of Canaan to that lande of the Lordes rest so no doubt the Churche of God shall haue as long as it is in this wildernesse vntill it come to the verye limitres of that spirituall lande of promise I meane the kingdome of heauen in this wildernesse though it haue some abode some stoppes some stayes as yet no continuall reste no continuall stoppe prefixed no not of knowledge In this vaile of darkenesse wee haue onely shadowes Images darke spéeches parables degrées gresings as it were of knowledge of thinges But on the toppe of a hill whether wee shall ascende there is a perfection of all thinges the absolute knowledge of the thinges them selues the verie naked face of trueth the highest degrée the verie crowne of vnderstanding and knowlenge her selfe Why therefore do we maruaile here the diuerse searchings of men after the diuerse degrées of knowledge and vnderstanding the diuerse leuelinges and roauings of many although at the marke ye sometimes beside the marke But as long as they shoote at one marke that is to say Iesus Christ as long as they tread his way of truth as long as they séeke for Iesus Christ and preach him as long as they beare no weapons against him and the saluation which he purchased with his owne bloud they are to be borne withall they are not to be condemned they are not to be forbiddē they are to be admitted as souldiers into his campe but besides all these things how vnequally they weigh all things here and how smally do they consider in all artes the Lordes diuerse wayes and iudgements Of Phisitions in diseases of the bodie diuerse medicines are prescribed in one disease Shall wee therefore condemne Phisicke Also of lawyers in the selfe same cause there are diuerse allegations diuerse proceedinges sometimes diuerse sentences shall we therefore abrogate lawes shall we not vse the helpes and counsailes of both these in our necessities and causes This varietie is mans frailtie from whence commeth that olde Prouerbe As many heads as many deuises as many men so many mindes Nay in my opinion this varietie is a certaine print or footesteppe of the Image of God left and is yet remayning in the minde of man That of the same matter of the same cause of the same theame two excellent wise well learned men shall neuer write thinke or speake the same things But diuerse and yet truth sondrie and yet excellent Of such sentences in the same causes of such diuerse handling of the same matter verie excellently of diuerse men wee haue many examples But to let this passe in this thing me thinkes the great wisdome of our heauenly Father most clearely appeareth who as in the faces of so many men being such a small part in so many countries thorough so many ages hath put a beautifull kinde of difference so that of countriemen of kinsmen of twinnes there is no two one like another in euerie respect And yet all their countenances very comely and beautifull euen so likewise in the minde of man he hath put a certaine comely and deuine difference that they shall thinke and speake and deuise diuersely and yet all to the purpose and yet cunningly and yet wisely Neither this thing onely clearely appeareth in all artes and in the workemanshippe of God the Father but also in the diuine inspiration and wonderfull framing of the holy scriptures by the holy spirite As in the writinges of the Prophets and Euangelistes there is a most beautifull harmonie So there is also a pleasant varietie and a wise diuersitie intermingled The fathers also had among themselues this varietie of opinions and diuerse interpretations of places of scripture as wee may see in their workes yet for all this those fathers which were at discention amongest themselues were not by and by Heretikes and damned and iudged to hell fire Our Sauiour Iesus Christ called himselfe a vine and all his branches And the Apostle S. Paule calleth him an Olife and vs all wilde Olifes which should be grafted in him Now wee see in the vine and in the Olife that all branches do not growe out straight nor of one side nor are all of like height but some are crooked some are straight some are heigh some are lowe some are stretched foorth some are bowed in yet all are fast in the roote all are fixed in the bodie all are partakers of the sappe and this diuersitie of the bowghes is the beautie of the trée So truly in the vine Iesus Christ in the true Olife although all his branches be not plaine although all his bowes be not straight although all his grafts be not lowe yet as long as they remaine in the vine as long as they are partakers of that sappe which commeth from the roote and as long as the wordes of Iesus remaine in them and by faith they are grafted in him yet they liue all both crooked and straight both stretched out drawen in both high and lowe and they flourish without doubt neither do they wither neither as they which hate the Gospell would gladly haue them are they cast out into the fire This crookednesse of the boughes as it is manifest in euery mans eies and apparant so they are not ashamed to confesse it with their owne mouthes but the roote is as certaine and the grafting in as sure and the vnitie or ioyning with the stocke no lesse manifest The faith of the Gospell is that thing by the which alone we are grafted into the truth As the Apostle teacheth vs plainely in the 10. of the Romaines An incredulitie or vnbeliefe is that thing by the which the Iewes although they were olde men and fathers and kinne to Christ Iesus according to the flesh were broken off Hereof then is the life of the bowghes wherefore although some of them be so farre stretched out a sunder that they cannot bee brought together although other some do growe a loft and will bowe to none being wise in their owne eyes although other some be crooked being made crooked of the craftie serpent and being turned out of the straight way of the lawe of the Lorde yet as long as they haue this grafting in of fayth as long as they drawe that liuely sappe from the roote as long as the wordes of Iesus remaine in them as long as they beléeue them loue them reade them muse on them day and night so long they are branches so long the children of Abraham so long boughes of the true Olife Let our aduersaries take héede here which doe offende at the very knotte of the grafting which deuide and part in sunder their fayth which do not sucke onely the sappe of Iesus Christ that is his words as necessary to their saluation but also the Popes colde water and the vaine doctrines of men and the vncertaine traditions of their fathers Let them take héede I say least they waxe rotten least the barke of the stocke do not couer them least they be not safe and
against her daughter and the daughter against her mother the daughter in lawe against her mother in lawe and the mother in lawe against her daughter in lawe And euen nowe the world marueiles slaunders and complayneth at these discentions of sonnes and fathers against the Gospell and name of Iesus This thing in my opinion that Sathan goeth about is that he might quite abolish and take away credite from the Gospell Our Sauiour Iesus hath foretold vs the same thing so often that we should not be offended thereat The Lorde by this meanes tryeth some whether they will rather sticke to their olde father Zebebe mending his nettes or with Iames and Iohn forsake al and following Iesus Christ calling them Whether at the Lordes commaundement they woulde forsake Sodome with Lot and his daughters or for their owne pleasure with his wife they would looke backe and be turned into a piller of salt Other some by this meanes the Lorde quite refuseth and casteth of who being well brought vp of their parentes and in true religion yet they had rather quite cast off the feare of God and obedience to their parents to shake hands with the Prince of darkenesse Gods vtter enimie then to tread the trace of Gods holy commaundements and of their fathers holesome instructions And are not such children both of God their father of man their father iustly to be forsaken Neither the agreemēt concord of al men in the darkenesse and ignorance of the Popes religion whereof they bragge so greatly doeth auaile anye thing to the confirmation and trueth of that blinde and superstitious religion For in the night season if wee marke wel as thinges are quiet and peaceable Naye the quietnes and peace of the night is farre greater then the quietnes of the daye But who woulde then therefore commende the night before the daye Such was their blinde and darke peace concorde and agréement which they had Againe Sathan himselfe hath a certaine kinde of vnitie in his kingdome as our Sauiour witnesseth in the Gospell If Sathan should rise against Sathan and be deuided saith he he could not continue but should haue an ende Sathan therefore in his kingdome hath a peace and surely to our outwarde senses a farre greater peace then the Church of God hath which outwardly in this worlde like a shippe is tossed hither and thither and is neuer at rest But he lacketh that inwarde peace that peace of conscience which the Church and housholde of God onely enioyeth Though Sathan his members do make a faire shewe of peace and quietnes outwardly yet they are tormented and vexed inwardly So that outward peace is no argument of trueth but rather that other inward peace For that craftie serpent créepeth softly and goeth stilye and bringeth in vnder hande like a craftie iuggler without any noyse without any wordes all his trishe trashe But this peace ouerthrowes the workes of God denounceth warre to his worde this creeping stealeth the worde of God from the heartes naye from the eares from the eyes and knowledge of all Christians Hitherto tendeth all his stealing steppes to this end his quiet times Such was the vnitie or securitie or drowsines rather of the former times And here by the waye because they finde fault with our agreement I praye you note the consent and agreement of the diuell and of the Pope together most manifest that no man of indifferent iudgement can denye The diuell sayeth our Sauiour When the worde is sowen in the heart of man he comes priuily and stealeth it awaye lest it shoulde take roote there The Pope he stealeth and plainly conueyeth the worde out of the Churche so that it shall neither come into the eares nor into the heart And is not this manifest Doeth not the Pope forbid the worde of God to be read in the Church but in Latine in a tongue vnknowen to the hearers So that it were as good not redde to them at all they are neuer a whit the better for the reading of it And shall wée not saye then that the Pope and diuell in stealing Gods worde from our heartes doe agrée Is not this too too manifest Such is their peace and agréement they haue quite contrarye to Iesus Christe But the house of Iesus Christe is buylt vppon an hill it hath manye cold blastes and sharpe stormes His shippe sayling in the Sea of this world hath manye stormes quicke sands and rockes That same Whirlewinde whereof Saint Marke speaketh in his fourth Chapter which from out of the earth is suddenly carryed vpwarde to Heauen woulde as it were blowe the shippe out of the worlde All Gods children all his seruauntes are of the daye and of the light they sustaine troubles cares they are vexed they are pinched They carrie their crosse with their Master Iesus Christ They are neuer as long as they continue in this wildernesse frée from the pinchings of hunger thirst and scarsitie from the perils of enimies both at home as of Corah Dathan Abiram and abroad as Amalech Balacke and such like They are stil in the field their life is a warfare and this is their tryall this is their crowne this is their victory This is the wisedome of the serpent which the Gospel commaundeth who stop their eares to all the voyces of the charmers charme they neuer so wisely that they may heare their Iesus alone which beléeue not the doctrines of these false Prophets for al their miracles which wil nat depart from the word of the Lord Deut. 13. For the Lord suffreth some time false Prophets to do myracles as Moses doeth teach vs to trye vs whether wée will sticke to his worde alone or no. Hereby their Egles eyes are tryed whether they can beholde Iesus Christ the true Sunne without twinckling of their eyes or no Onely the Eagles can do so The eyes of other birdes cannot endure it these turne their eyes aside to flyes and mottes in the Sunne to fat prayes which the tempter castes in their way The Christian Eagles respect onely the glorie of Iesus Christe Therefore Dauid prayed O Lorde turne away mine eyes lest they behold vanitie and quicken mée in thy way These vanities these flyes these motes in the Sunne are left in the ayre to trye the zeale of true Christians Deut. 33. The which Moses taught before his death all the Leuites of Israell and our Sauiour Iesus all his disciples which saye to their father and mother wee knowe you not aus to their brethren we care not for you no not for their owne children But they kéepe the word of the Lord and his couenant These faithfull Leuites preferre Iesus Christ and his Gospell to all Counsails Fathers yea to their owne natural fathers to their beloued wiues to their deare children yea to their owne soule and life This great courage of theirs could not so clearly appeare without some light skirmishing at home amongest their brethren And without open warre abroad against
sound and so as rotten corrupt branches be hewne off and quite throwne away of the heauenly husbandman God the Father himselfe for not to beléeue the gospell is a marke of the reprobate a badge of those that shal be damned a certaine signe of the bowghes broken off As both the Apostles Peter and Paule may teach vs. If iudgement begin of the house of God saith S. Peter Pet. 1. Epist 4. cap. v. 17. 2. Ep. Thes 1. cap. vers 8.9 what shall be the end of those which will not beléeue the Gospell of God And S. Paul saith the Lord Iesus shal be reuealed from heauen with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire giuing vengance to those which know not God which do not harken to and obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ All such are not of the Lordes familie all such are withered boughes throwne foorth to euerlasting fire And here let our recusants take héede they be not such Now followeth the common complaint but not so bitter as the former nor so properly a complaint as of wéeping bewailing of the simple sort and especially of women Who going into the Churches séeing the bare walles and lacking their golden Images their costly coapes their pleasant Orgaines their swéet frankinsence their gilded chalices their goodly streamers they lament in themselues fetch many déepe sighes bewayle this spoyling and laying waste of the Church as they thinke The like bewayling of the people of the Iewes and of those old men which now returning froÌ„ Babylon had séene the glorie of the first temple with their eyes is repeated vnto vs in the 2. chap. of the Prophet Aggey They missed Salomons gold his marble his Cedars his câ—ruings they accounted the house which Zorobabel builded as nothing to it But what did the Lord teach them by the Prophet what glorie did he promise to the second building what kinde of ornaments did he prepare for it It followeth in the Prophet The same word which I couenanted with your fathers when I brought them out of the lande of Egypt my spirite shall stand in the middest of you feare you not now saith the Lord of hoasts Yet once againe seemeth it but a small thing vnto you Agge 2. ver 5.6.7 And I will moue the heauens with the power of my holy spirite with the preaching of my word the earth the sea the dry land And I will mooue make quake for feare all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and he shall fill this house with glorie sayth the Lord of hostes What do ye wish for gold Golds siluer are mine sayth the Lord of hoostes If it please me I could employ these to beautifie this house but I wil giue it greater glorie The glorie of this latter house hauing nothing but bare wals is greater then of the former so gylted so carued sayth the Lorde of hoosts and in this place I will giue peace sayth the Lorde of hoosts This is the glory of the second temple this is the glory of our Churches although the walles be not painted although their vestures be not silke although their roode lofts be broken downe although they want their frankinsence Orgaines yet the word of the Lord and his spirite shall stand stedfastly in the middest of them The Gospell of Iesus Christ ringeth in theÌ„ although their Orgaines cease that swéete sauour of life to life is felt although that earthly frankinsence be put out that pearle of the Gospell which our Sauiour counsailleth all wise marchantes to buy though they solde all that they had is present is set foorth to offered to all men fréely Although the pearles of this worlde and iewels which are but clay myre are absent these things alone decke and adorne our Churches delight the soules of the faithful aboue all harmony and musicke in the world please the eares better then all Orgaines are swéeter in their noses than all frankinsence do refresh all their senses with a heauenly kind of chearefulnes liuelines Their Images do not so liuely picture out Iesus Christ vnto vs as his Gospell doth Their Images were all false their roodes were lyes their pictures painted out a false Christ vnto vs for they painted him like a goodly young man comely beautifull well fauoured in all respects as fine as the Painter or caruer could deuise but the Prophet Esay who indéede painteth out Christ vnto vs truly his true countenance shape of bodie describeth him far otherwise as we may read in his 53. chap. For he did growe before the Lord like as a branch and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neither beautie nor fauour when we looke vppon him there shall be no fairenesse wee shall haue no lust vnto him He is despised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorrowes and infirmities We haue reckoned him so vile that wee hidd our faces from him such a one in déede was Iesus Christ this was his true picture and what beautie can there be of a trée that groweth in a drie grounde what comelinesse in a monster of men and the outcast of the people For so Dauid also calleth him in the Psalmes Psal 22. vers 6. Esay 40. Their Orgaines of brasse doe not so much delight the eares as the trumpets of his preachers doeth Their golden coapes as they termed them put vpon their Priestes backes did not so much adorne the Church as the booke of Gods word in their handes We bring foorth this pearle of the Gospell more precious then all their Vestmentes Chalices Censours Images broken rent solde the losses whereof they doe complaine and we put it against all their complaintes And they which are wise will cease to complaine or murmure any more and will say we haue made a happie exchange What shall I recken vp here the mouing of all Nations the desire of all Nations Iesus Christ the peace of conscience the fulnesse of heauenly glorie which all that worde of the Lorde and his spirite as in time past to the Iewes temple euen so nowe haue brought vnto vs. This word hath rowsed vp the Nations which before was a sléepe this voice of the Lorde hath called them vp euen from the dead sléepe of blindnesse and bondage Now that which Dauid sayde of Israell comming out of Egypt the same may we say of the people of Christ comming out of the spirituall Egypt When Israell came out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from amongest the straunge people Iuda was his sanctuarie and Israell his Dominion the sea sawe that and fledde Iordaine was driuen backe The mountaines skipped like Rammes and the little hilles like young shéepe So truely euen nowe in our dayes the Lorde béeing present in Iuda his Sanctuarie which confesseth his name alone and in Israell his dominion which wrastleth with prayers and supplications and
An Apologie or Defence of our dayes against the vaine murmurings complaints of manie Wherein is plainly proued that our dayes are more happie blessed than the dayes of our forefathers In the latter dayes I will powre out my spirite on all flesh Ioel. 2. In the Euening it shal be light Zachar. 14.7.8.9 The Gospell shal be preached through all the world for a witnesse vnto all Nations and then shall the ende come Math. 24. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1589. To the right worshipfull Sir Anthonie Thorrold Knight and to the vertuous Ladie Anne Thorrold his wife Francis Trigge wisheth this yeare with manie others prosperous ioyfull in this world in the world to come life euerlasting BEeing prouoked right worshipfull by your manifold curtesies at all times shewed to my mother mee Lest I should seeme ingratefull which of all sinnes both towardes God and amongest men I accompt the greatest I was euen enforced to shewe my selfe thankfull vnto your worships And whereas at this time euerie one doe not onely in wordes but also in deedes with their presents gifts shewe some signe and token of this their thankefulnes Euen so I also out of my simple garden haue chosen a handfull of Flowers as it were a Nosegay the best present I could get to offer vnto you In the which although some of the flowers perchaunce shal seeme rough and to haue some prickes yet I trust as the Gilliflower and the Rose they smell sweete that is taste of trueth being grounded on the vndoubted trueth of Gods worde The which I haue intituled A defence of our daies against the murmurings and complaints of manie Then the which murmuring and complaining we haue no one sinne amongst vs more common nor anie one more odious to the Maiestie of God which stoppes his blessings from vs yearely in my iudgement pulles his heauie wrath and plagues vpon vs For amongst the old Israelites after their departure out of Egypt Exod. 16. this sinne was almost continuall and daily among them they were neuer content they still found fault with somthing They either lacked water or victuals or Quailes or their enimies were too mightie for them or Moses Aaron tooke too much vpon them And by this meanes those 40 yeares they angred the Lord and prouoked the holie one of Israel as saieth the Psalmist And S. Paul by their examples giues vs a lesson 1. Cor. 10. Be not murmurers saith he as some of them were and were destroyed of the destroyer Thus to murmure or complaine we accompt but a small thing almost no sin at all But behold it is a deadlie sinne it bringeth death vnnaturall vntimelie euen of the destroyer And surelie I feare mee this one thing hath caused the vntimelie deathes of manie of our riche men this last yeare When as God had sent them plentie of corne yet they were not content they would hurd vp their old They would saie it wil be deare still nay they would deuise how to make it deare They would complaine of much strawe little corne and so no doubt they angred the Lorde God with these hurdings vp murmurings and euen shortened their owne daies For we are all taught this generall lesson by our doctor master S. Paul 1. Thess 5. Phil. 2. In all things giue thanks And againe do al things without murmurings reasonings And Dauid shewes vs the talke speaches of Gods seruants They saie alwaies the Lord be praised And S. Paul himselfe not onlie by word of mouth but by his own example teacheth vs this lesson who going vp to Ierusalem and as he went by the waie certaine Prophets tolde him that of a trueth he would be hardlie welcomed thither that he should be bound imprisoned who neuer grudged at such hard tydings but ioyfullie aunswered The Lords wil be done Ecclesiasticus 39. ver 13. I am not readie to be bound but to die for the Lord Iesus And Ecclesiasticus giueth vs this counsel Hearken vnto me O ye holie children bring foorth fruite as the Rose that is planted by the brookes of the field and giue you a sweet smel as incense brings forth flowers as the Lylie giue a smell sing a song of praise Blesse the Lord in al his works This is a sweet rose vnto the Lord euen at Christyd This is the sweete frankinsence that the Lord delightes in This is the pure white Lyllye flower And none may saye what is this wherefore is that At all times conuenient they shall al be sought out We shall one day perceiue that all the workes of God euen our great fluddes our yll seede forrowes our great windes our weete haruestes shall tende to the saluation of our soules though they diminish the gaine of our purses Therefore let vs not saie Oh what a weather is this Oh what a haruest is this But rather the Lord be praised who sendeth this The booke of the wisedom of Salomon in the first Chapter teacheth vs the same lesson as a chiefe and principall point of wisedome The eare of Ielousie heareth all thinges and the noise of the grudgings shall not be hidden Therefore beware of murmuring which profiteth or auaileth nothing See what great reasons Salomon alledgeth that wee should beware of this murmuring He compares God to an earnest louer which cannot abide his giftes his tokens to be founde fault withall The Lord markes our words gestures when he sends vs raine windes faire weather how we take these his tokens He tryes vs whether we loue him or not If we frowne when we receiue them it is a signe wee loue him not perfectly in deede A true and a faithfull louer will receiue anie thing and that cheerefully at his louers handes So ought wee to doe at Gods handes Secondly all our murmurings and complainings auaile nothing they make the weather neuer the better therefore they are in vaine Beware therefore of vaine murmuring and complaining The Lorde when as wee our selues deserue to be drowned with the olde worlde for despising not Noah the eight preacher of righteousnes but euē eight score He drownes our Haye our pastures when as we our selues deserued to be destroyed with those same couetous Gergesites For despising his Gospel making light account of it He killes destroyes but our swine He rottes our sheepe When as the Axe being laid long agoe to the roote of the tree by manie Iohn Baptists who preach vnto vs euen his verie commission preaching Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand And we waxing euery yere worse and worse deserue quite to be cut downe he doth by his sharpe windes of warres taxes but pluck of our leaues pinch our purses And shal we complaine or not rather commend extoll this great goodnes of our God and finde fault with our selues and say with Dauid in the like case being plagued for numbring the people Loe it is
againe Wee commende thicke darkenesse Wee would haue foure and twentie Egges for a pennye Wee haue that true Mannah the breade which came downe from Heauen the Gospell of Iesus Christ But wee had rather haue the fleshe pottes of Egypt their Egges and Onyons Oh it was a good worlde then wee saye Wee haue the armourie of Gods wordē the whole armour of God but wee woulde rather haue Python and Raamses of Egypt Pharaoes armories Wee haue the Lorde our tower our Castell our defence but wee woulde rather haue the tower of Babell and the strong castels of Babylon These are nowe ouerthrowen amongste vs and wee liue without wall without Bulwarke and yet the Lorde be thanked peace is established amongest vs the enimie is vanquished Mars is vanished The Lorde him selfe as hee did the Arke of Noah hath made fast the barres of our gates Noah may buylde the Arke hee may enter into the Arke but the Lorde alone must shut it vp must make fast the doore thereof Wee haue Christian sufficiencie as much as wee stande in neede of of all thinges of Corne of Wyne and Oyle although not that greate superfluitie and great plentie of Egypt or of Sodome But to let this plentie passe they had taske Masters ouerseers Bishops which compelled them to make Bricke which layde great burthens vppon them Wee haue sheepeheardes which doe not compell vs but exhort vs not to make Tyles to buylde and mayntayne the Popes Babilon but Pearles of the Gospell to buyld the Church of Christ which do not burthen our consciences as they did but vnburthen them and settle them in most sure peace of saluation of health Without all doubt all the workes they did in Poperie they were but bricke so painful so hard so costly fit for the fire not for the praise of God because they were not commaunded of him Who will praise that worke of his seruants which he commaundes not and so although they laboured and swet much in those dayes they did but make bricke and wash bricke as it is in the prouerb that is they lost their labour I feare they lost their reward Wee haue not Pharaoes Princes maiestrates which do burthen their subiects aboue their power not only with rents but with labours and toylings with their bodies but Moses gentle Magistrates and curteous which like sheepe by the hand lead the people of God and for the neede of the common wealth lay tributes and taxes vpon them as they are able to beare Which do not laye that tribute vpon our husbandmen as I haue hearde by custome the kings of the Scottes doe that are bound to beare armour with the King a certaine number of dayes in the warres of their owne proper costes and charges at his pleasure which do not laye that tribute of victuals of the French men vpon their subiects which without a pension or payment cannot eate the fatlings which they haue fedd Which do not enioy that Turkish slauerie where none no not their Noble men can giue their landes to their children without their Princes pleasure and that vnder charge of Souldiours euer readie to serue in the warres at an houres warning What should I reckon vp here the tributes and taxes of the Romanes Octauianus tooke the eighth part of al free men of al their goods When Cesar was slaine euery one of the Senatours were commaunded to paye for euery tyle of their house sixe farthings and euery one of the citizens the foure and twentieth part of all their goods Our subsidies and taxes are light easie and to be borne withall in comparison of these ancient payments and other later exactions in other countries We haue not nowe Toll gatherers which sit at the receipt of custome who as in times past amongst the Iewes so amongest our auncestours gathered and scraped together our siluer our gold their Peter pence as they called them the first fruits of our Bishops that they might carrie them out of the Realme But which do long before giue warning of our paiments and gather them by small portions nor do not transport them any where else but lay them vp in the Princes treasurie I would to God we did not complaine without cause These be our good things and we see them not and yet men do complaine and find fault and are not content The greatest parte of men were neuer so rich neuer so gentlemanlike prepared and furnished with all things both within and without I would to God we did not impouerish our selues by vnlawful buying and wearing of silkes and veluets against all reason and lawes onely to satisfie our owne fond pleasures and of verie many persons for no other cause but to follow the vaine fashion of the world They must do as other do they must be in the fashion although they be beggers for their labours and greatly offende the maiestie of God who commaunds vs most straitely obedience to our Princes and willes vs not to be carefull for our apparel and to be content with couerings or happings as we call them to couer our nakednes and not so earnestly to seeke after euery vaine fashion of apparell that shal be deuised This maketh vs poore 1. Tim. 6. v. 8. this transporteth our treasure out of the Realme although some there be which are pinched of cruell landlords And yet all men do complaine of great penurie of great pouertie of want of all things But this want and this complaint amongest verie manie in my opinion is couetousnes which will neuer haue ynough which florisheth amongest all men and not truth to whom that wants aswell that which he hath as that which he hath not as the Philosopher said truely But many do lament the pulling downe of Abbayes they say it was neuer merie world since They highly commend their liberalitie to the poore their curtesie to their tenants their commoditie to the common wealth their planting of woodes their setting of trees I doe not here excuse our cruell landlordes our oppressors of their tenaunts our pullers downe of townes of whome as euery age hath had some so our age hath too manie and from which faultes the Abbayes themselues are not free as I suppose as their granges doe testifie I do beleue wee haue more strangers nowe in England then heretofore som of oure shires haue had people But I speake generally of the state and condition of our dayes In such great scarsitie of all things in such a great multitude of people in such a great price of all things they are not able to shewe I beleeue in our age so great liberalitie towarde so manye as wee haue tryed these many yeares next going before and especially this deare yeare last past here in England The which deare yeare truely I thinke the Lorde sent to this our Englande one amongest so many to the tryall of our riche men to the glorie of his name And here in deede was proofe and tryall made of all men
The Lorde be praised for that his excellent gift which so well disposed the heartes of a great manye our countrie townes and villages sent their contributions and collections to our Cities Our gentlemen some of them sent waynes loaden with corne of their owne to the markets to be solde onely to the poore and that by a smaller price than the common rate was Others which had not so good store of their owne bought corne in the market that they might helpe to supplye the wantes of their poore neighbours at home which stoode in need and that also by an indifferent price Such buyers and sellers our Lincolne shire and other shires adioyning famous gentlemen worthie of eternall memorie had in that harde time Then it was woorth God haue mercie to helpe the poore Then it was acceptable to the Lorde Then it was thanke worthie when all thinges were deare scarce and harde to be gotten Here was tryall of mercie here was commendation of liberalitie Here the poore widdowes myte in the Gospell and the little barrell of Oyle and flower of the widdowe of Sarepta shined and came againe into the world These men gaue more in this penurie and euen of their owne scarcitie and want than all these Monkes of their aboundance and great superfluitie neither of that yeare onely but of euerye yeare the same nowe may truely be pronounced The earth nowe waxeth olde and barren it doeth not giue his increase as vnder that blacke horse in the sixth Chapter of the Reuelation of Saint Iohn When all things were plentifull Apoc. 6. when it was in his flourishing youth his vertue his strength his force nowe decayeth And as the decaying vading and death of olde men is sudden euen so is it of the worlde it selfe of the earth and of the Heauens nowe they all waxe olde as doeth a garment and are chaunged suddenly from their olde glorie fruitfulnesse and fertilitie Wherefore these yeares next going before our husband-men haue not reaped so great plentie of corne as they were wont to doe And yet we all must needes confesse the number of poore to increase Wherefore our liberalitie is of a morsell with Iob not of a Barne stuffed full for many yeares Iob. 31 17. of the Widowes myte not of thousand thousandes of Munkish reuenues of the little Oyle of the Widowe of Sareptha not of the superfluitie of the Pharistes And in this great scarcitie and dearth of all thinges in the frosen charitie of a great manye no man perished for hunger No man dyed for want as wee haue read in their Histories manye haue done in that bountifull and liberall kingdome which they commende so highly In Englande here in the dayes of king Henry the sixth there was such a dearth that some were compelled to make bread of Beanes and bracking or Fearne rootes which cast manye their liues In the latter ende of Queene Marie her raigne in that great dearth which was then as I haue heard manye of the poore had perished for hunger if the funeralles of the riche had not reléeued them better than their almes or giftes And as I haue hearde the Acornes that they did eate then killed manye for all that But amongest vs this I can truely report that I heard saye verie many were not ashamed to confesse that they coulde gett more by begging from dore to dore weekely than they coulde yearne by working for wages continually The Lorde doeth so open the heartes of his secrete ones that his poore shoulde be releeued that his Gospell shoulde be fruitefull euen nowe also as in the dayes of the Apostles And that his name should be glorified But in the former cheapenesse of all thinges in their great plentie and in not so great number of pouertie What was it to giue their bread and cheese for they seldome gaue money and such like And such were those dayes they themselues being witnesses But to returne to our Monasteries againe It is pittie saith one that the houses were pulled downe the houses might haue stande the abuses might haue beene taken awaye But whosoeuer speaketh thus they speake vnaduisedly for they open their mouth against the Lorde The pulling downe the defacing the sacking of these houses was the Lords doing It was not the power of anye Prince of any mortall man These men were famous sinners against the Lorde as were the men of Sodomah and their sinnes as it were heaped one vppon another reached euen vp to Heauen although they were perchaunce to them selues and their neighbours bountifull and beneficiall The sinnes of Sodomah raigned amongest them Such sinnes Ezechiell describeth vnto vs that is to saye Pryde Idlenesse Ezech. 16. fulnesse of breade and vnmercifulnesse In so much that the fatnesse and haughtinesse and idlenesse of Monkes came into a Prouerbe amongest all men In so much that idle persons were called Abbey lubbers fatt men were saide to haue Abbots faces But there was greater sinnes than these amongest them Idolatrie the first sinne in the tenth commaundement Blasphemie of the name of God the next sinne also by their vaine rash othes by things of no value as by the Mouse foote and such like which they counted no sinne yea the thirde sinne also was amongst them the breaking and prophaning of the Lords Sabaoth whose obseruation and keeping is chiefely in preaching and hearing the worde of God As our Lorde Iesus himselfe being here on earth taught vs to keepe it Hee preached euery Sabaoth daye Luke 4. Luke 4. v. 16. For so he spent his Sabaothes In doing good to our neighbours not in idlenesse of the bodie as the Pharisies taught not in singing Odes Himnes without vnderstanding as they were wont What shal we recken vp here their other sinnes beside these There was one amongest them notable and deadly sinne as they terme it and chiefe of all other both against God and against man which truely they shall neuer wash away with any sacrifice And that is this that vnder shewe of holines for couetousnes of gaine they seduced the people teaching a false way of saluation they threwe headlong as much as in them lay into hell euen thousands of soules without the great mercie of God Through couetousnes making merchandise of men as S. Peter sayeth 2. Pet. 7. and selling soules as saith S. Iohn This selling of saluation of Masses of pardons shall condemne the couetous deceiuers before the Lorde If they had giuen these freely perchaunce their simplicitie might haue made a place of pardon for them but now their couetousnes must needes be condemned Should God haue let these remaine Nay should he suffer their houses to stand Their crye now euen as of Sodome was great and had ascended into the eares of the Lord of hostes They were sinners against him though they seemed simple and beneficiall to others Although what liberalitie I pray you call you this To fill the bellie and to kill the soule Such surely was
hearts We shal find in the books of the Chronicles of the Kings of Israel farre greater spoyles expulsions breakings hewing downe and ransacking of those good kings Ezechiah Iosiah then these were Wherefore these things now should not séeme strange or wonderful vnto vs. And these Kings of Ecclesiasticus in the greater number of other Kings which builded those high places which plāted those groues which ordeined these Priests these Kings I saye which pulled downe their buildings cut downe their plantings and expelled their Priests are counted only famous not infamous onely religions not impious not spoylers but reformers of Gods house Eccl. 49. ver 4. These be his word All kings except Dauid Ezechias and Iosias haue done wickedly For the kings of Iudah forsaking the lawe of the Lord haue forsaken God himselfe These three kings did laye wast groues aulters high places but they forsooke not the lawe of the Lord and therefore their horne is exalted with glorye and their remembrances is for euer So truely with the Lord with al godly faithful men which dare ground their faith on Gods word Our kings which haue pulled downe the Abbeyes expelled their Munkes are also famous and in great estimation Wee may saye O thrise happie and faire Sunneshine dayes of ours the which all the cloudes of ignorance being dispersed all the vailes of superstition being rent in peeces all the monumentes and pillers of Idolatrie being pulled downe haue Iesus Christ the true Sonne of righteousnes of saluation and trueth moste clearely shining and with his beames most plainly glistering in them Neither doe I here iustifie or allowe the wickednes of the world which dayly increaseth the charitie of many which is waxed colde nay plainly frosen Neither do I commend all the ground which we the Lordes husbandmen do till but the fourth parte onely which receiueth the seede and keepeth it We must needes confesse wee haue much thornie grounde much stonie ground manie high wayes wherein we are some time compelled to throwe the Lords seede Therefore I doe not allowe here or commend that olde beaten waye of Papistrie which many do followe when they come to the Church to heare the word of God thinking thus with themselues what seede soeuer shal be sowen in their hearts they will not receiue it They will beleeue as they haue beleeued Neither the stonie grounde of time seruers which ground their religion vpon the Prince and not vpon God and will turne which way the Prince turneth Neither the thornie ground of couetous men which in the Church receiue the worde of God gladly but when they come home or into the field their chestes and their hedges choake it All these groundes I allowe not And these are too too common in euery fielde in euery towne That same beaten waye moste olde men followe that same stonie waye hypocrites treade that same thornie waye couetous misers trace And these being put altogether they will make a great shewe But there shall be such alwayes Our Sauiour hath tolde vs before Therefore the faithfull marueil not when they meete withall and see many such But yet for al this their barrainnesse and vnfruitfulnes cannot nor ought not to defraud or depriue the fourth ground the good grounde the Lordes field of his iust praise and commendation which of one seede yeeldes vnto the Lord some thirtie some sixtie some an hundred folde of fruite This land is worthie of praise and such lande the Lorde be thanked we haue amongst vs. I may iustly pronounce our dayes happie and our selues vnhappie of whome nowe verie many of vs stumble at noone daye and slyde in the light runne headlong into the pittes of sinne in the Sunneshine who woulde not praise the clearenes of our time our Sunneshine our great light and knowledge And againe who would not wonder at the foolishnes and sottishnes of manye men the blindnes of their eyes the stumbling of their feete their falling downe euen groueling for all this light Who would beléeue that charitie should waxe colde in such daily kindling of the Lordes fire amongest vs that couetousnes should once appeare amongest vs being so daily and diligently wed out and plucked vp by the rootes that vsurie durst once shewe her face being arraigned and condemned so often in all courtes by all lawes in all languages both in Lattine and English That oppression of any landlordes to their tenants should be once named thought on or felt amongest vs in such great knowledge of brotherly loue These are the blockishnes of men These are the blindnes of their eyes whose mindes as the Apostle saith the Prince of this world hath blinded lest the glorious light of the Gospel should shine vnto them This is no iust complaint or condemnation of the dayes then the which daies the Lorde gaue to the worlde neuer any more cleare more blessed more laden with all blessings the lanterne of his worde the sunne of his Gospell so many cleare and innumerable starres of his ministers shining glistering and flourishing amongest vs. They therefore that stumble in such great light maye condeme themselues not the times the men not the dayes their wilfull negligence not our wonderfull Sunshine But the greatest and most grieuous and dangerous complaint of all followeth Manye vrge the discentions of our time and the sectes that like Tares are sprung vp with the Gospell and the bitter speaches and sharpe contentions of the professors of the Gospell amongst thēselues They remember not that amongst the Parables of his kingdome our Sauiour also intermingled this of the Tares sowen by the enuious man euen in the midst of his wheat to haue stopped the mouthes of his disciples which maruelled at this and were greatly troubled at this matter by his commaundement and authoritie And also in his doctrine to haue many times taught this principall point to strengthen their faith and to auoide the offences of the wicked chiefe of all other Do ye thinke that I am come to set peace vppon the earth No but rather diuision and this diuision is the ouerthrowe of Sathan the breache of his peace the ouerthrowe of his kingdome For Sathan the diuel himselfe hath a peace in his kingdome as in another place our Sauiour doth teach vs or else his kingdome could not stand and the world loues her owne This peace the doctrine of our Sauiour Iesus Christ breakes and quite takes away The boundes of Lawes shal be broken for my name saith our Sauiour nay the bonds of Nature and that into two partes nay into twentie partes from henceforth there shall be fiue in one house deuyded three against two and two against thrée A small number was wont to be the mother of loue and a greate many the mother of sedition and quarels but here neither frwnes of number nor nighnes of kinred shal make peace for the father shal be at variance against the sonne and the sonne against his father And the mother
not with his owne strength and merites The sea of all people and Nations almost haue fledde backe from our Pharao the Pope and Iordaine that most commodious ryuer of sayling to Rome for pardons and dispensations is driuen backe And these same great mountaines of kinges and noble men haue skipped like Rammes and reuolted from him At the presence of the Lord his holy spirit which is in the middest of our churches the little hilles of the people like yong sheepe This desire of all nations Iesus Christ hath so inflamed the hearts of all men hath so set them on fire kindle in them an vnspeakable zeale For what other cause can be giuē of the sudden forsaking of the Popes yoke obedience almost now of the best in euery countrey in his so great power crueltie in theirs so great perils and dangers which doe forsake him that they should hazarde and venture not only their goods and possessions but also their own liues Surely it must néedes be some great matter that should thus moue themselues to venture their liues to this extremitie and that voluntarily and not by compulsion Besides this mouing of all Nations the worde of God hath giuen to all men peace of conscience which beléeue it and receiue it That nowe they feare not to dye merily and ioyfully without any 〈◊〉 or pardons or Diriges to be song yearely for them after their death That nowe with their captaine Iesus Christ they dare boldly commit their soules into the hands of God their father without any singing or ringing or massing of Popish Fréers This is the peace of the gospel this is the peace in death this of all other peace is the greatest And are not our churches adorned and decked are not they verye glorious are not they very famous Are not these strange things and wonderful which in our church the Lord worketh Doe we account this mouing of all Nations this knowledge of Iesus Christ this presence of his holye spirite this preaching of his worde this greatest peace of all other peace of conscience to be matters of nothing to be matters of no weight Many there be that make many other complaintes but these are the most grieuous and most common Some do find fault at our euil liues They doe not followe saye they the worde of God which they professe and they commend to the skyes the holinesse and good workes of our forefathers Some other doe accuse the basenes of our birthes the obscuritie of our stocke They are vpstartes strangers of base parentage youthes not of the auncient Nobilitie Some other do feare and blase abroad the sturres and stormes of our times the inuasions of our enimies See say they 〈◊〉 what dangers they haue brought vs in howe many and howe mightie enimies they haue plucked on our backs Some mislike with our often marriages and that maketh so many beggets say they Some other do condemne especially the marriages of Ministers and they cannot abyde that they shoulde purchase anye lande for their children Others which woulde seeme more deuout stande onely on this point They condemne all our forefathers saye they and therefore they will neuer be on our opinion So that there is almost no man but he hath something to complaine of some thing grieueth him To which all he that woulde fully satisfie should neuer make an ende Yet lost by our scilence they shoulde seeme to haue gotten the victorie I wil saye some thing to euery one of these And first of all these which talke so much of their forefathers doe little consider with Dauid the dayes of their forefathers in déede Psal 75. ver 3. These did not goe into the Tabernacle of God they doe not receiue the congregation with Dauid for then they woulde iudge rightly they pronounce like blinde men of colours without light of vertue But that I maye aunswere briefelye to this great Chaos and heape of quarrels this is my opinion First concerning oure liues that they so greatly fynde fault withall and our workes Wée haue one worke almost dayly amongest vs in manye places which doeth surmount and surpasse all their workes of the whole yeare naye of their whole liues The which only worke God the Father commaundeth from heauen that is to saye the hearing of the worde of Iesus Christ Mat. 17. ver 5. This is my beloued sonne sayeth God the Father heare him God the Father was neuer heard to speake to any man before in this worlde so properly in his owne person as in Matthew 3.17 and in the 17. Chapter and fifth verse teaching this doctrine Therefore his voyce is worthie to be marked diligently And he commaundeth nothing but this Heare him And our Sauiour Christ hath pronounced of his ministers to the end of the worlde lest our Recusants shoulde saye they refuse not to heare Iesus Christ Hée that heareth you heareth mée Hée that heareth mée heareth him that sent mée And I am with you to the end of the worlde This worke wée haue This onely wée doe This is our glorie But they had one sinne in those dayes which surpesseth all the sinnes of the whole worlde which like that leuen of the Pharisies corrupted all their workes so manye in number so costly so stricte and so seuere and that was Incredulitie They belieued not the Gospell of Iesus Christ They durst not ground their faith and venture their liues vpon it The Holie Ghoste when hee shall come into the worlde sayeth 〈◊〉 Sauiour Christe shall rebuke the worlde of sinne Iohn 16. ver 9. But of what sinne of that greate sinne of all other because they beléeued not in mee sayeth oure Sauiour Because they haue not beléeued in the onely begotten sonne of God Because they haue not beléeued his Ghospell his ioyfull tydings of saluation This sinne was common to them with the Pharisies and therefore all their workes were vnsauourie Naye they were sinnes before the Lorde For without faith it is vnpossible to please God And what so euer is not of faith is sinne And as conseruing the small fruite of hearing the worde of God which they finde faulte withall because it is not fruitefull in all or in the moste parte Let them remember our Sauiour Christe himselfe hath tolde them that not all his seede but the fourth parte onely shoulde bring foorth good fruite Let them remember the Apostle Saint Paule rebuking them which so curiousely prye into other mennes lyues and for the moste parte neglect their owne Rom. 14. ver ◠1. Cor. 4. ver 3. Who art thou that doest iudge another mannes seruauntes Euery man standes or falles to his master The prayses or disprayses of men hée himselfe nothing regardes Hée runneth his race by good reportes and euill reportes as hée teacheth the Corinthians And so surely must all his companions and fellowe seruauntes That seruaunt is happye whome the master commendeth Sathan is readye to pinche the héele of the womans séede of the
thinke that the Lord doth not care for vs that he doth not regarde vs that he doth not know our néedes yea our very sâ—ed furrowes our haruests yea truely the Lord careth for vs and doth know that these things are necessarie for vs at his good pleasure will giue them vs. But he sends these straunge stormy vnseasonable times amongst vs to shake off our drowsines and our sléepinesse They which will not be awaked with calling with words we are wont to raise vp with pinchings with prickings and with blowes So the Lord dealeth with vs. We which are deafe at the preaching of his worde we which regard not that we which wil not be awaked from the slumber of our sins by the voice of his preachers he beates vs with these his sharp whips of war plague he pincheth vs with hunger and famine he euen thundreth froÌ„ heauen vnto vs with these strange tempests weather that we should awake that we should flie vnto him by prayer that we should turn vnto him by repentance that wee should learne to trust in him in all our perils This is the end this is the mark this is the good we shal learne by all these storms as truely as we féele them so I would to God we would rise spéedely from our former securitie sluggishnesse to prayers repentance trust in him Then as in times past euen so now also the Lord Iesus wil command these winds and tempests that they should be still and they would forthwith obey his word and we should haue a great calme and his Church should enioy the blessing of peace As concerning marriage which many complaine is too common in these dayes we lay of no man necessarily the law or rather the share of virginitie or the yoke of marriage they which cannot liue chast may marry be they rich be they poore be they old be they young be they seruants be they maisters it is better to marry in this world then to burne in hell fire for euer The Lord hath ordained marriage a remedie for all men which can not liue chaste as well to seruants as maisters to poore as rich But the enimies of the Gospel the Papists haue ordained the stewes as a remedie for poore men for seruants They may not marry for feare of filling the world full of beggers ouercharging them selues in relieuing of them And so while they respect their owne gaine and this worldly reason they send them headlong to the diuel For the harlots house is the gate of hell as Salomon saith and the stewes are the diuels schoolehouse it is better with Tobias being married to leade a poore life in this worlde then with Holofernes hauing his Concubines to ruffle and flow here in all kinde of pleasures and superfluities and after to liue in hell for euer And euen as vniustly they doe condemne and complaine of the marriage of ministers when as the Apostle hath plainely pronounced marriage is honourable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled He that names all excepts none he that saith it is honourable saith it is not damnable filthie detestable as they are not afraide to auouch And as in the law it was lawfull for all to marrie euen for priestes euen so no doubt in the Gospel this word all comprehendes them now also there is no restraint limited to them he that can comprehend it let him comprehend it saith our Sauiour Christ in the Gospel to his Apostles hee doth not say my will is that you should vowe it The Gospel doth barre no man from that swéete comfort and necessarie helpe of marriage no more then the law Let euery man haue his wife saith the Apostle for the auoiding of fornication euen to those ministers of the Church of Corinth which wrote to him of the same matter he doth not exclude those which moued this question vnto him hee praysing virginitie dare not lay the same as a snare of any by commanding it but by commending it as a principall vertue hée perswades it to all men And is not there vowe a plaine snare into the which a man may willingly goe in but he can not willingly get out againe Therefore the Apostle wisheth all men to be like vnto him selfe that is vnmarried but he commandeth it to no man not to ministers and pastors of the Church And if this be true which the Apostle saith those whom God hath coupled together who dare seperate a sunder Then this is as true that which God hath permitted and made frée to all men who dare restraine or forbid The Apostle Paule durst not doe it and doe we thinke the Bishoppe of Rome may doe it no truely They which thinke he may doe it sée how greatly they are deceiued And with this restrainte of vowing sée into what a horrible pitte of sinne and wickednesse hée hath cast headlong all his Clergie Erasmus reporteth who was a great traueller that there was one Bishoppe in Germanie that found in his visitation Erasmus in responsione ad Natalem â—edam that there was eleuen thousand priests that kept whores and Concubines This Erasmus auoucheth for a truth So that wicked Sonne of perdition the Pope by these his hard lawes against the law of God doth establish the kingdom of Sathan and doth draw men vnto perdition Was it not better to marry was not a wife more holy then a woman as they terme her is not Gods libertie better then the Popes vow Besides all this the priestes and ministers of the Gréeke Church euer haue had wiues And Saint Ierom reporteth that the priestes in France had wiues in his dayes Therefore this popish vow and interdiction of marriage was neuer vniuersally receiued As concerning the purchasing and buying of lands of ministers for their children what an vnnaturall and an vnreasonable complaint is this 1. Tim. 6. ver 8. who will forbid a father to prouide for his wife and children He that will not doe this is worse then an infidel as the Apostle saith And here I doe not allow the nice bringing vp of many ministers children who woulde haue all their children gentlemen nor their immoderate purchasinges but Christian prouision Such as is sufficient for euery mans vocation and calling that they may haue whereof to liue honestly and christianly after the departure of their fathers Should not they which professe religion practise themselues in this chiefe point of religion He that can not gouerne his houshold nor care for his familie how would hée gouerne or care for the Church of God Especially this prouision is necessarily in this wicked and hard world where the charitie of many is waxed colde And that prophesie of our Sauiour is plainely fulfilled you shall be hated of all men for my names sake now the ministers of the Gospel are hated of all men and shall they not prouide for their children I am ashamed saith Saint Ierom that the Idolatrous priestes that
strumpets and harlots should succeede in the inheritance of their fathers But to onely Priestes and Clarkes this is not lawfull And that amongst Christian Emperors Why is not that lawful to vs which is lawful to all men yea to the very meanest sort of men If all other men may purchase land why may not Ministers purchase In déede amongst the Iewes this purchasing for Priestes was not lawfull because their children succéeded their fathers in the Priesthood but now that succession is taken away The Leuites children were sure of liuing were they learned were they vnlearned were they vnlearned when their Fathers were deade but so are not our Ministers children God hath dealt better with vs then with the Iewes wee are not tyed to any one mans succession or stocke for our priests and Ministers as the Iewes were We may choose the best and learnedst where soeuer we finde them whose sonnes soeuer they be And shall our ministers children be worse prouided for then were the children of those Iewish priestes Séeing then their succession is taken away which was a sure stay of liuing for them I do not sée but that our purchases are lawful God gaue euery one a lot in that land of Chanaan and I doe not sée why our ministers children should be without their lot also in our Chanaan But they say we condemne our forefathers if our religion be true then all our fathers be damned say they No we condemne not our fathers but we condemne all vnbelieuers which now wil not belieue the word of God Our forefathers if they liued now in this great light they would surely haue condemned the great blindnesse of many of their children they would haue condemned their obstinacies in the refusing this great goodnesse of the Lord so mercifully offered them they would haue condemned the hardnesse of their harts in not being moued to turne to the Lord from their former superstition and ignorance in such great knowledge in such great light in so many of the Lords wonders shewed amongst vs. As our Sauior Christ taught the Iewes they should haue had no sinne if he had not spoken vnto them so we teach of our forefathers that their sins was not so grieuous because they hard not the word of the Lord. But now our sinne is in the highest degrée of comparison if wee obey it not being so plainely taught vs 1. Tim. 1. cap. ver 13. that which S. Paule confesseth of himselfe I being a persecutor a blasphemer of the name of Iesus yea the chiefe of all sinners yet haue obtained mercie because I did it ignorantly so we iudge of our forefathers that without all doubt they haue obtained mercy And that which Azaria the Lords Prophet 2. Chron. cap. 15. v 34 Mark 12. ver 19.20 being sent to Aza taught him and all Israel in the like case of their forefathers departed This same we doe teach and affirme of our forefathers Israel hath béene a great while saith he without the true God without any priest preaching vnto him without the law Surely in the like case was our forefathers in the same state was the Church of God in those dayes they knew not God there was no priest to preach vnto them the word of God But what then were they all damned that dyed in those dayes no God forbid saith the Prophet but whosoeuer in their affliction turned vnto the Lord God and sought him was found of him so truely our forefathers although in their life they trusted in their workes and called vpon Saintes yet when they came to dye once they forgat all these and were wont to call vpon the Lord and to séeke after him alone and to haue him in their mouthes And we doe not doubt but according to his promise they found him but wée iudge and plainely affirme the case and cause of those blinde guides of those couetous priestes which solde their merits and their masses to bee farre harder in the day of iudgement And that they for their wilful blindnesse and great couetousnesse shall hardly find mercie No in truth if they marke well they shall finde that our religion doth not condemne our forefathers but that if euer any of them were saued we shew how they were saued Mar. 12. ver 19.20 for we preach Iesus Christ such a one as he is in déed a most merciful Sauiour who will not quench smoaking flaxe nor breake a bruised réede haue he faith as a graine of mustard séede haue he a sparkle of Gods holy spirit though he be not a stone with Peter but a réede with Thomas though he be not all a fire with Paule but euen smoking with Nicodemus Our Iesus wil not refuse him he wil not put him away he will not breake him she which toucheth the hem of his garment was healed This is the saluation of our fathers thus they were saued this we belieue this we teach this is the Gospel this is the glad tidings of our saluation But the Popes confessors bringing in againe the law of Moyses as in their Iewish robes of Myters and Copes and Tunicles so also in their doctrine haue taught another lesson Do this thou shalt liue say they giue thy lands to a chauntrie priest to a morrow masse build a Chappel and so forth Ouerthrowing the word of faith altogether which the Apostles preached And that continuall practise of our Sauiour to all that euer he cured or saued who saide not at any time doe this and thou shalt be saued but thy faith hath made thée whole verie like that same naughtie seruant in the Gospel who hauing but one talent hid the same euen so did they that same smal knowledge they had of Iesus Christ Yea more then this belying him saying he was a hard man a cruel requirer and exacter of his debts euen to the vttermost farthing either in hell or in their purgatorie that he was a seuere not a mercifull Sauior that he was not affable or easie to be spoken to that he had his Porters his intercessors or mediators vnto him so that poore sinners could haue no accesse vnto him such a Christ such a Sauior they made of our Sauior Iesus when as the Gospel plainly teacheth the king of Sion our Messias to be most gentle most méeke most merciful most affable most courteous most lowly which wil not striue with sinners which will not enter into iudgement with them which wil put none from him yea which with his owne mouth calleth them which are slow and heauie loden vnto him Who is so farre off that he wil not heare our prayers that to this end and purpose he is saide to haue ascended into heauen and there euen now to stand readie to receiue all that shall be offered vnto him and putting vnto them that swéete incense of his death and passion to present them vnto his father Such a one is our king such a one is our Sauior such a one is our Mediator
but they haue lyingly and falsly taught him vnto the people they haue limited and set boundes to his infinit mercy that they might sell their masses their pardons and their reliques dearer that men might trust in them that they might get and prouide them But marke I beséech you how greatly the world was blinded The good workes of others which was commanded of God in his law can profit none but them selues And doe we thinke that their workes then which were not commanded of God for the most part can profit any When as the Apostle Paule saith plainely we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. ver 10. and euery one whether he bee monke or masse Priest or Pope himselfe or people shall receiue according to those thinges which he hath done in his owne bodie and not according to those thinges which other hath done for him or according to those things which he hath left by his will to be done for him after his death While life remaines according to our Sauiours doctrine there is a day allotted to euery man in the which he may labour in the which he may worke and bring forth the signes of faith merits of mercie and fruites pleasant to the Lorde But when death commeth then it is night in the which no man can worke any more Wherefore all their workes done after death done for them bought so dearely prouided for so carefully done so deuoutly in truth were nothing worth were vnprofitable vnto them did them no good and were of no force with the Lorde What profiteth any man that is deade without faith without repentance now being in torments masses himnes songes meat to be deuided yearely in remembrance of him or some dayly for his sake After death there is no place of prayers no place of repentance no place of translation or alteration no place of teares and good workes to any man as the Story of the rich glutton and Lazarus doth plainely teach vs wherefore we must worke our selues in our owne bodies the workes that must doe vs good at the day of iudgement When the trée is once hewed downe where it falles there it lyeth whether it be towards the North or towards the South that is whether it be in the pleasures of heauen or in the colde stormes of hell Eccle. 11. ver 3. as the wise man teacheth vs. After it be cut downe it can flourish no more neither can it beare fruit any more No more no doubt can we this trée is a parable of vs. Then besides this these Huxters these selles of merits and workes and Masses they doe not onely beguile others but they beguile themselues For though perchance you will say they are Virgins and liue straitly and punish themselues more then other men doe Math. 25. Yet they are but foolish Virgins as the Gospell doth plainely teach vs. The wise Virgins durst not deminish or lend any of the oyle of their good workes no not one droppe And what fooles are these then that dare bee so bolde to doe it They durst not giue any of their oyle which was a worke of mercy commended and commaunded of God him selfe in his lawe And these dare sell theirs They feared least they shoulde want themselues but these thinke that they haue ouerplus and to spare for others and doe make the dearest and gainefull occupation of selling their workes No occupation euer got or purchased so much lande as they did by this their trade of selling their Masses and merites All the Saintes of God crye and sigh with Dauid euen from their hartes Enter not into iudgement with thy seruantes O Lorde for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified And in another place If thou Lorde wilt bee extreeme to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it And with Iob wee are not able to answere one for a thousand And hauing learned that good lesson of their maister Iesus Christ in the Gospell all his seruantes whether they bee Virgins or married folkes or Martyres say when they haue done all what they can wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done but our dueties Wherefore this hope in trusting to other mens workes is death this staffe of leaning to other mens merits is the staffe of Egypt it woundeth his hande that trusteth vnto it The other staffe of Iacob with the which alone hee passed ouer that Iordaine of this life that is Iesus Christ and to trust to his merits to his workes to his death and passion is a sure staffe Psal 3.5 Psal 3.8 ver 15. Psal 3.9 ver 8. Psal 18. ver 29. is the staffe of all the Saintes of God With this staffe Dauid leaped ouer the wall Pleade thou my cause O Lorde saith hee with them that fight against mee and thou shalt answere for mee O Lorde my God And in another Psalme And now truely what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thée and with the helpe of the Lorde my GOD I shall leape ouer the wall This staffe our Fathers catching euen at the pitte brinke of death Wee doe not doubt but they were saued by this they went ouer Iordaine with Iacob safely by this they leaped ouer the wall of their sinnes and former superstition which did separate them from God with Dauid by this with the théefe of the crosse they passed from death to life All their former sinnes were couered and they were euen that day with Iesus Christ in Paradise Thus wee hope of our Fathers and this was their saluation Wherefore let vs imbrace the Gospell and be thankefull to God for the same Our Fathers nay many Kings and Princes nay the auncient Fathers haue not séene the thinges that wee haue séene this great light shined not in their dayes Let vs expresse in our liues and conuersations Let vs doe all the thinges it commandeth In times past how many thinges woulde they obserue for mens pleasures now let vs bee obedient for the Lordes sake Let vs forsake that Romish Babylon with her Antichrist and all his trumperie They haue not one title nor iot for testimony of thy truth in the word of God But as you see all their doctrine is flatly condemned in the same Let vs venture our liues for Iesus Christ his Gospel not for the pope and his Church as his Iesuites doe We haue no such commandement in the word of God Let not the wickednesse of the worlde or of some carnall gospellers which say and do not any whit dismaie vs or make vs stumble There hath béene such and shal be such alwaies The séede is good but the ground is naught Let vs be of the small flocke of Iesus Christ which heare his word and kéepe it Let vs in all thinges which chaunce vnto vs either in the weather or in our wealth and goods or in our bodies blesse and praise the Lord with blessed Iob. Let vs possesse our soules with patience Let vs arme our soules to temptation for the Lorde will trye all that be his Wilt thou be a Paule thou shalt haue an Angel of Sathan to buffet thée Wilt thou be a Dauid thou shalt haue Saule to persecute thée Wilt thou be Peter thou shalt haue Sathan to sift thée And to be short as many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Let vs now waite for the comming of the bridegroome The Cockes haue crowne a great while the day dawneth great knowledge and light is in the world surely the Sunne is not farre off I meane Iesus Christ Luke 12. ver 35. he is euen now in a rising Let our loines be girded vp not flaunting with our vaine garments and our torches of faith and good workes in our handes and let vs be as seruants euery day and houre waiting when our maister will come from the marriage who hath promised he will come quickly And surely he will kéepe his promise And the spirit Apoc. 22. ver 17. and the Bride saide Come Lord Iesus And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come And let whosoeuer will take of the water of life fréely Euen so come Lorde Iesus as thou hast promised and make vs all readie against thy coming and make vs thirst and long for the water of life which is thy holy worde that we bée not fruitlesse and deade at thy coming To thée the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise power and saluation for euermore Amen FINIS