This in briefe is the whole texts Epitomie , I come now to the words Anatomie , cutting vp euery part and particle seuerally , beginning first at the first , O praise God in his holinesse . Of which one sentence the Doctors haue many ( though not aduerse yet diuerse ) readings , especially three : Praise God in his saints , praise God in his sanctitie , praise God in his sanctuarie . S. Hierome , Augustine , Prosper , and d d Chrysost. Basil. Euthym. Arabs apud Muscul. Lyra. Hugo Card. Turrerecmat . Anonymus . other as well ancient interpreters as moderne translate here praise God in his saints . For if he must be praised in all his creatures , how much more in his new creatures : if in the witlesse wormes , and senselesse vapours , Psal. 148. much more doubtlesse ( as Theodorit here collects ) in men , in holie men , in saints , vpon whom hee hath out of his e e Ephes. 3. 8. 16. vnsearchable riches of mercie bestowed the blessings of the f f 1. Tim. 4. 8. life present , and of that which is to come .

First , almightie God is to bee blessed for giuing his saints such eminent gifts of grace for the good of his Church , and for the setting foorth of his glorie . So Chrysostome , Basil , Euthymius , Prosper , Placidus Parmensis expound it . g g Iames 1. 17. Euery good and perfit gift is from aboue descending from the father of lights , a good thought in a saint is gratia infusa , a good word in a saint is gratia effusa , a good deed in a saint is gratia diffusa , through his grace which is the God of h h 1. Pet. 5. 10. all grace saints are i i 1. Cor. 15. 10. whatsoeuer they are . Wherefore praise the Lord in his saints , often remember their vertues as their true reliques , and as it were bequeathed k k Euseb. Emisen . hom. de S. Maximo . legacies vnto Gods people . So the wise man , Ecclesiasticus 44. Let vs now commend the famous men in old time by whom the Lord hath gotten great glorie , let the people speake of their wisdome , and the congregation of their praise . So the Confession of Bohemia , chap. 17. l l See Harmon . confess . sect. 16. pag. 486. Wee teach that the saints are worshipped truly , when the people on certaine daies at a time appointed , doe come together to the seruice of God , and doe call to minde and meditate vpon his benefits bestowed vpon holie men , and through them vpon his Church , &c. And for as much as it is kindly to consider , opus diei in die suo , the worke of the day m m Maior praefat. in Psal. 22. in the same day it was wrought ; it is well ordered by the Church of England , that the most illustrious and remarkable qualities of the saints are celebrated vpon their proper festiuals , that on S. Stephens day , we may learne by S. Stephens example to loue our enemies : on S. Matthewes day , to forsake the world and to follow Christ : on S. Iohn the Baptist his day , to speake the truth constantly , and to suffer for the same patiently . Thus in stedfastnes of faith and godlinesse of life ( non legere modò sed degere sanctorum vitas , as n n Owin epigram . lib. 3. one wittily ) to bee followers of them as they were followers of Christ ; is ( as o o Ser. on Christmas day preached at Bexterly , & ser. ▪ on S. Stephens day at Grimstorpe . blessed Latymer was wont to say ) the right worshipping of Saints , and of God in his Saints .

Againe , for as much as there is a communion of Saints , as we confesse in the Creed , a knot of fellowship betweene the dead Saints and the liuing ; it is our dutie to praise God for their good in particular , as they p p Apocal. 6. 10. pray to God for our good in generall . It is required on our part I say , to giue God most humble thanks for translating them out of this q q Psal. 84. 6. valley of teares into Hierusalem aboue , where they be r r Apocal. 7. 9. clothed with long white robes , hauing palmes in their hands , and s s Apocal. 4. 4. crownes of gold on their heads , euer liuing in that happie kingdome without either dying or crying , Apocal. 21. 4. and this also ( in the iudgement of Augustine , Hierome , Hugo , Raynerius , and other ) is to praise God in his Saints .

These reasons are the grounds of certaine holy daies established in England by law , namely to blesse God for his Saints eminent grace while they were liuing , and exceeding glorie now they be dead . Wherein our Church ascribes not any diuine worship to the Saints , but all due praise to the sanctifier : in celebrating their memorie ( saith Augustine ) we neither adore their honour , nor implore their helpe : but ( according to the tenour of our text ) wee praise him alone , t t De ciuit . lib. 8. cap. 27. who made them both men and martyrs . In the words of u u Tom. 2 fol. 118 Hierome to Riparius : Honoramus reliquias martyrum , vt eum cuius sunt martyres adoremus : honoramus seruos , vt honor seruorum redundet ad dominum : If thou desire to doe right vnto the Saints , esteeme them as paternes , and not as patrones of thy life ; honour them only so farre , x x Philip Mornaeus de missa , lib. 3. cap. 11. See Melanct. resp . ad art. Bauar . art. 25. that thou maist alway praise God in them , and praise them in God .

The gunpowder men erre very much in this one kinde of honouring God , for either they worship his Saints as himselfe , or else their owne saintlings , and not his Saints . In praying to the dead , in mingling the blood of their martyrs with the precious blood of their Maker , in applying their merits , and relying vpon their mercies ; it is plaine that they make the Saints ( as Melancthon tels them in his y y Tit. de sanct. inuocat . Apologie for the Confession of Auspurge ) quartermasters with God , and halfe mediatours with Christ , I say ioynt mediatours not of incercession only but of z z See D. Fulke in 1. Tim. 2. 5. redemption also . Nay they make the blessed Virgin vpon the poynt their only mediatrix and aduocate , so they sing , and so they say . They sing in their publique seruice , a a Bellar. de sanct. beat . cap. 17. Maria mater gratiae , mater misericordiae , &c. the which is Gods owne stile , 1. Pet. 1. 10. & 2. Cor. 1. 3. so they likewise say , Maria consolatio infirmorum , redemptio captiuorum , liberatio damnatorum , salus vniuersorum . b b Apud Magdeburg . Cent. 10. Coll. 275. Giselbertus in lib. altercationis Synagogae et ecclesiae , cap. 20. Maria quasi maria , saith Augustinus de Leonissa , sermon 5 vpon Aue maria , for as all riuers come from the seas , and returne to the seas againe , Ecclesiastes 1. 7 : c c See Gospell Annunciat . so forsooth ( if you will vndertake to beleeue him ) all grace is deriued from Mary , and ought to be returned again to Mary . We finde so much in d d Chemnit. exam. Con. Trident . part. 3. pag. 151. Rosario Mariae , reparatrix & saluatrix desperantis animae , &c. That which is worse , their owne Pope ( who cannot , as they teach , erre in a poynt of doctrine as Pope ) calleth her expresly Deam . Pet. Bembus in his epistles written in Pope Leo 10. name , lib. 8. epist. 17. printed at Strasburg an. 1609. that which is worst of all , in their most approued Bible : they translate Gen. 3. 15. ipsa conteret caput tuum : she shall breake thine head , although ( as their owne Iesuit e e In Habacuc . cap. 1. num. 32. Ribera confesseth honestly ) the Hebrew text , the Chaldee paraphrase , the translation of the Septuagint , and all good Latin copies reade ipse conteret , he shall bruise the serpents head , applying it to Christ , according to that of Paul , The God of peace shall tread downe Satan vnder your feete , Rom. 16. 20. by this euidence you may see that the gunpowder crue praise not God in the saints , nor the saints in God : but on the contrarie the saints as God .

Againe these S. Peter men ( and as I haue warrant to terme them on this day Salt Peter men ) erre from the true meaning of our text , because they doe not praise God in sanctis eius , in his saints : but dishonour God in sanctis eorum , in saints of their owne making , vsually praying vnto some who were no men , and to many who were not holy men . It is doubted by the two great lights in their glorious firmament , Bellarmine and Baronius , whether there were euer any such man as S. George , or such a woman as S. Catharine . Cardinall Bellarmine lib. de beatitudine sanct. cap. vlt. §. respondeo sanctorum doth acknowledge that they worship certaine saints whose stories are vncertaine , reputing the legend of S. George apocryphall according to the censure of Pope f f Can. sanct. Roman . dist. 15. Gelasius : and Cardinall Baronius ecclesiast. annal. Tom. 2. ad an . 290. according to the impression at Rome , fol. 650. as also de Martyrologio Romano cap. 2. confesseth as much of Quiriacus and Iulitta , declaring plainely that their acts are written either by fooles or heretikes , and in his annotations vpon the Romane Martyrologie 23. Aprill , he taketh vp Iacobus de Voragine for his leaden Legend of our English S. George , concluding in fine , that the picture of Saint George fighting with a Dragon is symbolicall , and not historicall . If the Scripture be true g g Rom. 14. 23. whatsoeuer is not of faith is sinne : then assuredly these men ( as h h Tit. 3. 11. Paul speaks ) are damned of their owne selues in their owne conscience , who ( notwithstanding all their doubts ) pray still in their publike seruice , i i Missal . Roman . ex Con. Triden . decret. restit . in festo Georgij . Deus , qui nos beati Georgij martyris tui meritis & intercessione laetificas , Concede propitius , &c. An Idoll as Paul affirmes , 1. Cor. 8. 4. is nothing , Ergo , the Papists in worshipping S. George which is nothing , commit ( euen themselues being Iudges ) abominable Idolatrie .

As they worship some who were no men , so many who were not k k Dr. Sutclif examin . of Rom. cap. 7. holy men , as a reuerend l l Dr. Abbot Antilog . pag. 3. Doctor of our Church accutely , Non matyris domini sed mancipes diaboli : the Souldiour who peirced Christs holy side was a Pagan , m m Sutclif . vbi sup. neither doth any storie which is authenticall speake of his conuersion , and yet they worship him vnder the name of S. Longinus , or Longesse , March 15. Papias ( as n n Hist. lib. 3. cap. vlt. Eusebius and o o Catalog . scrip . in vita pap . Hierome report ) held the heresie of the Millenarians , and yet he is honoured as a saint in the Romane Calender vpon the 22. of Februarie . Becket was a bad subiect in his life , and no good Christian at his death , in that hee commended himselfe and the cause of his Church vnto S. p p Houenden annal part . poster . pag. 298. Denys and our Lady . Yet S. Thomas of Canterburie was honoured at Canterburie in the daies of popish ignorance more then either the worlds Sauiour , or the blessed Virgine his mother : in which relation I appeale to the records of that Church , as also to the very stones vnder his shrine worne with the knees and hands of such as came thither to worship him . Boccace reporteth how one Sir Chappelet a notorious Italian Vsurer and Cousoner came to be honoured as a Saint in France . Sanders among them is a saint , albeit he liued in plotting , and dyed in acting rebellion against his gracious Soueraigne Queene Elizabeth of famous and blessed memorie . Nay Dauus is Diuus , Saul is among the Prophets , pater personatus , father Parsons all the daies of his life was a perpetual Martyr , as his fellow q q Catalog . scrip . Iesuit . in vita Parsonij . Ribadeneira termeth him : and yet one ( who sometime was his inner man , and knew him as I presume , better then euer did Ribadeneira ) transposing the letters of Robertus Pársonius Iesuita , found this anagramme , Personatus versuti oris abi : the wit-foundred drunkard , Henry Garnet ( who did not according to the Counsell of r r 1. Tim. 5. 23. Paul vse vino modico : but as s s Epist. lib. 3. epist. 6. Paulinus pretily modio ) that lecherous treacherous Arch-priest , Arch-traitor , Arch-diuell in concealing , if not in contriuing : in patronizing , if not in plotting the powder intended massacre , is returned a Saint from beyond the seas with t t Sheldon preface before his motiues . à sancte Henrice intercede pro nobis : his action is iustified , his life commended , his death honoured , his miracles and memorie celebrated by that Ignatian spirit , ( u u Eliens . epist. lector . ante resp . ad Bellar. apol. portentum nominis portentum hominis , hauing a great deale of name , though a very little modestie ) Andreas Eudaemon Ioannes Cydonius : but notwithstanding his apologie , the saintship of Henry Garnet is so buffeted by the replies and antilogies of our accuratlie learned diuines , as that his straw face will hereafter hardly be worth a straw . Catesbie , Winter , Rookwood , and the rest of the Cole-saints and hole-saints ( who laboured in the diuels mine by the Popes mint ) are numbred among the holy ones also : Babilon and Egypt praise God in them , and for them . I haue heard much of roaring gentlemen in London and Canterburie , but if the Lord himselfe had not watched ouer his Church , if the Lord himselfe had not written England in the x x Esay 49. 16. palmes of his hands , if the Lord himselfe had not kept King Iames as the y y Deut. 32. 10. apple of his eye , z z Psal. 124. if the Lord himselfe had not been on our side ( now may Gods Israell in England say ) if the Lord himselfe had not been on our side , when they rose vp against vs , if the Lord himselfe had not ( out of his vnspeakeable goodnesse toward vs and our posteritie ) broken their snares , and deliuered our soules out of that horrible gunpowder pit ; these bellowing Buls of Basan , and Canon-mouthed hell-hounds would haue made on this day such a roare , that all Christendome should haue felt it , and the whole world haue feared it . a a Iudith . 13. 4. O Lord God of all power , blessed be thy name , which hast this day brought to nought the enemies of thy people , b b Iudges 5. 31. so let all thine enemies perish O Lord , that our c c Psalm. 126. 2. mouthes may be filled with laughter and our tongue with ioy . Sint diui modo non viui , let England hang such , although afterward Rome hallow such , he that hath an eye to see without the spectacles of a Iesuit , will affoord as good credit to the register at Tiburne as to the Calender of Tyber : for if these be Martyrs , I wonder who are Murtherers ? If these be Saints , I pray you who are Scythians ? If these bee Catholikes , who are Canibals ?

I passe to the second exposition of these wordes , O praise God in his sanctitie , so Munster , Pagninus , Beza , Tremelius and our old translation heere , Praise God in his holinesse : now God is holy formaliter & effectiue , holy in himselfe , and making other holy ; the Lord is glorious in holinesse Exod. 15. 11. Wheras other Gods are famous for their vnholinesse , Venus was a wanton , Mercurius a theefe , Iupiter a monsterous adulterer , an ingenious man ( as d d Lib. de legend . libris gentilium . Basile writes ) would blush to report that of beastes , which the Gentiles haue recorded of their Gods . If such imputations are true saith e e De Ciuit. Dei lib. 6. cap. 6. Augustine , quàm mali how wicked are these Gods : if false quàm malè how wretched and foolish are these men , adoring the same things in the temple , which they scoffe at in the theater , in turpitudine f f August . contra faust . man . li. 12. cap. 40. nimium liberi , in superstitione nimium serui : so that their Gods are not as our God , euen our enemies being Iudges Deut. 32. 31. there is none holy as the Lord 1. Sam. 2. 2. called g g Esay 1. 4. & 10. 20. often in holy Scripture the holy one , yea thrice holy ; holy , holy , holy , is the Lord of hosts Esay 6. 3. his h h Luk. 1. 49. name is holy , his i i Psal. 19. 7. law is holy , his k k Mark . 12. 36. spirit is holy , his will holy , his word holy , righteous in all his waies , and holy in all his workes Psalm . 145. 17. making vs also which are his seruants an holy people Deut. 7. 6. an holy priest-hood 1. Pet. 2. 5. his holy temples 1. Cor. 6. 19. our bodies , our soules , our selues , our whole l l 1. Pet. 3. 2. seruice holy , wherefore praise God in his holinesse .

m m Idem Genebrard et alij . Luther , Caluin , Vatablus , your English-Geneua bibles , & our new translation haue praise God in his sanctuarie , the which in holy scripture signifieth either heuen , or the temple , heauen is often called in sacred writ Gods sanctuarie , for n n Esay 57. 15. thus saith he that is high and excellent , he that inhabiteth eternitie , whose name is the holy one , I dwell in the high and holy place . Christ in comming to vs is said to breake the heauens Esay 64. 1. and when he went from vs vnto his father a cloud tooke him vp into heauen Acts 1. and from heauen he shal come againe to iudge the quicke and the dead 1. Thes. 4. 16. That his sanctuarie may be taken heere for heauen , is gathered out of the very next clause ( praise him in the firmament of his power ) the which ( as o o In loc. Caluin & p p Bellarmine in loc. other expositors haue well obserued , ) is exegeticall , and expoundes the former , as if Dauid should haue said , praise the Lord in his sanctuary , that is in the firmament of his power , for the heauens declare the glory of God and the firmament sheweth his handy worke Psalm. 19. 1. let all people praise God our father in heauen , especially such as dwell with him q q Genebrard Agellius Acernensis epist. in loc. in heauen , O praise the Lord all ye blessed Angels and Saints inhabiting his sanctuarie which is highest and holiest .

r r Luther Vatablus chald . apud Genebrard english Com. dedicated to Mr. Herlakinden . Other apply the word sanctuary to the Temple , so termed for two respects especially . 1. because God manifesteth his holines toward vs in that holy place more principally , calling it expresly s s Esay . 56. 7. his house . 2. a sanctuarie in regard of our holy seruice toward God , for albeit euery day be to the good man a sabbath , and euery place a temple ; yet the God of Order hath appointed certaine times , and certaine places also , wherein hee will bee worshipped publiquely , saying Leuiticus 19. 30. Ye shall obserue my sabbaths , and reuerence my sanctuary . For our holines toward God concerneth vs t t Hooker eccles. pol. lib. 5. §. 24. one way in that we are men , and another way in that we are ioyned as parts to that visible mystical body which is his Church as men , wee are at our owne choyce both for time , and place , and forme , according to the exigence of our owne occasions in priuate , but the seruice which is to bee done of vs as the members of a publique body , must of necessity bee publique , and so consequently to bee performed on holy daies in holy places . and for this doctrine the scriptures afford both patent and paterne , the patent is reported by the Prophet Esay : Chap. 56. vers. 7. and repeated by Christ in u u Mark 11. 7. Luke 19. 46. Matth. 21. 13. three seuerall Euangelists : my house shall be called an house of prayer for all people . The paterns are manifold , I will enter into thine house in the multitude of thy mercies , and in thy feare will I worship toward thine holy temple , saith our Prophet , Psal. 5. 7. The Publican and the Pharisie went into the temple to pray , Luke 18. Peter and Iohn went vp together into the temple at the ninth houre of prayer , Acts 3. Anna fasted and prayed in the temple , Luke 2. This one word sanctuarie teacheth vs how we should behaue our selues in the Church as in Gods presence : Doest thou come to that holie place to receiue the blessed Supper of our Lord ? remember that the temple is sanctuarium , non promptuarium , a sanctuarie , not a buttrie , x x 1. Cor. 11. 22. haue ye not houses to eate and drinke in , despise yee the Church of God ? Doest thou come to pray ? y y Ecclesiastes 4. 17. take heede to thy foote when thou entrest into Gods house , compose thy knees , and eyes , and hands , and heart after such a deuout manner : as that thou maist not onely praise God vpon the loud cymbals , but ( as it is vers. 5. ) praise him vpon the well tuned cymbals also . Doest thou come to heare the sermon ? remember that the preaching of the Gospel is z z 1. Thess. 2. 13. not the word of a mortall man , but the a a Rom. 1. 6. power of the immortall God vnto saluation , and albeit the Preacher be neuer so simple , neuer so sinfull ; yet the word is holy , the action holy , the time holy , the place holy , ordained by the most holy to make thee holy . Vpon whatsoeuer occasion thou commest into the temple , remember alwaies that the ground is holy whereon thou standest , it is a sanctuarie , the habitation of God , and place of his holinesse : and therefore not to be b b Canon . 88. prophaned with ordinarie though lawfull worlds businesse , much lesse with vnlawfull pastimes and enterludes , it is a place for praise , not for playes , O praise God in his sanctuarie .

Or ( as c c In loc. Martine Luther interprets it ) praise God in his sanctuarie , that is for his sanctuarie , for d d Psal. 147. 19. shewing his word vnto Iacob , his statutes and ordinances vnto Israel , for his adoption , and his couenants , and his promises , and his seruice , Rom. 9. 4. O praise the Lord for his e e Christ . Corn. in loc. true Church established for the present among the Iewes , and hereafter in the fulnes of time to be constituted among Christians vntill the worlds end . For this clause may bee construed of the mysticall heauen and temple , so well as of the materiall heauen and temple . The good man ( I meane the true Christian ) is not only Gods f f Heb. 3. 16. house , but also Gods g g 1. Cor. 3. 16. temple , yea Gods heauen , as h h Lib. 2. de ser. dom. in mont. Augustine expounds the words of Christ , Our Father which art in heauen , that is , in holy men of heauenly conuersation , in whose sanctified hearts hee dwelleth as in his i i Bellarm. & corn . in loc. vel hoc dicit de populo , vel de vita sancta Chrysost. Basil. in loc. sanctuarie . Archimedes in his conference with Hiero said , Giue me a place where I may stand out of the world , and I will moue the whole earth : in like manner hee that will be reputed a Saint , and so take vpon him to remoue men earthly minded from their worldlinesse , must himselfe at the least haue one foote out of the world , seeking ( as the blessed k k Coloss. 3. 1. Apostle speakes ) the things aboue , that i i Mat. 5. 16. other may see his good workes , and glorifie God which is in heauen , that is ( according to the true soule of our text ) praise God in his Saints which are his sacrarie , his sanctuarie , his house , his heauen .

Heere then all the three diuers lines ( praise God in his Saints , praise God in his sanctitie , praise God in his sanctuarie ) meete in one centree ; namely , God is to bee praised in his sanctuarie for his sanctitie conferred vpon his Saints , whereby they shined as m m Philip. 2. 15. lights in this heauen on earth , and now shine like n n Dan. 12. 3. starres in that heauen of heauen . If I were not ( according to the text and the time ) foreward to prosecute the gunpowder men as the more dangerous enemies of God and his Gospell , I might vpon this ground take vp the bucklers against idle Nouelists , vtterly condemning the festiuals of holy Saints , established in our Church by good order of law . Their principall obiection is taken out of Pauls epistle to the Galathians , chap. 4. vers. 10. Ye obserue daies and moneths , and times and yeares , I am afraid of you lest I haue bestowed vpon you labour in vaine . To which answere is made , that there is a o o Illiric . in Galat. 4. fourefold obseruation of daies Naturall . Politicall . Ecclesiasticall . Superstitious . Of all which onely the superstitious is condemned , as Aretius and Illiricus , and p p See Sir Christo. Heydos answere to Mr. Chambers , pag. 368. and how the fathers answere this . other Protestant Diuines vpon the place . Bellarmin . de sanct Cultu , cap. 10. Now the superstitious obseruation is either Iudaicall or Idolatricall , it is apparent that Paul meant the first hereof especially , q q English glosse . because the Galathians after they were conuerted vnto Christ , were seduced by false teachers vnto the ceremonies of the Iewes , as concerning the Sabbaths & the new Moones and the like , the which were figures of Christ , and had their end in him . r r Galat. 3. 3. Are ye so foolish that hauing begun in the spirit , yee would now be made perfit by the flesh ? As for Idolatricall obseruing of times , it is granted easily that the Pagans ( in dedicating feasts vnto false gods , and in making s s See Ambrose in Galat 4 & August . epist. 119. cap. 7. differences of daies dismall and fortunate , either by curious arts , or by particular fansies , or popular obseruations ) are worthily reputed superstitious . And the t t Dr. Fulke in Galat. 4. 10. Papists also ( solemnizing holy daies of the Saints in their Churches with idolatrous worshipping of the creatures , and their Images : and out of their Churches with Epicurelike belly-cheere , reuelling , and idlenes ) turne againe to the beggerly rudiments and fashions of the world : but the festiuals of England ( celebrated according to the doctrine and Iniunctions of our Church ) are very farre from these and all other kindes of superstition , u u See Dr. Whitgift defence of his answere to the admonit. fol. 538. 539. for then is God truly worshipped in the publike congregation , I say the true God is truly praised in his true Saints , on our holy daies the sacraments are rightly ministred , the Scriptures are fruitfully read , the Word is faithfully preached ; all which are maine meanes to withdraw men not only from superstition and idolatrie , but also from all sorts of error and impietie whatsoeuer .

Yea but the words of the Commandement are , sixe daies shalt thou labour : Ergo , there should be no holie day besides the Lords day . x x B. Babington in 4. Com. Caluins Cat. Dr. Whitgift vbi supra fol. 542. & 553. sixe daies thou maist labour . Protestant Diuines answere that the clause ( sixe daies shalt thou labour ) is a permission , or a remission of Gods right , who might chalenge to himselfe all our time for his worke , and not a restraint for any man from seruing of God on any day . For the Iewes beside the Sabbath had diuers other feasts ; as Easter , the feast of vnleauened bread , the feast of first fruits , Whitsuntide , the feast of blowing trumpets , the feast of Tabernacles ; all which ( as we reade Leuiticus 23 ) they kept by Gods appointment holy , notwithstanding these words of the law , sixe daies shalt thou labour . And so the Christian Church in all ages hath vpon iust occasions separated some weeke daies vnto the praising of the Lord , and rest from labour . Ioel 2. 14. Blow the trumpet in Sion , sanctifie a fast , call a solemne assemblie . y y Perkins aur. Cat. cap. 23. Daies of publike fasting for some great iudgement , dayes of publike reioycing for some great benefit , are not vnlawfull , but exceeding commendable , yea necessarie . Whosoeuer doubtes of the Churches libertie herein , or of the practise of this libertie , may peruse the ninth chapter of Ester , in which it will appeare that Gods people by the commandement of Mordecai did euery yeare solemnize and keepe holy the fourteenth and fifteenth day of the moneth Adar , in remembrance of their great deliuerie from the treason of Haman . Vpon these grounds the last euer renouned Parliament enacted , that wee should for euer spend the prime part of this present fifth of Nouember in praying and praising the Lord , for his vnspeakable goodnes in deliuering our King , Queene , Prince , and states of this realme from that hellish , horrible , bloody , barbarous intended massacre by Gunpowder . Now that I may for my part execute the will of the Parliament ( sparing the Nouelists , and referring such as desire to bee further satisfied in this argument of holy dayes , vnto the iudicious writings of my most honoured and honourable maister , Archbishop Whitegift , in the z z From pag. 538 to 555. defence of his answere to the Admonition ) I proceede in the text , praise him in his noble acts , praise him according to his excellent greatnes .

a a Vulgar Latine Castalio . Some reade laudate eum in b b Pagnin . In fortitudinibus . virtutibus eius , praise him in his powers : c c Vatablus Munster . other ob fortitudinem eius , praise him in his power ; and according to these two diuerse translations , I find two different expositions ; one construing it of Gods glorious d d Turrecremat . & Raynerius in loc. Angels , and the other applying it to Gods glorious acts : for the first , it is euident in holy writ that there bee certaine distinctions and degrees of Angles in the quier of heauen , there be Seraphins Esay 6. 2. Cherubins , Gen. 3. 24. Thrones , dominions , principalities , and powers , Coloss. 1. 16. in all which and for all which God is to be praised , as being his e e Heb. 1. 14. ministring spirits for the good of such as shall bee heires of saluation ; as long as wee serue God , all these serue vs , euen the Cherubins , and Seraphins , Angels , and Archangels , I say , so long as we serue the Lord , these pages of his honour and parts of his courts attend vs , and pitch their tents about vs : a doctrine very profitable , very comfortable , yet for as much as I hold it lesse pertinent to the present occasion I thus ouerpasse it , and hast to that other exposition interpreting these words ( as our Church readeth ) of Gods noble acts .

Now the workes of God are of two sorts , ad intra & ad extra : some be confined within himselfe , other extended towards vs : works of the sacred Trinitie within it selfe ( as that the Father begets , and the Sonne is begotten , and the holy Ghost proceeds from both ) are wonderfull acts of such an high nature that it is our dutie rather simply to adore , then subtilly to explore them : all his acts extended toward vs are summarilie reduced vnto two , namely the works of creation and redemption . f f Aduancement of learning lib. 2. pag. 116. The worke of creation is attributed in the Masse of the matter to God the Father , in the disposition of the forme to God the Sonne , in the preseruation of both to God the holy Ghost . So likewise that of redemption , in election vnto God the Father , in the consummation vnto God the Sonne , in the application vnto the holy Ghost , all which are very noble acts ▪ and God is to be praised in them according to his excellent greatnesse . The worke of creation is so mightie , that none could bring it to passe but the Father almightie : that God should haue nothing but nothing , whereof , wherewith , whereby to build this high , huge , goodly , faire frame ; is a principle which nature cannot teach , and Philosophie will not beleeue . The worke of redemption is of farre greater might and mercy , for the making of the world was ( if I may so speke ) onely lip-labour vnto God , he spake the word and it was done , be commanded and it stoodfast , Psalm . 33. 9. but Christ in redeeming the world said many words , and did many wonders , and suffered also many wounds . It is true that the least ake of his least finger is infiniti meriti , sed non definiti meriti , that is of an infinite merit , yet not that determined ransome for the sinnes of the whole world . It cost him more to redeeme soules , g g Rom. 4. 25. he dyed for our sinnes and rose againe for our iustification , hee suffered for vs , and that death , and that a violent death , and of all violent deaths the most accursed death on the Crosse.

The worke of sanctification is a noble act also , for euery man if you rightly consider his making is a wonder , I am saith our h h Psalm. 139. 13 Prophet fearfully and wonderfully made : but a good man if you consider his new making is a wonderfull wonder , as i i 1. Cor. 4. 9. Paul speakes a spectacle to men and Angles , as the vulgar Latine runnes in the 68. Psalme , at the last verse , mirabilis deus in sanctis , O God wonderfull art thou in thy Saints .

But Dauid k k Placid . Parmen. and the english Com. dedicated to M. Herlakinden . here meaneth especially the valiant acts of God in gouerning & garding his people from their enemies , l l Psalm. 66. 4. O come hither and behold the workes of God , how wonderfull hee is in his doing toward the Children of men , he turned the sea into drye land so that his people went on foot thorough the middest of the sea , the m m Exod. 14. 29. waters were a wall vnto them on the right hand and on their left ; but the waues of the Sea returned and couered the chariots and horsemen euen all the hoast of Pharaoh that pursued them . Almighty God raigned hailstones out of heauen vpon the cursed Amorites at Bethoran , and they were more ( n n Iosua 10. saith the text ) that dyed with the haile , then they whom the Children of Israell slew with the sword . And when Duke Iosua prayed , Sunne stay thou in Gibeon , & thou Moone in the valey of Aialon : the Sunne abode and the Moone stood still vntill the people auenged themselues vpon their enemies . When Zenacherib and his innumerous hoast came to fight against Hezekiah King of Iuda , Gods Angell in one night flew an hundred eighty and fiue thousand Assyrians . 2. Kings . 19.

And vndoubtedly ( beloued ) there is no nation vnder the cope of Heauen hath had greater occasion to praise God in this kind then England , the preseruation of the most illustrious princesse the Lady Elizabeth vnder the fiery triall of her vnkind sister Queene Marie was a noble act , and the seminary of much happinesse vnto this kingdome for many yeares after , and so much the more noble because Philip King of Spaine hath often confessed that he spared her life ( when wildy Winchester and bloodie Bonner had brought her into the snare ) not out of any pietie or pittie , but onely out of policie . Her exaltation to the Crowne was another noble act , so noble that some o o See M. Foxe Martyr . in fine . Popish Prelats in their enuie burst a sunder and dyed for very griefe of heart . Well might that good Lady sing and say with the blessed Virgine , He that is mightie hath magnified me , and holy is his name , he hath put downe the mightie from their seat and hath exalted the humble and meeke : her flourishing in health , wealth , and godlinesse , more then 44. yeares ( in despite of all her foes abroad , at home , schismaticall , hereticall , open , intestine ) was another noble act : for after once the Bull of Pope Pius Quintus had roared , and his fat Calues had begunne to bellow in this Island : there passed neuer a yeare , neuer a moneth , neuer a weeke ( I thinke I might say ) neuer a day , neuer an houre , but some mischiefe was intended either against her person or her people : the resisting of the rebellion in the Northerne parts of England , was a noble act : the discouering and so consequently the defeating of Campians treason a noble act : of Parris treason a noble act : of the Lupus Lopus his treason , a noble act : of Squires treason , a noble act . Her glorious victories against her fell and insolent enemies the Spaniards in Ireland , in Flanders , in France , in their owne dominions of Portugal , Indies , and Spaine were noble acts . It was a wonder of wonders , that a Mayden Queene should at one time be both a staffe to Flanders , and a stay to France , a terror to Pope , a mirror to Turke , feared abroad , loued at home , Mistresse of the Sea , wonder of the world . Shee might truely bee called a Prince of Peace , for shee was Crowned in Peace , shee liued in Peace , she dyed in Peace , she was buried in Peace : and when shee had slept with her Fathers , it was another noble act of the Lord to send vs in the midst of all our feare so learned , so meeke , so pious a Prince as King Iames , in such exceeding sweet peace , that neuer a sword was drawn , happily neuer a word spoken against him . All these were noble acts , and ought to be had in a perpetuall remembrance . But of all other noble preseruations ( Our deliuerance from that intended mercilesse and matchlesse Massacre both in fact and fiction , the fifth of Nouember , in the yeare 1605. is most noblie noble . King Iames on this day might haue said with King p p 2. Sam. 22. 41. Dauid , O Lord which art my rocke and my fortresse , thou hast giuen me the necks of mine enemies , that I might destroy them that hate me , that I might breake them as small as the dust of the earth , and tread them flat as the clay of the streete . q q Psalm. 118. O giue thankes vnto the Lord , for he is gracious , and his mercy endureth for euer . Let Israel now confesse that he is gracious , and that his mercy endureth for euer . Let the house of Aaron now confesse that his mercy endureth for euer . Yea let all such as feare the Lord now confesse that his mercy endureth for euer . All the Congregations of the Saints in the whole world , haue good cause to thanke God our strength and deliuerer . Scotland hath good cause , for if England had been but a Tuesday breakefast , assuredly Scotland should haue been but a Fridaies drinking , one morsell as it were for the greedy deuourer . The Churches in France relieued often by vs , haue good cause to reioyce with vs . Our neighbours of Holland haue good cause to triumphe as they doe , for if our house had been set on fire , their house being the next would haue been quickly pulled downe . The Churches in Germanie , Denmarke , Hungarie , Geneua likewise haue good cause to praise God in this noble act according to his excellent greatnesse .