they shall seeke him with their whole heart Isa. 65. 24. Before they call I will answere and while they speake I will heare Psal 9. 18. The poore shall not alway bee forgotten the hope of the afflicted shall not perish for euer First Gods nature is to tender the miserie of the afflicted and distressed wherein hee cannot denie himselfe Psal. 12. 5. Now for the oppression of the needy and for the sighes of the poore I will vp saith the Lord and set him at libertie Exod. 3. 7. I haue surely seene the affliction of my people and heard their cry because of their taske-masters for I know their sorrowes and now am come downe to deliuer them this is Gods philanthropie and louing affection to mankinde to put forth thoughts of peace towards them Secondly if God should not take one time or other to answere his children he should not bee as good as his promise Call vpon me in the day of thy trouble and I will heare thee Hee should reiect prayer preferred according to his will and in the name of Christ and the voyce of his owne Spirit yea the prayer of faith tending to his glory and the saluation of his people which hee cannot doe and continue faithfull Thirdly he sets out a time of finding in respect of his owne glory sundry wayes first by being found of his people he procures praise and abundant thankesgiuing as Psal. 22. 24 26. He hath not despised the poore nor hid his face from him my praise shall be of thee in the great Congregation The poore shall eate and bee satisfied they that seeke after the Lord shall praise him see Psal. 79. 13. and Isa. 38. 19. The Fathers to the Children shall declare thy praise Yea the Lord challengeth this as a chiefe part of his glorie Isa. 42. 7 8. Secondly by being found of his people hee magnifies his owne name in the midst of his enemies for they brag and exalt themselues when they can tread vpon the necks of the godly Now lest they should say We haue preuailed and Where is now their God He steps in and findes a time to heare their weake prayers Psal. 106. 8. He saued them the Israelites pursued by Pharaoh in the red Sea for his names sake according to the prayer of the Church Not vnto vs Lord not vnto vs but to thy name be the praise ' Psal. 115. 1. Fourthly God will in time bee found of euery godly man often because of the malice of the wicked when it is come to the height The Israelites had often prayed and groned vnder their afflictions in Egypt in the foure hundred yeeres but because the sinnes of the Amorites and Canaanites were not full and ripe they found not God in all that time but when they were full they were deliuered Fifthly God sets out a time of finding in respect of the godly themselues first to prouoke them to loue the Lord who giueth and forgiueth much as Psal. 116. 1. I loue the Lord because he hath heard my prayer Secondly to encourage them in prayer and in the course of inuocating him wherein they finde God so good yea to bee instant and presse in vpon him Psal. 116. 2. Because hee hath heard me in my dayes I will call vpon him This the Prophet expresseth Psal. 65. 2. All flesh shall resort to thee a God hearing prayer or Because thou hearest prayer all flesh shall resort vnto thee Yea but God hath denyed to heare the prayers of his children they haue sought and neuer found as Moses and Paul First we may pray for temporall things we must know that al the promises for them are made with a condition If God see it good for vs in such things a godly man may pray all his life time and not finde because GOD sees it better for him to be without them and to lye vnder the crosse Secondly we must distinguish betweene delayes and denials as we haue seene Thirdly the godly haue many speciall graces but it is Gods wisedome to leaue them in some want to know some pricke of the flesh as Paul did lest they should be puffed vp being taken vp into such an heauenly condition Fourthly God heares his children in a better kinde as we haue shewed Fiftly the godly are tyed to conditions which are often broken Sixtly it may be thy prayer is heard but the answere is not yet come to thy heart the sense of graunt is not yet brought to thee and there must goe some time betweene seeking finding so the Angell said to Daniel chap. 9. 22. 23. From the first day that thou didst set thy heart to seeke the Lord and humble thy selfe thy words are heard and now I am come to tell thee If the godly seeke sometimes in a time of finding then we must learne to iudge wisely of the poore and afflicted in spirit not to triumph ouer them as Dauids enemies did ouer him Oh God hath forsaken him or as Iobs friends did All that he was at best hee was but an hypocrite Oh saith the world this is not the child of God Why because the Diuell hath a little power ouer him and God is gone A false conceit For first though he be not heard presently yet hee shall be heard hereafter there is a time when he shall finde God Secondly God is delighted in an humble spirit and a broken heart Thirdly he is the God of the abiect his promise is that such as mourne in Sion shal be deliuered and haue beautie for ashes Fourthly after this rate we shall condemne the greatest lights of Gods Church Paul and the other Apostles were in a thousand dangers within and without assaulted on euery side yet as deare to God as euer they were and it was a Iewish scoffe against Christ Let God deliuer him now if he will haue him Let vs rather consider our owne case what it may bee and bee charitably affected to them in distresse as wee would haue others affected towards vs in the same case knowing that that which befals one man may befall any man Secondly if there be a time of finding let vs take heed of being Lyons in our owne houses tearing our soules with diffidence and despaire as if the Lord were cleane gone for euer and would neuer returne and as though there were no time of finding Alas I am then no godly man for I haue prayed long and God will not bee found must I not feare my estate Yes feare and doubt in the godly make their saluation more sure in the end because it sends them to the meanes of comfort and by this thou mayest trie thy feare and distinguish it from al vngodly feares doubts which vanish away without any such vse But I am vnworthy to finde God who haue incensed his wrath like an vnkinde and vnthankefull wretch and that euery day A false ground of a false enemie all
I knew what meanes to vse what are they If thou wouldst haue the preuailing of the Spirit take these courses First bee humble in thine owne eyes empty thy selfe of pride and vaine conceits the promise is that God giueth grace to the humble nay he dwels with the humble and broken heart Isay 57. 15. that is abides and continues with it Secondly be diligent in the ministerie of the Word of reconciliation which the Apostle cals the ministerie of the Spirit for it is as fuell to feede and strengthen the Spirit yea as bellowes to blow vp the graces which else lye idle 2. Tim. 1. 6. Stirre vp the gift of God that is in thee 1. Thes. 5. 18. Quench not the Spirit Despise not Prophesying marke the neerenesse of Spirit and Prophesie Thirdly obserue the motions of Gods Spirit feede them and from motions proceede to resolutions and practices not the worst man but hath some good motitions as Balaam and Saul acknowledged that Dauid was more righteous then he but imitate thou good Dauid here hee followes the motion that hee had hee said he would confesse and confessed So the Prodigall Son had a good motion he remembred his estate he had been in and his Fathers house but said he I starue here then hee resolues to goe to his Father and went Goe and do thou likewise this is to adde thy strength to the Spirit and thus a conuert is not meerely passiue in working out his saluation but actiue once being acted Fourthly pray earnestly for the Spirit for he is powred on thirstie grounds as Isay 44. 3. I will powre water vpon him that is thirsty and floods vpon the dry ground and Luk. 11. 13. If yee being euill know how to giue good gifts vnto your children how much more shall your heauenly Father giue the Holy Spirit to them that aske him I acknowledged my sinne neither hid I mine iniquitie HEre is Dauids confession it selfe he did not resolue suffer his resolution to dye but he said he would confesse and confessed but many are of another spirit they resolue professe promise 1. Tim. 1. 13. Paul saith of himselfe I was a Blasphemer a Persecuter an Oppresser but I was receiued to Mercie Here were three heinous degrees of sinne the sight of which made him confesse himselfe the chiefe of all sinners verse 15. and made him admire and magnifie the Mercie of God who vouchsafed so aboundant grace to such a desperate wretch as hee vvas and of this kinde are the confessions of all the godly The Reasons of this point are very good First a Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of grace which First worketh alike against all sinne and he that hath grace to confesse one sinne aright by the same grace confesseth all he that truely hateth one sinne truely hateth all If a man truely feele the weight of one it makes him grone vnder the burthen of all much more For all sinnes are of the same nature so as repentance cannot be sound if any one sinne be laid hold on which made our Prophet being humbled for one to repent of all Thus also doe the Israelites in their conuersion 1. Sam. 12. 19. Pray for thy Seruants said they to Samuel that we dye not for wee haue sinned in asking vs a King besides all our other sinnes Secondly the grace of sound conuersion suffereth not starting holes and hollownesse in the soule but worketh it to sinceritie Now the sincere heart deales truely betweene God and it selfe it knowes that God loues trueth in the inward parts therefore it will confesse fully and frankely vvithout hiding or lessening any sinne Againe it knowes that God loues a free-will offering and therefore it will offer a free and heartie confession and there can bee no better signe of sinceritie then this Thirdly sound grace is an open enemie and at warre with all sinne especially the sinne which is next it and will not spare to disgrace it by all meanes it vvill shew true hatred against it that if confession will discouer the loathsomenesse of sinne it will not bee nice in it but bring it into discredit with it selfe And where grace is more abundant there is more abundant sense of sin and this sense brings abundance of words like so many swords and weapons against it euery one expressing greater hatred of it then other as Dauids words here Secondly another Reason hereof is drawne from the nature of sinne which first is a debt as we haue heard a debt which is impossible that euer we should bee able to pay this debt stands vpon our heads in Gods debt-booke Now it vvill not stand with an honest disposition to deny or seeke to out-face or lessen a due debt to any man and much lesse will it stand with a godly disposition to deny or conceale our debts to God with whom wee cannot play false if we would And therefore it is as little as a man of a broken heart can doe to goe to the Creditor and in humilitie confesse the debt and craue pardon and forgiuenes So Christ our Lord hath taught vs to pray Forgiue vs our debts which implyes confession And Dauid prayes the Lord to blot out all his sins wherein hee secretly confesseth that hee hath a large score in Gods booke which he is vtterly vnable euer to satisfie Secondly sinne is a loathsome filthinesse and vn cleannesse and a good heart is ashamed of euery nakednesse of the Soule which it sees Gods eye to bee vpon and because it knowes that the next way to couer this nakednesse is to vncouer it as the whole experience of Dauid in this Psalme teacheth it labours by confession to couer all whereof it is or may be ashamed and indeede all true confession must proceede from the shame and confusion of face for sinne Thirdly sinne is a gash or wound in the soule and a man hauing many wounds or diseases seekes the cure of them all howsoeuer of the greatest first and soonest yet he neglecteth none because the least of them is dangerous and painefull so it is in sinne the confession of which is as the laying open of a sore that the plaister may bee fitly laid on a man that would haue all cured will not hide any but vncouer euen the least Thirdly God will haue his children in some measure like himselfe herein and resemble his owne image that as hee esteemes of sinne not as a light or small thing but the most vile and odious thing in all the world and so hee euer speakes of it and carries himselfe to it so shall his children in their measure and for this purpose First he vsually putteth forth his worke of iustice and layeth an heauy hand on the soule as on Dauid here when the eye of the soule beholdeth the Lord frowning vpon it without and the conscience within accusing then shall nothing be small little sinnes shal be counted great enough that which Satan did
not this ioy of my saluation the sense of Gods fauour in pardoning my sinne warmeth my heart but a little what may I thinke of my selfe may not I hope my sinnes are pardoned It is true ordinarily that a reconciled soule possesseth felicitie with great ioy and the heart seazed of Gods loue holdeth the consolation of it yet these rules must be held to vphold the weake Christian. First the gift of pardon and loue is giuen often before the comfort and ioy of it when grace is as it were in the seede and men in the beginnings of conuersion begin to haue right in the tree of life and to bee adopted it is not so soone discerned to come vp to a ioyfull haruest but first is a blade then an eare then corne in the eare And a time there is when a soule which is partaker of true grace is busied and taken vp rather with sense of sinne desires of grace and seeking of helps and proppes to beleeue then with the ioy of any thing attained True desire argues the presence of the things desired and yet argues not the feeling of it and that a man may haue that gift which is not felt appeareth in Dauid who by Nathan was told that his sinne was pardoned and yet long after he prayeth for the forgiuenes of it that is for a more full sense of the forgiuenesse Secondly the gift of Gods free grace is not giuen in respect of vs all at once nor in the same measure and therefore the comfort of it is not all alike or at once for the righteousnesse of God is reuealed from faith to faith and so iustification and reconciliation are in the meanes more and more reuealed and the comfort is proportionable to the gift Thou hast not such strong comfort of thy estate as some other or as thou desirest thy gift of knowledge and vnderstanding of Gods loue perhaps is lesser then his comfort thy selfe stirre vp thy selfe in the meanes to inlarge the gift and thy comfort shall be inlarged Hence is it that the Apostle to the Ephesians 1. 18. praied that they whose faith and loue he had commended might haue their eyes opened to see the hope of their calling by the Spirit of reuelation Get further knowledge of thy estate and so thou shalt attaine further comfort Thirdly the state of a Christian soule is not all alike there is a Christian combate wherein sometime faith preuailes sometime doubting sometime grace hath the better sometime corrupt nature When faith is foiled of infidelitie or kept vnder sense of reconciliation faileth with it The light of the minde is often eclipsed as in Ionah I am cast from the sight of God and Dauid said once all men were liars Now the eye of the soule being so dimme the comforts of God must needs bee ouercast and clouded but as the Sunne breakes from vnder a cloud so doth light to the troubled soule and comfort growes often to a confident glorying and a ioyfull triumph as Dauid Returne O my soule to thy rest Fourthly as the carriages of a mans conuersation bee diuers so be the apprehensions of his comfort sometimes it is more attended and carried more purely sometimes care is remitted and the course more corrupt Common infirmities hinder not so much the comfort of saluation as great sinnes doe as appeares in Dauids adultery Restore me the ioyes of thy saluation If thy comforts be small it is likely thy corruptions are the greater here looke to thy former graces feelings and workes Bee diligent in awaking thy soule shake off worldly delightes which bring it on sleepe and the deceitfull shew of righteousnes which bewitcheth it set thy selfe before God and thy dulnesse before thy selfe say Oh what haue I done all this while Fifthly the Christian is an happy man whatsoeuer his outward estates be else hath Dauid misplaced happines And herein is their happinesse that they are in fauour with God and can neuer be cast out of fauour againe all happy men are in a sure estate which cannot be lost This happinesse of grace is surer then that of nature which Adam had in innocency that was lost because in his owne keeping this is seated in the fauour of God which is vnchangeable vnto which we are preserued also by the power of God True it is the godly may haue many afflictions and haue as Abraham Isaac Iaacob Dauid Abel but none of them neither inward nor outward can hinder their happinesse nay they shall all further it Romans 8. all things turne to the best The worldlings folly is palpable he thinkes himselfe most happy when his corne wine and oyle is increased as for this light of Gods countenance it is in the last of his accounts As for the godly they count them of all men most simple and most miserable and indeede if a man had no other eyes then of his body no eye of faith he could not think such blessed whom the world hates whom the earth casts off whom their Country scarce acknowledgeth their owne kinsfolke will not know whom their friends forsake enemies kill who are made meate for the sword fewell for the fire and seldome haue liberty to enioy fire and water or the commonest benefits of nature in safetie They onely are in mens account happy whom all men flatter vvho bathe yea drovvne themselues in carnall delight vvho can tumble in their gold and siluer vvhose mouth runnes ouer vvith laughter c. But these vvho are entred into Gods teaching can hold against their ovvne reason and sense that they are blessed that hunger and thirst after rightcousnesse that mourne novv that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake those of vvhom men speake all manner of ill for Christs cause and Gospell They iudge not good or euill by any thing afore them they thinke Lazarus a godly poore man an happy man vvhen as Diues vvas a miserable miser Their felicitie is not outward but inward not earthly but heauenly it depends not on man but on Gods fauour who hath forgiuen their sinnes for his names sake Iudge therefore of thy selfe and others with a righteous iudgement if heauen approoue thee care not if earth cast thee out if God iustifie who can condemne if Christ will confesse thee let thy friends deny thee Thou hast a sure word and promise of God by which thou mayest apprehend in sorrow ioy in trouble peace in nothing all things in death it selfe life eternall Get faith and thou shalt clearely behold thy happinesse if al the world should set it selfe to make thee miserable Get faith and thou shalt thinke him only happy whom God so esteemes although the worlds miserie is to place happinesse onely in miserie Get faith and thou shalt see not onely Christ himselfe the blessed Son of God when he was reiected of the world and lifted on the Crosse but euen his members then happy in Gods fauour when the World most frowneth vpon them Faith in the
as for others who professe remission of sinne they are slaues to their sinnes and these haue dominion ouer them Secondly another is a daily purging and clensing of the reliques and remainders of sinne as 1. Iohn 1. 9. God is faithfull to forgiue vs and to cleanse vs from all vnrighteousnesse he that hath his sinnes couered hath them also cured Of Christ it is said that he came by water and bloud c. Hee that is made whole goes and sinnes no more that is he feares sinne for time to come Professe then remission of sinnes as long as thou wilt If Christ wash thee not thou hast no part in him if thou beest as foule as formerly thou wast euery man but thy selfe may see what thou art Thirdly a third fruite is faith working by loue and this loue worketh first towards God who is much loued because he hath loued and forgiuen much Luk. 7. 47 and much praised for so happie a change But the wicked are haters of God and neuer care for his prefence for his word or children or Sabbaths and yet they hope vainely for forgiuenesse of sinne Secondly it works towards man and manifests it selfe in forgiuing our brethren and enemies The godly looke vpon the commandement Ephes. 4. 32. Forgiue one another euen as God for Christs sake forgaue vs. But alas many pray Forgiue vs as we forgiue our debters and therein plainely curse themselues for their minds lust after enuy and wrath and hence are those common speeches I may forgiue him but I will not forget him and He may come in my Pater noster but not in my Creede A manifest signe that God hath not forgiuen thee at all and that his forgiuenesse of thee is not to forget thee nor thy sinne Thirdly here is refuge for a wearie soule and a burdened conscience doest thou want the voice of ioy and gladnesse in thy soule and lyest groning vnder the burden of sinne be not dismaied for in that thou canst approch Gods presence in the full and free accusing of thy selfe in complaining of thy self and iudging thine owne soule here is a sound ground of comfort thou art hee who hath right into the tree of life thou art hee on whom the Lord will looke in mercy thy repentance and faith intaile pardon of sinne vnto thy soule Fourthly is it so that God remits onely the sinnes of repentants then aboue all things labour to attaine this grace of repentance and testifie it in sound confession before God In the Courts of men confession brings shame and punishment but in Gods a couer and reward In great Princes Courts no mourner might come and therefore Ioseph must put off his prison-garments before he come to Pharaoh but none but mourners are accepted in Gods Court mourne therefore and bewaile thy sinnes this alone can assure the heart of remission of sinne Oh I haue repented long of my sinnes but feele no such assurance Yet feare not but ioyne to these endeuours these helpes First vse conscionably the Word and Sacraments which make knowne and seale vp to the beleeuer the pardon of sinne by Christ meditate and feede on the promises which are made to the penitent Secondly grow vp in humility euery day bee more low in thine owne eies then others and beware of pride because it becomes thee to bee humble for the more contrite the spirit is the fitter it is for Gods Spirit to dwell in Thirdly vse earnest and daily prayer for the earnest of the Spirit to witnesse vnto thy spirit that thou art the childe of God for he being the Comforter must bring these comfortable tidings to thy heart he must apply the promises of life and saluation Fourthly take heede of actuall sinnes which grieue the Spirit and are as water to quench the comforts of the same especially beware of presumptuous sinnes which wound the Spirit most and most preuaile ouer thee Psal. 19. 13. Fifthly exercise thy selfe to godlinesse and to the duties of sanctification in thy generall and speciall calling and this will assure thee of the presence of the good Spirit leading thee These things if thou failest in blame thy selfe if thou walkest heauily and vncomfortably God will be found in his owne waies and no other VERS 6. Therefore shall euery one that is godly make his Prayer vnto thee in a time when thou mayest bee found surely in the flood of great waters they shall not come neere him HAuing spoken of the maine Doctrine of this Psalme concerning the iustification of a sinner before God wherein Dauid placeth true blessednesse wee come now to the sundry vses of that Doctrine in the rest of the Psalme being the second part of it The first of them concerneth Prayer in this verse where of there are Two parts First the practice of a godly man Therefore shall euery c. Secondly a promise made vnto it Surely in the flood c. In the former are these foure points First the inference of it Therefore or for for this cause Secondly the Person praying Euery godly man Thirdly the person to whom hee must pray To thee Fourthly the time When thou mayest bee found Therefore that is because I haue had experience of thy loue and thou hast answered mee graciously in my request euery one that is in the like misery and touch of conscience as I was shall vse the same meanes as I did to obtaine the same mercy This dealing of thine with me shall be an instruction and encouragement to euery humbled soule to take the same course for comfort as I did Dauids experience shall teach all the godly to seeke God in their distresse Hence note that Those are the best teachers that can speake from experience of the Lords working in themselues Psal. 91. The Prophet teacheth confidence and securitie in God to those that are vnder the secret of the most High but the best ground he thought was to lay it on his owne experience verse 2. I said to the Lord O my hope and fortresse that is I had a good cause so to say and then followes Surely hee will deliuer thee from the snare of the hunter c. So likewise the Apostle Paul being to perswade that the remnants of corruption cannot condemn the regenerate man Rom. 8. 1. hee inforceth it from his owne experience thus For the Law of the Spirit of life which is in Christ Iesus hath freed me from the Law of sinne and of death as if he had said Of like things and persons there is the like consequence My infirmities are not imputed vnto me to death no more shall yours The reasons of this point are these First he that hath a flame in his owne heart may easily kindle another and hee that doth not first edifie his owne heart shall not be so meete to edifie and speake to the heart of another a godly mans zeale will warme such as are by when another shall speake but
barbarous and butcherly Saul was zealous in his religion and breathed out nothing but slaughter and threatning but all that while his religion was proportionall hee knew not Christ nor what hee did But the Romish religion goes beyond all other in crueltie and vnmercifulnesse and therefore of all other must be most hatefull to GOD. It was said long since that Antichrist the head of that Church must be an Appollyon a Destroyer and 2. Thes. 2. 3. the sonne of Perdition both actiuely and passiuely in himselfe and vnto many others He must be cloathed in scarlet a colour dyed in the blood of the Saints and a beast that must make warre against the witnesses of God The Church of God in the Old Testament indured most grieuous oppression and was vnmercifully handled in Egypt by Pharaoh in Canaan by the King of Syria Iudg. 3. 8. by Eglon King of the Moabites by Iabin King of the Canaanites by the Midianites Ammonites and Philistims and by Nebuchadnezzar in the Babylonish captiuitie But all this was nothing to that it suffered by Antiochus Epiphanes And yet this of Antiochus was but a type of Antichrists persecution his wicked rage was but a shadow to this Here is an vnmercifull Destroyer that killeth first the soules of men by poysoning their mindes with false and damnable doctrines Secondly the bodies of men with horrible and vnheard-of crueltie and tyrannie Here is a woman drunke with the blood of the Saints and of the Martyrs of Iesus Reu. 17. 6. What shall we thinke of that religion by whose edicts perswasions and approbations all the Christian blood almost hath bin shed vpon earth since the ten first Persecutions Who hath done this but the firebrands of Babylon What of that religion which committeth Kings and Emperours together making them Wolues and Tygers one to another and who doth this but Nebuchadnezzar the head of this Babylon What of that religion that blowes vp Massacres Rebellions Seditions Treasons in all Countreys This also doth the scarlet-whore of Babylon What of that Religion that sends out cut-throat villaines with Pardons to stab and poison Kings and Potentates of the earth yea to blow vp with one terrible blow three whole states and Kingdomes This also doth the mercifull holy Father at Romish Babylon Who hath kindled so many furnaces to burne the bodies of Gods Saints in all Christendome but that meeke sonne of perdition whose mercies are cruell What may wee thinke of the mercilesse inquisition in Spaine Or that horrible massacre of the Christians in France the like whereof was neuer seene in any Nation Here in our owne land what damnable plots and deuillish designements haue there beene against the persons of our Kings and Princes What shall I speake of the vnnaturalnesse of their cruelty amongst vs while they haue chased away all pitie and respect of silly persons who in regard of the impotencie of their mindes or their tender age might by all lawes of nature and Nations haue laid claime to mercie if the Ocean of heathenish I meane Popish crueltie had not broken all bounds and bankes What hurt could a Boy of eight yeeres old doe to their religion who yet for that was scourged to death in Bonners house What hurt could that babe do them that sprang out of the mothers wombe and was cast in againe because it was a yong Heretique and so baptized in the mothers flames and the owne blood What madnesse was it to apprehend a madde man one Collins who held his dogge ouer his head as the Priest did the hoast for which hee and his dogge were burnt for Heretiques a wofull meanes to bring a madde man into his wits With how little reason could they demaund a reason of the faith of a madde man one Cowbridge and make a madde mans words without vnderstanding a sentence of his owne death for which hee was burnt at Oxford but where furie hath madded men no argument can mooue them to pittie What religion is that the wrath of which sticketh not either to bury the quicke as Marion at Burges or to vnbury the dead as Wickliffs bones burnt one and fortie yeeres after his death Peter Martyrs wife at Oxford two yeeres after his death burnt for an Heretique at Cambridge Mr. Bucer Phagius cited out of their graues to appeare foure yeeres after their buriall which when the silly ashes could not doe they were digged out and burnt on the market-hill because they did not answere and satisfie such articles as were laid against them Richard Hun apparantly hanged by them in the prison was also burnt after his death Iohn Tooly being dead and buried was cited to appeare before Bonner by a day appointed at which time limited and expired he was excommunicate and straite charge giuen that no man should eate or drinke with him or if any met him they should not bid him God speed or if he came to Church in time of diuine seruice he must be thrust out after that this excommunication wrought nothing vpon the dead man hee was condemned and committed to the secular power and so the poore dead man was the second time by the Sheriffs executed Is this cruell religion of God Did Christ or any of his Apostles bring in the trueth by fire or sword No it is falsehood that must stand by power and humane policie When the two Disciples asked Christ if they should call for fire from heauen against the Cities that receiued thē not No saith Christ Ye know not what spirit ye are of But let Antichrists Disciples aske him as Faux Winter did Garnet Shall we call for fire from hell against those Kingdomes which will not receive vs Hee saith Yea because hee knowes what spirit they bee of resolute but infortunate Gentlemen begin to dig vnder the Parliament-house and when all the house is set to make lawes against the Catholikes giue them a terrible blow and they shall neuer know who hurt them O but what speake you this against the Religion of the Church of Rome this is the fault of men not of their doctrine Nay but it ariseth out of the grounds of their doctrine which is ful of cruelty and bloudinesse Iesuitisme is the Rebels Catechisme I will set downe their doctrine in certaine positions which are eminent in their Authors at this day First the Pope ought to driue Woolues and bad leaders heretique Kings that is Protestants à grege dominio not only excommunicate but also driue them from their Kingdomes This is Bellarmines position defended by the Pope himselfe Secondly not onely manifest but also secret and suspected heretiques so Symancha Thirdly not onely themselues but all their fauourers also and children So Creswell Fourthly quibuscunque modis by any meanes saith Sanders vi or dolo as Iudith put downe Holofernes and Iehu Athaliah Reinolds and Boucherius or by a knife or dagger as Henrie the third and fourth Kings of France were murthered or by Dag Dagger or poyson as