the Lorde Iesus who had it powred vppon him without measure seeing wee that haue but a dramme thereof and that in a body of sinne are not without some reioicing effects by the power of Gods mightie spirite Herein and in such actions the power of God to a beleeuing heart sheweth it selfe to be ten thowsand times greater than in creating a thousand worlds Can the Parliament of England be desirous to glorify their God and not decree that this power of his be manifested vnto vs by deliuering euery of vs out of the tyranny of that mighty potentate who is euen the God of this world Our sauior Christ euen in respect of his manhood is so glorified of his father that man cannot augment the same yet the Apostle is plain that his honor consisteth in no other point than that euerie tongue should confesse a Phil. 2.11 him to be the Lord to the glory of God the father And least carnall men should thinke the Lord smally to esteem the glory hee gaineth by these that are called vnto the knowledge of his trueth the regard he hath hereunto is two maner of waies shewed First in that hee which was the substance and essence of the Lords owne glorious Maiesty b Phil. 2.6 equall with God c Ier. 2.3 I saie 44.26 1 Iohn 1. Rom 9.5 God himselfe made himselfe of no reputation taking vpon him the forme of a seruaunt became vile bale as we read Esai the 52 14.15.3 Phil. 2.7.8 onely to the end hee might reserue from hell some of the lost sonnes of Adam by whose saluation he should be glorified Secondly for asmuch as the chiefe end of his comming to iudgement 2 Thess 1.9 in that great and glorious daie wherin the secrets of all hearts shal appeare is to bee made glorious in his Saintes and marueilous in them that beleeue It is out of controuersie that on this daie the Lord will make the maiestie of his sonne Christ so glorious and of such rare excellencie as the verie Aungels themselues shall wonder and be astonied thereat and yet there be none others set downe in whom he shal be glorified but only those that beleeue Shal we say then the training vp of such is of smal acceptaunce in his sight God forbid Shall we think that their estate wil be any thing tolerable who in this life though they doe not further the Gospel yet will not hinder the same No truly For here be onely two estates of men spoken of either those in whom Christ Iesus shall bee glorified in euery of whose harts the Lord hath so wrought by his spirit that they desire nothing more than that he maie rule the soules of men by his woord or the other whose portion shall bee woe of soule And who are they only turks infidels papists traitors adulterers theeues murderers and such like workers of iniquity These I graunt indeed but not these alone For the Apostle giueth no such mark vnto al but he comprehendeth both the one and the other in this that they obey not the Gospell Be a man therefore accounted neuer so ciuilly honest talk he neuer so well of the Church and the dignity of the Gospel be he in shewe neuer so good a subiect vnto his prince for the diuell is not so vnwise as he wil haue al his limmes manifest breakers of the commandements but he will vse some visured oppugners of Gods glorie yet if in any sort you can perceaue that he vseth any other behauiour towardes Gods trueth than he ought to shew there whereunto greatest obedience and duety is to be yeelded take him by and by for one whom Paul meaneth Because he obeieth not but vndutifully handleth the gospel Slips I grant the children of God may haue and that very foul ones but few of them so fal as they must needs haue that to accompany them whervnto the honour of God is tied We may see then what reckoning our sauiour Christ maketh of the fruit he reapeth by the ministers labour And he wil maintaine his honour in this point by the vtter ruine of al the clippers thereof and be smally beholding as wee heare in heauen vnto them that negligently labor for the same in earth Here mark I beseech you that for as much as Sathan is permitted among vs not only to lift vp his heel against his Lord but euen to out-face him in his owne inheritance the Lord threatned very lately and doth euerie day to measure our punishment by the same line Howe likely was it had not he in mercy choked with their owne raiging spirits these vnsatiable blood-suckers Babington and his adherentes that we should haue had in this kingdome the hand of the vile against the honorable the base against the noble Isaie 3.4 the indigne against the woorthiest of the land Yea and the Lords anointed the very a Lamen 4 20 breath of our nostrils she vnder whose shadow we haue beene thus long preserued from heathen popish tortors was like to fall into their hands The Lord graunt you of this honorable assembly wise harts before it be to late to examine aright the cause of these vngodly attempts to preuent the issues of them Which shall neuer be done as long as the Parliament wil permitte Non-residences impropriate liuinges swarmes of vngodlie ministers the insolent and tyrannicall proceedinges of some ioined with pomp too too vnreasonable to keep out a learned and godlie ministerie by whose means the Lord Iesus would recouer his owne againe Persuade your selues that the Lord maie iustlie giue our possessions to strangers because an enemie is tolerated in this land quietly to enioie the right of Iesus Christ and by suffering such vngodlie practises countenanced in the action If the Spaniard French or anie the forces of Rhomish Caine haue their desire vpon vs as I hope in God they neuer shall how shall pluralities of impropriations other Church-liuings c. defend vs ours from their furie To shut vp this point all the former thinges confidered is not our petition most reasonable in regard of Gods honour Wel in respect of her Maiestie it hath manie reasons where-vpon it maie be grounded Can we euer hope to haue the tidings of saluation proclaimed in Wales vnlesse this be perfourmed in hir daies And haue we a lease of hir life Would it pleased God we had Rather the door of our hope is euerie day threatned to be shut Now therefore the Lord warneth vs to take the opportunity while it is offered Now hee taketh heauen and earth to witnes that at this instant at this Parliament at this time of her Maiesties prosperous raigne hee laieth before vs life and death good and euil saluation and damnation and that for euer We shal neuer haue the time to choose againe for anie thing we knowe And howe effectuall for the preseruation of her highnes think you would be the praiers of so manie thousand of hir people euen of the
wils of those small or great through whose hands it shal come and neuer meaneth to haue anie such thing performed as being out of hand to make an end of al and to come himselfe to sit in iudgement where his word shal be surelie countenanced The consideration whereof should make men enter deeply into their dealings herein O why should the curse of any damned soule among vs pursue the withstander of our saluation To make an end pray for vs breethren and now pray and pray againe that our God would encline mercie vnto vs in the sight of the Queene hir Counsell and all the Queenes mightie princes and that builders may be raised among vs. So let it be our God Amen THE NECESSITY laid vpon mā to a 2. Thes 1.8 Isai 53.11 know aright the eternal his creator redeemer to seiue him according vnto that knowledge which is doone of that people alone b Ephes 2.12 2. Tim. 19.10 1. Cor. 1.22 amongst whome the light of the Gospell doth shine as is not obscurely shewed by the Lordes seuere punishment vpon them that are either c 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Iud. 4. 15. irreligious or negligently regard desperately contemne the trueth being offered vnto them so doth it most liuely appeare by the Lords free and vndeserued d Ezek. 36.32 1. Cor. 4.7 Rom. 4.2 Iam. 1.17 yet rewarding blessings vpon all such as in an holy obedience conforme themselues according to his will What flames of vnquenchable vengeance carelesse negligence of Gods seruice the wilfull reiecting thereof hath stirred in former times amongst nations and will as long as the iust God iustly requiteth the contempt of his word kindle for euer amongst posterities I wish all men duely to consider The Lords anger for the sinnes of his owne people the children of Israel was executed vpon them to the ful euen because they hardened e Ierem. 19. their neckes and would not heare his worde The f Iere. 22.5.7 Lord sware by himselfe that the Temple should bee laide wast that he would prepare destroiers against it g Ierem. 21.5 hee himselfe with a stretched-out hand and with a mightie arme would fight against them euen in anger and in wrath and in great indignation And because h Ierem. 26.2 they would not heare him their Citie should be a curse vnto all the nations of the earth The whole i Ierem. 24.9 people should be giuen for a terrible plague to all kingdomes for a reproch for a prouerbe for a common talke and for a curse vnto all places whither he should cast them Coniah k Ierem. 22.24 the King himselfe should not escape no though hee were the signet of the Lords owne right hand yet should he be plucked thence These plagues with many others most heauy and wōfull did the Lord denounce against them by the handes of his Prophets and perfourmed by the hand of Nebucadnezzar king of Babell Because l Ierem. 40.3 they sinned against the Lord obeied not his voice therefore these things came vpon them as it is manifest Ieremy 40.3 Which are not so lightly to be set by of any as though they belonged properly vnto that time and people especially seeing the Lord iudgeth m 1. Pet. 1.17 without respect of persons and seeing that nation kingdome and people that sinneth against the Lord shal be destroied as it appeareth by the tenor of his iudgement executed vpon Tyrus Niniueh Babel and other Monarchies of the world There is no exception of the n Deut. 7.26 30.15.19 blessing and curse life and death but the blessing and the life shal bee to him that obeyeth the curse and death shal bee vpon the disobedient soule Neither was the grosse Idolatry of this people the only cause of their ruine but the Lord would haue them acknowledge a Ierem. 2.19 that it was an euill yea a bitter euil that his fear was not in them This also did the Leuits b Nehem. 3.9 after their returne confesse to haue beene the cause of their banishment euen that their King Princes Priestes did not diligently attend diligently attend I say vpon the commaundements of Iehoua And in that great day all wicked men shall know that the Lorde will surely render confusion in flaming fire not onely vnto wicked doers but also vnto them d 2. Thes 1.8 that know not God Nothing therfore but shame indignation and wrath e Rom. 2.8.9 tribulation and anguish of soule in this life can bee expected for of those people whose tongues workes are against Iehoua to prouoke the eies of his glory f Isai 3 8. and after this life a tormenting portion in that lake that burneth with fire brimstone which is the second death Of which sort al they must needs be which neuer heard of that which is the g Rom. 1 15. 1. Co. 1.21 power of God to saluation to as many as beleeue On the contrary side the prosperous estate of that nation language and people whose God is the Lorde Iehoua what hart will not reioice to see If you will knowe therefore the roote of the florishing estate of any kingdome Dauid h Psal 44.15 telleth you that it is in hauing Iehoua to be your God The children of Israell vpon this foundation were thought to be such a gorgious i Deut. 4.6 building that all other nations seemed to be but cottages and wormes-houses in respect of them For in that they k Deut. 26.16.17 18 19.34.26 had set vp Iehoua to be their God and to walke in his waies to keep his ordinances lawes and statutes and to harken vnto his voice the Lord also had set them vp that day to be a precious people vnto himselfe to make them high aboue all nations in praise in name and in glory A large declaration of the priuiledge of such a people is recorded Psalm 33. Behold the eies of Iehouah doe looke vpon them that feare him and wait for his kindnesse that hee may deliuer them from death and keepe them aliue in the time of famine And in the life to come Iohn saith of them in the Reuelation Reue. 7.16.17 that they shall not hunger any more neither shal the sunne light on them nor any heat for the lambe that is in the middest of the throne shall gouern them lead them to the liuely fountaines of water and God shall wipe away all teares from their eies Oh then what Christian yea ingenious humane naturall heart will not be greeued to see any people in such a forlorne case as not only to be bereaued of those vnspeakable blessings of the Lord whereof al they shal be partakers that fear him but also laid open vnto the weapons of his reuenging and consuming anger in this worlde and in that to come to his eternall and neuer ending wrath And who would not strain himselfe to the vtmost of his ability
and beyond all his might to make knowen the case of such a people vnto those who both can and also would find a remedy therunto For mine owne part because I see the spirituall miserie wherein wee nowe liue in the Country of WALES for want of the preaching of the Gospel and the great plagues that are like vndoubtedly to fall vpon vs for the same I cannot but be so asfected toward these our calamities as in respect of the Lords honor the desire of the saluation of my breethren my loyall obedience vnto her Maiesty and the discharge of my own conscience I doe alwaies from the bottome of mine heart wish and pray for the redresse heereof nowe by writing with all humility and submission in the feare of God lay open our estate first vnto the consideration of your excellent Maiesty my dread soueraigne Queene Elizabeth vnto whom only of all the potentates of the earth I owe all obedience and seruice in the Lord Iesus and next vnto the viewe of your high court of Parliament desiring you vpon my knees in the name of the great God the creator and preseruer of heauen and earth whose honor is now in hand that our petitiō may be so throughly waied as our necessity requireth The summe whereof is that it would please your Maiesty this honorable assembly in a zealous and a godly compassion to regard the lamentable and wofull estate of vs your poore subiects breethren which liue at this day altogither without the knowledge of a Isai 43.11 ◠a sauing God because we haue not b 2. Chro. 15.2 teaching Ministers among vs that some order may be taken by your Maiesty and the estate whereby wee may bee freed from that destroieng grosse darckenesse of ignorance wherein we nowe are bewrapped to the woe of our soules for euer And so by our true conuersion vnto the Lorde we may auoid euerlasting death and preuent the fiercenesse of the wrath indignation which we see iustly to hang ouer vs in this life The remedy of this our grieuous case is only had and no other way by speedie d Luk. 10.2 Matth 9.8 prouiding vnto vs such pastors as may feede vs with the food of life the pure worde of God and bring vs home vnto the only a 1. Pet. 5.4 Heb. 13.20 Luk. 22.25 Mark 10. Lord of pastors sheepeheards the Lord Iesus This is the summe of al my dread soueraigne that I your base vassall haue emboldened my selfe to offer vnto you and this your high court of Parliament wherein I protest that in respect of my weakenesse al maner of waies the basenesse of my condition I intreated the Lorde to send vnto you by the hand of him whom b Exod. 4.13 hee should sende that is by one endued with such giftes and authority also as whereby the suite might haue purchased some countenance and so be found more auaileable and plausible But considering that this mine endeuor might be a means to stirre vp some such and that the Lorde is the Lord of countenance credit and fauour therefore can adde vnto his own cause the good liking of men either more or lesse as seemeth best vnto him which only guideth the harts of the children of men And that he is then fullie seen for his own glories c Rom. 4.2 Ezek. 36.32 sake to bring the worke to passe that tendeth to the saluation of any when hee vseth most abiect and vnfit tooles I doe not doubt if it be his good pleasure but that this supplication though put vp by a sinfull weake hand shal haue all the intertainment that the message of the liuing God desireth to haue And although our estate beeing duly waied doth with most patheticall pierceing cries that may moue againe the very flinty rockes make intreaty for it selfe and declare the vnanswerable necessity either of hauing our petitions graunted or of the torments of our soules in hel fire for euer and our fatal ruine in this life yet I thought it most needefull in this briefe treatise to set downe some of the reasons whereupon our petition is grounded that by the view of them it may appeare how daungerous a thing it is in the sight of God and man to deny our suite And here verilie the cause may be seene at the first sight to be inuironed with a two-fould wall as it were of most iust and apparant equity First in respect of the honour of God whereat especially it aimeth Secondly in regard of man whom it doth not a litle concerne Whether therefore you do consider the Lord himselfe whom we disdain and contemn for want of better instruction out of his woord by our vngodlie liues or her gracious Maiestie and this honourable assembly who are bound before the Lorde with an vncancelable band to see the eternall verity of the Gospell of Iesus Christ taught vnto obeied of al the inhabitants within the precincts of her Maiesties dominions or my deere brethren and countri-men whose ioiful and happy felicity is this way sought for you shall find the supplication to be full of dutifull endeuors towardes the maintenance of Gods glory the safe estate of this kingdome our soueraign whom the Lord long preserue ouer vs hurting none full of equity on all parts Wee desire to haue the knowledge of our God and the Lawes of his kingdome whose subiectes in name wee professe our selues and in deede ought to bee made knowne and taught vnto vs. We desire that the tyranny of Sathan who a 2 Cor. 4.4 Ephes 6.2 2.23 exerciseth a regencie in the hearts of all them amongst whom Gods trueth hath not beene taught may be ouerthrown b Rom. 1.16 Heb. 4.12 Ier. 23.29 by the powerfull arme of God the worde preached c Iam. 1.21 who can saue our soules Now therefore to you right honorable worshipful and reuerend of this Parliament with al humility be it spoker in the audience of our God in the presence of Iesus Christ and in the witnesse of euery child of God who shall read this litle treatise we most earnestly and vehemently as in the cause of Iesus Christ and in the cause of our soules entreate and beseech you cry and cal vpon you to do your endeuors that Sathan may no longer keep vs in bondage which ought to be imploied in the seruice of our God and that the Lorde Iesus his throne may be established in our hartes d 1. Cor. 6.19 3.16 as it ought to be in those which are his members What interest hath sathan in vs that wee should be permitted to be at his beck and leaue vndoone the duty we owe vnto our most beneficial louing God euen by the law of creation Why should he preuaile more with you which continually seeketh your destruction ours than Iesus Christ whose loue towardes vs was sealed with the losse of his life euen then when we were his enimies Wil you