elect This Christes church where this horne is erected is builded not by mans wisedome nor mayntained by popish policie and diuelish diuinitie but the chiefe builder hereof is Christ himselfe and by his commission his Prophets before him which by his spirite word builded the harts of the fathers to the fayth in his erected sonne And euer since his Apostles Euangelists Pastours Doctors and preachers which receiue of his holy Gospel and therewith edifie the church are likewise builders of this holy temple and house of our heauenly Dauid Of which house Christ is the head and chiefe corner stone The familie and building of this house are such ▪ as by the Apostolical and Euangelicall Doctrine are brought to the rules which are therein set by the Lord herein erected of him also to the same end they haue their name eate of his bread and worke as hée is by calling in such good workes as are of the same Lord for them prepared euen from the time of calling till the last houre of the penies receite The continual building of this Dauids house is by preaching the word of truth not by popish pressing in of false Doctrine by geuing the sacraments of the Lord to the people as they themselues haue of the Lord receiued them And not without commission and against the word to take the same from the people and offer them vp to the Lord as doe the Papistes Also to kéepe the house in order by ciuil and ecclesiasticall gouernment with the lawe of Christ our Dauid By this and such like building where so euer the Church is thus set vp the same is true Dauids house And where the power of this horne is in the hartes of the people by the worke of Gods spirite surely setled and through the instrument and organ of preaching the same Christ is naked and without corruption in Doctrine described simplie and depaynted so plaine wyth the pensell of the Scriptures that hee is to them manifested as hée is of the Father geuen the onely promised Christ crucified our saluation redemption iustification that Prophet the onely Priest and our Kyng and that all men by such meanes are drawen alone to the Father by hym there maye wée assure our selues that that Church and Nation is Dauids house and therein is Christ to be found erected for our saluation Against this building the gates of Hell shall not preuayle For as many as beleue in him shall not perish wyth the serpent Sathans sting but by this holy serpent voyd of poyson Christ Iesus shal haue eternall life Agaynst this church and to the subuersition of his house the old enemie hath set him selfe wyth his whole power continually to persecute the same and hath so preuayled in the eyes of men that this house hath eftsones séemed a forsaken cottage in the Lords vineyard and the familie destroyed But euen when it séemed of least value then from the handes of such strength the mightie God hath valiantly taken of that number such as shoulde cōtinue his house elswhere And wheras the wicked seketh the destructiō of this house God by his might vseth the same another way that to two principall ends First to teach other natiōs into the which they are dispersed that heauenly doctrine which els they had not known And secōdly that at their returne they might bring with them againe not only his word law but therwith many mo children begottē in that time by the persecuted gospel eftsones to the enlarging of the borders of that late nobled church Go and kill sayth raging Saule the priestes of the Lord which were the remnant of Elie for their hand is with Dauid they haue not bewrayed him to me At whose commandement that cursed Doeg did kill of them 85. priestes of the Lord that were the lynnin Ephod Their Citie Nob also hee destroyed from the most to the least some and all for the hate he bare to them that fauoured Dauid What then Did he herewith kil the church No surely In this sharpe persecution Abimeleck his sonne called Autathar one of these priests escaping fled to Dauid which was him selfe also from the furie of the sayde Saule fled to Achish the Kyng of Gath a heathen prince where both hée had succour and Auiathar continued with him to the continuall encrease of Gods Church Note here with me good Reader that God by his prouidence doth vse the bloudie hand of Saule whose purpose was to destroy by his kingly power both priest and people in Gods Church to an other end for he made him his instrument therby to spreade the same his church among the gentiles that not only in that place their harts might haue experiment of his power but that also his Church of Iesus then to the comfort of the same nowe might behold his secret work far passing al their expectations which was to foster for a season in such flight such two principal persons as after should erect that persequuted cause and people in the same persequuted Nation and that by no lesse meane then whereby for a time the same was repressed nor in any other place then in Saules seate that is to say Dauid hys faithfull fostred king and Auiathar his good preserued prest When cruel Athalia the Mother of Ahasia King of Ierusalem sought to extirpe the kings séede that she might vsurpe the kingdome shée murthering the rest did she destroy the house No Joash one of his sonnes was from her hand of slaughter saued that by the hand of a maid his Sister till the time that the Lord had appointed for the said Ioashe the true King to enter into his realme and so to render recompence by iust pay of deserued death to that wicked vsurper Athalia which after Seuen yeares he brought to passe setting this reserued Ioash in his fathers seate Herod also séeking by the death of the innocentes to kill the Messias not only failed of his pray but was himselfe deuoured of GODS Iustice And although the Papistes followe these and such other their forefathers in like murthering crueltie as lately in Englande and since in Fraunce yet will the LORDE and hath the LORDE set vppe as he hath promised by the mouthe of all his Prophetes since the worlde began his Christe to bee his strength in spite of them Who yéelding as it were for the tyme doth thereby nothing loose but lesse ableth the aduersarye While by Sathans furie the Churche is else where gone as before is saide to bringe foorth by her Christe in a more quiet place many moe Children At whose returne the losse of her former are restored with infinite moe her borders enlarged her honoure encreased and her fame spred ouer all For the LORD her strength hath and will confounding her ennemies and treading them in the mire geue her the
concerning the purpose of God in this Baptist Thus he saith And thou little babe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest c. By these words we are put in mind stil of Gods aboundant mercy in his Christ who not only maketh Zacharie an old comfortable father but openeth also vnto him the arcane counsel of his diuine disposition And by the spirit of prophecy assureth him and the Church committed to him of the heauenly benefite their spirituall deliuerance in this Christ their true Messias of whom this little babe that yet can nothing say shal be the most noble preacher and Prophet When hée calleth him the Lords Prophet he acknowledgeth him to be the interpreter of the lords Law and Oracles the Doctor and preacher in to the Church of God by whose mouth the Lord him selfe speaketh to the same opening to them his secretes and manifesting his holy will as appeareth by that which followeth To geue knowledge of Saluation c. Which prophecie of the father was fulfilled in his sonne the Baptist in the the first yeare of Tiberius at which time Christ was about thirtie yeres of age And John began to preach publiquely saying Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand Two notable thinges in the wordes of this his text he promiseth to his sonne by his warrant receiued frō god First that albeit he be in respect of natures worke and the worldes reputation but a small child and of lowe degrée yet hath the lord chosen appointed him from his cradell nay before his creation to be the instrument most apt to the Lordes labour The second is the nature of his office which is to prepare make straight the way of the Lord as the Angel before had sayd to Zacharie in the vision Who being corrected for his doutfulnes assured him selfe and others most constantly of the Lordes promise which was that this holy Prophet the Baptist should be great in the sight of God and should not geue him selfe with the wicked Priestes of the earth or the false prophets of Israel to gorge their crawes with bibbing cheare but should lead an austere temperate diet hauing his hart wholy set vpon his office which the spirit of God selected him to from his mothers wombe that he should turne the children of Israel to their Lord God by that heroicall spirite which God erst gaue to Helias to turne the harts of the fathers to the children and the disobedient to the wisedome of the iust men to make ready a people prepared for the lord This was the most excellent office of the Baptist in consideration wherof this Zachary song this Psalme to the lords praise Now let vs note here good reader that not by chāce but by gods prouidēce al things are guided to his glory the churches profite Not any mā is by chāce set into place autoritie or any office but are appointed of god in his wisdome yea before they are to be men beyond his search sute or expectatiō to the seruice of his god As Moyses Aarō Saul Dauid Samuel Amos Jeremie Esay Christ him selfe Paule the Apostles els and all others before and since The very wicked Magistrates their office and authoritie is of the Lord by him kinges doe raigne good or euil In that they are kinges of his good wisedome it is but as they are euill it is of their owne frowardnes Satans malice from which persons neyther may the action of Gods iustice in any wise be seperate Pharao his hart the Lord hardened Nabuchadnezar hée stirred vp against the children of Israel Pilate and Herode with the Gentiles and cruel Jewes were in their malicious harts furiously bent and did in déede gather them selues together against Christ the annoynted of the lord But it was to do whatsoeuer the hand and the counsell of the Lord had before determined to be done All which emphatically Zacharie voucheth vnder this word Thou shalt c. Wherefore let vs depend vpon our heauenly fathers prouidence and what gouernement raigne pollicie or order so euer we sée prayse God for the good pray God to amend rectifie or remoue the euill at his good pleasure and for his spirit to direct our steppes knowing that as a sparowe falleth not to the ground without the heauenly fathers prouidēce So shall nothing come to passe without his good pleasure to his elect And the euent shall euer be to them because they feare the Lord good and prosperous Oh that ye Papistes Atheists and other the Macheuils of this our age could consider this then would ye not so range at the Gospell or so enuie the professors therof or yet contēne so gracious gouernmēt as is set ouer you vs by the which not by casualitie but by diuine destinie gods word is so amplie preached forcibly beaten into your eares that were you not appointed to the slaughter in the day of wrath impossible should it be for you to remayne rebellious But so is it Gods good pleasure to rayse vp little Baptists and lowly babes to possesse that grace which you wise and mightie Giants of the world despise and persecute All prayse be to thée O heauenly father therefore and continually vouchsafe thy blessing to this our nation graunt our Dauid to consider thy choyse of her Maiestie which was not from the fold of simple shepe but out of the Lions téeth the Papists clawes out of the Towers prison and tirans death to féede thy people of England in the sinceritie of her harte and the porcion of her gracious giftes bestowed vppon her Moreouer I note to thée good reader the yet more mercie of our good GOD who spilleth not but spareth the worlde for the electes sake and before he sendeth destruction for sinne he exhibiteth to that people his Prophetes to call them to repentance that he in lyke sort may torne from the euil which he hath determined agaynst them As to Adam in Paradise he appeared by him selfe To Cain by his voyce from heauen To Pharao by Mosses To Achab his age by Hely To the Iewes before the destruction by Esay Je. sundry others To Ierusalem by Iohn Baptist Christ Iesus and his Apostles forty and od yeares after his death and all to call these to repentance and true turning to the Lorde by the warning of the Trumpe of God the mouthes of the Preachers But alas these ages as they are past before vs so haue they left to their posteritie as yet their former vices of securitie and contempt of the preachers voyce So that Esay may well say at this houre Lorde who beleueth our saying or to whom is the arme of the Lord knowne But woe ouertooke them and so shall it all such as despising the light of the worde wallow still in the myre of mans deuises agaynst god Where God offereth his worde therewyth
An Exposition of the Hymne commonly called Benedictus with an ample comfortable application of the same to our age and people By A. Anderson Preacher Stay prophane vain bablings for they shall encrease vnto more vngodlines 2. Timothe 2.16 But if you haue bitter enuying and strife in your harts reioyce not neither be liars against the truth This wisdom discendeth not from aboue but is earthly sensuall and diuelish For where enuying and strife is there is sedition and all maner of euill woorkes Iames. 3.14.15 16. ¶ Imprinted at LondoÌ„ by Henry Middelton for Raufe Newbery The booke to the Reader To prayse the Lord is my desire To helpe his Church all that I can To quench if could such burning yre As Satan late hath caste in man VVhile pen doth carpe at brothers ill Sinne taketh rest the Church doth spill For other state some men do craue And cut themselues from this we haue In hart they hate thy state and life â–ª They ioy to see thee at such strife And they at ease do by disdaine Inuent all meanes t' encrease thy paâ—â—â— Their Pope and Masse they long to see Our Christ his law and vnitie They do blaspheme through our discent In cases new of gouernment Thy brawle their broyle would come to end If cease thou couldst thus to contend Ioyne hands in one embrace remorce To banish sinne bend all thy force Thy selfe restraine Gods truth respect His Church and peace of his elect Vouchsafe vs Lord thy Christ his grace Our Queene thy sprite but sinne deface Amen A.A. ¶ To the right reuerend Father in God THOMAS by the mercifull prouidence of God Bishop of Lincolne his good L Anthony Anderson Minister of the good Gospel of God wisheth all health and peace in Christ our only Sauiour THe holy Apostle sayth that whatsoeuer thinges are writteÌ„ afore time are written for our learning which sentence reuerend father as often as I do remember by the hand leadeth mee deepely to consider with reuerent regard what I read in the holy Scriptures and vrgeth me by feruent prayer to craue of God the geuer of all good giftes in Christ the true vnderstanding of the Scriptures sense and the hidden treasures therein comprised And so hath it pleased the lord of life to open the windows of heauen his name bee euer praised and from thence by his spirite most familiarly to speake vnto mee by his written word So that to his great prayse and my endlesse comfort I see that no iot of his Law is voyd of most excellent comfortes to the heart that simply in integritie of soule seeketh to quench his thirst in this fountaine of health the Gospell of God. In this word I find the knowledge of God Christ his sonne with promise of his holy spirit shall in all his elect open their hartes and write in them the true vnderstanding of his lawes Ezec. 36. The which most excellent gift by the learned books since the time of the Apostles and penned trauels of sundrie godly fathers in the Church aswell before our times as in these our dayes doth appeare to be eueÌ„ now most florishing in the church of God his name be alwayes praysed therefore And wherefore did the Prophets by his spirite speake or Christ and his Apostles preach or the godly Fathers before vs or these our learned writers in this age VVherefore I saye with hart mouth and penne haue they trauailed But to vtter the testimonie of gods gift confesse his name to the people of the earth to the life of the elect the inexcuse of the reprobate So will the Lord haue his spirite euer resiant in his Church to the end of the world To follow these Fathers as they followe Christ I accompt it my part hauing for further example amongest the many worthy workes of our writers now your L. profitable worke lately set forth to the better tast of Gods good wil in his expressed word in the appoynted Lessons at common prayer Of which worke I cease to speake further and seeke to follow as I can such good examples to the ende before touched VVhat if my Mite be not much worth Yet as it commeth from the Lord of heauen so shal it no doubt profite thither to his habilitie and that is my whole desire Let the learned eares accept as in inferior place this my small coyne yet good curraÌ„t siluer I trust tried by the touch of truth and geue him licence to passe to the lesse learned and poore countrey people whose state requireth yet mornings milke not all able for solidate questioÌ„s or deepe digested misteries Their soules are precious in the sight of God their liues ought to be deare in our consciences their wounded hartes require some soueraigne medicine of gentle digesture and quiet operation yet so that their ignorance weaknes may be remoued which God for his mercies sake in Christ vouchsafe them richly in his loue This is not the least cause why I haue stirred vp the small gift of God in me to exercise the same vpon this Hymne vsed in and at the morning prayer Iudging as by order through vse the wordes are readie at the lippe to vouch the Prophetes speech So if their tender hartes had some helpe to open therto the hidden cause of ioye in that holy letter no doubt I say the same of them shuld both with hart and mouth ioynd in one consent of grateful harmonie crie out the praises of the Lord in the temples of the holy Ghost which is the song that deliteth only the musical eares of Gods maiestie Assuredly al other chaunting notes and changing keys seeme they neuer so pleasant in the eares of men are far estranged from the good like of god al if set vp in his house of prayer This people worship me saith God with their lippes but their hartes are farre from me In vaine do they serue me c. And albeit I cannot touch the stile worthie so high a matter or set downe such deepe doctrine as the nature of the place requireth or yet approch such the hidden treasures as are here layd vp or the finenes of this our age expecteth yet nay the lesse the wydowes Myte is my boldninge comfort And on the other part the sorowfull lookes of the slothful Miser to whom the Lordes Talent was imparted maketh me afraid to queÌ„ch the spirit or stay the firie word kindled in my hart if I may vse Ieremies wordes at this present But be it that I should blushe to present my simple skill to the scanning of the wise and sharpned sight of the loftie learned deepe Doctors of our time knowing that my owne weaknes is to sundrie of them knowne also inable to this exploit in respect of infinit others â–ª yet I ioye at this refuge my conscience beareth me witnes tofore GOD and men that the onely end and scope of this my pen is chiefely to promote Gods glory
the worlde to be his chosen nurse to his peculiar persecuted people So may all we her subiectes acknowledge our selues more then most bound to god for her maiestie since we vnder a mayden Prince whose person is vnapt to bodely warres are so defended that against the force of the worlds furie both our soules and bodies are conserued in much peace far aboue the nations rounde about vs The onely cause thereof is Iesus Christ our mighty Michael who himself without our fighting hands or armed bodies breaketh the Dragons force and disapointeth him of his pray The second diabolicall imphe is the domestical foe which the Church harboreth carieth in her arms to quiet make stil his wanton and wrauling cryes Dandleth him on her Mootherly Knée hoping to surpresse his brawling voyce wyth her patient compassion For shew of recompence this poysoned broode calleth her by the name of mother her spouse Christ they worship by the tittle of lord But in déede they are the bond slaues of Agar and beare a deadly hate to Sara Their mindes be set on Sina that gendreth bondage vz. rotten Rome and Hierusalem they séeke but to féede vppon to florishe in to enriche themselues vnder her And espying her liberties and preheminences they doe from time to time busie themselues to betray the same The true church of God now in Englande séeke they to betray to the handes of the wicked and by slaunders to polute the sanctuarie of the lord The engines that these enemies vse agaynst vs are scoffing speches rayling voyces and slaundering wordes Sée you not say these men what discorde sundry sectes and religious are amongest these new broched bretherne how they preach wryte dispute and euer seeke to beate downe another Is not this a marke of Sathans Sinagog And the common refuge of these euilles is to couller their cankred malice with the couert of desired obedience to Lawes whylest such for the most parte liue as though they themselues were priuileadged from all good gouernement The contempt of godly Lawes set downe in this state and present gouernement is to be wyth diligent eye and earnest care redressed And I would to GOD suche rulers Ecclesiastical ciuill were selected as would more diligently looke hereto So should the mouthes of men haue lesse cause of their great outcryes agaynst the present state For I thinke it no reason to pull downe the whole house for the weakenes of on rotten sparre or to cutte of the hande for the fault or defect of a finger or yet vtterly to subuert the state because euery parte hath some infirmitie But as concerning the contentions amongst the learned I answere I lament both the cause and the action yet here by hath the papist no warrant to Blaspheme our Religion or to condemne the Prince or Preachers and professors of the same for if contention amydde the learned and in the Church of God be a sufficient cause to refuse her to slaunder and to reuile her wyth reprochfull tearmes yea and condemne the people state and ministery of christs spoused wife this holy church then shall we finde this Churche in no age among the children of men planted frée from such sharpe censure As if we loke into the church of Israell brought from Pharao into the desert we shall sée the same often to rebell against Moises yet not all the Israelits Wherefore the Church then could not be frée from contentiō Dathan Abiram disliking the priesthood which god ouer them had set vpō Aron his line stirred vp sharpe cōtention tumultuous vprore for the same Consider her condition in the time of Saule his persecuting of Dauid behold small vnitie Saule commended of some Dauid reaping the greater praise What vnity had the church whē 400. salse prophets contended with Helias the prophet of the Lord for the idoll Baal their false god After Israel retorned from her captiuity was not the church cut into diuers sectes factiōs in outward show they professed gods law penned by Moises the Prophets but in déede truth they were seperated into diuers opinions sundrie sects euery party receiued his name according to his opiniō The holy scripture approued authors tell vs that in the Iewes church there were Pharises Saduces Esseis yet who dare say that at this presēt ther was not in the place thē gods holy church It is therfore now no strāg or new thing to haue dissēting opiniōs in amōgst mē professing one religion about some points conteined in the same The new Testamēt witnesseth the like In the time of the Apostles what sharpe contention was there betwixt Paule Peter at Antioch for cause in religiō Peter offēding against the rules therof was openly reproued by Paule Also betwixt Paule Barnabas was such vnitie that they parted asonder the one from the other about John Marke a disciple Notable is that long sharpe disputation sore cōtention which crept into the church betwixt Paule Barnabas on the one part the Pharises which were cōuerted to the gospell at Antioch on the other about iustification whether it came by faith alone or that circūcision the law were of necessitie to be ioined thereto This strife was such that it could not nor was otherwise abandoned the church then by that Apostolicall councell holden at Hierusalem About this time and shortly after the Apostles there arose out of the church sundry sectaries as the Corinthiani Martionisti Gnostici and Carpocratiani The Gentilles then as some papistes doe now sayde the christians are troublesome and contentious they cannot agrée about their christ and his religion but we holde one vnitie in our profession therefore they offer vs more then great cause to haue in suspence our hast to subscribe to their professed Gospel Yet all this their friuolous speches set a part both the Apostles and others wyth them at that presēt ioyning in the sinceritie of the professed trueth were of the true church of god Also that church whereout these wicked Sectories Heritykes came was that and the best beloued Wyfe the Church of Iesus Christ notwithstanding such contentions and variable mindes as then that state caryed to the posteritie And euen so is our church now holding fast the substance of Doctrine geuen by the scriptures and the administration of the Sacraments according to his worde Lykewise in substance though in some matter accidentreth there arise question the same yet offe-no ioy to the professed papist for as they contende so doe both sides striue to be far from popish affects This our Church also I say of and in England is the true church of God the reuerend fathers the Bishops with others the preachers of his holy word in this our nation now gouernment abiding in the truth of doctrine though ther be amids their harmony in the
stones with Carbuncle lay thy foundations with Saphire I wil make thy windows of Emraudes thy gates shining stones all thy borders of pleasant stones and all thy Children shal be taught of God and much peace shal be vnto thy Children in righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come nie thée Beholde the Enemye shall gather himselfe but wythout me whosoeuer shall gather hymselfe in thée agaynst thée shall fall Beholde I haue made the Smyth that bloweth the Coales in the Fyre and him that bringeth forth an Instrument for his worke and I haue Created the Destroyer to destroy but all the Weapons that are made agaynst thée shall not prosper And euery Tongue that shall aryse vp against thée in Iudgement thou shalt Condemne Thys is the Lordes Heritage and their ryghteousnesse is of mée sayth the LORDE Thus farre the Prophete speaketh to teache thée good Reader great cause of comfort and courage agaynst dispayre though England which is Gods church haue now many enemies risen vp against her her religion yea though her owne skirtes doe carie suche as insult agaynst her she is Promised that theyr Weapons and the smith that framed them shal not prosper Their lybelling bookes which séeke to persecute her though they come from the house of counsell and séeme to procede from the seate of learnings iudgement yet shal this church of God be set a Iudge ouer their wearie trauels and toyling spite and shall condemne them Let that worthy Jewel of famous memory the holy confessor and Saint of and by Iesus Christ treasured vp in the Lapydarie of the heauens for the glory of our God let his excellent workes I say stand for an ample warrant hereto to this age to her posteritie for euer And let others whether at home or abroade looke for the same end of their molesting troubles which they cast into this our age and Church But thou wilt say why doth the Lord suffer so long our weake consciences to be troubled with these contending strifes What art thou O man that wilt dispute with God These troubles to vs yet in respect of the Schismes of old are but as an entring into the first moment of the day Waite thou the lords leysure and be still learne thy song framed by firme hope in truth which Micah hath taught the church of God alwayes in her trouble to sing thou shalt be relieued though thy enemies yet séeke to triumph ouer thée Reioyce not against me O my enemie saith the church there for though I fal I shal arise when I shal sit in darknes the Lord shall be a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntil he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me then wil he bring me forth to the light I shal sée his righteousnes Then she that is my enemie shall looke vpon it shame shall couer her which said vnto me Where is the Lord thy God my eyes shall behold her now shal she be troden downe as the myre of the stréets c. Thus much forth of the prophet Micah where thou maist learn to accuse thy self for thy sinne as Dauid did séeing the people afflicted not with Achab to charge the Lord or his profession Prophets whē troubles plagues arise in the church but to turne thy eyes into thy owne conscience sée the booke of thy iniquities there written to confesse before god man that thy sinne is the cause of such trouble plague brought into the church people by Satan his malice the pollicie of these his wicked impes Last of all discourage not at the romish scoffes taunting reproches nor yet despaire in the bottome of her darke dungeons sharpe persecutions for the lord wil comfort thée in them if thou rest vpon his laysure remaine constant in the end deliuering thée wil stampe thy enemie into dirt make thée beautiful in the sight of al men that thou maist serue him thy god thus deliuered frō feare in new holines deuoid of hypocrisie in iustice righteous dealing to with al men in the place of thy abode traffike els where amōgst men in earth And euer respect thy deliuerāce frō sinne regard thy state so that Satan eftsones pul thée not to thy former sinne which cōpelleth his erst bondage for the end of such as so fal is worse then the beginning And thus much for the first part of this Hymne in which I haue bene more prolixe then first I purposed but I trust that the profite which may rise vppon the attentiue reading of the matter simply set downe wil coūteruaile the tedious sight of so much blotted paper sith my willing trauayles hath forced me to dwell in comfortable spéech with the lesse learned some thing the longer because they of themselues can not conceiue such profitable matter as this our text doth exhibite to the serching eye assuredly perswaded that the better so godly learned will vouchsafe soueraigne Censure to this my vnpolished pen. And wherein I erre from the truth if by the same I may heare louingly therof as I hope I haue geuen no poyson to the Church so I wil be glad to reforme that and those thinges which godly reasons with learned truth shall require at my hands The Lord graunt continuance of his gospell in this Nation preseruation to her Maiestie with encrease of Gods knowledge and zeale to his holy name and to vs and his whole Church from all heresies Scismes and ciuill dissentions if it stand with his good wil and pleasure once full deliuerance that we may serue the Lord our god in sinceritie of hart and integritie of life in his sight by his holy spirite all the dayes of our life to whom by and with Christ our Lord to that deitie in the trinal vnitie be al praise power glory for euer Amen Vers 9 And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the most high for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes As the sacred Priest before had declared Gods great benefites and faithfulnes in performing his louing promises to the redemption of his elect So now he returneth to this present action and vsing the person of an interpreter expoundeth the Oracle of God declaring his sonne this child to be the same preacher and Doctor which erst by the Prophet Malachy was promised to precede Christ By whose trauel in Doctrine the way should be prepared for the Lordes comming his and our Messias Which office this babe in his appoynted time executed right wel with sinceritie of hart ▪ sparing no person place time or people or omitted any occasiō when he might most aptly performe such his calling This Baptistes voyce was euer crying against the sinnes of all exhibiting the remedie