cause why for if the Lord promise long life and happie daies to them which dutifullie honor their father and their mother shall hee not pull out his flaming sworde of indignation and cutte of the line of their posteritie which dishonor their spirituall mother the holie church pilling and powling her of her iewels ornamentes auncient liberties large possessions making her loathsome euen in in the sight of the heathen If thy louing mother tooke thee vp out of the wildernesse from the mouthes of manie wilde beastes if shee brought thee in her louing armes into her house and lapped thee warme in her owne clothes if she suckled thee with her tender brestes if she sustained many great losses harde aduentures in bringing thee vp if she suffered many troubles daungers in defending thee nay if shee haue beene most greeuously persecuted once twise thrise nay more than tenne times for thy sake is it not barbarous crueltie for thee when thy mother is olde to take her iewels from her necke her clothes from hir backe her house ouer her head her meate out of hir hande Wilt thou scratch the teate that gaue thee sucke or diminish the liuing of the Church which giueth the spirituall foode for the soule though the holy scripture had not once mentioned it yet the law of nature dooth threaten a dreadfull doome to all those which destroy their owne parents God the Creator of nature it selfe dooth neuer leaue it vnpunished Let vs propound vnto our selues the life the honour the dignitie the blessed memorie and immortall glorie of those worthie princes already mentioned And on the contrary the sinister beginnings the euill successe the miserable endes of all those which neglected the glorie of God and the prosperous estate of his Church which of all Christians especially of all true nobilitie ought most to bee abhorred Doe but lift vp your eie and looke at tbose which haue shaked their head at Sion by shaking of Sion her selfe haue meant to strengthen themselues on all sides Fixe your eies stedfastly yea but a little on those gracelesse ympes after many great plagues and destructions sent on them ye shall see the clowde cleane vanished and in the house of the wicked no man lefte His habitation shalbe voide and there shall no man remaine to saie with the olde Prophet alas my brother alas my vnckle alas my loouing father Nowe hauing bent our eyes vnto the viewe of sundrie examples let vs looke into the ages past and see if euer the Godly were vtterlie destitute or that the enemies of the Church of God euer continued long in honour or if those which anie waie impared the Church prospered afterwardes in their generations Come and see nay I pray you reede and vnderstand that the Lord hath alwaies beene most ielous ouer his beloued spouse Tell mee if you bee so olde or your memorie so good can you name anie what so euer which at anie time in anie nation diminished the state the liuing the honour the safetie of the church of Christ and scaped the handes of the almightie Dauids eating of the shewe breade in the dayes of Abiather the high Preest is aunswered by the Lord of truth extreame necessitie droue him therevnto and yet as the learned write hee might more safely doe it because he was both a Prophet and a king herein prefiguring the person of a sauiour Christ who was a king a preest and a Prophet But let vs proceede plainly saying the sooth of our conclusion The Lord in executing his iudgementes hath no respecte of persons neither pardoneth he this greeuous voluntarie sinne of detracting from the Church so easilie as hee dooth other sinnes of infirmitie But rather hee sheweth his most seuere iudgement against those which take the liuing of the leuit from the Church and impropriate the same vnto themselues their wiues and their children Ely was a goodlie old Priest aud verie learned He was so beloued of the Lord that by the mouth of God hee and his seede were appointed to minister in the house of God hee had the freedome and prerogatiue of the Priests and he onelie had the disposing of the Arke the house the sacrifice of God in his daies Till at the length together with the vse of holie rites thorough the hope of small gaine hee suffered great abuse to enter into the house of God in that the sonnes of Ely forgetting God the due reuerence which they ought vnto his holy sacrifice applied the vse thereof more to the feeding of their owne selues then to the solemne and reuerend pacifying of the Lord for the sinnes of the people They seldome offered themselues whē any of the people came to offer vp vnto the Lord whilest the meat was boiling the Priests boy came hauing a fleshhook in his hād he thrust it deep into the caudron what piece soeuer came vp that the Priest tooke to himself This did they vnto all the people of Israel which came to sacrifice in the house of God at Silo. Yea before they burnt the fat the priestes boy came to him which offered saying giue me a portiō that I may rost for the priest I will not stay to take boiled flesh at thine hands but I must haue it rawe To whom when he which offred vnto the Lorde answered not so but according to the custome let the fat be burnt first take then at your pleasure To whome the boy replied nay but if thou wilt not giue it me presentlie I will take it whether thou wilt or no. Herevpon the sins of the sonnes of Elie was grieuous in the sight of God because they being sinfull flesh tooke to their owne vse that which was bestowed on the sacrifice of the God of heauen Elie heard all those things of his sonnes and more then that and he said vnto them verie mildlie howe is it my sonnes that I heare of such wickednes committed by you against the Lord doe so no more my sonnes doe so no more Consuetudo peccandi tollit sensum peccati They sinned still by dailie custome without regard they offended the Lord without remorse the old father spake to his sonnes sometimes but so louing lie that hee hated his children that hee fed their humour and nourished them in their wanton wickednes forgetting that truth which he spake with his lips If one man sinne against another God may be pacified for them both but if man sin against God who shal intreat for him or make sufficient satisfactiō This mild old man waxed towards his end As is the vse of natural fathers he loued his sons too much too vehementlie too childishlie in that he was loather to loose their fauning looks then the fauor of the Lord. Alas say some you must beare with nature he was verie old and his greatest ioy was his sons Was his ioy here vpō earth And did he reioice more in his fleshly childrē then
handes with Pylate and not onely to saie as hee said I am free from this innocent bloud but both in woord and deede to keepe our prophane handes from the violating of holie thinges That holie father Saint Augustine hee affirmeth that God is a cleere eye and seeth euerie where much more hee beholdeth all the corners of his owne house and the footsteppes of those which spoyle his temple before his face Which who so rudelie rashly and irreligiously presumeth at any time to attempt let him consider that he doth it against the Lord openlie before his own face and therwith let him know that he is a ielous God visiting the sinnes of the fathers vpon the children to the third and fourth generation of all which hate him sith he is God yesterday to day and for euer as also all thinges are which are once consecrated to his holie worship I vnderstand that by the course of lawe inheritaunce descendeth to the next of the bloud and for want of heirs in the second third or fourth generation of the eldest it commeth backe to the younger brothers issue and posterity of which if all fayle and at length by intailement or otherwise by lawe if it commeth into the possession of the King it neuer goeth backe If this bee the prerogatiue of goods giuen to earthly Princes which are here to daye and to morrowe lye rotting in the graue let vs not denie the same to the Lord of Lordes the King of Kinges the creatour of heauen and earth into whose house whatsoeuer is incorporated though conscience and religion dare not speake therein yet let the heathen Poet open his mouth and make the period 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that which is once doone cannot bee vndoone againe If this constancie was alwaies kept betwixt man and man how much more betwixt God man betwixt his Church his Prests his spirituall Pastours and the men of this world whose parentes and instructurs they are according to that saying of Micha vnto the Leuit remaine with me and be my father and my Priest and the tribe of Dan also to the same Leuit houlde thy peace and come with vs for thou shalt be our father and our Priest Sithe then by the secreet instinct of nature and also by the expresse commaundement of God wee are commaunded to honour our father and mother to obey and cherishe them in all wee canne by the same lawe wee are vtterlie forbidden to to detract or take any thing away from them And if any hard harted christian vnder the colour of dissembled zeale seeme to open away herein to his sacrilegious couetous minde saying that these commaundements of our Lord are meant concerning our naturall father and mother let him and all men knowe that the holie fathers expounding this commaundement affirme first that it concerneth our honour to our spirituall father and the Church our spirituall mother secondly it commaundeth vs to nourish and obey al superiours magistrates and ministers amongest whom are contained our naturall parentes But suppose that were obscure and doubtfull which is as plaine and cleare as the noone daie yet canst thou doubt what the will of God and the rule of right is in this case wherein the Lord hath spoken plainely as it is shewed before in these wordes whatsoeuer is once dedicated to God shall neuer be sould or redeemed As is the fountaine so are all the little brookes running from the same This is the lawe of the Lord concerning thinges dedicated to his holy worshippe and the liues of the holy Patriaches the Prophets the Apostles the Maâ—tirs the fathers doo cleerely expresse the same Ioseph the true figure of our Lord and sauiour Iesu Christ in that great famine of Aegipt when hee had bought almost the whole land and brought it into the Kings hand he would not once offer any money for the priestes landes but in that their great want gaue them nourishment of the Kings store according to that rule of the Lord the suburbes of the Priests shall not be sould for the possession of them is eternall without redemption God is our heauenly father he hath sowed the eternall seede of his exceeding looue in our hearts to the ende he might receiue from vs the same euen looue for looue because such as hee soweth such will he reape Can we say that we loue our spirituall father and therewith spoile his louing spouse our spirituall mother the holie Church castinge downe her walles banishing her eldest children possessing her landes goods and treasure which is an odious crime in the sight of God and man according to that saying of Saint Ambrose si quis in sua if any man presume to take the treasures of the Church to his priuate vse it is a great crime Wherin least he should seeme to abridge the spirituall pastours of the Church for whose sustenaunce they were first giuen hee expoundeth himselfe in these wordes Templum domini laicis tradi non debet the temple of the Lord ought not to be giuen into lay mens handes signâ—fying that wee must giue vnto Caesar those thinges which bee Caesars and vnto God those thinges that bee Gods Amongest the heathen Philosophers it was couÌ„ted the first point of iustice to giue to euerie man his owne and least amongst christians anie in time should prooue so barbarous and vtterly voide of grace that hee should laie violent handes on the goods of poore innocents which cannot speake euen the temples of the Lord dedicated to the worshippe of his holie name besides the expresse commaundement of the Lord in holy scriptures the holy fathers and councels haue pronounced it a cursed thing as the cleare bage of him which hath renounced heauen and taken himselfe wholy to serue this wicked world and the vanities thereof The councell of Gangrene celebrated the yeere of our Lord 324. or there about according to the Cannons of the Apostles decreed in this manner If any man shall presume to take any thing once offered to God vnleast it bee the Bishop or his deputie appointed for the distributing of the Church goods to the poore let him be accursed In like manner also the third councell of Rome If any man couet or take away any reuenews belonging to the Church or if any of the Priestes consent there to let them be accursed The reason followeth in the fift councel alleadged in this manner for it is a great iniurie and an vntollerable sacriledge that what so euer any man bestoweth on the church of Christ should be altered or translated to any other vse especially by those men who of all other ought to maintaine the Church as be christian Kings Princes and Prelates Furthermore that it might be manifest to all those which dutifully embrace and reuerence the spouse of Iesu Christ howe wicked an enterprise it is and what manifest daunger to the soules of all them which shall presume heerein the same
place permit But yet first and principally wee must seeke to feede our soule with the foode that neuer perisheth and then the body Those which doe blesse the Lorde of heauen and loue him aboue all the fading ioyes of the earth they shall receyue from aboue blessing for blessing grace for grace loue for loue to their endlesse comfort in the great day of his visitation they shall florish like the fruitfull vine their children shall stande like oliue braunches round about their table and they shall neuer want one to sit vppon their seate after them for euer They shall see their childrens children together with the temples and good woorkes of their owne handes They shall reioyce therein because their memorie shall neuer perish from the face of the earth but especially because this oyle which they haue in their lampes shall giue a light to their eyes a direction to their feete a comfort to their heart and conscience in the day of iudgement This is the sentence of holy scripture and the example is like vnto the same Looke ouer the booke of God peruse it diligently and tell mee if euer you did see the righteous forsaken or his seede begging their bread But alwaies those which first aboue all worldly affaires did seeke the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse thereof whiche built temples to his holie name maintaining his praise and glorie in the same they had all good blessings powred on them Abraham left his owne country willing to haue sacrificed his onely sonne at the voice of the Lord and therefore hee had this assuraunce by the voyce of an Aungell from heauen By my selfe haue I sworne saith the Lorde that in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed Which blessing continued in Isaac the fruits therof began to budde in Iacob whose willing minde well knowen vnto the Lord concerning his house in his sleepe there appeared vnto him a ladder the foote whereof stood on the earth but the top did reach vnto the heauens by which the angels did ascend and descend and the Lord leaning on the top of this ladder said vnto him I am the Lord the God of thy father Abraham and thy father Isaac the land in which thou art now will I giue thee and to thy seed and thy seed shall bee as the dust of the earth Thou shalt increase from the East to the West froÌ„ the North to the South and in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed When Iacob awaked out of his sleepe he said of a truth the Lord is in this place I knew not and trembling he said further O how terrible is this place this is none other place but euen the house of God and the gate of heauen Forthwith rising in the morning hee tooke the stone which lay vnder his head all night and rearing it an ende he powred oile vppon it making a vow and saying if the Lord will bee with mee c. the Lord shall be my God and this stone which I haue here set an ende shalbe called the house of God and I will giue him the tenth of all the encrease which hee shall giue me After the sparks of heauenlie fire new kindled in the breast of the holie patriarch the flame brake forth at his mouth and so fructified together with his true pietie that afterwards hee was wonderfull rich in seruants goods and cattel in beeing a ioyfull father of manie goodlie-children liuing to a good olde age seeing his childrens children laying his hand on them that which passeth all though his graundfather Abraham did make an alter in the same place proceeding to offer the bloud of his onelie sonne vnto the Lord which was a perfect figure of Christ yet the latter light did shine the clearer and the Lord did so multiplie the blessings promised to Abraham in his sonnes Isaac and Iacob that long before the time of the reuelation of that holie one to him and in him he vncouered the vale so much that he shewed his louing regard to his elect here vppon earth in looking downe on Iacob and leaning on the ladder in sending his Angels vp and downe to his patriarch full of grace Who when his eies were open and he did see as it is said Gratia gratiam peperit Grace brought foorth grace For to the end that hee and his posteritie might more easilie clime this ladder and for our example hee trembled when hee perceyued that the Lord was there hee gaue the title and ioyned the reuerence thereunto saying out of all doubt this is the house of God and the gate of heauen concluding it shall be called the house of God Which his zealous speech and dooings condemne the fruitelesse zeale of our age for when hee perceiued that hee was once in the house of God with a reuerent feare hee trembled Not dispairing but beleeuing in heart hee looked vp confessing with the mouth hee promised and perfourming in deede hee reared vp the corner stone on which euen in the same place the holie temple of the Lord euen in the Temple of Ierusalem was afterwards built which though it was refused of the cunning builders in latter times yet beeing once annointed with holy oile it became the head stone of the corner If the Lord did so woonderfullie blesse the patriarch Iacob in his true faith and perfect zeale that of one smaâ—â— sâ—one hee raised the most holie the most honourable the most sumptuous the most rich and costlie Temple in the whole world Let no good Christian doubt to lay though it bee but one stone in the Colledge the Church the Temple of the Lord acknowledging with Saint Paul that Non est volentis non est currentis sed miserentis Dei It is not hee which willeth or hee which runneth but God which sheweth mercie It is not wee which do it but the grace of God which is in vs. Which if it once beginne to spring and shew it selfe in the woorke laie waight enough on it for it will rise mauger the might of all the world Hee which hath laied the greatest foundation in the lowest element the highest glorie in the lowest places which confoundeth the strength of this world with his weaknes which putteth downe the mightie from their seat and exalteth the humble meeke of his abundant mercie hee will magnify the charitie of the poore Widowe though it bee but a mite he will make the building strong though it bee founded on a cuppe of could water Those which loue his spouse hee will blesse their seede here vpon earth with plentie of peace and glorifie them in his heauenlie lerusalem This blessing is seldome obscure or vnseene amongest the sonnes of GOD neither doth it cease from generation to generation For if wee looke backe vnto this litle sparke wee shall see and saie with the prophet Dauid that the fire was kindled in Iacob and the flame broke
yeeld that this fruitfull braunch did spring from Helynaes roote For she not onely adueÌ„tured her owne person in mightie warres against the Infidels farther than that sexe dooth commonly affoord but she sent into the wide west Ocean sea to the 7 fortunate Ilands to the Atlantich IlaÌ„ds bearing far north by west gaining them all their people to the christian religioÌ„ which neuer heard of Christ before In which Ilandes to the end that after they had tasted the sweete milke of the Gospell of Christ they might be fed with stronger meat hauing built and erected many parish churches besides diuers goodly colledges she founded and erected in Granata foure Cathedrall churches in the fortunate Ilandes two in the Indian Ilandes three in Affrike she wonne Mellam a most strong defenced towne she wonne from the Turke the Iland Cephalena sometimes Vlisses inheritance amongst the Grecians and most louingly she restored it to the Venetians whose sometimes it was Shee wonne the Citie and tower of Ostia violently deteined from the Romanes by a tyrant restoring it vnto the Bishop of Rome she enacted that there should bee but one religion in her dominions one faith one forme of diuine worship and thervpon notwithstanding the great tribute which came yearely into her treasurie from the Iewes she expelled from her dominions all the Iewes which dwelt there euen to the number of six hundred thousands also shee offered to all Sarasins and Mahometists either freely to depart out of her dominions or to become Christians Wherby after some time and diligent preaching within one yeare of the Sarasins there were conuerted and baptised aboue twentie hundred thousand Lastly shee gaue to the adorning of the temple built ouer the sepulcher of our sauiour Christ foure costly syndones which whilest she was with child she did spin weaued afterward with hir own hands in token of her dutifull obedience towards him O most fruitful and vertuous Lady which shunned neither colde nor heat nor wars nor weapons nor wearying of hir selfe nor spending her treasure her time her life so that she might increase the church of Christ and make his name known amongst the Gentils Therefore the Lord looked down from heauen vpon her with his louing countenance giuing her all that her heart desired heere vppon earth with most happie successe till at the length after her long prosperous and victorious raigne shee which had leade her life most vertuously yeelded her soule into the hands of Iesu Christ most willingly After whose most happy death her childrens children were raised by the Lord vnto the seate and title of Earles Dukes Kings and Emperours This right renowned Lady was born in the yere of our Lord 1448 departed this life 1504 at which time also florished in England that most vertuous Princesse the Ladie Margaret Countesse of Richmond and Darbie mother to king Henrie the seauenth This deuout Princesse beeing replenished with heauenlie graces well knowing that the high honor of flesh and bloud is but a glistering cloude of vanitie leauing the transitorie delights of the world shee betooke her selfe wholly to the seruice and worship of God Shee fell downe often on her knees secretlie in her closet bowed her selfe most humbly before him in his holie Temple powring out her complaints together with the penetentiall Psalmes of Dauid humblie requesting the Lord in her prayers that hee would looke downe with his louing compassion on his holie Church mercifully forgiuing the sinnes of his people This shee did daily ordinarily faithfully sincerely To her diuine meditations she adioyned often fastings with many thousands of mercifull deedes to the poore hearing their crie willing that they might haue accesse vnto her helping them to their right against the mightiest of their Countrie of what calling place honor or office soeuer they were Her house most princely and solemnly ordered her vertuous statutes set downe by her godly Counsel and signed with her owne hand as it is to be seene at this day the Chappell was most reuerently regarded of all other places and not of her alone but of all her honorable retinue her hower appointed for praier no pleasure no businesse no embassage no King nor Keisar could once interrupt No oth within her dores nor any word or deed which might offend the King of heauen And yet those vsuall recreations which might verie well beseeme the better sort of Christians Her house thus wel reformed according to the disposion of her heauenlie mind though she waxed in years yet shee walked forth of her doores into the haruest of the Lord wherby the way looking vp she viewed the height fairnes of the temples wel thinking in her wise and Godlie meditation that there were many goodly places deuoid of worthy persons and many faire walles but not so many well learned as they should be Her thought was good her intent godlie her successe was happy And what was that shee seeing the haruest great and the laborers few forthwith shee thought to send more laborers into the field of the Lord. And how Shee pulled not downe manie litle Celles to build vp one great Colledge as did the Cardinall who liued not to see the end of his worke once begon but wisely waying the great inconuenience of walles without men men without religioÌ„ religioÌ„ without knowledge knowledge without spirituall pastors she founded an excellent colledge in our vniuersit of CaÌ„bridge after the name number of Christ and his xii Apostles endowing it with goodly landes possessions with statutes and rules of vertuous life to the end that by her meanes many good and skilfâ—ll workmen might goe forth into the haruest of the Lord. This branch of true christian charitie increased so much was so acceptable in the sight of God that by the view therof she framed a more solemne portraiture in her breast for not long after she stil meditating how she might best gratify the Lord of light who had put downe her foes and replenished her hart with ioy and gladnes according to the true rule of profiting in the schole of Christ she went from vertue to vertue from strength to strength euen a litle before her death raising vp a most solmne sumptuous colledge by her will founding therein seauenty fellowes according to the number of the seauentie Disciples sent out by our Sauiour Christ into the world to preach the Gospel for the good weale and prosperous maintenance whereof shee gaue very rich ancient faire and good lands Shee left them holsome and worthie statutes whereby a vertuous life might bee practised and all knowledge aswel of tongues as of sciences might by her godly deuotion bee more happily attained Lastly hauing bestowed great landes possessions for the maintenance of lectures in Hebrewe in Greeke in Latine in Arethmetike Rhetorike Logicke Philosophie Geometrie Mathematick Phisick Astronomy Diuinity and such disputations with other profitable exercises belonging to the same She cleaped this latter colledge by
them Whereby all men maye learne to feare the Lorde knowing that hee is iust and holie immutable and not as man is to bee pleased with a faire worde but euen amongst his chosen children hee sendeth his deuouring sworde to cut of the roote of their sinnes and not to them onely but to their children and childrens children Concerning this wee haue a cleare example in Achab king of Israell who when hee could not entreat poore Naboth to depart vnto him his vineyard and the inheritance of his forefathers hee lay down on his bed all sick with griefe turning his face from the companie towards the wall he sighed sorrowfully but the phisition was at his elbow For there was a commission presently sent forth a court called witnesses examined Naboth condemned brought forth executed When Achab heard of this he rose from his bed he descended and tooke possession But the Lord he sounded forth his trompet of defiance against him by the mouth of Helias saying hast thou killed and taken possession behold in the same place where the dogges licked the bloud of Naboth they shall also licke thy bloud and I will cut of the line of thy posteritie so that I will destroy from Achab euery one that maketh water against the wall Achab hearing this was wonderfullie sorie and vexed in his hart so that he rent his garment fasting and praying in sackcloth and ashes Therefore the Lord had an eie to his penitent sorrow and recomforted him by the mouth of Helias saying Because thou hast humbled thy selfe at my voice this euill shall not come in thy daies but in thy sonnes daies and yet not one iot of the word of the Lord failed concerning his death For after three years there arose great wars betwixt Israel and the Assâ—â—ians in which king Achab being sore wouÌ„ded vnder the side with an arrow the bloud ran down into the chariot and he died and they washed the Chariot in the poole of Samaria and the dogs licked his bloud in the selfe same place where hee spilt the bloud of the innocent Naboth His eldest sonne Ioram was partaker of this punishment sent from God for hee was shot betwixt the shoulders by the handes of Iehu being cast out of his chariot into the fielde of Naboth Also his wife Iesabel the deuiser of this sinne shee was cast out of her window downe vpon the pauement where her brains dasht out against the stones her bloud sprent vpoÌ„ the walles her body bruised against the ground When she should haue bin taken vp there was nothing found remaining saue onely her handes her feet and her scawpe as it was spoken by the mouth of Helias Dogges shall eate the flesh of Iesabel in the fieldes of Iesraell Lastly that wee may behold the seuere iudgement of the Lord against those which take away other mens possessions though Achab left great store of Children behind him euen 70. sonnes in Samaria so that it seemed verie likely in the eie of man that hee should neuer want issue to sitte vppon his seat yet the Lord in one day by the hand of Iehu destroyed them all their heads were cut of at his commaundement and laid on heapes by the citie gate to the end that all posteritie might learne hereby not to trust in the multitude of their landes authoritie and riches or to hope too much in the succession of their carnal bodie but to way the seuere iudgementes of the Lord against all those which neglect his honour and which through a greedie desire of earthly possession with the hasard of their owne soules willingly vndoo their poore neighbours and bretheren for whom the Lord Iesu the God of heauen and earth hath shed his most pretious bloud O that carnall men would consider wisely and way this conclusion truly in their hart that if the Lord did so seuerely punish Achab and yet not the thousand part which hee deserued for the taking away of one of his subiectes vineyardes which lay verie commodiouslie for him that hee died vnfortunately in the battaile his Queene was eaten with dogges his children euen 70. be headed all in one day what grieuous punishment hath hee prepared for those which take the house vineyards of his beloued spouse which impouerish his children of whom he hath said hee which hurteth you hee toucheth the apple of mine eye which eate her bread from her and make her barren of her best beloued children Which place all their studie and delight in hording vp corruptible riches not remembring how litle it auaileth a man if he win the whole world and loose his owne soule Nay not considering the exceeding great blessings which the Lord continuallie powreth on them that mainteine his holie temple and the extraordinarie curses wherewith hee cutteth of the desire and posteritie of all those which either decay his holy church or diminish the deuine worship of his holy name Me thinks our eies should not be so dim in this cleare light that wee should not see nor our hearts so fleshlie that wee should not vnderstand and the will of the Lord and his great iudgements against those which maintaine themselues by the goods of the church being none of those which do seruice or haue any special functioÌ„ in the same Though we wil not vnderstaÌ„d the feareful examples which the Lord hath shewed heretofore Yet let vs so incline our owne hartes and waies that of our selues we may be ready rather to giue with the blessed than to take away with the cursed Let vs consider with reason that man is created for the glory of God not for his owne glory for the seruice of God not for his owne seruice for the saluation of the whole man euen body soule not for a litle vaine delight whilest he liueth herein y â— flesh Herein let him know by the rules of nature of reason of ciuil lawes holy institutioÌ„ that the goods of the church came to vs by the right of successioÌ„ by the same right they are entailed to our posteritie succession of our place calling for euer If this bee so theÌ„ the sequel is most plaine true the goods of the church they are none of ours to giue but whilest we possesse theÌ„ nor theirs to take we offend in giuing they offend in taking away that which is neither theirs nor ours But as Naboths vineyard the inheritance giuen by our forefathers to vs our succession We gaue you them say some we may take them away Not so though the antecedent halt yet suppose it were true the coÌ„sequent is altogether maimed Though you had giueÌ„ that which you would faine take away though those good deuout soules your auncestors which so charitably prouided both for you vs liued at this day whose life would be to them a double death if their eies did see that which we see yet that which thou hast once giuen into mine hand willingly wittingly
philosophie we shall see plainly that those creatures which receaue the greatest portion of blessing they render the most againe not once retracting the former yeilde The fields for one pore graine receaued send forth manie scores againe The fishes multiplie in all the coastes of the wide Ocean seas the beastes their young the Bees their honey the sheepe their lambe their wool their skin the litle poore larke shee mounteth vp into the clowds with a sweet song which solaceth thee either riding by the waie or plowing in the field or sitting in thine howse at home All creatures by kinde yeeld giftes of thankefull grace vnto the Lorde not once retracting anie thing againe And shall onely sinfull man bee founde vnthankfull vnto his maker The Lord of his meere mercie without al merite hath giuen him all the beastes of the field the fowles of the aier the fishes of the sea vnder his dominion he hath giuen him an vnderstanding soule made him steward of his housholde Nay when through disobedience to his maker hee had cast himselfe cleane out of dores our sauiour Christ hee came downe from heauen for his sake hee appeared in the habite of a man hee was counted vile dispited and hated threatned betraied martired euen to the sheading of his most pretious bloud on the crosse for sinful man Neither did his louing kindnes cease with the time for hee left his houshold behinde him eâ—en his catholique Church and his holie spirite to gouerne and guide it to comfort man to instruct him to support him against all his enemies dailie hourelie holding the strings of his heart in his hand and preseruing the breath in his nostrelles least he should vanish from the face of the earth These bee the manifold mercies of the Lord towardes man more than to all other creatures and shal sinful man be more vnthankfull to his maker than the rest shal man onelie of al other creatures take away from the Lord that which is once giuen shal the hart of man waxe hard against bis creator that hee should once thinke ther may be too much giuen to God or forbid any man against the commaundement of Christ to giue al that he hath to the poore distressed members of his church Naie shall not sinfull man rather inuent in his hart write with his pen pronouÌ„ce with his vocie statutes lawes and commissions to the ende that the whole frame of the common wealth especiallie before all other matters whatsoeuer be directed and wholie bent to the glorie of God the worshippe of his holie name the highest point whereof consisteth in mainteining of his holie Temple the house and place of his true worshippe here on earth Naie shall the beastlie hart of that prowde Nabuchodonozer bee placed in the bodie of anie Christian that hee should lay wast the Temples of the Lord or that dronken minde of king Balthasar that he should take to his owne vse the goods of the Church that hee should dissolue the Quire of sweete voices praising the Lord in the Citie and bestowe the foundation thereof on a kennell of houndes crying in the woods If the king call shal we not all runne and if the kinglie prophet Dauid bid vs bring vnto the Lorde shall we waxe hardharted in taking away that which wee neuer gaue If the heathen people through the instinct of heauenlie light secretlie written by the finger of God in the centre of their heart trembled at the entrance of the temples of the Christians and were afraid to touch any thing therein as we reade in sundry histories shall not the true Christian vtterly abhorre from the same if not for loue in regard of the teÌ„der mercies of Iesu Christ bestowed on him yet for feare of those extreame and extraordinarie punishments that hee speedilie powreth vppon all those which spoile his temples O ye kinges and rulers of the earth be wise count not of this crowne of molten mettall which weieth heauy on your heade and presseth you downe to the earth but cast down your crownes before the lambe of God which taketh away the sins of the worlde despise your kingdomes and glorious roialties learne to serue him with a perfect loue of eternall blisle and perfect loathing of these tedious earthly kingdomes striue to finde the narrow gate cast away your iewels heauie ornaments runne runne runne on a pace run swiftly that ye may attaine that crowne which will lift you vp both body and soule aboue all the kingdomes of the world nay farre aboue all heauens euen vnto eternall life That you may more readilie enter this race of a true Christian and more happilie attaine the true perfection of the same first forsake the worlde and all the loue thereof cast away your worldlie delightes and secret inclination denie your selues count not of that flattering constancie whose ende is dolefull miserie Hauing reiected this worldlie habite together with thy fleshlie delightes let the troubled waie of fickle fancie goe and there with entering further the first degree of heauenly meditation weigh wisely with thy selfe and consider what God is and what thou art and thou shalt see plainely that who so is without him or out of his fauour hee is nothing or at the most a verie vile and an euill thing The great desire of the kinges of the earth is long and prosperous reigne Which who so hath enioied long in the court let him but walke out a little into the pleasant woodes and hee shall heare the auncient Poet Symonides sounding that truth in his sweete songe 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 c. a thousand and tenne thousand yeares in respect of eternitie are but a minute or rather the least portion of a minute Sith all is nothing vnto him and hee is one in one eternitie from which vnitie all creatures haue their integritie let vs learne as little children doe by 1. 2. 3. the eternall the incomprehensible the first and simple vnitie in trinitie from which all thinges haue their rising by proportion of number knowing that as hee is the â— and â— so the first and the last loue of our heart the first and the last honour which wee can deuise the first and the last fruites of the labours of our bodie must bee giuen vnto him and in such maner that beeing once giuen vnto him it is the first and the last neuer to bee reuoked againe no not to bee desired in minde and secrete cogitation but there to rest and remaine as in the first and last conclusion for which it was ordained If anie worldly minded man seeme to doubt the truth hereof I will not produce this course begun from the misticall principles of secret philosophie least with the clowdes of reason I should obscure the cleare light of heauenlie truth and hide it from the simple whose good successe in the schoole of Christ I most of all desire The expresse rule of Iustice
riches pleasure and dignitie vile earth springing out of the earth and destinate with your bodies to the earth againe be yee not so enchaunted with the humming swarme of worldly pleasures and delightes that yee loose the ioy eternall And now a litle seclude those painted showes of worldlie vanities besmeared with glistering vernish which dimmeth your eies and looke vppon your selues your soules and bodies Neither is it sufficient to consider with that holie Father vnde vbi quo from whence wee came where wee are now and whither wee shall returne the true answere whereof is that treble anxesis of the prophet earth earth earth But in this iourney according to the counsell of saint Paule we must shake of all which hangeth heauie on and presseth vs downe we must learne to weane our selues from our infirmities and to know our disease with fixed eies we must behold our wounds how many how dangerous how deep they bee how they are to bee cured and how the stroke of the enemie here after is to be auoided Though al our battaile and strife is not directed against flesh and bloud onelie but also against spirituall powers and enemies of our soules yet the enemie of flesh and bloud oft times so daunteth our harts with his proud defiance and in such sort that through the too much caring and carking for our selues hee maketh a plaine and readie entrance to the wounding of our bodies and so much the rather because the shield and brestplate with which wee chuse to defend our selues though at the first sight it sit fit vpon our breast and outwardly seeme well steeled to the eie yet inwardlie it is most dangerouslie impoisoned infesting the bodie with strange contagion sinking into the vaines and synewes so deepe that it weakneth our iointes it dulleth the spirites and daunteth the courage of the heart This is the contagion wherewith as Celsus wriâ—eth the Venetians seeking to ouercome their enemies were made a praie vnto them This is that two edged sword with which whilest wee rashlie fight against our enemie and striue to reach him a sore blow with lifting our hand vp too hastilie too rashlie too high with the other side wee cut our owne faces This is the rule which teacheth vs that when we are prouoked to battaile by outward foes we must not make flesh our strength or put any confidence in riches but if wee hope to ouercome our bodilie enemies wee must first conquere the spirituall aduersaries of our soules now ruling in our mortall members and that is by flyflying to our most louing captaine and victorious conquerour Iesu Christ who hauing conquered our great enemies death hel and damnation is ascended vp on high leading captiuitie captiue and giuing great spoiles and giftes vnto men His louing voice doth sound from heauen and biddeth all men come Come vnto him all yee that are loaden and he will refresh you The spirite and the spouse say come and hee which heareth let him saie come hee which thirsteth let him come and those which hope to see their desire vpon their enemies let them come and all which loue Iesu Christ and his louing spouse come and see touch and tast how sweet the Lord Iesu is But how shall wee come and which is the way hee which biddeth come hee calleth them which thirst opening to them the fountaine of eternall life And though I am vnworthie to aduise anie yet my purpose is to admonish those which erre that they come into the true way And how shall wee come by true repentance of our former wickednes and sinnes committed against God And how shall we repent not in only saying Lord Lord or onely God forgiue me and so going on in our sinful life but if thou hast offended thy Lord and louing father thou must bee heartelie sorie for thy misdoings with fasting with praying with shewing thy penitent mind and sorrow for thy sins in thought in word in deed If thou haue taken thy neighbours goods restore double and with that good Zacheus in signe of true repentance giue halfe thy goods to the poore In this habit of a true Israeliâ—e forsaking all that â—hou hast follow our Lord and sauiour who hath walked the same waie before vs. If thou haue sinned in fleshlie lustes and desires fast and praie instantlie strew ashes on thy head put on sackcloth in stead of silkes returne from the view of courtlie troupes entring into thy secret Chamber cast downe thy selfe before the Lord euen vppon the could ground Mourne and lament before the Lord crie out alowd Adsum qui â—eci in me conuertito ferrum It is I O Lord it is I wretched maÌ„ which haue sinned against heauen and against thee haue mercie vppon me O Lord according to thy great goodnes and according to the multitude of thy mercies do away mine offences This is the beginning of repentance for these sins of infirmitie and the end is like vnto the same These were the wordes and deedes of Dauid and was there nothing else yes verilie after due consideration of his sinnes and sorrow for the same he sought to please the Lord he fullie purposed to take the arch out of the simple tent and to build a faire temple vnto the Lord God of Israell this was his holie life wherewith he sought to win the Lordes fauour and his sinnes were the sinnes of his bodie euen the sins of infirmitiâ— but if thou once lift vp thine hand against the Lord and his holy temple if thou take away the goods of his church and the maintenaÌ„ce of his holy ministers preachers of his word who first tooke thee vp in their hands and brought thee into the Church who haue washed thee with the baptisme of repentaunce vnto eternall life who haue taught thee the true Christian faith and cloathed thee with the stole of righteousnesse and leade thee by the right hande vnto eternall life who pray dayly for thy sinnes and the sinnes of the whole people then knowe thou assuredly that though thy armye of souldiers bee huge and monstrous Though they bee verie manye and their courage great Though thy chariots be nine hundred all of iron as were the chariots of Sisera though thy barred horses bee raunged foorth by thousandes and thy Iennets by tenne thousandes Though thy riches be incomparable thy strength aboue al estimation yet if thou haue taken anie iote of maintenaunce from the seruice of the high God if thou weaken the walles of his Church and by vnlawfull exactions impouerish his ministers I speake a truth and I call heauen and earth to witnes the same that which you accouÌ„t your strength shall breede your destruction The Eagles feather once thrust in shall eate to dust all the feathers in the bedde the lyons haire shall consume the mixture of other peltes adioined thereto and Achanes forbidden spoile shall cause the Israelites with losse of life to flie the
forth in Israel not for weekes or yeares or hundred yeares onlie though it was suppressed in that watrish Aegipt but it shined so cleare out of the darke Cloude in the wildernesse that the arke was there built by the hande of his great messengers Moses and Aaron Neither could the desartes of Synaie or sinne or the exceeding high hilles of all the mountaine countrey restraine the course thereof but it passed ouer the toppes of the highest mountaines it diuided the deepest waters of that Countrey passing on drye lande throw the bottom thereof into that promised land the land of Canaan When the Arke the true figure of the Temple was by the prouidence of almightie GOD thus brought and placed neere the propper home And Dauid also the seruaunt of the Lord taken from the sheepefowlde preserued from the tyrannie of Saul and placed in his kingdome Now for our example let vs marke howe this holie place and godlie King accord together and what effect there is betwixt them The Arke hauing bene long before neglected by Saul which appeared by his ende Dauid hee had a speciall eie and regarde vnto it before all other thinges with great strength power glorie bringing it from the house of Abinadab neerer him ' First placing it in the house Obededom and afterwardes seeing the great blessinges which the Lorde shewed to that place where his Arke stoode he brought it home into the Citie of Dauid placing it in the tabernacle which hee had built for it Afterwardes when hee had conquered all his enemies round about and he sate quietly in his pallace hee followed not the swelling humour of flesh bloud which ruleth most in those that are the lowest born and the basest minded according to that auncient saying Asperius nihil est humili cum surgit in altum but that which is the dutie of a godly prince hee called the prophet Nathan vnto him and saide Do you not marke howe I dwell in my sumptuous house of Cedar and the Arke of the Lord is simply couered with skins shewing that it was not meete that the house of the king or of anie man should bee more faire more sumptuous more honourable and maiesticall than the house of God And therefore hee purposed fully with himselfe to builde a temple vnto the Lorde which hee hath perfourmed with dutifull endeuour in good time but that the Lord by the mouth of his holy prophet signified that his good intent was accepted and therefore the Lorde would blesse him on all sides promising that hee would giue him peace and rest from his enemies that he would place him quietlie in his owne pallace and when his yeares were come to an ende and that hee should after the manner of the godly sleepe with his fathers the Lord promised that hee would raise vp a sonne vnto him in whome he would establish the kingdome of Dauid for euer and which should builde an holie temple vnto the Lord God of Israell Heere vppon the kinglie Prophet did magnifie the Lord in his soule and his spirite did so hartelie reioyce in the wonderfull mercies of his creatour that hee lifte vp his voyce before the Lorde and penned manie Godlie himnes to bee musicallie and melodiouslie sunge by the chaunter and the quire before the Lord. He yeelded his whole heart vnto the Lord and gaue vnto him the first fruites of his lippes Therefore the Lord blessed him with a vertuous sonne euen the wise Salomon whose workes were lyke vnto the wisedome of his heart shewinge plainelie vnto vs the worke and fruite of true and perfecte wisedome and what is that As hee was the wisest man that euer was created so he brought foorth the best and happiest fruite that euer was building an holie temple vnto the honour and seruice of the Lord and that such a one as farre surpassed all the superstitious temples of the heathen Hee set manie thousandes of men a worke at once hee prouided the goodliest timber that could bee seene or heard off the fairest squared stones that might bee and of greatest price His ships went to Tharsis for golde and hee spared not to spende the iewels of Arabie on the same He erected therin great piâ—llers of beaten gold siluer gilding it on euerie side and garnishing it most â—oyallie Hee endowed it with landes and possessions most liberallie He finished it most perfectlie he frequented the same with his deuout praiers dailie to the glorie of God the profitre of his nation the publique practise of the â—olie lawe and sacrifice of the Lord. All the daies of his life hee enioyed it most happilie though by infirmitie hee fell yet y e Lord remembring his mercie let him depart in peace so that hee slept with his fathers and was buried in the cittie of Dauid and Roboam his son raigned in his steede Likewise also the highe and mightie Monarch Cirus King of the Persians though he were an heathen man yet hee yeelded so much vnto the true God that hee released his chosen people out of captiuitie saying the Lord of heauen who hath made mee Lord ouer the whole earth hee hath commaunded mee to builde him an house in Ierusalem Though hee was an heathen and cheefe ruler ouer all the worlde yet hee disobayed not the heauenlie voyce sending Zorobabell the cheefe of the Iewes proclaming that it might bee lawfull for anie of those which were in captiuitie to goe home and to helpe vp the buildinge of the house of the Lord bringing out the golden vesselles which Nabuchodonozer brought from the temple of Ierusalem and yeelding them all into the handes of Zorobabell and the rest whome hee sent vnto Ierusalem to builde vp the wasted temple giuing them great freedome authoritie and store of golde of filuer of worke men and all kinde of suppliance what so euer After this his religious bountie towardes the temple of the Lorde hee had great battailes against the Kinge of Babilon and manie other mightie Princes against whome the Lorde gaue him so great and so good successe that after he had ouercome the rich and strong king Craesus king of Babilon and that most mightie magnificent famous Cittie which manie other most puissant Princes hee alone was cheefe ruler of the Assirians the Medes the Persians beeing the first erector of the second Monarch of the worlde Wherein wee see most plainelie the great care and dilligent eye which the Lorde hath vnto his temple in that hee commaunded Cyrus to reedifie it and the good successe which followeth those which helpe to builde the same Especiallie if they perseuer in theyr good deuotion vnto the ende But if after they haue begunne to worke in the spirite they incline themselues to fulfill the desire of their fleshlie eye Let them knowe though they obtaine most excellent victories and high renowne in the battaile though they be placed ouer many kingdomes and haue obtained the height of theyr desire in what they
churches remained vntouched and vnuiolated as holy houses on which they durst not presume to lay their handes which reuerence done to the religious houses of the gentils sith it was done by the aforenamed king it seemed that it rather proceeded of the wise pollicie and rule of regiment left to him by that worthie ruler Numa Pompilius his predecessor then of anie great deuotion which hee had towardes the gods or their holie temples in that it is written of him that hee accounted nothing lesse honourable or princely then to apply himselfe to the honor of religion Therfore his fierce wild desperate mind was so daunted and throughlie pierced with deadlie agony and shaking fare that of a neglector of religion and religious houses sodainly he left all other matters whatsoeuer most earnestlie and superstitiouslie fulfilling euen the least ceremonies of their religion But because hee became religious rather for feare than for loue through the wrath of God hee and his house together were burned and cleane consumed with lightning from heauen So farre were the people of that age from spoiling the temples of their owne gods that when they conquered any nation they feared to laie handes on the temples or anie other thing Nay it seemed to them great sacriledge a thing alwaies punished by God to alter or translate the holie rites or anie thing thereunto belonging as appeareth in the same historie After Tullus had conquered the Sabynes sacked their citie beeing now in his maiestie replenished with honor all kind of kinglie abundance of a sodaine newes came to the court that it rained stones in the mount Albaine Whither when they had sent messengers and found it so there was also a voice heard in the mount crying aloud and saying that Albines should vse their owne Countrie Religion which they had left when they left their temples behinde them desolate and lost their countrey With this the Romanes were also much moued so that for memorie of this they appointed certaine solemne feast daies Nether was this religious minde onely proper to the Romanes who in this point of all people were most religious But common also to other people euen by the law and instinct of nature as appeareth by the legats of Locris sent to the Senate of Rome who as it is partlie recorded of Celsus of Verona after manie great iniuries and violences offered to them and their Countrie they repeated this as the chiefest saying There is one thing O worthie senate of which euen that Religion which nature hath infixed in euerie mans minde doth will vs to complaine wee know right well how deuoutlie and ceremoniouslie you embrace not onelie your owne gods but how fauourably you entreate and vse the gods of other nations We haue a temple dedicated vnto Proserpina Amongest other his abhominable facts your Legat Pleminius did take away the treasure of this Temple hee shipped it and hoisted vp saile but the winde blew the tempestes did arise the waues tossed the surges fomed the sea roared in such sort that the shippes were violentlie reuersed to the shore from which they went and spletted on the sands where the treasure was found and restored to the temple againe Nether did anie thing euer prosper which he took in hand after that deed so that being driuen from Italie he entring Greece in the night he died a shameful an vnlucky death After this your legat and the tribunes of soldiers presumed so far also as to laie violent handes on the treasure belonging to the same temple therewith defiling themselues and their houses Which fact o worthie Senate vnlesse you will by your religious mind reforme without doubt ye shal haue no good succesie in your affairs either in Italie or in Affrick but their bloud shall bee spilt and your common wealth hazarded also in lue of that fact And to saie the truth euen at this instant the wrathful reuengement of the goddesse doth light vpon your captains soldiers we our selues hane lately seen how they run violently together with banners displayed one part against another the captaine of one part is Pleminius of the other the two tribunes Thus they dailie fight together most cruelly most barbarouslie most deadlie Many of the soldiers be oft in a phrensy think you that the goddes hath let the captains goe scotfree no she punisheth them surely The Tribunes were takē by the Legat whipped with rods Also the Legat at length apprehended by the pollicie of the Tribunes his bodie all rent and torn with sundrie torments his nose his ears cut off he was left bleeding almost to the death Afterwardes the Legat recouering cast the Tribunes into prison whipping scourging them stocking and tormenting them with most vile punishments fit for roges and rascals he put them to death forbidding any mā to burie them These be the punishments which the Goddes hath sent on the spoilers of hir temple Nether wil she cease to torment them all and euerie of them with innumerable plagues and punishments til the treasure takē from her temple be restored to it againe This was the speach of the Legats of Locris vnto the senat of Rome which sheweth plainly that as wel the Gretians as the Romans counted it a wicked thing to diminish or take ought frō the temple of the gods of the nations Nay they themselues not onely tooke this wise and sure way in the establishing of their common-wealth but also in euerie particular action whatsoeuer they had a special eye regard vnto the Gods their religion their reuerence their worship their temples And surely if we looke into the Romane histories we may see most plainly that they obserued the rule of their owne Poet A Ioue principium musae they first of all regarded the temples of their Gods and then their common-wealth By which safe rule they conquered east by Pompey and farre west by Iulius Caesar who at the first was most of all men in that age addicted to the maintaining of temples their Gods Whereby hee did gather such strength and rose so high that neither Prince nor king could retyre the force of his army or subdue him in the battaile Till at the length through daily practise of shedding bloud by force of armes his heart was so hardened that vnnaturally he drew out his sworde and lifte vp his armes against his owne country from whence he had his chiefe beginning But afterwardes when he had helde foorth his swoorde against his mother which gaue him it first into his handes and had dissolued the most famous and renowned state of the Romane Senate and by force made himselfe Emperour or Rome That which is the desteny of all worldly felicitie the Lorde yeelded him vp to a most famous death beeing stabbed by the handes of those wise and auncient Senatours Why doe you reason thus within your selues against a plaine truth ioyned most narrowlie with your owne soules
base minded as to looke about him how hee might raise great summes from the poore people or how hee might vnder some good pretence exact some paiment from the church though his enemies were manie mighty his warre great his troubles innumerable his charges infinite yet hee did not molest any one person belonging to the church nether would he suffer the mightiest of his princes once to meddle with them He could not possiblie be perswaded to increase his treasure with any penny which came from the Church or his honour with their prerogatiue or his securitie with their trouble or his credit with their disgrace But this foster father of the poore dispersed lambs of Iesu Christ he bestowed he founded he erected on high he reedified those temples which the heretickes had pulled downe hee restored the landes which they had taken awaie when hee tooke it into his handes he did not giue one halfe to God kept the other halfe to himselfe saying I haue two eies the one to looke to my kingdome and the other to the church But beeing a good true christian philosopher hee knew that though wee haue two eies yet we must looke but one way nor see but one marke at once We cannot at once loue both God and Mammon sinne and righteousnesse the kingdome of this world and heauen But hee knew it truelie and wayed it wisely in his hart that the high God of heauen did create him that hee blessed him preserued him exalted him gaue him all that he had And therefore hee rendred vnto him and his beloued spouse all honor freedome peace and abundance Hee was taught by the holie fathers out of the booke of life that the Lord is a ielous God he will not part stakes with any nor giue his honor to any other but of him it is said and of him onelie Thine is thy kingdome thy power and thy glorie for euer and euer Amen When the good Emperour beheld this perfect stile of Iesu Christ did see the ensigne on which it was described together with the church of Christ cast downe to the bare earth hee drawing neere as S. Paul did to the altar wherein was written ignoto deo beholding but foure bare letters I. N. R. I. which signified that this was the ensigne of the vnknowen God not acknowledged amongest men forthwith hee humbled himselfe in the flesh and reioiced in the spirit that the vnknowen God the God of heauen of earth had vouchsafed him that speciall grace to reueale himselfe vnto him He cast downe his banner and tooke vp the crosse of Iesu Christ crucified hee cast all dignities courts commissions and kingdomes aside and laid his honor in the dust in regard of the true honor of Iesus Christ as wee haue mentioned hee imploied all the giftes which hee had giuen him euen of mind bodie and goods especially in founding erecting beautifying perfecting adorning priuiledging and freeing the church of Christ as Eusebius testifyeth most plainlie in these words Ecclesias vero Dei incredibile est supra omnem opinionem c. It is incredible and far beyond all mens opinions to recount what giftes and ornamentes hee bestowed on the church of God what freedome what plentie of maintenance what honors he gaue to them which had wholy bent theÌ„selues to serue the Lord in his holy temple daily to pray for the safety of the lande for the honour of the King and the sinnes of the people This was the expressed pietie of that first and most Christian Emperour and the Lord of his great mercie redoubled his kindnesse euen into his bosome for hee not onely shewed him the scale which Iacob saw and the gate of heauen opened at the top therereof but hee gaue him that great and rare gift of perseuerance in his deuout deedes euen vnto the end Therfore the Lord blessed him in his pallace in the field froÌ„ the arow which flieth in the wars abroad and from false friends at home and in such plentiful manner that all things which he tooke in hande did prosper wonderfully His victories are compared with the conquests of Cyrus but his end was much more happie for when he had most honourablye passed the full course of the life of man enioyed all the blessings of the earth aboue the space of sixtie yeares not once troubled with any sicknesse of bodie or vexation of minde but in wisedome and true christian loue florished continuallye like the greene bay tree whose fruite doth comfort the hart of man like the spreading vine like the fat Oliue braunch which maketh him to haue a ioyfull countenance sith hee distilled these sweete drops of his sincere loue into the bosomes of the poore distressed christians of his daies the Lord he kindled the sparke of true christian loue in his heart and made him glad with the ioy of his countenance Hee had alwaies victorie against his enemies conquering from Scythia in the east to this Ile of Britaine in the west Neither was the loue of the Lord extended vnto this good Emperour in his life onely but to the end all men may knowe that the loue of the Lorde is not fained that his iustice neuer changeth that his mercie endureth for euer hee departed out of this life being full of yeares in his ripe olde age euen about the feast of the ascension of our sauiour Christ and the descension of the holy Ghost at high noone At which instant his soule leauing the mortall body heere on earth hee was no doubt receiued vp into heauen by the hands of immortall angels there enioying the crowne of eternall blisse Which the Lord hath prouided for all those assuredly which looue his comming and maintaine his holy militant Church heere on earth Neither was the reward of the Lord onely proportioned by the merit of man neither did his munificent mercie onely exceede the merite of this true christian Emperour so much as the compasse of the heauens whose least starres are much bigger then the lande and sea exceedeth the earth in giuing him his hartes desire which is eternall blisse and felicitie but that which the Lord recounteth to Abraham Isaac and Iacob for a sure blessing here on earth he gaue this Godly Emperour three good and godly sonnes to â—it vppon his seate after him neither for one or two liues onely but as it is written of his posterity Vt imperii sedes c. That as the Empire discended from his father vnto him so by the course and lawe of nature it was continued vnto his childrens children and their posteritie Neither is it all onelie to bee marked what fruite the braunch beareth in the top but if we be good simplicians we will haue recourse vnto the roote from whence the first life and naturall vertue proceedeth Heerein if we consider well and looke more narrowlie into it wee shall plainely perceiue that these former examples more
nerely concerne our natiue couutri-men then at the first sight appeareth sith this is the tree which wee so highlie commend and we be all branches of the same Neither doth this more narrowly cōcerne vs in respect of the cleare fountaine of christianity which hee opened to vs with his finger directing the course therof more plentifully into this worthy Iland but because by bloud we be descended from the same line and kindred from whence Constantine the great did first spring in that the vertuous ladie Helina his mother was the daughter of king Coell sometimes king of this noble Iland let vs contend not onely to retaine the true vertue of her noble bloude but also that we be like minded vnto her in fasting in praying in the giuing to the poore in redeeming captiues in setting the bound at liberty in founding of temples maintaining them honourablie which with their bewtiful feete bring to vs the glad tidings of the Gospell Amongest whose excellent vertues that one doth shine most cleere representeth vnto vs the expresse image of her vertuous mind that in all her iournies beeing either neere or farre of when so euer she came to a nie cittie or towne so soone as shee was once alighted before shee would admitte anie sute or person to her speache or that she minded anie worldlie affaires first of all shee would haue recourse vnto the temple of the Lord there powring out her prayers and petitions before him bestowing rich iewels and costlie ornamentes on the Church and distributing her almes verie liberallie amongest the poore where so euer shee came Wherefore the Lorde of his exceeding mercy blessed her with a long a prosperous and blessed life giuing her a willing desire to leaue this wretched world after shee had passed eightie yeeres in this tedious vale of vanitye In which olde age shee called that pearelesse Emperour of the world her sonne vnto her holding his hand in hers she willed him to bestowe all her treasure and earthlie goods what so euer on good and godly vses Which diuine behest once passed from out her gratious lippes she committed her selfe into the handes of God her bodie died away Iesu Christ receiuing her blessed soule into his handes O wonderfull depth of the mercie of God towardes those which looue him O ye true christians what so euer and ye which descend from the bloud and line of that most vertuous Empresse though now in the olde crooked age of this world charitie be almost frozen to death yet let not hardnesse of heart preuaile so much against nature that beeing braunches of so worthy a tree yee should giue no shaddowe no leaues no blossomes no fruite at all to your posterity This honorable nurse of the Church she sprang out of the naturall soile wherein wee now dwell her vertuous seede did spreade it selfe bothe farre and neere it tooke deepe roote in Thrasia in Greece in Iurie in Italie in Fraunce in Germanie in Spaine and could the narrow seas restraine the course therof from her first natiue soyle Naturae sequitur semina quisque suae that which is bredde in the bone will neuer leaue the fleshe and the bountifull sowing of this vertuous Ladies seede brought foorth a plentifull haruest in England some taste whereof dothe sweeten the mouthes of some comforteth the hartes of others at this daie If yee bee not mooued with the discouerie of so fruitefull a vine which first did spring foorth of English soile and hath spred it selfe ouer all christian nations yelding pleasaunt iuyce and comfortable to the hartes of all true christians If you counte not of these examples which at this daie present themselues before your eyes through the glasse of other mens rising and falling If your owne euils will not mooue you because they be familiar then once againe do but loke backe vnto this mother vine let the roote alone nowe marke the passage of her bows the goodly spreading of her branches and you shall see manie fayre well plumped clusters of grapes which though thou canst not reache yet disdaine not to beholde the fruitfulnes of the vine Though it growe beyond the seas yet giue it the due commendation though the roote thereof bee founded in simplicitie yet it beareth holesome beries in the toppe though the Lord thereof was derided with a crowne of simple thornes Yet the kings and princes of the earth did raigne by his permission All knees shal bow to him who was the planter of this vine All christian princes shall honour him and though the wilde Bore haue broke downe the hedge though he haue spoyled the garden rooted vp the vine so that no one braunch therof dooth now appeare yet the mightiest Emperors will not passe by no they count more of this wasted peece then of all the kingdoms in the world They wil put of their shooes when they enter it because it is holy ground they wil cast down their crownes of golde from their heades because in that place it was said before the face of many witnesses to him whose kingdome endureth for euer Haile King of the Iewes Therfore Godfrie that worthy Bulliner the king of Fraunce after he had won the holy land being offered a crowne of gold to be set vpon his head he vtterly refused it saying it dooth not become me to weare a crown of gold where my Lord and sauiour the Lord of lords the king of kings the God of heauē earth did were a crown of thornes Herein we may behold the true image of a right noble hart for if we looke about vs and beholde the common sorte of base minded men all their desire is not so much by vertue and prowes to attaine the victorie which this noble Godfrie did first entring the wall himselfe as to haue the aboundant wealth of the place the maiesty of the crowne the glorie of the triumphe Of these men it is not so commonlie said as truelie verified he which hath the most shew without oft times hath least within truely manie puppies in the world if they were but a little sequestred from the pompe and pride which they showe without in glorious manner themselues were lighter then a feather which is carried away with euerie blast of winde when it falleth down is troden vnder foote Therefore because they haue it not within they are very carefull to magnify themselues with the outward appearaunce of that maiesty which in deede they haue not These base sorte of men if they had ouerpassed the walles with such good lucke once beene set on horse backe they would haue galloped ouer the bodies of their poore yelding aduersaries they would haue beene most fierce cruell they would haue bathed their swords in their bloud they would haue sought great glory by barbarous cruelty and their cheefe desire would haue beene with the golden cote on their backe the scepter in their hand the crowne on their head the applause
of the people to sit in the throne of maiesty This did not the noble Godfrie of Bullē he did not so but possessing the true treasure of right valure and perfect vertue in his hart he coūted not his saftie to stand in the death of his enemies nor his cheefe possession in worldly riches nor his honor in glistering show nor his triumphe in magnificent troupes of noble men nor his maiestie in a crowne of molten mettal This he might haue had but he would not si quidem posse nolle nobile the noble minde ofte may but wil not The vertue of the minde was his possession and wisedome was his guide in this famous victorie He was studied in bookes of arte and wisedome hee red the Poet and liked his heroicall verse full well Sicelides musae paulo maior a canemus non omnes arbusta iuuant humilesque myricae His minde was great indeede he could not glorie in fleshly pleasures He sawe this famous Cittie was but a heape of lime and sand built with the handes of manie poore slauishe workemen the riches like glistering poison infused with the wine into y e cup of gold the whole kingdome of Iudea he saw was earthlie and easie to be won at al times with a sworde of iron and steele Therefore hee counted the glorie of the crowne and scepter but a toye And what was that then which hee counted off euen that for which hee came by which hee conquered in which hee meant to dwell Ierusalem Not that Ierusalem whose desolata est did raise a most sweete pleasaunt note from the musitions penne not the figured but the perfigured euen the Church of Christ and also that which is figured by it the heauenlie Ierusalem the true holy cittie the place of eternall rest of the true glory of perfect triumphe where hee might safelie and euer saie vnto his owne soule O my soule thou hast marched valiantlie Hee counted not of glorie which riseth out of the earth and therefore most wisely he fixed his hart and minde on true eternitie which dwelleth onely in the heauens Hauing conquered he did not ascend the chaire of maiestye that hee might showe himselfe vnto the people with great glorie but as that holie and victorious conquerour Henrie the fifte king of England when with a fewe thousands of men hee had vanquished Charles the Dolphin of Fraunce strengthened with a royall army wherein was most of his nobility he with all his armie kneled downe in the feeld holding vp his hands to heauen singing saying Non nobis Dominenon nobis sed nomini tuo da gloriam not vnto vs O Lord not vnto vs but giue the glory to thy holy name Euen so this worthy conqueror of Ierusalem though not with the same words yet with the like deuotion hee humbled himselfe before the Lord for the space of seuen daies walking on foote in Ierusalē beholding the places where our sauiour Christ was cōuersant whē he liued here on earth where he was takē wher he was examined where he was whipped scourged despitefully spit on derided with a reed in his hand a crown of thorns on his head The mighty conquerour did behold all these with his eies and his heart melted within him Hee often kneeled down and kissed the places where our sauiour Christ had beene With weeping eyes hee looked vp into the heauens and his soule desired to see the Lord of light That the Lord of his mercie would regard him he daily prayed with great humilitie liberallye bestowing on the poore In the place where the temple was founding a most solemne colledge for religious men giuing them great and large liuinges calling them Prebends building them many faire houses neere vnto the Church for them to dwell in These and innumerable such like where the fruites of this noble minde which beeing cleare in the sight of God of Angels and of men the Lord blessed prospered him wonderfully in so much that in regard of his high prowesse and victorious conquests to his eternall fame with all posteritie he is reputed one of the nine worthies of the world The fountaine of this perfect glory did first breake foorth in Fraunce flying ouer the highest Alpes euen to Ierusalem where by the way if wee will but diuert a little into Spaine amongst some good some bad we shall see one most excellent famous noble woman a great freend true louer of the church The best truest chronicles giue her this stile Serenissima ac catholica domina Elizabetha Hispaniarū ac vtriusque Siciliae ac Ierusalem Regina c. The most vertuous catholicke lady Elizabeth Queene of Sapine Sicily Ierusalem c. This vertuous woman much like the godly Helina mother of Constantinus was so greatly esprised with the loue of Iesu Christ his church so y t shee bent all her muse cogitation seeking daily diligentlie how she might beate downe the heathenish power of the Turkes and infidels therewith to enlarge the kingdome of Christ and the dominions of the Christians to the ende that her vertuous intent might the better prosper she began this worke with fasting and often praying with almes-deedes and founding of many godly temples not leauing anie worke vndone which shee thought was acceptable in the sight of God nor any meanes vntried which might procure the fauour of Iesu Christ her louing sauiour She turned her euery way and looked diligently on all sides howe and where she might best bestow the fruitfull seed of her charitable deuotion her heart was so enflamed with this heauenly desire that she could not containe her selfe anie longer in her pallace In great desire she founde no rest And what followed with the consent of her princely Ferdinando shee mustered her men of warre and gathered together the power of a mightie prince like the auncient Debora shee marched forwardes into the kingdome of Granata the greatest part whereof had beene inhabited by the Ismaelites aboue seuen hundred yeares defended by them a warlike people continually against the Christians which kingdom paid tribute to the crowne of Spaine 800000 crowns by yeare she counted not of the force of so huge strong a people neyther once regarded the greate reuenewe which came into her treasurie that waye The winters diuers times were so extreme cold that her captains soldiers requested her most instantly to breake vp her campe till a more seasonable time of the yeare yet she answering that this was the subtiltie of Sathan to hinder the woorke of the Lord warred continually for the space of three yeares till the enemies of Christ cleane ouercome shee made that whole realme christian bestowing very liberally on the poore the maimed the captiues the strangers that were in anie distresse In the same realme founding and erecting many goodly churches colledges and hospitals for the poore maymed comfortles people Wee may see by the large spreading and plentifull
the name of that Disciple whom the Lord so loued that he let him leane vpon his breast 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For whose sake we loue another him we loue much more And surelie this most vertuons princes loued our Lord Iesu with a perfect loue which so honoured the name of that disciple whom the Lord loued so much neither did her worthie deuotion conteine it selfe within these walles but proceded like the pleasant flowing riuer which giueth moisture to the pastures round about it In that shee founded a diuinitie lecture to be read publiquely in Cambridge and an other in Oxford with many other gratious deeds elsewhere To these good fruits which this worthie tree of the Lords vineyard did send forth plentifully vnder whose shadow many of vs pore soules are shrowded from the nipping cold in Winter and the scorching heat of Summer at this daie the Lord distilled the heauenlie deaw of his blessing vnto her heart giuiâ—g her a most deuout and heauenlie minde here vppon earth to which all the treasure in the world is nothing comparable with pefect honor true heartie loue of al good Christians To which hee added a faithfull and louing promise made vnto the iust setting her most princely sonne vppon the seat of the kingdome whilest she liued And after her death his childrens children which wee see with our eies at this day to our great ioy peace and comfort most heartily praying God to graunt her a long and prosperous reigne in this world and in the world to come euerlasting felicity Amen Amen is already said my prayer to God shal be amen But thend period is not yet sith in the field of the Lord there is good seede and tares holesome hearbes and weedes sweet roses and stingingnettles We haue now shewed plainly the fruitful seede of this garden and the sweete fragrant flowers growing in the same which daily send vp a most sweete smell into the nostrils of the Lord much like the odoriferous smell of Iacobs garmentes which greatlie delighted the senses of his olde father Isaac or lyke the pretious oyntment powred on the head of Aaron running downe his beard euen to the hemme of his garment Amongst the which good trees now named as there are many passing pleasaunt flowers springing out of many and sundry soiles so the peareles pearle the flower of flowers the rose of England being ioyned with the rest doth make the nosegay full faire and sweet whose pleasant smel because it is so holesome to the head and comfortable to the heart because the oyle thereof doeth comforte the brused sinewes lowseth the dried iointes and mittigateth swelling paines through the whole bodie The Lord hold his holie hand ouer this flower and preserue it to his glory according to the tenor of that old verse Haecrosa virtutis de coelo missa sereno Eternum florens regia sceptra tenet This rose of true vertue euen sent from heauen holding the kingly scepter of this lande shall flourish for euer And good cause why Sith the roote thereof is firmely fixed on the south-east side of this orchyard Ouer which the sunne of heauen hath spred his blessed beames so plentifully that the ground thereof is fresh and greene the flowers faire the smell sweete the fruit most plentiful and verie wholesom Which because it yeeldeth the first and sweetest taste vnto the spowse of Iesu Christ hee hath blessed it as yee haue heard and it shall be blessed And though I bee the vnworthiest of many thousandes to walke thorow this orchard of the Lorde Yet if it shall please you of your curtesie to accompany mee vnto the of ther side ye shall see by the way that wee must decline from euill and doe good that on this side of the orchyard bee many faire and large trees whose bowes be faire the leaues be greene the fruit is well seeming but yet it hangeth so high that it will not come downe the bowes are so stiffe and the trees so vntractable that they will not once bend themselues vnto the hande of the most louing spowse of Iesus Christ. And therefore as the Lord of his mercie hath blessed those abundantly which loue his spouse nourish his children so on the contrary hee maketh those trees barren which yeeld him no fruite He taketh the iuice from them so that their bowes wither their leaues fall from them the bodie dieth the tree is cut downe with his sharpe axe or else with great force pulled vp by the roote and cast into consuming fire But if the ranke root of the euill tree be so full of naturall corruption and venimous posion that it sucke out the iuice from the good trees neere adioining thereto which yeelde wholesome fruites vnto all his saints then the Lorde he sendeth forth his spirite of mighty force and tempest which breaketh the bowes and rendeth the tree in sunder Hee prepareth most exquisite tormentes and vntollerable dolours for all those which impouerish his Church which disgrace the shepheardes of his flocke which treade downe the sides of his simple folde and deuoure his poore lambs thorow the gredie and heathenish desire which they haue to the the goods of this world From this corrupt fountain springeth the vncertaine and the wretched cares of mans life in that euery one is set on fire with the sparks of infinite desires Beeing once tottered in the chariot of this vncertaintie man walketh in a vayne shadow disquieteth himselfe in vaine His hart is set on vanitie and all his purchase is the sorrowfull fruits of the flesh Though honor and riches haue no stabilitie though the strength of man is like a brused reede which we bteake in sunder with our fingers though the whole world be a sea of troubles all the prosperities therof waues of perpetuall disquietnes yet man sinful man presumptuous disobedient vnsatiable man though his eies be weake and dim yet will he aduenture to looke against the radiant sunne though he be blind yet will he walke though he bee weake yet wil he striue against the strongest stream though he be naked yet will he offer himselfe to the stroke of death though the drinke be deadly poison yet because the colour is good the cup pleasant the first tast therof sweet he wil drinke a large draught till the tast of his toong empoyson his owne hart till his pleasure breake out with roaring paine till his bodie be dried vp and til his soule all consumed with sinne cry out with Iob Tedet animam meam vit ae meae it irketh me of this wicked life Though this bee thus and daily example of those which descend before our eyes into the graue dooth tell vs all this plainely yet wee daily carke and care for this carkasse of ours knowing well it is but dust wee desire sweete meates which empoison the soule wee reuerence we feare most seruilely wee admire worldly honour which
lawfully thou canst not take to thee againe Who presenteth a noble man with a saire horse or a goodly dogge after the acceptance of the same with hartie thanks challengeth his gift again for his owne If his manners faile thus farre yet is it right or reason so to doe But if wee giue vnto the Lorde and that freely as we ought to doe if wee confirme the same with worde and deede with witnes hande and seale and willing deliuerie shal we be so shameles that before the Lordes face and in the sight of all his saints we will say giue me my goodes or these be my landes or as the Priestes boy saide if you will not giue me I wil take it this is thus or at the least I so suppose sith thou which lately didest walke belowe in order with thy brethren art now well fatted and they still leane thou hast taken a higher flight and aymest at a richer praye thou hast seene greate wars with the straunge deuise of forraine sleights thou breakest that which will not bend leauing the good country simplicitie entring the vsual course of this flattering worlde forgetting the plaine honest dealing of a true Englishman thou art thereby wel instructed to liue and so full soone thou becommest very well learned thou canst the rule to catch on all sides and to hold fast till death doth loose the knot In practise of this generall thou reapest where thou sowest not thou findest that which earst was neuer lost thou receiuest from the church that which when thy conâ—cience seeth it within thy gates it blusheth red as a rose and burneth within thy hart like the flame of fire That this flame may not onelie appeare without but also consume within euen the heart the life and the soule thou powrest oyle into it ioining house to house and land to land turning poore mens commons into thine owne priuate pasture With these two wings of violence of a sodain thou risest from the earth and with the helpe of the puffing winde thou mountest swiftly so high that the highest temples and mightiest mountaines to which before thou durst scarce lift vp thine eyes least thy head should dazell nowe are farre below thy slight and through great despoile almost out of viewe In this thy height remember that thou wert lowe before and that thou must descend down into the earth from whence thou camest The arrowe shotte vpright out of the bow when it is at the highest it turneth backe and swiftly falleth downe to the place from whence it came The soaring fowle which flyeth most swifte and high when mowlting time by kinde and course comes in ofttimes dooth cast her fayrest feathers Those on whome this worlde dooth laugh most pleasauntly which haue the fawning of outwarde fortune at their owne pleasure pleasing themselues in the high throne of honour and rule let them consider that the higher they climbe the lower will be their fall and that which is the corsey of their pompe the highest boughes be most weake and brittle This is the vaine hope of sinfull man What auaileth it to attaine the highest boughes sith on the same dooth hang the fruite of our perdition Canst thou sit surer and faster on the highest boughes aboue than olde Ely did on his Cell belowe from which hee fell downe backeward and brake his necke Flatter your selues still if you wil O yee which distraine your mothers teate so harde that it droppeth bloud withall and feed your selues with the doubtfull pleasure of this sinne and when you haue satisfyed your thirst with the taste of that which yee drinke too much then assure your selues if God bee God euen the God of Gods if he be iust euen iustice it selfe if he bee the same he was as saith the Apostle the same yesterday to daye and for euer if hee bee true which is the way the the life and the truth most true most holy most eternall that waye which you seeke to saue your life yee shall loose it that meanes by which ye desire to rayse your selues shall cast you downe those goodes which you laie vp in store for the maintaining of your children shall cutte off the line of their life and cleane blot out all thy name and memorie from off the earth and that which you studyed to make your honour shall bee your vtter confusion If the glasse nowe set before your face bee true and if your sight bee good why doe you not behold this spotte of earth wherewith your face is so besprented But if your blindnesse bee the same with his which will not see behold yet I will set the glasse nearer to your face and if I can I will so rubbe it that the spotte of your disgrace maye more easily appeare lothsome vnto your eies Hee which receiueth you receiueth mee saith our sauiour Christ and which honoureth you he honoureth mee Now doe ye but beholde a little what reward what countenance what place or credite a poore learned man hath amongst vs in this worlde and then marke if the spot be not fowle and great If he bee in the Court away good peake goose hence Iohn Cheese If in the country hee is of no wealth what call you for his witnesse wheresoeuer he commeth Pauper vbique iacet euerie wans verdict is this generall pitie alas poore scholler And thus he liueth The Lorde hath decked the barren earth with store of goodly flowers the trees he hath laden with leaues and the waters he hath replenished with fishes The cuntriman hath his house his cattell his plough his ground whereby he liueth the lawyer his pen and toong with which in few yeares he purchaseth hundreds the merchant his returning gain the courrier more than I can tel the secretary his secret coÌ„mings in which make him glitter in his gold abroad And is the learned man without house or home without money in his purse or good apparell to his backe without a cogging face and shiâ—ting lookes hath the Lorde prouided no such thing for him alas poore scholler Had hee neuer cretaine liuing of his owne hath he none or can he haue none Habui filium saith the olde man Nos quondam floruimus saith the Troiane And so do we it may be we had some certaintie and nowe it may well bee but the conduit pipe by which the water flowed from the spring into our bosomes is waxen so full of riftes that the sweete spring water runneth out on euerie side into strange groundes adioyning to the same There be liuinges good store saith one if the learned wil seek let theÌ„ assure themselues they shal finde Seeking is a ready way if it were so plaine as it seemeth short But what if the best hownd in the whole kennell bee not the best seeker who shall goe away with the Hare yet let him follow and at the length hee shall come to the view of the wished gaine It is true euen as
earum etiam est abusus contra Things well vsed may bee abused and things abused may be well vsed The truth of this generall is euident by sundrie rules and histories of the holy scriptures We read in the booke of Numbers that Eleasar the sonne of Aaron tooke the sensors wherewith the rebellious Corath Dathan and Abiram had sinned so greeuously that the ground opened and swallowed them vp quicke into hell and put them into the arke of God Iosua reserued the golde siluer and brasse of Ierico he put it into the treasurie and consecrated it vnto the Lord. Nay that which is most plaine Gedeon did offer a bullocke vnto the Lord which his father had fatted for an offering to Baall Our sauiour Christ preached in the Iewish synagogues which by shedding the bloud of the prophets and by diuers other enormities was grosly abused Saint Iohn preached in the temple of Diana which had beene many yeares superstitiously abused The rest of the Apostles in most partes of the worlde preached in the temples of the Gentils which were built for their Idoll gods and manie ages most sinfully abused Saint Paule alledgeth the sentences of sundry Poets whose Gods were the starres of heauen worshipped of them for many yeares and by them most idolatrously abused Therefore the right vse of things is not to be taken away because they haue bene superstitiously abused What then is the rule of right Christian reformation and wherein dooth it consist Euen in taking away the abuse and not the vse Herevnto agreeth Saint Augustine who willeth vs to deale with the goodes and temples as we doe with the men whome wee conuert from sacrilegious wicked men to good Christians Saint Gregory as Beda noteth concerning the reforming of the idoll temples in this land then built and dedicated to the Pagan gods writeth thus Fama idolorum in gente Anglica c. Let not the idol churches in England be destroied but vtterly subuert destroy the idols in the same If this litle taste of these pleasant running brooks wil not quench the outragious heat of thine vntemperate stomacke then returne with me againe vnto the fountain it self which sith it is able to wash thee cleane both body soule come boldly therevnto if thou doubt of the true way leaue off thine owne erroneous humour and harken to the voice of that good olde man S. Augustine teaching thee the waye most truly in these words Omnis Christi actio est nostra instructio that which our sauiour Christ did in this case that ought to bee our example And what did he when the fulnes of time was come that the vaile should be remoued that the sacrifice of the Iewes should cease because the light the body the thing it selfe by that prefigured was now come and that it was impietie now any longer to bee circumcised the Lord of light did not destroy the temple pulling off the lead breaking downe the wals the glasse the timber thrusting out the Scribes Pharises taking their lands liuings into his own hands but he reformed the abuses thereof hee whipped the money changers cast out them which sold doues therin he taught the gospel in the temple on the sabaoth day expounded the scripture in their synagogues Afterwards that holy Apostle and martyr of Iesu Christ S. Iames called Iames the iust hee taught the Gospell therein and in those countries beeing Bishop there thirtie yeares Likewise also the rest of the holy Apostles they frequented the temple and the synagogues very oftē that for 10. or 12. yeres after the ascention of our Sauiour Christ. Peter and Iohn went vp into the temple to pray Paul was conuersant in the sinagogue at Athens allowing the inscription on the alter ignot◠Deo The Apostles were dispersed into all quarters of the earth And yet wee neuer heare that they willed any Temple to be destroyed but with all pietie and humblenes of spirit they ingrafted the gentils into the true christian faith together cutting vp the branches of heresie and heathenish superstition Peter and Paul planted the faith of Christ in Rome they taught lōg in their temples But yet we read not where they willed to pul down the old temples or to take anie whit of maintenance away from the same The holy Apostle and Euangelist saint Iohn liuing sixtie odde yeares after the passion of our Sauiour Christ and being in his latter dayes in Ephesus we do not read that euer he once persuaded them to pul downe the great huge temple of Diana And yet that the Gospell was therein preached it is manifest by sundry histories as also in that it is recorded that this Apostle euen when he was so old that he could scarce goe being taken vpon mens shoulders least the throng of people should oppresse him and to the ende his voice might be heard the better as he passed from Ile to Ile hee held out his hand and said Fratres diligite inuicem diligite inuicem Hoc est preceptum Domini diligite inuicem Bretheren loue yee one an other Loue yee one an other this is the last commaundement of the Lord that yee should loue one another This brotherlie exhortation of the holy Apostle saint Iohn was pronounced by him in the selfe same temple in which the Idoll of Diana was worshipped Nether is this thing strange or any whit to be doubted sith it hath bene the manner of all Christians euen from the Apostles time to this daie to saue and not to destroy to conuert and not to subuert to reduce those temples to the seruice of the true God and not to subduce them into our owne purses If the matter were doubtfull I might easily alledge diuers testimonies out of the auncient fathers and latter writers for the same But in that I studie rather to edifie the well disposed than to satisfie the cauill of the froward I had rather vse that plaine way of example wherewith already I haue now begunne Requesting those which loue the true reuerent worship due to our Lord Sauiour Iesu Christ to vnderstand that as is said the glad tidings of the Gospell was preached by Christ in the Temples and sinagogues of by the Iewes his Apostles also their Disciples And not onely the Iewish synagogues but in the temples of the heathen at Corinth at Ephesus at Rome and also at Ierusalem which after it was woonne and inhabited by the Sarasins aboue sixtie yeares and the church thereof polluted with their Mahometicall idolatrie al that time Afterward it was conuerted to the vse of true Christian religion and so deteined for the space of foure score yeares and odde So that wee see most plainlie the truth of this conclusion which teacheth vs not to take away the vse of holie tēples for the abuse which hath bin committed in them Who seeth the poore waifaring man whose earnest desire
secrete polling and vndermining the Church of Iesu Christ. And if it be a great punishment sent from God vpon thee thy wife thy children thy house or family thy countrie or people though thou haue not sinned lately notoriouslie yet remember what thou hast done long since thinke that long since thou inclosedst such a fielde from thy poore neighbours that that thou tookest the goodes lands and priuiledges from such a Church there giuen to maintaine the worshippe of the Lorde therewith remember that though it were long since yet with the Lord a thousand yeares is but as one day and therefore now hee punisheth thee euen with as perfect iustice as if the deede were nowe in dooing before his face Would to God that men woulde hereby learne to feare the Lord and to tremble at his secrete iudgement that they woulde cast off the loue of this wicked worlde which corrupteth their consciences and poisoneth their owne soules that they woulde leaue this fained kinde of repenting in worde onelie and repent in deede which is restoring with Zacheus foure folde and vndooing that which they haue done to the vttermost of their power If the loue of the Lords blessinges will not incite them to good life yet let the fcare of his heauie iudgementes deterre them from sinne Let vs not looke on those great and grieuous examples which I haue nowe rehearsed thinking those were long since in times past and that in forraine nations beyond the seas for if we looke well we shall see that as many plagues pestilences and other contagious diseases of the bodie haue beene brought ouer sea into this fortunate Iland so also this most contagious and deadly maladie of bodie and soule came ouer and rooted it selfe in this lande long since Wee haue store of examples at home and one shall serue for the perfecting of this period William Rufus the third sonne of the Conquerour after hee had ouercome his enemies and their resistance diuers times beeing returned out of Fraunce and quietly enioying the Scepter of this land afterward hee liued in ioy and triumph and for the more suppliance of his pleasure and pastime he to inlarge his Forrest pulled downe foure Abbeies seauenteene parish Churches and all the Townes belonging to the same Quo quisque peccat eodem saepe plectitur modo Oft times a man is punished the same way by which hee offendeth and so was hee for in the same Forrest where these Churches stood which hee pulled downe and in the same disport or pastime for which he dissolued them he was slaine by the glauncing of an arrow shot at a Deare by a Knight so that hee fell downe therewith on the grounde giuing onelie one grone Some write that in the same place where he fell downe and died in olde time there had beene a faire Church which with others in his Fathers time were dissolued for the enlarging of the said Forrest in which Forrest also a litle before the Kings Nephew was slaine by the like chaunce This Kings Father and he both minded to haue made this a fâ—ire goodly Forrest fit for the disport and hunting of a king but the Churche of Christe and the houses of his poore Subiects stood in his waie His officers and sycophants considering what would come rouling into their purses that way said it was very meete it should be so so it was But alas it proued a small pleasure of the father which ended with the deadlie groning of his sonne a simple pastime for the king to haue his bodie wounded with the piercing arrow to the death Pleasure bought with griefe is seldome kindly and gaine procured with the displeasure of the Almighty doth neuer profite The hearts of the wicked lust after their owne bane and wanton pleasure poisoneth hir owne Nurse The flower of flesh florisheth not an houre and the fall thereof is griefe to the eie The wisedome of this world compoundeth cares and the height of their deuises want successe Most mens fancie wearieth the spirite and their welthiest wish is perfect disquietnes He which magnifieth himself seeketh his owne decaie because the chaire of pride is placed on slipperie ice Hee which gathereth vnrighteous goodes for his children pierceth the heart of his owne flesh and who so taketh away his neigbours possession he diggeth vp the roote of his owne posteritie Hee which neglecteth his maker choketh his soule and hee which taketh from the Church shall not prosper vppon earth his bodie shall decaâ—e without his bloud shall drie vp within his marowe shall consume within his bones his musicke shall bee groning daie and night his feeding shall be loathsomnes of meate his wish shal be O that I were as yonder poore man his comfort that his good daies bee past his recreation one pang vpon an other his glad tidings the death of his children his consolation the loathing of his friends his hope the feare of death and vnlesse hee repent his ende shall bee despairre of eternall life Who so mindeth to liue with Iesus Christ eternally in heauen aboue and in this life mindeth to see good daies let him walke the way of the righteous and marke the fruitlesse paths of the wicked Frst of all let him keepe his hands from violating holie things and behold the miserable ende of those which doe the contrarie Let him reade the holie Gospell of Saint Mathewe and in reading let him marke diligentlie in marking diligentlie let him vnderstand truelie what our Sauiour Christ meaneth when hee saith yee fooles whether is the golde holie or the Temple which sanctifieth the golde and whether is the gift holie or the Altar which sanctifieth the gift If the Temple make the ornaments holie then the walles the woode the stone of the which the Temple doth consist is holie if the Altar doe sanctifie the gift then that which belongeth to the maintaining of the Altar is sanctified they which minister ther at are to be reputed holy If by our sauior Christ his speach those things be true then they be holie men which build vp the Lords house and they be wicked which pull downe the same according to that old verse Ecclesias Christi quas fundauêrâ— parentes Heu malè diripiunt gnati pietate carentes The godlie Fathers builded vp the Churches of Christ and the vngodlie children haue pulled them downe But marke the end of all those which walked this way and learne to keepe thy conscience cleare from this gracelesse fact The Lord inflicted manie plagues on them whilest they liued here and when they were once deade their honour vanished like smoake and was buried with them in the graue As their bodies consumed in the earth euen so their infamie did spring vp out of the ground their goods wasted like waxe in the fire and like snow before the Sunne their posteritie became like the grasse growing on the house top which withereth before it â—ee ripe Nether was this only the
reward of those which defaced the Temple of the Lorde and decaied his holy Ministerie but it is most plaine and euident by sundrie auncient histories that in all ages when wisdome learning and religion once gaue place to worldly pollicie when the vertues of the mind were subdued to the force of flesh when vertuous life waxed out of vse and sensualitie increased when the bodie robbed the soule and the naturall man imprisoned the freedome of the spirite when the pride of the worlde mainteined it selfe with the goods of the Church then shortly after followed the vtter subuersion of the whole common wealth Therefore let sinfull man looke downe vpon himselfe with great humilitie let the pride of corruptible flesh strike saile in time leâ—t with the sodaine puffes and pirreies of vnnaturall windes which commonlie rise from such mens hearts it be violently driuen into the swift currents of perdition whose end is the gulfe of eternall sorrowe Let not worldly men goe on daie by daie minding nothing else but earth and earthly ioies like brutish beastes which haue no vnderstanding but let them looke vp vnto heauen from whence commeth our ioy and true felicitie let them consider that which the Philosopher gathered by plaine reason that man consisteth not of bodie onelie neither that his beginning is meere naturall as is the stone the flower the tree the oxe the asse but that he is indued with a soule of heauenly and angelicall substance made vnto eternitie that his stature was framed vpright and his countenance erected to the heauens to the ende that aboue all thinges hee shoulde haue a diligent eie vnto God his Creatour who dwelleth in the heauen aboue and a speciall regard vnto his diuine worshippe which hee hath appointed heere belowe That this duetie is inioined him from the day of his birth to the day of his death that in obseruing the same is life and in neglecting it is death not the death onely of the bodie but the eternall death both of bodie and soule If this be so how diligently ought we to looke about vs how readie to walke the steppes of our Sauiour Christ whose meate and drinke was to doe the will of God here an earth howe willing should we bee and desirous to imitate those godly Christians of the primatiue Church who sold their goods and their lands laying them downe at the Apostles feete or their successours which imploied themselues their goods and their lands on the diuine seruice and reuerent Temple of Iesu Christ Let no man presume so farre in his blind zeale altogether deuoid of knowledge and sauering rather the doctrine of men then of God to say that God dwelleth not in temples made with hands neither is he worshipped with outwarde worship but in truth and spirite thereby most prophanely concluding that we ought to put no religion in outward things or to ascribe any holines to the same Wee haue heard that the Temple sanctifieth the gold thereof and if any man doubt of the same let him adde prophane hands vnto the arke though vnder colour to holde it vp and trie with Oza whether he shall presently be stroken from the Lord with sodaine death Or let him but holde out his hande against the Prophet and trie with Roboam whether it will be presently dried vp or no. Though the Lorde strike thee not presently with Oza or at thy returne chaunge thee into a Leaper as white as â—nowe with Gehesey though he doth not accurse thee as hee did the figtree yet assure thy selfe that with the burning sinnes of thy body the winges of thy soule wherewith thou shouldest flie vp into heauen shall bee scorched thy heart shall melt thy conscience shall burne and thou shalt be consumed in the great daie of the Lord. Let all men knowe this for a truth that those which diminish the worshippe of God heere vppon earth the Lord will cut of the line of their posteritie in this life and blot out their portion in the lande of the liuing If this be fearefull O ye sonnes of men then let the daily remembraunce thereof enter into your brestes let it sinke downe into your harts and ransacke your inward spirits that ye may therby learne to kisse the louing son of your saluation to imbrace his manifolde mercies and to tremble at his iudgements Say not God is mercifull and therein abuse him he is farre off and therefore deny him a thousand yeares with him is but a daie and therewith forget him but remember with your selues and consider wiselie that all his wordes are truth and hee hath saide long since I come and I will not staye behold I come quickly He hath girt vp his loynes he hath taken his two edged sword into his hande his trumpet is now ready to sound that great alarum of the day of iudgement His thousand thousandes of angels are ready to deuide the heauens to inflame the aire to dry vp the waters and to shake the earth with all the kingdoms therein and now he is comming euen at the doore Though some may thinke that my penne declyneth to this fading conclusion rather by course of stile than for the euidence of truth therein contayned for the glorie of Iesu Christ or for our dutifull readines against the day of our saluation yet in so great daunger remaine not doubtfull through the flattering shew of sinfull delusions But rather sith it greatly concerneth our soules health let vs harken to that plaine voice of truth when you see these things then thinke that your redemption is at hand and bee yee perswaded fully of the same by euident reason by that which you see with your eyes which you heare with your eares which you haue felt with your sensuall bodies not many yeares since And now after the meditation thereof more truly vnderstand with your harts Whereby you are forewarned hereof euen by secret thoughts when you lie in your beds considering that the bridegroome of our eternal saluation is at hand Cast off the loue of this present world scarce go backe into thine owne house to thy wife and thy little children if thou bee at home within thy doores goe not out into the field to see thy cattell or into the streets to bid thy friends farewell or looke once aside from this present comfort the redemption of all the godly Resolue thy selfe to giue account to come to iudgement for nowe the course of this worlde by all computation is run out all flesh is come to an ende And would you haue it set more plainely before your face Lift vp your eies and you shall see that long since the figge tree is budded the fields are all white vnto haruest the heauens are shrunke in their seat and waxen olde like a garment If you yet doubt that the world is not at the point to bee dissolued or that there is no such present appearance why wee should looke for a newe heauen
wherein it appeared is Cassiopeia which by the Aegyptians and olde Astronomers is figured a virgin sitting in a chaire with a braunch in her hand which likely resembleth the state of iudgment Sith therefore after so many generall courses of the Trigones of the monarches of the dominion of the planeticall spirits the Lord hath shewed wonderful signes of his comming in the ayre in the water in the earth and lastly aboue all hath held out his hand in the heauens shewing vs that he is nowe opening the doores of heauen and comming to iudgement and that the doome of all creatures is now dawning Let vs wisely weigh consider the exceeding great power and maiestie wherewith the Lorde of hostes shall come to iudge the earth Though he was made man for our sakes and for our saluation yet bee yee not so carnall in your cogitation or so bewitched with the delaying fancie of sensuality that you shuld imagine his power to be compact after the manner of men that when hee is mustering his thousandes of angels as Enoch prophesied long since that wee should heare of it before and that after we heare of it he should be long in comming No the Lord will bow the heauens at his pleasure and come downe euen in the twinckling of an eye according as it is written euen as the lightning breaketh out of the East passing forthwith into the West euen so shal the comming of the Sonne of maÌ„ bee Hee is not like to the earthly princes that hee should sende his harbinger before But I am is he most monderful most holie most mightie in whose presence the angels are not pure and the heauens corruptible Hee spake the word and they were all made and at the sownd thereof they shall all be consumed He shall kindle the fire of his heauy displeasure against the sinners of the earth Hee shal cleaue the heauens asunder and the flame shal breake forth like a furnesse As were the dayes of Noe a generall destruction with the voice of mourning and weeping and deadly lamentation as was Sodom that sinke of sinne and Gomorrha that euil nurse of iniquitie as the fier and brimstone rained downe from heauen most ruthfully firing wasting burning destroying and sincking those wicked cities so shal bee the comming of the sonne of man Hee shall shake the heauens aboue and make the hell below to tremble the trompet shall sownd euen the trompet of the God of heauen and earth the sownd thereof shal rend the clowdes of the aire it shall make the fowles to shrinke with feare and to fall downe dead on the earth Therewith the sea shal flee from the woonted course and the flouds shall roare the earth shall swell the creatures thereof shall be amased the ayre shall thunder and lighten the elements shall melt with heat the starres shall fall from their spheres and the light shall vanish from before the face of all men then liuing on the earth as it was foreshewed by the prophet long since This is like to be a black day a glowming day a day of fire and smoke from the heauens a day of anger and wrath of bitternes and teares of lamenting and vtter destruction on the earth Then shall feare come on all men liuing and the inhabitants of the world shal be agasht when they shall see that with their eies which maketh our hartes quake when we remember it The prophet long since hath giuen vs warning thererof and many hundreâ—h yeares agoe hee cried alowd blow vp the trumpet in Syon and showt in my holy mount Let all the inhabitantes of the land tremble for the daie of the Lord is come for it is now at hand a fier deuoureth before him and behinde him the flame burneth vp the earth shall vanish at his presence like a tempest the heauens shall melt the clowdes shall droppe the Sunne and the Moone shall be darke and the starres shall withdraw their shining There shall appeare fearfull wonders in the heauens and in the earth bloud and fier and pillers of smoke the Sunne shall be turned into darknesse the Moone into bloud Then shall wee see the powers of heauen to mooue aboue in the firmament and the inhabitantes of the earth shall stand gasing all amazed and who is able to behold it then shal the dead arise out of their graues according to the sownd of the trompet then shall all arise and come to iudgement The poore together with the rich the old the young the mightie the simple the King the begger TheÌ„ shal the poore of this world reioice when they shal behold the heauenly countenance of the bridegrome their louing sauiour and mercifull redeemer Then and in that day the Lord shall looke vpon his poore militant church with a cheerfull eie and louing countinance Hee shall send downe his angels who shal imbrace his louing children take them vp into euerlasting ioy But as for the wicked and many of those which haue inioyed the great honor auctoritie pleasure plentie and ioy in this world he shall behold them a farre off Euen as the clowdy piller which was placed betwixt Israell and the Egyptians was light to Israell and darknesse to the Egyptians euen so the chosen of the Lord in that day shal stand in the light shine in the kingdome of heauen as the starres in the firmament but the children of this world and those which made their heauen of this worldly treasure shall stand still all amazed in hart the Clowde of confusion shall compasse them about and their faces shall be couered with the mantle of shame griping shal pinch their hearts within and their voice shall sownde out nothing else but woe and alasse When they shal behould all their gould melted their houses burnt aâ—d their hope cleane vanished their landes suncke and their friendes gone they shall runne starke madde vnto the waters all amazed vnto the mountaines kneeling downe before them and crying couer vs and our iniquities O couer vs from the face of him that sitteth on the throne their consciences accusing them they shall hate the goods which they haue gotten euilly and shall flie from those landes which they haue violently takeÌ„ from the poore or from the holy church fearing least it should open and swallow them vp into hell They shall flie from their houses built with ill gotten money least they bee consumed together with the flame thereof great feare and vexation of spirit shal bee to the mightie men of this world according as it is written potentes potenter patâ—entur the mightie shall bee punished mightily when the puissant princes of these earthly regions shall stand all naked before all the world both good and bad before the angels of heauen and Iesu Christ now sitting on his throne and all their deedes yea all their secret doings therewith laid open when they shal remember how negligently they