was not that care and moderation ufed in reforming the Cathedral Church bordering upon my Palace. It is no o ther then Tragical to relate the carriage of that furious Sa. crilidge, whereof our eyes and cars were the fad witneffes, under the Authority and prefence of Linfey, Tofts the Sheriffe,and Greenwood; Lord, what work was here, what clattering of Glasses, what beating down of VValls, what tearing up of Monuments, what pulling down of Seates, what wresting out of Irons and Brass from the Windowes and Graves! what defacing of Armes, what demolishing of curious Stone-work,that had not any reprefentation in the VVorld,but only of the coft of the Founder,and skill of the Mason, what toting and piping upon the deftroyed Organ pipes,and what a hideous triumph on the Ma ket day before all the Countrey,when in a kind of Sacrilegi. ous and profane proceffion, all the Organ pipes, Veftments, both Copes and Surplices,together with the Lea den Croffe, which had been newly fawne down from over the Green-Yard Pulpit, and the Service books and finging books that could be had, were carried to the fire in the publick Market place; A leud wretch walking before the Train,in his Cope trailing in the dirt,with a Service book in his hand imitatingin an inpious fcorne the tune, and ufurping the words of the Letany used formerly in the Church:Neer the publick Croffe,all these monuments : of Idolatry must be facrificed to the fire, not without much Oftentation of a zealous joy in difcharging ordinance to the cost of fome who profeffed how much they had long'd to fee that Day.Neither was it any newes up on: on this Guild-day to have the Cathedrall now open on all fides to be filled with Muskatiers,wayting for the Majors returne,drinking and tobacconing as freely as if it had turn'd Alehouse.Still yet I remained in my Palace though with but a poor retinue and means; but the house was held too good for Me: Many meffages were fent by Mr.Corbet to remove me thence; The first pretence was, that the Committee, who now vvas at charge for an House to fit in, might make their dayly Seffion there, being a place both more publick, roomy, and chargeleffe. The Committee after many confultations refolved it covenient to remove thither, though many overtures,and offers were made to the contrary: Mr. Corbet was impatient of my ftay there, and procures and fends peremptory messages for my prefent diflodging, we defired to have fome time allowed for providing fome other Mansion, if we must needs be caft out of this, which my wife was fo willing to hold, that she offered, (if the charge of the prefent Com mittee house were the things ftood upon the would be content to defray the fumme of the rent of that houfe of her fifth part;but that might not be yielded ; out we muft and that in three weeks warning by Midfommerday then approching, fo as we might have lyen in the street for ought I know,had not the Providence of God fo orderedit, that a Neighbour in the Clofe, one Mr. Goftlin, a Widower was content to void his Houfe for us. This hath been my measure, wherefore I know not, Lord thou knoweft, who only canft remedy, and end, and forgive or avenge this horrible Oppreffion. Scripfi May 29. 1647. JOS. NORVIC. SERMON Preacht at HAMPTON-COURT TO KING JAMES In Ordinary attendance in September 1624. By JOS. HALL Dean of VVorcester. Philip. 3. 18. 18. For many walk of whom I have told you often,and now tell you even Weeping that they are the crosse of Chrift. 19. Whofe end is deftruction, &c. Y Text you in there are both Flowers, and Weeds; Flowers of Apoftolical vertue; and Weeds of Philippian wickedneffe. For I know not whether these words bewray more worth in the true Apoftle, then unworthineffe in the falfe: this cenfure of his doth no leffe grace himfelf, then it brandeth them; fo we have met with fome pictures, which if you look one way, fhow us a comely face, if another way, an Owle, or an Ape, or fome deformed vifage, Look firft at the Apostles gracious carriage in the managing of this sharp reproof, and ye whom it concerns, imitate it; and then turne your eyes to the view of the damnable courses of thefe Philippian Seducers, and learn to abhorre their wayes, and fear their hell: The fidelity of the Apoftle is commended by his warning; by the frequence; by the paffion of it; His warning, I have told you: The frequence, I have told you often, The paffion; I now tell you weeping. To begin with the firft. As wisdom hath eyes to note evils, fo faithfulnels hath a tongue to notifie them: We are by our profeffion the Seers of God in refpect of our Eyes, and we are the Prophets of God in refpect of our tongues, it must be our care, to make use of both titles, we are blinde guides, if we fee not: we are dumb Dogs, if we give not warning of what we fee; as good no eyes, as no tongue. There was in the North part of Jerufalem the Tower of the Furnaces, Nehem. 3. 11. wherein it seems there was continual fire kept for the Way-mark of Travellers; that flame was both vocal and real; admonishing the paffenger of his errouts, and guiding him in his courfe; fuch we either are or fhould be: like to John Baptift, who was a Burning, and a Shining light, Burning for his own zeal, Shining for the Direction of others; direction, as in example of life, fo in precepts of Doctrine : we should not be like Dyals on a wall, or Watches in our pockets, to teach the eye, but like clocks and larums, to ring in the car: Aaron must wear Bells, as well as Pomegranates; Yea louder then fo, the Prophets voyce must be a Trumpet, whose found may be heard farr off, Hof. 8. 1. God will never thank us for keeping his counfel, he will thank us for divulging it and that St. Paul knew well enough, when in his farewel to the Elders of Ephef, he appealed to their Confciences, that he had kept back nothing that was profitable unto them, but had declared unto them all the counfels of God, Att:20.20, and 27.Our Saviour therefore bids us not to run into corners and whisper his meffages, but to get us unto the house top, and to make the higheft roof and battlements our Pulpit. We therefore to thofe Sigalion-like ftatues, who taking up a room in Gods Church, fit there with their fingers upon their mouthes, making a trade of either wilful or lazy filence; fmothering in their breafts the fins and dangers of Gods people. It is a witty and good obfervation of Gregory, that the Prophet " prayes prayes, fet a door before my lips ; a door not a wall, he would not have his tongne mur'd up for all occafions, but fo locked, that it may be feasonably let loofe and free, when the convenience or neceffity of his own Soul, or others require it; The neglect or reftraint of which liberty fhall lye heavy upon many a Soul; Surely the blood of all those fouls that have mifcarried through their unfaithful filence, cryes loud to Heaven againft them,and fhall one day be required at their hands. If I fhall fee a blind man walking towards fome deep pit, or deadly precipice, if I do not warn him of it, and prevent his fall, I am not much leffe guilty of his death, then if I had thruft him down: It is a clear and familiar cafe that of Ezekiel 33. 7, &c. Son of man, I have fet thee for a watchman to the House of Ifrael, therefore thou foalt hear the word at my mouth, and warn them of it; when I fay to the wicked, O wicked man, thou fbalt furely dye. If thou doeft not speak to warn the wicked from his way, that wicked man fball dye in his iniquity, but his blood will I require at thine hand. A fleeping Centinel is the lofs of a whole City, the forfeiture of his own life is the leaft piece of the mitchief he is guilty of; Oh therefore ye, that are the watchmen of the Lord rouze up your felves; and as you defire to avoid fo many vengeances as there are fouls loft by your drouzinefs, and taciturnity, beftir your tongues, in giving warning to Gods people of their spirituall dangers, as our Apoffle, doth here; I have told you, and now tell you again. Thus much for the warning; now the Frequence followes, I have told often. Not once, not feldome had the Apostle told his Philippians of these inordinate walkers, but often: St. Paul feared not the flander of a Tautology; Rather like a conftant workman he beats ftill upon the fame anvil; There can never be too much warning of that, whereof there can never be enough heed.Nice cars are all for variety of Doctrines, as palates of meats; Quoufque eadem; what fill the fame over and over? Is the note of both: How fcornfully do thefe Glut tons look at the often entrance of the fame standing dishes : St. Paul hates to feed this wanton humour, and tells them this fingle diet is fafe for them, and to himself not grevious, and therefore not fearing their furfet of fo wholesome a fervice, he ftill fets before them the fame meffe: I have told you often, and now tell you again. We tell over the fame numbers in the counting of our coyn,and are not weary of it: In our recreations, we spend the night after the day at the A 2 fame |