trew worshipps sake and his glorie therein appearing And as it was his life to dwell in the Courts of the Lord by often frequenting them so was it euen death and great distresse for him to be a straunger from the same as appeareth by his pitifull complaints in the daies of his banishments as when he sayeth As the Hart braieth for the Riuers of water so panteth my soule after thee O God My soule thirsteth for God euen for the liuinge God When shall I come and appeare before the presence of God His teares were his meate daye and night and hee powred out his verie harte when hee remembred the deare times past when he had gone with the multitude and led them into the house of God with the voyce of singing and prayse as a multitude that keepeth a feast But we alas declare what poore and feeble ioye we would conceyue if the Lorde would restore the glorie of his sonnes kingdome in open sight before our face and purge his Court and Sanctuarie plant vs therein when as wee being berefte of this benefite haue so small thirst so little panting braying and so little sadnes of soule and shedding of teares for this maner presence of the Lorde Yea wee heare the voyces of manie and the thoughtes of more lie open before the Lorde whereof some saye and some thinke that they haue no great neede of Christ his Ecclesiasticall gouuernement seeing they can gouerne them selues and liue in the feare of the Lord wel ynough as they imagine with them selues Therefore they sett their harts at rest But haue they more staye of them selues and towardnes vnto Godlines theÌ„ Dauid had Or doo they thinke that he was cleane absent from God that he could not praie and prayse his name Yet doo hee saie When shall I come to appeare before the presence of God And skarce could he comfort his own soule whiche was then in heauines though he hoped for a day of returne Thus he accounted that he shoulde stande before the presence of God when he should be present in the place which the Lorde did chuse to putt his name theare and shoulde enioye the sight of those things which the Lorde appointed for the tokens of his presence amonge them And therein was his great delight according as he vttereth saying O Lord of hostes how amiable ar thy tabernacles My soule longeth yea and fainteth for the courtes of the Lorde For mine hart and my fleshe reioyse in the liuing God Blessed are they that dwell in thine house they will euer prayse thee And although hee behaued him selfe carefullie before God when hee was absent from the Lords tabernacle yet he acknowledged his strength not to be so great but that there was dauÌ„ger to be feared by the want of those thinges which the Lord had appointed as meanes to holde them in his true worshippe For this cause he complaineth vnto Saul his persecutor not so much for persecutinge him as for chasinge him from the place where the Lorde vouchsafed to dwell For he saith If y e Lord haue stirred thee vp against me let him smel y e sauour of a sacrifice but if the childreÌ„ of men haue done it cursed be they before the Lord For they haue cast me out this day froÌ„ abyding in the inheritance of the Lord saying Goe serue other gods This loue to Gods house hadde Kinge Ezekiah who in his sicknes whereof woorde was brought him that hee shoulde dye was greeued for nothinge so muche as this that hee shoulde no more goe vppe into the Lordes house For this cause were his prayers and teares As appeareth by the worde which came from the Lorde by the mouth of the Prophete Thus sayeth the Lorde God of Dauid thy Father I haue hearde thy prayer and seene thy teares I haue healed thee and the thirde day thou shalt gâ—e vp vnto the house of the Lorde This zeale also loue to the Lords house appeared in the ancient fathers which returned from the captiuitie of Babilon who as they coulde not bee coÌ„forted in their exile but sate down wept by the riuers of Babel when they remembred Sion So in the ioyfull time of their returne yea in y e ioyful day of laying the foundation of the Temple which they aboue all things had desired in the middest of the ioiful shouting and singing of the residue of the people their hartes yet melted within them they wept with a loude crying in so muche that the noyse of the shoutinge could not bee discerned from the noyse of the weeping and all was for this because they had seene the former Temple And the foundatioÌ„ of this was not coÌ„parable to that What shall wee saye Did these olde men dote were they fonde vppon an outward shewe of faire building No but as their chiefe delight was in the house of god so the increase of the glorie thereof was their ioye the diminishing of the glorie therof was their sorowe and griefe of minde Thus ielous were they ouer Gods glorie that in the outward shewes and shadowes they were impatient of any want But amongst vs there is small weepinge though the buylders in their building haue left out the chiefe corner stone which should be the garnishing of all the worke They haue left out the gouernement of Christ without y e which that their Churche can bee his house though they face and brace neuer so much how should they thinke it possible For they muste knowe that Christe dwelleth not where he ruleth not He maye not bee an idle Idoll His Churche and Kingdome in this worlde is outwarde and visible and except he gouerne visiblie euen by his outwarde ordinances It is vayne for vs to say He ruleth in our hartes and in the church that we are ioyned vnto we submitt our selues to the ordinances of Antichrist Wee shall soone banishe Christ froÌ„ our hartes if we haue no more care of his glorie then so but can abide to see his Sanctuarie prophaned and polluted by that Heathenishe straunger of Rome whiche not onelie set his foote in there euery day but also erecteth there his owne altar of incense For prayers and thankes giuing must bee measured out and appointed after his fashion If euer we had seene the beautie of the first building I meane in the time of the primitiue Churche wee might wel nowe if we had not stonie hartes weepe and lament with loude crying in seeinge this buyldinge before oure eyes Not so much for that it is inferiour to the other in glorie but for that it hath neither glorie nor beautie at all being fashioned not after anie paterne shewed of God but after the deuise and counsel of man In which miserie if our notable anguishe and greeuous grones were hearde in the eares of the Lorde and in vs there were no want to call and stirre vp one another and ioyne handes for the helpe of the furtherance of the worke
sleepe nor mine eye-liddes to slumber vntill I haue found out a place for the Lorde an habitation for the mightie God of Iacob Now although it be my purpose and order requireth to hasten to the cause of Dauids ioye which he heare mentioneth yet it standeth with dewe order in this place as it doeth with edifying to stande vppon his great care in wayting for that thing whiche being obteyned this his ioye succeeded For liuelie and sounde is that ioye which the harte feeleth when it is refreshed frō care griefe going before When the Lorde had deliuered his soule out of all aduersities which hee susteyned in the dayes of Saul and had brought him to the glorie of his kinglie Throne herein he shewed the simplicitie of a true harte in that hee was not chaunged by the suddain alteratiō nor his hart beguyled by those pleasures to cause him to forget God He was not highe minded hee had no proude lookes But he kept his soule as a childe that is weyned frō his mothers brest Yea at this time he throughlie weined him self frō taking pleasure in anie thing vntill the Arke of God should be brought home placed in Israel which hee calleth by y e name of the Lorde and the mightie God of Iacob Therevnto doth he sweare and vow not to haue regard vnto his own tabernacle nor house not to coūt it his home or settle him selfe therein neyther to take any sound rest vntil he had seene this busines of the Lord in dew forwardnes Thus was hee thankfull vnto the Lorde whiche had remēbred him and all his afflictions Let vs examine our selues call to minde the yeeres that are past when the fyrie sworde did hange ouer oure heades in the dayes of Queene Marie that by so weake a threede that we looked euerie houre when it should fall vpon vs whē we being straungers frō our own houses walked frō house to house at suche time as the Owles and Backes looke foorth and flye And thought it well if wee might liue so without house or land or ought else saue bare breade for the life We were as the Iewes which by Hamans meanes were solde to bee slaine and destinate to a day of death And we were as humble Hester whiche would make no request but for life onelie Nowe when wee sighed and cried for the bondage and the crie for our bondage came vp vnto God and God hearde our mone remembred his couenant Then hee brought agayne our captiuitie as hee did of Iacob then were we like vnto them that dreamed Euen for sodeine ioye doubting whither we dremed those happie tydinges or no. Then was our mouth filled w t laughter our tongue w t ioy Thē the Nations about vs said that y e lord had don great things for vs. And we sang thervnto the Lord haue done great things for vs whereof wee reioyce Christ Iesus seemed then to vs as a shining and burning Lampe and we seemed for that time to reioyce in the light thereof But our giuinge of thankes and singing prayse vnto god was skarse so good as that of the people of Israel mentioned in the fourth Chapter of Exodus who when they hearde that the Lord had visited them and had looked vpon their tribulatiō they bowed downe and worshipped But when tribulation was increased vppon them they murmured against God and his seruaunt Moyses So could we bowe downe and worshippe in the day of our deliuerance but since that time not through bitter afflictiō as did they but through too much pāpering with more fleshe then y e pottes of Egypt haue we haue waxen fatte and haue forgotten the day of our penurie and hunger Yea wee haue forgotten and forsaken the Lorde the holie one of Israel in that wee are gone backewarde And better hath the Oxe knowne his owner and the Asse his maisters cribbe then we haue known him that saued vs. For if wee knewe him we would also surelie know that he redeemed vs from that firie fornace that we should burne with more zeale of furthering his kingdome vpō earth to the aduauncing of his glorie But the people of Englande in that daye whē the Lorde did lift vp their heads were farre from the zeale and practise of Dauid who beinge aduaunced to his kingdome had not yet the thinge he would haue and gaue him selfe no rest vntill he had done dewe homage vnto the Lordes kingdome by furthering procuring and labouringe about those things whiche appertayned vnto the true worshippe of God vntill he did see them at a good staye But our Cleargie firste which should with great affliction haue laboured about the Lords worke to haue seene that firste finished before they hadde instauled them selues into their owne rowmes they contrariewise layde holde on the great liuings catch who catche might the riche Bishoprikes and fatte Benefices And as Achsaph the daughter of Caleb when her father hadde giuen her a portion of highe grounde desired still more namelie places with springes of water so was their desiring and desiring agayne For those whiche were serued with Benefices where corne grounde was most they must haue an other wher good store of pasture lie And whē they were serued w t that they muste long for one where store of sheepe are kept and then they thinke they should be well But would to god it had bin no worse affection desire then y t of Achsaph which desired the increase of her portion of that lande which the Lorde had giuen and blessed vnto her people but these men haue bene greedie of the fatte spoyle and haue not bene aware that it was the spoyle of Iericho which ought not to haue bene medled withall but to haue bene execrable thinges vnto vs. I meane not as though that wealthful spoile might not haue bin takē vse of by conuerting it another waye But those things holding still their nature strēgth which thei receiued of y e Cananitish Roman ought to haue bin to vs execrable things And euen as the lord gaue vnto y e children of Israel the first cōquest in y e land of Canaan namely ouer Iericho without bowe or sword horse horseman or anie battle or anie hande mouing of theirs in token that he would alwayes stande on their right hand and their victories should proceede from him if they would goe forwarde to fight the Lordes battell so the Lorde gaue vs this victorie not with noise of battle or tumblinge of garmentes in bloude but by his own hande alone from heauen the thing to vs vnlooked for thereby incouraging vs to marche forwarde vnder his banner and vnder the good lucke of this watcheword The Lord liueth which brought the children of Israel out of Egypt and out of Babel the Lorde liueth which haue brought agayne the captiuitie of his poore suppliantes from the yron yoke of Antichrist and the Lorde also giuing vs the earnest of assured victorie
teares should iournie forward and goe from strength to strengthe vntil vnto euery one of them God had appeared shining out of Sion the perfectiō of bewtie No but the people haue bene as a strong asse couching downe betwixt diuers burdens of spirituall bondage And they haue sene that rest is good and that the lande is pleasaunt therefore they haue bowed their shoulder to heare and haue bene subiect vnto that yoke which is contrarie to y e libertie wherein Christ haue sett vs free Euē so it is certainly For the pleasures of this world haue stolen away the harts of many and haue caused zeale and religiousnes to be frosen vp so true is it that one can not serue both God and Mammon but eyther he must loue the one and hate the other or at the least in leaning to the one he must neclect and despise the other For the people of England I meane those which eyther at that time or since haue felte some motions of Gods spirit vnto godlines the most part of them I say whiles they haue applied them selues to eate and drinke largely as in the daies of rest to buie and selle and to smile merelie vpon gaine coming in and to welcome it with giuing it the hand their hartes haue bene stolen before they haue bene aware so that they being once deliuered from the filthines of the worlde through the knowledge of the Lord haue againe intangled them selues therewith and haue returned as the dogge to his vomit as the sow that is washed to the walowing in the mire For vpon this taking a smatch and tast of worldly ease welth wherof I spake the stomach haue become gredie there haue ben no ende of seeking gaine laiyng vp in store makinge the barnes wider ioyning house to house land to land So that nowe if one come and tell thē of further seeking the face of God building his kingdome hee speaketh to the bellie which hath none eares his speach is like vnto his which speaketh with a straunge language and he speaketh to them which fare as if they were in a dreame For the wine of the fornication of this worlde haue cast them into a sleape and they haue not knowne neither will knowe till it be to late to recouer it that they haue solde their birth right for a mease of potage And haue not followed the counsell of him which saieth When thou eatest honie take heede thou eate not too much lest it hurt thee Neyther haue they boughte the precious Pearle of Gods Kingdome but they haue solde it for that which glistereth and yet is no gould But we ought to haue taken heede of all such worldlie things especially vntill we had further finished our worke and labour in the lorde herein folowing the example of those men which deferre their euentide meele vntill they haue ended their worke thoughe in such time of the yeare as part of the night do ouertake them For their experience doo teach them that whilest their hande is nowe in woorke it is not greatly greuous though they abide some wearines and colde But when they haue with eating and drinking bene satisfied and haue basted themselues well by a good fire then it is death to goe to worke againe but forthwith the fealing of that ease craueth more vntil the time of sleape Therefore ought wee to haue holden ease and rest and worldlie commodities euen at the swordes point as enemies to those which fight the Lordes battels by denying them selues and all things and taking vp the crosse and also as clogges weightes to them which haue a race to runne except that they were vsed as though they were not vsed and let passe as straungers not entertayned and welcomed as beloued friends Yet notwithstandinge this people haue in the middest of their carelesnes an answere readie as good as an aperne of figge leaues For say they we must abyde a time and the time is not yet come and they are not ashamed to call it the Lords leysure whiche is their owne leysure seeing the Lorde haue compleined a longe while since as being wearie of their lasines saying Howe long will it be yer this people will goe vp And concerning not being yet time the Prophet Agge answereth them The Lorde of hostes speaketh thus sayeth this people The time is not yet come that the Lordes house should be buylded Is it time for your selues to dwell in your sieled houses this house lieth waste And with what courage can this people buylde yea and that gorgeouslie siele hang with clothes plant se◠the stones of the Lordes house lyinge stil in the dust Alas that care is wanting which wee haue mencioned here to be in Dauid who sware and vowed not to take as it were the possession of his house the Arke of God beeing from home That care zeale and indeuour is wanting which was in Nehemiah those which were with him which in y e speedie buylding of the Wall did not put off their clothes but onely for wasshinge vntill the worke was finished which indeuour the Lord blessed with mightie successe They moreouer in their answering pretende that we must be thankfull to god for that we haue and charge them with vnthankfulnes who with griefe and great mourning bewayle that is wāting and bende vnto it But what vnthankfulnes was in Hanani one of the Israelits which came to Nehemiah and being demaunded concerning the state of the Iewes he sayde they were in affliction and great reproche because the wall of Ierusalem was not buylded vp Was he vnthankfull to God which had returned their captiuitie graunted them his true worshippe in their owne lande with reedifying y e Temple And was the materiall Wall suche a matter to complayne of And what vnthankfulnes was in Nehemiah to conceyue great griefe therevppon and to faste and mourne certayne dayes It shoulde seeme that they were streight in their owne bowels when as the Lorde was liberall and bountifull towards them But they knew that the full building of Ierusalem was the Lordes prayse and the honour of his people and euerie ruine which was to be beholden theare was to all nations and people which should see it a witnes of their shame In as much as it was a monument of the Lords anger which had dishonoured them who by their transgressions had dishonoured him And if in those materiall things figures the case standeth so What reprochfull people are we and what blind dissolute and miserable men which see not our reproche and miserie neyther doo we feele anie burthen thereof as striuing to be eased of the same But rather we bost thereof and glorie in our shame and say thankes be to God we are well and haue religion reformed better thē manie other countries And such like smoth speaches and sweet words which we haue bene taught of diuers of our teachers
the iurisdiction of that court which our owne conscience and the voyce almost of all the people in the lande crye out that it is popishe and Antichristian and yet not one man among a thousand haue spirit and courage to withdrawe him selfe from it neyther will they knowe it to bee a sacriledge and treason against Christe to goe and bowe before the scepter of Antichriste and flatter them selues saying that Christ rule in their harts inwardlie thei serue him inwardlie and outwardlie they serue that idoll which the Deuill haue set vpp worse farre awaye then the idoll which Nebuchadnessar set vpp in the plaine of Dura But the people saye If the Masse and images come againe they wil rather dye then they will receyue those Will you fight the Lordes battelles and will you needes chuse your owne standing Must not the Souldioures fight with that bande and wing of the enemies wherevnto their Captaine appointe them But O foolishe and blinde men For whither is greater wickednes The Masse and images or that rule and power which haue authorised and established the Masse images Whither is greater the apple or the tree whiche bringeth forth the apple For the Masse and images all other wicked ceremonies were but apples of this cursed and bitter tree of popishe gouernement And although we haue cut of a few twigges which bare some kinde of apples yet the tree remayne and the roote hath yet very deepe holde in the grounde and it bringeth foorth other cursed crabbes to set our teeth on edge withall And though the Deuill woulde beare vs in hande that they were as good apples and set as great a praise on them as he did on the apple which he feofft Eue with Yet in eating thereof the Lord shall proue our disobedience These abominations which I haue spoken of many more which I haue not named declare whither our bondage or the Babylonian bondage of the Iewes were more greuous and daungerous And if they hanged vp their harpes vpon the willow trees Whither haue we cause to sett apart Lute Cithern Uiols shalmes Cornets Sackbuts and Dulcimers and all the instrumentes of Musicke with daunsing and mirthe and to singe the songs of dolefulnes Lette vs rende our harts and not our garments Lett vs no more sitt downe to eate drink and rise againe to plaie but lett vs eat the bread of aduersitie and drinke the water of affliction and pray continually so that in praying our bitter cōplaints may ascende vp to the Lord we may rightly speak with like affection as did the poore banished Iewes saiyng Behold as the eyes of the seruants look vnto their masters and the eyes of a maidē to the hand of her mistresse so our eyes wait vpō the Lord our God vntil he haue mercie vpō vs. Haue mercy vpon vs O Lord haue mercie vpon vs for we haue suffred to much contempt Yea if we had anie grace to take to hart the reproches of the papists which mock our patched seruice and skorne vs as not able to builde our house of religion without borowing most of our stones and timber from them And cast in our tethes Where doo you tell your church Or whence haue you any iurisdiction or churche gouernement but from him whom you skorne in words namelie the Pope As in deede it is in euerie mans mouth to cry fy on the Pope yet we bowe the knee before him by submission to his Court. Therefore are we mocked of the papists as our sinnes haue deserued Which spirituall euil if our dull harts could feele we might adde also with those carefull Iewes Our soule is filled full of the mockings of the welthy y e despight of y e proud For it is a time of reproch and our shame lyeth open in the eyes of all nations if we could discerne it whyles neyther Temple is buylded wherein we may worshippe the Lord aright neyther the citie wall whereby the Heathen might bee kept out that they no more come into the lords heritage to defile his holy Temple to make Ierusalē an heape of stones Nowe therefore although we at the beginning haue not done as faythfull Dauid did to sweare and vowe vnto the Lorde concerning his acceptable work finishing with all possible speed let vs yet at the length heare the lords voyce without hardening our hartes and sweare vowe to seeke his face and builde his kingdome otherwise then we haue done and not to rest as heretofore tyll we haue performed our vowes and passed euen thorough the vallie of teares mourning digging fountaynes to quenche our thirste I meane abyding all trouble and persecution vntill we draw neare the lords rest in Sion before the time that hee sweare and seale the decree of our neuer entring in thither and so wee bee shut also from his eternall rest in his kingdome for our too much contempt of his glorie which should appeare in the aduaunced kingdome of his deare Sonne and for oure luke warme professing his name without doinge his will and working his worke Thus haue we hearde concerninge the care which Dauid had for y e bringing home the Arke It followeth to speake of the ioy which he conceyued when the Lorde vouchsafed to be with him to bende also the hartes of the people therevnto when it was broght home I reioyced when they sayde vnto mee we will goe into the house of the Lorde King Dauid according to the vowe and promise which hee made vnto the Lorde so he continued faythefull and stedfast and prepared a place for the Arke of God and pitched for it a tent and longed for the day when it should be placed there Yet for all his faythfulnes and exceeding great care it pleased God to humble him by that great iudgement whiche fell vppon Vzzah that hee might bee sifted and tried to the vttermost and the Lorde spared not Dauid in that litle thinge which was committed awrye in that the Arke was caried on a carte and drawne by Oxen which ought to haue bene borne vppon the Leuites shoulders Therefore the Lorde made him to beholde a dolefull sight in the death of Vzzah and turned his ioye into heauines for that present time Thus ielous is the Lorde alwayes for his true worshippe For he will be sanctified of those which come neare him Where is nowe anie place left for toleration of any disorder in the state of the Church when as the Lord would not tolerate beare with thus much for his seruaunt Dauids sake whose care was so great whose harte was so faithfull whose hand was so forward and his labour so painefull to restore true religion to promote the Lords glorie But what haue our reformers of religion done onely in one thinge haue they followed the example of thē which were with Dauid to help home the Arke the first time for they to ease their owne shoulders of
sheaues with him when as by fayth hee had gotten accesse vnto y e grace wherin he stoode and reioiced vnder the hope of the glorie of God wherein hee sawe a liuelie image in his holie Arke with an vndoubted pledge of loue and fauour towardes him Thus hee fayleth not of that wherewith hee strengthened his soule in the time of weaknes temptation sayinge Why art thou caste down O my soule and why art thou so disquieted within me wayt on god for I shall yet see the time to giue him thankes for the helpe of his presence He is my present helpe and my God Thus he wayted with patieÌ„ce which taught him experience which experience brought forth the increase of his hope and his hope made him not ashamed seeing hee was not disappointed of that he hoped for but sawe the greater saluation of the Lorde in the daye of his reioycing to the further sustayning of his hope to wayte for greater things also at the Lordes hande So we see that which I haue spoken that by faith he entred into the Lords rest when as the Lorde vouchsafed to haue his resting place and holy habitation with him and by fayth he reioysed in this esteeming it aboue all other causes of ioye because he looked to those inuisibe ioyes whiche hereby were promised and sealed vnto him And nowe to applie this vnto our selues This also is a glasse which we haue not dressed our selues by for verie manie can saye Waite and tarie But whither doo we thinke that they meane vntill the Lorde helpe and further their paynefull indeuour whiche is neuer a whit or vntill they haue filled their insatiable and bottomlesse Coffers with vncontrouled traphiking For where is the disquiet and casting downe of the Soule Where are the afflictions whiche the Lorde shoulde remember as he did Dauids Which shoulde whett the edge of patience that patience might haue her perfect worke that they might be intire wanting nothing But aboue all thinges where is faith without the which it is impossible to please God And without the whiche God will not shewe his glorie before anie people to their saluation but to their confusion for want of which our Sauior Christ wrought not those miracles in some places whiche otherwise hee woulde haue done Where is this faith I saye when those which are the chiefe and principall leaders of the people which shoulde beare the Arke vppon their shoulders they saye and haue taught the people to say It is not possible it should come home and why For not only the chiefe of the Clergie but also the chief which haue y e reynes of the ciuile regiment are against the establishing of church gouernement I demaund whither it be from heaueÌ„ or from men If froÌ„ heauen with god all things are possible hee will then further his cause in our hand when we beleeue And when it shall please the Lorde to further his cause who can resist his will For theÌ„ euerie Ualley shall be exalted and euerie Hill shall be brought lowe for the loftines of menne shall be abased and the Lorde GOD onelie shall bee exalted in that daye The roughe waye shall bee made playne This will the ielousie of the Lord of hostes performe his owne arme shal susteine him to do the worke if we could beleeue yet we say it can not bee Where is that fayth whereby our Fathers subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the promises stopped y e mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of the fire escaped the edge of the sworde of weake were made strong waxed valiaunt in battaill turned to flighte the armies of the aliauntes Let vs feare for the greeuous iudgement of God which befell to the children of Israell in the wildernes whiche were readie to haue entred into the Lordes rest but sodainlie thorough vnbeleefe conceyued of the euill tidinges which the spies brought they did shutt the dore against them selues And what was the matter The walles were so high and the people were so stronge But the height and strength of the Lordes arme was forgotten whiche had bene stretched out vpon Pharao and Egypt vnto destruction But vpon them vnto deliuerance Euen so wee for wee woulde fayne enter into the Lordes Sion a true reformed Churche but some body is against it I knowe whereof you meane A Lyon is in the waye but Salomon saye that that is but the excuse of a â—â—uggarde Those spies were euill ynough whiche went into Canaan and brought home an euill answere But what shall we saye to those spies whiche tell an euill answere before they will steppe one foot out of the doore We haue high walls against vs also and strong Prelates whose bodyes if they were growne as farre out of square as their pompe authoritie is growne from the lines of their calling they shuld not be like the Anakims in Canaan but rather like vnto the Giaunt which the Poets haue fayned to haue stoode but vpp to the knees in the Sea where it is at y e deepest But for a meane to plucke downe this height and weaken this strength the hande of the Lord is forgotten which was stretched out euen within this generation vpon the high walles and swelling Babilonishe buildings of the Abbies and Monasteries Euen when there was no hope or likelihoode of any such thing by mans reason Then came a daie from the Lorde vppon euerie high tower and vppon euerie stronge wall to make those places voide dennes For thistles and nettles growe in their highe halles and priuie chambers and the owles shrike there and the crowes the rauens gaile there by Gods iust iudgement There came a daie also vppon all their pleasant pictures and all their galaunt images whereof they were gladd to cast some into hooles to the moules and the backes to keepe them from the fire The daie of the Lorde came also vpon the Cedars of Lebanon the Okes of Bashan euen the great mightie Cardinals Abbots Monkes and Friars and the rest of the Prelats whiche bare the sway in the land These wanted not strengthe For they were like horses prepared to battle they were cladd with iron habargions they had Lions teeth They had also crownes on their heads and stinges in their tailes For there was not one of them in whose presence to speake any thing against their idolatrie but that it was as muche as a mans life was worth These also haue the breathe of the Lords mouthe sent into the bottomlesse smoking Lake from whence they came These thinges haue the Lord done for vs euen in our fresh remembrance to beat downe the hilles and make the waie smother to the residue of our iournie He hath opened a wide dore vnto vs But we being druÌ„cken with the ease of this world haue reeled against the posts thereof fallen backwarde and lie sleaping Let vs take heede lest we sleape so longe vntill the Lorde shutte
the dore and naile it vppe also with an othe in his anger if he haue not done it already Seing then y e Lord haue giuen such an onset doing so great things for vs bringing vs thus farr on our way out of Egypt let vs take heed there be not in vs an euill harte and vnfaythefull to departe from the liuinge GOD least we be depriued But let vs go on our way cherefullie and feare not the heate of the daye nor the darkenes of the night For the Lorde shall create vpon euerie place of mount Sion and vpon the assemblies thereof a cloude and smoke by daye and the shining of a flaming fire by night for vppon all the glorie shall be a defence and a couering shall be for a shadowe in the daye for the heate and a place of refuge and couert for the storme and for the rayne Neither let vs feare for the highe walles of Iericho I meane the Antichristian Canon lawe whiche is the strength of his gouernement For by fayth y e walles of Iericho fell down at the blastes of the Trumpettes And what are al the execrable buildings of Antichrist which still remayne amongest vs that they should stande before the Lords Trumpetters if they haue fayth and doo not onely blowe their blastes but also compasse the Citie as ofte as they shoulde and blowe their blastes in due time and place as the Lorde haue appoynted Moreouer let vs knowe that as the walles of Iericho fell downe so also by fayth the walles of Ierusalem were builded vp For Nehemiah misdoubted not eyther the fewnes either the pouertie of the Iewes eyther the malice of the enemies but stept vnto the woorke in the middest of those vnlikelihoods for the whiche their aduersaries did mocke them drylie saying What doo these weake Iewes will they fortifie themselues Will they make y ◠stones whole agayne out of the heapes of dust seeing they are burnt And another answered Although they builde yet if a Foxe goe vppe hee shall euen breake downe their stonie wall So therfore when the harte of gods people shall be to worke encouraged by fayth so that their handes also bee strengthened and put to the busines though neuer so manie Ammonites Ashdodims be wroth and conspire al togither to come against Ierusalem to hinder the building thereof yet shal God bringe their counsell to nought For God is in the middest of it therfore shall it not be moued God shall helpe it very earlie Thoughe the nations rage against it the kingdoms be moued God shall vtter his voyce and the earthe shall melt God shall speake vnto them in his wrath vexe them in his sore displeasure He will persecute them with his tempest and make them afraide with his storme So shall the haters of Sion be ashamed and turned backwarde For the Lord of hostes is with vs the God of Iacob is our refuge when we are vnder his Baner and fighte his battles without vaine feare For he will teach our handes to warre and our fingers to fight He will break the Bowe and cutte the Speare and burne the Chariots with fire But our armes will he strengthen so that they shall breake euen a bowe of steele And our feete will he make like Hindes feete that by the myght of our God we shall leap ouer the highest wall which Antichrist hath reared And though our haters vexe vs manie times they shall not preuaile against vs. Thoughe they plowghe vpon our backes the righteous God shall cutt their cordes in sunder Thoughe they woulde deuoure vs quicke yet God will not giue vs as a praye vnto their teethe Waite therefore and knowe that the Lord is God He will be exalted amonge the heathē he will be exalted in the earth Let vs giue him glorie therefore by trusting in him that we may take his worke in hande and further it with all our might not suffering our eyes to beholde nor our hartes to consider the impossibilities of finishinge the same For God is faithefull who hath promised saying To him that disposeth his waie aright I will shewe the saluation of God Againe concerning Dauids reioysing in the day when the people assembled willingly to accompanie him at the bringinge home of the Arke and the Lorde made all thinges to prosper It semed to be the fullest soundest ioye that euer he hadd bothe for that he then daunced and leaped and sprange as one rauished and fullie possessed with an heauenlie pleasure and also taketh refreshement as it appeareth in this psalme in remēbring meditating and singing of the happines of that time whiche teacheth vs what affection wee shoulde put on in matters pertaining to the Lords glorie as when his kingdome is builded and furthered when he is well known amongest vs and his Name is great as in Israel his Tabernacle with vs as in Salem and his dwellinge as in Sion We reade of Dauid that when the Lorde had giuen him to see his sonne Salomon placed in the throne of the kingdome he worshipped vppon the bedde and saide Blessed be the Lord God of Israel who hath made one to sitte on my Throne this daye euen in my sight This also was a godly reioysing as it is a godlie and commendable thing in all Kinges Princes to haue care to see that matter so well ordered and disposed in the time of their life as much as in them lie that the people whose safetie the Lorde haue committed to their care and charge maye enioye continuance of peace and welfare after their deceasse that ther bee no inuasion nor going out nor crying in the streetes of their dominions afterward As also it is godly and commendable to ioie and blesse God whē he giue them to see with their eyes the hope of a good staie within their kingdoms which is so farre from derogating from their honour and renowne that it tendeth greatlie to the increase aduancement of the same For Dauid tooke this for an honorable salutation at his seruaunts hands when they saide God make the name of Salomon more famous then thy name and exalt his Throne aboue thy throne This I say was one ioye of Dauids yet not comparable to the other as appeared in that his care to beholde this thinge was not so vehement and he was neere to haue ouerslipped too longe the laying of his hande to the furtheraunce thereof in respect of Adoniahs ouer hastie attempt and he had neede of stirringe vp by the sute of Bethsaba and the aduertisement of Nathan the Prophet Whereas in the other busines of bringing home the Lords Arke he neded no spurres to pricke him on forward Flesh bloode kindled not that zeale in him but the Lorde hadd inflamed his harte with the Spirit of loue and fire And this burninge affection of loue bare he from time to time vnto the Lords holy Tabernacle for his
in bringing home the Arke of God there were then greater hope of the daye wherein we might ought to reioyce as Dauid here did Moreouer we note in Dauid that his ioye was so great in the Lorde that he conteyned not him selfe but so leaped and daunced that he seemed in the eyes of the wicked as a foole whiche vncouereth his shame and become vile For after that maner did Michal his wife reprochefullie taunte him as one whiche had so vily vncouered him self that he should be a mocking stocke vnto the Maidens of Israel But hee answered that it was before the lord who had performed vnto him so great mercie for whose cause he woulde bee yet more vile and lowe in his owne sight And saide moreouer that of the same Maidens whereof hee had spoken he should bee had in honour Whereby we see how litle he weighed to become base and lowe in the sight of the worlde so hee might sett foorth the glorie of the Lorde his God At this day amongest vs one of the greatest lettes hinderaunces of the Lordes worke finishing is for that it can not be done without the abasinge of the loftines of manie men whiche are exalted without the Lorde As for the titles of Gracious and Honourable Lords our Sauior Christ taught his Apostles that they might not bee amongest them Therefore if these men so exalted would loue and care for the Lords honour more then their owne and would willinglie giue ouer their monstrous liuings and all their worldlie pompe though they thinke it were a great shame for them and that they shoulde seeme vile before men whiche they ought willinglie to vndergoe for his glories sake who suffered the crosse and despised the shame yet if they coulde see it it would tende to their more true dignitie For of all the people in Englande whiche wayte for a more full appearaunce of Gods glorie in his house they shoulde be had in honour Where as nowe contrariewise they receyue honour onelie of a fewe flattering seruinge men within their owne houses whiche liue by bringinge dishes to their Table and almost to all the residue of the people of the lande their name is in reproche and they are become a Byworde and a common talke Our Sauiour Christ thought it no shame to abase him selfe to washe his Disciples feete by that example and manie more teaching those which will followe him that they must not thinke much to be baze and vile and dishonorable in the sight of men if they will looke for true honour in the sight of GOD. The Angel Gabriel sayde vnto Zacharias that his Sonne Iohn the Baptist shoulde bee great in the sight of the Lorde But what greatnes he had in the fight of the worlde it appeareth when as his clothing was of Camels heare his meate was Locustes and wilde honie The authour to the Hebrewes speaketh of some Christians whiche were racked and would not be deliuered that they might receyue a better resurrection They woulde needes abide torment and shame that in the Lorde they might haue their onelie refreshment and their onelie glorie And he became their glorie and the lifter vp of their heade Our Sauior Christ who thought it no robberie to be equal with God he yet in his nature of man became vile and tooke vpon him the shape of a seruaunt Hee turned his face to the striker He humbled him selfe euen to the death of the crosse Therefore was giuen him a name and dignitie aboue al names that at his name euery knee should bowe But great is the darkenes and vngodlines of these dayes when those which professe them selues to bee his Ministers doo so order their goings and conforme them selues so little vnto the image of his life that wee may sooner trace out the shewe of all the great glorie of this worlde then of Christian poorenes in spirit by their footesteppes And it is too manifest that thei are ouercome with the temptation of him whiche sayde All these glorious thinges will I giue thee if thou wilt fall downe and worship me For they declare howe hardelie they would abide themselues to be plucked vp by the rootes that they might bee planted in a better resurrection when as they will not suffer their superfluous braunches to be cut of which doo so ouerhange and annoye the lanes that the Lordes passengers can not ride on their iourneye towardes Sion There be also of the Temporaltie diuers which esteme it to vile a thing and vnsittinge for their dignitie to come vnder the censure of the church that their faultes shoulde bee looked vnto and they should be subiect to the Admonition Rebuke and Excommunication of the Minister and the Congregation Therefore they say Let vs breake their bandes in sunder and cast their cordes from vs. But if they vnderstoode the great mysterie of the Lorde and the decree which is sealed vp amongst his Disciples they should well know that their renowne glorie is no more impaired by bowyng giuing due homage to Christs Scepter then the flower and oyle of the widowe of Sarepta was diminished by giuing away part of that litle which she had vnto Elias For certainly the great and noble Potentates of this worlde if they doo not intertaine the Kingdome of Christ Iesus thoughe their name reache the clowdes yet in trueth their honour and renowne is small and skarcely to be accounted an handfull which when it is spent they die Then their name perishe and their pompe will not followe them Then is a liuing dogge better then they For doth not their dignitie goe away with them Doo they not die and that without wisdom Whereas if they would be content to giue away vnto our Elias Christ Iesus a litle of their honour by abasing themselues before his Throne of gouernement they shoulde haue neuer the lesse but a great deale the more yea the continuance of true honour for euer For they shoulde stand as the faithfull witnesses in heauen their names being registred in the booke of life According as the Prophet Esaiah speakethe of the renowne of the Church and accoūteth it the renowne of Kinges and Princes to worshipp therein with their faces towards the earth and to licke vp the dust at the feete thereof Lastlie as touching Dauids affection of ioye and his delight which he hadd to see the glorie of God shine forthe as it was declared by signes yea the whole disposing of himselfe to be great at that present time so did the continual practise of his life afterward giue token that it was intiere and vnfeined For he continued his care and studie to be an instrument to aduaunce Gods glorie Of our sone whote sone colde zeale and of our gladnes which bewraied it selfe to be more for the shining hope of our worldlie welfare then for the hope of the increase of Gods kingedome and the speedy cōming thereof And of our
To all our Christian Brethren in Englande which wayte for the kingdome of Christ increase of the knowledge of the trueth bee multiplied vnto them with streÌ„gth and patience and perseuerance vnto the ende MY state is known vnto manie of you my Brethren how that of certaine time though weakely vntowardly I haue striueÌ„ and withstood the yoke of spiritual bondage in the worshippe of God which the man of perdition haue yet left behinde for our sifting and trial FroÌ„ the which that I might bee deliuered the Lorde God the searcher of heartes I take to recorde that it haue bene myne onlie quarell and the cause of stirring me vp to do that which I did Concerning the whiche cause I did not thinke it lawefull for mee though I coulde haue escaped in time ynough to withdraw my selfe into any other place for myne owne liberties sake vntill I had more openly witnessed the same cause Which when it seemed good vnto God that I with some others should doo by abyding imprisonment a certayne time Then hauing offered our selues to suffer whatsoeuer our vexers should lay vpon vs and espyinge nothing like to be done vnto vs but to bee holden with lingering imprisonement and that without libertie of communicating vnto others the instruction of the same cause which we professed wee thought good rather to vndergoe some exile as it were for redeeming at least some libertie of worshipping God with safetie of conscience Which when we did and diuers of our Brethren which were willing to come vnto vs were restrayned and we were persuaded that to returne vnto them thither whereas by imprisonment we should againe be holden from them would litle anayle I haue iudged that we haue bene debters to them to bestow vpon them some thing which might helpe to increase their spirituall courage and comforte In which behalfe when the expectation of me and diuers others rested vppon some who in the ende did but slenderlie answere and satisfie thesame Then I which for my vnworthines and poore gifte hadde thought neuer to haue set foorth any thinge publikely yet was prouoked to indeuour my selfe in some parte as farre as the Lorde should make me able to satisfie that want which I thought to be great And I went about a piece of work touching Church gouernement But partlie by sicknes partly by weying the cost of the print and findinge it to be aboue my reache of abilitie I was hindered and haue let staye that worke vntill the Lorde further inable mee In the meane tyme I thought good to write some other little treatse and I chose this 122. Psalme thinking thereby to haue occasion ministred to speak of diuers of those pointes which concerne the cause meÌ„tioned And I was determined to haue spokeÌ„ somewhat brieflie vpon the whole Psalme But in the firste entraunce meetinge with those pointes which I thought good they should be discussed somewhat largelie for edifyinge sake Agayne sicknes and other causes cutting me short I was constreined to ende at this time skarce finishing the firste verse Neyther was it my desire to seeme to speak much vppon a little Texte yea I confesse that I haue passed the boundes of Scholler like handeling the Text but the thinges which offered them selues to be spoken of seemed to my iudgement to require so much measure Herein my desire vnto the lord is that my poore labour may be accepted of him and may be profitable to his people J Would haue the Reader aduertised that whereas in one place of this boke I haue these woords The Authour to the Hebrewes speake of certaine Christians which were racked c. My meaning was not but that I iudged him to speake especially of those which suffered persecution before the comming of Christ in the fleshe which beleuing in Christ to come may also well be called by the name of Chrstians Yet after it was printed I suspecting that it might be an occasion of cauilling to some I thought good to sett downe a word or two of my meaning therin PSAL. C.XXII ver I. I reioyced when they saide vnto me We will goe into the house of the Lorde RIght well is it said that wher y e treasure is there will the harte bee also which thing is seene in this seruant of the Lorde who behaued him selfe worthelie in the Arke bringinge home And as it was the Lordes worke so did he carefullie acquite him selfet hat the curse shoulde not laye holde on him whiche belongeth to the working of the Lordes worke negligentlie But that he did hee did with all his power and when hee had finished his ioyfull worke his ioye was not ended but rebowned agayne and agayne with a sweete Echo in his soule So as it was meate and drinke to him to doo the will of God so was it also his pleasure to thinke and muse vpon the same and he hath conceyued the grace of Gods spirite and hath brought foorth this Psalme as the fruite of so godlie a meditation leauing vs a glasse and paterne wherein to see the spottes of our deformed and lothesome negligence and a lanterne he hath set bright before vs that wee may see to take our waye to goe and laye hande on the Lordes plought to doo his acceptable worke Out of whose example and wordes in this Psalme wee minde by the good furtherance of God to gather some aduertisementes to stirre our selues vp yet whyles it is called to day least we should be hardned through the deceitfulnes of sinne First we haue to speake of his ioye and the cause thereof the remeÌ„brance of which he doth now feede vpon and chewe the cudd vpon this ioye of that happie daye whiche hee thus remembreth The Lorde chose Dauid from the sheepe folds to feede his people in Iacob and his inheritance in Israel And as it is spoken of him that he fed them in the simplicitie of his harte so did it eueÌ„ appeare in his first entrance of his kingdome For nothinge helde him carefull in comparison of this to haue the Lorde to vouchsafe to come home agayne vnto his people and to be at peace with them to loue them remoue shame and rebuke farre from them by returninge his holie Arke the token of his presence and the liuelie image of his countenance vppon them as the taking away thereof was the turning his backe vpon them and turning awaye his face as hee hadde threatned before for sinne And it was the reprochefull steyning of the glorie of Israel as it sayde The glorie is departed from Israel for the Arke of God is taken Therfore was the care of Dauid his zeale set on fyre within his brest which thing he mightely declared and the â—â—aine thereof appeared when he sware vnto the Lord and vowed a vowe vnto the mightie God of Iacob saying I will not enter into the Tabernacle of mine house nor come vpon my palet or bedde nor suffer myne eyes to
in those battels which were to insue in the behalfe of his sonnes kingdome against his professed enimie Antichrist if we would haue bene so gracious as once to haue taken them in hande But we refused to goe to the battle anie more though the Cananite dwelled still in the lande and bare the sworde to slaye euerie true Israelite therewith I meane that man of Rome who by his Cananitishe offices and Canons of his lawes standing still in their strengthe beareth the scepter right vp eueÌ„ a rodde for the righteous Thus haue we behaued our selues not as faithful Iosua and his souldiours whiche froÌ„ Iericho ceassed not to goe forward to more battels and therein sawe y e great saluation of God fightinge for them when the Sunne and Moone stoode still in heauen and hasted not to goe downe for a season But we haue done more like the Amalekites whiche inuaded Zicklag which did eate drinke and daunce manie dayes because of the great spoyle they had taken vntill suddaine slaughter vengeance came vpon theÌ„ in the middest of their mirth So let vs take heed that wee do not so long eate and drinke of the spoyle and daunce in securitie vntill that Dauid Christ Iesus come at vnawares and take awaye all and our liues therewith also in most iust iudgement Wee also haue done as that other generation of the Iewes which arose vp after Iosua which regarded their owne ease more then the Lords commaundement and his glorie which stoode vpon the rootinge out of those wicked ones whose sinne was ripe their daie was come those Cananites Perezites and Iebuzits suffered they to dwell still amonge them Therefore the Lorde saide that they shoulde be thornes to their sides and their Gods should be their destruction as it came to passe Euen so haue we tenne times more made couenant with that cursed broode of Antichrists birdes not only entring into neare familiaritie with the men but also borowing manie of their ceremonies intertaining their forme of seruice for the most part being turned but from Latin to English and yet which is worse holding our neckes vnder their gyrdles by making our selues willing slaues to their Ecclesiasticall sworde And because this practise could sonest be atchiued and this vngracious work could most spedelie be iumbled vp then was it counted Pollicie to wipe mens noses with and to giue them amocke But be not deceiued God is non mocked who redemed you from aduersitie to this ende that you should deale wisely and faithfullie in all his house Therefore it did stand you vpon to haue takeÌ„ better aduisement in the reforming of religion and matters about Gods worshippe knowinge that aboue all thinges it is a matter most curious And you shoulde with feare and much trembling setting apart your owne effaires for a season as Dauid did here and that with a solemne vow making that you would first seeke the building of Gods kingdome you should thus I say haue bene conuersant in this busines knowing that theÌ„ all things wold haue prospered with you You shoulde also haue known y t the lord in his worship might not admit ani strang deuise vnder pretense of pleasing some nor might admit anie mingling of his wisedome with mennes wisedome anie tolerations of vanities with a smoothe and fayned promise to take them away in time to come Why did the Lorde shewe such a terrible and fearefull example vpon the two sonnes of Aaron Nadab Abihu as to skortche them with fire from heauen Because they tooke fire for their censeres from the hearth whiche they should haue taken from the Altar And they were but yong schollers in those ceremonies the obseruations were manie and it was at the firste beginninge of their trayning to practise yet the Lordes ielousie burned w t fire And why Had the Lord so great regarde for a coale of fire was it not to leaue a fearfull monument for all men to beholde that they might take heed least in matters pertaining to the worshippe of God they alter and chaunge euen the least thinge If any man want skill let him withdrawe himselfe For it is written Take heed to thy foote when thou entrest into the house of God be more neare to heare then to giue the sacrifice of fooles for they knowe not that they doo euill Beholde howe manie in the Realme of England haue done and dailie doo presume to set in their feete into Gods house and haue not learned how to sacrifize aright Offer not they the sacrifice of fooles And they will not knowe that they do euill But to returne to those which haue bene chiefe maister workemen in the reformation of religion at the fâ—rste Can they not beholde howe that for wante of this faythefull zeale whiche was in this seruaunt of God Dauid For want of dewe feare trembling carefull crying for the spirite of wisedome and whole attending vppon the Lordes worke with hartes free from worldlie intanglings And for want of that intier loue and charitie which seketh not her owne thinges but those which are Christes and her poore brethrens I say for want of these things and being drunken with that new vessell of wine of worldlie concupiscence then set a broche Can they not espie howe they haue drawne their liues so farre wrong that skilfull workemen yea nowe euery bungler can not but wonder to see suche worke For they haue framed their timber some toe longe and some toe short in such sort that the buildinge hangeth all on the one side tottering and reeling with euerie wind and waiteth but for a blast from the Lorde to cause it to fall and to slaie all those which haue committed theÌ„selues to such a false building And as for the forme fashion of the house where was the paterne which God shewed Moses in the mount It was to be fouÌ„d but it was not sought the hast was so great to other things Therefore because the Lords paterne was refused no maruaile thowgh hee refused to send his spirit of wisedome vnto those which stood in stead of Bezaleel and Aholiab and the rest of the workmen For veiwe and trie out this reformation Looke vnto your brethreÌ„ of other nations rounde about which haue reformed if they haue admitted such thinges as you who yet notwithstanding come short enoâ—gh 〈…〉 duetie But looke vnto the worde of God and espie out there how manie coales of fire you haue takeÌ„ not from the altar Christ Iesus but from the smoking chimneis of the Cananites which dwelt in the land the Papists I meane Therefore repent and returne or else take heede of the Lords fire from heauen who although he vse more patience and longe sufferaunce towardes you then he did towardes Nadab and Abihu yet be you assured that he hath not nowe lesse regard and ielousie for the bodie then he had then for the shadowe And whereas some saye what It is a house though it be a
downegate thinge though it want roufe though some walles though it want this and that Manie such songes the babes in the cradle heare to rocke theÌ„ a sleape But by their own words I will iudge them For suppose that some noble man mindeth to builde a house he hireth workmen and manie seruauntes part of their wages he paieth for the rest hee appointeth dewe order and make with his workemen streight couenaunt in all thinges hastening the worke Since he goeth into an other countrie and returne fiue and twentie yeeres after if he then finde his house halfe vnbuilded and the tymber which is layde rotten for default of couering in dewe time and likewise the morter crumbled away the stones some fallen and some readie to fall the workemen they take their wages and spende it euerie daye at the alehouses and tauernes eating drinking and playing when they shoulde be at worke will not that Noble man at his comming cast in prison those workemen and seruauntes and giue his stewarde also a great rebuke and put out his house to other workemen And yet these chief builders of whom I haue spoken manie of them yea most of them haue confessed and doo confesse vntill this daye that manie thinges are amisse in the Church and yet we must be content and beare theÌ„ And in deede are there manie thinges wanting and missing to the finishing of the Lordes house and can they sitt still and eate and drinke and not buckle them selues to their busines Or may the Lordes worke aboue other things suffer delaye and waite oure good leysure Or are they the Lords remembrauncers which can giue him rest and them selues also before they see Ierusalem the prayse of y e worlde redeemed and reedified from the ruin therof Can they so long time vse the tabernacles of their houses hanged decked with Arres and Tapestrie and fare deliciouslie euerie daye Can they so long goe to their palet bedd and suffer their eyes to slumber and sleepe before they haue founde out a place for the Scepter of Christe his lawful gouernement and made readie a Throne for him to sitte and rule and treade Antichriste vnder foote This is counted but a small want O deepe securitie This wee must beare and we are content so to doo as longe as the Lorde hath made anie promise to beare with wickednes But he is mercifull and long sufferinge but so as he will not holde the sinner innocent And if he spake by his Prophete saying that the Sabothes and solemne feastes of the Iewes which notwithstanding were after his lawe were a burden vnto him and hee was wearie to heare them Howe thinke we is he wearie to beare so manie Sabothes which hee neuer made and so manie ceremonies other deuises strange Church gouuernement which neuer entred into his minde whither are these thinges a burden or no vnto him thinke we Yea such a burden that as he hath spoken concerninge them so hath he concerning vs also Ah I will ease me of mine aduersaries Yea hee must needes skoure our drosse For in deede our siluer is become drosse and our wine is mixt with water farre otherwise theÌ„ it was among them But they saye wee must beare nowe for the time is past when the matters of reforminge the Churches were chieflie handled and we must tarie vntill a fitte time come agayne In deede there was a time careleslie slipped at the beginninge when the yron was whote but the workemen were lasie and neglected to frame and fashion the work before the yron was colde What gracious libertie might not haue bin obteyned if they of whoÌ„ I haue spoken had bin as carefull and sorowfull for these things as Nehemiah who fasted and prayed certayn dayes and mourned so much because the Wall of Ierusalem was not yet builded that the King coulde easelie discerne his sorow by his countenaÌ„ce and was moued with compassion to bidde him aske what hee would haue before Nehemiah durst mention his sute vnto him And there is no doubt but like sorowe and care shoulde haue founde like compassion to haue bin refreshed with and no lesse furtherance to euerie godlie enterprise For the Lorde would surelie haue done it who haue the hartes of Kinges and Princes in his hande And as wee haue hearde there wanted not some gracious offer concerning these thinges But the Lorde lay not to our charge that which is past If occasion offered by him be not taken our care feare and griefe in repenting ought to bee the greater our indeuour the more behement to recouer our losses Seeke the Lord then whyle he may be fouÌ„d Labour better then before Disburden you of al either offices or liuings which hange on and presse downe to hinder you in the worke Giue glorie to God and his sonne Christ Iesus by setting vp his royall Throne amonge vs which is that you call Church gouernement whiche many thousande tongues haue confessed and complayned to be wanting Once agayne remember I saye the Lordes deliuerance hâ—we he saued vs as hee did Israel from Pharao in the redde Sea Lette vs singe as Moses did at the shoare He is my God and I will prepare him a Tabernacle Therefore are we escaped the drowning that we should make the Lorde a Tabernacle Lette vs not onelie promise it in singing or sayinge but perfourme oure vowes vnto the Lorde whiche wee made in the daye of our distresse and let this Tabernacle be so made that being viewed in the ende by our Moyses Christe Iesus the worke and the workemen may receyue a blessinge This let vs doe and goe on and prosper and liue in the Lorde if not lette vs be sure the consumption plague determined shal ouerspread and ouerwhelme vs by gods righteous iudgement who haue vengeance readie for all disobedience Thus haue I shewed howe especiallie the Cleargie haue acquite themselues in the day of the Lords visiting of vs if it had not ben hidden from our eyes And now concerning the rest of the people I meane those which had som knowledge and zeale they also haue bene well agreed with their guids in their necligeÌ„ce For they hauing once obtained a seruice in the English tongue thought it so great a matter that they myght lawfullie be holden excused though they sought no further and hauing gotten a shadow wherein they might coole theÌ„ selues in y e heat of the daie and rest a litle from their wearines They haue giuen them selues to eating drinking and sleaping vnder that shadowe and forgett the rest of their iournie vntil darcke night come wherein no man can walke Neyther haue they knowne that as the Lorde gaue to the children of Israel a clowde by day to shadow them from the heat to this ende that they should iournie forward to their resting place So also y e Lord gaue them a defence from that present heate to the intent that they goinge throughe the vallie of
the burthen and to auoide that great labour which belōgeth to y e building of gods church rightlie and effectuallie haue bene cōtent to shuffle vp the matter and haue committed the cariage of the Arke to brutishe Oxen euen dumme blinde Ministers And these Oxens feete are not shodde with the preparation of the Gospell of peace therfore they stūble at euerie steppe and haue long ago ouerthrown cart Arke all althogh there haue bene Vzzahs appointed to put toe their hand helpe the oxen I meane teachers haue bin apointed to learn y e ignorant ministers to preach how thei prosper men may wel know except they had power to work miracles to make y e dumme to speake and the blinde to see and that only by teachinge But lette those Vzzahs and the appointers of them vnderstande and knowe a more excellente waye namely that the Leuites take the burthen vpon their shoulders weighe it neuer so heauie by trouble persecution and paynefull labour and let them cherefullie bring home that Arke euē Christ Iesus vppon whose shoulders the gouernement lieth and place him in his Tente pitched for him euen his Sion his Church and kingdome that he may beare that rule and gouuernement which vnto him belōgeth without so muche as the print of the foule footesteppes of Antichrist remaining in his Tabernacle to his dishonour And here it shal not be amisse vpon occasion to touche the courage of Dauid who although he was a little daūted at the firste by that miscarying of the Arke in so much that he said How shall the Arke of the Lorde come vnto me yet notwithstanding hee fainted not neyther gaue ouer his purpose but feared the Lord more and sought out more circumspectlie wher y e fault was and howe it might be redressed And agayne girt vpp his loynes and addressed him selfe with more cherefulnes yet agayne to bringe it home Manie there be in the Realme of Englande whiche haue bene zealous of Church gouuernement and of the remouing the ceremonies of mens traditions and stinted seruice and because they haue made long tarying haue had a colde offeringe and haue hoped longe of redresse by Parliamentes wherevnto they haue made sute and haue bene disappointed of their hope Therefore as though they hadde done their whole dewtie they haue set them downe and waxed colde and carelesse and haue slept on both eares and thinke that the Lord must needes nowe holde them excused vntill the Lorde cast it vpon them put into their mouthes But they muste knowe that they are not to ceasse seeking the kingdome of God and for other thinges they shall be caste vnto them without their carefull thought The kingdome of God must suffer violence of those which w t violent zeale doo drawe it vnto them Many runne but fewe gett the crowne We must so runne as wee may obteyne It is not ynough to be wishers and woulders as manie be at this daye counted religious and fauourers of gouernement because they can saye O wee muste praye we must pray thereby satisfying them selues and others being not a little gladd that they may buye it so cheape to sitt at their ease and folowe the worlde Therefore what cryes and complaintes their prayers bee maye easelie be discerned Prayers without practtse are but poore prayers the harte whiche setteth not the hande a worke do not burne with much heate We must so praye as continuing and increasing in greater feruēcie giuing y e Lord no rest nor suffering any nay though he seemeth to sende vs awaye with a rough answere as our Sauior Christe did vnto the Cananitishe woman refusing her sute and calling her dogge yet shee left him not but desired at the least that whiche a Dogge might haue euen the crummes which fall from the children and so obteyned her sute with cōmendatiō of her faith And we if we haue wished desired therwith made sute to the higher powers laboured in the behalfe of true Ecclesiasticall gouernement and yet haue returned emptie confounded because the lord haue not vouchsafed to let vs see y e Arke come home we are to feare so much y e more before the face of y e lord as it is said y t Dauid feared the lord in y ◠vnspedie day he feared God before but now his feare was increased And in this feare ought we to examine the cause why the Lord haue not made our enterprise prosperous to search our waies whither we haue taken the right pathe or no whither we haue gone to the place where it is or we haue sought it in a wronge place whither we haue put our shoulders to the burthen or we haue gone about to carte it that it might come easily vnto vs and as it were alone without oure helping hande Thus ought wee to search vntil we finde out in our selues the cause of Gods displeasure for the whiche wee are depriued of this benefite And hauinge founde the cause let vs repent and redresse that is amisse and strengthen y e feeble knees of ours making straight steppes to our feete least that which is halting bee turned out of the waye Lette vs recouer the right pathe from the which wee haue wandred wide and gyrde vppe oure loines that wee maye with more courage and swiftnes walke therin then before we haue done in our wronge false waye And some there be whiche haue atteyned vnto this knoweledge that the kingdome of God come not by obseruation and wayting and suinge here and there but is neare vnto vs euen within vs and no more is to be required but that we remoue our selues frō euill and worshippe God accordinge to his worde chusing rather to suffer the crosse then to denye Christ by slauishe giuing ouer of that authoritie libertie which he haue giuen vnto his people Some I saye haue attayned vnto this knowledge yet notwithstanding they haue bene dismayed and offended beholding the wayward footsteppes of diuers whiche haue gone before euen in the right path though not with steadie foote but haue slipped halted and falne in the waye by committing some thinge whiche haue displeased the Lorde as sometime in the chiefe Citie in Englande there were manie whiche withdrewe themselues from this spirituall bondage mentioned But some onelie making conscience at the Cappe Surplesse and therein stoode all their religion Some entring that waye despised all other but pitied them not in the bowelles of compassion that they might be brought vnto the trueth but were proude in their owne conceyte Moste of them also ignoraunt howe they should come to the ende or yet to the middest of the waye which they hadd entred neyther being humble in seeking out the same but thinking rather that they knew all things Therfore whē they wer tried and weighed manie were found too light and their miscarying of the Lords Arke and the iudgement which fell vpō some of thē as sore
loue whiche haue giuen place to iniquitie soone getting the vpper hande And of all our forwardnes and goodnes which appeared in the day when the Lorde opened one dore for vs to come out of prison and an other dore to haue entred his Tabernacles if we would haue but strained our selues a litle to haue remoued a fewe blockes in the waie Of this our goodnes and forwardnes howe that it proued but as a morning mist which vanished before any heat of the Sunne brast forth I haue spoken before Litle was that we had therfore was taken from vs euen that litle Great was the true and sincere ioye faith zeale loue which Dauid hadd therefore was giuen vnto him more For he continued faithefull to him which hadd called him through grace and for the remembrance of his great goodnes he still in hart desired to add more labour vnto the Lords worke For the Arke being brought home placed in a tent he desired to builde an house for the same And if it hadd seemed good in the eyes of the Lord to haue vsed his hande therin as he did accept of his hart and goodwill he woulde haue chose rather to haue bene destitute himselfe of a princelie pallace then y t the Arke of god should haue bene without a royall house for the more manifestinge of the glorie thereof And when he receyued answere from y e Lord that he should not build an house vnto him but his sonne shoulde builde it yet as muche as he might he did with all his power and became a cheefe builder one waye when as an other waye hee could not namelie in preparinge those thinges which should furnishe the worke and set it forwarde with speede when it shoulde be begonne For he said My sonne Salomon is yonge and tender and we must buylde an house for the Lorde magnificall excellent and of great fame and dignitie thoroughout all Countries I will therefore nowe prepare for him And hee prepared an hundred thousande Talentes of golde and a thousande thousande Talentes of Siluer And of Brasse and of Iron passinge weight And also Tymber and Stones and he had sett Masons to hewe and polish the stones in readinesse And yet for all this his hunger for Gods glorie was not satisfied but hee complayned that hee was able to doo no more For hee sayde to his Sonne Salomon according to my pouertie I haue prepared these thinges There was then no necessitie of an house For the Arke was kept in the Tabernacle whiche figured the churche and that was after Gods institution And the necessitie of hauinge the Temple came not vntill the Lords commaundement appointed a time therevnto Neyther was there any ruine of thinges pertaining to Gods house at that time Yet you see howe Dauid behaued himselfe not constrained by any necessitie of the time but inflamed by his true affection which hungred for the further glorie of those things which represented Gods glorie There be witnesses in England which know howe that exceding manie mouthes of the teachers and of those which speak as they are taught haue confessed concerning their Churche Some that it is ruinous Yet will they make the stones whole againe out of the duste not with a worke as Nehemiah did with building but with a word or two in saying it is the churche of God yet notwithstanding Some saye It is naked and yet a Churche And thoughe it bee both hungrie and naked they giue it such a beggars almes as y e Apostle Iames speake of Goe warme thee and fill thy bellie For they saye God helpe it wee shall praye for it In the meane time nothinge is ministred to susteyne it with touchinge that they complayne to bee wantinge vnto it therefore what helpeth it Some saye It is as a man that wante a legge and yet a church But the Scripture saye That that which is halting is neare to bee turned out of the waye Some saye It want but an arme c. But all this while they espie not wherein the greatest deformitie lieth namelie In that it hath a little pretie bodie and a great sorte of monstrous great heades I meane those of whome wee maye well complayne with the Prophete and saye O Christe Other Lordes besides thee haue ruled ouer vs. But because I knowe herein my ment will be sifted I saye for my selfe that I iudge them not nor condemne them The worde of the Lorde iudgeth all them and mee But concerninge the Churche of Englande as they inticle it It is a notable dishonour vnto Christ Iesus to make all the Parishes in England generallie his Churche hee will giue no thankes for that liberalitie Yet I am perswaded the Lorde I take to witnesse that in the Realme of Englande there bee diuers Churches And I hope also that there bee manie more true worshippers or such at the least as the Lorde doeth accept whiche abhorre and deteste to bowe the knee to the Antichristian scepter more I saye then seeme to appeare as was in Israel in the dayes of the Prophete Eliah But that the booke whiche is for Gods worshippe and seruice and yet beareth not the name of God that euer it caused Tabernacle to bee so framed as that the Lord shoulde knowe it for his owne I vtterlie denie But to returne to my purpose Seeing the case so standeth that the ruines and decayes of the Churches be apparant by a generall confession almoste of all Yea seeing it is also confessed that shee is sicke vnto death and lie panting for breath let vs not thinke that sweete and smoothe wordes will heale her deadlie hurte as to saye yet it is a famous Churche and other nations haue thought well reuerentlie of the Churche of Englande c. But let all with whome is yet the feare of the liuinge GOD and anie desire of his glorie laye the hande to the worke no more but euen thus by eschewing euill and dooing good that although they goe forwarde in fewenesse according to their pouertie for a tyme yet by their example and aduertisementes they maye winne manie vnto righteousenesse by callinge and stirringe vppe after this maner Come lette vs goe vp to the mountaine of the Lorde to the house of the GOD of Iacob and he shall teache vs his wayes and wee will walke in his pathes Let them also saye eche to other that because we sought not the Lorde in dewe order therefore heare we this complainte to our rebuke and shame There was neuer more wickednes then is nowe Thus if we do labouring not more faintlie because iniquitie hath gotten the vpper hande but more valiauntlie to redeeme the times because the dayes be euill wee shall bee foūde in the sight of the Lorde accordinge to our abilitie to haue polished made readie liuinge stones for the Lordes buyldinge that although wee can see the worke goe but slowlie forwarde in our dayes yet in the next generation it may rise more