leaste that our God being the sooner displeased let loose the raynes to Tirantes and our enemies that he may therby reuenge our vnthankfulnes let vs accordind to our profession as becometh christians abandon the causes that iustly procure his heauye and importable displeasure and wrath agaynst vs let vs put a-away our euill thoughtes oute of Gods sight ceace from doing ill and violence learne to do righte apply our selues to equitie deliuer the oppressed help the fatherlesse to his righte hear the widowes complaynt detest our monstrous and lucifer lyke pryde our detestable and horrible whordom our greedy couetousnes our bribery and extortion our glottony and dronkennes our lacke of truthe betwen man man in bying selling for through vnrighteouse dealing wroÌ„g blasphemy deceyt a Realm shal be translated froÌ„ one kingdome to an other with these vices are we dangerously infected And the church of god neuer being with out hir certeyn woundes for our Lord to powre his wine oyle into So lette vs vse the means that god hath apoynted vs to stay his deserued wrath plagues prepared for vs Let vs dyligently spedely continually with all possible reuerence humblenes of hart inuocate cal vpon the name of our god making vnto him our harty supplication prayers The lack dangerous necklecting wherof as it is the chéefe only cause of al loosenes and vncleanes of life coÌ„uersation So by continual and earnest repentance and often lifting vp our hartes vnto God through prayer being feruently made and faythfully vsed is the life to be obteyned that pleaseth god for praier is a salue for sin and a preseruatyue for them the prepare them selues to it prayer is a quietnesse and sauegard of theÌ„ which are molested prayer is a comforte to them who wyth gréefes are afflicted prayer is a heauen to them that suffer shipwark prayer in warre is an arming sword and in peace a gardeyn of delightes prayer is to men in bondage liberty in pouertie a treasure To conclude prayer is the readye path to the pleasant pasture of Paradice when Pharo did persecute the children of Israel by prayer from his rage they were preserued wheÌ„ Dauid had greuously offended God by humble prayer and penitent hart gods wrath was appeased by Moyses prayer the fyry flyntes gaue water the driry ayre gaue meate the couragious enemies gaue place to weakling Israelites when as they were oppressed and almoste surprised with feare of pynching thyrst want of dailâ— foode force of dreadfull armes by Elyas prayer the drought marde fruitful groundes and by the same mans prayer the barren soyle did fructifie by Dauids prayer greate Golyaths courage was stoutly daunted by Iudithes praier fyrce Holofernus was by hyr beheaded By prayer Daniel in Lyons den from Lyons Iawes was preserued Now séeing then that prayer is of such force as that it perceth the Heauens and is a powring out of a faythful hart vnto God wherin we craue and desire with earnest affection eyther to be preserued from danger of discomoditie spiritual or temporal Eyther else to enioye some desired benifite at Gods handes belonging to body or soule Or else a yelding of most hartie thanks for some benefit already receiued Lette vs continue in praier and watch in the same with thankes geuing that through our prayer our most noble gratious mercifull Princes Elizabeth to whom God of his great goodnes contrarye to the hye expectation of hyr enemies hath hetherto geuen a ioyful prosperous Raigne so he may likewise heape vpon hyr the coÌ„tinuance of many yeares to bée an olde mother in Israell that as shée hath well begoon so she may zelously procéed in the setting foorth and aduancing the gospel of God to his glory the comfort and preseruation of hyr Realme and people and the discomforting of gods hir enemies And that by praier our god may stil giue good sucksesse to the trauels of the Quéene hyr maiesties moste honorable Councelors illuminating theyr hartes with the spirit of wysdome to force preuent and bryng to nought the subtyll secret deuyces and priuie conspyracies of Sathan of Antechrist and of all gods enemies preteÌ„ded against the veritie of his word as also that by our prayers the Bishops and Pastors of gods Church may haue a continuall care to féede his flock comitted to theyr chardge with the bread of lyfe and that Christ may be knowne to them to whome hee is yet a straunger which is no rare matter in some places in England the greater is the pittie for ther must sinne needes raigne bicause that they being ignorant of Christ vnbelefe doth possesse theyr harts Moreouer that Iudges and Maiestrates through hatred of couetousenes may mayntayne cinceritie and vpright dealing in iudgmente that the cace rather then â—he parson bée considered for whosoeuer bearing offyce is led with rewards he cannot see what is rightfull for rewardes blynd the eyes of the wise Also that good lawes being in force maye bée executed that offenders may be punished and the gylâ—lâ—sse defended for where good lawes be made not executed their the common weale goeth to ruin And moreouer that by our praier euery subiect of what degre or calling so euer may dutifully shâ—w their obedyence vnto and reuerencing our Prince as the minister and Liuetenant of God that the Lord our God at the contemplation of our faythfull prayer whose mercye excéedeth the hugenesse of sinne and whose grace aboundeth aboue misdeede may by the aboundance of his spirit by grace so work in our harts that we taking hede and being obedient to the same our heauenly father and hauing a cheefe regard to the performing of our duties in the obseruation of his lawe and coÌ„maundementes may by the good blessing of the same our God quietly consente and rest in his truth and haue the continuance of inward peace of contience that wée may wear out our dayes in prosperitie our yeares in plesâ—er and ioy in this world being a waste wildernes froÌ„ which must passe into an other couÌ„trey that we thâ—s hauing this care to accomplish gods wil and with this olde yeare to shâ—ke caste of strip our selues of old Adams rags and with the newe yeare to apparell our selues with the florishing and glittering garment of Iesus Christe euen newnes of lyfe and keepe it still on Then shal we coÌ„tinue in prosperity be beloued of god our onely stay refuge who shall mightely protect and dâ—fend vs from the danger of his our enemies Then the Lord our god which giueth victory vnto kings which deliuered Dauid from the perrill of the sword shall saue and deliuer vs from the hands of strange childreÌ„ whose right haÌ„d is a hand of iniquitie So that theÌ„ let the deuil roar all the deuels in hell breake loose let Pope rage lette all the Colledge of Cardenalls and Councels conspyer let the blooddy Byshops breath out theyr trayterous mallyce and hatefulnes of theyr hartes Yea let the hole fraternetie of that fylthie generation broode of Antechrist deuise and imagine what they can or may And all shal be in vaynâ— for the workes of wickednes doe florish to be destroyed for euer And the enemies of the Lord shal perish And all the workers of wickednes shal be scattered abrode for there is no wisedome agaynst the Lorde our God the creator of Heauen and Earth To whom with his Christ and the holy Spirit thrée persons and one God be all praise poure maiestie for euer and euer Amen ¶ Geue God the prayse The petition of the penitent AS those that wrapped are in wo think long to haue relefe So Lord to swage our sorows great to thee we shew our grefe In whome onely consysts the help of each poore synfull slaues And in whose choice body and Soule are both to spill or saue Oh let our spirits which faine wold yeld such fruit as faith requires Suâ—â—ue the deuel and flesh which stil against our soule conspires For lo alasse what we would not in vs styll taketh place And what we would is left vndone for want Lord of thy grace Féeling therfore the burthen of our sinnes which is so great With humble spirit with contrite hart with teeres we thee entreat Vs to behold poore wretched wormes which do our falts confesse And eke vnfaynedly bewayle our wofull wyckednesse Which dayly doth abounde in vs to our reproch and shame Let mercie yet preuent thy wrath for honor of thy name And as our secret sighes for siâ—ne to thee are not vnknowne So craâ—ing mercy at thy hands accept vs for thy owne That we being new buylt by grace may lothe this lump of sinne And clad in verteous godly lyfe may still procede therin Perfourming our profession tyll finished are our dayes That then in passing ioye with thée we may remayn alwayes Graunt Lord this our petition which art the god of might That through the Iesus Christ we may be righteous in thy sight FINIS 1. Cor. 12. Galati 4 Hâ— Deut. 31. Iohn 5. Wisedom 16. Roma 10 Esai v. Esai i. Psal. 76 Micheas 3. Rom. 13 Psal. 7â— 3. Reg. Luke 16 Iob. 1. Iohn 15. Iohn 16 Act. 14. Math. 5. Gala. 6 Math. 10 Psal. 62 Psal. 91. Sirac 4 Psal 103 Psa 146 Act. 7. Act. 12. Act. 5. Luke 12 1. Pe. 5. 2. Ti. 2. Pro. 14. Pro. 16. Psal. 27 Heb. 10. Phi. 4. Heb. 12. Iosua 10 Iudi. 13. Exo. 14. Act. 12. Luke Psal. 76 4. Reg. 1 Esai 3. Esai 14 Esai 26 Reue. 22 Reue. 21 Psal. 81. Esai 1. Sirach 10. Psa 144 Psa 92.
greeuous and extreame punishments which also extend them selues euen vnto their posteritie for the ofspringe for the most parte receyue their vyces of their auncetry as it were by inheritaÌ„ce whose erâ—ours are to be detested bicause their trauâ—l tendeth to depâ—iue vs of the worde of God wherein they declare and shewe themselues manifestlye to be the children of their father the Diuell and therefore consâ—quently as muche as in them is are his instrumentes to hinder the saluation of man wherefore according to the olde prouerbe what is bredd in the bone will neuer oute of tâ—e flesh And what nature hath giuen is not easely to be remoued threfore such fathâ—r such children The posteritie of Caine will shew the propertie of theyr predecessor it is againe nature and kynde for theÌ„ to spare or saue that which they can destroy and make hauock of The broode of Caine will nedes be knowne by their bloudy recognisance the diuel that king of darknesse and his beloued Antichrist the Pope continually perâ—ecute bende all their force to this end that they may extinguish the true religion of Christ Their delight is in bloud They practise to spoyle the ship but al will not helpe nor preuayle for as Ieremy sayd they shall fight against thee but they shal not be able to ouercome thee for I am with thee sayth the Lord to defende thee And ye shall see mee in ioye when they shall be confounded be then of good chéere pluck vp your harts and be mery ye mariners that sayle in Christ his ship for it cannot be destroyed For God as hee is able to bring to passe that of the stones there shall ryse vp children vnto Abraham euen so hath hee by his wonderfull prouidence appoynted the bloud of the martyrs to be the séede of the gospel yea and of the ashes of those whom through tyrannie the fyers haue consumed God hath raysed great nombers now liuing whom he hath ordayned and appoynted for the furnature of his ship to the great glory of our God the coloâ—t of his flock And wherof to the great prayse of his name be it spoken we his people of Ingland haue had the experience and euen at this day to our consolation and comfort the Lord of his mercy so coÌ„tinue it make vs thankefull to him for the same For greate is the loue that God hathe to hys church yet nothing do these miracles of our mightie God moue the hartes of his enemies whose eyes are so blynde that they sée not and theyr harts so hardened that they vnderstand not but euen stil at those dayes procéede go forward with their Cain like charitie according to the rule of the romish Antechristian church the Sucksessors of Cain For how rage the Heathen now how fret they howe fume they how lay they theyr heads together to conspyre against the Lord and his anoynted Alasse who seeth not howe cruelly they euen now persecute Christ in his members onely to suppresse and tred vnder foote the glorious gospell of Christ Iesu What beseeging of holdes and fortes What racyng of walles What destruction and sackyng of Cities townes What spoyling of Countreys What drowning what hanging what burning and outrageous horyble dealing with gods deadlyngs What blooddy and monsterous murderyng of the poore innocents sparyng no degree nor age but froÌ„ the noâ—lest to the meanest Man Woman Childe From the gray headded to the tenderest of yeares yea euen to the very babe sucking at his mothers brest geuing the dead bodyes of gods seruauntes to the fowles of the eyre to be deuowred the flesh of gods saynts to the beastes of the lande sheâ—â—ng theyr blood as water on euery side They go beyond Herod who went but to far but these theyr workes declare them and shew of what spirit they are that they be euen of that broode of turmagawnts and hell hounds that the prophet in the person of Christ speaketh of ye hate the good loue the euil ye pluck of mens skinnes and fleshe from theyr bones ye eate the fleshe of my people fley of theyr skinnes ye breake theyr bones ye chop them in peces as it were into a Cauldron Is this according to the commaundement thou shalt not kyll how agréeth this dealinge wyth the exâ—resse wyl and commaundement of god loue thy nâ—ighbor as thy selfe loue huryteth not his neighbor therfore is loue the fulfylling of the law But oh ye bloody broode how fulfyl you the law whaâ— is loue become wyth you for they that loue be mercifull and they that be mercyfull do loue so the fountayne shâ—weth the water the water the fountaie for loue merry are vnseperable Doth loue consist in cutting of throtes and murdering of innocents doth loue consyst in mâ—king spoyle and hauock of theÌ„ people of God Oh gredy deuowring wolues Oh blood thersty tyrantes Oâ— bottomles bellyes who dayely emâ—â—â—yng your selues with and goâ—lpyng in the blood of gods sayntes aâ—e neuer full nor satesfyed but the ryght hande of the most highest shall change all Wherfore oh thou chosen flock of thy shepherd Christ Iesu dismay not discourage not faynt not murmor not grudge not repyne not neyther refuse to bear a lyttle peece of afflyction with thy master Christ who of loue to ease thée dyd himself â—ear the great and heauy burthen think noâ— much that thou being gyltie by meanes of thy manyfolde sinnes and forgetfulnes of thy dutie to thy master Christ Iesu do suffer some louing correction And fele the fauorable hand of thy heauenly father when he being gyltlesse did bear the burthen of thy sinne of the sinnes of the hole world in his body vppon the crosse but pluck vp thy hart oh Israel thou chosen generation peculyer people beloued of God and comfort thy self in him knowing that the crosse which is affliction of the body grefe of mynde losse of goods and frends hunger thyrst nakednes imprisonment and death is naturally incident vnto the churche of God and members of Iesu Christ For had not Iacob great gref of mynd for the losse of his sonne Ioseph and Ioseph likewise suffred affliction of the body in prison Lazarus felte hunger and the payne of his byles at the rich mans gates Micheas was buffeted and fedde with bread water Iobe lost his goods his children his house the Profet Esay was cutte in péeces with a sawe Ieremi was stoned to death Iohn Baptist was cast into prison and beheaded Iames the brother of Iohn was slain with the sword and did not Christ him selfe Suffer the most shamefull death of the Crosse the seruant therfore is not greater then his master if they haue persecuted mée so will they persecute you The time will come that whosoeuer killeth you will thinke he doth God good seruis In the world ye shall haue tribulation and hée that taketh not vp his Crosse and followeth after mée is not méete for mée for
we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of god ye shal be hated of al men for my names sake but he that indureth to the ende shal be saued Now seing that greate are the benefites that bearing of the Crosse bringeth doubte not neyther feare thou to take vppe thy Crosse by the which thou goest to a kingdom for suffering of affliction for Christ his sake maketh aptnes to comprehend heauenly thinges Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes for theyrs is the kingdom of heauen Wherfore be euen of Paules mynde and say God forbid that I should reioyce but in the Crosse of our lord Iesus Christ for surely no man feleth the PassioÌ„ of Christ so much in his law as hée vnto whom it chanceth to suffer the like thinges for in the Crosse is ayde agaynst the enemy in the Crosse is streÌ„gth of mind in the Crosse is ioy of spirit and the Crosse and afflictioÌ„ of the Godly procedeth of the fatherly loue of the heauenly father towardes his children whom he chastiseth in this world only therby putting vs in remeÌ„brance of our sinnes yet not that by our Crosse we make satisfaction therfore for that hath Christ him selfe done vpon the Crosse once for all But that we should therby mortifie our selues our fleshlye members and being gentely corrected for our sins should turne vnto our God and repent and not be damned with the worlde but become pure vessels being therfore exercised with the Crosse Let vs séeke comforte at the fatherly mercy of our God through Iesus Christ who grauÌ„t vs grace to glorify him with true patience vnder the Crosse and this order is in the Crosse saluatioÌ„ wherof to make vs partakers and therby to try our patience behold sayth he I send you foorth as shepe amongest wolues and yet not that he therfore leaueth you destitute of helpe For the Lorde hath such care for you that he preserueth the soules of such as be in aduersitie yea I am with him in his trouble sayth hee And I deliuer him and bring him to honor Striue therfore for the truth vnto the death God shall fighte for thée agaynst thine enimies yea as a father pittieth his owne children euen so the Lord is merciful to those that feare him â–ª he loseth the prisoners geueth sight to the blynd helpeth them that are fallen and defendeth the fatherlesse and widdow And Ioseph being in Egipt did not God deliuer him oute of all his trobles Peter likewise being in prison his chaynes by the prouidence of God fell from him and he was gyded foorth by the Angel of the Lorde The Apostles of the Lord being imprysoned were deliuered by night by the Angel of god who opened the dores and brought them foorth Peter and other Apostles being in daunger of death were deliuered by the power of god through the words of Gamaliel for to those that séeke after the kingdome of God al things néedful shal be ministred cast therfore your care vpon him for hee careth for you And let them that be trobled according to the will of God coÌ„mit their soules vnto him with weldoiâ—g as vnto a faythful creator For whyle wée liue the Lord protecteth vs and if we dy with him we shal also liue with him Let patience therfore in all extremities take place for patieÌ„ce enioieth peace of mind patience in aduersitie maketh frendship with Christ the patient man euery man prayseth and worthely for he is like vnto Christ whose life was the true pattern of patience the more aduersitie suffered with patience the greater peace is enioyed patience is a token of wisdom and a patiente man is better then one stronge And he that can rule him selfe is more worthy then hée that winneth a Citie Tary the Lordes leysure be stroÌ„g and he shal comforte thine hart ye haue néede of patience that after ye haue don the wil of God ye might receyue the promes and bicause he that is patient hath much vnderstanding let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs for whether pouertie or banishment imprisonment or shame sicknesse or losse of parentes or children or any other lyke do moue vs we must thinke that none of these thinges doe happen but by the will and prouidence of god And that he doth nothing but by most iust order for why our innumerable and dayly offences deserue to be chastised more sharplye and with more greuouse correction theÌ„ such as the merciful goodnes of the Lord layeth vpon vs wherefore seing patience is so profitable and bryngeth so singuler commodities and being so great a vertue when a mans mynde is not moued nor broken in aduersitie God graunt vs therfore to be so moued to the study of patience and that by the authoritie of Gods worde that being exercysed tryed therby we may constantly perceuer and coÌ„tinue in the course of Godly lyfe throughout all kynde of aduersities after our longe continuance be saued But now a little to returne againe to the words that went before I send you foorth as shéepe among wolues wherby is easely deserued who be the shepe who be the wolus The shepe deuour not but are deuoured the wolues are not deuoured but they deuour the shéepe So the Church of Christ is knowne from the Church of Antechrist by this difference the church of God is persecuted and the church of the Deuil persecuteth of which church of the Deuil that Antichrist the Pope is the cheife Champion the ringleader of false Profets the ouerthrower of true godlines who neither teacheth nor reproueth by the worde but feareth the godly with crueltie not only by striking but also imprisoning them that withstaÌ„d him And persecuteth to the death the Profets of the Lord for theyr preaching of the truth and constancie so that we may sée that the crosse of the godly procedeth of the loue of God towardes them and is to theyr comforte in Christ Iesu euen to life euerlasting But the enemies of Christ his Crosse and rable of reprobates voyde of theyr crosse Nay truly for the Scriptures make mention that God leaueth not his enemyes vntouched as for example Caine for his bloody facte was not leaft vnpunished but Abels blood crying vengance in the eares of god Cain was banished oute of gods fight and made a vagabond and a renegate vppon the earth The Amorites being enemies to Iosua the chosen Seruant of God were in the féeld destroyed by the mightie power of God with stones from heauen and fâ—ue of theyr Kings deliuered into the hands of Iosua wer haÌ„ged Holofernus a mightie Prince and enemy to God was by the prouidence of God conquered by the hands of women Pharo pursuing Israell the sea being to them a sauegard was to Pharo and his hole armye an ouerthrow and present destruction Herod an enemy to the people of God being in his chéefe pompe