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
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
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
seruaunts of God as of 〈◊〉 Iob. The sinnes of all the other Idolatrers in that countrey hée not so much as touched them hée hidde them hée couered them hée accused the electe of God His owne children hée rockes in the cradell of securitie It is to be feared lest bée so concealed heretofore their woorkes of darkenesse And they which nowe finde faulte at strawes and mâ—ates in our eyes at that great daye of account let them take héede lest there be great Beames founde in their owne eyes and in those whome they so highly commende Then besydes this almost all their woorkes which they so greatly bragge of and commende to the ignorant they were of the will of man not of the Lawe of God They were deuised of them selues not commanded of their master They were voluntarily done not inioyned them in Gods word they were supplyes of Christes â—â—rites as though he had not payde our raunsome sufficiently Not testimonies of his grace signes of our duetie and argumentes of our thankefulnes And what worshipping of God is this I praye you what obedience of his seruants what reward of his grace and mercie can be looked for at his hands for such workes All their workes were done for the saluation of their soules This they haue put downe in their Authentical instruments and writings to all posterities not for the loue of Iesus which marke he set downe to vs for all our workes If any loue me saith he his perfect Sauiour and redéemer let him keepe my commandements He doth not saye if any one will be saued let him kéepe my commaundements Besides this their workes were not done for the glory of God the which he maketh the chiefe and of them all as in the seuenth of Matthew Let your light so shine before men that they may sée your good workes and glorifie your father which is in heauen These two ends we finde principally set downe in the Gospell to all our works and none other not for the saluation of our soules Wherefore Chaâ—oâ— when as in the Hebrue tongue to sinne is nothing else but to misse the marke Surely all their workes though they were verie glorious and costly and praise worthie in the eyes of man Markes yet indeede they were but sinnes because they missed these two markes because they were not done to the glory of God and for the loue of Iesus Christe Our Sauiour in the Gospell sayeth He that heareth my wordes and doeth them is like vnto a wise man that buylt his house vpon a Rocke and the 〈◊〉 râ—se and the windes blewe and they could not moue it because it was buylded vpon a Rocke Surely they builded all their workes all their Nonries all their Abbeyes like foolish men vpon the sandes of the Sea according to the doctrine and deuices of men not vppon the Rocke of Iesus Christ and vpon his worde Therefore they could not stande for euer nor endure the forces and stormes of windes and floodes The Abbeyes had no commaundement in the Gospell no plat forme amonge the Saintes of God Moses neuer sawe them in the Mount They were the buildings of mannes braine They were mannes deuises Wherefore they were not founded vpon that sure foundation Iesus Christ As conserning the basenesse of our Parentages and newnesse of our Nobilitie which they obiect this hath beene an auncient complaint of wicked and desperate men against the elect seruants of God and followers of vertue alwayes both in the church and in the common wealth So Catiline amongest the Romanes bragged that he and his adherents were Senatours and auncient Citizens but Cicers was an vpstart gentleman one that come but yesterdaye a newe founde Citizen So the Sodomites taunted Lot drawing them to vertue Will this stranger be a Iudge amongest vs So Corah Dathan and Abiram the eldest sonnes of Ruben and Leuie the chiefe of the Ciuill and Ecclesiasticall companye rose vp against Aaron and Moses These men in byrth in deede were the chiefe amongest all the Israelites So Ismaell mocked Isaack and Caine the elder brother disdained Abell and slewe him So the Athenians saide to Saint Paul when he preached Iesus Christe What newe doctrine is this To morrowe wee will heare thee againe of this matter But worship honour authoritie nobilitie as Dauid telleth vs commeth neither from the East nor from the West nor yet from the South Neither the Northerne men nor Southerne men can make a king though they bee stoute valiant and expert Souldiours But from the Lorde And he is tyed to no mannes kinred to no mannes stocke Hee exalteth and bringeth downe whome please him and whensoeuer it shall please him The hundred and thirteenth Psalme doeth giue vnto vs two notable argumentes and causes to praise the Lorde in all landes from the Sunne rising till the Sunne setting Praise the Lorde yee seruaunts O praise the name of the Lorde Blessed he the name of the Lorde from this time foorth for euermore And that not onely amongest vs but the Lordes name is praised from the rysing vp of the Sunne vnto the going downe of the same And what is the cause of this so great and vniuersall and euerlasting praise because the Lorde humbleth himselfe to beholde the things that are in heauen and in earth He taketh the simple out of the dust and lifteth the poore out of the myre That he may set him with the Princes euen with the Princes of the people He maketh the barren woman to keepe house and to be a ioyfull mother of children These two things are as it were spurres and prouokements to pricke men forwarde to praise the Lorde in all ages amongst all Nations Here is the well head of true Nobilitie euen the Lorde God himselfe Euen those same auncient noble men which bragge so much of the antiquitie of their Petigrees they were once in the dust and perchaunce in the myre Let them remember their firste estate and from whence they came Let them acknowledge their creatour and lifter vp and not despise others their equals whome the same God hath exalted also For there is no power no worshippe nor Nobilitie but of the Lorde And they which doe resist these powers resist the ordinance of God And they which raile vppon and blaspheme and scoffe at those which be in authoritie are Heretikes are children of Sathan as Saint Iude doeth tell vs. The Lorde God of Hoastes and King of Kinges and Lorde of Lordes hath euer dealt thus from the beginning He hath euer exalted from moste base and simple estate Cirus He exalted Syrus the great Monarche of the Persians from a sheepeheardes cottage And Romulus the firste founder of Rome was glad to haue a Woolfe or woman strumpet as some thinke for his Nursse He drews Moses the great Captaine of the Israelites out of the Water Hee chose Saule the firste King of the Israelites a Beniamite and one of the least Trybes from seeking his fathers Asses He made Alexander the great
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