Audiui vocem de coelo dicentem. &c.

DEarely beloued in our Sauiour Christ, this IEcclesi. 3. 1. finde written in the Booke of the Preacher. Omnia tem­pus habent. &c. To all things there is an appointed time, and a time to euery purpose vnder the heauen: a time to be borne, and a time to die: a time to plant, and a time to pluck vp that which is planted: and so foorth of other kinde of times, as in the third chapter of the same Booke is further set out. By rea­son of this variety, alteration and chaunge of times variable, diuers and sundry be the affaires, and businesse of the children of men for their time vpon earth. By the lawe of creation, re­demption, and confirmation, we are bounde to doe and per­fourme all our affaires and businesse, to the prayse and glorie of God, and therefore Paule the Apostle saith: Whether you 1. Cor. 10. 31 eate or drinke, or whatsoeuer you doe, doe all to the glorie of God. But such is the blindenesse and corruption of our nature, that we of our selues are neuer able to satisfie our bounden re­quired dutie. Herein God therefore of his great mercy hath in the holy Scripture prouided Lanternes to our féete, and lightPsal. 119. 105. to our steppes, which if we attende vnto, shall deliuer vs from ignoraunce, and guide vs in the right way. So that the Scrip­ture is as it were a Storehouse, appointed for vs to repaire vnto, and from thence to fetch out counsell, instruction and direction, that in all our dooings God may be glorified, and we our selues in God edified. I therefore considering the businesse we haue nowe in hande, and the cause of our assemblye at this time, that is, the buriall of this Noble man, haue repaired to the Scripture, and from thence haue chosen out the péece of Scripture I haue read vnto you, out of the xiiij. chapter of the [Page] Apocalips. In the which after we haue weyed, opened, and con­sidered it, we shall finde cause to extoll and magnifie the holy name of the Lord, and shall also for our partes receyue sundry christian lessons, and diuers godly instructions.

First, we are to call to remembraunce some part of the Ar­gument of this Booke of the Apocalips, and some matters ther­inReuel. 1. 1. conteined, wherevpon this our text doth depend: part of the Argument of this Booke is a declaratiō, and a foreknowledge opened by our Sauiour Iesus Christ, in a vision to s. Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist, of the variable state of the kingdome of Christ in this world, the prosperitie and cruelty of the king­dome of Antichrist, the successe and entertainment of the Gos­pell of Christ, the persecutions which the Professors of the same shoulde susteyne of Antichrist and his ministers. And a­mongst other Reuelations, in the xiij. Chapter mencion is made of a horrible Beast, that s. Iohn séeth ryse out of the bot­tome of the Sea, hauing seauen heads and tenne hornes, to the which it was giuen to make warre against the Saintes, and preuaile against them. After that he séeth an other Beast com­ming out of the earth, hauing two hornes like to the Lammes, but spake lyke the Dragon, and had power to doe all thinges that the first Beast coulde doe. By the former Beast is vnder­stoode the Empire of Rome, which vnreasonably and beastly persecuted the Christians in the primitiue Church. Daniell theDan. 7. 23. Prophet in the vij. Chapter doth terme the Empire a Beast. And s. Ierome expounding that place of Daniell, sayth: by the Beast he meaneth the Empire of Rome: by the seconde Beast is vnderstood the Popedome in cruelty and shedding of bloud, nothing inferiour to the former Beast, as Adrian Byshop of Rome testified, saying. Nos succedimus Romulo in effutione sangui­nis: Illiricus in­ter Test. ve­ritet. pag. 387. & non Petro in predicatione verbi. We, sayth he, succéede Ro­mulus in shedding of bloud: and not Peter in preaching of the worde. The instruments of the cruell persecution of Christi­ans, doe appeare vnto s. Iohn in the forme and figure of mon­struous noysome beastes, partly bicause the Saintes of God shall haue at their handes, no more pittie, compassion, or ciuill order shewed, then if they fell to y^e daūger of Leopards, Lions, Woolfes, or Beares▪ Malefactors and transgressors of lawes, [Page] whatsoeuer their offence is, though it were treason, shall haue lawe obserued, shall holde vp their hande, and speake for them­selues, and shall finde some orderly dealing: but the Profes­sors of Gods word vnder those cruell beastes, shall be tormen­ted, butchered, torne, and slayne without law, mercy, compas­sion, or any humanitie.

The histories of the old time, and the experience of these our dayes, are foorthcomming to beare witnesse of this truth. Now least the Saints for feare of these horrible beastes shoulde for­sake the profession of the Gospell, and take vpon them the marke of the Beast in their forheades, and so enter to doubt that if they shoulde lose this lyfe, there were no reward foorth­comming for constant Martirdome, nor no other lyfe but this to be looked for. Amongst other matters of consolation reuea­led to s. Iohn, he is here by a voyce from heauen commaunded to write: Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lorde, and soReue. 14. 1 [...] foorth. In these words the Saints of God may find a sufficient consolacion, and cause of good courage to enter the combat with the cruell beasts, being hereby assured that there is a re­warde ordeyned of God for his Saintes in Heauen, and that there remayneth a lyfe of euerlasting blisse, after the tyme of this troublesome worlde. And therefore the lesse cause to feare the fiercenesse of the beastes, whose power reacheth no further then this temporall transitorie lyfe. Our text we haue in hand, we will deuide into thrée parts: The first, is of the assuraunce & authoritie of the doctrine herein comprehended. The seconde, the doctrine it selfe that s. Iohn is commaunded to write. The thirde, is a declaration of the same by circum­stances, of these parts, or so many of these as conuenient time will serue, we will by the helpe of God speake and deale wyth. But first let vs pray. &c.

Here the Prayer was made

Audiui vocem de coelo dicentem. &c.

HEre S. Iohn seemeth to allude to the maner commonly receyued amongest all people, which is, to committe to wryting such know­ledge of profytable and necessarie matters as are found out to be cer­tayne, vndoubted and sure, and so to transmit the same to the posteritie. The credit and authoritie of matters founde out and committed to wryting, depende much vpon the first authours, as the authoritie of the Lawes of the Athenians and Lace­demonians Plutarch. in Laconicis. depended vpon the credite of Solon, and Ly­curgus the authours of the same. The authour of thys doctrine that s. Iohn is commaunded to write, is God himselfe, for he saith, I hearde a voyce from heauen, and further ioyneth therto, euen so sayth the spirite. This is therefore the voyce of the sonne of God our Lord Ie­sus Christ, for it is his voyce that s. Iohn in the be­ginningReuel. 1. 8. of the Reuelacion hearde, as the voyce of a trumpet, saying: I am α and ω, the first and the last, that thou seest wryte in a booke, & sende to the seuen chur­chesReuel. 1. 12. in Asia. It is he that s. Iohn sawe sitting, be­tweene the seauen golden Candlestickes lyke to the sonne of man. Christ whyle as yet he was conuersantIohn 16. 13. with his disciples, promysed to doe all things, to teach and to speake in the Church by the spirite, and here now the spirite teacheth and confirmeth this doctrine, for in the text foloweth, euen so sayth the spirite. Thus we haue certaintie and assuraunce, that the wordes which are here mencioned, be the wordes of Iesus [Page] Christ, and that this is a celestial oracle which is law­full for no man to doubt of. Christ from heauen doth minister the wordes. S. Iohn the Apostle & Euan­gelist at the commaundement of Christ doth write the same, and so transmitteth them to vs and to the poste­ritie for euer. If Charters or letters written by the Chauncelours or Secretaries of Kinges and Prin­ces cary with them great credite: how much more iust­ly doth this celestiall Charter, dictated by the sonne of God, and written by the Disciple beloued of Christ Iohn the Apostle and Euangelist, deserue credite and authoritie.

In the tyme of Papistrie and blindnesse, men repo­sed great affiaunce and trust in writinges and par­dons that came from Rome, wherein they imagined they receiued forgiuenesse of sinnes, Apoena, & à culpa, and therefore vsed at the tyme of death to take order that all such pardons shoulde be cast into the graue with the corps. Such writings be commonlye called Bulles of Rome, they well deserued so to be called, for Bulla in the latintonge signifieth a bubble, or fome that riseth on the water wherin is no substance, but though it swell and make a shewe of some thing, yet in deede it is voyde and emptie, so that with the touche of a straw or the least blast of wind, it breaketh, vanisheth away, and is become nothing. Such assuredly were all these deceytfull pardons, which if tyme dyd serue, I coulde easily by authoritie of gods worde declare and prooue. But now blessed is our tyme, if we can consider it, the tyme of light and knowledge of the Gospell of Christ, wherein men are taught to repose their affiaunce and trust, not in the Bulles that come from Rome, but in this autenticall Charter that came from Heauen, not [Page] voyde & emptie as the popish Bulles, but full fraugh­ted and replenished wyth euerlasting treasures and eternall consolacion and comfort. The Romish deceit­full ware could not begotten without money, but this heauenly Iewell is offered freely without recompēce or payment.

Come saith Esay the Prophet in the .lv. chap. All you Esay. 55. 1. that thirst to the waters, & you that haue no siluer, come buye, and eate, come I say, buy wine and milke without siluer and without money: thus much for the first part, concerning the certayntie and assuraunce of the doc­trine contayned in the seconde parte, which is this: Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lorde.

Here we haue three matters to consider of: first, what is blessednesse? or what is it to be blessed? the se­conde, what admonition we may gather out of these wordes? thirdly, who dye in the Lorde? for the first. The whole worlde (which as s. Iohn sayeth, lyeth in1. Iohn. 5. 19. wickednesse) seeketh to be made blessed by worldly goodes, riches and possessions, as the infinite traueyle of men by sea and by land by perilles and daungers, the oppression, extorcion, theft, contentions in lawe, the vnsatiable couetousnesse, and ambition that reig­neth in the worlde, doth testifie and manifestly prooue. But all these are frustrated and deceyued of their pur­pose, for we finde by experience that true which saint Paule saith: Nihil intulimus. &c. we brought nothing in­to 1. Tim. 6. 7. the world, neither shal we cary any thing out. We find also dayly performed in effect before our eyes, in the weithy and great riche men of this worlde, that which Christ in the twelfth of Luke reporteth to haue beeneLuke. 12. 17. sayde to the man that reioyced and solaced himselfe in the exceeding abundance and increase of corne that [Page] had happened vnto him one yeare, that is, O foole this night shall they fetch away thy soule from thee, and then whose shall those things be that thou hast prouided. The childrē of Israel in y^e wildernes were fed with Manna, they were commaunded daily to gather it in the fielde by measure, euery man according to his eating, and whatsoeuer was reserued till morning, contrarie toExod. 16. 20▪ Moses commaundement stancke, and became full of wormes: we are the children of Israell, this worlde is the wildernesse, Manna is the riches and goodes of this worlde, whatsoeuer therof is gathered and hore­ded vp contrary to gods commaundement, more then will serue euery mans turne to liue in his degree and calling, stincketh afore God, and breedeth a worme of disquietnesse of conscience, wherby a man shall hardly dispose himselfe to dye in the Lorde, & so to be blessed. And therefore sayeth Ecclesiasticus. O death, how bit­terEccle. 41. 1. is the remembraunce of thee to a man that lyueth at rest in his possessions? Notable is the sentence and conclusion of Salomon concerning this matter. After heEcclesi. 2. had gathered to him siluer and golde, and the chiefe treasures of Kings and prouinces, and had furnished himselfe withall kinde of worldly pleasures, so that he exceeded all that euer was afore him, he concludeth, saying: And I looked on all the workes myne hande had wrought, and beholde, all is vanitie and vexa­cion of the spirite, & there is no profit vnder the sunne: we see now that earthly & bodily matters be they ne­uer so precious, can not make a man blessed in deede. It must therefore consist in Heauenly and spirituall matters. It can then be nothing else, but the ioy of the lyfe to come in the kingdome of Heauen, in the which we shall see God as he is, and shall haue the full andReuel. 21. 3▪ & 22. 4. [Page] perfite fruition of his blessed presence, and lyue in him with all the Saincts foreuer, and shall possesse ioyes that cannot be explicated with mortall tongues, as it is written: the eye hath not seene, nor the eare heard, nei­ther 1. Cor. 2. 9. hath ascended into the heart of man, that which God hath prepared for them that loue him. This celestiall ioy the childrē of God do taste of in this world, in that they apprehend by faith remission of sinnes, and quietnesse of conscience in the bloud and passion of Christ. How­beit this celestiall ioye in this worlde, is but expert in part till the soule be deliuered out of the reache of flesh and bloude. I haue determined to speake of diuers matters within the compasse of this sermon, and some of them such, that I would be sory for lacke of time to be dryuen to cut them of, and therefore of this matter here I make an ende. I will now returne to the text agayne.

Blessed are the dead which dye in the Lord. Out of these wordes we may iustly reason, that some dye but not in the Lorde, and that lyke as they that dye in the Lord, are blessed, as inheritours of euerlasting life: so are they that dye not in the Lordcursed, as heires of euer­lasting damnation. Hereby are we admonished that it is the part of a good Christian in hys lyfe time, to take thought and care, & to prouyde by the assistaunce of Gods grace, that he may dye in the Lord, and that it is a desperate part to be carelesse in what state the houre of death shal take a man in. The maner of wise men in this worlde, when they haue any serious and earnest affayres to performe, is by some exercise a­forehaude to make themselues expert and readie a­gaynst the tyme they come to earnest dooings, as S. Paule noted. Euery man that prooueth masteries ab­stayneth1. Cor. 9. 25. [Page] from all thinges, and they doe it to obtayne a corruptible crowne. Howe much more ought a true Christian with meditacion and exercise aforehande, make himselfe expert and ready agaynst the tyme he shall take this earnest voyage in hande, which is, the way of all fleshe to obtayne an incorruptible crowne, and to be made blessed for euer?

To this prouidence, premeditacion and care, Christ our sauiour doth mooue, and stirre vs by the storye of the wicked stewarde, which his Lorde called to a re­coningLuke. 16. 1. and yet in one point commended, for that he was prouident & carefull how to lyue after he shoulde be remooued out of his office. In thys Storie, apply­ed to a spiritual sence, Christ maketh vs all stewards, and that at tyme conuenient we shall be called to a re­coning, and shalbe sure to heare this voice Redde ratio­nem villicationis tuae, render an accompt of thy Ste­wardship. Seing then that our Sauiour Christ vsed this Storie, and the holy Ghost prouided the same to be left in writing, to the ende to admonish and to pro­uoke vs to take care, and to learne aforehande to dye in the Lorde, that we may liue in the worlde to come, it is a Storie woorthie to be noted: we will therefore tary the longer vpon it, and consider three points con­cerning the same. First, who be they that are to make a reconing: then how many kinds of reconing is to be made: and last of all what officers or messengers hath God ordayned to call men to this reconing. For the first, all maner and condicion of men being the worke­manship of gods hands endued with reasonable soule and enriched with his giftes and blessings, are to ren­der an accompt: for euery man in some respect is a ste­warde of Gods riches, and a bayly of Gods husban­drie, [Page] and therfore haue more or lesse to aunswere for: some fyue Talentes: some two Talentes: and someMat. 25. 15. one Talent.

And therefore s. Paule sayeth, Omnes nos manifestare 2. Cor. 5. 10. oportet ante tribunal Christi. &c. Al we must appeare be­fore the tribunall seate of Christ, that euery man may receyue according to his dooinges: notwithstanding there is diuersitie of the maners and kindes of reco­nings that are to be made. One kinde is common to all men, for the ende of all mens, being for the tyme in the worlde, is to honour God by obseruation of his lawes and commaundements, and therefore all in a generalitie are to answere concerning their obedience to Gods lawe and his holy Worde, concerning their fayth in the sonne of God, and what lyfe they haue led in this worlde. All shall heare that which Christ spea­keth of. Come you blessed of my father, possesse the king-dome Mat. 25. 34. prepared for you from the beginning of the worlde. I was a hungred and you gaue me to eate, I was a thyrst and you gaue me to drincke, and so foorth of the other workes of charitie there mencioned. Or else being set on the left hande, they shall here, Depart from me you cursed to euerlasting fyre which is prepared for the Deuill and his Aungels. I was a hungred and you gaue me no meate: I was a thirst and you gaue me no drinke, and so forth of the reast there rehearsed. An other kind of reconing is peculiare & proper to such as God hath called to be Rulers, Gouernours and officers in the common wealth, as Kinges, Princes, Magistrates, Byshops, Iudges, Iustices, and such lyke officers.

Here is a place offered to speake of the distinct and seuerall reconings that euery of these and the lyke in their degrees shall make, but that can not be perfor­med [Page] in such tyme as is meete for me to occupie now in this audience. I will onely note some part of the re­coning that Rulers, Magistrates, Iustices and offi­cers shal make, which Salomon in the sixt chapter of the booke of Wisedome setteth out, thus much in effect.Wisd. 6. 2. First, he putteth them in remembrance of a matter cō ­monly forgotten amongst great men, that is, that the rule is giuen them of God, and that their authoritie is from the most hygh. Wherevpon followeth that they shoulde apply their authoritie to set out his glorie and honour, who placed them in so high a ro [...]ome, and who also will trye their workes and search out their purposes. Secondly, he accuseth thē that where they were put in trust, and made officers in the common welth, they haue not iudged rightly, meaning between party and partie, but delt parcially and corruptly, a­gaynst law and conscience: and telleth further that in their offices and high callings, they walked not after the wil of God, according to the trust reposed in them. Lastly, he admonisheth them that it wyll go harde with them in the time of reconing, saying: that a harde iudgement shall they haue that beare rule, and the mightie shalbe mightily punished.

Here we may see what wofull case they be in that neuer thinke of any reconing to be made howe they behaued thēselues in their authoritie. And what shall become of them that in their dooings will neuer con­sider what the will of God is? but contrarie vnreaso­nably walke after the pleasures and riches of thys worlde, applye all their power to further and conti­nue the kingdome of Antichrist, defende papisterie, supersticion and Idolatrie, pilgrimages to Welles and blinde Chappelles, procure the wardens of chur­ches [Page] in tyme of visitacion to periurie, to conceale ima­ges,Mat. 23. 13. roode loftes and aulters. This is lamentable, that Gods chosen officers in this blessed time of light & knowledge of the gospell of Christ, will neither en­ter themselues to the kingdome of Heauen, nor suffer thē that would, for as the ruler of the citie is, so be the inhabitance of the same. Here would I wish that the Iustices of peace with vs in Wales shoulde receyue admonishion and learning, although I speake gene­rally of them, yet I knowe that some of them walke vprightly, and more after the will of God, then others doe. They haue to consider that they by the disposition of God are men chosen, and pycked out from among their brethren, for that they are thought and taken to be of courage and fortitude, to minister iustice rightly without respect of person, men hauing the feare of God before their eyes, true dealing men, and such as abhorre couetousnesse. Salomon speaketh of them a­mongestWisd. 6. 4. others, that God will trie their workes, and search out their deuises, what shalbe their aunswere therefore in the tyme of reconing. For then shall ap­peare, and cannot be hyd, that commonly all that they dyd in their office, was in respect of persons, to plea­sure the great man least he should finde a hole in their coates. Then shall their actes in their office testifie that they were voide of all religion and feare of God, so farre beside conscience and equitie, as if they belee­ued there were neither God to reward well dooings, nor Deuill to execute punishment for euill deedes. Then shall appeare, that when a cause was broughtAmos. 6. 12. afore them, they haue iustifyed the wicked, and con­demned the iust, and so turned iudgement to worme­wood, as Amos the Prophet speaketh. Then shall ap­peare [Page] that they haue altogither applyed their authori­tie and office to pyll and poll the countrey, and to beg­ger their poore neighbours to perfourme that which Esay the Prophet sayth: Rapina pauperū in domibus vestris, Esay. 3. 14. you dresse your houses with the goodes of the poore. Then shall appeare that whereas by reason of their offices they should haue bene Patres patrie, Fathers of the countrey, they became spoylers of the countrey. And where the part of fathers is to prouide for theyr children, they contrarywyse agaynst order of nature, forced the childrē, that is, the countrey, to prouide for them and their houses. How thinke you what is it to committe authoritie to such men? is it any better then to committe a sworde to a madde mans hand. Would to God the maners and conditions of all Iustices of the peace, & Shyrifs in Wales, were so well knowne to hir Maiestie and hir Highnes Counsell, as they be in the countrey amongst their neighbours, that both good and badde, might receyue their deserued prayse, rewarde and commendacion. And though perhappes they may escape this my wishe, yet shall they not es­cape the iudgement sent of God, but shalbe sure there to make their accompt in maner as I haue declared. The third point concerning this reconing is to under­stande what officers or messengers God hath orday­ned to sommon, call, and bring men to a reconing. We finde many and diuers officers appointed of God for that purpose, the preaching of Gods lawe is one, Per legem enim agnitio peccati, by the law, is the know­ledgeRom. 3. 20. of sinne. This messenger fetched king Dauid out of the denne of securitie, and ignoraunce of his estate2. Sam. 12. 1. betwixt him and God, after he had committed adulte­rie, with Vrias wyfe, and had slayne Vrias with the [Page] of the children of Ammon. Nathan the Prophet dooing this message, telleth the king a pitious story of a riche man that had many sheepe of hys owne, & yet to cheere a guest that was come to him, fetched away a poore mans sheepe that had no more in the worlde but that: the king hearing of that wicked vnconscio­nable dealing, giueth sentence of death against that riche man. Nathan replyeth that he himselfe was that riche man, which against law, equitie or honestie, had killed Vrias and fetched awaye his wife. Nowe king Dauid by thys messenger is brought before the iudge­ment seate of God, and hauing nothing to aunswere, submitteth himselfe to Gods mercie, saying, peccaui, I haue sinned. This message though it seemed bitter at the beginning, yet was it holsome, sweete, & comforta­ble in the end. For by this meanes king Dauid recoue­reth the fauor of God & forgiuenesse of his sinne. Here we may note that it is more profitable for kings, prin­ces & great men, to haue one Nathan or Michea about them, then twenty deceyuing Zedechia, which Achab the king of Israel to his paine liked so wel of. The law of nature which the finger of God hath engraued in the cōscience of euery man, is an other messenger orday­ned to cite men to appeare before the tribunal seate of God, to render an accōpt when Nathan is excluded out1. King. 22. the doores, and can haue no accesse, nor be heard: then serueth this officer, which pursueth the wicked dooer, though he be his owne maister: so harde, that though the cryme be hid from the knowledge of all men: yet shall he neuer be able to deliuer himselfe out of the handes of this messenger, except he flye to the tower of repentaunce, and bath himselfe in the fountayne of Christes bloud. This officer being but himselfe alone [Page] shall lay such violent handes vppon the wicked offen­der, as if there were a thousande pursuers. Conscien­tia enim mille testium instar, for cōscience serueth in steede of a thousande witnesses. There were learned of the heathen, that noted this woonderfull worke of God. And therefore one sayeth: Prima vltio haec est, quodse iu­dice nemo nocens absoluitur. Improba quamuis gratia fallacis praetoris vicerit vrnam. This is one vengeaunce to be­ginne withall, that no male factour can escape the con­demnation of his owne iudgement, although vnlaw­full fauour corrupt the sentence of the false Iudge. There were, that endeuoured and determined wyth thēselues to expell all feare of God setting on a brasen impudent face, making no diuersitie betwixt beastly crueltie in shedding bloude, and humane compassion, pittie or mercye, betwixt honestye and dishonestye, be­twixt goodnesse commended, and wickednesse dispray­sed: But, such were neuer able to auoyde the pursute and checke of this messenger. Caius Caligula the fourth Emperour of Rome, who was woont to wishe that all Rome had but one necke, that he might strike of their heades at one stroke, exceeded in contempt of God, humanitie and honestie: In crueltie a fierce vn­reasonable beast, and swinish in all filthy volupteous­nesse: And yet when any token of Goddes power, or wrath dyd appeare, if it were but a thunder, no man more desperately quaked, nor more miserably trem­bled for feare of the deserued vengeance of God. King Richarde the thirde, after he had caused his two inno­cent Nephewes to be murthered, and brought him­selfe to the Regall seate, neuer enioyed quietnesse of minde all the dayes of his lyfe: for this messenger so chased him, that sometimes in the night season, he vsed [Page] to start vppe out of bedde, imagining he was besette with enimies. They that doe vse to reade stories, sa­cred or prophane, finde examples ynough of the actes and force of this messenger dooing his office. There be other messengers, which in comparison of these we haue spoken of, may be called extraordinarie, and yet sent and appointed of God to do the same message, as the other ordinarily doe. Of this sort are tribulation, aduersitie, sickenesse, warre, famine, plague, signes and tokens in the Sunne, and the Moone, straunge sightes in the Element, Earthquakes, and such lyke prodigious matters. The losse of friendes, the losse of a good Prince, gouernour or Magistrate: for like as God maketh the Ipocrite to raigne for the sinnes ofIob. 34. 3 [...]. the people, so God taketh away a good Magistrate for the same cause. Is it not therefore time for vs to looke to our selues, & to consider our state betwixt vs and God: for all these messengers for the most part haue beene with vs of late dayes. Within these few yeares the famine was so great in al these coūtreis of Wales, that many thousandes dyed for lacke of sustenaunce, we haue beene visited with the plague, we had an Earthquake, straunge sightes haue beene seene in the ayre: And now last of all, beholde the heauy hande of God for our sinnes, vpon all the whole countrey, in the death of this Noble man, which is not onely a messenger of Gods wrath towardes this towne and countrey (wherein he was borne:) but also in very deede a great losse to the whole realme. And although this countrey who shall misse so Noble and so worthy a Ruler and Magistrate, that bore them so great af­fection, so ready to benefite all, and hurt none, and for the high calling he was of, so able to pleasure and to [Page] doe good: Although I say this countrey, by the death of this Noble Earle, is most earnestly, and effectually cited to appere before the Lord, & to fall to a reconing: yet do I beleeue that the Queenes Maiestie hir high­nesse Counsell, & all the Nobilitie of the realme, may hereby receyue admonition, and cause of further cir­cumspection, and aduigilancie. For such valiaunt and couragious Noble men are the bulwarks and walles of defence of the whole realme. They say the realme is walled about bycause it is enuironned with the sea: but I holde rather with their iudgements, that make the side litie and true heartes of the subiectes, and es­pecially of such of the Nobilitie that haue made them­selues by Gods especial grace, expert to gouerne and rule vnder hir Maiestie, aswel in warre as peace, the strong towers of defence, both of hir Maiestie and hir highnesse realme: this Noble Earle was one of these number: For I beleeue there is no Prince in the worlde, that had a more faythfull Noble subiect, then hir Maiestie had of him in his tyme. And for the no­table valiantnesse, experience, and vertues that were in him, I am perswaded that hir Maiestie, if he had liued, might haue vsed his seruice to be a terrour to all enimies, forreine or domestical. And now that I may speak somewhat, of his great Nobilitie, his excellent, vertuous, & worthie qualities: First I thinke I may say this much in a generalitie, that it was easie for a man of any iudgement, that should beholde his coun­tenance & behauiour, to finde in him Nobilitie, Maie­stie, and Honour, planted by the especiall gift of God, euen from his Mothers wombe. When I consider the nature of Nobilitie with the causes efficient, andCompari­son of true Nobilitie. finall, It seemeth vnto me that Nobilitie may be com­pared [Page] vnto a riuer, or a floud, which in the originall is­sueth out of foure principal Welles, & all the foure rise out of the compasse of one hill. The Welles of nobilitie are Prudence, Fortitude, Iustice, and Temperaunce: the hill whēce they spring, is the feare of God, or true religiō.

Although this worthie Earle by progenie was of no­ble bloude, whose auncetours were of great Honour, which of it selfe, if a man degenerate not to farre from his forefathers, deserueth honourable acceptation in this worlde: yet was he not therewith satisfied as it may appere by his study and traueyle in his life time: for he seemed to be of that iudgement that Alphonsus king of Aragon, of whome we reade in stories was of. When a certayne man tooke in hande to set out the lande and praise of his Nobilitie, he stoode much in re­citall,Panor. lib. 20. de rebus gestis Al­phonsi. that he was a King, a kinges sonne, a kinges Nephew, a kinges brother, and such like tytles. The king interrupting his tale aunswered, that he neuer esteemed much of that kinde of glorie: and that it was the praise and commendacion of his auncetours, who by vertue and woorthye qualities had deserued such high callinges, and honour and not of him: And that his prayse stoode not in that which might fall vnto him by testament, but in the imitacion and perfourming of the noble actes, prowesse, and valiauntnesse of his forefathers. This Noble Earle lykewise, not aunswe­red to hys expectacion, in that he was a Noble man by bloude, and inheritaunce, gaue hymselfe whollye all the dayes of hys lyfe to purchase and wynne the Nobilitie, that springeth immediately from the very originall fountaines of the same, as partly I will put you in remembraunce of. We will beginne with Pru­dence, which may be thus defined.

[Page]Prudence, is a power or facultie of the minde giuenPrudence. of God, whereby man is made wyse, prouident and circumspect, and whereby man attayneth knowledge, cunning, and expertnesse in all matters that the chil­dren of men haue to deale with in this worlde.

This Noble Earle was of great wysedome, deepe iudgement, graue consideratyon, and so blessed wyth vnderstanding, experience, and manifolde ver­tues, and giftes of God, that he was right woorthy to serue hir Maiesty in princely and weighty affaires, both in warre and peace. He was of such prudent and excellent discretion, that he had a speciall grace to en­tertayne all states of men, superiour, equall, and in­feriour, with such comelynesse and decencie, that for ci­uilitie, humanitie, maners, & honourable behauiour, he was a paterne, & an example for Nobilitie to imi­tate, and to follow. In his youth he bestowed not the tyme in vanitie, ydlenesse or voluptuousnesse, but in atchieuing and winning of such sciences, properties & vertues, which might beautifie, and increase his No­bilitie, and preuayled therin so effectually, that he be­came excellent in all kinde of knowledge, and quali­ties, meete, commendable, or necessarie for a man of honour, concerning diuine matters. I haue in my tyme conferred with his Lordshippe, and therefore can say somewhat therein: and amongest others, one thing is notable, which in conference I receyued at hys mouth. He affirmed thys in effect that there was nothing in the worlde, that coulde blemish and abase the Heroicall nature of Nobilitie so much, as to haue the eyes of vnderstanding so closed and shutte vp, that a man in honour, shoulde not be able to discerne be­twixt true religion, & the Hypocriticall false religion: [Page] betwixt the right worshipping of God, and Idolatry: betwixt the traditions of men, and Gods worde, but remayne subiect to lyes, and supersticion, and to call badde good, and good badde: and concluded that to be free from this seruill state, was a necessarie pointe of true Nobilitie. He therfore in his tyme had diligently traueyled in the Scriptures, and so furnished himself with principles of christian Religiō, that he was able readilye to discerne Sermons, and disputacions, and to finde out who had veritie on their syde: and also probably to speake with authoritie of scripture in mat­ters of controuersie. His vnderstanding by the espe­ciall work of the holy Ghost, was so illuminate that he claue and drew to true Christian religion, as the ada­mant stone cleaueth and draweth to steele. His Lord­ship therefore furthered and fauoured all Preachers of Gods worde, so that whosoeuer wyll iudge of the successe of Christes religion by humane reason, must confesse that the Gospell hath lost a mightie Protec­tour, and an earnest defender. But God in setting out of his worde, vseth to worke besyde the expectacion of man, and behinde the reache of reason. I haue yet further to speake of his Lordship, that I beleeue there be very fewe Noble men in Englande, more ready and expert in Chronicles, Hystories, Genealogies, and Petigrues of Noble men, and noble houses, not only within the Realme, but also in forreine realmes, then this Noble Earle was in his time. He excelled in descrying and blasing of Armes, & in all skill pertay­ning thereto: and to be short, his vnderstanding and capacitie, was so liuely and effectuall, that it reached to all kinde of matters, that a perfect Noble man shal haue to deale withall in this worlde.

[Page]Fortitude, is an other fountayne from whence No­bilitieFortitude. springeth, of Cicero in tusculanis quaestionibus thus defined. Est affectio animi qua grauia patiendo legibus ob­temperatur. It is an affection of the mynde, whereby to satisfy the lawes: a man is content to suffer hardnesse, he meaneth mans lawes, and not Gods law. It see­meth therfore that it may be thus more euidently and fully defined. Fortitude is an affection of the minde, whereby a man is made hardie, and couragious to suffer difficulties and daungers, auoyding on the one side rashnesse, and expelling on the other syde feare, to performe that which Gods lawe and honestie prescri­beth and commaundeth. Although by thys definition we finde, that the effect of fortitude resteth much in banishing of feare of bodily hurtes: yet doth it agree very well with the feare of God. Ietro therefore coun­selling Moses to choose men to gouerne vnder hym, sayeth, Prospice viros fortes, timentis Deum. Seeke outExod. 18. 21. men endued with fortitude, fearing God. &c. Wherby we perceyue, that Fortitude and the feare of God va­rie not, but are linked togither. Deepe was the floude of Nobilitie that this valiaunt Earle had fetched out of this fountayne. For in this togyther with the Well of Prudence, he founde that excellent knowledge of Che­ualrie, the cunning to leade an armie, to guyde and to rule souldiours, that experience of stratagemes, and warrelyke pollicies, that notable magnanimitie & in­uincible courage, whereby he endured & ouercame so many dangers and perils, for the which he is renow­ned in England and Ireland, & shal neuer be forgotten. He was by nature the sonne of Mars, and by practi­sing feates of warre, and exercise aforehande, he had made himself in maner a perfect Warriour, afore that [Page] euer he came to the warres. And was for prowesse, magnanimitie and high courage, to be cōpared to the old Romayne Captaines, that be so much in stories commended. This Fortitude is no lesse necessarie for Nobilitie in time of peace, then in tyme of warre. For it belongeth vnto them to minister iustice betwixt par­tie and partie, without respect of parsons, which can not be performed without the assistaunce of this ver­tue: I haue good cause to thincke of this Noble Earle, that there was no subiect in Englande, that coulde feare or corrupt him from executing of iustice. He was to the prowde and arrogant a lyon, and to the meeke and humble a lambe, neither is there any contrarie­tie in this, for true Nobilitie discerneth a due and con­uenient time and place to vse both the one and the o­ther.

Iustice, is the thirde Well of Nobilitie. It is a con­stantIustice. & a perpetuall will to giue euery man his owne. This is a diuine vertue, precious, and commendable in all men, and especially in the Nobilitie, who by rea­son of authoritie, may doe iniurie without remedie for the same. We see by experience that great is the num­ber of them that would oppresse, if they had authority: We see also the iniuries that are done dayly by them that haue colour of authoritie, be it neuer so simple. But examine the life of this Earle who wil, & I beleeue there is no man liuing that can iustly complayne of a­nye oppression or wrong done by him. I once in my tyme hearde him not a little offended with one of hys men that was complayned vpon: saying, that his ser­uaunt coulde doe him no greater dishonour, then by pretence of his authoritie to do any poore man wrong. Iobe in the tyme of his authoritie & wealth, was com­mended [Page] to be a iust, and a righteous man. And in the explication of part of that iustice, Iob hath these words:Iob. 29. 15. Fui oculus caeco, vice pedum claudo. &c. I was the eyes to the blinde, and I was the feete to the lame, I was a Father to the poore, and when I knew not the cause I sought it out diligently, I brake the chawes of the vnrighteous man, & plucked the pray out of his teeth. Here we find that whosoeuer will do iustice, must not only doe no wrong, but must also with all his might, succour and comfort the helplesse and oppressed. In this part of iustice there was neuer Noble man more forwarde then this good Earle. He was the comforta­ble refuge, of all such as were in aduersitie, or oppres­sed by power.

Of Tytus Vespatianus Emperour of Rome, we reade, that he aunswered one of hys friendes, admonishing him to holde hys handes, and not to make his libera­lity and gentilnesse common to all men: saying, that itSuetonius. becommeth not a prince to let any man part from him with a heauie heart. This worthy Earle was of lyke minde, for he was so full of humanitie and compassiō, that he woulde be loth to let any distressed part from him, without some comfort and ease. In so much that in him, if euer in any man this Adage. Homo homini Deus, A man God to man, was as truely performed: as in Tyrantes the contrary Adage, that is, Homo ho­mini lupus: A man a Woolfe to man. We read in Chro­nicles of Emperours, Kings and Noble men, which for their bountifulnesse, gentilnesse, affabilitie & good­nesse, deserued some Honourable addition to their names: as amongst the Emperours Antoninus pius, Antony the vertuous: amongest the Brittish Kinges, Elidorus pius, Elyder the godly: and amongest Noble [Page] men. In the tyme of king Richarde the seconde, Sir Thomas Montacute the good Earle of Salesburie: and in the tyme of king Henry the sixt, Sir Thomas Beuchampe the good Earle of VVarwike. This Noble Earle for the very like qualities hath truely deserued to be called the good Earle, the vertuous Earle, and the valiaunt Earle of Essex.

Temperaunce, is the fountayne of Nobilitie: It isTempe­raunce. a vertue wherby a man obserueth a moderacion, and a reasonable meane in the vse of all thinges pertay­ning to bodie and minde: It is the mother of all other vertues, without which, the reast are blemished, and disgraced. In the Dutche Chronicles that tell of the lyues of Emperours, the first qualitie that is noted, is Temperate, or not temperate, as an argument of the reast of hys lyfe and dooings. For he is thought vn­worthy to rule others, that can not rule himselfe.

This Noble Earle, had a speciall grace, and an excel­lent gift of God in obseruation of this vertue, whither you respect dyet, or the suppression of all vicious affec­tions. I haue diuers times noted in him, when vnder­standing was brought vnto him, of some thrasonicall contumelious wordes, spoken by some glorious infe­riour aduersarie agaynst him, he woulde neuer be stirred to any perturbation of minde thereby, but with graue wisedome and magnanimitie contemne it and smile, deriding the vanity & waywardnes of that can­kered stomacke, that vomited such soure rotten infec­tion: for he dyd effectually consider that it became no better a noble heart to take in & receyue wranglings, brawlings, chasings, & anger: then it is tonuenient to dawbe a golden piller with myre & clay. Salomon was of that minde, and therfore sayeth: Be not thou hasty to be angry, for anger resteth in the bosom of fooles. IEcclesi. 7. 9. [Page] haue had occasion by that I noted in his Lordship to call to remembrance, this saying of Christ. A good man of the good treasure of his hart bringeth forth good Luke 6. 45. things. And the euill man of the euill treasure of his heart bringeth forth euill thinges: For though occasion were ministred, yet shoulde you neuer heare him vtter any opprobrious wordes, no not agaynst his aduersarie, so pure and immaculate dyd he studie to preserue the Nobilitie of his minde. There be some that count thē ­selues worthie honour and estimation, when they teare God in peeces with chafing and horrible othes, which this Noble Earle detested and abhorred, as a matter not onely vndecent, but also repugnant to the nature of true Nobilitie, attributing due reuerence to the name of the Lorde, and therby proouing the foun­taynes of his Nobilitie to spring out of the hyll of the feare of God. But what was his religion? what fayth God had blessed him with? what godly disposition he was of, and how abundantly God had enriched hym with his holy spirite? his confession of his fayth, hys speaches, nay rather his sermons in his sickenesse a­fore his death shall testifie for euer. For I receyued by the relation of such as are woorthie credite, and were present about him, although not all, yet many of hys learned godly sayings at that tyme. Concerning hys saluation, hee reposed his affiaunce and sure trust in the bloude of Iesus Christ. He forgaue all the world, and by inuincible fayth apprehended, layde holde, and imbrased remission of his sinnes, in the merites of the sacrifice of Christes bodie offered vppon the crosse for the sinnes of the world. Trentals, Masses, Diriges, Pardons, and such other papisticall trifles he vtterly contemned, as wicked and blasphemous agaynst the [Page] death and passion of Christ. He fared like the children of Israell in the wildernesse, which when they wereNumb. 21. 9. stinged with Serpentes euen to death: yet when they looked vp to the brasen Serpent they were made whole, safe, and sounde. So this Noble Earle grieued wyth the remembraunce of his former vnthankefull lyfe (as he iudged) immediately directed the eyes of hys mynde to the death and passion of Christ, and forthwith felt such health of soule, that he was repleni­shed with ioy in the holy Ghost, and all his delite was in meditacion of the ioy of the worlde to come, and the fruition of the presence of God for euer: In so much that fyue or sixe dayes before he dyed, he shewed him­selfe more lyke an Aungell from heauen, then a man compassed with flesh and bloud. My Lorde the Arch­byshoppe of Dublin, (as I was enformed) could mooue him in no question or article pertayning to saluation, that he was not ready in, and learnedly, and godly re­solued: yea, and made such aunsweres in all thinges, that my Lord of Dublin had them in great admiration, and affirmed that his speaches at that tyme shoulde serue him for sermous as long as he liued. How true­ly he relinquished the vanitie of this worlde, and how effectually he thyrsted after the ioy of the life to come, his godly admonitions ministred vnto such as visited him, and his heauenly lessons and exhortacions to his seruants, shall testifie for euer: for they were such that his seruaunts report they shall neuer forget, and such as they shall be the better for whyles they lyue. Thus haue I briefly, and partly declared vnto you, both the lyfe and death of this worthy Magistrate, to the ende we shoulde consider how seriously God doth call vs to a reconing by the losse of such a good Magistrate.

[Page]Now a worde or two to shewe who be they that dye in the Lorde, and then an ende. They principally are sayd to dye in the Lorde, which suffer death vnder the beast, for confession of Christes religion, for they pro­perly dye in the Lords cause. Such are the Martirs, aswell of the primitiue church vnder the cruell Empe­rours, as the martyrs of all ages sithence vnder An­tichrist of Rome. They also dye in the Lorde, which though they dye not by y^e crueltie of the beast, yet they dye in the faith of Iesus Christ, and are therfore bles­sed. Of this number was this godly Earle as I haue before declared. Wherfore I will conclude and direct my speach for two or three wordes to this good Earle. O noble Earle of Essex, in thy tyme the Pearle of Nobili­tie: the myrrour of Vertue and woorthy qualities: the childe of Chyualrie: the beautifull flower of Englande: the precious Iewell and comfort of VVales: the tru­stie stay of Ireland: Thy lyfe was most Honourable: thy worthinesse incomparable: thy death precious in the sight of God, for thou dyedst in the Lord a right inhe­ritour of the euerlasting kingdome of heauen. Wher­fore by authoritie of the heauenly oracle that S. Iohn was commaunded to write, thou art to be pronounced blessed for euer. Our sinnes hath shortned thy lyfe, so that we coulde enioye the same no longer. Thou hast notwithstanding bequeathed thy body to be buryed a­mongest vs here in Wales. Of very duetie therefore O Noble Earle, thy Tombe shall be with vs in reue­rence, estimation & honour, the fame and name of thy Nobilitie, valiauntnesse, vertue and woorthinesse, shal neuer be forgotten, but shall lyue and be kept with vs in memorie from generation to generation whyle the world standeth. Deare beloued audience, bycause the [Page] tyme is spent, here wyll I abruptly make an end, and neither deale with the thyrde part of my first diuision, nor make recapitulacion of any matter I haue spoken of. Onely let vs pray that God of hys mercy graunt vs grace to consider his holy will and pleasure, decla­red vnto vs by so many messengers, and especially by this message that we now receyue in the death of this noble Magistrate. And that we may learne to dye in the Lorde as he hath done, and that togither wyth him and all the elect of God, we may participate a ioyfull resurrection in the world to come, through our Sauiour Iesus Christ: to whome wyth the Father and the holy Ghost, be laude, honour, & prayse for euer and euer.