repentance before the Lord Iudg. 20. 26. Now the sinne of the Israelites for which they receiuing such a double foyle appeareth by the text to haue beene first too much confidence of the victorie in regard partly of the goodnes of their cause partly of their great multitude and secondly that although they sought vnto god in that behalfe yet they sought not in such humble and earnest manner as they should haue done and also did at the last when they had not onely warrant from God to goe againe to battell but also a promise of victorie Now if these sinnes be so dangerous to a good and iust cause what may be feared of great sinnes Thus much shall suffice to haue spoken concerning them that are of our religion THE FOVRTH VSE CONCERning Atheists and all those that are of no religion TOuching them that are not of our religion they are especially either Atheists and such as are of no religion or Papists By Atheists I meane not onely such as in deede and openly professe theÌ„selues to be such not fearing plainly to denie God and all religion of which sort we hauee too many euen in our lande but also such as doe beare men in hand that they are of our religion but in truth are not For albeit they will goe to Church and performe other outward duties that our religion requireth yea will also sometime speake and doe something for our religion yet all is but in pollicie they practise onely the precepts of cursed Machiuel and therfore if any change should come which the God of heauen keepe from vs they are as readie for any religion as for this To this sort of Atheists I doe also referre many ciuill men that neuer knew or heard of Machiuel himselfe neither of his precepts which come also to Church c. and liue likewise vprightly as touching ciuill righteousnes and outward equitie amongst their neighbours which will also sometimes talke of religion both ours and poperie and yet in truth also are of no religion at all neither Protestants nor Papists Moreouer hitherto belongeth a great multitude of poore soules in this land that for want of instruction are so ignorant that they know not what religion is or any point of religion and which therefore make no difference betwixt our religion and poperie All these I wish seriously to consider of my former arguments and thereby to prouoke themselues to make more account of religion generally and secondly of our religion onely then euer they haue done As they haue heard our religion to be of God and acceptable vnto him so let them know that they cannot please God in any other waie but onely in our religion How miserable therefore wretched and fearefull is their estate and condition Let all such therefore lament this their miserie heartily thanking God that they vnderstood it before their ende and whilst it is called to daie let them not harden their hearts but heare the voice of God yet calling them to his true religion and knocking at the dore of their consciences to be entertained with his truth Let them seeke the Lord whilst he may be found and call vpon him whilst he is neare Esa 55. 6. least neglecting his grace offered vnto them the Lord remooue his kingdome and depart himselfe as it were out of their hearing and so withdraw his mercies from them and poure out his iudgements vpon them that they stretch out their hands and the Lord hide his eyes they make many praiers and the Lord heare not Esa 1. 15. they seeke and there be none to be found to helpe them Ioh. 7. 34. yea least notwithstanding their seeking they die for all that in their sinnes Ioh. 8. 21. Let such as now laugh at and make as it were a Maie-game of all religion and the professours thereof weepe mourne in time for their such laughing least the Lord also doe laugh them to scorne in their miserie Psal 73. 13. and doe mocke theÌ„ when their feare commeth Prov. 1. 26. bringing such heauines vpon them that they cannot laugh though they would yea and in the ende casting them into the place of vtter darknes feare horrour where is nothing but weeping and gâ—ashing of teeth Math. 8. 12. that is in hel fire that neuer shall be quenched where their worme dieth not and their fire neuer goeth out Mark 9. 43 44. Those also that hitherto haue beene secure and careles regarding no religion let them likewise in time better regard such meanes as whereby they may be drawne to our religion THE FIFTH VSE CONCERning weake and ignorant Papists TO Papists also I saie the same especially to such as are Papists in a kind of conscience that is to such as are not of that religion of any obstinate and wilfull minde but because in ignorance they are perswaded their religion to be the right waie and ours to be a wrong or by-waie I doubt not but that there are many such in the land Yea I hope that many Papists are such This I doe hope of such Papists as bring not forth those fruits that poperie approoueth of whereof I haue spoken in my sixt argument before which are also mercifull and readie to doe good not to them onely of their owne religion but also to other These I hope to be rather ignorant then wilfull Papists therefore I haue also some good hope of their conuersion in time especially if it might please God to mooue their hearts to haue regard of the perfect law of god which conuerteth the soule Psal 19. 7. And truly in the Christian loue that I beare vnto these and in the pittie and compassion I haue of their soules as I see them full of pittie and compassion towards the bodies of other and likewise to haue many other excellent commendable things in them I haue the rather set penne to paper for the writing of this treatise to trie if it might please my good God to blesse my labour vnto their good euen to the winning of them to our religion For I protest vnto them and God knoweth I speake the truth of my heart and lie not neither dissemble that I so desire their saluation that I would be gladder thereof then of all worldly wealth and good whatsoeuer In the meane time me thinketh that howsoeuer they be commended for many excellent things indeede not very common yet all their commendation is very defectiue and lame for want of commendation touching true religion Yea certenly when a man hath saide all that he can in commending such persons and then saith that these were excellent men or worthie women were it not for one thing that is for their religion this one thing wanting is more then all they haue For this one thing concerneth God all the other for which Papists are commonly coÌ„mended concerne but men And our Sauiour saith that the great and first or chiefest commandement is to loue the Lord our God c. Math. 22. 38. yea
adder that stoppeth his eares refusing to heare the voice of the charmer charme he neuer so wisely Be ye not vnlike vnto the first world that seeing how miraculously and contrarie to nature the lyons beares woolfes tygers elephants vnicomes hares conies and such like cruell and wilde beasts the swallows also kytes rauens ostriches eagles and many other the like wilde and rauening birdes came willingly and gently without any outwarde force compelling them to Noah to goe into the arke with him and with his familie Gen. chap. 7 vers 7. would not yet beleeue and therefore were drowned in the waters Be ye not like the Egyptians and many also of the Israelites that seeing the great works of God against Egypt and for the land of Zoan would not yet beleeue and therefore perished the one in the redde sea the other in the wildernes Be ye not like the Iewes that did see the great and mightie workes done by our Sauiour and his Apostles for commending his gospell and yet would not beleeue and are therefore scattered vpon the face of the earth out of their owne countrey vnto this day and that which is worse are giueÌ„ ouer also to hardnes of heart wil not yet beleeue that the Christ and Messias is come 6 Verily God hath commended our religion as we haue before shewed to your eares to your eies to your vnderstaÌ„ding to your inward to your outward to your whole man Take heed take heede therefore that ye harden your hearts no longer Ye haue heard many arguments drawne from the word of God ye haue seene and doe daily see his workes against your owne religion and for ours O therefore stop not your eares shut not your eyes Yea ye your selues O ye that will be called Catholiques haue fared and doe fare the better for our religion in England Ye your selues are partakers of the benefites whereby the Lord hath graced it and doth grace it ye liue in much peace for our religions sake ye enioy your honours and dignities by our religion yea ye keepe and encrease your liuings the better for our religion For though some of you perhaps will say that ye pay two hundred and fourtie pound a yeare for your religion yet if ye were throughly examined and would truly answer ye could not denie but that vnder pretense of this payment ye saue twise so much an other waie For this is certen that none doe purchase more lands build goodlier houses and hoard vp more money then some of them that paie the foresaid summe yearely Thinke not that it should be better with you if the Spanyard might here preuaile ye are wise enough to see how vaine such thoughts are by his dealing in other places where he hath wonne the goale Doe ye also hope of some better estate if poperie were againe here reuiued without the Spanyard perhaps ye should be deceiued partly by the old greedines of the Pope the rather beeing now like an hungerstarued curre that for his long want of the crummes bones yea and good gobbets of meat that were wont to fall from the tables of England to his share would now be insatiable partly and especially by some other iudgements of God that would follow poperie Sith therefore ye enioy such benefits by vs and our religion as Laban fared the better for Iacob Gen. 30 30. and Potiphar for Ioseph Gen. 39. 5. be not so vnrighteous as any longer to condemne that which God doth iustifie Be not so vnthankfull as any longer to refuse his great mercie in calling you by such commendations of our religion to the embracing thereof Now I say vnto you as Paul saith vnto Timothie 2. Tim. 2. 7. Consider what I say and the Lord giue you vnderstanding in all things Yea such vnderstanding as that I and all other that desire your saluation may reioyce that the angels in heauen may reioyce and especially that your selues may reioyce with ioy vnspeakable and glorious THE SIXT VSE CONCERNING obstinate and wilfull Papists TOuching those that be obstinate whither they be Papists or Atheists professed or not professed but rather according to Machiuel his counsell too much now esteemed and followed making a shew for the present time towards our religion to such I saie as will not be reclaimed and called backe from their poperie or profanenes I giue this counsell that although they will not ioyne handes with vs in the true embracing and profession of our religion yet they take heede alwaies that they neither speak nor doe any thing against our religion or the professours thereof This counsell I giue them in regard of themselues because certenly the Lord will not forget the least opposition vnto his name or iniurie vnto his seruaâ—â—s Though many times he let theÌ„ runne their race a while so as they thinke all is forgotten yet as I haue said before of recompensing any kindnesse in word or deede shewed to his people at the last though it seeme to belong certenly the Lord euen in this life will meete with them or theirs for their sinne against his name and wrong against any of his seruants In the 8. of Amos v. 7. the Prophet telleth them that had deuoured and swallowed the poore by their extreame dealing with them in selling their corne at an vnreasonable price vnto them as too too many doe in this time of dearth amongst vs that the Lord had sworne by the excellencie of Jaacob that is euen by himselfe that he would neuer forget that crueltie Obserue good reader orrather let such obserue as of whome I speake that he saith not that the Lord had said onely he would not forget but that the Lord had sworne it by himselfe teaching therby that except they did speedily repent the Lord would most certenly punish that their great sinne because euery word of God is certen much more that word the which he confirmeth by an oath If the Lord did threaten and sweare the punishment of hard dealing with the common sort of the people that for the most part are as poore in heauenly things as in earthly that is whose wickednes is as great as their pouertie can any man hope of immunitie and to goe free that speaketh or doth any thing directly or indirectly against that religion which he seeth to be acceptable vnto God or against those persons that professe the same both which are as deare vnto God as the apple of his eye 2 Neither let this be vnderstood onely of religion and the professours thereof generally but also more particularly of euery branch of religion of euery good cause and of euery one dealing in such causes The example of God his iudgements vpon diuers malicious Papists before mentioned doe testifie the same So also doe many examples in the scriptures Though the sinnes generally of Ahab and Iezebel his wife were many yet the Lord threatned ruine vnto them both and to all their posteritie chiefly for their sinne against righteous Naboth 1. King 21.
God I answer with S. Iohn They went our from vs but they were not of vs 1. Ioh. 2. 19. They professed our religion but they neuer truly embraced the same neither did euer truly feele the power of godlines in their soules yea though it may be that they had some ioy in our religion yet it was but the ioy of the stony ground wherin the seede of the word hath no sound rooting Math. 13. 20. and like vnto the ioy of Herod at the preaching of Iohn Baptist Mark 6. 20. Yea but some perhaps will obiect further that many of the best of our religion are often in great heauines of minde and doe much doubt of God his fauour c. yea that most part of their life they continue in this pensiuenes To this I answer that although this fruit of ioy and sound comfort do alwaies grow vpon the tree of our religion yet sometime the twigges of our olde crabstocke into which this religion is grafted doe grow out so farre through our euill husbandrie and not pruning them in time that the leaues thereof beeing very thicke according to the nature of the crabbe doe so shadowe this fruit that euen he that is grafted with the impes and sciences of our religion can hardly finde this fruit without narow search and diligent turning ouer and remoouing the leaues as it were one by one with his hand As also we read that although Christ were in the presence of the two disciples that were going to Emaus and talked with them and yet was not discerned by them because their eyes were holden that they could not know him Luk. 24. 16. as also that Marie Magdalene saw Iesus and talked with him but yet knew him not Ioh. 20. 14. So also the children of God that by a true and liuely faith are partakers of Christ do not yet see Christ nor the great comfort which they haue by Christ because their eyes are holden that is their sight is dimmed by the sight of sinne partly and partly also by the sleights of Satan that they can neither see nor feele that matter of ioy and comfort which they haue and carrie daily about within their breasts 8 Finally touching this comfort it is with the children of God and such as are truly of our religion as it is with many simple men in the world touching their earthly possessions and inheritances For although they haue neuer so good right vnto them and neuer so good assurance of them euen as good as possibly they can haue and as all the lawyers by all the law in the world can make them yet for all that they oftentimes meete with some pettifogger and cousening mate that telleth them their title is naught and not worth a straw so forth Now by such wordes the simple man is halfe perswaded and beginneth something to doubt yea sometime almost to feare and thus he continueth till he meete with his learned counsaile that doe againe declare vnto him and assure him of the contrarie so Isaie is it with the children of God and such as are truly seasoned with our religion By Christ Iesus they haue as good right to the kingdome of heauen as is possible and their estate is so good as that all the enemies they haue either carnal or spirituall cannot possibly defeat them thereof notwithstanding such is their simplicitie in heauenly things as oftentimes it is greater in earthly things that their enemie and the enemie of God meeting with them and reasoning the case either by his outward instruments or by those secret friends which he hath in a man his owne heart doth at the last by his subtiltie make them to doubt and filleth them with feare till they meete againe with their old counseller the spirit of God who sometime keepeth himselfe close and for a time will not as it were be spoken withall to trie what his clyents will or can doe without him but when they meete and conferre with him by the time that he hath a little repeated their assurance and declared their right from point to point by his seuerall effects in their hearts and how also Christ Iesus purchased saluation for them and bestowed it vpon them and therefore also gaue him vnto them as an earnest pennie thereof to seale and confirme the whole gift then doe they cast away their former feare and recouer their ancient comfort So is it from time to time with them whilst Satan talketh with them and the spirit of God hideth himselfe they doubt but when the spirit of God talketh with them by his liuely and sensible operation in their hearts then are they of good cheere and comfort yet euen whilst they feare they haue no cause of feare but their right is alwaies one and the same onely sometime by their simplicitie they see not their right This shall suffice to haue spoken both of the abundance of all heauenly comfort in our religion and also of the want thereof in poperie Wherefore I doe againe conclude both that our religion is most pleasant and acceptable vnto the God of all comfort and also that poperie is altogether abominable in his sight THE EIGHT ARGVMENT touching the wisdome of true religion an infallible note and signe thereof I May here also not vnfitly nor out of place adde the foolishnes of poperie For what can be more foolish or ridiculous then the worship of such reliques as they doe both worship and also take great paines and trauaile many myles defray great charges for the worship of theÌ„ especially most foolish absurd and grosse is it to worship such as before haue beene named as the verie â—ayle of the asse wheron Christ rode such like I aske here no pardoÌ„ as speaking grossely the holines of the thing must take away the homelines of the word But I maruaile they could get nâ— better and sweeter morsell then the taile it may be they came too late to market and so all the better peeces being taken vp before by dogges kytes ravens and such other customers as doe vse to resort to such markets this onely was left and so it was bought for the Pope his owne tooth but he of his meere holie conscience would not eate meate of so great a price and of his great liberalitie bestowed it vpon the church for euer If they make so much account of the taile they would much more haue honoured the head if they had come time enough to the market what then would they haue done with the whole bodie if they could haue gotten it and if they make such reckoning of a peece of a dead asse I suppose that if they had the liuing asse and could keepe him aliue and yet what a foole am I to make a question of their power in such a thing when as euerie man knoweth that their Pope and euery Priest of his begetting can make God himselfe and we heard also before that the Pope himselfe can make something of nothing
looketh not so much to the inward man but regardeth the worke wrought howsoeuer it be done and that he in iustice cannot deny a good reward to such merits Can the naturall man dislike of all this Further what naturall man is not readie apt to worship images to inuocate Saints to sweare to profane the Lord his daie or at least to obserue any holiday appointed onely by man more exactly to be proud to resist magistrates c. what naturall man I saie is not willing enough to these and the like 3 Yea but it is obiected that our religion teacheth faith onely to iustifie without works and that therefore our religion is a doctrine of ease and libertie and so consequently more pleasing the naturall man then poperie which requireth many numbers of praiers no◠to God onely but also to Saints many great iournies in pilgrimages many offerings to the church many almes many good works many merits c. I answer first acknowledging that we teach indeede that faith onely iustifieth euen without any workes whatsoeuer yet is this faith more hard to the naturall man then all before mentioned to be taught and required by poperie For this saith that we teach must haue knowledge of God of him whome he hath sent as also of the holy Ghost and that as they are reuealed in the word and likewise of the promises of God in his word particularly taught it must also applie these things particularly to euery man his particular selfe Secondly though we say that good works are not necessarie as causes of iustification yet we doe vtge true good workes not such as the Papists commend more straitly then they doe teach them to be more necessarie as effects fruits of iustification and such as without which there is no saluation For we say that he that hath not eternall life begunne in him heare that is in whome the olde man is not crucified and sinne mortified in whome the new man is not restored and the life of godlines wrought that man shal neuer haue eternal life in the world to come neither shal euer enter into the kingdome of heauen This the Apostle saith and this we saie that flesh and blood cannot inherit the kingdō of God neither corruption inherit incorruptio 1. Cor. 15. 50. 4 As for all other things required by poperie the naturall man can well brooke and beare so long as the inward may be dispensed withal yea what is there so costly though it come to the plucking off the earings and giuing the ordinarie iewells and ornaments that men vse to weare though it be the offering thousands of bullocks and rammes or ten thousand riuers of oyle what is so pretious though it be the first fruits of a man his owne bodie what is so laborious painful though it be the cutting of himselfe with knives lancres as the priests of Baal did or the whipping of himself til the blood follow or the pining of himselfe by long fasting or at least by liuing onely of bread water and by lying in woollen vpon bare boards or taking no rest many years togither but onely standing as many old Monks mentioned by Socrates and Sozomen were wont to doe some foolish papists yet doe what I saie of all these is such that a natural man wil not willingly vndergo so it be repugnāt to Gods word deuised only by mā Againe what though poperie require all these things what also though nothing thereof be performed whilst a man liueth here shall he therefore to hell No saie the Papists there is remedie for that When he dieth and needeth no more to vse his goods himselfe let him but giue liberally to the poore especially to the Church and to priests for singing and saying of masses dirges trentalls and other such pleasant songs for his soule and then all shall be well enough He shall not go to hell but onely to purgatoriekitchin and there either to be a rafter or a little to turne the spit and then after a few yeares he shall be remooued from thence and preferred euen to God his owne parlour in heauen In the meane time who seeth not that the hope of this maketh any man especially of wealth and abilitie to giue liberally if all the daies of his life he may liue in all licentious manner 5 But as for our religion it is farre otherwise therewith For by abasing the whole man and all that is in him and teaching those things which before haue bin spoken of and shall not neede now to be repeated it is altogether vnpleasant and vnsauorie to the naturall man euen as smoke vnto the eyes and vineger to the teeth yet to God yea therefore to God it is sweete pleasant Certenly in this respect there is such difference betwixt our religion and poperie that if both were offered vnto the naturall man he would make much sooner choise of poperie then of ours And this indeede is the cause why of long tim e and of most parts in the world poperie hath beene so generally receiued why there haue beene more Papists then Protestants namely because our religion is altogether repugnant to nature and poperie altogether agreeable thereunto Further let euery man examine his owne heart how it standeth naturally affected and he shall finde himselfe rather inclined to poperie wherein he may for a money matter haue both pardon of any sinne alreadie committed and also a dispensation to commit what he will though it be incest with his owne sister then to our religion which condemneth all such pardons and dispensations Sith therfore this is now so euident that poperie is so sutable to our corrupt nature and that our religion is altogether so harsh thereunto why may I not againe conclude as before I haue done both against poperie and also in behalfe of our religion THE TENTH ARGVMENT the first part touching the great decaie of Gods gifts in these times of Poperie MY last argument touching the maine conclusion both against poperie and also for our religion shall be from the testimonies of God himselfe in this matter By the testimonies of God I meane not here the testimonies of his written word but reall and actuall testimonies if I may so speak that is such things as whereby indeede God himselfe hath iustified our and condemned the Romish religion vnto the eyes of men as by his written word he hath done the same vnto their eares Neither let any man be offended that I call such things by the name of God his testimonies for so the like arguments are called in the scripture it selfe Ioh. 5. 36. our Sauiour Christ calleth the workes that he did the witnesses or testimonies of his Father in his behalfe I haue saith he greater witnes then the witnes of Iohn for the works which the Father hath giuen me to finish the same works that I doe beare witnes of me that the Father hath sent me In like manner speaketh the
Queene a most liuely and bright example of God his righteousnes in this behalfe As her Maiestie hoth honoured God in exalting establishing and maintaining this religion in comforting and countenancing the professours thereof of her owne people and in harbouring releeuing and succouring them of other nations so who seeth not but that God hath many waies as much honoured her aboue all her noble auncetours as shee hath excelled them in zeale towards this religion THE THIRD VSE CONCERning the militarie Nobles that are of our religion AS I doe wish zeale daily to grow in all great persons generally for the better vpholding and further aduancing of this religion so more particularly I doe also wish all Dauids Worthies that is the principall captaines and men of warre of Queene Elizabeth to fight not onely the battailes of our Queene countrey and people and of themselues their wiues and children c. but also of the Lord in defence of our religion against the Spanyard or any other champion of the Pope these I wish by this that I haue written to be the more valiant and couragious in this cause of our religion against such and other enemies Why so because ye fight not for men but God himselfe Excellent is that speech of Ioab and worthie to be in euery ensigne that goeth against the Romish Ammonites Moabites c. euen written in great letters that euery souldiour might see a farre off read and be encouraged thereby Be strong and let vs be valtant for our people and for the countries of God and let the Lord doe that which is good in his eyes 2. Sam. 10. 13. Excellent also and worthie in like sort to be written are the words of Iehaziel the sonne of Zechariah c. vnto Jehoshaphat and all Iuda for the encouragement of them against the mightie forces of the Ammonites and Moabites that came vp against them as the Spanyards haue come vp and doe yet daily threaten to come vp against vs Feare ye not neither be ye afraid for this great multitude for the battell is not yours but Gods 2. Chron. 20. 15. I wish also such Worthies of our land by the former experience that we haue had of God his mightie working and fighting for vs to be the better encouraged for the time warres and dangers to come as we read Dauid to haue bin animated against Goliah by the former successe he had against a lyon and a beare 1. Sam. 17. 35. Notwithstanding as the cause is not their owne but the Lords so I wish and exhort them not to seeke their owne praise and glorie but the praise and glorie of him whose cause they handle whose battels they fight Ioab in fighting against Rabbah a citie of the Ammonites did more respect the honour of Dauid then of himselfe and therefore though he might haue taken it without Dauid yet he would not but sent first for Dauid that the victorie might not be attributed to himselfe but vnto Dauid 2. Sam. 12. 28. If Ioab a wicked man did so notwithstanding respect the honour of Dauid aboue his owne honour and yet Dauid though he were his soueraigne was but a mortall man but a type of Christ Iesus how much more ought our Christian worthies and nobles to respect the praise the honour and the glorie of Christ Jesus himselfe aboue their owne praise honour glorie Further besides this regard of Christ his glorie let them also goe forth not trusting in their owne forces for after this sort goe forth the heathen vnto their battailes but let them trust in the power and helpe of the mightie Lord Christ Iesus And therefore as it hath beene christianly prouided by our most christian Prince the gouernours of our church vnder her that there should be publike praiers in behalfe of such expeditions against the common aduersaries so I wish also our noble Worthies most highly to esteeme of such praiers yea themselues also before their going forth and whilst they shall be forth alwaies to commend all their enterprizes vnto the Lord by most earnest praier yea to make also all the friends they can at home in like manuer to remember them priuately as by publique authoritie they are remembred publiquely For certenly as hitherto we are not to doubt but that our chiefe successe hath beene more by these meanes then by any strength of our owne arme so also let them assure themselues that if they goe forth in this sort then the Lord will not onely send his angel with them as he offered to doe for the Israelites Exod. 33. 2. but will also goe with them himselfe as it were in proper person not onely to looke on how they fight for him but also to teach their handes to fight and their fingers to battell yea the Lord will be as a man of warre to goe before them in the middes of them behinde them and round about them in complete harnesse both to couer their heads in the daiâ— of battell and likewise to fight for them and to deliuer his owne and their enemies into their hands as he hath done Now if the Lord be thus with them who can be against them But yet one thing more remaineth concerning both such Worthies themselues and also all common soldiers namely that as they haue heard and seene by this that hath beene written that all warre in behalfe of our religion is God his warre and in his cause so also they take heede that whilst they fight one way for our religion and for God they fight not an other way against religion and against God himselfe How is this verily by transgressing violating or neglecting the precepts of this religion and that way sinning against God For he that doth so fighteth more against religion against God then for religion and for God Therefore the Scripture plentifully teacheth vs that God hath oftentimes giuen ouer his owne people for their sinnes yea once also his Arke to captiuitie of the common enemie yea his temple where his name was called vpon to be destroied and all the holy vessells and other ornaments of the temple which sometime had serued for his worship to be polluted and defiled by the wicked heathen Let all such Worthies therefore as before I haue spoken of as likewise all common soldiers which shall hereafter be emploied against the common enemie diligently take heede and beware of all sinne generally and more specially of such sinnes as are most common in warriours what these are I neede not to speake because otherwise though their cause be good and commended likewise in some sort by praier vnto God by themselues and by other yet may they feare the successe of the battell This is manifest by the double ouerthrow the other Israelites had before the Beniamits in a cause very iust and commended also to God and that with weeping the second time and wherein at the first they also preuailed hauing humbled themselues in praier and fasting and true
20. the which was so fully executed by Iehu according to the word of the Lord that they paid most deerely for Naboth his vineyard 2. King 9. 27 33. 10. 6. Though Ioash king of Iuda committed many sinnes after the death of good Iehoiada the high priest yet his putting to death of the Prophet Zechariah the sonne of the same Iehoiada is onely mentioned as the chiefe cause why his owne seruants conspired against him and murthered him 2. Chron. 24. 25. Though Haman had not fully effected his bloodie purpose against Mordecai and the other Iewes yet we know that the same measure by the righteous iudgement of God was measured vnto him that he had onely intended to haue measured vnto Mordecai Est 7. 10. 3 Here especially let vs remember how God dealt with the Amalekites onely for withstanding the Israelites as they came out of the land of Egypt Exod. 17. 8. First although the Lord did discomfort them before the Israelites at the praier of Moses whē they first came out against Israel yet did not the Lord satisfie himselfe with their ouerthrow of that daie but presently he spake further against them vnto Moses vers 14. saying Write for a remembrance in the booke and rehearse it to Ioshua for I will vtterly put out the remembrance of Amalek from vnder heauen and again v. 16. The Lord hath sworn that he will haue warre with Amalek from generation to generation Afterward also the Lord opened the mouth of Balaam whome Balak sent for to curse Israel the Lord I saie opened his mouth with a curse of destruction against the Amalekites Nomb. 24. 20. Yea but perhaps these were but words Words indeede they were but yet afterward when that generation of the Amalekites which then liued and foure other at the least were dead and rotten those words were fulfilled For as long after this as before we heard that God remembred the kindnes of the Kenites for their good the same God also remembred that sinne of the Amalekites to their ouerthrow For he sendeth Samuel with this mandate and commission to Saul against Amalek 1. Sam. 15. 2. I remember what Amalek did to Israel how they laide waite for them in the way as they came vp from Egypt now therefore goe and smite Amalek and destroy all that pertaineth vnto them and haue no compassion on them but stay both man and woman both infant and suckling both oxe and sheepe both camell and asse This was foure hundred yeares after the former sinne committed A man therefore would haue thought that God had not nowe any more thought vpon it for all his former note of remembrance But the Lord remembereth when men forget and thinke also all to be forgotten Yea the Lord did so remember this sinne and doth so remember other the like sinnes as that if he forbeare the punishment for a time yet at the last he commeth in also for arrearages For in the former commission giuen to Saul we see with what seueritie the Lord will haue Saul to proceede against the Amalekites Yea afterward in the same chapter when Saul had beene too remisse in the execution of that commission the Lord raised vp Samuel to doe or see that to be done against Agag the king of Amalek that Saul had neglected 4 If therefore there shall be any such Papists or Atheists as by no meanes will be reclaimed and drawne to our religion in this treatise commended and prooued to be of God and acceptable vnto him yet at the least let them take heede and beware of speaking the least word and doing the least deede against it or against any that loue and maintaine the same for louing and maintaining thereof Let them not flatter themselues God is the same now that euer he was And the more himselfe hath spoken or done for commendation and iustifying this religion the more that others raised vp and also directed by him haue spoken written or done in the same behalfe the greater shall be the iudgement in the ende of all such as shall not regard the same 5 Now the successe of all that I haue written in this cause I commit to him that is onely able to giue a blessing thereunto The Lord therefore make vs all that doe alreadie professe this religion thankfull vnto him for that he hath in his abundant mercie vouchsafed vs the glorious light the rich benefit and the sweete comfort thereof The Lord confirme and strengthen vs to continue therein vnto the ende The Lord enrich vs more and more daily with the faith knowledge loue and feare of God with the righteousnes mercie and all other vertues touching God or men that it commendeth The Lord fill the hearts of all great persons with more zeale to speake and doe more for the aduancing it especially any speciall opportunitie beeing offered The Lord thereunto animate incourage and inable all his owne Worthies to defend it against all aduersaries thereunto with all honourable successe The Lord preserue aduance and honour them that haue aduanced and honoured it Especially O Lord preserue aduance and honour thy seruant our dread Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth yea O Lord as thou hast set her higher then all other in her kingdomes so stil magnifie thy mercy towards this Church and other Churches which as it were sucke of her breasts that neuer gaue suck in making her elder then any of her owne people especially then any of thine and he◠aduersaries The Lord open both the eyes of such as haue not regarded our religion to see the glorie of it and also their hearts to embrace it Finally touching such as be incurable the Lord restraine them from doing that to the hindrance thereof which Satan by them endeauoureth and in the ende doe with them and to them that which shall be right in his owne eyes Amen AN ADDITION OF CERTAINE DAINties of Poperie collected partly out of their popish seruice bookes and partly out of the writings of some princi pall Doctours of speciall account in the popish church when poperie it selfe was at the highest HAuing in my former generall treatise against poperie and in defence of our religion charged poperie to be a religion maintained and vpheld by vnlawfull means and whereof both matter and forme are contrarie to that religion which the Scriptures commend to be acceptable vnto God yea to be a religion maintaining open blasphemies against God and Christ Iesus and wherein there is scarse any worship of God at all Hauing also charged it to be a religion wherein nothing is done to God his glorie but all things almost referred to the glorie of the Pope of Saints of the woodden stonie golden or painted crosse c. of reliques of saints of men c. Hauing affirmed it to be a religion that teacheth no obedience to the ten commandements of almightie God but that alloweth disobedience vnto euery one of them and that therefore it is a religion altogether licentious loose and full of carnall