ET erexit cornu salutis nobis in domo Dauid pueri sui.

ANTICHRIST of Rome hath longe dis­simuled with vs, foodynge vs forthe with vanities: As pardons, pilgrimages, bulles, ne­uer ryght calued, supersticions, counterfeite re­ligion, feyned relyques, and suche other innu­merable sort of trashes, haberdashery ware, and all for money. For the old prouerbe, Omnia vena­lia Rome, sayd by the Pagans, long before Christ Salustius. was incarnate, is not lefte vnpractised by the sayde Antichrist our moste holy father (as they call hym) his cardinalles and byshoppes. wher­of the chiefe marchaunt of myschiefe is the sayd holy father. I praye you, what thynge was and yet is not sale kynde at Rome, sauinge our en­glyshe soules: for the whiche we haue nowe of late founde a better marte? And that whiche is most abhorred of god, the sayd Antichriste, and moste aduersary of Christ, had brought vs into the gētils worshipping of fals goddis. Oh god of Israel, for thy tender mercy, into what blynd fantasies of madde myschiefe were we thy selye creatures brought by the hydynge and shutting vp of thy holy worde from vs? And what iniu­ries dyd thy moste faythfull ministers, and yet for the most parte do susteyne, to be so arrogant­ly [Page] depriued of theyr princely regymentes vnder the, by thambycious wrastyng of thy sayd word to the mayntenaunce of a dyuellyshe power a­gaynst thy ryght power? wherby the due obedi­ence of subiectes was conuerted into rebellion, and the concord of commonties dissolued: Thou layest good god, as thou haddest ben a slepe, and dyd suffer vs to dreame by the, Euen as thou dyddest from Adams fall, vnto the tyme thy on­ly sonne became incarnate, wherof zachary pro­phecied a lyttell before, saying, That thou had­dest raysed vp an horne for our helthe, meaning, Et erexit cornu salu­tis nobis In domo Dauid pue­ [...]i sui. that Chryst shuld be borne the vniuersal strēgth power and glorye of our saluation, and that in the house of kynge Dauid thy electe seruaunte. But nowe through the lyght, whiche is sprong in vs, vpon thy holy worde, (agaynst an vsur­ped power and reigne of Lucifer, moste vntrue­ly counterfayte, vpon thy most vndouted trewe worde) thou hast raysed vp to vs thy peculyas people, a godly dewe power of helthe, our natu­rall most soueraygne lorde kynge HENRY the VIII. by thy grace, which is also a true strength and ryghtfull kyngedome, apperteynyng to the moste noble house of his moste famouse proge­nitours, for our great consolation, tranquillite, and holsome safetie, bothe of our bodyes and soules to. Whose maiestie we recognise and be­leue throughe thy sayde worde, to be thyne holy enoynted, immediate minyster, and vicar ouer Roma. 13. 1. Petri. 2. Sapien, 6. vs: and vnto whom onelye thy goodnes hath [Page] commytted the cure charge and gouernaunce of vs, and whom we owe to obey loue and dreade, and to whom also we owe only to haue recourse as vnto thy chiefe herdeman. But alas we haue 1. Pet. 2. ben longe (yea and to longe) wandrynge frome hym, and haue sought a strange shepherde, whi­che semynge vnto vs as meke and humble as a lambe, (what by him selfe and what by his whel pes) hath bene a very deuourynge wulfe of vs, and more rauenouse then a wulfe. for he hath not onely consumed the shepe, but the flece and bones also. But nowe being retourned home a­gayne by the diligente serche and labour of our 1. Petri. 2. sayde moste louynge kynde and holy pastour, let vs not erre nor straye agayne from hym, for he is lothe to lose one the worste of vs, lette vs not then lose hym, but mooste kyndely folowe hym, stycke by him, defende hym, obeye hym, and lo­uyngely dreade and honour hym, euen for god­des sake, and for conscience sake, bycause god­des Roma. 13. holy word teacheth and byndeth vs so to do.

¶Sicut locutus est per os sanctorum: qui à seculo sunt prophetarum eius.

CHRISTE VVAS not sodeynly borne, but his incarnation and commyng to be borne in the house of Dauid, was spoken of god, by the mouthes of his prophetes, from the begyn­nynge of the worlde: that we shulde faythfully beleue it. And therfore vndoubtedly Ieremie, Daniel, Esais, Micheas, zacharie, and all the Hiere. 23. Daniel. 1 [...]. [Page] residue of the prophetes cessed not, to prophecye Esai. 11. Miche. 5. Zacha. 6. and shewe Christes incarnation. And the same also dyd the dedes of Adam, Abel, Enoch, and of al other the fathers of the olde testament ma­nyfestly set forth: as vndoubtedly also doth the same fathers, and prophetes, and other the resi­due of the olde testament, if due application be put therunto, partely by theyr dedes, and parte­ly Esai. 14. Ezec. 22. 23. 24. 34. Hiere. 29. Daniel. 12. by theyr prophecies, bothe shewe and set forth the pompous pride and vsurpatiō of the byshop of Rome, and the mischiefes captiuities and ab­hominations that haue ensued thervpon to god des flocke. and yet the same byshoppes, captay­nes of al those myschiefes, neyther haue nor shal escape quyte awaye: for vtter confusion, depe falles, and perpetual damnation, both hath and shall, as sure as god lyueth, come vppon theyr neckes therfore. And the same fathers and pro­phetes 3. Re. 10. 3. Reg. 1. 2. Par. 29. 2. Para. 30. 2. Para. 31. 2. Para. 23. do lyke wyse shewe and set forthe, that of very godly ryghte and iustice, kynges prynces and other temporall rulers, euer from the be­gynnynge of the worlde, haue and oughte to be the only gouernours orderers and rulers of and ouer theyr people, naturally broughte vp, con­gregate, 2. Par. 34. Sap̄. 6. and beinge within theyr prouynces re­almes and dominions, of what so euer sorte de­gree 4. Re. 17. or condicion they be, spirituall or temporal, as we cal them: And what honourable and hum 2. re. 18. 19 3. Reg. 1. ble obedyence the subiectes of euery kynde and sorte, owe to vse and beare towardes theyr kyn­ges Daniel. 4. and rulers, and that god was the onely set­ter [Page] vp and putter downe of them: And that god 1. Regum. 15. 16. 3. Reg. 2. toke, and assuredly wyl take, sore and greuouse vengeaunce vpon such, as dysturbed the royall seate of any kynge or prynce: And howe gracy­ousely 1. Reg. 10. also god doth preserue kynges and prin­ces, infusynge in them speciall godly gyftes a­boue other. And the sayde fathers and prophe­tes 1. Reg. 15. do warne and exhorte the subiectes, incessant ly to praye for theyr kynges prynces and rulers. All which prophecies and dedes of the sayd pro­phetes and fathers, Christe hym selfe, after his commyng, affyrmeth, and by his owne most ho­ly word and examples doth teache and straight­ly bynde vs, to doo and folowe the same. For he beinge of two differente natures, that is bothe god and man, and beinge kynge of kynges, and the supreme power, as he saythe in the laste cha­piter of Matth. Al power is gyuen to me in hea Matth. ul­timo. uen and in erthe. In heauen, bycause he had it so, as god, before he was incarnate: In erthe, bycause he was god and man after his incarna­tion, and refusynge and detestynge all worldly honour and kyngedome, chargynge also Peter, and all his true folowers, to do lykewyse, dydde most humbly meke hym selfe, and takyng vpon Philipp. 2. hym the fashion of a seruaunt, was wyllyngely moste poore and mooste obedient subiecte to the worldly powers. For he sayth of hym selfe. The Luc. 9. foxes haue dennes, & the byrdes of the ayre haue nestes, but the sonne of man hath not wherin to thrust his heed. And his obedience was so great, [Page] as none coulde be more. For he was obedient vn to his fathers wyll, and to worldly powers wyl, also euen vnto the moste shamefull death of the Luce. 23. crosse, by the iudgement of the ruler Ponce Pi­late. And to sette forthe this obedience with all, Christe teacheth vs a lesson vpon the resolution of the perfydous and fraudulent questyon, de­maunded of hym by the messangers of the chief of the scribes and phariseys, whiche Luke reher Luc. 20. seth in the .xx. chapiter, Whether it be laufull to gyue tribute to Cesar or no. To whiche Christe answered thus in effect, yelde to Cesar that whi­che is Cesars, and to god that which is goddis. As who sayth, bycause your temporall ruler and soueraygne lorde, hath power ouer your bodyes and goodis, and is your defender and preseruer, and also charged in his spiritual ministery with you vnder god: yelde to hym tribute, a knowe­lege of your subiection. And bicause god gyueth you body and soule, and al that ye haue besydes Deuter. 6. Matth. 22. forth, and hath power ouer all, and asketh no­thynge but your soule for all: yelde hym that.

¶ And Christe an other tyme to verify his sayd Luc. 21. pouertie, and for an example of obedience, that his true folowers shulde beare to the temporalle powers, he commaunded Peter, to take moneye out of a fyshes mouth, bycause neyther of them Matt. 17. had any, to pay to the gatherer for theym bothe. Peter also taught of Christ to set forth this obe­dience, 1. Petri. 2. gaue commandement to all the faythful, to be obedient for goddis sake to the kyng, as to [Page] the chief hed, & to other his substitute rulers & de­puties: And Paule cōmādeth the same, addyng Roma. 13. thervnto, that euery power is of god, & is goddis minister, & not otherwise, and the resistāce therof is damnation. And Paule wrytynge to Titus, Titum. 3. byddeth hym to charge the people, to obey prin­cis, and the hygher powers. And Peter, Paule, 1. Cor. 3. and other the appostels, call them selfes in holye scriptures but minysters, and theyr power a my­nisterye. And accordyng to this, Peter was obe­dyent in mynistrynge at the cōmandement of the Galath. 2. other apostelles, to goo to Samarie with Iohn. And also Peter was appoynted to be a preacher amonge the Iewes, and Iohn and Iames with hym: & Paule and Barnabas with hym, among the gentyles. And Paule bosteth, that Peter and Iohn gaue hym their right handes. And Paule sayth also, that he blamed Peter openly, bycause he folowed not the trouthe of the gospel. And in­numerable mo auctorities of scripture are to be rehersed hereof. But nowe, leste I shoulde seme to longe in this place, let this lyttell pretye piece, though it were moche lesse, cut out of the ryghte large, true wrought, and moste beautyfull cloth, goddis holy scriptures, concerning the Iudaical Antichrist of Rome, and his adherentes, whyche stande best in their owne pernyciouse conceytes, lyke the Iewes, whose blyndnes caused them to beleue Iohn Baptist, better then Christ, not with standyng the greate nomber of sygnes and pro­phecies, whiche they had, witnessing that he was [Page] come, be sufficiēt to lay before them, for a patron, to stayne and vtterly shame all their counterfayt clothes of fals interpretations, and coloured gloses of their feyned gospel. And thanke our lorde god of Israel, that he hath so clered our syght, y^t we haue now at the last, found a right Paul, our sayd most souerayn lord the kyng, to comptroll & abolyshe Peters dissimuled successours counter­fayte gospell, and to auaunce, and preferre god­dis owne most true and faythfull gospell.

Salutem ex inimicis nostris, & de manu omnium qui oderunt nos.

OVR AVNCIENT enmy, who bycause he had ben so high a creature, aboue other, and become from an angell of highe heauen, a deuyll Esai. 14. in depe hell, for that that he wold haue ben equal with the highest, neuer ceassed after to stryue a­geynst god, and his best beloued creature man­kynde. In so moche, that so sone as euer he per­ceyued the fyrst parentes were formed and setlyd in the pleasant place of Paradyse, & that god had bounde them to a certayne obedience, he infected Gen. 3. them with his pestilent pride of disobedience a­geynst god, for the whiche they were exyled that place, and both they and theyr posteritie brought to rume and captiue bondes of the same ennemy and his innumerable sort of euyll angels, which contynually laye in awayte of theym, vntyll the birth of Christe, who was and is the vnyuersall horne power strength and glory, for the helth of [Page] mankynde, against the sayd enemy, and his sayd aungelles, whiche yet neuerthelesse desisteth not day and nyght, nor neuer wyll accordynge to his olde custome, by a thousand ingyns and meanes to plant debate betwene god and man, & betwene man and man, power and power, & euery where causeth disobedience, and rebellion of subiectes, ageynst their souerains, & ledeth mankind by fantasies & illusions from one mischiefe to an other, vntyll he brynge them to forgette god, and vnto what order they were appoynted fyrst by god, as by experic̄ce amongest our selfes, here in Englād we haue cause best to perceyue. For what by oure sayd enmye the deuyll, and what by our ennemy the byshoppe of Rome, his traditions and fals doctrynes, his vanities and dreames, his hypo­crisie and fayned relygion, the dyuels snares, we were brought in case, that we dyd set more by thē than by god, or any part of his doctrine, ana fea­red more the bysshop of Romes curse, than god­dis vengeaunce, whiche began to come in hande apace by the moste contagious plagues of com­motions and rebellions amōgest our selfes. But Salutem that god, whiche is the inlyghtner of the harte of man, and the helthe of mans soule, of his inesti­mable mercy and goodnes, raysed vp for vs his power of helth of glory and of strēgth, our godly Iosias, and moste soueraygne lorde the kynges maiestie, to wake and consyder vs his corrupt & wandrynge flocke, and hauynge receyued by the handes of his ryght vertuous scrybe Saphan, 2. Par. 34. [Page] euen the grace of god, the boke of the law of god long hid, did set forth the same with al diligence, by which our ignorant darknes is become a per­fect knowlege of lyght, And we perceyue clerely, that we dyd abuse our selfes in disobedience both ageynst god, and our sayd souerayn lorde, whom god hath ordeyned oure Michaell, our Dauyd, Ex inimicis nostris, and our only helth in erth, ageynst the pompous Lucifer, and monstruous Golyath of Rome, and all our enemyes of euery sort, and who is an able power and strengthe by god, to defende and pre­serue Et de manu omniū qui oderūt nos. Psal. 88. vs, from the handes of all theym that hate vs. For god sayth of him, I haue put helpe in the power, and man of myghte, and haue auaunced, whome I haue chosen among my people, I haue founde Dauid myn owne seruant, whom I haue annoynted with my holye oyle. And therfore my hande shall helpe hym, and myn arme shall con­firme hym, his ennemye shall not preuayle at all in hym, and the chyld of iniquitie shall not prease to hurt hym, I shal make his enmyes fall downe by heapes before his face, and shall put to flyght suche as hate hym, my trouth and mercy shall be euer with hym, and in my name shal his horne of of glory, power, and helth, be exalted. Lo, this is most comfortable helth, consolation, reioyce, and glorie of all faythfull louynge hartes, and moste terrible feare, quakynge dreade, and vtter confu­sion of all vntrue, malicious, and hatefull tray­tours: whiche are goddis and our moste detesta­ble and abhorrible ennemies and haters.

Ad faciendam misericordiam cum patribus nostris, & memorari testamenti sui sancti: Iusiurandum quod iurauit ad Abraham pa­trem nostrum daturum se nobis.

ZACHARIE PRAYSETH GOD, that by the horne of power and helthe, whiche he hath raysed vp for vs in the house of Dauid (as is before mencioned) he shulde do and shewe his mercy with the fathers, Abraham Isaac Iacob, Ad facien dā miseri­cordiā cū patribus nostris. and all the other of the olde testamente, that they beinge deade before Chrystes commynge, shulde be part takers with theyr children and folowers, of the benefytes of his passion, wherin they had perfyte hope whyle they lyued. And he byndeth god thervnto in the true performance of his most Genes. 15. Et memo rari testa­menti sui sancti, Ius iuran. &c. holy couenaunt that he promysed Abraham: The mooste blessed vyrgine Marie beinge conceyued with Chryste also (as in the same fyrste chapyter of Luke is rehersed) magnifieth god most hum­bly for the same, after this maner, That all that is in her doth magnifie god, bycause he hath be­holde the mekenes of his hande mayde, whom al nations shall blesse. For his myghte hath doone Luc. 1. great thynges to her, and therfore his name is holy, and his mercy is infinite, for he hath not on ly shewed it in her, but frome generation to gene­ration, suche as feare hym. he hath taken vp his seruaunt Israel, beinge remembred of his holye couenante, accordyng as he promysed Abraham, and his seede for euer more. Whiche Mary and zacharie bothe, enforce vs nowe also (as trewe [Page] Israelytes and seers of god) to magnyfie and prayse our lorde god of Israel, for his great mer­cy and holy couenant late shewed and performed in vs. For lyke as it is also wrytten. That there fel an heuy slepe vpon Abraham, and gret darke­nes Genes. 15. fell vpon hym. And the lord sayde vnto him, knowe this of a suertye, that thy seede shall be a straunger in a lande that is not theyrs. And they shall make bondemen of them, and intreate them euyll, foure hundred yeres, but the people, whom they shall serue, wyll I iudge, afterwarde they shall go forthe with great substaunce. Euen soo was it come to passe with vs, for our fathers and also we beinge seduced and led blynde with fan­tasies and mens inuentions, by the subtyle pra­ctise of the ambicyouse Romanyste Lucifer, and his complices, were caste into an heuy slepe, and great darkenes of ignoraunce in god, and his mooste holy worde, and therby also were we as subtylly and slylye conueyed, and made captyue straungers at Rome, bycause we had of ryghte nothynge to do in that citie or lande, and ther­fore were we euyll intreated of them, with theyr myschiefes and abhominations accordyngelye, And as men vse theyr bondemen, soo vsed they vs. For they set vs besyly and vylye a worke, to clyme the ladder, to brynge them word what god dyd in heauen, but the more we dydde clyme, the farther downe we wente, And then we must seke this saynte, and that saynte, this blocke and that stocke, this toye and that toye, offer here and of­fer [Page] there, and kysse here and lycke there, tylle it was tyme to reste for werynes. The Egipcian ti­rannye was neuer more laborous to our forefa­thers. And what so euer we coulde get or gather together was shortly after theyr owne good, and had nothing therfore but cleane remissiō of thrift. And neyther wold they manumise one of vs, but take our cheuage and let vs go tyll a nother time & gather more. And this cōtinued more thē foure hundred yeres, vntyll our lorde god of Israell, whose inestimable mercy and goodnes, whose in­enarable ryghtuousenesse and trouth excedeth al thynge that is, vouchedsafe of late tyme to illu­myne moste graceousely our sayd darkenes, with his holy word, wherby we haue perceyued Christ the auctour of our lyght, and our onely sauiour, to be as it were newly come and incarnate for vs: and that throughe the fayth whiche we haue in hym, we be (as Paule sayth) reputed iustified as Galath. 3. Roma. 4. was our father Abraham, whose chyldren adop­tiue and multiplication of his sede by faythe, we nowe also be. And the very partetakers with our sayde forefathers Abraham Isaac Iacob, and al the remanaunt of the olde testamente and newe bothe, and they with vs, of the merytes of Chri­stes bloud, promysed by god to Abraham and his sayde sede for euermore, to whom the bloudde of a lambe was a figuratiue saluation in Egypte. Exod. 12. And we perceyue also, by the illumination of the sayde holy worde, that the byshoppe of Rome, to whose tyranny we were thus as is sayde, thrall, [Page] is iudged of god, to be Chrystes vtter aduersary, and the vsurper of the ryghtful power of kynges and prynces, goddes ryghte mynisters ouer his people. And we newely adoptiue Israelites from Exod. 12. 13. 14. the sayde thraldome of the sayd byshop, through the same worde also, no lesse wonderfully delyue­red into great welthe and ioye by our most godly captayn the kynges highnes, then were our fore­father Israelites from the captiuitie of the tyran nous Pharao into the plesaunt land of promissi­on by theyr holy prophete and leader Moyses.

Vt sine timore de manu inimicorum nostro­rum liberati seruiamus illi: In sanctitate & iusticia coram ipso omnibus diebus nostris.

SITHENS through thonly inestimable goodnes, Vt sine ti­more de manu ini­micorum nostrorū liberati mercy, and loue of god towarde vs, and not by any part of our deseruyng towardes him, we be thus graciously carclesse and without any feare delyuered, from the handes of our before rehersed ennemies, and are become the seers of god, and the adoptyue chyldren of Abraham by faythe, through the illumination of his most ho­ly worde in vs, and conuerted from the nyght in to the daye, that is from the darkenes of the ig­norant knowlege of god to the bryght knowlege Seruiamꝰ illi. of hym: it behoueth vs with all our mynde with all our harte, with all our soule, and with al that which is or may be in vs, to loue and dreade him, and with pure and sincere holynes and faythfull In sancti­tate & iu­sticia, ryghtuousenes, serue and honour hym, lyke as [Page] Paule sayth, god hath not called vs to lyue im­purely, Roma. 12. but to lyue holyly, not to fasshion our sel­fes vnto this worlde, but to be changed through the renewyng of our mynde. And therfore Paule Ephes. 5. byddeth vs to be the folowers of god, as mooste derely beloued chyldren, and to walke in loue as Chryste loued vs. And puttynge vs in remem­braunce, that we were sometyme darkenes, and nowe lyght in our lorde god, biddeth vs to walke as chyldren of the lyght. for the fruite of the spy­rite is all maner of rightuousnes and trouth, and to proue what is pleasynge vnto the lorde. And haue no felowshyp with the vnfruitefull workes of darkenes, but rather rebuke them. And Peter also comfortyng vs in our chosen generation, our 1. Petri. 2. holy nation, and that we be a peculiar peple, wil­leth vs, that we shuld shewe the vertues of him, whiche hath called vs frome darkenes vnto his merueylouse lyght, Euen we, whiche are nowe a people of god, whiche sometyme were not so, and whiche nowe haue obteyned mercy, whiche some tyme we had not, and commaundeth vs to sette a syde all vice, that they, whiche backebyte vs for euyl doers, maye se our good workes, and prayse god in the day of visitacion. And he there subioy­neth dyuers rules of good workes, of the which the fyrste is, that we shoulde submytte our selfes vnto all creatures for goddes sake, whether it be vnto the kyng, as vnto the chiefe heade and most excellent aboue other, or vnto any other his sub­stitute rulers and deputies, which ar sent by him, [Page] for the punishement of the euyl, and prayse of the good, for soo is the wyll of god. And briefely a­mongest other he compileth this lesson, Honour all men, loue brotherly felowshyp, feare god, and honour the kynge. And our auctour of lyghte, Chryste saythe of hym selfe, I am the lyght of the Ioan. 8. world, and who that foloweth me, walketh not in darkenes, but shall haue euerlastynge lyfe. And what shall be our common pathe sayth he, but do Matth. 7. all suche thynges to other men, whiche ye wolde they shuld do vnto you. And that we shuld know our tyme of workynge, he byddeth vs to worke whyle we haue light, and lest we also shuld spend our tyme of lyght vnprofytably (lyke as Paule warneth vs, that we shulde not receyue grace in 2. Cor. 6. vayne) he thretneth vs by example to take it from vs, and to bestowe it better vppon other. For he sayth, A certayne seruant, to whome his mayster had deliuered a portiō of money to employ, hyd y^e Luc. 19. money, & dyd nothing therwith: & therfore whan his master came to haue accompt of him & other, & founde he had made no encrease therof, he bla­med hym sore, & caused it to be taken from him, & deliuered vnto one of his other seruantes, whom he had tried a profytable seruaunt. And therfore Paule saythe vnto vs, As ye haue receyued of 1. Tes. 4. vs, howe ye shulde walke & please god, so walke that ye may encrease the more abundauntly. and as Peter saythe, yf you be good louers and folo­wers 1. Petri. 3. of Christe, who can hurte you? And yet our seruyce muste be suche as god alloweth holy and Corā ipso [Page] rightuous, orels it were better vndone. And ther fore Christ taught his electes, howe their seruice Matth. 5. and workes shuld be accepted of god, saying vn­to them, ye are the lyght of the worlde, and men vse not to lyght a candell, & ouerwhelme it with a bushell whan they haue done, but setteth it vp­pon a candelstycke, that it may light al them that be in the howse, euen so let your lyght shyne be­fore men, that they maye see your good workes, and glorifie, whom? you? nay, but your father, whiche is in heuen. as who saith, you can or shall do no workes (seme they neuer so holy) that shall be accepted of god, that are not done for goddis honour but for your owne. For so dyd the hypo­crite phariseis set abrode the skyrtes of their gar­mentes, and vsyd al their doinges to be sene and praysed of men. But Peter byddeth vs sanctifie ourlorde Christ in our hartes. And Paule also 1. Pet. 3. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 10. saythe, Glorifie and beare god in your bodye. as who sayth, Let al your outward good workes be inwardely for goddis sake, and his glorie. But howe farre thynke ye our popysshe monkery and fryerye, and all other disguysed rables of euerye kynde of the fayned and popeholy relygion (whi­che thanked be god for his grace. are in a good towardnes to be made out of our wayes for euer more) be and haue be differynge from Zacharies before rehersed holynes and rightuousnes before god? surely as farre as betweene zacharies ac­quayntance Matth. 7. and theirs. And therfore all though they cry in neuer so great a route, and vntyl they [Page] be hoorse, lorde lorde open for vs, and haue in ne­uer so fast, yet wyll heauen gates open neuer the more. For Christe wyll answere theym, I neither knowe your newe fashioned apparayle, nor you, ye be not my shepe of y^e house of Israel, for whom I made my holy couenant, ye be the Idolaters, the gentyls, ye neuer receyued my gospel, nor dyd my fathers will, ye imbrased Antichristes gospel, & were thexecutours of his wyl, euen the workes of darknes and of deth, ambition, sedition, vayn glorye, and suche lyke abhomynations. I loued and taught aboue all thinges pouertie and obe­dience, ye made a promyse, & sware vayne othes, Osee. 10. to folowe me in them, but you hated them for all that aboue all thynges. Hypocrites, ye promysed gold, but ye payd fylthy thinges, you made your selfes possessioners and lordes of the earthe, and were sedycious disobeyours of myne ordynances and holy lawes made by myn elect mynyster and right folower of the good Iosias, whom you dis­simuled 2. Par. 34. your moste soueraygne lord, bearing an vsurper in your corrupte bosomes, that he shuld redresse your idolatrie & abhomynable fashyons of vngodly lyuyng, & to put to better vses your treasures and possessions, whyche you dyd enioy withoute iuste title by me. I saye to you therfore yet ones ageyne, I knowe you not, get you hens Matt. 7. from me into damnation with al your iniquites. And not withstandynge these, yet be there other thynges, wherby our holynes and rightuousnes ar lykewyse to be made perfect beforegod, which [Page] we must also obserue, as that there be no diuersi­tie of opinions amongest vs, but as Paule saith, that we drawe all one way, hauyng one loue, be­inge Philipp. 2. of one accorde and of one mynde, that there be nothyng done through stryfe and vaynglory, but through mekenes of mind, and in that, wher­vnto Philipp. 3. we are come, let vs procede by one rule. And it is also to be obserued, that we bost not vngod­ly of our gostely renewynge in the lyghte of the Ephes. 4. knowlege of god, as who saithe, it came of oure 2. Cor. 10. Roma. 12. selfes, leste whyle we measure our selues by oure selues, and holde onely of our selfes, we vnder­stande nothyng. And lest perauenture, whyle we 1. Cor. 10. seme to stande, we fall sodeynly or we be ware. It behoueth than therfore, that we esteme our selfes as Paule estemeth hym selfe, and folowe his ex­ample therin, saying. It is the grace of god, that Philipp. 3. I am such a one as I am, I am not al redy per­fect, but I folow, if I may cōprehende that wher­in I am comprehended of Christ Iesu. Brethern Omnibus diebus no stris. I count not my selfe yet that I haue gotten it: but one thing I say, I forget that whiche is be­hynde, and stretche my selfe vnto that whiche is before, and prease vnto the marke appoynted, to opteyne the rewarde of the hygh callyng of god in Christe Iesu. And also our holynes and righ­tuousnesse muste haue a durable contynuance in a ryghte perfection, and not for a tyme, or nowe good and than euyll, but all tymes good, so as it may be sayd, goddes word was sowen in a good Luc 8. Matth. 1 [...]. lande, which fruitefully abydeth to the full tyme [Page] of haruest, and not in stony grounde or amonge busshes, so that it may not fructifie and tary the full tyme. For what auayleth it to haue be neuer so longe counted noble, wyse, or counnynge, and at the laste, through wylfull ignoraunce and ob­stinate frowardnes (as we of late haue knowen many) to be condemned to shamefull deathe, and to be noted in perpetuall memory most wretched and moste folyshe? Or what auayleth a manne to haue lyued all his dayes in holynes and rightu­ousnes, and at the last moment of his lyfe, to con­ceyue a myschiefe, & be damned for euermore? yet better it were to lyue longe euyl, & dye wel, as dyd he y^t honge on the ryght hande of Christe, then to lyue longe well, and dye euyll, as dydde Iudas, who was longe good after he was called, and yet dyed moste myserably. And therefore as Christe saith, perseuer in goodnes, and thou shalt be sure to be saued by Christis deth. Let vs then, hauing continually before the eies of our hartes the vn­spekeable goodnes and mercy of god shewed vn­to vs through the lyght of his most holy worde, not onely serue and honour him, our selfe in per­fecte holynes and rightuousnesse before hym all our dayes, but so shewe and sette forthe vnto out chyldren, and suche other as we haue in charge vnder god, howe great thinges god hath doone for vs newe Israelites, that they also, and frome generation to generation, maye lyke wyse serue and honour hym for euer more.

¶ Et tu puer propheta altissimi uocaberis: preibis enim ante faciē domini, parare uias eius: Ad dandam scientiam salutis plebi e­ius, in remissionem peccatorū eorum: Per uiscera misericordie dei nostri, in quibus ui­sitauit nos oriens ex alto: Illuminare his qui in tenebris & in umbra mortis sedent ad dirigendos pedes nostros in uiam pacis.

LYKE AS ZACHARIE after that he had prophecied & set forthe Christes incarnation, the moste comfortable helth & saluation of mans soule, and lauded & praysed god therfore, he dyd also prophecienge set forthe the graciouse quali­ties of his yonge sonne Iohn (for as moche as he Et tu puer ꝓ pheta altiss [...] mi uocabe­ris, Prçibis en [...] ante faciem domini pa­rare uias eius. then knewe hym by the remembraunce of the re­uelation of the angell before he was conceyued) to be a necessary minister appoynted of god. and therfore called hym the prophete of the mooste hyghest god, to go before hym to make redy his ways, and to do other diuine ministeries for him. It is conuenient also, that we (nowe that Christe is playnely and truely by his holy worde shewed and set forth vnto vs, and as he were newe borne agayne for vs) with all hartye good wyll and mynd shuld auance into perpetual fame our said moste soueraygne lorde the kynges moste excel­lent maiestie, whom (by very expert perception of most godly commodities) we know nowe to be a necessary minister of god for our both bodely and gostly helthe. And as it was shewed by the aun­gell, that many shulde reioyse in Iohns natiui­tie, [Page] euen so haue we great ioye (through the light of goddes holy worde) in the mooste ryghtuouse restitution of his godlye title power and myny­stery ouer vs, wherof he and his most noble pro­genitours haue be long by vsurpation depriued. And beinge also replete with the grace of god, both after the interpretatiō of the name of Iohn, and his graciouse antecellent vertues, resembled to Iohns, and for his blessed trauayle in true set­tynge forthe his lorde and maister Christe, maye be and ought to be estemed of vs an other Iohn Baptist, and holy prophete of the mooste hyghest god. In whose syght by his godly minystration, his highnes gothe before hym to make redy and playne his wayes in the soules of vs his regene­rate people of Israell, commytted by hym to his charge, whose hyghnes also (declarynge the true Ad dan­dā scien­tiā salutis plebi eius. difference betwene the very ryght and pryncypall thynges perteynynge to our saluation, and thac­cidentall laudable ceremonies and rites, not per­teynynge necessarylye to our saluation: lyke as Iohn Baptist putteth difference betwene his ba­ptisme of penaunce in water onely, and Christes baptisme in the holy goste, affyrmynge his bap­tisme to gyue neyther remission of synne nor spi­ritual grace, but Christes baptisme to gyue them bothe abundantely) dothe gyue vnto vs (by the syncere preachynge and settyng forth of the most comfortable gospelle) knowlege and vnderstan­dynge In remis­sionē peccatorum eorum. of the helthe of our saluation, whiche is Christ, the only remytter and pardoner of sinne, [Page] throughe the tendernes of goddes holy mercy to­wardes Per uiscera misericordie dei nostri, in quibus uisi­tauit nos o­riens ex alto Zacha. 6. Psal. 77. Illuminare his qui in te­nebris & in umbra mortis sedent ad dirigendos pedes no­stros in uiam pacis. vs. And not by any other meanes or sa­crifice, then by the deathe of Christ, which for the nones came from aboue, lyke a spryngynge light of iustice, to lyght vs whiche satte and abode lōg both in the darknes of the ignorance of god, & in y^e shadowe of deth, which folowid vs euery where for our synne. And to directe and leade the fete of our soules from the obstinate rebelliouse genera­tion of our forefathers (whose hartes were not directe vnto god, nor theyr spiryte beleuynge in god, but rather in mennes traditions and ficti­ons, besydes Christes gospell) into the waye of gostly workes of ryghtuousnes before god, whi­che is peace with god, to whom be eternall glory prayse and empire for his before rehersed inenar­rable graces and benefytes infused in our sayde moste soueraygne lorde, wherof he hath also im­parted vnto vs so plentyfully that thrughe the bryght lyght of goddes moste holy worde, we be bothe borne agayne a peculiar fortunate and blessed people of god, in pure knowlege of hym, and also delyuered from the horrible & captyue thral­dome of our moste cruell and tyrannous enmies the dyuell and the byshoppe of Rome. Desyryng yet also goddes infinite goodnes, so to illumyne (with his holy word) other temporal prynces and rulers, and theyr people (whiche yet sytte in lyke darkenes and shadowe of deathe as we dyd, by­cause god hath not shewed nor opened his iuge­mentes Psal. 147. vnto them, lykewyse as he hath done vn­to [Page] vs) that they with vs and we with theym (all vsurped power the only rote of discorde, betwene and in all nations and of all other abhominati­ons growen therby clerely extincte) myght parti­cipate the aforesayde godly ryghtuousenes and peace with god. As one heuenly flocke vnder one moste chiefe herdeman (Chryste) commytted by hym to the sondrye charge and gouernaunce of kynges prynces and other temporall rulars vp­pon erthe: And fynally (hauynge a continual de­uoute meditation of goddes sayd graces and be­nefytes) Let vs diligently in mooste harty wyse (according to Pauls exhortation in this behalfe) praye vnto god, for the moste ioyfull prosperytie Tim. 2. and longe good helthe of our sayde mooste soue­raygne lorde the kynge: the moste gracious lady quene Anne, his moste lawfull noble wyfe, and the moste noble Prynce Edwarde his moste lau­ful sonne and heyre apparant, and vnto vs most excellent preciouse tewel & treasure: And that god wyll vouchsafe bothe to adde vnto eyther of the termes of theyr lyues prefinite and appointed, as he added vnto the good Ezechias, and also grant that the sayde Prince may late longe succede his Ezec. 38. sayde moste noble father, bothe in kyngdomeand graciouse vertues, with increace of chyldren to them bothe also, Vs (que) in consummationem seculi, And after this worldely reygne, celestially to reygne with god. Amen.