A Faſt-Sermon.

THAT the Goſpel is the Rule by which all Chriſtians ought to frame their Lives and Con­verſations, there can be no doubt; and this being ſo, there is as little doubt, but that all Chriſtians ought moſt earneſtly to labour for Peace, it being the prin­cipal part of the Goſpel, and that which gives the denomination to it; for 'tis called the Goſpel of Peace, Rom. 10.10. And with great reaſon, for at the firſt entrance of our Saviour into the world, who came to preach the Goſpel to us, he being then an Infant, and according to common courſe of nature not of ability to ſpeak himſelf,2 the Angels declared for him the thing he came to preach, ſinging to the happy Shepherds, Glo­ry to God in the higheſt, and on earth Peace. This was the bleſſed beginning of the Goſpel at our Saviour's coming into the world, Peace on earth; and when our Saviour was going out of the world, Peace was the bleſſed Legacy he be­queathed to his beloved Diſciples; Peace I give unto you, my Peace I leave with you, John 14.27. Well then may it be called the Goſpel of Peace, this being the Alpha and Omega, the beginning and end of it. And well doth it become all Chri­ſtians to do their utmoſt endeavour for the pre­fervation of Peace, it being ſo earneſtly re­commended to us by our dying Lord. Our Peace was purchaſed by his Death, and there­fore ought to be dearer to us than our own life. But how doth all this agree with that ſaying of our Saviours, Matth. 10.34. That he c•me not to bring Peace, &c. This was cauſed by the cor­ruptneſs of our perverſe ſinful nature, which like a ſtomack filled with the overflowing of the gall, turns the ſweeteſt things it receives, into the ſame bitter humour; and ſo the Goſ­pel of Peace was turned into a cauſe of con­tention. When all mankind was banded toge­ther to work wickedneſs, when all had ſworn obedience to the Prince of darkneſs, the Light3 came into the world, To give light to all that ſate in darkneſs, and in the ſhadow of death, and to guide their feet into the way of Peace. But men loved darkneſs rather then light, becauſe their deeds were evil: for the light diſcovering the evil of their deeds, they hated the light, and perſe­cuted the children of light though their neareſt relations, and before dear unto them. Our Evan­gelical Prophet foreſeeing this, though he ſet forth the peace and glory of the Goſpel in moſt ample manner, yet he plainly declares the wick­ed were not to partake of it. For in the laſt Chapter, ver. 10. ſpeaking of Jeruſalem where the Goſpel was to begin, he ſaith, Rejoyce ye with Jeruſalem, and be glad with her, all ye that love her, — Ver. 12. For thus ſaith the Lord, Be­hold, I will extend Peace to her like a river, and the glory of the Gentiles like a flowing ſtream. — I beſeech you mark what follows. Ver. 14. And the hand of the Lord ſhall be known towards his ſervants, and his indignation towards his enemies — So then they were the ſervants of God, that were to enjoy this great bleſſing of Peace by the Goſ­pel; but the wicked the enemies of God, ſhould have no ſhare of it; their portion was, Ver. 15.16. Fire and ſword, war and ſlaughter. Our Sa­viour came not to bring peace unto them, but a ſword. There is no peace, &c.

That you may the better underſtand this matter, I ſhall divide Peace into three parts; Peace with God, Peace with our own hearts, and Peace with others; and ſhew that the wick­ed can have no ſhare in any of them.

Firſt, it is apparent the wicked can have no Peace with God, who is all holineſs, righte­ouſneſs, goodneſs. Surely then unholineſs, un­righteouſneſs, wickedneſs, can have no union with theſe, no more then light and darkneſs can conſiſt together; the one muſt needs deſtroy the other. Wherefore in Scripture the wicked are called Enemies unto God, Fighters againſt God, Haters of God. But no man ever ſo wicked will confeſs this of himſelf; that he is an enemy, and an hater of God, and you will hardly find a man that believes this of himſelf; ſo inconſiderate are men and ignorant of their own hearts, Jer. 17.9. The heart of man is deceitful above all things, and deſperately wicked, who can know it? Men are as blind and ſtupid as ſtocks in diſco­vering their own hearts, and their own wicked­neſs, and will not believe they are ſo deſperate­ly wicked as to be enemies and haters of God: but 'tis moſt evident by their deeds, daily and hourly doing things as hateful unto God, as poſſible can be. If they ſay, they do not the things out of any hatred to God, but only to5 pleaſe themſelves, ſo may any one ſay that murthers another; he may ſay he hath great pleaſure in revenge, and that he murthered the man only to pleaſe himſelf, not out of any ha­tred to him. But this is a clear caſe, ſhould any one daily do unto us things ſo ſpiteful and hateful as we do unto God; we ſhould with­out all doubt conclude he hated us, and we ſhould not admit of any excuſe for his doing them. How then can the wicked who are haters of God, be at peace with God? No, There is no peace, &c.

But it is the leſs to be wondered, that men are ſo great enemies unto God, ſeeing they are as great enemies unto themſelves: I mean not one man an enemy unto another, (whereof I ſhall treat by and by) but each man an enemy unto himſelf, the greateſt and moſt dangerous enemy unto himſelf of all other; for no man can do him half the miſchief he doth himſelf; and to ſay truth, no other can do him any miſchief at all without his own concurrence in it; as Seneca proves by phi­loſophical and rational principles in a Tract which he wrote to this purpoſe. And this is much more true and evident by Chriſtian Prin­ciples, which teach us, That all things work together for good to them that love God. 6And therefore when other men contend with us, revile us, perſecute us, take away our eſtates, any thing; we ſhould greatly rejoyce, as our Saviour bids us, and gives a very good reaſon for it, For great is our reward. We ſhall be great gainers by all ſuch loſſes, if we bear them patiently. It is then the con­tention and fighting we have within our ſelves which doth us all the miſchief; they are our own paſſions which fight againſt our reaſon, and theſe are the enemies that wound our ſouls, which no other enemy can peach. Nor do our paſſions war againſt our reaſon only, but con­tend and fight one againſt another. As our body is compoſed of ſeveral elements very op­poſite, as fire and water, earth and air; ſo the affections and paſſions which ſpring from the body, are as diſagreeing and croſs to each other as theſe elements, and are at perpetual diſcord: As for example, The paſſion of co­vetouſneſs, how doth this force a man to pinch both back and belly, to riſe early and trot about, and though he lie down wearied at night with many turmoiling affairs; yet then ſolicitous care for the morrow forbids him ſleep, or to take any reſt: and all this to ſatisfie his greedy appetite of wealth, which he hath no ſooner ſcraped together, and hoorded7 up in his Cloſet, but a clean contrary paſ­ſion of vain-glory forces open the Cloſet doors, tumbles out the bags, for his Neighbour hath built him a fair Houſe, richly furniſhed, and he is reſolved to out-do him whatever it coſt: thus Covetouſneſs and Vain-glory war in his own breaſt. Again, an amorous luſtful paſ­ſion makes a man flatter and adore ſome beau­tiful imperious Dame, obſerving all her frea­kiſh humours, till at length ſhe growing in­ſolent, and deſiring to ſhew her domineering power, puts ſome ſcornful affront upon him, which cuts him to the heart, and raiſes in him a fierce indignation requiring him even to kick out of doors this inſulting Creature; yet ſhe in ſpight of all his wrath and fury, holds him faſt with her amorous hook by the noſe, like a Bear, making him ſtill dance after her pipe. Juſt ſo the ambition of gain­ing ſome honourable and powerful place at Court, will make the moſt haughty aſpiring man crouch to, and fawn upon all thoſe whom he thinks may be inſtrumental for the gaining of it; be they ever ſo unworthy in his own eſtimation, yet his eager Ambition will force him, to ſtoop and humble himſelf to theſe pitiful Creatures, which his proud heart abhors. Many more ſuch contradictory8 paſſions are perpetually claſhing and fighting in the breaſts of worldly and wicked men, never ſuffering them to enjoy any peaceful tranquility. All this is briefly ſet forth by our Prophet in the Verſe forgoing my Text; The wicked are like the troubled Sea when it cannot reſt, whoſe waters caſt up mire and dirt. Gregory the great Moraliſt deſcants upon this place in a pious meditation; adding to this paſſage of Iſaiah, that of David, Pſal. 104.26. where he ſpeaks of that great Leviathan taking his paſtime in the Sea; which Sea he inter­prets, Corda mortalium tumidis cogitationibus fluctuoſa; and by Leviathan he underſtands, Antiquum hoſtem qui in eorum lubrica cogitati­one natat. The various paſſions which the hearts of carnal men are ſubject to, like furi­ous winds blow where they liſt without any controul of Grace, toſſing them up and down like boiſterous Waves of the Sea, wherein the great Leviathan Satan takes his paſtime, endeavouring to raiſe the Tempeſt and Confu­ſion to the heighth. When he firſt tempts men to ſin, he turns the leſſening end of his Proſpe­ctive-glaſs unto their eye, repreſenting the great­eſt horrid Crimes as ſmall harmleſs Peccadi­lioes; but when he hath raiſed the maſs of their ſins to a vaſt deformed bulk fit to terri­fie9 them, then he turns the multiplying end to their affrighted conſciences, he raiſes up the mire and dirt thereof, as our Prophet ſaith, repreſenting all in as foul and fearful a man­ner as poſſible he can, never ceaſing till he hath overwhelmed them in the depth of de­ſpair: and this is his maſterpiece, his chief paſtime, to ſee men thus diſtracted and con­founded. Miſerable wretches made by ſin at laſt ſuch mortal enemies unto themſelves, as in raging deſpair to caſt themſelves body and ſoul into eternal flames! There can be no peace to the wicked who are not at peace with God, who have not the aſſiſtance of his Di­vine Grace to repel the furious blaſts of Sa­tan. God only and his Chriſt are able to ſay effectually to the Winds, Peace; and to the Sea, Be ſtill; and his Diſciples only can ob­tain this favour at his hands. So ſaith David, Pſal. 85.8. He will ſpeak peace unto his people and to his Saints. Be the Storm ever ſo great, and the Veſſel ready to ſink, a word from his Divine powerful mouth compoſes all. There­fore David ſaith again, Pſal. 119.165. Great peace have they which love thy Law, and nothing ſhall off end them. But the wicked have no ſhare in this, and therefore can have no ſetled peace, neither within their own hearts, nor10 one with another, which is my third and laſt diviſion of Peace. Peace with others.

God is as it were the Center of all things, from whom innumerable Lines iſſue forth to­wards the Circumference of the whole Uni­verſe; and theſe Lines the nearer they are to the Center, the nearer they draw to each o­ther, and in the Center are all conjoyned; the farther they draw from the Center, the more they are diſunited one from another. And from hence is that Maxime approved of, as well in natural Philoſophy, as Divinity; Omne quod fit unum participatione unius fit unum; There can be no unity but by partici­pation of the prime Unity and Entity which is God. Ens unum verum bonum. Now the wicked man partakes only of Gods Entity, but hath no participation of his goodneſs or unity, and therefore cannot be at any unity with himſelf or with others. The ſame diſor­dered paſſions which diſturb his own peace and quiet, diſturb the peace of others alſo; and his receding from God the prime Unity, is the cauſe of all diviſion and diſtraction. And on the other ſide, the nearer the godly draw unto God, the more they are compo­ſed in their own breaſts, the more at peace and unity with others; and in God are all as11 one. This we ſee verified in that bleſſed mul­titude mention'd, Acts 4. The whole multitude were of one heart and of one ſoul. Thus it was with the Primitive Chriſtians, who drew near unto God: but we Chriſtians of this Age, as we are more remote in diſtance of time from Chriſt, ſo are our hearts far more remote from him, and far divided one from another, ſtrangely different from thoſe bleſſed Primitive Chriſtians who were of one heart and one ſoul. Where can you now find a whole Mul­titude, a whole Congregation, a whole Fa­mily, of one heart, of one ſoul? alas! of as many hearts almoſt as men. Are we then Chriſtians? By this ſhall all men know, ſaith Chriſt, that ye are my Diſciples, if ye love one another. Then by this do all men know, that we are not Chriſts Diſciples, becauſe we love not one another, but inſtead of love, have malice, inſtead of peaceful agreement, either violent oppreſſion, or cunning ſupplan­ting one another; yea, fighting and murther­ing one another: inſomuch that 'tis become a Proverb among the Turks: What, fight and kill one another, as the Chriſtians do? Good God, that the peaceful name of Chriſt ſhould be thus horribly blaſphemed! Chriſtians who ſhould be the bleſſed example of peace to12 the whole world, are become the ſcandalous reproach of Murtherers to the whole world! So it is, a moſt lamentable truth which will be laid home to our charge when we ſhall ap­pear before the terrible Tribunal of Chriſt our King, the Prince of Peace. And what's the cauſe of all our Diſcord? our wicked luſts and paſſions. From whence come Wars and Fightings among you? ſaith St. James 4 1. Come they not hence, even of your luſts that war in your members? And theſe very luſts which war in our members, cauſe us to war one with another. And what are theſe luſts? St. John tells us, 2.16. The luſt of the fleſh, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life.

Firſt, the luſt of the fleſh. What Wars and bloodſhed hath this wicked luſt of the fleſh cauſed all the world over, from the begin­ning to the end? How early in Scripture do we find the deſtruction of the Shechemites for the rape of Dinah, Jacob's Daughter? the fleſhly luſt of one man brought this calamity upon the whole City and Country to their ut­ter ruine. And in Prophane Story, the moſt ancient famous ten years War of the Greeks with Troy, was it not for the like, Paris ra­pture of Helen, which ſet all that part of the world in a flame? This might have been a13 fair warning unto Greece not to offend in that kind. Yet Sparta, a City there, once ſo fa­mous for Juſtice, and ſo ſucceſsful for it; but refuſing to do Juſtice to Scedaſus of Leu­ctra for the raviſhment of his Daughters, ſuffered that lamentable Defeat in the Plains of Leuctra ſoon after, where their King Cleom­brotus and all their Nobility were totally routed and killed by the Thebans. And if you pleaſe to paſs from Greece into Italy, there you will preſently find that hopeful Monarchy planted by Romulus in Rome, ſup­planted and totally eradicated by the Rape of Lucretia. And again, when the Roman Empire was re-eſtabliſhed with greater pow­er and glory then the world ever ſaw before or ſince, when it had conquer'd ſo many Nations, as there ſcarce remained a people worth the conquering; and Rome became as it were the Empreſs of the World. I be­ſeech you, what ſubdued this mighty pow­er? doth not a chief Poet of their own tell us, 'twas, Luxuria, victumque ulciſcitur orbem? Luxury ſo enervated the Sinews of this, be­fore invincible people, that they were quite over-run by ſeveral barbarous Nations, who ſlaughtered them as Sheep, defaced and broke14 down their Triumphant Arches, and tram­pled all their Glory under foot. And was it not juſt ſo afterwards in the Grecian Em­pire? As the Goths and Vandals over-ran the Romans, ſo the Saracens and Turks ſub­dued the Grecians, made by Luxury the moſt effeminate and moſt feeble Nation in the World, and thereby expoſed to Invaſi­on and Rapine. Their ſplendidneſs and vo­luptuouſneſs of living, was an alluring bait to their greedy Neighbours; who ſeeing them fatted for the ſlaughter, and ſtretched forth on their beds of Ivory in ſupine negligence, took wing like hungry Ravens for the prey. And ſo you may go on, and in all Hiſto­ries, find Luxury the conſtant fore-runner of Deſtruction, and many diſmal examples of great devaſtations cauſed by this fleſhly luſt.

And as for the luſt of the Eyes, by which is underſtood the luſting after thoſe things which we ſee others enjoy; this begets in as unſatiable deſires; and then for the ſatiſ­fying of theſe, what animoſities and feuds daily ariſe among us. For as Boetius ſaith well, the poor narrow riches of this world, which he calls, Auguſtas inopeſque divitias,15 can't ſatisfie the boundleſs covetouſneſs of men; and beſides, all being already poſſeſt by ſome or other, Quae ad quemque perveni­unt non fit ſine caeterorum injuria; What one man acquires another muſt loſe. Now all men being deſirous at leaſt to keep what they have, and moſt men labouring to encreaſe what they have, which cannot be without the decay of others: this muſt needs cauſe quarrels in the world. And thus our bick­erings at Law are numberleſs, our military contentions endleſs; Nation againſt Nation, Kingdom againſt Kingdom, and in all Na­tions, Family againſt Family; yea the ſame Family divided, Brother againſt Brother, Children againſt Parents; nay, Man and Wife, one Fleſh, often divided into two deadly Enemies. And that which makes our wickedneſs far more notorious, is, that not one of a thouſand, or of ten thouſand, breaks this Chriſtian peace for neceſſary Food and Rayment, whereof they have no want, but rather abundance; for a very ſmall pittance ſufficeth nature: ſo that 'tis not want, but wantonneſs which ſets them a lawing and fight­ing; for they who moſt abound, are commonly moſt at Law, moſt in War, ſtriving for more,16 even to exceſs, and to what end? to conſume it upon their luſts, as Saint James ſaith. Thus wicked Covetouſneſs ſeeks it, wicked Con­tentions acquire it, and wicked Luſts con­ſume it; all wickedneſs, therefore no Peace, but Diſcord and Confuſion.

And the very ſame unchriſtian Diſcord is cauſed by the pride of life; for every one loves to be at the top, and all men hate to be under; how then is it poſſible but Con­tention muſt needs accompany Ambition, ſee­ing that which one man affects, another de­teſts, and will be ſure to oppoſe to the ut­moſt of his power. Other Vices allow of ſome aſſociation; men of like corrupt affections commonly conſort together, and help each other in their deſigns, but, Solus ſuperbus odit elatum; pride divides and ſets them at variance, endeavouring to ſuppreſs one an­other: Both would be uppermoſt which can't be; therefore one muſt needs fall, that the other may get up. This hath often produc'd great quarrels betwixt private perſons, and bloody Wars betwixt Princes; in which large Field I could expatiate far, but want of time forbids, and makes me haſt to ſome uſeful Application of what I have already17 ſaid, for which I crave your patience.

Many complaints I hear abroad the world, but very little to the purpoſe; not one of a hundred conſiders matters aright, much leſs lays to heart the true cauſe of that whereof they complain. All the evils men ſuffer a­riſe originally from ſin; had man never ſin­ned, he had never known miſery. Sin then is the root of all, and this we hug and che­riſh in our boſoms, yet cry out againſt the evil fruits thereof. But ſhall I tell you the true cauſes of our miſery? We have made a League, a moſt unfortunate evil League; and we have made a War, a moſt dangerous deſtructive War: A League with Satan, and a War with God: Theſe are the radical cau­ſes of our diſtraction, and unleſs rooted up, will be our confuſion. Wherefore our La­mentations for this or that temporal Calami­ty, are very childiſh. In Reaſon and Reli­gion we ſhould lament the cauſe, not the effect; remove the cauſe, the effects preſently ceaſe; but the cauſe remaining, the effects, that is, Calamities will follow. Not long ſince we lamented a great Plague that deſtroy­ed many thouſands, that ceaſed; but our ſin the cauſe thereof, that remained: therefore an­other18 Calamity ſoon followed. Then we la­mented a great and dreadful Fire, which conſumed our Capital City; that alſo cea­ſed, but Sin ſtill remained. Then we lamen­ted a dangerous War, when our Enemies ſailed up the River ſo near us, that it ſtrook a terror into the hearts of all; they likewiſe are gone, our Sin ſtill remains. So we go on lamenting one Calamity after another, and labouring ſtill with might and main to re­dreſs the preſent Grievance, but neglect the Cauſe. Like men in a Feaver, pain'd here, and pain'd there, we toſs from ſide to ſide to find reſt; we call for this and that drink to quench our thirſt, but all in vain; the Feaver of Luſt ſtill burns in our bowels, and till this be cured, no eaſe, no reſt to be had. So that were all things now ſetled juſt to our own ſatisfaction: what then? Oh then you were happy. Can you be ſo ſimple? Hath God no more Viols of Wrath to pour upon us? Cannot he ſend a Famine? And truly methinks it is beginning already. A Famine that may make us eat our own Fleſh, our own Children, as it was in Jeruſalem; and you ſhall ſee by and by, that our ſin is no way ſhort of theirs. He may rain down19 fire and brimſtone upon us, as he did up­on Sodom and Gomorrah, and I am ſure our Sin very much reſembles theirs. He may cauſe the earth to open and ſwallow us up quick, Men, Women, and Children, as he did Corah, Dathan, and Abiram; and with­out doubt our Rebellion againſt God is far greater than theirs. And thus I might pro­ceed without end; for the Viols of God's wrath are as numberleſs as our ſins, and whilſt theſe continue, expect them to be poured forth. I beſeech you conſider with all ſubmiſſive reverence, who uttered the words of my Text, There is no Peace, ſaith my God, to the wicked. And is he your God alſo? do you believe in him? do you truſt in him? Then I beſeech you believe him when he ſaith, There is no peace to the wicked. The luſts which war in our members, and war againſt God, will certainly bring down Vengeance and Calamities from God. And of the three Luſts which I have diſcourſed of to you, the luſt of the fleſh eſpecially is that which makes war more deſperately againſt God then any other; it being more directly oppoſite to the Spirit of God: for as Saint Paul ſaith, Gal. 5.17. The fleſh luſteth againſt20 the ſpirit, and the ſpirit againſt the fleſh; and theſe are contrary one to the other. As contrary as fire and water, they cannot poſſibly ſubſiſt together. For as water quencheth the fire, ſo the luſt of the fleſh quencheth the Spirit of God, and never fails to bring in Pro­phaneneſs and Atheiſm, as experience hath fully manifeſted in other Nations, and now moſt evidently in this lewd ſinful Nation. The ſame obſervation was made by Cicero 1700 years ago, who in his Book which he wrote De natura Deorum, tells us, The purer a man is in his life, the more he is incli­ned to a belief of the Godhead; and conſe­quently foulneſs and debauchery of life, is the common road to unbelief. Wherefore I ſhall now chiefly inſiſt upon this luſt of the fleſh, not having time to make reflexions upon the other two, the luſt of the eyes, and the pride of life, which are grown to a vaſt exceſs; but the luſt of the fleſh moſt horribly exorbitant in both the parts of it, Voluptu­ouſneſs of Diet, and Laſciviouſneſs of Body. The buſineſs of Diet which formerly was the care and talk of Women to their Cooks and Caterers, is now become the ſtudy and diſ­courſe of Men; even Gentry, and Nobles,21 whoſe brain is ſunk into their guts, and ſo are become very skilful in the belly Science; for they have invented many rarities never heard of in former Ages, and they are ſo early ripe in this art, that before they have ſtudied Philoſophy or Grammar, they are Maſters in the Art of Cookery: A moſt no­ble and admirable Science! Nor are they leſs skilful in Drinks than Meats, and 'tis a thing which adds much to their reputation, that there is not a ſort of Wine growing in any part of France, Germany, Spain, Italy, but they have the particular names thereof far more ready then their Creed or Pater-noſter, and will entertain you with a ſcore at leaſt at one meal; ſo that even to taſte them all, will diſtemper any man uſed to a ſober Diet, this is a great ſtudy in this Age. As for the ſtudy of Plato, Ariſtotle, Plutarch, Seneca, and ſuch tedious non-ſenſe (for they afford no delight to any of the five Senſes, but only fill the brain with airy Fancies) theſe are left to poor dull Servitors in Colledges, who are forc'd to trade with theſe Authors for a livelihood. But they whom nature hath ſtock'd with parts compleat, and to whom worthy Anceſtors have left a large22 Eſtate, acquired by eminent Virtue and great induſtry, and conſequently to be ſpent in be­ſtial Luxury, no doubt on't, why ſhould not they enjoy themſelves, pleaſe their Palate, and fill their paunch, with whatever the air, the water, the earth affords, Come let us eat and drink, for to morrow we ſhall die. Thus having by the luſt of Voluptuouſneſs, by cu­rious and exceſſive eating and drinking pro­voked the luſt of Laſciviouſneſs, They give them­ſelves up to work all manner of uncleanneſs with greedineſs, as Saint Paul ſaith, both Forni­cation and Adultery are not only frequently acted in private, but publickly owned. St. Paul ſaith, Epheſ. 5.12. That it was a ſhame even to ſpeak of thoſe things which were done of them in ſecret. What would he have ſaid, had he heard the Actors brag of thoſe things in publick. Great Iniquities I confeſs have been acted in all Ages, but certainly never ſo avowed. Men in the dark formerly skulkt into lewd houſes, and there had their revel­lings; but now men, married men, in the light, bring into their own houſes moſt lewd Strumpets, feaſt and ſport with them in the face of the Sun; mean while their neg­lected, ſcorned, diſconſolate Wives are forc'd23 to retire to their ſecret Cloſets, that they be not ſpectators of theſe abominations. And whoever doth not approve, yea and practice ſuch deteſtable wickedneſs, whoever is not a Devil incarnate, is reproacht by theſe as a devilliſh Hypocrite. For they have ſo total­ly quenched the light of the Spirit in this naſty puddle of uncleanneſs, they have ſo ſeared their Conſciences with burning Luſt, they have ſo metamorphoſed themſelves into laſcivious Goats, as they have no more be­lief of God in them, then thoſe natural brute beaſts, and ſo conclude the reſt of men have no more conſcience or belief of God then themſelves; and that all their ſeeming piety is meer hypocriſie and cunning deſign for ſome Advantage. And by ſuch ſcornfull re­proaches on the one hand, and enticing al­lurements on the other, they gain many aſ­ſociates, who have not the courage to reſiſt the one, nor conſtancy to withſtand the other. By which means Lewdneſs and Atheiſm, which never fails to accompany this Vice, as I ſhew'd you before, are ſtrangely encreaſed in Court, City, and Country. How far ſome Grandees of the Nation have been a counte­nance and encouragement to inferiours, is ſo24 viſible as there needs no diſcourſe to ſhew it. God of his infinite mercy by his miraculous omnipotent Grace (nothing leſs can do it) convert and mollifie their hardned hearts.

And now my Lords by whoſe ſpecial Com­mand I undertook the work of this day, I make my humble addreſs to you. I have laid before you the Crying Sins of this Nati­on, which fight againſt Heaven, and war againſt God, as it were with open defiance; and therefore if my indignation againſt ſuch beaſtial and Satanical ſins, have for• 'd from me ſome ſevere and ſharp expreſſions, I crave pardon: but really my Lords, our deep fe­ſtered Soars require a ſharp Launce to let out this filthy matter; and I truſt your heads and hearts alſo loath the horrible ſtench there­of; and therefore I hope you will readily grant my moſt humble and moſt earneſt re­queſt, which is this, That laying aſide all other buſineſs, you would employ all your Thoughts, and all your Endeavours to re­ſtrain this moſt exorbitant Vice of Lewdneſs, with its evil Conſequences, Prophaneneſs and Atheiſm; for unleſs this be done in the firſt place, you can't in reaſon expect that God ſhould bleſs your other Endeavours for the25 Good of King and Kingdom, his Kingdom being neglected and poſtpon'd. I hope you will be far more concerned for God's Glory, which is mightily Eclipſed by theſe infernal miſts, then with your own Priviledges or Pro­perties, or any other concern of your own, ſeeing you owe unto God all you have, your ſelves and all. I ſhall not preſs your Lord­ſhips farther, but will now addreſs my ſelf to the whole Aſſembly, deſiring every one to ex­amine themſelves how far they are guilty be­fore God, either by their own ſins, or by partaking with the ſins of theſe deſperate crea­tures. For had we obſerved Saint Paul's command, To reprove the works of darkneſs, and to ſhew our indignation againſt them on all occaſions, we might have given a great ſtop to their Cariere. But we are grown ſo irreli­giouſly civil in this Age, that it paſſes for in­civility if any one offer to reprove, or ſo much as frown; nay, if you do not ſhew ſome compleaſance and ſmile at their lewd prophane diſcourſes. And God grant there be none here farther guilty and infected with this Epi­demical, Peſtilential, Fleſhly, Atheiſtical diſeaſe. Now that we may the better appre­hend our wickedneſs, I deſire you to remem­ber26 what I ſhew'd you in the beginning, That the wicked are Enemies and Haters of God; but as I ſaid then, it will be very hard to make any one here, even the worſt of this Aſſembly, either confeſs or believe this of himſelf; and yet I fear the beſt of us all up­on due examination will find this in a great mea­ſure true of our ſelves. Wherefore that we may truly underſtand and heartily bewail our own wicked condition, I ſhall for a conclu­ſion preſs this matter home upon our conſci­ences.

What think you, were the Jews enemies and haters of Chriſt, who reviled him, buf­fetted him, ſpate in his face, crowned him with thorns, ſcourged and crucified him? Sure you do not doubt but theſe were ene­mies and haters of Chriſt, how then can you doubt, but they who do things more hateful unto Chriſt then theſe, are greater enemies and haters of Chriſt then theſe? Now that ſin is more hateful unto Chriſt then any ſufferings, is evident, becauſe he endured all theſe to take away ſin. Chriſt could endure the greateſt torment in the world, but cannot endure the leaſt ſin; for ſin is not only hateful, but a flat contradiction un­to27 to God; For God is holineſs. Is it not then moſt evident what I ſaid, that ſin is more hateful unto Chriſt then ſpitting upon him, buffeting him ſcourging him, crucifying him? and conſe­quently, they who do things more hateful un­to Chriſt, muſt needs be greater enemies and haters of Chriſt. And that you may farther ſee our ſin exceeds that of the Jews; what they did unto Chriſt was through ignorance; as Saint Peter witneſſeth for them; but we after knowledge, after we have been enlightned, and have taſted of the heavenly gift, the Good Word of God, as it is Heb. 6.5. Surely then our ingratitude, our iniquity far ſurpaſſes that of the Jews. Come now you that would paſs for noble and good natur'd men; come you ſweet natur'd and tender hearted women, conſider well I pray you with me; what ſhall we think of our foul, ſinful, and hateful be­haviour towards this our bleſſed Saviour Chriſt, who poured forth his precious blood and ſacrific'd his Life on the Croſs for us? Can we be ſuch ungrateful Beaſts, ſuch ſavage Wolves, ſuch cruel Tygers, ſuch bloody Mon­ſters, as yet to crucifie him afreſh, and put him again to open ſhame? God forbid! But let us rather ſcourge and crucifie the old man,28 that hater of this our Bleſſed Saviour; let us humble him to the duſt by laying aſide all our gorgeous apparel, all our ſplendid pomp and vanity, all feaſting and carouſing jollity; for you will find in Scripture, all ſuch things to be not only very unſeaſonable, but very ſin­ful alſo, when God ſo lowdly calls for humili­ation, for ſackcloth, for faſting, weeping and mourning; at ſuch a time feaſting and bra­very, is an unpardonable iniquity, as plain­ly appears, Iſa. 22.14. Wherefore now we muſt totally humble our ſelves, both out-ſide and in-ſide, all gallantry muſt be put off, ſackcloath put on; we muſt mortifie our car­nal beſtial luſt, we muſt pinch our luxurious belly by continued faſting, whoſe frequent feaſting hath cauſed ſuch exceſſive luſts of un­cleanneſs; therefore I ſaid, continued faſting, this day ſhould be but the beginning of our humiliation for ſuch long continued ſins; for which let our eyes break forth into fountains of tears, to waſh away the loathſome filth thereof: Then let us take ſome ſharp thorn from the Crown of our heavenly King, or a Nail from his ſacred feet to pierce our hard­ned hearts, that ſome drops of blood at leaſt may fall from thence, ſeeing what ſtreams of29 blood ran down from his; then let deep ſighs and groans pierce the ve­ry heavens, that God from his mercy ſeat may hear and look down with compaſſion up­on us, and pardon all our crying ſins: for as Micah to our great comfort ſaith, We have a God that pardoneth iniquity, and delighteth in mercy; he will turn again, he will have compaſſion upon us, he will ſubdue our iniquities, and will caſt all our ſins into the depths of the Sea, Micah 7.19. Oh then let it be our delight to praiſe and ſerve this gracious God, who then will bleſs us, and pour down his benefits upon us; he will give us our own hearts deſire, as David aſ­ſures us, Pſal. 37.4. Delight thou in the Lord and he will give thee thy hearts deſire. He will give us peace, plenty and proſperity. All this is again confirmed to us by Saint Paul, with a clear convincing evidence, Rom. 8.32. I beſeech you mark it well, and write it in your hearts, to your endleſs comfort. He that ſpared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? He that ſpared not his own Son, his only Son, his infinitely beloved Son, but delivered him up for us all, yea, deli­vered him up to that moſt reproachful and moſt30 cruel death of the Croſs, How ſhall he not with him alſo freely give us all things? He ſhall give us, and freely give us, Peace, Plenty, Proſperity, all things. Now to this ſo infi­nitely gracious God be aſcribed, as is moſt due, all Honour, Praiſe, and Glory for ever and ever. AMEN.