THe holy ghost more earnestly now then before, prouoketh & forceth his Prophete Zacharie to soūd forth his praise as in this Hymne is appa­rant: his harte béeing set downe in the Chaire of déepe consideration of Gods mercie to Jsraell, beginneth wyth laude and prayse to God for their and our Sal­uatiō in Christ Iesus. Blessed be the Lord God of Israell, sayth he, hée calleth God the God of Israell, not because he reigneth onely ouer Israell, for he is also the God Ro. 3.29. & 15.12. of all the Worlde, and in him sayth [Page] the Scripture shall the Gentilles trust: Esa. 11.10 But because he Deut. 7.6.7 8.9.14.2.26 18. Exo. 19.5. 1. Pe. 2.9. chose them from a­mong the nations, not for their worthy­nes, but in his mercie, to be a peculiar people to him selfe, Exo. 13.21. et 14.19.20 1. Sam 4.4 from heauen by his presence he guided them: to them he gaue his Re. 9.4 statutes & ordinances, his Priestes and Prophets, wyth them he made his speciall couenant, and gaue vnto their Tribes the Sacramentes, seales of his faythfulnesse: to them he promised, that of the kindred of Israell, he would rayse vp his holy Child Iesus, which should be, and before all times was of the same our eternall God determined to be, the sauiour of al y ^e true Israelites. These be the causes why he termeth him the God of Israell. Because he hath visited and re­deemed. &c. Thrée principall causes mo­uing forth such prayses, the Prophete here declareth: first that our God not­wythstanding that Esay. 59.2.3 Ier. 5.25. Esai 5.18. the sinnes of his Church seperateth his presence from her, and in stead thereof draweth his ven­geance vpon her, as it were with cordes, yet the malice of her sinnes cannot break Es y. 4 [...].12 13. [...]9.1 [...]. the faythfulnes of him, her God. But [Page 2] according to his worde, by othe also war­ranted, 1. Cor. 1.9. 2. Tim. 2.13 Ro. 3.3. he would vouchsafe in her most miserie, so louingly to visit the same his Church and people. Secondly he visiteth his chosen Church with inestimable loue, moued wyth compassion vpon the vewe of her great miserie, who for her sinnes was by his iustice Captiued into serui­tude (not onely to Caesar) but also to Sa­than, and so holden of him in thrall, that no way could she auoyde Sathans force, or at the tribunall seat of Gods iudge­ment escape the iust sentence of condem­nation, necessarily following her wicked­nes, as a méete merit to the same. At his appoynted time according to his good pleasure, he wyth his Tit. 2.11. apparant fauor, so visiteth the same perplexed Church, that from her Captiuitie in sinne, and sa­thans bondes, and also from the iust sen­tence of his great wrath, he by his sonne Christ hath perfectly raunsomed, & so re­déemed her (not by violēt force taking hir from her bondage, as erst frō Exo. 14.30. Pharao) nor mouing the hartes of her Conque­rors, to pitie her miserie, and fauor her deliuerance, (as somtime he Nehe. 2. Esay. 1.2.3. did) when [Page] she was in Babilons captiuitie, but aun­swering his iustice wyth the Esay. 53.5.6 7.8.9. &c. 1. Pet. 1.18.19.20. bloud and death of his immaculate and iust sonne Iesus, hath payed there by the due price of her sinne, and deliuerance from his wrath and from Sathans malice, to the end that she so redéemed should leade a Tit. 2.12. 1. Pet. 2.24. purchased life voyd of sinne, and by his holy spirite Ephe. 5.14.15. redéeme hereafter such ill time, as erst they wasted with Ephe. 4.19.22. gréedi­nesse to iniquitie, and by newnesse of life walke as children which in the dungeon of darknes haue séene so great light, that as by their former actions his holines was blasphemed, so now by their good Mat. 5.16. woorkes his name may be glorified. 3 Thirdly when he sayth He hath redemed his people, he sturreth all Israell to a dou­ble ioy: 1 First that their gouernour and Lorde is no lesse then the Lord God, who hath made all things that be, the 1. Tim. 6.15 Apo. 1.5. & 17.14. & 19 16. Lord of Aungelles, of Men, and Deuilles, and hath al at his becke, ruleth al at his plea­sure, staieth the rage of Esay 11.5.6.7.8. Dan. 14. Lyons, and de­fendeth the innocencie of Doues, and the simplicitie of his beloued shéepe: As also that he is a visiting God, doth not onely [Page 3] Pro. 16.4. create but dayly direct by gouerne­ments from an hye, the Pro. 16.9. steps & rhodes of all thinges, and in his ielousie ouer the Pro. 16.5. wicked for their crueltie to his people, Esay. 53. Esa. 27.1 Ier. 14.10. Gene. 12.17 Ier. 44. Amos. 9.10 visiteth their sinnes wyth scourges, and wyth the sworde of his plagues. But his people he in visiting finding in them like corruption of nature, the mountains of sinne, the lyke little regarde of dutie to God, and remorse of themselues, doth not wyth the wicked destroy them, but as a most mercifull Father (regarding for his names sake, not their deserued plague, but the enemies rage against them) doth acknowledge them for his, and from the shadow of death, Dan. 6.16.23.24. the Lyons denne, the Dan. 3.8 25 burning Ouen, the manifolde capti­uities and fierie cheynes of sinne (because they are by his owne worke his people) he redéemeth them, and translateth them into the kingdome of his deare sonne our sauing health Christ Iesus. Now let vs (good readers) applie the wordes of this verse to our selues, which not onely in the morning, but at all times of prayer, finding the lyke causes working in vs, we ought wyth ioyfull hartes to the [Page] Lorde vnfainedly to say and sing, Blessed be the Lorde. &c. First this Lorde and God belongeth to vs now as to Israell of olde. For as they were after the fleshe the sonnes of Abraham: So, many of them not hauing the Rom. 4.13. et. 9.31.32. fayth of their fa­ther, lost the promise to him and his séed, and we now are in Ro. 11.17.18 19. &c. their stéede grafted into Christ, by whose spirite and worde preached, we are made the children of A­braham, not by birth in fleshe, for we are of another stocke Gentilles, but by the gyft Gal. 3.7.29. of fayth, whereby our heauenly fa­ther maketh vs the members of his son Christ, who is the true séede of Abraham, wyth the rest of y ^e true Israellites. Ther­fore as many as are the children of faith, may they, and ought they, as sonnes of Abraham in déede, to sing wyth thanke­fulnes vnto God. Blessed be the Lord. &c. The visitation of our Lord then had, and now continually of him vsed, chalengeth alwayes ioy of vs. For, in Psal. 101.8. visiting the wicked wyth his sworde, he cutteth the occasion of euill from his people. In visi­ting his people with his rod, he deserueth great prayse, for to the same his people, [Page 4] whensoeuer he sendeth his Rodde to cor­rect their sinnes, Psal. 23.4 his stafe of diuine prouidence, is also by his mercie there­wyth exhibited, to be to them a staye of comfort and defence. All which most wisely he guideth wyth his merciful hād, oftentims not taking from his seruants, the smarting salue of his correction, vn­till the itching sore of their iniquitie, by the power of his spirite be taken from them. As a most louing Father, he visi­teth vs, for in the middest of his anger he is euer mindful of his mercies. Esai. 54.4.1 6.7.8. He striketh vs but for a season, but he consumeth the wicked in his wrath, he Psal. 119 67 71. 1. Cor. 11.32 beateth vs to our good, to bring vs vnder his yoke But w ^t his visiting plagues, he Psal. 2.9 brea­keth in sunder, and beateth into morsels, the children of iniquitie, for the which his holy workes sake, we ought euer thank­fully to say wyth harte and tongue to the Lorde our God. Blessed be the Lord. &c. Thirdly haue not wée manifest cause wyth Zachary dayly to prayse God? when wyth him féeling our deserued death rea­die to deuoure vs, and our sinnes prouo­king Gods iustice to condemne vs to per­petuall [Page] captiuitie to imprison vs in Iud. 6. 2. Pet. 2.4. e­ternall cheynes of darkenesse wyth Sa­than) he by his spirite doth assure vs that we are his children, Ro. 8.15.16. and 1. Ioh. 4.18. Gal. 4.6. enboldeneth vs, (not whisperingly for feare bringing painefulnesse: But to crye out wyth courage enriched wyth his loue) that he is our Father, and that his Io. 3.16. Christ is by his goodnesse geuen to vs, and by his spi­rite hath he grafted vs into his Christ, as the braunches are into the true vine, by whose sappe euen his sayd spirite wée haue not onely our Arra, and Eph. 1.13.14 earnest penie of his assured couenant: But also are set so sure into eternall lyfe, that it is impossible for sinne, satan, flesh, or what­so euer, to condemne vs. For it is our Lorde which hath redéemed vs his peo­ple, and we are by Rom. 8.1 fayth grafted into him our Lorde: So that to vs can come no condemnation, nor any want of that which is good. Therefore agayne wyth the whole Church of God we most ioyful­ly ought to say. Blessed be the Lorde God &c. For he hath visited and redeemed his people.

Finally, note here that the Papistes [Page 5] in their Mattins vsing, or rather into a­buse bringing and chaunting this song did neuer a right as Zacharie the good Priest did, therewith praise the Lord, for they worshipped him with lippes alone, without vnderstanding the causes why: but he first waigheth the cause, before hée poureth out by waight the Lordes praise. His hart was wholy fraught with con­ceiued matter of ioy, they voyd thereof & laden with terrible doubtfulnesse, dare not presume (say they) to bost of their de­liuerance, which popish vice as it is their deuotion in their life, so it purchaseth for them after death the dregges of Gods angrie Cup, as dreaming Dirgis, and restlesse Masses, to purchace requiem, where none is to be had, and a neuer cea­sing paye, till land and reuenewes wyll serue no more. And yet if eftsones of them it be asked, neuer can it by them be aun­swered, the soule the Lord visiting hath redéemed: for then their poperie should decay. But thankes be vnto God, who by his vnfallible truth in his writtē word hath assured as many as beleue in him, of eternall life: yea and that presently after, [Page] and from the moment of naturall death: our Lord and redéemer so saying Io. 11.25. & 5.24. hee that beleeueth in me, shall not die for euer. &c. but shall passe from death to life. O ye Papistes learne to repent (which God if it be his good wil graunt you for Christes sake) and to perceiue with vs the causes why we blesse the Lord, for he hath erec­ted vp an horne of saluation in the house of his seruant Dauid, for the Church of true Israell, as this our good Priest and Prophet Zacharie speaketh on this wise saying.

Albeit (sayth the Prophet) that in the eyes of all men Israel, was cast downe, his strength worne out, and his light ex­tinct, his hope gone, and no glory left in the house of Dauid: yet do I now sée thée O Lord, mindfull of thy former promi­ses. For in that thou hast sent my sonne [Page 6] the Baptist, thy messenger, and enriched the wombe of the virgin with child, thou hast assured vs of thy erected Christ in the Tabernacle of Dauid, which is to vs a most mightie saluation by thy spirit, in the mouth of the same Dauid promised saying. There will I make the horne of Da­uid to bud, Psal. 132.17 Iere. 23.6 for I haue ordained a light for mine anoynted. And the time now, thou hast respected to the inestimable comfort of thy Church, in which Herod and thy e­nemies haue perished (in shew) thy Da­uids line, and haue vsurped his throne. As thou before time hast promised, saying: Jn that day will I rayse vp the Tabernacle of Dauid that is falne downe, Amos 9.11. Acts. 15.16. and close vp the breaches therof. And J will rayse vp his ruines, and J will build it as in the dayes of olde. A horne he calleth Christ our Saui­our significantly, thereby checking the pride of Sathan in his members, that séeke to destroy the kingdome of Israell, as also declaring that he shalbe of strēgth to ouercome their strength: yea and that his place and dignitie is no where els thē from the Lorde, who doth anoynt this Christ aboue his fellow Priestes & Prin­ces, [Page] with the Horne of his Euerlasting strength for his people. Vnderstand therfore that this word Cornu a horne in scripture sometime signifieth Dan. 7.7.24. 1. Sa. 16.1. kingdom and princely power, as in Daniell and in Sa­muel. Sometime it is taken for strength and great might, as in Daniel againe, and in the Psalmist, Psal. 75.10. All the hornes of the vngodly will J breake, but the hornes of the iust (saith he) shalbe exalted. The sum of y ^e Prophets wordes are, as if he had sayd: To vs depriued of strength, hope and comfort, by the mightie enemies of god in the world, the Lord in despite of them that throw vs downe to the dust, hath erected in the midst of them his promised Christ, which is to vs that beleue in him, a migh­tie king, a strong saluation. That, and the only sauing health of God, giuen to al na­tions, that feare him, and call vppon his name. Yea, and that in the same linage and stocke which the mightie of the world are now in hand to destroy, euen in the house of his seruant Dauid. Since to vs this horne with his honour and strength is erected, let vs consider something fur­ther of these the Prophets wordes. And [Page 7] first note that in Christ alone, which is borne of Dauids stocke, the virgin Mary, (not in the popish wheaten and coniured counterfet Christ,) hath the heauenly fa­ther placed our Math. 17. sauing health and in no other: wherefore in him alone must wée repose our trust, as in whom the Col. 1.19. & 2.9. ful­nes of the Godhead and his whole fauour dwelleth corporally, and in whom alone Mat. 3.17. & 17.5. he resteth with vs pleased, whose name is Iere. 23.6. the Lord our righteousnes. Second­ly he is of God, set vp to be our saluation, therefor may we not els where séeke for health, of Man or Angell, neither feare any other power, for neither Ro. 8.38.3 [...] sinne, Sathan, world, or Hell, can take our sauing health from vs that rest in him, nor sepa­rate from him & his merites, those which the Io. 6.37.39 & 16.22. & 17.24. father hath geuen to him. Thirdly the same horne that to the wicked is ter­rible and vgly, Dan. 11.12. destroying their king­domes and tiranny, is to the faithfull the horne of their health in God, from the sicknes of their sinne. And also it is to them life into heauen, from and against the death in hel. As the same water which drowned the wicked of the world, neither [Page] sparing Shippe, Citie, Towne, or Castel, at the same instant caried the Arke of the obedient Gen. 6.7.8 Noah and his familie from destruction. Yea, and as naturall death it selfe, is to the wicked, the doore to eter­nall fire: So is the same naturall death, by this our strength Christ Iesus (who hath ouercome death, and her sting) to vs that rightly beleue in him, 1. Cor. 15.55.56.57. Heb. 2.14. the passage to eternall ioye and blisse. Let the Papists therefore tremble at the presence of this our strength, for neither they Mat 16.18. or the gates of hell, shall or can preuayle in bat­tayle against vs, because Rom. 8.31. God is on our side, and therfore we feare not what the Pope or any other Carnalite can doe against vs. 4 Fourthly, where and when is this horne erected? Euen there & then, where and in what place the worlds force is to represse the same, euen in the house of his seruant Dauid. When did Israel féele most the presence of the horne? Whē Exod. 14.21 23.27. Pharao entred with greatest rage, to destroy the Lordes heritage. When did Daniel perceiue his might, and where? Dan. 6.14.19.22. Euen when his friend the Kyng wanted strength to helpe him, and in the place [Page 8] prouided for his destruction? Where did 1. Reg. 19.14 18. Ro. 11.4. Helias the good Prophet beholde this wonderfull horne erected? But where idolatrie had preuayled ouer all, and then also, when not one séemed to stand with the Lord. And did not Israell now decay? and the heathen enter into their possessi­ons? Was not Dauids house aboue al persecuted? Then & there did the Lord send his promised horne Christ our Lorde, by whose sapience the wisedome of all flesh is proued foolishnesse, and through whose strength Mat. 12.29 y ^e strong armed mā is spoyled of his treasure. Be of good comfort, O thou little flock afflicted, for the Lord hath, and wil haue his Christ to haue y ^e Io. 16.33. victorie. Mar. 3.27. Luc. 11.21. Yea, death is the instrument of life, and he maketh persecution to bee the séede time of his Gospel, and the bloud of Mar­tirs, the budding time of the same. Wherfore alwayes with this & other such pla­ces of the holy Scripture, take comfort thou that trustest in the Lord: And let the experiment of y ^e last persecution in Eng­land assure thée that the power of this horne is eftsones encreased. Where and when did this Christ shewe forth to our [Page] age his might? But when the bloud of his saintes, in our English bloudy Church, became as riuers of water, and in the time of their greatest pride and ripenes of their Butchers actes? Then and there hath the Lord againe in this nation erec­ted his Christ and Gospell, and from the prison of the Tower, hath to the Throne and diademe of this land, raysed his more then halfe dead Elizabeth our godly and gracious Quéene, vnder whom the ru­ines of the decayed walles of true Reli­gion, are greatly repayred once againe. God make vs mindfull of his mercies, & thankfull for his benefites: And giue her Maiestie such encrease of his zealous spi­rite, that the remnant of the Hydra and seuen headed beast may be banished this nation, that in her gracious raigne, and by her godly hand with the state of her ec­clesiastical and ciuil gouernment in God, as Gods holy instruments, Christ alone may be erected, as he is set downe by the Psal. 132.17 Psalmist to be our strength & our light. So shal her daies be many, her throne 1. Sam. 12.14.15. Ios. 1.7.8. Deut. 28.7. established, and her and our enemies vt­terly ashamed. And in the meane space, [Page 9] graunt vs O Lord (for Christes sake) true and perfect obedience to her Maiestie, with pacient abyding, in humble peace, till the time which thou hast set to frame her heroical heart further, to those things which shall most sound forth thy glory, her Maiesties honour, and the profite of thy Church: that so we may depend vp­pon Christ our horne of saluation, & God of strength.

The Prophet not contented to staye with this summary spéech, dilateth the same more amplie, & sayth as followeth in the next verse.

Least the saluation by him now prea­ched in Christ, should séeme to the world a new noueltie, fréeed from vtilitie and truth, he voucheth the same to be long sith, determined of God: and the same o­pen to all ages before, by the holy Pro­phets [Page] in their times. Gen. 3.15. Euē from y ^e voice omnipotent to Satan at the fal of Adam, vntill the houre of this ioyful song, so sen­ding as to our certaine stay, the written word of God. As if he had sayd, other sauing health to looke for at the handes of God, then hée hath promised, and to re­fuse the same by him set and geuen, according to his promise, is mere wickednes. To geue credite to his word, and to sub­scribe therto, is true godlines. Wherfore come hither ye sonnes of God, this is the Gen. 3.15. & 22.12. promised séed, the Esa. 7.14. & 9.6 little stone, the virgins sonne, Esa. 11. Jesse his braunch y ^e Mes­sias, and the anoynted Sauiour of y ^e Lord promised by al the prophets since the be­ginning of the world. This verse exhibi­teth as by hand to our sences excellent matter.

1 First, that to the whole world, aswell before Christ as since, Dan. 2.34.45. and till the last day and houre of the same world, there is no saluatiō to be looked for (by that perishing world) els where: then in Dauids house, & in and by the horne Christ Iesus alone, by God, and not men, erected vp in all sight, in that house, not set with, or vnder other [Page 10] helpes, but alone and aboue, all other sée­king their helpe at him. Of saintes the virgin Mary is of most worthy fame, yet is she farre of Act. 4.12 frō hauing power to helpe in earth the sonnes of men. Therefore she in her life for a lesson till the end of death to all Dauids house, in the Gos­pell being called vpon of the seruitors at the mariage, sayth: Io. 2.5. Whatsoeuer he bid­deth you do (speaking of her sonne Christ) se that ye do it. And when Elizabeth this ho­ly priestes wife had saluted her, she ac­knowledged Gods mercie to be the cause and sayd: Luc. 46 My soule doth magnifie the Lord. &c. And my spirite eke reioyceth in God (my Sonne) which is my Sauiour: for els had I wyth the rest of the sinfull world, both soule and bodie perished in­to eternall fire, had not this Christ by the spirite of God my Lord bene conceited and borne, not of me alone, but to and nor me also.

Secōdly he hath promised by al his Prophets (to deliuer vs from error) that this Christ is not to be found els where then in Luc. 1.32. Dauids house, by y ^e which as all false Christes are descried, so also the true [Page] Church is hereby approuedly knowne. For as after the flesh Christ is of y ^e Mat. 1.1 Luc. 3.23. line of Dauid, so spiritually Dauids house sig­nifieth his new Church, and in the same wise Christ is by the Prophets called sundrie times Dauid, aswell by Iere. 30.9 Eze. 34.23. Jeremie as Ezechiel, where y ^e church is prophesied, to serue God and Dauid their king, vz. christ the sonne of Dauid. For Dauid was now long sith departed to the Lord, and again sayth the Lord, I will set vp a shepherd ouer them, euen my seruaunt Dauid. &c. And my seruaunt Dauid (that is Christ) shalbe the Prince among them, I the lord haue spoken it. Therefore (good Reader) of force it must be so. The house wherin this Princely Dauid raigneth, and this priestly Prophet teacheth, is the church of true Israelites, the vnfayned house of Luc. 1.33. Jacob, to the which and for the which, Gen. 28.12. the Angels discend, and ascend dayly, by the commaundement of our King, to the ministring comfort of his elect. This Christes church where this horne is erec­ted, is builded not by mans wisedome, nor mayntained by popish policie and diuelish diuinitie, but y ^e chiefe Mat. 16.18 builder [Page 11] hereof is Christ himselfe, and by his com­mission his Prophets before him, which by his 2. Pet. 1.21. spirite & word builded the harts of the fathers to the fayth in his erected sonne. And euer since his Ephe. 4.11. Apostles, E­uangelists Pastours, Doctors and prea­chers, which 1. Cor. 11.23 receiue of his holy Gospel, and therewith edifie the church, are like­wise 1. Cor. 3.9.10.11. builders of this holy temple and house of our heauenly Dauid. Of which house Ephe. 1.22. & 5.23. Christ is the head and chiefe cor­ner stone. The Eph. 2.19.20.21.22 familie and building of this house are such▪ as by y ^e Apostolical and Euangelicall Doctrine are brought to the rules which are therein set, by the Lord herein erected: of him also to the same end they haue their name, eate of his bread and worke (as hée is by calling in such good workes, as are of the same Lord Ephe. 2.10. for them prepared euen from the time of calling, till the last houre of the Mat. 20.8 penies receite. The continual 1. Cor. 3.10.11. Ephe. 4.11.12.13. building of this Dauids house, is by preaching the word of truth, not by popish pressing in of false Doctrine: by geuing the sacraments of the Lord to the people, as they them­selues haue of the Lord 1. Cor. 11.23 receiued them. [Page] And not without commission, and against the word to take the same from the peo­ple, and offer them vp to the Lord as doe the Papistes. Also to kéepe the house in order, by ciuil and ecclesiasticall gouern­ment with the lawe of Christ our Dauid. By this and such like building, where so euer the Church is thus set vp, the same is true Dauids house.

And where the power of this horne, is in the hartes of the people, by the worke of Gods spirite surely setled, and through the instrument and organ of preaching, the same Christ is naked, and without corruption in Doctrine, Gal. 3.1. described sim­plie, and depaynted so plaine wyth the pensell of the Scriptures that hee is to them manifested, as hée is of the Fa­ther geuen, the onely promised Christ crucified, our 1. Cor. 1.30. saluation, redempti­on, & iustification, Deut. 18.15 Act. 7.37. that Prophet, the onely Heb. 20. & 7.17.21.28. Priest, and our Kyng, and that all men by such meanes are Io. 14.6. drawen alone to the Father by hym: there maye wée assure our selues, that that Church and Nation is Dauids house, and therein is Christ to be found, [Page 12] erected for our saluation. Mat. 16.18. Against this building, the gates of Hell shall not preuayle. For as many as beleue in him, shall Io. 3.14.15. not perish wyth the ser­pent Sathans sting, but by this holy ser­pent, voyd of poyson (Christ Iesus,) shal haue eternall life. Agaynst this church and to the subuersition of his house, the Apo. 2.1.15 17. old enemie hath set him selfe wyth his whole power, continually to perse­cute the same, and hath so preuayled in the eyes of men, that this house, hath eft­sones séemed, a forsaken cottage in the Lords vineyard, and the familie destroy­ed. But euen when it séemed of least value, then from the handes of such strength, the mightie God hath valiant­ly taken of that number such as shoulde cōtinue his house elswhere. And wheras y ^e wicked seketh y ^e destructiō of this house: God by his might vseth the same another way & that to two principall ends. First to teach other natiōs Act. 8.4 into y ^e which they are dispersed that heauenly doctrine, which els they had not known. And secōdly, that at their returne they might bring w ^t them againe not only his word & law, [Page] but therwith many mo children, begottē in that time, by the persecuted gospel, eft­sones to the enlarging of the borders of that late nobled church. 1. Sam. 22.16. Go and kill (sayth raging Saule) the priestes of the Lord, (which were the remnant of Elie,) for their hand is with Dauid & they haue not bewrayed him to me. At whose com­mandement, that cursed Doeg did kill of them 85. priestes of the Lord, that were the lynnin Ephod. Their Citie 1. Sam. 22.19.20. Nob also hee destroyed from the most, to the least, some, and all, for the hate he bare to them that fauoured Dauid. What then? Did he herewith kil y ^e church? No surely. In this sharpe persecution Abimeleck his sonne called Autathar, one of these priests escaping, fled to Dauid, which was him- 1. Sam. 21.10. selfe also from the furie of the sayde Saule, fled to Achish the Kyng of Gath, a heathen prince, where both hée had suc­cour, and Auiathar continued with him to the continuall encrease 1. Sam. 23.9 of Gods Church.

Note here with me (good Reader) that God by his prouidence doth vse the blou­die hand of Saule, whose purpose was to [Page 13] destroy by his kingly power, both priest and people, in Gods Church to an other end, for he made him his instrument, therby to spreade the same his church among the gentiles, that not only in that place their harts might haue experiment of his power, but that also his Church of Iesus then, to the comfort of the same nowe, might behold his secret work, far passing al their expectations, which was to foster for a season in such flight, such two princi­pal persons, as after should erect that persequuted cause and people, in the same persequuted Nation, and that by no lesse meane, then whereby for a time, the same was repressed, nor in any other place then in Saules seate (that is to say) Dauid hys faithfull fostred king, and Auiathar, his good preserued prest. When cruel 2. Re. 11. 2. Cr. 22.10 A­thalia, the Mother of Ahasia King of Ie­rusalem, sought to extirpe the kings séede, that she might vsurpe the kingdome, shée murthering the rest, did she destroy the house? No, Joash one of his sonnes was from her hand of slaughter saued, & that by the hand of a maid his Sister, till the time that the Lord had appointed, for the [Page] said Ioashe the true King to enter into his realme, and so to render recompence, by iust pay of deserued death, to that wic­ked vsurper Athalia, which after Seuen yeares he brought to passe, setting this reserued Ioash in his fathers seate. Mat. 2.16. Illiricus cēt 1. lib. 1. cap. 30. fol. 22. He­rod also séeking by the death of the inno­centes to kill the Messias, not only failed of his pray, but was himselfe deuoured of GODS Iustice. And although the Papistes followe these and such other their forefathers in like murthering cru­eltie, as lately in Englande, and since in Fraunce: yet will the LORDE, and hath the LORDE set vppe, (as he hath promised by the mouthe of all his Prophetes since the worlde began) his Christe, to bee his strength in spite of them. Who yéelding as it were for the tyme, doth thereby nothing loose, but lesse ableth, the aduersarye: While by Sathans furie the Churche is else where gone, as before is saide, to bringe foorth (by her Christe) in a more quiet place, many moe Children. At whose returne, the losse of her former are restored, with infinite moe her borders enlarged, her [Page 14] honoure encreased, and her fame spred ouer all. For the LORD her strength, hath, and will Mic. 7.10. (confounding her en­nemies, and treading them in the mire) geue her the victorie. Adde vnto the holy Scriptures testes, our own experi­mented testymony, in the late persecu­ting time, of Queene Marie, and there­with well consider the encrease of hys Church, & number of her children, which by the persecuted Preachers then, with others their brethren since, through their ministerie in the Gospell, are begot in Christ, and in thys Churche of Englande fostered, to the praise, and in the professi­on of the same our Lord. To conclude let euery faithfull man assure himselfe of the same continuall worke of God in his church, to the end of the world. For his Psal. 33.18. Psal. 34.15. eyes with remembrance of his promise, are euer ouer the righteous, to performe, to all perpetuity, y ^t which by so many holy witnesses, as his patriarks & prophets, he hath to y ^e same promised frō time to time so assuredly. Now let vs repaire again to our prophet Zachary, who proceding, doth set forth at large y ^e performed promise of [Page] God, and the effectes of the same, to his beloued Church, saying as followeth.

This whole text dependeth vppon the former expounded verse. As he promised to our fore. &c. And declareth by manifest proofe, the faithfulnes of God, which hath fulfilled his promises and oth, not by the Prophets alone, but long before made to the Patriarkes, that was to Abraham saying: Gen. 12.3▪ I will blesse them that blesse thée, and I wil curse them that curse thée. And also thy Gen. 22.17 séede shall possesse the gates of their enemies, and in thy séede shall all the Nations of the earth be bles­sed, and this promis, he confirmed with an Gen. 22.16 oth which Zacherie here repeateth, saying, I haue sworne by my selfe, I will blesse thée, and multiplie thy seede. His li­uing couenant also with Abraham was this, Moreouer Gen. 17.7 I will stablish my loue, [Page] betwéene me and thée, and thy séede after thée, in their generations for an euerlas­ting couenant, to be god vnto thée, and to thy séede after thée. And I will geue thée, and thy séede after thée, the land wherein thou art a straunger: euen all the land of Canaan for an euerlasting possession, & I wilbe their God. And with our Father Dauid he made a couenant also, which by oth eke he established, that it might be e­uery way, Heb. 6.17. most firme: and now in sending his Christ (saith Zachary he hath per­formed the same, which erst thus spake, I Psal. 89.3. haue made a couenant with my chosē, 21 I haue sworne to Dauid my seruant, thy séed wil I stablish for euer, and set vp thy throne from generation to generations. Againe I haue found Dauid my seruant, with my holy oyle haue I anointed him. 22 Therefore mine hand shalbe established with him and my arme shall strengthen him. 23 The enemy shall not oppresse him, neither shal the wicked hurt him. But I will destroy his foes before his face, and plague them that hate him. 24 My truth and my mercy shalbe with him, and in my name shall his horne be exalted. And albeit [Page 16] that these and such other couenants by GOD, with the Fathers made, for, and to them, and the rest of his Churche, may séeme to sound temporall thinges: yet beside that this Psalme sheweth them to be spirituall, our Prophet here, as a moste true Paraphrast, expoundeth the same couenantes and promises, by othe of the LORDE also confirmed (to their infallible stabilitie) to be vnderstanded of vs spiritually, and in Christ to possesse them, by him likewyse, as victorius men, and more then conqueroures to triumph ouer and against our Rom. 8. spirituall enne­mies, sinne, Sathan, the worlde, and the flesh, Eph. 6.12. Principalities, powers, world­ly gouernoures, (that is to say, such as gouerne by, and for the worldes luste,) Princes of darknes of this world, spiri­tuall wickednesses, which are in high places, and whatsoeuer openeth it selfe to the worke of our Saluation. Neither did Christ deliuer the Iewes from the tir­ranny and bondage of the Romaines, but yéelding himselfe to that authoritye, Mat. 22.17. paid the tribute thither due: Tea­chinge vs thereby to looke for a further, & [Page] a more blessed deliuerance, of which as before, Paule speaketh to the Ephesians. And the Angelles from Heauen preached the same to Ioseph, saying, he shalbe called Math. 1.21 Iesus. For he shall saue his people, (not from temporall gouernment of Straun­gers) but from (the spiritual captiuity of) their sinnes. That being so, from feare of sin, sathan, hell, world, and flesh, spiritual­ly, and safely deliuered, they may serue the Lord, not with Iewish rites, or popish deuotion, but with 2. Tim. 2.22 sinceritie of hart, & 1. Tim. 2.8. purenes of handes in euery place, in true holynesse, and like righteousnesse by him accepted, and in his sight frée from hipocrisy, al the daies of their life. Lo this is the fruite of the blessed promises, othe and couenantes, which our Prophet here speaketh of. This is the victory which God geueth to his faithfull fighting soul­diers and sanctified people. On this sorte shall they possesse the gates of their enne­mies, they shal through Christ their head, remaine and dwell as Lordes ouer all thinges. And shall treade Satan vnder their Ro. 9.30.31 féete, notwithstanding his dayly assaltes and subtil fight. The battel is be­twixt [Page 17] Sathan and the soule of man, it be­ginneth wyth mans lyfe, and is fought in the fielde of a good conscience, enduring by fayth till death, for both partes sound the retyre. But the (a) victory, by Gods spi­rite is euer assured to the faythfull, and shall be perfected wyth (b) Christ in his kingdome, to our endles happie and most blessed state. Now hauing the text thus opened, by Gods mercies, and grace of his spirit, let vs according to our former rule obserue some such profitable notes, as the same doth reache apparantly, to our considerations. And first in this seconde verse of this section, (for of the first, we shall speake more herafter, Christ so wil­ling,) let vs vpon the wordes note, that the Fathers, Patriarkes and Prophets, albeit they are of the prophet here called, and that truly (holy) yet did not their ho­linesse demerit such great treasures, and heauenly fruitfulnesse, eyther for their selues or their posterity, as by his words he here expresseth. 4 But sayth the prophet (well instructed in the doctrine of truth) the Lorde was there vnto brought to­wardes our Fathers, by his mere mercy, [Page] that wyth them he should make so So­lempne and Honorable a couenaunt.

And if the Fathers whose holinesse the sacred Scriptures so much recoun­teth, had not wherwyth to meritte the couenaunt of peace wyth God, Where shall theyr Chyldren obteyne suche pryce. Naye, such as haue sought by theyr worthynesse and Obedience to the Lawe, set downe by the LORDE in his woorde, to haue Iustification with­out measure, because of their num­bered vertues, suche I saye haue loste that they sought for, nor could atteyne to that they would, to saye deliuerance from their Spirituall Enemies, and to be accompted iust before the Lorde, the Apostle so witnesseth saying. Rom 9.30.31. Is­raell which followed the Lawe of righ­teousnesse, coulde not atteyne to the Lawe of Righteousnesse, because they sought it not by Fayth, but as it were by the workes of the Lawe, for they haue stombled at the stombling stoane, that is, they are offended at the Christe which GOD hath set to be the Righ­teousnesse for his people, and refusinge [Page 18] him and his merites, they rest vppon the shyuering staffe of their imagined ho­lynesse. But the Gentilles (sayth Paule) which folowed not righteousnes haue at­teined vnto righteousnes, euen the righ­teousnes that is of faith, that is to say, the true righteousnes which cānot be bought by desert, but is atteined by faith in y ^e promise of God. Here let our enemies the pa­pists wey well with them selues how far they are frō the sense of truth. If y ^e holy fathers accepted with God in great fauor receiued not otherwise, thē by his mercies his promised christ, & in him their saluati­on & ful deliuerance, & also if they séeking him vnfeynedly with sinceritie of harte, came so far short of merit, y ^e had not the exhibiting mercy, preuented his prouo­ked iustice the same our fathers had peri­she. How then can they, or man or angell for thē, obteine for vs saluation, or remis­sion of our sinnes, by any merit y ^t can procéede frō a creature or creaturs? The me­rits of y ^e papistes, Popish me­rites. are eyther the weight of their Massing Sacrifyces, 1 the bloud of Martyres, 2 the absolute power of theyr Pope, 3 or that (which they thinke) ne­uer fayleth, 4 the good workes of men. [Page] men. As for the meritte of their masse, out of all question, it meriteth neyther pardon with God the father, nor place in the church of christ his sonne. But it being vsed doth derogate (as much as it may) the Power of Christ whiche alone of God is set vp, to & for his church in Dauids house: and arrogateth the ho­nor of Christ and his office to that abho­nable Idoll. But (beloued children of God) geue attentiue eare to the Apostoli­call wordes written to the Hebrues, and thou shalt plainely perceiue by the power of Gods spirite, that the Heb. 10.14. one oblation of christes naturall body on the crosse, in his death hath for euer, not onely taken away from vs y ^e wrath of God, & reward of sin, but hath therewith abrogated, y ^e so­lempne sacrifices, cōmaunded by himselfe in his written word, and also hath taken away (for all times to come) all power from any man or angell to set vp, any o­ther sacrifice or oblation propitiatory in place thereof: wherefore he sayth by the will of God (by y ^e sacrifice of Heb. 10.9. Christ or­deyned of God) we are sanctified, euen by the Offering of the bodye of Iesus [Page 19] Christ once made. Vers. 11 And in the same place hée denyeth that the Sacrifyces commaunded of GOD can longer pre­uayle, because that the true Sacrifyce Christ Iesus is alreadye Offered, of which and whom they were Fygures. Vers. 12 And also denyeth that this Christ is a­ny more to be Offered, but playnely af­fyrmeth hym after that his once Obla­tion, to fitte for euer at the Ryght hande of the Father, and shall not thence come, till his enemies Psal. 110. 1. Cor. 13.25 be made his footstole. And that all men might be Satisfyed, he addeth a reasō wherefore, saying Heb. 10.14. for wyth one Offering hath he consecrated for euer those that are Sanctifyed. And moreouer he calleth the Holy Ghost for witnesse of the same as in the 15. and 16. verses following, and so concludeth vp his Assertion. That since Christ Iesus hath thus redéemed vs, Heb. 10.17. there is no more Offering for sinne of one or other, but in place thereof there is (sayth hée) set vppe to and for vs, an entering into lyfe by a more beautifull manner, which hée there calleth a newe and liuing way, [Page] pre­pared for vs through the person Christ, which is our hye Priest: who requireth not sacrifice of vs, Vers. 23 but an approching hart made pure in conscience and body from sinne by fayth &c. Therefore away wyth your Popishe trash, your masking mas­ses can no longer shaddowe the trueth. Further I pray you, whether doth God at any time accept the man for the Sa­crifyce, or the Sacrifyce for the man? I trow the Text sayth, that God regarded not Gen. 4.4. Cayn, or his Sacrifyce, and con­trarily he accepted Habell and his Obla­tion: which sturred vp Cayn his wrath to kill his Brother Habell. Here it is plaine, God respecteth first the man, and then his sacrifice, if the man be not accep­table, his sacrifyce is abhominable, as in the Prophet Esa. 1.10.11.12.13.14.15 Esay, the Lord reproueth the Iewes for their paynefull seruing in will worshippe. and sayth, he abhorreth their deuises, and will not turne towards them with fauor, though their sacrifices be costly, because they are sinful that of­fer them. And the people for whom they are offred, are the children of sinne, their handes are full of bloud, yea, & they geue [Page 20] to God that which he asketh not, and therefore dislyking vtterly thereof, he sayth, Esa. 1.16. who required this at your han­des? And there teacheth them to amend from their Wicked wayes, to washe them from their sinnes, & so will he ac­cept them and their Oblations. Christ himselfe also doth nothing more pacifie y ^e Fathers wrath, in his most holy sacri­fyce, then in respecte, that according to the Fathers wyll, he hath yéelded him­selfe for an Oblation as he was of him appoynted, by his written woorde say­ing, a Heb. 10.5. body hast thou ordeyned me, and loe I am here to doe thy wyll. Let the Pope and his Clergye (as Christ here doth) shew vs the heauenly God or Father his holy written will, for their accepted persones in Sacrifysing for the Quicke and Deade, and for suche their fayned propitiatorie Sacrifyces: and we will not shame for losse of credit to subcribe vnto them. But this they can not, and therefore they hate the scrip­tures, and would not that wée shoulde Studye in them: Because they knowe that there by their Idolatrye is bewray­ed, [Page] and their Trecherie made knowen, and that both they and their Sacrify­ces are wyth Cayn odious in Gods sight. Oh that therefore we coulde wyth our Zachary retourne the Phrase of Po­pishe speache to the Forge, that fyrst framed the same, and coulde acknow­ledge our Saluatson to consist in Gods mercye alone, by the meritte of his Sonne Christ in that his Sacrifyce, in his 1. Pet. 2.24 naturall Bodye Crucifyed on the crosse once for al, & al ages. By the which (sayth the Apostle Peter) wée are deli­uered from Sinne to liue in righteous­nesse, Esay. 53.5.2 for by the (b) strypes of Iesus Christes Death wée are made whole. The bloud of Sayntes, is their other I­magined meritte for mennes Saluati­ons and Gods fauour. But (good reader) of Sayntes the Apostles are chiefe, and hath not Christ taught them to saye, forgeue O Lorde our sinnes? Mat. 6.12▪ Hath not the chiefe of them whose lyfe was angeli­cal, whose person to death was eftsoons assailed ( Paule I mean) hath not he writtē; doth not he therby yet speake, that the Gal. 3.8.9.10.11.12.13.14. &c. merit of eternall life is Gods mercie, not [Page 21] mans merit? And yet speaking of the suf­fringes and bloud of martired saintes, for the testimonie of God and his Gospel, he acknowledgeth that the Ro. 8.18. afflictions of them in this life, are not worthy of the glory which shall be shewed to them in the triumphant kingdome of our heauenly father. But their merit (sayth hée) is Gods loue, who hath chosen them to bée his sonnes, and hath (sayth hée) annexed them with Christ, as heires of the inheri­tance. Note well eternall life commeth not by the bloud and afflictions of mar­tirs, not by purchase of mens merits, but by the inheritaunce geuen vs in Christ thorough Gods mercie. Thus good rea­der thou séest that this popish post is rot­ten for age and want of heart, what shal we saye of the third matter, the Popes pardon? 3 Surely if neither his God the Masse, nor his saintes bloud can helpe, neither can his pardons any thing profite thée, for they are all of one force, & haue all a like authoritie. I néede not longer to stand in the confutation of such a wic­ked taile of the people, that boasteth him­selfe to bée the onely head of Gods church [Page] in earth, controler in the heauens, prince in Purgatorie, and Master of Hell. Bée not offended that I call him that tayle of the people, for the warrant is geuen me, by the holy Ghost, so to terme him. Esa. 9.15. The auncient and honorable man, he is the head, saith Esay, and the Prophet that tea­cheth lies, he is the tayle of the people.

4 The last of Popish merites, are good workes which can not merit Gods mer­cie, for either they precede, or folow faith. If they go Ro. 14.23. before fayth, they are sinne, and therefore moue Gods furie, rather then merite his mercie. If they followe faith, they then merite not that which of God is giuen before their birth, but ex­presse by such fruite, what well Psal. 1.3. plan­ted trée brought them forth. But as no trée meriteth life by the Apple which hée beareth, but fast setled in the ground, li­ueth of the iuyce that commeth from the roote, so the faythful merite not Gods fa­uour (which is their life) by their works, (the fruites of their fayth) but setled and grafted into Christ their foundation, they doe receiue their common life from the same roote, by the sappe his spirite which [Page 22] from him is sent and Io. 14, 26. geuen, to euery of them sufficiently, to life eternall. What, shall we then not worke? Eph. 2.10. God forbid: Alwayes do and continue in that which is good, but cause not a good thing commaunded of GOD, to become a pestilent euill to thy conscience. Liue and walke in good workes, which God hath prepared for thée: The end of good wor­kes. but let them bée done to the same end which GOD hath directed to them. 1 Namely, that the out­ward déede in them, may expresse thy in­ward fayth in Christ our Lord. Phil. 5. Heb. 6.10 2. Pet. 1.5 And further that the Church of GOD may bée profited by them. 2 But chiefely that by the same, 3 many mouthes séeing thy faythfull actes may bée prepared and stirred vp to Mat. 5.16. glorifie thy Father which is in heauen. This is the voice of holy scripture, declaring the end of good works to be as we haue said, but that they merit not, Paule playnely sheweth to the Ro­manes, for and to al in the person of Abra­ham, saying: if Ro. 4.2. &c Abraham were iustified by workes, he hath wherein to reioyce, but not with God. For what saith the Scripture? Abraham beleeued God, and it was counted [Page] to him for righteousnes. Now to him that worketh, the wages is not counted by fauour but by debt, hut to him that worketh not (vz. to merit thereby) but beleueth in him that iustifieth the wicked, his faith is counted for righteousnes. Thus then we sée, that the fathers with vs haue not merited Christ our onely felicitie, but Gods mercie and loue surmounting (as I may reuerently say) his iustice in iust wrath, hath not of dutie, but by loue, geuen, and not sold to vs that beleue in him his Sonne Christ, that we Io. 3.16. should not perish, but by him being deliuered from our enemies, should haue euerlasting life and power in him to serue him, in this time of our mortall flesh in all holines, & vertuous exercises before him, al the dayes of our life. More­ouer I note that our Lord God will not haue vs to dwell in vncertainties for our saluation, and therefore he sendeth vs to his written word, where his promises & couenant is by his owne spirit set downe to all flesh, for the which cause Zacharie hath relation in this verse to the 1. Pet. 1.10 writ­ten promises and couenaunt. And to the same sayth Io. 20.31 John also is the Gospell [Page 23] written to vs now, that wee should by that written truth, beléeue that Iesus is the Christ the sonne of God, and that in beleuing we might haue life through his name. As for the vnwritten verities of the Papistes, as they are counterfet and forged of their owne brayne: so can they bring no comfort to the conscience of the wounded man, or satisfaction to the thir­stie soule that Mat. 5.6. & 11.38. laboureth to séeke the water of life, which God doth geue to those that hunger & thirst after the same. For nothing els worke they, Heb. 10.14 but draw to hell all such as trust and are led by them. But he that thirsteth after the water of life: els where then in the written sacred scriptures can it not be found. Séeke this water in the Scripture therfore (good Reader) and the Lord will make heauen­ly Io. 4.14. & 7.37.38. riuers to flowe out of thée, where­with thou shalt satisfie thine owne con­science in the same Christ fully, and be a­ble also to bring many other to the same Io. 17.2 saluation, 3 which the knowledge of the Lord, by his spirite in the scriptures hath wrought in thée. Last of all in this verse let vs marke diligently, that not other­wise, [Page] thē in christ Iesus, God y ^e father ma­keth vs partakers of his holy couenant. Or yet by any other meanes are we kept within the compasse therof, then by the cause it selfe which is Act. 4.12 Christ the Lord, the Apo. 1.8. & 21.6. & 22.13. Alpha and Omega of the same: So voucheth y ^e Apostle saying, in Ro. 4. Gal. 3.16. thy séede which is Christ, shal al nations be blessed.

The obseruations of the sixt verse, are also comfortable and profitable. Comfor­table when we perceiue that our sinnes deserue the breach of Gods loue and ex­treme iudgement: yet God in his mercie doth promise & sweare to kéepe his word giuen to the fathers, and to deliuer vs from the sayd iudgment, as the Prophet in the text sayth, Verse. 6. And the oth which hee sware. &c. and the oth which hee swere. &c. The profite hereof ensueth, in the doctrine following. In no case may we gather, because God is sayd here to sweare, that his word without an oth is doubtefull, for the Scriptures euery where approue them absolutely, Amen.

Also Christ him selfe sayth that Mat. 5 18. & 24.35. Mar. 13.31. hea­uen and earth shal passe, but not one iote of my word shall passe till all be fulfilled. And the Apostle sayth, that the doctrine of the Lord is not 2. Cor. 1.17.18.19.20. yea, and nay, but yea [Page 24] and Amen. He Psal. 33. speaketh the woord, sayth Dauid, & they were made, Psal. 19.1. Ro. 1.19.20. the times before vs till this presēt, & witnes of time y ^e beautifull heauens shew forth y ^e fayth­fulnes of God in his word, that the same is most true and strong to the saluation, of al that beleue in Christ through it. Nei­ther may we imagine that he did sweare thereby to hiue vs example or warrant, to vse vaine and blasphemous othes (but leauing to the weaknes of our fayth Heb. 6.17 the Lord sware the more to confirme his promises in vs) for he hath forbid vs to vse thē by his holy word, where Mat. 5.34.35. nothing is permitted vs to sweare by in heauen or earth, no not by y ^e heares of our head: but there are we commaunded to frame our harts to honestie & truth, which shall out of all occasion of othes & blasphemies from vs, & so kepe farre frō our consciēces the accusing Mar. 9.44 Esa. 66.24. worme of y ^e same, & the Zach. 5.4. vengeance of god, which neuer departeth frō the house of the swearer. Albeit some­times we may & ought to sweare to y ^e glo­ry of god, Ier. 4.2. & the end of controuersies in & amongst his people, being called therto or­dinarily, & thē must we sweare in truth and righteousnes.

Here would I gladly helpe my countrey of England, (if in this place I might bo­rowe so large a licence) which much vseth this kind of swearing in westminster hal, and other the Tribunall seates of this land. Many of them sweare, and sweat to sweare and offer othes, and both borowe and lend the same to satisfie their friends, and what is the charge of an oth, for the most part many forceth not: so, to winne their expectatiō by oth, they may dispatch their proposed intent. But learne a lit­tle here of othes (good Rearder) and first what an oth is. An oth, is a taking Gods name to witnesse, to the better and more sta­ble Heb. 6.16. Deut. 6.13. confirmasion of those things which we vouch in communication or testes, Mat. 28.20. Psal. or els in couenant or promise, assuring those to whom we sweare, that nothing but truth proce­deth from vs. Act. 1.24 Herein in his due place, god is greatly honoured and worshipped, hereby we confesse him to be euery where present, to behold the hartes and actions of all men, to be a Ro. 1.18. Thes. 4.6. reuenger of euil a­gainst the offenders in this poynt. But if either falsely, or for any other respect then for his glories sake, and the peace of his [Page 25] people, we sweare, or séeke to sweare, though it be true that we do sweare, not­withstanding we sinne, though not in the substance of the matter, yet in the acci­dentall part therof: because either the fa­uour of the one, or dread of the other, or li­nage, bloud or other worldly respectes, compelleth vs therto, and not the sorce of truth it selfe, and this God will plague. Surely he wil also plague al such as mixt in their othes the creatures of heauen & earth with y ^e name of God, by whom Deut. 6.13. a­lone we must sweare being called therto. Esa. 65.16 He that sweareth (sayth Esay) shal sweare by the true and liuing God. And again Esay saith in the person of God, Esa. 45.23. Al knees shal bowe to me, and euery tongue shall sweare by my name. And as this is commaunded in Scripture, so are we there forbidden to sweare by them that are no Gods, Exo. 23.13. Psal. 16.4. All that which J haue commaunded you, see that ye obserue the same, and thinke not vppon the names of their Gods, nor let them be once na­med of you. And in Sopho. 1. [...] Sophony y ^e Lord pro­miseth, and threatneth to destroy and cut of all those that sweare by God and by Malcham. That God Maazim the [Page] Masse, or such blind Iosua 23.7 iudges as offer and geue charge to sweare by God and all saintes, or either that wicked vse, God & our Lady, God and saint John. &c. Or such as not daring to sweare, yet inuent to sweare by fayned & new found othes, as mat for Masse, and gob for GOD, and hods body and bloud for our Lordes blessed body and bloud. &c. There is no lesse wickednesse in the one then in the other, for therein we still breake his com­maundement that sayth, Mat. 5.34. sweare not at all, and we declare thereby our willing desire to blasphemie, which as we dare not enter into, for feare of his vengeance: so wée frame our selues as néere thereto as wée can, by diuelish daliance: much like to Maister Hardinges pleasant spéech of our Ladies spiritual sport with Christ her Sonne, when shée in the popish Pri­mer is prayed to saye lube natum. &c.

Considering that these euils are to bée remoued, and that swearing is not one­ly in some respect of GOD permitted, but also wée haue now heard commaun­ded, and is a chiefe part of the true ser­uice and worshippe of our God, let vs learne to serue him herein in true holy­nesse [Page 26] and righteousnesse, such as may wel bée accepted before him. The which to do wée, must obserue that rule in swea­ring which the Prophet geueth to euery mā appointed to sweare, saying: Iere. 4.2. Thou shalt sweare (sayth he) in truth, in iudgement, and in righteousnes. Foure poyntes he tea­cheth vs to obserue in our swearing.

1 First that wée sweare by no lesse then by the liuing God, by no dead coniured cake or other Idoll.

Secondly, that we sweare in veritate, in truth, as if he had sayd, play not the hypocrite, 2 sweare not with lippes alone, but with the hart also, séeke not by any meanes to be deceiued in thy soule, or to deceaue others by thy craftines in swea­ring. Dare not to pronounce one part of thy mind to the hearing of the Iudge, and another secretly to thy selfe. As of late a Minister ryding to his reuerend Bishop for a benefice, at his returne bo­stingly sayd (as I am credibly informed,) that he vsed tofore him the same cunning figure of defection called calliditas, which in plaine English is lying craftines, swearing outwardly to subscribe &c. and softly saying to himself, as far forth as they are [Page] warranted &c. Now surely, to haue safe warrant of God, is necessarie for our subscription in doctrine, but to sweare to obserue and to Ro. 22.23 allow of that where­of hée standeth in doubt, is a halting with God, a mocking of men, and a manifest shew of an ill conscience in him that vseth the same, which can not bee farre from the curse of God. Ro. 14.23 Sweare truly there­fore, let heart and tongue goe together, and vouch both one thing, els thou doest heape Gods wrath vppon thine owne head.

3 The third poynt of swearing is to sweare in iudicio, that is, with discretion, not rashly or ouerlightly, but first weigh­ing the cause why he sweareth, the mat­ter which by oth he is to witnesse, the good that may come therof, and the wrath of God following false swearing: he is to sweare truely, that which hee himselfe knoweth by sight, or self hearing, and not to leane vpon other mens reportes. Fur­thermore, let no man frame himselfe to sweare for trifling things or lightly pro­uoked, but in mere necessitie, & then with graue consideration and reuerent regard [Page 27] of Gods presence, before whom wée all stand, whose eyes behold the déedes of all men, whose eares receaue the whispering spéech of the déepe dissembling harte. Trē ­ble therefore to sweare for light mat­ters, or at euery mans first perswasion, for an oth is the extreme poynt of Gods ordinance to bée vsed of men, and before Magistrates to banish braules and con­tention, and to conserue the peace and vtilitie of his church.

4 The fourth and last poynt is, that wée sweare in Justicia. Let not your othes, sayth he, be contrary to right and godli­nes, but thereby séeke to geue to euery man that which of right is due vnto him, whether in cases pertayning to God, to godly Magistrates, or to any other sorts of men. And let the loue of God, and of eour Christian brethren, wyth regard of the onely truth, hée alwayes your guide in swearing, and not the faces of sinfull men. In any case beware of too much credite in other men, geue thy selfe his true Iusticia, that is to say, let thine owne eyes, thy reason, thy conscience, thy faith, thy honestie, thy person, with his name, [Page] fame, and crauing credite, kéepe him selfe subiect to the Lord his God in holines, and righteousnes, in the middle of the e­uill world, al the dayes of thy lyfe. Farre bée it from thée to become the slaue of the riche in thy swearing, the foresworne te­naunt of thy leude prouoking landlord, or a chayned lumpe of flesh to the bones of thy kindred, by such meanes, or any wayes else to bée caried from the truth, to the hurt of an other, though hée bée thine enemie, or to the condemnation of thine owne soule, by a false othe to purchase thy friend his pleasure. Final­ly if thou shalt embrace that which here thou art exhorted vnto, and shalt abhorre that which thou readest here forbidden of God, thou shalt in such swearing blesse his name, and he shall acknowledge thée for his child, and in his Christ shall defend thée from the force and rage of the mighty wicked in earth, and shall geue thée in the end of this thy life thy resting place and dwelling house, his holy Tabernacle the heauenly blisse, as the Prophet Dauid doth witnesse in the fiftenth Psalme Psal. 15. most comfortably to the reading of the which I [Page 28] referre thée.

Now are we come to that which we erst promised vz. to speake of our deliuerance from our enemies by this erected horne Christ, Vers. 7 That wee should bee deliuered from the handes of our ene­mies. &c. whereto god hath sworne that we should not only giue him the more credit, but also shuld frame our selues in him, to lead the life that such redemption requi­reth at our hands. But this redemption reacheth to the Heb. 10.14 Heb. 13.8 ends of the world, ther­fore what kind of enemies so euer, or in what sort they bend their battrie against vs, God by this Scripture, with other his promises, hath assured vs the Esa. 54.15. victory, and from our foes full deliuerance. Our enemies are sinne, Satan, the world and the flesh, who in all ages, haue not onely troubled the church & people of god with grosse and carnall vices, but haue set vp in the sayde Church a fourme of Exod. 32.1. Reli­gion deuised in Hell, carying the title of holinesse and Gods seruice, where­with they haue more easely drawne the multitude of men, from GOD to such sinne, vnder the cloke of deuotion, to their perpetuall confusion and shame. This imagined holinesse and humane religion, [Page] did Sathan first broche in the church of Iesus vnder Exo. 32 Moyses, and eftsones re­nued the same as hée could, chaunging him selfe after the Iudg. 11.39. & 17.18. 1. Sa. 28.8 1. Re. 11.4. & 12.28. & 16.31. & 18.26. & 21.9.10. 2. Re. 1.2 2. Para. 24.17.18. & 25.14. & 33.2.3 5.6.7. Dan. 3.1.2.3. & 6.7.8.9 1. Macab. 2. Macab. wholy. fashion of euery age, preuayleth till the time of Christ, and the Pharisies, and since also, hath playd his part in the Synagoge of Rome, of whose filthie cup the Kynges and Na­tions of the earth haue tasted, to their ex­treme Apoc. 14.8 & 18.3. dronkennes.

This is the greatest enmitie that Sathan can worke to Gods people, vn­der coulour of séeking and seruing him, to drawe them quite from his Maiestie, and in such sort blyndeth their eyes, and wyth his fierie Dartes so kendleth their carnall zeale, that in the will worshippe of their owne inuention, they spare no cost, or Col. 2.23 shunne any payne, to séeme more then religious therein. In this our age the Church of England is vex­ed wyth two horrible Impes, and mes­sengers of our enemie Sathan, as sent of hym to molest our happie state, to stoppe the ioyes that wée are to conceiue in our most comfortable Christ.

The first imphe is the forraine papisticall foe, the seconde is our domesticall Eng­lishe hipocrites. The forrayne Papistes beyonde the seas, haue bent their force a­gaynst the truth professed here in Eng­lande, and to encounter wyth the same, haue prepared a double shot agaynst this frontire, our religion. The one shooting slaunder by rayling penne at the truth, and persons professing the same: the o­ther charged wyth treason and Popishe pouder, shooteth at the state and person of our souereigne as at the Liefetenaunt of the Lordes bande. But from them both the Lorde in his great mercie, hath, and doth deliuer vs. And with the truth of his Gospel, by such habilitie, as he geueth to his church and ministerie, in these our dayes doth so ouertake the wylinesse of our aduersaries, that their penned bookes are in euery respect learnedly and truly made knowne as they are, to be ouer weake to breake the Walles of Gods church, much lesse to confounde the Doc­trine professed in the same. Wherfore, as men alwearied in wofull wast labors af­ter sundrye conflictes, hauing spent all [Page] their popish muniments in this war, they pray a peace, & take a day of truce, and so by scilence subscribe to the conquering truth, which by his force & their pouertie they are compelled vnto.

The charged shot of treason, which the Romanistes haue trayled to this na­tion, are they not by the Lord, before the time of their discharge, and without the strength of man broken al in péeces? Esa. 54.15. The smith that framed them, (the pope I say) is he not ashamed to sée his Platforme put to foyle? What Nation doth hée more enuie, then this our happye Land? What confederacies doth he make with sundrie conspiracies, both wyth in and wyth out the Lande, against the Lord Psal. 2.2 and his anoynted Prince? What offers of ayde, what practises for proofe of good successe, hath his vnholy holinesse as­sayde in this Lande? and yet the Lorde hath deliuered and preserued from al his subtle engines, both her maiestie and vs, that she should be, (mauger his bearde) the Esa, 49.23 Nurssing Moother, not onely to the Churche vnder her gouernement, but also to the Afflicted members of Ie­sus [Page 30] CHRIST, which that Huge Apo. 12.9 Dragon, doth Persecute from place to place. And happye may her Maiestie be, that GOD vouchsafeth to select her, (béeing a weake woman) from a­mong the mightie Monarchies of the worlde, to be his chosen nurse to his pe­culiar persecuted people. So may all we her subiectes acknowledge our selues more then most bound to god for her ma­iestie, since we vnder a mayden Prince, whose person is vnapt to bodely warres, are so defended, that against the force of the worlds furie, both our soules and bo­dies are conserued in much peace, far a­boue the nations rounde about vs. The onely cause thereof is Iesus Christ, our mighty Apo. 12.7. Michael, who himself without our fighting hands, or armed bodies, breaketh the Dragons force, and disapointeth him of his pray.

The second diabolicall imphe, is the do­mestical foe which y ^e Church harboreth & carieth in her arms, & to quiet & make stil his wanton and wrauling cryes, Dand­leth him on her Mootherly Knée, hoping to surpresse his brawling voyce wyth [Page] her patient compassion. For shew of re­compence, this poysoned broode calleth her by the name of mother, & her spouse Christ, they worship by the tittle of Lord. But in déede they are the bond slaues of Gal. 4.24.25. Agar, and beare a deadly hate to Sara. Their mindes be set on Sina that gen­dreth bondage, (vz. rotten Rome) 26. and Hierusalem they séeke but to féede vp­pon, to florishe in, to enriche themselues vnder her. And espying her Gal. 2.4. liberties, and preheminences, they doe from time to time busie themselues to betray the same. The true church of God now in Englande, séeke they to betray to the handes of the wicked, and by Esa. 87.20. slaun­ders to polute the sanctuarie of the Lord. The engines that these enemies vse a­gaynst vs, are scoffing speches, rayling voyces, and slaundering wordes. Sée you not say these men, what discorde, sundry sectes and religious are amongest these new broched bretherne, how they preach, wryte, dispute, and euer seeke to beate downe another? Is not this a marke of Sathans Sinagog. And the common re­fuge of these euilles, is to couller their [Page 13] cankred malice, with the Act. 17.6.7. couert of de­sired obedience to Lawes, whylest such for the most parte liue as though they themselues were priuileadged from all good gouernement. The contempt of god­ly Lawes set downe in this state and present gouernement, is to be wyth dili­gent eye, and earnest care redressed. And I would to GOD suche rulers Eccle­siastical & ciuill were selected as would more diligently looke hereto. So should the mouthes of men haue lesse cause of their great outcryes agaynst the present state. For I thinke it no reason to pull downe the whole house, for the weake­nes of on rotten sparre, or to cutte of the hande for the fault or defect of a finger, or yet vtterly to subuert the state because euery parte hath some Esa. 42.3. infirmitie. But as concerning the contentions amongst the learned, I answere I lament both the cause and the action: yet here by hath the papist no warrant to Blaspheme our Religion, or to condemne the Prince or Preachers and professors of the same, for if contention amydde the learned and in the Church of God be a sufficient cause [Page] to refuse her, to slaunder and to reuile her wyth reprochfull tearmes, yea, and condemne the people, state, and ministe­ry of christs spoused wife this holy church: then shall we finde this Churche in no age among the children of men planted, frée from such sharpe censure.

As if we loke into the church of Israell brought from Pharao into the desert, we shall sée y ^e same often to rebell against Ex. 15.24.17.2.32.1. Nu. 20 2. Moises, yet not all the Israelits. Where­fore y ^e Church then could not be frée from contentiō. Nu. 14.2. Nu. 16.1. Dathan & Abiram disliking y ^e priesthood which god ouer them had set vpō Ex. 28.1. Aron his line, stirred vp sharpe cō ­tention & tumultuous vprore for y ^e same. Consider her condition in y ^e time of Saule, his persecuting of Dauid, & behold small vnitie: Saule commended of some, Sa. 18.7.8 Dauid reaping the greater praise. What vnity had y ^e church, whē 400. salse 1. King. 18. pro­phets, contended with Helias the prophet of y ^e Lord for y ^e idoll Baal their false god? After Israel retorned from her captiuity was not y ^e church cut into diuers sectes & factiōs? in outward show they professed gods law penned by Io. 9.28. Moises & the Prophets: but in déede & truth they were se­perated into diuers opinions & sundrie [Page 32] sects. & euery party receiued his name ac­cording to his opiniō. The holy scripture & approued authors tell vs y ^t in y ^e Iewes church there were Pharises, Saduces & Es­seis, yet who dare say y ^t at this presēt ther was not in y ^e place thē gods holy church? It is therfore now, no strāg or new thing to haue dissēting opiniōs, in & amōgst mē professing one religion, about some points conteined in y ^e same. The new Testamēt witnesseth y ^e like. In y ^e time of y ^e Apostles what sharpe contention was there be­twixt Paule & Peter at Antioch for cause in religiō Peter offēding against y ^e Gal. 2.11.12.13.14. rules therof, was openly reproued by Paule. Al­so betwixt Paule & Barnabas was such v­nitie, y ^t they parted asonder y ^e one from y ^e other, about Act. 15.39. John Marke a disciple. No­table is that long & sharpe disputation & sore cōtention which crept into y ^e church, betwixt Paule & Barnabas on y ^e one part, & the Pharises which were cōuerted to y ^e gospell at Antioch on y ^e other, about Act. 15.1. iustification, whether it came by faith a­lone, or that circūcision & the law were of necessitie to be ioined thereto. This strife was such, that it could not nor was otherwise abandoned the church, then by that [Page] Apostolicall councell holden at Hierusa­lem. About this time, and shortly after the Apostles there arose out of the church sundry sectaries, as the Vers. lib. 3. c. 28. Illir. cent. 1. lib. 2. c. 5. fol. 481. Corinthiani, Eccl. histo. lib. 4. c. 11 Martionisti, Eus. li. 4 c. 8. Gnostici and Eus. li. 4. c. 22. Carpo­cratiani. The Gentilles then as some pa­pistes doe now, sayde the christians are troublesome and contentious, they can­not agrée about their christ and his reli­gion, but we: holde one vnitie in our pro­fession, therefore they offer vs more then great cause, to haue in suspence our hast to subscribe to their professed Gospel. Yet all this their friuolous speches set a part, both the Apostles and others wyth them at that presēt, ioyning in the sinceritie of the professed trueth, were of the true church of God. Also that church where­out these wicked Sectories, & Heritykes came, was that, and the best beloued Wyfe the Church of Iesus Christ, not­withstanding such contentions and vari­able mindes, as then that state caryed to the posteritie. And euen so is our church now holding fast the substance of Doc­trine geuen by the scriptures, and the ad­ministration of the Sacraments, ac­cording [Page 33] to his worde. Lykewise in sub­stance, though in some matter accidentreth there arise question, the same yet offe-no ioy to the professed papist for as they contende, so doe both sides striue to be far from popish affects. This our Church also I say, of and in England, is the true church of God, & the reuerend fathers the Bishops, with others the preachers of his holy word, in this our nation, & now go­uernment, abiding in y ^e truth of doctrine, (though ther be) amids their harmony, in y ^e substance of our religiō some little iar­ring crochet in lesse matters out of mu­sicke her concorde, are to be accompted as members of that musicall body, whereof Christ is the head, and worthy 1. Cor. 3.9.10. buyl­ders of that spirituall house of which Ie­sus our Lord is the Eph. 2.20. chiefe corner stone. If I should stand to reherse the contenti­ons of the Church, since the first Church till this present, I should passe the limits of a large booke, farsed with onely testi­monies to that end. As for example the contention among the learned and Godly fathers in the Cent. 2. cap 8. East and west churches. for the time and day: wherein the Easter [Page] day should be kept, was great and peri­lous a cutting asunder of the said church, and an absolute breache of perfect vnity, till Ibidem. fo. 158. Nicene councell ended the cause, but salued not the whole sore. For the hygh authoritye of places and men Ec­clesiasticall, it is a worlde to reade and sée how Epist. Gre. lib. 4. Epi. 34.38. E. 78 Iohn the Bishop of Constanti­nople began, and the Romane Gregory encountering him, Prophecied his Ro­mish seate to be prepared for the same Antechristianisme after his dayes, which Palmerius Vesperius. Boniface the worker of euill enthro­nised in his full pompe, which contenti­on I feare will not be banished, till the spirit of the Lords [...]. Thes. 2.8. mouth consume y ^e authors & fautors thereof. This sore how in those better dayes, & more pure times it hath festered into the harts of Godly & learned men, then most famous, by this little taste ye may at the first perceiue. But let vs (as ye would haue it, O ye fawning papists) graunt ye that some Heresies doe bréed in our English church at this day, shall ye? therefore accuse the same to be estraunged from God, shall you wyth wylye subtletie (to that [Page 34] ye may) deface the Churche our Spiri­tuall Moother, and carye the names of her Sonnes and Children, and louers of our gracious Nurse, ELIZA­BETH? Naye, rather ought ye to lyke of our Religion that manifesteth suche Heresies, and confesse that where the Lorde hath fyrst sowne Wheate, there the Mat. 13.24.25. Enemie comming after, hath in the same chosen Lande sowed Tares. And ye ought to know that the Lordes will is, to haue Vers. 30. both for a sea­son to grow together, that the blade of the Tare might the better make knowne the eare of the good wheat. So is it (good rea­der) y ^e wisdome of Gods purpose, that He­resies springing vp with true doctrine, y ^e veritie should more clearly appeare, and the sowers of truth should more diligent­ly study to refell the false opinions of the wicked, by the forcible power of that first sowne Mat. 13.19. Mark. 4.14 Luk. 8.11. truth, the word of God. Let not the wicked therefore perswade thée that our Church and Religion is euill & false, because of scismes & Heresies which some wicked, not yet by y ^e sentence of y ^e Church fully cut of, percase do hold, for it begā in y ^e [Page] Apostles time, that Heritykes and Seis­matykes should frō the true church haue their procéedinge, and of the same their first place to be 1. Io. 2.10. Act. 15.24. trayned vp in trueth, that their Iudgement should be the grea­ter. And Rome it selfe, (which is now wrapped in horrible heresie, and manifold scismes, though they yet boast of vnitie) came out of Gods church, and hath made manifest Apostacie there from: as if you set the Religion in Rome now profes­sed, wyth the Doctrine which the same dyd holde what tyme Paule wrot his E­pistle to them, you shall most playnely sée, that the Romanistes are gone out of Gods Churche great and Huge He­rityques. Came not Arius, that pesti­ferous man (who hath by his Bookes denyed Christes Eternitie wyth the Eus. lib. ecl. hi. li. 7. cap. 10. Father, onely acknowledging him to be made as a Creature. (Oh myghty and Monstrous Blasphemie) came he not out I say of the Churche of GOD at Alexandria, where he was first a Schole­master and after an admitted Preacher? dyd he not of malice, Trip. hi. li. 10. c. 12. agaynst Alex­ander the good Bishop, there first broche [Page 35] forth his Heresies. Where had Agelius;▪ his place to spred his Heresie (which was of the sect of Nouatus that Heretike, hat­ched vp in the Church at Rome, and was the Father of the Heretykes, Eus. lib. 6. cap. 34. called Katharoi) but euen where the christian Chrisostom was chiefe Pastour and Bi­shop, and in his Church at Constantinople? Trip. lib. 5 cap. 32. Shall the contentions in the Apostles age, in Christes Church then, or the con­trouersies amongest the learned in the Christian Churches since, cut the one or the other? from being the Church of God? God forbid. Yea, if from the church of the Apostles there procéeded scismes & Here­sies by the wicked amongst them, if since in all times, as the Eccl. histories tell vs, Satan hath so troubled y ^e good corne with counterfait cockle, why shal we thinke it strange to haue y ^e same tentations now, which our fathers before vs, & our childrē after our departure, shalbe assalted with▪ yea your holy mother of Rome (ye papists) hath nursed vp such wicked children her selfe (in whom & whose popes alone, ye repose your whole trust) as may bear y ^e bel, before y ^e deuill the patron of your religi­on, for their great heresies. And they are [Page] sundry in number. As Liberius. Anastati­us, Honorius, Siluester, and the mery mon­ster Iohn, y ^e B. aboue others more nota­ble. Adhere to al the rest in that sea, since Antechrists possession first thereof taken. Albeit ye cannot deny the premises, or kéep frō our sight your many & sundry iarring opiniōs, yet ye wold y ^t your sinagog of Rome, should be accōpted the holy mo­narch & mother church of the world, & that notwithstanding the procreation of such a pestilent & poysoning brood: why should ye then abridge vs, of the lyke libertie which ye chalenge to your selues, & that séeing we doe with all might séeke to re­preffe the opinions of them that be wic­ked wyth the power of the Gospell, and to mayneteyne vnitye in Godlynesse, to all our powers. Herein you doe but poure out your much malice & striuing to hinder vs. You haue exhibited against your willes, much lyke to your graund­sire Io. 11.50 Caiphas, to our side, and with vs, the Testimonye of trueth. So mightie is God our defender, that he draweth wyth violence out of your wicked mouthes, to your greater condemnation if ye repent [Page 36] not, the vouch of verity. But to conclude this poynt (Christian reader) take and taste this Antidotum, here confected to thy vse, agaynst their venomous spea­ches, and it shall not onely comfort thy afflicted minde, (which God graunt for his Sonnes sake,) but also shall kéepe thée stedfast, vntill the Lorde performe the promise, long syth by his holy Pro­phetes solempnely made to his Churche for euer. As first in Micah Micah. 7.20 thus. Thou wylt perfourme thy trueth to Jacob, and mercye to Abraham, as thou haste Sworne to our Fathers in olde tyme. Esa. 54.11.12. And agayne in Esay wholy and specially from eleuenth verse to the ende of the same, which Chapter is most comforta­ble agaynst these our subtill dayes. Vers. 11. Oh thou afflicted and tossed wyth Tem­pestes (sayth the Prophete to Goddes Churche) thou that hast no comfort: be­hold I wil lay thy stones with Carbuncle, & lay thy foundations w ^t Saphire, & I wil make thy windows of Emraudes, & thy gates shining stones, & all thy borders of pleasant stones, and all thy Children shal be taught of God, and much peace shalbe [Page] vnto thy Children, in righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression, for thou shalt not feare it, and from feare, for it shall not come nie thée. Beholde the Enemye shall gather himselfe, but wythout me, whosoeuer shall gather hymselfe in thée, agaynst thée shall fall. Beholde, I haue made the Smyth, that bloweth the Coales in the Fyre, and him that bringeth forth an Instrument for his worke, and I haue Created the Destroyer to destroy, but all the Weapons that are made a­gaynst thée, shall not prosper. And e­uery Tongue that shall aryse vp against thée in Iudgement, thou shalt Con­demne. Thys is the Lordes Heritage and their ryghteousnesse is of mée sayth the LORDE. Thus farre the Pro­phete speaketh, to teache thée (good Rea­der) great cause of comfort and cou­rage agaynst dispayre, though England, which is Gods church, haue now many e­nemies risen vp against her, & her religi­on, yea, though her owne skirtes doe ca­rie suche as insult agaynst her, she is Promised that theyr Weapons and [Page 37] the smith that framed them shal not pro­sper. Their lybelling bookes which séeke to persecute her, though they come from the house of counsell, and séeme to procede from the seate of learnings iudgement, yet shal this church of God be set a Iudge ouer their wearie trauels and toyling spite, and shall condemne them.

Let that worthy Jewel of famous me­mory, the holy confessor and Saint of and by Iesus Christ, treasured vp in the La­pydarie of the heauens for the glory of our God, let his excellent workes (I say) stand for an ample warrant hereto, to this age & to her posteritie for euer. And let others whether at home or abroade looke for the same end of their molesting troubles, which they cast into this our age and Church. But thou wilt say, why doth the Lord suffer so long our weake consciences to be troubled with these con­tending strifes? What art thou (O man) that wilt dispute with God? These trou­bles to vs yet in respect of the Schismes of old, are but as an entring into the first moment of the day. Waite thou the lords leysure and be still, learne thy song fra­med [Page] by firme hope in truth, which Micah hath taught the church of God, alwayes in her trouble to sing, & thou shalt be relieued though thy enemies yet séeke to tri­umph ouer thée. Micah. 7.8 Reioyce not against me, O my enemie, (saith y ^e church there) for though I fal, I shal arise, when I shal sit in dark­nes, the Lord shall be a light vnto me, I will beare the wrath of the Lord, because I haue sinned against him, vntil he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me, then wil he bring me forth to the light, & I shal sée his righteousnes. Then she that is my enemie shall looke vpon it, & shame shall couer her, which said vnto me, Where is the Lord thy God? my eyes shall behold her, now shal she be troden downe as the myre of y ^e stréets. &c. Thus much forth of y ^e prophet Micah, where thou maist learn to accuse thy self for thy sinne, as 2. Sa. 24.17 Dauid did, séeing the people afflicted, & not with 1. Re. 18.17 Achab to charge y ^e Lord, or his profes­sion & Prophets, whē troubles & plagues arise in the church, but to turne thy eyes into thy owne conscience, & sée the booke of thy iniquities there written, & to confesse before god & man, that thy sinne is y ^e cause [Page 38] of such trouble & plague brought into y ^e church & people by Satan his malice, & y ^e pollicie of these his wicked impes. Last of all, discourage not at the romish scoffes & taunting reproches, nor yet despaire in y ^e bottome of her darke dungeons, & sharpe persecutions, for the lord wil comfort thée in them, if thou rest vpon his laysure, & re­maine constant, & in y ^e end deliuering thée wil stampe thy enemie into dirt, & make thée beautiful in the sight of al men, that thou maist serue him thy god, thus deliue­red frō feare, in new holines deuoid of hy­pocrisie, in iustice & righteous dealing, to, & with al men, in the place of thy abode & traffike els where amōgst men in earth. And euer respect thy deliuerāce frō sinne, & regard thy state so, that Satan eftsones pul thée not to thy former sinne, which cō ­pelleth his erst bondage, for the end of such as so fal, is worse then y ^e beginning. And thus much for y ^e first part of this Hymne, in which I haue bene more prolixe then first I purposed, but I trust that the pro­fite which may rise vppon the attentiue reading of the matter simply set downe, wil coūteruaile y ^e tedious sight of so much blotted paper, sith my willing trauayles [Page] hath forced me to dwell in comfortable spéech with the lesse learned, some thing the longer, because they of themselues can not conceiue such profitable matter, as this our text doth exhibite to the serching eye: assuredly perswaded that the better (so godly) learned will vouchsafe soue­raigne Censure to this my vnpolished pen. And wherein I erre from the truth, if by the same I may heare louingly therof, as I hope I haue geuen no poyson to the Church, so I wilbe glad to reforme that and those thinges which godly reasons with learned truth shall require at my hands. The Lord graunt continuance of his gospell in this Nation, preseruation to her Maiestie, with encrease of Gods knowledge, and zeale to his holy name, and to vs and his whole Church, from all heresies, Scismes, and ciuill dissentions, if it stand with his good wil and pleasure, once full deliuerance, that we may serue the Lord our god in sinceritie of hart, and integritie of life in his sight, by his holy spirite all the dayes of our life, to whom, by and with Christ our Lord, to that dei­tie in the trinal vnitie, be al praise power & glory for euer. Amen.

As the sacred Priest before had decla­red Gods great benefites and faithfulnes in performing his louing promises, to the redemption of his elect: So now he retur­neth to this present action, and vsing the person of an interpreter expoundeth the Oracle of God, declaring his sonne this child, to be the same preacher and Doc­tor, which erst by the Prophet Malachy was promised Malach. 3.1 Esa. 4.3 to precede Christ. By whose trauel in Doctrine, the way should be prepared for the Lordes comming, his and our Messias. Which office this babe in his appoynted time executed right wel with sinceritie of hart▪ sparing no person, place, time, or people, or omitted any oc­casiō when he might most aptly performe such his calling. This Baptistes voyce [Page] was euer crying against the sinnes of all, exhibiting y ^e remedie for that horrible gilt to as many as aproched his presēce, or to whō he could send forth his heroical voice crying: Mat. 3.1 Repent for the kingdome of god is at hand. In these .2. verses we haue as be­fore to consider y ^e sugred sence, & comfortable doctrine which in them is contained.

And first as touching the spéech of Za­charie to his little babe, note the mercy of God to Zacharie himselfe, for albeit hée returned incredible spéech, to y ^e Angel, say­ing: How shal J know Luc. 1.18. this, for J am old, & my wife is of great age. Yet god caused the Angel to procede in his message, & correc­ting his incredulitie said, Luc. 1.19 I am Gabriel, that stand in y ^e presence of god, & am sent to speake to thée, & to shew thée these good tidings, and behold thou shalt be dumbe & not be able to speak vntil y ^e day that these things be done, bicause thou beleuedst not my words, which shalbe fulfilled in their season. A notable example of gods mercy & iustice Psal. 101.1 & 85.10. met togither in y ^e person of this holy priest. For whē he refused to giue credit to y ^e preaching Gabriel, Gods iustice o­uertoke his sinne, & proclaymed his gilt, by y ^e Censure of his iudgement in the prea­chers [Page 40] mouth, which presently tooke effect in him. For he comming forth of y ^e sāctua­rie, was séene not able to speak, but made signes Luc. 1.22 vnto y ^e people, & so remained till y ^e same mercifull God by his holy spirit o­pened his mouth, to vouch his praise by this Prophetical Hymne. Whereout wée rightly gather his inestimable mercy, measured by his loue, which could not be cut short of his purpose, by Ro. 3.3.4. y ^e malice of Zacharies sin, or wold depriue this holy man of so great a benefite, though his so­ring sinne deserued it. And is this done for him alone? No: for vs also that beleue in Christ Iesus, to vs is god the one & same that here he was to Zacharie. And ther­fore is Zacharies sinnes 2. Sa. 11.4.13.15. Dauids ini­quities, Ionas. 1.3. Jonas gilt Exo. 32.2 Aaron his fal, Iere. 20.14. Ieremies heate, Mat. 26.65. Peters denial, Luc. 7.32 Mag­dalens vice Mat. 20.21. Zebedes sonnes with their ambition, set down to the church in y ^e holy scriptures; y ^t we might haue hope & conso­lation, so often as we imitate into their maners, & take suruey of gods iustice, pon­dered w ^t his mercy vnto these & others the godly fathers. For he accepting not y ^e per­sons of flesh, but in all places, [...]o. 20. [...] whosoe­uer calleth vppon his name shalbe saued, [Page] from their sinnes of what condition soe­uer they be. To all the elect of God it is said, Esa. 1.18. Jf your sinnes were as red as Scarlet, J will make them as white as Wooll. No one of those are excluded from this comfort, Mat. 11.28 Come to me all you that trauell, and bee heauie laden, and J will refresh you. Assured of this, also shall all the elect of God be, that in whom there remayneth y ^e canker of sinne (as it doth in all corrupted flesh) in them the mercifull iustice of God shall by his 2. Sa. 24.16. striking Angell, be found to cor­rect their sinne. For he scourgeth euery Heb. 12.6. sonne that hée receiueth: Hée some­times chasteneth with the scourge of 1. Cor. 11.32 naturall death his beloued, that their ini­quitie should not cast them with the 1. Cor. 11.32 reprobate into eternal fire. And in whom can be foūd his quickning spirit, to mor­tifie their killing Ro. 8.13. flesh, in them his pro­uing hand is euer exercised to Io. 14.2 purge their sinne, and force more fruite. But here note with me y ^e hate which god doth beare to the 2. Cor. 10.6 Psal. 82.5.6 discredit of his word, vtte­red by the teachers of his truth. He spa­reth not to plague the same in his Esa. 28.12.15.16.19.20 Marc. 6. holy ones, yea, be they neuer so necessary members, [Page 41] and helpes to his Church. Luc. 1.20 [...] Rather should all Ierusalem be destitute of their preaching Prophet, and their sacrifising priest Zacharie, then god would spare to chastise the doubtfull hearing of his abso­lute word. Where note, he more requi­reth an obedient eare to his truth, 1. Sa. 13.9.10.11.12.13.14.15. & 15.3.9.19.28. then al painful toyl in wilworship, or sacrifices by him selfe els commaunded. What shal then the obstinate & rebellious Papistes, the heritiques of our age doe, that flatly contemne the same? Truely this is the Censure of God against them Prou. 1.24. I haue called (saith the Lord) & ye haue refused, I haue stretched out mine hand, and none would regard, but ye haue despised al my counsell, and would none of my correc­tion, I will also laugh at your destructi­on, and mocke when your feare com­meth like soddaine desolation: and your destruction shall come like a whyrle wind, when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you. Then shal they cal vpon me, but I wil not answere, they shal séek me early but they shall not find me, be­cause they hated knowledge & did not chuse the feare of the lord. They would none of my [Page] counsell, but despised al my correction. Ther­fore shal they eate of the fruite of their owne way, and be filled with their owne deuises: for ease slaieth the foolish, and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them. 2 But he that obeyeth me shal dwel safely, and be quiet from feare of euil. Secondly we may perceiue y ^e riches of gods mercy, who doth not only forgiue Zacharies sinne, but enritcheth him w ^t a most speciall gift of prophecie, that no man should dispayre to do well, because erst he hath bene euill, or that any should denie all them apt to the function of God, which tofore haue bene inobedient, or re­bellious to his word. No: measure not the man by that he was, but accept him to that he now is made by the grace of God Gal. 2.7.8.9.10. powred into him: And be not thou seuere, where God is soueraigne. Con­demne not y ^e person for those euils, which the lords mercy hath not only pardoned, but also hath & doth endowe with fresh & more bountifull giftes then erst hée had, or possible, some others which malice such men, can make apparant to dwel in them selues. Idolatrie no dout is an huge sinne, but is not infidelitie the mother thereof? [Page 42] And incredulitie a beame of that buil­ding, 1. Cor. 12.2.3.4.5.6.7.8 9.10.11.27.28 yet from infidelitie God calleth to his Christ. Yea such as haue bene nursed vp in Idolatrie, to his seruice. And the incredulous to the preaching of faith. In whom we sée this simple conuersion, let vs acknowledge it for Act. 9.26.27. gods worke, and do not séeke to apall the place, & credite of such, but rather assist (yea to the face of y ^e Apostle, and gouernours in the church) them, & euery of them, to whom the Lord hath made himselfe knowne, & hath spo­ken to their hartes so, that they by his grace (with Paul) haue séene the Lord in their passage, & embasing themselues be­fore him, haue confessed him to be y ^e lord, & boldly do vouch him tofore kings & men. Know wel this, that at what time Ezec. 1 [...]. the wicked part from their ill, their sinnes y ^e lord putteth quite out of his remēbrance. Now as of Zacharies person hitherto we haue bestowed the vew of gods mercy towards him: So let vs consider now his propheticall wordes, to, & concerning the purpose of God in this Baptist. Thus he saith: And thou little babe shalt be called the Prophet of the highest. &c.

By these words we are put in mind stil of Gods aboundant mercy, in his Christ, who not only maketh Zacharie an old & comfortable father: but openeth also vn­to him the arcane counsel of his diuine disposition. And by the spirit of prophecy, assureth him and the Church committed to him of the heauenly benefite, their spi­rituall deliuerance in this Christ their true Messias, of whom this little babe that yet can nothing say shalbe the most noble preacher and Prophet. When hée calleth him y ^e Lords Prophet, he acknowledgeth him to be y ^e interpreter of y ^e lords Law and Oracles, the Doctor and prea­cher in & to the Church of God, by whose mouth the Lord him selfe speaketh to the same, opening to them his secretes, and manifesting his holy will, as appeareth by that which followeth: To geue know­ledge of Saluation. &c. Which prophecie of y ^e father was fulfilled in his sonne the Baptist, in the the first yeare of Tiberius, at which time Christ was about thirtie yeres of age. Mat. 3.1.2. And John began to preach publiquely saying, Repent for the kingdome of God is at hand. Two notable thinges in [Page 43] the wordes of this his text he promiseth to his sonne, by his warrant receiued frō God. First that albeit he be in respect of natures worke, and the worldes reputa­tion, but a small child, and of lowe degrée, yet hath the lord chosen & appointed him from his cradell: nay, before his creation Luc. 1.13. to be the instrument most apt to the Lordes labour. The second is the nature of his office, which is to prepare & make Luc. 1.16.17 18.19. straight the way of the Lord, as the Angel before had sayd to Zacharie in the vision. Who being corrected for his dout­fulnes assured him selfe, and others, most constantly of the Lordes promise, which was, that this holy Prophet the Baptist should be great in the sight of God, and should not geue him selfe with the wic­ked Priestes of the earth, or the false pro­phets of Israel, to gorge their crawes with bibbing cheare, but should lead an austere & temperate diet, hauing his hart wholy set vpon his office, which the spirit of God selected him to from his mothers wombe, Luc. 1.16. that he should turne the chil­dren of Israel to their Lord God, by that heroicall spirite, which God erst gaue to [Page] Helias: to turne the harts of the fathers to the children, and the disobedient to the wisedome of the iust men, to make ready a people, prepared for the lord. This was the most excellent office of the Baptist, in consideration wherof this Zachary song this Psalme to y ^e lords praise. Now let vs note here (good reader) y ^t not by chāce, but by gods prouidēce al things are guided to his glory & the churches profite. Not any mā is by chāce set into place, autoritie, or any office, but are appointed of god in his wisdome, yea before they are to be men Esa. 44.28 Exo. 2.2. & 3.5.10. & 4.27. & 28.1.2. 1. Sa. 9.1.15. cap. 16.1.12.13. ca. 3.4. Amos 7.14 15. Iere. 1.5. Esa. 1.1 Heb. 5.5.6 Gal. 1.15. Mat. 10. &c & beyond his search, sute, or expectatiō, to y ^e seruice of his god. As Moyses, Aarō, Saul Dauid, Samuel, Amos, Jeremie, Esay, Christ him selfe, Paule, the Apostles els, and all others before and since. The very wicked Magistrates their office and authoritie is of the Lord, Prou. 8.15. by him kinges doe raigne good or euil. In that they are kinges [...]o. 1 [...].1 of his good wisedome it is, but as they are e­uill VVisd. 6.4 7.19.3.1 1. Pet. 3.13 it is of their owne frowardnes & Satans malice, from which persons ney­ther may the action of Gods iustice in any wise be seperate. Pharao Exo. 14.4.8 his hart the Lord hardened, Nabuchadnezar 2. L. 24.1.2.3. &. 20.17. & 33.27 hée [Page 44] stirred vp against the children of Israel. Pilate and Herode with the Gentiles and cruel Jewes were in their malicious harts furiously bent, and did in déede gather them selues together against Christ the annoynted of the Lord. But it Act. 4.24.25.26.27.28 29.30 was to do whatsoeuer the hand and the coun­sell of the Lord had before determined to be done. All which emphatically Zacha­rie voucheth vnder this word (Thou shalt &c.) Wherefore let vs depend vpon our heauenly fathers prouidence, and what gouernement, raigne, pollicie, or order so euer we sée, prayse God for the good, pray God to amend, rectifie or remoue the euill at his good pleasure, and for his spirit to direct our steppes, knowing that as a sparowe falleth not to the ground without the heauenly fathers prouidēce, So shall nothing come to passe without his good pleasure to his elect. And the e­uent shall euer be to them (because they feare the Lord), good and prosperous. Oh that ye Papistes, Atheists, and other the Macheuils of this our age, could consider this then would ye not so range at the Gospell, or so enuie the professors [Page] therof, or yet contēne so gracious gouern­mēt as is set ouer you & vs, by the which (not by casualitie, but by diuine destinie) gods word is so amplie preached, & forci­bly beaten into your eares, that were you not 1. Pet. 2.8. appointed to the slaughter in y ^e day of wrath, impossible should it be for you to remayne rebellious. But so is it Gods good pleasure to rayse vp little Baptists, and lowly babes to possesse that grace Mat. 11.25. Luc. 10.21 which you wise and mightie Giants of y ^e world despise and persecute. All prayse be to thée O heauenly father therefore, and continually vouchsafe thy blessing to this our nation, graunt our Dauid to consider thy choyse of her Maiestie, which was not from the fold of simple shepe, but out of the Lions téeth the Papists clawes, out of the Towers prison, and tirans death, to féede thy people of England, in the Psal. 78.70. sinceritie of her harte, and the porcion of her gracious giftes bestowed vppon her. Moreouer, I note to thée (good reader) the yet more mercie of our good GOD, who spilleth not, but spareth the worlde for the electes sake, and before he sendeth destruction for sinne, he exhibiteth to that [Page 45] people his Prophetes, to call them to re­pentance Ioel. 2.14. Ier 18.8. that he in lyke sort, may torne from y ^e euil which he hath determi­ned agaynst them. As to Adam in Pa­radise Gen. 3. he appeared by him selfe. To Ex. 3.4.5.6 7. Cain by his voyce from heauen. To Pha­rao Ex. 3.4.5.6 7. by Mosses. To Achab & his age 1. K. 17.1.2. by Hely. To the Iewes before the destruction by Esay. Je. & sundry others. To Ierusalem Ma. 3. Ioh. 1. by Iohn Baptist. Christ Iesus and his Apostles, forty and od yeares af­ter his death, and all to call these to re­pentance, and true turning to the Lorde, by the warning of the Trumpe of God, the mouthes of the Preachers. But alas, these ages as they are past before vs, so haue they left to their posteritie, as yet, their former vices of securitie, and con­tempt of the preachers voyce. So that E­say may well say at this houre Esa. 53.1. Lorde who beleueth our saying? or to whom is the arme of y ^e Lord knowne? But woe o­uertooke them, and so shall it all such as despising the light of the worde, Io. 3.19. wal­low still in the myre of mans deuises a­gaynst God. Where God offereth his worde, therewyth he sheweth himselfe [Page] bent to mercie. But if both he spare to strike, and spende his holy labors by his Propheticall preachers in vaine, to the people to whom he sendeth them: then and there will he poure out his double plagues to their vtter confusion. Let Je­rusalem alone suffize to testifye the same. And grant (O Lord, more grace to Eng­land y ^t we in no sort receue this thy long suffering & aboundant gracious light of thy blessed truth in vaine, for thy sonnes sake. For then assuredly, as it now ap­peareth by thy handy work, & is become to be the best Receptacle, for thy afflicted members: So shall it then be sene, an horrible Cage for euery foule byrde, and fylthie gryppe, and in stede of songes of mirth and ioy, howling, lamentation and mourning: for her great desolation shall found her sorow to the heauens, & redoūd to the earth againe, accompanied wyth thy most terrible plagues, in vehement sort. Oh the securitie of England. Oh, the manifest contempt of the English nati­on. Oh y ^e depe dissimulation that enuiro­neth so y ^e borders of this land, as no wher thence, it were permitted to haue his pas­sage. [Page 46] Wel: God sēdeth to thée, yet once Za­chary & Iohn Bap. in plentiful sort, to cry w ^t exalted voice incessantly, repēt for the day of the Lord is at hand. And through the preaching of truth they open the way to saluation in Christ. Happie be thou, ye twise blessed, oh miserable England, canst thou in time lende thyne Eares, and laye thy hearte to the touche of truethe in this the daye of thy moste lo­uing visitation. And thy day of appea­ring, canst be readye to tourne to thy Lorde, who shall purge thée lyke vnto moste pure Mala. 3.3. Syluer. But if the Lorde take from thée (Oh Englande) his Worde and Preaching, then Deso­lation is imminent. For when Preach­ing fayleth, the people perishe and dye for want of their spiritual breade, y ^e force Mat. 4.4 of their lyfe. Where is the beautie of the former Hierusalem? What is be­come of the Learned Chorinth, the pryde of all Achaia? And where is the for­mer glory of that Christian Antioche? Is not the east Churche wholy become an Apostata from God, and them selues be­trothed to y ^e seruitude of sinne, & his huge [Page] enemies? And what shal we say of that ro­ging Rome, which somtime was y ^e deare church of God, is she not now become the seate of Antechrist, and the Sinagogue of Sathan? Yes forsooth. Whence flow­ed the Floudes of Godlinesse, thence commeth the Waters of fylth, in the streame of Idolatrie, superstition, adul­terie, homicide, treason, murder, couetousnesse, and sinnes agaynst nature, and the holy Ghost. There as in a mirrour, we may sée the testimonie of Paule (speaking of the Heathen Idolators) to the Godly Romanes, verifyed. For when they Ro. 22.23. pro­fessed themselues to be wise, they became fooles, turning the glory of the incorrup­tible God, to the similitude of a corrupti­ble man, &c. Wherefore God gaue them vp also to their hartes lustes, vnto vn­clearnesse, to defyle their owne bodies, be­twéene themselues, which tourned the trueth of God to a lye, and worshipped and serued the Creature, forsaking the Creator, which is blessed for euer. Amen. For this cause sayth Paule, God gaue thē vp vnto vile affections. The spirit of god foreseeing the lyke Idolatry and sinne to [Page 47] followe in this satanicall Sea, warned them by these former plagues to auoyde the seconde destruction, set downe by Iohn the diuine in the Reuelation Apoc. 14. [...] 17.8.18.2. But sith this seate is set for Antechrist, and that no man can safely vnder her harbor, be sure from Gods wrath, or can be permitted to nussle (as the Sowe) in the myery puddles of her Ier. 2.13. broken Ces­ternes. Let vs wyth on consent, recoyle to the commaundement of the Spirite, which soundeth the retire from Romish Babilon, and her damnable desolation, lest running in her chase, we be ouerta­ken by the Lorde, which persecuteth her. wyth al arma of sundry and sodeyne Fyghtes to her most terrible ouerthrow. And always haue before thine eyes that pyller of Salt, which sometime was Gen. 19.26. Luk. 17.32. the holy Lots wife, who for her great loue she bare to her line & bloud, which would not lende their eares to God, receiued a monstrous shape, and lost the beutie of her first Creation: A notable example certaynely.

The office of Iohn, and how he is to prepare the way of the Lorde, is here by Zacharie set downe: namely by the Prea­ching of Mat. 3.5.6.7.8.9.10. repentance, and driuing the Iews to y ^e view of their sins, wherby they might be the more apt to receiue Christ by fayth, & in him saluation for their sins, true righteousnes & eternall lyfe. This preparation is so requisite, as without the same, neither shall the wounded man féele his griefe, or the dreined conscience gaspe & thirst after christes bloud, y ^e foun­teine of health to euery dry sinning soule, & pined sinner, that hungreth his water of life. Wherfore his inestimable merit hath not onely giuen a sauiour, but hath sent a heauenly voyce, to cry out to our deade & deafe bodies, the knowledge of life and way to saluation which commeth to vs, by y ^e forgeuenes of our sinnes, at y ^e hands of our good God & most merciful father, he hauing fully satisfyed his iustice, in the person of our crucifyed Christ, the [Page 48] Esa. 53. chastisement of our peace.

Thrée especiall poyntes this verse con­taineth: first by what means saluatiō is atteined, euen by the forgeuenes of sins.

Secondly whose sinnes are forgeuen: Onely the sinnes of Gods elect & chosen people. Thirdly the way by the which they atteine to so hie a price. Euen by that they haue this saluation made so appa­rant to them by the ministery of Prea­ching, that they apprehende by fayth, Gods spirit opening the hart of the hea­rer. Concerning the first whence new iu­stification is had, is apparantly sene by our Prophet, namely that their sinnes be forgiuen thē: Neither is there in any one to purchase such remission, for then should not our iustification stand in forgiuenes, but in mans purchase, & so god in bestowing life should not giue vs his son, but ac­cording our merit, and his debt, pay to vs christ our desert, which were to vttermost pestilent blasphemy against God and his Io. 3. Gospell. So God loued y ^e world (sayth Christ) y ^t he gaue his only begoten sonne. &c. But this verse teacheth vs y ^t our sal­uatiō is had by y ^e remission of sins & seteth [Page] downe both the meane for vs to appre­hende lyfe, and the cause of lyfe also. The meane or hande whereby we take holde of christ which is our lyfe is fayth, Gal. 2.16.17.20. norish­ed and bred in our hartes by the worde preached, Ro. 10. which accepteth christ as of the Father he is giuen, and by the scriptures he is Gal. 3.1. discribed vnto vs. The cause here expressed is gods loue, who hath predesti­nate to lyfe, all those whom he hath tran­slated from the poynte of death Col. 1.13.14.15. to the kingdome of his deare sonne, and from among the wicked of the earth hath ta­ken them, and according to his good will being before Eph. 1.2.3. the foundation of the worlde was layde, hath chosen them to be his people. This is the minde of our Prophet, saying. To giue knowledge. &c.

If we should aske of the Papistes, whereby we apprehend Saluation? they will say to vs, partly by christ, and part­ly by the worthinesse of mans workes. Such blasphemies they bray out of their helly hartes. But (deare reader) be not deceiued by their delusions, lend thy selfe some leasure, to take view for thy wealth of that which here is sayd. Were it that [Page 49] saluation could be atteyned by the workes of the law (as true it is, the law of-God sayth Ro. 2.13.10.6.7.8. he y ^t doth fulfill y ^e law, shall lyue by y ^e law) yet are there two absolute reasones, ouerthrowing all meritte in man, what, or whosoeuer by the Lawe. The firste is the impossibilytie, that is, men to perfourme the Law. The other is the frayltie of man, which fulfylling (if he could) yet can not alwayes stand frée from transgressing the Law of God. And at what time he falleth, his righte­ousnes tombleth downe with himselfe in to the dyche, and so frustrate is his vaine trust, before reposed in his owne holines. For the first, he that shall by the works of the Lawe become iust before God, must in hearte be pure from Sinne, for as out of a filthy puddle can naturally come no swéete water, so out of a wicked hart can procéede no pure action, nor is God pacified from wrath by any worke which procéedeth from a sinfull and a corrup­ted conscience. Search & seeke from east to west, north & south, among the sonnes of men, & behold, no where shalt thou find a man whose hart is pure Pro. 20.9 from sinne, [Page] Nay, 1. Io. 1. 2. Cro. 6.36 1. d. 8.46. whose harte is not altogether a lump of that Massie poison, so that if God should Psal. 130.3. loke strayghtly vpon him, his holinesse should not be able to abyde the tryall of the Lord. Finally the wisedome of the fleshe is death, and is at set battle in enimytie wyth God, for it is not sub­iect to the Spirite nor the Law of God, neyther in deede Ro. 8.7.8. can be. So that I conclude with Paule, that they which be in the flesh (and that is euery Popishe iu­sticiarie) cannot please God. Wherfore since the founteine of mans harte is cor­rupt and poysoned, what pleasant action can proceede from his conduites? But ye will say, the regenerate man, meriteth. Yet Paule sayth to the man regenerate, what hast thou that thou hast not recei­ued? I suppose Paule was regenerate, when he wrot his Epistle to the Romanes and yet he of himselfe sayth that his hart is combred wyth the Canker of sinne. So that he dare not boast of meritte, but rather cryeth out, for woe agaynst that guylt of his Regenerate fleshe, saying. Ro. 7.23. I sée another Lawe in my members rebelling agaynst the Lawe of my mind, [Page 50] and leading me Captiue into the Lawe of Sinne, that is in my members. Oh wretched man that I am, who shall de­liuer me from the bodye of this death, I thanke God, through Iesus Christ our Lorde. His desert here he confesseth to be suche, that were it not God through Christ our Lorde, he caried nothing with him, but a body (he meaneth soule and body) deseruing by meritte euerlasting death. And of his impossibilitie to per­fourme the act of Iustification by wor­kes, he in that place, a little before, sheweth saying, Ro, 7.18. for I know that in me, that is in my fleshe, dwelleth no good thing, for to will is present wyth me, but I finde not meanes to perfourme that which is good, for I doe not that good thing that I would, but the euill that I would not, that doe I. If in the best sort of men and most perfect, Sinne hath such power, how shall the Papistes the ofscourings of the Church boast of their worthinees? Nay neyther we, or our Fa­thers are able to fulfyll Act. 15.10. the law, and therefore God Ro. 8.3. sent his sonne in the si­militude of sinful flesh, and for sinne con­demned [Page] sinne in the flesh, that the righte­ousnesse of the lawe should be fulfilled in vs (that is to say by christ imputed to vs) which walke not after the flesh, but after the spirit. And that no man should bost of his workes being regenerate, he more telleth vs, that God the father, which rai­sed Ro. 8.11. vp his son christ from death, shall also quicken our mortal bodies, (not for any worthines in vs, but because of his owne gift) euē bicause his spirit dwelleth in vs. Thus his diuine wisdome hath disposed y ^e matter, that both the action & the cause of our true righteousnesse, may not de­scende one steppe from the maiesty of his throne of grace. Assure thy selfe therefore (Christian reader) that in man is no me­ritte, vnlesse to death for Sinne, which maketh al men Ro. 3.19. culpable before god: So it is his goodnesse to haue mercy vpon all. Therfore if thou wilt atteyne to true righteousnesse, it is by the lawe, not of works Ro. 3.22. but of fayth in Iesus Christ vnto all, and vpon all that beleue. For the redemption is not in man regenerate or carnall, but in Vers. 24. christ, who hath reconci­led vs to the father in his bloud, & decla­reth [Page 51] our righteousnesse to come Ro. 3.26. by the forgiuenes of our sinnes, so preaching cōfusion & shame to vs, & the glory to him selfe. And albeit, that fayth which saueth, is called Ro. 10.9.10 Io. 6.29. a worke, yet is not the worke comming from the poure of man, for it is the worke of God, and his Ro. 6. Phil. 36. onely gift by the which we obteine christ, in whom we haue plentifull redemption from all our sins. Now let vs speak of y ^e second branch, that is of mans impossibility to stand al­wayes fulfilling the law. The Scripture saith Deut. 17.26 Gal. 3.10. cursed is euery man that continueth not in al things which are written in the law, to doe them. And againe, when a Eze. 18. righteous man tourneth away from his righteousnes and committeth iniury, he shal euen die, for y ^e same. If once departure from well doing, demerit death, and the iust Pro. 24.26. falleth seauen times, and since there is no flesh that sinneth not, nor any be he neuer so pefect, that alwaies conti­nueth in well doing, I aske, where shall we finde the meriting man? or who shall dare to present him before the Lorde, the reuenger of sin? Or yet what is he y ^t can deliuer himselfe from the danger of Gods [Page] Curse, due to his transgressions? Vaine therefore, and diuelish is the confidence in such Popish doctrine, and pernicious is the euill which this opinion bringeth to the soule, and great is the iniurie by it committed against christ Iesus, the price of thy forgiuenes. The man meritor thrusteth Christ Crucifyed vnder his féet, & setteth himselfe vp in his stead, for his owne sauiour, by his workes. But cast thy ac­compt by scripturs audite & at y ^e foot of y ^e same thou shalt find this debt apparant to such wastfull spenders of their Lordes treasure, Ro. 9.30. that such as haue sought righteousnes by y ^e works of the law haue lost the same, & this remaineth recorded for y ^e iust, that all which sought it by faith & not by works Ro. 9.30.31 32. haue atteined to true righteousnes in déede. What then doth it profit good men to worke good works. The good wors of holy men profite 2. waies. First weighing their valoure wyth our dutie, they cast downe our Peacoks tayle, and Egles hearte: béeing so farre shorte, of that they should, they call mans crye, to vouche his state vnprofytable Luk. 17.10. Mat. 25.30. Ro. 3.12. to his Lorde. And so wyth crauinge Pardon for his sinnes, fogetting his fewe déedes [Page 52] now Phil. 3.14. past, he hasteneth wyth humble­nes to the degrées of encrease, 1. Thes. 4.1 to walke and please God as he ought towards the throne of grace, where he séeth by fayth, himselfe drawne vp wyth courage to rest in Christ for lyfe, since his spirite liueth in him. Secondly they worke a most assu­red corroboration, in our hartes, whylest we consider, of whom we haue suche grace. Euen that our hartes of Ada­mant, are changed to fleshye (not fleshly) harts, & into the same Eze. 36.26.27. Gods holy spirit is put (& powred) by the power of which we are cause to walke in his lawes, and kepe his statutes. Al which though we do not, or can, in such sort as we should, yet because his holy finger hath written his sacred lawe Iere. 31.33. in our hartes, and put the sinne into our inward parts, & is himselfe become by his couenant in christ, our god, and hath chosen vs for his holy people, for this cause I say he accepteth vs as iust, though we be all sinners, and our works are acceptable in his sight, and are not wythout their rewarde, yet of his mercye deuoyd of our merit, & thus through our infirmitie worketh he his owne praise. So ende we the firste parte of this verse. [Page] To giue knowledge. &c. The second pointe is, to note whose sinnes are forgiuen, and so consequenly what kinde of persons at­teine truely and in déede to this saluation by his Prophets preached, and this I note of this word, To his people. For albeit that Christ is of the father giuen to the whole world, to be vnto them their sauiour, and that there is no age or people vnto whō the death of christ is not sufficient to their saluation, and is therfore by himselfe and the worde vouched the sauiour Luk. 2. Io. 3. Eph. 5. 1. Io. 4.14. of the world, yet are not al people by him saued, nor any but suche as here be called his people. Now haue we also to consider, that neither all that call, or chalenge to be his, are so in déede. For then should not the Infidell & Saracene with the Turke onely be cōdēned, because they refuse life, Col. 33. 1. Io. 5.20. which is only in christ Iesus to be foūd, but also of that nomber which professe christ in shew, and receiue the badge and seale of righteousnesse in Baptisme, and in the dayes of their flesh inuocate christ as God, and call the Father Lorde, be furthermore accompted to be of y ^e church, and People of God, of this multitude [Page 53] shall infinite walke the wandring path to eternall payne. Mat. 7.21 Not euery one that cri­eth Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdome of God. &c. These are for a time in, but at no time are they of the church of God. These eyther haue Satan to Mat. 13. pull the séede out of their hartes, least they should beleue and be saued, or beleue with ioye for a season, and in fierie triall, vade and consume to dust and ashes, and turne to their erst conceiued death. But saluation standeth at the 1. Cor. 9. end of the race, happie is he that endureth to the end, for he shall be safe. Or els do they with the fayth in Christ, and gospel of the sonne of God, in­termedle the cares of this world, & plea­sures of y ^e flesh, which do choke y ^e growth of the séede, that no Wheate can come to ripenes for the Lordes barne, they begin in the spirite, but they Gal. 3.3 end in the flesh. These albeit they are bidden ghestes, yet shall they not Luc. 14.24. Mat. 22.7 once tast of the Bride­gromes supper. For they being called dayly, and the Lord with open armes euer readie to embrace them, refuse to come Pro. 1.26.27 therefore shall desolation deuoure them, neither shall Ierusalem saue them, [Page] or the Sinagoge of Sathan, the Church of Rome, deliuer them from the wéeping state and wofull paynes prepared for all hypocrites. Where in stéed of popish pi­ping and carnall delights, shalbe mour­ning and howling in perpetual chaines, nayled fast to damnation his gaol. And y ^t because they neither heard or sought the Lord, with integritie of soule, or worship­ped him els, then with their owne inuen­tions, hauing their harts a long estran­ged from his delite. And albeit they were nourished vp in the bosome of his beloued spouse, Papists cō ­pared to Mice. yet they are to him as Mice in the housholders barne, whose purpose is to féede them fat, and fill their young of the corne, but not at any time to haue the presence of the Masters face. For whom also the husband prepareth engins & de­stroyers them to consume, though for a time he permit them to their deuised pleasures. Such shalbe the end of al Papists, carnall protestants, & fained hypocrites, which séeke thē selues altogether, and not y ^e lord at all. As daily those persons passe their time in such wicked lustes. But of farre other nature are the true people of [Page 54] God. As the other in the day of trial, can­not be knowne of him, for he shall say Mat. 25. depart frō me, I know ye not ye workers of iniquitie, so y ^e lords people are knowne to him by their name, they are borne Io. 3.5 againe of the spirit. They are 1. Pet. 1.2 sanctified by the holy Ghost. They are graffed Io. 15.1.2.3. Ro. 8.1 into Christ their vine. They are Ephe 1.2.3. predestinate to life. Chosen to bee the (f) sonnes of God. Called to the Ro. 8.30 know­ledge of the word of saluation, and taught of God. The spirit of the sonne is, by the loue of the most louing father, powred Gal. 4 into their harts, which causeth thē to crie to him Abba father. Their stonie hartes hée mollifieth and turneth into hartes of flesh, and into them for their direction and life he Ezec. 36.25.26.27.28 putteth his spirit, by whose power through the woord sowne and taught, he teacheth them his Lawes, and geueth them grace to walke in his sta­tutes. Thus wrought by GOD, they bring forth holy fruites. They onely heare Io. 10.3.4.5. his voyce. All straunge sound, and charminge incantation, they vtterly auoyd, charme they (c) ne­uer so wisely. They hunger after the [Page] truth, and Psal. 119 thirst the Lordes righteous­nes. They claspe their harts by fayth in Christ, that through him alone they may apprehend the louing countenance of the heauenly Fathers face. They lay their Psal. 53. sinnes vppon his crosse, and craue by comfortable cries in earnest and ardent prayer, to be 1. Cor. 1 Ro. 5.21 clothed with his righte­ousnes. They euer confesse their many sinnes, and assure them selues by fayth, of his saluation. They driue away Ro. 5.1.2.3. terror, and rest in the harbour of a quiet conscience, and in most humble wise ap­proche his throne of grace, as Gal. 4.5 Ro. 8.15 deare children adopted in Christ, to their best beloued father. They loue to labour in godly workes, as by his word they are commaunded. They séeke to liue by faith Abac. 2.4 2. Cor. 1.24 in Christ, as by the Scriptures they are taught. They ioy to suffer and beare his crosse, and aspiring by lowlinesse of mind, they pray his aide and helpe there in, with comfort 2. cor. 1.4.5 continuing vnder the same. They appoynt no time for their Heb. 11. release, but paciently abide his lotted ley­sure. They looke not on the present trou­bles, but weigh their sinnes & his decréed [Page 55] purpose and place, as opposite to their aspect, the ioye that is Heb. 12.2.3.4.5.6.7.8.9.10.11.12. set before them. They runne with patience the race for them appointed, and despising the present shame, they still endure y ^e crosse, alwayes looking to Iesus christ the authour & fini­sher of their life. They Mat. 5.44.45. blesse those y ^t curse them, they loue their enemies, and do good to Ro. 12.17.20.21. all, but their chiefe delight is to ioyne with the houshold of faith. They challenge to themselues by nature confu­sion for sinne, and shame for their infir­mities, and to God the father in Christ our Lord, by the instinct of his holy spirit, they attribute all honour and glory, and forgetting their workes past, Psal. 3.13.14.15. assay to go forwards to the price set before them, expressing thēselues by their good workes to be the Lords building, who hath made them an holy habitation, and a royall priesthode. In hym they offer vp them­selues for a spirituall sacrifice, dayly yéel­ding forth the fruites of holy Hose. 14.3 Heb. 13.15 lippes to his priest, and willing obedience to his holy will. They by the spirite desire not to followe, but defie and kill the lustes of the flesh. They fight against Sathan, and his impes continually. They beare an vn­fained [Page] Psal. 4.2 Gal. 4.9 hate to alsuperstitious vanities. They contemne and despise the beggerly ordinances Gal. 4 of the wicked world, disdayning to become bondslaues to sinne any more. They reioyce in their deliuerance, & walke in the way of the lord with a sin­cere hart & single mind. Though slide they may eftsones by frayltie, yet neuer flatte fall they by falshode, from the Lord their God. Lo these are they of whom our Za­charie speaketh, and the Angell poyn­teth Joseph Mat. 1 vnto, whē he affirmeth Ie­sus to saue his people from their sinnes. And all if these haue so many fraylties, & be of such weaknes, that they cannot as they would, or do as they should, perfect­ly walke before the Lord: Yet shall they not feare, for his Christ is theirs, & with him they haue 1. Cor. 1 in him iustificatiō, sanc­tification, redemption, and perfect wise­dome. By whose vertues and merites they are euer presented before God, as a iust and holy people peculiar to the Lord. To these can come Ro. 8.1 no condemnation, or any accusation shalbe admitted a­gainst thē, nor any gilt procure sentence to their losse. For it is the Lord that doth [Page 56] iustifie them. Finally no power shall or can conuenting, conuince them. For they haue in their hartes the word, which is Ro. 1 Gods power to saluation. And God him selfe standeth on their side for their defence. So that it is more possible for light to become darknes, good euill, and e­uill good, which neuer shall come to passe: then that the Lordes people should not be deliuered from death, or yet want the knowledge of their saluation. Which knowledge teacheth them to féele in hart and find by truth, that the same sauing health consisteth not in their remunera­tion, but commeth of god: (for his Christs sake) by full remission of and from all their sinnes. The Lord graunt vs to la­bour so in his vineyarde, which professe his name, that we may be (not called on­ly) but appeare in déede his chosen people. Then shall we be sure of our deliuerance in Christ our Sauiour. And thus much for these wordes his people, in this present verse mentioned.

The third & last branch of this verse is, to consider by what meanes his people are brought to féel & perceiue y ^t their saluatiō [Page] doth consist in the remission geuen of god Namely by this, that the same is made knowne to their consciences, by the mini­sterie of the word preached vnto them. For all if, the price of Christes bloud, bée they most soueraigne salue for mās sinne, as by y ^e which it is wholy washed away: Yet onlesse the Church of God haue sence, and perfect féeling hereof in her inward partes and depenesse of hart, the same shall nothing profite her. For the which cause Christ promiseth being once lift vp Io. 3.14.15. as the serpent in the wildernesse was, to draw all men to looke and come to him by the instrument of fayth, and to his heauenly father, in that his most comfortable prayer a little before his death, for the comfort of his elect, he witnesseth that life eternall consisteth in the knowledge of God the father and Christ his Sonne. Also reprouing the Iewes for their rebel­lion, he chargeth their Io. 8.37.55. ignorance to bée the cause therof, as also shewing his Dis­ciples of their persecuted state & perils to death, affirmeth Io. 16.2.3. ignorance to be y ^e for­cing meane hereto. This shal they do saith he, because they neither know the father nor [Page 57] yet me. Paule y ^e Apostle testifieth this to be the meane to apprehend saluation, euen to come to the knowledge of the truth. Thereto he ioyneth it to the branch pre­ceding, saying 1. Tim. 2.4 God will haue all men to be saued, and to come to the knowledge of the truth. Lo: a thing most incident to salua­tion, is to haue knowledge of the truth. To conclude, who are they which are taught of god, but his people? And what are they taught of him, but the truth of his word? Which he writeth with his fin­ger in their hartes, as the scripture saith, that they may be a knowing people, and not ignorant as the Papistes teach, but falsely, the same to be the mother of deuo­tion. But Christ sayth, that ignorance is Io. 8.19 the mother of error, which leadeth to damnation. Behold now, the scope of this Baptists office was to prepare the Iew­ish harts, by the knowledge of their sinnes and repentance for the same to preuent Gods Iustice, by fruitefull acceptation of the Gospell by Christ presently preached, to haue him for there God, and by him saluation and full deliuerance from their sinnes. For the which cause the Angell [Page] also before to Zacharie Lu. 1.15.16.17. adorned him with noble titles, and not to him only doe they belong, but to all the true preachers of God with him, wherefore they are here of thée (deare Reader) the better to bée weighed, as wordes that doe import the glory of his heauenly Embassage, to thine earthly hart. Hée is first sayd to bée full of the holy Ghost, Titles giuē by God to Iohn Bap­tist. a thing most necessarie to bée in the true preacher of the word, as without the same he can neither preach, much lesse profite the people of the Lord.

The Apostles from christ therfore recei­ued the fulnes of his spirit by portion to their aptnes, & power to Act. 2.3.4. execute their office, & he breathed Iohn. 20.22 on them, and gaue them his holy spirite, that thereby they might not only abound in gifts, but also should without terror speake his wil, and preach his name to all nations. So in like maner Paule witnesseth that both the gift of prophecying, & Prophets, Ephe. 4.11. 1. Cor. 12.11 27.28. Doctors and teachers, is by the spirite of God. Of which grace he hath promised continu­ance to the end of the world, saying: J Math. 28.20 wil be with you to the end of the world. And therfore Iohn warneth thée (reader) not to [Page 58] beleue euery 1. Io. 4.2 spirite (so he calleth the doctrine by the preacher brought) but cō ­maundeth thée to trie whether they be of God. He sheweth thee absolutely that in the preachers of thy age, Gods spirit also speaketh, saying: Hereby shall ye knowe the Spirite of GOD. Euerye spirite that confesseth that Jesus Christe is come in the Fleshe, is of GOD. There were false Prophets among the Jewes, which kept y ^e people backe from the faith in Christ. There were certaine heritiques which denied Christ to be come in the flesh, as y ^e scriptures teach him. And these so vexed y ^e Church, and molested the consciences of the godly bretherne, and began to make such shipwracke of the faith of many, that the Apostle was driuen (from the Doc­trine to frame their hartes in Christ,) to arme by instruction the church of GOD, against Cerinthus Ebyon and other heri­tiques, that woulde not acknowledge Christ wholy as the Scriptures proued him to bée. The like proofe of Gods spi­rit is left to thée, to the ends of the world, to trie the Preachers which come vnto thée, whether they haue in them, or doe by Gods spirite speake vnto thée. [Page] He that preacheth Iesus Christ as hée is set downe in the written Scriptures, is of God. Hée that denieth him in any part their vouched to be in Christ, is of Anti­christ. Whosoeuer hath not this 1. Io. 4.3. spi­rite, and is a preacher, cannot but by the spirite of Sathan vtter as by his receiued spirite, all lying fables, as 1. Re. 22.23.24 Zedkia the false prophet did to Achab. And both Paul and Peter manifestly shew vnto vs, that many such false Prophets shall rise vp in the last dayes, which shal also denie christ in déede, albeit they confesse him with na­ked words. Paule giueth thée notes infal­lible, that euer shall lead thée to a right iudgement of these spirits of error, & doc­to [...]s of diuels. 1. Tim. 4.1.2.3.4. First they shall speake lies by hypocrisie fayning truth, but trie them by the rule giuen of christ, search the scriptures, which order the Citizens of Ber­rea, Act. 17.11 are said to obserue when the Apo­stles taught them. 2. They shal forbid to marrie, and who doth forbid I pray thée (take vew) that ministers may not Mar­rie, not the scripture, but rather the flat 1. Tim. 3.2 Tit. 1.6.1.102.9.1.2. contrarie? Who doth forbid that holy or­dināce of god in Paradise to auoyd sinne, [Page 59] but the Pope y ^e minister of sinne? he doth forbid it to all his sacrificing priestes, at all times, yet whoredome he permitteth to thē vnder purchased warrant to al time, To al other christians he forbiddeth ma­riage at certaine times, as Aduent, Lent, Jmber daies. &c. and Siricius one of the Popes, condemneth mariage to be a fruit of the flesh, as in y ^e which state a man can not please god. Meats which god hath created to be receiued with thanks geuing, & is made 1. Tim. 4.5. holy by his word & praier, doth this beast of y ^e Dragon Apoc. 1..11.12. Satanas in paine of dānation, forbid to al at his appoynted times. And the breakers of his lawe, (though blessed of God) are of him cursed with booke, bell and candle, out of his hea­uen (as Pasquine calleth it) earth, and this naturall life, as Lollords & heriticks not worthy the benefite of temporall quiet. These saith Paule in the place before quo­ted are the doctrines of Diuels. 1. Tim. 4. [...] Behold the popish doctrine from whence it com­meth, and of what spirite it is. Flie from it, as from hel it selfe. Peter .2 Pet. 2.4 warning our times of the like false spirite sayth, But there were false Prophets also among [Page] the people, euen as there shalbe false tea­thers among you, which priuely shall bring in damnable heresies, euē denying the Lord that hath bought them, & bring vpon them selues, swift damnation. And many shall followe their damnable wayes, by whom the way of truth shalbe euill spoken of: And through couetousnes shall they with fayned words make mar­chandise of you, whose iudgement long agone is not farre of, and their damnati­on sléepeth not. Lay this Scripture be­fore thy hart, and indifferently measure thereby the Popish Church and doctrine, and thou shalt sée (as it were) the Apostle to paynt the sinfull Sinagoge of Rome vnto thy prospect. With what humblenes of Angels créepe they craftely into the con­sciēces of men? what opinions bréed they flat condemned by the word? How open they their mouthes to slaunder the gos­pel of our Christ? and cal it heresie, though not as it lieth in leaues, but as it is tru­ly preached by gods holy prophets in this our dayes? And what loue they haue to y ^e word it selfe (do thou iudge) when hauing the gouernment, they burned the Bibles, rased the scriptures from of the walles in [Page 60] churches & els, & to that they could burned y ^e grauē letters in y ^e sacred flesh of christes martirs. What marchaundise of mens soules is there in poperie? whē their God, their pope, their reliques & saints merits, their Paul and Peter, their heauē & helly purgatorie, thier Masses & pardōs, their whole power & pelf is set at price, & al for monei? What sinne in man so horrible, that shuld not there haue pardon for money? What wicked fact pretended, shall not there for money not only be pardoned, but warranted? Amongst the sinnes against the 2. Table, is there a greater then Treason? I say treason to god his religion, his prince and vicar, by his great mercy set ouer vs in this natiō? And is not the Pope y ^e head practiser of y ^e same? Doth not he loose that in earth by his Bul, which god hath most surely tied fast in heauen by his word? the sworne and natural due obedience to her Maiestie? Doth not he promise absolu­tion, where God pronounceth curse and damnation? Rom. 13. [...]. To whatsoeuer person which resisteth his power? And is this for any other cause thē to bring your purses to his coffers, & your soules to swift dam­nation? Looke vpon the Gnat, by that most [Page] precious Iewell, the reuerend Bishop late of Sarum, brought forth to the vew of all mens sight, in his learned Def. Apol fol. 793 answere to halting Harding, and thou shalt not mar­uaile though he wold haue vs his again, that Camels in great number (and yet scarsely could) might yearely conuey his huge sommes of money out of this nati­on. Reioyce O England for thy deliue­rance, embrace the word by Gods spirite put in the mouthes of thy learned Bi­shops and others their godly brethern, in most pleniiful wise: So shal thy hart yéeld faithful loue & true obedience to our godly Quéen, & thou shalt reape her aid for thy quiet, but chiefely Gods blessing for thy soules health in his Christ, against the spirite of error and Sathan himselfe.

Secondly to him vz. to his office & exer­cise is ascribed a certaine power to turne y ^e harts of y ^e fathers to their childrē. This power is by his preaching the word, y ^e spi­rit of god directing him: where note that the word preached, is of power to Psal. 19.7 con­uert, bicause it is the (b) mallet of God to beat downe sinne, and his two edged Ephe. 6.17 sword, to cut downe vice. The 1. Pet. 2.2 mylke of GOD, to nourish and alter the [Page 61] crooked nature, of mans corpupted fleshe. The séede to Mat. 13. 1. Pet. 1.23. make him a fruitfull ground, the pleasaunt 2. Cor. 2.15. Psal. 119. Odor, to delight that faythfull scent. The faythfull wit­nesse and the poure Ro. 1. of God, to ouer­come Satan and his assaultes. To beate downe strong holdes, and euery 2. Cor. 10. height that exalteth it selfe against the know­ledge of God, and to bring and leade cap­tiue to the obedience of Christe, euery thought: and full power the worde hath to be reuenged of all the obstinate, when the obedience of the faythfull is fulfilled. It is not for other cause that God doth spare the wicked, then that the Godly should first be brought to more perfecti­on, and the wicked should waxe more rype in their iniquitie, and that the God­ly by their tyranie, might dayly Iud. 2.22.23 be exer­cised, and that for a season they deuoure the noysome creatures Ex. 23.28.29 of the earth, that else would more hurte the children of God. But when the Aples Amos. 8 Iere. 24.9. be rype, the Lorde will pull the trée, and cast the fruite into the fyre. For the wicked as he cannot forget, so wil he in his appoynted time, poure out the dregges of his angry [...] [Page] must be taken away and remoued. Eue­ry valley must be exalted, euery moun­taine brought low, the croked must be streyght framed, and the rough wayes made playne, and this preparation must be by the preaching of the Gospell: so ex­poundeth Luke the place, or rather the Angel when he saith to Zachary, y ^t J. Bap. should make ready a people instructed for the Lorde. As Jhon behaued him no­bly, so dyd the Apostles faythfully, and the Fathers of olde sincerely in this their charge, Remaineth that the Princes and Preachers now be diligent therein, as best beséemeth their vocation, to prepare his holy wayes.

The way of the Lord is in mans hart, which agaynst the comming of his God, How the Lords way must bee prepared. the king of al kinges, he must so prepare, that there be nothing to offend his eye, or hinder his louing comming. If an earthly Prince shal come to a Towne or Citye, how are the wayes skoured, the path made playne, the streates so sanded, that the very Horse shall not haue wher­on to trip. The house paynted, the Con­duites running wyne, the place perfu­med, [Page 63] and so garnished, that his delight may féede wyth pleasure vpon the view of this prepared way. This would the Baptist haue vs to thinke vpon, when he alludeth to the comfortable comming of their mightie kings, and the pompous preparations of the people for his receipt. But sith Christes comming is into the soule of man by his Spirite, the path of mans conscience must be prepared in de­sēt sort, aswel in matters of cōscience touching religiō, as in y ^e reformatiō of his former wicked life, for no mā cā be in christ Iesu 2. Cor. 5.17. vnles he be made a new creature. The path of our religiō, ought to he fra­med vnto vs by y ^e word of God, neyther ought we, or may we, Deut. 12.32 wythout mere sa­crileadge, adde thereto, or diminishe, in the worshippe of the mightie loue, in Christ, eny thing at all. Thrise Cursed be the Papistes therefore, that leape vp into Christes Throane, and thrust him to the walles, setting vp a will worship Col 2.18.19.22.23. of their owne inuention, hauing no other warrant then the fleshe that fra­med that Idolatrie. But the Scripture holde all them Esa. [...].11.20 accursed that set vppe false worship vnto him, or that builde [Page] their nests in mans strength, Ro. 23.24.1.25.26. &c. or put their trust in fleshly wisdome, or turn the glory of God to a mortall man, or set their affi­aunce in their inuentions.

O ye mightie magestrates, in and of the church of christ, to you this chiefly doth be long, so to prepare this heauenly path, y ^e no offensiue matter be there left to stay or stop his godly presence from our harts. You are to 2. Re. 22. enter the path appoynted to the lord his vse, & to remoue out of the way, euery base & beggerly matter that is to the dishonor of God, set vp as to his worship, or garnishing falsly of his house, the rudiments of men, which can neuer edifie in the Church of God. And to com­maund & send abroad the Preachers and forerunners of this king, to cry for prepa­ration to euery rugged hart, & depressed conscience, with the weight of sin, that by the comfort of christs gospel, they may be brought to lift vp the eies of their faith, to the lord in Sion. There Iesus christ is set vp for their saluation, there shall their heauie harts & laden soules, haue Mat. 11.28. new refreshing in him, the Lord crucified, & of his Father againe raysed to lyfe Rom. 4.25. for [Page 64] their iustification. And you Baptists of y ^e Lord, your dutie is to pull out of mens hartes, by sound & moderate doctrine, the God Dan. 11.30 39. Maisim, and euery height that ex­alteth it selfe 2. Cor. 10. against God. The pryd of mans hearte, by the power of the worde, must you beate downe, which proudly say wyth Popish spyte. Sic volumus, The popish speach of Englishe papistes. so we will haue it, and not by the word to mea­sure the time & cause, whether so it ought to be. All such as set vp their hornes on high against Christes lowly members, and nothing lyke of, that the path might somthing be skowred: such be they which fight for lyfe with tooth and nayle (as the prouerbe is) to kéepe vppe the troublous thickets, and the loftie hye hilles that can not stoupe to the Lordes lawe. The Pa­pistes, Atheistes, and Hypocrites, of our dayes I meane, which all though they be woll shrubbed, and shred, yet they begin euen nowe before the springe, to budde, and hope againe in time to florish as y ^e gréen bay trée. Psal. 10 [...] But were they lopped dazie height, or proined y ^e wyth princely Dauids a cutting knife, they as the shred willow, florish in a momēt, but neuer eft­soones [Page] could they take roote. The ragged hartes, which wyth the Hare skipe here and there, to flye from trueth, whose smothed lippes imbrace dissimulation, your seasoned sound w ^t Helias hart (oh ye Pro­phets of the Lorde) must ring wyth pow­er into their eares. For most abhomina­ble is the halting Hypocrite, he is a Micah. 7.4 Thornie Hedge and Bushe of Briers, to wounde and stinge as many as be par­takers of his companie. The harte Psal. 42.1.1. chaffed wyth flyght, séeketh to the Riuers of water for his comfort. But the Hypo­cryte pursued by Satan to his destructi­on, hath no lust to looke after the water of Io. 7.38.39. lyfe, which God doth giue to all that fathfully thirst therefore. Oh let them know that wholy, chiefely, and for lyfe, they ought to séeke the same, in sinceritie of harte, wythout Hypocrisie. Thus my deare Bretherne we ought in my Iudge­ment to teache the Lordes flocke, Diuision in the church perilous. to kill Satan, and beate downe sinne, and not wyth bitternesse of penne, and carping speache in Pulpits, through byting one an other, to bring that promise (or iuste threat) vpon vs, you shall be Gal. 5.15. deuoured [Page 65] one of another. Gal. 5.15. The LORDE amend this euill, and graunt vs more Cal. in 1. E­pis. ad Cor. cap. 11. vers. 16. conten­trosum. &c. carefull ouer his Heritage for his names sake. Wheresoeuer the Preacher findeth the people voide of these effectes, (as wher is not this ragged desert?) There ought hee to prepare a path by the doctrine of the worde, which is of power to conuerte the loste childe of Israell. To preach the com­fortable causes in Christ to allure vs, and to shewe vs the horrible state of our own corrupted nature, and the gréedie desire that sathan hath of our destruction. Can men thinke with doublenesse of harte to please the Lorde? Can they serue God by halfes? Or go towards him as far as the lawes of men leade or compell them and no further, and yet of God be well accep­ted? If God be God 1. Re. 18.21. follow him, if Ba­al be he, go after him. If Nicodemus, (whose weake cōming many make to thē selues a sinister refug) had not proceded to more perfection, hee had not aduentured to Io. 7.65. aunswer in Christes behalfe to the counsel, or yet Io. 19.38.39 of so great a tiran as Pi­late was, durst he haue begged the Io. 19.38.39 bo­dy of Iesus, or againste the malice of so many cruell ennemies, haue ioyned with [Page] noble Joseph in so hard a sute. The luke warme persons, that be neyther hote nor colde, are as a burden and surffet to the Lordes stomack, which he hath promised to Apoc. 3.16 Good councell to hipocrites. vomit out of his mouth. Loue the Prince, and liue in and vnder her graci­ous gouernement, ye Papists and Athe­istes, and Hipocrites also, for the Lordes sake. Let his holy Lawe force you, as a moste absolute Iniunction, to her godly Lawes, and not (as you say pollitiquely, but popishly,) to leane to his law because of her graces iniunctions. Neither halve before God, to refuse your obedience to religion; Gods Sacraments, and deuine seruice in the Churche, nowe godly set downe: vsing your clawing coolour, be­cause some and suche do not obserue the saide Iniunctions. The perfect Papist abu­seth the law to hin­der the gos­pell, and to creepe into fauour and escape trial. For it is more then sene to al, that a nūber of you make those Iniunctions, (which at the firste were set downe to bring you forwarde) a presente let to your obedience, & a cloke for your maliciousnesse. The actes and wordes of such as molest the godly quiet, and desi­red peace of the church, I wil not, or may defende. I lamente the cause, and praye [Page 66] God to cease the action, to his glory, Marloratus in 1. Cor. ca 11 ver. 19. probatus. the peace of his Church, and the extirpation of the serpent, and all his, at his good ap­pointed time. But you dissembling Hipo­crites, are lyke vnto the wicked persons in the dayes of Darius, Da. 6.1.2.3. who fearinge leaste Daniel with his religion should be preferred, The papists pollicie to stoppe the passage of the worde. sought by all meanes to claspe that holy Prophet vnder the Kinges In­iunction, to his destruction. So it is not the loue ye haue to our godly Elizabeth, whom ye wish to giue place to your Da­rius, but the Lord wil & doth laughe your deuises to scorn, his name be praised ther­fore and her graces good Lawes, but the hate which you haue conceaued againste Daniel the (e) Prophetes of the Lord, Act. 24.1.2.3.4.5.6.7.8) be­cause, they séeke to enstruct you the right way, to make you prepared for the Lord) and to reclaime you from popery to the professed trueth: many of you hauinge blinde eyes, voyde of sight, by the reason of hardnesse Heb 6.6. Eph. 4.18.19. of your hartes the which cannot repent, pray ayd at the same law, which your selues most deadly hate. No doubt, concerning the ministers and preachers (admitte they be good protestants) they be al of like accompt in your audite, [Page] as well the trew and faithfull pastours, which obserue the appointed order, as such other their godly Brethren, Rites not refused, for contempt of moderat ministers. which (wading no further) vnwilling were to vse the same, not contemptuously refu­sing because of the precept, but moderat­ly by petition (regardinge theyr peoples quiet or hurt) with humblenesse of harte pray God and craue, at the Gods (a) in earth (by his power placed ouer vs) as foloweth. Mercifully vouchsafe, O ye godly Princes of the Lorde, Psal. 82. that as Act. 16.3. Timo­thie, may not refuse circumcision, where Paule séeth the infirmities of the Iewes to require the same, and the Chuche her néede of such a teacher: So let not Gal. 2.3.4 Ti­tus be compelled thervnto, where as false Brethren priuily créepe in, to bring into bondage the children of the lord. No place wold Paule admit to such, though elswher he Act. 21.21.10. & ve. 27 consideringe the weakenesse of the Iewes, refused not to asociate the Naza­rets at Jerusalem, with the shauing of hys head, according Nom. 6.13 to the lawe, though a­mid the gentils, hee reproued Peter Gal. 2.11 for the like Iewish obseruation. And when it shal please thee (O Lord) graunt our gra­cious [Page 67] Princes hart, further prepared to scoure the Lordes pathe, by godly aduise of her noble councellers, that by her pub­like authority, and not our priuate af­fectes, all such matter may bee remoued as worke no way the profit of his church. And to vs ministers and men, her graces subiectes, prayer and trewe patient obe­dience, regarding more the loue and qui­et of the Churche, then our owne lyke or priuate 1. Cor. 9.18.19.20.21.22. desiers. No lesse praise deser­ueth the good Emperour Theodosius, in destroying His. tripar. li. 10. ca. 27. the idolatrous temples, then godly VVolphi. in 2. Re. ca. 23. Trip. hist. li. 6. ca. 1. fo. 412. Constantine, in shutting vp theyr gates. Faithfull Josias, in his reformation thought it best to breaketh 2. Re. 23.12. & 25. verse. Aulters, and cast the duste of them into the brooke Kedron, and the Scripture saith to his commendation, that before him there was no such king that turned to y ^e Lord, with all his harte and all his soule, and with all his might, according to the lawe of Moises, neither after him arose there any such. This example saith one learned VVolphius in .2. Re. ca. 23. writer is written to teach vs, to ouer­throwe and vtterly destroy all Idolles, and euery entisment of superstition, that [Page] [...] [Page 69] [...] [Page] no parte of such monumentes, be lefte t [...] admonish the posterity. Musculus vpon the sentence by God giuen to the serpent, (the instrument wherwith the Serpent deceyued Heua, Gen. 3 and brought Adam to sinne) asketh a question, Musculus in Gen. ca. 3.4.1. whether the sen­tence were iust, since the serpent was not the author, but the organ wherwith: no­thing priuie to Sathans purpose or wis­shing hurt, but was sorced by Sathan therto? He also answereth, yea: not onely because it procéeded from the iust God, but geuing reason for the same, saith: it is very right that to the greater detesta­tion of sathans malice, fraud, and disceit, not only himself, but all his instruments wherewith hee worketh his malice, be­come subiect and receiue like iudgement with him. For like as saith he euery such instrument, wherewith any good thing or felicitie is brought to passe, deserueth, and is worthely beloued and had in esti­mation: So by the same right, the instru­mentes of destruction, of what nature or condition so euer they bee, are together with the author of them to be punnished and condemned. Hereto he alleadgeth [Page 68] certaine examples of scriptures, as of Ios. 7 Nomb. 6. Achan, of Corah and his companie. In end he thus concludeth. If to condemne y ^e organ with the wicked spirit the author, it be Iniquum: So by y ^e same reason must it be wicked, that the bodies of the faith­full, together with their soules be made partakers of eternall life and heauenly felicitie. But farre be such thoughts from the minds of the godly, &c. Thus farre Musculus. That old father and great lear­ned Doctor Chrisostome, vppon the same place of Genesis, geueth in effect the same censure, whose wordes vpon the Serpents iudgement are (as they are reported also by Peter Martir, that famous man) thus. Pet. Martit. in Gen. 3. c. God in this action delt like vnto a man that is a most naturall louing Fa­ther, who when he séeth his deare sonne slaine, doth not only couet the death of the murtherer, but y ^e sword, Speare, & e­uery the instrument wherewith he peri­shed, will he likewise séeke to destroy. Should I stand to speake of al lets & rub­bish in this nation, I should frō my self to al flesh, w ^tout great search, see such matter aboūd, as no reasonable volume could cō taine their descriptiō. Idolatrous papists [Page] Atheistes, Carnalites, Hipocrites, Adul­terers, Drunkardes, and sundry wicked vices else, in many places, many times, are lesse loked vpon with iustice censure, then such as (many wayes els) are profi­table mēbers in the church of god. This is a perilous shrub, it would be stubbed vp by the rootes. The Lord graunt better regard, lest the maiestie on hye take the matter into his owne hand, from such as be ouer negligent Psal. 82.5.6.7.8. Gods in earth. The Preachers, of God must cry out in Sion, and tell Ierusalem and Iuda Psa. 58.1. of her faults, from the hiest to the lowest, to one and other, for & agaynst this & that euill. In paine Eze. 3.32. of damnation must the prea­cher cry out, that y ^e desert may be tracked, and the hils, the valleyes, the ragged, the croked, the old, and rotten for age, may be altered or quite remoued: that in Eng­land his prophets may so Ro. 15.16. exhibit to the lord at his comming, a prepared people, and well instructed, whose soules by his spirit being Ro. 8.11.12.13.14. gouerned, their bodies by his force shall walke in all holines, in his sight as the dayes of their lyfe. Then will the Lord yet more delight in our Church, [Page 69] state, and people, he will take pleasure to walke into the garden of our harts, there to receiue the redolent smell of the swete fruites, spreading themselues far abroad, all a long the beds of fayth, he will blesse her with beautie, and builde hir with precious stones Esa. 54. of great price, he wil teach this nation himselfe by his worde, and will giue thée y ^e more abounding spirit to walke in his statutes, he wil be for thée a­gaynst thy forren foes & domesticall ene­mies, a tower of strēgth to assist thée, and bruse thē in myerie streates Micah. 7.10 before thy eyes, he will destroy the smyth, and all Esa. 54.16.17. his instrumentes: the Pope and his pelfe, & all diuelishe deuises agaynst thée, of what force so euer. To his faythfull ministers and Teachers, will he graunt his Iere. 1.18. ayde and power, to be for them a well fenced cytie, wyth walles of Brase, agaynst all Popishe practises, bent to their destruction. Finally to some & all, from thy vertuous Quéene, to the fayth­full Plowman sowing his séede, will he poure forth his grace and spirit, his christ and heauen, to be thine for euer.

This knowledge of Saluation, where by man is brought to the forgiuenesse of sinnes in christ, commeth not to vs by purchase of gold and siluer, or any other mans merit, but by the inward mercy of our God (sayth Zachary) euen as a natu­rall mother séeing her child wounded in her armes, or taken violently from her to be slaine, all the partes of her body, and soule are therewith moued with singu­ler compassion: so hast thou O God (saith he) beholding our most miserable blind­nes & bandage vnder sinne, taken most [Page 70] mercifull pitie, & in the bowels of thy Fa­therly mercies, hast sēt to vs this branch, thy Christ, & day spring, as the beautie Col. 1.15 Heb. 1 3 of thy flesh, to visit our darkenesse with the light of his trueth, and by his lyfe to deliuer vs from the gloming darke death of ignorance & sinne, & to set our consci­ence quiet in y ^e Iustification by his bloud to embolden vs to approch thy presence; as Children to their best beloued Father, without terror of death for Sinne, or feare of any worldly want. For through the comfort of this bright shining sunne of righteousnesse and virident braunche of Jesse his roote, the anoynted Christ, we shall ouercome whatsoeuer shall set it selfe against vs.

To our instruction & further comforts, let vs as before, so in these two verses ob­serue some such pith as lieth within y ^e vertue of these happy words. By this maner of speach, the Prophet would haue vs to consider déeply the chiefe and aboundant 2. Cor. 1.3. loue of the ineffable God, whose stu­dye and care (as it were) is onely bent to doe vs the best good, though we in no part demerit the same.

Thrée speciall, thinges I obserue to thée (gentle reeder (in these last verses where­of the first followeth. Io. 3.16. 1 The first is, that by the only mercy of God without the me­rit of man, Christ our Sauiour is giuen to vs, as himselfe testifieth, in the third of Iohn saying: So dearely God loued the world that hee gaue his onely begotten Sonne. &c. Without our merit gaue the heauenly Father his sauing Christ, for when we were Ro. 5.8.9.10 11. his ennemies he saued vs. Vpon the which most mercifull acte he perswadeth vs, that now much more sence we belong to him, will he deliuer vs frō wrath. 2 The second note is, that albeit God in his great mercy hath so copiously enritched vs with the hidden treasure of ful remission from al our sinnes: yet hath he therwith nothing impared his iustice, but hath by the merit of another himselfe Christ Iesus our Lord, (which the Pro­phet here calleth the day spring from an high) fully answered the same. In whose person mercy Psal. 101.1 Psal. 85.9.10 11.12.13. & iustice, haue met toge­ther, & mercy & peace, haue kyssed each o­ther, for in that Christ Iesus, tooke vpon him our He. 1.9.10 11.12.13.14.15.16.17.18. nature, & sanctifiing the same [Page 69] by his conception and ioined it to his god head. He tooke that person of sinne vppon him, which could be subiecte to the crosse, and aptly receiued the curse due thereto for our iniquitie, and accept to the ful, the fury of his fathers iust conceiued wrath. In which body 1. Pet. 2.24 he did fully beare the same vpon the crosse in his bitter death, at what time the angrie countinance of his God, with the full paines of hell, for mans sin was wholy laide vpon him: hee was compelled with vehemency to cry Mar. 15. my God my God, why haste thou forsa­ken me?

The fruite of this death is such y ^t as no one of vs hath put our hand to this crosse, with him to cary his Fathers wrath for our sin: so hath he obtained such redemp­tion, as none of vs that Ro. 8.1 Io. 3 1. Iohn. 2.2. Math. 3.17. beléeue a right in him, shal or can tast any part of condē ­nation. Further to vs our Saluation is most frée: But in respect of the Gal. 3.13 Esai. 53.5. price, it is the ful satisfaction of y ^e fathers iustice, and the valour is the bloud and death of our redéemer Christ Iesus.

The end is that we being deliuered frō sinne (c) should depart from iniquitie, and [Page] dedicat our selues to the lord in newnesse of life as chilldrē redemed frō sin & death. 1 Regard w ^t feare therefore, thy Christ hys death, yeeld not thy self to sathans snare, 2 for he that willingly He. & 10.26 27 Ro. 8.1. by wilfull lustes wil treade his death vnder his féete, can­not be partaker of his glory and lyfe.

The third thing to obserue is the allusi­on which our Prophet vseth in this place to the former prophesies, calling him the day spring, or as other the learned trans­late the word, a Braunch. For the former translation great comfort is giuen therby to thée (deare reader) the word rightly considered in such sence as it ought, that is to vnderstand by Oriens not the place wher the Sonne riseth, but the Sonne himself, & so doth Malachie vse that metaphorical spech, when he calleth Christ Mala. 4.2. the sonne of righteousnes, vnder whose winges (or beames) lyeth health. Note heare our Za­chary alluding to this Bucerus in Luk. 1 Scripture, tea­cheth Christ to be the trewe Messias, & the same which was of them promised to bee the lord of life, by whom the church shuld haue her light & full safety. Further looke into the Metaphor, the sunne is the guide [Page 72] of the world, the beawty of the Heauens, the light of the starres and firmament: by him the vapours noysome and pestilent are taken from men, the spring, the Har­neste, the times and seasons haue their comfort and validitie of him. The Moone (the figure of Gods churche) hath her whole light of his light, of him depryued, she is in her darkenes and eclipsed state, by his presence the night vanisheth, the stormes and tempestuous tymes, are a­bandoned, as barrennes turned into fer­tilitie, euery crooked occurrent vadeth, and all comfortes to men and creatures els,) present thē selues. To aplie the same (with a thousand more fruite,) thou ough­test whensoeuer thou saiest this Psalme, to thy heauenly Lorde the only begotten of God, the Sonne of righteousnes which is the light Io. 1. & 8 of the world, the glory of Heb. 1.3 the father, the gouernour of al things, the way, Io. 14.6 y ^e truth & life it self, to al that shal be saued, which by him self redéemeth vs, with his fathers mercy clotheth vs, & by his spirit regenerateth, sanctifieth, & guy­deth vs in him, to lyfe euerlasting.

The Sun entring the house euery dark corner is full of light, & what filth remai­neth, [Page] is by him manifested: So where christ by faith appeareth in mans hart, all ignorance is banished, and the light of his word reproueth all iniquitie, and driueth all error forth of mans soule. The lear­ned Beza translateth the word not Oriens but Germen, Beza in An­notati. in Luc. c. 1. and in his learned Annota­tions, geueth his reason vpon the nature of y ^e Hebrew word tsemach which, saith he, signifieth not Oriens, but germen a branch, & he affirmeth there y ^e Prophet to allude vnto the wordes of Zacharie before, Zach. [...].8 6.8 Iere. 23.5 and Ieremie which promised Christ to spring vp as out of the withered stocke of perse­cuted Dauid, of whom the world should make smal accompt, but his groth should be maruailous, & therfore he addeth (from aboue) that so he may shew his comming vp to be contrary to y ^e plants of y ^e earth. This is the Dan. 2.44. stone which commeth out of y ^e mountaine without hands, & doth pre­uaile against al the mountaines of the world, though y ^e builders refuse him, he is chiefe of y ^e corner. This Christ is that de­spised branch which séemed Esa. 53.2 Gal. 11.1. withered & beaten for his own sinne, but in y ^e daies of his flesh he so visited vs, that by his stripes [Page 71] we [...]e made whole. This is the Luc. 23.3▪ gréene [...]irident trée vpon whom y ^e cruell Jewes bestowed their whole tirannie. This is y ^e trée▪ & vine of whom y ^e faithfull branches receiue their light, & knowledge, & saluati­on and power to passe the passage of heauenly peace. This is that branch by mās iudgement so eaten into the earth, as no b [...]dding or spring shuld be permitted him which by his owne power defendeth his owne cause against the Monarches of the world, & yéeldeth foyle to the gates infer­nal, & spoyleth Satan of his pray. This is the Lord & king of heauen & earth to whō the powers aboue, the spirits below, and [...]n in earth, do stoupe & fall before his throne, as to their only Lord and God, in whose hand is life and death. Now (deare reader) this branch is thine, geuen thée of God to be thy staffe of defence in the day [...]f battel, and hath come himselfe to visite thy weake state▪ & geue to thée his migh­tie aide. The Church of God shall dwell [...]ost safely vnder the shadowe of this branche, for whosoeuer striueth against her, [...]re sure to find him present in her, to whom he hath distended from aboue to [Page] geue comfort to her miseries which he c [...] leth here darknes and the shadow of death, he that lifteth at her shall find her as Zach. 12.3. an heauie stone which shal crush them to péeces. Further note hee suffreth often­times his holy ones to be led into darke troubles and poyntes of death, but then is it his nature to visite them: So hée came to Joseph Gen. 39.20. & 41.37. Psal. 105.16 17.18.19.20 21.22. in Pharaos chaynes. He suffred the Israelits to be driuen to y ^e Exo. 14.25. brinke of the seas backset with Phara­os whole power, but then he visited them, gaue the light of life & lead them in peace, the way of the troublesome waters. He­zekia, Susanna, Sydrach, Misach, and A­bednego, Daniel, Jonas, Paule, Stephen, and many y ^e fathers since hath he by their tri­al brought forth Sathans power, & she [...] ed in his deliuerie his secrete iudgements, and their weakenes not able to wound, or confound his instrumentes, which of them selues are of most féeble force. For neyther 2. Re. 18.30. story Susan Dan. 3.24.25. Dan. 6.22. Iona. 2.10 Act. 9.24. 2. Cor. 11.32 Sennacheribs blasphemie, the Priestes accusation, the burning ouen, the Lions den, the Whalles bellie, Are­tas ire, or Saules furie, could cutte shorte his deare children of his presence in th [...] [Page 72] middle of these their deathes but euen when their liues were thought (with Pe­ters in Herods person) to be subiect to pre­sent death, then did the Lord beyond all expectation deliuer them.

Finally to some such as he beyond al time hath predestinate Ephe. 1. Lions tur­ned into Lambes. in time to be called, hath he appeared to their conciences and body, in the extreme darknes of their fu­rie in their shadowed hell, conspiring a­gainst him and his elect, and hath geuen them the light of his saluation, & turned their raging race to warr w ^t his Church, into the most happie tracke of pacient sufferings, and precious persecution for his names sake. Wherfore let vs pray for all persecutors of his gospel for neither we or yet themselues do know whether y ^e Lord hath predestinate thē to life. Did y ^e church of y ^e Apostles expect Pauls cōming to their felowship, who was y ^e most cruel enemie that y ^e Romaine power & the Pharisaicall Jewes sent forth to their persecution? & did not y ^e lord lead this Liō to lie vnder y ^e féet (as it were) of those holy lābes, euen then when he came w ^t raging & roaring Act. 9. &c. hū ­ger, to deuour thē? Did y ^e famous prince & [Page] most noble Monarch of the worlde, king Henry the Eyght, purpose to foster the Lordes people in Englande, when he sat himselfe Fox. Act. in iudgement, agaynst the Godly Martir of Christ Lamhert, and yet dyd the Lorde visit his Princely harte so, that by the light of his Christ, (the spirite of God opening his harte) he was made the Lordes instrument, vtterly to thrust out that horrible Pope, wyth all his power, which no king before him could bring to passe, albeit they eftsoones attempted, sundry times to cut him short. Which ar­gueth Gods good lyke of his ministery, & with him, of all such Bishops and mini­sters as did by doctrine stirre vp his hart her to themselues, or most of them before, being sworne to the Romishe obedience. The noble Father and Martir of Christ, M. Cranmer, M. Cranmer Archbi. of Cant. some time an I­ [...] [...] late the Archbishop of Can­terburie, shall we not accompt him a­mongest the lawfull ministers of God? a trust none will be so wilfull as once to [...]inke him vnworthie, most reuerence, [...] Catalogie of Gods true and fayth­ [...] ministers, in his time. And yet my [...] bretherne in his persno and actions [...] found apparant, such (a) blemishes, [Page 73] as for the same, all of his lyke institution are of some vouched vmméete for the mi­nisterie of the Church of God. I speake not this to iniurie the fame of that holy man, whom the heauens haue receiued, but to offer such comfort to others, as I haue (I trust rightly) receiued my selfe: Gods mer­cy hath called the au­thor from Idolatry, to the gospell. being in the dayes of Quéene Mary, hat­ched vp in Popery, and made an Idola­trous Priest, often committing most hor­rible sacrileage to God, by the sacrifising that Idolatrous Cake and counterfeyted Christ, to God the Father, against the glory of Christ his sonne. But I dayly praise the Lord my God, who hath taken mercy vpon me, and called me from that power of darknes, and hath translated me vnto the Col. 1.13. kingdome of his dear sonne Iesus, and of & from an Idolatrous Priest, be­ing ignorantly caryed into error, hath chosen me wyth many others my Godly Bretherne, to be a faythfull minister and true Preacher of his holy Gospell, and y ^t I craue for restes to the world, the con­gregatiōs which haue tasted of the swéet gyltes of his holy spirite, by his merciful­nesse and riche goodnesse, powred into [Page] their harts, by my ministrie though a sin­ner. But through christ called by grace to y ^e preaching of the word of truth, through whose good gifts, by y ^e portion of his sacred spirit, giuē vnto me for their good, and my continual comfort, they are to confesse his grace apparant in my ministry, w ^t others our godly brethren called to y ^e office. This I say not bostingly after the fleshe, but witnessing, Gods great graces in me (vn­worthy the least) after his calling me, w ^t many others from idolatry to his seruice: And not to yéeld my self, & such like whose hartes be truly turned to the Lord, to subscribe to such sharp censure as passeth to the offence of many a soule. But Saul as he is not ashamed to 1. Tim. 1.11 12.13.14.15 16.17. confesse his error & blasphemies: So being by the Lorde in mercy changed to Paule, warrāteth vs (w ^t him) good courage & comfort to procede in our offices: & daring to say of himself (erst a persecuter) as of his fellow ministers which neuer were such, séeing 2. Cor. 4.1 we haue this ministery &c. He doth hereby y ^e more embolden vs, with humblenes of hart to chalenge the like authority, to preach & to administer the sacraments of the lord, w ^t and aswel as such others our brethren by [Page 74] the singular grace of god, either preserued from such idolatry, or since that time cal­led to the function ecclesiasticall. These spéeches therfore, Q. Maries priestes, K. Henries priestes, Indecent speaches against charitie &c. are not so warely set downe, as becommeth the place of such which séeme sufficient to supply y ^e wants of this ecclesiasticall gouernment. But the lord assist in his mercy y ^e state present w ^t his holy spirit, & grant to this our mighty monarch, a zelous spirite in him, yet more & more to remoue & reteine, as the worde of God, the honor of this his holy church in England, & the condition of our age & time, shall approue for truth most conuenient. The places of Josias and EZe­chiel, are not to beat vs down, Their alleaged scrip­ture consi­dered. or to bear y ^e contrary opinion, from lacke in my iudg­mēt. Omitting y ^e priuat example, of y ^e godly Iosias, which can not in good diuinitie be drawne to a publique commandement, I will onely note of the other place, which séemeth to sundrye, to stande for a law preceptorie, as well to vs now, as to the Leuits then. First I say, that Idola­trie is an horrible sin, but not estranged is the Idolater from grace, if the Lorde vouchsafe him Eze. 18.22 23. Eze. 44.10. repentance. And where [Page] as the Lord there cutteth those Leuits frō his Alter at Ierusalem, and the office of the Priest, which fell to Idolatry, he doth not say, & this shall be a perpetuall lawe to my house & Church for euer: Neyther did the Leuits alwais, so deale to fore, in y ^e time of Moises law. Did not Aaron, fal to Idolatrie, when he made [...]. 32.1. with a grauen toole the molten image, & proclaimed a solempne feast day therfore? attributing that selfe Idolatrous worship to the lord, & made an Aulter before the Idoll, and if wel we weigh whose office it was in that congregatiō to offer vp sacrifice, we shall further touch Aaron his person, as also Moises séemeth to lay the whole crime vppō him. Aaron not remoued from the priesthood notwithstā ding his great sinne in Idolatry. Yet behold y ^e great mercy of God in the time of the law. Nor is Aaron by god y ^e lord, or by his magistrate Moises depriued of his dignitie, remoued from his ministery, nor slaine with the slaughter of the sword at Moises his hands, whē .3000. of the Isralits were thē slaine for y ^e same horrible & Idolatrous fact. This example may not moue such whom it doth cōcerne to boldnes of sinne, neither is the place of EZech. written to tye al times to that Iu­diciall law. But so hath gods wisdome [Page 75] enriched his written scriptures with Iu­stice in seuerity & mercy in his christ, that sin may be condemned, & the penitent sin­ner find fauor in y ^e sight of God. Ez. 44.10. It might be asked whether all the whole Chapter be of like authoritie, or onely that part a­gainst the Leuits? if all, then further matter is to be considered, then either would be liked of many, or tollerated of any true christiā in the church of god. If only that remaine, touching the fallen Leuits, and not that in the .9. verse. 17.18.22. &c. For gods cause, shew vs some priueleadge, for that mater only from the rest. But deare bretherne, the whole chapter considered, sendeth vs to the same mind that erst we were of, that is, that this law was to the Iewish priesthod, & not to vs: & the shrin­king subscribing hands of men most fa­mous in the ministery rightly measured with the aboundant gifts of gods spirite, to them, after repentance giuen of god, to seale his good like of their elected place, & continuance in the function of the mini­stery, aswel to his Apostle Peter as to sundry his excelent disciples in our, times gi­ueth not a little comfort to those in that [Page] predicament, notwithstanding the seuere censure of sundry zealous and learned persons. I purpose not at all to fauour such popish Masse priestes, whose hartes remayning without Religion, haue and doe frame themselues to euery chaunge, thereby to satisfy their lucring lust: for these béeing onely Temporarii, are not in any sort tollerable in the holy ministerie of Christes worde and sacraments: ney­ther yet to support such Queene Maries priestes, as béeinge in her darcke raigne admitted by that Popishe ennoyling, do yet with the former, couer their nowe Idolatrous hartes, with the mantell of externe obedience. But if so it be, that God in his great mercy haue fully alte­red, and to him selfe by him selfe chaun­ged the hartes of some of these, and cal­led the Persons as extraordynarily, (which may be perceiued by his giftes and Spirite in them,) then I sée not, af­ter their publique confession, and time of tryall, (which were very necessary) why eyther the Church should refuse to readmitte them to the ministerie of the Gospell, or any the children should [Page 76] impugne such their godly Mothers re­cepte. For this cause was 1. Tim. 1.16 Paule receyued to mercy, that Iesus Christe should firste shewe vppon him all longe sufferinge, to the example of them, which in time to come should beléeue in Christ, to eternall lyfe. This mercy, note (good Reader) is not ended, when Paule is thereby receyued to grace, but it contynueth (and that for our com­fortable example) admittinge that per­secuting Conuerte, to the preaching of the Gospell. And as the Gospell yéel­deth grace to this our conuert: So the law is not altogether voyd of fauour the slyding Prieste Aaron, as before. Neyther yet doe I speake to confyrme the generall Troupe of the Idolatrous priestes admitted, especially sithe they haue not turned to the LORDE, vntill the mighty God hath taken from them their vaine trust, and placed againe hys trewe Religion, which Priestes haue continewed till the day by Lawe set, in their massinge, and wishe the same yet in harte, in the middle of theyr ministra­tion, [Page] these wheresoeuer they be, I doe la­ment that so they are and cannot by law as yet be remoued. But I only set downe my dislike of this opinion, that if once a Quéene Maries priest, or King Henries and Kyng Edwardes Priest (so they bée termed) then can they not in any case, howsoeuer beautified with spiritual giftes, or conuerted in conscience, be admitted to the function of the ecclesiasticall ministe­rie. As I willingly confesse that ther may because of distrust into the most of such: So yet I cannot achieue the sight of this, that from all such the grace of God is so farre shortened. If through repentance by his holy spirite they be purely sanctifi­ed and accompted in Gods sight for his sonne Christ, in whom they beleue, as if they had remained innocent: Why shuld the seueritie of men in earth shut from y ^e ministerie in his Church, those whom his mercy from the heauens hath receiued as most deare to himselfe? Or yet from the pastorall office such persons as the Lord accompteth innocent? But it may bée sayd the Church is offended at them, they therfore cannot profite the congregation. [Page 77] I say, the godly in the church doe respect the gospell, which the man bringeth, and not the man his messenger, neither shall the wicked reprobate 2. Cor. 2.19 Iude. 4 be holpen by the purest minister, or yet the childrē of adop­tton be hindered or want their promised commoditie in the weakest pastor. Could the Israelites be ignorant of Aarons fal? or the Apostles and Church then of Peters deniall in the iudgement hall, or his eft­sones infirmitie Gal. 2. at Antioch? Whose crimes were not small, yet was not the one or the other for the offence of the Church through their fall, abandoned the ministerie. These things by occasion thus touched for thy tast and stay of consciēce, I hast to y ^e end of these my labours, with this last obseruation to whom it may concerne. Christ is giuen of God his father to geue light to thē that sit in y ^e darknes of error & sinne, & to guide their wādring steps & wide walking féete, into y ^e gospel, which is the way of peace. Now is the time wherein most amplie this his office is by his grace executed in this nation, & yet are there many which hauing in the darknes of the late persecution, séene and [Page] receiued great light of the Gospell, are now in cleare shine of the same, either with the Moules digging and dwelling in earthly things, and couet the darknes of Mammon, reseruing to Christ and his word their lippes alone: Or els with Ju­lian that Apostata, when they should seale vp the fulnes of their ioye in receiuing their saluation sent, and obeying his kingdome present, they as men all wearied of eternal life, shut vp their harts from the Lord therof, reiect his gospell, resuse their former fayth, and returne to the vomite of poperie erst cast from them. To all such Christ is a stumbling stone, a stone of offence, but in déede to them he is a terrible iudge to pronounce the end due to their Apostasie so relapsed: Heb. [...]. & 10. 2. Pet. 2.20.21.22. hell and euer­lasting damnation. The lord in his great mercie kéepe vs from this fall, and geue vs to apprehend his Christ our light and leader, that we may dayly walke in his shining law, by the conduction of his ho-spirite, vntill we attaine the fruition of his eternall peace. To whom with the fa­ther and the holy ghost, thrée persons di­stinct, one & our eternall God, be al glory [...]nd power for euer. Amen.