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
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