A Map of Rome, Sermon 5

A Map of Rome · Sermon 5

p. 83THE ENGLISH GRATVLATION.

Psalm. 126.3.

The Lord hath done great things for vsus, whereof wee reioyce.

THis Verse is the marrow of the whole Psal. occasioned by the returne of Gods people out of Babels Captiuity into their owne Country: who neuer receiued lesse fauours than this, without thanksgiuing. VntoUnto which duty of praise the better to prouoke themselues, they amplifie the benefit, verse. 1. and make it great in their eyes and hearts, as it was in it selfe; so great and incredible, as when God brought it to passe, they were as men in a dreame, thinking it rather a dreame, and a vaine imaginatiō, than a reall truth or action. 1. Because it was so great a deliuerance, from so great and lasting a bondage, it seemed too good to be true. 2. It was sudden, and inexpected, when they little thought or hoped for it. Thus the sudden, and inexpected newes of Iosephs life made Iacobs heart fayle him, Gen. 45.26Gen 45:26that he could not beleeue the relation of his sonnes to be true. 3. All things semed desperate, nothing more vnlikely, or impossible rather: for indeed, the godly themselues, sticking so much to sense cannot so well weigh the great workes of God in the p. 84sco…les, or with the weights of God, as they should. 4. The manner was so admirable (without the counsell, helpe, or strength of man: nay, it was beyond and against all humane meanes;) that they doubt whether these things be not somnia vigilantium, foreign. Plato.the dreames of men that are awake. For so we read in Act. 12. that Peter being in prison, the next day to be brought forth to death, slept betweene two souldiers; and the Keepers before the doore: but was led out by an Angell, and with him passed sundry gates and streetes; verse 9. yet Peter knew not, that it was true which was done, but thought it had beene a dreame, and that he had seene a vision. It was so incredible, so inexpected, so suddaine, so immediate a deliuerance, that he could not beleeue it.

But as Peter being come to himselfe, said, Now I know for a truth that the Lord hath deliuered me, vers. 11. so this people of God knew it was more than a dreame, euen a reall deliuerance, and could not but expresse their ioy, as men doe when they laugh. But as the cause was abundant, so they say they were filled with laughter, verse 2. Nay, the Gentiles themselues obserued the benefit, and preached it, euen the enemies could obserue a speciall worke of Gods power and fauour for them, verse 3. And should they be behinde the Heathen, and not with full heart and mouth celebrate the benefit? Should God lose his glory by his owne people, whom the benefit concerned, and finde it among the Heathen, who were but lookers on? No: and therefore they proclaime it in these words, The Lord hath don… great things for vsus, &c.

Wherein we may consider these foure particulars.

1. The Author or Agent, the Lord.

2. The Worke or Act, hath done great things.

3. The Persons for whom, for vsus, his Church.

4. The Effect, whereof wee reioyce. Of these in their order.

I. The Agent is the Lord: verse 1. the Lord brought back the captiuity of Syon. It was a diuine worke, passing p. 85not humane power onelyonly, but humane apprehension: for it was not very easie to conceiue, much lesse to effect.

Obseru. All safety of the Church from God.All deliuerances of the Church are the works of God. What meanes so euer he vseth, himselfe is the principall Agent: and of it, it must be said, Digitus Dei est hic, This is the finger of God. For 1. the helpe of man is vaine, 2. God onelyonly hath promised deliuerance, and will be depended on, 3. the glory of deliuerance belongs to no other, Psalm. 50.15. Call vponupon me in the day of trouble, and I will heare thee, and thou shal… glorifie me.

II. The worke, great things. The Lord is a great God, and great things beseeme him: Psalm. 135.5. I know the Lord is great; and he doth great things. 1. To manifest the greatnesse of his power, aboue all creatures. 2. That there may neuer want some great occasions of praising and glorifying his Name. 3. That our eyes may be lifted vp aboue humane counsels, and not fixed on inferiour things, when we see euents which could be welded by nothing but an Omnipotent and Diuine hand.

III. The Persons for whom these great workes are done (for vsus:) Great are the workes of God,Gods greatest workes are done for the Church. seene in the Creation and Gouernment of the world. But the greatest workes of all hee doth for his Church.1. Election. 1. Hee hath chosen them to be his people, and selected them from all nations of the earth, to be a peculiar inheritance, and his owne possession of all the earth.2. Habitation. 2. He hath made his residence and aboade with her, as hee hath with no other society of men in the world.3. Ministration. 3. He hath made vntounto her all his gracious promises, and giuen the custody of his word to her, and to no other people of the earth. He hath not dealt so with eueryevery nation, neither hauehave they knowne his lawes ▪ Psal. 147.20.4. Tuition. 4. Hee hath taken vponupon him the defence of his Church, as of no other people, to be as a shield, or as a louing and carefull Husband of his deare and faithfull Spouse.5. Sweet sensible experience. 5. He hath giuen her such experience of his prouidence and protection in many meruailous deliuerances, both for soule and body, as no people p. 86euer had the like; to the perpetuall ouerthrow of all her aduersaries.

Namely for the Church of the Iewes.These and the like great workes in generall, the Lord hath done for his Church.

Looke now vponupon Israel, who vtters the words of our Text: what great things God hath done for them, both in generall, and in this speciall.

For the generall: 1, Israel was Gods elect, his sonne, Exod. 4.22. his fi…st borne, more loued, more priuiledged than any; his treasure, his portion, Deut. 32.8.9. To him belonged the adoption. Rom. 9.4. and hee was not numbred among the nations. Hee is select and chosen out of all the world. Hee must hauehave the promises; Of him are the Fathers; and of him is Christ, God blessed for euer. 2. God dwelt in Israel. Of Beniamin it is said, that the Lord dwelt betweene his shoulders, Deut. 33.12. With him was the Arke, and the glory, Rom. 9.4. and when that was taken, the glory departed from Israel. 1. Sam. 4.21.1 Sam 4:21He dwelt at Salem, and his Tabernacle was at Syon, Psalm. 76.2. God is present eueryevery where, but dwels onelyonly in his Church. Of Syon it was said, There will I dwell. 3. Their Lawes & ordinances were meerely from God: theirs was the Couenant, Rom. 9.4. The Tables of the Couenant, written with Gods owne hand, and deliuered to them. And the giuing of the Law, that is, their Statute-lawes & Iudicials were not enacted by men, but came from heauen: In which respect no nation was so honoured, Deut. 4.7.12. Was there euer any nation, to whom God came so neere, and spake out of the fire, The instances of Gods great care in preseruing the Iewes.&c.? 4. Their preseruation and protection was a great worke of God: as we shall see in some instances.

1. Great was his care to send them into Egypt, by reason of the famine, that they might encrease in a fat land: but he sent a man before, euen Ioseph, to prouide for them the fattest of the land, Psalm. 105.17. 2. Great was his worke of preseruation in Egypt vnderunder that extreame tyrannie of Pharaoh and the Taske-maisters, who could not worke wisely enough to keepe them vnderunder,Exod. 1.10.Exod 1:10 but, the more p. 87they oppressed them, to diminish them,Vers. 12. the more they encreased, so as of seauenty soules in 220. yeares the encrease was 600000. men, besides women and children.Moller. Psal. 105.24. Hee encreased his people greatly, and made them stronger than their enemies. 3. Great was his worke in drawing them out of Egypt: to which purpose hee sent Moses his seruant, (miraculously drawne out of the water) and Aaron whom he had chosen, vers. 26. By whom he wrought those mighty signes and wonders, vers. 27. of darknesse, blood, frogges, lyce, haile, caterpillers, the death of their first borne, &c. Insomuch as the enemies loaded them with rich iewels and eare-rings, and hastned them out of the Country. God would not hauehave his seruants goe without their wages for so hard labour, which the Egyptians had not considered. Besides, hee will hauehave them to hauehave somewhat away, to bestow and conferre for the vse of the Temple. And when Pharaoh pursued them, so as they saw no way to escape him, God gaue them a great deliuerance through the sea,Exod. 14.31.Exod 14:31 and him a great and miraculous ouerthrow. Such a worke God neuer wrought for any people. 4. Great was his prouidence and protection of them in the wildernesse, where hee led them forty yeares: first, guiding them by a strange pillar of a cloud by day, and of fire by night in all their iourneyes: secondly, feeding them with Mannah from heauen (in which were a number of miracles) and refreshing them with water out of a rocke: thirdly, couering their bodies with the same cloathes forty yeares together, which did not teare by wearing, not so much as their shooes: fourthly, fighting their battels for them, suffering no man to do them harme, but rebuking euen Kings for their sakes: fiftly, when hee had his people alone, hee prescribes his whole worship, concerning holy things, holy persons, places, and times; reareth vp a stately Tabernacle for his owne presence; in it placeth a glorious Arke, whence he immediately gaue answeres and directions by Vrim and Thummim, and accepted sacrifices, by fire immediately p. 88from heauen: all testimonies of his immediate presence.

5. As great was his care and prouidence in bringing them into the land of Canaan, casting out all their enemies before them, raising vp Ioshua to leade them in, and a…ter him Iudges and Kings, Sampson, Deborah, Dauid, Salomon, and their successors euen till their Captiuity in B…bilon. He gaue them a goodly land and fat, flowing with milke and hony. In it were vineyards which they planted not, and houses which they builded not. Hee gaue them a city which was on earth as the sunne in heauen, the eye of the world, an earthly paradise, the seat of their Princes, and Metropolitan of Iudea, containing an hundred & fifty thousand men, the inhabitants. In it was a Temple, the bewtye of the whole world, and the glory of the earth: Thither the tribes went vp twice in a yere, to worship the Lord, Psal. 122.4. In it were the Colleges of Priests, at whose mouth they were to require the Law, Mal. 2.7. In it the thrones of iustice were erected, Psalme. 122.5. In a word: Great and glorious things are to bee spoken of this Citie of God Psal. 87.3.

Thus the Church in Israell might well say, The Lord hath done great things for vsus. But, she need not cast hir eyes so farre back. Here is one great worke in steed of many great things, as which indeed hath many great things in it: on which, while she fixeth her eyes, she count… sh… hath matter enough of reioycing.

IV. For God hauing now reuenged the impiety of the Priests and Princes, (who had not only profaned his Land, Temple, and worship, with Idols, but had filled all the corners of the land with innocent blood by Nebuchadnezzar King of Babel, called the scourge of God, for the space of seuenty yeares;) It pleaseth him now to returne in mercy to his miserable people. For he neuer striketh but withal prouides a remedy, alwaies in iudgment remembring mercy.

And in this the… Returne there was great cause of ioy being so great a work of Gods mercy. For 1. God seemed p. 89now to forget the causes of their Captiuity:Returne out of Babilonish Captiuity, great matter of reioycing in 5. respects. 1. Sins pardoned. 2. Misery expounded. their idolatry, their contempt of his Ministers, with other hainous and foule sinnes, which brake out so farre that there was no remedy. 2. Cron. 36.15. But now he graciously returneth: therefore certainly those sinnes are forgiuen them.

2. They had now a long time beene exposed to all the enemies wrath, who had vnmercifully oppressed and slaine them, and cruelly dasht their infants braines against the stones, carried them farre from house and home, among heathens, and strangers to them and to the Couenant: & strangely vsed them, not suffering them any house or harbour, but let them spend their time in weeping by the waters side, Psalme. 137.1.Ps 137:1exposed to all iniury of winde and wether, of men and beasts. But now, as health is sweet after a long disease, so is liberty after a long bondage. Here is great cause to reioyce for temporall freedome from corporall misery.

3. Their shame and reproch in captiuity was infinite:3. Ignominy chased. vers. 3. the Aduersaries on one hand insult and call for their Hebrew songs; on the other hand, their Citie Babel whither they we…e carryed, being the Metropolitan and head of the Monarchy at that time, all the people of the knowne world resorted thither, and carryed into all Countries the Iewes reproch. But now the Lord hath remoued their shame, and published from thence to all the world, their glorious deliuerance.

4. In Captiuity they were but ciues mundi, 4. Inheritance restored.men of the world, but now they are ciu…s ecclesiae, members of the Church: that Country being a testimony to the godly, that they belonged to Gods Couenant, and to that heauenly Canaan, of which that was a type. Now their Captiuity was an abdication from the familie of God: and being spoyled of these good things, how could they thinke, but that they were cast out from God, from the Couenant, from heauenly Canaan aswel as earthly? But now they are receiued againe into the family, and p. 90people, and Country of God; their title to heauenly Canaan is renewed; and for this they reioyce.

5. Whereas the Babylonians had robbed the Citie, but especially had defaced and burned the Temple,5 Religion aduanced. profaned both it and all holy things, and set vp the abomination of desolation in stead thereof; (that now, where God was worshipped of his owne people according to his will, the diuell was worshipped by Heathens and Infidels:) Now the Lord hauing raised Syon out of the dust, hee hath reared his Temple, and his Worship againe: hee hath cast out the filth and pollution, by which they defiled his Temple: hee hath set vp againe the shining lights in the Temple, standing vp in golden Candlestickes: hee hath set the sweet-bread on his Table: the booke of the Law is restored againe: and the holinesse of the Lord shines againe in all his ordinances. God enioyes his worship and glory. They enioy their land and peace, and sit safe vnderunder his protection, as in times past. And these are the great things, whereof they now reioyce.

Now to the application.

This day are these things performed in our eares, who may truly say with the Church of Israel, The Lord hath done great things for vsus, whereof we reioyce.

We will not goe so farre backward (as if time would giuegive leaue,As great things done for Britans as for Israelites, if not greater. we might:) to compare the Lords generall mercies to vsus with theirs, wherein we are not inferiour; giuing vsus a land as rich, more large; peace more stable; Kings and Princes, as Sauiours and Iudges, leading vsus along to Canaan; the couenant of grace as peculiar, more sure to vsus than to them. What Oracles had they which we hauehave not? yet we hauehave what they had not. Had they worship in shadowes? we hauehave it in substance. Had they good things in promise and expectation? we in the very thing, and full accomplishment. Christ was to come of them: but he is come vntounto vsus. I will only speak of our deliuerance frō Babylon, of which the Church here speaketh.

p. 91That Rome is Babylon,Rome termed Babylon in 6. resemblances. the learned Iesuites themselues cōfesse. And if they did not, we could easily shew, that one egge is not liker another, than Rome is to Babylon. As in this Collation. 1. Babel was the great Citie, that must rule ouer all nations, Gen. 10.10.Roma tuum no men terris fatale regendis. Episcopus Occumenicus. And Rome is the great Citie, that must rule ouer all Cities and Churches: her Bishop must be Head and Monarch of the Church, and set himselfe aboue all that is called God. 2. At Babel was the first confusion of tongues, Gen. 11.7. In and from Rome is the confusion of tongues, and of errors, one not vnderstanding another in the word, or sacraments, or other their seruices: All is in a strange language to them. 3. At Babel was horrible superstition and wickednesse, in Priests and people, and thence it spread all abroad. Rome is a sinke of superstition and filthinesse, and all nations hauehave drunke of her cup, and beene made drunke with her horrible enchantments and wickednesse. 4. Babel held the Church in slauery seauenty yeares: so the Church of Christ hath beene oppressed a long time vnderunder the tyrannie of the Romish Church. 5. Babel robbed and spoyled the Church of her treasures, and the Temple of God, and horribly polluted it. Rome hath robbed the Christian world of infinite treasures by fraud and deceit,Palls, Agnus …ei's, Indulgences, &c. selling for millions that which was not worth the dust of mens feet. And the Church by her hath beene robbed of the word, the Sacraments, the offices of Christ, and most comfortable doctrines, the chiefe dowry and reuenew that Christ her Head gaue her. 6. Babel most miserably intreated the Church: Psalm. 137.1. Her eyes did nothing but drop downe teares day and night. And she prouided a furnace, to cast such in as would not worship the image, Dan. 3.6. All bookes and writings of the Church are full of the bloody cruelty, by all instruments of cruelty, and all plots of cruelty, in the Romane Church, both the head and the members.Deliuerance from Rome as great as that from Babylon: 5. instances.

Now that our deliuerance from Romish power and plots is as great a work to reioyce in, as this of Israel from p. 92their captiuitie, is easily proued.

1. God hath broke the yoke of the King of Babel, the Romish Nebuchadnezzar, from off our neckes, when we lay among the pots, by that great Cyrus, King Henry the 8. who thrust out the Pope and Papall power, cut the sinewes of their strength, cast out the Canaanites that were in the land, pulled downe the dens of theeues and robbers, and set his people to build an house for the Lord God of Israel. As great a worke as euer the people of this nation saw either attempted or executed. All the Kings before him durst not meddle; well they might mourne vnderunder their bondage, and murmure at the Oppressor; but did nothing, because they durst not.

2. When Cyrus had begun the worke, Darius commanded it to be finished and performed, Ezra. 6.1. Euen so what King Henry had begun, young Da…ius Edward the 6. (as another Iosiah) finished to good purpose. For as Darius made a decree for the house of God in Ierusalem, both for the building of it, and for the rendring of the vessels of the house of God, of gold and siluer, which Nebuchadnezzar had taken out of the house of God, vers. 3.5. So this Edward of blessed memorie (imitating Darius) in the first yeere of his raigne proclaimed the aduancement and building vp of the worship of the true God in a true manner,King Edward the 6. another Cyrus, or Darius. and brought in the vessels of gold and siluer, which Romish Nebuchadnezzar had taken away. He set the lights in the Temple againe, in many shining candlestickes. The Sweet-bread was set againe on the Table of the Lord, and the Cup of Christ his precious blood, which had been stollen away by those theeues, was now found, and comfortably restored to the owners. The booke of the Law was found, and restored againe into a knowne tongue, as in Iosiahs time by Hilkiah the Priest. The sweete siluer sounding Trumpets sound continually in our eares, in daily preaching the blessed word of God. The holy Arke a signe of Gods presence dwels againe among vsus, and Dagon is fallen before p. 93it; the house of Baal and his vestrie destroyed; his groues cut downe and grubbed vp. Are not these great workes, which the Lord hath done for vsus, wherein wee must reioyce?

3. After this, for the vnthankfulnesse of this land, as the building of the Temple was hindred for a while by 3Sanballat and Tobiah, so in the daies of Queene Mary this great work of God was interrupted: in which time, what the Babylonians could not conquer by Scripture, they could subdue by torture: and now fire and sword was the Catholike and inuincible argument: that the new Romanists might not degenerate from the old bloody Romans their fore-fathers, whose measure they filled to the full. For in lesse than fiue yeeres, three hundred of the faithfull seruants of Christ, without respect of Nobilitie, degree, learning, grauitie, sexe, age, or naturall humanitie, were in our Countrey burned to ashes. But God had no delight in that bloody Religion: It is as great a worke of merciemercy as any of the former, that he made it as short as bloody. For if violent things and times should continue, the world could not.

And behold a greater worke which the Lord hath done for vsus, whereof wee reioyce: Queene Elizabeth Englands Deborah.in raising vsus vp our ancient Deborah of England, neuer-dying Elizabeth, the wonder of the world, and mirrour of nations: who quickly quenched those hot and furious fires, and her selfe being brought from a prisoner to a mightie Prince, opened the prison-doores, and deliuered them that were appoynted to death. Now were the castles of their superstitions and hopes, cast downe again, and made euen with the ground. What great workes God did for her, and vsus in her time, were too long to recite: how she out-stood the curses and Bulls of the Romish Nebuchadnezzar, and saw in her time seuen of themselues tumbled out of their pretended chaire of S. Peter: Seuen Popes died in the raigne of Q Elizabeth.how wonderfull her many deliuerances were, from many hellish treasons, deuised by the armie of Priests, sent from the King of pride, and attempted p. 94by the Romish Captaines of that great Nebuchadnezzar. How the Lord went out before our Armies, and as in the daies of Israels Deborah, so of Englands Deborah, hee m…de the sea and windes fight for vsus, and by his owne right hand got vsus the victorie:Ch…ist in all that … sh…wed …, said the Turke. that memorable yeere and ouerthrow of 88, shall be a perpetuall witnesse so long as the world standeth, how God himselfe fights against that Religion, which so furiously fights against him. How she iudged and ruled in peace, honour, and happinesse fiue and fortie yeeres, to the honour of God and his Gospell, and terror of all enemies: and in the same peace and happinesse exchanged her earthlie with an heauenly and euerlasting crowne of glory.

4. A great worke of God it was for vsus to reioyce in, 4when at her decease the enemies who had long looked for a day, found it the day of their greatest disappoyntment: whilest the Lord, setting himselfe for our good in our gracious King and the fruitfull plants, renewed all our prosperitie, gaue vsus a new tenure of the Gospell, and a new hold of our peace and liberties: of whom we may say as was said of Dauid; He is the light of Israel: and of Iosiah; the breath of our nostrils: who by his power and pen hath shewed himselfe a Defender of the true Faith.

5. To come to the great workes of this day. That 5these Babylonians might keepe their hands in vre, what foule and desperate designes hauehave they attempted against the life of the Kings Maiestie, our gracious Soueraigne? For while this light of Israel remaineth, impossible they thinke it is for their kingdome of darknesse to preuaile.

Among other deuises, that shame of Popish Religion, that hideous gunpowder-treason, shall neuer be put out from vnderunder heauen. In which were many great workes of God for vsus Englishmen: whether wee consider the greatnesse of the danger, or the greatnesse of the deliuerance.

First, consider the greatnesse of the plot: the greatest mischiefe that euer was, wanting a fit name to expresse it, p. 95vnlesse you will call it a Catholike villanie: a plot of greatest and vniuersall danger to vsus, of greatest triumph to the Aduersarie. Here the head and taile, branch and root, one and other, Prince and people, Nobles and Gentrie, old and young, Papists and Protestants, should hauehave been destroyed together. For as Duke Medina said, his sword knew no difference betweene Catholikes and Heretikes, no more should this hellish or hell-fire, which it was a sparke of.

Besides the secret carriage and contriuing of it made it most dangerous, more dangerous than the Babylonish captiuitie: for the Babylonians dealt aperto marte, there was some hope of safetie either by prayer, or power, or truce, or preparing against them, there a man knew his aduersarie: but here is a crueltie digged out of the depth of darknesse, all of them sworne to secrecie, yea the Sacrament was a seale of their wickednesse, sworne brethren in euill, at league among themselues,Ce…es. 45.5. but no more league for vsus to be expected than from hell it selfe.

Here we might say as Hanniball sometime said of two Romane Captaines, one working by power, the other by policie; Magis se a non pugnante Fabio quàm à pugnante Marcello sibi metuere: Wee are more afraid of slie and quiet Papists, than of boysterous armed Turkes.

How these plotters would hauehave triumphed in y^e fact, as the Babylonians ouer Israel,Psal. 137.2.Ps 137:2 Sing vsus now one of the songs of Syon, we may well perceiue by their glorying in the hopes of it; God and man (saith the Letter) hauehave concurred to punish the iniquity of the time, and, The danger is past so soone as you hauehave burnt the letter, and They shall receiue a terrible blow this Parliament. Happy were we, that they reckoned without their host, and so came to another reckoning: else had the Funerals of England been their sports and merriments. How should this Act hauehave beene canonized and registred in the Popes Calender, amongst the most Heroicall facts that euer were attempted! For, if treason against the person of one King was p. 96so extolled, how would this hauehave been aduanced, being against the King, Prince, State, and three whole famous Kingdomes! Guignard the Iesuite tearmes the act of Iames Clement in murthering Henry the 3. of France with a poisoned knife, which he thrust into his belly, an Heroicall act. The Iesuites of France terme it a gift of the holy Ghost: Nay Pope Sixtus the 5. in a solemne oration made in the Consistory of Cardinalls, (Decem. 11.1589.) compared the treason of that cursed Dominick with the act of Eleazar or Iudith;Factum mirabile, &c. Rex Francorum occisus per manus monachi. yea a farre greater worke, a rare, a notable and a memorable act, that a Monke, a religious man, had slaine the vnhappy French King, in the midst of his host: An act not done without the prouidence of God, and the assistance of his holy Spirit.

Oh hellish blasphemies of vnerring Popes, not iustifying only, but abetting and extolling most hainous treasons, against y^e highest powers on earth! oh blasphemous beasts teaching men that God is a murtherer of Kings and Princes! How then should this fact hauehave been eternized if it had succeeded! And, if there were such reioycing at Rome by publike professions, bonfires, shooting of ordinance, and present publishing of a Iubilee, by the Pope & his Cardinals, hearing tidings of that persidious and bloody Massacre at Paris, anno. 1572. in so much as the Cardinall of Lorraine gaue him a thousand Crownes that brought the first newes of it: What publike ioy in Rome, what Masses, processions, triumphs, and gifts would there hauehave beene, if this stratageme had had successe.

Bellarmine shall not deceiue vsus, who tells vsus in his Letter to the Arch-priest,Bellarm, in his letter to George Blackwel Arch-priest of the English. that it was neuer heard of from the Churches infancy vn…il this day, that euer any Pope did commaund, that a Princ… (though an hereticke, or ethnick, or persecutor) should be murthered; or did approue the fact when it was done by another. This is a lewd and vnconscionable vntruth: vnlesse we conceiue he meanes, that it was neuer heard by those who were de…fe and could not p. 97heare: As by a Iesuiticall Aequiuocation it may well be construed.

I conclude this point with the speech of Agis to an euill man, asking him who was the best Spartan: his answer was, Qui tui dissimillimus, He that is most vnlike thee. So is this to be a good Catholike, nay he is the best Catholike, who is most vnlike these Catholikes.

Wee see our danger, and how great it was.

Now secondly, let vsus see, how the worke of God is as great in our deliuerance, both for the Matter and for the Manner of it.

I. For the Matter; we were deliuered from great euills, to great good things.

First, we were deliuered from a terrible blow: A deadly blow to King, Queene, Prince, Nobles, Iudges, Bishops, Counsell, Gentry, Commons, all. A deadly blow to all Lawes and Law makers, to iustice, peace, titles, tenures, records, and the whole Common-wealth. These Babylonians had sacked and spoiled all the Land. A terrible deadly blow to religion, piety, the Gospell, the Word, the Sacraments. These Babylonians would hauehave rased downe the Temple to the very foundations of it, and carried away all the vessels and rich ornaments of it. The waies of Sion should hauehave mourned, because none could come to her solemne feasts. Lament. 1.4.Lam 1:4Lastly a terrible & deadly blow to all Louers and Professors of religion within the whole Land, which (as the traytors) should hauehave beene drunke with the innocent blood of the Inhabitants.

Secondly, wee were deliuered from a terrible day, like the day of the Lord which shall burne like an ouen, Mal. 4.1. A terrible day, wherein the frame of the world should hauehave seemed dissolued, the sunne should hauehave beene turned into blood, the earth should hauehave opened her mouth and swallowed the inhabitants, the aire should hauehave been darkned through the blacknesse and lamentation of that day. A dismall doomesday of England, a p. 98day of fire and brimstone had that fifth of Nouember been, if the fire-workes of these fire-brands had preuailed.

Thirdly, wee were deliuered from a terrible tyrannie and yoke, to which that of Babel was altogether incomparable. 1. Spirituall: our glory had beene gone, and we might well hauehave been called I…habod: In stead of our Arke wee should hauehave had the abomination of desolation set vp, the horrible idoll of the Masse, ignorance worshipped as a god & mother of deuotion; Preaching hindred; Preachers martyrd, & al worship in an vnknowne tongue: an ignotant & rascall sort of greasy filthy Priests; & a doctrine,2. Thess. 2.7.2 Thess 2:7 which is a very mystery of iniquity. 2. Temporall: Answerable to their tyrannous doctrine is their tyrannical practise.Eius auaritiae totus non sufficit orbis: Eius luxuriae meretrix non sufficit omnis. The whole world satisfieth not their couetousnesse, nor all the harlots in the world their filthinesse. Look where that religion is stable if it hauehave not swallowed euen the fat of the Land. And what Nobleman dares meddle with a base hedge-Priest? And for their practise is not behind their positions, and in both, Turkes and Canibals are behind their cruelty. One of themselues writes, It had bin better the poore Indyes had bin giuen to the diuels in hell, than vntounto them: and themselues professed they would neuer come in heauen, if the Spaniards came there. Well hath his Maiesty obserued, that not the Turks, Tartars, or they of Calicute who worship the diuell, do lay such principles of cruelty in their Doctrine as Papists doe.

Wee see the greatnesse of our deliuerance, priuately: now see it positiuely.

In one word: The good things wee are restored vntounto, are, the fruition of God and his Christ, in his holy ordinances, with the Gospell of peace: to the peace of our Countrey, vnderunder our peaceable Gouernour; new leases of our liberties, lands, callings, liues, and all that heart can desire.

II. The Ma…nor or meanes of our deliuerance was altogether p. 99wonderfull. 1. It was easily brought about, not by millions of gold and siluer, not by the power or wit of man. 2. It was done mightily, not by the diuell (as Faux blasphemously spake) but by the immediate worke of God: though, as Cyrus had some glory of the Babylonish deliuerie, so our Cyrus, our gracious King had worthily some glorie of his princely care and watchfulnesse in this discouerie. 3. It was done seasonably, in the very due time, whē all was ready, & the conception was euen in the birth. 4. It was done to their own confusiō: detected by themselues; their hands that should hauehave acted it, detected it by writing. Discouered against themselues: mischiefe returned on the heads that deuised it: they fell into the pit that they digged for others: death intended against their brethren, caught themselues, and that by their owne powder. All this to the vtter confusion of their Religion, as we hauehave heard Winter himselfe fore-telling.

Therefore let vsus reioyce in this great worke of God, as his ancient people in this place. For why? The greatest rage of the enemie is turned to his greatest praise: Psal. 76.10. Surely the wrath of man shall praise thee: both in his glorie and his Churches deliuerance. And what is the end of all Gods great deliuerances, but to praise his name, and glorie in his praise? Psal. 106.47. Is not ours the benefit? HaueHave not wicked men seene and felt, that God hauing chosen our land to dwell in, will not eas…y be cast out of his lodging? and will not this coole their blood, and daunt their spirits from the like enterprises for time to come? Doth not this hazard thus happily diuerted make addition to our strength and peace? Oh blessed be God, euen the Father of our Lord Iesus Christ, who for his owne sake, by his owne hand, hath heaped vp our happinesse. He that is mightie, hath done great things for vsus, and holy is his Name. Oh praise we the Lord; for he is good, for his merciemercy endureth for euer. Holy Father, knit our hearts vntounto thee, that wee may feare thy great p. 100and dreadfull Name. Teach vsus to be truly and vnfainedly thankfull to thy holy Maiestie, for this daies mercies, and all heretofore: that so we may receiue the continuance of thy fauours to our euerlasting comfort, and euermore reioyce in thy great saluation. Blessed be God.

FINIS.

End of the text · Thomas Taylor, A Map of Rome (1620)