The Exposition and Readynges of Iohn Keltridge Mayster of the Artes Student of late in Trinitie Colledge in Cambridge Minister Preacher and Pastor of the Church of Dedham that is in Essex Vpon the wordes of our Sauiour Christe that bée written in the .xi. of Luke ROMAYNES 10. VER 8. The words is nie thee euen in thy Mouthe and in thy Harte This same is the worde of Faith which we teache IAMES 3.14 But if you haue bitter enuiyng and strife in your Hartes reioyce not neither be Liers against the Trueth Imprinted at London by William How for Abraham Veale 1578. ¶ TO THE RIGHT HOnourable and reuerend father in God John Elmer Bishop of London and my verie good Lorde health and peace and long life in Iesus Christe IF the Church and House of the Lorde God were or had beene tyed to any one man for his skill and cunning woorkemanship in the same There mighte haue stepped foorth and shewen themselues greatly greeued honourable and my very good Lorde most singuler and learned men in this common wealth That for age through discretion for life through grauitee for time in wisdome for prayse and speeche of people by their rare and goodly giftes could very wel and in due season haue chalenged the first place and taken vpon them the first roome to haue made dispatchall and finished vp this litle building rather then any other Whervnto not withstandyng I haue now put my hands with Morter and Lyme and such homely prouision as I haue founde in the Countrie since my departure from Cambridge Very bolde now as at other times I haue been with your Fatherhood to open my entente and meanyng in this labour of myne That the care whervnto I am bounde by priuate dutie may from henceforth discharge it selfe And that weresome and great burthen layde on our shoulders that be the dispensers of the word of God the sooner lightned I haue not giuen my trauayle and this the sweate of my browes to Aristo Chius as in Fables but I haue searched and made choyse in the praesentyng of this my small gifte of your Honour then any other For that by good right you chalenge the first fruites of my youthe Whom it pleased in younge dayes and this my infancie to ingrafte plante in as one thought worthie some place in the vineyarde of the Lorde And I doubt not but that rule and gouernement wherewith God hath blessed you in this Common welth of England shall haue as glorious an ende in the suppressing rooting out of sinne as it hath had a blessed entraunce and continued vntill this day in supporting and mainteining of the truth If any thing in this my small volume shall appeare to belesse studied and more craggedly handled then commonly the stoorehouses of young Occupiers as I am ought to be I haue a good excuse vnto your Lordship in that a more toublesome and perelous time neuer happened by the space of this one whole yeare then hath done vnto me either els lesse fruit and smaller commoditie gleaned vp by the hands of any one labourer or greater sorrowe or lingering hope or sore attemps or the like flames and such contentions as your Honour verie well knoweth that I haue thought him much disquieted that hath not sought quietnesse in so vnquiet a life And yet in these tossings and tumblings wherein I am sweltered in manner and ouercome with out any hope of recouery I may not be altogether dismayed neither will I stay the course I haue begonne but faire and saftely step by step drayle forwarde till that time the Lorde God shall release vs The causes hereof with my iudgment of the same please it you to turne ouer but fewe leafes they will shewe what manner a ones they be At the end of this booke I haue offered to your Lordeship the copie of that Sermon the verie noates and certeine wordes almost which I speake when you thought good to appoint me at Fulham your Mannor this yeare last past of our Lord. 1577. Vppon Ascention day at the making of ministers there to preach before the Cleargie men This I haue done at the sute and earnest request of certeine my friendes of the Cytie of London men of good calling worship then at that time present though vnknowen vnto you when I preached there These I could not thrust away in so good a demaunde neither durst I withstand them in so reighteous a cause Yet I consithered that the right therof belonged not to them for it pleased you to take it at my handes at that time by commaundement Therefore haue I made restitution of the same For then they hearde it then they begged it when as I speake it But now I write it though they requirde it and as due debt I restore it vnto your honour Both which these shorte bookes as you may knowe the studie of young deuines most commonly busied in I giue them as a pawne and pledge of that duetie that I owe vnto you And I desire of the Lorde God to increase you in all spirituall giftes in Iesus Christ that the whole workmanship and Temple of the Lorde may be fully finished all rotten and shackering sprigges that ouershadowe the Church of God cut off all idle sluggish and hollowe harted men discerned to the increase of his name the setting forth of his glorie the abolishing of Poperie and supersticion and the farthering of tranquilitie and peace in these our borders Your Lordships faithfull seruaunt John Keltridge In Dedham this xxi of Iune 1578. ¶ To him that readeth and vnderstandeth longe life and glory in the Lorde Christe I I is a spéech receiued commonly among men that rare things should be deare thinges and those that bée knowne openly they bee spewed out and layed aside very scornfully The reporte of the first when I first tooke this in hande cōpelled mee to lay aside my Paper and my Inke and betake my selfe to other exercise The tryall in the other shut vp all hope that I had if hee that ruleth the actions of men as I did know and am assured coulde not also despose the hart and secrete cogitations of all flesh Therfore the prayer of the Lorde though it be generally taught of all and thought to bee as base and homly ware such as euery poore man lyinge tottered in his ragges and the base husbandman in the feeld is content to vse for this their sakes also in contempte yet when I gaue my selfe to the looking theron I found a greate deale more Maiesty therin contayned then any one earthly creature can comprise As for the notable and famous men of late memorie displaying their Insignes so gloriously in the sight of men shewinge vs how to war and to pight battayle with the world and the diuel how to pray to whom wherfore and for what causes with other artillery and goodly furniture belonginge therunto as becommeth those that will know the Lorde yet I can not say though they played
that créepe so slyly and serch so narrowely the hearts of poore brethren wil one day I trust take more holde of the trewe light of the Lord whose priuate conscience if it were aswell knowen abroade as it is practised in corners they would haue bene cut off long ere this And it is no meruail they busze so much in the cares of men for the liberty the God hath giuen Dauid can snaffle such an accursed Semei if he dissēble not As for the Anabaptist reason if hée giue thée a blow on the right eare turne vnto him the other It abideth not the heat the Sun doth wyther it for if it may bée to winne thy brother to get a soule to God Take two on each eare rather then reuenge it If god bee not dishonored therby giue him thy Cloake to if hée will and leaue all But if the word be defamed and the Gospel sclaundered I say agayne turne vnto him smite agayne spare him not I giue no priuate man to iudge the case let the seniors in Israel heare the matter iudge therof But if thou bée set vpon be betrayed all alone or with others turne thy face again take vp stones to hurte at him reuēge thy cause it is the Lords I aske but a questiō here why did Christes disciples wear swords This is of a truth if it had not béen lawful hée would neuer haue permitted them as Moses when hée saw one fighting with his Brother slew the Aegiptian Such is our case no other Their what may be said vnto the prayer of Sampson for it is his request vnto God the he may be reuēged vpō his enimies the Philistines for the they put out both his eyes Peter Martir is of this opinion the if hée did it with an euill malitious stomacke in anger that then it cannot be vpholden and borne withall for sayth hée Non potuisset magis deo probari quam si expresse dixisset quaeso Domine bene fortunes vel furcum vel adulteriū meum Augustine is of this opinion with diuers other writes to That hée did it by the singuler instinction or mouing of the holie ghost and the pricking forward of the spirite And so it is not a misse to take it For that whiche to man as it is in man from man is nought So by the styring vp of the spirit if we haue an assured certeine token thereof many things may be permitted which is not lawful for vs otherwise to do Commeth now into my minde in what a desperate state they bée that for euery trifle and vpon so slight occasion as nowe is common in our English rufflers spill Innocent blood Oh that it pleased the Lorde to lighten the hartes of men To sée with what price wée are bought in Christe The hande of Caine would not bée so readye at the throte of Abell as it is But now Romulus is drawinge the Sworde and it bée with Remus for the Kingdome Esau and Iacob agrée not Ismaell and Isaak will not dwell togeather Ioseph is ready to bee solde for mony Saull séeketh after Dauid The Samaritan lyeth wounded no man helpeth him What shall I say more The great man curseth the poore man the poore man complayneth of the riche The godly man hée sayth hee hateth him for hee is euell The euill hee flyeth him that is pure in harte hée is not for his purpose Thus euery one hath his seuerall maner eche person hath his reasons no man loueth one another I aske once agayne another question how canste thou pray Forgiue vs our debts when of a certeinty thou thy selfe forgiuest none The makebate he pleadeth for himself his gentlemanlike qualities his stocke and parentage from whence hee came His Hercules hart hee hath can not bee plucked downe for it is not Courtier like Surely more curteous and lesse Courtiars were good for England Shall I speake my minde I would of truth but I feare you of the court Yet must I correcte my selfe I goe awrye for a noble harte is alwayes séene by a valiant courage And Theseus neuer presed to brawle But the field and the Forte to goe to the Baryars not priuate corners to séeke to wrestle in is Gentleman-like And such as séeke this to them I speake To this vnhappy worlde now all thwackt and pestered with graceles men to you all I say the truth I will leaue of my Gowne and set apart my profession for a time and I will reason with you and prepare aswell as you can take your Armor vnto you for of truth if you be not wel fenced I will not spare you This onely I craue that your weapons mine may bee alike For you bée merciles men I know it well enough you would ouerreache mee And my quarrell that I striue for is to you that be Fathers That suffer your Children to spend so long a time in Idlenes and ryot that permit them to bee Courtyars for a yéere or two and when their substance is spent suffer them to be beggers al there life In Rome learning was so muche esteemed and in Aegipt so much reuerenced that Kings were called priests And Senators were Philosophers and Consules were Prophetides their honorable men were lerned men But now adayes the Innes of the Court and London hath consumed so many that fewe are lefte to write or to read or to know almost what God meaneth Is there not a gray headed man to beare mée witnes that whereas they had neuer a Beggar amonge them of Israell wee haue now many thousandes with vs in England But wil no man speake for mée Shall I fight all alone with these Maisterlesse men or dare no man vtter that which hée hath séene That within 60 yeres sithence these Gentlemanlike qualities budded vp two Runnagates for one true man two quarelers for such as accustomeably were woont to bée at quiet are now of late spronge vp with vs of England If no man dare aduenture with mee the brunte hereof such blowes as my youth can afforde sutch doo I offer you and warde it as well as yee can and speake the truth Is not euery Plowman become a Gentleman doth not many a Marriner sende his sonne forth to bée a Courtiar do not men of occupations trayne vp their Children to know fashions Is not the kytchin Boye waxed prowde is hee not nowe beecome a waytinge Boye is not all thinges so chaunged with your disorder that if a Ruffian peecpe out of the thresholde he must haue a Page with him Then truely looke vnto it for there is vtterly a fault amonge you And it is that for which I striue nowe and it is common with you in the Citie Where men do swimme so deepe in blood as they doo No forgiuing no forgetting All reuenging no reuealing their debts come rowling home in their bosome that owe any The daye hath béene that quietnes was so much set by
nakednesse to the worlde If the reprobate shall haue iudgement in this life and in the world to come to astonish thée if that Ananias and Saphira were guiltie of theft and Sacraledge then when thy commission is good and thy warraunt sufficient and thou hast to deale also with such men I will allowe it Notwithstandinge amonge other reasons that I now remēber laid vnto mée by poore lay men though I perceiue they had good instructers that taught them so counningly yet one among them all in a redde Cappe and a black coate did vere me perlously For my owne part I was amazed and it was straunge to sée a poore fellowe brought vp at plough and cart withered and weather beaten and be shacked in his aray yet to reason so profoundely dost not knowe saith the same poore man that Thelias thwackt the prists of Ball and sklewe them at a Ponde and they were the foes of God and why shall not wee kill those that be hiks enimies Mary masse I trowe the one Skamuel sklewe Ahag hee would haue saide Agag and with that was verie angrye and Spineas he ment Pineas or plainly Phinees did skil a whore as knaue and he iks praysed by god I was afrayd then and rid away as well as I coulde I thought it time yet by his leaue for I am out of his pawes and I haue leasure enough I will aunswere it nowe For it tendeth heather that Elias did kill the pristes of Baal at the brooke of Kison at such time as they had cryed out Baal Baal héere vs c. The ignoraunce of men may appeare therin and true it is an euil scholemaster may easely mar a fine scholer for though these men spake roughly and had grimme talke yet by their trauelling it appeared to me they had a willing minde to atteine sumething And as I haue hearde for that in those quarters there be many Papists I did in verie déede suspect much But I let them alone and God almightie turne them and if these my few lynes may euer happen to come to their fingers I knowe I shall smarte for it Howe euer it be and wheresoeuer nowe they bée I will speake this to them briefly God was then dishonoured the space of many yeares by Ahab his parmission in suffering these Chemerimes those bloudie sacrificers in his common welth And Iesabel that infamous strompette had nourished the Priests of Baal in her house Nowe God beeing sore displeased would haue the Idolaters punished according to his lawe If there be founde in any Cities man or woman whiche the Lorde thy God giueth thée that hath wrought wickednesse in his sight and hath gone and serued other Gods worshipped them The Sunne the Moone c. Carrye him to the gates of the Citie and stone him with stones till hee dye Then that which Elyas did he was commaunded by the Lorde As touching Phineas the sonne of Eleazar the sonne of Aaron the Priest that slewe Zambry Cosby it is sayd that hée turned away the anger of God from the children of Israel in the hee was zealous for the Lord of Hoastes sake the is he did it not but by the singuler spirit of God that stirred him And for his obeisance rewarded him For his commendation remayneth in Dauid Then if hée would not bée pettish I would say some thing to this poore Cuntry man the would learn when Idolatry is come to the ful brimme and Magistracie and authority is contempted as Moses was and when thou art commaunded to hang their heades vp in the Sunne that offend the Lorde when God saith vnto thée do this he raiseth thée vp once again I say it is an offence if thou obay not But al these extraordinary examples the wicked men doo peruerte to their condempnation For they take it as done of themselues in the flesh that was commaunded them in spirit frō the lord And wher they accomplished the commaundement of their God to abolish and roote out sin They doo it in reuengement to their owne condempnation As for Samuell that slew Hagag that Heathnish and Idolatrous Prince that Amalechite whom God hated and abhorred and now commaunded to bée slaine For that hée layd wait for them as in the way vp frō Aegypt It was lawfully done For Samuell was a Magistrate and ruler in Israell and hée iudged Israell fortye yeares And ruled them in vprightnes integritée all his life against whom at his death Israel was not able to say ought or to charge him with any thing Then being the Magistrate hée had Aucthority to vse the sword and execute iudgment Which if I thought you wold deny as the Anabaptistes doo I then would take it an other way in hand But wearied my selfe and hauing euen now tryed you I let them alone for this time when occasion serueth and leasure permitteth and God graunteth vnto mée fitte oportunity I will more largely handle it For this time I cease And this it is my doctrine that I teach if thou or any man else shall take vppon thee the seat of the Lorde enter into iudgement condemne thy brother laye in waite for him take vp the swoorde presume to smyte or else any other way indammage him Thou arte guiltie of his blood and the Lorde will require it at thy handes The laste thing which I note herein Forgiue vs our debtes as wee forgiue our debters Is the agreement and vnitie that the Lorde requireth in vs all that offereth vs as it were our saluation in his Christe and inrolleth vs againe to bee duetifull and obedient to others This I woulde it were if so it séemed good vnto his Maiestie more common then it is lesse debate more loue woulde growe among vs For this cause as beinge one that meaneth wel vnto the famili◠of the Lorde and woulde right gladly hazarde that little whiche I haue to ioyne you all in one Christe Take this from mee as a poore testimonie of the loue I beare you Euen a golden chaine precious Emerode that I willingly do giue to linke you and couple you togeether in one Lorde And I giue it in the name of Christe of his church that euen nowe in Englande suffereth shipwracke goeth to decaye and more and more yet like to perish if we stay not on this Anchor and take not holde in his Christe The Perle or Emerolde it is Loue. The Chayne or Iewell is Trueth For if you do remember I protractured out a man not so long since that to my thinking though he was comely ynough in height stature and proportion and able to serue in the house of God yet I lefte him verie naked and to couer his shame I haue giuen him apparell in this place And vppon his rayment hee may hang the two former Iewels Loue Trueth only Let his Robes and his ornaments be Discretion His Pompe and his brauerie Hospitalitie His glorying and beautifying
haue from the Spirit 12. The Dores to enter at the worde and the Gospel 13. The Barres to stay this hee that gaue this God the Father 14. The knitting of all this togeather is Loue. 15. The keeping it froÌ„ shaking brotherly agreement 16. The force and strength therof one minde and one Iudgement 17. The glory and beauty therof Immortality 18. The ende of this building the glory of God. 19. The price and rewarde Life Not that which is terrestriall endureth a small time but an other euen that which is aboue when wée shall dwell with god The onely price of sutch as loue and feare his name vnfeignedly To whom that bée of his true Church the Lorde God sende his blessing and peace for euer that quietnes may bée to them of Israel and life for euermore Amen FINIS A Sermon made before the reuerend father in God John Bishop of London by I. Keltridge Preacher at his Mannor at Fulham before them of the Clergie at the making of Ministers in the yeare of our Lorde God. 1577. and novve set out in Printe It is thus written in the firste Epistle of Paull vnto Timoth. Chap. 3. vers 1. 1. It is a true saying if a man desire the office of a Bishop hee desireth a good worke 2. A Bishoppe therfore must bee vnreprouable the husbaÌ„d of one wife watching sober modest harberous apte to teache 3. Not giuen to Wine no striker not giuen to filthy lucre but gentill no fighter not couetous c. THéese wordes contayne thus mutch the rule and gouernemente and state of the Church The office the duty the function of a Bishop The state is preserued the gouernemeÌ„t established the authoritie reuerenced the Church setled where Bishoppes bée chosen that are blamelesse The common welth is racked the state impoâ—erished wise and gray headed fathers despised the word of God banished where Bishops are chosen that are shamcles If the rulers bée wise and discréet â—â—en if the order and frame conningly and truly set vp if the guidance be sincerely and purely drawne 〈◊〉 as also squared by the rule set downe in the Booke of God Then Bishops liue happely The common wealth quietly the state flourisheth most gloriously At this present as one of the poorest and meanest Leuites among Israel yet ordayned I hope in good time to serue in the Tabernacle of the Lord elected and chosen to se the Curtaines of our God and the hangings of the habitation of the Lorde of Hoastes dewely to be spreade before his seate As one desirous to sée that no Aliaunt shall touche the Arke of God nor any one vnclensed to approche his sanctuary I am bolde to enter in to sée the surneture thereof the glorie the apparell the sumpteousnesse of his Throne and to sée and for to knowe whether we bee apparelled as Aaron or deckt as Leuits or in manners Israelites or among the Prophets the sonnes of Prophets that the voice of the Lorde may sounde among vs. Foure especially vvaightie great encombraunces able to beate and vvaye him to the grounde lye on the necke of a Bishop His Vocation by Calling His Deutie by Function His Dignitie by office His Aucthoritie by Rule All which haue seuerally foure most excellent and goodly giftes kept vp as in their treasurehouse to furnish and store good men withall His calling hath foure pillers to staye on for hee must bee Vnrebucable subiect to no reproche blamelesse Not wanton not lasciuious husbande of one wife Painefull yet gainfull to bring to God euen watchfull By temperancie not by glottonie ruling them but modest His function requireth 4. garments to cloath him vvith His Robes his Iewels DiscretioÌ„ Grauitie His statelynes and his Brauerie Hospitalitiâ— His honouring and apparelling Instructing His cloth and garment lyned with abstinencie that he be no dronkarde or gluttonous person His office hath adioyned foure Sergeants to vvaite on him He must be no incrocher vpon any no fighter No scraper in of his gold by filthy lucre Lowly courteous gentle vnto all men No brawler no striuer no quareler with any man His aucthoritie and his rule commeth in that maketh an ende of all strife the mistresse Gouernesse to keepe the rest in avve By instructing by ordering beeing able to teach his housholde Liuing discretely warily vprightly abhorring couetousnes That can keep in subiectioÌ„ his own family in feare in reuerence That hee bee not a young scholler puft vp with pride but that he haue a good report of all All vvhich as they be in number xxii So for the greatnes of the matter the statelinesse of that I take in hand the skill and furniture that is required in him I seeke for I am in greate doubt the time vvill not suffer me to ransacke so much as the third gifte that ought to be in vs Prophets that I may go so farre as the vvorde of God leadeth me let vs ioyne in heartie and faithfull prayers together vnto the Lorde For the vvhole Church of God As a member and portion thereof this Church of England and Irelande c. THis place where as he speaketh of a Bishoppe is is not to be vnderstood so as that only he speaketh to him in aucthoritie called by Luke a Senior or as in Tytus 1. For this cause haue I left thée in Creata to set in order the residue that were left Or as Acts. 20. 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 But as Caluine thinketh In the bishop so called of Paul is ment euery one seuerally ioyntly in his function to whom the charge of soules is committed Therfore Pomeranus offitia sunt non dignitates Musculus Instruere noÌ„ regere Teaching them not fléesing them Bullenger Vocati non intrusi Chrisostome Ordinandos ad bonuÌ„ non deuorandos ad commodum elected to serue them not chosen to eate them Ambrose non ambitione pecuniae desiderio For men that come hastely to serue god in the ministerie take it for welth sake to liue securely then that al may be comptable vnto the Lorde and surrender a reason of religion I take it generally of all that Bishoppes that is those to whom cure and charge of soules is committed ought to haue those good gifts set downe by Paul in his youngling Timotheus Not to make any strife or to debate the matter as some haue done or therefore the I may séeme to take away aucthoritie from the Senior or gouernement from the Elder or preheminence from superiour or rule from him that sitteth in seate to guide others But as Paul in this of Timoth. to the saincts of Christ which be at Philippos together with Bishops and Deacons euen so say I to all those which be here Bishoppes Deacons Elders Seniors Ministers Preshiters is this same giueÌ„ in charge for none shal be excused but as touching that common cry hussing so much in the eares of many about them that bearâ— the sway in the Church this I say briefly I can
and in that hee sayth apte to teach None must bée fit to lay his hands vnto this plough that is not of sufficient force to rule it I would to God our ministers knew the way to put of their shooes when they come into the Temple or that they would singe an other song then that they chaunted and flong forth to those of Babylon Or dawbed not vp the walles of his Temple with vntempered Morter as now they doo Here how it is I know not it may happely bee better then where as I haue béen but in other plares the Huntesman is readier then the Minister and hée fitter to trauerse the feelds then he is to féede the flocke I am ashamed to sée in the congregation the heritage of the Lord that there should bée any as to serue in his Tabernacle which came not of the flocke of Phinees and are not found registred among them of the right Préesthood If Israel were now gathered togeather they would haue chosen Eleazar and his children and haue let the other gon as Bastards I see verye well that as to one Tribe so onely to one Church society is this that I speake But I would all the Lords in Israel heard mée that there might not so much as a Porter be lefte in the house of God if hée were not able to open locke the doores by good title This is the poore councell that I am able to giue you at this time O you of the kindred of Leuy that euery man make cleane his vesselles and kéepe holy his owne soule that hee may bée blamelesse at the day of the Lorde How can this bée when a number are so tounge tyed that in euery thirde liuing not the third man is able to speake to the People There was in Gilgal Schooles of learning wherof Samuel was hed not far of Iordayne when the twelue stones were set vp at what time the people came as on dry land thorow Iordan There was also in Ierico an other schoole whereas Elyzeus ruled called Nazaristes Thither they went vnto the Prophets from thence were they called if they néeded any God to whom all prayse belongeth hath giuen vnto Englande two as worthy and famous Schooles as I haue red of in any commō wealth But how many haue bin sent for from thence into the common wealth or who is there if hée haue not one to speake for him that at this daye eateth amonge the Prophets The Sickle hath nowe béene twice sixe times put into the Reapers handes since I gaue my first full entry into Cambridge and many a time hath the Sunne turned backe agayne his course since I began my study yet I did neuer heare of twise sixe persons which were called by the Patronistes into any one benifice throughout England eyther knowen any if hée sued not for it to haue got ought and then if Maister Simon and hée iugled not together or went aside into some corner hée went without it too If not then the guifte therof was giuen vnto his man and ten poundes or a twenty or thrée times ten sometimes returneth backe againe into his Cofers Thus are the poore seruants of the Lord robbed How can it bée that Vniuersities should bee so pestered as they are with students vnleast you tooke out of the Country to serue your turne when you might haue good faythfull Ministers from the schooles complayn you of dronkards take sober men from the Vniuersities let them of the féeldes kéepe their Plough stil Complayne you of euell liuers how can it bée otherwise seeinge they neuer knew as yet to liue well Complayn you of dissolute and idle men Then choose out them that are benommed in ioynctes and wythered in face and broken with long trauaile at their bookes vse discipline for those fat Chuffes that lye snorting in priuate corners Complain you of Spend-thriftes and Banckerowtes redier to rifle sweare it out fitter for the Buckler and buffetinge then for the Bible and profitinge Then strip them bare and disherite them of this title the deface the Church with their dishonest and vnchaste life Apparrel sober and graye headed fathers that wante and stand in néede Complayn you of the small skill and litle instructing of those that bée in the Church then I am inforced I perceiue to tell you all fetche out the brasse and copper and Tin wherof there is now so great store in Hierusalem Let your kniues and your Basons your pottes and your vesselles about the Tabernacle of the Lord bée of siluer onely and of golde for puritie and cleanenes is verity and holynesse vnto God bréefely I say thus mutch 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Arte thou a Minister It is expedient thou bée a teacher For I say from Ezechiell and from the Lorde If God sende a sworde into the land and that people haue a Watchman that is set ouer them That same man when hée séeth the sworde shall blowe the Trompet and warne the people If a man heare and is not warned but the sworde come and take him away his blood shal be on his owne head for hée heard the sound of the Trompet and cared not If the watchman sée the sworde comminge and telleth it not if any of the people bée hurt hée shall die in his sinne his blood wil I require at the watchmans hand Agayne if I say vnto the wicked thou wicked thou shalte surely dye and hée may beware and will not hée dyeth in his sinnes his blood will I aske at his owne handes But if hée bée wicked and thou tellest not the wicked of his wickednes hée shal surely dye in his sinne but his blood will I require at thy hands for as trulye as the Lorde liueth if hee stretch forth his hande ouer a Citye and destroy prouision of bread and send dearth amonge them to distroy man and beast in the féelde though Noe Daniell and Iob those thrée men were among them yet shall they saue but their own soules If I bring noysome beastes into the lande to waste it vp and leaue it desolate that no man may go therein for Scorpions and wilde beastes If these three men were there they shoulde saue but their owne soules And if he sende out a Pestilence into the lande and poore out his sore indignation on it in blood so that hee rooteth out both man and beaste If Noe Daniell Iob were therin they should deliuer neyther sonnes neyther doughters but saue their owne soules in their owne righteousnes well I exhorte you all in the Lorde and in the name of the Church of God which waltering in many corners of England holdeth vp her handes vnto you that being wearied with long and great tediousnesse is not able to lifte vp her heade any longer That now shiuering thorows all the ioyntes of her bodie cryeth out pititifully for instruction at your handes That béeing defaced heretofore with base and homely doctrine craueth to be fed with good Discipline and receiue good
good Cence in the house of the God of Iacob I may well say that the Regions are ripe alreadie vnto Haruest but the workemen they are vnskilfull in their dooings for they cut downe they spoyle the branches of the good Vine they are not able to prune them in their season They haue so by the space of many yéeres ouershadowed the litle graftes and kepte vnder the simple soules by cloake of superstition That for lacke of the Sun the sinsceare and true meaninge of the worde that hath bin kepte from them by these rotten and shackering boughes they are euen now falne to the ground and wythered O Lorde howe many poore and sillye Creatures of God haue pyned away which neuer knew what Iesus Christe mente how many is there that if they had tasted of this Breade of lyfe wheron wee feed would most willingly haue nourished them selues therwith and for the want therof haue died in honger Wherfore and for which cause euen in the Lorde Christe and in his blood I speake thus mutch The Lord hath so blessed the sonnes of his Prophets and Gilgall is become so gloryous in the sight of God and Bethell and Ierico where our Nazaristes bee is now come vnto so full a groath as that since the Lord hath giuen his worde to man a more happye and flourishing estate was neuer séene among the sonnes of Prophettes It is our humble sutes that as GOD hath blessed them so Ely and Elyas woulde now bringe these younge Leuites into the Tabernacle of the Lorde to serue there The Lord God sende downe vpon you the full measure and aboundaunce of his spirite that those may bee chosen out as fitteste for Israell that are meetest to beare the Arke of the Lorde The Lorde sende vs his Prophettes of his grace and goodnesse that as hee hath giuen mercyfully vnto vs a long calme and quiet Sommer therin to make ripe and fully to strengthen our studyes such a time as heretofore wee neuer hadde so in the pleasure and greenenes of this same tyme wee suffer not the fruicte which is looked for at our handes to wyther away but that wee maye bringe it into the common Wealthe amonge others and profit them which haue eyther litle or small skill in the worde of God and that hope to bee only releeued by our dooings And that God that heatherto hath blessed them in that his fauour prosper vs and them in Iesus Christe And nowe euen last of all hauinge sayd what I doo thinke and vttered that I meane in a true testimony of my conscience I craue pardon at your handes my fellowe Bretheren and laborers in the Lord Take this my farewell and last spéeche among you Euen to you of Cambridge I also sometime of Cambridge doo speake To others men of learning and wisdome I a litle experienced in readinge and as one snatchinge heare and there that which hee coulde get at studye make my humble sute and ernest requeste with hartye good will vnto you all That the house of the Lorde wonderfullye decayed and broken downe in many places in England the wales therof so shaken that any rauening ramping beast may enter therein to deuoure vp the poore flocke of the Lorde scarce in sixtéen yeres one man found out to speake vnto thē sixteene times nay in twentie yeeres not two Sermondes in ten yeeres not one Preacher and since the blessed and happy day then which neuer came one more ioyfull in this Realme whē our most gratious Soueraigne toke first of all the Scepter and the Diademe vpon hir head and now hath kept the same frō the handes of forrein men I say from that day of ioy and mirth vntill this hower many Churches sundry congregations diuers Parishes in this Realme eyther are destitute altogeather or seldome in seuen yéeres or neuer in many Monethes or not at all since the preachinge of the Gospell haue had any one good Preacher to teache them Our Prophets they tary at holme and very lothe they bee to go abroade so many troubles and sundry miseries are insident vnto them in the common wealth And verely I can scarce blame them for if they doo they are fayne to goe into the feeldes to gather their owne meate if so they will as though there were now a dearth amōg them and then there daintiest feed it is but Pottage If which is worse they happen to gather some Coliquintida or of the wilde Vine they may sterue or els be poisoned there is neuer an Elyza to helpe thē or any one so rare it is like vnto that Sunamite commended of the Lorde that if a Prophet or man of God come by him wil call him or appoinct him a place or make him a chaumber or wall it about or set him a bedde there or a Table or a stoole or a Candelsticke to entertayne him and his seruaunt if hee turne thyther or come that way That I might haue good occasion to charge them to stay at holme and bee content with their small prouision for they shal be fed as hongerly when they come abroad as euer they were whē they kept their study And yet this is not my meaning for without doubt if we were as ready to serue the Lord as God would bée if wée walked vprightly to blesse vs though they woulde not or they could not or that the people were harde and stony vnto vs yet the Lord would prouide vs meate yea though it were from the mouth of the Kauens and wée should bée as well lyking with the pulse and the pottage wheron wee feede as any other though they were in the Kinges Court with all their dainties Wherfore let no man bee discourged we are but as our fathers were furthermore it is our portion in this life to bee in bondage in this world And if wee were not as now we are very secure the Lorde would deliuer vs It is a pittifull thinge and I can not but vtter it take it as you will wee disagrée among our selues and bee at discorde with in our owne house and there is harte burning euen amōg those that minister in the Ephod and serue at the Table of the Lorde The thing is to open the grudge is ouer well knowen as for the contention I would it were so great as that of the Prophets was that any iust quarrel might be pretended but in as much as neither the worke is falsified that appertaineth to the holy buildings nor the garments or the silke or the fine purple and wreathed worke cōtrary to the commaundemente of God but your disputation is about Snuffers Besoms and such base and homly stuffe which you thruste into the Tabernacle of our God lay vpon vs being things of no value therefore I am not purposed to defend thē at this time but to pray vnto the Lord to prepare our hartes aright that wee may vse them equall and as becommeth vs bothe of them Hauing for al that great and wayghty matters
our brethren as vvel as our ovvne selues the vvhole church as our priuate familie * In Israel god permited none to beg but vvith vs the number of them is so great their miserie such and our harts so stonie and our dealings so harde that scarce a peece of bread can be aforded them Such is the condition of man that the same thing vvhich hee hath this day the verie same hee misseth on the morrovv If vve had no thing but of our ovvn vve might vvell enough bee stript naked and seeke corners againe to hide our shame from the Lorde The abuse of Englande in feastings and banquetting is a byvvorde to all the nations on the earth All that the dayes of man is labour and tediousnes in the ende his substance is not great he carrieth nothing vvith him to the graue * The portion of the sinner is death his vvayes is perdition his glorie is shame his children bee beggers and his name is buryed in dishonour Rara auis in teris nigrosiue simillima signo The description of a vvorldely man. London is vvitnes hereof the proportiâ— on stature height of vvhome vvas dravven out this last yere 1577. giuen of God an example for euer to shevv hovve men should bestovve their riches and a hosiar dvvelling in Burch yarde lane If the riche man haue no thing he curseth if hee haue a littell hee desireth if hee haue much hee svvelleth but if hee haue honour then he forgetteth God thus the vngodly haue neither beginning or ending of their vvicked nesse As the smoake from the fier so should our prayers asceÌ„d vp altogether to the Lord. The vvilling minde the ready hart hee that is thankful vnto God is hee that is accepted of the Lorde We ought not to sease at any time froÌ„ prayer but the remembrance thereof ought to be as the devv of the morning or as the frosts in Win ter that faleth not As bare vvordes edifie not so a rehersall of Gods commaundemeÌ„ts profite not vvithout beleefe steadily fixed in him If Poets haue put religion in vamties vvoundred at follies vvee may be amazed in handeling matterâ— of faith The humble spirited man is better then Sacrifice and lovvlinesse of heart and contrition is the burnt of fering As poyson to the bodie so is vngodlines to the soule as corruption to the fore and the vvounde so is sinne and iniquirie to the mind of man. If God pardoned not no flesh coulde be sauid the pardones of the pope vanish avvay here for vvee haue remission and our debtes is paid in one Christ After the fall of man vvee had an eternall couenant giuen vs otnervvise vve had been past hope of recouerie Praescitians Nisenesse ioâ—ned to open vvickednes causeth blind nesse If God helpe not vaine is the hope of man and in our fall if he raise vs not vve lye still By our debts vve are put in mind of gods iudgements vvhich in our selues vve can neuer paye or aunsvvere for them sufficiently This puritie in this your securitie is plainly shevven to be in fidelitie Weakenes is ours as for strength it is the Lordes The protestation of his fayth that vvilbe saued Lactantius a lactaeo fiuâ—mine Gregorius Nazianzen Ambrose Bound vvee are and thrall euery one of vs and chayned to the infirmities and feeblenes of the fleshe in this terrestriall tabernacle Esay 4 4. Math. 18. The paymeÌ„t of man for that he ovveth is a liuely confession of his sinnes that are vvyped avvay in the bloud of Christ M. Gualter Arnobius Epiphanius Hylary The Ladder to reache to heauen vvith all and to attaine to God is faith Esay 53. â— Pet. 1. Tytus 2. 1. Timo. 3. Crisostome Augustine Theodoret. Thalassius Isychius Christ vvas oftered vppe once for all neither needeth man dayly sacrifice but in this vvorde the fathers shevve hovv much vve are bounde to the Lord in that Christ vvas layd on thealter to be slayne fovs Paulâ—nus This for giue nes of oure sinnes as vves for giue others is an assured pledge and certeine token that vvee bee the Lordes That vvhicht is of duety can not haue any revvard that vvee are bounde vnto can not be of our selues that vvhich is not freely vvithout compulsion can not purchase redemption then our life vvherin vve are led your vvorks vvhich are bettred by the spirit take vvipe avvay al hope and saluation that coÌ„meth of them for vve haue all by the spirit of god Ciptian I marueile hovve they can excuse them selues that put so great religioÌ„ in a surples and a cap or in orders motes in respect of that vvickednesse lieth vvithin them but can goe to lavve for euery trifle and take many poundes for a vvorde speking and be at continuall strife and debate vvith their neighbour that death may sooner parte them then Christianitie rule them Magistracie is the ordinance gifte of god They be also called Gods on earth sitting as Iudges in the person of god to iudge righteously The manner of our priuate magistracie by priuate excommunicating â–ª vvithout the consent of them in authoritie the vsual custome in discerning the state of offenders and taking priuate matters to their handes is here cut of it is not to be allovved Iud. 16. Peter Martir Augustine Inanslayers condemned hearâ— Priuate excuses for priuate reuenge can not excuse vs. Our English â—uflars in steade of Courtiars vaunt it abroade The gentlenes of the father marteth the good nature of the sonne crueltie is good often times in steade of lenitee Hovv is England altered of late the russet coate is turned in to silkes and faithfulnes in covvardlines the stout maÌ„ is the murthering man â–ª All thinges are turned altered into pride Quietnes is the great blessing of God but the quarreller is accursed of the Lord. Roffeanlike Ministers Bloud is paid againe by bloud The priuate enimie and the dissembler is much vvorste then he that professeth enimitie The diuell the author of difcention hatred Desire of euil successe to his brother Euery man hath a cloke and a corner for his malice Praecisenes of life and vngodlines in vvorkes bee common things in the vvorld God can not be dishonored more theÌ„ in the shamlesse man that professeth him yet in harte hateth him for he neuer folovveth him Bretheren of onchoushold verie conscionable and of great presise nesse that knovv noâ— this Outragious dealing in dissemblers No lying permitted for any cause Periurie and forsvvearing though it be for such as do professe the Gospell it is detestable thou arte accursed that vsest it Gregor us Augustine This purenes is blindnes your precisenes filthines before God Thou thy brethren you haue your revvard for no vvickednes is to be concealed Augustine Examples that it is not lavvfull to lye in any case The experyence in all this hath bin â—â—ene of late and it is to be taken that it spread not farther A perilous kinde of Hereticke What happened to the vvriter