all theyr ennemies and mighte haue slayne theym lyke sheepe whan Haman had gotten lycens of the kynge to destroye the Iewes and made a galowes for Mardocheus God sent queene Ester to saue his people and HamaÌ„ was hanged on his own galowes Whan Darius was slain by Alexander the kyngdoÌ„ brought to the GretiaÌ„s Alexander coÌ„ming to destroy IerusaleÌ„ because they denied hym tribute God soo turned his heart the he entreated theÌ„ wel submitted him self to the high priest meting him with the other priests in their priestly apparell coÌ„fessed their God to be the true God When the Romaines conquered the â—â—tians and the Iewes were vnder the rule of the Romaines they didde not greatly harme them vntil they crucified Christe denied hym too bee their God sayinge hys bloude be vpon vs and vpon our chyldren In the cruell persecutions afterwardes the more sorowe that was layde on Gods people the more they encreased Thus in all ages God deliuered his out of trouble or els taketh them to him selfe by some glorious death In these our dais when the mightiest princes of the worlde stryue and fighte cruellye who shal be the greatest rather then godliest God prouydeth alwayes some corner for his too flee into where they maye serue him And if they be persecuted from one place he prepares an other to receyue them And although persecution was greate amonges vs yet God shewed him self more glorious mightye and mercifull in strengthninge so many weake once to dye for hym than in so mercifully prouiding for them which were abroade although bothe be wonderfull What glorious crakes made proude persecutours that thei woulde make goddes poore banished people too eate theyr syngers for hunger but they had plentye for all the others crueltie Gods holy name be praysed therefore What a mercie of God is this that where we deserued to be cast from him for euer because of our wickednes he nowe corrected vs gentellye called vs to this honour that he punished vs not so muche for oure owne sinnes as that he called vs to the promotion of bearinge his crosse witnessinge to the world his truth and vouchedsafe to proue teach and confirme others in this his truthe by oure witnesse bearinge He called vs too thesame honour that he called his owne sonne Christe Iesus in suffering for hys names sake that wher as we suffer with hym we shal be glorified and raigne with hym Let the cruell Papistes consider therefore howe God hathe deliuered hys people out of their handes fulfilled thys his promise and kepte vs safely like hys priuie signet in these miserable dayes of their persecution Let the bloudy Bishops voyde of all religion and chaunging with the worlde to fyll their filthy bellies although they woulde nowe make men beleue they woulde be constant and stoutly confute that whiche afore they proued true by othes and doctrine Let them I saye consider whether they or the simple soules whiche they tormented haue gotten the victory The simple soule offered hym self to dye rather then to offend God by superstition or Idolatry The proude Cayphas threatened fyre faggotte if he forsoke not his true faith Thus whylest they striue for religion not for lyfe the poore meÌ„bers of christ hold fast their faith the proud prelate with his tormeÌ„ts can not ouercome Gods simple shepe They striue not for life but the simple man offeres it willingly rather than forsake the truthe so God euer confouÌ„des the wisedom of the world is glorified in the fooles abiectes God for his mercie sake grauÌ„t all his lyke boldnes to witstaÌ„d their crueltie whansoeuer God shall trye vs. A prayer MOst righteous iudge and merciful father which of loue did punish sharpely thy people being negligeÌ„t in buyldinge thy house that by suche sharpe correction they mighte be stirred vp to do their duty so haue pleased thee we acknowledge coÌ„fesse before the world thy diuine maiesty that we haue no lesse offended thee in this behalfe than they haue done that for all the sharp plagues which thou laide vpon vs we coulde not awake out of our deadly sleepe forgetting the earnest promotioÌ„ of thy glorie true religion but rather consented to the persecutioÌ„ of our brother thy true faithful people vntil now that of thi infinite goodnesse by geuing vs a gratious Queene restoring the light of thy worde that hast letten vs taste the treasurs of thy mercies in our extreme desperate miseries whaÌ„ for our wickednes we durst not for the gret power of thy enemies we coulde not hope nor loke for any such help or redresse at al. We fal doun flat therfor before the throne of grace desiring pardoÌ„ of this gret negligence of al our former offeÌ„ces prai thee that the wil not deal with vs as we haue deserued but as of thy own free wil thou promised thy people falling earnestly to thy work restoring of thy teÌ„ple that froÌ„ theÌ„ce forward thou would blesse al their worke fruits ouerthrow their enemies saue thy people that woldest make the house also more glorious thaÌ„ the first by the preaching of thy Gospel so we desire thee for Christes sake thy sonne our sauiour to be no lesse good gracious Lord vnto vs yet once againe going about to restore thy true religioÌ„ trâ—den doun defaced by the cruell papistes Send foorth O Lord many such faithfull preachers as wil set out thy glorie vnfeynedly open the hearts of thy people that they may se how far more acceptable vnto theâ— is the liuely preaching of thy holy woord than all the glittering ceremonies of Poperie deliuer vs we besech thee froÌ„ all our enemies saue and preserue our gracious Queene as thine own signet indue her her couÌ„sel with such reuereÌ„t fear of thee thy woord that all policie which is coÌ„trarie to thy woord set apart they mai vprightly seke ernestly maintain thy true glory minister iustice punish sin defend the right CoÌ„fouÌ„d most mightie God bring to naught all the deuises of suche as go about to ouerthrow thy woord true worship open our eyes that we may se how derely thou hast loued vs in Iesus Christ thy sonne our lord hold vs fast O Lord of hostes that we fal no more froÌ„ thee grauÌ„t vs thaÌ„kful obedieÌ„t hearts that we may encrease dayly in the loue knowledge fear of the encrease our faith help our vnbelefe that we being prouided for and releued in all our nedes by thy fatherli care prouideÌ„ce as thou shalt thiÌ„k good mai liue a godli life to the praise good exaÌ„ple of thi people after this life mai raign with thee for euer through Christ our sauiour to whom with thee the holy Ghoste three persons one God be prayse thankes geuing in all congregations for euer and euer Amen ¶ Here endeth the prophete Aggeus ¶ A preface to
the Pope first seeking aid at princes hands finding fauor ouerwhelmed theÌ„ all at length as the woode bind and vndermining them as the heady waters hais throwen theÌ„ doune these many yeares vnto it pleased God to opeÌ„ the eyes of some few to consider their estate and seke for remedy No kingdom people nor religion that withstode god and his truthe can be found but it hais ben ouerthrowen Babylon the first wurst continued longest yet it had an ende by the Persians The Persians GreciaÌ„s and Romains can not altogether compare in tyme with Babilon yet thei be vainquisshed away Poperi hais troubled gods churche a long tyme but nowe throughe goddeâ— mercy it melts away like snowe afore the sunne But Christ saieth our religion and people professing the same without all kynde of Popish superstition haue ben from the beginninge continued in all ages from time to time and at these dayes the Lords name be praised therefore hole countries do abhorre his abhominations In the middes of all mischief whan euerye kynde of fleshe had so defiled him self that god of iustice drowned the hole world except eight persons yet was there found kept vndefiled and calling vppon the liuinge god with true faythe holye Seth Enos Enoch Noe c. In Idolatrous Chaldae was faithfull Abraham Sarai Nahor and Lot c. In superstitions Egipt liued innocently Iacob and hys sonnes Moises Aaron c In the wildernes wandred in gods feare Iosue Caleb Phines Eleazar c whan the number of gods people encreased in the tyme of the Iudges and kings there were so many godly men found amonge the people beside men of power as GedeoÌ„ Iephthe Dauid Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias that thei can not be numbred Against Iesabel stode vp Elias Eliseus Abdias c. In the captiuitie were Esdras Daniel Aggeus Nehemias with many moe Against Haman and Holophernes stode Ester Mardocheus Iudith and Alier What valiaÌ„t warriors the Machabees were against bloudy Antiochus the auncient father Eleazar the manly mother of the vii brether soo cruellye murthered the history declares From Christes time to consider gods stout souldiors it is harder to tell where to beginne than where to make an ende The Apostles and Martirs so cruelly tormeÌ„ted be so many and so wel knowen that they nede not to be rehersed What stormes than can the Pope deuise with his clergy to oppresse deface and ouerthrow god his woorde religion or people Can thei be more cruel thaÌ„ Nero Diocletian Domitian Can rhei passe Iesabel Nebucadnezar Antiochus or suche like beastlye tormentors In the spite of all the mightie persecutours God blessed his Surely their mischeuous malice bloude thirsty tyranny passe all these in madnes and yet if they could passe them selues in cruelty all is vain He is stronger that is with vs than any can be against vs. The deuil is cruel in his meÌ„bers but the louing Lord forsakes not his Let not the wicked thaÌ„ triuÌ„phe nor gods peple be disamaied God our father for loue will trie his people what they will beare for his sake but of mercy he will not lay to heauy loodes on vs nor forsake vs the Lord of strength and power will shew hys glory in our weakenes that by his mightie hande suche weake bodyes may be strengthened to suffer that that passes reason The oftner that the goldsmith tries his gold in the fyre beates knockes it with hys hammer the finer is the gold the more that god tries our faith in the fornace of teÌ„ptation the more he loues vs and the more we glorifie hym The stormy winter caÌ„ not ouerwhelm the fruites of Sommer Weedes be many yet the corne is not deuoured wylde beastes be cruel yet god defends the shiftles sheepe Many fishes be raueners yet the yong fish encreases the Hawkes be gredy yet shifts the littell byrds Dogs hunte folow the chase most gredily â–ª yet escapes safeli the fearfull hare Sommer is raging hoate yet the leaues make a comfortable colde shadow the windâ— blowe boustously yet stand faste the low busshes whan the great ookes are ouerthrowen the waues of the sea are rough hudge yet safelye slips away the slyding shippe the rage of fyre is swaged with water the heady streames are kepte in with bankes Vnruly people are brideled by lawes hote burning feuers are coled by medecines â–ª Thus euer against an extremite God hais prepared a remedy that fearfull man shuld not mistrust gods carefull prouidence that he takes for hym How should proud Popery than thinke too conquere all by might and cruelty that god defendes so fatherly and why should gods people be afraid at euery storme he that smites heales and he that sends trouble gyues strength Let vs therfore pluck vp our stomackes and pray with s. Augustine Dâ— quod iubes iube quod vis Lord giue me streÌ„gth to do and beare that that thou commaundes and commaunde what thou will It is wonderfull to consider the folishnes of the wicked which in politie wold seme so wise The higher that a man climmes the nerer and more daungerous is hys fall the greater weighte that is cast on the soner it breakes the faster a maÌ„ runnes â–ª the sooner he is wery the forther that the bowe is drawen the sooner it flies in peeces The heauier that the cart is loden the slower it goes the hooter that the fyre is the lesse whyle it continues The more greuous that the disease is the shorter it is Tyrannes raygne not long wylde beastes the crueller they be the more thei be hunted and killed In summe No violent thinge can longe endure Yet foolish Papistes thinke wyth cruelty to wishe their will to raygne like lordes of the lande and stablish their kingdom on earth and to bring it so to passe that not onely menne dare not or will not withstande them but willingly beleue folow doe and practise whatsoeuer they commaunde them they can not be so ignorant to not knowe these thinges and wilfully to wishe againste knowledge and conscience muste nedes be a great madnes Gods woord Christian faith and religion is of that nature that the more it is persecuted the more it thriues the more it is hated the more good men loue it the faster that thei be puld from it the more they runne vnto it Let theym therefore consider howe God hais wrought in other kyngdoms ouerthrowing theÌ„ all that set vp them selues against him â–ª and howe yet he works in the naturall course of thinges to teache vs by them his like working for vs spirituall thinges and let theym looke for no lesse aâ— ouerthrowe at gods hande in his appointed time If these things can not perswade them to stai their rage I woulde thei would coÌ„sider to whom thei make them selues seruaunts that thei mighte be ashamed to serue so vile a maister They geue place to the deuill for all cruelti is of him they bâ—â—ome his instruments whereby he workes hys feates they be his slaues
Paul your holines As they haue but one God so they will worshippe him onely and as he hais taught them and not after the deuise of man thei will also studie for a holy life as God commaundes Be ye holy for I am holy And if we reade a holy place or sanctuari to worshippe God in it is true also for in all persecutions in the spite of the Pope and all Antichrist there hays ben in all ages and shal be for God so sayinge can not lye true professors of God althoughe the moste parte of the worlde was blinded So Christe coÌ„forts his sayinge feare not thou litel flocke Thus in Christes churche in spite of their foes shall euer be Christ the heade knit to the bodye necessarely and as he is holy so shal he make them holy that heng vpon him so gouerne them by his spirite that they shall euer folow a holy kinde of lyfe fleinge mischiefe and vnclennes and so shal thei haue also his sanctuari and holy place where to resort to worship their God here is worde and call vpoÌ„ him AbrahaÌ„ Isaac Iacob Dauid in their waÌ„drings called vppon their God taughte their chyldren too feare the Lorde made their sacrifices and God reueled him self to them againe and neuer forsaked them In the captiuite of Babylon thoughe not in the temple yet they coulde by the water bankes singe psalmes on their instrumentes Whanne Christ was crucified the disciples kepte them together in a chamber praying and loking for the cominge of the holy Ghoste after whan persecution beganne some went to other countries some from house to house teachinge prayinge communicatinge and dealinge to the poore Paule sayes at Philippes by the water side thei were wonte too praye and in the middes blindnes of all Poperi hayes there euer ben some good men teachinge true doctrine and openinge their blasphemies for this can not be false that Christ promised his churche When the spirite whicâ— is the comforter shal come he shall leade you into all truthe I will be with you vnto the ende of the worlde he that is of God heareth the woordes of God you heare not for because ye are not of God And my shepe heare my voice a straunger they doe not folow Therefore let all that be vnder the crosse and persecution se thei assemble together to praise God openly confesse him if it be possible or at the leste as muche as they maye folowing the example of the faithfull christians in the beginninge whiche in spite of their foes coulde not be holden from assembling together with prayers and songes afore the daye was lighte nor lette any papiste reioyce againste goddes scatered and persecuted flocke for this is the state and condition of goddes people and preachinge the gospell that they shal not want a crosse yet God will performe this promise that in Sion the holy one Christe will be with them to gouerne them in holines of lyfe purenes of religion and an earnest fayth trustinge in God and will geue theym a place to call vpon hym in that his might mercy grace to his people may appeare to the worlde in the sight of his enemies Whan Abraham and Iacob fledde into Egipte the EgiptiaÌ„s learned God which afore neuer heard of him in the captiuite of Babylon the Caldees Assyrians Babylonions Medes and Parsians with al other people amonge whome the Iewes were scatered lerned God of them WhaÌ„ persecution beganne in Ierusalem after Christes Ascension the disciples scatered by persecution went and preached Christ to the Heathen whiche afore heard not of him In Englande after Wiclefs death whan persecution arose some died for the trueth constantly some fledde into Boemia and broughte the gospell thyther where it continues to this day although bothe Emperoure and Pope with al their mighte many sharp battels and bloudde sheddinge woulde haue rooted it oute What great assaulte the poore Waldeses haue suffered at diuers French kings handes goinge aboute to haue destroied them for their religion beinge a fewe in number and yet coulde neuer deface theÌ„ this .360 yeares it is piteous to heare Thus is this euer true that in Sion the true church of Christ shal be the holy one Christ sanctifieng all that beleue in him there shal be holines in faithe religion maners to the prayse of God there shal be also a sanctuari and holy place with asseÌ„bles in spite of their foes and persecutioÌ„ does not hurt but rather increase and further true religion thoughe not in the greater yet in the better parte of men For who soeuer the holy ghoste does enflame with an earnest zele to his religion they canne not kepe it within them they canne not abide to see their God and his woord blasphemed thei will braste oute and declare their faith and saye the earnest loue towardes thy house hais eaten me as oure Sauioure Christe did whan he see the teÌ„ple his fathers house so misused and hys religion contemned he gate whippes and droue them out Ieremie sayes the worde of God was to hym as a burninge fyre in his hearte and closed within his boones that he was not able too keepe it within him but woulde brust out This victory is sette oute more at large in the nexte verses folowinge where hee sayes the house of Iacob shal be fyre the house of Ioseph the flame and the house of Esau the stable c. Here is no description of horse haines gunnes any greate hoste or such other worldly things where in princes doe conquire and triumphe As the house of Iacob is spirituall and the kyngdome of Christe so be the weapons souldiers and victorie The swords where with thei faught were as the apostle sais the woorde of god which is sharper than any twooedged swoord and perâ—es more the soule conqueres the affections pulles doune hygh stoÌ„mackes deper than the swoorde can the bodye The gunnes were the Apostles words as Iames and Ioan were called the sonnes of thunder because with suche great power thei thundered terribly preached and feared carnall mindes more than the thuÌ„der does and threw doune sinne more than any gunnes coulde the walles Whan Peter at two sermons conuerted 5000. and Paul filled all countries frome Ierusalem to Illyzicum with the gospell what Emperour is able to bee compared of suche men of warre Whan Charles the .5 Emperour beganne to raygne Luter and Zuinglius began thesame time to preache and whither he hays throwen doune stopped and hindered the gospell more with al the help that his gostly and superstitious prelates coulde gyue than they with their scholers haue set it foorth and shewed the wickednes of Popery defaced his pompe let them selues iudge The Pope with his partakers haue had strength power politie wit wisedome armure gunnes horses harnes men and money and whatsoeuer they could deuise these other haue foughten with preachiÌ„g writing and giuing
afterwarde when the Saxons diuided this Realme into .7 kingdoms droue out all or most and best of the Englishmen ruled as long Or when WilliaÌ„ Conquerour subdued all too him selfe at his pleasure and ye shall finde that thesame wickednes raigned then that was now like to haue made vs slaues too the Pope and straungers The rulers were ambicious dissemblers the bishops lordly and vnpreachinge Prelates the people couetous Gods woorde vnknowen and in no degree of men was there any truthe Thus for oure sinfull disobeyinge of God not defendinge hys true religion haue we ben geueÌ„ in to the handes of all countries rounde about 〈◊〉 to the Romains and Normains from the South to the Saxons from the Easte too the Danes and Scots frome the Northe What daunger was of late froÌ„ the West he that woulde not see shoulde haue felt if God had not holpen in tyme. And leaste they shoulde thinke these plages to be layde on them for some other causes the Prophete tels theym in gods name here what was the cause of al these sorowes and shoulde prouoke also these other whiche folowe to be poured on theÌ„ if they did not amende Because this my house saieth God lies waste vnbuilded not regarded of you and ye runne euerye one into his owne house sekinge his own pleasure and profit God wil not suffer his honour to be geuen to anye other or anye other no not oure selues too be preferred before him The Lawier in the gospel askinge oure maister Christe whiche was the firste and greatest commaundement when he hearde this aunswer thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart with all thy minde with all thy soule with all thy strength he did alowe it and saide that was the chiefest in dede shall we Christen men thinke other things to be preferred before gods will or our own desires to be more loued and more earnestly fulfilled then gods Naye marke what great plages fel on any countrye we shal see and finde this to be true in all ages that forgettinge gods true religion hath pulled Gods anger alwaies most greuously vpon the people What causes the Iewes at this daye too be driuen oute of their countrye their Citie and Temple vtterly destroyed and they theÌ„ selues abhorred of all men but denying Christe to be their sauiour and not receiuinge hys gospel nor buyldinge his house What causes most part of those people to whâ—â— sainct Paul wrote his Epistles which wâ— haue to this daye and many other countries to among whom the other Apostles preached to be geuen vp nowe intoo the Turkes Heathens haÌ„des but that they fell from their faith which they first receiued by the Apostles preaching forsakeâ— their christeÌ„ religion What caused those greuous plages in Egipte but that Pharao would not let the people worship God as Moyses sent from God did will hym What caused Nabuchodonozor of a mightye kynge to be made a vyle beaste â–ª eate hay as Oxen doe but that he woulde not know God and his owne wickednes set vp Idols and kylde them whiche woulde not worship them What caused the chyldren of Israel to haue suche welth for the most part vnder Dauid Salomon Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias which wer good kinges restored religion other tymes to be plaged vnder IeroboaÌ„ Athalia Achaâ— Manasses other wicked kings of whom it is so oft written of euery king in Israel that thei walked in the waye of Ieroboam maintaining Idolatry Nothinge surely but the good kings defended Gods true religion set foorth his woorde buylded his house God blessed theÌ„ therefore the other pulled it doune set vp Idolles persecuted his Prophetes burned or hyd vp his scripturs holy woorde folowinge their owne fantasies the teachinges of the false Prophetes and preachers God plaged them therfore And if ye marke the history of the Pope and Mahomet ye shall finde that at the sametime that the Pope in the West part of the world began to get authoritie ouer Kinges and countries too set abrode hys superstition and the people receyued it forsaking Gods religion Mahomet then began in the East parte too growe in authoritie and conquere Countries and hath euermore soo done since that tyme because the people fell from true religion and the more that Countries haue fallen to folowinge of supersticion and forsakinge Christe hys woorde and religion the stronger waxed the Turke and Pope as Goddes plagues too punishe vs and â—e lyke too doe euery daye more more vntyll they be driuen out of Gods church and Christes woord religion and Sacramentes be restored to their simplicitie as Christe did ordeyne them Whan Gregory the firste Pope of that name had denied Ihon archebishop of CoÌ„stantinople striuing with him afore the Emperour Mauritius that Constantinople shoulde be the chiefe churche and that the Bishoppe there shoulde be the chiefest Bishop in authoritie aboue al other Bisshops and sayde that wosoeuer desired the blasphemous name or authoritie was the forerunner of Antichrist Phocas the next Emperour folowing graunted by muche sute Boniface the thirde about the yeare of our Lord. 607. that the bishop of Rome shoulde be the chiefest bishop of all other and therefore is he the blasphemous forerunner of Antichrist as Gregory said full well It was a worthy graunte of suche a wicked Emperour to set vp a Bishop like him selfe Phocas murthered his lord and maister Maurice the Emperoure killed his wyfe and chyldren in his owne sighte â–ª and made him selfe Emperoure Afterwarde he made Boniface the Pope head Bishop ouer all and in Rome the chiefe Thus oure holy father gat his suprimaci by a wicked Emperour not from Peter as he sais but one thefe set vp an other Peter Act. iii sais gold and siluer I haue none but the Pope sais as the Deuil said to Christ whan he tempted him shewed him all the kingdomes and riches of the earth All these are mine I geue theÌ„ to whome I lust I wil geue thee theÌ„ if thou will fal doune and worshippe me So sais the Pope but he lies as his father the deuill did This thinge once graunted the .xii. yeare of Heraclius the nexte Emperoure after Phocas Machomet the greate Prophete of the Turks inuaded ChristeÌ„dom the yeare of the Lorde 623. Honorius beinge Pope and almost droue the Emperour out of his Empire made him glad with money to bye peace vnhonorably And since the time the Turke hath growen bygger and bygger in the East countries subduing al to him self but the Emperour weaker and weaker the Pope hath taken from hym mooste parte of hys Empire and rules in the West partes is Emperoure in dede the other hauinge onely the name of an Emperour The religion and authoritie of Machomet the Turkes greate prophete and the Popes religion or rather superstition suprimaci began thus in one age within xvi
yeares together and as it were diuidinge the whole worlde betwixte theym the one in the East the other in the West haue waxen greate Rulers that a man coulde scarse tell whether was the mightier as iust scourges sent of God to punish the world for not maintaining his word But now the Popes wickednes sutteltye by Gods woord beinge declared opened to the world his power waxes lesse the Turkes power increases because he kepes his people in ignoraunce so that if Gods mercy be not much more then oure deseruinges it is to be feared that be shal ouecome ChristeÌ„dom For the cold slackenes of the people princes to builde Gods house true religion will care for no religion at all if they maye not haue the olde â—urty dregges of popery So God giues vp in to all blindnes them that forsake hys light and forsakes them that forsake him and caste him of But many would haue not longe ago said what nede we to fear these plagues are not we come home agayn to oure holy father the Pope to oure holy mother the churche is not our old litle god come home agayne to vs haue we not our aulters copes masses trentais the wil bring vs thorough purgatorie for a litle money howe wickedly so euer we had liued our holy father the Pope by his legate the Cardinal or by his pardons wil absolue vs a paena et culpa that is froÌ„ all punishmeÌ„t from sin yea and from al faute or giltines of syn geue vs as many daies years of pardon as we list What shuld greue our coÌ„scieÌ„ce hauing thus many wayes to heauen Are not we much better then our holy brethreÌ„ which wil none of all these to saue them but onely Christ thinke hym onely sufficient for the sinnes of the whole world Is not this house well builded that hathe so many stroÌ„g pyllers Can God be angry with vs that haue bought broughte him so many things into the churche to delyte hiÌ„ withal We haue gylded many goodly ymages pleasaunt to loke at delite the eyes if he will haue any mirthe we haue goodly singing and striuing who can fet the highest note we haue swete Organes for the eare and sweete frankencense for the nose what woulde God haue more Where not the churches before like barnes bare and naked and nowe are they trymme that anye God woulde dwell in them Haue we not done God good seruice trow ye No surely for God dwels not in TeÌ„ples made with haÌ„des of wood stone but in the heart of maÌ„ nor yet is worshipped with mans inuentioÌ„s but as he willed and taught him self And this is it that pulles all these plages on oure headdes For as the Iewe is moste styffe in his religion â–ª so the Turke defeÌ„des his by might power the Pope maintaynes his with fyre and faggot the Anabaptist Arian Libertine are as busye in corners to turn many vnto them and yet all these be enemies to Christe sekinge to serue God an other waye than he thaught them and to saue them selues by some other meanes then by onely faithe in him whiche was sent to teache vs his fathers will whiche none knew but onely he they to whom he hath taughte it and too saue theym all whiche shal be saued so these and all other whiche buylde their religion other waies than God apointed are traitors vnto him and procure his vengeaunce For he there is not with me saieth Christ is agaynstâ— me and he that gathered not with me scateres abroade Moyses when he was in the hyll with God had the facion of the tabernacle and tent shewed vnto him like vnto the whiche God willed him to make an other where the people shoulde reâ—orte to worship hym vntil the temple was builded by SalamoÌ„ And least he shoulde deuise any thinge of his one head or inuente an other facion God geues him warninge sayinge See that thou make it like vntoo that facion whiche was shewed thee in the hyl deuise nothinge of thy selfe neither put to take awaye nor chaunge any thing but onely contente thy selfe with that whiche I shewed thee This is so notable a lesson that it is repeated in the .vii. of the Actes and the .viii. to the Hebrues because it should be kept in memory and diligentlye obserued of all men in al ages that they should not be curious in deuisinge a new way to serue God of their owne imaginacion but submit their wit to Gods wisedome and be content with that whiche he hath appointed for that onely is good and all inuencions of man as they bee of man displease him Likewise Dauid whan he woudle haue buylded God a house to haue ben worshipped in God appeared vnto hiÌ„ and tolde him he shoulde not do it but Salomon his sonne should builde it God shewed him also the facion that he shoulde buylde it after which facioÌ„ Dauid taught Salomon and prepared all mettals necessary to do it withall in his life tyme least they shoulde haue deuised some facion of their owne as mans brayne is neuer content too bee ruled by Gods wisedome but pleases him selfe in his owne inuentions better then in the whiche God teaches hym And this Temple also that the Prophetâ— speakes of here whiche they were sente home too buylde by kinge Cyrus whose mynd God moued to restore them to their countrye and so liberally to help them to the buyldeng of so costly a woorke is appointed to them by coÌ„mission how broade wyde long hygh and thicke it should be as it was vnto Salomon before If none of these Moyses Dauid SalomoÌ„ Esdras nor none of the people might buylde these temples and houses of woode and stoone so hygh wyde long thicke broade or any other facion as they lust them selues but muste folowe and are straightly chargeâ— often and sundry times so to do that Patarne copy example and facion precisely which God apointed them muche lesse in this spirituall house of Gods buildinge which is chiefly by the preachinge of hys woord may we deuise any thinge of oure selues but exactly folow that which God hath taught vs content our selues therwith thinking that most sufficiente learning able to saue oure soules moste true and holye and all other too be dreames lyes fantasies and vanitie in comparison of this The law of the Lorde sayeth Dauid is pure turning souls the witnes of the Lord is true and geues wisedom to litle ones c. And agayne the woordes of the Lord are pure as siluer which is tried seuen tymes But how many wayes hath the Pope deuised to buyld his house and authoritie that a man may chose whiche him lust too folow so that he folow not Christe For sayth he in his hart euery one is as good or better than that which Christ ordeined This to be true a man maye easely proue him to thinke because he perswades men to folow his deuises
all the Enemies of God his woorde people Religion to leaue their wickednes and to comforte the good manfully too beare their madnes and patiently to loke for Gods goodnes LIke as in Aggeus my endeuor and purpose was that those that feare the Lorde shoulde be sturred vp to an earnest buyldinge of Gods house louinge of his woorde and maintaininge of true religion so in this shorte Prophete my trauall and meaninge is that the wicked vnderstanding how vainly they stryue with all their witte power policie against the poore simple innocent crucified Christ Iesus the almighti sonne of the liuing God the wisedome and power of God his father might cease their raginge madnes and not onelye that but also howe they shal be ouerthrowen in their owne deuises that they imagine against true Christians the misticall members of his body and churche or againste hys woord and religion as all their fathers haue bene frome the beginninge whose steppes they folow in hating and persecuting gods people Their stomackes be stout theyr pollices great their might is stronge their wittes are wile yea all the worlde is on their side yet in the ende they shall serue dastards ignorant helples witles and misers for as the wise man sais ther is no wisedom politie nor counsell againste the Lorde The more wisdom subtiltie strengthe or power that a man hais the more he hais it to hys owne destruction if he haue it not and vse it too the glory of God and comfort of hys people For as wylde beastes the more fearce and cruel that they be the more it harmes them and causes men to hunt and seke wais how too destroy them so the more that the wicked set vp theÌ„ selfes against the Lorde and oppresse hys people the readyer iâ— God to help and deliuer his and ouerthrowe the other Can they finde any rebels againste God hys woorde and people from the beginninge too thys day that hais preuailed agaynst the Lorde and hys chosen folke If there be none as it is mooste true none to be how can they loke to be the firste Why maye not true Christians boldely saye with Dauid than Why do the Heathen freate and fume and the people imagine vain thinges againste the Lorde and his anointed saying â–ª let vs brust in sunder their bondes and cast their yoke awaye froÌ„ vs. But it folowes he that dwels in the heauens will mocke them and the Lord will laughe them too scorne In the twoo first sinnes of Adam and soo orderly in al ages to these dayes it appeares how the wicked continually malice persecute the good but to the burt of theym selues and the prayse of the godly Cain killed his brother Abel thought he should haue ben blameles but Abels innocent bloude and suche like cried vengeance on Cain hys folowers from that daye to this and the righteous God reuenges it dayly and at length wil coÌ„demne the obstinate vtterly C ham mocked hys father Noe and hys seede the Canaanites persecuted Gods people the Iewes that came of Sem his brother therefore his posteritie was accursed of God to the worlds ende The proude Giants with their captain Nimrod buylding the tower of Babell to get them selues a name in earth were ouerthrowen in their owne deuise by God from heaueÌ„ Carnal Ismael sought to destroy the promysed Isaac but in vain Bloudy EdoÌ„ or Esau whom thys Prophete describes sought the deathe of his brother Iacob but the God of Abraham their father saued them Ioseph was solde into Egipt by hys brether and by the false accusinge of his maysties was wrongefully prysoned yet hee that sittes on hygh looked doune to the lowe dungeon of the pryson and raised Ioseph to be ruler and sauer of the lande The Egiptians oppressed Gods people for a tyme but the Lord of hostes drouned Fharao and hys companye for their crueltye againste them the frowarde people murmuringe often againste their captain Moyses some were swalowed vp with earth quick some burned with fire The Philistians and seuen nations rounde aboute Gods flocke kepte continual warre against them yet they coulde neuer deuoure them but were deuoured at the length Saul and hys flatterers banisshed and pursued poore Dauid whome his God of a shepeherde made a kynge mauger all his foes The ten tribes of Israel with their kyngs were enemies to Iuda Beniamin euermore yet though they were the stroÌ„ger mo in number thei were soner rooted oute The Chaldes Assirians PersiaÌ„s Grecians and Romaines the mightiest princes on the earth oft subdued the Iewes forsakinge theyr God but the Lorde their olde sauiour euer restored them agayne when they fought him vnto thei vtterly refused Christ their sauiour The Iewes crucified Christ Iesus oure Lorde thrust hym to the heart with a speare buried hym and layed a heauy stoone on hym thinkinge he should neuer ryse agayne a conqueror but in vain was all theyr spite and their labor lost Themperour many yeares cruellye tormented all that beleued in the Lord fondly thinkinge to haue by that meaneâ— ouerthrowen them The Pope in processe of time conquered almoste al princes except the Gretians vnto of late the Lord opening the eyes of some brake hys snares and deliuered hys folke MoÌ„kes and Ereres by mans traditions woulde haue ouerwhelmed true religion Papistes of late haue banisshed burned and persecuted many godly men so cruelly as no history speakes of the like thys thousande yeare willing to haue feared all frome euer acknowledging their Lord Christe Many Heretikes haue laboured to haue defaced Goddes truthe but al is in vain God his name bee praysed therefore hais ouerthrowen them in their highest ruffe laughed them to scorne and raised vppe that whiche they would most gladly haue vtterly oppressed â–ª For as death and the graue could not preuaile against Christ our head no more shall it against his bodye and members As Nimrod therefore Pharao Ieroboam Nebucadnezar Darius Alexander with all their kyngdoms and partakers be now vainquished and subdued by the Turke the Sophi and the Souldan priester Iohn other Heathen princes their couÌ„tries made wast strauÌ„gers possesse them their religion altered froÌ„ euill to wors their cytyes townes and temples as the Prophetes did tell afore are made dennes of wilde beastes owles other filthy byrds so sence christ that which Emperors maÌ„fullly coÌ„quered the pope by subtiltie deuoured made him selfe a prince of princes but now by the power of Gods woorde preached he is made a laughing stocke to al thosâ— whose eyes the Lord hais opened to see his abominations and all realmes that afore feared hym â–ª now God visiting hys people fal from hym For as the woodbinde leaning to a tree climbes vp spreades it selfe ouer all the branches vnto it haue ouergrowen and kylled the hole tree as a stroÌ„g â—eady streame vndermining great hygh bankes at length makes all to tumble intoo the water and wasshes it awaye so