
wrapped),  I  here,  humiliate,  oifer  up  at  your  feet.  More  embellished 
should  my  present  be,  were  my  ability  more  abundant.  Your 
illustrate  Ladyship,  ere  this,  I  am  persuaded,  hath  beheld  a  bad 
flourish  with  a  text  pen ;  all  my  performance  hereia  is  no  better; 
I  doubt  you  will  condemn  it  for  worse.  Wit  hath  his  dregs  as 
well  as  wine,  divinity  his  dross.  Expect  some  tars  in  the  Treatise 
of  Tears,  Far  unable  are  my  dim  osprey  e3^es  to  look  clearly 
against  the  sun  of  God's  truth.  An  easy  matter  is  it  for  any  man 
to  cut  me,  like  a  diamond,  with  mine  own  dust.  "> 

A  young  imperfect  practitioner  am  I  in  Christ's  school  i  Christ 
accepteth  the  will  for  the  deed :  weak  are  my  deeds,  great  is  my* 

.    •  ^  ^  Sic.  in  0;ig. 


will.  O  that  our  deeds  only  should  be  seen,  and  our  will  die  in- 
visible! Long  hath  my  intended  will,  renowned  Madam,  been 
addressed  to  adore  you :  but  words  to  that  my  resolved  will  were 
negligent  servants.  My  woe-infirmed  wit  conspired  against  me 
with  my  fortune ;  my  impotent  care-crazed  style  cast  off  his  light 
wings,  and  betook  him  to  wooden  stilts ;  all  agility  it  forgot,  and 
graveled  itself  in  gross-brained  formality.  Now  a  little  is  it  re- 
vived, but  not  so  revived  that  it  hath  utterly  shook  off  his  dank 
upper  mourning  garment.  Were  it  effectually  recured,  in  my  soul- 
infused  lines  I  would  shew  that  I  perfectly  lived,  and  in  them  your 
praises  should  live :  whereas  now  only  amongst  the  dead  I  live  in 
them,  and  they  dead  all  those  that  look  upon  them.  That  which 
my  tear-stubbed  pen,  in  this  theological  subject,  hath  attempted,  is 
no  more  but  the  coarse-spun  web  of  discontent :  a  quintessence  of 
holy  complaint,  extracted  out  of  my  true  cause  of  condolement. 
'■■:.:  Peruse  it,  judicial  Madam,  and  something  in  it  shall  you  find 
that  may  pierce.  The  world  hath  crowned  you  for  religion,  piety, 
bountihood,  modesty,  and  sobriety ;  (rare  endowments  in  these 
retchless  days  of  security.)  Divers  well-deserving  poets  have  con- 
secrated their  endeavours  to  your  praise.  Fame's  eldest  favourite. 
Master  Spenser,  in  all  his  writings  high  prizeth  you.  To  the  eter- 
nizing of  the  heroical  family  of  the  Careys  my  choicest  studies 
have  I  tasked :  than  you  that  high-allied  house  hath  not  a  more 
dear  adopted  ornament.  To  the  supportive  perpetuating  of  your 
canonized  reputation  wholly  this  book  have  I  destined ;  vouchsafe 
it  benign  hospitality  in  your  closet,  with  shght  interview  at  idle 
hours ;  and  more  polished  labours  of  mine,  ere  long,  shall  salute 
you.      Some    complete   history  I  will   shortly  go  through   with, 


wherein  your  perfections  shall  be  the  chief  argument.  To  none  of 
all  those  majestical  wit-forestalling  worthies  of  your  sex  myself  do 
I  apply,  but  you  alone :  the  cunning  courtship  of  fair  words  can 
never  overwork  me  to  cast  away  honour  on  any.  I  hate  those 
female  braggarts,  that  contend  to  have  all  the  Muses  beg  at  their 
doors ;  and  with  doves  dehght  evermore  to  look  themselves  in  the 
glass  of  vain  glory,  yet  by  their  sides  wear  continually  Barbary 
purses,  which  never  ope  to  any  but  pedantical  parasites. 

Divine  Lady !  you  I  must  and  will  memorize  more  especially, 
for  you  recompense  learning  extraordinarily.  Pardon  my  pre- 
sumption, lend  patience  to  my  prolixity,  and  if  any  thing  in  all 
please,  think  it  was  compiled  to  please  you.  This  I  vouch,  no  line 
of  it  was  laid  down,  without  awful  looking  back  to  your  frown. 
To  write  in  divinity  I  would  not  have  adventured,  if  ought  else 
might  have  consorted  with  the  regenerate  gravity  of  your  judg- 
ment. Your  thoughts  are  all  holy,  holy  is  your  life ;  in  your  heart 
lives  no  delight  but  of  heaven.  Far  be  it  I  should  proffer  to  un- 
hallow  them  with  any  profane  papers  of  mine.  The  care  I  have  to 
work  your  holy  content,  I  hope  God  hath  ordained,  to  call  me 
home  sooner  unto  him. 

Varro  saith,  the  philosophers  held  two  hundred  and  eight 
opinions  of  felicity  :  two  hundred  and  eight  felicities  to  me  shall  it 
be,  if  I  have  framed  any  one  line  to  your  liking.  Most  resplendent 
Lady,  encourage  me,  favour  me,  countenance  me  in  this,  and 
something  ere  long  I  will  aspire  to  beyond  the  common  mediocrity. 

Your  admired  Ladyship's  most  devoted, 

THO.  NASH. 


>,1« 


V. 


.;  .7 


!•:■ 


^m\ 


'  'i>  V-^fv>  ^■■}_i  ',v^5"t't  \<Ai  ^' 


TO  THE  KEADER. 


.  \^n  VyiJ^iv:i     A^ 


IL  nisijiere  libet :  Gentles,  here  is  nojoi/ful  subject 
towards;  if  you  will  weep,  so  it  is.  I  have  nothing 
to  spend  on  you  but  passion.  A  hundred  unfortu^ 
nate  fareweh  to  fantastical  Satirism,  In  those 
veins  heretofore  have  I  mis-spent  my  spirit,  and 
prodigally  conspired  against  good  hours.  Nothing 
is  there  now  so  much  in  my  vows,  as  to  be  at  peace  with  all  men,  and 
make  submissive  amends  where  I  have  most  displeased. 

As  the  title  of  this  book  is  Christ's  Tears,  so  be  this  epistle  the 
tears  of  my  pen.  Many  things  have  I  vainly  set  forth,  whereof  now 
it  repenteth  me.  St.  Augustine  writ  a  whole  book  of  his  Retractations. 
Nothing  so  much  do  I  retract,  as  that  wherein  soever  I  have  scan- 
dalized the  meanest.  Into  some  splenitive  veins  of  wantonness  here- 
tofore  have  I  foolishly  relapsed,  to  supply  my  private  wants :  of  them 
no  less  do  I  desire  to  be  absolved,  than  the  rest,  and  to  God  and  man 
do  I  promise  an  unfeigned  conversion. 

To  a  little  more  wit  have  my  increasing  years  reclaimed  me  than 
I  had  before.    Those  that  have  been  perverted  by  any  of  my  works,  let 


8 

them  read  this,  and  it  shall  thrice  more  benefit  them.  The  autumn  I 
imitate,  in  shedding  my  leaves  with  the  trees,  and  so  doth  the  peacock 
shed  his  tail.  Buy  who  list,  contemn  who  list,  I  leave  every  reader  his 
free  liberty.  If  the  best  sort  of  men  I  content,  I  am  satisfiedly  suc^ 
cessful.  Farewel  all  those  that  wish  me  well,  others  wish  I  more  wit 
to. 

THO,  NASH. 


%\- 


CHRIST'S    TEARS 


OVER 


JERUSALEM 


INCE  these  be  the  days  of  dolor  and  heaviness, 
wherein  (as  holy  David  saith)  *'  The  Lord  is 
known  by  executing  judgment^"'  and  the  axe 
of  his  anger  is  put  to  the  root  of  the  tree,  and 
his  fan  is  in  his  hand  to  purge  his  floor,  I  sup- 
pose it  shall  not  be  amiss  to  write  something  of 
mourning,  for  London  to  hearken  counsel  of  her 
great-grandmother  Jerusalem, 

Omnipotent  Saviour,  it  is  thy  tears  I  intend  to  write  of,  those 
affectionate  tears  which,  in  the  23d  and  24th  of  Matthew,  thou 
weepest  over  Jerusalem  and  her  temple.  Be  present  with  me,  I 
beseech  thee,  personating  the  passion  of  thy  love,  O  dew  thy 
spirit  plentifully  into  my  ink,  and  let  some  part  of  thy  divine 
dreariment  live  again  in  mine  eyes.  Teach  me  how  to  weep  as 
thou  weepest,  and  rent  my  heart  in  twain  with  the  extremity  of 
ruth.  I  hate  in  thy  name  to  speak  coldly  to  a  quick-witted  ge- 
neration. Rather  let  my  brains  melt  all  to  ink,  and  the  floods  of 
affliction  drive  out  mine  eyes  before  them,  than  I  should  be  dull 
and  leaden  in  describing  the  dolor  of  thy  love* 
;       iFar  be  from  me  any  ambitious  hope  of  the  vain  merit  of  art ; 

.     '  Psal.  ij^.  16.     Mat.  3» 

c 


10 

may  that  living  vehemence  I  use  in  lament,  only  proceed  from  a 
heaven-bred  hatred  of  uncleanness  and  corruption  !  Mine  own  wit 
I  clean  disinherit,  the  fiery  cloven-tongued  inspiration  be  my  muse. 
Lend  my  words  the  forcible  wings  of  the  lightnings,  that  they  may 
pierce  unawares  into  the  marrow  and  reins  of  my  readers.  New 
mint  my  mind  to  the  likeness  of  thy  lowliness ;  file  away  the  super- 
fluous affectation  of  my  profane  puft-up  phrase,  that  I  may  be  thy 
pure  simple  orator.  "  I  am  a  child ,^'  as  thy  holy  Jeremiah  said, 
"  and  know  not  how  to  speak  ^:"  yet,  omnia  possum  in  eo  qui  me 
comfortat ;  I  can  do  all  things  through  the  help  of  him  that 
strengtheneth  me.  The  tongues  of  infants  it  is  thou  that  makest 
eloquent,  and  teachest  the  heart  understanding.  Grant  me  (that 
am  a  babe  and  an  infant  in  the  mysteries  of  divinity),  the  gracious 
favour  to  suck  at  the  breasts  of  thy  sacred  revelation,  to  utter  some- 
thing that  may  move  secure  England  to  true  sorrow  and  contrition. 
All  the  powers  of  my  soul,  assembled  in  their  perfect  array,  shall 
stand  waiting  on  thy  incomprehensible  wisdom  for  arguments,  as 
poor  young  birds  stand  attending  on  their  dam's  bill  for  sustenance. 
Now  help,  now  direct;  for  now  I  transform  myself  from  myself,,  to 
be  thy  unworthy  speaker  to  the  world. 

i>r  It  is  not  unknown  by  how  many  and  sundry  ways  God  spake 
fcy  visions,  dreams,  prophecies,  and  wonders,  to  his  chosen  Jerusa- 
lem, only  to  move  his  chosen  Jerusalem  wholly  to  cleave  unto  him. 
Visions,  dreams,  prophecies,  and  wonders,  were  in  vain :  this  gor- 
geous strumpet  Jerusalem  too,  too  much  presuming  of  the  promises 
of  old,  went  a  whoring  after  her  own  inventions.  She  thought  the 
Lord  unseparately  tied  to  his  temple,  and  that  he  could  never  be 
divorced  from  the  ark  of  his  covenant ;  that  having  bound  himself 
with  an  oath  to  Abraham,  he  could  not  (though  he  would)  removej 
the  law  out  of  Judah,  or  his  judgment  seat  fram  Mount  Silo.  They 
erredmost  temptingly  and  contemptuously  ;  for  God  even  of  stones 

*  Jer.  1.     Phil.  4,    Wisd.  10, 


3t 

(as  Christ  told  them  afterward)  was  able  to  raise  up  children  to 
Abraham.  But  what  course  took  the  high  Father  of  Heaven  and 
Earth,  after  he  had  unfruitfullj  practised  all  these  means  of  visions, 
dreams,  wonders,  and  prophecies?  There  is  a  parable  in  the  21st 
of  Matthew,  of  a  certain  householder  that  planted  a  vineyard, 
hedged  it  round  about,  made  a  wine-press  therein,  and  built  a 
tower,  and  let  it  out  to  husbandmen,  and  Avent  into  a  strange 
country.  When  the  time  of  the  fruit  drew  near,  he  sent  his  ser* 
vants  to  the  husbandmen  to  receive  the  increase  thereof.  The 
husbandmen  made  no  more  ado,  but  (his  servants  coming)  beat 
one,  killed  another,  and  stoned  the  third.  Again  he  sent  other 
servants,  more  than  the  first,  and  they  did  the  like  unto  them. 
Last  of  all,  he  sent  his  own  son,  saying.  They  will  reverence  my 
son :  but  they  handled  him  far  worse  than  the  former. 

The  householder  that  planted  the  vineyard  and  hedged  it 
round  about,  was  Israel's  merciful  Jehovah,  who  in  Israel  planted 
his  church,  or  his  wine-press ;  made  it  a  people  of  no  people,  and  a 
nation  beyond  expectation.  Long  did  he  bless  them,  and  multiply 
their  seed  on  the  face  of  the  earth,  as  the  sand  of  the  sea,  or  the 
'  stars  of  heaven :  from  all  their  enemies  he  delivered  them,  and 
brought  their  name  to  be  a  by-word  of  terror  to  the  kingdoms 
round  about  them;  their  rivers  overflowed  with  milk  and  honey^ 
their  garners  Avere  filled  to  the  brim :  every  man  had  well-springs 
of  oil  and  wine  in  his  house,  and,  finally,  there  was  no  complaint 
heard  in  their  streets.  -  > 

The  time  of  fruit  drew  near,  wherein  much  was  to  be  required 
of  them  to  whom  much  was  given :  he  sent  his  servants,  the 
prophets,  to  demand  his  rent,  or  tribute  of  thanksgiving,  at  their 
hands.  Some  of  them  they  beat,  others  they  killed,  others  they 
stoned,  and  this  was  all  the  thanksgiving  they  returned.  And  then 
he  sent  other  prophets  or  servants  more  than  the  first,  and  they- 
did  the  like  unto  them:  yet  could  not  all  this  cause  him  proceed 


12 

rashly  unto  revenge.     "  The  Lord  is  a  God  of  long  patience  and 
suffering:''    nor  will  he  draw  out  his  sword  unadvisedly  in  his 
indignation.     Still  did  he  love  them,  because  once  he  had  loved 
them;   and  the  more  their  ingratitude  was,  the  more  his  grace 
abounded.     He  neglected  the  death  of  his  servants,  in  comparison 
of  salvation  of  them  he  accounted  his  sons.    He  excused  them  him-, 
self  unto  himself,  and  said :  **  Peradventure  they  took  not  these 
my  servants  I  sent  for  my  servants,  but  for  seducers  and  deceivers, 
and  thereupon  entreated  them  so  uncourteously :   I  will  send  my 
only  natural  Son  to  them,  whom  they  (being  my  adopted  sons) 
cannot  choose  but  reverence  and  listen  to.     This  his  natural  Son 
was  Christ  Jesus,  whom  he  sent  from  heaven  to  persuade  with  these 
husbandmen.     He  sent  him  not  with  a  strong  power  of  angels,  to 
punish  their  pride  and  ingratitude,  as  he  might.     He  sent  him  not 
royally  trained  and  accompanied  like  an  ambassador  of  his  great- 
ness, nor  gave  he  him.  any  commission  to  expostulate  proudly  of 
injuries,  but  to  deal  humbly  and  meekly  with  them,  and  not  to 
constrain  but  to  entreat  them.     He  sent  his  own  only  Son  alone, 
Jike  a  sheep  to  the  slaughter,  or  as  a  lamb  should  be  made  a  legate 
to  the  wolves.     When  he  came  on  earth,  what  was  his  behaviour? 
Did  he  first  shew  himself  to  the  chief  of  the  husbandmen,   the 
jScribes  and  Pharisees?  Did  he  take  up  any  stately  lodging  accords 
ing  to  his  degree  ?    Was  he  sumptuous  in  his  attire,  prodigal  in  his 
fare,  or  haughty  in  his  looks,  a^  ambassadors  wont  to  be?     None 
of  these :  instead  of  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees,  he  first  disclosed 
himself  to  poor  fishermen ;  for  his  stately  lodging  he  took  up  a 
crib  or  a  manger,  and  afterwards  the  house  of  a  carpenter ;  hi» 
attire  wa^  as  mean  as  might  be,  his  fare  ordinary,  his  looks  lowly^ 
He  kept  company  with  publicans  and  sinners,  the  very  outcast  of 
the  people;  yet  in  their  company  was  he  not  idle,  but  made  all  he 
spake  or  did  preparatives  to  his  embassy. 
ij'XiM:  f ny  nobleman  (though  never  so  highly  descended)  should 


13 

qome  alone  to  a  king  or  queen  in  embassage,  without  pomp,  with4 
out  followers^  or  the  apparel  of  his  state,  who  would  receive  hinij 
who  would  credit  him,  who  would  not  scorn  him  ?  It  was  neces-r 
$ary  that  Christ  (coming  thus  alone  from  the  High  Commander  of 
all  Sovereignties,  the  controller  of  all  Principalities  and  Powers) 
should  have  some  apparent  testimony  of  his  excellency.  Accord-* 
ing  to  the  vanity  of  man,  he  thought  it  not  meet  to  place  his  mag- 
nificence in  earthly  boast,  as  in  the  pride  of  shame,  which  is  apparel^ 
or  in  the  multitude  of  men  after  him ;  for  so  naet  wicked  Esau 
his  brother  Jacob :  but  in  working  miracles  above  the  imagination 
of  man,  and  in  preaching  the  gospel  with  power  and  authority^ 
whereby,  after  he  had  thoroughly  confirmed  himself  to  be  the 
owner  of  the  vineyard's  true  Son,  and  that  these  ill  husbandmen^ 
the  Jews,  should  have  no  credible  or  truth-like  exception  left  then:> 
(that  they  took  him  for  a  counterfeit  or  colourable  practiser),  he 
wxnt  into  their  chief  assemblieSj  and  there  (to  the  high-priests  and 
heads  of  their  synagogues)  freely  delivered  his  message,  declared 
from  whence  he  came,  gently  expostulated  their  ill  dealing,  desired 
them  to  have  care  of  themselves;  told  them  the  danger  of  their 
obstinacy,  and  moved  them,  with  many  fair  promises,  to  repent 
and  be  converted.  All  this  prevailed  not:  they  set  him  at  nought^ 
as  they  rejected  his  Father's  other  servants,  the  prophets ;  where-? 
fore  his  last  refuge  was,  to  deal  plainly  with  them,  and  explain  to 
the  full  what  plagues  and  wars  were  entering  in  at  their  gates,  fov 
their  disloyalty  and  doggedness.  In  the  11th  of  Matthew  he  pro^ 
nounceth  grievous  woes  to  Corazin  and  Bethsaida ;  in  divers  other 
places  he  intermixeth  curses  with  blessings,  tempers  oil  with  vine- 
gar, tears  with  threats;  denounceth  sighing,  and  in  his  sighs  well 
jiear  swooneth,  even  as  a  father  constrained  to  give  sentence  on  liis 
own  son*  In  the  13th  of  Luke  he  telleth  how  often  he  had  been 
an  intercessor  for  the  reprieve  of  their  punishment.  The  husband^ 
jnau,  which  is  my  father  (saith  he)  hatji  c.ome  maixy  years,  together 


14 

to  a  fig-tree  in  his  vineyard,  to  demand  fruit  of  it,  and  found  none. 
What  hath  hindered  him  from  cutting  it  down  but  I,  who  have  took 
upon  me  to  be  the  dresser  of  the  vineyard,  and  desired  him  to 
spare  it  this  year,  and  I  would  prune  it,  dung  it,  and  dig  round 
about  it ;  and  then  if  it  brought  not  forth  fruit,  let  him  deal  with  it 
as  he  pleased.  Almost  this  thirty  years  have  I  pruned  it,  dunged 
it,  digged  round  about  it;  that  is,  reproved,  preached,  exhorted, 
with  all  the  wooing  words  I  could,  endeavouring  to  mollify,  melt, 
and  pierce  your  hearts,  yet  all  will  not  serve ;  my  prayers  and  my 
pains,  instead  of  bringing  forth  repentance  in  you,  bring  forth 
repentance  in  myself. 

As  I  said  before,  no  remedy,  or  sign  of  any  breath  of  hope, 
was  left  in  their  commonwealth's  sin-surfeited  body,  but  the  malady 
of  their  incredulity  over  mastered  heavenly  physic.  To  desperate 
diseases  must  desperate  medicines  be  applied.  When  neither  the 
white  flag  or  the  red,  which  Tamerlane  advanced  at  the  siege  of 
any  city,  would  be  accepted  of,  the  black  flag  was  set  up,  which 
signified  there  was  no  mercy  to  be  looked  for ;  and  that  the  misery 
inarching  towards  them  was  so  great,  that  their  enemy  himself, 
which  was  to  execute  it,  mourned  for  it.  Christ  having  offered 
the  Jews  the  white  flag  of  forgiveness  and  remission,  and  the  red 
flag  of  shedding  his  blood  for  them,  when  these  two  might  not 
take  effect,  nor  work  any  yielding  remorse  in  them,  the  black  flag 
of  confusion  and  desolation  was  to  succeed  for  the  object  of  their 
obduration. 

*^  This  black  flag  is  waved  or  displayed  in  the  23d  of  Matthew, 
where,  directing  his  speech  to  his  disciples  and  the  niultitude, 
against  the  Scribes  and  Pharisees  that  were  the  princes  of  the 
people,  he  first  urgeth  the  infamous  disagreement  of  their  lives  and 
their  doctrines,  which,  that  it  should  breed  no  scandalous  back- 
eliding  in  the  hearts  of  his  hearers,  he  inserteth  this  caution  :  Do  as 
they  say,  not  as  they  do.     And  to  like  effect  saith  St.  Augustine : 


13: 

Sermo  Dei  proferat  eum  peccator,  proferut  eurrf  Justus,  sermo  Dei  ^st^ 
mculpahilis  est\  The  word  of  God,  be  it  preached  by  hypocrite  or> 
saint,  is  the  word  of  God,  and  not  to  be  despised  or  disannulled..; 
Next  this,  he  pronounceth  eight  terrible  woes  against  them,  for. 
their  eight-fold  hypocrisy  and  blindness.  Besides  other  fearful 
comminations,  wherein  he  threatens,  that  all  the  righteous  blood 
which  was  shed  from  the  time  of  Abel  the  righteous,  unto  the  blood 
of  Zacharias,  the  son  of  Barrachias,  that  was  slain  betwixt  the 
temple  and  the  altar,  should  come  upon  them,  should  call  and  ex-» 
claim  on  their  souls  for  vengeance,  stain  the  sky  with .  doddered 
exhalations,  interrupt  the  sun  in  his  course,  and  make  it  stick  fast 
in  the  congealed  mud  of  gory  clouds;  yea,  dim  and  overcast  God 
sitting  in  his  throne,  till  he  had  took  some  astonishing  satisfaction 
for  it.  .i;i.i*  ; 

Then  on  the  sudden  starting  back,  as  over-examining  the  Avords 
he  had  said,  and  condemning  himself  (in  his  thought)  for  being  so 
bitter,  he  presently  weepeth,  and  excuseth  it  in  these  terms,  that 
it  was  not  his  fault,  but  theirs.  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  !  which; 
killest  the  prophets,  and  stonest  them  that  are  sent  unto  thee;" 
that  is,  which  are  guilty  of  all  the  accusations  my  Father  till  this 
time  would  not  in  pity  lay  against  thee ;  yea,  feared  to  be  cruel 
in  once  suspecting  of  thee,  though  now  they  are  proved,  "  How 
often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  as  the  hen; 
gathereth  her  chickens  together  under  her  wings,  and  ye  would 
not?*'  How  often  would  I  have  revoked,  reduced,  and  brought? 
you  into  the  right  way,  but  you  would  not?  therefore  your  habita- 
tion shall  be  left  desolate.  So  that  in  these  words  most  evidently, 
you  see  he  cleareth  himself,  and  leaveth  them  unexcusable.  .i 

The  more  to  penetrate  and  inforce,  let  us  suppose  Christ  in  a 
continued  oration  thus  pleading  with  them. 

.       .  ■  August,  toin.  10.  hona.  5.  ; 


t*  Jeriisalem>  the  daughter  of  my  people,  I  am  sore  vexed  and 
compassionate  for  thee;  Jerusalem,  the  midst  of  the  earth,  the 
mother  of  us  all,  in  the  midst  of  whom  I  have  brought  my  salva- 
tion ;  Jerusalem,  that  for  all  the  good  seed  I  have  sown  in  thee, 
affordest  nothing  but  stones  to  throw  at  my  prophets,  thou  that 
slayest  whom  1  send  to  save  thee,  and  imprisonest  any  man  that 
wisheth  thy  peace ;  thy  sins  are  so  great,  that  when  I  look  on  thee 
mine  eyes  can  scarce  persuade  me  that  thou  standest,  but  that 
thou  art  sunk  down  like  Sodom,  and  entombed  in  ashes  like 
Gomorrah.  O  let  me  pity  thee,  for  I  love  thee  impatiently.  A 
thousand  shapes  of  thy  confusion  muster  before  mine  eyes ;  and  tlie 
pains  on  the  cross  I  am  to  sustain  cannot  be  so  great  pains  unto 
me,  as  to  think  on  the  ruin  and  massacre  that  is  already  travelling 
towards  thee.  Famine,  the  sword,  and  the  pestilence,  have  all 
three  sworn  and  conspired  against  thee.  Thou  (one  poor  city)  by 
these  three  unrelenting  enemies  shalt  be  overcome.  Ehu,  quantum 
equis,  quantus  viris  odest  sudor F  Alas,  what  huge  sweat  and  toil  is 
at  hand  for  horse  and  man ! 

Here  do  I  weep  in  vain,  for  no  man  regardeth  me,  no  man. 
waileth  with  me.  Here  do  I  prophesy,  that  my  weeping  in  vain 
shall  be  the  cause  of  a  hundred  thousand  fathers  and  mothers 
weeping  in  vain.  O  that  I  did  weep  in  vain,  that  your  defilements 
and  pollutions  gave  me  no  true  cause  of  deplorement.  Often 
wished  I  that  I  might  have  said  to  mine  eyes  and  ears  they  lied, 
when  they  have  told  me  what  they  have  seen  and  heard  of  thy 
treasons.  I  wished  that  I  might  be  as  wretched  as  the  damned,  so 
ijiy  senses  therein  were  deceived ;  I  am  not  deceived,  'tis  thou  that 
deceivest  thy  Saviour,  and  deceivest  thyself  to  cleave  unto  Satan. 

Satan,  refrain  thine  odious  embraces,  the  bosom  of  Jerusalem 
i$  mine;  touch  not  the  body  contracted  to  me,  Improbe  folk 
manus,  quam  tangis  nostra  futura  est.  She  will  touch  him,  he 
stretcheth  not  out  his  hand  to  her,  but  she  breaketh  violently  from 


17 

me  to  ran  ravishedly  into  his  rugged  arms.  Alas!  the  one- half  of 
mj  soul,  why  wilt  thou  backslide  thus  ?  I  love,  and  can  have  no 
love  again :  I  love  thee  for  thy  good,  thou  lovest  him  that  Hatters 
thee  for  thy  hurt.  What  less  thing  than  to  believe  and  be  saved  ? 
How  canst  thou  believe  and  wilt  not  hear?  Thy  prayers  are 
frivolous  unto  God,  if  thou  deniest  to  hear  God  :  he  must  first  hear 
God,  that  will  be  heard  of  God.  I  have  heard  quietly  all  thy  up- 
braidings,  reproofs,  and  derisions ;  as  when  thou  saidst  I  was  a 
drunkard,  and  possessed  with  a  devil;  that  I  cast  out  devils  by  the 
power  of  Beelzebub,  the  prince  of  the  devils ;  that  I  blasphemed, 
was  mad,  and  knew  not  what  1  spake ;  nor  was  I  any  more  offended 
with  these  contumelies,  than  when  thou  calledst  me  the  son  of  a 
carpenter.  If  I  give  ear  to  all  your  bitterness,  will  not  you  vouch- 
safe me  a  little  audience  when  I  bless  you.'' 

O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem!  that  stonest  and  astoniest  thy  pro- 
phets with  thy  perverseness,  that  lendest  stony  ears  to  thy  teachers, 
and  with  thine  iron  breast  drawest  unto  thee  nothing  but  the  ada- 
mant of  God's  anger,  what  shall  I  do  to  mollify  thee  ?  The  rain 
mollifieth  hard  stones ;  O  that  the  stormy  tempest  of  my  tears 
might  soften  thy  stony  heart !  Were  it  not  harder  than  stone,  sure 
ere  this  I  had  broken  and  bruised  it  with  the  often  beating  of  my 
exhortations  upon  it.  ■ 

Moses  struck  the  rock  and  water  gushed  out  of  it ;  I  (that  am 
greater  than  Moses)  have  stricken  you  with  threats,  and  you  have 
not  mourned.  O,  ye  heavens,  be  amazed  at  this,  be  afraid  and 
utterly  confounded!  my  people  have  drunk  out  of  a  rock, in  the 
wilderness,  and  ever  since  had  rocky  hearts.  Yet  will  the  rocks 
tremble  when  my  thunder  falls  upon  them.  The  mason  with  the 
axe  hews  and  carves  them  at  his  pleasure.  All  the  thunder  of 
judgments  which  I  spend  on  this  stony  Jerusalem  cannot  make  her 
to  tremble  or  refrain  from  stoning  my  prophets.  Should  I  rain 
stones  upon  her,  with  them  she  would  arm  herself  against  my  holy 

D 


18 

ones.  Little  doth  she  consider  that  all  my  prophets  are  ambassa- 
dors, and  the  wronging  of  an  ambassador  amongst  mortal  men  is 
the  breaking  of  the  law  of  nations ;  which  breach  or  wrong,  no 
king  or  monarch  but  (at  his  coronation)  is  sworn  to  revenge.  If 
earthly  kings  revenge  any  little  wrong  done  to  their  ambassadors, 
how  much  more  shall  the  King  of  all  Kings  revenge  the  death  and 
slaughterdom  of  his  ambassadors  ?  The  angels  in  heaven,  as  they 
are  the  Lord^s  ambassadors,  (in  regard  of  their  ov/n  safety)  would 
prosecute  it,  though  he  should  overslip  it.  The  devil,  that  useth 
daily  to  solicit  the  murderer's  own  conscience  for  vengeance 
against  himself,  will  he  spare  to  put  the  Lord  in  mind  of  his  an- 
cient decree :  "  A  murderer  shall  not  live.''  God  said  unto  Cain, 
"  The  voice  of  thy  brother  Abel's  blood  crieth  to  me  out  of  the 
earth ;"  that  is,  not  only  Abel's  own  blood,  but  the  blood  of  all  the 
sons  that  were  to  issue  from  his  loins,  cry  unto  me  out  of  the  earth. 
It  is  said  in  the  6th  of  Genesis,  "  whosoever  shall  shed  human  blood, 
his  blood  shall  be  shed  likewise :  eye  for  eye,  and  tooth  for  tooth." 
Much  more  hfe  for  life  shall  be  repaid;  and  this  equity  or  amends 
the  veriest  beggar  or  con temptiblest  creature  on  the  earth  (cut  off 
before  his  time)  shall  be  sure  to  have.  If  I  do  them  right,  that  in 
their  own  enmities  lavish  their  lives,  shall  I  let  their  blood  be  trodden 
to  dirt  under  foot,  and  be  blown  back  by  the  winds  into  the  crannies 
of  the  earth,  (when  it  offers  to  sprinkle  up  to  heaven)  Avho  in  my 
service  spend  their  lives.  At  my  head  Jerusalem  threw  stones, 
when  she  stoned  my  heralds.  Who  stabbeth  or  defaceth  the  picture 
of  a  king,  but  would  do  the  like  to  the  king  himself,  if  he  might 
do  it  as  conveniently.  Every  prophet  or  messenger  from  the  Lord 
representeth  the  person  of  the  Lord,  as  a  herald  representeth  his 
king's  person,  and  is  the  right  picture  of  his  royalty. 

O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem !  what  thou  hast  done  to  the  least  of 
my  prophets,  thou  hast'  done  unto  me  likewise :  my  prophets 
thou  hast  stoned,  me  likewise  thou  hast  stoned,  and  withstood. 


19 

The  very  stones  in  the  street  shall  rise  up  in  judgment  against 
thee. 

By  the  old  law,  he  that  had  blasphemed,  reviled  his  parents, 
or  committed  adultery,  was  stoned  to  death  by  the  prophets  and 
elders;  thou  hast  blasphemed,  reviled  thy  (spiritual)  parents,  com- 
mitted adultery  with  thine  own  abominations,  and  lo,  contrariwise, 
thine  elders  and  prophets  thou  stonest  to  death !  Can  I  see  this 
and  not  rise  up  in  wrath  against  thee  ?  For  this  shalt  thou  grind 
the  stones  in  the  mill  Avith  Samson,  and  whet  thy  teeth  upon  the 
stones  for  hunger ;  and  if  thou  askest  any  man  bread,  he  shall  give 
thee  stones  to  eat.  The  dogs  shall  lick  thy  blood  on  the  stones 
like  Jezabel's ;  and  not  a  stone  be  found  to  cover  thee  when  thou 
art  dead.  One  stone  of  thy  temple  shall  not  be  left  upon  another 
that  shall  not  be  thrown  down.  The  stone  which  thy  foolish 
builders  refused,  shall  be  made  the  head-stone  of  the  corner.  Your 
hearts  (which  are  temples  of  stone)  I  will  forswear  for  ever  to  dv/ell 
in.  There  shall  be  no  David  any  more  amongst  you,  that  with  a 
stone,  sent  out  of  a  sling,  shall  strike  the  chief  champion  of  the 
Philistines  in  the  forehead.  And,  finally,  you  shall  worship  stocks 
and  stones,  for  I  will  be  no  longer  your  God.  O,  Jerusalem, 
Jerusalem !  all  this  shall  betide  thee,  because  "  thou  stonest  the 
prophets,  and  killest  them  that  are  sent  unto  thee."' 

"  The  fathers  have  eaten  sour  grapes,  and  the  children's  teeth 
are  set  on  edge :""  your  fathers  took  hard  courses  against  the  pro- 
phets, "  killed  those  I  sent  unto  them ;""  and  if  you  had  no  other 
crime,  but  that  you  are  the  sons  of  them  that  killed  the  prophets, 
it  were  too  too  sufficient  for  your  subversion :  but  you  yourselves 
"  have  stoned  the  prophets,  and  killed  those  I  sent  unto  you;''  not 
only  you  yourselves,  but  your  sons  (for  this),  shall  be  put  to  the 
edge  of  the  sword. 

"  The  blood-thirsty  and  deceitful  man  shall  not  live  out  half 
his  days.   Who  strikes  with  the  sword,  shall  perish  with  the  sword. 


m 

He  that  but  hateth  his  brother  is  a  homicide/'  What  is  he,  then, 
that  slayeth  his  brother  ?,  Nay  more,  what  is  he  that  slayeth  God's 
brother?  Not  one  that  beheveth  in  me,  and  doth  my  will,  but  is 
my  brother  and  sister.  In  slaying  them  that  are  sent  to  declare 
the  will  of  God,  you  resist  the  Avill  of  God,  and  are  guilty  of  all 
their  damnations  which  are  yet  unconverted,  whom  living  their 
preaching  might  have  reduced.  I'he  violating  of  any  of  the  com- 
mandments is  death ;  "  Thou  shalt  not  kill,''  is  one  of  the  principal 
commandments :  your  fault  at  the  first  sight  deserveth  hell-fire. 
What  do  you  but  proclaim  open  war  against  heaven,  when  you 
destroy  or  overthrow  any  of  the  temples  of  the  Holy  Ghost.'^ 
(which  are  men's  bodies.)  They  are  the  tabernacles  which  the 
Lord  hath  chosen  (by  his  Spirit)  to  dwell  in.  But  the  bodies  of 
my  saints  and  prophets  (which  you  slay  and  stone)  are  no  trivial 
ordinary  tabernacles,  such  as  Peter,  my  disciple,  would  have  had 
me  to  make  in  the  wilderness,  for  Moses,  Elias,  and  myself;  but 
tabernacles  like  the  tabernacle  at  Jerusalem,  where  I  have  ordained 
my  name  to  be  worshipped.  Their  words,  as  my  words,  I  will 
have  worshipped  :  their  heads  are  the  mounts  from  whence  I  speak 
to  you  in  a  holy  flame,  as  to  your  forefathers  wandering  in  the 
desert. 

I  have  told  you  heretofore  they  are  "  the  salt  of  the  earth," 
with  whose  prayers  and  supplications,  if  this  mass  of  sin  were  not 
seasoned,  it  would  savour  so  detestably  in  God's  nostrils  he  were 
never  able  to  endure  it.  "  They  are  the  eyes  and  the  light  of  the 
world :"  if  the  eye  lose  his  light,  all  the  whole  body  is  blind,  and 
hence  it  came  that  they  were  surnamed  Seers,  for  they  only  fore- 
saw, prayed,  and  provided  for  the  people.  I  tell  you  plainly,  if  it 
were  possible  for  you  to  pluck  the  sun  out  of  heaven,  and  you 
should  do  it,  and  so  consequently  leave  all  the  world  in  darkness, 
you  should  not  be  liable  to  so  much  blame  as  you  now  are,  "in 
.killing  them  I  send  unto  you."     They  are  your  Seers,  your  Pra- 


21 

phets,  (your  chief  eyes),  which  you  have  slaiii,  destroyed,  and  put 
out. 

Was  Cain  a  vagabond  on  the  face  of  the  earth  for  kilHng  but 
one  Abel?  Ten  thousand  just  Abels  have  you  slain,  that  were  more 
near,  and  ought  to  have  been  more  dear  to  you  than  brothers,  and 
shall  1  not  destitute  your  habitations  for  it,  and  scatter  you  as 
vagabonds  throughout  the  empires  of  the  world?  As  you  have 
made  no  conscience  to  "  stone  my  prophets,  and  slay  them  I  sent 
unto  you,^'  so  shall  the  strange  lords  that  lead  you  captive,  and 
they  amongst  whom  many  hundred  years  you  shall  sojourn,  make 
no  conscience  to  cut  your  throats  for  your  treasure,  and  give  a 
hundred  of  you  together  to  their  fencers  and  executioners  to  try 
their  weapons  on  for  a  wager,  and  win  mysteries  with  deep  wound- 
ing you.  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem!  deep  woes  and  calamities  hast 
thou  incurred,  "  in  stoning  my  prophets,  and  slaying  them  I  sent 
unto  thee.''  How  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  toge- 
ther when  they  went  astray?  How  often  would  I  have  brought 
them  home  into  the  true  sheepfold  when  I  met  them  straying  ?  I 
came  into  the  world  to  no  other  end  but  to  gather  together  the  lost 
sheep  of  Israel.  You  are  the  flock  and  sheep  of  my  pasture ;  when 
I  would  have  gathered  you  together,  you  would  not  hear  my  voice, 
but  hardened  your  hearts.  You  gather  yourselves  in  counsel  against 
me,  every  time  I  seek  to  call  you  or  to  gather  you.  Deny,  if  you 
€an,  that  I  sent  not  my  prophets  (in  all  ages)  to  gather  you;  that 
with  my  rod  and  my  staff  of  correction,  I  have  not  sought  (fronx 
time  to  time)  to  gather  you  ?  that  by  benefits  and  manifold  good 
turns,  I  have  not  tried  (all  I  might)  to  tie  you,  or  gather  you  unto 
me.  Lastly,  that  in  mine  own  person  I  have  not  practised  a  thou- 
sand ways  to  gather  you  to  repentance  and  amendment  of  life  ?  If 
you  should  deny  it,  and  I  not  contradict  it,  the  devil,  my  utterest 
enemy,  would  confirm  it. 

Let  me  speak  truly  and  not  vauntingly  (although  it  be  lawful 


to  boast  in  goodness),  such  hath  always  been  my  care  to  gather 
you,  that  I  thought  it  not  enough  to  gather  myself,  but  I  have 
prayed  to  my  Father  to  join  more  labours  and  gatherers  with  me, 
to  reap  and  gather  in  his  harvest.  How  often  have  I  gathered  the 
multitude  together,  and  spoke  unto  them?  When  the  people 
were  flocked  or  gathered  unto  me  out  of  all  cities,  and  had  nothing 
to  eat,  I  fed  them  miraculously  with  five  barley  loaves  and  two 
fishes.  I  would  not  have  shewed  the  wonders  of  my  God-head, 
but  to  gather  you  together.  The  first  gathering  that  I  made 
was  of  poor  sea-faring  men,  whom  I  have  preferred  to  be  mine 
apostles. 

Would  you  have  been  gathered  together  when  I  would  have 
had  you,  you  had  gathered  to  yourselves  the  kingdom  of  heaven, 
and  all  the  riches  thereof.  Now,  what  have  you  gathered  to  your- 
selves, but  ten  thousand  testimonies  in  the  Son  of  God^s  testimony, 
that  he  desired  and  besought  you  to  suffer  yourselves  to  be  gathered 
by  him,  and  you  would  not  ?  Soldiers  that  fight  scatteringly,  and 
do  not  gather  themselves  in  rank  or  battle  array,  shall  never  win 
the  day.  If  you  knew  how  strong  and  full  of  stratagems  the  devil 
were,  with  how  many  legions  of  lustful  desires  he  cometh  embattled 
against  you,  what  secret  ambushes  of  temptations  he  hath  laid  to 
intrap  you,  then  would  you  gather  yourselves  into  one  body  to 
resist  him ;  then  would  you  gather  yourselves  together  in  prayer  to 
withstand  him ;  then  would  you  gather  for  the  poor,  which  is,  to 
gather  for  soldiers  to  fight  against  him.  Eleemosyna  a  morte  liberat, 
et  non  patitur  hominem  ire  in  tenebras\  Alms  deeds  deliver  a  man 
from  death,  and  keepeth  his  soul  from  seeing  confusion.  As  water 
quencheth  fire  (saith  the  wise  man),  so  almsgiving  resisteth  sin. 
And  if  it  resisteth  sin,  it  resisteth  the  devil,  which  is  the  father  of 
sin. 

All  my  Father's  angels  stand  gathered   together  about  his 

^  Tob.  4.  10. 


23 

throne ;  no  bread  is  made  but  of  grains  of  corn  gathered  together ;, 
no  building  is  raised  but  of  a  number  of  stones  glued  and  gathered 
together.  There  is  no  perfect  society  or  city  but  of  a  number  of 
men  gathered  together.  Geese  (which  are  the  simplest  of  all  fowls) 
gather  themselves  together,  go  together,  fly  together.  Bees  in  one, 
hive  hold  their  consistory  together.  The  stars  in  heaven  do  shine 
together.  What  is  a  man,  if  the  parts  of  his  body  be  disparted, 
and  not  incorporated  and  essentiate  together.'^  What  is  the  sea 
but  an  assembly  or  gathering  together  of  waters ;  and  so  the  earth, 
a  congestion  or  heaping  up  of  gross  matter  together  ?  A  wood  or 
forest,  but  an  host  of  trees  encamped  together?  A  general  counsel 
or  parliament,  but  a  congregation  or  gathering  together  of  special 
wise  men,  to  consult  about  rehgion  or  laws?  "  O  what  a  good 
thing  is  it,""  saith  David,  "  for  brethren  to  live  or  be  gathered 
together  in  unity.'" 

If  there  were  no  other  thing  to  ratify  the  excellence  of  it,  but 
the  evil  of  his  diameter  opposite,  which  is  division  or  detraction,  it 
were  infinitely  ample  to  establish  the  title  of  his  dignity.  Nor 
David,  nor  ail  the  evils  of  division,  nor  all  the  instances  of  angels, 
bread,  buildings,  societies,  geese,  bees,  stars,  men,  seas,  councils, 
parliaments,  may  conform  these  ungracious  degenerates.  They 
will  not  only  not  gather  themselves  into  order  (which  I  their  captain 
might  exact  at  their  hands)  but  scorn  to  be  directed,  mustered, 
and  gathered  by  me,  when,  with  the  mildest  discipline,  I  offer  to. 
marshal  them.  Sorry  I  am,  Jerusalem,  that  my  kindness  and  con- 
versing with  thee,  hath  left  thee  without  any  cloak  or  cloud  of 
defence. 

It  shall  not  be  laid  to  thy  charge,  that  thou  wert  ignorant  and 
foolish,  and  knowest  not  how  to  gather  thyself  into  my  family  or 
household,  the  church;  but  that  when  thou  mightest  have  beea 
gathered  or  called,  thou  refusedst  and  contemned ;  neither  shall  it 
be  imputed  that  thou  wentest  astray,  but,  that  going  astray,  thoiv 


M 

reviledst  and  struckest  at  him  that  would  have  gathered  or  brouglit 
thee  into  thy  right  way.  Ah,  woe  is  me,  that  ever  I  opened  my 
mouth  to  call  thee,  or  gather  thee,  for  now  (by  opening  my  mouth, 
and  thou  stopping  thine  ears  when  I  opened  it),  I  have  opened  and 
enwidened  hell  mouth,  to  swallow  thee  and  devour  thee.  I  took 
flesh  upon  me,  to  the  end  that  Hell  (not  Jerusalem)  might  perish 
under  my  hand.  The  vanquishment  of  that  ugly  nest  of  harpies 
hath  been  reserved  as  a  work  for  me,  before  all  beginnings;  now 
know  I  not  which  I  may  first  confound.  Hell  or  Jerusalem,  since 
both  know  me,  and  have  armed  their  foreheads  against  me. 

Blessed  is  thy  land,  O  Jerusalem,  for  I  was  born  in  it.  Cursed 
is  thy  land,  O  Jerusalem,  for  I  was  born  in  it.  Born  I  am  to  do 
all  countries  good  but  thee.  Thee  I  came  principally  to  do  good 
to,  but  thou  resistest  the  good  I  would  do  thee ;  thou  interdictst 
and  prohibitst  me  with  reproaches  and  threats,  from  gathering  thee, 
and  doing  thee  good.  Of  my  birth  thou  reapest  no  benefit  but 
this,  that  I  shall  come  at  the  last  day  to  bear  witness  against  thee. 
Blind  and  inconsiderate,  what  wilt  thou  do  to  thine  enemy,  that 
thus  entreatest  thy  friend  ?  that  thus  rejectest  thy  Redeemer  ?  O 
were  thy  sin  (though  not  to  be  defended),  yet  any  way  excusable, 
it  were  somewhat.  Why  did  I  ever  behold  thee  to  make  thee 
miserable,  and  mine  eyes  thus  miserable  in  beholding  ? 

I  might  have  beheld  the  innocent  saints  and  angels  that  would 
never  have  angered  me,  but  rejoiced  me :  the  Cherubins  and  Sera- 
phins  would  incessantly  have  prayed  me ;  I  would  not  have  prayed 
them  to  execute  my  will  (for  they  would  have  done  it  with  a  beck), 
much  less  have  solicited  them  as  I  do  thee,  to  consent  to  save  thy- 
self. I  should  have  but  said  the  word  to  the  senseless  planets,  and 
it  had  been  done :  to  thy  children  (more  senseless  than  planets) 
can  I  not  say  that  word,  which  not  only  they  Avill  refuse  to  do,  but 
deride.  For  this  shall  thine  enemies  gather  themselves  about  thy 
city,  and  smite  thee :   the  angels  shall  gather  thee  to  the  lake  of 


25 

fire  and  brimstone ;  thou  shalt  then  gather  thy  brows  together  il% 
howhng  and  lamentation.  And  (as  Jeremy  said),  "  the  carcases  of 
thy  dwellers  shall  lie  as  the  dung  in  the  field,  or  the  handful  aftei^ 
the  mower,  and  none  shall  there  be  to  gather  them  up'/'  All  this 
hadst  thou  prevented,  if  thou  wouldst  have  permitted  me  to  gather 
thee.  1  saw  into  thy  frailty  and  infirmity,  that  thou  wert  not  able 
to  gather  thyself;  I  took  compassion  on  thee,  because  thou  wert 
like  sheep  which  had  no  shepherd.  I  forsook  all  my  immortal 
pleasures,  and  mind-ravishing  melody,  to  descend  and  make  thee 
mine,  to  come  and  gather  thee  to  the  glory  prepared  for  thee.  The 
greatest  work  was  this  purpose  of  thy  gathering,  that  ever  was 
undertaken  in  heaven  or  earth.  Thus  did  I  argument  with  myself, 
to  salve  thy  imperfections  of  the  not  gathering  thyself.  The  horse 
tameth  not  himself;  the  camel  tameth  not  himself;  the  ox  tameth 
not  himself;  the  bear,  the  lion,  the  elephant,  tame  not  themselves. 
Then  why  should  I  require  that  man  should  tame,  recall,  bridle, 
bring  under,  or  gather  himself?  But  as  the  horse,  the  ox,  the 
camel,  the  bear,  the  lion,  the  elephant,  require  man  to  tame  them, 
so  it  is  requisite  that  God  should  tame  man ;  that  God  alone  should 
gather  him  unto  Him.  Content  I  was  to  take  upon  me  that 
unthankful  office  of  taming  or  gathering,  but  thou  wert  not  content 
to  be  so  tamed  or  gathered.  > 

It  did  not  irk  me  so  much  that  thou  wert  untamed,  or  un- 
gathered,  as  that  (knowing  thyself  in  that  case)  thou  wert  unwilling 
to  be  tamed  and  gathered.  Thou  couldst  not  despair  of  mine 
ability  to  tame  thee  and  gather  thee  ;  for  if  man  tameth  the  beasts 
he  never  made,  shall  not  I  gather  thee,  alter  thee,  and  tame  thee, 
that  made  thee  ?  "  Easy  is  my  yoke,  and  my  burthen  is  light.''  I 
would  not  have  tamed  thee,  or  tempted  thee  above  thy  strength ; 
only  I  would  have  curbed  or  reined  thee  a  little  to  the  right  hand, 
kept  thee  from  swallowing  in  sin  with  greediness.    Suppose  (as  the 

•       *  Jerem.  7, 
£ 


26 

tamer  of  all  wild  beasts)  I  had  sometimes  used  my  whip  or  my 
goad,  had  it  been  so  much?  Your  horses,  which  you  tame,  and 
spur,  and  cut  their  mouths  with  reining,  and  finally  kill  with 
making  carry  heavy  burdens  many  years  together,  you  will  not 
give  so  much  reward  to  (when  they  are  dead)  as  burial,  but  cast 
them  to  the  fowls  of  the  air,  to  be  deformedly  torn  in  pieces.  I 
(having  tamed  thee,  and  gathered  thee  home  unto  me,  enfeof  thee 
with  indefinite  blessedness  ;  being  dead  a  space)  restore  to  thee,  not 
only  thy  flesh,  in  more  purity,  but  the  just  number  of  thy  hairs ; 
instal  thee  in  eternity  with  mine  angels,  where  thou  shalt  never 
more  need  to  be  gathered  or  tamed,  where  there  shall  be  no  ad- 
versity or  tribulation  that  shall  exercise  or  try  thee,  but  eternal 
felicity  to  feed  thee ;  and  that  Avithout  any  care,  forecast,  or  plot- 
ting, on  thy  part,  such  as  in  the  maintenance  or  earthly  weal  is 
wont.  I  shall  be  to  thee  all  in  all,  thy  riches,  thy  strength,  thine 
honour,  thy  patron,  thy  provider:  yet  all  this  hope  cannot  move 
thee  to  consent  to  be  tamed  or  gathered  unto  me.  -4 

i*i  My  voice,  which  crieth  "  Return,  return ;  whither  wanderest: 
thou,  long  strayer,^'  is  troublesome  and  hateful  unto  thee ;  thou  canst 
by  no  means  digest  it.  It  is  thy  adversary  in  the  way,  which,  since 
I  have  warned  thee  to  agree  with,  and  thou  hast  refused,  it  shall 
draw  and  hale  thee  unto  judgment,  the  judge  deliver  thee  to  deaths 
his  Serjeant,  the  Serjeant  to  the  devil  (convicted  soul's  jailor);  thence 
shalt  thou  not  escape  till  thou  hast  paid  the  utmost  farthing.  O 
Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  why  shouldst  thou  gather  and  entangle  thy^ 
self  in  so  many  inevitable  snares,  when,  by  gathering  thyself  under 
my  wing,  thou  mayest  avoid  them  ?  What  have  I  required  of  thee, 
but  to  gather  thyself  and  agree  with  my  voice,  thy  adversary? 
Nothing  but  that  thou  wouldst  have  a  care  of  thy  health  and  well- 
doing. A  thing  which  thou  (in  reason),  not  I,  ought  to  exact  and 
require  of  thyself;  yet  J  (as  I  were  thy  guardian  or  overseer,  and 
thy  father  Abraham  dying  had  bequeathed  thee  wholly  to  my  trust) 


follow  thee,  haunt  thee  by  my  spirit,  daily  and  hourly  importune 
thee  to  remember  and  gather  thyself.  How  often  have  I,  to  this 
effect,  chidingly  communed  with  thy  soul  and  conscience. 

Sinful  Jerusalem,  why  deferest  thou  to  gather  thyself,  and  agree 
with  my  voice  in  the  way  ?  Yet  thou  mayest  agree,  yet  thy  way 
is  not  finished,  yet  thy  adversary  walks  by  thee.  Why  dost  thou 
prorogue  till  thy  wretched  life  be  at  his  way's  end?  Is  there  any 
other  life,  any  other  way  (when  this  way  of  woe  is  ended)  wherein 
thou  mayest  agree  with  thine  adversary  ?  The  judge,  the  serjeant, 
the  prison,  thou  must  then  await,  and  despair  of  opportunity  ever 
after,  to  agree  or  be  gathered  to  grace;  but  look  to  be  gathered 
like  grass  on  the  house  top,  and  thrown  into  the  fire.  Promise  not, 
unto  thyself  too  many  years  travelling  in  the  Avay :  think  not  that 
thou  shalt  ever  live :  thy  way  may  be  cut  off  ere  thou  be  aware : 
a  thousand  casualties  may  cut  thee  off  in  the  way.  But  how  long 
or  how  short  so  e'er  thy  way  be,  my  voice  (thine  adversary)  like  thy 
shadow,  still  haunteth  thee,  still  treadeth  on  thy  heels,  still  calls 
and  cries  out  upon  thee  to  gather  up  thy  accounts  and  agree  with 
it.  Shamest  thou  not,  wild  image  of  carelesness,  so  long  to  be 
called  on  for  so  light  a  matter  ?  so  long  to  live  at  variance  with  so 
mighty  an  adversary?  It  is  all  one  as  if  thou  shouldst  owe  an 
earthly  judge  money  (who  hath  the  law  in  his  hand),  and  brave 
him,  and  deny  to  come  to  composition,  saying :  If  I  owe  it  you^ 
gather  it  or  recover  it  as  you  can.  How  thinkest  thou,  is  there  any. 
earthly  judge  would  spare  thee,  or  forbear  thee  as  I  have  done.'^: 
My  voice,  as  it  is  my  voice,  is  thy  friend ;  but  as  thou  abusest  it 
(turnest  thine  ears  from  it,  and  wilt  not  agree  with  it),  it  is  thine 
adversary :  it  wisheth  thee  well,  and  thou  wishest  thyself  ill ;  it 
bids  thee  crouch  and  stoop  to  the  prophets  I  send,  and  thou  stonest 
them;  it  bids  thee  pity  the  widow  and  the  fatherless,  and  thoit 
oppressest  them;  it  bids  thee  repent  thee  of  the  evil  thou  hast 
committed,  and  thou  doublest  it ;  it  bids  thee  gather  and  gird  up 


thy  loins  close,  and  take  the  staff  of  steadfastness  in  thy  hand,  that 
if  the  flesh  and  the  devil  assault  thee  in  the  way,  thou  mayest  en- 
counter them  courageously.  Instead  of  girding  and  gathering  up 
thy  loins,  thou  unloosest  them  to  all  licentiousness  ;  for  the  staif  of 
steadfastness  thou  armest  thyself  with  the  broken  reed  of  incon- 
stancy ;  and  for  encountering  and  contending  with  the  flesh  and 
the  devil,  most  slavishly  thou  kissest  and  embracest  them. 

So  thou  thyself  (I  altogether  loth)  makest  my  voice  thy 
enemy.  No  friend  so  firm  but  by  oft  ill  usage  may  be  made  a  foe. 
No  marvel  thou  makest  me  thy  foe,  that  art  a  foe  to  thyself.  "  He 
that  loveth  iniquity  hateth  his  own  soul :"  he  that  hateth  his  own 
soul  can  never  love  his  neighbour,  insomuch  as  there  is  no  man 
living  that  can  love  another  better  than  himself.  If,  then,  his  best 
love  to  himself  be  to  hate  himself,  his  love  to  his  neighbour  must 
be  a  degree  lower;  there  is  no  remedy.  The  law  commandeth, 
'*  Love  thy  neighbour  as  thyself:'"  and  he  fulfilleth  the  law  by 
hating  his  neighbour  as  himself.  "  I  say  unto  you,  he  that  hateth 
his  neighbour  is  guilty  of  the  breach  of  all  the  commandments ;'' 
whence  it  necessarily  ariseth,  that  he  which  loves  not  his  own  soul, 
is  guilty  of  the  breach  of  all  the  commandments. 

Soul-hating,  apostate  Jerusalem,  that  wouldest  never  be 
gathered  into  any  compass  of  good  life,  I  here  accuse  thee  as  a 
homicide  of  thine  own  life,  as  a  transgressor  of  all  the  command- 
ments, in  hating  thyself.  The  most  unfortunatest  is  my  fortune  of 
any  that  ever  loved,  to  love  those  that  not  only  hate  me,  but  hate 
themselves. 

O  Jerusalem,  not  the  infidel  Romans,  which  shall  invade  thee, 
and  make  thy  city  (now  cleped  a  city  of  peace)  a  shamble  of  dead 
bodies,  tear  down  thy  temple,  and  set  up  a  brothel-house  in  thy 
sanctuary,  not  they,  I  say,  shall  have  one  drop  of  thy  blood  laid  to 
their  charge,  not  one  stone  of  thy  temple  or  sanctuary  testificatory 
against  them ;  thy  blood  shall  be  upon  thine  own  head,  whose  trans- 


gressions  violently  thrust  swords  into  their  hands.  Thy  temple 
ahd  thy  sanctuary  shall  both  cry  out  against  thy  security  for  sa- 
crilege. The  ark  wherein  the  tables  of  covenant  are  laid,  shall 
have  the  tables  taken  away,  and,  instead  of  them,  a  black  register 
of  thy  misdemeanors  laid  in  it;  yea,  my  Father,  if  all  witness 
should  fail,  would  stand  up  and  article  against  thee  himself,  how 
thou  hast  driven  him,  with  thy  detestable  whoredoms,  out  of  his 
consecrated  dwelling-place.  O  that  thou  knewest  the  time  of  thy 
visitation !      O  that  thou  wouldst  have   been  gathered  together ! 

0  that  thou  wouldst  have  had  a  care  of  thyself,  had  care  of  me ! 

1  must  be  slaughtered  for  thee,  and  yet  work  no  salvation  for  thee. 
One  cross  alone,  cruel  Jerusalem,  is  not  able  to  sustain  the  weight 
of  thine  iniquities ;  ten  times  I  must  be  crucified  ere  thou  be. 
cleansed. 

For  sin  I  came  to  suffer,  thy  sin  exceedeth ;  it  is  too  monstrous 
a  matter  for  my  mercy  or  merits  to  work  on.  It  woundeth  me 
more  with  meditating  on  it,  than  all  the  spears  or  nails  can  wound 
me  that  are  to  pass  through  me.  I  would  quite  renounce  and  for- 
swear mine  own  safety,  so  I  might  but  extort  from  thee  one  thought 
of  thine  own  safety.  Careful  am  I  for  the  careless.  Again,  this 
reneweth  my  unrest,  that  I,  which  am  the  Lord  and  author  of  life,^ 
must  be  the  author  and  evidencer  against  thee  of  death.  If  thou 
hadst  never  seen  the  light,  thy  walking  in  darkness  would  have 
brought  thee  no  wailment.  Ignorantia,  si  non  excusat  a  toto,  saltern 
excusat  a  tanto :  Ignorance  excuseth  the  half,  if  not  the  whole. 
Thou  hast  not  half  an  excuse  (hence  is  my  tears),  not  a  quarter, 
not  the  hundredth  part  of  a  quarter,  not  a  word,  not  a  sigh,  not  a 
syllable.  Never  did  I  look  on  such  a  manifest,  unmasked,  leprous 
face,  on  a  prisoner  convicted  so  mute.  Sore  am  I  impassioned  for 
the  storm  thy  tranquilHty  is  in  child  with.  Good  Jeremy,  now  I 
desire  with  thee,  that  I  had  a  cottage  of  way-faring  men  in  the 
wilderness,  where  I  might  leave  my  people  and  live,  for  they  be  all 
adulterers,  and  a,  band  of  rebels, .  i 


SO: 

A  tormentor,  that  abjure th  commiseration,  when  he  first  enters 
into  the  infancy  of  his  occupation,  would  collachrimate  my  case, 
and  rather  choose  to  have  been  tortured  himself,  than  torment  me 
with  ingratitude,  as  thou  doest.  More  and  more  thou  addest  to  my 
unease,  and  acquaintest  mine  eyes  with  the  infirmities  of  anguish. 
Having  no  sin  before,  thou  hast  almost  made  me  commit  sin,  in 
sorrowing  for  thy  sins.  Yet  though  I  have  sounded  the  utmost 
depth  of  dolour,  and  wasted  mine  eye-balls  well  near  to  pins'  heads 
with  weeping  (as  a  barber  wasteth  his  ball  in  the  water),  a  further 
depth  of  dolour  would  I  sound,  mine  eyes  more  would  I  waste,  so 
I  might  waste  and  wash  away  thy  wickedness.  So  long  have  I 
wasted,  so  long  have  I  washed  and  embained  thy  filth  in  the  clear 
streams  of  my  brain,  that  now  I  have  not  a  clean  tear  left  more,  to 
wash  or  embalm  any  sinner  that  comes  to  me. 

The  fount  of  my  tears  (troubled  and  mudded  with  the  toad- 
like stirring,  and  long  breathed  vexation  of  thy  venomous  enormia 
ties)  is  no  longer  a  pure  silver  spring,  but  a  miry  puddle  for  swine 
to  wallow  in.  Black  and  cindery  (like  smith's  water)  are  those 
excrements  that  source  down  my  cheeks,  and  far  more  sluttish 
than  the  ugly  ooze  of  the  channel.  'Tis  thou  alone,  ulcerous 
Jerusalem,  that  hast  so  fouled  and  soiled  them.  In  seeking  to 
gather  fruit  of  thee,  I  gather  nothing  but  staining  berries,  which 
embrued  my  hands,  and  almost  poisoned  my  heart.  Never  would 
I  mention  this  or  moan  me,  if  thou  hadst  not  embrued  or  brawned 
thine  own  hands,  not  in  berries,  but  in  blood;  and  more  than 
almost  poisoned  thine  own  heart. 

What  talk  I  of  poison,  when  it  is  become  as  familiar  to  thee  as 
meat  and  drink.  Thou  hast  used  it  so  long  for  meat  and  drink, 
tiiat  true  nourishing  meat  and  drink  thou  now  takes t  for  poison, 
Consuetudo  est  altera  natura:  Custom  hath  so  engrafted  it  in  thy 
nature,  that  now,  not  only  poison  not  hurts  thee,  but  fostereth  and 
cherisheth  thee.  Whatsoever  thou  art  is  poison,  and  none  thou 
breathest  on  but  thou  poisonest.     With  Athenagoras  of  Argus, 


31 

thou  never  feelest  any  pain  when  thou  art  stung  with  a  scorpion ; 
thou  hast  no  sting  or  remorse  of  conscience.  Thy  soul  is  cast  in  a 
dead  sleep,  and  may  not  be  awaked  though  heaven  and  earth  should 
tumble  together. 

For  discharge  of  my  duty,  and  augmentation  of  thine  ever- 
lasting malediction,  since  tears,  threats,  promises,  nor  any  thing 
will  pierce  thee,  here  I  make  a  solemn  protestation,  what  my  zeal 
and  fervent  inclination  hath  been,  ever  since  thy  first  propagation, 
to  win  and  wean  thee  from  Satan,  and  notwithstanding  thou 
"  stonedst  my  prophets,  and  slewest  them  I  sent  unto  thee,^^  I  still 
assayed  to  revoke  thee,  and  bring  thee  back  again  to  thy  first 
image,  not  once,  or  twice,  or  thrice,  but  I  cannot  tell  how  often, 
"  I  would  have  gathered  thee,  even  as  a  hen  gathereth  her  chickens 
under  her  wings,  but  thou  wouldst  not.''  Blame  me  not  though  I 
give  thee  over,  that  hast  given  me  over :  long  patience  hath  dulled 
my  humour  of  pity.  No  sword  but  will  lose  his  edge  in  long 
striking  against  stones. 

My  lean  withered  hands  (consisting  of  nought  but  bones)  are 
all  so  shivered  and  splintered  in  their  wide  cases  of  skin,  with  often 
beating  on  the  anvil  of  my  bared  breast.  So  penetrating  and 
elevatedly  have  I  prayed  for  you,  that  mine  eyes  would  fain  have 
broken  from  their  anchors  to  have  flown  up  to  heaven,  and  mine 
arms  stretched  more  than  the  length  of  my  body,  to  reach  at  the 
stars.  My  heart  ran  full  butt  against  my  breast  to  have  broken  it 
open,  and  my  soul  fluttered  and  beat  with  her  airy  wings  on  everjir 
side  for  passage.  My  knees  cracked,  and  the  ground  fled  back. 
Then,  O  Jerusalem,  would  I  have  rent  my  body  in  the  midst,  hke 
a  grave,  so  I  might  have  buried  thy  sins  in  my  bowels.  And  had 
I  been  in  heaven  as  I  was  on  earth,  the  sun  should  have  exalted 
from  thee  all  thy  trespasses  as  meteors,  Avhich  the  clouds  his 
cofferers  receiving,  might  forthwith  have  conducted  down  into  the 
sea,  and  drowned  for  ever. 

Fools  be  they  that  imagine  it  is  the  winds  that  so  toss  and 


38 

turmoil  them  in  the  deep ;  they  are  no  winds,  but  insurrective  sins; 
which  so  possess  the  waves  with  the  spirit  of  raging.  I  drowned 
all  the  sins  of  the  first  world  in  water :  all  the  sins  of  the  first  world 
now  welter,  souse,  and  beat  unquietlj  in  the  sea,  whither  the  world 
of  waters  was  withdrawn  when  the  deluge  was  ended ;  and  as  a 
guilty  conscience  can  no  where  take  rest,  so  no  more  can  they  in 
the  sea,  but  emboldening  the  billows  up  to  the  air,  with  roaring 
and  howling  dart  themselves  on  every  rock,  desiring  it  to  overwhelm 
them ;  and  because  they  know  they  can  never  be  recovered,  with 
the  same  envy  which  is  in  the  devils,  they  seek  to  drown  and  im- 
merse every  ship  that  they  meet.  If,  happily,  there  be  a  calm,  it 
is  when  they  are  weary  of  excruciating  themselves.  I,  that  was 
born  to  suppress  and  tread  down  sin  underfoot  in  the  right  time, 
when  that  sin-inhabited  element  is  wont  to  be  most  lunatic,  walk 
on  the  crests  of  the  surges  as  on  the  dry  land. 

Another  cause  why  the  sea  so  swelleth,  and  barketh  of  late 
more  than  ordinary,  is,  for  when  I  sent  the  devils  into  the  herd  of 
swine,  they  carried  them  headlong  into  the  sea,  where  they  drowned 
and  perished  them ;  and  then,  loath  to  come  to  land  to  be  con- 
troled  and  dispossessed  again  by  me,  they  entered  and  inhabited 
the  sea  monsters,  such  as  the  whale,  the  grampus,  the  wasserman, 
whom  they  have  suborned  and  inspired  to  lie  in  wait  for  ships' 
wreck.  Sin  takes  no  rest  but  on  earth,  and  on  earth  no  rest  in  the 
night,  but  the  day.  The  night  is  black  like  the  devil,  then  he  may 
boldly  walk  abroad  like  the  owl,  and  his  eye  -----  led.^ 
•  -  -  -  Solus  cum  solo;  he  may  confer  with  his  -  -  tempt, 
terrify,  insinuate  what  he  will.  He  knows  that  God  hath  therefore 
hid  all  other  objects  from  man's  sight  in  the  night,  that  then  he 
should  have  no  occasion  to  gaze  elsewhere,  but  full  leisure  to  look 
into  himself.  In  which  regard,  lest  he  should  look  into  himself, 
and  so  repent,  he  will  not  let  him  see  with  his  own  eyes,  but  lend- 

*  The  original  is  here  torn. 


33 

eth  him  other  eyes  of  despair  or  security  to  sed  withal.  If  Of 
security,  then  either  he  persuades  him  there  is  no  God,  and  that 
rehgion  is  but  subtle  lawyers'  policy  (to  keep  silly  fools  in  awe  with 
scarecrows) ;  or  that  if  there  be  a  God,  he  is  a  wise  God,  and,  like 
a  wise  counsellor,  troubles  not  himself  with  every  vain  twittle 
twattle  of  this  man  or  that  man,  but  considers  wherefore  we  are 
made,  and  bears  with  us  thereafter. 

f  Yea,  which  is  horrible,  he  sootheth  him  up,  that  if  God  would, 
not  have  had  him  sin,  he  would  never  have  given  him  the  parts  or 
the  means  to  sin  with.  If  he  be  a  whoremaster,  he  remembereth 
him  how  Abraham  went  in  to  his  maid  Hagar ;  how  Lot  committed 
incest  with  his  daughters ;  how  David  lay  with  Bathsheba,  and 
slew  Urias ;  and  how  I,  myself,  would  not  let  the  woman  that  had 
committed  adultery  be  stoned  to  death,  but  bid  her  go  home  to  her 
house  in  peace,  and  sin  no  more.  If  he  be  a  drunkard,  Noah  was 
drunk,  the  forenamed  Lot  was  drunk,  and  David  (mentioned  before 
likewise)  made  Urias  drunk :  yet  all  these  were  men  that  God  de- 
lighted in'. 

If  he  be  a  perjured  person,  why  Peter  forswore  himself  thrice, 
Joseph  swore  by  the  life  of  Pharoah,  David  swore  -  -  -  -  *  •* 
and  so  to  me,  if  I  leave  to  Nabal,  yet  ere  -  -  ^  one  to  piss  against 
the  walls.  Yet  when  Nabal's  wife,  Abigail,  unwitting  to  her  hus- 
band, brought  him  a  little  refreshing,  his  humour  was  pacified,  his 
oath  was  dispensed  with.  A  great  many  more  allegations  hath  he 
to  this  end,  which  here, to  recite  were  to  weapon  presumption,  and 
save  the  devil  a  labour  in  seducing.  Murder,  theft,  what  not,  hath 
his  texts  to  authorise  him.  Nothing  doth  profit,  but,  perverted, 
may  hurt;  Scripture,  as  it  may  be  literally  expounded,  and  sophis- 
tically  scanned,  may  play  the  harbinger  as  well  for  hell  as  heaven, 
and  sooner  feeds  Despair  than  Faith.     Hath  not  the  devil  his 

'  This  was  long  after  Christ's  Tears  over  Jerusalem. 
,  .2  jjeie^  also^  the  original  is  torn. 


34 

chapel  close  adjoining  to  God's  church?  Is  he  not  the  ambitious 
ape  of  God's  majesty  ?  And,  as  he  hath  his  tabernacle,  O  Jerusa- 
lem !  in  thy  temple,  so  hath  not  he  his  oracle  or  tripos  in  his  temple 
at  Delphos,  with  as  great,  if  not  greater,  sacrifices,  oblations,  and 
offerings  than  are  in  God's  temple  ?  Will  he  not  take  upon  him  to 
work  miracles,  cure  diseases,  and  be  an  angel  of  light;  that  is, 
preach  the  Gospel  as  I  do.  Speak  I  in  thunder  or  visions,  he 
speaketh  in  thunder  and  visions ;  eclipse  I  the  sun  and  moon,  he 
will  eclipse  sun,  moon,  and  stars;  send  I  one  good  angel  out,  he 
will  send  out  two  ill.  In  conclusion,  in  any  thing  he  will  imitate 
me  but  humility,  and  by  humility  only  my  children  are  known  from 
the  devil's.  Pride  is  that  by  which  the  devil  holds  his  kingdom ; 
he  had  never  been  a  devil  if  he  had  not  been  too  proud  to  be  an 
angel.  Envy  breeds  pride,  and  pride  breeds  envy :  there  is  none 
can  uphold  envy  but  he  must  uphold  pride ;  nor  can  true  pride 
live  if  it  hath  nothing  to  envy  at ;  if  it  hath  nothing  so  great  as  itself 
to  aim  at,  there  is  no  man  under  it  hath  any  pride  or  prosperity  but 
it  envies  and  aims  at. 

The  sun,  though  it  can  endure  no  more  suns  but  itself,  yet  it 
can  take  in  good  part  to  have  more  planets  besides  itself;  but 
pride  can  endure  no  superiors,  no  equals,  no  ascendants,  no  springs, 
BO  grafts,  no  likely  beginnings  ;  any  thing  but  virtue  it  can  tolerate 
to  thrive,  and  that  it  is  too  too  afraid  of.  Mark  a  tyrant  when  you 
will,  and  he  first  extirpates  the  adherents  to  virtue.  Virtue  is  thrice 
inore  invocating  for  honour  than  ambition.  AVhat  was  the  devil's 
first  practice  in  paradise  but  to  destroy  virtue  in  Adam,  and  so  by 
steps  to  destroy  him  by  destroying  virtue  in  him.?  Whom  slew 
Cain  but  his  just  or  virtuous  brother  Abel?  He  was  afraid  the 
comparison  of  his  justness  or  virtue  would  make  him  incomparably 
ugly  in  God's  presence.  Whom  hated  Esau  and  laid  wait  for  but 
his  vipright  brother  Jacob,  because  by  his  virtue  he  had  over- 
reached him  in  the   blessing  of  his   birthright  ?     Did   not   Saul 


35 

persecute  David,  only  because  God  loved  him  ?  So  throughout 
the  whole  course  of  the  Scriptures,  virtue  purchaseth  envy,  and  her 
possessors  never  escape  briery  scratches. 

But,  as  before,  so  once  more  I  will  assertionate,  virtue  hath  no 
enemy  but  pride.  I  myself  have  no  enemy  but  pride,  which  is  the 
summum  genus  of  sin,  and  may  well  be  a  convertible  name  with  the 
devil;  for  the  devil  is  nought  but  pride,  and  pride  is  an  absolute 
devil.  But  for  pride  Jerusalem,  ere  this,  had  gathered  itself  under 
my  wing :  forsooth,  she  disdained  to  be  taught  and  instructed  by 
such  a  mean-titled  man  as  I.  But  for  pride  of  despising  the  preach- 
ing of  Noah  the  first  world  had  not  been  deluged.  But  for  pride 
there  had  been  no  translation  of  monarchies.  If  Pharaoh  had  not 
been  so  proud  that  he  would  not  let  your  forefathers  go,  but  kept 
them  in  despight  of  me,  I  had  never  plagued  him  as  I  did. 

The  reason  I  deceived  you,  Jerusalemites  and  Jews,  in  not 
coming  in  pride  unto  you,  in  not  taking  the  majesty  and  triumph 
of  mine  eternity,  was,  because  I  would  not  partake  with  the  devil 
in  the  pomp  and  glory  of  this  world,  which  is  proper  to  him.  Did 
not  he,  presently  after  the  first  bruit  of  my  gospel,  hoise  me  up 
unto  an  exceeding  high  mountain,  and  shewed  me  all  the  kingdoms 
in  the  world,  and  the  glories  of  them,  and  said,  "  All  these  will  I 
give  thee,  if  thou  wilt  fall  down  and  worship  me.'^'^  When  I  came 
to  Abraham  in  his  tent,  and  to  Lot  in  Sodom,  accompanied  with 
another  angel,  I  took  upon  me  no  pompous  shape :  it  is  debase* 
ment  and  a  punishment  to  me  to  invest  and  enrobe  myself  in  the 
dregs  and  dross  of  mortality ;  I  would  resemble  the  similitude  of 
the  meanest,  to  gather  the  meanest  unto  me. 

I  came  to  call  sinners  to  repentance,  poor  sinners,  beggarly 
sinners,  blind  sinners,  impotent  sinners,  as  well  as  rich  sinners, 
noble  sinners,  potentate  sinners,  to  repentance :  with  me  there  is 
no  respect  of  persons ;  the  king^s  blood,  attainted  of  conspiracy 
against  me,  is  more  base  than  the  caitiPs  or  peasant's.     What  was 


36 

Abraham,  (but  that  he  honoured  me,)  I  should  out  of  his  loins  mul- 
tiply a  monarchy  ?  There  is  no  cripple  or  lazer  by  the  high-way 
side  but  would  have  honoured  me  more  than  the  progeny  of 
Abraham,  if  I  had  but  bestowed  the  thousandth  part  of  the  propi- 
tiousness  I  have  bestowed  on  the  progeny  of  Abraham.  Shall  a 
man  call  any  cripple  or  beadsman  unto  him  to  give  alms  to,  and  he 
will  not  come  at  him,  but  contemptuously  cast  his  kind  offer 
behind  him  ?  I  have  called  you  (that  often  have  been  beggars  and 
beadsmen  unto  me  for  blessings),  and  humbly  supplicationed  you 
to  accept  of  my  largess  I  lavished,  but  you  cried,  "  A  vaunt,  hypo- 
crite !  thy  proffered  ware  is  odious ;  we'll  have  nothing  to  do  with 
an  innovator/' 

What  hath  immortality  to  do  with  muck?  Had  my  father  no 
employment  for  me  but  to  send  me  to  scrape  on  a  dunghill  for 
pearl,  where  nothing  will  thrive  but  toadstools  ?  Was  thought-ex- 
ceeding glorification  such  a  cloyance  and  cumber  unto  me  that  I 
must  leave  it;  as  Archesilaus,  over  melodied,  and  too  much  mel- 
lowed and  sugared  with  sweet  tunes,  turned  them  aside,  and  caused 
his  ears  to  be  new  relished  with  harsh,  sour,  and  unsavoury  sounds  ? 
O !  no  ;  when  I  left  heaven  to  live  on  earth  I  left  perpetual  springing 
Summer  to  sleep  on  beds  of  ice  in  the  frozen  zone,  the  throne  of 
winter.  My  super-abundant  love  to  men  on  earth  was  all  the  solace 
I  proposed  to  myself  on  earth.  Ubi  aijusque  animus  est,,  ibi  animat: 
where  a  man's  mind  is,  there  his  mirth  is. 

Mirth  was  to  me  no  mirth,  whilst  thou  wert  not  gathered  unto 
me.  No  more  than  I  have  gathered  thee,  can  I  gather  thee  :  "  As  a 
hen  gathereth  her  chickens,  so  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children.'' 
The  hen  clocketh  her  chickens,  I  would  have  clocked  and  called 
them  by  my  preaching:  the  hen  shieldeth  them,  and  fighteth  for 
them  against  the  puttock ;  I  would  have  shielded  them,  and  se- 
cured them  against  that  sly  puttock  Satan;  I  would  have  fought 
for  them  with  hell,  the  devil,  and  all  infernality.     The  hen,  after 


37 

she  hath  clocked  and  called  her  chicken  s>  keepeth  them  warm 
under  her  soft  down,  walleth  them  in  with  her  wing,  and  watcheth 
for  them  whilst  they  sleep.  After  I  had  called  you,  my  children 
or  chickens,  under  my  wings,  which  is  into  my  church,  I  would 
have  been  a  stronger  wall  unto  you  than  the  wall  of  the  tower  of 
Babel,  which,  as  writers  affirm^,  was  the  eighth  part  of  a  mile  thick; 
I  would  have  set  an  angel,  with  a  fiery  sword,  in  your  gate,  to  keep 
out  your  enemies ;  still  would  I,  with  the  heat  and  warmth  of  my 
spirit,  have  cherished  and  increased  the  strength  and  growth  of  your 
faith,  and  keep  it  from  being  dead  and  cold ;  my  vigilance  should 
have  centinelled  for  all  your  sleeps  :  neither  the  terror  by  night,  nor 
the  arrow  of  temptation,  that  llieth  by  day,  should  have  frighted 
you.  Satan  (whom  you  now  hold  for  such  a  subtile  underminer) 
should  have  been  your  fool,  and  your  jesting  stock,  and  a  scarebug 
to  your  babes  only;  all  things  should  have  prospered  and  gone 
Well  which  you  had  taken  in  hand.  "  Happy  is  that  man  that 
sitteth  in  the  shadow  of  the  wings  of  the  Almighty  f  unhappy  are 
you,  that  have  rather  sought  to  dwell  in  the  shadow  of  death,  than 
under  the  shadow  of  the  wings  of  the  Almighty. 

"  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  !  that  killest  my  prophets  and  stonest 
them  I  sent  unto  thee,  how  often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  chil- 
dren together,  as  a  hen  ga there th  her  chickens  under  her  wings, 
but  you  would  not.^'  What  is  more  tender  than  a  hen  over  her 
chickens  ?  So  tender  and  more,  O  Jerusalem !  have  I  been  over 
thy  children,  yet  would  they  never  tender  themselves,  but  tend  and 
bend  all  their  courses  to  ruin.  Never  could  I  get  them  to  flock 
under  my  wing,  or  come  under  my  roof.  Who  takes  charge  of  him 
that  in  a  town  of  war  will  not  come  into  the  town,  but  lie  wilfully 
without  the  walls  ?  No  charge  do  I  take  of  any  that  will  not  come 
within  my  walls,  be  gathered  under  my  wing,  but  live  out  of  the 
church.    Knew  you  what  a  fearful  thing  it  were  to  hve  (as  outlaws) 

'  Herodot. 


from  the  wings  of  my  church,  to  let  riches,  promotion,  or  any 
worldly  respect,  hinder  you  from  being  gathered  into  the  unity  of 
my  body  and  communion  of  saints,  you  would  undoubtedly  forsake 
all,  and  follow  me. 

All  those  that  repaired  not  in  time  into  Noah's  ark,  the  waters 
overtook  and  drowned;  those  that  gathered  not  manna  in  the 
morning,  it  did  them  no  good. 

Those  that  made  excuses,  and  came  not  to  the  wedding  when 
they  were  bidden,  the  king  sent  forth  his  warriors,  and  destroyed 
them,  and  burnt  up  their  cities.  Senseless  stones  are  more  obedient 
unto  God's  voice  than  you,  for  the  stony  walls  of  Jericho  (after 
God  had  summoned  them  by  his  priests  sounding  their  trumpets 
seven  times),  at  the  third  sound  they  prostrated  themselves  flat. 
Not  the  third,  or  the  fourth,  or  the  fifth  sound,  have  you  withstood, 
but  five  hundred  solemn  summons  and  sounds :  no  judgment  that 
(in  your  ears)  I  or  any  can  sound,  can  make  you  fall  prostrate  or 
humble  yourselves.  Still  you  will  live  as  runagates  and  banished 
men  from  God's  jurisdiction;  you  had  rather  the  devil  should 
gather  you  up  than  he. 

"  I  have  piped,  and  you  have  not  danced;  I  have  lamented, 
and  you  have  not  mourned."  The  days  will  come  when  I  shall  be 
taken  away  from  you,  and  then  you  shall  wish,  in  vain,  that  you 
had  danced  after  my  pipe,  and  borne  a  principal  part  in  my  consort 
of  mourning.  Let  all  successions  and  cities  be  warned  by  you, 
how  you  neglect  God's  calling;  let  every  private  man  be  ad- 
monished by  you,  how  he  neglecteth  God's  calling.  By  benefits, 
by  sickness,  by  outward  crosses,  signs,  and  wonders,  he  calleth 
men :  "  To  day,  if  ye  will  hear  my  voice,  harden  not  your  hearts  : " 
That  is,  at  this  present,  when  I  call  you,  hearken  to  me.  Who  doth 
not  hearken  at  the  first,  let  him  look  to  be  hardened.  Pharoah, 
for  he  would  not  at  the  first  voice  or  message  let  the  children  of 
Israel  go,  his  heart  was  hardened. 


39 

God,  when  his  voice  will  not  be  heard,  permitteth  the  devil 
to  go  and  try  if  his  voice  will  be  heard ;  if  they  hear  the  devil's  and 
not  his,  then  hath  he  wherewithal  to  convince  them.  Jerusalem 
hath  heard  the  voice  of  God,  crying  out  loud  in  her  streets  and 
high  places,  unto  her  to  gather  herself:  her  streets  and  all  her  high 
places  are  filled  with  the  echoes  of  God's  voice.  The  stones  of  her 
turrets  have  been  so  moved  with  it,  that  they  have  opened  their 
ears,  and  received  his  echo  into  them,  and  that  the  crier  might 
know  they  attended  the  words  which  he  spake,  they,  echoing, 
repeated  them  again.  The  very  echo  of  the  Avails  and  stones  shall 
echo  unto  God  for  sharp  punishment  against  you.  And  let  any 
but  read  or  rehearse  this  sentence :  "  0  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  how 
often  would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  as  the  hen 
gathereth  her  chickens,''  the  echo  shall  reply,  "  But  they  would 
not,  they  would  not."  Thou  wouldst  not,  indeed.  And  no  damna- 
tion hast  thou,  but  thou  wouldst  not.  I  offered  thee  peace,  but  thoii 
wouldst  not :  I  offered  thee  to  repent  and  be  baptized,  but  thou 
wouldst  not :  I  offered  thee  (if  thou  labourest  and  wert  laden)  to 
ease  thee,  but  thou  wouldst  not :  I  offered  thee  to  ask  and  thou 
shouldst  have,  but  thou  wouldst  not  ,*  to  knock  and  it  should  be 
opened,  but  thou  wouldst  not.  Great  evils  shalt  thou  endure,  for 
thou  wouldst  not.  Great  evils,  did  I  say?  alas!  little  evils,  com- 
pared to  the  evils  I  must  endure  only  for  these  four  words  : — But 
thou  wouldst  not. 

Heu  melior  qiianto  sors  tua,  sorte  mea  est.  My  body  shall  find 
a  sepulchre,  but  my  sorrow  never  any,  for  thou  wouldst  not.  For 
ever  I  must  mourn  what  thou  for  ever  must  suffer,  for  thou  wouldst 
not.  This  will  be  thine  utter  impeachment,  that  the  very  Samari- 
tans, whom  thou  accountest  infidels,  received  and  acknowledged 
me,  but  thou  wouldst  not.  That  the  unclean  spirits  departing  out 
of  men,  cried  and  confessed  me  to  be  the  Son  of  God,  but  thou 
wouldst  not.     And,  lastly,  that  the  spirit  of  God  himself,  descend- 


46 

ing  on  my  head  like  a  dove,  gave  testimony  of  me,  yet  thou  wouldst 
not. 

Clamor  Sodomorum  multiplicatus  est :  The  cry  of  the  Jerusalem 
(the  second  Sodom^),  that  thou  wouldst  not,  in  God's  ears  is 
doubled.  To  what  nation  shall  I  now  preach  or  appeal,  since  my 
elected  people,  that  should  hearken  to  me,  have  answered  me^ 
they  would  not  ?  Nineveh  repented  at  the  preaching  of  Jonas,  but 
Jerusalem,  at  the  preaching  of  her  Jesus,  she  would  not.  I  offered 
to  wash  her  feet  with  the  waters  of  my  tribulation,  and  heal  every 
disease  and  malady  she  had  with  them,  as  I  healed  the  leprosy 
of  Naaman  with  the  waters  of  Jordan :  but  over  the  waters  of  my 
tears  and  tribulation,  she  passeth  on  dry  foot,  as  once  they  passed 
over  Jordan.  The  river  of  God  is  full  of  water*;  Jerusalem,  were 
thine  eyes  the  rivers  of  God,  they  would  be  full  of  water.  The 
snow  on  thy  mountains  by  the  sun  is  resolved  to  water ;  the  Son  of 
God  hath  sought  to  resolve  thy  snow-cold  heart  into  water,  but  he 
could  not,  for  thou  wouldst  not.  Over  thy  principal  gates,  and  the 
doors  of  thy  temple,  let,  therefore,  this  for  an  empress  be  engraven  : 
"  A  kind  compassionate  man,  who,  grieving  to  see  a  serpentine 
salamander  fry  in  the  fire  (so  piteously  as  it  seemed),  cast  water  on 
the  raging  flames  to  quench  them,  and  was  by  him  stung  to  death 
for  his  labour."'  The  motto  or  word  thereto:  '^  At  noluisti,  but 
thou  wouldst  not.''  As  who  should  say,  thank  thyself  though  thou 
still  burnest:  I  would  have  rid  thee  out  of  the  fire,  but  thou 
wouldst  not.     By  stinging  me  mortally,  thou  disturbest  me. 

On  thee,  salamander-like  Jerusalem,  have  I  cast  the  cool  water 
of  my  tears,  to  keep  hell  fire  (if  it  might  be)  from  feeding  on  thee 
and  inwrapping  thee,  but  thou  (delighting,  like  that  chilly  worm, 
to  live  in  the  midst  of  the  furnace,  or  as  the  foolish  candle  fly,  to 
blow  the  fire  with  the  beating  of  thy  wings  near  unto  it  that  must 
burn  thee),  hast  spit  thy  poison  at  me  when  I  sought  to  preserve 

'  Gen.  19.  *  Psal.  6^, 


41 

thee.  More  agreeing  is  it  to  thy  nature,  to  fry  in  the  flames  of 
thy  fleshly  desires  (which  is  but  a  short  blazed  straw-fire,  to  tinde 
or  inkindle  hell-fire),  than  to  live  temperately  qualified,  midst  In- 
sulcB  fortunaicE,  the  fortunate  islands  of  God's  favour.  For  this  shalt 
thou  be  consumed  with  fire,  "  Thy  house  shall  be  left  desolate 
unto  thee."' 

Hitherto^  with  Jeschaciabus,  thou  hast  had  nought  but  a  plais- 
ter  of  dry  figs  laid  to  thy  bile;  thou  hast  been  chastised  but  with 
wanton  whips;  but  lo,  shortly  (the  time  comes)  thou  must  be 
scourged  with  scorpions :  a  hook  shall  be  cast  into  thy  jaws,  and  a 
chain  come  through  thy  nostrils.  I  now  but  foretel  a  storm  in  a 
calm,  but  when  the  Leviathan  shall  approach,  that  with  his  neesings 
chaseth  clouds,  and  you  shall  see  lightning  and  thunder  in  the 
mouths  of  all  the  four  winds ;  when  heaven,  instead  of  stars,  shall 
be  made  an  artillery-house  of  hailstones,  and  no  planet  revolve  any 
thing  but  prostitution  and  vastity,  then  shall  you  know  what  it  is, 
by  saying,  "  you  would  not,  to  make  your  house  unto  you  be  left 
desolate.'* 

With  the  foolish  builder,  you  have  founded  your  palaces  on 
the  sands  of  your  own  shallow  conceits :  had  you  rested  them  on 
the  true  rock  they  had  been  ruin  proof:  but  now  the  rain  will 
rough  enter  through  the  crannies  of  their  wavering,  the  winds  will 
blow  and  batter  open  wide  passages  for  the  pashing  showers,  with 
roaring  and  buffeting  lullabies,  instead  of  singing  and  dandling 
by,  as  they  will  rock  them  clean  over  and  over.  The  only  com- 
modity they  shall  tythe  their  owners  will  be,  by  their  overturning, 
to  afford  them  tombs  unasked.  Great  shall  be  the  fall  of  thy 
foolish  building,  O  Jerusalem ;  like  a  tower  overtopped,  it  shall  fall 
flat,  and  be  laid  low  and  desolate. 

In  the  haven  of  Joppa  shall  arrive  as  many  ships  as  would 
make  a  marine  city,  in  bigness  no  less  than  thyself.  The  Hellespont, 
by  Xerxes,  was  never  so  surcharged  as  it  shall  be.     All  Galilee, 

G 


m 

from  the  land  of  Nepthali  upwards,  shall  be  but  a  quarter  for  their 
pioneers,  and  a  couch  for  their  baggage.  From  Jerusalem  to  the 
plain  of  Gibeon,  which  is  fifty  miles  distance,  the  infinite  enemy 
will  depopulate,  and  pitch  his  pavilions.  Man,  woman,  child,  he 
shall  unmortalize  and  mangle ;  oxen,  sheep,  camels,  idly  engore, 
and  leave  to  putrify  in  the  open  fields,  only  to  raise  up  seed  to 
snakes,  adders,  and  serpents.  The  Mount  Tabor,  whose  height  is 
thirty  furlongs,  and  on  whose  top  is  a  plain  twenty-three  furlongs 
broad,  shall  have  all  the  star-gazing;  towns  on  it  situate,  justled 
headlong  down  from  the  height  of  his  forehead,  and  breaking  their 
backs  with  their  stumbling  rebutment,  tumble  in  the  air  like  Luci- 
fer falling  out  of  heaven  into  hell ;  yea,  their  firmament-propping 
foundation  shall  be  adequated  with  the  valjey  of  Jehosaphat,  whose 
sublimity,  whilst  it  is  in  beheading,  the  sky  shall  resign  all  his 
clouds  to  the  earth,  and  light-winged  dust  dignify  itself  by  the 
name  of  a  meteor.  From  that  blind  dispersed  night  of  dust  shall 
many  lesser  mountains  receive  their  lofty  mounting,  and  part  of  it, 
being  >vind-wafted  into  the  sea,  insert  floating  islands  midst  the 
ocean. 

None  shall  there  be  left  to  fight  the  battles  of  the  Lord,  but 
those  that  fight  the  battles  of  their  own  ambition.  By  none  shall 
the  sanctuary  be  defended  but  those  that  would  have  none  desti- 
tute it,  or  deflower  it,  but  themselves.  The  feast  of  tabernacles, 
the  feast  of  sweet  bread,  and  the  feast  of  weeks,  shall  quite  be  dis- 
calendared ;  your  sabbaths  and  new  moons  shall  want  a  remem- 
brancer; your  peace-offerings  and  continual  sacrifice  (a  thousand 
two  hundred  and  ninety  days,  as  Daniel  prophesied')  shall  be  put 
to  silence.  The  abomination  of  desolation  shall  advance  itself  in 
your  sanctum  sanctorum.  Upon  your  altars,  instead  of  oblations, 
your  priests  shall  be  slaughtered.    Not  so  much  as  the  high-priest, 

^"^      ••'  ^  Dan.  12. 


43 

the  under  god  of  your  city,  but  shall  be  hanged  up  as  a  sign,  at 
the  door  of  your  temple. 

The  particularity  of  your  general  forespoken  woes,  would  work 
in  me  a  tympany  of  tears,  if  I  should  portraiture  it.  I  have  pro- 
nounced it,  and  your  house,  unreprievable,  "  unto  you  shall  be 
left  desolate."  The  resplendent  eye-out-braving  buildings  of  the 
temple,  like  a  drum,  shall  be  ungirt  and  unbraced ;  the  soul  of  it, 
which  is  the  fore-named  sanctum  sanctorum^  clean  shall  be  stript 
and  unclothed.  God  shall  have  never  a  tabernacle  or  retiring  place 
in  your  city,  which  he  shall  not  be  undermined  and  desolated  out 
of.  The  sun  and  moon,  perplexed  with  the  spectacle,  shall  fly 
farther  upward  into  heaven,  and  be  afraid,  lest,  when  the  besiegers 
have  ended  below,  they  next  sack  them  out  of  their  sieges  and 
circuits,  since  they  have  had  God,  their  common  Creator,  so  long 
in  chase. 

Jerusalem,  ever  after  thy  bloody  hecatomb  or  burial,  the  sun^ 
rising  and  setting,  shall  enrobe  himself  in  scarlet,  and  the  maiden 
moon,  in  the  ascension  of  her  perfection,  shall  have  her  crimson 
cheeks,  as  they  would  burst,  round  balled  out  with  blood.  Those 
ruddy  investurings,  and  scarlet  habiliments,  from  the  cloud-climb- 
ing slaughter  stack  of  thy  dead  carcases,  shall  they  exhalingly 
quintessence,  to  the  end  thou  mayest  not  only  be  culpable  of 
gorging  the  earth,  but  of  goring  the  heavens  with  blood ;  and,  in 
witness  against  thee,  wear  them  they  shall  to  the  world's  end,  as 
the  liveries  of  thy  waning. 

Not  Abraham's  sons  are  you,  but  the  sons  of  blood,  for  in 
nothing  you  imitate  Abraham,  but  that  he  having  no  more  save 
one  only  son,  would  have  sacrificed  him :  so  God  having  no  more 
but  one  only  Son,  you  laid  wait  to  crucify  and  sacrifice  him.  For 
thine  own  destruction,  degraded  daughter  of  Sion,  thou  liest  in 
wait,  in  laying  wait  for  me :  that  which  I  hunger  and  thirst  after, 
is  thy  salutation  in  my  destruction.     I  am  enamoured  of  my  cross, 


because  it  is  all  ages^  blessing :  not  a  nail  in  it  but  is  a  necessary 
agent  in  the  world^s  redemption. 

ii  Holy  Cross,  Adam's  offspring,  only  holiness,  I  grieve  that  upon 
thee  I  can  spend  none  of  my  Godhead  as  well  as  my  humanity,  to 
glorify  the  more  this  great  exploit.  For  the  desolating  and  dis- 
inheriting  of  hell  have  I  that  reserved,  none  but  the  God  of  heaven 
may  lead  captivity  captive,  and  return  conqueror  from  that  dun- 
geonly  kingdom.  Strange  it  is,  oh  Jerusalem,  that  I  should  be 
able  to  conquer  and  forage  hell,  and  yet  cannot  conquer,  or  bring 
under  thee  to  my  obedience.  To  speak  truth,  as  in  my  lips  is  no 
guile,  thou  art  not  worthy  to  be  conquered,  or  have  the  host  of 
thine  affections  subdued  by  me,  that  hast  admitted  of  a  baser  con- 
queror, which  is  the  devil,  after  whom  I  can  succeed  with  no  honour. 

The  Romans,  not  I,  shall  conquer  thee,  and  "  leave  thy  house 
desolate  unto  thee;"'  who,  being  heathens,  and  not  knowing  God, 
are  a  degree  of  indignity  inferior  to  the  devil,  for  he  knows  God, 
and  with  fear  and  trembling  acknowledgeth  him.  Wouldst  thou 
with  fear  and  trembling  have  fled  to  me  for  refuge  against  the 
devil  and  the  Romans,  when  I  would  have  gathered  thee,  both  the 
devil  and  the  Romans,  at  one  instant,  had  been  subdued  to  thine 
hand.  But  under  my  standard  thou  wouldst  not,  thou  scornedst 
to  gather  thee,  therefore  shall  thy  house  be  left  desoJate  unto  thee; 
therefore  shall  God's  house  be  left  desolate  unto  thee.  Majestical 
temple,  on  whose  pinnacle  once  I  was  tempted,  thou  and  I,  one 
after  another,  must  perish,  for  no  fault  of  our  own,  but  for  the  sins 
of  this  people. 

No  profit,  but  disprofit,  shall  the  scattered  ashes  of  the  obse- 
quies bring  unto  them,  nor  shall  they,  like  the  ashes  of  me,  the  true 
phoenix,  live  again.  Never  shall  thy  body,  like  mine,  be  raised 
again.  Rased  and  defaced  shalt  thou  be,  as  thou  hadst  never  been. 
Haply,  caves  for  wild  beasts,  many  years  together,  thou  may  est 
afford,  but  the  Lord  of  Hosts  shall  abandon  thee,  the  King  of  Israel 


45 

shall  abjure  thee.  By  Herod,  a  man  of  blood,  thou  wert  last  builded, 
and  in  blood  shalt  thou  be  buried.  O  let  me  embrace  thee  whilst 
thou  yet  standest,  and  I  am  not  translated;  hereafter,  perhaps, 
never  may  I  have  the  opportunity  to  embrace  thee.  This  present 
hour  that  is  granted,  I  will  put  out  to  usury.  On  thy  alabaster  out- 
side, with  scalding  sighs  and  dimming  kisses,  a  greater  dew  will  I 
raise  than  lies  upon  sweaty  marble  a  little  before  rain. 

Methinks  these  stones  look  shining  and  smiling  upon  me; 
Jerusalem  frowns  like  a  she  bear  seeking  her  whelps.  These  stones 
start  not  oiit  of  their  assigned  places,  but  still  retain  their  imposed 
first  proportion  :  from  me,  her  foundation,  long  ago  hath  Jerusalem 
started,  out  of  those  limits  and  bounds  I  assigned  her  hath  she 
started,  her  order  she  hath  broken,  my  building  she  hath  subverted; 
no  form  or  face  of  my  workmanship  is  visible  in  her.  But  yet, 
were  nothing  but  her  face  and  outside  deformed,  it  were  somewhat : 
her  inside  is  worst  of  all ;  her  heart,  her  lungs,  her  liver,  and  her 
gall,  all  are  carrionized  and  contaminated  with  surfeits  of  self-wiJI. 
Her  own  heart  she  eateth,  and  digesteth  into  the  draught  with  riot 
and  excess. 

Poor  temple,  long  mightst  thou  stand,  and  not  have  a  stone  of 
these  disquieted  till  the  judgment  day,  if  those  to  whom  thou 
belongest  Avere  not  ten  times  branded  in  the  forehead  for  repro- 
bates ;  not  with  the  mark  of  the  lamb,  but  the  lion,  who,  roaring, 
seeketh  whom  he  may  devour.  Distressfully  am  I  divided  from 
thee :  my  soul,  when  it  shall  be  divided  from  me,  will  not  endrench 
me  in  so  much  dolour  as  thou  dost.  The  zeal  of  thee  distraughteth 
me,  and  some  essential  part  of  my  life  seemeth  to  forsake  me  and 
drop  from  me,  when  I  think  of  thy  devastation.  Nothing  so  much 
doth  macerate  and  mad  me,  as  that  all  the  sky-perfuming  prayers, 
and  profuse  sacrificatory  expenses  of  full-hand  oblationers,  should 
not  have  force  to  uphold  thee.  Desolation,  for  no  debt  of  sin  shalt 
thou  extend  on  this  temple,  that  thou  hast  to  extend  against  it, 


46 

extend  against  me,  for  it  is  my  Father's  habitation.  It  will  but 
augment  his  indignation  against  the  city,  and  do  thee  no  good  to 
drive  him  out  of  house  and  home,  and  reserve  him  no  sanctified 
mansion  upon  earth.  Let  there  be  one  peculiar  treasury  of  sup- 
plications and  vows  undestroyed  and  unpillaged. 

O  Father,  be  this  house  more  high  prized  to  thee  than  Paradise ; 
more  worship  and  adoration  hast  thou  had  in  it  than  in  Paradise. 
There  thou  settest  a  fiery  armed  gardant  to  repulse  insolent  invaders; 
set  some  garrisonment  before  the  gate  of  thy  tabernacle,  to  oppugn 
the  dispossessors  of  thy  deity  ;  thou  canst  not  hear  me  ;  I  pray  for 
them  whose  sins  sue  against  me.  Thou  hast  decreed,  in  thy  secret 
judgment,  "  Their  house  shall  be  left  desolate  unto  them.'"  Thou 
hast  decreed  I  shall  be  left  desolate  on  the  cross,  and  cry,  Eloi, 
Eloi,  lamasabachthani,  unaided  or  unregarded.  Willing  am  I  to 
execute  thy  will,  only  let  me  not  in  vain  give  up  the  ghost,  but 
some  souls  of  this  panther-spotted  Jerusalem  may  be  extraught  to 
joy  with  me. 

O  that  mine  arms  were  wide  enough  to  engrasp  the  walls  of 
Jerusalem  about,  that  in  mine  amorous  enfoldment,  unawares,  I 
might  whirl  her  to  heaven  with  me.  Why  should  I  not  drive  all 
Israel  before  me  to  the  great  felicity,  as  a  shepherd  before  him 
driveth  his  flock  to  the  fat  pastures  ?  I  shall  never  drive  you  before 
me;  you  will  drive  me  before  you,  with  murder  and  violence,  to 
immortality,  and  yourselves  not  one  foot  follow  after.  Pol  me 
occidistis  amid,  you  whom  I  thought  to  bind  to  me  as  friends,  have, 
foe  like,  betrayed  me.  Because  I  am  humble,  I  may  not  please  you ; 
because  I  am  Christ  the  just,  therefore  you  will  design  me  to  the 
cross  unjustly.  Est  mihi  supplicii  causa  fuisse  pium.  Would  God 
there  were  no  other  exclamatory  crime  than  this  to  be  objected 
against  thee !  Yet  have  I  suffered  of  thee  nothing  but  fear.  More 
than  fear  am  I,  within  these  few  days,  to  entertain  at  thy  hands. 

Slay  me  thou  shalt,  because  I  have  vouchsafed  to  live  with 


47 

thee ;  and  doom  me  an  unworthy  end>  in  heu  of  my  dear  love.  Tu 
mihi  criminis  author,  no  imputation  of  scandal  shall  I  have,  but  the 
heavy  burthen  of  thy  abuses.  Thou  shalt  be  my  uninnocence,  and 
whole  sum  of  delinquishment :  thy  right  hand  of  my  death  shall  be 
arraigned.  Hoc  prohibete  nefas,  scelerique  resistite  vestro.  Not  the 
profane  idolatry  of  the  Gentiles  in  my  sides  shall  delve  so  deep  as 
thy  stiff-necked  transgressors.  Less  do  I  deplore  my  death  than 
thy  life ;  and  a  thousand  times  have  I  wished  and  desired  that  thou 
hadst  only  occasion  to  repent  my  death,  and  not  thine  own  other 
misdeeds.  Repent  ye,  and  I  will  repent  me  of  the  pronouncement 
against  thee.  Should  I  not  so  have  pronounced  and  denunciated 
against  thee,  thy  blood  would  have  been  required  at  my  hands.^ 
"  Therefore  is  my  people  led  captive,^"  saith  the  Lord  by  Esay, 
"  because  they  know  me  not.^"'  Your  pretence  of  unknowledge, 
or  ignorance,  is  already  counterpleaded  :  you  shall  not  say,  "  Woe 
be  to  me  that  I  never  tasted  the  milk  of  understanding,^'  but,  with 
Job,  bann  the  time  that  ever  you  sucked  the  breasts.  At  my 
breasts,  Jerusalem,  hast  thou  not  sucked,  but  bit  off  my  breasts, 
when  thou  stonedst  the  prophets.  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem,  that 
stonest  my  prophets,  and  killest  them  I  sent  unto  thee :  how  often 
would  I  have  gathered  thy  children  together,  as  a  hen  gathereth 
her  chickens  under  her  wings,  but  thou  wouldst  not  ?  therefore  shall 
thy  house  be  left  desolate  unto  thee.^' 

Here  ebb  the  spring  tide  of  my  tears ;  eyes,  from  this  present 
prepare  yourselves  to  be  recluses.  I  came  not  to  shed  tears,  but 
blood,  for  Jerusalem  ;  blood  for  Jerusalem  will  I  shed,  to  atone  for 
her  shedding  of  innocent  blood ;  so  that,  let  her  yet  turn  unto  me, 
her  atonement  is  made.  I  will  corroborate  my  cross,  giant  like,  to 
underbear  the  Atlas  burthen  of  her  insolencies.  With  my  Nazarite 
tresses,  to  my  cross  will  I  bind  her  crossing  frowardness  and  con* 
taminations.     Not  a  nail  that  takes  hold  of  me  but  I  will  expressly 

.  '  Ezech.  3.  *  Esay  5. 


48 

6njoin  it  to  take  hold  of  her  deflectings  and  errors.  Death  (as  ever 
thou  hopest  at  mj  hands  to  have  thy  commission  enlarged),  when 
thou  killest  me,  kill  her  iniquities  also  ;  let  thy  deep-entering  dart 
oblivionize  their  memories. 

Of  man,  as  of  me,  thou  killest  but  the  body  only;  kill  the  body 
and  the  soul  both  of  her  unbounded  sin,  gluttony.  I  will  pay  thee 
largely  for  thy  pains.  Whereas  before  thou  never  tookest  any  but 
the  subjects  prisoners,  now  thou  shalt  have  the  king  himself  sur- 
rendered to  thy  cruelty.  Thou  shalt  enrich  thy  style  with  this 
title,  "  I  Emperor  Death,  the  lord  of  all  flesh,  the  killer  of  the  king 
of  all  kings,''  &c.  Deal  well  by  Jerusalem,  however  thou  dealest 
with  me :  let  not  her  soul  be  left  desolate,  though  her  city  be  left 
desolate  unto  her. 

Even  the  high  priests  that  shall  bind  mine  hands,  and  adjudge 
my  body  to  be  scourged,  deal  mercifully  with;  cut  them  not  off 
suddenly,  but  give  them  a  space  of  repentance.  Let  them  be 
crowned  w^ith  eternity,  though  they  crown  me  with  thorns;  their 
crowning  me  with  thorns  I  take  for  no  trespass,  for  they  cannot 
prick  me  so  ill  with  those  briars,  as  they  have  provoked  me  with 
their  sins.  Nor  shall  the  gall  and  vinegar  they  give  me  to  drink 
be  so  bitter  unto  me  as  their  blasphemies.  "  Forgive  them.  Lord, 
they  forget  what  they  do." 

Further  I  may  not  proceed,  except  I  should  detract  from  my 
passion  to  add  to  my  tears.  He  that  can  weep  with  more  soul 
martyrdom  than  I,  let  him  take  upon  him  to  wash,  in  my  stead,  the 
earth's  Ethiopian  face.  Every  vein  of  me  let  it  burst,  to  feed  the 
lake  of  Gehenna,  before  Gehenna  gather  springs  from  the  heart  of 
Jerusalem.  Not  the  least  hair  of  my  body  but  may  it  be  as  a  peg 
in  a  vessel,  to  broach  blood  with  plucking  out,  so  in  the  droppings 
of  that  blood  Jerusalem  will  bathe  herself.  "  O  Jerusalem,  Jerusa- 
lem, that  stonest  my  prophets,  and  killest  them  I  sent  unto  thee," 
ten  thousand  times  adieu.     I  would  never  have  bid  thee  adieu,  or 


been  divorced  from  thee,  but  that  thou  thjself  hast  divorced  thy- 
self. Heaven  no  heaven  hast  thou  made  unto  me,  by  endless 
performing  thy  obits.  If  my  crimson  tears  on  the  cross  may  more 
prevail  with  thee,  so  it  is,  or  else  in  vain  I  descended,  or  else  to  thy 
pain  I  descended. 

Descend  into  the  closet  of  thine  own  conscience,  and  enquire 
how  oft  I  have  come  thither,  and  called  upon  thee  to  gather  thee. 
Examine  thy  heart  and  thy  reins,  if  I  have  not  secretly  communed 
with  thee  by  night  to  convert  and  be  turned  unto  me.  Thou  never 
withdrewest  thyself  and  wert  solitary,  but  my  spirit  was  reproving 
and  disputing  with  thee.  At  length,  shall  I  obtain  of  thee  to  re- 
member and  gather  thyself?  Though  thou  wilt  not  in  respect  of 
me,  (whom  thou  shouldst  respect)  yet  in  respect  of  thine  own 
benefit,  remember  and  gather  thyself,  enter  into  meditation  of  thy 
lamentable  estate :  but  hear  thy  physician,  though  thou  intendest 
not  to  be  ruled  by  him.  Understand  the  nature  of  thy  disease, 
which  is  the  first  step  to  recovery.  Relieve  my  languor,  by  being 
less  retchless  of  thy  invisible  aspiring  infirmity.  Glance  but  half  a 
kind  look  at  me,  though  thou  canst  not  resolve  to  love  me ;  by  half 
a  look  my  love  may  steal  into  thine  eyes  unlooked  for.  Thy  sight 
is  no  way  mis-spent  or  impaired  by  casting  away  one  askance-regard 
on  any. 

The  sun  shineth  as  well  on  the  good  as  the  bad  :  God  from  on 
high  beholdeth  all  the  workers  of  iniquity,  as  well  as  the  upright  of 
heart.  It  behoveth  thee  to  try  all  spirits :  let  my  spirit  be  one  of 
those  (all)  which  thou  bringest  to  the  touchstone  f  I  do  not  will  thee, 
without  trial,  on  my  bare  report,  to  be  directed  by  it ;  but  when 
thou  hast  tried  it,  and  sifted  it  to  the  uttermost,  then  as  it  approves 
itself  to  entertain  it.  Upon  uncertain  experiments  (having  the 
least  pretence  of  gain  in  thee)  men  will  hazard  and  venture  many 
thousands :  try  once  an  experiment  to  gain  heaven  with ;  venture 
or  hazard  but  a  few  indifferent  good  thoughts  of  me.    I  say  I  am 

u 


thy  Messiah,  and  am  come  to  gather  thee;  condemn  me  not  rashly, 
but  await  and  see  the  end  of  my  gathering  whereto  it  sorts.  Search 
the  Scriptures  and  the  prophets,  whether  I  be  a  har  and  impostor 
or  no.  I  would  give  thee  leave  to  hate  me,  so  thy  hate  would 
make  thee  industrious  and  sedulous  to  hearken  out  and  enquire 
whence  I  am.  Were  I  notorious  guilty,  and  unexamined,  and  un- 
heard, you  should  sentence  me,  you  should  give  to  me  amongst 
men  an  opinion  of  innocence ;  being  not  guilty,  you  make  your 
judgments  guilty  of  knowing  I  am  not  guilty,  in  proceeding  against 
me  without  circumstance  or  proof.  I  speak  all  this  while  to  the 
wind,  or  as  a  disconsolate  prisoner  that  complaineth  himself  to  the 
stone  walls. 

God  is  moved  and  mollified  (though  he  be  never  so  incensed) 
with  often  and  unslacked  intercessions :  Gold  (which  is  the  sove- 
reign of  metals)  bends  soonest,  only  iron  (the  peasant  of  all)  is  most 
inflexible.  Jerusalem  with  nothing  is  moved ;  therefore  must  her 
tabernacle  be  removed,  therefore  must  her  house  be  left  desolate 
unto  her.  Often  importunately,  violently,  eagerly  have  I  inter- 
cessioned  unto  her,  to  gather  herself  unto  me :  I  have  kneeled, 
wept  bitterly,  lift  up  mine  hands,  hung  upon  her,  and  vowed  never 
to  let  her  go,  till  she  consented  to  retire  herself  into  my  tuition, 
and  answered  pleasingly  to  my  petition.  Never  did  the  widow  in 
my  parable  so  follow  and  tire  the  wicked  judge  with  fury-haunting 
instancy,  as  I  have  done  her.  No  where  could  she  rest  but  I  have 
alarmed  in  her  ears  her  pride,  murder,  and  hypocrisy ;  and  with 
dismal  crying,  and  vociferative  inculcating  unto  her,  drawn  my 
throat  so  high  into  the  roof  of  my  mouth,  that  it  hath  quite  swal- 
lowed up  and  unsheathed  my  tongue,  and  threatened  to  turn  my 
mouth  out  of  his  office. 

I  have  cracked  mine  eye-strings  with  excessive  staring,  and 
stedfast  heaven-gazing,  when  with  fast-fortified  prayer,  and  ear- 
agonizing  invocation,  I  have  distressed  my  Father's  soul  for  her ;  so 


6% 

that  (enraged)  he  hath  bid  me  out  of  his  sight,  chid  me,  rebuked 
me,  and  impatiently  said,  as  he  said  unto  Moses,  "  Let  me  alone, 
that  I  may  Avreak  mine  anger  on  her,  and  consume  her/'  None  of 
these  may  overcome  her ;  the  blood  of  my  prophets,  and  the  hun- 
dred-voiced clamour  of  her  multiplied  mutinies  against  heaven,  are 
far  louder  before  my  Father  than  I ;  they  out-throat  me,  and  put 
me  down,  I  cannot  be  heard,  even  as  one  that  howls  puts  down 
him  that  sings.  Me  would  not  Jerusalem  hear,  when  with  sweet 
songs  I  have  allured,  clucked,  and  wooed  her  to  come  under  my 
wings ;  therefore  will  not  my  Father  hear  any  man  that  once 
names  her.  When  I  pray  for  her,  her  sins  fall  a  howling,  that  I 
should  not  be  heard. 

My  wings  her  grey-headed  sturdy  disobedience  hath  now  clean 
unpinioned  and  broken,  so  that  (though  I  would)  I  cannot  gather 
her.  Besides,  she  hath  steeled  my  soft  impressive  heart,  and  mir- 
midonized  mine  eyes,  that  they  shall  never  give  grief  a  tear  more 
alms.  Poor  hens  !  there  is  nothing  so  tender  as  you  are  over  your 
chickens ;  but  had  you,  as  I  have,  none  but  kites  and  kestrels  to 
your  chickens,  such  as  fly  against  the  wind  as  soon  as  they  are 
born,  and  gather  themselves  in  arms  against  you  when  you  offer  to 
gather  them,  you  would  learn  of  me  to  leave  off*  to  be  so  tender. 

To  desolation  (Jerusalem)  must  I  leave  thee ;  desolation,  that 
taketh  his  watch-word  from  "  thou  wouldst  not '/'  desolation,  the 
greatest  name  of  vengeance  that  is  ;  desolation,  which  hath  as  many 
branches  of  misery  as  hell  belonging  to  it;  desolation,  the  utmost 
arrow  of  God's  indignation.  I  cannot  in  terms  express  the  one- 
quarter  this  word  desolation  containeth.  David,  in  the  depth  of 
his  despair  of  God's  mercy,  said,  "  he  was  left  as  desolate  as  the 
pelican  in  the  wilderness,  or  the  owl  on  the  house-top."  This  is  the 
desolation  of  the  pelican  in  the  wilderness,  that  when  she  hath  her 
bowels  unnaturally  torn  out  by  her  young  ones,  (into  the  world 
tyrannously  entering),  and  they  leave  her  in  the  extremity  of  her 


52 

torment,  and  will  not  deign  her  (for  all  her  dear  travail)  one  com- 
forting aspect  of  compassion,  to  herself,  (twixt  living  and  dying), 
herself  she  complaineth.  Blood  and  tears  equally  she  spendeth, 
and  as  her  womb  is  rent  out  with  ungrateful  fruitfulness,  so  now 
her  heart  she  rents  out  with  self-gnawing  discontentment,  and  dieth, 
not  decayeth  by  age,  but  destroyed  by  her  offspring. 

The  melancholy  owl  (death^s  ordinary  messenger),  that  never 
yieldeth  his  lazy  leaden  wings  but  by  night,  and  in  his  huge  lump- 
ish head  seemeth  to  have  the  house  of  sleep  built,  then  is  most 
solitary  and  desolate  when  (restrained  from  turning  his  own  private 
disconsolations  to  the  dark  gloomy  air)  he  is  sent  to  sing  on  a 
desolate  house-top  a  doleful  dreary  ditty  of  destiny  :  Aliisque  dolens 
Jit  causa  dolendi.  Jerusalem,  even  as  the  pelican  in  the  wilderness, 
so  (by  thine  own  progeny)  shalt  thou  have  thy  bowels  torn  out; 
by  civil  wars  shalt  thou  be  more  wasted  than  outward  annoyance. 
Those  whom  thou  most  expectest  love  of,  shall  be  most  unnatural 
to  thee.  Not  only  tears  shall  they  constrain  thee  to  weep,  but 
blood,  and  urge  thee  to  rent  out  thine  own  heart,  in  ruing  their 
irreligiousness.  As  the  owl  on  the  house-top  evermore  howlingly 
calls  for  some  corse,  and  is  the  first  mourner  that  comes  to  any 
funeral,  so  (Jerusalem)  shalt  thou,  howling,  sit  like  the  owl  on  the 
high  places  and  house-tops,  and  tune  nothing  but  lays  of  ill  luck 
and  desolation,  and  funeral  elegies  of  thy  forlorn  overthrow.  Thus 
shalt  thou  sing,  "  Sodom  is  sunk,  and  I  must  succeed.'" 

"  God  promised  he  would  never  more  drown  the  v/orld  in 
water,  but  me  he  hath  drowned  in  blood.  All  the  eagles  of  the 
field  feed  their  young  ones  with  my  young  men's  carcases.  Mine 
old  sages  and  governors  strew  the  streets  with  their  white  hairs  like 
straws,  their  withered  dead  bodies  serve  to  mend  highways  with, 
and  turn  standing  quagmires  to  firm  ground  (rammed  full  of  their 
corses.)  My  virgins  and  matrons,  instead  of  painting  their  faces 
ruddy,  colour  them  with  their  kinsfolks'  gore.     Happy  is  that  wife 


$3 

which  may  entomb  her  slaughtered  husband  in  her  well  or  cistern. 
Happy  is  that  sister  that  (for  strewing  herbs)  may  scatter  her 
dishevelled  maiden  hair  on  her  dead  brother's  trunk. 

"  Even  as  there  be  many  fowls  that  eat  up  their  own  eggs,  so 
the  children  are  feign  to  feed  their  mother :  the  infant  which  she 
travails  with  nine  months  in  her  belly,  once  again  hunger  thrusteth 
into  her  empty  famished  body.  The  babes  in  conception  (being 
half  entered  out  of  the  womb,  and  but  with  one  eye  beholding  the 
miseries  of  their  country)  return  crying  back  again  whence  they 
came,  and  chuse  rather  to  tumble  forth  still  born,  than  view  the 
world  in  such  hurly-burly. 

"  So  exceeding  are  mine  adversities,  that  after-successions, 
which  shall  hear  of  them,  will  even  be  desolate  and  exiled  froni 
mirth  with  the  hearing.  Adam's  fall  never  so  woe-enwrapped  the 
earth  as  the  relation  of  them  shall.  Christ,  the  Son  of  God,  (all 
men's  saviour  but  mine),  fore-prophesied  '  I  should  thus  be  left 
desolate,'  but  I  believed  it  not;  therefore  is  my  desolation,  unlooked 
for,  come  upon  me,  therefore  am  I  made  a  scorn  to  the  Gentiles  of 
confusion." 

O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem  !  all  this  mightest  thou  have  avoided; 
I  never  sought  the  death  of  a  sinner,  my  death  thou  hast  sought, 
for  I  laboured  to  save  thee.  Save  thyself  as  well  as  thou  mayest, 
for  I  have  forsaken  thee,  to  desolation  have  I  resigned  thee.  If 
in  this  world  thou  endurest  thy  punishment  patiently,  (and  canst 
purge  thy  soul  by  repentance,)  in  my  world  of  joy  I  shall  be  ready 
to  receive  thee ;  otherwise,  I  have  nought  to  do  with  thee;  thy  soul, 
as  thy  house,  be  left  desolate  unto  thee. 

Here  do  I  confine  our  Saviour's  coUachrimate  oration,  and, 
putting  off  his  borrowed  person,  restore  him  to  the  triumphancy  of 
his  passion.  Now  privately  (as  mortal  men)  let  us  consider  how 
his  threats  were  after  verified  in  Jerusalem's  overture. 

Should  I  write  it  to  the  proof,  weeping  would  leave  me  no  eyes ; 


54 

like  tragic  Seneca  I  should  tragedize  myself,  by  bleeding  to  death 
in  the  depth  of  passion.  Admirable  Italian  !  tear  eternizers,  Ariosto, 
Tasso,  and  the  rest,  never  had  you  such  a  subject  to  rojalize  your 
Muses  with.  Of  a  late  destruction  of  Jerusalem  Tasso  thou  wrotest, 
wherein  thy  Godfrey  of  Bulloin,  the  destroyer,  beareth  the  chief 
part  of  honour.  A  counterfeit  Melpomene  (in  comparison  of  this) 
was  thy  muse's  midwife,  when  that  child  of  fame  was  brought  forth. 
Let  no  man  think  to  enter  into  this  history  as  he  should,  but  a  con- 
sumption of  sorrow  will  cut  him  off  ere  he  come  to  the  end.  God 
forbid  I  should  be  so  Luciferous,  passionative-ambitious  to  take 
upon  me  the  full  blast  of  this  desolative  trumpet  of  Jerusalem;  a 
weak  breath  or  two  I  will  writhe  into  it,  and  with  a  hoarse  sound 
(such  as  fitteth  far  spent  languorment)  manifest,  as  it  were  in  a 
dead  march,  her  untimely  interment. 

Forty  years  were  expired  after  our  Lord's  lifting  up  into  hea- 
ven, when  the  temple-boasting  Jews  (elate  in  their  own  strength) 
began  to  pretend  a  weariness  of  the  Roman  regiment,  and  coveted 
to  reign  entire  lords  over  the  lords  that  reigned  over  them.  Eleazar, 
the  son  of  Ananias,  the  high-priest,  was  the  first  that  seminarized 
this  hope  of  signiorizing  and  freedom  amongst  them.  Proudly  he 
controlled  Agrippa  and  all  the  other  lieutenants,  drove  them  from 
their  dignities  to  Rome  to  seek  succour  and  rescue,  and  swayed 
over  the  multitude  as  the  king  and  father  of  their  lives.  In  the 
mean  while  the  element  was  overhung  with  prodigies.  God 
thought  it  not  enough  to  have  threatened  them  by  his  Son,  but  he 
emblazoned  the  air  with  the  tokens  of  his  terror.  No  star  that 
appeared  but  seemed  to  sparkle  fire.  The  sun  did  shine  all  day  as 
it  is  wont  at  his  evening  going  down.  The  moon  had  her  pale 
silver  face  iron-spotted  with  freckle-imitating  blood  sprinklings; 
and  for  her  dim  frosty  circle  a  black  inky  hood  embayling  her 
bright  head. 

Over  the  temple  (at  the  solemn  feast  of  the  Passover)  was  seen 


6& 

a  comet,  most  coruscant,  streamed  and  tailed  forth,  with  ghstering 
naked  swords,  which  in  his  mouth  (as  a  man  in  his  hand  all  at 
once)  he  made  semblance  as  if  he  shaked  and  vambrished.  Seven 
days  it  continued,  all  which  time  the  temple  was  as  clear  and  light 
in  the  night  as  it  had  been  noon-day.  In  the  Sanctum  Sanctorum 
was  heard  clashing  and  hewing  of  armour.  Whole  flocks  of  ravens 
(with  a  fearful  croaking  cry)  beat,  fluttered,  and  clashed  against 
the  windows.  A  hideous  dismal  owl  (exceeding  all  her  kind  in 
deformity  and  quantity)  in  the  temple  porch  built  her  nest.  From 
under  the  altar  there  issued  penetrating  plangorous  howlings,  and 
ghastly  dead  men's  groans.  A  goodly  young  heifer,  hauled  thither 
for  a  burnt-offering,  being  knocked  down  and  ready  to  be  dressed, 
miraculously  calved  a  lamb. 

The  sacrificing  knives,  that  dived  into  her  entrails,  Avould  after-: 
wards  by  no  means  be  cleansed,  but  from  her  blood  (as  from  man's 
blood)  took  unto  them  an  unremovable  rust.  In  the  Peast  of 
Weeks,  in  the  Inner  Receipt  of  the  temple,  was  heard  one  stately 
stalking  up  and  down,  and  exclaiming  with  a  terrible  bass  hollow 
voice,  Migremus  hinc,  Migremus  hinc,  t  Templo  emigremus :  Let  us 
go  hence,  let  us  go  hence,  out  of  this  temple  let  us  hie  us.  What 
should  I  over-black  mine  ink,  perplex  pale  paper,  rumatize  my 
reader's  eyes,  with  the  sad  tedious  recital  of  all  the  prognosticating 
signs  of  their  ruin !  Stories  have  lost  and  tired  themselves  in  this 
story.  Should  I  but  make  an  index  to  any  one  writer  of  them,  it 
would  ask  a  book  alone.  Some  few  abbreviated  allegements  I  will 
content  myself  with,  and  so  pass  onward  to  more  necessary  matter. 

Above,  and  besides  the  prophetical  apparitions  in,  over,  and 
about  the  temple,  in  the  city  there  happened  no  less  note-worthy 
predictions.  The  east  gate  thereof,  which  was  all  iron,  and  never 
wont  to  be  opened  under  twenty  men  together,  (the  dry  rusty  creek- 
ing  of  whose  hooks  and  gymmes,  as  it  was  in  the  opening,  might 
be  heard  a  mile  off,)  now,  of  the  own  accord,  burst  wide  ope  and 


\ 


56 

being  ope,  was  twice  more  hard  than  before  to  be  shut.  A  base 
mechanical  fellow  there  was,  sprung  out  of  the  mud  of  the  com- 
monalty, who  for  four  years  together,  before  the  wars  begun,  went 
crying  up  and  down,  "  Woe  to  Jerusalem,  and  the  sanctuary  thereof, 
woe  to  every  living  thing  that  breathetli  therein/'  The  wars  once 
entered,  he  got  him  on  the  walls,  and  often  reiterating  his  stale 
worn  note,  add  thereunto,  "  Woe,  and  thrice  woe  to  myself,''  and 
with  that,  start  a  stone  out  of  an  engine  in  the  camp  and  stopped 
his  throat.  Many  monstrous  births  at  this  instant  were  brought 
forth;  in  divers  places  of  the  city  sprung  up  founts  of  blood.  The 
element  every  night  was  embattled  with  armed  men,  skirmishing 
and  conflicting  amongst  themselves;  and  the  imperial  eagles  of 
Rome  were  plainly  there  displayed  to  all  men's  sight.  A  burning 
sword  also  was  set  forth,  visibly  bent  against  the  city.  The  strangest 
and  horriblest  tempests  of  thunder  and  lightning  had  they  that  ever 
was  heard  of. 

The  earth  left  to  be  so  fruitful  as  it  wont;  no  season  but  it 
exceeded  his  stinted  temperature.  Every  thing  rebelled  against 
kind,  as  thinking  scorn  to  accommodate  themselves  to  their  uses, 
that  had  so  rebelled  against  the  Lord.  For  all  this  there  was  no 
man  that  would  gather  himself,  no  man  that  would  depart  from  the 
ill  work  he  had  in  hand.  Amhulahant  ut  ccBci  quia  Domino  peccave- 
runt.  Their  eyes  were  over  filmed  or  blinded,  because  they  obeyed 
not  their  Maker. 

Now  is  the  time  that  all  rivers  must  run  into  the  sea,  that 
whatsoever  I  have  in  wit  or  eloquence,  must  be  drained  to  the 
delineament  of  wretchedness. 

The  Romans,  like  a  drove  of  wild  boars,  root  up  and  forage 
fruitful  Palestine.  That  which  was  called  the  Holy  Land,  is  now 
unhallowed  with  their  heathen  swords.  Wherefore  you  pilgrims, 
that  spend  the  one-half  of  your  days  in  visiting  the  Land  of  Pro- 
mise, and  wear  the  plants  of  your  feet  to  the  likeness  of  withered 


m 

roots,  by  bare-legged  processioning  (from  afar)  to  the  sepulchre, 
ungainfully  you  consume  good  hours,  for  no  longer  was  Judea  a 
land  of  promise  than  her  temple  stood.  Vespasian's  invasion  hath 
prophaned  it :  a  mount  of  dead  bodies  over  that  sepulchre  is  raised, 
which  you  peregrinate  to  adore ;  that  sepulchre  you  see,  is  but  a 
thing  built  up  by  Saracens  to  get  money  with,  and  beguile  votive 
Christians.  They  delude  your  superstition,  and  make  it  their  tri- 
butary slave. 

No  hog-sty  is  now  so  pollutionate  as  the  earth  of  Palestine 
and  Jerusalem.  Our  Saviour's  steps  are  quite  unsanctified  in  them, 
and  trodden  out  of  scent  by  the  irruptive  over-trampling  of  the 
Romans.  A  new  story  of  flesh-manured  earth  have  they  cast  upon 
it,  and  made  it  no  more  the  walk  of  saints  and  prophets,  but  a 
poisonous  nursery  of  beasts  of  prey  and  serpents. 

O  God,  enlarge  mine  invention  and  my  memory,  sincerely  and 
feelingly,  to  rehearse,  the  disornanrienting  of  this  mother  of  cities. 

Understand,  that  before  the  arrival  of  Vespasian  there  were  in 
Jerusalem  three  factions :  Eleazar's,  which  was  the  fundamentive 
and  first,  Jehochanan  next,  and  Simeon's  the  last.  Eleazar  and 
Jehochanan,  the  ungodliest  that  ever  God  made,  Simeon  except, 
(and  he  might  well  have  been  schoolmaster  to  Cain  and  Judas,)  he 
was  such  a  grand  keysar  of  cut-throats.  From  the  noblest  of  the 
Jews  descended,  but  his  nobility,  ere  he  came  to  it,  by  his  de- 
generate conditions  he  forfeited.  A  man  he  was  that  made  a 
mockery  of  all  laws  and  religion,  and  any  thing  which  authority 
forbad  most  greedily  would  embrace;  thinking,  as  the  best  pas- 
tures are  hedged  in,  the  best  orchards  walled  about,  the  best  metals 
hutch'd  up,  so  there  was  nothing  excellent  but  was  forbidden,  and 
whatsoever  was  forbidden  was  excellent.  For  malice  or  hatred  he 
would  not  stab  or  murder  men  so  much,  as  against  he  had  just 
occasion  to  stab  or  murder,  to  keep  his  hand  in  ure.  He  held  it 
was  lawful  for  him  (since  all  labouring  in  a  man's  vocation  is  but 

I 


58 

getting),  to  get  wealth  as  well  with  his  sword  by  the  high-way  side, 
as  the  labourer  with  his  spade  or  mattock,  when  all  are  but  iron ; 
besides,  as  there  is  none  hath  any  wealth  which  he  getteth  not  from 
another,  so  deemed  he  it  as  free  for  him  as  another  to  get  from 
other  men;  concluding,  as  there  is  no  better  title  to  a  kingdom  than 
conquest,  so  there  is  no  better  claim  unto  wealth  than  by  the 
conquest  of  a  strong  hand  to  compass  it.  Adultery,  fornication, 
drunkenness,  no  sin  but  he  would  defend  and  offend  in. 

For  the  multitude  of  these  and  other  his  abominations,  banished 
he  was,  and  longer  in  Jerusalem  might  he  not  roost ;  wherefore  no 
possibility  had  he  to  prevent  beggary,  or  redeem  his  estate,  but  by 
proclaiming  (in  all  places  where  he  came)  the  trade  he  professed. 
The  tenure  of  his  proclamation  was  this :  That  if  there  were  any 
that  had  dudgen  old  coughing  miserly  fathers  they  could  not  en- 
dure ;  if  there  were  any  that  had  repining  victual-scanting  masters, 
tyrannizing  nevertheless  for  their  work ;  if  there  were  any  that  were 
creditor-crazed,  and  dead  and  buried  in  debt,  and  knew  not  which 
way  to  rise  out  of  it,  let  them  repair  to  him,  and  till  doomsday 
they  should  have  a  protection.  Yea,  if  there  were  ever  a  good 
fellow  that  loved  a  harlot  as  his  life,  would  have  letters  patent  to 
take  purses,  had  a  desire  to  kill  and  not  be  hanged,  would  swear 
and  forswear  for  single  money,  and  had  not  so  much  as  a  crumb  of 
conscience  to  put  in  his  pottage,  let  him  or  them,  whatever,  resort 
under  his  standard,  and  their  humours  should  be  maintained. 

Twenty  thousand  of  these  dreggy  lees  of  libertines  hived  unto 
him  in  a  moment,  whom  he  ycleped  the  "  Flower  of  Chivalry  ;^'  for 
they  feared  no  man,  and  cared  neither  for  God  nor  the  devil.  With 
them  he  burnt  the  green  corn  in  the  fields,  plucked  down  barns 
and  storehouses,  stubbed  up  orchards  and  vineyards,  and  made 
desolate  havoc  wherever  he  came. 

To  Jerusalem  (after  much  slaughter  and  spoil),  with  this  hi^ 
outlaw   army  he   reached,   and   there  interleagued   himself,  with 


59 

Eleazar  and  Jehochanan.  The  first  thing,  after  their  joining,  they: 
did,  was  the  displacing  of  the  Sanhedrim,  which  were  the  judges,, 
and  threescore  and  ten  elders,  and  sharing  the  government  equally 
amongst  them.  Then  the  sacrifice  thej  silenced,  put  the  high- 
priest  to  death,  and  converted  the  temple  to  an  armory.  Long 
could  they  not  agree,  but  as  empiry  admitteth  no  mateship,  so  did 
they  envy  one  another,  made  heads  against  one  another,  mutually- 
skirmished  with  one  another.  Their  enemies  were  without,  but 
within  lurked  the  plague  that  went  through  stitch. 

Twenty  thousand  in  one  day  the  internal  civil  sword  eat  up. 
The  Edomites,  let  in  by  Jehochanan,  of  the  wealthiest  citizens  slew 
eight  thousand  and  five  hundred  in  one  night.  Here  begins  the 
desolation  Christ  prophesied ;  within  and  without  vengeance  bestir- 
eth  her :  within  it  raged  most,  for  within  sin  reigned  most.  Let 
me  suddenly  wax  old,  and  woe-wrinkle  my  cheeks  before  their 
time,  by  describing  the  deplored  effects  of  their  sins  within.  First, 
for  the  desolation  of  their  ceremonial  religion  something  I  have 
^aid  already;  but  the  sum  of  all  was  this,  that  if  any  priest  ap- 
proached near  the  altar,  the  blood  of  him  and  his  offering  was 
blended  together.  The  reverend  ephods  were  made  the  slaughter- 
men's aprons :  many  venerable  Levites  they  bound  to  the  altar  by 
the  hair  of  beards.  The  vessels  of  the  house  of  the  Lord  they  put 
to  vile  uses ;  not  any  consecrated  thing  but  they  arrested  and  made 
booty  of.  Young  children,  whom  their  mothers  led  in  their  hands 
along  with  them  to  the  temple  to  offer,  (inhuman  to  be  told,)  they 
took  and  merciless  cast  into  the  sacrificatory  flame,  and  on  the 
same  altar  (after  they  were  consumed)  most  sacrilegiously  ravished 
their  mothers.  Some  men  (whom  they  could  not  otherwise  draw 
into  their  danger)  they  would  invite  to  treaty  in  the  temple,  saying, 
"  There  is  the  tabernacle  of  the  Lord,  there  is  the  ark  of  his  pre- 
sence, there,  if  we  should  draw  our  blades,  it  were  abomination 
unremissible.    Why  distrust  you  us  ?  suppose  you  us  to  be  without 


60 

God  ?  carry  we  not  the  covenant  of  our  father  Abraham  in  our  loins 
as  well  as  you  ?  By  Him  that  owneth  this  temple  we  swear,  and 
all  mystical  riches  thereof,  you  shall  depart  thence  unmolested/' 
Whoso  on  their  oaths,  or  their  words  affianced  them,  were  sure  to 
wash  the  pavement  with  the  best  juice  of  their  breasts. 

Not  only  those  that  came  to  offer,  but  those  that  but  offered 
to  kneel  in  the  temple,  they  ran  through.  The  marble  floor  of  it 
they  made  so  shppery,  with  their  unrespited,  and  not  so  much  as 
Sabbath-ceased  blood-shed,  and  bowel-clinging  fat  of  them  that 
were  slain,  that  a  man  might  better  swim  than  walk  on  it.  The 
place  without  the  city,  where  they  carried  their  dung,  and  buried 
their  entrails  of  beasts,  half  so  pestilently  stunk  not  as  that  stunk 
with  dunghills  of  dead  bodies.  The  entry^  of  the  court  of  the  Lord 
was  changed  to  a  standing  lake  of  blood.  The  silver  gates  of  the 
temple  no  more  were  gates  for  devout  worshippers  to  enter  in  at, 
but  slimy  flood-gates  for  thick  jellied  gore  to  sluice  out  by.  Who 
hath  seen  a  vault  under  a  church  full  of  dust-died  sculls,  and  rusty 
dead  men's  bones,  might  (after  that  gross  stream  of  gore  a  little  was 
turned  aside,  and  the  blood  dried  up)  rightly  allude  the  temple 
thereunto ;  for  now  it  was  no  more  a  prayer-prospering  house,  but 
a  puddly  vault  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  cast-out  bodies  kneaded 
to  dirt.  Her  alabaster  walls  were  all  furred,  and  some  painted,  with 
the  bespraying  of  men's  brains  dung  out  against  them.  Her  high 
roof  was  mingle-coloured  with  mounting  drops  of  blood,  that 
seemed,  by  soaking  into  it,  to  seek  foi*  passage  to  heaven. 

The  siege  growing  hot,  the  seditious  hearts  somewhat  quailed, 
and  then  they  made  shew  as  they  would  correct  themselves,  as  they 
would  renounce  their  tumultuous  tyrannies;  and  whereas  lately 
before  they  had  deprived  the  high-priest  Soth  of  life  and  office, 
HOW  (dissemblingly  remorsed)  they  would  needs,  in  all  haste,  in  his 
room  set  up  another,  and  by  lots  he  should  be  chosen.  The  lot 
fell  upon  a  ploughman,  or  carter,  one  Pani,  the  son  of  Paniel,  and 


61 

he,  notwithstanding  his  ignorant  baseness  and  base  rudeness,  as  in 
a  mockery,  was  installed  in  that  dignity. 

It  is  not  my  intent  to  run  a  right  out  race  through  all  the 
accidents  of  their  reprobation,  only  that  which  I  lay  down  is  to 
shew  how  infallibly  Christ's  words  were  fulfilled,  as  touching  their 
ten  times  merited  desolation.  Judge,  all  those  that  have  sense  of 
misery  ere  they  have  occasion  to  use  it  in  discerning  their  own 
miseries,  whether  this  were  not  desolation  or  no.  The  Lord  at  one 
time  visited  their  city  with  those  four  capital  plagues,  fire,  famine, 
pestilence,  and  the  sword.  First,  for  fire,  thus  he  visited  it :  There 
w^ere  a  thousand  and  four  hundred  storehouses,  filled  up  to  the  top 
with  victuals,  corn,  wine,  oil,  sufficient  to  maintain  two  hundred 
thousand  men  for  twenty  years,  all  which,  by  the  seditious,  was  set 
on  fire,  and  consumed  in  one  day.  Divers  gorgeous  buildings  they 
enflamed  to  smoke  out  their  rich  owners,  and  many  goodly  streets 
end-longs  to  the  very  earth  they  encindered,  for  nothing  but  to 
have  more  room  to  bicker  in. 

Every  corner  of  Jerusalem  had  a  voice  heard  in  it,  as  in  Ramah, 
of  weeping,  mourning,  and  great  lamentation.  Scarce  could  one 
friend  in  communing  hear  another,  for  the  howling,  wringing  of 
hands,  sobbing  and  yelling  of  men,  women,  and  children.  Here 
lay  they,  half  dead,  baiting  and  bathing  in  their  wounds,  and  roar- 
ing and  ear-rentingly  exclaiming  for  some  melting-hearted  man  to 
come  and  rid  them  out  of  their  lingering  living  death,  and  slay 
them  outright.  The  sons,  daughters,  and  servants  of  the  elders 
thus  unjustly  massacred,  went  crying  up  and  down  the  city  like 
madmen,  with  eyes  and  hands  to  heaven  extended,  "  Justice,  Lord  ! 
justice.  Lord !  justice  against  the  unjust  deprivers  of  our  friends 
and  maintainers.^' 

This  was  the  seditious  order,  that  if  there  were  any  man  noted 
to  be  of  more  wealth  than  another,  him  they  picked  a  quarrel 
against,  and  accused  of  treason  to  their  sanctuary,  and  sending 


6^ 

letters  to  tlie  Romans :  false  witnesses  they  had  in  pay,  a  camp 
royal :  Simeon  would  not  see  them  unprovided  in  that  case.  Not 
only  he  that  mourned,  but  he  that  did  not  seem  to  rejoice  at  the 
martyrdom  of  those  just  men,  was  dismissed  the  same  way.  Not  a 
few,  in  their  minds  benumbed  with  the  massacrous  monstrousness 
of  this  quick  martial  law,  made  themselves  graves,  and  went  into 
them  alive.  The  channel  of  Jordan  was  so  overburdened  and 
charged  with  dead  carcases,  that  the  waters  contended  to  wash 
their  hands  of  them,  and  lightly  leapt  over  their  banks,  as  shunning 
to  mix  themselves  with  so  many  milhons  of  murders ;  but,  after 
many  days  abstinence  from  their  proper  intercourse,  observing  they 
must  live  for  ever  banished  from  their  bounds,  except  they  made 
some  riddance  of  them,  they  recollected  their  liquid  forces,  and 
putting  all  their  wavy  shoulders  together,  bare  the  whole  shoal  of 
them  before  them,  as  far  as  the  sea  of  Sodom. 

Had  there  been  at  that  time  a  Red  Sea  new  to  be  created,  the 
blood  that,  like  a  river  from  a  mountain  foot,  flowed  forth  of  Jerusa- 
lem, would  have  made  it  rich  in  surges,  and  sufficient  to  wreck 
many  ships.  Even  as  Jordan,  so  the  brook  Cedron,  and  the  waters 
of  Siloam,  in  like  sort  were  choaked.  As  dead  cats  and  dogs  into 
butts  of  sack  and  muscadine  are  thrown,  for  their  fiery  strength  to 
feed  on,  so  into  wells  and  cisterns  were  dead  corses  innumerable 
thrown,  for  their  black  waters  to  feed  on.  From  the  fury  of  the 
sword  let  me  descend  to  famine  and  the  pestilence,  the  two  latter 
plagues  of  Jerusalem. 

In  giving  them  suitable  phrase,  had  I  the  command  of  a 
thousand  singular  wits,  I  should  bankrupt  all  in  description :  pluck 
up  a  good  courage  mine  infant  pen,  and  wearily  struggle,  as  well  as 
thou  may  est,  through  this  huge  word-dearthihg  task  ! 

The  store-houses  burnt,  the  siege  hard  plied,  the  waste  of 
victuals  great,  the  husbanding  of  them  none  at  all :  there  fell  such 
an  infectious  insatiable  famine  amongst  them,  that  if  all  the  stones 


63 

of  Jerusalem  had  been  bread,  and  they  should  have  tired  on  them, 
yet  would  they  have  been  behindhand  vv^ith  their  appetite.  Their 
watery  wesands  were  like  to  leap  out  of  their  mouths  for  meat, 
and  in  their  crawling  up  to  seek  passage,  ready  to  have  been  seized 
on  by  their  jaws  for  sustenance.  Like  an  overhanging  rock  eaten 
in  with  the  tide,  or  death,  that  is  never  pictured  but  with  an  upper 
chap  only,  so  did  their  propendant  breast-bones  imminent  over*- 
canopy  their  bellies. 

So  many  men  as  were  in  Jerusalem,  so  many  pale,  raw-bone 
ghosts  you  would  have  thought  you  had  seen ;  even  through  their 
garments  their  rake  lean  ribs  appeared ;  their  sharp,  embossed 
ancle-bones  turned  up  the  earth  like  a  ploughshare,  when  in  going 
their  feet  swerved.  The  empty  air  they  would  catch  at  instead  of 
meat,  like  as  a  spaniel  catcheth  at  a  fly ;  the  very  dust  they  gnashed 
at  as  it  flew,  and  their  own  arms  and  their  legs  they  hardly  for- 
bear. Their  teeth  they  would  grind  one  against  another,  to  a  white 
powder  like  meal ;  the  dirty  moss  on  the  pentisses  of  their  houses, 
they  gnawed  off  most  greedily.  Not  a  weed  sprung  up  but,  ere  it 
aspired  half  to  his  growth,  by  them  it  was  weeded  and  ravenously 
rauncht  up.  All  the  bushes  and  boughs  within  or  round  about 
Jerusalem  were  hewed  down  and  felled,  for  men,  like  brute  beasts, 
to  browse  on. 

Within  twelve  miles  compass  of  the  city,  where  there  were 
wont  to  be  the  most  Elysian-like  gardens,  and  flower-gilded  fields 
under  heaven,  what  for  the  Romans  and  them,  was  there  not  now 
left  a  crop  of  any  gourd  or  green  thing.  The  seditious  and  the 
soldiers  would  come  running  into  the  citizens^  houses,  and  taking 
them  by  the  bosoms,  cry  aloud,  "  Give  us  meat,  give  us  meat ;  by 
the  Lord  we  will  have  meat:  rob,  steal,  run  into  the  tents  of  our 
enemies  for  meat  for  us,  or  we  will  make  meat  of  you  and  your 
children."'  Mens  cellars  and  garrets  for  meat  they  searched.  If 
there  were  but  the  blood  of  any  thing  spilt  on  the  ground,  like 


hungry  dogs  they  would  Uck  it  up.  Rats,  mice,  weasels,  scorpions, 
were  no  common  men's  junckets. 

In  the  beginning  of  this  scarcity,  had  any  but  a  dish  full  of 
corn  left  to  send  to  the  mill,  they  were  afraid  to  send  it,  for  fear 
they  should  set  all  Jerusalem  together  by  the  ears  for  it.  Where- 
fore, in  their  low  under-earth  vaults  they  digged  lower  caves,  which 
covering  with  boards  and  formally  paving  over,  there  they  eat  their 
corn  unground,  closely,  because  they  would  not  be  circumvented. 

Exceeding  rich  magnificos  stole  victuals  one  from  another, 
and  would  lie  in  wait  a  whole  week  together  to  intercept  but  a 
chipping.  The  father  stole  from  the  son,  and  oftentimes  tore  the 
meat  out  of  his  mouth ;  the  son  could  scarce  refrain  from  biting 
out  his  father's  throat-bowl,  when  he  saw  him  swallow  down  a  bit 
that  he  died  for.  The  mother  lurched  from  them  both ;  her  young 
weaned  children,  famished  for  want  of  nourishment,  fastened  their 
sharp-edged  gums  on  her  fingers,  and  would  not  let  them  go  till  she 
plucked  the  morsel  out  of  her  own  maw  to  put  into  theirs.  He 
that  then  had  a  kingdom,  would  have  given  it  for  a  crust  of  bread. 

Not  a  butterfly,  grasshopper,  worm,  nevet,  or  canker,  but  was 
persecuted,  and  sought  out  to  satisfy  emptiness.  You  should  have 
seen  a  hundred  together,  fighting  and  scrambling  about  a  dead 
horse.  Sometimes  they  would  send  their  children  far  out  of  the 
city  to  gather  roots  and  herbs,  thinking  that  the  Romans  carried 
more  honourable  minds  than  to  execute  their  utmost  on  them ;  but 
all  was  one,  for  they  spared  neither  young  nor  old.  Many  noble- 
men eat  the  leather  of  their  chariots  as  they  rid.  Miriam,  a  matron 
of  great  port,  and  of  high  lineage,  having  her  receipt  of  digestion 
almost  closed  up  with  fasting,  after  she  had  sustained  her  hfe  a 
large  space  by  scraping  in  chaff  and  muck-hills  for  beast's  dung, 
and  that  means  forsaking  her,  she  had  no  other  refuge  of  foster- 
ment,  she  was  constrained,  for  her  life's  supportance,  having  but 
one  only  son,  to  kill  him  and  roast  him.  .; 


m 

fi  .  Mothers  of  London,  each  one  of  you  to  yourselves,  do  but 
imagine  that  you  were  Miriam,  with  what  heart,  suppose  you, 
could  you  go  about  the  cookery  of  your  own  children  ?  Not  hate, 
but  hunger,  taught  Miriam  to  forget  motherhood.  To  this  pur- 
port conceit  her  discoursing  with  herself 

"  It  is  better  to  make  a  sepulchre  for  him  in  mine  own  body, 
than  leave  him  to  be  licked  up  by  over-goers'  feet  in  the  street. 
The  wrath  of  God  is  kindled  in  every  corner  of  the  city,  famine 
hath  sworn  to  leave  no  breathing  thing  in  her  walls,  without  the 
v/alls  the  sword  more  usurpeth  than  famine.      Our  enemies  are 
merciless,  for  we  have  no  eyes  to  see  our  own  misery.     Not  they 
alone  besiege  us,  but  our  sins  also.    Fire  and  famine  afflict  us.     We 
have  wherewithal  to  feed  fire  and  famine,  but  not  wherewith  to  feed 
ourselves  and  our  children.      My  son,  my  son,  I  cannot  relieve 
thee ;  I  have  gold  and  silver  to  give  thee,  but  not  a  paring  of  any 
repast  to  preserve  thee.     My  son,  my  son,  why  should  I  not  kill 
famine  by  killing  thee,  ere  famine,  in  excruciating  thee,  kill  me? 
P  my  dear  babe,  had  I  in  every  limb  of  me  a  several  life,  so  many 
lives  as  I  have  limbs,  to  death  would  I  resign,  to  save  thine  one 
life.     Save  thee  I  may  not,  though  I  should  give  my  soul  for  thee. 
The  greatest  debt  I  have  bound  thee  to  me  with  is,  by  bearing  thee 
in  my  womb.     I'll  bind  thee  to  me  again ;  in  my  womb  Til  bear 
thee  again,  and  there  bury  thee,  ere  famine  shall  confound  thee : 
I  will  unswathe  thy  breast  with  my  sharp  knife,  and  break  ope  the 
bone-walled  prison  where  thy  poor  heart  is  locked  up  to  be  pined  ; 
those  chains  and  manacles  of  corruptive  bowels  wherewith  thy  soul 
is  now  fettered,  will  I  free  it  from ;  I  will  lend  death  a  false  key  to 
enter  into  the  closet  of  thy  breast. 

"  Even  as  amongst  the  Indians,  there  is  a  certain  people,  that 
when  any  of  their  kinsfolk  are  sick,  save  charges  of  physiq,  and 
rather  resolve,  unnaturally,  to  eat  them  up,  than  day-diversifying 
agues,  or  blood-boihng  surfeits,  should  fit  meal  feed  on  them,  50  do 

K 


m 

I  resolve  rather  to  eat  thee  up,  my  son,  and  'feed  on  thy  flesh 
royally,  than  inward  iniperishing  famine  should  too  untimely 
inage  thee.  Would  God,  as  the  men  of  Ephraim  were  not  able 
distinctly  to  pronounce  Shibboleth,  so  I  could  not  distinctly  pro- 
nounce the  sweet  name  of  my  son ;  it  is  too  sweet  a  name  to  come 
in  slaughter's  mouth.  Though  David  sung  of  mercy  and  judgment 
together,  yet  cannot  I  sing  of  cruelty  and  compassion  together; 
remember  I  am  a  mother,  and  play  the  murderess  both  at  once. 
O  therefore  in  my  words  do  I  strive  to  be  tyrannous,  that  I  may  be 
the  better  able  to  enact  with  my  hands.  Seldom,  or  never,  is  there 
any  that  doth  ill,  but  speaks  ill  first.  The  tongue  is  the  encouraging 
captain,  that,  with  danger  glorifying  persuasion,  animates  all  the 
other  corporal  parts  to  be  ventrous.  He  is  the  judge  that  dooms 
and  determines ;  the  rest  of  our  faculties  and  powers  are  but  the 
secular  executioners  of  his  sentence.  Be  pressed,  mine  hands,  as 
jail-guarding  officers,  to  see  executed  whatsoever  your  superior 
tongue-slaying  judge  shall  decree.  Embrawn  your  soft-skinned 
enclosure  with  adamantine  dust,  that  it  may  draw  nothing  but  steel 
unto  it.  Arm  yourselves  against  my  son,  not  as  my  son,  but  my 
bed-intercepting  bastard,  begotten  of  some  strumpet.  My  heart 
shall  receive  an  injunction  imaginarily  to  disinherit  him.  No  relent- 
ing thought  of  mine  shall  retain  you  with  repentant  affectionate 
humours. 

"  I  will  blood-shot  mine  eyes,  that  all  may  seem  sanguine  they 
look  on.  Some  dead  man  that  is  already  slain  Til  anatomize  and 
embowel,  the  more  to  flesh  my  fingers  in  butchering.  Ratified  it 
is,  bad-fated  saturnine  boy,  that  thou  must  be  anthropophagized 
by  thine  own  mother.  Thou  wert  once  the  chief  pillar  of  my 
posterity,  and  the  whole  reliance  of  my  name.  Well  I  hoped  thou 
shouldst  have  revived  and  new  grafted  thy  father's  fame  :  I  expected 
Jerusalem  should  have  had  a  strong  prop  of  thee  ;  and  if  at  any 
time  it  were  war  threatened,  thy  right  arm  should  have  re-tran- 


67 

quillized  and  rejoiced  it,  that  the  young  men,  in  their  merry  running 
madrigals,  and  sportive  base-bidding  roundelays  for  thee,  should 
have  honoured  me;  that  the  virgins,  on  their  loud  tintemelling 
timbrels,  and  ballad^  singing  dances,  should  have  descanted  on  my 
praises. 

if'  "  Mine  age  of  thee  expected  all  life-expedient  necessaries.  My 
sight  put  not  on  years*  dimness  so  soon  as  it  would  have  done,  only 
trusting  thou  shouldst  seal  it  up  when  death  had  dusked  it.  My 
beauty-creasing  cares,  and  frown-imitating  wrinkles,  were  wholly 
buried  in  the  monumental  grave,  which  I,  misdeeming,  deemed  thy 
sword  might  dig  me.  All  these,  my  airy-bodied  expectations, 
famine  hath  dispersed.  I  must  enter  thee,  thou  canst  not  entomb 
me.  Thy  little  soul  to  heaven  must  be  sent,  to  intelligence  the 
calamity  of  Jerusalem :  God  will  have  pity  of  thee,  and,  perhaps, 
pity  Jerusalem  for  thee.  He  surely  will  melt  in  remorse,  and 
wither  up  the  hand  of  his  wrath,  when  in  his  ears  it  shall  be 
clamoured  how  the  desolation  he  hath  laid  on  Jerusalem  hath 
compelled  a  tender  starved  mother  to  kill  and  eat  her  only  son. 
And  yet  his  own  only  child,  Christ  Jesus  (as  dear  to  him  as  thou  to 
me,  my  son),  he  sent  into  the  world  to  be  crucified. 

"  O  sorrow-conceiving  mothers,  look  to  have  all  your  children 
crucified,  to  have  none  of  them  remitted,  since  our  husbands  have 
been  so  hardy  to  lay  harmful  hands  on  the  Lord  of  Life.  Can  God 
be  more  grief-yielding  with  the  loss  and  life-famishing  of  our  inno- 
cent children,  than  he  was  at  the  giving  up  of  his  own  only  Son  ? 
That  one  deadly  deed  hath  obdurated  him,  and  made  him  a  hard 
God  to  all  mothers.  Famine,  the  Lord  hath  sent  thee  to  heap  a 
second  curse  upon  mothers.  Never  shall  it  be  said  thou  tookest 
from  me  my  son ;  his  father's  falchion  shall  send  him  to  sleep  with 
his  fathers.     Neither  shall  his  death  be  recorded  as  my  crime  in 

*  A  ballad,  in  French,  is  any  song  that  is  sung  dancing. 


68 

heaven's  judgment-book,  when  I  but  only  rid  hini,  that  is  as  good 
as  dead  already,  out  of  the  tedious  pain  of  dying. 

"  I  have  no  meat,  my  son,  to  bring  thee  up  with ;  I  have  no 
ears  to  give  idle  passage  to  the  plaints  of  thy  pining :  the  enemies 
without  and  within  shall  divide  thy  blood  guilt  betwixt  them. 
Amongst  the  rabblement  shalt  thou  not  miscarry  ;  I'll  bear  thee  in 
my  bosom  to  Paradise.  Thy  tomb  shall  be  my  stomach  ;  with  thy 
flesh  will  I  feast  me.  This  shall  be  all  the  child's  tribute  I  will 
require  of  thee,  for  the  six  years'  life  I  have  given  thee,  to  cherish 
me  but  six  days;  and,  rather  than,  Famine,  thou  should  consume  me, 
to  consume  thyself  in  my  sustenance.  The  foreskin  of  original  sin 
shalt  thou  clean  circumcise,  by  this  one  act  of  piety.  Return  into 
me,  and  see  the  mould  wherein  thou  wert  cast.  As  much  pain  in 
thy  conception  endured  1  for  thee,  as  I  will  put  thee  to  in  thy  de- 
parture. By  nature  we  all  desire  to  return  to  the  soil  from  whence 
we  came  :  wert  thou  of  age  to  plead  thine  own  desires,  I  know  they 
would  be  accordant  with  mine.  I  am  thy  mother,  and  must  desire 
for  thee :  I  love  thee  more  than  th'ou  canst  thyself,  therefore  cannot 
my  desires  endamage  thee.  Into  the  garden  of  Eden  I  will  lead, 
thee,  but  one  gap  broke  ope  thy  entrance  is  made.  More  shalt 
thou  terrify  the  seditious  by  the  constrain tment  of  thy  quartering, 
than  if  Jehovah  out  of  a  cloud  should  speak  to  them. 

"  'Tis  not  thou,  but  I,  shall  be  counted  opprobrious.  Lo,  there 
goes  the  woman,  shall  they  say,  that  hath  sliced  and  eaten  her  own 
son.  I  am  content  to  undergo  any  shame  to  abash  and  rebuke 
their  faces.  Sword,  however  I  have  flattered  thee,  look  for  no 
direction  from  mine  eyes ;  for  though  with  my  hands  I  outrage, 
with  mine  eyes  I  cannot !  Mine  eyes  are  womanish,  my  hands  are 
manly.  Mine  eyes  will  shed  tears  instead  of  shedding  blood ;  they 
will  regard  pitiful  looks,  the  white  skin,  the  comely  proportion,  the 
tender  youth,  the  quiet,  lying  hke  a  lamb ;  my  hand  beholdeth 
none  of  these,  and  yet  it  is  my  right  hand  which  should  do  every 


one  right,  much  more  mine  own  child.  Right  will  I  do  thee,  noble 
infant,  in  righting  thee  from  the  wrongs  of  famine.  Never  shall 
the  Romans  have  thee  for  their  ward.  Thus,  thus,  like  blindfold 
fortune,  I  right  thee,  mine  eyes  being  veiled.'^ 

At  one  stroke  (even  as  these  words  were  speaking)  she  be- 
headed him ;  and  when  she  had  done,  turning  the  apron  from  off 
her  own  face  on  his,  that  the  sight  might  not  afreshly  distemper 
her,  without  seeing,  speaking,  deliberating,  or  almost  thinking  any 
more  of  him,  she  sod,  roast,  and  powdered  him;  and  having  eat 
as  much  as  sufficed,  set  up  the  rest. 

The  seditious,  smelling  the  savour  of  a  feast,  which  at  that 
time  was  no  ordinary  matter  in  Jerusalem,  roughly  (in  heaps) 
rushed  and  burst  into  the  house,  saying,  "  Wicked  woman,  thou 
hast  meat,  and  traiterously  concealest  it  from  us ;  we'll  tear  thee  iijt 
pieces  if  thou  setst  not  part  of  it  before  us." 

With  some  few  words  of  excuse  before  them,  what  she  had 
brought,  entertaining  them  in  these,  or  like  terms.  * 

"  Eat,  I  pray  you ;  here  is  good  meat,  be  not  afraid,  it  is  flesh 
of  my  flesh,  I  bare  it,  I  nursed  it,  I  suckled  it.  Lo,  here  is  the 
head,  the  hands,  and  the  feet.  It  was  mine  own  only  son,  I  tell 
you.  Sweet  was  he  to  me  in  his  life,  but  never  so  sweet  as  in  his 
death.  Behold  his  pale  parboiled  visage,  how  pretty  piteous  it 
looks.  His  pure  snow-moulded  soft  flesh  will  melt  of  itself  in  your 
mouths :  who  can  abstain  from  these  two  round  teat-like  cheeks  ? 
Be  not  dainty  to  cut  them  up,  the  rest  of  his  body  have  I  cut  up 
to  your  hands,  .• 

*'  Cravens,  cowards,  recreants,  sit  you  mute  and  amazed! 
Never  entered  you  into  consideration  of  your  cruelty  before.  It 
is  you  that  have  robbed  me  of  all  my  food,  and  so  consequently 
robbed  me  of  my  only  son.  Vengeance  on  your  souls,  and  all  the 
descending  generations  of  the  seed  of  your  tribes,  for  thus  mirroring 
me  for  the  monarch-monster  of  mothers.     No  chronicle,  that  shall 


write  of  Jerusalem's  last  captivity,  but  shall  write  of  me  also.  Not 
any  shall  talk  of  God's  judgment  on  this  city,  but  for  the  cardinal 
judgment  against  it,  shall  recite  mine  enforcement  to  eat  mine  own 
child.  I  am  a  woman,  and  have  killed  him  and  eat  of  him;  my 
womanish  stomach  hath  served  me  to  that,  which  your  manlike 
stomachs  are  dastarded  with.  What  I  have  done  you  have  driven 
me  to  do ;  what  you  have  driven  me  to  do,  now  being  done,  you 
are  daunted  with.  Eat  of  my  son  one  morsel  yet,  that  it  may 
memorize  against  you ;  ye  are  accessary  to  his  dismembering.  Let 
that  morsel  be  his  heart,  if  you  will,  the  greater  may  be  your  con- 
victment. 

"  Men  of  war  you  are,  who  make  no  conscience  of  tearing  out 
any  man's  heart  for  a  morsel  of  bread.  Most  valiant  captains,  why 
forbear  you,  is  not  here  your  own  diet,  huhian  blood  ?  Here  is  my 
son's  breast,  pierce  it  once  again,  for  once  you  have  pierced  it  with 
famine.  Are  not  you  they  that  spoiled  my  house,  and  left  me  no 
kind  of  cherishment  for  me  and  my  son  ?  Feed  on  that  you  have 
slain,  and  spare  not.  O  my  son !  oh,  mine  only  son !  these  sedi- 
tious are  the  devils  that  directed  the  sword  against  thy  throat. 
They  with  their  armed  hands  have  crammed  thy  flesh  into  my 
palate ;  now  poison  them  with  thy  flesh,  for  it  is  they  that  have 
supplanted  thee.  Renowned  is  thine  end,  for  in  Jerusalem  is  none 
hath  resisted  famine  but  thou :  me  thou  hast  fed,  thyself  thou  hast 
freed ;  'tis  thou  only  that  at  the  latter  day  shalt  condemn  these 
seditious.  Excuse  me,  that  only  what  I  could  not  choose  com- 
mitted ;  I  did  all  for  the  best :  the  best  remedy  of  thine  unrepriev- 
able  perverse  destiny  was  death;  therefore  I  devoured  thee  that 
fowls  of  the  air  might  not  rent  thee.  For  sauce  to  thy  flesh  have 
I  infused  my  tears;  whoso  dippeth  in  them  shall  taste  of  my 
sorrow."  * 

The  rebels,  hearing  this,  were  wholly  metamorphosed  into  me- 
lancholy :  yea,  the  chieftains  of  them  were  over-clouded  in  conceit. 


71 

Was  never  till  this  ever  heard  from  Adam,  that  a  woman  eat  her 
own  child !  Was  never  such  a  desolation  as  the  desolation  of 
Jerusalem ! 

As  touching  the  pestilence,  some  short  peroration  is  now  to 
succeed.  Of  it  there  died  more  than  a  hundred  thousand  during 
the  time  of  the  siege.  Out  of  the  least  gate  of  Jerusalem  (which 
was  that  towards  the  brook  Cedron)  were  carried  forth  to  burial  a 
hundred  fifteen  thousand  a  hundred  and  eight  persons ;  all  which 
were  of  the  nobles,  gentlemen,  and  substantialest  men  of  the  Jews. 
Many  fled  to  Titus,  who  when  they  came  to  meat  could  eat  none 
of  it,  but  died  with  the  very  sight  thereof.  Of  those  that  fled,  a 
great  number  swallowed  up  their  gold  and  their  jewels,  which 
(being  clearly  escaped)  they  sought  amongst  their  excrements. 
But  when  by  the  Aramites  and  Arabians  (Titus'  mercenary  soldiers) 
it  was  perceived,  they  slew  them  outright,  and  ripped  their  bowels 
for  their  gold,  and  so  left  them  to  the  eagles  and  ravens.  Two 
thousand  by  this  covetise  slept  their  last.  The  princes  of  the  Jews 
(which  Titus,  as  submissioners  and  succour-suers,  had  received 
to  mercy)  he  straightly  examined,  on  their  allegiance  and  fidelity, 
how  many  were  dead  in  the  city  since  he  first  besieged  it ;  and  the 
number  was  given  up,  (namely,  of  such  as  were  carried  forth  at  all 
gates  to  be  buried,  and  were  slain  in  battle,)  seven  hundred  thou- 
sand five  hundred  seventy  and  five,  besides  many  thousands  that 
in  the  streets  and  temple  lay  unburied,  and  were  cast  down  into 
the  brook  Cedron.  The  whole  bill,  when  the  siege  was  concluded, 
came  to  eleven  hundred  thousand,  all  which  in  fourteen  months 
misfortuned. 

Sixteen  thousand  Titus  led  prisoners  to  Rome,  (those  omitted 
which  under  Eleazar's  conduct  perished.)  The  Sanctum  Sanctorum 
was  set  on  fire,  and  the  priests  therein  smothered.  All  the  antique 
buildings  were  burnt  and  beaten  down.  Of  David,  Solomon,  or 
the  old  kings  of  Israel,  was  there  no  trophy  remaining,  no  stone 


7S 

but  dis-situate.  Jerusalem  was  left,  not  as  Jerusalem,  but  a  nakeS 
plot  of  ground ;  and  as  it  was  said  of  Priam's  town,  Jam  seges  est, 
ubi  Troiafuit,  now  is  that  corn-field  that  was  first  called  Troy;  so 
that  is  now  a  mount  of  stones  that  in  years  past  was  intitled 
Jerusalem. 

O  Jerusalem,  Jerusalem !  what  shall  J  say  to  thee  more  but 
Christ  foretold  thy  house  should  be  left  desolate  unto  thee ;  and  lo, 
as  he  foretold,  it  is  fallen  out. 

Of  all  thy  gates,  that  were  plated  over  with  silver,  is  there  not 
so  much  as  one  nail  remaining.  Thy  streets  were  paved  with 
marble,  and  thy  houses  jetted  out  with  japhy  and  cedar;  that 
pavement,  those  houses,  thy  habitation  (like  dust-engraven  letters) 
is  quite  abrased  and  ploughed  up.  Thine  enemies  on  thy  sanctuary 
took  compassion ;  (beholding  the  glory  of  it),  thou  tookest  none. 
Titus,  an  infidel,  understanding  the  multitude  of  thy  profanations 
and  contumacies,  was  afraid  (having  entered  thee)  to  stay  in  thee, 
saying,  "  Let  us  hence,  lest  their  sins  destroy  us.''  Nothing  thou 
fearedst;  in  old  wives'  fables  thou  belie vedst;  with  th'  almudistical 
dreams  (that  thy  temple  after  her  destruction  should  be  built  up  in 
a  day)  thyself  thou  deludest.  And  whereas  thou  hadst  a  prophecy 
that  thy  sanctuary  should  not  be  prostituted,  till  out  of  thy  quarters 
sprung  a  monarch  of  the  whole  earth,  thou  wert  blinded,  and  waut- 
edst  the  sense  in  Vespasian  to  pick  out  his  expletement.  For  he, 
coming  into  Judea  but  as  a  subjected  general  to  the  Roman  em- 
pire, by  his  own  soldiers,  against  his  will,  was  there  consecrated 
emperor ;  and  so  out  of  thy  dominions^  or  quarters,  departed  he, 
leaving  his  son  Titus  behind  him  to  sack  thee. 

See  with  how  many  deceits  thou  art  circumvented,  for  calling 
Christ  a  circumventer  and  deceiver.  For  *"  stoning  him  and  his 
prophets \"  and  using  such  great  injustice  to  St.  James  (his  cousin 
according  to  the  flesh),  Josephus  and  Eusebius  agree  all  those 

*  Matth.  27.  25. 


plagues  were  laid  upon  thee.  But  to  the  imprecation  ascribe  I 
it  rather,  wherewith  when  Pilate  washed  his  hands  thou  cursedst 
thyself,  saying,  "  His  blood  be  upon  us,  and  our  children/'  In- 
human polic}^  another  cause  I  conjecture.  Thou  lettest  Eleazar,  a 
private  man,  take  the  sword  of  thy  freedom  into  his  hands  un- 
authorised. Thou  sufFeredst  him  (unpunished)  to  resist  the  Roman 
provincial  Florus  :  ill  didst  thou  therein,  for  in  government  (though 
it  be  to  resist  public  violence,)  it  is  not  safe  to  suffer  a  private  man 
to  undertake  arms  as  general.  The  reasons  hereafter  I  will  open  in 
some  other  discourse  treating  wholly  of  those  matters.  ,      / 

The  chief  reason  of  thy  confusion  was  the  ripeness  of  thy  sins, 
which  were  seeded  for  want  of  God's  putting  his  sickle  into  them. 
Jerusalem,  if  1  were  to  describe  hell,  some  part  of  thy  desola- 
tion description  would  I  borrow  to  make  it  more  horrorsome. 
Eleven  hundred  thousand  for  these  few  words,  "  but  thou  wouldst 
not,''  most  wretchedly  lost  their  lives.  If  but  one  line  ("  thy  house 
shall  be  left  desolate  unto  thee,")  included  all  this,  what  doth  the 
whole  scripture  include.^  Not  a  piece  of  a  line  in  it  that  talks  of 
the  lake  of  fire  and  brimstone,  but  by  a  hundred  thousand  parts 
niore  importeth.  It  is  a  quiver  of  short  arrows,  which  never  shew 
their  length  till  they  be  full  shot  out;  a  ball  of  wildfire  round 
wrapt  up  together,  which  burneth  not,  but  ast  forth;  a  close 
winded  clue,  conducting  those  that  deal  unadvisedly  with  it  into 
the  Minotaur's  labyrinth  of  pain  everlasting. 

I  would  wish  no  man  to  be  too  mild  in  expounding  it.  It  has 
more  edges  to  smite  with  than  it  shews  :  it  is  not  sill}*^  in  operation, 
though  it  be  simple  in  appearance.  Jerusalem,  not  all  thy  seventy 
Esdrean  Cabalizers,  who  traditionally  from  Moses  received  the 
law's  interpretation,  could  ever  rightly  teach  thee  to  divine  of  the 
crucified  Messias.  The  Scripture  thou  madest  a  too,  too  compound 
Cabalistical  substance  of,  by  canonizing  such  a  multifarious  ge- 
nealogy of  comments. 


74 

I-  '  '  ■  ■  "       ■    ■    '^ 

Hitherto  stretcheth  the  prosecution  of  thy  desolation.  Now 
to  London  must  I  turn  me,  London  that  turneth  from  none  of  thy 
left  hand  impieties.  As  great  a  desolation  as  Jerusalem  hath  Lon- 
don deserved.  Whatsoever  of  Jerusalem  I  have  vrritten  was  but 
to,  lend  her  a  looking-glass.  Now  I  enter  into  my  true  tears,  my 
tears  for  London,  wherein  I  crave  pardon  though  I  deal  more 
searchingly  than  common  soul-surgeons  accustom;  for  in  this 
book  wholly  have  I  bequeathed  my  pen  and  my  spirit  to  the  pros- 
ternating  and  ensorrowing  the  frontiers  of  sin.  So  let  it  be  ac- 
ceptable to  God  and  his  church  what  I  write,  as  no  man  in  this 
treatise  I  will  particularly  touch,  none  I  will  semovedly'  allude  to, 
but  only  attaint  vice  in  general.  i 

Pride  shall  be  my  principal. aim,  which  in  London  hath  plat- 
formed  another  sky-undersetting  Tower  of  Babel.  Jonathan^  shot 
five  arrows  beyond  the  mark ;  1  fear  I  shall  shoot  fifteen  arrows 
behind  the  mark  in  describing  this  high  towering  sin. 

O  Pride,  of  all  heaven-relapsing  premunires  the  most  fearful : 
thou  that  ere  this  hast  disparadised  our  first  parent  Adam,  and 
unrighteoused  the  very  angels,  how  shall  I  arm  mine  elocution  to 
break  through  the  ranks  of  thy  bily  stumbling-blocks  ?  After  the 
destruction  of  Antwerp,  thou  being  thrust  out  of  house  and  home, 
and  not  knowing  whither  to  betake  thee,  at  hap  hazard  embarkedst 
for  England.  AVhere  hearing  rich  London  was  the  full  streamed 
well-head,  unto  it  thou  hastedst,  and  there  hast  dwelt  many  years, 
begetting  sons  and  daughters.  Thy  sons"  names  are  these.  Ambi- 
tion, Vainglory,  Atheism,  Discontent,  Contention,  Thy  daughters, 
Disdain,  Gorgeous-Attire,  and  Delicacy.  O  had  Antwerp  still 
flourished,  that  thou  hadst  never  come  hither  to  mis-fashion  us,  or 
that  there  were  any  city  would  take  thy  children  to  halves  with  us  ! 

Thy  first  son  iVmbition  is  waxed  a  great  courtier,  and  maketh 
him  wings  of  his  long  Furies"  hair  to  fly  up  to  heaven  with :  he  hath 

'  Sic  in  Oriff.     Editor.  *  1  Kings  19.  22. 


a  throne  raised  up  under  his  heels  in  every  start-up  he  treads  on. 
His  back  bandieth  colours  with  the  sun.  The  ground  he  thinketh 
extremely  honoured  and  beholding  to  him,  if  he  bless  it  but  with 
one  humble  look.  Nothing  he  talks  on  but  kentals  of  pearl,  the 
conquering  of  India,  and  fishing  for  kingdoms.  Fame  he  makes 
his  God,  and  men's  mouths  the  limit  of  his  conscience.  So  many 
greater  as  there  are  than  himself,  so  many  griefs  he  hath.  The 
devil  may  command  all  his  heart  and  soul,  if  he  will  rid  him  but  of 
one  rival.  He  that  but  crosseth  him  in  the  course  of  his  ascension 
either  killeth  him  outright  (if  he  be  above  his  reach),  or  is  sure 
(kill  he  not  first)  in  the  end  to  be  killed  by  him. 

Poor  men  he  looks  should  part  with  all  their  goods  to  have 
him  but  take  knowledge  of  them.  He  seeks  to  get  him  a  majesty 
in  his  frown,  and  do  something  to  seem  terrible  to  the  multitude. 
JEven  courtesy  and  humility  he  perverteth  to  pride  where  he  cannot 
otherwise  pray.  Hath  no  child  of  Pride  so  many  disciples  as  this 
tiptoe  Ambition  ?  Why  call  I  him  Ambition,  when  he  hath  changed 
his  name  unto  Honour  ?  I  mean  not  the  honour  of  the  field  (Ambi- 
tion's only  enemy),  which  I  could  wish  might  be  ever,  and  only 
honourably,  but  brokerly  blown  up  honour,  honour  by  antic  fawning 
fiddled  up,  honour  bestowed  for  damned  deserts. 

Of  this  kind  of  honour  is  this  elf  (we  call  Ambition)  com- 
pacted. Yet  will  I  not  say  but  even  in  the  highest  noblest  birth, 
and  honourablest  glory  of  arms,  there  may  be  ambition.  David 
was  ambitious  when  he  caused  the  people  to  be  numbered.  Ne- 
buchadnezzar eat  grass  for  his  ambition.  Herod  was  ambitious 
when  in  angelical  apparel  he  spoke  to  the  people.  The  truest 
image  of  this  kind  of  ambition  was  Absalom. 

Julius  Caesar  amongst  the  Ethnicks  surmounted,  who  when  he 
had  conquered  Gallia,  Belgia,  this  our  poor  Albion,  and  the  better 
part  of  Europe,  and  upon  his  return  to  Rome  was  crowned  em- 
peror, in  the  height  of  his  prosperity  he  sent  men  skilled  in  geometry 


/ 


76 

to  measure  the  whole  world,  that  whereas  he  intended  to  conquer 
it  all,  he  might  know  how  long  he  should  be  in  overrunning  it. 
Letters  had  they  directed  to  all  the  presidents,  consuls,  dukes,  pa- 
latines, tetrarchs,  and  judges  of  provinces  to  assist  them,  and  safe 
conduct  them.  Their  commission  was  not  only  to  measure  the 
earth,  but  the  waters,  the  woods,  the  seas,  the  shores,  the  vallies, 
the  hills,  and  the  mountains.  In  this  discovery  thirty  years  were 
spent,  from  his  consulship  to  the  consulship  of  Saturnius,  when 
God  wot,  poor  man,  twenty  years  good  before  they  returned,  he 
was  all  to  be  poignarded  in  the  senate-house,  and  had  the  dust  of 
his  bones  in  a  brasen  urn  (no  bigger  than  a  bowl)  barrelled  up, 
whom  (if  he  had  lived)  all  the  sea,  and  earth,  and  air,  would  have 
been  too  little  for. 

Let  the  ambitious  man  stretch  out  his  limbs  never  so,  he 
taketh  up  no  more  ground  (being  dead)  than  the  beggar.  London, 
of  many  ambitious  busy  heads  hast  thou  beheld  the  rising  and 
downfalling!  In  thy  stately  school  are  they  first  tutored  in  their 
iiTt.  With  example  thou  first  exaltest  them,  and  still  liftst  them 
up,  till  thou  hast  lifted  up  their  heads  on  thy  gates. 

What  a  thing  is  the  heart  of  man,  that  it  should  swell  so  big  as 
the  whole  world  ?  Alexander  was  but  a  little  man,  yet  if  there  had 
heen  a  hundred  worlds  to  conquer,  his  heart  would  have  comprised 
them.  Did  men  consider  whereof  they  were  made,  and  that  the 
dust  was  their  great-grandmother,  they  would  be  more  humiliated 
jand  dejected.  Of  a  brittler  metal  than  glass  is  this  we  call  ambition 
^nade,  and  to  mischances  more  subject.  Glass  with  good  usage 
may  be  kept  and  continue  many  ages.  The  days  of  man  are 
numbered ;  threescore  and  ten  is  the  term ;  if  he  live  any  longer  it 
is  but  labour  and  sorrow. 

Glass  feareth  not  sickness,  nor  old  age;  it  gathereth  no 
wrinkles  with  standing.  It  hath  not  so  many  that  scout  and  He 
in  wait  for  his  end  as  Ambition:  for  he  (as  all  mankind)  is  con*, 


77 

tinually  liable  to  a  million  of  mischances ;  besides  a  legion  of  dis^ 
eases  lingering  about  him.  Admit  none  of  those  meet  with  him. 
Time  with  his  sickle  will  be  sure  not  to  miss  him.  A  man  may 
escape  a  sickness,  a  blow,  a  fall,  a  wild  beast :  he  cannot  escape 
his  last  destiny.  External  dangers  (such  as  these  be)  every  one  is 
circumspect  and  careful  to  avoid.  Not  any  one  ponders  in  his 
thought  how  to  avoid  the  death  that  grows  inward. 

From  the  rich  to  the  poor  (in  every  street  in  London)  there  is 
ambition,  or  swelling  above  their  states :  the  rich  citizen  swells 
against  the  pride  of  the  prodigal  courtier;  the  prodigal  courtier 
swells  against  the  wealth  of  the  citizen.  One  company  swells 
against  another,  and  seeks  to  intercept  the  gain  of  each  other ;  nay, 
not  any  company  but  is  divided  in  itself.  The  ancients,  they 
oppose  themselves  against  the  younger,  and  suppress  them  and 
keep  them  down  all  that  they  may.  The  young  men,  they  call 
them  dotards,  and  swell  and  rage,  and  with  many  others  swear  on 
the  other  side  they  will  not  be  kept  under  by  such  cullions,  but  go 
^ood  and  near  to  out-shoulder  them.  . .  i 

Amongst  their  wives  is  like  war.  Well  did  Aristotle  in  the 
second  of  Physics^  call  sins  monsters  of  nature ;  for  as  there  is  no 
monster  ordinarily  reputed  but  in  a  swelling  or  excess  of  form,  so 
is  there  no  sin  but  is  a  swelling  or  rebelhng  against  God.  "  Sin,'* 
saith  Augustine,  **  is  either  thought,  word,  or  deed,  opposite  to  the 
eternal  will  of  God."'  Then  if  all  sins  be  opposing  themselves 
against  God,  surely  ambition  (which  is  part  of  the  devil's  sin) 
cannot  but  be  the  cherishing  of  open  enmity  against  God  :  and  so 
immediate  I  conclude,  that  so  many  ambitious  men  as  are  amongst 
us,  so  many  open  enemies  God  hath. 

Ambition  is  any  puft  up  greedy  humour  of  honour  or  prefer- 
ment. No  puffing  or  swelling  up  in  any  man's  body  but  is  a  sore ; 
when  the  soul  doth  swell  with  ambition,  both  soul  and  body  (with- 
out timely  physic  of  repentance)  will  smart  full  sore  for  it.     Humi- 


lity  was  so  hard  a  virtue  to  beat  into  our  heads,  that  Christ 
purposely  came  down  from  heaven  in  his  own  person  to  teach  it 
us,  and  continued  thirty  years  together,  nothing  but  preaching 
and  practising  it  here  upon  earth.  "  The  foohsh  things  of  the 
world,''  saith  Paul,^  "  God  chooseth,  and  not  the  haughty  or  ambi- 
tious in  conceit/'  God  might  have  chosen  kings  and  emperors,  or 
the  scribes  and  pharisees  to  be  his  disciples,  but  foolfsh  fishermen 
he  chose. 

In  worldly  policy  he  used  a  foolish  course  to  win  credit  to  his 
doctrine  :  but  foolish  is  the  worldly  policy,  that  only  from  the  devil 
borrows  his  instance.  Christ  chose  them,  whom  the  devil  scorned 
to  look  so  low  as  to  tempt,  in  whose  hearts  he  had  not  yet  laid 
one  stone  of  his  building.  They  were  the  only  fit  men  to  receive 
the  impression  of  his  spirit.  Whether  it* be  a  blessing  or  no  given 
to  all  fishermen  (for  the  apostles'  sake)  I  know  not,  but  surely  there 
is  no  one  trade  (in  their  vocation)  lives  so  faithfully  and  painfully 
as  fishermen,  that  in  their  apparel  or  diet  less  exceed.  He  that 
should  have  told  the  devil,  Christ  would  cast  his  nets  amongst 
fishermen,  he  would  have  laughed  him  out  of  his  coat  for  a  cox- 
comb. What  reason,  what  likelihood  was  there  ?  was  he  born  in  a 
fishing  town .?  was  he  allied  either  by  the  father  or  the  mother  to 
fishermen  ?  Nay,  how  should  he  come  almost  in  all  his  life  to  hear 
of  a  fisherman  ?  Tush,  tush,  he  will  be  altogether  in  the  temple 
amongst  the  doctors,  the  high  priests,  and  the  elders :  them  will  I 
ply  and  waylay  against  him. 

To  their  unbelief  I  will  lend  arguments.  They  have  the  seeds 
of  ambition  rooted  in  their  hearts  already.  I  will  put  in  their 
heads  that  he  cometh  to  destroy  their  law  and  their  temple,  and 
turn  them  all  out  of  their  stately  chairs  of  ^authority ;  and  this  (I 
think)  will  tickle  them  thoroughly  against  him. 

Simple  devil,  Christ  deceived  thee,  and  only  in  this  he  deceived 

.    M  Cor.  3.  > 


7® 

thee,  that  thou  imaginedst  his  pride  and  ambition  to  be  Hke  thine; 
and  never  lookedst  for  him  amongst  net-menders.  I  dare  swear  for 
thee  thou  wouldst  have  sooner  sought  for  him  amongst  carpenters. 
But  when  thou  foundest  how  thou  wert  over-reached,  I  think  thou 
rannest  to  them,  from  one  to  another,  with  cap  in  hand  to  re- 
quest them  to  betray  him.  And  every  one  shaked  thee  off 
churlishly  but  Judas,  and  on  him  hadst  thou  not  had  power  but 
that  he  carried  the  purse.  It  is  a  hard  thing  for  him  that  carries 
the  purse,  that  hath  money  and  gold  at  command,  not  to  be  moved- 
with  ambition. 

Peter,  James,  and  John,  had  you  been  any  thing  but  beggarly 
fishermen,  and  that  you  had  ever  lived  but  a-hungered  and  cold  by 
the  sea-side,  or  once  come  into  the  great  towns  where  Ambition  sits 
in  her  majesty,  and  bewitcheth  all  eyes  (before  Christ  met  with 
you),  the  devil  had  caught  hold  of  you.  For  your  sakes  all  other 
x)f  your  profession  shall  fare  the  worse.  Beware,  fishermen,  the 
devil  owes  you  an  old  grudge,  he  takes  you  for  dangerous  men. 
Till  your  predecessors  the  apostles  so  went  beyond  him,  he  never 
suspected  you,  he  never  tempted  you ;  now  he  will  sooner  tempt 
you,  and  be  more  busy  about  you  than  kings  and  emperors. 

Those  that  will  shun  ambition  (for  which  the  wrath  of  God 
hangeth  heavy  over  this  our  city)  must  withdraw  their  eyes  from 
vanities,  have  something  still  to  put  them  in  mind  whereof  they  are 
made,  and  whether  they  must.  My  young  novice,  whatever  thou 
be,  not  yet  crept  out  of  the  shell,  I  say  unto  thee  as  the  prophet 
said  to  the  King  of  Israel,  Cave  ne  eas  in  locum  ilium,  nam  ibi  insidice 
sunt.  Beware  thou  comest  not  in  that  place,  for  there  thou  art 
beset :  so  beware  thou  comest  not  to  the  court,  or  to  London,  for 
there  thou  shalt  be  beset.  Beset  with  ambition,  beset  with  vanity, 
beset  with  all  the  sins  that  may  be.  The  way  to  know  ambition 
when  it  invades  thee,  is  to  observe  and  watch  thyself  when  thou 
first  fallest  into  a  self  love ;  if  self  love  hath  seized  on  thee,  she  will 


80 

stand  oti  no  mean  terms,  nor  be  content  to  live  as  a  c6mmoll 
drudge.  None,  in  any  case,  must  stand  in  her  light,  the  sun  must 
shine  on  none  but  her.  Whatsoever  a  man  naturally  desires  is  am> 
bition.  Qiwd  habere  non  vis  est  valde  bonum,  quod  esse  non  ms  hoc 
€st  bonum.  There  is  nothing  is  not  ambition  but  that  which  a  man 
would  not  have  or  would  not  be.  "  Having  food  and  clothing,'' 
as  Paul  *  willeth  us,  "  let  us  be  content :"  what  more  we  require  to 
content  is  ambition.  What  more  than  the  contented  blessed  state 
of  an  angel  the  devil  gaped  after,  was  that  which  cast  him  out  of 
heaven.  We  are  sent  in  warfare  into  the  world  to  bear  arms  and 
fight  it  out  with  the  devil's  chief  Basso,  Ambition.  Under  Christ's 
standard  we  march;  he  is  our  leader,  small  is  his  army,  and  but  a 
handful  in  comparison  of  the  others  :  his  outward  pomp  simple,  his 
provision  (in  sight)  slender  or  none  at  all. 

If  upon  these  considerations  (as  distrusting  his  providence,) 
we  shall  grow  in  mislike  with  him,  and  revolt  to  Ambition  his 
enemy,  and  betray  him,  shall  we  ever  look  him  in  the  face  more, 
or  will  he  ever  after  acknowledge  us  ?  O,  no,  not  only  he  shall  for- 
sake us,  but  that  rich  braving  Basso,  Ambition,  (like  a  wise  prince 
that  will  trust  no  traitors.)  As  soon  as  ever  they  are  come  near 
him,  down  the  hill  they  climbed  up  to  him,  shall  he  headlong 
reverse  them.  "d 

'^:-  Even  in  this  dilatement  against  Ambition,  the  devil  seeks  to  set 
in  a  foot  of  affected  applause,  and  popular  fame's  ambition  in  my 
style,  so  as  he  incited  a  number  of  philosophers  in  times  past  to 
prosecute  their  ambition  of  glory,  in  writing  of  glory's  oontempti- 
bleness.  I  resist  it  and  abhor  it ;  if  any  thing  be  here  penned  that 
may  pierce  or  profit,  heavenly  Christ,  not  I,  have  the  praise. 
Loi^on,  look  to  Ambition,  or  it  will  lay  thee  desolate  like  Jerusalem. 
Only  the  ambitious  shaking  off  the  yoke  of  the  Romans  was  the 
j>ane  of  Jerusalem.     The  dust  in  the  streets  (being  come  of  the 

h    .  'J  Tim.  6.  .         <-t 


81 

same  house  that  we  are  of,  and  seeing  us  so  proud  and  ambitious,) 
thinks  with  herself,  why  should  not  she,  that  is  descended  as  well 
as  we,  raise  up  her  plumes  as  we  do;  and  that  is  the  reason  she  bor- 
rows the  wings  of  the  wind  so  oft  to  mount  into  the  air :  and  many 
times  she  dasheth  herself  in  our  eyes,  as  who  should  say,  "  Are  you 
my  kinsmen,  and  will  not  know  me  ?"  O,  what  is  it  to  be  ambi- 
tious, when  the  dust  of  the  street,  when  it  pleaseth  her,  can  be 
ambitious  ?  ^ 

The  Jews,  ever  when  they  mourned,  rent  their  garments,  as  it 
were  to  take  revenge  on  them  by  making  them  proud  and  ambi- 
tious, and  keeping  them  all  the  while  from  the  sight  of  their 
nakedness.  Then  they  put  on  sackcloth,  and  that  sackcloth  they 
sprinkled  over  with  dust  and  overwhelmed  with  ashes,  to  put  God 
in  mind,  that  if  he  should  arm  his  displeasure  against  them,  he 
should  but  contend  with  dust  and  ashes :  and  what  glory  or  praise 
could  they  afford  him  ?  "  Shall  the  dust  praise  thee  ?"'  (saith  Da- 
vid) ;  "  or  those  that  go  down  to  the  pit  glorify  thee  ?"  Besides,  it 
signified,  that  whereas  they  had  lifted  themselves  above  their  crea- 
tion, and  forgot  by  whom  and  of  what  they  were  made,  now  they 
repented  and  returned  to  their  first  image ;  in  all  prostrate  humility 
they  confessed,  that  the  breath  of  the  Lord,  as  easy  as  the  wind 
disperseth  dust,  might  disperse  them,  and  bring  them  to  nothing. 
Did  ambition  afford  us  any  content,  or  were  it  ought  but  a  desire 
of  disquiet,  it  were  somewhat. 

O  Augustine !  now  I  call  to  mind  the  tale  of  thy  conversion, 
in  the  sixth  chapter  of  thy  sixth  book  of  Confessions,  where  de- 
scribing thyself  to  be  a  young  man,  puft  up  with  the  ambition  of 
that  time,  thou  wert  chosen  to  make  an  oration  before  the  emperor, 
in  which  (having  toiled  thy  wits  to  their  highest  wrest)  thou 
thoughtest  to  have  purchased  heaven  and  immortality. 

Coming  to  pronounce  it,  thy  tongue  (like  Orpheus'  strings) 
drew  all  ears  unto  it;   the  emperor  thou  exceedingly  pleasedst, 

M 


82 

because  thou  exceedingly  and  hyperbolicallj  praisedst.  Admiration 
encompassed  thee,  and  Commendation  strove  to  be  as  eloquent  as 
thou  in  thy  commendation.  But  what  was  all  this  to  the  purposed 
the  bladder  was  burst  that  had  so  long  swelled,  wind  thou  spentedst, 
and  nought  but  wind  thou  gainedst ;  for  good  words,  good  words 
were  returned  to  thee,  like  one  that  gave  Augustus  Greek  verses, 
and  he  for  his  reward  gave  him  Greek  verses  again.  The  heaven 
thou  dreamedst  of,  being  attained,  seemed  so  inferior  to  thy  hopes, 
that  it  cast  thee  headlong  into  hell.  Home  again  (in  a  melancholy) 
with  thy  companions  thou  returnedst,  where  by  the  way,  in  a  green 
meadow,  thou  espiedst  a  poor  drunken  beggar  (his  belly  being  full) 
heighing,  leaping,  and  dancing,  fetching  strange  youthful  frisks, 
and  taking  care  for  nothing.  With  that  thou  sighedst,  and  enteredst 
into  this  discourse  with  thy  companions. 

"  O  what  is  ambition,  that  it  should  not  yield  so  much  content 
as  beggary  ?  Miserable  is  that  life  where  none  is  happy  but  the 
miserable.  Travail  and  care  for  wealth,  riches,  and  honour,  is  but 
care  and  travail  for  travail  and  care.  Mad  and  foolish  are  we  who 
watch  and  study  how  to  vex  ourselves,  and  in  hunting  after  a  vain 
shadow  of  felicity,  hunt  and  start  up  more  and  more  causes  of  per- 
plexity. This  beggar  hath  not  burnt  candles  all  night  a  month 
together  as  I  have  done,  he  hath  made  no  oration  to  the  emperor 
to-day,  and  yet  he  is  merry ;  I,  that  have  pored  out  mine  eyes 
upon  books,  and  well  nigh  spit  out  all  my  brain  at  my  tongue's 
end  this  morning,  am  dumpish,  drowsy,  and  wish  myself  dead ; 
and  yet,  if  any  man  should  ask  me  if  I  would  willingly  die,  or  ex- 
change my  state  with  the  beggar,  I  fear  I  should  hardly  condescend. 
Such  is  my  ambition,  such  is  my  foolish  delight  in  my  unrest. 

"  He,  having  but  a  little  money,  and  a  few  dunghill  rags  clouted 
together  on  his  back,  hath  true  content ;  I,  with  my  grievous  heart- 
breakings  and  painful.complots,  have  laid  to  overtake  it  and  cannot. 
He  is  jocund,  I  am  joyless ;  he  secure,  I  fearful.    Theje  is  no  learn- 


ing  or  art  leading  to  true  felicity  but  the  art  of  beggary.  Ungrate- 
ful knowledge,  that  for  all  the  body-wasting  industry  I  have  used 
in  thy  compassment,  hast  not  blest  me  so  much  as  this  beggar !  I, 
having  thee,  he,  wanting  thee,  is  preferred  in  heart's  ease  before 
me.  No  delight  or  heart's  ease  received  I  from  thee,  for  I  have 
spoke  not  to  teach,  but  to  please.  Vile  double-faced  Oratory, 
that  art  good  for  nothing  but  to  fatten  sin  with  thy  flattery,  that 
callest  it  giving  immortality  when  thou  magnifiest  vices  for  virtues, 
and  challengest  great  deserts  of  kings  and  nobility  for  dissembling, 
here  I  renounce  thee,  as  the  parasite  of  arts,  the  whorish  painter  of 
imperfections,  and  only  patroness  of  sin!'' 

To  this  scope,  reverend  Augustine,  tended  thy  plaintive  speech, 
though  I  have  not  expressed  it  in  the  same  words :  but  the  opera- 
tion in  thee  it  brought  forth  was,  that  from  the  meditation  of 
beggarly  content,  thou  wadedst  by  degrees  into  the  depth  of  the 
true  heavenly  content.  O  singular  work,  contrived  by  weak  means. 
O  rarely  honoured  beggary,  to  be  the  instrument  of  recalling  so 
'  rich  a  soul !  "  O,  faithless  and  perverse  generation^,  (saith  Christ 
unto  us  as  he  said  to  the  Jews,)  how  long  shall  I  be  with  you  ?  how 
long  shall  I  suffer  you,  ere  my  miracles  work  in  you  the  like  medi- 
tation ?  All  of  you  are  ambitious  of  much  prosperity,  long  life, 
and  many  days  for  your  bodies ;  none  of  you  have  care  of  the 
posterity  of  your  souls." 

There  is  a  place  in  the  isle  of  Paphos,  where  there  never  fell 
rain ;  there  is  a  place  within  you  called  your  hearts,  where  no  drops 
of  the  dew  of  grace  can  have  access.  Your  days  are  as  swift  as  a 
post,  yea,  swifter  than  a  weaver's  shuttle  they  fly  and  see  no  good 
thing  :  yet,  fly  you  swifter  to  hell  than  they.  Veniunt  anni  ut  eant, 
(saith  Austine)  non  veniunt  ut  stant;  years  come,  that  they  may 
travel  on,  and  not  stand  still :  passing  by  us  they  spoil  us,  and 
lay  us  open  to  the  tyranny  of  a  cruel  enemy,  Death.  0,  if  we  love 

'  Matth.  11. 


84 

so  this  miserable  and  finite  life,  how  ought  we  to  love  that  celestial 
and  infinite  life,  where  we  shall  enjoy  all  pleasures  so  plentiful,  that 
ambition  shall  have  nothing  overplus  to  work  on. 

Here  we  labour,  drudge,  and  moil;  yet  for  all  our  labouring, 
drudging,  and  moiling,  cannot  number  the  things  we  lack.  We  are 
never  long  at  ease,  but  some  cross  or  other  afflicteth  us.  As  the 
earth  is  compassed  round  with  waters,  so  are  we,  the  inhabitants 
thereof,  compassed  round  with  woes.  We  see  great  men  die,  strong 
men  die,  witty  men  die,  fools  die,  rich  merchants,  poor  artificers, 
ploughmen,  gentlemen,  high-men,  low-men,  wearish-men,  gross- 
men,  and  the  fairest  complexioned  men  die,  yet  we  persuade  our- 
selves we  shall  never  die.  Or  if  we  do  not  so  persuade  ourselves, 
why  prepare  we  not  to  die  ?  Why  do  we  reign  as  gods  on  the  earthj 
that  are  to  be  eaten  with  worms?  Should  a  man,  with  Xerxes,  but 
enter  into  this  conceit  with  himself,  that  as  he  sees  one  old  man 
carried  to  burial,  so  within  threescore  years  not  one  of  all  our  glis- 
tering courtiers,  not  one  of  all  our  fair  ladies,  not  one  of  all  our 
stout  soldiers  and  captains,  not  one  of  all  this  age  throughout  the 
world  should  be  left,  what  a  damp  and  deadly  terror  would  it 
strike !  Temples  of  stone  and  marble  decay  and  fall  down ;  then 
think  not,  Ambition,  to  outface  Death,  that  art  but  a  temple  of 
flesh.  Dives  died  and  was  buried,  Lazarus  died  and  was  buried ; 
brazen-forehead  Ambition,  thou  shalt  die  and  be  buried ;  king  or 
queen,  Avhatever,  thou  shalt  die  and  be  buried ! 

Alas !  what  mad  hair-brained  sots  we  are ;  we  will  take  up  a 
humour  of  ambition  which  we  are  not  able  to  uphold,  and  kno^v 
assuredly,  ere  many  years,  we  must  be  thrown  down  from;  yet 
come  what  will,  at  all  adventures,  we  will  go  through  with  it :  w^ 
will  be  gods  and  monarchs  in  our  life,  though  we  be  devils  after 
death.  Over  and  over  I  repeat  it  double  and  treble,  that  the  spirit 
of  monarchizing  in  private  men,  is  the  spirit  of  Lucifer.  Christ 
said  to  his  disciples,  "  He  that  will  be  greatest  amongst  you,  shall 


85 

be  the  least."  So  say  I,  that  he  whicH  will  be  the  greatest  in  an/ 
state,  or  seeketh  to  make  his  posterity  greatest,  shall  be  the  least ; 
the  least  accounted  of,  the  least  reverenced,  for  none  that  is  getting 
ambitious  but  is  generally  hated.  His  posterity,  though  he  esta- 
blish them  never  so,  shall  not  hold  out.  Fools  shall  squander  in  an 
hour  all  the  avarice  of  their  ambitious  wise  ancestors. 
^  Ambition,  on  the  sands  thou  buildest,  regard  thy  soul  more 
than  thy  sons  and  daughters ;  let  poor  men  glean  after  thy  cart, 
cast  thy  bread  upon  the  waters.  Thy  greediness  of  the  world 
teacheth  the  devil  to  be  greedy  of  thy  soul.  He  accuseth  his 
spirits  and  upbraideth  them  of  sloth  by  thee,  saying.  Mortal 
men  in  these  and  these  many  years  can  heap  together  so  many 
thousands,  and  what  is  it  that  they  have  a  mind  to,  which  they  get 
not  into  their  hands :  but  you  Drones  and  Dormice,  (that  in  cele- 
rity and  quickness  should  outstart  them,)  lie  sleeping  and  stretching 
yourselves  by  the  hearth  of  hell-fire,  and  have  no  care  to  look  about 
for  the  increase  of  our  kingdom.  Heaven-gate  is  no  bigger  than 
the  eye  of  a  needle,  yet  ambitious  worldly  men,  having  their  backs 
like  a  camel's,  bunched  with  cares,  and  betrapped  with  bribes  and 
oppressions,  think  to  enter  in  at  it.  t 

Ambition,  Ambition,  hearken  to  me ;  there  will  be  a  black  day 
when  thy  ambition  shall  break  his  neck,  when  thou  shalt  lie  in  thy 
bed  as  on  a  rack,  stretching  out  thy  joints,  when  thine  eyes  shall 
start  out  of  thy  head,  and  every  part  of  thee  be  wrung  as  with  the 
wind-cholic !  In  midst  of  thy  fury  and  malady,  when  thou  shalt 
laugh  and  trifle,  faulter  with  thy  tongue,  rattle  in  thy  throat,  be  busy 
in  folding  and  doubling  the  clothes,  and  scratching  and  catching 
whatsoever  comes  near  thee ;  then  (as  the  possessed  with  the  calen- 
tura)  thou  shalt  offer  to  leap,  and  cast  thyself  out  of  the  top  of 
thine  house ;  thou  shalt  burst  thy  bowels  and  crack  thy  cheeks  in 
striving  to  keep  in  thy  soul.  When  thou  shouldst  look  up  to  heaven 


86 

thou  shalt  be  overlooking  thy  will,  and  altering  some  clause  of  it, 
when  thou  shouldst  be  commending  thy  spirit. 

In  thy  life  hast  thou  sought  more  than  what  is  needful,  there- 
fore at  thy  death  shalt  thou  neglect  that  is  needful.  Ambition, 
like  Jerusalem,  thou  knowest  not  the  time  of  thy  visitation ;  for 
thou  hast  sought  in  this  world  to  gather  great  promotions  unto 
thee,  and  not  gather  thyself  under  Christ's  wing :  "  Thy  house  shall 
be  left  desolate  unto  thee." 

A  special  branch  of  this  ambition  is  Avarice ;  as  riches  or 
covetise  there  is  nothing  that  so  engenders  ambition.  Every  tree, 
every  apple,  every  grain,  every  herb,  every  fruit,  every  weed,  hath 
his  several  worm :  the  worm  of  wealth  is  ambition,  the  spur  to 
ambition  is  wealth.  Ambition's  self  we  have  displayed  sufficiently ; 
his  supporter  we  will  now  call  in  question.  Dificile  est  (saith  an 
ancient  Father),  ut  non  sit  superbus  qui  dives,  tolle  superbiam,  divitice 
non  nocebunt :  It  is  a  very  difficult  thing  for  him  not  to  be  proud  or 
ambitious  that  is  rich;  take  away  his  ambition,  his  riches  never 
hurt  him. 

Riches  have  hurt  a  great  number  in  England,  who,  if  their 
riches  had  not  been,  had  still  been  men,  and  not  Timonists.  Riches, 
as  they  have  renowned,  so  they  have  reproached  London.  It  is  now 
grown  a  proverb,  "  That  there  is  no  merchandise  but  usury.''  I 
dare  not  affirm  it,  but,  questionless.  Usury  crieth  to  the  children  of 
prodigahty  in  the  streets :  "  All  you,  that  will  take  up  money  or 
commodities  on  your  land  or  possibilities,  to  banquet,  riot,  and  be 
drunk,  come  unto  us,  and  you  shall  be  furnished ;  for  gain  we  will 
help  to  damn  both  your  souls  and  our  own."  God  in  his  mercy 
never  call  them  to  their  audit.  God  in  his  mercy  rid  them  all  out 
of  London ;  and  then  it  were  to  be  hoped  the  plague  would  cease ; 
else  never. 

Jeremy  saith,  "  Woe  be  to  him  that  buildeth  his  house  with 


87 

unrighteousness,  and  his  chambers  without  equity,  whose  eyes  and 
whose  heart  are  only  for  covetousness,  and  to  shed  innocent  blood/'' 
The  eyes  and  the  heart  of  Usurers  are  only  for  covetousness  and  to 
shed  innocent  blood.  More  gentlemen,  by  their  entanglement  and 
exactions,  have  they  driven  to  desperate  courses,  and  so,  conse- 
quently, made  away  and  murdered,  than  either  France,  the  Low 
Countries,  or  any  foreign  siege  or  sea  voyage  this  forty  years.  Tell 
me,  at  most,  what  gentleman  hath  been  cast  away  at  sea,  or  disasterly 
soldierized  it  by  land,  but  they  have  enforced  him  thereunto  by 
their  fleecing.  What  is  left  for  a  man  to  do,  being  consumed  to  the 
bare  bones  by  these  greedy  horse-leeches,  and  not  having  so  much 
reserved  as  would  buy  him  bread,  but  either  to  hang  at  Tyburn,  or 
pillage  and  reprisal  where  he  may  ?  Huge  numbers  in  their  stink- 
ing prisons  they  have  starved,  and  made  dice  of  their  bones,  for  the 
devil  to  throw  at  dice  for  their  own  souls. 

This  is  the  course  now-a-days,  every  one  taketh  to  be  rich. 
Being  a  young  trader,  and  having  of  old  Mumpsimus,  his  avaricious 
master,  learned  to  be  his  crafts-master,  for  a  year  or  two  he  is  very 
thrifty  and  husbandly;  he  pays  and  takes  as  duly  as  the  clock 
strikes ;  he  seemeth  very  sober  and  precise,  and  bringeth  all  men 
in.  love  with  him  .^  When  he  thinketh  he  hath  thoroughly  wrung 
himself  into  the  world's  good  opinion,  and  that  his  credit  is  as 
much  as  he  will  demand,  he  goes  and  tries  it,  and  on  the  tenter- 
hooks stretches  it.  No  man  he  knoweth  but  he  will  scrape  a  little 
book  courtesy  of;  two  or  three  thousand  pounds,  perhaps,  makes 
up  his  mouth.  When  he  hath  it  all  in  his  hands,  for  a  month  or 
two  he  revels  it,  and  cuts  it  out  in  the  whole  cloth. 

He  falls  acquainted  with  gentlemen,  frequents  ordinaries  and 
dicing-houses  daily,  where,  when  some  of  them,  in  play,  have  lost 
all  their  money,  he  is  very  diligent  at  hand,  on  their  chains,  or 
bracelets,  or  jewels,  to  lend  them  half  the  value.     Now,  this  is  the 

'  Jerera.  '22. 


nature  of  young  gentlemen,  that  where  they  have  broke  the  ice 
and  borrowed  once,  they  will  come  again  the  second  time;  and 
that  these  young  foxes  know,  as  well  as  the  beggar  knows  his  dish. 
But  at  the  second  time  of  their  coming  it  is  doubtful  to  say, 
whether  they  shall  have  money  or  no.  The  world  grows  hard,  and 
we  all  are  mortal ;  let  them  make  him  any  assurance  before  a  judge, 
and  they  shall  have  some  hundred  pounds,  per  consequence,  in 
silks  and  velvets.  The  third  time,  if  they  come,  they  shall  have 
baser  commodities ;  the  fourth  time,  lutestrings  and  grey  paper ; 
and  then,  I  pray,  pardon  me,  I  am  not  for  you ;  pay  me  that  you 
owe  me,  and  you  shall  have  any  thing. 

When  thus  this  young  usurer  hath  thrust  all  his  pedlary  into 
the  hands  of  novice  heirs,  and  that  he  hath  made  of  his  three 
thousand,  nine  thousand  in  bonds  and  recognisances  (besides  the 
strong  faith  of  the  forfeitures),  he  breaks,  and  cries  out  amongst 
his  neighbours,  that  he  is  undone  by  trusting  gentlemen ;  his  kind 
heart  hath  made  him  a  beggar,  and  warns  all  men,  by  his  example, 
to  beware  how  they  have  any  dealings  with  them.  For  a  quarter 
of  a  year  or  thereabouts,  he  slips  his  neck  out  of  the  collar,  and  sets 
some  grave  man  of  his  kindred  (as  the  father-in-law  or  such  like), 
to  go  and  report  his  lamentable  mischance  to  his  creditors,  and 
what  his  honest  care  is,  to  pay  every  man  his  own  as  far  as  he  is 
able.  His  creditors  (thinking  all  is  gospel  he  speaks,  and  that  his 
state  is  lower  ebbed  than  it  is)  are  glad  to  take  any  thing  for  their 
own ;  so  that,  whereas  three  thousand  pound  is  due,  in  his  absence 
all  is  satisfied  for  eight  hundred  (his  father-in-law  making  them 
believe  he  lays  it  out  of  his  own  purse). 

All  matters  thus  under  hand  discharged,  my  young  merchant 
/eturns,  and  sets  up  fresher  than  ever  he  di"d.  Those  bonds  and 
statutes  he  hath,  he  puts  in  suit  amain.  For  a  hundred  pound 
commodity  (which  is  not  forty  pound  money)  he  recovers,  by  relapse, 
some  hundred  pound  a  year.     In  three  terms,  of  a  bankrupt  he 


80 

Ivaxeth  a  great  landed  man,  and  may  compare  with  the  best  of  his 
company.  O  intolerable  Usury !  not  the  Jews,  whose  peculiar  sin 
it  is,  have  ever  committed  the  like. 

What  I  write  is  most  true,  and  hath  been  practised  by  more 
than  one  or  two.  I  have  a  whole  book  of  young  gentlemen's  cases 
lying  before  me,  which,  if  I  should  set  forth,  some  grave  ancients, 
within  the  hearing  of  Bow  bell,  would  be  out  of  charity  with  me. 
However  I  fly  from  particularities,  this  I  wdll  prove,  that  never  in 
any  city,  (since  the  first  assembly  of  societies)  w^as  ever  suffered  such 
notorious  cozenage  and  villainy,  as  is  shrouded  under  this  seventy- 
fold  usury  of  commodities.  It  is  a  hundred  parts  more  hateful  than 
Coney -C atching ;  it  is  the  nurse  of  sins,  without  the  which  the  fire 
of  them  all  would  be  extinguished,  and  want  matter  to  feed  on. 

Poets  talk  of  enticing  Syrens  in  the  sea,  that  on  a  sunny  day 
lay  forth  their  golden  trammels,  their  ivory  necks,  and  their  silver 
breasts,  to  entice  men,  sing  sweetly,  glance  piercingly,  play  on 
lutes  ravishingly ;  but,  I  say,  there  is  no  such  syrens  by  sea  as  by 
land,  nor  women  as  men ;  those  are  the  Syrens  that  hang  out  their 
shining  silks  and  velvets,  and  dazzle  pride's  eyes  with  their  deceit- 
ful haberdashery.  They  are  like  the  Serpent  that  tempted  Adam 
in  Paradise,  who,  whereas  God  stinted  him  what  trees  and  fruits  he 
should  eat  on,  and  go  no  further,  he  enticed  him  to  break  the 
bonds  of  that  stint,  and  put  into  his  head  what  a  number  of  excel- 
lent pleasures  he  should  reap  thereby ;  So,  whereas  careful  fathers 
send  their  children  to  this  city,  in  all  gentleman-like  qualities  to  be 
trained  up,  and  stint  them  to  a  moderate  allowance,  suflftcient 
(indifferently  husbanded)  to  maintain  their  credit  every  way,  and 
profit  them  in  that  they  are  sent  hither  for ;  what  do  our  covetous 
city  bloodsuckers,  but  hire  pandars,  and  professed  parasitical  epi- 
cures, to  close  in  with  them,  and,  like  the  serpent,  to  alienate  them 
from  that  civil  course  wherein  they  were  settled  ^    Tis  riot  and  mis- 


90 

government  that  must  deliver  them  over  into  their  hands  to  be 
devoured. 

Those  that  here  place  their  children  to  learn  wit,  and  see  the 
world,  are  like  those  that  in  Afric  present  their  children,  when 
they  are  first  born,  before  serpents,  which,  if  the  children  they  so 
present,  with  their  very  sight  scare  away  the  serpents,  then  are 
they  legitimate,  otherwise  they  are  bastards.  A  number  of  poor 
children  and  sucklings,  in  comparison,  are,  in  the  Court  and  Inns  of 
Court,  presented  to  these  serpents,  and  stinging  extortioners  of 
London,  who  never  fly  from  them,  but  with  their  tail  wind  them 
in,  and  suck  out  their  souls  without  scarring  their  skin.  Whether 
they  be  legitimate  or  no,  that  are  so  exposed  to  these  serpents,  I 
dare  not  determine,  for  fear  of  envy ;  but  sure,  legitimately  (or  as 
they  should)  they  are  not  brought  up,  that  are  manumitted  from 
their  parents'  awe,  as  soon  as  they  can  go  and  speak. 

Zeuxes  having  artificially  painted  a  boy  carrying  grapes  in  a 
hand-basket,  and  seeing  the  birds  (as  they  had  been  true  grapes) 
come  in  flocks  and  peck  at  them,  was  wonderfully  angry  with  him- 
self and  his  art,  saying :  "  Had  I  painted  the  boy  (which  was  the 
chief  part  of  my  picture)  as  well  as  I  have  done  the  grapes,  (which 
were  but  by  accident  belonging  to  it),  the  birds  durst  never  have 
been  so  bold  :"  so,  if  fathers  would  have  but  as  much  care  to  paint 
and  form  the  manners  of  their  children,  when  they  come  to  man's 
estate,  as  they  have  well  to  proportion  out  trifles,  to  instruct  and 
educate  them  in  their  trivial  infant  years,  sure  these  ravenous  birds, 
such  as  brokers  and  usurers,  would  never  fly  to  them,  and  peck  at 
them  as  they  do. 

0  country  gentlemen,  I  wonder  you  do  not  lay  your  heads 
together,  and  put  up  a  general  supplication  to  the  parliament 
against  those  privy  canker-worms  and  cg,terpillars  !  Which  of  you 
all  but,  amongst  them,  hath  his  heir  cozened,  fetched  in,  and  almost 


91 

consumed  past  recovery  :  besides,  his  mind  is  clean  transposed  from 
his  original;  all  deadly  sin  he  is  infected  with;  all  diseases  are 
hanging  about  him. 

If  one  tice  a  prentice  to  rob  his  master,  it  is  felony  by  the 
law ;  nay,  it  is  a  great  penalty  if  he  do  but  relieve  him  and  en- 
courage him,  being  lied  from  his  master's  obedience  and  service : 
and  shall  we  have  no  law  for  him  that  ticeth  a  son  to  rob  his 
father?  Nay,  that  shall  rob  a  father  of  his  son  ;  rob  God  of  a  soul? 
Every  science  hath  some  principles  in  it,  which  must  be  believed, 
and  cannot  be  declared.  The  principles  and  practices  of  usury 
exceed  declaration,  believe  them  to  be  lewder  than  pen  can  with 
modesty  express ;  enquire  not  after  them,  for  they  are  execrable. 
De  rebus  male  acquisitis,  non  gaudebit  tertius  heres :  ill  gotten  goods 
never  trouble  the  third  heir.  "  Every  plant,"'  saith  Christ,  "  my 
heavenly -Father  hath  not  planted  shall  be  rooted  out.''  Plant  they 
never  so  their  posterity  with  the  revenues  of  oppression,  since  God 
hath  not  planted  them,  they  shall  be  ruined  and  rooted  out.  As 
they  have  supplanted  other  men's  posterity,  so  must  they  look  to 
have  their  own  posterity  supplanted  by  others. 

Augustine,  in  the  fourth  chapter  of  his  second  book  of  Confes- 
sions, pitifully  complaineth  how  heinously  he  had  offended  when 
he  was  a  young  man  in  leading  his  companions  to  rob  a  pear-tree 
in  their  next  neighbour's  orchard :  "  Amavi  perire,  O  Domine"  he 
exclaims,  "  amavi  perire,  amavi  defectum  tiirpis  animce  et  desiliens  a 
firmamento  :  malitice  me  causa  nulla  esset  nisi  malitia  :"  "  I  loved  to 
perish,  O  Lord,  I  loved  to  perish,  in  my  ungraciousness  I  dehghted 
(foul  of  soul  that  I  was),  and  quite  sliding  from  the  firmament :  of 
my  malice  there  was  no  cause  but  malice."  Of  the  stealing  and 
beating  down  of  a  few  pears  this  holy  Father  makes  such  a  bur- 
denous  matter  of  conscience,  as  that  he  counted  it  his  utter 
perishing  and  backshding  from  the  firmament:  usurers  make  no 


m 

conscience  of  cozening  and  robbing  men  of  whole  orchards,  of 
whole  fields,  of  whole  lordships ;  of  their  malice  and  theft  there  is 
some  other  cause  than  malice,  which  is  avarice. 

If  the  stealing  of  one  apple  in  paradise  brought  such  an  uni- 
versal plague  to  the  world,  what  a  plague  to  one  soul  will  the 
robbing  of  a  hundred  orphans  of  their  possessions  and  fruit-jards 
bring  ?  In  the  country  the  gentleman  takes  in  the  commons,  racketh 
his  tenants,  undoeth  the  farmer.  In  London  the  usurer  snatcheth 
up  the  gentleman,  gives  rattles  and  babies  for  his  over-racked  rent, 
and  the  commons  he  took  in  he  makes  him  take  out  in  commo- 
dities«  None  but  the  usurer  is  ordained  for  a  scourge  to  pride  and 
ambition.  Therefore  it  is  that  bees  hate  sheep  more  than  any 
thing,  for  that  when  they  are  once  in  their  wool,  they  are  so  en- 
tangled that  they  can  never  get  out.  Therefore  it  is  that  courtiers 
hate  merchants  more  than  any  men,  for  that  being  once  in  their 
books  they  can  never  get  out.  Many  of  them  carry  the  counte- 
nances of  sheep,  look  simple,  go  plain,  wear  their  hair  short ;  but 
they  are  no  sheep,  but  sheep-biters :  their  wool  or  their  wealth 
they  make  np  other  use  of  but  to  snarl  and  enwrap  men  with.  The 
law,  which  was  instituted  to  redress  wrongs  and  oppressions,  they 
wrest  contrarily  to  oppress  and  to  wrong  with.  And  yet  that  is 
not  so  much  wonder,  for  law,  logic,  and  the  Switzers  may  be  hired 
to  fight  for  any  body ;  and  so  may  an  usurer,  for  a  halfpenny  gain, 
be  hired  to  bite  any  body.  For  as  the  bear  cannot  drink  but  he 
must  bite  the  water,  so  cannot  he  cool  his  avaricious  thirst,  but  he 
must  pluck  and  bite  out  his  neighbour's  throat. 

Bursa  avari  os  est  diaboli,  the  usurer's  purse  is  hell  mouth.  He 
hath  "  hydropem  conscientiam/'  as  Augustine  saith,  a  dropsy  con- 
science, that  ever  drinks  and  ever  is  dry.  Like  the  fox,  he  useth 
his  wit  and  his  teeth  together ;  he  never  smiles  but  he  seize th,  he 
never  talks  but  he  takes  advantage.     He  cries  with  the  ill  hus-. 


bandman  (to  whom  the  vineyard  was  put  out  in  the  gospel),  "  This 
is  the  heir,  come  let  us  kill  him,  and  we  shall  have  his  inheritance \'' 
Other  men  are  said  to  go  to  hell ;  he  shall  ride  to  hell  on  the  deviFs 
back  (as  it  is  in  the  old  moral),  and  if  he  did  not  ride  he  would 
swim  thither  in  innocents'  blood  whom  he  hath  circumvented. 
No  men  so  much  as  usurers,  coveteth  the  devil  to  be  great  with; 
he  is  called  Mammon,  the  god  or  prince  of  this  world ;  that  is,  the 
god  and  prince  of  usurers  and  penny-fathers.  Nay  more,  every 
usurer  of  himself  is  a  devil,  since  this  word  Daemon  signifieth 
naught  but  Sapiens,  a  subtile  worldly  wiseman. 

AVhen  a  legion  of  devils,  in  the  land  of  the  Gargasens,  were 
cast  forth  of  two  men  that  came  out  of  graves,  they  desired  they 
might  go  into  hogs  or  swine  (which  are  usurers) ;  many  of  those 
hogs  and  swine  they  tumbled  into  the  sea :  many  of  our  hoggish 
usurers  the  devil  tumbles  for  gain  into  the  sea.  Usurers,  with  the 
draff  of  this  world,  so  feed  and  fatten  the  devils,  that  now  they 
almost  pass  not  of  possessing  any  man  else.  The  Jews  were  all 
hogs,  that  is,  usurers,  and  therefore  if  there  had  been  no  divine 
restraint  for  it,  yet  nature  itself  would  have  dissuaded  them  from 
eating  swine's  flesh,  that  is,  from  feeding  on  one  another.  The 
prodigal  child  in  the  gospel  is  reported  to  have  fed  hogs,  that  is, 
usurers,  by  letting  them  beguile  him  of  his  substance. 

As  the  hog  is  still  grunting,  digging,  and  rooting  in  the  muck> 
so  is  the  usurer  still  turning,  tossing,  digging,  and  rooting  in  the 
muck  of  this  world;  like  the  hog  he  carries  his  snout  ever  more 
downward,  and  ne'er  looks  up  to  heaven. 

Christ  said,  "  It  was  not  meet  the  children's  bread  should  be 
taken  from  them  and  given  unto  dogs ;"  no  more  is  it  meet  that  the 
children's  living  and  substance  should  be  taken  from  them  and 
given  unto  hogs.  Paul  saith,  "  We  must  not  do  evil  that  good 
may  come  of  it^ :"  there  is  no  evil  which  a  hoggish  usurer  will  not 

'  Matlh.  21.  *  Rom.  3. 


do,  so  that  goods  or  profit  may  come  of  it.  They  will  be  sure  to 
verify  our  Saviour's  words,  "  The  poor  have  you  always  with  you^ :" 
for  they  will  make  all  poor  that  they  deal  with.  Such  uunatural 
dealing  they  use  towards  their  poor  brethren  as  though  they  came 
naturally  into  the  world,  but  like  those  that  were  called  Casares,  quasi 
ccBsi  ex  matris  utero,  they  were  also  cut  out  of  their  mother's  womb, 
when  they  came  into  the  world.  For  this,  O  London !  if,  hke 
Zaccheus,  thou  repentest  not,  and  restorest  tenfold,  "  Thy  house 
shall  be  left  desolate  unto  thee."  The  cries  of  the  fatherless  and 
widow  shall  break  oft'  the  angeFs  hosannas  and  allelujahs,  and 
pluck  the  stern  of  the  world  out  of  God's  hand,  till  he  hath  ac- 
quitted them.  Oppression  is  the  price  of  blood ;  into  your  trea- 
suries you  put  the  price  of  blood,  which  tjie  Jews  that  killed  Christ 
feared  to  do.  You  having  many  flocks  of  sheep  of  your  own,  and 
your  poor  neighbour  but  one  silly  lamb  (which  he  nursed  in  his 
own  bosom),  that  lamb  have  you  taken  away  from  him,  and  spared 
far  better  fatlings  of  your  own. 

By  your  swearing  and  forswearing  in  bargaining,  you  have 
confiscated  your  souls  long  ago.  There  is  no  religion  in  you  but 
love  of  money.  Any  doctrine  is  welcome  to  you,  but  that  which 
beats  on  good  works.  The  charity  and  duty  that  God  exacts  of 
jou,  you  think  discharged  if  in  speech  you  neither  meddle  nor 
make  with  him  :  the  charity  to  your  neighbour  you  conjecture  only 
consisteth  in  bidding  good  even  and  good  morrow.  Beguile 
not  yourselves,  for  as  there  is  no  prince  but  will  have  his  laws  as 
well  not  broken,  as  not  spoken  against,  so  will  God  revenge  himself 
as  well  against  the  breakers  of  his  laws,  as  against  those  that  speak 
against  them. 

It  is  not  your  abrupt  graces,  "  God  be  praised,"  "  Much  good 
do  it  you,"  or  saying,  "  We  are  naught,  God  amend  us,"  "  Sir,  I 
drink  to  you,"  that  shall  stop  God's  mouth  :  but  he  will  come  and 

'  Matth.  26. 


95 

not  hold  his  peace ;  he  will  scatter  your  treasure  and  your  store, 
and  leave  you  nothing  of  that  you  have  laid  up,  save  the  kingdom 
of  heaven  and  the  righteousness  therefore.  Rich  usurers,  be  coun- 
selled betimes,  surcease  to  enrich  yourselves  with  other  men's  loss. 
Hold  it  not  enough  to  fall  down  and  worship  Christ,  except  (with 
the  wise  men  of  the  east,)  you  open  your  treasures,  and  present 
him  with  gold,  myrrh,  and  frankincense. 

Bring  forth  some  fruits  of  good  works  in  this  life,  that  we  may 
not  altogether  despair  of  you  as  barren  trees,  good  for  nothing  but 
to  be  hewn  down  and  cast  into  hell  fire.  Pasce  fame  morientem 
qiiisquis  pascendo  seware  poteris :  si  nofi  pavaris  fame  occidisti^ : 
Feed  him  that  dies  for  hunger :  whatsoever  thou  art  that  canst 
preserve  and  dost  not,  thou  art  guilty  of  famishing  him.  Christ  at 
the  latter  day  in  his  behalf  shall  upbraid  thee,  "  When  I  was 
hungry  thou  gavest  me  not  meat,  when  I  was  thirsty  thou  deniedest 
me  drink:  depart  from  me  thou  accursed V  Erogando  pecuniam 
auges  justitia?n,  by  laying  out  thy  money  thou  increasest  thy 
righteousness.  Again,  Nil  dives  habet  de  divitiis,  nisi  quod  ah  illo  pos- 
tiilat  pauper.  A  rich  man  treasures  up  no  more  of  his  riches,  than 
he  giveth  in  alms. 

My  masters,  I  will  not  dissuade,  but  give  you  counsel  to  be 
usurers :  put  out  your  money  to  usury  to  the  poor  here  on  earth, 
that  you  may  have  it  a  hundred  fold  repaid  you  in  heaven.  As  it 
is  in  the  psalms,  "  A  good  man  is  merciful  and  lendeth ;  he  giveth, 
he  disperseth,  he  distributeth  to  the  poor,  and  his  righteousness 
remaineth  for  ever^^' 

So  that  we  see,  by  that  which  we  give  we  gain  and  not  lose, 
and  yet  what  do  we  give,  but  that  we  cannot  keep }  For  giving  but 
back  again  what  was  first  given  us,  and  which  if  we  should  not 
give,  death  would  take  from  us,  we  shall  purchase  an  immortal  in- 
heritance that  can  never  be  plucked  from  us.     With  half  the  pains 

'  Anibro.  de  offici.  *  Matth.  25.  '  Psal.  1 12. 


96 

we  put  ourselves  to  in  purchasing  earthly  wealth,  we  may  purchase 
heaven. 

Wealth  many  times  flies  from  them  that  with  greatest  solici- 
tude and  greediness  seek  after  it.  For  heaven,  it  is  no  more  but 
seek  and  it  is  yours,  knock  and  it  shall  be  opened.  With  less  suit, 
I  assure  you,  is  the  kingdom  of  heaven  obtained,  than  a  suit  for  a 
pension  or  office  to  an  earthly  king,  which  though  a  man  hath 
twenty  years  folloAved,  and  hath  better  than  three  parts  and  a  half 
of  a  promise  to  have  confirmed,  yet  if  he  have  but  a  quarter  of  an 
enemy  in  the  court,  it  is  cashiered  and  nonsuited.  God  will  not  be 
corrupted,  he  is  not  partial  as  man  is,  he  hath  no  parasites  about 
him-,  he  ^eeth  with  his  own  eyes,  and  not  with  the  eyes  of  those 
that  spake  for  bribes.  He  is  not  angry,  or  commands  us  to  be 
driven  back  when  we  are  importunate  :  but  he  commands  us  to  be 
importunate,  and  is  angry  if  we  be  not  importunate.  In  the 
parable  of  the  Godless  Judge  and  the  importunate  Widow,  he 
teacheth  that  importunity  may  get  any  thing  of  him. 

So  in  the  similitude  of  the  man  that  came  to  his  friend  at  mid- 
night to  desire  him  to  lend  him  three  loaves  \  and  his  friend  an- 
swered him,  His  door  was  shut,  his  children  and  servants  in  bed, 
and  he  could  not  rise  himself  to  give  them  him ;  at  length  (he  still 
continuing  in  knocking,  and  that  for  him  neither  he  nor  his  might 
rest,)  to  be  rid  of  his  importunity  (not  for  he  was  his  friend),  he 
rose  up,  and  gave  him  as  many  as  he  needed.  How  much  more 
shall  our  God  give  us  what  we  ask,  that  asketh  no  other  trevage  at 
our  hands  for  giving,  but  asking  and  thanksgiving.  We  must 
hunger  and  thirst  after  righteousness,  and  we  shall  be  satisfied. 
Hunger  and  thirst  makes  the  lion  to  roar,  the  wolves  to  howl,  oxen 
and  kine  to  bellow  and  bray ;  arid  sheep  '(of  all  beasts  the  most 
silly  and  timorous,)  to  bleat  and  complain :  can  man  then  (that 
in  spirit  and  audacity,  exceedeth  all  the  beasts  of  the  field),  hun- 

'  Luke  21. 


m 

;genng  and  thirsting  after  righteousness,  hold  his  peace?  M^ould 
God  ever  have  encouraged  him  with  a  blessing  to  hunger  and  thirst, 
but  that  the  extremity  of  hunger  and  thirst  might  drive  him  to  the 
extremity  of  importunity  and  prayer?  "  I  cried  unto  the  Lord," 
saith  David,  "  and  he  heard  me  :"  he  did  not  coldly,  bashfully, 
or  formally  only  cry  to  the  Lord,  as  not  caring  whether  he  were 
heard  or  no,  but  he  cried  unto  him  with  his  whole  heart :  even  to 
the  Lord  he  cried,  and  he  heard  him.  Ezekias  cried  unto 
the  Lord,  and  he  heard  him.  The  blood  of  the  saints  under 
the  altar  (as  all  blood)  is  said  to  cry  unto  the  Lord  for  ven- 
geance. "  Thy  brother  AbeFs  blood  hath  cried  unto  me',"  said 
God  to  Cain.  The  prayer  of  the  fatherless  and  widow,  which  God 
heareth  above  all  things,  is  called  a  cry. 

Usurers,  you  are  none  of  these  criers  unto  God,  but  those  that 
hourly  unto  God  are  most  cried  out  against.  God  hath  cried  out 
unto  you  by  his  preachers,  God  hath  cried  out  unto  you  by  the 
poor;  prisoners  on  their  death-beds  have  cried  out  of  you,  and 
when  they  have  had  but  one  hour  to  intercessionate  for  their  souls, 
and  sue  out  the  pardon  of  their  numberless  sins,  the  whole  part  of 
their  hour  (saving  one  minute  when  in  two  words  they  cried  for 
mercy,)  have  they  spent  in  crying  for  vengeance  against  you. 
After  they  were  dead,  their  coffins  have  been  brought  to  your  doors 
in  the  open  face  of  Cheapside,  and  ignominious  ballads  made  of 
you,  which  every  boy  would  chaunt  under  your  nose :  yet  will  not 
you  repent,  nor  with  all  this  crying  be  awaked  out  of  your  dream 
of  the  devil  and  Dives.  Therefore  look  that  when  on  your  death- 
beds you  shall  lie,  and  cry  out  of  the  stone,  the  stranguUion,  and 
the  gout,  you  shall  not  be  heard,  your  pain  shall  be  so  wrestling, 
tearing,  and  intolerable,  that  you  shall  have  no  leisure  to  repent  or 
pray :  no  nor  so  much  as  lift  up  your  hands,  or  think  one  good 

V.  '  Gen.  4. 

O 


98 

thought.  Even  as  others  have  cursed  you,  so  shall  you  be  read}' 
to  curse  God,  and  desired  to  be  swallowed  quick,  to  excorse  the 
agony  you  are  in. 

As  the  devil  in  the  second  of  Job  being  asked  from  whence  he 
came,  answered,  "  From  compassing  the  earth,'^  so  you  being  asked 
at  the  day  of  judgment  from  whence  you  come,  shall  answer, 
*'  From  compassing  the  earth.'*  For  heaven  you  have  not  com- 
passed or  purchased,  therefore  shall  hell-fire  be  your  portion. 
"  Every  man  shall  receive  of  God  according  to  that  in  his  body  he 
hath  wrought.'^  If  in  your  bodies  you  have  done  no  good  works, 
of  God  you  shall  receive  no  good  words.  The  words  of  God  are 
deeds,  he  spake  but  the  word  and  heaven  and  earth  were  made. 
He  shall  speak  but  the  word  and  to  hell  shall  you  be  had.  Good 
deeds  derived  from  faith  are  rampiers  or  bulwarks  raised  up  against 
the  devil :  he  that  hath  no  such  bulwark  of  good  deeds  to  resist 
the  devil's  battery,  cannot  choose  but  have  his  souFs  city  soon 
razed. 

Good  deeds  are  a  tribute  which  we  pay  unto  God  for  defend- 
ing us  from  all  our  ghostly  enemies,  and  planting  his  peace  in  our 
consciences.  Instead  of  the  ceremonial  law,  burnt  offerings  and 
sacrifices  (which  are  ceased),  God  hath  given  us  a  new  law,  "  To 
love  one  another :"  that  is,  to  shew  the  fruits  of  love,  which  are 
good  deeds  to  one  another.  The  widow's  oil  was  increased  in  her 
cruse,  and  her  meal  in  her  tub,  only  for  doing  good  deeds  to  the 
prophet  of  the  Lord.  Few  be  there  now-a-days  that  will  do  good 
deeds,  but  for  good  deeds,  that  is  for  rewards.  If  seats  of  justice 
were  to  be  sold  for  money,  we  have  them  among  us  that  would  buy 
them  up  by  the  wholesale,  and  make  them  away  again  by  retail. 
He  that  buys  must  sell ;  shrewd  alchymists  there  are  risen  up,  that 
will  pick  a  merchandise  out  of  every  thing,  and  not  spare  to  set  up 
their  shops  of  buying  and  selhng  even  in  the  temple :  I  would  to 
God  they  had  not  sold  and  plucked  down  church  and  temple  to 


99' 

build  them  houses  of  stone.     God  shall  cut  them  off  that  enrich 
themselves  with  the  fat  of  the  altar. 

"  Oves  pastorefn  non  judicent/'  saith  an  ancient  writer,  "  quia 
non  est  discipidus  supra  magistrum,  multo  minus  deglubent/*  Let  not 
the  sheep  judge  their  shepherd,  because  the  scholar  is  not  above 
his  master,  much  less  are  they  to  pluck  from  their  master  the  shep- 
herd :  to  shave  or  to  pelt  him  to  the  bare  bones,  to  whom  (for  feed- 
ing them)  thej  should  offer  up  their  fleeces.  "  Diis  parentibus  et 
magistris"  saith  Aristotle,  "  non  potest  reddi  equivalens:" — To  the 
gods,  our  fathers,  and  our  schoolmasters  can  never  be  given  as  they 
deserve.  He  was  an  Ethnick  that  spoke  thus,  we  Christians  (only 
because  he  hath  spoken  it)  will  do  any  thing  against  it :  from  God, 
our  parents,  and  our  schoolmasters  (which  are  our  preachers,)  say 
we,  can  never  be  plucked  sufficient.  To  make  ourselves  rich,  we 
care  not  if  we  make  our  church  like  hell,  where,  as  Job  saith, 
"  umbra  mortis,  et  nullus  ordo  est,"  there  is  the  shadow  of  death,  and 
confusion  without  order. 

O  Avarice,  that  breaketh  both  the  law  of  Moses  and  the  law 
of  Nature,  in  taking  usury  or  incomes  for  advowsons,  and  not  letting 
the  land  of  the  priests  be  free  from  tribute :  those  to  whom  thou 
leavest  that  ill-gotten  usury  or  tribute,  shall  be  a  prey  to  the 
irreligious.     "  Fire  shall  consume  the  house  of  bribes  \^'  \ 

No  cart  that  is  overladen  or  crammed  too  full,  but  hath  a  tail 
that  will  scatter.  Beware  lest  hogs  come  to  glean  after  your  cart's 
tail :  that  your  heirs  come  not  to  be  wards  unto  usurers ;  for  they 
will  put  out  their  lands  to  the  best  use  of  seven  score  in  the  hun- 
dred, and  make  them  serve  out  their  wardship  in  one  prison  or 
other.  The  only  way  for  a  rich  man  to  prevent  robbing,  is  to  be 
bountiful  and  liberal.  None  is  so  much  the  thieves*  mark  as  the 
miser  and  the  carle.  Give  while  you  hve,  rich  men,  that  those  you 
leave  behind  you,  may  be  free  from  cormorants  and  caterpillars^ 

*  Job  15. 


100 

If  there  be  in  your  Mgs  biit  one  shilling  that  should  have  been  the' 
poor's,  that  shilling  will  be  the  consumption  of  all  his  fellows :  one 
rotten  apple  marreth  all  the  rest,  one  scabbed  sheep  infects  the 
whole  flock. 

''  Even  as  a  prince  out  of  his  subjects"  goods  hath  loans,  dismes, 
subsidies,  and  fifteenths,  so  God  out  of  our  goods  demandeth  a 
loan,  a  tenth,  and  a  subsidy  to  the  poor.  "  Lo,  the  one  half  of 
my  goods,"'  saith  Zaccheus,  "  I  give  to  the  poor."  Is  not  he  an  ill 
servant  that  Avhen  his  master  shall  into  his  hands  deliver  a  large 
sum  of  money  to  be  distributed  among  the  needy  and  impotent, 
shall  purse  it  up  into  his  own  coffers,  and  either  give  them  none  at 
all,  or  but  the  hundredth  part  of  it?  Such  ill  servants  are  we.  The 
treasure  and  possessions  we  have  are  not  our  own,  but  the  Lord 
hath  given  them  us  to  give  to  the  poor,  and  spend  in  his  service : 
we  (very  obsequiously)  give  to  the  poor  only  the  mould  of  our 
treasure,  and  will  rather  detract  from  God's  service  than  detract 
from  our  dross.  Nowhere  is  pity,  nowhere  is  pity,  our  house  must 
needs  "  be  left  desolate  unto  us." 

The  idolatrous  Gentiles  shall  rise  up  against  us,  that  bestowed 
all  their  wealth  on  fanes  and  shrines  to  their  gods,  and  presents  and 
offerings  to  their  images :  to  the  true  image  of  God  (which  are  the 
poor,)  we  will  scarce  offer  our  bread-parings.  The  Temple  of 
Diana^  at  Ephesus,  was  two  hundred  years  in  building  by  all  Asia. 
There  was  none  that  obtained  any  victory,  but  built  a  temple  at  his 
return  to  that  god,  as  he  thought,  which  assisted  him.  Not  so 
much  as  the  fever  quartan,  but  the  Romans  built  a  temple  to, 
thinking  it  some  great  god,  because  it  shook  them  so :  and  another 
to  ill  fortune,  in  Exquilliis,  a  mountain  in  Rome,  because  it  should 
not  plague  them  at  cards  and  dice.  No  fever  quartans,  ill  for- 
tune, or  good  fortune,  may  wring  out  of  us  any  good  works.  Our 
devotion  can  away  with  any  thing  but  this  Pharisaical  almsgivings 

He  that  hath  nothing  to  do  with  his  money  but  build  churches, 


101 

tve  count  him  one  of  God  Almighty's  fools,  or  else,  if  he  bear  the 
name  of  a  wise  man,  we  term  him  a  notable  braggart.  Tut,  tut, 
alms-houses  will  make  good  stables,  and,  let  out  in  tenements,  yield 
a  round  sum  by  the  year.  A  good  strong-bar'd  hutch  is  a  building 
worth  twenty  of  those  hospitals  and  alms-houses.  Our  rich  chufFes 
will  rather  put  their  helping  hands  to  the  building  of  a  prison,  than 
a  house  of  prayer.  Our  courtiers  lay  that  on  their  backs,  which 
should  serve  to  build  their  churches  and  schools.  Those  preachers 
please  best,  which  can  fit  us  with  a  cheap  religion,  that  preach 
faith,  and  ajl  faith,  and  no  good  works,  but  to  the  household  of 
faith. 

Ministers  and  pastors  (to  some  of  you  I  speak,  not  to  all)  'tis  3'ou 
that  have  brought  down  the  price  of  religion ;  being  covetous  your- 
selves, you  preach  nothing  but  covetous  doctrine;  your  followers 
seeing  you  give  no  alms,  take  example  by  you,  to  hold  in  their 
hands  too,  and  will  give  no  alms.  That  text  is  too  often  in  your 
mouths :  "  He  is  worse  than  an  infidel  that  provides  not  for  his 
wife  and  family.''  You  do  not  cry  out  of  the  altar,  cry  out  for 
money  to  maintain  poor  scholars ;  cry  out  for  more  living  for 
colleges ;  cry  out  for  relief  for  them  that  are  sick  and  visited  :  you 
rather  cry  out  against  the  altar,  cry  out  against  the  living  the 
church  hath  already. 

It  were  to  be  wished,  that  order  were  taken  up  amongst  you^ 
which  was  observed  in  St.  Augustine's  time ;  for  then  it  was  the 
custom,  that  the  poor  should  beg  of  none  but  the  preacher  or 
minister,  and  if  he  had  not  to  give  them,  they  should  exclaim  and 
cry  out  of  him,  for  not  more  effectually  moving  and  crying  out  to 
the  people  for  them.  Had  every  one  of  you,  all  the  poor  of  your 
parishes  hanging  about  your  doors,  and  ready  to  rend  your  gar- 
ments off  your  backs,  and  tear  out  your  throats  for  bread,  every 
time  you  stirred  abroad,  you  would  bestir  you  in  exhortation  to 
charity  and  good  works,  and  make  yourselves  hoarse  in  crying  out 
against  covctise  and  hardness  of  heart. 


102 

'  London,  thy  heart  is  the  heart  of  covetousness ;  all  charity  and 
compassion  is  clean  banished  out  of  thee :  except  thou  amendest, 
Jerusalem,  Sodom,  and  thou  shalt  sit  down  and  weep  together. 

From  Ambition  and  Avarice,  his  suborner,  let  me  progress  to 
the  second  son  of  Pride,  which  is  Vain-glory.  This  Vain-glory  is 
any  excessive  pride  or  delight  which  we  take  in  things  unnecessary  : 
much  of  the  nature  is  it  of  ambition,  but  it  is  not  so  dangerous,  or 
conversant  about  so  great  matters,  as  Ambition ;  it  is,  as  I  may  call 
it,  the  froth  and  seething  up  of  Ambition ;  Ambition  that  cannot 
contain  itself,  but  it  must  hop  and  bubble  above  water.  It  is  the 
placing  of  praise  and  renown  in  contemptible  things ;  as  he  that 
takes  a  glory  in  estranging  himself  from  the  attire  and  fashions  of 
his  own  country  ;  he  that  taketh  a  glory  to  wear  a  huge  head  of  hair 
hke  Absalom  ;  he  that  taketh  a  glory  in  thfe  glistering  of  his  apparel 
and  his  perfumes,  and  thinks  every  one  that  sees  him,  or  smells  him, 
should  be  in  love  with  him ;  he  that  taketh  a  glory  in  hearing  him- 
self talk,  and  stately  pronouncing  his  words  ;  he  that  taketh  a  glory 
to  bring  an  oath  out  with  a  grace,  to  tell  of  his  cosenages,  his  sur- 
feitings,  and  drunkenness,  and  whoredoms ;  he  that,  to  be  counted 
a  cavalier,  and  a  resolute  brave  man,  cares  not  what  mischief  he  do, 
whom  he  quarrels  with,  kills,  or  stabs. 

Such  was  Pausanias,  that  killed  Philip  of  Macedon  only  for 
fame  or  vain-glory.  So  did  Herostratus  burn  the  temple  of  Diana, 
whereof  I  talked  in  the  leaf  before,  to  get  him  an  eternal  vain-glory; 
the  Spaniards  are  wonderful  vain-glorious  ;  many  soldiers  are  most 
impatient  vain-glorious,  in  standing  upon  their  honour  in  every 
trifle,  and  boasting  more  than  ever  they  did ;  they  are  vain-glorious 
also  in  commending  one  another  for  murders  and  broils,  which,  if 
they  weighed  aright,  is  the  most  ignominy  •  that  may  be.  By  a 
great  oath  they  will  swear  he  is  a  brave,  delicate,  sweet  man,  for  he 
killed  such  and  such  a  one ;  as  if  they  should  say,  Cain  was  a  brave, 
delicate,  sweet  man,  for  kilhng  his  brother  Abel.  He  was  the  first 
that  invented  this  going  into  the  field,  and  now  it  is  grown  to  a 


103 

Gommon  exercise  every  day  after  meat.  Many  puny  poets,  and 
old  ill  poets,  are  mighty  vain-glorious,  of  whom  Horace  speaketh : 
Hidentur  mala  qui  componunt  carmina  verum.  Gaudent  scribentes  et 
se  venerantur  et  ultro.  Si  taceas  laudunt  quicqiiid  scripsere  heati. 
They  are  of  all  men  had  in  derision,  saith  he,  that  bungle  and 
bodge  up  wicked  verses ;  but  yet  they  do  honey  and  tickle  at  what 
they  write,  and  wonderfully  to  themselves  applaud  and  praise  them- 
selves, and  of  their  own  accord,  if  you  do  not  commend  them,  they 
will  openly  commend  themselves,  and  count  their  pens  blessed, 
whatsoever  they  invent.  Many  excellent  musicians  are  odd,  fan- 
tastic, vain-glorious.  There  is  vain-glory  in  building,  in  banquet- 
ing, in  being  Diogenical  and  dogged ;  in  voluntary  poverty  and 
devotion.  Great  is  their  vain-glory,  also,  that  will  rather  rear  them- 
selves monuments  of  marble,  than  monuments  of  good  deeds  in 
men's  mouths.  In  a  word,  as  Paul  saith,  Non  est  Domine  in  quo 
gloriari  possirn,  sed  in  Cruce  Domini  Jesu  Christi:  There  is  no  true 
glory,  all  is  vain  glory,  but  in  the  cross  of  our  Lord  Jesus  Christ. 
The  Jews'  vain  glory  and  presumptuous  confidence  in  their  temple^ 
was  one  of  the  chief  sins  that  plucked  on  their  desolation.  In  that 
chapter  where  our  Saviour  gave  judgment  over  Jerusalem,  how 
bitterly  did  he  inveigh  against  the  hypocrisy  and  vain-glory  of  the 
Scribes  and  Pharisees. 

Let  us  examine  what  this  hypocrisy  and  vain-glory  was  he 
inveighed  so  against,  and  see  if  there  be  any  such  amongst  us  here 
in  London. 

First,  he  accuseth  them,  "  Of  binding  heavy  burdens  and  too 
grievous  to  be  borne,  and  laying  them  on  other  men's  shoulders,  and 
not  moving  them  with  one  finger  themselves."  That  is  as  much  to 
say,  as  States  of  a  country  should  make  burdenous  laws,  to  oppress 
and  keep  under  the  commonalty,  and  look  severely  to  the  observa- 
tion of  them,  but  would  keep  none  of  them  themselves,  nor  will  not 
so  much  as  deign  with  one  finger  to  touch  them. 


104 

Secondly,  "  They  did  all  their  works  to  be  seen  of  men."     So 
do  they  that  will  do  no  good  work,  but  to  be  put  in  the  chronicles 
after  their  death ;  so  do  they  that  publicly  will  seem  the  most  pre- 
cise justiciaries  under  heaven,  but  privately  mitigate  their  sentence 
for  money  and  gifts,  "  which  blind  the  wise,  and  subvert  the  words 
of  the  just/''    The  especial  thing  Christ  in  the  Pharisees  reproveth, 
that  they  did  to  be  seen  of  men,  was  the  wearing  of  their  large 
Philactaries.     Those  Philactaries  (as  St.  Jerome  saith'^)  were  broad 
pieces  of  parchment,  whereon  they  wrote  the.  ten  commandments, 
and  folding  them  up  close  together,  bound  them  to  their  forehead, 
and  so  wore  them  always  before  their  eyes,  imagining  thereby  hhey 
fulfilled  that  which  was  said :  "  they  shall  be  always  immoveable 
before  thine  eyes.''     That  which  they  had  always  vain-gloriously 
before  their  eyes,  that  have  we  always  vain-gloriously  in  our  mouths, 
but  seldom  or  never  in  our  hearts.    Never  was  so  much  professing, 
and  so  little  practising,  so  many  good  words,  and  so  few  good  deeds. 
The  third  objection  against  the  Pharisees  was,  that  they  loved 
the  highest  places  at  feasts,  the  chief  seats  in  assemblies,  and  greet- 
ing in  the  market-place ;  which  is  as  much  to  say,  as  that  they 
were  arrogant,  haughty-minded,  and  insolent;  that  they  had  no 
spirit  of  humility  or  meekness  in  them;  they  were  besotted  with 
the  pride  of  their  own  singularity  ;  they  thought  no  man  worthy  of 
any  honour  but  themselves.     By  intrusion  and  not  standing  on 
courtesy,  they  got  to  sit  highest  at  feasts,  and  be  preferred  in 
assemblies,  which  appeareth  by  that  which  followeth  some  few 
verses  after :  "  For  whosoever  will  exalt  himself  shall  be  brought 
low,  and  whosoever  will  humble  himself  shall  be  exalted."     Which 
inferreth,  that  they  did  intrude  or  exalt  themselves,  and  were  not 
exalted  otherwise,  therefore  they  should  be  humbled  or  brought 
low.    Diverse  like  Pharisees  have  we,  that  will  proudly  exalt  them- 
selves. • 

'  Exod.  23.  *  Jerome  on  the  23d  of  Matthew. 


\ 


105 

After  this  our  Saviour  breathes  out  many  woes  against  them. 
First,  "  For  shutting  up  the  kingdom  of  Heaven  from  before  men, 
and  neither  entering  themselves,  nor  suffering  those  that  would  to 
enter/'  Next,  "  For  devouring  widows'  houses  under  pretence  of 
long  prayers/'  Thirdly,  "  For  compassing  sea  and  land  to  seduce/' 
Fourthly,  "  For  their  false  and  fond  distinction  and  interpretation  of 
oaths/'  Fifthly,  "  For  tithing  mint  and  anniseed,  and  cummin ;  and 
leaving  weightier  matters  of  the  law,  judgment,  mercy,  and  fidehty, 
foreslovved ;  for  straining  at  a  gnat,  and  swallowing  a  camel/' 
Sixthly,  "  For  making  clean  the  outside  of  the  cup  or  the  platter, 
when  within  they  were  full  of  bribery  and  excess/'  Seventhly,  "  For 
they  were  like  unto  whited  tombs,  which  appear  beautiful  outward, 
but  within  are  full  of  dead  men's  bones,  and  all  filthiness/'  Eighthly, 
"  For  they  built  the  tombs  of  the  prophets,  and  garnished  the  se- 
pulchres of  the  righteous,  whose  doctrine  they  refused  to  be  ruled 
by/'     Which  of  all  these  eight  woes  but  we  have  incurred  ? 

Peculiarly  apply  them  I  will  not,  for  fear  their  reference  might 
be  offensive ;  but  let  every  one  that  is  guilty  in  any  of  them  apply 
them  privately  to  himself,  lest  every  child  in  the  street  apply  them 
openly  to  his  reproof, 

London,  look  to  thyself,  for  the  woes  that  were  pronounced  to 
Jerusalem  are  pronounced  to  thee.  Thou,  transgressing  as  griev-: 
ously  as  she,  shall  be  punished  as  grievously.  Fly  from  sin,  take 
no  pride  nor  vain-glory  in  it;  for  pride  or  vain-glory  in  sin  is  a 
horrible  sin,  though  it  be  without  purpose  of  sin.  Ah,  what  is  sin, 
that  we  should  glory  in  it  "^  To  glory  in  it,  is  to  glory  that  the  devil 
is  our  father.  Doth  the  peacock  glory  in  his  foul  feet }  Doth  he 
not  hang  down  the  tail  when  he  looks  on  them  ?  Doth  the  buck, 
having  be-filthed  himself  with  the  female,  lift  up  his  horns  and  walk 
proudly  to  the  lawns  ^  O  no,  he  so  hateth  himself,  by  reason  of  the 
stench  of  his  commixture,  that,  all  drooping  and  languishing,  into 
some  solitary  ditch  he  withdraws  himself,  and  takes  soil,  and  batheth 

p 


106 

till  such  time  as  there  fall  a  great  shower  of  rain,  when,  being 
thoroughly  washed  and  cleansed,  he  posteth  back  to  his  food.     ,    . 

Of  the  peacock,  of  the  buck,  nor  any  other  brute  beast,  can 
we  be  taught  to  lothe  our  filth,  but,  contrary  to  nature,  far  worse 
than  brute  beasts,  we  are  enamoured  of  the  savour  of  it.  Omne 
vitium  eo  ipso  quod  vitium  est,  contra  Jiaturam  est}  Every  vice,  as 
it  is  a  vice,  is  contrary  to  nature.  Takes  the  devil  a  vain-glory  or 
pride  that  he  is  exiled  out  of  Heaven  ?  No,  he  rueth,  he  curseth, 
he  envies  God,  men,  and  angels,  that  they  should  live  in  the  king- 
dom of  light,  and  he  in  the  valley  of  darkness. 

What  coward  is  there  that  will  brag  or  glor\^  he  was  beaten 
and  disarmed  }  If  we  had  the  wit  to  conceive  the  baseness  of  sin, 
or  from  what  abject  parentage  it  is  sprung,  we  would  hate  it  as  a 
toad,  and  fly  from  it  as  an  adder.  Not  without  reason  have  many 
learned  writers  called  it  bestial,  for  it  is  all  derived  and  borrowed 
from  beasts.  Pride  and  inflammation  of  heart  we  borrow  from  the 
lion,  avarice  from  the  hedgehog,  luxury,  riot,  and  sensuality,  from 
the  hog ;  and  therefore  we  call  a  lecherous  person  a  boarish  com- 
panion. Envy  from  the  dog,  ire  or  wrath  from  the  wolf,  gluttony 
or  gormandise  from  the  bear,  and,  lastly,  sloth  from  the  ass;  so, 
that  as  we  apparel  ourselves  in  beast's  skins,  in  self-same  sort  we 
clothe  our  souls  in  their  skins.  But  if  we  did  imitate  aught  but  the 
imperfections  of  beasts  (or  of  the  best  beasts,  but  the  worst  beasts) 
it  were  somewhat :  if  we  had  any  spark  or  taste  of  their  perfections, 
we  were  not  so  to  be  condemned.  We  have  no  spark,  no  taste;  we 
are  nothing  but  a  compound  of  uncleanness. 

Let  us  not  glory  that  we  are  men,  who  have  put  on  the  shapes 
of  beasts.  Thrice  blessed  are  beasts,  that  die  soon,  and  after  this 
life  feel  no  hell.  Woe  unto  us,  we  shall,  if  we  appear  to  God  in 
the  image  of  beasts,  and  soon  redeem  not  from  Satan  the  image  of 
our  creation  he  hath  stolen  from  us.     0  singular  subtlety  of  our 

'  Aug.  lib.  JJ.  de  lib.  arbit. 


enemy,  so  to  sweeten  the  poison  of  our  perdition,  that  it  should  be 
more  rehshsome  and  pleasant  unto  us,  than  the  nectarized  aqua 
ccslestis  of  water-mingled  blood,  sluiced  from  Christ's  side.  We  glory, 
in  that  we  are  in  the  highway  to  be  thrown  from  glory;  we  will  not 
hear  our  folders  or  shepherds,  that  would  gather  us  to  glory.  Our 
Lord  rode  upon  an  ass  when  he  governed  the  laws ;  under  the  law, 
in  comparison  of  us,  we  are  the  unbroken  colt,  including  the 
Gentiles,  which  he  commanded,  with  the  ass,  to  be  brought  unto 
him.  This  thousand  and  odd  hundred  years  hath  he  been  breaking 
xUS  to  his  hand,  and  now,  when  he  had  thought  to  have  found  us  fit 
for  the  saddle,  we  are  wilder  and  further  off  than  ever  we  were. 
We  kick  and  winch,  and  will  by  no  means  endure  his  managing ; 
wherefore,  though  utterly  wearied  with  both,  better  he  esteemeth 
of  his  old  obstinate  slow  ass,  the  Jews,  which  therefore  he  cast 
off,  for  they  had  tired  him  with  continual  beating,  than  of  the  un- 
toward colt,  us  the  Gentiles,  that  will  not  be  bridled. 

Ambition  and  Vain-glory  make  us  bear  up  our  necks  stiffly, 
and  bend  our  heads  backward  from  the  rein ;  but  agie  will  make  us 
stoop  thrice  more  forward,  and  warp  our  backs  in  such  a  round 
bundle,  that,  with  declining,  our  snouts  shall  dig  our  graves. 

England,  thou  needst  not  be  ambitious,  thou  needst  not  be 
vain-glorious,  for  ere  this  thou  hast  been  bowed  and  burdened  till 
thy  back  cracked.  As  the  Israelites  were  ten  times  led  into  cap- 
tivity, so  seven  times  hast  thou  been  over-run  and  conquered.  In 
thy  strength  thou  boastest;  God  with  the  weak  confoundeth  the 
strong.  The  least  lifting  up  of  his  hand  makes  thy  men  of  war  fall 
backward.  Say  thou  art  walled  with  seas,  how  easy  are  thy  walls 
overcome  ?  Who  shall  defend  thy  walls,  if  the  civil  sword  waste 
thee  ?  With  more  enemies  is  not  India  beset  than  thou  art.  Un- 
gratefully hath  God  given  thee  long  peace  and  plenty,  since, 
whereas  war  can  but  breed  vices,  thy  peace  and  plenty  hath  begot 
more  sins  than  war  ever  heard  of,  or  the  sun  hath  atomi. 


108 

Yet  learn  to  leave  off  thy  vain-glory,  that  God  may  glory  in 
thee ;  learn  to  despise  the  world,  despise  vanity,  despise  thyself,  to 
despise  despising,  and,  lastly,  to  despise  no  man.  If  you  be  of 
the  world,  you  will  affect  the  vain-glory  of  the  world ;  if  you  be 
not  of  the  world,  look  for  no  glory  but  contempt  from  the  world. 
It  hes  in  your  election  to  draw  lots,  whether  you  will  be  heirs  of  the 
glory  eternal,  or  enjoy  the  short  breath  of  vain-glory  amongst  men. 

The  third  son  of  Pride  is  Atheism,  which  is  when  a  man  is  so 
tympanized  with  prosperity,  and  entranced  from  himself,  with 
wealth,  ambition,  and  vain-glory,  that  he  forgets  he  had  a  Maker, 
or  that  there  is  a  heaven  above  him  which  controls  him.  Too 
much  joy  of  this  Avorld  hath  made  him  drunk.  I  have  read  of  many 
whom  extreme  joy  and  extreme  grief  hath  forced  to  run  mad ;  so 
with  extreme  joy  runs  he  mad,  he  waxeth'a  fool  and  an  idiot,  and 
then  he  says  in  his  heart,  "  There  is  no  God.''  Others  there  be  of 
these  soul-benumbed  atheists,  (who,  having  so  far  entered  in  bold 
blasphemies,  and  scripture-scorning  irons  against  God,  that  they 
think,  if  God  be  a  God  of  any  justice  and  omnipotence,  it  cannot 
stand  with  that  his  justice  and  omnipotence  to  suffer  such  despight 
unpunished),  for  their  only  refuge,  persuade  themselves  there  is  no 
God,  and  with  their  profane  wits  invent  reasons  why  there  should 
be  no  God. 

In  our  Saviour's  time  there  were  Sadducees,  that  denied  the 
Resurrection;  what  are  these  atheists  but  Sadducaean  sectaries,  that 
deny  the  resurrection  ?  They  believe  they  must  die,  though  they 
believe  not  the  Deity.  By  no  means  may  they  avoid,  what  they 
will  not  admit.  In  the  very  hour  of  death  shall  appear  to  them  a 
God  and  a  devil.  In  the  very  hour  of  death,  to  atheistical  Julian, 
who  mockingly  called  all  Christians  Galileans,  appeared  a  grizly, 
shaggy-bodied  devil,  who,  for  all  at  his  sight  he  recantingly  cried 
out,  Vicisti,  Galilae,  vicisti;  Thine  is  the  day,  thine  is  the  victory, 
O  man  of  Galilee;  yet  would  it  not  forbear  him  to  give  him  over, 


109 

till  it  had  stripped  his  soul  forth  of  his  fleshy  rind,  and  took  it  away 
with  him. 

Those  that  never  heard  of  God  or  the  devil  in  their  life  before, 
at  that  instant  of  their  transmutation  shall  give  testimony  of  them. 

This  I  assure  myself,  that  however  in  pride  of  mind,  (because 
they  would  be  different  in  paradoxism  from  all  the  world,)  some 
there  be  that  phantasy  philosophical  probabilities  of  the  Trinity's 
unexistence,  yet  in  the  inmost  recourse  of  their  conscience  they 
subscribe  to  him  and  confess  him.  .  I 

Most  of  them,  because  they  cannot  grossly  palpabrize  or  feel 
God  with  their  bodily  fingers,  confidently  and  grossly  discard  him. 
"  Those  that  come  to  God,  must  believe  that  God  is,  and  that  he 
is  a  rewarder  of  them  that  seek  him."'  They,  coming  against  God, 
believe  that  he  is  not,  and  that  those  prosper  best,  and  are  best  re- 
warded, that  set  him  at  naught.  "  The  heavens  declare  the  glory 
of  God,  and  the  firmament  sheweth  his  handy  work ;  one  generation 
telleth  another  of  the  wonders  he  hath  done '!'  yet  will  not  these 
faithless  contradictors  suffer  any  glory  to  be  ascribed  to  him. 
Stoutly  they  refragrate  and  withstand,  that  the  firmament  is  not 
his  handywork,  nor  will  they  credit  one  generation  telling  another 
of  his  wonders.  They  follow  the  Pironicks,  whose  position  and 
opinion  it  is,  that  there  is  not  hell  or  misery,  but  opinion.  Impu- 
dently they  persist  in  it,  that  the  late  discovered  Indians  are  able 
to  shew  antiquities,  thousands  before  Adam. 

With  Cornelius  Tacitus,  they  make  Moses  a  wise,  provident 
man,  well  seen  in  the  Egyptian  learning,  but  deny  he  had  any 
divine  assistance  in  the  greatest  of  his  miracles.  The  water,  they 
say,  which  he  struck  out  of  a  rock  in  the  wilderness,  was  not  by 
any  supernatural  work  of  God,  but  by  watching  to  what  part  the 
wild-asses  repaired  for  drink. 

With  Albumazar,  they  hold  that  his  leading  the  children  of 
Israel  over  the  Red-sea,  was  no  more  but  observing  the  influence  of 


110 

stars,  and  waning  season  of  the  moon,  that  withdraweth  the  tides. 
They  seek  not  to  know  God  in  his  works,  or  in  his  son  Christ  Jesus, 
but  by  his  substance,  his  form,  or  the  place  wherein  he  doth  exist. 
Because  some  late  writers  of  our  side  have  sought  to  discredit  the 
story  of  Judith,  of  Susanna  and  Daniel,  and  of  Bel  and  the  Dragon, 
they  think  they  may  thrust  all  the  rest  of  the  Bible,  in  like  man- 
ner, into  the  Jewish  Talmud,  and  tax  it  for  a  fabulous  legend. 

This  place  serveth  not  to  stand  upon  proofs,  or  by  confutation 
to  confirm  principles ;  neither  dare  I,  with  the  Aveak  prop  of  my 
wit,  offer  to  uphold  the  high  throne  of  the  Godhead,  since  he  that 
but  stretched  out  his  hand  to  underprop  the  ark  falling,  was  pre- 
sently stricken  dead.  O  Lord!  thou  hast  ten  thousand  stronger 
pillars  than  I  am :  I  am  the  unworthiest  of  all  worm-reserved 
wretches  once  to  speak  of  thee,  or  name  thee :  my  sins  are  alway 
before  me.  Princes  will  not  let  those  come  before  them  with  whom 
they  are  displeased.  I  am  afraid  the  congealed  clouds  of  my  sin 
will  not  let  my  prayers  come  near  thee  :  O  favour  thy  glory,  though 
I  have  displeased  thee  with  folly.  I  will  not  be  so  unweaponed- 
jeopardous  to  overthrow  both  thy  cause  and  my  credit  at  once,  by 
over-Atlasing  mine  invention ;  that  which  I  undertake  shall  be  only 
to  throw  one  light  dart  at  their  faces  from  afar,  and  exhort  all  able 
pens  to  arm  themselves  against  thine  Atheistical  maledictors. 

Of  Atheists  this  age  affordeth  two  sorts,  the  inward  and  the 
outward :  the  inward  Atheist  is  he  that  devours  widows'  houses 
under  pretence  of  long  prayers,  that,  like  the  panther,  hideth  his 
face  in  a  hood  of  religion,  when  he  goeth  about  his  prey.  He  would 
profess  himself  an  Atheist  openly,  but  that,  like  the  Pharisees,  he 
feareth  the  multitude.  Because  the  multitude  favours  religion,  he 
runs  with  the  stream,  and  favours  rehgion-;  because  he  would  be 
captain  of  a  multitude.  To  be  the  god  of  gold,  he  cares  not  how 
many  gods  he  entertains.  Church  rites  he  supposeth  not  amiss  to 
busy  the  common  people's  heads  with,  that  they  should  not  fall 


Ill 

aboard  with  princes'  matters.  And  as  Numa  Pompilius  in  Rome, 
and  Minos  in  Athens,  kept  the  people  in  awe,  and  thrust  what 
tyrannous  laws  they  list  upon  them,  (the  one  under  pretence  he 
did  nothing  without  conference  of  the  nymph  Egeria,  the  other 
under  colour  he  was  inspired  in  a  certain  hollow  cave  by  Jupiter,) 
so  he  makes  conscience  and  the  spirit  of  God  a  long  side-cloak  for 
all  his  oppressions  and  policies.  A  holy  look  he  will  put  on  when 
he  meaneth  to  do  mischief,  and  have  Scripture  in  his  mouth  even 
while  he  is  in  cutting  his  neighbour's  throat. 

The  propagation  of  the  gospel,  good  saint-like  man,  he  only 
shoots  at,  when,  under  suppressing  of  popery,  he  strives  to  over- 
throw all  church  livings ;  so  that  even  as  the  Gospel  is  the  power 
of  God  to  salvation,  to  every  one  that  believeth,  so  is  it  in  him  the 
devil's  power  of  beguiling  and  undoing,  to  every  one  that  believes 
him.  He  it  is  that  turneth  the  truth  of  God  to  a  lie,  and  buildeth 
his  house  by  hypocrisy ;  that  hath  his  mouth  swept  and  garnished, 
but  in  his  heart  a  whole  legion  of  devils. 

The  outward  Atheist,  contrariwise,  with  those  things  that  pro- 
ceed from  his  mouth,  defdeth  his  heart ;  he  establisheth  reason  as 
his  God,  and  will  not  be  persuaded  that  God  (the  true  God)  is, 
except  he  make  him  privy  to  all  the  secrecies  of  his  beginning  and 
government.  Straightly  he  will  examine  him  where  he  was,  what 
he  did  before  he  created  heaven  and  earth ;  how  it  is  possible  he 
should  have  his  being  from  before  all  beginnings  ?  Every  circum- 
stance of  his  providence  he  will  run  through,  and  question  why  he 
did  not  this  thing,  and  that  thing,  and  the  other  thing,  according 
to  their  humours. 

Being  earthly  bodies,  unapt  to  ascend,  in  their  ambitious  co- 
gitation they  will  break  ope  and  ransack  his  closet ;  and  if  (con- 
tinually) they  may  not  come  to  it,  then  they  will  derogate  and 
deprave  him  all  they  can.  Little  do  they  consider,  that  as  the 
light  which  shined  before  Paul  made  him  blind,  so  the  light  of 


112 

God^s  invisible  mysteries,  if  ever  it  shine  in  our  hearts,  will  confound 
and  blind  our  carnal  reason.  *f 

Philosophy's  chief  fulness.  Wisdom's  adopted  father  next  unto 
Solomon,  unsatiable  art-searching  Aristotle,  that  in  the  round  com- 
pendiate  bladder  of  thy  brain  conglobedst  these  three  great  bodies, 
heaven,  earth,  and  the  wide  world  of  waters,  thine  Icarian-soaring 
comprehension,  tossed  and  turmoiled  but  about  the  bounds  and 
beginning  of  Nilus,  in  Nilus  drowned  itself,  being  too  silly  and 
feeble  to  plunge  through  it. 

If  knowledge's  second  Solomon  had  not  knowledge  enough  to 
engrasp  one  river,  and  allege  probability  of  his  beginning  and 
bounding,  who  shall  engrasp  or  bound  the  heaven's  body  ?■  Nay, 
what  soul  is  so  metaphysical  subtle,  that  can  humorously  sirenize 
heaA^en's  soul,  Jehovah,  out  of  the  concealments  of  his  Godhead.^ 
He  that  is  familiar  with  all  earthly  states,  must  not  think  to  be  fa- 
miliar with  the  state  of  heaven.  The  very  angels  know  not  the  day 
or  hour  of  the  last  judgment :  if  they  know  not  the  day  or  hour  of 
the  judgment,  which  is  such  a  general  thing,  more  private  circum- 
stances of  the  Godhead,  determinately,  they  are  not  acquainted 
with ;  and  if  not  angels,  his  sanctified  attendants,  much  less  are 
they  revealed  to  sinners.  Idle-headed  Atheist,  ill  wouldst  thou,  as 
the  Romans,  acknowledge  and  offer  sacrifice  to  many  gods,  that 
will  not  grant  one  God.  From  thy  birth  to  this  moment  of  thine 
unbelief,  revolve  the  diary  of  thy  memory,  and  try  if  thou  hast 
ne'er  prayed  and  been  heard,  if  thou  hast  been  heard  and  thy 
prayer  accomplished,  who  hath  heard  thee,  who  hath  accomplished 
it.?  Wilt  thou  ratifiedly  affirm,  that  God  is  no  God,  because,  like 
a  noun  substantive,  thou  canst  not  essentially  see  him,  feel  him,  or 
hear  him  ? 

Is  a  mpnarch  no  monarch,  because  he  reareth  not  his  resiant 
throne  amongst  his  utmost  subjects?  We,  of  all  earthlings,  are 
God's  utmost  subjects,  the  last,  in  a  manner,  that  he  brought  to  his 


113 

obedience :  shall  we  then  forget  that  we  are  any  subjects  of  his, 
because,  as  amongst  his  angels,  he  is  not  visibly  conversant  amongst 
us  ?  Suppose  our  monarch  were  as  far  distanced  from  us  as  Con- 
stantinople, yet  still  he  is  a  monarch,  and  his  power  undiminished. 
Indeed  so  did  our  fathers  rebel,  and  forgot  they  had  a  king :  when 
Richard  Coeur  de  Lion  was  warring  in  the  Holy  Land,  his  own  bro- 
ther, king  John,  forgot  that  he  had  a  brother,  and  crowned  himself 
king.  But  God  is  not  absent,  but  present  continually  amongst  us, 
though  not  in  sight,  yet  as  a  spirit  at  our  elbows  everywhere ;  and 
so  delight  many  kings  to  walk  disguised  amongst  their  subjects. 
He  treads  in  all  our  steps,  he  plucketh  in  and  letteth  out  our 
breath  as  he  pleaseth,  our  eyes  he  openeth  and  shutteth,  our  feet 
he  guideth  as  he  listeth. 

'Tis  nothing  but  plenty  and  abundance  that  maketh  men 
Atheists.  Even  as  the  snake,  which  the  husbandman  took  out  of 
the  cold  and  cherished  in  his  bosom,  once  attained  to  her  lively 
heat  again,  and  grown  fat  and  lusty,  singled  him  out  at  the  first, 
whom  she  might  ungratefully  envenom  with  her  forked  sting;  so 
God,  having  took  a  number  of  poor  outcasts,  (far  poorer  than  poor 
frost-bitten  snakes,)  forth  of  the  cold  of  scarcity  and  contempt,  and 
put  them  in  his  bosom,  cherished  and  prospered  them  with  all  the 
blessings  he  could  :  they,  having  once  plentifully  picked  up  their 
crumbs,  and  that  they  imagine  without  his  help  they  can  stand  of 
themselves,  now  fall  to  darting  their  stings  of  derision  at  his  face ; 
and  finding  themselves  to  be  as  great  as  they  can  well  be  amongst 
men,  grow  to  envy  and  extenuate  their  Maker. 

A  servant  that  of  nothing  is  waxed  great  under  his  master,  if 
his  master  look  not  to  him,  proves  the  greatest  enemy  he  hath ;  eft- 
soons  he  will  draw  all  men  from  him,  and,  underhand,  disgmce  him, 
to  engross  all  in  his  own  hand.  None  are  so  great  enemies  to  God, 
as  those  that  of  small  likelihoods  have  waxed  greatest  under  him, 
and  have  most  tasted  the  gracious  springs  of  his  providence.     Oft 

Q 


114 

have  we  seen  a  beggar,  promoted,  forget  and  renounce  his  own 
natural  parents ;  no  marvel  then,  if  these  mounted  beggars  forget, 
and  will  not  acknowledge  God,  their  common  parent  and  foster- 
father. 

I  cannot  be  persuaded  any  poor  man,  or  man  in  misery,  be  he 
not  altogether  desperate  of  his  estate,  is  an  Atheist ;  misery  (maugre 
their  hearts)  will  make  them  confess  God.  Who  heareth  the  thun- 
der that  thinks  not  of  God  ?  I  would  know  who  is  more  fearful  to 
die,  or  dies  with  more  terror  and  affrightment  than  an  Atheist? 
Discourse  over  the  ends  of  all  Atheists ;  and  their  deaths,  for  the 
most  part,  have  been  drunken,  violent,  and  secluded  from  repent- 
ance. The  black  sooty  visage  of  the  night,  and  the  shady  fancy 
thereof,  ascertains  every  guilty  soul  there  is  a  sin-hating  God. 

How  can  bellows  blow,  except  there  be  one  that  binds  and  first 
imprisons  wind  in  them .?  How  can  fire  burn  if  none  first  kindle  it  ? 
How  can  man  breathe,  except  God  puts  first  the  breath  of  life  into 
him  ?  Who  leadeth  the  sun  out  of  his  chamber,  or  the  moon  forth 
her  cloudy  pavilion,  but  God  ?  Why  doth  not  the  sea  swallow  up 
the  earth,  when  as  it  overpeers  it,  and  is  greater  than  it,  but  that 
there  is  a  God  that  snaffles  and  curbs  it  ? 

'"  There  is  a  path  which  no  fowl  hath  known,  neither  the  kite's 
eyes  seen :  the  lion  himself  hath  not  walked  in  it,  nor  the  lion's 
whelps  past  thereby \''  Who  then  knows  it;  who  is  there  to  trace 
it?  Hath  the  vast-azured  canopy  nothing  above  it,  whereunto  it  is 
perpendicular  knit  ?  then  why  do  not  all  things  wheel  and  swerve 
topsy-turvy  ?  Why  break  not  thunder-bolts  through  the  clouds  in- 
stead of  threads  of  rain  ?  Why  are  not  frost  and  snow  incessantly 
in  arms  against  the  summer? 

The  excellent  compacture  of  man's  body  is  an  argument  of 
force  enough  to  confirm  the  Deity. 

O,  why  should  I  but  squintingly  glance  at  these  matters,  when 

'  Job  28. 


115 

they  are  so  admirably  expiated  by  ancient  writers?  In  the  Resolu^ 
Hon  most  notably  is  this  tractate  enlarged.  He  which  peruseth 
that,  and  yet  is  Diagorized',  will  never  be  Christianized.  University 
men,  that  are  called  to  preach  at  the  cross  and  the  court,  arm  your- 
selves against  nothing  but  Atheism;  meddle  not  so  much  with 
sects  and  foreign  opinions,  but  let  Atheism  be  the  only  string  you 
beat  on,  for  there  is  no  sect  in  England  so  scattered  as  Atheism. 
In  vain  do  you  preach,  in  vain  do  you  teach,  if  the  root  that  nou- 
risheth  all  the  branches  of  security,  be  not  thoroughly  digged  up  from 
the  bottom.  You  are  not  half  so  well  acquainted  as  them  that  live 
continually  about  the  court  and  city,  how  many  followers  this 
damnable  paradox  hath ;  how  many  high  wits  it  hath  bewitched. 
Where  are  they,  that  count  a  little  smattering  iu  liberal  arts,  and 
the  reading  over  the  Bible  with  a  late  comment,  sufficient  to  make 
a  father  of  divines?  What  will  their  disallowed*  Bible,  or  late  com- 
ments help  them,  if  they  have  no  other  reading  to  resist  Atheists  ? 
Atheists,  if  ever  they  be  confuted,  with  their  own  profane  authors 
they  must  be  confuted. 

I  am  at  my  wits  end  when  I  view  how  coldly,  in  comparison 
of  other  countrymen,  our  Englishmen  write ;  how  in  their  books  of 
confutation  they  shew  no  wit  or  courage,  as  well  as  learning :  in  all 
other  things  Englishmen  are  the  stoutest  of  all  others;  but  being 
scholars,  and  living  in  their  own  native  soil,  their  brains  are  so  pes- 
tered with  full  platters  that  they  have  no  room  to  bestir  them.  Fie, 
fie,  shall  we,  because  we  have  lead  and  tin  mines  in  England,  have 
lead  and  tin  Muses  ?  For  shame,  bury  not  your  spirits  in  beef-pots. 
Let  not  the  Italians  call  you  dull-headed  Tramontani.  So  many 
dunces  in  Cambridge  and  Oxford  are  entertained  chief  members 
into  societies,  under  pretence,  though  they  have  no  great  learning, 
yet  there  is  in  them  zeal  and  rehgion,  that  scarce  the  least  hope 

'  Diagoras  primus  Deos  ncgans,  *  Disallowed  by  Atheists. 


116 

is  left  us,  we  should  have  any  hereafter  but  blocks  and  images  td 
confute  blocks  and  images.  That  of  Terence  is  oraculized,  Patres 
aquum  censer e  nos  adolescentulos,  ilico  a  pueris  fieri  senes.  Our 
fathers  are  now  grown  to  such  austerity,  as  they  would  have  us 
straight  of  children  to  become  old  men  ;  they  will  allow  no  time  for 
a  grey  beard  to  grow  in.  If,  at  the  first  peeping  out  of  the  shell,  a 
young  student  sets  not  a  grave  face  on  it,  or  seems  not  mortifiedly 
religious,  (have  he  never  so  good  a  wit,  be  he  never  so  fine  a  scho- 
lar,) he  is  cast  off  and  discouraged.  They  set  not  before  their  eyes 
how  all  were  not  called  at  the  first  hour  of  the  day,  for  then  had 
none  of  us  ever  been  called:  that  not  the  first  son,  that  promised 
his  father  to  go  into  the  vineyard,  went,  but  he  that  refused  and 
said  he  w^ould  not,  went ;  that  those  blossoms,  which  peep  forth  in 
the  beginning  of  the  spring,  are  frost-bitten  and  die  ere  they  can 
come  to  be  fruit;  that  religion,  which  is  soon  ripe,  is  soon  rotten. 

Too  abortive,  reverend  Academians,  do  you  make  your  young 
plants.  Your  preferment  (following  the  outward  appearance)  occa- 
sioneth  a  number  of  young  hypocrites,  who  else  had  never  known 
any  such  sin  as  dissimulation,  and  had  been  more  known  to  the 
Commonwealth.  It  is  only  ridiculous  dull  preachers,  who  leap  out 
of  a  library  of  catechisms  into  the  loftiest  pulpits,  that  have  revived 
this  scornful  sect  of  Atheists.  What  king's  embassage  would  be 
made  account  of,  if  it  should  be  delivered  by  a  meacock  and  an 
ignorant.^  Or  if,  percase,  he  send  variety  of  ambassadors,  and  not 
two  of  them  agree  in  one  tale,  but  be  divided  amongst  themselves, 
who  will  hearken  to  them  ?  Such  is  the  division  of  God's  ambassa- 
dors here  amongst  us;  so  many  cow -baby  bawlers,  and  heavy-gaited 
lumberers,  into  the  ministry  are  stumbled,  under  this  College  or  that 
Hairs  commendation,  that  a  great  number  had  rather  hear  a  jarring 
black-sant,  than  one  of  their  bald  sermons. 

They  boldly  will  usurp  Moses'  chair,  without  any  study  or  pre- 
paration. They  would  have  their  mouths  reverenced  as  the  mouths 


117 

J  ■ 

of  the  Sybils,  who  spoke  nothing  but  wai  registered ;  yet  nothing 
comes  from  their  mouths  but  gross  full-stomached  tautology.  They 
sweat,  they  blunder,  they  bounce  and  plunge  in  the  pulpit,  but  all 
is  voice,  but  no  substance ;  they  deaf  men's  ears,  but  not  edify. 
Scripture,  peradventure,  they  come  off  thick  and  threefold  with ; 
but  it  is  so  ugly  daubed,  plastered,  and  patched  on,  so  peevishly 
specked  and  apphed,  as  if  a  botcher,  with  a  number  of  sattin  and 
velvet  shreds,  should  clout  and  mend  leather-doublets  and  cloth-» 
breeches.  a» 

Get  you  some  wit  in  your  great  heads,  my  hot-spurred  divines; 
discredit  not  the  gospel ;  if  you  have  none,  dam  up  the  oven  of 
your  utterance ;  make  not  such  a  big  sound  with  your  empty  ves- 
sels :  at  least,  love  men  of  wit,  and  not  hate  them  so  as  you  do,  for 
they  have  what  you  want.  By  loving  them,  and  accompanying 
with  them,  you  shall  both  do  them  good  and  yourselves  good  ;  they 
of  you  shall  learn  sobriety  and  good  life,  you  of  them  shall  learn  to 
utter  your  learning  and  speak  movingly. 

If  you  count  it  profane  to  art-enamel  your  speech  to  empierce, 
and  make  a  conscience  to  sweeten  your  tunes  to  catch  souls,  reli- 
gion, through  you,  shall  reap  infamy.  Men  are  men,  and  with  those 
things  must  be  moved,  that  men  wont  to  be  moved.  They  must 
have  a  little  sugar  mixed  with  their  sour  pills  of  reproof;  the  hooks 
must  be  pleasantly  baited  that  they  bite  at ;  those  that  hang  forth 
their  hooks  and  no  bait,  may  well  enough  entangle  them  in  the 
weeds,  (enwrap  themselves  in  contentions),  but  never  win  one  soul. 
Turn  over  the  ancient  Fathers,  and  mark  how  sweet  and  hone3^some 
they  are  in  the  mouth,  and  how  musical  and  melodious  in  the  ear. 
No  orator  Avas  ever  more  pleasingly  persuasive  than  humble  Saint 
Augustine.  These  Atheists,  with  whom  you  are  to  encounter,  are 
special  men  of  wit.  The  Romish  seminaries  have  not  allured  unto 
them  so  many  good  Avits  as  Atheism.  It  is  the  superabundance  of 
wit  that  makes  Atheists ;  will  you  then  hope  to  beat  them  down 


118 

with  fusty  brown  bread  dorbellism  ?  No,  no ;  either  you  must  strain 
your  wits  an  ell  above  theirs,  and  so  entice  them  to  your  preach- 
ings, and  overturn  them,  or  else  with  disordered  hailshot  of  scrip- 
tures shall  you  never  scare  them. 

Skirmishing  with  Atheists,  you  must  behave  yourselves  as  you 
were  converting  the  Gentiles :  all  antique  histories  you  must  have 
at  your  finger's  end ;  no  philosopher's  confession,  or  opinion  of  God, 
that  you  are  to  be  ignorant  in ;  Ethnicks  with  their  own  Ethnick 
weapons  you  must  assail.  Infinite  labyrinths  of  books  he  must  run 
through,  that  will  be  a  complete  champion  in  Christ's  church.  Let 
not  sloth-favouring  Innovation  abuse  you.  Christ,  when  he  said, 
"  you  must  forsake  all,  and  follow  him,"  meant  not  you  should' 
forsake  all  arts  and  follow  him. 

Luke  was  a  physician,  and  followed  him ;  physicians  are  the 
only  upholders  of  human  arts.  Paul  was  a  Pharisee,  and  brought 
up  in  all  the  knowledge  of  the  Gentiles,  and  yet  he  was  an  apostle 
of  Jesus  Christ.  Though  it  pleased  our  loving  crucified  Lord, 
during  his  residence  here  upon  earth,  miraculously  to  inspire  poor 
fishermen,  and  disgregate  his  gifts  from  the  ordinary  means,  yet 
since  his  ascension  into  heaven,  meanless  miracles  are  ceased.  Cer- 
tain means  he  hath  assigned  us,  which  he  hath  promised  to  bless, 
but  without  means  no  blessing  hath  he  warrantized. 

AVhen  the  devil  would  have  had  him  of  stones  to  make  bread, 
he  would  in  no  kind  consent ;  no  more  will  he  consent  of  blocks 
and  stones,  in  these  days,  to  make  distributors  of  the  bread  of  life. 
What  are  asses,  that  will  take  upon  them  to  preach  without  gifts, 
but  bread  made  of  stones  ?  Even  as  God  said  unto  Adam,  "  He 
should  get,  or  earn,  his  bread  with  the  sweat  of  his  brows,"  so  they 
that  will  have  heavenly  bread  enough  to  feed  themselves  and  family 
(which  is  a  congregation  or  flock),  must  earn  it,  and  get  it  with  the 
sweat  of  their  brows,  with  long  labour,  study,  and  industry,  toil  and 
search  after  it. 


119 

No  one  Art  is  there,  that  hath  not  some  deipendence  upon  an-^ 
other,  or  to  whose  top  or  perfection  we  may  cUmb,  without  steps 
or  degrees  of  the  other.  Human  Arts  are  the  steps  and  degrees 
Christ  hath  prescribed  and  assigned  us,  to  chmb  up  to  heaven  of 
Arts  bj,  which  is  Divinity.  He  can  never  chmb  to  the  top  of  it, 
which  refuseth  to  chmb  by  these  steps.  No  knowledge  but  is  of 
God.  Unworthy  are  we  of  heavenly  knowledge,  if  we  keep  from  her 
any  one  of  her  handmaids.  Logic,  Rhetoric,  History,  Philosophy, 
Music,  Poetry,  all  are  the  Handmaids  of  Divinity :  she  can  never  be 
curiously  dressed,  or  exquisitely  accomplished,  if  any  one  of  these 
be  wanting.  ,i 

"  God  delighteth  to  be  magnified  in  all  his  creatures,  especially 
in  all  the  excellentest  of  his  creatures  \''  Arts  are  the  excellentest 
of  his  creatures ;  not  one  of  them  but  descended  from  his  throne. 
What  saith  David  ?  "  Praise  the  Lord,  Sun  and  Moon  ;  praise  him, 
ye  bright  Stars;  praise  him,  Heaven  of  Heavens,  and  Waters  that  be 
above  the  heavens.^'  That  is,  praise  the  Lord,  metaphysical  philo- 
sophy, which  are  conversant  in  all  these  matters.  Into  the  majesty 
and  glory  of  the  sun  and  moon  thou  seest;  the  bright  stars'  pre- 
dominance and  moving  thou  knowest ;  the  heaven  of  heavens,  and 
waters  that  be  above  the  heavens  in  part,  though  not  at  large,  thou 
comprehendest ;  therefore  praise  him  in  all  these.  Take  occasion. 
Preachers,  in  your  sermons,  from  the  wonders  and  secrets  these  two 
include,  to  extol  his  magnificent  name,  and  by  human  Art's  abstracts 
to  glorify  him.  "  Praise  ye  the  Lord/'  thus  David  proceeds,  "  ye 
dragons  and  all  deeps ;  fire,  hail,  snow  and  vapours,  stormy  winds 
and  tempests,  execute  his  word.  Mountains  and  hills,  fruitful  trees 
and  all  cedars,  beasts  and  cattle,  creeping  things  and  feathered 
fowls,  princes  and  judges  of  the  world,  young  men  and  maidens, 
old  men  and  children,  praise  ye  the  name  of  the  Lord." 

So  that  it  is  lawful  to  execute  his  word ;  that  is,  in  preaching 

*  Psal.  148. 


120 

of  his  words  by  similitudes  and  comparisons,  drawn  from  the  nature 
and  property  of  all  these,  to  laud  and  amplify  the  eternity  of  his 
name.  Christ,  he  drew  comparisons  from  the  hairs  of  a  man^s  head, 
from  vineyards,  from  fig-trees,  from  sparrows,  from  lilies,  and  a  hun- 
dred such  like.  We,  in  this  age,  count  him  a  heathen  divine,  that 
allegeth  any  illustration  out  of  human  authors,  and  makes  not  all 
his  sermons  concloutments  of  scripture. 

Scripture  we  hotch-potch  together,  and  do  not  place,  like  pearl 
and  gold  lace  on  a  garment,  here  and  there  to  adorn,  but  pile  it, 
and  dung  it  up  on  heaps,  without  use  or  edification.  We  care  not 
how  we  mis-speak  it,  so  we  have  it  to  speak.  Out  it  flies,  east  and 
west :  though  we  lose  it  all  it  is  nothing,  for  more  have  we  of  it 
than  we  can  well  tell  what  to  do  withal.  Violent  are  the  most  of 
our  packhorse  pulpit-men  in  vomiting  their  duncery  ;  their  preach- 
ings seem  rather  pestilential  frenzies  than  any  thing  else.  They 
writhe  texts  like  wax,  and  where  they  envy,  scripture  is  their  cham- 
pion to  scold ;  and  though  a  whole  month  together  so  they  should 
scold,  they  would  not  want  allegations  to  cast  in  one  another's 
teeth.  Non  fuit  sic  a  principio;  I  wis  it  was  not  so  in  the  primi- 
tive church ;  but  in  our  church  every  man  will  be  primate,  every 
man  will  be  lord  and  king  over  the  flock  that  he  feeds,  or  else  he 
will  famish  it.  This  is  erring  from  my  scope ;  of  the  true  use  of 
scripture  I  am  to  talk. 

Scripture,  if  it  be  used  otherwise  than  as  the  last  seal  to  con- 
firm any  thing,  if  it  be  trivially,  or  Avithout  necessity,  called  unto 
witness,  it  is  a  flat  taking  of  the  name  of  God  in  vain.  The  phrase 
of  Sermons,  as  it  ought  to  agree  with  the  scripture,  so  heed  must  be 
taken  that  their  whole  sermons  seem  not  a  banquet  of  broken  frag- 
ments of  scripture;  that  it  be  not  used  but 'as  the  corner-stone  to 
close  up  any  building  ;  that  they  gather  fruit  and  not  leaves,  proofs 
^nd  not  phrases  only  out  of  the  Bible.  As  in  battle  we  use  the 
weapons  and  engines  of  all  nations,  so  embattling  ourselves  against 


121 

sin,  Ve  must  iise  the  weapons  and  arts  of  all  nations.  Scripture 
must  be  reserved  as  the  last  volley  of  the  victory.  It  is  the  great 
ordnance  which  must  play  upon  our  enemies  in  the  end  and  chief 
hazard  of  the  fight.  If  we  refuse  with  Demosthenes,  to  reserve  all 
our  weighty  arguments  till  the  latter  end,  like  the  Frenchmen  we 
shall  fight  valiantly  at  the  first,  but  quail  in  the  midst. 

Scripture  is  the  chief  power  of  God  to  salvation.  Generals  in 
a  pitched  field  will  not  thrust  forth  their  chief  power  first.  By 
little  and  little  they  will  train  their  enemy  out  of  order  with  light 
onsets.  He  that  will  ascend  must  from  the  low  valleys  creep  up 
higher  and  higher ;  with  one  caper,  or  jump,  is  not  the  mountain  of 
theology  to  be  scaled.  This  is  it,  I  contend,  that  stars  have  their 
thrones  of  illumination  allotted  them  in  the  firmament  as  well  as 
the  sun  and  moon  :  that  human  writers  have  their  use  of  reproving 
vices  as  Avell  as  the  Scriptures.  It  is  an  easy  matter  to  praise  God 
in  that  wherein  he  hath  placed  the  especial  state  house  of  his 
praises.  He  which  out  of  the  barrenest  and  barest  parts  of  his 
lord's  dominion  shall  accumulate  and  levy  to  his  treasury  a  greater 
tribute  than  he  hath  out  of  his  richest  provinces,  shall  he  not  (of 
all  other)  do  him  the  most  remunerablest  service?  Malicious  and 
malevolent  are  they  that  will  exclude  any  one  art,  or  Athenian,  or 
Roman  author,  any  one  creeping  worm  or  contemptible  creature 
from  bearing  witness  of  God. 

Paul  alleged  divers  verses  out  of  heathen  poets,  as  out  of  Epe- 
menides,  Aratus,  Menander,  Theocritus :  nay,  what  place  is  it  in 
the  Scripture  where  the  Holy  Ghost  doth  not  stoop  himself  to  our 
capacities  by  human  metaphors  and  simihtudes.  Our  Atheist  we 
have  in  hand,  with  nothing  but  human  reasons  will  be  rebutted. 
Vaunt  you  ye  speak  from  the  Holy  Ghost  never  so,  if  you  speak 
not  in  compass  of  his  five  senses,  he  will  despise  you  and  .flout 
you.  He  hearing  every  one  (that  in  the  pulpit  talks  affectedly, 
coldly,  crabbedly,  or  absurdly,)  say,  "  He  talks  from  the  mouth  of 

R 


422 

God/'  makes  both  an  obloquy  of  God's  mouth  and  the  ministry. 
But  ill  shall  his  scoifs  prosper  with  him :  when  he  thinks  he  hath 
won  the  greatest  prize  to  his  wit  in  putting  down  God,  God  in 
judgment  shall  arise  and  reprove  him.  At  the  day  of  death,  and 
at  the  day  of  judgment,  he  shall  reprove  him ;  sight-killingly  with 
his  clustered  brows,  and  cloud-begetting  frowns,  he  shall  teach  him 
both  that  he  is,  and  what  he  is. 

Reverend  Ecclesiastical  Fathers,  and  other  special  titled  church 
substitutes,  you  it  concerneth  ;  your  kingdom  (by  these  Atheists)  is 
called  in  question,  in  calling  God's  kingdom  in  question.  Prose- 
cute with  all  your  authority  these  Prophirian  deriders.  Imitate  the 
Athenians,  who  committed  Anaxagoras  to  prison,  and  but  for  Pe- 
ricles had  put  him  to  death,  for  writing  but  a  book  of  the  moon's 
eclipses,  after  by  them  she  was  received  for  a  Goddess.  If  they  so 
far  pursued  the  disgrace  of  a  feigned  Goddess,  be  you  twice  as 
zealous  in  revenging  the  disparagement  of  the  true  and  ever  living 
God. 

%  Proclaim  disputations,  threaten  punishments,  be  vehement  in 
your  sermons:  whatsoever  you  v/rite  or  speak,  intend  it  against 
Atheism.  Atheism  hath  overspread  us  ;  our  overthrow,  your  over- 
throw it  will  be,  except  in  time  you  prevent  it.  Fall  England, 
farev/ell  Peace,  woe-worth  our  weal  and  tranquillity,  if  Religion  bids 
us  farewell.  Our  house  shall  be  left  desolate  unto  us,  for  Christ  of 
us  is  left  desolate  and  forsaken. 

The  fourth  son  of  Pride  is  Discontent,  which  whomsoever  it 
thoroughly  inhabiteth,  it  carrieth  clean  away  to  extremes.  If  it 
light  on  a  poor  man  that  hath  no  means  to  prosecute  it,  it  cutteth 
him  off  presently.  If  on  a  man  of  puissance  (be  he  not  more  than 
mother-witted  circumspect,)  to  him  and  his  family  it  is  no  less 
fatal.  Generally  it  is  grounded  on  pride,  as  when  a  man  taketh 
unto  him  a  mind  above  his  birth  or  fortune,  and  is  not  able  to  go 
through  with  it.      When  he  hath  resolved  to  prize  himself  thus 


123 

great,  and  some  man  (as  proud  as  himself)  comes  and  under-bids 
him,  and  out-braves  him.  And  thirdly,  when  on  just  demerits  he 
hath  builded  but  mean  hopes,  and  those  not  only  die  in  the  dust, 
but  his  just  demerits,  indignantly,  draw  unto  him  unjust  hatred. 
For  such  is  great  men's  manner,  any  one  that  is  troublesome  to 
them,  or  that  they  were  indebted  to  and  cannot  well  recompense, 
they  come  to  hate  deadly. 

There  is  discontent  proceeding  from  a  natural  melancholy 
humour,  or  caused  by  surfeit  or  misdiet.  Some  by  over  studying 
come  to  be  discontent  and  dogged.  I  have  known  many  whom 
shrewd  or  light  housewives  to  their  wives,  unthrift  obstinate  chil- 
dren, suits  in  law  overruled  by  letters  from  above,  have  cause  to 
languish  and  droop  away  in  discontent.  The  fruits  of  discontent 
are  bannings,  cursings,  secret  murmurings,  outrage,  murder,  in- 
justice, all  which  are  high  treasonous  trespasses  against  God. 

The  Devil  is  the  father  of  Discontent.  One  of  the  greatest 
miseries  of  the  damned  shall  be  discontent.  Nothing  so  much 
provoketh  God  to  judgment  as  discontent.  He  destroyed  the 
children  of  Israel  whilst  the  meat  was  in  their  mouths,  in  the  wil- 
derness, for  murmuring  or  being  discontent :  their  discontent  was 
said  to  afflict  him,  "  Many  a  time  and  oft  have  they  afflicted  me 
even  from  my  youth  up,''  saith  David,  in  God's  person,  speaking 
of  their  repining  at  the  waters  of  strife.  Therefore  whosoever  is 
discontent  with  any  cross  or  calamity  the  Lord  layeth  upon  him 
afflicteth  God,  and  must  look  for  speedy  confusion.  Nothing  in 
this  life  revengeth  so  much  as  it.  Hence  it  is  so  many  stab,  hang, 
and  drown  themselves,  and  thereby  endanger  their  own  souls 
beyond  mercy.  It  is  the  grievousest  sentence  God  can  pronounce 
against  man,  as  to  be  his  own  executioner :  whereby  it  appeareth 
that  discontent  is  the  grievousest  sin  that  man  can  commit. 

When  did  you  ever  hear  of  any  but  the  discontented  man  that 
offered  violence  to  himself?  What  is  the  sin  against  the  Holy  Ghost 


124 

(which  Augustine  concludeth  to  be  nothing  but  desperatio  morientis, 
to  give  up  a  man's  soul  in  despair,)  but  a  special  branch  of  discon- 
tent ?  Wherefore  did  our  Saviour  thunder  forth  such  a  terrible  woe 
against  the  causers  of  offence,  or  discontent,  but  that  it  was  the 
most  heinous  scourge-procuring  transgression  of  all  others  ? 

Jonas,  the  Lord's  anointed  prophet,  for  he  was  discontent,  and 
grudged  when  he  should  have  been  sent  unto  Nineveh,  had  a  tor- 
ment like  hell  (for  the  time)  inflicted  upon  him.  In  the  whale's 
bellj,  full  of  horror,  despair,  stench,  and  darkness,  three  days  and 
three  nights  he  was  shut.  Hardly  can  God  abstain  from  throwing 
any  man  down  into  hell  that  is  upbraidingly  discontent.  As  the 
merry  man  (of  all  other)  best  thriveth  in  that  he  goes  about,  so  the 
discontented  man  (of  all  other)  is  most  fore-spoken  and  unlucky 
in  his  enterprises.  Few  discontented  men  shall  you  observe,  that 
give  up  the  ghost  in  their  beds. 

There  is  a  discontent  contrary  to  pride  which  is  most  pleasing 
to  God :  which  is,  when  a  man  grieves  and  is  discontent,  because 
he  cannot  choose  but  sin  and  rebel  against  God.  Also,  when  he  is 
wearied  and  discontent  with  the  vanities  of  the  world.  So  was  the 
preacher  when  he  cried,  "  Vanity  of  vanities,  and  all  thing  is 
vanit}^" 

There  is  a  tolerable  discontent  likewise  which  David  and  Job 
had  when  they  complained  that  the  tabernacles  of  robbers  did 
prosper,  and  they  were  in  safety  that  provoked  God.  But  so  little 
of  this  true  discontent  is  there  in  London,  that  (almost)  there  is  no 
content  in  it  but  in  robbing  and  provoking  God.  "  Sin  is  no  sin,'' 
saith  an  ancient  Father,  "  except  it  be  voluntary,  and  we  take  a 
content  in  committing  it."  Who  is  there  that  oppresseth,  com- 
mitteth  adultery,  is  prodigal,  sweareth  or  forsweareth,  but  taketh 
a  content  in  committing  it?  There  we  place  content,  where  we 
should  take  up  discontent ;  and  there  are  we  discontent,  where  we 
•sjjould  repose  our  whole  gladness  and  felicity.    We  are  discontent, 


125 

if  we  hear  our  sins  ripped  up  sharply.  We  are  discontent,  if  we  be 
detained  in  the  service  of  God  but  half  an  hour  extraordinary.  We 
are  discontent,  if  we  be  constrained  to  give  to  the  poor.  Every 
man  here  in  London  is  discontent  with  the  state  wherein  he  lives. 
Every  one  seeketh  to  undermine  another.  No  two  of  one  trade, 
but  as  they  are  of  one  trade,  envy  one  another.  Not  two  conjoined 
in  one  office,  but  overthwart  and  emulate  one  another,  and  one  of 
them  undoes  what  the  other  has  done.  j 

The  court  is  the  true  kingdom  of  discontent.  There  pride 
raging  most,  discontent  cannot  choose  but  be  a  hanger  on.  No 
conspiracy,  or  war,  civil  or  outward,  but  first  springeth  from  dis- 
content. What  makes  a  number  of  our  wanton  wives  in  London 
conspire  the  deaths  of  their  old  doting  husbands,  but  the  discon- 
tent of  a  death-cold  bed  ?  Discontent  makes  heretics,  discontent  is 
the  cause  of  all  the  traitors  beyond  sea.  Discontent  caused  Jeru- 
salem's house  to  be  left  desolate  unto  her.  Discontent,  O  London ! 
will  be  thy  destitution,  if  thou  takest  not  the  better  heed.  ' 

The  fifth  son  of  Pride  is  Contention,  which  being  the  youngest 
son  he  hath,  is  harder  to  be  yoked  or  kept  in  than  any  of  the  other 
four.  It  is  ever  in  arms,  never  out  of  brabblements.  Look  what 
Ambition,  Vain-glory,  Atheism,  Discontent,  shall  consult  or  devise, 
it  enacteth  and  goes  through  with.  It  is  the  lawyer's  living,  the 
heretic's  food,  the  Switzer's  house  and  land.  No  crown  but  he 
challengeth  a  share  in.  No  church  but  he  will  be  of.  On  words, 
amphibologies,  equivocations,  quiddities,  and  quantities,  he  stands. 
He  hunteth  not  after  truth,  but  strife.  He  coveteth  not  so  much 
to  overcome  as  contend. 

These  two  little  words,  ej:  and  per,  as  Cornehus  Agrippa  hath 
observed,  held  the  Greek  and  Latin  churches  play  many  years  to- 
gether; they  litigiously  debating  whether  the  Holy  Ghost  pro- 
ceeded of  the  Father  and  the  Son,  or  not  of  the  Son,  but  of  the 
Father  by  the  Son.  So  this  word  7iisi  in  this  sentence,  nisi  mandu- 
caveritis  carnem,  set  all  the  council  of  Basil  in  the  uproar.     This 


126 

word  donee,  as,  Joseph  non  agnovit  uxorem  suam  donee,  Joseph  knew 
not  his  wife  until,  caused  the  Antidicomariatans  and  Eludians  to 
deny  the  perpetual  virginity  of  the  Virgin  Mary.  With  a  thousand 
such  errors  Contention  raiseth  his  kingdom. 

Our  divines  in  these  days,  though  they  yet  retain  many  con- 
tentions of  the  old  churches,  have  found  out  certain  nevv  ones  of 
their  own.  They  contend  about  standing  and  sitting,  about  forms 
and  substances,  about  prescription  and  confusion  of  prayers.  They 
argue,  An  ater  sit  contrarius  albo,  whether  it  be  better  to  wear  a 
white  surplice  or  a  black  gown  in  ministering  the  sacraments.'^ 
Which  is  like  the  conflict  in  Rome  betwixt  the  Augustine  Friars 
and  the  vulgar  Chanons,  whether  Augustine  did  wear  a  black  weed 
upon  a  white  coat,  or  a  white  weed  upon  a  black  coat.  Like  the 
geometricians,  they  square  about  points  and  lines,  and  the  utter 
shew  of  things.  As,  this  point  is  too  long,  this  point  is  too  short, 
this  figure  is  too  much  affected,  this  line  runs  not  smooth,  this  syl- 
logism limpeth.  As  preachers,  they  labour  not  to  speak  properly, 
but  intricately.  Instead  of  bread,  they  give  the  children  of  their 
ministry  stones  to  throw  at  one  another :  and  instead  of  fish,  ser- 
pents to  sting  one  another.  In  the  13th  of  Matthew,  the  sower 
that  went  forth  to  sow,  scattered  some  seed  by  the  highway  side, 
which  the  fowls  of  the  air  picked  up :  not  unlike  to  them  whose 
hawks  and  field-sports  pick  up  all  the  seeds  of  Christianity  that 
should  be  sown  in  their  hearts ;  and  a  million  of  others  whose  eyes 
the  fowls  of  the  valley  peck  out,  before  the  seed  of  salvation  can 
have  any  rooting  in  their  souls. 

Other  seed  the  sower  scattered  amongst  stones,  and  the  sun 
arising,  it  withered  for  want  of  earth,  resembling  these  stony  streets 
of  London,  where  nothing  will  spring  up  but  oppression,  avarice, 
and  infidelity.  Other  seed  he  disperst  amongst  thorns,  and  the 
thorns  crept  aloft  and  choked  it.  To  those  thorns  I  compare  these 
thorny  contentioners,  that  choke  the  word  of  God  with  foolish  con- 
troversies, and  frivolous  questions.     Even  as  the  spirit  led  our  Sa- 


127 

viour  aside  into  the  wilderness  to  be  tempted,  so  are  there  wicked 
spirits  of  contention  amongst  us,  that  lead  men  aside  into  the  woods 
and  solitary  places  to  be  tempted.  Let  any  (be  he  the  veriest 
blockhead  under  heaven)  raise  up  a  faction,  and  he  shall  be  followed 
and  supported.  Englishmen  are  all  for  innovation ;  they  are  clean 
spoiled  if  once  in  twenty  years  they  have  not  a  new  fashion  of  re- 
ligion. Sometimes  Vitia  sunt  ad  virtutem  occasio,  contention  is  the 
occasion  of  seeking  out  the  truth :  but  our  contentions  (for  the 
most  part)  are  the  seeking  to  prove  truth  no  truth,  after  she  is 
once  found  out ;  and  preferring  probability  before  manifest  verity. 
We  will  not  try  her  by  her  peers  (which  are  the  best  expositors), 
and  ancient  Fathers,  but  by  the  literal  law,  either  not  expounded, 
or  new  expounded,  without  any  quest  of  church,  decretals,  or 
canons. 

Were  it  not  that  in  reproving  contention,  I  might  haply  seem 
contentious,  I  would  wade  a  little  farther  in  this  subject.  Yet  it 
were  to  no  end,  since  fire  the  more  it  is  stirred  up  the  more  it 
hurneth :  and  heresy,  the  more  it  is  stirred  and  strove  with,  the 
more  untoward  it  is.  Naught  but  sharp  discipline  is  a  fit  disputant 
with  snarling  schismaticks.  The  Israelites,  for  they  rooted  not  out 
the  remnant  of  the  Gentile  nations  from  amongst  them,  they  were 
as  goads  in  their  sides,  and  thorns  in  their  nostrils ;  so  if  we  root 
not  out  these  remnants  of  schismaticks  from  amongst  us,  they  will 
be  as  goads  in  our  sides,  and  thorns  in  our  nostrils.  Melius  est  ut 
pereat  unus,  quarn  ut  pereat  urntas:  it  is  better  that  some  few  perish 
than  unity  perish. 

London,  beware  of  contention ;  thou  art  counted  the  nursing 
mother  of  contention.  No  sect  or  schism  but  thou  aftbrdest  dis- 
ciples to.  If  thou  beest  too  greedy  of  innovation  and  contention, 
the  sword  of  invasion  and  civil  debate  shall  leave  thy  house  desolate 
unto  thee.  * 


ns 

Now  come  I  to  the  daughters  of  Pride,  whereof  Disdain  is 
the  eldest. 

Disdain  is  a  vice,  in  comparison  of  which  ambition  is  a  virtue. 
it  is  the  extreme  of  ambition.  It  is  a  kind  of  scorn,  that  scorneth 
to  be  compared  to  any  other  thing.  None  are  more  subject  unto 
it  than  fair  women,  for  they  disdain  any  one  should  be  held  as  fair 
as  they.  They  disdain  any  should  go  before  them,  or  sit  above 
them.  They  disdain  any  should  be  braver  than  they,  or  have  more 
absolute  pens  entertained  in  their  praises  than  they.  This  woman 
disdains  any  but  she  should  carry  the  credit  of  wit :  another, 
that  any  should  sing  so  sweet  as  she :  a  third,  that  any  should  set 
forth  the  port  and  majesty  in  gait  and  behaviour  like  unto  her. 
Only  for  disdain  and  pre-eminence,  their  husbands  and  their  loves 
they  draw  sundry  times  into  never-dated  quarrels. 

Such  disdain  and  scorn  was  betwixt  the  wives  of  Jacob,  Rachel 
and  Leah,  because  the  one  had  children  and  the  other  none.  Such 
disdain  was  betwixt  Sarah  and  Hagar.  There  was  a  disdain  of 
shouldering  amongst  the  disciples,  who  should  be  greatest.  Joseph's 
brethren  disdained  their  father  should  love  him  better  than  he  did 
them.  Dives  disdained  Lazarus.  In  London  the  rich  disdain  the 
poor.  The  courtier  the  citizen.  The  citizen  the  countryman.  One 
occupation  disdaineth  another.  The  merchant  the  retailer.  The 
retailer  the  craftsman.  The  better  sort  of  craftsmen  the  baser.  The 
shoemaker  the  cobler.  The  cobler  the  carman.  One  nice  dame 
disdains  her  next  neighbour  should  have  that  furniture  to  her  house, 
or  dainty  dish,  or  device,  which  she  wants.  She  will  not  go  to 
church,  because  she  disdains  to  mix  herself  with  base  company,  and 
cannot  have  her  close  pew  by  herself.  She  disdains  to  wear  that 
every  one  wears,  to  hear  that  preacher  which  every  one  hears.  So 
did  Jerusalem  disdain  God's  prophets,  because  they  came  in  the 
likeness  of  poor  men..     She  disdained  Amos  because  he  was  a 


129 

keeper  of  oxen',  as  also  the  rest,  for  they  were  of  the  dregs  of  the 
people :  but  their  disdain  prospered  not  with  them,  their  house  for 
their  disdain  was  left  desolate  unto  them. 

London,  thy  house  (except  thou  repentst)  for  thy  disdain  shall 
be  left  desolate  unto  thee. 

The  second  daughter  of  Pride  is  Gorgeous  Attire.  Both  the 
sons  and  daughters  of  Pride  delight  to  go  gorgeously.  As  Demo- 
critus  set  up  his  brazen  shield  against  the  sun  to  the  intent  that 
(continually  gazing  on  it,)  he  might  with  the  bright  reflection  of 
his  beamy  radiation  sear  out  his  eyes,  and  see  no  more  vanities, 
so  set  they  their  rich  embroidered  suits  against  the  sun,  to  dazzle, 
daunt,  and  spoil  poor  men's  eyes  that  look  upon  them.  Like  idols, 
not  men,  they  apparel  themselves.  Blocks  and  stones  by  the  Pay- 
nims  and  Infidels  are  over-gilded  to  be  honoured  and  worshipped : 
so  over-gild  they  themselves  to  be  more  honoured  and  worshipped. 

The  women  would  seem  angels  here  upon  earth,  for  which  (it 
is  to  be  feared)  they  will  scarce  live  with  the  angels  in  heaven. 
The  end  of  gorgeous  attire,  both  in  men  and  women,  is  but  more 
fully  to  enkindle  fleshly  concupiscence,  to  assist  the  devil  in  lustful 
temptations.  Men  think  that  women  (seeing  them  so  sumptuously 
pearled  and  bespangled,)  cannot  choose  but  offer  to  tender  their 
tender  souls  at  their  feet.  The  women,  they  think,  that  (having 
naturally  clear  beauty,  scorchingly  blazing,  which  enkindles  any 
soul  that  comes  near  it,  and  adding  more  bavins  unto  it  of  lasci- 
vious embolsterings,)  men  should  even  flash  their  hearts  at  first  sight 
into  purified  flames  of  their  fair  faces. 

Ever  since  Evah  was  tempted,  and  the  serpent  prevailed  with 
her,  women  have  took  upon  them  both  the  person  of  the  tempted 
and  the  tempter.  They  tempt  to  be  tempted,  and  not  one  of  them, 
except  she  be  tempted,  but  thinks  herself  contemptible.  .  Unto  the 
greatness  of  their  great-grandmother  Evah  they  seek  to  aspire,  in 

*  Amos  1. 
S 


130 

being  tempted  and  tempting.  If  not  to  tempt,  and  be  thought 
^vorthj  to  be  tempted,  Avhj  dye  they  and  diet  they  their  face  with 
so  many  drugs  as  they  do,  as  it  were  to  correct  God's  workman- 
ship, and  reprove  him  as  a  bungler,  and  one  that  is  not  his  craft's 
master  ?  Why  ensparkle  they  their  eyes  with  spirituaHzed  distilla- 
tions? Why  tip  they  their  tongues  with  Aurum  potabilef  Why  fill 
they  up  age's  frets  with  fresh  colours  ?  Even  as  roses  and  flowers 
in  winter  are  preserved  in  close  houses  under  earth,  so  preserve 
they  their  beauties  by  continual  lying  in  bed.  } 

Just  to  dinner  they  will  arise,  and  after  dinner,  go  to  bed  again 
And  lie  until  supper.  Yea,  sometimes  (by  no  sickness  occasioned) 
they  will  lie  in  bed  three  days  together,  provided  every  morning 
before  four  o'clock  they  have  their  broths  and  their  cullises,  with 
:pearl  and  gold  sodden  in  them.  If  haply  they  break  their  hours, 
^iid  rise  more  early  to  go  a  banquetting,  they  stand  practising  half 
XI  day  with  their  looking-glass  how  to  pierce  and  to  glance,  and 
look  alluringly  amiable.  Their  feet  are  not  so  well  framed'  to  the 
measures,  as  are  their  eyes  to  move  and  bewitch.  Even  as  angels 
^r^  painted  in  church  windows  with  glorious  golden  fronts  beset 
>yith  sun-beams,  so  beset  they  their  foreheads  on  either  side  with 
glorious  borrowed  gleamy  bushes,  which  rightly  interpreted  should 
.signify  beauty  to  sell,  since  a  bush  is  not  else  hanged  forth  but  to 
invite  men  to  buy.  And  in  Italy,  when  they  set  any  beast  to  sale, 
-they  crown  his  head  with  garlands,  and  bedeck  it  with  gaudy 
^jlossoms,  as  full  as  ever  it  may  stick. 

Their  heads,  with  their  top  and  top-gallant  lawn  baby  caps, 
And  snow-resembled  silver  curhngs,  they  make  a  plain  puppet  stage 
^i[  Their  breasts  they  embusk  up  on  high,  and  their  round  roseate 
buds  immodestly  lay  forth,  to  shew  at  their  hands  there  is  fruit  to 
be  hoped.  In  their  curious  an  tic-- woven  garments,  they  imitate  and 
mock  the  worms  and  adders  that  must  eat  them.  They  shew  th^ 
swellings  of  their  mind,  in  the  swellings  and  plumpings  out  of  their 


13t 

apparel.  GorgeoUs  ladies  of  court,  hev^r  was  I  admitted  so  near 
any  of  you  as  to  see  how  you  torture  poor  old  Time  with  spunging, 
pinning,  and  pouncing :  but  they  say  his  sickle  you  have  burst  in 
twain,  to  make  your  periwigs  more  elevated  arches  of. 
. ,.  I  dare  not  meddle  with  ye,  since  the  philosopher  that  too  in- 
tensely gazed  on  the  stars,  stumbled  and  fell  into  a  ditch :  and 
many  gazing  too  immoderately  on  our  earthly  stars,  fall  in  the  end 
into  the  ditch  of  all  uncleanness.  Only  this  humble  caveat  let  me 
give  you  by  the  way,  that  thou  look  the  devil  come  not  to  you,  in 
the  likeness  of  a  taylor  or  painter ;  that  however  you  disguise  your 
bodies,  you  lay  not  on  your  colours  so  thick,  that  they  sink  into 
your  souls.  That  your  skins  being  too  white  without,  your  souls  be 
not  all  black  within.  > 

It  is  not  your  pinches,  your  pearls,  your  flowry  jaggings,  su- 
perfluous enterlacings,  and  puffings  up,  that  can  any  way  offend 
God,  but  the  puffing  up  of  your  souls,  which  therein  you  express. 
For  as  the  biting  of  a  bullet,  is  not  that  which  poisons  the  bullet, 
,but  the  lying  of  the  gunpowder  in  the  dint  of  the  biting :  so  it  is 
not  the  wearing  of  costly  burnished  apparel,  that  shall  be  objected 
unto  you  for  sin,  but  the  pride  of  your  hearts,  which  (hke  the 
moth)  lies  closely  shrouded  amongst  the  threads  of  that  apparel. 
Nothing  else  is  garish  apparel,  but  pride^s  ulcer  broken  forth.  How 
.will  you  attire  yourselves,  what  gown,  what  head-tire  will  you  put 
on,  when  you  shall  live  in  hell  amongst  hags  and  devils.? 

As  many  jaggs,  blisters,  and  scars,  shall  toads,  cankers,  and 
serpents  make  on  your  pure  skins  in  the  grave,  as  now  you  have 
cuts,  jaggs,  or  raisings  upon  your  garments.  In  the  marrow  of 
your  bones  snakes  shall  breed.  Your  morn-like  crystal  counte- 
nances shall  be  netted  over,  and  (masker  like)  caw  1-visarded,  with 
crawling  Venomous  worms.  Your  orient  teeth,  toads  shall  steal  into 
their  heads  for  pearl;  of  the  jelly  of  your  decayed  eyes,  shall  they 


13^2 

engender  them  young.  In  their  hollow  caves  (their  transplendent 
juice  so  pollution ately  employed)  shelly  snails  shall  keep  house. 

O  what  is  beauty  more  than  a  wind-blown  bladder,  that  it 
should  forget  whereto  it  is  born !  It  is  the  food  of  cloying  con- 
cupiscence living,  and  the  substance  of  the  most  noisome  infection 
being  dead.  The  mothers  of  the  justest  men  are  not  freed  from  cor- 
ruption; the  mothers  of  kings  and  emperors  are  not  freed  from 
corruption.  No  gorgeous  attire,  man  or  woman,  hast  thou  in  this 
world,  but  the  wedding  garment  of  faith ;  thy  winding-sheet  shall 
see  thee  in  none  of  thy  silks  or  shining  robes.  To  shew  they  are 
not  of  God,  when  thou  goest  to  God,  thou  shalt  lay  them  all  off; 
then  shalt  thou  restore  to  every  creature  what  thou  hast  robbed  him 
of.  All  the  leases  which  dust  let  out  to  life,  at  the  day  of  death 
shall  be  returned  again  into  his  hands.  In  skins  of  beasts  Adam 
and  Eve  were  clothed ;  in  nought  but  thine  own  skin,  at  the  day 
of  judgment,  shalt  thou  be  clothed.  If  thou  beest  more  deformed 
than  the  age  wherein  thou  diedst  should  make  thee,  the  devil  shall 
stand  up  and  certify,  that  with  painting  and  physicing  thy  visage, 
thou  so  deformest  it ;  whereto  God  shall  reply,  "  What  have  I  to 
do  with  thee,  thou  painted  sepulchre.^  Thou  hast  so  differenced  and 
^livorced  thyself  from  thy  creation,  that  I  know  not  thee  for  my 
creature. 

"  Tlie  print  of  my  finger  thou  hast  defaced,  and  with  arts-vanish- 
ing varnishment  made  thyself  a  changeling  from  the  form  I  first 
cast  thee  in.  Satan,  take  her  to  thee;  with  black  boiling  pitch 
rough-cast  over  her  counterfeit  red  and  white;  and  whereas  she 
'was  wont  in  asses'  milk  to  bathe  her,  to  engrain  her  skin  more 
gentle,  pliant,  delicate,  and  supple,  in  bubbling  scalding  lead,  and 
fatty  flame-feeding  brimstone,  see  thou  incessantly  bathe  her. 
With  glowing  hot  irons,  singe  and  suck  up  that  adulterised  sinful 
beauty,  wherewith  she  hath  branded  herself  to  infelicity/' 


133 

O  Female  Pride,  this  is  but  the  dalliance  of  thy  doom,  but 
the  intermissive  recreation  of  thy  torments.  The  greatness  of  thy 
pains  I  want  portentous  words  to  pourtray.  Whereinsoever  thou 
hast  took  extreme  delight  and  glor}^  therein  shalt  thou  be  plagued 
with  extreme  and  dispiteous  malady.  For  thy  flaring  frounzed 
periwigs,  low  dangled  down  with  love  locks,  shalt  thou  have  thy 
head  side  dangled  down  with  more  snakes  than  ever  it  had  hairs. 
In  the  mould  of  thy  brain  shall  they  clasp  their  mouths,  and  gnaw- 
ing through  every  part  of  thy  scull,  ensnarl  their  teeth  amongst  thy 
brains,  as  an  angler  ensnarleth  his  hook  amongst  weed5. 

For  thy  rich  borders  shalt  thou  have  a  number  of  discoloured 
scorpions  rolled  up  together,  and  cockatrices  that  kill  with  their 
very  sight,  shall  continually  stand  spirting  fiery  poison  in  thine 
eyes.  In  the  hollow  cave  of  thy  mouth,  basilisks  shall  keep  house, 
and  supply  thy  talk  with  hissing  when  thou  strivest  to  speak.  At  thy 
breasts,  as  at  Cleopatra^s,  aspisses  shall  be  put  out  to  nurse.  For 
thy  carcanets  of  pearl,  shalt  thou  have  carcanets  of  spiders,  or  the 
green  venomous  flies  cantharides.  Hell's  torments  were  no  tor- 
ments, if  invention  might  conceit  them.  As  no  eye  hath  seen,  no 
ear  hath  heard,  no  tongue  can  express,  no  thought  comprehend 
the  joys  prepared  for  the  elect,  so  no  eye  hath  seen,  no  ear  hath 
heard,  no  thought  can  comprehend,  the  pains  prepared  for  the 
rejected. 

Women,  as  the  pains  of  the  devils  shall  be  doubled,  that  go 
about  hourly  tempting,  and  seeking  whom  they  may  devour,  so 
except  you  soon  lay  hold  on  grace,  your  pains  in  hell,  (above  men's,) 
shall  be  doubled,  for  millions  have  you  tempted,  millions  of  mea, 
both  in  soul  and  substance,  have  you  devoured  ;  to  you  half  your 
husbands'  damnation,  as  to  Evah,  will  be  imputed;  pride  is  your 
natural  sin ;  that  woman  you  account  as  common,  which  is  not  coy 
and  proud.  Womanhead  you,  deem  nothing  else  but  a  disdainful 
majestical  carriage.  Being  but  a  rib  of  man,  you  will  think  to  over- 


rule  him  jou, ought  to  be  subject  to.  Watch  over  your  paths, 
look  to  your  ways,  lest  the  serpent,  long  since  having  over- 
mastered one  of  you,  over-master  all  of  you,  one  after  another. 
Banish  pride  from  your  bowers,  and  the  lineal  descents  of  your 
other  sins  are  cut  off,  you  will  seem  saints  and  not  women.  But 
for  you,  men  would  never  be  so  proud,  never  care  to  go  so  gor- 
geously ;  never  fetch  so  many  new  fangles  from  other  countries ; 
you  have  corrupted  them,  you  have  tempted  them ;  half  of  your 
pride  you  have  divided  with  them.  No  nation  hath  any  excess, 
but  they  have  made  it  theirs.  Certain  glasses  there  are,  wherein  a 
man  seeth  the  image  of  another,  and  not  his  own ;  those  glasses  are 
their  eyes,  for  in  them  they  see  the  image  of  other  countries,  and 
not  their  own.  Other  countries'  fashions  they  see,  but  never  look 
back  to  the  attire  of  their  forefathers,  or  consider  what  shape  their 
own  country  should  give  them.  •^ 

Themistocles  put  all  his  felicity  in  being  descended  from  a 
iioble  lineage ;  Simonides,  to  be  well  beloved  of  his  people  or  citi- 
zens ;  Antistines,  in  renown  after  his  death.  Englishmen  put  all 
their  felicity  in  going  pompously  and  garishly ;  they  care  not  how 
they  impoverish  their  substance,  to  seem  rich  to  the  outward  appear- 
ance. What  wise  man  is  there,  that  makes  the  case  or  cover  of  any 
thing,  richer  than  the  thing  itself  which  it  containeth  or  covereth  ? 
Our  garments,  which  are  cases  and  covers  for  our  bodies,  we  comr 
pact  of  pearl  and  gold  ;  our  bodies  themselves  are  naught  but  clay 
and  putrefaction. 

^'  If,  as  the  case  or  cover  of  any  thing  keeps  it  from  dust  or  from 
soiling,  so  our  costly  skin-cases  could  keep  us  from  consuming  to 
dust,  or  being  sin-soiled,  it  were  somewhat ;  but  they,  contrariwise, 
resolve  into  dust ;  they  are  no  armours  against  old  age,  but  such  as 
are  harmed  by  old  age ;  they  wear  away  with  continuance,  even  as 
time  doth  wear  and  forewalk  us  ;  our  souls  they  keep  not  from  sin- 
soiling,  but  are  the  only  instruments  so  to  soil  and  sin-eclipse  them ; 


135 

ihey  are  a  Second  flesh-assisting  prison,  and  further  corrupting 
weight  of  corruption,  cast  on  our  souls  to  keep  them  from  soaring  to 
heaven.  . 

Deck  ourselves  how  we  will,  in  all  our  royalty,  we  cannot 
equalize  one  of  the  lilies  of  the  field ;  as  they  wither,  so  shall  we 
wane  and  decay,  and  our  place  no  more  be  found.  Though  our 
span-long  youthly  prime  blossoms  forth  eye-banqueting  flowers, 
though  our  delicious  gleaming  features  make  us  seem  the  sons  and 
daughters  of  the  graces,  though  Ave  glister  it  never  so  in  our  worm- 
spun  robes,  and  gold  flourished  garments,  yet  in  the  grave  shall 
we  rot :  from  our  redolentest  refined  compositions,  air-pestilencing 
stinks,  and  breath-choaking  poisonous  vapours  shall  issue. 

England,  the  players'  stage  of  gorgeous  attire,  the  ape  of  all 
nations'  superfluities,  the  continual  masquer  in  outlandish  habili- 
ments, great  plenty-scanting  calamities  art  thou  to  await,  for  wanton 
disguising  thyself  against  kind,  and  digressing  from  the  plainness  of 
thine  ancestors.  Scandalous  and  shameful  is  it,  that  not  any  in 
thee,  fishermen  and  husbandmen  set  aside,  but  live  above  their 
abiUty  and  birth ;  that  the  outward  habit,  which  in  other  countrie^s 
is  the  only  distinction  of  honour,  should  yield  in  thee  no  difference  of 
persons ;  that  all  ancient  nobility,  almost,  with  this  gorgeous  pro- 
digality should  be  devoured  and  eaten  up,  and  upstarts  inhabit 
their  stately  palaces,  who  from  far  have  fetched  in  this  variety  of 
pride  to  entrap  and  to  spoil  them.  Those  of  thy  people  that  in  all 
^ther  things  are  miserable,  in  their  apparel  will  be  prodigal.  No 
land  can  so  infallibly  experience  the  proverb,  "  The  hood  makes 
not  the  monk,''  as  thou ;  for  taylors,  serving-men,  make-shifts,  and 
gentlemen,  in  thee  are  confounded.  For  the  compassment  of 
-bravery,  we  have  them  that  will  rob,  steal,  cozen,  cheat,  betray 
their  own  fathers,  swear  and  forswear,  or  do  any  thing.  Take  away 
bravery,  you  kill  the  heart  of  lust  and  incontinency.  Wherefore 
do  men  .make  themselves  brave,  but  to  riot  and  to  revel  ?     Look 


136 

after  what  state  their  apparel  is,  that  state  they  take  to  them  and 
carry,  and.  after  a  little  accustoming  to  that  carriage,  persuade 
themselves  they  are  such  indeed. 

Apparel,  more  than  any  thing,  bewray eth  his  wearer's  mind ; 
all  sorts  covet  in  it  to  exceed.  Old  age  I  exclude,  for  that  covets 
nought  but  gold  covetise.  None,  in  a  manner,  forecast  for  their 
souls ;  they  suffer  them  to  go  naked ;  with  no  good  deeds  will  they 
clothe  them ;  they  let  them  freeze  to  death  for  want  of  the  garment 
of  faith ;  they  famish  and  starve  them  in  not  supplying  them  with 
ghostly  cherishment.  O  soul,  of  all  human  parts  the  most  divinest 
and  sovereignest,  of  all  the  rest  art  thou  the  most  despicable  and 
wretched.'*  Not  any  part  of  the  body  but  thou  consultest  and 
Carest  for :  to  every  part  is  thy  care  more  available  than  thyself. 
Impart  but  the  tenths  of  it  on  thyself;  be  not  more  curious  of  a 
wimple  or  spot  in  thy  vesture,  than  thou  art  of  spotting  and 
thorough  staying  thy  dear-bought  spirit  with  ten  thousand  abo- 
minations. Whilst  the  good  angel  of  mercy  stirs  about  the  blood- 
springing  pool  of  expiation,  haste  thou  to  bathe  in  it.  Thou  canst 
not  bathe  in  it  effectually,  unless  thou  strip  thyself  clean  out  of  the 
attire  of  sin.     All  gorgeous  attire  is  the  attire  of  sin. 

The  frail  flesh  wherein  thou  art  invested  is  nothing  but  a  sin- 
battered  armour,  with  many  strokes  of  temptations  assaulted  and 
bruised,  to  break  into  thee  and  surprise  thee.  Watch  and  pray, 
that  thou  be  not  surprised.  In  vain  is  thy  prayer  against  sin, 
except  thou  watchest  also  to  prevent  sin.  We  here  in  London, 
what  for  dressing  ourselves,  following  our  worldly  affairs,  dining, 
supping,  and  keeping  company,  have  no  leisure,  not  only  not  to 
watch  against  sin,  but  not  so  much  as  once  to  think  of  sin.  In  bed, 
wives  must  question  their  husbands  about  housekeeping,  and  pro- 
viding for  their  children  and  family.  No  service  must  God  expect 
of  us,  but  a  little  in  Lent,  and  in  sickness  and  adversity.  Our 
gorgeous  attire,  we  make  not  to  sei^ve  him,  but  to  serve  the  flesh. 


137  ^ 

If  he  were  pleased  with  it,  why  did  they  ever  in  the  old  law  (when 
they  presented  themselves  before  him  in  fasting  and  prayer,)  rend 
it  off  their  backs,  and  put  on  coarse  sackcloth  and  ashes  ?  No  lift- 
ing up  a  man's  self  that  God  likes,  but  the  lifting  up  of  the  spirit 
in  prayer. 

One  thing  it  is  for  a  man  to  hft  up  himself  to  God,  another  thing 
to  lift  up  himself  against  God.  In  pranking  up  our  carcases  too 
proudly,  we  lift  up  our  flesh  against  God.  In  lifting  up  our  flesh, 
we  depress  our  spirits.  London,  lay  off"  thy  gorgeous  attire,  and 
cast  down  thyself  before  God  in  contrition  and  prayer,  lest  he  cast 
thee  down  in  his  indignation  into  hell-fire. 

Grievously  hast  thou  offended,  and  transgressed  against  his 
divine  majesty,  in  turning  that  to  pride,  which  was  allotted  thee  for 
a  punishment.  His  workmanship  thou  hast  scorned,  and  counted 
imperfect  without  thine  own  additions  put  to  it.  Thou  .hast  con- 
tended, to  be  a  more  beautiful  creator  and  repolisher  of  thyself,  than 
he.  His  own  workmanship  thou  hast  made  him  out  of  love  with, 
by  altering  and  deforming  it  at  thy  pleasure.  There  is  no  work- 
man, that  regardeth  or  esteemeth  his  own  workmanship,  after  it  is 
translated  and  transposed  by  others.  Except  thou  quickly  undoest 
and  withdrawest  all  thy  over  working,  he  will  (in  wreakful  recom- 
pense that  thou  hast  so  disgraced  him,)  alter  thee,  deform  thee, 
translate  thee,  transpose  thee,  and  leave  thy  house  desolate  unto 
thee. 

The  last  daughter  of  Pride  is  Delicacy,  under  which  is  con- 
tained gluttony,  luxury,  sloth,  and  security.  But  properly.  Deli- 
cacy is  the  sin  of  our  London  dames.  So  delicate  are  they  in  their 
diet,  so  dainty  and  puling  fine  in  their  speech,  so  tiptoe  nice  in 
treading  on  the  earth,  as  though  they  walked  upon  snakes,  and 
feared  to  tread  hard,  lest  they  should  turn  again.  Their  houses,  so 
pickedly  and  neatly  must  be  tricked  up  and  tapestried,  as  if  (like 
Abraham  or  Lot,)  they  were  to  receive  angels.     The  floor  under>' 

T 


138 

foot,  glisteringly  rubbed  and  glazed,  that  a  Jew  (if  he  should  behold 
it)  would  suspect  it  for  holy  ground. 

Nothing  about  them,  but  is  wealth  boastingly  and  elaborately 
beautified:  only  their  souls  they  keep  poor  and  beggarly.  Job 
scraped  his  sores  with  a  potsherd  ;  if  they  have  any  sore  or  noisome 
malady  about  them,  they  will  over-gild  it,  and  make  it  seem  more 
amiable  than  any  other  part  of  the  body.  Their  habitations  they 
make  so  resplendent  and  pleasurable  on  earth,  that  they  have  no 
mind  to  go  to  heaven.  Into  heaven's  pleasures  they  cannot  see, 
for  their  eyes  are  dazzled  with  terrestrial  delights.  Those  that  will 
have  their  hearts  thoroughly  inflamed  with  the  joys  of  the  world  to 
come,  must  place  no  joy  in  this  world,  nor  frame  to  themselves  any 
object  that  may  too  much  content.  They  must  have  something 
evermore  to  amate  and  check  their  felicity,  and  with  Macedon 
Philip,  to  remember  them  of  mortality. 

Delicacy  is  nought  but  the  art  of  security,  and  forgetting  mor- 
tality. It  is  a  kind  of  alchymical  quintessencing  a  heaven  out  of 
earth.  It  is  the  exchanging  of  an  eternal  heaven,  for  a  short  mo- 
mentary imperfect  heaven.  Blessed  are  they,  that  by  pining  and 
excruciating  their  bodies,  live  in  hell  here  on  earth  to  avoid  the  hell 
never  ending.  Many  of  the  saints  and  martyrs  of  the  primitive 
church,  when  they  might  have  spent  their  days  in  all  affluence  and 
delicacy,  and  lived  out  of  gunshot  of  misery,  have  notwithstanding 
took  unto  them  the  contemptiblest  poverty  that  might  be. 

They  have  abandoned  all  their  goods  and  possessions,  and  in 
the  wilderness  conversed  with  penury  and  scarcity,  to  beat  down 
and  keep  under  their  rebellious  flesh.  Some  of  them  have  drunk 
puddle  water,  and  fed  on  the  lothsomest  things  that  might  be,  to 
bring  their  affection  out  of  love  with  this  transitory  infelicity.  Some 
of  them  have  grated  and  rawed  their  smooth  tender  skins,  with  hair 
shirts  and  rough  garments,  that  they  might  live  in  uncessant  smart, 
and  take  no  ease  or  rest  in  this  life,  where  no  rest  or  ease  is  to  be 


139 

taken  up,  but  only  a  watchman's  lodge  to  sojourn  in  for  a  nighty  or 
such  a  house  as  the  moth  buildeth  in  a  garment. 

Others  all  naked,  on  sharp  shreds  of  broken  flint,  and  frag- 
ments of  potsherds,  have  spread  their  weary  limbs,  that  lust  in 
their  sleep  might  not  assail  them.  Holy  St.  Jerome,  in  the  desert 
thou  builtest  thee  a  cell  to  live  out  of  the  haunts  of  concupiscence, 
where,  parched  and  broiled  in  summer  with  the  raging  beams  of 
the  sun,  and  quivering  and  quaking  in  winter,  all  ri veiled  and 
weather-beaten,  with  the  sharp  driving  showers  and  freezing 
northern  wind,  thou  drunkest  no  kind  of  hquor,  but  the  ice-chilled 
water  from  the  cold  fountain,  nor  eatest  any  meat  but  tough  dried 
roots.  On  the  bare  ground  thou  lodgedst,  and  with  abstinence  and 
want  of  sleep  looked st  pale  and  wan.  This  didst  thou  to  mortify 
thy  insurrective  mass  of  corruption.  This  didst  thou  to  teach 
mortification  and  sobriety,  to  these  licentious  times  of  ours. 

No  course  do  we  take  to  mortify  the  law  of  our  members :  all 
mortification  we  censure  by  the  name  of  superstition,  our  fasts  are 
no  fasts,  but  preparatives  to  evening  feasts :  our  mourning  is  like 
the  mourning  of  an  heir,  who  then  laughs  inward,  when  he  weeps 
most  outward.  It  is  not  prayer  alone  may  kill  the  old  man  in  us ; 
either  it  must  be  sanctified  and  assisted  with  fasting  and  abstinence, 
or  it  cannot  cast  out  a  spirit  of  such  might.  It  is  heavenly  policy 
as  well  as  human  policy  to  weaken  our  enemy  before  we  fight  with 
him.  We  must  weaken  our  enemy  and  God's  enemy,  the  flesh, 
with  abstinence  and  fasting,  before  we  fight  with  him,  or  else  he 
will  be  too  strong  for  us. 

Physicians  minister  purgations  before  they  apply  any  medi- 
cine. Surgeons  lay  corrosives  to  any  wound,  to  eat  out  the  dead 
flesh  ere  they  can  cure  it.  Abstinence  and  fasting,  are  as  corrosives 
to  eat  out  the  dead  flesh  of  gluttony,  and  drunkenness,  and  concu- 
piscence in  our  loins,  which  so  projected  and  eaten  out,  Christ  is 
that  kind  Samaritan  that  will  come  and  bind  up  our  wounds,  and 


140 

carr}'  us  home  with  him  to  his  house  or  kingdom  everlasting.  Thus 
much  of  dehcacy  in  general :  now  more  particularly  of  his  first 
branch,  gluttony ;  which  if  any  country  under  heaven  be  culpable 
of,  England  is. 

All  our  friendship  and  courtes}^  is  nothing  but  gluttony.  Great 
men  shew  their  state  and  magnificence  in  nothing  so  much  as  glut- 
tony. The  birthday  of  our  Saviour,  his  resurrection,  and  ascen- 
sion, we  honour  only  with  gluttony.  How  many  cooks,  apotheca- 
ries, confectioners,  and  vintners  in  London  grow  pursy  by  glut- 
tony ?  Under  gluttony,  I  shroud  not  only  excess  in  meat,  but  in 
drink  also.  Our  full  platters  and  our  plentiful  cups,  unapt  us  to 
any  exercise  of  Christianity  or  prayer.  We  do  nothing  but  fatten 
our  souls  to  hell-fire.  Our  bodies  we  bombast  and  ballast  with  en- 
gorging diseases.  Diseases  shorten  our  days,  therefore  whosoever 
englutteth  himself,  is  guilty  of  his  own  death  and  damnation. 

Qui  diligit  epulas,  saith  Solomon,  in  egestate  erit^.  He  that 
loveth  dainty  fare  shall  feel  scarcity.  Venter  mcero  astuans  dispumai 
lihidinem.  The  belly  abounding  with  wine  and  good  cheer,  vomit- 
eth  forth  lust.  Gluttony  were  no  sin,  or  not  so  heinous  as  it  is,  did 
it  not  pluck  on  a  number  of  other  heinous  sins  with  it :  or  that  we 
so  engorging  ourselves,  infinite  of  our  poor  brethren,  hungered  and 
starved  not  in  the  streets,  for  want  of  the  least  dish  on  our  tables. 
Very  largely  have  I  inveighed  against  this  vice  elsewhere,  wherefore 
here  I  will  truss  it  up  more  succinct ;  text  upon  text  I  could  heap 
to  shew  the  inconvenience  of  it.  In  London  I  could  exemplify  it 
by  many  note-worthy  specialties ;  but  in  so  doing  I  should  but  lay 
down  what  every  one  knows,  and  purchase  no  thank  for  my  labour. 
i*  To  my  journey's  end  I  haste,  and  descend  to  the  second  con- 
tinent of  delicacy,  which  is  lust,  or  luxury.  "In  complaining  of  it  I 
am  afraid  I  shall  defile  go6d  words,  and  too  long  detain  my  readers, 
it  is  a  sin  that  now  serveth  in  London  instead  of  an  afternoon's 

-■'  *  Prov.  21.  Jerom.  ad  Eustoch. 


-     141 

recreation.  It  is  a  trade  that  heretofore  thrived  in  huggermugger, 
but  of  late  days  walketh  openly  by  daylight,  like  a  substantial 
grave  merchant.  Of  his  name  or  profession  he  is  not  ashamed  :  at 
the  first  being  asked  of  it  he  will  confess  it.  Into  the  heart  of  the 
city  is  uncleanness  crept.  Great  patrons  it  hath  got :  almost  none 
are  punished  for  it  that  have  a  good  purse.  Every  Quean  vaunts 
herself  of  some  or  other  man  of  nobility. 

London,  what  are  thy  suburbs  but  hcenced  stews?  Can  it  be 
so  many  brothel  houses  of  salary  sensuality,  and  sixpenny  whore- 
dom (the  next  door  to  the  magistrates),  should  be  set  up  and 
maintained  if  bribes  did  not  bestir  them  ?  I  accuse  none,  but  cer- 
tainly justice  somewhere  is  corrupted.  Whole  hospitals  often  times 
a  day  dishonested  strumpets,  have  we  cloistered  together.  Night 
and  day  the  entrance  unto  them  is  as  free  as  to  a  tavern.  Not 
one  of  them  but  hath  a  hundred  retainers.  Prentices  and  poor 
servants,  they  encourage  to  rob  their  masters.  Gentlemen^s  purses 
and  pockets  they  will  dive  into  and  pick,  even  while  they  are 
dallying  with  them. 

No  Smithfield  ruffianly  swashbuckler  will  come  off  with  such 
harsh  hell-raking  oaths  as  they.  Every  one  of  them  is  a  gentle- 
woman, and  either  the  wife  of  two  husbands,  or  a  bed-wedded 
bride  before  she  was  ten  years  old.  The  speech-shunning  sores, 
and  sight-irking  botches  of  their  unsatiate  intemperance,  they  will 
"unblushingly  lay  forth,  and  jestingly  brag  of,  wherever  they  haunt. 
To  church  they  never  repair.  Not  in  all  their  whole  life  would 
they  hear  of  God,  if  it  were  not  for  their  huge  swearing  and  for- 
swearing by  him. 

I  am  half  of  belief  it  is  not  a  reasonable  soul,  which  affecteth 
motion  and  speech  in  them,  but  a  soul  imitating  the  devil,  who 
(the  more  to  despight  God),  goes  and  enliveth  such  licentious  shapes, 
and  (in  them)  enacteth  more  abomination  and  villany  than  he  could 
in  the  evilest  of  evil  functions,  which  is,  in  devilling  it  simply,     I 


142 

wonder  there  is  any  of  these  she-retaiUng  body-traffickers,  which 
when  a  man  cometh  to  try  them,  will  easily  credit  him  to  be  a  man, 
and  not  rather  suspect  him  to  be  a  form-shifting  devil,  disguised  in 
man's  likeness.  Utterly  are  they  given  over  to  the  devil,  and  he  is 
their  God,  since  they  serve  him  and  not  God.  With  many  of  their 
mercenary  predecessors,  in  the  proportion  of  men,  have  devils  had 
carnal  copulation.  A  guilty  conscience  hath  occasion  to  distrust 
every  thing. 

Satan  would  think  it  a  dishonour  to  him,  if  he  should  not  tempt 
and  win  unto  him,  those  whom  weak-witted  man  can  tempt  and 
win  unto  him.  Never  will  they  resist  Satan's  temptations,  that 
cannot  resist  the  temptations  of  a  fleshly  tongue.  In  a  damnable 
state  are  you,  O  ye  excremental  vessels  of  lust !  In  selling  your 
bodies  to  sin,  you  sell  them  to  the  devil,  and  with  a  little  money  he 
buys  them  at  your  hands  from  Christ,  that  paid  so  dear  a  price  for 
them.  Half  a  crown  or  little  more  (or  sometimes  less)  is  the  set 
price  of  a  strumpet's  soul.  The  devil  needeth  never  to  tempt  her, 
when  for  so  small  a  value  he  may  have  her.  We  hate  and  cry  out 
against  them,  that  like  Turks  and  Moors  sell  their  christian  brethren 
as  slaves :  how  much  more  ought,  we  to  hate  and  cry  out  against 
them  that  sell  themselves  and  their  souls  unto  sin  as  slaves  ?  Those 
skin-plaistering  painters  (of  whom  in  the  treaty  of  gorgeous  attire 
we  dilated),  do  not  so  much  alter  God's  image,  (by  artificial  over- 
beautifying  their  bodies,)  as  these  do  by  debasing  themselves  to 
every  one  that  brings  coin. 

Ere  they  come  to  forty  you  shall  see  them  worn  to  the  bare 
bone.  At  twenty  their  lively  colour  is  lost,  their  faces  are  sodden 
and  parboiled  with  French  surfeits.  That  colour  on  their  cheeks 
you  behold  superficialized,  is  but  Sir  John  White's,  or  Sir  John  Red- 
cap's livery.  The  alchymist,  of  quicksilver  makes  gold.  These 
(our  openers  to  all  comers)  with  quickning  and  conceiving  get  gold. 
The  souls  they  bring  forth,  at  the  latter  day  shall  stand  up  and  give 


143 

evidence  against  them.  The  devil  to  enfranchise  them  of  hell,  shall 
do  no  more  but  produce  the  misbegotten  of  their  loins.  Those 
that  have  been  daily  fornicatresses,  and  yet  are  unfruitful,  he  shall 
accuse  of  ten  thousand  murders,  by  confusion  of  seeds,  and  bar- 
rening  their  wombs  by  drugs.  There  is  no  such  murder  on  the 
face  of  the  earth  as  a  whore.  Not  only  shall  she  be  arraigned  and 
impeached,  of  defeating  an  infinite  number  of  God's  images,  but  of 
defacing  and  destroying  the  mould,  wherein  he  hath  appointed  them 
to  be  cast. 

"  To  whom  much  is  given,  of  them  shall  much  be  required/' 
God  having  given  them  excellent  gifts  of  beauty  and  wit,  requireth 
at  their  hands  excellent  increase  of  them,  which  when  he  shall  find 
contrary,  he  will  convert  the  excess  of  his  graces  and  gifts,  to  the 
excess  of  scourges  and  curses.  Tell  me,  you  dissolute  harlots,  what 
increase  do  you  render  to  God  of  your  wits,  or  your  beauties,  but 
wantonness  ?  The  unworthiest  are  you  of  life  of  any  that  live.  All 
your  lifetime  you  do  nothing  but  spoil  others,  and  spoil  yourselves. 
You  mar  your  minds  and  your  beauties  both  at  once,  by  putting 
them  out  to  bad  uses.  What  are  you  but  sinks  and  privies  to 
swallow  in  men's  filth  ?         ■ 

If  God,  as  in  Esay,  should  ask  our  watchman,  the  devil,  Cus^ 
tos,  quid  de  nocte^ ?  Watchman,  what  seest  thou?  what  seest  thou 
in  London  by  night?  He  would  answer,  I  see  a  number  of  whores 
making  men  drunk  to  cozen  them  of  their  money.  I  see  others  of 
them,  sharing  half  with  the  bawds  their  hostesses,  and  laughing  at 
the  punies  they  have  lurched.  Others  meeting  with  their  cutpurse 
paramours  in  the  dark,  to  whom  they  deliver  what  they  have  been 
getting  all  day  from  a  dozen.  I  see  revelling,  dancing,  and  ban- 
quetting  till  midnight.  I  see  a  number  of  wives  cuckolding  their 
husbands,  under  pretence  of  going  to  their  next  neighbour's  labour. 
I  see  gentlewomen,  baking  in  their  painting  on  their  faces,  by  the 

:  •  '  Esay  21. 


144 

fire,  and  burning  out  many  pounds  of  candle  in  pinning  their  treble 
rebaters,  when  they  will  not  bestow  the  snufF  of  a  hght  in  looking 
on  any  good  book.  I  see  theft,  murder,  and  conspiracy,  following 
their  business  very  closely.  What  would  you  haA^e  more  ?  Those 
whom  the  sun  sees  not  in  a  month  together,  I  now  see  in  their  cups 
and  their  jollity. 

Well  conceited  was  the  Italian,  who  wrote  the  Supplication  to 
Candle-light,  earnestly  desiring  her  by  writing  to  disclose  unto  him 
the  rare  secrets  she  saw  in  her  empiry. 

One  judgment  day  is  scarce  enough  for  God  to  take  the  con- 
fession alone  of  candle-light.  He  had  need  of  a  night  judgment  as 
well  as  a  day,  to  indict  the  sinners  of  the  night. 

Provident  justices,  to  whom  these  abuses^  redress  appertaineth, 
take  a  little  pains  to  visit  these  houses  of  hospitality  by  night,  and 
you  shall  see  what  courts  of  good  fellowship  they  keep.  Hoise  up 
bawds  in  the  subsidy  book,  for  the  plenty  they  live  in,  is  princely. 
A  great  office  is  not  so  gainful  as  the  principalship  of  a  college  of 
courtezans.  No  merchant  in  riches  may  compare  with  those  mer- 
chants of  maidenheads,  if  their  female  inmates  were  not  so  fleeting 
and  uncertain.  This  is  a  trick  amongst  all  bawds,  they  will  feign 
themselves  to  be  zealous  catholics ;  and  whereas  they  dare  not 
come  to  church,  or  into  any  open  assembly,  for  wondering  and 
hooting  at,  they  pretend  scrupulosity  of  conscience,  and  that  they 
refrain  only  for  religion.  So  if  they  be  imprisoned  or  carried  to 
Bridewell  for  their  bawdry,  they  give  out  they  suffer  for  the  church. 

Great  cunning  do  they  ascribe  to  their  art,  as  the  discerning 
(by  the  very  countenance)  a  man  that  hath  crowns  in  his  purse : 
the  fine  closing  in  with  the  next  justice,  or  alderman's  deputy  of 
the  ward :  the  winning  love  of  neighbours  round  about,  to  repel 
violence  if  haply  their  houses  should  be  environed,  or  any  in  them 
prove  unruly  (being  pilled  and  pouled  too  unconscionably).  They 
forecast  for  back  doors,  to  come  in   and  out  by  undiscovered ; 


145 

sliding  windows  also,  and  trap-boards  in  floors  to  hide  whores  be- 
hind and  under,  with  false  counterfeit  panes  in  walls,  to  be  opened 
and  shut  like  a  wicket.  Some  one  gentleman  generally  acquainted 
they  give  his  admission  unto,  sans  fee,  and  free  privilege  thence 
forward  in  their  nunnery,  to  procure  them  frequentance.  Awake, 
you  wits,  grave  authorized  law  distributors,  and  shew  yourselves  as 
insinuative  subtle,  in  smoking  this  city-sodoming  trade  out  of  his 
starting  holes,  as  the  professors  of  it  are  in  underpropping  it. 
Either  you  do  not  or  will  not  descend  into  their  deep  juggHng  le- 
gerdemain. Any  excuse  or  unlikely  pretext  goes  for  payment. 
Set  up  a  shop  of  incontinency  whoso  will,  let  him  have  but  one 
letter  of  an  honest  name  to  grace  it.  In  such  a  place  dwells  a  wise 
woman  that  tells  fortunes,  and  she  (under  that  shadow)  hath  her 
house  never  empty  of  forlorn  unfortunate  dames,  married  to  old 
husbands. 

In  another  corner  inhabiteth  a  physician  and  a  conjuror,  who 
hath  corners  and  spare  chambers  to  hide  carrion  in,  and  can  con- 
jure up  an  un physical  drab  at  all  times.  In  a  third  place  is  there 
a  gross-pencilled  painter,  who  works  all  in  oil  colours,  and  under 
colour  of  drawing  of  pictures,  draws  more  to  his  shady  pavilion, 
than  depart  thence  pure  vestals.  Lodge  these  bawds  any  suspi- 
cious gentlewoman,  and  being  asked  what  she  is  (be  she  young  and 
brave),  they  will  answer,  that  she  is  an  esquire's  or  knight's  daugh- 
ter, sent  up  to  be  placed  with  I  wot  not  what  lady  or  countess. 
Be  she  of  middle  years,  she  is  a  widow  that  hath  suits  in  law  here 
at  the  term,  and  hath  been  a  long  council-table  petitioner.  Be  she 
but  civilly  plain,  and  in  her  apparel  citizenized,  she  is  the  good 
wife's  niece,  or  near  kinswoman. 

Thus  have  they  evasions  for  all  objections,  and  are  never 
(lightly)  brought  in  question,  but  when  they  break  and  jar  with 
their  neighbours.  Monstrous  creatures  are  they !  marvel  is  it,  fire 
from  heaven  consumes  not  London,  as  long  as  they  are  in  it.    A 

u 


146 

thousand  parisl)etter  were  it  to  have  pubhc  stews,  than  to  let  theih 
keep  private  stews  as  they  do.  The  world  would  count  me  the 
most  licentiate  loose  stray er  under  heaven,  if  1  should  unrip  but 
half  so  much  of  their  venereal  Machiavelism,  as  I  have  looked  into. 
We  have  not  English  words  enough  to  unfold  it.  Positions  and 
instructions  have  they  to  make  their  whores  a  hundred  times  more 
whorish  and  treacherous,  than  their  own  wicked  affects  (resigned  to 
the  devil's  disposing)  can  make  them.  Waters  and  receipts  have 
they  to  enable  a  man  to  the  act  after  he  is  spent,  dormative  potions 
to  procure  deadly  sleep,  that  when  the  hackney  he  hath  paid  for 
lies  by  him,  he  may  have  no  power  to  deal  with  her,  but  she  may 
steal  from  him  whilst  he  is  in  his  deep  memento,  and  make  her  gain 
of  three  or  four  other. 

I  am  weary  of  recapitulating  their  roguery.  I  would  those  that 
should  reform  it,  would  take  but  half  the  pains  in  supplanting  it, 
that  I  have  done  in  disclosing  it.  Repent,  repent,  you  ruins  of 
intemperance,  recover  your  souls,  though  you  have  sudded  your 
bodies.  Let  not  your  feet  be  fast  locked  in  the  mire  of  pollution. 
Meditate  but  what  a  brutish  thing  it  is,  how  short  lasting,  and  but 
a  minute  contentive.  If  you  should  lend  it  (from  the  beginning  to 
the  ending)  but  suitable  descriptionate  politure,  or  if  with  your 
eyes,  you  could  but  view  the  meeting  of  venoms,  I  know  it  would 
work  in  some  of  you  an  abjuring  dislike. 

Consider  but  what  lothsome  things  are  engendered  of  the 
excess  of  it,  and  how  the  soul,  which  was  made  to  mount  upward, 
in  the  heat  of  it  descends  downward.  Sin  enough  of  yourselves 
(Women)  have  you,  you  need  have  no  sin  put  into  you.  Your  flesh 
of  the  own  accord,  will  corrupt  faster  than  you  would,  though  you 
corrupt  it  not  before  his  time  with  inordinate  carnal  sluttishness. 
Make  not  your  bodies  stinking  dungeons  for  diseases  to  dwell  in ; 
imprison  not  your  souls,  in  a  sink. 

To  you,  men,  this  admonition  I  will  give,  be  prodigal  any  way, 

J 


147 

rather  than  give  a  whore  an  earnest  penny  of  her  perdition.  Solo- 
mon saith,  Qui  nutrit  scortum  perdit  substantiam^ ;  he  that  keepeth 
a  harlot  squandereth  his  substance.  Paul  saith,  Qui  fornicatur  in 
corpus  suum  peccaf;  he  which  committeth  fornication,  sinneth 
against  his  own  flesh.  In  the  Acts  it  is  said,  Abstinete  vos  aforni- 
catione^ ;  abstain  from  fornication.  In  the  Epistle  to  the  Galatians, 
"  The  works  of  the  flesh  are  adultery,  fornications,'"  &c.  In  the 
Epistle  to  the  Ephesians,  "  No  whoremonger,  adulterer,  or  covetous 
person,  shall  enter  into  the  kingdom  of  heaven^""  Hebrews  the 
13th,  "  Adulterers  God  will  judge.''  Deuteronomy  the  23d,  "  There 
shall  not  be  a  harlot  of  the  daughters  of  Israel."  Matthew  the  10th, 
"  Whom  God  hath  joined,  let  no  man  separate."  An  adulterer 
goes  betwixt,  or  separates  whom  God  hath  joined.  Cum  cetera 
possit  Deus^,  <^c.  when  God  can  do  all  things  else,  he  cannot  restore 
a  virgin  after  she  is  deflowered.  Lcesa  pudicitia,  saith  Ovid,  deperit 
ilia  setnel;  chastity,  being  once  scarred,  is  never  salved. 

Agamemnon  defiling  Briseis,  his  wife  Cly temnestra  played  false 
with  Egisthus  in  the  meantime.  On  the  other  side,  Ulysses,  shun- 
ning the  enchantments  of  Circe,  the  sweet  descant  of  the  Sirens,  and 
immortality  of  Calypso,  to  live  with  his  constant  wife  Penelope, 
she,  notwithstanding  all  the  gallant  troops  of  Grecian  wooers'  en- 
ticements, that  in  her  house  kept  a  standing  court  a  long  time, 
kept  herself  chaste  for  him  twenty  years.  Solon  ordained  that  the 
adulterer  should  be  put  to  death.  The  tale  of  Seleucus  and  his  son 
is  stale :  I  have  made  my  book  too  great  already,  only  in  display- 
ing the  sins  of  London.  Whosoever  they  be  that  have  souls,  and 
would  in  no  means  have  them  miscarry,  let  them  remember  that  of 
St.  Augustine,  In  poUutione  anima  Jit  tota  caro.  In  adultery  or 
fornication  the  soul  is  made  all  flesh,  and  is  wholly  employed  in 
impoverishing  and  debilitating  the  flesh.     Quidam  dixit  olim,  dives 

*  Prov.  29.       *  1  Cor.  6.       '  Acts  15.       *  Ephes.  5.       *  Jerom  super  Amos. 


148 

eram  dudum,  sed  tria  mefecerunt  nudum,  alea,  vina,  venus,  tribus  his 
factus  sum  egenus.  There  was  a  man  said  late,  he  was  in  rich 
estate ;  but  three  things  have  undone  him,  froward  dice,  wine,  and 
women :  only  from  these  three  things,  all  his  confusion  springs. 

The  third  derivative  of  Delicacy  is  sloth,  of  which  I  will  say  a 
word  or  two,  and  so  shake  hands  with  all  the  sons  and  daughters  of 
Pride.  Security,  the  last  dividend  of  delicacy,  it  includeth  in  it ; 
for  security  is  nothing  but  the  effect  of  sloth,  therefore  will  I  handle 
both  under  one.  It  is  a  sin  which  is  good  for  nothing,  but  to  be 
dame  Lechery's  keeper  when  she  lies  in.  He  or  she  that  is  possessed 
with  sloth,  is  slow  in  good  works,  slow  in  coming  to  sermons,  slow 
in  looking  after  thrift,  slow  in  resisting  temptations,  slow  in  defend- 
ing any  good  cause.  And  of  these  fore-slowers  it  is  said,  "  Those 
that  be  neither  hot  nor  cold,  I  will  spew  tliem  out  of  my  mouth." 
Rev.  the  3d. 

There  is  a  certain  kind  of  good  sloth,  as  to  be  slow  to  anger, 
slow  to  judgment,  slow  to  revenge.  But  there  is  a  sloth  unto  judg- 
ment, which  is  also  an  ill  sloth ;  as  when  a  poor  man's  cause  hangs 
so  long  in  court,  ere  it  can  be  decided,  that  through  the  judge's 
sloth  he  is  undone  with  following  of  it.  There  is  a  sloth  also  in 
punishing  sin,  as  when  magistrates  will  have  their  eyes  put  out  with 
gifts,  and  will  not  see  it,  but  wink  at  it,  till  they  be  broad  waked 
with  the  general  cry  of  the  commonwealth.  There  is  a  sloth  of 
soldiery ;  as  of  those  that  come  from  the  wars,  and  will  not  fall  to 
any  thing  afterward,  but  cozen,  beg,  and  rob.  There  is  a  sloth  of 
the  ministry ;  as  of  those,  that  after  they  be  beneficed,  will  never 
preach.  "  Doth  the  wild  ass  bray,''  saith  Job,  "  when  he  hath 
grass,  or  loweth  the  ox  when  he  hath  fodder^?"  No  more  do  a 
great  sort  of  our  divines  after  they  have  living :  they  have  learned 
to  spare  their  tongue  against  they  are  to  plead  for  greater  prefer- 

'  Job  6. 


149 

tnent.  So  have  a  number  of  lawyers  learned  to  spare  their  ears, 
against  golden  advocates  come  to  plead  to  them.  They  cannot 
hear  except  their  ears  be  rubbed  with  the  oil  of  angels ;  they  must 
have  a  spur  to  prick  on  an  old  dog,  a  few  spurrials  to  remedy 
deafness. 

Others  there  are,  though  not  of  the  same  order,  that  can  never 
hear  but  when  they  are  flattered,  and  they  cry  continually  to  their 
preachers,  Loquere  novis  placeniia,  Loquere  nobis placentia\  Speak 
to  us  nothing  but  pleasing  things  ;  and  even  as  Archabius,  the  trum- 
peter, had  niore  given  him  to  cease  than  to  sound,  (the  noise  that 
he  made  was  so  harsh,)  so  will  they  give  them  more  to  cease  than  to 
sound,  to  corrupt  them  than  to  make  them  sound,  feed  their  sores 
than  to  launch  them.  The  noise  of  judgment  which  they  pronounce 
soundeth  too  harsh  in  their  ears ;  they  must  have  Orpheus'  melody, 
whom  the  Ciconian  women  tore  in  pieces,  because  with  his  music 
he  corrupted  and  effeminated  their  men.  Guido  saith,  "  'I'here  are 
certain  devils  that  can  abide  no  music''/'  these  are  contrary  devils, 
for  they  delight  in  nothing  but  the  music  of  flattery.  Moving 
words  please  them,  but  they  hear  them  but  as  passion  in  a  play, 
which  maketh  them  ravishedly  melancholy,  and  ne'er  renteth  the 
heart.  The  delicacy,  both  of  men  and  women  in  London,  will  en- 
force the  Lord  to  turn  all  their  plenty  to  scarcity,  their  tunes  of 
wantonness  to  the  alarums  of  war,  and  to  leave  their  house  desolate 
unto  them. 

How  the  Lord  hath  begun  to  leave  our  house  desolate  unto  us, 
let  us  enter  into  the  consideration  thereof  with  ourselves.  At  thisi 
instant  is  a  general  plague  dispersed  throughout  our  land  :  no  voice 
is  heard  in  our  streets  but  that  of  Jeremy,  "  Call  for  the  mourning 
of  women,  that  they  may  come  and  take  up  a  lamentation  for  us, 
for  death  is  come  into  our  windows,  and  entered  int  j  our  palaces'."; 

*  Isaiah  30.  *  Guido  in  Musica.  ^  Jerem.  9.  5. 


150 

God  hath  stricken  us,  but  we  have  not  sorrowed ;  of  his  heaviest 
correction  we  make  a  jest.  We  are  not  moved  with  that  which  he 
hath  sent  to  amaze  us;  as  it  is  in  Ezekiel,  "  they  will  not  hear 
thee,  for  they  will  not  hear  me^''  So  they  will  not,  nor  cannot, 
hear  God  in  his  visitation,  which  have  refused  to  hear  him  in  his 
preachers.  For  your  contempt  and  neglect  of  hearing  God's 
preachers,  even  as  St.  John  Baptist  said,  "  There  was  one  come 
into  the  world  more  mighty  than  he,  that  carried  his  fan  in  his 
hand.''  So  say  I,  there  is  one  come  into  the  world,  more  mighty 
than  the  word  preached ;  which  is,  the  Lord  in  this  present  visita- 
tion :  he  carrieth  his  fan  in  his  hand  to  purge  his  floor.  All  the 
chaff  of  carnal  gospellers,  that  are  blown  from  him  in  every  wind  of 
vanity  or  adversity,  he  shall  purge  from  amongst  you. 

A  time  of  springing  and  growing  have  we  had,  now  is  our 
merciful  Father  come  to  demand  fruit  of  us.  The  fruit  of  faith, 
the  fruit  of  good  works,  the  fruit  of  patience  and  long  suffering.  If 
he  find  no  fruit  on  us,  he  will  say  to  us  as  he  said  to  the  fig-tree,  on 
which  he  found  nothing  but  leaves,  "  Never  fruit  grow  on  thee 
henceforward  I''  And  incontinent  it  withered,  and  incontinent 
death  shall  seize  on  us.  From  the  mouth  of  the  Lord  I  speak  it, 
^'  Except  in  time  you  convert,  and  bring  forth  the  fruits  of  good 
Hfe,  the  kingdom  of  God  shall  be  taken  from  you,  and  given  to  a 
nation  bringing  forth  worthy  fruits  thereof  ^"  With  the  two  bhnd 
men  that  sat  bythe  highway  side,  when  Christ  came  from  Jericho, 
we  have  cried  a  long  time,  "  Lord  have  mercy  upon  us,  Lord  have 
mercy  upon  us,  O  Son  of  David  have  mercy  upon  us  :"  and  lo,  our 
eyes  have  been  opened,  the  light  of  the  Gospel  hath  appeared  unto 
us ;  but,  like  those  blind  men,  after  our  eyes  were  opened,  after 
the  light  of  the  Gospel  hath  appeared  unto  us,  we  have  refused  to 
follow  Christ. 

*  Ezek.  i5.  ""  Matth.  21.19.  ^  Matth.  20.  19. 


151 

You  usurers  and  engrossers  of  corn,  by  your  hoarding  up  of 
gold  and  grain,  till  it  is  mouldy,  rusty,  moth-eaten,  and  almost  in- 
fects the  air  with  the  stench,  you  have  taught  God  to  hoard  up 
your  iniquities  and  transgressions,  till  mouldiness,  putrefaction,  and 
mustiness,  enforceth  him  to  open  them ;  and  being  opened,  they  so 
poison  the  air  with  their  ill  savour,  that  from  them  proceedeth  this 
perilsome  contagion.     "  The  land  is  full  of  adulteries,  and  for  this 
cause  the  land  mourneth*/'     "  The  land  is  full  of  extortions,  full  of 
proud  men,  full  of  hypocrites,  full  of  murderers ^''    This  is  the  cause 
why  the  sword  devoureth  abroad,  and  the  pestilence  at  home: 
wicked   deeds  have  prevailed  against  us.      "  How  long,''   saith 
Jeremy,  "  shall  the  land  mourn,  and  the  herbs  of  every  field  wither, 
for  the  wickedness  of  the  inhabitants  that  dwell  ihereiu^?"     Our 
land  mourns  for  the  sickness,  the  herbs  of  the  field  have  withered 
for  want  of  rain,  yet  will  no  man  depart  from   his  wickedness. 
Post  over  the  plague  to  what  natural  cause  you  will,  I  positively 
affirm,  it  is  for  sin.     "  For  sin,''  said  the  Lord  by  the  forenamed 
Jeremy,   "  I  will  smite   the  inhabitants   of  Jerusalem,   and  man 
and  beast  shall  die  of  a  great  pestilence.     I  will  bring  a  plague 
upon  you,  that  whosoever  heareth  of  it,  his  ears  shall  tingle*." 
Either  take  away  the  cause,  or  there  is  no  removing  of  the  effect. 

London,  thou  art  the  seeded  garden  of  sin,  the  sea  that  sucks 
in  all  the  scummy  channels  of  the  realm :  the  honestest  in  thee, 
for  the  most,  are  either  lawyers  or  usurers  ;  deceit  is  that  which 
advanceth  the  greater  sort  of  the  chiefest :  let  them  look  that  their 
riches  shall  rust  and  canker,  being  wet  and  dqwed  with  orphans' 
tears.  The  Lord  thinketh  it  were  as  good  for  him  to  kill  with  the 
plague,  as  to  let  them  kill  with  oppression  :  he  beholdeth  from  on 
high  all  subtle  conveyances  and  recognizances ;  he  beholdeth  how 

they  pervert  foundations,  and  will  not  bestow  the  bequeathers  free 

i 

*  Jerem.  23.         *  Isaiah  24-.         ^  Jerem.  12.         *  Jerem.  21.  19. 


152 

alms,  but  for  bribes,  or  for  friendship.  I  pray  God  they  take  not 
the  Hke  course,  in  preferring  poor  men's  children  into  their  hos- 
pitals, and  converting  the  impotent's  money  to  their  private  usury. 

God  likewise  beholdeth  how  to  beguile  a  silly  young  gentle- 
man of  his  land ;  they  will  crouch  cap  in  hand,  play  the  brokers, 
bawds,  apron-squires,  pandars,  or  any  thing.  Let  us  leave  off  the 
proverb  which  we  use  to  a  cruel  dealer,  saying :  "  Go  thy  ways, 
thou  art  a  Jew:''  and  say,  "  Go  thy  ways,  thou  art  a  Londoner/^ 
For  than  Londoners  are  none  more  hard  hearted  and  cruel.  Is  it 
not  a  common  proverb  amongst  us,  when  any  man  hath  cozened  or 
gone  beyond  us,  to  say,  He  hath  played  the  merchant  with  us? 
But  merchants,  they  turn  it  another  way,  and  say,  he  hath  played 
the  gentleman  with  them.  The  snake  eateth  the  toad,  and  the 
toad  the  snail.  The  merchant  eats  up  the  gentleman,  the  gentle- 
man eats  up  the  yeoman,  and  all  three  do  nothing  but  exclaim  one 
upon  another. 

The  head  of  Daniel's  ^  image  was  of  beaten  gold,  but  his  feet 
iron.  Our  head  or  our  sovereign  is  all  gold ;  golden  in  her  looks, 
golden  in  her  thoughts,  in  her  words  and  deeds  golden ;  we,  her 
feet  or  her  subjects,  all  iron.  Though  for  her  virtue's  sake,  and  the 
prayers  of  his  dispersed  congregation,  God  prorogue th  our  desola- 
tion for  a  while,  yet  we  must  not  think,  but  at  one  time  or  other, 
he  will  smite  us  and  plague  us.  He  shall  not  take  away  our  sin, 
because  we  will  not  confess  with  David,  that  we  have  sinned :  or  if 
we  do  so  confess,  we  hold  it  full  satisfaction  for  it,  without  any 
reformation  or  amendment.  In  this  time  of  infection  we  purge 
our  houses,  our  bodies,  and  our  streets,  and  look  to  all  but  our 
souls. 

The  Psalmist^  was  of  another  mind,  for  he  said,  "  0  Lord,  I 
have  purged  and  cleansed  my  spirit."     Blessed  are  they  that  are 

'  Dan.  li.  23.  *  Psal.  76.     Matth.  8. 


153 

fclean  in  heart,  however  their  houses  be  infected.  There  wei*e  theA 
in  the  heat  of  the  sickness,  that  thought  to  purge  and  cleanse  their 
houses,  by  conveyii^  their  infected  servants  forth  by  night  into  the 
fields,  which  there  starved  and  died,  for  want  of  relief  and  warm 
keeping.  Such  merciless  cannibals,  instead  of  purging  their  spirits 
and  their  houses,  have  thereby  doubled  the  plague  on  them  and 
their  houses.  In  Gray's  Inn,  Clerkenwell,  Finsbury,  and  Moor- 
fields,  with  mine  own  eyes  have  I  seen  half  a  dozen  of  such 
lamentable  outcasts.  Their  brethren  and  their  kinsfolks  have 
offered  large  sums  of  money  to  get  them  conveyed  into  any  out^ 
house,  and  no  man  would  earn  it,  no  man  would  receive  them. 
Cursing  and  raving  by  the  highway  side,  have  they  expired,  and 
their  masters  never  sent  to  them,  nor  succoured  them.  The  fear  of 
God  is  come  amongst  us,  and  the  love  of  God  gone  from  us. 

If  Christ  were  now  naked  and  visited,  naked  and  visited  should 
he  be,  for  none  Avould  come  near  him.  They  would  rather  forswear 
him  and  defy  him,  than  come  within  forty  foot  of  him.  In  other  lands 
they  have  hospitals,  whither  their  infected  are  transported  presently 
after  they  are  stricken.  They  have  one  hospital  for  those  that  have 
been  in  the  houses  with  the  infected,  and  are  not  yet  tainted ; 
another  for  those  that  are  tainted,  and  have  the  sores  risen  on  them^ 
but  not  broken  out ;  a  third  for  those  that  both  have  the  sores,  and 
have  them  broken  out  on  them.  We  have  no  provision  but  mixing 
hand  over  head,  the  sick  with  the  whole.  A  halfpenny  a  month  tQ 
the  poor  man's  box,  we  count  our  utter  impoverishing.  I  have 
heard  travellers  of  credit  avouch,  that  in  London  is  not  given  the 
tenth  part  of  that  alms  a  week,  which  in  the  poorest  besieged  city 
of  France  is  given  in  a  day.  What,  is  our  religion  aJl  avarice,  and 
no  good  works  ?  Because  we  may  not  build  monasteries,  or  have 
masses,  dirges,  or  trentals,  sung  for  our  souls,  are  there  no  deeds  of 
mercy  that  God  hath  enjoined  us  ? 

Our  dogs  are  fed  with  the  cruras  that  fall  from  our  tables* 

X 


154 

Our  Christian  brethren  are  famished  for  want  of  the  crums  that 
fall  from  our  tables.  Take  it  of  me,  rich  men,  expressly,  that  it  is 
not  your  own  which  you  have  purchased  with  your  industry,  it  is  a 
part  of  it  the  poor's,  part  your  prince's,  part  your  preacher's ;  you 
ought  to  possess  no  more  than  will  moderately  sustain  your  house 
and  your  family.  Christ  gave  all  the  victuals  he  had  to  those  that 
flocked  to  hear  his  sermons.  We  have  no  such  promise-founded 
plea,  at  the  day  of  all  flesh,  as  that  in  Christ's  name  we  have  done 
alms-deeds.  How  would  we  with  our  charity  sustain  so  many  men- 
dicant orders  of  religion,  as  we  heretofore  have,  and  as  now,  at  this 
very  hour,  beyond  sea  are,  if  we  cannot  keep  and  cherish  the  casual 
poor  amongst  us  }  Never  was  there  a  simple  liberal  reliever  of  the 
poor,  but  prospered  in  most  things  he  went  about.  The  cause  that 
some  of  you  cannot  prosper  is,  for  you  put  out  so  little  to  interest 
to  the  poor. 

No  thanks-worthy  exhibitions,  or  reasonable  pensions,  will 
you  contribute  to  maimed  soldiers,  or  poor  scholars,  as  other  nations 
do,  but  suffer  other  nations,  with  your  discontented  poor,  to  arm 
themselves  against  you.  Not  half  the  priests  that  have  been  sent 
from  them  into  England  had  hither  been  sent,  or  ever  fled  hence, 
if  the  cramp  had  not  held  close  your  purse-strings.  The  livings  of 
colleges  by  you  are  not  increased,  but  diminished :  because  those 
that  first  raised  them  had  a  superstitious  intent,  none  of  us  ever 
after  will  have  any  Christian  charitable  intent. 

In  the  days  of  Solomon,  gold  and  silver  bare  no  price :  in  these 
our  days,  which  are  the  days  of  Satan,  nought  but  they  bear  any 
price.  God  is  despised  in  comparison  of  them.  Demas  forsook  Christ 
for  the  world  :  in  this  our  deceasing  covetous  world,  Demas  hath 
more  followers  than  Christ.  An  old  usurer  that  hath  not  an  heir, 
rakes  up  thirty  or  forty  thousand  pounds  together  in  a  hutch,  will 
not  part  with  a  penny,  fares  miserably,  and  leaves  those  the  fruits 
of  niggardize  to  them  that  never  thank  him. 


155 

He  that  bestoweth  any  thing  on  a  college  or  hospital,  to  the- 
world's  end  shall  have  his  name  remembered  in  daily  thanksgiving 
to  God  for  him :  otherwise  he  perisheth  as  the  pellitory  on  the  wall, 
or  the  weed  on  the  house  top,  that  groweth  only  to  wither.  Of  all 
his  wealth  no  good  man  reaping  any  benefit,  none  but  cankers, 
prisons,  and  barred  chests,  live  to  report  he  was  rich.  Those  great 
barred  chests  he  carries  on  his  back  to  Heaven  gates,  and  none  so 
burdened  is  permitted  to  enter. 

There  is  no  male  of  any  kind  hath  appearance  of  breasts  but 
man,  and  he  having  them,  gives  no  suck  with  them  at  all.  Such 
dry  nurses  are  our  English  curmudgeons,  they  have  breasts,  but 
give  no  suck  with  them;  they  have  treasure  innumerable,  but  do 
no  good  with  it.  All  the  abbey  lands  that  were  the  abstracts  from 
impertinent  alms,  now  scarce  afford  a  meal's  meat  of  alms.  A 
penny  bestowed  on  the  poor  is  abridged  out  of  housekeeping.  All 
must  be  for  their  children,  that  spend  more  than  all.  More  pro- 
sperous children  should  they  have,  were  they  more  open-handed; 
The  plague  of  God  threatens  to  shorten  both  them  and  their  chil- 
dren, because  they  shorten  their  hands  from  the  poor.  To  no  cause 
refer  I  this  present  mortality  but  to  covetise. 

Let  covetise  be  enlarged  out  of  durance,  the  infected  air  will 
uncongeal,  and  the  wombs  of  the  contagious  clouds  will  be  cleansed. 
Pray  and  distribute,  you  gorbellied  Mammonists :  without  prayer 
and  distribution,  or  almost  thinking  of  God,  have  you  congested 
those  refulgent  masses  of  substance.  With  the  distribution  of  them, 
if  you  look  for  salvation,  your  souls  must  you  ransom  from  Belial. 
And  fortunate  are  you,  if,  with  long  intercessions  and  prayers,  you 
may  get  your  ransom  accepted  of.  Nothing  of  all  your  dross, 
going  down  into  the  earth,  should  you  take  with  you:  you  shall 
carry  no  more  hence,  Nisi  parva  quod  urna  capit,  but  a  coffin  and 
a  winding  sheet. 

They  have  slept  their  sleep,  saith  David',  and  all  the  men  of 

*  Psalm  75. 


156 

riches  have  found  none  of  their  treasure  in  their  own  hands  after 
their  sleep  was  ended.  Poor  men,  to  you  I  speak  (for  rich  men  have 
their  country  granges  to  fly  to  from  contagion);  humble  your 
souls  with  fasting  and  prayer.  EHas  and  Moses,  by  their  fasting 
and  prayer,  were  filled  with  the  familiarity  of  God.  Entreat  the 
Lord  that  he  would  pass  over  your  houses,  as  in  Egypt  he  past 
over  the  houses  of  the  Israelites'  first-born  :  beseech  him,  with  the 
Gergasens,  into  whose  herds  of  swine  the  devils  were  sent,  to  de- 
part, with  his  heavy  judgments,  out  of  your  quarters.  Though  he 
Seemeth  a  little  to  sleep,  as  when  he  was  on  the  sea  with  his  disciples, 
and  the  tempest  arose,  yet  if  you  awake  him  with  your  outcrying 
prayers,  as  the  apostles  did,  saying :  "  Lord  save  us.  Lord  save  us, 
or  we  perish,"  he  will  command  the  winds  and  the  sea,  control  the 
contagion  and  the  sickness,  and  make  a  calm  ensue,  heal  every 
disease  and  languor  amongst  you. 

"  In  the  day  of  my  trouble,"  saith  the  forenamed  prophetical 
king,  "  I  sought  unto  the  Lord,  my  sore  ran  and  ceased  not  in  the 
night,  my  soul  refused  comfort.  I  did  think  upon  God,  and  was 
troubled ;  I  prayed,  and  my  spirit  was  full  of  anguish \''  Let  us 
seek  unto  the  Lord  in  like  sort,  let  our  souls  refuse  comfort,  let  us 
think  upon  him  and  be  troubled,  let  us  pray,  and  fill  our  spirits  full 
of  anguish,  till  such  time  as  he  turneth  our  affliction  from  us.  If 
we  be  not  thus  troubled,  if  our  spirits  be  not  possessed  with  anguish, 
but  we  make  a  sport  and  flea-biting  of  his  fearful  visitation,  and 
think,  without  our  prayers,  the  season  of  the  year  will  cease  it,  he 
will  send  a  rougher-stringed  scourge  amongst  us,  a  desolation  that 
shall  furrow  deeper  in  our  sides,  and  root  out  the  memorial  of  us. 

"  If,''  saith  the  apostle  to  the  Hebrews,  "  they  escaped  not 
which  refused  him  that  spake  on  earth,  muth  more  shall  they  not 
escape,  that  turn  away  from  him  that  speaketh  to  them  from 
heaven^."     Now  it  is  that  God  speaketh  to  us  from  heaven ;  now, 

'  Psalm  77.  ^  Heb.  l2. 


157 

if  we  turn  aWay  from  him,  or  will  not  turn  to  him,  there  shall  not 
one  of  us  escape.  > 

In  the  time  of  Gregory  Nazianzene,  if  we  may  credit  ecclesias- 
tical records,  there  sprung  up  the  direfulest  mortality  in  Rome  that 
mankind  hath  been  acquainted  with ;  scarce  able  were  the  living 
to  bury  the  dead,  and  not  so  much  but  their  streets  were  digged 
up  for  graves,  which  this  holy  Father  (with  no  little  commiserate 
heart-bleeding)  beholding,  commanded  all  the  clergy  (for  he  was  at 
that  time  their  chief  bishop)  to  assemble  in  prayer  and  supplica- 
tions, and  deal  forcingly  beseeching  with  God,  to  intermit  his  fury 
and  forgive  them.  For  all  this  not  any  whit  is  abated,  he  took  no 
pity  on  them.  Therewith  that  reverend  pastor,  entranced  to  hell 
in  his  thoughts  for  the  distress  of  his  people,  caused  all  the  citizens, 
young  and  old,  to  be  called  forth  their  houses,  and  attend  him  in 
a  howling  procession.  Up  and  down  the  streets,  from  one  end  of 
the  city  to  the  other  he  led  them,  and  preachers,  as  captains  over 
multitudes,  were  set  to  direct  and  encourage  them  in  their  invoca- 
tions and  orisons.  Four  days  together,  in  this  fervent  exercise  he 
detained  them.  In  those  places  where  the  mortality  raged  most,  a 
stand  would  he  make  half  a  day,  and  with  reiterated  solicitings, 
and  prostrate  voice-crazing  vehemency,  break  ope  a  broad  cloud- 
dispersing  passage  to  the  throne  of  mercy. 

The  four  days  concluded,  and  that  with  their  bellowing  cla- 
mours, and  breast  embolning  sighs,  they  had  enforced  a  sufficient 
breach  in  the  firmament,  there  appeared  a  bright  sun-arrayed 
angel,  standing  with  a  reeking  bloody  sword  in  his  hand,  in  the 
chief  gate  of  their  city,  which,  they  coming  near,  in  all  their  sights, 
on  his  arm  he  wiped  and  put  up  ;  and,  in  that  very  instant,  through- 
out the  city  the  plague  ceased.  Some,  peradventure,  may  take 
exceptions  against  the  certainty  thereof,  but  if  we  will  authorise 
any  thing  in  the  Roman  or  ecclesiastical  histories,  we  must  ascribe 
truth  as  well  unto  this.     I  would  see  him  that  could  give  me  any 


158 

other  reason  but  this  of  the  building  of  the  yet  extant  gate  and 
castle  of  St.  Angelo's,  on  both  which  the  angel  with  his  sword  drawn 
is  artificially  engraven.  True  or  not  true,  the  example  can  do  no 
harm :  we  will  not  be  too  hasty  to  imitate  it. 

Instead  of  humbling  ourselves  after  this  manner,  and  wearying 
God  with  our  cries  and  lamentations,  we  fall  a  drinking  and  booz- 
ing, and  making  jests  of  his  frowning  castigation.  As  babes  smile 
and  laugh  in  their  sleep,  so  we  (surprised  with  a  lethargy  of  sin) 
do  nothing  but  laugh  and  jest  in  the  midst  of  our  sleepy  security. 
We  scoff  and  are  jocund,  when  the  sword  is  ready  to  go  through  us. 
On  our  wine-benches  we  bid  a  fico  for  ten  thousand  plagues. 

Him  as  a  timorous  milksop  we  deride,  that  takes  any  antidote 
against  it.  Upon  the  point  of  God's  sword  we  will  run  as  he  is  in 
striking;  rush  into  houses  that  are  infected,  as  it  were  to  outface 
him.  "  My  son,"'  saith  the  apostle,  "  despise  not  the  chastisement 
of  the  Lord  ^/*  The  Lord's  chastising  we  think  to  escape  by  de- 
spising it.  Quod  in  communi  possidetur  ab  omnibus  negligitur.  That 
which  is  dispersed,  of  all  is  despised.  Est  tentatio  adducens  pecca- 
tum,  et  tentatio  probans  Jldem.  There  is  a  temptation  leading  to  sin, 
and  a  temptation  trying  our  faith.  The  temptation  of  this  our 
visitation  hath  both  led  us  to  sin,  and  tried  our  faith.  It  hath  led 
us  to  sin  in  that  it  hath  hardened  our  hearts,  and  we  have  not 
humbled  ourselves  under  it  as  we  should.  It  hath  tried  our  faith 
to  be  a  presumptuous  and  rash  faith,  and  that  it  is  built  on  no  firm 
foundation.  "  Blessed  is  the  man,"  saith  Job,  "  whom  God  cor- 
recteth'^.''  Cursed  are  we,  for  God  correcteth  us  and  we  regard 
it  not. 

As  the  Holy  Ghost  willeth  us  not  to  despise  the  chastising  of 
God,  so  he  would  have  us  not  to  faint  when  we  are  rebuked  of  him, 
and  therefore  he  giveth  a  reason,  "  For  whom  the  Lord  loveth  he 
chastiseth,  and  he  scourgeth  every  son  he  receiveth.''     As  there  be 

'  Heb.  12.  5.  *  Job  5.  17. 


159 

drunken  despisers  of  God's  present  chastisement,  so  are  there  them 
that  faint  too  much  under  it ;  that  think  it  Hes  not  in  the  Lord's 
power  to  restore  them ;  that  no  prayers  or  repentance  may  reprieve 
them ;  that  imagine  (since  God  in  this  world  hath  forsook  them,) 
he  will  for  ever  forsake  them.  Thus  they  argument  against  them- 
selves. He  that  denieth  us  a  small  request  of  the  prolongment  of 
a  few  earthly  days,  he  will  surely  stop  his  ears,  when  in  a  greater 
suit  (for  the  life  eternal)  we  shall  importune  him. 

O,  no,  foolish  men,  you  err;  though  long  life  on  earth  be  a 
blessing,  yet  it  follows  not  by  contradiction,  that  God  curseth  all 
those  whose  days  he  shortens.  Many  except  their  days  were 
shortened,  would  never  be  saved.  Many  in  their  prime  and  best 
years,  are  caught  hence  because  the  world  is  unworthy  of  them,  and 
they  are  more  worthy  of  heaven  than  the  world.  The  good  King 
Josias  was  taken  away  in  his  youth.  Our  Saviour  was  taken  up  in 
his  best  youthly  age.  Others  for  their  sins  the  Lord  by  untimely 
death  punisheth  in  this  world,  that  they  may  be  absolved  in  the 
Avorld  to  come.  A  large  account  of  them  shall  he  demand,  to  whom 
he  lendeth  long  life.  Whom  God  chastiseth  or  cutteth  off  he 
loveth,  half  his  account  he  cuts  off.  Every  son  he  scourgeth  that 
he  receiveth. 

Hath  God  chastised  or  scourged  such  a  man  by  the  sickness, 
he  is  not  a  greater  sinner  than  thou  whom  he  hath  not  chastised, 
but  he  loveth  him  better  than  thee,  for  in  his  chastising,  he  hath 
shewed  more  care  over  him  than  he  hath  over  thee.  Few  men  de- 
famed with  any  notorious  vice  can  I  hear  of,  that  have  died  of  this 
sickness.  God  chastiseth  his  sons  and  not  bastards.  No  sons  of 
God  are  we,  but  bastards,  until  we  be  chastened  \  The  fathers  of 
our  earthly  bodies  for  a  few  days  chastise  us  at  their  pleasure,  but 
God  chastiseth  us  for  our  profit,  that  we  may  be  partakers  of  his 
holiness.     The  fathers  of  our  earthly  bodies,  though  they  beat  ui 

'  Heb.  12.  8.  9. 


160 

and  chastise  us,  yet  cannot  (for  all  the  pain  they  put  us  to)  enfeoff 
us  in  glory  perpetual :  for  how  should  they  do  that  for  us,  which 
they  cannot  do  for  themselves?  Only  because  they  are  to  benefit 
us  with  a  little  transitory  chaff,  they  tyrannise  and  reign  over  us : 
and  therefore  more  austere  are  they  to  keep  us  in  obedience,  for 
we  should  not  (after  their  death)  lavishly  mispend  the  labours  of 
their  parsimony. 

The  guerdon  they  give  us  (for  all  their  inflicted  sorrow  and 
smart,)  is  that  which  they  must  leave  in  spite  of  their  hearts,  and 
cannot  themselves  keep  any  longer.  They  give  us  place,  that  in 
self-same  sort  we  may  give  place  to  others.  But  God,  our  re- 
deemer, chastiser,  and  father,  corrects  us,  that  we  may  receive  no 
corruptive  inheritance  (such  as  in  this  life  we  receive  by  the  waning 
of  our  earthly  fathers,)  but  a  never-failing  inheritance,  where  we 
shall  have  our  Father  himself  for  our  inheritance. 

O  what  a  blessed  thing  it  is  to  be  chastised  of  the  Lord !  Is  it 
not  better,  O  London !  that  God  correct  thee,  and  love  thee,  than 
forbear  thee,  and  forsake  thee?  He  is  a  just  God,  and  must  punish 
either  in  this  life  or  in  the  life  to  come.  Though  thou  considerest 
only  the  things  before  thee,  yet  he  being  a  loving  foreseeing  father 
for  thee,  and  knowing  the  intolerableness  of  the  never  quenched 
furnace  (which  for  sin  he  hath  prepared,)  will  not  consent  to  thine 
own  childish  wishes  of  winking  at  thee  here  on  earth  (where,  though 
he  did  spare  thee,  thou  shalt  have  no  perfect  tranquillity,)  but 
with  a  short  light  punishment  acquitteth  thee  from  the  punishment 
eternal,  and  eternally  incomprehensible  tortures. 

When  preachers  threaten  us  for  sin  with  this  adjunct  eternal, 
as  pains  eternal,  eternal  damnation,  eternal  horror  and  vexation,  we 
hear  them  as  words  of  course,  but  never  dive  right  down  into  the 
bottomless  sense.  A  confused  model  and  misty  figure  of  hell  have 
we  conglomerate  in  our.  brains,  drowsily  dreaming  that  it  is  a  place 
under  earth  incessantly  vomiting  flames  like  Mtna  or  Mongibell, 


161 

and  fraught  full  of  fire  and  brimstone;  but  we  never  follow  the  me- 
ditation of  it  so  far  (were  it  nothing  else,)  as  to  think  what  a  thing 
it  is  to  live  in  it  perpetually. 

It  is  a  thousand  thousand  times  worse  than  to  be  stacked  on 
the  top  of  ^tna  or  Mongibell.  A  hundred  thousand  thousand 
times  more  than  thought  can  attract,  or  supposition  apprehend. 
But  eternally  to  live  in  it,  that  makes  it  the  hell,  though  the  tor- 
ment were  but  trifling.  Signified  this  word  eternal,  but  some  six 
thousand  years  (which  is  about  the  distance  from  Adam,)  in  our 
comprehension  it  were  a  thing  beyond  mind,  insomuch  as  we  deem 
it  an  impatient  spectacle  to  see  a  traitor  but  half  an  hour  groaning 
under  the  hangman's  hands.  What  then  is  it,  to  live  in  threescore 
times  more  grinding  discruciament  of  dying,  a  year,  a  hundred 
years,  a  thousand  years,  six  thousand  years,  sixty  thousand  years, 
more  thousands  than  can  be  numbered  in  a  thousand  years;  so 
much  importeth  this  word  eternal,  or  for  ever. 

Though  all  the  men  that  ever  God  made  were  hundred-handed 
like  Briareus,  and  should  all  at  once  take  pens  in  their  hundred 
hands,  and  do  nothing  in  a  whole  age  together  but  set  down  in 
figures  and  characters  as  many  millions  or  thousands  as  they  could, 
so  many  millions  or  thousands  could  they  never  set  down,  as  this 
word  of  three  syllables,  eternal,  includeth ;  an  ocean  of  ink  would 
it  draw  dry  to  describe  it.  Hell  is  a  circle  which  hath  no  break- 
ings off  or  discontinuing.  Hence  blasphemous  witches  and  con- 
jurors, when  they  raise  up  the  devil,  draw  a  ringed  circle  all  about 
him,  that  he  should  not  rush  out  and  oppress  them :  as  also  to 
humble  and  debase  him,  in  putting  him  in  mind  by  that  circle,  of 
the  eternal  circle  of  damnation,  wherein  God  hath  confined  and 
shut  him.  What  dullards  and  blockheads  are  we,  that  hearing 
these  terms  of  hell  and  eternal,  so  often  sounded  in  our  ears,  ^ound 
them  so  shallow ly,  or  if  we  sound  them  as  we  should,  are  no  more 
confounded  with  them  ?    It  should  seem  we  are  not  too  much  ter- 


163 

rifled  with  them,  when  for  an  hour's  pleasure  (which  hath  no  taste 
of  true  pleasure  in  it,)  we  will  dare  them  both  to  their  utmost. 

Fowls  of  the  air,  though  never  so  empty-stomached,  fly  not  for 
food  into  open  pit-falls.  Quce  nimis  apparent  retia  vitat  avis.  Too 
open  snares  even  simple  birds  do  shun.  No  beast  of  the  forest, 
spying  a  gin  or  a  trap  laid  for  him,  but  eschews  it.  We  spy  and 
foresee  the  pit-fall,  the  net,  the  gin,  the  trap  that  Satan  (our  old  en- 
trapper)  lays  for  us,  yet  wilfully  we  (without  any  flattering  hope  of 
food,  without  any  excellent  allurement  to  entice  us,  or  hunger  to 
constrain  us,)  with  full  race  will  dart  ourselves  into  them.  Yea, 
though  Christ  from  the  skies  hold  out  never  so  moving  lures  unto 
us,  all  of  them  (haggard  like)  we  will  turn  tail  to,  and  haste  to  the 
iron  fist,  that  holds  out  nought  but  a  knife  to  en  thrill  us. 

O,  if  there  were  no  heaven,  methinks  (having  that  under- 
standing we  ought)  we  should  forbear  to  sin,  if  it  were  but  for  fear 
of  hell.  Our  laws,  with  nothing  but  proposed  penalty,  from  offend- 
ing cohibit  us,  they  allow  no  reward  to  their  temperate  observants  : 
God's  laws  (proposing  both  exceeding  reward  and  exceeding  pe- 
nalty,) are  every  day  violated  and  infringed.  Either  we  suppose 
him  not  able  to  execute  his  laws,  or  that  (like  one  of  Rome's  Epicure 
Emperors)  he  more  favoureth  their  breakers  than  obeyers :  ad- 
vancing men  sooner  for  oppugning  than  observing  them.  Far  is 
he  from  that  mad-brain  fondness ;  of  his  laws  he  is  not  only  not 
careless,  but  jealous  and  zealous,  and  to  the  fourth  generation 
pursue th  their  neglecters. 

None  of  them  he  pardons,  though  for  a  space  he  may  respite. 
If  he  delayeth  or  respiteth,  his  delaying  or  respiting  is  but  to  fetch 
up  his  hand  higher  that  he  may  let  it  fall  on  them  heavier.  His 
deferring  is  the  more  to  infer.  Of  no  ill  payment  shall  he  com- 
plain, that  hath  the  wages  of  his  wickedness  held  from  him  in  this 
world  to  receive  them  by  the  whole  sum  in  hell.  Could  the  least 
and  senselessest  of  our  senses,  into  the  quietest  corner  of  hell  be 


163 

transported  in  a  vision  but  three  minutes,  it  would  breed  in  us  such 
an  aghasting  terror  and  shivering  misHke  of  it,  that  to  make  us 
more  wary  of  sin-meriting  it,  we  would  have  it  painted  in  our  gar- 
dens, our  banquetting-houses,  on  our  gates,  in  our  galleries,  our 
closets,  our  bed-chambers. 

Again,  were  there  no  hell  but  the  accusing  of  a  man's  own 
conscience,  it  were  hell,  and  the  profundity  of  hell,  to  any  sharp 
transpiercing  soul,  that  had  never  so  little  inkling  of  the  joys  of 
heaven,  to  be  separate  from  them ;  to  hear  and  see  triumphing  and 
melody,  and,  Tantalus  like,  not  be  suffered  to  come  near  them,  or 
partake  them ;  to  think  when  all  else  were  entered,  he  should  be 
excluded.  Our  best  method  to  prevent  this  excluding,  or  separating 
from  God's  presence,  is  here  on  earth  (whatsoever  we  go  about)  to 
think  we  see  him  present.  Let  us  fancy  the  firmament  as  his  face, 
the  all-seeing  sun  to  be  his  right  eye,  and  the  moon  his  left,  (al- 
though his  eyes  are  far  more  fiery  pointed  and  subtle,)  that  the 
stars  are  but  the  congemmed  twinklings  of  those  his  clear  eyes, 
that  the  winds  are  the  breath  of  his  nostrils,  and  the  lightning  and 
tempests  the  troubled  action  of  his  ire;  that  his  frowns  bring  forth 
frost  and  snow,  and  his  smiles  fair  weather ;  that  the  winter  is  the 
image  of  the  first  world,  wherein  Adam  was  unparadised,  and  the 
fruit-fostering  summer  the  representation  of  the  seed  of  woman's 
satisfying,  for  the  unfortunate  fruit  of  life  which  he  plucked.  Who 
is  there,  entertaining  these  divine  allusive  cogitations,  that  hath  not 
God  unremovable  in  his  memory  ?  He  that  hath  God  in  his  me- 
mory, and  advanceth  him  before  his  eyes  evermore,  will  be  bridled 
and  plucked  back  from  much  abusion  and  bestialness.  Many  sins 
be  there,  which  if  none  but  man  should  over-eye  us  offending  in, 
we  would  never  exceed  or  offend  in.  In  the  presence  of  his  prince, 
the  dissolutest  mis-liver  that  lives  will  not  offend  or  mis-govern  him- 
self; how  much  more  ought  we,  abiding  always  in  God's  presence, 


164 

precisely  to  straighten  our  paths  ?  Hard  is  it,  when  we  shall  have 
our  Judge  an  eye-witness  against  us.  There  is  no  demurring,  or 
exceptioning  against  his  testimony. 

Purblind  London,  neither  canst  thou  see  that  God  sees  thee, 
nor  see  into  thyself.  How  long  wilt  thou  cloud  his  earthly  prospect 
with  the  misty  night  of  thy  mounting  iniquities  ?  Therefore  hath 
he  smitten  thee  and  struck  thee,  because  thou  wouldest  not  believe 
he  was  present  with  thee.  He  thought  if  nothing  else  might  move 
thee  to  look  back,  at  least  thou  wouldst  look  back  to  thy  striker. 
Had  it  not  been,  so  to  cause  thee  to  look  back  and  repent,  with  no 
cross  or  plague  would  he  have  visited  or  sought  to  call  thee.  He 
could  have  been  revenged  on  thee  superabundantly  at  the  day  of 
thy  dissolution,  and  souls*  general  law-day,  though  none  of  thy 
children  or  allies  by  his  hand  had  been'  sepulchred.  His  hand  I 
may  well  term  it,  for  on  many  that  are  arrested  with  the  plague,  is 
the  print  of  a  hand  seen,  and  in  the  very  moment  it  first  takes 
them,  they  feel  a  sensible  blow  given  them,  as  it  were  with  the 
hand  of  some  stander  by.  As  God's  hand  we  will  not  take  it,  but 
the  hand  of  fortune,  the  hand  of  hot  weather,  the  hand  of  close 
smouldry  air.  The  astronomers,  they  assign  it  to  the  regimen  and 
operation  of  planets.  They  say,  Venus,  Mars,  Saturn,  are  motives 
thereof,  and  never  mention  our  sins,  which  are  his  chief  procrea- 
tors.  The  vulgar  menialty  conclude,  therefore,  it  is  like  to  increase, 
because  a  hearnshaw,  a  whole  afternoon  together,  sate  on  the  top 
of  Saint  Peter's  church  in  Cornhill.  They  talk  of  an  ox  that  tolled 
the  bell  at  Woolwich,  and  how  from  an  ox  he  transformed  himself 
to  an  old  man,  and  from  an  old  man  to  an  infant,  and  from  an  in- 
fant to  a  young  man.  Strange  prophetical  reports  (as  touching  the 
sickness)  they  mutter  he  gave  out,  when  in  truth  they  are  nought 
else  but  cleanly  coined  lies,  which  some  pleasant  sportive  wits  have 
devised  to  gull  them  most  grossly.     Under  Master  Dee's  name  the 


165 

like  fabulous  divinations  have  they  bruited,  when,  good  reverend 
old  man,  he  is  as  far  from  any  such  arrogant  preciseness,  as  the 
superstitious  spreaders  of  it  are  from  true  peace  of  conscience. 

,      If  we  would  hunt  after  signs  and  tokens,  we  should  ominate, 
from  our  hardness  of  heart  and  want  of  charity  amongst  brethren, 
that  God's  justice  is  hard  entering.     No  certainer  conjecture  is 
there  of  the  ruin  of  any  kingdom  than  their  revolting  from  God* 
Certain  conjectures  have  we  had,  that  we  are  revolted  from  God, 
and  that  our  ruin  is  not  far  off.     In  divers  places  of  our  land  it  hath 
rained  blood,  the  ground  hath  been  removed,  and  horrible  deformed 
births  conceived.     Did  the  Romans  take  it  for  an  ill  sign,  when 
their  capitol  was  stricken  with  lightning  ?  how  much  more  ought 
London  to  take  it  for  an  ill  sign,  when  her  chief  steeple  is  stricken 
with  lightning?     They  with  thunder  from  an  enterprise  were  dis- 
animated,  we  nothing  are  amated.     The  blazing  star,  the  earth- 
quake, the  dearth  and  famine  some  few  years  since,  may  nothing 
affright  us.     Let  us  look  for  the  sword  next,  to  remembrance  and 
warn  us.     As  there  is  a  time  of  peace,  so  is  there  a  time  of  war; 
no  prosperity  lasteth  alwa3's.     The  Lord,  by  a  solemn  oath,  bound 
himself  to  the  Jews,  yet  when  they  were  oblivious  of  him,  it  pleased 
him  to  forget  the  covenant  he  made  with  their  forefathers,  and  left 
their  city  desolate  unto  them.     Shall  he  not  then  (we  starting  from 
him,  to  whom  by  no  bond  he  is  tied,)  leave  our  house  desolate  unto 
us  ?     Shall  we  receive  of  God  a  long  time  all  good,  and  shall  we 
not  look  in  the  end  to  receive  of  him  some  ill  ?  ^  O,  ye  disobedient 
children,  return,  and  the  Lord  shall  heal  your  infirmities.    Lie  down 
in  your  confusion,  and  cover  your  faces  with  shame.     From  your 
youth  to  this  day  have  you  sinned,  and  not  obeyed  the  voice  of  the 
Lord  your  God.     Now,  in  the  age  of  your  obstinacy  and  ungrate- 
ful abandonments,  repent  and  be  converted.     With  one  united 
intercessionment,  thus  reconcile  yourselves  unto  him. 


166 


O  Lord,  our  refuge  from  one  generation  to  an- 
other, whither  from  thy  sight  shall  we  go,  or  whither 
but  to  thee,  shall  we  fly  from  thee  ?  Just  is  thy  wrath ; 
it  sendeth  no  man  to  hell  unjustly.  Rebuke  us  not  in 
thine  anger,  neither  chastise  us  in  thy  displeasure.  We 
have  sinned  we  confess,  and  for  our  sins  thou  hast 
plagued  us ;  with  the  sorrows  of  death  thou  hast  com- 
passed us,  and  thy  snares  have  overtook  us  ;  out  of 
Nature's  hand  hast  thou  wrested 'the  sword  of  fate,  and 
now  slayest  every  one  in  thy  way.  Ah,  thou  preserver 
of  men,  why  hast  thou  set  us  up  as  a  mark  against 
thee  ?  Why  wilt  thou  break  a  leaf  driven  to  and  fro 
with  the  wind,  and  pursue  the  dry  stubble  ?  Return, 
and  shew  thyself  marvellous  upon  us.  None  have  we 
like  Moses  to  stand  betwixt  life  and  death  for  us ;  none 
to  offer  himself  to  die  for  the  people,  that  the  plague 
may  cease.  O,  dear  Lord  !  for  Jerusalem  didst  thou 
die,  yet  couldst  not  drive  back  the  plagues  destinate  to 
Jerusalem.  No  image  or  likeness  of  thy  Jerusalem  on 
earth  is  there  left  but  London.  Spare  London,  for 
London  is  like  the  city  that  thou  lovedst.  Rage  not  so 
far  against  Jerusalem,  as  not  only  to  desolate  her,  but 


167 

to  wreak  thyself  on  her  likeness  also ;  all  the  honour 
of  thy  miracles  thou  losest,  which  thou  hast  shewed  so 
many  and  sundry  times  in  rescuing  us  with  a  strong 
hand  from  our  enemies,  if  now  thou  becomest  our 
enemy.  Let  not  worldlings  judge  thee  inconstant,  or 
undeliberate  in  thy  choice,  in  so  soon  rejecting  the  na- 
tion thou  hast  chosen.  In  thee  we  hope  beyond  hope; 
we  have  no  reason  to  pray  to  thee  to  spare  us,  and  yet 
have  we  no  reason  to  spare  from  prayer,  since  thou 
hast  willed  us.  Thy  will  be  done,  which  willeth  not 
the  death  of  any  sinner.  Death,  let  it  kill  sin  in  us, 
and  reserve  us  to  praise  thee.  Though  thou  killest  us, 
we  will  praise  thee ;  but  more  praise  shalt  thou  reap 
by  preserving  than  killing,  since  it  is  the  only  praise 
to  preserve  where  thou  may  est  kill.  With  the  leper 
we  cry  out,  ''  O  Lord,  if  thou  wilt,  thou  canst  make 
us  clean."  We  claim  thy  promise,  "  That  those  which 
mourn  shall  be  comforted." 

Comfort  us,  Lord  ;  we  mourn,  our  bread  is  mingled 
with  ashes,  and  our  drink  with  tears.  With  so  many 
funerals  are  we  oppressed,  that  we  have  no  leisure  to 
weep  for  our  sins,  for  howling  for  our  sons  and  daugh- 
ters. O,  hear  the  voice  of  our  howling,  withdraw  thy 
hand  from  us,  and  we  will  draw  near  unto  thee. 


16*8 

Come,  Lord  Jesu,  come ;  for,  as  thou  art  Jesus, 
thou  art  pitiful.  Challenge  some  part  of  our  sin- 
procured  scourge  to  thy  cross.  Let  it  not  be  said, 
that  thou  but  half  satisfiedst  for  sin.  We  believe  thee 
to  be  an  absolute  satisfier  for  sin.  As  we  believe, 
so  for  thy  merit's  sake  we  beseech  thee  let  it  happen 
unto  us. 

Thus  ought  every  Christian  in  London,  from  the 
highest  to  the  lowest,  to  pray.  From  God's  justice  we 
must  appeal  to  his  mercy.  As  the  French  king,  Francis 
the  First,  a  woman  kneeling  to  him  for  justice,  said 
unto  her,  "  Stand  up,  woman,  for  justice  I  owe  thee; 
if  thou  beggest  any  thing,  beg  for  mercy :"  so  if  we 
beg  of  God  for  any  thing,  let  us  beg  for  mercy,  for 
justice  he  owes  us.  Mercy,  mercy,  O  grant  us,  hea- 
venly Father,  for  thy  mercy. 

Lucius  monumenta  manebunt. 

FINIS. 


\Frmn  th/Tnv<fteJ'r0^ of 
LONGMAN,  HtfKWil^MBS,  CfeME,  AND  BROWN. 
Printed  by  T.  DAVISON,  Whitefriars,  London. 


'A 


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