God of the surplusage of his loue towards this English nation had not ended one mercy with the beginning of another I feare our mourning dayes had not beene yet ended But God almightie without whose prouidence nothing proceeds and without whose mercy nothing is saued hath ended one bâ—essing with the beginning of another euen the blessed raigne of Queene Elizabeth with the thrice happie gouernment of our Liege Lord and King your father in whom the flowers florish and the Kingdomes are vnited Religion prospereth and superstition withereth with a Royall issue euer to liue the onely remaine of our religious hope One is easily ouercome and two will make resistance but this threefold gable is not lightly broken being beautifull as the bands of Zachary wherewith the Church is honoured the State is strengthened the subiect is comforted and our soueraigne Lord the King your father no lesse blessed in his three children then in his three Kingdomes The Lord God of heauen maker of Kings and directer of Crownes giue vnto you all grace in this life and glory in a better Amen Amen Your Graces most humble at commaund WILLIAM LEIGH THE FIRST Sermon PSALME 123. verse 1 Lord remember Dauid with all his affliction verse 2 Who sware vnto the Lord and vowed vnto the mightie God of Iacob saying verse 3 I wil not come within the Tabernacle of mine house nor clymbe vp into my bedde verse 4 I will not suffer mine eyes to sleepe nor mine eye-liddes to slumber vntill I finde out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob THE people as you may here see are pasâ—ionate for their King and they pray for him Againe the King is carefull ouer his people and he prepareth for them The people pray that their King might â—e remembred of God in al his affliction 〈◊〉 King prepareth that the people may haue the Lord propitious in all their deuotioÌ„s And such is or ought to bee the entercourse of loue loyaltie betwixt prince people happie Prince so praied for blessed people so prouided for and Israels Iuda was blessed in both Now the matter of their praier was that God would establish his promise made to Dauid their King concerning his church that he might build a place for his aboade in Sion the mountaine of his holinesse It was his care it was his affliction I say affliction much affecting his royall heart that himselfe with the nobles of Iuda and Israel should haue their solace in seeled houses whilest the Arke of God was couered with skinnes dwelt in tents and had neuer a cottage to shroude in Birds had their neastes foxes had their holes but neither poore CHRIST nor his afflicted Church coulde euer finde rest or repose in this miserable world destitute afflicted and tormented whom the world was not worthie of they wandred in wildernesse and mountaines and caues of the earth Neuer pilgrimâ—lesse pitied neuer shippe more tossed neuer Tabernacle oftener shifted then that of the Arke and presence of the Lord. Witnesse these two and fortie remoueals in the wildernesse ere Israel came to Canaan besides the small rest it hadde at Shilo in Eli his house at Ashdod with the Philistines at Bethshemesh Kiriath-iâ—arim Abinadabs house Obed Edoms and neuer at quiet till it came to Sion nor that a Sanctuarie for euer to dwell in but a Sacrament of a better being and Tabernacle in heauen which the Lord hath pight and not man For euen now the stones of Sion lye in the dust and her ruines are vnrepaired the holy people are helplesse piety is a pilgrim vpon the earth the little flocke findeth poore pasture to feed vpoÌ„ euerin motion neuer at quiet til it come retyre into the bosom of it best beloued like the doue in the deluge who fouÌ„d no rest for the soale of her foote till shee returned againe vnto the Arke This Arke thus tossed in the deluge and tyred in the wildernes despised of the heathen much neglected of the true borne Iewe together with Labans much lowring at home when in Iacob it was consumed abroade with heate in the day and with frost in the night weather beaten and weary till Dauid a Type of Christ gaue it rest who eaten vp with the zeale of Gods house deuoured all difficulties for the accomplishment who thought vpon nothing more then of a place and habitation for his holinesse to dwell in his meate went from him so did his sleepe and hee charged his soule with an oath to God for the performance These holy thoughts thus affecting his heart afflicting his soule made the people sensible of his sorrowes and therefore pierced their hearts to prouoke their prayer thus Lord remember Dauid in all his Afflictions Wherein I doe obserue two things of speciall note the first is the peoples passion for their King they are afflicted with him and therfore they pray for him the second is Dauids preparation for the people hee is carefull of them and therefore he prouides for them a place an habitation for the Lord to dwell in So as their feete might now wander no more but stand in the great congregation they loued so wel and by the Altars of their God they held so deare And for the first I meane the peoples passioÌ„ for their King ye know the saying of old Componitur orbis Regis ad exempluÌ„ And it hath it extent from Court to Country for peoples passions are framed to their Princes affections like Hippocrates twins they weepe together and they laugh together they liue together and they dye together witnesse their ioynt sorrowes after Abners herse the King wept and the people wept though the people would feast yet when they sawe the King would fast it pleased them for as the text saith whatsoeuer the King did pleased the people His passions were theirs his afflictions were theirs to teach vs that peoples actions doe Sympathize with Princes affections the Court is dead if the King bee not cheerefull and subiects sorrowe when their soueraignes are sadde Princes smyles are peoples ioyes like the lustre of the same so are the countenance of Kings with their shine they carie comforts but neuer so little shadowed with clowdes of griefe good Lord how the subiect then mourneth deare is the loue of God in the soules of his Saints but next to that is the sacred band of loue and loyaltie to Princes fathers friendes and families are further off soueraignes are the highest in the rancke If leasure would serue to turne ouer some fewe leaues of sorrowe and search into the records of griefe easily might I finde that peoples passions for their Princes haue beene most piercing great was their care ouer Dauid when they stayed him from the battel least the light of Israel should be extinguished So was it ouer Saul when they mourned his funerals with this dolefull dittie Yee mountaines of
Queene Elizabeth PARALELD IN HER PRINCELY vertues with Dauid Iosua and Hezekia 1 With Dauid in her afflictions to build the Church 2 With Iosua in her puissance to protect the Church 3 With Hezechia in her pietie to reforme the Church IN THREE SERMONS as they were preached three seuerall Queenes dayes By William Leigh Bachelor of Diuinitie ISAYAH 49. 23. Kings shall be thy nursing fathers and Queenes shall be thy Nurses they shall worship thee with their faces toward the earth and lick vp the dust of thy feete and thou shalt know that I am the Lord for they shall not be ashamed that waite for me LONDON Printed by T. C. for Arthur Iohnson 1611. TO THE HIGH AND MIGHTIE PRINCESSE ELIZABETH Daughter to our Soueraigne Lord the King c. Grace be multiplied in this life and happinesse in the World to come MADAME I Am bolde to put into your Princely hands this Balme of Gilead a Newe-yeares guifte of an olde-yeares store powred vpoÌ„ the head of Queene Elizabeth in her life and now againe shâ—â—â— vpoÌ„ her sacred hearse after her death the iniquiâ—â—â— of the time requiring a rescue of her 〈◊〉 soule from the virulent tongue of Popiâ—â— pietie then which I am verily perswaded there was neuer malice vpon the earth more implacable Sanguine placactis ventos virgine caesa the boysterous windes as poets faine were stilled with virgins blood but here no virgins blood no Princes blood no martyrs blood no Sauiours blood can quench the fire and furie of popish indignation or appease their God Apollyon who pitieth neither sex nor age person or presence be they quicke or be they dead all is one Bucers bones must he burned and the sacred soule of Queene Elizabeth her Manes spirit and ghost may not passe to blisse without a blast of Parsons poysoned penne and breath thinking it not sufficient to glut themselues with the blood of their Soueraignes vnlesse with their buried bones they might ransacke their blessed soules Witnesse the moderne doctrine of these our daies divulged by Dolman Benedetto Palmio Haniball Codrotto Guicknard Ambrose Vyrard Mariana and others of that Iesuited crewe who hold it not onely lawfull and meritorioâ—s to kill Kings if they be not pleasing to their deuotions but â—ith all an heroicall acte and a gift of the holy ghost which Rauelacke their designâ—d agent â—ately put in practise vpon his liâ—ge Lord the King of France by no â—essesatall then mortall stabbe This their damnable doctrine bloodie stroake and poysone breath against the liues and soules of Princes haue made mee to reuise my papers and with Iames to looke backe vpon my former thoughts how vpon the view they might frame in opposition against these more then heathenish and no lesse then hellish designes whose thirst is neuer quenched but with the blood of their Soueraignes nor gorge euer filled but with the grosse viandes of popish bull and indulgence pardoning from time to time their damnable agents to subuert states by two of the last and most dangerous stratageâ—s that euer were deuised against the Church of Christ Parricide and Periurie thereby taking away all faith from God fealtie from Princes and commerce with men And what 's that other but the breeder of all wickednes the mother of mischiefe and Babel of all confusion Time was when an Angell durst not reproue a diuell but said The Lord rebuke thee Now Iesuited diuels dare reproue Angels sent from God to be our Soueraignes and say Rauelacke may kill thee Time was when none might touch the Lords annoynted or doe his prophets any harme Now popish powder may blow vp popish knife may kill and popish brambles may teare the flesh of Kings Time was when Rulers were regarded and Kings had their Maiesties quicke and dead as the Royall Chappell of Westminster can witnes euen froÌ„ their Diademes downe to their dust But now Iesuited crueltie may crush all rule burst the bandes of all obedience curse Kings ouer-awe authoritie are so farre from honouring the shrines and maiestie of Princes here on earth as they haue not spared to maligne their soules in heauen In a word trust them who will and they shall finde their doome is still for death their drumme for destruction and their march in the cry of Edome Downe with it downe with it euen to the ground A man would haue thought they might haue spared her soule whose body they could neuer still with more then thousand intended treasons against her state and person by poyson stabb and shot by forraine inuasions homerebellions and domesticall incumbrances from all which the Lord still made her glorious by deliuerance And now her soule being tied in the bundle of the liuing and she gathered vnto her fathers in peace they cannot spare to banne what God hath blessed I shall not neede to stand in defence either of her sacred life or death whose saued soule the heauen of heauens doth now possesse Neither shall I neede to beate backe his poysoned breath who now is breathlesse knoweth by this what it is to haue touched the Lords annoynâ—ed either in her life or in her death that hellish breath is beaten backe by guste and gale of a more heauenly aire and fully answered by two reuerend fathers of our Church diuines of worth whom the pride of poperie may enuie but shall neuer match otherwise then as their manner is with the â—ume feathers and froth of their owne inuâ—ntions lighter then vanitie it selfe For were their pennes as perillous as their powder the shot were more dangerous but to God be the praise truth hath discouered their penne of ignorance and their powder of treason My purpose is not to stirre Elizabeths sacred hearse whose graue is full of Princely earth and her obsequies are ended my thoughts are higher eueÌ„ to match her Manes in blisse with greatest of Soueraignes there Soueraigntie it selfe onely excepted I meane with Dauid Iosua and Ezekia guides and Kings of Israels Iudah Pardâ—n me gracious Lady if I put this vndâ—r the sheltâ—r of your highnesse protection Semblance of sexe name and blood together with your high place person and pietie craueth no lesse at your Princely hands then protection of her shrine and Ghost Shee a Kings daughter so are you shee a maiden Queene you a Virgin Prince her name is yours her blood is yours her carriage is yours her countenance yours like pietie towards God like pittie towards men onely the difference stands in this that the faire flower of her youth is fallen yours flourisheth like a Rose of Saram and a Lilly of the Valley Her dayes are determined on earth and begun in heauen yours are a doing on earth and blessed be the current till they bee ended euer may your happinesse growe together and make you blessed with that immortall crowne that withereth not The Sermons I here present were preached vnder the shadowe of her blessed gouernment and in the three last yeares of her gracious raigne When if
mee a very butt for thine arrowes being tipped with gall and sorrow But of these troubles and firie trials of Kings I haue said sufficient and it may be haue dwelt vpon the generall too long pardon me to come a litle nearer home eueÌ„ to Dauids passions and particuler affliction which more nerely grieued him to wit the care he had together with the house of his God to build vp the hearts of his people true religion pietie and godlines the continuall care whereof hath so troubled the thoughts of the godly from the daies of Enoch who then walked with God to the daies of Queene Elizabeth who ruleth for God as they could neuer sway the Scepters of their rule but with rent of their harts to see SioÌ„ desolate her stones ly in the dust Kaine began the ruines and Esau made the breach nor caÌ„ the rubbish be remoued till time be no more Kings may be nursing fathers and Queenes may be nursing mothers to foster and cherish the Church wel may they prouide pray and fight for it yet neuer preuaile but with the perill of their liues nor euer to build but with blood according to that of old Sanguine fundata est ecclesia sanguine caepit sanguine succreuit sanguine finis erit the Church in blood first founded was in blood it did begin by blood it shall increase and so at last by blood shall end The blood of Abell began the broyle and the blood of the lambe ended the battel and euer since Michaelis praelium adduxit periculum the great Prince that standeth for the children of the people hath fought the field in a time of trouble such as neuer was since there began to be a nation yet with a glorious conquest for they ouercame by the blood of the lambe and the word of their testimonie and they loued not their liues vnto the death the blood of the lambe there is their sacrifice the word of their testimonie there is their couenant and they loued not their liueâ— vnto death there 's their martyrdome Therefore rejoyce ye heauens and ye that dwell in them but woe to the inhabitants of the earth and of the Sea for the diuell is come downe vnto you which hath great wrath knowing that he hath but a short time he persecuteth the womaÌ„ which hath brought forth the Man-childe driues her into the wildernesse casteth out of his mouth after her floods of water which wheÌ„ the earth hath swallowed vp in her reliefe then was the Dragon wroth with the woman and went and made Warre with the remnant of her seede which kept the commandements of God and haue the Testimonie of Iesus Christ. So as I may well say It hath bene euer is and will bee the woe of the Church in this worlde to fight in blood to haue the stones of her building symonted with such morter Night by night to heare Alarme vppon Alarme and all in the Crie of Edome Downe with it Downe with it euen to the ground Inter flagella dat Filium So the Father gaue his Sonne Caedebantur vrebantur torquebantur tamen multiplicabantur They were beaten they were burned they were racked yet euer they increased So the Sonne sent his Saints into a senseles world voyde of Faith and without feeling pittie or compassion of Iosephs affliction the Iron entred into his soule and men were senselesse This Dauid sawe in the sorrowe and silence of his soule when vpon the sight of the ruines hee thought vpon a repaire how the tyred Tabernacle might rest and the Arke of GODS Presence tossed from place to place in the waste and Roaring wildernesse of this worlde might once repose in the Bosome of it CHRIST as in a retyring Campe after the day of battaile And yet God wote with no world of continuance For that verie Temple hee thought vppon vanished with his thoughts and is nowe gone both sticke and stone Ne Populus rediret in Iudaismum Least the People might returne againe to Iudaisme All to teach vs that Pietie is but a Pilgrim vpon Earth Towers Temples Et delubra Deorum haue their dismall dayes The beautifull Gate of the Temple became a Stable for Pompeyes horses and where is nowe that faire Fabricke How is the Golde become so dimme The most fine Goulde is chaunged and the stones of the Sanctuarie lye scattered in the corner of euery streete To teach vs againe that dust will deuoure dust when Time shall bee no more and that all Saintes with their Sanctuaries shall Simbolize to a better state and being euen eternallie to rest in a Tabernacle not made with handes but pight in the high Heauens The LORD GOD Almightie and the LAMBE are the Temple of it and there shall be no more Affliction no more curfe or grieuance but the Throne of God and of the Lambe shall bee in it and his seruants shall serue him they shall see his face and his Name shall be in their fore-heads Till which ioyfull Sabaoth and Eternall rest layed vp in the bosome of our Christ Princes must build in grace that they may be blessed in glorie They must bee religious on Earth that they may raigne in Heauen they must carie care in their hearts for the Church of God that they may weare crownes vpon their heads in signe of victorie In a word hee that feeles with Dauid will bee afflicted with Dauid and seeke â—y all meanes possible in his Princely power how to builde vp a people for his God how to prepare a place for his Presence how to perfect and polish the worke that it may bee to the glorie of God to the discharge of his dutie and the saluation of that people ouer which the Lorde hath placed him And heere next in place seasonablie and from my Text it is yet further to bee considered how Dauid aggrauateth his affliction by the aâ—iuncts of his griefe all signes of sorrowe and companions of care when the soule is troubled hee had no delight either in his meat drinke sleepe rest Palate Palace of pleasure but bids them all bee gone till hee had done his indeuour to finde out a place an Habitation for the mightie God of Iacob When CHRIST should redeeme Lazarus from the Graue and repaire his ruines it is saide Quod fremuit Turbatus est Fleuit that his soule was sadde that his spirites were troubled and that hee sent out Teares from a pensiue soule for his dead Friend Like Troubles afflicted Dauid here when hee should raise a Temple out of the dust of Sion it toke away his sleepe his meate and his minde from all earthly solace and tyed him to the Temple hee so thought vppon It followed him sleeping and it left him not awaking either in bed or at boord Where when hee sate in solace and sawe his seeled Houses with the Rich hangings of his Court embroydered with gold Lord how his blubbering teares did bedeaw his Trencher
to thinke how the Arke of his God lay in the open fielde tyred in Tents weather-beaten and wearie without shelter to shrowde it other then those worne Curtaines of skinnes and Canuas The vse is good like affliction hath followed the godlie of all Ages in the care and conscience they haue euer had to build vp a Church in the hearts and soules of Gods Saiâ—ts I am verily perswaded that if all the cares in the world besides might blend in one they could neuer be found so piercing so bleeding so deare so desperate in designes as is and hath beene the care and conscience of our soules in tender whereof good and godlie men haue neither cared for meate drinke sleepe friends life death nor the hazard of their owne solues if I may say so And why may I not when Paule wished himselfe to bee separated from CHRIST for his brethrens sake This affliction cut the heart of Abraham asunder when hee the Father of all the Faithfull should at one blowe cut off all hope in Sacrifycing Isaack his sonne his onely sonne whome hee loued this Affliction battered the heart of Iacob when hee saw the bloody coate of Ioseph and saide with a sorrowfull soule Fera pessima deuorauit eum a cruell Beast hath deuoured him This Affliction rent the heart of Ioseph when the Iron entred into his soule and none was sorrie for his affliction This was the affliction that moulded the hart of milde Moses to such compassion ouer Israel for their Idolatry wheÌ„ the Lord was angrie with them as hee wished himselfe raced out of the booke of Life that Israel might be saued This Affliction like a sworde pierced through the soule of MARIE that the thoughts of manie hearts might bee opened This Affliction like a dampe stroke the heart of Paule when hee saide I die daylie who is weake and I am not weake who is offended and I burne not This this was the Affliction that melted the heart of CHRIST when as a suter hee stood at the dore and knocked saying Open vnto mee my Loue my Doue myne vndefiled for my Head is full of deaw and my Lockes with the droppes of the Night and yet can haue no entrance Finallie that others might haue a Fellow feeling of the Afflictions and miseries Christ suffered vpon the Crosse for vs his Church hee calleth vpon the Passengers that goe by that they should looke vpon him and pittie him in this paines Haue yee no regard at all ye that passe by this way Beholde and see if there bee any sorrowe like vnto my sorrowe which is done vnto mee and wherewith the Lord hath afflicted mee in his fierce wrath O remember mine Afflictions and my mourning the wormewood and the gail Well I say no more because I see you passionate these are gone before and are all heires euen heires of God and heires annexed with IESVS CHRIST and so shall you be if you suffer with him as they did that yee may bee glorified with him as they are And so againe to Dauid the Seas of whose Afflictions to sounde were to beate backe a Iorden to reckon vp his cares with his cost for the prouision of that Worke which another should perfect were an endles account to expresse with pen or speech the passions hee felt in following the businesse were for a more powerfull spirit then I feele in my selfe I cannot come neere the depth thereof Yet this dare I say as I haue saide that all the ioyes hee had in this worlde either of pleasure or profite hee passed by them with an Abrenuncio leauing off all Princely sportes and Kingly delights till hee had done with the deuotion of his GOD his meate drinke sleepe his house bed and Palate his Courte Crowne and Kingdome These were least and last in his thoughts hee neuer deemed them deere but in the denyall binding his soule to God by vowe and oathe neuer to delight in earthlie solace till hee had fulfilled his heauenly ioyes and found out a place for the Lord an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob The beautie of which house though he might not see for that hee was a man of blood Salomon his Son must perfect the worke yet as Moses from Morijah though hee might not enter that earthly Canaan ioyed in the sight of CanaaÌ„ as a type of that heauenly being hee was to enioy vpon his death so Dauid though he might not finish the worke hee had in hand yet exceedingly ioyed that hee might prouide for the temple belowe a pregnant type of that heauenly Hierusalem which is aboue Now the building of this house here on earth where his people might more safely rest and render vp their vowes to God in heauen was Dauids holy care and greatest part of his affliction with which if you marke well you shall finde he beganne his raigne continued his rule and ended his princely life for vppon his entrance it is saide that Dauid tooke first the fort of Sion and with thirtie thousand of the chosen men of Israel rose and went from Baal of Iudah which is Kiarathiearim to bring from thence the arke of God to Abinadabs house that was in Gibeah Thence to Nachans threshing Floore and so to the house of Obed-Edom the Gittyte where after it had continued three monethes with a blessing to himselfe and all that hee had then Dauid with gladnesse brought it into his owne citie and set it in his place in the midst of the Tabernacle that Dauid hadde pitched for it where after hee had offered burnt offerings and peace offerings before the Lord he blessed the people in the name of the Lord of hoasts How this care continued his rule it may appeare by the princely preparation hee made as of the place to build vpon so of things necessarie for the building of Algunum wood fyr-trees Caedars from Tyre Sidon and Lebanon of gold from Ophyr of pearle from the Iles of siluer brasse and Iron from all about his kingdome all totalled by Dauid himselfe when he bequeathed it to God as a legacie for Salomon his sonne to bestowe vppon the Temple In these wordes Behold my sonne according to my pouertie haue I prepared for the house of the Lorde an hundred thousand Talents of Golde and a thousand Talents of Siluer and of Brasse and of Iron passing weight I haue also prepared Tymber and Stone and thou mayest prouide more thereunto vp therfore and be doing and the Lord be with thee According to my pouertie that may bee thought straunge I say straunge that there should seeme to be penurie in such plentie want in so much wealth and pouertie in so great aboundance but what is Gold to Grace I tell it from my God and speake it from my soule that who will bee rich in Heauen must be a begger on earth though not in reputation of this world yet in estimation of a better
this world his altogether of this world both in power and pompe In a word Christ gaue all hee taketh all and giueth nothing vnlesse it bee in giuing that which is not his owne As Absolution from sinnes Pardon from paine Kingdomes from Princes as hee did this kingdome of England But all the cunning is in catching and in the meane time wee blesse our God in heauen and leaue this earthlie God to sporte himselfe with his vsurped power in giuing Pardon to those that neede it not Blessing to those that desire it not Cursing to those that care not for it and Crownes to such as by the grace of God shall neuer weare them What should I say more but make way to the rest and assure you of this That this mysterie of iniquitie of Popes power ouer Kinges was first reuealed and broken forth then when Boniface the third obtained of Phocas to bee called vniuersall Bishop and since that time Perijt virtus Imperatorum Pietas Pontificum The Emperours waxed weake and the Bishops wicked whereas before they were of a milder spirit moulded to greater obedience more subiect to their Soueraigne and yeelding to Princes that which was their due You are religiously wise and by this little which I haue said you haue seene enough I will therefore say no more but rest my selfe and I hope you vpon this loyall resolution that Dauid is set before al in the Genealogie of Christ for that the dignity of a King is chiefe and greatest in power so great in care not as a priuate man but as a publike Magistrate to answere for the sins of many the good of all ordained of God to be their King and as Cyrill saith the knitting together or Iuncture of godlines in the prosperitie of his people Which to effect as you haue heard was Dauids care both in his life at his death leauing it as a legacie to Salomon his sonne and successe together with his Peares and Princes that as Simon in the Machabees did for fighting so should they for building when calling his sonnes Iudas and Iohn hee said with good courage now I am old and ye are of a sufficient age be ye therefore in stead of me and goe forth and fight for your nation and the helpe of the heauens be with you So Dauid go forth and build for your God and the helpe of heauen be with you As and if he should say yet further I am wearied with warres abroade and worne with mine afflictions at home I am old weake and withered but ye are young strong and flourishing out of my pouertie I haue afforded you some store let it be speedily bestowed vpon the worke and build for your nation be ye therefore in stead of me and the helpe of heauen be with you And now mee thinkes it is with me as it was with the Prophet Abacuck when the Lord answered him and said write the vision and make it plaine vpon tables that he may run that readeth it for the vision is for an appointed time and now is the time at last it shall speake and now it speaketh Paralell the passions of Princes Queene Elizabeth with King Dauids in their grieuances for the maintenaÌ„ce of the religion of their God and see whether our English Iudah haue not as great cause to pray as euer Israels Iudah had Lord remember Elizabeth in all her afflictions Afflictions I say afflictions before her raigne since her raigne piercing her sacred brest like a continuall Archers shot whose arrowes are tipped with gall and sorrow and now be strong my spirit fly out my voyce to compare them in their afflictions Dauid was the least and last of his fathers house so was Elizabeth of her fathers familie Dauid persecuted from his youth so was Elizabeth Dauid contemned of his brethren Elizabeth of her sister Saul a King persecuted Dauid Marie a Queene was wroth with Elizabeth Dauid an exile in the holdes of Engeddi she close prisoner in the holds of Wodstocke Doeg reuiled Dauid vnto Saul so did Gardiner Elizabeth vnto Mary Dauid declared his innocencie vnto Saul so did Elizabeth vnto her sister Much was suspected by Dauid which they laid vnto his charge things which he neuer thought and they euer failed in the proofe So was it with Elizabeth her hand yet witnesseth to the innocencie of her soule which she left as a constat of her loyall hart in these lines and letters neuer to be blotted out Much suspected by me nothing proued can be quoth Elizabeth prisoner Saul in his spirit of furie purposed to haue killed Dauid playing vpon his harpe Winchester in his spirit of poperie purposed to haue murthered Elizabeth at her deuotions by Paul Peny and Iames Basset Dauid relieued and pitied by Achish King of Gath a stranger to his person and an enemie to his religion Elizabeth pitied by Phillip of Spaine a friend to her person yet no friend to her profession let the bedde curtaines and arrasse witnes Philips parlience with the Queene for Elizabeths preseruation Dauid was spoiled of his wiues by the Amalekites at Ziglack Lady Elizabeth robbed of her sworne seruants at the Tower of London when left alone and forsaken of all shee went on wearily with a woful heart and said in the silence of her soule Tanquam Ouis as a sheepe to the slaughter so am I sent Dauid had many Doegs in Court and Nabals in the country to wrong him with the King and pinch him in his prouision and not a friend durst speake for him but Ionathan and he aloofe with arrowes when hee sawe the Kings wrath implacable shee poore Lady had many Stories in Court to wrong her with the Queene to perswade her to strike at the roote and the branches would wither many Nabals in couÌ„try who pined at her prouision and not at Ionathan to speake or shoute for her safetie for that the Queenes heart was implacable But see a wonderfull prouidence of God in her preseruation Gardiner hoped to liue to see her dead but she hath liued to see him buried his flesh turned into dust and his bones to rottennes Story repented that he had not stroke at the roote whilest he cut off the branches â—uâ— God hath so ordained that the root should liue to haÌ„g vp that blasted bowe The time was wheÌ„ a poore child foure years old might not bring her a nosegay without suspition and churlish checke of her cruell keeper but now God hath so ordained as both young and olde high and low Rich and poore doe hang vp a garland in her praise with a praier to his prouideÌ„ce for her preseruation euer to liue with this resounding Eccho liue liue The time was when passing a prisoner from Windsor to Woodstocke the poore people ioy ful of her presence raÌ„g the bells in a village or two whereat her keeper raged railed vpon them as Rebels clapt the Ringers in the
Surely surely a Prince so high in the fauour of God and so mightie with men so blessed with daies and prosperous in her raigne so beloued at home and so dread abroade so absolute for blessings and so admired for gouernment was neuer seene in England Herauld thy praier was powerfull and preuailed with God for thy proclamation hath wrought heaueÌ„ filled the earth with the cloude and glory of her happie raigne I might here speake to make good the doctrine I aime at of that disastrous disease of our nation the Kings euill cured by no hand but of the Lords annoynted vpon whose sacred touch and prayer thousands within the kingdome haue beene deliuered from that wofull maladie the humour being beaten backe the veines purged and the canker killed when neither surgions skill nor Physicions cunning could helpe theÌ„ had the Prince precedencie by praier Nullâ—s adhibitis pharmacis to relieue the patient it may be the cause is secret in nature but not in grace which vsually helpeth when all other succours faile And thus you see how Princes praiers pleadings with God haue much preuailed being graced with faith not a creature of God but it stands at their checke if they grieue the creatures groane after a deliuerance God in heauen and his Gods on earth doe sympathise they soare high who came from an high and their generous spirits beg much at the haÌ„ds of the Lord God of spirits there was neuer yet any truly noble or of an honorable descent but from an heaueÌ„ly asceÌ„t It s not your royall blood but the honour of your God that makes you noble your greatnes is in the breath of his being according to that Nemo vir magnus vnquaÌ„ extitit sine diuino aliquo afflatu numine there was neuer yet any great man moulded on earth but had his minde inspired with some diuine influence from heauen And now from the combate Iosua had with his God by praier come we to the command he had ouer the creature by the word wherein spare me a while to speake it shall be as I hope a seasonable instructioÌ„ lessoning vs how to demeane our selues toward God as the whole hoste of his creatures may stand either for vs if we doe wel or against vs if we doe euill the lesson is short and soone taken out For if we be at enmitie with God then all his creatures wil be at enmitie with vs The earth will swallow vs the water will drowne vs the aire will infect vs the fire will consume vs Yea the basest creatures vpon the earth will bandie our destruction wormes will eate our entrals Lice will consume our faire flesh flies will fright vs and frogges will leape into our Kings chambers monstrous visions will trouble vs and make vs swoone as though our owne soules should betray vs the darkenes of the night will be intollerable and the thoughts of the graue insupportable What should I say more the whistling of the windes chierping of birds amongst the thicke branches the water falls the skipping and roaring of wild beasts with the sound that answereth againe in the hollow mountaines these fearefull things as Salomon saith will make vs appalled for the lesse that the hope is whithin the more is our torment without Nay which is more then all I haue said and I yearne to speake it if we be at enmitie with God his word and Sacraments wil be our enemies the law will fright vs and the Gospell will flatter vs to our destruction the blessed Sacraments seales of our assurance wil rubbe off if vnreuereÌ„tly we rubbe vpon him Psalmes Hymnes and spirituall songs will turne to dolefull ditties and our melancholy will marre our melodie Songs of Sion to vs will be but songs of sorrow with a woe and welladaie that euer we were at enmitie with our God and Christ. But è regione altera if we be in amitie and friends with God as Iosua was then all his creatures will fawne vpon vs the earth will support vs and the aire will cheare vs the water will coole vs and the fire will comfort vs our meate will feede vs and our clothes will warme vs our houses will shroude vs and our beds will ease vs yea and God will make our greatest enemies either our friends or our footestoole What should I say more if God be thy friend the beast that beares thee will bid thee beware as he did Balaam and Ionathans arrow will bid thee be gone as he did Dauid thy weake sling and peeble stone shall quell a Giant and with the iawe bone of an asse thou shalt kill a thousand Starres shall fight for thee as they did for Deborah and the riuer Kison shall sweepe them away Rauens shall feede thee as they did the Prophet and the Cocke shall crowe thee to repentance as he did Peter Nay if thou be in amitie with God the night will be short and thy sleepe sweete the graue will be to thee as a bed of downe there to rest till the day of thy resurrection word Sacraments and Sabaothes will be thy solace till thou come to that Sabaoth of rest thy prayers will sent sweete as perfume and thy praises sound in thy soule like harmonie of the heauens In a word and so to conclude with my text and close with your religious eares and hearts ye may not maruell if Iosua hauing God his friend had also the coÌ„maund of his fairest creatures and bad them stand still who neuer stood before for the prayer of a righteous man auaileth much if it be feruent Elias was a man subiect to like passions as we are and hee praied earnestly that it might not raine it rained not on the earth for three yeares sixe monthes and he praied againe and the heauens gaue raine and the earth brought forth her fruite The vse is good and much to our comfort if we be feruent in praier for we haue a greater commaund then either Iosua or Elias had they commaunded but the creatures we commaund the creator euen the Lords Christ we bring him down we must make him ours with all the benefits of his passion euen remission of sinnes and euerlasting life to the which God bring vs. And let this suffice to satisfie you of Iosua his great puisance as preuailing with God by prayer and with his creatures by command All the Hoast of heauen earth and hell being as I haue told you mans Hostes from the Lord of Hoasts whilest we be friends with God and fetch them off by faith either to defend our selues or offend our enemies in the day of battel otherwise if we be at enmitie with God as likewise I haue said the basest of his creatures as lice flies and frogs are big enough to beate downe Pharao in his pride or the greatest monarke in this world in his presumption against the Lord. And now come we from the praier and word of Iosua to the arme and