¶ A sermon preached at Paul's cross on Trinity sunday, 1571. By. E. B.  
Imprinted at London by john Awdely. 1576.   printer's device of John Awdeley, a compartment with two naked boys on the jambs. On the sill the initials I.N. on a shield. (McKerrow 98) 
I N   

¶ A Sermon upon a part of the three Chapter of Paul's second Epistle to Timotheus.  2. TIMOTHEUS. 3.16. 
¶ All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable to doctrine, to reprove, to correction, to instruction which is in righteousness. 17 That the man of God may be perfect, instructed unto all good works.  
AS all the holy scripture is profitable to teach true & sound doctrine to confute false and erroneous doctrine, to instruct in good and godly life, and to reprove ungodly and wicked life, that the man of God may be profited & prepared to every good work as the Apostle saith. So right honourable & dearly beloved in our Saviour Christ, if I may make any comparison between those divine, & heavenly books, the book of Psalms is a most precious pearl, & a most worthy work containing most sweet & comfortable doctrine for the soul and conscience of man. And therefore whosoever he was that did writ the first preface before the commentaries of s. Augustine vpo● the Psalms, doth not unworthily call this book Registrus totius sacra scripture etc.  
1. A register of all the holy scripture and a perfection of all divinity. And s. Augustine himself in his own preface saith that this book of the Psalms is Communis quidam thesaurus bonae doctrine aptesingulis necessaria Subministrans, that is a certain common treasure or schoolhouse of good doctrine, 
calvin in his preaface before the Psalms.  ministering fitly to every one those things which be necessary for them. A certain worthy writer of our age calleth this book an Anatomy of the soul, for that there is no affection, passion, nor motion, unto the which the soul of man is subject but he may see the same most lively expressed in this book of the Psalms. For whether we be persecuted by open enemies, or molested by those that have seemed to be our friends, who have gone up into the temple with us, 
Psal. 41 9 〈◊〉 ●5. 15,  & have taken sweet counsel together, or whether we be grieved with sickness, or troubled with the feeling of our sins, or in what other soever perplexity or distress we be, we may suck out of this book of the Psalms most sweet and comfortable doctrine either for the amendment of our lives, or the comfort of our consciences. And therefore S. Augustine saith very well, that this book of the Psalms is scutuma nocturuis terroribus, diurnorum requ●es laborum, tutela pueris, ornamentum adoiescentibus, Solamen Senibus, mulieribus aptissimus decor, that is to say, a shield against the terrors of the night, a rest for the labours of the ●ay, a defence for children an ornament for young men, I would to God the young men would seek to stay their frail and slippery youth with the diligent reading of this book. I would that old men would solace their wearisome old age with meditating on this book. I would women would trim, and attire themse●●e not with gold & broidered hear, as the Apostle. saith but with the precious pearls, & jewels that are contained in this book. Surely S. Iereme in epitaphio Paul hath these words. Neque emim licebat cuique Sororum ignorare Psalmos, & non de scriptures sanctis quotidie aliquid discere, That is to say, it was not lawful for any of the sisters that were with Paula to be ignorant of the Psalms, or not to learn every day somewhat of the scriptures. A godly exercise for women. The same s. Jerome writing to a gentelwoman called Data, instructing her how to bring up her daughter writeth thus. Turpia verba non intelliga●, cantica mundi ignoret adhuc tenera lingda psalmis dulcibus imbuator. That is, Let her not hear filthy talk, let her not learn worldly songs, but whilst her tongue is as yet tender let it be exercised in the sweet psalms A godly education for children. Here by the way I must show you, how contrary the judgement of S. Jerome is to the opinion of the papists S. Jerome would have not only men, but also women: not only women but also children & young girls to be exercised & trained up in the scriptures. The Papists have kept the light of god's word under the bushel of a strange tongue, have taken away the key of knowledge and have shut up the kingdom of God before men, and neither will enter in themselves nor suffer others that would. But to return again to my purpose if this book of the Psalms be so worthy a work, aught not we worthily use it? Yes verily. And how shall we worthily use it? If we do reverently use it, if we study and meditate upon it, if we break the shell and get the kernall, that is, if we seek the simple sense of the holy ghost, and apply the same unto ourselves, either to amend our lives, or to comfort our consciences, if we do thus use it, we shall worthily and fruitfully use it. But I fear me we do for the most part abus● it, we read it, but we little regard it, we do but run over it, we toss it from one side to another like tennis balls with small comfort to ourselves, and less profit to others. Thus to use gods holy word is not rightly to use it, but rather to abuse it. For whosoever doth use the word of God to any other end, then to that to the which the spirit of God did indite if, and the holy prophets and Apostles did writ it, do abuse it, and then shall tender an account to God for it. I pray God for his mercy, that our hasty handling of his holy word, do not hasten his just judgement to deprive us of it. But some man peradventure may hear say: What mean you to speak thus much upon the Psalms? Because (dearly beloved) I purpose by the assistance of god's grace & holy spirit, to entreat on a psalm. for considering that that part of scripture which is appointed this d●yte be ●●ad for the Gospel hath been of late very largely handled in very puplike & solemn place by others, and that the other part of scripture is taken out of the revelation, more meet to be handled by a meeter man, and by one that hath more learning and leisure than I have for these considerations I say I have omitted them and at this time present have taken myself to a Psalm.  Psalm. LXXV. 
¶ We will praise thee O God we will praise thee. For thy name is nerens therefore they will declare thy wondrous works.  
THis Psalm may be divided into four parts whereof the first containeth a vow and promise' of the godly to praise the name of God, and to declare his wonderful works, for that his name is ever near both to be are, & also to save & deliver them.  
2. The second part containeth an answer in the person of almighty God, wherein is declared that God when he shall see a convenient time will judge justly, and although the earth withal the inhabitant thereof be far out of frame, yet he will establish the pillars thereof, & bring all to good order again.  
3. The third part containeth an exhortation to the foolish and wicked, neither to trust ●n their own power, and wisdom, nor to exalt themselves against God & his people: But rather to consider that all true preferment cometh of God, and he exalteth some, and putteth down other.  
4. The fourth and last part containeth partly a commination of God's heavy judgements, which hung over the wicked, and partly a consolation of his mercies towards the godly. Upon these four points I purpose by God's grace to entreat.  
We will praise thee O God. This first part as I have above touched containeth a promise of the people of God to praise the name of God, because he is ever near to hear them, and his power ever present, & his help ever at hand to save & deliver them.  
First we have to consider whom we must praise, and to whom we must pray. Even the Lord our God. It is he only who created & made us, it is he only who bestoweth all both spiritual graces, & temporal benefits upon us, therefore him only must we praise, and to him only pray. Prayer whereof praise & thanks giving is a part, is the chiefest exercise of a good christians saith, it is our spiritual service, it is the sacrifice of their lips which confess his name and therefore it is to be offered only to god. But there upon I will not stand.  
Secondly let us consider of whom God must be praised not generally of all men, but particularly of some, not of the wicked and ungodly, but of those that fear God, and walk in his ways, of those that love him, & keep his commandments, of those that be justified by his grace, and saintified by his spirit. God will not be praised of a blasphemous mouth, nor of tongue that is given to swearing. God will not be praised of a drunken head, nor a malicious mind, nor a covetous heart, nor a filthy defiled body. God will not be praised of those whose feet are ready to run to do mischief, and whose hands are full of blood. God saith by the prophets: When you shall stretch out your hands, I will hide mine eyes from you and though ye make many prayers, I will not hear you, for your hands be full of blood. In the which place there is meant by blood, not only the external and outward shedding of blood, but also all kind of cruelty, extremity, usury, extortion and oppression of the poor. Therefore all they in whose houses is the spoil of the poor, that beat the people to powder, as Esay saith: and that pluck of their skins & chops in pieces ●heir flesh, 
Mich. 33  as it were for the pot as Micha ●aith: or that eat up gods people as though ●hey were bread, as David saith, 
Psal. i4. 4  cannot worthily and fruitfully praise God. And ●●ere there such in judea, and is there no such in England? Yes to many. All usurers that bite, yea and undo their poor brethe●in, be such, all raisers and rackers of rents be such, all turners of the poor out of their houses and livings: be such, to conclude, all they that use any injury or violence against the poor, be such. And if we put all these together, we shall see that there be enough & to many such. There was never greater pride, never greater extortion & oppression to maintain pride. I do know where of late there hath been villages wherein divers families have been nourished, & men maintained, able to serve both the prince and country. And now all are wrung out, & turned out, and all is annexed to the demesne of one man to maintain an unsatiable cormorant. Thief that thus turn out the poor, turn Gods favourable face from them: they turn God's frowning face and ireful countenance toward them. Woe be unto them saith God by his prophet, that join house to house, & lay field to field, till there be no place for the poor, that you may devil by yourselves in the midddest of the earth. This is in the ears of the Lord of hosts, so that many houses shallbe desolate, even many & great without inhabitant, Surely if this be not amended, God himself from heaven will revenge it.  

Pro. 21. i3.  Solomon in the proverbs saith: he that stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he himself shall cry and not be heard. If those that be merciless, that show no pity nor compassion upon the poor, that do not help & relive them in their necessity, cannot fruit fully praise God, much more they that oppress and undo the poor, can neither praise nor please God.  

Pro. 28.9.  The same Solomon saith: He that turneth his ear from hearing the law of the Lord, his prayer is abominable. By the which we may learn, that aswell they which be careless and negligent in hearing God's word, as also those wilful obstinate papists which will not once vouchsafe to come ●o the congregation and hear it, can not worthily praise God. 
〈…〉   
S. james exhorteth us in these words: If any man lack wisdom, let him ask it of God, which giveth to all men liberally, and casteth no man in the teeth, and it shall ●e given him. But let him ask in faith & waver not, for he that wavereth is like a wave of the sea, tossed of the wind and carried away, neither let that man think that he shall receive any thing of the Lord. By the which we be taught, that they in whose hearts is the root of infidelity who are destitute of faith by the which we apprehended the mercies of God in Christ, can neither praise nor please God, for by faith we are grafted into Christ, by faith we be adopted to be the children of God, by faith Christ dwelleth in our hearts, therefore without faith it is impossible to please God. And whatsoever is not of faith is sin.  
Finally all they that work wickedness & live dissolutely without fear of God, 
calvin in his preaface before the psalms.  cannot worthily praise god. David saith: if I regard wickedness in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. And Solomon saith, that the sacrifices of the wicked be abomination unto the Lord. David also saith, that the prayer of the wicked is turned into sin In the ninth of S. john it is said: God heareth not sinners. But some man may hear say, whom then doth God hear? Are we not all sinners, hath not God concludes all under sin: are we not all unprofitable servants? Whom then shall God hear? I answer (dearly beloved) that we be all sinners, and that there is not one that doth good, not not one: Yet notwithstanding there are two sorts of sinners. There be some that sin but they are sorry for their sins, they have contrite & broken hearts for their sins, they feel the burden of their sins in their consciences, they travel & be heavy laden with their sins. These come unto Christ jesus, & by him are refreshed and eased of their sins. These believe that almighty God for Christ jesus sake willbe merciful to their sins, and forgive them their iniquities, And thus by faith Christ's obedience is made their obedience. Christ's fulfilling of the law, is become their fulfilling of the law: Christ's righteousness is their righteousness, and covereth all their unrighteousness. So that although they be unrighteous sinners in themselves, yet before God they be righteous for Christ jesus sake I pray God we all may be in the number of this sort of sinners. These sinners God loveth and heareth. The eyes of the Lord are over the righteous and his ears be open unto their prayers.  
But there is another sort of sinners, which commit sin without grief of mind, ●r compunction of heart, which delight in sin, ●nd run forward in sin like the stoned ●orse in the battle, & wallow in wickedness ●yke the sow in the mire. They have not this lively faith which is an assurance of God's love towards us in Christ jesus, & 〈◊〉 lively apprehension of God's mercies in Christ. These cannot praise God, nay the ●nger of almighty God hangeth over them ●o rout then: out. Let us beware and take ●éede that we be not in number of these sinners. These god heareth not, but hath as it ●s in the Psalm. Odisti omnes qui operatur ●niquit●tem, 1. Thou hatest all those the work wickedness. But rather let us rend our hearts & not our garments, and turn to the Lord our God, who is gracious and merciful, flow to anger and of great gooones. Here also I will show you that the papists cannot praise god, and yet they boast much of prayer, and say that prayer is despised & neglected of us. But I trust any man may easily perceive partly by the earnest zeal of Godly men in prayer, & partly by the earnest exhortations of good men to praise, & lastly by the Godly books, that we have written or prayer that this is no true report, by them to deface gods truth, and to bring us into hatred with the people.  
In deed as our Saviour Christ despised the hypocritical prayers of the papists, We condemn their unfruitful numbling in a strange tongue, and their ungodly calling upon creatures which is not warranted but condemned, by the word of God. But as for true prayer which is a lifting up of our souls, and a pouring forth of our hearts before God, & an earnest invocation of his holy name in the only name of his dear son Christ jesus our saviour, we greatly commend, & earnestly exhort all men unto it.  
But howsoever the papists glory in their prayer, I will prove unto you by god's grace that they cannot fruitfully praise God, for how can they fruitfully praise God who dishonour God, and spoil Christ jesus of his glory. Christ jesus was appointed & anointed of his father to be our king who only should conquer and overcome Satan, sin, death and damnation, who only should rule his universal church with his spirit and word, who only should be the head of his church, and give life unto the same being his body. But the papists ●aue rob him hereof, for they have divided many other means ●o overcome sin, 〈◊〉 Satan, besides Christ. You heard of late ●n this place, how that the papists affirm ●hat Christ died only for original sin, ●nd that for other sins we ourselves must mak● satisfaction, you heard also how ●hat Pigghius the papist doth confidently avouch that original sin is not sin, ●ut only so called because it floweth and cometh from sin. So that of this doctrine 〈◊〉 must needs follow that Christ died for ●hat which is not in deed sin, but hath ●nly the name and title of sin. They ●aue commit the regiment of Christ's vni●ersall church to one man, who hath been ●uer so unable to sustain so great a charge ●hat hitherto he was never well able right ●y to rule that one city of Rome, nor his college of Cardinals. Him they have made ●ead of the Church, in whom (as they say) ●he unity of the Church consi●teth, & upon ●hom the safety of the Church dependeth, ●o that he which is not in this Church, whereof the Pope is head, is out of noah's ●rke, & out of Peter's ship, & cannot be saved ●ut must needs be drowned. This is th●●● doctrine, by the which they deprive Christ jesus as much as in them lieth of that function unto the which his heavenly father t●o appoint him. Christ was anointed and appointed to be our only prophet and schoolmaster, whom only we should have as his heavenly father did testify of him saying. Hic est silius meus dilectus in quo mihi benae complacitum est, ipse andite. 1. This is my well-beloved son in whom I am well pleased, hear him. He hath delivered unto us his holy word and gospel which is able to save our souls, and also to make the man of god perfect prepared to every good work, this he hath sealed and confirmed with his blood. Yet notwithstanding the papists do affirm that all things needful and necessary to our salvation, a● not contained in the scriptures, but that we must receive many traditio●s, which yet are but trifles and believe many unwritten verities. And thus in effect they take from him the office of being our prophet to instruct us. Christ jesus was anointed of God to be our hi● priest, where with the sacrifice of his body and blood once offered hath paid the price and ransom of our sins, who entered once into the holy place, and found eternal redemption, who with one sacrifice once offered hath made perfit all those that shallbe saved, 
Mich. 33  who died once the righteous for the unrighteous, 
Psal. i4. 4  and bore our sins upon the wood. But the Papists have brought in a feigned & forged sacrifice of their own devise, available (as they say) not only for the sins of thos● that are alive, but also for them that are dead. This feigned sacrifice, as it hath no warrant at all in the word of God, so is it a great derogation to the death and passion of Christ conjured by the Pope: Peccatum ●rangit ut Christi Sanquis et augit It breaketh and grieveth sin as well as the blood of Christ. For thus full rudely or rather blasphemously did Pope Urban run to Fre●erick the Emperor. They say that holy water is aveileable, ad salutem animae et corporis to the salvation of the soul and body. They have taught us to say and pray. jesu bonae per Thoma merita nostra nobis demitte debita. i Good jesus for the merits of Thomas forgive us our debts, that is to say our sins. And again. Tu per Thoma sanguinem etc. which in a rude rhyme they thus translated make us Christ to climb whether Thomas did ascend. Thus we may plainly perceive that the papists ascribe that which is only proper to the merits and blood of Christ jesus the son of God, to the merits and blood of a man, I will not say what manner of man. I read in an epistle lately written to the senate of Venice, that in that solemn Church of S. Mark in Venice there be cunningly and costly graved the four pictures of the four Evangelists, 
Pro. 21.13  and under every one his peculiar verse. Under S. Matthew this: ablue concta reae mentis mala sancte Mathee: that is O S. Matthew wash away all the evils of a guilty mind: and under S. john this: Quo sine sine manes perduc nos virgo johannes, that is, O Virgin john bring us thither where thou dost abide for ever. 
Pro. 28.9.  If this be not blasphemous against God the father & our saviour jesus christ, I know not what I should count or call blasphemous. Christ was anointed to be our only mediator betwixt God and man, as the apostle saith. But they have made many mediators whereof we may well doubt whether some be in heaven or not. And thus we may sufficiently see that the Papists although they profess Christ in word, 
〈…〉  yet they deny him in deed. Wherefore unless we hate and abhor this devilish, damnable doctrine which is repugnant to God's ●ord, and injurious to Christ's death we can ●e there truly please nor praise God.  
Now let us consider how we must praise God: It is here said. We will praise thee O God, we will praise thee, this repetition is ●n effectual kind of speech, teaching us, that we must praise God earnestly and not neg●ygently, zealously and not caresly, fervently not coldly. And herein we must tread in ●he steps and follow the example of our saviour Christ, who in the days of his flesh (as the apostle saith) did offer up prayers & supplications, cum clamore valido et lachri●mis, with strong crying and tears, to him that was able to save him. And how we may thus effectual pray, 
calvin in his preaface before the psalms,  the Apostle teacheth us saying, Spiritus interpellat pro nobis ●gemitibus menarrabilibus. 1. The spirit of God maketh intercession for us with groanings that cannot be expressed, the meaning whereof is as S. Augustine doth truly expound it, that the spirit of God doth move and stir up our hearts to pray unto God with sighs & groanings which cannot be expressed. They therefore which are sealed with God's holy spirit, and whom the said spirit doth move to cry Abba father, they I say do pray unto god with deep sighs: groanings The Apostle in the 12 to the romans teacheth us who be the true worshippers of God, Spiritu feruentes domino seruientes, being fervent in spirit, and fearing the Lord. Those be the true servers and servants of God which be fervent in the spirit. But the world is now come to that point almost, that it is counted in a manner worthy reprosse to be zealous and fervent in the spirit. For if a man calmly and temperately handle gods cause, than he is counted a wiseman, a sober man, and a discreet man. But if the zeal of God's house have eaten him up & touch the quick, he hunger & thirst the reformation of things that be amiss, than he is called rash, foolish, undiscrete, and I wots not what. But I beseech God that all men, especially the ministers & preachers of Gods holy word may be endued with the two properties which are commended in Apollo to be fervent in the spirit, and mighty in the scriptures. Both these must be coupled together, and not severed a sunder in a minister, for neither knowledge is sufficient without zeal, neither zeal without knowledge, For S. Paul doth testify of his countrymen the jews, that they had zeal towards God, but not according to knowledge. And yet in my opinion good zeal ●ith small learning, is better than great ●arning with small zeal.  
Now let us consider why we should praise God and declare his marvelous works, it & hear declared in these words. For thy ●ame is near. The name of God, that is to God himself, his power and majesty is said ●s be near. First because he is ready to ●ere our prayers and petitions, Secondly because his mighty power is ever present ●o save and deliver us. Of the first David ●aith: the Lord is near do all that call upon ●im in truth. And god promiseth by the prophet Esaias to here his people even before they call upon him. I have good cause to confute the papists, who imagine God to stand a soufe and far of, and that therefore we must come unto him, as unto a worldly king by the means of Saints, who in their opinion are nearer unto us then God. But dearly beloved be not deceived there is no saint in heaven nor earth so near unto thee, as is almighty God, For as touching the saints which be, are departed this life, whether they do hear our prayers or know our estate it is to be doubted, surely S. Augustin in his book de cura pro mortuis ad Paulinum, seemeth to conclude, that as we here living do not know what is done in heaven, so that saints in heaven know not what is done on the earth. And to this purpose he allegeth certain places out of the holy scriptures, First out of the .63, chapter of Esaias the Prophet, Abraham nefcivitnos, Israel ignoravit nos. Abraham hath not known us, Israel hath not known us, thou O Lord art our Father, and our redeemer, thy name is for ever. Here the Prophet doth not direct his prayer to Abraham nor to jacob, but only to God, yea and he plainly professeth that Abraham & jacob did not know their estate, and therefore he seeketh only to God. Another place Augustine aledgeth out of the Psalm, Pater et matter dereliquerunt me, dominus autem susepit me- My Father and my mother have forsaken me, but the Lord hath taken me up. A third place he writeth out of the book of Kings where Hulda the prophetess did show king josia that he should be gathered to his Fathers, and buried in peace, that his eyes might not see the evil which God would bring up on the people. By these places. S. Augustine doth prove that the saints departed do never hear our prayers, nor understand our estate. But if I should grant that they do hear our prayers (which yet cannot be proved by the scriptures) yet doth it not follow that they be nearer unto us then God. Solomon saith, Tu solus novisti corda filiorum Israel: Thou only O lord knowest the hearts of the sons of Israel. He only search the ●arts & reins, and therefore he is nearer unto us then all saints & creatures. But as touching this matter of Invocation I will say no more, only this I conclude, we have in the scriptures the express commandment of God to call upon him. Call upon me (saith God) in the day of thy trouble and I will deliver thee, and thou shalt glorify me. We have many promises that our prayers shallbe accepted & granted being offered to god in the name of our saviour Christ as may pear in the text last alleged. And in joel it is sand Que cunque in vocaverit. etc. who soever calleth upon the name of the Lord shallbe saved. And our Saviour Christ saith Whatsoever ye ask of the father in my name, be shall give it you. We have examples of the holy patriarchs, prophets, and Apostles which prayed to none other but only to God. On the other part we have not in all the scriptures any one commandment to pray to any saint, nor any promise that our prayers either made unto them or offered to God in their names, shallbe accepted or granted of God, neither have we any one example of any one Godly patriarch. Prophet, or apostle that ever prayed to any other but only to God, and therefore aught we also to pour fourth our prayers only to God. And this in my judgement might sufficiently serve any man that will humbly submit himself to God's truth, and not be froward & obstinate against the same.  
secondly Gods name is said to be near, because his power is ever present to save and deliver his. But here it may be objected. How is God's power ever present, when the Godly do greatly complain after this sort. Why standest thou a far of O Lord, and hidest thee in due time, even in affliction? And again, how long wilt thou forget me O Lord, for ever? How long wilt thou hide thy face from me Vsque quo domine? How long O Lord shall all the workers of wickedness triumph. etc. I answer that all though God be ever present to save his, yet he doth not show the same, neither do they taste of it, until it seem ●ood unto almighty God, 
Mich. 3●  and therefore it followeth in the second part, When I shall ●ake a convenient time I will judge justly. 
Psal. i4. 4  ●o that we must patiently wait on the ●ord, and abide the Lords leisure. And whē●e shall take a convenient time he will judge ●ustly. This just judgement of God consist●n two points partly in saving and delivering ●is people which fear him, and partly in ●unishinge and plaginge his enemies: where by the way I may note that all civil justice (which aught also to be conformed to the justice of God) consisteth likewise in these two, points in defending the good, and punishing the evil. All common wealths (saith the philosopher) must be ruled with Praemio & paena, reward to the good, & punishment for the evil. And therefore where the good and Godly be punished, or the wicked spared, there is neither just judgement nor good government.  
Here before I proceed any further I must exhort all judges and magistrates by the example of almighty God to Jude justly and severely to punish sin, and especially I must earnestly move you severely & sharply to punish murder, and shedding of blood. For men's hands are so ticklish, and their feet so ready to run to this mischief (as may appear by these stirs & uproars lately raised which can scarcely be appeased (that unless this enormity be severely punished no peace nor quietness can be preserved. And yet I do not mind to kindle you to any further severity than God in his law hath commanded. 
Pro. 21. 13  In the ix of Genesis we read that he which sheedeth man's blood, by man shall his blood be shed again. This was before the law was given. In the law Exod. 21. it is thus said: he shall die the death. In the .35. of Numeri God expressly commandeth that whosoever killeth any person the judge shall slay the murderer through two witness but one witness shall not testify against a person to 'cause him to die. And it followeth after ye shall take no recompense for the life of the murderer, which is worthy to die, but he shallbe put to death. Here all agreement with the parties is excluded & prohibited of God. And the reason hereof followeth in these words: for blood defileth the land, and the land cannot be cleansed of the blood that is shed therein, but by the blood of him that shed it. In the .19. of Deuteronomie God commandeth thus: thy eye shall not spare him, but thou shalt put away the cry of innocent blood from Israel that it may be well ●ith thee. Thy eye shall not spare him saith God, thou shalt have no pity nor compassiō●pon him, thou shalt not say. O he is a proper man, a tall fellow, able to do good service ●o, thy eye shall not spare him saith God. Paul spared Agag, but God did reject him. Achab spared Benadab. But God plagued him for it. Where the mighty God saith kill, shall earth and ashes say spare? Not, the magistrate is appointed to execute God's law, And not to dispense with it at his pleasure. The second thing that is to be considered is that we must put away the cry of innocent blood, by the which we may learn, that blood wrongfully shed crieth for vengeance As the blood of Abel cried unto God from the ground, and woe be to that land where God is as it were enforced to take the sword into his own hand, it is a terrible thing saith the Apostle to fall into the hands of the living God. The third thing that there is to be noted is, that it may be well with thee, the which admonisheth, us that it cannot be well with that people, where the shéeding of innocent blood is not punished. God will not be pleased with the israelites until the heads that is to say the princes & rulers of the people who had been causers of that fornication & Idolatry committed with the Moabits he hanged before the son God will not be pacified with the Israelites, until Athan be stoned. The storm will not cease until jonas who was the occasion thereof be thrown over board. And so surely this realm, and chief this City of London will never be quiet until these jonasses, these sheders of blood be either throne over board or turned off the ladder. And yet my meaning is not, but that in some cases slaughter may be committed and the same by death be not revenged. As if a man slay his neighbour and before did not hate him, God in such cases provided places of refuge, to the which the steer should flee, and ther●e saved from the avenger of blood. And also if a man be constrained and extremely urged for the safety of his own life the magistrate may consider thereof. But my meaning is that this wilfulness of hot heads, & lusty bloods is to be restrained and sharply punished. A crocked word & by and by his dagger on his head, a little overthwart answer, and his sword in his side. This is not to be suffered in a Christian common wealth. But to come 〈◊〉 my matter, generally I exhort all judges ●●d magistrates to judge justly, not to turn ●●dgement into wormwood, neither by vn●st and wrongful judgement, neither by ●elaying and deferring of justice. And also 〈◊〉 beware that neither bribery do blind them or respect of persons do move them to judge ●niustly. justice must have but and eye ●nd not two, not to look on the cause ●ith the one, and on the purse with the o●●er, not on the matter with the one, and ●pon the party with the other, Not, justice ●ust have but one eye, which directly must spoken upon the cause. judge therefore ●stly, for as you judge so shall you be ●udged, and with what measure you meat ●o other, with the same shall it be measured ●o you again. This can the poet Phocilli●es (whom I had like to have called a profane Poet, but in deed he was a divine Poet) teach us in these verses: reject not ●he poor, judge no man unjustly, for if thou ●udge wrongfully, God shall afterward ●udge thee, And thus much by the way touching the judgement of man. Now to come again to my text: when I take a convenient time (saith God) I will judge justly. This just judgement of God I have before touched consisteth in these two things in saving and delivering his people, and plaguing his enemies. And when is it a convenient time for God to judge thee justly. Surely it is a convenient time for God to judge justly in punishing of the wicked when their sins are grown to a ripeness and fullness, when no admonition will amend them, when no correction will reclaim them, than I say it is a convenient time for God to pour down his heavy judgements upon them, When the wickedness of man was waxen great upon the earth and all flesh had defiled their ways, and God had appointed them a space office score years to repent in, and called them by the mouth of Noah to repentance & had caused the Ark to be made in sign of their destruction, when nothing I say could amend them, but they neglected gods calling, despised his preacher and continued in their wickedness, than was it a convenient time for god to execute his just ●●ogementes against them. So likewise when the cry of the sins of Sodom had ascended up unto heaven, and they would not be warned by righteous Lot, bu● rather vexed him with their unclean conversation, than was it a convenient time, for ●od terribly to destroy them, with fire and ●rimstone from heaven. So likewise the jews, when God of his great mercy had ●ysen up early (as the scripture termeth it) ●nd had sent all his servants the prophet's ●nto them, had cried unto them, but they would not hear him, had called unto them but they would not answer him, but walked ●n the stubbornness of their own hearts; and mocked God's messengers, misused his prophets, and despised his words. Then when there was no remedy, it was a convenient time for the wrath of the Lord to arise against them, who brought the Chaldeans upon them, by whom their country was spoiled, their Cities subverted, their temple wherein they so glorified was raised, their people destroyed, and the rest carried into miserable captivity. The like may be said of the jews afterward, for when neither the divine doctrine which our Saviour Christ taught, nor the wonderful works which he had wrought among them, could move them to acknowledge and embrace him for their only Messiah & Saviour, but they would crucify the Lord of glory, & persecute his apostles, them was it a convenient time for God to bring the Romans upon them, by whom they were miserably and terribly destroyed. Let us dearly beloved be admonished by these examples to take heed that we walk not in the like stubbornness, and commit not the like wickedness as they did, for surely if we do, we shall drink of the same cup as they did But when I consider our great unthankfulness towards God, our great wickedness against God, our backsliding and backstarting from God. I stand in horror and terror of these heavy judgements which I fear me hung over us. God for his mercy turn them away from us, and the only way for us to avoid them, is to turn by true & unfeigned repentance to the Lord our God, who is gracious & merciful, slow to anger and of great goodness. Thus you have heard when it is a convenient time for God to plague his enemies: Now let us consider when it is a convenient time for God to judge justly in saving and delivering his people. When god hath sufficiently corrected his people for their sins, hath tried their faith, and proved their patience, and when all power of man, and all help of flesh and blood faileth, then is it a convenient time for almighty god, to put to his hand, and to deliver them from their miseries. When God had punished the Is●alites in Egypt, where they were grievously oppressed, 
Exo. 2.24 Exod. 3.9 10.  and there was no means for man to deliver them, than God heard their ●rye, considered their sorrows and sent Moses unto them, and delivered them with 〈◊〉 mighty hand, and an outstretched arm. And after that they were come out of Egypt and the Egyptians did pursue them, the read sea being before them, and the Egyptians behind them, and no way in man's judgement to escape, than was it a convenient time for God to stretth forth his mighty hand, 
Exe. 14.16  and to make a passage for his people through the read sea, 〈◊〉 to over whelm his enemies in the same. So likewise when god had plagued the jews (as ● have before touched) with the captivity of ●abylon, at the last when the .70. years were e●pired, and no hope of deliverance in the sight of man, than God remembering his promise which he had sworn unto Abrahā●n● his word which he had revealed unto ●●ere● removed the heart of king Ci●●s to sand home his people to repair the●● City, and to build his temple. So, to apply this doctrine unto ourselves, when Go● for our iniquities had of late b●ought us into the captivity of Egypt and babylon, and the wild boar of Rome had rooted up the lords vyneard, when for the light of the Gospel, we had the light of candles, for the holy bible, babbles and banners, for God's word, man's trifling traditions, for preaching, massing, and for our free justification by the mere mercy and grace of God in Christ jesus through faith, man's merits and righteousness established. Yea when not only a foreign prince and proud people were brought in, unto whom we were like to have been made thrall, and thu● when there was no expectation of any deliverance from these great miseries, 
Psal. 14.4  than was it a convenient time for God seeing the oppression of the ●●dy, and hearing the sighs of the poor● to arise and set them at liberty whom the wicked had thralled. Then God did 〈◊〉 us from above and did sand us a gracious prince, flesh of our flesh, & bone of our bones, by whom he hath restored unto us the comfort of his word, disturbed us from this foreign oppresion & slavery & translated us out of darkness into his marvelous ●ight. I would to God that we would continually remember these great mercies, which God hath stewed us herein. O that we would say with David. What that 〈◊〉 tender unto the Lord for all his benefits ewards us? We will take the cup of sal●ation, and praise the name of the Lord. ●et duty one of us lay. My soul praise 〈◊〉 the Lord, & all that is within me praise ●ys holy name, my soul praise thou the ●ord, and forget not all his benefits. Let ●s beware that we provoke not God by our unthankfulness and wickedness to deprive ●s of all these great benefits. For surely 〈◊〉 God of his mercy hath restored unto us 〈◊〉 holy word, so of his justice he may take 〈◊〉 same from us.  
Here ●e may further learn that as God ●●i● all things in convenient time, so aught 〈◊〉 also d● all things in convenient time. ●ho worldly wise men, much object this convenient time chiefly against the reformation of religion and the house of God. O say they it to not yet convenient time, thy ●yme will not suffer it, the time will not bear it, you must tarry the time? In deed 〈◊〉 subdued ●s it is very m●●te allthings 〈…〉 ●●ne in convenient time, so aught we 〈◊〉 the other s●●e to take heed that we omit 〈◊〉 convenient time to do good in the church 〈◊〉 of God when it is offered. How dangerous a thing it is in all kind of matters to let pass opportunity and convenient time, any man may easily perceive. If the General omit opportunity of time to charge his enemies, when it is offered, he may lose the victory as we read of sundry others, as namely of john Frederick the Duke of Saxony, and the Landgrave against Charles the fiftly the Mariner take not convenient time of wind and wether, when he may have it, he may loose his passage: if the Merchant slip convenient time of making his bargain, he may forego his gains. Therefore the prophet doth admonish us to take opportunity of time: Querite domin●m dum proper'st. Seek the lord whilst he is near, which teacheth us that if we do not seek the Lord whilst we have opportunity when we ourselves would we shall not found him Christ our Saviour took this time, I must work (saith he) the works of him that sent me, while it is day. To this also S. Paul doth exhort us, Dum tempus habemus operemu● bonum, while we have time let us ●o good, I fear me we have omitted this convenient time. When God at the first did rest o●● unto us the comfort of his gospel, than was it a convenient time to have made a ●ight reformation of religion. But our eye was ●ot then single, nor our doings simple, than ●e drew not out of the book of God a right ●at, neither laid we a sure foundation of ●ght reformation, we did not then utterly abolished all superstitious vanities, 
Mich. ●●  which ●ow by God's just judgement are pricks in ●r eyes: and thorns in our sides. But here peradventure some men may say all things be well and in good order, we aught to praise the name of God for this we have, and be thankful unto the prince. In deed as I doubt not, but all that fear God earnestly praise the name of the Lord for these his mercies that god may finish that good work which he hath begun by her majesty. So yet we must needs confess that all things be not well and in right order. For I think that there is no wise or learned man will hold that popish opinion, that the church is, sine macula et ruga, without spot or wrinkle or that nothing can be bettered or amended But if any should so say, I would say, that he were either wilfully blind and would not see, or stark blind, and could not see. And ere I will touch some abuses which remain in the Church, not as God who seeth the secret of men's hearts knoweth to maintain any contention which I utterly ha●e and abhor in my soul, but only to move us to seek some earnest reformation. It is a misorder that popish priests who have be witched the world, have burnt incense to the idols of the house of Israel, who have led the people to worship strange gods, & have caused them to commit fornication with stocks and stones, should by the virtue of their idolatrous orders remain ministers in the Church of God. Not man saith the Apostle taketh this honour unto himself, unless he be called of God as was Aaron, but these popish priests were never called of God as was Aaron, for they were called to sacrifice for the quick and the dead, which calling is not of God, for that they have not the warrant of god's word for it, therefore I conclude they aught not to take this honour unto them. That zealous King josiah in his zealous reformation did put down the Chemerims, that is to say those black priests which had burnt incense in the high places, and would not suffer them to come up to the Altar of the lord which was in jerusalem. Even so I say that these popish priests aught not to come up to the Altar of the Lord which is in jerusalem, they aught not to remain ministers in th●●hurch of God. These be those dragons of whom you heard lately in this place which overthrow in the night all that was built ●n the day. Yea these with their privy presuasi●ns & secret suggestion will overthrow more ●n one day or night, than a Godly learned ●reacher is able to build up in many days. Yea these will so mumble and tumble up the service (as they call it) that the poor people ●hall get small edification or comfort by it, ●nd therein they have their hearts desire. ●nd I will add hereto this reason. The papists will not admit our ministers to ●ay mass, unless they be shaven, greased, and ordained again. And why should we then admit their priests to serve in the church ●f God? hath not God commanded us to do unto the great whore of Babylon as she hath done unto us. But here I may rightly make that complaint which Tertullian in his days made: O me●ior fides natio●um in suam sectum, quae multam solemnitatem Christianorum sibi vendicat, non dominicum ●em, non pentecosten etiamsi nossent nobiscum non communicassent, timerent enim Christian viderentur. Nos ne Ethnici pronunciemur non veremur: that is to say: O better faith of the nations or gentiles towards their sect, who will take to themselves no solemnity of the Christians, not the sunday, not whitsuntide, neither will they communicate with us in any other thing that they know for they would fear lest they should seem to be Christians, but we fear not to be counted or named to be ethnics. Even so many A say, O noble papists, O better faith of the Papists towards their sect, who will none of our ministers, none of our service, none of our orders, not, not so much as a text of scripture painted on a wall, but it should be washed out and defaced. But O seely Christians, O poor protestants, who must be feign to receive their Priests, to be overruled with their Cannon law, to take their Ceremonies, which now (as I have said) are pricks in our eyes, and thorns in our sides I am persuaded in my conscience that the word of God would better fructify among us, and we should enjoy more quietness, if we did receive as little from them, as they do of us. And I beseech God if it be his holy will it may be so. But some man may here say, do you not know that many good men have been deceived, will you have none such received? Yes dearly beloved my meaning is not, but that Godly & meet men, having enounced their popish orders and satisfied 〈◊〉 church of God, may be received and admitted to serve in the church of God, 
Exo. 2.24 Exod. 3.9 10.  but I ●i●ffly speak of those blind guides, and enemy's to god's truth which are not to be ●rmitted to remain for the ministrati●● of the word and sacraments.  
What should I hear complain of the ●●nd ignorant and unmeet ministers that ●e admitted. I might say much herein, but I ●●yst not now speak of that whereof I ●●nnot think without great grief. This on 〈◊〉 I say, 
Exe. 14. ●6  that this is a great offence to many ●●d a great slander to the word of God. ●o grant it may be redressed. Here I may complain of the great lack of doctrine, and 〈◊〉 the preaching of God's word universally 〈◊〉 ●od● in the country. London hath great ●ause to praise god, for that his word is here 〈◊〉 plentifully preached. And if London do ●ot thankfully receive it, and truly follow ●t, it shallbe easier for Sodom and Gomor●ah in the day of judgement then for this City. But surely when I come out of the country hither to the City, methink I come ●nto another world, even out of darkness in●o light. For here the word of God is plentifully preached I pray God it may be as plentifully followed. In the country their wondered great want thereof, that a man may go a great way, and cannot hear the word of the Lord preached. Here be many good men endued with many good gifts of knowledge, zeal, and godly life, able to do much good in the church of God. I beseech God for his crucified Christ's sake that they may be well favoured, cherished, & maintained. In the country be few labourers, Loyterors enough. Here in London as I am persuaded is much good ground many which receive the word of God with a good & honest heart, and bring forth fruits, some thirtyfolde, some sixtifolde, 
Psal. i4. 4  and some an hundrethfolde. In the country for want of tilling & often ploughing (for without o●t ploughing, and much labour barren ground will not bring fourth fruit) there springeth fourth brambles, briars and weeds. But here is a misery to be considered, although there is great lack of profitable pastors and faithful labourers in the Church. I mean in those countries that I have been in, and I think other countries be not far unlike, yet notwithstanding there be more, then be placed in any charge, or preferred to any calling. I know myself good and godly men, learned men of long continuance in the university and able to do ●uch good in the Church of God, and yet ●ot called in any charge, or placed over any ●ock. Yea some have told me, that they have e'en offered many benefices (as they be called) and yet they could not have taken one ●nlesse they had taken part with judas Is●ariote, or with Simon Magus. But what ●eane you by that will some man say? For ●●uth either they must have said with judas ●hat will you give me? will you give me ●●enty marks or pounds, and take you ●he rest, and so I shall not be able to conti●● on the charged, but I will betray all ●his people to the devil and to you, or else ●hey must have said with Simon Magus ●hat shall I give you for your benefice. I ●il give you such a dish of Apples as Master Latimar speaketh of, or I will give you ●x. or. xl. l. a year out of it I will give you so much that I shall not be able to give a poor body a piece of bread. But I will here admonish these patrons that for as much a● to them it pertaineth to place faithful pastors over Christ's congregations, which can and will feed them with knowledge, and direct them by example of godly life, if they looking upon their own commodities do not provide such men, but place blind guides, dumb dogs, and lewd hirelings, the people for want of instruction shall perish (for where prophecy that is the preaching of God's word faileth, there the people perish faith Solomon) but their blood shallbe required at these patrons or rather latrons, hands. Let them trust unto it, and look for it. But here is another abuse which is partly an occasion of the other. Not only papists but also professers yea and preachers of God's word do join many livings together and place under them careless Curatos, doing little or no good themselves to divers of them. Patrons see this and gather hereof that they may as well enjoy the benefice as other ecclesiastical men which come never or seldom to their charge. I cannot tell what to say hereto, but that both is naught, and that the patron which doth not provide a good man for his charge, and that minister which doth not carefully look to his charge; and diligently feed his flock these both even the patron and the pastor shall perish, and the people's blood shallbe required at their hands I am sorry even in my heart that professors & preachers of the Gospel should so far overreach themselves in this behalf, that they ●ust be reformed and restrained by law. I ●ray God that the state of the Church of ●ngland may be brought to that order that ●her may be to one flock one shepherd, to one church on Minister, and that all faculties, 
Mich. 3●  pluralities, residences, and such other abominations may return to Rome from whence ●hey came. I may here likewise complain ●●w that the livings appointed to maintain the Ministry are made universally ●ayes and spoils for all sorts of men. They maintain ●oyes in the university, gentlemen in the Inns of court, gentlemen and ●awyers in the country, and are commonly ●ade rewards for serving men. Thus the ●ople pay their duties to this end that ●●ey may have a learned man amongst them 〈◊〉 teach & comfort them, & the same be ungodly conveyed to other uses, the people being as ●attered sheep without a shepherd. This is ●mentable to see so many gatherers of t●eth, & 〈◊〉 few preachers of the word, this had need to ●e reformed, for untolerable abuse is herein. 〈◊〉 may here complain of great want of Eclesiastical discipline and punishment of sin. 〈◊〉 hear great complaint here of abroad ●●the country that there is either no punishment for sin, or at the lest very little. Which whether it be through the slackness of the law which doth over rule us, or by the corruption of them that have the execution of the law in their hands I will not now say but this I may to truly say that there is great lack of severe discipline. As for excommunication it is more used for money matters, then for correction of sin, These and sundry such other abuses and enormities be the things which grieve good men, and 'cause them both to pray and to preach for the reformation of them. It is not a cap, tippet, or surplice only, which are but small matters, and the smallest of many matters. which are to be reformed in the Church of England. And yet my meaning is not that small account should be made of these things For hereof I am well assured that how small soever they seem, they do no small hurt in the church of God, for to clog men's consciences, to hinder the course of the gospel's, to breed contentions among brethren is no small hurt. Seal things may do much hurt, a grain of a grape is but a small thing, and yet it killed Anacreon the Poet, a hair is but a very small thing, and yet it choked on Fabius a senator of Rome a flee is but a small thing, and yet it straug●ed a proud Pope, yea the proudest I think ●hat ever was Adrian the four a country man ●f our own, a small mote may hurt the eye, 〈◊〉 small thing may trouble a good conscience, 〈◊〉 small deal of leaven will leaven a whole ●mp, to eat meat is but a small thing, yet ●a man eat it with a doubting & repining con●ience he is condemned because he entereth not ●f faith. It is a small thing to say ave to a mā●et S. john saith that he which saith ave, ●hat is God speed to him that bringeth not ●is doctrine, is partaker of his evil deeds. ●hrist saith that he which is faithful in a atle, willbe faithful in much, and he that is 〈◊〉 faithful in a little willbe unfaithful in ●uch. So also the poet saith: Unless thou ●ke heed to small things, thou shalt lose ●reat things. Wherefore I would make ●umble suit and supplication unto those ●hom I love, reverence, and honour, that ●ood men's consciences in this case might ●ot be enforced, but persuaded. Surely it 〈◊〉 a token of God's anger & wrath, when the ●outhes of his servants the prophets be ●opped. It is convenient time that these things were redressed. Let us not say as ●he Iewes ●id, who after they were returned from captivity said as appeareth by the prophet Aggeus, the time is not yet come, that the lords house should be builded, but God by his prophet said unto them, is it time for yourselves to dwell in your sealed houses, and this house lie waste? Even so may I now say, is it time for you to lie in your fair houses, to seek your own commodities and follow your own pleasures, and not to seek reformation of religion and the house of God? Let us not defer and put of the time Solomon saith: he that observeth the mind shall not sow, and he the regardeth the clouds shall not mow, for either the wind is in the north & then it is to cold, or else in the south and then it is hot, or else in the East, and then it to dry, or else in the west, and then it is to well, and so a man shall never sow. This teacheth us that we must not stand to mu●h looking to the time, and putting of the time, but we must earnestly & zealously go about god's cause, and God shall bless our travail & give good success unto the same. Thus you have heard how the church is dissolved and disordered Let us pray unto God to establish the Pillars of it. Our gracious Sovereign the Queen's Majesty is the principal pillar of this church of England under Christ. It standeth us greatly upon earnestly to pray unto God long to establish this pillar amongst us. 
Exo. 2. 2● Exod. 3.10.  For if the strong Samson the mighty God, should for our sins lay his hand upon this pillar and pull it down, O Lord what ruin were like to follow. I see nothing but destruction like to fall upon us, as did upon the wicked Philistians. All those pastors who are either in chiefest place, or endued with greatest gifts are called in the scriptures pillars, so james, Cephas, and john, who were counted to be the pillars gave unto Paul and Barnabas their right hands of society & fellowship. 
Exe. 14. i●  Let ●s likewise pray unto God for these pillars that they may all join their hearts & hands of fellowship together, to fight manfully together to overthrow the kingdom of Antichrist and darkness, and to establish the kingdom of Christ among us. The Church of God is called the pillar of truth we aught likewise to pour out our prayers before God, that this pillar may stand steadfast among us. And here if I did love digressions & discourses from my matter. I in got answer the papists who brag much of this place, & cry mightily out saying, the church is the pillar of truth, we be the church therefore, we be the pillar of truth, but this reason I will return upon them. The Church is the pillar of truth, now if they can prove that they be the pillars, upholders & maintainers of truth, then must we, and will we grant them to be the Church. But if they be the pillars of damnable doctrine contrary to God's holy word, howsoever they brags themselves to be the Church of Christ, they be in deed the synagogue of Satan. In the Ark of the Covenant were three things, the tables of the testament, the pot of Mann●, & the rod of Aaron, which be three certain signs of the visible Church of Christ. Whereby we may learn, that where the word of God is truly, preached the sacraments according to Christ's institution ministered, and Ecclesiastical discipline duly executed, there is the church of Christ. Now if the papists can prove, that in there Church true doctrine grounded upon God's word hath been preached, that the sacraments have been used & ministered according to Christ's institution, and that discipline hath been rightly executed, then will we recant and revoke whatsoever we have maintained or preached, then will we join hands with them. But this they can never be able to prove, & ther●●e they can never prove themselves to be the ●e church of God, which is the pillar of truth. But to leave this, now I will come to the ●ird part of my matter, which containeth I have before touched an exhortation of ●e Prophet unto the wicked, to cease from ●eir folly and wickedness, not to trust to ●uch to their own wisdom and power, not 〈◊〉 exalt themselves against God and his people, but rather to remember that all true ●eferment cometh from God, and he exal●●● some and putteth down other, I said ●o the foolish be not so foolish. etc. First 〈◊〉 us consider whom the prophet calleth ●●●sh, not those whom we call Morions, ●●tural fools, but the wicked and ungodly, ●●ho how subtle and crafty soever they seem ●●to man, yet unto God be very fools. And ●●erfore whom the prophet in the first part ●f the verse calleth fools, in the other part ●e calleth wicked, I said unto the wicked, ●●t not up your horn on high. So likewise 〈◊〉 another place. The foolish shall not stand ●efore thy eyes, thou hatest all those that ●orke iniquity. Whom in the first part the Prophet calleth fools, in the second he calleth workers of iniquity. Such fools be those of whom David speaketh: Dixit in sa●iens in cord suo, non est deus: The fool hath said in his heart, their is no God. Those that profess in their words to know God, and in their works deny him, being abominable; disobedient, and unto every good work reprobate are such fools. God saith by the prophet Hieremy: ●tultus est populus mens, me non cognovit. etc. My people is foolish, they have not known me, they are foolish children and have no understanding, they are wise to do evil, but to do well they have no knowledge. Those that have wit to work mischief, and none to do that which is righteous are such fools. They that have not the true knowledge of God by his word are all together foolish, The beginning of wisdom is the fear of God, without the fear of God there is no true wisdom. Re●ecerunt verbum deum. etc. They have rejected the word of the Lord and what wisdom remaineth in them: That which is not grounded upon the word of God is mere foolishness. And here I would admonish all men, and especially rulers and magistrates to beware of carnal counsels, & worldly policies, which be not builded upon God and his word. They which although they seem plausible to the flesh, because they us the fruits of the flesh and proceed from man's brain, yet are they not acceptable ●ut rather detestable before God. And in his justice doth often confounded them, and turn upon them upon the heads of those that were the authors of them. 
Mich. 3●  He catcheth the wise in their own craftiness. joseph's Brothers hearing that he had dreamt that his ●ather and they should yield reverence to him, they took crafty council together to disappoint this matter, and sold him into Egypt. But this which they thought should have e'en a mean to have avoided this their sub●ection to joseph, God made it a mean to bring the same to pass. jeroboam after ●hat the ten tribes were fallen from Robo●●m & had made him their king, he thought with himself, that if the people did go up ●till to do sacrifice in the house of Jerusalem, than their hearts would turn again to Roboam and so forsake him, he took a subtle and politic counsel to make two Calves, and placed them in Dan and Bethel & said these are thy Gods O Israel which brought thee out of the land of Egypt, and they like Calves went up & worshipped these calves This counsel redounded to the destruction of jeroboam and his posterity, and at the last of the whole realm and estate. The jews thinking that if he should suffer Christ our saviour to proceed as he had began, the romans would come and take away their place and nation, they thought it good counsel, they procured gods anger and indignation against them, who for the same brought the romans upon them which miserably destroyed them. This we see the saying of the poet true. Evil counsel is worst to him that giveth it. Let all men therefore learn to direct their counsels to the glory of God, and to build them upon God's word, and then though the rain fall, the sloudes come down, and the wynnds blow, yet they shall stand because they be built upon the rock: but if they build them upon the uncertain and v●suce sands of their own brains, a little blast of wind will easily overthrow them, for there is no wisdom, understanding nor counsel against the Lord. Submit therefore your wisdom to the wisdom of God? Even man (saith the Prophet) is a lest of his own knowledge the which may move us not to trust to much to our own wisdom and counsel, but rather to take counsa●●e at the mouth of Go●, & to say with David, thy testimonies are my delight and my counsellors, these counsellors will neither lie, ●atter, nor dissemble, God grant that we may be counseled by them. Christ our saviour said to the rich man that went about to ●nlarge his barns, and said to his soul, ●oule thou hast much goods laid up in store ●r many years, take thine ease, eat drink ●nd take thy pastime. Thou fool this night ●al thy soul be taken from thee. Those ●●at be careful for this scaile and uncertain ●fe and careless for the life eternal, are very apples. It is true wisdom first to seek the ●ngdome of God, and all other things shall 〈◊〉 given unto us. The virgins which had ●●t oil in their lamps a● the coming of the ●●dgrom, but would seek for some of others, ●●e called foolish virgins and were shut out This oil I take to be the righteousness and ●eedes of others. justus ex fide sua vivet, the righteous shall live by his own faith. We ●ust all stand before the tribunal seat of Christ to receive every man according to ●hat he hath done in his own body, whether ●f be good or evil. Solomon saith stulti de●ident peccatum, the foolish laugh at sin. Those therefore that laugh at sin when ●hey be admonished or reproved are fools, and if God do not give them repentance, they shallbe there where there is no laughing but weeping and gnashing of teeth. And he that sitteth in the heavens shall laugh them to scorn, the Lord shall have them in derision. The Prophet saith: they altogether dote and are become foolish, for the flock is the doctrine of vanity. All Papists which not only worship images, but also make them doctors and teachers of the lay people, are convinced by this place to dote and to be foolish, & the prophet Abacuc saith, they be teachers of lies. A foolish thing it is for a man endued with wit, reason, and the senses, to fall down before a dumb stock or block which hath no reason, nor understanding, which hath eyes and seeth not, ears and heareth not, nose & smelleth not etc., But these fools with their folly I will let go, only I exhort them not to do so foolishly, but rather to seek for true wisdom which is joined with the fear of God. Let not the wicked life up their horn, I might here show you how the Pope hath lifted up his horn. He will needs be Christ's Vikar upon the earth, Peter's successor, head of the universal Church, and bishop of the whole world, is not this to lift up his head very high? Yea he willbe Dominus deus noster Papa, our God the Pope, he will have power in heaven, earth, and purgatory, he will forgive sin, and make Saints, and is not this to lift up his horn very high? Is not this to exalt himself above all that is called God? He hath made Emperors and kings to kiss his feet, and hold his stirrup, to wait at the gates of a city. ●j. or iij. days in frost and snow barefooted, he hath trodden in their necks, he hath deposed them from their crowns & kingdoms, and hath absolved their subjects from their obedience and loyalty, 
Exe. 14. ●  and is not this to ●ift up his horn very high? This Romish ●●ul hath of late lifted up his horn against ●ur gracious Sovereign, against this our country, and the estate thereof. But God's ●ame be praised, this bulls horns are now sawed, he cannot gore us, this Boor's tusshes are now cut, he cannot ra●s us: And if we will utterly fly and forsake him & all his damnable doctrine, and depend wholly upon God, he shall never be able to gore us or hurt us, God hath here promised in this Psalm that the horns of the wicked shall be exalted. And let the Pope look for this that for as much as he hath thus exalted himself, God will put him down. And although this great whore say that she fitteth like a Queen, is no widow, and shall see no mourning, yet shall her plagues come at one day, death, and sorrow, & famine, and she shall be burnt with fire, for strong is the Lord God which will condemn her. And the spirit of God by S. Paul did forshew that the Lord shall consume him with the spirit of his mouth and abolish him with the brightness of his coming. And let all those that seek to fly a fit with the wings of vanity, and seek to exalt themselves by bribery, flattery, or any other ungodly means, know that the Lord God will throw them down. The Angels which kept not their first estate, but would exalt themselves either above, or against God, God threw them down into everlasting chains of darkness unto the judgement of the last day. Adam and Eve would be exalting themselves, and would be like unto God, having knowledge of good and evil, but God pulled them down showed them their nakedness, and drive them out of Paradise. Corah, Dathan, and Abyram would needs exalt themselves against Moses their godly governor, but God caused the earth to open, and swallow them up. Absalon would exalt himself against his own father and king, and would have been king in his place, but God quailed his courage, and he ●me to a shameful end as he well deserved ●eing hanged in his hear, and thrust throw ●ith spears. Nabuchadonozer king of Ba●ilon would ascend into heaven and, exalt ●is throne above the stars of heaven, and 〈◊〉 like to the most highest, but God brought ●im down, and made him eat grass like ●●n Ox. Beware therefore of exalting yourselves, let God exalt you, for true preferment ●ometh neither from the East, nor from the West, nor from the South but from the Lord: ●e exalteth Moses from keeping of sheep to ●e the deliverer & governor of his people, ●e exalted joseph to be governor of Egypt ●nder the king, he chose David his servant ●nd took him from the sheepfolds, even from behind the ●wes with young, and exalted him to feed his people in jacob, and his inheritance in Israel. God exalted the virgin Mary from low degree to be mother of our Saviour jesus Christ. Christ calle● the Apostles from the nets, and made them pillars of his truth, thus we see that true which Annasaid: Ichova pauper●● facit●● 〈◊〉, humiliat●et exaltat. The Lord maketh poor and rich bringeth low and exalteth And that which the Virgin Mary said. Deposuit potentes de sede, et exaltavit humiles: He hath put down the mighty from their seat, and hath exalted the humble & meek. And how dangerously they have fallen which have ascended very high. But as I have said to consider that true preferment cometh from God. And here I will admonish all those that be exalted to any authority to remember who hath exalted them, and from what they have been exalted, and thirdly to what end they are exalted, to acknowledge that what power or dignity soever they have, they have it of God, & that to edification and not to destruction. I might speak much more of exaltation, but the time will not suffer me, wherefore I will now come to the last part wherein is set forth a commination against the wicked, that in the hand of the Lord is a cup, and the wine is read, it is full mixed, and he poureth out of the same, all the wicked of the earth shall wring out & drink the dregs thereof. This word Cup is often times in the scripture taken in the evil part, for affliction plague and punishment, as in Hieremie. Babel hath been a cup of gold in the lords hand that made all the earth drunken, the nations have drunken of her wine, therefore do the nations rage, that is to say, Babel hath ●e a scourge in the hand of the Lord to ●rge the wickedness of the world. So likewise Esay, Awake, awake, stand up Ierusa●●m which hast drunken at the hand of the ●ord the Cup of his wrath, thou hast drunken the dregs of the Cup of trembling and ●ung them out. And in the Psalm, Pluet ●per impios, upon the wicked he shall rain ●ars, fire, & brimstone, & stormy tempest, ●is shallbe the portion of their cup. In this ●nse Christ said to his Disciples that were aspiring to primacy, ye know not what ye ●ke, are ye able to drink of the cup that I ●al drink of. And again: Father if it be thy ●yl let this Cup pass from me. So we read 〈◊〉 the apocalypse, if any man worship the ●east, and his image and receive his mark 〈◊〉 his forehead, or on his hand, the same shall ●rinke of the wine of the wrath of God, yea ●f the pure wine, which is poured into the ●up of his wrath, and he shallbe tormented ●n fire & brimstone before the holy Angel's 〈◊〉 before the lamb. So dearly be loved if we ●o not unfeignedly fear God & stand in awe ●f his judgements, but work wickedness & commit abominations in the sight of God, ●urely we shall drink of this cup which is filled with God's wrath. For unto them (saith the Apostle) which are contentious and disobey the truth, and obey unrighteousness, shallbe indignation, & wrath, tribulation & anguish upon every soul that doth evil: Let us take heed that we provoke not God's anger by our sins. Consider that it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of the living God, wherefore I exhort you dearly beloved, unfeignedly to repent you of your sins, truly to turn to the lord your God, to serve him in holiness & righteousness all the days of your lives, & earnestly to pray unto god, that ye may drink of the cup of his mercies in Christ & not of the cup of his wrath. And this if we will do, god shallbe our God, & we his people: God shall bless us both with temporal benefits, & spiritual graces, and we shall drink the cup of his great mercies: the which god our merciful father for his crucified Christ's sake grant us, to whom with the holy ghost three persons & one true and immortal god be all land, praise and glory both now and for evermore. Amen.