Certaine sermons preached before the Queenes Maiestie, and at Paules crosse, by the reuerend father Iohn Ievvel late Bishop of Salisburie. Whereunto is added a short treatise of the sacraments, gathered out of other his sermons, made vpon that matter, in his cathedrall church at Salisburie

To the right honorable, Sir William Cicil Knight, Lorde high Treasorer of England: and to the right honorable L. Robert Dudley, Earle of Leicester, two of her Maiesties most honorable priuie Counsaile, & most worthie Chauncelours of both the Vniuersities, Oxforde and Cambridge.

VNtrue reportes and sclaunders can neither giue falsehoode any credite among the wise, nor disgrace the due estimation of the trueth. How∣beit, it seemeth there are some, which hope it will turne them to no small aduauntage, if to other their secrete and wicked practises, they ioyne a sleyght of ill spea∣king & of sclaundering the writings, the godly sayings, the life and the death of those, whome it hath pleased God to vse to the setting forth of his Gospel, and there∣by to the great comfort of his people.

Among others, vpon whom this hath bene practised, they haue made some especiall choice of the late Bi∣shop of Salisburie, a man of famous memorie, whose life and death is truely and syncerely written by M. Do∣ctour Humfrey. Howsoeuer they dealt vncharitably with him in his life, Christian and godly discretion would they should spare to reproche the dead. Or, if not so, yet

in wisedome they might foresee, that when matters are called to tryall, such things cannot passe for currant & lawfull, wherof some due proofe hath not bene yeelded.

Yet, as though the discredit of that one man (who in great humilitie did acknowledge himselfe inferiour to many godly fathers then liuing in this Church of Eng∣land) were ynough for them to ouerthrowe all that whole worke, which the Almightie God hath by his right hand and strong arme established: they deliuer by tradition certaine false obseruations, of his either sim∣ple, or negligent, or wilfull and malicious gathering, and abusing the holy Scriptures of God, and the aun∣cient writings of the Fathers.

It is a harde thing for him that speaketh much, to speake nothing worthy iust reprehension. But it is much harder to escape the reprehension of corrupt Iudges, e∣uen when he shal speake most vprightly. His defence is abroade, published by himselfe. And, notwithstanding the endeuour of a learned aduersarie was to empeache it: yet by his last and a moderate answere, he auouched it good, and approued his plaine and syncere dealing to the consciences of all men.

Whom it may please to vnderstande, after what sort he prepared himselfe to the accomplishment of those two notable bookes, of the defence of the Apologie, and the Replie, which are as two double Canons pre∣pared for the battery of errour and superstition, must needes confesse his diligence, and reuerent procee∣ding in such cause, to haue bene such, as for which he may well be compared with any, whomsoeuer the for∣mer, or this present age, hath thought therefore wor∣thie commendation. For, besides his aduised obserua∣tion of all such things, as in the aduersaries bookes de∣serued answere: and, besides that he disposed a summa∣rie, and full collection of such matter, as he would vse for the disproofe of the same, the which he conceiued in short notes: this may be a notable testimonie, that

he had purpose to set downe the aucthorities out of the Fathers, and the quotations, truely and playnely: whereas in times before, hee had gathered sundrie bookes of common places out of the Greeke, and La∣tine, and later writers, he did peruse a fresh the authors themselues, and made euery where in them speciall markes, for the difference of such places, whereofhee made choyce. Those were all drawen forth, and layde to their themes by certeine scholers, who wrote them out by such direction, as he had giuen vnto them. So re∣uerent regard had he to do the worke of the Lord, and to defend the trueth faithfully.

With like reuerence also did he in all places where he was occasioned to preach, handle the word of God. Albeit his giftes of reading, and vnderstanding, & me∣morie were great, yet it appeareth he did seldome, or neuer deliuer any exposition vpon any peece of scrip∣ture, before any Congregation in the meanest parish of the countrie, but vpon diligent studie, and whereof he drewe his notes. In this his care, Gods prouidence wrought mercifully for his Church, that so there might be some way to deliuer in common vnto all, the fruites of those godly trauailes, which he gaue forth to some one especiall part of the Church. Hereby it is, that these his Sermons preached before her Maiestie, and at Paules crosse, come nowe to the reading of all such, before whome they were once spoken: to seeke that of them in true practise of Christian religion, for which they were in their times vttered. Why I make choyce of these, among so many, so excellent his sermons pro∣nounced in those places, if any be curious to aske, let him aduisedly consider the state of Gods Church a∣mongst vs in these dayes, and bestowe his paynes to reade these, which are offered to his Christian iudge∣ment, and then make to himselfe a charitable answere. And if at such seuerall times as that reuerende father, in the feare of God, moued his petitions before the

conscience either of her highnesse, or of your honors, or of any others, the good children and seruantes of God, he were so well acquitted, that he was thought to speake vprightly in true zeale, for the aduauncement of Gods glorie, and like a wise buylder of the house of God: no doubt, in this rehearsall of them altogether, they shall worke that wholsome effect, if through the assistance of Gods holy spirite, they be considered now with as great diligence, as hee was then heard with good attention.

Your honours haue wel declared, that you measured not your louing affection to him by the short terme of his life: which giueth great hope that his humble re∣questes, so many as are to craue ayde and furtherance of aucthoritie, shall in good time be preferred. They are such, as shew how desirous he was to see the peace and prosperitie of Ierusalem, and that the kingdome of God might neuer againe be taken away from vs. He sheweth what thinges they are, by which this may bee brought to passe: that among all the meanes which mans wisedome can prouide, next to the high meanes of princely authoritie, the chiefest is, that all particular Churches may bee furnished with sufficient, learned, and godly Ministers: and therefore that tender & due care be had, to encrease the nomber of them. Their seruice is most needeful in the ouerthrowe of Iericho, the citie which God will haue destroyed: and in the buylding vp vnto God his Temple at Ierusalem. The care which Magistrates take hereof, and that laborers may be sent into the Lordes haruest, which may de∣fende the cause of Christ against those which charge the Gospel to be heresie, and that the things which he hath done for vs, are wrought by the power of Beel∣zebub: and which as good watchmen attending their warde, may stirre vp the people to knowe the season, that the night is passed, and the day is come, that it is time to cast away the workes of darkenesse, and to put

on the armour of light: shall witnesse for them, what zeale they beare to the house of God. If the ministers be mindefull to perfourme their duetie: if the Lordes haruest be not neglected: if the defence for the Gos∣pel finde vpright Iudges: if all that giue outward shew of zeale be in deede zealous, and worke the fruites of zeale: what hope may they of Iericho haue, that their cursed dwellings shal stand? or why shall Israel mistrust that the Temple of God shall not receiue againe the former and perfect beautie?

Nowe, because euery where in these sermons hee commendeth the necessary vse of godly learning, and is an humble suter for patronage thereof: I can not but present them vnto your honours, our patrones, and fathers, & right honourable Chauncelours of both the Vniuersities: that seeing the benefite of this your gra∣cious protection, hath, and doeth, and shall reache it selfe so farre, to do so much good to the whole Church of God: you may at home and with your selues reioyce in the comfort of a good conscience, for the manifold fruites of your fauour bestowed in such sort, and all that haue the loue of the trueth, may earnestly praye vnto God for your honours, that he will continue his goodnesse towardes you, and giue you long and pros∣perous dayes in this life, and after, a ioyfull enterance into his glorie.

Your honours most humble to command Iohn Garbrande.