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,…

How sorts our practise with this Doctrine? show me a sacrilegious Patron, a Pirate of the Church, that (if his hand cease from spoiling God of his Tithes, yet) will repair the breaches, his rapine hath made: show me a Bribe-guilty Officer, seek out with wet eyes, and reward with a full hand, the wronged Suitors: how many are more cruel-hearted then Judas, that neither on repentance nor despair will bring back the price of the Poor's Blood, which they have sucked? Behold the earthly Churl, to make his son a Gentleman, prostituting his honesty, conscience, soul, and forsaking his own mercy: (as the Proverb is vile, if ever true, Happy is that Son, whose Father goes to the Devil:) After he hath mowed Corn, or fatted his Ox, on the very place, ([…] Trotafuit) where the Town stood; nay, kennelled his Dogs within the walls of the Sanctuary;¹ and turned the Hall of Charity into the Parlour of Pride; his Body sinks to the Grave, and (it is to be feared) his Soul to Hell, being rung thither with the peals of Belles and curses. The better instructed Heir, (to omit those that exceed the tyranny of their Fathers) seeing and detesting his dead Fathers deader courses,² withdraws his hand from extortion, from depopulation, but what reasons can make him a restorer? it is enough (he thinks) to cease wronging. But ⟨image 33⟩curse ye Meroz, saith the Angel of the Lord, curse the inhabitants thereof, because they came not forth, to h•lp• the Lord in the day of battle: Did they fight against God? No, they helped him not:³ that Servant was condemned for claiming his own debt: the Prayers and Fastings of the Jews were despised, for claiming their own debts; and standing upon Sacrifice with men,⁴ Whiles they would have mercy with God.⁵ Nehemiah threatened the same people with a stricter taxation: They must restore the extorted Lands and Houses of their brethren; nay, remit some part of the debt, or they were cursed with that fearful sacrament, the shaking the lap of his Garment, so to be shaken out of Israel, all the congregation crying, Amen. Lastly, beyond all exception, the manner of the Lambs coming to Judgement, testifies as much; Go ye Cursed: For what cause? Because ye denied the Labourer his hire, or took Bread from the hungry, &c. No, these are crying Sins, and Hasten before unto Judgement: