the basenesse of the trée whiche hée hath planted as in the moste excellente place wherein he hathe right mercifully established it The Metaphor is very elegante taken from the Figge trée which by nature in the roote is very bitter though by the Arte and labour of the dresser his fruit become right pleasant to the eater And surely not only the people of Iuda but also of the Gentiles if they be pierced at the roote shal approue this for moste true that they are naturallye bitter to the eye and pallate of any sensible taster In birth we are moste bitter as being embrued from the conception with our firste fathers sin and in bitternesse of sin not by Marriage but by naturall propagation we are al conceiued both King and Caitife As Dauid hathe saide in sinne hath my mother conceiued me For we are all the sonnes of Adam and of one propagation after our common corruption And in our birth no swéetenesse but bitter grippings of the mother bitter wrawlings of the child and most bitter estate of the same before the seconde byrth Whereof I referre you to the reading of Ezech. 16. Ezech 16.1 2.3 Chapter Our father is an Amorite our mother is an Hittite our kindred is of curssed Canaan and wee polluted in our owne bloude and by condition the children of Gods anger Eph. 2. Oh moste bitter roote and vnsauerie Figge trée But are we bitter in oure life happily some man woulde thinke that reason might reache vs his hande of good direction But alas we then waxe to encrease in bitternesse For as the Wormewoode groweth bigger and so increaseth into bitternesse euen so wée as wée encrease in stature state and strength so do we abounde in bitternesse of sinne And if we woulde more plainelye sée thys let eache man sounde the sea of hys hearte and hée shall finde there greate stony cragges ful of bitternesse and gall against God and his owne soule and al godly men albeit that Gods spirite of regeneration doth daily purge and mortifie the same But from our selues lette vs caste oure eies with truth into the earth and into this our nation of England and o Lord what bitternesse what bitter controuersies for religion receiued of the enimie what greate delight to drinke a carowse of that Wormewoode water of Poperie Reuel 7.11 of which Iohn in the Reuelation speaketh And as the thirde parte of the earth haue druncke of it so they are become more than thrée parts bitter by it againste God oure gratious Prince hir godlye lawes state and people What bitter hate beare they to the worde howe bitterly bite they at the Preachers thereof What bitter roote can yéelde suche iuice as the Papisticall spirites doe streame out againste vs These are Figge trées indéede planted in this holy lande they make the ground barren and bitter wheresoeuer they dwell their children their seruaunts their tenauntes that Countrey that dothe entertaine them those friendes whiche doe accompany them are eyther made verye bitter vtterlye barren or muche molested by them The soyle of the lande they doe deuoure the Nursse of the Countrey oure Gratious ELIZABETH they doe despise They are as Mice in the Lords barne they eate vp the owners corne but they refuse to ioye his presence This bitter trée bringeth his fruite but it is without the dresser of the Vineyarde Euen suche as the Galileans broughte agaynste theyr allotted Prince seditions conspiracies and publique rebellion And whatsoeuer good oure godlye Nursse and good Princesse doth endeuour the same our bitter Papists turne to Wormewoode reporting euil of godly lawes and stirring vp such forraine foes and domesticall enimies as they can procure to assay their beste againste vs. And theyr pretence with the Galileans is religion fréedome from the bōdage of conscience and tyranny of now gouernement whē as the most bound of them reape much more fréedome than either their cause or conscience can deserue or yet cā win them thankeful vnto God But is your Figge trée nowe readie ripe you Papists Your buds were preately broken in the North hapely your after growth is blossomed nowe and braggeth of his ripenesse and your Louanistes Seminaries and late vpstarte Iesuites are ready to reape the fruite of your bitter Figge trées But o Lorde it is a bitter fruite a pestilent Figge and a deadlye dyet whiche they desire therefore graunte that they may perishe They are O Lord rotten in their ripenesse let them fall to confusion which in this merciful time of so much proyning and dressing by thy holye worde and hir Maiesties softened sworde can not be conuerted vnto thée But do you desire a daye you bitter Papistes What haue you to do with that daye our sinnes indéede doe fight againste vs and if our demerites bring vs a heauye daye yet it is not yours but the Lordes day We may say to you as the Prophet Amos Amos. 5.18 saide to his wicked ones in his time What haue you to doe with the daye of the Lorde woe to you that desire it The day of the Lord is darkenesse and not light it is as if a man didde flee from a Lion and a Beare met him or went into the house and leaned vpon the wal and a Serpent bit him So you runne from hir Maiestie supposing hir a Lion you Papistes and hope after a day but euen in that day you I say shall be deuoured of the Bull of Romishe Bashan the she Beare robbed of hir whelpes shall teare you in péeces But you haue peace offred you and you séeke for war Wherefore you hunger your owne destruction Ier. 24. euen in that daye wherein your suppose is of Popishe solace But beloued were it that only the Papists of Englande were bitter wée mighte in swéetenesse lament that soure fruite But our selues are bitterly sette one againste an other our hearts and acts at home our Courtes and Assises in the Countrey oure thrusting and rushing into Westminster Hall dothe compell you my Lordes of the Benches to witnesse it that Englande is full of bitter Figge trées The Lorde be mercifull to choose vs into his vineyarde louing to plante vs willing to dresse vs and to proine vs that we may be fruitfull and bring forth by his operation swéete Figges and odoriferous fruites vnto him for his holy names sake It maye yrke vs thus to heare of our bitternesse but it may shame vs to féede of suche fruite Surely it wearyeth one to thinke therof and therefore I wil now recorde Gods mercie and goodnesse to this Figge trée namely how he hathe planted it in his holy Vineyard What he hathe there planted you haue hearde euen a bitter Figge trée Nowe where it is planted our Texte doth say namely in his Vineyarde let euerye manne therfore apply this to himself as it may appertaine him The whole Realme of Englande is this Figge trée planted into the vniuersall Churche of God This Citie of London is likewise a parte of
howe to sounde our heartes and haue a more ful féeling of this heauenly swéetnes let vs learn what is the operation of this vnfained faith required Surely it worketh by Gods spirit and word thrée notable things in vs. The first is a perfect beléefe in our inward man that though our outwarde shoulde be fully punished for sinne yet our inwarde man shoulde haue prerogatiue to bring both to the fauor of God bicause our sinnes are not laide to oure charge Rom. 4.7.8 Ps 32.1 1. Io. 1. but remitted fully in the purging bloude of Iesus Christ And therfore through his merite our faith apprehending him we may approche by that newe and liuing way vnto his grace Heb. 10.19 and call vnto him as his iustified children Abba deare Father and reste assured that we by pure faith vnfained haue Christe Iesus to be to vs againste our sinful folly Gods holy wisdome our iniquity Gods righteousnes our grosenes his holinesse against our dailye deadly sins Christ Iesus our sufficient raunsome 2. Cor. 1.30 as the Apostle hathe sette it downe vnto vs in these words But ye are of him in Christ Iesus who of God is made vnto vs wisedome and righteousnesse and sanctification redemption The seconde worke of this our vnfained fayth is growing from the firste to assure our heartes of the countenaunce of Gods fauour and good continuance of vs in hys loue for euer and euer so as neither our dayly sinnes or Sathans accusations or yet the verye Iustice of God can possibly take hys fatherly loue from vs or impeache our great fauour with him or by laying to our charge true thynges agaynste vs could yet cast off hys singular loue from vs Rom. 8. tot cap. of al whych that moste noble chapter of blessed Paule the eyghte to the Romaines doth assure vs. Laste of all thys faith is so renued by the worde of God that it can not but saye to mans soule that hath it Blessed art thou whiche haste thy parte in the firste resurrection Apo. 2.6 for thou shalte not taste of the second death but shalt be the Priest of God to raigne with hym a thousande yeares But will yée knowe beloued who hath this regenerating faith verily euen onely they which are of a pure hart For this is the ordinary worke of God by faith first to approch vs to his holy presence to make vs his beste beloued children to iustifie vs by his grace and to sanctifie vs by his spirite Then the same spirite descendeth to the second degrée of his most holy labor Ezech. 36. Ephe. 4. Coloss 3.1 and dothe with his moste holye finger forme and frame vs anewe changeth our acts and hearts and fashioneth vs to the Image of God in true holinesse and righteousnesse And out of all doubte greate is the glorious God by whose mighty operation the sea of mans hearte is turned so quite to another course so as by the spirite he is brought to hate that horrible vice whiche before he honored and ardently to loue and embrace with great delight that vertue whiche before he did despise And to desire to do those blessed things of whyche he earst could take no pleasure And this is that puritye of the hearte by the Apostle to Timothie so greatly commended and is the seconde sound note of Gods holy childe and mēber of the inuisible elect and predestinat Churche to life euerlasting And thys seconde note you sée consisteth in these thrée blessed vertues The true hate to sin Rom. Ps 119. euen as to a Serpent The sincere loue of righteousnesse with the exercise of the whole body and spirit to it And thirdly the inwarde desire of the heart in soule and body to doe the wil of God Althoughe the same godly desire by mightie battels with sinne and Sathan is euery day impugned as by Paule in the seauenth of the Romaines is moste notably sette downe whether for breuities sake I sende thée The laste note of the inuisible Church and member of it is sincere loue burning charitie loue or vncorrupted charitie which procéedeth from true faith is accompanied with assured hope diffused by the spirite of God into vs and so borne vnto our brethren as we shunne by euill example to hurte them and take greate care with all our power 1. Cor. 10 31 to doe them benefite euen as the Lorde hath commaunded vs and doe omitte the oportunitie of reuenge or hatefull memorie of euil done déedes But as God for Christes sake hathe forgiuen vs doe from the botome of our harts forgiue and forget the iniuries of oure brethren according to this saying of Gods spirite by Paule Eph 4 31.32 Lette al bitternesse and anger and wrath and euill speaking bee putte awaye from you wyth all malitiousnesse Bee yee curteous one to another and tender hearted forgiuing one an other euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you Shall wée putte the Papistes to silence o ye blessed people In this then doe it that they blaspheming vs as euil doers may haue their mouthes stopped by our godlynesse of life And further 1 Pet. 2.12.15 that so we maye make our calling sure and an entring into the euerlasting Kingdome of God Nowe then apply thys doctrine to your selues 2. Pet. 1 10.11 deare brethren that yée haue nowe hearde and saye to your hearts for comforte if ye finde in trueth these markes liuely in you Now we know for truth that Gods spirite dothe assure our spyrites Rom. 8. that we are the sons of God And so maye you be bolde to blesse God for thys grace and say vnto the Papistes Gods goodnesse is great who hath planted vs in Englande and Englande into his Catholike Vineyarde both visible inuisible But beholde yet further his gracious goodnesse appeareth is right notable to behold For in this Vineyard of his holye Churche of Englande to the great benefite of the Figge trée he hathe firste placed a watche Tower Esa 5. He hath secondly set a Hedge of defence rounde aboute it And thirdly hauing stoned the grounde hée hathe stablished a Wine presse within the yarde where eache trées fruite shall in conuenient time be brought to his tryall purpose of benefite If that noble Prophet Esay could say so of Iudah and Ierusalem maye not Gods Prophets crye it out nowe concerning Englande and say the Lordes goodnesse is maruellous greate to thée o thou Figge trée of England For he hath placed thée in hys owne Vineyarde he hath set vp a Turret in thée whence thy watche men may sée thée and thyne enimies purpose agaynste thée wherehence to giue thée warning of thine intended harmes And he hathe sette hys hedge of prouidence rounde about thée in more ample wise than euer had the Isralits for they had but warrant when they came vp to Ierusalem to worship that no enimies shoulde inuade them But thou England arte and haste béene hedged and defended
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
by the Lords miraculous hād not séeking to serue God but after a fashion waxing colde of hys seruice and haste giuen thy selfe to vanitie and securitie in sinne arte called and goest rather backwarde And yet thine enimies abroad Hos 11 1. Esa 7.1.2 deinceps and thy false confederates at home séeking to make a breache in thée thy God Englande thy good God saith it shall not be and hath vpholden thée and defended thée by him self against al secrete conspiracies open rebelliō forrain threats now full this 22. yeres Thy name be blessed for it my God Lord giue our Englande eies to sée hir sins thy long suffring safetie to vs for vs in this thy prouident hedge The pollicie of the watchers whereof hir Maiestie is chiefe whom the Lord still defend ouer vs that long she may wake to God and watche godlily for this hir people of England and also the Ecclesiastical and ciuil honorable councel and Christian gouernors is great no doubt for whose great and godly paines to vs we owe in truth greate things to them and manye blessings to God Yet is it neither simply hir Maiestie their pollicie or other indeuor For al these with vs are sinners in his sight but hys holy hande alone and that for his owne names sake that hitherto hathe guyded their holy counsels and defēded vs. Oh that the watchemen of oure Englande would consider then right déepely theyr place You be set my Lords alofte to see aloofe for the help of vs that are appointed vnder you Your carcks care may not be the Bishop to become very rich the Iudge to be of great reuerence the Councellor ruler to gape after priuat gaine but you muste be all helping rather vs thā your selues yea to your own losse in winter sommer heat cold day and night my Lords euen as hiding places from the winde a refuge for the tēpest as riuers of water in a thirstie place as the shadows of greate rockes in a wearye land So the Lord hath allotted you Esa 32. ◠◠So Esay the Prophet hath told you And the reuerend Bishops must lerne to know that God hath called thē to such reuerēd places that they shoulde not be more ydle and Lordly Acts. 20. but more labouring and lowely yea if possible it may be than their inferior brethren called to like fūction in the Lord and holy office of preaching And beloued brethren of the popular sorte our partes is to blesse God for our godly gouernors both reuerende fathers and the ciuil Magistrates whyche doe manye of them painefully trauaile in their places to watche ouer vs. And are to pray wyth sighs and sobbes to God for some suche of them as neyther teache as they ought or watche as they shoulde or yet procure such as willingly would to the benefite of the Fig trée I knowe some where some places in England that haue a Turret or Pulpit but no Preacher in it almoste since hir Maiesties raigne For why the spirituall officers looke ouer it some temporall statute and stearne Papistes doe so out-countenaunce it as neither the worde is desired or can with quietnes happily haue grace of hearing The lord from heauen be mercifull vnto hys people in earth Wel we must render to either state our due obedience suffer them to stone vs wéede vs proine vs that we may become fruitefull and so behaue our selues in al thinges by loue towardes them that as they must render accompts to God for theyr offyces so they maye take pleasure to exercise theyr function amongst vs. So doth the holye Apostle teache vs Heb. 13.17 saying Obey them that haue the ouer-sight of you and submit your selues for they watch for your soules as they that must giue accomptes to God that they may do it with ioy and not with grief for that is vnprofitable for you The Lord further saith he stoned his Vineyarde and surely he hath mightily by hir Maiesty cropped the toppes and caste out of the Churche of Englande the stony hearted Papists It remaineth that the stoners vnder hir grace be not stony thēselues For if they be Papisticall that be Rulers howe shal the Papistes of England be stoned out of the Vineyard Lord thou clensing God preserue thy little church of Englande clense the Benches of the lande that Benchers maye call to the barre such as hinder the growth of the Fig trée in euery part of this thy kingdom by iustice authoritie grace cōuert them Lord or cast them out of thy Vineyarde For why Lorde shoulde they also make the ground barren The allegory of the Wine presse lette it be thus vnderstoode the worke offered of God to euery calling in this hys Vineyarde of Englande The noble Potentates haue vs hir people committed vnto them the Lorde doth looke that their indeuour shoulde fill the presse with holy labors The reuerende Fathers and learned Preachers of the lande haue their people namely the Church of God to exercise themselues vpon The graue Iudges haue their gréedye plaintiffes and defendants to trye their industrie and toyling seruice yet holy to the Lorde And surely my Lordes you must stoutly and with good courage tread the Wine presse in your Assises and in Westminster Hall Your calling doth not onelye teache it you but your verye robes doe preache it vnto vs You sitte in bloudye Gownes of Scarlet hewe as whereby your very apparell dothe prognosticate to your selues and vs with what hate to sinne and zeale to God you muste execute the lawes euen to the not only drawing of bloud by the sword of equitie but euen to the dying of the place with the bloud of the wicked whiche otherwise can not be reclaimed Your eyes muste not looke vppon the mightie againste the pore or spare to strike the strong that else would grinde the simple vnto powder But you muste aboue all my Lordes that be Iudges take greate care of religion and if in your circuites you happily find any one bencher that wil not accōpany your Lordshippes to the hearing of the worde the same you muste call to barre to taste of the sworde For the iudgement is the Lords and not mans O Lorde that I might once sée that example in England of some one godly Iudge or other that if any his associates refused in contēpte of the word and lawes established to go with him to Churche to heare the word of God there preached his Lord would commaund him from the Bench to the Barre yea though he were a Lorde Some of you my Lords are more gretly beholding vnto God as by health and sickenesse drawne nearer and nearer him and are restored againe vnto life that Christe Iesus shoulde be séene afreshe to liue in you The Lorde doth knowe his Churche hath néede of you and therefore in mercie he hath agayne lent vs you play the men and helpe to stamp into the Wine presse those whiche without you can not
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