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,…

The mischiefs of Hell are swarmed to one Crowd, and we have it. I know there are some names in Sardj, some that make Conscience of their ways: the same air is drawn by men of as contrary dispositions, as is the opposition of the two Poles: that I may say of the lives of this City, as one doth of Origen's writings: (Ubi been, nemo melius: ¹ubi male, nemo peius,) Those that are good, are exceeding good, and those that are evil, are unmeasurable evil: nothing was ever so unlike it self. You are as contrary as fire to water; but all the water ⟨image 28⟩of the one's devotion, will not quench the Fire of the others wickedness: This latter is so monstrously grown on us with the times, that it is all, if the Idolatry of Rome, or the Atheism of Turkey can go beyond it. They are rare hearts, that care not more to seem, then to be Holy, if perhaps, they will either seem or be: Rare hands, that are free and clean from either blood or filthiness: rare Tongues, that do not vie Oaths with Words; making scoffs, scorns, flatteries, vain speeches, the greater part of their tongues exercise; that if their Words could be weighed, their Prayers of a year, are not so substantial and ponderous, as their Oaths of one day: It were no wonder to see these abominations in Dumah, Egypt, Babylon; to find them in England is matter of amazement. It was an admirable and astonishing speech (the Prophet him self thought, by his advertisement prefixed,²) The virgin Israel hath done filthily. If Harlots and Brothels be unchaste, they do not degenerate from their kind; in so pure a Virgin, no imagination would have dreamt it. It is no news to find the Devil in Hell: to have him thrust into Paradise, tempting and prevailing with our first Parents, is horrible. Let Rome and Turkey swell with the poisons of Satan till they burst, who wonders? to find the sputterings of his venom in the Church is grievous: If we be accused for accusing of sins, let the Physician be blamed for discovering Diseases in the sick body: we must speak; Oh yet—Si nostra sperem prece posse mover•, that we could hope with any sayings to move you: If the worst come, I can but speed, as others before me. Be there no Usurers, that say to the Gold in secret, You are my Confidence?