muste do But before we take vpon vs theyr examination we wyll praye vnto almightye god for his holye spirite of wysdome lest in this necessarye and profitable examination we erre and be deceiued And also that they vpon whome the Lottes do fall and can not iustelye excuse theyr faultes maye learne to amende theym and tourne vnto the Lorde and from hensforth maye lyue in puritie and in nocencye of trueth and vertue all the dayes of theyr lyues So be it ☞ The ende of the Preface YE haue hearde howe Ionas for the contempte and disobeyinge of hys vocacyon to haue fallen into syxe greate dawngers Of two we haue spoken nowe we be come to the thirde where as he and his factes be deligentlye examined whyche doutles was agreate crosse and trouble vnto hym For there is nothyng that dyspleaseth man more thē to haue his faults hiddē to be brought vnto lyghte and knowledge God notwythstandynge suffereth that manye tymes for oure good and profit that we beyng brought vnto acknowledge of oure synnes myghte hate the same and praie for the remission thereof and so is it better howe so euer the blynde fleshe iudgeth to haue oure synnes if God wyl opened for oure saluacion then hyd to our losse and damnacion In thys examinacion we se not only the daūger of Ionas but also the office of euery good maiestrate that meaneth to quiet and rest hys commune wealth beynge in trouble Those shoulde be examined that by any signe or probable suspicion seme to be the authors of tumultes And thys vsynge moderacion in examininge the innocente and good shalbe fre from payne and punyshmente and the Culpable and gyltye founde worthye of correcciō First therfore let vs examyne the Byshoppes and priestes whether those y t know the wyll of God by hys holye worde diligentlye teache and preache the same vnto other Then whether any mā of that vocacion teache false doctryne in the churche of Christ. If the one do to litle in the fyrste and the other to much in the secōd or the one neglect the fyrst and the other to diligente in the second both these be Ionas and occasion y e the shyp is moued Agaynste the negligente sorte speaketh Ezechiell iii.xxxiii Agge i. with vehemēt wordes and threteneth eternall dampnacion to suche as preacheth not nor buildeth vp the temple of goddes congregacion lykewyse Saynt Paul .i. Cor. ix Agaynste those that teache false doctrine speketh Christe Io. x. and Paull .i. Timo. iiii Hier. xiiii Amonge the noble men Ionas that troubleth the commune wealth may be foūd amōg two sortes of them The one of them hathe inoughe gyuen him from God yet is not content there withal but for auarice and loue of him self and his insaciable couetousnes scrapethe and gathereth to gether whither with y e law or against the lawe it maketh no forse so he haue it So this Ionas and trobler of the ship with all iniuries and wronges rather woulde ad somewhat where in deade is to much thē to depart a litle where as is nothynge at al. And in vaine glorye pride of the manmon of y e world they wyll condemne and disdayne y e verye Image of God in the poore agaynste whome speaketh Salomon Prouerv xiiii he y t calumniateth the pore abraydeth hys creatoure Take exāple hereof Out of the. ix of Iohn howe the general coūcel of the Phariseis layde to the pore blynde man his blindnes Theyr reproch of gods worke was reprehended and the insaciable and couetous hartes of theym be condemned by Esaye the Prophet Chapter .v. cursed be ye that Ioyne house to house and feld to feld The experyence of thys curse had Ahab that vngodlye toke from Naboth his vineyard If these men that hath Inoughe wyll not moue the shyppe of youre highnes commune wealth let theym leaue their rauenynge and giue god thankes for that they haue and to theyr abilitye healpe not rob the pore The other sort of noble or gentlemen that make more expēce then their reuenues and condicion is able to beare and liueth by dysse Cardes whordome fraude gile deceite thefte and suche like Indifferent examinaciō not only by gods lawes but also by mānes lawes wyll proue thē not only to be disobedient Ionas but also starke theues The lawiers if they be examined diligently there wil be so many found amonge thē to vnquiet the shyppe of thys commune wealthe that few or none wilbe found clere And among the lawyers I put Iudges and Iustices the one for gaine careth not to defend the faulsest cause and most vniust matter y t can be brought vnto him promiseth like a theyfe y e cause to be good till he haue emptied hys poore Clientes pourse Then washeth he hys hādes with as much foule honestie as he can and referreth the doutfull cause aboue his lerning to the ignoraunt men of y t shire to be iudged at home lyke a fole wher as his pourse can no lenger cause his pratler and ignoraunt lawer to kepe his cause aloofe and out of the shire And in dede suche a subiecte as can not fynde in his herte after gods lawes to ende his contencion without stryfe by the arbitremēt of those that be his neighboures is worthy to fynde such a Ionas as wyll neuer leaue blowinge at hys pourse till he haue vnladed it euen to the bottome and haue caused him to spend asmuch in recouerye of twētie shillinges by lease as he might haue purchased twenty shilinges in fele simple I dāpne not the lawe y t is good but these theues y t abuse y e law for their doinges is nothyng but gile deceate a noble kynd of theuery Against y e which speketh zachari in his v. Chapi And God Exod. xx Deut. v. Thou shalt commit no thefte Thou shall geue no false testimonye agaynste thy neyghboure These Ionasses dothe not only geue false testimony but also for lutre defendeth y ◠same And not for a day but for a yere and yeres The more shame it is to be suffred The iustices be also Ionas for they receiue rewardes and Bribes whiche blindeth the eyes De. xvi maketh them to corrupte iustice to theyr eternall damnacion if they amend not Agaynste whom speaketh Salomon Prouerbes .vii. He that quiteth the euyll doer and cōdemneth the innocent be bothe execreable and damned before God Among the cōmune people ye shal also find many Ionasses but y t we maye the better espye thē out we wyl deuide them into the rustikes or people of the contrye into the Citizens Al euery contry or housbād mā that liueth not of his laboure and geueth hym selfe to Idlenes and so moueth seditiō and treason agaynste theyr lawfull kyng and Magestrate or priuely in theyr conuenticles and assemblyes speke euell cursse or prouoke any thing agaiust their magestrates thei can nor wyll learne nether to knowe god nether to obey ther prince these be those among this sort of people y
therfore euery man betyme If ye do not the Lorde at lengthe wyll caste ye oure from all ye haue to the destruccion of you and youres But of one thynge I praye you all that be true and faythfull subiectes and friendes vnto the kyngdome and the kynges maiestye that ye wyll not imâ—pute nor burden the kynges maiestye nor hys councell wyth the oppression extorcion thefte iniuryes deceites falseheades defraudes cautelles violences and other wronges that those thieues and destroiers vse towardes you and the commen wealth if their vsyng myghte come to their knoweledge I doubte not but that your wronges shuld be redressed by theÌ„ And this I knowe my selfe vi experience in weighty matters the kynges maiestyes councell hathe not onlye hearde but geuen accordynglye sentence wyth the trueth and vsed me rather lyke fathers then lyke iudges in such matters if they hadde taken thynges spoken by me honestlye euyll construed by myne accusers there coulde haue folowed no lesse then my greate vndoynge and hynderaunce to all my labours and paines in the vineyarde of the Lorde Therefore praye to hym that all good lawes maye be iustly executed and all other amended whych God graunte There is one worde more in the texte whyche muste not be neglected where Ionas sayeth he shall se againe the holy temple of the Lorde In the whiche wordes note two thinges The one howe that in the mooste obscure and darke troubles of aduersity God suffereth some sparke of consolacion to shyne The other to what ende a manne beyng in trouble shuld desyre to bee deliuered to extolle and prayse for euer the name of the Lorde Esay thirtye and eyght But how thys ende of deliueraunce is practised in oure dayes the Lorde knoweth We vse not to desire the Lord to be deliuered to gloryfye and laude his holye name as thys Ionas dyd and Dauyd Psal. fyftye and one an hundred .xviii. But from sickenesse and aduersytye we tourne oure selfe to al vngodlynes and lyberty of lyfe And wher we wer euel before trouble and sicknes we be worse after Therfore when God hath wasted one rod vpon vs in punyshemente he begynneth to make another more sharper then the fyrste And euen as the fall agayne into a disease before the fyrste be quite paste and ouercome bryngeth the more daunger vnto the paciente euen so the relapse and fall agayne into the displeasure and iudgemente of God not onlye doubleth the griefe and payne of the punishment but also endaungereth the afflicted person wyth the horror and damnacion of hel fyre for euerye relapse agrauateth the paine for sin After this foloweth the thyrde parte of Ionas praier in the which is coÌ„teined a coÌ„mendacioÌ„ of gods mercy But thou O Lord my God hast brought my lyfe agayne out or corrupcion when my soul faynted wythin me I thought vpoÌ„ the Lord mi praier came in vnto the euen into thy holye temple In these verses is declared bothe the power of God and the truthe of God Hys power that saued hys lyfe where was no likelihode but of death yea death it self For he it is alone that bringeth to hell saueth froÌ„ theÌ„ce i. Sam. i. His trueth is declared y t wher as he saith call vpon me in the dayes of thy trouble and I wyll heare the. Psalme nienty and nyne here he performeth it in this afflycted Ionas of whome we shoulde learne bothe to feare hys threatnynge iustice and to truste vnto hys promysed mercye for he can do boothe Punyshe the euell that wyl not repente and saue the afflycted that fleeth vnto hys mercye They that hold of vain vanities wyll forsake hys mercye The people of God haue a custome in theire prayers as they beholde the true and sauinge healthe of the lyuynge God so of the contrarye parte to consyder the false and deceit full helpe of the false gods as Dauid dothe many times and here also our Ionas So doe the true ChristiaÌ„s at this day in beholdynge the mercye of God in Christ thei behold and wounder at the fond and false hope helpe and truste that meÌ„ put in vanitie erroure and for bodden helpe of the Masse water breade salte bowe candell pardones and suche lyke And thys note chrystian Reader that the Prophete calleth false and vayne relygyon vanitie so iudge thou of euery relygyon that is not conteyned within the worde of God to be nothynge else then vanitie from wheÌ„ce soeuer it coÌ„meth though the world wold bear the in haÌ„d it were as true as the Gospell But aske y â— true iudge y e word of God and it wyl shewethe it is supersticion beggerye and treacherie vnto the soule And those do lose y â— beneuoleÌ„ce and mercye that God hath promised in Chryste to as manye as seke him in truthe and in veritie Oute of thys text ye se the doctrine of Chryste true that is written Mat. vi no man caÌ„seruâ— two masters the true relygion of God the supersticion of maÌ„ Nor he caÌ„ be saued that trusteth in Chryste hanged vpoÌ„ the Crosse and Christ offered in the Masse for the one is contrarye playne vnto the other Therfore Ionas confesseth what he wyl do folowe the one forsake the other as the text of hys oration sayeth But I wil do the sacrifice with the voyce of thankes geuing wyll pai that I haue voued Here Ionas efâ—â—ones telleth what he wyl do beinge delyuered frome hys trouble He wyl extolle magnifie and sette forthe the goodnes of God Then he wyll performe hys vowe made that is to saie liue obedyentlye vnto the commauÌ„dement of god The same must we do and not vse healthe and quyetnes as an occasyon to syn libertie filthines of lyfe Ionas also amendeth the folish opinion of the Iewes that trusted to haue obtayned remissioÌ„ of their siÌ„nes by the offring vp of the calues other brute beastes But Ionas declareth that y e Lord deliteth in no sacrifice y â— man caÌ„ do fauinge in y e sacrifice of thaÌ„kesgeuing For onlye Chryste is the sacrifyce propycyatorye and he that alone meriteth before god the remission of synne If then in the tyme of the shadowe Ionas knewe the Lord to accept the sacrifyce of the harte and mouth that was indewed with faythe aboue the sacryfyce of the blouddy calues how much more nowe of vs wyll he doo the same aboue the Idololatricall sacrifice of the Masse Ionas well trustynge of goddes mercye and promyses sheweth a reason wherefore he wyl laud and prayse the Lorde when he commeth oute of trouble and sayeth For saluacyon commeth of the Lord. As thoughe he hadde sayd man can geue health of bodye or soule except God as Dauid sayth almost in euery Psalme Esa. xliii xliiii If thys doctrine wer wel prynted into our heades we woulde not god astraye to euerye straunge God and supersticion of man as the world doth nowe adayes more like Heathens then ChristiaÌ„s Farther we woulde the better sustayne and endure aduersitie seynge it canne neyther gode
now Christe presente but in anye case dumme and wythout speche whyles he lyued and could speake the members of the deuil hanged hym vpon the crosse Thus was the malyce of the deuyll alwayes greate agaynst oure Sauiour Before he came into the flesh he â—ave manye beleue he was come before the time appointed by the Prophetes was exspired wheÌ„ he was come in deede then wente he aboute to perswade he was nâ—t come nor was not the Sauioure of the worlde and neuer left tyl he had kylled hym because he would not denye but that the verye true sauioure of the worlde was come And nowe that in deade he is ascended and departed from vs accordynge to the scriptures he goeth about all he can to proue hym nowe to be here so that neyther before hys cummyng into the world nor at hys beynge corporally in the worlde nor yet beynge out of the world he can not be in peace sure and safe from the assaultes and temptacions of hys and oure mortall ennemye Satan But I knowe howe the aduersaryes of the truth perswade the people maliouslye to gyue no credite to such as preach and teache the truth They saye we condemne the holy sacramente and make it of no estimacion But beliue not their slaunders and lyes but heare or read our opinion knowledge and godly estimacion we haue of the sacrameÌ„t and then Iudge and gyue sentence afterwarde And here receyue myne opinion as touchynge the forme and maner to celebrate and vse the Sacramentes ¶ The fourme and maner howe to celebrate the sacramentes IT were expediente to intreate this mater at length yf tyme would serue But yet in fewe wordes I wyl say somwhat of the sacramente of the Lordes Supper and also of Baptisme Baptisme consisteth in two partes In the worde and the elemente The worde is the preaching of the good mercifull promyses of Gods goodnes acceptyng vs into his fauour and grace for the merits of Christ. The whyche promyses be brefely comprehended in these wordes Math. xxviii I baptyse the in the name of the father and of the sonne and of the holy gost These woordes sheweth y e forme of Baptisme and also that only men reasonable creatures shuld be baptised Mat. xvi So is condeÌ„ned the gentilitie and supersticion that hath bene vsed in the Christenyng of bels The matter and Elemente of thys sacrament is pure water what so euer is added Oyle salte Crosse lyghtes and suche other be the inuencions of men and better it were they were abolyâ—â—â—ed then kepte in the Churche For they obscure the simplicitie and perfectnes of Christ our sauioures institucion I pray the kyngs maiestie and hys most honorable counsell to prepare a shyp as sone as maye be to sende them home agayne to theyr mother church the bosome and breast of man ¶ The form how to celebrate the Lordes supper HEre must be marked two persons y e minister and he that communicateth with the minister These muste come and assemble together as saynte Paule sayth .i. Corin. xi The dutye and offyce of the minister HE doeth best hys offyce and is best instructed to minister y â— sacramente if he in the ministracion thereof go as nere as is possible to the fyrste institucion of Christe and the Apostles For Christ was and is the wysdome of the father and the Apostles had receiued the holy gost that broughte them into all truth therefore it must nedes folowe their doyngs ministracion to be moste perfit holy and religious ¶ Howe the minister shoulde prepare hym selfe INwardly outwardly The inward preparacion is if his minde and soule be instructed furnished wyth godlye doctryne and a feruent spirit and zeale to teach hys audience to stablysh them in the truth and to exhorte them to perpende and marke wel the merites and deseruynges of Christ. The outward preparacion the more simple it is the better it is and the nerer vnto the institucion of Christ and his Apostles If he haue bred wine a table and a fayre table cloth let hym not be solicitous nor careful for the rest seyng they be no thynges broughte in by Christe but by Popes vnto whom if the kynges maiestye and hys honourable Counsaile haue good coÌ„science thei muste be restored agayne and greate shame it is for a noble kynge Emperour or Magistrate contrarye vnto Goddes word to detayne and kepe froÌ„ the deuyl or hys minister anye of theyr goodes or treasure As the Candels Uestiments 〈…〉 for if they be kept in the church as thynges indiffereÌ„t at leÌ„gth they wyl be mayntayned as thynges necessary When the minister is 〈◊〉 wel prepared with sound 〈◊〉 Godlye doctryne let hym 〈◊〉 hym self to the distruâ—â—â—â— of the bread and wyne 〈◊〉 as he gâ—ueth the breade 〈◊〉 hym breake it after the â—â—ample of Christ the shoulde â—eue the bread and not thrust 〈◊〉 into the receauers mouthe For the breaking of the bread hath a great misterie in it of y â— passion of Christ in the whych hys bodye was broken for vs and that is sygnyfyed in the breakyng of y â— breade which in no case shuld be admitted therfore let the minister breake the round bread for broken it serueth as a sacramente and not hole Christ did breake â—â— mat xâ— vi Mar. xiiii Luc. xâ—ii And saynt Paule â—ayth the breade that we break is it not y â— communion of Christes â—odye i. Cor. x. Thus shuld the perfeccioÌ„ of Christes institucion be had in honour and the memorie of the dead left out and nothing done in this sacrameÌ„t y â— had not gods word to bear it But alas God is accompted a foole for men can vse the sacrament more religiously deuoutly godly and christianly then Christ Gods sonne as it appeareth for his fourme and maner is put oute and mans deuyse and wysdome is accepted for it The dewty and office of the people THe dewti of the receauer resteth in thre partes To saye what he shuld do before the receauyng of the Sacramente what he shuld do in y â— receauing of it what after the receauyng of it Before the receauing he shuld prepare and make ready hys mynde as the commaundemeÌ„t of S. Paul is i. Cor. xi let the man proue and searche hymselfe and so forthe And thys maye be doone twoo maner of wayes Fyrst towardes God then towardes man Towardes God he shulde from the botome of hys heart confesse his faults and sinnes and acknowledge hys iust coÌ„demnacion then shuld he perswade him selfe by true and liuely fayth that God would be mercyful vnto him for y â— death of hys dere beloued soÌ„n Iesus Christ done in his body torne and in hys blud shedde He shuld prepare hym selfe towardes his neighbour also Fyrst incase he hath hurt hys neyghbour in fame or goods he shuld reconcile hym selfe agayne wyth restitucion of theÌ„ both againe He that thus prepareth hym self doth eat worthelye the bodye of Christe and he that doth not thus prepare him selfe eateth
to fall in this parte into the handes of God For what shal it auayle them to wynne al the world and lose their own soules I wold lykewyse praye admonysh the Magistrates to se the scholes better maintayned for the lacke of them shall bring blindnes into this church of Englande againe And such as be the patrōes and geuers of benefyces lette them take hede they gyue and bestowe them vpon worthie menne and sel them not to Asses and blind blocke headed felowes For if they bestowe theire benefices for lucre or affeccyon to suche as can not or wil not fede with the worde of God the people of hys cure the patrone shall dye eternallye for it as well as hys blynde and naughtye curate person or vicar The forth doctrine of this first part is very necessary for when the Bishoppes and priestes heare theyr offyce is to preache then thinke thei but what we prech it is no matter it lyeth in oure arbitrement pleasure Naye sayeth the texte Preache that I byd the and so sayth Saint Peter .i Pet. iiii Math. xxviii In thys vocation of preachynge the preacher should so vse hym selfe as he myght saye all wayes my doctrine is not my doctryne but hys that hathe sende me For it is goddes woorde and his lawe that turneth the hartes of people to repentaunce Psal. xix cxix For the word of God written is as perfect as God hym selfe and is in deade hable to make a man perfecte in al thinges .ii. Timo. iii. Wherefore it needeth not that blasphemous and stinkinge helpe of the Bishoppe of Rome that durst say the law of God is not of it self but by his interpretacion holsome and sufficiēt But by this meanes he gote authoritie ouer the scripture to bury it and to stablyshe what he woulde were it neuer so deuilishe and heretical Therfore let suche as be of God do as they haue in commission from hym and not as they please them selfes for if they do they be of the deuell and not of Chryste The obedience of Ionas Then Ionas arose and wente to Niniue at the commaundemēt of the Lorde Ionas now being an obediente seruaunt loketh no more for a shyppe to flie but goeth the nexte waye whether he is commaunded though the iournye was paynefull and daungerous to the fleshe But the Crosse of trouble is not vnprofitable to the Chrystyans it mortyfyeth the fleshe so that in the afflicted dwelleth the spirit of God it excersiseth the faythe and proueth obedience As Dauid saith wel it is with me that thou haste chastened me Lord that I maye learne thy commaūdemēts Both good bad are afflicted in this world but y ◠good therby is amended and the euel is appeyred so they peryshe in theire trouble Dauid was amended herewith ii Regum xii xxiiii So was Ezechias esa xxxviii So was Daniel Dani. ix These like vnto them be chastened in the world because they shulde not be dampned wyth the worlde The euyll wyth affliction be not amended but indurated hardened throughe their owne malyce obstynacie as Saul and Pharao And the paines tormēts here be the beginning of the paines eternal This diuersitie and contrarye effect of persecution godly setteth forth the holy prophet Dauid Psa. lxxv wonderful godlye The whiche Psalme I woulde all Byshopppes shuld reade that knoweth the truthe yet wyl take no paynes to set it forthe but liue idle such as haue no liuyng to set it forth or of malice whister and secretlye hyndreth the settynge forthe of it for doutles at length they shal not only drinke of the wyne of aduersitie but be compelled to drinke dragges and all So shal al these rauenyng and couetouse noble men that wyth iniuries and wronges now afflicte the poore at length they shalbe most afflicted them selues so shall the auaricyous iudge the Couetous marchāt and the traiterous and sedicious subiect But I red you be wyse in time and as ye haue folowed this rebell Ionas in euyll so folow hym in the good and amende if not the kinges maiestie muste caste you in to the sea The obedience of Ionas is set forth and cōmended with manye circumstaunces and shulde therefore the better be noted Fyrste because he went the next waye to Niniue and hyred none other nor substituted hys suffragane nor wente not into Samaria to aske coūcell at hys fryndes what was beste to do but went streighte way hym selfe The second circūstance is worthy annotaciō that he dyd all thynges as the Lorde bad hym Wherein we are taughte to be diligente we see all our doinges actes and obedience to be according and as the worde of God biddeth There is putte in as thoughe it were by a parentesis the descripcion of Niniue And Niniue was a great citie to the Lord of three dayes iourney Thys dyscryption settethe forth the obedyence of Ionas that diligentelye preached the roughe the hole cytye the pleasure of God that it shoulde be destroyed wythin .xl. dayes The cytye is called greate vnto God that is to saye euerye greate cytye as the Cedre of God the mounte of God c. Or else it is called the cytye of God for the wonderfull respecte and pitye that the Lorde had in the sauinge of it Whether the cytye were thre dayes Iournye aboute or else thre dayes space to vysytte all the streates thereof it is not agreed yet vpon amōg al wryters but this we knowe it was a notable cytye and amonge al cytyes in the Easte of mooste famous reporte Nowe it foloweth what Ionas dyd after he entrede into the cytie When Ionas hadde entred the cytye one dayes iournye he cried and saued within this xl dayes Niniue shall be destroyed Of this text we learne that Ionas lyued not idle after he came to the place whether he was sente by God but that he walked abrode and cryed So shulde euerye man that is called to the office of a Bishop or pastor it is not inoughe he go to his dioces or personage but that he must walke abrode there and crye oute the comaūdemente of the Lorde Or else they be wyth al theire titel glorye pompe and name dome dogges subiect vnto the vengeaūce and plage of God And this is the marke thoushuldest knowe a Byshoppe and priest by by hys tounge that soundeth the worde of the Lorde and not by hys cap or vtward vesture So shulde the iudge go abrode in his countrey and speake and declare euery wher iustice So shuld the prouost heades of Colledges masters of scholes go and teache the thynge apertayneth to theyr place and vocacion The texte maketh mencion of the summe and pryncypall state of hys sermō that is that the citie shuld be destroied w tin .xl. daies and y t spake he simple and playnely wythout cōdicion or glose Yet maye wee easily gather of y ◠long time of x◠dayes that was geuen vnto it that it was reuersed vnto penance and amendemente of lyfe And god