this Fig trée growing out of the same And euery Countrey Towne village Potentate preacher and priuate person is a braunch of this Figge trée of Englande being borne or nowe nourished in the same And so euery man is to apply this vnto himselfe that he is this Figge trée planted in this land by Gods mercie whych land is of hys infinite grace and goodnesse grafted into his Catholike Vineyarde the vniuersall holy Church of Christ Militant in earth The fertilitie of this Vineyarde is suche if thou do respect but the soile of the land that wée muste of necessitie say of it that whych Esay Esa 5.2 saide of Hierusalem My beloued had a Vineyarde in a very fruiteful hil Of thys landes fruitefulnesse I reste to speake in this noble Auditorie leaste I shoulde séeme to tell them that by far greater experience may teache me that it is the treasure house of Gods abundant and fruitful blessings seruing vs plentifully and sending hence abundātly sufficient proofe thereof to all nations not only neare but farre off situate from vs Gods holy name be praised for it Christ Iesus make vs thankful inhabitāts fruitful Fig trées to the Lord obediēt to hir Maiesty trusty in truth giue vs right English harts one to an other Oh Lord how greate is thy goodnes but herein muche more namely that of thy infinite goodnes grace thou hast placed vs in this fruitful land planted the same into thy most holy Vinyard sacred sea of thy holy Churche Engl. is a member of the church of God thankes be to God the church of God is in Engl. But here some Papist séemeth to saye me thinke Nay sir not so England is not nor hathe the Churche of God in it To whose blasphemy we maye boldely answere The perfect notes infallible markes of Gods Church both of the visible inuisible Churche are apparante with vs in our Church of England therfore Englād is the Vineyard of the Lord whiche is the house of Iacob and the Church of God Esa 5.7 The visible Church of God we call here that Catholike company which is dispersed into sundry places are by the word of God called into one society and felowship as Gods elect people in outwarde profession of sincere religiō participate togither of the Lordes Sacraments make cōfessiō of the Christian faith according to the word do accept the publique priuate discipline of the same in séeming sinceritie And this catholike militante company are placed into sundry territories which for theyr situations diuersitie of Countries bée also deuided into particular Churches and beare such names as the Country soile is knowen by as the Church of Corinth Laodicea Ephesus Thessalonica Englande Fraunce and Irelande c. And this visible Churche as it hath in it in euery Countrey where it is bothe good and euil ones elect and reprobate faithful and infidelious Math. 3.22 Math 13.27 2 Tim. 2.20 holy and hypocriticall Wheate and Cockle Corne and Chaffe vessels of honoure and dishes of disgrace So the saide Church of God called the Militaunt Congregation is knowne to be there wheresoeuer these certaine notes and markes thereof are resident The infallible markes of the isible Churche of God and to be séene in common vse that is to say Puritie of Doctrine sincere deliuerye of Christes holy Sacraments and godly Discipline Whiche assured markes and notes to knowe his Churche by our sauiour Christe hathe couched into one sentēce of the Gospell vnder the commaunding commission from his Maiestie to his holy Apostles in the Gospell after Saint Mathewe thus Math. 28.18 And thus spake to his Disciples saying All power is giuen vnto mee in heauen and in earth go therefore teach al nations baptizing them in the name of the father and of the sonne of the holy Ghoste teaching them to obserue all thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you and loe I am with you alwaye vntil the end of the world Amen In this sacred sentence dearely beloued are these thrée heauenly notes giuen of God to trye if his Militante Churche be in whatsoeuer kingdome Countrey or people Goe teache the Gospell this is the first For wheresoeuer the doctrine of the word is purely after Christs commaundements delyuered and taughte there is the Church of God The second is the true administration of hys holy Sacraments Baptizing them in the name of the father c. Note wel that not onely hys matter of Sacrament but his methode in Baptizing must be obserued where his Churche is established therfore the Lorde deliuereth both the matter what and the manner howe saying Baptize them thus In the name of the Father and of the Sonne c. The thirde sacred marke of this visible Churche is registred vnder these wordes Teaching them to obserue al thinges whatsoeuer I haue commaunded you Math. 1.29 Do not saieth the Lorde onelye teache the nations my worde but baptize the beléeuing and those whiche beléeue and are baptized sée that they bée kepte in my obedience and vnder my swéete and easie yoke by your aucthoritie in my spirite that their conuersation amongest men may aduaunce theyr confession vnto God Loe here is the rule and warrant for godlye discipline in the Church of God Teache them to obserue bring them to obey directe the Segniorie into their duetye teache them how they ought to gouerne in the Church and let them exercise theyr aucthoritie to my glorie and to the maintainaunce of the same Whych then is in the right order when they are taught by doctrine and discipline 1. Cor. 11. 1. Thes 4.2 to obserue all and euery thing that I giue you in commaundement for them and when you feare to presse vppon them anye thing that you haue not receiued frō me whiche might tie their consciēce to obserue as if it were of mine Now this happy land of England by Gods great mercy hath al and euery of these marks namely the word of God most purely taught the holy Sacramēts of Christ in substāce sincerely administred godly discipline by wholesome lawes established therefore this Churche of England is the true church of God For the first we dare appeale to the throne of God and the consciences of vpright lerned men that we haue the trueth of Gods holye doctrine taught amongest vs. Whiche doctrine also by hir gratious Maiestie in hir godly laws is mightily maintained and by the helping hande of such as be godly Magistrates is greatly furthered but by the learned fathers and zealous godly preachexs most truly diligently and plainly in these our days deliuered And we may for our doctrine in Eng. approued as I haue said right boldly affirm as Pet. the Apostle in his time for the Apostolical doctrine said thē 1. Pet. 1.25 And this is the word which is preached amōgest you And for the two Sacramēts of Christs holy Church which Churche knoweth no moe we haue them
shoulde they yet make their wiues their children their seruantes their tenantes theyr friendes and kinred theyr associates and countrey thy people hir graces subiects in these growing times so mightily barren Wel wel the iolity of these and the number of our owne sins haue writhen a coard of maruellous length Esa to drawe thys heauie sentence vppon this Nation and people if we repent not Cut it downe Thys sentence is most heauy Cutte it downe But yet it is here intercepted with a most louing petitiō of the dresser of the Vineyarde viz. Lorde let it alone this yeare also till I digge rounde aboute it and dung it and if it bring forth fruite well if no then after thou shalte cut it downe Greater glorie God neuer broughte to nation than to this country of Iudea so as the Princely Prophet Dauid said of it The Lord hath not dealt so with any Nation And yet where he bestowed his greatest loue there they caste vnto him for thankes the vile sin of senslesse securitie contemning his grace despising his lawe slouting hys Prophets killing his Christe murthering his Apostles and persecuting his Churche detesting his Gospell and leading their liues without féeling with the Gentiles in moste gréedye filthinesse Wherefore their glorie is turned into shame Zach. 11. and the staffe of their beautie the band of his couenante is brokē al to péeces and they commaunded to vtter ruine Cut it downe Oh that Englande would looke to this More beautie greater bandes of Gods amitie hath not bin séene no not in Iewrie yet Englande is too carelesse what she giueth God She taketh an argument frō his former fauour and louing band of peace to be incorporate into a perpetual reste but she remembreth not that Ierusalem and Iuda are cut down nor throughly weyeth the cause crauing like censure nowe In truth beloued trée of Englande were it not for that interception of thy dressers petition the intercession of thy only mediatour Iesus Christ ther is no let of this sentence againste thée Cut it downe Consider then with thankefulnesse beloued who is thy safetie Euen Iesus Christe alone our mightie Michaell Daniel 12.1 that standeth in the gap these 22. yeares for thée But here we may not forget the Christ our dresser defender to God his father doth 2. things for his church Ezech. 22 3 The one is as a vigilant pastor defēder he is redy to help presēt at néed taketh the oportunitie offred to benefite the same For euen at that instant when God cōmandeth to destroy the trée at that present he maketh his harty petition for it The other is Christes prayer for his people but vnder a condition Spare it Lorde saith he c. till I digge it if then it bring fruite wel but if no thou shalt cutte it downe Of Christs vigilancie ouer this land for hir defence we haue moste singular assurance and the same shall appeare moste plainely vnto vs if we looke into the ancient sins of the same in hir elder people and his sentence executed vppon them after hys long sufferyng for that there wanted a Mediator at last to stād in the gap And in sinceritie of our harts doe then leuell the line of oure wicked conuersation with the sins of our ancestors his defending arme vpon vs we shal be driuē to acknowledge his louing vigilancie to be our only stay The antient Brytanes the firste Fathers of thys Iland did liue after Christs incarnation in abundant wealth but they gaue themselues saith the storie to the heresie of the Pelagians to the disdaine of the truth and to great loosenesse of life so as the Nobilitie Clergie were wholy giuen to Bacchus and Venus The Lord first sent them warnings then warres with the Picts and Scots whych mightily molested them But what didde these brute Brytanes They returned not to the Lorde confessing their sins and repenting theyr wicked liues reposing their confidence in Gods hande but continuing in their luste stil they sente for aide against the enimy to the Saxons about the yere of Christ 685. which was the first message of their ouerthrowe For the Lord in his iuste iudgement vsed them his instruments to driue the Brytanes into Wales where they remaine as yet these their confederates possessed thys pleasant Iland So came the Brytanes vnder this Censure Cutte them down Likewise the Saxons possessing this lande and abusing Gods blessings gaue themselues to a declining from God and his truth and charity was key cold amongst them Whiche two horrible vices can neuer dwel alone therefore ignorance came into the countrey and tooke possession of the Churche It was a wonder saith the Booke to haue a Priest to vnderstand his Grammer The Nobilitie became Atheistes and wicked men the common people were solde to sinne For pride whoredome and drunkennesse entred into thē from high Palaces Nicenesse of apparell had then a common habite wyth men for newe deuises were euery day And that which is not at this day amōgest the reste to be forgotten the Saxons did in very muche brauery clip or shaue their beards to the very face all excepte onely the ouer lippe But the Lorde as greatelye grieued at the Lande by some good Bishops reproued them and when no admonition coulde preuaile he bente the heauens wyth blazing Comets to threaten this Sentence Cutte the Saxons down For Anno. 1066. after the Comet came William the Norman and did execute that sentence vpon the Saxons conquering the lande and ouerthrewe the former state O deare brethren in God can wée Englishemen sée our noble trée thus twice cutte downe and not quake for feare of like iudgement or is there not like cause in vs so to procure Gods wrath Be not deceyued GOD is not mocked neither come I to flatter or yet to feare to speak the truth Englande is full of sicknesse byles and soares procuring death We may truely lament for it is as the Prophet Micah Micah 7.12.3 did for his people saying Wo is me for I am as the Sommer gatherings and as the Grapes of the Vintage there is no cluster to eate my soule desired the firste ripe fruites The goodman is perished out of the earth and there is no righteous among men They all laye waite for bloude euery man hunteth his brother with a nette By this sentence the Prophet accuseth his people of 3. pestiferous euils wherof the firste is a Catholike backesliding from religion godlinesse saying the good mā is perished for those that remain are but rare thin euen the gleanings of the Haruest and as the Vine trée after the Vintage whiche maye happilye haue here and there one Grape lefte behind Secondly of a general hipocrisie for he saith Nemo rectus No man treadeth by the measure of the line whych his profession calling doth leuil vnto him but maketh a shew of another than that he is indéede And laste of an vniuersal crueltie vsing the
the basenesse of the trée whiche hée hath planted as in the moste excellente place wherein he hathe right mercifully established it The Metaphor is very elegante taken from the Figge trée which by nature in the roote is very bitter though by the Arte and labour of the dresser his fruit become right pleasant to the eater And surely not only the people of Iuda but also of the Gentiles if they be pierced at the roote shal approue this for moste true that they are naturallye bitter to the eye and pallate of any sensible taster In birth we are moste bitter as being embrued from the conception with our firste fathers sin and in bitternesse of sin not by Marriage but by naturall propagation we are al conceiued both King and Caitife As Dauid hathe saide in sinne hath my mother conceiued me For we are all the sonnes of Adam and of one propagation after our common corruption And in our birth no swéetenesse but bitter grippings of the mother bitter wrawlings of the child and most bitter estate of the same before the seconde byrth Whereof I referre you to the reading of Ezech. 16. Ezech 16.1 2.3 Chapter Our father is an Amorite our mother is an Hittite our kindred is of curssed Canaan and wee polluted in our owne bloude and by condition the children of Gods anger Eph. 2. Oh moste bitter roote and vnsauerie Figge trée But are we bitter in oure life happily some man woulde thinke that reason might reache vs his hande of good direction But alas we then waxe to encrease in bitternesse For as the Wormewoode groweth bigger and so increaseth into bitternesse euen so wée as wée encrease in stature state and strength so do we abounde in bitternesse of sinne And if we woulde more plainelye sée thys let eache man sounde the sea of hys hearte and hée shall finde there greate stony cragges ful of bitternesse and gall against God and his owne soule and al godly men albeit that Gods spirite of regeneration doth daily purge and mortifie the same But from our selues lette vs caste oure eies with truth into the earth and into this our nation of England and o Lord what bitternesse what bitter controuersies for religion receiued of the enimie what greate delight to drinke a carowse of that Wormewoode water of Poperie Reuel 7.11 of which Iohn in the Reuelation speaketh And as the thirde parte of the earth haue druncke of it so they are become more than thrée parts bitter by it againste God oure gratious Prince hir godlye lawes state and people What bitter hate beare they to the worde howe bitterly bite they at the Preachers thereof What bitter roote can yéelde suche iuice as the Papisticall spirites doe streame out againste vs These are Figge trées indéede planted in this holy lande they make the ground barren and bitter wheresoeuer they dwell their children their seruaunts their tenauntes that Countrey that dothe entertaine them those friendes whiche doe accompany them are eyther made verye bitter vtterlye barren or muche molested by them The soyle of the lande they doe deuoure the Nursse of the Countrey oure Gratious ELIZABETH they doe despise They are as Mice in the Lords barne they eate vp the owners corne but they refuse to ioye his presence This bitter trée bringeth his fruite but it is without the dresser of the Vineyarde Euen suche as the Galileans broughte agaynste theyr allotted Prince seditions conspiracies and publique rebellion And whatsoeuer good oure godlye Nursse and good Princesse doth endeuour the same our bitter Papists turne to Wormewoode reporting euil of godly lawes and stirring vp such forraine foes and domesticall enimies as they can procure to assay their beste againste vs. And theyr pretence with the Galileans is religion fréedome from the bōdage of conscience and tyranny of now gouernement whē as the most bound of them reape much more fréedome than either their cause or conscience can deserue or yet cā win them thankeful vnto God But is your Figge trée nowe readie ripe you Papists Your buds were preately broken in the North hapely your after growth is blossomed nowe and braggeth of his ripenesse and your Louanistes Seminaries and late vpstarte Iesuites are ready to reape the fruite of your bitter Figge trées But o Lorde it is a bitter fruite a pestilent Figge and a deadlye dyet whiche they desire therefore graunte that they may perishe They are O Lord rotten in their ripenesse let them fall to confusion which in this merciful time of so much proyning and dressing by thy holye worde and hir Maiesties softened sworde can not be conuerted vnto thée But do you desire a daye you bitter Papistes What haue you to do with that daye our sinnes indéede doe fight againste vs and if our demerites bring vs a heauye daye yet it is not yours but the Lordes day We may say to you as the Prophet Amos Amos. 5.18 saide to his wicked ones in his time What haue you to doe with the daye of the Lorde woe to you that desire it The day of the Lord is darkenesse and not light it is as if a man didde flee from a Lion and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned vpon the wal and a Serpent bit him So you runne from hir Maiestie supposing hir a Lion you Papistes and hope after a day but euen in that day you I say shall be deuoured of the Bull of Romishe Bashan the she Beare robbed of hir whelpes shall teare you in péeces But you haue peace offred you and you séeke for war Wherefore you hunger your owne destruction Ier. 24. euen in that daye wherein your suppose is of Popishe solace But beloued were it that only the Papists of Englande were bitter wée mighte in swéetenesse lament that soure fruite But our selues are bitterly sette one againste an other our hearts and acts at home our Courtes and Assises in the Countrey oure thrusting and rushing into Westminster Hall dothe compell you my Lordes of the Benches to witnesse it that Englande is full of bitter Figge trées The Lorde be mercifull to choose vs into his vineyarde louing to plante vs willing to dresse vs and to proine vs that we may be fruitfull and bring forth by his operation swéete Figges and odoriferous fruites vnto him for his holy names sake It maye yrke vs thus to heare of our bitternesse but it may shame vs to féede of suche fruite Surely it wearyeth one to thinke therof and therefore I wil now recorde Gods mercie and goodnesse to this Figge trée namely how he hathe planted it in his holy Vineyard What he hathe there planted you haue hearde euen a bitter Figge trée Nowe where it is planted our Texte doth say namely in his Vineyarde let euerye manne therfore apply this to himself as it may appertaine him The whole Realme of Englande is this Figge trée planted into the vniuersall Churche of God This Citie of London is likewise a parte of
good pleasure was to make choice of thys the moste notable Beacon of the land as thereby to expresse his anger vnto al if we repent not Againe the fire fel not on our dwelling houses at home but only on the house of God Euen therby not only to conuince vs of sinne for the abuse of hys holy Temple but also to signifie to the beste of oure soules that wée whyche beare the name of GOD his religion in our profession haue not in sinceritie aunswered oure faith and therefore are vnder the censure of Gods anger And surely thys double abuse is greate this daye in Englande For there is no place so egregiously polluted as the Churche of Paules or his worde more contemned in any place What meaneth else that accustomed walking and prophane talking in time of the Sermon there Neither is there any Nation more blessed wyth puritie of godly doctrine in trueth or any so blessed lesse fruitefull vnto GOD. Although I confesse it with thankfulnesse to God that his Gospel hath won to hym infinite soules in this nation which doe the Lorde his holy word Sacraments and Sabaoth as well in thys Citie as in the realme abroade But at the comming of thys firie Preacher we then cryed namelye thys Citie hir Graces Courte and the whole lande Lord we haue sinned spare thy people O Lorde And so our mediatour Christ stayed the fire And then also the Lorde stirred vp the heartes of our honorable aucthoritie to giue from hir Maiestie Proclamation to take away the abuse thereof whiche was an approued digging but alas how long did we obey euen but a short space for as the lawe came but for that house of stone so our stony heartes cast off with spéede the verye memorie of this iuste threatning Preacher And nowe who maketh accompts of it wel wel nay woe woe to vs if we so loosely looke about vs. O Lord what harts haue wée Shall a sodaine falling of a rotten and olde Turret of Syloah be by our Maister Christe instituted a doctour of repentance to the Iewes for the fall whereof reason coulde afforde vs some cause and shall wée or dare we so despise this speciall messenger from God this burned stéeple whych calleth vs al to daily repētance Come hither to me ye commers to the Citie saith Paules stéeple and beholde the anger of oure God For as ye sée me so I remayne corrected by his reuenging hande to cal you to repentance But O Lorde thou God of Heauen this Citie this land this place yea this day hath forgotten this Make vs mindefull O Lorde of thée and penitently sorrowfull for oure sinnes against thée we humbly beséeche thée for Christes sake And as Gods extraordinary preachers came not alone but had some one or other ioyned vnto them as Esay had Micah Ieremy had Ezechiel and Hoseas had Amos So this fire from Heauen hathe to associate his message in earth Gods swift arrowe and burning sword of pestilence chieflye in this Citie Psal 91.5.6 from whence it hathe bin sundry times in sundrye places dispersed and in suche sorte as oure gracious Quéene godly Magistrates haue gyuen forth holy lawes for prayer and fasting to moue the people to repētaunce thereby acknowledging this sword to be far other and beyond naturall cause of infection From heauen we haue hadde also a thirde extraordinary Preacher of Gods anger and warning to repentaunce whych hath bin termed The gentle warning the Lorde make vs méeke spirited in humble sorte to bée rightly warned by it But howsoeuer it fare with vs yet these termes and godly actes doe approue these for Messengers sent of GOD and that by our consent in worde and déede to our forewarning The blazing Starres I speake not of as hauing foresighte to sée thys cauill and why they to Englande more than to other countries wherefore I care to giue vs our own messengers From earth also the Lorde hathe moste notably cited vs to iudgement signified his sentence ready to be executed but for the mediation of our Christ and that alone What meaneth else that monstrous mouing of that twentye acres of grounde Anno. 1570. as oure allowed Chronicles do reporte or such sundry inundation of waters in euerye coast of our Country Such monstrous byrthes strange sicknesses and sodaine deaths But laste of all An. 1580. Aprilis 6 that vniuersall Earthquake and like watershake whiche draue vs into present feare and forced the whole state to Christian prayer and care to repent If nowe the Preachers of our time haue not cause to say Our God is angrie and prepared vnto battel wherfore also I would not haue you to forgett our present Irishe wars which although they be farre from the hearte yet God graunte vs to remember that his power is greate our sins are ripe and the enimies purpose that traiterous Doctor Saunders and his adherents right daungerous But if wée truely turne to the Lorde he will turne to vs and them with theyr aides to vtter confusion as his grace hath shewed himself a louing God to vs in their late ouerthrowe in those parts his name for euer be praised Nowe beloued Magistrates of bothe estates your office is at this instant required to digge and giue compose and aboue all you must take care that standing in the gappe to stoppe the breache for the people you be not like wicked as the people for their shall you perishe before them and great shall be our confusion The Lorde Mayor muste not be a Protestaunt during his office and a Papist after and so for his office sake shewe himselfe occupied about the Fig trée of his City but he with his brethren ought to be touched and sealed in hearte to the Lorde that at all times as they are preferred to their people so they bée godly religious vpright holye aboue the people that their prayer and Christian practize maye ben defence for the Citie not onely against the pernitious purpose of the euill disposed but also against the iust reuenging hand of God whē he warneth vs of iminent danger So likewise muste the Bishoppes those reuerende Fathers and the other councellours and gouernors abroade be and haue the same condition engrauen in their spirite with the pensil of God that they may repaire the broken hedge remoue the hindering matter from the roote of the Fig trée and lay compose to moisten supple and comforte the life therof Which grace God grant you for your selues and vs for Christes sake But our texte doth directe your holy labours vnto two things First that you take from the trée that whiche doth hinder the growth to the fruit therof Then that you lay to the roote of the same that dung or compose whiche may administer helpe to the life of it But I praye you lette pore Haggai Haggai 1.1 delyuer vnto Zorobabel and Iehosuah the thing whiche mightily doth hinder the growth of the Figge trée whych may séeme to youre discretions so
muche more worthye of receit as that the same is sente to youre memories by that Princely Prophet Dauid And it is that Psal 1.1 Zorobabell and Iehosuah of a milde purpose haue vsed to the enimies of thys trée such mercilesse pitie that by suche ouermuche lenitie thrée pestilent cancre wormes are bred in the earth about the roote and eate vppe the life of the Figge trée But if they be not with spéed digged and cast away to the helpe of his life it is of necessitie that he muste be cut down The firste is the cancre of Popishe conspyracie and their wicked counsell The seconde is the stiffe and stubborne standing in sinne and the defence thereof And the thirde is that the scorning Atheist pestilent Papiste and subtile hypocrite are set with and aboue the godly in the chayre of aucthority which is by their abuse become greately the chaire of scorners If thys earth be not remooued the Cancre wormes excéedinglye bréede and the barren trée must perishe The conspiracies of the Papistes and their wicked coūcels they be eyther publique or priuate Publique but yet among themselues at their solemne places of appointed méetings where for their Counter caked Christ against the Lorde and his annointed they consulte and mightly conspyre awayting onely theyr trauailing day of such Popish conception As the laste good Fridaye in our partes was a suspected number gathered neare vnto a suspected place where that horrible sacrilegious Masse if it often be not may with greate ease voide of feare be daily sacrificed Their priuate persuasions are greate and wrought by sundry sometime by wandering Priestes harboured of no beggars sometyme by popishe Phisitions greatly magnified of our greater Papistes and these secreately sollicite the Romishe religion to men in towne and fieldes and in their weary beddes and muche moleste the valor of the Figge trée But these sinners stande the more stiffely in their Italienated sinne bicause they stande in that way whiche manie of oure Worshipfull and Noble States be delighted in to whiche Popishe sinne all lashing luste is fixed and their state dothe bréede suche stoutnesse as it is euen at this day déemed a sin eyther to reproue thē for it or thys Cancre worme of deathe in them And can we looke to haue eyther Atheisme Popery or Popishe hypocrisie once but a little disgraced so long as the Chaire of aucthority in most of our shires is filled with the Popish scorner Sundry letters are carefully sent many times to search out Papists but they come to the handes of suche often as haue more cause to be called themselues than to be in commission to conuent others And what is then done the packet once receiued happily there is some priuye packing of the Popishe Iustice to those knowne or suspected so as for the tyme non est inuentus is a good returne So is God dishonored hir Maiesties godly endeuor disturbed hir honorable Councell set to Schoole and the poore Figge trée vndigged to hir death You sée then of necessitie it is if ye wil my Lordes whiche haue the authority to place into the Chayre of Iustyce rightly digge the hurting matter from the Figge trée you must take away this earth that countenaunce and purpose whyche earste haue fedde these cancre wormes I meane that lenitie mercilesse pitie whyche in hope to win thereby the hollow Papist haue greatly hurt and hyndered the true hearted Protestant And the verye grounde of your labour and firste setting the spade to the earth is and muste here begynne to digge out the Papist from the Chaire of auctority For you may not forgette that not onely they are fruitelesse themselues but they make the grounde also barrē wheresoeuer they rule yea they bite at the prospering Figge trée they whet the téeth of theyr confederates and are practising their purpose vnder the pretence of hir Maiesties power against the branches that their cunning maye excell againste the bodye and the verye roote of the trée of thys common weale in the day of their decrée But if that the Atheiste hypocriticall and scorning Papiste were altogither discontinued the seate of authoritie No doubt thereof but their agents the Popishe practitioners that so conspire into the heartes of men against Gods truth durste not or could haue such fréedome neither suche standing in sin or so mightie preuailing aide woulde be lent vnto it Oh Lorde worke this yet more effectually for thy holie names sake and for thy loue to the dresser of oure Figge trée And London London thy Rulers and Gouernours muste well looke vnto it For a little digging in the Countrie dothe driue these cancred Papistes into thée So as thou arte become a mother to manye godlye So also a Nurse vnknowen to thée to manye a wicked Papist whiche breake vp their being in the countrey and lurke in the Citie of London and so are moste safe when they are nearest the place of their deserued daunger as neare to the court the Councell the Bishoppes consistory Westminster Hall and the sworde of authoritie Wherefore my Lord Bishop muste be still vigilant the Iudges diligent the Mayor painefull all to picke oute the scorning Papiste thys pestilent cancre worme which for more safetie créepeth so neare the roote of the Figge trée The reuerende Fathers muste bée holpen with the aide of theyr preaching brethren The godlye Iudges with the help of their associats And surely praised be God for it Englād had neuer in mans memory so manye good christian Lawyers whych with their study to the Common laws haue bin so able to benefite the bodies in the common weale as now they are by their increase in godly knowledge of his holy laws to furnish well the Fig trée to hir growth in spirite for the good successe to hys church This thē remaineth my Lords that you being our godly Fathers of the law endeuor with godly strife to excel one another in digging and that you become for your zeale in knowledge so religious and for youre dexteritie in Iustice so vpright that al other godly Iudges succéeding you may with reuerent regard feare to pronounce the sentence of Iustice after you leaste they should not equall your equitie to Papist or Protestant but chiefly in digging of euil matter from the Figge trée To your godly furtherance herein I pray you reade Psalm 101. The seconde worke of the Magistrate of either estate is to laye to the roote of the Figge trée that which maye supple and comfort and mightily help the weakened life of the same and is here by our heauenly dresser exampled vnto suche namely earnest and hearty prayer vnto God to humble his church to quicken hir to make supple and nimble hir veynes by his spirite that hys sap may be vigent and working in hir making hir more more fruitfull And then to dung the same trée that is to indicte to it such godly exercises as maye rightly humble theyr heartes and supple their soules before God And that