reward his vnconceiueable kindnesse in such sort as to suffer any that you can hinder to be sworne seruants of his professed enimies Sworn seruants I say for whosoeuer serueth not the Lorde Christ in e Rom. 6.16 7.5 2. Pet. 2.20 newnesse of life and holinesse of conuersation hath taken the oth of a souldier to serue sinne vnder Sathans banner Why should the sonne of God be bereaued of the title that he hath in his people conueiance thereof made vnto a damnable crature Consider I pray you the weight of the cause in this one point it is concerning no lesse matter thā a kingodme yea the kingdome of the God of al kings Iesus Christ the contention is betweene the most glorious in heauen earth and his own slaue where the indignity of the vsurper ought to moue you We are wearie of the heauy bonuie bondage of the one and desire the easie yoke of the other In the absence as it were of our Lord and king wee haue none to runne vnto for helpe but you whom he hath placed aboue vs. Pitie our condition naie rather let it bee seene that you reioice to haue such oportunitie to enlarge and make conspicuous the glorie of your redeemer that it may bee a witnesse vnto your soules whensoeuer you depart this life that indeede you haue quited your selues like men in the places whereunto he hath enioined you by defacing the kingdome of Sathan You are nowe to declare vnto which of the two you would haue vs subiectes who shal be king Sathan or the Lord Christ and therfore whether of the two can preuaile more with you Not that the diuel is able or dareth withstand his maker or that the Lord needeth the helpe of mā to ouerthrow his forces as not being of power to rule vnlesse man set the crowne vpon his head but because hee hath taken this course in the gouernment of his Church here vpon earth that vnlesse the Magistrate doe vphold his honour against Sathan it will fall to the ground for ought men can see and hee hauing commaunded men of authority to be zealous in his cause wil reward them according vnto their loue towardes him in this point For hereby hee doth trie their good wils in that he declareth his honour to be vsually measured in the hart of the people according vnto the proportion of the magistrates loue towards him reseruing alwaies vnto him neuerthelesse the power to beget his loue in the subiectes whose prince may be an Idolater and to bridle the furie of his enemies when hee will without the assistance of man and to reedifie his Church though al the kings vnder heauen gainesaie the same But this not proceeding frō them wil be to their greater condemnation because they chose rather to haue their people in the slauery of Sathan than in the liberty of Christ For one of them will yea must needes beare rule in the hearts of all men either the Lord by his spirit conueyed vnto them through the ministery of his word or the old serpent by his diuelish illusions That both cannot rule togither a Mat. 12.25.29 it is apparant because they are so contrarie the one to the other the subiectes of both kingdomes disagree the lawes be diuerse If you chuse the sonne of God and place him in his throne among vs by the preaching of his Gospell for otherwise you cannot be said to make choise of him then assure your selues that the Lord will b 1. Sam. 2.30 honour you because you honour him and not forget the vpholding of his kingdome by you especially in such an age as wherein most of the estates in the earth haue bereaued him of his right and giuen their crowns vnto the beast Then happy be your names and memories and the memories of your posterities for euer And happy be the daies that euer we were borne to be gouerned by such a godly Prince and godly counsellers But if you make worse than Claucus his chaunge and as much as in you lieth robbe Christ Iesus of his kingly dignity what are you to looke for at his handes but the cruel destruction that is prepared for those who will not suffer the sonne of God to rule ouer them or theirs Consider and consider againe that they deny Iesus Christ a kingdome ouer theirs and consequently prefer Sathan before him which deny the ministery of the Gospell vnto the people vnder their gouernment The reason of which assertion appeareth not onely by some places of Scripture before quoted but also in that the woorde preached is called the a Matt 13.19 Luke 8.11 woord of the kingdome by our Sauiour himselfe and the glad tidings of the Gospell called the b Luke 8.4 Matth. 3.1 kingdome of heauen By the parable of the vineyard which is said to be the inheritance of the sonne of God Matth. 21.38 and whereof he accounteth himselfe robbed when he hath not fruit yeelded vnto him Matt. 21.38 which only is done where the Gospell florisheth In that the Ghospell is called the Ghospell of the c Mat. 24 14. kingdom Wherein politik Gamaliel also d Act. 5.39 gessed aright that the High-priests and Sadduces should be found to do nothing lesse than 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 that is fight against God if they withstoode the course of the Gospel To be short e verse 31. Peter in the very same chapter a little before maketh it a part of Christs prerogatiue roial to work repentance in the hart of man and assurance of remission of sins which no Christian wil saie to be otherwise effected than by preaching In so much as they must needes be conuinced to eneruate and weaken the same soueraignety of the Lord of life who any way refuse to haue them for whose wealth they are to prouide good lawes instructed by the Gospel If this conclusion be true as in very deed it is most true oh how ought you of this honourable assemblie to labour for the erecting of the ministery of the word in Wales seeing they that wil be slack in the same detract from the honour they owe vnto Iesus Christ and plainly shewe how little they care whether his kingdome sincketh or swimmeth As for these that withstand this I dare boldly affirme them to conspire with Sathan about the inuading of Christs kingdome and most contumeliously to tread his crowne vnder foote Where by the waie they are intreated with al reuerence to looke better vnto their dealinges who vnder the name of conformity and obedience stay the course of the ministery in any place desired to acknowledge this vnity to bee nothing else but a consent with Satan to wrest the scepter out of Christ his hand and vndermine his chaire of estate if they haue done heretofore foolishly let them now following the counsel of the wiseman lay their hands on their mouthes and take heede least by defending former practises they ad drunckennes vnto thirst It may be
A TREATISE CONTAINING THE AEQVITY OF AN HVMBLE SVPPLICATION WHICH IS TO BE EXHIBITED VNTO HIR GRACIOVS MAIESTY AND this high Court of Parliament in the behalfe of the Countrey of Wales that some order may be taken for the preaching of the Gospell among those people Wherein also is set downe as much of the estate of our people as without offence could be made known to the end that our case if it please God may be pitied by them who are not of this assembly and so they also may bee driuen to labour on our behalfe AT OXFORD Printed by IOSEPH BARNES and are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Tygers head 1587. TO AL THAT MOVRN IN SION VNTIL THEY SEE Ierusalem in perfect beuty namely to my Fathers Brethren of the Church of England grace mercy and loue in the Lord Iesus bee multiplied IT hath beene the iust complaint beloued in the Lord of the godlie in all ages that Gods eternall and blessed verity vnto whom the very Heauens themselues shoulde stoupe and giue obesiance hath bin of that smal reckoning and account in the eies of the most part of great men as they valued it to be but a meere losse of time to yeeld anie attendaunce thereupon Hence it commeth to passe that the truth being at any time to be countenanced none very often are found in the traine thereof but the most contemptible and refuse of men And because these also being guilty vnto themselues of great infirmities and foule sinnes manie times and not ignorant that affliction is the sequele of earnest and sincere profession doe pull their neckes from the yoke and their shoulders from the burden the Lorde is constrained verie seuerely to deale with them before they can be gotten to go on his message Whereupon also followeth their endeuours in Gods owne cause not to haue the euents which they expect Example hereof Ionas may be one for all And which is farre more lamentable in as much as the drousie and carelesse security the colde and frossen affections of the godly themselues in most waightie affaires is neuer wanting their careful diligence and earnest zeale ioined with hartie and vehement praiers alwaies desired the Lord suffereth his owne cause to contract some spot from their sinful hands These considerations beloued but specially the later kept me back a great while from this action which I haue now by the goodnes of God brought to this passe you see It would be a greeuous wound vnto me all my life long if the dignitie of a cause worthy to haue the shoulders of al the princes vnder the coape of heauen for it footstoole should be anie whit diminished by my foule hands which notwithstanding I protest to haue been washed as fair as their stains would permit But I am not a little comforted two maner of waies First that the Lord knoweth he thrust me almost against my wil hereunto And for asmuch as I see the honour of Iesus Christ in whose countenance God the father hath louingly wincked at my sinnes and whose is al that I haue standeth vpon the progresse of the woorde preached among vs my silence though to the daunger of my life shal not be tray his honour Is not he a God Will he not be religiously worshipped Wil he not haue this religion framed according vnto his owne mind Hath hee not regard whether his true seruice be yeelded him or no if he haue woe be vnto that conscience that knoweth this and keepeth it secret or is slacke in the promoting hereof Seing it pleased him who also separated me from my mothers womb to stur me vp hereunto I doubt not but hee wil giue that successe of my labours that may be most to his glory Surely by his assistaunce I neither can nor will be slacke The dignity of the cause I hope wil be regarded if not importance must take no deniall in the matter of our God My second comfort is that what effect soeuer shal ensue my paines I seek not my owne but theirs whom it concerneth namely my parents and brethren according to the flesh Whose state is so miserable at this daie that I think it were verie great vndiscreetnes for me to spare anie speech that were likely to preuaile Naie I would to God my life coulde winne them the preaching of the Gospel Our sicknes is at the hart it must not be dallied with either present remedy or vndoubted perdition And so will they iudge who viewe our estate offered vnto her Maiesty and the Parliament Which was not published onely least posterities should knowe such dishonour of God either at al to haue beene or in 28. yeares not redressed vnder Queen Elizabeth our souerain As for the aduersaries who vnderstand our estate too wel and reioice at our silence I regard them not at al for what haue we amisse at this day which flowed not out of the midst of their inheritance cursed Rome that bottomles pit fornace of idolatry I haue only therein touched our calamity not touched a great part thereof To come vnto you beloued of the church of englād I know our cause shal come through many of your hands I do with teares beseech that it maie haue al the lawful fauor you find of your harts to affourd vnto Christ in his poor members It may stand in some one to dash the whole Therefore in the name of God I require al of you that you hinder not his honour the saluation of perishing souls the good to the common wealth hereby intēded If you do otherwise I praie God so many souls as perish in miserable Wales for want of preaching be not required at your hands in the daie of iudgement But beloued I promise al good things on your parts and craue not only praiers vnto the Lord for the speedy erecting of our Ierusalem but all other helpes of speech and countenaunce of motioning the matter vnto her Maiesty the Parliamēt shewing the danger of denying the great profit and necessitie of granting our petition It is your dutie which cannot bee shaken off as it appeareth by the example of Ebed-melech Ierem. 38.9 Ieremie 38.9 The like act done by the Princes and Elders of the Lande Ieremie 26.16 17. When the Princes hard Baruch read in their eares the wordes of the booke containing al the curses Iehouah had determined to bring vpon Israel and Iuda c. it is recorded by the holy Ghost that they were affraid both one and other and said vnto Baruch we wil certifie the king of these woords and did so Wherein they perfourmed nothing but that which euery one of you before the Lord is bound to doe Gods people requireth this at your handes The state of the common wealth and her Maiesties whom the Lord in mercie deliuer from all forraigne and domestical treasons crie vnto euerie one of you that can giue anie counsel Iliad 3. A counsellor must not sleepe all
wils of those small or great through whose hands it shal come and neuer meaneth to haue anie such thing performed as being out of hand to make an end of al and to come himselfe to sit in iudgement where his word shal be surelie countenanced The consideration whereof should make men enter deeply into their dealings herein O why should the curse of any damned soule among vs pursue the withstander of our saluation To make an end pray for vs breethren and now pray and pray againe that our God would encline mercie vnto vs in the sight of the Queene hir Counsell and all the Queenes mightie princes and that builders may be raised among vs. So let it be our God Amen THE NECESSITY laid vpon mā to a 2. Thes 1.8 Isai 53.11 know aright the eternal his creator redeemer to seiue him according vnto that knowledge which is doone of that people alone b Ephes 2.12 2. Tim. 19.10 1. Cor. 1.22 amongst whome the light of the Gospell doth shine as is not obscurely shewed by the Lordes seuere punishment vpon them that are either c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. 4. 15. irreligious or negligently regard desperately contemne the trueth being offered vnto them so doth it most liuely appeare by the Lords free and vndeserued d Ezek. 36.32 1. Cor. 4.7 Rom. 4.2 Iam. 1.17 yet rewarding blessings vpon all such as in an holy obedience conforme themselues according to his will What flames of vnquenchable vengeance carelesse negligence of Gods seruice the wilfull reiecting thereof hath stirred in former times amongst nations and will as long as the iust God iustly requiteth the contempt of his word kindle for euer amongst posterities I wish all men duely to consider The Lords anger for the sinnes of his owne people the children of Israel was executed vpon them to the ful euen because they hardened e Ierem. 19. their neckes and would not heare his worde The f Iere. 22.5.7 Lord sware by himselfe that the Temple should bee laide wast that he would prepare destroiers against it g Ierem. 21.5 hee himselfe with a stretched-out hand and with a mightie arme would fight against them euen in anger and in wrath and in great indignation And because h Ierem. 26.2 they would not heare him their Citie should be a curse vnto all the nations of the earth The whole i Ierem. 24.9 people should be giuen for a terrible plague to all kingdomes for a reproch for a prouerbe for a common talke and for a curse vnto all places whither he should cast them Coniah k Ierem. 22.24 the King himselfe should not escape no though hee were the signet of the Lords owne right hand yet should he be plucked thence These plagues with many others most heauy and wōfull did the Lord denounce against them by the handes of his Prophets and perfourmed by the hand of Nebucadnezzar king of Babell Because l Ierem. 40.3 they sinned against the Lord obeied not his voice therefore these things came vpon them as it is manifest Ieremy 40.3 Which are not so lightly to be set by of any as though they belonged properly vnto that time and people especially seeing the Lord iudgeth m 1. Pet. 1.17 without respect of persons and seeing that nation kingdome and people that sinneth against the Lord shal be destroied as it appeareth by the tenor of his iudgement executed vpon Tyrus Niniueh Babel and other Monarchies of the world There is no exception of the n Deut. 7.26 30.15.19 blessing and curse life and death but the blessing and the life shal bee to him that obeyeth the curse and death shal bee vpon the disobedient soule Neither was the grosse Idolatry of this people the only cause of their ruine but the Lord would haue them acknowledge a Ierem. 2.19 that it was an euill yea a bitter euil that his fear was not in them This also did the Leuits b Nehem. 3.9 after their returne confesse to haue beene the cause of their banishment euen that their King Princes Priestes did not diligently attend diligently attend I say vpon the commaundements of Iehoua And in that great day all wicked men shall know that the Lorde will surely render confusion in flaming fire not onely vnto wicked doers but also vnto them d 2. Thes 1.8 that know not God Nothing therfore but shame indignation and wrath e Rom. 2.8.9 tribulation and anguish of soule in this life can bee expected for of those people whose tongues workes are against Iehoua to prouoke the eies of his glory f Isai 3 8. and after this life a tormenting portion in that lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death Of which sort al they must needs be which neuer heard of that which is the g Rom. 1 15. 1. Co. 1.21 power of God to saluation to as many as beleeue On the contrary side the prosperous estate of that nation language and people whose God is the Lorde Iehoua what hart will not reioice to see If you will knowe therefore the roote of the florishing estate of any kingdome Dauid h Psal 44.15 telleth you that it is in hauing Iehoua to be your God The children of Israell vpon this foundation were thought to be such a gorgious i Deut. 4.6 building that all other nations seemed to be but cottages and wormes-houses in respect of them For in that they k Deut. 26.16.17 18 19.34.26 had set vp Iehoua to be their God and to walke in his waies to keep his ordinances lawes and statutes and to harken vnto his voice the Lord also had set them vp that day to be a precious people vnto himselfe to make them high aboue all nations in praise in name and in glory A large declaration of the priuiledge of such a people is recorded Psalm 33. Behold the eies of Iehouah doe looke vpon them that feare him and wait for his kindnesse that hee may deliuer them from death and keepe them aliue in the time of famine And in the life to come Iohn saith of them in the Reuelation Reue. 7.16.17 that they shall not hunger any more neither shal the sunne light on them nor any heat for the lambe that is in the middest of the throne shall gouern them lead them to the liuely fountaines of water and God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Oh then what Christian yea ingenious humane naturall heart will not be greeued to see any people in such a forlorne case as not only to be bereaued of those vnspeakable blessings of the Lord whereof al they shal be partakers that fear him but also laid open vnto the weapons of his reuenging and consuming anger in this worlde and in that to come to his eternall and neuer ending wrath And who would not strain himselfe to the vtmost of his ability
England as long as Queene Elizabeth hath the scepter in her hand And can any man admire that we haue al this while of her Maiesties ragine been by the iust iudgement of God without the word preached and also read as shall be shewed whereas wee neuer as yet opened our mouthes for it I am so far then from conceiuing any vnduetifull thought of my soueraigne and this high Court as transferring the cause of our ignoraunce vpon them that I protest in iustly resteth on our selues For when did that day shine this twenty eight yeares and aboue that anie among vs whom the Lorde had endued either with authority or giftes of learning haue moued this cause effectually vnto her Maiesty or the Court of Parliament Though I would wish wee had found the fauour in their sight howbeit vnworthy of our selues to be driuen vnto the mariadge of Iesus Christ against our wils that some more might solemnise the same than doe at this day to his honour and their owne eternall felicity If any man will heere demaund whether the Lorde requireth any more at the handes of this high Court in the cause of religion than is already perfourmed seeing there is not only permission graunted for al that will to professe the truth but also a commandement that none aduenture the contrary I answere he exacteth a great deale more As to see that euery inferiour person haue done his duety in the performance of that enioined vnto him for the planting of religion To see whether such Lawes as haue beene alreadie prouided in that cause haue beene put in practise if not to consider wher the fault was and see it amended To consult whether a better order may be taken for the progresse of true religion than hitherto hath been and being found to put the same in execution Againe for as much as the work is the ruling of Gods people especiallie to prouide that the gouerment may be according to the Lords owne Lawes Briefly where the word is not preached there to establish the same with speed Our whole country of Wales as yet being altogether in ignorance to endeuour themselues in deed to see the same called In a word to order euery thing in euery particular parcell of this Iland and the other according vnto the Law and testimony for the declining there-from argueth great ouer-sight and folly as it is set downe Isai 8.20 Otherwise the Lord should enioine more vnto a father or maister in the gouernment of his family than vnto a magistrate in the common wealth For a father and so a maister is not only bound to see that his sonne bee no Idolatour or swearer which would to God all fathers perfourmed but also to bring them vppe in 2 Ephes 6.2 instruction and information of the Lord. Did Abraham no more think you than command his seruants that they should take heede they serued not the gods beyond the riuers and wil them in some general sort to serue Iehouah You shall find it otherwise recorded of him Genesis 17.19 Good Iehoshuah protested that he and his house that is all those that were vnder his gouernment would serue Iehouah In whose example the doubt will not bee worth the answere Iehosh 24.14 that Iehoshuah doth content himselfe in this place onelie to haue barelie offered the trueth vnto his people and giuen them the choise whether they would professe it or no whereas his protestation importeth that as many as would be gouerned by him should serue Iehouah If they did otherwise such rebels against God were not fit to bee his people To omit that the case is far vnlike in the people of Wales and the Israelites at this time I would that all which be are the chiefe soueraigntie of anie common-wealth christian whether monarchie Aristocracie c. would plainlie declare that they should not be their subiects who would not be obedient vnto the Lord as did Iehoshuah in this place Dauid tooke a band of himselfe Psal 101.7 to keepe no such in his house Wherein it appeareth that he did both denie the same to be a cage for Idolatours and in like maner would haue al things there according vnto the will of God His care was no lesse in the common wealth as maie appeare by his great sollicitude in bringing home the a 1 Chro. 13.5 1. Chro. 15.13 Ark confessing amending his carelesse ouersight herein before committed by his earnest desire to add as much dignitie as hee could vnto the seruice of God in offering to build him an house Lastly the exhortation he made at his death-bed to the rulers his sonne Salomon proclaimeth openly what a care he had to see the Lorde honored of euery man in his kingdome I thought good in this place to set downe Dauids wordes b 1. Chro 28.8 Now therefore saith he in the sight of al Israel the congregation of Iehoua in the eares of our God keepe and make diligent enquiry for all the commandements of Iehouah your God that you may possesse this land and leaue it for an inheritance vnto your children after you for euer And thou Salomon my sonne knowe thou the God thy fathers and worshippe him with an vpright hart and with a careful soule for Iehouah searcheth the hearts and vnderstandeth all the imaginations of the thoughts if thou search for him he will be found of the but if thou forsake him he wil cast thee off for euer I see to whome I speake and therefore application needeth not Onely you are to marcke that no seruice by picce-meale but according vnto al the commandementes is allowable and that the Magistrate must practise all that God requireth of him The wil of God in any particular point of religion being vnknowen vnto him hee must make diligent search and inquiry for it himselfe keepe seeke all the commaundementes saith he In which wordes the holy ghost noteth that a good magistrate may be ignorant of his duty but giuing this caueat withall that as soone as he is put in mind thereof We must seek vntil we find and hauing sound keepe the commandements though by an inferior person he must not be borne in hande by any other that all is well for how can that be well and in good case which is not according to the Lordes wil but see reformation out of hand The necessity of obaieng is set downe in that the Lord would not spare Salomō if he did the cōtrary no though he had made a promise of fauor vnto him Further concerning the magistrates dutie in this particular care that God be honoured through his charge wee shall find in the example of good Iehosaphat who hauing in the third yeare of his raigne most a 2. Chro. 17.9 2. Chro. 19.5 notably established religion sending Leuits about throughout all the Cities of Iudah to teach i the people notwithstāding in the 18. or 17 year confer 2. Chr. 16.5 1. Kings 22.41 with the 1.