but they haue lyingly and falsly taught him vnto the people they haue limited and set boundes to his infinit mercy that they might sell their masses their pardons and their reliques dearer that men might trust in them that they might get and prouide them But marke I beséech you how greatly the world was blinded The good workes of others which was commanded of God in his law can profit none but them selues And doe we thinke that their workes then which were not commanded of God for the most part can profit any When as the Apostle Paule saith plainely we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. ver 10. and euery one whether he bee monke or masse Priest or Pope himselfe or people shall receiue according to those thinges which he hath done in his owne bodie and not according to those thinges which other hath done for him or according to those things which he hath left by his will to be done for him after his death While life remaines according to our Sauiours doctrine there is a day allotted to euery man in the which he may labour in the which he may worke and bring forth the signes of faith merits of mercie and fruites pleasant to the Lorde But when death commeth then it is night in the which no man can worke any more Wherefore all their workes done after death done for them bought so dearely prouided for so carefully done so deuoutly in truth were nothing worth were vnprofitable vnto them did them no good and were of no force with the Lorde What profiteth any man that is deade without faith without repentance now being in torments masses himnes songes meat to be deuided yearely in remembrance of him or some dayly for his sake After death there is no place of prayers no place of repentance no place of translation or alteration no place of teares and good workes to any man as the Story of the rich glutton and Lazarus doth plainely teach vs wherefore we must worke our selues in our owne bodies the workes that must doe vs good at the day of iudgement When the trée is once hewed downe where it falles there it lyeth whether it be towards the North or towards the South that is whether it be in the pleasures of heauen or in the colde stormes of hell Eccle. 11. ver 3. as the wise man teacheth vs. After it be cut downe it can flourish no more neither can it beare fruit any more No more no doubt can we this trée is a parable of vs. Then besides this these Huxters these selles of merits and workes and Masses they doe not onely beguile others but they beguile themselues For though perchance you will say they are Virgins and liue straitly and punish themselues more then other men doe Math. 25. Yet they are but foolish Virgins as the Gospell doth plainely teach vs. The wise Virgins durst not deminish or lend any of the oyle of their good workes no not one droppe And what fooles are these then that dare bee so bolde to doe it They durst not giue any of their oyle which was a worke of mercy commended and commaunded of God him selfe in his lawe And these dare sell theirs They feared least they shoulde want themselues but these thinke that they haue ouerplus and to spare for others and doe make the dearest and gainefull occupation of selling their workes No occupation euer got or purchased so much lande as they did by this their trade of selling their Masses and merites All the Saintes of God crye and sigh with Dauid euen from their hartes Enter not into iudgement with thy seruantes O Lorde for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified And in another place If thou Lorde wilt bee extreeme to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it And with Iob wee are not able to answere one for a thousand And hauing learned that good lesson of their maister Iesus Christ in the Gospell all his seruantes whether they bee Virgins or married folkes or Martyres say when they haue done all what they can wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done but our dueties Wherefore this hope in trusting to other mens workes is death this staffe of leaning to other mens merits is the staffe of Egypt it woundeth his hande that trusteth vnto it The other staffe of Iacob with the which alone hee passed ouer that Iordaine of this life that is Iesus Christ and to trust to his merits to his workes to his death and passion is a sure staffe Psal 3.5 Psal 3.8 ver 15. Psal 3.9 ver 8. Psal 18. ver 29. is the staffe of all the Saintes of God With this staffe Dauid leaped ouer the wall Pleade thou my cause O Lorde saith hee with them that fight against mee and thou shalt answere for mee O Lorde my God And in another Psalme And now truely what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thée and with the helpe of the Lorde my GOD I shall leape ouer the wall This staffe our Fathers catching euen at the pitte brinke of death Wee doe not doubt but they were saued by this they went ouer Iordaine with Iacob safely by this they leaped ouer the wall of their sinnes and former superstition which did separate them from God with Dauid by this with the théefe of the crosse they passed from death to life All their former sinnes were couered and they were euen that day with Iesus Christ in Paradise Thus wee hope of our Fathers and this was their saluation Wherefore let vs imbrace the Gospell and be thankefull to God for the same Our Fathers nay many Kings and Princes nay the auncient Fathers haue not séene the thinges that wee haue séene this great light shined not in their dayes Let vs expresse in our liues and conuersations Let vs doe all the thinges it commandeth In times past how many thinges woulde they obserue for mens pleasures now let vs bee obedient for the Lordes sake Let vs forsake that Romish Babylon with her Antichrist and all his trumperie They haue not one title nor iot for testimony of thy truth in the word of God But as you see all their doctrine is flatly condemned in the same Let vs venture our liues for Iesus Christ his Gospel not for the pope and his Church as his Iesuites doe We haue no such commandement in the word of God Let not the wickednesse of the worlde or of some carnall gospellers which say and do not any whit dismaie vs or make vs stumble There hath béene such and shal be such alwaies The séede is good but the ground is naught Let vs be of the small flocke of Iesus Christ which heare his word and kéepe it Let vs in all thinges which chaunce vnto vs either in the weather or in our wealth and goods or in our bodies blesse and praise the Lord with blessed Iob. Let vs possesse our soules with patience Let vs arme our soules to temptation for the Lorde will trye all that be his Wilt thou be a Paule thou shalt haue an Angel of Sathan to buffet thée Wilt thou be a Dauid thou shalt haue Saule to persecute thée Wilt thou be Peter thou shalt haue Sathan to sift thée And to be short as many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Let vs now waite for the comming of the bridegroome The Cockes haue crowne a great while the day dawneth great knowledge and light is in the world surely the Sunne is not farre off I meane Iesus Christ Luke 12. ver 35. he is euen now in a rising Let our loines be girded vp not flaunting with our vaine garments and our torches of faith and good workes in our handes and let vs be as seruants euery day and houre waiting when our maister will come from the marriage who hath promised he will come quickly And surely he will kéepe his promise And the spirit Apoc. 22. ver 17. and the Bride saide Come Lord Iesus And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come And let whosoeuer will take of the water of life fréely Euen so come Lorde Iesus as thou hast promised and make vs all readie against thy coming and make vs thirst and long for the water of life which is thy holy worde that we bée not fruitlesse and deade at thy coming To thée the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise power and saluation for euermore Amen FINIS
Heretikes from whence that tryall of spirites which Saint Iohn commaundeth to all his children is had From hence that spirice of discretion and iudgement 1. Cor. 3. whereof all the seruaunts of God in some measure are partakers appeareth He that is spiritual saith the Apostle iudgeth all things and now all Christians are spirituall For they which haue not the spirite of Christ are none of his And all the sonnes of God are led with the spirite of God And they all by this holy bonde are knitte to their heade Iesus Christ And therefore the holy Ghost is called the bonde of peace They all can discerne light from darkenesse Christ from Belyall They are not without sence without spirite fleshly not hauing the spirit as are those false Prophets whereof S. Iude prophesieth as are those Idolaters of whom Dauid sayth Their Idols and grauen Images are without sence vnderstanding and so are they that made them and so are all they that put their trust in them And surely such was the insensiblenesse of many Idolaters in times past they were as voyde of true sence of God euen as the Image which they worshipped But the true Christians all haue hereof a féeling and vnderstanding and they must vse their sences they must trie their féeling they must vse their discretion The Lorde hath not giuen them these his graces in vaine What this varietie of iudgements and opinions doth onely beautifie the Church of God Hereof was the great glorie and beautie of Moyses Tabernacle of the diuersitie of oblations of the variety which euery one offred If they had all brought things of one kinde it had not béene so glorious and pleasant to the eyes Hereof when as they all agréed in the manner of their offering in this one thing that they offered willingly and fréely as for the matter not onely golde and siluer but also brasse not onely blew and purple but also scarlet not onely linnen and fine silke but also Goates haire were accepted and receiued All these being aptly ioyned together according to that forme which Moises sawe in the Mount did giue great glorie and beautie to this Tabernacle Salomons temple also contayned in it diuerse furnitures of nature diuerse functions and helpes of arte And hereof was the glorie of it contayned Ephes 4. what also meaneth that méeting of all men in vnitie of faith in the Church of Christ but the diuerse wayes and diuerse iudgements of many What meaneth this prophesyings of two or thrée in the Church and congregation and the iudgement of the rest but diuerse senses and sentences of holy Scripture what meaneth that prophesying or interpretation of scripture according to the Analogie of faith which Saint Paule maketh mention of 12. Rom. But that there is a certaine compasse of discenting varying in the Church of God so that it be within the boundes What meaneth that mariage garmentes of the Church her selfe 45. Psalme which Salomons wife no doubt did shadowe out vnto vs. The Quéene stoode on the right hande in a vesture of golde wrought about with diuerse colours and what meaneth that néedle worke that followeth all the glorie of the kinges daughter is within In a vesture of golde wrought with néedle worke shall shee be brought vnto the king What I say meane all these varieties all these diuersities all these néedle workes but wholely a diuersitie of iudgementes and as it were the soft stinginges of Bées one towardes an other which make the Lordes honny And yet al this without death without destruction without damnation Therefore in vaine crie our aduersaries and vrge this as Hercules dart Luther and Caluine do dissent concerning the Lordes Supper Therefore if Luther bee saued Caluine is damned Therefore in vaine doe many whisper this into the eares of the simple people they striue amongest them selues and that very bitterly of certaine rites and ceremonies of the Church of abuses of Ecclesiasticall matters of the garment of this Quéene Therefore their religion is nought and no credite is to be giuen to their Sermons therefore there is no trueth amongest them For say they there is but one trueth and that simple and peaceable In déede to confesse the trueth they striue of the vesture of the Quéene that is to saye of Sacrifices and Ceremonies but not of the life of faith they quarrell amongest them selues in déede of the building vppon of golde and siluer and precious stones but not of the foundation of Iesus Christ For truely besides faith in Iesus Christ all the other pointes of our religion are but the garmentes ornamentes exercises iewelles badges fruites companions waiting maydes of this our mother of true religion Not her substance not her life not her saluation And therefore first of all as concerning faith onely sayeth our Prophet Habakuck The iust shall liue by faith and the same saying the Apostle Saint Paule repeateth often after him The first to the Romaines the seuentéenth verse and the third Chapter to the Galathians and the tenth to the Hebrewes as an vndoubted trueth without any addition of workes or any thing else And our Sauiour Christ him selfe teacheth vs the same thing Hée that beléeueth in me though he were dead shall liue And hee that beléeueth not shall bée damned And also the Apostle Saint Iohn Hee that hath the sonne hath life But as concerning Sacramentes the Apostle Paule to the Galathians sayth as manie as are Baptised haue put on Iesus Christ And of good workes the same Apostle sayeth to the Collossians Put vpon you as the elect of GOD bowelles of mercie c. And to the Hebrewes of the same he sayth But wee hope better of you and thinges accompanying saluation Therefore workes accompanie saluation they are not saluation it selfe And godlinesse hee calleth the beste exercise and circumcision a seale of righteousnesse These names doe declare the nature of all these Then truth in déede is but one but as long as shée is here on earth shee is not without a veale without a mufler If truth were so easie to be mette withall then all labour of séeking of searching of studying was but in vaine If eyther the Church it selfe at anie time could embrace trueth in her perfect age absolute in all respectes then there should bee no increase of knowledge as long as we liue here in this worlde The which growing in knowledge that it should be in vs all the Apostles Peter and Paule doo verie earnestly exhort and commande If the millitant Church heere on earth coulde clyme vp to the highest degrée of knowledge then in vaine were that perfection in knowledge and not proper to the triumphant Church in heauen But as yet the Scriptures are to be searched of vs day and night besides the light which the fathers haue left vs They are written for our further learning and instruction As the Church of the Israelites had many mansions and going forwardes euen till it came to the boundes of the lande
An Apologie or Defence of our dayes against the vaine murmurings complaints of manie Wherein is plainly proued that our dayes are more happie blessed than the dayes of our forefathers In the latter dayes I will powre out my spirite on all flesh Ioel. 2. In the Euening it shal be light Zachar. 14.7.8.9 The Gospell shal be preached through all the world for a witnesse vnto all Nations and then shall the ende come Math. 24. LONDON Printed by Iohn Wolfe 1589. To the right worshipfull Sir Anthonie Thorrold Knight and to the vertuous Ladie Anne Thorrold his wife Francis Trigge wisheth this yeare with manie others prosperous ioyfull in this world in the world to come life euerlasting BEeing prouoked right worshipfull by your manifold curtesies at all times shewed to my mother mee Lest I should seeme ingratefull which of all sinnes both towardes God and amongest men I accompt the greatest I was euen enforced to shewe my selfe thankfull vnto your worships And whereas at this time euerie one doe not onely in wordes but also in deedes with their presents gifts shewe some signe and token of this their thankefulnes Euen so I also out of my simple garden haue chosen a handfull of Flowers as it were a Nosegay the best present I could get to offer vnto you In the which although some of the flowers perchaunce shal seeme rough and to haue some prickes yet I trust as the Gilliflower and the Rose they smell sweete that is taste of trueth being grounded on the vndoubted trueth of Gods worde The which I haue intituled A defence of our daies against the murmurings and complaints of manie Then the which murmuring and complaining we haue no one sinne amongst vs more common nor anie one more odious to the Maiestie of God which stoppes his blessings from vs yearely in my iudgement pulles his heauie wrath and plagues vpon vs For amongst the old Israelites after their departure out of Egypt Exod. 16. this sinne was almost continuall and daily among them they were neuer content they still found fault with somthing They either lacked water or victuals or Quailes or their enimies were too mightie for them or Moses Aaron tooke too much vpon them And by this meanes those 40 yeares they angred the Lord and prouoked the holie one of Israel as saieth the Psalmist And S. Paul by their examples giues vs a lesson 1. Cor. 10. Be not murmurers saith he as some of them were and were destroyed of the destroyer Thus to murmure or complaine we accompt but a small thing almost no sin at all But behold it is a deadlie sinne it bringeth death vnnaturall vntimelie euen of the destroyer And surelie I feare mee this one thing hath caused the vntimelie deathes of manie of our riche men this last yeare When as God had sent them plentie of corne yet they were not content they would hurd vp their old They would saie it wil be deare still nay they would deuise how to make it deare They would complaine of much strawe little corne and so no doubt they angred the Lorde God with these hurdings vp murmurings and euen shortened their owne daies For we are all taught this generall lesson by our doctor master S. Paul 1. Thess 5. Phil. 2. In all things giue thanks And againe do al things without murmurings reasonings And Dauid shewes vs the talke speaches of Gods seruants They saie alwaies the Lord be praised And S. Paul himselfe not onlie by word of mouth but by his own example teacheth vs this lesson who going vp to Ierusalem and as he went by the waie certaine Prophets tolde him that of a trueth he would be hardlie welcomed thither that he should be bound imprisoned who neuer grudged at such hard tydings but ioyfullie aunswered The Lords wil be done Ecclesiasticus 39. ver 13. I am not readie to be bound but to die for the Lord Iesus And Ecclesiasticus giueth vs this counsel Hearken vnto me O ye holie children bring foorth fruite as the Rose that is planted by the brookes of the field and giue you a sweet smel as incense brings forth flowers as the Lylie giue a smell sing a song of praise Blesse the Lord in al his works This is a sweet rose vnto the Lord euen at Christyd This is the sweete frankinsence that the Lord delightes in This is the pure white Lyllye flower And none may saye what is this wherefore is that At all times conuenient they shall al be sought out We shall one day perceiue that all the workes of God euen our great fluddes our yll seede forrowes our great windes our weete haruestes shall tende to the saluation of our soules though they diminish the gaine of our purses Therefore let vs not saie Oh what a weather is this Oh what a haruest is this But rather the Lord be praised who sendeth this The booke of the wisedom of Salomon in the first Chapter teacheth vs the same lesson as a chiefe and principall point of wisedome The eare of Ielousie heareth all thinges and the noise of the grudgings shall not be hidden Therefore beware of murmuring which profiteth or auaileth nothing See what great reasons Salomon alledgeth that wee should beware of this murmuring He compares God to an earnest louer which cannot abide his giftes his tokens to be founde fault withall The Lord markes our words gestures when he sends vs raine windes faire weather how we take these his tokens He tryes vs whether we loue him or not If we frowne when we receiue them it is a signe wee loue him not perfectly in deede A true and a faithfull louer will receiue anie thing and that cheerefully at his louers handes So ought wee to doe at Gods handes Secondly all our murmurings and complainings auaile nothing they make the weather neuer the better therefore they are in vaine Beware therefore of vaine murmuring and complaining The Lorde when as wee our selues deserue to be drowned with the olde worlde for despising not Noah the eight preacher of righteousnes but euē eight score He drownes our Haye our pastures when as we our selues deserued to be destroyed with those same couetous Gergesites For despising his Gospel making light account of it He killes destroyes but our swine He rottes our sheepe When as the Axe being laid long agoe to the roote of the tree by manie Iohn Baptists who preach vnto vs euen his verie commission preaching Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand And we waxing euery yere worse and worse deserue quite to be cut downe he doth by his sharpe windes of warres taxes but pluck of our leaues pinch our purses And shal we complaine or not rather commend extoll this great goodnes of our God and finde fault with our selues and say with Dauid in the like case being plagued for numbring the people Loe it is
this prophesie doth plainly proue the same in our eyes For from whence commeth those great streames of knowledge of light of learning of wisedom in euery arte in euery science in comparison of the former times but from this powring out of the Holie Ghost Then seeing in all other artes also in diuinitie in the knowledge of tongues and in expounding of Scriptures this wisedome this light this knowledge of the Scriptures this gift of tongues this great blessing of expounding the Scriptures and prophesieng the which al the Church of God now enioyeth cannot be denyed but to be of the Holie Ghost Wherefore this prophesie doeth stretch out it selfe euen vnto vs. This floud and powring out of the Holie Ghost being begunne in the Apostles time and being dryed vp with that feruent heate of worldlye troubles of warres in the Popes tyrannie nowe at the length in the euentyde in this twilight is burst foorth againe and floweth to vs most plenteously and also with great aboundance This we see this let vs confesse this we must acknowledge The Holie Ghost is compared to the winde by our Sauiour It loueth the coolenes of the ayre It flyeth from the scortching heate of the Sunne Morning and euening the pleasant and wholesome blastes of it is felt and perceiued And at noone time for the most parte it is quiet calme and not discerned What that same coopling together that followeth of miracles of wonders of the Sunne of the Earth of the Moone of lightning the which our times do beholde do plainly testifie that the same prophesie going before doth concerne vs that that same streame of the Holie Ghost doth reach vnto vs that it doth water also our Church Hereof thanks be to God for this his vnspeakable gyft the states of our Realme our Noble men our Counsellours are more wise as Dauid in the lawe of the Lord and by his lawe then their Elders Seniors Priests yea what do I say Priests or elders then their doctours yea then their Bishops in time of Popish religion Our children are able to speake to the praise glorie of God farre beyond their olde men And when as their Pharisies their Scribes and doctours of the Lawe are in deede dombe our infants and sucklings in age in comparison of them crye Osanna And that in Greeke Hebrewe and all kinde of tongues When as in that blinde and darke kingdome this prouerbe no lesse olde then true was commonly vsed It is Greeke it cannot be read Timothie the young man Apollo the Iewe Aquila the artificer euen nowe in the Church of God are more mightie in the Scripture can expound the worde of God more perfectly can reprehend sinne more boldly can comfort the afflicted soule more forceablye then those whome they called Clergie men as though they alone had beene the Lordes then the Schoole-men whome they so termed much like the Scribes amongest the Iewes then those greye haires reuerend fathers of their Hermits Abbots Monkes in all their Cloisters Such Timothies haue we had verie manie Some such Iewes Tremelius Some such artificers in the beginning of the Gospell Although they do depraue and maliciously scoffe at such young men and such workemen But in the ende such which are young in yeares haue beene trayned vp in some occupacion in the beginning of their life that with S. Paul counselleth Timothie to doe shall shewe them selues workemen without reproofe rightly deuiding the worde of trueth against that great daye of the haruest to the shame and confusion of their so manie Priestes Elders fathers Of whome if I helde my peace their workes monuments in the Church of God would testifie the same Wherefore this prophesie doth belong vnto vs those holie streames flowe vnto vs and also they are ours Hereof are those dreames meditations and reuelations by night of the lawe of the Lord to his faithfull seruants to them which loue it to them which chewe as it were eate it to them that muse in it daye and night Therefore this is an vniust complaint That selfe same thing and these our dayes nature her selfe also hath as it were shadowed vnto vs and liuely expressed in the Sunne What do we not see in our Sunne before his rising a certaine brightnesse to goe before by certaine degrees through our whole Hemispherie An Hemispherie is the compas of the heauens as farre as we can see and the beames of his light as it were sent before before the appearing and seeing of the bodye of the Sunne it selfe So truely before the rising and returning againe of Iesus Christ of that true Sunne before his moste glorious appearing in the Hemispherie or compasse of his Church wee see it come to passe and doe nowe plainly feele Wee see the beames of his brightnesse sent before through the whole worlde through all thinges through all Artes through all countries this light this brightnes encreaseth euery yeare more and more wee our selues doe plainly perceiue this When Wyckliffe and Hus preached this light beganne in the middest of most thicke Popish darkenesse When Erasmus and Luther preached this light was increased as in the dawning or in the daye breake When Caluin Bucer and Bullinger preached it was spread farre and wyde But nowe truely all darkenes being dispersed it hath filled all the worlde it hath entred into euery thinke it hath lightned all the ayre And it encreaseth euery daye and is more brighter and clearer This is a moste certaine signe as also in that materiall Sunne euen nowe of Christes drawing neare of appearing in his maiestie and standing as it were in the last degree And as S. Iames sayeth standing at the dore yea nowe at the verye thresholde And is not this the verie true Image of our time O howe happie were were wee if wee knewe our owne good things but wee are like Israell plainly vnder the gouernement of Moses both for Gods blessings and for our owne blindnesse vnthankefulnes and murmurings Pharaoes Egypt was not better than the Wildernes his meates not better than Manna His Leekes not better than the Lawe of the Lorde The waters of Niluâ— then that which flowed out of the Rocke the harbours of their houses than the ouershadowing of the darke cloude the Torches and lightes of the Egyptians than the Piller of fire which coulde not be put out But yet the blinde vnthankefull and wicked Israelites doe not accompt these thinges so Howe often woulde they haue gone backe to Egypt againe Howe often did they wish for it againe Howe often in their mouthes did they highly commende it Wee plainlye are in the same case What good thinges they had in the shadowe wee haue them in the trueth What things they had painted vnto them as it were wee haue the thinges them selues liuely giuen vnto vs What thinges they had in their bodyes wee haue them in our soules And yet wee complaine we murmure wee are not thankefull wee wish for the former Egypt
not with his owne strength and merites The sea of all people and Nations almost haue fledde backe from our Pharao the Pope and Iordaine that most commodious ryuer of sayling to Rome for pardons and dispensations is driuen backe And these same great mountaines of kinges and noble men haue skipped like Rammes and reuolted from him At the presence of the Lord his holy spirit which is in the middest of our churches the little hilles of the people like yong sheepe This desire of all nations Iesus Christ hath so inflamed the hearts of all men hath so set them on fire kindle in them an vnspeakable zeale For what other cause can be giuē of the sudden forsaking of the Popes yoke obedience almost now of the best in euery countrey in his so great power crueltie in theirs so great perils and dangers which doe forsake him that they should hazarde and venture not only their goods and possessions but also their own liues Surely it must néedes be some great matter that should thus moue themselues to venture their liues to this extremitie and that voluntarily and not by compulsion Besides this mouing of all Nations the worde of God hath giuen to all men peace of conscience which beléeue it and receiue it That nowe they feare not to dye merily and ioyfully without any 〈◊〉 or pardons or Diriges to be song yearely for them after their death That nowe with their captaine Iesus Christ they dare boldly commit their soules into the hands of God their father without any singing or ringing or massing of Popish Fréers This is the peace of the gospel this is the peace in death this of all other peace is the greatest And are not our churches adorned and decked are not they verye glorious are not they very famous Are not these strange things and wonderful which in our church the Lord worketh Doe we account this mouing of all Nations this knowledge of Iesus Christ this presence of his holye spirite this preaching of his worde this greatest peace of all other peace of conscience to be matters of nothing to be matters of no weight Many there be that make many other complaintes but these are the most grieuous and most common Some do find fault at our euil liues They doe not followe saye they the worde of God which they professe and they commend to the skyes the holinesse and good workes of our forefathers Some other doe accuse the basenes of our birthes the obscuritie of our stocke They are vpstartes strangers of base parentage youthes not of the auncient Nobilitie Some other do feare and blase abroad the sturres and stormes of our times the inuasions of our enimies See say they 〈◊〉 what dangers they haue brought vs in howe many and howe mightie enimies they haue plucked on our backs Some mislike with our often marriages and that maketh so many beggets say they Some other do condemne especially the marriages of Ministers and they cannot abyde that they shoulde purchase anye lande for their children Others which woulde seeme more deuout stande onely on this point They condemne all our forefathers saye they and therefore they will neuer be on our opinion So that there is almost no man but he hath something to complaine of some thing grieueth him To which all he that woulde fully satisfie should neuer make an ende Yet lost by our scilence they shoulde seeme to haue gotten the victorie I wil saye some thing to euery one of these And first of all these which talke so much of their forefathers doe little consider with Dauid the dayes of their forefathers in déede Psal 75. ver 3. These did not goe into the Tabernacle of God they doe not receiue the congregation with Dauid for then they woulde iudge rightly they pronounce like blinde men of colours without light of vertue But that I maye aunswere briefelye to this great Chaos and heape of quarrels this is my opinion First concerning oure liues that they so greatly fynde fault withall and our workes Wée haue one worke almost dayly amongest vs in manye places which doeth surmount and surpasse all their workes of the whole yeare naye of their whole liues The which only worke God the Father commaundeth from heauen that is to saye the hearing of the worde of Iesus Christ Mat. 17. ver 5. This is my beloued sonne sayeth God the Father heare him God the Father was neuer heard to speake to any man before in this worlde so properly in his owne person as in Matthew 3.17 and in the 17. Chapter and fifth verse teaching this doctrine Therefore his voyce is worthie to be marked diligently And he commaundeth nothing but this Heare him And our Sauiour Christ hath pronounced of his ministers to the end of the worlde lest our Recusants shoulde saye they refuse not to heare Iesus Christ Hée that heareth you heareth mée Hée that heareth mée heareth him that sent mée And I am with you to the end of the worlde This worke wée haue This onely wée doe This is our glorie But they had one sinne in those dayes which surpesseth all the sinnes of the whole worlde which like that leuen of the Pharisies corrupted all their workes so manye in number so costly so stricte and so seuere and that was Incredulitie They belieued not the Gospell of Iesus Christ They durst not ground their faith and venture their liues vpon it The Holie Ghoste when hee shall come into the worlde sayeth 〈◊〉 Sauiour Christe shall rebuke the worlde of sinne Iohn 16. ver 9. But of what sinne of that greate sinne of all other because they beléeued not in mee sayeth oure Sauiour Because they haue not beléeued in the onely begotten sonne of God Because they haue not beléeued his Ghospell his ioyfull tydings of saluation This sinne was common to them with the Pharisies and therefore all their workes were vnsauourie Naye they were sinnes before the Lorde For without faith it is vnpossible to please God And what so euer is not of faith is sinne And as conseruing the small fruite of hearing the worde of God which they finde faulte withall because it is not fruitefull in all or in the moste parte Let them remember our Sauiour Christe himselfe hath tolde them that not all his seede but the fourth parte onely shoulde bring foorth good fruite Let them remember the Apostle Saint Paule rebuking them which so curiousely prye into other mennes lyues and for the moste parte neglect their owne Rom. 14. ver ◠1. Cor. 4. ver 3. Who art thou that doest iudge another mannes seruauntes Euery man standes or falles to his master The prayses or disprayses of men hée himselfe nothing regardes Hée runneth his race by good reportes and euill reportes as hée teacheth the Corinthians And so surely must all his companions and fellowe seruauntes That seruaunt is happye whome the master commendeth Sathan is readye to pinche the héele of the womans séede of the
strumpets and harlots should succeede in the inheritance of their fathers But to onely Priestes and Clarkes this is not lawfull And that amongst Christian Emperors Why is not that lawful to vs which is lawful to all men yea to the very meanest sort of men If all other men may purchase land why may not Ministers purchase In déede amongst the Iewes this purchasing for Priestes was not lawfull because their children succéeded their fathers in the Priesthood but now that succession is taken away The Leuites children were sure of liuing were they learned were they vnlearned were they vnlearned when their Fathers were deade but so are not our Ministers children God hath dealt better with vs then with the Iewes wee are not tyed to any one mans succession or stocke for our priests and Ministers as the Iewes were We may choose the best and learnedst where soeuer we finde them whose sonnes soeuer they be And shall our ministers children be worse prouided for then were the children of those Iewish priestes Séeing then their succession is taken away which was a sure stay of liuing for them I do not sée but that our purchases are lawful God gaue euery one a lot in that land of Chanaan and I doe not sée why our ministers children should be without their lot also in our Chanaan But they say we condemne our forefathers if our religion be true then all our fathers be damned say they No we condemne not our fathers but we condemne all vnbelieuers which now wil not belieue the word of God Our forefathers if they liued now in this great light they would surely haue condemned the great blindnesse of many of their children they would haue condemned their obstinacies in the refusing this great goodnesse of the Lord so mercifully offered them they would haue condemned the hardnesse of their harts in not being moued to turne to the Lord from their former superstition and ignorance in such great knowledge in such great light in so many of the Lords wonders shewed amongst vs. As our Sauior Christ taught the Iewes they should haue had no sinne if he had not spoken vnto them so we teach of our forefathers that their sins was not so grieuous because they hard not the word of the Lord. But now our sinne is in the highest degrée of comparison if wee obey it not being so plainely taught vs 1. Tim. 1. cap. ver 13. that which S. Paule confesseth of himselfe I being a persecutor a blasphemer of the name of Iesus yea the chiefe of all sinners yet haue obtained mercie because I did it ignorantly so we iudge of our forefathers that without all doubt they haue obtained mercy And that which Azaria the Lords Prophet 2. Chron. cap. 15. v 34 Mark 12. ver 19.20 being sent to Aza taught him and all Israel in the like case of their forefathers departed This same we doe teach and affirme of our forefathers Israel hath béene a great while saith he without the true God without any priest preaching vnto him without the law Surely in the like case was our forefathers in the same state was the Church of God in those dayes they knew not God there was no priest to preach vnto them the word of God But what then were they all damned that dyed in those dayes no God forbid saith the Prophet but whosoeuer in their affliction turned vnto the Lord God and sought him was found of him so truely our forefathers although in their life they trusted in their workes and called vpon Saintes yet when they came to dye once they forgat all these and were wont to call vpon the Lord and to séeke after him alone and to haue him in their mouthes And we doe not doubt but according to his promise they found him but wée iudge and plainely affirme the case and cause of those blinde guides of those couetous priestes which solde their merits and their masses to bee farre harder in the day of iudgement And that they for their wilful blindnesse and great couetousnesse shall hardly find mercie No in truth if they marke well they shall finde that our religion doth not condemne our forefathers but that if euer any of them were saued we shew how they were saued Mar. 12. ver 19.20 for we preach Iesus Christ such a one as he is in déed a most merciful Sauiour who will not quench smoaking flaxe nor breake a bruised réede haue he faith as a graine of mustard séede haue he a sparkle of Gods holy spirit though he be not a stone with Peter but a réede with Thomas though he be not all a fire with Paule but euen smoking with Nicodemus Our Iesus wil not refuse him he wil not put him away he will not breake him she which toucheth the hem of his garment was healed This is the saluation of our fathers thus they were saued this we belieue this we teach this is the Gospel this is the glad tidings of our saluation But the Popes confessors bringing in againe the law of Moyses as in their Iewish robes of Myters and Copes and Tunicles so also in their doctrine haue taught another lesson Do this thou shalt liue say they giue thy lands to a chauntrie priest to a morrow masse build a Chappel and so forth Ouerthrowing the word of faith altogether which the Apostles preached And that continuall practise of our Sauiour to all that euer he cured or saued who saide not at any time doe this and thou shalt be saued but thy faith hath made thée whole verie like that same naughtie seruant in the Gospel who hauing but one talent hid the same euen so did they that same smal knowledge they had of Iesus Christ Yea more then this belying him saying he was a hard man a cruel requirer and exacter of his debts euen to the vttermost farthing either in hell or in their purgatorie that he was a seuere not a mercifull Sauior that he was not affable or easie to be spoken to that he had his Porters his intercessors or mediators vnto him so that poore sinners could haue no accesse vnto him such a Christ such a Sauior they made of our Sauior Iesus when as the Gospel plainly teacheth the king of Sion our Messias to be most gentle most méeke most merciful most affable most courteous most lowly which wil not striue with sinners which will not enter into iudgement with them which wil put none from him yea which with his owne mouth calleth them which are slow and heauie loden vnto him Who is so farre off that he wil not heare our prayers that to this end and purpose he is saide to haue ascended into heauen and there euen now to stand readie to receiue all that shall be offered vnto him and putting vnto them that swéete incense of his death and passion to present them vnto his father Such a one is our king such a one is our Sauior such a one is our Mediator