performe it Wherefore let vs in a stedfaste hope holde faste by the promises of our good God who hath made vs and assured vs of his helpe with promise that our enemies shall not preuaile but will make them to stumble and fall and will with ioy rid vs out of their handes he wil not suffer the cruelty of our enemies further to touch vs then shall make to his owne glory to our comforte their confusion and our saluation Wherefore I say let vs not accompt our selus weake let vs not carry dastardlike minds or be faint hearted as for feare of these shadowes of euils to fal from the truth Let not the multitude of the professed enemies draw vs into the gulph of their wilfull rebellion For assuredly god will make vs more strong in our fewe true and vnfeyned Christians then the multitudes of their counterfait catholikes Hee hath reuealed his trueth vnto vs moste plainlye wherein as in a glasse wee may beholde their falsehood and consider and se what his mighty hand hath done for our faithfull fathers of olde how he deliuered them from their enemies from the huge multitudes of their aduersaries and howe hee draue backe their enemies discomfited thē And now euen in these dayes blessed be his name therfore he hath wonderfullie reuealed manie mischiefes which these men haue imagined so that their wished purposes God hath otherwise disposed to our safetie and their shame to our comfort and their confusion to the assurance of our continuall protection by his mercie and their perdition by his iustice Wherby he sheweth foorth as in a booke before our eyes that hee is readye to take part with vs and that he is of power and readines to helpe vs in all extremities if we yeelde him due praises and acknowledge the safety of our cities and all other blessinges to come from him and continue constant professours of his truth vnto the ende For he that continueth vnto the ende shall be saued He hath hetherto preserued vs so that the sunne of persecution hath not burnt vs by daye nor the moone by night as it hath beene practised but haue freely inioyed the benefite of the sunne light of the Gospell and due course of temporal gouernment to the vnspeakable comfort of all beleeuers and terrour of all our aduersaries And as Agrippa sayd vnto Paule the continuance of our quiet and peace and the due course of gouernement in our lande hath made euen the Turke to saye these thinges doe almost mooue me to become a christian Yet as the multitude ceased not to hunt after the lyfe of innocent Paule but persecuted him more and more So must euery good and faithful christian thinke that although our estate is very admirable euen vnto the enemyes of the truth yet shall Sathan rayse vp great troubles against the professours thereof for great are the troubles that the righteous must suffer but the Lorde deliuereth them out of all And the arrowes which these rebellious confederates endeuour to shoote at the true of heart shall returne vnto their owne faces and to their owne destruction They are mpudent stiffe hearted they are proud and arrogant yea they are shrowded with the cloake of counterfeit holines to worke their cursed conspiracies And as the Prophet Ezechiel sayth they are a rebellious company who will not heare they will not perceiue they will not vnderstande their errours and euill wayes that they might retourne to God seeke peace and ensue it But behold the comfortable wordes of the same Prophet feare not sayth he feare not nor be afrayd of their wordes be not dismayed at their great bragges although rebels and thornes be amongest you and although yee remaine among Scorpions let vs not therefore feare the Lorde himselfe hath sayd feare nor my little flocke for I am with you and will be vnto the worldes ende For behold I haue made thee a defenced Citye and an yron piller and walles of brasse againste the multitude and force of thine enimies who although they rise vp against thee yet shall they not preuaile For I am with thee to deliuer thee as I was with Moses saith he so I will be with thee I will not leaue thee nor forsake thee So that we may boldlye saye the Lorde is our helper we will not feare what man can do vnto vs. Therefore let vs not feare Ieroboam of Rome who hath stretched out his handes euen his multitudes to laye violence vpon our most gratious Queene and vpon our countrye For the Lorde we see hath dried them vp so that he cannot pluck them in again the iustice of God we see his name bee praised therfore hath cut them short so that they could not preuaile as they deuised the Lorde vncouer them all and giue them with speed their due deserts But although they cannot all be found out as yet they shall surely perish in their owne imaginations they shal melt away as wax at the fier And although they saye we haue strength we haue power will preuaile for our multitudes are great and who can withstand our forces Alas who is it but concludeth that these arrogant speaches haue alwayes proceeded frō the mouthes of them that knewe not God From the mouths of such as stood vpon their own strengthes as if they had beene Gods As the king of Babilon the king of Tyrus and now the Romish Antichrist and his adherents But as these braggers and boasters haue come continuallye to vtter confusion so we doubt not but the breath of his mouth who hath blowne awaye their pride so that it is now remembred to their vtter shame and reproch and as a by-word to all posterities so shall these proude aspiring mindes fall before the humble in Christ. For saith he I will throw down the proud exalt the humble and meeke And so long as that cōforter which was promised euen the holy spirite of God doth testifye in our harts that we yeeld not vnto these their diuelish practises which tend only to the sheding of the bloud of innocents which the word of God manifesteth to be meerely against the truth we may truly say with Dauid we haue hated the assembly of the wicked and haue not entered into confederacie of such as haue conspired againste Christ his spouse And so like true subiects vnto our prince and obedient seruauntes vnto our God we may wash our hands in innocency and serue the Lord with pure affection ioyne with the godly pure in hart to offer the sacrifice of praise vnto the Lorde for his wondrous workes done for vs euen in the dayes of greatest daungers But our aduersaries say that what they do it proceedeth onely of zeale they beare vnto the Catholike religion because they will not seme to be singuler or as men taking these thinges in hand practising it of their owne heades they ascribe
with the multitude as the chiefest refuge and meane of our safetie in the time of trouble wherein the perilous resolution of such as intende to holde with the most be it with the truth or against it is plainly proued to be meerely wicked AS touching the glory of the multitude wherupon these wicked men do build the chifest foundation of their profession as a strong argument that they haue and hold the truth and that they are victorious inuincible I thinke there be none so blockish or barbarous so voide of the knowledge of gods word especially such as account themselues christians can not bee so besotted with the pestiferous poyson of Sathans instigations to holde this argument as a sounde reason that eyther their Religion should bee of Christ or that the force of their multitudes of the huge troup of deceiued souls shoulde be such as that there should seeme no possibilitie with the small number of the faithfull Christians to withstand them but that perforce in dispite of Christ Christians they will breake down the hedges of our quiet estate and godly gouernement intrude themselues into the vineyard of God and the inheritance of his sonne Christ Iesus violate his Church and defile his Spouse as they by their rebellious practises haue endeuoured and by their vauntes haue vainely protested Surely yet I thinke there is none hauing any feeling of the grace and mightie power of God that can be so farre carried away with Sathans instigations with Antichrists inchauntmentes or with his wicked ministers perswasions to thinke it But that euery sensible man hauing but the principles of the trueth in his heart and but entring into the rules of the profession of Christ will holde it a weake foundation to build vpon the power the wisedome and direction of the multitude and a meere absurditie to followe the opinions of the most as a meane to attaine vnto the trueth considering that as the Philosopher sayth it is monstrum multorum capitum a monster with many heades and tot capita tot sententiae many men many mindes But the truth hath one head one spring one issue one ende and one meane to leade vs thereunto euen the holy Ghost the spirite of truth the taste feeling knowledge or direction wherof howe many had in the time of Christ When they all with one voyce cryed out and sayde let him be crucified And some of them to prooue their difference in opinions sayde he is a druncarde he is a Diuell hee doeth these and these thinges by the power of Belsubub And of Paule they sayde he was madde others that hee had the spirite of God and Agrippa and Festus found no cause of death in him Wherefore if any will so rashly take partes with the multitude leauing the heade of the truth and come to that spring of errors he taketh Lucifer by the tayle and with him leaueth the blessed estate of the faithfull to fall downe and become a reprobate We may not followe a multitude to do euill neither consent or agree in a controuersie to decline after many and ouerthrowe the truth Yet we see howe these men bragge and boast themselues of the multitudes and that their religion is professed generally in most countryes and kingdomes of the worlde and so conclude bonum iustum rectum approbatum est It is good iust right and allowed and why Because the most part holde it so But if this argument holde always true thē was Christ rightly put to death when we knowe that all Christians holde and cannot but confesse the contrarie and that in him there was founde no guile no deceite or sinne or cause of death And yet cryed the multitude out against him that he should be crucified for say they wee haue hearde him speake blasphemy But when they had their desire whē he was executed these busie followes which so mainely cryed out against him when they sawe the graues to open and the vale of the temple to rent and cleaue a sunder when they sawe the clouds of darknes suddenly to ouerwhelme the bright beames of the sunne when they sawe the earth to shake to tremble when they saw such a miraculous alteration of thinges they changed their opinions and altered their cōmon voices saying surely this was a righteous man but then it was too late they could not call againe the innocent bloud which they had shed nor restore the guiltles to life whō they had falsly condemned So surely although many great multituds congregate themselues together linke domesticall forrain power together with the bandes of treacherous conspiracies against the Lorde and against his annointed falsely crying out and saying she is an Heretique and all those that allowe of the present estate of Englande are heretiques whereby they allure the weake to their wicked practises hoping by their deuises to deuour poore Christians and eate them vppe as it were like breade shooting especiallye first of all to the heade hoping that then the members woulde be the sooner cut off which both the Lorde defende But if their wickednesse should which God forbid take effect they should see then the chaunge of the bright beames of peace turned into the clouds of blody warres the light of truth into the darkenes of errors and they themselues feeling the grounds and rootes of their heartes to shake and tremble by the guylt of bloudy consciences insomuch as they would not onely confesse with the multitude shee was a righteous Gouernesse but with Iudas that they haue doone most wickedlie in betraying the innocent bloud and with Cayne like runnagates roue to and fro saying and accusing their offence to be greater then they are able to beare Furthermore they shoulde then generally as some of them haue alreadie particularly finde the falsehoode of their Father of lyes who deceyueth them with his fayre but false promises of pardon of their sinnes and merite in heauen for their execrable and bloudie practises When the Apostle affirmeth the contrarie Namely that Idolaters murderers and such like shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen Then doth this man of sinne greatly deceyue those whom he perswadeth to perseuere in their bloudie intentes and where he perswadeth some vnder the promise of preferment some of rewarde here some nay all vnder collour of deseruing heauen he doth it but to worke his mischiefe in the end to content himself with them to take the due reward of Iudas hire in vtter destruction But forsooth some shall be made Dukes some Earles some of higher some of more inferiour preferments and that none that setteth his helping hand to this infernall action shall goe without some reward They shalbe crowned with Parries perpetuall ignominie with Throgmortons deserued reprooch and with the due desertes of such rebellious rascalles whose ende without the surpassing mercies of Christ against whome they kicke shall
bent their bowes and made readie their quiuers ful of sharpe arrows although they haue whetted their swordes prepared powder peeces and shot let vs not I say be any whit at all dismayd at these their hautie attemptes For beholde God who is iealous of his owne cause will not suffer his honour to be throwen in the dust his Church to be ouerthrowen his trueth troden downe nor mans owne inuentions grounded vppon the weake foundation of good intent and not vppon the rocke the worde of God to goe awaye with the glorie For surely great is the truth and it shall preuaile let Herode rage let Iudas dissemble let Pilate Iudge let all the crue of Antichristian potentates conspire consulte condemne controule coniure afflicte persecute and seeke by all meanes to suppresse the trueth It shall in dispighte of them and all their forces breake foorth appeare and shew it selfe most triumphantly to the vnspeakeable comforte of the little flocke of Christ and to as great terror of these men mightie multitudes as the renting of the temple shaking of the earth and the other strange euentes at the crucifying of Christ were vnto that huge multitude of the aduersaries of the truth in those dayes yea farre greater forasmuch as it is nowe plentifullie preached manifest and auncient then newe and straunge and not reuealed to all Wee are nowe voyde of all excuse and although Christe himselfe prayed his Father not to laye the cryme of his death vppon them or to their charge in respect of their ignorance it shalbe farre otherwise with those that in these daies so obstinately seeke to crucifie him againe But to imagine or thinke that eyther the trueth is tyed to the multitude or to bee ouercome by the wisedome the pollicie the force or multitude of men or that the rage of Tyrauntes can extinguishe that ardent and godlie zeale that by the instinction of the holie Ghost is imprinted in the heartes and consciences of the faithfull members of the assured heade and vnmooueable rocke Christe Iesus were meere incredulitie nay a meere denyall of Christe and of his power and vertue Wherefore be it farre from vs to yeelde anie prerogatiue at all vnto the multitude further then may stande with the woorde of God And for our instruction and farther comfortes sake let vs with pure heartes and innocent intentes looke backe consider what our good God hath doone for our Fathers of olde that did professe his name aright whereby wee shall haue due proofe that it is not the multitude that imbrace his trueth nor that can resist suppresse or preuayle against the same although from the beginning the church of God hath bin farre the least part of the worlde the least part of euerie countrey and kingdome the least part of euerie Citie yea the least part of euerie congregation Yet such hath beene the care and louing affection of God towardes his fewe and small number that he hath not suffered them at anie time to take the foyle at the handes of his aduersaries beeing neuer so manie and mightie But doubtles this their argument of the force and soundnesse of the multitude doth not a little harme with the weaker sort of people whose heartes are not grounded vppon the sure foundation of Gods mightie protection And by reason thereof is the verie sounde of the multitude terrible only for that they knowe not nor consider the mightie workes of the Lord whose hand bringeth mightie thinges to passe they are ignorant of the truth and therefore can not conceyue the goodnesse of the Lord but desperately break out into this dangerous resolutiō namely to take part with the multitude be it with or against the truth They consider not how that god hath said that he hath chosen the weake thinges of the earth to confound the mightie the foolish such as in the world are accounted foolish to confound the wise in their own conceits the vile and base ones and such as are not regarded but despised in the world he hath raised vp and appointed to bring those things to nought which in the iudgment of man are of great estimation and account and the cause is that none should too much glorie in his owne strength wisdome or power No flesh should glorie in the presence of God Is not this sufficient to mooue the heartes of all those that couet to be accounted Christians to stande in the truth although they be therefore despised in the worlde threatned of the worlde and are as strangers and outcastes to the world rather then to accompanie the multitude and become glorious in the world and hated of god strong in the worlde and weake in the truth familier with the world at discord with Christ conuersant in the worlde and straungers in the Church of God Seeing that it is not the number of the persones the power or glorious showe of the persons but the inwarde godlye zeale of the heart the vnfeyned affection of the heart which bringeth foorth perseueraunce in the truth vnto the ende whome God regardeth to whom he giueth aide to stand and victorie wherein truely to boast and say the mightie hande of the Lorde hath done this thing and in so doing he will not suffer his little contemned children to be confounded of the high and hautie minded multitudes but will confound them in their own imaginations And therfore saith he feare not my little flocke be not discōforted or discouraged I wil fight for you wil scatter your enemies before your faces I wil throwe downe and confounde these wicked people that delight and long for warre that thirst after bloud and hunger after the destructiō of the Saints of God But we see that our heauenly father comforteth vs he louingly willeth vs counsaileth vs gladly to leaue the bondage of Aegypt speedely to flye from the filthines of Sodome and with Noah to enter into the arke of our safety euen to the amiable courtes of the Lord to hold our selues by the piller of the trueth euen the Gospell of his Christ and to visit his temple So will he be our God and we shall be his children he will be our father and we shall be his sonnes and daughters whome hee will mightelye protect and defende from the force and erronious course of the multitude And whatsoeuer Sathan Antichrist and their adherets doe deuise or imagine against vs howsoeuer they seeme to feare vs and dismay vs with their multitudes let vs be patient wayting the Lordes leasure for our deliuery Let vs be both carefull and constant in our callinges and euery one from the highst to the lowest the heade and members euery one according to his office and function frame our selues diligentlye to haue cleare heartes and readye handes in the feare and due reuerence of him that hath promised vs ayde to stand not only vpon our own garde but as one body compact of many members stand
all vpon the garde and defence of all to the honour of our maister and comfort of the whole congregations of Christes churches abroad and at home And especially let those that are in authority ouer the inferiour sorts call vnto minde the due care diligent regarde and watchfull eye that Paule the approoued minister of God had vnto the Thessalonians who in the time of Sathans busie rouinges abroade to deceiue fearing least they should be seduced from that trueth which he with trauaile and great industry had preached vnto them beeing carefull and truly desirous of their saluation sent Timotheus vnto them to put them daylye in minde of sathans diligence in subuerting and slandering the truth whereby he doubted that they might be easely drawne into erronious deuises and so his endeuour to retaine them in their due obedience to God shoulde haue beene in vaine And surely if we duelye consider the present estate of our dayes and how the diligence of sathan and his complices the kinges of the earth and the manye nations of the worlde doth now shewe it selfe as we see in such manifest sort as euery Paule of our daies hath great occasion to appoint many Timothies to ouer-see the estate of the Thessalonians of this land such I meane as lâ—â—ue tasted of the sweete and comfortable doctrine of the gospell of Iesus Christe which Sathan and his wicked ministers Antichrist and his adherents Seminaries and Iesuites and their confederates seeke to resiste and vtterlye to supplant and to turne the hearts of Christians backe againe into Aegypt and to their auntient bondage there from the comfortable land of the gospels libertye to murmure and grudge at Moses and Aaron to ioyne themselues to Korah Dathan and Abyram and to the multitude and to stand resolute to run with them headlong into eternal destruction This we see is the resolute opinion of the most of them that haue not the truth in their hearts But it is a resolucion contrary to the resolucion of Sydrach Mesech and Abednago for they sawe the multitude to doe that which they detested and stoutly refused and whereunto if they had framed their affections and measured their opinions according to the course and general consent of the whole multitude they had runne into wilfull rebellion againste the liuinge God and committed horrible idolatry in giuing worship vnto a false God to a stocke a block to dirt and drosse of the earth they sawe the whole multitude to fall downe at the sounde of the trumpets and gaue solemne worship vnto the image yet coulde not that president preuayle with them they sawe it no sufficient warraunt for them no lawfull excuse before the liuing God whome they serued and therfore absolutely resolued themselues not to follow the multitude in an action so repugnant against the truth and so great a derogation of the glorye of the high God This was a good and a godly resolucion wherein they constantlye perseuered beeing apprehended as rebels againste the kinges decree they were neither dismayed in respect of the multitude nor tied vnto consent vnto the thing in respecte that the multitude helde it as a necessary duty and seruice done for the kinges pleasure No although they sawe the Nobles Princes Dukes Iudges Receiuers Counsailors and all the officers and gouernours of all prouinces yea all the nations vnder the kinges gouernment to fall down and worship it they were nothing mooued to commit such abhomination before the Lord. The fierce and cruell countenaunce of the king himselfe the threats of his tortors torments and of death it selfe could not discourage them or remooue their hearts from this sounde resolucion this godly and salutarye resolucion seeing the kinges deuise to bee so meerely repugnant against the truth Thus must euery good Christian euery one that will thinke himselfe the true member of Christ resolue him selfe namely constantly and boldye to refuse to bowe their knees or doe any outward action to Baal of Rome to the dishonor of the true God to fulfill and satisfie the sawcie malapert hautie minde of him that hath set himselfe againste God crauing his honour to be done vnto him and his power to be attributed vnto him no although we see many and mighty multitudes to bowe to him before our eyes though we see Emperours Kinges and mightye potentates of the worlde to kisse his feete and to afforde their neckes to bee his foote-stooles and all the wise men of many nations to doe him reuerence Let vs refuse it for beholde it is meerely against the truth and therfore the president of the mighty the president of the multitude the president of generallities is nothing to vs that haue ought to gouerne oure affections by the worde of God But we see a stronge resolucion in manye of the obstinate recusants of our time euen of these dayes which whether it doe agree with the order of that of these three men it were not amisse to consider But suche is the subtiltie of their shamelesse deuises that it is almost impossible to discribe their resolucion rightly For mark where as Sydrach Misech and Abednago were willed to fall downe and worship the image they stoode not mute or dumbe or with this bare desence namely pardon vs we are resolued not to do it as our recusants do But they did boldly yeelde a reason of their recusancie sayinge that it was contrary to their duty to the liuing God whom they ought onely to serue But these men will maintaine their idolatry euen with this onely aunswere Forsooth we are resolued wherin and how Forsooth to perseuere in idolatrye and to dissemble before men and yet to carrye cleare consciences before God as they say Here is a notable thing to bee noted in their resolucion namely that it is lawfull for them to dissemble and to frame themselues in the outward action like vnto the thing commaunded and inwardly to carrye a contrary desire and yet this is no deniall of him as they say whom they pretend to serue But I thinke they holde this but as a shift a point of pollicie and not as the truth their holye father contentes himselfe to dispence with the worde of God in that behalfe and tels his pupiles that wander abroad to worke his wickednesse that it shall not be layde to their charge in the laste daye that they haue denied Christe in counterfeyting their consciences and framing their fashions according to the time as with the wicked to be wicked with the holy to bee holye in shew to professe light in wordes and to hold with darknesse in the heart they may by tolleration outwardlye please men and inwardly serue God How rash were these men whome Nabuchadnezer condemned They might haue desembled the matter and haue had the fauour of the Kinge They mighte haue doone as the moste did and haue pleased all men and yet haue borne inwardly a conscience to God
the death not onely outwardlye in wordes but euen to the faces of our aduersaries in inwarde zeale vnto the death framing our affections our heartes our mindes and all the powers of our bodies to bring foorth the fruites of that profession which we seeme to holde and as we haue the names of protestantes so if we protest before men in our workes and before God in our consciences the truth of his word then let the serpent seeke what shiftes he can let sathan do his worst and the red dragon the bishop of Rome and all the rabble of his adherents waite till they be weary and their multitudes make what glorious shews of threats for our ouerthrow they can yea let all the kings of the earth and great princes of the world that haue taken vp the swoord against Christ and his spouse the church frame all their forces and yet shall his little flocke be safe vnder the shadow of his winges The mighty power of the Lorde hath from the beginning defended maintained and alwayes preserued the true doctrine of his worde and the true professours thereof and let vs not feare but he will to the end defend maintaine and preserue the same hee hath promised it that will surely performe it Whatsoeuer is written was written for our learninge that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might haue hope namely constantly for the loue of the kingdome of God to stande in the day of triall For as the worde of God is pure simple and without anye kinde of spot or wrinckle So it requireth those that be professors therof to be pure simple and constant without deceit without dissimulation or hipocrisie For the world the multitude loue shiftes starting holes meanes to deceiue God and good men And therfore brag the enimies of God and say they haue the whol world on their side the greatest part of people And the reason is because their deuises and traditions are of the world For saith Christ vnto his disciples if you were of the worlde the worlde woulde loue you but I haue chosen you out of the world and therfore doth the world hate you We see then that the way to become true christians is not to ioyne with the multitude to tread the steps of the greatest part of the world for so shall we shake hands with the Elders and rulers with the whole troupe of the Iewes with Pilate with Herode and the Emperours power to rise vp againste Christe and his truth as now the greatest part of the world do which God forbid many are called but few are chosen Then are not the greatest part of the world that heare the word of God the seruants of God The truth is not tyed to the multitude nor to the outwarde shew of coloured christian conuersation but hee that feareth the Lorde which is in the heart and worketh righteousnesse which is also in the outwarde conuersation is accepted with him The multitude then make not any thing at all for vs or against vs the truth shall no doubt triumph mightely preuaile when we shall see Pharaoh of Rome and all the huge host of his confederacie ouer throwne in the red sea of their owne inuentions For he that brought Israell out of Aegypt he that dryed vp the red sea he that brought water out of the hard rocke and he that hath done so many wonderfull thinges for our fathers of olde which we maye applye for our comfort hee which hath brought foorth and reuealed so manye treacheries and treasons againste our moste gratious Queene and common-weale of late daies practized he euen he shall deliuer vs from the Romishe tyrannie he shall drye vp the sea of their blouddy conspiracies that they shall not touch vs or hinder vs but shall tourne them euen vppon their owne pates he shal bring the water of perfect knowledge out of the rocke of his worde whereof all the faithfull of the world shall drincke Therefore with a louing consent let vs make the sweet harmonye of thankes giuing for his moste gratious deliueraunce for which our mouthes maye rightlye bee filled with laughter at the foolishe deuises of these wicked men and our heartes bee replenished with ioye of the mercifull protection of the Lorde who hath as we see done great thinges for vs alreadye for which euerye true Christian hath great cause to reioyce The righteous loue to speake of this they loue to consider it and likewise to praise the the mighty power of the God of heauen for the performance of it If the children of Israell were much bound vnto the goodnes of God for their deliuerye from the bondage of their bodies in Aegypt how far greater cause haue we to thinke our selues bound vnto the mighty hand of God and his aboundaunt mercies that hath brought vs out of the bondage of soule and bodye from the Romish Babylon chaunging our spirituall captiuitie into spirituall liberty blacke idolatry into the true seruice of God in knowledge and true seruice of whome standeth oure saluation our assured helpe and infallible defence againste the multitude of all the aduersaries of Gods truth Let vs therefore reioyce and singe that most acceptable song which most pleaseth the Lorde namely the vnfeyned reformation of liues and conforming them after a more dutiful sort to God and Christ that our conuersations before men maye witnes our perfect Christianity and our certaine being the children of God let vs beautifie the chambers of our hearts with the flourishinge braunches of a godlye life let vs mortiâ—ie and kill all those euil and peruerse affections which break forth and darken the bright beames of that profession which euery true christian ought to hold Let vs beare the sayles of our conuersations euen with the wind of the worde of God And let the holye Ghost rule the sterne and guide the rowder of our desires leaste that we cracke the barke of our religion againste the rockes of slaunderous toonges So shall our aduersaries be ashamed to mutter against vs for liuing contrarye to that which we professe and God who is our onely defence shall be pleased with vs in his son Christ and continue his wonted protection towards vs in this life so that we his little flocke shall not be dismaied at anye rumors of warres and other like threats of Gods enimies but shall though not of anye deserts of ours worthy in the end through the merites of Christ be partakers of the kingdom of heauen which God for his Christes sake graunt vs. Amen A Psalme of praise wherein the mercie the loue the prouidence strength and wisdome of God is remembred his mindfulnes of the afflictions and daungerous estate of his seruants in the time of their greatest need and the deserued confusion of the aduersaries of his truth briefly declared Oh Ioua Domine noster quà m nobile est tuum nomen in toto terrarum orbe I Will praise the Lord with all
inhabitants thereof in peeces and grind the rebellious to powder euen with the breath of his mouth For surely he that can shake the tree euen to the rootes he can much more disperse the leaues and consume them to nought Seeing I say good reader that our dulnes is such our hearts so besotted with the obliuion of any regard of so high a matter of so newe a thing and so straunge an euent I am vtterlye discomforted to present thee anye more newes then within nine dayes I may assure me shall perish in the floud of forgetfulnesse And on the other side to write what hath beene already written to present vnto thee what hath beene or is already extant I know it will be thought stale stuffe and so a needles trauaile So that â—are is the trauaile in these dayes that draweth not after it some mislyke of the authour be it new or old But such is my boldnesse in the feare of God and premised obedience to my dreade Soueraigne that I haue aduentured to present vnto thee such things for thy learning and comfort as haue beene in the dayes of our fathers of old done to shew the goodnesse of the Lorde to those that trusted in him and his vengeaunce and judgementes againste them that were rebellious againste his truth and that stood vpon their owne strength and multitude against the same which although I confesse hath been already written yet to shew my selfe willing to do thee what good my poore tallent can extend vnto I haue endeuoured to perfourme this little trauaile the summe wherof is but to encourage thee to frame thine affection to the truth of Gods worde and not to bee dismaied at the threats of gods enimies notwithstanding they seeme vnuanquishable in respect of their multitudes and boast of their assuraunce of the truth in respect of their manie heades These are friuolous vauntes whose fruites declare their profession pestilent and their perswasions nothing els but to plucke men into the pit of wilfull rebellion against God and conspiracie against his annointed of the land And that which I haue here collected is nothing but the fruits of the tree of life the sacred word of God for thee to feed vpon in these daungerous dayes perswading my selfe that if thou be a true christian thou wâ—lt more willingly accept it though altogeather voyde of eloquence theÌ„ that which the multitude couet namely that which may encrease subtilty of wit make men more wonderfull amonge men in respect of the curious conceited rules of falshood and felowship of Sophistry such like which as it is far from the intent of my trauaile so I know thou wilt not expect it as a thing necessary to staine the way to the true christian profession or to moue willing zeale zealous willingnes to perseuere therein I haue intitled it A MIRROR FOR THE MVLTITVDE for that as in a glasse all men may see and beholde the common course of the most parte alienate from the truth of Christian religion And the lesser number to bee the true seruants of the liuing God For notwithstanding the common censure of the worlde doth rashly attribute greatest assurance of hauing the truth in respect of many heads and generall consents of countryes and kingdoms and doe yeeld greatest likelihood of safty vnto the might of manye adherentes It fareth not so with Gods eternal truth which hee reuevleth vnto babes and sucklinges and hideth it from the wise of the world who plucketh downe the mightie and proude and exalteth the humble and meeke And therefore is it a deceite of Sathan to allure men to consent vnto the multitude to be sure of the truth and to trust in the mightie showes of multitudes to be preserued from the foyle It is not the horse that saueth a man in the battayle but the mightie hand of God God is not tyde to the force of man but the puysaunce of the mightiest multitude vnder the power of the inuincible God And therefore a daungerous thing to followe the multitude For many are called but fewe are chosen many are inuited to the heauenly sweete banquet of the true knowledge and exercise of the sincere religion of God but fewe there bee that frame their willes and powers to performe it in deede And why onely for that they finde the way thereunto rough burdensome and bodily dangerous and therefore start aside like broken bowes and retire like dastardly souldiers and attain not vnto the end of the race that leadeth vnto life but take the broad pleasant and easie way that trayneth vnto errors feyned holinesse consequently vnto death It is a painefull hard and tedious thing to fleshe and bloud to forsake worldly vanities and pleasing thinges of the worlde to followe Christ for that in flesh there is no goodnesse pronenesse or readinesse to do well to denie and suppresse our owne naturall affections and as it were to kill our owne selues in true mortification to the ende the more freely to imbrace the crosse of Christ and to liue to him in singlenesse and purenesse of heart The Apostle sayth for thy sake are we killed all the daye long agreeing with the wordes of the Prophet who likewise sayth that for the loue and dutifull affection the godly bare vnto God for his sake they are slaine contitually namely suffer the wicked to rage against them to rayle at them to persecute them and punish them wherein being led by the spirite of God in perfect holinesse they take it not onely patiently but to their vnspeakeable coÌ„fort for that they are thought worthy to suffer such reproch for the testimonie of their true and verie Christian profession when they are carried as sheepe to the slaughter for their faith in Christ and not as wicked doers traytors rebels murtherers bloud thirsty men for Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnesse sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen But if any man suffer as a murtherer or an euill doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters he hath no portion with theÌ„ And yet such is the blindnes of our late conspirators that they are perswaded their rebellions their treasons murthers and all their bloudie practises not onely lawfull but meritorious only by the dispensation which they haue from the vicegerent of Satan who presumeth to make the word of God in this behalfe namely that no murtherer or wicked person shall enter into the kingdome of heauen of none effect and not only tollerateth murther other the most intollerable euils but warranteth the actors thereof not only pardon but great rewarde for murthering the most godly vpon the earth yea wheÌ„ for these wicked pretended practises they come by due proofe course of lawes vnto the gallowes as wicked doers such is the blasphemous boldnes of the man of Rome that he blusheth not to canonize them
Saints when the scripture the very worde of truth condeÌ„neth as very reprobate Iudas killed not Christ although he were the mean to encourage the Iewes to lay handes vpon him yet such was the guilt of his conscience that after the fact he ranne desperate hung himself here was the canonizing of a man as holy as these that now coÌ„spire the death of her Maiestie her Counsaile and Magistrates the spoyle of the lande the vtter exterpation of the glory of God merites of his Christ some of whom as we see in a guilty conscience haue canonized theÌ„ selues after the maner of Iudas the most proudest of theÌ„ yea hee that carrieth the most resolute minde had they their desire which God forbid would runne with Iudas Cayn desperate for so rashly betraying the innocent bloud And howsoeuer these foolish and more then mad ministers of the Romish confederacy flatter themselues who haue vowed the ouerthrow of the true religioÌ„ of Christ by taking away the chiefest props thereof in hope for their rewarde some to sit at the right some at the left hande of Christ in his kingdome as the false father of all the faithlesse the proude Pope hath flatteringly perswaded theÌ„ let theÌ„ assure theÌ„selues that if the word of God be true then shall not such as suffer for euill dooing nor such as haue their consciences feared with the hot iron of consent vnto such like conspiracies enter into the kingdom of heauen nor haue their portion in the presence of Christ neither sit at his right or left hand in his kingdome no they shal not haue the priueledge of enioying the light of his couÌ„tenance the bright beams of his glory shal not extend towardes them to their comfort in the laste day but meere horror anguish torment and the worme which is the testimonie of their guilty coÌ„sciences shalbe their portion to drink for euermore and the great deceyuer himselfe whoÌ„ Sathan hath deceyued shall haue his hire with them in vtter darkenes where shalbe weeping gnashing of teeth And therfore good Reader take heed that the sufferings of these meÌ„ deceiue thee not for marke the cause of their sufferinges whether it be for the testimony of a good coÌ„science or no. Thou hast heard that he that suffereth for euill doing as for murther such like can challenge no benefit of the promise made to such as suffer for righteousnesse sake Thou art not ignoraunt of their practises thou art no doubt resolued of their profession to be accompanied with treasons rebellions tumults coÌ„spiracies practises of farrain inuasions for the ouerthrow of thee all true Christians for which they suffer as they deserue and the cloake of good intent can not hide their heartes fraught with manifest desire of the bloud of Christians from the throne of him to whom the innocent handes of many Christians are lifted vppe for a testimonie of their sounde profession and to showe themselues not onely guyltlesse of such wickednesse but zealous of the reformation or confusion of such blodthirstie men Iust vp thy handes with a cleare conscience therefore with the truely godly and craue the assistaunce of him that neuer fayleth the faithful that he will continue the defence of our Soueraigne the stay and guyde of our Magistrates the protection of our lande and a seuere Iudge of those that seeke by these wicked deuises to confounde him if it were possible in his members that for his sake are killed all the day long And if thou suffer suffer as a Christian namely as a faithfull member of Christe taking the narrowe waye to life with such as neuer desired other canonization then the merites of their master and heade Christ Iesus whom whosoeuer desireth to imitate and be pertaker of the ioyes prouided for his very Saintes must bee likewise pertaker of his crosse for his sake in this life for farre better it is by labour to obtaine rest by tribulation to winne ioy and by death to procure life then by rest to come to labour by ioy to purchase tribulation and by a pleasaunt and louâ—e life to procure death and eternall destruction for this is certaine and nothing more certain that what commeth last bee it life or death it is eternall and for euer to endure Shall therefore persecution and threates of bloudie tyrantes keepe vs backe or dismaye vs from that profession which leadeth vs vnto life or shall the daungerous deuises of the ministers of Sathan draw vs agayne into the palpable darkenesse that leadeth vnto death God forbid What should then mooue vs to feare the force of the manie and mightie fauourers of the stronge deceyuing whore of Babylon Shall the infirmitie weakenes of our flesh and bloud accompanied with so many sharp bickeringes of temptations and such vneasinesse of the narrowe way that we must walke in we being fewe and so vnlike to withstande the encounter of our manie enemies No surely for God by whome we liue and in whom we trust hath promised to stande by vs to helpe vs and to sende his spirite to strengthen vs who being alwayes neere vnto his will ayde vs being omnipotent will assist vs and not suffer his vaunting proude aduersaries that imagine such mischiefe against his people to take effect in their deuises Although the Kinges of the earth stande vp and the Princes assemble themselues together against the Lord and against his annoynted although they increase mightily that â—eeke to violate the sanctuarie of the Lord and great multitudes rise vp against his word vtterly to supplant it and roote it out let God deale with them according to his diuine wisedome and in the end we shall see those that nowe take these wicked counsailes laying their heades together imagining howe and by what meanes they may banish the godly of from the earth to melt away as wax at the fire yea they shall consume in the imaginations of their owne heartes and perish in their owne wilinesse he hath spoken it that for euer hath and will confirme it hee hath sayde it that will for euermore performe it And therfore although Sathan haue sounded his trumpets and beaten vp his drumbes of Alarum rounde about vs to allure forraine inuasions preparations to ciuill tumultes vprores practises of secrete conspiracies among our selues that the red dragon of Rome may the more freely reestablish his kingdome of darkenesse we see and to our vndoubted comfort we may note the diligent eye and carefull diligence of our watchman Christ who hath brought all their deuises to light So that we may say had not the Lorde garded her Maiestie defended our Nobles watched our Cities and protected our whole Realme she had beene deuoured her Magistrates massacred our Cities ransacked and our Realme and common quiet come to vtter ruyne subuertion and the Lordes honour laide in the dust Thus may we little Israell of Englande laye
three children So did those that cried out crucify Christ crucify Christ and such as longed for the bloud of his Apostles and finally all such as haue of late dayes martyred or caused so many godly ones to bee burned and otherwise done to death for the testimony of their maister Christ as in the tyme of Queene Mary in England now in France Spaine and in other countreyes where the truth of Gods word is turned into mens owne inuentions Dioclesian Maximinian Maximius Maxentius such like tirannous Emperors not know ing God persecuted the children of God whose endes were miserable What thing can there bee more lamentable then the want of the knowledge of GOD and Christ whereby men flye vnto all kinde of euill deuises without remorce of conscience euen as blinde horses runne into the dyke of their owne destruction contempning the trueth and imbracing falsehood making warre with christ and christians putting their confidence in Pharoas strength and multitudes the broken reede of Aegipt whereby they endeuor to pul downe such as GOD hath exalted and to exalt those whome Gods worde pulleth downe to root vp that which God hath planted and to plant that which the trueth of God rooteth vp to condemne those whome God vouchsafeth to saue and to saue those that the iudgement of God condemneth This wee daily see commeth to passe through want of knowledge of the worde of God which yet the most parte perceiue not the multitude consider not neither do they desire to knowe it But the time will come when their owne consciences wherein they are nowe nothing touched shalbe as a thousand witnesses against them yea as a booke laide open before them wherein they shall see that they haue taken foolish enterprises in hande for want of the wisdome of God and shall then acknowledge that they whome they accounted heretickes whome they accounted vile and contemptible whome they persecuted and put to death for acknowledging that which they accounted false erroneous were the true seruaunts of the high God the sheepe of the heauenly shepheard the church immaculate of the true God and the obedient spouse of their beloued Christ And thē selues to be ledd and wilfullye caried awaye with the vaine traditions of mortall men when they shall sing Woe and well away all too late The iudgement of the Lord lyeth heauy vpon them the truth inuiolable hath already condempned them and their wicked deuises their traiterous practises and mischeeuous enterprises are sufficient testimonies and tokens of their vtter cōdemnation Do not these their manifest and open practises manifest vnto vs men the corruption of their consciences to God And that they are the ministers of Sathan sent to buffit not onely Paule such as preach teach the word of God truly but euen the general company of the church especially the head thereof heere in England our moste gratious and godlye Queene yea they cease not to wheat their swords to sharpen their weapons to deuoure all the godly vpō earth But behold it is Christ himself whō they persecut it is he whom they resist it is he whom they despise it is he against whom they rise and assemble themselues together and it is he whom they seeke to crucify againe in his mēbers But they wil say no they persecute not Christ they seeke not to crucify him againe but they seeke the bloud of such as agree not to their inuentions they thinke that they themselues knowing not God doe not stretch forth their handes to the spoile of the saincts and that their tiranny reacheth not vnto Christ. But alasse they are farre deceiued Paule thought the like before his conuersion who persecuted with might and maine the Christian congregations when he being voide of the true knowledge of God with much cruelty thirsted after the bloud of many innocents as he traueled towards Damascus with authority from the highpreist as these men now pretend to haue from the highe Byshop to persecute the christians the mighty power of God strake him to the earthe and the Lord spake vnto him saying Saul Saul why persecutest thou mee he said not why persecutest thou my Saincts why seekest thou thus to vexe mortall men but plainly said why persecutest thou mee which proueth that although christ be in heauen who is the head his church which are his members here militant in earth is moste deare vnto him and hee that toucheth them toucheth him yea they are as tender vnto him as the apple of his eye Yea such a vnion is there betwene him and his children the saincts namely the godly in earth that he with a general term nameth them himselfe and maketh no exception betweene them and himselfe Wherefore it is a perillous thing to attempt or enterprise the least motion of euill that may bee done against the least of them much more to be auoyded to practise these inhumane and brutish yea more then heathenish attempts against the chief mēbers thereof as of late hath bene attempted Bewarre bewarre therfore al ye that haue bene defiled with this pitch wash your selues agayne in the blood of the Lambe and bee clensed and cry out and make it knowne by an earnest confession and say we haue sinned we haue sinned in seeking to betray the innocent bloud Seeing now deare christian brethren that it hath pleased our gracious God in his sonne to vouchsafe vs so comfortable and happy a lotte as to be accepted as his deare children And for the further confirmation of our hope in his bloud the price of our redemption to make vs pertakers of his crosses Let vs assure our selues that these daungerous attemptes of the wicked are stirred vp by the meanes of Sathan permitted by God for our good Namely lest that wee slumbering in a secure estate accompanied with no daungers shoulde fall into forgetfulnesse of our duties to him who hath not onely reueiled to vs his truth but aforded vs long tranquillity and the benefit of a peaceable time to enioye exercise the same For there is no mortall man can so duely addresse himselfe to the discharge of his duty to God to way the goodnesse of god the performance of his promises and hope of his protection so effectually so duly thankfully and carefully in the time of the tranquillity of bodye and quiet estate of all thinges as in the time of affliction in the time of perills daungers yea when Sathan beginneth to raise his forces and buffets against vs. As appeareth by P. feeling this combate of Sathan striuing laying siege and battery vnto his soule then repaired and betoke himselfe vnder the banner of his captaine Christ and prayed his aide and help to resist him who is alwayes readye if we rightlye seeke him and sincerely serue him And for the increase of our comfort and constant pacience in the bitter assaultes of Sathan incident vnto our profession and that we
the foundation of their deuises to come from the wel-spring of wickednes frō him that can dispence and giue tolleration for murthers and al wickednes els whatsoeuer and say further that the wise the learned the mightye and the multitude agree and giue not onelye their consents but their helping hands with money and force to further their enterprises And therefore is their madnes in taking such actions in hande so muche the more to bee tollerated and borne withall naye to be fauoured and accepted Alas poore weake defence a slender excuse were there not two hundred and fiftye Captaines famous men ioyned themselues to Korah Dathan Abiram whose generall consent was neither a sufficient excuse neither a proofe that their rising and rebellion was lawfull But Moses told Korah another tale for sayd he thou and all thy companye are gathered together against the Lorde This agreeth with the word of God to Paule when he went to persecute the christians namely that he persecuted God himselfe And thus we see that although these men arme them-selues with the glorious title of the Catholik church their deuises manifest and plainly betoken that their harts are set against the church against Christ christians And therefore although they outwardly pretend great showes of holines deuout workes of charitie therby win vnto themselues credit in the world glory of their long continuance though their cunning collusions haue caught as in a snare with their inchantments bewitched the greatest part of the world brag of their vnion of their mutuall consent of their mighty adherentes great multitudes that ioyne with them yet seeing they haue forsaken the faith seeing they deny the truth fight against it seeing they seek to resist the passage of the gospel with out which there can appeare nothinge but the shadowes of good thinges seeing they set not forth but vtterly depraue the glory of God and the merits of his Christ. Seeing they goe about and endeuour as we see not onely to resist but to betray and ouerthrow Moses and Aaron We may say truly auere yea cōstātly affirme that they haue a golden vizarde vpon their leaden faces they haue the names but not the effect or fruites of Catholiques They call themselues the Church and are not of the Church Christ commandeth that the light of euerye good christian should so shine before men that they might see the fruites of the true light And is not murther of Princes Sacking of Cities Ouerthrowing of commonweales Nay of their own natiue countryes the fruits of their light Are not these the fruits and works of darknes which bewray their consciences to haue no true light Is this course which now they begun to take they way to make themselues cleane to take away the euill of their works from before the eies of the Lorde Is this course that they take the meane to become holye as our heauenlye father is holy No no but they eat the bread of malice deceipt of liyng slaughter which in their mouths seemeth sweet but the operation therof shall fill euen their bowels with deadly grauell But all ye that are infected polluted with this poyson of their practises callinto your minds for the loue of God the daunger of your estates here in earth where the law throgh the iust iudgement of God condemneth you the diuell deceaueth you and the merciful God leaueth and forsaketh you who al thogh he wil that al mē shalbe saued come to knowledge of the truth he detesteth abhorreth he cannot abide wilful contēners therof Receaue therefore with meeknesse the word of the Lorde which is able to saue your soules For beholde by it we heare the most comfortable promises of our mercifull God by it we may learne the way to his truth and to auoyde the pollicies practised against the same Let vs therfore yeeld with reuerence our eares to heare it our tonges with diligence to read declare it our hearts with ioy vnderstanding to cōsider it And thē may we rightly apply this saying vnto our selues Come vnto me all ye that trauaile and are heauie laden and I shal refresh you Loe deare Christian brethren what greater cōfort can we haue then this If any be burdened in conscience that he hath addicted himself too much to the crooked and by wayes of mans inuentions forsaking the direct rule of the sacred worde and endeuoureth duly to reforme himselfe and to bee clensed then I say here is water offered here is the liquor of life extended in the bason of Gods booke to refresh vs withall Let vs ioyfully receiue it and turne vnto God and verily we shall be saued We haue sufficient warning to flie the company of the enemies of God and Christ and to haue no fellowshippe with their vnfruitefull workes of darkenes let vs I say learne of Peter to saue ourselues from this froward generation so shall we eate the good thinges of the lande namely we shall enioye the thinges necessary for our pilgrimage heere and aboue all shall be fed with the breade tending to the feeding of our soules to life But if we refuse and become rebellious we shall be deuoured with the swoord for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Wherfore I saye let vs girde vp the loynes of our mindes and refer ourselues faithfully vnto our Lord God being sober trusting faithfully perfectlye on the grace that is brought vnto vs by the reuelation of Iesus Christ And let vs shew ourselues obedient not to fashion our selues to the course of our fathers who were led in ignorance neither according to the course of this world which with greedines followeth and imitateth the red Dragon who seketh to deuour the gospell of our Lord and sauiour and with tiranny to persecute euen to the death all the professors thereof But the trueth is great and it shall preuaile Yet haue these men that pretende these mischifes which haue beene so graciouslye by the almighty God reuealed had their onely confidence in the strength of the multitude of their confederates in respect of the great number of them and the little number and small company of the true and constant christians they cry out and saye they haue the truth with them for that so manye and so learned men as holde with them cannot be deceiued neither can so many and so mighty as take part with thē be conquered or resisted These are arguments which they ground vpon naturall reason and therfore doth the worde of God vtterly confound them as by the testimonie of the worde and truth of God shall appeare CHAP. 2. A most comfortable discouery by examples out of the holy Scriptures applyed to our time how daungerous a thing it is to measure our profession according to the mindes of the multitude and how vaine a thing it is to ioyne ourselues
be with the Diuell and his Angels in perpetuall torment of the conscience the worme whereof shall neuer die And yet for all this cease they not to crye out and say away with these newe fellowes these hererikes these Lutherans Zwinglians Caluinists and such like they reproue our darkenesse they bewray our wickednes they reueale our deceitfull dealing and drawe the heartes of many from vs. Wherefore let vs take counsaile against them let vs crucifie them let vs burne them breake their bones in sunder carrie them vnto the inquisition giue them Herods law for our vowes sake Let vs practise their destruction for our holy father the Pope hath spoken it he hath cōmanded it he hath willed it and we will worke it ipse dixit he hath saide doe it whose will and authoritie is sufficient for our safetie come therfore and let vs mooue false accusations against them they haue spoken blasphemye against his holinesse and therefore are woorthy to die and therefore goe on Iudas with thy kisse and we will follow with swordes and staues nay go on Parry and thy fellowes dissemble with Iudas kisse keep thy selfe close in thine owne heart dissemble the matter with crooching and kneeling and all dissimulation and when thou hast giuen the token wee will bee at hande with our swordes and staues nay with our mightie forces of shippinges of multitudes of men of warre from forraine Countries who shall ayde thee and assist thee Oh sooles fooles can you not yet see howe all your deuises are drowned by the waye They passe not the seas without the mercifull reuelations of God to his children whose bloud yee seeke Perceaue ye not the peeuishnesse of your practises to be presently preuented the eye of our good GOD pearceth your hearts and seeth your wicked thoughts his eares are open and heareth your cankered consultations his mouth is readie to open nay the birds of the ayre nay the verye grasse of the fielde doe reueale your treacheries his will readie to bee reuenged of your bloud-thirstinesse and his hande both mightie and out stretched to defende his owne Wherefore leaue off yee that deale thus wickedly Are not yee the men that see and will not perceiue that heare and wil not vnderstande and haue great experience of your follie and will not consider it Learne learne to be wise forsake euil cleaue vnto goodnesse flie these pernicious practises and leane not to the hope of ayde of the multitude or of preferment or anie sure rewarde for your comfort from that deceyner I wish to God that it might please him to conuert you so that you might returne and truely seeke after the lyuing GOD whome onely to serue is life and whom thus manifestly to denie is death which if you will not doe it is my parte euen in Christian charitie and zeale to praye him to confounde you and your deuises Take heede therefore be warned let not custome or the multitude make you faine to followe their follie God will not be mocked with all hee hath torne the visarde of your faces founde you out and shewed vs what ye are namely hypocrites dyssemblers deceitefull and such as vnder your muffull and mussell of holinesse carrie diuelish deuises vnder the outwarde habite of Christians the inwarde heart of Iudas vnder the title of Catholiques Caynes crueltie Wherefore nowe conuert or else will not God holde you guiltlesse not only you that haue vowed the attempt of the action but as manye as desire in heart the execution thereof shall stande in like spott of conscience before his tribunall seate you I saye that by your coldenesse in the trueth stande as men indifferent beware come out from among them flie flie that huge whore of Babylon bee none of her trayne who with her poysoned positions hath enchaunted the greatest part of the worlde and hath so bewitched the multitude that what by dispensations absolutions sinne increaseth and what by falsely awarding heauen and hell to such as hee list by terror of the one and presumption of the other it appeareth manifestly that hee hath wonne the most part of the worlde to commit spiritual fornication with him and to run after his will hither and thyther to commit all kinde of villany with greedinesse heaping together such a huge number of many sorts of men Papists Athistes Newters and such like to performe that which God preuenteth who is euen forst to say I will come downe and be reuenged vpon these men Wherefore let vs beware that we run not with the multitude for we shalbe then infected with their fornications wee shalbe defiled with the pitch of their deceitfull doctrine deuises But let vs vtterly detest and carefully eschewe the familiaritie the loue the league the friendship societie of those men that congregate thēselues together against the Lord against his annointed Let vs exclude our selues out of their acquaintāce that hold of superstitious vanities yea although the most part of the worlde do allow yea if all the worlde should imbrace that which the worde of God condemneth we may constantly affirme and boldly pronounce to be spirituall whoredome wherein we seeme to consent to strang gods or to strang deuises to serue the true God to forsake the most sweete and wholsome direction of the worde of God and yeeld our consentes vnto straunge doctrine to forsake Christ and cleaue vnto fantasies as manie of our forefathers haue done and too manie in these dayes doe onely to walke the broade way with the multitude without further defence or warraunt for the obstinate and wilfull starting from the trueth But suche as holde of the trueth suche as imbrace the Gospell and seeke their saluation in Christ will duely auoide this daungerous immitation and not bee dismayde at the name and mightie threates of the multitude Therefore as it hath pleased our good God to bring vs from our auncient captiuitie and longe bondage vnder tyrannous Pharaoh of Rome into the lande that floweth with the milke and honie of the free profession and exercise of the trueth Let vs bee vnfeynedly thankefull and repose our confidence in his mightie protection to be deliuered from his tyrannie and from the force of his mightie and stronge multitudes who as hee hath doone these great thinges alreadie whereof wee haue such great cause to reioyce So assuredly if wee holde faste by his power in faith and thankefulnesse of heart hee will foreuer preserue vs and not suffer vs to hurt our foote against the stumbling blockes of their inuentions Let vs not therefore be dismaide though the grand captaine of the enimies of gods truth he that possesseth the seate of Sathan haue drawne such a huge multitude after him although hee seeme to binde euen kinges with the bandes of his enchauntements and enioyne them to rayse their powers in his behalfe against those that professe the name of Christ although they haue
persecuting executioners that it is not their tyrannie that can suppresse or the cruell force of the multitude that can resiste the approoued and manyfest trueth which wee professe and will shewe and openlye declare that the deuises and imaginations of man are but vayne Naye further to shew his iudgementes of these bloud-thirstie men he will sende their destruction with the same torment they prepared for his children For let vs beholde and to our comfort and for our learning consider that notwithstanding these three poore men were caste into so feruent a burninge flame that there appeared no possibilitie for them to escape euen suddaine consumation of their bodyes with the force of the fier yet suche was the power and prouidence of him that hath all thinges in subiection vnder his feete that he preserued them in suche sort as in the midest of the fire they walked safelye and to shewe his iustice threwe out the slame vpon those ministers of the king that executed his will therin so that they that digged the pit for others fel themselues into the same they were taken with the snare that they prouided for others Euen so shall that proude Haman of Rome in the ende bee hanged in the gallowes that he hath set vp for godly Mardocheus of England We must thinke that these examples were written for our learning and verye sitte for our time to be considered according to the present course of men for as then Nabuchadnezer thoght that the consent of so many great men vnto his idolatry approoued the same to bee very sound and good And when these three men stoode in defence of the true religion of God as now we see that our small Islande of Englande amonge many other famous countries of the world holdeth and possesseth the gospell with part of other nations as it pleaseth God to afforde his grace among vs. And as then these three men were condemned of the multitude and our selues in like maner misliked of the moste as the liuing God then prouided for their safety so no doubt he dooth and will doe for ours though not in present outwarde deliueraunce yet no doubt in inwarde comfortes whereby there appeareth no cause why the children of GOD should feare the multitude although the people in a common prouerbe agree that many heades are better then one whereby they goe about and seeme to approoue the venemous and brutish serpent Hydra to be the wisest beast that euer was in respecte of the multitude of his heades when we know many silly creatures of the earth in many vertues to exceede such monsters But this seemeth not agreeable to my matter beeing Euangelical for that this application is poeticall But surelie it is not without good morall for the multitude in deede may be well compared to a beaste of manye heades vnstayed in respect of manye guides vnconstaunt in respect of many mindes vnruly in respect of manye members And therfore this argument of many heads better then one holdeth not in causes of heauenlye reuelations for the trueth commeth not from the multitude it proceedeth not from the wise nor is to be expected of the learned in respect of the many professing one things or in re spect of the wise in naturall pollicies nor in respect of profound study It commeth not from men of whatsoeuer iudgement but euen from the very spirite of God the teacher thereof The truth is Gods it is of God and his gift it is that the men of base callinges and iudgementes in worldlie causes conceiue the trueth speake the truth and are able to teach the trueth which in deede of it selfe is simple pure cleare and not mixed with the traditions nor the deuises nor tyed to the power or strength of mortall men And therefore to shew the weaknesse of manye heades and their errours and to confirme his truth by the handes of one and that of the weakest and moste frayle sexe he caused an example in that behalfe to bee written for our experience namely that where there were manye magistrates in the Citie of Bethulya and they all layinge there heades together determined a course contrarye to the truth namely rashlye to tye the will of God and his hande to their owne prefixed time or els to giue ouer their Citie to the Captayne of the enimie of God This was their resolute determination when indeed it behooued them by the rule of Gods worde to haue referred them-selues in faith vnto the good prouidence of God as these forenamed three men did and to tarry the Lords leasure for their deliuery But a sillie woman perceiuing this their rashe resolucion by the instincte of the holye Ghoste the teacher of the truth openly reprooued them in that they shewed in themselues no sparke of patience neither allowed that power and omnipotencie to God for their deliuerie which he shewed to manye before them but tying as it were his will vnto their wils indented with him the tyme and maner of their deliuerie And shee referring the whole state of the Citie vnto the mightye hande of the Lorde in a perfect hope sounded vpon the truth miraculouslye preuayled in deliuering the poore besiged Citie from the blouddy handes of the wicked idolaters This was a weake meane in the iudgement of man yet did the Lorde vouchsafe vnto her proceedinges the successe acceptable vnto the poore oppressed heartes of manye people And let vs then but thinke the lyke or farre more power is giuen vnto the hande of our godlye Iudith to cut off the hautye aspiringe heade of mightye Holophernes of Rome and his adherentes the graunde Captaine of all the aduersaries of Christ and Christians These examples reprooue those that in their actions goe about either to tie Gods truth vnto their many heads or build their resolucion vpon the might of the multitude If Noah had builded his resolucion vppon the resolucion of the multitude and had ioyned his consent vnto the resolute determinations of the multitude hee shoulde haue had his portion with the multitude in the swelling and mercylesse waters and not haue tasted the sweetnesse of the prouidence of GOD in the Arke So surelye if we shoulde looke into the common sort of men into the generalitie of consents or into the common vse of countries not guide our selues by the rule of Gods worde we coulde not but perish in the merciles waters of errours and neuer enioy the sweet comfort of the Arke with the true Church of Christ. And therefore had Lot a care a diligent eye and carefull consideration vnto the course of the Citye of Sodome and feared to giue consent vnto the multitude because he knew their generall inclinations declininge from the right waye And so leauing the multitude vnto their owne course tooke a priuate course with himselfe according to the direction of the trueth and was saued from the destruction that fell vpon the multitude so that we maye
heare the lawe of the Lord but say vnto the seers see not and to the Prophetes prophecie not vnto the people the trueth but speake flattering wordes vnto them prophecie errors go out of the way forsake the right path cause the holy one of Israell to cease from vs. Is not this the manner of these men to keepe such frō the truth which are tyed to their vsurped authoritie with the cordes of obstinate blindnes which was the cause that in the dais of Christ himself the multitude cried out to crucifie him yet thought they did wel Christ praied his father to forgiue thē saying they knowe not what they doe But it is now otherwise with vs for we haue the trueth before vs we may read it we haue the truth preched we may heare it we haue it reuealed we may vnderstande it and therefore the neglecting thereof is now inexcusable and the Lord will not suffer his truth now to be darkened with feyned holines And therefore let vs returne vnto our selues enter into cōsideration of our own cōuersations whether they be framed according to the trueth which we haue learned We are fruitfully most plentifully fed with the bread of life the gospell of Christ beyond al other Nations of the world let vs not be therfore glorious in our words only or in our outward actiōs expecting the praise of mē but let vs be pure in hart obediēt in soule mind to God that searcheth the raynes and entrals thereof and accepteth not of those that can but brag and say we haue the Gospell wee haue the Gospell and bringe not foorth the fruites of the Gospell It was not enough for the Iewishe Priestes to crye out the temple of God the temple of GOD as though the bare title of the temple maketh it the true temple of God or the name of a Christian a member of Christ or the title of a Protestant wherof some doe boast a man in deede that protesteth in life and inward zeale that he is a true Christian. The Papists cry out we are catholiques we are catholiques we are of the Church for looke vpon our external works of charity actions of deuotiō we fast we praye wee giue almes we pinch our bodies we scurge our selues wee are they that shall ascende vnto the holy hill But alas howe far these things are of thēselues from that which God requireth he himself declareth saying such as haue pure heartes and cleane handes such as are inwardly zealous togither with the outward testimonies of their godly life such shall inherite heauen And therefore there may bee manie wolues in lambes skinnes many deuils vnder the habite of Pharazaicall deuotion and therefore not in wordes or outwarde behauiour only standeth the perfect estate of a Christian but euen in the sinceritie and perfect purenesse of the heart depending in faith vppon the merits of Christ The outward action is the messenger of the hart it is a witnesse of the minde but not at all times a like for the outwarde kysse of Iudas was outwardly a token of loue and yet it proceeded of an heart full of gall and bitternesse of deceyte and murther his words of all hayle master came as if his lippes had testified obedience to his master but the poyson of Aspys was vnder his tong The muncke of Swynsted that poysoned Kinge Iohn came with his poysoned potion with the sweete words of wassayle my Leige and inwardly pretended the death of the King are there not in these dayes manie that can couer their poysoned practises with the outward show of all hayle Madam and God saue your Maiestie and such like faire words that come frō a poysonsom stomach doth not counterfeite deuation couer many diuelish deuises Is not sometimes dutifull obedience made the cloke for wilfull rebellion and diligent attendance made the collour of conspiracie Looke vpon Parrie his practises and there is a proofe of these pollicies Man seeth not the heartes of men but God findeth them out in their secrete counsailes he bewrayeth some to be traytors that make outward show of true subiectes And therefore let no man deceiue himselfe in a perswasion of his saftie when his heart is burned with the hoat yron of a guiltie conscience against God or his Prince God will not be flattered with although man flatter man dissemble with man or play the hypocrite before men for he will vncouer their cunning and reueale their inwarde deuises and showe them vnto the worlde as a due reproch and rewarde them in fine with the condigne guerdon of their endlesse tormentes Oh let vs therefore be wise in the truth let vs be circumspect as serpentes that wee be not ouer taken with these alluring Cerenes that sing sweetly in our eares absolution absolution pardon pardon dispensation dispensation for sin they deceyue vs they drawe vs with the flouds of errors beware that their pleasant tunes preuayle not with any of vs but like wise Vlysses let vs binde our soules to the maste of the trueth of Gods word least we yeeld the sayles of our consentes vnto the winde of their wylinesse and so being pertakers of their practises wee become likewise pertakers of their punishments Let vs be simple as doues let vs harbour no kind of wil to ioyne our selues with these dangerous men although the greatest part of the world that vnder the pretence of holines vnder the title of catholikes seeke to ouerthrowe the kingdome of god the church of Christ the knowledg of his word preching of his gospel Although they say Lord Lord they are not thereby made the seruants of the Lord. If we do not that which the Lord cōmandeth we are meere enemies vnto the Lorde It is not ynough to beare the greene leaues and the beautifull blossomes of a godly life but we must bring forth the fruits which come frō the roote heart of our in warde affections zealous obedience wherwith euery true christian is so adorned that whensoeuer Christ our sauiour passeth by vs with consideration of our good-workes he findeth thē so frutefull that he blesseth the figge tree of our hearts making it profitable though no◠of it selfe yet by the inspiration of his holy spirite in such sort as men may see our good fruites glorifie our father for his mercifull watering our soules to the bringing foorth therof And on the contrary where there are the leaues the glorious showe of a godly life only in externall actions without the true fruts proceeding frō the heart the Lord hath no pleasure in that tree but curseth it withereth it euen with the breath of his mouth so that they that passe by shall say that in such paynted Sepulchers the Lorde hath no delight We must therefore endeuor to bring forth the fruts of a godly holy innocent life following as in outward profession so in
inward zeale the steps of our head our husband master Christ Iesus who as he is pure so hee expecteth perfect sanctitie in all that professe him he can not abide hipocrisie a double hart a disseÌ„bling tong or lips that speake feyned things And therfore what profiteth it vs to haue the name of Christians to haue the name of Protestantes of Catholikes such like glorious titles whereof many in these our daies brag boast namely that they knowe Christ and confesse him only in the outward show wheÌ„ in deed in our actions inward cogitations we deny him in framing theÌ„ according to the world according to the course of the multitude for euery one that saith Lord Lord shal not enter into the kingdome of heauen but he that doth the will of god which is in heauen And againe why call yee mee Lord Lorde sayth he and do not that which I commande you We see then that we discharge not our duties to god in saying we knowe him but in performance of the trueth which we learne of him And therefore as wee in respecte of our profession challenge the name of Christians seeme as it were offended when the messengers and ministers of Christ charge vs out of the worde of God that we degenerate from the perfect conuersation of a true Christian by the loosenesse of our liues and slacke performance of our duties to Christ let vs frame al our affections as becommeth true Christians And let vs not deceyue or slatter our selues with a foolish conceit of being Christians when in deede our conuersation differeth farre from the doctrine of Christ. It behoueth vs to examine our liues not according to fleshly fantasies but according to the truth of gods word which is a glasse whereby we may set al our actions right and in good order iudge betweene trueth and falshoode betweene light and darknesse betweene the Gospell of Christe and the traditions of men Wee haue a good president hereof namely to try and examine our zeale by the example of the men of Thessalonica Berea not in that som of theÌ„ persecuted the Apostles but in that as they receiued the worde of God they searched the scriptures for the increase of their knowledge of the truth wherby they might not onely frame their owne liues but directe others not onely in worde but in godly life and conuersation which was the cause also that the disciples were called Christians in Antiochiafirst namely for that they came neere vnto Christ in godlines of life Search the scripturs for they are they which testifie of Christ of his manner of conuersation here in the earth and of his eternall truth the syncere profession whereof maketh a perfect Christian. Then this name of a Christian onely is not due of right vnto him that can onely speake of Christe or that can dispute of his godheade and manheade howe he came into the worlde when he came to what ende he came and such like for so can euen the Diuels doe But as we see wee are Christians in this that as we knowe Christ and professe Christ in worde so should we followe him in life If we haue the spirite of Christ then are we Christians For he that hath the spirite of Christ will conforme himselfe according to the image of Christ. And as Saint Augustine defineth a Christian he is a perfecte Christian which sheweth mercie vnto all men and who is not mooued he that regardeth another mannes greefe as his owne whose table is open and readie for the poore who seemeth contemptible base and of no accompt before men hee that despiseth earthly to winne heauenly thinges who suffereth not the poore to bee oppressed hee that succoureth the needie he that weepeth when others doe weepe shewing himselfe of mercifull affection towardes all men who is weake sayeth Saint Paule and I am not diseased This is a true description of that whereof wee would be accompted professors namely true Christianitie which as we see chiefely consisteth in mercie in loue and charitable affection one towardes another In so much as we see that by the rule of this Christian dutie wee must showe our selues assistaunt to all so farre forth as our habilitie will extend and especially to those that are of the householde of faith we must do to others that which we wold that others should doe vnto vs. But alas howe farre too short come manie of our time to this Christian dutie yea of such as will not onely be termed but which terme theÌ„selues Protestantes and Christians It were too hard and a verie vnmannerly enterprise for me to enter into the discourse of that wherin I know I shall offend many especially froward stubborne and stiffnecked natures who I knowe will bid mee plucke out the beame of mine own eye first and for my own part I thanke them for their good remembrance I trust I stande not to iustifie my selfe but openly condemning my selfe as a wicked wretch iustified yet in faith by the bloude and merites of Christ. But good Christian brethren the dearest thing to satisfie my greatest expectation is patience for my boldnesse And to returne to my purpose to controule in the name of Christ such as will outwardly showe themselues what inwardlye they be not namely Christians for surely great hath beene the tryall of Christians of late dayes And the former pollicie of Constantius for tryall of Christians came farre too short of the meere prouidence of God the yeare past and very likely to continue the yeare to come namely the general dearth of corne and other necessaries for the reliefe of man in which extremity many were the mouths that wanted reliese yea the mouths of good christians which the gluttonous cormorancie of Epicuâ—es deuoured in excesse nay the trysling toyes the needles and bootles creatures as haukes houÌ„ds other offensiue things in the sight of god hath deuoured more in many mens houses in a weeke theÌ„ some of the masters of the same haue giuen to the needy in a month which is a testimonie of colde christianitie the backe and the belly will be constant witnesses against some in the day of the Lorde that their hearts externall professions with the tongue haue beene at discorde namely the excesse of gluttony and pride in apparell will testifie that their actions were not guided by the infallable rule of that true Christianitie Furthermore be there not in the world that can do professe Christ with the mouth resort to his word argue thereof can cunningly dispute thereof that in this miserable estate of the poore oppressed members of Christ see them to want heare theÌ„ to mourne lament cry out for relife they will not consider it they will not heare the cry of the poore hauing their barnes full of corne old newe and their bagges full in their chestes of white
red and yet wincke at the estate of the world expecting greater extremitie to come to the poore that their owne riches may increase yet will be accounted christians Alas what Christianitie what loue nay what humanitie is in this God grant reformation of these thinges in this acceptable time A great volume might be replenished with such like manifest testimonies of colde Christianitie in England of the most estates of men who are dayly warned out of the worde of God to returne from their wickednesse of heart and to seeke trueth and perseuere theerin and yet regarde it not And of all other testimonies of an vnchristian like conscience howsoeuer they slatter themselues with the outward profession of Christ the greatest is in the time of dearth and famine to retaine that store which God the free giuer of all thinges hath afforded them and to holde vp the price of their victuall which they haue freely receyued to so high intollerable a price that the pouertie of such as are in the sight of god as deare nay perchance more deare then they can not obtaine sufficiencie of any thing to releeue and sustayne their liues so that the hungry bodies of manie are dryuen to pine to fill the rauening desires of fewe in their filthye mucke who is there that of his small store doth a little releeue the poore that hath lesse nay who of his superfluous aboundaunce extendeth his hande to helpe him that hath nothinge at all This is a fault intollerable and yet vnpunishable But be not deceyued yee that gape so wyde to swallowe vppe the poore that shutte your cares from the crye of the needie and drawe out your noses so long to smell and your tongues and handes to licke vppe and take awaye the sweete of other men howsoeuer you collour it vnder the name of Christians Catholiques or Protestantes for assuredly your destruction is neere Come forth therefore and as you are armed as you saye with the names of Christians and the knowledge of Christ fight nowe in time against these wicked desires this dangerous poyson of concupiscence trye your selues to bee that in deede which you bragge to be the souldiers of Christ to fight against the worlde and the seruauntes of the worlde that fight against Christ for betweene them is there noe congruetie Say not my corne my store my victuall and mine increase is mine owne and therfore at mine owne disposition for thou deceyuest thy selfe is not the whole worlde the Lordes and all that therein is He can then take all from thee and giue it vnto thy needie brother And where thou sayest I must not lende I may not giue I will not diminish my store which I haue prouided for mine owne vse in what extremitie so euer my needie brother be for feare least I should want my self for euen this also thou foole is an argument of little faith in thee and lesse charitie Howe I praye you doe the most part of vs that are so harde hearted weepe with them that weepe Doe we not see manie poore fathers and mothers of families and manie fatherlesse and helpelesse litle ones howle and weepe lament mourne and we doe not onelie not weepe with them that is take part of their miseries but wee giue the cause of their weeping with the bitternesse of our consciences that farre vnlike christians hold fast that with the cords of couetousnesse which God vouchsafed of his liberalitie and yet wee must be accounted Christians this is lamentable Can God that is a iust God winck at this our counterfeite holinesse for euer will he not call account of vs howe we haue bestowed our goods And how shall we answere him shall we say we haue bestowed them vpon building our gay houses vpō purchasing of farmes to make our children gentlemen vpon hauks houndes for our repast vpon gay attire to make vs seemely to the worlde or vppon delicates for our tables or vpō any such transitory thing will these things be an excuse or a sufficient discharg for our colloured Christianitie thinke you when the needie members of Christ shall stand before you the vewe of whome shall strike such a guilt in your consciences that euen your owne conceites will cry out against your countersect holinesse and condemne you and the heauie iudgements of God which accōpanieth such vnfaithfull stewardes shall light vpon you and for euermore confound you Oh this will be soure sauce after your sweete meates this will be more bitter thē gal vnto the conscience that is now nothing at all touched with the consideration of these things Oh it behoueth vs thē to looke about vs in time and to take circumspect heede that those things which proceed either of obstinate hardnesse of heart or hypocrisie which is too general a disease lodge no longer in our dissemblinge breastes Let these things that are so manifest against the truth of our profession be driuen far from vs. Let not lawe be gouerned with will but let will be subiect vnto godly lawes let not lawe be turned into licentious libertie but let our libertie be grounded vpon the perfect rule of our freedome in Christ and let the Magistrate minister indifferent iudgement The very aduersaries vnto true Christianitie note in those that craue and couet to be called Christians too much rebellion euē against their owne profession And euen reioycingly cry out and say among themselues there there so would we haue it They make our liues which digenerate from the truth which we seeme to holde and teach an argument against vs there be so many figge trees that haue fayre blossomes and greene leaues with little or no frute that they euen say of vs they seeme to bee that they are not And we make our corrupt life a sclaunder of the Gospell of Iesus Christe But no doubt this feyned Christianitie is not generall but woulde to God it were more perticuler it is not common to all but would God it were not so common to any But such haue beene from the beginning some there are and some will be vnto the end For necessarie it is that offences doe come but woe vnto them by whome they come And therefore for the loue of him whose seruauntes wee professe in woordes to bee let vs become the same in thought worde and actions As wee crye out Christe Christe in our mouthes so let vs put on Christe in our manners otherwise our profession is but paynted with outwarde sanctitie and defiled with inwarde sinne We can not serue God and Mammon we cannot say wee worshippe Christ and help not our brethren Our westerne parts haue felt the displeasure of God by a generall dearth onely to proue true Christians namely the liberalitie mercie and compassion of the rich and the patience of the poore and needie And it hath wrought this experience for our learning to the griefe of the godly Christians in
daies of king H. 8. The continuance of our reduction oâ— of Romishe Egipt by K. â— 6. Our recaptiuity in the daies of Qu. Mary Our redemption by Q. Elizabeth To beware of murmuring against her Maiesty and other godly magistrats The danger or looking back into Egipt or SodoÌ„ appeareth by Lots wife Sathan raiseth euen kings to persecute the godly Dauids complaint against conspirators to be applied to these daies The foolishe vaunts of the Egiptians The strength of Nabucadnesaâ—s multitude was his own confusioÌ„ Ier. 27. 1 2. King 24. 7 A resemblaÌ„ce betwene the actions of old Nabuc of Babilon the nevv Nabu of Rome The fauour of God tovvardes such as build their enterprises vpoÌ„ the truth Gods iustice in casting dovvne the proud Nabuchadnezars revvard for his pryde A metamorphosis of Nabuchadnezar The applications of the â—â—ll of Nab. The vauntes ofromish Nabucaâ—dnezar His vsurpations The pride fall of Nab vvas aâ—â—pe of the pride subâ—â—ersion of the Pope Hoâ—v the Pope his adâ—erents are become trans fâ—â—med into bruit beasts Their food The hair of â—â—â—ir heads The â—â—yles of their haÌ„ds The 〈…〉 ce of our deliuery in Christ. Iericho throvven dovvne with the breath of Gods mouth God vvill turne the flame of these conspiracies to consumâ— the actors thereof Let vs caste avvay the cords of conspirators froÌ„ v s. Ps. 2. 3. How we must encourage out selues in God 2. Kin 1â— 13 The proâ—de vaunts of Senacharib A comparison between Senach k. of Assiria and the Pope The spoile ouerthrovve of Senacheribs army The death of Senach k. of Assiria The vaunts of Romish Senacherib England a pricke in the popes eye therefore he threatueth it The Popes holinesse A mirror for the Romanists God is â—â—lâ— to 〈…〉 〈◊〉 〈…〉 from the popes ovvne 〈…〉 to conâ—â—uÌ„d him The vnâ—â—klihooâ— o◠〈…〉 to â—â—l Go 〈…〉 Gods prouidence against naturall reason The glory of the Pope Ios. ◠〈…〉 and the strength thereof The ouerthrovv of Iericho Iud. â— 15. A huge company oâ— Madâ—…ouercome by Gideon and a 〈◊〉 number of 〈◊〉 men Reu. 18. 7. The meane to ouerthrow Romish Iericho Reu. 18. 2. Esa. 21. 9 Gen. 11. 4. God throvveth downe aspiring mindes The confusioÌ„ of â—ongues The multitud of Nimrods company God detesteth the deuises of those that couet to climbe into heauen by their ovvne deserts The confusioÌ„ of the language that the Romanists vse The difficult agreeing of the builders and labourers or seruitors of the Romishe tower Ahoâ—chpotch oâ— inuentions instead of the sincere religâ— The counterfait bricke morter of the Romanists The resolutioÌ„ in building the tower of vvilfull rebellion against the death of Christ. 1. Sam. 13. The troubleâ— of Dauid by Saule 1. Sam. 24. 4. 1. Sa. 19. 1. Dauids extreme distresse and his deliuery by the prouidence of god The greatest foe of our felicity is partly vnarmed VVhen our aduersaries are in the prime of their hope they shâ—l â—liâ— back â—…t be disâ—… Psal. 2. God cannot abide any practises against his church Psal. 73. 3. It is admirable to see the prosperity of the wicked The vvicked namely conspirators are in slippery places Ps. 7â— 18. 19. 1. Sa. 31. 4. Psal. 73. 27. God is good vnto the godly Dan. 6. 12. The revvard of conspirators Daniel 14. Daniel hardly beset for reprehending idolatry The boldnes of Daniell in the zeale of gods truth A gluttonouâ— God The confusioÌ„ of an imaginatiue God Amiraculous vvorke of God to stop rauening lyons mouthes God neuer saileth the faithfull The conclusion God by manie means shovveth himselfe helpfull to his Christians aâ— enuironed with many snares God vvilbee neere vnto vs if vve bee neere vnto him with singlenesse of heart and not as hipocrites The holy Ghost reproueth the romish religion True religion is not grunded in the hart by the vvill or power of man The spirit of God the tryer of true religion The fruits of papistry are fair without soule with in The description of Romish catholickes Their name shall be a witnes against them Cancred harts vnder the outvvard showe of due tifull subiects The policy of Constantius in trying the hearts of his seruaunts The faithfull seruaunts of God are most true subiectes to their princes VVho they be that are fittest to attend vpon a prince Faithfull subâ—eâ—â—â— as deare as the beste treasure A good prose of faithful hearts about her maiesty Reu. 18. 10. The dolefull song of the ruine of Romishe Babylon The estate of romish merchaunts namely buiers and sellers of soules in the day of their ruine â— Tim. 4. Christ prophecied of these daies Mat. 13. Esai 30. Simple men tyed to the romish religion with cords of ignorance Difference betvvene the ignorance of the Iewes in the daies of Christ and these of this present vvilfull ignoraÌ„ce VVee muste call our seluâ— to an accouÌ„t The title of a christian noâ—â— enough vvithout the deedes The braggeâ— of romish catholicks Good works ill done VVho they be that shhall ascend into heauen VVords and onâ—vvarde â—hovves ofteÌ„ de ceaue Counterfait deuotion couereth diuelish deuiseâ— Parries outvvard attendance a cloke for treason God discouereth hipocriâ—â— and giueth them their revvard The vvisdome of Vlisses God blesseth our heartes vvaâ—eâ—eth them so with his holy spirit that they bringforth the outvvard fruits The Lord hath no de light in painted holines VVe muste follow Christ in our conuer sations and professions Mat. 7 11. Luc. 6 It is not enough to say vve knovve Christ but we must doe that vve learne of Christ Act. 17. 11. The men of Thessal and Berea an example to try and search for the truth The sciptures testifle of Christ. 105. 39. Aug. de vit Christiana The definitioÌ„ of a christian Christianity consisteth in mercy and loue Many that are called Christians come too short oâ— beeing true christians A thanklese office to â—eprone offences The confession of the author The authors cheefest expectation Gods prouidence in sâ—n ding dearth a try all of true christians A great abuse in many in these daies of dearth A token of cold christianity Let vs pray for reformation The greatest testimony of an vnchristiaÌ„ like conscieÌ„ce The hungry bodies of the poore muste pine to fill the filthy desires of the rich He that is a true christian must fight against concupiscence The vvhole vvorld is the lords A perilous conceit of the rich VVee doe not vveepe vvith them that vveepe God vvill call an aâ—e compt 〈◊〉 vs hovv vve haâ—â— bestovved our goods Sovvre sauce after svveete meat Go 〈…〉 god The aduersaries of gods â—â—uth note our professioÌ„ to be accompanied with vngodly actions Outvvarde sanctetie and invvard sin Gods visitation by dearth a goodâ—â—yall of true christians The experience vvhich vve haue by dearth findeth fevv true christians Psal. 40. A comfortable blessing to encourage christians yet little regarged A câ—â—se against counterâ—aâ—â— christians Such measure as we meate such vvill God measure to vs. That vvhich many do imagine glorious novv shalbe in the end no excuse Our externall glory nothing Many make fair shovves a farre of Daungerous people VVeeds amongst good corne Card. Comos letters to Parrie The cheefest lesson of the romish tutors VVhat it is to deny Christ. True religion shovveth itselfe in charity Hovv to knovv a true and a false Christian Neuters deny Christ. The aduersaries of the truth doe striue invaine against true christians God maintaineth the true doctrine of his vvord Ro. 15. The vvorld the multitude cannot abide the truth All that hear the vvorde of God of not the seruants of god God that vvrought so vvonderfully for our fathers of old vvill vvorke for vs. Our deliuery from the Romishe bondage is farre more pretious then of the children of Israell out of Egipt A good exchaunge Our saluatioÌ„ standeth in the true knovvledge and seruice of God Reformation of our liues is the svvetest song that pleaseth the Lorde