To all our Christian Brethren in Englande which wayte for the kingdome of Christ increase of the knowledge of the trueth bee multiplied vnto them with streÌ„gth and patience and perseuerance vnto the ende MY state is known vnto manie of you my Brethren how that of certaine time though weakely vntowardly I haue striueÌ„ and withstood the yoke of spiritual bondage in the worshippe of God which the man of perdition haue yet left behinde for our sifting and trial FroÌ„ the which that I might bee deliuered the Lorde God the searcher of heartes I take to recorde that it haue bene myne onlie quarell and the cause of stirring me vp to do that which I did Concerning the whiche cause I did not thinke it lawefull for mee though I coulde haue escaped in time ynough to withdraw my selfe into any other place for myne owne liberties sake vntill I had more openly witnessed the same cause Which when it seemed good vnto God that I with some others should doo by abyding imprisonment a certayne time Then hauing offered our selues to suffer whatsoeuer our vexers should lay vpon vs and espyinge nothing like to be done vnto vs but to bee holden with lingering imprisonement and that without libertie of communicating vnto others the instruction of the same cause which we professed wee thought good rather to vndergoe some exile as it were for redeeming at least some libertie of worshipping God with safetie of conscience Which when we did and diuers of our Brethren which were willing to come vnto vs were restrayned and we were persuaded that to returne vnto them thither whereas by imprisonment we should againe be holden from them would litle anayle I haue iudged that we haue bene debters to them to bestow vpon them some thing which might helpe to increase their spirituall courage and comforte In which behalfe when the expectation of me and diuers others rested vppon some who in the ende did but slenderlie answere and satisfie thesame Then I which for my vnworthines and poore gifte hadde thought neuer to haue set foorth any thinge publikely yet was prouoked to indeuour my selfe in some parte as farre as the Lorde should make me able to satisfie that want which I thought to be great And I went about a piece of work touching Church gouernement But partlie by sicknes partly by weying the cost of the print and findinge it to be aboue my reache of abilitie I was hindered and haue let staye that worke vntill the Lorde further inable mee In the meane tyme I thought good to write some other little treatse and I chose this 122. Psalme thinking thereby to haue occasion ministred to speak of diuers of those pointes which concerne the cause meÌ„tioned And I was determined to haue spokeÌ„ somewhat brieflie vpon the whole Psalme But in the firste entraunce meetinge with those pointes which I thought good they should be discussed somewhat largelie for edifyinge sake Agayne sicknes and other causes cutting me short I was constreined to ende at this time skarce finishing the firste verse Neyther was it my desire to seeme to speak much vppon a little Texte yea I confesse that I haue passed the boundes of Scholler like handeling the Text but the thinges which offered them selues to be spoken of seemed to my iudgement to require so much measure Herein my desire vnto the lord is that my poore labour may be accepted of him and may be profitable to his people J Would haue the Reader aduertised that whereas in one place of this boke I haue these woords The Authour to the Hebrewes speake of certaine Christians which were racked c. My meaning was not but that I iudged him to speake especially of those which suffered persecution before the comming of Christ in the fleshe which beleuing in Christ to come may also well be called by the name of Chrstians Yet after it was printed I suspecting that it might be an occasion of cauilling to some I thought good to sett downe a word or two of my meaning therin PSAL. C.XXII ver I. I reioyced when they saide vnto me We will goe into the house of the Lorde RIght well is it said that wher y e treasure is there will the harte bee also which thing is seene in this seruant of the Lorde who behaued him selfe worthelie in the Arke bringinge home And as it was the Lordes worke so did he carefullie acquite him selfet hat the curse shoulde not laye holde on him whiche belongeth to the working of the Lordes worke negligentlie But that he did hee did with all his power and when hee had finished his ioyfull worke his ioye was not ended but rebowned agayne and agayne with a sweete Echo in his soule So as it was meate and drinke to him to doo the will of God so was it also his pleasure to thinke and muse vpon the same and he hath conceyued the grace of Gods spirite and hath brought foorth this Psalme as the fruite of so godlie a meditation leauing vs a glasse and paterne wherein to see the spottes of our deformed and lothesome negligence and a lanterne he hath set bright before vs that wee may see to take our waye to goe and laye hande on the Lordes plought to doo his acceptable worke Out of whose example and wordes in this Psalme wee minde by the good furtherance of God to gather some aduertisementes to stirre our selues vp yet whyles it is called to day least we should be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne First we haue to speake of his ioye and the cause thereof the remeÌ„brance of which he doth now feede vpon and chewe the cudd vpon this ioye of that happie daye whiche hee thus remembreth The Lorde chose Dauid from the sheepe folds to feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel And as it is spoken of him that he fed them in the simplicitie of his harte so did it eueÌ„ appeare in his first entrance of his kingdome For nothinge helde him carefull in comparison of this to haue the Lorde to vouchsafe to come home agayne vnto his people and to be at peace with them to loue them remoue shame and rebuke farre from them by returninge his holie Arke the token of his presence and the liuelie image of his countenance vppon them as the taking away thereof was the turning his backe vpon them and turning awaye his face as hee hadde threatned before for sinne And it was the reprochefull steyning of the glorie of Israel as it sayde The glorie is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken Therfore was the care of Dauid his zeale set on fyre within his brest which thing he mightely declared and the â—â—aine thereof appeared when he sware vnto the Lord and vowed a vowe vnto the mightie God of Iacob saying I will not enter into the Tabernacle of mine house nor come vpon my palet or bedde nor suffer myne eyes to
as did vpoÌ„ Vzzah discouraged manie weakned their hands So by their vntowardnes they caused the sauour of the Lords work to stink in the nostrels of the people And of late an other attempt haue bene giuen that waie by one of whom I must needs saie that the Lord vsed him as a meanes to bringe the trueth to light in manie points concerning the true gouernement of the Churche who I wish for the glorie of God if it had ben his good pleasure that he had stoode in integrity without swaruing and leaninge to Antichristian pride and bitternes And for me to make mention thereof may seme very hard which am not so able therin to saue my self froÌ„ the reproch of manie tongues as I am to cleare my selfe of the deseruing the same Yet notwithstanding a wound being made in the brethrens minds I haue thought it my duetie rather to labour to heale it theÌ„ to faine my selfe not to see it True it is at all times that iniquitie preuailinge causethe the loue of manie to abate For euerie iniquitie committed especiallie in those enterprises which beare the cheefest shewe of holines before the Lord and draw nearest his work procure a more greuous and speedie iudgement to cause a lamentable successe therein For as I haue alledged The ieleous God will be sanctified of those which come neare him and he cause his iudgment to beginne euen at his owne house This iudgment being beholden causeth feare and daunteth the courage of many which had begonne to steppe in the waie Euen as if two men riding through a water the former slipp into some groope and perish the other had rather turne backe and loose his iournie then to goe forward though there be space enough to goe by and auoyd that daunger At the least with feare and trembling hee seeketh out his waie And no maruell it is though the beholding of such iudgement because of iniquitie preuailinge cooleth greatlye the heat of loue and dulleth the edge of courage for a time For euen valiant Iosua thereby was striken full sore For he rent his clothes and fell to the earth at the euill sucâ—esse in the battle at Ay. And he cried Alas O Lord God wherefore hast thou broughte this people ouer Iorden to deliuer vs into the hands of the Amorits to destroie vs Would God we had bene content to dwell on the other side Iorden Oh Lord what shall I saie when Israel turne their backes before their enemies Thus he seemed to repent his coming ouer Iorden As though that iournie had not bene taken in hande in the Lorde and by him furthered and the furtheraunce thereof confirmed and honoured by a great miracle of the Lords mightie hand But the Lorde raised him vp and tolde him that iniquitie committed in Israel had caused the reproche of that vnspeedie daie Also Aaron Eleazar and Ithamar were so daseled with the iudgement which fell on Nadab and Abihu that they did not eate the Goat in the holie place as they shoulde haue done Moses was so greued at the euill successe of the children of Israel not being able to come to their rest because of their iniquitie that he chose rather to be rased out of the booke of life then to heare and see that reproche which shoulde come vnto that people and to the name of God Ieremiah wished that he had neuer bene borne because Israel in steade of a blessing had rewarded euill vnto their owne soules Rebekah when the children stroue in her wombe thought it had bene better not to haue conceyued And Dauid when he sawe the deathe of Vzzah brought not home the Arke at that time but feared and lamented saying Howe shall the Arke of God come vnto mee Great feare came on the church of Ierusalem at the terrible iudgement of Ananias and Saphira Most of these haue bene partly afraide and discouraged as though their interprise and work which was of the Lorde had in it selfe obtayned that harde happe and vnprosperous euent which proceeded of some other euill comming in by the waye But as Iosua when he had founde out the faulte and purged it renewed battell agayne and sawe the mightie power and great saluation of the Lorde for them with comfort and gladnes and as Dauid when he also had espied the faulte and redressed it renewed his indeuour and brought home the Arke with more ioye and chearefulnes and as the Disciples of Ierusalem ceassed not from giuing almes but their feare tended to this that they shoulde do it with more singlenes of hart So let not vs be offended and stumble at the sinne of anie man to giue ouer our zeale and loue vnto the Lordes cause y e trueth whereof his worde hath coÌ„firmed vnto vs. But rather let vs search out where the iniquitie is and let the offender beare his shame and rebuke howe excellent a personage soeuer he haue bene for turninge the trueth of God into a lye and let the Lord haue his glorie who is alwayes founde true when euerie manne is founde a liar And his trueth abounde the more through the lie of man vnto his glorie The children of Israel which came out of Egypt to goe into the lande of Canaan coulde not atteyne thither but their carkases fell in the wildernesse Might one haue saide therefore that they came not out by the Lords commaundement and his conduct Yes and greater was the glorie of GOD who was not hindered from performinge his promise by the vnbeleefe of that people but their vnbeleefe made his faithefulnes more appeare And their vnrighteousnes commended the Lordes righteousenesse whiche recompensed them their iust deserte and yet raysed vppe a better generation to enter into his resting place So will the Lorde euermore make his cause to stande though they whiche handle it amisse shall fall before it in the waye And as for men of greate credit and estimation the Lorde often times will make theyr weakenesse and vanitie to appeare that no glorie might bee transferred from him self to mortall men and that we should neuer make fleshe and bloud our arme neyther trust in manne in whose nostrels is breath for what is he to be esteemed Salomon the glorie of the Kings of the earth called also the Lordes beloued a spectacle for wisedome whom the Lorde vsed also for a speciall instrument vnto manie thinges yet did not hee perseuere in wisedome but became a foole in committing wickednes against the Lord. Iehu whiche valiauntlie wrought the Lordes worke at the first turned also to idolatrie and forsooke the Lorde And Gedeon a worthie instrument which the Lorde chose for his worke made the Ephod which was an instrument of euill These and manie more examples there be which teach vs that althogh we see before our eyes neuer so manie which begin in the spirite and ende in the fleshe that we condemne not their beginning neyther feare to enter
sheaues with him when as by fayth hee had gotten accesse vnto y e grace wherin he stoode and reioiced vnder the hope of the glorie of God wherein hee sawe a liuelie image in his holie Arke with an vndoubted pledge of loue and fauour towardes him Thus hee fayleth not of that wherewith hee strengthened his soule in the time of weaknes temptation sayinge Why art thou caste down O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me wayt on god for I shall yet see the time to giue him thankes for the helpe of his presence He is my present helpe and my God Thus he wayted with patieÌ„ce which taught him experience which experience brought forth the increase of his hope and his hope made him not ashamed seeing hee was not disappointed of that he hoped for but sawe the greater saluation of the Lorde in the daye of his reioycing to the further sustayning of his hope to wayte for greater things also at the Lordes hande So we see that which I haue spoken that by faith he entred into the Lords rest when as the Lorde vouchsafed to haue his resting place and holy habitation with him and by fayth he reioysed in this esteeming it aboue all other causes of ioye because he looked to those inuisibe ioyes whiche hereby were promised and sealed vnto him And nowe to applie this vnto our selues This also is a glasse which we haue not dressed our selues by for verie manie can saye Waite and tarie But whither doo we thinke that they meane vntill the Lorde helpe and further their paynefull indeuour whiche is neuer a whit or vntill they haue filled their insatiable and bottomlesse Coffers with vncontrouled traphiking For where is the disquiet and casting downe of the Soule Where are the afflictions whiche the Lorde shoulde remember as he did Dauids Which shoulde whett the edge of patience that patience might haue her perfect worke that they might be intire wanting nothing But aboue all thinges where is faith without the which it is impossible to please God And without the whiche God will not shewe his glorie before anie people to their saluation but to their confusion for want of which our Sauior Christ wrought not those miracles in some places whiche otherwise hee woulde haue done Where is this faith I saye when those which are the chiefe and principall leaders of the people which shoulde beare the Arke vppon their shoulders they saye and haue taught the people to say It is not possible it should come home and why For not only the chiefe of the Clergie but also the chief which haue y e reynes of the ciuile regiment are against the establishing of church gouernement I demaund whither it be from heaueÌ„ or from men If froÌ„ heauen with god all things are possible hee will then further his cause in our hand when we beleeue And when it shall please the Lorde to further his cause who can resist his will For theÌ„ euerie Ualley shall be exalted and euerie Hill shall be brought lowe for the loftines of menne shall be abased and the Lorde GOD onelie shall bee exalted in that daye The roughe waye shall bee made playne This will the ielousie of the Lord of hostes performe his owne arme shal susteine him to do the worke if we could beleeue yet we say it can not bee Where is that fayth whereby our Fathers subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the promises stopped y e mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the sworde of weake were made strong waxed valiaunt in battaill turned to flighte the armies of the aliauntes Let vs feare for the greeuous iudgement of God which befell to the children of Israell in the wildernes whiche were readie to haue entred into the Lordes rest but sodainlie thorough vnbeleefe conceyued of the euill tidinges which the spies brought they did shutt the dore against them selues And what was the matter The walles were so high and the people were so stronge But the height and strength of the Lordes arme was forgotten whiche had bene stretched out vpon Pharao and Egypt vnto destruction But vpon them vnto deliuerance Euen so wee for wee woulde fayne enter into the Lordes Sion a true reformed Churche but some body is against it I knowe whereof you meane A Lyon is in the waye but Salomon saye that that is but the excuse of a â—â—uggarde Those spies were euill ynough whiche went into Canaan and brought home an euill answere But what shall we saye to those spies whiche tell an euill answere before they will steppe one foot out of the doore We haue high walls against vs also and strong Prelates whose bodyes if they were growne as farre out of square as their pompe authoritie is growne from the lines of their calling they shuld not be like the Anakims in Canaan but rather like vnto the Giaunt which the Poets haue fayned to haue stoode but vpp to the knees in the Sea where it is at y e deepest But for a meane to plucke downe this height and weaken this strength the hande of the Lord is forgotten which was stretched out euen within this generation vpon the high walles and swelling Babilonishe buildings of the Abbies and Monasteries Euen when there was no hope or likelihoode of any such thing by mans reason Then came a daie from the Lorde vppon euerie high tower and vppon euerie stronge wall to make those places voide dennes For thistles and nettles growe in their highe halles and priuie chambers and the owles shrike there and the crowes the rauens gaile there by Gods iust iudgement There came a daie also vppon all their pleasant pictures and all their galaunt images whereof they were gladd to cast some into hooles to the moules and the backes to keepe them from the fire The daie of the Lorde came also vpon the Cedars of Lebanon the Okes of Bashan euen the great mightie Cardinals Abbots Monkes and Friars and the rest of the Prelats whiche bare the sway in the land These wanted not strengthe For they were like horses prepared to battle they were cladd with iron habargions they had Lions teeth They had also crownes on their heads and stinges in their tailes For there was not one of them in whose presence to speake any thing against their idolatrie but that it was as muche as a mans life was worth These also haue the breathe of the Lords mouthe sent into the bottomlesse smoking Lake from whence they came These thinges haue the Lord done for vs euen in our fresh remembrance to beat downe the hilles and make the waie smother to the residue of our iournie He hath opened a wide dore vnto vs But we being druÌ„cken with the ease of this world haue reeled against the posts thereof fallen backwarde and lie sleaping Let vs take heede lest we sleape so longe vntill the Lorde shutte
trew worshipps sake and his glorie therein appearing And as it was his life to dwell in the Courts of the Lord by often frequenting them so was it euen death and great distresse for him to be a straunger from the same as appeareth by his pitifull complaints in the daies of his banishments as when he sayeth As the Hart braieth for the Riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuinge God When shall I come and appeare before the presence of God His teares were his meate daye and night and hee powred out his verie harte when hee remembred the deare times past when he had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast But we alas declare what poore and feeble ioye we would conceyue if the Lorde would restore the glorie of his sonnes kingdome in open sight before our face and purge his Court and Sanctuarie plant vs therein when as wee being berefte of this benefite haue so small thirst so little panting braying and so little sadnes of soule and shedding of teares for this maner presence of the Lorde Yea wee heare the voyces of manie and the thoughtes of more lie open before the Lorde whereof some saye and some thinke that they haue no great neede of Christ his Ecclesiasticall gouuernement seeing they can gouerne them selues and liue in the feare of the Lord wel ynough as they imagine with them selues Therefore they sett their harts at rest But haue they more staye of them selues and towardnes vnto Godlines theÌ„ Dauid had Or doo they thinke that he was cleane absent from God that he could not praie and prayse his name Yet doo hee saie When shall I come to appeare before the presence of God And skarce could he comfort his own soule whiche was then in heauines though he hoped for a day of returne Thus he accounted that he shoulde stande before the presence of God when he should be present in the place which the Lorde did chuse to putt his name theare and shoulde enioye the sight of those things which the Lorde appointed for the tokens of his presence amonge them And therein was his great delight according as he vttereth saying O Lord of hostes how amiable ar thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courtes of the Lorde For mine hart and my fleshe reioyse in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer prayse thee And although hee behaued him selfe carefullie before God when hee was absent from the Lords tabernacle yet he acknowledged his strength not to be so great but that there was dauÌ„ger to be feared by the want of those thinges which the Lord had appointed as meanes to holde them in his true worshippe For this cause he complaineth vnto Saul his persecutor not so much for persecutinge him as for chasinge him from the place where the Lorde vouchsafed to dwell For he saith If y e Lord haue stirred thee vp against me let him smel y e sauour of a sacrifice but if the childreÌ„ of men haue done it cursed be they before the Lord For they haue cast me out this day froÌ„ abyding in the inheritance of the Lord saying Goe serue other gods This loue to Gods house hadde Kinge Ezekiah who in his sicknes whereof woorde was brought him that hee shoulde dye was greeued for nothinge so muche as this that hee shoulde no more goe vppe into the Lordes house For this cause were his prayers and teares As appeareth by the worde which came from the Lorde by the mouth of the Prophete Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Dauid thy Father I haue hearde thy prayer and seene thy teares I haue healed thee and the thirde day thou shalt gâ—e vp vnto the house of the Lorde This zeale also loue to the Lords house appeared in the ancient fathers which returned from the captiuitie of Babilon who as they coulde not bee coÌ„forted in their exile but sate down wept by the riuers of Babel when they remembred Sion So in the ioyfull time of their returne yea in y e ioyful day of laying the foundation of the Temple which they aboue all things had desired in the middest of the ioiful shouting and singing of the residue of the people their hartes yet melted within them they wept with a loude crying in so muche that the noyse of the shoutinge could not bee discerned from the noyse of the weeping and all was for this because they had seene the former Temple And the foundatioÌ„ of this was not coÌ„parable to that What shall wee saye Did these olde men dote were they fonde vppon an outward shewe of faire building No but as their chiefe delight was in the house of god so the increase of the glorie thereof was their ioye the diminishing of the glorie therof was their sorowe and griefe of minde Thus ielous were they ouer Gods glorie that in the outward shewes and shadowes they were impatient of any want But amongst vs there is small weepinge though the buylders in their building haue left out the chiefe corner stone which should be the garnishing of all the worke They haue left out the gouernement of Christ without y e which that their Churche can bee his house though they face and brace neuer so much how should they thinke it possible For they muste knowe that Christe dwelleth not where he ruleth not He maye not bee an idle Idoll His Churche and Kingdome in this worlde is outwarde and visible and except he gouerne visiblie euen by his outwarde ordinances It is vayne for vs to say He ruleth in our hartes and in the church that we are ioyned vnto we submitt our selues to the ordinances of Antichrist Wee shall soone banishe Christ froÌ„ our hartes if we haue no more care of his glorie then so but can abide to see his Sanctuarie prophaned and polluted by that Heathenishe straunger of Rome whiche not onelie set his foote in there euery day but also erecteth there his owne altar of incense For prayers and thankes giuing must bee measured out and appointed after his fashion If euer we had seene the beautie of the first building I meane in the time of the primitiue Churche wee might wel nowe if we had not stonie hartes weepe and lament with loude crying in seeinge this buyldinge before oure eyes Not so much for that it is inferiour to the other in glorie but for that it hath neither glorie nor beautie at all being fashioned not after anie paterne shewed of God but after the deuise and counsel of man In which miserie if our notable anguishe and greeuous grones were hearde in the eares of the Lorde and in vs there were no want to call and stirre vp one another and ioyne handes for the helpe of the furtherance of the worke
in bringing home the Arke of God there were then greater hope of the daye wherein we might ought to reioyce as Dauid here did Moreouer we note in Dauid that his ioye was so great in the Lorde that he conteyned not him selfe but so leaped and daunced that he seemed in the eyes of the wicked as a foole whiche vncouereth his shame and become vile For after that maner did Michal his wife reprochefullie taunte him as one whiche had so vily vncouered him self that he should be a mocking stocke vnto the Maidens of Israel But hee answered that it was before the lord who had performed vnto him so great mercie for whose cause he woulde bee yet more vile and lowe in his owne sight And saide moreouer that of the same Maidens whereof hee had spoken he should bee had in honour Whereby we see how litle he weighed to become base and lowe in the sight of the worlde so hee might sett foorth the glorie of the Lorde his God At this day amongest vs one of the greatest lettes hinderaunces of the Lordes worke finishing is for that it can not be done without the abasinge of the loftines of manie men whiche are exalted without the Lorde As for the titles of Gracious and Honourable Lords our Sauior Christ taught his Apostles that they might not bee amongest them Therefore if these men so exalted would loue and care for the Lords honour more then their owne and would willinglie giue ouer their monstrous liuings and all their worldlie pompe though they thinke it were a great shame for them and that they shoulde seeme vile before men whiche they ought willinglie to vndergoe for his glories sake who suffered the crosse and despised the shame yet if they coulde see it it would tende to their more true dignitie For of all the people in Englande whiche wayte for a more full appearaunce of Gods glorie in his house they shoulde be had in honour Where as nowe contrariewise they receyue honour onelie of a fewe flattering seruinge men within their owne houses whiche liue by bringinge dishes to their Table and almost to all the residue of the people of the lande their name is in reproche and they are become a Byworde and a common talke Our Sauiour Christ thought it no shame to abase him selfe to washe his Disciples feete by that example and manie more teaching those which will followe him that they must not thinke much to be baze and vile and dishonorable in the sight of men if they will looke for true honour in the sight of GOD. The Angel Gabriel sayde vnto Zacharias that his Sonne Iohn the Baptist shoulde bee great in the sight of the Lorde But what greatnes he had in the fight of the worlde it appeareth when as his clothing was of Camels heare his meate was Locustes and wilde honie The authour to the Hebrewes speaketh of some Christians whiche were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receyue a better resurrection They woulde needes abide torment and shame that in the Lorde they might haue their onelie refreshment and their onelie glorie And he became their glorie and the lifter vp of their heade Our Sauior Christ who thought it no robberie to be equal with God he yet in his nature of man became vile and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruaunt Hee turned his face to the striker He humbled him selfe euen to the death of the crosse Therefore was giuen him a name and dignitie aboue al names that at his name euery knee should bowe But great is the darkenes and vngodlines of these dayes when those which professe them selues to bee his Ministers doo so order their goings and conforme them selues so little vnto the image of his life that wee may sooner trace out the shewe of all the great glorie of this worlde then of Christian poorenes in spirit by their footesteppes And it is too manifest that thei are ouercome with the temptation of him whiche sayde All these glorious thinges will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me For they declare howe hardelie they would abide themselues to be plucked vp by the rootes that they might bee planted in a better resurrection when as they will not suffer their superfluous braunches to be cut of which doo so ouerhange and annoye the lanes that the Lordes passengers can not ride on their iourneye towardes Sion There be also of the Temporaltie diuers which esteme it to vile a thing and vnsittinge for their dignitie to come vnder the censure of the church that their faultes shoulde bee looked vnto and they should be subiect to the Admonition Rebuke and Excommunication of the Minister and the Congregation Therefore they say Let vs breake their bandes in sunder and cast their cordes from vs. But if they vnderstoode the great mysterie of the Lorde and the decree which is sealed vp amongst his Disciples they should well know that their renowne glorie is no more impaired by bowyng giuing due homage to Christs Scepter then the flower and oyle of the widowe of Sarepta was diminished by giuing away part of that litle which she had vnto Elias For certainly the great and noble Potentates of this worlde if they doo not intertaine the Kingdome of Christ Iesus thoughe their name reache the clowdes yet in trueth their honour and renowne is small and skarcely to be accounted an handfull which when it is spent they die Then their name perishe and their pompe will not followe them Then is a liuing dogge better then they For doth not their dignitie goe away with them Doo they not die and that without wisdom Whereas if they would be content to giue away vnto our Elias Christ Iesus a litle of their honour by abasing themselues before his Throne of gouernement they shoulde haue neuer the lesse but a great deale the more yea the continuance of true honour for euer For they shoulde stand as the faithfull witnesses in heauen their names being registred in the booke of life According as the Prophet Esaiah speakethe of the renowne of the Church and accoūteth it the renowne of Kinges and Princes to worshipp therein with their faces towards the earth and to licke vp the dust at the feete thereof Lastlie as touching Dauids affection of ioye and his delight which he hadd to see the glorie of God shine forthe as it was declared by signes yea the whole disposing of himselfe to be great at that present time so did the continual practise of his life afterward giue token that it was intiere and vnfeined For he continued his care and studie to be an instrument to aduaunce Gods glorie Of our sone whote sone colde zeale and of our gladnes which bewraied it selfe to be more for the shining hope of our worldlie welfare then for the hope of the increase of Gods kingedome and the speedy cōming thereof And of our
speedily to the glorie of GOD. And let none vtter these wordes of vnfaythfulnes Alas what can I doo or what can twoo or three of vs doo or howe are wee like to goe forwarde So I maye saye what can a graine of Mustarde seede doo It is small to beholde But beinge caste into the grounde in dewe time and watered wee see what it dooeth and howe it spreadeth So wee maye saye what can wee doo if wee sitte still But if wee labour in the Lordes businesse so as wee giue our selues ouer to bee sowne in the earth for his truethes sake vndoubtedlie out of oure dead bones or ashes there will springe vp manie more witnesses vntill the glorious cause florishe gloriouslie But to proceede I reioyced when they sayde vnto mee c. It is written in the Chronicles that Dauid gathered all Israel togither to goe vp to Ierusalem And in that the people were so hartilie willinge sayinge That they woulde goe vp to the house of the Lorde and their feete shoulde stande in the gates of Ierusalem wee maye note this that the Lorde nowe being with Dauid after hee hadde feared before his face and carefullie sought him in dewe order hee addeth blessinge vnto blessing vnto him to make his ioye full For hee doeth not onelie make him to see the Arke come home in peace but also giue him the hartes of all the people as one man reioysinge with him and praysing the Lorde then the whiche nothing coulde refreshe and solace his minde more cherefullie ouer his grief paste Thus doth the Lord make things to succeed with them yea oftentimes more then they looke for which seeke him in feare and tremblinge and attempte to worke accordinge to his will Thus Nehemiah when his harte had conceyued that enterprise of building of the walles of Ierusalem hee not onely obteyned leaue of the King to goe thither whiche thing he hoped not for without feare but also the Lorde made him obtayne that whiche was least looked for euen helpe and furniture of Timber towardes the worke Moreouer the Lorde gaue him the hartes of the people who notwithstandinge their pouertie and fewnesse yet were incouraged to worke with vnwonted forwardnesse So Moses though hee had a frowarde companie to guyde yet when hee went about the Tabernacle makinge with all thinges apperteyning therevnto accordinge to the Lordes commaundement hee founde the peoples hartes so willinge and readie to offer and their handes so full of giftes that hee cryed Ho and commaunded them to ceasse from offringe anie more Therefore let there be no vnchearfull wordes amongest vs to weaken our handes before we begin to worke As some saye Howe is it possible Where shall wee haue fitte men for Elders Where shall wee haue sufficient Ministers ynough And where shall we haue this and that It is the propertie of a slouthfull seruaunt to tell before hee goe out howe hee is not like to speede Let vs in the middest of all streightnes and impossibilities take in hande our enterprise in the Lord with humblenes wisedome single hartednes and we shal see successe not only in those thinges which we can foresee hope for but also manie things vnlooked for of vs shal be prospered into our bosome Nowe whereas the people speak so willingly saying We will go vp into the house of the lord it declareth their forwardnes vnto a good enterprise But the King had called them stirred them vp therevnto So peraduenture it may seeme that the people are not to go vp into the Lordes house especiallie to go about such an heauenlie busines as thei now did without their Kings Princes going before them As for y e Arke though it bare a spiritu all representatiō of holy things yet it was a material thing the bringing of it home required outwarde furniture and preparation accordinglie But what the Priestes and people might haue done as touching it if the King should haue bene to slacke when I shall vnderstande it to bee doubted of aunswere shall be made as GOD shall giue leaue In the meane time it is not amisse to speake some thinge of a question whiche flyeth much abroade whiche haue bene taken vp rather of desire to intangle then of anie loue of y e truth as shoulde seeme by the disorderlie framinge and propoundinge thereof The question is this Whither the Prince or the people ought first to beginne reformation in the Church I aunswere with propoundinge other questions Can they tell whether Prince or people ought firste to turne to the Lorde Whether Prince or people ought firste to do their duetie Or whither y e head the hand or y e foot ought first to do that which seuerallie appertaineth to y e office of ech of those mēbers to do For Kings Princes ought to reform without delay or waiting for other so farr as the bounds of their calling reach and y e people they ought to reforme without al delaye or tarying for other so farr as the boūds of their calling reach also But howe farre the bounds of eche doo extende therein lieth the chief point In the name of God let Caesar haue whatsoeuer vnto him belongeth euen all ciuile power and Dominion ordayned of God And woe vnto him saye I whiche shall holde this and teache men so that there is no vse of the Magistrates sworde among Christians For that is to remoue y e doole of the great and large fielde which the Lorde haue measured out vnto them And that is also to depriue Christians of that benefite of peace whiche the Lord haue ordayned that wee should enioye by their meanes For it is written Exhort that Prayers and Supplications be made for Kinges and all that be in authoritie that vnder them we may lead a godlie and peaceable life Therefore I am thus perswaded that as the Kinges of Iuda did reforme by their ciuile power those things which outwardly were sett vp for abominations namely as they did break downe the altars cutt downe the groues burne the images with fire slaye the Preistes of Baal and suche like thinges So also it appertaineth to the Magistrates now to break downe the idolatrous altars plucke downe their buildinges burne their images with fire to slaye those which haue reuolted frō Christianitie to open idolatrie And herein wee prayse the Lorde who strengthned our Princes handes to worke so farre as was wrought therin And if our sinnes had not displeased the Lorde we shoulde haue sene more For I would to God the Arrow had not bene shott against the ground only three times but three hundred times three times that a full conquest for euer might haue bin gotten ouer those Antichristian Aramits And now concerning those abominations which remaine which partly I haue spoken of As the offices rowmes and liuinges of the Lordlie ouerrulers of many churches together with Deanes Deanaries Prebēds and Prebenshippes Cathedralles w t the Chaunters therin and their Marmaiden