sound and so as rotten corrupt branches be hewne off and quite throwne away of the heauenly husbandman God the Father himselfe for not to beléeue the gospell is a marke of the reprobate a badge of those that shal be damned a certaine signe of the bowghes broken off As both the Apostles Peter and Paule may teach vs. If iudgement begin of the house of God saith S. Peter Pet. 1. Epist 4. cap. v. 17. 2. Ep. Thes 1. cap. vers 8.9 what shall be the end of those which will not beléeue the Gospell of God And S. Paul saith the Lord Iesus shal be reuealed from heauen with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire giuing vengance to those which know not God which do not harken to and obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ All such are not of the Lordes familie all such are withered boughes throwne foorth to euerlasting fire And here let our recusants take héede they be not such Now followeth the common complaint but not so bitter as the former nor so properly a complaint as of wéeping bewailing of the simple sort and especially of women Who going into the Churches séeing the bare walles and lacking their golden Images their costly coapes their pleasant Orgaines their swéet frankinsence their gilded chalices their goodly streamers they lament in themselues fetch many déepe sighes bewayle this spoyling and laying waste of the Church as they thinke The like bewayling of the people of the Iewes and of those old men which now returning froÌ„ Babylon had séene the glorie of the first temple with their eyes is repeated vnto vs in the 2. chap. of the Prophet Aggey They missed Salomons gold his marble his Cedars his câ—ruings they accounted the house which Zorobabel builded as nothing to it But what did the Lord teach them by the Prophet what glorie did he promise to the second building what kinde of ornaments did he prepare for it It followeth in the Prophet The same word which I couenanted with your fathers when I brought them out of the lande of Egypt my spirite shall stand in the middest of you feare you not now saith the Lord of hoasts Yet once againe seemeth it but a small thing vnto you Agge 2. ver 5.6.7 And I will moue the heauens with the power of my holy spirite with the preaching of my word the earth the sea the dry land And I will mooue make quake for feare all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and he shall fill this house with glorie sayth the Lord of hostes What do ye wish for gold Golds siluer are mine sayth the Lord of hoostes If it please me I could employ these to beautifie this house but I wil giue it greater glorie The glorie of this latter house hauing nothing but bare wals is greater then of the former so gylted so carued sayth the Lorde of hoosts and in this place I will giue peace sayth the Lorde of hoosts This is the glory of the second temple this is the glory of our Churches although the walles be not painted although their vestures be not silke although their roode lofts be broken downe although they want their frankinsence Orgaines yet the word of the Lord and his spirite shall stand stedfastly in the middest of them The Gospell of Iesus Christ ringeth in theÌ„ although their Orgaines cease that swéete sauour of life to life is felt although that earthly frankinsence be put out that pearle of the Gospell which our Sauiour counsailleth all wise marchantes to buy though they solde all that they had is present is set foorth to offered to all men fréely Although the pearles of this worlde and iewels which are but clay myre are absent these things alone decke and adorne our Churches delight the soules of the faithful aboue all harmony and musicke in the world please the eares better then all Orgaines are swéeter in their noses than all frankinsence do refresh all their senses with a heauenly kind of chearefulnes liuelines Their Images do not so liuely picture out Iesus Christ vnto vs as his Gospell doth Their Images were all false their roodes were lyes their pictures painted out a false Christ vnto vs for they painted him like a goodly young man comely beautifull well fauoured in all respects as fine as the Painter or caruer could deuise but the Prophet Esay who indéede painteth out Christ vnto vs truly his true countenance shape of bodie describeth him far otherwise as we may read in his 53. chap. For he did growe before the Lord like as a branch and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neither beautie nor fauour when we looke vppon him there shall be no fairenesse wee shall haue no lust vnto him He is despised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorrowes and infirmities We haue reckoned him so vile that wee hidd our faces from him such a one in déede was Iesus Christ this was his true picture and what beautie can there be of a trée that groweth in a drie grounde what comelinesse in a monster of men and the outcast of the people For so Dauid also calleth him in the Psalmes Psal 22. vers 6. Esay 40. Their Orgaines of brasse doe not so much delight the eares as the trumpets of his preachers doeth Their golden coapes as they termed them put vpon their Priestes backes did not so much adorne the Church as the booke of Gods word in their handes We bring foorth this pearle of the Gospell more precious then all their Vestmentes Chalices Censours Images broken rent solde the losses whereof they doe complaine and we put it against all their complaintes And they which are wise will cease to complaine or murmure any more and will say we haue made a happie exchange What shall I recken vp here the mouing of all Nations the desire of all Nations Iesus Christ the peace of conscience the fulnesse of heauenly glorie which all that worde of the Lorde and his spirite as in time past to the Iewes temple euen so nowe haue brought vnto vs. This word hath rowsed vp the Nations which before was a sléepe this voice of the Lorde hath called them vp euen from the dead sléepe of blindnesse and bondage Now that which Dauid sayde of Israell comming out of Egypt the same may we say of the people of Christ comming out of the spirituall Egypt When Israell came out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from amongest the straunge people Iuda was his sanctuarie and Israell his Dominion the sea sawe that and fledde Iordaine was driuen backe The mountaines skipped like Rammes and the little hilles like young shéepe So truely euen nowe in our dayes the Lorde béeing present in Iuda his Sanctuarie which confesseth his name alone and in Israell his dominion which wrastleth with prayers and supplications and
of Canaan to that lande of the Lordes rest so no doubt the Churche of God shall haue as long as it is in this wildernesse vntill it come to the verye limitres of that spirituall lande of promise I meane the kingdome of heauen in this wildernesse though it haue some abode some stoppes some stayes as yet no continuall reste no continuall stoppe prefixed no not of knowledge In this vaile of darkenesse wee haue onely shadowes Images darke spéeches parables degrées gresings as it were of knowledge of thinges But on the toppe of a hill whether wee shall ascende there is a perfection of all thinges the absolute knowledge of the thinges them selues the verie naked face of trueth the highest degrée the verie crowne of vnderstanding and knowlenge her selfe Why therefore do we maruaile here the diuerse searchings of men after the diuerse degrées of knowledge and vnderstanding the diuerse leuelinges and roauings of many although at the marke ye sometimes beside the marke But as long as they shoote at one marke that is to say Iesus Christ as long as they tread his way of truth as long as they séeke for Iesus Christ and preach him as long as they beare no weapons against him and the saluation which he purchased with his owne bloud they are to be borne withall they are not to be condemned they are not to be forbiddē they are to be admitted as souldiers into his campe but besides all these things how vnequally they weigh all things here and how smally do they consider in all artes the Lordes diuerse wayes and iudgements Of Phisitions in diseases of the bodie diuerse medicines are prescribed in one disease Shall wee therefore condemne Phisicke Also of lawyers in the selfe same cause there are diuerse allegations diuerse proceedinges sometimes diuerse sentences shall we therefore abrogate lawes shall we not vse the helpes and counsailes of both these in our necessities and causes This varietie is mans frailtie from whence commeth that olde Prouerbe As many heads as many deuises as many men so many mindes Nay in my opinion this varietie is a certaine print or footesteppe of the Image of God left and is yet remayning in the minde of man That of the same matter of the same cause of the same theame two excellent wise well learned men shall neuer write thinke or speake the same things But diuerse and yet truth sondrie and yet excellent Of such sentences in the same causes of such diuerse handling of the same matter verie excellently of diuerse men wee haue many examples But to let this passe in this thing me thinkes the great wisdome of our heauenly Father most clearely appeareth who as in the faces of so many men being such a small part in so many countries thorough so many ages hath put a beautifull kinde of difference so that of countriemen of kinsmen of twinnes there is no two one like another in euerie respect And yet all their countenances very comely and beautifull euen so likewise in the minde of man he hath put a certaine comely and deuine difference that they shall thinke and speake and deuise diuersely and yet all to the purpose and yet cunningly and yet wisely Neither this thing onely clearely appeareth in all artes and in the workemanshippe of God the Father but also in the diuine inspiration and wonderfull framing of the holy scriptures by the holy spirite As in the writinges of the Prophets and Euangelistes there is a most beautifull harmonie So there is also a pleasant varietie and a wise diuersitie intermingled The fathers also had among themselues this varietie of opinions and diuerse interpretations of places of scripture as wee may see in their workes yet for all this those fathers which were at discention amongest themselues were not by and by Heretikes and damned and iudged to hell fire Our Sauiour Iesus Christ called himselfe a vine and all his branches And the Apostle S. Paule calleth him an Olife and vs all wilde Olifes which should be grafted in him Now wee see in the vine and in the Olife that all branches do not growe out straight nor of one side nor are all of like height but some are crooked some are straight some are heigh some are lowe some are stretched foorth some are bowed in yet all are fast in the roote all are fixed in the bodie all are partakers of the sappe and this diuersitie of the bowghes is the beautie of the trée So truly in the vine Iesus Christ in the true Olife although all his branches be not plaine although all his bowes be not straight although all his grafts be not lowe yet as long as they remaine in the vine as long as they are partakers of that sappe which commeth from the roote and as long as the wordes of Iesus remaine in them and by faith they are grafted in him yet they liue all both crooked and straight both stretched out drawen in both high and lowe and they flourish without doubt neither do they wither neither as they which hate the Gospell would gladly haue them are they cast out into the fire This crookednesse of the boughes as it is manifest in euery mans eies and apparant so they are not ashamed to confesse it with their owne mouthes but the roote is as certaine and the grafting in as sure and the vnitie or ioyning with the stocke no lesse manifest The faith of the Gospell is that thing by the which alone we are grafted into the truth As the Apostle teacheth vs plainely in the 10. of the Romaines An incredulitie or vnbeliefe is that thing by the which the Iewes although they were olde men and fathers and kinne to Christ Iesus according to the flesh were broken off Hereof then is the life of the bowghes wherefore although some of them be so farre stretched out a sunder that they cannot bee brought together although other some do growe a loft and will bowe to none being wise in their owne eyes although other some be crooked being made crooked of the craftie serpent and being turned out of the straight way of the lawe of the Lorde yet as long as they haue this grafting in of fayth as long as they drawe that liuely sappe from the roote as long as the wordes of Iesus remaine in them as long as they beléeue them loue them reade them muse on them day and night so long they are branches so long the children of Abraham so long boughes of the true Olife Let our aduersaries take héede here which doe offende at the very knotte of the grafting which deuide and part in sunder their fayth which do not sucke onely the sappe of Iesus Christ that is his words as necessary to their saluation but also the Popes colde water and the vaine doctrines of men and the vncertaine traditions of their fathers Let them take héede I say least they waxe rotten least the barke of the stocke do not couer them least they be not safe and
seruaunts of God as of 〈◊〉 Iob. The sinnes of all the other Idolatrers in that countrey hée not so much as touched them hée hidde them hée couered them hée accused the electe of God His owne children hée rockes in the cradell of securitie It is to be feared lest bée so concealed heretofore their woorkes of darkenesse And they which nowe finde faulte at strawes and mâ—ates in our eyes at that great daye of account let them take héede lest there be great Beames founde in their owne eyes and in those whome they so highly commende Then besydes this almost all their woorkes which they so greatly bragge of and commende to the ignorant they were of the will of man not of the Lawe of God They were deuised of them selues not commanded of their master They were voluntarily done not inioyned them in Gods word they were supplyes of Christes â—â—rites as though he had not payde our raunsome sufficiently Not testimonies of his grace signes of our duetie and argumentes of our thankefulnes And what worshipping of God is this I praye you what obedience of his seruants what reward of his grace and mercie can be looked for at his hands for such workes All their workes were done for the saluation of their soules This they haue put downe in their Authentical instruments and writings to all posterities not for the loue of Iesus which marke he set downe to vs for all our workes If any loue me saith he his perfect Sauiour and redéemer let him keepe my commandements He doth not saye if any one will be saued let him kéepe my commaundements Besides this their workes were not done for the glory of God the which he maketh the chiefe and of them all as in the seuenth of Matthew Let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen These two ends we finde principally set downe in the Gospell to all our works and none other not for the saluation of our soules Wherefore Chaâ—oâ— when as in the Hebrue tongue to sinne is nothing else but to misse the marke Surely all their workes though they were verie glorious and costly and praise worthie in the eyes of man Markes yet indeede they were but sinnes because they missed these two markes because they were not done to the glory of God and for the loue of Iesus Christe Our Sauiour in the Gospell sayeth He that heareth my wordes and doeth them is like vnto a wise man that buylt his house vpon a Rocke and the 〈◊〉 râ—se and the windes blewe and they could not moue it because it was buylded vpon a Rocke Surely they builded all their workes all their Nonries all their Abbeyes like foolish men vpon the sandes of the Sea according to the doctrine and deuices of men not vppon the Rocke of Iesus Christ and vpon his worde Therefore they could not stande for euer nor endure the forces and stormes of windes and floodes The Abbeyes had no commaundement in the Gospell no plat forme amonge the Saintes of God Moses neuer sawe them in the Mount They were the buildings of mannes braine They were mannes deuises Wherefore they were not founded vpon that sure foundation Iesus Christ As conserning the basenesse of our Parentages and newnesse of our Nobilitie which they obiect this hath beene an auncient complaint of wicked and desperate men against the elect seruants of God and followers of vertue alwayes both in the church and in the common wealth So Catiline amongest the Romanes bragged that he and his adherents were Senatours and auncient Citizens but Cicers was an vpstart gentleman one that come but yesterdaye a newe founde Citizen So the Sodomites taunted Lot drawing them to vertue Will this stranger be a Iudge amongest vs So Corah Dathan and Abiram the eldest sonnes of Ruben and Leuie the chiefe of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall companye rose vp against Aaron and Moses These men in byrth in deede were the chiefe amongest all the Israelites So Ismaell mocked Isaack and Caine the elder brother disdained Abell and slewe him So the Athenians saide to Saint Paul when he preached Iesus Christe What newe doctrine is this To morrowe wee will heare thee againe of this matter But worship honour authoritie nobilitie as Dauid telleth vs commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South Neither the Northerne men nor Southerne men can make a king though they bee stoute valiant and expert Souldiours But from the Lorde And he is tyed to no mannes kinred to no mannes stocke Hee exalteth and bringeth downe whome please him and whensoeuer it shall please him The hundred and thirteenth Psalme doeth giue vnto vs two notable argumentes and causes to praise the Lorde in all landes from the Sunne rising till the Sunne setting Praise the Lorde yee seruaunts O praise the name of the Lorde Blessed he the name of the Lorde from this time foorth for euermore And that not onely amongest vs but the Lordes name is praised from the rysing vp of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same And what is the cause of this so great and vniuersall and euerlasting praise because the Lorde humbleth himselfe to beholde the things that are in heauen and in earth He taketh the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the myre That he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of the people He maketh the barren woman to keepe house and to be a ioyfull mother of children These two things are as it were spurres and prouokements to pricke men forwarde to praise the Lorde in all ages amongst all Nations Here is the well head of true Nobilitie euen the Lorde God himselfe Euen those same auncient noble men which bragge so much of the antiquitie of their Petigrees they were once in the dust and perchaunce in the myre Let them remember their firste estate and from whence they came Let them acknowledge their creatour and lifter vp and not despise others their equals whome the same God hath exalted also For there is no power no worshippe nor Nobilitie but of the Lorde And they which doe resist these powers resist the ordinance of God And they which raile vppon and blaspheme and scoffe at those which be in authoritie are Heretikes are children of Sathan as Saint Iude doeth tell vs. The Lorde God of Hoastes and King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes hath euer dealt thus from the beginning He hath euer exalted from moste base and simple estate Cirus He exalted Syrus the great Monarche of the Persians from a sheepeheardes cottage And Romulus the firste founder of Rome was glad to haue a Woolfe or woman strumpet as some thinke for his Nursse He drews Moses the great Captaine of the Israelites out of the Water Hee chose Saule the firste King of the Israelites a Beniamite and one of the least Trybes from seeking his fathers Asses He made Alexander the great
their hospitalitie euen as Sathans Apple all their curtesies as Iudas kisse an vnhappie present to mankinde a cruell curtesie and a pestilent liberalitie But yet for all this saith one some of the houses might haue stande it pittieth many to see their ruines he might say the same of Sodome Sodome was a pleasant place profitable to men as it were a Paradise of God But the Lord for their sinnes did ouerthrowe this pleasant Sodome and their possessors for euer And the same hath the Lord pronounced by his Prophet Ieremie in his 50 Chapter of our Babylon and spirituall Sodome which is also called by the same name by S. Iohn in his Reuelation As the Lorde hath destroyed Sodome and her Cities adioyning so shall he surely destroy our Rome and spiritual Sodome Nowe the destruction of Sodome was terrible wonderfull suddaine In the compasse of viii myles to this daye as witnesseth Strabo Strabo The earth yeeldeth nothing where it stoode but fierie smoakes of brimstone and such like And euen so suddeinly forcibly shall Rome one day be destroyed The Lord hath begun her destruction alreadie by pulling down these her high walles Apoc. 18. ver 21. Her plagues shal come in one houre as S. Iohn saith and shee shal be as a Milstone cast into hell neuer to rise vp againe Therefore ceasse to maruell at her desolation or to lament her fall but with speede rather flye out of her euerye one lest you be partakers of her plagues But the Abbeys were good to their tenants they were good land lords Well suppose they were so It is no curtesie which is by compulsion It is no beneuolence which is violent when one can neither will nor choose They were in these dayes compelled almost to this curtesie for by continuall warres which these Popes many times raysed and by grieuous plagues which the Lorde layd vpon them for the contempt of his word men were so consumed and so fewe left aliue so fewe honest substanciall men and good husbands remaining which would paye their rentes till their grounds that manye houses stoode without a tenaunt many fermes without husbandmen yea many lordships without any to dwell in them The landlords in those dayes were glad to seek their tenants yea as I haue heard to hyre them that should till their grounds and be their tenants A good tenant was then hard to be found Euery man then kept that his father occupyed and desired no more Then there was such plentie of all things and so fewe men that they were scant able to paye verie easie rents of verie good fermes This wee haue heard of our auncestours in so much that for this cause manie Fermes haue lyne vntilled And I praye you then what curtesie was this They sold then as deare as they coulde all things they woulde loose nothing of their price They sold all things cheape in deede but there was good cause why because they could get no more for it They let their lands for easie rents but such as often times they were glad to put the keye vnder the dore and departe not being able to paye them And who would not then let a Ferme for a coople of Capons rather then haue it stand without a tenant Who would not sell 24 Egges a pennie then keepe them till they be rotten Surely such was the beneuolence of those days rather of the time it selfe than of the men of necessitie then of free wil among the best sort Although I do not deny in that blinde age there were some which with the Pagans heathen Philosophers in those morall vertues of liberalitie and charitie were famous But because they did that without faith without the light of Gods worde in the darkenesse they did not please God no more then did those Heathens But what do they commende their liberalitie to their tenaunt Pharaoh the Egyptian their paterne patron in this point farre excelled them who comming by his lands not by frée gift as they did commonly but buying them with his corne let them it againe for the fifth parte a great deale easier then they did Surely a good bountifull landlords For so Ioseph his steward declared his pleasure vnto the people Gen. 47. ver 23.24 Then Ioseph said to the people Behold I haue bought you this daye your land for Pharaoh Lo here is seede for you sowe therefore the ground and of the increase yee shall giue the fifth parte vnto Pharaoh and foure partes shal be yours for the séede of the field for your meate and for them of your houshold and for your children to eate Behold the goodnes of this Pharaoh to his tenants he was content that they should occupy his land he would finde them séede and they should pay but the fifth parte of their profits and no more to him whether it were great or smalle for his rent He had care of their families and children which a great sorte of our landlords in letting of their lands at this day haue not The foure partes saith he shal be for your wiues and children Wee nowe a dayes will scantly let our land to halfe part with many reseruations and bonds Ioseph did not decree this without Pharaohs mind else he had béene an vnfaithfull Steward But this Pharaoh so good to his subiects which did not change the rentes of his auncestours onely he changed his minde towarde the people of God which put from him Moses and Aaron the Lords ministers which neglected and set lightly by the Lordes lawe his commaundements is afflicted with manye plagues is counted the Lords open enimie and at length is drowned in the red Sea Our Byshops and Abbots were not so curteous as this Pharaoh was to their tenants neither were they good to so manye as he was he was good to all his whole realme But to heare the word of God to receiue curteously his Embassadours to obey only his commandements is the onelye worke and chiefe worke of all other And this is a work of the eares to heare not of the earerings to make an Image of Gods word not of our will And without the worke of hearing and obeying Gods worde Pharaoes goodnes to his tenants Saules sacrifices to God himselfe Dauids readie and willing mind to buyld Gods house the straite lawes and ceremonies of fasting and liuing of the Pharisies receiued by tradition from their fathers are vaine worshippings are as the sinne of witchcraft are abhominations vnto the Lorde And because they lacked this worke so were all their workes so were all their goodnes to their tenaunts so were al their straite rules of fasting and of their rough apparell and scourging of themselues What shall I repeat or rippe vp here the cutting downe of woods the spoyling of vestments coapes the breaking of Images the expulsion of Monkes Nunnes the ransaking of those rich goodly houses which things many complaine of grieue very many to remember at the
hearts We shal find in the books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel farre greater spoyles expulsions breakings hewing downe and ransacking of those good kings Ezechiah Iosiah then these were Wherefore these things now should not séeme strange or wonderful vnto vs. And these Kings of Ecclesiasticus in the greater number of other Kings which builded those high places which plāted those groues which ordeined these Priests these Kings I saye which pulled downe their buildings cut downe their plantings and expelled their Priests are counted only famous not infamous onely religions not impious not spoylers but reformers of Gods house Eccl. 49. ver 4. These be his word All kings except Dauid Ezechias and Iosias haue done wickedly For the kings of Iudah forsaking the lawe of the Lord haue forsaken God himselfe These three kings did laye wast groues aulters high places but they forsooke not the lawe of the Lord and therefore their horne is exalted with glorye and their remembrances is for euer So truely with the Lord with al godly faithful men which dare ground their faith on Gods word Our kings which haue pulled downe the Abbeyes expelled their Munkes are also famous and in great estimation Wee may saye O thrise happie and faire Sunneshine dayes of ours the which all the cloudes of ignorance being dispersed all the vailes of superstition being rent in peeces all the monumentes and pillers of Idolatrie being pulled downe haue Iesus Christ the true Sonne of righteousnes of saluation and trueth moste clearely shining and with his beames most plainly glistering in them Neither doe I here iustifie or allowe the wickednes of the world which dayly increaseth the charitie of many which is waxed colde nay plainly frosen Neither do I commend all the ground which we the Lordes husbandmen do till but the fourth parte onely which receiueth the seede and keepeth it We must needes confesse wee haue much thornie grounde much stonie ground manie high wayes wherein we are some time compelled to throwe the Lords seede Therefore I doe not allowe here or commend that olde beaten waye of Papistrie which many do followe when they come to the Church to heare the word of God thinking thus with themselues what seede soeuer shal be sowen in their hearts they will not receiue it They will beleeue as they haue beleeued Neither the stonie grounde of time seruers which ground their religion vpon the Prince and not vpon God and will turne which way the Prince turneth Neither the thornie ground of couetous men which in the Church receiue the worde of God gladly but when they come home or into the field their chestes and their hedges choake it All these groundes I allowe not And these are too too common in euery fielde in euery towne That same beaten waye moste olde men followe that same stonie waye hypocrites treade that same thornie waye couetous misers trace And these being put altogether they will make a great shewe But there shall be such alwayes Our Sauiour hath tolde vs before Therefore the faithfull marueil not when they meete withall and see many such But yet for al this their barrainnesse and vnfruitfulnes cannot nor ought not to defraud or depriue the fourth ground the good grounde the Lordes field of his iust praise and commendation which of one seede yeeldes vnto the Lord some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred folde of fruite This land is worthie of praise and such lande the Lorde be thanked we haue amongst vs. I may iustly pronounce our dayes happie and our selues vnhappie of whome nowe verie many of vs stumble at noone daye and slyde in the light runne headlong into the pittes of sinne in the Sunneshine who woulde not praise the clearenes of our time our Sunneshine our great light and knowledge And againe who would not wonder at the foolishnes and sottishnes of manye men the blindnes of their eyes the stumbling of their feete their falling downe euen groueling for all this light Who would beléeue that charitie should waxe colde in such daily kindling of the Lordes fire amongest vs that couetousnes should once appeare amongest vs being so daily and diligently wed out and plucked vp by the rootes that vsurie durst once shewe her face being arraigned and condemned so often in all courtes by all lawes in all languages both in Lattine and English That oppression of any landlordes to their tenants should be once named thought on or felt amongest vs in such great knowledge of brotherly loue These are the blockishnes of men These are the blindnes of their eyes whose mindes as the Apostle saith the Prince of this world hath blinded lest the glorious light of the Gospel should shine vnto them This is no iust complaint or condemnation of the dayes then the which daies the Lorde gaue to the worlde neuer any more cleare more blessed more laden with all blessings the lanterne of his worde the sunne of his Gospell so many cleare and innumerable starres of his ministers shining glistering and flourishing amongest vs. They therefore that stumble in such great light maye condeme themselues not the times the men not the dayes their wilfull negligence not our wonderfull Sunshine But the greatest and most grieuous and dangerous complaint of all followeth Manye vrge the discentions of our time and the sectes that like Tares are sprung vp with the Gospell and the bitter speaches and sharpe contentions of the professors of the Gospell amongst thēselues They remember not that amongst the Parables of his kingdome our Sauiour also intermingled this of the Tares sowen by the enuious man euen in the midst of his wheat to haue stopped the mouthes of his disciples which maruelled at this and were greatly troubled at this matter by his commaundement and authoritie And also in his doctrine to haue many times taught this principall point to strengthen their faith and to auoide the offences of the wicked chiefe of all other Do ye thinke that I am come to set peace vppon the earth No but rather diuision and this diuision is the ouerthrowe of Sathan the breache of his peace the ouerthrowe of his kingdome For Sathan the diuel himselfe hath a peace in his kingdome as in another place our Sauiour doth teach vs or else his kingdome could not stand and the world loues her owne This peace the doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ breakes and quite takes away The boundes of Lawes shal be broken for my name saith our Sauiour nay the bonds of Nature and that into two partes nay into twentie partes from henceforth there shall be fiue in one house deuyded three against two and two against thrée A small number was wont to be the mother of loue and a greate many the mother of sedition and quarels but here neither frwnes of number nor nighnes of kinred shal make peace for the father shal be at variance against the sonne and the sonne against his father And the mother
not with his owne strength and merites The sea of all people and Nations almost haue fledde backe from our Pharao the Pope and Iordaine that most commodious ryuer of sayling to Rome for pardons and dispensations is driuen backe And these same great mountaines of kinges and noble men haue skipped like Rammes and reuolted from him At the presence of the Lord his holy spirit which is in the middest of our churches the little hilles of the people like yong sheepe This desire of all nations Iesus Christ hath so inflamed the hearts of all men hath so set them on fire kindle in them an vnspeakable zeale For what other cause can be giuē of the sudden forsaking of the Popes yoke obedience almost now of the best in euery countrey in his so great power crueltie in theirs so great perils and dangers which doe forsake him that they should hazarde and venture not only their goods and possessions but also their own liues Surely it must néedes be some great matter that should thus moue themselues to venture their liues to this extremitie and that voluntarily and not by compulsion Besides this mouing of all Nations the worde of God hath giuen to all men peace of conscience which beléeue it and receiue it That nowe they feare not to dye merily and ioyfully without any 〈◊〉 or pardons or Diriges to be song yearely for them after their death That nowe with their captaine Iesus Christ they dare boldly commit their soules into the hands of God their father without any singing or ringing or massing of Popish Fréers This is the peace of the gospel this is the peace in death this of all other peace is the greatest And are not our churches adorned and decked are not they verye glorious are not they very famous Are not these strange things and wonderful which in our church the Lord worketh Doe we account this mouing of all Nations this knowledge of Iesus Christ this presence of his holye spirite this preaching of his worde this greatest peace of all other peace of conscience to be matters of nothing to be matters of no weight Many there be that make many other complaintes but these are the most grieuous and most common Some do find fault at our euil liues They doe not followe saye they the worde of God which they professe and they commend to the skyes the holinesse and good workes of our forefathers Some other doe accuse the basenes of our birthes the obscuritie of our stocke They are vpstartes strangers of base parentage youthes not of the auncient Nobilitie Some other do feare and blase abroad the sturres and stormes of our times the inuasions of our enimies See say they 〈◊〉 what dangers they haue brought vs in howe many and howe mightie enimies they haue plucked on our backs Some mislike with our often marriages and that maketh so many beggets say they Some other do condemne especially the marriages of Ministers and they cannot abyde that they shoulde purchase anye lande for their children Others which woulde seeme more deuout stande onely on this point They condemne all our forefathers saye they and therefore they will neuer be on our opinion So that there is almost no man but he hath something to complaine of some thing grieueth him To which all he that woulde fully satisfie should neuer make an ende Yet lost by our scilence they shoulde seeme to haue gotten the victorie I wil saye some thing to euery one of these And first of all these which talke so much of their forefathers doe little consider with Dauid the dayes of their forefathers in déede Psal 75. ver 3. These did not goe into the Tabernacle of God they doe not receiue the congregation with Dauid for then they woulde iudge rightly they pronounce like blinde men of colours without light of vertue But that I maye aunswere briefelye to this great Chaos and heape of quarrels this is my opinion First concerning oure liues that they so greatly fynde fault withall and our workes Wée haue one worke almost dayly amongest vs in manye places which doeth surmount and surpasse all their workes of the whole yeare naye of their whole liues The which only worke God the Father commaundeth from heauen that is to saye the hearing of the worde of Iesus Christ Mat. 17. ver 5. This is my beloued sonne sayeth God the Father heare him God the Father was neuer heard to speake to any man before in this worlde so properly in his owne person as in Matthew 3.17 and in the 17. Chapter and fifth verse teaching this doctrine Therefore his voyce is worthie to be marked diligently And he commaundeth nothing but this Heare him And our Sauiour Christ hath pronounced of his ministers to the end of the worlde lest our Recusants shoulde saye they refuse not to heare Iesus Christ Hée that heareth you heareth mée Hée that heareth mée heareth him that sent mée And I am with you to the end of the worlde This worke wée haue This onely wée doe This is our glorie But they had one sinne in those dayes which surpesseth all the sinnes of the whole worlde which like that leuen of the Pharisies corrupted all their workes so manye in number so costly so stricte and so seuere and that was Incredulitie They belieued not the Gospell of Iesus Christ They durst not ground their faith and venture their liues vpon it The Holie Ghoste when hee shall come into the worlde sayeth 〈◊〉 Sauiour Christe shall rebuke the worlde of sinne Iohn 16. ver 9. But of what sinne of that greate sinne of all other because they beléeued not in mee sayeth oure Sauiour Because they haue not beléeued in the onely begotten sonne of God Because they haue not beléeued his Ghospell his ioyfull tydings of saluation This sinne was common to them with the Pharisies and therefore all their workes were vnsauourie Naye they were sinnes before the Lorde For without faith it is vnpossible to please God And what so euer is not of faith is sinne And as conseruing the small fruite of hearing the worde of God which they finde faulte withall because it is not fruitefull in all or in the moste parte Let them remember our Sauiour Christe himselfe hath tolde them that not all his seede but the fourth parte onely shoulde bring foorth good fruite Let them remember the Apostle Saint Paule rebuking them which so curiousely prye into other mennes lyues and for the moste parte neglect their owne Rom. 14. ver ◠1. Cor. 4. ver 3. Who art thou that doest iudge another mannes seruauntes Euery man standes or falles to his master The prayses or disprayses of men hée himselfe nothing regardes Hée runneth his race by good reportes and euill reportes as hée teacheth the Corinthians And so surely must all his companions and fellowe seruauntes That seruaunt is happye whome the master commendeth Sathan is readye to pinche the héele of the womans séede of the
strumpets and harlots should succeede in the inheritance of their fathers But to onely Priestes and Clarkes this is not lawfull And that amongst Christian Emperors Why is not that lawful to vs which is lawful to all men yea to the very meanest sort of men If all other men may purchase land why may not Ministers purchase In déede amongst the Iewes this purchasing for Priestes was not lawfull because their children succéeded their fathers in the Priesthood but now that succession is taken away The Leuites children were sure of liuing were they learned were they vnlearned were they vnlearned when their Fathers were deade but so are not our Ministers children God hath dealt better with vs then with the Iewes wee are not tyed to any one mans succession or stocke for our priests and Ministers as the Iewes were We may choose the best and learnedst where soeuer we finde them whose sonnes soeuer they be And shall our ministers children be worse prouided for then were the children of those Iewish priestes Séeing then their succession is taken away which was a sure stay of liuing for them I do not sée but that our purchases are lawful God gaue euery one a lot in that land of Chanaan and I doe not sée why our ministers children should be without their lot also in our Chanaan But they say we condemne our forefathers if our religion be true then all our fathers be damned say they No we condemne not our fathers but we condemne all vnbelieuers which now wil not belieue the word of God Our forefathers if they liued now in this great light they would surely haue condemned the great blindnesse of many of their children they would haue condemned their obstinacies in the refusing this great goodnesse of the Lord so mercifully offered them they would haue condemned the hardnesse of their harts in not being moued to turne to the Lord from their former superstition and ignorance in such great knowledge in such great light in so many of the Lords wonders shewed amongst vs. As our Sauior Christ taught the Iewes they should haue had no sinne if he had not spoken vnto them so we teach of our forefathers that their sins was not so grieuous because they hard not the word of the Lord. But now our sinne is in the highest degrée of comparison if wee obey it not being so plainely taught vs 1. Tim. 1. cap. ver 13. that which S. Paule confesseth of himselfe I being a persecutor a blasphemer of the name of Iesus yea the chiefe of all sinners yet haue obtained mercie because I did it ignorantly so we iudge of our forefathers that without all doubt they haue obtained mercy And that which Azaria the Lords Prophet 2. Chron. cap. 15. v 34 Mark 12. ver 19.20 being sent to Aza taught him and all Israel in the like case of their forefathers departed This same we doe teach and affirme of our forefathers Israel hath béene a great while saith he without the true God without any priest preaching vnto him without the law Surely in the like case was our forefathers in the same state was the Church of God in those dayes they knew not God there was no priest to preach vnto them the word of God But what then were they all damned that dyed in those dayes no God forbid saith the Prophet but whosoeuer in their affliction turned vnto the Lord God and sought him was found of him so truely our forefathers although in their life they trusted in their workes and called vpon Saintes yet when they came to dye once they forgat all these and were wont to call vpon the Lord and to séeke after him alone and to haue him in their mouthes And we doe not doubt but according to his promise they found him but wée iudge and plainely affirme the case and cause of those blinde guides of those couetous priestes which solde their merits and their masses to bee farre harder in the day of iudgement And that they for their wilful blindnesse and great couetousnesse shall hardly find mercie No in truth if they marke well they shall finde that our religion doth not condemne our forefathers but that if euer any of them were saued we shew how they were saued Mar. 12. ver 19.20 for we preach Iesus Christ such a one as he is in déed a most merciful Sauiour who will not quench smoaking flaxe nor breake a bruised réede haue he faith as a graine of mustard séede haue he a sparkle of Gods holy spirit though he be not a stone with Peter but a réede with Thomas though he be not all a fire with Paule but euen smoking with Nicodemus Our Iesus wil not refuse him he wil not put him away he will not breake him she which toucheth the hem of his garment was healed This is the saluation of our fathers thus they were saued this we belieue this we teach this is the Gospel this is the glad tidings of our saluation But the Popes confessors bringing in againe the law of Moyses as in their Iewish robes of Myters and Copes and Tunicles so also in their doctrine haue taught another lesson Do this thou shalt liue say they giue thy lands to a chauntrie priest to a morrow masse build a Chappel and so forth Ouerthrowing the word of faith altogether which the Apostles preached And that continuall practise of our Sauiour to all that euer he cured or saued who saide not at any time doe this and thou shalt be saued but thy faith hath made thée whole verie like that same naughtie seruant in the Gospel who hauing but one talent hid the same euen so did they that same smal knowledge they had of Iesus Christ Yea more then this belying him saying he was a hard man a cruel requirer and exacter of his debts euen to the vttermost farthing either in hell or in their purgatorie that he was a seuere not a mercifull Sauior that he was not affable or easie to be spoken to that he had his Porters his intercessors or mediators vnto him so that poore sinners could haue no accesse vnto him such a Christ such a Sauior they made of our Sauior Iesus when as the Gospel plainly teacheth the king of Sion our Messias to be most gentle most méeke most merciful most affable most courteous most lowly which wil not striue with sinners which will not enter into iudgement with them which wil put none from him yea which with his owne mouth calleth them which are slow and heauie loden vnto him Who is so farre off that he wil not heare our prayers that to this end and purpose he is saide to haue ascended into heauen and there euen now to stand readie to receiue all that shall be offered vnto him and putting vnto them that swéete incense of his death and passion to present them vnto his father Such a one is our king such a one is our Sauior such a one is our Mediator
but they haue lyingly and falsly taught him vnto the people they haue limited and set boundes to his infinit mercy that they might sell their masses their pardons and their reliques dearer that men might trust in them that they might get and prouide them But marke I beséech you how greatly the world was blinded The good workes of others which was commanded of God in his law can profit none but them selues And doe we thinke that their workes then which were not commanded of God for the most part can profit any When as the Apostle Paule saith plainely we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. ver 10. and euery one whether he bee monke or masse Priest or Pope himselfe or people shall receiue according to those thinges which he hath done in his owne bodie and not according to those thinges which other hath done for him or according to those things which he hath left by his will to be done for him after his death While life remaines according to our Sauiours doctrine there is a day allotted to euery man in the which he may labour in the which he may worke and bring forth the signes of faith merits of mercie and fruites pleasant to the Lorde But when death commeth then it is night in the which no man can worke any more Wherefore all their workes done after death done for them bought so dearely prouided for so carefully done so deuoutly in truth were nothing worth were vnprofitable vnto them did them no good and were of no force with the Lorde What profiteth any man that is deade without faith without repentance now being in torments masses himnes songes meat to be deuided yearely in remembrance of him or some dayly for his sake After death there is no place of prayers no place of repentance no place of translation or alteration no place of teares and good workes to any man as the Story of the rich glutton and Lazarus doth plainely teach vs wherefore we must worke our selues in our owne bodies the workes that must doe vs good at the day of iudgement When the trée is once hewed downe where it falles there it lyeth whether it be towards the North or towards the South that is whether it be in the pleasures of heauen or in the colde stormes of hell Eccle. 11. ver 3. as the wise man teacheth vs. After it be cut downe it can flourish no more neither can it beare fruit any more No more no doubt can we this trée is a parable of vs. Then besides this these Huxters these selles of merits and workes and Masses they doe not onely beguile others but they beguile themselues For though perchance you will say they are Virgins and liue straitly and punish themselues more then other men doe Math. 25. Yet they are but foolish Virgins as the Gospell doth plainely teach vs. The wise Virgins durst not deminish or lend any of the oyle of their good workes no not one droppe And what fooles are these then that dare bee so bolde to doe it They durst not giue any of their oyle which was a worke of mercy commended and commaunded of God him selfe in his lawe And these dare sell theirs They feared least they shoulde want themselues but these thinke that they haue ouerplus and to spare for others and doe make the dearest and gainefull occupation of selling their workes No occupation euer got or purchased so much lande as they did by this their trade of selling their Masses and merites All the Saintes of God crye and sigh with Dauid euen from their hartes Enter not into iudgement with thy seruantes O Lorde for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified And in another place If thou Lorde wilt bee extreeme to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it And with Iob wee are not able to answere one for a thousand And hauing learned that good lesson of their maister Iesus Christ in the Gospell all his seruantes whether they bee Virgins or married folkes or Martyres say when they haue done all what they can wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done but our dueties Wherefore this hope in trusting to other mens workes is death this staffe of leaning to other mens merits is the staffe of Egypt it woundeth his hande that trusteth vnto it The other staffe of Iacob with the which alone hee passed ouer that Iordaine of this life that is Iesus Christ and to trust to his merits to his workes to his death and passion is a sure staffe Psal 3.5 Psal 3.8 ver 15. Psal 3.9 ver 8. Psal 18. ver 29. is the staffe of all the Saintes of God With this staffe Dauid leaped ouer the wall Pleade thou my cause O Lorde saith hee with them that fight against mee and thou shalt answere for mee O Lorde my God And in another Psalme And now truely what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thée and with the helpe of the Lorde my GOD I shall leape ouer the wall This staffe our Fathers catching euen at the pitte brinke of death Wee doe not doubt but they were saued by this they went ouer Iordaine with Iacob safely by this they leaped ouer the wall of their sinnes and former superstition which did separate them from God with Dauid by this with the théefe of the crosse they passed from death to life All their former sinnes were couered and they were euen that day with Iesus Christ in Paradise Thus wee hope of our Fathers and this was their saluation Wherefore let vs imbrace the Gospell and be thankefull to God for the same Our Fathers nay many Kings and Princes nay the auncient Fathers haue not séene the thinges that wee haue séene this great light shined not in their dayes Let vs expresse in our liues and conuersations Let vs doe all the thinges it commandeth In times past how many thinges woulde they obserue for mens pleasures now let vs bee obedient for the Lordes sake Let vs forsake that Romish Babylon with her Antichrist and all his trumperie They haue not one title nor iot for testimony of thy truth in the word of God But as you see all their doctrine is flatly condemned in the same Let vs venture our liues for Iesus Christ his Gospel not for the pope and his Church as his Iesuites doe We haue no such commandement in the word of God Let not the wickednesse of the worlde or of some carnall gospellers which say and do not any whit dismaie vs or make vs stumble There hath béene such and shal be such alwaies The séede is good but the ground is naught Let vs be of the small flocke of Iesus Christ which heare his word and kéepe it Let vs in all thinges which chaunce vnto vs either in the weather or in our wealth and goods or in our bodies blesse and praise the Lord with blessed Iob. Let vs possesse our soules with patience Let vs arme our soules to temptation for the Lorde will trye all that be his Wilt thou be a Paule thou shalt haue an Angel of Sathan to buffet thée Wilt thou be a Dauid thou shalt haue Saule to persecute thée Wilt thou be Peter thou shalt haue Sathan to sift thée And to be short as many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Let vs now waite for the comming of the bridegroome The Cockes haue crowne a great while the day dawneth great knowledge and light is in the world surely the Sunne is not farre off I meane Iesus Christ Luke 12. ver 35. he is euen now in a rising Let our loines be girded vp not flaunting with our vaine garments and our torches of faith and good workes in our handes and let vs be as seruants euery day and houre waiting when our maister will come from the marriage who hath promised he will come quickly And surely he will kéepe his promise And the spirit Apoc. 22. ver 17. and the Bride saide Come Lord Iesus And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come And let whosoeuer will take of the water of life fréely Euen so come Lorde Iesus as thou hast promised and make vs all readie against thy coming and make vs thirst and long for the water of life which is thy holy worde that we bée not fruitlesse and deade at thy coming To thée the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise power and saluation for euermore Amen FINIS
Heretikes from whence that tryall of spirites which Saint Iohn commaundeth to all his children is had From hence that spirice of discretion and iudgement 1. Cor. 3. whereof all the seruaunts of God in some measure are partakers appeareth He that is spiritual saith the Apostle iudgeth all things and now all Christians are spirituall For they which haue not the spirite of Christ are none of his And all the sonnes of God are led with the spirite of God And they all by this holy bonde are knitte to their heade Iesus Christ And therefore the holy Ghost is called the bonde of peace They all can discerne light from darkenesse Christ from Belyall They are not without sence without spirite fleshly not hauing the spirit as are those false Prophets whereof S. Iude prophesieth as are those Idolaters of whom Dauid sayth Their Idols and grauen Images are without sence vnderstanding and so are they that made them and so are all they that put their trust in them And surely such was the insensiblenesse of many Idolaters in times past they were as voyde of true sence of God euen as the Image which they worshipped But the true Christians all haue hereof a féeling and vnderstanding and they must vse their sences they must trie their féeling they must vse their discretion The Lorde hath not giuen them these his graces in vaine What this varietie of iudgements and opinions doth onely beautifie the Church of God Hereof was the great glorie and beautie of Moyses Tabernacle of the diuersitie of oblations of the variety which euery one offred If they had all brought things of one kinde it had not béene so glorious and pleasant to the eyes Hereof when as they all agréed in the manner of their offering in this one thing that they offered willingly and fréely as for the matter not onely golde and siluer but also brasse not onely blew and purple but also scarlet not onely linnen and fine silke but also Goates haire were accepted and receiued All these being aptly ioyned together according to that forme which Moises sawe in the Mount did giue great glorie and beautie to this Tabernacle Salomons temple also contayned in it diuerse furnitures of nature diuerse functions and helpes of arte And hereof was the glorie of it contayned Ephes 4. what also meaneth that méeting of all men in vnitie of faith in the Church of Christ but the diuerse wayes and diuerse iudgements of many What meaneth this prophesyings of two or thrée in the Church and congregation and the iudgement of the rest but diuerse senses and sentences of holy Scripture what meaneth that prophesying or interpretation of scripture according to the Analogie of faith which Saint Paule maketh mention of 12. Rom. But that there is a certaine compasse of discenting varying in the Church of God so that it be within the boundes What meaneth that mariage garmentes of the Church her selfe 45. Psalme which Salomons wife no doubt did shadowe out vnto vs. The Quéene stoode on the right hande in a vesture of golde wrought about with diuerse colours and what meaneth that néedle worke that followeth all the glorie of the kinges daughter is within In a vesture of golde wrought with néedle worke shall shee be brought vnto the king What I say meane all these varieties all these diuersities all these néedle workes but wholely a diuersitie of iudgementes and as it were the soft stinginges of Bées one towardes an other which make the Lordes honny And yet al this without death without destruction without damnation Therefore in vaine crie our aduersaries and vrge this as Hercules dart Luther and Caluine do dissent concerning the Lordes Supper Therefore if Luther bee saued Caluine is damned Therefore in vaine doe many whisper this into the eares of the simple people they striue amongest them selues and that very bitterly of certaine rites and ceremonies of the Church of abuses of Ecclesiasticall matters of the garment of this Quéene Therefore their religion is nought and no credite is to be giuen to their Sermons therefore there is no trueth amongest them For say they there is but one trueth and that simple and peaceable In déede to confesse the trueth they striue of the vesture of the Quéene that is to saye of Sacrifices and Ceremonies but not of the life of faith they quarrell amongest them selues in déede of the building vppon of golde and siluer and precious stones but not of the foundation of Iesus Christ For truely besides faith in Iesus Christ all the other pointes of our religion are but the garmentes ornamentes exercises iewelles badges fruites companions waiting maydes of this our mother of true religion Not her substance not her life not her saluation And therefore first of all as concerning faith onely sayeth our Prophet Habakuck The iust shall liue by faith and the same saying the Apostle Saint Paule repeateth often after him The first to the Romaines the seuentéenth verse and the third Chapter to the Galathians and the tenth to the Hebrewes as an vndoubted trueth without any addition of workes or any thing else And our Sauiour Christ him selfe teacheth vs the same thing Hée that beléeueth in me though he were dead shall liue And hee that beléeueth not shall bée damned And also the Apostle Saint Iohn Hee that hath the sonne hath life But as concerning Sacramentes the Apostle Paule to the Galathians sayth as manie as are Baptised haue put on Iesus Christ And of good workes the same Apostle sayeth to the Collossians Put vpon you as the elect of GOD bowelles of mercie c. And to the Hebrewes of the same he sayth But wee hope better of you and thinges accompanying saluation Therefore workes accompanie saluation they are not saluation it selfe And godlinesse hee calleth the beste exercise and circumcision a seale of righteousnesse These names doe declare the nature of all these Then truth in déede is but one but as long as shée is here on earth shee is not without a veale without a mufler If truth were so easie to be mette withall then all labour of séeking of searching of studying was but in vaine If eyther the Church it selfe at anie time could embrace trueth in her perfect age absolute in all respectes then there should bee no increase of knowledge as long as we liue here in this worlde The which growing in knowledge that it should be in vs all the Apostles Peter and Paule doo verie earnestly exhort and commande If the millitant Church heere on earth coulde clyme vp to the highest degrée of knowledge then in vaine were that perfection in knowledge and not proper to the triumphant Church in heauen But as yet the Scriptures are to be searched of vs day and night besides the light which the fathers haue left vs They are written for our further learning and instruction As the Church of the Israelites had many mansions and going forwardes euen till it came to the boundes of the lande