OH WRETCHED AND gracelesse people, why do we so long tempt the Lord our God, and tho­row our diuellish doin­ges deny him? we deny him I saye in that wee beeing a people voyd of all Godly seare, still continue carelesse and neglecte the keeping of the holy preceptes and commaundements of our eternall and euerliuing GOD, whome we thorow the leudnesse of our lyfe do so shamfully abuse and offende. For (alas) how doth all kinde of vice ra­ther increase than diminish? Vice flori­sheth in England. For who heareth not the horrible vice of blasphe­my and swearing so brimme and rife in the mouth of young and olde of all de­grees as well in courte as in countrey, Otheo co [...] ­mon in olde and yonge. that almost euery toung is embrued w^e bloudy othes, which though it highly offend the Maiesty of God, and worthi­ly deserueth sharpe correction and pun­nishment, [Page]yet not all so considered, but euery one still suffered to sweare and forsweare, sincking in their sinne.

Filthy whoredome likewise, The whor dome of Englande stinketh be fore y^e face of God. which in all degrees and places, as it is to bee hated as most shamefull in the sight of the Almightie, so would God that hou­ses of fame and estimation were not as well spotted therewith as are the brothell houses, whose gracelesse inha­bitaunts are limmes of the deuill. And lamentable is it to see in Englande at this daye, from y^e Courtyer to the Car­ter that stincking sinne is so common, that it is rather accompted an ordinarie pastime than an odible offence, whordom accounted no Sinne which as it stincketh before the face of God, so is it left vnpunished, sauing now and then in Bridewell, (a place so necessa­rye for the redresse of suche vice, as I know not how it might haue bene put to a better vse to haue benefited the common wealth) or sometime likewise in London with a little carting it is re­membred, though to many that discrue it come not to the promotion. And ther­fore [Page]according to the olde prouerb, bet­ter is sometime a frende in court than a penny in purse. But take heede I say yee Magistrates, beware of parcialitie. Yet to saye truth, whether carting or a flappe wyth a Fore tayle, all is to one purpose, and therefore euen as good ne­uer a whit as neuer the better, for car­ting doth but make them carelesse and shamelesse and rather to continue in theire beastlinesse than bring them to honesty and repentaunce of their euill. Wherefore if it be not the soner other­wyse looked to and a sharper sause pro­uided for such filthye whores & whore­mongers, yee shall shortlye in place of honest modest Matrones and vndefiled virgins haue the Realme replenished with a company of cankered, corrupte, & lothsome whores, whereof the filthy flocke encreaseth a pace and to fast. And here may yee see and bcholde howe vice aboundeth for lacke of y^e iuste rewarde that therunto belongeth, which should be seuere iustice, for neglecting where­of as the Magistrates incurre y^e displea­sure [Page]of God, so are the wicked that still sleepe in theire sinne incouraged to be­come and continue the members of the deuill. But oh ye Magistrates looke to your charge, & oh yee lothsome whores and whoremongers let Sodome and Gommorra be your looking glasses, wherin without your repentaunce and amendement of your beastlye lyfe, yee may moste plainely beholde your vtter destruction.

But now to proceede, The abuse of the Sa­both day. as concerning the Sabboth daye or rather the Lordes day, how well it is obserued: I reporte mee to those delicate feeders, whose ser­uaunts euen iust vpon that daye, when they shoulde be at Churche to heare the deuine seruice and haue theire duties taught them, must then forsoth runne a gadding from market to market to make prouision for a dishe of needenot for the latter course, when there is alre­dye to much for the first, which waste­ful money were better bestowed in the workes of Faith, helping by charity thy needefull brethren that haue not so wel [Page]to fyl their hūgrie bellies, (but y^e is for­gottē, or scant thought on.) Also other some there bee, who when they should congregate themselues in the Temple or Church, which is a place appointed to inuocate the name of GOD and to praise him for his manifolde benefites, then are they packed vp togither in Tauernes and Alehouses, yelling for vittailes to fill their filthy paunche.

But oh beastlye bellie, whether is the Lorde thy God or thou fyrste to be ser­ued? Iwys I remember there was not long a go a godlye order made in London by the Lorde Maior and the worshipfull the Aldermen, that the doores of tauernes and vittailing hou­ses should be kept shut in seruice time, which order is commēdable, if it were obserued according to the good mea­ning, that the doores should I saye, be kept shut in seruice time, to keepe out such bellie bibbers, but now they first fill and furnishe their houses w^e gestes and then they shutte the doores.

But (alas) what mockery is this with [Page]God & the Magistrates? God and the Magi­strats mocked by the typplers which are but harbo­rers of vnthriftes. for the which, vnlesse they maye feele the smarte, it wil be the longer the worse, before it be better. For in vaine are good lawes made vnlesse they be thorowlye execu­ted: and therefore I wishe that there were certaine in eche parrishe appoin­ted that on the Saboth daye might vi­site the vitailing houses, and as well to make report of those that are the recey­uers of such gestes (that they might for so receiuing of them bee considered ac­cording to their deseruing,) as also to driue from thence those gredie gluttōs that minde so much theire bellies, and bring them to Gods banketting house that he might haue more store of gests to feede Faithfullye with hungrye spi­rites vpon his holy worde which is the comfortable foode that nourisheth the soule of man, and that the Children and seruaunts by the godly and vertu­ous lyfe of those theire Parentes and Maisters, might both learne to knowe their duties to God, praising his holye name, as also theire due obedience to [Page]their elders, The want of good ensample of Elders is the distruction of Youth. for want of whose good examples and their to much libertie gi­uing, the riotous youth (the more is the pitie) runne to fast hedlong to destruc­tion. But no maruell, for neither cā an euill tree bring forthe good fruite, nor thornes can bring forth Grapes, and therefore such carpenters such tooles, and such maisters such seruants.

But yet a little more concerning the abusing of the Lordes day, vpon the which almost euen as though of neces­sity, the beares at Parris garden muste be bayted, Beatbay­ting on y^e Sabboth abhominable. but so vglye are not y^e beares as the ydle lookers on are beastly. God for hys mercye defende that the deuyll baite not the soules of suche as delight so beastlie to spende the day of y^e Lorde God of Saboth.

But to proceede, on that daye the maisters and schollers of Fence muste shewe themselues and their cunning, whereas after oft meeting with foynes and florishes and dealing of desperate and bosterous blowes, they part wyth broken heads, maimed armes & hands, [Page]and bloody faces, finishing vp the mat­ter with such swearing & terrible tea­ring of GOD, that it is great wonder that God w^e the sworde of hys displea­sure layeth not on loade amongst them beating their weapons to their heades and them into the earth. Loe, thus is the day of the Lorde turned to the daye of bloudsheading and blasphemie tho­row the schole houses of Fence, naye rather of mischiefe, Schoole­houses of Fence, brede thee­ues to fede y^e gallowes for thereby are to many loitering schollers & vacabundes encouraged to mischief, bearing them­selues so bolde of their Fence that they are as readye to keepe a standing in the hye wayes as the strongest theefe in England, and so in the ende to many (the more is the pitie,) for all theire cunning, are to seeke of Fence to keepe their necks from the halter. Loe, what folly Fence bredeth. And thus wyth these & many other abuses is y^e Lordes daye polluted. But let vs not thinke that the Lorde our God who punished wyth Death the man for gathering stickes onely on the Saboth daye, Numeri. 15 wyll [Page]leaue vs vnpunished that so shameful­ly abuse the same which so expressely he hath commaunded to be kept holy and appointed to worship hym on. Let vs be assured wee shall knowe the price thereof as well, as also for the won­derfull wickednesse y^e otherwyse raig­neth amongst vs that are voide of all Godlinesse and full of abhomination and sinne: For truely there is amongst vs no purenesse in heart, no truthe in mouthe, no vprightnesse in dealing, but doublenesse, fraude, deceite and guile. Brotherly loue is cleane bani­shed. For who can almost speake well of an other? and charitie is become so colde that the fruites of Faith faynt thorowe cankered couetousnesse, who is so deepely crept into the corrupt con­sciences of men so generally, The Can­ker of co­uetousnes hath eaten awaye the good con­sciences of y^e people of England. that who almost is not therewyth infected? and to whome as the terme goeth, all is not fishe that commeth to nette, and so they haue that they woulde haue, they care not howe they come by it? which as it is to manifest and apparāt, [Page]so lykewise to lamentable to beholde that amongst those that take vpō them the name of Christians suche crooked conditions shoulde be vsed as hereafter shall be declared.

And first concerning couetousnesse, which whether it be to cōuersant with vs, let those of reason iudge, who seing and well noting the great and gratious blessing of God vpon the earthe, which hath so plentifullye brought forth and yelded her increase of all things neces­sarye for the foode of man (thankes to God therefore,) yet notwithstanding, a dearth to remaine, and vpon no occa­sion saue onely thorow the cursed coue­tousnesse of rauening Cormorauntes, that (so they may fyll their bottomlesse bagges) care not what nor whom they deuour. I would to god the Graziours, who thorowe theire greedye ioyning of pasture to pasture for to muche lukers sake, Graziours and great sheepe ma­sters cor­moraunts in y^e com­mō weale. filling faster their coffers thā they fatte their cattell: and also the vnsatia­ble sheepemaisters, that to encrease and augment such needelesse and not neces­sarie [Page]number of sheepe as nowe there are, hauing spoiled thereby whole vil­lages and townes, (to the great decaye of tillage,) were not I saye the chiefest occasions of thys present mischieuous misery: thorow the deuilish dealing of which two kindes of people, we haue been and to lately were forced to seeke in forreine countreys our breadcorne, whereas before such gredye couetous­nesse raigned, we had plenty & ynough at home to serue our selues and to spare for others our neighbors, till now that the sheepe which God had ordeined for man, are by couetous men encreased to suche noisome numbers, that they haue deuoured men and driuen them from their dwellings, Many sheepe and fewe plou­ghes ma­keth England swarme wyth beggars. who wyth their wyues and children begge aboute the countreis, their houses being ouerthro­wen: but better were therefore more ploughes and fewer sheepe, than so many sheepe to y^e encrease of beggers. But, oh meruellous brutishenesse of those people that for the excessiue gaine of pasture money, preferre the bruite [Page]beastes before their poore brethren, and that to feede beastes sterue Christians. ★ But why doe yet so oppresse my peo­ple and marre the faces of the pore saith the Lorde by the mouth of his seruaunt and Prophet Esaye, Esay. 3. that so ioyne one house to another and bring one land so to another y^e the poore can get no groūd, but that they may dwel vpon the earth alone? and for such doth Hell open hy [...] mouth and gape for sayth the Prophet, whoe threatneth the wrath of God vp­on such. And Abacuc likewise in his se­cond chapter, Abacuc. 2. I referre thee to the place the reading whereof God graunt may be a warning. But are the farmers in this point altogither clean and blame­lesse? nay would to God ther were not to manye in Englande whose barnes God hath well replenished wyth store, The couetous Far­mers a­buse the good gifts of God. that both say and doe, as not long since I hearde a rich and wealthy farmer say & bound it with an othe, that he would sell hys Corne at such a pryce, or kepe it tyl the myce eate it. But (as I fear me) there be to many farmers of that chari­tye. [Page]So no maruell though so greate a scarcitye of breadecorne as of late, hath bene, whiche woulde haue bene fur­ther out of course but for the gratious prouision of the woorthy Marchanntes and Cityzens of London that fed ther­by as well the Cytye as a greate parte of the Countrey aboute them. The wo [...] thy proui­sion of the marchan­tes & Citi­zens of London. The Lorde prosper, blesse and holde hys ho­ly hand ouer that Cyty and inhabitan­tes that are so carefull for their Coun­trey. But againe to my matter where­wyth I was in hand. As those wordes and deedes of suche Farmers are not Christianlyke, so are they not the best members in the cōmon weale of Eng­land, as they vse thēselues in so shame­fully abusing the good gifts of GOD, enhauncing the price of Corne of meere couetousnesse to enryche theym selues to the greate detrimente and harme of theire neyghboures and brethren, whose wealth thereby howe muche it is of late increased, the sumpteousnesse and brauery of their children doth well declare, who in many places in englād [Page]are at these dayes growen to suche a finenesse that they are more redier for houses of the court, The follie of parents maketh vnthrifty children. than the plough, & so giuen to ydlenesse y^t they holde great scorne to treade the furrowes and fol­low their fathers steppes, But nowe the father to Cart, the sonne to Court. Well, well, prouender pricketh, and welth I saye maketh wantons, which God graunt of the getters to be truely come by and with vpright conscience, for according to the olde prouerbe, wel gotten well spent, God sende y^e plough more frendes and followers. But yet a little further concerning couetous­nesse. How lamentable is it to see and beholde the number of men that dailye sayle in the payement of their dettes, and as they tearme it play bankroute? I meane not those (neither deserue they the name) whose substaunce by casual­tie of fyre, by spoyling of Pirottes, or thorowe force of stormie and tempesti­ous weather, by shypwracke wyth the sourges of the deepe seas are peryshed, vnto which and many other perills the [Page]marchauntes aduenturers thorow the sufferance of god are oftētimes subiect and by such meanes ouerthrowē, their wealth plucked from them and they empouerished, who as they gladly and willingly would, but haue not where­with to satisfye their creditours, so are they yet in thys respect to be holpen, cō ­sidered and borne withall, (and God forbidde that otherwyse it shoulde bee.) But of those shamelesse ones I meane, of which nūber of late there hath bene to many, that when thorowe their cre­dite they haue heaped togither a masse of treasure in money and cōmodities, they sodainely absent and hyde them­selues and playe bankroute, an vnchri­stianlike playe and to a deuilishe and wicked ende and purpose, for hauing wherewith to satisfye and content all their creditours, they will eyther paye nothing at all or as little as they liste, and thus they reape the corne that is not their owne, Iob. 24▪ and spoile sometyme thereby the sucking fatherlesse childe. And by thys wicked meanes is many [Page]an honest man brought to an after deal and oftentymes vndoone, wyth whose goodes those theeues enryche themsel­ues: A wylfull bancktout & a theefe all one. Theeues I say, for thefte it is and no better, and yet is it nowe a dayes made an ordinarye occupation. And where is the redresse, or which of them (as beefore I sayd,) doth not what hym listeth? Well, woful is it to see that a­mong Christians such partes should be played, and more lamentable is it that still it is suffred. Couetousnesse is a pe­rillous poyson, and yet though loth I am to wryte it, I know no estate or vo­cation in England that is not infected therewyth euen from the mountaines to the valleyes. And therfore to cōclude wher the rage of corrupt couetousnesse raygneth, y^e right of iustice must nedes be minished, I would it wer not so, but (alas) it is to manifest.‡ But must not God needes punnish vs in whom there is no truthe nor knoweledge of hym, Oseas. 4. but vntruthe, lying, swearing, adultry thefte, and all manner of suche fylthy­nesse? Are these things a declaration of [Page]brotherly loue amongst vs? Gallat. 5. doe we as we woulde be done vnto? loue we our neighbours as our selues, that thus byte and deuour one an other? Oh in­tollerable wickednesse and oh mischie­uous and pestilent people. But hath our Heauenly Father reuealed y^e light of his Gospell vnto vs that wee in such shamefull wyse should abuse hys great mercy? no, no, wherfore to the Carnall Gospellers as well as to the Impu­dent Papistes, I saye: bee no longer carelesse, but learne to knowe the will of the Lorde, and doe it. Let worde and deede be one. Professe and followe or else we are but slaunderers & enimies of the Gospell, and the blessing and great good gyftes of God (the lyght of hys Gospell) is euill bestowed vpon vs, shewing our selues to be the enimies of Iesu Christ and of his truth the spoi­lers. Counterfaytes are wee and plaine dissemblers wyth God and the Worlde, yea, euen a people in whome scant one sparke or propertye appereth that vnto Christians appertayneth: [Page]for if we were Christians we woulde followe Christes lore, ‡ who being the Way, Iohn. 14. the Truth and life, we renoūce and go from the Waye, decline from Truth, and forsaking Life doe thorow our wicked meanes seeke to our selues Death and distruction. The Lorde bee mercifull vnto vs, for we are growen to this point, that we neyther feare the Lorde our God nor stande in awe of the Magistrates. And what is y^e cause, but for that the good lawes made by them for the punishement of offenders are no better executed but in a manner eche one left to himselfe to doe what he listeth? But truely euen as much doe the Magistrates offende GOD in not punishing the offenders, as they that commit the offence. For all this euill commeth of sufferaunce, Suffe­raunce breedeth inconuenience. but to muche sufferaunce causeth care and to muche sufferaunce breedeth disobedience. And is it not sufferaunce that tickeleth the talketiue tonges of the wicked and e­uyll dysposed, so shamefullye and sclaunderouslye to reporte and speake [Page]euill of the blessed worde of GOD and doctrine of Iesu Christ, and of the Preachers and Teachers of the same, vnreuerentlye iesting and scoffing at them, as dailye they doe, euen like vn­to Diotrephes that of arrogancye exal­ted himselfe, Iohn. 3. Ep [...] dispised the doctrine of the Apostles, iesting at them with maliti­ous wordes? And what is it else but sufferaunce that so animateth the ob­stinate Archpapistes so stoutely to con­tinue in their Romish heretical errour, contrarye to the will of God and their due obedience to their Prince? But no maruell therefore, though the common sort so carelesly continue in their euill, The Archpapistes Ringlea­ders to mischiefe. when y^e Ringleaders to mischiefe, (the Archpapistes,) beyng the maintayners of Idolatrye, breakers of Wedlocke, theeues, murderers, and rebels against y^e Prince in Gods and hir procedings, are thus suffered to wallowe still in the poysoned puddell of their wicked wyll, and yet remaine vnpunnished. But yet as it is not ynough but a perillous matter for one mā to cal another thefe, [Page]vnlesse he be able to proue it, So I like­wise to trye y^e to be true which here I haue written of them, wyll therefore make due proofe thereof, as well for mine owne discharge as also to satisfye the reader.

And first that they are maintainers of Idolatrye, Archpapi­stes main­tayners of Idolatry. the great number of peo­ple whome God hath yet spared alyue, wytnesse wyth mee, howe they when they were in authority, or rather when God suffered them to bee as whippes & scourges to vs for our forgetfulnesse of God: how they then I saye, thorowe their violent cōpulsion, forced y^e people (to the great derogation and dishonour of God,) to erect Idolls and garnish the Church and House of God with Maho­mets, which (as in the booke of Wyse­dome is specified) neyther haue bene frō the beginning nor shall continue to the ende, Wisdō. 14. but haue only bene inuented thorow the wealthy Idlenesse of men: but wherewith yet they I saye then so charmed and enchaunted the mindes of many of the simple ignoraunt peo­ple, [Page]wyth theyr Idolatrous infection, as that I woulde to GOD there were not nowe in these dayes to ma­nye that worshipping in hugger mug­ger in Coffers and Corners their sens­lesse Babilonicall blockbabes, thynke they please God better than to come to bee instructed by the hearing of the worde of GOD preached. Thus haue they I saye seduced the people from the true and liuing Lorde to wor­shippe straunge and vnknowen Gods and honouring of abhominable Ima­ges, ‡ whiche is the begynning and ende of all euill, Wisdō. 14 [...] shewing themselues thereby to bee the manifest enimies of the Almighty, Deutro. 13. and as Moises doth note and name them, false Prophetes, drea­mers and maintainers of wicked Ido­latrye, which beyng a spirituall whore­dome and an abhomination so grie­uous and haynons in the sight of God, as that hee hath alwayes abhorred and extremely punnished it: yet are they wyth tooth and naile supporters of the same. Wherfore as God by the mouth [Page]of Moyses playnely expresseth that they ought not to be pitied nor reserued and kept as they yet are, Deut. 13.16. so doth he also ap­poynt them their reward, Ieremy. 26. which is that they should be destroyed wythout com­passion. Zachar. 13. And accordingly did Elia with 450. false Prophetes of Baal at y^e broke Kison. 3. Kings. 16 2. Chro. 34. Also Iosia who burned the bo­nes of the Priestes vppon the altares of the Idols. But nowe to goe forwarde wyth my proofe: Breakers of wedlocke I sayd they were, as most true it is they be. For although that Christ as by the autority of the scriptures, doth permit vnto euery man without exceptiō that cannot liue chaste, 1. Cor. 7.9. Timoth. 3. as well spirituall as temporall, his wife, to liue togither in that holy and blessed state of matrimo­nie ordayned by God for the auoyding of hatefull whordome ★ who being once coupled according to the lawes of God no man ought to seperate or put asūder yet notwithstanding that, Leuitic. 17. Math. 19. Marke. 10. how did they (I say) abuse and shamefullye seperate diuers and sūdry of the ministerie then matched in matrimony, Papistes breakers of wedlock dealing as cruelly [Page]wyth them therefore as if they had committed some notorious offence, dis­allowing in the ministery then, that to be necessary, which Christe in his time for his Apostels did see to be conuenient and necessary? And Paul witnessing the same, sayth: 2. Corin. 7. It is better to marrye than to burne, but he sayth not, It is better to take a whore than to marrye, as a greate many of their beastly broode of lecherous Massepriestes did, who as they woulde not marry, so liued they not Casté, but Cauté played the whore­mongers, and some Palam defiled theyr neighboures wiues, committed dayly incest and were euen fellowe compani­ons to the Sodomites, whose beastli­nesse these Mitered men oft wincked at and woulde not see the wyckednesse of their God Bels belly gods, but looked thorow the fyngers at them, as some of thē to wel know to their shame though they say nay and lye as their generatiō hath always bene accustomed, who ne­uer will do other. But though for their wicked whoredome they haue in thys [Page]world escaped the punishment due for the same, Hebru. 13. yet shall God shut them out of hys Kingdome into euerlasting fier, vnlesse they repent, which God graunt they may. But now to proceede, thee­ues also I sayde they were, Papistes are theues Iohn. 10. ‡ and so S. Iohn calleth them that come not but to steale & destroy, of which number they are & so shewed themselues to be when they not only did breake into Gods or­chard, stealing from vs the fruit of life, but also lopped and destroyed the flou­rishing braūches that plenteouslye yel­ded forth the fruite therof, Ieremy. 12. ‡ Treading downe the Vineyard and pleasant por­tion of the Lorde, of malitious purpose to leaue it waste and to make it a wyl­dernesse, stealing away the heauenly treasure of Gods Sanctuary, and wyth consciences moste filthily defiled filling and replenishing the Lords house with robbery & falshed, and therfore agayne I say theeues and also enimies to God, that loue him not: ‡ For how can they 2 Iohn. 4. loue God whome they haue not seene, when thei loued not their brethrē with [Page]whome they were dayly conuersaunt? For it is not so long agoe to bee yet for­gotten, how vnmercifully they dealte wyth the seely faythfull flocke of Iesu Christ, who by the diuine inspiration and good gyft of the holy Ghost, setting forth the glory of God & plentifully pre­seruing the holsome and dilectable doc­trine of Iesu Christ, wherwith almighty god had richly replenished them, and wherwyth they dayly taught and tray­ned vs to know the wil of our heauen­ly father. They did I say forbid to teach the truthe, and would not suffer them to preach Christe vnto the people, but, notwithstanding the expresse cōmaun­dement of God almighty who straytly charged them ‡ that they shoulde not touche his annoynted, Psalm. 105. nor do his Pro­phets any harme, yet did they rigorous­ly recompence them, turmoyling and tossing them frō post to piller, mocked them, buffeted them, with roddes beat them, imprisoned them, hungerster­ned them, 1. Iohn. 3. ‡ and euen as Cain to hys brother Abell, so did these Tiraunts [Page]most cruelly murder their innocēt bre­thren, Papists at murderers and with fier consumed to ashes the flesh of Iesus Christ in his mēbers, ‡ whose beautifull feete brought vs ty­dings of good things, Roma. 10. euen the peace of the Gospell of Christ our Sauiour. And why did they thus to them? ‡ bycause their workes were good and their owne euill, 1. Iohn. 3. they being of the offpring of those that killed the Lord Iesus and the Pro­phetes and nowe likewise thirsted for the bloud of these innocent martirs, and therefore murderers from the begin­ning. 1. Regū. 15. ‡ But now I cal to remembrance how Samuell the zealous Prophete of the Lord calling for King Agag the e­nimy of God and murderer of his peo­ple, to whome after he had sayde these words (as thy sword hath made womē childelesse, so shal thy mother be childe­lesse,) did then in the zeale of God he we King Agag in peeces, Oh cruel murde­rer and sheader of innocent bloud, The re­warde of a murderer. wor­thily rewarded. But if Agag being a King was not spared, how well haue these then deserued to haue y^e same curresye, [Page]being continuall committers of shameful things, mercilesse oppressors, cruell persecutours of Fatherlesse and Wyddowes, shedders of innocente bloud, vnsatiable murderers wylfully working the mercylesse motions of theire hatefull heartes, thorowe whose terrible tyrannye many mothers were lefte child clesse, and many children fa­therlesse and motherlesse, that were of the familye of the faythfull in Iesu Christ? of which most terrible tragedye though the whole worlde can witnesse yet remaine those murderers vnrecom­penced with Agags iust rewarde. But last of all that I sayde they were rebel­lious, Papists a [...] rebellious. let their stubborne and disobedi­ent behauiour towardes their Prince be witnesse, in that they so arrogantlye contend with their Soueraigne, despi­sing and resisting the worde of GOD, which by the Princes moste Gracious proceedings, to the vnspeakeable com­forte of all hir graces true faythfull and louing Subiectes, is (thanked be God therefore) moste entierly and truely set [Page]forth and taught, which they vtterlye detest, and followe the imaginations of their owne heartes and still continue in their euil. Loe, these be of them that had so blinded the worlde wyth their coun­terfait holinesse, that they were coun­ted and thought to be without spot, and yet moste grieuous transgressours and full of all iniquitye and poyson, refu­sing to doe that whych by Goddes law they are commaunded, and regarding rather the vsurping monstrous Pope that Romish beast and Antichrist, than fearing God and respecting theire due obedience to their Soueraigne & moste gratious Prince and liege Ladye, who as Salomon sayth, Prouer. 16. ought to be feared as a Lion, and whose displeasure is a messanger of death: who therefore al­though they feare not I saye for the loue that saythfull Subiectes beare to their Prince of duety, 1. Peter. 2. yet I thynke they shoulde feare, loue and humbly obeye hir for the loue and feare of him ★ that shall call the heauens from aboue and the earth, Roman. 13. Psalm. 50. that he may iudge hys peo­ple, [Page]★ against which day of vengeaunce when shall bee opened the ryghteous iudgement of GOD, 2. Thessal. 1. Rom. 2.13. such stubburn-hearted contencious rebelles that fol­lowe iniquitye, disobeye and resiste the truthe and the higher powers which is the ordinaunce of GOD, and that ey­thers cannot or wyll not repent, doe but heape vnto themselues the wrath of God who will reward them with trou­ble and anguish of soule to euerlasting damnation. Esay. 46. A charita­ble exhor­tation to y^e Papistes. Wherfore O ye presump­teous priests that are of an hye stomack but farre from righteousnesse, as yee haue bene terrible tyrauntes and your handes full of bloud, so now put from you the violence and myschiefe of your mindes: and as ye haue not ignorant­lye but arrogantly fought againste the God of glory, so call now to him for the assistaunce of his holy spirit that it may please him therewith to strengthen you agaynst your aduersary the diuell, that hee no longer bewitche you nor wyth­draw your mindes from God: for now ye sayle & stumble in your iudgement, [Page]being ignoraunt as yong children, Esay. 28. and bycause yee wyll not hearken vnto the voyce of God pronounced by his chosen vessels, hee suffereth you to be tangled, snared, and to fall backwardes in youre wylfulnesse. 1. Peter. 1. Leane therefore no longer vpon y^e weake staffe of antiquity which both you and many men ground them­selues vpon, doing as their fathers did, for as well our Forefathers as also our selues haue done vnrighteouslye and haue not kept y^e way which the highest commaunded vs, and therfore custome without truth is not alloweable, but is an olde errour. Pray thefore vnto the Lorde God to open your eyes that yee may spye out the wonderous things in the lawe of God, Psalme. 119 ★ Seke him with your whole heartes vnfaynedly that ye may walk in his wayes, leauing the wicked and wylfull blindnesse wherein you haue so long bene nouseled, and be no longer as Fooles that make good sport of Synne, but foresee your wickednesse which as the Lorde according as the Scriptures make mention, hath pun­nished [Page]in Princes being y^e highest, and to whome he hath giuen the gouerne­ment of his people, so will he not surely leaue it vnrecōpenced in popish priests, but aswel in priestes as in al people ge­nerally of what vocation or calling soe­uer, that repining the truthe of Iesus Christ and wilfully wallowing in wic­kednesse and sinne careleslye continue in the same, he wyll hisite and for their rewarde giue them to drinke of his dis­pleasure and heauy wrath. Wherefore I asmuch as in mee is, exhort you in the Lorde to become obediēt children ‡ and to retourne wyth the prodigall childe from your grosse feeding on swinecods and with hearty repentaunce meekely and humbly to tourne to your heauen­lye Father, Luke. 25. feeding on hys heauenly worde, that wee your brethren might reioice of the finding of you that were loste & reuiuing of you that were dead. 1. Peter. 5. ‡ Submit therfore your selues in lo [...] ­linesse of heart vnder the mighty hand of God and shewe your due obedience and bee subiecte to your most gracious [Page]and mercifull Prince, be no more diue­lishe wilfull but godly willing, arme your selues I saye wyth singlenesse of heart as ministers to worke the will of our heauenlye Father, not compelled but willinglye, not wyth proude and lordely stomacks but meekely, giuing good exāple to the flock of Iesu Christ, of which as yee haue bene mercilesse sposlers, destroyers and famishers, so now thorowe the most gracious opera­tion of the Almightye yee may become repairers, feeders and nourishers of the same, that when the chiefe shepehearde shall appeare ‡ hee may exalt you when the time is come, 1. Peter. 5. that then ye maye re­ceiue an incorruptible crowne of glory, which I besech God for his great mer­cy sake to graunt vnto you, y^e ys may I saye become hys seruauntes and wyth ioy in him possesse the earth during his good pleasure, and after thys lyfe to haue the fruitiō of the lyfe euerlasting. Be therfore no longer the maysters of errour pussed vp wyth pride, but the Disciples of truth, & shewe your selues [Page]no longer as brute beastes naturallye made to be destroyed, whose heartes God hath so hardened for that yee shuld not hearken vnto his worde, bicause he would haue you rooted from the earth. But leaue in tyme your disobedience, for disobedient children shall finde no rest, wherefore if yee still presumptu­ouslye proceede as yee haue begonne ‡ knowe that presumptuousnesse goeth before distruction and after a proude stomacke there followeth a fall, Prouer. 16. Deutro. 17. Esay. 5. for the Lorde abhorreth all suche as are of a proude stomacke and wyll not suffer them to escape vnpunnished ★ but will recompence them theire wyckednesse and destroye them in theire owne ma­lice ‡ hycause they rebell against hym. Psalme. 94 Psalm. 107. Therefore I saye once againe as one that from the bottome of my hearte wyshe your conuersion to GOD, take heede and tempt the Lorde God no lon­ger, neyther presume to muche of the mercye of your Prince, for yf ye doe, surely God wyll in the ende put in hir Graces heart, as most excellent ‡ euen [Page]sent of and by him, Rom. 13. Wisdom. 6 for the punnishe­ment of the wicked and to the praise of the good (to consider) that as a Mother, who being tender ouer hir Children with ouermuch cockering them, doth but make them so wanton and care­lesse that they regarde hir not, and so sparing the rodde hurteth hir Children and harmeth hir selfe, so likewyse that hir grace thorowe hir greate lenity and mercy in to long suffering you doth but make you the more forgetfull of youre dueties to your so gracious a Prince, & moue you the rather to worke your sel­ues woe, wyth practising of that that might be hurtful to hir highnes, which the almighty god of Israel defend. But yet is it to be feared and iust cause hath hir Maiestye to bee out of hope of youre conuersion to God and to haue you hir faythfull and true Subiects hereafter, that in so long a tyme of respecte haue not hadde the grace to learne to feare God and to knowe your duties to hym and youre so gratious and mercyfull a Prince.‡ Iob sayth that if a tree bee cut [Page]downe, Iob. 14. there is some hope sayth hee that it will sproute out and shoote forth the braunches againe, and a roote being waxen olde and deade in the grounde, yet when the stock getteth the cente of the water it will budde a newe & bring forth bowes: but howe long hath the Queenes Maiestye euen as a mother of mercye, thorow hir gracious goodnesse and great lenitye made the tryall here­of in you, reseruing and watering you all this while with hir mercye, to trye thereby if shee could cause you to bring forth the florishing braūches and beau­tifull buddes of repentaunte heartes, thereby as well to benefite your selues as also others thorow the good example of your humblenesse, who notwithstā ­ding stubbornely continue the longer the worse, shewing your selues there­fore not to be of those trees or roote that Iob speaketh of, but rather playnelye painting forthe yourselues in your per­fecte colours and shewing your selues to be the same that certaynely yee are, A graceles papist and a rotten roote one in effect. euen rotten rootes voide of Godly sappe [Page]and into whome no inoysture of godly vnderstanding or knowledge can enter. Wherefore according to the saying of our Sauiour Christe by the mouthe of Mathewe, Ye must be plucked vp, he­wen downe and caste into the fyer and wholly reiected as wylfull Hereticks ‡ agaynste whome no admonition wyll preuayle. Math. 7. But now my thinke I heare some parciall Papiste saye: beholde I praye you the charity of this Gospeller, this Protestante is in hys extremities, what? my thincke he woulde haue the poore men worse handled than they are alreadye, being meetely well trounced and hampered I trowe, as the Tower, Fleete, Marshalsee and such other pla­ces can witnesse. In deede sir ye saye true, they haue bene so yll bestead, so sore hurte and so extremely dealt with, as that those that bee in worse lyking haue no cause to complayne. So some of them are so foule fallen awaye that they are growen from a horseloade to a cartloade, which betokeneth no want of victuals and good cherishing, but ra­ther [Page]of to much pampering. Well I say the Diuell is not without friends as now right wel appeareth, by whose meanes these terrible tirants that ra­ther rebell wyth peril as traytours to God and their Prince, than obey with rest as obedient subiectes, who rather may be sayd to haue bene to long pre­serued in places of pleasure, than ac­compted as prisoners, cōsidering how well they were vsed and prouided for, who hauing then but to much liberty are now fette further at large to haue more Elbowe rome and scope, to take their pleasure on progresse aboute the countreye to refreshe them selues as though before they had bene misused or had receiued to much iniury, wher­as if they had their iust desert, Death, Death should and oughte to bee their reward. But loe, the filthy foules are flowen, the bloudy birds are vncaged whoe flickering abroade are making wings for a new pray, which God dis­apoynt them of. But as it is most re­quisite and needefull that the Prince [Page](whome God long preserue) haue good regard by hir taster apointed, to auoide the purposed mischiefe from hir bodye by poysoning of meates, (which wic­ked and crayterous Subiectes bothe haue and maye attempte that seeke to aduaunce and establyshe themselues and the wickednesse y^e they embrace,) so is it most necessarye and conuenient that a regarde bee had by the Prince to hir people committed to hir charge, least the venemous priuye persuasion and deuilishe counsell of this Antichri­stian rable dooe slaye and poyson the soules of the simple Subiectes, wher­by might ensue as well perill to the Prince as distruction of the common wealth, which y^e almighty God defend for hys mercye sake, and graunt that thorowe thys to long sufferaunce the lyke furious flame flashe not againe sodenly abrode as once it did before any sparke was feared to haue bene kinde­led, for according to the olde prouerbe, y^e which is bredde in the bone wyll ne­uer out of the fleshe, & so will the vipe­rous [Page]broode neuer leaue engēdering of poisō, The pro­perty of papistes is to work mis­chiefe. whose study as it hath euermore bene to deuise & imagine how to worke mischiefe, so cannot I saye the bytter braunches of that trayterous and ty­rannous tree yelde better fruite, and therfore are to be considered according, for secret and perillous hath their priuy poysoned practise and packing euer ben from the beginning, A Papiste enuimy to God and traitout to his prince. as experiēce hath taught, to the destructiō (the more was the pitye) both of Prince and people, whereof let auncient stories and Cro­nicles be witnesse. And I woulde that now the same bloudye and murdering broode were not in hande to brewe that mischiefe which God graunt them ne­uer to tonne but that they may bee scal­ded in their owne lycker. Well, well, they that wyll may see the wyckednesse of that generation, but therefore are such scabbed sheepe no longer to be suf­fered which doe but infecte the sounde flocke. And (alas) that sufferaunce tho­rowe to much lenitys shoulde onely cause such carelesse wicked men so wil­fullye [Page]to worke their owne distruction, wheras the law (if it were iustly execu­ted)‡ being ordayned for the vnrighte­ous, disobedient, murderes of Fathers and Mothers, manslayers, whoremon­gers. &c, might bring them to God and be a terrour to other euil disposed, who now thorow their being borne wythall are rather encouraged and boldened in their euill. Wherfore as the corne doth better grow vppe where no cockle is to cumber it, Prouer. 25. ‡ so take the drosse from the siluer and there shall be a cleane vessell thereof, and as the common wealth is the better mayntayned and flourisheth wher the law is worthily executed vp­on the offenders, so woulde the Gospel of our sauiour Christ bee more willing­lier embraced in the heartes of the sim­ple ignorant ones, if the Archerimies were cut of from the face of the earth, whose stubborne and presumpteous resistaunce of Gods and the Queenes procedings, is now the onely let, which as it highlye offendeth the Maiestye of God, so is it an occasion of the increase [Page]of euill to the further prouocatiō of his wrath. Therefore as it is good by all meanes possyble to cure an infected member, Necessarie and presēt remedy in extremity. so is it much better if it be found vncurable to cut it of, than that it shoulde infect the whole & sounde body. And wheras cankered corsies in currish patiences are so festered y^e the pretious medicine of mercy may not cure them, thē must of necessity, iustice, a medicine more sharpe & apt for such a Nunq sanus, be ministred. Luke. 3. Wherfore let the crooked ones be made straight & the rough ones made plaine. And hye time it is, for they do now but lie like dombe dogges or as rauening and deuouring woolues lur­king for their pray, their bellies not yet full ynough of bloude. These bee those frowarde vngodlye ones, y^e from their mothers wombe haue strayed and spo­ken lyes, Psalme. 58. whose venom is as the poison of Serpents, who stil ymagine mischief in their heartes, refusing to heare the voice of the charmer (charme he neuer so wisely) but wilfullye stop their cares bicause they wil not heare nor learne y^e [Page]wyll of their heauenly Father. Roman. 9.‡ These I saye be of them whom God hath stir­red vp euen as he did Pharas, to bee as they haue bene, persecutors of his Chil­dren, to shew his power on them y^e the name of God myght be declared, who as he hath mercye on whom he will, so likewise those whom he will he maketh harde hearted, euen as he doth these (if they repent not) on whom he wil shew his wrath, though he suffer them wyth long patience, being y^e vessels of wrath ordeined to dampnation, yet in y^e ende he will cut them from the earth & wyth Pharao ouerwhelme and drown them in the sorowfull Sea of perpetuall de­struction. The mercy shewed to them is but in vaine, and y^e doctrine of Iesu Christe whereof they are wyshed to bee partakers, is but cast away vpon them, being as they are, playne contemners therof, shewing themselues forsaken of God and left to themselues, and there­fore ought not that which is holye to be giuen to suche dogges, Math. 7. for it is but as Pearles strawed before swine y^e treade [Page]them vnder their feete and turne again to rent the giuers thereof, as they al­ready haue done and againe would doe if power & beastly will were according. What otherwyse therfore shall be done vnto these wilful stubborne ones ★ who being ignorant of Gods righteousnesse and going about to stablish their own, Roma. 10. and being disobedient vnto the righte­ousnesse of God, if they will stil so con­tinue in their vnfaithfulnesse and be by no meanes conuerted vnto godwards, but euen according to the sentence of God Almighty pronounced by Esdras, dye in their vnfaithfulnesse? 4. Esdr. 15. ★ For the vngodly & transgressors and such as be­come vnfaithful and obstinate vnto the Lorde, Esaye. 1. muste altogither be vtterly de­stroyed, yea deuoured with the sworde. 1. Esdra [...]. 7. Againe Esdras wylleth y^e those which knowe not the lawe of God shoulde be taught, which much disagreeth wyth ignoraunce to be y^e mother of deuotiō, as some of their affinitye haue taught, and those (saith hee) that wyll not then fulfill the lawe of God and the kynges [Page]lawe; shall haue this iudgement with­out delaye, losse of goodes, emprison­ment and death, 1. Esdras. 6. ★ then there shall be a beame taken from hys house and set vp, & he shal be hanged theron. 4. Regū. 10 ★ And if Iehu did cause all the priestes of Baall to bee slaine and destroyed bicause they were the enimies of GOD, why then are these vyle Vypers and Romishe bloudsuckers, 1. Regū. 28. these intollerable Diuils, vtter enimies both to God and their Prince, thus suffered to persiste in their euill, escaping so long the death which they so worthily haue deserued, & seing God wil haue his fierce wrath executed vpon hys enimies? Why are they styll suffered thus to triumphe and proudly to make theyr vaunt and boast that the Prince hath no power to harme them? The brag­ges of the Papistes. Abacuc. 1. why are they I saye thus suffered to mocke their King & laugh theyr Prince to scorne? Well, well, if God be here­with pleased, then let it be still as it is. But as certainely as God was offen­ded with king Saule forsparing of king Agag enimy to the children of God, 1. Regū. 15. and [Page]for reseruing the Cattaile and beastes which he commaūded to be slaine, and Saule notwithstanding doing therein as seemed best to hymselfe, neglecting the commaundement of the hyghest: euen so vndoubtedly is God nowe not pleased wyth the reseruing of these so manifest enimies, who although they haue the shape of men, yet in their ma­ners more monstrous and beastly than brute beastes in deede, who should not thus long haue beene vnrewarded if there were not some either draw backs or claw backes, or both, y^e looke smothe with theyr heades and sting with their taile, bearing twoo faces in a hoode, whose power ouergoeth right and by whose meanes the lawe is torne in pie­ces so that right iudgement cannot pro­ceede nor go forth, Abacuc. 1. but flattering Ipo­crites are enimies to y^e Gospel. Would God that such as are infected and sicke of that disease were dispatched both frō court & countrey, Three chiefe poin­tes to be noted. for neuer shall truth tellers, bee thorowly welcome in Eng­lande tyll such false flatterers be out of [Page]credit and estimation, neither shal that vggly Whore and shamelesse strompet of Babilon be cleane ouerthrowen, till such hir loitering louers be brought to confusion, nor yet the proude hearts of the arrogant Papists the vtter enimies to God and theyr Prince, bee mollified, meekened, and made humble and low­lye, tyll Iudgement with iustice be ioi­ned togither, the neglecting wherof is cause presently that the boy presumeth against the elder, and the vile person against the honorable. Wherefore mee think although there were no worde of God at all to instructe or moue vs, yet our consciences would moue vs to con­syder condigne punishement for such so notorious greuous detestable trāsgres­sours and offēdours as these stubborne rebels art, ★ who although they declare theyr owne sinnes themselues & hyde them not, and that their wordes, works and counsels are against the Lorde our God and our Prince & Soueraigne, yet are they wincked at and suffered. Yet notwithstanding, as I doubt not but y^e [Page]the Queenes most excellent Maiesty (to whom God graunt a long & prosperous raigne to aduaunce his truth to the glo­rye of his holy name, & the vnspeakable comfort of hys people committed to hit charge) is mindefull and well conside­reth the terrible threatening of God vpon Princes for not executing iustice, who hauing but deferred the same, ho­ping thorow hir clemēcy & great mercy to bring them to y^e knowledge of God and their due obedience to hir Grace, yet lo, beyng but for thys cause prolon­ged, 4. Esdr. 1 [...]. ★ the innocent bloud of the trou­bled hath so long cryed vengeance vnto the Lorde vppon his enimyes, Apocal. 6. and the soules of the righteous still continually complaining, and the Lorde our God himselfe hauing so long suffered, and holden backe hys hande, looking when the sworde of iustice should bee drawen by the Prince to whom hee hath com­mitted it for y^e executing of offendours, as well Idolatrers, murderers, main­tainers of whoredome, rebellious and enuious enimies of his truth, and seeth [Page]notwithstanding his quarrel not main­tained, but the worthye extreme deser­ued punishement deferred, and iustice in his cause neglected, 4. Esdr. 15. The deferring of iu­stice hath prouoked the wrath of God. cannot, ★ bicause he wyll no longer suffer suche iniurye, but as a righteous iudge to reuēge hys owne cause doth nowe in his wrathfull indignation plentifully poure hys per­rillous plague of pestilence vpon vs, in such terrible wise, as that wee are glad to flye from our cities, mislike our lod­gings, forsake our houses, dispersing our selues abroade in sundrye places, bycause y^e the messanger of God (death) dailye climing in at our windowes, is come into our houses to destroy vs. Yea the Lorde as we see ★ consumeth vs wyth the breath of hys wrathe euen as the wythered grasse, Esay. 40. and as he not long since, when wee were greater in num­ber, tooke then from vs the fruite of the earth, or gaue so small encrease therof, as that wee had not wherwyth suffici­ently to feéde vpon: so nowe he hauing plentifully blessed the earth with store, destroyeth now by death the people for [Page]whose sakes he prouided & appointed it. Two chief causes of y^e plague in London. And the causes why that London speci­allye is more sharplyer visited than any one place of Englande besides (is) for that y^e worde of God being there most purelye and plentifullye preached and taught, is there least followed. The se­cond cause why, is, for that the enimies of God that haue bene such shamelesse shedders of innocent bloude & pitilesse persecutors of him in his mēbers, haue bene there so long reserued, where with y^e Lord (as well appeareth) is greuously offended and therefore hath layed the greater burden vpon vs. Wherfore we see y^e to much mercy is as well hurtfull to the offendours, as condigne punishe­ment for thē is necessary, Ieremy. 28. Deute. 13.18. ★ who if they were cut away from vs, we shoulde be voide of euill, wherefore I would those stumbling blockes were remoued, & ac­cording to y^e saying of S. Paul, Gallath. 5. I would God they were cut of from vs, which do disquiet vs. And with Iob I say: Iob. 24. oh that all compassion vpō them were for­gottē, 1. Thessal. [...]. ‡ for they displease God & hinder [Page]men from their saluation, God therfore for his great mercysake graunt that the sworde of Iustice no longer ruste in the scabberde but that it may be put to the vse that God hath apointed it, that such may iustly receiue that which vniustlye they haue done vnto the clect seruants of God, and that as well the obstinate Papistes as also the carnall Gospellers may feele the wayght thereof, or else it wyll be still the longer the worse, To much mercy mar [...]eth good manners. for to manifest it is at thys day in Englande, that the ouermuch mercy & pitifulnesse maketh a presumpteous and carelesse people, which if it be not the soner re­dressed, let vs assure our selues y^e thys plague of pestilence (wherewith wee haue lately perished so fast) is but a be­ginning of sorrowes and a declaration of a more heauy & greuous vengeance of God to come vpon vs, which, if for y^e neglecting the punnishing of sinne and for not maintaining of Gods quarel be wilfully purchased, thē woe, woe, woe will be vppon vs, for God will then so handle vs as he neuer did before, Ezechiel. 5. who [Page]hath plentye of plagues in store, yea, Leuitic. 2 [...] euen readye hangyng ouer our heads. Wherefore good brethren let euery one of vs enter into himselfe and well be­holde the monstrousnesse of our beastly behauiour that so shamefully aboun­deth, considering that where the vine­yarde bringeth forth the best wine the Lord doth keepe it and in due time wa­ter it and preserueth it daye and night from the enimy that he do it no harme, Esay. 27. but where the vineyarde yeldeth and bringeth forth bryers and thornes the Lorde will runne thorow it by warres and wil make the strong cities desolate and the habitation forsaken, & God who made & created the people, wyll not fa­uour them. Beware I say therefore oh Englād, be warned, be not tolong care­lesse, for it is manifest ynough vnlesse we will be wilfull blinde, Esay. 26. that the hand of the Lord is lifted vp against vs, & we haue felt the heauy burden therof vpon vs. The Lord graunt vs therfore grace & speedy amendement of our life, least y^e Lord in his wrath make of our Cities & [Page]blessed famous & fruitfull countrey an heape of broken stones, Esay. 17. as he did wyth Damascus or with the walled Citye of Aroer whereof hee threatned to make soldes of cattaill, and so we purchase to ourselues sorrow without hope of comfort, from the which misery that y^e Lord our God, in whose hands we are as the claye in the potters, may defende vs, let vs speedely and continually in all hum­blenesse of heart, in weeping, fasting and praying in maner and forme follo­wing, inuocate the name of God our heauenly father, to whom wyth the sonne and the holye Ghost be all praise and glory, world without ende. Amen.

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