IT was my purpose ( right woorshipfull ) to haue gone forward in the exposition of S. Peter wherewith I began : but considering how the occasion of this daies meeting required other exhortations than the words which were next to be expounded would minister unto us , I thought good to choose out an other portion of Scripture , agreeable to the present matter : especiallie considering how some euill disposed persons goe about to weaken the hearts and hands of our countrimen , as though we were not able to encounter with our Popish & Spanish aduersaries that now threaten us with encomberance of warre in our owne land . The Scripture which I have selected and chosen for this purpose is found written in the first of Deuteronomie : The wordes whereof are these , Dread not , &c. which containe in them a propheticall exhortation , wherewith Moses the conducter of Israel encouraged the people of the Lord , what time they seemed to faint for feare of their enemies . For hauing beard sate , how they should encounter with the sonnes of Anake men of giantlike stature , who did eate by the Inhabitants of the land , and in comparison of whome the valiant men of Israel were but as Grashoppers to looke too , they tooke so sodaine discomfiture at these ridings , that they rather desired never to see the promised land , than to ioyne battaile with so strong and mightie aduersaries . This Moses perceiuing conforted them with these wordes , saying : Dread not , &c. In which speech we are to obserue these two braunches , whereinto the Scripture deuideth it selfe . First , an exhortation . Secondly , the reasons of that exhortation . The exhortation is this , Dread not , neither bee afraide of them . The reasons are two in number . The first taken from the sauing presence of God among his people . The Lorde your God which goeth before you , he shall fight for you . The second taken from their former experience and triall of Gods mightie protection to themwarde in the land of Egipt . According to all &c.

Concerning the exhortation , let vs obserue who are exhorted not to feare , and whom they are exhorted not to feare : where the holy ghost saith , Dread not , neither bee afraide of them , he speaketh to the people of God , to them that were sanctified and set apart to bee a peculiar people vnto himselfe , to such as were the true professors of Gods worde , thereby teaching vs , how Christians should not be faint harted in a good cause , but couragious and bould as Lyons , especially when they are to encounter with the enemies of true religion , Neither doth Moses alone teach vs this , but Christ himself also is of the same minde , as may appeare Math. 24. 6. For speaking of those troubles which should come vpon the worlde in the latter age thereof , he saith , how They should heare of warres and rumours of warres , but see that ye bee not troubled , saith he to the faithfull and beleeuing , as who should say , that feare of the aduersarie were not comely in them that make profession of the true faith . Marke this I beseech you brethren as many of you as feare the Lord ; Moses commaundeth such not dread , neither to be afraide : Christ commandeth such not to be troubled though they heare of warres , &c. Now therefore as men that professe the Lord to be your only stay and trust , lift vp your hearts , that it may bee knowne how you haue not professed in vaine , and that you are the true Souldiers of Christ Jesu , whom no force nor furniture of the enemie can feare , no rumours of warre can dismay , no hoastes of armed men can once abash or terrifie . If your hearts bee weakened at any time with the reportes of our enemies preparation against vs , knowe this for a suretie that whensoeuer you are dismayd therewith , that day ye beginne to proclaime and shewe your selues men voyd of true faith . For why , such as are the true people of God , by the iudgement both of Moses and also of Christ hims●●●●●ould not be afraide of these things . Nay mar 〈…〉 one thing more . Moses saith to his brethren 〈◊〉 Israelites : Be not afraide of them . Of whom doth he meane : It is manifest by the former verse he vnderstandeth the Anakins , that is to say , the Giants which enhabited the lande of Canaan , whom he chargeth the people of God not to feare , though they were men greater and taller than themselues . Might not the schollers of Moses feare Giants , and shall the schollers of Christ feare Spaniardes ? Farre bee it of from the least of vs ( brethren ) euer to feare these enemies of the Lord .

To the intent that we may be the more couragious ; let vs consider of the reasons which Moses adioyneth to his exhortation . The first reason is taken from the sauing presence of God among his people , or from his effectuall power and strong hande which he stretcheth ouer his Church to defend his enheritance and to destroye the enemies thereof . The Lorde your God ( saith Moses ) he shall fight for you , therfore be not afraide of them . As if hee had sayd , They are sure to ouerthrowe their enemies in battaile , whose parte the Lorde taketh , and for whom he fighteth : The Lorde himselfe be fighteth for you my brethren the sonnes of Israel , therefore feare not but ye shall haue the victorie ouer them . This is a notable reason ( deerely beloued ) and much vsed in the Scripture .

In the 14. of Nomb. there is a notable place pertayning to the same matter which is here spoken of . For when the people seemed to take discomfiture by the tidings which the spies brought them concerning the inhabitants of Canaan , the spirite of the Lorde came upon Iosua , and he comforted them on this wise . Feare not the people of the land ( sayth Iosua ) for they are but bread for vs . And he addeth the same reason which Moses vsed . Their shield ( sayth he ) is departed from them , and the Lorde is with vs , therefore feare them not .

With the like wordes doth the good King Ezechia encourage the Captaines and Souldiers in his time , which were readie to fight the Lordes battaile against the blasphemous boast of the proud Senacherib : as wee may reade 2. Chron. 32. Be strong and couragious ( sayth Ezechia ) feare not , neither bee afraide for the King of Ashur , neither for the multitude that is with him . Dis reason he adioyneth , There be more ( saith he ) with vs thé are with thé : with him is an arme of flesh , but with vs is the Lord our God for to help vs , & to fight our battels . Consider these things , my brethren ; the Lord will fight for them that professe his trueth , and whome he fighteth for they shall vndoubtedly preuaile and triumph ouer their enemies be they neuer so well prepared to the battaile . Let vs then cleaue truely and vufainedly to the Lord our God , so shall he fight for vs , and our enemies shall not be able to stand before vs . He that is a consuming fire shall goe forth on our behalfe , and the stubble of Spayne shall bee consumed to ashes . The whitle winde of his presence shal scatter them as chaffe , and his vengeance shall followe after and pursue them till they be vtterly destroyed .

Ye will desire peraduenture more speciall reasons and proofes in this case , such as may make vs see , that the Lord will fight for his Church in England ( if it departe not from him ) against all it Popish and Spanish aduersaries . Hearken then to the word of our God which is true and infallible .

The Lord himself threatneth to shed their blood which haue shed the blood of his Saints , as appeareth Deut. 32.41.42 . I will execute vengeaunce on myne enemies ( saith the Lord ) and will reward them that hate me , I will make myne arrowes dronke with their blood , and my sword shall eate their flesh , for the blood of the slaine and of the captiue . But he will bee mercifull ( saith Moses in the same place ) to his land and to his people . Heere you see plainly declared vnto you ( my brethren ) how the Lord threatneth to destroy them , which haue spilt the blood of his Christian people . This is the word of the Lorde , and therfore so sure and certaine , that albeit heauen and earth doe passe , yet no one iot of this shall passe , till it be all accomplished and fulsilled . Consiber then of our enemies which threaten vs at this time , and for resistance of whom wee are assembled this day . Are they such as haue spared the innocent and barmelesse members of Christ Jesu ? No verely . For it is notably knowne how much innocet blood the Pope our chiefe aduersarie , and his Lieutenant the Catholique King haue shed in Christendome . The earth which greedilie drinketh in euery such thing , is wearie with drinking by the blood of Christ his sheepe , which the wooluish in quisitonrs of Spayne , and bloodthirstie tormentors sent out of the Romaine sea haue spilt . The histories are full of most lamentable tragedies , declaring the sauage , pea & more than beastly crueltie of these our aduersaries toward innumerable christian people which neuer lift vp weapon against them , but were lead as sillie Lambes to the slaughter , not once opening their mouthes against their bloodsuckers . What then remaineth but that the Lorde now repay them againe , according to all that they haue done to his Saincts and children , and that the worde of the almightie be fulfilled on them , which saith , that he will make his arrowes dronke with their blood : which kinde of speech ( beside other thinges ) would not bee lightly ouerpassed by vs , considering the bowe and the arrowe are weapons of defence , wherewith the Lorde hath armed our nation aboue the reft . Let vs therefore bee assured , if wee consecrate our selues wholly to God , and reioyce in this to continue the people of the Lorde , he will per for me his promise in sauing this his lande , and vs his people ; but destroying our enemies with most fearefull destruction , causing the arrowes of vs English men to drinke the blood , and our sword to deuoure the flesh of these persons , who haue powred foorth the blood of his Saincts without compassion as water vpon the ground in great aboun , dance . This the Lord will doe ( if we go for ward to serue him ) though not for our sakes , which are but miserable sinners , yet for his promise-sake , and for his Christes sake , whose name is called vpon vs .

This for their acts : Let vs yet come neerer vnto these our enemies , and see what the Lord in his worde hath determined against them . If we looke vnto the profession of those which bend themselues against vs , wee may finde great matter to encourage vs withall . I stande not now to consider and shewe vnto you , how the Lorde threatneth generally all Idolaters and such as prouoke him with straunge Gods ( as they doe ) that He will spende plagues vpon them ; that he will bestowe his arrowes vpon them , the sword shal kill them with out , and feare shall kill them in their chambers . Deut. 32. Onely that I would haue you to note which is written by S. Iohn , Reuel. 14.8.9 . The holy ghost hauing noted in the 6.7 . & 8. verses the breaking foorth of the light of the gospel , and there vpon the fall of Babilon or the Romish sea ensuing and following , to declare how grieuously the Lord would bee offended with such , as after the decay of that Babilonish sea by the gospell of Christ , would not yeeld them selues obedient to the truth , but goe forward in committing idolatrie or spirituall fornication with that whore of Babilon , whose shame full abominations the Lorde had detected before their faces by the plaine preaching of the worde , he vttereth this most fearefull iudgement against them : If any man ( saith an Angeli from heauen ) worship the beast and his image , and receiue the marke in his forehead or on his hand , ( that is , either openly shewe himselfe a maintainer of that Romish sea , or secretly subscribe to the abominations therof ) The same shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God , yea of the pure wine which is powred into the cup of his wrath ; & he shall be tormented in fire & brimstone before the holy Angels & before the Lambe . Weigh this aduisedly with your selues my brethren for to encourage you with all . Ye know that the gospell hath now along time bene preached a fresh in the worlde , & Babilon that is the Romaine sea hath taken a great fall therby , notwithstanding we see that they which now threaten vs with warre and trouble , sticke stil to that whore of Babilon , they still worshippe the beast and his Image the Popedome , they delight to she we them selues and write themselues Papists , they will not bee drawne from the breastes of that harlot , which the rest of Christendome abhorreth as a most ●…thie strumpet , and as the mother of all Idolatrie and spirituall fornication , they delight still more in her painted falshood than in the true and glorious beautie of the spoase of Christ Iesu : what remaineth therefore ( deerely beloued ) for these popish aduersaries of ours , but that they shall drinke of the wine of the wrath of God : that is to say , God will take bengeaunce on them in most terrible maner . Yea , but shall we be the instruments of the Lordes wrath against them , shall they be destroyed by vs , will some say : Although it skilleth not whether they be destroyed by vs or for vs , yet marke what is written Reuel. 17. 16. 17. The Kings which first gaue their kingdome to the beast , but after ward fell to hate the whore , they shal make her desolate and naked . They shall deprine her both of pourpe and power , and shall leaue her succourlesse and friendlesse in comparison . Haue not wee ( brethren ) sometimes committed fornication with that Romish harlot , but doe wee not now hate her as much as euer we loued her ; it is then greatly to be hoped , that if wee continue to hate her still withall her whorish tromperies and superstitions , we shall be the meanes of the Lord to make her vtterly desolate , by ouerthrowing these her onely defendants , or by helping thereto .

This comfort and hope to preuasle wee haue by our enemies that threaten to assaile vs ; let vs see whether any comfort and courage be ministred , by reason of those which are meanes to set them on and exhorte them to this assault . We doe all of vs knowe ( deerely beloued ) how the Embassadours which prouoke and stirre vp these and other Prinres against vs are those rouing Jesuits , which sent from the Pope of Rome , creepe euery where into Kings courts , exhorting both them and their Nobilitie against vs . Hath the Scripture then determined what euent their counsailes shall haue , to what ende the Princes which are ruled by them shall come vnto : Yea verely : looke Reuel. 16. and you shall find it set downe there . Saint Iohn verse 12. of that chapter hauing ( vnder the figure of Euphrates dried vp , by which meanes the olde Babilon was destroyed ) prophesied the destruction of the Romish Babilon , he saith in the 13. verse , that He sawe three vncleane spirites like frogges come out of the mouth of that drakon , and out of the mouth of that beast , & out of the mouth of that false Prophet : The office of these frogges be describeth to bee this , to gather the Kings of the earth to the battell of that great day of God almightie . Meaning that their purpose should be to stirre vp the Kings against the destroyers of their Babilonian tower , and to bring them to build it againe , if it might be , but the Lord should otherwise dispose their labours , and himselfe take the cause of his children in hand , making battaile with them , &c. The whole difficultie of this place lyeth in knowing who are ment by these frogges . Some vnderstand the Popish schoolemen : but that cannot bee . First , because the Prophet noteth how these frogges should not come foorth till the decay and way made to the ouerthrowe of their Babilon ; as for the schoolemen they were in the flourishing state of the Romish Monarchie . Secondly , it was not the office of the Popish schoolemen to go from one countrie to an other , from one Prince to an other , and to stirre them vp against the people of the Lorde : but these properties both of them agree to the Jesuites and to them only . For after the decay of the Romish supremacie they were inuented for this entent , that they might go from one King and Kingdome to an other , stirring them to battaile against the decayers of their Babilon ; And wee see that they haue not bene sluggish nor negligent in doing this . It is then out of all doubt and controversie , that the Jesuits are ment by those frogges . What then shal be the euent of the labours of these Jesuites : They shall gather the Kings ( to battell against the Lord ) to aplace , saith S. Iohn , called in Debrew Har Mageddon , the mountaine of Mageddo or Megiddo , a place famous by reason of great slaughter there committed , meaning that they shall gather them to their owne destruction as the whole text manifestly declareth . This serueth greatly for our encouragement ( deerely beloued ) . The Princes which threaten vs are gathered by these Jesuits , not so much against vs as against the Lord himselfe , whose word we truely professe : therefore ( if our iniquities and lacke of following our profession doe not make separation betwixt vs and the helping hand of God ) the ende of those Jesuitish embassadours councell shall come vpon them : that is , their gathering together shall bee to their owne destruction : for the Lorde will fight against them .

I will adde but this one reason for the perticuler persons , and I beseech you be are with me , if I be the longer in it , considering it poynteth out the verie time wherein we liue , and containeth our aduersaries by name . The place is written Reuel. 20. where it is sayd , that Gog and Magog shall gather themselues to battell , and shall compasse the tents of the Saincts about and the beloued citie , &c. For the more plaine understanding wher , of , I must needes declare the meaning of that which goeth before in that chapter , and also of somewhat in the 12. which hath relation to the 20. In the 12 chapter of the Reuelation , after that Christ was ascended verse the 5. and the woman which is the Church , deliuered by flight from the Dragon , the Dragon went and made warre with the remnant of her seede which keepe the commaundements of GOD and haue the testimonie of Jesus Christ : whereby is signified that Sathan should raise persecution against the true Christians , which was fulfilled in those tenne persecutions vnder the Romaine Empire , which ended Anno domini 367. Here S. Iohn leaueth to speake of the dragon , and speaketh no more of him all the 20. chapter , where be beginneth at the time whereat he left before . As if one should demaunde of S. Iohn what became of the drakon after those persecutions , he aunswereth from the end of those persecutions to the terme of a thousand yeeres more the deuill shall be bound up , meaning that be should not raise any such open persecution against the Church for the faith , it might vee demaunded then what should become of such as were staine in those persecutions . S. Iohn aunswereth verse 4. they shall line and raigne with Christ al that thousand yeeres . Some might aske againe : what shall bee the state of the people from that yeere 367. to the end of those thousand yeres . S. Iohn aunswereth , They shal be dead in sinnes and trespasses euery day more & more through the ignorance of the trueth of Gods word , but at the end of those thousand yerrs they shal reuiue againe . With what resurrection shal they reuiue ? shal their bodies then rise out of the graue . No , saith S. Iohn , they shall liue againe by the first resurruction , or rising of the man from sinne : for at the ende of those thousand yeres . 1. Anno domini 1367. the gospel shall breake forth againe , ( and in doe de then Wickleiffe began to preach ) and men shall reuiue againe by the meanes of the true preaching of the worde that then shall be .

Some might further aske , what shall Sathan then bée bound vp still after this time of one thousand yeeres expired , that is after the yeere 1367 : S. Iohn aunswereth , no ; but he shall bee loosed againe , and shall fall to persecuting of the truth then preached , which persecution shal last for a little season . verse 3. After all this ( to come now vnto our selues ) it might bee demaunded by whom Sathan should persecute the professors of the trueth that short time , Saint Iohn aunswereth by Gog and Magog , whome hee should at the last stirre vp to make warre against the Saincts . Ye see now we are come ( deerely beloued ) vnto our owne time . The Gospell which lay hidde as it were till the yeere 1367. than began to shine foorth againe by the preaching of Wickleife , since that time which is but a shorte space in comparison the professors of the Gospell haue bene persecuted : now Gog and Magog make warre against the true professors of Christianitie . Who are meant , will some say , by Gog and Magog . Concerning Gog , looke Ezech. 38. and 39. and there you shall see that Gog is called the Prince of Mesech and Tuball : by which Tuball are vnderstood the Italians and Spaniardes ( as the learned may see in Iohn Funcius his diuision of the world in his chronicle ) by Mesech the Turkes , by Magog the Tartarians , and wee doe all of vs knowe , that these are they which at this time doe persecute Christianitie , the Turkes in the Cast Church , the Spaniards and Italians in the West and North partes of Christendome . We see then who are God and Magog , as also that our enemies which warre against vs , that is to say , the Italians and Spaniardes are a parte of them ; what comforte haue wee by this , or how doth this put vs out of feare by shewing that the Lord will fight for vs ; that which followeth in the text will strengthen vs in the Lord . For the holie ghost telleth vs plainly , that Gog Magog shall compasse the tentes of the Saincts about , but fire ( sayth he ) came downe from GOD out of heauen and deuoured them . verse . 9. Whereby is meant either that God will plague , punish and destroy them with most terrible indgements from heauen , according to the phrase of the. Scripture , Psal. 18.12.13.14 . Psal. 11.6 . Or els that the last iudgement shall come vpon them , and take them in their wickednesse , & whilest they are warring against the Saincts and people of God : both which are of force and sufficient to encourage vs . For if the Lorde will fight for vs with vengeance from heauen against our enemies , against the Popish Italians and Spaniards by name ( which are a parte of Gog. ) what more auaileable to encourage vs against them . Or els if the Lord will hasten his indgement , and for the saluation and deliuetance of his people , whom Gog and Magog hath compassed his Saincts about to destroy them , wil oppresse them with that reuenging fire which shall accompanie that last iudgement of his : what can bee a greater consolation then this , that our brethren wheresoeuer and we shall not long fight and striue against these enemics of ours , before the day of indgement shall come and vtterly destroy them . O my brethren , I beseech you in the name of Christ Iesu , let vs not once faint nor be afraide , ye see the times agree , the enemies are named , the trouble is begunne ( in some places a good while since ( let vs not doubt but the Lorde which neuer deceiueth will performe his promise in due time , & take vengeance on our enemics . In y meane season let vs be couragious for our people , for our true religion , & for the cities of our God , & let the Lord do that which is good in his eyes . 2. Sam. 10.12 .

For the persons hetherto , let vs now weigh the comfort and consolation which we haue by the causes for which they assayle vs , and in confidence wherof we prepare and addresse our selues against them . It appeareth ( deerely beloued ) by that which is written Iud. 20. how they which set vppon any to destroy them should haue a good cause , otherwise they cannot hope and looke for the helpe and assistance of the almightie : The rest of the Tribes when they make themselues readie to battaile against the Behiamites , it is for want of reformation and punishing of men which had committed most shamefull and detestable filthinesse with a Leuites wife , neither that alone but moreouer had murdered her by that meanes . Haue our enemies any such cause of warring against vs : Uerely no. Wherefore then are they gathered together , wherefore doe they threaten Fire and Sworde ? There is no doubt whatsoeuer bee pretended ; the setting vp againe of their Romish religion , the suppressing of the Gospell now preached among vs , the satisfying of the bloodthirstie minde of their proude Pops is altogether entended by this warre of theirs . This ought then to turne vnto our comforte , and setting all feare a parte to cause vs vnder hope of the Lorde his helpe and assistance , to goe with couragious heartes against them .

They assault to driue vs from the the Lorde , wee defende that wee may not bee seperated from him : they fight to bereaue vs of the true preathing of the worde the onely comforte of our soules , wee striue to keepe , continue , and entrease it amongst vs : they bende themselues to fulfill the minde of Antichrist , wee withstande to accompish the minde of Christe : They warre to bring Poperie the stucke of all sedition and vngodlinesse amongst vs , wee resist to keepe it out , and to retaine trueth the mother of peace and godlinesse still in the lande : Thus they fight for an euill , wee for a good cause . Then let vs boldly fight this battaile of the Lorde . For seeing they doe not come out against our Soueraigne and against our Countrie for any Euill that they haue founde in them , but onely rise vp to persecute vs and to seeke our soules for professing the trueth , and doing after that which is right and equall , let vs not doubt but The soules of our Soueraigne and of her people are bounde vp in the bundle of life with the Lorde their God , and that GOD will cast out the soules of our enemies as out of the middle of a Sling . 1. Sam. 25.

Remember that worthic exhortation of Jesus the sonne of Sirach chap. 4. of his booke . Striue ( sayth he ) for the trueth vnto death , and defend iustice for thy life , and the Lord God shall fight for thee against thine enemies . For why his delight is to defende his trueth , and he taketh pleasure in maintayning the good cause of his children and chosen people .

These things being so : Consider I beseech you ( deerely beloued ) the most comfortable examples of the holy Scripture , written for this entent and purpose , that wee being pressed in like case might haue hope to preuaile and ouercome in like maner . Although the Lorde in great mercie hath sowne our land both with men and cattle , he hath taught our handes to warre and our fingers to fight : he hath not bene to vs as an heath or a drie vnfruitfull grounde , but hath blessed vs plentifully with all things necessarie for our defence and the withstanding of our enemies . Yet suppose that it were not so . Let it be that wee were but fewe and our aduersaries many in number , should that dismay vs which professe the trueth : God forbid . Did not Abraham with 318. men of his owne house and no more , follow after and pursue foure wicked Kings with their whole retinue , and came home againe from the slaughter of them with safetie ? Gene. 14. Did not Iosua with a small hoast in comparison subdue and vtterly destroy 31. Kings and all their people ? Iosua . 12. Did not Barake hauing at his feete but tenne thousand men ouerthrowe Sisera , his nine hundred Charets of yron , and all his hoast with the edge of the sword ? Iudg. 4. Did not Dauid with foure hundred men alone set vpon the hoast of the Amalakites , and smot them from the twilight euen vnto the euening of the next morowe , so that there escaped not a man of them saue foure hundred yong men which rodde upon Camels and fied ? 1. Sam. 30.27 . Did not Adino a counsailer to King Dauid stay himselfe eight hundred at one time ? Did not Eleazar the sonne of Dodo , one of the three worthies of Dauid defie the Philistines his owne selfe , did he not arise and finite the Philistines till his hand was wearie and claue vnto the sworde , by whose meanes the Lord gaue so greate victorie that same day that the people returned after him not to fight but onely to spoyle ? Did not three of the Captaines of the same Dauid when he longed to drinke of the water of the well of Bethelem , breake into the hoast of the Philistines that was there , and drewe water out of the well and brought it to Dauid ? 2. Sam. 23. Let it bee that there were amongst vs neither speare nor shield , nor any weapon of warre , should wee therefore shrincke backe at the fight and assaulting of these our Popish aduersaries ? GOD forbid ? Did not Shamgar with no better weapon then an Oxe goad destroy 600. of the vncircumcised Philistines and so deliuer Israel ? Iudg. 3. Did not three hundred persans and no more vnder the conducting of Gedeon , by blowing the Trompets which they held in one hand and breaking the flaming pitchers which they held in the other , discomfite the hoast of the Midianites ? Iudg. 7. Did not the Lorde with the sounde of Rammes hornes and the showte of mens voyces ouerthrow the high and huge walles of Hiericho ? Iosua . 6. Did not Ionathan with his armour bearer alone ( what time the people of Israel had neither sword nor speare among them to helpe withall ) set vppon the mightie hoast of the Philistines and ouerthrewe them ? 1. Sam. 14. Let vs not feare then , a small companie of the house of faithfull Abraham will scrue to put foure Antichristian Kings to flight : one Iosua will be enough to subdue 31. Princes of Canaan : Euery Adino will kill his eight hundred : One Eleazar will ouercome the whole hoast himselfe , &c. An Oxe goad were weapon enough in the hand of one faithfull Shamgar to kill 600. popish Philistines withall : An Asse iaw will serue the Nazarite of the Lord to stay a thousand of them . Neither thinke ( deerely beloved ) that these are such extraordinary examples as we may not hope in some measure to match them in our selues . For the promise of the Lord is generall to the godly and faithfull which warre in desence of his truth . Fine of you ( saith he ) shall chase an hundred , and an hundred of you shall put tenne thousand to flight . Leuit. 26.

Though wee faile in these outward things , yet there is a notable palce in the second of Daniel seruing to the great comfort of Christian men , and such as haue renounced the trust and confidence in man to followe Christ Jesu alone . The Prophet expounding the vision of Nebuchadnezar , sheweth how by the foure formed Image were vnderstood soure Monartchies of the worlde : as by the head of golde , the Chaldean Empire : by the breast and armes of siluer , the Persian kingdome : by the belly and thighes of brasse , the Maccdonian Monarchie : by the legges of yron with feete partly of yron and partly of clay , the Empire of the Romaines : which , as yron breaketh in peeces and subdueth all things , so should that ouercome and subdue all other Monarchies of the world , and be the last of the soure . After this , saith Daniel , where as a stone cut out of the mountaine without hands smot the Image vpon his feete and brake them to peeces and destroyed all , the meaning is ( saith the Prophet ) that the kingdome of Christ shall subdue the last or Romaine Monarchie , and in that all the rest : as for the kingdome of Christ it shal endure and stand for euer , by the kingdome of Christ not vnderstanding the person of Christ alone , but referring that worde to the whole bodie of his Church also . Brethren , let vs meditate on this to our comfort : wee make no question nor doubt but that wee are of the Church and kingdom of Christ , after whose name wee desire to be called ( not Catholiques ) but Christians , and wee assuredly trust that wee are so , as many of vs as doe faithfully belecue the Gospell now truely preached among vs . What then remaineth ( deerely beloued ) but that we assure our selues how the kingdome of Christ , whereof we are , shall neuer bee destroyed , but shall become a greate mountaine , and fill the whole earth , as Daniel faith . We see ( brethren ) the most parte of this prophesie fulfilled , the 4. Monarchies destroyed , the gospell set vp and preuailing euery day more & more , the núber of true Christians euery where encreasing euen vnder the Crosse ; let vs not then doubt of the ende of these beginnings , to wit , that Christ shall preuaile more gloriously euery day by his Church , till it hath brought the remnants of that last and Romaine Empire ( whereof our enemies that threaten vs are in a maner the summe ) to vtter and perpetuall desolation . For Christ in his Church and kingdome ( that the Scripture may bee fulfilled ) must needes triumph ouer the Romaine Monarchie and the adherents thereof . Some will say peraduenture : why , the Papistes also and our enemies say as much for themselues , they boast how they are the Church of Christ , and Popedome Christes kingdome , wherefore nothing letteth but that this may serue their turnes as well as ours . The aunswer is easie ( deerely beloued ) Papistes are not of Christes kingdome . The reason is manifest , Christes kingdome is appoynted to subdue as al other , so the Romaine Monarchie and Empire whether the beast or image of the beast : doe the Papistes fulfill this ? Nay cleane contrarie they with their Pope and Catholike King doe all that they can to restore it , and to bring againe that Romaine supremacie , which Christ by his Church hath ouerthrowne , into euery corner of the world . Will the kingdome of Christ labour to build vp that which the kingdome of Christ hath destroyed ? No verely ; but whatsoevuer they bee which goe about that ( as out Popish and Spanish aduersaries doe ) they are out of all question of the kingdome of Antichrist . To conclude therefore and to make an ende of this reason ; the kingdome of Christ ( wherof are as many as professe and practise the substance of our religion truely , and whereof no Papistes are ) shall bruse the Romaine Monarchie in peeces , till it become like the chaffe of the sommer flowers , and the winde carie it away , that no place be found for it any more , saith the Prophet Daniel ; whervpon it must needes followe that they and all the eudeuours of them which labour to restore and set vp againe that Romaine suprematic shall come to nought . I reason not of the maner how these things shall be done ; it is enough for vs , to know that God will set vp Christes kingdome , and make that it shall triumph , especially ouer the Romaine Monarchie and defenders thereof , or any that labour to restore it , as these our aduersaries doe .

Thus ye see ( deerely beloued ) how the Lorde will fight for his seruants and by them ; that he will fight against them that haue shed the blood of his children , as these our enemies haue done ; that he will powre his vengeance vpon the adherents of the whore of Babilon , by the hand of those which hate her , as I trust all true English men do ; that he will fight against them that are gathered against his Church at the prouocation of those croking Jesuites ; that he will fight from heauen with fire and most terrible iudgements against Gog & Magog , whereof these our enemies are a part , as I shewed you . Wherefore all these things considered and thought vpon crie vnto vs ; feare them not , because the Lord which goeth before vs he wil fight for vs , especially so manifold causes , wherein he hath promised to helpe his , being added ,

Some Papistes will obiect peraduenture : Nay , but the Lorde he goeth before your enemies , and therefore ye cannot stande . Let vs therefore see what that phrase employeth , to the entent we may bee assured whether the Lorde goe before them or vs : and so cousequently may bee farre of from fearing them as becommeth the true children of God .

When Mofes saith , The Lorde goeth before them , he meaneth that he was their guide by whom they were conducted , their Captaine whom they followed , and vnder whose banner they warred , which therefore would saue and defende his faith full Souldiers . Doth this agree to the religion of these our enemies : No verely . Why so : Consider the reason ( deerely beloued ) and you will easely finde it .

1 They which will in no wise be content , vnlesse they may haue a mortall man goe before them in the person of Christ , and as his pretended Uicar in their Church , they shewe that the Lord himselfe goeth not before them : for what absurditie were it to haue a Liuetenant or Uicar where the Prince himselfe is not onely in presence , but moleouer supplieth the office of going before his people . Pet this doe our aduersaries : for albeit Christ continually goe before his Church and people in his owne person , yet they will not bee content vnlesse they may haue an ydolatrous person vnder the name of his Uicar bee their guide and goe before them in their Church : which declareth that the Lorde Jesu Christ himselfe goeth not before them . For then what needed a Uicar exercising such authoritie , if the Lord himselfe fulfill the office and goe before them in his owne person .

Adde hercuuto that they pray vnto Sainctes , deûring them to pray vnto the Lorde for them ; which were both needlesse and foolish , if it were so that the same Lorde which calleth all his saith full vnto himselfe and not to the Sainctes , were present and went before their Church and euery member thereof , as wee deleeue be doth his true Church and euery member of it .

For what a straunge matter were it to desire a Sainct , which is farre of , and whereof one hath no sureite that hee heares him , to speake in his behalfe vnto the Lorde , who standeth by him and goeth immediatly before him that praieth , hearing his suite .