Public affections, pressed in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in…Publick affections, pressed in a sermon before the Honourable House of Commons assembled in…

Let us be so many Jeremiah's, making our lamentations before God. And if the Prophet finds his bowels making noise like an harp within, even for the desolation of a Moab, how much rather for Jerusalem? Me thinks, these days are rather spent in expecting what new thing, or witty thing will be preached, then preparing hearts to mourn, and gush out because of the breaches God hath made.

Let us be so many Jeremiah's, making our lamentations before God. And if the Prophet findes his bowels making noise like an harp within, even for the desolation of a Moab, how much rather for Jerusalem? Mee thinks, these dayes are rather spent in expecting what new thing, or witty thing wil be preached, then preparing hearts to mourn, and gush out because of the breaches God hath made.

2. In taking heed of provoking God by our personal sins. If we love the public, how careful shall we be to sin, lest God punish it upon the Common-wealth? When David had sinned, and the Kingdom was visited, how doth he cry out, I have sinned, but what have these sheep done? Injustice and impiety in men of office and dignity, is cruelty to the Common-wealth: The sins of such are like the eclipses of the Sun, and other celestial bodies, that do much corrupt the sublunary. Aristotle saith, The perpetual duration of things cometh from the simple and daily motion of the Sun from the East into the West: but the corruption of things is, because of the oblique motion of the Sun and Stars through the Zodiac. Resolve then, because we love the public, there shall no iniquity be found in our hands, no ungodliness in our families: I will not be a Jonah in the ship, to cause the tempests and storms to arise. As great mens children have sometimes other boys whipped for their faults; so doth God chastise Governors upon the people, as sometimes the peoples sins upon Governors. Consider therefore, Is the wrath of God upon the land? what sin may you find out of yours, or your families, that so, the vapours being dispersed, there may be no more thunder?

2. In taking heed of provoking God by our personall sins. If wee love the publick, how carefull shall we be to sin, lest God punish it upon the Common-wealth? When David had sinned, and the Kingdome was visited, how doth hee cry out, I have sinned, but what have these sheep done? Injustice and impiety in men of office and dignity, is cruelty to the Common-wealth: The sinnes of such are like the eclipses of the Sun, and other celestiall bodies, that do much corrupt the sublunary. Aristotle saith, The perpetuall duration of things cometh from the simple and daily motion of the Sun from the East into the West: but the corruption of things is, because of the oblique motion of the Sun and Starres thorow the Zodiack. Resolve then, because we love the publick, there shall no iniquity be found in our hands, no ungodlinesse in our families: I will not be a Jonah in the ship, to cause the tempests and storms to arise. As great mens children have sometimes other boyes whipt for their faults; so doth God chastise Governours upon the people, as sometimes the peoples sins upon Governours. Consider therefore, Is the wrath of God upon the land? what sin may you find out of yours, or your families, that so, the vapours being dispersed, there may be no more thunder?