The gallants burden A sermon preached at Pauls Cross, the twenty nine of March,…The gallants burden A sermon preached at Paules Crosse, the twentie nine of March,…

Let me not speak as a Prophet, but as an Admonisher: Is it impossible for the Sin of England, to have the like effect? We are ready to say in pride, what David spake in the assurance of Faith, I can not fall thou oh Lord of thy goodness, hast made my Hill […] strong: Let us praise God for that we have, and pray that our sins avert it not: Let Dumah speak with his pride; though our Privileges be more, let our Presumption be less: it is wise and safe, to possess more then we boast of: though Nature hath bound up the loins of our Kingdom with a girdle of Waves, & Policy raised another fence of wooden Walls, yet God must put about us a third Girdle, the bands or circle of his Providence, or our strength is weaker then the waters. It is an old and sure rule against the Atheist, against the Worldling, that whole cannot be perpetual, whose parts be alterable: If the members of this great body, the World, change, faint and grow old, it argues a creeping decay to the whole: Let the Cormorant know (that would build his nest here for ever) that parts of this land are alterable, therefore the whole not permanent. If the Plague takes away men, the fields grow barren; nay, the wearied earth (after much industry) is dull in her fruits; like an unnatural Stepdame, she produceth not good things of her self: if a Deluge over-run us, we and our glory vanish: God hath more means then one, to inflict his judgements. It is with no less admiration then trueth reported, that a whole field in England, is turned in one month from a fertile soil, to a most Barren wast: It lies from the danger of inundation, from the reach of the hand of war; what then can turn it to a perpetual barrenness? Thus, God raiseth a mighty wind, that uncovers a mountain of sand, which overspreads the fruitful valley to a great thickness; and it is made worse then Carmel, which God thus threatens: I will turn Lebanon into Carmel, ⟨p. 10⟩and Carmel into a Forest: ¹it lies in the power of mans sins, to make God curse his very blessings.

Let me not speake as a Prophet, but as an Admonisher: Is it impossible for the Sinne of England, to haue the like effect? Wee are ready to say in pride, what Dauid spake in the assurance of Fayth, I can not fall thou oh Lord of thy goodnesse, hast made my Hill 〈…〉 strong: Let vs prayse God for that we haue, and pray that our sinnes auert it not: Let Dumah speake with his pride; though our Priuiledges be more, let our Presumption be lesse: it is wise and safe, to possesse more then wee boast of: though Nature hath bound vp the loynes of our Kingdome witha girdle of Waues, & Pollicie raysed another fence of woodden Walles, yet God must put about vs a third Girdle, the bandes or circle of his Prouidence, or our strength is weaker then the waters. It is an old and sure rule against the Atheist, against the Worldling, that whole cannot be perpetuall, whose partes be alterable: If the members of this great body, the World, change, faint and grow old, it argues a creeping decay to the whole: Let the Cormorant know (that would build his neast heere for euer) that parts of this land are alterable, therefore the whole not permanent. If the Plague takes away men, the fields grow barren; nay, the wearied earth (after much industry) is dull in her fruits; like an vnnaturall Stepdame, she produceth not good things of her selfe: if a Deluge ouer-run vs, wee and our glory vanish: God hath more meanes then one, to inflict his iudgements. It is with no lesse admiration then trueth reported, that a whole field in England, is turned in one moneth from a fertile soyle, to a most Barren wast: It lyes from the danger of innundation, from the reach of the hand of warre; what then can turne it to a perpetuall barrennes? Thus, God raiseth a mighty winde, that vncouers a mountaine of sande, which ouerspreads the fruitfull valley to a great thicknes; and it is made worse then Carmell, which God thus threatens: I will turne Lbanon into Carmell,