by the Lords miraculous hād not séeking to serue God but after a fashion waxing colde of hys seruice and haste giuen thy selfe to vanitie and securitie in sinne arte called and goest rather backwarde And yet thine enimies abroad Hos 11 1. Esa 7.1.2 deinceps and thy false confederates at home séeking to make a breache in thée thy God Englande thy good God saith it shall not be and hath vpholden thée and defended thée by him self against al secrete conspiracies open rebelliō forrain threats now full this 22. yeres Thy name be blessed for it my God Lord giue our Englande eies to sée hir sins thy long suffring safetie to vs for vs in this thy prouident hedge The pollicie of the watchers whereof hir Maiestie is chiefe whom the Lord still defend ouer vs that long she may wake to God and watche godlily for this hir people of England and also the Ecclesiastical and ciuil honorable councel and Christian gouernors is great no doubt for whose great and godly paines to vs we owe in truth greate things to them and manye blessings to God Yet is it neither simply hir Maiestie their pollicie or other indeuor For al these with vs are sinners in his sight but hys holy hande alone and that for his owne names sake that hitherto hathe guyded their holy counsels and defēded vs. Oh that the watchemen of oure Englande would consider then right déepely theyr place You be set my Lords alofte to see aloofe for the help of vs that are appointed vnder you Your carcks care may not be the Bishop to become very rich the Iudge to be of great reuerence the Councellor ruler to gape after priuat gaine but you muste be all helping rather vs thā your selues yea to your own losse in winter sommer heat cold day and night my Lords euen as hiding places from the winde a refuge for the tēpest as riuers of water in a thirstie place as the shadows of greate rockes in a wearye land So the Lord hath allotted you Esa 32. ◠◠So Esay the Prophet hath told you And the reuerend Bishops must lerne to know that God hath called thē to such reuerēd places that they shoulde not be more ydle and Lordly Acts. 20. but more labouring and lowely yea if possible it may be than their inferior brethren called to like fūction in the Lord and holy office of preaching And beloued brethren of the popular sorte our partes is to blesse God for our godly gouernors both reuerende fathers and the ciuil Magistrates whyche doe manye of them painefully trauaile in their places to watche ouer vs. And are to pray wyth sighs and sobbes to God for some suche of them as neyther teache as they ought or watche as they shoulde or yet procure such as willingly would to the benefite of the Fig trée I knowe some where some places in England that haue a Turret or Pulpit but no Preacher in it almoste since hir Maiesties raigne For why the spirituall officers looke ouer it some temporall statute and stearne Papistes doe so out-countenaunce it as neither the worde is desired or can with quietnes happily haue grace of hearing The lord from heauen be mercifull vnto hys people in earth Wel we must render to either state our due obedience suffer them to stone vs wéede vs proine vs that we may become fruitefull and so behaue our selues in al thinges by loue towardes them that as they must render accompts to God for theyr offyces so they maye take pleasure to exercise theyr function amongst vs. So doth the holye Apostle teache vs Heb. 13.17 saying Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accomptes to God that they may do it with ioy and not with grief for that is vnprofitable for you The Lord further saith he stoned his Vineyarde and surely he hath mightily by hir Maiesty cropped the toppes and caste out of the Churche of Englande the stony hearted Papists It remaineth that the stoners vnder hir grace be not stony thēselues For if they be Papisticall that be Rulers howe shal the Papistes of England be stoned out of the Vineyard Lord thou clensing God preserue thy little church of Englande clense the Benches of the lande that Benchers maye call to the barre such as hinder the growth of the Fig trée in euery part of this thy kingdom by iustice authoritie grace cōuert them Lord or cast them out of thy Vineyarde For why Lorde shoulde they also make the ground barren The allegory of the Wine presse lette it be thus vnderstoode the worke offered of God to euery calling in this hys Vineyarde of Englande The noble Potentates haue vs hir people committed vnto them the Lorde doth looke that their indeuour shoulde fill the presse with holy labors The reuerende Fathers and learned Preachers of the lande haue their people namely the Church of God to exercise themselues vpon The graue Iudges haue their gréedye plaintiffes and defendants to trye their industrie and toyling seruice yet holy to the Lorde And surely my Lordes you must stoutly and with good courage tread the Wine presse in your Assises and in Westminster Hall Your calling doth not onelye teache it you but your verye robes doe preache it vnto vs You sitte in bloudye Gownes of Scarlet hewe as whereby your very apparell dothe prognosticate to your selues and vs with what hate to sinne and zeale to God you muste execute the lawes euen to the not only drawing of bloud by the sword of equitie but euen to the dying of the place with the bloud of the wicked whiche otherwise can not be reclaimed Your eyes muste not looke vppon the mightie againste the pore or spare to strike the strong that else would grinde the simple vnto powder But you muste aboue all my Lordes that be Iudges take greate care of religion and if in your circuites you happily find any one bencher that wil not accōpany your Lordshippes to the hearing of the worde the same you muste call to barre to taste of the sworde For the iudgement is the Lords and not mans O Lorde that I might once sée that example in England of some one godly Iudge or other that if any his associates refused in contēpte of the word and lawes established to go with him to Churche to heare the word of God there preached his Lord would commaund him from the Bench to the Barre yea though he were a Lorde Some of you my Lords are more gretly beholding vnto God as by health and sickenesse drawne nearer and nearer him and are restored againe vnto life that Christe Iesus shoulde be séene afreshe to liue in you The Lorde doth knowe his Churche hath néede of you and therefore in mercie he hath agayne lent vs you play the men and helpe to stamp into the Wine presse those whiche without you can not
Christe in thys Parable Amos the Prophet to al Gods Ministers And feare you not good successe of youre prayer and youre godly trauel for thys Parable and other places of Gods Booke doe hearten you hereto namely the Lorde by the Prophet Ezechiell Ezec. 22.26 who accusing the Priestes to haue broken hys lawe to haue defiled the Sacrifices and prophaned the Sabbothes The Princes to be rauenous as wolues and to destroye soules for theyr couetous lucar The Prophets and Preachers to haue dawbed them that is flattered their vices with vntempered morter to saye thus sayth the Lord when the Lorde spake not so The people of the lande by violence and robery vexed the pore and nedy and oppressed the stranger agaynst righte all whyche prouoked Gods greate anger and their deadly destruction yet to the comforte of the ciuill and Ecclesiasticall Gouernors he there sayth Verse 30.31 And I soughte for a manne among them that shoulde make vppe the hedge and stand in the Gappe before mee for the lande that I shoulde not destroye it but I founde none Therefore haue I powred out mine indignation vppon them and consumed them with the fyre of my wrath Theyr owne wayes haue I rendered vppon theyr heades sayth the Lord. Note wel thys howe God in hys anger séeketh for hys Gods and Ministers in earth to haue theyr laboure to dygge and dung to hedge and stande in the breach against God if his vengeance be commyng and they shall preuaile If the loue of Moses be in the Magistrates as wée haue greate cause to confesse it and the bowelles of pitie in our fathers and Ministers of the church of England No doubte they will pray for vs they wyll endeuour to make vs fruitefull Of whose loue for breuities sake I send the Magistrates to Exodus 32.31 and the fatherly Pastor to Amos the Prophet 7.1 Then to discerne the time of standing in the gappe is right necessary for the godlye Magistrates in earth and when to be moste earnest to digge and dung the Figge trée And that is euen when else the Lorde woulde destroy it and saith Cutte it downe God vseth not nowe to speake to vs but by his holy Preachers whiche be ordinary and extraordinary His ordinary Preachers our dayly Pastors we knowe and by his great mercy féele the great blessings of God in thē His extraordinary Prophets are partely from heauen partelye from earth The Lorde by these dothe teache vs into his obedience and forewarneth vs of his plagues when they perceiue oure iniquitie to growe into ripenesse Amos. And surely the Lord doth stil open his secreates to his Prophets and doth giue them eyes to discerne hys iudgements comming by his former hande vppon like transgressions They are called our watchemen and surely we muste yéelde them credite Ezech. 33. when rightly they ring the Alarma or else we perish And that they myghte not be deceiued God hathe in hys worde tolde them when to praye and to stirre vppe the Magistrates to digge and giue compose But when bothe the tokens in the worde and the extraordinarie Preachers of Gods sworde doe crye to vs beware this sentence Cutte it downe then it behoueth to digge and dung that is to take awaye that and those things whiche hinder the fruite of the Figge trée and to adde and laye to it that which maye comforte supple and moysten the roote therof The time when to praye to digge and dung the Figgetrée is when the Bridegrome is departed from his spouse for a season in displesure thē must his church mourne and his Prophets pray as it is Math 9. Secondly when God by his extraordinary Prophets in earth and from Heauen dothe crye to vs the foresaide heauy sentence then it is highe time to digge and dung the Figge trée Esay 22. But the Bridegrome is absent from thys Church when in hir peace by hir owne wantonnesse and wilfull disobediēce she turneth to hir stubborne hart to loath his worde and fruitefull voice recallyng hir Fathers house to hir affections Psalm 4.5 and by the luste of carnall Aegipt doth quench in hir the purity of loue and dothe giue hir selfe to hir owne delyghtes so as hir husbande Christe can take no pleasure in hir company Thys is wel signified to vs by the Psalmiste in the 45. Psalme verse 10. Psal 45.10 by the opposite doctrine Hearken o daughter saith Christe to his espoused Churche and consyder and incline thine eare forgette also thy fathers house that Aegiptiacall and idolatrous house So shall the Kyng take pleasure in thy beautie For he is thy Lorde and reuerence thou hym But by that wée haue sufficiently sayde and the experience offered to eache man euery day we maye clearely sée that our Preachers haue at this very instant great cause to call to mourning For the loue to oure Bridegrome Christe is almost al spent we waxe weary of his worde we take vs to our owne direction and beginne to dislike to be ruled longer by it For the Papistes will not heare the Christian doth not consider his backesliding from his former loue neither inclineth with an obedient eare to the voice of the Bridegroome but our delights are wholy sette if not in the golden Calfe yet to eate and drinke and rise vppe to playe as erst we did euen as the Gentiles Exod. 32 6. 1. Cor. 10.7 which knewe not God and that wyth gréedinesse but brethren we haue not so learned Christe Ephe. 4.19 Gods Prophets séeing this and this to growe so greate as growing all abroade and for the ripenesse of it ready to the Haruest wyth one consent they crye to Englande Math. 3.2 Repent for the kingdome of God is at hande Verse 10. Nowe is the Are laide to the trée therefore euery trée which bringeth not forth good fruite is hewen downe and cast into the fire But they crye and lament with Esay Lorde Esa 53.1 Rom. 10.16 who is it that beleeueth our saying Wherefore it behoueth you my Lords Gods Magistrates to ioyne the sworde with the worde and more forcibly yet to digge aboute the Figge trée But let vs consider of Gods extraordinary Preachers from Heauen and with vs here in this land and marke wel whether there be not a consent of bothe in this matter to sommone vs to iudgement From Heauen God by fire hathe sommoned thys land to repentance Anno. 1581. primo Elizab. when in that tempest this most notable monument of Paules Churche by whyche we stand and is now in our eyes he to shewe his kindled wrath set fire vppon the spier of it whych was the beautie of the lande And Christianlye consider it brethren it beganne not at the Church least men might haue imagined it to haue come of trechery or negligence but from the goldē bowle downwardes that one and all might sée it to be the only worke of God Manye other Churches this noble citie hath like subiecte vnto GOD but hys
ioyning of house to house and fielde to fielde so as they woulde banishe the poore to dwell alone by themselues 11. Earely vp to dronkennesse and bibbing from morning till nighte banquetting feasting piping and dauncing but no regarde of the worke of the Lorde wherefor he hathe made them Furthermore Vers 20. they gaue a contrary tongue vnto God For they yéelded commendation of that whiche was noughte and flatly condemned the simple good They altered the tymes and seasons to their owne fantasies darkenesse for light bitter for sweete and swéet for sower 21. They estéemed mannes pollicie aboue Gods diuinitie makyng muche of their owne conceits and became prudent in their owne sight they durst vse and bragge of it that a carowsing Cup or a harty draught coulde not ouertumble them therefore they woulde ioine Bacchus to Venus still Vers 23. Finally they abused the seate of Iustice Equity was sent from home and the wicked were iustified for bribes yea the godly and his cause was by the aduerse power intercepted of his right and hys case peruerted so as either the righteousnesse of his cause was darkened or much diminished or the true alowance to it vtterly taken away therefore the Lorde did threaten his cutting down Esay 5.24 saying Like as the flame of fire deuoureth the stubble and as the Chaffe is consumed of the flame So their roote shall bee as rottennesse and their bud shall ryse vp like duste bycause they haue caste off the lawe of the Lorde of hostes and contemned the worde of the holy one of Israell But nowe let vs looke into the long suffering of this our God to this people Beholde saith he these three yeares haue I sought for fruit and finde none By this terme of time we are to note beloued the long suffering of God which calleth by it to repentance So he dealt with the world in the dayes of the floude yea euen when he was ready to strike then he gaue them afreshe a longer time to repent namely 20. yeres Gen. 6.3 So prolonged he the time of his plagues to their posteritie euen when the daye was conceyued to sée if they would preuent his anger with their returning vnto him And by his holye Prophets cryed vnto them oh ye people why wil you dye Ezech. 33.11 Turne you from your euil wayes gather your selues togither o people not worthy to be beloued before the dresser come forth and ye be as chaffe that passeth in a day and before the fierce wrath of the Lorde come vpon you Zephany 2.12 But they greatly abused his great forbearing and so do we Ieremy saide of them Ierem. 25.3 that hée hadde called them to repentaunce ful 23. yeares earely and late but they woulde not heare nor encline thine eares to obey but prouoked him to anger albeit he long suffered them and sente to them his Prophets as before is saide Oh Ieremy Gods holy Prophet thy terme of time is cast vppon vs. These thrée and twentie yeares hathe the Lorde in mercye by the voice of his Prophetes called for fruite of vs in Englande But what shoulde be our fruites Surely a duple degrée in fruites the Lorde dothe require of vs. Firste a generall fruite as we be all professed into our Christe And then a speciall namely euery trée his owne fruite Philip. 1.27 Of the firste the Apostle Paule speaketh thus Let your conuersation be as it becōmeth the Gospel of God c. That is that our heartes be one in iudgement oure offections in loue our confederacie in godlynesse suche as wée ioyne hands in vnitie one with another to fight togither through the faith of the Gospell againste the aduersary and not as dismembred bodies and companies to deuoure one an other by iarring braules and causelesse contentions Let this beloued be neuer out of our minds which are of one religion If ye bite one an other Gal. 5 15. take heede leaste ye be consumed one of an other Our vnitie loue doth appall the pride of the Papists our brawling contentions and strife not for knowledge but for malice doth bréede a breache for the wicked But note that our vnitie godlinesse muste be a conuersation not a déede well done by chaunce at a sodaine but a continued conuersation in holynesse The guide of whiche conuersation is set downe to vs here to be the faith of the Gospell of God as from which fountaine euerye manne may fetche hys seuerall fruite and lycour to life Marke this you mighty rulers and rich of the earth From hence namely from Gods holy worde oughte you firste to others godlye example to draw the patterne to your conuersatiō God sendeth hys holy Prophets the preachers of the worde fyrste to call you hyther Goe downe to the house of the Kyng of IVDAH saith the Lord to Ieremy Ierem. 22.1 and speake thys thing and say heare the worde of the Lord o King of Iudah thou that sittest vpon the throne of Dauid thou and thy seruants and thy people Execute iudgement and righteousnesse c. then shall yee liue I praye you reade the place at youre leysure you princely Rulers Know you that first you aboue all menne are spectacles and myrrors vnto men your conuersation therefore muste shine by the Gospel Gods holy word and your loue from aboue must abound in equitie to his Ministers Moses must loue Aaron defēd him in truth againste the malice of the wicked But where is this Gospel-like conuersation We wil aske of the riche and mighty nowe at the ende of these thrée and twenty yeres but this equall fruit But it is with vs fruite good ynoughe for the Minister to be basely estéemed it is no matter to priue his portiō to your owne purses but suche are Nabothes feare not God I speake not against the godly mighty but against the rich men of the earth whiche care not for these wordes Do my Prophets no harme Nor for this He that teacheth the Gospel let him liue of the Gospell Nor for this Muzzel not the mouth of the Oxe that treadeth out the corne c. But are these worldlings but fewe or rather may we not aske who is it that delighteth in this conuersation of the worde For the moste parte ye dispise our holye calling but daylye more and more you labour and hunger to be possessed with our liuings You are by calling properly temporall but through elder abuse many of you are become improperly Ecclesiasticall The poore Minister muste crouch to such patrons his knée to the grounde his stéeple to theyr stealth his tythe to their granary and his due portion to their vnsatiable prouision These be improper persons and therefore I take it by law their Churche detentions are rightly called impropriate promotiōs These improper persons receiue hundreds but the pore Vicar can scarce haue tenne poundes and yet the whole burthen is layde on hys shoulders I know not howe many
is too vniuersall What Village Towne or Citie is it that is not a witnesse vnto this Gen. 10.9 Nymrod was called a greate Hunter but Nymrods hunting is nothing worth he hunted after beastes and buildings but wée againste our brethren And surely thys hunting muste néedes be vniuersall while it hathe taken holde of the Clergie Doe not hir maiesties Courtes approue greate hunting with a Nette lease often twelue or twenty yeares to come is hunted so after with a couetous Nymrod nowe that his poore brother whyche dothe enioye it muste of necessitie eyther take a newe or bée in feare to bée forestalled of hys state to come No offices so base that sundry nettes of dyuers webbes are not prouided to forestall them No forfeite bée it small but gréedily some one doth prosecute agaynste an other by meanes whereof sinne is dailye solde for siluer For the informer taketh his bribe and lets the faulte remaine No intreaty persuasion or louing desire can winne the poore but little fauour in this cruell age Such dyking in of groundes suche barring menne of common righte as the poore Cottier muste eyther begge and bée starued or else steale and bée hanged For so menne hunte after bloude The Countrey Villages doe decaye and shire Townes are fylled wyth beggers for rotten shéepe do ouer runne all Oh Lorde cease thys crueltie Habac. 2.12 The Prophet Habacucke cryed out of them in olde tyme whyche buylded Townes wyth bloud viz. rapine oppression and cruelty But he hathe lefte it also to thée in writing which pullest down Townes to féede thy owne couetousnesse wyth pore mennes bloude Ho sayeth he hee that coueteth an euill couetousnesse to hys house Habac. 2.9 that hee maye set hys neste on hyghe to escape from the power of euill thou haste consulted shame to thine owne house by destroying manye people and haste sinned agaynste thine owne soule for the stone shal crye out of the wall and the beame out of the timber shall aunsweare it And concerning the Cleargie such spiteful crueltie is bent against it as it passeth not onelye by others agaynste vs but euen of one of vs againste an other It is a greate crueltie my Lordes and Fathers of the lawe that sundrye godlye Preachers in this land lyuing obedieÌ„t to the now established laws haue bene possessed of their benefices for manye yeares shall be no more regarded than a dumbe Dogge a blinde Idoll Priest that can nothyng saye Nay by some suche wicked persons and their complices Noble menne and greate menne of aucthoritie shall be abused yea reachyng sometime to the hyghest Gouernoures to flitte good mennne oute of theyr seates I coulde name some suche lewde persons and wil if I be demaunded that make an occupation to espy aduantage making no difference of men for their filthie gaine to thrust out godly Preachars from the Church of God and for theyr fée to thruste the greatest giuer into such roomths These are shamefull Hunters whyche hunt some twentie some thyrty some forty yeares past for forfaites of Benefices to sette Symony on sale I beséeche your Lordeships aydes and helpes for Gods church herein that if you wante lawe for these men your endeuour may be to procure further as time and grace will offer it Wante lawe sayde I nay my Lordes you had néede go afresh to your Books and studye more law againste the crueltie of these dayes For what say you learned Fathers to this cunning crueltie A patrone of a Benefice giueth his Benefice fréely fearing the strict examination of some good Bishoppe so as the poore Clearke to be instituted by his presentation may safely swere and performe that he hath giuen nothing promised nothing either money or lease he or hys friendes but the patrone calleth the friendes of the partie presented and bindeth them in a greate summe that whensoeur the same shall be instituted and inducted he shal at any time within one moneth after suche his induction at the demaunde of the said patrone or his assignes absolutely resigne vâ—pe hys sayde Beneâ—yre But what is the purpose of this crueltie Forsoothe eyther to compel the incumbent hauing passed the Byshops handes to lease vnto him the couetous patrone that benefice at his owne price or else to thruste him quite out of that seate for an other Chapman O horrible and most gréeuous crueltie I speake not by gesse but by certaine knowledge hereof yet not in mine owne case I praise God for it But if cruelty be crepte so high as it rageth so againste the Ministers of God shall we not thinke she hath greate authoritie in the temporall sorte I purpose not here to saye more of the sinnes of Englande but be you Iudges O honorable audience whether the petition of our Mediator hathe not hitherto most mightily preuailed againste our deserued sentence Cut it downe But now lette vs consider likewise of Christes conditionated prayer for the Figge trée Till I digge it and dung rounde about it if it bring forth fruite then well If no then after thou shalte cut it down Here is prayer with condition the condition hath in it thys Firste the labour of the dresser and also of the good successe of the trée I will digge it and dung it saith the dresser of the bitter Figge trée That is I will do to it that thing which if there be any life in it shall without doubte make it fruitfull The great mercie of God doth still yet abounde beloued and the singular loue of this oure Mediatoure Christe héere also that when the daye of destruction is preparing euen then the Father by the mediation of the sonne is stayed from striking to a further season But Christe will digge and Christe will dung his Churche this Realme and euery Fig trée to take awaye by the one the corruptions and impediments that may hinder his fruitetulnesse And by the other to shelter him supple and moysten his roote that the vigor whych there is cowched as scante kéeping life should valiantly aspyre the top of smallest twigges and mightily make them fruitefull And this holye operation Christe our Lorde worketh from heauen by his substitutes and Ministers in earth namely his Magistrates Ciuil Ecclesiasticall his holy spirite by them diggeth the trées at the roote to the glorie of his name in conuerting and coÌ„firming the Figge trée or in Iustice and equity to cut downe the same And here you Gouernors vnder God you must learn from Christ two especiall lessons First that you haue suche a Fatherly loue to your charge and people coÌ„mitted to you as Christ our Maister had and to be frée froÌ„ those euils your selues whiche cause this heauy sentence to the Fig trée cut it down SecoÌ„dly to be vigilant sober wise to discern the time wheÌ„ to make present petition to the Lorde and to digge and dung the trée and to stande in the gappe againste the Lordes wrath To the firste Moses giueth example to al Magistrates and besides oure
the basenesse of the trée whiche hée hath planted as in the moste excellente place wherein he hathe right mercifully established it The Metaphor is very elegante taken from the Figge trée which by nature in the roote is very bitter though by the Arte and labour of the dresser his fruit become right pleasant to the eater And surely not only the people of Iuda but also of the Gentiles if they be pierced at the roote shal approue this for moste true that they are naturallye bitter to the eye and pallate of any sensible taster In birth we are moste bitter as being embrued from the conception with our firste fathers sin and in bitternesse of sin not by Marriage but by naturall propagation we are al conceiued both King and Caitife As Dauid hathe saide in sinne hath my mother conceiued me For we are all the sonnes of Adam and of one propagation after our common corruption And in our birth no swéetenesse but bitter grippings of the mother bitter wrawlings of the child and most bitter estate of the same before the seconde byrth Whereof I referre you to the reading of Ezech. 16. Ezech 16.1 2.3 Chapter Our father is an Amorite our mother is an Hittite our kindred is of curssed Canaan and wee polluted in our owne bloude and by condition the children of Gods anger Eph. 2. Oh moste bitter roote and vnsauerie Figge trée But are we bitter in oure life happily some man woulde thinke that reason might reache vs his hande of good direction But alas we then waxe to encrease in bitternesse For as the Wormewoode groweth bigger and so increaseth into bitternesse euen so wée as wée encrease in stature state and strength so do we abounde in bitternesse of sinne And if we woulde more plainelye sée thys let eache man sounde the sea of hys hearte and hée shall finde there greate stony cragges ful of bitternesse and gall against God and his owne soule and al godly men albeit that Gods spirite of regeneration doth daily purge and mortifie the same But from our selues lette vs caste oure eies with truth into the earth and into this our nation of England and o Lord what bitternesse what bitter controuersies for religion receiued of the enimie what greate delight to drinke a carowse of that Wormewoode water of Poperie Reuel 7.11 of which Iohn in the Reuelation speaketh And as the thirde parte of the earth haue druncke of it so they are become more than thrée parts bitter by it againste God oure gratious Prince hir godlye lawes state and people What bitter hate beare they to the worde howe bitterly bite they at the Preachers thereof What bitter roote can yéelde suche iuice as the Papisticall spirites doe streame out againste vs These are Figge trées indéede planted in this holy lande they make the ground barren and bitter wheresoeuer they dwell their children their seruaunts their tenauntes that Countrey that dothe entertaine them those friendes whiche doe accompany them are eyther made verye bitter vtterlye barren or muche molested by them The soyle of the lande they doe deuoure the Nursse of the Countrey oure Gratious ELIZABETH they doe despise They are as Mice in the Lords barne they eate vp the owners corne but they refuse to ioye his presence This bitter trée bringeth his fruite but it is without the dresser of the Vineyarde Euen suche as the Galileans broughte agaynste theyr allotted Prince seditions conspiracies and publique rebellion And whatsoeuer good oure godlye Nursse and good Princesse doth endeuour the same our bitter Papists turne to Wormewoode reporting euil of godly lawes and stirring vp such forraine foes and domesticall enimies as they can procure to assay their beste againste vs. And theyr pretence with the Galileans is religion fréedome from the bōdage of conscience and tyranny of now gouernement whē as the most bound of them reape much more fréedome than either their cause or conscience can deserue or yet cā win them thankeful vnto God But is your Figge trée nowe readie ripe you Papists Your buds were preately broken in the North hapely your after growth is blossomed nowe and braggeth of his ripenesse and your Louanistes Seminaries and late vpstarte Iesuites are ready to reape the fruite of your bitter Figge trées But o Lorde it is a bitter fruite a pestilent Figge and a deadlye dyet whiche they desire therefore graunte that they may perishe They are O Lord rotten in their ripenesse let them fall to confusion which in this merciful time of so much proyning and dressing by thy holye worde and hir Maiesties softened sworde can not be conuerted vnto thée But do you desire a daye you bitter Papistes What haue you to do with that daye our sinnes indéede doe fight againste vs and if our demerites bring vs a heauye daye yet it is not yours but the Lordes day We may say to you as the Prophet Amos Amos. 5.18 saide to his wicked ones in his time What haue you to doe with the daye of the Lorde woe to you that desire it The day of the Lord is darkenesse and not light it is as if a man didde flee from a Lion and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned vpon the wal and a Serpent bit him So you runne from hir Maiestie supposing hir a Lion you Papistes and hope after a day but euen in that day you I say shall be deuoured of the Bull of Romishe Bashan the she Beare robbed of hir whelpes shall teare you in péeces But you haue peace offred you and you séeke for war Wherefore you hunger your owne destruction Ier. 24. euen in that daye wherein your suppose is of Popishe solace But beloued were it that only the Papists of Englande were bitter wée mighte in swéetenesse lament that soure fruite But our selues are bitterly sette one againste an other our hearts and acts at home our Courtes and Assises in the Countrey oure thrusting and rushing into Westminster Hall dothe compell you my Lordes of the Benches to witnesse it that Englande is full of bitter Figge trées The Lorde be mercifull to choose vs into his vineyarde louing to plante vs willing to dresse vs and to proine vs that we may be fruitfull and bring forth by his operation swéete Figges and odoriferous fruites vnto him for his holy names sake It maye yrke vs thus to heare of our bitternesse but it may shame vs to féede of suche fruite Surely it wearyeth one to thinke therof and therefore I wil now recorde Gods mercie and goodnesse to this Figge trée namely how he hathe planted it in his holy Vineyard What he hathe there planted you haue hearde euen a bitter Figge trée Nowe where it is planted our Texte doth say namely in his Vineyarde let euerye manne therfore apply this to himself as it may appertaine him The whole Realme of Englande is this Figge trée planted into the vniuersall Churche of God This Citie of London is likewise a parte of
this Fig trée growing out of the same And euery Countrey Towne village Potentate preacher and priuate person is a braunch of this Figge trée of Englande being borne or nowe nourished in the same And so euery man is to apply this vnto himselfe that he is this Figge trée planted in this land by Gods mercie whych land is of hys infinite grace and goodnesse grafted into his Catholike Vineyarde the vniuersall holy Church of Christ Militant in earth The fertilitie of this Vineyarde is suche if thou do respect but the soile of the land that wée muste of necessitie say of it that whych Esay Esa 5.2 saide of Hierusalem My beloued had a Vineyarde in a very fruiteful hil Of thys landes fruitefulnesse I reste to speake in this noble Auditorie leaste I shoulde séeme to tell them that by far greater experience may teache me that it is the treasure house of Gods abundant and fruitful blessings seruing vs plentifully and sending hence abundātly sufficient proofe thereof to all nations not only neare but farre off situate from vs Gods holy name be praised for it Christ Iesus make vs thankful inhabitāts fruitful Fig trées to the Lord obediēt to hir Maiesty trusty in truth giue vs right English harts one to an other Oh Lord how greate is thy goodnes but herein muche more namely that of thy infinite goodnes grace thou hast placed vs in this fruitful land planted the same into thy most holy Vinyard sacred sea of thy holy Churche Engl. is a member of the church of God thankes be to God the church of God is in Engl. But here some Papist séemeth to saye me thinke Nay sir not so England is not nor hathe the Churche of God in it To whose blasphemy we maye boldely answere The perfect notes infallible markes of Gods Church both of the visible inuisible Churche are apparante with vs in our Church of England therfore Englād is the Vineyard of the Lord whiche is the house of Iacob and the Church of God Esa 5.7 The visible Church of God we call here that Catholike company which is dispersed into sundry places are by the word of God called into one society and felowship as Gods elect people in outwarde profession of sincere religiō participate togither of the Lordes Sacraments make cōfessiō of the Christian faith according to the word do accept the publique priuate discipline of the same in séeming sinceritie And this catholike militante company are placed into sundry territories which for theyr situations diuersitie of Countries bée also deuided into particular Churches and beare such names as the Country soile is knowen by as the Church of Corinth Laodicea Ephesus Thessalonica Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. And this visible Churche as it hath in it in euery Countrey where it is bothe good and euil ones elect and reprobate faithful and infidelious Math. 3.22 Math 13.27 2 Tim. 2.20 holy and hypocriticall Wheate and Cockle Corne and Chaffe vessels of honoure and dishes of disgrace So the saide Church of God called the Militaunt Congregation is knowne to be there wheresoeuer these certaine notes and markes thereof are resident The infallible markes of the isible Churche of God and to be séene in common vse that is to say Puritie of Doctrine sincere deliuerye of Christes holy Sacraments and godly Discipline Whiche assured markes and notes to knowe his Churche by our sauiour Christe hathe couched into one sentēce of the Gospell vnder the commaunding commission from his Maiestie to his holy Apostles in the Gospell after Saint Mathewe thus Math. 28.18 And thus spake to his Disciples saying All power is giuen vnto mee in heauen and in earth go therefore teach al nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy Ghoste teaching them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and loe I am with you alwaye vntil the end of the world Amen In this sacred sentence dearely beloued are these thrée heauenly notes giuen of God to trye if his Militante Churche be in whatsoeuer kingdome Countrey or people Goe teache the Gospell this is the first For wheresoeuer the doctrine of the word is purely after Christs commaundements delyuered and taughte there is the Church of God The second is the true administration of hys holy Sacraments Baptizing them in the name of the father c. Note wel that not onely hys matter of Sacrament but his methode in Baptizing must be obserued where his Churche is established therfore the Lorde deliuereth both the matter what and the manner howe saying Baptize them thus In the name of the Father and of the Sonne c. The thirde sacred marke of this visible Churche is registred vnder these wordes Teaching them to obserue al thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Math. 1.29 Do not saieth the Lorde onelye teache the nations my worde but baptize the beléeuing and those whiche beléeue and are baptized sée that they bée kepte in my obedience and vnder my swéete and easie yoke by your aucthoritie in my spirite that their conuersation amongest men may aduaunce theyr confession vnto God Loe here is the rule and warrant for godlye discipline in the Church of God Teache them to obserue bring them to obey directe the Segniorie into their duetye teache them how they ought to gouerne in the Church and let them exercise theyr aucthoritie to my glorie and to the maintainaunce of the same Whych then is in the right order when they are taught by doctrine and discipline 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thes 4.2 to obserue all and euery thing that I giue you in commaundement for them and when you feare to presse vppon them anye thing that you haue not receiued frō me whiche might tie their consciēce to obserue as if it were of mine Now this happy land of England by Gods great mercy hath al and euery of these marks namely the word of God most purely taught the holy Sacramēts of Christ in substāce sincerely administred godly discipline by wholesome lawes established therefore this Churche of England is the true church of God For the first we dare appeale to the throne of God and the consciences of vpright lerned men that we haue the trueth of Gods holye doctrine taught amongest vs. Whiche doctrine also by hir gratious Maiestie in hir godly laws is mightily maintained and by the helping hande of such as be godly Magistrates is greatly furthered but by the learned fathers and zealous godly preachexs most truly diligently and plainly in these our days deliuered And we may for our doctrine in Eng. approued as I haue said right boldly affirm as Pet. the Apostle in his time for the Apostolical doctrine said thē 1. Pet. 1.25 And this is the word which is preached amōgest you And for the two Sacramēts of Christs holy Church which Churche knoweth no moe we haue them
good pleasure was to make choice of thys the moste notable Beacon of the land as thereby to expresse his anger vnto al if we repent not Againe the fire fel not on our dwelling houses at home but only on the house of God Euen therby not only to conuince vs of sinne for the abuse of hys holy Temple but also to signifie to the beste of oure soules that wée whyche beare the name of GOD his religion in our profession haue not in sinceritie aunswered oure faith and therefore are vnder the censure of Gods anger And surely thys double abuse is greate this daye in Englande For there is no place so egregiously polluted as the Churche of Paules or his worde more contemned in any place What meaneth else that accustomed walking and prophane talking in time of the Sermon there Neither is there any Nation more blessed wyth puritie of godly doctrine in trueth or any so blessed lesse fruitefull vnto GOD. Although I confesse it with thankfulnesse to God that his Gospel hath won to hym infinite soules in this nation which doe the Lorde his holy word Sacraments and Sabaoth as well in thys Citie as in the realme abroade But at the comming of thys firie Preacher we then cryed namelye thys Citie hir Graces Courte and the whole lande Lord we haue sinned spare thy people O Lorde And so our mediatour Christ stayed the fire And then also the Lorde stirred vp the heartes of our honorable aucthoritie to giue from hir Maiestie Proclamation to take away the abuse thereof whiche was an approued digging but alas how long did we obey euen but a short space for as the lawe came but for that house of stone so our stony heartes cast off with spéede the verye memorie of this iuste threatning Preacher And nowe who maketh accompts of it wel wel nay woe woe to vs if we so loosely looke about vs. O Lord what harts haue wée Shall a sodaine falling of a rotten and olde Turret of Syloah be by our Maister Christe instituted a doctour of repentance to the Iewes for the fall whereof reason coulde afforde vs some cause and shall wée or dare we so despise this speciall messenger from God this burned stéeple whych calleth vs al to daily repētance Come hither to me ye commers to the Citie saith Paules stéeple and beholde the anger of oure God For as ye sée me so I remayne corrected by his reuenging hande to cal you to repentance But O Lorde thou God of Heauen this Citie this land this place yea this day hath forgotten this Make vs mindefull O Lorde of thée and penitently sorrowfull for oure sinnes against thée we humbly beséeche thée for Christes sake And as Gods extraordinary preachers came not alone but had some one or other ioyned vnto them as Esay had Micah Ieremy had Ezechiel and Hoseas had Amos So this fire from Heauen hathe to associate his message in earth Gods swift arrowe and burning sword of pestilence chieflye in this Citie Psal 91.5.6 from whence it hathe bin sundry times in sundrye places dispersed and in suche sorte as oure gracious Quéene godly Magistrates haue gyuen forth holy lawes for prayer and fasting to moue the people to repētaunce thereby acknowledging this sword to be far other and beyond naturall cause of infection From heauen we haue hadde also a thirde extraordinary Preacher of Gods anger and warning to repentaunce whych hath bin termed The gentle warning the Lorde make vs méeke spirited in humble sorte to bée rightly warned by it But howsoeuer it fare with vs yet these termes and godly actes doe approue these for Messengers sent of GOD and that by our consent in worde and déede to our forewarning The blazing Starres I speake not of as hauing foresighte to sée thys cauill and why they to Englande more than to other countries wherefore I care to giue vs our own messengers From earth also the Lorde hathe moste notably cited vs to iudgement signified his sentence ready to be executed but for the mediation of our Christ and that alone What meaneth else that monstrous mouing of that twentye acres of grounde Anno. 1570. as oure allowed Chronicles do reporte or such sundry inundation of waters in euerye coast of our Country Such monstrous byrthes strange sicknesses and sodaine deaths But laste of all An. 1580. Aprilis 6 that vniuersall Earthquake and like watershake whiche draue vs into present feare and forced the whole state to Christian prayer and care to repent If nowe the Preachers of our time haue not cause to say Our God is angrie and prepared vnto battel wherfore also I would not haue you to forgett our present Irishe wars which although they be farre from the hearte yet God graunte vs to remember that his power is greate our sins are ripe and the enimies purpose that traiterous Doctor Saunders and his adherents right daungerous But if wée truely turne to the Lorde he will turne to vs and them with theyr aides to vtter confusion as his grace hath shewed himself a louing God to vs in their late ouerthrowe in those parts his name for euer be praised Nowe beloued Magistrates of bothe estates your office is at this instant required to digge and giue compose and aboue all you must take care that standing in the gappe to stoppe the breache for the people you be not like wicked as the people for their shall you perishe before them and great shall be our confusion The Lorde Mayor muste not be a Protestaunt during his office and a Papist after and so for his office sake shewe himselfe occupied about the Fig trée of his City but he with his brethren ought to be touched and sealed in hearte to the Lorde that at all times as they are preferred to their people so they bée godly religious vpright holye aboue the people that their prayer and Christian practize maye ben defence for the Citie not onely against the pernitious purpose of the euill disposed but also against the iust reuenging hand of God whē he warneth vs of iminent danger So likewise muste the Bishoppes those reuerende Fathers and the other councellours and gouernors abroade be and haue the same condition engrauen in their spirite with the pensil of God that they may repaire the broken hedge remoue the hindering matter from the roote of the Fig trée and lay compose to moisten supple and comforte the life therof Which grace God grant you for your selues and vs for Christes sake But our texte doth directe your holy labours vnto two things First that you take from the trée that whiche doth hinder the growth to the fruit therof Then that you lay to the roote of the same that dung or compose whiche may administer helpe to the life of it But I praye you lette pore Haggai Haggai 1.1 delyuer vnto Zorobabel and Iehosuah the thing whiche mightily doth hinder the growth of the Figge trée whych may séeme to youre discretions so