Page [unnumbered]
Foure considerations geuen out to Christian Protestantes professours of the Gospell with a briefe exhortation inducing to reformation of life.
¶ The first consideration.
AS in the page before, foure questions were moued to the Catholick Papists to answere them at theyr leysure: so haue I here to the Christian Gospellers foure considerations likewise for them to muse vpon, with speede conuenient.
THe first consideration is this euery good man well to weigh with himselfe the long tranquillitie, the great plenty, the peaceable libertie, which the Lord of his mercy hath bestowed vpon this land du∣ring all the reigne hetherto of this our Souereigne and most happy Queene ELIZABETH, in such sort as the like example of Gods aboundant mercies are not to be seene in any nation about vs, so as we may well sing with the Psalme in the Churche. Non fecit taliter omni nation••, & opes gloria suae non manifestauit eis▪ first in hauing the true light of Gods gospel so shining among vs, so publickly receiued, so freely preached, with such libertie of conscience without daunger professed, hauing withall a Prince so vertuous, a Queene so gratious geuen vnto vs, of our owne natiue country, bred and borne amongst vs▪ so quietly gouerning vs, so long lent vnto vs in such peace defending vs, agaynst such as would els diuoure vs: briefly what could we haue more at Gods hand, if wee woulde wish? or what els could we wish in this world, that we haue not▪ if this one thing lacked not grace to vse that well, which we haue.
¶ The second consideration.
AS these thinges first are to be considered concerning our selues: so secondly let vs consider likewise, the state and tymes of o∣ther our countrymen, and blessed Martyrs afore past: what stormes of persecutions they susteined, what little rest they had, with what enemies they were matched▪ with what crosses pressed, vnder what Princes, vnder what Prelates they liued, or rather dyed in the dayes of King Henry the 4. king Henry 5. King Henry 7. King Henry 8. Queene Mary. &c. vnder Bo••er Bishoppe of London, Gardiner Bishoppe of Winchester, Cholmley, Story, Bishoppe Arundell, Stokesley, Courtney, Warham. At what time children were caused to set fire to their fathers: The father adiured to accuse the sonne, the wife to accuse the husband, the husband the wife, brother the sister, sister the brother, examples whereof are plenty in this booke to be seene, pag. 774.
¶ The third consideration.
THirdly let vs call to mynd, considering thus with our selues: These good men and worthy Martyrs in those dangerous daies, tastyng as they did, the heauy hand of Gods sharpe correction, beginning commonly with his owne house first if they were a∣liue now in these Alcion daies, vnder the protection of such a peaceable prince, O what thanks would they geue to God, how hap∣py would they count themselues hauing but halfe of that we haue, with freedome onely of conscience, and safetie of lyfe. Or if in case we our selues had bene in those times of theirs so troubled and distressed as they were, spoiled of goods, hated of the world, ci∣ted in consistories, pinched in prisons, sequestred from wife, house and children, loking for nothing but death, What would we say? what would we thinke? what would we do? Much otherwise doubtlesse, then we do now, God graunt we may do better, for worse I thinke we cānot if we would. Ioh Wickliffe, W. Swinderby, Thorpe, Sawtrie, with a nūber of godly men moe, beyng thē glad in friese gownes goyng barefoote, to preach where they could. If they were now alyue, how glad would they be of these dayes, what paines would they take, yea what pains would they▪ not take in preaching the gospell, not for lucre, nor for mony, nor passing for promotions or dignities of the church? Sir I. Oldcastle L. Cobham, sir Rog. Acton, with diuers worshipful gentlemen a great nūber, If they being in our state might enioy with vs their houses and lands, with the good fauour of their Prince (as then they could not) how gladly would they haue contented themselues though they neuer raised their rentes and fines to the vndoyng of their poore tenants? Likewise in the tyme of Ioh. Hus and Hierome of Prage, the Nobilitie and gentlemen of Bohemia, if they might haue had halfe this tranquillitie which we haue, to enioy the liberty of Gods word, and true vse of the sacraments without molestatiō of Ro∣mish prelates, what would they haue cared how simply they walked in their attire, without any such monstrous pomp in pranckyng vp themselues, as we Englishmen in these reformed dayes walke now, more like plaiers in a stage, then gods children in his Church.
¶ The fourth consideration.
WHerfore, welbeloued, these thinges being so, let vs call our selues to mind, considering the times that haue bene, the times that be, and times that may come, how we stand, and by whom we stand. If it be the fauor of God onely, that doth support vs in the midst of so many enemies, let vs beware, in no wise we prouoke his indignation. If it be his trueth and Gospell that we professe, let vs walke in the light of his truth, and keepe our selues within the compasse of his Gospell: what the Gospel requireth, and what it abhorreth, who knoweth not? And yet who foloweth that he knoweth? If S. Paule willeth euery one to depart from iniquity▪ which nameth the Lord Iesus: And if the Lord Iesus himselfe testifieth playnely, his kingdome not to be of this worlde, how will then the nature of that kingdome so spirituall, and our conditions so worldly match well together? To rippe vp all our deformities in particular, I minde not here, neither need I, the same being so euident to all mens eyes, that who cannot see our ex∣cessiue outrage in pompous apparrell, our carnall desires and vnchast demeanors, without feare of God, our careles security with out conscience, as though there were no iudgement to come, our studyes so vpon this world, as though there were no other hea∣uen: what pride and idlenes of life, double dissembling in word & deed with out simplicity, auarice vnsatiable, litle regard to heare Gods word, lesse to read it, least of all to folow it, euery man aspiring to worldly wealth and promotion, litle or no mercye to the poore, racking of rentes & fines, bribing and taking vnmeasurable. What should I speake of the contentions and vnbrotherly di∣uision amongest vs most lamentable to see,* 1.1 but more lamentable, if all were seene which may or is like to folow vpon the same. Such were the times once of the Churh before the horrible persecution of Dioclesian, for so we read, such hatred and disdayne, through much peace and prosperity of the Church, to creepe in amongest the Church men. Read pag. 77.
Wherefore let vs be exhorted (dearely beloued) to reclayme our selues, whyle time doth serue. If we finde the Lord so graci∣ous in sparing vs▪ as he doth, let that not make vs worse, but better. It is a lewd childe, which will not learne without beating. A well minding man will be good, not forced by coaction, but of voluntary office induced. As aduersity if it come, ought not to dis∣may vs:* 1.2 so neither prosperity now present ought not to puffe vs vp in security, conside••ing what commonly is wont to folow. As Plato well writeth: Summae at{que} effrenatae libertatis seruitutē plaerum{que} affeclam esse. Of immoderate liberty, and to much security, foloweth most commonly extreme seruitude. And as Hippocrates sayth: dispositions of bodyes when the are come to the high∣est perfection of health, then are they most subiect to daunger of sickenes. &c. Let vs therfore hauing light geuen vs, walke like children of light. Otherwise if we walke like children of disobedience, God hath his roddes to scourge vs, if we will needes be Rebelles, he hath his Pharaos and Nabuchodonosors to plague vs. Or if we will be so vnordi∣nate, and (with reuerence be it spokē, without offence to God or man) so doggish and currish, one to another, the Lorde lacketh not his Doggestrikers to whippe vs. And would God our liues were such, that the destruction and ruine here of late seene a∣mongest vs, may portend nothing agaynst vs, as I trust there is no cause for vs to feare, but rather to feare the Lord and walke in his obedience & amend that is amisse amongest vs. Amen.
¶The Grace of our Lord Iesus blesse thee gentle reader, that long mayst thou read and much mayst thou profite. Amen.
¶ Pax Pradicantibus. Gratia Audientibus. Gloriae Iesu Christo.* 1.3 Amen.