poyson preuayle much against at those that 〈◊〉 no I that precious and perfith 〈◊〉 al me which is the worde of Got conâ—prehonded in the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles The deuyll hath also verie faithfull trustie spyes whome he sendeth alwaies before his armie to divure commoditie of the place and the multitude strengthe of his aduersueâ—…â—â—â— These especials are of as cleare light as any Eagle or Dragon and 〈◊〉 cast their eyes vppon all coastes and corners and examine euery phrase and fyllable of the Protestants and if they â—â—n by wresting things into a wrong sence take any small aduauntage they lyâ—â—â— Sycophants gnawe and byte the good meaninges of godlie men and with great vâ—â—yueration sclauâ—â—der and backbite the sauie All these sortes of Souldiours with many others are bounde vnto the deuyll with an othe faithfullye to serue and obiy him and doo in deede bende all their power and strength to vanquithe and suâ—due the Church of Christ and to settls and establish the kingdoms of Antichrist ⧠The fift Chapter declaring-Mannes onelie succour and re fuge in their great temptations and assaultes of Sathan The. 5. Chap. MOst part of men in their miseries and calamities doo flee vnto humaine helpes and fence them selues with the power fauor of earthly friends of whome if they be forsaken they commonly become desperate crye out with the Tyraunt O wretche that I am I being forsaken of my frinds do perish Others ruÌ„me to the deuill and aske counsaile of him by Southsayers Coniurers who to confirme me men in Idolatrie helpeth some in such euylles whereof him selfe is the author but wheÌ„ God restraineth this power of his that hee can not nowe helpe any more then miserable men doo frette and murmur against God and with Saul Iudas and Nero laying violent handes vppon them selues hasten their owne ende and destruction There haue haue bene some that in their miseries haue sought consolations out of Philosophie and monumentes of Heathen writers But there they coulde finde no reliefe as many lamentable examples make manifest vnto vs Marcus Cato in that bitter sorrow of his which hee conceyued by meanes of Pompeis ruine and ouerthrow read ouer againe and againe that notable booke of Plato of the immortalitie of the soule to mitigate his sorrowe and griefe But he coulde finde no rest in that vexation of minde for ouercome with dolour cast hee awaye the booke and murdred him selfe Philosophers both sawe and lamented all kinde of calamities but they could finde no salues for their sores nor medicines for their sicknesses For their coÌ„solations are nothing else but a vaine sounde without any matter and bare wordes wanting efficacie in the mindes of miserable and afflicted persons The worde of God onelie teacheth the reliefe and remedie in such cases and deliudreth vnto man munitions and defences whereby he maye eyther stoutlie contempne or patientlie continue in verations and troubles Trueth is the best buckler and shielde Whiche is the worde of God contained in the writinges of the Prophetes and Apostles proceeding out of the mouth of the true God whereby the holie ghost is effectuall in pensiue and afflicted mindes who are preserued and comforted beyonde all mans iudgement and expectation that they faint not in tribulation neyther murdre theÌ„ selues nor yet ruÌ„ne into eternall ruine destruction This word truth of God is our Target for so it is â—med in many places of the holy scripture The worde of the Lorde saith Salomon is pure and a buckler to them that beleeue Pro. 30. And the worde of the Lorde is liueliy and more effectuall or peercing then any sworde Heb. 5. And the woorde of the Lorde is named a candle 〈◊〉 to men ne lyfe and â—pyrite Pro. 21. Those that are couered and defenced with this sheelde neede not to feare the fyrie dartes of the worlde and deuyll for they are compassed with such straÌ„ge munitions that no cruell enimie is able to peirce the same This worde of God doeth shew vnto vs a sure and certaine refuge and counselleth vs to flye into the campe of the almightie Lorde who wyll hyde vs vnder his wings and defende vs with his holy Angellos who hath promised to bee our captaine and defender who neuer forsaketh the field but is alwayes in the forefront of the battayle and is neuer taken of the enimie So â—riteth Chrisostome Our Captaine is alwayes readie to helpe the enimie can neuer take him prisoner he hath armour of proofe for all his souldiours This Captaine doth not onlie preserue his souldiours in the fyelde safe sound but he also gaueth them victorie aduanceth them to great honours satisfyeth them with a long lyfe and letteth them see and feele his ayde and helpe There are many examples which 〈◊〉 approue and confirme the same to the great 〈◊〉 and comfort of the godlie Hee was in the fierie furnace with the three yong men with Laurence vpon the Gridiron with Daniell amongst the Lyons with Ieremie in Babilon with Ioseph in prison with the Israelites in Egipte and in the Wyldernesse with Elisaeus the Prophete when Samaria was besieged where the famine was so great that an Asses head was solde for fowrescore siluer pence and the fowrth parte of a Cabbe of Dooues dunge for fiue peeces of siluer He was with Dauid in the Pestilence when as in a shorte tracte of tyme there dyed thrée score and tenne thousande He was with Ezechias lying sicke in his bedde of the pestilence By the which examples many other of that sort we maye most firmely conclude that this heauenly Captaine is alwayes present at hande with his seruauntes is there sheelde and buckler according to his manifolde promyses by most earnest assuerations and othes in his holy worde assured and confirmed vnto vs. So that Christians are neuer desolate and alone in their fight and battell but haue allwaies their Captaine presently assisting them according to that saying The Lorde is with you whyles you bee with him And againe feare not because I haue redeemed thee and called thee by thy name thou art mine owne If thou passe through water I wyll be with thee and the flooddes shall not couer thee If thou walke in the fire thou shalt not bee burned and the flame shal not hurt thee for I am the Lorde thy God thy holye one O Israell Consider good Reader dillygentlie the weyght and circumstaunce of this texte fyrst marke who doeth promise euen God the holy one of Israell Then what hee doth promise verelye protection and defence in all daungers Afterwarde to whome this promise is made euen to all faythfull beleeuers whome hee calleth by theyr proper name which is a signe of kindnesse and entyre loue towarde them Thus you see howe this trueth of Gods woorde which is our buckler doeth set out and describe in the writinges of the Prophets and Apostles the infinite power goodnesse
suppressed those sauadge cruell Beastes Maximiamis Maxencius and Liciuius his Cosyn when they begonne with fyre and sworde to persecute and afflict the Christians There serue also vnder our heauenly Captaine in this armie godly and â—ertuous men of euery vocation calling And amongst this number Ministers Preachers stande in the forefront of the battayle and fight against the Dragon that is to say against the deuyll and his adherentes who defende blasphemie Idolatrie and all abhomination 〈◊〉 were Moises Elins 〈◊〉 togeather with all the Prophets Apostles 〈◊〉 Pastors in the Church of God theology of all tymes and ages whose armor are not earnall but spirituall as the Apostle sayeth For the vvâ—apons of our vvarfare are not carnall but mightie through God to cast dovvne holdes Casting downe the imaginations and euerye high thing that is exalted against the knowledge of God and bringteth into captiuitie euerie thought to the obedience of Christ That is to saye the armor of godly Teachers and Ministers in the Churche of God are the worde of God the holy ghost working effectually in the worde and earnest prayer and inuocations There folowe in this armie godly hearers of the word who for the glorie of God and their owne saluation fighte againste the fleshe sinne world and deuil whose fight and armour are at large described by the Apostle My brethren be strong in the Lorde and in the power of his might Put on the whole armor of God that ye may bee able to stande against the assaultes of the deuill For we vvrastle not aganste fleshe and against blood but againste principaliâ—ies against povvers and against the worldly gouernours the princes of the darkenes of this vvorlde againste spirituall vvicloednes vvhich are in highe places For this cause take vnto you the vvhole armor of God that you may be able to resist in the euill day and hauing finished all things stand faste Or if thou liste to haue a shorter lesson thus he sayeth in another place Fight thou a good hauing faith and a good conscience whiche some haue put avvay as concerning faith haue made shipvvracke Women and feely children who séeme and are indeede moste vnfitte for temporall warres fight not moste faintly in this spirituall battell but with their chaste and deuoute prayers and faithfulnesse in their vocation giue the deuil and his complices a fowle foyle and ouerthrow There are many examples that confirme this matter and amongst others that which happened of late in Germanie both pleasauntlie and comfortable serueth to this purpose When the Emperour Charles the fifte and the Pope of Rome by Campegius his Legate threatned the Protestauntes with fyre and sword and terrifieâ— them with the multitude of Princes and peoples that were ready to subdue them The learned men of Saxonie were commanded by theyr Prince to assemble at Torga to conferre what they thought conuenient to yeelde vnto the Papistes for the iniquitie of the tyme By meanes wherof there mette many learned men and amongste the rest thyther came Martin Luther and Phillippe Melancthon These men came togeather euery day in the Superintendents or Preachers house of the sayde Cittie and in this conference peace was offered by the papistes but with such harde condicions that a noble man sayde the same were paysed in goldsmythes weyghts so vniust and cruell they were for it was apparent and that they sought wayes and meanes to cyrcumuent destroy frawdulently in tyme of peace those meane whome they could hardly touch intyme of warre This lyttle flocke therefore continued theyr conference with prayers and supplications reposing theyr whole confidence in the lyuing God who in the myddle of dystresse prepareth out a way for man better then him selfe can deuise or thinke On a certaine daye after long delyberation Phillippe Melancthon euen tyred with labor and heauy with cares rose vp verye sorrowfull sadde went out to speake with a straunger who at the gate had knocked and made inquysition for him Nowe after he had geuen the straunger answere and sent him awaye hee hasteth to this assemble againe and in his returne through a gallory he heareth lyttle Chyldren pronounsing theyr Cathechisme which moued him to put open the Parlor doore euen in his waye to talke with those lyttle Babes whose mouthes he hearde so sweetely vtter the prayfe of God For amongst his recreations and pastimes this was the chiefe with pleasaunt and wyttie questions to laugh with lyttle Chyldren and towarde them he woulde shewe howelles of compassion and the entrye affection of a naturall Parent When he came into the Parlor he fouÌ„d there three Women with theyr lyttle Chyldren about them These were the Preacher and the two Dyacons wiues of that place who were dressing and féeding their yong Babes But there was one thing wherewith all hee was then especially delyghted he sawe one of the Dyacons wiues geuing her young Infaunt sucke and therewithall paring parsneppes for her Husbandes dynner and thyrdly hearing another of her children recyting the Lordes Prayer the ten commaundementes and the articles of the Christian fayth Phillippe stoode styll and with great admyration and pleasure lystened vnto as he was woont the heauenly sounde of those swéete Chyldren mindefull of that saying Out of the mouthes of Babes and sucklings hast thou ordained thy praise that thou mightest styll the enimie and the auenger and therewithall exclamed O three vvorkes so holie and acceptable vnto almightie God. So hee lefte them and returned vnto his company exceeding merrye and cheerefull Luther espying his gladsome countenaunce sayd thus vnto him Phillippe howe commeth it to passe that you returne so ioyfull that went out but euen nowe so sorrowfull he answered Let vs bee of good comfort for I haue séene those that wyll fight for vs and defende vs Luther asked what where those stoute and valyant Captaines and souldiers Phillippe answered the chaste wiues and vertuous Chyldren of godly men whose earnest prayers I hearde right now which God wyll accept with vigilaunt and carefull eares For the lyuing and mercifull father of our Lord Iesus Christ hath not hytherto dispised them neither wyll he henceforth as we trust stoppe his eares vnto them The holie scripture in many places maketh mencion of suche denoute women and vertuous Children as of Myriam the Prophetesse syster of Aaron and all the women of Israell who song prayses for theyr delyueraunce out of the lande of Egipte And in lyke maner we reade of certaine good women that serued at the doore of the Tabernacle who gaue theyr glasses to make a Lauer of brasse for the Lorde Such women were Debora and Iaell by whome the Tyraunt Sicera was ouerthrowne And of lytle Children our sauiour saith See that ye despise not these lytle ones for I saye vnto you that in heauen there Angelles alwayes behold the face of my Father who is in heauen And of other Children aduaunsing and
mercy of our heauenly Captaine toward his faythful seraunts and souldiours Philosophie is mute and dumme in these matters and if at an aduenture it happen to vtter some golden sentence of Gods mercy loue toward mākind yet it kéepe not holde handfast constantlie but in the ende declineth to a dubitation or an vtter deniall of the same Antilochus wylled menne to ascribe al thing to Gods prouidence VVho oftentimes aduaunceth poore to their deserued degree of dignitie honor and throweth down the high and mightie These such lyke sentēces of Gods prouidēce are scattered in the writings of Ethnicks which for a tyme delight mens mindes but they are not built vpon any sure foundation For they neuer knew God as he hath reueled him selfe in his sonne by his worde they doubte in their prayers whether God heareth them as Euripides in the person of Hecuba cryeth out and sayth O you Gods I call vppon impotent and slouthfull helpers But the worde of God conteyned in the olde and newe testament doth effectuallie and truly describe vnto vs the liuing God reueled in his onely sonne Iesus Christe who commaundeth vs to call vppon the heauenly Father in his name with boldnesse and trust without any trembling or doubting for that through him his heauenly Father is wel pleased with vs we may then speak thus vnto him Thou O God art the Creator and conseruor of heauen and earth thou art also the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christe who was borne suffered dyed and rose againe for the iustification of mankinde Thou sendest thy holy ghost into our harts who kindleth in vs by the sounde of thy holye worde true fayth and spirituall motions agreeable to thy holy wyll thou art my hope and strength thou doest couer mee vnder thy winges thou doest keepe mee with thy holy Angelles thou dost heare mee and deliuer mee thou art with mee in this my tribulation out of the which in thy mercie thou wylt delyuer mee yea and glorifie mee thou wylt aduaunce mee from aduersitie to prosperitie thou wylt satisfie mee with long lyfe If the same maye tender to the setting foorth of thy honour and glorie and to the profite and furtheraunce of thy holy Church This confidence and liberty of spéech wee maye vse with our Captaine but not in respect of our owne worthinesse for this cheerefulnesse and courage of minde wee maye conceaue through our raunsome once satisfied and through the continuall intercession of the Sonne of God who dyed and rose againe for all penitent sinners We our selues bring nothing for fayth is also the gyfte of God kyndeled in our hartes by the holie ghoste through the preaching of the gospell Let vs then place and oppose this promise of GOD togeather with the death and intercession of his sonne Christe through fayth and true repentaunce against all doubting and vnworthinesse of our selues and let vs flee awaye and appeale from God being angrie with vs for our many and greeuous offences vnto God most louing and mercifull turned and reconcyled vnto vs through the passion resurrection and intercession of his deare and onely sonne Iesus Hereof commeth that stoute and valyaunt harte of Christians that they feare not although the earth gape and open her mouth the Element doo fall vppon them and the waues of the Sea woulde seeme to ouerflowe them according as Dauid wytnesseth The sound of many waters and of the waues of the Sea are strong and mighty but the Lord aboue is stronger and mightier Iulian the Reneger was for a time of great power and strength but hee being vanquished at a fielde foughten in Persia was enforced to yéelde the honour of the victorie to this Captayne and with a lowde voyce sayde Thou hast gotten the victorie of mee O thou Galilaean Apries King of Egipt who put the Prophete Ieremie to death said That no power neyther of God nor man was able to take his kingdom from him hee had so firmelie established his Scepter and Crowne But our myghtie Captaine who hath power ouer all kingdomes of the worlde spoyled him of his kingdome and strangled him by the handes of Amasis his Courtyer Neoptelemus the player of Tragedies being demaunded what sentence hee had obserued as most notable in Aeschilus Sophocles and Euripides aunswered that he founde in them nothing woorthye so great admiration But hee rather accoumpted it a thinge memorable that hee sawe with his owne eyes King Phillippe of Macedon at the mariage of his daughter Cleopatra in the most noble assemble of the world honoured as a great God and the next day after ryding in the Tylte or Theatre miserably murdred and contempned And Herodus Agrippa who stopped not the flattring mouthes of such as named him a God but fedde and delighted him selfe with the same perished immediatly with corrosion of his Intralles and lowsie sicknes Surely all humaine power is no better then glasse whiche whē it is most bright and cleare is then the soonest brokē for rashnesse procureth speedy spoyle God alwaies resisteth the prowde Let vs not then feare mans power which when it is at the highest and in his pride then is God able yea and often indeede ouer turneth the same with the leaste blast of winde ⧠The sixt Chapter describeth the Armie and warlyke power of our heauenlie Captaine in this conflicte and battayle The. 6. Chap. THIS our Heauenly Captaine hath many glorious names in the holye Scripture but amongst other he is named the Lorde of Hostes Which tytle albeit it be common to the thrée personnes in Trinitie yet because the Sonne of God was sent to vanquishe and breake the power of the deuyll and to redeeme mankinde this honourable name is properlie and for the most part geuen vnto him as in that Psalme VVho is this King of glorie the Lorde God of Hostes is the king of glorie In the which place without all doubte Christe the King of glorie was signified whereof the Arke of Couenaunt was a testimonie and witnesse And the Prophete Esay sayth That the Lorde God of hostes dwelleth in Syon which sentence is to bee vnderstoode of our sauiour Christ This most noble tytle is geuen vnto him because hee is the cheefe Emperour and Captaine in the Cittie of God againste the Cittie of the Deuil For he is the onely head of all celestiall and terrestriall powers the moste strong and mighty defendor and is therefore named in the Psalme A God that is strong and mighty in battale He is not ydle then but fighteth valyantlie hee is neuer ouercome but but alwayes ouercommeth he neuer flyeth but euer tryumpheth and that not so muche for his owne cause as for the Cittie and Church of God and therfore the Prophet ascribeth vnto him the chéefe souerainty saying Blessed be the name of his glorie for euer and let the whole earth be filled with his maiesty Nowe although this our Captaine
be Schaddai that is to say omnisufficiente and strong ynough of himselfe and needeth not the helpe of any creature with whome as the Angell saith nothing is impossible Yet for the greater comfort of his Church hee vseth the industrie of his souldiors in this expidition against the deuyll and leuieth a great mightie armie partlie consisting of pure chaste Angelles who are named in the holie scripture flaming spirites horses and charets of fire who pitch their campe round about the godlie and are appointed to bee ministring spirites sent forth to minister for their sakes vvho shal be hcyres of saluation Of whome the number is almost infynite that mans infyrme nature is not able to comprehend the same Here vnto he adioyneth a great company of vertuous and faithfull men and women picked and chosen out of all callings vocations Which supplie hee vseth not to strengthen him selfe as though he were eyther weake or vnwarlyke but such is his gratious wyll tender kindnesse toward his seruants that he vouchsafeth in some sort to communicate and impart his glorie with his faythfull seruytors and souldiors And fyrst concerning Angelles they are all seruing spirites For their sakes who shal be heyres of saluation For so long as this worlde shall endure Angelles serue and attende in the Church mylitaunt which notwithstanding is not the ende of theyr nature but an office or function temporall for after the generall Iudgement when the Church of God shall obtaine perfit victorie they shall triumphe with the electe euerlastinglie Touching theyr number the Prophete Daniell speaketh after this manner Thousande thousandes ministred vnto him and ten thousande thousandes stoode before him Of the battayle of the Lord of Hostes and his Angelles and of their victorie wee maye reade more in the Reuelation Michael and his Angels fought against the Dragon and the Dragon fought and his Angelles but they preuailed not neither was their place founde any more in heauen And the great Dragon that olde serpent called the deuyll and sathan was caste out which deceyueth the whole worlde hee was euen cast into the earth and his angelles were caste out with him Then I heard a lowde voice saying Now is saluation in heauen and strength and the power of our God the kingdom of his Christ for the the accuser of our brethren is cast downe vvhich accused them before our God day and night But they ouercame him by the blood of the LaÌ„be and the worde of their testimonie This Michaell whome the holie ghost in this place maketh the Captaine of the battayle is the sonne of God euen our Lorde Iesus Christe as we maye both by the Prophete Daniell and by the etymologie of the worde easily gather For Michaell is asmuche to saye as vvho is lyke God The Angelles therefore folowing the ensigne and Auncient of Michaell that is to saye of the Lorde of Hostes are celestiall powers and spyrites The manner and order of their seruice is noted in manie places of Gods word But in my iudgement are most effectually collected and set downe in one place by the Prophet Dauid First he sayth That they garde and keepe all the faythfull That is that they kéepe watche and warde in housholdes commonwealths and Churche who as they neuer sleepe themselues so doo they awake those that sléepe when daungers are immynent and at hande for so they raysed vppe Peter and brought him out of prison These kéepers and watchmen neuer departe out of that roume wherin God hath placed them vnlesse is be by his especiall commaundement Some of them therefore are alwaies in all present with vs when we pray when we sing Psalmes when we either héere sermons publickly or priuatly réede the holy scriptures when we eate drinke and fleepe they then fight for vs and defende vs from all firie dartes which the worlde and deuill with greate malice caste and throwe against vs Beholde the great loue of our Emprour Captaine Emanuell towarde his Church in that he vouchsafeth to appoynt some of his heauenlie souldiers to wayte vppon it vnto whome he geueth a singular and an especiall charge that they kéepe vs warely in all our wayes We shall the better perceyue this benefite if we open it with asimilitude There is no worldlie man but hee would accoumpt it a greate signe of loue and an argument of safetie if a worldlye Prince should appoint him a sufficient number of his Garde to wayte attende vpon him daye and night that no misfortune might betide him But there is no comparison betweene this heauenlie Prince and earthly Princes nor betweene their garde consisting of weake men and this of strong Angels appointed to vs by our Captaine in Baptisme to watch and wayte vppon vs both night daye in water and fyre by sea and lande in all our lyfe and at the howre of death Secondlie the Angels beare and cary godly men about in their armes Beholde herein the rage and furie of the deuyll who in euery place layeth shares and stumbling blocks for mennes féete wherby many fall and hurt themselues euen vppon plaine grounde breaking theyr armes and thighes yea and some tymes their neckes The lyuing Lorde and mercifull God therefore minding to preuent these mischiefes commaundeth his holie Angelles to beare vs in their armes and to carrie vs from place to place that we maye doo the workes of our voration Beholde I saye euen as the Mother with an especiall delyght and pleasure taketh her young chylde wrapped in swathlyng clothes and lying in the Cradle and beareth it in her armes with many kysses vntyll the Chylde be wearie and then shee layeth it downe againe in the Cradle Euen so the Angelles euerie morning doo lyft vs out of our beddes and beare vs about all daye long in their armes that wee maye exercise our selues in the worke of our vocation and in the euening when we are wearie they bring vs to our beddes and refresh vs with many long dayes and yeares and in the ende carrie our soules in their armes with incredible ioye into Abrahams bosome where wee shall beholde the cheerefull countenaunce of God eternally The thyrd kinde of seruice of Angels expressed in that Psalme of Dauid Is that they shall put and submytte euyll beastes and venemous serpentes vnder godly mens feete without any harme as Lyons Leopardes Lyons whelpes Cokatrices and Dragons that is to saye all sortes of Tyrauntes and herytiques vppon whome good Fathers in ther families Schoolemaisters in their Schholes Ministers in their Churches and Princes in theyr Realmes do tread subdue So Iohn the Euangelist with his prayer and preaching trode vpon Cerinthus that Leoparde So was Arius that Cockatrice stamped downe with the seete of Alexander Bishoppe of Constantinople So Polycarpus Iohn the Euangelists scholler Bishoppe of Smyrneus trode vpon that Dragon Marcion And finallye so Constantine surâ—â—â—â—â—â— the great trode vpon and with warlike sworde
King inferior to none in temporall battayles For his Ancient once displayed in the fielde he neuer turned his backe or gaue grounde vnto the enimie Hee forsawe daungers had a present minde in perylles hee was fierce in fight and mercifull in victorie And in all these thinges it was his chiefe prayse that he fought Bella domini The Lords warres But as hee was notable that waye so was he an Artificer and as they say his Craftsemaister in spirituall warfare wherein he susteyned so many temptations and assaultes of sathan and so often caryed away victorie through Gods assistaunce that next after Iob I maye place him the seconde Captaine vnder Christes banner And albeit there maye at the first sight séeme to be some diuersitie betwéene the holy Apostle and him touching their Armour and weapons Yet wee must remember the occasion thereof to bee the sundrie sleyghtes and craftie pollicies of sathan rather then the dissenting mindes of these spirituall warriours For the deuyll vseth not alwayes one kind of weapon maner of warre but hath his dayly deuises to inuade the faithful he must therfore be encountred lykewise w store of weapons and varietie of armour if we meane to gette the victorie In olde time the black Byll and Bowe bare the price in battayles but nowe the Gonne and Pyke are better lyked These two Captaines therfore are no more blame worthie in furnishing Christes seruitors with sufficiencie of Artyllarie then a temporall Prince who opening his Armorie wylleth his souldiours to make their choyse of such weapons and armour as maye séeme fyttest and commodious for theyr strength and abilitie And if there bee any difference in theyr preceptes touching this matter it consisteth chiefly in this poynt That the Apostle kindlesh mans industrie the Prophete calleth to our remembraunces Gods prouidencie the Apostle calleth for the labour work of man the Prophet encourageth the same in the power of God the Apostle sheweth how the Lorde blesseth the trauailes of his Childrē in mercy the Prophete openeth howe God tryumpheth ouer his enimies in his myghtye maiestie And although as I sayde before the temptations of Sathan the veration of Gods seruants and his present aide are dispersed lyke swéete spice throughout all the Psalmes yet he séemeth of purpose to haue handled this matter in one place where he also numbreth two kinds of Armour the one defending our selues the other offending the enemie Of the firste sorte are those whiche the holye ghoste nameth The winges of God the worde of the Lorde and the knowledge of his holye name For thus he sayth 1. He will couer thee with his vvinges 2. His trueth shal be thy shield and buckler 3. I vvill defende him because he hath knovven my name For about the Cittie of God where sincere doctrine is deliuered with fruit receyued and sacramentes rightlie administred Gods Angels pitch their campe and builde such high walles that no Tirant is able to scale thē or with gunnes to batter them That Cyttie is couered and shadowed by almighty God euen as an henne hideth her chickens vnder her winges according to that saying of the Prophēt I vvill defende this Cittie Almightie God therefore draweth the Curtayne casteth a cloke as it were ouer that Citie that no stormes tempest nor rayne shall fall vpon it or if it so doo it shall turne to the profitte and benefit of the godly and to the trouble and ruine of the vngodlie as the historie of M. Aurelius Antonius surnamed the Philosopher plainly declareth This Emperour had warres againste the Marcomanes and Quades which people are named at this day Morauians Sylecians in his armie there serued a Legion of Christians who were of the I le of Malta where Saint Paule preached the gospell This Legion dyd not onely serue with swoorde but fought with prayer For when many of the Horsemen and Horses peryshed for wante of water this Legion tooke a publique fast vpon them with prayer humblie crauing at Gods hande rayne and a happie ende of the warre And immediatlye there arose a myghtie storme and tempest whereby God gaue both great store of raine to the Romane armie and cast downe lyghtening and thunderboltes vpon the Morauians and Quades The Romane armie therfore was couered vnder Gods wings the other were terryblie ouerthrowne and destroied The other sorte of Armour whereby the violence force of our enimies are broken and beaten backe are named in this Psalme 1. Desires of God. 2. And the clamours or cryes of the oppressed For he sayeth Bicause he hath loued mee or desired mee therefore vvyll I delyuer him there shall no euyll come vnto thee neither shall any plague come neere thy tabernacle These Armours proceede from a pure harte and true faith kindled by the holy ghost through the sounde of his worde which doo euen enforce and after a sorte compell our heauenly Captaine to succour and defende vs And when he commeth out of his Chamber hee is not vnfurnished of Armour and Artyllarie for he hath famine pestilence thunderboltes haylestones vehement blasts of winde mundations of waters the sounde of Trumpettes and other infinite terrors The Lorde dyd helpe Titus Vespasianus in the besiege of Ierusalem not onely with the sworde but with famine and pestilence insomuch that when Titus him selfe had taken the Cittie and sawe the Munition Bulwarkes and Trenches made for their defence in the Cittie hee eryed out with great admyration saying VVe haue foughten God assisting vs and it was he that drewe the Ievves from their holdes and defences When Antiochus in his pride sayde that he would make Ierusalem an heap of graues vtterlie destroye the Iewes that beléeued in God he was sodainlie stricken with tormentes and wringing of intestines insomuch that lyfe increased in his bodie which by little and little rotted awaye and annoyed the whole armie with a poysenous odour stincke and so God stryke the Philistians with Emrodes and a flyxe because they tooke the Arke of the Lorbe from the chyldren of Israell The Marcomanes and Quades as I saide before were destroyed with lyghtning thunderbolts And so the Lorde rayned downe greate haylestones from heauen vpon the fiue kinges of the Amorites that a great deale moe perished that way then with the swoorde of the chyldren of Israell Hereof commeth that sētence of Sirache Fire hayle famine death al these are prepared for vengeaunce And in another place They fought from heauen against them the starres fought against Sycera So Theodosius the Emperour fighting against Eugenius and Arbogastus was holpen with vehement blasts of winde which blewe mightily against the Infidelles The windes are also created to hurt and to reuenge Pharao with his Horsemen and Chariots were drowned in the red sea By the hands of those noble women Debora Iael and Iudith hee slewe those cruell Tyrants Sycera and Holofernus With Kinges
and bryddled those two bloodie men Saule and Sennacherib were drawne from pursuing and besieging good Dauid and Ezechias With the sounde of Trumpettes and lyghtes of Lampes God scattered the great armie of the Madeanites So that the saying of Sophocles is verie true VVhen God punisheth the cowarde vanquisheth the hardie souldiour And all these sortes of armor wherwithal the wicked men are put to flight are named by the Prophet Dauid with one worde The hande of the Lorde For the Lorde destroyeth his enimies eyther immediatlie by him selfe or immediatly by Angelles men So the Angell of the Lorde slewe in the Assirian Campe one hundred fowâ—e score and fiue thousande He ouerthrew Nero by goastes and fearefull sightes By the handes of the Kinges of Persia hee tooke Valerianus the Emperour a cruell persecutour of his Churche and caused his skinne whyles he was a lyue to be stripped of But Dauid being a man but of a meane proporcion he kylled Goliath of a huge and monstrous stature All those therefore that wyll gette the victorie in battayle must fight with prayer and sworde For to vse the sworde without prayer what other thing is it but a poynt of arogant follie Such a man was Aiax who at his going into warfare was admonished godlie by his Father that hee shoulde fyght the Gods assysting him who answered O father the Gods helpe cowards and dastardes but I vvyll vanquish my enimies vvith my owne hande vvithout the aide of the Gods But there fell vengeance vpon him for this hautines of stomack for hee was strycken with a frenesie wherein he murdred him selfe The example therefore of Dauid is rather to be folowed who encountring Goliath sayde I come vnto thee in the name of the lyuing God. And in another place Blessed be the Lord my God vvho teacheth my handes to battaile and my fingers to fight Wherein he giueth vs to vnderstande that valiauntnesse and corage in warre and pollicie therein is in the godlie and heauenlie gyfte Wee learne not onelie in holie scripture but in prophane wryters that good euent and victorie in battayle dependeth vpon the pleasure of almightie God and not in the multytude and strength of souldiours For Demostenes repeateth verie often this sentence That the euent of vvarres are gouerned from aboue And Cyrus was wont to say vnto his souldiours You know that victory in warre is gotten neither vvith multitude nor with strength of men but such as are assisted by the Gods are not by any meanes to be resisted of the aduersarie Againe to fight with prayer without the sworde is the poynt of cowardes and rashbraynes who sitte ydle at home moumbling praiers onely and reicet ordenarie means appointed and comaunded by god Many there be also that being verie foole hardie obiect themselues without defence into perrills againste whome that saying of Saint Augustine is to be remembred All thinges ought to be done which may godly by wisdome be practised to auoide perilles yea euen when God is most assuredly on our sides And againe If thou doo not decline daungers as much as lyeth in thy power thou doest rather tempte then trust in god Let these things I saye admonish vs to auoyde snares and perylles with good counsayle consonaunt to Gods holy wyll and let vs take good héede that we aduenture not our selues vnaduisedlye to thraldome and miserie In tyme of warre therefore let vs vnytte and lyuke togeather prayer and swoorde In tyme of Pestilence let vs call on God and vse preseruatiues and curatiues let vs not without vrgent occasion go into infected places He that loueth daunger shall perish therein For although Gedeon had a commaundemeÌ„t of God to pull downe the Alter of Baall and to cutte downe the Groue nigh vnto the same Yet to auoyde daunger which might aryse in the daye tyme vnto him being but one hée tooke vnto him tenne of his seruauntes and executed that commaundement in the night season And Daniell dyd not breake the kinges commaundement mallapartlie in the myddle of the stréete but went into his Chamber and prayed Tobias buryed the dead bodyes not in the daye but in the night season And so Ezechias albeit he receyued a coÌ„fortable answere of his recouerie yet notwithstanding the Prophete Esai commaundeth him to laye a Figge leafe vnto his soore Our Lorde and sauiour being able without any externall meane to cure all disseases and defectes Yet hee sighing and grooning cast by his eyes towardes heauen and touched the tongue of the domme And in that great storme wherin Saint Paul and his company in their voyage to Rome when an Angell had assured him of his life and all those that were with him yet when the Marryners were about to flée out of the shippe and in a lyttle boate to rowe vnto the shoare Saint Paul cryeth out and sayth Vnlesse these men abyde in the shippe you can not be safe These examples ought to be set before our eyes whereby we may be moued in case of necessitie to conioyne prayer with lawfull meanes that wee maye auoyde and withstande perylles and daungers Let vs then gyrde our weapons about vs but let vs praye to almightie God to dyrecte our handes and fingers let vs also flye vnto those for succour that can with theyr worde and déede vnder God reléeue vs as many pressed with persecution vnder Licinius fledde to Constantine for helpe Let vs in the tyme of plague and pestilence call vpon the sonne of God the true and perfyte Phisition and therewithall séeke the counsayle of the learned godlie and honest Phisition and yet notwithstanding all our trust and confidence ought to be onely setled and reposed in the lyuing God. ⧠The eyght Chapter declareth that those onely who serue in this warrefaire vnder Christs banner are victors and conquerors The eyght Chapter THe holy ghoste in the forenamed Psalme affyrmeth that those men only may fréely and safely without feare or shame haue accesse vnto this heauenly Capitayne VVho dwell in the secret of the moste high and abide in the shadowe of the almightye That is to saye that haue a roome or place in the house of the Lord and Church of Christe Out of which station and place no man may without perril of his own life depart or haue any conference with the enemy But he must harken to the worde and commaundement of his Capitayne onely hee muste knowe his name he must perfytly knowe the badges and tokens giuen out by his Captaine to discrie the enimie He ought to haue recourse to this his master in all distresse and in the name of his sonne Christe to craue remission and forgeuenesse of sinnes to haue constant faith and fyrme hope in him alone which suffereth not a man to be ashamed neither to come to confusion To suche a man and to no other sayth the holy ghost that this victory and
bee turned from the fountaine of all goodnesse vnto the bothomlesse lake of all euyll from sweete lyfe to bytter death from true blessednesse to euerlasting miserie On the other side as touching the elect and faythfull this is the effect and end of Gods presence in his Church To confyrme them in fayth to moue them to be thankefull towarde him vnder whose wings they are couered to make them feare God in whose fighte they walke that they should also in tyme of trouble cal vpon him being present with them that in patience they should looke for victorie agaynst worlde and diuell Hereof spryng those sayings full of diuine consolation The Lorde is with vs feare not And another And nowe O Lorde our God saue vs out of the hand of Sennacherib that all kingdomes of the earth may knowe that thou only art God. Wherefore let vs plucke vp our hartes vnto vs and be of good comfort for without all doubt God wyl through all tymes saue preserue that Church which kéepeth the doctrine that hath bene delyuered by the Prophetes Apostles and by Christ himselfe as that swéete promise in the Prophet testifieth This is my couenaunt which I wyl make with them sayth the Lorde My spirite that is vpon thee and my vvords vvhich I haue put in thy mouth shall not depart out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seede nor out of the mouth of the seede of thy seede saieth the Lord euen from henceforth for euermore Euen so wee maye assure our selues that Christe wyll be present in our Church sytting at the ryght hand of his Father and rayning in the myddle of his enimies But wee must remember that it is our partes to thinke vpon our duetie and calling to retaine stedfastly the confession of sincere Doctrine to bewtifie Gods Churche with good endeuoure lyfe and manners Then wyll hee not fayle vs to pytche his Campe round about this Christian Castell and faithfull Fortresse that no euyll thing shal approch nigh vnto it he wyl be the maister and leader of his Sheepe that it shall not bee drowned with the floodes of persecutions Hée wyll blesse this our Countrey that it shall continew another Sarepta and bee an harbour for his seruauntes Hee wyll defende our gratious and godlye Queene with the custodie of his holye Angelles hee wyll adorne her Nobilytie with prudent counsayles and happie euentes He wyll represse the sedicious enterprises of diuelles and wicked men whose only bent and chiefe desire is all to rent the vnitie and concorde of his Churche and to dysturbe peace and tranquilitie in Common weales He wyll styrre vp dayly learned and faithful Pastors and Ministers that shall fight against Idolatrie and al erronious opinions which Lurke and Pope mayntaine with sauage immanitie and crueltie against the honour of Christ And finally he wyll abandon and remoue from vs sedicious warres persecutions famine contagious disseases that wee hauing restfull quiet mindes may wholy giue our selues to prayer and all other holye exercises yeelding vnto him only praise and thankes for the myraculous propagation and conseruation of his Church FINIS The continuall warfare of christies church Luk. 11. Eph â—6 Iob. 4. Reue. 12. Warres in all partes of the world Englande the hauen of Christes ship the harbour of persecuted men for the Gospell What good men should do in the consideration of these things Luk. 13 For what causes peace and other temporall blessinges are giuen to common Wealthes Consolations amoÌ„gst these worldly calamyties The perâ—ce armour of godly men Esa. 46. Esa. 49. Esa. 40. Esa. 44. ct 46. Esa. 11. Warre shal not ouercoÌ„e Christes Church 2. Reg. 19. Esa. 37. Esa. 31. The godlye dye with honour and tirantes with dishonour Dan. 3. 2. Mac. 7 Psa 112. prouer 10 Sapi. 3. Exod 12. God increseth his lyttle flock and maketh theÌ„ a mightye people August in psalm 10. Some common weales that cannot bee ouerthrowen Gene. 7. The commodyties which england inicyeth by imbracinge the worde of God. 1. Reg. 18. Sirach 40 Ephe 4. Autor serm ad fratres in eremo Iob. 14. 1. Cor. 15. Gen. 3. The generasion of man vncleane Psal. 50. Mans birth All liuing creatures haue their deÌ„fences man only excepted Plinius lib. 7 cap. 1. et cap. 50. Perils and daungers whereunto man is subiect Solon Man is mane soe and enemy Painefull and fearful Death Euerlasting death Eccless 3. Sodayne deathes â—arnon security or diâ—fydence The complayntes of Philosophers touching mans stailnesse Selueccerus in prolegon ad Genesin 1. Aristo 2. Euripides in orest et Cicero Tuse 4 3. Pindari in pithijs od 8 De veritate fidei lib. 1. cap. 16. Seneca epist. 1 ad Lucil. Theophracomplaint of Nature Lucretius lib. 5. plinius lib. 7 Salust in praesat Belli Inguâ—th Lactant. de opificio cap. 3. et 4. Lud. viues de veritate Fidei lib. 1. cap. 12. Seneca de breuitate vitae Cicero Tusce lib. 3. Of the word Nature Seneca de benef lib. 4 cap. 7. Gallenus de placitis hippocr et plat lib. 9 lactantius lib. 2. cap. 9 De anima et eius origine lib. 2. cap. 3 Mathous Beroalduâ— Cron. lib. 2. cap. 6. Caluniuc lib. 1 institut cap. 5. Lactant lib. 3. cap. 28. what Theophrast meant by the word Nature Augu coÌ„tra Iusianum lib. 4. ca. 12. repetit ex lib. 3. Cic. de Repub. The sygnifycations of the worde Nature Aug. retrac cap. 10. De trinitat lib. 13. ca. 12 In Psal. 38. Ephe. 2. Sulucte reyrehenbeth Theophraste but yeldeth no reason De natura et gratia cap. 1. Rom. 10. Ibidem cap. 3. 2. Cor. 5. Ephe. 2. The disorder of the Ethnickes Lege Calu Iustit lib. 2. cap. 1. Seneca his iudgement of this matter Lact lib 1. cap 5. et lib. 2. ca. 9. Seneca de breuitate vitae Our lyfe is long enough if we coulde vse it well Exigua pars est qua vitimus Man hath great causes to lament portus nauigantiuÌ„ mors What the worde of God pronounceth of mans estat Gen. 6. et 18. Gen. 47. Deu. 34. Psa 90. Mans lyfe a peregrination Hebr. 11. Phili. 3 2. Co. 5. The disposition of straungers Mans dayes are euyll Ecclesia 1. 2. et 9. Cic. de niuent lib. 1. Wisdome abused Ierem. 9 Mans daugerous condiciou set out in some symylitudes 1. Pete 5. Iob. 7. Sic enim vertit Chaldeus Paraphrastes Ephe. 6. Nah. 3. Man is borne to labour Iob. 5 1. Tim. 1. Iob. 7. Esa. 3 S. Psa. 89. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Tim. 4. 2. Cor. 4. The wilful obstinacy of the world Luke No man content with his estate Herodotus Many and great peâ—ua in all vocations Deut. 34. Psal. 90. Math. Of Oeconomie or house-keeping The sorrowes of parents Gen. 4. Gen. 34. 2. Sa. 13. A lamentable story Georg. Maiot in postill Grafton in parte 6. polid lib. 1. Ferrex porrex Videna The tragedye Gorbedug Petryls and miseris in ciuill regement Demostenes