It is written in the Prophesie of OBADIAH, the fifth and sixth verses.
5 If theeues had come vnto thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou destroyed?) Would they not haue stollen that which were inough for them? If grapegathers had come vnto thee, would they not haue left some grapes?
6 Howe are the thinges of Esau sought out, his secret things are searched?
THE ruine and destruction of the Idumaeans is set forth by the spirit of God in this prophecie, for the instruction and comfort of the Israelites: to assure them, that God will execute iustice, and iudgement on their enimies, in the day of his visitation, when he wil saue them. In the former verses (as I haue shewed already) the Prophet declared Vers. 1. & 2. the sentence of the Lorde against the Idumaeans, that they should be destroyed; the witnesses therof, himselfe, & other Prophets, who heard it from the Lord; the meanes, that he would work by, the warriours rising vp against thē
[Page 10] S. Peter, aduertising the Iewes & the Proselytes, that Acts. 2. 38 they should receiue the gift of the holy ghost, if they repented, & turned to Christ: for to you (saith hee) is the promise made, and to your children, and to all thē that shal be long hereafter, euen to as many as the Lord our God shall call: the same in like sort may I say vnto you (fathers and brethren) touching this promise of bringing your enemies to vtter ruine and destruction. For, Gen. 12. 3 God said to Abrahā, I wil blesse thē that blesse thee, & I will curse them that curse thee: meaning, that hee would make a perfect league with him, & bee at peace with his friends, at war with his enemies. But the league and couenant which God made with Abraham, Ge. 17. 7 he made with Abraham & his seed. And Gal. 3. 7. the seed of Abraham are all faithfull Christians. To vs all therefore is that promise made, that God will blesse our friends, and will curse our enemies. Moreouer, his particuler curse & plague ensuing it, vpon y e Idumaeās, is a patterne of that which shall fall on such as treade in their steps. For 1. Cor. 10 6. the punishment of the Iewes, who lusted after euill things▪ is threatned to the Gentiles if they lust as the Iewes did: and Re. 18. 4▪ if yee bee partakers of the sinnes of Babylon, ye shal [Page 11] receiue of her plagues. Now, amōgst the enemies of the faithful Christians, others doe more resēble the Philistines, or Ammonites, or Moabites, or Amalekites, or Cananites, or Assyrians: there are none liker to the Idumaeans, then are the Papistes, as it hath been shewed. The Idumaeans borne according to the flesh of the seed of Abraham: the Papists by of spring come of Christian parents. The Idumaeans circumcised as children of the couenāt: the Papistes baptised in the same that we be. The Idumaeans serued not the God of their fathers according to the law: neither do the Papists in spirit & truth after the Gospel. The Idumaeans persecuted the Israelites to death, & vexed thē with al crueltie: the Papists haue butchered the godly with massacres, and made thēselues drūkē with y e blood of saints. Wherefore the spirite of the Lord assureth vs that the Papists shalbe cōsumed in his wrath, whē it shall burne sodeinly: and as they haue folowed the factes of the Idumaeans, so they shall feele their punishmentes. I speake not herein of all that are Papists: as neither did the Prophet of al Idumaeās▪ For the Amos. 9. 12. remnant of Edom shal inherite with Israel, and Papistes with vs: as many as shall Act, 15. 17. 8. seeke him, whose name is called vpon them. [Page 12] which God graunt they may doe by faith in his mercy, that Papistes may liue, and papistrie may die. But I speake of all who flubbornly per sist in the Popish heresies. In whō shal bee fulfilled the Apostles prophesie touching the man of sinne: 2. Thes. 2. 8. the Lorde shall cōsume him with the breath of his mouth. And so, that which is written of Edom by the Prophet, may be said by vs to the Romish An tichrist: If theeues had come vnto thee, if robbers by night, (how art thou destroyed?) would they not haue stollē that which were enough for them? If Grape gatherers had come vnto thee, would they not haue left some grapes? Howe are the things of Antichrist sought out, his secret things are searched?
Howbeit, as S. Paul▪ though Act.. 27. 24. he were assured that al who sailed with him sheuld escape aliue: yet Ver. 31. said, that they could not escape except the mariners abode in the ship: so, though it be certaine that Antichrist and his members shalbe cōsumed, yet cannot that be, except they be set vpō by warriours. For god doth worke by meanes ordinarily. And this is the meanes that he hath ordeined for the atchieuing of that conquest, as we sawe before in Obad. 1. the Ambassadours message, Arise & let [Page 13] vs rise vp against her to battaile. The warriours, whose seruice the Lord doth vse therto, are all his seruants in a sort; Psal. 110. 3. his people most willing in the day of his armie: but speciallie Preachers and Ministers of hys worde. For his worde is Esa. 11. 4. the rodde of his▪ mouth, 2. Thes. 2. 8. the breath, Reue. 19 15. Agge. 1. 1. the sword, wherby he doth destroy his enemies: & ministers are souldiours, by whose hand he weeldeth it. For which cause their function is cōpared to warfare, in that it is written by S. Paule, 1▪ Cor. 9. 7. Who goeth to warrefare any time at his y. 2. Tim. 2▪ .4 owne cost? And, No man that warreth entangleth himselfe with affayres of life, that hee may please him who hath chosen him to be a souldiour, And God saith of thē by the Prophet Esay: Esay. 62. 6. I haue set watchmē vpon thy walles, O Ierusalem, which all the day, and all the night continually shall not cease. The watchmen and warriours therefore of the Lorde, the keepers of hys Church, the conquerours of his enemies▪ the spoylers of the Idumaeans, the consumers of Antichrist, and Antichristian impes▪ are ministers of his word, Pastors & Teachers, who to please him by whō they are chosen souldiours, should not bee entangled with affaires of life; to discharge their dutie, should [Page 14] bee sent foorth and kept on publike cost; to preserue their flocke, shoulde watche day and▪ night continually ouer it. The lesse marueile is it, if in our English Churches Antichrist and Edom bee not consumed yet; nay, if they attempt to consume vs; if by Popish pollicies, by superstitious tokēs, by blasphemous writings, by trayterous libels and conspiracies, they vndermine our state; if Psal. 83. 3 they take craftie counsaile against the people of God, and say, ver. 12. Let vs possesse his habitations by inheritance; if they looke for a day when they may crie once againe, Psal. 137. 7. rase it, rase it to the foundation thereof; in a word, if they raunge through the land like woolues, & sucke the blood of sheep and lambes: sith the shepheardes fayle, the watchmen are a sleepe, the warriours doo not fight, through want, somewhere of will, somewhere of abilitie. Of will, where they entangle themselues with such affaires as draw them from their warfare, and are not content to be watchmen in Ierusalem, but they must haue a watchmanship in Caesarea too; or, if they haue one flocke alone, yet doo not fee [...] it, but take their ease in Sion. Of abilitie, where there is not sufficient prouision [Page 15] for trayning of men to make them good souldiours; nor maintenaunce sufficient to finde them being trained: that, setting all other cares of life apart▪ they may attend their charge wholy. To them heere amongest vs, who, through want of will are backwarde in this seruice of the Lorde God of Hoastes, so much hath been spoken, so often, so earnestlie, both out of this and other places: that I am halfe ashamed againe to solicite them with Esay. 28. 10. Precept vpon precept, Precept vpon Precept. Notwithstanding, as I haue read, that when wee had gotten Calice from the Frenchmen, there was one appointed to put them in remembraunce from time to time of Calice, in all their solemne meetinges for State-consultations, till they had regained it: so▪ I am perswaded, that, til the amendement of this fault bee woone, it is most conuenient for the Lordes remembrancers in all our Church-assemblies to wish it to be thought of.
Wherefore, to put you in minde euen nowe also of our Spirituall Calice▪ I beseeche you fathers and brethren (whom it toucheth) nowe at length to regarde the state of the Soules, the precious Soules [Page 16] of men committed to your charge: whose blood, if they perishe for lacke of that attendaunce, which you ought to giue them, will crye for sharper vengeaunce then did Ge. 4. 10, the blood of Abel. Or, if my perswasion cannot preuaile with you: yet let his preuaile, whose prayer hath preuailed for you; who died himselfe that you might liue; who saide, and all thinges were created; whose word the winds and seas obey. Consider the function that hee hath called you to, the dutie laide vpon you, the reward, if you do it; the punishment, if you doe it not. Luk. 12. 24. Who is (saith hee) a faithful and wise Stewarde, whom his master maketh ruler ouer his housholde, to giue them their portion of meat in due season? Blessed is that seruant, whom his master when he commeth shall finde so doing: verily, I say vnto you, he shall make him ruler ouer all his goods▪ But if that seruant say in his hart, my master doth deferre his cōming, and begin to smite the seruants and maidens, and to eate and drinke, and to bee drunken: that seruants master wyll come in a day when he looketh not for him, and in an houre that he is not ware of, and will cut him in peeces, and giue him his portion with the vnbeleeuers. Our Sauiour [Page 17] the sonne of God, the king of kinges, & Lord of Lordes, hauing entertained men and women of all degrees to be his houshold seruants, is carefull to feede them with conueniēt food, y t they may serue him in their vocatiō frutefully. This food is the doctrine of his holy word, which must bee deuided in diuers sorts vnto his seruāts, according to their diuers states: some to be▪ fed with milk▪ some with strong meat; some humbled with y e law, some raised with the gospell; each to haue his portion of meat most wholesome for him. Nor only must they haue it, but haue it too, in due season, as oftē as they need it: which is so oftē, that y e holy Ghost (to shew the cōtinuall necessitie thereof) doth will it to be giuen them 2. Tim. 4 2. in season and out of season. For, as mens bodies should loose their temporall life, vnlesse, as they decay still, so they were repaired with sustenance of meat and drink: in like sort mens soules are fainting stil also, to their Amos. 8. 11. hazard of life eternall, vnlesse they be refreshed with the food of Gods word. Wherefore that his seruants and maidens he not famished: the master of the houshold hath made you his stewards to minister meat vnto thē. If you behaue your selues, as wise stewards, & faithful; wise, in discerning what portiō of [Page 18] meate they need eche, and when; faithfull in giuing it to them in due season: your master shal come, who now is absent as it were and Luke. 19. [...]. gone into a farre countrie, but he shal come againe and fill you with blessednesse; he shal make you rulers ouer al his goods and honour you as highly as Gen. 41. [...]0. Pharao did Ioseph;, yea, hee shall reward you with 1. Pet. 5. 4 a crown of glorie, an incorruptible crown, and yee shall Dan. 12. [...]. shine as starres for euer and euer. But if ye thinke his cōming to be farre of, and so begin to smite the seruants and the maidens; nay, I would to God yee did smite them onely, so that ye taught them too, for that were a benefite; but if ye famishe them, and play the good felowes your selues with the world, & eate, & drink, & be drunken: your master will come in a day when ye looke not for him, & in an houre that ye are not ware of, & wil [...]. cut you in peeces, & giue you your portion with the vnbeleeuers. By the Roman Tit. de re [...]dicata. lawes of the 12. tables, if a man owed money vnto sundry creditours, & after iudgement giuen, did not agree with thē himself, or others for him: his creditours might (after certain daies respite) cut his body in peeces, & take them ech a part therof. [...]gol. Noct. [...]ttic. li. 20. [...]ap. 1. Phauorinus the Philosopher [Page 19] reprooued this lawe as cruell & barbarous. But Caecilius the Lawier replyed well vpon him, that so great a punishmēt was appointed of purpose, that they might neuer com vnto it. For now we see many (said he) laid vp fast, & cast into fetters, because the paine of fetters is cōtemned by lewd persons. But I neuer read nor heard that of olde time any was cut in peeces: because they could not set light by that punishement. Metius Fufetius, the Prince of the Albanes, hauing promised the Romane king Tullus Hostilius to succour him against his enemies, did treacherously deceiue him: by whō he was therfore tied to two carts, his handes to the one, his feet to the other, & so (the horses being driuē contrary wayes) he was torne in peeces. Hist. ab V Cond. lib. 1 Liuie misliketh this punishment as ouer sharp, & saith that ther was smal regard of humane lawes had in it. But Aeneid. lib. 8. Uirgil weighing better the greatnesse of the fault, aloweth it with graue censure, But thou, O Alban Prince, thy promise shouldest haue kept. At tu dictis Albane maneres. Traitours in our dayes, though they be not torne with horses as Metius, yet are they rent in peeces, as Metius was, & quartered. Epist. de persequut. Anglic. The Papists complaine therof to foreine natiōs as of outragious tyrānie, when they are put vnto it for traiterous [Page 20] factes against our prince. But it is vsuall and lawful for the Pope (as Leo the tenthes practise in Hist. Ital. ▪13. Guicc [...]ardin doth witnesse) to quarter men for treason wrought against him. Now, this seuere punishment, which hath bin thought fit by mortal Iudges to be laid vpon vnfaithful debters, vpō treacherous persons, vpon rebellious Traitours, is the same that Christ the immortal iudge denounceth vnto you, if ye be disloyall to God, your soueraine Lord, if ye breake promise with him and his seruants, if yee pay them not the debt which yee owe them, and giue them their portion of meat in due season. A very greeuous punishment: yet nothing to that, which Christ importeth by it. For hee doth import (as the wordes following shew) that yee shall haue your portion with the vnbeleeuers. And [...]u. 21. 8. the vnbeleeuers shall haue their portion in the lake that burneth with fire & brimstone, which is the second death. Of Damocles a Heathen man it is recorded, that whē Dionysius the Tyrant entertained him magnificently & princely, although at the first bee thought him selfe happie, respecting the traine of men, attendant on him, the place of gold and siluer, the gorgeous cloathes, the sweet perfumes, the Uiands most delicate, all [Page 21] furniture rich and royall: yet after, seeing a sworde hanging by a threed let downe ouer his head, he could take no ioy of his entertainment, nay hee tooke griefe, and desired earnestly to be dimissed from it. How much lesse ioy should you take in your eating, your drinking, your pleasures, with which, as worldly baites, the Prince of this world doth pamper your flesh against the day of slaughter: sith there hangeth ouer your neckes an axe of vengeaunce, not that may perhaps, but that will assuredly; not kyll your bodies onely, but both bodies and soules; not with temporall death, but with euerlasting into hel fit [...]; Matt. 24 51. there shalbe weeping and gnashing of teeth. O consider this, yee that forget God least he teare you in peeces, and there be none that can deliuer you. The warriour that spoi leth the Idumaeans, shall honour him: and he, that watcheth ouer the Israelites to saue thē shall see the saluation of God. And thus much to them, who through want of wil, search not the secrete thinges of Esau.
As for the defect which this exploite suffereth through want of habilitie, because such as should doo it, are eyther not trayned or not maintained to it in sufficient sort: that is so much hurtfuller to vs then the former, by [Page 22] how much the contagion of it spreadeth farder. For souldiours ought to learne and practise feates of warre (as x Veget. de milit. lib. cap. 1. expert men haue noted) before they deale in martiall affayeres with their enemies: and as y Lib. 2. ca. 9. Lib. 3. ca. they should employ themselues to no businesse, but to their seruice onely, so shoulde they be allowed victuals, & other necessaries, that they need not to doe it. Wherupon the Lord appointing Priestes and Leuites to serue him in this a Nu. 4. 23. Num. 18. warfare (as Moses termeth it) & ministery, alotted thē b offerings, first frutes, and tithes of all the land to liue by, with c Num. 35. [...] Cities to dwell in, and groundes annexed therunto. And, beside the cōuentence of their abode together in Ierusalem and other Cities that they might the better betrained from their infancie to skill of the priestly and Leuitical duties, to teach y e law of Deut. 33. [...]. God, and offer incense, and Sacrifice: there were also e 1. Sā. 10. 5. 19. 10. Kin. 2. 3. 6. 1. Colleges and companies of Prophetes, wherein the younger learned vnder the elder (as children vnder fathers) to be mē of God, to prayse his name, and teach his wil. These orders, receiued by the Church of Israel, should bee followed by ours: though not in all particulars, yet in the general equitie. [Page 23] For 1. Cor. 19▪ 13. as they who serued about the holy thinges, did eate of the temple; they, who wayted at the Altar, were partakers wyth the Altar: so the Lord ordeined too, that they who preach the Gospel should liue of the Gospel. And Timothee, who was chosen to serue in this 1. Ti. 1. 1 [...] [...] warfare, as a 2. Tim. 2▪ souldiour of Christ, did not onely 2. Tim. 3. 15. knowe the Scriptures frō his infancie: but also was Act. 16. 3 [...] brought vp to the ministerie by S. Paul, whose 2. Ti. 3. 1 [...] doctrine & behauiour framed him vnto it. In which consideration our Auncetours prouided houses, Glebeland, Tithes, & other profites, for the commodious dwelling and maintenance of Pastours: and endowed Byshoprickes, Cathedral and Collegiat Churches (as we call them) with landes and reuenewes, As appea [...] reth by the groundes thereof in [...] Cyprian, Eusebius, Grogor [...] the Councel [...] of Toledo, with othe [...] Councels▪ Fathers, and Stories Ecclesiasticall: an M. Bu [...]r sheweth in his booke, entituled, De reformatione Collegii C [...] [...]. that learned godly Teachers being placed there, myght instruct others by their doctrine and behauiour, as S. Paul did Timothe. For the fuller perfecting & finishing of whom to all the Lordes worke, they founded Uniuersities and Colleges therein also. But I would to God these nurseries of Pastours & Teachers of the Church, were husbanded in such sort to the Lordes aduauntage, [Page 24] that we need not feare his sentence of y t vineyard, Mat. 21. m that he wil let it out to other husbandmen. Then should not so many raw vntrained souldiours receiue the Lords pay, who doo him small seruice in the day of battaile. And yet there were lesse cause to complaine hereof, if they, who bee trayned, were procured to serue him. But the imprest money & wages due to thē, the liuings (I mean) appointed for their maintenāce, are so impaired & minished: that, being not able therwith to finde themselues in souldiourlike state, they refuse the calling; or if they vndertake it, they are distracted from it, with cares how to supply their need. Wherby it cōmeth to passe that, Ieh. 13. n y t Leuites flying ech into his land for lack of their portions, the house of God is forsaken. And to fill their roomes, others are takē, who wil be hired for least: not according to the Prouerbe, Best is best cheape; but to the cōmon practise, Best cheape is best. Who though not to serue the calues of Dan and Bethel, yet are made Priestes, as those by Ieroboam o king. 12 of peeces of the people, not of the sonnes of Leui. Who, if they had the grace, p [...]. 13. 5 should say, I am no Prophet, I am a husbandman: and returne to that trade which their friendes haue taught them. [Page 25] Who are not endued with necessary gifts for the prophets duty: and therefore, howsoeuer men haue called them to it, God hath not called them. For, whom God calleth vnto anie function, them endueth he with giftes to performe it: as Exod. 31. 2. Bezaleel, to make his taberbernacle: Ier. 1. 9, Ieremie, to doo his message; Act. 2. 4. the Apostles, to preach the Gospel. So the flock of Christ, is desolate of shepheards; and his campe, of souldiours: while such haue the places, as cannot Ezech. 34 4. strengthen the weake, heale the sicke, binde vp the broken; nor destroy his enemies with the Heb. 4. 12. two edged sworde, & defend his subiectes. A great cause here-of are Patrones of benefices. For wheras the interest of choosing the Pastor belonging of old time to the Congregation, is now conueyed to them, because their predecessours did benefit the Church some way, and therefore were put in trust as Patrones of it: they, a number of them, do deale with the matter as Polymestor did with Polydore, that is, as euill gardians doo with their wardes, and turne their patronage into pillage. The lust of their hartes hath defiled their handes with the sacriledge of Acan: to Ios. 7. 21. take gold & siluer, and Babylonish garments, of the spoiles of Iericho Io. 6. 19. consecrated to God. Or, if not with [Page 26] so foule sacrilege as his was, because their Predecessours gaue some of it perhaps: yet w t Acts. 5. 2. the sacrilege of Ananias & Sapphira; yea, though themselues had giuē it. If they thinke to couer their profane dealing with Ios. 7. 22. Acans conueyance by hyding the pray, or to Mat. 27. [...]4. wash their handes with Pilates pretense, that they are giltlesse of it, they gaue y • aduowsōs freely to friends or seruants: they deceiue thēselues. For Gal. 6. 7. God is not mocked. And he wil finde thē out in a day, when they looke not for him, and in an houre that they are not ware of, Ios. 7. 25. & bring them to shame with more dreadfull punishmēt, then either he did Acan, or Acts. 5. 5. Ananias, & Sapphira. Wherfore I hartely beseech the young Gentlemen that be here present, & all that are or shalbe Patrones hereafter, in a religious reuerence and feare of the Lord, to keepe themselues pure frō this abomination. At least, to remember the miserable ende of Richard the vsurper: who beeing made Protector of the King and Realme, got the realme himself, & robbed the King of it. That, if they deeme their patronage to be meerely ciuil, & the goods of benefices to be as common mens, not sacred to the Lord: yet being made Protectors therof, & of y • Pastors, they follow not his fault whose ende they detest. [Page 27] Though, the very truth is, (which I wish they weigh too,) that the Churches goods, allotted to the maintenance of Pastors & teachers, are not profane but sacred: and therefore the sinne of them who purloyne them is sacrilege, not theft: wherein God is spoyled, as himself pronounceth, Mal. 3. 8. Will a man spoile God▪ that ye doo spoile me? And ye say, wherin doo we spoile thee? in tithes & offerings. Howbeit, if church-liuings were impouerished by none but by Patrones: the case were not so euill, because it is against the law. But they are distressed also (beside other pensiōs & incōbrances) by Appropriatiōs, as y e lawyers term thē; or, as they are named commonly, impropriations. Whereof the condition is the more grieuous, for that in many parishes there is not a Vicar well & sufficiently indowed to doe diuine seruice, & instruct the people, and keep hospitality: which yet Ann. 4. Henr. 4. cap. 12. the law cōmā deth, if it were obeied. Iosias, 2. Chr. 34. 3. in thē eighth yere of his raigne, began to seek the God of his father Dauid; & in the twelfth yeere he began to purge Iuda and Ierusalem from the hye places, and the groues, and the grauen images, and the molten; and in Vers. 8. the eyghteenth yeere hee sent Saphan and others, to repayre the [Page 28] house of the Lord his God. Reformations of disorders cannot be made al at once: chiefly, when the Church hath of long time beene ouergrowen with them, as then it had vnder idolatry, and hath with vs vnder Popery. King Henry the eight, a Prince of noble memorie, began to sett foorth the holy worde of God. And his sonne, (another Iosias, had he liued) began to purge England from Images, and Masses, and Massing-altars, and superstitions. I doubt not but our gratious Queene and soueraine Lady desireth in the steppes of her father and brother, to adde this vnto them, that workemen be maintained for repairing of the Church. But it lieth not in her Highnes alone to bring it to effect▪ the Lordes and the Commons haue a stroke in it. Wherefore, seeing now a Parliament is sūmoned to be helde shortly: let vs desire God in humblenes of spirit to encline their hearts, that, although it be with losse of some part of their owne commodities, yet they will folow [...]. Exo. 35. 11. k the zeale of the Israelites for the tabernacle of assembly. And as the religious professours of the truth haue shewed that Churchliuinges appropriated to others, should in cō science finde the Pastors of the Church: so God graunt that they who haue the authority [Page 29] may see it with a single eye, and bring it to passe with an vpright hand. Martin Bucer (in De regno Christi lib. [...]. cap. 7. his godly requestes and aduises presented to King Edward) treating of skilful Pastors to be ordained throughout the realme, saith; that their maintenance ought to be required of them who receiue the profits of the parishes by appropriation, or any other way. Bishop Exposit. of Agg. the prophet, chapt. 1. Pilkinton (vpon Aggaeus) complayning that the Pope robbed parishes to feed his moonkes, wisheth, that the Gospell may restore that iustly: which he tooke wrongfully away, and gaue them yet a right name of impropriations, because they be taken away improperly, & properly belong to the parishes. But what should I mention Bishops and Diuines (of whom there haue M. Latimer, in his 1. & 6. Serm. preached before King Edward. M. Fox [...] in the Actes & mon. lib. 4. All the Bishops of England (300. yeres since) misliking in the moonks that they had gotten benefices to be appropriated to them: as appeareth by Mat. VVestm. in Florib. histor, ann. Dom. 126 [...]. many declared the same minde,) whē as Maister The perambulat. of Kent: in Frensbury. Lambard, a gentleman and Lawier, speaking of a Kentish Benefice conuerted to an appropriation, doth censure it with these wordes: One (amongst many) of those monstrous birthes of couetousnes, begotten by the man of Rome in the darke night of superstition, and yet suffered to liue in this day light of [Page 30] the gospell, to the great hinderaunce of learning, the impouerishment of the ministery, and the infamy of our profession. Hard may this seeme to such as haue the lyuings: & some peraduenture wil say of these speeches, Amo [...]. 7. 10. The land cannot beare them. But it is harder to suffer the land to stand in those termes, in which God saith to Iuda: Mal. 3. 9. Ye are cursed with a curse for that ye spoyle me, euē the whole natiō. And if heathen men Philaeni, Codrus, Curtius, haue giuē their liues to benefit their countrey with a temporall blessing, and that vncertaine too: what should Christians doe to draw that blessing on it, which he, who cannot lye, doth promise, Vers. 10. Bring ye all the tithes into the storehouse, that there may be meate in mine house, and p [...]oue me now herewith, saith the Lord of hosts, if I wil not opē the windows of heauē vnto you, & powre you out a blessing without measure: & I wil re buke the deuourer for your sakes, that he shall not destroy the fruit of your ground, neither shall your vine be barren in the field, saith the Lord of hostes: & al nations shal call you blessed, for ye shalbe a pleasant land, saith the Lord of hostes. Wherefore let vs (beloued) of the Uniuersitie, get [Page 31] our countrey this blessing, as much as lyeth in vs, by prouiding that Pastors, where we haue appropriations, may be maintained with their tithes, that there may be meate in the house of God. I meane not hereby that wee should giue away that by which our schooles and schollers be mainteined. For God hath ordeined Ecclesiasticall goods to finde, not onely Priestes and Leuites, but their ofspring; euen them, who are brought vp to be Priests and Leuites, and them who bring thē vp; the children of the Prophets, & the Prophets themselues. That, if there bee enough in our appropriatiōs for y e Pastors maintenance, beside y t which we haue for the nurserie of Pastors, as commonly there is: we may with good conscience receiue our owne reuenue. My meaning is therefore, that, the rents reserued, we should allowe the rest of the liuinges to Pastors: which I speake not so much for those that publikely our Uniuersitie hath, to be let by Conuocation, whereof the greater part hath shewed well already them selues to bee of this minde: as for those that priuately belong to our Colleges, to be lett by the heades thereof and the fellowes.
It is of an humane and honest affection, [Page 32] that we sometimes would pleasure other mē therewith, our friendes, suing for them. But if Iob said to Sophar & his partners Iob. 13. 7. Should you speake wickedly for Gods defence? how much lesse ought we to do vnrighteously for the fauour of men? And may we not looke for the plague that fel on Eli, if, as he did 1. Sam. 2. 29. honour his children aboue God, so we doo our friendes▪ Leui is commended by the holy Ghost for Deu. 33. 9. saying of his father and of his mother, I looke not on him; neither doth he acknowledge his brethren, nor know his children: but they obserue the word of God, and keepe his couenant All Christians are bound herein to be Leuites, Mat. 10. 37. regarding neither father, nor mother, sonne, nor daughter, in respect of God, when his word and couenant commeth into question. Wherefore, sith this is a speciall point thereof, that all the tithes be brought into the storehouse, that in his house there may be meate: we should obserue and keepe it, though with the disfauour of friendes whatsoeuer. And as it behoueth vs to doo it our selues: so, to wish that others enioy the blessing with vs. In which case, the duty that we owe to Tim. 2. 2 Kings and all in authoritie, doth binde vs to pray for the high court of [Page 33] Parliament, y t by their ordinance the Church may be repaired, and we may leade a quiet and peaceable life in al godlines & honesty. Whē Neh. 13. [...] Eliasibthe Priest (the high priest of the Iewes) had made for his kinseman Tobias a great chamber, where they afore time did lay the meate offering, the incense and the vessels and the tithes & offeringes, appointed for the Leuites and Priestes: as soone as Nehemias (the Priuce of the people) vnderstoode thereof, it grieued him sore. Therefore he cast out the householde-vessels of Tobias out of the chamber: and brought thither agayne the vessels of the house of God, the meatoffering, and the incense. And perceiuing further, that the portions of the Leuites were not giuen them, who therefore were fledde eche into his land: he reproued the rulers, and saide, Why is the house of God forsaken? and assembling them, he set thē in their place agayne: and all the Iewes brought the tithes into the store-house▪ to be diuided to them. The Pope in the iniquity of his high vsurped Priest-hood ouer Christiās, endowed his kinsmen the moonks with tithes and liuings, by which aforetime the Pastors were mainteined. Whereof it [Page 34] hath ensued, that many a Tobias doth holde them vntil this day. O that it might grieue, that it might grieue sore, our Nehemias; the Parliament, that they might dispossesse Tobias therof, & againe apply them to maintaine Pastors. The Antichristian councell assembled at Trent, tooke order for [...]. Conc. Tridēt. [...]ess. 22▪ de re [...]rm. cap. 11. a restoring of the goodes of benefices, and Sess. 24. de [...]eform. cap. 18. setting learned Priestes in them, with cap. 19. disanulling of aduowsons, and Sess. 5. de re [...]orm. cap. 1. erecting lectures, and mainteining teachers, and Sess. 23. de reform. cap. 1 [...]. seminaries of scholers in all Cathedrall Churches▪ to set Popery forward, and builde vp the houses of Idumaean Idols. Luk. 16. 8. The childrē of this world are wiser in their generation then the children of light▪ and 1. King. [...]8. [...]9. Baalites more zealous for their superstition, then Israelites for the truth. But thou cāst▪ O Lord, & wilt (vnlesse our sinnes prouoke thy wrath against vs) cause the light of thy countenance so to shine vpon vs, that the Christian Court of our English Parliament shall be as carefull to builde vp thy house, & aduaunce religion: that 2. Chr. 36. 10. the vessels of thy temple, which Nabuchodonosor tooke away, & Dan. 5. 2. Baltasar did drinke in, be E [...]ra. 1. 7. restored by Cyrus, to whom they are befa [...]en, that Elizabeth thy handmaide 2. Chr. 31. 4. command [Page 35] the people too giue the portion of the Priestes and Leuites, that they may bee strong in the law of the Lorde, as did thy [...]eruant Ezekias, that pastours may be set againe in their places, and all the Tithes be brought into the storehouse to be deuided to them, that none of them want, as Nehemias prouided▪ and thou commaundest by thy prophet. So shall they by whom this noble worke is wrought, be Neh. 13▪ 14. remembred in it, & the kindnes, that they▪ shew on the house of god & the offices therof, shal not bee wiped out. So shall Mal. 3. 10. the windowes of heauen be opened to vs, and a blessing poured on vs without measure, a temporall and eternall blessing: for 1. Ti. [...] godlinesse hath promise of them both. So shal the deuourer be rebuked for our sakes: & Reu. 9. 3. the Locusts (the Iesuites & Seminarie-Priests) shall not destroy our fruite, neither shall our vine (our christian Esay. 5. [...] vine) be barrē. So shall wee bee called blessed by all nations: for we shalbe a pleasant land: a lande that shall flow with the word of God, Psal. 19. 10. more to be desired then gold, more sweet then hony. Finally, so shall Israel triumph ouer his enemies, and the thinges of Esau shalbe sought out, his secrete things shall be searched: [Page 36] that is, Christ shall raigne, and Antichrist shall bee confounded. Which GOD graunt for his mercie sake in Iesu Christ▪ through the operation of his holy spirite▪ to whom, three persons, and one God, bee all prayse, and honour, and glory, and power, for euer and euer.
Amen.