That all may be done to Gods glorie and our edifying , let vs pray to his Maiestie , that his holie worde , which is a most precious treasure be not as a shut booke , and as a sealed letter vnto vs .

Our Father which art in heauen , &c.

THE TEXT . Hoseas Chap. 14. ver. 3.4 .

Take vnto you wordes , and turne to the Lord and say to him , take away al iniquitie , and receiue ( vs ) graciously , so wil we render the calues of our lippes . Asshur shall not saue vs , neither will we ride vpon horses , neither will we say any more to the worke of our hands , ye are our Gods , for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie .

These two verses may be reduced vnto two partes .

In the first the Prophete exhorteth the Israelites vnto repentance , and teacheth them what wordes to vse in their prayer to the Maiestie of God .

Take vnto you wordes , and turne to the Lord , and say to him , take away all iniquitie , and receiue ( vs ) gratiously .

In the second part he setteth out the fruites of repentance in liuely colours .

So will we render the calues of our lips . Asshur shall not saue vs , neither will wee ride vpon horses , neither will we say any more to the worke of our handes , ye are our Gods : for in thee the fatherlesse findeth mercie .

TAke vnto you wordes . The eternal god bestowed many benefites vpon the Israelites , euen with both the handes : but they were as vntamed horses . When they were fatted , they lifted vp their héeles against his Maiestie , and would not be reclaimed by his most pleasaunt voyce . The Lord perceiuing the Israelites to resemble the Aethiopian , which retayneth his blacknesse , though he be washed an hundred times : and the Catt of mountaine , which is not cléere of spots though hir skinne be taken from hir : the lord , I say , dealt more sharply with them , and to knotty woodde applied a wedge of Iron . Amongst these lightnings , and as it were , thunderboltes of Gods iudgementes , least the faithfull which had forgotten themselues should be discouraged , and thinke that no hope of pardon remained , he speaketh vnto them ( as a naturall father to his children ) moste louingly , by his Prophete , Take vnto you wordes , as if he shoulde say , albéeit you haue infected the earth and aire with the stench of your wickednes , albéeit you are more filthy than the dunghilles , hange not downe your heades , vnlesse you be set to wallow stil in the mire of your sinnes . You shal appeasse Gods anger , not if you bring into his presence great store of golde and siluer , heapes of frankinsence , droues of Oxen , and flockes of Shéepe , but if you present vnto him wordes which may easily be come by . The Prophet Hoseas speaketh not of fained wordes , which cunning and holow hypocrites are wel acquainted with . Gen. 3.4 . Esay . 58.3 . Matt. 22.16 . Iere. 41.6 . Such were the wordes of the serpent vnto Eue : of the hypocrites which fasted in Esaies time : of the Herodians and Pharisées disciples , that they might snare Christ in his spéech : of vngracious Ismael to the godly men of Sichem and Samaria , when he shed Crocodyles teares before he caried them to the slaughter : and of many now a dayes , whose wordes are bredde and borne in their lippes . Dissembling words are the greatest plague that can be , they smell of an euil conscience , they are sure arguments of hypocrisie , and doe them which vse them the greatest harme : for they are like to a broken shielde , which cannot abide the least prick of a weapon . The prophet Hoseas did not giue the Israelites in charge to put of the grosse contempt of God , & to cloth themselues with hipocrisy : that had ben the next way to haue marred all , and of euill men to make them diuels : he rather commaunded them to testifie godlily in holy & sounde wordes , that which they had conceiued most holily in their mindes . There must not be a diuorce betwene the heart and the lippes : they must resemble Hippocrates twinnes , which do laugh together , and wéepe together . The minde must beget godly wordes , & the lippes bring them forth . This is a golden broode , & highly pleaseth almighty God . Such was the praier of the Primatiue Church for Peter , Actes . 12.5 . Iames. 5.17 . Mat. 27.46 . 2. Cor. 12.8 . when Herode Agrippa had imprisoned him : of Helias , which the Apostle Iames remembreth : of Christ hanging on the crosse : and of the Apostle Paule when the Angell of Satan did buffet him . Such a praier would the Prophet Hoseas haue the Israelites to vse in this place , that Gods anger by this beautifull consent of the heart and lips , might be appeased . Such a praier must ours be , vnlesse we will be like to Barge or Whirimen , which row one way , & loke another . Demosthenes and Cicero were famous Orators , the one in Athens the other in Rome . I confesse they were able to worke great masteries by their eloquence . Their orations were greatly accompted of in Rome and Athens , and are in good credite with vs . But if they be compared with the broken and vnperfect spéeches of a truly repentant sinner , Demosthenes wordes must stand behind the dore , and Ciceroes are with out life , and are as farre excéeded , as the Pibble stone of the costly Diamonde . The sacrifices of God are a contrite spirite : Psal. 51.17 . a contrite and a broken heart .

And turne to the Lord . To deserue well of other , is not the least of the dueties of this life . To helpe euery man as he nedeth help , is a very singuler thing . He that relieueth the poore , doeth well : he that deliuereth them out of prison which are in fetters there , doth better : but he that leadeth them which are , as it were , past grace , out of the shadow of death into the light of life , deserueth best of all . Aegypt was barren when Nilus did not ouerflow it : Mount Sion was barren when it was not watered with dew from Heauen : but without godly admonition , which is like to a precious and swéete smelling ointment , men do rot in wickednes , and do cal a thousand euils to themselues . Hoseas least the Israelites which had giuen Gods glory a gréeuous blow , should euer be at war with the eternal God , and at the length be stricken through with Gods sworde as they deserued , calleth them to repentance , Turne to the Lord , as if he should say , you are the sonnes of Abraham : albéeit you haue forgotten your selues , and haue wrastled with the Lorde , cast from you the weapons of monstrous wickednes , neither continue battaile with him , which with an iron rodd can breake wilde beastes in péeces , and doth with stretched out armes imbrace repentant sinners . The Prophet Esay when he had dealte sharpely with the Iewes for running in their distresse to Aegypt , and so casting themselues head long to hell : least they should still be prisoners to Sathan , who is a wily Fox , and did mightely bestirre himselfe to bar them of all hope of pardon , the Prophet Esay , I say , calleth them to repentance . Esay . 31.6 . Turne againe O ye children of Israel , in as much as ye are sunken deepe in rebellion . Ieremie when he had liuely , & in Orient colours set out the madnesse of the Israelites touching Idolatrie , and had grieuously complayned that they had broken their faith with God , like vnto filthie strompets : least they should euer runne awrie , if they did sée the gates of Gods mercie shut against them , he cried alowde in Gods name , that pardon was readie for them : Thou disobedient Israel , Iere. 3.12.14 . returne , saith the Lord : and a litle after : O ye disobedient children , turne againe saith the Lord for I am your husband . The spirite of God hauing roundly taken vp the Angell of the Church of Ephesus , because He had left his first loue , before he will put any punishment in execution , he commandeth him to repent : Reuel. 2.5 . Remember from whence thou art fallen and repent , and do the first works : or else I wil come against thee shortly , and wil remoue thy candlestick out of his place , except thou amend . We must treade in the steppes of Esay , Ieremie , Hoseas : when we will caste downe the rotten walles of sinne , we must in any wise remember to call greeuous sinners vnto repentance . When the sinner is amended we must deale louingly with him : Luke . 10.34 . 2. Cor. 2.10.11 . we must vse oyle with the Samaritane , & with S. Paul which gaue especiall charge to them of Corinth , to receiue againe into the bosome of their Church the excommunicate Corinthian , after his amendment . They which take not this course , that is to say , they whiche deale hardly and roughly with them whiche are wounded with the feeling of sinne , doe them as much good , as smoake doth the eyes , and as the East winde doeth the fruites of the earth , and are hipocrites though they thunder a thousand times in the pulpits . And because they know not what it is to féele the heauie hand of God , howsoeuer they haue the countenance of Cato , they doe in déede resemble Ismael and Nero. I speak not this , that sinne which is too too rise shold more increase , but because I would haue the ministers trie euerie way before they condemne other to hell , and barre against them the doore of Gods mercie with Acesius , Socrat. lib. 1. Cap. 10. which was one of wicked Nouatus his schollers . The eternall God is verie gratious , if we desire his fauour : he giueth to the repentant milke , as it were , out of his brests . He that found his lost sheepe , laide it vpon his shoulders , and was a glad man . The woman when she had found her lost grote , was as ioyfull as might be . The prodigall young man by riot and dissolute behauiour beeing brought to a verie lowe ebbe , returned with greate humilitie to his father . Did the olde man entertain him as Gregorie the seuenth did Henrie the Emperor ? Benno Cardi. if he had , he had marred the fashion of his sonne which was mightily gréeued : but let vs heare what the Euangelist Luke saith : When he was yet a great way of , Luke . 15.20.21.22.23.24 . his Father sawe him , and had compassion , and ranne and fell on his necke , He did not treade on his sonnes necke as Alexander the thirde did vpon the Emperour Frederikes , And kissed him , not as Ioab did Amasa , and Iudas Christe . When the father hearde this spéech of his sonne , Father I haue sinned against heauen and before thee , & am no more worthie to be called thy sonne , He did not reuile his sonne , or cast in his dishe his former vnthriftinesse , but , saide to his seruantes : bring forth the best robe not such a one as Dianeira is saide to haue giuen to her husbande Hercules , imbrued in the bloud of the Centaure : And put it on him , and put a ring on his hand , not such a one as bloudie Gyges had , and bring , not an Italian fig , that is , poison in a golden cup , but the fat calf & & kil him , and let vs eate & be merry , for this my sonne was dead , and is aliue againe : and he was lost , but he is found . If the earthly father did so fréely pardon a riotous and gracelesse vnthrifte , and in steede of his ragges , clothe him in excellent sorte , we may assure our selues that God will burie our sinnes , and furnish vs againe with those good giftes which for our naughtinesse he did strip vs of . The great goodnesse of God , if it he compared with the earthly Fathers , doeth as farre passe it , as the maine sea doth a de●p of water : Esay . 65.24 . Yea before they call , I will answere , saith the Lorde . And say to him , take away all iniquitie . Hoseas dealt before with the Israelites , To take wordes vnto them and to turne vnto the Lorde , If a word more had not passed from him , the Israelites had bene greatly in his debt : but when he openeth his heart vnto them , and teacheth them what wordes they should vse , to winne Gods fauour , they owe no lesse then themselues to the Prophet . As Hoseas , so did Dauid , Ioel , Christ . Dauid when he had highly commended Ierusalem , for that it was a bond of holie vnitie , a barborough of the Church , and the seate of the kingdome : that that citie béeing , watred with Gods blessing as with pleasaunt streames , might euer flourish like the palme trée : he teacheth the godly how to pray for the happie estate of the holy citie : Psal. 122.6 . Pray for the peace of Ierusalem , let them prosper that loue thee . The Prophet Ioel , least the Assirians army should ( as a great stood ) swallow vp the tribe of Iuda , plagued before of God by famine for their sinnes , calleth them earnestly to fasting and teares : & least they shold be dumbe in this excellent action , he giueth the priestes in charge to pray thus vnto the maiestie of God . Spare thy people O Lorde , Ioel. 2.16.17 . and giue not thy heritage into reproch , that the heathen should rule ouer them . Our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ , least his disciples in praying should fall into the vaine repetitions , and much babling of the heathen , deliuered to them a shorte , but yet an excellent forme of praier in these wordes , Our Father which art in Heauen &c. As Dauid , Ioel , Christ , and Hoseas did , so must we . If we shal haue to do with them which are contrite and broken in spirite , it is not inough to speake thus vnto them , pray to the lord , pray to the lorde , pray to the lorde , but we must teach them with what words they may procure his fauour . So shall we heale a wounded conscience , and it will easily appéere , that we haue applied our plaister aright with the skilfull Surgian , and our medicine aright with the learned Phisician .

Take away all iniquitie . This is an excellent prayer , and consistes of two parts . In the first , the Israelits confesse that thei dranke iniquitie as water : in the second part thei desire pardon . The first part is conteined in these wordes , all iniquitie : the seconde , in these wordes , take away . Concerning the first , the Israelits dealt very Christianly when they gaue sentence against themselues & spared not themselues the the Lord might spare them . If they had pleaded not guiltie , and had impudently cried that they had not offended the maiestie of God , they had lost their labour , & had reached him an iron rod to beate them in péeces with . Notable therfore is that spéech of the prophet Dauid : Psal. 32.5 . I said , I will confesse against my selfe my wickednes vnto the Lord . The Israelites being dispersed vnder the tirant Antiochus , vsed this spéech vnto the Lord : Psal. 106.6 . We haue sinned with our fathers , we haue committed iniquitie and done wickedly . Ezra , Iob , Nehemias , and the Publicane did the like . So must we do , euen fréely and from the heart . Confession of our faultes must be our medicine when we haue done amisse , as it was to the Israelites . We hate those impudent fellowes , which are either dainty , or refuse to confesse those things which are in euery mans eyes & mouth . Gods eies cannot be dazeled : vnlesse we confesse our sinnes , we deceaue not the Lord , but our selues : we hide our selues with Adam amongst the trées , and with Figge leaues we do cloath our selues . The Israelites in this excellent peticion , take away all iniquitie , do not onely giue out that thei are guilty of one falt , but that their wickednes ( like a great flood ) ouerfloweth them . Ezra , when the Israelites after their returne from captiuitie in Babylon , had ioyned in mariage with the daughters of the Canaanites , Ammonites , Egyptians , is not content to remember only the strange sinne which the lord God hated deadly , but spreading out his hands to the lord he burst into these words : Ezra . 9.5.6 . Our iniquities are increased ouer our heade , & our trespasse is growen vp vnto the heauen . Dauid when he was touched in conscience for the vniust slaughter of Vrias , and for betraying the Lords armie , did not only crush that Byle , but confesseth himselfe to be further plunged in wickednes : Deliuer me from bloud , Psal. 51.14 . O God &c. They that haue offended God by any notable sinne , if they will seriously call the rest of their life to a reckoning , it wil be cléere vnto them , that their sins cannot be told on their fingers , or trussed vp in a fardel : and therfore thei must cry with the prophet Dauid : Psal. 11.12 . Who can vnderstand his faultes : cleanse me from my secrete faultes . I could if I listed , tary longer in this argument , but bicause I desire to be bréefe , and yet to haue varietie , I will remember in a worde or two , that the Israelits after the confession of their sinnes , desired pardon . The confession of our sinnes sauoureth of a good and godly minde : but vnlesse desire of pardon be ioyned with it , we saile in a shipp that hath a hole in the bottome . Cain , after that he had murdered his brother Abel , gaue out this spéech : My sinne is greater then can be pardoned . Gen. 4.13 . Iudas after that he had betrayed his master Christ , Mat. 27.4 . said : I haue sinned betraying the innocent blood . But bicause Cain & Iudas did here , as it were , ride at an anchor , they made shipwracke of euerlasting life . The Israelites , of whom Hoseas speaketh , were not of the same parish that Cain & Iudas were : thei desire pardon . It profiteth not the wounded man to looke on his woundes , vnlesse he call for a Surgian , neither the sick man to know his disease , vnlesse he cal for the Phisician : I will add a third thing , neither doth the hatred of sinne profite the sicke & wounded sinner , vnlesse he craue for mercy at the hands of God , the most skilfull both Phisician & Surgian . Dauid when the staffe of his sinnes had so galled his heart , that he felt , as it were , a gréeuous hell within him , both humbly and earnestly desireth pardon : Psal. 51.1.2.7 9.14 . Haue mercy vpon me , O God , according to thy louing kindnes : according to the multitude of thy compassions put away mine iniquities . Wash me throughly from mine iniquitie , & cleanse me from my sin . Purge me with Hisop , & I shal be cleane : wash me and I shal be whiter than snow , hide thy face from my sinnes , and put away all mine iniquities . Deliuer me from blood O God &c: Daniel when the Israelites had béen longe in captiuitie at Babylon , desireth pardon of his & their sinnes , and that it would please the maiestie of God to perform his promise for their return from Babilon : O Lord heare O Lord forgiue , Daniel . 9.19 . O Lord consider & do it , deferr not for thine owne sake , O my God . The Publicane in the Gospel , albéeit he durst not lift vp his eies to heauen , yet he smote his brest , & desired forgiuenesse of his sinnes : Luke . 18.13 . O God be merciful to me a sinner . We our selues groning vnder the burden of our sinnes , must hunger and thirst for the grace of God , & therefore craue pardon of our sinnes . Almightie God is not such a one as Minos or Rhadamanthus was : he is not a iudge that will not be intreated : He is therefore mercifull bicause he is God . The lawes of Draco the Athenian were written with blood : Aristot . pol. 2. nothing in them is worthy of remembrance but extremitie of punishment . But Gods lawes are written with milke . Psal. 130.4 . Mercy is with God that he may be feared . Aske and it shal be giuen you , Matt. 7.7 . seeke and ye shall finde , knock , saith Christ , and it shal be opened vnto you . If any plain dealing man shold giue out to his debters that he would forgiue them their debt , would they so much as thinke of paying that creditor ? if god hath set it downe in his worde , that he will pardon repentant sinners , do we thinke that he wil not kéepe touch with them ? Nomb. 23.19 . God is not as man that he should lie , neither as the sonne of man that he should repent : hath he saide and shall he not do it , & hath he spoken and shal not he accomplish it ? as it is in Balaams parable to Balak , the Kinge of Moab . Though your sinnes were as crymsin , Esay . 1.18 . they shal be made white as snow : though they were red like scarlet , they shal be as wooll , saith the lord . Much more might be fetched out of the rich storehouse of Gods booke , but I haue done with this argument , when I haue added these swéet and confortable spéeches , Mich. 7.19 . Psal. 32.1 . that God doeth not remember our sinnes , that he castes them into the botom of the sea , that he layeth them not to our charge , but doth couer them . August . in Psal. 52. If therfore God hath couered sinnes , he would not cast his eye vpon them : if he would not cast his eie vpon them , he would not throughly consider of them : if he would not throughly consider of them , he woulde not punishe them : he would not know them , but had rather pardon them .

And receiue vs graciously . The valew of good things is better knowne by the want , then by the continuall hauing of them . Helth is swéeter to them which are recouered after gréeuous sicknesse , then to them which were neuer sicke . Riches are more pleasant to poore men which were somtimes wealthy , then to th●… which neuer knewe what wante meaned . The Israelites when they were plagued with want & beggery for their manifolde transgressions , after pardon craued for their sinnes , do humbly & earnestly desire at the lords hands that he would deale gratiously with them : that is to say , that he would reach his hand to them and water the withered Israelites with the streams of his liberalitie . Iob. 8.11 . Can a rush grow without myne , or can the grasse grow without water ? as Bildad said to Iob. Vnlesse almightie God do make the riuers of his goodnesse passe vnto vs , we are like to a parched bladder . If God blesse not our labours , our early risings will not serue the turne : for the heauen shal be as iron , and the earth as an armed souldiour to execute Gods iudgements , and he that earneth wages , shall put it in a broken purse . But when God doth fauour vs , it goeth well with vs , we haue welth at will , & in a ground , as it were , barren , faire corne , & a beautifull Vine commeth vp . Moses , lest the Israelites whom he commended for their godlines , should either reuolte or wax faint in the midst of their race , doth singularly harten them : God will loue thee , Deut. 7.13 . and blesse thee and multiply thee : he wil also blesse the fruit of thy wombe , and the fruit of thy land , thy corne , and thy wine , and thy oyle .

The Prophet Ioel , that the tribe of Iuda béeing now turned to the Lorde might put off the mourning wéede , promiseth them from the Lords mouth great store of temporall blessings . Ioel. 2.24 . The barnes shal be full of wheate , & the presses shal abound with wine & oyle . Hoseas , that the Israelites might assure themselues of Gods fauour , deliuereth the Lordes minde verie comfortably to them , I wil breake the bowe and the sworde , Hoseas . 2.18.21.22 . & the battel out of the earth , and will make them to sleepe safely : and in that day I wil heare , saith the Lord , I wil heare the heauens , and they shall heare the earth , & the earth shal heare the corne , and the wine , and the oyle , and they shall heare Izreel . And that these swéet promises might take déep roote in the harts of the Israelites , the Prophet Hoseas , or rather the Lord by the prophete handleth the same argument in the last Chapter of that prophecie : I will loue them freely : I wil be as the deawe vnto Israel , Hoseas . 14.5.6.7.8 . he shal growe as the lillie , & fasten his rootes as the trees of Lebanon his branches shall spread , and his beawtie shall be as the oliue tree , and his smel as Lebanon . They that dwel vnder his shadowe , shal returne : they shall reuiue as the corne and florish as the vine : the sente thereof shall be as the wine of Lebanon . When Almightie God hath put away our sins as a cloud , and hath made the beautifull sonne of his grace to shine vnto vs , he féedeth the hungrie , clotheth the naked , healeth our diseases blesseth our studies , & doth lade vs with heaps of benefits . God is neuer wearie with doing vs good . His store-house cannot be emptied and his fountaine can neuer be dried vp .

And we wil render the calues of our lips .

A good turne must be remembred , and we must be thankful to him that hath deserued wel of vs . If any haue done vs good , either by preferring vs , or deliuering vs from daunger , we may not forget the pleasure done vnto vs , and it is in euerie mans mouth that we must imitate the fruitful fieldes , which bring forth more corn then they receiued . The eternal God did powre infinit blessings vpon the Israelites , as it were with a full horne : he planted them a noble vine : when they brought forth wilde grapes , the Lorde did prune and cut the vine . When they caste them selues headlong to all vngodlines , he pulled them often back with the bridle of his feare : he forgaue them infinite sins and laded them with externall benefits . The Israelites hauing receiued large measure of Gods blessinges , giue out that they wil be humbly thankfull to his Maiestie : We will render , saide they , the calues of our lips , as if they should say , in the time of the lawe they offered calues when they accomplished their vowes : but in stéede of offering calues , we will render the calues of our lips , that is to say , we wil praise & commend the goodnes of God . The prophete Dauid , when the Lord had turned his mourning into ioy , & his sackecloth into gladnes , Psal. 30.11.12 . giueth out that he was therfore gratiously dealt with , that he might be alwayes a trompet of the praises of God . And in another place after that he had tasted or rather dronk déeply of gods singular goodnes , he brust out into these wordes . Psal ▪ 69.30.31 . I wil prayse the name of God with a song , and magnifie him with thankesgiuing : this also shall please the Lord better then a yong bullocke that hath hornes and hoofes . When Ioel prophecied , the grassehoppers , the canker wormes & the caterpillers were the Lords armie to destroy all the Israelites increase . The Israelites were for a time shrewdly pinched , & hungerbitten : but the Lord at the length had mercie on them . And when he had made the earth verie fruiteful , the Israelites are called on to be thankful to his Maiestie You shal prayse the name of the Lorde your god that hath dealt maruelously with you . Ioel. 2.26 . But let vs leaue the Israelites , & a little while examine our selues . The eternall God hath ben verie gratious , & good to the vniuersitie of Cambridge , his pleasure was & is , to haue it an orcharde of most precious fruite , a temple of religion , and a chappel of godlines . Are we thankeful to God for his singular goodnes ? If we will be truely thankfull , we may not burie the Lordes treasure in the earth , & hide his light vnder a bushel , & like the harper Aspendius plaie and sing onely to our selues . If we will be truly thankful , if any in our Colledges be suspected of Poperie , we must teach them Gods trueth , if they be willing to learne it : if they refuse to be taught , we must expell them . If we will be truely thankfull , we must make much of poore mens sonns which are toward & godly , & we must take héed , that Colledge preferments be giuen fréely to the worthiest , & be not chopped or changed for monie . If we will be truely thankfull , we may not preferre bolde and idle fukes which are fitter for the cart , then for their books , & neuer knew what good learning ment we may not , I say , set them ouer the painefull Bées in the vniuersitie , and Colledge hiues , vnlesse we will deale strangely , which God forbid , with the Church and common wealth . For as the couer is for the shielde , and the sheath , for the sword , Lib. 2. De nat. De. as Chrisippus said : so Vniuersitie Coledges were built for men of learning & towardnesse . Lastly if we wil be truly thankful , we may not haue any liking of such as are well schooled & taught to flatter , which can ducke like Friers & kisse the ground with their knées which haue teares at commandement , which can counterfet & liuely expresse the countenance and spéech of others , & can dissemble verie cunningly . These men are the worst , & the veriest dishclouts of all other , they are like to the Cameleon . Though they be born in England , they are but bastard Englishmen , wheresoeuer and whosoeuer they be , they are vnworthie of the lowest place . But I haue spoken to muche of these gracelesse fellowes whom I should not haue honoured so much as to remember them though to their discommendation . I doe fréely confesse that there is in our Vniuersitie a goodly nomber of excellent wittes : if I shold not , I might by men be iustly charged with & conuinced of a lye , and by Almightie God of vnthankfulnes . I do not enuie the good estate of the Vniuersitie : thankes be to God for this worthie increase , and I doe humbly pray his Maiestie that this happie haruest may be more plentiful then euen now it is . And because I haue gone thus farre in the mention of sharpe wittes , I am verie earnestly to intreate you which are set ouer the Colledges of our Vniuersitie , that you will account of them which haue shewed singular proofe of learning , religion and vertue in our Colledges & Vniuersitie as of your deare brethren , and your owne bowels : and that you will make much of those young men & schollers of lower place but yet of excellent hope . So shal our Colledges ( as the apple trée of Persia ) budde , blossome , and beare fruite all times of the yeare , The Church of England shall be better furnished then it is , & the glorie of God more brightly shine amongst vs . As for you ( my welbeloued brethren ) giue your selues wholy to learning and godlines , neither take it grieuously , if you be forgotten a time , when prefermentes are bestowed . Liue in peace and the God of peace shall be with you . If ye put in practise these thinges whiche I haue in godly sorte deliuered : whether wee be Masters , fellowes or Schollers of Colledges , it will easily appeare , that wée haue rendred to God , The calues of our lippes , that is to say , that we haue very humbly both in worde and déede , giuen thankes to his Maiestie . My meaning is to reserue the next verse vntill another time : here therfore I wil make an end . The eternal God and mercifull father giue vs grace , vnfaignedly to turne vnto him , earnestly to pray to his maiesty , & to obtaine at his hands that we pray for , lastly , for his infinite benefites to prayse without ceassing the infinite goodnes of God the Father , to whome with the Sonne , and the holie Ghoste , be all prayse , honour , and glorie for euer .

Amen . 2. Cor. 13.13 .

The grace of our Lorde Iesus Christ , the loue of God , and the fellowship of the holie Ghoste be with you all . Amen .

FINIS .