414 OfSinne. merited: And be it that generallythecommon fort of men be fo ill inclined, yet fo longas the Minifters be vnpolluted with blood, there is hope, thereft may be recovered : butif theybeasa thecfethat laies waitfor hispray,Andliuingnot onlyofb eta from theaftar,worke cuill inthe eyes ofthe people,what thencan behoped for? Yet hopeof better is uotonly cut off, iftbofe that be to authoritie correctboth the oneand the other, and cenfùreboth 'peopleandPaftors. But ifa Rate be le. ruinous;that theydoe thegreateft wrongs,which fit m thehigheft roomes,when iniquitie and authoritiekiiTecads other, when the wcrkcrsof aniquitie will not be controlled,and cannot becorreeted;then it is a timeof mourning and lamentation. Ifthe Prophets in theirdaies did bewaile inch things, whatfhould weedoe, whomGodbath caft into fuck daies,wherein wefee the bookeshad and read wherein ini_ Smearing. c}uicie is prefcrtbed ? As for fwearing, and prophanene(le,there are thefins of poore men; Opprejfron and they that will beare a top in the world,molt nowthink oppreflion and adulteriebe things adniterie. indifferent,fo far are the preceptsofiniquitiefpread earn in our higieft places. This thou feeft, O Lord, andcanft thou fullerit, that what thou condemnef! for a crime we fhould accompt it venue ?Whenfuch things arcamong vs,and fuffered andpra&ifed in ]lead of harmoniousfongs,themnficke ofÍerufalem fhould be to lament. Othenvife it willbring thofetünes,when it will be our greateltucifhap thateuer wee hauebeene happie, fo much ourprefentforrowes Mall be augmented by our by-pall ioyes. Then it will be timeto burneour Crowoe to allies :when forthefe abominations wee that feemedasGods ,(bail be trampled under foote asdung ; when the-Nobles, that are as the pureft gold, become tobe asearthenveflèls ; when our Minifters,that were honorable,fhall becomecontemp- Poore. tible ; When the Babylonians (hall drink in our holy and honorableveffels ofGods war- fhip. Oh that this couldteachvswifedome, tomake the bowels of the poore thecoffers of Piquet curtreafores. Yetherein is not all,ourfinnesdeferuesa greater fcourge. Our children, for threa<ned. whomweewouldnotpromilean heavenlyinheritance, ]hall wallow in their owneblood beforeour faces ; when that comes to pall,thoughthy chite bedeare, yet rememberthat he fhould not have been fo deareto thee, as hethatfiled hisblood both forhim-and thee. And yet beyondallthis our ground (hall beburnt to the ground: our vines ]hall drie,our trees (hall be eaten vpwith fire; our pallares (torched as anheath, our fiunptuous buil- dings (hall beruinous houles,our k_lds(hall be like vnto thepaned allies, and our cities (hall be asaplowed field, theencnae(hall finda Paradife and shall Imvevs a e:dlderneAè. . But you will fay,what is all this tovs asyet ? I anfwere,if the leaft oftheSaints (..vhiell be precious (ones in the Leads Sanbane) be better then all buildings in the world, who can thinkof our spiritual vaftation,and not tohastehis countenance lad withthe remem- brancethereof? Hach not the Lord euenin ourdates & inoureyes,pild òffthe bathe from euerypleafanttree; hotsbath he made it bare? is there one branch,which the enetn ieliath Famineof not made white?I-lowdoe the beards pineaway?how doe the flockperiflc?That which the Godsword. Palmer-worme bath left,theCanker-wartime hath eaten; that which theCanker-worme bath left, the Caterpiller isath eaten, they bane 1poyled the Church from hand ro hand. Wherforeit behoueth thofeplaces,that Isaaclò can theLord out tolabourÿ harneftntay be recouered,and that thebranches be newplanted,that the holds raft downmayberee- diked,& thatthe vines decaicdmay be repaircd.For avant wherofeueryprivatemans field rdletes in the beingasagarden,& every''mans garden being as a Paradtfe,the Lords garden(whetherfor ,;clisillerie. wantofmanuring,orforthef lcepingofthedreffers,Iknownor)liethlikethefieldofthe fluggiíh man, & hisvineyard like the vineyard ofone that is idle. And wherecurry honk is curiouflyfieled,miry civic aptly compaéted,tbe honk. oftheLord (whether for that the fptrituall workmen areconfounded among themfelees, or the ouerfèers cf theworke be willingly corrupted)lieth void& wafte inmany places, fo that they thatfeeit,arecattrai- ned to lay,O Lord,whydoltthou behold vs thus,&!offer& vs to fèe ]itchvaftation? Nei- theryet 'Shill the voiceof the ecemie cryinnu in the day ofreuenge,race it, raceit dowseeo calamities theground,ftrikevs with loch a terror,aswhenviolence fkal comevpón vs,ourwiues,our . thecontempt children,wrthoutalirefpc& ofage& eftatc.Itisnotpoffib le,thatweinourgreatkcatitie, ,oftheGaf ell (h(gild coteceiuea ihadow ofthat inexplicablegriefe, which fballfollow dtatperlèatring andGods roor- lag path haftnino towards vs,wheuv carcares ofourfriends that make a way,& flip neglelled. p b ? to
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