A care-cloth

they are wise to do evil, but to do good they have no knowledge. Imitate the good Prophet in these words of his, and labour to put on his affections, and then proceed more particularly, and say: Oh the oaths and blasphemies in our Nation! O, the contempt of Gods Word and Gospel in our Nation! O, the pride and idleness in our Nation! O, the drunkenness, whoredom, and filthiness in our Nation! If Rome, or Constantinople abounded with swearing and cursing, who could look for better there? If France and Italy were full of whoredoms, who could expect other in those corners of Popish darkness? But England, Ah England! Gods Signet, Gods Jewell, ⟨p. 245⟩which he hath fostered as tenderly, and adorned as graciously, as ever he did Judea. England, the one only Nation, almost, that doth openly and solely profess the true Religion of God: I say, England aboundeth in all these sins. What shall we say or do? Whither shall we turn our selves? And how shall we comfort our selves for this, when even England is full of all wickedness? What? Swearing in England? Cursing in England? Lascivious dancing, dallying, and wantonness on the Lords day in England? Contempt of Gods Word, drunkenness, pride, idleness in England? Even in England, where there is so much preaching, and so much hearing? Where the Gospel hath banished Popery for so many years? Where the Scriptures have so long time been read and published, and where God hath used so many means for so great space of time to recall us? O, break our hearts within us, and let our eyes drop down tears to think of it! But what mean I thus to strive with you for tears, and to wrest and extort them out of your heads by force? To weep a little at a Sermon, is nothing to speak of: there is a further matter required of you. In secret, I say, in secret, when you be all alone, and may more freely do it, then do it more abundantly; or else to do it here a little by compulsion of earnest words & persuasions, is little worth, and will do little good. I confess, that in meditating these things with my self, I found mine eyes great with tears, and mine heart within ⟨p. 246⟩me swollen with sighs, and I hope that the uttering of them, may have also power to fill some of your hearts, and of your eyes also. But, ah, there is yet a greater and secreter mourning which I call you to.

they are wise to doe eiull, but to doe good they haue no knowledge. Imitate the good Prophet in these words of his, and labour to put on his affections, and then proceede more particularly, and say: Oh the oathes and blasphemies in our Nation! O, the contempt of Gods Word and Gospell in our Nation! O, the pride and idlenesse in our Nation! O, the drunkennesse, whoredome, and filthinesse in our Nation! If Rome, or Constantinople abounded with swearing and cursing, who could looke for better there? If France and Italy were full of whoredomes, who could expect other in those corners of Popish darkenesse? But England, Ah England! Gods Signet, Gods Iewell,