Sermon Upon Psalm 18, Title page – To the reader
A SERMON VPONUPON PART OF THE EIGHTEENTH PSALM:
Preached to the publik assembly of Scholers in the Vniuersitie of Oxford the last day of August, 1586. by IOHN RAINOLDS:
VponUpon occasion of their meeting to giuegive thanks to God for the late detection and apprehension of Traitours, who wickedlie conspired against the Queenes Maiestie and the state of the Realme.
PSALME 20.6.
Nowe know J that the Lord doth saue his annointed, doth heare him out of his holie heauens, by excellent strength, the safegard of his right hand.
AT OXFORD. Printed by IOSEPH BARNES Printer to the Vniuersitie, 1586.
IOHN RAINOLDES, to the reader: grace & peace in Christ.
THe reasons that moued me (good christian reader) to preach this short Sermon vppon shorter warning than gladlie I woulde, hauehave preuailed with me to set it downe in writing also at more leasure, & to publish it. For both the godly subiectes may bee stirred vp thereby to greater thankfulnes for the manifolde blessinges that God by her Maiesties means, and in her safetie, hath bestowed vponupon vsus: and the discontented may be put in mind to content thēselues with aEsai. 8.6.the waters of Shiloah, albeit running softly, least the great and mightie waters of the Riuer goe ouer all their bankes, breake into Iuda, and ouerflowe it. The former whereof I knowe that I cannot be deceiued in: because rain and snow doe not fal in vaine vponupon fruitefull ground. In the latter, I hope, I shall not altogether. Vnlesse with Religion both witte & reason hauehave forsaken them: that they care as little for honesty, as for piety; for profit, as for honesty. Eor what can they looke for at the handes of foreiners, though knit in neuer so strait confederacie with them, & ioyned in profession of the same faith, or perfidiousnes rather, of the falsly named Catholike religion, more then the Iewes had of the Assyrians? by whom for al their b2. King. 16 10.altar erected to the pattern of the Assyrian at Damascus, c2. Chr. 28.20. 2. King. 18.14.they were often grieuously vexed and pilled. dPlatin. de vitis Pont. in Iohanne 24.When the citizens of Papia in Italie were at dissension by reason of the faction betweene the Guelphes and the Gibellines: the Gibellines procured a fauorer of theirs, called Facinus Canis, to come and assist them with a power of men, vponupon agreement & couenant that he should hauehave the goods of the guelphes for his pay, But he, being come once into the citie with his men of warre, spared neither of them: his souldiors would be serued. Whereof when the Gibellines did complain vntounto him, saieng that their goods too were spoiled against agreement: he answered, that themselues were Gibellines, and should be safe: but their goods mere Guelphes, and must pay for it. The Gibellines of Papia could not foresee this: our Catholikes by them may. Let them leaue their brainsicke desires and diuelish purposes of bringing a Facinus Canis into their countrie: least by experience they feele (which God forbid) that though themselues be Catholikes, their goods may bee Heretikes; perhaps some Heretick-blood in their bodies also, by cōtagion of ours. The lord take away this stony hart from them, and geue them an hart of flesh, a new spirit: that we may al iointly praise him for the deliuerance of our gratious Queene, and pray for the continuance of her blessed gouernment, to the honour of his name, the furtherance of his gospel, the welfare of his Church, the peace and prosperitie of our English Iuda, the griefe and disappointment of Popish Assyrians, and the confusion of Antichrist. At Corpus Christi College in Oxford, Octob. 24. 1586.