the worlde to be his chosen nurse to his peculiar persecuted people So may all we her subiectes acknowledge our selues more then most bound to god for her maiestie since we vnder a mayden Prince whose person is vnapt to bodely warres are so defended that against the force of the worlds furie both our soules and bodies are conserued in much peace far aboue the nations rounde about vs The onely cause thereof is Iesus Christ our mighty Michael who himself without our fighting hands or armed bodies breaketh the Dragons force and disapointeth him of his pray The second diabolicall imphe is the domestical foe which the Church harboreth carieth in her arms to quiet make stil his wanton and wrauling cryes Dandleth him on her Mootherly Knée hoping to surpresse his brawling voyce wyth her patient compassion For shew of recompence this poysoned broode calleth her by the name of mother her spouse Christ they worship by the tittle of lord But in déede they are the bond slaues of Agar and beare a deadly hate to Sara Their mindes be set on Sina that gendreth bondage vz. rotten Rome and Hierusalem they séeke but to féede vppon to florishe in to enriche themselues vnder her And espying her liberties and preheminences they doe from time to time busie themselues to betray the same The true church of God now in Englande séeke they to betray to the handes of the wicked and by slaunders to polute the sanctuarie of the lord The engines that these enemies vse agaynst vs are scoffing speches rayling voyces and slaundering wordes Sée you not say these men what discorde sundry sectes and religious are amongest these new broched bretherne how they preach wryte dispute and euer seeke to beate downe another Is not this a marke of Sathans Sinagog And the common refuge of these euilles is to couller their cankred malice with the couert of desired obedience to Lawes whylest such for the most parte liue as though they themselues were priuileadged from all good gouernement The contempt of godly Lawes set downe in this state and present gouernement is to be wyth diligent eye and earnest care redressed And I would to GOD suche rulers Ecclesiastical ciuill were selected as would more diligently looke hereto So should the mouthes of men haue lesse cause of their great outcryes agaynst the present state For I thinke it no reason to pull downe the whole house for the weakenes of on rotten sparre or to cutte of the hande for the fault or defect of a finger or yet vtterly to subuert the state because euery parte hath some infirmitie But as concerning the contentions amongst the learned I answere I lament both the cause and the action yet here by hath the papist no warrant to Blaspheme our Religion or to condemne the Prince or Preachers and professors of the same for if contention amydde the learned and in the Church of God be a sufficient cause to refuse her to slaunder and to reuile her wyth reprochfull tearmes yea and condemne the people state and ministery of christs spoused wife this holy church then shall we finde this Churche in no age among the children of men planted frée from such sharpe censure As if we loke into the church of Israell brought from Pharao into the desert we shall sée the same often to rebell against Moises yet not all the Israelits Wherefore the Church then could not be frée from contentiō Dathan Abiram disliking the priesthood which god ouer them had set vpō Aron his line stirred vp sharpe cōtention tumultuous vprore for the same Consider her condition in the time of Saule his persecuting of Dauid behold small vnitie Saule commended of some Dauid reaping the greater praise What vnity had the church whē 400. salse prophets contended with Helias the prophet of the Lord for the idoll Baal their false god After Israel retorned from her captiuity was not the church cut into diuers sectes factiōs in outward show they professed gods law penned by Moises the Prophets but in déede truth they were seperated into diuers opinions sundrie sects euery party receiued his name according to his opiniō The holy scripture approued authors tell vs that in the Iewes church there were Pharises Saduces Esseis yet who dare say that at this presēt ther was not in the place thē gods holy church It is therfore now no strāg or new thing to haue dissēting opiniōs in amōgst mē professing one religion about some points conteined in the same The new Testamēt witnesseth the like In the time of the Apostles what sharpe contention was there betwixt Paule Peter at Antioch for cause in religiō Peter offēding against the rules therof was openly reproued by Paule Also betwixt Paule Barnabas was such vnitie that they parted asonder the one from the other about John Marke a disciple Notable is that long sharpe disputation sore cōtention which crept into the church betwixt Paule Barnabas on the one part the Pharises which were cōuerted to the gospell at Antioch on the other about iustification whether it came by faith alone or that circūcision the law were of necessitie to be ioined thereto This strife was such that it could not nor was otherwise abandoned the church then by that Apostolicall councell holden at Hierusalem About this time and shortly after the Apostles there arose out of the church sundry sectaries as the Corinthiani Martionisti Gnostici and Carpocratiani The Gentilles then as some papistes doe now sayde the christians are troublesome and contentious they cannot agrée about their christ and his religion but we holde one vnitie in our profession therefore they offer vs more then great cause to haue in suspence our hast to subscribe to their professed Gospel Yet all this their friuolous speches set a part both the Apostles and others wyth them at that presēt ioyning in the sinceritie of the professed trueth were of the true church of god Also that church whereout these wicked Sectories Heritykes came was that and the best beloued Wyfe the Church of Iesus Christ notwithstanding such contentions and variable mindes as then that state caryed to the posteritie And euen so is our church now holding fast the substance of Doctrine geuen by the scriptures and the administration of the Sacraments according to his worde Lykewise in substance though in some matter accidentreth there arise question the same yet offe-no ioy to the professed papist for as they contende so doe both sides striue to be far from popish affects This our Church also I say of and in England is the true church of God the reuerend fathers the Bishops with others the preachers of his holy word in this our nation now gouernment abiding in the truth of doctrine though ther be amids their harmony in the
substance of our religiō some little iarring crochet in lesse matters out of musicke her concorde are to be accompted as members of that musicall body whereof Christ is the head and worthy buylders of that spirituall house of which Iesus our Lord is the chiefe corner stone If I should stand to reherse the contentions of the Church since the first Church till this present I should passe the limits of a large booke farsed with onely testimonies to that end As for example the contention among the learned and Godly fathers in the East and west churches for the time and day wherein the Easter day should be kept was great and perilous a cutting asunder of the said church and an absolute breache of perfect vnity till Nicene councell ended the cause but salued not the whole sore For the hygh authoritye of places and men Ecclesiasticall it is a worlde to reade and sée how Iohn the Bishop of Constantinople began and the Romane Gregory encountering him Prophecied his Romish seate to be prepared for the same Antechristianisme after his dayes which Boniface the worker of euill enthronised in his full pompe which contention I feare will not be banished till the spirit of the Lords mouth consume the authors fautors thereof This sore how in those better dayes more pure times it hath festered into the harts of Godly learned men then most famous by this little taste ye may at the first perceiue But let vs as ye would haue it O ye fawning papists graunt ye that some Heresies doe bréed in our English church at this day shall ye therefore accuse the same to be estraunged from God shall you wyth wylye subtletie to that ye may deface the Churche our Spirituall Moother and carye the names of her Sonnes and Children and louers of our gracious Nurse ELIZABETH Naye rather ought ye to lyke of our Religion that manifesteth suche Heresies and confesse that where the Lorde hath fyrst sowne Wheate there the Enemie comming after hath in the same chosen Lande sowed Tares And ye ought to know that the Lordes will is to haue both for a season to grow together that the blade of the Tare might the better make knowne the eare of the good wheat So is it good reader the wisdome of Gods purpose that Heresies springing vp with true doctrine the veritie should more clearly appeare and the sowers of truth should more diligently study to refell the false opinions of the wicked by the forcible power of that first sowne truth the word of god Let not the wicked therefore perswade thée that our Church and Religion is euill false because of scismes Heresies which some wicked not yet by the sentence of the Church fully cut of percase do hold for it begā in the Apostles time that Heritykes and Seismatykes should frō the true church haue their procéedinge and of the same their first place to be trayned vp in trueth that their Iudgement should be the greater And Rome it selfe which is now wrapped in horrible heresie and manifold scismes though they yet boast of vnitie came out of Gods church and hath made manifest Apostacie there from as if you set the Religion in Rome now professed wyth the Doctrine which the same dyd holde what tyme Paule wrot his Epistle to them you shall most playnely sée that the Romanistes are gone out of Gods Churche great and Huge Herityques Came not Arius that pestiferous man who hath by his Bookes denyed Christes Eternitie wyth the Father onely acknowledging him to be made as a Creature Oh myghty and Monstrous Blasphemie came he not out I say of the Churche of GOD at Alexandria where he was first a Scholemaster and after an admitted Preacher dyd he not of malice agaynst Alexander the good Bishop there first broche forth his Heresies Where had Agelius ▪ his place to spred his Heresie which was of the sect of Nouatus that Heretike hatched vp in the Church at Rome and was the Father of the Heretykes called Katharoi but euen where the christian Chrisostom was chiefe Pastour and Bishop and in his Church at Constantinople Shall the contentions in the Apostles age in Christes Church then or the controuersies amongest the learned in the Christian Churches since cut the one or the other from being the Church of God God forbid Yea if from the church of the Apostles there procéeded scismes Heresies by the wicked amongst them if since in all times as the Eccl. histories tell vs Satan hath so troubled the good corne with counterfait cockle why shal we thinke it strange to haue the same tentations now which our fathers before vs our childrē after our departure shal be assalted with ▪ yea your holy mother of Rome ye papists hath nursed vp such wicked children her selfe in whom whose popes alone ye repose your whole trust as may bear the bel before the deuill the patron of your religion for their great heresies And they are sundry in number As Liberius Anastatius Honorius Siluester and the mery monster Iohn the B. aboue others more notable Adhere to al the rest in that sea since Antechrists possession first thereof taken Albeit ye cannot deny the premises or kéep frō our sight your many sundry iarring opiniōs yet ye wold that your sinagog of Rome should be accōpted the holy monarch mother church of the world that notwithstanding the procreation of such a pestilent poysoning brood why should ye then abridge vs of the lyke libertie which ye chalenge to your selues that séeing we doe with all might séeke to repreffe the opinions of them that be wicked wyth the power of the Gospell and to mayneteyne vnitye in Godlynesse to all our powers Herein you doe but poure out your much malice striuing to hinder vs You haue exhibited against your willes much lyke to your graundsire Caiphas to our side and with vs the Testimonye of trueth So mightie is God our defender that he draweth wyth violence out of your wicked mouthes to your greater condemnation if ye repent not the vouch of verity But to conclude this poynt Christian reader take and taste this Antidotum here confected to thy vse agaynst their venomous speaches and it shall not onely comfort thy afflicted minde which God graunt for his Sonnes sake but also shall kéepe thée stedfast vntill the Lorde performe the promise long syth by his holy Prophetes solempnely made to his Churche for euer As first in Micah thus Thou wylt perfourme thy trueth to Jacob and mercye to Abraham as thou haste Sworne to our Fathers in olde tyme. And agayne in Esay wholy and specially from eleuenth verse to the ende of the same which Chapter is most comfortable agaynst these our subtill dayes Oh thou afflicted and tossed wyth Tempestes sayth the Prophete to Goddes Churche thou that hast no comfort behold I wil lay thy
for that horrible gilt to as many as aproched his presēce or to whō he could send forth his heroical voice crying Repent for the kingdome of god is at hand In these .2 verses we haue as before to consider the sugred sence comfortable doctrine which in them is contained And first as touching the spéech of Zacharie to his little babe note the mercy of God to Zacharie himselfe for albeit hée returned incredible spéech to the Angel saying How shal J know this for J am old my wife is of great age Yet god caused the Angel to procede in his message correcting his incredulitie said I am Gabriel that stand in the presence of god am sent to speake to thée to shew thée these good tidings and behold thou shalt be dumbe not be able to speak vntil the day that these things be done bicause thou beleuedst not my words which shal be fulfilled in their season A notable example of gods mercy iustice met togither in the person of this holy priest For whē he refused to giue credit to the preaching Gabriel Gods iustice ouertoke his sinne proclaymed his gilt by the Censure of his iudgement in the preachers mouth which presently tooke effect in him For he comming forth of the sāctuarie was séene not able to speak but made signes vnto the people so remained till the same mercifull God by his holy spirit opened his mouth to vouch his praise by this Prophetical Hymne Whereout wée rightly gather his inestimable mercy measured by his loue which could not be cut short of his purpose by the malice of Zacharies sin or wold depriue this holy man of so great a benefite though his soring sinne deserued it And is this done for him alone No for vs also that beleue in Christ Iesus to vs is god the one same that here he was to Zacharie And therfore is Zacharies sinnes Dauids iniquities Jonas gilt Aaron his fal Ieremies heate Peters denial Magdalens vice Zebedes sonnes with their ambition set down to the church in the holy scriptures that we might haue hope consolation so often as we imitate into their maners take suruey of gods iustice pondered with his mercy vnto these others the godly fathers For he accepting not the persons of flesh but in all places whosoeuer calleth vppon his name shal be saued from their sinnes of what condition soeuer they be To all the elect of God it is said Jf your sinnes were as red as Scarlet J will make them as white as Wooll No one of those are excluded from this comfort Come to me all you that trauell and bee heauie laden and J will refresh you Assured of this also shall all the elect of God be that in whom there remayneth the canker of sinne as it doth in all corrupted flesh in them the mercifull iustice of God shall by his striking Angell be found to correct their sinne For he scourgeth euery sonne that hée receiueth Hée sometimes chasteneth with the scourge of naturall death his beloued that their iniquitie should not cast them with the reprobate into eternal fire And in whom can be foūd his quickning spirit to mortifie their killing flesh in them his prouing hand is euer exercised to purge their sinne and force more fruite But here note with me the hate which god doth beare to the discredit of his word vttered by the teachers of his truth He spareth not to plague the same in his holy ones yea be they neuer so necessary members and helpes to his Church Rather should all Ierusalem be destitute of their preaching Prophet and their sacrifising priest Zacharie then god would spare to chastise the doubtfull hearing of his absolute word Where note he more requireth an obedient eare to his truth then al painful toyl in wilworship or sacrifices by him selfe els commaunded What shal then the obstinate rebellious Papistes the heritiques of our age doe that flatly contemne the same Truely this is the Censure of God against them I haue called saith the Lord ye haue refused I haue stretched out mine hand and none would regard but ye haue despised al my counsell and would none of my correction I will also laugh at your destruction and mocke when your feare commeth like soddaine desolation and your destruction shall come like a whyrle wind when affliction and anguish shall come vpon you Then shal they cal vpon me but I wil not answere they shal séek me early but they shall not find me because they hated knowledge did not chuse the feare of the lord They would none of my counsell but despised al my correction Therfore shal they eate of the fruite of their owne way and be filled with their owne deuises for ease slaieth the foolish and the prosperitie of fooles destroyeth them But he that obeyeth me shal dwel safely and be quiet from feare of euil Secondly we may perceiue the riches of gods mercy who doth not only forgiue Zacharies sinne but enritcheth him with a most speciall gift of prophecie that no man should dispayre to do well because erst he hath bene euill or that any should denie all them apt to the function of God which tofore haue bene inobedient or rebellious to his word No measure not the man by that he was but accept him to that he now is made by the grace of God powred into him And be not thou seuere where God is soueraigne Condemne not the person for those euils which the lords mercy hath not only pardoned but also hath doth endowe with fresh more bountifull giftes then erst hée had or possible some others which malice such men can make apparant to dwel in them selues Idolatrie no dout is an huge sinne but is not infidelitie the mother thereof And incredulitie a beame of that building yet from infidelitie God calleth to his Christ Yea such as haue bene nursed vp in Idolatrie to his seruice And the incredulous to the preaching of faith In whom we sée this simple conuersion let vs acknowledge it for gods worke and do not séeke to apall the place credite of such but rather assist yea to the face of the Apostle and gouernours in the church them euery of them to whom the Lord hath made himselfe knowne hath spoken to their hartes so that they by his grace with Paul haue séene the Lord in their passage embasing themselues before him haue confessed him to be the lord boldly do vouch him tofore kings men Know wel this that at what time the wicked part from their ill their sinnes the lord putteth quite out of his remēbrance Now as of Zacharies person hitherto we haue bestowed the vew of gods mercy towards him So let vs consider now his propheticall wordes to
their shadowed hell conspiring against him and his elect and hath geuen them the light of his saluation turned their raging race to warr with his Church into the most happie tracke of pacient sufferings and precious persecution for his names sake Wherfore let vs pray for all persecutors of his gospel for neither we or yet themselues do know whether the Lord hath predestinate theÌ„ to life Did the church of the Apostles expect Pauls coÌ„ming to their felowship who was the most cruel enemie that the Romaine power the Pharisaicall Jewes sent forth to their persecution did not the lord lead this LioÌ„ to lie vnder the féet as it were of those holy laÌ„bes euen then when he came with raging roaring huÌ„ger to deuour theÌ„ Did the famous prince most noble Monarch of the worlde king Henry the Eyght purpose to foster the Lordes people in Englande when he sat himselfe in iudgement agaynst the Godly Martir of Christ Lamhert and yet dyd the Lorde visit his Princely harte so that by the light of his Christ the spirite of God opening his harte he was made the Lordes instrument vtterly to thrust out that horrible Pope wyth all his power which no king before him could bring to passe albeit they eftsoones attempted sundry times to cut him short Which argueth Gods good lyke of his ministery with him of all such Bishops and ministers as did by doctrine stirre vp his hart her to themselues or most of them before being sworne to the Romishe obedience The noble Father and Martir of Christ M. Cranmer late the Archbishop of Canterburie shall we not accompt him amongest the lawfull ministers of God a trust none will be so wilfull as once to â—â—inke him vnworthie most reuerence 〈◊〉 Catalogie of Gods true and faythâ— ministers in his time And yet my 〈◊〉 bretherne in his persno and actions 〈◊〉 found apparant such a blemishes as for the same all of his lyke institution are of some vouched vmméete for the ministerie of the Church of god I speake not this to iniurie the fame of that holy man whom the heauens haue receiued but to offer such comfort to others as I haue I trust rightly receiued my selfe being in the dayes of Quéene Mary hatched vp in Popery and made an Idolatrous Priest often committing most horrible sacrileage to God by the sacrifising that Idolatrous Cake and counterfeyted Christ to God the Father against the glory of Christ his sonne But I dayly praise the Lord my God who hath taken mercy vpon me and called me from that power of darknes and hath translated me vnto the kingdome of his dear sonne Iesus and of from an Idolatrous Priest being ignorantly caryed into error hath chosen me wyth many others my Godly Bretherne to be a faythfull minister and true Preacher of his holy Gospell and that I craue for restes to the world the congregatioÌ„s which haue tasted of the swéet gyltes of his holy spirite by his mercifulnesse and riche goodnesse powred into their harts by my ministrie though a sinner But through christ called by grace to the preaching of the word of truth through whose good gifts by the portion of his sacred spirit giueÌ„ vnto me for their good and my continual comfort they are to confesse his grace apparant in my ministry with others our godly brethren called to the office This I say not bostingly after the fleshe but witnessing Gods great graces in me vnworthy the least after his calling me with many others from idolatry to his seruice And not to yéeld my self such like whose hartes be truly turned to the Lord to subscribe to such sharp censure as passeth to the offence of many a soule But Saul as he is not ashamed to confesse his error blasphemies So being by the Lorde in mercy changed to Paule warraÌ„teth vs with him good courage comfort to procede in our offices daring to say of himself erst a persecuter as of his fellow ministers which neuer were such séeing we haue this ministery c. He doth hereby the more embolden vs with humblenes of hart to chalenge the like authority to preach to administer the sacraments of the lord with and aswel as such others our brethren by the singular grace of god either preserued from such idolatry or since that time called to the function ecclesiasticall These spéeches therfore Q. Maries priestes K. Henries priestes c. are not so warely set downe as becommeth the place of such which séeme sufficient to supply the wants of this ecclesiasticall gouernment But the lord assist in his mercy the state present with his holy spirit grant to this our mighty monarch a zelous spirite in him yet more more to remoue reteine as the worde of God the honor of this his holy church in England the condition of our age time shall approue for truth most conuenient The places of Josias and EZechiel are not to beat vs down or to bear the contrary opinion from lacke in my iudgmeÌ„t Omitting the priuat example of the godly Iosias which can not in good diuinitie be drawne to a publique commandement I will onely note of the other place which séemeth to sundrye to stande for a law preceptorie as well to vs now as to the Leuits then First I say that Idolatrie is an horrible sin but not estranged is the Idolater from grace if the Lorde vouchsafe him repentance And where as the Lord there cutteth those Leuits froÌ„ his Alter at Ierusalem and the office of the Priest which fell to Idolatry he doth not say this shall be a perpetuall lawe to my house Church for euer Neyther did the Leuits alwais so deale to fore in the time of Moises law Did not Aaron fal to Idolatrie when he made with a grauen toole the molten image proclaimed a solempne feast day therfore attributing that selfe Idolatrous worship to the lord made an Aulter before the Idoll and if wel we weigh whose office it was in that congregatioÌ„ to offer vp sacrifice we shall further touch Aaron his person as also Moises séemeth to lay the whole crime vppoÌ„ him Yet behold the great mercy of God in the time of the law Nor is Aaron by god the lord or by his magistrate Moises depriued of his dignitie remoued from his ministery nor slaine with the slaughter of the sword at Moises his hands wheÌ„ .3000 of the Isralits were theÌ„ slaine for the same horrible Idolatrous fact This example may not moue such whom it doth coÌ„cerne to boldnes of sinne neither is the place of EZech. written to tye al times to that Iudiciall law But so hath gods wisdome enriched his written scriptures with Iustice in seuerity mercy in his christ that sin may be condemned the penitent sinner find fauor in the sight of God. It might be asked whether all the whole Chapter be of
is on our side and therfore we feare not what the Pope or any other Carnalite can doe against vs. Fourthly where and when is this horne erected Euen there then where and in what place the worlds force is to represse the same euen in the house of his seruant Dauid When did Israel féele most the presence of the horne Whē Pharao entred with greatest rage to destroy the Lordes heritage When did Daniel perceiue his might and where Euen when his friend the Kyng wanted strength to helpe him and in the place prouided for his destruction Where did Helias the good Prophet beholde this wonderfull horne erected But where idolatrie had preuayled ouer all and then also when not one séemed to stand with the lord And did not Israell now decay and the heathen enter into their possessions Was not Dauids house aboue al persecuted Then there did the Lord send his promised horne Christ our Lorde by whose sapience the wisedome of all flesh is proued foolishnesse and through whose strength the strong armed mā is spoyled of his treasure Be of good comfort O thou little flock afflicted for the Lord hath and wil haue his Christ to haue the victorie Yea death is the instrument of life and he maketh persecution to bee the séede time of his Gospel and the bloud of Martirs the budding time of the same Wherfore alwayes with this other such places of the holy Scripture take comfort thou that trustest in the Lord And let the experiment of the last persecution in England assure thée that the power of this horne is eftsones encreased Where and when did this Christ shewe forth to our age his might But when the bloud of his saintes in our English bloudy Church became as riuers of water and in the time of their greatest pride and ripenes of their Butchers actes Then and there hath the Lord againe in this nation erected his Christ and Gospell and from the prison of the Tower hath to the Throne and diademe of this land raysed his more then halfe dead Elizabeth our godly and gracious Quéene vnder whom the ruines of the decayed walles of true Religion are greatly repayred once againe God make vs mindfull of his mercies thankfull for his benefites And giue her Maiestie such encrease of his zealous spirite that the remnant of the Hydra and seuen headed beast may be banished this nation that in her gracious raigne and by her godly hand with the state of her ecclesiastical and ciuil gouernment in God as Gods holy instruments Christ alone may be erected as he is set downe by the Psalmist to be our strength our light So shal her daies be many her throne established and her and our enemies vtterly ashamed And in the meane space graunt vs O Lord for Christes sake true and perfect obedience to her Maiestie with pacient abyding in humble peace till the time which thou hast set to frame her heroical heart further to those things which shall most sound forth thy glory her Maiesties honour and the profite of thy Church that so we may depend vppon Christ our horne of saluation God of strength The Prophet not contented to staye with this summary spéech dilateth the same more amplie sayth as followeth in the next verse Vers 3 As he spake by the mouth of his holy Prophets which haue ben since the world began Least the saluation by him now preached in Christ should séeme to the world a new noueltie fréeed from vtilitie and truth he voucheth the same to be long sith determined of God and the same open to all ages before by the holy Prophets in their times Euē from the voice omnipotent to Satan at the fal of Adam vntill the houre of this ioyful song so sending as to our certaine stay the written word of god As if he had sayd other sauing health to looke for at the handes of God then hée hath promised and to refuse the same by him set and geuen according to his promise is mere wickednes To geue credite to his word and to subscribe therto is true godlines Wherfore come hither ye sonnes of God this is the promised séed the little stone the virgins sonne Jesse his braunch the Messias and the anoynted Sauiour of the Lord promised by al the prophets since the beginning of the world This verse exhibiteth as by hand to our sences excellent matter First that to the whole world aswell before Christ as since and till the last day and houre of the same world there is no saluatiō to be looked for by that perishing world els where then in Dauids house in and by the horne Christ Iesus alone by God and not men erected vp in all sight in that house not set with or vnder other helpes but alone and aboue all other séeking their helpe at him Of saintes the virgin Mary is of most worthy fame yet is she farre of frō hauing power to helpe in earth the sonnes of men Therefore she in her life for a lesson till the end of death to all Dauids house in the Gospell being called vpon of the seruitors at the mariage sayth Whatsoeuer he biddeth you do speaking of her sonne Christ se that ye do it And when Elizabeth this holy priestes wife had saluted her she acknowledged Gods mercie to be the cause and sayd My soule doth magnifie the lord c. And my spirite eke reioyceth in God my Sonne which is my Sauiour for els had I wyth the rest of the sinfull world both soule and bodie perished into eternall fire had not this Christ by the spirite of God my Lord bene conceited and borne not of me alone but to and nor me also Secōdly he hath promised by al his Prophets to deliuer vs from error that this Christ is not to be found els where then in Dauids house by the which as all false Christes are descried so also the true Church is hereby approuedly knowne For as after the flesh Christ is of the line of Dauid so spiritually Dauids house signifieth his new Church and in the same wise Christ is by the Prophets called sundrie times Dauid aswell by Jeremie as Ezechiel where the church is prophesied to serue God and Dauid their king vz. christ the sonne of Dauid For Dauid was now long sith departed to the Lord and again sayth the Lord I will set vp a shepherd ouer them euen my seruaunt Dauid c. And my seruaunt Dauid that is Christ shal be the Prince among them I the lord haue spoken it Therefore good Reader of force it must be so The house wherin this Princely Dauid raigneth and this priestly Prophet teacheth is the church of true Israelites the vnfayned house of Jacob to the which and for the which the Angels discend and ascend dayly by the commaundement of our King to the ministring comfort of his
then to vse rightly my loned penie in dutifull sort to the holy Church of God here in this our state and Realme by his great mercie firmely set vpon the foundation stone Christ Iesus This Ancker is to me a staye and frayeth all feare from me so that I as I can seeke to helpe forwardes the Lords labours though wants in me do force the wish of learned frame and eloquēt phraise to help my willing mind and godly purpose But I accept with thankfulnes that which God hath vouched safe to giue being because of my many sinnes vnworthy of that in him I haue I onely desire of God in Christ that his spirit of truth may guide my ragged rowes and simple stile and that the lesse learned for whom chiefely I presume these presents may something herewith be profited The matter that I exhibit to your L. is An Exposition with an ample true applicatiō of that Hymne which by order of the constituted Lawes of England is now appoynted to be vsed at Morning prayer which Hymne cōmonly is called BENEDICTVS Not at all purposed to controll much lesse to condemne the minds of some of our bretherne whose Censure hath exiled his vse at the Common praier Or yet to lend my like to phantasies lust where sound warrant hath no place And waighing with my selfe that neither they may by their priuate power or can with the quietnes of Gods Church in England which ought necessarilie of all Christians to be had in most regard to take from her that and those thinges which by Law she hath established Furthermore reuoluing my cogitations that this Hymne howesoeuer of some it be disliked to his appoynted vse is tho a part of holy scripture I thought it better to that I could to open some of the hidden treasures layd vp in the same for the Church of God then to feede some forren phantasie or to pollute my pen in contending to pull downe that which may well enough stand and nothing abate the beautie of Gods house Yet do I not thinke this Hymne so necessarily set in the order of prayer as without the same it were blemished for that were more than friuolous but because the matter therin cōtained indifferently looked into and well weighed doth enstruct comfort and also administreth light to our spirituall sences and vnderstanding of Gods mercies in his promised Christ to vs geuen and long sith commen in the Flesh which matter in time of prayer is expedient I can not yet learne or be of other minde then that the said Psalme as it is appointed is both tollerable and profitable to all godly heartes And were these my weake labors worthy by their valor to force the fauor of christian frend to refell the fury of Popish foe to your good L. of right I ought to dedicate the same not only because you are my lerned godly Ordinary who can with good iudgment discerne the doctrine therin contained if either sounde or contrary that so in stead of milke the meate for babes I powre not out poyson to infect the well growne vp children in Christ for that God graunt euer to be farre from me but also for that in respect that I should not loyter but labor in the vineyard of the Lorde your goodnesse at the request of the right honorable my singuler good L. and Master as you know did commit vnto me a speciall flock with in your Diocese to foster vp in Christ their soules which he hath purchased with his most blessed bloud Let this little booke beare witnesse of my diligent care therfore my good L. that I beare both to the same my peculiar charge amongst whom and of whose labors I reape my portion and liuelyhode and to the whole church of God elsewhere where these my low lines with others godly woorkes may fructify by his holy grace and spirit in the apt soyle of their poore harts had they store of godly teachers Finally I beseech your L. that my poore pen may passe the raging Seas of curious censure vnder the harbor of your protection So shall it with much more quietnes arriue in the port of the poore mans hart desirous not to cauill but to catch earnest holde of such plaine doctrine as truly though simply teacheth him the way to life This if I may of your good nature obtaine it will encourage me the further aduenture of godly study in the sacred Scriptures if so it may please the almightie in his Sonne Christ to bestow a greater porcion of me that I may still bring foode into the church of God. The Lord God of mercy loue and peace send to this our church her maiestrate our godly Queene state and people the peace of Christ vnfainedly in our hartes for his names sake and to your L. encrease of godly knowledge like zeale and perfect strength to cōtinue with godly care euer more and more profitable to his Church by the power of his spirite whose defence be euer yours and you with all vs that inuocate truely the name of God for euer his in Christ our Lord. Your L. euer in Christ. A. Anderson From Medborne this 15. of Ianuary 1573. The argument of the Propheticall Hymne THe author of this song was the holy maried Priest of the Lord Zacharias who had to wife Elizabeth the cosen of the virgin Mary the mother of Iesus Christ in whose old age the Lord by his Angell promised him of his saide wife a Sonne and called his name Iohn which Iohn the Lord had appointed to be the same Prophet and fore runner of the Messiath that the prophetes Malachy and Esay had prophesied to precede Christ At the birth of this babe Zacharie his toung was miraculously lowsed which before for a season was dumbe for his harde beliefes sake and he with exceading ioy then in the sight of all the company made and sung this Song Blessed be the Lord God of Israell c. In this hymne is commended vnto vs 1 First the constant truth of God to his beloued Church 2 Then his inestimable mercies powred vpon the same 3 Thirdly the office of Iohn and of the preaching of the word All which are more at large in the woorke following amply set forth to gods glory and thy profite ¶ An exposition of the Hymne commonly called Benedictus Blessed be the Lord God of Israel for he hath visited redeemed his people THe holy ghost more earnestly now then before prouoketh forceth his Prophete Zacharie to soūd forth his praise as in this Hymne is apparant his harte béeing set downe in the Chaire of déepe consideration of Gods mercie to Jsraell beginneth wyth laude and prayse to God for their and our Saluatiō in Christ Iesus Blessed be the Lord God of Israell sayth he hée calleth God the God of Israell not because he reigneth onely ouer Israell for he is also the God of all the Worlde and in him sayth the Scripture shall the Gentilles trust
our Father and that his Christ is by his goodnesse geuen to vs and by his spirite hath he grafted vs into his Christ as the braunches are into the true vine by whose sappe euen his sayd spirite wée haue not onely our Arra and earnest penie of his assured couenant But also are set so sure into eternall lyfe that it is impossible for sinne satan flesh or whatso euer to condemne vs For it is our Lorde which hath redéemed vs his people and we are by fayth grafted into him our Lorde So that to vs can come no condemnation nor any want of that which is good Therefore agayne wyth the whole Church of God we most ioyfully ought to say Blessed be the Lorde God c. For he hath visited and redeemed his people Finally note here that the Papistes in their Mattins vsing or rather into abuse bringing and chaunting this song did neuer a right as Zacharie the good Priest did therewith praise the Lord for they worshipped him with lippes alone without vnderstanding the causes why but he first waigheth the cause before hée poureth out by waight the Lordes praise His hart was wholy fraught with conceiued matter of ioy they voyd thereof laden with terrible doubtfulnesse dare not presume say they to bost of their deliuerance which popish vice as it is their deuotion in their life so it purchaseth for them after death the dregges of Gods angrie Cup as dreaming Dirgis and restlesse Masses to purchace requiem where none is to be had and a neuer ceasing paye till land and reuenewes wyll serue no more And yet if eftsones of them it be asked neuer can it by them be aunswered the soule the Lord visiting hath redéemed for then their poperie should decay But thankes be vnto God who by his vnfallible truth in his writtē word hath assured as many as beleue in him of eternall life yea and that presently after and from the moment of naturall death our Lord and redéemer so saying hee that beleeueth in me shall not die for euer c. but shall passe from death to life O ye Papistes learne to repent which God if it be his good wil graunt you for Christes sake and to perceiue with vs the causes why we blesse the Lord for he hath erected vp an horne of saluation in the house of his seruant Dauid for the Church of true Israell as this our good Priest and Prophet Zacharie speaketh on this wise saying Vers 2 And hath raysed vp the horne of saluation vnto vs in the house of his seruaunt Dauid Albeit sayth the Prophet that in the eyes of all men Israel was cast downe his strength worne out and his light extinct his hope gone and no glory left in the house of Dauid yet do I now sée thée O Lord mindfull of thy former promises For in that thou hast sent my sonne the Baptist thy messenger and enriched the wombe of the virgin with child thou hast assured vs of thy erected Christ in the Tabernacle of Dauid which is to vs a most mightie saluation by thy spirit in the mouth of the same Dauid promised saying There will I make the horne of Dauid to bud for I haue ordained a light for mine anoynted And the time now thou hast respected to the inestimable comfort of thy Church in which Herod and thy enemies haue perished in shew thy Dauids line and haue vsurped his throne As thou before time hast promised saying Jn that day will I rayse vp the Tabernacle of Dauid that is falne downe and close vp the breaches therof And J will rayse vp his ruines and J will build it as in the dayes of olde A horne he calleth Christ our Sauiour significantly thereby checking the pride of Sathan in his members that séeke to destroy the kingdome of Israell as also declaring that he shal be of strēgth to ouercome their strength yea and that his place and dignitie is no where els thē from the Lorde who doth anoynt this Christ aboue his fellow Priestes Princes with the Horne of his Euerlasting strength for his people Vnderstand therfore that this word Cornu a horne in scripture sometime signifieth kingdom and princely power as in Daniell and in Samuel Sometime it is taken for strength and great might as in Daniel againe and in the Psalmist All the hornes of the vngodly will J breake but the hornes of the iust saith he shal be exalted The sum of the Prophets wordes are as if he had sayd To vs depriued of strength hope and comfort by the mightie enemies of god in the world the Lord in despite of them that throw vs downe to the dust hath erected in the midst of them his promised Christ which is to vs that beleue in him a mightie king a strong saluation That and the only sauing health of God giuen to al nations that feare him and call vppon his name Yea and that in the same linage and stocke which the mightie of the world are now in hand to destroy euen in the house of his seruant Dauid Since to vs this horne with his honour and strength is erected let vs consider something further of these the Prophets wordes And first note that in Christ alone which is borne of Dauids stocke the virgin Mary not in the popish wheaten and coniured counterfet Christ hath the heauenly father placed our sauing health and in no other wherefore in him alone must wée repose our trust as in whom the fulnes of the Godhead and his whole fauour dwelleth corporally and in whom alone he resteth with vs pleased whose name is the Lord our righteousnes Secondly he is of God set vp to be our saluation therefor may we not els where séeke for health of Man or Angell neither feare any other power for neither sinne Sathan world or Hell can take our sauing health from vs that rest in him nor separate from him his merites those which the father hath geuen to him Thirdly the same horne that to the wicked is terrible and vgly destroying their kingdomes and tiranny is to the faithfull the horne of their health in God from the sicknes of their sinne And also it is to them life into heauen from and against the death in hel As the same water which drowned the wicked of the world neither sparing Shippe Citie Towne or Castel at the same instant caried the Arke of the obedient Noah and his familie from destruction Yea and as naturall death it selfe is to the wicked the doore to eternall fire So is the same naturall death by this our strength Christ Iesus who hath ouercome death and her sting to vs that rightly beleue in him the passage to eternall ioye and blisse Let the Papists therefore tremble at the presence of this our strength for neither they or the gates of hell shall or can preuayle in battayle against vs because God
elect This Christes church where this horne is erected is builded not by mans wisedome nor mayntained by popish policie and diuelish diuinitie but the chiefe builder hereof is Christ himselfe and by his commission his Prophets before him which by his spirite word builded the harts of the fathers to the fayth in his erected sonne And euer since his Apostles Euangelists Pastours Doctors and preachers which receiue of his holy Gospel and therewith edifie the church are likewise builders of this holy temple and house of our heauenly Dauid Of which house Christ is the head and chiefe corner stone The familie and building of this house are such ▪ as by the Apostolical and Euangelicall Doctrine are brought to the rules which are therein set by the Lord herein erected of him also to the same end they haue their name eate of his bread and worke as hée is by calling in such good workes as are of the same Lord for them prepared euen from the time of calling till the last houre of the penies receite The continual building of this Dauids house is by preaching the word of truth not by popish pressing in of false Doctrine by geuing the sacraments of the Lord to the people as they themselues haue of the Lord receiued them And not without commission and against the word to take the same from the people and offer them vp to the Lord as doe the Papistes Also to kéepe the house in order by ciuil and ecclesiasticall gouernment with the lawe of Christ our Dauid By this and such like building where so euer the Church is thus set vp the same is true Dauids house And where the power of this horne is in the hartes of the people by the worke of Gods spirite surely setled and through the instrument and organ of preaching the same Christ is naked and without corruption in Doctrine described simplie and depaynted so plaine wyth the pensell of the Scriptures that hee is to them manifested as hée is of the Father geuen the onely promised Christ crucified our saluation redemption iustification that Prophet the onely Priest and our Kyng and that all men by such meanes are drawen alone to the Father by hym there maye wée assure our selues that that Church and Nation is Dauids house and therein is Christ to be found erected for our saluation Against this building the gates of Hell shall not preuayle For as many as beleue in him shall not perish wyth the serpent Sathans sting but by this holy serpent voyd of poyson Christ Iesus shal haue eternall life Agaynst this church and to the subuersition of his house the old enemie hath set him selfe wyth his whole power continually to persecute the same and hath so preuayled in the eyes of men that this house hath eftsones séemed a forsaken cottage in the Lords vineyard and the familie destroyed But euen when it séemed of least value then from the handes of such strength the mightie God hath valiantly taken of that number such as shoulde cōtinue his house elswhere And wheras the wicked seketh the destructiō of this house God by his might vseth the same another way that to two principall ends First to teach other natiōs into the which they are dispersed that heauenly doctrine which els they had not known And secōdly that at their returne they might bring with them againe not only his word law but therwith many mo children begottē in that time by the persecuted gospel eftsones to the enlarging of the borders of that late nobled church Go and kill sayth raging Saule the priestes of the Lord which were the remnant of Elie for their hand is with Dauid they haue not bewrayed him to me At whose commandement that cursed Doeg did kill of them 85. priestes of the Lord that were the lynnin Ephod Their Citie Nob also hee destroyed from the most to the least some and all for the hate he bare to them that fauoured Dauid What then Did he herewith kil the church No surely In this sharpe persecution Abimeleck his sonne called Autathar one of these priests escaping fled to Dauid which was him selfe also from the furie of the sayde Saule fled to Achish the Kyng of Gath a heathen prince where both hée had succour and Auiathar continued with him to the continuall encrease of Gods Church Note here with me good Reader that God by his prouidence doth vse the bloudie hand of Saule whose purpose was to destroy by his kingly power both priest and people in Gods Church to an other end for he made him his instrument therby to spreade the same his church among the gentiles that not only in that place their harts might haue experiment of his power but that also his Church of Iesus then to the comfort of the same nowe might behold his secret work far passing al their expectations which was to foster for a season in such flight such two principal persons as after should erect that persequuted cause and people in the same persequuted Nation and that by no lesse meane then whereby for a time the same was repressed nor in any other place then in Saules seate that is to say Dauid hys faithfull fostred king and Auiathar his good preserued prest When cruel Athalia the Mother of Ahasia King of Ierusalem sought to extirpe the kings séede that she might vsurpe the kingdome shée murthering the rest did she destroy the house No Joash one of his sonnes was from her hand of slaughter saued that by the hand of a maid his Sister till the time that the Lord had appointed for the said Ioashe the true King to enter into his realme and so to render recompence by iust pay of deserued death to that wicked vsurper Athalia which after Seuen yeares he brought to passe setting this reserued Ioash in his fathers seate Herod also séeking by the death of the innocentes to kill the Messias not only failed of his pray but was himselfe deuoured of GODS Iustice And although the Papistes followe these and such other their forefathers in like murthering crueltie as lately in Englande and since in Fraunce yet will the LORDE and hath the LORDE set vppe as he hath promised by the mouthe of all his Prophetes since the worlde began his Christe to bee his strength in spite of them Who yéelding as it were for the tyme doth thereby nothing loose but lesse ableth the aduersarye While by Sathans furie the Churche is else where gone as before is saide to bringe foorth by her Christe in a more quiet place many moe Children At whose returne the losse of her former are restored with infinite moe her borders enlarged her honoure encreased and her fame spred ouer all For the LORD her strength hath and will confounding her ennemies and treading them in the mire geue her the
to sweare truely that which hee himselfe knoweth by sight or self hearing and not to leane vpon other mens reportes Furthermore let no man frame himselfe to sweare for trifling things or lightly prouoked but in mere necessitie then with graue consideration and reuerent regard of Gods presence before whom wée all stand whose eyes behold the déedes of all men whose eares receaue the whispering spéech of the déepe dissembling harte Trēble therefore to sweare for light matters or at euery mans first perswasion for an oth is the extreme poynt of Gods ordinance to bée vsed of men and before Magistrates to banish braules and contention and to conserue the peace and vtilitie of his church The fourth and last poynt is that wée sweare in Justicia Let not your othes sayth he be contrary to right and godlines but thereby séeke to geue to euery man that which of right is due vnto him whether in cases pertayning to God to godly Magistrates or to any other sorts of men And let the loue of God and of eour Christian brethren wyth regard of the onely truth hée alwayes your guide in swearing and not the faces of sinfull men In any case beware of too much credite in other men geue thy selfe his true Iusticia that is to say let thine owne eyes thy reason thy conscience thy faith thy honestie thy person with his name fame and crauing credite kéepe him selfe subiect to the Lord his God in holines and righteousnes in the middle of the euill world al the dayes of thy lyfe Farre bée it from thée to become the slaue of the riche in thy swearing the foresworne tenaunt of thy leude prouoking landlord or a chayned lumpe of flesh to the bones of thy kindred by such meanes or any wayes else to bée caried from the truth to the hurt of an other though hée bée thine enemie or to the condemnation of thine owne soule by a false othe to purchase thy friend his pleasure Finally if thou shalt embrace that which here thou art exhorted vnto and shalt abhorre that which thou readest here forbidden of God thou shalt in such swearing blesse his name and he shall acknowledge thée for his child and in his Christ shall defend thée from the force and rage of the mighty wicked in earth and shall geue thée in the end of this thy life thy resting place and dwelling house his holy Tabernacle the heauenly blisse as the Prophet Dauid doth witnesse in the fiftenth Psalme most comfortably to the reading of the which I referre thée Now are we come to that which we erst promised vz. to speake of our deliuerance from our enemies by this erected horne Christ whereto god hath sworne that we should not only giue him the more credit but also shuld frame our selues in him to lead the life that such redemption requireth at our hands But this redemption reacheth to the ends of the world therfore what kind of enemies so euer or in what sort they bend their battrie against vs God by this Scripture with other his promises hath assured vs the victory and from our foes full deliuerance Our enemies are sinne Satan the world and the flesh who in all ages haue not onely troubled the church people of god with grosse and carnall vices but haue set vp in the sayde Church a fourme of Religion deuised in Hell carying the title of holinesse and Gods seruice wherewith they haue more easely drawne the multitude of men from GOD to such sinne vnder the cloke of deuotion to their perpetuall confusion and shame This imagined holinesse and humane religion did Sathan first broche in the church of Iesus vnder Moyses and eftsones renued the same as hée could chaunging him selfe after the fashion of euery age preuayleth till the time of Christ and the Pharisies and since also hath playd his part in the Synagoge of Rome of whose filthie cup the Kynges and Nations of the earth haue tasted to their extreme dronkennes This is the greatest enmitie that Sathan can worke to Gods people vnder coulour of séeking and seruing him to drawe them quite from his Maiestie and in such sort blyndeth their eyes and wyth his fierie Dartes so kendleth their carnall zeale that in the will worshippe of their owne inuention they spare no cost or shunne any payne to séeme more then religious therein In this our age the Church of England is vexed wyth two horrible Impes and messengers of our enemie Sathan as sent of hym to molest our happie state to stoppe the ioyes that wée are to conceiue in our most comfortable Christ The first imphe is the forraine papisticall foe the seconde is our domesticall Englishe hipocrites The forrayne Papistes beyonde the seas haue bent their force agaynst the truth professed here in Englande and to encounter wyth the same haue prepared a double shot agaynst this frontire our religion The one shooting slaunder by rayling penne at the truth and persons professing the same the other charged wyth treason and Popishe pouder shooteth at the state and person of our souereigne as at the Liefetenaunt of the Lordes bande But from them both the Lorde in his great mercie hath and doth deliuer vs And with the truth of his Gospel by such habilitie as he geueth to his church and ministerie in these our dayes doth so ouertake the wylinesse of our aduersaries that their penned bookes are in euery respect learnedly and truly made knowne as they are to be ouer weake to breake the Walles of Gods church much lesse to confounde the Doctrine professed in the same Wherfore as men alwearied in wofull wast labors after sundrye conflictes hauing spent all their popish muniments in this war they pray a peace take a day of truce and so by scilence subscribe to the conquering truth which by his force their pouertie they are compelled vnto The charged shot of treason which the Romanistes haue trayled to this nation are they not by the Lord before the time of their discharge and without the strength of man broken al in péeces The smith that framed them the pope I say is he not ashamed to sée his Platforme put to foyle What Nation doth hée more enuie then this our happye Land What confederacies doth he make with sundrie conspiracies both wyth in and wyth out the Lande against the Lord and his anoynted Prince What offers of ayde what practises for proofe of good successe hath his vnholy holinesse assayde in this Lande and yet the Lorde hath deliuered and preserued from al his subtle engines both her maiestie and vs that she should be mauger his bearde the Nurssing Moother not onely to the Churche vnder her gouernement but also to the Afflicted members of Iesus CHRIST which that Huge Dragon doth Persecute from place to place And happye may her Maiestie be that GOD vouchsafeth to select her béeing a weake woman from among the mightie Monarchies of
stones with Carbuncle lay thy foundations with Saphire I wil make thy windows of Emraudes thy gates shining stones all thy borders of pleasant stones and all thy Children shal be taught of God and much peace shal be vnto thy Children in righteousnesse shalt thou be established and be farre from oppression for thou shalt not feare it and from feare for it shall not come nie thée Beholde the Enemye shall gather himselfe but wythout me whosoeuer shall gather hymselfe in thée agaynst thée shall fall Beholde I haue made the Smyth that bloweth the Coales in the Fyre and him that bringeth forth an Instrument for his worke and I haue Created the Destroyer to destroy but all the Weapons that are made agaynst thée shall not prosper And euery Tongue that shall aryse vp against thée in Iudgement thou shalt Condemne Thys is the Lordes Heritage and their ryghteousnesse is of mée sayth the LORDE Thus farre the Prophete speaketh to teache thée good Reader great cause of comfort and courage agaynst dispayre though England which is Gods church haue now many enemies risen vp against her her religion yea though her owne skirtes doe carie suche as insult agaynst her she is Promised that theyr Weapons and the smith that framed them shal not prosper Their lybelling bookes which séeke to persecute her though they come from the house of counsell and séeme to procede from the seate of learnings iudgement yet shal this church of God be set a Iudge ouer their wearie trauels and toyling spite and shall condemne them Let that worthy Jewel of famous memory the holy confessor and Saint of and by Iesus Christ treasured vp in the Lapydarie of the heauens for the glory of our God let his excellent workes I say stand for an ample warrant hereto to this age to her posteritie for euer And let others whether at home or abroade looke for the same end of their molesting troubles which they cast into this our age and Church But thou wilt say why doth the Lord suffer so long our weake consciences to be troubled with these contending strifes What art thou O man that wilt dispute with God These troubles to vs yet in respect of the Schismes of old are but as an entring into the first moment of the day Waite thou the lords leysure and be still learne thy song framed by firme hope in truth which Micah hath taught the church of God alwayes in her trouble to sing thou shalt be relieued though thy enemies yet séeke to triumph ouer thée Reioyce not against me O my enemie saith the church there for though I fal I shal arise when I shal sit in darknes the Lord shall be a light vnto me I will beare the wrath of the Lord because I haue sinned against him vntil he plead my cause and execute iudgement for me then wil he bring me forth to the light I shal sée his righteousnes Then she that is my enemie shall looke vpon it shame shall couer her which said vnto me Where is the Lord thy God my eyes shall behold her now shal she be troden downe as the myre of the stréets c. Thus much forth of the prophet Micah where thou maist learn to accuse thy self for thy sinne as Dauid did séeing the people afflicted not with Achab to charge the Lord or his profession Prophets whē troubles plagues arise in the church but to turne thy eyes into thy owne conscience sée the booke of thy iniquities there written to confesse before god man that thy sinne is the cause of such trouble plague brought into the church people by Satan his malice the pollicie of these his wicked impes Last of all discourage not at the romish scoffes taunting reproches nor yet despaire in the bottome of her darke dungeons sharpe persecutions for the lord wil comfort thée in them if thou rest vpon his laysure remaine constant in the end deliuering thée wil stampe thy enemie into dirt make thée beautiful in the sight of al men that thou maist serue him thy god thus deliuered frō feare in new holines deuoid of hypocrisie in iustice righteous dealing to with al men in the place of thy abode traffike els where amōgst men in earth And euer respect thy deliuerāce frō sinne regard thy state so that Satan eftsones pul thée not to thy former sinne which cōpelleth his erst bondage for the end of such as so fal is worse then the beginning And thus much for the first part of this Hymne in which I haue bene more prolixe then first I purposed but I trust that the profite which may rise vppon the attentiue reading of the matter simply set downe wil coūteruaile the tedious sight of so much blotted paper sith my willing trauayles hath forced me to dwell in comfortable spéech with the lesse learned some thing the longer because they of themselues can not conceiue such profitable matter as this our text doth exhibite to the serching eye assuredly perswaded that the better so godly learned will vouchsafe soueraigne Censure to this my vnpolished pen. And wherein I erre from the truth if by the same I may heare louingly therof as I hope I haue geuen no poyson to the Church so I wil be glad to reforme that and those thinges which godly reasons with learned truth shall require at my hands The Lord graunt continuance of his gospell in this Nation preseruation to her Maiestie with encrease of Gods knowledge and zeale to his holy name and to vs and his whole Church from all heresies Scismes and ciuill dissentions if it stand with his good wil and pleasure once full deliuerance that we may serue the Lord our god in sinceritie of hart and integritie of life in his sight by his holy spirite all the dayes of our life to whom by and with Christ our Lord to that deitie in the trinal vnitie be al praise power glory for euer Amen Vers 9 And thou child shalt be called the Prophet of the most high for thou shalt goe before the face of the Lord to prepare his wayes As the sacred Priest before had declared Gods great benefites and faithfulnes in performing his louing promises to the redemption of his elect So now he returneth to this present action and vsing the person of an interpreter expoundeth the Oracle of God declaring his sonne this child to be the same preacher and Doctor which erst by the Prophet Malachy was promised to precede Christ By whose trauel in Doctrine the way should be prepared for the Lordes comming his and our Messias Which office this babe in his appoynted time executed right wel with sinceritie of hart ▪ sparing no person place time or people or omitted any occasiō when he might most aptly performe such his calling This Baptistes voyce was euer crying against the sinnes of all exhibiting the remedie
he sheweth himselfe bent to mercie But if both he spare to strike and spende his holy labors by his Propheticall preachers in vaine to the people to whom he sendeth them then and there will he poure out his double plagues to their vtter confusion Let Jerusalem alone suffize to testifye the same And grant O Lord more grace to England that we in no sort receue this thy long suffering aboundant gracious light of thy blessed truth in vaine for thy sonnes sake For then assuredly as it now appeareth by thy handy work is become to be the best Receptacle for thy afflicted members So shall it then be sene an horrible Cage for euery foule byrde and fylthie gryppe and in stede of songes of mirth and ioy howling lamentation and mourning for her great desolation shall found her sorow to the heauens redoūd to the earth againe accompanied wyth thy most terrible plagues in vehement sort Oh the securitie of England Oh the manifest contempt of the English nation Oh the depe dissimulation that enuironeth so the borders of this land as no wher thence it were permitted to haue his passage Wel God sēdeth to thée yet once Zachary Iohn Bap. in plentiful sort to cry with exalted voice incessantly repēt for the day of the Lord is at hand And through the preaching of truth they open the way to saluation in Christ Happie be thou ye twise blessed oh miserable England canst thou in time lende thyne Eares and laye thy hearte to the touche of truethe in this the daye of thy moste louing visitation And thy day of appearing canst be readye to tourne to thy Lorde who shall purge thée lyke vnto moste pure Syluer But if the Lorde take from thée Oh Englande his Worde and Preaching then Desolation is imminent For when Preaching fayleth the people perishe and dye for want of their spiritual breade the force of their lyfe Where is the beautie of the former Hierusalem What is become of the Learned Chorinth the pryde of all Achaia And where is the former glory of that Christian Antioche Is not the east Churche wholy become an Apostata from God and them selues betrothed to the seruitude of sinne his huge enemies And what shal we say of that roging Rome which somtime was the deare church of God is she not now become the seate of Antechrist and the Sinagogue of Sathan Yes forsooth Whence flowed the Floudes of Godlinesse thence commeth the Waters of fylth in the streame of Idolatrie superstition adulterie homicide treason murder couetousnesse and sinnes agaynst nature and the holy Ghost There as in a mirrour we may sée the testimonie of Paule speaking of the Heathen Idolators to the Godly Romanes verifyed For when they professed themselues to be wise they became fooles turning the glory of the incorruptible God to the similitude of a corruptible man c. Wherefore God gaue them vp also to their hartes lustes vnto vnclearnesse to defyle their owne bodies betwéene themselues which tourned the trueth of God to a lye and worshipped and serued the Creature forsaking the Creator which is blessed for euer Amen For this cause sayth Paule God gaue thē vp vnto vile affections The spirit of god foreseeing the lyke Idolatry and sinne to followe in this satanicall Sea warned them by these former plagues to auoyde the seconde destruction set downe by Iohn the diuine in the Reuelation But sith this seate is set for Antechrist and that no man can safely vnder her harbor be sure from Gods wrath or can be permitted to nussle as the Sowe in the myery puddles of her broken Cesternes Let vs wyth on consent recoyle to the commaundement of the Spirite which soundeth the retire from Romish Babilon and her damnable desolation lest running in her chase we be ouertaken by the Lorde which persecuteth her wyth al arma of sundry and sodeyne Fyghtes to her most terrible ouerthrow And always haue before thine eyes that pyller of Salt which sometime was the holy Lots wife who for her great loue she bare to her line bloud which would not lende their eares to God receiued a monstrous shape and lost the beutie of her first Creation A notable example certaynely Vers 10 And to giue knowledge of saluation vnto his people by remission of their sinnes The office of Iohn and how he is to prepare the way of the Lorde is here by Zacharie set downe namely by the Preaching of repentance and driuing the Iews to the view of their sins wherby they might be the more apt to receiue Christ by fayth in him saluation for their sins true righteousnes eternall lyfe This preparation is so requisite as without the same neither shall the wounded man féele his griefe or the dreined conscience gaspe thirst after christes bloud the founteine of health to euery dry sinning soule pined sinner that hungreth his water of life Wherfore his inestimable merit hath not onely giuen a sauiour but hath sent a heauenly voyce to cry out to our deade deafe bodies the knowledge of life and way to saluation which commeth to vs by the forgeuenes of our sinnes at the hands of our good God most merciful father he hauing fully satisfyed his iustice in the person of our crucifyed Christ the chastisement of our peace Thrée especiall poyntes this verse containeth first by what means saluatiō is atteined euen by the forgeuenes of sins Secondly whose sinnes are forgeuen Onely the sinnes of Gods elect chosen people Thirdly the way by the which they atteine to so hie a price Euen by that they haue this saluation made so apparant to them by the ministery of Preaching that they apprehende by fayth Gods spirit opening the hart of the hearer Concerning the first whence new iustification is had is apparantly sene by our Prophet namely that their sinnes be forgiuen thē Neither is there in any one to purchase such remission for then should not our iustification stand in forgiuenes but in mans purchase so god in bestowing life should not giue vs his son but according our merit and his debt pay to vs christ our desert which were to vttermost pestilent blasphemy against God and his Gospell So God loued the world sayth Christ that he gaue his only begoten sonne c. But this verse teacheth vs that our saluatiō is had by the remission of sins seteth downe both the meane for vs to apprehende lyfe and the cause of lyfe also The meane or hande whereby we take holde of christ which is our lyfe is fayth norished and bred in our hartes by the worde preached which accepteth christ as of the Father he is giuen and by the scriptures he is discribed vnto vs The cause here expressed is gods loue who hath predestinate to lyfe all those whom he hath translated from the poynte of death to the kingdome of his deare sonne and from
his throne of grace as deare children adopted in Christ to their best beloued father They loue to labour in godly workes as by his word they are commaunded They séeke to liue by faith in Christ as by the Scriptures they are taught They ioy to suffer and beare his crosse and aspiring by lowlinesse of mind they pray his aide and helpe there in with comfort continuing vnder the same They appoynt no time for their release but paciently abide his lotted leysure They looke not on the present troubles but weigh their sinnes his decréed purpose and place as opposite to their aspect the ioye that is set before them They runne with patience the race for them appointed and despising the present shame they still endure the crosse alwayes looking to Iesus christ the authour finisher of their life They blesse those that curse them they loue their enemies and do good to all but their chiefe delight is to ioyne with the houshold of faith They challenge to themselues by nature confusion for sinne and shame for their infirmities and to God the father in Christ our Lord by the instinct of his holy spirit they attribute all honour and glory and forgetting their workes past assay to go forwards to the price set before them expressing thēselues by their good workes to be the Lords building who hath made them an holy habitation and a royall priesthode In hym they offer vp themselues for a spirituall sacrifice dayly yéelding forth the fruites of holy lippes to his priest and willing obedience to his holy will. They by the spirite desire not to followe but defie and kill the lustes of the flesh They fight against Sathan and his impes continually They beare an vnfained hate to alsuperstitious vanities They contemne and despise the beggerly ordinances of the wicked world disdayning to become bondslaues to sinne any more They reioyce in their deliuerance walke in the way of the lord with a sincere hart single mind Though slide they may eftsones by frayltie yet neuer flatte fall they by falshode from the Lord their god Lo these are they of whom our Zacharie speaketh and the Angell poynteth Joseph vnto whē he affirmeth Iesus to saue his people from their sinnes And all if these haue so many fraylties be of such weaknes that they cannot as they would or do as they should perfectly walke before the Lord Yet shall they not feare for his Christ is theirs with him they haue in him iustificatiō sanctification redemption and perfect wisedome By whose vertues and merites they are euer presented before God as a iust and holy people peculiar to the lord To these can come no condemnation or any accusation shal be admitted against thē nor any gilt procure sentence to their losse For it is the Lord that doth iustifie them Finally no power shall or can conuenting conuince them For they haue in their hartes the word which is Gods power to saluation And God him selfe standeth on their side for their defence So that it is more possible for light to become darknes good euill and euill good which neuer shall come to passe then that the Lordes people should not be deliuered from death or yet want the knowledge of their saluation Which knowledge teacheth them to féele in hart and find by truth that the same sauing health consisteth not in their remuneration but commeth of god for his Christs sake by full remission of and from all their sinnes The Lord graunt vs to labour so in his vineyarde which professe his name that we may be not called only but appeare in déede his chosen people Then shall we be sure of our deliuerance in Christ our Sauiour And thus much for these wordes his people in this present verse mentioned The third last branch of this verse is to consider by what meanes his people are brought to féel perceiue that their saluatiō doth consist in the remission geuen of god Namely by this that the same is made knowne to their consciences by the ministerie of the word preached vnto them For all if the price of Christes bloud bée they most soueraigne salue for mās sinne as by the which it is wholy washed away Yet onlesse the Church of God haue sence and perfect féeling hereof in her inward partes and depenesse of hart the same shall nothing profite her For the which cause Christ promiseth being once lift vp as the serpent in the wildernesse was to draw all men to looke and come to him by the instrument of fayth and to his heauenly father in that his most comfortable prayer a little before his death for the comfort of his elect he witnesseth that life eternall consisteth in the knowledge of God the father and Christ his Sonne Also reprouing the Iewes for their rebellion he chargeth their ignorance to bée the cause therof as also shewing his Disciples of their persecuted state perils to death affirmeth ignorance to be the forcing meane hereto This shal they do saith he because they neither know the father nor yet me Paule the Apostle testifieth this to be the meane to apprehend saluation euen to come to the knowledge of the truth Thereto he ioyneth it to the branch preceding saying God will haue all men to be saued and to come to the knowledge of the truth Lo a thing most incident to saluation is to haue knowledge of the truth To conclude who are they which are taught of god but his people And what are they taught of him but the truth of his word Which he writeth with his finger in their hartes as the scripture saith that they may be a knowing people and not ignorant as the Papistes teach but falsely the same to be the mother of deuotion But Christ sayth that ignorance is the mother of error which leadeth to damnation Behold now the scope of this Baptists office was to prepare the Iewish harts by the knowledge of their sinnes and repentance for the same to preuent Gods Iustice by fruitefull acceptation of the Gospell by Christ presently preached to haue him for there God and by him saluation and full deliuerance from their sinnes For the which cause the Angell also before to Zacharie adorned him with noble titles and not to him only doe they belong but to all the true preachers of God with him wherefore they are here of thée deare Reader the better to bée weighed as wordes that doe import the glory of his heauenly Embassage to thine earthly hart Hée is first sayd to bée full of the holy Ghost a thing most necessarie to bée in the true preacher of the word as without the same he can neither preach much lesse profite the people of the Lord. The Apostles from christ therfore receiued the fulnes of his spirit by portion to their aptnes power to execute their
office he breathed on them and gaue them his holy spirite that thereby they might not only abound in gifts but also should without terror speake his wil and preach his name to all nations So in like maner Paule witnesseth that both the gift of prophecying Prophets Doctors and teachers is by the spirite of god Of which grace he hath promised continuance to the end of the world saying J wil be with you to the end of the world And therfore Iohn warneth thée reader not to beleue euery spirite so he calleth the doctrine by the preacher brought but coÌ„maundeth thée to trie whether they be of god He sheweth thee absolutely that in the preachers of thy age Gods spirit also speaketh saying Hereby shall ye knowe the Spirite of god Euerye spirite that confesseth that Jesus Christe is come in the Fleshe is of GOD. There were false Prophets among the Jewes which kept the people backe from the faith in Christ There were certaine heritiques which denied Christ to be come in the flesh as the scriptures teach him And these so vexed the Church and molested the consciences of the godly bretherne and began to make such shipwracke of the faith of many that the Apostle was driuen from the Doctrine to frame their hartes in Christ to arme by instruction the church of GOD against Cerinthus Ebyon and other heritiques that woulde not acknowledge Christ wholy as the Scriptures proued him to bée The like proofe of Gods spirit is left to thée to the ends of the world to trie the Preachers which come vnto thée whether they haue in them or doe by Gods spirite speake vnto thée He that preacheth Iesus Christ as hée is set downe in the written Scriptures is of god Hée that denieth him in any part their vouched to be in Christ is of Antichrist Whosoeuer hath not this spirite and is a preacher cannot but by the spirite of Sathan vtter as by his receiued spirite all lying fables as Zedkia the false prophet did to Achab. And both Paul and Peter manifestly shew vnto vs that many such false Prophets shall rise vp in the last dayes which shal also denie christ in déede albeit they confesse him with naked words Paule giueth thée notes infallible that euer shall lead thée to a right iudgement of these spirits of error doctoâ—s of diuels First they shall speake lies by hypocrisie fayning truth but trie them by the rule giuen of christ search the scriptures which order the Citizens of Berrea are said to obserue when the Apostles taught them 2. They shal forbid to marrie and who doth forbid I pray thée take vew that ministers may not Marrie not the scripture but rather the flat contrarie Who doth forbid that holy ordinaÌ„ce of god in Paradise to auoyd sinne but the Pope the minister of sinne he doth forbid it to all his sacrificing priestes at all times yet whoredome he permitteth to theÌ„ vnder purchased warrant to al time To al other christians he forbiddeth mariage at certaine times as Aduent Lent Jmber daies c. and Siricius one of the Popes condemneth mariage to be a fruit of the flesh as in the which state a man can not please god Meats which god hath created to be receiued with thanks geuing is made holy by his word praier doth this beast of the Dragon Satanas in paine of daÌ„nation forbid to al at his appoynted times And the breakers of his lawe though blessed of God are of him cursed with booke bell and candle out of his heauen as Pasquine calleth it earth and this naturall life as Lollords heriticks not worthy the benefite of temporall quiet These saith Paule in the place before quoted are the doctrines of Diuels Behold the popish doctrine from whence it commeth and of what spirite it is Flie from it as from hel it selfe Peter warning our times of the like false spirite sayth But there were false Prophets also among the people euen as there shal be false teathers among you which priuely shall bring in damnable heresies eueÌ„ denying the Lord that hath bought them bring vpon them selues swift damnation And many shall followe their damnable wayes by whom the way of truth shal be euill spoken of And through couetousnes shall they with fayned words make marchandise of you whose iudgement long agone is not farre of and their damnation sléepeth not Lay this Scripture before thy hart and indifferently measure thereby the Popish Church and doctrine and thou shalt sée as it were the Apostle to paynt the sinfull Sinagoge of Rome vnto thy prospect With what humblenes of Angels créepe they craftely into the conscieÌ„ces of men what opinions bréed they flat condemned by the word How open they their mouthes to slaunder the gospel of our Christ and cal it heresie though not as it lieth in leaues but as it is truly preached by gods holy prophets in this our dayes And what loue they haue to the word it selfe do thou iudge when hauing the gouernment they burned the Bibles rased the scriptures from of the walles in churches els to that they could burned the graueÌ„ letters in the sacred flesh of christes martirs What marchaundise of mens soules is there in poperie wheÌ„ their God their pope their reliques saints merits their Paul and Peter their heaueÌ„ helly purgatorie thier Masses pardoÌ„s their whole power pelf is set at price al for monei What sinne in man so horrible that shuld not there haue pardon for money What wicked fact pretended shall not there for money not only be pardoned but warranted Amongst the sinnes against the 2. Table is there a greater then Treason I say treason to god his religion his prince and vicar by his great mercy set ouer vs in this natioÌ„ And is not the Pope the head practiser of the same Doth not he loose that in earth by his Bul which god hath most surely tied fast in heauen by his word the sworne and natural due obedience to her Maiestie Doth not he promise absolution where God pronounceth curse and damnation To whatsoeuer person which resisteth his power And is this for any other cause theÌ„ to bring your purses to his coffers your soules to swift damnation Looke vpon the Gnat by that most precious Iewell the reuerend Bishop late of Sarum brought forth to the vew of all mens sight in his learned answere to halting Harding and thou shalt not maruaile though he wold haue vs his again that Camels in great number and yet scarsely could might yearely conuey his huge sommes of money out of this nation Reioyce O England for thy deliuerance embrace the word by Gods spirite put in the mouthes of thy learned Bishops and others their godly brethern in most pleniiful wise So shal thy hart yéeld faithful loue true obedience to our godly Quéen thou shalt reape her aid for