inuenomed religioÌ„ as from olde Idolators they had receiued and that because it pleased their kinges chiefe rulers and gouerners it must nedes be good and please them They made no difference betwixt that which was holy and cleane because it proceaded froÌ„ God that which was prophane filthye which wicked Idolaters had inuented and deuised The pastors finally were become dumme dogges their watchemen were bliÌ„de giueÌ„ to excesse slowth fulnes and sleape to be short they came to that corruptioÌ„ that the Lord dyd seke a man to repaire the hedge agayne to staÌ„d in the gappe before him that the land shulde not be wasted but yet he founde none for all were declined all soght their own aduaÌ„tage no man called for iustice equitie no maÌ„ was iudged of faithe and veritie They broght forthe coccatrise egges their fete raÌ„ to mischief thei made hast to shed innoceÌ„t blood they nether knewe nether yet would knowe the way of peace but to suche horrible confusioÌ„ came all things that the veritie was banished and whosoeuer departed from iniquitie was made as a praye to all men Which thiÌ„gs when the Lord dyd consider and dyd see that none wolde set them selues no man I saye that opponed him self to so horrible iniquitie his owne arme gaue him saluation and his owne iustice dyd holde him vp c. he powred forthe after dyuers plagues his furie vpon that nation at once and in the hote fyer of his anger dyd he consume them and so dyd rewarde their wicked wayes vpon their owne heades as before was threatened by the mouthe of Moises These testimonies and many mo which to auoyde prolixitie I omit we haue of the prophetes how corrupt was the whole body eueÌ„ in the dayes of the most godly Kinges yea euen in the dayes when the plagues were vpoÌ„ them And the histories do witnes that no soner dyd euer any Idolater rise but that so sone from the highest degre to the lowest from the prince to the Prophet a meane nombre except were all redy to obey what soeuer was commanded by suche as were placed in honors and auctoritie The historie dothe farther witnes that the princes of Iuda after the deathe of Iehoiada by whose wyfe Ioas was preserued in that most cruel murther of all the kingly seade made by Athalia and by whose most faithful diligence the same Ioas was in the seuenthe yeare of his age made king ouer Iuda the conuenant and leage before broken by Idolatrie was renued agayne betwixt God and the people and betwixt the people and the king to witt that the one and the other shulde be the people of the Lord by renuing of which coÌ„uenant vnhappie and cruel Athalia was killed the people dyd enter into the house of Baal brake it downe with his altars and images euen to powder and finally before y e altars of Baal dyd most iustely kyl MathaÌ„ Baals great preste after y e deathe I say of Iehoiada by whose godly prouidence all these thiÌ„ges were broght to paâ—â— se y e priÌ„ces of Iuda came bowed theÌ„ selues vnto the King making no doute this petition vnto him that they might haue the religion which loÌ„g had bene reteined amongst the Kings of Iuda euen from the dayes of Salomon y t they shulde not be so straytly bonde as the conuenant made by Iehoiada commanded â–ª so they wolde not returne as may appeare they did alledge to Baal but stande content with their hylaltars their thickets of wood and ancient Idols And that this was their petition the historie giueth playne light For it saith And the King hard them they leauyng the house of the Lord the God of their fathers serued thickets and Idols which thing albeyt it dyd so displease the Lord that he sent his prophetes sharply to rebâ—ke their vnthankful defection yet was there no redresse For the King princes and people were conspired against God and so from Idolatrie proceded to cruel murther as the histories doth witnes in the dayes of Achas The same abominations remayned in all estates For Vrias the highe preste him self at the commaundement of the King buylded an altar as the King had sent him a paterne from Damascus so left the altar of the Lord and brent sacrifice vpon that great altar c. In the dayes of Ezechias that zelous and Godly King what were the hartes of the nobilitie and people towardes Gods true religioÌ„ it may appeare by the sequel For streght after his death dothe the whole multitude returne with Manasses vnto Idolatrie abhominations and cruel murther yea euen while the King dyd lyue that treasonable traytor Sobna eÌ„nemie to God to his true whorship and to his prophetes was treasorer and in highest auctoritie Ieremie Ezechiel do witnes that the pâ—inces prophetes people were so corrupt euen to the verie day of the destruction yea and after the same that Zedechias of nature by all apparaÌ„ce not verie cruel but yet faint harted for lacke of faith was coÌ„pelled at their commandement to put Ieremie in prison and to gyue them permission to put him to death at their pleasures whose lyfe by Gods mightie prouidence yet preserued and being called to the presence of the kinge to whome he gaue in Gods name most holsome counsel yet durst not the KiÌ„g for feare of his princes nether follow the same nether yet let them vnderstande what coÌ„munication was betwixt the Prophet and him Ezechiel in his vision saw the people and princes declined from God and dyd also heare these wordes spokeÌ„ by God The iniquitie of the house of Israél and Iuda is great aboue measure the earthe is ful of blood and the Citie ful of defection For they haue said The Lord hathe left the earthe and the Lord seethe vs not After that most miserable destruction of Ierusalem when a remnant of the poore people and Nobilitie who had escaped the edge of the sword were left in the lande with the prophet Ieremie and with Godolias the sonne of Ahikam their olde venome of rebellioÌ„ against God his reueled wil was nothing purged For albeyt that the princes Iohannan the sonne of Carea Iezanias the soÌ„ne of Hoseas with the whole people had promised vnto Ieremie by a solemned othe to do whatsoeuer the Lord shulde commaunde vnto them by his mouthe yet when he commaunded theÌ„ in the name of the Lord to abyde in the lande and not to carie the people to Egypt they nether feared nor ashamed to say vnto him thou speakest a lye the Lord hath not sent the to vs commauÌ„ding that we shulde not go to Egypt c. to Egypt wil we go and we wil serue the quene of heauen c. euen as our ancient kinges and fathers dyd before vs and so in despite of God of his prophet and of his worde reueled vnto them departed from the lande which
nothing to it diminishe nothing from it Let not the King and his proceadinges what soeuer they be not agreable to his worde be a snare to thy conscience O cursed were the hartes that first deuised that phrase in matters of religion wherby the simple people were broght to one of these two inconueniences to wit that ether they dyd esteme euerie religion good and acceptable vnto God which the King and parlament dyd approue and commande or els that Gods religion honor and seruice was nothinge els but deuises of men O England England let this blasphemie be first of all others remoued For how horrible is it to remember that the religion and honoringe of the eternal God shal be subiect to the appetites of folishe and inconstant men â–ª Let Gods worde alone be the rule and line to measure his religion What it commandethe let that be obeyde what it commandeth not let that be execrable because it hathe not the sanctification of his worde vnder what name or title soeuer it be published Halt no longer on bothe partes let not these voices preuayle in your parlament This to our â—â—gement is good and godly his the people can wel beare his repugnethe not to Gods â—orde and when the people be â—etter instructed then may we â—rocede farther c. O dissemâ—ling hypocrites playne messinâ—eâ—s of Sathan Now I do write whiche some tyme I haue said to our faces that whatsoeuer God in matters of his religion hathe â—ot sanctified by his expressed worde the same I say before his â—aiestie remaynethe execrable â—olluted and defyled and so in fewe wordes this is the first point which your true conuersion requireth to wit that his onely worde reforme his religion The inuiolable preseruation of Gods religion whiche is the second point requireth two principall thinges the one that power nor libertie be permitted to any of what estate degre or autoritie y t euer they be ether to lyue with out the yoke of discipline by Gods worde commaunded ether yet to alter to chaunge to disanull or dissolue y e least one iâ—tâ— in religion which from Gods mouthe thow hast receyued But let his holy and blessed ordinaunces by Christ Iesus to his Church commaunded be with in thy limittes and bondes so sure and established that if prince king or Emperour would enterprice to change or disanul the same that he be of the reputed eÌ„nemie to God and therfore vnworthie to reigne aboue his people yea that the same man or meÌ„ that go aboute to destroy Gods true religion once established and to erect Idolatrie which God detesteth be adiudged to death according to Gods commaundement the negligence of which parte hathe made you all those onely â—xcepted whome before I haue â—xprest murtherers of your breâ—hern deniers of Christ Iesus manifest traytours to Gods soâ—eraigne maiestie Which horâ—ible crimes if ye will auoyde in â—yme cominge then must ye I meane the princes rulers â—eople of England by solemned the renue the coÌ„uenant betwixt God and you in the same forme â—s Asa king of Iuda dyd in the liâ—e case They made a coÌ„uenant saieth â—he historie that they wolde seke â—he Lorde God of their fathers with all their hart and with all â—heir soule and that whosoeuer â—hulde not seke the Lord God of â—srael he shulde die the deathe â—hether he were great or small man or woman And they dyd â—weare vnto the Lord with a â—reat othe and with the sounde â—f trumpet and of shaumes and of this othe dyd all the Iewes râ—ioyse For with their whole haâ— they dyd sweare and they sogâ— God with vnfayned affectioâ— and he was founde of them anâ— the Lord gaue them rest on eueâ— side This is thy duetie and this the onely remedy ô England 〈◊〉 stay Gods vengeance which 〈◊〉 thou hast deserued and shaâ— not long escape if his religion 〈◊〉 honor be subiect to mutation anâ— change as oft as thy rulers lisâ— or as by reason of death they shaâ— be changed and so this briesâ— is the first thing which thoâ— must with inuocation of Godâ— name prouide for establishing of his true religion The other part touching thâ— instruction of the people standeth muche in the faithful diligence of those to whome thâ— charge of preaching shal be committed But wheÌ„ I remembre thaâ— horrible confusion which befoâ—e was mainteined euen by those which wolde be estemed chief pillers of religion I do more feare to be playne in this matter then in all that which before I haue spokeÌ„ For it may be that in speaking the simple trueth I may displease those whome willingly for no earthly profet I wold offende Neuertheles seing the cause is not myne but perteyneth to Christ Iesus and to the feeding of that flocke which so earnestly and tenderly he dyd commend to Peter and to all his faithful pastors to the worldes end what soeuer man shal iudge I dare not cease in Gods name to require of you a seuere reformation of those thinges which were before vtterly disordered And first in the name of the Lorde Iesus I require of you that no duÌ„me dogg no poisoned and pestilent papist none who before hath persecuted Gods children or obstinately mainteined Idolatrie be placed aboue the people of God to infect and poison foâ— other profet they shal do none the soules of those whome Christ Iesus hathe redemed with his pretious blood Secondly that-benefice vpon benefice be heaped vpoÌ„ no maÌ„ but that a sufficient charge with a competent stipend be assigned to the workeman For ô how horrible was that coÌ„fusioÌ„ that one man shulde be permitted to haue 2.3.4.5.6 or 7. benifices who skarsely in the yeare dyd so often preache yea that a man shulde haue the charge of them whose faces he neuer saw Let that pestilence proceading from auarice be vtterly auoyded Let not men at their pleasures preach when and where they list but so sone as a Godly order may be established let the partes and bondes be assigned to euery one LondoÌ„ in tymes past was indifferently prouided for but alas what barbarous ignoraÌ„ce was in the rest of the Realme Thirdly let no man be charged in preaching of Christ Iesus aboue that which one man may do I meane that your Bishoprikes be so deuided that of euery one as they be nowe for the most part be made ten and so in euery Citie and great towne there may be placed a godly learned man with so many ioyned with him so preaching and instruction as shal be thoght sufficient for the bondes committed to their charge The vtilitie wherof you shal vnderstand within few yeares greatly to redouÌ„de to the profit of y e simple flocke For your prowde prelates great dominioÌ„s charge impossible by one man to be discharged are no parte of christs ministerie but are the maintenaÌ„ce of the tyrannie first inuented yet reteyned by the Romane Antichrist Fortely that diligent hede
the Lord had giuen to the seade of Abraham vnto Egypt infected withe all Idolatrie And thus from their original they continued in rebelliō euē to the ende when they dyd vtterly forsake God for what soeuer they pretēded it was nothing els but a playne denial of God of his leage of his conuenant to contract familiaritie alliance or peace agaynst his playne precept with that nation from whose tyrānie God had before deliuerd their fathers And therfore he gaue them most strait commandement that they shulde neuer returne to that bondage agayne How long and how paciētly dyd God fight against this their rebelliō is easie to be vnderstād by the histories and prophets but how seuere in the ende were the plagues and iuste vengeance powred vpon the kinges princes people dyd verie Ethnickes thē selues giue testimonie record Their land cities were spoyled burnt and left desolate womē for hungre cōpelled to eate their owne children Oft were they broght in thraldome subiection of strangers and finally the glorie of the Lord was remoued from his sanctuarie w c he him selfe dyd sweare y t he woulde prophane by reasō of their great abominations And so he dyd for it was brent the vessels and ornamentes of it caryed to Babylon the whole Nobilitie of Iuda and the Kinges sonnes were kylled in his owne presence after whiche most miserable sight his owne eies were put out he led to Babylon where he remayned prisoner vntil his death Those that departed to Egypt dyd neuer returne agayne to Ierusalem but perished most miserablie as the prophet dyd threaten This is the glasse this is the minor ô England in whiche I would that dayly thou shuldest behold what shal be the final end of those that do abuse the long sufferinge of God most mercifully calling all to repentance Yf thou shalt thinke thy self pure and cleane from any of the crimes which before is noted in that people alas thou shalt declare thy self more then impudēt For all other your iniquities omitted this your last and vniuersal turning from God by the open denyal of his Gospel professed declareth you from the highest to the lowest manifest tray tours against his godly maiestie It is you all together who most cruelly haue shede the blood of a nomber of your brethern and sisters w t from vnder the alter crie to be reuenged There is no person giltles in Gods presence who hathe bowed their knees to Idolatrie what soeuer excuse they list to pretend but as al are Idolaters so are and shal be reputed murtherers before God w c do not washe awaye that infamie innocent blood by vnfayned repentance No other assurāce will I requyre that your plagues are at hande and that your destructiō approcheth then that I shal vnderstand that ye do iustifie your selues in this your former iniquitie Absolue and flatter you who so list God the father his sōne Christ Iesus his holy angels the creatures sensible and insensible in heauen and in earth shal arise in iudgement and shal condem you if in tyme ye repent not The cause y t I wrappe you all in Idolatrie all in murther and all in one and the same iniquitie is that none of you hath done your duetie none hath remembred his office and charge whiche was to haue resisted to y e vttermost of your powers that impietie in y e beginning But ye haue all followed the wicked cōmandement all haue consented to cruel murther in so far as in your eies your bretherne haue most iniustly suffered and none opened his mouth to cōplayne of that iniurie crueltie murther I do euer except suche as ether by their death by absteyning from Idolatrie or by auoyding the Realme for the iniquitie in the same committed dyd giue testimonie that suche an horrible falling from God dyd inwardly greue them These I except but all the rest euen from the highest to the lowest I feare no more to accuse of Idolatrie of treason aginst God committed and of cruel murthering of their brethern then dyd Zacharias the sōne of Iehoiada feare to say to the king princes people of Iuda Why haue ye transgressed the commaundemētes of the eternal It shal not prosperously succede vnto you but euē as you haue left y e Lorde so shal he leaue you And albeyt my blood shulde be shed for this my affirmation as his was yet hauyng the testimonie of a good conscience that I speake not nor write not of priuate malice against any person I wil stil crie as before For at your handes onles that spedely and vnfaynedly ye repent shal God require all the blood not onely whiche lately hathe bene shed by your moste wicked permission but also of all those that for the same cause haue suffred from the beginnyng Tremble therfore feare confesse and vnfaynedly repent that ye may escape the vengeance prepared Your humiliation confession and repentance may now obteyne no lesse of Gods great mercie then dyd Iosias his nobles and people in the same case to whome in all things you are so lyke as one beane is to an other For no crime is so haynous whiche God will not cast in the bothome of the sea ad bury in perpetual obliuion if you with vnfayned hartes turne to y e Lord your God whome so greuously you haue offended This conuersion and repentance requireth no dout a reformation remouyng and suppressing of all abuses all wrong all violence all oppressiō fraude how long in whome by whōe soeuer they haue bene mainteyned practised or permitted But remitting all suche thinges as be without the religion to suche as God shall farther moue with his holy spirit to instruct you I say that your conuersion vnto God and vnfayned repentance requyreth two thinges First that the religion and true honoring of God may be at once broght to that puritie which his worde requyreth Secondarely that order may be taken so far is in you lyeth that the same religion which God approuethe may be kept inuiolable amongste you for euer and that the people vniuersal may be instruct in y e same For the first point touchinge reformation of religion y u muste at once so purge and expel all dregs of papistrie superstition and Idolatrie that thou ô England must iudge and holde execrable and accursed what soeuer God hath not sāctified vnto thee by his worde or by the action of our maister Christ Iesus The glisteringe beautie of vayne ceremonies the heaping of thinges perteyning nothinge to edificatiō by whomesoeuer they were inuēted iustified or mainteyned oght at once to be remoued and so trodden vnder the obedience of Gods worde that continually this sentence of thy God be present in thy hart and readie in thy mouthe Not that which appeareth good in thy eies shalt thou do to the Lorde thy God but what the Lord thy God hath cōmaūded thee that shalt thou do adde