TO the faythfull Chri­stians / wheresoeuer they be dispersed thorowoute the re­alme of Englande / Thomas Becon wis [...]heth / grace / mercy and peace from God the father / with per­fect knowlege of hys dearly beloued sonne Iesu Christ our Lorde / and alone sauyour thorow the halowinge of the holy Ghoste / vnto the true and vnfayned obedience off Gods moste blessed will / with an earnest fayth in the merciful promises of God / and assured hope of obtayninge thesame / vnto euerlastinge lyfe. AMEN.

IT greatly reioyceth me (mos [...]e deare brethren) to heare of thys youre con­stancye and stedfastnes in beleuing & confessing the glorious Gospell of our sa­uiour Iesus Christe (whiche as the apostle Rom. 1. sayth / is the power of God to saue so many as beleue) namely in these perillous and troublesome dayes / wherin we se so many sturte backe and runne awaye from the cō fession of Gods trueth (whiche whan the [Page] weather was calme / they semed constantly to professe) and folowe the fonde fantasyes of menne / that speake not Gods worde, but theyr owne drowsy dreames and idle imagi nacions brought into the church of Christ by suttle sathan and hys marked marchaū te [...] / vnto the great disturbaunce of the Chri sten common wealth / so that / if it were pos­sible / the very electe and chosen people off God / thorow theyr [...]ugsing might be sedu­ced Mat. 24. and led from the waye of truthe. As ye haue godly begonne / so manfully go forthe vnto the ende / that ye maye receaue a full ioye and a perfect reward of the Lord your God in that daye / whan he gloriously shal apeare and rendre to euery one accordinge to hys dedes / that is to saye / prayse / honor / and immortalite to them / which continew in good doyng and seke eternall lyfe. But vnto them that are rebellious and disobey the trueth and folowe iniquitie / shal come indignaciō / and wrath / tribulacion and an­guishe. But be it knowen vnto you deare brethren / that this thing that hath happe­ned vnto vs in thys realme of Englande / Roma. 2. I meane the takynge awaye of Gods true religion / and the thrusting in of pa [...]istrye in the steade therof / vnto the greate & vnspea­kable sorowe of all true Christen hartes / ought not to seme vnto you newe straunge [Page] and vnloked for / but rather suche a thynge as hath hytherto many tymes bene decla­red vnto you by the preachers / and ye your selfs godly cōsydering the corrupt maners and vnluckye chaunces of thys realme / did ryghte well the same aforesee and greately lament. For diuers signes had we longe be­fore / besydes the godly admonicions of the faythfull preachers / whiche playnly decla­red vnto vs an vtter subuersyon of the true Christen religiō to be at hande / except it were preuented by has [...]ye and hartye re­pentaunce. What shall I speake of that godly and mighty prince Edward / duke of Somerset / whiche in the tyme of his Pro The [...] of Somerset tectorship dyd so banyshe Idolatrye out of this our realme / and bring in agayn Gods true religiō / that it was wōder so weyghty a matter to be brought to passe in so [...] a tyme? Was not the vngentle handlyng of hym / and the vnrighteous thrustinge hym out of office / and afterward the cruel mur thering of hym / a man / yea / a myrrour off true innocencye and Christen pacience / an euident token of Gods anger agaynste vs? The sudden takynge awaye of those mo [...]e goodly & verteous yonge Impes / the duke of Suffolke and hys brother / by the swea­ting The [...] of [...] and his bro­ther. syckenesse / was it not also a manifes [...] token of Gods heauy displeasure towarde [Page] [...] [Page] [...] [Page] vs? The death of those two most worthy & godly learned men / I speake of M. Pau­lus M. Paulus Fagius. D Martine Bucer. Fagius / & of D. Martine Bucer / was it not a sure Prognostication / some greate mishappe / concerning Christen religion to be at hāde? But as I may passe ouer many other / & at the laste come vnto that / whiche is moste lamentable / and can neuer be re­membred of any true English harte / with­out large teares / I meane the death of oure most godly Prince and Christen kyng Ed­warde the. VI. that true Iosias / that ear­nest Rynge Ed­vvarde the [...]. destroyer of false religion / that feruent setter vp of Gods true honor / that mooste bounteous Patrone of the godly learned / that moste worthy mayntayner of good let ters and vertue / and that perfecte & liuelye myrrour of true nobili [...]e and syncere god­lines: was not the takyng away of hi (alace for sorow) asure signe and an euident tokē that some great euel hāged ouer this realm of England? Who considering these thyn­ges (as I may speake nothing of the wicked Grosse gos­pelers. nes of those mē / which made the worde of God a cloke of their naughtines / of their insatiable couetousnes / of their intollera­ble pryde, of their volupteous & wanton ly­uing. &c.) perceaued not a shepwracke of the Christen religion too be at hande / as it is (alace for pytie) come to passe at thys daye? [Page] All good men feared the decaye of Goddes true honoure in thys realme / that we fea­red / that hathe chaunced / howe coulde it o­therwise come to passe? Gods blessing was offered vnto vs▪ but we thorow our wicked and vnthankefull lyfe refused it. Shal not therfore blessing be taken away / & cursinge come in the place therof? as it is written / he wolde not haue the blessing / it shal therfore Psal. 109. be farre from hym.

IF the kingdom of God be proffered vnto vs / and we set not by it / are we not wor­thy Englande blessed▪ [...] to loose it? What realme synce the Apostles tyme was euer so abundantly re­plenished with the knowledge of Christes Gospel yea / & that in so few years / as this realme of England was? But alace howe was it regarded? Who repēted? who know ledged hys synne from the very hart? Who called on the name of God in spirite and truthe? Who framed hys lyfe / accordynge to hys knowledge? It is therefore come too passe / as our Sauiour Christ longe before threatened / the kyngdō of God shalbe takē Math. 21. frō you & shalbe geuē to a natiō / that brin­geth forth the frutes thereof. God planted this realme of Englād / a pleasāt & goodly vineyarde / dressing and trymming it after Esa. [...]. the beste manner / lokynge contynuallye [Page] to haue some worthy frut therof / but w [...] in the stead of naturall grapes / it broughte forthe wylde beryes / vnwholsome and vn­naturall / was it not worthye too be layde wayste / to be troden vnder foote / and to be deuoured of wylde beastes? Were not the people of the olde worlde worthye too be Gen. 7. 2. Pet. 2. ouerwhelmed with waters / which beynge of righteous No he so ofte afore admonis­shed / wolde not repent / and make prouisiō for the auoyding of that plague? Were not the filthy Sodomites worthy to be consu­med Gen. 19. 2. Pet. 2. with fyre and brymstone from heauē / which being afore tolde of their destructiō wolde not cease thorowe their abhomina­ble liuynge to prouoke the heauy wrathe & fearse vengeaunce of God agaynste theim? Were not the Israelites worthy to be pla­gued euen vnto the death / whan they despi­syng / lothyng & abhorring Manna / which Exod. 17 came doùne from heauen / lusted after the vile flesh of the earth? Were not the Iewes worthy to be ledde awaye miserable capti­ues & wretched prysoners / to serue straūge princes in farreyne countryes / which wold 4. Re. 25 not serue their Lord God in theyr owne coū trye / a lande that floweth with mylke and hony? Was it not conuenient / that the Matt. 21. Marc. 12. Luc. 20.people of Iuda shoulde be oppressed / yea / de­stroyed bothe they and their cy [...]es of theyr [Page] enemyes the Romaynes / which refused Ie sus Christ / their trueliege and souerayg [...]e Lorde to reygne ouer them / & most cruelty put hym to death? Were they not worthye Mat. [...]. to be seduced by a sorte of fals ra [...]es / as they are at thys daye / wh [...]che wolde neue [...] geue eare too the true Prophetes of God / but miserably kylled them? [...]s it not also mete / that they lyke vagabundes shoulde Acto. 7. wander thorowoute the worlde withoute priesthode / kyngedome or common weale / that wolde neuer truly serue hym / which before all other nacions dyd chose them [...] be hys peculiare people / geuīg them a [...]e that flowed wyth the abondaūce of all thin ges? Are they not worthy to walke in [...] ­kenes / [...] [...] [...] the [...] [...]f [...] [...]. which willingly despise the light? t [...] taste [...]oure thinges / whiche abhorre the swete? to wander out of the waye / whiche r [...]fuse the playne pathe? Euen so is it come to passe / lykewise with vs at this day. We abhorred the light of Goddes worde / ther­fore are we now iustly ouerwhelmed with the darkenes of mens tryffeling [...] and [...] decrees. We lightely [...] the godly prayers and thankes geuinges [...] oure Engli [...] tounge / wherby we [...] Latin se [...] [...] haue bene greatly [...] / therefore are we now fedde with Latyn seruice / whiche [...]e know not / whether it be blessing or cursi [...]. [Page] Certeyn are wē / that it is altogether with out edifyēg / & clean cōtrary to the cōmaūde 1. Cor. 14 mēt of God / & the doctrine of the holy Apo­s [...]le▪ which wolde nothīg to be spokē in the cōgregaciō / but in such a tōge / as al the peo­ple vnderstād / that al may be edified. We set nought by the ministraciō of the holy & bles Ma [...] ▪ [...]. sed cōmuniō / therfore this plage is worthe ly come vpō vs / that in the stead of the Lor­des supper we haue moste wicked & abhomi nable masses setvp / inuēted by the deuel / bro ught in by Antichrist / practised by his shorne shaue [...]īges / maintained by such as haue re­ceaued the beastes marke / full of supersti­cion / Idolatrie / blasphemie / spiritual whor dome / and of all that displeaseth God / & is horrible in the iudgement and sighte of all good men. We regarded not the godly lear­ned and fatherly Bisshops / nor the fayth­full & verteous ministers of Gods worde / whiche fedde vs with the pure wheate off Christes gospel / and taught vs the holy or­dinaunces of God / Repētaūce / fayth / loue / inuocation of the name of God / mortifica­tion of the olde man / brotherly charitie / pa ciēce / lōg suffering / obediēce / ioy in the holy Ghost / the true & Christen good workes / & such other f [...]utes of the spirite / wherby we might learne to serue the Lord our God in Luc. 1. holynes & righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe: therfore al those mē of God / being put [Page] to silence / somē out of office / some in exile / some in pryson abyding the good pleasur of God / & euen as shepe apoynted to be slayne: Psal. 44. Rom. 8. we are cō [...]elled dayly to heare suche Anti­christiā trōpet [...]lowers / such cāckred cormo­raūtes / such Caymlyke caterpyllers / suche idle Idols / such loytering lordennes / suche lecherous lubbers / & such deuel [...]h destroiers of Christē mēs soules / as the eares of agood Christian abhorre for too heare / the eyes to beholde / the fete to go vnto. O miserye passing all miseries / that flocke whiche the hye bishop Christ purchased with his most Acto. 20 precious bloud to be scattered / rēt / torne / & deuoured of those cruel lyōs & rauenīg wol fes / who lamēteth not? those people / whom God hath chosen for his enheritaūce / to be seduced & led out of the way by such [...] mini­sters of sathā / as clothe thē selfs outwardly with shepes apparel / & inwardly are [...]aue­nig Math. 7. Math. 2 [...] wolfs / ful of hipocrisy / rauyn / deceate & of al fylthines / whose hart distilleth not droppes of bloude to consider? O to muche lamentable case.

FOr what other thing do the lyēg & blo dy papistes teache at this day / thā the very lyes / dreames and fantasyes of Antichrist the bishop of Rome and his ad­herentes? The doctri [...] ne of the pa pistes. as setting vp of aultars / taberna cles / Images / and roode loftes / hanging vp [Page] of the pyre / setting vp of candles before Ido les and [...]awmettes / halowyng of bread / salte / water / palmes / fyre / as [...]es / oyle / cris­ [...]e / rynges / candles. &c. Ladyes psalters / s▪ katerines knot [...]es / intercessions and meri­tes of sainctes / Purgatorye / prayenge for the dead / trentalles / diriges / commenda­cions / masses of Requiē / masses of Scala celi / masses of Recordare / masses of Si ini­quitates / masses for all diseas [...]s / masses for all thinges good or badde / auriculare con­fession / crepyng to the crosse with candles / egges / money / &c. Iustification of workes / fre will / popysh f [...]inge / prayers withoute vnderstanding / fayth withoute knowlege / deuocion without the sprete / [...] masses / prop [...]atory sacrifices / done by Sodomiticall priest [...]s / [...] / [...] of the Sacramentall breade / th [...] reall / corporall / substanciall / carnall / natu­rall and sens [...]ble presence of Christe in the Sacrament / so that we breake hym on pe­ces with oure handes / teare hym with our tethe / and swallowe hym into the ma [...] / and so digeste hym / and sende hym / I can not tell whyther / with an whole sea of lyke errou [...]s and heresys / whiche the pylde / pe­uy [...] / [...] papistes teache without the author [...] of Gods woorde / euen of theyr owne [...]ayne and fantasye / vnto the great [Page] dishonour of God / and the vtter damna­cion of their soules / which [...] heare / beleue & folowe the doctrine of those Antichristes. And whence commeth it to passe / that we / which before were blessed of God / with so many heauenly benefites / are nowe mo [...]e miserably compassed about with all kynde of euilles / and become the very bonde sla­ues of these Antichristes and spiritual sha­meles shauelynges / & as men wholy estraū ged from God / and vtterly banished frome The [...] of [...] avvaye th [...] true religiō from vs. the Christen common weale of the true Is­raelites? [...]erely oure ingratitude / our vn­thankeful [...]s / oure vnkyndnes / yea / oure churlyshenes towarde God and hys holye worde hath caused all these miseries / wor­thely to fall vpon vs. We were weary of the heauenly Mauna / and had a pleasure to returne vnto Egipt / where we myghte syt among the greasy flesh pottes / eatynge beffe and brewes knucle depe / and haue our deyntye fyshes / our melo [...]s / our cucūbers / oure onyons / oure garleke / oure lekes. &c. therfore accordinge to the fylthye lustes of oure wicked hartes hath God dealte with vs / & sent vs agayn into the popishe Egipte / to fe [...]e vpon the pestilente leauen of the pa­pisticall Phariseis / euen the beggarly cere­monies / [...]feling tradicions and dyrtye de­crees of men / in steade of Gods holy worde [Page] vnto the horrible and dredeful damnaciō of our soules / as he sayth by the Psalmogra­phe: My people wold not hear my voyce / & Israel wolde not obeye me / therefore gaue Psal. [...]1. I them vp vnto their owne hartes luste / & let thē folow their own imaginatiōs. Here vnto agreeth the sayinge of s. Paule: Be­cause [...]. thes. 2. they receaued not the loue of the tru­the / that they might be saued / therfore wyll God send thē a s [...]rōg illusiō to beleue lyes. Is not this the sayng of our sauior Christ? this is condēnacion / that light is come into Ioan. 3. the worlde / & mē haue loued darkenes more thā light / for their workes were euell. The thing therfore that brought this cōdēnaciō this darkenes / this blyndnes vpō [...]s / is the hating of the light of Gods worde / our vn­thankefulnes for the benefites of Christes Gospel / & our sinful lyfe replenished with all kynd of wickednes. These thinges / these thinges made God to withdraw the moste pleasaūt & cōfortable light of his louing cō ­tenaūce frō vs / & to suffer the prince of dar kenes to shadow vs with his winges of hel­lish ignoraūcy & deuelish blindnes vnto our great discōfort & cōtinual sorow. God haue mercy on vs / & blesse vs / & shew vs the light of his cōtenācē / & be merciful vnto vs / that Psal. 67. we may know his way vpō the earth / & his sauing health amōg all natious.

Amen.

BUt / what is now to be done? shall we Hovv [...] the Christen [...] ligion [...] be reco [...] red. caste away all hope? Shal we yelde our self to the pri [...]e of darknes? Shal we suffer our selfs cōtinually to be wrap­ped & couered in with the dredefull cloudes of popysh blyndenes? God forbid. Yea / ra­ther let vs with a lusty courage & bold spi­rite hunte out & seke some meanes / wherby we may be dispatched of this moste misera­ble plague / wherewith we are at this pre­sent iustly stryken for our vnthākefulnes & wicked lyfe / & so recouer the fauor of God / that we may once agayn walke in the hea­uēly light of his moste glorious cōtenaūce. Synne / as we hearde afore / drowe awaye Sin [...]. frō vs the benefite of Goddes moste blessed worde / & of hys true religiō / as the prophet sayth: Your wickednesses haue made a wal Esa. 59. betwen you & your God / & your sines hyde his face frō you. Now must we therfor seke how to apease the wrathe of God kyndled agaīst vs. Uerely the meane / how to make God merciful vnto vs / is frōhensforth to Remedies againste the vvrathe o [...] God. auoide that / which was the cause of Gods displeasur agaīst vs / & of the takīg away of his blessed worde frō vs / I meane syn. Syn must be takē awai frō amōg vs / or els c [...]we neuer be recōciled vnto God / nor obtaī his fauour / so far is it of / that we shall recouer the heauēly benefite of his glorious gospel. [Page] For the Lorde our God is suche a God / as [...] wickednes. The euell can not Psalm. 5. dwell by hym / nor the vnrighteous abyde in hys sight. Sy [...]e therfore which droue God out of oure host [...] / and with hym the [...]ght of hys blessed worde / muste be weded o [...] bothe of oure ha [...]e and lyfe / that we maye be pure before the Lorde oure God / & 1. Cor. 6. [...] hym in spirite and bodye. So shall we [...] [...] [...] [...]emples for his godly [...] to dwel in / whom yf we once receyue i [...]to oure hartes / with hym we maye be sure to enioye all good thynges. Nowe to put awaye synne / the fyrste remedye is ear­ [...] and vnfayned repentaunce. Let vs all Repētaūce. euen from the very hart be inwardly sorye for oure vnthākefulnes and disobedience a­gaynst Gods moste blessed will. Let vs euē with teares / as Peter and Magdalene dyd Matt. 26. Luc. 7. lament and bewayle oure wretchednesses / beyng moste hartely sory / that we euer of­fended so louyng a father / and so mercifull a Lorde. For this vnfayned repentaunce & harty [...]ewayling of our synnes / is an accep table sacrifice vnto God / as Dauid sayth: A sacrifice vnto God is a troubled spirite / a Psal. 51. broken and humble hart God will not des­pys [...]. Yea / God him selfe sayth by the Pro­phet: Unto whome [...]hall I loke / but vnto hy [...] that is [...]owe brought / and of a broken Esa. 66. [Page] spirite / [...]nd standeth in awe of my wordes? this way of obtayning Gods fauor taught Esa. 55. Iere. 3. Eze. 18. Math. [...] Mar. 1. Moses and all the Prophetes / Ihon Bap­tiste / Christ and al his disciples / as the holy scriptures testefie. For with out repentaūce nothing is to be had of God but wrath / dis pleasure and euerlasting damnatiō / as our sauiour Christ sayth: Except ye repent / all sorte of you shall perysh. But where true repentaunce cometh / & an earnest hate off Luc. 1 [...]. synne / with a feruent studye of innocency & amendement of lyfe / there lyghe the grace / mercy / fauour and good wil of God / bent out for the penitent synner / as God hym self sayth by the Prophet: If the vngodlye turne awaye frome all hys synnes that he Ezec. 18. hath done / and shall kepe all my statutes / & do iudgement and righteonsnes / he shal su­ [...]ely lyue and not dye. All hys offences shal nomore be layde before hym / but in hys righteousnes that he hath done / shal he lyue For I haue no pleasure in the deathe of a synner / sayth the Lord God / but rather that he turne from hys wicked wayes and lyue. Agayn / as surely as I lyue / sayth the Lorde Ezech. [...] God / I haue no delighte in the deathe of a synner / but rather that he should turne frō hys waies and lyue. Turne ye / turne ye frō your euell wayes / and why will ye dye O ye house of Israel? Diuers examples haue [Page] we hereof in the holy scripture / as the Examples of repētāce.chyldren of Israel / the Niniuites / Dauid / [...]a­nasses / Peter / Magdalene / the thefe / and suche other▪ which after they repēted / foūd fauoure at the mercifull hande of God. As we haue folowed them in synning & doyng euel / so let vs folow them in repenting and doyng wel. Than maye we be sure to fynde lyke fauour with them. For it is written: Psal. [...]4 the Lorde is at hande for them / that are off a troubled hart / and the broken in spirite will he heale and saue.

SEcondly to this harty repentaūce muste a true and Christen faythe be annexed / Faythe. whiche apprehendeth and layeth hande on the mercifull promises of God frelye setforth to all faythefull penitent synners in Christes dere harte bloude. For without this fayth and perfect perswasion of Gods fauour toward vs / Repētaūce is vayne / as Repētaūce and faithe muste go to­gether. the histories of Caym / Esau / Saul / Achab / Iudas / and of suche other do manifestly de­clare. In consideracion whereof our Sa­uioure Christ / whan he beganne to preach / sayde not onely to hys hearers / Repente, but he added / And beleue the Gospell, tea­chynge that true repentaunce muste be ioy­ned Mar. 1. with Christen fayth / or els it profiteth [Page] nothing. An example hereof besydes many other / haue we in the history of the synfull womā / in the Gospel of sainct Luke / which Luce. 7. dyd not onely repent earnestly / as her bitter teares / sorowefull sobbynges and depe sy­ghynges do playnely declare / but she also faythfully beleued / beynge constantly per­swaded / that she althoughe a moste wicked sy [...]er shoulde obtayne remission of all her synnes at God the fathers hande for Ie­sus Christes sake hys derely beloued sonne / whose fete at that present she ceased not too kysse / whose fete she washed with her tea­res / wyped with her hayre / and annoynted with moste precious pleasaunte oyle. Our Sauioure Christe / therfore beholding her true repentaunce conioyned wyth vndoub­ted faythe / sayde not onely to her / Thy syn­nes are for [...]euen the / but he added / Thy saythe hathe saued the, departe wyth peace, that is too saye / with a quiet / free / ioyefull and merrye conscience. Let vs brynge for the thys faythefull repentaunce Note. and repentaunte faythe / and wyth all hu­militie poure oute oure synnes before the gracious throone of Goddes Maiestye / and hartel [...]e craue remyssyon and for­geuenes off all oure synnes / in the pre­cious bloude off oure Sauioure Ih [...]u Christ / and without all doubte God wil [...]e [Page] fauourable vnto vs / haue pytie on vs / and lighten hys chereful countenaunce once a­gayne vpon vs / that we on the earthe maye knowe hys wayes and hys sauinge healthe among all nations. For the Lord oure God is full of compassion and mercy / long suffe­ring / and of great goodnes. He will not al­waye be chyding / neither kepeth he his an­ger Psal. 103. for euer. He wil not deale with vs after oure synnes / nor reward vs / accordinge too our wickednes. For loke how hye the heauē is in c [...]parison of the earth / so great is hys mercye also toward them that feare hym. Loke howe wyde also the Easte is f [...]om the West / so farre will he set our synnes from vs. Yea / lyke as a father pitieth hys owne chyldren / euen so will the Lord be mercifull Esa. 38. Miche. 7 vnto them that feare hym. All oure synnes will he cast behynde his backe / into the bot­tome of the sea wil he throw them / & neuer remember them more / yea / yf oure synnes / as the Prophet sayth / be as redde as s [...]ar­let / Esa. 1. yet shall they be made whyther then snowe. And yf they were lyke purple / yet shal they be lyke whyte wolle / yf we vnfai­nedly repente / turne vnto the Lorde oure God / beleue hys promises / and craue mer­cye of hym for Christes sake.

[Page] THyrdly / earnest diligence must be ge­ [...]en / Good vvor [...]es. that according to this true repe­taunce and vnfayned fayth we bring forth good workes. For the nature of harty repentaunce and of Christen faythe is not to be idle / but mightely to worke / to chaūge the penitente creature / and to transforme hym into a newe man / that he maye serue the Lorde hys God in holynes & righteous­nes all the dayes of his lyfe. If there be not an alteraciō of lyfe / if the olde man be not Ephe. 4. put of with all hys workes / and the n [...]we man put on / which is made according vnto God / thorow righteousnes / if those [...] Roma. 6. which afore were seruauntes to vnclennes and vnrighteousnes / do not nowe become seruauntes to clēnes / righteousnes & holy­nes / withoute all doubte we haue neyther true repentaūce nor vnfayned fayth / whose nature and propertie is to bring forth newe spirituall and godlye frutes / as the Apostle sayth: If any man be in Christ / he is a new creature. Agayne / they that are of Christe / 2 Cor. [...]. Galat. 5. haue crucifyed the flesh with the affectes & lustes therof. Therefore the holy preacher Ihon Baptiste / that priestes sonne dyd not Math. 3. onely exhorte his hearers vnto repētaūce / but also vnto amendemente of lyfe / & vnto the bringing forth of such frutes / as become true and faythfull repentaunce. Brynge [Page] forthe frutes / saythe he / worthye of repen­taunce Math. 3 &c. For nowe is the axe layde at the roote of the trees. Euery tree therfore / that bringeth not forthe good frute / is hewē vp and caste into the fyre. And oure Sauiour Christe sayeth: Not euery one that sayethe Math. 7. vnto me / Lorde / Lorde / shall enter into the kyngdome of heauen / but he that dothe the will of my father / whiche is in heauen. Agayne / ye are my frendes / if ye do those Ioan. 15. Ioan. 14. thynges / whiche I commaunde you. Item / he that hath my commaundementes and kepeth them / he it is that loueth me. Also in another place / Let youre lyghte so shyne Math. 5. before men / that they maye se youre good workes / and glorifye youre father whyche is in heauen. These frutes of faythe­full repentaunce / whyche are the true good workes / that God requireth of vs too be done in the holy scripture / and not suche as good entent / blyndezele / or mannes idle imaginaciō fantasyeth / ought to be brought forth / whan tyme requireth of euery true Christen man / to declare that hys faythe & repentaunce is true and vnfayned. We maye not therfore / if we tender oure owne saluacion / and will recouer the fauoure of God / be [...]lacke and sluggyshe in bringynge forthe these weyghty frutes of repentaūce and faythe / but so adourne / garnyshe / decke Note. [Page] trymme and setforth oure lyfe with them / that it maye appeare too all men / ye [...] / too the very aduersaries of God / that oure re­pentaunce is true / and oure faythe vnfay­ned / and that we be true Christians / not onely in name / but also in dede▪ and not off the number of those / of whome the Apostle wryteth on this manner: They professe (with their mouthe) that they know God Titus. 1. but with they: bebes they denye hym. And albeit / at all tymes it were conuenient / that the true Christians shouldbe brynge forthe the workes of repentaunce / and the frutes of faythe / and lede a lyfe worthy their pro­fession / yet in these oure dayes it is moste requisite. For who consydereth not / wyth how great a number of enemies / I meane the deuill and the papistes / the true Chri­stians are enuyroned and be set in these our dayes / which do nothinge els but diligently marke / what they may fynde in vs▪ worthy to be rebuked▪ that by [...] means thei mai slaunder the good doctrine that we professe and bringe vs [...]ute of credite with all men / that they maye go forthe the more frelye to lye / as they haue begunne largely all re­dye / and tosowe theyr abhominable / [...] / wicked / Popyshe / supersticious / and Antichristiane doctrine / the more franc kely in the hartes of the simple & vnlearned [Page] people to the great derogation of th [...] [...] of Christes Gospel / and to the Lu [...] [...] auauncement of their beastly and [...] [...] It were mete therfore / that the true [...] of God and of hys blessed worde / [...] in these our dayes seke all meanes possible so to garnish their lyfe with good workes / that in all thinges they maye do honour to the doctrine of Christe oure sauioure / and Titus. 2 stoppe the mouthes of the wicked & vngod­lye aduersaries by well doynge / as [...]. Peter 1. Pet. 2. admonisheth / saying: this is the wil ofGod / that by wel doynge / ye shoulde stoppe the mouthes of folish and ignoraunte people / as fre and not as hauinge a libertie to be a cloke of noughtynes / but as the seruauntes of God. Agayne / [...]erely beloued / I beseche you as straungers and pylgrimes / abstayne from fleshly lustes / which fight agaynst the soule / and haue an honest conuersacion a­mong the [...]eathen / that in that they do bac­byte you as euel doers / they iudging you of your good workes / may glorifie God in the day of visitaciō. Hereto agreeth the saying Phil. 2. of s. Paule: Do al thing without murmu ring and disputing / that ye maye be fautles and pure / and the sonnes of God without rebuke in the middes of a croked and a per­uerse nation / among which se that ye shyne as lightes in the worlde / holdinge faste the [Page] worde of lyfe. For there is nothinge that so greatly abasheth the aduersaries of Gods worde / and kylleth their courage / strikynge The pap [...] stes [...] [...]. them euen doune too the grounde / as the godly and verteous lyfe of the Christians / [...] contrariwyse / nothinge gladdeth them [...] / tha [...] to se our lyfe dissolute and swar [...]ng from our professiō. For than lyke hell houndes yell they out and saye: Beholde your Protestantes. Se your new Gospe­lers. Consider their lyfe. Note their man­ners. Marke their conuersacion. Where is founde the lyke pryde / couetousnes / fals bargayning / crafty byeng & sellinge / oppres­sing of the poore / raysing of rentes / taking of incomes / idle wordes / vayn othes / super fluous bancketting / cont [...]pte of the poore / vnmercifulnes / breakinge of promise / vn­trueth / with all that euer setforth a wicked and vngodly lyfe? O what a stōbling blocke is this to weake consciences? What a [...] o nour to the worde of God? What a slaun­der to the Christen profession? What a de­caye to godly religion? What auauncement of Papistrie and Idolatrie? What encou­ragement to the blynd to perseuer in their blyndnes? What a glorie to the wicked Pa pistes / and a confirmacion to their abho [...] nable and deuelish doctrine? Therefore yf we tender the glory of God / the auaūcem [...]t [Page] of hys true religion / and the saluacion off oure owne soules / let vs brynge forthe the worthy frutes of true repentaunce and vn­fay [...]ed fayth / that God maye haue a plea­sure in vs / reioyce to do vs good / & delighte to bring our enemies and their satha [...]call superst [...]cion vnder foo [...]e / that hys name maye be glorified / and hys true religion once agayne florishe amonge vs vnto oure singulare [...]oye and vnsp [...]akable comforte.

AMEN.

MOre [...]er / forasmuch as we are cō ­passed Prayer. abou [...]e with dayly troubles / and stande in continuall daunger / bothe of the deuell and of hys tymmes the papist [...]s▪ not beynge able of oure selfes too withstande their tyr [...]y / and to [...] our selfes out of their handes / it shall be [...] ▪ that we withoute ce [...]synge flee vnto God with mo [...]e harty prayers / pourynge out with teares before the throne of hys di­uine [...] ▪ our [...] ▪ so [...]owes / miseries [...] and troubles / moste hum­blye [...] hys [...] goodnes too haue [...] on vs / to kepe vs from all euell / t [...] [...] vs from oure enemies / both bo­dely and ghost [...]ly / to preserue vs from ido­latrye / [...] / supersticion / hypocrisye [Page] and from all false religion / and too kep [...] vs in hys feare / faythe: loue / and perfecte obe­dience of hys moste holye lawe and blessed ordinaunces / to geue vs hys heauēly sprete for too renew oure hartes / and to sende his holy Aungels to py [...]che their tentes aboute vs / and to defende vs from all euel and wic kednes / as it is written / The Aungell of the Psal. 34. Lorde py [...]cheth hys tente aboute them that feare hym / and deliuereth theym. Thys kynde of prayer is a swete smellynge sacry­fice vnto God / & moste hyly pleaseth hym. Therefore was it the dayly exercise off all godly people in all ages / yea / their whole delyghte and pleasure. With whatsoeuer trouble they were accombered / faythefull prayer was their onely refuge / solace / com­forte and socoure.

Beynge greued with anye kynde of ad­ue [...]sitie / they hasted not vnto sai [...]es with Ora pro nobis, as the dissemblynge Hyp [...] ­crytes Papistes. and wycked [...]apystes do in theyr pompous and Idolatrous Processions / but vnto GOD / from whome alone com­meth Iaco. 1. Rom. 10. euery good and perfecte gyfte / which also is ryche ynoughe for all them that call on hym / and they de [...]yred too haue their prayers accepted not for the inter­cessions and merites of anye sainctes / nor [Page] yet for their owne dignitie and worthynes▪ Io [...]. 15. 16 but for Iesus Christes sake / for hys meri­tes / worthines and excellency / & they were moste graciously hearde / as Dauid saythe: Whan I was in trouble / I cryed vnto the Psal. 120. Psal. 22. Lorde / & he mercifully hearde me. Agayne / Our fathers hoped in the (o God) they tru sted in the and thou diddest deliuer them. They called vpon the / & were holpen / they put their trust in the / and were not confoū ded. Was not Iacob deliuered from the ty­ranny Gene. 33. of his brother Esau by prayer? Were not the chyldren of [...]srael made noble con­querours of the Amelechites / whan Moy­ses Exod. 17 4. Re. 19. prayde for them? What a wonderfull victory had kyng Ezech [...]as ouer that proud prince [...] / after that he had praide vnto the Lorde his God / although neither he nor any of hys fought one stroke? Was not Peter deliuered out of pryson / thorowe Acto. 12. the prayers of the faythfull congregacion? Had not the Gospel of our sauiour Christ Act. 2. 4. good successe at the beginning / thorowe the feruente prayers of the holye Apostles? I shoulde wante both tyme / paper & yncke / if I should go forth to reherce vnto you all the h [...]ories of suche / as haue receaued sin­gulare benefites at the h [...]de of God thorow prayer. Praye therfore continually / and be thankefull to God for all thynges in the [...]. Thes, [...]. [Page] namē of Christe / and ye shall shortly se the wonderfull workes of God / in banishynge agayne Idolatrie / papistrie / and all fals re­ligion & in [...] vnto vs the glorious Gospel of Iesus Christ hys dearly beloued sonne / and oure alone sauioure vnto oure great ioye and singular comfort / and vnto the vtter confusion and destruccion of Anti christ and of hys kyngdome.

ANd albeit that ye do not perceau [...] Continuāc [...] in prai [...]r. Psal. 12 [...]. remedy straight wayes / yet cease not to praye / but as the eyes of seruaun­tes looke to the handes of their masters / & as the eyes of a mayden vnto the hande of her maystresse / euen so let your eyes wayte vpon the Lorde youre God / vntill he haue mercy on you. He will vndoubtedly come & Abac. 2 Heb. 10 not tarrye / whan his godly wisdome seeth the tyme / yea / & that on suche sorte / as shall make moste for his glory and your cōforte. For the poore shall not alway be forgotten / the pacient abiding of the meke shal not pe­rish Psalm. 9. for euer. The Lord will be a defence for the oppressed / euen a refuge in due tyme of trouble / as he hym selfe witness [...]th / sayeng: For the comforteles troubles sake of the nedye / and because of the depe syghynge of Psal. 12. the poore / now will I vp sayth the Lorde / & will helpe euery one frō him / that swelleth [Page] againste hym / and will set hym at rest. Re­member this sayeng of the prophete Esaye: Esa. 30 In silence and hope shall your strenght be. And thise sentence also of Ieremye: It is Thre. 3. good with sylence to tarrye for the sauyng healthe of God. Murmure not agaynste God / nor appoynte hym not hys tyme / but paciently abyde hys working / referring all Pacience. thinges to hys godly pleasure / and submit­tinge your wil to his blessed will / whiche alwayes both willeth and doeth that thing that is best for hys glory and for oure salua cion. In your pacience / sayeth our sauiour Christe / shall ye possesse your soules. We Luc. 21. are commaunded too heare the woorde off God with an honeste and good harte / too Luc. 8. kepe it faste / and to bringe forthe the frute therof with pacience. The tryall of youre fayth / sayeth s. Iames / bringeth forthe pa­cience / but let your pacience haue a perfect Iac. 1. worke / that ye maye be perfecte / and whole and sounde on euery parte. To the Hebrues Heb. 10 also it is written: Caste not awaye youre confidence / whiche hath greate rewarde to recōpence. For ye haue nede of paciēte / that after ye haue done the will of God / ye might receaue the promyse. For yet a littell whyle / and he that shal come / will come / & wil not tarry. Pray therfore with paciēce / paciētly abyding the good pleasure of God [Page] and his most gracious working. Let youre fayth & hope neuer departe from God / but whan thinges become to moste extremitie / & reasō iudgeth hauocke vtterly to be made and all thinges too be paste remedye / than s [...]eke moste faste to God & to his promises / let not your holde go / but in the middes of death / hope for lyfe / & loke for deliueraūce at the Lordes hāde. Be lyke vnto hym that Iob. 13 sayde: Though he kylleth me / yet wil I put my trust in hym. Saye with the Psalmo­graphe / the Lorde is my light & my s [...]luaciō / whom then shall I feare? The Lorde is the Psal. 27. strength of my lyfe / of whome then shall I be afrayde? When the wicked (euen myne enemies and my foes) came vpō me to eate vp my flesh / they stōdled and fell. Thoughe an hoste of men were layde agaynst me / yet shal not my hart be afrayd / & though there rose vp warre against me / yet wil I put my trust in him. For know ye / this to be the pro Gods pro­pertie in his seruauntes. pertie of God. He first casteth doun / before he lifteth vp / as we may se by Ioseph / Da­uid / Daniel & such other. And whā thinges seme to be past all remedy / thā he setteth to his hād / & maruelously helpeth / that he mai shew hī self to be an almighty Lord & vale­aūt ruler of all creatures / & that there is no wysdome / no forecast / no coūs [...] / that cā Prou. 21 preuayle against the Lord / as Dauid sayth: [Page] The Lord bringeth the counsaylles of the Psal. 33. Heathen to nought / and maketh the deuy­ses of the people to be of none effect / and ca­steth out the counsailes of princes. But the counsayl of the Lorde shal endure for euer / and the thoughtes of hys harte from gene­ration to generation.

THat God sheweth hys present helpe In greatest extremities God chiefly helpeth. moste of all in greatest extremities / diuers histories declare euidentlye in the holy scriptures / whereof parte briefly to touche / it shall not be oute of the waye / that we may learne in the middest of grea­test euels not to despayr of the mighty wor­kyng of God / but to conceaue asure hope / and to loke for all good thinges at the hāde of the Lorde our God. Who knoweth not vnto what great extremitie the chyldrē of Exod. 14 Israel were brought after their deliueraūce out of Egipte? Came they not to this point in their iourneye / that before theym there was no waye to go into / but the readde sea / wherin they must nedes be drouned / if they wente forwarde / and behynde them was kynge Pharao with all his armye / redy to slea them / if they tarryed? Here naturall reason sawe nothinge but presente deathe. Before them was the readde sea / vnable to be passed thorowe / and behynde them theyr [Page] mortals fo [...] with his bloudy & cruel hooste redy to kyll them. Oh / to what extremi­ties are the Israelites come? Yet beholde / Psal. 145 1. Cor. 10 that mercifull God / whiche is euer true & faythful in his promises / founde a way for them to escape / where all reason / witte / wi­sedome / discrecion / experience / and pollecye of man coulde do nothing in the matter. He caused the sea to diuide it self / so that in the middest therof he made a drye pathe for his people safely to passe thorow / the sea stan­ding on bothe sydes of them lyke two wal­les / and the Israelites beynge once passed thorowe / that whiche was a safegarde too Gods people / was an vtter destruccion to their enemies. For the sea ate the commaū ­dement of God closed agayne together / and drouned Pharao with all his companye. O the wonderful workes of God.

Agayn / when they were come into the wil­dernes / Exo. 16. 17. where neither meate nor drincke was to be gottē / and they iudging after na turall reason / thoughte that euery one off them shoulde there moste miserablye haue dyed for wante of socour / how dyd the hea­uenly father in that extremitie prouide for his people / by sending them meate frō hea­uen / and geuinge them moste pleasaunte & swete waters / euen out of the harde rocke [...] drincke? O the excedinge greate ryches [Page] of the Lord our God.

To whome is the historye of Ioseph vn­knowen / Gene. 39 who beyng miserably kept in pry­son certayne yeares withoute iuste cause / euery man despayred of hys deliueraunce at any tyme. But whan all thinges semed to be paste remedy / and the matter brought to vtter desperacion / concerninge his com­mynge out: God setteth too hande / & dothe not onely deliuer Ioseph out of prysonne / Gene. 41 but he also bringeth hym to suche honoure and dignitie / that he is made chiefe ruler o­uer all the lande of Egipte nexte vnto the Kynge. O the singular good will of the Lord our God towarde his faithfull and louing seruauntes.

What shall I speake of that moste noble 4. Re. 18. and faythful kyng Ezechias / which beynge in moste greuous daunger / bothe he & hys contries / thorow the tyranny of Sennache­rib that moste proude kyng of the Assyriās / which was at hande to destroy both hym & hys realme / & not perceauing how he & hys people with al their witte / pollecy & strēght were able to enter battel with so mighty an enemy / vtterly despairing of his own might & power / lamēted his cause vnto the Lorde his God which so petied the sorowful estate of kyng Ezechias & of his people / that euen the same night he sent his aūgel / which slew 4. Re. 19. [Page] in the hooste of the Assyriās an. c. lxxx. and fyue thousand / so that Sennacherib with the rest of his hooste fled / which shortly af­ter / as he was worshipping his fals God / was slayne of his owne sonnes in the idola­trous tēple. O the pricelike puissaūce of the Lord our God / in defending hys faithefull people. Notable is the historie cōtayned in the boke of Hester / concerninge the Iewes / which were the people of God / where we Hest. [...]. rede that wicked Amā / beyng hyest in autho rite with kyng Ahasuerus / for displeasure that he bare vnto Mardocheus the Iewe / because he wold not bowe the knee vnto hī / & reuerēce him / procured of the kynge a cō ­maūdement to be directed vnto all his offi­cers & magistrates / that all the Iewes / that were within the kynges dominions / should be destroyed. And as for Mardocheus / Amā had prepared for him a new payre of galo­wes of. l. eubites hye / purposinge to hange hym the next days folowing. Here was nothing at hāde / nor to be loked for / but pre­sent death and destruccion. All was lyke to go to hauocke / all thynges were brought to such an extremitie. The commission is written and sealed with the Kynges owne rynge. Postes are sente wyth it into all the kynges landes / the daye is appoyn­ted / that all Iewes / both yonge and olde­chyldren [Page] and women should be destroyed in one daye. What is here too be sene / but pre­sent death? The Iewes are not an handfull in comparison of their enemies / so that vt­ter destruccion lygheth bent out for them / & no way there is to escape it / so farre as rea son can iudge. But now behold Gods wor­kinge / and here shall ye fynde that thynge true / whiche Salomon hath: The kynges Pro. 21. hart is in the hande of the Lord / lyke as are the ryuers of water / he may turne it / why­ther so euer he will. Aman / whiche before Hest. 7. was so muche set by of the kynge / is nowe sodenly so farre fallen from the kynges fa­uoure / Bevvare ye papistes. that he is commaunded to be hāged vpon those same gallowes / that he had set vp for good Mardocheus / so that Mardo­cheus was made ruler of all that Amā had / & was exalted vnto hye dignitie / that that maye be founde true / whiche we rede in the Psalme: I sayde vnto the fooles / deale not Psal. 75. so madly / & to the vngodly / set not vp your borne. Set not vp your horne on hye / and speake not with a styffe necke. For promo­cion cōmeth neither from the East nor frō the West / nor yet frome the Southe. And why? God is the Iudge / he putteth doune Psal. 37. one / and setteth vp another. Agayne / the vn­godly seeth the righteous / and seketh occasiō to slea hym. But the Lorde will not leaue [Page] hym in his hande / nor condemne him / whā he is iudged. Immediatly / after also was a contrary commaūdement sent out by the Hest. 8. 9 postes with all haste frō the king / streightly charging all the inhabitantes of the kinges Maie not God thus vvorbe in the O [...]enes hart, for his faithful ser­uauntes in time to co­me. dominions by no meanes to trouble or too vexe the Iewes / but to take them as moste dere / faithfull and louinge subiectes of the Kinge / and if anye wolde withstande the Kinges commaundement in this behalfe / that the Iewes shoulde gather them selfes together / and slea their enemies / and take awaye their goodes. Thus sodenly was so­row turned into ioye / heauines into myrth sadnes into gladnes / slauery into honoure / darkenes into lighte / and deathe into lyfe. O the vnspeakable power of the Lord oure God.

To whome is the historie of the. iij. iong Dan. 3. men vnknowen / which / because they wold not worship the goldē Image at the kinges commaundement were cruelly caste into an whote brēning ouen? Who wolde not haue iudged their lyfe vtterly loste? But God / which helpeth in moste extremities / so pro­uided / that the fyre did hurte them nothing at all / no / not so muche as an hay [...]e of their head perished with the fiire / nor no parte of their garmentes. Whole & sounde came thei out of the brenninge fornace / vnto the [Page] great glory of God. O the fatherly care of the Lorde our God / for all such as cleue to hys holy and blessed worde.

The history of casting the prophet Daniel Dan. 6. into the denne of Lyons / because contrary to the Kynges commaundement / he prayde vnto the Lorde hys God / is not vnknowen to them that rede the holy scriptures. Who durst haue promysed Daniel any lyfe / bei [...] thus caste doune vnto the hungrye & cruell Lyons? yet God was present with hym / & stopped the Lyons mouthes / that they dyd not once hurte hym. O the louing kyndnes of the Lorde oure God towarde all theym that call on hys holy name / and putte theyr truste in hym.

I passe ouer the histories of the cytiesins of Bethulia / of Iob / of Thoby / of Susan / and of diuers other contayned in the olde testament / which in al their necessities and troubles / callīg on the name of god / proued hys presente helpe / whyche by no meanes wolde suffer them to perish. All these thin­ges Rom. 14 are written for our learnyng / that tho­row pacience and comfort of the scriptures we should haue hope.

TAke one or twoo examples out of the new Testament / for the confirmatiō of our faythe in this behalfe / that we [Page] maye learn God to be one / and the same lo­uing Mala. 3. father in all ages / & neuer more doubt of his fatherly goodnes towarde vs / but cō ceaue an assured hope and perfect truste off hys present helpe / euen in the depest of our aduersities / as he sayeth: Though I walke thorow the valley of the shadow of deathe / I wyll feare no euell / for thou arte wyth Psal. 23. me.

Whan Christ and hys disciples were in the shipp [...] / Christe at a certayn tyme slept. In the meane whyle their arose a greate Math. 8. tempeste in the sea / in so muche that the shyppe was couered wyth the waues. The disciples perceauynge them selfes too be in greate daunger and peryll of drownynge / and not knowynge what to do / nor how to escape / came vnto Chryste / awoke hym and sayde: Master / saue vs / we peryshe. Christe aunswered: Why are ye afrayde / O ye of littell faythe? Then he arose and rebuked the wyndes and the sea / & there folowed a great calme. O the tender mercye of the Lorde oure God / towarde all suche as in the time of theyr trouble fie vnto his name as vnto a stronge bulwarke. Thys historye teacheth vs / that thoughe the seas and the wyndes / yea / though the deuel & the worlde ryse / rore / rage & ruffle against vs neuer so much / yet if we fie vnto God with harty & [Page] faythfull praier / he wil surely helpe vs / so that nothinge shal hurte vs / seme oure case neuer so miserable / & our daunger neuer so perillous. The waues of the sea are migh­tye / sayeth the Psalmographe / & rage horri Psalm. 93 bly / yet the Lorde that dwelleth on hye / i [...] mightier.

The lyke historye rede we of Peter / whiche whan he saw Christe walkinge on Math. 14 the sea / sayde: Lorde / bid me come vnto the on the water. Christ sayde / come. And wh [...] Peter was come doune out of the shippe / he walked on the water to go to Iesus. But whan he sawe a mighty wynde / he was a­fraide. And whan he beganne to syncke / he cryed / sayeng: Lord saue me. And immediat lye / Iesus stretching forth his hāde / caught hym and sayde vnto hym / O thou of litle fayth / wherefore dedist thou doubte? O the merciful fauour of the Lorde oure God to­warde his weake & feble creatures. Here fynde we the sayeng of the Prophete true / A broosed rede / shall he not breake / & smo­king Esay. 42. flaxe shal he not quenche.

But as I maye at the laste come too the history of our Sauiour Christ / Who seeth not [...]he mightie power of God / in raisinge vp Christe crucifyde & dead / whan all rea­son and wisedom of men thought it a thing Mat. 27. impossible? The Iewes now promised thē [Page] selfs many fayre holy daies / great safegard muche quietnes and continuall rest / seynge they had brought Christ their head enemye to his long home / as they vse to say. Euen as oure Papistes at this present daye pro­mise them self many good morowes / greate Papistes. assuraunce of their wealthy liuinges / long rest / perfect establishement of their kynge­dome and sure saffetie for euer / forasmuche as they haue now gottē agayn their deue­lishe and abhominable Masse / their vnfru­teful Latin seruice / their beggarly ceremo­nies / &c. & haue so handled the matter / that the true preachers / beyng put to silence thei alone / both at Paules crosse and els / where are the trompet blowers not of Christes Gospell / but of that Romishe Antichr [...]es dyrtie / deuelish decrees / as their sermons / if thei be worthy that name / now of late haue manifestly declared vnto the great deroga­tion of Gods glorie / the dishonoure of hys holy Gospell / and the vnspekeable sorowe of all faithful and Christe hartes. The Ie­wes / but specially the Bishops & the Prie­stes / Mat. 26. 27. the Scribes & the Lawers / the Phari seis & the Saduceis founde the meanes to laye hande on Christ / to bynde him / to cary him vnto the hye powers / to accuse hym / to condemne him / to crucifie him & to kyll Note. him. Yea / beynge buried and a greate stone [Page] rolled to the bodre of the sepulche / they sea­led the stone / and sette watch men with byl­les / halbardes / gleyues / s [...]aues / speares / py [...] kes & all manner of weapon to kepe Christ doune / that he shoulde ryse nomore / and trouble the holy religious and spirituall fathers with hys doctrine / as he dyd afore. But what is the power of this worlde be­fore God? very weakenes / and the wyse­dome 1. Cor. 3. playne folishenes. For whan they thought them selfes sure ynough of Christ for euer rysing agayne / and them selfes set in suche a goodly staye / as no misfortuyne coulde chaunce to them and to their kynge­dome / Christe by the power of hys God­head / Math. 28 rose agayne a tryumphante and vic­torious conquerour of all his enemies / and raygneth nowe in the glorye of hys father for euer and euer. And shortlye after / the doctrine of Chryste / whyche they soughte by all meanes possible too destroye / and for the whyche they so hated Christe / that they thoughte hym vnworthye too lyue / dyd so aryse / spryng / growe / encreace / prosper and floryshe / that it was not onelye taughte in Iewrye and Samaria / but also in all the partes of the worlde / and the Iewes for theyr vnthankefulnes and disobediēce after certayne yeares / with theyr countrye vt­terly [Page] peryshed and came to noughte. After Bevvare ye papistes. thys sorte / without all doubte shall it come to passe with oure papistes. For where as they thynke prosperously longe too raygne by suppressynge the worde of God / and hol dynge doune / yea / quenchyng the glorious light of Christes Gospell / the Gospell off Rom. 1 Christe / whiche is the power of God / shall moste triumphantly ryse agayne maugre the enemies / florysh and prosper / and they with all theyr pompe / pryde / vanitie / super sticion / papistrye / hypocrisye / Idolatrye / ce­remonies / masses / decrees / constitucions / counsayles / customes / &c. shall perishe and come to nought. For God hymself sayeth / I will honour them / that honour me / and I wyll brynge them to shame / that do disho­noure 1. Reg. 2. me.

And oure Sauioure Christe sayeth: He that falleth vppon thys stone / shall be bro­ken Math. 21. on peces / but vppon whomesoeuer it fall / it shall crushe hym all to pouder. Here to pertayneth the sayenge of sainct Paule / 2. Tim. 3. They resiste the trueth / beynge men of a cor­rupte iudgement and lewde / as concerning the fayth / but they shall preuayle no lenger. For their madnes shall be knowen too all men. Agayne / the God of peace shal treade Rom. 16. sathan vnder your fete [...]hortly.

[Page] MOreouer / in the Actes of the Ap [...] ­stles Acto. 12. we rede / that after king Herode had kylled Iames / the brother off Ihon with the swearde / he layde hande on Peter / and put him in pryson / committing him to foure quaternions of souldiours to be kept / & entendinge after Easter to bringe him forth to the people / and so to kyll him. But prayer was made without ceasing of the congregacion to God for him. Here Peter was apprehended / caste into pryson / bounde with chaynes / warders appointed to kepe him / & all thinges so handled / that he should by no meanes escape / but all ty­mes be redy at the firste call to be broughte forth vnto death. Peter loked continually for present deathe. Herode and the Iewes perswaded them selfs to be sure of Peter to kyll him at their pleasur / as though thei had slaine him all redy. But beholde the mightye power of God / whiche fyndeth a meanes to deliuer his seruaūtes / whan rea­son seeth no way to escape. The night be­fore that Peter should be brought forth to death / there was a very diligente watche / because they wolde be sure of him. Peter him self was bounde with twoo chaynes. Two souldiours also kepte him in the pry­son / one on the one side of him / and another on the other syde. Besydes this / there were [Page] kepers set before the dore to kepe the prysō. All thinges were as sure as might be. Pe­ter was paste all hope of deliueraunce. He committed the matter vnto God / & gaue him self to reste / loking the next daye after to haue bene slayne. And whyle Peter was Note vve [...] & despaire no [...]. a slepe / and had geuē ouer the matter / God wrought / and sent his aungell into pryson vnto Peter / which wonderfully broughte him out of pryson / and deliuered him from all daunger. Rede the chapter. O the al­mighty power of the Lord our God / in the deliueraunce of his seruauntes. If God de termineth too saue alyue / who is able too put to death? Here se we the sayeng of oure Math. 1 [...] Sauiour Christ to be true / that all the hay res of oure head are numbred / and that not [...]ne of them shall perishe without the good will of our heauenly father. Here is that verified / which is spokē by the Psalmogra Psal. 34. phe / the aungel of the Lord py [...]cheth his tēt rounde about them / that feare him / & deli­uereth them. Great are the troubles of the righteous / but the Lord deliuereth thē out of all. He kepeth all theyr bones / so that not one of them shal be brokē. The Lord deliue reth the soules of his seruaūtes / & all they that put their trust in him / shall not be for­saken. The tyrauntes of this worlde maye threaten / persecute / empryson / chayn / locke / Not [...]. [Page] beate / buffet / &c. But the lyfe of a Christen man can they not take awaye before the tyme commeth / that God hath appoynted. If the deuitles coulde not enter intoo the swyne / and so droune them / before Christ Math. 8. gaue them leaue / much les can the lymmes of the deuyll kyll any faythfull man / before God geueth them lycence. What coulde sathan do to Iob / before God gaue hym li­bertie to plague hym? and yet coulde he ex­ercyse Iob. 1. 2. hys cruelnes agaynste Iob / no fur­ther thā he was appoynted of God. Saul persecuted Dauid / purposynge cruelly too kyll hym / but Dauid escaped hys handes. That wicked quene Iesabell threatned and 1. Reg. 19 3. Reg. 19 sware too slea the prophete Helias / but the Lorde preserued hym / and she afterwarde was moste miserably slayne. The Godly woman Susanne / thorow false accusatiōs of the two wicked Iudges / was at the point Dan. 13. to be stoned vnto death / but God wonder­fully deliuered her from the handes of her enemies. Esau burned with an immortall hatred agaynste hys brother Iacob / because Gen. 33. of the blessynge / wherewyth hys father had blessed hym / and purposed fully to kyll hys brother. But Iacob prayed to the Lord / and so mollifyed Esaus harte / in so muche that when Iacob thought / that both he and hys shoulde haue bene slayne / hys brother [Page] Esau came gentilly vnto hym / louingelye embrased hym / kyssed hym frendly / and for very ioye wepte: so myghty is God to mol­lefye tyrauntes hartes / whan it pleaseth hym / and to make them gracious and fa­uorable too hys seruauntes. Howe ofte rede we in the historye of the Gospell / that the Iewes wente aboute too kyll Christe / and yet layde they no hande on hym. The Euangeliste sheweth the cause / sayenge: For Ioan. 7. hys houre was not yet come. But whan the tyme came that God hadde appoyn­ted from euerlastynge / than preuayled the wycked agaynste the manhoode of Christe / layde hande on hym / bounde hym / and fy­nally putte hym too death / as Christ sayde vnto them: Ye become out as vnto a thefe Luce. 22. wyth sweardes and staues. Whan I was bayly with you in the Temple / ye stretched forthe no hande agaynste me. But thys is euen youre houre / and the power of dar­kenesse. Certayne of the Phariseis sayde vnto Christe / Get the out of the waye / and Luc. 13. depart hēce. For Herode wil kil the. Crist aū swēred / Go tel the foxe / behold / I cast out deuels / & heal the people to dai & to morow & the. iij. day I make an ende. For it can not be / that the Prophet perish any other wher then at Ierusalē. Here se we both the tyme & the place apoīted / where Crist shuld dye. [Page] Euen so goeth it with the faithful. Where No [...]. & whā God appointeth / the membres off Christ likewise shall dye. For it lygheth in no tyrauntes power to take awaye the lyfe of the faythfull / tyll God appointeth bothe the tyme & place / as Christ sayde vnto Py­late / Thou couldest haue no power at all a­gainst Ioan. 19. me / excepte it were geuen the frome aboue. God alone hath the keyes of death & Apoc. 1 hell. Rede we not in the Actes of the Apo­stles / that certayn men / about the number of. xl. conspyred Paules death / and made a Acto. 23. vowe / that they wold neither eate nor drink tyll they had kylled Paule? Yet for all their solēne vowe they were deceaued. For God deliuered Paule out of their hādes. Could [...]sau hurt Iacob / the sea hynder the Israe lites / the whale destroye Ionas / the fyre cō ­sume Gene. 33. Exod. 14 Ionas. 2. Dan. 3. 6 act. 12. 28 the. iij. ionge men / the Lyons deuour Daniel / the falsse Iudges slea Susanna / Herode kyll Peter / the venomous adder destroye Paule at Milete? Nothinge les. God hath the deuell / the worlde / the fleshe and all thynges that are in hys power / and ruleth them all at hys pleasure. Loke how farre he suffer thē to go and to do / so farre go they and do they / and no further / seme they to rage neuer so muche / as Dauid wit­nesseth / the Lord hath geuen a commaunde Psal. 148. ment / and none shall go beyonde it. Fyre / [Page] hayle / snowe / yse / & vaporous stormy wyn­des accōplish hys worde. Agayne / thou hast Psal. 118. limited the waters theyr boundes / whyche they maye not passe. God gaue vs oure Note. lyfe / no man therefore can take it awaye withoute hys appoyntemente. We are Gods people / he therefore will defende vs from all euell. We are the workeman­shyppe of Gods handes / no man therefore shall destroye vs / (I speake of oure bodyes) withoute hys fatherly prouidence. We are shepe of Gods pasture / no wolfs ther­fore shall deuoure vs / but at hys appoynte­tement. The Aungels of God haue chardge Psal. 34 ouer vs / they pytche their tentes rounde a­boute vs / and watche continually for the saffegarde and defence of vs / what thā can miserable man do agaynste vs / be he Em­peroure / Kynge / Pope / Bishop / or any o­ther tyraunte? If the deuell / the Lyons / the sea / the fyre / the wyndes / the serpentes / &c. can do no harme to the faythfull with­out bothe the sufferaunce and determina­tion of God / let vs not feare the worldlye tyraūtes / although neuer so mighty / fearce and cruel / whyche are nothyng els but vyle fleshe / earth / asthes / duste and dong / whose tyranny is lyke too a staffe of rede / whose imaginacions / counsayles and deuyses are vayne / folyshe and of none effect / whan the [Page] Lorde God take the parte agaynste them / & whose glorie was the floure of the felde. For they shall do no more against the ellecte and chosen people of God / than God both suffereth and appoynteth. Whan Pylate sitting in iudgement / sayde to our sauiour Christ / knoweth thou not / that I haue po­wer Ioan. 19 to crucifye the / and haue power to de­liuer the? Christ aunswered / thou couldest haue no power at all agaynst me / excepte it were geuen the from aboue. Euen so maye we saye of the worldly tyrauntes: Thei shal haue no power at all against vs / except it be geuen them from aboue. And the holy apo­stles in their prayer vnto God / sayde / that whatsoeuer Herode and Pontius Pilate / with the Gentiles and people of Israel did Act. 4. against Christe / they did nothinge / but that the hande and the counsayl of God had de­termined before to be done. No more shall the tyrauntes of this worlde do any thynge agaynste vs / but that / whiche God before hath determined to be done frō euerlasting. Of this historie of Peter therfore may we learn two notable thinges. Fyrst that God than moste chiefly helpeth / whan thinges be brought to greatest extremities. Secōdly that the tyrauntes of this worlde can not take away a Christen mans lyfe / nor yet do any more agaynste hym / than the good wil / [Page] pleasure / determinaciō & appointement off God is / in whose hande alone / as the wyse Eccle. 11 man sayeth / is bothe prosperite & aduersite / lyfe & death.

SEyng / whan that we are taughte by so many credible histories that God dothe at all tymes helpe / but chiefly whā thin­ges be broughte vnto an extremitie / agayne that no man can take away the lyfe of any faythfull man / tyll God apoynteth: let vs not doubte / but that God will bothe heare oure prayers / and helpe vs also / and deliuer vs / althoughe for a season he semeth to dif­ferre hys helpe / and to leaue vs in the bry­ers. He is the father of mercye / and God 2. Cor. 1. Esa. 39 of all consolacion. Hys hāde is not so shor­tened / but that he is able too helpe / neither is hys eare so stopped / but that he both can and will heare vs. God is faytheful / saieth 1. Cor. 10 the Apostle / whiche will not suffer you too be tempted aboue your strengthe / but shall in the middes of the temptacion / make a waye / that ye maye be able to beare it. Let vs not therefore despayre / though presente helpe commeth not from God at the fyrste callynge / but rather go for the to praye vnto God / after the example of the Cananite / and not to be weary / tyll we haue obtay­obtayned Math. 15. [Page] our request of the Lord our God / folowyng the counsayll of the Psalmogra­phe / whych sayeth: O tarrye thou the Lor­des leasure / be strong / take a good hart vnto Psal. 31. the / and paciently abyde the pleasure of the Lorde. In silence and hope / sayeth the Pro­phet Esaye / shall be youre strengthe. Here to pertayneth the sayeng of Ieremy / It is Esa. 30. Lamē. 3. good wyth silence too abyde the sauynge health of the Lorde. If we on this manner behaue our selfs toward the Lord our god / we shal without fayle shortely beholde the wonderfull workes of God. We shal se the doune falle of oure enemies with all theyr tyranny / papistrie / Idolatrie / supersticion / ceremonies / masses / decrees / counsaylles / customes / &c. We shall se the glorious Gos­pel of our Sauiour Christ spring agayne / growe / encreace / prosper / florish and tryum phe. We shall se God truly honored / not after the fonde fantasye of men / but accor­dinge to hys blessed will and commaunde­ment. We shall se Antichrist / that sonne of 2 Thes. 2 perdiciō slayne wyth the breath of the Lordes mouth / and sathan tro­den vnder oure fete. God graunte it maye be shortely.

Amen.