seeme to tend to stop it such is the force of it in all that al drinke of one cup and like birdes of a feather holde all together they strayne curtesie who shall begin to reforme it and yet contend who shall exceed in it I haue no more to saie but to assure you that this is one of the ankers that holdeth fast the shippe of our perill to the shores of our seas And are these all Alasse no. Let not couetousnesse be forgotten which is a thirstie sinne the sinne of the wiser fellowes a husbandly sinne therefore is not to bee punished in anie case being condemned of none but of the beggerly minded as affirmeth the vsurer the mannor-monger the farme buier the hoorder of golde and siluer But alas what fooles are these either they neuer reade it or neuer heare it or els they forget it that Christ cries Wo vnto the rich for that they haue their consolation heere But if this did turne but to their owne euils it were the more tollerable It reacheth to the ruine of the poorer sorte and it is seene so apparantly held so dearly amongst vs in these daies that it is a fault to be frugall and therefore to spend all or spare all are most imbraced the one consumeth what another hath gotten the other hoordeth vp what by force and fraud hee can get and this is meere prodigalitie in the one and idolatrie in the other the one spends lewdly is praysed for a gentlemanlike mind and the other keepes wretchedly and is counted to be a good husband two horrible euils but maiden euills for neither of them was euer punished by any lawe yet meerely against Gods lawe and argumentes that they are nothing seasoned with the continuance and long vse of religion which teacheth loue where the rich is to support relieue comfort and stead the poore that want his aide And so farre are they from these vertues that they not onely not comfort them but seeke how to vncloath them howe to vncouch them and howe to vnfurnish them of landes liuing and all other necessaries And it is not lightly to be passed ouer which by meanes of these cormorants hath euen nowe taken holde as in the iudgement of God vppon this lande wherein no doubt and as is helde euen of such cut-throates themselues there is sufficient plentie of corne butter cheese and all other necessaries and yet such is the decay of loue as it will not be brought forth but vppon prices at their owne wills as though they only were Lords of Gods blessings and that the poore haue no share in them but to stand at their colde deuotion And thus to rest vnreformed and the crye of the poore not heard is a maine cable to pull the enemie vpon vs. It is a heauie iudgement of God when there shall bee a common dearth in a common plentie as nowe there is and who so affirmeth the contrary is no good member of the common wealth but sauoreth alltogether of priuate gaine who grinde the faces of the poore with want of that wherewith they abound But surely as for disobedience to God there may be a feare where no feare is so by our fruitles profession whose effectes are loue there may bee dearth where plenty is And surely it were good it were considered why such a iudgement should light vpon vs in the time of the Gospell and that the decay of loue should appeare so farre as to shut vp not onely Christianitie but all humanitie among mē Why may not a man glance at a great cause of this iudgement which as no doubt it is one and the same with that which calleth our enemies euen our sinnes Yet there is a peculiar cause which stinketh in the nostrils of God namely the consuming of corne the meere earthly blessing of God to preserue man abut the strengthening of pride in making of starch A toeration intolerable Woe vnto him that brought the deuise first into our land For it crieth out mainly to God who will not abide that about our neckes in pride that should bee consumed which should feede our bodies in penurie But it is made they say with the coursest part of the wheate Alas let not Magistrates bee deceiued it is the most purest of the purest corne Oh that it were reformed for it is a wofull euill drawing with it both famine and warre and yet this among many other sins trippeth on like a vice that maketh not only the vitious but the virtuous to taste of her vanitie Infinit euils there accompanie these former vnpunished sinnes and they are assuredly the maine winde that filleth as it were the sailes of the Spanyards to inuade vs whom the Lord hath stirred vp either in mercie to reforme vs or in iudgement to punish vs. And surely as euery one hath his hand in these euils and none can excuse himselfe from bringing and heaping one sinne vpon another bewraying thereby the breach of al our duties to God in generall in not performing what we professe let vs not perswade our selues of safetie vnles wee can frame vs to repentance and reformation And as no doubt in this the negligent Minister hath much to answer by whose careles discharge of his dutie function many of these euils haue crept in and taken deepe roote So they must thinke that now is the time wherein they must redeeme what they haue long omitted and so by their new diligence endeuour to roote out sinne and plant faith that there may appeare fruits of euery mans profession that the cause of this fearefull hoobub being taken away wee may still possesse our libertie and that our religion bee not in shew onely but in the simplicitie of our hearts so shal it be vnto vs as the bloud of the paschall Lambe striken vpon the shores of our seas that the destroying Angell may passe by vs and cast our enemies into the deuouring gulfe Yet let mee speake a little more without suspition of being too officious or too forward Surely the delayes of poore mens causes in our courts of England and the procrastinations of dispatch of causes before Magistrates hath a share in this matter the free oppressions of the poore by the rich without remedie doe crye among the rest to God for iustice and God againe calleth the Spaniards to execute the same Would God wee could shew our selues no lesse tractable then children who can leaue their wantonnes if they see but the rod. And if wee could leaue our vices and imbrace religion God would not proceede further to strike vs but like a louing father would cast this his rod into the fire CAP. 2. What is to be done to escape the iudgements of God intended by this Antichristian hoobub FOrasmuch then as no man can denye but that the cause of this daungerous hoobub of the Spanyard is our sinne which foldeth vp our feare as it were in a foure folde mantle answerable to the
by this fearefull hoobub or whether wee may securely followe that which wee haue hetherto practised without reformation of our liues It is found by experience that the bodie may be most sicke when it feeleth no griefe at all and a man that is most secure may bee sodainely striken as appeared by Herod in his greatest pride a citie most carelesse and wicked may be confounded as Sodome Gomorrha Seboim and the rest when they least suspected perill were destroyed with fire from heauen so may secure kingdomes as was the secure world by the floud and therfore much more may daungers bee feared when there are apparaunt causes which yet cannot vpon a suddaine viewe so plainelye appeare as when they are duelye considered Our superficyall thoughtes of the causes of this rumour of warres may bee compared to the iudgement of a Phisition who looketh neither vpon the partie grieued nor vpon his state and what counsell then can he giue to the patient And therefore saith the wise man A disease knowen is in manner cured and as it fareth with the diseases of the bodie which not beeing preuented may suddaynly kill the person so a common wealth diseased by vnpunished vices and ouermuch libertie standeth in danger of sudaine subuersion These causes therefore ought to be both knowen and cured Fore-seene mischiefes hurt not so much as such as come vnlooked for and therefore wisedome premeditateth by discretion before what maie happen afterwarde But securitie which deeming all partes of the bodie well may bee suddainely touched with a feuer which groweth by reason of the superfluous and grosse humours that haue growen by fulnesse of the best daynties So it falleth out with common wealthes which foster securitie beeing full of Gods blessings whereby they become sick of superfluous abundance loose the true taste of the best things and so fall sodainly Euery thing vnder the Sunne hath a change a time to grow and a time to wither a time to bud and a time to be ripe when a common wealth is risen to the top of all glorie then it is good that all men but the magistrates especiallie looke into the superfluityes and diseases thereof and hauing duelie considered all thinges to seeke how to roote out the superfluous and to foster and cherish the best humors not onelie in a generalitie but euerie priuate man in himselfe least euerie thing hauing his course freely in the commonwealth the violence of type mischiefes breede a loathing therof as it were in God who cannot abide such negligence in anie commonwealth especially of Christians no more than hee coulde abide Adam and Eue in paradise after they had sinned and surely the fire of the auncient disobedience of them lyeth yet couertly couered with the ashes of drousie securitie not onelye in euerie priuate man but in euerie calling so that it seemeth our commonwealth howsoeuer it seeme to go in gouernment and true religion before other nations requireth a kinde of necessitie that this fire bee quenched before it flame foorth to the consumption of our whole nation If therefore wee looke to continue safe howsoeuer slender account wee seeme to make of these Spanish vauntes wee must looke both euerie man into himselfe and the magistrates into the whole state so no doubt if they be not partyall in theyr searches they shall finde in euerie man in his particular examination of his owne deserts as also the magistrates in their generall viewe of the whole cause inough whereby it cannot bee denyed but God may without iniurie vnto anie one not onely fraie vs with this hoobub but suffer vs to tast of the swoord of this ambitious and blasphemous nation To begin the examination although I bee the vnworthiest to call men thereunto yet in regard I am the worst I cannot but acknowledge and in deed I finde that in my selfe whereof woulde God all others were free namely sufficient cause why I wretch should bee rouzed vp and pursued by this pernitious generation if I should flatter my self to deserue to be freed from their tyranies if I looke vnto my disobedience to God I should deceiue my selfe and yet mine imperfections perchance no farther seene in the world than of such as seem to stand in this dangerous time as men worthy for their honest zealous religious behauior in their owne conceits to be iustified by the mouths of all their neighbors And therefore surely it will hardly appeare that we haue deserued to be punished if wee looke no further thā into other men so let our selues passe like the scape goats for if euery one couet to find the cause in others and prie not into himselfe there wil be neuer a free man yet all free for euerie man will condemne all but himselfe and yet though none will condemne himselfe hee shall bee condemned of all And therefore let euerie man acknowledge himselfe worthie to bee punished so all men shall be condemned by theyr owne mouthes and seeke no further witnesse And this no doubt is the waie to finde the cause why God hath called this nation agaynst vs as Ionah was founde guiltie by casting of lots For doubtlesse if wee seeme to seeke the cause of this daunger without our selues we doo wrong to the iustice of God who is not as enuious man that will strike one for an other but the soule that sinneth shall die Lo then it is sinne that draweth on this hoobub to pursue vs euen to our subuersion if wee repent not of our sundrie euills Wee are called Christians and our aduersaries Antichristians but if wee looke into the fruites of both a man may bee in doubt who is lykest Christ by the outwarde fruites And surely for that wee haue the fire with vs and yet shewe no heate for that wee are true Gospellers in knowledge if wee shewe our selues hypocrites in practise it must needes bee graunted that our profession wyll not excuse vs then must our fruites approue vs or reproue vs. It is as true as the Gospell is true that wee haue the Gospell and as true it is that there is no true faith without it and no saluation without faith in Christ which faith if it bee not liuely and bring forth not onely leaues but fruit it is not onely lyke the figge tree that Christ cursed but a tree that shall bee hewen downe and cast into the fire so shall wee stande in greater daunger in our account hauing receiued much than the aduersarie that hath receiued lesse And therefore it had beene better that England had neuer receiued the Gospell nor the title of Christians rather than not bee seene practisers of Christian religion whose effectes are not as the religion which is in the aduerse that are doubtlesse Antichristians for that the one is in spirite and truth whose obiect is Christ onely the other outward carnall and altogether false making more Mediatours than hee the one is cherished in the heart
A CHRISTIAN FAMILIAR COMFORT AND INCOVRAGEMENT vnto all English Subiects not to dismaie at the Spanish threats Whereunto is added an admonition to all English Papists who openly or couertly couet a change With requisite praiers to almightie God for the preseruation of our Queene and Countrie By the most vnworthie I. N. Printed at London for J. B. 1596. TO THE HIGH AND MOST VERTVOVS PRINCESSE Elizabeth by the especial prouidence of the Almighty Queene of England France and Ireland chiefe protector of the right Catholike Religion ALbeit I may be iustly censured most gracious Queen to haue committed a two folde fault in this mine enterprise first in vndertaking it being most vnworthie next in exhibiting it to your Highnes beeing most worthie I beseech your roiall patience to heare mine excuse and as it may sound with your knowen clemencie I may receiue pardon for my boldnes To commit the first I had a two folde incouragement the occasion of the time and a continuall secret instinct vrging mee to doo mine indeuor in this kinde not intending thereby to preuent anie better able To aduenture the second I was moued by discretion namely to commend the consideration of it silly as it is vnto your high Maiestie aboue all others and that for two causes the one in regard none hath better power to protect it beeing in anie measure worthie next none hath like authoritie to pardon it being faultie And in these regards especially my most gracious Soueraigne dutie and loue being witnesses of mine inward zeale I humbly presume to leaue this my poore offering at the feet of your most prudent censure Your Maiesties loyall poore Subiect IOHN NORDEN To my Christian countrymen faith in God loue to her Maiestie constancie in Religion watchfulnesse magnanimitie bee for euer more and more increased continued SAint Ierome beeing in Bethleem at the time when the Turkes inuaded and most cruelly wasted Asia the lesse Arabia Aegypt and part of Syria declared that the sins of the Christians there were the cause of all that miserie and of the feare which possessed their hearts gaue courage victorie to the enemie And that there was no assurance of the mittigation of that fierce furie of the one or restitution of comfort to the other before there were in the Christians humiliation and a true returning vnto vertue and righteousnes Which ancient counsel of that famous father may be renewed now amongest vs when the professed enemie of the true Catholique religion hath stirred vp an apparant indignation in the pretended King Catholique against England and many other partes where the Gospell is sincerely preached and that surely for the sinnes of Christians in the iudgement of God who looking vppon the greene leaued figge tree of our profession desiring to tast of the fruit which it should beare findeth it not answerable to his expectation And therfore vnlesse we will returne from our hypocrisie and bring forth with our leaues good fruit it is to bee doubted that our God powerfull and iust will permit this professed aduersarie to rouze vs out of our secure thoughts and either winne vs to more sinceritie or giue vs into the handes of our aduersarie And to the end we may all find out our selues to bee faultie that seeme now to bee shrouded with securitie it is fit that we should examine euery one himselfe and amend what the word of the liuing God willeth to be amended in euerie particular person so howsoeuer the causes of this Spanish Hoobub may appeare to be in the man of sinne in malice in his chiefe agent the pretended king Catholik in ambition we shall preuent theÌ„ both of their vaine purposes being strongly shrouded with hope of the performance of the promises of our God who will vppon our reconciliation become againe on our side howsoeuer yet our sins may deserue to haue the shield of his protection taken from vs and to drawe the enemie to inuade vs. And therefore it is now required and that with speed that we should denie our selues acknowledg him forsake our selues and cleaue vnto him disclaime the confidence of our owne strength and depend wholy vppon his vnâ—anquishable power who shall be to vs all in all and who shall strengthen vs weaken them fight for vs against them And to this end haue I though most vnworthie sent vnto you this simple Eccho to that subtill Hoobub not that it should sound to mine owne vainglorie but to incourage vs all â—o shape a new course in our liues and such prouidence in our â—roceedings that we all may answere our duties to God loialty to Queene Elizabeth and loue to our countrie And so may euerie man rest truly resolute in a good conscience to withstand the practises of this roring beast of Rome and all the power of his professed adherents the enemies of God and vs with an assured hope neuer to bee ouercome Yours in Christian good will I. N. A CHRISTIAN COMfort and encouragement vnto all English subiects not to dismay at the Antichristian threates Cap. 1. Wee must examine the speciall causes why God hath stirred vp the Nation of the Spanyards to pursue England THough in the iudgement of God there be many causes that maie moue him to take displesure against vs the people of England yet before I proceede to examine them as behooueth to the ende they may be reformed I will briefely as necessarie it is shew the chiefe causes that meerely mooue the Spaniardes to this loud hoobub without regarde of the occasions why God would make them the executioners of his wrath against vs and the instruments to put vs in minde of the breach of our league with him who hath so long preserued vs in peace and giuen vs freely the vse of his Gospell the neglect whereof and our contrarie fruites no doubt is the principall cause that God hath called this nation from farre to inuade vs who yet of themselues are drawen thereunto as rauished by two blinde deuotions the first and principall is in that hee is the Popes vizeroy lieutenant and chiefe martiall man and hath the title generall of the Catholike King In regard whereof hee is to stand as the Popes champion to aunswere anie challenge that his holynesse shall vndertake for defence and preseruation of his vsurped title and Empire And in that respect this mightie Goliah this blasphemous Rabsakeh pretendeth a sufficient warrant from Senacherib of Rome to pursue Hezechia of England with this hoobub that our God shall not deliuer vs out of his hands but that he onely as the chieftaine Catholike of that man of sinne hath the sole power from him to conquere kingdomes and therefore soundes vp this hoo and crie Am I now come vp without the Lord to England to destroie it As if hee should saie My Lord and master Christs vicar hath commanded mee and therefore howe dare English Hezechiah or anie other that trusteth not in the power of my
by a liuely working of the inwarde vertues the other in the tongue by outwarde behauiour onely the one in all things is diuine and heauenly inspired into the soule by grace the other is prophane and earthly layde as heauie burdens vppon the consciences of men by force Now then sith wee are in ours as in a large field of libertie hauing freedome to performe all things without scruple doubt or danger onely in Christ how farre should wee excell in sincere practise those that flatter themselues wyth the outward action of superstitious zeale wherein they are restrayned to wade anie further in knowledge than may keepe them in obedience not vnto God whom they ought to knowe first and then to honour him in spirite as hee is spirit but vnto the pretended church Catholike whose honouring God who is a spirite is by the traditions of men that are meerely carnall God forbidde therefore that wee who assuredlye in the franke mercie of Almightie God inioye this admirable treasure the Gospell whence proceedeth the true religion propounded by Christ Iesus himselfe and practised by doctrine and example of the Apostles shoulde so lagger in our liues that Pharisies and meritours shoulde goe so farre before vs that wee shoulde bee censured not onely of GOD himselfe who seeth the heartes but of men who see onelye our workes to deserue punishment in his iudgement by our vnholye liues at theyr handes whome wee knowe most assuredly are enemies vnto the crosse of Christ Iesus who pretend in themselues so much the more holynesse of lyfe by howe much the more they see vs come short of them in zeale And the greatest and assuredst hope which they haue of their conquest is grounded vppon theyr owne deseruinges whereby they seeme to challenge a speciall assistance of God vpon our fruitlesse profession whereby they seeme to coniure the high power to conforme it selfe to their wills and thereupon they build strong hope to bee reuenged vppon vs. And surely if wee reforme vs not and conforme our liues more aunswerable vnto our profession it is much to bee feared that as for sinne and disobedience hee suffered his owne peculiar people to be destroied the citie which he chose vnto himselfe to bee sacked and the house wherein hee seemed himselfe to dwell to bee burned by the barbarous nations hee wyll deliuer vs vp to the will of this vncircumcised people whose heartes are highly inflamed against vs and whose hands tingle to bee in our bloud The Lord of hoasts bee on our side whome they blasphemed in their last frustrate expedition affirming that hee was become a Lutheran in regard of his helping vs and confounding them But howsoeuer they blasphemed then and howsoeuer they consult agaynst God himselfe and agaynst his chosen now there is no doubt but it is to some wonderfull end in the secrete wisedome of God and for our partes let vs forecast the worst against our selues and say that for our sinnes for our neglygence and for our disobedience God may iustly delyuer vs into theyr handes so shall God turne his purpose which although it were to consume vs as it was towardes Niniue hee will spare vs if we repent lyke Niniue and let vs incourage our selues in the renewing of our affections so shall that God drawe them on euen vnto the redde sea of theyr owne confusion as hee dyd Pharaoh and his hoast that his glorie may appeare both in the force of his Gospell which we professe and whereby we reforme vs vnto his will by casting awaie sinne and apprehending true righteousnesse as also by confounding them that seeke to persecute him in vs. Now it is expedient that there be some examination of the especiall euills which seeme aboue the rest to call this nation in the iustice of God agaynst vs for it is plaine that sinne is the cause in generall which both preuenteth well dooing and arraigneth vs before the tribunall seat of God in regard of it selfe But to make rehearsall of all the euills which are growen strong amongst vs were a tedious labor and beyond my purpose and therefore I will briefely call to our consideration some particular sinnes that seeme to bee as nurseries to all the rest and such as glide thorough our thoughts as oyle thorough our throates without seeling and yet more lyke Elephants than gnats Who seeth not and yet who considereth the most capitall sinne of blaspheming GOD Where is there anie lawe to punish swearers cursers abusers of the person the maiestie the sanctitie and the sacred worde and name of God How freely doo the lewde Atheistes in this lande such as by theyr liues argue there is no God behaue themselues in most vnreuerent taking into theyr vncircumcised lippes the name of God How doo they rent him as much as in them lyeth in peeces his heart feete nayles soule bodie flesh and euerie parte and member of him is abused and dishonoured taking therein delight as in a feast And this sinne is not without some colour of a vertue Heere is great magnanimitie pretended to bee seene in these lustie fellowes nay vngodlye wretches and cowardlye I would it were free from great persons And this is as farre from being punished amongst vs that he is counted too foolish and too precise that will argue the same to bee a fault God reforme it for the faulte is greater than that which wee account fellonie which robbeth but man of his goods and is hanged and this robbeth God of his glorie and our selues of all shewe of the feare and reuerence of God yet is vnpunished May not the lyke bee sayde of vnpunished dronkennesse which is a most pernitious vice and the more intollerable because it hath no shew of vertue as other vices haue and yet of late it hath gotten a coate but a beastly coate yet the best it hath and that forsooth in drinking carouse it must bee to the health of some greate man and sometime great men will vse the name of greater persons in this swinish sinne vnder colour of wishing health to them as if health could bee maintained by so grosse a sinne It is intollerable yet tollerated to the high dishonour of God who of Christians requireth Christian sobrietie Doth not this helpe to pull on the Spaniardes Yes surely And is this all that is amisse Nay let pride come into the ranke of vnpunished vices But by your leaue this is a neate vice it is a comely vice it is a courtly vice and it is a vice that aboue all the rest may challenge place with vertue if vice maye bee so bolde as nowe a daies it is and it is so plausible that they that should seeke to kill it by spirituall disswasion haue taken it by the hand also and walke as courtly as the best the verie clowne will snatch at it too and euerie man exceedeth so farre as if it were one of the cardinall vertues And although many lawes
in generall euery one of vs hath a court in his owne conscience wherinto all our thoughts words and actions must be presently summoned and inquisition must bee strictly made what error is found in himselfe and finding himselfe guiltie of any negligence in performing his dutie to God commaunded or pronenes to offende God in things forbidden he must as a Iudge farre from partialitie giue sentence against himselfe and commit the euils done to true and vnfained repentance bind himselfe by the law of obedience not to sinne agayne Which were it performed of al men in particular there were no neede of the Magistrates sword to compell the same in generall But sith our corrupt inclinations doe fight daily against this godly course the Magistrate who beareth not the sword for nought must now if euer he did shew himselfe zealous in the Lords cause for the good of al the land in general Which as it seemeth much missed with negligence of euery mans particular dutie to God and his Soueraigne whereby God is not honoured of vs as he ought nor the lawes of the land obeyed as they should be there must be a generall care in the Ministrie to teach euery man his duetie for hee is bound to teach to reproue to approue and improue in season and out of season and in the Magistrate an endeuour to see euery man performe it as farre as to his power and authoritie belongeth who must compell theÌ„ by force that will not doe their dueties in loue And if then the vulgar and inferiour sort striue not to amende and to coÌ„forme themselues to the word of truth taught and to the example of the godly Magistrate propounded before them they shall all dye in their sinnes but the Minister and Magistrate shall be excused But if there appeare negligence in the Ministers the watchmen of the whole flocke the people will also bee negligent if they be ignorant the people will be ignorant if they be wicked the people will be wicked as Hosea saith Such priests such people Therefore now call your dueties to minde ye Ministers and speedily with diligence performe the same And thinke it not enough to bee called the messengers of God vnlesse you speake pronounce the will of God truely and disdaine none that shew their good willes to speake as the occasion of this time requireth For they that feare the Lord vnderstand his will The feare of the Lord is the beginning of wisedome And therefore euery one from the highest to the lowest Prince and Ministers Magistrates and subiects must here begin As a Prince coueting to gouerne prudently as Ministers endeuouring to speake truly and boldly as Magistrates desiring to rule in their places righteously and couragiously and as people willing to liue obediently and religiously So shall there bee a most happie concord and pleasant harmonie in al estates There shal be no want of blessings no cause to feare the enemie no cause to complaine one of anothers wrongs in our land Sinne shall beare no sway but godlines shall flourish in all parts of this land and then as we haue alreadie seene how God hath fought for vs so he will giue vs new encouragements And as Christ sayd to Nathaniel we shall see greater things then these not onely in his fighting for vs but in powring out his heart vnto vs causing vs to vnderstand his word Prou. 1. 23. when yet â—ee will hold our aduersaries still blind that seeing they shall not see in hearing they shall not heare and nothing that they imagine against vs shall prospet but all shall turne to their owne confusion Therefore let the eyes of vs all be towards the Lord and with Dauid let vs all the day stretch out our hands to him that is one and the same for euer louing and powerfull And forasmuch as Princes and Magistrates must in this necessary reformation giue such examples as may tend to the amendment of the inferiour sort it behoueth that they be learned and wise vertuous and valorous so shall the people follow their steppes as it were a light in the darke And therefore the Magistrate must pray for wisedome not to seeme singular in policie but religious in zeale applying the same to the glorie of God to discerne betwixt good and euill that by them sinne the cause of our daunger may bee remoued and faith and religion the strength of our land may bee increased that the vngodly bee not more set by then the righteous that vice be not more aduanced then vertue so shall euery Magistrate be able to say freely Be thou my Iudge O Lord for I haue walked innocently Surely as the Israelites thought themselues happie when they had gotten Debora to gouerne them so most happie are wee that haue Queene Elizabeth to gouerne vs. For as Debora seemed so much the more to be a carefull mother of Israel by how much she liked those gouernours which were likest her selfe which appeareth by that she sayed My heart is set vpon the gouernours of Israell so doubtles the godly care of our gracious Debora to haue all the causes of Gods displeasure to bee taken away appeareth in coueting as much as in her lieth to place godly Magistrates vnder her God make them apt to answer it She matcheth Moses the Magistrate with Aaron the Minister the Word and the Sword which both truely executed must needes make due obedience in the people to the Magistrate and like in the Magistrate to the law and consequently in all to God And then as the Magistrates are placed aboue other men in authoritie so they will goe before the rest in pietie and then no doubt but our Common-wealth shall be secure and bee in the protection of the King inuincible who iudgeth them that iudge vnder him and he will subdue the disobedient hearts to loue and reuerence rulers and to fight couragiously against the enemies of our state as he subdued the people vnto Dauid and made them all incline to his will That whatsoeuer the King did pleased his people Wee see then that wee neede not feare this vaine hoobub of the Spanyard if euery one would forsake sinne and conforme himselfe truly to seek after God And to the end that God may blesse the hearts of all it behoueth all to pray which shall bee considered in the end of this sillie labour CAP. 3. That all men ought to yeeld their vttermost power to resist the pursuers of this blasphemous Hoobub by experience of the power of God shewed vnto our fathers of old HAuing as it is before sayd taken away the causes why God hath intended to moue this fierce nation against vs by a general reformatioÌ„ of our liues which if it appeare by the fruites of our regenerate mindes let vs rest resolued that God the God of Abraham Isaac and Iacob the God of Israel the God of the faithfull will bee assuredly on our side The Lord our God as saith
Philistines amongst the children of Israel to whom they were as prickes in their eyes and thornes in their sides because they preferred humane policie in preseruing them to Gods commandements in extirping them They argue against our trust in God euen to our faces affirming vs to haue no such cause of hope of our deliuerie as Israel had and yet say they and it is true Israel was plagued with sword and captiuitie for their sinnes being the peculiar people of God and how can we escape that are as they say fallen from the Catholike Church Which is false but from Rome which is Babell from papistrie which is bondage and from the traditions of men meere idolatrie and idolatrie worshipping strange gods was the cause why Israel was within the space of 339. yeares six times oppressed by their enemies when they went a whoring after straunge gods then and not else were they oppressed And although no doubt wee cannot excuse vs of offending our good God by our manifolde sins which doth deserue correction yet assuredly God is amongst vs and by many true Christians of England sincerely honoured his Gospell truly preached his word freely imbraced and thereunto the liues of many truely conformed And on the contrary let these Locusts that are flowen abroad out of the bottomles pit into this land not onely the wicked Iesuits but also obdurate papists who so much obrayd vs with our euill liuing learne this that they only in their idolatrie blasphemie spiritual whoredome are aptly compared to Israel in their falling from God and not in the weakenes of flesh only falling as did Dauid Salomon and many other whose kingdomes in the best seruice of the liuing God were not free from sinne wherein no flesh can be cleered But holding the maine point the Christian and true Catholike religion sincerely preached amonst vs and generally imbraced of the most vnles it bee of such as like subtile serpents stoppe their eates confirmeth strongly that the presence of God himselfe is still with vs assuring vs also that his hand for their rebellion against his trueth is turned against them And therefore let no man beleeue them howsoeuer they dispute to defend their owne holines which is onely outward their hearts being inwarldly seared with the yron of obstinacie the marke of the beast of Rome deprauing vs by reason of our frailtie But it is necessarie such prickes should be amongst vs to the ende our liues but especially our religion should bee the better approued for trueth appeareth then most plaine when it is opposed by error How is the Romish religion discouered by the sincere writings of sundrie learned and deuout men to bee a spirituall bondage who seeking the sincere trueth in the light of the sacred word haue left testimonie vnto all posterities thereof which the most learned of the aduersarie can neuer confute but in striuing to maintaine their darknes they haue vndermined themselues are readie to fal by their wonderful stumble at the view of the heauenly light which glimmereth in their eyes as a candle farre off in the darke How many sillie men whose hearts haue been inwardly taught by the holie Ghost without learning haue stopt the mouthes of these Catholike Doctors approuing their faith by the fire which they haue imbraced without feare or fainting not as desperate Seminaries suffering as Iudas did for treason but as patient Christians testifying their faith builded vpon the vnresistable trueth by martyrdome as Stephen did This truth hath broken the neck of Papisme and this trueth will put him from his glorie and his glorie from him that seeketh to depriue vs of this trueth Why then should wee distrust God and thinke that hee will deliuer vs into the hands of this Romish nation Admit our sinnes do deserue puhishment and surely we cannot nor dare iustifie our selues as they that haue nothing but meere deseruings in them can of themselues atchieue hauen by their own works we only rely vpon Christs merits and disclaime our owne worthines wee stand to bee defended by the power of God and not by our owne strength like this inuincible nation whose trust is in themselues wee trust in God they stand dissolute by the delusions of Antichrist who pretendeth to coniure the seas to be calme the winds to be prosperous vnto his Catholike armie and we rely vpon the meere blessing of God that by the breath of his mouth did lately blow them from our coasts as hee did the swarmes of lice from the Egyptians at the praier of Moses and Aaron hee cast them into the sea as Christ did the swine And let vs assure vs that in the same his mercies hee will performe it in a greater measure that his glorie may more appeare in being the protector of his owne But what if wee please our aduersaries in his vaine hope a little confesse our weaknes as they pretend it saying our gouernour is a woman and therefore weake and the people in her not strong our Nobilitie are not many and our Martiall men fewe and therefore the kingdome weake But let them know withall that wee haue in her Maiestie vnder GOD whom she serueth absolute hope that she is the Iudith that GOD hath ordayned of cut off the head namely to dispoyle the man of sinne of all his glorie she is the Iael that shall pearce his stemples with the naile of consufion if at last he refuse to haue his hart pearced with the trueth of Christ whō now now he persecuteth And if weak Debora got such honor in deliuering Israel from Iabyn king of Canaan by Barake notwithstanding his 900. chariots of Iron will it not bee honourable to Queene Elizabeth to breake the force of the inuincible nauie of Spaine and if it pleased the mighty of mighties to assiste Deborah beeing a woman of no such reckoning for the shewe of her outwarde glorie dwelling but vnder a palme tree yet fearing God shall hee not assiste Queene Elizabeth his annoynted his chosen and her that hee of meere prouidence preserued and aduanced to that high calling the gouernour of his people of England whom by her as by the hands of Moses he brought out of most cruell bondage vnder that purple harlot of Rome and vnder her hath this 37. yeares preserued vs from all forraine inuasion affoording vs peace in his apparant truth But these Romists degenerate not from the ground of their religion which is al outward they relie only vpō flesh bloud arguing therein that God is exempted out of their companie that is full alreadie they are mighty enough and strong enough and need not his helpe They reason as Senacherib did that because he was strong God could not resist him and therefore shall they receiue as Senacherib did They forget how God chose Gideon a poore labourer to be a captaine of his people who also at the first began to reason with flesh and bloud as they do saying
or driuen out by man What naturall reason flesh bloud will argue in this daÌ„gerous time The conceyts of the worldly Our duties to God carry with it a great traine of virtues The repeatance Nineueh The practise of Nineueh an example for vs to follow What wil follow vs in our following the reformation of Niniueh How we must reforme vs. Gods peculiar loue to England England not the 200. parte of the earth The Turkes possesse the places where Christ was borne first preached England is more to be charged for breach of our league then any other nation How we kill Christ againe We must call to minde Gods blessings which will giue vs cause to reforme out liues God chose vs when wee thought not on him Euery one hath a court in his owne conscience Now is the time for the Magistrate to shew himselfe zealous in the Lords good The worde and the swor must concur Euery man must begin his dutie at the feare of God God wil keepe our aduersaries blinde if we feare God and desire to see What is required of the Magistrate A good song for a Magistrate if he sung it truely Moses and Aaron the Magistrate and Minister are to be Martialed together in a christian common wealth All things are written for our instructioÌ„ The Spaniards in strength are not like the sonnes of Anake Which parte God taketh hath the victorie Warre offered by inuasion is fully furnished with militarie necessaries William the Norman took from his men hope of retire Wisdome and trueth beare away the victorie God will defend vs for his Gospels sake Queene Elizabeth goeth forth in person to incourage her people Our secrete Papists discourage our people Whence we are fallen In regarde of the truth imbraced notwithstanding our sins God is with vs. The true catholicke religion is with vs an argument of Gods presence Poore vnlearned Christians haue stopt the mouthes of Romish doctrine The truth will confound Antechrist The enemie standeth on his owne strength we on the blessing of God they on the popes power we on Christs merrits Queene Elizabeth shall cut off the power of Antechrist The romish hope al in outward things They are strong inough and neede not God God is strong in weakenes Few ouercoÌ„e many They feare the weake in diminishing our munition Queene Elizabeth a chosen woman to confound Romish Ihericho by the protection of the word God will assist such as war either to defend his truth professed or to winne anye thereunto Agencourt fielde The Spaniard hath tasted English power and policie to his paine The Spaniards no doubt would not admit the tryall of the contrauersie to equal multitudes Inward desire of the Princes danger or subuersioÌ„ of your country is before God high treason The Spaniard abhorreth traytors though he make much of theÌ„ for a time The course entertaynement of the best of our English runnagates The cause in policie why the Syaniards hangeth not traytors presently The best end of our traytors if the Spaniards should preuaile If God haue wrought a meane beyond reason to dicouer a murder much more will he discouer treasoÌ„ There is in al subiects loue or hate which will show it selfe by the fruits The difference betweene plaine dealing and dissimulation The end of blinde zeale The thirst of papists is the drought of treason A glasse for traytors The Spaniard thinke them neuer true to him that are false to your anoynted prince The spaniards are rude like the Macedonians to call a traytor a traytor The state of a trayor Distinguish the spirits The pope is like the serpent that commandeth forbiddeÌ„ thinges with promise of rewarde A wonder that Papists wonder not at their blindnes Beasts loue the place of their education shewing better loyaltie theÌ„ papists The pope fawneth on papists like a Crocadile who sheds teares when he will destroy Benefits receiued in our natural countrey is an obligation to bind vs to be true vnto it Antechrist the head corner stone of blind zeale The waye to finde out the cause of blindnes is to repaire to the truth The daye which the papists wish to see will be to themselues most fearefull The waye of the foole is right in his owne conceit We ought all to pray for the peace of our countrey How our papists might become happie Euery magistrate ought to know what duty belongeth to his charge Euery commonwealth is a bodie pollytique As euery part of the bodie hath a necessarie place in his place steadeth the body so euery man in a common wealth Sundrie pettie bodies within the whole body of the commonwealth Diuers inferior heads of diuers inferior bodies Peace dangerous without carâ—in Magistrates Officers as also euery subiect ought to discouer a daÌ„gerous person Inferior Magistrates haue their power froÌ„ the higher power Ciuill iustice is the commoÌ„ wealths publike benefite Warre appreueth or reproueth the faith all men towards their country Premeditation of euery mans dutie is necessary before the run to far vnder a good intent The Magistrats ought to foresee things to come The English alwaies valorous Rashnes to be auoyded A subtil practise of the enemie to moue tumults amongst our selues Pryuate men must not stirre before the Magistrate Her Maiestie her counsell the first mouers Suddayne newes dangerous Three things to be auoyded in followers Weapons and pollicie nothing vnles God blesse the vse of them God giueth the victorie in a combate betwene two sparrowes The force of prayer more then the force of weapons God is moued by prayer to alter his decree The prayer of one preuaileth with God to preserue a multitude Prayer a sure anker in danger