AS al the holy scripture is pro­fitable to teach trew & sounde doctrine to confute false and erronious doctrine, to instruct in good and godly life, and to reproue vngodly and wicked life, that the man of God may be profited & prepared to euery good worke as the Apostle saith. So righte honorable & dearely beloued in our Sauiour Christ, if I may make any comparisō betwene those diuine, & heauenly bookes, the booke of Psalmes is a most preci­ous pearle, & a most worthy worke contey­ning most sweete & comfortable doctrine for [Page] the soule and conscience of man. And therfore whosoeuer he was that did write y ^e first pre­face before the commentaries of s. Augustine vpo [...] the Psalmes, doth not vnworthely cal this boke Registrus totius sacra scripture &c

1. A register of all the holy scripture and a perfection of all diuinity. And s. Augustine himselfe in his owne preface saith that this booke of the Psalmes is Communis quidam thesaurus bonae doctrine aptesingulis necessa­ria Subministrans, that is a certayne com­mune treasure or scholehouse of good doc­trine, Caluine in his prea­face before y ^e Psalmes. ministring fitly to euery one those thinges which be necessarie for them. A cer­taine worthy writer of our age calleth this booke an Anatomie of the soule, for that ther is no affection, passion, nor motion, vnto the which the soule of man is subiect but he may see the same most liuely expressed in thys booke of the Psalmes. For whether wee be persecuted by open enemies, or molested by those that haue seemed to be our friendes, who haue gone vp into the temple with vs, Psal. 41 9 [...] [...]5.15, & haue taken sweete counsel together, or whe­ther we be greeued with sickenes, or troubled with the feeling of our synnes, or in what o­ther soeuer perplexity or distresse we be, we may sucke out of thys booke of the Psalmes [Page] most swéete and comfortable doctrine ether for the amendment of our lyues, or the com­fort of our consciences. And therefore S. Au­gustine saith very wel, that thys booke of the Psalmes is scutuma nocturuis terroribus, diurnorum requ [...]es laborum, tutela pueris, or­namentum adoiescentibus, Solamen Senibus, mulieribus aptissimus decor, that is to say, a shield against the terrors of the night, a rest for the labors of the [...]ay, a defence for childrē an ornament for yong men, I would to God y ^e yong men would seeke to stay their fraile and slippery youth with the diligent reading of thys booke. I would that old men would solace their wearysome old age with medi­tating on this booke. I would women would trym, and attyre themse [...]e not with gold & brodered heare, as the Apostle. saith but with the precious pearles, & iewels that are con­teined in thys booke. Surely S. Iereme in epitaphio Paule hath these words. Ne (que) emim licebat cuique Sororum ignorare Psalmos, & non de scripturis sanctis quotidie aliquid di­scere, That is to say, it was not lawful for a­ny of the sisters that were with Paula to be ignorant of the Psalmes, or not to learne euery day somewhat of the scriptures. A godly exercise for women. The same s. Ierome [Page] writing to a gentelwoman called Data, in­structing her how to bring vp her doughter writeth thus. Turpia verba non intelliga [...], cantica mundi ignoret adhuc tenera lingda psalmis dulcibus imbuator. That is, Let her not heare filthie talk, let her not learne wordly songes, but whilest her tounge is as yet tender let it be exercised in the swete psalms A godly education for children. Here by the way I must show you, how contrary y ^e iudgement of S. Ierome is to the opinion of the papistes S. Ierome woulde haue not onely men, but also women: not onely women but also children & yong girles to be exercised & trained vp in the scriptures. The Papistes haue k [...]pt the light of gods word vnder the busshell of a straunge tounge, haue taken a­way the key of knowledge and haue shut vp the kingdom of God before men, and neither wyl enter in themselues nor suffer others that would. But to returne againe to my purpose if this booke of the Psalms be so wor­thy a worke, ought not we worthely vse it? Yes verely. And how shall we worthely vse it? If we do reuerently vse it, if we study and meditate vpon it, if we breake the shell and get the kernall, that is, if we seeke the simple sence of the holy ghost, and applie the same [Page] vnto our selues, ether to amend our lyues, or to comfort our consciences, if we do thus vse it, we shall worthely and frutefully vse it. But I feare me we do for y ^e most part abus [...] it, we reade it, but we little regard it, we do but run ouer it, we tosse it from one syde to another lyke tennis balles with small com­fort to our selues, and lesse profit to others. Thus to vse gods holy word is not rightly to vse it, but rather to abuse it. For whoso­euer doth vse the word of God to any other ende, then to that to the which the spirit of God did indite if, and the holy prophets and Apostles did write it, do abuse it, and then shall render an accompt to God for it. I pray God for his mercy, that our hastye handling of his holy word, do not hasten his iust iudgement to depriue vs of it. But some man per­aduenture may heare say: What meane you to speake thus much vpon the Psalmes? Be­cause (dearely beloued) I purpose by the as­sistance of gods grace & holy spirit, to intreate on a psalme. for considering that that part of scripture which is apointed this d [...]yte be [...]ad for the Gospel hath bene of late very largely handeled in very puplike & solemne place by others, and that the other part of scripture is taken out of the reuelation, more meete to be [Page] handeled by a méeter man, and by one that hath more learning and leasure thē I haue for these considerations I say I haue omit­ted them and at this time present haue ta­ken my selfe to a Psalme.

THis Psalme may be deuided into foure partes whereof the first conteyneth a vow and promise of y ^e godly to praise the name of God, and to declare his wonder­full workes, for that his name is euer neare both to be are, & also to saue & deliuer them.

2. The second part conteyneth an answer in the person of almighty God, wherein is declared that God when he shal see a conue­nient tyme wyll iudge iustly, and although the earth withall the inhabitance thereof be far out of frame, yet he wyll stablish the pil­lers thereof, & bring al to good order againe.

3. The third part conteyneth an exhorta­tion to the folish and wicked, neither to trust [Page] [...]n their own power, and wisedome, nor to exalt themselues against God & his people: But rather to consider that al true prefer­ment commeth of God, and he exalteth some, and putteth downe other.

4. The fourth and last part conteineth partly a cōmination of Gods heauy iudge­mentes, which hang ouer the wicked, and partly a consolatiō of his mercies towards the godly. Vpon these foure points I pur­pose by Gods grace to intreat.

VVe wyl praise thee O God. This first part as I haue aboue touched conteyneth a promise of the people of God to praise the name of God, because he is euer neare to heare them, and hys power euer present, & his help euer at hand to saue & deliuer thē.

First we haue to consider whom we must prayse, and to whom we must pray. Euen the Lord our God. It is he onely who created & made vs, it is he onely who bestoweth all both spirituall graces, & temporall be­nifites vpon vs, therefore him onely must we prayse, and to him only pray. Prayer whereof prayse & thankes geuing is a part, is the cheefest exercise of a good christians saith, it is our spiritual seruice, it is the sa­crifice of their lips which confesse his name [Page] and therefore it is to be offered only to god. But there vpon I will not stand.

Secondly let vs consider of whom God must be praysed not generally of all men, but perticularly of some, not of the wicked and vngodly, but of those that feare God, and walke in his wayes, of those that loue him, & keepe his commaundements, of those that bee iustified by his grace, and sainti­fied by his spirite. God will not be praysed of a blasphemous mouth, nor of tunge that is geuen to swearing. God wil not be prai­sed of a dronkē head, nor a malicious mind, nor a couetous hart, nor a filthy defiled bo­dy. God will not be praised of those whose feete are ready to run to do mischife, and whose hands are ful of bloud. God saith by the prophets: When you shall stre [...]tch out your hands, I wil hide mine eies from you and though ye make many prayers, I wyl not heare you, for your handes be full of bloud. In the which place there is ment by bloud, not onely the external and outward sheding of bloud, but also al kind of cruelty, extremity, vsury, extortion and oppression of the pore. Therefore all they in whose houses is the spoile of the poore, that beate the people to powder, as Esay saith: and [Page] that pluck of their skinnes & chop in péeces [...]heir flesh, Mich. 33 as it were for the pot as Micha [...]aith: or that eate vp gods people as though [...]hey were bread, as Dauid sayth, Psal. i4. 4 cannot worthely and fruitefully prayse God. And [...]ere there such in Iudea, and is there no such in England? Yes to many. Al vsurers that byte, yea and vndo their poore brethe­ [...]in, be such, all raisers and rackers of rents be such, all turners of the poore out of their houses and liuings: be such, to conclude, all they y ^t vse any iniury or violence against the poore, be such. And if we put all these together, we shal sée that there be inough & to many such. There was neuer greater pride, neuer greater extorcion & oppression to maintain pride. I do know wher of late there hath bene villages wherein diuers families haue bene norished, & men main­teyned, able to serue both the prince and cuntry. And now all are wrung out, & tur­ned out, and all is annexed to the demayne of one man to mainteine an vnsatiable cormorant. Thefe that thus turne out y ^e poore, turne Gods fauorable face from them: they turne Gods frowning face and ireful countenance toward them. Wo be vnto them saith God by his prophet, that ioyne house [Page] to house, & lay field to field, tyll there be no place for the poore, that you may dwell by your selues in the midddest of the earth. This is in the eares of the Lord of hostes, so that many houses shalbe desolate, euen many & great without inhabitant, Surely if this be not amended, God hymselfe from heauen wyl reuenge it.

Pro. 21. i3.Salomon in the prouerbes saith: he that stoppeth his eares at the cry of the poore, he himselfe shall cry and not be heard. If those that be merciles, that shew no pity nor cō ­passion vpon the poore, that do not helpe & reliue them in their necessity, cannot frute fully praise God, much more they that op­presse and vndo the pore, can nether prayse nor please God.

Pro. 28.9.The same Salomon saith: He that tur­neth his eare from hearing the lawe of the Lord, his prayer is abominable. By the which wee may learne, that aswell they which be careles and negligent in hearing Gods word, as also those wilfull obstinate papistes whych wyll not once voutsafe to come [...]o the congregation and heare it, can not worthely prayse God. [...]

S. Iames exhorteth vs in these wordes: If any man lack wisdome, let him aske it [Page] of God, which geueth to all men liberally, and casteth no man in the téeth, and it shall [...]e giuen him. But let him aske in fayth & wauer not, for he that wauereth is lyke a waue of the sea, tost of the wind and caried away, nether let that man thynke that he shall receiue any thyng of the Lord. By the which we be taught, y ^t they in whose harts is the roote of infidelity who are destitute of faith by the which we apprehend the mercies of God in Christ, can nether praise nor please God, for by faith we are grafted into Christ, by faith wee be adopted to be the children of God, by faith Christ dwelleth in our harts, therefore without faith it is im­possible to please God. And whatsoeuer is not of faith is synne.

Finally all they that work wickednes & lyue dissolutely without feare of God, Caluine in his prea­face before y ^e psalmes. can­not worthely praise god. Dauid saith: if I regard wickednes in my hart, the Lorde wil not heare me. And Salomon saith, that the sacrifices of the wicked be abhominati­on vnto the Lord. Dauid also saith, that the prayer of the wicked is tourned into synne In the ninth of S. Iohn it is sayd: God hea­reth not synners. But some mā may heare say, whom then doth God heare? Are we [Page] not al synners, hath not God concludes all vnder syn: are we not all vnprofitable ser­uantes? Whom then shal God heare? I an­swer (Dearely beloued) that we be al sin­ners, and that there is not one that doth good, no not one: Yet notwithstanding ther are two sortes of synners. There be some that synne but they are sory for their syns, they haue contrite & broken harts for their synnes, they féele the burthen of their syns in their consciences, they trauell & be heuy laden with their synnes. These come vn­to Christ Iesus, & by him are refreshed and eased of their synnes. These beleue that almighty God for Christ Iesus sake wilbe merciful to their synnes, and forgiue them their iniquities, And thus by faith Christs obedience is made their obedience. Christs fulfilling of the law, is become their fulfil­ling of the lawe: Christes righteousnes is their righteousnes, and couereth all their vnrighteousnes. So that although they be vnrighteous synners in themselues, yet before God they be righteous for Christ Ie­sus sake I pray God we all may be in the number of this sort of synners. These syn­ners God loueth and heareth. The eies of the Lorde are ouer the righteous and hys [Page] eares be open vnto their prayers.

But there is another sort of synners, which commit syn without griefe of mind, [...]r compunctiō of hart, which delight in syn, [...]nd run forward in synne like the stoned [...]orse in the battel, & wallow in wickednes [...]yke the sow in the myre. They haue not [...]hys lyuely faith which is an assurance of Gods loue towardes vs in Christ Iesus, & [...] lyuely apprehension of Gods mercyes in Christ. These cannot prayse God, nay the [...]nger of almighty God hangeth ouer them [...]o route then: out. Let vs beware and take [...]éede that we be not in number of these syn [...]ers. These god heareth not, but hath as it [...]s in the Psalm. Odisti omnes qui operatur [...]niquit [...]tem, 1. Thou hatest al those y ^e work wickednes. But rather let vs rent our harts & not our garments, and turne to the Lord our God, who is gracious and merci­full, flow to anger and of great gooones. Here also I wyl show you that the papists [...]annot praise god, and yet they boast much of prayer, and say that praier is despised & neglected of vs. But I trust any man may easily perceyue partly by the earnest zeale of Godly men in praier, & partly by the ear­nest exhortacions of good men to prayse, & [Page] lastly by the Godly bookes, that we haue written or prayer that thys is no true re­porte, by them to deface gods touth, and to bring vs into hatred with the people.

In deede as our Sauiour Christ dispised the hipocritical praiers of the papistes, We condemne their vnfruitefull numbling in a straunge tounge, and their vngodly cal­ling vpon creatures which is not warran­ted but cōdemned, by the word of God. But as for true prayer which is a lifting vp of our soules, and a pouring forth of our harts before God, & an earnest inuocation of his holy name in the only name of hys deare sonne Christ Iesus our sauiour, we greatly cōmend, & earnestly exhort al men vnto it.

But howsoeuer the papists glory in their prayer, I wil proue vnto you by gods grace that they cannot frutefully praise God, for howe can they fruitefully prayse God who dishonor God, and spoyle Christ Iesus of hys glory. Christ Iesus was appointed & annointed of his father to be our king who onely should conquer and ouercome Sa­than, sinne, death and damnation, who on­ly shoulde rule hys vniuersall church with hys spirite and word, who onely should be the head of hys church, and gyue lyfe vnto [Page] the same being his body. But the papistes [...]aue robbed him hereof, for they haue deui­ [...]ed many other meanes [...]o ouercome sinne, [...] Satan, besides Christ. You heard of late [...]n this place, how that the papistes affirme [...]hat Christ died only for originall synne, [...]nd that for other synnes wee our selues must mak [...] satisfaction, you heard also how [...]hat Pigghius the papiste doth confidently [...]uouch that originall synne is not synne, [...]ut onely so called because it floweth and [...]ommeth from syn. So that of this doctrine [...] must needes folow that Christ died for [...]hat which is not in deede synne, but hath [...]nly the name and title of synne. They [...]aue commit the regiment of Christs vni­ [...]ersall church to one man, who hath bene [...]uer so vnable to [...]usteine so great a charge [...]hat hetherto he was neuer wel able right [...]y to rule that one city of Rome, nor his col­ [...]edge of Cardnals. Him they haue made [...]ead of the Church, in whom (as they say) [...]he vnity of the Church consi [...]teth, & vpon [...]hom the safety of the Church dependeth, [...]o that he which is not in thys Church, whereof the Pope is head, is out of Noes [...]rke, & out of peters ship, & cannot be [...]aued [...]ut must néedes be drowned. Thys is th [...] [Page] doctrine, by the which they depriue Christ Iesus as much as in them lieth of that function vnto the which his heuenly father t [...]o appoint him. Christ was annointed and ap­pointed to be our onely prophet and schole­maister, whom onely we shuld haue as his heauenly father did testify of hym saying. Hic est silius meus dilectus in quo mihi benae complacitum est, ipse andite. 1. This is my welbeloued sonne in whom I am wel plea­sed, heare him. He hath deliuered vnto vs his holy word and gospell which is able to saue our soules, and also to make the man of god perfect prepared to euery good work, this he hath sealed and confirmed with his bloud. Yet notwithstanding the papistes do affirme that all things needeful and neces­sary to our saluation, a [...] not conteined in the scriptures, but that we must receyue many traditio [...]s, which yet are but triffles and beleue many vnwritten verities. And thus in effect they take from hym the office of being our prophet to instruct vs. Christ Iesus was annoynted of God to be our hi [...] priest, where with the sacrifice of his body and bloud once offered hath payd the price and raunsome of our sinnes, who entred once into the holy place, and found eternal [Page] redemption, who with one sacryfyce once [...]ffered hath made perfyt al those that shal­be saued, Mich. 33 who died once the righteous for the vnrighteous, Psal. i4. 4 and bare our sinnes vpon the wood. But the Papistes haue brought in a fained & forged sacrifice of their owne deuise, auailable (as they saye) not onely for the synnes of thos [...] that are alyue, but also for them that are dead. Thys feyned sacrifice, as it hath no warrant at al in the word of God, so is it a great derogation to the death and passion of Christ coniured by the Pope: Peccatum [...]rangit vt Christi San­quis et augit It breaketh and greueth synne as wel as the bloud of Christ. For thus ful rudely or rather blasphemously dyd Pope Vrbane runne to Fre [...]erick the Emperor. They say that holy water is aueileable, ad salutem animae et corporis to the saluation of the soule and body. They haue taught vs to say and pray. Iesu bonae per Thoma merita nostra nobis demitte debita. i. Good Iesus for the merits of Thomas forgiue vs our debtes, that is to say our synnes. And againe. Tu per Thoma sanguinem &c which in a rude rime they thus translated make vs Christ to clime whether Thomas [Page] did ascend. Thus we may plainely perceiue that the papistes ascribe that which is only proper to the merites and bloud of Christ Iesus the sonne of God, to the merites and bloud of a man, I wyll not say what maner of man. I reade in an epistle lately written to the senate of Venice, that in that solemne Church of S. Marke in Venice ther be cun­ningly and costly graued the foure pictures of the foure Euangelistes, Pro. 21.13 and vnder euery one his peculiar verse. Vnder S. Mathew this: ablue concta reae mentis mala sancte Mathee: that is O S. Mathew wash away all the euils of a gilty minde: and vnder S. Iohn thys: Quo sine sine manes perduc nos virgo Iohannes, that is, O Virgine Iohn bring vs thither wher thou doest abide for euer. Pro. 28.9. If thys be not blasphemous against God the father & our sauiour Iesus christ, I know not what I shuld coūt or cal blasphemous. Christ was annointed to be our on­ly mediator betwixt God and man, as the Apostel saith. But they haue made many mediators wherof we may wel doubt whe­ther some be in heauē or not. And thus we may sufficiently sée that the Papistes al­though they professe Christ in worde, [...] yet they deny hym in déede. Wherefore vn­lesse [Page] we hate and abhorre this diuelish, dam [...]able doctrine which is repugnant to Gods [...]ord, and iniurous to Christs death we can [...]e ther truely please nor prayse God.

Now let vs consider how we must praise God: It is here sayd. VVe wyl praise thee O God, we wil praise thee, this repitition is [...]n effectual kind of speach, teaching vs, that we must praise God earnestly and not neg­ [...]ygently, zealously and not caresly, feruent­ [...]y not coldly. And herein we must tread in [...]he steppes and follow the example of our sauiour Christ, who in the dayes of his flesh (as the Apostel saith) did offer vp prayers & supplications, cum clamore valido et lachri­ [...]mis, with strong crying and teares, to him that was able to saue him. And howe we may thus effectualy pray, Caluine in his prea­face before y ^e psalmes, the Apostle teacheth vs saying, Spiritus interpellat pro nobis [...]gemitibus menarrabilibus. 1. The spirite of God maketh intercession for vs with gro­nings that cannot be expressed, the meaning whereof is as S. Augustine doth truely ex­pound it, that the spirite of God doth moue and stir vp our harts to pray vnto God with sighes & gronings which cannot be expres­sed. They therefore which are sealed wyth Gods holy spirit, and whom the sayd spirite [Page] doth moue to cry Abba father, they I say do pray vnto god with déepe sighes: gronings The Apostle in the 12 to the Romaines tea­cheth vs who be the true worshippers of God, Spiritu feruentes domino seruientes, being feruent in spirit, and fearing the Lord. Those be the true seruers and seruantes of God which be feruent in the spirit. But the world is nowe come to that pointe almost, that it is coūted in a maner worthy reprosse to be zealous and feruent in the spirit. For if a man calmely and temperately handle gods cause, then he is counted a wiseman, a sober man, and a discreate man. But if the zeale of Gods house haue eaten him vp & touch the quick, he hunger & thirst the re­formation of things that be amisse, then he is called rashe, foolish, vndiscreate, and I wot not what. But I besech God that all men, especially the ministers & preachers of Gods holy worde may be endewed wyth the two properties which are commended in Apollo to be feruent in the spirite, and mighty in the scriptures. Both these must be coupled together, and not seuered a sun­der in a minister, for nether knowledge is sufficient without zeale, nether zeale with­out knowledge, For S. Paule doth testifye [Page] of hys cuntrymen the Iewes, that they had zeale towards God, but not accordinge to [...]nowledge. And yet in my opiniō good zeale [...]ith small learning, is better then great [...]arning with small zeale.

Now let vs consider why we shuld praise God and declare his meruelous workes, it & heare declared in these wordes. For thy [...]ame is neare. The name of God, that is to God himself, his power and maiesty is said [...]s be neare. First because he is readye to [...]ere our prayers and peticions, Secondly [...]ecause his mighty power is euer present [...]o saue and deliuer vs. Of the first Dauid [...]aith: the Lord is neare do al that call vpon [...]im in truth. And god promiseth by the pro­phet Esaias to here his people euen before they cal vpon him. I haue good cause to con­fute the papists, who imagine God to stand a soufe and far of, and that therfore we must come vnto hym, as vnto a worldly king by the meanes of Sainctes, who in their opinion are nerer vnto vs then God. But dea [...]ly beloued be not deceiued there is no saint in heauen nor earth so nere vnto thee, as is al­mighty God, For as touching the saintes which be, are departed thys lyfe, whether they do heare our praiers or knowe our e­state [Page] it is to be doubted, surely S. Augustin in his booke de cura pro mortuis ad Pauli­num, seemeth to conclude, that as we here liuing do not know what is don in heauen, so that saintes in heauen know not what is done on the earth. And to thys purpose he alledgeth certayne places out of the holye scriptures, First out of the .63, chapter of E­saias the Prophet, Abraham nefciuitnos, Israel ignorauit nos. Abrahā hath not knowen vs, Israell hath not knowen vs, thou O Lord art our Father, and our redeemer, thy name is for euer. Here the Prophet doth not direct his prayer to Abraham nor to Ia­cob, but only to God, yea and he plainly professeth that Abraham & Iacob did not know their estate, and therefore he seeketh only to God. Another place Augustine aledgeth out of the Psalme, Pater et mater dereliquerunt me, dominus autem susepit me- My Father and my mother haue forsaken me, but the Lorde hath taken me vp. A thirde place he writeth out of the booke of Kinges where Hulda the prophetisse did shew king Iosia that he shuld be gathered to his Fathers, and buried in peace, that hys eyes myght not see the euil which God would bring vp on y ^e people. By these places. S. Augustine [Page] doth proue that the saincts departed do ne­uer heare our prayers, nor vnderstand our estate. But if I should graunt that they do heare our praiers (which yet cannot be pro­ued by the scriptures) yet doth it not follow that they be nearer vnto vs then God. Sa­lomon saith, Tu solus nouisti corda filiorum Israel: Thou only O lord knowest the harts of the sonnes of Israel. He onely search the [...]arts & reines, and therefore he is nearer vnto vs then all sainctes & creatures. But as touching thys matter of Inuocation I will say no more, only this I conclude, we haue in the scriptures the expresse cōmaun­dement of God to call vpon him. Call vpon me (saith God) in the day of thy trouble and I wil deliuer thee, and thou shalt glorify me. We haue many promises that our prayers shalbe accepted & graunted being offered to god in y ^e name of our sauiour Christ as may peare in the text last alledged. And in Ioel it is sand Que cunque in vocauerit. &c. who soeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shalbe saued. And our Sauiour Christ saith Whatsoeuer ye aske of the father in my name, be shal geue it you. We haue exam­ples of the holy patriarches, prophets, and Appostles which prayed to none other but [Page] onely to God. On the other part we haue not in al the scriptures any one commaun­dement to pray to any sainct, nor any pro­mise that our prayers ether made vnto thē or offered to God in their names, shalbe ac­cepted or graunted of God, nether haue we any one example of any one Godly patri­arch. Prophet, or Apostell that euer prayed to any other but only to God, and therefore ought we also to poure fourth our prayers only to God. And thys in my iudgement might sufficiently serue any man that will humbly submit himself to Gods truth, and not be froward & obstinat against the same.

Secondelye Gods name is saide to be neare, because hys power is euer presente to saue and deliuer his. But here it may bee obiected. Howe is Gods power euer presente, when the Godlye do greatelye complaine after this sort. Why standest thou a far of O Lord, and hidest thee in dew tyme, euen in affliction? And againe, how long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for euer? How long wilt thou hyde thy face from me Vsque quo domine? How long O Lord shal all the workers of wickednes triumphe. &c I answer that all though God be euer pre­sent to saue his, yet he doth not shewe the [Page] same, nether do they tast of it, vntil it séeme [...]ood vnto almighty God, Mich. 3 [...] and therefore it fo [...]oweth in the second part, VVhen I shall [...]ake a conuenient tyme I wyll iudge iustly. Psal. i4. 4 [...]o that we must paciently wayte on the [...]ord, and abide the Lords leasure. And whē [...]e shal take a conuenient time he wil iudge [...]ustly. This iust iudgement of God consist­ [...]n .ij. points partly in sauing and deliuering [...]is people which feare hym, and partly in [...]unishinge and plaginge his enemies: where by the waye I maye note that all ciuil iustice (which ought also to be confor­med to the iustice of God) consisteth lyke­wise in these two, pointes in defending the good, and punishing the euill. All common wealthes (saith the philosopher) must be ru­led with Praemio & paena, reward to the good, & punishment for the euil. And therfore wher the good and Godly be punished, or the wicked spared, there is neither iust iudge­ment nor good gouerment.

Here before I procede any further I must exhort al iudges and magistrates by the ex­ample of almighty God to iude iustly and seuerely to punish synne, and especially I must earnestly moue you seuerely & sharply to punish murther, and sheding of bloud. [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] For mens handes are so ticklish, and their feete so ready to runne to this mischiefe (as may appeare by these stirs & vprores lately raised which can scarsly be appeased (that vnlesse this enormity be seuerly punished no peace nor quietnes can be preserued. And yet I do not mind to kindle you to any fur­ther seuerity then God in his law hath commaunded. Pro. 21. 13 In the .ix. of Genesis we reade y ^t he which sheedeth mans bloud, by man shal his bloud be shed againe. This was before the law was giuen. In the lawe Exod. 21. it is thus sayd: he shall dye the death. In the .35. of Numeri God expressely cōmaundeth that whosoeuer killeth any person the iudg shal slay the murtherer through two witnes but one witnes shal not testifi against a persō to cause him to die. And it foloweth after ye shal take no recompense for the life of the murtherer, which is worthy to dye, but he shalbe put to death. Here al agréemēt with the parties is excluded & prohibited of God. And the reason hereof foloweth in these wordes: for bloud defileth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the bloud that is shed therein, but by the bloud of him that shed it. In the .19. of Deuteronomie God commaundeth thus: thy eye shall not spare [Page] him, but thou shalt put away the cry of inno [...]ent bloud from Israell that it may be well [...]ith thée. Thy eye shall not spare him saith God, thou shalt haue no pity nor compassiō [...]pon him, thou shalt not say. Oh he is a pro­ [...]er man, a tal fellow, able to do good seruice [...]o, thy eye shall not spare hym sayth God. Paule spared Agag, but God did reiect him. Achab spared Benadab. But God plagued him for it. Wher the mighty God saith kill, shall earth and ashes say spare? No, the ma­gistrate is appointed to execute Gods law, And not to dispence with it at his pleasure. The second thing that is to be considered is that we must put awaye the cry of inno­cent bloud, by the which we may learn, that bloud wrongfully shed crieth for vengeance As the bloud of Abell cryed vnto God from the ground, and wo be to that lande where God is as it were enforced to take y ^e sword into his owne hande, it is a terrible thyng saith the Apostle to fall into the handes of the liuing God. The third thing that there is to be noted is, that it may be well wyth thée, the which admonisheth, vs that it can­not be well with that people, where the shéeding of innocent bloud is not punished. God will not be pleased with the Isralites [Page] vntil the heades that is to say the princes & rulers of the people whoe had bene cau­sers of that fornicatyon & Idolatry committed w ^t the Moabits he hanged before the son God will not be pacified with the Isralits, vntil Athan be stoned. The storme wil not cease vntil Ionas who was the occasiō ther­of be throwne ouer bord. And so surely this realme, and chiefly thys City of Londō wil neuer be quiet vntill these Ionasses, these sheders of bloud be ether throne ouer bourd or tourned off the ladder. And yet my mea­ning is not, but that in some cases slaughter may be committed and the same by death be not reuenged. As if a man slea his neigh­bour and before dyd not hate hym, God in such cases prouided places of refuge, to the which the stear should flée, and ther [...]e saued from the auenger of bloud. And also if a mā be constrained and extremely vrged for the safety of his owne lyfe the magistrate may consider thereof. But my meaning is that this wilfulnes of whot heads, & lusty blouds is to be restrained and sharply punished. A crocked word & by and by his dagger on his head, a little ouerthward aunswer, and hys sword in his syde. This is not to be suffered [Page] in a Christian common wealth. But to come [...] my matter, generally I exhort al iudges [...]d magistrats to iudge iustly, not to turne [...]dgement into wormewood, neither by vn­ [...]st and wrongfull iudgement, neither by [...]elaying and deferring of iustice. And also [...] beware that neither bribery do blind thē or respect of persons do moue them to iudg [...]niustly. Iustice must haue but and eye [...]nd not twoo, not to looke on the cause [...]ith the one, and on the purse with the o­ [...]er, not on the matter with the one, and [...]pon the partie with the other, No, Iustice [...]ust haue but one eye, which directly must [...]poke vpon the cause. Iudge therefore [...]stly, for as you iudge so shall you be [...]udged, and with what measure you meate [...]o other, with the same shall it be measured [...]o you againe. This can the poet Phocilli­ [...]es (whom I had like to haue called a pro­ [...]hane Poet, but in deede hee was a deuine Poet) teache vs in these verses: reiect not [...]he poore, iudge no man vniustly, for if thou [...]udge wrongfullye, God shall afterwarde [...]udge thee, And thus much by the way tou­ching the iudgement of man. Now to come againe to my text: when I take a conueniēt tyme (saith God) I will iudge iustly. Thys [Page] iust iudgement of God I haue before touch­ed consisteth in these two things in sauing and deliuering his people, and plaging hys enemies. And when is it a conuenient time for God to iudge thée iustly. Surely it is a conuenient time for God to iudge iustly in punishing of the wicked when their synnes are growen to a ripenes and fulnes, when no admonition will amend them, when no correction will reclayme them, then I say it is a conuenient tyme for God to poure downe his heauy iudgements vpon them, When the wickednes of man was waxen great vpon the earth and all flesh had defi­led their wayes, and God had appointed thē a space office score yeares to repent in, and called them by the mouth of Noah to repentance & had caused the Arke to be made in signe of their destruction, when nothing I say could amend them, but they neglected gods calling, dispise [...] his preacher and con­tinewed in their wickednes, then was it a conuenient tyme for god to execute hys iust [...]ogementes against them. So lyke­wise when the crye of the synnes of Sodom had ascended vp vnto heauen, and they would not be warned by righteous Lot, bu [...] rather vexed him with their vncleane con­versation, [Page] then was it a conuenient tyme, for [...]od terrybly to destroy them, with fyre and [...]rimstone from heauen. So likewise the Iewes, when God of his great mercy had [...]ysen vp early (as y ^e scripture tearmeth it) [...]nd had sent al his seruaunts the prophets [...]nto them, had cryed vnto them, but they would not heare him, had called vnto them but they would not answer him, but walked [...]n the stubbernnes of their own hearts; and mocked Gods messengers, misused his pro­phets, and dispised his wordes. Then when there was no remedy, it was a conuenient tyme for the wrath of the Lord to arise a­gainst them, who brought the Caldeans vpon them, by whom their cuntrey was spoiled, their Cities subuerted, their temple wherein they so glorified was raised, their people destroyed, and the rest caryed into miserable captiuity. The like may be sayd of the Iewes afterward, for when neither the diuine doctrine which our Sauiour Christ taught, nor the wonderfull workes which he had wrought among them, could moue thē to acknowledge and embrace him for their only Messias & Sauiour, but they would crucify the Lord of glory, & persecute his Apostols, thē was it a conuenient tyme [Page] for God to bring the Romanes vpon thē, by whom they were miserably and terribly destroyed. Let vs dearely beloued be admo­nished by these examples to take heede that we walke not in the like stubbernnes, and commit not the like wickednes as they did, for surely if we do, we shall drink of y ^e same cup as they did But when I consider our great vnthankfulnes towardes God, our great wickednes against God, our backsly­ding and backstarting from God. I stand in horror and terror of these heauy iudgemēts which I feare me hang ouer vs. God for his mercy turne them away from vs, and the onely way for vs to auoid them, is to turne by true & vnfeyned repentance to the Lord our God, who is gracious & mercifull, slow to anger and of great goodnes. Thus you haue heard when it is a conuenient tyme for God to plauge his enemies: Now let vs consider when it is a conuenient tyme for God to iudge iustly in sauing and deli­uering his people. When god hath suffici­ently corrected his people for their synnes, hath tried their fayth, and proued their pa­cience, and when al power of man, and all help of fleshe and bloud faileth, then is it a conuenient tyme for almighty god, to put [Page] to his hand, and to deliuer them from their miseries. When God had punished the Is­ [...]alites in Egipt, where they were greuous [...]y oppressed, Exo. 2.24 Exod. 3.9 10. and there was no meanes for man to deliuer them, then God hearde their [...]rye, considered their sorrowes and sent Moses vnto them, and deliuered them with [...] mighty hand, and an outstretched arme. And after that they were come out of Egipt and the Egiptians did pursue thē, the red sea being before them, and the Egiptians [...]ehind them, and no way in mans iudge­ment to escape, then was it a conuenient tyme for God to stretth foorth his mighty hand, Exe. 14.16 and to make a passage for his people [...]hrough the red sea, [...] to ouer whelme his e­nemies in the same. So likewise when god had plaged the Iewes (as [...] haue before touched) with the captiuity of [...]abylon, at the last when the .70. yeares were e [...]pired, and no hope of deliuerance in the sight of man, then God remembring his promise which he had sworne vnto Abrahā [...]n [...] hys word which he had reueled vnto [...]ere [...] r [...]moued the hart of king Ci [...]s to send home his people to repaire the [...] City, and to build hys temple. So, to applye this doctrine vnto our selues, when Go [...] for our iniquities had of [Page] late b [...]ought vs into the captiuity of Egipt and babilon, and the wild bore of Rome had rooted vp the Lordes vyneard, when for the light of the Gospel, we had the light of can­dels, for the holy bible, bables and banners, for Gods word, mans triffling traditions, for preaching, massing, and for our free ius­tification by the mere mercie and grace of God in Christ Iesus through faith, mans merites and righteousnes established. Yea when not only a forrein prince and proud people were brought in, vnto whom wee were like to haue bene made thral, and thu [...] when there was no expectation of any de­liuerance from these great miseries, Psal. 14.4 then was it a conuenient tyme for God séeing y ^e oppression of the [...]dy, and hearing the sighes of the poor [...] to aryse and set them at liberty whom the wicked had thralled. Then God did [...] vs from aboue and did send vs a gracious prince, flesh of our flesh, & bone of our bones, by whom he hath restored vnto vs the comfort of his worde, destu [...]ed vs from this foreyne oppresion & slauery & translated vs out of darknes into hys maruelous [...]ight. I wold to God that we would continually remember these great mer­cies, which God hath stewed vs herein. O [Page] that we would say with Dauid. What that [...] render vnto the Lord for all his benefites [...]wards vs? We will take the cup of sal­ [...]ation, and prayse the name of the Lorde. [...]et duety one of vs lay. My soule prayse [...] the Lord, & al that is within me praise [...]ys holy name, my soule praise thou the [...]ord, and forget not all his benefites. Let [...]s beware that we prouoke not God by our [...]nthankfulnes and wickednes to depriue [...]s of all these great benefites. For surely [...] God of his mercy hath restored vnto vs [...] holy word, so of hys iustice he may take [...] same from vs.

Here [...]e may further learne that as God [...]i [...] all things in conuenient time, so ought [...] also d [...] all thinges in conuenient tyme. [...]ho worldely wise men, much obiect thys [...]onuenient tyme chiefely against the reformation of religion and the house of God. O say they it to not yet conuenient tyme, thy [...]yme wyll not suffer it, the tyme will not beare it, you must tary the tyme? In deede [...] [...]dued [...]s it is very m [...]te althings [...] [...]ne in conuenient tyme, so ought we [...] the other s [...]e to take heede that we omit [...] conueniēt time to do good in the church [...] of God when it is offered. How dangerous [Page] a thing it is in al kind of maters to let passe oportunity and conuenient tyme, any man may easely perceiue. If the Generall omit oportunity of tyme to charge his enemies, when it is offered, he may loose the victory as we read of sundry others, as namely of Iohn Frederick the Duke of Saxonie, and the Lantgraue against Charles the fift [...] the Mariner take not conuenient tyme of wynd and wether, when he may haue it, he may lose his passage: if the Merchant slyp conuenient tyme of making his bargaine, he may forgo his gaines. Therefore the prophet doth admonish vs to take oportun [...] ­ty of time: Querite domin [...]m dum prope [...]st. Seeke the lord whilest he is neare, which teacheth vs that if wee doo not séeke the Lord whilest we haue oportunity when we our selues wold we shal not find him Christ our Sauiour tooke this tyme, I must work (saith he) the workes of hym that sent me, while it is day. To this also S. Paule doth exhort vs, Dum tempus habemus operemu [...] bonum, while we haue time let vs [...]o good, I feare me we haue omitted this conuenient tyme. When God at the first dyd rest o [...] vnto vs the comfort of his gospel, then was it a conuenient tyme to haue made a [...]ight [Page] reformation of religion. But our eye was [...]ot then single, nor our doings simple, then [...]e drew not out of the booke of God a right [...]at, neither laid we a sure foundation of [...]ght reformation, we did not then vtterly [...]bolished all superstitious vanities, Mich. [...] which [...]ow by Gods iust iudgemēt are prickes in [...]r eies: and thornes in our sides. But here peraduenture some men may say all things be wel and in good order, we ought to praise the name of God for this we haue, and be thankfull vnto the prince. In deede as I doubt not, but all that feare God earnestly prayse the name of the Lorde for these hys mercies that god may finish that good work which he hath begon by her maiesty. So yet we must needes confesse that al things be not well and in right order. For I thynke that there is no wise or learned man will hold that popish opinion, that the church is, sine macula et ruga, without spot or wrincle or that nothing can be bettered or amended But if any should so say, I would say, that he wer ether wilfully blind and would not see, or starke blind, and could not see. And ere I wyll touch some abuses which re­maine in the Church, not as God who seeth the secrete of mens harts knoweth to maintaine [Page] any contention which I vtterly ha [...]e and abhorre in my soule, but onely to moue vs to seeke some earnest reformation. It is a misorder that popish priestes who haue be witched the world, haue burnt incense to the idoles of the house of Israell, who haue led the people to worship straunge gods, & haue caused them to commit fornication with stocks and stones, shold by the vertue of their idolatrous orders remayne mini­sters in the Church of God. No man saith the Apostle taketh this honor vnto himself, vnlesse he be called of God as was Aaron, but these popish priestes were neuer called of God as was Aaron, for they were called to sacrifice for the quicke and the deade, which calling is not of God, for that they haue not the warrant of gods worde for it, therefore I conclude they ought not to take this honor vnto them. That zealous King Iosiah in hys zealous reformation did put down the Chemerims, that is to say those black priests which had burnt incense in the high places, and would not suffer thē to come vp to the Alter of the lorde which was in Ierusalem. Euen so I say that these popish priestes ought not to come vp to the Alter of the Lorde which is in Ierusalem, [Page] they ought not to remaine ministers in th [...] [...]hurch of God. These be those dragons of whom you heard lately in this place which [...]uerthrow in the night all that was built [...]n the day. Yea these w ^t their priuy presuasi [...]ns & secret suggestiō wil ouerthrow more [...]n one day or night, then a Godly learned [...]reacher is able to build vp in many daies. Yea these wil so mumble and tumble vp the [...]eruice (as they call it) that the poore people [...]hall get small edification or comfort by it, [...]nd therein they haue their hartes desyre. [...]nd I will adde hereto this reason. The [...]apistes will not admit our ministers to [...]ay masse, vnles they be shauen, greased, and [...]rdeyned againe. And why should we then [...]dmit their priestes to serue in the church [...]f God? hath not God commaunded vs to do vnto the great whore of Babilon as she hath done vnto vs. But here I may rightly make that complaint which Tertullian in hys daies made: O me [...]ior fides natio [...]um in suam sectum, quae multam solemnitatem Christianorum sibi vendicat, non dominicum [...]em, non pentecosten etiamsi nossent nobis­cum non communicassent, timerent enim Christian viderentur. Nos ne Ethnici pronū ­ciemur non veremur: that is to say: O better [Page] faith of the natiōs or gentils towards their sect, who wil take to them selues no solem­nity of the Christians, not the sunday, not whitsuntide, neither wil they cōmunicate with vs in any other thing that they know for they would feare least they should seeme to be Christians, but we fere not to be counted or named to be Ethnikes. Euē so many A say, O noble papists, O better faith of the Papistes towards their sect, who wil none of our ministers, none of our seruice, none of our orders, no, not so much as a text of scripture painted on a wall, but it should be wa­shed out and defaced. But O séely Christi­ans, O poore protestants, who must be faine to receyue their Priestes, to be ouerruled with their Cannon law, to take their Ceremonies, which now (as I haue sayde) are prickes in our eies, and thornes in our sides I am perswaded in my conscience that the word of God would better fructifye amonge vs, and we should enioye more quietnes, if we did receyue as little from them, as they do of vs. And I besech God if it be hys holy will it may be so. But some man may here say, do you not know that many good men haue beene deceiued, wil you haue none such receiued? Yes dearely beloued my meaning [Page] is not, but that Godly & meete men, hauing [...]nounced their popish orders and satisfyed [...] church of God, may be receiued and ad­ [...]itted to serue in the church of God, Exo. 2.24 Exod. 3.9 10. but I [...]i [...]ffly speake of those blind guides, and e­ [...]mies to gods truth which are not to be [...]rmitted to remaine for the ministrati­ [...] of the word and sacraments.

What should I heare complaine of the [...]nd ignorant and vnmeete ministers that [...]e admitted. I might say much herein, but I [...]yst not nowe speake of that whereof I [...]nnot think without great greffe. This on [...] I say, Exe. 14. [...]6 that this is a great offence to many [...]d a great sclaunder to the worde of God. [...]o graunt it may be redressed. Here I may [...]mplaine of the great lack of doctrine, and [...] the preaching of Gods word vniuersally [...] [...]od [...] in the country. London hath great [...]ause to praise god, for that his word is here [...] plentyfully preached. And if London do [...]ot thankfully receiue it, and truely folow [...]t, it shalbe easyer for Sodom and Gomor­ [...]ah in the day of iudgement then for thys Citye. But surely when I come out of the [...]untry hether to the City, methink I come [...]nto another world, euen out of darknes in­ [...]o light. For here the word of God is plen­tifully [Page] preached I pray God it may be as plē tifully folowed. In the country their won­derful great want thereof, that a man may go a great way, and cannot heare the word of the Lorde preached. Here be many good mē endued with many good gifts of know­ledge, zeale, and godly life, able to do much good in the church of God. I besech God for his crucifyed Christs sake that they may be well fauoured, cherished, & maintained. In the country be fewe labourers, Loyterors inow. Here in London as I am perswaded is much good ground many which receyue the word of God with a good & honest hart, and bringe forth fruites, some thirtyfolde, some sixtifolde, Psal. i4.4 and some an hundrethfolde. In the cuntry for want of tylling & oft plowing (for without o [...]t plowing, and much la­bour barren ground will not bring fourth fruit) there springeth fourth brambles, bry­ars and wéedes. But here is a misery to be considered, although there is great lack of profitable pastors and faithfull labourers in the Church. I meane in those cuntries that I haue bene in, and I think other contryes be not farre vnlyke, yet notwithstanding there be mo, then be placed in any charge, or preferred to any calling. I know myself [Page] good and godly men, learned men of long [...]ontinuance in the vniuersity and able to do [...]uch good in the Church of God, and yet [...]ot called in any charge, or placed ouer any [...]ock. Yea some haue told me, that they haue [...]ene offered many benefices (as they be cal [...]ed) and yet they could not haue taken one [...]nlesse they had taken part with Iudas Is­ [...]ariote, or with Simon Magus. But what [...]eane you by that will some man say? For [...]uth ether they must haue said with Iudas [...]hat will you giue me? will you giue me [...]enty markes or poundes, and take you [...]he rest, and so I shall not be able to conti­ [...] on the chardge, but I wyll betray all [...]his people to the diuell and to you, or els [...]hey must haue sayde with Simon Magus [...]hat shall I giue you for your benefyce. I [...]il giue you such a dish of Apples as Mai­ [...]ter Latimar speaketh of, or I wil giue you [...]x. or. xl. l. a yeare out of it I will giue you so much that I shall not be able to giue a poore body a peece of bread. But I will here admonish these patrons that for as much a [...] to them it perteineth to place faithfull pa­stors ouer Christes congregations, which can and will féede them with knowledge, and direct them by example of godly life, if [Page] they loking vpon their owne commodities do not prouide such men, but place blinde guides, dum dogges, and lewd hyrelinges, the people for want of instruction shal perish (for where prophecy that is the preaching of Gods word faileth, ther the people perish faith Salomon) but ther bloud shalbe requi­red at these patrons or rather latrōs, hands. Let them trust vnto it, and looke for it. But here is another abuse which is partly an oc­casion of the other. Not only papistes but also professers yea and preachers of Gods word do ioyne many liuinges together and place vnder them careles Curatos, doing little or no good themselues to diuers of thē. Patrons see this and gather hereof that they may as well enioy the benefice as other ec­clesiasticall men which come neuer or sel­dome to their charge. I cannot tell what to say hereto, but that both is nought, and that the patrone which doth not prouide a good man for his charge, and that minister which doth not carefully looke to his charge; and diligently feed his slock these both euen the patron and the pastor shall perish, and the peoples bloud shalbe required at their hands I am sory euen in my hart that professors & preachers of the Gospell should so far ouer­reach [Page] themselues in this behalfe, that they [...]ust be reformed and restrained by lawe. I [...]ray God that the state of the Church of [...]ngland may be brought to that order that [...]her may be to one flock one sheperd, to one [...]hurch on Minister, and that all faculties, Mich. 3 [...] [...]luralities, residences, and such other abho­ [...]inacions may return to Rome frō whence [...]hey came. I may here lykewise complaine [...]w that the liuinges appointed to maine­ [...]ine the Ministery are made vniuersally [...]ayes and spoiles for al sorts of men. They [...]aineteyne [...]oyes in the vniuersity, gentel­ [...]en in the Innes of courte, gentelmen and [...]awyers in the cuntrey, and are commonly [...]ade rewardes for seruing men. Thus the [...]ople pay their deuties to thys ende that [...]ey may haue a learned man amongst thē [...] teach & comfort them, & the same be vngod [...] conueied to other vses, the people being as [...]attered sheepe without a shepheard. This is [...]mētable to see so many gatherers of t [...]eth, & [...] few preachers of y ^e word, this had neede to [...]e reformed, for vntolerable abuse is herein. [...] may here cōplaine of great want of Ecle­ [...]asticall discipline and punishment of synne. [...] heare great complaint here of abrode [...]the [...]ountry that there is ether no punishmente [Page] for synne, or at the least very lyttle. Which whether it be throughe the slacknes of the lawe which doth ouer rule vs, or by the cor­ruption of them that haue the execution of the law in their handes I will not now say but this I may to truely saye that there is great lack of seuere discipline. As for excō ­munication it is more vsed for mony mat­ters, then for correction of sinne, These and sundry such other abuses and enormities be the thinges which greeue good men, and cause them both to praye and to preach for the reformation of them. It is not a cappe, tippet, or surples only, which are but small matters, and the smallest of many matters. which are to be reformed in the Church of England. And yet my mea­ning is not that smal accōpt shuld be made of these things For hereof I am wel assured that how small soeuer they seeme, they do no smal hurt in the church of God, for to clogge mens consciences, to hinder the course of the go [...]pell, to breede contentions amonge bre­theren is no small hurt. S [...]al thinges may do much hurte, a graine of a grape is but a smal thinge, and yet it killed Anacreon the Poet, a haire is but a very smal thinge, and yet it choked on Fabius a senator of Rome [Page] a flee is but a small thing, and yet it straug [...]ed a proude Pope, yea the proudest I think [...]hat euer was Adrian the .iiij. a contry man [...]f our owne, a smal mote may hurt the eye, [...] smal thing may trouble a good consience, [...] smal deale of Leauē wil Leauen a whole [...]mp, to eate meate is but a smal thing, yet [...]a mā eate it with a douting & repining cō ­ [...]ience he is condēned because he enteth not [...]f faith. It is a smal thing to say Aue to a mā [...]et S. Iohn saith that he which saith Aue, [...]hat is God speede to him that bringeth not [...]is doctrine, is partaker of hys euill deedes. [...]hrist sayth that he which is faithfull in a [...]tle, wilbe faithful in much, and he that is [...] faythfull in a little wilbe vnfaithfull in [...]uch. So also the poet sayth: Vnle [...]se thou [...]ke heede to small thinges, thou shalt loose [...]reat thinges. Wherefore I woulde make [...]umble sute and supplication vnto those [...]hom I loue, reuerence, and honour, that [...]ood mens consciences in thys case myght [...]ot be enforced, but perswaded. Surely it [...] a token of Gods anger & wrath, when the [...]outhes of his seruauntes the prophetes be [...]opped. It is conuenient tyme that these [...]hinges were redressed. Let vs not saye as [...]he Iewes [...]id, who after they wer returned [Page] from captiuity said as appeareth by the pro­phet Aggeus, the tyme is not yet come, that the Lordes house shuld be builded, but God by his prophet sayde vnto them, is it tyme for your selues to dwel in your sealed hou­ses, and this house lye wast? Euen so may I now saye, is it tyme for you to lye in your faire houses, to seeke your own commodites and follow your owne pleasures, and not to seeke reformation of religion and the house of God? Let vs not defer and put of the time Salomon saith: he that obserueth the mynd shall not sow, and he y ^e regardeth the clouds shall not mow, for either the wind is in the north & then it is to colde, or els in the south and then it is whot, or els in the East, and then it to dry, or els in the west, and then it is to wel, and so a mā shal neuer sow. This teacheth vs that we must not stand to mu [...]h looking to the time, and putting of the time, but we must earnestly & zealously go about gods cause, and God shal blesse our trauaile & giue good successe vnto the same. Thus you haue heard how the church is dissolued and disordered Let vs pray vnto God to e­stablish the Pillers of it. Our gracious So­ueraigne the Queenes Maiesty is the prin­cipall [Page] piller of this church of England vn­der Christ. It standeth vs greately vpon earnestly to pray vnto God long to establish this piller amongst vs. Exo. 2.2 [...] Exod. 3.10. For if the strong Sampson the mighty God, shoulde for our syns lay hys hand vpon this piller and pull it down, O Lorde what ruine were lyke to folow. I sée nothing but destruction lyke to fall vpon vs, as did vpon the wicked Phili­stians. All those pastors who are either in chefest place, or endued with greatest giftes are called in y ^e scriptures pillers, so Iames, Cephas, and Iohn, who were counted to be the pillers gaue vnto Paule and Barnabas their right hands of society & fellowship. Exe. 14. i [...] Let [...]s likewise pray vnto God for these pillers that they may all ioyne their harts & hands of felowship together, to fight manfully to­gether to ouerthrow the kingdome of Anti­christ and darknes, and to establish the king­dome of Christ among vs. The Church of God is called the piller of truth we ought lykewyse to poure out our prayers before God, that thys piller may stand stedfast a­mong vs. And here if I dyd loue digressions & discourses from my matter. I in got aun­swer the papistes who bragge much of this place, & cry mightely out saying, the church [Page] is the piller of truth, we be the church ther­fore, we be the piller of truth, but this reason I will returne vpon them. The Church is the piller of truth, now if they can proue that they be the pillers, vpholders & main­teners of truth, then must we, and wyll we graunt them to be the Church. But if they be the pilers of damnable doctrine contrary to Gods holy word, howsoeuer they braggs themselues to be the Church of Christ, they be in déede the Sinagoge of Satan. In the Arke of the Couenant wer three things, the tables of the testament, the pot of Mann [...], & the rod of Aaron, which be .iij. certain signes of the visible Church of Christ. Whereby we may learne, that where the worde of God is truely, preached the sacramentes according to Christes institution ministred, and Ecclesiastical discipline dewly executed, there is the church of Christ. Now if the papists can proue, that in there Church true doctrine grounded vpon Gods word hath bene prea­ched, that the sacraments haue bene vsed & ministred according to Christs institution, and that discipline hath bene rightly execu­ted, then will we recant and reuoke what­soeuer wee haue mainetained or preached, then will we ioyne handes with them. But [Page] thys they can neuer be able to proue, & ther­ [...]e they can neuer proue thēselues to be y ^e [...]e church of God, which is y ^e piller of truth. But to leaue thys, now I wyl come to the [...]ird part of my matter, which conteyneth I haue before touched an exhortation of [...]e Prophet vnto the wicked, to cease from [...]eir folly and wickednes, not to trust to [...]uch to their own wisdome and power, not [...] exalte themselues against God and hys [...]eople, but rather to remember that all true [...]eferment commeth from God, and he exal [...] some and putteth downe other, I sayde [...]o the foolish be not so foolish. &c. First [...] vs consider whom the prophet calleth [...]sh, not those whom we call Morians, [...]tural fooles, but the wicked and vngodly, [...]ho how subtil and crafty soeuer they séeme [...]to man, yet vnto God be very fooles. And [...]erfore whom the prophet in the first part [...]f the verse calleth fooles, in the other part [...]e calleth wicked, I sayd vnto the wicked, [...]t not vp your horne on hye. So likewise [...] another place. The foolish shal not stande [...]efore thy eyes, thou hatest all those that [...]orke iniquity. Whom in the first part the Prophet calleth fooles, in the second he cal­ [...]eth workers of iniquity. Such fooles be [Page] those of whom Dauid speaketh: Dixit in sa [...]iens in corde suo, non est deus: The foole hath sayd in his hart, their is no God. Those that professe in their words to know God, and in their workes deny him, being abhominable; disobedient, and vnto euery good worke re­probate are such fooles. God saith by the pro­phet Hieremy: [...]tultus est populus mens, me non cognouit. &c. My people is foolish, they haue not knowen me, they are foolish chil­dren and haue no vnderstanding, they are wise to do euill, but to do wel they haue no knowledge. Those that haue wit to worke mischefe, and none to do that which is righ­teous are such fooles. They that haue not the true knowledge of God by his worde are al together foolish, The beginning of wisdome is the feare of God, without the feare of God there is no true wisdome. Re [...]ecerunt verbū deum. &c They haue reiected the word of the Lord and what wisdome remaineth in them: That which is not grounded vpon the word of God is mere foolishnes. And here I would admonish all men, and especially rulers and magistrates to beware of carnall councels, & worldly policies, which be not builded vpon God and his worde. They which although they seme plausible to the flesh, because they [Page] vs the fruites of the flesh and procéede from mans braine, yet are they not acceptable [...]ut rather detestable before God. And in his iustice doth often confound them, and turne vpon them vpon the heades of those that were the Autors of them. Mich. 3 [...] He catcheth the wise in their own craftines. Iosephes Bre­ [...]heren hearing that he had dreamed that his [...]ather and they shuld yeld reuerence to him, they tooke crafty councell together to disap­point this matter, and solde him into Egipt. But thys which they thought shoulde haue [...]ene a meane to haue auoided this their sub [...]ection to Ioseph, God made it a meane to bring the same to passe. Ieroboam after [...]hat the ten tribes were fallen from Robo­ [...]m & had made him their kinge, he thought with himselfe, that if the people did go vp [...]till to do sacrifice in the house of Hierusa­lem, then their harts would turne againe to Roboam and so forsake him, he tooke a sub­til and politike counsel to make .ij. Calues, and placed them in Dan and Bethel & sayd these are thy Gods O Israel which brought thee out of the lande of Egipt, and they lyke Calues went vp & worshipped these calues This counsell redounded to the destruction of [...]eroboam and his posterity, and at the [Page] last of the whole realme and estate. The Iewes thinking that if he shold suffer Christ our sauiour to procéede as he had began, the Romaines wold come and take away their place and nation, they thought it good coun­sel, they procured gods anger and indigna­tion against them, who for y ^e same brought the Romaines vpon them which miserably destroyed thē. This we see the saying of the poet true. Euell counsell is worst to him that giueth it. Let all men therefore learne to direct their counsels to the glory of God, and to build them vpon Gods worde, and then though the raine fal, the sloudes come downe, and the wynnds blow, yet they shal stand because they be built vpon the rock: but if they build them vpon the vncertaine and v [...]suce sandes of their own braines, a little blast of wind wyl easely ouerthrow them, for ther is no wisdom, vnderstanding nor counsale against the Lord. Submit therfore your wisdom to the wisedome of God? Euen man (saith the Prophet) is a least of hys own knowledge the which may moue vs not to trust to much to our own wisdom and counsaile, but rather to take counsa [...]e at the mouth of Go [...], & to say with Dauid, thy testimonies are my delight and my coū ­sailers, [Page] these counsellers will neither lye, [...]atter, nor dissemble, God graunt that wee may be counsailed by them. Christ our saui­ [...]ur said to the rich man that went about to [...]nlarge his barnes, and sayde to his soule, [...]oule thou hast much goods laid vp in store [...]r many yeares, take thine ease, eate drink [...]nd take thy pastime. Thou foole this night [...]al thy soule be taken from thee. Those [...]at be careful for this scaile and vncertaine [...]fe and careles for the life eternal, are very [...]ples. It is true wisdome first to séeke the [...]ngdome of God, and all other things shal [...] giuen vnto vs. The virgines which had [...]t oyle in their lampes a [...] y ^e cōming of the [...]dgrom, but wold seke for some of others, [...]e called foolish virgines and were shut out This oyle I take to be the righteousnes and [...]eedes of others. Iustus ex fide sua viuet, the [...]ighteous shall liue by his owne faith. We [...]ust all stand before the t [...]unall seat of Christ to receyue euery man according to [...]hat he hath done in his own body, whether [...]f be good or euill. Salomon saith stulti de­ [...]ident peccatum, the foolish laugh at synne. Those therefore that laugh at synne when [...]hey be admonished or reproued are fooles, and if God do not giue them repentaunce, [Page] they shalbe ther where ther is no laughing but weeping and gnasshing of téeth. And he that sitteth in the heauens shall laugh them to scorne, the Lord shall haue them in deri­sion. The Prophet saith: they altogether dote and are become foolish, for the flocke is the doctrine of vanity. All Papistes which not only worship images, but also make thē doctors and teachers of the lay people, are cōuinced by this place to dote and to be foo­lish, & the prophet Abacuc saith, they be tea­chers of lyes. A foolish thing it is for a man endewed with wit, reason, and the senses, to fal down before a dum stock or block which hath no reason, nor vnderstanding, which hath eyes and seeeth not, eares and heareth not, nose & smelleth not &c, But these fooles with their folly I will let go, only I exhort thē not to do so foolishly, but rather to seeke for true wisdome which is ioyned with the feare of God. Let not y ^e wicked lyft vp their horn, I might here show you how the Pope hath lifted vp his horne. He will needes be Christs Vikar vpon the earth, Peters suc­cessor, head of the vniuersall Church, and byshop of the whole world, is not this to lift vp his head very hye? Yea he wilbe Domi­nus deus noster Papa, our God the Pope, he [Page] wyll haue power in heauen, earth, and pur­gatory, he will forgiue sinne, and make Saintes, and is not this to lift vp his horne very hye? Is not this to exalt himself aboue all that is called God? He hath made Empe­rors and kinges to kisse his féete, and holde his styrrop, to waite at the gates of a cyty. [...]j. or iij. dayes in frost and snow barefooted, he hath troden in their neckes, he hath deposed them from their crownes & kingdomes, and hath absolued their subiectes from their obedience and loyalty, Exe. 14. [...] and is not thys to [...]ift vp his horne very hye? Thys Romish [...]ul hath of late lifted vp his horne against [...]ur gracious Soueraigne, against thys our [...]ountry, and the estate thereof. But Gods [...]ame be praised, this Buls hornes are now sawed, he cannot goare vs, this Boores tus­shes are now cut, he cannot ra [...]s vs: And if we will vtterly flye and forsake hym & all his damnable doctrine, and depend wholly vpon God, he shal neuer be able to goare vs or hurt vs, God hath here promised in thys Psalme that the hornes of the wicked shal be exalted. And let the Pope looke for thys y ^t for as much as he hath thus exalted him­selfe, God wil put him down. And although this great whore say that she fitteth lyke a [Page] Quéene, is no widow, and shall sée no mour­ning, yet shal her plagues come at one day, death, and sorow, & famine, and shée shall be burnt with fyer, for strong is the Lord God which wil condemne her. And the spirite of God by S. Paule did forshew that the Lord shal consume him w ^t the spirit of his mouth and abolish hym with the brightnes of hys comming. And let all those that séeke to flye a loft with the winges of vanity, and seeke to exalt themselues by bribery, flattery, or any other vngodly meanes, know that the Lord God wil throw them down. The An­gels which kept not their first estate, but would exalt themselues either aboue, or a­gainst God, God threw them downe into e­uerlasting chaines of darknes vnto y ^e iudge­ment of the last day. Adam and Eue would be exalting themselues, and would be lyke vnto God, hauing knowledge of good and e­uill, but God pulled them down shewed thē their nakednes, and driue them out of Para­dise. Corah, Dathan, and Abyram woulde néedes exalt thēselues against Moses their godly gouernour, but God caused the earth to open, and swallow them vp. Absalon would exalt himself against his own father and king, and would haue bene king in his [Page] place, but God quailed hys courage, and he [...]me to a shameful ende as he wel deserued [...]eing hanged in his heare, and thrust throw [...]ith speares. Nabuchadonozer king of Ba­ [...]ilon would ascend into heauen and, exalt [...]is throne aboue the starres of heauen, and [...] like to the most hyest, but God brought [...]im downe, and made him eate grasse like [...]n Oxe. Beware therefore of exalting your [...]elues, let God exalt you, for true prefermēt [...]ometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor frō the South but frō the Lord: [...]e exalteth Moses from kéeping of shéepe to [...]e the deliuerer & gouernour of his people, [...]e exalted Ioseph to be gouernour of Egipt [...]nder the king, he chose Dauid his seruant [...]nd tooke him from the sheepefoldes, euen [...]rom behind the [...]wes with yong, and exal­ted him to feede his people in Iacob, and his inheritance in Israel. God exalted the virgine Mary frō low degree to be mother of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Christ calle [...] the Apostles from the nets, and made them pillers of his truth, thus we sée that true which Annasaid: Ichoua pauper [...] facit [...] [...], humiliat [...]et exaltat. The Lord maketh poore and ritch bringeth low and exalteth And that which the Virgine Mary sayde. [Page] Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltauit humi­les: He hath put down the mighty frō their seate, and hath exalted the humble & méeke. And howe daungerously they haue fallen which haue ascended very hye. But as I haue sayd to consider that true preferment commeth from God. And here I will admo­nish all those that be exalted to any authori­ty to remember who hath exalted them, and from what they haue bene exalted, and thirdly to what ende they are exalted, to acknowledge y ^t what power or dignity soeuer they haue, they haue it of God, & that to edificati­on and not to destruction. I might speake much more of exaltation, but the tyme will not suffer me, wherefore I wil now come to the last part wherein is set forth a commi­nation against the wicked, that in the hand of the Lord is a cup, and the wyne is red, it is full mixt, and he poureth out of the same, al the wicked of the earth shall wring out & drinke the dregs thereof. This word Cup is often tymes in the scripture taken in the euyll parte, for affliction plague and punishment, as in Hieremie. Babel hath bene a cup of goulde in the Lordes hand that made al the earth dronken, the nations haue drunkē of her wine, therfore [Page] do the natiōs rage, that is to say, Babel hath [...]e a scourge in the hande of the Lorde to [...]rge the wickednes of the world. So like­ [...]ise Esay, Awake, awake, stand vp Ierusa [...]m which hast drunken at the hand of the [...]ord the Cup of his wrath, thou hast drun­ [...]n the dregs of the Cup of trembling and [...]ung them out. And in the Psalme, Pluet [...]per impios, vpon the wicked he shal raine [...]ars, fyre, & brimstone, & stormy tempest, [...]is shalbe the portion of their cup. In this [...]nse Christ said to his Disciples that were [...]spiring to primacye, ye know not what ye [...]ke, are ye able to drinke of the cup that I [...]al drink of. And againe: Father if it be thy [...]yl let this Cup passe frō me. So we reade [...] the Apocalips, if any man worship the [...]east, and his image and receiue his marke [...] his forhead, or on his hand, the same shal [...]rinke of the wine of the wrath of God, yea [...]f the pure wine, which is poured into the [...]up of his wrath, and he shalbe tormented [...]n fyer & brimstone before the holy Angels [...] before the lambe. So dearly be loued if we [...]o not vnfeinedly feare God & stand in awe [...]f his iudgements, but worke wickednes & [...]ōmit abominations in the sight of God, [...]urely we shall drinke of this cup which is [Page] filled with Gods wrath. For vnto thē (saith the Apostle) which are contentious and dis­obey the truth, and obey vnrighteousnes, shalbe indignation, & wrath, tribulation & anguish vpon euery soule that doth euil: Let vs take heede y ^t we prouoke not Gods anger by our synnes. Consider that it is a terrible thing to fal into the hands of y ^e liuing God, wherfore I exhort you dearely beloued, vn­feinedly to repēt you of your sins, truely to turne to y ^e lord your God, to serue him in ho­lines & righteousnes all the dayes of your liues, & earnestly to pray vnto god, that ye may drink of y ^e cup of his mercies in Christ & not of the cup of his wrath. And this if we wil do, god shalbe our God, & we his people: God shal blesse vs both with temporal bene­fites, & spiritual graces, and we shal drinke the cup of his great mercies: the which god our mercifull father for hys crucifyed Christes sake graunt vs, to whom with the holy ghost three persons & one true and immortal god be al lande, prayse and glory both now and for euermore. Amen.