THE MOVRNING VVEEDE. The first Treatise.

WE reade in one of the Sonnets or Psalmes of King Dauid, that princely Prophet, and sweet singer of Israel, Weeping may abide at Euening, Psal. 30 5. but ioy com­meth in the morning.

As if the Prophet should haue said, The changes and chances of this life, and of all mortall things, may be compared to nothing better, then to a day, and to a night, to a morning, and to an euening.

For as we see the experience thereof continu­ally, The fairest and clearest day, hath oftentimes a cloud [...] ouercast it before night, and sometime a verie great storme or tempest arising; as on the con­trary, after the darkest and most tempestuous night, many times followeth a verie calme and Sun shi­ning day. So likewise in the world, may bee seene and obserued as in a Glasse, the great alterations of Monarchies and Empires, of kings and kingdomes, [Page] of Princes and Potestates of the earth; sometimes the Caldeans must haue all the swinge and sway of the greatest Empire in the worlde,Dan. 7▪4. sometimes the Persians, God disposeth of kings and kingdoms as it pleas [...]th him best. some times the Graecians, sometimes the Ro­manes: so in particular Countries and Dominions, one where a king raigneth, another where a Queen, some where many beare rule, and some where few; and in some places people are more sauage then brute beasts, and will not submit themselues to any gouernment. Now according to the sundrie tur­nings and moouings of these higher Spheres, (ha­uing all one Primum mouens, Vngouerned people more sauage then beasts. God the sole Monarch of heauen and earth,) all other inferiour Spheres, are moued, turned about or changed. hence commeth alterations in kingdomes; hence commeth changes of Kings and Princes, like as when one Planet set­teth, another riseth; when the Sunne or Moone are eclipsed in one Countrey, they shine the more brighter in another: When the Sunne in our Ho­rizon is at the highest, hee declineth the more in some other Countrey contrary vnto vs, neuer stay­ing long in one place: hence is it, that when it is Winter here, it is Sommer else where for it: when it is hote in one climate, it is cold in another. Here­hence commeth either fruitfulnesse, or barrennesse, light, or darkenesse: so likewise, from God the first mouer and giuer of all things,God desp [...]seth of aduersitie and prosperity at his ple [...]su [...]e. commeth prosperity, or aduersitie, long liuing, or short continuing, much reioycing, or wofull weeping.

Of all which, the princely Prophet Dauid had experience, aboue all men that euer were borne, [Page 2] (the sonne of God Christ Iesus, of whom hee was a true figure, excepted.) And being about that time he composed the thirtieth Psalme, or not long be­fore, in the greatest aduersitie that euer he was (be­ing expulsed out of his owne house and kingdome by his owne sonne Absolom) and at that present, or a little before, he sung this Psalme, publikely by Gods great benefite and mercie restored, to his former prosperitie, and reestablished againe in his owne house and kingdome, to his owne exceeding ioy, and singular comfort of his subiects: he compareth the time of his expulsion and aduersitie, to a night or euening, which commonly is darke and tempe­stuous, and his restoring and prosperitie, to a day or morning, which is vsually bright and more plea­sing: saying as I sayd in the beginning, Weeping or heauie cheare, may tarrie or abide at Euening, but ioy or reioycing commeth in the morning. How fitting this Sonnet of Dauid, may sort and agree with this pre­sent time, I leaue it at large to bee considered of, ha­sting to proceede on (by diuine assistance,) accor­ding as I haue purposed, and promised in the be­ginning of this booke.

Two things offer themselues to be discoursed of out of the foresaid sentence of king Dauid, name­ly of Sorowing and Reioycing: first of both of them ioyntly, as they are naturall affections, and then of euery of them seuerally in their seuerall places, or rather of the causes of each of them, according to the time and occasion, and agreeing with my pre­sent intention.

Sorrow, and Ioy, are two contrary passions in the heart, which maketh the minde of man either ioyfull or sad, sorie or merrie. And such is the force of either of these passions (as Phisitions say) if at least they be receiued into the heart suddenly, and vnexpected, that either of them may bring death or dissolution to the whole bodie, but in a contrary sort, as they are contrarie in nature: sudden sorrow arising of some great cause, pierceth the heart so ve­hemently with extreeme griefe, that causing it to call in all the naturall heate from the extreeme parts of the body, which being gathered togither, the heart presently closeth vp like a Pursnet, and so be­ing as it were in a swoune, is not able to disperse and send out the same againe, wherevpon death is readie to approach: and either presently, or some time after,The danger of sudden sorow. according to the greatnesse of the griefe it had receyued, by little and little, the vitall spirits begin to decay, the extreamer parts begin to coole, and the whole bodie falleth to dissolution. There­fore it is good for euery one to take heede of sud­den sorrow, that they set it not to neare the heart at the first, if they do, though they die not presently, as Rutilius did, whereof Plinie speaketh, or within cer­taine dayes, as foolish Naball did, who as the Scrip­ture sayth,1 Sam. 25. [...]7. His heart died within him, and he was like a stone (assoone as his wife tolde him of Dauids intent to be reuenged of him, and his family, for his chur­lish answere,) yet the griefe stil lurking in some cor­ners of the heart (which causeth it to send forth ma­ny a sorrowfull sigh) is the cause of consumptions, [Page 3] which bringeth forth either a tedious life, or a haste­ned death: therefore it is truly said, Griefe hath kil­led many a man. Ioy contrary wise,Ecclus. 30.13. if it be very great and sudden, may sometimes though not so often as sorrow doth, bring dissolution to the body, though in a contrary sort to sorrow (as I haue said) namely by reason of the extreame ioy the heart hath con­ceyued of some thing aboue present expectation, o­peneth it self wide as a purse, so that it sendeth forth more naturall heat to the vtter and extreamer parts then it hath strength to recall againe: by meanes whereof, the vitall spirites are so weakened, and the heart so distressed, that (as euery man knoweth) teares wil gush out (in more abundance sometimes for ioy then for griefe) and the body standeth ama­zed, as yeelding vnto death, if it bee not the sooner recomforted. As Diagoras is reported of by Gellius, to die presently through excesse of ioy.The inconue­nience of sud­den and vnex­pected ioy. And I haue seene two sundry persons in great extremitie onely for ioy, but recouered: howbeit, I suppose that ioy which is so suddenly taken, doth not bring such de­triment to the body or minde afterward, as griefe & sorrow do. In respect of these two extremities, wee are taught by the wise, a true mean & moderation, namely, to thinke dayly before hand, that we know not what newes may befal vs before night: yea, eue­ry day and houre to pray to God for grace and pa­tience, [...]hat so wee may neuer bee puft vp with pro­speritie, nor throwne downe with aduersity, which is the part of a man full of prudency, paciencie, and pietie as Iob, and king Dauid were: & therefore were [Page] not throwne downe with the greatest aduersities, but with prayer and patience, they ouercame the same, and both might sing this part of the song (as no doubt they did in their languages.)

And as it is before said, Weeping abideth at euening, but ioy commeth in the morning. Thus hauing spoken somewhat of these contrarie passions in generall, I will now begin to speake of either of them in parti­cular. First of sorrow, in this first Treatise, or as I haue said, of the cause of our late sorrow. And foras­much as the Scripture calleth kings nursing fathers, Esay. 49.23. and Queenes nursing mothers of the church and com­mon wealth: How can it bee that we the people of this land, & the natiue subiects of such a soueraigne, being now lately weaned from any longer sucking the sweete and tender paps of our late most dearest beloued Queene,Our late Qu. a most louing nurse to the land. who liuing, loued vs as dearely (doubtles) if not more dearly, then euer any nurse or mother loued her beloued babe, & dying, cared for vs better, then we could for our selues: yea, and through whose tender, and most motherly care all the while she liued & raigned ouer vs, we haue bin fed (as I may say) with the pappe of this land, with milke and honie (as the scripture saith) both in our soules and bodies,1. Pet. 2.2. I meane with the sincere milk of Gods worde (as Peter cals it) and with the sweetest Hony-suckles of all peace and prosperitie: how can [Page 4] it be (I say the premises considered) but that we and euery one of vs; should sob and sigh in our souls for griefe of hart, & say as Dauid once said though hap­pily in another sense,Psal. 131. My soule is euen as a weaned child that weepeth for his nurse: and as the same Psalmist saith in another place, I go heauily as one that mour­neth for his mother, Psal. 35.15. or as one that maketh a great and grieuous lamentation, about his mothers graue?

We read in the Chronicles of the scriptures, that when king Iosias the ioy of Iudah died,2. Chron. 35 24, 25. all Iudah and Ierusalem mourned greatly for him, as great cause they had, their reasons, for that he put away all Ido­latry from them, restored and established true reli­gion amongst them, kept the greatest and ioyfullest Passeouer that euer king kept in Ierusalem before or after him, loued the land and his subiects most ten­derly, and loued and serued God himselfe all the dayes of his life most zealously and deuoutly: inso­much that the holy Ghost regestreth & blazeth his praises in the booke of eternall fame, in this sort. Like vnto king Iosias was there no king before him, 2. King. 23.25. that turned to the Lord with all his heart, and with all his soule, and with all his might, according to all the law of Moses, nei­ther after arose there any like him. For this cause it is said in the Text, That Ieremiah the Prophet lamented Iosiah, and all singing men, and singing women mourned for Iosiah in their lamentations, and made the same for an ordinance vnto Israel, to be kept in remembrance vnto succeeding posterities.

Now beloued king,Queene Eli­zabeth com­pared with king Iosias. Iosiah neuer was more zea­lous for the law, then our late beloued Queene was and hath beene, both for the Law and the Gospel: [Page] Iosiah carefully purged his land from Idolatry, and our Queene with as great care frō Id [...]latry & other rags of popery; Iosiah pulled down the Idols which his p [...]ople worshipped, & our Queen pulled down the Idols in chur [...]hes, but specially that great Idoll of the Masse, which the most part of her subiects honoured: Iosiah had none, that I read of, that resisted him in his work, if any, but priuate subiects, & some of the Priests; out Queene had not only her priuate subiects, and the most part of her Priests & Bishops, but also many and mightie forraine enemies, as the Pope a petty God on earth, and many other great Princes in the world of his cōfederacie, that for this godly fact of her Maiesties, sought continually the ruine of her selfe, subiects and country; from whose malice and might, the Lord did euer protect her grace most miraculously. Iosiah erected, stablished and cōtinued all his daies true religion, and the true seruice of God in his land; the world knoweth, our Queen hath done the like in this land of ours: Iosiah caused the law to be read & published to the people in his time; & her Maiesty hath caused both the law and the Gospel, to be purely preached all her dayes; and at her death was as carefull to haue the same cōtinued amongst vs till the day of doome, if the Lord in his mercie would graunt the same. In a word, Io­siah king of Iudah, neuer loued his subiects better then our late most gracious Queen Elizabeth (for it comforts me to recite her name) hath loued vs, her people & loyal subiects; whose loue & loyalty was her Ma^ties ioy & reioycing while she liued, and her cōfort when she died: which caused her also before [Page 5] shee died, not onely as I haue said, to loue vs deer­ly, but to prouide for all our safeties after her de­parture hence most tenderly, that true religiō might be preserued, and the publike peace of her country maintained, praying God, as heartely (no doubt) as euer Iacob prayed for his children in his death-bed, to blesse this land, and her people with all hea­uenly happines, and induring prosperity:Ieremy, 31.19 How then, should wee not weepe and mourne for the lacke & losse of such a mother? Rahell the mother of some of the children of Israell, by a fine figura­tiue speech is brought in, in the scriptures, mourning for her children after she is dead; we therefore, the liuing children of this land, may well mourne for our dearest mother, not because shee is dead, for therein she hath but yeelded vnto nature, but be­cause shee is no longer liuing to care for vs, and to comfort vs, and dayly to pray for vs, as heretofore she hath done.

When the virgin daughter of Iphtah Iudge of Is­raell,Iudges 11.40. was according to her Fathers rash vow eyther put to death (as many hold) or kept onely from marriage (as Tremelius thinketh) the virgin daugh­ters of Israell her fellowes, went foure times euery yeare, while they liued, out into the wildernesse, that there they might bewaile her Virginity. That Virgin doubtles, neuer loued Israell halfe so well, as our Virgin Queene hath loued England; therfore let our enemies giue vs leaue to mourne a while, & let all the Virgins in this land, establish it for a law in their hearts, to mourne yearely in measure vpon the [Page] day of the death of their fellow Virgin, (in respect of their virginity) though while she liued,Our English Virgins may yearely mourn for the losse of a Virgin Queene. far aboue them in authority.

And here I cannot but remember a certain note which is to be read in our Chronicles, whereby it seemeth that our Queene deceased, was by diuine inspiration perswaded to liue and die a Virgin, for at a time of a Parliament, in the first entrance of her Maiesties most happy raigne: There was an earnest motion made by the speaker of the Parliament, by the consent of both houses, to moue her Grace to marriage, without any limitation of time when, or person whome she should marry with, leauing that (as it was meete for Subiectes to doe) to the excel­lency of her wisedome in due time to consider of. The manner of this motion (because it was simple) and the mindes of all the mouers, (because it pro­ceeded from their loues, and tended to succession, and so to the great good of the land, as it might be hoped) her maiesty liked & allowed of exceedingly well: But to the matter, which was for her grace to marry, her answere was so excellent, that me thinks I could willingly recite it (verbatim) worde for worde.Her Maiestie intended to lead a Virgins life from her tender yeares The summe was, That from her Maie­sties yeares of vnderstanding, she had chosen (as she said) that life of Virginity, as most pleasing to her minde, to serue God in; that to that day, her minde so continued, notwithstanding many honourable offers made her grace, both by the Prince (as shee said) and others for her great aduancement: That if her mind were not resolued otherwise in time to [Page] come to marry, for the benefite of succeeding po­sterity, yet her Maiestie did not feare or doubt, (wherein surely wee may note a diuine working) but that almighty God would so worke in her hart, (to vse her own wordes,) and in the hartes of your wisedomes (meaning her Councellors no doubt, & nobilitie of this land,) that as good prouision (saith she) may be made in conuenient time, whereby the Realme shal not remaine destitute of an heyre, that may be a fit gouernour, & peraduenture saieth her Maiestie more beneficiall to the Realme, then such ofspring as may come of mee: Lastly, sayeth her Grace (and euen with a secret ioy shee seemes to speake it,) for me it shall be sufficient, that a mar­ble stone declare, (as I doubt nothing, but with all care and cost will now be prouided) that a Queene hauing raigned such a time (vncertaine scarsely ho­ping then she should raigne in such peace and pros­peritie fortie and foure yeares) A marble stone, (sayeth she, now the richest Adamant more fitting) doe declare and make knowne to all posterity,Queene Eliza­beth her owne Epitaph, made by her Maiesty 44. years before [...]e died. that a Queene hauing raigned so long, liued and dyed a Virgin. With this aunswere, and many thanks, and leaue of her Grace, the Speaker and the rest depar­ted, who whether they should, or did more won­der at her Maiesties prudency, or chastity, I cannot tell.

Such a Queene had we once, such a Queene had we lately, such a Queene haue wee lost,Prudency and Chastitie matcht toge­ther. as the world hath not now the like, for a nurcing mother to this land: who then dare blame vs for mourning [Page] and weeping not I say still, for the death, but for the lacke of such a mother?Mourning in mea ure com­mended. yea, no doubt, mour­ning in measure, in faith and in the feare of God, for the losse of our Parents of our body naturall, or of the body politike, is agreeable to the law of na­ture, allowed of by the law of Nations, consonant to the will or law of God, and confirmed by infi­nite examples as well diuine, as prophane.

Christ himselfe the patterne of all pietie, wept & mourned at the death,Iohn 11.35. though not for the death of his friend Lazarus: and may not wee mourne then, though not for the death, least God thereby be offended, whose will therein is effected, yet at the hearing of her death, and at the funerals of our best beloued & most worthy to be loued Queene, who was not onely a friend and defender of our whole Countrie in generall, but specially, and in particular, a faithfull friend of the fatherlesse, and a firme defender & redresser of the widdows cause, and all other that she knew oppressed or in any ad­uersity?A Rule for mourning. Notwithstanding (herein I say still) there must be a meane and measure obserued, and to ob­serue the same, this rule may bee prescribed, to mourne as Christians, and not as the Heathen and Papistes doe, with crossing and praying for the soules of their friends departed, as though they had no hope of their eternall saluation.

Luk. 23.28.Moreouer, when the women of Ierusalem wept and wayled exceedingly at the crucifying of Christ, (& what true christian could behold the same wi [...]h out weeping) because in their wailing happily they [Page 7] did not consider the true cause of their mourning, which should haue been for the miseries that were to come vpon them, and their posterity, There­fore Christ himselfe reproueth their we [...]ping.

So doubtlesse should God be offended, if we the people of this land should onely weep and mourne for the death of our Queen, and not for our selues, and for our children, for our sinnes, and for our vnthākfulnes, which as otherwise we were vnable, so for our sinnes peraduenture many of vs vnwor­thy, to haue so great a ioy, and rich a Iewell any lon­ger to raigne or remaine among vs.

For who knowes not that her Maiestie,Queene Eliza­beth a peereles Prince. while she liued was a Prince of peerelesse prise, & who seeth not, (with griefe I speak it) that the mul­titude of this land are a people, (as Esay sayde of the Iewes) loden with iniquitie? Esay 1 4. And therefore though the Lord haue most assuredly receiued her maiesti­es soule vnto his owne most glorious maiestie, and sacred selfe, and hath yet intended as I trust for his names sake, and for his gospell sake, and for his sons sake, in whose name all the faithfull night and day, offer vp their zealous prayers vnto God, to bee lon­ger mercifull to this land, yet that letteth not, but that euery one in this land, euen the best of vs all, as well Pastors, as people, magistrates, as common subiectes, eyther for our manifold sinnes commit­ted, or for many good duties neglected and omit­ted, or for both, together with the manyes of the multitude, that haue slept almost, if not altogether Endimions sleepe in sinne, and all searefull security: [Page] we all I say together, and euery one of vs in parti­cular, may with the Prophet Ieremie, take vp a la­mentation, though not (as I remember still) for the death of our good Queene, yet for feare our sinnes were the cause, that God would not suffer her ma­iestie▪Mans dayes determined with God, how long they shall last. Iob. 14, 5. any longer to raigne, or remaine among vs.

And yet herewithall the godly may take great comfort, and the enemie hath no cause to reioyce, that as wee by Gods word are assured, All our dayes are numbred, so the threed of her Maiesties life was drawne out, till there was not one inch or ende thereof leaft vpon the spindle; and the lampe of her life gaue light so long,The Lampe of her maiesti­es life burned, so long as the oyle of nature did endure. as the oile of nature with in her did endure: notwithstanding the Pope and Papistes by all pestilent practises, haue sought and assayed, and the seekers haue payde full deare for their labour, with all kind of instruments to cutte off this goldē threed, they cared not in what place, whether in the beginning, middle, or last ending thereof, and haue spued out all kind of poyson, & in all pestilent sort that the diuell could deuise, to delay the oyle of the Lordes own annointing, that so the light of this glorious lampe might haue been extinguished, before the darke night of naturall death approched, and before her Maiesties dayes, which God appointed her before shee was borne, were determined and fulfilled.

Also in this we ought greatly to reioyce, and to prayse God for the same, not onely for that, as I haue said, her Maiesties life was drawne out euen [Page 8] vnto declining old age, very neare to the age the Scripture long since appointed out to a man, euen threescore and ten yeares, but also,Psal. 90.10 for that her grace in all peace, happines and prosperity raigned and ruled this Realme with all magnanimitie, pruden­cie, and regall authority, to the ioy of her Subiects, and griefe of her enemies,Her Maiestie had as long & happie a raigne as any Prince n this land, either since or before the conquest. so many years almost as any, and farre more yeares then many of her Pre­decessors, since the time of the Conquest, or before.

And as her Maiestie while shee liued, and raig­ned as Gods Lieutenant here on earth, was for her most rare giftes of body and minde, of nature and grace, worthily acknowledged & accounted of, as the onely wonder of the world,Our Queene the wonder of the world. so we may be assu­red almighty God (through the rich merites of his sonne) hath now receiued her Maiesties soule, with great triumph, and with no lesse reioycing both of saintes and Angels, from this valley of teares, into his heauenly Hauen of eternall rest, to raigne with the Trinity, in all enduring and endlesse feli­city.

And though her Maiestie were a Virgin and a mayden Queene, yet was shee the mother of as many loyall and obedient children and subiectes,Loue requited with loue. as euer was any Prince in Christendome: and this loue of her Maiesties louing Subiects was not lost, for neuer was ther prince in the worlde, or vnder the heauens, that loued and cared better for her Country, people, and louing Subiects, then her maiestie hath done, during all the time of her most [Page] gracious and happie raigne, yea all they that knew her Maiestie know ful wel, and they that were euer neare her grace, know better, but the God of heauē the sounder of all secret thoughtes, as her Maiestie sayd in her prayer before Cales Voyage, knoweth best of all,The continual care her Maie­stie had for the good of her countty and people. the ardent loue and affection, the conti­nuall care and carking, that her Maiestie had for the good of her country, and her most louing subiects: yea such was her Graces care for vs, and ouer vs, night and day, that shee did euen wither and weare out, not onely her beautie, but her mind and body in continuall study, and caring for her countries good, and the preseruation therof: yea surely which is most of all, (and I may not omit it) such was her loue and desire of her Subie&es safety, that Peli­can like,Anno▪ 1588. Her Mai [...]stie camped in the field, resol­ueth to resist the force of her foes. she could & was alwayes contented, if need had or did require, to haue ventured her life, in to­ken of her loue, and for our sakes to haue spent and spilt her dearest bloud, as besides many testes and Testimonies, Tilbury fieldes shall witnes for her ma­iestie, so long as this earthly Globe endureth.

Well, all this maketh our mourning to encrease the more, for the more her maiestie cared for vs, the more cause had we to loue her, the more we lo­ued her while shee liued, the more is our sorrow now, not for that shee is dead, but for that she liued no longer among vs, and that such a flower should be pluckt so suddenly from vs. For indeede our late beloued Queene of England, was a flower for sweetnes, full of fragrancie: for shew, full of all beu­ty and maiestie: for sap, full of all sobriety▪ for vse, [Page 9] indued with all vertues excellencie.

Such another Queene as her Maiestie, was yet neuer seene (I suppose) in earth to rule and raigne in any kingdome; And such another flower as her Maiesty was (sure I am) neuer florished in our Eng­lish garden. Out alacke, had wee but one earthly light vnder the Moone, and must thou darke death needes eclipse it, for quencht it thou hast not? had we but one Iewell in this land, and must thou needs steale it away on a sudden, while we slept in all sin­full securitie? Had wee but one choyse flower in our garden, and must thou needes gather it? well, thou hast done thy worst, and wee haue this to so­lace our selues withal, in the midst of our sorrowes. Since the greatest light in the world, the Sunne I meane, is subiect to eclipsing, the richest Iewell in the earth is subiect to stealing, the freshest and fai­rest flower, that euer grew in that gallant Garden of Eden is subiect to withering.Kinges and Princes dying comp red vnto flowers withering. Esay 40.6. And the greatest king and Monarch of the worlde, is but as a flouri­shing flower of the fielde, and therefore sub­iect to dying: flowers are but flowers, though neuer so fresh and fragrant, and flesh is but flesh (as E­say saith) though neuer so gallant. Thou dire death, but stately Sergeant; herein thou hast but done thy dutie, (as our Queene mortall by nature,The off [...]ce of death. hath but yeelded to necessitie) which is, to arrest Kings as well as Clownes, for Kinges are borne, and therefore Kinges must die: and to take Princes and Potentates, as well as people and Subiects, down from the stage of this life, to rest a while in the ati­ring [Page] house of their graues, till others that succeede in the next scene of this earthly Tragedy, haue plai­ed their Pageants, and so discend downe vnder the cloth of mortality, to accompany their fellowes that went before them: Singing most solemnely passing downe the Stage, that sweete Song of Barnard, The end of al earthly glory. to all people whom they leaue be­hind them, Dic vbi Solomon? and all the people answering with this pleasant Applaudity, Sic transit gloria Mundi.

THE MORNINGS IOY. The second Treatise.

IT is reported, and agreed on by many wryters of antiquity,One Phoenix in the world at one time. that there is but one Phaenix in all the worlde at one time, which bird after she hath liued a long time (some write 600. yeares) by a secret instinct of nature, being readie to die, ma­keth her nest higher in the toppe of the mountaines then euer before (like as they report the Swanne singeth sweetest when her ende is neerest,) euen so high that with the reflex of the Sunne, and beating of her wings, both she and her nest are set on fire, and so burned into ashes; out of whose ashes they say, springeth and ariseth a new Phaenix: And it is no lesse assented vnto by all Nations and people of the world (except Papists) that knew our Queene,Our late Queene while she liued, a rare Phoenix. her wisdome, learning, and religion, that shee was while shee liued, the onely Phaenix, among all the Kings and Princes of the world.

Now see wee then the wonderfull working of God, and so see it, that wee may vnderstand [Page] it, and so vnderstand it, that wee may remem­ber it, and so remember it, that while wee liue, wee may not forget to prayse God for it. The matter and the manner whereof is this.

So long as our Phoenix Queene liued, and flourished in health and strength of nature, ano­ther Phaenix for vs was not to bee founde, no nor to bee spoken of: but no sooner began shee to de­cay, and to yeeld vnto nature, but presently as yet were out of the Ashes of her burning zeale, and loue towards vs, shee with the care of her noble Councell,Our kings most right & lawfull succes­sor to the Em­periall crowne of England. and others of her Nobilitie pointeth vs out a succeeding Phoenix, a moste sure and cer­taine successour, and right inheritor, to the Impe­rial Crowne of this Realme; no forreiner, but of the royall bloud, his owne Grandmother being borne and bred in this lande; and the eldest daughter of our late Soueraignes grandfather, king Henrie the seuenth of famous memorie, and of as famous renowne for many speciall vertues, and princely qualities, as any king of this land that I haue read of, eyther before or sithence the Conquest.

Our king Iames a most noble PhaenixWho this new and noble Phoenix is, Proclama­tion with sound of Trumpe, hath euery where pro­claymed; and the heartes of all true Subiectes ac­knowledge, with as great ioy and reioycing both in Cittie and Countrey, as can bee wished or de­sired.

It is Iames the sixt of that name, by Gods grace King of Scotland, and by Gods speciall prouidence and appoyntment, the first of that name, King of [Page 14] England, France and Ireland, defender of the faith; so that now we may boldly and in the sweetnesse of our soules say, as dutie bindeth vs, God saue King Iames, our Noble King.

We read much in the Gospel of Iames and Iohn, Math. 4.21. they were two disciples, and nere kinsmen to our Sauiour Christ, according to the flesh.

Nowe, when our Sauiour was dying on the Crosse, in the greatnesse of his loue,Iohn. 19.25.26, 27. commended the cure and care of his beloued mother, to his co­sin and Disciple S. Iohn: but when our late Queene the Mother of our Countrey died, shee in all her loue committed, or at least earnestly wished, the care and gouernment of all her children and louing sub­iects to be committed (to whom also of right it be­longed) to the godly care of Iames king of Scot­land, her Maiesties neerest and dearest coosin,Our king Godson, and neare coosin to our late be­loued Queen. and most louing Godson: which king Iames, though he be not an Apostle, and the brother of Iohn, yet I am sure, and Gods euerlasting name be praysed for it, his Maiesty is a perfect Protestant, and of the very same religion that Iames the Apostle was; hauing both one God, one Christ, one faith, one baptisme, yea and vnder God, as well able, if not more able, to keepe and defend all good Protestants, his beloued subiects, from the power and tyranny of the Pope and Papists, as euer S. Iohn (by any naturall gift he had) was able to saue and defend the beloued mo­ther of our Sauiour, from the rage and persecution of Herod, Pilate, Cayiphas, & all the rabble of Priests, Scribes & Pharisies. And here I cannot but remem­ber [Page] a prettie tale of certaine women going on Pil­grimage to Saint Iames of Compostella, or some such like place, who all the way (the wind being hard in their faces) prayed God and Saint Iames, the winde might turne; but their praier was neuer heard, vntil they returned home, and by meanes thereof the winde was worse in their faces homewarde then before.The Papists praying to Saints doth them no good So truly these many yeares the Papistes haue prayed God and Saint Iames, the winde might chaunge in our Countrey: and now being chaunged, their faces may bee neuer the warmer by any thing I knowe, by the chaunge of our gra­cious Queene, vnto our godly King Iames, except they agree with his Maiestie in Religion. Whose Graces most noble and worthie prayses if I should but once beginne to report, by reason of mine ignoraunce and insufficiencie, I should rather e­clipse and darken, then any way open or reueale the same as appertayneth; besides the incurring of a great suspition,A Minister ought to take heed of flat­terie. of that grieuous vice of adula­tion or flatterie, which a Minister of the Gospell, (aboue many other vices) ought to beware of.

And if it were or had beene my purpose, to passe away the tyme, and to fill out the Page with Publishing of prayses; then I might put o­uer all the rest that I yet intende to speake or write of, vntill an other yeare. I meane the re­porting of the most deserued prayses, of our late peerelesse Prince, and renowned Queene Elizabeth, would bee a labour so infinite, which [Page 15] thing indeed (if I were worthy and able) I might do the more lawfully, and therein nothing offend a­gainst duty, seeing as the saying is,The vertues of the godly doe neuer dye. post funera vir­tus; after death, the vertues of all godly Princes and good people, may be published, and sounded out with the golden trumpe of eternall fame.

Howbeit, to the performing of such a work as the reporting and publishing of her Maiesties more then deserued prayses; seeing I know mine own in­sufficiency, and want of skill, and also acknowledge mine owne saplesse barrennes, and inabilitie for such a purpose, I do therefore willingly leaue and assigne ouer so great a taske (in due and conuenient time, with sound and mature deliberation to bee perfor­med) either to the most clarified wits of our purest Poets, and rarest Chroniclers of our age (those who all their life long haue drunke of the sweetest streames,The worthiest vnworthie e­nogh to report her Maiesties worthy and deserued prayses. that spring out of Parnassus hill) or to the finest Academians (either diuines or other) that En­gland or all Europe yeeldeth, whosoeuer they bee, that haue diued deepest, into the profundity of all artes and sciences.

And it may be (I speake it not to discourage any for the greater the worke, the greater also is the glo­ry of him that doth well finish it) onely I say it may be, when they haue throughly considered euery way as appertayneth, not all her Maiesties best de­serts, & worthy prayses (for who can number them) but the rarity of her wisedom, and varietie of all ex­cellent kindes of knowledge and learning (for there were few tongues in Christendome, but eyther her [Page] Maiestie spake them eloquently, or vnderstood thē perfectly:Her Maiesties singular knowledge in the tongues very admirable. when this (I say) and such like as I cannot thinke of, shall come into their mindes, before they publish the same with conding praises to the world, it may be they may say (though not publickly, yet priuately to themselues) Hic labor, hoc opus est, such a­nother taske we neuer tooke in hand before.

For my part, seeing I haue intermedled, not pre­sumptuously, but dutifully and louingly, (as God knoweth my hart) in this kind of businesse: I will craue leaue of the learned to draw my necke out of such a yoke, concluding this poynt with that sweet saying of Salomon: A good name better then a sweet oynt­ment. [...] melius est bonum nomen, quam vnguentum bonum. A good name and a glorious fame, arising of true vertue, & grounded vpon good desert, is farre better and sweeter then a­ny precious oyntment, though compounded with the purest spices: as that oyntment was, which the law commaunded to be made for the anointing of of Kings,Exod 30.23.34. Priests, and Prophets. That oyntment will smell throughout all the house where it is, though locked vp neuer so closely: and this oynt­ment of her maiesties fame, I doubt not, wil smel the world throughout, and giue a most oderiferous sa­uor in the nostrels of all succeeding posterities, mauger the mallice and malignitie, of al Antichristi­an Iesuites, or pestilent Papists wheresoeuer. Yea, I am more then assured,Math. 26.13. that as Christ said of Maries annoynting of him with that precious boxe of ointment of spicknard wheresoeuer the Gospell be preached, there her fame for that fact shall euer be reported; So I say, I [Page 16] doubt not to affirme it, the glorious fame of our late renowned Queene, for her first establishing,The glorious fame of our late renowned Qu. touching her care in re­ligion shall e­uer be remem­bred. publishing, and most constant confessing, of the Gospell of Christ: (Notwithstanding all the might and mallice of the diuell, Antichrist his sonne, and al his adherents) together with her Maiesties sound perseuerance therein, euen vnto the end of her daies and her most Princely care as long as life did hold, for the continuance and propagation of the same Gospell, and true religion in al her Maiesties realms, territories, and dominions, after her grace; decease, and naturall dissolution. This worthy worke of her Maiestie (I say) the Chronicles of all ages and in all Christian kingdomes shall report, to the in­crease of her fame, and good encouragement of all other Christian kinges and Princes in Christen­dome, to doe the like by her Maiesties example, or to be ashamed before men and Angels, if they doe the contrary, so long as printed paper shall en­dure.

Now then to proceede on with our purpose, no sooner (as wee haue said) was our most fortunate and female Phoenix disolued, but presently anew Phoenix, of the more worthier gender, and of the same royall bloud was published and proclaimed, so that before we could well consider, and therefore lesse mourne for the death of the one (the life and light of the other approching) our mourning was changed into most vndoubted hopes of reioicing; so that heauines and bitter lamentatiō abiding at euening, The ioy of our new king [...]xpelled the cloud of sorrow we had conceiued vp­pon the death of our late Qu. ioy and exceeding cause of godly reioycing came in [Page] the morning; therefore may this little Treatise, how­soeuer impolished rightly be called The Mornings Ioye: First in respect of the ioyes alreadie appa­rant, as also for the ioy of the great hopes wee are hereafter to expect all which are already I trust truly conceiued, in the harts of al the godly of this land, & by Gods speciall prouidence, & the zealous prayers of the faithfull, may be euery day more and more cherished, increased and continued, to the glory of God (who hath began it) and to the great greefe of the godles, that in hart and mind much repine at it, howsoeuer God doth bridle their affections, and suffer them not to breake out into open rebel­lions.

And for this cause do I the rather call many of our hopes, vndoubtedly conceiued & already in esse, but hopes of expectancy, that none may haue cause to vpbraid me, that I should Canere Triumphum, ante victoriam: for though I be young, yet am I not alto­gether ignorant of the subtill sleightes of Sathan, who now, as euer heretofore (since he was cast out of heauen and euer will doe, till hee bee chayned fast in hell) hath with all his sleights,Sathan [...]eekes to st [...]p all godly purposes in the beginning. might and ma­lice, endeuored to crush the braines of all godly purposes (entended for the good of Gods Church and children) in their swadling cloathes,Gen. 3.1. as I may say. So hee dealt with our first Parentes in Paradise: So with the godly Patriarkes: So with the chil­dren of Israel, when they were to come out of E­gypt, and in the wildernes: causing the multi­tudes much to murmure, and to rebell against [Page 17] Moyses and Aaron, Exodus 16. c & 32.1.19. but most busily while Moses was in the Mount, stirred vp the people vnto most grosse Idolatrie, to this ende (as the olde Fathers haue thought) that Moses might be ouer heate in his zeale, in beholding their cursed Calfe, and so breake the Tables of the law, as indeede hee did, wherein their greatest good was intended and in­cluded. So afterward, when they should enter in­to the promised land, ten of the twelue searchers sayd, The land of Canaan indeed, is a very good land, Numb. 23.28.29. flowing as God had saied, with milke and honey: but the Cities thereof were strongly walled, and mighty Giants and Anakins inhabited them, so that it was impossible to ouercome them.

So after when the Iudges ruled,Iudg 5 31. 1. Kin. 6.1. & 15.12. none but god­ly Debora could bring peace and rest to the Church and common weale forty yeares: So after the kings were crowned, none but Salomon must builde the Temple of the Lord,2. Kin. 3.4. & 22.2. None but a few of the kinges after him, as Asa, Iehosaphat, Ezechiab, and Iosia must purge the land from Idolatrie, and stablish the law, and true religion among them. So after that the Iewes (for their sinnes and Idolatrie) had been wel scourged of God in Babilon by seuenty yeares cap­tiuity, no king but Cirus and Darius, Ezra 1.1. & 53. must restore backe these captiues, none but Ezra, Zorababell, Nehemiah, zealous to conduct them home to their owne Country againe, to build their Temple,Nehe. 4. and to restore religion: when they were returned, how by the malice of the Deuill were they let and hin­dered, by the Captaines beyond the riuer, certain [Page] yeares together, for the setting forth of so glorious a worke?The repayring of Gods tem­ple alwayes hindered by the worse [...] sort. after they beganne to repaire their walles and to reedifie the Temple, how subtle and mali­tious enemies had they both at home and abroade? insomuch as they were faine to worke with their instrumentes of labour in the one hand, and with their swordes to fight in the other. And all those stirres and vprores in the Church of God, from time to time, haue beene wholy raysed, deuised and set on, for the disturbing of euery good worke be­gunne, by the might and malice of the Deuill, and all wicked Princes and people that euer he coulde procure on his side, which euermore are the greater number in the world, and not the least in the visible Church of God. Neither was the might or mal­lice of the Diuell halfe so great in the time of the law, as it hath beene since the Gospell began. No sooner was Christ the corner stone borne,Mat 2. [...]6. but all the babes bloud in Bethelem, and all the coastes therea­bout must be spilt for his sake: While this sweet babe Iesus was in the armes of his mother, she must flye into Egypt from the rage of Herod that bloudy per­secuter.& 14.14. No sooner must Iohn Baptist point out Christ to be the Lambe of God, that taketh away the sins of the world, but presently by the Deuils procure­ment,Mat 4.1. he must loose his head for his labour. No so­ner is our Sauiour baptized and sanctified with the visible presence of Gods spirit, for the great worke of our redemption,Christ our king tempted how should we be free. but the Diuel which is a Prince in all Countries, (and feareth no colours) taketh him in taske, hand to hand, to trie whether he can [Page 18] fight for his faith or no, or whether cowardlike, he will yeelde the field, before his Souldiers be gathe­red together, or the Maine Battaile be set in any or­der. No sooner came our Sauiour to publish the glad tidinges of the gospell, but the Diuell,Luk 4.29. and his Souldiers would haue thrust him downe from a steepe hill to haue broke his necke: when hee was at home, his friende, by the Deuils assignement grieued him, when he came to Ierusalem,& 6.7. the Iewes persecute him, neuer leauing him till they deliue­red him vp to the Gentiles,Ioh. 19.23. to be slaine and crucifi­ed for the sins of the world, as God his Father had preordained him. So did the same Sathan deale with his Apostles and Preachers presently after the death of Christ while the gospell yet continued, a­mong the Iewes, first stoned Stephen, Acts 7.1. c. 12.2. slew Iames with the sword, and because that pleased the people, made He­rod to cast Peter the Apostle into prison also. Likewise when for the infidelity and grieuous vnthankfulnes of the Iewes, The Gospell by Gods speciall ap­pointment and permission, was to be published a­mong the Gentiles (which thing the Diuell neuer dreamed of, for hee had thought to haue kept vs Gentiles for euer in his dungeon of darknes, and ig­norance of God and all godlines) then hee rageth out of all reason, and without all measure, then for the greater triall of Gods children, and for the punishment of the Gentiles, that would not belieue the Gospell, stirreth vp most grieuous persecutions,The Apostles drink of their Maisters cup. so that none of the Apostles that followed Christ, escape Scot free, & most of them put to cruel death [Page] for the preaching of the gospell. But nothing I sup­pose euer made the Deuill more madder, then Paul the Apostle. Of the Gentiles, because throgh igno­rance he was first of his owne band, and a persecu­tor of the Christians; but on the sudden by Gods speciall grace, called miraculously (by Christ him­selfe) To be a chosen vessell that he might be sent farre a­broad among the Gentiles. Act. 9.1.15.

In conuerting of whome, Paul neuer laboured more faithfully, then the Diuell laboured diligent­ly, to raise vp persecution against him, and all that followed and beleeued his doctrine:Acts. 14.19. at Derby, at Ly­stra, Acts 27.1. at Iconium, and at many other places, till they came backe againe to Ierusalem; where, because his persecutors could not haue their will, and wreake their malice then vpon him,2, Tim. 4.17 they send him bound vnto Rome; where hee made the Gospell, and the profession thereof famous, throughout all the Iudgement Hall, by his sound disputing, and con­stant preaching, whereat his first aunswere before the tyrant Nero, all forsooke him▪ but the Lord strength­ned him, and for a while deliuered him (to shew his power) from the mouth of that Lyon.

When the Apostles were all persecuted or put vnto death, was Sathan yet quiet? No doubtlesse, for then the ten most cruell persecutions, soone af­ter their disceasing,The glory of kings to haue care of Gods Church and children. woulde not haue so long conti­nued, to the great slaughter of Gods best beloued children, vntill it pleased God of his great mercie, to raise vp Constantius the Emperor, & Constantinus his sonne, to calme that so great tempest, & to com­fort [Page 19] the heartes of Gods children, who were fled in­to the wildernes, and corners of the earth for their reliefe and succour.

But that old red dragon, woulde not there yet suffer them to be quiet: But still with greater rage then before, persecuted the woman,Reu. 12.6. The Church (I meane) which euen in that time of straitenesse, had brought forth not a man child only, but many thousand children, both of men and women, which neuer bowed their knees vnto Baal.

So true is that saying, the bloud of the Martyrs is the seed of the Church, And thereupon it is finely said of one.

For when that fearefull beast, hauing 7. heads, and 10. hornes, the old Romaine Empire which raysed these ten cruell persecutions, was wounded and a­based: another beast which was Antichrist, which had two hornes like the Lambe, Reu. 13.1 & 11 & 18.3. Antichrist a bloudy beast though he plead the sim­plicitie of the Lambe. but spake like the Dra­gon (of whom he learned to bee cruell and bloudy, like the former beast) was set vp & honoured, with whome all kinges of the earth, for the space of 500. years, cōmitted most filthy fornication, til the light of the gospell by those bright lamps, began to shine [Page] out of Germany, whose beames like the sun in the morning, did make bright these our Northern Re­gions,God causeth light to shine out of d [...]rknes whereat the Diuell and Antichrist his sonne haue grieuously stormed, and like vnto the wilde Boare, hath from time to time, since hee was first cast out, sought and laboured by all means possible to breake in againe into the Lordes vineyearde, to wast, roote out, and destroy those pleasant plantes, which by the space almost of fifty yeares preaching haue beene deeply planted in these our Countries; and now I trust,The pure gos­pell preached in England during the raign of King Edward and Queene Eliza­beth, and I trust shall be continued till the end of the world, in des­pight of the diuell and Antichrist. shal be watered a fresh with the sweetest spring of celestiall comfortes: which no doubt will cause the Diuell to bestirre himselfe a new, and Antichrist his Captaine to muster his whole Company of Iesuites, Seminaries, & Papists at home, and all the professed enimies of Christ, & our country abroad, who with tooth and naile, (as they say) will striue against this happy successe, of ours, endeuouring by all meanes possible, to turne all our hopes of reioicing, into heapes of slaughters & most assured causes of mourning, if it lay in their powers, or if God for our sinnes and vnthankful­nes, should permit them so to doe.

2. Cor. 2.11.Wherefore, seeing (I say) wee are not ig­norant of these Diuelish sleightes (as S. Paul sai­eth) nor of the secret malice of our Popish ene­mies, though they can happily like the snake, (for want of strength) lye quiet in the bosome of our Country, till they may bee better warmed and cheered to thrust out their Stinges against vs.

These things (I say) considered, haue caused me to strike my saile of reioysing, so lowe as possible I can, and to call these great thinges which the Lord hath begun to doe for vs, and I trust in his good time will finish the present possession, and further hope of reioycing, which if our aduersa­ries had but halfe the like cause, would in all their writings haue published for mountaines of ioyes: notwithstanding for Zions sake, I could not bee still, Esay. 62 1. and for Ierusalems sake would not holde my peace, till in the zeale of my soule, I had laboured both pri­uately in mine owne charge, and publiquely in this simple sort, as I haue done, to stirre vp the hearts of Gods children to a ioyfull reioycing in the Lord, and to all kinde of thankefulnesse and readie obe­dience to God and our King. From whom,The sap of our ioy included in the vertues of our king. as in the roote or stemme (next vnder God) all the sappe of our ioy and comfort springeth vp, and many flourishing branches of heauenly and earthly bles­siings bud forth to the comfort of our Church and common-weale wherein we liue.

When the Iewes a long time had Iudges to rule ouer them, though some of them,1. Sam. 8.19.20 wise as De­bora, and holy as Samuell, yet they still cryed out, Giue vs a King to raigne ouer vs, as all other Nati­ons haue.

So long as our Debora raigned (which was foure yeares longer then Debora iudged Israel) and there­by all peace and prosperitie heaped vpon vs, and our land, yet there were that cried out, Giue vs a king to raigne ouer vs, as all other Nations haue. Nowe [Page] God in his mercie hath giuen vs a king, and our eies haue seene him to our hearts content, and in good time wee doubt not, will crowne his Maiestie to raigne ouer vs, and wil they yet be contented think we, that before were grieued? I thinke not; but how soeuer they be discontented, if Gods will herein bee once effected, sure I am, therein wee shall haue such a blessing, as this lande hath not enioyed in that respect,About fiftie yeares gone since king Edward died. this fiftie yeares; so that if God will, this may bee called our yeare of Iubilee; though our enemies hoped happily, it woulde haue tur­ned to vs a yeare of miserie. Whose hope (I doubt not) God will frustrate, as hee hath in this, that many yeares before it came, they counted and called, the death day of our Soueraigne, a gol­den day: but the God of Heauen seeth their ma­licious mindes, and I trust will cut their combes shorter, that take felicitie to crow and crie for the death of Princes, but to our purpose.

A King God bee thanked wee haue proclay­med, and trust shortly with ioy to haue him crow­ned, and peaceably established in his kingdome; whereat our aduersaries in deede haue no cause to reioyce, eyther at home or abroade; when it shall bee reported in other Nations, that Eng­land hath nowe a King raigning ouer them,The great causes of our reioycings; 1 Taken from our King, as a stately stemme or tree of vertue. which for his prowesse (if he bee prouoked) dare to looke any King of Christendome in the face; which for his learning and Religion, is able to leade vs vnto the liuing waters of comfort, which for his sexe is able By the helpe of his God, to leape ouer a [Page 21] Wall, and likewise able to trauell abroade to see the coastes and strength of his Countrey,Psal. 18.21. and valour of his Captaines, to enquire out and learne the manners of his Subiects and people, as well they that rule vnder him, as they that are ruled: to sitte in his seate of iudgement, when it plea­seth him, to aduaunce iustice, and to grace his Maiesties most worthie Iusticers. All these things our enemies may talke of, to their terror, but eue­rie good subiect may thinke of it to his comfort, this therefore is the roote and cause vnder God of all our reioycing.

What other hopes of our reioycing are their like to budde out of this stately stemme? Manie more then I can thinke of, and many more then I will speake of; and of them that I purpose to remember, I will rather poynt at them, then speake of them: we may ascend from the stemme,2 From the branches of our Kings po­steritie. to consider of the liuely braunches alreadie sprow­ting from this noble stemme; hauing the greenest Oliue Tree, and of the sweetest kinde growing with our king in his Graces Garden,Gods great blessings vpon our King in his princely posteritie by the fruitfulnes of so flouri­shing a Queene. with Oliue braunches rounde about his Table: these blessed braunches, are alreadie knowne to bee two sonnes, and two daughters, of most singular hope, and God knoweth howe many more his Grace may yet haue to his owne comfort, and great stay of this lande; whome it may please his Maiestie to make Dukes and Princes of his Realmes and Do­minions, which may lead his Armies to the terror [Page] of his enemies, while his Maiestie may manage the other affayres of his Countrey, liuing with his sub­iects in peace and quietnesse; yea to succeed in their fathers throne, when the father of spirites shall call him to his mercie, which is not euen nowe vn­thought on (as the examples of the Emperours teach) when his Maiestie shall be in the midst of his royaltie;Lapi [...]aries v­sed to come vnto the Em­perors the day of their coro­nation: earnestly inquiring what kind of stone they would haue their tombs e­rected with, to put them in mind of their mortalitie. as also it appeareth (to the perpetuall re­nowne of his Grace) by his Maiesties sweete and most singular instructions alreadie giuē vnto prince Henrie his eldest sonne, who naturally, if God giue life, is to succeed in his fathers roome. These things in the fear of God may be thought on, and are no small hopes of reioycing.

From the braunches we may take some comfort in the Leaues, which are our next and nearest neighbours, the Scots; who as they are one lan­guage almost with vs, so may they by Gods good grace, bee ioyned togither in great loue and friendship with vs,3 Frō the leues which are the Scots our neare countrey men, and of one language and religion with vs. seeing no Sea parteth vs, but one bordereth on an others Coasts (which here­tofore hath beene the cause of much discorde and bloudshed, as our owne remembraunce can tell vs, if the Chronicles of both Countreys did not reporte the same) all this by the blessed bene­fite of GOD, and by the carefull regarde of the King and Nobles of both our Countreys, maye bee turned to the great good and com­fort of both our Realmes, for nowe though wee bee two seuerall kingdomes, yet wee all [Page 22] are but the Subiectes of one King, and the people of one God; in whose feare we ought to liue together in all godly peace, and for whose faith wee ought to fight together in the time of warre; these also are no little hopes of reioy­cing.

May wee not looke downe againe from the leaues to the barke of this goodly Cedar of our En­glish Lebanon,4. The bark of this godly tree, our Kings alies & confederats. which are our Kings alies and con­federates: The noble King of Denmarke, a good friend to England, his Graces brother in law, and the Queenes naturall brother, all her Graces children Nephewes and neeces vnto that King, besides the league and friendship our Kings Maiestie hath with many other Christian kings and Princes, which may be a stay to the state of our land, against the po­wer of the pope, as the barke causeth the strength to the tree, by holding in of the sap.

Hence (if God will haue it so,The fruit of Peace, if it please God to grat it among christiā princes and our sinnes crie not against it) may come greater Traffick with many nations, then lately wee haue had; Trafficke may bring profit, and profit comfort and content to many poore subiectes of our Countrey, which com­plaine they are impouerished, that they can haue but little for their labour, the world is so dead they say, for want of trafficke: howbeit I feare ra­ther it is by reason of the couetousnesse of the ri­cher subiectes, both Mar [...]hauntes, and others through an insatiable desire of gaine: where by money is brought into a fewe mens handes, by to vnreasonable enhauncing of the price, of all for­raine [Page] commodities;Couetousnes. the roote of e­uill, and the cause that commodities passe not, but at an excesse rate, for the poorer sort. so as the commons of our Countrey, cannot haue them at any reasonable rate: euen for the redresse thereof, surely (whereso­euer the fault or cause be) the common sort of this land, haue great hope to see it bettered, which may well be called, The poore peoples hope of reioycing, wher­of God grant they may not be frustrated.

So here then we may be assured to our farther comfort, that if there be such vertue as we haue spoken to be expected, from the root, stem, branches, barke, and leaues of this goodly Tree. What hope may wee conceiue of the blossomes which begin already so gloriously to breake out,Good begin­nings, are as it were certaine Pledges, of as good procee­dings and bet­ter endings. yeelding forth abundance of all comfortable fruit, to the glory of God, and greatest good of this land.

And these fruites, if they be of the rightest kind, as we are most ascertained they are, must either issue out of the sap of true religion, or out of the pith of al purity of life and conuersation; the one following the other,Pietie breedeth purity, as puri­tie adorneth piety. as the shaddow doth the substance: these like two fountaines springing forth from the garden of Eden, will greately cheere and refresh the church of God, and exceedingly beautifie and adorne the flourishing estate of our common weale; when eue­ry one both in life and religion, both magistrate and subiect,Good Maiestra. good subiects, good pastors, good people. both pastor and people, will haue an eye to the king, to frame their maners and religion, accor­ding to his best likin [...] as the Poet saith, Regis ad exem plum, totus componitur orbis. Well, blessed bee God for these our good and more then great hopes of re­ioycing, which are doubled and encreased for that [Page 23] our enemies the Pope and Papists I meane especial­ly, haue not yet reioyced ouer vs, as they had ho­ped, nor haue any cause to tryumph in all insulting sorte, as their maner is: Neither I trust euer shall haue cause to reioyce, so long as God shall keepe vs from their Idolatry, and infidelitie;A cursed tree yeeldeth forth cursed fruit. Such a mother such a daugh­ter. Idolatrie euer­more the cause of Gods chil­drens captiuity the one being the roote of the other. Infidelity, (which springeth through want of the true knowledge of God) is the roote, and Idolatry is the cursed fruit, that springeth from so crabbed a tree: for which two sinnes, God euer hath, and euer wil, deliuer ouer his church and chosen children vnto captiuity, either of body or of mind, or of both.

God preserue and purge this land, from al popish Idolatry, and then howsoeuer God punish vs, and this land for our other sinnes (which are many and grieuous) with other temporall punishments, as dai­ly we see and deserue, and worse are to be feared, ex­cept we repent, yet of Gods mercy, for his sonnes sake, and for his Gospels sake, we shall bee preserued from all popish tyranny; except it be for partaking, or to much suffering them in their Idolatry: For these Iebusites will euer be pricks in our eyes, and thornes in our sides, and as some of them daily de­sire, so will they continually seeke to worke our de­struction, that they may reioyce at our miseries, which of all miseries, to the godly minded, none may be compared thereunto.

For what I beseech you else is meant by the often and earnest prayers of Gods Church and children, euery where to be seene in the scriptures, that God [Page] would not deliuer them vp into the hands of the e­nemies of Gods truth,Psal. 94.3.4 & 115.2. &. l 33.3 4. least they should say in dirisi­on of God and all godlines, Where is now their God? The reason surely is, for that as I haue said, all the chastisments and corrections, whether it be warre, Pestilence, famine or fire, or whatsoeuer else God laieth vpō his Church and children, as wel as vpon the wicked for their sinnes, or for their tryall, or for examples sake, none of them in singular, nor all of them in generall, are any thing comparable either in griefe or greatnes,The taunts of Gods enemies, the greatest greife of Gods children. to this plague or punishment, to be deliuered vp into the hands of Gods enemies, & the enemies of the truth and the Gospell, (as the Pope & all professed Papists are) to be mocked, spi­ted, and derided as Christ our Sauiour was, before, and at the time of his death.Math. 27.39.40.41.42.43. Haile king of the Iewes, Tell vs who smote thee: Come downe from the Crosse, if thou be the Sonne of God: He saued others, himselfe he can not saue, & the like: As the Philistians mocked Samp­son, Iudges. 16.30. when hee plucked downe the house vpon their heads for their labour. As Dioclesian the tyrant, and Iulian the Apostata, taunted the persecuted Christi­ans. As the Babylonians in most scoffing sort, sayd vnto the poore persecuted Iewes, Sing vs one of the songs of Sion. Psal. 137.3. In a word beloued, as the Papists once heretofore in this land, for that we would embrace their Idoll the masse, haue had their fill of despising and reuiling of Gods elect and chosen: So now see­ing they haue beene curbd and kept in with such a longing desire of an alteration, if now (I say) God should suffer them to haue their willes ouer vs, the [Page 24] true professors of the Gospell, they would surely in­sult ouer vs, more then euer before, not with fire & fagot onely, for that Gods chosen feare not, but with the speare of their tongues, they would pierce our soules, when wee should euery where heare them say vnto Gods Saintes: Where is your religion? Where is your communion? Where is your prea­ching? Where is your Gospell? Where is your God? O God of glorie defend the true professors of thy Gospell, from this despite of our soules, and then dispose of our bodies and goods as it pleaseth thee.

O deare Christians,Gods great mercy in deli­uering and keeping vs still frō Popish [...]i [...]anny my soule cannot sound the depth of this mercy, if God haue determined, as I hope he hath, to deliuer vs from this misery, in not leauing vs to the will of Gods enemies, and to con­tinue yet longer, the light of his Gospell among vs, not only for the cōfirmatiō of their faith, that are al­ready of vnderstāding to acknowledg the mercie of God in calling them,Babes and sucklings shal praise God for his mercy in conti­nuing his Gos­pell among vs but also for the sweete sakes of many millions of little seely soules, either little babes or others, which are vnder yeares of discretion; yet by reason of the care of their Christian Parents, more by custome and imitatiō, then by any know­ledge & discretiō, holding vp their lilly white hands towards the heauens, with lisping lips, make their se­uerall prayers and supplications, daily for Church, king and countrey: yea many of them surely, of ve­ry tender yeares, with more zeale and knowledge, (often times) then thousands of very aged people, that all the time of their youth were misse-led, and [Page] misled in ignorance and Idolatry. How much therefore are wee bounde to prayse God for this mercy of al mercies, if it please his Maiestie to grant, that neither the trees that seeme to be fast rooted, may bee shaken with the boisterous blastes of per­secution; nor these tender springs, beginning to sprout out, may not be nipped with the cold frostes of popish deuotion.

Such a blessing as this is, so long time as hereto­fore to bee secured,A rare blessing and now a fresh to be protected vnder the flourishing branches of so princely a de­fender of Christs true faith, from all the rages and reuilings of our Antichristian enemies, I know not whether the Chronicles of all ages, either diuine or prophane, haue recorded the like, neither can I well conceiue, if this blessing bee continued and fully effected, as God grant it may, whether for the same, we the true professors of Christ, haue more cause to reioyce, then our enemies the papists, both at home and abroad, haue cause for euer more to be ashamed and confounded: For let the Papistes as­sure themselues, (as Hamans wife could tell her husband,Ester. 6.13. when it was to late, after all the assigne­ments were sealed, for the destruction of Hester, Mor­dacay and the Iewes) that if our Mordecay be of the stocke of the Iewes, that is of the truest religion, as they knowe well enough hee is, then Haman if hee procure not the Kinges fauour, the sooner in embracing true religion, may bee hanged on his owne gallowes: Yea and Mordecay and all the Iewes may take better courage to resist & represse [Page 25] the Popish Babylonians, by all meanes possible, as farre as lawe and Christian charitie, and religion will giue them leaue. Neither let them thinke o­therwise, but that if the Lord prosper this his owne worke, it is to breake the pride of their power, and to make them see (except they will still bee blinde) nay to feele with their handes,The workes of God are admi­rable, but good for his children euer. God strongest when mans helpe is wea­kest. except the deadliest palsey of darkenesse haue taken them, the power of Gods owne might, what hee can doe against his enemies, when it pleaseth him, how and when he can bring the same to passe, when they least thinke of it, and when it seemeth there is least power in the reason of man to effect it. This God doth for his owne glory especially, for the good of his children continually, and finally for the conuersion or con­fusion of his foes.

And here though there bee great cause, I will not spend paper further to presse any professed Pa­pists, English Seminary, or Iesuite in this realme, then is fitting, by vpbrayding them, as they would vs surely outragiously, if they had but halfe the like aduantage ouer vs, for their vaine folly, and fruitles fury, in designing, seeking, wishing, and contri­uing (like vipers of the vilest broode) the death, the vntimely death, yea the vnnaturall death, of their and ours late deerest Soueraigne, seeing it may bee, some of them may liue so long, to publish the same themselues, more to the prayse of God, in preser­uing her Maiestie, then any pen can expresse, after her Grace hath slept a while in her graue,Our late Qu. a most merci­full Prince. that shee was the most mildest & mercifullest Queene, if not [Page] too mercifull) that euer ruled or raigned in christen­dome, euen to them of their owne faction, which thing they would neuer confesse while her Maiestie liued:A vilde slaunder of the Pa­pists. but rather by most vile and slaunderous li­bels euery where spred abroad, like as they are now continued, do report (but how vntruely, God and all the world knoweth) that her sacred Maiestie was a bloudy Prince, and that her Maiesties more then a Solomonicall peace and regiment, was a time of tyranny,Esay 5.20. and persecuting gouernment. But woe be to them (saith the Prophet) that call good euill, and euill good; and wo be to their souls, if they speedily repent not that thus haue slaundered, and yet cease not to slaunder the Lords anointed, and quiet tran­quilitie of our Countrey.

O slye serpents and brood of Adders, with tongs more poysoned with the venom of the Pope, then the taile of a Scorpion! could you, or now can you, count the dayes of our late beloued Queene, blou­dy, that neuer drewe drop of bloud from the grace­lesse traitors against her life, Crowne and dignitie, but euer with sorrowe and griefe of mind?

And could you not haue cōsidered (though with silence haue passed it ouer, for who takes pleasure to remember it) the riuers of bloud, that were shed by that bloudy Bishop of Rome, your sweetest father in heauen or earth, and other bloudy Bishops of our land, in the raigne of Queene Mary, and before, as in all other countries in Christendome: Can you be content to call that kind of gouernment tyranny, where neuer any are put to death but either for [Page 26] fowle felony, or most treasonable trechery,None put to death i [...] Eng­land, [...]ut f [...]e [...]ony or treson and can you call the popish and Catholicke regiment, mer­cy, that neuer are satisfied, nor neuer will be satisfied (in persecuting onely for religions sake) the poore Saintes of God,Reu. 6.10. whose soules still crie vnder the altar for vengeance, with all kind of torments and tyran­ny? I am a subiect, and my life is free, except I offend the law: yet if it can be proued, that euer any man woman or child, was in all the raigne of our late so­ueraigne, put to death onely for religion, I say I will willingly leaue my life for that, to the disposing of him that can proue it.

Let the Pope therefore leaue off for shame, to Canonize ranke traytours, for singular Saints;The Pops haue made many seely saints in th [...]n tim [...]s. such as in former time, Thomas Becket was (if not many more mischieuous traytours) and let his vn­holine be resolued, that this saying is as true as old, Non mors sed causa mortis facit martyrem: that it is the constant dying in the defence of the Gospell, and true religion of Iesus Christ, that hath made so ma­ny Martyrs in the world, and that it is the Romish religion, and his Antichristian pardons, blasphemie, pride, and periurie, that hath set so many Christian Princes by the eares, and caused many seely sub­iectes traytourously to rebell against their Soue­raignes, and so to sinne against their owne soules, P [...]o. 20.2. (as Salomon sayth) And let all those that contrary to their alegeance to God and their Prince, haue hi­thervnto submitted themselues to the papall sup [...]e­micy, become good subiectes, to their king and [Page] countrey, as Gods word euery where commaun­deth them,Vnhappie they whome other mens harmes make not to beware. and the fearefull end by the iust iudge­ment of God inflicted vpon rebelles and traytoures at all times, doth warne and admonish them, whereof we haue purposed to speake somewhat in the next Treatise.

At this time (I say) in stead of vpbraiding them,2. Kings. 6.17. for this their so great folly and fury, I will exhort all good Ghristians to pray for them, that the eyes of their vnderstanding may bee opened, as the eyes of Elisha his seruant were, that they percei­uing more to bee with vs then with them, nay, God to bee with vs,God present in mercy to helpe his people euer and not with them, nor neuer will bee (except in iudgement) vntill they by true repen­tance, and acknowledging their grosse and grie­uous errours in Popery and Idolatry, turne cleane a­way from the Pope (the diuels darling) and so be­come true and vnfayned professours of Christ his Gospell, Gods sweete Sonne, and our onely Sauior.

And here let men and Angels iudge, betweene the Doctrine of Popery, and piety, which is true Christianity, and between the professors of the one, and the publishers of the other.

The Christian courses that wee euer take with them, are agreeable to the Gospell of Christ, which wee professe; and the vngodly courses they hither­vnto haue taken with vs, are agreeable to the decre­talles and decrees of the Pope, whome they acknow­ledge to be the Vicar of Christ: but in truth, is that Antichrist, And man of Sinne whereof Paul long [Page 27] agoe prophecied;The Apostle P. pointeth out the Pope for Antichrist. one that doth altogether oppose himselfe against Christ and all they that do professe his name: The Lord twise or thrise, hath miracu­lously heretofore (like as he hath Scotland and o­ther countries) deliuered this land of ours, from their tyranny, and now againe (we hope) for euer,2. Thes. 2.4. wil saue vs from their cruelty; not for our merits, but for his owne mercy, which thing cannot but bring great cause vnto vs of all godly reioycinge.

Now as I may not, nor minde not, to vpbraide these Papistes farther (as I haue said) then is fitting; so it is my part and agreeable with my duty,The duty of Protestants. earnestly to call vpon all professed protestants, aswell Pa­stors as people, that they be more zealous in the publishing and professing of the Gospell, then hereto­fore they haue beene; that they liue more sincere­ly in their liues and conuersation, then heretofore they haue done; aboue all things, that they would adorne themselues with the vertue of humili [...]ie, in humbling of themselues, and their soules before God, who graciously hath begun, continued and in good time will finish this good worke, to the praise of his owne glory, if wee dayly pray, and prayse his Maiestie for the same.

Also here all carnall Gospellers,Carnall gospellers reproued. and luke-warme professors, are to be raised out of their sinful security that lye sleeping in the barke of Gods church, caring nothing for any stormes or tēpests that beat against it, they neither feel them, nor feare thē; if in a calme and with a pleasant wind, they may sayle ouer the Seas of this worlde, they are well content to bee [Page] called professors: but if the stormes of aduersitie blow vpon them,Acts. 27.30. and the tempests of persecution, for the gospell sake, once beginne to pinch them: then like the Marriners that were with Paul in that great shipwracke; they had rather leape into the seas of sinne, to the hazarding of their soules, then tarry any longer in such an olde vessell, as the Arke of Gods Church is, for feare God will not bee so good as his promise, in sauing and preseruing them from all dangers both of soule and body.

Not example of multitudes, but the truth of Gods word; must euer guide our consciences in religion.These are the Newters and Omnifidians of our time, that will hold with the most as they say, and wheresoeuer the maine battell is pight, they will be sure to be of the Rereward, or in the left wing, that as they see cause, they may flee to which side they imagine to be the strongest.

The third and worst sort of all, are the Nullifidi­ans, or Atheistes of our time. The Rogues, the Ruffians, the Tossepots, and Drunkardes, which as they scoffe at God and all godlinesse,The Atheistes scoffe at God and all godli­nes. so care they not of what religion they be, but weigh not whe­ther there bee any religion at all, farre worse then the Turkes,The Turke ac­knowledge a God, but deny Christ to b [...]e their Red [...]e­mer. that acknowledge there is a God, but allow none but Mahomet to bee his Prophet: farre worse then the rest of the Heathen, that worship­ped so many kind of Gods, as there were Diuels in Hell to entise them: euen iumpe with the Barbarest people of all nations: that liue worse then beastes without law, without ciuilitie, without common honesty, as our common tospots and drunkards do.

These are the very mockers of our time, which [Page 28] walke after their owne lusts,Tossepots and drunkards worse then beasts 2. Peter. .4. and say (as Peter fore­told:) Where is the promise of Christes comming vnto iudgement? But those scoffers of God and his Mi­nisters, shal feele and finde one day, that there is a God, that there is but one true religion, which we teach, that there shall be a generall iudgement: yea they may feele it too soone, that there is now a God in heauen, that seeth their sinnes, and hath a great & grieuous controuersie against them for the same.Hosea 4.2. And though in his mercy, hee spare his chosen a­while, and will suffer himselfe to bee entreated, that his gospell may yet longer continue among vs: yet let them know, that God hath punishments inough in store, whereof we haue but too many examples dayly to plague them for their sins, & to make this whose land to mourne for their transgressions.

God will raine down vpon the wicked (saith Dauid) fire and brimstone, storme and tempest, this shall bee their portion to drinke: and againe, Psalm. 11.6. Psalme 68 21 God will wound the heade of his enemies, and the hairie scalpe of such as goeth on still in his wickednes: They shall goe downe into hell, and all people that forget God. Let them not imagine, be­cause God doth spare them,The longer God stayeth from punish­ing, the soter shalbe their punishment that repent, not. that therefore hee can­not punish them; nay surely, the higher the ham­mer is lifted vp, the greater is the stroke when it falleth; and the longer God forbeareth these A­theistes, the sorer will his iudgement bee, when it commeth, (as the heathen could faine, Their I­doll Gods to haue leaden feete, whereby they note a slownes in punishme [...]t, but to haue hands of brasse, or of Iron, to pay home when he striketh) [Page] In a word, the richest and proudest Atheist in the world, is but as clay in the hād of the Potter, which God will bake in the ouen of his wrath, and with his iron mallet, will crush them in peeces to their endles woe in this life, and to their eternall perditi­on in the world to come, except speedily they re­pent and amend their stinking, sinnefull and wic­ked liues;Ehr. 12.29 for our God is a consuming fire; and if his wrath be kindled, yea but a little, blessed are all they that put their trust in him.

So that wee may conclude this point, as also the premises, touching this second part, as the god­ly at this day, haue great cause to prayse Gods mer­cy, if it shall please his Maiestie to speed and prosper his handy worke, and to continue the light of his gospell longer among vs, when our aduersaries thought and hoped it should haue beene put out in obscure darknes; so the wicked and godlesse, that haue no feare of God before their eyes, may feare his iustice and iudgementes that hang ouer their heads: and as the wicked the more and the longer God staieth from punishing them, the more a great deale doe they encrease their sins and vnthankful­nes:Gods blessings shold encrease our thankful­nes. so the godly & the truely faithful on the other side, the more the Lord ladeth them with blessings, the more they stirre vp their soules in all zeale and thankfulnes to praise his goodnes for the same, ey­ther priuately or publikely, as the benefites are con­ferred; whereof we haue so many examples in the Psalmes of Dauid for praysing of God: as, I will sing of the Lord, and praise his name, I will tell of all his won­drous [Page 29] works from day to day. O my soule praise the Lord, and all that is within me praise his holy name, O my soule praise the Lord, and forget not all his benefites, Psal. 103.1.2 Praise the God of heauen, for his mercy endureth for euer.

And a thousand such like, by whose example, as (I haue saied) we the church and children of God in generall, and euery one of vs in particular, that are partakers of his mercy, and of all these hopes of reioycing, may sing day and night to the praise of our God, as Dauid teacheth vs in the Psalme, wher­upon we began this treatise: I will magnifie thee O Lord, for thou hast exalted me, and hast not made my foes to reioyce ouer me. Psal. 30.1.11.12. Thou hast turned my mourning in­to ioy, thou hast loosed my sacke, and girded me with glad­nes: Therefore shall my tongue praise thee without cea­sing: O Lord my God, I will giue thankes vnto thee for euer.

THE KINGS Reioycing. The third Treatise.

IT remayneth nowe, that as hitherto wee haue spoken of the chiefe cause of our Eue­nings Sorrowing, and of the greate and vndoubted hopes, that by Gods goodnesse wee haue receyued of our Mor­nings Ioy; so also we should speake or intreate of such speciall dutyes, as wee are bounde to performe, whereby wee maye learne to requite againe in some sort, these greate hopes of Reioycing, by a certaine reflecting,The dutie of subiects. or re­bounding backe againe the like into his bosome, who vnder GOD, hath beene preserued to bee the ground or beginning of these our hopes, and the continuer of the same wee trust, and heartily pray for.

For as it is agreeable both with reason and na­ture, [Page] for all trees, hearbes, and plantes, with a soue­raigne kind of fruit and fragrancie, in time conueni­ent ye [...]lded foorth; to requite with a certaine reci­procall retribution, the sweete and comfortable re­freshing of the Sunne beames, and heauenly influ­ences, whereby they are cheared and refreshed, be­ing as it were dead before through colde, yea and their life and sap buryed, in the verie bowels of the earth.

So likewise, it is agreeable both with grace and Religion, for the people and Subiects of any so­ueraigne, for the ioyfull comfort and refreshing they are to receyue, yea and dayly doe receyue from the Sunne-shine beames of his Maiestie, to yeeld back againe some fruit of their refreshing, the sweetest kind wherof, & best pleasing to his tast, wil be perfect obedience, and all louing loyaltie: with the fragrancie whereof, I trust our King is alreadie comforted:The applau­ditie of the people at the comming of our King. seeing his Maiesties comming was, and is as ioyfully and thankfully accepted of the grea­ter and better sort of this lande, as euer any King that was crowned in Christendome: and howe soeuer it bee thought or reported, that his Maie­stie may haue some secrete foes (as what Prince is without them) yet I doubt not to affirme it, his Grace shall haue as many louing and loyall hearts in Englande,As loyall and obedient sub­iects in Eng­land as in any nation in Christ [...]ndom. as any other king or Prince in the Worlde whatsoeuer, which cannot chuse but bring greate cause of reioycing to his Ma­iestie.

And to the end the number of thē may be dayly [Page 35] increased, to Gods glory, and his Maiesties comfort and safetie; I haue purposed by Gods grace, to pro­ceede on with this third discourse, taking for the ground of my speech, that short but sweet and sin­gular sentence of saint Peter. 1. Pet. 2.17.

By which playne place of the Apostle, wee may note a difference betweene [...] and papa; as euery child may see, and doth know, the difference betweene the King and the Pope. Therefore surely either S. Peter was deceiued in commanding al sub­iects next vnto God, to honour the king, or else the world hath beene, and yet is, in a great and grieuous errour, in leauing their dutie & allegeance vnto the particular kings and Princes, of al christiā countries and prouinces: by meanes of which error and most diuellish doctrine of popery, to teach people that the power of the Pope, that bloudy Bishoppe of Rome, and very Antichrist, is aboue the authoritie of all other kings and potentates in the world; yea ma­ny times commaundeth subiects (as now they say a new edict lately is published for such a purpose) vpon payne of the Popes great curse,Killing of Princes more grie­uous then pa­racide. to take armes and to rebell against their most louing and naturall Prince (being a greater sinne, then it is for a childe to kill his father) I say this dangerous errour and dam­nable doctrine, hath beene a long time the greatest cause (if not the onely cause) of all the warres, that Christian Princes haue made one against the other, [Page] this many yeares in Christendome.

And the Papists haue no greater nor better colour to shaddowe and couer their so grosse er­rour from the sight of the common people, yea from the vnderstanding of Kinges and Princes, such as for the largenesse of their dominions (if they knew their owne authority, they haue giuen them vnder God) are and might bee, accounted among the Monarchs of the worlde.The Papists colour their tre­cherie vnder the Popes su­premacy. I say, they coun­terfait all this trechery and tyranny, as well ouer the bodies, as the soules and substances of christian peo­ple, onely with this cloake and colour (forsooth) That the Pope is Christ his Vicar here on earth, Saint Peters successor in the papall seate, and there­fore must haue (quo iure nescio, nisi iure diabolico) By no commaundement that wee can reade of, but of the diuels, all the supremacy of, and ouer all Christi­an Kings and Princes whatsoeuer.

Howbeit my meaning is not here, by shew­ing the Pope not to bee Gods generall Vicar of all the world, nor Supreame head ouer kings and king­domes, thereby any thing to diminish the honour and lawfull authoritie that might bee giuen to the Bishop of Rome; if hee onely contented himselfe with that Ecclesiasticall Iurisdiction, to that Sea belonging; as the Fathers and Bishoppes of that Church, long before the papall supremacy was bred, haue contented themselues, or as the learned and reuerent Bishops in these our Churches, doe content themselues with, of whome (together with the whole ministrie) God himselfe hath a speciall [Page 36] regarde, ioyning them in honour next vnto kings,Psal. 105.26. 1. Sam. 12.5.6. 2. Kin 45.1. Psal. 105.15. as Moyses and Aaron, Saul and Samuel, Dauid and Nathan; And of them as of kinges, giueth this com­maundement, Touch not mine annoynted, so doe my Prophets and Ministers no harme; Exod. 20.12. It is the very com­maundement of God to honour our Parents, as well of our soules, as of our bodies, and so much the more, by how much the soule is greater then the bo­dy: and this caution hath the more neede to bee vrged, because in the d [...]yes wherein we liue, the re­uerent Pastors and Ministers of the Church, are eue­ry where contemned, and nothing reuerenced and regarded as their calling doth require. And as touching the Popes generall pretended supremacy, seeing God of his mercy hath opened our eyes,The English papists deceiue ignorant peo­ple. and by the light of his word hath caused vs to see their iugling, wee may well say vnto the vrgers of this er­rour, as Aristotle in his Ignorance, said of the Scrip­tures, multa dicunt, sed quomodo probant: They say much, but the proofe of all Scripture, and the authoritie of all the godly, learned, auncient fathers of a­ny antiquitie, are against them, as in the sundry wri­tings of the rarest men of our age, are euery where to bee seene, which here to repeate, is not my pur­pose, nor fitting for so little a worke, as this Treatise is.

Onely this may satisfie any sober and indifferent reader abundantly▪ nay may well make any Papistes whatsoeuer, to looke into this thing more serious­ly, then happily heretofore they haue done, to see how contrary the Pope is to Saint Peter, whose suc­cessor [Page] he saith he is,The Pope and S. Peter contrary in doctrine, a [...] in m [...]ners and co [...]uersa­ti [...]n. 2 Thes. 13. (thogh to proue it soundly, may make the stoutest champion the Pope hath, to sweat lustily) The Pope as a God in earth (and as S Paul prophecied of him though he were Antichrist and the Sonne of perdition: yet he should sit as God in the tē­ple of God, shewing himselfe that he is God) commaun­deth all kings to obey his vnholy holinesse, and all subiects rebell against their kings and Princes, if they deny him that authoritie.

The pope commādeth kings to obey him in his papacy, & subiects to re­bell against their princes S Peter com­maundeth obedience to princes.Saint Peter the Apostle of Christ, and a S. in hea­uen, commandeth all people in the world, next vn­to the feare of God, to honour and obey the king: Now as I sayd before, if [...] had beene Papa, then not the King, but the Pope must haue beene honoured, next vnto God, but before wee beleeue their doc­trine, either they must reproue S. Peter of great ignorance, in the tongue wherein he wrote; or else, that all the interpreters that haue translated this text, as well on their owne side, as of ours, haue greatly de­ceiued the world; for in all languages it is reade in this sence, as we haue it in English, feare God, honor the king, not the Pope. But if Peter had beene de­ceiued in this place, (as God forbid we should think so, whose tongue and pen were gouerned by the holy Ghost) what say we then to that which goeth a little before in the same Chapter? Where he com­maundeth subiects to submit themselues in all obe­dience, to all maner of ordinances (that is to all rule and gouernment, ordained by God) for the good of man for the Lords sake, [...], saith Saint Pe­ter, 1. pet. 2 13. Siue Regi, whether to the King, as vnto the Supreame [Page 37] gouernour (no Pope nor Prelate aboue him) or vnto o­ther Magistrates as vnto them that are sent of him, for the punishments of euill doers, and for the prayse of them that doe well,

Againe, what shall we say to S. Paul (who spake with more tongues then they all) he was not decei­ued I hope when so earnestly hee called vpon the christians in his time, not onely to obey, but to pray for kinges, I exhoxt therefore, sayth the Apostle, that a­boue all things, prayers, supplications, 1. Ti. 2.1.2. intercessions and gi­uing of thanks, be made for all [...], pro regibus (saith the Apostle) for kings and al that are in authority, that we may leade and liue vnder them (not vnder the Pope) a quiet and peaceable life in all godlines and hone­sty.

For this cause doth the same Apostle ex professo, commaund the christians that were at Rome; where now Antichrist dwelleth; That euery soule, that is,Rom. 13.1. that euery singular person, of what degree soeuer indu­ed with soule, Do submit himselfe to the authority of the higher powers, yeelding the reason thereof, because there is no power but of God, because the powers that bee as Kings and princes on earth, are ordained of God: (per me regnant reges, saith the wisedome of God in Salomō) Therefore whosoeuer they be, though it bee Anti­christ himselfe, that resisteth these powers, resisteth the ordinance of God, and they that resist procure vnto themselues damnation. Therefore it must followe, that the Pope hath no soule, or else if he dis­obey Princes by the Apostles doctrine, hee procu­reth [Page] to himselfe and all his adherents, that repent not betimes, for their disobedience and rebellion, condemnation; as oftentimes by due desert, and by the iust iudgement of God in this life, and eternall condemnation both of body and soule,They that fear God wil leaue the Pope and honour the King. in the worlde to come: Therefore whosoeuer will saue his body from condemnation, and his soule from damnation, let him leaue the Pope, learne to feare God, honour the King.

If this were not sure and sound doctrine, the king of kings Christ Iesus the sonne of God would neuer haue said.Mat. 22.21. Giue ye to God the things that are Gods, and giue vnto Caesar, that is, vnto Emperours & kings the things that are Caesar. He would neuer haue suffered Herod and his souldiers, so spightfully to haue moc­ked him, nor Pilate hauing his authoritie from the Emperour, so vniustly to haue condemned him, nor the Centurion so cruelly to crucifie him, nor neuer would haue rebuked Peter (beeing a priuate man) to fight in his Masters quarrell,Math. 26.52. against publicke au­thoritie as he did. Againe, if this doctrine to reue­rence and honour kings (not Popes) were not au­thenticall; al the Patriarkes Priestes and Prophets in the old law, were either very lowly, in so reueren­cing their kings and princes, or much deceiued in obeying them as they did: Abraham though the fa­thers of the faithfull, and as a prince of God, reuerē­ced the kings of Gerar, called Abi-melch, which was a word of great honour, Father King, because kings are the fathers & defenders of their coūtrey & subiects. [Page 38] Isaacke, and the rest of the Patriarkes did the like,Gen. 26.30. both there and in Egypt. So did all the Priestes and Prophets, which were farre aboue all Popes in dignitie and authority, honor the Kinges of Iudah, and Israell, Nathan the Prophet,1. Kin. 1.23. when hee came with Bethsheba to Dauid, bowed his face to the ground before the king. Which example of Na­than I note the rather, because it proueth that ciuil honour (which this Countrey yeeldeth to their Kinges, more then other Countries) is not a fault in vs, who haue such warrant for it, but rather a fault in other Countries; who giue not their kinges such due honour and reuerence, as Gods word allow­eth; not that we make our King a God (for we ad­mit no Idolatrie) but acknowledge him for Gods Lieutenant ouer vs, to whome we owe all honour next vnto God, and therefore shew it withall out­ward reuerence, that we can possiblie. Samuel al­so honoured Saule, though he were a wicked king, and Iehoida that good High Priest, not onely hono­red, but carefully preserued Ioash the yonger king of Iudah, when wicked Attaliath killed almost all of the kinges seed besides him.

These and infinite like examples, wee haue of Christ himselfe, his Apostles, Patriarkes, Priests, & Prophets, to warrant and confirme this doctrine of ours, against the Pope and Papists; that kinges (yea though they be tyrants as Nero was) are to bee o­beyed and prayed for, by yeelding our bodies vnto their gouernment, (though our soules bee free and not to bee constrained to doe any [Page] thing contrarie (especially in Religion) vnto Gods commaundement,Act. 4.19. for then we haue a rule; Better to obey God then man, notwithstanding, by no means (I say) may Subiectes resist or rebell against the au­thority, which kinges haue immediately from God, and to whome onely they are to giue account of their godly or carelesse regiment: but rather wee must yeeld our bodies to the Tormentors, and so lay downe our liues meekly and quietly,We ought ra­ther to laye downe our liues quietly then to diso­bey the prin­ces authority. for the cō­fession of the truth; if by the authority of the su­preme king of any country it be persecuted and cō­tradicted, as the holy Martyrs and Saints of God in all ages haue taught vs plainly in al their sufferings, wherein they are made conformable, as S. Paule saith, vnto the sonne of God. And therefore whosoeuer they be, that impugne this doctrine of honoring and o­beying of Princes, they are not conformable, but cleane contrarie to God and his sonne; and who so is contrarie to Christ the sonne of God, must needs be Antichrist, and not the true Vicar of Christ, nor the successor of Peter, who hath taught vs aboue all thinges, next vnto the feare and seruice of God, to honor the king.

Diuine wor­ship due to God. Ciuill honor to kingsTo God we owe all diuine worship and seruice; To kinges all ciuill honour and obedience. And this we may be assured of, where God (who is king of Heauen) is not rightly worshipped and serued; there the king (who is God on earth) is not hono­red: as on the contrary, where the king (who is God his Vicegerent here on earth) is not honored and obeyed, their God (who placed him in that [Page 43] authority) cannot be serued; for this cause is it, that S. Peter exhorteth vs to both these duties, with one breath, and in two wordes, in saying; Feare God, A true Me­thod in teach­ing. ho­nor the King; obseruing also a true Methode, and or­der in his teaching putting the best and chiefest du­ty which is to feare God in the first place;psal. 111.10. for the feare of God (saith Dauid) is the beginning of wisedome, a good vnderstanding haue all they that do thereafter, the praise of it endureth for euer.

The feare of God (saith Salomon) is the end of al things: Eccle. 12.13. Heare the end of all, feare God and keepe his commaunde­ments, for this is the whole dutie of man: the reason, because all other duties to our king, to our country; to our selues, to our neighbours, are included in the same: The feare of the Lord, (saith the Sonne of Si­rach) is glory and gladnes, and reioysing, and a ioyfull crowne.

The feare of the Lord, maketh a merrie heart,Eccle. 1.11.12. and giueth gladnes and ioy, and long life: Who so fea­reth the Lord it shall go well with him at the last, & he shall finde fauour in the day of his death. This feare of the Lorde, whosoeuer hath rooted in his heart, will neuer rebell against his Prince & coun­trie: but will pray and prayse God for his kinges good gouernement; will obey all good and godly lawes, not onely for feare, but for conscience sake very carefully; wil with like care and conscience, pay all tenthes and taxes duely, and cherefully, for God loueth a cherefull giuer: contrariwise, who so feareth the Lord, will neuer thinke euill of the King in his heart, (as Salomon saith) will neuer speake euil [Page] of him,Ecclesiastes 10 20. We may not think or speak euill of the King. no not in his priuy chamber, least the birds of the aire bewray him, lastly, wil neuer with purse, hand, tong, or heart, helpe them, succour or relieue them, that are enemies to their king and Countrie; seeing the healer oftimes is worse then the stealer, but rather detect them and reueale them, accor­ding to his oath and allegeance.

These thinges, if we carefullie obserue, we shal not need to feare the sword of the Magistrate, for as Paule saieth;Rom.. 3.3 [...] Princes are not to be feared for well do­ing, but for euill; wilt thou be without feare of the power? do well then, so shalt thou haue praise for the same, for he is the Minister of God for thy wealth; but if thou doe euill, then feare, for he beareth not the sword for nought, for he is the Minister of God, to take vengeance on him that doth euill.

Wherefore ye must be Subiect (saith the same A­postle) not because of wrath onely, v. 6.7. but also for conscience sake, & for this cause pay ye also tribute for they are Gods ministers, applying thēselues for the same thing. Giue to al men therfore their dutie, tribute to whom ye owe tribute, custom to whom ye owe custom, feare to whom ye owe fear, (as vnto God) honor to whom ye owe honor (as vnto the king) according to S. Peters former saying: Fear God, honor the King, so shall God blesse his people, and the king take ioy and comfort in his Subiectes.

God the su­preme Mo­narch of hea­uen & earth.Another reason why God must be feared and serued, is because God is onely king of heauen and of earth, the supreme Monarche, to whome all o­ther kinges & Princes owe homage, and frō whom all kingdomes are held in Capite vnder him.

The Lord is King (sayeth Dauid) the earth may bee glad thereof, Psal. 8.87. yea the whole multitude of the Iles may re­ioyce thereof: Againe, the Lord is king, be the people ne­uer so impatient, he sitteth between the Cherubims, Psal. 89.1. be the earth neuer so vnquiet. Againe, The Lord is King of old, the helpe and succour that commeth vnto par­ticular nations by their seuerall kinges and gouer­nours commeth from him, who disposeth of kings and Princes at his pleasure, granting eyther in his mercy, or iustice, such kind of gouernement, or go­uernors, as best pleaseth him.

Hence commeth it to passe,Diuers go­uernments in sund [...]y com­mon weales. that there are so many sundrie regiments and gouernements in the world vnder sundrie kings and gouernours; yet all haue but one supreme king and gouernor to direct thē. There are vsually three kinds of gouernement spo­ken of among the learned, whereof some dispute whither of them is the better: The first, is a gouern­ment of a multitude, which by no meanes can bee beneficiall for the common weale,A Democracie or popular gouernment. nor bring any quiet securitie to themselues, by reason of the mul­tiplicity of mindes, which can neuer agree, accor­ding to the saying, Quot capita, tot sententiae: This kind is near that which the Greekes caled Democra­tia, the Latines popularis potentia, a gouernment as I haue said of too many, and very hurtfull to the cō­mon weale.

The second is a kinde of gouernement of many, but not of so many as the former, but a more high­er kinde of gouernment, as might be the Nobility of the lande; but how dangerous such a gouern­ment [Page] is, not onely to the whole Country, but euen to themselues, by reason of enuie and ambition: This Country of ours, who haue had seuen Dukes or Kinges at one time can testifie; & wee that neuer proue it, cannot imagine the woe and calamity it bringeth with it. This kinde of gouernement is like vnto that which the Greekes call Aristocratia the Latines Optimorum potentia, An Aristocra­cie, or gouern­ment of the Nobility. a gouernement as I haue saide of the Nobility and Peeres of the Realme.

The third sort or kind of gouernment, is that which the Greekes call Monarchia; the Latines, vnius principatus, A Monarchie which of all other is the best gouerne­ment. that is, as we call it: Monarchie or sole gouernement, of one onely King or Queen, as it shall please God to appoint, which sole gouer­nour or gouernesse, because the gouernment may be the better managed and ruled, chuse euermore and take into their Priuie Councell, so many of the noblest,Noble Coun­celors an ornament to the king, a great benefite to the Country. wisest, learnedst and grauest persons in their Realme, as shall be thought fit and conuenient, to helpe in that their alone or sole gouernment. And of all kind of gouernments in the world, when eue­ry other kind of gouernment is debated of at large, This onely and sole gouernment of one onely king and chiefe gouernour (that may commaund all the rest) is of all gouernments the wost excellentest for authority, as comming nearest to the diuine gouernment, and most sweetest to the communaltie, for the preseruing of order, and conseruing of all peace and happie tranquilitie.

This gouernment to be the best of all other is [Page 41] not onely proued & sound true by experience, but by inuincible reasons, drawne from God and his Creatures; as, because there is but one God,One God one gouernment. and therefore an order and vnity of gouernment obser­ued in the diuersity of all thinges; therefore there should be but one king, and sole commaunder in a Country, least if there be more then one, there may be contrariety in commandements, and so no cer­tainety in obseruance.

So likewise as there is but one Sunne in the fir­mament,One Sun, one sole gouernor. yet all the starres and planets in the hea­uens are lighted by it, and all other inferior bodies are chered and comforted with it.

So though there be but one sole gouernour in a Country, yet all the Nobility which may bee compared to the starres, are enlightned with it, and all the commons are very greatly comforted there­by. Againe,One soule in one body, one King in one Country. as there is but one soule in mans bo­dy, and in the soule reason sitteth as a King to rule the whole communalty of affections that are in a man, so shoulde there bee but one sole gouernour in a common weale, by whose authority onelie all disorders should be oppressed, and all peace and prosperity maintained.

This kinde of a sole & Monarchiall gouernmēt, is also prescribed vnto vs by brute beasts, & voyde of reason. The Bees as the Poet well noteth, haue one­ly one king or gouernour in euery seuerall HiueThe Bees haue b [...]t one gouernour in one Hiue. or commonweale, which follow their Captaines lea­ding and direction continually: and as their com­mon weales are encreased, so new kinges are crow­ned [Page] with sound of Trumpet (as it were) the night before they take their leaues from their old hiues.

Beastes follow one leader.The heards of tame beastes (both sheepe and cat­tell) are well pleased to haue one of the best of thē all with a bell to goe before them.

The Lion likewise is acknowledged to bee a king, as it were ouer all wild beastes in the earth, and the Whale aboue all fishes in the sea.

Birdes obserue like order.The birds also of the heauens are seen to obserue the like order, as among the Cranes, and geese one among all the rest, ietteth, & as it were march­eth on statele before them all.

This secret force of nature, in vnreasonable crea­tures, teacheth vs that haue reason, that a Monar­chie or sole gouernment in one kingdome, such a gouernment as we haue in this land, is of all other the best, & that none other gouernmēt whatsoeuer is comparable thereunto.

These things (with leaue of the learned) I haue the rather noted to this end, that the common sorte for whose sake this Treatise is entended, seeing the happy estate wherein they stand, & the blessed go­uernment vnder which they haue liued these many yeares, and now by Gods speciall grace and proui­dence like to be continued, may rest thankfull vnto God, and dutifull to our king, that with ioy he may gouerne vs, and we with all peace and prosperity, both in Church and common weale, all factious in­nouations and rebellions, eyther in Church or cō­mon weale auoided, may long and long vnder his Graces raigne inioy the light of the Gospell, and [Page 42] the auncient liberties of our Church and country, wherein we liue: which thing wee can neuer en­ioy if the Pope or Papist (which God forbid, as I hope hee will) should eyther by home-bred con­tentions, or forraine inuasions bring vs, our land & religion vnto their subiection.

And here wee cannot giue sufficient thanks vn­to the goodnes of our God,God is chiefly to be praysed for this good worke begun; and to bee prayed vnto, for the full effecting ther­of. not onely for that hee hath begun this good worke, but thus farre effected it, and we trust will finish it, for his owne glory in such a calme of quietnes: so that no tumults, com­motions, insurrections, or rebellions, haue beene at all raysed in our land, eyther by idle rogues, where­of this land is yet to fall, (which neede not bee, if these holesome laws, with so great care and hope established in the two last parliamentes of our late Maiesties raigne, for the suppressing of them, were so well executed as they ought, and as it was well intended) neither by any ill disposed persons, as Bankruptes or Drunkardes, which buz into the braines of poore distressed people, that between the changing of kinges, there is no gouernment in the kingdome, but that all thinges are common, and e­uery man may do what he list: which how pestilent and diuelish a dotage it is, I would haue euery chri­stian subiect well to consider: and withal to know, that the death of one Prince, is the life of another, and that by the death of any Prince or king, the lawes of the land doe not dye; as a body Politike, is euery liuing: but the lawes are euer of force vn­to succeeding ages, vntill by another Acte of the [Page] same force they be repealed: Looke then, whatso­euer offence is committed against the cōmon law of the land, is in due time to be punished by the force of the same law, (though it be not any priuate Subiects dutie in this case to discusse, who shal pun­nish, but to take heede none do offend) and the ig­norance of any shall not excuse any offender what­soeuer, seeing all persons are bound to their perils, to take notice of the lawes and good orders of the countrey: yea I am sure euery man is bounde to maintaine the peace of the land; nay, this warning may be giuen, that an offence, that may soone bee pardoned, during the raigne of a mercifull Prince, being wilfully committed during the change of a Prince, is to bee punished with more rigor and seuerity then before, specially if it tend to the stirring vp of any strife or tumultes among the mul­titude; which being once flocked together, though but by a few at the first, to worke any mischiefe, is like the raging of the sea; and being once kindled and stirred to worke their will,The raging of the multitude like fire and water break­ing out of or­der. are like vnto fire that breakes out at the Chimley top, and not to be quenched with water, till it haue burned and con­sumed whole houses, townes and citties: there­fore it is truely saide, fire and water are good seruitors, but cruell commaunders: so the mul­titude of a common weale, are very profitable for the same; for a King cannot be without Subiectes, so long as they are ruled and kept vnder by order and gouernment; but if they once breake loose with the raines on their neckes, they presently fall into all [Page 43] kinde of out-rage and riot, into all mischieuous practises and villanies, so that no pestilence for kil­ling, spreading abroad, and infection, may be com­pared vnto it, according to the saying, Pessima Pe­stis seditio, of all plagues sedition and ciuill dissen­tion is the worst; yea farre better is the gouernment of a tirant, though neuer so full of cruelty,A Tyrant go­uerning bet­ter then the rage of the multitude. then this lawlesse outrage of the communalty; for a tyrant hath but one will, though neuer so wilfull, & some­times he may thinke on the rage and spoile hee hath done; but the miserable multitude, as they are ma­ny men, knowing not one anothers minde, no nor many times their owne; so they know not what they would haue, nor what to doe, nor whether they runne; til at length, like vnruly Coltes, they runne themselues out of breath, and like wilde Deere that are chased by the King, and wounded in their consciences, fall downe in euery bush, la­menting their folly and fury;The miserable condition of Rebels. their wiues and children, crying out at home, and wailing for their miserie, that they haue lost their husbandes, their Fathers, their goods, their landes, their liues, and their liuinges, with a thousand such like cala­mities, that no tongue can expresse, or pen write of sufficiently.

Whereof there are but too many most lamenta­ble and tragicall examples, in the Chronicles of all nations and ages, al which mischiefes & miseries as I haue saie before, are many times set a broach by one or two brainsicke heads, and graceles persons of the very vilde and rascaller sorte, such as was [Page] Iacke Strawe (for they take pleasure to make their names to agree with their maners and bringing vp) or Wat Tyler, whome the Maior or Burgesse of London slewe, to the euerlasting prayse of that Ci­tie) in the raigne of king Richard the seconde: such as Iacke Cade, Iacke Cade the like. who was slaine at Hothfielde, and brought to London in a Carte, where hee was beheaded, in the raigne of king Henrie the sixt: such as was Perken Warbecke, that vilde wretch,Perkin War­becke a vilde wretch. who faigned himselfe at the first to bee of the roy­all blood, but afterwarde openly confessed his villanie, where hee was borne, and by whome set a worke, in the beginning of the raigne of king Henrie the seuenth:Ket a great re­bel in Kent. Such an other was cursed Ket the Commotioner in Kent, in good king Edwarde the sixt his dayes, at what time (with griefe I must speake and penne it, because it is to the shame of my natiue Countrey, though done tenne yeares before I was borne) these cruell Commotions were here in Deuonshire,Commotions in the west Countrey raysed first by a rascall at Stamford, strengthned and incouraged by the Cornishmen, and most valiantly resisted by the Ci­tie of Exceter (worthie of all prayse for the same) beeing verie straightly and hardly besieged fiue Weekes togither, vntill the kinges power came downe into that Countrey, vnder the conducting of the Lorde Russell, and the Lorde Gray, who most honourably and valiantly repressed those Rebels, and put many of the Ringleaders of that route, to death for examples sake, to take heede howe they take Armes agaynst their king, and stirre vppe tu­mults [Page 44] and Commotions in their natiue Countrey, bringing a perpetuall blot of infamie vnto their po­steritie (though they were Gentlemen some of the ayders of these Rebels of good account in their Countrey) neuer to be razed out, so long as there is Paper and printing continued in the world. From such like tumults, commotions, and miseryes, the Lord (I say) and to his glorie bee it spoken, hath of his tender loue and mercy towards vs, hitherto pre­serued this Countrey, while this great and glorious businesse hath beene a working, to the endlesse re­nowne of those our worthie nobles,The wisdome of worthy no­bles and coun­cellors of this land. and most noble Councellors, who haue not done this worke of the Lord, and for the king negligently, but with al god­ly wisdome and prudent policie, watching and wa­king while we slept, for the quiet of our Countrey, & therein for the good of vs all, busying their brains with continuall care, at that time when multitudes of carelesse people, tossed their pots, and past ouer the time in all filthinesse of sinne, and most fearefull securitie; not knowing, lesse fearing, the imminent daunger hanging ouer their heades, if God of his mercie did not withstand it.

Howbeit, as we cannot but withall thankefulnes acknowledge these businesses to bee so quietly ac­complished, and the headinesse of the people staied by the good care of the Nobles and Councel;The preaching of the Gospell, a hinderance to rebellion. so yet we must ascend to some higher cause, yet still vnder God, which no doubt, is the publique preaching of the Gospell, from time to time instructed, and perswaded the people vnto loyalty and obedience, [Page] shewing them by many examples the commoditie or discommoditie thereof.

And this note I remember the rather, for that it is recorded in our Chronicles (by a man of good iudgement and sound religion) that the chiefest cause of all the Commotions in the dayes of King Edwarde the sixt, as at other times, was (as hee thought) for want of good Preachers in euery Pa­rish, that might by the worde of God diswade the people from such great outrages,The causes of former com­motions for want of good instructions. and frame their hearts vnto true Religion, and so consequently vn­to obedience.

It was not therefore the true Preachers of the Gospell in King Edwards dayes, that troubled Is­rael (as they were slandered) but rather the want of godly preachers, by reason of the ignorance of for­mer times, and the multitude of Baalams Priests yet remaining,2. King. 19. who neuer were called to Iehues sacrifice, as they deserued) that intised and encouraged the people vnto Rebellion; who if they had beene as well promoted for their paines (as the Parish Priest of Saint Thomas neare Exceter was,A rebel well rewarded. being hanged for a rebel in chaines vpon the top of the Tower by the commaundement of the Lord Russell, who was Lord and Patrone of that parish) many other hap­pily by their example, would haue taken breath, be­fore they did euer aduenture to take such another like enterprise in hand: no, no, it was not the prea­chers nor the preaching of the Gospell, that was a­ny cause of those rebellions, no more then Tenter­ton Steeple (as good Master Latimer then preached [Page 45] before the king) was the cause of stopping of Sand­witch hauen: but it was the peoples contempt of Gods worde, and that good gouernment which was begunne. And also their crying for the Masse againe, which made the Lorde in his wrath to pu­nish this lande, with such cruell dissentions, and at length to take away that noble King,The peoples great cōtempt of the Gospell a chiefe cause that God took away good king Edward so quickely from vs. that young Iosiah, in the prime of his dayes; whereupon fol­lowed an alteration in Religion, and after that a most hote and grieuous persecution. If there­fore there shoulde yet followe, (as God forbid it) any hurly burly, or rysing before or after our king is established in this Kingdome, it will not bee cau­sed, by the Preachers and Ministers of the Gospell, (who euer since they heard of the newes proclai­med,The desire of the faithfull. haue not ceased earnestly by preaching and instructing the people, and continually by praying as all the faithfull besides haue done) both publik­ly and priuately, that the Lord would prosper and finish this his owne worke, so well begunne, to the glorie of his owne name, to the great comfort of our king, to the continuance of the Gospel, & to the confirming and establishing of all peace and tran­quilitie to our Country: if therefore (I say againe) we haue any disorder or trouble now while this bu­sinesse is a working, it will surely be caused by them that either vse or cry daily for the Masse, or by them whereof I haue lately spoken, that care neither for Masse, nor Mattens, for God nor mā, so they might be at libertie, and take their swinge in sinne without controlment.

And here I cannot but maruaile what perswasi­on, should beewitch some professed Papists of our Realme,A vaine imagi­nation of Ca­tholicks. to thinke or imagine, that if there bee an vprore or priuate dissention in our countrey, wher­by the publike enemie should also take footing, that they should bee freer from the rage of the ras­call souldiers, and rude people, rather then the pro­fessors of the Gospell, whereof I doubt not there are twenty, if not a hundred, for one professed pa­pist; surely, if they looke for any safetie, except they ioyne with vs in defence of our Countrey; as by nature they are bound (though they loue not our religion) they will bee as greatly deceiued as the Picts,Picts deceiued. a barbarous people in Scotland were long a­goe, at the first comming of the Scotish nation into that Countrey, were deceiued and like to bee de­stroyed too, as well as the Scots their neighboures and confederats; by the politique perswasion of the old Brytaynes of this land: who cunningly coun­selled (as the Scotish Cronicles report) these fore­said Picts, who before had made a league with the Scots, and married their daughters (being all inhabi­tants, as yet they are of the same Countrey) to pike quarrels, and so to make warre with the Scots, that were newly come out of Ireland, and now in league with thē; that so while they both (as indeed they were) being at warre among themselues, and their forces weakned, the Brytaynes might the soo­ner ouerrunne them both, and so conquer and o­uercome their Countrey, as by warre they began to procure.

But when this policy of the Brytaines, nothing good for the Picts or Scots, was (as the story sayth) reuealed by some that brake from the brittish camp vnto the Picts, the Picts were very sory, that they had so highly offended the Scots,Vnnarural warre. their alies and neighbours; both by making many cruell bickerings among themselues, as also by yeelding, nay desiring priuily the olde Brytaines, to come to aide them, in their warres against their friendes, their wiues, fa­thers, kinse-folke, and brothers the Scots: also their wiues and children came vnto them with most la­mentable cries, requesting that they should not fight against their friends, nor yet ioine with the Brytains because now they knew them to bee their greatest foes: thus being in a most miserable case, as hauing the Scots who were the stronger, and greater num­ber in present fight with them; and the Brytaines with a great armie houering (as the Kyte did ouer the fighting frog and the mouse) and hiding them­selues in the mountaines, neither ayding the Pictes, as they promised, nor fighting against them, till the Scots had more weakned them (that so they might fall vpon both of them at one time) they Pictes (I say) being in this sore distresse; fall to entreate their old friends (who are euer better then new) the Scots to pardon their errour, seeing they were decei­ued by the Brytaines; also to consider of both their dangers, and that a new league might be confirmed betweene them; whereunto the Scots soone assen­ted (as being best for them) and so ioyning both their forces together, with much adoe they expelled [Page] their common enemies, which if they had continu­ed diuided, would surely haue ouercome them speedily.

I would to God the papists of our Countrey, these I meane,The Papists may be war­ned by the Picts. that haue promised and determined to holde with the Catholikes (as they call them) when they come to fight against this land, for I per­swade my selfe, their may be many papists in opiniō that are not of that mind to fight with our enemies, but who so is, I say (I pray God there bee none of them) my desire is that they would, easing my pen of this labour, which beginneth now to grow hea­uy towards the end of his taske, like a tired horse too fast ridden towards the end of his iourney; they would, I say, but take so much paines as to particu­lize this prety story of the Picts; who liued with the Scots, as the papists do with vs; who are boūd by the lawe of nature to vs, as the Picts were to the Scots; who haue matched with our daughters; and our children haue matched with theirs; who haue been first perswaded by the Catholicks, as the Picts were by the Brytaines; and haue since entreated the Ca­tholicks, as the Picts did the Brytains, to bring their forces to fight against vs; and in the end if they should haue their desire, as I hope neuer they shall, they shall be assured to be aswel deceiued by the Ca­tholicks, as euer the picts were by the Brytains; see­ing the Pope & Spaniards purpose, was not so much to helpe our Papists, but to haue the Papists & Pro­testants (if possible they could) together by the ears, that so they might haue the vantage of vs both, to [Page 47] our vtter confusion.

My earnest desire therefore, I say againe is, that the Papists by particular applying this fitting story vnto themselues; would but imagine how fearefull their state would be, if they should haue their de­sires; how lamentably their wiues and children (our sisters and daughters) would cry vnto them, when they should see them begin to take armes against their fathers that begat them, and against their mo­thers that bare them in their wombes,A meditation for Papists. against their brothers, and sisters that lay in one belly, against their louing nephews, & neeces, that neuer thought them harme. When they shall not see, but feele themselues foole deceiued by those Catholickes, whome they best trusted, when they shall most bit­terly entreate vs Protestants (which are farre the greater number, and whome God I trust will defend for his Gospels sake) to take pitie vpon their distres­sed estate, being either killed or left destitute of the Romish Catholickes, and vnworthy of any mercy at the hands of the Protestants, whose liues they hun­ted after these many years, and whose countrey they haue betrayed or sought to betray, into their ene­mies hands? Let them in Christ (I beseech them) but meditate a while vpon this matter, seriously (and as in such a case they ought to do) and then let them tell mee, or their priuate friends, how this little me­dicine hath wrought in their stomackes.

If this cannot perswade them to consider of their cursed courses, I know not in the world what course any man shall take with them to doe them good.

They might also call to remembrance that feare­full history (for I know they reade histories) of the first originall and setting vp of the Turkes Armie in Christendome,The originall of the Turkes being a great number of souldiers; first hired to the warres by Christians, that waged battle one with another, but in continuance of time by the iust iudgement of God also, these Turkes or Sarasens, but rather Hagarens grewe so populous & mighty, that they conquered the countrey (where­unto they were first hired, and entreated, as the Ca­tholickes are entreated to come hither, by our Iesu­ites, Seminaries, and recusants) by meanes whereof the third part of Christendome as we too wel know haue beene ouercome by the said Turke, who is a terrour to Nations, and Gods scourge vpon the world, specially vpon these countries that haue inclined vnto Popery.

My dutie to my countrey-men, though they be Papists; my loue to their children and posteritie, that are many of them no doubt good Protestants, and good members in the Church and common­weale; and my zeale for Gods glory (which I chief­ly respect) & no priuate affection or grudge, to any persō liuing (as God knoweth my hart) hath caused me as it were a little to digresse (though not altoge­ther from the purpose) and with a wearied hād, to stretch out these lines much longer, then at the be­ginning I thought of, and therefore will now re­turne backe to conclude this discourse, with that which I entended (for I haue not lost my selfe in seeking and striuing to the vttermost of my poore [Page 48] power to saue other) desiring also frō my soule that God will giue them repentance,2. Tim. 2.26. and that they may Come to amendment out of these subtill snares of the diuil and Antichrist, by whome they are held captiues in the deepe dungeon of darknes, til God of his mercy cause light to shine out of darknes vnto them, in the face of Iesus Christ.

The last maine poynt that we pursued, was to stir vp our selues and soules, to all kind of thankfulnesse: for that God hath yet been so mercifull vnto vs, and this land, to bring so great a worke to passe, for the good of this our Church and countrey wherein we liue, with so great peace and quietnes, & without a­ny tumults or domesticall troubles. The cause of which happines, next vnder God, we ascribed (for his glory also) to the faithfull publishing of the gos­pell: The next to the carefull regard and prudent policie of the Counsell and Nobility.

The third that I haue thought on, I will speake of in a word, and so conclude this little and vnlearned Treatise, & that is,The diligence and godly care of the Magi­strates both of Church and common weal in each seueral shire worthy to be remem­bred. of the exceeding diligence of the wise and worthy Gentlemen and Magistrats of each seuerall shire and City, ioyned with the heedful and painfull imploimēts of the reuerent Bishops of each dioces, that slackt not the time, but with all speedy expeditiō, (setting their soules in all loue and loyal­ty, as well as their hands and bodies to this labour) publishing and causing our King to be proclaimed in euery publicke place, according to the proclama­tion, before there was any certaine newes among the multitude of the death of our late Soueraigne: [Page] at which newes of a new king,The good newes of our King expelled the sorrow for our late dread soueraigne. the hearts of the cō­mons were so settled, and at the newes of that king, are and were so cheared, and their minds so confir­med in the right of his title, and in loue of his religi­on; that it booted not for a few priuate men, or for many (though they had had neuer so great a pur­pose) once to haue moued, to haue made any mut­tering or rebellions, for the stopping or hindering of so godly a purpose. This beloued, surely was the Lords doing (though euery one that followed and furthered the same, may not bee depriued of their due and deserued prayse) whereby such a heauenly flash of light and ioy, hath expelled and dispersed that darke cloud of heauines (which on a sodaine was fallen vpon euery loyall subiect, for the late de­cease of so sweete a soueraigne) that in consideration thereof (and God grant we may long consider of it, and so be thankfull to God for it) we may well say, and conclude as we began in the first Treatise, Wee­ping endureth at night, but ioy commeth in the morning. Now to God the giuer and finisher of this ioy, and to Christ Iesus his Sonne (for whose Gospels sake this ioy is encreased,) and to God the holy Ghost (whose Spirit seale the same in our hearts) to God (I say) Immortall, inuisible, and onely wise, be prayse in the Church and congregation of his Saints, from this time forth and for euer, Amen.

Citiùs vereor, quàm bene. Laus Deo. Viuat Rex.