in substance sincerely by law established and by the godly Ministers likewise to Gods people administred without addition or defalking too or fro the worde of God For the Discipline of the Church we also haue it thoughe in some weaker sorte than either the auctoritie of the worde seemeth to me to affoorde or the grauitie of the cause in our pestiferous time doth require it Yet it cannot bée said but we haue established discipline by hir graces godly laws to this Churche of Englande and at thys laste Parliament agaynst the Papists haue the same Christianly augmented God grāt that our godly and reuerende Bishops Iudges Ecclesiasticall Commissioners and officers whych haue the authority may and would so vse thys aucthoritye they haue that God myghte be wonne as it were wyth theyr godly indeuor to enlarge the heartes of higher aucthoritye ouer vs in the Lorde by lawefull power to yéelde vs further and more seuere discipline to one and all in thys Churche of Englande Lord for thy mercies sake graunt it to this thy holy visible Vineyarde of Englande we beseeche thée And in the meane space brethren let vs be obedient to this we haue and heartilye praise God for the same and pray earnestly with conioyned hearts for a further by hir Graces aucthoritie and the strict rule of hys holy worde These holy and sufficient notes of hys visible Church we haue in our English Church at thys day the Lord be praised for them and contynue them wyth vs and therefore agaynste al your blasphemies to God your sinister but subtill suggestions to Princes and people o ye poore Papists we stand by proofe to bée the Figge trée planted indeede in the moste holy Vineyarde of the Lorde and haue our Churche consecrated a sacred member of the Catholike Churche of God visible wyth the rest of that Militante troupe and companye of sanctified men in the vniuersall earth And as for the other forged marks of Vniuersalitie and personall succession we count it sufficient to haue the society with suche the sonnes of God as haue their felowshippe with the Sainctes of Christe 1. Io. 11.2.3 4. and haue learned to forsake the company of the wicked and to auoide the way of sinners but greatly deteste to stoupe to that Cacolike Apostata of Rome Ps 1. whych so arrogantly setteth hymselfe in that chaire of the scorner But touching personall succession of Bishoprickes and Churches we holde it not to be always a sure marke of Gods holye Churche Except ye wil saye of the Church of Israel vnder Ieroboam that Idolatour that she was then the true Churche thoughe an Apostata by hir grosse Idolatrie bicause she could boast of personall succession from the Kyngs and Bishoppes of that people Or that the Churche of Iudah vnder Manasses that idolatrous King was notwythstanding the murther of Gods chyldren their sacrificing to Idols theyr racing out of the lawe of the Lorde and banyshing hys holy sacrifyces was I saye all thys admitted yet the true Church of God bycause they hadde and coulde shewe a personall succession of Kyngs and Byshoppes euen from the firste Moses and Aaron But yée wyll possibly presse vs wyth the auctoritie of the Fathers as wyth Tertullian that ancient whych boasted in truth to haue had succession of the Byshops of Rome for the furtheraunce of hys purpose But forget not you Papists that as yet the Fathers of that Church had not departed from the faith but wyth theyr succession had contynued the Apostolicall doctrine vppon whiche point Tertullian chiefly stoode as it may appeare by hym And also would God you would not wyth malitious heartes séeke to darken that notable doctrine of hys in that hys Booke of prescriptions that althoughe manye Churches haue not to shewe theyr personall succession of Byshoppes yet if so they haue the Apostolicall doctrine taught sincerely in them for that consāguinitie and kinred in Doctrine those Churches are and are to be accompted Apostolicall The Orientall Churches hadde due succession til Arrius had infected them with hys poyson shall personall succession nowe approue the sect of the Arrians to be the church of God So had the Churche of Rome before Antichristes possession therof Shal we therfore now say whē their doctrine theyr malice theyr ambition theyr pride theyr dyuelishe conuersation dothe conuince them to be that whore of Babilon Shal we I say now say bycause they possibly can shew vs a great Catalogue of Byshops from Linus or Anacletus that therefore they are nowe the true Churche of God And yet were that a sufficient proofe of Gods Churche our Bishops in England then haue their personall succession from the firste euen the firste that you can name as by time and nexte course succéeding one an other Thus you sée dearely beloued howe apparant it is that this noble Realme of Englande is planted by Gods greate mercy into the Catholike Vineyarde of the Lorde the visible Churche of God and is it selfe a notable member of the same Now time requireth that we speake something likewise of the inuisible cōpany and Church of God to the greater comforte of the godlye in thys visible Churche whiche this day heare me or hereafter may heare of this holy labor to their further benefite If thou wouldest knowe certainly beloued in thine owne conscience whether thou arte verily and indéede the member of Christ and so a liuely braunche of the virident Vine end a fruitful Figge trée examine thy selfe by these thrée pointes The true notes of the inuisible Church al which the spirite of God againe hathe laide vp in one most sacred Sentence and thys it is The end of the commandement is loue out of a pure hart 1. Tim. 1.5 and of a good conscience and of saith vnfained In thys sentence beloued in Christ is laid forth vnto vs the verye true and infallibe tokens to euery mans soule whether he be the sonne of God or no. For by degrées from the fruite to the trée from the childe to the parent he goeth fetcheth thence vnto vs the certaine markes whereby we are sealed to the Lorde The purpose of God giuyng his worde is saith the Apostle that yée purely loue one another but your loue muste procéede from a good conscience not from a corrupted hart and this conscience hath his purging from an vnfained faith Then take hence your certaine notes of Gods children and these they are First by the vertue of the spirite and word of God a pure faith vnfained Secondly a renued minde whiche here is called a pure heart And thirdely by the same spirite suche charitie as neither can be cold or hypocriticall In whom soeuer these be vigent warme let him be assured though al the Popes in Rome had sēt their curses against him this honorable natiō yet he is of god the member of Christ one of his inuisible Churche whyche can not be caste forth of the dores But that we maye the better knowe
howe to sounde our heartes and haue a more ful féeling of this heauenly swéetnes let vs learn what is the operation of this vnfained faith required Surely it worketh by Gods spirit and word thrée notable things in vs. The first is a perfect beléefe in our inward man that though our outwarde shoulde be fully punished for sinne yet our inwarde man shoulde haue prerogatiue to bring both to the fauor of God bicause our sinnes are not laide to oure charge Rom. 4.7.8 Ps 32.1 1. Io. 1. but remitted fully in the purging bloude of Iesus Christ And therfore through his merite our faith apprehending him we may approche by that newe and liuing way vnto his grace Heb. 10.19 and call vnto him as his iustified children Abba deare Father and reste assured that we by pure faith vnfained haue Christe Iesus to be to vs againste our sinful folly Gods holy wisdome our iniquity Gods righteousnes our grosenes his holinesse against our dailye deadly sins Christ Iesus our sufficient raunsome 2. Cor. 1.30 as the Apostle hathe sette it downe vnto vs in these words But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification redemption The seconde worke of this our vnfained fayth is growing from the firste to assure our heartes of the countenaunce of Gods fauour and good continuance of vs in hys loue for euer and euer so as neither our dayly sinnes or Sathans accusations or yet the verye Iustice of God can possibly take hys fatherly loue from vs or impeache our great fauour with him or by laying to our charge true thynges agaynste vs could yet cast off hys singular loue from vs Rom. 8. tot cap. of al whych that moste noble chapter of blessed Paule the eyghte to the Romaines doth assure vs. Laste of all thys faith is so renued by the worde of God that it can not but saye to mans soule that hath it Blessed art thou whiche haste thy parte in the firste resurrection Apo. 2.6 for thou shalte not taste of the second death but shalt be the Priest of God to raigne with hym a thousande yeares But will yée knowe beloued who hath this regenerating faith verily euen onely they which are of a pure hart For this is the ordinary worke of God by faith first to approch vs to his holy presence to make vs his beste beloued children to iustifie vs by his grace and to sanctifie vs by his spirite Then the same spirite descendeth to the second degrée of his most holy labor Ezech. 36. Ephe. 4. Coloss 3.1 and dothe with his moste holye finger forme and frame vs anewe changeth our acts and hearts and fashioneth vs to the Image of God in true holinesse and righteousnesse And out of all doubte greate is the glorious God by whose mighty operation the sea of mans hearte is turned so quite to another course so as by the spirite he is brought to hate that horrible vice whiche before he honored and ardently to loue and embrace with great delight that vertue whiche before he did despise And to desire to do those blessed things of whyche he earst could take no pleasure And this is that puritye of the hearte by the Apostle to Timothie so greatly commended and is the seconde sound note of Gods holy childe and mēber of the inuisible elect and predestinat Churche to life euerlasting And thys seconde note you sée consisteth in these thrée blessed vertues The true hate to sin Rom. Ps 119. euen as to a Serpent The sincere loue of righteousnesse with the exercise of the whole body and spirit to it And thirdly the inwarde desire of the heart in soule and body to doe the wil of God Althoughe the same godly desire by mightie battels with sinne and Sathan is euery day impugned as by Paule in the seauenth of the Romaines is moste notably sette downe whether for breuities sake I sende thée The laste note of the inuisible Church and member of it is sincere loue burning charitie loue or vncorrupted charitie which procéedeth from true faith is accompanied with assured hope diffused by the spirite of God into vs and so borne vnto our brethren as we shunne by euill example to hurte them and take greate care with all our power 1. Cor. 10 31 to doe them benefite euen as the Lorde hath commaunded vs and doe omitte the oportunitie of reuenge or hatefull memorie of euil done déedes But as God for Christes sake hathe forgiuen vs doe from the botome of our harts forgiue and forget the iniuries of oure brethren according to this saying of Gods spirite by Paule Eph 4 31.32 Lette al bitternesse and anger and wrath and euill speaking bee putte awaye from you wyth all malitiousnesse Bee yee curteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one an other euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you Shall wée putte the Papistes to silence o ye blessed people In this then doe it that they blaspheming vs as euil doers may haue their mouthes stopped by our godlynesse of life And further 1 Pet. 2.12.15 that so we maye make our calling sure and an entring into the euerlasting Kingdome of God Nowe then apply thys doctrine to your selues 2. Pet. 1 10.11 deare brethren that yée haue nowe hearde and saye to your hearts for comforte if ye finde in trueth these markes liuely in you Now we know for truth that Gods spirite dothe assure our spyrites Rom. 8. that we are the sons of God And so maye you be bolde to blesse God for thys grace and say vnto the Papistes Gods goodnesse is great who hath planted vs in Englande and Englande into his Catholike Vineyarde both visible inuisible But beholde yet further his gracious goodnesse appeareth is right notable to behold For in this Vineyard of his holye Churche of Englande to the great benefite of the Figge trée he hathe firste placed a watche Tower Esa 5. He hath secondly set a Hedge of defence rounde aboute it And thirdly hauing stoned the grounde hée hathe stablished a Wine presse within the yarde where eache trées fruite shall in conuenient time be brought to his tryall purpose of benefite If that noble Prophet Esay could say so of Iudah and Ierusalem maye not Gods Prophets crye it out nowe concerning Englande and say the Lordes goodnesse is maruellous greate to thée o thou Figge trée of England For he hath placed thée in hys owne Vineyarde he hath set vp a Turret in thée whence thy watche men may sée thée and thyne enimies purpose agaynste thée wherehence to giue thée warning of thine intended harmes And he hathe sette hys hedge of prouidence rounde about thée in more ample wise than euer had the Isralits for they had but warrant when they came vp to Ierusalem to worship that no enimies shoulde inuade them But thou England arte and haste béene hedged and defended
Metaphor Euery mā hūteth his brother with a net And my brethren lette vs examine the common condition of most parts now in Englāde shal not we perceiue these sins to aboūd in the same looke to our earnest profession of the Gospell in the beginning of hir Maiesties raigne whō God in his mercie long preserue ouer vs euer in hys Christ how we hungred the truth thē how we ioyed of Gods Ministers how we desired heauēly encrease prepared our liues to answere the Gospel we clensed our Churchs our hearts houses of popish Idolatry we reedified the same with the squire of the word that in such zeale namely the Potentates Bishops Citizens of London other many godly ones as we were no whit inferior to the Iewes whiche with Nehemias Ezra Esra 3. 5 Nehe. ca. 3. ca. 4. repayred the ruinous walles of Ierusalem But beloued let vs with a simple eye looke into euery state almost in Englād now we shal right sorowfully sée a catholike cooling of this former zeale to Gods house Partly by the malice of Sathā in his seruants the Papists séeking by persuasion al policie to hinder the former work offring vs their help to build whose purpose is wholy to pul down And partly Esra 4.2 by our owne wearinesse of well doing which contenting oure selues with our firste building Haggai 12.4 haue taken surcesse for a time to build pul downe rebuild againe to our great cost the Countries great paine our braue bowers sumptuous towers to féed our fantasies and pore mēs eies but the building of Gods holy house to the encrease of faith vertue in true religiō we haue almost laide aside except a few sommer gatherings by grace conserued vnto God May wée not therfore admonish Magistrats Ministers godly men to apply this voice of the spirite of God to his holy churche which firste was sente to Ephesus viz. I knowe thy workes sayth God and thy labour Reuel 2.2 and thy patience and how thou canste not forbeare them whych are euil and hast examined thē which say they are Apostles and are not and haste found them lyars and haste suffered for my names sake and hast patience and for my names sake haste laboured and haste not fainted Neuerthelesse I haue somewhat against thee bycause thou haste lefte thy first loue Remember therefore from whence thou haste fallen and repent and doe thy firste workes or else I will come shortly and remoue thy Candlesticke We are all lesse louing lesse labouring and lesse zealous in religion than earst we haue béene yea one and all of vs which the Lordes spirite the true discerner of all things doth call here a falling from our first loue and threatneth a comming to cut vs downe if we preuent not his spéedy cōming to our candlesticks O Lord for thy mercies sake graunt to our godly Prince and all hir noble Counsellors to the Bishops and learned Fathers to the Iudges Preachers and godly people thoughe Sommer gatherings thy grace that they may all in their callings and spirites take hold of their first loue and do their firste good workes in thée and by thy Christe that our Candlesticke thy holy gospel and Church hir Maiestie and this our hapy state may firmely stand to thy glory and our continuall comfort for thy holy names sake But if ther be such a weaknesse in Gods Sommer gatherings in England whiche yet are the best beloued of the Lord what are wée to looke for in the rest whyche are but hypocriticall Nemo rectus sayth the Prophet No man kéepeth hys heart and his hand by that line that the lawe of his God the simplicitie of his soule doth direct vnto him And surely if you wil not wilfully be blinde when didde you euer reade heare or sée of greater hypocrisie than is nowe resiante in Englande The Papist supposeth it his greatest grace to coulour his Italian hearte with hys Papisticall hypocrisie For lette hym bée accompted Papisticall by the superiours and Lorde howe hée protesteth the contrarye and if hys inferioure enforme him then he frowneth sweateth sweareth and taketh it hotely but yet there is no greater poyson in the Toade nor fixed hatred in the Serpente or rigoure in the roaryng Lyon huntyng for hys praye Gen. 3. than lurketh vnder the sugred tongues of oure Italienated Papistes For the poison of Aspes is vnder their lippes Againe what dissimulation amongest menne of all sorts in eache degrée O Lorde it is a worlde to sée Abels countenaunce but Caines hearte amongest confederates friendes parteners and cobrethren vniuersallye abroade It hathe béene called the holy water of the Courte but in euerye corner of the lande at thys daye are greate Welsprings of this infernall Lake If yée buy but corne of the husbandmanne there is deceit if you deale with the Artificer beholde swéete wordes and sleightie subtiltie But trafique or craue counterchaunge with the Marchaunte or Vsurer in Citie or Towne excepte some speciall man of GOD and beholde a graue countenaunce a sugred tong and séemely welcome but if thou deale wyth hym he is as a thornie hedge Thou takest hym for a shilter but if he haue delyuered thy clothes from some stormy raine yet ere thou escape from vnder him he will all to scratch thy fleshe If he bit thee not to the very bones Oh séeming friendship and sure hypocrisie O Lorde preserue thy holy ministery from hypocrisie and kéepe hir farre from Iustice seate But Micah Micah 7.3 saide in his time of it thus To make good for the euil of his handes the Prince viz. the great Rulers in the lande asked and the iudge iudged for a rewarde therfore the great man hee speaketh oute the corruption of hys hearte and so they wrappe it vppe The beste of them is as a bryar and the moste righteous of them is sharper than a thorny hedge The daye of thy watchemen and thy visitation commeth then shall bee theyr confusion No maruayle beloued for a generall iniquitie can not but begette an vniuersall cutting downe Woulde God hypocrisie had not spred his wings so largely in Englande pierced so déepe as to the harts of many sorts in hir or so cunningly couloured his vgly shape as he hathe at this day For no where shal religion godlinesse or honesty offer hir selfe in England but hypocrisie dare aduenture to presume of some preferment in that place He is the vesture of the proude the habite of the adulterer the gowne of the Vsurer and the beste attyre for the Macheuil The Atheist girdeth him about him and no treason can be broched besides him He delighteth not to dwell with beggers but offereth salutations to sacred states the Lorde graunte all godly Princes and Potentates eies to sée hym and spirites to discerne him for his glorye and oure beste good But haue we likewise vniuersall Crueltie and doe wée lay watch to forstall our brethren surely thys sinne