sound and so as rotten corrupt branches be hewne off and quite throwne away of the heauenly husbandman God the Father himselfe for not to beléeue the gospell is a marke of the reprobate a badge of those that shal be damned a certaine signe of the bowghes broken off As both the Apostles Peter and Paule may teach vs. If iudgement begin of the house of God saith S. Peter Pet. 1. Epist 4. cap. v. 17. 2. Ep. Thes 1. cap. vers 8.9 what shall be the end of those which will not beléeue the Gospell of God And S. Paul saith the Lord Iesus shal be reuealed from heauen with the Angels of his power in a flame of fire giuing vengance to those which know not God which do not harken to and obey the Gospel of our Lord Iesus Christ All such are not of the Lordes familie all such are withered boughes throwne foorth to euerlasting fire And here let our recusants take héede they be not such Now followeth the common complaint but not so bitter as the former nor so properly a complaint as of wéeping bewailing of the simple sort and especially of women Who going into the Churches séeing the bare walles and lacking their golden Images their costly coapes their pleasant Orgaines their swéet frankinsence their gilded chalices their goodly streamers they lament in themselues fetch many déepe sighes bewayle this spoyling and laying waste of the Church as they thinke The like bewayling of the people of the Iewes and of those old men which now returning froÌ„ Babylon had séene the glorie of the first temple with their eyes is repeated vnto vs in the 2. chap. of the Prophet Aggey They missed Salomons gold his marble his Cedars his câ—ruings they accounted the house which Zorobabel builded as nothing to it But what did the Lord teach them by the Prophet what glorie did he promise to the second building what kinde of ornaments did he prepare for it It followeth in the Prophet The same word which I couenanted with your fathers when I brought them out of the lande of Egypt my spirite shall stand in the middest of you feare you not now saith the Lord of hoasts Yet once againe seemeth it but a small thing vnto you Agge 2. ver 5.6.7 And I will moue the heauens with the power of my holy spirite with the preaching of my word the earth the sea the dry land And I will mooue make quake for feare all Nations and the desire of all Nations shall come and he shall fill this house with glorie sayth the Lord of hostes What do ye wish for gold Golds siluer are mine sayth the Lord of hoostes If it please me I could employ these to beautifie this house but I wil giue it greater glorie The glorie of this latter house hauing nothing but bare wals is greater then of the former so gylted so carued sayth the Lorde of hoosts and in this place I will giue peace sayth the Lorde of hoosts This is the glory of the second temple this is the glory of our Churches although the walles be not painted although their vestures be not silke although their roode lofts be broken downe although they want their frankinsence Orgaines yet the word of the Lord and his spirite shall stand stedfastly in the middest of them The Gospell of Iesus Christ ringeth in theÌ„ although their Orgaines cease that swéete sauour of life to life is felt although that earthly frankinsence be put out that pearle of the Gospell which our Sauiour counsailleth all wise marchantes to buy though they solde all that they had is present is set foorth to offered to all men fréely Although the pearles of this worlde and iewels which are but clay myre are absent these things alone decke and adorne our Churches delight the soules of the faithful aboue all harmony and musicke in the world please the eares better then all Orgaines are swéeter in their noses than all frankinsence do refresh all their senses with a heauenly kind of chearefulnes liuelines Their Images do not so liuely picture out Iesus Christ vnto vs as his Gospell doth Their Images were all false their roodes were lyes their pictures painted out a false Christ vnto vs for they painted him like a goodly young man comely beautifull well fauoured in all respects as fine as the Painter or caruer could deuise but the Prophet Esay who indéede painteth out Christ vnto vs truly his true countenance shape of bodie describeth him far otherwise as we may read in his 53. chap. For he did growe before the Lord like as a branch and as a roote in a drye grounde he hath neither beautie nor fauour when we looke vppon him there shall be no fairenesse wee shall haue no lust vnto him He is despised and abhorred of men he is such a man as hath good experience of sorrowes and infirmities We haue reckoned him so vile that wee hidd our faces from him such a one in déede was Iesus Christ this was his true picture and what beautie can there be of a trée that groweth in a drie grounde what comelinesse in a monster of men and the outcast of the people For so Dauid also calleth him in the Psalmes Psal 22. vers 6. Esay 40. Their Orgaines of brasse doe not so much delight the eares as the trumpets of his preachers doeth Their golden coapes as they termed them put vpon their Priestes backes did not so much adorne the Church as the booke of Gods word in their handes We bring foorth this pearle of the Gospell more precious then all their Vestmentes Chalices Censours Images broken rent solde the losses whereof they doe complaine and we put it against all their complaintes And they which are wise will cease to complaine or murmure any more and will say we haue made a happie exchange What shall I recken vp here the mouing of all Nations the desire of all Nations Iesus Christ the peace of conscience the fulnesse of heauenly glorie which all that worde of the Lorde and his spirite as in time past to the Iewes temple euen so nowe haue brought vnto vs. This word hath rowsed vp the Nations which before was a sléepe this voice of the Lorde hath called them vp euen from the dead sléepe of blindnesse and bondage Now that which Dauid sayde of Israell comming out of Egypt the same may we say of the people of Christ comming out of the spirituall Egypt When Israell came out of Egypt and the house of Iacob from amongest the straunge people Iuda was his sanctuarie and Israell his Dominion the sea sawe that and fledde Iordaine was driuen backe The mountaines skipped like Rammes and the little hilles like young shéepe So truely euen nowe in our dayes the Lorde béeing present in Iuda his Sanctuarie which confesseth his name alone and in Israell his dominion which wrastleth with prayers and supplications and
I that haue sinned that haue done wickedly but those sheepe what haue they done Let thy hand I pray thee be against mee and against my fathers house Thus we ought in all these externall plagues punishments of the Lord to find fault with our selues and to saye that wee haue deserued euen the same plagues not to find fault with those iudgements of God which are far lesse then we haue deserued And yet surelie amongst vs in these daies no sin more cōmon We shal come in no place we shal talke with no man but we shal finde him complaining or grieued with somewhat The gentleman he complaines all things are deare money skant his charge great which dearth in trueth him selfe in some parte is the cause of For if hee let his pastures fermes deare he must needes buy deare againe The husbandman he complaines that corne is too cheape he is not able to paie his rents seruants wages of his crop The Artificer he saith there are so manie of an occupacion that one cannot liue by another and that he can not get his debtes paid whose prices without all conscience the Lord sometimes plagues with euil paiments The seruants some times lack masters men wil do their worke them selues some lack wages some victuals So that from the top to the toe no part is free euerie one is grieued euerie one complaineth So that this plaister is verie necessarie the disease being so general dangerous Therefore I conclude with our last weekes lesson out of S. Paules Epistle to the Philippians fit for our times Phil. 4. The Lord being euen now at hand in deede Reioice in the Lord alwaie againe I saie reioyce Let your curtesie or gentlenes be knowen or manifest to all men The Lorde is euen at hand Be careful for nothing but in all things let your petitions be manifest vnto God in prayer supplication with giuing of thanks Let vs reioyce in the Lord who is now our aduocate our lawyer that pleadeth al our causes shal be our Iudge Let our curtesie mercifulnes be knowen to al men that we may find mercie curtesie at the Lords hand at that daie For with what measure we measure to others now in the chaffe and pelfe of this world shal then no doubt be measured vnto vs againe The Lorde is euen at hand let vs be careful for nothing but in al our needs necessities let vs praie vnto him and we shal receiue What is more easie then to aske and haue But aboue al things let vs giue thankes Let vs beware of murmuring complaining So shal the Lord not only this yeare but euerie yeare powre down his blessings vpon vs. Thus desiring your worships to accept this my simple gift praying the Lorde to blesse you both with his holie spirite this yeare manie others to his glorie the benefit of this our countrey and in the world to come of his great mercie to crowne you with euerlasting glorie I moste humblie take my leaue Welborne this xv of Nouember 1589. ¶ An Apologye or defence of our dayes against the vaine murmurings and complaints of manie wherein is plainlie proued that our daies are more happie and blessed than the daies of our forefathers WHereas there are manie things in my opinion right worshipfull in this our age out of counse manie things complained without a cause manie things and that of them which would be counted wise men verie iniuriouslie and vnaduisedly giuen foorth commonlie vttered then as mee seemeth amongst all the rest that complaint is verie iniust vneqaull and against all reason That these our dayes are worse than the former that our times are vnhappie miserable and that the former daies the dayes of our fathers were happie verie blessed verie calme and prosperous When as this opinion of the common people too too common amongst vs. Salomon the wisest that euer was Ecclesiastes ver 12. c. 7. in that one Sermon of his of the excellencie and vanitie and comparison of things together wherein he nameth himselfe a preacher to all ages and countries hath with his verdit as it were plainly condemned Saye not saith he what is the matter or howe chaunceth it that the former dayes are better then these for if thou saye so thou hast not asked wisdome counsaile concerning this matter As though he should saye Wisdome would teach thee another lesson that is to saye That things present seeme alwayes grieuous to men and strange things pleasant that our owne things although they be better in deede to be of none account with vs and that other mens things do please vs most of all Thus is the nature of man euer lothing things present and longing for things absent despising her owne things greedie of other mens things bragging of things past and slacke in things present verie fruitfull of vnthankfulnes And not onely Salomon but Iesus Christ being the wisedom of God the father teacheth vs the same in his Gospell He hath said manie that are first shall be the last and the last shall be the first Our heauenly father will haue his noble Kings his Mecenasses and gentlemen his Constantines his Theophilus his doctors his confessours his Martyres not onely in the infancie of his Church but also in her olde age not in her cradels but in her graye haires not in her time of increasing and flourishing shining as at the first sending downe of the holie Spirit but also in her groning decreasing and as it were now labouring time of trauell vnder Antichrist And these are no lesse notable no lesse famous no lesse valiant no lesse inflamed with the zeale of Gods house than the former And these at the last day shal be without doubt in maiestie euen to be reckoned vp amongest those first Because his mercie is for euer Ioel. 2. euen the same towards his Church And also our Prophet Ioel doth teach vs the same doctrine which did prophecie of our times vpon whom truely those ends of the world haue come more fully than vpon those first Christians which do not liue in the last hour of the day as they did but truely in his last moment and minute I will powre out saith the Lord by that Prophet in those dayes my spirite vpon all flesh and your children and your daughters shall prophecie your old men shall dreame dreames and your yong men shall see visions And also I will powre out my spirite in those dayes vpon your seruants and maydens And I will shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth beneath bloud fire and the vapour of smoake The Sunne shal be turned into darkenes and the Moone into bloud before that great and notable day of the Lorde come And it shal be that who soeuer calleth vpon the name of the Lorde shal be saued Who is he which will denye these things to concerne our dayes The fulfilling of
but they haue lyingly and falsly taught him vnto the people they haue limited and set boundes to his infinit mercy that they might sell their masses their pardons and their reliques dearer that men might trust in them that they might get and prouide them But marke I beséech you how greatly the world was blinded The good workes of others which was commanded of God in his law can profit none but them selues And doe we thinke that their workes then which were not commanded of God for the most part can profit any When as the Apostle Paule saith plainely we must all appeare before the iudgement seat of Christ 2. Cor. 5. ver 10. and euery one whether he bee monke or masse Priest or Pope himselfe or people shall receiue according to those thinges which he hath done in his owne bodie and not according to those thinges which other hath done for him or according to those things which he hath left by his will to be done for him after his death While life remaines according to our Sauiours doctrine there is a day allotted to euery man in the which he may labour in the which he may worke and bring forth the signes of faith merits of mercie and fruites pleasant to the Lorde But when death commeth then it is night in the which no man can worke any more Wherefore all their workes done after death done for them bought so dearely prouided for so carefully done so deuoutly in truth were nothing worth were vnprofitable vnto them did them no good and were of no force with the Lorde What profiteth any man that is deade without faith without repentance now being in torments masses himnes songes meat to be deuided yearely in remembrance of him or some dayly for his sake After death there is no place of prayers no place of repentance no place of translation or alteration no place of teares and good workes to any man as the Story of the rich glutton and Lazarus doth plainely teach vs wherefore we must worke our selues in our owne bodies the workes that must doe vs good at the day of iudgement When the trée is once hewed downe where it falles there it lyeth whether it be towards the North or towards the South that is whether it be in the pleasures of heauen or in the colde stormes of hell Eccle. 11. ver 3. as the wise man teacheth vs. After it be cut downe it can flourish no more neither can it beare fruit any more No more no doubt can we this trée is a parable of vs. Then besides this these Huxters these selles of merits and workes and Masses they doe not onely beguile others but they beguile themselues For though perchance you will say they are Virgins and liue straitly and punish themselues more then other men doe Math. 25. Yet they are but foolish Virgins as the Gospell doth plainely teach vs. The wise Virgins durst not deminish or lend any of the oyle of their good workes no not one droppe And what fooles are these then that dare bee so bolde to doe it They durst not giue any of their oyle which was a worke of mercy commended and commaunded of God him selfe in his lawe And these dare sell theirs They feared least they shoulde want themselues but these thinke that they haue ouerplus and to spare for others and doe make the dearest and gainefull occupation of selling their workes No occupation euer got or purchased so much lande as they did by this their trade of selling their Masses and merites All the Saintes of God crye and sigh with Dauid euen from their hartes Enter not into iudgement with thy seruantes O Lorde for in thy sight shall no man liuing bee iustified And in another place If thou Lorde wilt bee extreeme to marke what is done amisse O Lord who may abide it And with Iob wee are not able to answere one for a thousand And hauing learned that good lesson of their maister Iesus Christ in the Gospell all his seruantes whether they bee Virgins or married folkes or Martyres say when they haue done all what they can wee are vnprofitable seruants wee haue done but our dueties Wherefore this hope in trusting to other mens workes is death this staffe of leaning to other mens merits is the staffe of Egypt it woundeth his hande that trusteth vnto it The other staffe of Iacob with the which alone hee passed ouer that Iordaine of this life that is Iesus Christ and to trust to his merits to his workes to his death and passion is a sure staffe Psal 3.5 Psal 3.8 ver 15. Psal 3.9 ver 8. Psal 18. ver 29. is the staffe of all the Saintes of God With this staffe Dauid leaped ouer the wall Pleade thou my cause O Lorde saith hee with them that fight against mee and thou shalt answere for mee O Lorde my God And in another Psalme And now truely what is my hope truely my hope is euen in thée and with the helpe of the Lorde my GOD I shall leape ouer the wall This staffe our Fathers catching euen at the pitte brinke of death Wee doe not doubt but they were saued by this they went ouer Iordaine with Iacob safely by this they leaped ouer the wall of their sinnes and former superstition which did separate them from God with Dauid by this with the théefe of the crosse they passed from death to life All their former sinnes were couered and they were euen that day with Iesus Christ in Paradise Thus wee hope of our Fathers and this was their saluation Wherefore let vs imbrace the Gospell and be thankefull to God for the same Our Fathers nay many Kings and Princes nay the auncient Fathers haue not séene the thinges that wee haue séene this great light shined not in their dayes Let vs expresse in our liues and conuersations Let vs doe all the thinges it commandeth In times past how many thinges woulde they obserue for mens pleasures now let vs bee obedient for the Lordes sake Let vs forsake that Romish Babylon with her Antichrist and all his trumperie They haue not one title nor iot for testimony of thy truth in the word of God But as you see all their doctrine is flatly condemned in the same Let vs venture our liues for Iesus Christ his Gospel not for the pope and his Church as his Iesuites doe We haue no such commandement in the word of God Let not the wickednesse of the worlde or of some carnall gospellers which say and do not any whit dismaie vs or make vs stumble There hath béene such and shal be such alwaies The séede is good but the ground is naught Let vs be of the small flocke of Iesus Christ which heare his word and kéepe it Let vs in all thinges which chaunce vnto vs either in the weather or in our wealth and goods or in our bodies blesse and praise the Lord with blessed Iob. Let vs possesse our soules with patience Let vs arme our soules to temptation for the Lorde will trye all that be his Wilt thou be a Paule thou shalt haue an Angel of Sathan to buffet thée Wilt thou be a Dauid thou shalt haue Saule to persecute thée Wilt thou be Peter thou shalt haue Sathan to sift thée And to be short as many as will liue godly in Christ Iesus shall suffer persecution Let vs now waite for the comming of the bridegroome The Cockes haue crowne a great while the day dawneth great knowledge and light is in the world surely the Sunne is not farre off I meane Iesus Christ Luke 12. ver 35. he is euen now in a rising Let our loines be girded vp not flaunting with our vaine garments and our torches of faith and good workes in our handes and let vs be as seruants euery day and houre waiting when our maister will come from the marriage who hath promised he will come quickly And surely he will kéepe his promise And the spirit Apoc. 22. ver 17. and the Bride saide Come Lord Iesus And let him that heareth say Come and let him that is a thirst come And let whosoeuer will take of the water of life fréely Euen so come Lorde Iesus as thou hast promised and make vs all readie against thy coming and make vs thirst and long for the water of life which is thy holy worde that we bée not fruitlesse and deade at thy coming To thée the Father and the holy Ghost be all praise power and saluation for euermore Amen FINIS