seruaunts of God as of 〈◊〉 Iob. The sinnes of all the other Idolatrers in that countrey hée not so much as touched them hée hidde them hée couered them hée accused the electe of God His owne children hée rockes in the cradell of securitie It is to be feared lest bée so concealed heretofore their woorkes of darkenesse And they which nowe finde faulte at strawes and mâ—ates in our eyes at that great daye of account let them take héede lest there be great Beames founde in their owne eyes and in those whome they so highly commende Then besydes this almost all their woorkes which they so greatly bragge of and commende to the ignorant they were of the will of man not of the Lawe of God They were deuised of them selues not commanded of their master They were voluntarily done not inioyned them in Gods word they were supplyes of Christes â—â—rites as though he had not payde our raunsome sufficiently Not testimonies of his grace signes of our duetie and argumentes of our thankefulnes And what worshipping of God is this I praye you what obedience of his seruants what reward of his grace and mercie can be looked for at his hands for such workes All their workes were done for the saluation of their soules This they haue put downe in their Authentical instruments and writings to all posterities not for the loue of Iesus which marke he set downe to vs for all our workes If any loue me saith he his perfect Sauiour and redéemer let him keepe my commandements He doth not saye if any one will be saued let him kéepe my commaundements Besides this their workes were not done for the glory of God the which he maketh the chiefe and of them all as in the seuenth of Matthew Let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen These two ends we finde principally set downe in the Gospell to all our works and none other not for the saluation of our soules Wherefore Chaâ—oâ— when as in the Hebrue tongue to sinne is nothing else but to misse the marke Surely all their workes though they were verie glorious and costly and praise worthie in the eyes of man Markes yet indeede they were but sinnes because they missed these two markes because they were not done to the glory of God and for the loue of Iesus Christe Our Sauiour in the Gospell sayeth He that heareth my wordes and doeth them is like vnto a wise man that buylt his house vpon a Rocke and the 〈◊〉 râ—se and the windes blewe and they could not moue it because it was buylded vpon a Rocke Surely they builded all their workes all their Nonries all their Abbeyes like foolish men vpon the sandes of the Sea according to the doctrine and deuices of men not vppon the Rocke of Iesus Christ and vpon his worde Therefore they could not stande for euer nor endure the forces and stormes of windes and floodes The Abbeyes had no commaundement in the Gospell no plat forme amonge the Saintes of God Moses neuer sawe them in the Mount They were the buildings of mannes braine They were mannes deuises Wherefore they were not founded vpon that sure foundation Iesus Christ As conserning the basenesse of our Parentages and newnesse of our Nobilitie which they obiect this hath beene an auncient complaint of wicked and desperate men against the elect seruants of God and followers of vertue alwayes both in the church and in the common wealth So Catiline amongest the Romanes bragged that he and his adherents were Senatours and auncient Citizens but Cicers was an vpstart gentleman one that come but yesterdaye a newe founde Citizen So the Sodomites taunted Lot drawing them to vertue Will this stranger be a Iudge amongest vs So Corah Dathan and Abiram the eldest sonnes of Ruben and Leuie the chiefe of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall companye rose vp against Aaron and Moses These men in byrth in deede were the chiefe amongest all the Israelites So Ismaell mocked Isaack and Caine the elder brother disdained Abell and slewe him So the Athenians saide to Saint Paul when he preached Iesus Christe What newe doctrine is this To morrowe wee will heare thee againe of this matter But worship honour authoritie nobilitie as Dauid telleth vs commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South Neither the Northerne men nor Southerne men can make a king though they bee stoute valiant and expert Souldiours But from the Lorde And he is tyed to no mannes kinred to no mannes stocke Hee exalteth and bringeth downe whome please him and whensoeuer it shall please him The hundred and thirteenth Psalme doeth giue vnto vs two notable argumentes and causes to praise the Lorde in all landes from the Sunne rising till the Sunne setting Praise the Lorde yee seruaunts O praise the name of the Lorde Blessed he the name of the Lorde from this time foorth for euermore And that not onely amongest vs but the Lordes name is praised from the rysing vp of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same And what is the cause of this so great and vniuersall and euerlasting praise because the Lorde humbleth himselfe to beholde the things that are in heauen and in earth He taketh the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the myre That he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of the people He maketh the barren woman to keepe house and to be a ioyfull mother of children These two things are as it were spurres and prouokements to pricke men forwarde to praise the Lorde in all ages amongst all Nations Here is the well head of true Nobilitie euen the Lorde God himselfe Euen those same auncient noble men which bragge so much of the antiquitie of their Petigrees they were once in the dust and perchaunce in the myre Let them remember their firste estate and from whence they came Let them acknowledge their creatour and lifter vp and not despise others their equals whome the same God hath exalted also For there is no power no worshippe nor Nobilitie but of the Lorde And they which doe resist these powers resist the ordinance of God And they which raile vppon and blaspheme and scoffe at those which be in authoritie are Heretikes are children of Sathan as Saint Iude doeth tell vs. The Lorde God of Hoastes and King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes hath euer dealt thus from the beginning He hath euer exalted from moste base and simple estate Cirus He exalted Syrus the great Monarche of the Persians from a sheepeheardes cottage And Romulus the firste founder of Rome was glad to haue a Woolfe or woman strumpet as some thinke for his Nursse He drews Moses the great Captaine of the Israelites out of the Water Hee chose Saule the firste King of the Israelites a Beniamite and one of the least Trybes from seeking his fathers Asses He made Alexander the great
I that haue sinned that haue done wickedly but those sheepe what haue they done Let thy hand I pray thee be against mee and against my fathers house Thus we ought in all these externall plagues punishments of the Lord to find fault with our selues and to saye that wee haue deserued euen the same plagues not to find fault with those iudgements of God which are far lesse then we haue deserued And yet surelie amongst vs in these daies no sin more cōmon We shal come in no place we shal talke with no man but we shal finde him complaining or grieued with somewhat The gentleman he complaines all things are deare money skant his charge great which dearth in trueth him selfe in some parte is the cause of For if hee let his pastures fermes deare he must needes buy deare againe The husbandman he complaines that corne is too cheape he is not able to paie his rents seruants wages of his crop The Artificer he saith there are so manie of an occupacion that one cannot liue by another and that he can not get his debtes paid whose prices without all conscience the Lord sometimes plagues with euil paiments The seruants some times lack masters men wil do their worke them selues some lack wages some victuals So that from the top to the toe no part is free euerie one is grieued euerie one complaineth So that this plaister is verie necessarie the disease being so general dangerous Therefore I conclude with our last weekes lesson out of S. Paules Epistle to the Philippians fit for our times Phil. 4. The Lord being euen now at hand in deede Reioice in the Lord alwaie againe I saie reioyce Let your curtesie or gentlenes be knowen or manifest to all men The Lorde is euen at hand Be careful for nothing but in all things let your petitions be manifest vnto God in prayer supplication with giuing of thanks Let vs reioyce in the Lord who is now our aduocate our lawyer that pleadeth al our causes shal be our Iudge Let our curtesie mercifulnes be knowen to al men that we may find mercie curtesie at the Lords hand at that daie For with what measure we measure to others now in the chaffe and pelfe of this world shal then no doubt be measured vnto vs againe The Lorde is euen at hand let vs be careful for nothing but in al our needs necessities let vs praie vnto him and we shal receiue What is more easie then to aske and haue But aboue al things let vs giue thankes Let vs beware of murmuring complaining So shal the Lord not only this yeare but euerie yeare powre down his blessings vpon vs. Thus desiring your worships to accept this my simple gift praying the Lorde to blesse you both with his holie spirite this yeare manie others to his glorie the benefit of this our countrey and in the world to come of his great mercie to crowne you with euerlasting glorie I moste humblie take my leaue Welborne this xv of Nouember 1589. ¶ An Apologye or defence of our dayes against the vaine murmurings and complaints of manie wherein is plainlie proued that our daies are more happie and blessed than the daies of our forefathers WHereas there are manie things in my opinion right worshipfull in this our age out of counse manie things complained without a cause manie things and that of them which would be counted wise men verie iniuriouslie and vnaduisedly giuen foorth commonlie vttered then as mee seemeth amongst all the rest that complaint is verie iniust vneqaull and against all reason That these our dayes are worse than the former that our times are vnhappie miserable and that the former daies the dayes of our fathers were happie verie blessed verie calme and prosperous When as this opinion of the common people too too common amongst vs. Salomon the wisest that euer was Ecclesiastes ver 12. c. 7. in that one Sermon of his of the excellencie and vanitie and comparison of things together wherein he nameth himselfe a preacher to all ages and countries hath with his verdit as it were plainly condemned Saye not saith he what is the matter or howe chaunceth it that the former dayes are better then these for if thou saye so thou hast not asked wisdome counsaile concerning this matter As though he should saye Wisdome would teach thee another lesson that is to saye That things present seeme alwayes grieuous to men and strange things pleasant that our owne things although they be better in deede to be of none account with vs and that other mens things do please vs most of all Thus is the nature of man euer lothing things present and longing for things absent despising her owne things greedie of other mens things bragging of things past and slacke in things present verie fruitfull of vnthankfulnes And not onely Salomon but Iesus Christ being the wisedom of God the father teacheth vs the same in his Gospell He hath said manie that are first shall be the last and the last shall be the first Our heauenly father will haue his noble Kings his Mecenasses and gentlemen his Constantines his Theophilus his doctors his confessours his Martyres not onely in the infancie of his Church but also in her olde age not in her cradels but in her graye haires not in her time of increasing and flourishing shining as at the first sending downe of the holie Spirit but also in her groning decreasing and as it were now labouring time of trauell vnder Antichrist And these are no lesse notable no lesse famous no lesse valiant no lesse inflamed with the zeale of Gods house than the former And these at the last day shal be without doubt in maiestie euen to be reckoned vp amongest those first Because his mercie is for euer Ioel. 2. euen the same towards his Church And also our Prophet Ioel doth teach vs the same doctrine which did prophecie of our times vpon whom truely those ends of the world haue come more fully than vpon those first Christians which do not liue in the last hour of the day as they did but truely in his last moment and minute I will powre out saith the Lord by that Prophet in those dayes my spirite vpon all flesh and your children and your daughters shall prophecie your old men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shall see visions And also I will powre out my spirite in those dayes vpon your seruants and maydens And I will shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloud fire and the vapour of smoake The Sunne shal be turned into darkenes and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lorde come And it shal be that who soeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shal be saued Who is he which will denye these things to concerne our dayes The fulfilling of
their hospitalitie euen as Sathans Apple all their curtesies as Iudas kisse an vnhappie present to mankinde a cruell curtesie and a pestilent liberalitie But yet for all this saith one some of the houses might haue stande it pittieth many to see their ruines he might say the same of Sodome Sodome was a pleasant place profitable to men as it were a Paradise of God But the Lord for their sinnes did ouerthrowe this pleasant Sodome and their possessors for euer And the same hath the Lord pronounced by his Prophet Ieremie in his 50 Chapter of our Babylon and spirituall Sodome which is also called by the same name by S. Iohn in his Reuelation As the Lorde hath destroyed Sodome and her Cities adioyning so shall he surely destroy our Rome and spiritual Sodome Nowe the destruction of Sodome was terrible wonderfull suddaine In the compasse of viii myles to this daye as witnesseth Strabo Strabo The earth yeeldeth nothing where it stoode but fierie smoakes of brimstone and such like And euen so suddeinly forcibly shall Rome one day be destroyed The Lord hath begun her destruction alreadie by pulling down these her high walles Apoc. 18. ver 21. Her plagues shal come in one houre as S. Iohn saith and shee shal be as a Milstone cast into hell neuer to rise vp againe Therefore ceasse to maruell at her desolation or to lament her fall but with speede rather flye out of her euerye one lest you be partakers of her plagues But the Abbeys were good to their tenants they were good land lords Well suppose they were so It is no curtesie which is by compulsion It is no beneuolence which is violent when one can neither will nor choose They were in these dayes compelled almost to this curtesie for by continuall warres which these Popes many times raysed and by grieuous plagues which the Lorde layd vpon them for the contempt of his word men were so consumed and so fewe left aliue so fewe honest substanciall men and good husbands remaining which would paye their rentes till their grounds that manye houses stoode without a tenaunt many fermes without husbandmen yea many lordships without any to dwell in them The landlords in those dayes were glad to seek their tenants yea as I haue heard to hyre them that should till their grounds and be their tenants A good tenant was then hard to be found Euery man then kept that his father occupyed and desired no more Then there was such plentie of all things and so fewe men that they were scant able to paye verie easie rents of verie good fermes This wee haue heard of our auncestours in so much that for this cause manie Fermes haue lyne vntilled And I praye you then what curtesie was this They sold then as deare as they coulde all things they woulde loose nothing of their price They sold all things cheape in deede but there was good cause why because they could get no more for it They let their lands for easie rents but such as often times they were glad to put the keye vnder the dore and departe not being able to paye them And who would not then let a Ferme for a coople of Capons rather then haue it stand without a tenant Who would not sell 24 Egges a pennie then keepe them till they be rotten Surely such was the beneuolence of those days rather of the time it selfe than of the men of necessitie then of free wil among the best sort Although I do not deny in that blinde age there were some which with the Pagans heathen Philosophers in those morall vertues of liberalitie and charitie were famous But because they did that without faith without the light of Gods worde in the darkenesse they did not please God no more then did those Heathens But what do they commende their liberalitie to their tenaunt Pharaoh the Egyptian their paterne patron in this point farre excelled them who comming by his lands not by frée gift as they did commonly but buying them with his corne let them it againe for the fifth parte a great deale easier then they did Surely a good bountifull landlords For so Ioseph his steward declared his pleasure vnto the people Gen. 47. ver 23.24 Then Ioseph said to the people Behold I haue bought you this daye your land for Pharaoh Lo here is seede for you sowe therefore the ground and of the increase yee shall giue the fifth parte vnto Pharaoh and foure partes shal be yours for the séede of the field for your meate and for them of your houshold and for your children to eate Behold the goodnes of this Pharaoh to his tenants he was content that they should occupy his land he would finde them séede and they should pay but the fifth parte of their profits and no more to him whether it were great or smalle for his rent He had care of their families and children which a great sorte of our landlords in letting of their lands at this day haue not The foure partes saith he shal be for your wiues and children Wee nowe a dayes will scantly let our land to halfe part with many reseruations and bonds Ioseph did not decree this without Pharaohs mind else he had béene an vnfaithfull Steward But this Pharaoh so good to his subiects which did not change the rentes of his auncestours onely he changed his minde towarde the people of God which put from him Moses and Aaron the Lords ministers which neglected and set lightly by the Lordes lawe his commaundements is afflicted with manye plagues is counted the Lords open enimie and at length is drowned in the red Sea Our Byshops and Abbots were not so curteous as this Pharaoh was to their tenants neither were they good to so manye as he was he was good to all his whole realme But to heare the word of God to receiue curteously his Embassadours to obey only his commandements is the onelye worke and chiefe worke of all other And this is a work of the eares to heare not of the earerings to make an Image of Gods word not of our will And without the worke of hearing and obeying Gods worde Pharaoes goodnes to his tenants Saules sacrifices to God himselfe Dauids readie and willing mind to buyld Gods house the straite lawes and ceremonies of fasting and liuing of the Pharisies receiued by tradition from their fathers are vaine worshippings are as the sinne of witchcraft are abhominations vnto the Lorde And because they lacked this worke so were all their workes so were all their goodnes to their tenaunts so were al their straite rules of fasting and of their rough apparell and scourging of themselues What shall I repeat or rippe vp here the cutting downe of woods the spoyling of vestments coapes the breaking of Images the expulsion of Monkes Nunnes the ransaking of those rich goodly houses which things many complaine of grieue very many to remember at the