speedily to the glorie of GOD. And let none vtter these wordes of vnfaythfulnes Alas what can I doo or what can twoo or three of vs doo or howe are wee like to goe forwarde So I maye saye what can a graine of Mustarde seede doo It is small to beholde But beinge caste into the grounde in dewe time and watered wee see what it dooeth and howe it spreadeth So wee maye saye what can wee doo if wee sitte still But if wee labour in the Lordes businesse so as wee giue our selues ouer to bee sowne in the earth for his truethes sake vndoubtedlie out of oure dead bones or ashes there will springe vp manie more witnesses vntill the glorious cause florishe gloriouslie But to proceede I reioyced when they sayde vnto mee c. It is written in the Chronicles that Dauid gathered all Israel togither to goe vp to Ierusalem And in that the people were so hartilie willinge sayinge That they woulde goe vp to the house of the Lorde and their feete shoulde stande in the gates of Ierusalem wee maye note this that the Lorde nowe being with Dauid after hee hadde feared before his face and carefullie sought him in dewe order hee addeth blessinge vnto blessing vnto him to make his ioye full For hee doeth not onelie make him to see the Arke come home in peace but also giue him the hartes of all the people as one man reioysinge with him and praysing the Lorde then the whiche nothing coulde refreshe and solace his minde more cherefullie ouer his grief paste Thus doth the Lord make things to succeed with them yea oftentimes more then they looke for which seeke him in feare and tremblinge and attempte to worke accordinge to his will Thus Nehemiah when his harte had conceyued that enterprise of building of the walles of Ierusalem hee not onely obteyned leaue of the King to goe thither whiche thing he hoped not for without feare but also the Lorde made him obtayne that whiche was least looked for euen helpe and furniture of Timber towardes the worke Moreouer the Lorde gaue him the hartes of the people who notwithstandinge their pouertie and fewnesse yet were incouraged to worke with vnwonted forwardnesse So Moses though hee had a frowarde companie to guyde yet when hee went about the Tabernacle makinge with all thinges apperteyning therevnto accordinge to the Lordes commaundement hee founde the peoples hartes so willinge and readie to offer and their handes so full of giftes that hee cryed Ho and commaunded them to ceasse from offringe anie more Therefore let there be no vnchearfull wordes amongest vs to weaken our handes before we begin to worke As some saye Howe is it possible Where shall wee haue fitte men for Elders Where shall wee haue sufficient Ministers ynough And where shall we haue this and that It is the propertie of a slouthfull seruaunt to tell before hee goe out howe hee is not like to speede Let vs in the middest of all streightnes and impossibilities take in hande our enterprise in the Lord with humblenes wisedome single hartednes and we shal see successe not only in those thinges which we can foresee hope for but also manie things vnlooked for of vs shal be prospered into our bosome Nowe whereas the people speak so willingly saying We will go vp into the house of the lord it declareth their forwardnes vnto a good enterprise But the King had called them stirred them vp therevnto So peraduenture it may seeme that the people are not to go vp into the Lordes house especiallie to go about such an heauenlie busines as thei now did without their Kings Princes going before them As for y e Arke though it bare a spiritu all representatiō of holy things yet it was a material thing the bringing of it home required outwarde furniture and preparation accordinglie But what the Priestes and people might haue done as touching it if the King should haue bene to slacke when I shall vnderstande it to bee doubted of aunswere shall be made as GOD shall giue leaue In the meane time it is not amisse to speake some thinge of a question whiche flyeth much abroade whiche haue bene taken vp rather of desire to intangle then of anie loue of y e truth as shoulde seeme by the disorderlie framinge and propoundinge thereof The question is this Whither the Prince or the people ought first to beginne reformation in the Church I aunswere with propoundinge other questions Can they tell whether Prince or people ought firste to turne to the Lorde Whether Prince or people ought firste to do their duetie Or whither y e head the hand or y e foot ought first to do that which seuerallie appertaineth to y e office of ech of those mēbers to do For Kings Princes ought to reform without delay or waiting for other so farr as the bounds of their calling reach and y e people they ought to reforme without al delaye or tarying for other so farr as the boūds of their calling reach also But howe farre the bounds of eche doo extende therein lieth the chief point In the name of God let Caesar haue whatsoeuer vnto him belongeth euen all ciuile power and Dominion ordayned of God And woe vnto him saye I whiche shall holde this and teache men so that there is no vse of the Magistrates sworde among Christians For that is to remoue y e doole of the great and large fielde which the Lorde haue measured out vnto them And that is also to depriue Christians of that benefite of peace whiche the Lord haue ordayned that wee should enioye by their meanes For it is written Exhort that Prayers and Supplications be made for Kinges and all that be in authoritie that vnder them we may lead a godlie and peaceable life Therefore I am thus perswaded that as the Kinges of Iuda did reforme by their ciuile power those things which outwardly were sett vp for abominations namely as they did break downe the altars cutt downe the groues burne the images with fire slaye the Preistes of Baal and suche like thinges So also it appertaineth to the Magistrates now to break downe the idolatrous altars plucke downe their buildinges burne their images with fire to slaye those which haue reuolted frō Christianitie to open idolatrie And herein wee prayse the Lorde who strengthned our Princes handes to worke so farre as was wrought therin And if our sinnes had not displeased the Lorde we shoulde haue sene more For I would to God the Arrow had not bene shott against the ground only three times but three hundred times three times that a full conquest for euer might haue bin gotten ouer those Antichristian Aramits And now concerning those abominations which remaine which partly I haue spoken of As the offices rowmes and liuinges of the Lordlie ouerrulers of many churches together with Deanes Deanaries Prebēds and Prebenshippes Cathedralles w t the Chaunters therin and their Marmaiden
musick Bishops ChauÌ„celors Archdeacons CoÌ„missaries Proctors Officials SuÌ„ners Questmen whiche all do robbe y e church of her authoritie libertie and strippe her naked These I say w t their Courtes CanoÌ„ lawes as also freehold Parsonages Uicariges which hinder the free election deposing of the Minister Also blind duÌ„me ministers with y e forme of stinted seruice to be read being the staffe of strength of vpholding theÌ„ All these wormewoode dregges of Antichrists cupp whatsoeuer more it appertaineth only to the office of y e ciuile Magistrate to powre out and rince euen from the bottom Which y e Lord graunt that it may soone be done And whereas we are charged that we will take vpon vs to remoue these things establishe newe lawes for other gouernement we are most iniuâ—iâ—uslie slaundered For we contrariewise charge al in y e name of God that they be not so hardie as by any authoritie whiche they may imagine they haue as being of the church of God to meddle once to moue the hand to take away these thinges For that were to take y e sword out of Cesars haÌ„d Therfore they ought to wayte for this maner of reformation with coÌ„tinuing inferuent praier to God for the hastning thereof But herein lieth the duetie of Gods people to remoue them selues from these all other abominations not to haue fellowship with y e vnfruitfull workes of darkenes not to ioyne handes with open wickednes but to keepe our selues vnspotted therof not to go vnder anie yoke of spirituall boÌ„dage to betraye the libertie authoriritie which Christ haue left with vs to keepe but to stand faste in the libertie wherein hee hath made vs free By the vertue of which libertie and authoritie the Church of God haue to trie and examine the giftes and conuersation of those which should leade theÌ„ and finding them meet to chuse them and perceyuinge them afterwarde to fall to anie euill heresie in doctrine or to loosenes of life and will not bee reclaymed by dewe admonition to depose them Also by the power of the same libertie and authoritie the churche of GOD haue to vse their dewe admonitions and rebukinges of offendours Euerie one maye bringe his complainte in due order And such offendours as will not heare the churche and bee reformed must feele the sworde of excommunication by the woorde of GOD to bee cutte of and to bee deliuered vnto Satan to stirre them vpp to bewayle their wickednesse and to repent if the Lorde so touche their hartes And this authoritie of punishinge the transgressours by the Ecclesiasticall sworde maye not be taken out of the Churches handes neither can the Churche giue it ouer without denyinge Christe who haue left this his power vnder their charge Although the ciuile Magistrates maye and ought also to strike with their sworde euerie one whiche beinge of the Churche shall openlie transgresse against the Lordes commaundementes Moreouer it standeth with the libertie of the Lordes Congregation to vse prayers and thankes giuing alwayes as the present occasion requireth These and suche like things appertayne to the office of the Lordes Ministers togyther with their Congregations And as for the reforminge of these thinges where soeuer anie wante bee What vngodlie tongue dare bee so bolde as to saye we ought to tarie one howre No but if we tarie for a newe graunt from men to doo our dueties in the true worshippe of God when as we haue alreadie sufficient graunt from heauen we shall die in our sinnes and our bloude shall be vpon our owne heades Nowe if the Ministers and peoples duetie and charge extende vnto this which I haue mentioned it followeth that nothing is wanting vnto true Churche gouuernement but so much as the people and especially the Ministers which shoulde guide them are wanting vnto their duetie enioyned to them by the Lorde Wherefore in the Lorde I doo require some of those Ministers in Englande whiche thinke hardlie of our doinges and yet perswade them selues that they hartilie desire the full repayring of the Walles of Ierusalem That they would set downe by proofe of the worde of God that whiche is wanting to true full church gouernement besides that whiche is their duetie to doo togither with their CoÌ„gregation whom they ought to stirre vp to their duetie likewise If there be anie thinge at all I will promise and vowe faythfullie to tarie and wayte w t them also If there be nothing why do they make so long suing at the Parliaments suffer so manie poore soules at home to be depriued of their heaueÌ„lie well fare and to suffer sinne so too ouerspreade by their default which by their keepinge the Lordes watche might be cutt shorter For what sewe they for vnto the Prince and Parliament Euen for a lawe to coÌ„pell them to doo that which the Lord haue commaunded them to doo Why doo they it not in haste by the vertue of Gods coÌ„maundement alreadie giueÌ„ so long as they can in peace And when they no longer can why suffer thei not persecution for his sake whom they must obeye before man and who haue said Blessed are they whiche suffer persecutioÌ„ for righteousnes sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Whose kingdome and glorie wee must seeke both in wealth and woe 〈◊〉 in peace and persecution His 〈◊〉 come with speede And to 〈◊〉 length lett vs giue the hande 〈◊〉 the songe of hartie entertaineâ—â—â—te Hosanna Blessed be the kingdome that commeth in the name of the Lord of our Father Dauid Hosanna O thou which art in the highest heauens AMEN Mat. 6.19 Iere. 48.10 Hebr. 3.13 Psal. 78.71 Ver. 72. Deut. 31 1â— 1. SaÌ„ 4.22 Psal. 132. â— Psal. 131.1 Psal. 13â— â— Ester 3.13 Ester 7.3 Exod. 3.33 Psal. 126.1 Exod. 4.31 Exod. 16.2 Esa. 1.3 Iosua 15.19 Iosua 6.17 Iosu. 6. Ioshua 1â— 13 1. SaÌ„ 30.16 Iudg. 2.3 Leui. 10.1 Ecclesiastes 4.17 1. Cor. 13. Exo. 26.30 Exod. 36.1 Esai 62.7 Exod. 34.7 Esa. 1.14 Esai 1.24 Nehem. 2.2 Heb. 12.1 Exod. 15.2 Exo. 39.43 2. Cor. 10.6 Iohn 9.4 Exod. 13.21 Psal. 84.6 Psal. 50.2 Gene 49.14 Galat. 5.1 Luk. 16.13 2. Pet. 2.20 Esai 5.8 Heb. 12.16 Prou. 25.16 Mat. 13.45 Agge 1.2 Nehe. 4.23 Nehem. 1.3 Nehem. 1.4 Iere. 6.14 Psal. 137.1 Vers. 6. 1. Cor. 5.4 Esai 26.13 Exod. 5.17 Dan. 3.1 Gen. 3. Psal. 37.2 Psal. 123 Psal. 79.1 Psal. 95 8. Psal. 84.6 Psal. 95.11 1. Chro. 15. 1. Chro. 15. Exo. 25.14 Leui. 10.3 Ephe. 6.15 Esai 9.6 2. Sam. 6. Mat. 6.33 Mat. 11.12 1. Cor. 9.24 Mat. 15.16 Sam. 2.6 Heb. 12.13 Luk. 17.20 Mat. 24.12 Leuit. 10.3 1. Pe. 4.17 Iosua 7. Leui. 10.19 Exo. 32.31 Gen. 25.22 Act. 5. Rom. 3.7 Rom. 3.5 Esa. 2.22 2. SaÌ„ 12.25 1. Kin. 11.6 2. kin 10.31 Iud. 8.27 Luk. 17.20 Psal. 133.3 Reue. 1.6 Mat. 28.20 Rom. 10.13 Act. 20. â—â— 2. Cor. 3.2 Mat. 11.3 Esai 61.1 Iohn 5.36 Reuel 2.24 Act. 11.21 Luke 10.36 Heb. 11. Psal 4.6 Ver. 7. Psal. 126.6 Rom. 4.18 Rom. 5.2 Psal. 42.11 Rom. 5.4 Iames 1.4 Rom. 9.19 Esai 2. Heb. 11.34 Deut. 1.28 Prou. 22.13 Esa. 2.15 Ver. 20. Ver. 13. Reuel 9.7 Heb. 3.12 Esa. 4.5 Heb. 11.30 Nehe. 4. â— Nehe. 4.7 Psal. 46 5.6 Psal. 2. Psal. 83.15 Psal. 129. Psal. 144.1 Psal. 1â—â— Psal. 46. Psal. 5â— Psal. 76. 1. King 1. Psal. 144. 1. Kin. 1.47 Psal. 42.2 Psal. 84. 1. SaÌ„ 26.19 2. Kin. 2.20 Ezra 3.12 2. Sam. 6. Heb. 12. â— Iohn 13.5 Luke 1.15 Heb. 11.35 Phil. 2.9 Mat. 4.9 Psal. 2. Psa. 8.16 Ecclesiastes 9.4 Iob. 4.21 Esai 49.23 1. Chro. 22. Ver. 14. Iames 2.16 Heb. 12. Esai 26.13 Esai 2.3 1. Chro 15. Exod. 36.6 1. Tim. 2.2 2. King 13.18 Ephe. 5.1 Galat. 5.1 Mat. 18.17 1. Cor. 5. Mat. 18.18 Mat. 5.10 Mat. 11.10
to heale our deadlie hurt For that which we want is more then a thousand citie walles and all the cities in the worlde are not worthe one liuelie church which is Gods Kingdome wherein the throne of Christ is onlie exalted and the throne of Antichrist is laide for his footstoole And vntil you see this thing brought to passe O yee people and see your selues also the liuing stones of this liuing buildinge mourne and lament bitterlie Fast and praye Bidde farewell to pleasures and to the daye of mirth Let y e Bridegrome come out of his chāber the bride out of her closet Weepe vpon your faire seeled houses your inlarged pastures and fieldes your sweet gardens pleasant arbours and bowling allis Know your selues to be in more greeuous bondage of soule by being holden from Christ his trewe gouernment then the people of Israel were in bondage of their bodies when they walking forth by the riuers of Babel could not be refreshed from their woo but they sate downe and wept when they remembred Sion It was not the pleasant walkinge by the riuers of waters that could entice them to be merie and forget their griefe and forget their countrey from which they had nowe longe time bene absent Seuentie yeares coulde not instraunge them nor weane them frō the remembraunce of Iurie and Ierusalem and mount Sion Not so muche because there was their dwelling as because they dwelt there togither with the Lorde giuing there outwarde tokens of his presence Therefore they vowed and wished harde thinges vnto them selues if they preferred not Ierusalem before all ioy 〈◊〉 if they shoulde be ioyfull before they should see Ierusalēs full deliueraunce Thus shoulde it fare with vs. And euen as a woman which full dearelie haue loued her husbande being nowe deceassed this life can take no pleasure in beholding his garmentes but rather renue the remembraunce of her losse and increase her woo and greefe So shoulde houses fieldes pastures pleasaunt gardens orchyards golde siluer yea wife children and whatsoeuer else of outwarde thinges wee should inioie them looke vpon them shasting the head with wailing and wrinking the hands crying alas for our husband Christ Iesus which haue left vs all these good thinges and he is not with vs But our sinnes haue caused him to depart a side seyng he haue bene so despightfullie vsed amongst vs by exalting the sworde of his enemie and treading his sworde vnder foot And lest any shoulde think me to ouerreach in saing we are in greuouser bondage then were the Iewes in Babilon though to speake of it wil be thought of some straying from my matter yet I must regarde edifying more then anie other order Therfore I demaunde of those which haue anie eyes to see whither they can beholde their soules to be solde for handefulles of Barlie and morselles of bread euen for tithe sheaues wheras if we had bene solde for slaues appointed to bodilie toyle wee might haue helde our peace For doeth not he which haue monie or the letter of some great man or fauoure by other meanes doeth he not gette the gift of a Benefice of some Patrone and being presented to the Bishoppe hee is forthwith sent to be instauled and so the guydes of our soules ar appointed vnto vs without our aduice and counsell whose life and death of soule it standeth vpon to trie our guydes that after they haue bene founde able to cutt and deuide our portion of y e bread of life in dewe season they might bee approued of vs receyued But that whiche is more greeuous when a blinde leader is come to take vs by the hande wee haue no authoritie as the Church of God to refuse him or to complayne for redresse or to remoue him after wee haue tried his inabilitie Are not then our soules in bondage Furthermore we haue no authoritie to complaine of that or anie other mischiefe in our owne congregation that by the power of our Lord Iesus whiche there ought to florishe and beare the swaye euen in euerie Church of his that mischiefe might be remedied but other Lords besides Christ doo rule ouer vs and ouer the whole Church yea ouer manie hundred churches and them we must seek vp through the prouince thē must wee daunce great attendance and to them we must complaine and if our complaint be of anie thinge done against the honour of Christ or against our libertie which hee haue giuen vs oure mouth shall be stopped and we shal be cutt shorter But if it bee a matter against their owne honour touchinge their iniunctions as of the garmēt of obedience and the cappe of maintenance or for takinge downe the imagerie worke about the Fonte or suche thing then we are good parishioners they will visite vs and redresse those thinges well ynough Are not nowe our soules in bondage Furthermore we can not serue God or worshippe him publikelie in spirite as we ought to doo for wee are tyed to the dead letter and stinted out our measure that we must giue God this day euen as muche and the selfe same whiche we gaue him the last daye that muste we also giue him euerie daye in the yeare all the time of our lyfe Whither he be pleased or no that is his stinte and his fee hee maye no more haue And though he be wearie of that and lothed with it because it is all one disse of meate continuallie and that would lothe any mans stomache yet he must haue it all and neuer a whit lesse He is a cruell maister whiche will vrge his bonde slaue to eate vppe three or foure meases of potage when his stomache will not beare one without regorginge But the Lorde is worse serued at our handes And we are forced to mocke the lord after this manner in bringinge him such a worshippe as hee spueth out of his mouth that to the endlesse hurte of our owne soules Are not then oure soules in bondage Moreouer if half a dozen or halfe a skore doo consent and agree togither and chuse a man sitte to guyde them can they bringe him in or for want of him or anie other man sufficient maye they freelie go to another place to heare the word and receyue the Sacramentes No there is a lawe and by that law they must come home to their own Parish there must they feede vpon the rockes and stones or else starue Will anie vnmercifull manne deale so with his beaste as to tye him where there growe not one spire of grasse And release canne the poore soules haue none vntill there maye come newe lawes whiche maye bringe redresse and graunt further libertie although they neuer come but still streighter streighter Euen as the Israelites were more hardlie dealt with after they had motioned their sute of going into the wildernes to sacrifize worshippe God as he commaunded Are not then our soules in bondage That I speake nothing of our subiection to
pointes safe and sounde the scepter of the gouernement of Christ borne vpright and hauing dewe honour remouing themselues and their flockes at least from all open abomination in life and religion whereby reproch should redowne to the name of God These thinges if they doo and whatsoeuer else appertaineth to a ministers duetie their worke shall commende them and testifie their calling and shall be in stead of an Epistle or rather a licence written in their owne harts vndestood also and redd of all men Our Sauiour Christ being demaunded whither he were the sent Sauiour or they should looke for an other did not answere that he was sent a Sauiour but saide Tell Ihon what you haue herde and sene The blinde see the lame walke the lepers are clensed the deafe heare the dead are raised vp and the poore receyue the Gospell As if he shoulde haue saide I doo the workes of the Sauiour which the Prophetes beare witnes of that he should doo Therefore I am the sent Sauiour As namelie Isaiah witnesseth saiyng He hath sent me that I shoulde preach the Gospell to the poore and that I should heale the broken harted c. And our Sauiour Christ witnessethe in an other place saiynge I haue greater witnes then the witnes of Ihon For the workes which the Father hathe giuen me to doo those testifie of me that the Father haue sent me Therefore whosoeuer doo the worke of Ministers and haue not known the deepnes of Satan neyther haue the cursed learning of Antichrist I iudge none other burthen to be putt vpon them but that they holde fast the doctrine of Christ vntill his comming And their worke shall declare their calling and seale it before all men Otherwise the answere of our Sauioure Christe to them which came from Ihon and the proofe of his calling should not be forceable And moreouer whereas they tie the Ordination of euerie Minister as it were vnto the girdle of other Ministers that of necessitie it must at all times depende and staie vppon them that is to laie a greater bondage vpon y e churches theÌ„ they are able to beare For admitt there be onelie one church in a nation and they want a pastour must they seeke ouer Sea and lande to gett a minister ordained by other ministers But what if there shoulde be but only one apparent to vs in the world shall that church for euer be depriued after they haue once wanted a minister for default of authoritie to call and ordaine an other By this reason euery church should not be perfect in it selfe nor haue in it selfe meanes and power to continue by that measure of lines which the Lord haue measured out vnto it And is it not a dishonour to Christ Iesus the head of euery congregation which is his bodie to say that his body together with the heade is not able to be sustained and preserued in it selfe Moreouer I demaund what calling the dispersed disciples of the churche of Ierusalem had y t they did preache and teach the Gospell as they went Were they all ordained ministers by whose meanes it is said that manie did beleue and that the Lorde was with them And those whom they did â—egette and bring forth as new borne children to God through the Gospell of his sonne did they want authoritie to feede them and giue them sucke being so brought forth Which if they might doo then came they very neere to the work of the pastour which hath his name of feeding And was not only charitie a calling to these men who meeting with such as they found worthie ouerslipped not that occasion of doing so great good If the Samaritan be commended for doing the part of a neyghbour vnto him which fell among theeues and was wouÌ„ded because he hadd compassion on him tooke him vp and washed his woundes and in all thinges prouided for the safetie of his life Why should they be reproued as passing the bounds of their calling who meeting with soules wounded by the sworde of Antichristian robbers or anie waie bound by Satan with the chaines of ignoraunce shall helpe to loose them and mollifie their woundes with the oile of Gods trueth and bestow vpon them what spirituall gifte they are able to refresh them and saue the life of their soules Yea if they doo it not they shal be founde mercilesse and like to fayle of mercie in the time of their neede In all this I denie not but that ther is vse of other Ministers when they may be had for mutuall help in trying and examining alowinge those whoÌ„ they finde meete that by their iudgement the other churches may so much the more be confirmed Thus haue I passed the bounds of the texte somewhat in this discourse I confesse But I craue pardon of y e reader For not without due occasioÌ„ haue I bin ledde therevnto And nowe at length I come to speake of Dauids ioye whiche I thought to haue done long yere nowe And firste of all therein wee espie the footesteps of that fayth whereby the authour to the Hebrewes witnesseth so manie excellent practises â—o haue bene atchieued which is the grounde of thinges which are hoped for and the euidence of things whiche are not seene For hereby Dauid despised all the glorious thinges with visible shewe whiche belonged to his Royall kingdome and did bidde them giue place in comparison of the vnspeakeable treasure of Gods fauour and all the good whiche flowe from thence whiche he sawe not but by the eyes of fayth and possessed onely by the title of that euidence whiche is concerninge thinges not seene but hoped for yet herein hee ioyed fullie The multitude saye Who will cause vs to see good They knowe what they see here but they knowe not what they shall haue But the faythefull saye Lorde lift vp the light of thy countenaunce vppon vs and so thou shalt giue vs more ioye of harte then the people haue of their aboundant haruest and vinetage They knowe not or at y e least wil not acknowledge for their owne y e things of this world But those thinges which out of Gods countenance turned towardes them they do conceyue they knowe for their owne and they declare that they seeke an induring citie So then euen as Dauid by faith had ouerquelled the Lion and the Beare and by fayth had enterprised to fight with Goliah and had preuayled so by fayth hee obteyned the bringinge home of the Arke And though he seemed at the firste to be disappointed walked on his waye weeping sowing deare seede as did Abraham when he so long went without an heyre and at last was commaunded as it were to burie y e hope which hee had of the promise in his onlie heyre by appointing him vnto the death Yet as Abraham did so hee beleeued in hope against hope Therefore in the Lords appointed day hee returneth with mirth and gladnesse bringing his
into that waye but rather take heede that we walke so fast and so steadelie and so well armed that sinne doo not ouertake vs ouerthrowe vs in the waye The euill example of life shewed by those Nations which are called Christian this daye make the sauour of the Gospell to stinke before the Iewes Turkes and other Heathen which refuse therefore once to searche what Christian religion is Therefore are they still holden backe from Christe his kingdome Like recompence shall we reape if the vntowarde example of anie man quensh our zeale and care of searchinge out the Lordes cause that we shoulde not take it in hande But there are not wanting whiche vnto the slowe rūners about the lords busines laye more weight of lead vppon their feete and bringe them into a further securitie by afraying them by the example of Vzzah that they attempt not anie thinge about matters pertayninge to the Churche because they haue no callinge As though that vengeance shewed vppon Uzzah was for taking vpon him a wrong calling and not rather for dooing that whiche was no mans calling to do For there was no man in Israel whiche had anie such calling but if that hee had driuen the Cart and done as Vzzah did it is like hee shoulde haue bene spared as litle as Vzzah was And Dauid in the 13. verse of the 15. of the firste Chron. speaking to Sadock and Abiathar say not the Lorde haue made this breache amonge vs because Vzzah did euill But because we sayth he sought him not in dewe order And although hee saye also because you were not heare his meaning is not that they being present should haue done that which Vzzah did But admitte he was punished for ouerreaching his calling as in deede whosoeuer passe the boundes of dutie passe the boundes of their calling also in that respecte Is it not the callinge of euerie Christian to remoue himselfe from their communion whiche worshippe God vaynlie as by the directinge of the blinde and dumme ministerie that execrable abominatiō in Gods sight and to ioyne onlie where the Lordes worshippe is free and not bound or witholdē w t the bands of any iurisdiction of this worlde Howe can they make the kingdome of God near vs within vs if we can not by gods assistance make our selues members of his outward church kingdome in this worlde which onely hath the promise of blessing and life for euermore without the authoritie of man wayting their leysure for a cōmaundemēt therevnto And whervnto are all christians made kings priestes Haue they no calling therby to seeke y e meanes of their saluation If my saluation shoulde depende vpon the curtesie of anie in this worlde I were in most miserable takinge But the righteousnes of God dealeth other wise and our saluation dependeth vppon that king whose baner is alwayes displaied before vs and he is with vs to the ende of the worlde But now cōcerning those which are able to teache instructe in the way of the Lord they must not meddle without calling saye they although there be no callinge suffered and allowed of in a Realme or Dominion but that which they confesse to bee vtterlie vnlawfull So must the flocke of Christe tarie and be starued whilest we wayte for that which they can not direct vs where to haue or howe it should be It must be saye they by diuers true Ministers calling and allowing him and so he must be ordeyned But howe manie of the Ministers in the Realme of England dare be seene in this dooing If fayth canne not bee begotten without a Preacher and a Preacher can not be without lawfull sendinge and this be the onelie way why suffer they the people to be depriued Why are they afrayde and ashamed of the Gospell of Christe Why rather doo they not abide persecution But the lawfull calling and sending of the Ministers whiche is the onelie meane to make them haue frutefull wombes to begette faythfull children and fruteful brestes to nource the same also dewe gouuernement which is the onelie aduauncing of Christe his kingdome the cutting short of sinne and wickednes Also oure Christian libertie to worshippe God with free conscience according to his worde and our comfortable ioyning in the true felowship and communion of Saintes And to conclude the meanes of our saluation must be kept from vs vntill a ciuile law send them vnto vs although there be neuer so long delay as though they were not sent from heauen and offred to all that will receyue them We can defie the Papistes doctrine for making part of our saluation to hange vppon oure owne desertes but wee canne not taste the bitternes of the roote of this doctrine that the building of gods kingdome for the meane and furtherance of our saluation must depend vpon ciuile power and Christ Iesus with all things pertayning vnto him are made vnderlings therevnto and caused to daunce attendaunce vpon it Those which walke after this doctrine and teache men so doo break not one of y e least but one of the greatest commaundements teaching men so and therefore shall be counted least in the kingdome of God if they doe not repent And agayne concerning this calling whiche must needes bee done by diuers Ministers which will not doo it But admit they would frō whence haue they their calling sendinge and authoritie such as pertaineth to a Minister Hadde they it not from those which sitt in the chayre of Antichrist Yea howe manie are in all Christendome which haue bene so rightlie ordeyned but that their ordination haue come from the popishe Prelacie with in three or foure generations at the most Nowe if a man take a griffe of a sowre frute and plant it then take a griffe of that newe planted plant that and take of that agayne plant it the thirde time and so continewe vnto the hundreth time will it loose the sowrenes and gather sweetnesse No more can an vnlawefull callinge bring foorth a lawfull though it descende from one to another an hundred or a thousande times Therefore except they can approue the lawfulnesse of their calling to the ministerie vnder some other title then y t which thei now haue by y e Clergie it will fall out that there shal hardlie be found a Minister duelie called in all the worlde and also that there is small hope that euer ther shal be anie But whatsoeuer burthen they laye vpon vs I laie no more vpon them but that they hauinge the approuing and consent of their flocke doo the works of a Minister namely that they feede their flocke wherof the holy ghost haue made them ouerseers if they make not them selues vnworthie and that they keepe backe from them nothing that is profitable So then they muste not keepe backe nor suffer to be kept backe they standing still their libertie authoritie which the Churche should haue and the true worshippe of God in all