worshyp of God but also to offer our selues wholly vnto hym that we may be holy both in body and soule as Paul admonisheth vs And by the pronenes of this people to Idolatry we haue cause to consider our corrupt inclination how easily at the commaundement of authoritie we may bee ouerthrowen Which ought to admonish vs that we labour to know Gods word and to reteine our selues with in the boundes therof neuer to shrinke therefrom what so euer commaundement come to the contrary and though an hundreth deathes should folow it ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God because we wander alwayes so miserably in our owne cogitations that if we do attēpt to worship thee at any time by our own phantasies we do nothyng els but prophane and pollute the true and pure worship of thy maiesty agayne we are so easily drawne away to wicked superstitions as may be Graūt therfore that we may remaine in the pure obedience of thy word that we neuer turne this way nor that way therefrom And furnish thou vs we besech thee with the inuincible strēgth of thy spirit that we neuer geue place to any terrors or manaces of men but that we may remaine in the reuerence of thy name to the end and how soeuer the world do rage after their deuilish errors that yet we neuer faile frō the right way but cōtinue in the right course vnto the which thou callest vs whiles our race beyng ended wee may come to that blessed rest which is layd vp for vs in the heauens through Iesus Christ our Lord. 2 Then Nebuchadnezer the king sent forth to gather together the nobles the princes and the dukes the iudges the receiuers the counsellers the officers and all the gouerners of the prouinces that they should come to the dedication of the image which Nebuchadnezer the king had set vp 3 So the nobles Princes and Dukes the Iudges the Receiuers the Counsellers the Officers and all the Gouerners of the Prouinces were assembled vnto the dedicatyng of the Image that Nebuchadnezer the kyng had set vp and they stode before the Image which Nebuchadnezer had set vp 4 Then an herald cryed aloud Be it knowne to you o people nations and langages 5 That when ye heare the sound of the cornet trumpet harpe sackebut psalteries dulcimer and all instrumentes of musicke ye fall downe and worship the golden image which Nebuchadnezer the king hath set vp 6 And who so euer falleth not downe and worshippeth shall the same houre be cast into the midest of an hote fiery fornace 7 Therefore assone as all the people heard the sound of the cornet trumpet harpe sackebut psalterie all instrumentes of musicke all the people nations and languages fell downe and worshypped the golden Image that Nebuchadnezer the kyng had set vp 8 By reason whereof at that same tyme came men of the Chaldeans and greuously accused the Iewes Although their purpose is not heare expressed that accused Sadrach Mesach and Abednego yet of the end by probable coniecture we do gather that this was done of a set purpose when the kyng set vp the golden Image For we do sée how they were obserued and marked amongest so great a multitude And as was sayd before it semeth that Nebuchadnezer dyd folow the commune policie of kyngs For though they presumptuously despise God yet do they arme them selues with Religion to establish their power and for this purpose onely do they dissemble some kynde of Religion to containe the people in obedience Whereas then the Iewes were mixed with the Chaldees and Assirians the kynges policie was to preuent all controuersies and therefore doth he set vp this Image in a famous place that it might bee a proufe and a triall whether the Iewes would ioyne them selues to the rites of the Babilonians And this place may minister some probable coniecture that the kyng was moued hereunto by his counsellers because they were not well content that straunge men of an other nation should be head officers of Babylon who yet were but as slaues for by the law of armes they were taken prisoners Wherefore seyng the Chaldees grudged at this their malice enuy moued them to geue the kyng this counsell For els how commeth it to passe that they so sodainly perceiue that the Iewes namely Sadrach Mesach and Abednego do no worship nor reuerence to the Image Surely it appeareth that they dyd as it were lye in wayt to espy what the Iewes would do and thereby may we gather that they imagined this crafty accusation at the first when as they counselled the kyng to make this Image And that with clamor and tumult they do accuse the Iewes hereby do we perceiue that their mindes were full of enuy and hatred It might be sayd that they were styrred with zele as superstitious men would haue all other bound to their madnes as also cruelty foloweth such foolish zele alwayes but here it is euident that enuy onely caryed away the Chaldees with such clamors to accuse the Iewes And it is vncertaine whether they speake of the whole nation that is to say of all the exiles generally or of these thrée onely This is probable and lykely that they dyd restrayne their accusation to these thrée For if these thrée had bene brought down they would easily haue conquered the rest For few would haue bene found so constant amongest all the people It is very lyke therfore that these outrageous cryers do assayle those whō they compted most bold constant and so labour to bryng them down from that hygh dignitie in the which they could not abide to behold them Here may it bee demaunded why they spared Daniel when it is not lyke that hee would dissemble any thyng at all when the kyng commaunded the Image to be worshypped which he had set vp It may be that they absteined frō Daniel for a tyme whom they knew to be in the kynges fauour that they dyd accuse these thrée which might more easily and with lesse labour be oppressed I suppose that this craft moued them that they dyd not name Daniel together with these thrée lest peraduenture the fauour that he was in should mitigate the kynges wrath Now foloweth the forme of their accusation O King Liue thou for euer That was their common salutation It is added afterward Thou O king for vehemency as though they should say thou of thy kyngly maiesty hast made a decree that who so euer should heare the voyce of the Trumpet Harpe Pipe and other instrumentes of musike hee should fall downe before the golden Image and who so euer refused thys should be cast into the fornace of flaming fire But here are Iewes whom thou hast set ouer the charge of the prouince of Babylon This they put to in despite to charge them with ingratitude that they being brought to so great honor by the king should despise the kinges commaundement and intice others by theyr ensample to like
disobedience We sée therfore that this was spoken to amplify the crime that the king had set them ouer the prouince of Babylon they did not worship the golden Image neither honor his Gods. We sée that the Chaldees in all this accusatiō haue onely this respect to condemne Shadrah Meshach and Abednego of this crime onely that they did not obey the kinges commaundemement For they doo not dispute of theyr religion because that was not profitable for them to call into question whether the Gods that they worshipped were worthy such worship or no. Therefore they passe with silence that thing which they thinke not to be expedient and they lay fast holde of this darte that the kinges maiesty is contemned because these thrée do not worship the Image which the king by his decrée had commaunded Here agayne doo we sée that supersticious persons doo not apply theyr minde nor care to search out the true or right worship of God but casting of this care they follow onely theyr foolishe boldenes and theyr owne lust Wherefore seing such foolishe temeritie is set foorth vnto vs by the holy ghost as it were in a glasse let vs learne that our religion and worshipping of God can not be allowed by God vnlesse it be grounded of the worde of God and that in this poynt therefore the authoritie of men is nothing to be regarded For except we be assured that the religion which we follow doth please God what so euer by mans authoritie can be brought to the confirmation thereof it is weake and nothing woorthe Forthermore seing we sée these holy men charged with the crime of vnthankefulnes and also of rebellion there is no cause why we shoulde thinke much to suffer the same at thys day Those that falsely accuse vs do lay rebellion to our charge because forsooth that we despise the decrées of princes which would binde vs to their errors and blindnes But as we shall sée afterwarde we haue an easy and ready defence yet must we suffer this reproch for a while before the worlde as though we were stubburne and rebellious And though the wicked do charge vs with ingratitude and a thousand reproches moe yet must we beare theyr sclaunders paciently for a season whiles the Lord come with hys brightnes and glory to mayntayne our innocency 13 Then Nebuchadnyzer in his anger wrath commaunded that they should bring Shadrach Meshach and Abednego So these men were brought before the King. 14 And Nebuchadnezer spake and sayd vnto them what disorder Will not you Shadrach Meshach and Abednegoserue my god nor worship the golden image that I haue set vp 15 Now therefore are ye ready when ye heare the sound of the Cornet Trumpet Harpe Sackbut Psalterie and Dulcimer and all instrumēts of musicke to fall downe and worship the image which I haue made for if ye worship it not ye shal be cast immediatly into the midest of an hote fiery fornace for who is that God that can deliuer you out of my handes This hystory doth euidently declare vnto vs that Princes in dissembling some Religion haue onely regard to their owne authoritie that they may the better thrust in them selues into the place of the Gods. For this is a monstrous matter that kyng Nebuchadnezer doth here bragge agaynst all the Gods as though there were no power in heauen but that which he alloweth What God sayth he can deliuer you out of my hand And why then dyd be worshyp any other God For this cause verely to hold the people in with some bridle and so to establish his tyranny not that he had any care of holynes in his hart Daniel doth declare that the kyng was angry at the begynnyng For nothyng is more greuous to kynges then to sée their authoritie despised They wil be obeyed in all thinges though their commaundementes be most wicked Yet the kyng semeth afterward to temper hym selfe whē he asketh Sadrach Mesach and Abednego if they be not ready to worshyp his God and that Image of gold When therfore he speaketh vnto them doubtfully and doth yet propound vnto them frée choyce there is some moderation in these wordes For it semeth that he will not charge them with any crime so that they will suffer them selues to bée turned afterward But in the meane season the rage breaketh out vnder this deceaueable shew of moderation for he addeth straight wayes Vnles ye obey behold ye shal be cast into the fornace of burnyng fire And at the length he breaketh forth into that cursed sacriledge and horrible blasphemy that there is no God which can deliuer those holy men out of his handes We sée therfore in the person of Nebuchadnezer with what pride Princes do swell and are puffed vp euen where they pretend some zele of Religiō because they are not touched with any true reuerēce of the true God but will haue what soeuer they commaunde to be receiued of all men and so as I haue sayd they do rather thrust them selues into Gods place then study to worship God a right or to maintayne his glory To the same end tende the wordes which he vseth saying that he hath set vp the Image that he made As though he should say it is not now lawfull for you to consult whether the Image ought to be worshypped or no for my commaundement ought to be sufficient vnto you I haue set vp this Image not without consultatiō and reason therfore it were your duety simply to obey vnto me We sée therfore how he chalengeth most high authoritie euen in the makyng of a god For he doth not here treate of politike matters but he will haue this Image worshypped as God because he hath decréed so because he hath published his law And we must alway remember as I haue touched that this example of pride is set forth before vs that we may know how we ought to attempt nothyng rashly in Religion but that we must heare God speake so that we depend of his word and authoritie for if we sticke vnto men there wil be no end of errours Although therfore that Princes be proude and ragyng yet must we kéepe this rule that nothyng pleaseth God but that which he hath commaunded in his word and that the begynnyng of true Religion is the obediēce which we geue to God alone As concernyng the blasphemy it doth declare that which I haue spoken more playnely that is to say how soeuer they pretend Religion yet they despise all the power of God and they haue none other thyng in their harts but to set forth their authoritie and therfore they borow the name of God that they may be the more honored Howbeit in the meane tyme if it were profitable to chaunge theyr Gods a hundreth tymes euery day they would not care to do it Therfore is Religion for the most part but a pretence to earthly Princes and no true reuerence of God is in their hartes as in this prophane kyng is
clothed vpon this mortalitie Paul affirmeth that men naturally can not be brought willyngly to go out of the world except as is sayd before that fayth get the victory But whē we vnderstand that our inheritaunce is in the heauens that we are straungers in the earth thē do we put of the desire of this earthly lyfe whereunto we are to much addicted These two are the thynges then which do prepare the childrē of God vnto Martyrdome that they doubt nothyng to offer thē selues and theyr lyues into the handes of God for a sacrifice that is to say if they be persuaded that theyr lyfe is preserued of God and that he wil be an assured deliuerer if he sée it to be expedient Agayne when they clime vp aboue this world and aspire vnto the hope of that eternall and euerlastyng lyfe so be ready to forsake the world And in their wordes a great magnanimitie may bée noted when they say Be it knowen to thee O king that we worshyp not thy Gods neither the Image that thou hast erected for here they accuse the kyng after a sorte that he wil be so arrogant to appoint Religion at his pleasure Thou hast set vp an Image but thine authoritie is to vs of no valure for we know that it is a fayned God whom thou wilt haue to bée worshipped vnder this Image But the God whom we worshyp hath opened hym selfe vnto vs and declared that he will not be worshypped vnder any Image We know that he is the maker of heauen and earth and that he hath redemed our fathers forth of Aegypt that he would chasten vs whē he cast vs forth into this banishment Because therfore a sure stabilitie of our faith is manifest vnto vs we vtterly despise thy God thy commaundemēt in this point 19 Then was Nebuchadnezer full of rage and the forme of his visage was chaunged agaynst Sadrach Mesach and Abednego therfore hee charged and commaūded that they should heate the fornace at once seuen tymes more then it was wont to be heat 20 And hee charged the most valiant men of warre that were in his army to binde Sadrach Mesach and Abednego and to cast thē into the hote fiery fornace At the first sight God séemeth here to forsake hys seruantes because he doth not openly helpe them The kyng commaundeth them to be cast into a fiery fornace no helpe appeareth from the heauens Wherfore this was a full and perfect triall of their fayth They were now armed as we did sée before to suffer all things For they do not aunswere so constantly onely because they trusted in the present helpe of God but because they were determined to dye and a better life dyd so comfort their mindes that they were content to lose this present lyfe This was the cause that they were not afrayde for the terrible cōmaundement of the king but they followed theyr course euen to suffer death without all feare for the honor of god For there remayned no thyrd thing but eyther to chuse to dye or els to deny the worship of the true god By the which example we are taught to premeditate this immortall life in our quiet state that if it so please God we do not doubt to lay downe our liues for the testimony of the truth for this is one cause why we are so fearefull Agayne when we doo come into present daunger then doo we tremble and quake because whiles we are forth of danger we vaynely imagine to our selues a continuall securitiy So long therefore as God geueth vs quietnes we must apply our myndes to meditate the life to come that the worlde may waxe vile vnto vs and that we may be ready so oft as néede shal be to geue our bloude for the testimony of the truth For this history is not set forth vnto vs that we should onely commend and magnify the vertue and constancy of these thrée holy men but it is set forth for vs to imitate theyr constancy And concerning the king Nebuchadnezer here Daniel agayne as it were in a glasse doth shew vnto vs the pride and arrogancy of kinges when theyr commaundementes are not obeyed Surely a hart of yron should haue bene mollified with this answere that Shadrach Meshach and Abednego did commit theyr liues vnto God and therfore could not for feare of death be drawn from theyr fayth But he is filled with anger Cōcerning this rage we ought to consider what power Sathan hath ouer mē whē he hath them in his clawes They haue no moderation nor rule of themselues although at other times they make a fayre shew of vertue As this king had many tokens of vertue as we haue sene before but because the deuill doth now styr hym there appeareth nothing in hym but crueltie and rage Forthermore let vs remember that our constancy doth please God although it doo not shew forth the fruite therof before the world For many vnder this colour spare themselues to liue in their pleasures because they thinke it a rashnes to offer themselues to death when there appeareth no profit And many excuse themselues vnder this pretence that they striue no more for the glory of God because they should lose their labour and theyr death should be fruitles But we doo heare Christ pronoūce this to be a pleasant sacrifice vnto God when we offer our liues for the testimony of the heauenly doctrine although the generation before whom we testify the name of God be crooked adultrous yea though it waxe the more stubbern at our constācy And such an example is here set forth vnto vs in these thrée holy persons For how so euer Nebuchadnezer waxed more more outragious with their bolde confession yet did that playne confession please God and they did not repent it although they did sée no such fruit of theyr constancy as they desired And the prophet doth expresse the circumstance to declare the kinges rage that he commaundid the fornace to be made seuenfolde hoater then it was wont and chused of his strongest men to cast these into the fornace But as it appeareth by the successe all this was done by the secret prouidence of god For the deuill might els haue obscured the miracle if all doubtes had not bene remoued But when the king commaundeth the fornace to be made seuenfolde hoater and did chuse out his strongest men to doo the execution God by deliuering his seruauntes tooke away all doubtfulnes that the more light should shine forth of that darkenes which Sathan thought to haue blinded men withall the kinges policy and his power Thus God vseth to disapoynt the wicked and the more witty that they be to obscure Gods glory the more doth God cause both his glory and his doctrine to shyne forth Like as here as it were in an image Daniel doth paynt vnto vs that the king Nebuchadnezer left nothing vndone whiles that he would thus smite a terror vnto all the Iewes with this
the rather endeuour our selues to behaue our selues innocently both towardes thee and towardes men with whom we haue to do that so thy name may be glorified in vs and we beyng defended by thy protection may go forward agaynst the malice of men and howsoeuer Sathan do assaulte vs and the wicked lay snares and like raging beastes rise vp agaynst vs that yet we may remaine safe vnder thy defence yea and though we should suffer an hundreth deathes that we may learne to lyue and to die vnto thee that thy name may be glorified in vs through Iesus Christ our Lord Amen 8 Now O king confirme the decree and seale the writing that it be not chaunged according to the law of the Medes and Persians which altereth not 9 Wherefore kyng Darius sealed the writing and the decree Hereby as I haue sayd it is most manifest how prone the myndes of Princes are to be deluded when they thinke that their authority should be encreased and their honour augmented For the king doth make no long disputation wyth his noble men but signeth the decrée because he supposeth that this shal be profitable for hym and his successors if he might haue the Chaldees so obedient vnto hym that they would be ready rather to deny all their Gods then to refuse any thing that he commaundeth Which shall not be chaunged say they that is to say let the decrée be immoueable after the manner of the Medes and the Persians which altereth not In that he ioyneth the Medes wyth the Persians hereby it appeareth as we haue sayd that Cyrus and Darius did raigne ioyntly together For whereas the greater dignity and honour was graunted vnto Darius as long as he liued yet the power remained with Cyrus and without doubt his children were the heyres of both those kingdomes and of the Monarchy of the East vntill they beganne to fall out betwixt themselues And whereas they do alledge that the law of the Medes and the Persians is immutable this doubtles is commendable in the lawes that their authority should be inuiolable and also that they should haue their force and obtayne their effect for the which they were made For where the lawes are euer chaunged and altered many men must néedes be iniuried for no priuate mans right can be stable and sure but where the law is continually one Agayne where it is permitted to make lawes to take away lawes there in the stead of equity succéedeth tyranny lust for law For they which haue this authority beyng corrupt by money wyll now pronoūce one law now an other So shall there be no equity where there is such liberty to alter lawes at will. Howbeit thys must of necessity be warely cōsidered first that kinges make no law nor proclamation without great aduise and long deliberation secondly they must take héede vnto them selues that they be not circumuented and deceaued by craft and cunning fetches as it cōmeth many tymes to passe Wherefore constancy is commendable and prayse worthy in kings and Princes so that wisdome and iustice do go before But straight way we shall sée how foolishly kynges would haue the name of constancy and by their pride peruert all equity 10 Now when Daniel vnderstoode that he had sealed the writing he went into hys house and hys window beyng open in his chamber toward Ierusalem he kneled vpon his knees three times a day and prayed and praysed God as he did before tyme. Now Daniel declareth that he was endued with the strength of the spirit of God that he might offer hys life vnto God as a sacrifice because he knew that there was no hope of pardon left hym if he had bene found to haue violated the kinges cōmaundement He knew also that the king hymselfe should not be frée although he would pardon him euen as it came to passe afterward Seing then that death was before the Prophetes eyes he had rather go vnto it willingly then cease from his duty in religion We must note that here is nothing spoken of the inward worshipping of God but of the outward profession If Daniel had bene forbidden to pray this fortitude might séeme to be necessary wherewith he was endued but now many may thinke that he was in ieoperdy without any great cause whē he dyd set himself forth to death whereas he was onely restrayned frō the outward profession But because Daniel doth not here declare his owne vertue but the spirit speaketh by his mouth we must marke that this boldnes of minde pleased God in the holy Prophet and his deliuerance doth declare how greatly his Godly fact was allowed in that he had rather to renoūce his owne life then to chaunge any thing of his vsuall custome in seruing of god We do know that this is the chiefe sacrifice which God requireth euen to pray vnto god For we do testify thereby that he is the author and geuer of all good thinges vnto vs and agayne we do geue a testimony of our fayth whiles we flie vnto hym and cast all our cares into hys bosome and do offer vnto hym our requestes and desires Seing therefore that prayer hath the chiefe office in the worship and seruice of God doubtles it was of no small importance that the king forbad that any man should pray vnto God for this was a manifest ouer grosse deniall of religion And hereby do we gather agayne how blinde the pride of thys kyng was whiles he could subscribe vnto their wicked and filthy decrée againe how greatly the nobles raged who that they might destroy Daniel went about as much as in them lay to destroy all religion and to plucke downe God from heauen For what remayneth when men thinke that they can want the helpe of God and so haue no care of God at all We know that vnlesse God do strengthen vs euery moment wyth hys power we are easily brought to nought When the king then did forbid all manner of prayer for a whole moneth this was as I haue sayd to require of euery man to deny god Therefore Daniel could not obey the decrée without great iniury vnto God and falling from religion because this prayer is the chiefe sacrifice that God requireth Wherefore it is no meruaile though Daniel did boldly stand against thys cursed decrée And concerning hys profession it was necessary that he should testify before mē that he did stand stedfastly in the worship of god For if he had chaunged any thing of hys vsuall order it had bene after a sort a deniall of his religion He had not publikely pronounced that he contemned God for Darius pleasure but the very chaunge had bene a signe of a traiterous defection and faythles falling from god But we know that God doth not onely require the fayth of the hart and the inward affection but also the testimony and profession of our religion Wherfore it was his duty vnlesse he would haue bene a shamefull apostata to continue in that holy
be drawen forth into the light Yet is there no more wicked pestilēce thē the feare which Herode had as though he would take away earthly dominions from the Monarches which offereth the heauenly kyngdome to euery one of the least and poorest of the people The next is that whiles one doth looke at the doynges of an other their mutuall league doth reteine them all fast bound vnder the yoke of impiety with a deadly knot For if they would earnestly apply their mynde to enquire what is truth and right yea though they would but onely open their eyes the knowledge therof were euident But because this is perceiued vsually for the most part when Christ springeth forth with his Gospell that also great styrres do aryse vnder an honest pretence they cast away the heauenly doctrine to prouide for publike tranquillity I must graunt in deede that such alterations chaunges as do engender publicke disturbance may be iudged odious but God hath great iniury offered vnles we attribute thus much to his power that he can establish the kyngdome of his sonne and assuage all tumultes that boyle forth agaynst him Although heauen and earth should rolle together the worshyp of God is farre more precious then that the least diminishing therof can be recompensed with any ransome How be it they do burden the Gospell with a false sclander which do imagine that it is the matter cause of tumultes and vproares It is true in dede that God doth therein thunder with the vehemency of his word wherby he shaketh the heauen and the earth but whiles the Prophet bryngeth in this sentence to commend the word and to bryng credit therunto that shakyng is blessed and much to be wished And assuredly vnles Gods glory be set aloft in his due place whiles all flesh be humbled and brought downe the pride of men which doth lift vp it selfe agaynst it will neuer giue place but forced and throwne downe by the strong and mighty hand of god And if so be that the earth trembled at the publishyng of the law it is no maruaile if the power and office of the Gospell appeare more glisteryng and glorious Wherfore we ought more louyngly to embrace the Gospell which whiles it rayseth the dead from the helles and openeth the heauēs to them that were vnworthy to lyue vpon the earth it sheweth a straunge power and vertue as though all the elementes dyd agree to our saluation But loe the tumultes and tempestes do spryng forth of an other fountaine because that some tymes the nobility and such as are in hygh honor in the world do not willyngly suffer the yoke of Christ sometymes the foolish multitude spitteth forth what soeuer is for saluation before they haue any taste what it is and part like porkes delite them selues in their filthynes And others as though they were enraged with infernal furies are outragious in slaughters And the deuil doth pricke forth those that he hath wholly to be his slaues with most excessiue fury and outrage to bryng all to hurly burly Hereof commeth the soundyng of the trumpets hereof come battailes and warres whiles that Heliogabalus that Prelate of Rome with hys red and bloudy route and horned beastes rageth so fiercely agaynst Christ and seketh for helpe on euery side of his filthy Clergy the which altogether although it be not fedde in like daynty sort yet doth it eate browys and collaps out of the same pot and many hungry companiōs flye vnto thē to offer their seruice A great number of the iudges which were wōt to stuffe their bellyes with Idolatrous feastes do fight for their kitchyns bellycheare but chiefly the deuill sendeth raylers out of the cloysters of Monkes and Friers and forth of the dennes of dimsicall Doctours who are like bellowes to kindle the fire I do passe ouer the priuy craftes and wicked conspiracies wherof they can be the best witnesses vnto me that are the greatest enemies to Religion I name no man it is enough to haue pointed them with the finger who are but ouer well knowne It is no maruaile though they which depend of the chaungeable state and the diuerse ishue of thynges continue doubtfull in this confused inuasion of so many beastes But they reiect the blame of their infidelity iniustly and wickedly vpon the holy Gospell of Christ Let vs graunt that all hell with the infernall furies do enter into battayle will God sit idle in the heauēs to forsake and betray his owne cause And when he shall stand vp agaynst them can the craftes of men be they neuer so subtill or yet their forces be they neuer so great let God to haue the victory The Pope they say will bryng with hym a long trayne of confederates It is a iust reward of incredulity to tremble at the sounde of the fall of the leafe And what say you vnwise and vnprouident counsaylers let Christ go that no new straungenes do trouble vs Therfore shall you perceaue shortly after this how much better it had bene to haue God mercyfull and despisyng all vayne terrours to rest vpon his protection then to prouoke hym to open warre lest they should offend and displease the euill and wicked spirites Surely when all thynges are examined to the vttermost by the Popes defenders the superstition which hetherto hath reigned is none other but an euill thyng well and cunnyngly layd vp and placed which they thinke ought not to be styrred because it semeth that it can not be touched without some losse and detriment But vnto them which desire Gods glory and which are setled in true Religion there must be a farre contrary purpose that is that they do so offer their labours vnto God that they commit all the ishues therof to his prouidence who if he had promised nothyng vnto vs peraduenture there might be some iust cause to feare and continually to doubt but seing that he hath so oft testified that hys assistance shall neuer fayle in the settyng forth of the kyngdome of his Christ it is the onely way to do well to settle our selues in this confidence Now it is your partes good brethren as farre as euery mans power and office shall lead hym to be carefull with all his harte that true Religion may recouer hys pure and perfect state I nede not to rehearse how diligently hetherto I haue endeuored my selfe to cut of all occasions of tumultes so that I haue the aungels and you all my witnesses before the hye iudge that the faulte was not in me that the kyngdome of Christ hath not had a peaceable procedyng without any hinderance and I suppose that my diligence hath somethyng profited that priuate men should not passe theyr boundes Now although God by his merueilous power hath spread the restoryng of the Church farther then I durst hope for it yet is it mete to remember what Christ commaundeth his scholers euen to possesse their soules in patience Vnto the which purpose also the vision
of Daniel appertayneth that the stone wherby all the kyngdomes which fought agaynst God were broken was not formed nor fashioned by mans hand and though it were rude and vnpolished yet dyd it grow into a great mountaine Of the which thyng I thought good to admonish you that amongest the thondryng threatnyngs you should quietly wayte that these empty cloudes may be driuen away by the heauenly power and so vanish Yet am I not ignoraunt to passe ouer the fires of thirty yeares what vnworthy troubles ye haue suffer these last sixe monethes how ofte in sundry places the tumultuous people haue broken into your assemblyes how oft you haue bene assaulted with stones and with swordes how your enemyes haue layne in wayte for you that they might oppresse your peaceable congregations with suddayn force at vnwares how some haue bene slayne in their owne houses some in the hye wayes how the bodyes of the dead haue bene trailed in derision the womē rauished many men wounded one woman great with child and her child also thrust through the houses broken and pulled downe But although more cruell thynges were yet at hand that you may declare your selues the Disciples of Christ rightly instructed in his schole you must indeuour your selues that no rage of the wicked which deale so outragiously do driue you from that moderation whereby hetherto onely they haue bene ouercome and disapoynted And if so be that the length of tyme do make you weary remember oftentymes that famous Prophecy in the which the condition of the Church was liuely expressed God declared then vnto his Prophet what battayles what troubles what griefes and perils the Iewes should suffer from the end of their captiuity and ioyfull returning into their countrey vntill the commyng of Christ Now the likenes of times causeth the same thyngs to be agreable vnto vs and therfore may be applyed to our vse Daniel reioyced for the miserable Church which had ben long drowned with a depe floude of miseries when he collected by the count of the yeares that the day of deliueraunce spoken of by Ieremy the Prophet was at hand Howbeit he had an aunswere that the state of the people should be more greuous after that liberty were restored so that they should scantly haue any breathyng tyme from their continuall miseries Daniel continued hys hope seuenty yeares not without great and bitter sorow and many griefes but now God increasing the tyme seuenfold doth strike hym to the heart as it were with a deadly wound Neither doth he yet onely pronounce that the people should be subiect to new troubles when after long tyme they beyng restored had gathered strength had built their Citie and Temple but in the first begynnyng of their mirth when they had scarce tasted the swetenes of the comfort he doth appointe them vnto misery Now concernyng the calamities which folowed soone after wherof there is a long rehearsall seyng we tremble at the hearyng onely of them how dolefull and bitter do we thinke they were to the rude people how horrible and fearefull a spectacle was it to see the temple prophaned by the bold malice of a cursed tyrant the sacrifices mixed with filthy pollutiōs in despite and all the bookes of the law to be burned to destroy all Religiō and all those to be drawen to the same fire who soeuer dyd confesse playnly and constātly that they would perseuere and continue in the worshyp of God How could the tender and weake behold this without great feare of heart And this was the purpose of the tyraunt that cruelty should driue the weakelynges to fall from their Religion Vnder the Machabees there semed some release to be offered the which yet was straight after deformed with most cruel slaughters and neuer wanted sorrow and grief For where as their enemy did farre excell them both in multitude and warlike munition they all thought nothyng better which had taken weapons for the defence of the Church then to hide them selues in the dennes of wild beastes or to wāder in wildernes with great pouerty and scarcity of all thynges There was also an other kynde of temptation that wicked hipocrites vnder a false pretēce of zeale as Daniel sayth did ioyne them selues to Iudas and his brethren By the which subtilty Sathā spotted the garisons that Iudas had collected with great infamy as though they had ben a bande of theues and robbers But nothyng was more lamentable vnto good men then to see the Priestes them selues as euery man was caried with hys ambition to betray the Church and the Religion of God with wicked packyngs and practises Neither was that holy office onely sold and made a marchandise but it was bought with mutuall slaughter and parricides Hereof came it that all states of men all though Circumcision and sacrifices were in vse were polluted in the ende through the manifold corruptions which spred euery where without punishment that it was a straunge wonder to wayte for the kyngdome of God when Christ came into the world and very few are therfore named with this commendation If now in that miserable deformity of the Church in the manifold desolations amongst those great terrours the spoylyng of their countreys the robbyng of houses and amongest the daūgers of death the Prophecy of Daniel hath susteined godly mindes when as Religion was yet wrapped in darke shadowes and the doctrine almost extinguished and the Priests themselues beyng degenerate dyd tread all holy thynges vnder foote how shamefull shall our tender weakenes be vnles this cleare light of the Gospell in the which God hath shewed his fatherly face towardes vs lift vs vp aboue all impediments and stablish vs with a constancy that can not bee wearied For as there is no doubt but that the seruauntes of God then dyd apply vnto their age to mitigate the sorowes of their present miseryes all such things as were spoken by the Prophetes of the Babilonicall captiuity so is it our part to haue our eyes bent vpon the miseries of our fathers that we refuse not to be gathered vnto that Church vnto whom it is spoken O thou poore one affiicted and tossed with tempestes that hast no comfort behold I will receaue thee and the which in an other place after she hath cōplained that the plowers haue plowed theyr backe and the wicked haue made long forrowes as it were in a field yet doth she glory straightwayes that their cordes were cut by the iust God that they could not preuaile And the Prophet hath not onely encouraged vs by the examples of those tymes to hope and to patience but he hath ioyned an exhortation taught by the holy spirite which is extended to the whole kyngdome of Christ and is peculiar vnto vs. Wherfore let it not be greuous vnto vs to be comprehended amongest the number of them who as Daniel sayth Must be tryed by fyre that they may be made white seyng that the inestimable felicity and glory which springeth therof
this thy Sonne whom already thou hast geuen vnto vs and hast established hys authoritie and hys diuine and eternall power by so many miracles and hast sealed the same as well by the publishing of thy Gospell as by the seale of thy holy spirit in our hartes and doest confirme the same by dayly experience that wee may remayne firme and stable in hym and that wee neuer turne from hym neither that our fayth fayle at ane tyme whatsoeuer Sathan attempt agaynst vs but that we may perseuer in the course of thy holy vocation whiles that at length we may be gathered into that eternal beatitude and blessed state of rest which is purchased vnto vs by the bloud of thine only begotten Sonne So be it 46 Then the kyng Nebuchadnezer fell vpon hys face and bowed hymselfe vnto Daniel c. 47 Also the king sayd to Daniel of a truth your God is a God of Gods a kyng of kinges c. That Nebuchadnezer worshiped God and Daniel though in some part it may be commended yet in some respect it is blame worthy for though he acknowledged the God of Israell to be the true God yet doth he geue part of Gods honor vnto a mortal man as many tymes men without knowledge do mixe heauen and earth together because that they alwayes fall to their superstitions though they haue sometymes some good motions And it is playne that this confession of the kyng was but particular for he dyd not wholly returne vnto God from hys Idolatry and errours but was astonished for the present and returned afterward to greater madnes as foloweth in the next chap. And thus many tymes God compelleth the wicked to geue testimonies to hys glory when yet they reteyne their vices and fall forthwith to their accustomed wickednes as it is playne afterward Wherby we may learne that it is not enough though a man with open mouth prayse the power and wisedome of God vnles he cast all superstitions forth of his hart and so hold of one God that he defie all others For there can not be required a playner confession then this and yet we sée that Nebuchadnezer was still reteined in the snares of Sathan because he holdeth still hys false Gods and thinketh it enough to make God of Israel the chief The which folie appeareth euidently amongest the Papistes which graunt the name of God and Christ but they rob away all the power and giue it vnto other creatures after their fond imaginations and they are not so good as this prophane kyng for they will not geue him the whole gouernement but fayne man to haue frée will and all thynges to runne by chaunce or that the heauen and earth accordyng to mās merites or demerites do their endeuours and office Thus make they mans frée will the cause of all and so robbe God of his honor This is their madnes ¶ The Prayer GRaunt almighty God seyng mans hart is so full of hypocrisie that there is nothyng more hard then to purge it from all lyes errors feynyng dissimulation that we may learne to examine our selues fully and substancially and also that thou wilt so shyne vnto vs with the light of thy spirite that we may verely know our hyd vices and that thou wilt driue them farre away from vs that thou onely mayest be our God and that true holynes may preuayle amongest vs and that we may geue thee pure and vnspotted worshyp and honor and that we may lyue with vpright consciēces in this world and so be content euery one with our own state that we study alwayes for the commoditie of our brethren whiles that at the length we bee partakers of that true glory which thou hast prepared for vs in the heauens by Iesus Christ our lord Amen Chap. 3. The Texte KYng Nebuchadnezer made an Image of gold The height therof was lx cubites and the breadth therof vj. cubites and he set it vp in the playne of Dura in the prouince of Babel NEbuchadnezer after that hee had professed the God of Israel to be the true God doth fall agayne to this foule Idolatry wherein after the custome of the Idolaters hee vttereth his owne pryde and ambition Wherein God would haue his wicked hart to be made manifest Who might haue bene thought by hys former confession to haue bene wholly chaūged but by this it appeareth that in his fayrest shew of wordes he remained wicked And as this is the maner of all superstitious persons when they pretend their Religiō and thinke that they serue their God yet will they be seene and praysed of the world so many tymes they will mixe policie with their Religion to bryng men into an vniformitie And these two thinges are heare manifest His Idole is so costly and great that his fame must nedes spred and he straitly chargeth all nations both Iewes and Gentiles vppon payne of death to ioyne in this Idolatry Thus for policie he will stablish one Religion in all the nations that were vnder hym lest by the mixture of the Iewes that were stiffe in theyr religion or by any other people any tumult might arise and by such tumult any shakyng or diminishyng of his dominion Thus do many Princes when they publish lawes for Religion rather regarde their owne quietnes and commoditie then what God requireth by his word And this bold temeritie hath bene amongest them from the begynnyng that sometymes they would make new Gods sometyme they would appoynt GOD a law how he should be worshypped but they would rarely or neuer subiect them selues onely wholly to the word of god Whereby their madnes is manifest that whiles they pretend to worshyp God they set them selues aboue God and worshyp their owne fantasie and folie They thinke it is not for their Princely dignitie to be in obedience vnder God or to set forth his word simply but they wil haue their procedynges to bée of more authoritie and puttyng in the name of the Kyng or the Quéene they thinke the matter is preiudicate and sufficient that GOD may be worshipped none other wayes then it pleaseth them and as they haue decréed by their authoritie And in such commaundementes we may sée that al those which depend onely of their fathers and antiquitie are easily ouercome to chaunge their Religion and they onely are able to stād fast agaynst such thunderyng threatnynges of Princes which haue their consciences grounded vpon Gods holy word And this is to be noted that the king doth not cōmaunde any to professe with their mouthes that this is a GOD or that it hath any diuinitie but hee onely requireth the outward gesture Whereby we may sée that they are worthely condemned of Idolatry that do the outward gesture be it for feare or fauour either that they do dissemble such a matter as many do amōgest the Papistes and in other places We must worshyp God in spirite and truth and also with outward profession not onely to exercise our selues in the