A SERMON Preached before the Queenes Maiestie at Hampton Courte, the 19. of February laste paste. By VVilliam Iames Doctour of Diuinitie.

[printer's device of Henry Bynneman]

¶ Imprinted at London by Henry Bynneman. Anno Domini. 1578. Aprilis, 24.

A Sermon preached at Hampton Court.

Ezrae. 4.

BVT the aduersaries of Iudah and Benia­min, hearde that the children of the cap­tiuity builded the tē ­ple vnto the lorde God of Israel.

2 And they came to Zerub­babel, and to the chiefe fathers, & said vnto them, we wil builde with you, for we seeke the Lorde your God, as ye do, and we haue sacrificed vnto him since the time of Esar Haddon king of Asshur which brought vs vp hither.

3 Then Zerubbabel and Iesua and the rest of the chiefe fathers of Israel, saide vnto them, it is not for you, but for vs, to builde the house vnto our God, for we our [Page]selues togither vvil builde to the Lorde God of Israel as king Cy­rus the king of Persia hath com­maunded vs.

GOd that first created man to his owne image, and placed him as Lorde of Paradise, that after his fall recomforted him, that the séede of the woman should bruse the Serpentes head, that with most grati­ous promises blessed Abraham and his posteritie, that ledde his people through the wildernesse by the hande of Moyses and Aaron, that sente them faythfull Iudges and zealous Priests, to execute iustice and maintayne truthe, that after long contempt of his mercyfull call (by many of his Prophets) gaue them ouer to be schooled by the king of Babilon, that suffered their temple to bee raced, and themselues moste miserably to be entreated: that God that at no tyme can forget his faithfull people, but re­membreth [Page]them when they are in trou­ble, and rescueth them in the perillous tyme, bycause he will not suffer Virgam peccatorum super sortem iustorum: Psal. 100 at once worketh thrée strange wonders.

Fyrst he inflameth King Cyrus with an earnest desire, not only to dimisse the people helde in captiuitie, but also to re­store vnto them all suche vessells & trea­sures as Nabuchadnezer hadde before taken out of the Temple.

Secondly, he rayseth vp thrée notable guydes, thrée excellent and rare men, for the preseruation of hys people nowe after their returne from babylon, Zo­robabell, Ezra, and Nehemias.

Thyrdly, he encourageth the people with all earnestnesse to trauaile in the worke of the house of God, so that ney­ther the wearinesse of the captiuitie whiche they had endured, nor ye true ser­uice of God of a long season vnfrequen­ted, nor the pleasures whiche Babylon offered, coulde once wythdrawe these weake and féebled persons.

The summe is, the snare is broken, Israell is deliuered, Zorobabel, Ezra, Nehemias, the people al apply their bu­sinesse, desiring in hearte no one thyng so muche, as to erect the Temple of the Lorde to aduāce the glory of their despi­sed God. But sée, the aduersaries of Iu­dah & Beniamin came not of any cōsci­ence, but craftily to supplāt these work­men. It so falleth out, that if God haue a Church, ye Diuel, if he cānot hinder it, yet wil looke to haue an oare in it: if Mo­ses worke wonders, Pharaos soothesay­ers will vse an apishe imitation. The Apostles, Peter, Paule, Barnabas, shal no sooner testifye the trueth of Iesus Christ, than Simon and Elymas the sorcerers wil be at ynches to peruerte the ryght wayes of the Lorde. If Paul preache at Athens, or at Ephesus, then shall he surely finde either Stoikes, E­picures, or Iewes, or some secte of mis­creants ready to misse-leade Gods peo­ple. The enuious mā that when the ser­uants sléepe soweth tares to choake the wheat, yt plucketh the word of God out [Page]of the harts of ye hearers ne crederent & seruarentur, yt somtime like a roaryng Li­on séeketh whō he may deuoure, and at another time, can turn himselfe into an Angel of light, yt so shook yt consciences of Caine & Iudas, that they thought their sins greater than coulde be forgiuen, & yt so cunningly bleared Saules eies with the counterfaite shape of Samuel, and made Ananias and his wife to lye to the holye Ghoste. That man of sinne, as a Spirite sawe the intente of Israell, and as an enimy by all possible meanes go­eth about to hinder the building of the house of God. The diuel and ye supersti­tious Samaritans saw, that so long as Kyng Cyrus fauoured the Iewes, and the reedifying of the Temple, that so lōg it was vnpossible openly to hurt thē, or hinder it: and therefore nowe after that frowning wyll not serue, he vseth a far more cunning shifte, he beginneth now to flatter and speake faire. You haue a long time endured trouble, your treasure is wasted, your bodies weakned, ye work is heauy, your strēgth is féeble, ye charge [Page]greate, your substance small: we Zo­robabell, and you the reste of the chiefe of Israel, we wil ioyne with you in this worke: distruste vs not, for wee séeke the Lord your God, as you do, and we haue sacrificed vnto hym since the tyme of Esar Haddon, whyche brought vs vppe hither. Whome might not these sugred speaches haue deceyued? we will builde, we séeke the Lorde with you, wee sacri­fice to him as you do. But that God that euen in that same houre instructeth his what to answere, and that hathe lefte to hys seruantes iudgement to discerne the sprytes whether they be of God or no, here in a trice, teacheth Zorobabell, Iosua, and the rest of the Elders to an­sweare: It is not for you and vs to builde togither.

I will not stande heere to discusse why thys Booke, and the nexte of Nehe­mias are accompted Canonical, neither why the other of Esdras are refused. I purpose onelye at thys tyme briefly to reste on these two pointes: the aduersa­ries [Page]comming: and Zorobabel, Ieshua, and the rest of Israelles reiecting of thē. Of these that I may so speake as maye redounde to gods glory, I most humbly craue your Christian ayde in earneste prayer.

These Iewes nowe returned from seauentie yeares captiuitie, and nowe in hand with reedifying the house of God, and desirous euery man to abide by his tackling, at ye first are set vpō wyth these suttle Samaritanes: Let vs build with you: this they sayd, intending nothyng more than indéede to pull downe. They sawe thus much with Scribes & Phaci­fies, that as if new Christ were suffered to grow vp, that then al the people wold go after hym: and that if Paul myghte be allowed to preache at Ephesus, that then Diana should haue a great downe fall: so if the buylding of the tēple might go forwarde, that then the Idols of Sa­maria would be but little set by.

There are in these superstitious I­dolaters two things worth the conside­ration: [Page]their consent & agréement vni­uersallye to hinder Zorobabel and the rest: and that in these wordes, let vs build &c, when they intended to supplāt. The other is, their lying Hipocrisie, we seke as you, we sacrifise as you: and firste it is strange to sée the agréement of the godlesse. Againste true Mycheas, the whole rabble of false prophetes prophe­sied good to king Achab. When the peo­ple wanted water in the wyldernesse, the texte sayth: conuenerunt aduersus Moy­sen & Aaronem. Iosue 11. Against Is­rael both Iabin king of Hazor, and Io­bab king of Madon, and the king of Shimrō, and the king of Achshaph, and the kings that were by the North in the mountaines, the Cananites both by Easte and Weast, the Amorites, He­thits, I [...]busits, Phorezites, with al their hoast as the sand in ye sea shore for mul­tituds pitched to fight against Israell.

The kings of the earth stande vp, and the rulers take counsel togither, against the Lorde and againste his annoynted: [Page]Manasses against Ephraim, Ephraim againste Manasses, and both agaynste Iudah. Pharisies against Saduces, Sa­duces againste Pharisies, and yet both against Christ.

Herode against Pilate, Pilate against Herode, and yet in Christes death [...]ch is reconcyled to other. These Samaritans were of diuerse sectes, and yet al against the buylding of the temple.

Among all the false Prophetes not one to take Micheas part, nor among al the people, one to aunswere for Moses, nor among al the kings any one that fa­uoured Iosua, not one Pharisie, not one Saducey, to assist Christe, not so muche as one Samaritane, to set foreward the buylding of the temple.

I say with Tertul de prescript: Nihil enim interest illis, licet diuersa tractantibus, dum ad vnius veritatis expugnationem omnes cō ­spirent: It skilleth not how diuerse mat­ters they intreate of, so long as they conspyre all togyther to the rootyng oute of one Truethe. Rauenyng [Page]Wolues although eche wil teare other, yet euery one séeketh the slaughter of y Lambe.

Gréedy Kyghts albeit they wil fierce­ly fight for their pray, yet al séeke to kill the Chicke.

Common robbers, although euerye one thinketh an other to haue too much, yet none wyl suffer the poore true man to scape scotfrée. Light and Darknesse, Christ and Belial, Heauen and Hel can neuer agrée togither.

These superstitious conspirers a­gainst Iudah & Beniamin, shew to al christian princes, to al good magistrats, to all faythfull people, what they are to looke for at the handes of this world: if not open resistaunce, yet false vndermi­ning: if in one hand fire of zeale, in ano­ther water of discourage: in one hande bread to comfort, in the other a stone to strike: if honour in lippes, yet dishonor in hart.

If whatsoeuer things be written, are written for our instruction, if all that [Page]haue euer attempted reformation of Gods house with Zorobabel, haue ben troubled with Samaritanes: if the first Abell in his sacrifice with a blouddy Cain: if Daniel with false worshippers: if all the true Prophetes, with manye false Prophetes: if Iohn Baptist with a generation of vypers: if Christ Iesus with Scribes, Pharisies, and Saduces: if the Apostles, with Iewes, Stoyckes, and Epicures: if Constantine the great with Arrius: if Theodosius with Macedonius and Nestorius: if Marciā with Eutiches: if the Children of this world be in their generation wiser than the children of light: if those that séeke to please God shall be sure to offend men: then surely hath Zorobabel no cause to maruell at the strange conspiracies dayly practised against Christ and hys Gospel. What though they frette and fume? what though they appoynt holye leagues and name their generals? Let them séeke to make hauocke of the flock of Christ, & lyke wylde Boares to roote [Page]out the vyne Iesus, and that the name of God be no more named: yet as long as he that dwelleth in heauen laugheth them to scorne, so long shal Dauid with his slyng braine Golyath, and little Ge­deon with his goade, and Sampson with his Iaw-bone slay thousands. Better is one that feareth the Lord, than a thou­sand wicked, and greater is he that is on our side, than he that is against vs.

Let them tearme vs Heretickes and Schismatickes, yet with that whyche they call Heresie do we worshippe the true God of our fathers: Let them blas­pheme vs, and speake all euill of Zoro­babel: wel, let loosers haue theyr words, they haue loste a greate parte of Chri­stendome (the Lordes name be praysed, he hath wonne them to himselfe) let vs pray, Confirme this O Lord yt thou hast wrought in vs, that thy wayes maye be knowen vpon earth, thy sauing health among al nations.

Let them nowe put in practise theyr late Tridentine aduise, let the Diuell [Page]be muche madder than heretofore, leffe there be more trouble vnder the gospell than vnder ignorant popery: for why? Apoca. 12. Wo be to the inhabitantes of the Earth, and of the sea, for the Diuell is come downe and hath greate wrath, knowing that his tyme is but short, his practises are disclosed, hys vysor is plucked off, his blinde Ceremonies are al abandoned, his Locustes, his Grasse­hoppers, his Monkes, his Friers, are al swallowed vp.

He that doth euill, hateth the light, the théefe can not abide the candle, hys gold is but copper it cannot abyde the touchstone, his gauled backe maye not be touched without winsing, his blea­red eyes can not abyde the bright sunne beames of Christes Gospell. At the be­ginning it may appeare, what bloudye conflictes he raysed by his ministers, as the shedding of Innocents bloud, as the corporall possession and vexation of ma­ny with vncleane spirites, of priuie hin­dering, (as bere) of open withstanding [Page](as to Elyas, Ieremy, Mycheas, and o­thers, Iohn Baptist, Christ Iesus, his Apostles, yea & in the primatiue church in ten bloudy persecutions, and al thys) vntill he had filled himselfe with the re­proche of Gods Saints. But after that this aduersarie had (as it séemed) got­ten a little victorie, & had obscured (with a foggy mist) the cleare light of the gos­pel, and as the God of this world ruled in the children of vnbeliefe, wythout checke or controlement, then had he ley­sure to lull the world asléepe in reache­lesse securitie. Then raysed he vp strōg illusions, of the liues and deathes of Saintes, of wonderfull myracles wrought by their reliques, of gogglyng eyes, of salt teares frō deade stockes, of strange operation, of strange blouds, of the vnsufferable paynes of purgatory, of pilgrimages, of walking spirites, of vggly and feareful ghostes: yea and in the latter age, of Hob-gobblin, of Ro­bin goodfellow: very startlebugges, ve­ry scare crowes: and with these his [Page]practises bewitched he al that drunke of the cuppe of his abhomination, by the space almost of seauen hundreth yeares last past.

But after that it pleased God of his great and rich mercy to take the candle from vnder the bushell, and to drawe that two edged sword of his word, that deuideth betwéene the bones and the marrowe, then was that man of sin re­uealed, thē was ye Babylon layde waste, his kingdom thē draweth to an end, hys Empyre is abridged, a stronger man possesseth the house. His rage and fury is therfore the greater, especially now that he séeth that the dayes are shortned for the elect sake, he now bestirreth him selfe, for he knoweth his tyme is but short.

Isod [...]r. lib. 1. de summo [...]ono. T [...]nto crude­liùs persequitur, vt qui se damnandum no­uit, vt sibi socios multiplicet quibuseum ge­he [...]nnae ignibus addicatur. He persecuteth so muche the more cruellye, that as hée knoweth himselfe sure to be damned, so [Page]he may multiplie fellowes, to partake the paynes of hell fire.

He that in olde tyme beganne with deceyte, he nowe endeth with deceyte, he beganne with bloud, he now endeth with bloud.

He that made Adam to lose Para­dise, he maketh many to forsake their owne natiue countrey: him for an ap­ple, them for lesse than the paryng: hée that made Adam disobey God, he ma­keth them to disobey the Lordes an­nointed: he that made Lots wife looke backe to Sodome, he now maketh olde English beldams to returne after, xix. yéeres preachyng of the Gospell, to the lothsome puddle of Popishe trumperie: He that in old tyme by the bloud of the Lambe was ouercome and dispossessed of heauen, he by a droppe of bloud is contente to take possession of his wit­ches and Sorcerers here on earthe: He that in olde tyme shedde the bloud of innocent Abell, and prepared hoate fornasses for Goddes faythfull ser­uants, [Page]hée at this daye rayseth vppe bloudie massacres and firie inquisitiōs, and why? but bycause hys tyme is shorte.

Where the Gospel is preached most diligently, there dothe the Deuill rage moste furiously, and lyke a good Cap­tayne endeuoreth by all meanes to re­edifie those walles that the worde of God hath battered downe, and to re­new that olde Adam, that by the spirite of God is put away, and (as one sayde) Account al tyme loste that is not spent in some vertuous exercyse: so the De­uill accounteth all tyme lost, that is not spent either in veryng, or withdrawing from God the childrē of God: and why? but bicause his time is shorte.

A seconde thing in these idolatrous Samaritanes, is their lying & false hy­pocrisie, for neither sought they ye Lord as Israel did, neither sacrificed they as they ought to haue done. 2. Reg. 17. they pretēded to feare ye Lord, but apointed priests of thēselues for the high places, [Page]and prepared sacrifice, and did after the maner of the nations, and therefore the spirite of God testifyeth, that they ney­ther feared God, nor did after the ordi­nauntes, nor custome, nor lawe, nor cō ­maundement which the Lord cōmaun­ded the children of Iacob, whome he na­med Israell: notwithstanding here they come with these lying speches, we seke, we sacrifice.

Singular was ye impudency of these Samaritanes, that notwithstanding their owne consciences accused them, & their dayly practises declared the cleane contrary, yet they blush not to saye wee seke. &c. It is a plague that lyeth on Hy­pocrytes: there is no other sinner, be he neuer so strong a thiefe; be he neuer so filthy a liuer, be he neuer so common a lyar, be he neuer so great a blasphemer, be he neuer so byting an vsurer, be he neuer so cruel a murtherer, be he neuer so rancke a traytor, be he neuer so false to God, so faithlesse to men: but in his thefte be desireth darknesse, in his adul­try [Page]secretnes, for his lying pardō, for his blasphemy sometyme séeketh forgiue­nesse, in hys vsury feareth lawe, in hys murder dreadeth the wagging of euery leafe, in his treason suspecteth the be­wraying of the byrdes of the ayre.

But the Hypocrite (neyther fearing him that knoweth the hart and raynes, neyther regarding his owne reproche) dareth, bycause he cā bleare mens eies, to present himselfe (as it were) into the presence of God. Suche were they that came to our sauiour Christ, Maister we know thou speakest truth, and regardest no mans person, is it lawful to pay try­bute to Cesar or no? Why, if I speake truth, beléeue you me not oh ye Hypo­crites? and another: Maister what shal I do to inherite eternal life: and, Mayster what is the greatest commaundemente in the law?

To whome our sauiour aunswereth, Not euery one that sayth to me Lorde, Lorde, shall enter into the kingdome of heauen, but he which doth the wil of my [Page]father which is in heauē. Why do you call me Lord, Lorde, and doe not the things which I cōmaunde? why tempt yée me O ye hypocrites? what offer ye to me O ye painted sepulchers? you ap­peare fayre outwardly, but inwardly yée are full of dead mens bones, and all filthynesse. Why doe yée honour mée with your lippes, your hartes beyng farre from me? Why speake you lies vnto me, you haue consciences marked with an hoate Iron? Why pretend you a shewe of godlinesse, seyng you haue denied the power thereof? Surely these Samaritanes are as it were a cleare glasse to beholde the miserie of iniquitie that in this worlde preuayleth. Such an hypocrite was Herode, that when he purposed nothing but the death of our sauiour Iesus Christe, as may ap­peare by the slaughter of the innocents, yet he perswadeth with the Wisemen, to returne home by him, that he with thē might worship him, that was borne King of the Iewes: such false teachers [Page]hurte the Apostles, suche false brethren added muche to Paules bondes. And died these Samaritanes only thinke we with Zorobabel? and rose there none of their ashes? & are there at this daye no Herodians that in word speake that in harte they thinke not? & are there no false teachers to hinder the Gospell of Christe? and are there no false brethren to adde to Paules bondes?

Not to speake of such as whē Steuen preached stopped their eares: nor of such as say we wil not heare, charme ye char­mer neuer so wisely: nay there are a broode which liue in the church, & by the church, but are not of the churche, that at this day do hinder, and hitherto haue hindred the course of Zorobabel.

And as true it is, yt new wine is not to be put in olde bottels, nor new cloth to be patched in an old garmēt, nor Christ & Circumcision to be matched togither; and as God in olde age raysed vp not a Prieste of Baal but Elias, nor our sauiour any lerned Pharisée, but simple [Page]fishermen, to treade the waye of hys Gospel: so is not Zorobabel to admitte such as mingle Christ and Belial, the Church of God and Idols, the Gospell and popery, religiō and mockery. What better words than of Samaritanes, we seeke, we sacrifice: what better profession than of Herode, Go and séeke and bryng me word that I may worship: yet were the Samaritanes Idolatours, yet was Herode a Foxe. What better spéeches, thā, we be cōformable men, we obserue our princes laws, we follow iniunctiōs, we obey orders: yet if it come to exami­nation at the passage of Iordan, (as Iepthe and the Gyleadites did trie the Ephraimites, by pronouncing Shiboleth) I feare me, they wil say single Siboleth, there wil want the harty aspiration (h) (h) wanteth, the harte wanteth.

It is an olde prouerbe, Ex vnguibus leonem. Let them be narowly loked into, howe they grunt and grone at the prea­ching of the Gospell: howe they carpe at the doings of the godlye lear­ned: [Page]how they deride the simpler sorte of the professors of the Gospell: how open eares they haue to heare, and how rea­dye tongues to mislike the state of oure Churche: what secreate conuenticles they haue: howe they daylye buzze of strange newes: howe big they looke on the professors of the Gospell: howe they still retayne one Masse tricke or other to put the people in minde: how willing­ly they will maintaine grosse Popery, but for disputation sake only.

If you looke narrowly into them, you shall perceiue them to be plaine Sama­ritans, playne Herodians, the one ready to hinder the building of the house of God, the other lyke craftye Foxes, to eate vppe the lambe Iesus.

God that is not deceyued will vomit out all those luke warme Souldiors, he cannot abide suche as can couer Ne­roes crueltie with Catoes grauitie, nor suche as to hide Herodes butcherie, pre­tende Iohn Baptistes simplicitie.

These leaues wythout fruite, these [Page]eares without corne, these clouds with­out water, these lampes without oyle, as they haue liued without feare, so shall they dye without hope, and as they haue bodies without life, so haue they soules without God. As Copper resembleth Gold, & is nothing lesse, as stage players do ofte put on another person than their own, as in the Rainebow there appeare many colours, when in déede there are none at all, as in broken glasses, where there is neuer a face, yet there appeare two faces: so in these double faced Ianus­ses, in these chāgeable Chamaeleons ther is nothing lesse, than that which séemeth most to be. What though they say, they seeke, they sacrifice: let them bragge of their forwardnesse: we know that emp­ty Tubbes do euer make the greateste sound. A fresh Iuy doth not always sig­nify the best wine. The Cypers trée is ye tallest trée, but it beareth leaste fruite. Bladders puffed vppe with winde, are good for nothing but to make footballes.

I can compare these hypocrites to no­thing [Page]so fitly, as to the Distridge, who (when there was a contention betwene the byrdes and foure footed beasts) to de­ceiue the byrds, shewed his bil & wings, and to deceiue the beasts put forthe hys hoofe, so seeking to please both, deceiued both. And as Austin saide of some, while they will be Iewes and Christians, they are neither Iews nor Christiās, so these whyle they wil be Papistes and Prote­stāts, they are neither Papists nor Pro­testants. Yet they say, we seeke, we sacri­fice, we loue the Lord with al our hart, with all our soule, with al our strength: But if they once maye warme them­selues at the highe Priestes fyre, they will foresweare wyth Peter: if a little storme of affliction ryse, they wyll goe backe in the tyme of trouble: if you bid them sell all they haue, they will eyther with ye yongmā departe heauy, or wyth Ananias & his wife kepe back half: they wyll embrace the worlde, wyth De­mas: they wyll forsake the Apostle, with Himeneus and Philetus: they wil [Page]persecute with Alexander: I pray God they do not sell wc Iudas. And yet not­withstanding al this, such is their sham­lesnesse, that as in hearte they séeke no­thing but the ouerthrowe of Christes Kingdome, so in worde they pretend no­thing so much, as to serue God, and to sacrifice vnto hym. And thus much as touching the consente and hipocrisy.

The second parte of this texte, is the answere, wherin there are foure things in order worth the consideration.

Fyrste the vnitie of the aunswerers, Zorobabel, Iosue, and the reste of the chiefe fathers of Israell, and a flatte de­niall, It is not for you, but for vs.

Secondly, the agréement of them in building, wee oure selues, and wee togyther.

Thirdely, what they will builde, a house to the Lorde God of Israell.

Fourthly, the warrant whereby they builde, as Kyng Cyrus the King of Persia hath commaunded vs.

And for the firste: the aunswere was [Page]not of one, but of Zorobabel, Iosue, and the reste of the chéefe fathers of Israel: wherein wee learne, that in matters of weight, there oughte not to take place Zorobabels own opinion, but it muste be aided with the consente of others, sic volo, sic rubeo, must haue no place in Gods matters.

They aunswere not as the Datorse in tyme of Poperye did to a reasonable demaund, The Popes holinesse will not admitte it, and if his holynesse woulde, yet my Lorde woulde not suffer it.

Zorobabel, as his name importethe (by interpretation) to one straunge and farre from confusion, and althoughe in thys refusall he be a very Precisian, yet he is not singular. He aunswereth not, it is for you and mee, but ioyning hym­selfe wyth the reste, It is not for you and vs.

Here are many thinges, that if tyme and place would suffer, would require long tractation. As firste, that Zoroba­bels refusall and the reste, doth teache [Page]vs, that aide of the Idolatrouse, of the wicked, although it be offred, is to be re­fused, especially in matters touching the building of Gods house.

Abraham refused to take of the King of Sodom, so much as a thréed or a shoe lachet, leaste he should say: I haue enri­ched Abraham. The yong Prophet for eating breade with the wicked old Pro­phet was deuoured of a Lion.

Theodorus li. 2. ca. 6. Eccles. Hist. repor­teth, that Liberius going into banishe­ment, refused al gifts of the Emperour and hys wife, let them giue these (sayth he) to Auxentius & Epictetus their Ar­rian heretikes.

Secondly, here we learne by this ex­ample, that the company and leagues of the wicked are vtterly to be shaken off. For blessed is the man that doeth not walke in the counsell of the wicked, nor stande in the way of sinners, nor sitte in the seate of the scornefull.

He that toucheth pitche shall be defi­led wyth it, one shéepe infecteth a whole [Page]flocke, one sparckle kindleth a greate flame, and one infected house is able to poyson a whole Citie. There is no par­ticipation of righteousnesse and vnrigh­teousnesse.

Iohn the Euangeliste woulde not washe in the bathe wherin Cherinthus the enimy of the truthe bathed himself. Caius and Alexander being condemned to die, & being led to execution with cer­taine Marcionistes, made an especiall requeste to their tormentors, that they might be slayne asyde from those Mar­cionists, and that their bloud might not in death be mingled with theirs, wyth whome in life they agréed not in reli­gion.

Thirdly, here may be obserued to our singular comforte, that the Lord disclo­seth to his seruants, the counsells of the wicked, and ouerturneth the practises of hys enimies against hym and his chur­che, as of Achitophel, Hamman, Herod, & the rest. The thing yt here is especial­ly to be weighed, is ye resō ye moued Zo­robabel [Page]and the rest: and that is, ye they would not haue the true seruice of God mingled with Idolatrous or straunge worshippe.

They enuyed not that these Sama­ritans shoulde serue the Lorde, they de­sired nothing more, than that the Lorde myght faithfully and religiously be ser­ued, but therefore did they deny them a­ny parte or felowshippe in this worke, bicause they worshipped strange Gods, erected Idolles, and put their truste and confidence in creatures.

The God of Israell can not abide to be worshipped with other Gods, and therefore althoughe they pretended as you heare, yet that God, that is worship­ped in spirite and truth, would not haue hys seruauntes to admitte these hypo­crites.

God requireth the whole hearte, the whole soule, the whole mynde. Hee that made the whole man, wil not be conten­ted with halfe man: God is a iealous God, and will not deuide with the De­uill. [Page]If God be God, honor him, if Baul be God honor him.

Lactan, de falsa Relig. Lib. 1. Ca. 19. Si ho­nor idem tribuitur alijs, ipse omnino non coli­tur, cuim religio est, illum esse vnum ac solum verum credere: If the same honor be gy­uen to others, he at all is not worship­ped, whose religion is, to belée us hym to be one, and hym alone to be true.

We muste not plowe wyth an Oxe and an Asse, nor sowe our grounde with diuers Séedes, nor make our garments of Linsey Wolsey.

Howe long shall wee halte on bothe sides? What agréement haue Christ and Belial? if ye wil be circumcised, then is Christe dead in vaine: if you will bee iustifyed by the Lawe, then are you fal­len from Grace. Yee cannot serue twoo Maisters, yee cannot serue God and Mammon. Christe sayeth not, it is not conuenient to serue two maisters, nor it is not profitable, but by an argument of impossibilitie, Ye cannot.

Such Samaritans had Zorobabel, y [Page]notwithstanding that the spirite of God putteth down an impossibilitie, yet wold say yt they sought, that they sacrificed &c. that although they loued in harte Ido­latrie and superstition, and that neither would haue the Priests reade, nor the Prophets expound the law, neither wold themselues eate of the Passeouer, nor suffer their childrens forskinne to be cir­cumcised: yet with shamelesse face, with lying tongs and false harts, woulde saye they did loue Zorobabel. If the sonne shal rise against his father, the father a­gainst his sonne: if the daughter against hir mother, and the daughter in lawe a­gainst hir mother in law. If Cicero said that Philosophy did first vnite men into one body, but we knowe it was God by yt mighty power of his word: truly then if with Infidels no societie, but through Philosophy, then with vs no true obedi­ence towards the Lordes annointed, no faithfull loue among brethren, where there is not concord in true & sound reli­gion The iarre about religiō is ye grea­test [Page]iar, & the bond of religiō is ye stron­gest bond. Let them thē come, & tell Zo­robabel, truly we will build with you, wée wil kéepe back your enimies, we wil ex­ecute your laws, wee will liue like good subiects, but (as for our consciences) wée cannot abide the talke of thys God that only wil be serued, wee cannot abide to be present at your prayers, wee can not partake of your Communion. Did not these Samaritanes lye when they saide, we seeke, we sacrifice, & shal we think these speak truth? Wel, it is wel sayde in my texte, Zorobabel, Iosue, and the chiefe fathers [...] Israell, he and al his counsell answered, It is not for you and vs. Trust you? nay not for a Denyre, he that gathereth not with vs, scattereth abroade: hee that is not wyth me (sayth our sauiour) he is against me. Now can he be faithful to mā yt is faith­lesse to God. The Isralites admit­ted neither Iewe nor Proselite, not so muche as once to come among them, vnlesse he first were circūcised, had re­ceiued Moses law, & had bin partaker of [Page]their sacrifices, Zorobabel here refuseth all their offred seruice: Is it then like, ye eyther ye Isralites, or Zorobabel, would eyther haue putte them in great auctho­ritie, or haue gyuen them leaue to haue liued after their consciences? Nay, hee that woulde not allowe them for theyr superstition to helpe to laye lyme and stone, woulde not allowe them to lyue after their owne Idolatry. Hee woulde not gyue them leaue to goe to the Diuel. He that said, do that only that I cōmād, & decline not either to the right or to the left hand, but, ad legem & ad testimonia, to the Law and to the testimonies. He had so instructed Zorobabel, that he woulde not yéelde, and had so terrifyed the Sa­maritans, that they durst not aske, but whatsoeuer inwardly they mente, out­wardly they say: Let vs builde.

It had beene a shamefull thing for the Samaritans, not onely not to haue proffered aide, but to haue gone aboute priuily to vndermine, and to haue cra­ued leaue, in that his painefull businesse, [Page]to haue layne in a corner repyning at hys indeuor: But to haue iudged hys conscience, naye to haue condem­ned hym, nay to poure oute prayers for his ennimyes, to accompte hym a Schismatike, his Heretikes, his worke wickednesse, his building confusion, to harbor, nay with mony to supporte hys enimies, had bin detestable, had bin diuelish. Answere me O ye Samaritās, shal not Zorobabel giue you leaue to robbe men by the high way side, and dare you aske leaue to rob God of his honor? shal not Zorobabel giue you leaue to com­mitte murther of others, and shall hee suffer you to kil your own soules: Shall he not licence you (althoughe your Pope do) to open adulteries and kéeping con­cubines, and shall he suffer you to make your bodies, the temples of God, slaues to Idolles sacrifice? Shall hee not suffer any high treason against himselfe, and shal he winke at opē blasphemy against God? Answere me O ye Samaritanes.

If old father Chrisostome now liued, [Page]he would tell the people of Antioch, that they bounde horses and fettered them, and with hornes poured in medicine, and shall they suffer theyr brethren to run on headlong into iniquitie.

If father Austen now liued, he would tell Gaudentius, ye it séemeth vnto you yt the vnwilling are not to be compelled to heare: you are much deceyued, for while you compell them againste theyr wyll, you often tymes make them willyng.

Is it behoofefull for the common wealth, that no manne abuse hys owne house or horse, for that if they please not hym, they may profitte others? and shall it not be behoofefull that no man abuse hys owne soule?

You are not your owne, you are bou­ghte neither with golde nor siluer, but wyth the precious bloude of the imma­culate Lambe Christe Iesus.

But O Sir, it is for their conscience, be good to them, shew mercy.

I wil shewe thée (O Man) sayeth the Prophet, what it is to doe good, it is to [Page]loue Iustice, and to shew mercye.

Iehu might haue suffred ye Baalites, Iosias & Ezechias the Idolatours: wel they myghte haue shewed mercy, but sure they shoulde not haue done iustice.

Saul spared Achab, Achab spared Benadab, Elye winked at his sons wic­kednesse, but it was to them all occasion of ruine.

Salomon suffred hys concubines and wiues to haue Temples, to serue As­tartes, Chamos, and strange Gods, but the renting of Gods seruice rente hys Kingdome, halfe to his owne sonne, and halfe to Ieroboam the son of Nebathe.

Peter might haue spared Simon the sorcerer, and Paule the incestuous Co­rinthians, but what mercy had this bin?

I am of this opinion, that if I sée one ready to drowne hymselfe, and stay him not if I may, yt I am giltie of his death.

If I féed not one readye to dye wyth famine, hauing food wherwithal, I haue killed hym.

Cicero sayde, that hée that when [Page]hee maye defende iniury, if he do it not, is no lesse in faulte thā if he forsake hys parents or countrey.

He that saide, say not somuch as good morrow, or haile sir, but let him bee as an Ethnicke and Publibane to thée, he would not admit him to eate at his bord that would not eate and drinke at Gods borde. But he is my friend. But Chryst answereth, he yt doth ye will of my father in heauē, he is my father, my mother, my brother, my sister. Cicero sayth, that yt is the surest friēdship which ye similitude of good maners hathe coupled. You know the Prouerbe, No cousin in Courte, No cousin in Cheapeside: so surely it ought to be, No Christian in the Churche, no Cousin in Court. If thy hand or foote of­fēd thée cut thē off, if thine eie, pul it out, this may (I denye not) be wel vnderstood literally, for we vse to cut off rotten mē ­bers, ne pars sincera trahatur: but it is in­déede mente of them that are vnto vs in stéede of these parts, of hands, of féete, of eies, yt is, most neare & familiar friends, [Page]if they goe about to draw vs or to hin­der vs from Christ, whom to knowe is eternal life.

O but he hath done me good. Pharaos daughter nursed Moyses, the hungrye Rauens fed Elyas.

But alas shal I render euil for hys good? shal I not loue my neyghbour as my self? shal I suffer him cum ratione in­sanire? his father dyd me good: shoulde Moyses haue reserued Pharan for hys daughters sake?

To end this point, it is euident, that what protestation soeuer these Sama­ritanes made, yea so long as they wor­shipped Idolles, so long Zorobabel would not trust them, no nor vouchasafe them so much countenance, as once to number them among suche as hewed stones or made morter.

But what if they had denyed? he was not ignoraunt, that if in the colde winter, in the time of gracious Cirus, the snake might haue warmed himselfe by his or the elders fiers of Israel, that [Page]then he would at spring of the yeare, if not haue bitten, yet haue hissed at Zo­robabell. But answere me O ye En­glish Samaritanes, O ye recusantes that dishonour God and disobey the Lords annoynted, shal a strange proud Italian Priest withdrawe you? what hath the churche of England offended you? wherein haue we corrupted the gospell of Iesus Christ? who flieth to ye touchstone of ye scriptures, you or we?

Offendeth it you that the Scrip­tures are in our mother tong, and are knowen to the Lay people, blame your owne Doctours: euen Nicolaus Lyra and Caietanus in. 14. 1 Corin. do teache, that it was the manner of the primatiue Church, and that out of this doctrine of Paul may be gathered, that it is better to the edifying of the church, that pu­blike prayers maye be in a tongue knowen to the people, than to be sayde in Latine of the Prieste and Clarkes.

Offendeth it you (and that is the matter) that wée denie Transubstan­tion [Page]the Real presence? blame your owne Doctors, for Bonauenture, Du­rande, Scotus, Thomas, hold foure se­uerall opinions. It is an opinion ne­uer heard of vntil the Laterane coūsel, 1215 yeares after Christe.

Rupertus abbas Tutiensis confesseth, that before that Counsell it was law­full to belieue or not to beleue. Ton­stall late Byshop of Durham. li. 1. de Eucharistia, De modo quo idfieret, satius for­tasse erat, curiosum quemque suae relinquere coniecturae, sicut licitum fuit ante consilium Lateranum. Of the manner howe thys shoulde come to passe, it had bene beste to haue lefte euery curious man to his owne coniecture, as it was lawfull be­fore the Laterane counsell.

Offendeth it you that we denie the Pope to be Vniuersal byshop? Blame your own Pope Gregorie, for he saith: Nemo predecessorum meorum &c. none of my predecessours euer tooke vpon him this name of singularitie, this pro­phane, this pōpouse, this proude name.

Offendeth it you that we preache a­gainst Purgatorie: blame not vs but your owne Doctours. For Gregorye your owne Pope sayth, it is as it were in hote bathes: Alcuinus sayth, it is in the ayre, some in yse, some in shadow of trées.

The fathers in their late Triden­tine counsel confesse, that there are ma­ny things vncertain, which haue a shew of falsehoode, which tende to curiosity, and to vayn superstition, and which sa­uour of filthy lucre.

Youre schoolemen are togither by the eares, whether the Pope be more mercyful than Christ (séeing that it is not reade that euer he released from ye paynes of Purgatory) and whether the Pope maye emptye Purgatory at his pleasure.

Offendeth it you, that we deny pray­ers and inuocation of Sainctes? blame your owne doctour Eckius, who after much sayde for that matter, concludeth thus: Explicitè non est praecepta sanctorum [Page]inuocatio in sacris literis. Inuocation or prayer to saintes is not commaun­ded in holye scriptures: not in the olde Testament, bycause the people were otherwise too too propense into Idola­trye: and the fathers were in Limbo, not yet blessed: nor in the new Testament, least the people might séeme to be led to the worshippe of erthly creatures a­gayne: and if the Apostles and Euan­gelistes should haue taught this, they shoulde haue ben accounted arrogant, as though they had sought for this glo­rye after their death.

Offendeth it you, that we pul downe Images? blame youre owne Doctour Barnarde, who ad Guil: abbatem Clunia­cens. Quem ex ijs fructum requirimus &c. What fruite looke you for of them, whiche serue for nothing, but eyther to féede fooles, or to seduce the sim­ple.

Offendeth it you that you maye not haue the Popes pardon? that you maye not be absolued à pena & culpa? [Page]blame good father Ierome, who vppon the. 16. of Matthew, Quorum remiseritis peccata: Istum locum Episcopi & Presbyteri non intelligentes &c. This place bishops and Priestes vnderstanding not, take vpon them somewhat of the Pharisées pryde to absolue or cōdemne, where as before the Lord, not the sentence of the priest, but the life of the sinner is to be regarded. Offendeth it you that wée burne and disgrace your Legenda aurea, blame Ludouicus Viues, for he saithe, Non video cur dici possit aurea &c. I see not why it can be sayd to be of gold, se­ing it is written of a man of an Iron face, and a leaden harte.

What looke you for O ye Samari­tanes? For your deuises of menne, we preach ye gospel, ye power of God to sal­uation to all yt beleue it. For your Trā ­substātiatiō, we shew in our Cōmuniō ye Lords death vntil he come. For your Pope Christes vicar, we preach ye holy ghost to be vicare general, which doth teach vs al truth. For your pick purse [Page]Purgatory, we preach that ye bloud of Iesus Christe doth clense vs from all sinne. For your many mediatours, your poore helps, we teach that there is but one mediatour betwene God and men, Iesus Christe bothe God & Man.

For your Trentals of Masses, your Bulles of lead, your Lambes of waxe, we preache the Lion of the tribe of Ie­hudah, & that Christ by one oblation of himself, once for al, hath perfitted them that be sanctified, & that the Lambe of god taketh away ye sinnes of the world.

For your wodden Gods, your lay­mens bookes, we deliuer the worde of God, which is a Lanterne to the féete, and alight vnto the steppes.

To cōclude this part: if we haue not departed frō you vntil you haue depar­ted frō God: if we haue not sucked this of our own fingers, but drawē it out of your foūtaines: if for traditions of men we preache the truth of the Gospell: if for very tri [...]es and trashe, wée declare the infallible worde of life, then aryse [Page]O ye Samaritanes, séeke the Lorde while he may be founde, walke whyle there is light, nowe is the axe layde to the roote of the trée: awake oh ye Sa­maritanes, it is no shame to amende your maners, tast and sée how swéete and pleasaunte the Lord is.

But if neyther your owne conscien­ces, nor the testimonies of your owne doctours, nor the difference of the Do­ctrines which we deliuer, nor any oure requestes may once moue you, behold we answere, It is not for you and vs to build togither,

The second thing in this answere is, but we our selues togither wil buylde.

Zorobabel, Iosue, and the rest of the elders, as they woulde admit none but themselues, so woulde they suffer none to buylde by hymselfe but alto­gither.

The Phylosophers holde diuerse fā ­tasies of their summum bonum, of ye end, but these Isralites had al but one end, one temple of the Lorde, and herein [Page]they [...] all togither.

Behold it is good & pleasant (s [...]th [...] Prophete) brethren to dwell togyther in [...]tie. Austen saith, Ita dule [...] est so­nus, vt qui Psalterum nisciunt, ipsum tamen [...]sum cantent: the sounde is [...]o [...]wéete, that they whiche neuer knew the Psal­ter, yet sing that Psalme. There is no­thing more acceptable to God thā vni­tie, & nothing more hateful thā dissentiō.

God is loue, Christe is the prince of peace, his testanient is a couenant and league of peace, his Angels are messen­gers of peace, his Apostles were prea­chers of peace, their whole life was an example of peace. Origen sayde that no sense without the scriptures, howe ex­cellēt soeuer it séemed to be, was more to be receiued, than that golde to be ac­counted holy whiche was without the tēple: but I say, that there is no worke nor labour of any mā any whitte to be estéemed, vnlesse he obserue the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace.

I néede not stand to declare the incō ­ueniences of dissention, the two eyes of [Page]Gréece, Lacedemon & Athens, [...] th [...] holde not togither, made Gréece a pray to hir enimies.

The dissention of Hanno and Han­niball raced Carthage.

The vnbrotherlike warres betwéen Etheocles and his brother Poleni [...]es, decayed yt flourishing state of Thebes.

While Aristobulus and Hyrcanus doe striue, they suffer their cittie to bée spoyled, and their temple to bée raced.

Scipio Africanus hauing ouercome y Numantines asked Tyrestas how it hapned yt Numātia before so inuincible, was at the laste with great ease ouer­come: He answered, bragge not Scripio, our cōcorde before made vs victors, but our discorde hath bred our distruction.

Olde Micipsa on his death bedde dyd sing his last cygnaea cātio, By cōcord smal things increase, by discorde the greatest come to nothing.

It is much to builde togither, for as virtus vnita fortior, so many hands make light worke.

Surely the dissentiō about the buil­ding of Gods house did neuer good, for [Page] [...], how shal the day laborers do, whē the maister workerm [...]n do dissent?

Clemens Alexan [...]i [...] [...]trom: sayth, the heathens were wont this to obic [...], you Christians doe dissent among your sel­ues, and [...] so many sectes, which al­though they do euery one chalenge the title of Christianity yet euery one doth hate and condemne Another.

Chrisostome complayned that in his tyme the Iews were wont thus to say, I woulde ben Christian, but I knowe not whiche parte to cleaue vnto: surely for this cause (sayth he) we are become rediculous to the Iewes and the Gen­tiles, whyle the Church is rente into a thousand partes. The dissention be­twéene Peter and Paul, the departure of Paule and Barnabas, the holding of some of Paul, of some of Apollo, of some of Cephas, no doubt vexed the godly in the first primatiue Church.

The quarrels betwéene Theophi­lus and Epiphanius, Austen & Ierome, Ierome and Ruffinus, opened manye gappes to wicked Heretickes.

The question betwéene Luther and Zwinglius aboute the supper of the Lorde, no doubt, hardened & at this day hardneth many in the error of popery.

The contention among vs aboute round & square, aboute white & blacke, about sitting, standing, walking, knée­ling at yt cōmunion, maketh both parts of lesse credite, and encourageth none but sworne aduersaries to both. We al agrée of the holsomenesse of the meate, & why do we fall out for the dishe? it skil­leth not whether it be Pewter, Tinne, Siluer, Golde, or a tréen dishe. And as long as we accompt the medicine to be soueraigne, why do we take exception to the bore of wood or stone? It is the Deuils policie to deuide vs, that he at our breach may ye more easily enter in.

Stragling Souldiers are soone swa­lowed vp. The mouse and the frogge may striue so long, vntill the Kite de­uoure both warriers. Sylurus sonnes shalbe a terrour to all their enimies, so long as they abide in the fagotte bonde of true friendship: if once they separate [Page]themselues, they shal be an easie pray to their aduersaries. Aristotle sayde truely, that in a ciuill dissention one e­nimie armed within the Citie, is more able to hurte than many without: but we may say it muche more truly of the church. Let vs my brethren séeke those things, Quaesunt ad pacem Hierusalem: as the Prophet fayth: Let vs pray, that as in the actes of them that beléeued there was but one harte, & one soule, so that we may buylde al togither, that as all things may be done to edifying, so all things may be done decētly & in order.

The thirde thing in this their an­swere is, what they wil build, a house to the Lorde God of Israell. These Israelites do in reedifying folow Salomon in his first buylding, for as he firste buylded the temple before he medled with hys owne house, so these at the first desire to erect a house, to buylde a temple to the Lorde their God. But what? doth the God of Israell delite to dwell in tem­ples made with handes? Albeit that euery place is méete for Christians to [Page]make prayers in, for as Austen sayeth, there is no place where. God is not: if we goe vp to heauen he is there: if wée go downe to Hel he is there: if we take the wings of the winde he is there pre­sent, for himselfe hath sayde, beholde I am with you to the ende of the world.

The house of God hath sometimes bene in a ship on the Seas, as with our sauiour, sometimes in a poore house wt his disciples, sometymes in the market place at Athens, in a parlor at Troas, on the shoare with Paul and the faith­full. Where two or thrée are gathered togyther in my name I am in the mid­dest of them, and where Christ is, there may we be assured is Christs Church.

Tertul in exhorta. ad castitatem: Ecclesia est vbi duo aut tres sunt, licet laici sunt, the churche is where two or thrée be toge­ther although they be lay men.

But God to the intente he mighte haue a peculiar place for his people, where they might vse prayer & thankes­giuing, & offer sacrifice, first raised Sa­lomon to builde, and these to redifye a [Page]house for his owne honour.

In the bookes of kings and Chroni­cles we reade, that in the foure hun­dreth and foure scoure yeare after the children of Israell were come oute of Egipte, dyd Salomon builde the house of the Lorde of thrée scoure cu­bites long, in Ierusalem, in mounte Moriah, whiche had bene declared vn­to Dauid his father, in the place which Dauid prepared, in the thresshing floore of Ornan the Iebusite.

It is wel worth consideration, that neyther Salomon in his first, nor these in their new buylding, do eyther builde to any other than to the Lord, or once herein thinke of buyldyng to them­selues.

Salomon builded not to Abraham, although he wer the father of the faith­ful, nor to Isaac, although in him the séede were called, nor to Iacob although of hym came the twelue Trybes, not to Moyses, nor Elyas, nor Aaron, not to anye Prieste, not to anye Iudge, not to any Prophete, but to the Lorde [Page]God of Israel onely: But we haue for­saken Salomō, and folowed the Sama­ritans, we haue not builded one tēple to yt Lord, but many temples to Idols.

As yt Iewes in old time built vp high places in euery citie, and erected altars in euery high hill, & euery nation made themselfe a God, and put them in the highe places whiche the Samaritanes had made: euen so did we, where was there any then that buylded vnto the God of Israel? They buylded Tem­ples, they erected Altars, they carued I­mages, they appoynted certaine feasts, they washed themselues at their entrie into the churche, they fell down before their Gods, they kindled lights and bur­ned Frankensence, seuerall Gods had seuerall Priestes, and was it not so in poperie? Might not we cōplayne with Ieremie, accordyng to the number of thy cities was thy Gods O I [...]huda [...], and accordyng to the number of the streates, haste thou erected Altars of confusion to sacrifice to Baal. And was not this true in poperie? In euery [Page]great Town how many Temples? and till of late not one dedicated to Christe. Whereas the virgin Mary had euerye day hir Masse, & many Sainctes manye Masses: then was Christe onelye on the Fryday, (& that but in Cathedrall chur­ches only) remembred. That which was true while he liued on earth, yt birdes of the aire haue nestes, the foxes dens: that may much more truly be spoken of such seruices as were done to hym here on earth. Euery where hath Peter a chur­che, Mary, Paule, Dunston, Aldate, Gyles, George, Scythe and Katherine, but the sonne of Man hath not where to hyde his head. Tertul. li. 1. contra Marcio­nem, said truly, Inuenio plane ignotis Dijs a­ras prostitutas, sed attica idololatria est, item incertis Dijs, sed Romana superstitio est. I find Altars erected to vnknowen Gods, but it is the Idolarye of Athens, and to vn­certayne Gods, but it is the superstition of Rome. Austin feared not to saye, that there were temples builded to them on earth, whose soules laye buryed in Hell. Wel might therfore yt prophetical Spi­rite [Page]in Ieremy complaine, and wel may we, that the people haue channged the true God, and sought for that that pro [...] ­teth not: that they haue forsaken the fountaine of the water of life, and haue digged themselues cesterues that can hold no water, nay (as Dauid saith) their Idolles are multiplyed, after the whiche they make so great haste: Superstition hathe no hoe, nothing too hotte, nothing too heauy. The Iewes offred their owne children to Moloch. The priests of Ba­al did cut and launce themselues. The people to make a Calfe and an Ephad offered all their richest iewells.

Againe, these Iews build not to them­selues, they build not houses, & call them after their own names. They dydde not with the Agregentines build as though they woulde liue for euer, and liue as though they woulde dye for euer, but they builded as men by theyr liues de­strous to set vp ye glory of the true God, They to builde Gods house spared no­thing, but we to builde our owne nestes plucke from Gods house.

If Zorobabel, Iosue, & the rest of the chiefe fathers were not more carefull, thā some of ye feet be, both learning, with out which we are like brute beasts, and religion without which we nothing dif­fer from Infidels, would spéedily perish.

I feare me there are that wish as he did of the Romains, that they had al but one heade, yt he might cut off al at once: so that wish that many Churches were but one church, that it might at once be ouerturned. But will you liue alone vpon the earth? what profiteth it a man to win the whole worlde, if hee loose hys own soule? Quid prosunt ista cùm caro da­tur vermibus anima daemonibus?

The last thing is the warrant, as King Cyrus king of Persia hath commaūded vs.

The warrant wherby the work wēt forward, was not of Zorobabel, althogh he wer their guide homward, nor of Es­dras, although he were a learned scribe, and was to reforme both their religion and maners: nor of Nehemias, although he was to finish the walls and to deliuer them from oppression. [Page]It was not at the commaundement of any Patriarche, of any Prophet, not by the direction of any Prieste, but of King Cyrus King of Persia. God, by whome Kyngs do raigne, and that hath not gy­uen thē the sword for nought, & yt hathe promised to raise them vp as nursing fa­thers, and nursing mothers to hys chur­che, doth her [...] stir vp Cyrus to further his own cause, to set forwarde she buyl­ding of his house.

It is worthe the marking. God doth not this worke by anye that were (as it may séeme) of hys owne couenante, hee doth not fetch either Saul from kéeping of Asses, or Dauid frō kéeping Shéepe, or Elizeus from the plowe, or Amos frō the hearde. But as the deliueraunce is altogither miraculous, so is the meanes ordinary, by a Kyng, by K. Cyrus king of Persia. It is wonderful to sée yt Gods people in reedifying the holy Tēple did so willingly obey a K. in al other points vnholy. But God that would at the first frame them to obedience, and in them teach vs and al posteritie, what we owe [Page]to the Lords annoynted, doth here war­rant his own worke both by the letters patents of the King of Persia, and doth also by thys hys example shewe to the true séede of Abraham all his, that if he in his own Church building, (whereas his might haue had legons of Angelles) would yet vse as a countenaunce to the worlde, the commandement of king Cy­rus, that they in all their actions should next vnder hym depend on them whome the Lord shall set ouer them. The fyrste Temple was not builded by a Prieste, but by Salomon a King.

It is not sayd, we will builde as God hathe commaunded: but it is the Lords house, and wee wyll buylde it as Cyrus Kyng of Persia hath commaunded.

Let euery soule submit it self therfore to the higher powers, no doubt Paul set it euē out of that he had learned at Ga­maliels féete.

Chris [...]st. Theophylact. Oecumanius, gather thereof, that all Priests, Monkes, Pro­phets, Euangelists, Apostles, the Pope himselfe, (if he haue a soule) to be subiect [Page]to thys precept. Submit your [...] the King as to yt most excellent, & [...]o these that are put in authoritie vnder them.

Did they obey Cyrus a strange king▪ and shall wee disobey oure annoynted of the Lorde?

Salomon didde builde the firste, and Cyrus commaundeth thys, and what hath either Patriarke or Prophet to [...]o [...].

Hee that withstandeth Power, with­standeth Gods ordinaunce.

Ignatius ad Magnesian [...]s Epistola. [...] ­mo remansit inultus, qui so contra superdores exculit &c. None escaped vnpunished that set himselfe against his superiours.

Dathan and Abyram resisted Moy­ses, but the earth swallowed them vppe aliue. Chore and hys complices that conspired against Aaron, two hundreth and fifty persons, were consumed with fire. Absolon desiring to supplante hys father, was hanged by the heare of the head, & his wicked heart shot thoroughe with an arrow. When one broughts Dauid word of Saules death, & brought his crown & bracelet, signifying also that [Page]he stoode vpon him to rid him out of hys paines being wounded to deathe, & halfe dead, Dauid not onelye not rewarded him, but caused him to be slain, fearedste thou not ye Lords annointede & when hee might twice haue slaine hym, he refused so much as to touch him.

To conclude, if ye good be euer oppug­ned of the [...] if the deuil go about craf­tily to vndermine the Lords house, if he raise vp tormentor [...] to persecute, false brethren to seduce, [...]ar [...] to choake the good séed of Gods word, if he come wyth these flattering Samaritās. & say, Let vs build &c. let vs wt the Doues simplicitie ioyne the Serpents wisedome, resist him strong in faith, cōmunicate not with his vnfruitful works, a little of his leauen will leauen our whole lump.

Let vs consecrate our selues, our bo­dies & soules to serue ye Lord our God: as children obey our father, as brethren loue one another, as mēbers defend our head, & as good branches maintaine the roote. Let vs accompte all vt stercora, as duste, to winne Christ. Better to bee [Page]a dore kéeper in the Lordes house, than to dwell in the tentes of the wicked.

Let vs giue moste humble thankes to God for Zorobabel: let vs liue in faith­full obedience in all thynges as to the Lorde: lette vs with Tertulian praye to God to blesse Zorobabel with long life, with a faithfull Senate of Elders, with a quiet realme, with a happy peace, wyth an obedient people: Thys God graunte, to whom with his some and the holy ghost be al praise and glory.

FINIS.

IMPRINTED AT London, by Henry Bynneman. Anno. 1578.

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