Ierusalem and the people of his dais b Iam. 2.13 14.36 What thing shall take to witnesse for thee What shall I compare to thee (36) 36 O'daughter Ierusalem What shall I liken to thee that I may comfort thee O virgine daughter Sion For thy breach is greate like the sea who can heale thee Thy prophets haue looked out vaine and foolish things for thee they haue not discouered thine iniquitie to turne awaie thy captiuitie but haue loked out for thee burdensome prophecies and causes of banishment Doubtlesse I know not howe our state might better be disciphered For the wordes of the Lorde are founde true in vs if euer in anie people the leaders of my people cause them to erre and they that are led by them are deceiued and questionlesse it may be trulie saide of vs c Ierem. 5 3â— my people delight therein And forasmuch as men liuing without the worde preached thinke themselues in a tollerable estate before the Lord I woulde know (37) 37 whether they may hope for eternall life which professe not the true religion in that sorte alone as the Lord would haue the same professed the answere will be they cannot Againe I would knowe whether there be anie more true religions that is waies to serue God aright and so to come by saluation than one it will be answered no. And concerning saluation it is manifest that there neither is nor hath bene any more waies since the beginning of the worlde but Christ alone as it is set downe in expresse wordes a Iohn 15.6 I am the waie the truth and the life no man commeth to the father but by me Neither is there saluation in anie other for among menne there is giuen no name vnder Heauen whereby wee must be saued but ouelie the name of b Actes 4.12 Christ Iesus as Peter testifieth I demaund also whether this way both for the substance and manner of Gods seruice be not set downe in the worde of God alone and not elsewhere to be founde It will not be denied I trowe I am sure it cannot For if either the substance or maner of God serurce swarue from the Lordes will reuealed in his worde who knoweth whether it be allowable in his sight or no And therfore who wil aduenture to offer it vnto him These things being thus set downe I affirme that this one onely true religion (38) 38 was neuer publikelie professed this one onelie way to saluation neuer ordinarilie attained vnto since the beginning of the world vnto this day but by the word preached And it will neuer bee otherwise while the worlde standeth Enquire now of the daies of heauen that are past which were before you since the day that Adam fell from his integritie demand from the one end of the heauen vnto the other and all with one consent will answere that from Adam vnto Noach from Noach to Moses from Moses vnto Iesus Christ from his blessed appearing in the flesh vnto this present houre no face of a true church apparant without preaching no ordinarie saluation wythout preaching and this decree shall neuer bee a Gen. 3.15 iud 14. gene 4.26 5.22 hebr 11.5 6. 2. pet 2.5 heb 11 12. 1. pet 3.19 20. genes 9.27 compared with 11.10 14.18 hebr 7.1.8 gala 3.8.6.9 rom 4.3 hebrews 11. the whole chapiter gene 45.6 12.12 17.9 18 19. hebr 12.17 geness 48 49 the two whole cha 50.24 25. exo 3.7 actes 7.20 hebr 11.23 iob 33.23.24 deute 33.9.10 mala 2.5.7 nehem 8.4.8 hezra 7.2.5 hebr 4.2 psa 95 7 8. and 78.5 6. acts 15.21 and 3 22. deute 18.15 heb 1.1.2 Iud. 1.5.1 1. cor 1.21 ephes 4.11 rom 10.14 chaunged I doe not denie but that the Lorde may if hee will saue those who neuer heard or shall heare Sermon in all their liues But wretches as we are what is that to vs Wee haue no warrant to hope for anye such saluation Nay if anie will presume that they may come into heauen not submit themselues vnto the voice of the Preacher I dare tell them were they the greatest potentates vnder Heauen that they shall neuer be saued I woulde to GOD then my brethren that as manie of you as liue this day whereas there is no preaching coulde consider in what an hopelesse condition you liue I know you feele not your own misery if you did you would not continue in it to gain a thousand worlds Although it woulde be the ioie of my soule to see you in the way to heauen where in now you are not yet it wil not be the losse of a button vnto me though you shoulde all of you go to hell and therfore whatsoeuer I write it is doone in good will towardes you of loue and compassion towardes your miserie Deceiue not your selues then ye are not in the estate of saluation hauing neuer enioyed the worde O you are in hell labour to come out in the shadow of death seeke for the sunne of righteousnesse to shine vpon you I will pawne my soule that you are heires of perdition and shall surely go to hell for aught any man knoweth vnlesse you bee otherwise taught than hitherto you haue bene Verely the diuell himselfe may as well hope to be saued as you can who neuer saw the beautie of their feete that bring saluation God will not be mocked at your hands Are you not reasonable men Haue you not soules to be saued Woulde you not bee shrowded from euerlasting woe vnder the wings of Iesus Christ Why then striue you not for the word preached If the Lord shoulde summon you at this houre before his iudgement seate haue you anie thing to shewe why hee may not proceede against you with the sentence of iustice (39) 39 in pursuing you with his eternall cursse for the breach of his lawe What will you answeare for your selues when indeede you shall be arraigned before God and his angelles for contemning the woorde preached I speake now vnto the gentlemen people of Wales will you pleade that the fault was not in you because you haue beene deceiued by those whom the Lorde in his iust indgement hath raised vp to obscure the light of his gospel in this our age I meane the racke-maisters and tormenters of Gods blessed worde who laying the same vppon the racke haue constrained it to confesse what it neuer meant as either that reading is preaching which is senslesse or that men may be saued without preaching which is diuellish This will not serue the turne Wil you protest that you woulde gladly haue hadde preaching It is not so For you neuer as yet opened your mouthes for the same And nowe being stirred therevnto it shall appeare what little reckoning you make thereof by your carelesse enterprises that way One thing more I will say that for anie meanes you haue to be saued in the most congregations in Wales you shall be firebrands of hell Let the magistrates
Let what I haue written be examined yea by mine aduersaries them selues if I haue anye and it shall appeare that I haue made a conscience how I haue dealt with my superiours especially those concerning whome it is said you are gods least I should seeme to leaue behinde mee the least print of a minde in anye sorte tending to diffame them or their gouernment As I haue beene carefull herof so let the Lord yea and no otherwise which I speake as far as my corruptions do permit graunt this cause and my selfe also if it be his wil fauour in your eies Indeede in regarde of the cause I commandatory wise vnto your Hh. but in regard of my selfe I come in feare and trembling as vnto the lords vice-gerents entreating most humbly that the dignitie of so worthy a cause be thought off nothing the more dishonorably because it is brought in my hands And I protest in respect of my sinnes that the Lord may iustly denie it the fauor it deserueth in your eies bicause I am a dealer therein But this should be no cause why your Hh. should giue it a repulse For in the eies and ears of al the world I make it known that it is the cause of the liuing god wherein I deale and that if it had beene possible for me to haue written more humbly dutifully I had done it Or if I had seene any way that might haue bene likelier to preuail with my superiors then this course I take the Lord to record vnto my soul that I would not haue vsed this And I would to GOD I could tell how to make the cause plaucible So far I am from setting down any thing that might carrie with it any shew of occasion to hinder and disgrace the same Well I haue done my endeuour the successe I expect at the lords hands vnto whom I commend the cause and the saluation of that pore people The sworde of iustice reached vnto you by the Lord himselfe to take punishment of him only that is an a Rom 13.4 euil doer I fear not because I haue not offended If it should be drawn against me for this action the president wold be such as they who ment hereafter to prophesie vnto your Hh. might be aduisedly counselled b Micha 2.6 not to prophisie the Lord as a token of your iust destruction to ensue would say they shal not prophesie nor take shame If I haue spoken any vntruth beare witnesse thereof if a truth I dare by the lords assistance stand to it and demand what he is that wil presume to obiect and throw himselfe vnto the vengeance of God by punishing me an innocent The Lord may for my other sinnes bring mine head vnto the graue with bloud but in this cause what haue I offended and therfore vndoubted woe will betide him that shall molest me for this worke Howsoeuer it be thus I haue performed a dutye towardes the Lorde and his church my countrey and your Hh. which I would doe if it were to be done againe though I were sure to endanger my life for it And be it known that I am not afraid of earth in this cause And if I perish I perishe my comfort is that I know whether to go and in that day wherin the secreats of all hearts shabe manifested the sinceritie of my cause also shall appeare It is enough for mee that howsoeuer I be miserable in regard of my sins yet vnto Christ I both liue and die and purpose by his grace if my life should be prloonged to liue herafter not vnto my self but vnto him to his church otherwise then hithertoo I haue doone The Lorde is able to raise vp those that are of purer hands and lippes then I am to speake and write in the cause of his honor in Wales the Lord make them whosoeuer they shal be neuer to be wanting vnto so good a cause the which because it may be the Lordes pleasure I shall leaue them behinde me in the worlde I earnestly and vehemently commende vnto them as by this my will and testament And haue you pore Wales in remembraunce good my Lordes by establishing the word preached there that the blessing of many a saued soule therein may follow her maiestie and your Hh. ouertake you light vpon you and sticke vnto you for euer The eternall God giue hir Maiestye and your Hh. the honour of building hys church in Wales multiply the daies of hir peace ouer vs blesse hir and you so in this life that in the life to come the inheritance of the kingdom of heauen may be hir and your portion so be it good Lord. Were my dutifull heart towards your Hh. throughly knowen then I doubt not but I should bee better knowen vnto you then by my name IOHN PENRI TO THE READER Master D. SOMES booke was published this day I haue read it The man I reuerence from my heart as a godly and learned man The reasons he vseth against me in the questions of the reading ministrie and communicating with them I had aunswered as you may see in this booke before he had written They are faultie either because they desire that for graunted which is the question or make those things of like nature wherein there is a great dissimilitude as the arguments drawen from the magistracie and the Leuiticall Priesthood I haue answered thē The cause the reuerence I owe vnto the man though the reasons he vseth deserue not to be twise read ouer will enforce me to answere him at large There be certaine faults escaped in the print beare with them
point you must or soake for euer in your owne confusion Difficulties in this case must not bee alleadged for if you seeke the Lorde with a sure purpose to serue him hee hath made a promise to be found of you b Prou. 2.16 Away then with those speaches how can we be prouided of preaching our liuinges are impropriated possessed by swine as nonresidents and hierlings Come by it as you can you shall goe to hell vnlesse you haue it A goodlie matter Is there no way to remooue these beasts by supplication to hir Maiestie c. and to place better in their steade Indeede you will seeke none Be it you can not remooue them Can you bestowe noe more to be instructed in the waye of life then that which law alreadie hath allienated from your possessions You neuer made account of your tythes as of your owne For shame bestow some thing that is yours to haue saluation made knowen vnto you Contemne not the grace of God offered vnto you in these daies of your peace For if you refuse to com vnto the Lord when he calleth behold your answer when you call for mercy at his handse There is a time a Prou. 1.24.30 of repentaunce indeede but that is limited according vnto the Lords will and not mans What should I take the paines to shewe howe ministers and their liuings may bee prouided for in Wales Seeing I see none readie as yet to entertain the worde and that which hath bene done heretofore in this point is not practized When anye are willing to entertaine counsell for this matter I dout not but it will be an easie consultation Not to doe in some place what may bee doone because euerie place cannot bee furnished with learned ministers and their liuinges is but to deride the Lorde to his face and delude his people of their saluation The inhabitants of the citie Thasus being besieged by the Athenians made a lawe that whosoeuer would motion a peaco to bee concluded with the enemie shdulde die the death Their citie began to bee distressed the people to perishe both with the swoorde and famine Hegetorides a citizen pitying the estate of his countrey tooke an halter about his necke came into the iudgement place Spake My maisters deale with me as you will but in any case make peace with the Athenians that my countrey may be saued by my death My case is like this mans I know not my daunger in wtiting these things I see you my dere natiue countrimen perish It pitieth me I come with the rope about my necke to saue you howsoeuer it goeth with me I labour that you may haue the Gospel preached among you though it cost mee my life I thinke it well bostowed And seing I seeke nothing hereby but the glorie of God and your saluation what deuils will be so shameles as to molest me for this worke and hinder the word preached If any such shall bee found I wishe them to consider before the deale with me what the Apostle setteth downe a 1. Thes 2.15 concerning the persecutours of those that seeke for preaching and the hinderers thereof namely that they please not God and are euen contrarie vnto all men and this their doing is a sealed writing that the vengeaunce of GOD will come vpon them to the full Answere it howe they may Be it as it will bee my comfort is the testimonie of my conscience that in simplicitie and singlenes of heart not onely as in the sight of Gods children vnto whose view and censure this poore labour is offered and his aungels but as in the presence of Iesus Christ I haue behaued my self in this cause hauing before mine eies that I am one day to yeeld an account vnto his maiesty both of my good meaning and also of all circumstaunces ouer-sight vaine and idle words in the action But alasse what can proceed from me that tasteth not of old Adam and the bodie of sinne which I carie about with me whersoeuer I haue offended either in matter or maner let it be shewed and I will with mine own hands destroy that which I haue built amisse be sorye for mine ouersight the most aeger censurer of my selfe and thank them from my heart who shall admonish mee of my fault Yea but the tractate concerning the Idoll ministerie tendeth to stirre vp my countrimen hir Maiesties subiects whereto To feele in what a miserable case they are before God and the worlde being without the word without the administration of the sacraments and without Christes holie discipline and in regarde thereof dutifully to entreat hir Maiesty and their honors that it may be redressed Truth And woulde to God they felt it To mislike of the ecclesiasticall gouernement nowe established among vs truth for it is forrain and Antychristian for the most part To mislike of the ciuil gouernment That is a slaunder and I dare write in in my forhead for a slander But why should I deale in this cause more then others The worthies of the Lord before me in preaching and writing for a learned ministerie ye haue dealt herein If they hadde not this is my reason Though all hir Maiesties subiects yea hir faithfullest counsellers should conspire against her highnes I my selfe against them al wold defend hir and her cause to the losse of my life ten thousand times And shall not I do the like seruice vnto the Lord To ende commending you all both honourable worshipfull ministers and people vnto the Lord and the worde of his grace I take my leaue of you in that exhortation which wee read in Iob. a Iob. 23.21.22.25 Acquaint your selues I pray you with the almightie and make peace with him thereby it shall go well with you receiue I pray you the law of his mouth and lay vppe his wordes in your hearts If you returne vnto him you shal be built vppe if you put iniquitie farre from your tabernacle the almightie shal be your defence you shall make your praier vnto him and hee shall heare you Christ Iesus giue them an heart to returne vnto thee and be thou founde of them for thy mercies sake Amen Amen Amen yea come quickly Lord Iesus Your poore countrey-man who in all dutifull good will hath wholy dedicated him selfe to doe you good in the Lorde IOHN PENRI THus I haue set downe the exhortation word for word as it was in the former impressiō without the altering or deminishing of any one thing three marginall notes added sauing the faults escaped in the printing And hauing heere and there diffused my reasons against the dumb ministers which I perceiue are not so easilie to bee gathered out of the same because the most part of them were brought in for other purposes I thought good in this place to set them downe syllogistically to the end it maye appear vnto the church of God vpon what grounds I denie them to be ministers But here first the state of the
speaking or writing in the behalfe of either of these vnreconcilable eities Men belike thinking no more to bee required at their hands then the razng of Babell the deuil as yet contenting himself with Bethel The last yeare as I am almost pesuaded the verye same day or by all likly-hood the very same week vpon a suddain the enterprises of the building of both in 2. seueral books issuing from two of the remotest corners in our lande South-wales and North-wales was taken in hand The one of the bookes pleading the cause of Sion cōming forch priuiledged by publike authority alowāce was directed vnto hir maiesty the Parliament requiring at their hands by vertue of the lords own mandatory letters the performance of this work shewing by euidence of gretest antiquity this to bee required of duety at their handes as a part of the homage due vnto his highnes whose feudaries and vassalles all the princes states vnder heauen must acknowledge themselues to be a portion of that inheritance beeing theirs by liniall discent from their predecessors the godly kings and rulers who time out of mind alwaies laied their shulders vnto this burthen The other written in Welch printed in an obscure caue in Northwales published by an author vnknown Y druch Christ anogaw more vn learned for I thinke hee had neuer read any thing but the common published resolution of R. P. a book containing many substantiall errors frier Rush and other shamefull fables stood to by none hauinge no reasons to shew why his Babilon should be reaedified it contained it selfe within the handes of a few simple priuate men and neuer durst vnto thys hour be made known vnto your Hh. Both the books in this thing had the same successe in that both togither they fel into the hands of the prelats who as they pretend are enemies vnto both places but vndoubtedly vnto Syon especially as it appeared by their harde dealing with the pation of that cause whereas the fautors of the other were either not at all dealt with or very curteously entertained of thē The reason of their enmitie vnto both but their hatred vnto Syon is that neuer I feare me meaning to go thither This is spoken in regard of the Church-gouermen and constrained by law to be enemies vnto the other they haue of the golde of Caldea the drosse of Ierusalem compacted thē a citie wherwith they meane to content themselues vntill they returne vnto Babel againe or the Lord be merciful vnto them vnto a worse place Haue they not therfore good cause to be the more beholding vnto the one for the golde then to the other for the drosse Well my Ll. bee you assured hereof that they who stirred vp both these instruments both at one time wil neuer suffer them to cease vntil in Wales either a church of Christ or a synagogue of satan be built Out of question the concurring of both causes sheweth that the Lorde hath some secreat worke in the matter Satans instruments for their parts were neuer busier since hir Maiesties raigne then they are at this hower and shall be stil they trecherously against the lawes of God and this land seek to bring the people again vnto AEgypt I acording vnto both dutifully endeuour neuer to let them rest vntill it please God by hir Maiestie and your Hh. to bring them within the lande of promise no though they were vppon mounte Nebo whence with their eies they might view the same They haue dealt deale secretly with poore soules in darke corners dare not make known their fabulous cause I haue dealt all this while in the face of the sun and now before your Hh. I want not a good cause and by the grace of God it shall not want a defender or hide the face as long as I liue Whether you countenaunce it or no I know it shal one day preuaile when this wil be the Lord knoweth best but the matter is whether you wil imbrace christ in the building of his church or sathan in continuing the breaches thereof Therfore my Ll. entertaine THIS CAVSE and you giue satan the foile reiect this and you streng then him And trie if you denye it the hearing whether the very papists in this land will not be thereby encouraged to supplicate vnto your Hh. that you woulde grant them the liberty of their seared consciences to commit publike idolatrie Al that hitherto I haue spoken I haue spoken either in the cause of christ which is a good cause or in the cause of sathā If I seek the building of his synagog wil you let me liue if of the church of christ wil you denie me your helpe which yet againe and againe in the name of the eternall God I require for the pretious death passions sake of Iesus christ I earnestly desire at your hands My Ll. as you wold haue the Lorde to entertaine your soules in the life to come as you would haue him shew you any mercie as you loue her Maiestie hir life as you would haue the continuance of her raigne ouer vs which the lord vndoubtedly thretneth to shorten because he would bring ruine vpon you vs all for the contempt of his trueth as you woulde not haue your names razed from vnder heauen as you would not haue the Lord to bring vpon vs the Spanish Italian Romish or Guisian forces as you woulde not haue those who shall liue to see the desolation and desperate sorrowe which the Lorde is to bring vpon this lande not abide to see you and your children ryde or go in the streets as you would not haue the most contemptible to stretche forth his hande vpon the dearest things you possesse offer violence before your eies vnto the fruit of your bodies so entertain this cause graunt this suite and haue a care of the Lords true seruice in Wales etherwise I feare me the vengeance of God will neuer leaue you your posterities as long as there is a man of your houses vnder heauen And notwithstanding the case of the Earle of Pembroke is neuer the better if he stil presume to beare rule within these gates where the Lords Sabboths are not sanctified Ezekiel in deede is not now liuing to put you in minde of the necessitie of redressing of thinges amisse by laying open the corruptions of all estates vnder your gouernement as he doeth cap. 22 of his prophesie His words I will set downe that your Hh. may waye our estate with the time wherin the prophet liued and see whether the Lord will spare you and vs if we still prouoke him to smite There is a conspiracie of her prophets in the middest thereof Ezek. 22.25.26.27.28.29 faith the prophet like a roaring lyon rauening the pray they haue deuoured foules they haue taken the riches and precious things they haue made hir manie widowes in the midst therof hir priests haue broken my law and haue defiled
mine holy things they haue put no difference betweene the holy prophane neither discerned between the vncleane and the cleane and haue hidd their eies from my Saboth and I am prophaned among them Hir princes in the midst thereof are like wolues rauening the prey to shed blood to destroy soules for their owne couetous lucre And her I rophets haue dawbed thē with vntempered morter seing vanities diuining hes vnto them saying thus saith the Lord Iehouah when Iehouah hath not spoken The people of the land haue violently oppressed by spoiling and robbing and haue vexed the poore and needy yea they haue oppressed the stranger against right Thus far Ezekiel Be the sinnes of our prophets of our princes of our people the same that heare he speketh against be they greater or be they lesse yet without controuersie Verse 30 if the Lorde may saye I haue sought for a man among the coūsellors of England thatshuld make vp the hedge stand in the gap before me for the land that I should not destroy it but I found none then wo be vnto vs for that shal follow which is set downe in the prophet Therefore haue I powted out mine indignation vpon them Verse 31 consumed them with the fire of my wrath their owne waies haue I rendred vpon their heads saieth the Lord Iehouah And vnlesse there were iust cause to think that this Lord had either already or shortly ment to pronounce this sentence against vs wee might contemne scorne at the carped assaults of the Spanyards or any other the enemies of the gospel and her Maiesties whosoeuer But as long as we giue not the right hande vnto the Lorde by entring into his sanctuarie we haue iust cause to feare a nation that is no nation much more a people in number as the sand which is by the sea shore Our leags and most stable couenants with the enemies the lord will soone disanull standing thus at the staffes end with his maiestie as we do And as a Ierem. 37. Ieremie said vnto the king and states in his time though we had smitten the whole hoast of the Spanyardes that intend our ouerthrow there remained bur wounded men among them yet should euerie man rise vp in his tent and ouerrun this lande Let vs looke assuredlie whensoeuer the abiecte and contemptible enemie shall assaile vs abiect and contemptible I saie in all respects in comparison of the value and strength of our men and munition and the lord increase them a thousand folde more that this God whose seruice is so little esteemed of vs will send a terror into the harts of our valiantest and stoutest men so that he whose heart is as the heart of a lyon shall become as weake as water and one enenimie shal chase a thousand of vs because the hand of the lord will be against vs for our sinnes It is not therefore the Spanishe furniture and preparations but the sinnes within the land that we are most of all to feare For although the armie of the Spanyarde were consumed with the arrowes of famine although the contagious and deuouring pestilence had eaten them vp by thousands although their tottering shippes were dispersed and carried away with the whirle-winde and tempest although madnes astonishment were amongst them from him that sitteth in the throne vnto her that grindeth in the mil although the lords reuenging sword in the hand of the sauage Turke had so preuailed against them as it had left none in that vncircumcised host but languishing and foyled men notwithstandinge a contēptible withered remnant of the plague famine a nauie of winde and weather-shaken ships a refuse of feeble and discomfited men shal be sufficiently able to preuaile against this land vnlesse an other course be taken for Gods glory in Wales by your Hh. then hitherto hath bene If I did speake vnto infidels and vngodly atheists I know I should not be so plaine because vnto such the trueth is at sometimes vnseasonably spoken But I speake vnto your Hh. that haue vndertaken the profession of Christianitie and therefore shoulde be at all times fit to heare the trueth of your God And I know no temporizing trueth no temporising iudgements of God against sinne no trueth that is to be concealed vnto Christians because their Hh. cannot brooke the same no trueth my LL that is either not at all or minsinglye not to bee vttered because states loue not to heare thereof So that I was in this matter not to consider what your high places were content to hear but what was the dutie of your high places to heare And therefore I should thinke it I protest an vndutifull and flattering petition to intreat your Hh. not to be offended with me for vttering the trueth As though I supposed you woulde thinke it wonderfull that a man should aduenture to speake euen in the cause of his GOD anye farther then stood with your good liking I know the infirmities wants of men that deal in good causes are commonly beaten vpon the bak of the cause they handle Therefore the Lord knoeth how carefull I haue beene to keepe it vnspotted and my selfe out of all vnnecessary daunger Setting downe nothing before I had weighed what might ensue either in regard of the mater or maner of deliuery This I am assured that in the whole woorke there is nothing whereby any law of the land canne take holde of me But why did I publish a matter of suche waight before I acquainted your Hh. therewith Grant the pitition I will redeeme mine oversight heerein if it can be prooued any which I know to be none with the losse of my life if you do not meane to yeeld vnto it neither would you haue done it being mooued thervnto by priuate writing The cause I make known to the end it may be granted and herein let not my life be precious vnto me vpon the necessity of the publishing thereof I stand bicause that the world maye see when you redresse those things that you did nothing which you durst leaue vndone vnlesse you would haue brought swift destruction vpon your selues and the whole lande But what folly is it to think that such great matters in our daies wil be reformed Rather what iniury do they to your Hh. that thinke you will countenance any longer the breache of Gods lawes And in this point let the good opinion that they which aleadge such pretences conceiue be weighed with my dutifull perswasions of your Hh. and both our causes iudged accordingly For mine own part I thinke the maiesty of the cause to be such as they who are the lords dare not but entertaine it tremble to think that all this while it hath bene so carelesly attended vpon And it is in the behalf therof that I haue presumed to deale with you who other-wise durst not haue suffered my voice to be hard in the ears of the rulers of my people
be busie in matters of state Miserable daies Into what times are we fallen That theeues and murtherers of soules the very paternes and patrons of all couetousnes proud and more then popelike tyrants the very defacers of Gods trueth vnlearned dolts blind guides vnseasonable and vnsauory salt drunkardes adulterers foxes and wolues mire and puddle to be briefe the very swinestie of all vncleannes and the very ignomie and reproche of the sacred ministery cannot be spoken against but this will be straightwayes made a matter against the state And therfore although all the miserie all the ignoraunce all the prophanenesse in lyfe and conuersation hath beene for the most part by meanes of our Bishops and our other blinde guides yet may not a man affirme so much with any safety least he be said to be a mutinous and factious fellowe and one that troubleth the state For mine owne part the prophet Malachi shall deale with you and let the reader consider whether his wordes ought not in a fearful sort to strike and astonishe you A sonne a Mal. 1.6 saith the Prophet honoureth his father and a seruaunt his maister if then I bee a father b Read Mala. 1. 2. chap. where is mine honour if a maister where is my feare saith Iehouah of hostes vnto you O ye Bishops of VVales that despise his name If you say wherein haue we dispised him it wil be answered that you offer the blind the lame and the maimed vnto the holie ministery and say it is no euill and so dispise the Lords name bicause you say the Lords ministery is not to be regarded For seeing you your selues knowe and all VVales knoweth that you haue admitted vnto this sacred function rogues and vacabounds gadding about the countrey vnder the names of schollers spend-thrifts and seruing men that made the ministerie their last refuge seeing you permit such to bee in the ministerye as are knowen adulterers knowen drunkardes theeues roisters most abhominable swearers euen the men of whome Iob speaketh c Iob. 30.1.8 who are more vile then the earth doe you not say that the Lords seruice is not to be regarded if you any longer either tollerate others or continue your selues to bee theeuishe non-residents and so sterue the soules of poore innocents do you regard the Lords honour and the saluation of his people Is the law of truth sound in your mouthes Do ye conuert any from iniquitie It should be so indeed a Mala. 1.7 For your lips should preserue knowledge and the ignorant should seeke the law at your mouthes for you ought to bee the messengers of Iehouah b Mala. 2.9 of hosts But may this testimony bee giuen of you I feare me no Nay rather bicause all the world seeeth that iudgement vppon you which the prophet denounced against the prelats of his daies namely that you are vile and contemptible in the sight of the people for what is more contemptible among the best and basest of our people then to be a Priest yea a priestly Lord-Bishop I can iudge no otherwise of you but that you haue not kepte the waies of Iehouah gone out of the way caused many to fall by the law c Deut. 33.10 mala 2.6 and corrupted the couenant of Leuy And will you still continue in these transgressions God forbidde Be awakened nowe at the length considering where vnto you are called Vndergo that calling no longer which you are not able to discharge I speake vnto you all euen vnto you that will be accounted Lord-Bishops though it bee to the Lordes d Luke 22 25. 1. pet 5.3 mar 10.43.43 ier 5.31 dishonour Let the cursse of damned soules cleaue no longer vnto you For it perceth deeply You are one day to giue a reckoning for your mercilesse dealing with pore soules Let not the wicked Papists haue anye more cause to vpbraid the ignorāce of our people as they haue done in that pamphlet which they threwe abroad the last year to seduce our simple people The confutation wherof if legendarie fables wherewyth that skroul is fraught the translation of some part of R.P. his resolution of Didachus Stella Dionysius Carthus deserueth a confutation I shall publish when the Lord shall giue oportunitie If their brutish slaunders will not mooue you let the wordes of Paule stirre you forward whereby from heauen in most Patheticall and earnest sort he speaketh vnto euerie one of you seuerally in the person of Timothie a 2. Tim. 4.1.2 (41) 41 I adiure or charge thee therefore sayth he before God and before the Lord Iesus Christ preach the woord be instant in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine Obey this charge or doubtles most irksom shal be your dānation Is it not a shame that Ieremie may crye b Iere. 27.1 that our lande is defiled by such as you are yea in my house haue I found their wickednes saith Iehouah Are not we the inhabitaunts of Wales as odious in the sight of our God as the inhabitants of Gommorrah seeing he c Iere. 8.14 seeth filthines in you our prophets and euerie of you from the greatest to the lowest is giuen to couetousnesse and dealeth falselye d Iere. 23.14 And what with your loitring idlenesse insufficiencie and euil life e Iud. 11. you strengthen the hands of the wicked that none can returne from his wickednes Wo be vnto you all for you haue followed the waye of Caine and are cast away by the deceit of Baalams wages Woe bee vnto you that account it pleasure to liue delitiously for a season vppon the price of soules you shal receue the wages of vnrighteousnes f 2. Pet 2.13 weping and gnashing of teeth in the pit of hell g 1. Pet. 2.15 What comfort is it for you to forsake the right way for a little worldly promotion seeing the blacknes of euerlasting destruction is reserued for you What maye hir Maiestie and the H. I. L. of hir counsell thinke you to be but the curssed shepheards that scatter their flockes seeing you haue not turned your people from their euill waies h Ierem. 23.22 Ieremy prooueth you to be such Therefore wo be to the shepheards of Wales saith Iehouah which feede themselues should not the shepheards feed their flocks you eat the far and cloath you with the wooll a Ezech. 34.23 but you feede not the flocke The sentence pronounced by the Lord against you b Ezech. 34.10 shal be execured with out doubt in the time thereof if you continue still in your vngodlye course Take this from mee also that vnlesse you forsake your idlenes those personages and those chaires of pestilence wherein you sit I mean your Bishops seas will spue you out And the Lorde I hope will make them so abhominable and reprochfull that all men fearing God will be afraid hereafter to enter into those seas of Dauids Asaph Bangor and Landaff
in Englande in these peaceable dayes of her highnes I haue wholye dedicated my selfe to seeke the flowrishing estate thereof By labouring to beautifie the same both in the plucking vp of those filthie Italian weeds wherewith now it is miserablie deformed and planting therein whatsoeuer may bee to the cōlines of gods orchard For my pore country because it hath pleased the Lord of life that therein I first saw the light of the son and haue beene by my parents there liuing brought vp in both the vniuersities of this land I haue vowed my selfe dutifully to benefite the same whether by my life or by my death I do not greatly weye And wherein shall I stand my deare countrimen in any stead if not by speakinge in their cause that are not able to make knowne their owne wantes If not in blessing the deafe eares in remouing the stumblingblock from before the eyes of the blind if not in labouring to bring them to heauen who of their owne natures should liue eternally in a worse place to their own wo. The aforenamed callings and corruptions standing as enemies in the way to hinder my brethren from eternall life I professe my selfe to seeke their ouerthrowe and confusion And by the Lordes assistance as longe as I liue I will neuer leaue them vnles they leaue the massakring of the soules of my brethren In respect of your HH seinge I receiued the former blessings throgh your hands by meanes of the outward peace whereof her right excellent Maiestie hath made the whole kingdome partaker from the Lord I canot of conscience but in most submiss reuerend and humble sort put you in minde of the estate wherein you stand before the Lord at this day I affirme therefore and I would to God I coulde tell howe more dutifully to expresse in wordes that whiche in heart I haue most dutifully conceiued that all of you are in a feareful manner both in this life and in that to come subiect to the intollerable masle of Gods wrath the execution whereof shall vndoubtedly come vpon you and your houses vnles you preuent the fiercenes of his indignation And that for these 2. causes First inasmuch as the whole countrie of Wales for the most part all this time of the Gospell in England hath bene without the publike seruice of God in the publike meetings of your people in such sort as most parrishes within Wales haue wanted the means of saluation all this time of your gouernement The trueth of this assertion is manifested in this little booke because they haue wanted a Ia. 2.21 1. pet 1.25 Iob. 33.23 1. cor 1.21 rom 10.14 eph 1.13 2.17 act 20.32 prou 8.34.35 isai 53.11 preaching and I haue elswher to my power laboured to make it known vnto her Maiestie the parliament Consider my Lordes what care you haue had of the soules of men and howe in the day of account these things will be answered Consider how lamentable a case it is that in the flowrishingst gouernment for outwarde peace that is againe vnder the coape of heauen where publicke idolatrie hath bene bannished not one familie or one tribe but a whole nation should perish and be destroyed for want of knowledge And see whether I haue not sufficient cause to deale with you in the behalfe of my countrimen My crie my crie is not the crie of guiltles and innocent a blood b Deut. 21.8 which were verie wofull but of lost and damned soules which is most lamentable giue eare vnto it my LL. lest the blood of soules be laid to your charge required at your hands If I be thoght to report an vntruth in regard of the estate of the Church in my countrie let me bee brought face to face for the triall hereof with those vnto whom the care I should say the spoile of the Church there is committed and being conuinced to haue vttered an vntrueth let me haue no fauor but die the death before your Honours and my blood bee vppon mine owne head for impeaching the credit of the princes of my people vndutifullie by publike writing whose estimation I know it to be vnlawfull for mee euen in thought once to violate I do here therefore before your HH offer to proue that the most congregations in Wales want the verie essential outward marks of a true church and so the meanes of saluation and the comfort of faith by the right administration of the sacraments I also offer to proue that you shal be reckoned with without your speedie repentaunce because that in this point you haue plowed but iniquitie and sowed wickednesse and so as Iob saith you shall reape the same Belieue them not that tell you all is well Iob. 4.8 vnder your gouernment in Wales and that they are a sort of clamorous and vndiscreet men that affirme the contrarie Beleeue them not that tell you that it belongeth not vnto your dutie to be careful of the estate of the Church that the Lord requireth no more at your hands but to maintain outward peace As though men committed to your gouernement were but droues of bruit beastes onely to be foddered and kept from externall inuasions and inrodes giue care rather vnto the woordes of the prophet who with a loude voice crieth vnto you why will you die you your families Ierem. 27.23.14 and your people by the sword by the famine and by the pestilence and why wil you be damned as the Lord hath spoken against I may allude without iniurie to the word all those gouernours that will not a Ezra 7.17.23 psal 2.10 101 2. chro 29.10 30.9 34.27 exod 20.10 gen 18.19.2 chron 15.12.13 17.7 see their people prouided of the meanes of saluation Therfore heare not the wordes of the Prophetes that tell you you shall neither see sworde or famine though you be still as careles of your people as you hytherto haue bene looke the punishement both of the flatteringe prophets and of those that are deceiued by their flatterie Ierem. 14.16 Heare them not I say but obey the Lorde in the execution of that dutie which he efflagitateth at your handes by calling of your people vnto the knowledge of his sonne that you may liue for why should this land bee made desolate for this your carelesnes Ier. 27.17 They prophesie vanity a lie vnto your HH that saie peace peace vnto you while in this point you despise the Lorde and walke still in this secure course or else a Iere. 23.16.17 Ieremie is deceiued if they be prophets And if the word of the lord be in their mouthes b Ierem. 27.18 let them intreat the Lorde her Maiestie and your HH and stirre you vp to see that the miserie of helplesse Wales may be considered off You are in a miserable taking my LL that either you haue none about you to tell you of these things or that men dare not tel you of thē you are more
he cannot in iustice punishe you though your people bee not taught Bicause you haue seene al those wel bestowed whom he quallified for that calling so do now expect a blessing from him vpon your labours that you might send more The subterfudge will be but the couert of a net to aske as coÌ„monly our prelats do how there shoulde be possiblie founde as many learned men as Wales requireth seeing they who are founde are not placed there And doe you deale well with the lord that be cause al canot be brought at once to serue him as hee willeth therefore they that may shall not The same is to bee saide of the ministers liuings Remoue the dumb ministers nonfideÌ„ts the L. bb if you will not do this you go beside the word of God so there is no direction for you and there will be mo liuings void able to maintain godly ministers then shal be I feare me good men found to supplie the places And verely I maruaile what men persuade theÌ„selues the Lord to be wheras they thinke hee can be satisfied with suche sielie shifts is it not a strange matter to finde Church liuings in Wales for L. bb nonresideÌ„ts idoles to sin against God and starue soules withal and deny any to be there for godly ministers do honor God and work the saluation of his people The children must starue for want of breade because the dogs before their eies must be fed therewith Good reason yea but the remouing of those men would be likelie to set the land on fire Marke how sutile the deuil is in the maintenance of his kingdome When godly ministers are deprined because they will not link theÌ„selues with wicked B. b to betraie the kingdonm of Christ and ouerthrow the lawes of this land there is no inconuenience sered But if satans messengers be once shoued at behold the land wil not be able to beare this losse I grant in deede my Ll. that men which make no conscience for gaine sake to break the law of the eternal and massaker soules as these do are dangerous subiectes and not to be trusted any further then they are fed The stay therefore must be either in regarde of these men or the common people These men are of 2. sorts some few haue gifts for the ministery those would be imploied that way and compelled to bee faithfull The most of them are vnsauerie salt notwithstanding far be it that they and their families should be turned vnto the wide world to seeke their liuings and therefore some part of that which now they possesse with sacriledge bestowed vpon them being out of the ministerie they might enioy with a good conscience And a small thing this way allotted vnto them woulde be blessed wheras whatsoeuer now they possesse is execrable For the people the stay for them is eyther in regard of the publike meetings on the Sabboth or the sacraments mariage and burial For the keeping of the Sabboth The word requireth they should if possibly they can resorte where preaching is vntill good ministers bee placed in euery parrish If the places be too farre as commonly our parrishes be very large and it is not likely in short time to plant preachers so neere together as the people may euery Sabboth resort to them they must be enioyned to meete togither in their parishe churches some discreet man from among themselues appointed to read the word and vse som forme of praiers as shal be thought meetest by the aduise of the godly learned Concerning the sacraments the word requireth they should resort vnto a preaching minister for them There is adulterie amongst the â—â—fidels therefore a minister is not essentially required in Matrimonle Ruth 4.10.11 not attempt to keepe their children vnbaptized any longer then they must of necessitie Marriage is most conueniently to be done by the minister But it is no proper essentiall worke of the a minister and therfore may be solemnised by others at the magistrats appointment Concerning buriall it is a worke of christian charitie and being the last dutie that we are to performe towards the departed we ought to accompanie them decently and orderly with all comlinesse vnto the graue The word mentioneth or includeth no forme of prayers vsed at burials therefore they ar superfluous nether is the minister as in an actioÌ„ belonginge to his office to haue any more to doe herein then any other of the brethren Thus haue I set downe vnto your Hh. the onelye course in regard of substance that the word waranteth to bee taken in such a deformed estate as ours is And now my Ll. let my counsell bee acceptable vnto you a Dan. 4.24 breake off your sinnes by rooting out these plants which the Lord neuer planted in hys vineyard and your iniquities by adoring the same as much as in you lyeth so there may be an healing of your former ouer-sight If not the lords face will be against you yours and the whole land for euill and not for good O my Ll. is it not a miserable case that meÌ„ shold so liue vnder your gouerment in this life as they canot possibly but liue in hel in the life to come O my Ll. heaen cannot be obtained when we are gone Oh my Ll. now is the time for the gospell to flowrish in Wales or neuer Oh my Ll. if her Maiestie and your Hh. whome from my very heart I wish the Lord to blesse should be gone the way of all the world for mine owne part the very staffe of my hope to see any good doone amongest my brethren should be broken Blame me not therefore if I deale earnestly in a cause of so great a moment and so vnlikely to be obtained of our wofull posterities whome my suit in a most nere sort concerneth Oh whye should they haue cause to saye the Lorde bee iudge betweene vs and the gouernours whiche were vnder Queene Elizabeth in the daies of our fathers for they might haue opened our eies and healed our wounds which now alasse are desperat and past recouerie It is now ful 29. yeares and vpward since Babilon hath bin ouerthrown in Wales rather by the voice of hir Maiesties good lawes whome good Lord forget not for this woorke then by the sound of anye trumpet from the mouthes of the sons of Aaron among vs. But alasse what shall we and our posteritie be the better for this if Syon bee not built And what comfort can Zerubabell or nehemiah haue to bring a people out of Babilon if they meane but to reaedifie Sbilo seeing it is the beautie of Syon wherin the Lord delighteth Wee haue cause indeede to thanke God that this wicked eitie hath bene by hir Maiestie in some sort broken downer but we are neuer the better seeing the walls of Sion lie euen with the ground Nowe for the space 28. yeares no man greatly labored to hir maiesty the Parliament your Hh. or to the people themselues either by