A CHRISTIAN FAMILIAR COMFORT AND ENCOURAGEMENT unto all English Subjects, not to dismay at the Spanish threats. Whereunto is added an admonition to all English Papists, who openly or covertly covet a change. With requisite prayers to almighty God for the preservation of our Queen and Country. By the most unworthy I. N.  
Printed at London for J. B. 1596.   

TO THE HIGH AND MOST VIRTUOUS PRINCESS Elizabeth, by the especial providence of the Almighty, Queen of England, France, and Ireland, chief protector of the right Catholic Religion.  
ALbeit I may be justly censured (most gracious Queen) to have committed a two fold fault in this mine enterprise: first in undertaking it, being most unworthy: next, in exhibiting it to your Highness, being most worthy: I beseech your royal patience to hear mine excuse, and as it may sound with your known clemency, I may receive pardon for my boldness. To commit the first, I had a two fold encouragement, the occasion of the time, and a continual secret instinct urging me to do mine endeavour in this kind, not intending thereby to prevent any better able: To adventure the second, I was moved by discretion, namely, to commend the consideration of it (silly as it is) unto your high Majesty, above all others: and that for two causes, the one, in regard none hath better power to protect it, being in any measure worthy: next, none hath like authority to pardon it, being faulty. And in these regards especially, my most gracious Sovereign, duty and love being witnesses of mine inward zeal, I humbly presume to leave this my poor offering at the feet of your most prudent censure.  
Your majesties loyal poor Subject, JOHN NORDEN.   

To my Christian countrymen, faith in God, love to her Majesty, constancy in Religion, watchfulness & magnanimity, be for ever more and more increased & continued.  
SAint Jerome being in Bethleem, at the time when the Turks invaded and most cruelly wasted Asia the less, Arabia, Egypt, and part of Syria, declared that the sins of the Christians there, were the cause of all that misery, and of the fear which possessed their hearts, & gave courage & victory to the enemy. And that there was no assurance of the mitigation of that fierce fury of the one, or restitution of comfort to the other, before there were in the Christians humiliation, and a true returning unto virtue and righteousness. Which ancient counsel of that famous father may be renewed now amongst us, when the professed enemy of the true Catholic religion hath stirred up an apparent indignation in the pretended King Catholic, against England, and many other parts where the Gospel is sincerely preached, and that surely for the sins of Christians, in the judgement of God, who looking upon the green leaved fig tree of our profession, desiring to taste of the fruit which it should bear, findeth it not answerable to his expectation. And therefore, unless we will return from our hypocrisy, and bring forth with our leaves good fruit, it is to be doubted, that our God powerful and just, will permit this professed adversary to rouse us out of our secure thoughts, and either win us to more sincerity, or give us into the hands of our adversary. And to the end we may all find out ourselves to be faulty, that seem now to be shrouded with security, it is fit that we should examine every one himself, and amend what the word of the living God willeth to be amended in every particular person: so, howsoever the causes of this Spanish Hoobub may appear to be in the man of sin, in malice, & in his chief agent the pretended king catholic, in ambition, we shall prevent them both of their vain purposes, being strongly shrouded with hope of the performance of the promises of our God, who will upon our reconciliation become again on our side, howsoever yet our sins may deserve to have the shield of his protection taken from us, and to draw the enemy to invade us. And therefore it is now required, and that with speed, that we should deny ourselves, & acknowledge him, forsake ourselves, and cleave unto him, disclaim the confidence of our own strength, and depend wholly upon his unvanquishable power, who shall be to us all in all, and who shall strengthen us, & weaken them: fight for us, & against them: And to this end have I (though most unworthy) sent unto you this simple Echo, to that subtle Hoobub, not that it should sound to mine own vainglory, but to encourage us all ●o shape a new course in our lives, and such providence in our ●roceedings, that we all may answer our duties to God, loyalty to Queen Elizabeth, and love to our country. And so may every man rest truly resolute in a good conscience, to withstand the practices of this roaring beast of Rome, and all the power of his professed adherents, the enemies of God and us, with an assured hope never to be overcome.  
Yours in Christian good will, I. N.   

A CHRISTIAN COMfort and encouragement unto all English subjects, not to dismay at the Antichristian threats.  

Cap. 1.  
We must examine the special causes, why God hath stirred up the Nation of the Spaniards to pursue England.  
THough in the judgement of God, there be many causes that may move him to take displeasure against us the people of England: yet before I proceed to examine them as behoveth, to the end they may be reform: I will briefly (as necessary it is) show the chief causes that merely move the Spaniards to this loud hoobub, without regard of the occasions, why God would make them the executioners of his wrath against us, 
The Spaniards ●egard not the ●ause why God ●oueth them ●o invade us.  and the instruments to put us in mind of the breach of our league with him, who hath so long preserved us in peace, and given us freely the use of his Gospel: the neglect whereof, and our contrary fruits, no doubt, is the principal cause that God hath called this nation from far, 
They have a too fold blind ●eale in their ●esire  to invade us, who yet of themselves are drawn thereunto, as ravished by two blind devotions: the first and principal is, in that he is the Pope's vizeroy, lieutenant, and chief martial man, and hath the title general of the Catholic King. 
The king of ●paine the Popes champion  In regard whereof he is to stand as the Pope's champion, to answer any challenge that his holiness shall undertake, for defence and preservation of his usurped title and Empire. And in that respect this mighty Goliath, this blasphemous Rabsakeh, pretendeth a sufficient warrant from Senacherib of Rome, to pursue Hezechia of England with this hoobub, that our God shall not deliver us out of his hands, but that he only as the chieftain Catholic of that man of sin, hath the sole power from him to conquer kingdoms, and therefore sounds up this hoo and cry, Am I now come up without the Lord to England, to destroy it? As if he should say, My Lord and master, Christ's vicar, hath commanded me, and therefore how dare English Hezechiah, or any other, that trusteth not in the power of my master's holiness, despise me, his grand chieftain, or the least Captain of his under me? who are to pursue heretics that have rob him of his honour and glory, 
●ngland hath ●obbed the Pope ●f his credit  of his power and authority, holiness, and credit, whereby he is become of less estimation among the kingdoms of the world. The supposed slanders which England hath wrongfully laid upon him, the dishonour and demerits which his locusts have condignly received in England of latter times, for their treasons, conspiracies, and murderous practices, are pretended to be so high a blemish unto that painted beast, that by no means the quarrel is to be qualified but by open force, and forcible invasion, that can take no better success by devilish devices. It is not unknown to all, how many secret practisers, even of our own unnatural countrymen and others, he hath sent to subvert the quiet of our state, pretending openly the winning of men to the church of Rome, wherein, and not else where (as they say) is salvation: but covertly have stirred up rebellious thoughts and deeds in many, which otherwise might have showed themselves loyal subjects. And this general practice hath appeared to be a device to steal away the hearts of the subjects from their due obedience to our most gracious Queen: whereby we might grow into civil rebellions within ourselves, and so give him the more ease to make spoil of all. And sith these secret workers have not, nor can take no effect in their treasons, but condign reward, deserved justice, whereby many have been rid most happily out of our common weal: and their dispatch (no doubt) to us most beneficial: and howsoever they be enchanted by the vain conceit of canonisation and reward at God's hands, the whores deceiving baits, 
What reckoning the Pope maketh of the death of our Seminaries.  their confusion is no more regarded of his holiness, than the fall of a drop from his nose: he loveth not the name of an English man, but flattereth them, only to use them to work secret mischiefs, and that they may come to the more speedy confusion, And sith I say, by their secret means he cannot get again and redeem the decay, that the truth of the Gospel here received; hath brought upon his kingdom of darkness: he hath sent out this hellish hoobub, with his blasphemous conjurations, commanding herein above all the rest of his adherents, 
The things whereof we ●aue rob the Pope.  this capital King Catholic to take knowledge first, of his iniururies sustained by the English Nation, who have despoiled him of all his Abbeys, Priories, Monasteries & other relics, of his forged devotions: and with all, of our detaining of the annual revenues, and pensions which he usurped from us, great sums of money to maintain his high abominations: and which is more, that we have bewrayed his darkness, which he would have the whole world to embrace as the true light: which things have so deeply discovered him, that he will be seen to pursue us as robbers, with this peevish hoobub, the destruction of England. This no doubt is the first cause that enkindleth a blind devotion in the king of Spain, dignified with the high title of King Catholic, to pursue the matter, vi & armis, to discharge himself of the trust reposed in him. The other cause invested merely in himself, without having any eye at all on any other end, 
The second ●ause moving ●he king of ●paine.  is the desire and thirstiness, wherewith he hath been long tossed to subject this land to his dominions: for since his atchyving the gold of India, his thoughts have never been quieted, but still seek how to increase his power, and to become sole Monarch of Europe. And to this his ambitious desire, the holy father bringeth more stubble to maintain the fire, to serve his own turn, the better to support his black kingdom, well shaken by the thunder of the Gospel, which he by the Spanish Inquisition, the court of hellish furies, endeavoureth (but in vain) to extinguish. 
The Spaniard longeth for England.  And forasmuch as England hath been the best benefactor (in ignorance) to the Sea of Rome: and of whose sweetness this Catholic king hath some thing tasted, and finding it plausible for his stomach to digest, he longeth for it, as the purple whore with child of ambition, longeth for her own glory: which ambitious thirst can hardly be quenched, as appeareth, till the throats of more of his invincible troops be stopped, with the waves of our narrow Seas. The remembrance of whose former success in the same, may argue in us, if we retire to our helping God, an assurance of the like issue of his blind ambition now. Which maketh him swell in regard he seemeth to be master of land and sea, in both which he is deceived, and yet pricketh him forward to equalize his territories with the great and large scope of the pristine Roman Empire, which extended itself over three parts of the world, and yet could not satisfy the ambition of Caesar and Pompey, whilst the one could abide no equal, the other no superior. The Pope for his part will be king of kings, and will accept neither superior not equal, in causes either divine or human: the Spaniard privileged by his title of king Catholic, coveteth superiority over all the rest, not only of the Pope's vassal kings, but over others, & therefore he wrestleth hard for Flanders and other provinces of Germany, 
How the Span●ard fis●eth fo● kingdoms  he practiseth subtly for France, suborneth impiously Ireland, and audaciously threateneth England. But (no doubt) as the fountain of ambition yieldeth no better liquor than thus to usurp other men's territories & kingdoms, so it will afford no better end than it did to the Lacedæmonians and Athenians, 
The end of ambition  the one being master of the sea, the other of the land, whose glory as it took beginning by ambition, so by the same they were brought both to confusion in the end: and therefore need we the less to fear this ambitious hoobub, wherein we seem to be pursued: first for that which belongeth to God himself, namely, all glory, power, virtue, verity, sanctity, and holiness, which this beast of Rome usurpeth to himself, and would enforce us to yield it unto him from our loving God, whose cause we shall defend, and not our own, in resisting his chieftain this Catholic king: secondly, seeing it pursues us for our own kingdom, country, lands, liberty, wives, children, and lives, things peculiar (under God) to our Queen, and under her unto ourselves, he hath no colour to challenge any property, title, interest or hope in them, and therefore in defending them we shall preserve ourselves, and that which is merely our own. And yet thereunto will not that beast entitle him? Thus we see the causes that move this loud hoobub against us in the mere desire of the Spaniards.  
But forasmuch as we are in duty and christian policy to look back into ourselves, and to take survey of the occasions which may be argued to be in ourselves, 
The occasion is 〈◊〉 ourselves which hath stirred up this hoo●ub  why God in justice should move this Antichristian host against us, having the title of Christians, and to examine whether we deserve to taste of the plague which is threatened by this fearful hoobub, or whether we may securely follow that which we have hitherto practised without reformation of our lives: It is found by experience, that the body may be most sick when it feeleth no grief at all, and a man that is most secure, may be suddenly stricken, as appeared by Herod in his greatest pride: a city most careless and wicked may be confounded, as Sodom, Gomorrha, Seboim, and the rest, 
Causes of da●ger are not superficially to be glanced at  when they least suspected peril, were destroyed with fire from heaven: so may secure kingdoms, as was the secure world by the flood: and therefore much more may dangers be feared, when there are apparent causes, which yet cannot upon a sudden view so plainly appear, as when they are duly considered. Our superficyall thoughts of the causes of this rumour of wars, may be compared to the judgement of a Physician, 
The diseases of a common wealth must be cured in time.  who looketh neither upon the party grieved, nor upon his state, and what counsel then can he give to the patiented? And therefore saith the wise man, A disease known is in manner cured; and as it fareth with the diseases of the body, which not being prevented, may suddenly kill the person: so a common wealth diseased, by unpunished vices, and overmuch liberty, standeth in danger of sudden subversion. These causes therefore aught to be both known and cured: Foreseen mischiefs hurt not so much as such as come unlooked for; and therefore wisdom premeditateth by discretion, before what may happen afterward. But security, 
All things have a change.  which deeming all parts of the body well, may be suddenly touched with a fever, which groweth by reason of the superfluous and gross humours that have grown by fullness of the best dainties. So it falleth out with common wealths, which foster security, being full of God's blessings: whereby they become sick of superfluous abundance, & lose the true taste of the best things, and so fall suddenly. Every thing under the Sun hath a change, a time to grow, and a time to whither, a time to bud, and a time to be ripe▪ & when a common wealth is risen to the top of all glory, than it is good that all men, but the magistrates especially, look into the superfluities and diseases thereof, and having duly considered all things, to seek how to root out the superfluous, and to foster and cherish the best humours: 
Every man must look into himself.  not only in a generality, but every private man in himself, lest every thing having his course freely in the commonwealth, the violence of type mischiefs breed a loathing thereof, as it were, in God, who cannot abide such negligence in any commonwealth, especially of Christians, no more than he could abide Adam and Eve in paradise after they had sinned: 
The fire of Adam's disobedience must be quenched in us.  and surely the fire of the ancient disobedience of them lieth yet covertly covered with the ashes of drowsy security, not only in every private man, but in every calling: so that it seemeth our commonwealth, howsoever it seem to go in government and true religion before other nations, requireth a kind of necessity, that this fire be quenched before it flame forth, to the consumption of our whole nation. If therefore we look to continue safe (howsoever slender account we seem to make of these Spanish vaunts) we must look both every man into himself, and the magistrates into the whole state: so (no doubt) if they be not partyall in their searches, they shall find in every man, in his particular examination of his own deserts, as also the magistrates in their general view of the whole, cause enough, whereby it cannot be denied but God may without injury unto any one, not only fray us with this hoobub, but suffer us to taste of the sword of this ambitious and blasphemous nation.  
To begin the examination, although I be the unworthiest to call men thereunto, yet in regard I am the worst, I cannot but acknowledge, and in deed I find that in myself, whereof would God all others were free, namely, sufficient cause why I wretch should be roused up and pursued by this pernicious generation, & if I should flatter myself, to deserve to be freed from their tyrannies, if I look unto my disobedience to God I should deceive myself: and yet mine imperfections perchance no farther seen in the world, than of such as seem to stand in this dangerous time, as men worthy for their honest, zealous, & religious behaviour, in their own conceits, to be justified by the mouths of all their neighbours. And therefore surely it will hardly appear that we have deserved to be punished, if we look no further than into other men, & so let ourselves pass like the scape goats: for if every one covet to find the cause in others, and pry not into himself, there will be never a free man, yet all free, for every man will condemn all but himself, and yet though none will condemn himself, he shall be condemned of all. And therefore let every man acknowledge himself worthy to be punished, so all men shall be condemned by their own mouths, and seek no further witness. And this (no doubt) is the way to find the cause why God hath called this nation against us, 
Every man must look unto himself, and not unto others  as jonah was found guilty by casting of lots. For doubtless if we seem to seek the cause of this danger without ourselves, we do wrong to the justice of God, who is not as envious man, that will strike one for an other, but the soul that sinneth shall die. Lo than it is sin that draweth on this hoobub to pursue us, 
Sin the cause of this hoobub  even to our subversion, if we repent not of our sundry evils. We are called Christians, and our adversaries Antichristians, but if we look into the fruits of both, a man may be in doubt who is likest Christ, by the outward fruits. And surely, for that we have the fire with us, and yet show no heat: for that we are true Gospelers in knowledge, if we show ourselves hypocrites in practice, 
Our fruits must approve us.  it must needs be granted, that our profession will not excuse us: then must our fruits approve us, or reprove us. It is as true as the Gospel is true, that we have the Gospel, and as true it is, that there is no true faith without it, and no salvation without faith in Christ, which faith if it be not lively and bring forth not only leaves, but fruit, it is not only like the fig tree that Christ cursed, but a tree that shall be hewn down and cast into the fire: so shall we stand in greater danger in our account, having received much, than the adversary that hath received less. And therefore it had been better that England had never received the Gospel, nor the title of Christians, rather than not be seen practisers of Christian religion, whose effects are not as the religion which is in the adverse, that are doubtless Antichristians, for that the one is in spirit and truth, whose object is Christ only, the other outward, carnal, and altogether false, making more Mediators than he: the one is cherished in the heart, 
The difference between christian and Antichristian religion  by a lively working of the inward virtues, the other in the tongue by outward behaviour only: the one in all things is divine and heavenly, inspired into the soul by grace, the other is profane and earthly, laid as heavy burdens upon the consciences of men by force. Now then sith we are in ours, as in a large field of liberty, having freedom to perform all things without scruple, doubt, or danger, only in Christ, how far should we excel in sincere practice, those that flatter themselves with the outward action of superstitious zeal, wherein they are restrained to wade any further in knowledge, than may keep them in obedience, not unto God whom they ought to know first, and then to honour him in spirit as he is spirit: but unto the pretended church Catholic, whose honouring God, who is a spirit, is by the traditions of men that are merely carnal. God forbid therefore that we, 
In God's mercy we enjoy the gospel of Christ  who assuredly in the frank mercy of Almighty God enjoy this admirable treasure, the Gospel, whence proceedeth the true religion propounded by Christ jesus himself, and practised by doctrine and example of the Apostles, should so lagger in our lives, that pharisees and meritours should go so far before us, that we should be censured not only of GOD himself, who seethe the hearts, but of men, who see only our works, to deserve punishment in his judgement, by our unholy lives, at their hands, whom we know most assuredly are enemies unto the cross of Christ jesus, who pretend in themselves so much the more holiness of life, by how much the more they see us come short of them in zeal. And the greatest and assuredst hope which they have of their conquest is grounded upon their own deservings, 
The Spaniards build the hope of conquest upon their own deservings  whereby they seem to challenge a special assistance of God, & upon our fruitless profession, whereby they seem to conjure the high power to conform itself to their wills, and thereupon they build strong hope to be revenged upon us. And surely, if we reform us not, and conform our lives more answerable unto our profession, it is much to be feared, that, as for sin and disobedience he suffered his own peculiar people to be destroyed, the city which he chose unto himself to be sacked, and the house wherein he seemed himself to dwell, to be burned by the barbarous nations, he will deliver us up to the will of this uncircumcised people, whose hearts are highly inflamed against us, and whose hands tingle to be in our blood. The Lord of hosts be on our side, whom they blasphemed in their last frustrate expedition, affirming that he was become a Lutheran, in regard of his helping us and confounding them. But howsoever they blasphemed then, and howsoever they consult against God himself and against his chosen now, there is no doubt but it is to some wonderful end, in the secret wisdom of God: 
The Spaniards blaspheming God  and for our parts, let us forecast the worst against ourselves, and say, that for our sins for our negligence, and for our disobedience, God may justly deliver us into their hands, so shall God turn his purpose, which although it were to consume us, as it was towards Ninive, he will spare us, if we repent like Ninive, and let us encourage ourselves in the renewing of our affections, so shall that God draw them on even unto the red sea of their own confusion, as he did Pharaoh and his host, that his glory may appear, both in the force of his Gospel, which we profess, and whereby we reform us unto his will, by casting away sin, and apprehending true righteousness, as also by confounding them that seek to persecute him in us.  
Now it is expedient that there be some examination of the especial evils, 
An examination of the special evils, which in the judgement of God draw on the Spaniard.  which seem, above the rest, to call this nation in the justice of God against us, for it is plain that sin is the cause in general, which both preventeth well doing, and arraigneth us before the tribunal seat of God, in regard of itself. But to make rehearsal of all the evils which are grown strong amongst us, were a tedious labour, and beyond my purpose, and therefore I will briefly call to our consideration some particular sins, that seem to be as nurseries to all the rest, 
We make slender reckoning o● gross sins  and such as glide through our thoughts, as oil through our throats, without ceiling, and yet more like Elephants than gnats. Who seethe not, and yet who considereth the most capital sin of blaspheming GOD? Where is there any law to punish swearers, cursers, abusers of the person, the majesty, 
Blasphemy no● punished  the sanctity, and the sacred word and name of God? How freely do the lewd Atheists in this land, such as by their lives argue there is no God, behave themselves in most unreverent taking into their uncircumcised lips the name of God? How do they rend him, as much as in them lieth, in pieces? his heart, feet, nails, soul, body, flesh, and every part and member of him is abused and dishonoured, taking therein delight, as in a feast, And this sin is not without some colour of a virtue. Hear is great magnanimity pretended to be seen in these lusty fellows, nay, ungodly wretches and cowardly, I would it were free from great persons. And this is as far from being punished amongst us, that he is counted too foolish and too precise, that will argue the same to be a fault. God reform it, for the fault is greater than that which we account felony, which robbeth but man of his goods, and is hanged: and this robbeth God of his glory, and ourselves of all show of the fear and reverence of God, & yet is unpunished. May not the like be said of unpunished drunkenness, which is a most pernicious vice, 
Drunkenness not punished.  and the more intolerable, because it hath no show of virtue, as other vices have, and yet of late it hath gotten a coat, but a beastly coat, yet the best it hath, and that forsooth, in drinking carouse, it must be to the health of some great man, and sometime great men will use the name of greater persons in this swinish sin, under colour of wishing health to them, as if health could be maintained by so gross a sin. It is intolerable, yet tolerated to the high dishonour of God, who of Christians requireth Christian sobriety. Doth not this help to pull on the Spaniards? Yes surely. And is this all that is amiss? Nay let pride come into the rank of unpunished vices. 
Pride unpunished  But by your leave this is a neat vice, it is a comely vice, it is a courtly vice, and it is a vice that above all the rest may challenge place with virtue, if vice may be so bold as now a days it is, and it is so plausible, that they that should seek to kill it by spiritual dissuasion, have taken it by the hand also, and walk as courtly as the best: the very clown will snatch at it too, and every man exceedeth so far, as if it were one of the cardinal virtues. And although many laws seem to tend to stop it, such is the force of it in all, that all drink of one cup, and like birds of a feather, hold all together: they strain courtesy who shall begin to reform it, and yet contend who shall exceed in it. I have no more to say, but to assure you that this is one of the anchors that holdeth fast the ship of our peril to the shores of our seas. And are these all? Alas no. Let not covetousness be forgotten, which is a thirsty sin, the sin of the wiser fellows, a husbandly sin, & therefore is not to be punished in any case, being condemned of none but of the beggarly minded, as affirmeth the usurer, 
Covetousness unpunishable  the mannor-monger, the farm buyer, the hoarder of gold and silver. But alas, what fools are these, either they never read it, or never hear it, or else they forget it, that Christ cries Woe unto the rich, for that they have their consolation here. But if this did turn but to their own evils, it were the more tolerable. It reacheth to the ruin of the poorer sort, and it is seen so apparently, & held so dearly amongst us in these days, that it is a fault to be frugal, and therefore to spend all or spare all, are most embraced: the one consumeth what another hath gotten, the other hoardeth up what by force and fraud he can get, and this is mere prodigality in the one, and idolatry in the other: the one spends lewdly, & is praised for a gentlemanlike mind, and the other keeps wretchedly, and is counted to be a good husband: two horrible evils, but maiden evils, for neither of them was ever punished by any law, yet merely against God's law, and arguments that they are nothing seasoned with the continuance and long use of religion, which teacheth love: where the rich is to support, relieve, comfort, and stead the poor that want his aid. And so far are they from these virtues, that they not only not comfort them, but seek how to unclothe them, how to uncouch them, and how to unfurnish them of lands, living, and all other necessaries. And it is not lightly to be passed over, which by means of these cormorants hath even now taken hold (as in the judgement of God) upon this land: wherein (no doubt) and as is held even of such cut-throats themselves, there is sufficient plenty of corn, butter, cheese, and all other necessaries, and yet such is the decay of love as it will not be brought forth but upon prices at their own wills, as though they only were Lords of God's blessings, and that the poor have no share in them but to stand at their cold devotion. 
Coldness of love appeareth by the present dearth where plenty is.  And thus to rest unreformed, and the cry of the poor not heard, is a main cable to pull the enemy upon us.  
It is a heavy judgement of God, when there shall be a common dearth in a common plenty, as now there is, and who so affirmeth the contrary is no good member of the common wealth, but savoureth altogether of private gain, who grind the faces of the poor with want of that wherewith they abound. But surely, as for disobedience to God, there may be a fear where no fear is, so by our fruitless profession, whose effects are love, there may be dearth where plenty is. And surely it were good it were considered why such a judgement should light upon us in the time of the Gospel, and that the decay of love should appear so far, as to shut up, not only Christianity, but all humanity among men. Why may not a man glance at a great cause of this judgement, which as (no doubt) it is one and the same with that which calleth our enemies, even our sins? Yet there is a peculiar cause which stinketh in the nostrils of God, namely, the consuming of corn, the mere earthly blessing of God to preserve man, 
Spending of corn to make starch, a cause of dearths in plenty in God's judgements.  about the strengthening of pride, in making of starch. A toeration intolerable. Woe unto him that brought the devise first into our land. For it crieth out mainly to God, who will not abide that about our necks, in pride, that should be consumed which should feed our bodies in penury. But it is made (they say) with the coarsest part of the wheat. Alas, let not Magistrates be deceived, it is the most purest of the purest corn. Oh that it were reform: for it is a woeful evil, drawing with it both famine and war: and yet this among many other sins, trippeth on like a vice that maketh not only the vicious, but the virtuous to taste of her vanity. Infinite evils there accompany these former unpunished sins, and they are assuredly the main wind that filleth as it were the sails of the Spaniards to invade us, whom the Lord hath stirred up either in mercy to reform us, or in judgement to punish us. And surely as every one hath his hand in these evils, and none can excuse himself from bringing, and heaping one sin upon another, bewraying thereby the breach of all our duties to God in general, in not performing what we profess; let us not persuade ourselves of safety, unless we can frame us to repentance, and reformation. And as no doubt in this the negligent Minister hath much to answer, by whose careless discharge of his duty, 
The negligent minister hath much to answer.  & function, many of these evils have crept in and taken deep root: So they must think that now is the time wherein they must redeem what they have long omitted, and so by their new diligence endeavour to root out sin, and plant faith, that there may appear fruits of every man's profession; that the cause of this fearful hoobub being taken away, we may still possess our liberty; and that our religion be not in show only, but in the simplicity of our hearts: so shall it be unto us as the blood of the paschal Lamb, stricken upon the shores of our seas, that the destroying Angel may pass by us, and cast our enemies into the devouring gulf. Yet let me speak a little more without suspicion of being too officious, or too forward. Surely the delays of poor men's causes in our courts of England, 
Delays of suits.  and the procrastinations of dispatch of causes before Magistrates, hath a share in this matter, & the free oppressions of the poor by the rich, without remedy: do cry among the rest to God for justice, and God again calleth the Spaniards to execute the same. Would God we could show ourselves no less tractable than children, who can leave their wantonness, if they see but the rod. And if we could leave our vices, and embrace religion, God would not proceed further to strike us, but like a loving father would cast this his rod into the fire.   

CAP. 2.  
What is to be done to escape the judgements of God, intended by this Antichristian hoobub.  
FOrasmuch then, as no man can deny, but that the cause of this dangerous hoobub of the Spaniard is our sin, which foldeth up our fear as it were in a four fold mantle, answerable to the four fold causes thereof: whereof two are in the adversary merely, and two in ourselves, as before is proved. It is time for us, in regard of these dangers, to call ourselves home again, who have long strayed in the course of our Christian profession: and for that we are now found out by the judgement of him that seethe us, 
We must reform quickly or be punished severely.  being able no longer to dissemble our sins, but either to reform them speedily, or to be punished for them severely. Who seemeth to be called into the action against us? not meek Moses, but blasphemous Senacherib, whose Captains are more furious than Orestes, more hasty than Ajax, more tyrannous than Phalaris, more beastly than Sardanapalus. But seeing that religion is the gift of God, and the work of the holy spirit, which cannot be brought in, or driven out, by the violence of these men; how is it to be feared that these wicked ones, out of whose nostrils proceed the furious flames of madness, and out of whose mouths issue fountains of blasphemies against our all-sufficient God, 
Religion can neither be brought in or driven out by man.  shall prevail against this pure religion which we embrace? Surely there is nothing more true, then that the force of man can neither bring it in, or banish it out: for than had the tyrannous Emperors long since, utterly overthrown it. But the sin that we commit, & the neglect of our calling, hath force and power to lose it quickly, which hath been many years in obtaining. And though the Gospel be a more invincible protector than an invincible enemy, yet may we by abusing it, be punished severely, and yet the Gospel continue safe. And therefore there must be a speedy mean used, that sin may be reform, and godliness embraced, that our profession be not in show, but in deed, and in righteousness. But alas will some say, what a world of business will this be? what an impossible thing is it to make such a sudden change now, 
What natural reason flesh & blood will argue in this dangerous time.  when the enemy is at the gate? we must now look into our Armouries for Munition, into our stables for horses, into our provinces for men, and into our treasuries for money, to withstand the force of the adversary. We have no leisure to look into our thoughts, and actions for sin, or to measure our lives by religion, having matters of war in hand. We must have more care of Captains than desire of Preachers; we must stand to the sword more than to the word; we must fly to the field to fight, and not to the Church to pray. These things indeed are to be regarded: but is it not to be feared that this is the consultation of many in these days, that are awake? And truly the most I fear are yet slumbering, who see no occasion to step out of their secure thoughts, out of their counting houses, out of their worldly studies, 
The conceits of the worldly.  who think this as merry a time as ever came. While there is peace they dream not of war: while they be full, they fear no famine. Therefore it behoveth that there should be a very diligent care had, how the people in general seem to stand affected, both to war and peace. And although few have tasted the one, and all have had the fruits of the other: let none be left secure, and let the least care be of worldly things, 
Our duties to God carry with it a great train of virtues.  which no doubt will be well supplied, if there be due respect had of our duties to God. For that carrieth with it such atraine of virtues, as there seemeth nothing wanting to supply any place in war and peace. And without that efficient duty, what availeth all the provision beside? which will stand as a man without legs, and steed us in fight, as a man without hands. And where it may seem an hard thing for us, being so great a multitude to reform us in so short a time before the arrival of the Spaniard, which is said to be at this next spring: Let us call to mind that Nineveh, a bloody city full of lies, and robberies, Nahum. 3. 1. for which the Lord threatened to make it desolate, and waste like a wilderness, Zeph. 2. 13. which jonah published in the streets, saying, 
The repeatance Nineveh  Yet forty days and Nineveh shallbe destroyed. jonah. 3. 4. Yet such was their obedience to the Lords message, that they generally repent & obtained God's mercy, before the forty days came, and were spared. And shall we think that God was more merciful then, than he is now? nay his mercy seemeth greater to us, for that Nineveh saw no danger, but were all secure. But he showeth us before hand that he hath stirred up a nation, a puissant people against us, who seem to threaten, 
The practice of Nineveh an example for us to follow.  Yet this summer and we will destroy England: and therefore what is to be done? The king of Nineveh proclaimed a fast, let the Queen of England proclaim a fast, and what more? he caused his people to cry mightily unto God, and commanded every man to turn from his evil way, & from the wickedness that was in him. Let Queen Elizabeth command all men to cry unto God, and command them, yea compel them to turn every man from his evil way, and from the wickedness that is in him. Let her constrain her subjects to bring forth the fruits of love one towards another; and let us all submit ourselves unto her proclamations therein: to show ourselves not only good subjects unto her, but good Christians unto God. And what then? may we say with the Ninevites, It may be God will have mercy on us: 
What will follow us, in our following the reformation of Niniveh.  nay we may assure ourselves that God will spare us, God will defend us, God will continue us, and God will confound our enemies. And doth this require so long a season? no: for not only in what year, in what month, in what week, in what day, in what hour we rep●●t God will pardon us, but in what minute of time w●●urne unto him, he will receive us. Oh then let us detra●●●o time, but with speed return home again into our own consciences: 
How we must reform us.  let us examine every one his own ways, his disobedience to God, his greedy following his own will, his rash receiving the pleasures which flesh and blood, the world and sin do offer. And his obstinate refusal, not only to hear, much less to practise the words of the Lord, which he hath sent unto us as it were from far, to the uttermost bounds of the earth, as if his peculiar care, 
God's peculiar love to England.  love, and mercy were such to England, as that he would teach us only and leave so many other nations ignorant. Oh, who can measure the depth, the height, length, and breadth of his wisdom, his mercy, his judgements, and his providence: if we look into the huge circuit of the earth, & measure in our thoughts, the quantity thereof, distinguishing this little angle from the main globe of the earth, we shall see that it is not the hundredth part of the whole: and yet he hath vouchsafed himself to be known in this little part, more than in all the world beside: 
England not the 200. part of the earth.  And therefore expecteth of us to be served in sincerity and truth, more than of all the rest. What fruits expecteth he of the Turks, who are his professed enemies? who yet possess the greatest part even from Transiluania, to Persia, East and West, and from the southmost parts of unhappy Arabia, (as it may be called) to the sea Euxinus Northward, wherein are those holy places where God was first honoured, 
The Turks possess the places where Christ was borne first preached.  now most blasphemed, as Palestine which was the holy land the land of Canaan: where were sometime his peculiar people the jews, whom he for their disobedience, hath cast out, not only of this blessed land, but into a reprobate sense: and hath made them runagates upon the face of the earth: not allowing them any peculiar country or city to dwell in. The Turk also possesseth those seven Churches of Asia, mentioned in the Revelation: and in their places, GOD hath most graciously chosen England far from thence, among few others in these northern and North-east parts, many leagues from the place where he was first honoured: which indeed might strike in us the more admiration of his providence, and the more duty and reverence in our callings to his majesty. For that he hath cut off the natural to engraft us the unnatural branches into his love. It were needless to show how he suffereth the most part, yea almost all the world to continued blind, & yet giveth us light, for there is no light without the truth, and no truth without the spirit, and the fruits which proceed from that spirit again, is the true light. And therefore no common wealth in general, can so far be charged as England, who only hath had the free use thereof many years. 
England is more to be charged for breach of our league then any other nation.  If we should be found yet in darkness, which is argued by the fruits of sin, we could not have so much hope of safety, as they that never had the light. Alas shall we be then more blind than the Papists, who are zealous in carnal ceremonies? Shall we suffer the Turk in zeal of his Mahomet, to go beyond us in zeal of our Christ? and shall the jew bring forth the fruits of the law, more precisely than we do the fruits of the Gospel? Surely if it be so, we must think that God will deal no more favourably with us, than he did with them: whom he cast out for not receiving his son, borne among them, preached, and preaching unto them, whom they slew bodily, 
How we kill Christ again.  as we do spiritually, if we speak of him truly, and follow him falsely. What then is required of us now in this dreadful hoobub? England shall be destroyed? for that no doubt seedeth the Spaniard that he may possess it. The way for us, is to retire ourselves to the Gospel, and what we are thereby taught diligently to follow, both to the confirming of them that are already sealed, with the knowledge thereof, as indeed many are in England: and to turn again the most obdurate, and wilful sinners from their obstinate rebellions, against so loving a God. And surely unless the dew of God's spirit be merely dried up in our hearts, the word of God, joined with the reverent and faithful use of his holy and blessed Sacraments, shall work our regeneration, and shape in us new thoughts, new affections, new endeavours, and new hearts: so that we shall so fair forget our old vanities and natural inclinations, as Abraham forgot his own country and his father's house: and we shall have as longing a desire to frame ourselves, according to the will of God, and to go to him in well doing, as Abraham had to go to the land of promise.  
When God would stir up the children of Israel to turn from their iniquities, which in their hearts they had so long practised: he used no other argument, but putting them in mind of the miseries wherein they were borne, namely, in idolatry, and bondage in Egypt a cursed city, where they were made slaves, Exod. 3. 10. and that their fathers were Idolaters, and themselves given over to all voluptuousness and pleasure, not regarding God, nor seeking his religion. And surely the same argument may he make against us, whom he hath brought out of Romish Egypt, and spiritual bondage wherein our fathers lived, and many of us were borne: yet God in his divine love, beholding us in this woeful state, pitied our misery and thraldom; and when we were greedily following our own destruction in darkness, he said unto us as unto his children of Israel, ye shall live, and so anew (as it were) breathed into us his divine light, by giving us the free use of the Gospel. When josua had brought them into the land of Canaan, as Queen Elizabeth hath brought us into the land of truth, into the light out of darkness, he declared unto them the benefits that God had bestowed upon them, to the end that they might be the more stirred up by the remembrance thereof, obediently to follow GOD, that had brought that mighty thing to pass for them. 
We must call to mind God's blessings, which will give us cause to reform out lives.  Therefore let us also call to mind God's wonderful and many blessings towards us, which as they are infinite, so deserveth he all our studies, thoughts and devices to be bended to his glory. And among the rest of his mercies, let us not forget how he caused the winds and the sea to fight for us, against these pursuers in their former invincible strength: and how he took the quarrel into his hand and determined the same, both to his own glory and our safety. And if we remember this, we shall avoid the occasions to displease so merciful a God, so loving a father, so severe a judge; who dealt with our enemies as he did with Pharaoh and his host. Let us therefore be reform in our actions, and renewed in our minds. For as GOD no doubt chose us before we thought on him, 
God chose us when we thought not on him.  so he will defend us, if now we trust in him, having such experience of the riches of his mercies, wherein he loved us, even when we were dead in trespasses and sins, when we were Idolaters. Let us not show ourselves now dead in sin, but let us be quickened in all obedience, and let us no more be alured with the golden cup of our own vanities, which is full of poison within. Is it not a sweet thing to remember that we were once bound, but now are free? we have been in danger, but now are safe, and is not the contrary dreadful? and shall we by our sins, which are the death of the soul and the subversion of kingdoms, adventure to live in them for a moment, and be in danger of captivity, or the sword here, and after die for ever, rather than leaving than for a moment, be freed from this present danger and live for ever? Oh let us make haste to return unto the Lord: let us not lagger behind, and so our captain jehovah departed from us, and we fall into the enemy's hand. But to whom doth it belong to see this weighty and most worthy work of the reformation of our lives done? 
Every one hath a court in his own conscience.  Surely to all in general, every one of us hath a court in his own conscience, wherinto all our thoughts, words and actions must be presently summoned, and inquisition must be strictly made, what error is found in himself, and finding himself guilty of any negligence in performing his duty to God commanded, or proneness to offend God in things forbidden, he must as a judge far from partiality, give sentence against himself, and commit the evils done to true and unfeigned repentance: & bind himself by the law of obedience, not to sin again. Which were it performed of all men in particular, there were no need of the Magistrates sword, to compel the same in general. But sith our corrupt inclinations, do fight daily against this godly course, 
Now is the time for the Magistrate to show himself zealous in the Lords good.  the Magistrate, who beareth not the sword for nought, must now, if ever he did, show himself zealous in the Lord's cause, for the good of all the land in general. Which as it seemeth much miss with negligence of every man's particular duty to God, and his Sovereign, whereby God is not honoured of us as he ought, nor the laws of the land obeyed as they should be, there must be a general care in the Ministry, to teach every man his duty: for he is bound to teach, to reprove, to approve, and improve, in season and out of season: 
The word and the swor must concur.  and in the Magistrate an endeavour to see every man perform it, as far as to his power and authority belongeth, who must compel them by force, that will not do their duties in love. And if than the vulgar and inferior sort strive not to amend, and to conform themselves to the word of truth taught, and to the example of the godly Magistrate, propounded before them, they shall all die in their sins but the Minister and Magistrate shall be excused. But if there appear negligence in the Ministers, the watchmen of the whole flock, the people will also be negligent: if they be ignorant, the people will be ignorant: if they be wicked, the people will be wicked: as Hosea saith, Such priests such people. Therefore now call your duties to mind ye Ministers, and speedily with diligence perform the same. And think it not enough to be called the messengers of God, unless you speak & pronounce the will of God truly: and disdain none that show their good wills to speak as the occasion of this time requireth: For they that fear the Lord understand his will. The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom. And therefore every one from the highest to the lowest, Prince and Ministers, Magistrates and subjects, 
Every man must begin his duty at the fear of God.  must here begin. As a Prince coveting to govern prudently: as Ministers endeavouring to speak truly and boldly: as Magistrates desiring to rule in their places righteously, and courageously: and as people willing to live obediently and religiously. So shall there be a most happy concord, and pleasant harmony in all estates. There shall be no want of blessings, no cause to fear the enemy, no cause to complain one of another's wrongs in our land. Sin shall bear no sway, but godliness shall flourish in all parts of this land: and then as we have already seen, how God hath fought for us, so he will give us new encouragements. And as Christ said to Nathaniel, we shall see greater things than these: not only in his fight for us, but in pouring out his heart unto us, causing us to understand his word, 
God will keep our adversaries blind, if we fear God and desire to see.  Prou. 1. 23. when yet ●ee will hold our adversaries still blind, that seeing they shall not see, in hearing they shall not hear, and nothing that they imagine against us shall prospet: but all shall turn to their own confusion. Therefore let the eyes of us all be towards the Lord, and with David let us all the day stretch out our hands to him that is one and the same for ever, loving and powerful. And forasmuch as Princes, and Magistrates, must in this necessary reformation give such examples, as may tend to the amendment of the inferior sort: it behoveth that they be learned and wise, virtuous, and valorous: so shall the people follow their steps, as it were a light in the dark. And therefore the Magistrate must pray for wisdom, 
What is required of the Magistrate.  not to seem singular in policy, but religious in zeal: applying the same to the glory of God, to discern betwixt good and evil, that by them sin (the cause of our danger) may be removed, and faith and religion, the strength of our land, may be increased: that the ungodly be not more set by then the righteous: that vice be not more advanced than virtue: so shall every Magistrate be able to say freely, Be thou my judge O Lord, for I have walked innocently. Surely as the Israelites thought themselves happy, 
A good song for a Magistrate if he sung it truly.  when they had gotten Deborah to govern them: so most happy are we that have Queen Elizabeth to govern us. For as Deborah seemed so much the more to be a careful mother of Israel, by how much she liked those governors which were likest herself, which appeareth by that she said, My heart is set upon the governors of Israel: so doubtless the godly care of our gracious Deborah, to have all the causes of God's displeasure to be taken away appeareth, in coveting, 
Moses and Aaron, the Magistrate and Minister are to be Marshalled together in a christian common wealth.  as much as in her lieth, to place godly Magistrates under her: God make them apt to answer it. She matcheth Moses the Magistrate with Aaron the Minister, the Word and the Sword: which both truly executed, must needs make due obedience in the people to the Magistrate, and like in the Magistrate to the law, and consequently in all to God. And then as the Magistrates are placed above other men in authority, so they will go before the rest in piety: and then no doubt but our Commonwealth shall be secure, and be in the protection of the King invincible, who judgeth them that judge under him, and he will subdue the disobedient hearts, to love and reverence rulers, and to fight courageously against the enemies of our state, as he subdued the people unto David, and made them all incline to his will: That whatsoever the King did, pleased his people. We see then that we need not fear this vain hoobub of the Spaniard, if every one would forsake sin, and conform himself truly to seek after God. And to the end that God may bless the hearts of all, it behoveth all to pray, which shall be considered in the end of this silly labour.   

CAP. 3.  
That all men ought to yield their uttermost power to resist the pursuers of this blasphemous Hoobub, by experience of the power of God, showed unto our fathers of old.  
Having, as it is before said, taken away the causes why God hath intended to move this fierce nation against us, by a general reformation of our lives, which if it appear by the fruits of our regenerate minds, let us rest resolved, that God, the God of Abraham, Isaac, and jacob, the God of Israel, the God of the faithful, will be assuredly on our side. The Lord our God as saith Moses, shall fight for us, therefore let us not be afraid of them, that in so high a malice have lifted up their thoughts, and prepared their weapons, not only against us, but against Christ himself, & let us take courage by the evidence of things before done, for Whatsoever is written before time, is written for our understanding. 
All things are written for our instruction.  And for our better encouragement we may examine some particular examples out of the sacred scriptures, employing them to assure us of God's love towards his, and of his power to confound his enemies by us, if we yield our hearts to follow him as our guide. No doubt but this spanish hoobub may something dismay the weak, in regard that it soundeth with so open an exclamation, as if the breath of their mouths could overthrow our Churches, and their little fingers great mountains. But let us think, 
The Spaniards in strength are not like the sons of Anake.  and we know them to be but men, and men of no such stature as were the Anakimes, whom the little Israelites did master at their wills, as long as they feared God, although at the first they were afraid of them, because the spies returned such news of their terrible strength and fierceness. But the news dismayed not their captain josua, who by the spirit of the Lord gave them such encouragement as qualified their fear, when he said, Fear not the people of the land, for they are but bread for us. If such an invincible courage came upon them that they feared not mighty Giants, and to enter into the territories of such strong men, because they were assured by josua that the Lord would fight for them, 
Which part God taketh hath the victory.  being assured that whose part the Lord God of host took, that side should have the victory: It were more than weakness in us, for whom the Lord most assuredly will fight to fear these men of farrelesse puissance than these Philistines who also come to invade us, who are more apt to resist them, than they to oppress us: they must land, we are on shore, they must pause and refresh themselves wearied, we are ready suddenly to receive them: they are of number fewer than we, and therefore for any matter in themselves, or of themselves, we need not to fear them. And the less, for that as josua saith, Their shield is departed from them: they have forsaken the Lords truth, and they are led by a blind zeal on the one side, and by ambition on the other: they are conducted by falsehood and pride; and the Lord no doubt is with us, his promise assureth us that he will be with them that fear him. 
War offered by invasion, is fully furnished with military necessaries.  Although by the way it is fit to consider that war offered by invasion, never cometh without absolute provision of military necessaries. He that will invade cometh in all points resolute, resolute to enter, resolute to fight, resolute to die, and resolute not to retire: but to the last, to hope for victory. This resolution appeared in William the last Conqueror, 
William the Norman, took from his men hope of retire.  when he fired his ships to take from his followers all hope of flying: and it may be said that this resolution is in all that endeavour a conquest. All which being granted, let us enter into our own thoughts, whether the thief that cometh resolutely to rob, can be so freely resolute to fight as the true man, although no doubt he be desperate, yet is he fearful: but in the other it is otherwise, who in true magnanimity is truly resolute to keep his own. So fareth it with us, and them that make this proud alarnm, to take away our good, lives, and liberties, they come no doubt as men desperate, 
Wisdom and truth bear away the victory.  but wisdom and truth bear away the victory. And were there in us but ordinary hardiness which resteth in Paynims, and Moors, Turks, and Barbarians, we should think ourselves more able to keep our own, then to be despoiled by force. But we have the Lord himself on our side, who notwithstanding many of our imperfections who are but flesh and blood, will not, though not for our sakes, yet for his gospels sake, 
God will defend us for his Gospel's sake.  which we hold inviolate in itself, and have the true seals of our obedience unto his majesty in our proceed: suffer this Antichristian power in their own opinion invincible, and therein most weak, to prevail against him in overcoming us. And to assure us further herein, let us look into the time of king Hezekia, in whose days the blasphemous host of the proud Senacherth made invasion upon the inheritance of God's children in juda; having like right as the spanish Senacherib to England, but only to enlarge his dominions: & therefore did good Hezekia by help of his counsel call together his captains and soldiers, preparing them against this mighty king and huge army, who were not to come by sea, as this king Catholic must; but he was come as it were to the walls of jerusalem already to besiege it. But be strong saith Hezekia unto his people, Be strong & courageous, fear not, neither be afraid for the king of Ashur, neither for all the multitude that is with him: for there be more with us than is with him: with him is an arm of flesh, but with us is the Lord our God. So doth our good Hezekia Queen Elizabeth, by the advise of her discreet Counsel, prepare against this threatening host of Spain, 
Queen Elizabeth goeth forth in person to encourage her people.  and in her we are all encouraged to withstand the same, who in person goeth forth with her armies, and consulteth not only with her Counsel, and expert martial men: but with the almighty, of whose power, mercy, and providence, she hath deep experience both before she took on her the Diadem of government, as also since: and therefore she saith also, Fear not the Spaniards (my English subjects) whose strength is flesh, the Lord is with us that will fight for us. But lo Hezekia prayed against this mighty multitude, and the Lord out of heaven fought for him, who by his Angel slew all the valiant men of Ashur, the princes, captains & soldiers, to the number of 185000. men: and in like manner, as we have had experience, shall he do with this invincible navy and mighty host: for he is that consuming fire that shall devour our adversaries as dry straw, and by the breath of his mouth confound them that stand against his word, to pervert his truth. And therefore Queen Elizabeth (no doubt) humbleth herself in prayer, as Hezekia did, an argument of like victory, Let us all join with her Majesty therein, and then assuredly shall that God that sought against Ashur for Israel, fight against Spain for England. Yet some amongst ourselves, our unnatural countrymen, I know, seek to put fear in the hearts of our people, saying most blasphemously that we are heretics, and that God cannot prosper us; we are sinners, and God cannot bless us. These are English Antichristians, 
Our secret Papists discourage our people.  Spanish hirelings, and deceived and deceiving papists: who lurk amongst us as snakes in a corn field, no more deserving the liberty of English laws, her majesties protection, or benefits of our peace, than did the Philistines amongst the children of Israel, to whom they were as pricks in their eyes, and thorns in their sides, because they preferred human policy in preserving them to God's commandments in extirping them. They argue against our trust in God even to our faces, affirming us to have no such cause of hope of our delivery as Israel had: and yet say they, and it is true, Israel was plagued with sword, and captivity for their sins, being the peculiar people of God; and how can we escape that are (as they say) fallen from the Catholic Church? 
Whence we are fallen.  Which is false: but from Rome, which is Babel, from papistry, which is bondage, and from the traditions of men, mere idolatry: and idolatry, worshipping strange gods, was the cause why Israel was within the space of 339. years, six times oppressed by their enemies: when they went a whoring after strange gods, then and not else were they oppressed. And although, no doubt, we cannot excuse us of offending our good God, by our manifold sins, which doth deserve correction: yet assuredly God is amongst us, and by many true Christians of England sincerely honoured, 
In regard of the truth embraced, notwithstanding our sins, God is with us.  his Gospel truly preached, his word freely embraced, and thereunto the lives of many truly conformed. And on the contrary, let these Locusts that are flown abroad out of the bottomless pit, into this land, not only the wicked jesuits, but also obdurate papists, who so much upbraid us with our evil living, learn this, that they only in their idolatry, blasphemy, & spiritual whoredom, are aptly compared to Israel in their falling from God, and not in the weakness of flesh only falling, as did David, Solomon, and many other, whose kingdoms in the best service of the living God, were not free from sin, wherein no flesh can be cleared. But holding the main point, the Christian and true Catholic religion sincerely preached amongst us, 
The true catholic religion is with us, an argument of God's presence.  and generally embraced of the most, (unless it be of such as like subtle serpents stop their eats) confirmeth strongly that the presence of God himself is still with us: assuring us also that his hand for their rebellion against his truth, is turned against them. And therefore let no man believe them, howsoever they dispute to defend their own holiness which is only outward, their hearts being inwarldly seared with the iron of obstinacy, the mark of the beast of Rome, depraving us by reason of our frailty. But it is necessary such pricks should be amongst us, to the end our lives, but especially our religion, should be the better approved: for truth appeareth then most plain, when it is opposed by error. How is the Romish religion discovered by the sincere writings of sundry learned and devout men, to be a spiritual bondage? who seeking the sincere truth in the light of the sacred word, have left testimony unto all posterities thereof, which the most learned of the adversary can never confute: but in striving to maintain their darkness, they have undermined themselves, & are ready to fall by their wonderful stumble, at the view of the heavenly light, which glimmereth in their eyes as a candle far off in the dark. How many silly men, whose hearts have been inwardly taught by the holy Ghost, without learning, have stopped the mouths of these Catholic Doctors? approving their faith by the fire, 
Poor unlearned Christians have stopped the mouths of Romish doctrine. The truth will confound Antichrist.  which they have embraced without fear or fainting, not as desperate Seminaries, suffering as judas did, for treason: but as patiented Christians testifying their faith, builded upon the unresistible truth by martyrdom, as Stephen did? This truth hath broken the neck of Papisme, and this truth will put him from his glory, and his glory from him, that seeketh to deprive us of this truth. Why then should we distrust God, and think that he will deliver us into the hands of this Romish nation? Admit our sins do deserve puhishment, and surely we cannot, nor dare justify ourselves, as they that have nothing but mere deservings in them, 
The enemy standeth on his own strength, we on the blessing of God: they on the pope's power we on Christ's merits.  & can of themselves achieve haven by their own works: we only rely upon Christ's merits, and disclaim our own worthiness, we stand to be defended by the power of God, and not by our own strength, like this invincible nation, whose trust is in themselves: we trust in God: they stand dissolute by the delusions of Antichrist, who pretendeth to conjure the seas to be calm, & the winds to be prosperous unto his Catholic army: and we rely upon the mere blessing of God, that by the breath of his mouth did lately blow them from our coasts, as he did the swarms of louse from the Egyptians, at the prayer of Moses and Aaron; he cast them into the sea, as Christ did the swine, And let us assure us that in the same his mercies, he will perform it in a greater measure: that his glory may more appear, in being the protector of his own. But what if we please our adversaries in his vain hope a little, & confess our weakness, as they pretend it? saying, our governor is a woman, and therefore weak, and the people in her not strong, our Nobility are not many, and our Martial men few, and therefore the kingdom weak. But let them know withal, that we have in her Majesty, under GOD, whom she serveth, 
Queen Elizabeth shall cut off the power of Antichrist.  absolute hope that she is the judith that GOD hath ordained of cut off the head, namely, to despoil the man of sin of all his glory: she is the jael that shall pierce his stemples with the nail of consufion, if at last he refuse to have his heart pierced with the truth of Christ, whom now now he persecuteth. And if weak Deborah got such honour in delivering Israel from jabyn king of Canaan by Barake, notwithstanding his 900. chariots of Iron, will it not be honourable to Queen Elizabeth, to break the force of the invincible navy of Spain? and if it pleased the mighty of mighties to assist Deborah being a woman of no such reckoning for the show of her outward glory, dwelling but under a palm tree, yet fearing God: shall he not assist Queen Elizabeth his anointed, his chosen, and her that he of mere providence preserved and advanced to that high calling? the governor of his people of England? whom by her as by the hands of Moses, he brought out of most cruel bondage, under that purple harlot of Rome, and under her hath this 37. years preserved us from all foreign invasion, affording us peace in his apparent truth. But these Romists degenerate not from the ground of their religion which is all outward, they rely only upon flesh & blood, 
The romish hope all in outward things. They are strong enough and need not God.  arguing therein that God is exempted out of their company, that is full already: they are mighty enough, and strong enough, and need not his help. They reason as Senacherib did, that because he was strong, God could not resist him, and therefore shall they receive as Senacherib did. They forget how God chose Gideon a poor labourer to be a captain of his people, who also at the first began to reason with flesh and blood as they do, saying, Oh my Lord, whereby shall I save Israel, behold my father is a poor man in Manasseh, and I am the least of my father's house: wherein he reasoneth against the power of God as they do, but the Lord answered him, I will therefore be with thee, and thou shalt smite the Midianites as one man, therefore will I be with thee (saith the Lord) because thou art mean and weak. What say these invincible Giants to this? do they think our God is not that God that spoke this to Gideon? 
God is strong in weakness.  do they think it is not that God that gave them success in the frustrate last expedition? They know not that God is strong in weakness, but let them dally with God, God will be earnest with them in our behalf: and let us not fear them, for God chooseth the weak to overcome the strong, who saith, Look not upon his countenance or stature: for that is not it that fitteth the glory of God, who seethe the heart, wherein resteth the fitness to perform the things of God He fought by unarmed David, and overcame armed Goliath: he fighteth by a few, and overcometh many: he regardeth not the number invading, not the weakness of the invaded. josua with a small company destroyed 31. Kings and their people: David with 400. 
Few overcome many.  men encountered the Amalechites, and slew of them a huge company, having the kill of them from the twilight, to the evening of the next day. Eleazar one of David's captains, alone smote so many of the Philistines, that the people followed to spoil and not to fight. Admit then that the number of our nobles were less than theirs, and we had fewer captains and soldiers than they, should we yet dismay? God forbidden, for we see the invincible hand of the Lord shall destroy them: but we exceed them also in number. They proceed to fear us yet with another scarecrow, 
They fear the weak in diminishing our munition.  that they exceed us in munition and experience of war: for the first, who amongst us all doth not see the contrary? for all are by due regard of her Majesty and Counsel, sufficiently furnished: but admit it were not so, and that we had nothing but the protection of our profession, which ever hath been in itself a fort offensive, and defensive in all ages sufficient, being testified by true fruits, and warranted by God as was Gideon, who with 300. men discomfited the Mydianites a strong people, not with canon, bow, or sword, but by blowing of trumpets, and breaking pitchers, with burning lamps, as appeareth by the story glorious to God, and comfortable to us, mentioned judg. 7. What weapon had Shamgar when he slew 600. Philistines, but an ox goad? wherewith did josua overthrow jericho, but with the sound of Rams horns, and the shout of men's voices? josu. 6. And surely these are necessary examples for us, whereof we may make a twofold profit; for thereby is seen the power of God performed in weakness, which may also be applied to a spiritual use: namely, that as by blowing of trumpets, and shouts of men, the walls fell down: so by the sounding of the trumpet of the gospel, by the voices of his preachers, the defence of Romish Babylon shall fall, the earthen pitchers, carnal conceits being broken, the lamp of the truth shall give light unto their hearts. 
Queen Elizabeth a chosen woman to confound Romish Ihericho by the protection of the word.  And surely to this weighty enterprise (as God always dealeth by the weakest to perform the greatest action for his own glory) is Queen Elizabeth, a chosen woman of God, ordained in the mere providence of the almighty; and therefore let us all yield our hearts, hands, and help thereunto, as well as to withstand these loud Hoobub, the pursuers whereof, no doubt God hath sent to begin the way of their own confusion, towards the destruction of Babel. For a small company of the house of faithful Abraham will serve, not only to withstand this antichristian king, but put down that red Dragon, and turn the usurped glory, power, and authority of that purple whore into shame, and to lay open her filthiness which she now so cunningly cloaketh, to cause not only the Spaniard, but many other kings, nations and people to commit fornication with her. For the promise of the Lord is general to the godly, who war either in defence of his truth professed in themselves, 
God will assist such as war either to defend his truth professed, or to win any thereunto.  or to procure it to be received of others: that five shall chase an hundred, and an hundred shall put 10000 to flight. And therefore assuredly, if we truly serve this our God, this threatened invasion shall turn to the glory of God, and our notable comfort: for God shall no doubt give them their deserved higher, who as they are become drunk with the wine of Romish inchaunements, so shall they fall into deserved shame. And their hoped victory shall turn to their own overthrow, though they have already cast lots of every man's land: nay the kingdom itself is disposed in conceit, and cunningly by the aid of some notable devil entitled falsely, to bear the better colour, as did the French buy and sell our English nobility at the field of Agincourt in France, 
Agincourt field.  in the time of Henry the 5. where the French in regard of their multitude, and the paucity of English men, cast lots for their furnitures before the victory: but such was the power of God in abating their pride, that the English got the field, and slew a mighty company of them, together with the most of their nobility slain, or taken. This is the reward of pride, let us therefore so much the less fear this cacholique king, by how much he vaunteth of his invincible power. And where they seem to flatter some with the conceit of our want of military experience, although therein there is no such necessity, as that without it there is no hope to stand before these supposed Martialistes: yet let them know, 
The Spaniard hath tasted English power and policy, to his pain. The Spaniards no doubt would not admit the trial of the controversy to equal multitudes.  as indeed they have well paid for the trial, that the English nation cometh not short of the Spaniard, neither in policy not courage. And were the quarrel to be referred to the encounter of equal multitudes, who dreameth but that if the equity of the cause seemed indifferent, the Spaniard would stand? they have too well tasted the sharpness of English valour. But as is proved before, God is seen to be strong in weakness: yet for that we stand not upon miracles now, we no doubt are so sufficiently provided in all things, as behoveth watchful Christians: If not, what resteth but a speedy supply of the wants? And referring then the issue of the matter to the wisdom and mercy of God, who finding the prince, the ministers, the magistrates, and subjects every one in his place watchful, with reformed hearts and prepared hands, he shall never give us a prey unto the enemy.   

CAP. 4.  
A Christian caveat to English Papists, how to answer this Antichristian Hoobub.  
Only thus much for the love I bear you, in regard you are my countrymen, I advise you, whom GOD forbidden to stand in these perilous times, either zealous papists, in regard you would be seen constant in error: or not dutiful to your Queen, God's anointed, in regard of any secret vow made to be true to Antichrist. To reason much of the controversy of the religious, I leave to the learned. But I will only speak of the danger whereinto you fall, if you in the least degree harbour any desire, liking, or love to the enemies of your country. 
Inward desire of the Prince's danger or subversion of your country, is before God high treason.  If your thoughts have entertained but a willingness to see the subversion of your natural country, your prince, & people, under whatsoever colour; albeit you have in show kept your hands from arms, your tongues from speech, & all your outward actions from suspicion of being disloyal subjects: you are ipso facto within the compass of high treason to your Prince, before God, who knoweth aswell your hearts to harbour it, as he knew what Anna desired when she spoke nothing. In this short discourse I will not only confirm what I speak, by approved examples of sacred scripture; but also of others witnessed elsewhere. And by the way, before I proceed further, know this, that the Spaniard, who seems to have your hearts, and to be sure of the use of your hands for his purpose, although he find you fit agents to sound up this hoobub, howsoever he may use plausible and kind words by his ministers, to draw you into this his society; as Achitophel secretly won David's people to affect Absalon, and to rebel against David their anointed King: be you assured, that you shall find no more favour in his faunnes, or better wages for your wickedness, than Baanah and Rechab had of David for killing their master. 
The Spaniard abhorreth traitors, though he make much of them for a time.  For howsoever evil this nation be, in most capital offences else: it, of all other nations, is noted to abhor trytors, and treasons. No Chronicle reporteth of any such matter among themselves, not being done in their behoof, can endure it, but to make use of it, only flattering the parties for a time, but at last gives them what they deserve. And therefore let this be sufficient, you shall have the reward of traitors of them, for your treasons done against your Queen. It may be, you take view of some English runagates, that have thought themselves bound by their allegiance to their holy father, to break their sworn obedience to their natural prince, and to convey themselves to these people, with advertisements against their country, prince, kinsfolk and friends: and you have a will to follow them in hope of large entertainment: they have been most coarsely handled, even the best of them, the Earl of Westmoreland, the Lord Paget, and others of highest estimation, who as yourselves have heard, 
The course entertainment of the best of our English runagates.  if you be not willingly deaf, have, and do receive hard measure at the hands, not only of such as were in calling their equals, but of Spanish slaves, who have called them traitorous villains to their faces: and they kindly digest it, making necessity a virtue, abiding that perforce that they can not amend. You also know they lived there in poor estate, for men of their place in England, yea more base than an Artificer under Q. Elizabeth. If these men had so cold comfort amongst them, being great, what think you to receive? It may be you may think that if traitors were so odious unto them, they would give them their condigning reward quickly, 
The cause in policy why the Syaniards hangeth not traitors presently.  and not foster them at all. But their policies teach it otherwise, and so doth common reason. As if you covet to take up two dogs, if when you have one, you begin to bear it, be assured the other will fly you, but if ye cherish the first, the other will fawn upon you, and offer himself unto you. So it fareth with you traitors, and their policy: they make of them that they already have, but stales to allure you; & when you are all in his net, as yourselves desire, he then will make short work with you, he will handle you like dogs, and the stales too: for than he shall have no more use of you, & therefore soon dispatch you. If you believe not this, but play about his allurements, like a fly about the flame, when you feel it, it will be too late to cry Solon Solon: your end is misery in the best sense, 
The best end of our traitors if the Spaniards should prevail.  if this good master should prevail, whose shameful end and yours will first appear. In the mean time, what shall become of you? you will never be quieted in thought. Will your desires be so smothered in the ashes of hypocrisy, that you shall not appear at all? Truly either you will flame out at some narrow chink of your hot desires, or else you will consume within, 
If God have wrought a mean beyond reason to dicover a murder, much more will he discover treason.  and burn as judas did. For think, that if God in justice hating murder, have ordained so admirable a mean to discover the murderer, as yourselves know, by the blood of the murdered: how much more shall he discover a traitor, that seeketh to murder Gods anointed? whereof you have seen proof enough, if you could beware. If you say you go not about it, you bely your own consciences: for if you desire a stranger to come in, to take the Crown, you cannot but acknowledge you desire the subversion of the state, and consequently the death of your gracious Queen: for either you must love, or hate, there is no third. If you love, your love will appear in obedience: which if it be not counterfeit, and so no obedience, it cannot but wish well to your Sovereign: 
There is in all subjects love or hate, which will show itself by the fruits.  and in that regard to none else. If you hate, your hate will be seen by the contrary: and if your obedience be such as it ought, you will conform you also to her proceed, which are most holy, founded on the true Catholic religion. If it otherwise appear in your conceits, refer you to the learned and godly of your own country, and if you can convince them of error, your work is done: and no doubt but Queen and Council, Ministers and people, will shake hands with you, and embrace that which appeareth by the truth to be palpable error. But if they convince you, as you are convinced, become one and the same with them, and fly from error. Lie not in such secret ways, seek no covert, come forth and appear, you have the most merciful Prince that ever reigned under the Sun: therefore fear her not, if you do well: and show not yourselves one thing without, another within: for Cicero that knew not God, saith, that all they that speak one thing and mean another, aught to be taken for faithless, wicked, and malicious men: whereas a good man will neither feign nor dissemble in any sort, either to buy the better cheap, or to sell the dearer. 
The difference between plain dealing and dissimulation.  Therefore it is a great fault in you, and a blemish to your wisdom, that do dissemble to buy your own destruction dear, and to sell your salvation cheap. It is ill for you to aggravate your fault, by denying this, sith your consciences bewray this. And howsoever you flatter yourselves, that all your desire argueth your Catholic zeal, the confusion of your country, the spoil of your Prince, the loss of your lands and goods, 
The end of blind zeal.  the destruction of your wives, children, kinsfolk, and friends, and your own perpetual thraldom, you purpose shall tend to God's glory, thinking you shall please God therein. Alas silly deceived wretches, you shall please God as they that in the like blind zeal burned their own children, & sacrificed their own bodies to devils. But be not deceived, your inward thirst is but the drought of treason: and although you carouse not with Ballard and his heroical crew, 
The thirst of papists is the drought of treason.  to quench yet the least drop of your desire to see this wicked practice performed, is high treason. For whosoever followeth not Paul's counsel to submit himself to the higher powers: let him think in resisting them, he resisteth the ordinance of God. If you wish prosperity to the Spaniard, you obey not your Sovereign: If you disobey her in so high a measure, how can you be free in your souls from wishing her death? which is merely treason. And in whose behalf do you it? in the enemies of God, the professed enemy of the English nation, who, howsoever he seeketh your love, for the time, with promise to love you still; assure you he will not only answer you, 
A glass for traitors.  as Caesar Angustus did Kymetalces King of Thracia, who had forsaken Antonius to join with him: and boasting of his treacherous act, Caesar drank kindly to the rest, and said to him, yea Kymetalces I love treason well, but I love no traitors. Mark what was the reward of a King, who breaking his faith with one to whom he was not bound, as you to your Queen. And what, will you think that this new master will love your treasons less, or you traitors more, than did Caesar? Nay assure you, he will not only not drink unto you, but he will vomit you out of his conceit ever to be true to him, that are false to your lawful anointed Sovereign. 
The Spaniard think them never true to him, that are false to your anointed prince.  It is not your painted religion, beautified with counterfeit zeal, that can draw him to dream of your loyalty, and therefore be sure your reward shall be as of deserving traitors: and think in the degree of his love what will be offered by the basest of his people, who will not cease be sure to give you your right titles traitorous villains, wherewith our former ignobled runagates are well acquainted in Spain, as Lasthenes was in Olintham, where he was an inhabitant: who having betrayed the town to Philip king of Macedon, 
The spaniards are rude like the Macedonians, to call a traitor a traitor.  was to his face by every rascal called traitor, who complaining to the king for remedy, had this conceited answer. The Macedonians (saith he) are naturally rude and gross, calling a spade a spade, and all things else by their proper names: by which answer the king covertly called him traitor too. And therefore you may think that if you seek reformation of such slanders, by action of the case against the Spaniards, the judge in your action, is as rude as the Macedonians, to approve traitors to be traitors: and so to give you the reward of traitors. Lo what a glorious thing is it to be a traitor, 
The state of a trayor.  whose beginning is blind zeal, whose continuance is vain hope, & whose end is death, and whose death is death eternal. Be not therefore still like such as sharpen their tongues like a serpent, for all your stings you see are in vain to hurt whom God protecteth: for the poison that is in your thoughts doth but inuenome your souls to destruction. But it may be you will say that your Romish school master telleth you, that you must not hearken to any other scripture then to his decrees, for that he hath power to dispense with the scriptures, and with your treasons as he list. And it is he, as he makes you to believe, that knoweth more than the ancient, more than the wise, and more than the learned. But take heed, for he that cannot say with David, My heart meditateth a good matter: cannot say, My pen is the pen of a direct writer. So that all his decrees are counterfeit zeal, not written by the pen of the holy Ghost: they are founded upon the fond invention of man like Mahomet's. And that spirit teacheth not him to write a dispensation of your disobedience, that taught Peter to say Christ was the son of the living God. 
Distinguish the spirits.  So flesh and blood teacheth him, and the holy ghost taught Peter: he plays the serpent with you, If you will eat the forbidden fruit (saith he) your eyes shallbe opened: 
The pope is like the serpent that commandeth forbidden things with promise of reward.  If you will follow his forbidden lies, and refuse the word commanded, you shall be saved. He will not have you associate yourselves with the godly; nor read the scriptures that testify of Christ, and teach you obedience to your prince, and whereby you may prove what the will of God is. And this i● you be not blind, you may see tendeth to no other end but to entrap you, not only with treason against your Queen, but in rebellion against the high GOD, that will have the Kings whom he hath ordained to be truly obeyed. It may be wondered at, 
A wonder that Papists wonder not at their blindness.  that you wonder not at yourselves, that you should degenerate by his magical enchantments, not only from the rules of humanity, but from the natural disposition of bruit beasts, who ever love the place of their education: 
Beasts love the place of their education, showing better loyalty than papists.  a dog affecteth that house, a horse loveth those fields, a lion that desert, and all other beasts those places where they have had their beginning or bringing up, and do as it were respect there allies and familiars. But you countrarie to all natural civility, seek to despoil your own country far beyond the liberty of the affections of heathen men, who have been moved to abhor to do ill to their unkind country from which they have been banished by their cruel countrymen. Themistocles a heathen man, being unjustly banished from Athens, and kindly received of the King of Persia, from whom he received so great benefits, as that he to comfort himself and his children in banishment, said, We had been undone, if we had not been undone: Can not yet be won to serve the Persian king in his wars, which was between him and the Athenians, although he were offered a place of great honour, but chose rather voluntary death then to be treacherous to his country. How unnatural are you then, that being not only not banished, but fostered, even in the bosom of your natural and loving country, should so far embrace the counterfeit love of a stranger, 
The pope fawneth on papists like a Crocodile, who sheds tears when he will destroy.  that fawneth upon you like a weeping crocodile; as that you should in heart wish, much less by arms offer any show of disloyalty to your country or gracious Queen? Think this, that beside the sweet affections which nature itself hath imprinted in the hearts of all men towards their country, the benefits that you have received within yours, and the protection which her majesties laws hath yielded you, 
Benefits received in our natural country, is an obligation to bind us to be true unto it.  should be unto you as an obligation to bind you (if religion and divine equity were not) to serve the public wealth of your own country, to the uttermost of your powers. Much more are you tied to this duty, sith the truth itself, the bond of all obedience, calleth you back from your disloyal thoughts, wherein you seem to steal covertly away from the substance of natural love, to run after the shadow of impious zeal: zeal not only without knowledge, but zeal builded upon mere treason, 
Antichrist the head corner stone of blind zeal.  Antichrist himself being the head corner stone. And therefore doubtless your understanding is much obscured, how wise soever you seem in yourselves, and howsoever you be flattered by them that would make use of your wickedness. And you can no more perceive their cunning, as appeareth, than David could conceive of the cause why God prospered the wicked in his days, and punished the godly. 
The way to find out the cause of blindness, is to repair to the truth.  But as he found it out by entering into the sanctuary of God: so seek you how to apprehend your true duty, by becoming conformable to the true word of God, casting away the idle inventions of the man of sin. And as Aaron might not enter into the sanctuary where God did answer, until he had sanctified himself: So sanctify your obedience, and enter into league with Christ, by becoming loyal subjects to his anointed. And believe them not that give you counsel to lie as you do, lurking to look for a good hour, as you are made to believe it: beware it will be a dismal day unto you, that you so greedily gape for: 
The day which the papists wish to see, will be to themselves most fearful.  by what badge soever you seem to be distinguished: you will be unknown to the Spaniards, your speech will bewray you: you will not be able to pronounce Shibboleth, as the Spanish Gilliadices do, but shibboleth like English Ephramites: you will as easily be discerned as the Guelphs from the Gybelines: they are a subtle generation that shall deal with you. And therefore gather yourselves together, and before that day come, join with God against Beliall, take part with Christ against Antichrist: receive light and abandon darkness: fly treason, and become every man true unto Queen Elizabeth & your country. Take counsel not o● me, but of Zephaniah the Prophet, Seek righteousness, seek lowliness. Submit yourselves to her Majesty, before the fierce wrath of the Lord come upon you: Imitate the counsel of the wise man, who willeth you to Put away a froward mouth, and let all your ways be ordered aright. And think not your own blind conceits to be the way of life: 
The way of the fool is right in his own conceit.  for the way of the fool is right in his own conceit: but he that is guided by counsel is wise. And therefore refuse not to know this, that if the people of Israel were commanded to pray for the peace of Babylon, wherein they were held captives, and to pray for him that had despoiled them of all their goods and possessions: how much more ought you not only not to rebel or wish evil unto your so gracious a sovereign? but to pray for her, and for the peace of your country, wherein also you may have peace. 
We ought all to pray for the peace of our country.  Learn of David who said, God forbidden that I should lay hands upon Gods anointed: for (who saith he) can lay his hands upon the Lords anointed and be guiltless? It is needless to tell you how the pope, that liar doth yet encounter David, and saith, go and lay thy hands on the Lords anointed, and thou shalt merit heaven: oh impious wretch that commands forbidden things, and forbids things commanded. And yet alas wretches, how are you blinded that will not see? Learn therefore that it is your duty above all things to beware of contemning or violating the authority of your prince, who is replenished with virtue, religion, and Majesty amongst you: and all confirmed by God, whose ordinance you break in contemning her, much more in your treasons against her. 
How our papists might become happy.  Therefore most happy were you, if after these your dangerous consultations, and rebellious practices, you again would return and embrace obedience: consecrating your souls to God only with unfeigned dedication of your bodies, lives, and goods to the service of her: that in so doing will lovingly embrace you; and God most assuredly will pardon you. Come out from among them then and be saved.    

A dutiful admonition, not only to all inferior Magistrates, but to all loyal subjects, to show themselves watchful in these dangers, and with careful diligence to seek to prevent all occasions, which may move the unadvised multitude to any sudden, and undiscreet hurly-burlies: with an exhortation to all men to be valorous.  
HE that seemeth worthy to be a Magistrate, 
Every magistrate ought to know what duty belongeth to his charge.  or to be termed a fit man to govern the least charge in a Common wealth, not only a kingdom, a province, a hundred, yea a family, must endeavour himself to know what duty is required at his hands, and the same to perform, with premeditate discretion. And for that I wish wisdom to all, being able to teach none: I will omit the superior, and give my best advise to the lower sort. He is indeed a silly man, and not worthy to bear the burden of a tithing-man, much less of a high Constable, lest of all of a superior Magistrate, that cannot examine how he standeth in his place: whether he be as a hand, an eye, a finger, or a foot of a Commonwealth: knowing that every Commonwealth is a body politic, compared to a body natural. And as the head is the chiefest part, 
Every commonwealth is a body pollytique.  the guide and superior governor of the body, and all the members are as officers under the same; some of a higher quality and authority than other, as the heart, the eyes, the hands, and legs, which are principal members, servants in office to the superior; so are the fingers, toes, etc. petty officers unto the former, every of them being bound to his next superior: and so all by a natural duty, are servants to the head, and that for the preservation and supportation of the entrails and main body; which is so much the more safe from danger, by how much every member hath ableness, and skill to perform his place, in true duty, not one part whereof is void of some necessary function; as reason itself accompanied with our daily experience, doth plainly witness unto us. So is our superior Magistrate, 
As every part of the body hath a necessary place, & in his place steadeth the body, so every man in a common wealth.  the head and governor of us, who being many in number, make up a complete body politic: some in Magistracy and superior authority, and some in inferior functions, and all in true duty to one head: who being by our negligence, or unadvised proceed in our several places, any way endangered, the danger cannot but descend from it to our own confusion. And therefore doth policy dismember a body, of a leg, an arm, a hand, or foot, desperately infected, to preserve the rest of the body: So a Commonwealth cutteth off every evil member thereof as we see by the laws of our land, lest it should infect the rest▪ and so endanger the whole state politic. And as it fareth with a Commonwealth in general, 
Sundry petty bodies within the whole body of the commonwealth.  so it doth with the parts thereof: as with a province, shire, and county, whereinto a kingdom is divided, & with Hundreds, Rapes, & Wapentakes, wherinto provinces are divided; with tithings, Borowsheads, & such petty limits, wherinto Hundreds, Rapes, and Wapentakes are divided; yea with families, and house's, wherinto Parishes, tithings, Borowsheads, and such petty liberties are divided: every of which is of itself a petty body politic, of the universal politic body of the kingdom. And this for the better managing, rule and government of the whole, every of these several bodies have like members: the Earl or Sheriff of the shire, 
divers inferior heads of divers inferior bodies.  is the head Magistrate of the province, shire or county: The Constable, of the Hundred: the Headborow, or tithing-man, of the parish, or tithing: the master, and father, of the family. These several charges thus politicly distinguished, aught to be disposed all to the good of the supreme head: from whom proceedeth by her laws, a kind of spiritual power, whereby they all work lively, as members powerful, in their places. And he that beareth the name of chief in any of these, and yet is either negligent or ignorant, is forthwith to be cast out, and a more fit to be placed for him. For this kind of politic divisions, 
Peace dangerous, without car●in Magistrates.  is an experienced rule to be preserved inviolate, both in peace and danger of war. For as peace may breed security, and security emulation, and emulation discord: so may peace be said to urge cause of sedition. And therefore peace must be regarded, preserved, and maintained, by diligence of officers, when there appeareth no suspicion of war: 
Officers, as also every subject aught to discover a dangerous person.  But much more are officers, and men of all sorts subject to any politic body, to be watchful, careful, diligent, and circumspect when there is fear of war, lest that among them, and within their several charges, there lurk any dangerous member, whose concealment may be hurtful, not only to that family, Tithing, Hundred, and Province, but unto that kingdom wherein he is. As hath appeared unto us all, in sundry places of our Commonwealth, in our days. And no doubt, although in the kingdom of God (as Paul saith) there is neither jew, nor Grecian, bond nor free, Scythian nor Barbarian, but jesus Christ is all in all: yet amongst us there are still both loyal subjects, and covert traitors; good Christians, and dangerous Papists: and therefore every man must wait in his office, and perform his duty to reveal the evil, to take them away: & to approve the good and to foster them. 
Inferior Magistrates have their power from the higher power.  And forasmuch as these civil offices cannot be performed by man only, as they ought, without some further working of a better spirit: Let every man subject himself to the higher powers, knowing that they are of God. So shall they learn every man his own duty by the ordinance of God: whereby he teacheth all men both how to govern, and how to be subject, how to command, and how to obey. Aristotle saith, to command and to obey, are necessary and profitable. So that Magistrates must learn how to obey the power above them, that they may know the better how to command such as are under them: both which do tend to the preservation of civil justice, 
Civil justice is the common wealths public benefit.  which is the commonwealths public benefit. And sith it is apparent that religion is the foundation of all Commonwealths, of the execution of good laws, of the obedience of subjects towards their Magistrates, of their reverence towards princes, of mutual love among themselves, and of justice towards others. And that it hath pleased the Almighty, to lay amongst us this sound foundation, let every one build thereupon such affections, and such obedience, to God and man, as may season their places, whether they be Magistrates to rule, or subjects to be ruled, as may stand with their allegiance to both: which no doubt may easily appear in all, 
War appreveth or reproveth the faith all men towards their country.  even in the worst, while peace affordeth all safety: but war and the noise of war will approve or reprove what now seemeth indifferent. And therefore it is to be carefully considered, how every of these before said chiefs or heads, aught to behave themselves in the time of trial, of their wisdoms, care, and loyalty, which will then be seen when any occasion of sudden tumult among the rude multitude, shall be offered. Discreet premeditation therefore is of all things most to be regarded in Magistrates, what, and when they are to command; and in people what and when they in duty to the highest and chief head, are to obey: lest the Magistrate discover his weakness, by saying, non putabam, I did not think it would have fallen out so: 
Premeditation of every man's duty is necessary before the run to far under a good intent.  and the people their disloyalty by their rash and unadvised tumult, saying afterward, we did it in a good intent. Therefore there must appear neither overmuch negligence in the one, nor overmuch rashness in the other. But as every man hath two eyes in his face to see the things present: so the Magistrate ought to have the eye of the mind always open to foresee things to come. 
The Magistrates ought to foresee things to come.  And this is the eye of wisdom, and providence, that seethe in the time of peace, what is to be done against the time of war: and in the danger of war, what is to be done to redeem peace, or to prevent war. The rumours of war are to the weak fearful, to the rude dreadful, or desperate, and to the wise, a cause of watchfulness. The report then of invasion, must of necessity draw in all men either courage to resist, or a present bewraying of the cowardly minded. For the examination of every man's affections in himself, cannot but testify one of these in him. And as I take it, 
The English always valorous.  none of our English nation can retain the last, sith all their progenitors have so resolutely in deeds witnessed the former. And therefore sith all (no doubt) as it were with one mind, one heart, one hand, and one consent, will be ready upon occasion to encounter the enemy: so shall their magnanimity the more be approved, by how much they shall proceed by discretion, and military direction: and not by a desperate hardiness according to every man's conceit, 
Rashness to be avoided.  and inward humour, whereby they may seem to covet, to show their forwardness: which being rashly put in execution, without regard of the matter reported, or form to be used in the proceeding, will either discover them to be wilful, tumultuous, & overhasty: or else procure unto themselves the danger of seditious people. For it behoveth us to think, that as the enemy boasteth of his strength, so he standeth upon his policy: wherein, as he hath many ways practised by secret treasons to move, and stir up civil sedition among ourselves, which God hath revealed, and our watchful Magistrates discreetly prevented: so hath he published by his wicked ministers, lurking amongst us, sudden reports, dangerous brutes, and open hoobubs, 
A subtle practice of the enemy to move tumults amongst ourselves.  to move an undiscreet tumult among the rash multitude, to the end that by reason thereof, some factious people might draw the rest to violate their sworn obedience, and by their forcible rashness bring a danger in conceit of the rest, where none is indeed: which kind of practice is new in our thoughts, most frivolous for his purpose, praised by God. Yet he that hath been so long his open prompter, the blasphemous beast, he, even he, will leave no mischief unpractised, to pull on the undiscreet multitude, under colour of some public good for them, or of some imminent danger towards them, to run out like men unadvised, to the end they might work their own confusion, and yield the more ease to the enemy's purpose. And therefore it highly behoveth all men, both Magistrates, and private people, 
private men must not stir before the Magistrate.  to have an eye to every alarm, and not upon the sudden to be over rash, nor too secure: but to look into the cause, and shape their proceed accordingly: and in every of the particular limits, before rehearsed, to play the Bees, not to swarm before the master Bee: and when the Magistrate shall sound a call, and enter into the action, as the king of Bees, going forth first, than ought the inferior to follow, and to keep themselves in diligent attendance, performing what is commanded only: wherein whosoever, Magistrate, or common person, shall show himself more forward, then shall be warranted from the superior Magistrate, shall no doubt incur the danger of disobedience: & therefore must every inferior have an eye unto the superior: so by degrees shall there be true observation of duty in every place her Majesty and Counsel is as it were primum mobile, 
Her Majesty & her counsel the first movers.  whatsoever moveth must begin from thence, and by direction from thence, must all the rest move as upon the axletree, which carrieth about all the government of this commonwealth: and as all inferior Magistrates, namely the chief of every province, city, town ecorporate, constable of hundred, and the rest, are to move by degrees: so must the private multitude move, but as the first mover shall direct: and which can not immediately be sensible unto them, until it be by the ordinary motious of the other movers intimated. And whosoever seemeth to move of himself and to move others, without this ordinary motion, he cannot but be censured a usurper of that office, an untimely comet which would show light being darkness itself, and therefore to be abandoned out of all the true constellations, which have their due motions and light from the first. It is a dangerous thing in these days to admit any news of matters of invasion to fly abroad, 
Sudden news dangerous.  whereby extraordinary motions may be stirred up amongst the people. Howsoever it seemeth necessary that truth should be delivered, to the end it may be apprehended of such especially as have authority and discretion to manage a course accordingly. And because none ought to set his hand unto the ark, but he must be called thereunto: so none must undertake as of himself, to lead any tumultuous crew upon any supposed alarm, without superior direction. And for that the great charge lieth most, yea altogether upon the Magistrates: how far behoveth it them to be both wise to direct, 
Three things to be avoided in followers.  and courageous to go before the rest? wherein they must fly three things: fear, whereby they should be moved to fly: cowardliness, whereby they may discomfit their followers: & rashness, whereby they may endanger themselves and others: but to be truly magnanimous, dismayed at no tidings, fearing no danger, nor admitting no occasion to absent them from the face of the enemy. For to live or die are not of themselves good, but to do both of them rightly and in a good matter, bringeth honour. And therefore Cato Senior to encourage a man to true fortitude without too much fear, or too much rashness, faith, that there is great difference between much esteeming of virtue, and little weighing of life: whereby he showeth that it is a commendable thing to desire life to be virtuous: rather then rash without discretion to be famous. But if you show yourselves provident in your charges, and as occasion serveth, forward in true fortitude for your country's safety, you shall be reverenced, and be worthily famous: and not for desperate running on with a furious crew of brainsick people, but for your discretion, which more prevaileth by a few, then hasty fury by a multitude.   

That prayer must be added unto all the former means which in Christian policy we are allowed to make, to resist this Antichristian host.  
IT cannot be denied, but weapons are fit and very necessary for wars, walled cities, forts, and castles, for defence, policy is a requisite matter in martial affairs. But all these are to no more effect than a wooden dagger to defend one, or offend another, as of themselves, without GOD bless the use of them. For he can frustrate every action by his power: 
Weapons and policy nothing unless God bless the use of them.  he can withstand the proud, and defend the simple: unarmed David by him was able to smite armed Goliath, and kill him with his own sword. And as therefore it is most expedient, that in his fear all things be carefully provided in a Commonwealth fit for the wars: so to put no more confidence in the same, then in a reed, unless withal we crave God to bless them: who by his providence and power can convert all things as he will, namely the sword of him that trusteth therein, to kill himself. A horse is a vain thing to save a man: whereby David proveth all military implements frivolous, if God give not power thereunto: and unless he teach a man to fight, strength or policy can prevail nothing. And although we may see daily that the sword of the wicked prevaileth against the wicked, and sometimes against the godly, which may argue a virtue in the same thing: it must not so be taken, 
God giveth the victory in a combat between two sparrows.  for that the providence of God hath a share in a combat between two sparrows, and whether of them he will, prevaileth. And therefore we that pretend to be true Christians, have a peculiar promise to be defended and preserved by him: and between him and us is such a spiritual affinity, that if we add unto these outward things inward faith, and faithful prayer to him, he will so bless our weapons and our proceed against the enemy, that we shall accomplish that admirable matter which he hath promised us to perform, namely, ten to chase an hundred, 
The force of prayer more than the force of weapons.  and one hundred to put 10000 to flight. The Israelites fight with the Amalekites, prevailed more by Moses prayer, than josua and the soldiers did by battle, Exo. 17. 11. The like did they against the Philistines, by the prayer of Samuel, 1. Sam. 7. 3. The prayer of the just person availeth much: and therefore saith David, Cal upon the Lord in the day of trouble, and he shall hear thee, and thou shalt glorify him. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous, and his ears are open unto their prayers. Whereby we may assure us of his presence with us, in this dangerous Hoobub, if we pray to him. And for our further encouragement against this wicked nation, he saith: The Lord is against them that rise against his. Prayer is a most victorious virtue, a hidden power, whereby God himself is as it were overcome; yea when he hath determined the destruction of a rebellious people, 
God is moved by prayer to alter his decree.  he is won by prayer to repent him as it were of his decree: as appeareth by Nineveh, who joining repentance with prayer, appeased God. And because prayer in faith is of such a force with him, he saith unto jeremy, Pray not for this people: as though he should have said, though I have decreed to destroy them, yet I may be overcome by prayer to spare them, and therefore pray not for them, that will not pray for themselves. 
The prayer of one prevaileth with God to preserve a multitude.  It appeareth then that the prayer of one prevaileth with God to preserve a multitude: as among many other examples is seen by judith, who prayed for the deliverance of the people of Bethuliah, and obtained not that alone, but a mighty destruction of the enemy. Hereby was the counsel of Achitophel made void, and took no effect against David: and if we therein repair unto our God, all these threats, great provision, and huge host of Antichrist shall be made likewise frustrate, as it hath been once, fresh in our memories, when he fought for us by his winds, and broke their power by his providence. Therefore let us set not only this his late mercy before our eyes, wherein he defended us and confounded them: but apply the example of Hezekiah, who prayed against the invasion of his enemies, with their invincible armies, at whose petition GOD slew of the Assyrians 185000. men, 2. Chron. 32. 25. So did jehosaphat obtain against his enemies, a mighty and memorable victory: how shall we then dismay at this foolish Hoobub, whereby only the weak are daunted: such as know not the power of the highest are afraid? But let us above the multitude of our men, the furniture of our munition, take hold of this assured anchor, and pray to God, who will hear even before we speak, he considereth the thoughts, 
Prayer a sure anchor in danger.  and will give ear to our sighs. And let us think that if one have prevailed for many, surely he will hear many for England, wherein there are many godly that pray continually for the preservation thereof, not unto the helpless Saints, but to the helping God, to the God all-sufficient. To whom let us only run in a lively confidence, not omitting the necessary implements of war, which by faith God will so bless in every man's hand, that we shall have the victory, and God the glory. Let us begin to hate sin, and continue constant in righteousness, and let us not doubt but that he which hath freely embraced us with so great favour already, will defend us also most mightily, and to our great comfort deliver us from the wicked.  
Now my loving countrymen, why should we fear the force and threatenings of these men, seeing we have the Lord himself to be our king? Let us not be afraid, but trust upon the sure protection of this our all-sufficient God. Let us magnify his mighty name, which is most terrible to our adversaries: it is holy, and therefore all honour, power, mercy, praise, and thanks be given to him, by whom we are only saved.   

An humble petition to God, for the preservation of Queen Elizabeth, and the protection of the Church of Christ, not unfit to be daily used of every Christian, but also in every Christian family.  
OH most high, mighty, and invincible God, king of all the kings & kingdoms of the earth, we fall down before thy majesty, not as though we would dispute with thee, why the heathen do rage against us, and why the Antichristian crew do mutter within themselves, as if we were ready to become a prey unto them: we come not to charge thee with injustice, in that thou sufferest the kings of the earth, and the multitudes of malicious men to band themselves against us, the sheep of thy pasture, and against our Queen, thine anointed: No, father, merciful, and loving, we come unto thee as wretches deserving thy heavy displeasure, wherein thou mayst, without doing us any injury, bring upon us this uncivil people, by whom if thou wilt thou mayst justly punish us for our sins: yea thou mayst do with us what thou wilt, who have not done in our callings to thee, as thou hast commanded. Yet Lord for thine own names sake, cast not out of thy merciful remembrance thy sweet promises annexed unto thy Gospel, which thou hast given us long time to enjoy. The fruits whereof we do acknowledge, have not so fully appeared in us, as is required at our hands: and therefore are we the less assured of thy protection. But Lord, sith thy mercy exceedeth thy justice, consider that we are but flesh, and therefore prone to fall as were our fathers. Look not so narrowly, oh Lord, into our corruptions, neither take thou such vengeance against us, as that we should become captives to such as seek to persecute us, not for our faults, but even thy Son, in the truth of his sacred Gospel in us: although thou only knowest us & them. Thou searchest aswell their imaginations, as our sins: wherein as we have offended thee, so Lord let us by thy mercy reform us, or at least receive punishment from thee in love, and not in their futies, whose hearts are bend against thy true Catholic Church: and who covet to bereave us of our Queen, whom thou hast in mere love to thy chosen children, placed as a mother in thy Church of England, whose life they have by many wicked and rebellious practices sought to take away: showing thereby, oh Lord, that there is no true religion in their proceed, no true faith in their works, nor true zeal in their desires: but all that they do is by the power of sin, as if they should openly vow to prevent thy providence by their power, to pull down and set up whom they list, when they list, and enjoin them to do what they list, pretending in all their devices, be they never so bloody, and sterched with open massacres with despoiling of thy people, eating up even innocents as if they did eat bread, to do thee great service. Oh high and loving father, consider this, and look into their thirstiness, wherein they will never be satisfied with blood, if thou give them scope, yea but a little to prevail. And therefore give them not the power to work what they have imagined, lest that thine elect be turned through the bitterness of their tyrannies, to doubt of thy mercies. But for as much as thou broughtest us out of that cruel bondage, wherein we were tied and fettered with human precepts, which are contrary to thy word, by the hands of our Queen Elizabeth thine anointed, as were thy children of Israel from Egypt by the hands of Moses and Aaron: so Lord give her long life to govern us, and power under thee to protect us from these cruel men, whose hearts are hardened, and whose consciences are seared, as appeareth that they will not be pacified, but (if thou prevent not) will seek to swallow us up. We acknowledge, oh Lord, our weakness, and appeal to thee for strength: we confess our sins and fall down to thee for pardon; hear us and deliver us. Let thy Gospel dear father for thy sons sake, not only continue amongst us, but let the fruits of our true zeal be so watered with thy holy spirit, that they may become acceptable unto thee: that thou mayst be unto our Queen an high tower, and a safe refuge to us that are afflicted Rise up, rise up, oh God invincible, list up thine hand in our behalf against the power of this mighty Senacherib, who in his vaunts declareth that there is no help for us in thee. But thou canst smite them, oh Lord smite them upon the cheek bones, break their hairy scalps, and make their devices vain. Our fathers trusted in thee, oh Lord, they trusted in thee, and thou didst deliver them. Strengthen our faith dear Father, that we may likewise trust in thee, and be delivered: So shall not the praise redound unto ourselves, but unto thy glory. And all the world seeing how thou protectest us, shall likewise come unto thee, seek thee, honour thee, and as thou hast been, art, and shalt be unto us all in all; so all nations frame their obedience to thy will, as unto the al-sufficientito whom be immortal praise, as thou only deservest.  
oh Lord increase our faith.   

A private Prayer to be said of Magistrates, that they may be fit to perform in these dangerous days, what their several places shall require.  
OH Father full of wisdom, power, and Majesty, for as much as every man in himself, and of himself is so far from all ableness to perform what is required of him to the discharge of his duty, not only to thee in regard of his service due unto thee, but also to his country, in regard of his place wherein he is to live in the commonwealth, as that he can perform nothing aright: and therefore I do come unto thee, beseeching, that as thou hast found me out, howsoever unfit of myself to discharge it, and hast laid upon me the function of a Magistrate, to rule thy people in the place whereunto thou hast appointed me: Let me now be shaped and framed anew: let my thoughts, my heart, soul, and body, be changed from vanity to truth, from sin to repentance, from weakness to strength, from ignorance to knowledge, from pride to humility, & from all things that I ought not to be, to that I ought to be. That as mine eyes are to be set on all, to the end I might see all, approve or reprove all, and punish or defend all within my charge; and as every man's eyes are on me to note my steps, how I walk in my function: so I may conform myself not only to the precepts of superior powers, in performing them to the public example of others, but also in true zeal to thy word, I may be a lantern of light unto them, & not by my slackness in my calling, in breach of any duty give example to any to follow that is evil. Therefore teach me thy statutes oh Lord, that I may walk in thy ways: guide me in my paths, that I may practise righteousness, and execute justice truly. That I may appear to be as I ought to be, and not to follow mine own will, which is prone to evil evermore: supply all my wants oh Lord, in giving me an understanding heart, a merciful heart, a contrite heart, and an humble spirit, the spirit of meekness, the spirit of knowledge, the spirit of love, the spirit of faith, and the spirit of true fortitude. That as now the man of sin is busy, his ministers diligent, and his most dangerous practices ready to be put in execution, to subvert justice, equity, truth, religion, and to suppress thy word by violence: So make every man, but especially such as thou hast made rulers over any, to be vigilant and full of true wisdom and courage, all which as they are thy gifts, so grant unto me oh Lord, and to all other in authority, that we may not bear the name only of Magistrates, but may be endued with all virtues requisite for Magistrates. That by our negligence, nothing may be done to thy dishonour, or dangerous to thy Church, and that nothing may be omitted which may advance the same. And as religion is the best and most glorious rob and ornament that a Magistrate ought to be decked with, for that out of it as out of a pure fountain, thou causest to flow wisdom how to govern, and all other virtues answerable to that high function: grant that we may all fly thereunto, and embrace it in such sort, as like a light the fruits thereof may in our proceed, shine to the inferior by our examples: and vouchsafe that our obedience to our superiors may learn the lower sort how to obey, and as we are taught by thee, know how to govern. And far be it from us to glory in our high callings, but to rejoice only in this, that thou hast taught us how to perform our duties both to them that do well, and to the offenders both in peace and war: and that we accordingly perform the same, that in the end when we shall give account of our bayliwickes; thou mayst acquit us in the mercies of thy son, as faithful dispensers of our several callings. Amen.  
Oh Lord increase our faith.  
FINIS.