An Exposition of the Last Psalme | Page 9

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 [do]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 [dp]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_. [dq]_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.
[Sidenote do: _See M. Foxe Martyr. in fine._]
[Sidenote dp: _2. Sam. 22. 41._]
[Sidenote dq: _Psalm. 118._]
More principally the Common-weale of England, and in it all men of
all factions, and all fashions whatsoeuer. Atheists (if they think there be
a God) haue good cause to thanke God, acknowledging his mercie
toward them in sparing vs, and so sauing the bad for the [dr]righteous
sake. Carnall Gospellers haue good cause to thanke God, confessing
that so long as [ds]Lot is in Sodome, it can not be destroyed; and so
long as Moses standeth in the [dt]gap, and [du]prayeth for his people,
Gods wrathfull indignation can not deuoure vs. Yea, let the Gunpowder
men themselues (if they haue any sparke of grace) confesse