misfortuoes to the ende that one of them myghte commute with another after a lyttle interuewe of perticular estates and condicions euerie man woulde lappe vp his griefe and recarie it to his house There are many and great perylles in euerie vocation be it neuer so base and poore neither is there any man so happie that doeth net often wish his last daye at hande and the holy Ghost by the mouthes of Moyses and Dauid sayeth That which is best in mannes lyfe is sorrowe and labour and Christe himselfe affyrmeth euerie daye in euerie kinde of lyfe to bring his Afflictions And to the ende that Mannes myserie and calamitie maye more euidently shewe forth it selfe let vs with some dyllygence consider the thrée vocations or functions of mans lyfe commonly called Oeconomicall Cyuile and Ecclesiasticall for there is no lyberall man but hee leadeth his lyfe in one of these thrée Condicions Fyrst a mans whole familye is nowe and then neclygent stubberne and disobedient which vnquieteth the householder and therevnto is added such a neclygent carelesnesse and wylfull wasting of the maisters goods that the householder commeth oftentimes thereby vnto extréeme pouertie The Husbande him selfe is oftentymes geuen to prodigallitie casting away care of his Wyfe and chyldren spendeth all the daye in bybbing and iaueling And comming home very late with a dronken head and an emptye purse curseth and sweareth and driueth his Wyfe Children out of the doores and the next morrowe he happely returneth to his olde vomyt and kéepeth this course vntyll all bee consumed The Wyfe séeing her selfe lytle onss contemned and vnprouided for begyuneth to séeke out her gosseppes and passeth the time merely with them so long as any reliefe commeth and at the last dryuen to extremeties shée vyolateth the Mariage bedde and prostituteth her selfe The lyttle Chyldren then begge their breade at euery doore sometyme fall to picking and stealing and in the ende come to the gallowes in the sight of their Parents It happeneth also very oftentymes the good Parentes bringe foorth Chyldren verye vnlyke vnto them selues as wee may sée in Noah and Chame Dauid and Absolon Salomon and Rebohame Nowe what a deadly darte and wounde it is in the harte of the good and godly Parent to haue a Chyld degenerate one that wylfully rūneth into ruine before his face cannot be sufficiently in words declared Surely after the sence of Gods wrath there is no greater sorrowe then that which Parentes conceyue of the dishonestie and destruction of theyr Children In what agonie was our first parent Adam when the murder of his sonne Abell by Caine came vnto his eares And the Patriarche Iacob susteyned deathfull tormentes when hee hearde of the rauishment of his Daughter Dina and of the bloodshedde done vppon Hamor Sechonn and all their Cittie against the leage and confederacie made betwéene them The vexatiō of Dauid can not be expressed in the incest of his owne chyldren Amnon and Tamar and in the murder of Amnon by Absolon fynally in Absolons vnnaturall and sauadge rebellyon and most tragicall and lamentable destruction Dauid wéepeth in the death of his obstinate chylde he resteth not in any place but running vp and downe repeateth one sentence twise or thryse saying My sonne Absolon my sonne Absolon woulde to God I had dyed for thee Absolon my sonne my sonne There happen many horrible chaunces in Oeconomie As that constant and true reporte of a murder done at Vienna in Austria where dwelt a certayne Baker who had in his house his wyfe his lyttle daughter a man seruaunt a maide seruaunt and a boye Nowe this man seruaunt séeing his master to haue some money and plate was tempted by the deuyll to steale the same He desired his maisters good wyll to depart who was also vnwylling to retaine an vnwylling seruaunt and geueth him his good wyll to goe awaye The fellowe within short space after in a darke euening returning priuely créepeth into his maisters house and knowing all corners perfectlie hydeth him selfe and at mydnight hee commeth out of his denne and murdreth the husbande and wife boye and maide as they were fast a sléepe in their beddes and afterwarde commeth to a Trouckle bedde where the Bakers lytle daughter lay waking nigh vnto her Parents who séeing him approche vnto her with his blooddye handes sayde thus Ah good Barthelmew sley mee not and I wyll geue thee all my babes and puppettes But the Homecide spared her not Who being afterward apprehended put vpon the whéele In all his tormentes confessed that nothing dyd so much afflycte him as the lytle chyldes lamentation which in the myddle of death dyd sounde in his eares most grieuously pricking stynging his harte and conscience Stories are plentifull in recyting such pittyfull examples but amongst al others there is none more lamentable then that of Forrex and Porrex sonnes of Gorbedug wherof mencion is made in our owne Chronicles For after the death of their Father the yonger slewe the elder in the fielde and Videna their Mother mourdered her sonne that suruiued in the night season as he laye in his bedde and with the helpe of her women most cruelly without all Motherly pitty cutte his carkes in péeces and lastly Videna as sume suppose was murdered of her owne people Which story is set out in a Tragedy named Gorbedug excelently pēned by two learned Gentlemen in our English toung would to God the Morrall therof most méete for the present state of our Countrey were wel marked and considered in these days There are also many other myseries and calamityes which make this domsticall regement or housekeping more difficiall as the dayly and incurable disseaces that vexe the husbande the wife their chyldren and seruants dissention betwéene them breath of faith and pollution of the mariage bedde which is not the leaste crosse in Famelies and householdes Wherevnto may be added daungers by meanes of fyre and water an vtter waste spoyle of corne pasture the froward and ouerth wart nature of malitious neighbours and wasting seruaunts with other infinite such sorrowes which euerie daye bringeth vpon vs. Nowe if we cast our eyes vpon the ciuile Magistrate we shal sée that estate euen oppressed with infinite troubles vexations For what are Honours and Authorities but heauie burdens whervnto when many are aduaunced they haue a desperate downefall Whereby Demostenes was moued to name publique Regiment A madde Dogge and constantly affirmed That if there vvere two vvayes offered him the one leading to great honour in the common wealth the other directlie to death he vvould rather chuse the vvaye to death because he had learned by long experience the Cares and thoughtes togeather vvith the enuie and malice vvhich men in aucthoritie can not auoyde to be intollerable and inuitable And Herodotus sayth A kingdom is a perillous thing and yet many desire it there hath neuer bene yet any
as our blessynges at home ought not to breede in vs senssesse securitie so the forraigue plagues and almost oppression of the Churche abroade should not abashe or make vs shrinke Let vs not bee mooued with the might and multitude of enimies whether they bee Turkes or Papistes neither let vs bee dismayed which the weake and poore estate of the Churche to iudge that they therefore be accepted and wee contenmed which carnall and peruerse speculation mooueth many to reuoulte to Turke and Pope from the Gospell bicause they often times beholde the Church as a refuse voyde and destitude of all humane helpe In such cases wee ought to take vnto vs in faith and inuocation those defenses out of the Armorye of the bible whiche will make vs inuinsible against the weapons and assiultes of all dyuelles and wicked men Those munitions are Gods prounises whiche wee ought deepely and stedfastly to imprint in out mindes and they shall better fortify and defende vs then any stonge Bulwark or Cast'e Of the which sort among many other are these that folow Thus saith the Lorde I vvill beare you vvhen you are olde I haue made you I vvill beare you I vvill carrie you and agayne Canne a mother forget hir Childe and not haue pittie vpon the sonne of hir vvombe and if she do for get it yet vvill I not forget thee Syoh How sweete is that speach of the Prophet which resembleth the sonne of GOD to an Herdmaâ— feedinge his flock gathering his Lambes â—egether swith his armes caryinge them in his bosome and kindly in treatinge them that beare younge ones Wherby we are put in minde in our dayly prayer that we are the sheepe of this shepharde and therfore ought to flye vnto him for succour and defence in all distresses And no lesse pleasâ—unt is that picture of GOD caryinge his Churche in hys wombe and bosome proueysinge to beare the same in hir olde age Men vse deepe inquysitions and carefull cogytations where the Churche shall remayne amonge these ruines of kingdomes confusion of opinions and infynit domesticall calamyties which we beeholde with great dolor and griefe The Prophet caseth this carefulnes saying that the Church shal remayne in the bosome and wombe of God that is to say that he wil alwaâ—es defend those places y harbour intertaine his church But amongst the rest it is chiefly to be obserued that the Church of God is compared to a sucking infant puttyng his hand in a serpents nest and Cokatrices denne and playing with them For as the litle babe sythinge amonge Serpences Cokatrices neither vnderstandeth his daunger neither is well defensed against those vencmous vipers so the Church doth not throughly seethe crafty conuenticles and lurkyng dennes of hir emiuties and is assaulted with greater forces then she hath defenses visible and yet she is myraculously and inuysibly preserued by the sonne of God the protector and defender therof Whensoeuer therefore wee see our enimyes readye to deuour vs and our selues destitute of all humaine helpe then wee may most assurc our selues of Gods presence If wee be exiled let vs not think that we are therefore abiectes or forsaken of God or that wee wander alone For the sonne of God marcheth before with an infinite company of chaste â—ngels Christ Iesus is the Herbinger and will lotte out a conuement restinge place for his obedyent people Blooddy war rageth presently throughout the whole worlde and the crueltye of Tyrantes increaseth euery where wastinge and destroyinge many seruaunts of Christ But they shall not vtterly abollsh and vanquish the Church albeit they haue made many breaches in the wals and seeme now ready to enter for euen then wyll God shew his presence to the confusion of Rabsaces and his mighty army which is lyuelye paynted out by the Prophet in this wise Thus hath the Lorde spoken vnto mee Like as the Lyon and Lyones vvhelp roreth vpon the pray that he hath gotten and is not afraide though the multitude of Shephardes crye out vpon him neither is abashed for all the heape of them so shall the Lorde of hostes come dovvne from mount Syon and defende his Hill. Like as the birdes flutter about their nestes so shall the lorde of hostes saue and deliuer Hierusalem Therefore O yee children of Israell tourne vnto him vvhom you haue ostentimes forsaken Let vs fyxe our eyes and hartes vpon these euydent testymonies of Gods mighty presence protection of his Church in such sort that the gates of hell that is to say the fearce assaultes and subtyll vndermininges of diuels and men shall not be able to prenayle against it The Churche indeede is a lyttle tower or Oyle yf you compare it with the warrelyke Castell of Sathan but by meanes of hyr Captayne shee sustayneth and beateth off the beseege and assauites of all hyr aduersaries Neyther ought wee to thinke that the Churche shall at the last be destrcyed bicause many of hir meÌ„bers be dyuersely afflicted and cruelly murdered For they in theyr tormentes and passions doo tryumph ouer Tyrauntes and professe bouldelye theyr Faith and Relygion So the three Children in the fyrie fuâ—nace tryuinphed ouer Nabuchodonezor and the scauen Machabies against Antiochus with many others who haue left a sweete memoryall of their names euen in this worlde whereas â—yrauntes Ieaue and cary with them perpetuall shame and ignoniie as the wiseman sayth The memoriall of the iust shal haue a good report but the name of the vngodly shall stincke For the death of Gods saincts is precious in his sight and is an entre into euerlasting felicitie And as the sonne of GOD in the fyrste Easter passed through Egipt and slew al their fyrst borne and spared the Israelts whose dore postes were sprinkled with the blood of the Lauthe euen so hee alwayes passed ouer mankynde subuerting great and mightye Princes who haue afflicted and persecuted his Churche but sparynge and preseruinge his owne flocke myraculously The church then shal alwaies continue vntil the comming of the sonne of GOD to iudgement And albeit the face and countenaunce of the same bee not alwayes one and the lighte thereof sometime more sometime lesse much lyke the Moone in hir wayne and Eclyps yet as she after hir chaunge increaseth to the full and shineth most brightlye euen so of seauentye soules that descended into Egypt they anymented in shorte spacâ— to six hundred thousande besydes women and children and beeinge streytened for a time in obscure corners of Iuryc shee kindled vnder persecution in suche sorte that in the dayes of Constantine the Great shee shined throughout all the world Shee was beseeched latly by â—mperours and Princes powers in litle Magdcburge and Rochell but was sette at ly bertye in short time and had free passage almost throughout all these landes Although then the power and furor of tyrants be great threten destruction to christian kingdoms and breath out cruelty against
iniquitie and in sinne my mother conceiued me What should I speake of the tyme betwéene his conception and byrth which is full of sorrowe and sicknesse the mother being encombred with weaknesse of stomack headache swymming of the head and many other infirmities yea ofteÌ„tymes if she eyther snéese or smell the snuffe of a Candle shee trauayleth before her tyme. If besydes these you marke the time of delyueraunce you shal hardly iudge whether Nature be a more louing mother or an heauier stepdame to man For Man is caste forth bare and naked vpon the earth senceles and is compelled to kiuer him selfe and hyde his priuie partes by the reliefe of others so that if we wyl signifie any notable miserie wee neede no more but note the Byrth of man into this worlde WhervpoÌ„ the Thratians were wont to wéepe in their chyldebedde and the Parentes with mourning to receyue their Chyldren new borne into the worlde but at their death to bury them with marueilous reioysing gladnesse as though that he which is newe borne were rather to be lamented then he that deceaseth and departeth the myserie of the worlde Other Beastes entering into light are cladde and couered and by the verie motion of nature doo séeke after foode The Lambe as soone as he is yeaned is able to followe the damme the Chicken as soone as it is out of the shell wyll doo the like and euerie one in their kindes haue couerings and defences to reskew them selues from daunger The Elephante his snowte the Bucke his hornes the Boore his tuske the Woolfe his téeth the Birdes theyr bylles and Tallants and to euerie creature accordingly But naked man is cast into naked nature crying wayling and straight waye is wrapped in swadlyng cloathes as it were in manacles and fetters cast vpon his handes and feete beginning his lyfe with a kinde of imprisonment so that we may right well saye with Plinie O meere madnesse to thinke that vve are borne to pride vpon such simple beginnings how long is it before a man can speake how long before he can go Nowe when man is brought vp many thousand lets many dauÌ„gers many kindes of intrapmentes declare howe harde it is for him to passe the race of his lyfe and to come to his fatall ende Surely he is subiecte to all kinde of perylles and daungers in his minde body and goodes In daunger of water of fyre of ruyne of houses of the sworde and of diuerse kinde of maladies wherby he is cut of most commonly by death before he come to olde age Which things moued a certaine Wise man to saye That Citties and Tounes were nothing else but places of humane sorrowes and miseries wherein mourning lamentation and troublesome labours of mortall men are inclosed and contayned Whereof Plinie also wryteth after this manner The gyft of Nature is fyckle vncertaine yea it is euyll and short to those that loÌ„gest enjoy it VVhat should I speake of one halfe of mans age passing away in sleepe and spent in darknes For we may not accoumpt the time of infaÌ„cy any part of lyfe which almost wanteth senceâ— neither yet olde age which is ful of so many sorrowes cares thoughtes and feares insomuch that olde men pâ—ay for nothing so often as for death aâ— though nature could geue nothing so good vnto man as a short lyfe For in olde age the limmes waxe stiffe the sight dimme the hearing deaffe and the teeth fall away Againe no lyuing creature is in daunger of moo disseases none standeth in more haâ—arde of priuie Amboushmentes then he doth and that by man Lyons for all theyr wyldnesse yet doc not one encounter another the SerpeÌ„t stingeth no Serpent but Man is a Woolfe to Man at whose hand he daily receaueth much harme Furthermore none is couetous but hee none ambitious none vncontentable in desyre of thinges but he onely he is in continuall paine wearyed with calamyties of which euylles although thou arte perswaded that thou hast discomfetted one or two and so thinkest thy selfe in safetie Yet thou must abyde a sore conflict with Nature her selfe séeing thou arte enforced to feare euen the lyghtning of the Element the stenche of the earth the Scorpions stroke so many kindes of poyson and venime which although they neuer chaunce vnto thée yet fleshly flées crablyce and many other lyke vermins shall annoy thée and declare that man is in daunger of many thousande myseries But also the necessitie of death is not to be so much counted vpon séeing it is common to all lyuing creatures for whatsoeuer is horne must dye and returne to duste whence it had his begynning were it not that another kind of death had fallen to man which came through sinne whereby we haue also founde another begynning of a myserable lyse For there is no other lyuing thing but it decayeth vniuersallye and totally man alone excepted whose onlye body perisheth the soule which is seuered from it coÌ„tinuing euerlastinglie so that the good be receaued into a blessed life whereas the baddâ— be thrust downe into euerlasting tormentes of hell hauing in this poynt death lyke to brute Beastes because they neyther thinke the soule immortall neyther beléeue that there is any resurrection or any hell that thereby the death of an â—xe and a Man séemeth lyke Heape hyther so many meanes whereby wée eyther hasten our owne death or vpon very tryfling occasions léese our lyfe séeing moe dye by surseyt wine then by the sworde Many whyies that contrarye to their nature they labour by helpe of cunning and arte to lengthen their yeares and onely séeke meanes to lyue cast them selues away by vsing too much Phisicke Here I néede not to touche diuerse kindes of soddaine deaths wherby very many haue miscaried and decayde So dyed Anacrien the Poet chooked with a reysyn kyrnell So dyed Fabius the Senatour of an heayre which he did drink in mylke Cornelius Gallus which somtime had bene Praetor and Quintus Heterius a knight of Rome dyed whyles they were in the very acte of generatioÌ„ Sophocles and Dyonisius the tyraunt of Cycille both deceassed for ioye when they heard tydings of the vpperhand of a Tragedy Of which sort of examples I could rehearse a number wherby we be put in minde of our mortality that ere we weene we dye soddainly Sure we are to dye but by what kinde of death in what momeÌ„t we know not We must watch therefore whyles we lyue in this ciuile lyfe among men lest the soddaine necessitie of death finde vs vnprouided not awake for we shal be so much the lesse be able to geue an accomâ—pt of our former life the more we yéelde to wickednesse and dispise the obedience of Gods commaundement Finally the dauÌ„gers of that soule neglected or slightly passed ouer by carnall men are principally to be considered such are the errors and ignoraunces of the minde prophane opinions of God
man nor shal be vnto vvhom heapes of euylles are not conioyned immediatly after his byrth Yee the greatest estates are incombred vvith the greatest euyls The meane subiect enioyeth more quietnesse hartes ease then their Lordes and sléepe soundlye in their pleasaunt beddes whyles their Lordes passe the long nightes with open eyes in consuming cares and thoughts Which moued Xenophon to saye Peace is an especiall blessing but the least part thereof redoundeth to Kinges and vvarre is a great curse vvhereof Kings are the greatest partakers And to the ende that subiectes maye lyue in quiet rest the good Magistrate susteineth many long iourneyes daungerous conferences and chargeable Ambassageons Let vs therefore loue and blesse the Magistrat with tongue hart vnto whose power and dignitie there are ioyned so many peryls and daungers We maye adde vnto the premisses greater inconueuiences which maye and offer doo aryse by emulation enuie amongst men in great aucthoritie as happened betwéene Darius and Cyrus Sylla and Marius Pompei and Caesar It commeth to passe also nowe and then that among thyrtie or fortie Colleges in administration of the coÌ„mon wealth there are scarce two that are lynked together in perfite friendshyp respect the publique profit And sometyme those carie the chiefe swinge that saye and do all things after their owne selfe wyll and luste not admytting any mans counsayle and if any of a good meaning dissent from them they either banish them or destroye them Alexander the great when he was dronke murdred Clitus that had deserued verie well of the whole Empyre because hee dealt with him plainely and faithfully Caligula and Domitianus Nero executed many noble and verteous counsaylers and so dyd Caracalla and amongst others that famous vpright Lawier Rapinianus because he woulde not excuse Parricyde Moreouer we maye sée oftentimes that which is more lamentable howe many Parentes destroye theyr Chyldren many Children their Parentes through ambicious desyre of a Kingdome and for the same cause the brother to sley the brother Adonius was wont to saye That to obtaine a kingdome be vvould burne his owne Cittie his father and mother Whereof Xenophon wryteth notably after this manner The amitie and friendshippe that is betweene the Parent and the Childe the brother and brother the husbande and vvife is most constant and faithfull And if vve vvyll consider the matter dyllygently vve shall finde the same fast and firme betweene priuate persons but wauering and vnconstaunt amongst those that be in rule and aucthority vvhyles many Princes haue murdred their naturall sonnes and againe many haue beene murdred of their sonnes the brother to haue destroyed the brother and the wife her husband And finally many haue oppressed theyr fellowes and companions vnto whom they shewed a friendly face and countenaunce Histories of all tymes doo testify these thinges with great store of examples SolymaÌ„ne the twelfth Turkish Emperor who besieged Vienna An. Do. 1529. and gaue theyr 21. terryble assaultes murdred his sonne Mustapha suspected to aspyre vnto the Empyre And Selym father to Solymanne poisoned his father and so obtained the Empire An. Do. 1512. The two Brethren Polynices and Etocles slewe one another in that warre which themselues moued for dominion and rule Antonius Bassianus Caracalla murdred his Brother Geta hanging about his mother Iullo her necke crying Helpe helpe mother for I dye the death And the mother was not onely sprinkled with her soÌ„nes blood but also receaued a wounde in her hande Domitian also poysoned his brother Titus Vespasianus that notable valiant Captaine Iulius Caesar perished with the daggers of Cassius and Brutus whome hee had aduaunced to great aucthoritie and accoumpted his faythfull friends Wherby this Epitaph was afterward ingraued on his Toumbe Haue I therefore preserued them to destroy mee And Moses the sixt Turkish Emperour slew Orcanes his brothers sonne and so set the Crowne vpon his owne head And to come to our owne Realme letting therein passe both Bryttons Daines and Saxons we maye finde therein many myserable and Tragical examples For Wylliam Rufus the seconde King of Englande after the Conquest eyther by mallice or mysaduenture was slaine in the new Forest as he was hunting by Walter Tyrrell with the shotte of an Arrowe Robert Duke of Normandie eldest sonne to Wylliam Conqueror depriued of his inheritaunce of Englande by the sayde Wylliam Rufus his seconde Brother and after by Henrie his youngest Brother hauinge both his eyes put out myserablye imprisonned in Cardlyffe Castell where he dyed Lykewyse the most lamentable case of Wylliam Rycharde and Marie chyldren of the sayde Henrie drowned vpon the Sea. And king Richarde the first slaine at a quarell in his chiefe prosperitie Also king Iohn his brother as some saye poysoned besydes these the cruell murder of Edwarde and Richarde the sonnes of Edwarde the fourth by their owne Unckle Richarde Duke of Glocester was most monstrous and vnnaturall whereby we maye sée that no Nation nor kingdom wanteth râ—wfull and tragicall examples Last of all looke vpon the Ecclesiasticall regiment and state of the Church you shal finde therin also so many great and gréeuous inconueniences betwéene the shepheard the shéepe that you cannot tell which waye to turne you And fyrst to speake of the Pastors we see and heare of many that ignorauntly or maliciously corrupt the doctrine of the essence and vvyll of the lyuing God of sinne of the lawe of grace of good workes of repentaunce of inuocation of the true vse of Sacraments of ChristiaÌ„ lybertie of mariage of Magistrates c. Such Pastors and Shepheardes haue bene alwayes since Cains tyme euen to this our age Such are called of Christ theeues and murderers who with their false doctrine do not onely steale the hartes of the hearers and drawe them from the lyuing God with their subtyle practises as Absolon dyd the people from his Father but they murder also the soules of their hearers and throwe them into euerlasting destruction That monster Arius who powred out his bowelles when he sate at the stole reuiueth againe in Hungarie and Polonie And besides many theeues of the soule which Italey bréedeth being as it were another Africk in these kinde of monsters the scholers of Martion are most plentifull who with the Saduces deny the immortalyty of the soule and the resurrection of the flesh In Italye Germany Fraunce Spayne west India there are great swarmes and droues of a new and straunge kind of cattell vnknowen to our forefathers the Mounkyshe lesuites or rather to tearme them truly the Esauits who weery of the honorable name of Christians tremble not to commyt blasphemy and spirituall robbery in assuming that to them which is proper to Iesus only to vvitte to be a Sauiour In this our countrey the Annabaptists and fellowshippe of loue begunne to graffe plant but Gods name be praysed therfore by the dylligence of the minysters and magistrates they
mercy of our heauenly Captaine toward his faythful seraunts and souldiours Philosophie is mute and dumme in these matters and if at an aduenture it happen to vtter some golden sentence of Gods mercy loue toward mākind yet it kéepe not holde handfast constantlie but in the ende declineth to a dubitation or an vtter deniall of the same Antilochus wylled menne to ascribe al thing to Gods prouidence VVho oftentimes aduaunceth poore to their deserued degree of dignitie honor and throweth down the high and mightie These such lyke sentēces of Gods prouidēce are scattered in the writings of Ethnicks which for a tyme delight mens mindes but they are not built vpon any sure foundation For they neuer knew God as he hath reueled him selfe in his sonne by his worde they doubte in their prayers whether God heareth them as Euripides in the person of Hecuba cryeth out and sayth O you Gods I call vppon impotent and slouthfull helpers But the worde of God conteyned in the olde and newe testament doth effectuallie and truly describe vnto vs the liuing God reueled in his onely sonne Iesus Christe who commaundeth vs to call vppon the heauenly Father in his name with boldnesse and trust without any trembling or doubting for that through him his heauenly Father is wel pleased with vs we may then speak thus vnto him Thou O God art the Creator and conseruor of heauen and earth thou art also the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe who was borne suffered dyed and rose againe for the iustification of mankinde Thou sendest thy holy ghost into our harts who kindleth in vs by the sounde of thy holye worde true fayth and spirituall motions agreeable to thy holy wyll thou art my hope and strength thou doest couer mee vnder thy winges thou doest keepe mee with thy holy Angelles thou dost heare mee and deliuer mee thou art with mee in this my tribulation out of the which in thy mercie thou wylt delyuer mee yea and glorifie mee thou wylt aduaunce mee from aduersitie to prosperitie thou wylt satisfie mee with long lyfe If the same maye tender to the setting foorth of thy honour and glorie and to the profite and furtheraunce of thy holy Church This confidence and liberty of spéech wee maye vse with our Captaine but not in respect of our owne worthinesse for this cheerefulnesse and courage of minde wee maye conceaue through our raunsome once satisfied and through the continuall intercession of the Sonne of God who dyed and rose againe for all penitent sinners We our selues bring nothing for fayth is also the gyfte of God kyndeled in our hartes by the holie ghoste through the preaching of the gospell Let vs then place and oppose this promise of GOD togeather with the death and intercession of his sonne Christe through fayth and true repentaunce against all doubting and vnworthinesse of our selues and let vs flee awaye and appeale from God being angrie with vs for our many and greeuous offences vnto God most louing and mercifull turned and reconcyled vnto vs through the passion resurrection and intercession of his deare and onely sonne Iesus Hereof commeth that stoute and valyaunt harte of Christians that they feare not although the earth gape and open her mouth the Element doo fall vppon them and the waues of the Sea woulde seeme to ouerflowe them according as Dauid wytnesseth The sound of many waters and of the waues of the Sea are strong and mighty but the Lord aboue is stronger and mightier Iulian the Reneger was for a time of great power and strength but hee being vanquished at a fielde foughten in Persia was enforced to yéelde the honour of the victorie to this Captayne and with a lowde voyce sayde Thou hast gotten the victorie of mee O thou Galilaean Apries King of Egipt who put the Prophete Ieremie to death said That no power neyther of God nor man was able to take his kingdom from him hee had so firmelie established his Scepter and Crowne But our myghtie Captaine who hath power ouer all kingdomes of the worlde spoyled him of his kingdome and strangled him by the handes of Amasis his Courtyer Neoptelemus the player of Tragedies being demaunded what sentence hee had obserued as most notable in Aeschilus Sophocles and Euripides aunswered that he founde in them nothing woorthye so great admiration But hee rather accoumpted it a thinge memorable that hee sawe with his owne eyes King Phillippe of Macedon at the mariage of his daughter Cleopatra in the most noble assemble of the world honoured as a great God and the next day after ryding in the Tylte or Theatre miserably murdred and contempned And Herodus Agrippa who stopped not the flattring mouthes of such as named him a God but fedde and delighted him selfe with the same perished immediatly with corrosion of his Intralles and lowsie sicknes Surely all humaine power is no better then glasse whiche whē it is most bright and cleare is then the soonest brokē for rashnesse procureth speedy spoyle God alwaies resisteth the prowde Let vs not then feare mans power which when it is at the highest and in his pride then is God able yea and often indeede ouer turneth the same with the leaste blast of winde ⧠The sixt Chapter describeth the Armie and warlyke power of our heauenlie Captaine in this conflicte and battayle The. 6. Chap. THIS our Heauenly Captaine hath many glorious names in the holye Scripture but amongst other he is named the Lorde of Hostes Which tytle albeit it be common to the thrée personnes in Trinitie yet because the Sonne of God was sent to vanquishe and breake the power of the deuyll and to redeeme mankinde this honourable name is properlie and for the most part geuen vnto him as in that Psalme VVho is this King of glorie the Lorde God of Hostes is the king of glorie In the which place without all doubte Christe the King of glorie was signified whereof the Arke of Couenaunt was a testimonie and witnesse And the Prophete Esay sayth That the Lorde God of hostes dwelleth in Syon which sentence is to bee vnderstoode of our sauiour Christ This most noble tytle is geuen vnto him because hee is the cheefe Emperour and Captaine in the Cittie of God againste the Cittie of the Deuil For he is the onely head of all celestiall and terrestriall powers the moste strong and mighty defendor and is therefore named in the Psalme A God that is strong and mighty in battale He is not ydle then but fighteth valyantlie hee is neuer ouercome but but alwayes ouercommeth he neuer flyeth but euer tryumpheth and that not so muche for his owne cause as for the Cittie and Church of God and therfore the Prophet ascribeth vnto him the chéefe souerainty saying Blessed be the name of his glorie for euer and let the whole earth be filled with his maiesty Nowe although this our Captaine
King inferior to none in temporall battayles For his Ancient once displayed in the fielde he neuer turned his backe or gaue grounde vnto the enimie Hee forsawe daungers had a present minde in perylles hee was fierce in fight and mercifull in victorie And in all these thinges it was his chiefe prayse that he fought Bella domini The Lords warres But as hee was notable that waye so was he an Artificer and as they say his Craftsemaister in spirituall warfare wherein he susteyned so many temptations and assaultes of sathan and so often caryed away victorie through Gods assistaunce that next after Iob I maye place him the seconde Captaine vnder Christes banner And albeit there maye at the first sight séeme to be some diuersitie betwéene the holy Apostle and him touching their Armour and weapons Yet wee must remember the occasion thereof to bee the sundrie sleyghtes and craftie pollicies of sathan rather then the dissenting mindes of these spirituall warriours For the deuyll vseth not alwayes one kind of weapon maner of warre but hath his dayly deuises to inuade the faithful he must therfore be encountred lykewise w store of weapons and varietie of armour if we meane to gette the victorie In olde time the black Byll and Bowe bare the price in battayles but nowe the Gonne and Pyke are better lyked These two Captaines therfore are no more blame worthie in furnishing Christes seruitors with sufficiencie of Artyllarie then a temporall Prince who opening his Armorie wylleth his souldiours to make their choyse of such weapons and armour as maye séeme fyttest and commodious for theyr strength and abilitie And if there bee any difference in theyr preceptes touching this matter it consisteth chiefly in this poynt That the Apostle kindlesh mans industrie the Prophete calleth to our remembraunces Gods prouidencie the Apostle calleth for the labour work of man the Prophet encourageth the same in the power of God the Apostle sheweth how the Lorde blesseth the trauailes of his Childrē in mercy the Prophete openeth howe God tryumpheth ouer his enimies in his myghtye maiestie And although as I sayde before the temptations of Sathan the veration of Gods seruants and his present aide are dispersed lyke swéete spice throughout all the Psalmes yet he séemeth of purpose to haue handled this matter in one place where he also numbreth two kinds of Armour the one defending our selues the other offending the enemie Of the firste sorte are those whiche the holye ghoste nameth The winges of God the worde of the Lorde and the knowledge of his holye name For thus he sayth 1. He will couer thee with his vvinges 2. His trueth shal be thy shield and buckler 3. I vvill defende him because he hath knovven my name For about the Cittie of God where sincere doctrine is deliuered with fruit receyued and sacramentes rightlie administred Gods Angels pitch their campe and builde such high walles that no Tirant is able to scale thē or with gunnes to batter them That Cyttie is couered and shadowed by almighty God euen as an henne hideth her chickens vnder her winges according to that saying of the Prophēt I vvill defende this Cittie Almightie God therefore draweth the Curtayne casteth a cloke as it were ouer that Citie that no stormes tempest nor rayne shall fall vpon it or if it so doo it shall turne to the profitte and benefit of the godly and to the trouble and ruine of the vngodlie as the historie of M. Aurelius Antonius surnamed the Philosopher plainly declareth This Emperour had warres againste the Marcomanes and Quades which people are named at this day Morauians Sylecians in his armie there serued a Legion of Christians who were of the I le of Malta where Saint Paule preached the gospell This Legion dyd not onely serue with swoorde but fought with prayer For when many of the Horsemen and Horses peryshed for wante of water this Legion tooke a publique fast vpon them with prayer humblie crauing at Gods hande rayne and a happie ende of the warre And immediatlye there arose a myghtie storme and tempest whereby God gaue both great store of raine to the Romane armie and cast downe lyghtening and thunderboltes vpon the Morauians and Quades The Romane armie therfore was couered vnder Gods wings the other were terryblie ouerthrowne and destroied The other sorte of Armour whereby the violence force of our enimies are broken and beaten backe are named in this Psalme 1. Desires of God. 2. And the clamours or cryes of the oppressed For he sayeth Bicause he hath loued mee or desired mee therefore vvyll I delyuer him there shall no euyll come vnto thee neither shall any plague come neere thy tabernacle These Armours proceede from a pure harte and true faith kindled by the holy ghost through the sounde of his worde which doo euen enforce and after a sorte compell our heauenly Captaine to succour and defende vs And when he commeth out of his Chamber hee is not vnfurnished of Armour and Artyllarie for he hath famine pestilence thunderboltes haylestones vehement blasts of winde mundations of waters the sounde of Trumpettes and other infinite terrors The Lorde dyd helpe Titus Vespasianus in the besiege of Ierusalem not onely with the sworde but with famine and pestilence insomuch that when Titus him selfe had taken the Cittie and sawe the Munition Bulwarkes and Trenches made for their defence in the Cittie hee eryed out with great admyration saying VVe haue foughten God assisting vs and it was he that drewe the Ievves from their holdes and defences When Antiochus in his pride sayde that he would make Ierusalem an heap of graues vtterlie destroye the Iewes that beléeued in God he was sodainlie stricken with tormentes and wringing of intestines insomuch that lyfe increased in his bodie which by little and little rotted awaye and annoyed the whole armie with a poysenous odour stincke and so God stryke the Philistians with Emrodes and a flyxe because they tooke the Arke of the Lorbe from the chyldren of Israell The Marcomanes and Quades as I saide before were destroyed with lyghtning thunderbolts And so the Lorde rayned downe greate haylestones from heauen vpon the fiue kinges of the Amorites that a great deale moe perished that way then with the swoorde of the chyldren of Israell Hereof commeth that sētence of Sirache Fire hayle famine death al these are prepared for vengeaunce And in another place They fought from heauen against them the starres fought against Sycera So Theodosius the Emperour fighting against Eugenius and Arbogastus was holpen with vehement blasts of winde which blewe mightily against the Infidelles The windes are also created to hurt and to reuenge Pharao with his Horsemen and Chariots were drowned in the red sea By the hands of those noble women Debora Iael and Iudith hee slewe those cruell Tyrants Sycera and Holofernus With Kinges
conquest apperteyneth because hee is shaddowed vnder Gods winges so that no euill can come nighe him neither touch his house his famely his cattell nor his ground as Moyses to mans great comforte writeth after this maner And the haile smote throughout the Land of Egipt al that was in the feeld both man and beasts also the haile smote all the herbes of feelde and brake to peeces al the trees of the feelde Onely in the Lande of Goshen where the children of Israell were was no hayle Where vnto consenteth Dauid saying The Lorde saueth both man and beast Surely the Children of Israell and al that is theirs that is to say the true and liuely members of Christ with all their goods are vnder the wings of the Lord in the custody and Tutele of his Angels in whose hands they are borne whiles they walke in Gods wayes and doo the workes of their vocation Which addition is especially to bee remembred For there are manie in the shadowe of the Churche that pollute themselues against their conscience with many gréeuous offences and busie themselues in other mens matters and presumptuously obiect themselues againste great daungers tempting almightie god But these men kéepe not the heauenly discipline of this warrefare albeit outwardly they make a shewe that they be souldiers vnder this Capitayne King Osias contrary to his vocatiō went into the Church to offer sacrifice he was not couered vnder Gods wings but striken with an incurable Leprosie The sonnes of Aaron were not kept by the Angels but in the sight of the Lord were killed for laying straunge fyre vpon the Aulter so Chore Dathan and Abiron were swalowed vp quicke into the earth Absolon walking in his owne wayes was myserablie hanged by the hayre This victorie therefore properlie appertayneth vnto those who abide vnder Gods winges walke in his wayes doo the workes of their vocation in true repentaunce and fayth are content with their estate which they labour to adorne and bewtifie and auoyde sinnes of presumption against the conscience Such men are not only partakers of this glorious victorie but also sée oftentymes the fall of those Tyrauntes that with sworde and fyre persecuted them for the profession of the gospell So Noha sawe the wycked men in the firste age drowned with the floode who had long mocked and laughed him to scorne Loth sawe the fearfull destruction of Sodome The children of Israel with their owne eyes behelde the army of Pharao drowned in the red sea Dauid saw the distruction of Saul and of many other his enimies so Mardocheus behelde Hamon Iohn the Euangliste Cernithus the hereticke Many godly Christians sawe the destruction of that bloodye Tyraunte Maxentius Didimus Bishoppe of Alexādria sawe in his dreame the death of Iulian the Reneger Alexander Bisshop of Cōstantinople with many other faithfull men saw howe Arius the dampned heretique perished terribly but worthily And examples in all tymes and ages plainly verify that saying of Dauid Doubltes with thy eies thou shalt behold and see the reward of the wicked This is verilye no small comfort that the holie ghost doeth succour and releeue all such as are oppressed for the profession of the gospell And that we who are oppressed of tyrauntes shall see in this life theyr ruine and fall or if that come not alwayes to passe in this worlde yet without all doubte wee shall see their eternall obiection and condempnation which farre passeth all worldlye paine and punishment For there can bee no conuenient proportion or comparison betweene thinges finite and infinite temporall and eternall But heere aryseth a question and a great scruple in mennes mindes howe this promise of the holy ghoste can bee true That no euyll shall come nigh the godly nor his familie but that they shal be shadowed vnder Gods winges and kept by his holy Angels For both many examples in the holye scripture and dayly experience teacheth that the most excellent lyghtes and members of Christes church are first and most commonlie taken away with sworde fyre pestilence and other plagues and mischiefes Abell dwelling vnder the shadowe of the highest beleeuing in Christ and walking in his wayes was murdred of his wicked and vnnaturall brother Caine. Ioseph from his chyldhoode fearing the Lorde and doing the worke of his vocation is solde by his brethren into Egipte was there without cause imprisoned Esaias the Prophet in whome was many excellent gyftes wherewithall he gouerned the Church was cutte in two peeces by the tyraunt Manasses Apries king of Egipt caused Ieremy to be stoned to death Herode cutte of Iohn Baptist heade then whom there was no greater amongst the sonnes of women Nero caused Saint Paule to be crucified And the cruell tyrannie of Diocletian Maximanus and Maximinus murdred in one moneth seuenteene thousād Christians bicause they would not offer sacrifice to the Idolles of the Panims Nowe when carnall reason considereth these such lyke examples it begynneth to doubte of Gods prouidence of his promises touching mans protection and defence wherof I speake somewhat in my Booke intytuled The armour of proofe But because it is verie pertinent to this tractation I wyll handle the matter more perticularlie largelie in this place If say they God doth protect and defend his seruauntes vnder his winges and keepeth them by his holy Angelles why then are there many thousandes of those that serue God sincerely and call vpon him earnestly either murdred cruelly or spoiled miserablie or drawne into heauie bondage vvhere they serue barbarous godles people painefully And heare I haue good occasion to speak generally of the causes of persecutions againste the Church of God but I will kéepe my self within compas deduce my Reader to the consideratiō of those things which are most needful for these troublesom times I wyl first speake of the sartenty of Gods promises whiche are in the obiection infyrmed and weakened I say therefore that these promises of God made to his Churche are not therefore frustrate because throughout all times some members thereof perrishe For the body of the Church is preserued and shall continewe vntyll the ende of the worlde allthough some bowghes and Braunches be cut of and albeit some of the souldiers of this armye fall with sworde as oftentimes it cōmeth to passe that both the godly and vngodly perish together yet other souldiers by and by succéede in their places who fight manfully for the lawe and for the congregations This heauenly capitaine the sonne of God shall alwayes haue a strong army allthough the number be somtime more sumtime lesse No infernall power shal preuaile against this whole armie wherin if peraduenture there bee some as fearfull as hayres or hartes yet the capitaine hath the hart of a Lion and is therefore called the Lion of the tribe of Iuda And if he doo not saue his armie by those meanes which humaine reason deuiseth