inplain words yet in plaine deeds while they contemne his voyce The Apostle saith Titus 1. 16. There are which professe to know God Sed factis negant in their workes they denie him being abhominable disobedient and to euery goodworke reprobate Concerning this point That as the earth is the Lordes so all that are in it as the habitable world is his so they that dwell therein Concerning this The Lorde saith Ezechiel 18. 4. Omnes animaemeae sunt all soules are mine the soule of the father and the soule of the sonne is mine And if the soules of all both young and olde be the Lordes whose are the bodies which in all things are ruled by the wil of the soule The Lord further saith Ieremie 32. 27. Beholde I am the Lorde God of all flesh is any thing to hard for me All flesh is his If our bodies be flesh they also are the Lordes Let flesh and bloud therefore and euery childe of man acknowledge to whome he belongeth Caro et spiritus totus homo carnalis et spiritualis omnis homo flesh and spirite the whole man fleshly and spirituall euery man is wholely the Lordes Dauid was godly Saule was wicked Vterque dei Dauid of an vpright hart Saul an hypocrite Vterque seruus dei Both the one and other his seruants Paule speaking of Iesus Christ that had humbled himselfe and became obedient vntill the death of the Crosse saith of him Phil. 2. 9. That therefore God hath highly exalted him and giuen him a name aboue euery name that at the name of Iesus Omne genu se flectat coelestium ac terrestrium et subterra neorum euery knee should bow of things in heauen and of things in earth and of things vnder the earth Omnisque lingua profiteatur Iesum Christum esse dominum ad gloriam dei patris and that euery tongue should confesse Iesus Christ to be the Lord to the glory of God the father Euery one therefore whatsoeuer he be and wheresoeuer of al the creatures of God in heauen or in earth or vnder the earth must acknowledge the soueraigne authority of this Lord That the earth is his and all that are in it the world al they that dwell therin There haue beene ample kingdomes in the world mighty Kings claming and conquering farre but none so ample so farre claming as this The glorious kingdome of the golden head of Babell the rich kingdome of the siluer brest and armes of the Medes and Persians the mighty kingdome of the brasen bellies and thighes of Alexander the Grecians the warlike kingdomes of the Yron legs of the Seleucidae and Lagidae successors of Alexander in the North and South are able to match this ample kingdome of the Lord. The king saw a stone cut of without handes that grewe into a great mountaine and filled the whole earth Which the prophet interpreteth of the ample and eternall kingdome that God should set vp among men euen the kingdome of his sonne whose borders should be the circle of the world The breadth thereof frō the North to the South The length therof the iourny of the sunne Vbicunque locus est illic preest dominus vbicunque homines sunt illis praeest dominus Whersoeuer place is there God raigneth wheresoeuer men are ouer them God raigneth Malach. 1. 11. From the rysing of the Sunne vnto the going downe thereof my name is great among the Gentiles and in euery place incense shal be offered to my name a pure offering for my name is great among the Heathen saith the Lord of hostes Thus much of this verse shewing how far the Lord claimeth euen to be Lord of all the earth the inhabitantes the world and the dwellers therein For hee hath founded it vppon the Seas and established it vppon the floudes This verse contayneth a reason and ground of his claime namely that hee made the world and the inhabitantes thereof And where as the Prophet saith that God did found it and establish it vpon the waters the meaning is this that in founding and establishing the earth and habitable world he made it to appeare high aboue the waters as if the waters lying euen in a lowe leuell called aquae quia aequae as if these leueled lowe waters were the flore the earth the building raised vp vpon them Genesis 1. 9. It is written God said againe let the waters vnder the heauen be gathered into one place and let the dry land appeare and it was so And God called the dry land earth and the gathering together of the waters he called seas Before the waters and the earth were so mixed that the earth was wholy couered with the waters as a lute or some instrument in a case and God commaunded them to retyre into one place and holde an euen course For so Tremelius interprets the place recto et aequabili cursu contendant Let their motion from hence foorth be direct and leuell hastening into their assigned place where they may haue that euen course This worke of God is notablie set foorth by the Prophet in the Psalme 104. Tremelius reading giuing much light to our reading from the 5. ver He set the earth vpon her foundatiōs that it shall neuer moue Abisso vt indumento operueras eam supramontes stantibus aquis Thou hadst couered it with the deepe as with a garment the waters standing aboue the mountaines thus it was vntill the third day Ex increpatione tua diffugerunt a voce tui tonitrui accelerarunt fugam at thy rebuke they fled from the voyce of thy thunder they hastened their flight Gods worde was like a thundring checke vnto them Conscenderunt per montes descenderunt per valles in locum quem fundaueras eis they climed ouer the mountaines ranne downe by the vallies vnto the place assigned to them Terminum opposuisti ne transeant ne reuertuntur ad operiendū terram Thou hast set bonds vnto thē that they shall not passe that they returne not to couer the earth thus it was on the third day and by that word of God as an eternal decree the waters hold their rectumet aequabilem cursum their plaine and leuell wauing course and are about the skirtes of the dry land as a foundation and strong pinning to holde vp the sides of it And therefore doth the Prophet say That the Lord hath founded it vppon the Seas and prepared it vppon the floudes Whatsoeuer his words are the thing that he affirmeth is this that God in the beginning made the earth made the inhabitants by the power of his word and by the same mighty word of his stil vpholdeth the same We haue the history of the creation deliuered in writing vnto vs by the mā to whom God appeared in the burning bush to whom God spake in the mountaine familiarly face to face that saw the glory of God somuch as mortall eyes might see and liue euen by Moses that was faithfull
in al the house and he doth ascribe the creation therof vnto God In whose bookes these are the first words grauen as it were in the forhead therof In principio deus creauit coelū et terram in the beginning God created the heauen the earth so that as the two disciples going to Emaus said vnto Iesus after his resurrection not yet known vnto them that he must needs be the only stranger in Israell if he knew not the things that had lately happened to Iesus of Nazareth a Prophet mighty in deede and in word before God and all the people so hee must needes bee a very great stranger in the Scriptures that knoweth not that God made the worlde Manye great Philosophers among the vnbeleeuing Gentiles hauing read the bookes of other writers haue doubted of the creation of the worlde and some haue thought it to haue beene eternall neuer made And some more folishly haue supposed it to haue beene accidently made Ex atomis conflatum growne to this forme by the falling of small motes together But among Christians which haue the bookes of Scripture Scripturae diuinitus inspiratae giuen by inspiration of God the childe that hath but spelled the first line of the Bible learneth that the Almightie God did create the heauen and the earth In Esa. 40 25. the Lord saith To whom now will you liken me that I should be like him saith the holy one lift vp your eyes on high and beholde who hath created these things and bringeth out their armies by number and calleth them all by names After verse 28. Knowest thou not or hast thou not heard that the euerlasting God the Lord hath created the ends of the earth c. In Ieremie in his tenth chapter where he sheweth the vanitie of idols compared vnto the liuing God the God of trueth in the 11. verse it is thus written Thus shall yee say vnto them the Gods that haue not made the heauens and the earth shall perish from the earth and from vnder these heauens he hath made the earth by his power and established the world by his wisedome and hath stretched out the heauens by his discretion And in the 27. Chapter and 5. verse God saith of himselfe I haue made the earth the man and the beast that are vpon the ground by my great power and by my out-stretched arme c. Yea God manifested in the flesh Iesus Christ the sonne of God and sonne of the Virgin Marie to whome in regarde of his humaine nature the iudgement of the worlde is committed which in regarde of his diuine nature was his without commission he hath made the worlde and all things therein and dooth now conserue the same Paul saith of him Colos. 1. 16. That by him althings were created which are in heauen and which are in earth things visible and things inuisible And the Apostle to the Hebrewes 1. 2. speaketh thus That whereas in former times God spake vnto our fathers by the Prophets in these last daies he hath spoken vnto vs by his sonne whom he hath made heire of all things by whom also he made the world who being the brightnesse of the glory and the ingraued forme of his person and bearing vp all things Potente verbo suo by his mightie word hath by himselfe purged our sinnes by him the world was made and by his mighty worde the world and all things in it are susteined So that certainly God did create the earth the habitable world all that dwell vpon it He did found it establish it vpon the seas being now by Gods appointment as a wall at the foote therof and a strong buttrice to shore and vphold the same But is this a good reason to claime the soueraigntie of the world because he made it I surely When Iacob had made his pottage and Esau came home hungrie out of the field he acknowledged that to be Iacobs that Iacob had made he challenged no right in it neither desired to haue it but vpon composition with his brother He is therefore more vnreasonable then Esau that acknowledging God to haue made the world will denie him to be Lord of the world of the worke of his owne hands Paul among the Athenians Acts. 17. 24. speaketh thus God that made the worlde and all things that are therein seeing that he is Lord of heauen earth dweleth not in temples made with hands Where he hath affirmed that God made the world and all things therin he feareth not immediatly to annex as a thing not to be spoken against that he is lord of heauen earth Concerning man one part of this earth and habitable world for he was made of the dust of the earth the Prophet saith Psal. 100. 3. Know yee that the Lord he is God it is he that hath made vs not we our selues we are his people and the sheepe of his pasture Hence he inferreth that we are his and he Lord and owner of vs as any man is of the flockes of his sheepe because the Lordes hands did make vs. And if the reason be good in any part of the world it is good also in the whole If the sonnes of men be Gods possession because hee made them then the earth and all that are vpon it are his for he made them In Esa. 45. 12. the Lord saith I haue made the earth and created man vpon it I whose hands haue spred out the heauens I haue euen commanded all their armie Because he made and created these things and did spred them out giuing both being and forme substance and shape vnto them therefore he commandeth them as their Lord. Omni exercitui eorum mandata Dei he commandeth all the armies of them Which he should not doe if they remained not his Therefore vpon so great reason let vs yeelde God his right and say with the Prophet The earth is the Lords and all that is in it the world and they that dwell therein For he hath founded it vpon the seas and established it vpon the flouds Thus haue yee heard the doctrine of these wordes Now let vs consider what holy good vse we may make thereof And let this be the first vse that if God be Lord of all the earth and also the inhabitants that then all the earth and the inhabitants doe acknowledge and honour him And this the holye Ghoast doth teach vs in the Psalme 96. from the verse 7. Giue vnto the Lorde the families of the people giue vnto the Lorde glory and power giue vnto the Lord the glory of his name bring an offering and enter into his Courtes Worship the Lorde in the glorious sanctuarie tremble before him all the earth say among the nations the Lord reigneth Surely the worlde shal be stable and not mooue and he shall iudge the people in righteousnesse Let the heauens reioyce and let the earth bee glad let the Sea roare and all that therein is let the fielde bee
therin are all the Lordes because he made them and conserueth them Then sure it is lawfull for him to dispose of these things at his pleasure And here it hath place that is said in the Gospel Mat. 20. 15. An non licet mihi quod volo facere in meis rebus Is it not lawfull for me to do as I will with mine owne and therfore with reuerence wee must approoue of the counsell and worke of the Lorde now fallen out among vs in these dayes We lately had ah heauie voyce that we must say wee had a most gratious Queene by many names most deare vnto vs who raigning by God raigning for God most happilye swayed the scepter of this mighty kingdome foure and fortye yeares eighteene weekes and two dayes Salomon being annoynted to raigne ouer the twelue Tribes esteemed it a burden though an honourable burden to goe in and out before that people and sayde vnto God 1. King 3. 9. who is able to iudge this thy mighty people euen so the care of our peace prosperitye and welfare was vnto our Queene a burden of which burden God hath now eased her shoulders receiued her to rest and raigne with him in heauen In whose place as Salomon succeeding Dauid vnto which two in Israel I compare these two in England for wisedome pietye and loue to Gods house we haue and shall haue ah word of comfort that we may say as was hartely wished by most that feare God that we haue and shall haue the heigh and mighty king Iames by the grace of God the sixt of that name King of Scotland by the same deuine grace the first of that name King of England France and Ireland to raigne ouer vs. When Salomon was annoynted king in Israel the seruants of Dauid came in vnto him and said 1. King 3. 47. God make the name of Salomon more famous then thy name and exalt his throne aboue thy throne And Iames being proclamed king in England so we say of him if it be possible God make his name more famous then the name of Elizabeth whose name was famous to the endes of the world and exalt his throne aboue her throne whose throne was highly and honourably exalted when she sat therin a true defender of the faith This worke of the Lord taking from one giuing vnto another the throne and scepter of this noble kingdome let vs beare with such minde as becōmeth wisemen because the earth and the inhabitāts are the Lords to dispose at his pleasure If the change had beene vnto vs as dangerous as was feared by our selues hoped by our enimies we must haue borne it with quiet mindes because the earth is the Lordes Now then the change being better for vs then we durst expect we should be worthy of much blame if we doe not carry our selues in an euen reuerence betweene contrary affections in the consideration hereof I say in an euen reuerence and reuerent euennes betweene contrary affections because I know that in the due contemplation of this change mens mindes are vpon diuers pointes diuersly drawen aside with different affections While they consider her that is taken away they cannot choose but be full of heauinesse remembring what she was vnto them And when they consider him that is giuen vnto vs they cannot choose but be full of ioy to thinke what hee is like to bee vnto vs and therfore whomsoeuer I do here behold with chearfull countenances and bright apparrell I suppose that they doe mourne in wedding garmentes hauing both sorrow and ioye at their hearts hiding inwardly their sorrowe for hir that is departed and showing outwardly their ioye for him that is comming Whom otherwise I see with heauie countenances and darke apparrell I suppose that they reioyce in mourning weeds hauing both ioy and sorrow at their hearts hiding inwardly their ioy for him that is comming and showing outwardly their sorrow for hir that is gone And surely in this change seriouslie considered there are iust causes of both these affections That the death of our Queene could not but bring with it causes of heauinesse it hath beene long since examined and as it were by the subscription of all mens hands confirmed and happie England that God did not with his hand so largely subscribe for then it must haue beene so the Papists haue long wished and expected her death they haue often attempted by bloudie hands to hasten her ende they haue solicited with many prayers and vowes their He saints and She saints and haue stirred vp enemies against her Hoping that Christ in England should againe giue vp the ghost in the daye of her death and that the Gospell should bee buryed in the day of her funerals and they haue libertye to bring in Antichrist and restore againe the traditions of the church of Rome On the other side all that loue the Lorde Iesus with feare did thinke of her future death and with feruent prayers oft desired God to drawe out the length of her reigne with the dayes of heauen that she might resigne her Scepter into the handes of Christ at his comming to iudgement least happily loosing her before they might loose with her whatsoeuer blessings they receiued and enioyed with her These men hauing before thought of her death did in their hope and feare subscribe that surely her death must be dangerous to England Others also were of the same minde There is lurking among vs and God graunt they neuer haue time to showe their heads according to their desire a race of idle people inordinate walkers to whome orderly obedience seemeth to be seruile bondage and labour in an honest calling is a burden not to be borne men liuing by their witte in truth by their wickednesse by stealing cousening and such vnlawfull shiftes and as honestly spending their goods as getting them The setled gouernment the confirmed peace was a great let to their designements They expected a day in the death of our late Souereigne when the state beeing troubled they might spoile the subiects knowing it is best fishing in troubled streames On the other side the good subiects the honest Citizens louers of peace men honestlye getting their goods these fearing the clawes of the former vultures with griefe did fore-thinke the comming houre of her Maiesties death and besought God for the continuance of her life that the fruite of their iust labours Gods blessing in their honest walking in their callings might not be a pray to such spoilers These men also in their hope and feare had subscribed that her death would bring cause of sorrowe Thus we see how all men long since were of this minde And if the most mightie hand of our most mercifull God guiding the harts of our noble gouerners had not by the Proclaiming of our now Soueraigne King Iames turned their hope into vanitie and our feare into comfort surely the death of our excellent Queene had brought with it ruine and cause of sorrow