A Godly, and pithy Exhortation, made to the judges and justices of Sussex, and the whole County, assembled together, at the general Assizes.  
By William Ouerton, Doctor of Divinity, and one of the Queen's majesties justices appointed for the peace within the same County.  PROVERB. 10. 
Where no Ruler is, there fall the people to ruin and decay.  
But where much counsel is, there is health and safety.  
Printed by R. Newberry and H. Bynneman.   

To the Reader.  
Having occasion the last Lente to be at Estgreenestedde, it was my chance (gentle Reader) to hear a very learned and fruitful Sermon, made the same present time before the whole assembly of the sheer. I took such profit and pleasure of it myself by hearing it, and heard it so generally commended of others, that I could not but devise how to make common to many, that which was there uttered but to few, that so the benefit of it might redound also to many. I may perhaps have blame of the Author to put it forth in print without his knowledge and consent, but if he knew how much good he did to those few that heard him, I trust he will not be offended, if by my means he do more good to a great number that heard him not, but shall read him, for the exhortation is so tempered, and the conveyance of it in such sort, that though ye can specially apply it but to some men, yet ye may use it so generally, that it will edify any man. If all therefore shall read it, it will profit all, because it hath matter that serveth for all. But if those read it that are judges of circuits, and justices of the peace, or jury men, or such other like, that have any calling that way, it will profit such men most, because to such it most appertaineth. And surely, I wish above all other, that judges, and justices, and whosoever they be else, that use to give charge to the people, yea, and those also that have the charge given them, should always before they go about such business, read over and peruse this little piece of work, that thereby they might be stirred up to deal more earnestly in God's causes, and in matters of Religion, than commonly they are wont to do, I doubt not, but like good effect would follow such reading of it, as did then follow the hearing of it. For this I saw, and heard myself the same time, when the judges were come from the Church to the Hall, and were now set down, and the Country before them, they did not only impart to the multitude what great fruit and comfort they had received themselves by hearing that Sermon (giving it a singular commendation in the ears of all men, even from the bench where they sat) but also then took occasion thereby, to give a very quick, and vehement charge to the grand jury, yea, and to the justices themselves, and to all others that had any office or authority in the sheer, to look more narrowly to matters of Religion, than heretofore they had done, and to endeavoure themselves by all means possible, to conserve the peace and unity of Christ's Church, and to search out, and see punished all that were offenders to the contrary. And to tell you the truth, it did my heart good to see so grave & wise a man (judge GAUDY by name) to give so earnest and godly a charge, in God and the Gospel's behalf, such good fruit followed in that good Magistrate, by hearing so good and godly a Preacher that day. And I would all others that be of the same calling that he is of, might have as good liking hereafter to read him, as he had then to hear him, that like fruit may come of it, when opportunity shall serve, for the fruit that followed was great. Well, I will not commend the Preacher unto thee, (I should but darken his due praises by mine unsufficient praising of him) but I will commend thee to the reading of this his work, and when thou hast red it, commend him thyself as thou seest cause. In the mean time, I will pray unto God both for him and for thee, and for us all: for him, to increase his talon in preaching: for thee, to enslame thy zeal in hearing: for us all, to amend our negligence in following. And so I bid thee farewell.  
Thy well-beloved brother in Christ. M. M.   

Precor vos fratres, ut speculemini eos. etc.  
I pray you brethren have a good eye to those men, 
Rom. 16. verse. 17.  or take heed of those men, which do breed discord and dissension amongst you, and give occasion of offences, contrary to the doctrine that you have received, and eschew them.  
THere is nothing more acceptable to God: there is nothing more profitable to man: there is nothing more answerable to Christian Religion and Faith: there is nothing more available to virtue and good life: there is nothing more requisite and necessary for all states, whether they be private or public: there is nothing more amiable, more delectable, more comfortable, or more commendable in all respects: at a word, there is nothing that passeth all things more, than this one thing, just peace, grounded upon the true knowledge and fear of GOD. It is not in vain therefore that the Apostle here exhorteth the Romans, and by them us also, which be now present, yea, and all other Christians wheresoever, that we should beware and take heed of such men as do breed discord and dissension amongst us, and give occasion of offences in the Church of God: and not only that we should take heed of them, and beware of them, but also, that we should eschew them, and avoid them, as authors of that evil, which of all other evils is most dangerous, and doth most shake and weaken all states of men, or rather doth beat down, destroy, and overthrow all things wheresoever it cometh in place, men, houses, towns, kingdoms, countries, nations, and peoples, be they never so many, be they never so great and mighty. Such a marvelous mischief is Discord and Dissension, wheresoever it taketh root, and therefore good cause (I say) that the Apostle should earnestly admonish us all to shun it, and avoid it, and the authors also thereof, which do sow it, and breed it. I pray you brethren (saith he) take heed of those men which breed discord and dissension amongst you, and give occasion of offences contrary to the doctrine that you have received, and eschew them. But what discord, or what dissension is it that the Apostle here speaketh of? for there be two kinds of discord, there is one kind that is spiritual, there is another kind that is temporal. Spiritual discord is, when men are dinided amongst themselves, and disagree one from another, in spiritual matters, in Ecclesiastical causes, in matters or causes of religion and Faith. This is spiritual discord. Temporal discord is, when men fall out amongst themselves, and do wrestle, or be at war (as it were) one with another, about temporal matters, about temporal causes and quarrels, about inturies or wrongs done, or offered to be done, by one man to an other, touching their goods, lands, or life, or some such other thing, pertaining to their temporal state: this is temporal Discord. Which of these two therefore doth the Apostle here speak of? If I should tell you, that he speaketh of spiritual discord, such as riseth of spiritual matters, of Church matters, or of matters concerning Religion & Faith, you would answer me, that my text is not for this place & time, nor pertinent to these kind of businesses and affairs which are now in hand, but doth rather belong to School men and Dimness, or some other such Ecclesiastical persons, as are to hear and determine in such cases. If I should tell you, that he speaketh of temporal discord, such as riseth of temporal causes and quarrels, or of temporal injuries and wrongs and so forth, you would answer me, that it is superfluous at this time, and more than needs, to speak of any such matter unto you: for why? ye come for that purpose, it is the only or chief cause of your repair hither at this present, to hear and consider of such controversies and quarrels amongst men, and therefore I need not waste my wind any further therein. Honourable and worshipful, which so ever of these two kinds of discord it be that the Apostle here speaketh of, (as in deed he may seem to speak of them both) you shall perceive, that my text is not impertinent to the place and time, nor any whit from the matter ye have now in hand. I know well enough, that your assembly here together, at this present Session now to be holden, is only or chieffic for this cause, to end discord and strife, to conserve Unity and peace, and to reform injuries and wrongs, whereof the want of peace & the supply of discord doth grow. I know I say the this is your purpose, and the chief or only cause of your coming hither, & yet this I know too, that my matter will be no let unto you, but doth and may very well agree with the your purpose. For first if I shall say any thing, to the aleying of temporal discord & dissension, or to the furtherance of temporal unity & peace, though it be true in deed, that you be come for the same purpose, & do mean now to sit upon such matters, yet my friendly admonition can by no means hurt or hinder your good purpose, being toward the self same matter you come for, nor will be altogether peerless or unprofitable unto you the shall hear it, seeing the best & wisest man that is, hath need sometimes of a friendly and faithful admonitor at his elbow. On the other side, if I shall say any thing to the abandoning of spiritual discord & strife, or to the advancement and furtherance of spiritual unity & concord, in this case am I also to be heard willingly of you, & though in some respect I will not deny, but the this kind of discourse doth belong rather to school men & divines, than to you the are temporal lawyers, temporal judges & justices: yet this I must tell you notwithstanding, the you can not so clean shift off this kind of matter from you, as though it were a mere alien to your other business, but you must also have to do with it aswell as with other matters, & may not estrange it from your present affairs. For whom come you to serve, come you not to serve Christ? I think you will not say nay. For God himself so saith unto you by his Prophet, Erudimini qui iudicatis terram, seruite domino in timore: Be learned ye that are judges of the earth, serve the Lord in fear. What Lord is it the you must serve? the K? the Q? the prince of the country where you dwell, and under whom you are subjects? surely this lord also must you serve I deny it not. But what Lord doth God here will you to serve, when he saith unto you, serve the lord in fear. Doubtless he willeth you to serve Christ, the other lords L. that other masters Master, your Lady's Lord and your mistress master, even the queens Lord and master, yea the Lord and master of all Lords, and of all kings, and of all Queens, and of all Princes, and of all the monarchs of the earth, or rather Lord and Master of all the whole earth itself. For so saith God also a little before in the same Prophet: Postula à me & dabo tibi gentes in hereditatem: etc. ask of me (sayeth God the father unto his son Christ) and I will give thee the heathen for thine inheritance, and the uttermost parts of the earth for thy possession. Lo here is Christ made Lord of all Lords, and Lord and owner of the whole earth. The earth, the nations of the earth, and the Kings of the nations, they are all his, they are given him for his inheritance, they are given him to be his possession, and he is Lord of them all. Wherefore whatsoever other Lords you have, whatsoever other masters you have, you must serve Christ as the chief Lord, and as the grand Lord and masters over all other Lords & masters. You must serve him & his Church, & not only your prince & country, not only the Queen & common wealth: & to say the truth, I do not see how you can well serve the common wealth, except you first serve the Church, nor how you can well serve the Prince, except you first serve Christ: For Christ is a pattern unto the prince, & the Church is a pattern unto the common wealth to follow. Neither is that common wealth a good common wealth, or commendable before God, which doth not frame and conform itself after the Church, nor that Prince a good or commendable Prince, which doth not frame and conform himself after Christ. So than ye must have a chief care and a chief regard of Christ, and of the Church of Christ, and so consequently of all those matters and causes which be incident to Christ & his Church. And therefore as you are ready when you see your Country or common wealth, the civil and politic body of the realm, to be rent and torn in pieces, one member from another by civil discord and dissension, by wars, by strife and variance, by fraud, by force, by lying in wait one for another's goods, or lands, or life, and so forth, as you are ready in this case to look upon and lament the afflicted state of your country, and to bind up the wounds of the common wealth, which it hath received, and to heal and make up the holes and breaches, that rents and tearings, which you find in the body politic, as you are ready to repair and redress with all speed the wracks and decays that are in the temporal state, I say, as you are ready to look upon these temporal matters, and to consider throughly of them, and are now come hither for that purpose. Even so much more, and much rather, look you upon the lamentable face and countenance of Christ's decayed Church, look upon the deep and wide wounds of his mystical body, so soar stricken with spiritual discord and dissension, see how Christ is wounded in his body, see how the body is maimed in his members, see how the members are rend and torn one from another, see how they are divided amongst themselves, nay alas, how they are divided against themselves: see what holes and breaches are made in the poor Church of Christ, see what ruin and decay is come upon the poor flock of Christ, see what numbers of poor souls are carried away by ravening wolses, to be devoured of them, and are even yet hanging in their chaps, and in their tooth, and being in the midst of their teeth do not feel their own misery, nor see their own danger: see how every thing almost is (or if you look not the sooner to it) shortly will be turned upside down, topsy-turvy turvy: black will be white, and white will be black: truth will be error, & error will be truth: good will be evil, and evil will be good: right will be wrong, and wrong will be right, and every thing will be as every man will have it. For we can not abide to draw all one way, be it never so godly and just, but every man draws his own way, every man follows his own fancy, every man likes best his own will & wit, & no man likes another, & so we rend the Church, & tear the Temple of God in sunder with our continual faction and discord. O miserable state, the unity of Faith is divided into variety of opinions, the profession of the Gospel is drawn into propriety of sects, the firm & stable word of God is made a flexible nose of wax, & every man thinks to writhe it which way he will himself. And all this (o ye judges & justices) all this is come to pass by the sleepiness of God's servants, & by the watchfulness of Satan & his ministers, the old and new sectaries and schismatics, which are bold to attempt any thing, which blush not to say and affirm whatsoever they list (be it never so false) which contend still for victory though they be overthrown, yea & are ready with blows to maintain their evil quarrel if they durst, whose hands you must hold, whose feet you must stay, whose mouths you must stop, whose rash & malapert enterprises you must in any wise restrain & repress, that they fight not, the they go not, the they speak not any more against God & his truth with such liberty as they have done. This is your office, this is your charge, (o ye judges & justices) this is your chief charge, & therefore this aught to be your chief care, this aught to be your chief travel, to heal up the wounds of Christ's mystical body, to stop up the holes & gaps of his broken decayed Church, to repair & renew the peace & unity of his house, to beaten down & destroy all Schisms & sects with the authors & fautors thereof, to uphold, maintain, & further, with all your diligence, with all your wit & policy, with all your might & power, the true, ancient, & catholic religion of Christ. This (I say) is your chief charge, this therefore aught to be your chief care & travel. Wherefore bend your wits earnestly about it, put your hands diligently unto it, use your cunning wisely, exercise your authority speedily, let nothing pass you that may touch you, let nothing be undone by you, that may lie upon you in that behalf. For you are not come hither to serve man only, you are not come hither to serve your Prince, your country, & common wealth only: but are come hither to serve God, you are come hither to serve Christ, & you are come hither to serve the Lord in fear. This service god himself biddeth you to do, and therefore you must do it, and this service no man nor Prince forbiddeth you to do, & therefore you may do it and need not doubt to do it: Nay rather, if I miss not my marks, or if my memory fail me not, it is the very first point or part of your commission given you from the prince, that you should do it, or at lest wise it is the first thing the yourselves give in charge unto others, to do it, & therefore I shall not need to stand any longer upon this point, nor to follow it any further. Only this I will say at the shutting up of this point, that all controversies & quarrels are to be annoyed, that all strife & variance is to be cut off, that all discord & dissension is to be rooted up every where & in all manner of matters, but yet specially in spiritual matters, specially in Church matters: for that discord is a sore discord in deed: that is a worm that pierceth deeper, that is a canker that creepeth further into a man, even into the innermost parts & bowels of a man, to the destruction both of boldly and soul: as for the other, it annoyeth our temporal state only, but pierceth not our souls, it hurteth us not the ways, but rather doth us good, if a wise man have the matter in handling. For by outward affliction we are inwardly mended, & are made better to God ward by worldly troubles if we can use them wisely & bear them patiently.  
But now because we are to beat down-al discord & dissension, & to build up & repair godly unity & peace, the we may the better aymie at this mark, whereat we must shoot, let us see whence this discord and dissension cometh; and who be the chief & principal authors of it. You heard before that there are two kinds of discord, temporal discord, which riseth of temporal matters, & spiritual discord, which cometh of spiritual causes. Touching the former kind, yourselves which are best exercised in civil affairs, can best judge or guess what be the causes of all stirs & troubles in the civil state, & who are most likely to be authors and breeders of the same. For mine own part, as I am now knit in one care with you of the common wealth, & have the like charge that you have, & therefore would be glad also to further any thing the might profit & advantage the same, so yet being called another way (as you know I am) and this kind of business being the less part of my calling, I profess myself to have less skill in it, & therefore leave the great & weighty consideration of those matters to your riper wisdom & experience. Only I will give you a short view of some of the chief causes or causers of temporal discord & dissension, & so will pass from that to the other point, which toucheth my calling more properly. Will you hear therefore in a sum what are the causes of discord & dissension in the civil state? I will tell you. The extortion that is in the mighty, the oppression that is in the wealth, the unsatiable desire of having, & unreasonable practice of getting, which is in both of them, these are causes of discord & dissension. The corruption of such as give bribes, the perjury of those that take bribes, the buying of oaths in the one, the selling of conscience that is in the other, & overmuch winking at both of them, these are causes of discord and dissension. greedy seeking for law against justice, devilish counsel given for money against law, envy in the Client, craft in the councillor, and a covetous heart reigning in both of them, these are causes of discord and dissension. The impiety of tale hearers, the impunity of tale tellers, malice in the one to seek them, falsehood and flattery in the other to bring them, and an evil conscience in both of them, these are causes of discord and dissension. Pride and disdain in the higher sort, stubbornness & disobedience in the lower sort, lack of love in the one, neglect of duty in the other, & a froward stomach in both of them, these are causes of discord and dissension. The making & repeling of many laws, the executing and observing of few laws, boldness unto sin in every state, zeal unto godliness in no state, looseness in the people, negligence in the magistrates, a number of justices, and yet want of justice, these are causes of discord & dissension. These vices therefore, or these defects of Virtue, extortion, oppression, bribery, perjury, envy in the clyente, craft in the councillor, unpietie of tale hearers, impunity of tale bearers, pride in one sort, stubbornness in an other sort, many laws made, few laws executed, the licentious life of the people, the careless security of the governors, with such other like, these vices (I say) and those men that are freighted therewith, these vices and those men in whom these vices do reign, are the very causes & causers of all discord & dissension, of all strife & variance, of all stirs & troubles, and finally, of all manner of disorder in the common wealth whatsoever it be. Here you have a short sum of the whole, I need say no more. Look upon these few points, and mend them, and you have mended all. Thus much briefly for discord and dissension in the temporal state, and in temporal causes.  
Now let us come to the other kind of discord, which troubleth the Church so much. And here is a great controversy or question amongst men, whence these troubles of the Church should arise, and who are chief authors of them. And the controversy resteth specially between the Catholics and us, I mean the Papists and us. And here, when I speak of Papists, you may not take me that I mean every one that is not thoroughly resolved in every point of Religion. For there may be many, whose eyes God hath not yet opened, but will do when it shall please him, and yet in the mean time, are good subjects to the Queen, and necessary members of the common wealth, whom we must not despise, but pray for. But under the name of Papists, I comprehend those which cleave altogether unto the Pope and Papacy, and by open word and writing, maintain the usurped authority of the Bishop of Rome, contrary to the word of God, and the laws and Statutes of this Realm. Between these Papists therefore and us is all the question, which of us two should be disturbers of the Church, we or they. They lay it to our charge, and say, that we are those that trouble the Church, and their reason is this, that before we began to decline from the Church of Rome, and to spurn against the Pope's authority, all was well enough, all was quiet at home, all was peaceable abroad, there were no stirs nor troubles in the common wealth, there was no discord nor dissension in the Church, but one uniform, and general agreement, and consent of all men together in matters of Religion, and Faith: but after that we had once revolted from that Catholic Church, and had shaken off from us the obedience which we own to our holy father the Pope, than began all this discord and dissension, than began all these stirs and troubles, than began all this hurly-burly to be in the Church, and not only in the Church, but in all places of the world where the Church is planted: then began men to fall together by the ears, than nation and nation began to be at war one with another, yea, and nations within themselves began to have civil war and bloodshed, to the great disturbance of all good policy and government, as at this day we see is come to pass in France, in Flanders, in Scotland, & elsewhere, to the great wonder of the world, and all this by our falling from the Church of Rome, & therefore we that are fallen from that Church, & have swerved from it, are the only cause of all the stirs and troubles now in the Church, and so consequently, of all the stirs and troubles that be in the whale world. This is their reason that they bring against us, a great reason doubtless, mark it well, this it is in fewer words. We are those that have swerved from the Church of Rome, Ergo we are those that trouble the Church, and the whole world. Do ye not mark their argument? it is a much like reason, as if the old scribes and pharisees of the jewish synagogue should come again, and say unto Christ, that before he and his Apostles began to speak against them, and their authority, and to preach against their doctrine and traditions, and so to carry the people another way, all things were very well, all was quiet with them, there were no stirs, no troubles, no tumults amongst the people, there was no discord nor dissension in the Church, nor in Church matters, but all men agreed very well together, in doctrine, in ceremonies, in traditions, in religion, and so forth, all was hush & peace, (yea forsooth) the Devil might sleep quietly, there was none to wake him, none to trouble his Kingdom: but after that he and his Apostles had once shaken their holy Mother the synagogue, and had disputed against their abuses, and defaced their doctrine, and discovered their hypocrisy, and so by that means had blemished their authority and estimation: why now the world was changed, the people were not as they were wont to be, they showed not their accustomed obedience and reverence to their old holy fathers and guides the Scribes and pharisees, but began to fall from them, yea, and to murmur and grudge against them, as seducers and deceivers of the people, and all this came by him and his Apostles speaking against them, therefore he and his Apostles were the only cause of all stirs and troubles in jewry. A much like reason also, as if wicked Acab should come again, and say to the good Prophet Helias, that before he began to open his mouth against jezabel and her Chaplains, and to inveigh so vehemently against Baal, and his sacrificing Priests, Israel was quiet enough, there was no stir amongst the people, but after that he had shaken that Idol, and had shamed and confounded his Idolatrous Priests, than began to be some stirs amongst the people, & therefore it was he that troubled all Israel. These were the reasons which the Scribes and pharisees and wicked Achab brought against Christ and Helias, and I pray you, are they not all one with that which our adversaries bring against us? You are those (say they) that speak against the Church of Rome, and have dissented from it, therefore, you are authors of all stirs and troubles in the Church, and in the whole world. May they not even with the self-same reason conclude as well against Christ, and say, that he was Author of all tumults in jewry, & against Helias, that he was Author of all troubles in Israel, because the one spoke against the Scribes and pharisees, and dissented from their corruptions, the other against Baal & his Priests, & would not assent to their Idolatry. Surely the reason is all one: but no man (I think) will say, that Christ indeed was the Author of all tumults in jewry, though he dissented from the jewish synagogue: nor that Helias was the Author of all troubles in Israel though he dissented from Baal's Priests. And even so I think, no man will say of us, or at leastwise can say justly, that we are Authors now of all stirs & troubles in the Church though we have dissented, & do still descent from the Church of Rome. For it is not our dissenting from the Church of Rome that breeds these troubles in the Church, but it is the Church of Rome itself, which would have all men to consent with her against the truth of the Gospel, & against God himself, & all Gods forbade. I grant indeed we descent from the Church of Rome, but why, because the Church of Rome dissenteth from Christ and his Church. I grant also that upon this our dissenting from them; much parts taking doth follow, and of parts taking cometh discord, and of discord often times ensueth battle and bloodshed, and much ado. But who are in the fault? we that descent from them in their error, or they which will not assent unto us in the truth? we tell them that they err, and we prove out of God's word how and wherein they err, and this forsooth can not they and theirs abide, but are angry with us, and reply against us, and here of cometh all those troubles, and tragical stirs that be now in the Church. But in the mean time, which side is it that troubles the Church? do we trouble the Church which tell them of these things, or do they trouble the Church, which can not abide to hear of these things? in deed, if telling them truth, or Preaching the Gospel unto them, do trouble them and the world, I must needs say, that we are those men that trouble them, and that trouble the world. But yet how? not properly of ourselves, nor of set purpose, but (as the Logicians say) Peraccidens, accidentally, and by occasion, because they can not abide to hear the truth. For it is not the proper effect and work of the Gospel, to bring trouble with it unto men, but rather to bring joy and peace of conscience unto those that hear it, and embrace it. And if it happen to fall out otherwise, as often times we see it doth, the fault is not to be imputed to the Preaching of the Gospel, nor to the Gospel itself, but to the evil disposition of such men, as can not brook it, nor abide to hear it. And so we may say that Christ also troubled jury, and all the world, because he preached the Gospel amongst the jews which could not abide to hear it, and because he sent his Apostles abroad into the world to preach the same amongst the Gentiles, which likewise could not abide to hear it. For the preaching of the Gospel which is called of Saint Paul Sermo crucis, the Preaching of Christ crucified, was unto the jews a stumbling block or offence, and unto the Greeks or Gentiles it was foolishness, and a very unsavoury thing. It was offensive to the jews, and unsaucrie to the Gentiles, and therefore they could not abide to hear it, and if they heard it at any time (as sometimes they did against their will) it seemed unto them not only to be mere discord and dissension, but also it seemed to be a very sword unto them, and a kind of war against their state, as in deed after a sort it was. For the Preaching of the Gospel was a spiritual discord and dissension against their worldly unity, the preaching of the Gospel was a spiritual war against their carnal peace: the preaching of the Gospel was a spiritual sword against their human doctrine and traditions, it was a sword to cut away their blindness and ignorance: to cut away their hypocrisy and dissimulation: to cut away their error, superstition, and idolatry: to cut away their vain worshipping of God, & false worshipping of Idols. It was a sword to rip them up, & lay them open to the world, that all men might see them, & discern them of what spirit they were, how contrary to the spirit of God, & of Christ. And as the Preaching of the Gospel was then unto the Iewes & Gentiles, even so is it still at this day to all carnal and worldly minded men, the can not abide to hear it, it is a kind of war unto them, & a very sword to their hearts. And in this respect is it, & to this sense, that our saviour Christ, though he were the Prince of peace, yet thus saith of himself in the Gospel: Non veni in mundum ut pacem afferam. etc. I am not come (sayeth he) into the World to bring peace with me to the world, but rather to sand a sword into it. Meaning thereby, the he came not to rock men asleep, & to cry peace peace, where was no peace: he came not to cry peace unto men in their wickedness: he came not to cry peace unto them in their blindness, in their ignorance, in their error, in their superstition, in their idolatry. etc.: he came not thus to rock men asleep, nor to cry peace to the world in these things, wherein could be no peace, but he came rather with a sword into the world to sight against these things, and to fight against the world, because of these things, he came to sight (as Saina Paul saith) against rule and power, against worldly rulers of the darkness of this world, and against spiritual craftiness in heavenly things, that is to say, against the Devil, and his subtle illusions: against these things came he to fight, and not only to fight himself against these things, but also to muster his soldiers and Captains, his Apostles, his Evangelists, his Prophets, his Martyrs, and all other good Ministers and members of his Church, he came to muster them (I say) and to put them in readiness, that they together with him, yea, and after him also, when he was gone, might be ready to make war, and to fight, not against God and his people, but against the hypocritical Scribes and pharisees, and the whole jewish synagogue, which seduced God's people, against the arrogant and vainglorious Philosophers, which seduced the Heathen and Gentiles, against Antichrist and his ministers, which seduced the whole world: against these (I say) and such other like, came he and his Apostles to fight. But with what sword? not with a temporal sword, not with that sword which the Pope giveth so lively in his Scutcheon, where he crosseth the key with the sword, and joineth them together in his arms, signifying thereby, that not only spiritual jurisdiction is committed unto him, but also that he hath the power of the temporal sword in his hand. christ and his Apostles came not to fight with this sword, nor with fire, nor with faggot, nor with hatchet, nor with halter, wherewith the Pope hath murdered a great number of the good Saints and servants of God, nor to make any civil war or tumults amongst the nations, whereof the Pope hath always been a great author: Christ (I say) and his Apostles came not to fight with any such sword, nor after any such sort, but he came to fight with a spiritual sword, with preaching of the Gospel, and with the word of God, which of Saint Paul is called the sword of the spirit, Take unto you (saith he) the sword of the spirit, which is the word of God. This therefore is the sword that christ brought into the world, this is the sword that he fought withal against the world. So than you see now, that Christ also himself troubled the world after a sort, but yet you hear how he troubled it, you see that he used the sword, and fought with the sword, but you hear what sword it was that he fought withal: you see that he himself brought discord and dissension with him into the world, but you bear against whom, and against what he brought it. And even so we likewise, whom they accuse, to be troublers of the world, we confess of ourselves indeed, that we trouble the world after a sort, but yet so as Christ troubled it: we confess that we use the sword, and fight with it, but such a sword as Christ himself used and fought withal: we confess that we bring discord and dissension amongst men, but yet against such as we should bring it, and against such as we aught to bring it. We bring not discord and dissension against God, nor against Christ, nor against the Gospel, nor against the word of God, nor against the doctrine of the Apostles and Prophets, we bring no such discord & dissension into the world, but we bring discord & dissension against palpable blindness & ignorance: we bring discord & dissension against error, superstition, and Idolatry: we bring discord and dissension against men's doctrines & traditions which are contrary to god's word: we bring discord & dissension against Papistry & Atheism: we bring discord & dissension against Antichrist and his Kingdom: we bring discord & dissension against the devilish unity of Gods conspired eminies which disagree from us in the truth, but can agree amongst themselves too well in all falschoode and wickedness, if it may serve to their own filthy gain and advantage. Against these is it that we bring discord and dissension, if it may be called discord that is against the eninnies of God. But in deed, it is no discord at all, or at leastwise, no such kind of discord, as the Apostle here giveth us warning to beware of and avoid, and therefore consequently, the discord which we are charged with, being either no discord at all, or no such discord as is here reproved by the Apostle, it must needs follow, that either we are no authors at all of discord (as they accuse us) or if we be authors of discord, it is of such as is good and commendable, and so yet we are good authors and commendable authors of good & commendable discord, & authors of such discord, as is necessary for the Church to have, and of such discord, as without which the doctrine of the Gospel can not take place, or if it do, cannot long hold and continue. For, if there be no dissenting from falsehood and lies, which have been, and are, and will be to the worlds end, so long as the Devil hath to do with the world, if there be no dissenting (I say) from them, doubtless the truth of the Gospel can never take sure root, nor be thoroughly settled, but will be soon overgrown, or rather overthrown and weighed down with the stinking weeds of mants wit, which the Devil doth still heap occupied, with odd toys and devices of their own, contrary to the word of God, only to shake or shadow the truth withal. So then our Discord you see is no discord, or if it be, it is good and necessarre Discord: and thus are we delivered of that infamy and slander which they bring upon us, and are not to be charged in deed with those stirs and troubles of the Church, which they name us to be Fathers of.  
Well, then what shall we say to the matter? stirs & troubles there are in the Church, great discord and dissension there is amongst us, whence shall we search for the cause hereof? or whom shall we make to be authors of it, that the world may know them and eschew them? we will go no further, but to the rule that the Apostle here setteth down, for trial of the matter:  
I pray you brethren (sayeth he) have an eye unto those men, which cause Discord and dissension amongst you, and give occasion of offences contrane to the doctrine that you have received, and eschew them. Here is the rule set down.  
Now therefore let us look about, and see whether we can espy where any discord is raised, or where any occasion of offence is given, against the doctrine which we have received of the Apostles. And if we find any matter that breedeth any such Discord, or any man, that ministereth any such matter to breed Discord withal against the doctrine of the Apostles, let us be bold to say that the same matter breeding such Discord, and the same man ministering such matter, are the very causes and causers of all stirs and troubles that be now in the Church.  
And here will it please our gentle friends the Catholics to give us leave now another while, to be bold with them, as they have been with us, and to tell them in their ear, that all this matter will light upon their own necks? I will not hold you long, the time is some what paste, and I desire of myself to be short, and I will be the shorter, because I go not now about so much to prove matters unto you which you know not, as to move you to the diligent consideration of those things which be already known unto you and therefore need no proof. For I will refer it to your own knowledge and conscience, (if you know any thing at all, or have heard any thing of God, and of his word) I will refer it to your own knowledge, whether it be not mamfestly true that I will say of them. And this it is that I say, that they and their matters, that is to say: they, and the doctrine which they teach: they, and the books which they writ, do breed and engender discord and dissension, do breed and engender occasions of offences against the doctrine of the Aposeles, and therefore they and their matters do 'cause all those stirs and troubles that be now in the Church, and are the very things in deed which the Apostle here in this place exhorteth us to beware of, and to eschew. And now judge yourselves whether this be not true that I say, For (as I told you) I will say nothing but within your own kenning. Have they not I pray you brought an infinite number of traditions into the Church of Christ, clean contrary to the doctrine of Christ, and of his Apostles? of whose device was private Mass, and the propitiatory sacrifice of the same? of whose device was invocation of saints? of whose device was adoration of Images? who brought in Purgatory, prayer for the dead, Pilgrimage, or Peregrmation to dumb stocks or stones, auricular Confession, Church chastity, Monkish vows, and a thousand such other, if it were worthy the time to rehearse them? Of all which notwithstanding, there is not so much as one, that is once named or spoken of by the Apostles, much less commanded or commended unto us by any doctrine of theirs. And yet all these things do they teach, all these things do they preach, and writ great volumes of them, and by preaching and writing do maintain them to the uttermost, though directly against the doctrine of the Apostles. Which thing, as it is a snare to the simple, and doth marvelously entangle their consciences, that they cannot tell which way to turn them, so it is a great offence unto the godly to see it, and in deed can not abide it, but reprove them for it: and hereof comes the Discord and dissension that is between us and them, and all the whole stirs and troubles that are in the Church. But now judge you (as I say) who be the authors of all this, whether we which profess the Gospel and cleave to the only written word of GOD, and receive and allow the dactrine of the Apostles, or they, which besides the Gospel, and besides God's word, and clean against the Apostles doctrine, do bring fancies and devices of their own, and stablish the same most devilishly in the Church of Christ, to the great hurt of the simple (as I said before) and the grievous offence of all that be godly. Sure I am, that by the rule here of Saint Paul, you must needs judge them to be the authors and workers of all this Discord and dissension, and of all stirs and troubles that are in the Church. I will omit to show you that they are authors also of all other troubles abroad in the world, of Discord and dissension between Princes, of civil wars and tumults, of bloodshed and murder, of privy mutinies and open insurrections against the state: although I might lay before your eyes manifold examples and manifest proves hereof, even amongst ourselves here in England of late days, both by their Bulls which they sent hither to discharge men of they loyalty and obedience unto their sovereign, and also by most spiteful and contumelious books, which SANDERS and such others his companions have written and sent over into the Realm most traytorouslye, to stir up the queens subjects, and even with open words to animate them to rebel against her own person. O, these be fit guides to govern the Church. But I will omit (I say) to speak of these things unto you, I will refer you over to the chronographers which have noted the facts and gests of every age and tune, and specially to those which have written of the practices of Popish Prelates, either by Ecclesiastical history or otherwise: although what need you to seek any further for the things which you are der your own eyes, and which you are already by daily experience welacquainted with, and too well in deed, if it were Gods william. Let them go, you see well enough what they are.  
But now there be other sects besides these which do very much trouble and disturb the Church, and civil state, as anabaptists, Libertines, and such other like, which would have no common wealth at all, but yet all things common, whithe would have no Rule nor magistracy amongst the people, but yet would rule and reign above Magistrates, which would have no laws, but yet woulddo what wrong they list contrary to law, of which sort are those that stick not to teach out of open Pulpits, & to bear men fond in hand, that it can not be found within the two clasps of the Bible, that Christian men may go to law, or sue one an other. And what else is this I pray you, but to overturn all policy and government, and to have no common wealth at all? For if we may not use the laws, we must have no laws, if no laws, than no Magistrates, if no Magistrates, than no obedience, if no obedience, than no order, if no order, than (as I said) no common wealth at all, but every man may live after his own common will, as he list himself, and as his own spirit shall move him, which is the stinking opinion and derie sink in deed of all Anabaptistrie. Such men therefore must be looked upon. And I am afraid lest the Puritans also (as you call them) an other sects lately sprung up amongst us, do smell shrewdly of this ill favoured smoke. Of whom, and of others I thought to have spoken more, but the time cuts me off. And of some of these sects, there be amongst yourselves that knows somewhat more than I do, and therefore you shall not need mine instruction therein. I will therefore draw now to an end. You have heard sufficiently (as I trust) whence all Discord and dissension cometh, and who be the Authors of all stirs and troubles both in civil matters touching the civil state: And also in matters of the Church, touching the state Ecclesiastical. The former kind I delivered unto you in a sum, and gave you only a short view of it, but yet such as doth imply in itself a sufficient consideration of your whole charge in that behalf. The other kind I handled somewhat more at length, and declared unto you plainly and particularly who be the chief Authors of Discord and dissension, and of all stirs and troubles in the Church, namely, the Papists, the anabaptists, the Libertines, the Puritans, and such other like sects, the several discourses whereof, I think I shall not need to recommend unto your memories by any new repetition neither doth the time suffer it.  
This only now resteth (O ye judges and justices and the residue that are here assembled together to this present Session) the you have a good care, as I doubt not but you have, for the speedy redress of all things that are amiss, but specially of discord and dissension, which wheresoever it be there can be nothing but amiss. For it is the root of all evil, and the spring of all mischief. Wherefore apply yourselves, (I beseech you) every man in your order and degree, to the appeasing of controversies and strife, labour what you can to alley Discord and Dissension in all manner of matters and amongst all manner of states, Discord and Dissension amongst Temporal men, Discord and dissension amongst Spiritual men, discord in your policy, discord in our ministery, discord in the common wealth, discord in the Church, and specially the discord that is in the Church. For the other tendeth to the annoyance of your temporal state, but this extendeth to the loss of eternal life, there is a great odds therefore between these two, both are to be regarded, but yet the one is to be preferred above the other, so much as Gold is to be preferred above Silver, so much as the soul above the body, as Heaven above Earth, as everlasting things above things momentany and corruptible. Wherefore have a care in God's name for your civil state, and for the common wealth, and for your Country, but have a special care for your Spiritual state, which is the health of your souls, and for your Spiritual common wealth, which is the Church of Christ, and for your Spiritual Country which is Heaven above. For you are but Pilgrims here in Earth, & strangers in this vale of dust and clay, neither have you any permanent house or city here in this world, as the Apostle saith: but your city is the Celestial jerusalem on high, and there must you build your habitation, there must you build your houses, if you think to dwell and inhabit for ever. Despise not your houses here on earth, nor your goods, nor your lands, nor your living, nor your life, for these are the temporal gifts of God, yea, & good gifts of God to, if they be not ill used: Despise them not therefore (I say) build these things unto yourselves, in the name of God, build you houses, build you cities here on earth, build goods, build lands, build livings unto yourselves, build your temporal state here, yea, and build civil peace and unity amongst yourselves for the conservation and continuance of your temporal state, no man says you nay, they are things lawful to be done, yea, and they are well done of you, so that you do them justly and truly and in the fear of God and without injury or wrong unto others: but yet let your chief building be in heaven and of heavenly things, build upon the true religion of GOD, build upon the broken body of Christ, build upon the peace and unity of his Church, build upon yourselves into his Church and into his body, whereof yourselves are members, as well and as much as any others, who so ever they be that bear the greatest names and titles of the Church, build these things (I say) and lay your heads and hands together unfeignedly to pluck up by the roots all Discord and Dissension, which is a let unto this building. And for as much as the effect can never cease except the cause be first taken away, first therefore take away the causes of Discord and Dissension out of both states civil and Ecclesiastical, and the thing itself will soon vanish away. Remove from the common wealth, extortion, oppression, bribery, perjury, with such other like vices, and punish those persons that offend therein, according to the laws and statures of this Realm, and you shall see all Discord and dissension in the civil state will soon come to an end. Remove from the Church Papistry, Anabastistry, Atheism, Puritanisme, with such other Heretical sects, and punish those persons that offend therein according to the laws and statutes of the realm, and you shall see all Discord and dissension in the Church and in Church matters will soon come to an end. And because every man hath his office and authority from GOD by measure and limitation, some more, some less, some one way, some another way, let every man have a special eye unto that charge which is principally incident to his his office and calling, let him inquire that should inquire, let him present that should present, let him speak that should speak, let him hear that should hear, let him judge that should judge, let him execute, that should execute, and so forth, let every man do that which speciallies appertaineth to his office, and let him do it in the fear of GOD and with an upright heart, diligently and faithfully, and we shall see all that is amiss will soon be amended. But I fear there is many a one comes hither pro forma tantùm (as they say) for fashion sake only, and to fill up the Sessions, but how to discharge their conscience is the furthest part of their thought, yea they think not once of it at al. Do ye not think that you might find many nests of shrewd stinging wasps lurking in corners about you, if you would seek for them. Nay rather do not we think that you know already where they are if you would utter them? Ah remember whom you come here to serve? not man only, from whose eyes you may hide many things, but God, who seeth into the secrets of your hearts, and from whom you can conceal nothing. Look therefore well about you, dally not with God, he will not be played withal, go through with the matters ye take in hand, and haut not for any respect, either of pleasing, or displeasing of man, but study to please God by your true and faithful service at this time, as you will think to clear yourselves in that day, when you shall stand before the tribunal seat of Christ, to tender account of your doings. Look therefore more narrowly to God's matters, and to God's causes, search out, present, and punish such ercesses and defaults, as be committed against the establishment of God's true Religion, and the quiet state of his Church. Iwis Iwis there are many cursed Calves of Basin abroad, which since they sucked the Bull that came from Rome, have given over all obedience and allegiance both to God and the Queen. For before that time, they could be content to come to the Church and to hear Sermons, and to receive the Sacraments, and to use common Prayer with the rest of the congregation of Christ, and so forth. They were conformable in all respects, and content to do any thing that beseemed good Christians to do, but since they sucked that mad Bull, they are become even as brainsick Calves, froward, stubborn, disobedient in word and deed, not to be led nor ordered by any reason, and I would it were no worse. And yet these forsooth can not be seen nor heard of when time of reformation is: they can not be heard of at the quarter Sessions, nor now at these general Sessions, nor when any commission is sit upon for the redress of such matters, they can not be espied, or heard of at any such time: but when the Sessions are past, we can both hear and see that they have their open meetings and solemn feastings together, sometimes at one house, sometimes at another house amongst themselves with all freedom, and liberty, yea, with all jollity and lustiness, talking and jesting at their pleasures, of the state and of Religion, and so forth, whatsoever they list, to no good end I warrant you, nor without unhappy meaning: As of late you had some experience of it Westward, I pray God ere it be long, we have not like experience here Eastward, and all through our own siacknesse and negligence, in looking to these matters.  
Well, now I conclude: Screw GOD, serve his Church, and have an eye to those men that be enemies and disturbers of it, and so serving God and his Church, you shall screw your Prince and Country never a whit the less, but rather you shall serve them a great deal more, and a great deal the better. For to serve God and his Church, is the very head and beginning of your whole service that you now come for, and without that, whatsoever otherwise you do, it is but headless service, yea, it is no service, neither can you serve your Prince and Country at all, except you first serve the Church. And yourselves as you are Christian men, are this Church, and the Queen as she is a Christian Queen, is the head of this Church next under Christ. And therefore marvel not, that I say unto you, you can not serve your Prince and Country, except you first serve the Church, whereof she is the head, and you the members.  
The God of all grace and of all mercies, so dispose our hearts, so direct our counsels, so govern our actions, so further our attempts, so bless and prospero all our doings at this time, and finally, so finish the good work that we have now taken in hand, and begun in his name, that we may justly and truly serve him, that we may justly & truly serve his Church, that we may serve the Queen, that we may serve the common wealth, that we may serve one another's furne in such singleness of heart, and true brotherly affection, that there may be long peace amongst us, and one godly unity and uniformity both of Religion and life, to the glory of his holy name, and the common comfort and joy of us all. God our heavenly father grant this mercy unto us for his son our saviour jesus Christ's sake, to whom with the father and the holy Ghost be all honour & glory now and for ever. AMEN.   

 

   

Imprinted at London by Ralph Newbery, and Henry Bynneman.