.1578 ACTES 10. verse 1 FVrthermore there was a certayne man in Cesarea called Cornelius a captaine of the bande called the Italian Bande verse 2 A deuoute man and one that feared God with all his housholde which gaue much almes to the people and prayed God continually verse 3 He saw in a vision euidently about the ninth houre of the day an Angell of God comming into him and saying vnto him Cornelius verse 4 But when he looked on him he was afraide and saide What is it Lorde and he saide vnto him Thy prayers and thine almes are come vppe into remembraunce before God. verse 5 Nowe therefore send men to Ioppa cal for Simon whose surname is Peter verse 6 He lodgeth with one Simon a Tanner whose house is by the sea side He shall tell thee what thou oughtest to do verse 7 And when the Angell which spake vnto Cornelius was departed hee called two of his seruaÌ„ts a souldiour that feared God one of theÌ„ that waited on him verse 8 And tolde them all things and sent them to Ioppa THis Scripture righte honorable worshipfull dearely beloued in the Lord offereth vnto your consideration generally these thrée pointes firste a descriptioÌ„ of one Cornelius a captain caled froÌ„ Paganisme or Heathenishnes to the true knowledge of Christe secoÌ„dly the Angel his appearaunce and embassage vnto him thirdely his willing and spéedy obedieÌ„ce in performing that whiche the Angell from the Lorde charged him withall Euerye one of these generalles haue springing and growing out of theÌ„ their seuerall and particular braunches The first generall hath these speciall pointes to be noted the firste God his wonderful and mercifull kindnesse in calling the Heathen from error to the truth and his most fearefull but yet righteous iudgemente in casting off for their greate vnthankefulnesse his owne peculiar and chosen people of the Iewes The seconde Cornelius his trade and kinde of of life The thirde his vertue godlinesse The fourth his christian training vp of his familye and householde The fyfth his Almes déedes Prayers The seconde generall hath these speecially First God his calling of Cornelius by the Angell The seconde containeth the feare of Cornelius at the calling of the Angell The third the spéech of the Angel vnto Cornelius which staÌ„deth of two partes the one is a comfort vnto his longing and carefull mynde where he assureth him that his almes prayers are come vppe into remembrance before God The other is an instruction what he ought to do In the thirde generall point are to be considered Firste an euident token of Cornelius his faith Secondlye what profitte he reaped by godly instructing of his housholde Thirdly the religionnesse of the souldiour which he sent with his seruauntes on this message I wil vse no fore-spéech or entraunce garnished and set out with some Rhetoricall florishe to winne at youre handes héedfull harkening vnto that which vpon these places in the fear of God I am to deliuer vnto you or to purchase youre fauourable bearing with my plaine and simple handling of this Texte withoute curious and picked out words termes For the cause being not MaÌ„s but Gods worthelye â—baâ—engeth the greateste attention and as for painted labored and of purpose sought for eloquence I leaue it vnto them that séeke rather the praise of men than the glorie of God knowing that the worde of the Lorde simply and plainly handled is able without the help of the persuading spéeche of mans wisedome to pierce euen to the hart to diuide betwéene the thoughtes and the reines whyche effecte I praye hym for his Christes sake to graunte vnto that whyche in hys name I am to speake The fyrste braunche of the fyrste Generall namelye the callyng of the Gentiles and of casting off the Iewes THe calling of the Gentiles of the which I am to speak somewhat for that oure Cornelius was a Gentile as hereafter shall more at large appeare hath euident and plaine testimonies of holy Scripture in many and sundry places amongest the reste these chieflye He shall speake peace vnto the Heathen and his dominion shall be from sea vnto sea and from the riuer vnto the ende of the lande Againe But in the last dayes it shall come to passe that the mountaine of the house of the Lord shal be prepared in the toppe of the Mountaines and it shall bée exalted aboue the hylles and people shall flowe vnto it yea many nations shal come and say Come and let vs go vp to the mountaine of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob and he will teache vs hys wayes and we will walke in his pathes For the lawe shall goe forth of Sion and the worde of the Lord from Ierusalem And he shal iudge among many people and rebuke mighty nations a farre off and they shall breake their swordes into mattockes and their speares into sithes nation shall not lifte vp a sword against nation neyther shall they learne to fight any more But they shall sit euery man vnder his Vine vnder his Fig trée none shall make theÌ„ afraid For the mouth of the Lord of hostes hath spoken it For all people wil walke euery one in the name of his God wée will walke in the name of the Lorde our God for euer and euer Likewise yea al Kings shall worship him and all natioÌ„s shall serue him And againe all nations shall blesse him and be blessed in him Moreouer aske of me and I shall giue thée the heathen for thine inheritaunce and the endes of the earth for thy possession Furthermore in that day shall fiue Citties in the lande of Egipt speake the language of Canaan shal sweare by the Lord of Hostes c. In like maner let the wildernesse and the Cities thereof lift vp their voice the townes that Kedar doth inhabite Let the inhabitaÌ„ts of the rocks sing Let them showte from the toppe of the Mountaines Lette them giue glorie vnto the Lorde and declare his praise in the Ilandes And to this effect in most comfortable sorte is almoste the whole .49 chapter of this Prophesie Héereof also haue we in the Scripture manye figures and examples For what else doeth the clensing of Naaman the Syrian from his leprosie by the Prophete Elizeus signifie but that a time shoulde one daye come when as the heatheÌ„ by faith in the death and bloude of Christe shoulde be purged of the spirituall Leprosie of their soules whiche is sinne What meaneth the sending of Ionas to the great Citie of Niniuie but that God is a God of the Assyrians as well as of the Iewes a Sauiour of the Gentiles as well as of the Israelites What doe we learne by the incredible faith and wonderfull patience of Iob who was a Heathen but that God euen among the HeatheÌ„ hath those that are of hys Churche What that Christe hymselfe concerning the
and disobedience vnto God and hys word is a vice so odious in hys sighte that he will not let it escape vnpunished in any nation whatsoeuer but will reuenge it with horrible plagues For if he spared not the naturall braunches truly he wil not spare the vnnaturall if he cut off those of the true Oliue trée he wil hewe downe also those of the wilde if he haue shewed suche tokens of hys Iustice vpon his owne people offending with what scourges will he chasten the rebellion of straungers And as the sinnes of hys people were maruellous great so was their punishment woÌ„derfull fearefull They scorned the Prophets of the Lord they themselues are now a coÌ„mon scorne and laughing stocke vnto others They killed and persecuted the seruauntes of God seÌ„t vnto them for their health they themselues to their great woe and misery haue bin slaine murthered and killed They refused Iesus Christe himselfe their Sauioure solde hym for thirtye pence by the hande of Iudas and chose rather a cut-throat murtherer than that they woulde haue Christe sette at libertie and they theÌ„selues haue bin reiected by Christ and thirty of them at the siege of Ierusalem solde for a penny and cruelly slaine by cut-throate and mercilesse murtherers They cry his bloud be vpon vs and oure children and they hadde their desire at the full when their Cittie was taken For their olde menne were slaine in their beddes their yong men in the streates yong infants murthered at their mothers breastes little children dispatched in their nurses lappes and to be shorte bloude they asked and bloude they hadde in suche abundaunce issuing from the greate multitudes of them that were slayne that the channels of theyr stréetes ranne with streames of whotâ—â—reaking bloud a wofull and lamentable sight to behold in as great plentie as you sée them héere vsually wont to do after a greate shoure of rayne They shut their eares at the pitifull complaynt of the poore theÌ„selues sinning in excesse of meate as it is cast in their teth by the Prophet coÌ„trary to the expresse coÌ„mandemeÌ„t of the Lord who streightly charged that there should be no begger in Israell they hadde theyr stréetes and high wayes swarming wyth beggers and themselues afterwardes were so punished with famine that they were constreyned to eate sauing youre manner most lothsome and vile things as their owne vomite and excrementes and that whiche is most vnnaturall and barbarous they did eate their owne children and yet could not be let alone wyth thys mercilesse meate but the vnmercifull and hungerstaruen Souldiers would breake in and by force take it froÌ„ them They banished and draue out of theyr Cities and territories the Apostles of Christe suffering them to haue no place nor abode amongst them and they themselues are nowe driuen and banished from those places and are become a byworde and reproche in those places where they in small number dwell carrying a note of reproche on theyr garmentes that they may be knowen from other people and that whiche is most horrible they refused the word of saluation the foode of theyr soules and therefore hathe GOD taken it from them and bereaued them of the comforte that they myghte reape by the vnderstandyng of it For albeit they haue the olde Testamente yet GOD hathe so fearefully punished theyr disobedience that they vnderstande it not in the Hebrewe tong wherein it is written and whiche was sometyme theyr owne mother tong they vnderstande it not I saye one amongst an hundreth theyr Rabbines excepted but it is vnto them as the Lattine seruice was vnto vs yea theyr Rabbines themselues whyche vnderstande the signification of the wordes are farre from the knowledge of the meaning of the same and that as I take it of malice especially in the matter of the Messias Chryste Iesus oure Sauioure whome they vtterlye detest and abhorre lookyng yet styll for another to come to delyuer them Besydes that they haue horribly corrupted the holye Scripture by their false interpretations and Iewishe and olde wyues fables These horrible vices deserued thys fearefull reiection and so muche the rather for that they contemned the admonitions and the forewarnings of the Prophetes and Apostles yea of Iesus Chryste hymselfe so that henceforthe in the Storye of the Actes you shall heare very little mention made of the Iewishe Churche but to theyr reproche for all the glorye thereof is translated to vs of the Gentiles GOD make vs thanckefull for it Lette vs beloued learne wisedome by their harmes lette theyr stubbernesse and disobedience teach obey let their vnthankefulnesse make vs thankefull let their negligence make vs carefull least being partakers with them of their sinnes wée haue parte also of their punishment God warned them he hathe and dothe dayly warne vs He spake earely and late vnto them by his Prophets he likewise dayly and hourely calleth vs by his Preachers Their priuiledges and many blessings aboue other nations could not priuiledge them from God his vengeance for theyr great coÌ„tempt but rather increased their punishmente for abusing them so shall his great mercies towardes vs Englishmen aboue manye other nations make his iudgements more heauie if we shew not our selues thankefull and bring forth the frutes of repentance and amendment of life And to thée I saye O London whose saluation in the Lorde I hartily tender and on whome God hath shewed more tokens of his fauour and loue than on anye other Towne or Citie of thys land in blessing thée with plenty of Preachers and teachers sée that thy liuing be answerable to thy knowledge and thy manners agréeable to thy teaching otherwise I assure thée it shall fall out vnto thée as it did vnto these Iewes for as it hathe bin a thing at all times vsuall with God vppon the greatest Cities to shew greatest tokens of his loue and to enlighten them with greatest knowledge of his word that from them other places of the lande as it were little fountaynes from the great Springs may drawe good instructioÌ„s and learne by their examples to pursue after the like knowledge euen so he beginneth firste to punish those places where he hath shewed most mercy if they abuse his mercy and contemne hys graces yet in such order that he alwayes giueth them forewarning of the same by his seruants that if they amend not their punishment may be the iuster So before the floud he sente Noah before the burning of Sodom and Gomorrah he sente Lot before the destruction of Canaan Abraham Isaac and Iacob before the ouerthrow of Pharao Moses and Aaron before the captiuitie of the Iewes many Prophetes before the euersion of the Niniuites Ionas before the séege of Hierusalem and this casting off of the Iewes in which I stand the longer bycause it conteyneth profitable admonitions for our times Christ himselfe and hys Apostles We people of Englande haue enioyed the Preaching of the Gospell nowe these twenty yeares and God graunte we may many
wise not manye strong not many noble according to the fleshe And God hath chosen the folish the weak the despised to cōfound the wise the strong and the esteemed Simon the Tanner must entertain Peter and the poore Shunamite kéepe a chamber for Elizeus and the widowe of Sareptha in the time of famine giue a little bread vnto Elias Matthewe the publican must bid Christ yea many times the caues of Obadiah muste hide the Prophetes of the Lorde by fiftye and fiftye when as the greate men of Ioppa contemne Peter when Ahaziah by hys Captain ouer fiftie wil set Elias before hym if he tel him he shall die whē Achab wyll séeke ouer all realmes and countries for the life of Elias when Herode vnder the pretence of worship wyll haue Christe diligentlye soughte after that he maye slaye him when as Iesabell will kill the Prophetes of the Lord and saue aliue the Priestes of Baal But God hath hadde at all times and in all places and hath at this time and in this land many of the greate men that make accountes of Peter and the Lord multiplye them continuallye for his Christes sake and graunt that they maye all haue God his faithfull and paineful ministers and preachers in a reuerent regarde and good accounte For it is to little purpose to féede vs wyth liuyng and suffer vs of euerye one to be contemned whyche wyll one daye be the ruine and decay of the Churche Besides that it is a greate token in what person soeuer and of what countenaunce soeuer that doeth not wyth Simon the Tanner make muche of Peter that there is in hym little feare of god Nay it is playnelie set downe for one of the properties that muste bée in hym that shal dwell in the LORDES Tabernacle and reste on his holye hyll that he must not onelye estéeme well of the Preachers but of all other the Godlye whatsoeuer In whose eyes sayeth the Psalmist a vile person is contemned but he honoureth them that feare the Lord. Those therfore that do the cleane cōtrarie that is secretly maintain wicked Papistes and make accountes of bad and lewde persons contemning the godly and preachers of the Lord I had rather leaue it to your owne consideration than my selfe declare in whose Tabernacle they shall dwell and on whose hill they shall rest The thirde parte NOw aword or two of the third part and so I will ende In this part generallie is shewed the willingnesse and obedience of Cornelius with spéede to performe that whych the Angell charged hym withall For saith the texte When the Angel was departed he called two of his seruauntes and a souldiour that feared God one of them that wayted on hym and tolde them all things and sent them to Ioppa Where firste commeth to be noted a commendation of the faith of Cornelius that all delayes reasons and excuses set a part withall spéede prepareth himselfe to do that whych the Angell had tolde him to be the will and plesure of the Lorde He standeth not to debate what trouble his newe religion might worke him whether that it were likelye that the house of a poore Tanner shoulde receyue so singular a teacher as Peter was or rather whether Peter were not some obscure and bad fellowe that lay lurking and hyding himselfe in such a base place whereas if he were of such excellencie he shoulde séeme to be taken forth amongst the great men of those times and places These and suche like woulde the wisdome and pollicie of man haue layde vnto hym to haue withholden him from yéelding obedience vnto the commaundemente of god But ouer all these fayth easily got the victory and causeth him with diligence for to submitte himselfe to the fulfilling of the Lordes pleasure Let vs therfore learne in the Lords matters not to plead policy but when the Lord commaundeth with all spéede to shewe obedience You know howe Saule spedde beyng commaunded without any mercye shewed to roote out the Amalekites with all theirs from man vnto beaste who setting his owne wisedome before the wisedome of the Lorde is called foole for his laboure and certifyed that his kingdome shall be taken from him and giuen to suche a one as shoulde be readie for to do the wyll of the Lorde The children of Israell when God had streightlye charged them to destroy all the nations into whose lande he woulde bring them and shewed the inconuenience that would come vnto them by sauing them they for sauing them founde them thornes and prickes vnto theyr flesh in so much that manye yeares they liued in theyr slauerye and subiection as the booke of Iudges doeth plentifully witnesse The Prophete that contrarie to God his commaundement did eate bread and drinke water in the house of the olde Prophete as he roade homewarde was deuoured of a Lion. And he that commaunded by the worde of God to stryke the Prophet refused it a Lion also did slaye him Al these preferred their owne wisedome pollicie and carnal reasons before the wisdome and expresse preceptes of the Lorde and the fruites that thereof they reaped were their own destruction God graunt that their examples may make vs wise that with Cornelius in al things that we shall learne of the worde of the Lord to concerne vs we maye spéedily prepare our selues to perfourme it without commoning about the doyng of it with fleshe and bloude For before our GOD obedience is far better and of greater accountes than sacrifice The second lesson of this thirde parte is the fruit that Cornelius reaped by his godly instructing of his familie namelye therby he hath gained thus much that he hath nowe faithful and trustie seruaunts whome he maye sende on his errande in this graue weyghtie matter concerning the saluation of him and his All you that be masters learne out of this to be careful to plant in your seruaunts the feare of the Lord and then shal you finde them faythfull vnto you as Abraham had his seruaunt as we reade in the 24. of Genesis And those that forslewe this duetie it is no marueyle if bycause they will not yéeld vnto God their duetie they finde their owne seruauntes faithlesse and trustelesse lyars filchers stealers stubborne disobedient blasphemers swearers and altogither giuen ouer to al sin vngodlynesse Yea magistrats also must be careful to haue their subictes taughte their duetyes vnto God or else they shal finde them negligente in theyr obedience vnto them yea tumultuous seditious and rebellious The laste note of thys thyrde point and of this whole scripture is that with two of his seruantes Cornelius sent also a souldiour that waited vpon him who feared god Where we learne that no trade nor profession of life is to bée preuiledged from the seruice of GOD sith that souldiours who the further they are from it the more hardie of the greater number they are accounted haue in the scripture their commendatiō for this duetie Nay the Lord in Deuteronomie
of all without exception neglected to the high displeasure of almightie God who hathe straightly and expresly commaunded it and also to the great shame of vs that haue so fowlie foreslewed it But bycause this maye séeme vnto some a straunge doctrine and I peraduenture be iudged verye precise that woulde laye such a heauie burthen vpon mens necks I will therefore directly proue vnto you out of the worde of GOD that it belongeth generallye vnto all persons of what degrée and calling soeuer to instructe their children and familie in the worde of the LORDE insomuche that not the greatest Emperoure nor Monarche of the worlde can omit this duetie wythoute highe contempte vnto GOD in neglecte of that whiche hée hath so plainely and earnestly commanded nay I say further that euerye housholder whatsoeuer is not onely bound himself to be godly and to traine vp his housholde in godlinesse but also to turne out of his house seruice all suche as are vngodly and tell scorne to learne And I will not onely saye this but directlye proue it by the Scripture and I will doe it as drawen therevnto by manifeste occasion of my Texte whiche sayth that Cornelius wyth all hys housholde feared god For I haue hitherto noted nothing neither hereafter meane to doe but that the godly maye easily sée that the circumstances of my Text led me euidently therevnto the whiche I speake bycause of scoffing quarellers who if the Preacher in greate zeale speake any thing to the rebuking of some notorious synne althoughe it be neuer so godly spoken yet if it be not bounded within the limites of hys Texte they by and by flowte at it and saye it was done for wante of matter albeit in déede it make no matter what suche scoffers prate and babble In the fourth of Deuteronomie it is written thus But take heede to thy self and keepe thy soule diligently that thou forget not the thinges whiche thine eies haue seene that they departe not out of thine hearte all the dayes of thy life but teach them thy sonnes and thy sons sonnes Likewise in the sixte chapiter of the same booke And thou shalt rehearse them continually vnto thy children and shalte talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp This is againe repeated in the eleauenth chapiter and a blessing added to those that performe it in these wordes That youre daies may be multiplyed and the dayes of youre children in the lande whiche the Lorde sware vnto youre fathers to giue them as long as the Heauens are aboue the Earth The like you haue in the Psalme where you find it thus writtē That the posteritie might know it the childrē which shoulde be borne shoulde stande vp and declare it to their children that they might set their hope on God and not forget the workes of God but kepe his commaundements To the Ephesians parentes are commaunded to bring vppe their children in instruction and information of the Lord. In Deuteronomie the king himselfe is charged diligently to be exercised in the reading of the worde of the Lorde as well for the instruction of himselfe as also the better gouernement of his subiects in the feare of the Lorde This thing didde the good King Iosias obserue reading his owne selfe the lawe of the Lorde vnto his subiectes and caused all to make a couenaunt that they would walke according to that whiche they vnderstood the Lord to require at their hande Iosua the valiaunte and vertuous Capitaine of the LORDE didde dayly reade the word of the Lorde and out of it verye godlye exhorte all the people to feare and serue the Lord. The Quéene of Sheba greatlye commendeth King Salomon for his godly order in his house familie Dauid whom the scriptures reporte to haue bin a King according to God his owne hearte was not onely godly himselfe but also carefull to haue all his subiectes and principallye those of his owne house vnfainedly to feare the Lorde as appeareth in the Psalme 101. where he sayeth That he will destroy suche as priuily slaunder their neighbour that he will not suffer those that haue proude lookes and highe hartes that those whyche are the faithfull of the lande shall dwell with hym and those that walke in the perfect way shall serue him that no deceitful person shall dwell wyth hym nor anye that telleth lyes remaine in his sighte that he will betymes cutte off all the wicked of the lande and to be shorte concerning the gouernement of his house that hée will walke in the vprightnesse of hys harte in the middest of his house whereby as the wordes following doe declare he meaneth to vse exquisite diligence in trayning vppe his housholde in the seruice of the lord Helie the Priest of the Lorde for letting his children runne at libertie is himselfe charged to haue committed those sinnes whiche in his sonnes he lette passe vnpunished besides that God fearefully punished both him and his sonnes for neglecting hys dutie in this behalfe for he himselfe fell and brake his neck his two sonnes were slaine in battell both in one daye the Arke of the Lord takē by the Philistins and .3000 people slaine his sonnes wife vppon the newes sodainelye broughte to bedde before hir time and dieth in trauaile whiche heauie iudgementes maye learne al men worthily to tremble at the forslewing their duetie in instructing their families Abraham is greatly praised for his carefulnesse in teaching his children houshold to walk in the waies of the Lord For thus it is writtē of him For I know him that he wil cōmand his sons his houshold after that they kepe the way of the Lord to do righteousnes and iudgement that the Lord may bring vppon Abraham that he hathe spoken vnto him All these bothe commaundementes and examples do I trust sufficiently proue that it is the part of al men of what calling soeuer to vse singular diligence and trauaile to haue their familie and suche as belong to their charge to feare the Lorde As for that I sayde they muste also kéepe none suche in their house as are stubborne and tell scorne to serue the Lorde the example of Dauid out of the .101 psalme who will suffer no wicked person to dwell wyth hym nor serue him and therefore none that feareth not the Lord doth sufficiently proue it But thou wilte saye Dauid was a King and I saye vnto thée so arte thou both a King and Bishoppe to ouer thy house and familie a King by gouernement to kéepe in awe and a Byshoppe by instruction to teach mayst so muche the easier and with lesse daunger teach and correct thine owne familie as it is easier and lesse dangerous to deale with a priuate familie thā with a whole realme therfore the greater punishmnt shalte thou haue if herein thou omit thy dutie If then the instructing
they may enrich themselues The qualities whiche were in Cornelius besides his knowledge in feates of warre were godlinesse religion feare of God Christian trayning vppe of his familie almes déeds and prayer and such should likewise be in the Captains of our time in all places But howe are men commonly iudged of in respecte of méetenesse to be Captaines if he can set his countenaunce sternly looke biggly goe proudly walke stately and sweare roundlye nay terribly in such fearefull sorte that hée woulde make the Diuell if hée were incarnate to quake and tremble at the hearing of it suche a one is a valiaunt and a lustie and stoute Capitayne I condemne not in Capitaynes countenaunce personage making manhoode I reuerence them well vsed as the good giftes of God neyther doe I disallowe the callyng of a Capitayne whiche I confesse to bée néedefull and necessarie and wherein a manne may serue GOD as this oure Cornelius I onelye reproue the disorders of badde Captains and wishe and praye that as there bée no doubte some godlye and vertuous Capitaines so that all maye be Cornelians for it shall be no shame at all for them to sette him before them for theyr paterne nay shame and confusion will it be to them all if hauyng with Cornelius the same profession of life they haue not also with hym the like agréemēt in maners which God for Christes sake graunte vnto them Nowe if we shall séeke for Cornelius among the cōmon people we shal likewise proue it a hard thing there to finde hym for they are so farre from his vertue religion and godlinesse that they run gréedily euerye man after his owne waies leauing and omitting the wayes of the lord And as for instructing their families after the example of Cornelius to feare God they are so farre from abilitie to performe this duetie that themselues had firste néede to learne for of God his word they know in a manner nothing thinke it to be the only office of the Minister to looke to teaching yea the whiche worse is they seldome reforte to the place of preaching where they might learne their duetie vnlesse it be on the Lords day on which if in the fore-noone they haue heard the word of God in the afternoone they thinke that without all controlment they may runne after all kinds of vanitie Here also on the other side it is wonderful to consider the craft and subtiltie of oure common aduersarie the Diuell who like the cunning Cooke that for his gaine prepareth sundrie swéete and pleasant dishes to procure appetite when as the stomacke as it were gorged alreadie inuenteth many kinde of vaine exercises for that day to pul them from hearing of the word least by it thei might be won from his kingdome to the seruice of the Lord so be brought into a hatred of such kinde of leudenesse And like as heretofore in this lande he vsed persecution to kéepe vs in Idolatrie so nowe when as the Lorde in mercie hath sent vs the Gospell with peace quiet he vseth pleasure prosperitie to draw men vnto vanitie How this way he preuaileth both in Countrie Citie our present times aforde too plentiful examples and the time to come in an other worlde will yéeld vnto the frequenters of such leudnes plentiful punishmēt There be not many places where the word is preached besides the Lords day I woulde to God there were yet euen that day the better parte of it is horriblie prophaned by diuellishe inuentions as with Lords of Misserule Morice dauncers Maygames insomuch that in some places they shame not in the time of diuine seruice to come daunce aboute the Church and without to haue men naked dauncing in nettes whiche is moste filthie for the heathen that neuer hadde further knowledge than the lighte of nature haue counted it shamefull for a Player to come on the stage without a slop and therefore amongest Christians I hope suche beastly brutishnesse shal not be let escape vnpunished for whiche ende I recite it and can tell if I be called where it was committed within these fewe wéekes What should I speake of beastlye Playes againste which out of this place euery man crieth out haue we not houses of purpose built with great charges for the maintaināce of them and that without the liberties as who woulde say there let them saye what they will say we wil play I know not how I might with the godly learned especially more discommende the gorgeous Playing place erected in the fieldes than to terme it as they please to haue it called a Theatre that is euen after the maner of the olde heathnish Theatre at Rome a shew place of al beastly filthie matters to the which it can not be chosē that men should resort without learning thence muche corruption For if hée that behelde but the filthie picture of Iupiter in a shower of golden raine descending vnto Dianae coulde thereby encourage himself vnto filthinesse shall we thinke that flocks of as wyld youths of both sexes resorting to Enterludes where both by liuely gesture and voices there are allurements vnto whordom they can come awaye pure and not inflamed with concupiscence I will not here enter this disputatiō whether it be vtterly vnlawfull to haue anye playes but will onelye ioyne in this issue whether in a Christiā common wealth they be tolerable on the Lords day when the people shold be exercised in hearing of the word whiche thing as it hathe béen oftentimes reproued by learned godly men out of this place so for the discharge of mine own conscience I am to speake some thing whiche in fewe wordes is this If playing in the Theatre or any other place in Londō as there are by sixe that I know to many be any of the Lordes wayes whiche I suppose there is none so voide of knowledge in the world wil graunt then not only it may but ought to be vsed but if it be any of the wayes of man it is no work for the Lords Sabaoth therfore in no respecte tollerable on that daye For thus speaketh the Lorde by his Prophet Isaias If thou tourne awaye thy foote from the Sabaoth from doyng thy will on mine holy day and call the Sabaoth a delighte to cōsecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord and shalte honour him not doing thine owne wayes nor seeking thine own wil nor speaking a vaine worde then shalte thou delight in the Lord and I wil cause thee to mount vppon the high places of the earth and feede thee with the heritage of Iacob thy father For the mouthe of the Lorde hath spoken it As in these wordes is sette downe a blessing to such as leauing their own waies and the doing of their owne willes on the Lordes daye sette their delighte to doe the will of God on his holy day which I thinke is not to goe to a wanton Play and doe consecrate it as glorious vnto the Lord
farre ouer vnto the subieâ—ion of others that they were nowe not â—â—ely vnder the rule of Presidentes and â—eputies but also hadde in al their Ciâ—es bandes garrisons of forreÌ„ souldiâ—rs amongest the which albeit some â—nes they mette with some one suche as â—is oure Cornelius which was a thing â—oste seldome yet the miseries that vnâ—â—â— those other they suffered were wonâ—â—â—full and suche as they can better reâ—eÌ„ber that sometimes haue liued vnder the gripings of the sharpe talants of those eagree and gréedy Hawkes I meane the violence of forraine Souldioures than I am able to expresse and the Lorde if it be his will graunt that we Englishmen haue neuer laste nor experience of the like Lette vs therefore here-out learne tâ— be thankefull vnto God for placing ouer vs in great mercie so godly gratious 〈◊〉 Quéene vnder whose most quiet peaceable gouernment notwithstandyng the wiâ—ked foretellings and lying Prophesies oâ— false â—arted papists of hir maiesties detâ— at the end of this seuen and that seauen besides their malicious practises to accomplishe it for the whiche some of theâ— heades haue bin worthily exalted as â— truste the reste if they maye be knowâ— shall be as they well deserue to be Wâ— haue thus long enioied the cleare shiniâ— lighte of the Gospell and GOD granâ— hir to his good will pleasure many yerâ—â— more to raigne ouer vs stil for the bettâ—â— and more plentifull furtheraunce of tâ— preaching of his worde lette vs I say learne to be thankfull and not giue ocâ—asion throughe oure greate contempte â—nd disobedience and godlesse and farre â—nchristian liuing that God in his great â—rath and hote anger take hir maiesty â—waye from vs and with hir also his â—orde as in oure remembraunce for the â—â—ke sinnes he didde oure vertuous King Edward hir Graces moste deare and â—odly brother We were vnworthy of â—im then we are vnworthye of hir now â—e contemned the worde preached vnder â—im then we are wearie of it preached â—nder hir Maiesty now there was much â—â—aching vnder him then and small foloâ—ing there is more teaching vnder hir â—owe and a great deale lesse following For oure not folowing then he tooke froÌ„â—s oure zealous Iosias and scourged vs â—y a Marie his arme is not shortened he â—an againe for oure not following nowe â—ake away our vertuous and godly Deâ—ora and punish vs with the like Pray â—ray and most hartily beloued pray that â—e doe it not as oure sinnes haue wel deâ—erued that he shoulde doe it For if he do it as this and farre greater plagues he hathe threatned to those that are contemners of his worde by the miseries that heretofore you haue suffered in the late dayes of afflictioÌ„ you may easily gather what shal bée the state of the godlye vnder all wicked Athaliahs and mercilesse Tyrantes suche as GOD vseth to sende vppon those that haue not learned to be thankful and obedient vnto vertuous gentle and godly Gouernoures Wherefore if in the former daies of trouble wyth greate and grieuous sobbes and sighes we haue lamented oure vnthankefulnesse towardes the worde when we had it Nowe the Lorde to trie vs hath once againe sent it lette vs remember to be thankfull if then in oure miseries we coulde consider howe greate a plague it was to be punished with a Tyraunte lette vs nowe weighâ— howe greate a blessyng it is to be gouerned by so gentle merciful a Quéene if then we longed to be deliuered from the heauie yoke of forraine crueltie let vs nowe poure oute oure moste hartyâ—â— prayers for the continuaunce of oure ioyfull libertie vnder the long and prosperous raigne of oure Soueraigne Ladye if when in times before we hadde the Gospell wée broughte foorthe no fruites of the Gospell lette vs hauing nowe againe the Gospell praye to oure GOD that oure conuersation and liuing may be agréeable to the Gospell least as before I noted oure hainous offences worthilye prouoke oure GOD in greate displeasure to take from vs oure gratious Gouernesse vnder whose Christian regiment we haue thus long enioyed it and many yeares longer God graunt we may haue both hir it and in a holy and vertuous walking expresse followe it leaste for oure ingratitude we taste of the like sause that the Iewes did for their disobedience whiche as I haue hadde verye fitte occasion by theyr subiection vnto others to note so I beséeche you praye all hartilye to GOD that wée maye be warned and learned by it For truely beloued vnlesse we bring forth better fruites of Christianitie than hitherto we haue done it can not be chosen but that God must néedes punish vs with this or some other farre greater punishement if any can be greater You muse peraduenture to sée mée so fearefull and I muche more wonder to sée England so carelesse If you wil aske of me why I thinke that GOD wyll visite vs I answere for the multitude of oure sinnes and offences whiche daylye are coÌ„mitted expresly against his word and for many of them being notorious suche as he himselfe hathe commaunded to be punished with death either they are often lette passe vnpunished or else there is no punishement for them at all or if there be it is so toyishe I had almoste saide Popishe that it rather cherisheth than kylleth the sinne And bycause you shall not thinke my wordes to be as it were but a skar Crow or that I haue made muche ado aboute nothing I wil note vnto you in a worde some of them and leaue to youre iudgement whether that I haue spoken that whiche I haue spoken withoute cause or no or also as not appertayning to my matter in hand of the Iewes at Cesarea and other places being in subiection for their sins to forreine power that we may auoyde the great sinnes whyche we dayly runne into for feare of the like or greater punishment by howe much our knowledge and teaching is greater and clearer than theirs Swearing and blaspheming the name of God as it is a figure that clearly toucheth the honour of God so in hys worde is it expressely forbidden and also commaunded to be punished with death yet how outragiously and commonlye is it vsed amongst all degrées and states of people from the Lorde to the begger and from the Courtier to the Carter yea to the yong chylde of thrée yeares olde besides that I fear me a great number this Fayer and at other times doe laye their soules to paune to the Dyuell by feareful othes for their gaynes sometimes but of a pennie in vttering their wares and what punishmente I praye you is there for it It is written that the Plague shall neuer departe from the house of the swearer and thinke you then that it hangeth not ouer the lande in whiche is such terrible swearing in the cleare light of the Gospell and the offendours not touched with so much as a fillip if there were no moe but thys it is not without cause
that I put you in minde to leaue it leaste the Lorde doe plague you It is set downe by the Prophet for one of the causes of the children of Israels being led into captiuity for that they kepte not the Lords Sabboth and what became of him that gathered sticks on that day I doubt not but you will remember we notwithstanding on the Lordes daye muste haue Fayers kept must haue Beare baytyng Bulbayting as if it wer a thing of necessity for the Beares of Paris gardē to be bayted on the Sunnedaye muste haue baudie Enterludes siluer games dicing carding tabling dauncing drinking and what I praye you is the penaltie of the offenders herein forsooth a flap wyth a Foxe tayle as if our Sauiour Christe had commen for his day to set vs at lybertie to doe what we liste And truely a lamentable thing it is to tell but a great deale more lamentable that it is not punished I dare boldelye stande to auouche it that there is no daye in the wéeke wherin God is so much dishonoured as on that daye when he shoulde bée best serued And muste we for these abuses thinke at the Lordes hand to scape vncorrected What shoulde I speake of beastly drunkennesse whiche so far as I can learne hath no punishmente at all What of whordome by the lawe of the moste vprighte lawe-maker that euer was being made a Capitall sinne and whyche the Euangelist Luke in the parable of the séed termeth a thorn shal we thinke that a thorne will be killed wyth spreading a white shéete ouer it when it rather craueth an axe So to think to restrain it is as endlesse and fonde a worke as to go aboute to hewe downe a greate thorne with a bull-rushe the Lord if it be his good pleasure graunte vs a sharper toole to cut both it and other stinckyng wéedes downe with all for I assure you if these vices be thus styll eyther not at all punished or else so slightly punished the Lorde will more sharpely punishe vs eyther in suche sorte as I haue shewed you he did these Iewes or in some other more grieuous as he wanteth not infinite meanes vnknowen vnto vs to punishe the contempte of his word from whēce these vices spring the which I pray God the chastisemente of these Iewes maye cause vs to shunne For the thirde braunche of my firste parte is set down that Cornelius was a Godly or a religious and deuoute man and one that feared God wher commeth to be handled Cornelius his Godlinesse and vertue The worde which is commōly translated a deuoute and a religious man and here attributed to Cornelius doth properly signifie one that doth truely and in suche sorte as he ought to doe worshippeth GOD a righte and a true worshipper of God whereby we learne that Cornelius had nowe forsaken and giuen ouer his olde Heathenish religion in whiche his father and fathers fathers in many generations had long cōtinued worshipping those for Goddes whome it pleased men so to account For the case so stoode concerning religion with the Romaines then as it did with vs in the late dayes of Poperie in which none myghte be taken for a Saincte but suche as the Pope his holynesse had Canonized for a Saint For Tertullian in his booke called an Apologie or defence againste the Gentiles Page 186. and 587. as is printed at Paris by Paruus doth shewe that it was a decrée amōgst the Romanes that none shoulde be made a God by the Emperour vnlesse he were first allowed of the Senate in so much that when Tiberius Cesar hauing hearde of the myracles of Christe woulde by prerogatiue of his Emperourshippe haue made him a God the Senate woulde none of hym bycause they had not allowed him The worlde was then growen to a trimme passe that man must forsooth be good vnto god For vnlesse God pleases man he shall be no God as Tertullian in the same place speaketh By this appeareth howe daungerous it was for Cornelius a publike magistrate to embrace Christ his religion whome the Romayne Senate so scornefully disdayned And what crueltye they vsed towardes the Christians the stories of the age do sufficiently witnesse whiche shewe that the christians were smered ouer with pitch and Rosen aliue and set on fire with torches to light their cruell Persecuters home from their banckquets in the night But it was no doubt the mightie operation of God his holy spirite that had armed him against all encombraunces that might fall vpon him who no doubt had prepared himself against displeasure losse of his office and captaineship and also losse of life too the leaste of whiche mighte otherwise haue discouraged him who amongst the Iewes also coulde sée nothing that might harte him on but rather pull him backe séeing amongst them so manifolde corruptions passing ignoraunce of the law of God a small and slender knowledge whereof was rare to be founde euen in the thousandth man of them in so much that some thinke and that very godlye that it came to passe by the special and singular prouidence of God that Cornelius mette with some zealous and learned Iewe that instructed him in the true knowledge and vnderstanding of the lawe by meanes whereof he so muche profited in religion and feare of the Lorde 1 We learne firste out of this thirde branch in that Cornelius leaueth his old heathenish religion and Idolatrie which his forefathers folowed that we must not be away from the truth neyther with multitude nor prescription of time It is a cōmon argumēnt now adays what are you better than your forefathers did not they go to masse worship Images runne on Pilgrimage fall downe before the holye sacrament of the Alter and to be shorte obserue all order of holy Church Why shoulde you therefore be so singular are you wiser or better learned than they Al these I saye and what soeuer else maye be alleaged to like purpose doeth the example of Cornelius confute who for the maintenaunce of his olde Paganisme might very wel haue recited the examples of his forefathers the long auncient continuaunce of the heathenishe religion by thousandes of yeares more aunciente than it of the Popes in comparison of his being as it were but an infant of a dayes olde Let vs therefore after his example in matters of religion set aside the practise of our forefathers and let our olde auncient customes vaile their bonnet to the worde of the Lorde For so are we directly in hys holy worde commaunded Thou shalt not follow a multitude to do euill And againe walke ye not in the ordinances of your fathers neyther obserue their maners nor defile your selues with their Idols I am the Lorde your God Walke in my statutes kepe my iudgements and do them c. Oh that our Papistes had eyes to sée this and heartes to beleeue it with earnest mindes also to followe it then woulde they not be so blinded with these