hauiÌ„ge experience prayeth on this maÌ„ner open myne eyes I shall consyder y e meruelous thynges of thy lawe To walke in this lyght Christe exhorteth vs sayeng walke whyle ye haue lyght vnles y e darkenes come on you He that walkethe in darkenes wotteth not whither he gothe Whyle ye haue lyght beleue on the lyghte that ye maye be the chyldreÌ„ of lyghte So many as be of God loue this lyght of y â— LORDES word and desyre with all theyr herte to walke iÌ„ it But they that be of Satan hate it refuse to walke in it Why so Uerely for they are beast lyke mynded styffe necked in all thynges resist the holy Ghost The lyght they hate be it neuer so pleasaunt wholesome but the darkenes they enhalse loue kysse kull be it neuer so tedious and horrible Therfore shall they receaue y â— greater daÌ„nacion as Christ wytnesseth sayengâ— thys is the condemnacion that lyght came into the worlde men loued darkenes rather then lyght For theyr workes were euel Euery one that doth euell hate the the lyght neyther commeth he to y e lyght vnles his workes shoulde be reproued O howe blessed are they to whome it is gyuen to walke in thys lyght Agayne howe miserable wretched vnhappy are they y â— speare theyr eyes at the commynge of this confortable light wyl not only not walke in it theÌ„ selues but also laboure to the vttermooste of theyr power to obscure quenche it that it maye appeare shyne to none at all These are those people whiche as the Prophet saythe prouoke God to anger Theise are the lyenge and vnfaythefull chyldren Theyse are the chyldren that wyll not heare the lawe of the LORDE These are they which say to them that se se not to them that looke looke not for vs those thinges that are right Speke vnto vs pleasauÌ„t thiÌ„ges preach vnto vs tales of Robyn hood take awaye from vs the right way go out of the pathe and away with that holy one of Israel froÌ„ our face Theise are they which hate hym that reproueth theÌ„ openly and abhore hym that telleth the truethe playnely Theise are they which call euell good good euell darkenes lyght lyght darkenes bytter swete swete bitter These are they whiche are wyse in theyr owne eyes and stonde wel in theyr owne coÌ„ceate But agaynst all such as contemne the holy scriptures cast awaye the law of theyr LORDE God wyllynge neither to enter theÌ„ selues nor yet suffryng other christ intonateth and thoÌ„derethe on this maÌ„ner wo be to you lawers for ye haue taken awaye the key of knowledge ye haue not onlye not entred in but ye haue also forbidden them that entend to enter But without doubte they shal no leÌ„ger preuayle For y e daye of the LORDE is at hand whan he shall breake Satans head destroye bothe him all his ministers with the breath of his mouth For he wyll no lenger sufferre thys great wickednes hygh abhominacion He wyll be knowne for y e God Sauiour alone He is that LORD which alone wyll be exalted and all Idolles shall be vtterlye broken on peces He is that God whiche wyll no lenger suffer his glorye to be attributed gyuen to other He is y e lawer which wyl expulse the darkenesses of mennes tradicions that fyghte with his infallible verite brynge in the glorious lyght of his moost holye worde To be shorte he wyll detecte and ouerthrowe all the Idols that obscure his glory and set vp his blyssed name to be praysed and magnyefyed for euer and euer So be it Of this thynge haue we experience euen at this tyme in y e whiche that LORDE of puissaÌ„ce hath moost puissantly by his derely beloued seruant Henry our moost vertuous godlye Kynge subuerted topledde downe and ouerthrowne a great parte of Antechristes kyngedome so that by his diuine polecy godlye enterpryse that great whore of Babylon the mother of all whore dome abhominacions of the erth hath loste her chefe glory renome is nowe become so vile that she is euen made the habitacion of diuelles the holde of all fowle spirites a cage of all vncleane hatefull byrdes So that no man nowe wyl once by ony of her mâ—rchaundyse And wythoute doubte the tyme is at hande that Babylon shall haue such a faull that it shall not be able after this at onye tyme to be repared For the mouthe of the LORDE hath spoken it whiche is faythfull in all his wordes whose trueth abydeth for euer euer Neyther caÌ„ this prophecy of Christ be made frustrate by ony humayne polecy Euery plante that my heauenly father hath not planted shall be plucked vp by y e rootes Who reioysethe not to heare these thinges yea who triumpheth not to se theÌ„ Blyssed are we to whome it hath chaunsed not only to heare these thinges ioyefully but also to se them pleasauntly which hereafter shall vndoubtedly se such thynges mo as shall may be able to prouoke onye faythefull herte seriouslye to reioyse Uerelye althoughe we be occasioned dyuers wayes to gyue God immortal thaÌ„kes for dyuers gyftes yet me thiÌ„ke we are most highly bouÌ„d to be thaÌ„kefull for y e reâ—â—â—â—ucioÌ„ of his moste holy worde in these our dayes And wo worth them that be vnthanckefull in this behalfe excepte they repent and amende The Scriptures shewe howe y t in y e tyme of kyng Salomon there was so great pleÌ„te of syluer at Ierusalem as there was of stones in the stretes What carnall manne would not haue delyghted to inhabite hymselfe there Yet verely in my iudgement we do farre excell y e glorious abundans of Salomon all hys in mundane treasures to whome it is gyuen not only to florysh with worldely goodes but also wyth the incomparable treasures of the spirite So that our condicion at this present doth not a lytle excede passe the state of those Israelites which lyued so gloriously vnder the empyre and dominion of Salomon Certes as concernynge my selfe let God be but a lytle mercifull vnto me yf I had not rather chose to lyue vnder this our moost Christen kynge withe that lytle nothinge that I haue to enioye the benefyte of Goddes worde than to liâ—e vnder SalomoÌ„ if he were now alyue there to abunde with all affluence plente of all worldly rytches I am sufficieÌ„tly rytch so loÌ„ge as I haue y e rytches of Gods word w t me And I doubte not but that of this opinion are so many as tender the glory of God the helthe of theyr owne soules Nowe seynge y e this incoÌ„parable treasure inestimable benefite of Gods word is so bounteously gyuen vnto vs let vs all togyther consent w t one mynde to coÌ„serue mayntayne this moste precious Iewel that we lose it not hereafter thorowe our
froÌ„ the very herte the hygh powers to be ordened of God and that ther fore they oughte to be obeyed had in perpetual reuerence honoure Chri. They graunt that in the olde lawe it was y e ordinaunce of God to haue ciuile magistrates as Iudges Kynges and other rulers but nowe saye they in the newe Testament it is not lawfull to haue ony preemineÌ„ce or superiorite For christ sayth be not ye called mayster For ye haue but one master eueÌ„ Christe All ye are brothers Agayne y e kynges of the Hethen haue dominioÌ„ on theÌ„ and they that beare rule ouer them are called gracious Lordes But ye shal not be so But the greatest among you shall be as the yongest and the cheffest as a seruaunt Lo saye they here is all dominion and temporall power forbyddenne amonge Christen people and equalitie of power proponed set forthe to all men And that we shoulde doubte no thynge hereof we haue saye they a manifest exaÌ„ple of Christe the teacher of all verite whiche whan the people would haue made him king fled awaye from them by no meanes would enioy y e offyce although beynge the very Messias and true annoynted kynge of y e Lord Moreouer he sayde to Pylate my kyngedome is not of this worlde Phil. O blynde ignorancye and ignorante blyndnes with what eyes do those Owles loke on y e holy scripture w t what spirite dothe that generacion of vipers searche and iudge y e moost sacred word of God With how fylthy vnwasshed feete do those swynysh and beastlike parsonnes enter into the swete and pleasaunt fountaynes of y â— moost pure scriptures O Lorde GOD what dareth not blynde Bayard attempte take in hande Christe came not into thys worlde to reygne but to serue not to be a teÌ„porall but spiritual king not to rule with the swerde but w t the breath of his mouth not to execute iudgemente on other but to be iudged hiÌ„ selfe not to lyue as an erthly Prynce but as a ghostly minister of Goddes worde not to â—lea but to be slayne Therfore was it conuenient that he shoulde fulfyll his Fathers wyll for the whiche he came downe that once done to ascende go vp agayne vnto the glory of his father Which all these thiÌ„ges he dyd lyuynge all the tyme y t he was in this worlde humbly and mekely shewynge euer obedience reuerence honour to the magistrates although Hethen euen vnto y e very deth And as he came to serue and not to be serued to obeye not to be obeyed so taught he his disciples whan they began to contende of superiorite to be humble lowly meke gentle obediente and not to go aboute ony temporall primacye which only pertaineth to the ciuile magistrates but to be contente w t theyr offyce whiche was to preache Gods worde to open the misteries of Christes kyngedome to reproue the world of synne and vnfaythfulnes to fyght with the swerd of goddes word to vse not carnal but spirituall armours to bryng a gayne suche as were gone astraye To be shorte wholly to be bent to enlarge the kyngedome of God and the glory of Christes Gospel This destroyeth not but rather magnifieth the authorite of y e hygh powers seinge Christ wylled them not to take vpoÌ„ them the office of temporal regimeÌ„t coÌ„trary to equite but only to be as seruauntes dispensatours of the misteries of GOD. And come of a good felawshyp dyd Christe at ony tyme shewe hym selfe disobediente to the publique magistrates head officers Dyd not he confesse that y e power which Pylate y e Iudge had ouer hym was gyuen hym from aboue Note that well I praye you and beare it away Dyd not he also pay tribute to Cesar willed other to do so lykewyse Dyd not y e Apostles also shew themselues obedient to the hygh powers in all poyntes yea and taught other meÌ„ so to do Ther is no power sayth S. Paule but of god The powres that be are ordenned of God Therfore who so resisteth the power resisteth the ordinaunce of God And they that resist get to theÌ„ selues daÌ„nacioÌ„ s. Peter also coÌ„maundeth vs to honour the kyng to be subiecte to hym as supreme head to the other rulers that are sent of him For this is the wyll of y e Lord sayth he Are not al these authorities alleged out of the newe TestameÌ„t Haue we not here both manifest textes also euident examples to approue the office and state of the hygh powers so that it is nowe of no lesse authoritie than euer it was before but rather greater and stronger seynge it is nowe also confirmed and establysshed by Christ his Apostles Let y e aduersaries of this ordinaunce of GOD learne to be ashamed confesse theyr disobedience become subiecte and giue reuerence honour to all head officers as to the ministers of god euen from the greatest to the least For so is the wyll of God sayth the scripture Theo. It wyll be obiected of these order destroyers we wulde gladly heare by the scripture if ony christeÌ„ man that had receaued the fayth of Christ dyd euer beare rule exercyse teÌ„porall dominion ouer his Brothers Phil. What is this What do I heare May not a christen man execute that offyce wherby vertue is mayntayned vice exiled Is he not more fitte to be a ruler that beleuethe in the true God feareth him seketh his glory embraseth vertue hateth vice loueth his neyghbour tendereth the common wealth seketh in al poyntes to be a father amonge his subiectes thaÌ„ suche one as beleueth in Idolles feareth them seketh thâ—yr glory despyseth the alone true God hate the vertue embraceth vice oppressethe his neyghbour tearethe the coÌ„mon welth iÌ„ peses sheweth hiÌ„selfe iÌ„ all thiÌ„ges a cruel Tyraunt among his subiectes What furious Erinnys hath inuaded and troubled y e braynes of these vnresonable creatures to resist the publique Magistrates and to condemne theyr authoritie which they haue receaued of God But let these honest men GOD wyll tell me was not Abraham Iosephe Iudas Moses Iosue GedeoÌ„ Samuel Dauid Ezechias Iosaphat Iosias w t many other Christen faythfull men Yet dyd they execute the office of Magistrates were hygh powers in dede allowed before God workynge that which was good in his syghte Euse. They were faythfull â—aye they we gâ—auÌ„t but not christen Phile. O monstures as though it were one thynge to be faythfull and another to be christeÌ„ Difference is there none betwene them vs but this only that they beleued in Christe to come and we beleue that Christe is come hathe fulfylled the prophecies of the holy meÌ„ ghostly enspired All sayth S. Paule he speketh of the fathers of the olde Testament dyd eate al one spirituall meate that is to saye w t vs all dyd dryncke the very same drinke of the
as litle chyldreÌ„ ye shal not enter into the kyngedom of heaueÌ„ Who so euer therfore shall humble hymselfe as this lytyl chylde he is greatest in the kyngdome of heaueÌ„ Chri. This vndoubtedly is an excellent vertue and a floure of muche strength bryngethe to them that haue it manye goodly pleasures godly coÌ„modities Phil. Agen marke I praye you what made the oblacion of Abel to be so acceptable in the syght of God but Humilite Agen what was the cause that y e Sacrifice of Caim was abhorred of God but his arrogante proude herte stuffed full of rancour malice towarde his brother What was the occasioÌ„ that Nohe wyth fewe other were saued from drowenynge but that they were humble in herte and feared god Agayne what was the cause that all the whole worlde besydes theÌ„ were drowned but theyr pryde volupteous manner of lyuynge what prouoked God so ofte to walke with AbrahaÌ„ but his Humilite lowlynes of mynde What moued God to saue Lothe and certayne other for hys sake from that most greuous terrible plage that fell on Sodome Gomorre but y e Humilite of him conioyned with a reuerent feare toward god Agen what caused God to take vengeaÌ„ce on the Sodomites and to consume them with fyre brymstone froÌ„ heauen but only theyr pryde coupled wyth all kynd of volupteous beast lyke yea vnnaturall pleasure What preserued Abraham fromme sleaynge his Sonne Isaac but his humble obedient herte redy to accomplysh the wyll of God in al thinges What made Abraham Isaac Iacob Ioseph with al the holy Patriarches to be so geÌ„tylly dealte w t al fauoured both of god maÌ„ but theyr Humilite What was y e cause that Dauid was made of a Sheppard a kynge â–ª but Humilite Agen what abiected Saul froÌ„ his kingedome empire dominioÌ„ but his arrogant proude herte coÌ„ioyned w t disobedience towarde the commauÌ„dement of God What caused kinge Asa Iosaphat Ezechias Iosias to worke that which was good in the sight of God but theyr humilite bicause they preferred y e wyll of God before theyr owne carnall iudgemeÌ„tes Agayne what was the cause y t many kynges as Roboam Ieroboam Abia Nadab Achab Ochozias Achas Manasses AmoÌ„ Ioiachim Sedechias Nabuchodonosor c. dyd y t which was euell before God but theyr puffed vp hertes proud myndes castyng awaye all feare of God from theyr eyes What exalted the moost glorious virgin Mary so hygh that she became the mother of Christe was alone founde worthy to beare the sonne of God but her humilite as she herselfe witnesseth My soule magnifiethe the LORDE sayth she And my spirite hath reioysed in GOD my Sauiour For he hath looked vpon y e Humilite of his hande mayd beholde bycause of this all generations shal call me blessed Agayne what dyd caste downe Lucifer from Heauen into hell from ioye into payne but pryde What prouoked Christe to chose poore fyssher meÌ„ the vile people of this world to set forth the glory of his father but theyr humilite How came it to passe that those simple men yea euen the fooles of the worlde were replete with godly knowlege the proud Pharises the galant Bysshops the huffe nosed prestes the lusty lawers y e sawsy Scribes with all the glisteryng sorte of Hypocrites whiche lyued at that tyme coulde not attayne vnto this science of the diuine misteries whan not withestandynge they chaleÌ„ged to them selues alone the knowlege of Gods lawe and y e true vnderstandynge of the same Was not theyr pryde arrogancy the cause of this theyr blyndenes What is the cause in these our dayes that the proude papisticall Romanistes can not perceyue y e verite of Gods worde here in Englond suche other lyke places euen y e verye poore base sorte of people are godly learned espy the truethe of Gods wyl Is not pryde cause of y e one Humilite occasioÌ„ of y e other As I maye returne vnto the holye Scriptures make an ende what was the cause that the Publicane went home more iustified than the Pharise but that the one was huÌ„ble the other proud Ifwe marke diligently we shall easely perceaue y t all good thynges haue euer come to passe thorowe Humilite that pryde hath alway ben y e original begynnynge of all wickednes myschefe Euse. Uerelye this is easye to perceaue Phil. The excellency and vertue of this flour is so great that it causethe S. Austen to crye oute on this manner O holye and worshypfull Humilite thou madest the sonne of God to come downe into the wombe of holy Marye the virgine Thou madest hym to be inuolued wrapped in vile cloutes that he myght clothe vs wyth the ornamentes of vertues Thou dyddest circumcyse hym in the flesh that he shoulde circuÌ„cyse vs in the mynde Thou dydest scourge hym corporally that he myghte delyuer vs from the scourge of synne Thou dyddest crowne hym with thornes that he should crowne vs with his eternal Roses Thou madest hiÌ„ to be sycke which was the Phisicion of all meÌ„ healyng all thynges with his word alone that he myght heale theÌ„ that are sycke Humilite sayth Saynte Bernarde is the stedfast foundacioÌ„ of vertues whiche if it be omitted let passe the coÌ„gregacion gatherynge togither of vertues is none other thynge than a very ruine or decay of them For it debelleth and valeauntly ouercoÌ„meth the enemy of all grace I meane pryde whiche is the begynninge of all synne S. Gregory sayth also that Humilite is the beginnyng of vertues in vs that they which know not Humilite that is the mother of vertues loose y e vse profyt of theyr labour Agayne he sayth he that gathereth togyther vertues without Humilite maye well be compared to hym that bringeth dust into the wynde Thus haue I declared vnto you y â— excellency great vertue of youre fyrst floure what coÌ„modities ensue of it Chri. If these thynges hers taught were knowne vnto al men it woulde vndoubtedly encourage them to reiecte Pâ—ide enbrase Humilite Phil. Alas dere neyghbours wherfore or wherof shoulde we be proude Of oure wisdome or rytches Who amonge mortall menne was euer able to coÌ„pare with SalomoÌ„ eyther in wisdome or rytches Yet for all that vnto what poynte came he Dyd not he faull vnto all kynde of dissolute volupteous lyuynge Dyd he not forsake y â— God of Israell fell vnto Idolatry It is not withoute a cause sayde Let not the rytche maÌ„ glory in his ritches nor the wyse man in his wysdome For what are rytches wysdome yf they be not godly iustely vsed but only instrumentes of tyraÌ„ny vnrighteousnes The wyse man is indued wythe wyt for thys purpose that with his wisdome he shoulde healpe the simple playne people which want