had they done their dutie But alas this is not to féede gods people in Iacob nor his inheritaunce in Israel This is to féede our selues euen as the Ore is fed to the slaughter house so we doe féede our selues to euerlasting confusion They that haue eares to heare let them heare God had chosen his Rulers To feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel These are the plaine and expresse wordes of Gods spirit And then what outragious spirit is y â— or what Fury rather that crieth thus wâ—…an impudent face that the Prince hath not to 〈◊〉 with Iacob and may not meddle with Israel But these are the steps that the man of sâ—…e should treade to speake against the Lord and yet say that he cannot erre There are the liuely markes of Antichrist thus to fight against Christ and yet saye he is his â—…hear Such is al the religion of â—…stry examine it if you will euen from point to point where God saith one thing it saith stil contrary and yet crieth with shame inough there is no errour in it God saith It is the doctrine of deuils to forbid mariages and the lawful vse of meates The Pope presumptâ—…y forbiddeth both and yet saith still that he hath the holy Ghost Paule the Apostle saith If you obserue daies and times I am afraid that the Gospel is preached vnto you in vayne The Pope saith you shall obserue both I can dispence with the Apostle and yet he saith he is Apostolical Saint Peter saith Be you subiect to the Prince as to the chiefest The Pope saith the King is not highest but he is aboue doth King and Keasar and yet he saith still he is the Successor of Peter And what should I say more It greueth me to recken vp al that Monsters abominations It would make a Christian hart to bleed to see how he hath deceiued the simple With his paper waules and painted fiers he made them so afraid that they beleued what so euer he had spoken But he is filthy and let him be filthy still We wyll returne to our purpose and learne of a princely Prophet what is a Princes duty He must féede Iacob and Israel that is Kinges must be Nurce fathers Quenes must be Nurces vnto the Churche of God And to this end they must vse their authoritie that Gods children may learne vertue knowledge For to seeke onely worldly peace and securitie or to make vs lyue at ease here in this wayfaring citie that is rather to féede flesh and bloud then to féede Iacob rather to make happy this worldly fellowship then to instruct Israel The true Israelite is strong against the Lord and commeth with violence to claime the kingdome of heauen What helpeth it in this respect to be ritch or honorable If I had al the ritches in the world yet could I not pay the price of my bothers soul. Or if I had neuer so much rule and authoritie I am not therfore the nearer to make intercession vnto God They are other weapons that must preuaile against Sathan and it is an other attyre that wyll be accepted for the mariage garment If we wil feede Iacob and Israel let vs leade them to the house of wisedome and traine them vp in the feare of God The Lord open the Queenes Maiesties eyes that she may looke to this charge Otherwise if we lyued neuer so peaceably vnder her yet when the Lord shal come to aske accompt of her stewardship how she hath fed her fellow seruants with the meate appointed them then she will be found eating and drinking with sinners But because we are so dul of hearing that a little teaching of our dutye is not sufficient for vs I will shew out of the scriptures somewhat more plainly if ought may be playner what is the duty of a Prince The Prophet Esay very effectually setteth it out in the person of our Sauiour Christ saying Righteousnes shall be the girdle of his loynes and faithfulnes the buckle of his raines It is true that the Prince must defende the fatherles and widdow relieue the oppressed and haue no respect of persons in iudgement sake peace vnto his people and gird him selfe with righteousnes But this is also his duty and his greatest duty to be careful for religion to maintaine the Gospell to teache the people knowledge and builde his whole gouernance with faithfulnes For this cause king Salomon both the mightiest and the wisest kyng that euer was called him salfe a Preacher And king Dauid to testifie how he acknowledged his duty spake openly to his people I wyl instruct thee and teach thee in the way that thou shalt go and I wyl guide thee with mine eye This general rule king Salomon gaue vnto other Be diligent to knowe thee-state of thy flocke and take heede vnto thy heardes For ritches remaine not alwaies neither the crowne from generation to generation Expresâ—…y shewing that to encrease riches or to set forth the glory of a kyngdome that is not the greatest dâ—…uty of a Magistrate Thus the Prophet Hoseas crying out against the people of Israel he reckeneth vp this as their greatest disorder that lying and swearing ignoraunce of God was not punished amongest them And alas dearely beloued if this be the saying of the Prophet let vs looke vnto it I dare not but speake the truth seyng God hath called me hether He hath raysed me vp so hye when I was cast downe that I cannot forget hys benefites If this wyll not serue I wil surely speake it more playnely when the Lord shall open my mouth againe Surely if this be the saying of the Prophet as it is in déede that lying that swearing that blynde and wylfull ignoraunce shall be punished let not the Princesse deceiue her self the spirite of God doth not posses her hart if she heare daylye lying and blasphemous swearing and sée the peoples ignoraunce and yet leaue all vnpunished Looke vnto these thinges better if you wyl looke well vnto your selfe you cannot pretend ignoraunce thys is playn inough if anye thyng be inough And yet least you should seeke to buselye to be deceued I wyll rehearse the pláyne law of the Lord. That this doctrine may be warranted with the surer witnesses God sayth of a Kyng in the 17. of Deuteronomy VVhen he shal sit vpon the throne of hys kingdome then shal he vvrite him this lawe repeated in a booke by the Priestes of the Leuites And it shall be vvith him and he shall reade therein all the dayes of hys life That he may learne to feare the Lord his God and keepe all the wordes of his Law and these couenauntes for to do them That hys hart be not lifted vp aboue his brethren That he turne not aside from these commaundements neither to the right hand nor to the leaft But that he may prolong hys dayes in his kyngdome he and
when to reforme religion he sent forth Leuits into the coastes of Israel Thus did Ezechias at the entraunce of his kingdome when this was his first care how the Leuites might be prouided for But of al other Moyses who had receiued the commaundement of God hym selfe as appeareth did especiallye sée what was the necessitie of the Minister In the. 33 of Deuteronomie a little before his death thus he maketh his praier Let thy Vrim Thumim be with thy holy one whom thou diddest proue in Masah and didst cause him to serue at the waters of Meribah who sayde vnto his father and to his mother I haue not sene them neither knoweth he his brethren nor yet his own children but they obserued thy woord and kept thy couenaunt They shall teach Iacob thy iudgementes and Israel thy law They shall put insense before thy face and burnt offeryng vpon thyne aulter Blesse O Lord his substaunce and accept the worke of his hands Smite through the loines of them that ryse vp against him and of them that hate him that they rise not vp agayne Marke I besethe you both his great care how the Leuites might prosper and his notable describing of them what manâ—…r of men they shal be First he praieth that true knowledge and vnderstanding be neuer remoued froÌ„ them that their affection towards Gods Sanctuarie may be such that neither father nor mother wife nor children do keepe them backe from obedience to the lawe and couenaunt O that our Ministers were suche as Moyses praied for then no doubt God would blesse them according to their request and coÌ„found their aduersaries that rise vp against them And here also marke his great zeale for their prosperitie He was the pacientest man and had the miledest nature of all the people of Israel yet could he not suppres his good and great affection but brake out into these wordes Smite through the loynes of them that rise vp against him of them that hate hym that they ryse not vp agayne O Lord if Moyses had liued in our dayes and seue this adulterous generation that so spoileth the Leuites how woulde his zeale haue bene inflamed against them He would haue cried out as good Nehemias cried Plage them O Lord that defile thy Priesthood And good were it for these synful men that God would send his plagues vpon them while yet they haue time to repent Now we want a Moises to pray for their punishmeÌ„t for they sleepe in their sinnes and God I feare hath reserued them to a greater punishment The Lord graunt vs grace to remember the latter end and now looke while it is yet time to the good order of the Ministerie When God â—…sed to establish his mercies with his Church he promised thus as the greatest token of his loue I wil geue you Pastors according to my hart that shal feede you wyth knowledge and vnderstanding When he would haue them haue sure hope that he was their God and they were his people he said he would geue them Leuites that should teach his people the diâ—…erence betwene the holye and the prophane betwene the vncleane the cleane he promised them this as a perpetual couenaunt The lyps of the Priest shall keepe knowledge and they shall seeke the Law from his mouth For he is the Messenger of the Lord of hostes And this was the charge that God gaue straightly vnto the Priesthood That they should tell hys people of their synnes and the house of Iacob their offences A miserable common wealth muâ—…t needes be and farre seperated from God and his mercies that hath blynde leaders who cannot leade them selues Who so feareth the Lord wyll surely looke vnto it that he mayntaine no suche â—…es within his kingdome nor nourish any suche sores in the body of his country If a man be once called to the Ministerye let him attend vpon his slâ—…ke and feede them as his duty bindeth him with the â—…de of life or let him be remoued Christ sayde Paâ—…ce pasce pasce Feede feede feede This charge he hath geuen euen as we loue him so to see it executed Say what we wyl say and the more we say it the more impudently we shal lye if we say we loue him while we keepe not his commaundementes Would to God we were wise to vnderstand it Christ said they are the salt of the earth what shall be done with them if they can season nothing Christ said they are the light of the world and what heape of miseries shal they bring with them if they them selues be darke Christ said they be the watchmen and what case shal the City be in if they do nothing but sleepe and delight in sleeping Who seeth not these inâ—…e sicknesses that can sée anye thing They aâ—… the Pastors and how hungrie must the flocâ—… bee when they haue no foode to geue themâ—… They ar the teachers and how great is their ignoraunce where they them selues knowâ—… nothing They are the Euangelistes or Messengers of glad ridings how little hope haâ—… they and what slender faith whose Messengers cannot tel what the Lord saith The Lord enlarge within your Maiestie the bowels of mercy that you may once hauâ—… pitie vpon your poore Subiectes This cogitation made Paule say to Timothie a paynful Father vnto a careful Childe I charge thee before God and before the Lorde Iesus Christ that shall iudge the quicke and dead at his appearance in his kingdom preach the word be instant in season and out of season reproue rebuke exhort c. Of al miseries wherwith the Church is gréeued nohe is greater then this that her Ministers be ignorant and can say nothing What coulde Ieroboam do more then this to strengthen al his Idolatrie then to make hym Priestes of the lowest of the people What coulde haue made Asa being otherwise religious so soone to haue turned away froÌ„ the seruice of God sauing onely he suffred his people to be without a Priest which could teach theÌ„ the woord of God What plage did God threaten greaâ—…er against a rebellious people then that he would take from them their true Prophetes When were the peoples syns so ripe to proâ—…ure vengeaunce as when their Preachers were dum Dogs and could not barcke And what I beseche you is our condition the betâ—…er Or what bee manye Ministers of our time and country other then dumme Dogs Surely as Ahijah said of the people of Israel so we may saye of our Ministers Haue we not made vs Priestes like the people of our countrie Who so euer coÌ„meth to consecrate with a yong Bullocke and seuen Rams the same maye be a Priest for them that are no Gods And so surelye if wee serued Baal a great number of our Priests at this day wer tollerable but if we serue the Lord what do they with that function they cannot skyll of Let them returne againe to
¶ A SermoÌ„ preached before the Quenes Maiestie By Maister Edward Dering the .25 day of February Anno .1569 ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Awdely ¶ A Sermon preached before the Queenes Maiestie by Maister Edward Deryng 1569. ¶ O Lord open thou my lyps and my mouth shall shewe forth thy prayse PSALME 78. 70. ¶ He chose Dauid his seruaunt also tooke hym from the shepefoldes euen from behinde the Ewes great with yong tooke he hym to feede his people in Iacob his inheritance in Israel So he fed theÌ„ accordyng to the simplicity of his hart guided them by discretion of hys handes THe Prophet declareth in this Psalme howe God of his iustice for the great syn of Ephraim tooke from that Tribe both the Tahernacle and the Scepter gaue them to the tribe of Iuda whom then according to his mercy he had purposed to blesse with al pefect happynes In which we learne not to abuse Gods mercies least they be taken away from vs as froÌ„ the tribe of Ephraim they were And then what helpeth it vs that in times past we haue bene happy And least this should happen also vnto the tribe of Iuda to fal from Gods mercies into hys displeasure the prophet in this place stirreth them vp to thankfulnes that they might be found worthy to haue continued toward theÌ„ so great blessinges And this he doth by example of Dauid in shewing both how mercifully God had delt with him and how obediently Dauid walked before the Lord. And herein he vseth as it were thrée reasoÌ„s to moue them withall The first is of Gods great mercye whence he had called Dauid The seconde is of Gods intent and purpose whereunto he called him The third of Dauids own person how faithfully how truly he did execute that wherunto he was called The first argument or reason he comprehendeth in these wordes He chose Dauid hys seruant tooke hym from the Shepefolds The second in these wordes He chose hym to feede hys people in Iacob his inheritaÌ„ce in Israel The third in these wordes So he fed them according to the simplicitie of hys hart and guided them with the discretion of his handes These argumentes wil I speake of as God shall geue me vtteraunce And if they shalbe now more effectual to moue vs then they were then to moue the people of Israel then be we profitable happy hearers If not it is good right and reason that as we haue bene in the fellowship of the same sinne and iniquitie so we shoulde be partakers of the same reward punishment that if God shal so deale with vs that we loose againe both the Tabernacle the Scepter as they haue done before vs we can say no other but the Lord is righteous and behold we haue eaten the fruit of our own labours Let vs therefore consider of these argumentes and styrre vp as we may the gift of God that is in vs that at length we may learne by them more holy obedience The first argument is the good consideratioÌ„ of Gods mercies whence he called Dauid Which argument alone is so effectuall and strong to styr vs vp to the obedience of our calling that it is able ynough to rayse vs againe though we were neuer so deepe soonken in rebellion A sure proofe of the efficacie of it may be vnto vs the oft continual vse of it in the sacred scriptures For seyng that Gods spirit in his holy word doth so oft aply it both as a helpe to confirme the godly and as a present remedy to turn againe the most obdurat and wylfull synner from hys obstinate purpose surely except al the dewes of gods mercies be marueilously dryed vp in our barren hartes the same argument if we can well thinke of it wyl be effectuall in vs to woorke our regeneration in the newnes of lyfe 〈◊〉 God would haue Abraham to forget his coun try and hys fathers house to go that long and weary iourney into the land of promise wher he and his posterity should dwel after him hâ—… conâ—…med him wâ—…th thys saying I am the Lord thy God which brought thee out of Vâ—… of the Chaldeans By this remâ—…brance of hys former benefits he perswaded Abraham to aduenture al that he presently enioyed vpâ—… hope of a better promise which yet he had noâ—… sene but which should be fulfilled When God would moue the children of Abraham that is the children of Israel to turne againe from their great iniquites that they has so long practised in the hardnes of their hart he vseth but this argument to tel them of all the miseries that they were borne in their country to be a cursed country their fathers idolaters themselues geuen ouer to al voluptuousnes and pleasure not regarding God nor seking his religion In which woful estate when the Lord God did behold them he pitied their misery said euen then vnto theÌ„ You shal liue By which promise their former wo vanished away and in stede of nakednes they were clothed with broidred worke they wer couered with siue silke deâ—…ked with â—…ny ornaments had a crowne of beuty vpon their heades Now therfore that they should not walke in their own waies or coÌ„mit Idolatry as other Gentiles did nor treade such benefits vnder their féete this argument as a strong medecine the Prophet repeated often and with many wordes Thus God delt oft with the Kings of Israel and of Iuda when they began to fall away walke as others nations walked that were rounde about them He called them back by putting theÌ„ oft in mynde how hys mercy had bene with them and from what low estate he had raysed them up Thus the Prophets of God delt often wyth the people Iosua when he had brought them into the laÌ„d of Chanaan to the end they might feare God and so make theyr dwelling sure he made vnto them a loÌ„g repetition of Gods benefites that by remembraunce of them theyr dull spirites might be styrred vp the more obedientlye to followe God Samuel when he was afraid of Gods heauy displeasure towards the people of Israell because they had asked a king for them to thâ—…nd they might turne a way Gods anger from them by their spéedy repentaunce he tolde them what God had before done for them as a ready way to make them beware afterward how they did willynglyâ—…â—…end so louing a father Steuen when he woulde haue perswaded those whose iniquitye was now growen to so ful measure that they haâ—… crucified Christ as though in this alonè were the greatest hope of amendement he chose no other way to coÌ„uert them but this to show in long exhortation what God had done for theÌ„ for their fathers And this as in the beginning it was geuen by the holy Ghost to man as a soueraygne medecine to keepe him far from vnthankfulnes so it hath bene continu ed by the same spirit
from time to time to styr vs vp not to forget the Lord. Our Sauiour Christ to make hys Disciples sure and that they should neuer shrincke for aduersitie he tolde them often this that they had not chosen him but he had chosen them Saint Paul when he would moue the Corinthians for to auoide the false Apostels and to folow Christ he perswaded them thus that in times past they were Gentiles and were willingly lead away to dum Idoles And agayne to the Ephesians You were in tymes past dead in trespasses and synnes you walked after the Prince that ruleth in the ayre after the spirit that now worketh in the children of disobedience but God who is ritch in mercies thorough the great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead hath quickned vs in hys sonne Christ. This argument dearely beloued seing it is so strong let vs apply it vnto our selueâ—… for our disease cleaueth fast vnto our bones with long continuance and we haue néede of sharpe medicine to heale if agayne Let vs therfore vse it I beséeche you and if Gods spirit haue not forsakeÌ„ vs that we be vncureable no doubt we shal recouer and grow to amendement Let vs sée our own estate and what God hath done for vs what cloudyâ—… daies haue gone ouer our heads and in how faire sunshine we be set againe and no doubt whâ—…â—…e hereafter shal alure vs as before it wil make vs afraid of his deceitfull baite and we wil neuer be brought with the beuty of the golden cup to drinke of the spirituall whoredomes that are within We were in times past Gentiles and vncircumcised people now Christ hath pulled downe the waule of seperation and made vs all one euen hys children of adoption We were aliantes froÌ„ the common wealth of Israel now we are receiued as Citizens in the company of hys faithful We were straungers from the couenaunt and promise now Christ hath deliuered a new Testament in which we also are written heires of mercy We liued somâ—…e in ignoraunce and had no hope now we haue receiued knowledge and are comforted We were without God in the worlde and could no wher lay downe the terrours of our sinnes but now we haue receiued the spirite of adoption by which we cry Abba Father And what should I say more We wer subiect vnto sinne hel death and condemnation now Christ hath spoiled the principalites and powers deliuered vs out of y â— power of darknes translated vs into a kingdome of immortâ—…ie grace Except we haue set our harts as an AdamaÌ„t stone or as the Prophet saith made our harts and facee like the Flint it is impossible but that thys cogitation shoulde moue vs. Or if it do not so surelye surelye though the Lord had not spoken it thus often vnto vs or if the Scripture were not written for our instruction yet the law of Nature would condempne vs for most vnthankfull men Day and night we should beare a witnes in our own conscience how fearful iudge ment God hath reserued for so great iniquity Who amongest vs could beare it to be rewarded with vnthankfulnes wher we haue well deserued To bee contemned of those whom we raised vp to honour To be spoyled of those whoÌ„ before we had clothed To be betraied of those whom we haue especially trusted And how then are we blynde and vnderstand nothing Howe shall the Lorde beare it at our handes if we be vnthankfull vnto him if we contemne him rob him of his honour who alone hath made vs glorious when we were couered with our own shame and confusion The Lord graunt vs his holy spirit that we deceiue not our selues There is nothing more effectual to moue a sonne to obedience then to know he hath a louing father Nothing maketh so trusty the â—…ondseruant as to remeÌ„ber he hath a gentle Maister Nothing maketh the Subiect more faithful vnto his Prince then to féele by good experience his Princes elementy Nothyng ioyneth man faster in the bond of friendship then to consider well what his friende hath done for him And let nothing binde our obedience more carefully to the word and wyl of God then that he hath so long continued mer ciful vnto vs. As sure as the Lord doth liue this is his holy truth he y â— cannot be moued with this he hath not Gods holy spirit Pooâ—…e or ritch bond or free hye or low Noble or of low degrée Prince or subiect al is one The remembrance of Gods mercy must make vs al thankful were we neuer so mighty This cogitation must vanish far from vs the pride of a kingdome to thinke how God hath raysed vs from the shâ—…s Whosoâ—…er can say thus I haue bene bond but I 〈◊〉 free I haue bene in danger I am in safety I haue bene feareful and trembling I am carelesse I haue bene ful of sorow now my soule is at rest I haue bene in misery I am in dignity I haue bene a prisoner I am a Princes Beleue me beleue me if the great and goodly Cities which he builded not if the houses full of al maner of gold which he filled not if the vineyardes and Oliue trées which he planted not did not make him to forget the Lord which brought him out of the land of Egypt out of the house of bondage If prosperitys haue not made him dronken so that he hath banished farre from him al sense and vnderstanding the remembrance of this thing will make him thankful vnto him that hath bene the worker Yea euen you that are now a Princes of Maiesty if you haue felt any such alteration take héede flee far away from al vnthankfulnes If you haue sene the daies in which you haue said O Lord I haue no friend but thâ—… alone now that prosperitie hath brought vnto you a great many of faire countenaunces forget not that God who was your onelye Friend in trouble If in times past you haue praied that you might not builde vpon the sand to haue your house shaken wyth euery blast of winde now that you haue choyce of your 〈◊〉 ground take â—…de I beseeche you where you lay your foundation Now that the Sterne and Helme is in your own band guide your Ship so that the waues do not ouer run it If you haue prayed in times past vnto God to molify your enemies harts and to bring their cruel practises to nothing now that you your selfe are in safety be not cruel vnto Gods anointed and do his Prophets no harme I neede not séeke farre for offences wherat Gods people are greeued euen round about this Chappel I see a great manye and God in his good tune shall roote them out If you haue sayd sometime of your selfe Tanquam ouis as a Shéepe appointed to be slain take héede you heare not now of the prophet Tanquam indomita Iuuenca as an vâ—…tamed and vnruly Heiffer I wyll not with many
a vapour and all our glory is but as the flower in the field why be we so bewitched with loue of so great vanitie Seing our estate shall be before God euerlasting and these accompted daies come so fast to an end that we shall be spéedely called why be we still so careles in what sorte we shall appeare Seing Gods threatninges are so neare vnto vs and the daungers that hang ouer our heades are so many Seing Gods iudgements are so fearful and his wrath burning for euer why ar we so careles And why is it true that was spoken so long a gone Heu vâ—…unt homines tanquam mors nulla sequatur Aut velut infernus fabula vana foret Why do we liue as though we should dye neuer Or as hell fire were an old wiues fable euer Beleue me beleue me this is intollerable blyndnesse seyng we bee so bleare eyed our selues that we cannot sée before vs neyther heauen nor hell yet that we wyll reason against Gods truth by anye mans eye sight whether he sée or see not If we lyst to meruell at the duines of mans eyes we cannot wel maruel at any thing so much as at oâ—… own foolishnes that caÌ„not sée our selués Lâ—… vs looke at the last to our owne estate and aâ—… for other men let vs leaue theÌ„ vnto the Lord he doth knowe most assuredlye who be his They are not the wyse and prudent of this world that he hath chosen Ther are not many Princes and Noble men in the face of hâ—… Church If Princes and Magistrates wyl bâ—… styll rebellious what is that to vs If thâ—… Pope and his hirelinges wyl be blinde styll yet the Scripture is the Scripture The vnfaythfull Stewarde neuer lyueâ—… more riotously then when his Lord is euer at hand to cal him to his accomptes The foo lishe Uirgins are neuer faster a sléepe theâ—… when the Bridegrome is ready to enter into his wedding chamber The children of thys world are neuer buselier occupied then the night before their soules shall be taken from them The fonne of perdition shall neuer be more lofty then in these latter daies when he shall bee reuealed But for these that are so blinde let them be blinde stil let vs approch vnto the throne of grace with faith that the secretes of the Lorde maye be reuealed vnto vs. As for Kinges and Emperours if you wil yet aske why could they not see it but coÌ„mit them selues vnto so great slauerie alas poore creatures how could they sée in the middest â—…f so great darknes How could they reade when the booke was fast sealed How coulde they discerne the voyce when they hearde no â—…und but of tiâ—…kling Cymbals But thys was the great subtiltie and craft of Sathan He knoweth howe willingly we be caried to worldly studies and whether we did encline â—…ether he thrust vs headlong He knoweth what corruption hee hath sowen in our nature and how vnwillingly we meddle wyth the thinges of God And therefore it was an easy practise for the Pope his Minister to pul away heauenly cares from all Princes gouernmentes They are greeuous vnto flesh and bloud and suche as Kinges loue not to meddle with al. This was one meane why Princes did not their dutie An other was as great as this they heard the Pope so mag uisied that they thought hym halfe a God When they wer once perswaded the Popes pardons should be no small discharge who would not willingly submit him selfe wyth al humilitie to receiue it If we may lyue all our life in riot yet after thorow the Popes blessing rest in the peace of the Church who would refuse any popishe subiection Make â—…en once dronke with this opinion and they are at your commaundement to do what you wyl Baresoote and bareleg they will wayte at your gate set your foote if you will on the Emperours neck he wil refuse no villany Wel now that God hath deliuered vs out of that kingdome of darknes now we know the Pope to be Antichrist his praiers to bee euil his Pardons to be worsse then the sinne of Witchcraft let vs looke at the last to our own dutie and trust no more to such a broké staffe If God hath made vs Princes or Magistrates let vs fee â—…e his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel This is our dutye let vs harken vnto it and that we may doe it the better let vs enquire how it maye best be discharged And I beséeche your Maiestie to harken I wyl speake nothing according to man which may easelye be contemned but that which I wyl speake shall be out of the mouth of the Lord. In obeying of which shal consist your safegard and the health of your kingdome Especially and aboue althinges looke vnto your Ministery There is no commaundement geuen oftner in the olde Testament none geuen oftner in the new When God would specially blesse the people of Israel he scattered the Leuits among the other tribes that the law might be taught in al the costes of Iewry When Christ would bring into the world the light of the Gospell he sent foorth his Apostels to preach vnto euerye creature In the old lawe God signified by manie outward tokens how necessary the Priesthoode was for the instruction of his people what Priestes he required The slaues were alwaies in the rings of the Arke the Lampe euer burning to shew that the Priests should alwaies declare the wil of God vnto his people and offer vp the sweete incense of continual praier On the neat her end of the robe of the Ephod were bels alwaye soundyng to teache that the Priest shoulde be euer heard where so euer he did go and shew him selfe a Messenger of the Lord of hostes In the brest plate he had Vrim and Thumim two liuely presentations of Gods presence to be witnesses vnto the Priest of his knowledge righteousnes In the plate of gold vpon his forehead was engrauen in great golden letters Holynes vnto the Lord to testifie his vpright life and conuersation God forbad any strauÌ„ger to enter in among them except he were circumcised in hart And of the children or Aaron if any had faulted in his ministerye he should by no repentance be receiued again to the Priesthood This was the care that God had then of his Priesthoode that hee might kéepe in holines al the children of Israel This is the care that we must haue of our Ministerie if we wil haue the gospel of Christ to growe This care was greatest vnto the godlye Rulers and Princes of Israel to the end they might kéepe the sanctuarie vndefiled This care must be greatest in those that be Christian Magistrates if they loue Gods glory and increase of his Gospel Thus dyd king Salomon in the beginning of his raigne when he put downe Abiathar and made Sadoc hie Priest Thus did Ieosaphat