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.
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
night 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 You must not sleepe al night in this case but intreat the Lord her maiesty and this honourable court to raise the ministerie of his word in Wales This matter concerneth al verie nearlie The way to procure to your selues fauour with the Lord and credite with her Maiestie is to sollicite our cause and so you shal find it The more earnest you be herein the more honor shal be vnto the Lord and her Maiestie wil be the more beholding vnto you Nebuchad-nezzer an idolater blessed the Lorde because Shadrak Meshak and Abednago the seruants of the liuing God Dan. 3.9 changing the kings decree did yeeld their bodies rather than they would worship anie other God If they had been as backewarde as were other Iewes in this case howe had that notable decree to the honour of God beene promulgated ver 29. Where had been their commendation No other waie conueyeth the true fauour of anie prince vnto the subiect Prou. 10.22 Gods blessing which maketh rich and honourable is ioined hereunto Though it were otherwise yet this thing is laid vpon you be not disobedient And likely it is to be otherwise For I am affraid behold that which the Lord hath built he wil destroie that which he hath planted he will roote vp Ierem. 45.45 And doe you seeke for great things vnto your selues Seeke them not If in the daie of trouble you will be hidden you must be Ieremies you must be Hebedmeleches you must be Barucks In these three men the Lord shewed that euen in this life he maketh great difference betweene the zealous and luke-warme professors Ieremy for his roundnes in his office was beaten and put in the stocks Ier. 35.15.16 Ier. 29.26.27 Iere. 35.15.16 iudged worthy to die Ier. 29.26.27 accounted a rauer and one that made himselfe a prophet Ier. 29.26.27 a man that sought not the wealth of his people but the hurt Iere. 38.4 Hebedmelech was a noble man but some thing ouer zealous and one that would not stick to tel the king himselfe that he had yeelded vnto his noble men in a thing that was euill in all that they had doone to Ieremie the Prophet Ier. 38.5.9 Baruch was out of fauor both with prince and priest Ier. 36.19.26 because he fauoured Ieremie But when the land was made desolate and the wordes of poore Ieremie became true who then went vnto the wal Verily the king and his nobles priests and prophets And Ieremy the true seruant of the Lord must haue a whole senat of noble men sent to take him out of prison and to know his wil Nebuzaradan Nebushasban Raebsaris Neregal Ier. 39.4.13 c. the king of Babeles princes Hebedmelech should not bee giuen into the hands of the men whom he feared but bee surely deliuered because hee put his trust in Iehouah Ierem. 45.45 Baruch should haue his life giuen him for a pray Howesoeuer it goeth therefore your seruice in our cause shall bee recompensed They that know what it is to haue their iniquities forgiuen and their sinnes couered by the sufferings and passions of Iesus Christ will be wounded to see others vnder the curse The Churches of God round about vs goe to wrack in Fraunce Belgia and a great part of high Duch I would Scotland had continued in her first loue and that the hands of the builders were strengthned among you Come what will come stand you manfully in the faith my fathers and brethren and according to the counsel of Iude a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 renew the battle againe with your spiritual enimy Iud. 3. and contend with earnestnes It maie please God though the liuelie branches be cut off to quicken vs dead boughes by the vertue of our head Iesus Christ I doubt not by the Lords goodnes if the truth be established among vs through continual preaching but that al which professe Godlines in Europe shall hartilie thank the Lord for our zeal and courage therein Our nation are ful of drosse I graunt as al the sonnes of Adam are by nature and verie stonie harted But the word of God is a fire for the drosse and an hamber for the stone Ier. 23.29 And the weapons whereby the man of God warreth are not carnal but mightie through God to cast downe houldes and to bring vnder euerie imagination that is against the knowledge of God 2 Cor. 10.5 when al things shall be measured vnto vs by the measure of the sanctuarie as all must bee or else the building proue ruinous our God will be for a diadem of beutie vnto vs and for a spirite of iudgmēt he wil giue vs his spirit to please him I thought it needlesse to put hir Maiestie and the Parliament in mind that euerie thing amongst vs must be ordered according to the word it selfe For otherwise both the word and the Minister shall want a great deale of the dignitie due vnto both Suffer the scepter of the word to rule this will not be derogatorious vnto man much lesse vnto the word It wil be hard to find a yoke fellowe for that which can neither abide superior nor brooke an equal My brethren for the most part know not what preaching meaneth much lesse think the same necessarie to saluation Though they graunt it needeful they think it sufficient to heare one sermon once perhaps in al their life Therefore was is needfull for me to set downe the necessitie of preaching and of continual preaching that if they labor not for the same their bloode maie be vppon their owne heads For they cannot denie themselues to be put in mind hereof If there be anie other point of doctrine touched it tendeth also to this end The diligence beloued which I hope your learned Bishoppes Doctors and other great Diuines men of famous report haue taken in England cannot suffer you to be ignorant in these pointes Therefore take thē not as written vnto you For the case it selfe you know what it is euen that which the Lord of host will haue most seriouslie thought vpon graunted without al naie In respect wherof it commeth with Gods own letters patents wherewith all estates in the worlde naie all the Angels in heauen cannot dispence Concerning the hādling of it by me a wretch I protest my self to haue labored according to the example of the Apostle to speak as I haue beene allowed of my God seeking to win the fauour of none much lesse the disliking of anie least mans vnequall displeasure would bee contented with no lesse satisfaction than the bloode of manie a thousand soules God forbid mans infirmities in mee should bring this effect Naie it must not For be I the sonne of Adam ten thousand times compassed with neuer so manie infirmities neuer so base vile polluted and defiled yet the preaching of the word in Wals is Gods glorie and therfore must stand And yet it maie be the Lord by this supplication doth but trie the good
and beyond all his might to make knowen the case of such a people vnto those who both can and also would find a remedy therunto For mine owne part because I see the spirituall miserie wherein wee nowe liue in the Country of WALES for want of the preaching of the Gospel and the great plagues that are like vndoubtedly to fall vpon vs for the same I cannot but be so asfected toward these our calamities as in respect of the Lords honor the desire of the saluation of my breethren my loyall obedience vnto her Maiesty and the discharge of my own conscience I doe alwaies from the bottome of mine heart wish and pray for the redresse heereof nowe by writing with all humility and submission in the feare of God lay open our estate first vnto the consideration of your excellent Maiesty my dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth vnto whom only of all the potentates of the earth I owe all obedience and seruice in the Lord Iesus and next vnto the viewe of your high court of Parliament desiring you vpon my knees in the name of the great God the creator and preseruer of heauen and earth whose honor is now in hand that our petitiō may be so throughly waied as our necessity requireth The summe whereof is that it would please your Maiesty this honorable assembly in a zealous and a godly compassion to regard the lamentable and wofull estate of vs your poore subiects breethren which liue at this day altogither without the knowledge of a Isai 43.11 ◠a sauing God because we haue not b 2. Chro. 15.2 teaching Ministers among vs that some order may be taken by your Maiesty and the estate whereby wee may bee freed from that destroieng grosse darckenesse of ignorance wherein we nowe are bewrapped to the woe of our soules for euer And so by our true conuersion vnto the Lorde we may auoid euerlasting death and preuent the fiercenesse of the wrath indignation which we see iustly to hang ouer vs in this life The remedy of this our grieuous case is only had and no other way by speedie d Luk. 10.2 Matth 9.8 prouiding vnto vs such pastors as may feede vs with the food of life the pure worde of God and bring vs home vnto the only a 1. Pet. 5.4 Heb. 13.20 Luk. 22.25 Mark 10. Lord of pastors sheepeheards the Lord Iesus This is the summe of al my dread soueraigne that I your base vassall haue emboldened my selfe to offer vnto you and this your high court of Parliament wherein I protest that in respect of my weakenesse al maner of waies the basenesse of my condition I intreated the Lorde to send vnto you by the hand of him whom b Exod. 4.13 hee should sende that is by one endued with such giftes and authority also as whereby the suite might haue purchased some countenance and so be found more auaileable and plausible But considering that this mine endeuor might be a means to stirre vp some such and that the Lorde is the Lord of countenance credit and fauour therefore can adde vnto his own cause the good liking of men either more or lesse as seemeth best vnto him which only guideth the harts of the children of men And that he is then fullie seen for his own glories c Rom. 4.2 Ezek. 36.32 sake to bring the worke to passe that tendeth to the saluation of any when hee vseth most abiect and vnfit tooles I doe not doubt if it be his good pleasure but that this supplication though put vp by a sinfull weake hand shal haue all the intertainment that the message of the liuing God desireth to haue And although our estate beeing duly waied doth with most patheticall pierceing cries that may moue againe the very flinty rockes make intreaty for it selfe and declare the vnanswerable necessity either of hauing our petitions graunted or of the torments of our soules in hel fire for euer and our fatal ruine in this life yet I thought it most needefull in this briefe treatise to set downe some of the reasons whereupon our petition is grounded that by the view of them it may appeare how daungerous a thing it is in the sight of God and man to deny our suite And here verilie the cause may be seene at the first sight to be inuironed with a two-fould wall as it were of most iust and apparant equity First in respect of the honour of God whereat especially it aimeth Secondly in regard of man whom it doth not a litle concerne Whether therefore you do consider the Lord himselfe whom we disdain and contemn for want of better instruction out of his woord by our vngodlie liues or her gracious Maiestie and this honourable assembly who are bound before the Lorde with an vncancelable band to see the eternall verity of the Gospell of Iesus Christ taught vnto obeied of al the inhabitants within the precincts of her Maiesties dominions or my deere brethren and countri-men whose ioiful and happy felicity is this way sought for you shall find the supplication to be full of dutifull endeuors towardes the maintenance of Gods glory the safe estate of this kingdome our soueraign whom the Lord long preserue ouer vs hurting none full of equity on all parts Wee desire to haue the knowledge of our God and the Lawes of his kingdome whose subiectes in name wee professe our selues and in deede ought to bee made knowne and taught vnto vs. We desire that the tyranny of Sathan who a 2 Cor. 4.4 Ephes 6.2 2.23 exerciseth a regencie in the hearts of all them amongst whom Gods trueth hath not beene taught may be ouerthrown b Rom. 1.16 Heb. 4.12 Ier. 23.29 by the powerfull arme of God the worde preached c Iam. 1.21 who can saue our soules Now therefore to you right honorable worshipful and reuerend of this Parliament with al humility be it spoker in the audience of our God in the presence of Iesus Christ and in the witnesse of euery child of God who shall read this litle treatise we most earnestly and vehemently as in the cause of Iesus Christ and in the cause of our soules entreate and beseech you cry and cal vpon you to do your endeuors that Sathan may no longer keep vs in bondage which ought to be imploied in the seruice of our God and that the Lorde Iesus his throne may be established in our hartes d 1. Cor. 6.19 3.16 as it ought to be in those which are his members What interest hath sathan in vs that wee should be permitted to be at his beck and leaue vndoone the duty we owe vnto our most beneficial louing God euen by the law of creation Why should he preuaile more with you which continually seeketh your destruction ours than Iesus Christ whose loue towardes vs was sealed with the losse of his life euen then when we were his enimies Wil you
if men knew the sinne of resisting the Gospell to bee so hainous they would perhaps further our suite or at least not hinder it But because the preaching of the woorde is thought no better than folly of worldly wisemen it commeth often to passe that the reiecting of a suite tending thereunto is made a thing of smal moment And although in very deed this sinne be high treason against the Lord yet the offenders herein will auouch themselues to seeke the honor of God no lesse than the earnest furtherers of the woorde preached yea though they throw al their blockish and wilful reasons in the way to stop the passage of it And least men shoulde terme them by their rightname they thinke the excuse will stand in good steede to saie they cannot see how the hindering of the Gospell should bee so odious in the sight of God and therefore no reason why they should be thought kickers against the heauen seeing they in euery point fauour the proceedings of their Prince But how vaine and ridiculous is their excuse For shal a traitour be therefore acquited because he offending against the Lawes of God and his soueraigne as in transferring the praerogatiue due vnto his Prince vnto a forraine Idolatrous shauen priest protesteth that he neither acknowledgeth not seeth his actions therein to bee traiterous Or shall Pellagians Papists Arians c. auoid the names and punishments of heretickes because they affirme nothing but that whereof by the strong delusion of Sathan they are persuaded I trow not No more can hee be said to doe any thing lesse than to iustle against the heauen and him that dwelleth therein which putteth his shoulder against the progresse of his woord though his owne corruption will not suffer him to perceaue this his rauing madnesse As therefore you of this honourable assembly would not bee taken defacers of Gods glory so in most humble wise I admonish you not to oppose your selues in any sort against this our petition and as you would find fauour at the handes of the iudge of al the woorld in the day of iudgement and bee acquited before Iesus Christ and by him further his honour to the vttermost of your power Regard whose cause it is what account hee maketh of it how derogatorious it is vnto his glory for you to deny vs the Gospell I know it will bee aunswered here that her Maiesty and the Parliament deny the true seruice of God vnto none and haue taken order that no false religion should bee vsed of anie subiect in this land Which thing also I doe affirme from my hart and thank God for and the Lord wil not forget Queene Elizabeths kindnesse in this thing towards his house I adde moreouer that if any the people of this Realme want the same in particular which hee hath granted all in general it is her wil they should acquaint the Parliament with their cause where they ought to bee heard Hitherto therefore tendeth my speach If we th people of Wales making our estate known shall not haue it redressed by this assembly that then the ouerthrowe and weakning of Christes kingdome is intended thorough this meanes by them that shall binder preaching to be graunted vnto vs our calling adding great strength thereunto Let all know therefore how greatly it tendeth to the honour of the most high God which he wil maintaine as the apple of his eie against al the euil willers thereof vnto their vtter ruine and shamefull confusion both of body and soule that the lamp of the Gospell should bee set on fire amongest vs and that a repulse should bee giuen to Iesus Christ by repelling this our cause Good my Lords whose honour in the feare of God I desire thinke with your selues that the Lord of heauen being now reiected of most nations of the earth is thrust into this poore Iland of England as into the furthest westerne partes sauadge America and that continent excepted but surely his entertainment here if one handmaid had not better cherished him had beene very cold He hath often threatned vs to depart by taking her with him from such vngrateful subiectes as wee are Particular men he hath by his seueral blessing and the sound of his woord from the highest to the lowest sollicited vnto his seruice Alser the most part refused This one time he wil try whether the whole estate of the land will allowe him anie larger demaines than hitherto he enioied And therefore he now knocketh by this our suite at the doore of the Parliament to know whether we the people of Wales shall bee graunted him as his herytage If it be denied he protesteth that hee will stay no longer He expecteth an aunswere Haue a regard what ye doe A greater matter cannot be consulted vpon What a shameful thing were it for man to deny his God that which most concerneth his glory Alas the day what hinderance wil it be vnto any of you to haue vs poore Welshmen celebraters of the honour of our God And what pleasure will it bee vnto you to haue him departed from this kingdome in a rage because he is not heard in that thing wherein he most delighteth And beleeue me I am highly afraid he will take your denial so vnkindly that England shal feele by the taking away of his Gospell what a gest it vngratefully lost Therefore as I said before so I say againe that our suit is not sleightly to be looked vnto much lesse denied because vppon the graunting of it not onely the saluation of many thousand soules but also the glory of the most mighty God relieth It were extreme madnesse for vs to be cold in that suite wherein we woulde haue others whom it concerneth not so much to be vehement and earnest And we might iustly both before God and men fry againe in our condemnation if we were not most earnest in a matter of such weight Saluation is not bestowed vpon them that care not whether they haue it or no Nay our Sauiour setteth downe that seeking for it will not serue but there must be great striuing vsed and that with agony and contention a 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Striue saith hee b Luk. 13.24 to enter in at the strait gate for many I tel you wil c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 seeke to enter and shal not be able Maruel not therefore if we leaue no stone vnturned to come by that which is so precious and so hardly found But the obiection ministreth greater strength to our argument For either the Parliament must deale most iniuriously with her Maiestie and saie it is not her will to haue Christ Iesus raigne ouer vs which far be it from entering into anie mans heart or that they will in a cause so directly tending vnto Gods glorie and the good of the weale publicke resist that which she most of al would haue decreed This later hath not beene found and I hope neuer will be in the Parliament of
whole welsh nation Which she now wanteth in asmuch as they knowe not themselues bound by reason of a 1 Tim. 2.2 the commandement to pray for their Prince because the same was neuer taught them When I consider that an infinite number of vs truelie conuerted in the feeling of such a great benefit receaued at hir hands would giue the Lorde no rest daie or night but still bee begging of him to blesse our vertuous Queene Elizabeth with the blessinges of a regenerat heart and a prosperous quiet gouernment when I call to mind what an earnest and ardent affection a true Christian beareth vnto his Prince especially who bestowed on him the meanes of saluation and the promise of God annexed to such praiers I cannot in duty but beseech hir Maiestie not to be wanting vnto hir owne safety euen in this one thing Which should not a little moue hir seeing it was of such great moment to stir vp b Ezra 6.10 Cyrus to the speedy erecting of gods honour at Ierusalem Moreouer you may be assured dread soueraign both that we and our children for euer wil blesse our God that he hath enclined mercy vnto vs in your eies And also our calling wil be a testimony of your burning zeale vnto the truth among all the ages to come euen to the enemies of your good name Whereas on the other side the continuance of our blind ignorance wil be I fear me a blemish vnto your credit in obedience I speak it among our wofull posterities and the enemies of God for euer For what will our children that rise after vs and their children say when they shal be brought vp in grosse superstitiō but that it was not Queene Elizabethes will that we their Parentes should haue that true religion she professed made knowen vnto vs. Will not the enemies of Gods truth with vncleane mouthes auouch that shee had little regarde vnto true or false religion anie further than it belonged vnto hir profite I would some of them did not slaunderously cast abroade amongst our people that she careth not whether the gospel be preached or not preached If she did wee also shoulde bee most sure to enioy it after twenty eight yeares and vpward of most prosperous raigne These thinges derogating from her Maiesties honor in a most villanous sort must be withstoode thorough hir selfe and this whole assembly by making prouision for vs betimes of the food of our soules Because I see this most notably detracteth from hir I cannot in duety but repell and gainsay this slander and with as loud a voice as ynck and paper can sound affirme and publish that she would haue the truth made knowen vnto al her people and wish al of them to be prophets Which thing I trust in God shall bee manifested vnto the woorld euen at this Parliament wherein Wales shal be alotted vnto Iesus Christ for his inheritance And good reason why it should be so because thereupon standeth the mainteinance of hir credit Of al the men in the world therfore she may be least beholding to them that will not deal earnestly in our behalfe And we the inhabitantes of Wales may thinke that very straunge that one suite tending generally to the benefit of vs al will not bee graunted vnto vs in twenty eight yeares and that vnder hir Maiestie whose good will towards vs is no Iesse we are assured then to the rest of hir subiects If wee doubted heereof behold at this time opportunity is offered to take away all suspicion Where-as the neglecting of our cause beeing generall as it is wil not bee without some occasion of ielousie as though we were contemned not accounted of but as thrown into the most baren corner of the land so thought vnworthy to haue the seed of Gods woord sowen amongst vs vnworthy to haue the seruice of the same God with hir Maiesty and the rest hir subiects You that are godly wise counsellers in matters of estate look whereunto the shutting out of our most humble petition may tend For all the good faithful seruice that euer hir graund-father father brother kings of eternal memory hir sister or hir selfe haue found at the hands of anie of our nation we beseech her this one reward that we may enioy the woord of God and leaue it for an inheritance vnto our children with this memorial also that it is Queen Elizabeths reward aswel for the faithfulnes she hir self found in vs whereof we are already by hir prosperous Raigne recompensed as also for the good wil our poore parents haue declared to the loffe of their liues vnto her noble progenitors This would neuer be forgotten and I know it will be aunswered againe with the forwardst readines to yeeld dutifull seruice vnto hir highnes that any prince could hope for at the hands of hir or his most louing subiects It might greeue vs the lesse to be denied the gospel vnlesse the same were the inheritance which our fore-fathers the Cymbrûbrittons many hundred yeares agoe possessed in this lande For although at this daie wee cannot cal true religion by the right name yet are not our superstitious obseruations the blossoms of that auncient truth our forefathers professed and sealed with their blood But the impes of that lifelesse and brutish stock of Rome planted in England by Augustine that proud friar whose tyranical proceedings our diuines in Wales resisted euen to the losse of their liues That these trash be but of small continuance among vs in respect of the antiquity the trueth hath had I proue because the vetie mother of them the execrable Masse was but yesterday as it were knowen vnto vs. Shewed by two reasons First among the cartloades of oathes which wee haue our people cannot tel for their liues how to sweare by the masse Secondly we haue the masse at the end of none of our holy daies For Christmasse Candlemasse c. wee name the day of the natiuity the holy daie of Marie c. Which things doe prooue the Masse to haue had but colde entertainement among vs but within this later age wherin ignorance and idolatrie by the iust iudgement of God tooke such deepe roote in England that it can ouer our land also The equitie then of our petition appeareth also in that we aske nothing but the possession and inheritaunce of our fathers to be restored vnto vs which they coulde not alienate from their children This were a sitte place to stir vp my deare countrimen to bee earnest in obteining that iewell which is woorth all their riches besides beeing their owne right but their forwardae in other causes persuadeth mee they wil not bee slacke in the matter of the soule And why should they not be earnest Doe they not see our daunger to be so manisest that no wise man would spare either woords or life to be deliuered there-from Are they not assured they shall be heard The reason amongst many that might persuade them of hir Maiesties readines to yeeld
vnto their petition is this Either it must be said that her highnes would not haue the Lord honored with our saluation that hue in hir daies and that she enuieth vs that good nay enuieth herself yea reiecteth the infinite reward in the life to come and assurance of safety with diuerse other benefits in this life freely offered vnto her for adding vs vnto the kingdome of his son which assertion I know they will detest and gainesay or that shee greatly longing for the honour of God and our vnspeakable good desirous of the crowne that shal bee giuen hir in the life to come will be most carefull incontinently whatsoeuer may ensue to plant the word in Wales This later is to be embraced affirmed Neither can it be said that she wil take leisure herein for that were plainly to say her Maiesty waied not the honour of Iesus Christ because many a thousand of vs should die before he were known to be a sauiour of distressed soules Shee hath otherwise learned Christ and therefore knoweth that the Lorde must not staie mans leasure when hee woulde haue anie thing perfourmed towards his seruice If one wil not do it he can finde another whom he wil honor â—â—â—h the deed Shee hath learned that it is to wâ—â—ken the Lordes omnipotencie and to teach him wisedome and discretion to goe no farther in a matter required by him than mans reasons seeth good likelie to come thereof She assureth hir selfe the Lord is discreet wise inough in commanding and therefore will doe hâ—â— will though hir kingdome should be endaungâ—red For he sufficiently recompenseth the losse that befalleth to anie while the execution of his will is attended vppon This course she tooke at hir first coronation This course I doubt not she wil take at this Parlament euen this I saie for who knoweth whether the Lord Iesus meaneth to keepe his before we haue a second proclaimed Will you therefore good gentlemen I speake vnto you my fathers my brethren my kindred and what name of loue else can be inuented my deare countrimen be mute where there is no question you shal be hard vnles the fault be in you Indeed it concerneth vs poor inhabitants of Wales verie nearly to be hard as wel in respect of our present misery as of the wonderfull calamity that is to fall vppon vs. Our case now is to bee especiallie pittied in respect of the inner man For howe many souls doe daily starue and perish among vs for want of knowledge And how many are like still to tread the same path It grieueth me at the hart to consider how hel is enlarged to receaue vs. And here the Lord knoweth and our soueraigne with this most honourable assembly shal know that I doe not complaine withour cause For our estate is such that we haue not one in some score of our parishes that hath a sauing knowledge Thousands there be of our people that know Iesus Christ to be neither God nor man king priest nor prophet ô desolate and forlorne conditiom yea almost that neuer heard of him If anie by the great goodnesse of God be called this came to passe not by the diligeÌ„ce of their pastours which are either dumme or greedy dogs that delight in sleeping as saith the Propheâ— a few honest meÌ„ excepted but either extraordinarily through reading or by meanes of their reâ—â—â—t and abode in some corner of the Church of â—ngland where the gospel is preached And lâ—â—g â—ay it be preached there to the glory of Gâ—d the felicity of our soueraign and the eueâ—â—asting good of that whole nobility and people â—hose kindnes towards strangers the Lord wilâ—â—ot forget And our Godremember Queen Elizabeth herein and wipe not out hir kindnes shewed toward thy people shew mercy vnto hir iâ— that daie good Lorde and forget hir not in this life also seing by means of fostering thy Gospell in hir land some of vs a people not regarded haue known the remissioÌ„ of our sinnes euen of our great sinnes Let this neuer be forgotten good Lord. I am caried I knowe not whither from my purposed intent These latter sort are some few gentlemen or such like The rest of our people are either such as neuer think of anie religion true or false plainly meere Atheists or stark blinded with superstition The later are of 2 sorts The first crue is of obstinate idolaters that would fain be again in execrable Rome so hold for good diuinity whatsoeuer hath bin harched in that sacrilegious nest But these may doe what they wil with vs for nether ciuil magistrat nor Bishop wil controul them They may be euen of the Parliament house least that congregation should be without some AchaÌ„ that might giue the Lord iust occasion to execrate his whole hoast Hence flow our swarmes of south saiers and enchanters such as will not stick openly to professe that they walke on Tuesdaies and Thursdaies at nights with the fairies of whom they brag themselues to haue their knowlege These sonnes of Belial who shuld die the death Leuit. 20.6 haue stroken such an astonishing reuerence of the fairies into the harts of our silly people that they dare not name theÌ„ without honor We cal them bendith û mamme that is such as haue deserued their mothers blessing Now our people wil neuer vtter bendith û mamme but they wil saie bendith û mamme û dhûn that is their mothers blessing which they account the greatest felicity that any creature can be capeable of light vpon them as though they were not to be named without reuerence Hence proceed open defending of Purgatory the Real presence praying vnto images c. with other infinit monsters The other sort is of good simple soules that would full gladly learne the way vnto saluation and spend their hart blood for the safety of their godly Prince in whoÌ„ they do claim more interest then the rest of hir subiects whosoeuer And this is almost the only happines they haue These poore soules because the Idol pastor can teach them nothing entering more deeply with themselues into the consideration of things find by the small light of religion we enioy through the meanes of hir Maiesty by the instinct of nature that there is a diuine essence who must be carefully and religiously serued and praied vnto for al blessinges that would be obtained Which things they see vnperfourmed publikely therefore priuatly they assay what they can doe But wofull estate they being not taught out of the worde of God what he is that must be serued how he requireth this to be doone inuent vnto themselues both their God and the maner of his seruice concerning saluation they either think that the Lorde is bound to saue all men because they are his creatures or that al shal be saued at the later day at the intreaty of the virgin Mary who shal desire her sonne after iudgement giuen to saue as many of the damned as may bee
couered vnder her man till this being graunted al the damned souls shal be there shrouded and so saued from helsiar This is the cause why our people make but a mocke of sinne They thinke the soule only shal goe to heauen not the body also whence it commeth that they say they care nor what becommeth of their bodies so their soules may bee saued They ascribe sauadge cruelty vnto God the father because he punished mans sinne so seuerely euen in his son Christ the Lord Iesus they commend Nû waâ—th genûfâ—â—him amy tady gwr â—râ—ûlon hinnûâ—onûd cydymmaith da ûwr mab I care not saith one for the father that cruel man but the sonne is a good fellowe Durst wee once conceiue these base cogitations of our Prince I know it would not be tolerated And I hope this religious and wise assembly will procure that the Lord may haue some more reuereÌ„ce at our hands Because the poor creatures can hear nothing at the mouth of their minister how their sinnes may be hidden their iniquities couered it is a common saying euen among those who care not for Rhomish Antichrist that it was a good worlde then when a man might haue a pardon for his sins in such and such a place for one 4 d. They see no felicity where mere ignorance of saluation is A false perswasion thereof they thinke better than none at all Man must haue religion true or false Our people learn one of another most blasphemous praiers This they doe so much the rather because in them they commeÌ„d them selues families c. vnto the tuition of some saint whom they think most fauourable vnto them and best able to grant their petitions My hart bleedeth to think howe these villanies with other vngodly songs are learned of good painfull soules with greedines I know masters of families that teach these vnto their housholds If they meete with any who can write and read they wil demand of him whether he can teach them euer a good praier against such a disease in man or beast Vngodly welsh bookes are fraught with these Idolatries If conscience would not keep me from vttering an vntruth before my soueraigne monarch yet fear of punishment should containe me But this I protest before Iesus Christ who shall iudge all euen according vnto their woordes and in the presence of al the world that the onely staffe stay of al priuat religion among our people the 2 sorts of men before named I exempt are latine praiers praying vnto Saints superstitious obseruations with vngodlie welsh songs and books If these things 〈…〉 meate Atheisme would ouer grow vs. Surely the reading ministery hath nor so much as wrought in the harts of anie almost the persuasion of one true God It were folly to goe about to heale the disease and let the cause remains Concerning that which is reade there is no man but thinketh very reuerently thereof And we praise the Lordâ— that we haue so much publikely by meanes of his highnes whereas in the daies of blindnes we had nothing but professed idolatry Take but a view of our liues and you shal see also what effect reading hath brought to passe There be many sinnes essential almost vnto our nation Profaning the name of God in common talk is prodigious aâ— affirmations or negations will bring thirty â—â—â—hes out of a great many Some shieres of South wâ—les haue gotten them an ignominious name by this sin I dare write that which I durst not vtter in words They are called gâ—ûr eig Dû◠Looke the punishment of swearing Deut â—8 5â— Leuit 〈◊〉 15.16 This is the 〈◊〉 book Zach. 13. Look the Law of concealing an oath Leu. 5 â— and you shâ—â—â— finde that the Parliament shoulde haue great â—â—gard to damme the springes of this sinne by the word preached What a hand we haue had in adultery fornication the great number of illegitimate and base born among vs doe 〈◊〉 I would our Princes and Leuit had not beans chiefe in this trespasse The punishment hereof in the Bishops court is derided of our people For what is it to theÌ„ to pay a litle money or to run through the Church in a white sheete They haue made 〈◊〉 and songs of this vulgar penance Neither iustice of peace not minister wil see the execution of the lawes prouided in this case Though they did seeing the Lords ordinance is not obserued it would not preuaile The seat of iudgement in our coÌ„mon courts is turned into wormwoode A man cannot haue his right in a yeare or two though his euidence be vnaunswerable They haue gotten many shifts wheÌ„ al failes one wil stand viz. excommunication The plaintife without al right maie be excommunicated in the Bishops court and so not absolued in a whole yeare Al which time hee is no person fit to prosecute his right in the common law It is irksome to think how hardly a poor man can keepe any thing from the eues of great countenaunce Though he seeth his own sheep or other cattel feed within two miles of him in some mens pastures he dareth not aske them Quaffing surfeting is too too common Al are become Ismaels Euery mans hand against them and theirs against all other Church men and all will haue their right by the sword for by the word they neuer seek it These thinges I doe not set downe to disgrace my deare countrimen I beare them another hart My purpose is to shew that all the good politique lawes in the woorld cannot wash awaie these our stains The nitre that washeth purely the word of the Lord must doe it A conscience must be wrought in our people else they wil neuer leaue their idolatry swearing adulterie and thee uery They that know the country know how litle hold the straightest and seue rest laws in the world wil take on a great many If it be the wil of the Parliament therfore we shal be bettered let the word be preached among vs. We haue preaching How often Quarterly It is not so For to that one parish where there is one ordinary quarter sermon we haue tweÌ„ty that haue none The number of fit preaching ministers in wales can easily proue the truth hereof Wee paietithes alwaies and therefore we should haue preaching alway for he that laboureth not must not eat 2. Thess 3.8.10 continuall preaching is Gods ordinaunce Eph. 4.12 therefore man must not dispence with it Confer Rom. 8.9 with Eph. 13.2 Tim. 4.2 Acts. 20.18.19.20.31 1 Thess 2.10.11 Heb. 5.12 Acts. 20.16 Colos 3.16 1. Pet. 1.23 Matt. 9.38 The seuerall reasons drawen our of these places of Scripture maie proue the necessity of continual preaching either in respect that it is Gods decree or that mans nature requireth it They that dense this may learne their duty by Iacobs diligence in keeping of sheep Gen. 31.40 So may they that set others to take the ouersight of the Lordes sanctuarie Ezec. 44.8 and blush Preaching is graunted conuenient