THE DESTR VCTION OF SODOME: A SERMON PREACHED at a publicke Faft, before the ho- nourablc Aflembly of the Commons Houfe of Parliament, At St. M a r g a r e t s Church in Weftminfter. By I o h n Harris, Preacher thercHSwko. "WincRettex Colleo^ .fflie ofc fcha Jt-fiemAAy of Twines, "Feb. 18. 1628.. LONDON, t Printed by H.L. and for G.i.atbum3l dwelling in Pauls Church-yard, at the figne of the Bifhops head. ' r ir „ ' - -i >— *ki, - ' J> - - •• V- I O x r # • >5." ' '' » • " -:• - ** V «>•*• =» '. •■' ' if 'v ' * •• i* - *>' ' | v V, \ o x ' * . M / ?• f •* j ' i « \ j , : i . • V" u ■ ■ ' %■. -- f V " • t # « Lord rained vpon Sodome and Gomorrah brimftone and fire, from the Lord out of Heauen. The time adminiftreth occafion to difcourfe of she Agents longanimity, and of the Patients iniquity* The The deftruH'ton o/Sodoue. T he a£t and the materials,giue way to treate of Gods fcuerity, and of Sodomeand Gomorrah's mifery. Thus then wee will proceed, Gods grace afli- fting. Firft, fpeake of Gods clemency,and ofSodom and Gomorrah's impiety. Secondly, declare Gods fury, and Sodom and Gomorrah's calamity. Thirdly, conclude with an application of fuch vfes,as may be made by the ftory. Firft o* Gods clemency, andofSodome and Gomorrah's impiety. There is not a greater antipathy betwixt any two natures in the world, than there is betwixt the nature of God and finne: You may fooner reconcile fire and water, heate and cold, lig ht an d darknefle, than God and Mammon, Chriftand Belial, the holy Ghoftand Dagon. God hates finne wherefoeuer he findes it, be it in Hcauen or Earth, in Men or Angels, in Ele<5f or Reprobates. Indeed his Mercy, his fweet blefled Mercy, ro which mankinde hath beene euer much bound, fleuer ceafeth foiliciting him to treat Adams chil- dren with all the fauourheemay, and like to an importunate fuitor,neuergiueth ouer crauingof him, vntill he make her a promife, that bee wiUnet k execute the fietcenejfe of his auger, other wife the world ftiould heare oftner from him than it doth. Ho wloeuer though mercy doth much with God, yet mercy doth not all, iuftice may bee heard : if the fufpcnlion of iudgement worke no remorfe in 6 ThedeJlruElionof Sodome in finners hearts, totakepitie vpon their ovvne foulcs, and to pleafe God, iuftice will procure H.om.2.8^. that God fliall render indignation and wrath, trt- halation and angttijh, vpon entry foule of man that dotheuilf to the lew first , and alfo to the Gentile. Aqum.f>,%.q,ii MifcrUoriia Deo attribuiturfecundum effettumjion 3' fecundum pafsionis ajfeftum • Mercy is attributed vnto God according to the effeft, not according to the affc&of the paffionrit doth neuer tranfporc him beyond himfclfe, neither caufeth it him vt- terly to ftop his eares to his iuftice, when it plea- - deth for indignation. Tis euident in. holy Writ, that Mercy is potent with God, hath a great hand with him • hee will heare her mediating for the moft notorious raalefadors in the world, if hee can difcerne in them any hope of amendment. How long did he protrad: Sodom's ruine, and what courfes did hee take to reclaime tliem t fent Lot to preach to them, ftirr'd vp foure Kings to make warrevpon them, gauc them victory ouer them, and when they had taken the people, and were carrying of them into eaptiuity,preft Abra- <<5eiU4,if»i6. ham out to refcue them, who himfclfe a- gainst tbm, be and his jeruants by ntebt, andfinote them, and purfaed them vnto Hob a, which is on the_j left hand of Damafcm, and he brought backe all the_^> goods, and alfo brought againe his brother Lot, and his goods ^ and the women alfo, and the people. Yea when their finncs cryed out for brimftone, flames & wrath was gone out from God,and he had dif- S«n.ia,:i. patcbedhis miniftringfpiritstogoedovene,andfee whether they had dm altogether according to the € The deftruBion o/Sodome. of it which came vp vntohim. Hee protefted vnto Abraham, if hee couidfindeten righteous men there, he would not deflroy them for tent fake. Gods Gen.18.31. goodnefle towards them, doth furpaflc all orato- rie to cxpreffe,all cogiration to thinke; he would haue fparcd them vponany tolerable termes,they might haue made their peace vpon any indifFe- rent conditions: God,Ifay,tooke no delight in their defolation. Atlaft, when hee faw that no preaching, no warre, no captiuity, no rcdempti- on from captiuity, could beget any piety among them, Then the Lord rained vpon Sodome and Go- month brim ft one and fire, from the Lord out of Heauen„ Their finnes were infufferable. notordinarie, but great, very great tranfgreflions : they did prouoketheiufticeof God from the greateft of them, to the littleft of them,they did euen againft nature and common reafon agree to bee wicked, they were not onely finners, drawneto iniquitie by the ftrong incitations of nature, but they were wicked, induftrioufly wicked, willingly wicked; like to the houfeof Iacob, they dctnfed iniquity Mkahi.;; vpo* their beddet, and when the morning w.u light, they pratttsd//:They were feelerum principes^& inuentores, prime oflfendors, and inuentors of new villanies ; they tooke delight in damn'd traofgreiTions, their greateft glory was in the greateft iniquity,and they were then moft merry, when the God of Abraham was moft angry. I rcadeof a people in Ptcenum, that were called B Nequi - 1— 1 8 The deflru&ion of Sodom e . "Btili] tab. Geogra. Gcn.13.i3. Seneca, Ntqui nates . Wicked ones, i [oh im quit ate, laith the Geographer, from the naughtinetfeof their foile : the men of Sodomearecall'd wicked ones from the iniquity of their manners. The men of Sodome were Tnvi&i rsd &i*af7z>Kc^ wicked and finnrrs before the Lord exceedingly. Pride , a finne, that TrofpMb.i de made of Angels Diuels, as Profpcr faith 3 a finne vu.cont.cap.i. tkat js fore.runner to deftru&ion :as Solomon Pro. is. 18. / fiiewes, Humilitygotth before honour, and a haughty fpirit before a fak. A finne, of which they that are guilty, haue God alwayes at their backes to take vengeance of them for it, as Seneca hath it ^Sequi- tur fupeibos vltor at ergo Deus, was in high efteem? among them: excefliue they were aboue meafure* a mortall iniquity, Diues epulo, eft Parochianus Di- aholo:A rich Epicure, is a Parifhionertothe Di- uell. Thehigher men feede,the more outragious the bloud boiles, and the harder taske it is to re- fift concupifcence. lefurun waxed fat and kicked • thou art waxen faty thou art growne thtckey thou art conered with fatnejfe • then hee forfooke God which male him, and lightly efieemed the recke of hit fal- nation. Idleneffe likewife, a finne capitall by the Ecclnf.j3.17- lawes of Draco; A fin that teacheth much emU: A finne that choaketh vertue, nouriflieth pride, fra- metha life fit onely for hell fire, a finne, the whole vniuerfity of things cries downe, aboun- ded among them : whereas all other creatures were perpetually in adiion -trees.growing, wa- tcrs flowing, birds flying,oxen plowing,fphearcs raouing, the men of Sodome, like to {landing ponds., DcUt.32.i5. The dejt ruction j/Sodome. 9 ponds, like to Sodornes Salt-pits^ ftunke for lacke of motion. The poore they did contemne ; a crying finne: Negatur gutta, qui negtuit mi cam, A — Aug. droppe of water is denied to Diues tocoolehis tongue, being in hell in torments, who denied a Lake nj. crumme from oflfhis table to Lazarus, to allay his hunger, lining on earth in pleafures; Thefe were finnes which the earth it felfe could no longer endure: hearken, and I will fliew you greater abominations than thefe. Mafculine beaftiality 5 A finne, none but a Di- uell, come out of Hell in the likeneffeofaman, dares to commit: a finne, enough to defile the tongue that taikes of it 5 a finne, of which,if a man were furc neither God nor man did know of it, yet the turpitude of it jfliould bee motiuc enough to make a reafonable creature difdaincit, was as allowable among them by cuftome, as any other a&, in other Common-wealths, is by law: Nay, Teccabant, publicabant 5 They did finne, and Augiikit. not for (hame hide it, but with oftcntation they cy?- did publifli it, tis manifeft. Gods rchearfingWeu Iudahs finnes, faith, They declare their Efay !9> dome did i to doe euill, and toreioyceat it, tis a defperateiniquity. dcplcr&ta nequitU: a lamenta- caiuin. ble wickedneffe • for men to finne, and to take paftirne in it, to anger the powers of Heauen, and to ioy in it, to fet their foules burning in the flames of finne, as Nero fet Rome on fire, and to behold them with afFi dhtion, like raging waues of the fea,for men to fome out their owne fliame, good Lord, that euer the children of women B 2 ihould io The deftruBion d/SodoMe. fliould bee fo tranfcendcntly wieked : it was im- pofliblefor any but incarnate Diuels to cxcell them in wickedneffe. Furthermore, there was publicke liberty of finning; each man gauc his cor, fen t for the allowance of villany, no man ac- cufing, or condemning,or correcting, or deplo- ring the iniquities that were among them: Onely Lot perfwadeth, / pray you, 'Brethren, doe not fo w/^r^/^andthcy frump him tovit.This onefellow 1 came in to foiourne , and hee milneedes bee a ludge There was fuch a habit of filthineffe, that vn- righteoufnefle was reputed for righteoufnelfe, andthegainfayerof vncleanneffe, was blamed more than the aCtour. Their Magiftratcs, that had regall power, neuer interpoled their author:- tie, to bridle them in their beaftlydefires : And (my beloued) that is a daring finnc,whcn the Ma- giftrates, that fliould bee to the people like gods toimitate,fliall be euery iot as wicked as themul- Herodot* — titudes : Infers ores font foperiorum fimti, Infe- riours they are the apes of fupcriours $ whereby it commeth to pafle, that thofe which are called to high places in the world,ey ther carry many to / dcftru&ion with themfelues, or bring many into tuigm.tp 6. t^lc vvay vitiation with themfelues,as Fulgen- ad Tbced.scn. tius faith to Theodorus a Senarour of Rome: Scclul.i,o.r the ludge of1 people is himfelfefo are his officers, and what manner of man the Ruler of a City is, fuch are they that dwell therein. Now that the Rulers of Sodome fhould be fuch, as did not only conniue, winkeatwickedneffe,but euen tolerate, my ap- proue, yea partake with the people in their, abo- minations; _. 77; e deJlruElion of Sodom e. r i urinations; it was ominous , it did portend Tome dreadfulliudgemcnt comming vpon the whole Nation, when the vices of inferiours arediffem- bled and winked:at by gouernours,they are refer- ued for the iudgement of God. I had as liue fee a blazing ftarre burning in the Heauens, as a wio ked man in a place of power : an earth-quake is not fo prodigious as a wicked R uler. Before God broke downe the wals of Babylon, and burnt the high gates with fire, hee threatnedto makedrunke Icr.j1.j7. her Princes, and her Wifernen, and her Captaines^and her Rulersy and her mighty men : An inundation of vngodlinefle muft needes ouerflow a Land, when thofethathaue the ouerfight, doe fuperintend, and fhould bound wickedneife, are themfclues boundlefly wicked.Religion muft of necefsity go downe the wind, as it did in Sodome,when thofe that fhouldvphold itjdoemoftprophaneit; one of the firft in authority, and one of the laft in Chriftianity. Ethelbertus Kingof Kent in the Heptarchy was wont to fay,twas a figne of a very euill man, fingulvs quiffc homoy&6.Euery particu- ^ug.decmf, lar man is- a part of the City and Kingdome LeiM+*caPm3*- wherein he was borne, be it neuer fo ample, as a letter is part of a word, faith Auguftine. Some bee like to capitall or text letters, as great men: fome to fmaller chara&ers, as men of low degree: foinebelike to vowels, as men in authority riome to mutes and liquids, as the vulgarfort: all men goe to the making of a City or Kingdome, as all letters go to the making vpof words. And as in a woidvif one letter be araiffe, though but a mute, ~ ' B 3 it 12 The deftmElion Sodome. it may danger to marre the word, though not fo much as if a vowell bee defaced; fo in a City or Kingdome, if one man be blotted with finne, fay but a meane man, it may bring a deftru&ion to that City or Kingdome, yet not fo fooneas if a man of higher place be blurd with impiety. Here were fins enow to fpt~patience in a rage, and to transforme the God pf mercy into wrath, and yet God refpited their fubueifion fo long, vntill their fins came bellowing vp into Heauen, and were ready to lay an imputation of partiality vpon his iuftice. Three hundred and forty yeares, Chronologie faith, palled betwixt the drowning of the world with water,and the burn- ing of Sodome with brimftoneand fire, all, or a great part of which time, God was grieued with that generation 5 and if euer they would hauebe- thought themfelues to alter their conditions, had there beene but. a fprinkling, a gleaning of good people in her, one honeft foule for a thoufand re- ^ probates, God would haue repented him of his purpofe: at lafts when the Lord looked, nay fent downe from Heauen,faw there was no hope,thcy werealtogether corrupt, and become abomina- ble in their doings, there were none that did good, no not Tensthcnthc Lor drained vpon Sodom nnd Gomorrah brimftone and fire, from the Lord & ut of Heauen., Tis recorded of IuliusCadar, that hee neuer entertained hatredagainft any man fo deeply,but Suem.vitt he was willing to lay downe the fame vpon occa- lion offered; and the author doth inftanceinthis, when The deflruHionof Sodom e. when C. Mcmnius piit-in far the Confulfliip,hee befriended him before others of the Competiti- v on, notwithftandingthat C. Memnius had made bitter inue&iu es again ft hiim Our God5to whom all theCadars & Kings of the earth are tributaries and homagers, doth neuer hate (I take hatred as~ tis an intention of God in ptinifhing) fo irrecon- cileably,but truchiamiliariqn will workearecon^. t, ciliation- that maketh him fay, PatkvtuDei pras — 1 turbut • Gods patience doth euen diftra&good men, maketh them to wonder at him, how hee canindurefuch palpabledjfhonour^and fufpend yengeanee: When Dauid fiiw theprafperity of the wicked, hee faith, his feet were almoHgone, his pfa] fleps had well nhh fhpt. And when God, becaufe the Niniuites had turned from their euill waiesa, repented of the euill which he faid he would doe vnto them, and did it not,, itdifpleafedUn Ian 2, with the blefsing of go ednejfe. k He renueth his kind- nejfe euery morning. He muft be called vpon once, Pfal ?4.j,4, twice, thrice, to render vengeance: Lord, hovo long jhallthe wicked 5 how long [ha Uthe wicked tri- umph • how long jhtU they vtter and fpeake hard * things ? I dare fay by a T>olet quoties cogi- tur ejfeferox Tis a gricfe to our God, fo often as «ludg 10. i£, men conftraine him, to bee cruell. e His ftule it <1 icrem.31*10 grieved for the mifery of ifnel • His 4 bowels are troubUd for Ephraims ftke. The rainbow is an embleme of Gods mercy 5 tis planted in the clouds5ifyou raarkeit, as if man were (hooting at God-, and not as if God were (hooting at man. The fituation of the Propitiatory,or Mercy-feat, Ex*Uf.*x« was an argument of his mercy: God comman- ded it (hould be planted ouertheArke,in which was the tcftimony, thebookeofcurfings, that fo mercy might bee neare at hand to pronounce fentence of abfolution,when iuftice is in hand to e jimbr.Epifi. denounce fentence of condemnation. e Offucb 6b,i.ep. j. infinite compafsion was our Lord and Sauiour Chrijl Jefmyhdt he would hauepardoned ludasyf Judas hid f Aug.fib.iy hid grace to haue ask t forgmenejje. Auguftinef faith, taprj.de ciuit, J~0me 0f chem were forgiuen, that murdered ChriH* In the 34. of Exodus, where himfelfe proclaimeth his nature by adie&iues, hee begins Enod.S+6. with mercifull, The Lord, the Lord God, merciful &c. as if mercy load a priority in him. In the 115. Pfilme, rerft 5. he doubles the epithite mercifull, Mercifull ts the Lord^and righteous; yea, and our God is mercifull: as if he had two quantities of mercy in him for one ot iuftice j as if no a as. the Angt 11 faid, Small reafon therefore hap£ diffolute wrefehesi tocontemne good pepple,ifthey confident: It was abafevnworthy fpeech ot Hainan, when hee told King Ahalhuerofh > H voasnqtfpr his profit to Heft.j.a. Jufftr the leweg Himfdfe and his kingdome fared the better for fuch inhabitants. Make much of honcft men, my Beloucd 3 make much of Iionefl men: they are rneduRtwundtf.o the world a$ mar- row is to the bones, tbu fhength and ft.ty; of it. Thetareswouldquickly,he; weeded, vp, wereit not for plucking vp the good corne alio* So long as there are good men,poflibly the world may endure: when once there is..a; gencrall dearth of good men,adue this prefent world for.euef more. No maruaile Laban was fb loath to p£rc with Ia^ cob, and would come to a now.com polition with him,rather than he fhouldquithis feruice the had learnt by experience* that the Lord had bleffedhm. Gen.30.17; for iacobsfake. Dauid cries out in Helpe Lord: And why i what is the matter whh.P'Jk».». Dauid f O th q godly man ceafeth^tbe frith full fault from among the children of men: And is that fuch a matter to bee tran ported at * Yes* it 1$ a fatal! figne, when there is a decreafe ol good men • Ex- Efay t ^ ceft the Lord of Hefls had left vattvs a fee d,wee_j fh wld haue been as Sodome^ and we(hould hane been Uke.vnto Gomorrah. The Dragon that « wroth with ihemmatt, t»a- Apoc.11.17. ktth z z The dejiruttion Sooome. kethvoarre with the remnant of her feed^ that is, the Diuell who is wroth with the Church, in all ages hath plotted the ruines ofthofe which kecpe the commandements of God, and haue the tefti- tnony oflefus Chrift, and infufed a ftrong con- ceit in the hearts of all his fubie&s^that they were the caufes of all calamities. If Tiber ouerflowed herbankes, if Nilus did not water the fields, if the heauens were brafle, or the earth quaked, if there were a plague or famine in the Common* 7cn,Apot. wealth of Rome, the people cried,To the Lyon with a Chriftian j as if their being had bcene the caufeof all miferies. St.Auguftine faith it grew .. . . .7 toa Prouerbein Rome, Pluutadefecit,chriflUni Aug.icauit. , . at*- i i r •! i i r i DoMb.i.up.i.nomtnisgratta^ Raine hath railed, becaufe the name Chriftian is tolerated. Alas,blinde Hea- ^ then, were it not for Chriftianity, there would foone bee an end of Infidelity s God blefletftthe Egyptians houfe forlofephs fake, not Iofeph for the Egyptians fake, Gcdbleft Sodomefor Lots fake, not Lot for Sodomes fake, tis euident here in this Text: for while Lot remained within her wals, it went well with her; when Lot was gone out of her, Then the Lord rained vpon Sodome and Gomorrah brimftone and fire, from the Lord out of Heauen. The fame day that Lot went out of Sodome> it rained fire and brimttone from Heauen, and de- flroyed them aU: he that rained it beares record of it, Luke 17.25. And we know that his record is true. • • " ? • - t t . x y «, ^ \ ^ -J W' ^ , i V l v-4 * si %S- • | * *" v " ; W *v 2. Secondly, of Gods fury, and of Sodome and Gomorrahsmifery. Cod The defiruSlion o/Sodome. 2 $ God is no way To long fuffering in bearing,that he is not as iuft in punifhing • If a man will not turne, he will whet his fword. Godfpunout the 'thread of his loue toanimmeafurable length, to try whether the men of Sodome would lay hold of it- hee did angle for them, fate in heauen, let downe the line of his loue, and baited it with his mercy, to prouc whether the men of Sodome would fwallowit, that hee might catch their foules.Twas long before he was prouoked,he did Another indignation many yeares, before it kindled and came to bee deuouring flame; and when all would not preuaile,TA^ the Lord rdined vpon Sodome and Gomorrah brimftone and fire, from theLordoutof Heanen. Here, my Beloued, I will giue you another ob- feruation: As God is infinite in fuffering, vrged, thoroughly vrged, before he will breake out into fury, fo hee is violent and fierce in the; execution of his iudgement, when hee is refolued vpon it: The longer the archer drawes before hee loofes, the forer (hot hee maketh; the longer God is be- fore he poureth forth his vengeance, the more twill fcorch. I seed not fearch other Chronicles for examples to verifie this colledion, Sodome and Gomorrah ratifie the truth of it. Strabo faith, nature wrought this ad, and that the fire iffited strab6.ceog. out of the earth which confumed thefe citiesjbut M i?> lay watt at their neighbours doores ? and do not wo- men fit blowzing in their windowes, looking for . S their paramours, as the mother of Sifirra did for ' her fonne i Pride neuer rode in that ftate in the ftreets of Sodome when it went abroad, nor was bedecktinthatgorgeousfafliionwhen it ftaid at home. IdleneiTe like to a pernicious tetter hath onerrunthe land;there are among vs an abun- dance 7 be deftruFlion of Sodome, dance of luch people as thofe ThefTalonians were which the Apoftle increpatcs, in- ordin&tcly, working not at ah: Of men many , of VThc^.n. women not a few, befldes thofe fan-burnt vaga- bonds that lye basking vndcr hedges , and yaw- ling in high wayes, trufting charity with their liues, rather than labour • which oftentimes fai- ling them, of beggcrs they become felons, and fo end their dayes oftentimes curfedly vpon a tree- theiuft iudgementof God vpon them for their inordinate walking. How many men borne of gentle bloud, and bred vp at the feet of Gama- lielin thefchooles of the Prophets and Semina- ries of learning, of pregnant capacities, and able bodies, liue out of all honefl vocations, facrifice all their time eyther to Morpheus the minifter of fleep,orto Bacchus the god of wine, or to Venus the goddeffe of beauty, as if neither the true God, nor the Common-wealth deferued any time to be fpent in their feiuicc, all were due to the bed, the tauerne,. and the brothel- houfe? Edebant & bibebant, The men of Sodome did 17.28; catc and drinkc, faith our Sauiour; Ecccpeccatttm — vtlnptatu^Behold thefinneof voluptuoufneife: Take notice of the garbs of men of prefent times, and truftmeenot if youdoe not fee Sodome e- quailed, if not outftriptin gluttony : Could the Manes of any man appeare, that euer dwelt with- in the confines of that Country, at one of our feafts,theghoft wouldfay ourfeafts doefarrcex- cecd. If euer Nation was to bee condemn'd for fuperfluity in fare,. I doe bewailethis Land,in E 3 which ~T(, deftruttionof Sodome. ^ . ————i which I was borne, and this City in which now I breathe; good Lord, that thou (houldeft giue vs plenty, and we ihould fpend it fo profufely. Luke 17.18.' Emebant & vcndebtnt,The men of Sodome — did buy and fell, Bcce peccatum cupiditatis, Behold the fin of couetoufneffe: And had couetoufneffe a habitation in Sodome? and was filthy auarice a caufe of her defolation < then Lord bee merciful! vnto our Land, that hath many a member in it, who out of a couetous defire,haue made a marri- age with filuer, and giuen a bill of diuorce to Iefus Chrift 1 TheClergie in the Church, as in Pro- """* fpers generation, Nen rut meliores, fedvt dittores, vita con.'1* ncc vtfancliores,fedvt honor atiores ftnt ceteris fe- Jiinant , Make hafte not to be better, but to bee ri- cher, not to be more holy, but to be more honou- rable than other men 5 forgetting that of St. Paul „ Timothy, No man that warreth entangleth him~ felfe with the affaires of this life, that he maypleafe^j him who hath chef en him to be a fouldier. The Gen- try in the countrey,as in Auguftines dayes, magii MgJecm.if* fjomach an tar (i viliam malam habeant, qukrn it vi~ lib+cap.1* J c J rTjj 1 1 J rr r tam, are rarre more offended at thebadnefle or their Lordfhips, than at the badneffe of their liues- neuer remcmbring that of Salomon, Riches n profit not in the day of wrath, but vkhteQxfnefft deli- Prou.ii.4. * J . r . , yJ,f ^ 1, p . -L. V ueretb from death. The Gallants in the Court, as in Iugurtha King of Numidia's daies, are fo pro- diga I I, that they will not keep goods themfelues, and !o couetous, that they will not fuffer others to keepe theirs 5 making no vfe of the Apoftles pre- Rom,i^.8, cept 30wene man anything, but to laue we another. The The deftruElion of Sodome. 37 The Aduocates unci Pleaders at thebarre, as in PopeEugenius his dayes, greedy of filthy lucre, RcrnjikA i, looke their Honorarium fhould be of fuch a value, coafid. L that a man had better take our Sauiour Chrifts counfell litteraliy vndcrftaod, If anyfue him at the Matth.5.40. law and take away his coate, let him haue his cloaks alfoy than contend for his coate againe ; neuer re- membring that fpecch of our Sauiour to the Pub- licans, Exatt no more than that which is appointed Lukc h you. zALdif.cahant, & plant ah aht, They planted, they LukCI builded,Eccepeccatum fecuritatis 5 Behold the fin " 7 * 9 of fecurity: And did fecurity make her neft with- in that for euer cuvfed countreyf Examine all that euerbreath'dout of Englilh ayre, and let them fpeake the truth from their hearts,and verily they muftcertifie, none that euer were fprinkled with j the water of Baptifme^nuzzlethemfelues more in - fecurity than wee. Stratonicus told the Rhodes, they builded as if they would liuecuer, andeate as if they would dye prefently : For Gluttons, thofe Epicures that defired of the gods neckes fo long as Cranes, that the delicious rellifh of meats anddrinkesmightremainelong, werenotmore to be blamed than fome among vs: Andforbuif- ders, Nimrod that was a prime agent in Babels Gen, building, was not more ambitious of eternizing his name than we 5 nor Abfolon,that built a tower Ig> in the volley of South tokecpe his name in hrance, calling it Abfolons place. Nay, we are noccleare of that finne of Sodom, which cryed to Heauen forbrimftone,with that . " ~ which > $ 8 The deftruFl'ton Sodome. which cried lowdeft, of reioycing in doing euill. A fin not greater than can bee f orgiuen • for what {inne can bee fo deadly, that the death of Chrift will not laluebut I dare fay tis a finnethat mu/l haue an infinite meafureof mercy, andanabun- dant meafure of teares to wafli it away 5 and yet tis among vs an vfuall finne,and very vfuall finne: Markeit when you pleafe, when two humours meet that loue finne alike, you (hall heare the one vaunting to the other of his wickednefTe,and then laugh himfelfe at his ovvne beaftlinefle, cheere vp his heart at the repetition of his owne vngodli- neffe. O Lord,looke downe from heauen, behold and vifice the world,and reftrainc the fons of men from this moftgrieuous iniquity. Ephraimand Manafles are in our Land, ful- neffe of bread and forgetfulnefle of God. Gog and Magog are in our mother City, pride and plenty. Bloud maketh a clamour at the gates of heauen for vengeance, opprefllon prefleth him to poure downe the vials of his wrath, blafphemy and (wearing challenge him for his long fuffe- —' ring a finne that maketh a man worfe than a theefe, worfc than death, worfe than worfe than ludas: worfc than a becaufe the theefe robbeth onely in the night,the Vfurer robs both day and night: worfe than death, becaufe death kils onely the body, the Vfurer kilsboth body and foule: worfe than kell% becaufein hell onely the bad (hall bee punifhed, the Vfurer puniiheth both good and bad: laftly, worfe than ludas; for Iudas reftored the money againc which hee had vniuftly The dejlruttion of Sodome. 39 vniuftly taken, but the Vfurerfeldotne makes re- ftitution, is had in more execration among Turkes than ChrijlUns: for Viri honi Deum timete, — &fceucrori pr*termittitt\ qui enim Kjnrsry vtvuut9 DawtnUci refurgunt :Yee that begood men ,feare God, and put no money to vfury 5 far they that liueVfurers, doe rife Deuils, are the words ill their Alcoran. The times are grownc monftrous. there is difcord in focieties, fraud io merchants, corruption in officers, conniuehcy in magiftrates, fymonieinminiftcts;euery night brings forth a theefe,euery day a decciuer,euery minute a drun- kard, and euery weeke a raurtherer: we are fallen into ftich times the Prophet fpeakes Onr Bfy Are defiled voith hloud, And our fingers with iniquity\ our lips doe fpeoke lies, And our tongues mutter per- uerfntffe. There was neuer that vice reign'd, but now tis rife, yea I tlunke I may fay it,and not be- lye the world 5 there bee many new vices reigne now, which Sodome and Gomorrah neuer heard of: there be new deuices to coufin with, new fa- fhionstobe proud with, new oaths to biafphemc with, new merits to iuftifie by, new Articles of Faith to belecue, new Sacraments to receiue, new gods found out to wor(hip,and new Media- tours to intercede: Fall to your prayers, and beg feruently of God to fend that ond new earth, of which St. Peter fpeafceth, wherein dwtU*Pet leth right eoufnejje:ftr this whole worldlyethin w'tc-,.iobn,j.i». kednejfe, as St. Iohn faith: And for my part, 1 de- fpaireofit, doubt twill neuer be better before it be purged with fire. F -v - -" 'v J }'■■■ J- 40 The deftruftion o/Sodome Ambr it Abrc* fdtr. c*p,6. Gen,19.4* Ixccb»5h4* — Nulls at as erat culpa immunis, No age was free from wickednefie in Sodome: the infants,whom nature yet denied ftrength to perpetrate a&uall iniquity, had defire; and the old men that were decayed in ftrength, had eyes full of adultery, Omnes omm mslo replerentur r They were all fil'd with euery euill. The men of Sodome ctmpajfed Lets ^fcj/eround5bothold and youngsoil the pec- pie from euery quarter, not ten righteous peribns could be found among many thoufand foules. £ cannot fay fo of this Nation: for I doe refolue tnyfelfe, 1 may confidently fpeakeastheLord did to Saint Paul in a vifion by night concerning Corinth: God hath much people in this City\ more in this Land, and daily may he adde to thenum- ber of them: And as he did to Ezechielthe Pro- phet in a vifion concerainglerufalcm, There arcs feme that fighand cry for all the abomtMions that be dmu m the midfl of vs,and daily may he adde to the number of thofe likewife: But withall, when I make an eftimate of the multitude of people that are contained within our borders, andob- ferue fo many marching furioufly after their own lufts? for fo few following of IcfusChrift, lam affraid of fame vengeanceapproching,becaufe I doe not know what the will ofthe Lord is, whe- therhewill fpare the place for their fakes. I doe lay as much vpon Gods mercy as I may without wronging his iuftice, heewill not be mouedto poure forth his vengeance, vnleflfe finners fuper- abound in vices b neucrtbeleffe when and where you find alliniquity planted, all rebellion again ft The deftruElion o/Sodome. 41 God reigning, all the crying finnes roufting, you may take liberty to proclaime what you feare,fal- nation ftept afide 5 and dcftru&ion wing d ready to feize vpon that people for a prey. Eduardusthe Confeflbr,oneofthelaftaf the Saxon Kings, faid vpon his death bed, that the Ho!;m(i]Xhro. wickedneue of the Engliih was complete and growne to the height, and the reuenge and pu- mlhtnent thereof would fliortly follow. Loth I am to prefagevnluckilyof any grieuous calami- tie likely to betide my natiue Countrey, I had ra- ther promifethe lengthtiing of tranquillity, were it not that your felues and your finnes would cry out vpon me for flattery, if I fliould. I wifli with all my foule,that/*<«« • may bee within a pral.m.7; end plcnteoufnejfe within your pelects, Long may you * wafhyour fleps with buttery end mey the rocket b lob 29.*. ptureyououtriuers ejoyle. Long may yourc mouthsc be filed with laughter, and year tongues with toy. Godbleffeyour *vi8uxls with incrtafe,andfatf- a pfai.(?,.tf. fie your poor e with breed. Send that cyeur Jons mey c grew vp as the young plent stands hat your daughtersll*,4' mey be as the Polifbed corners of the temple: That your garners mey be full, end abounding in ell manner of fore, and that your (heepemay bring forth thoufands and ten thoufands in your Jireets-thatyour oxen may beftrong te labour, that there may bee no inuafion, no leading into captiuity, no complaining your ftrettes: That you may dwell without fexre, s euery g Rcg, man vnderhis vine, and euery ma hming peace round about you, as Iudah and Ifrael had. Godk make the hernt of our Dauid to bud, H Pfal.1j1.17, Fa clothe,gt 42 TrbedeflruBionof S odom e clothe his enemies with Jbame, hut on him let his Crotvneflonrifh • make hts feed to endure for euer^oni his throne as the dtyes of Heauen: All the good that euer was conferd of all Nations, Iwifhheaped vpon you. They were wont to fay of Pericles, that Suadela, the goddeife of eloquence fate vpon his lips, he did by his Rhetorique fo winne the hearts of the Athenians to him. From the bottome of my heart I wifli our words were made fo powerfull, as to wooe all that heare vs to con- uert from their finnes,and to turnc vnto the Lord, that fo we might neuer need to fore-tell of anger and wrath ready to defcend from heauen :.but the intolerable head finne hath got, kindleth in mee a ftrong iealoufie, that eyther the end of all things is at hand, to make a cleane riddance of the wic- ked and their vrickedneflTc, orelfe that fome bit- teriudgement is nearej- itisneare, and hafteth greatly to fcourge vs for our iniquities. I haue no skill in diuination, yet let not my words- feeme to you, as the report the women madeofChrifts refurre&ion feemed to the Apo- Luke 14.11. files, >Sp©-> tale, doe not Height them altogether5as Lots fons in-law didLots counfcll: when hce told them God would deftroy that Ci-~ Gca.19140 tie, heefeemed to his fortnes in-law as though hee had mockt. Idoenorfpeakethem out ofanyfuddainc fla(h of vndigefted zeale, I haue made collediion vpon collection, and obferuation vpon obferua- tion3and been at warre within my felfcin my me- ditations, how to deliuer my minde difcreetly and chriftianly, to auoidc the imputation of an Enthtte | i — M-|| - ■ , i I, , - ,, , — — The Aeftrutlion o/Sodom e. ■m £nthufiafticke,and I find the rimes fo out ofmea- furefinfull, vices of all forts, blotidy, beaftly vi- ces, fo fowly committed, and fo little punifhed, vertuefo fincerely. preached and fo little pradi- fed, that I doe looke eyther for a fudden amend- mentofall hands,.(w.hichlwill bee plaine with you I mifdoubt: For can the MtrUn hit Ier.i3,»j. sktnncypr the Leopard his [pots Ino more caps they doe weUy that ate accuftomed to> doe euitl*) or elfefor fome punifhanent fud denly; and if it come nor, tis Gods extraordinary mercy, becaufe his compaf- fionsfailenot. We may fay in our profperity wefliall ncuer be remoued, God of his goodneffe hath made our bill foftrong j our poore fhallbee lacisficd with bread, and our children within vs, our mowers fhall'continue fillingofthcir hands, and they that gathervpthe fheaucs their bofotnes: Yet^«re_» Eccluf,jj,i#. me, heart me, ye great men of the people, and hearken with your tares yet that be rulers of the congregation: Husband your prouifions neuer fo frugally, re- plenifhyour ftore-houfes neucr fo aboundanly, ^ barter with forrcine Nations for wine to ftotc your cellars, fend into your owne vallies for wheat e to fill your granaries, and be not carefull of the Vineyardof the Lord of Hofts,to prune off her rotten branches, if you doc not labour that the Lord of heauen and earth may haue a plenti- full harueft, if you doe not fet iuftice as a weeding hooke to the rootes of vices, to crop them ma- turely, fo fisre tbor is among the mount awes, a feM^ig; and di Gar me I is by the fea, Thfjlles[balih grove in b Iobi*«*9v, E 3Jetdg > 44 Tbedeftru&'tonof Sodome. _gf Jiead of wheat e, and cackles inJlead of hat ley: Tour c Hal, 107.34 ^fruit full landfball be made barren^ becaufe of the^j wickednejfe of thofe that dwell therein. Againc, Heare me7 heare me^yee great men of the fcafle^ and hearken with your eares yee that be rulers tf the eengregstitu: Giuc order to cleanfc your o- pen ftreetcs from all annoyances that may breed aninfe&ion, and to purge your priuate houfes frotnalifcum and filth that may prouc contagi- ous j yetifyoudoenot exercife your authority, to fweepe away finnc out of your countries, and cities, and villages, and priuate families, take —~ heed a peftilence, morbus incognitas medicis^ a dif- eafe the phyfttians know not what to make of, 1* f°ch a onc as hild in ifrael70000*feople in threes dtyes^ doe not creep into your particular houfes, to kill your wiues out of your bofomes, and your children in your cradles, and make your mer- chant men to drop downe dead in yourftreetes, as they are trotting to the Exchanges: dung in your ftreetcs will not breed a plague To foone, as drunkcnncfle in your houfes, nor wil the il-fauou- red ferpent poyfon a place fo foon, as the wel-fa- uoured harlot. Finally, Heare me, heare me, yee great men of the fee fie, and hearken with your eares yee that be rulers of the congregation: Giue in charge to your Cap- taines of hundreds, and Captaines of fifties, to mufter your fighting men yeare after yearc, and to exercife them in the fcatcs of armes; prouide Jobl?. 1 j. fuch horfesas lob fpcakes of, that will meekest fare, net t terse bscke 4/ the ret ling effpcares, tr glittering Tlx deftruBion of Sodome. 45 — 11 ■■ ■ 11 mi ■ . 1 ■ , -•—' — - ■ ■■ ' ■ ' 1 ' ■ — . ■ , vm glittering *f J words : Rigge vp your fhippingrand let out a Nauie toTea,aduife one with another to make fortifications and impregnable bulwarkes impoflible to be fcaled,for the fafeguard of your Country, vfe all the arc, and cod y and counfcll your Nation can yecld to entrench your felues from forreine foes, and doe not take a courfd to quell the power of finne, and take heed God doe not bring vpon you an Armie of men bitter *%d btfly, as thofe Caldeans the Prophet Habacuc Hab»c.i.9jCity Niniueh, Art thtu better thin Me, thot wasfit note Among the r inert, thAt hAd the re a* ters round abeut it, whtfe fta, and hermit werefr em the fee f and were her \ Tlx deftruElion o/Sodome. her ftrength, and it was infinite: Put and Lubin were her helpers, yet was fhee earned away,(bee went into * capt nuty, her young children alfo were eL(tidin pie- ces at the top of aM the Jlrcets, and they catt lots for their honourable men, an doll her great men were hound in chaines. Tremble therefore,thou feeure Nation, and a- mend thy manners, left God to raze thee, and to lay thine honour in the duft, doe call for Lucifer the fonne of the morning,doe hifle for the Bee of Aihur, do call for a rauenous bird out of the Eaft, doe plant the Syrians before, and the Philiftins behinde; giue them that charge hee gaue thofe whom hecpreffed to deftroy Babylon, Put your feluesin array againfiCbritd.ny)reundaboutyaByee^ that bend the bow fboote at her^fpare no arr owes .for J,bee hath finned againft the Lord: Take vengeance upon herons (be bath done, doe vnto her: And vpon that fet all your inhabitants in fuch a hurry and an vp-roare, as the Citizens of R ome were in, when Martius Coriolanus approached neare it with an £»'*««■ Army • make the murmuring multitude to flocke about the ftreets, and you that are Magiftratcs, to - be at your wits end, tofend pott after pott, andmefi ier.f 1,3 s( finger after tneffenger, to (hew the King that.his coun- try is taken at one end, as the Babylonians did to their King, when the King of the Medes haden- ter ed the City rand when men (hall fay, O thou fword of the Lord, how long will it be ere thou be qui- et ! put vp thyfelfe into thyfcabberd, refl and be fit By as tis 7^.47.9. when the Pr tells, theMinifiers of ■the Lordffbollwccp bctvoeent the porchthe Alter, G ana a8 The deftruBion o/Sodome, /i^3 Spare thy people, O Lord y and glue not thy heritage to reproach y thatfirangers fhould rule oner them, as tis Iotl1.17. he fit in heauen,laugh Prieft and People all to fcorn, coster h'tmfelfe with* cloud, that our prayer jhouldnot pafft thorough, as tis L*~ went. 3.44. To conclude all,the way to keep vs fromtHefe fearfull punifliments,are fafting, prayer, godly forrow for fins paft, and the amendment of our finfull liues in-the time to come :Net a day for * man to affhclhti foule, to bovo downe his head at a bul- Bray rujb^tofpreadfack cloth and afhes vnder him,it is not 4uguf fuch a fafl that the Lord hath chofen: Opus efl perpe- tudpcenitentia, quiaperpetubpeccamus. We fin per- petually,wherefore we had need to repent perpe- tually: though wee doe draine our hearts dry of water to day, wee fliall haue need againe to mor- row to water our couches with our teares. Our gricfe for our fins muft be equiualent,it muft hold proportion with the delight we haue taken in our fins: our fins haue been wonderous great,and our mourning muft be maruellousdecp: we haue bin out of mcafurc finfull,and we muft be out of mea- fure forrowfull; we haue finned with greedineffe, and we muft repent with bittcrnefle 5 we haue bin tranfported with delight in thecomnaiflionof our fins,and wee muft be fwaliowed vp with hea- uinefle in our fubmiflion for our fins: fhti culpam ' exeggerauit, exaggeret et muter a enim crtmina rnaioribtu abluunturfletibm • He that hath augmented his fio,muft augment his repen- tance a _v tancc • greater crimes are to be wafht away with greater lamentations. Some run abominable ra- ces,a& fitch iniquities the Angels of God wonder at j and when they haue done, will fay each man for his owne particular, A4ifereremeiT>eusy Lord — haue mercy on mee, and that too ex mere magit. qteam ex artimt,rather out of cuftome than heard- ly, as Saul faid to Dauid, when hee was going to combate with Goliah, Gee, and. the Ltrd bee with '-Smir. Ijl t thee\ and thinkc then they haue repented corn- pleatly. O Lord God, that a man fliould dare to finne fo damnably, and dreametoquithimfelfe of the guilt ofitfoeafily! tis not bare Lord haue mercy vpon vs will doe it, there belongs more to repentance than fo • the faculties of our foules muft bee griped with griefe, and wearied with groaning, and tired with fupplications: we muft double our words as Daniel doth, and fay,0 Leri bearey O Lord forgine, O Lord hearken, and deferre Dan,?.^ notforthineorvnefakeyOourGod. We muft renue our complaints with Dividfuenin&and mornings 7* and at noone day ywmuflfray, and make amife, and God vvillhcar our voice.Wc muft weep and wipe our eyes, and weep againe and wipe our eyes a- gaine, ifwe haue loued many finncs, before many finscanbe forgiuenvs. We muft draw aconclu- fion in our owne bofomes s that no Nation hath bin moreboundto God than we, no Nation hath finned againft God with a higher hand than wee 5 and therforc no Nation hath greater caufe to faft and \vcepe,mourne and lament for their fins,than we. We muft giue way to the thoughts of ©ur G 2 hearts, 5o ThedeftruBionof S odom e. . ■»' "''I 'I'" — ———a—I—»n ■ ■ ■ ■ i ——^^———i ■ . . .. ■■ ■ ■——— i hearts, to reflect vpon the diftrefled condition of the Church of Chrift abroad^and note how that the bed doth not priuiledgethe fick man,nor the cradle the fuckling babe, nor the great belly the woman, nor the altar the Prieft3 nor the feate of iuftice the Magiftrate, from the fury of the mer- cilefie fouldier:They fight and are kil'd, they >- yecld and are murthered, they flye and are purfu- - ed, they remaine and are beleaguered, they hide themfelues and are hunger-ftarued, their corne fields are detjoured by troupes of horfes, their . ftreams of water are coloured red wkh the bloud . of men and beafts, and in fome places their earth is voide, as ifit were returning into the chaos a.- - 2«h.8.».,. gaine j as tis,Zccb.8.io.there is no for man nor beaBytteitbcr u thtre any peace to him thatgoeth out, nor to him that commeth wy bee anfe of*affliftion >yfor, x at men an fit, entry man his neighbour*- And yet wee, a finfull Nation,a people laden with as much iniquity as any Nation in the Chri- ftian world, areat reft; no trumpet is heard in our ftreetes, no folitndo ant no defolation is be- fore our gates, pur plow-lhares are not beaten into fwords, nor our mattockes into fpeares: the feateof iuftice is not interrupted-, the Word of God hath a free paflage, we lay vs down to fleep, and take our reft, G od making vs to dwell in fafe- ty; and vpon the comparifonofthcfethings,wee mult bethinkc our felues, what vngratefull wretches we haue bin to dilhonour our God with ourfinnes, that hath and doth follow vs with much louing kindneffe abouc other people that are ThedefiruBion of, S&dom e. are more righteous than we;we rauft carneftly re, pent,and be heartily forry for our mifdoings paft, and we muft faeurevnto the Lord, w vnto the Almighty GadafJacob, to renounce pure-? uill waies,and to ferue him infpiritand. truth, in fincerity and with good conference in the time to come5 and then our God will not forfake vs, nor giuevs vp for a reproach, that ftrangers. Ihould ruleouervs, but blcfle vs all our liueslong iti bo- dies and foules, and entailc the blcllings more firmly,than by any law you can deuife,to defcend vpon our pofterity fuccefsiuely, fo long as the Sunne and Moone (hall endure: And to that pur- pofe, let vs pray vnto him, and fay, O mod gra- cious God, let not our manifold fins make a feptr- ration betwixt thee and vs, let them not prouoke thee to remoue thy fpirjtuall and corporall blef- lings from vs • Giue vs, O Lord giue vs, broken hearts, contrite fpirits, and bleeding foules, to offer vp in facrifice vnto thee,that thou may eft be reconciled, and at an attornment with vs: Our fins are great, Lord, we confefle it, but thy mercy is greater, Lord, we beleeue it $ mercy therefore, deareFather, haue mercy vpon our King,vpon our Queene, vpon our Nobility, vpon our Cler- gie, vpon our Magiftracy, vpon our CommonaL tie, vpon our whole Land,for thy Sions fake, for '< thy Gofpels fake, for thy beloued fonne Iefus Chriftsfake. Giue, O Lord, giue thy Angels charge ouer vs, let them pitch their tents about vs, that no pellilence come among vs to deuoure vs,no famine befall vs to ftarue vs, no fword of -- G 3 an The Aeflruftion Sodome. an enemy inuade vs todeftroyvs, and then, O Lord our God, if thou wilt giue vs grace, we will bleffc thee, we will praife thee, we will magnifie thee, wee will fingfongs of thankfgiuing vnto thee, wee will afcribc all honour and glory vnto thee,and to thy Sonne, our blcfled Sauiour and Mediatour Iefus Chrift, and to thy holy Spirit,to which blcfled and glorious Trinity of per- fons,andbutone God, beegiuenall might,maiefty,dominion,and praife, now and eucr. w4meuy Finis: *1 ■ ' . ' ' V .