SO ofte as I call to remēbraūce (which for the most part I do eueri hour) this commaundemente of our Lord and maister. Occu­py your selues til I come, wher­bi we are admonished diligently Luke, xix. to emploie our talēt committed vnto vs euery one accordyng to oure vocation in the auaunce­mente of Gods glory, and in the edification of oure christian bre­thren, whose health and saluati­on, not onelye wyth the losse of our temporal possessiōs, but euē of our life also, if nede so require we are bounde vnder payne of damnation to seeke, leynge that [Page] God as the wyse man testifieth, [...]. xvii. hath geuen to euery man charg ouer hys neighboure, agayne se­ynge that accordyng to the doc­trine of blessed Iohn, as Christe gaue hys lyfe for vs, so lykewise i. Epistle. iii. are we bounde to bestowe oure lyfe to wynne oure Brethren to Christe, forasmuch as we all are membres of one bodye, & are cō ­maunded Romayn. [...]ii. i. Cor [...]in. [...]ii. i. Timoth. i, i. Iohn. iii. Leu [...]. [...]. Mathe. [...]ii. Romayn. [...]iii. without dissimulation to loue our neyghboure as oure selfe, and to seke his commoditie profit, & furderaunce in al God­lines, no lesse then oure owne, I can none otherwise then reproue and accuse myne own sluggish­nes, whyche almooste these fyue yeres past haue omitted my bu­tye towarde my neyghboures, not goynge forth as I began in my Christemas bankette, in my Potation, in my Nolegaye, and in my Neweyers gyfte to exhort [Page] thē to godlines, & to encourage thē valeauntly to go forth in the same, & to perseuer vnto the end, but traneing my life in other ex­ercises, I trust not altogither vngodlye, nor vnprofitable to the christen publique weale, I haue neglected the neighbourly office which I ought to haue practised toward thē. Yea I feare lest tho­row the neglectyng of my dutye toward my neighbours, I haue not shewed my selfe an obedient seruaūt in al pointes cōcernyng the diligēte accōplishmēte of my Lord & maisters precept, whych straightly chargeth me not only to occupye my selfe priuately in vertuous studies & godli exerci­ses, but also opēly, that his holy & glorious cōgregatiō mai be e­dified & brought to y ^e true & per­fect knowledge of his most god­ly wil. Certes the omissiō & lea­uing of this my duty toward my [Page] neyghbours doth not a little disquiet me, seing y ^e so long tyme I haue had no familiar talke with thē of Godly matters, no nor yet once sene them sence I gaue thē a newe yeres gyfte, beynge vn­willynglye thorowe the furious and Nerolike cruelty of certaine persons (whose tyrāny sens that tyme God hath not left vnpuni­shed) dreuē awaye from them to the greate and continual distur­baunce of my minde for lacking the company of so louing neighbours, and swete frendes.

But I haue sent my seruauntes for them, that I may talke wyth thē after myne olde sorte, renewe our acquayntaunce, and be me­rye togythere. For it is a swete thynge when fryndes mete, and mery when olde acquayntaunce flocke togitherward. I maruail that they tarye so longe. I feare [Page] leste my seruaunte doeth not his message expeditelye, or els that they haue some greate lettynge. For I am well assertayned, that if they once haue knoweledge of my returne into the contrye, no worldly affaires can withdrawe them longe from my companye.

But beholde, where they come flockyng togyther. Oh pleasaūt and confortable syghte. Teares distyll out of myne eyes for very ioye, yet can I not withhold my selfe from them, but must nedes wyth m [...]ting armes embrace thē louingly salute them, and swete­ly kisse thē. O most deare neigh­bours & christen brethrē, so herte­lye welcome as herte can thinke. Blessed be God, which hath pre­serued vs alyue vnto thys daye, that we maye yet once agayne se one an othere, talke one wyth an other, & frely reioyce in the Lord [Page] our God. Come, come vnto me. Let me embrace you, kisse you, & once againe did you hertely wel­come.

O moste true herted frende and vnfained brother, we praise God for your salfe return into the countrye.

This day moste swete neighbour hath replenished vs al w ^t ioye vnspe­keable, forasmuch as it hath offe red you againe to our syght.

O deare brother Philemon your reparing into this coūtrie, your sight, your company, your ta [...]ke hath euē nowe sodainly so reuiued vs, that we seme to haue put on a certain kind of immor­talitie. And as for all other hys benifites, so likewyse for this 'do we render to the immortal God moste hertye thankes, and wyth o [...] voyce we all byd you moste hertely welcome home.

I know dere neyghbours [Page] your vnfayned loue and readye bent goodwyl towarde me. And you do not more reioice at mi re­turne, then I am entierly glade that I haue founde you all in good health.

But I praye you tell vs of good felowshippe brother Phile­mon in what parties of y ^e world haue ye traueyled so long tyme? For neither by letters nor yet by reporte of anye credible persons sence your departure coulde we learne where you trayned youre lyfe.

Wee feared leaste in so perel­louse tyme ye hadde bene swa­lowed vp of the greadye cormo­rantes, and insasiable Locustes, whyche are neuer satisfied nor fylled wyth the sheadynge of in­nocente bloude. Neyther was the libertye of your speache, nor the swyftenesse of youre penne [Page] vnknowē to vs, which y ^e swarme of Antechristes secte, sence you fyrste of all traueiled in the Lor­des haruest, coulde neuer abyde, but extrēly persecute, blaspheme and cōdemne.

What gentilnes I found for my God­ly trauailes at the hāds of some menne in these parties, ye know ryght well. Therfore when ney­ther by speaking, nor by writing I coulde do good, I thoughte it best not rashly to throwe my self into the raueneynge pawes of these greadye wolues, but for a certaine space to absent my selfe from theyr tyrannye accordynge Mathew, [...]. to the doctrine of the Gospell.

For as there is a time to speake, so is ther a time to kepe scilence Ecclesi. i [...], When the poore are oppressed and troden vnder the fote, then shal the wyse man, sayth the pro­phete, [...], [...]. holde hys peace, for the [Page] time is euyl. And we haue a ma­nifeste commaundement of oure sauiour Christe, that we shoulde Mathew, vii. not geue that whych is holy vn­to dogs, nor caste pearles before swyne, leste they treade them vn der theyr feete, and they turne a­gaine and al to rent vs. For ther be some kynde of men so greatly infected w ^t the nature of Suf­fenus, and accombred wyth the properties of Menius, two fo­leish & vayne gloriouse Poetes, that they thynke nothynge well spoken, nothynge truly wrytten, excepte they theym selues be the authours & doers thereof, they are those same very hypocrites, Mathew. vii. whych find fault at a little mote in an other mannes eie, but they cā not perceiue a great [...]eame in theyr own eyes. They are those same Pharises, which sparre vp Mathe. xxiii. the kingedome of heauen before [Page] mē. They are those same sawiers Luke, xi. which take awai the key of know ledge, thet thē selues enter not in, nether suffer they other y ^t wolde to enter in. They are those same Babilonical backslideds, & [...]yng childrē, which wyll not heare the lawe of the Lorde, but daily cry, Esai. xxx. Loquimini nobis placentia Tel vs pleasaunt things, prouide vs of errours, care not for the ryghte way, but away w ^t the holi one of Israell from oure face, they are those same faulse christians, of [...]. [...]. iii. whom sainte Paule prophecied, which shoulde be louers of them selues, couetuouse, hye minded, proude, euyll speakers, disobedi­ent to their elders, vnthankeful vngodlye, vnkind, false of theyr promise, false accusers, riatours fearce, despisers of them that are good, traitours, heady, standing in their own conceite, louers ra­ther of pleasures, then louers of [Page] God, hauynge an outwarde ap­peraunce of godlines, but deuy­inge the power thereof. Lyke as Iannes & Iambres wythstode Moyses, euē so do they also re­sist the trueth. Men are they of corrupt mindes and leude as cō cerning the faieth, but they shall preuaile no lenger. For theyr fo­leishnes shall be manifeste vnto all men, as theyrs was. Where thynges be so ordered, that the truth can beare no place, nor the professours therof be thākfully receyued, but rather blasphemed persecuted, enprysoned, and vn­gentillye handeled: what should men do, but shake of the dust of theyr fete, for a wytnes agaynst thé at y ^e dai of iudgmēt & depart into some other place wher they may do good, as Christ & y ^e Apostles Mathew. [...]. Mathew, [...]. Iohn. [...]iii. vii Act. xiii. did, & quietli to abide y ^e pleasure of god, as the prophet saith.

[Page] It is good to loke for y ^e sauing Chr [...]n. [...]. health of the Lorde with scilence After thys sorte dyd I appoynte my selfe, and leauyng mine own natyue contrye, I traueiled into suche straunge places, as were vnknowen to me, and I to them And yet I thanke the Lorde my God, whyche neuer leaueth hys seruauntes succourlesse, I al­though an vnprofitable seruaūt in that exile and banishmēt wā ­ted no good thynge. Let the vo­luptuouse worldelynges take though for the beal [...], and be care­full for thys present lyfe. I haue learned in that my iorney to cast my care vpon the Lord my God whyche aboundauntlye feadeth so many as trust in him, and de­pēd on his liberalitie and good­nes. For one house, I founde. xx. and for one frende, an hundrede. Psal. [...]xxiii. [...] x [...]. [...]. [...] Mathew. vi. I coulde wysh nothynge for the [Page] prouision of thys my lyfe, but I Luke. [...]. [...]. Peter. [...]. had it plentuously, God so afore seynge for me hys vnprofitable and wretched seruaunt.

The promise of God is e­uen so. Euery one, saieth he, that forsaketh house, or brethrene, or sisterne, or father, or mother, or Mathew. [...]. Luke. xviii wyfe or chyldren for my names sake, and for the kyngedome of God, that is to saye, for the loue that he beareth toward the Go­spell of Christe, he shall receyue an hūdred folde as much in this presente tyme, and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlastinge,

Trueth it is, but you haue not yet declared to vs, in what contryes ye haue beene here in Englande sence your departing from hence.

After I departed from you and had takē my leaue of my moste swete mo­ther, & of m [...] other deare frendes, [Page] I traueyled into Darbyshere & D [...]bishere from thense into the Peke, whi­ther I appointed my bokes and The [...]. my clothes to be brought.

Into the Peke? Lord God what made you ther?

Mine en­tent was by exercising the office of a schole maister to engrafte Christe and the knoweledge of hym, in the breastes of those scholers, whome God shoulde appointe vnto me, for to be taught.

I thinke you found there very peakeish people.

Not so, I cōfesse to you, that I foūd ther very good wittes & apt vn­to learnyng.

But how fauour they chri­sten religiō in those parties?

I will tell you. Com­ming into a little village called Alsoppe in y ^e dale, I chaūsed v­pon Maister A [...] ­soppe. a certaine gentilmanne cal­led [Page] Alsoppe, Lord of that vilage a mā not onely aunciēt in yeres, but also rype in the knoweledge of Christes doctrine.

By what meanes had ye knowledg of hys Godly disposition?

After we had saluted one an o­ther and take a sufficient repast for that presente, he shewed me certayne bokes whiche he called hys Iewels and principall trea­sures.

I praye you what bokes were they?

To re­hearse thē al by name, I am not able, but of this am I sure that amonge all other there was the newe Testamente after the translation of the Godly learned mā Myles couerdale, whyche sea­med to be as well worne by the diligente readynge thereof, as euer was anye portas or masse boke amonge the papistes.

A rare thynge and almoste a miracle to fynde an olde man namelye in those parties, where Christe I thynke as yet was ne­uer trulye preached, to be so well affected towarde the readyng of the sacred scriptures.

Yea and a gentylman also, For gen­tylmen now adaies for the most Gentilmen. parte delite so much in readinge the worde of God, as a true chri­stian doeth in readynge the Po­pes decretals, they are all togy­ther so addict to the vaine plea­surs of this world.

Many thinke it to be an vnsemly thing for a man of nobilitie to be studiouse of holy letters, haukes, and dogs dise and cardes (as I may speake nothynge of theyr seruise to lady Uenus) is theyr pastime and delectation. If they reade a­ny thynge, it is some vaine trifle of loue, or when they be beste oc­cupied [Page] an history or cronicle.

I graunt many gētilmen litle answer their vocatiō, nether are they studious of gods word as they ought, notwythstādinge (praysed be God for it) I know many both mē & womē of nobili­tie which greatli delite in readīg the holy scriptures, & do not one­ly loue, but also lyue the Gospel

I praye God encrease the numbre dayly. For then shall it go well wyth christian religion, when noble men shalbe learned in those bokes, whiche are foun­taynes and head sprynges of all true, perfecte, and christian reli­giō. Notable is y ^e sētence of Pla­to which affirmeth that the pub­lique weale is mooste fortunate & greatly auaūced, if such as be the gouernours therof be either wyse or studiouse of wysedome. Deuter. x vi Iosue. i. Therfore doeth the scripture in [Page] so many places exhort the ciuile Psal. ii [...]en. i. vi magistrates to be learned in the lawe of god. But I pray you tel vs, had the gētilman none other bokes but only y ^e new testamēt?

Yes verily. I remēbre ryght wel, y ^t he had many other godlye bokes, as y ^e obediēce of a christē mā, the parable of y ^e wicked Mā mō, y ^e reuelatiō of Antichrist, the sum of holiscripture, the boke of Iohn Frith against purgatory, al y ^e boks published in the name of Theodore Basil, w ^t diuers o­ther learned mens worckes, In these godly treatises, this aūciēt gētilmā amōge the moūtains & rocks occupied him self both di­ligētly and vertuouslye.

I would not lightly haue beleued that such a mā coulde haue bene foūde in so barbarouse and rude a coūtry, nor y ^t so fruitful works had bene placed in so vnlearned [Page] a regiō.

Neyther wold the prophete Helias haue beleued y ^t ther had bene any godly mē left aliue besides him self, whē kyng Achab & his wicked wife Iesa­bel had cruelly murthered suche great numbre of y ^e Lordes Pro­phets & seruaūtes, til god made him answer & said. I haue yet re serued to me. vii. M. mē, whiche haue not bowed their knees be­fore iii. [...]g xix. Romayns. xi Ba [...]l. Whē the Papistes & Antichristes thynke their kyng­dome moste strongest and most Marke ye paistes. lyke to continue, then is it most nighe vnto downe fall, so worc­keth God for the auauncemente of hys glorye, and for the profite of hys poore afflicte congregati on. When the enemies of God burne good men, and consume theyr bokes vnto ashes, then are these martyrs the better credited their doctrine y ^e more regarded, [Page] & their bokes both y ^e more ware­ly kept & hold in y ^e greater reue­rēce.

I beleue it right wel. For ther be certain bokes whose remēbraūce hath fallē away lōg before this tyme frō the mindes of the people, if they had not fu­riously, and without cōsideratiō bene condēpned for heresy. But whē the people saw them condē ­ned & no cause whye, but plaine tyrannye. Sic volo, sic iubeo, stat pro ratione voluntas: It caused thē to haue the more respect vn­to the bokes, and when they had read them, perused them & com­pared them wyth the scriptures of God, perceauynge that in all poyntes they did agre with thē, it caused the readers to haue an euil opinion of the aduersaries, and to embrace and safelye kepe the bokes as holy reliques, and precious treasures. So y ^t where [Page] the Papistes soughte a final de­structiō to the bokes bi burning thē, contrary to theyr expectatiō they haue made them as it were immortal, & won to the authors of them a noble fame, & glorious renowme. Uery truly, is it saied of Solomō, ther is no wisdome Prouer. xxi no forecast, no councell that can preuaile against the Lord. Euse. Truth it is, but to returne vnto y ^e Peke, of what sort I pray you are the people cōcerninge christē religiō.

Whē I was ther, al theyr religion cōsisted in hea­ring mattens, & masses, in super Fayned religi­on sticious worshipping of Sayn­ctes, in hyeringe soule caryars to syng trentals, in pattering v­pon beades, and in suche other popeishe pedlary.

The history of the gentyl­man caused me not so muche to reioyce, as the hearynge of this [Page] maketh me sory. I wonder y ^t the cōmune people be [...]o ignoraūte.

Do ye wonder? What wonder is it? When suche as should lead them in the light of [...]noraunt priestes. Christes gospel, are the very self darcknes. The eye, y ^t is to saye, y ^e preacher of gods word is y ^e light Mathew. vi Luke. [...]. of the body, y ^t is, of the whole cō ­gregation of Christe. If y ^e eye be single, y ^t is to say, if the curate or preacher be godly learned, then shal al the body be ful of lighte, y ^t is the christē cōgregation shal haue the word of god dwel in thē plentuously, & trulye walke in y ^t light of Gods most blessed wyll, w ^tout haltinge on boeth partes. But if the eye be darkenes, y ^t is to say, if the preacher be vnlear­ned, how great thē shal the dark nes be, y ^t is, howe ignoraūte and blind shal the grosse & tude peo­ple be? Is not this the saying of Solomō. Whē the preaching of [Page] Gods worde faileth, the people Proue. xxi [...]. perish and come to nought. The priestes are the salte of the earth in dede, but if the salt be vnsaue­ry & haue loste his saltnes, what Mathew v can be salted ther w ^t? It is after­ward good for nothing but to be cast out & to be trodē vnder fote of mē.

I can not deny, but y ^t the priests in y ^t coūtrey are very baselylearned, & in a maner such as are pointed of y ^e prophet say­ing. Esa [...]. [...]. The curats are blind euery one of thē, thei are altogither w ^t oute knowledge, they are dombe dogs not able to barke. &c.

The priests for the most part v­niuersally thorowe y ^e realme, are suche as Ezechiel crieth oute on saiyng. Wo be to y ^e shepheards Ezechi. xxxiii. of Israel which fede thē selues. Should not the shepherds fede y ^e floke? Ye haue eatē vp y ^e milke Ye haue clothed you w ^t y ^e wolle, [Page] the best fedde haue ye slayne, but the stoke haue ye not nourished the weake haue ye not holdē vp, the sicke haue ye not healed, the brokè haue ye not bounde togy­ther, the outecastes haue ye not brought againe, the lost haue ye not sought vp, but churlishly, & cruelly haue ye ruled thē &c.

Wher suche vnlearned pastours beare rule, no maruell though papistrie be not exiled.

If the blind lead the blind, both Mathew [...] fall into the dytche.

The people wher I hauetraueiled for the most part are resonable and quiet inough, yea and veri cōfor mable to Gods truth. If any be stobournlye obstinate, it is for fault of knowledge, and bicause they haue bene seduced of blynd guids.

It should help ve­ry much vnto an vniformitie in religion, & vnto the saluation of [Page] christen mennes soules, if there were learned curates appointed in euery parish, if so many cā not be founde, thē to place in euerye coūtry certaine learned & godly preachers, which mai go frō pa­rishe to parishe, preaching to the people the good wyll, & pleasure of god. And let the other priestes be ministers vnder the superat­tēdentes or ouersears, & in their absēce read to the people y ^e saide scriptures, & the homiles, reue­rētly minister the sacramētes, vi sit the sicke people, make collec­cions for the poore, & vertuo us­lye brynge vp the youthe of the towne. If this were broughte to passe, what a flowrishing realme should we haue? How shold lear nig & vertue prosper? How pure­ly should we honour God? How faithfully should one of vs loue an other? What christiā workes [Page] should issue out of our dayly cō ­uersatiō & liuing.

I doubt not but y ^t the kinges maiestie w ^t his most honourable coūcel will veri gratioussi cōsider these thin ges, yea & that w ^t expedittō

But sit once again to the Peke. I pray you continued you there stil to this returne into the coun trey.

I wyl tel you. While I was in the Peke, I learned y ^t R. Wysdome was in Stafforde Robert wise­dome. shere, ye know the mā I am sure

We know him to be a god­li mā in his cōuersatiō, & a faith­ful preacher in his doctrine, and such one as hathe not bene alto­gither fre frō persecution for the maintenaūce of gods truth.

He was y ^e same to me, y ^t Aristar­chus Colossi. iiii. was to Paule. Desieringe greatly to se him, I bad mi frin­des in y ^e Peke fare well, & made hast towarde him. Whē I came [Page] to him, I did not onli reioice to se him in health, but also gaue god thākes y ^t he was so wel placed & prouided for. For I foūd hym in the house of a certaine faythfull brother called Iohn Olde, a mā Iohn Olde. olde in name, notwithstandinge yonge in yeres, & yet [...]unciēte in true Godlines & christen life. He was to us as Iasō wasto Paul & Silas. He receyued vs ioyful­ly [...]. [...]vii into his house, & liberallye for the Lordes sake, ministered all good thinges to our necessities. And as he begāne, so did he cōti­nue a right herty frend, & dearly louing brother so long as we re­mained in y ^e coūtrie. Euē as ble­ssed ii. Timo. i. Paule wished to Onesipho­rus, so wish I to him, and w ^t the same words pray for him, y ^e lord graūt to hym that he may fynde mercy w ^t the Lord in y ^e day. Af­ter y ^t we had passed ouer certain [Page] daies in the house of y ^t moste lo­uing brother, refreshing our sel­ues w ^t the cōforte of y ^e holy scriptures, after so many greuous tē ­pests, troublous stormes, & pain ful labours I know not of what frend our deare brother Robert wisdome was called awai bi let­ters, which was to vs boeth, no smal paine & griefe. Notwithstā ding we submitted our selues to the good plesure of God, w ^t this hope & conforte, y ^t his returne to his olde familiars should make greatly to y ^e auaūcemēt of gods glory, and to the quietnes of his christen studies, whereof might spring hereafter no smal cōmodi tie to the christē publique weale And so we wishinge one to an o­ther the assistēce of Gods spirite repentaunce of oure former life, strength of faith & perseueraūce in al godlines to our last end, de [Page] parted, yea & that not w ^t out tea­res.

Did he write nothing al y ^e time y ^t he was in those par­ties?

He was euer vertuous occupied, & suffered no houre to pas awai w ^t out good fruit. He is a mā in whō y ^e feare of god reig­neth vnfainedly. Besides his o­ther workes, of this I am sure y ^t The bokes of of Robert wis dome. he hath writtē veri godly & fruit ful expositiōs vpō certain Psal. of Dauid, of the whiche also he traūslated some into english me­ter very learnedly. He hath writ­tē also many godly & learned set mōs vpō the epistles & Gospels that are read in y ^e tēples on son­daies, part wherof I haue both sene & read. Moreouer he hathe traūslated the postill of Antoni­us Coruinus and diuers other learned mēs works. And, which I had almost forgotten, he hath made a confutation of those er­rours [Page] which were imputed & lat ed to his charge veri vniustly of his aduersaries, a boke farsed w ^t al kind of godli learning.

These his works are not prīted nor comunely published abrode.

Trueth it is, woulde God they were. They shoulde w ^toute doubt bring greate profit to the readers, & highly auaūce y ^e glo­ry of god.

But I pray you, what exercise did you practise in Stafford there after his depar­ture, Stafford [...]er

According to my talēte I brought vp youth in [...] know­ledge of good litterature & instil led into their brestes the elemēts & principles of Christes doctrine teaching thē to know their Lord & god, to beleue in him, to fear & loue him, & studiouslye to walke in his holy waies frō their very cradels euen to y ^e yeldinge vp of their last breath. I dout not, but [Page] that Christ was so depeli grauē in their hertes at y ^t tyme, y ^t he is not yet worne oute, neither as I trust shal be so lōg as they lyue.

Howe sauoured the people christ & his doctrine in those parties, whē you were ther?

Not altogither vnlike y ^E people of the Peke, but y ^t they were not in all points comunli so superstitious they sauoured somwhat more of pure religiō. This I thīke came to passe thorow certain englishe bokes y ^t were amōg them, & tho­rowe traueilers to & fro Lōdon. Priestes.

What of y ^e priests?

Ye shold axe, what of y ^e mouinge of the moūtains.

In dede whē I was ther, they were al masse­mōgers appliyng their portasse & masse boke very diligētly, but the holy Bible verie little.

Were they not as he writteth of Titus. men of Crete, euyll beastes, and slowe bealies?

It becometh me to dispraise no mā. For charitie couereth the multitude of sins. Notw ^tstāding. I would wish more learned pa­stours to be appoīted for to fede the flocke of Christ. For they are Prouerb. x. 1. Peter iiii. Malach. ii. 1. Peter. iii. not suche priestes, as whose lips kepe knowledge, neither can̄ their mouth vtter y ^e lawe of God, if a­ny mā sholde require it of them.

If I shold rehearse here to you, y ^e childish ignoraūce y ^t was foūd in priests at y ^e kinges maie­sties visitatiō, it wold make your hert to blede for to cōsider y ^t such blind curates should haue the o­uer sight & charg of Christes cō ­gregatiō.

Their blindenes is rather to be lamēted thē to be derided, notw ^tstāding this must I nedes say by the way, I wysh w ^t all my hert that the church of Christ mai be purged of such unprofitable cloddes of the earth, [Page] at the lest that they maye not oc­cupye the tome and enteye the li uyng of a preacher, they them sel ues being altogether vnlearned and more mete to be taught then to teach. He that shoulde be a cu­rate Tit. [...]. after S. Paules rule ought to be a mā able to teache the peo ple Gods word, yea & such a mā as should not onely be able to ex hort, but also to conuince & ouer­come al such as speake agaynste the trueth.

A great faut in Byshoppes. thys behalfe is to be imputed vnto the Byshoppes, which ad­mitted such vnlearned asses vn­to y ^e order of priesthod.

The patrons of the benefites are not altogether blameles for geuing [...] of benefices. the lyuinges to suche ignoraunt men, wether it be for affection or for rewardes, neyther shal theyr punishment, I feare, be smal at y ^e day of iudgmēt. For if whan the [Page] blind ledeth the blind, both faule into y ^e ditch, what shal we thā say of thē, which are the occasiō that Math. xv. the blind gide w ^t hys blynd floke faule into y ^e dich, y ^t is to saye, into euerlasting dānacion? Shal not the bloude of them that perishe be required at the Patrons han­des in the dredeful daye of iuge­mēt? If I put a swerde in a mad mans hand, which with the same Note. immeadiatli killeth a nother mā: am not I giltye of the bloude of hym that is slayne?

Let these thynges passe, for doubte ye not the kyngs highes with his most honorable counsel wil most gra­ciously prouide for the redresse of such abuses.

Dyd you tary I praie you cotinually in Staf­forde shere vntyl ye returned in­to youre countrey?

Naye forsoeth. After that I had con­sumed a yeare in that countrye [Page] and some what more in the ver­tuouse educacion and Godlye bringyng vp of youthe, I depar­ted into Warwyke shere, where in lyke maner as afore I frelye enioyed the liberallytie of my moste swete & deare frende Iohn Olde, whiche impelled by vor­gent causes departed into that countrye for to inhabite. There likewyse taught I diuers gentil mens sonnes, whiche I truste, if they lyue, shal be a beutie to the publique weale of Egland both for the preferment of true religi­on and for the maintenaunce of Iustice.

How fancied you that con­trye?

I trauailed boeth in Darbye shere, in the peke, in Stafford shere and in Lechester shere, yet Warwyke shere was to me moste dere and pleasaunt.

How so?

In Lecester [Page] shere (as I maye passe ouer the other) I had familiarite only w ^t one learned man a contriman of M. Iohn Ail [...]. oures called Iohn Aylmer, a maister of arte of the vniuersitie of cambrige, a yong man singu­larly well learned both in the la­tine & greke [...]onge, teacher to my Lord Marques Dorset his chil­dren, but Warwicke shere mini­stred vnto me theacqueyntaunce and frenshyppe of many learned mē.

What are their names I praye you? For nothynge de­liteth me more than to heare of learned men.

Friste com­meth to my remenbraunce a man worthey to be loued and reue­renced of all true herted christen menne not only for the puernes Mayster La­timer. of his lyfe, whiche hath alwayes before the world ben innocēt and blameles, but also for the sinceri­tie and godlynes of his Euange [Page] lyke doctrine, whyche synce the beginyng of hys preaching hath in al poyntes ben so cōformable to the teachynge of Christe and of his Apostles that the veri ad­uersaryes of Gods trueth wyth all their manachynge wordes and cruell emprisonmētes could not wyth drawe hym from it, but that so euer he hadde once prea­ched, he valeauntly defended the same before the worlde wythout feare of any mortall creature al­thoughe of neuer so great powre and highe authoritie, wishynge & minding rather to suffer not onli losse of worldely possessions, but also of lyfe, than the glorye of God and the trueth of Christes Gospel shoulde in any poynte be obscured or defaced thorow him. Hys lyfe was not dere vnto hym Act. xx. so that he might fulfil his course wyth ioye and the office that he [Page] receiued of the Lorde Iesu to te­stifie the Gospell of Goddes fa­uoure. He myghte wel saye wyth the holy Psalmographe, I spake O Lorde, of thy testimonies and Psal. C. xviii. ordinauntes in the presence of Kynges, Princes and Rulars, and I was not abashed.

I muche desyre to knowe hys name tell it vs I pray you.

Ye haue hearde I am sure of Maister Latimer sometyme By shoppe of Worcester?

Hys noble fame and vertuouse re­noume is more knowen not only in thys Realme of England but also in foren countries a monge boeth learned and vnlearned, than it can be hid. I for my parte haue knowen hym before. xx. ye­res in the vniuersite of Camb [...]ig to whom nexte vnto God I am specially bounde to gyue moste hertye thankes for the knowe­ledge, [Page] if any I haue, of God and of hys moste blessed worde.

How so?

I was sōetyme a pore scho­lar of Cambrige verye desirous to haue the knoweledge of good letters, and in the tyme of my be­ynge their, thys godly man prea­ched manye learned and christen sermons both in latyn & englishe tong, at the whiche al, I for most parte was present, and although at y ^e tyme I was but a chylde of xvi. yeres yet I noted hys doc­tryne so well as I coulde, partly reposynge it in my memorye, par lye commendynge it to letters as moste faythfull treasurers vn to memory.

I was presente whan wyth manifeste authorities of Godes word and argumentes inuicible besides the allegations of doc­toures he proued in hys Ser­mons, [Page] that the holye scriptures Byble in eng­l [...]she. ought to be read in the English tong of al christē people, whether they were priestes or laie men, as they be called, which thynge di­uers drowesy dunsers wyth cer­tayne fals fliynge flatering Fri­ers coulde not abyde, but openly in their vnsauery sermons resist­ed hys godlye purpose, euen as Alexander the copersmyth and Elymas the sorcerer with manye other resisteth blissed Paule and ii. Timo. iiii. hys Godly doctryne, not wyth­standynge Act. viii. he (yea rather God in hym, whose cause he handeled) gate the victorye, and it came to passe accordyng to his teaching. Neyther was I absente whan he inueighed agaynste temptle workes, good ententes, blynde z [...]ale, supersticious deuocion. &c. Wyl workes. as the payntynge of tabernacles gylddynge of Images, settynge [Page] vp of candles, ronnynge on pil­grimage & such other idle inuen­cions of men, whereby the glory of God was obscured and the workes of mercy the les regar­ded. I remember also howe he was wonte to rebuke the benefi­ced Beneficed men. men wyth the authoritie of Gods worde for neglectyng and not teaching their flocke and for beinge absente from their cures, they them selues beynge idle and mastinge them selues lyke hog­gs of Epicurus flocke, taking no thoughte thoughe theyr pore pa­rishners miserably pine a waye, sterue, perishe and dye for hun­ger. Neither haue I forgotten howe he at that time condemned [...]owes. folyshe vngodly and impossible vows to be fulfilled as the vowe of chastitie, wyshinge rather y ^t li­bertie of mariag might be graū ­ted to thē whiche haue so vowed [Page] by the highter powres, than so to continewe thorowe single lyfe in all kind of abhominable vnclea­nes. O howe vehemente was he in rebukynge all sinnes, namely Idolatrie, fals and idle swering couetousnes and whoredome? a­gayne howe swete and pleasaunt were hys wordes in exhortynge vnto vertue? He spake nothynge but it leafte as it were certayne prickes or stinges in the hertes of the hertes, which moued them to consent to hys doctrine. None excepte they were stifnecked and vncircomcised in herte, wente a waye from hys sermons, whiche were not ledde wyth a fayethful repentaunce of their former lyfe affected wyth hight detestaciō of synne, and moued vnto all God­lines and vertue. I dyd knowe certayn men, whych thorowe the persuasion of their frendes went [Page] vnto hys Sermons swellynge, blowne full and puffed vp lyke vnto Esoppes Frog, wyth enuye and malyce agaynste hym but whan thei returned, the Sermon beynge done, and demaunded howe they lyked hym and hys doctrine, they answered wyth the Byshoppes and Pharises ser­uauntes. Nun quam sic locutus Iohn. viii. est homo, sicut hic homo.

Ther was neuer mā that spake lyke vnto thys man, so sharppe He [...]rus. iiii. a two edged swerde is the worde of God (it entreth thorowe e­uen vnto the deuydynge of the soule and the spirite, and of the ioynctes and the mary) so wat­chethe God vpon hys worde, so causethe the father of hea­uen [...]. i. hys worde not to returne vnto hym voyde, but to do what so euer hys good pleasure [Page] is, and to take roote and bringe­forth Esai. iv. [...]t. xiiii. fruite in them that are a­fore ordeined vnto euerlastynge lyfe, in some an hondered fold, in some thre skore fold, in some thir t [...] folde. I leaue of to reporte his fre spech against biyng & selling Math. xiii. of benefices, agaynste the promo tynge of them vnto the lyuinges Benefices. of spirituall ministers which are Unlearned. vnlearned and ignoraunt in the lawe of God, agaynste popyshe Ministers. pardons, agaynste the reposinge oure hope in oure owne worckes Pardons. or in other mens merits, against faise religion &c. Neyther do I Maine hope. here reherse howe beneficiall he was accordynge to hys possibili­tie Almes dedes. to pore scholars and other ne­dye people, so conformable was his lyfe to hys doctrine, so wate­red he wyth good dedes, what so euer tofore he planted with god­ly wordes, so laboured he with al [Page] maine boeth in word and dede to wyne and allure other vnto the loue of christes doctrine and hys holy religion ther is a comō say­inge, which remayneth vnto this daye, When Maister Staforde read, and Mayster Latimer prea ched, than was Cambridge ble­ssed.

What was that Sta­fford?

A man whom the vn­thanful M. George Stafforde. world was vnworthy a­ny lenger to haue. As I maye passe ouer the gyftes of nature and suche goodly qualities, as winne vnto them that haue them the fauoure and commendacion of men, wherwith he was plentu ously endued, this I vnfayned­ly saye vnto you, he was a man of a verye perfecte lyfe, and if I maye so speake, of an Angellike conuersaciō, approuedly learned in the Hebrue, Greke and latine tonges, and suche one as hadde [Page] thorowe hys payneful laboures obtained singulare knoweledge in the misteries of gods most ble­ssed worde.

I doubte whether he was more bownde to blissed Paule for lea­uinge those Godly Epistles be­hynde hym to cusituet and teach the congregation of God, wher­of he was a dere member, or that Paulle, whyche before hadde so many yeres been foyled wyth the folyshe fantases and eluyshe ex­posicions of certayne dotynge doctours and as it were drow­ned in the dir [...]ye dregges of the drowsye dunsers, was rather bownde vnto hym, seynge that by hys industrye laboure, payne and diligence he semed of a dead man to make hym a liue agayne and puttynge a waye all vnsem­lines to set hym forth in hys na­tiue coloures, so that nowe he [Page] is boeth sene, reade and hearde not wythout greate and singu­lar pleasures of them that tra­uayle in the studies of hys moste godlye Epystles. And as he beu­tified the letters of blessed Paul wyth hys godlye exposicions, so lyke wyse dyd he learnedlye set­forth in hys lectures the natiue sense and true vnderstandynge of the fore Euaungelistes, viue­ly restoryng vnto vs the Apostls mynde & the mynd of those holye wryters, whyche so manye yea­res before hadde lien vnknowen and obscured thorowe the dark Math xxiiii. nes and mistes of the Pharises and Papistes.

He was a faythful and prudent seruaunte, geuinge meate to the Lordes howshoulde in due time He dyd caste awaye profane and olde wyues fables, and as the good seruaunte of Iesu Christe [Page] he exersised him self vnto godly­nes: ii Tmoth. iii, He was an ensample to the faythful in worde, in conuersaci­on, in loue, in spirite, in fayth, in puritie. He gaue hys mynde to readinge to exhortynge, to doc­tryne. He studied to shewe hym ii. Tioth. ii. selfe vnto god a laudable worke man y ^t nedeth not to be ashāmed deuidyng, the word of truth iust­ly. He was gentle vnto euery mā and wyth mekenes enformed thē that resisted the trueth, if God at any tyme would gyue thē repen­taunce for to knowe the trueth, & to turne agayne from the snare of the deuyll. He foughte a good fyght, he fulfylled the course, he kepte the fayeth, therfore is ther ii. Corin. iiii, layed vp for him a croune of righ tuousnes, whyche the Lord that ryghtuous iudge shal geue hym in that daye, not to hym onelye, i. Peter. v. but to al them that loue hys com [Page] minge.

I am glad brother Christofer that ye haue spokē no lesse truly then frendely of these two mē of God, of the which one reigneth w ^t the hyghe bishoppe in christes glory (for the wise as the prophet Daniel saith, which haue taught other shall glister Daniel. xii. as the shynynge of heauen, and those y ^t haue instructed the mul­titude vnto godlines, shal be as the starres world without ende) the other is yet alyue worthy, if Gods good pleasure so were, to lyue the yeres of Mathusalath, Genesis. v. both for hys godly doctrine and christian conuersation.

With this true preacher of god­des word, I chaunced in War­wyke shere to be somewhat ac­quainted (whyche was to me no smal conforte) not with hym on­ly but wyth diuers other, wher­of some were men of worshyppe [Page] well bente toward the holy scrip tures, some were men very god­lye learned in the lawes of the most higheste, & professours of y ^e same. So oft as I was in theyr cōpany, me thought I was clea­ne deliuered frō Egipt & quietly placed in y ^e new glorious Ieru­salē whyche is described in y ^e re­uelatiō of blessed Iohn, so swete Ap [...]a. xxi. a thyng is it to be in the compa­ny of Godly learned men.

Traueyled you into none other contrey afterwarde?

Whyle I was traynynge vp of youthe, and fashyonynge theyr myndes vnto true Godlynes in that contrey, beholde vnloked for, were letters sente vnto me, frome my mooste deare mother, in the whyche she required me, to returne into my natiue con­trey, and to be a staffe of hyr old Tobias. v. age, for as muche as my father [Page] in lawe was departed from this vale of misery.

I considerynge my dutye and Exodi. xx. [...]tero. v. the honoure whyche I owe vn­to hyr by the manifest commaū ­dement of God, immediatly af­ter, not without the frendly con­sent of my well willers departed from Warwyke shere, and with all haste repared home. And for as much as I haue nowe quiet­ly reposed my self (thankes be to the hygh Lord) I remembrynge our old frendship thought i [...] my bounden dutye to sende for you & after myne accustomed maner to talke wyth you of some parte of the holye scripture.

The rehearsall of thys youre trauaile by diuers contreis hath so delyghted vs that wee seme nowe to haue bene wyth you in all your iourneys.

We magnifye God moste hertely that he by hys holy An­gell hath safe conduite you in al youre wayes, preserued you in health, gotten you deare frends and nowe at the laste, broughte you home agayne into your na­tyue countrie.

But I pray you did you wright nothinge in thys your longe absence?

I wrote diuers treatises, but as yet there are publishede onelye these thre, the gouernaūce of ver tue, an inuectiue against whor­dome, a dialoge of Christes na­tiuitie, betwene the Angell and the shepheardes. The other shal be set forth, if the Lord wil, here­after at a cōueniēt tyme. I tran̄ ­slated out of latin into English [...] diuers little treatises, the shyl [...] of Saluation, the solace of the soule, the cōmendation of death &c. Thus haue I declared vnto [Page] you, how I spēt my time, whilse I haue bene from you. It nowe remayneth that for as muche as hereafore I haue perceyued your gentilnes in accepting the pore and homelye gyftes that I haue geuen you, I go forthe to vse styll myne accustomed libe­ralitie toward you, & to enryche you wyth mo giftes, whych may no lesse garnish your soules, thē the other haue done in tymes past, howesoeuer the papistes & Antichristes Souldiours haue iudged of them. The gyft which I wyll nowe geue you, is called the Iewell of Ioye, & not wyth­out The Iewel of Ioye a cause. For in it you shall receyue muche true Ioye & per­fecte solace, muche Godlye plea­sure and spirituall conforte. In it ye shal se in what thyng alone ye oughte to reioyce, and howe vaine and transitory those thin­ges [Page] are, wherin the foleishe and phantasticall worldelynges re­pose their chiefe pleasure and de lectation. Thys Iewel haue I borowed of y ^e blessed apostle. S. Paul, and it is among his trea­sures cowched in y ^e fourth chap. of hys Epistle to the Philippiās

I pray you what is it [...]let it be brought forth.

Lo, here it is. Reioyce in y ^e Phillip. iiii. Lorde alway, and agayne I say reioice. How like you this Iew­ell? Is it not boeth goodlye and preciouse? Is it not worthe y ^e lo­kynge on as they saye? Is it not a Iewel worthye to be worne of euerie true herted christiā man?

It is a Iewel in dede not onely amiable and pleasaunt in aspecte, but also very conforta­ble and holsome to a Christian mannes conscience.

It is no apte Iewell for [Page] the wicked worldelinges & bel­lied hypocrites, which lyke to E soppes cocke set more by a barly corne, then by all the preciouse stones in the world, of thys sort chiefely.

Truth it is. For if menne estraunged frome the publique weale of the true Israelites, car nallye mynded, vncircumsed in herte, disobedient to the yoke of Christ, not regenerate bi the spi­rite of God, nor renewed by the holy baptisme, but in all poynts led captyue at the deuilles plea­sure w ^t the affectes of the world, shoulde heare thys aforesayed sentence of the holy apostle reci­ted to them, & chiefly of such one as is enprisoned, fettred, bound in chaynes (as blessed S Paul was, what tyme he wrote thys Philippi. i. [...] Epistle vnto the Phillyppians) which are instrumētes to the vo [Page] luptuouse worldelynges of no gladenes but of sadenes, of no ioye and pastaunce, but of sorow and greuaunce, they woulde no lesse then maruaile at hys fond­nes, yea it is to be thought, that they would laugh him to scorne as a person transposed and far set beyond the limites of wyttye reason, and reasonable wytte, se­ynge he exhorteth vnto y ^t whiche in so greate stormes and tempe­stes of troublous aduersitie no herte led w ^t humaine wisedome can easily approue, so blinde, fo­leishe, ignoraunte, and of no ca­pacitie, felynge or vnderstāding in spiritual thynges, is the wise­dome of this world, as. S. Paul i. [...]orhin. ii. sayeth. A naturall man doth not perceyue those thinges that per­taine to y ^e spirit of god. For they are foleishenes to hym, neyther can he come to the knowledge of [Page] them, bicause they are spiritual­lye iudged. The heade rulers a­monge the Iewes, the byshops, the priests, the scribes, the Pha­riseis, y ^e Saduces, the Lawiers wyth manye other, whyche were in christes time proue this thing euidently true inoughe, whyche Iohn ix. although in theyr owne conceite puffed vp w ^t the excellent know ledge of Gods misteries, percey­uynge nothynge at all of Chri­stes blessed doctrine, so trulye is it saied of the holy Apostle, The wisdome of thys world is foley­shnes before God. Neyther wāt we exemples at thys present.

To knowe Christe & Chri­stes doctrine, aright is the singu ler gifte of God, wrought in our hertes by hys holye spirite, as Christe hym selfe testifieth, say­inge. No man cā come vnto me, Iohn. vi. except the father which sent me, [Page] draw hym, and I wyll rayse him Esai. i. iiii. I [...]mp. xxxi. vp in the laste daye. It is writ­ten in the prophetes, all shall be taughte of God, therfore euerye one y ^t hathe hearde of the father, and hathe learned, he cometh to me.

In the Gospel of bles­sed Mathew our sauiour Christ Mathewe. xi. geueth thankes to his heauenly father, bycause he hathe hydden the knowledge of hys misteries frome the wyse and prudente of thys worlde, whyche gloried in theyr owne wysedome, and hath reueyled them to the lyttle ones that is to saye, to theym that be humble mynded, meke in spirite lowly in herte, and euen such as ascribe al glory and honoure to God and not to thēselues. For­soth father, sayth he, euē so was it thy good pleasure. All thyngs are geuen ouer vnto me of my father. And no mā knoweth the [Page] son but the father, nether know­eth any man the father saue the sonne, and he to whome so euer the sonne wyll open him.

But thys oure Apostle & Roma. [...] Galath. [...] i. [...]. ii. fayethfull Embassadoure sente from god the father to be a doc­tour to the gentyls in fayth and veritie, a true citizyn of the newe celestial Hierusalem, abundant­lye replete wyth the fruites of y ^e holye Goste, and plentuouselye endued wyth wysedome from a­boue to vnderstand and declare the excellente misteries of God­des moste hyghe prouidence hid in y ^e bosome of his diuine secrets frō euerlastīg, & now in this last age reueiled published & sette a­brod to y ^e great cōfort of al faith­ful penitent sinners thorow hys son Iesu Christ our Lord. This our apostle I saye, euē in y ^e mids of his chaynes & setters writeth [Page] to the Philippiās, and by theim to all other true christians, and exhorteth thē to be merye, and to reioyce in y ^e Lord. He is nothing dismayed, nor yet abashede, of hys bōdes, chaines, and fetters, of his enprifonnyge, lockynge, & stockyng, but beyng of a franke courage and lusty stomake, not Actes. xxi. onely to suffer chaynes, but also death, if the good wil of God so be, he wyth a vehemencye of spi­rite, and stoutenes of herte com­maūdeth vs not to be discoura­ged wyth what so euer kynde of aduersitie we be assailed, but va leantly and vnfainedli to repose fyxe, & set the eies of oure mynd on y ^e Lord, & in him, in him alone to reioyce at all tymes. Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye, sayth he, & once againe I say reioyce.

Euery man moueth other to de­lighte in that thynge speciallye, [Page] wherin he him self hath reposed his chefe delectation. The coue­tuouse man hath his greatyst de The couetu­ous man. lighte in temporall possessions, and as he is only bent to the ac­cumulatynge and heapynge vp togyther of worldely goodes, so in like maner doth he exhorte so many as he tenderlye loueth to set theyr myndes on gatherynge togyther the Goodes of thys world, beynge not vnlike them, Prouer. xxx. whiche are euer criynge, Adfer, adfer, Bringe hyther, bryng hy­ther, The papist hath hys mind The Papiste. altogither set on papistry, there­fore, laboureth he to the vtter­moste of hys power to allure o­ther vnto hys pernitiouse & dā ­nable sect.

Truth it is that you say. Therfore the blessed A­postle haueynge hys principall ioye in the Lord our God, exhor­teth, moueth, & flyrreth vs ear­nestly [Page] to reioyce in the lord, that we may be partakers w ^t hym of one, & the same glorye. He is not con [...]ente him selfe onely to be in P [...]. i. the fauoure of God, excepte he haue other also to be in the bow­els of Iesus Christe.

In the Epistle vnto the Romayns, Roma. ix. he wysheth him selfe to be cursed from Christ, so that his brethren the Israelites, whyche were his kynsmen as pertaynynge to the fleshe mighte be saued.

He dissēted not much from the ma­ners of Moyses that most excel­lent Prophet of God, which per­ceyuyng that God was minded to destroye the chyldren of Isra­ell for theyr abhominable Ido­latry [...]rodi. xxxii. in worshyppynge the gol­den calfe, desiered God very her­tely y ^t he woulde eyther forgeue them that fault, or els wype him oute of the boke of lyfe.

O [Page] most faiethful heardman, which wished the saluatiō of his flocke no lesse then hys owne.

But we shall note that saynct Paule pricketh not vs forwarde vnto the reioysyng in worldlye & car­nal thynges but vnto a perfecte ioy in y ^e lord our God, which en­dureth for euer. For what thing is comprehended in the whole circle of the worlde, wherein we maye worthely reioyce?

Cōsider the ayre aboue, y ^e earth vnderneth, with the depe waters in the secrete & inferiour partes of the world, & marke diligētlye if in thē any thynge be cōtayned y ^t may bring to vs true & perfect ioy. They may delite our fāseis, & moue our affects for a certain space to delectaciō, while we be­hold, hear, fele or taste them, but how sone doth this carnal delec­tatiō, & worldli ioy vanish awai? [Page] yea howe sone are we weary of thē, if measure be exceded? Mu­sicall instrumentes fede the eare Musyke. with very swete and pleasaunte armony, and for a tyme greatly exhilarate, chere, and cōfort our weried spirites, but in how short space do we loth them, if they be continuallye played vpon or ex­ercised out of time? And though we delite neuer so greatly in thē, doeth not the sownde strayghte waye perysh, & we receyue none other commoditie then losse of tyme?

The wise man saith Like as the Carbuccle stone shi­neth Ecclesi. xxxi [...]. that is set in gold, so is the swetnes of musike by the mirthe of wyne. Agayne wine and min­strels Ecclesiasti. xi. reioyce the hert.

Yea but what foloweth? The best is behynde as they saye. But the loue of wysedome, is aboue thē boeth. This sētence of the wyse­man [Page] doeth not condemne Mu­sicke nor wyne, so that the vse of them be moderate and excedethe not measure, notwythstandynge it preferreth the loue of wisdome that is to saye, a feruent desire to knowe the wyll of God, and ad­uaunceth that aboue both wyne and musyke.

I wyshe that al men, but cheifely such as be of nobilitie, dyd knowe and woulde practise this afore saied sentence. For many delyghte in Musike, but fewe in the loue of wysdome Many couet to excel in singyng playng and dauncing, but in the knowledge of Gods worde very fewe. Many can abide to spende whole dayes and whole nyghtes in musicall exercises, but in hea­rynge or readinge the holy scrip­tures, they thynke one holy day in aweke a great matter, whē the one moueth vnto vertue, the o­ther [Page] vnto vyce, 'the one getteth the fauour of God, the other pro uoketh hys wrath, indignacion and vēgeaunce, the one lifteth vp vnto heauen, the other detru­deth and thrusteth doūe into hell fire.

To say the trueth, mu­sicke is a more vayne and triefe­linge science, than it becommeth a man borne & appoynted to mat ters of grauitie, to spende muche tyme aboute it. And al thoughe I haue learned of histories, y ^e di­uers haue exercised minstrelsye both kings & philosophers, which I thyncke vsed it as a remedy a­gaynste the tediousnes of there paynefull labours, and to make them the more apt to returne vn to matters of great importaūce: yet I remember well that it was counted a reproche in many.

Kynge Philipe whan he hearde hys sonne Alexander that trium Kinge Philip [Page] phante conqueroure synge and play very pleasauntly, checking­ly rebuked him saiyng, arte thou not ashamed, that thou canste playe and synge so conningely? Meanynge that other artes and sciences are more worthi a king. An heathen Prince thought that a great faute in his sonne, which Christen rulears counte worthy of hyghe commendacion and singulare prayse. Sextus Nero Sextus Nero the Emperoure, lieynge on hys death bedde greately lamented that he was so excellente in the science of musicke, wyshyng that he hadde spente that tyme in good letters and vertuous exer­cises, whereby he myghte haue bene made the more able iustelye and truli to gouerne hys realme.

Woulde God that hys re­pentaunce myghte be a war­nynge to all noble men.

[Page] Ther haue bene, would God ther were not nowe, which haue not spared to spende much ryches in norishynge many idle singynge men to bleate in their chappeles thinckinge so to do God an high sacrifice, and to pipe downe their meate and theire dryncke and to whystle them a sleape, but they haue not spente any part of their substaunce to fynd a learned mā in their houses to preach the word of God, to haste them to vertue and to dissuade them from vyce. Therfore swarmed their howses wyth pride, ambicion, vaine glo­rye, couetousnes, whoredome, swearinge, stealinge, polling, pic kinge, enuie, malice, fightinge, flattery, supersticion, Hypocrisie, papistrie, Idolatrie and al kinde of abhominacion, as it must ne­des come to passe, wher the word of God is banished thoughe ther [Page] be neuer so muche massinge and maskynge accordynge to the say inge of Solomon, whan the Proue. xxix. preachynge of gods worde fay­leth, the people perishe and come to naught.

It becommeth kynges, princes and rulars ra­ther Note. to here the preacher of gods worde and to gyue eare vnto the lamentable voyces and humble [...]upplications of their pore aflict and oppressed subiectes, than to hearken to the sownde of vayne instrumentes, and to delighte in in hearynge the fylthy and trife­linge songes of droncken Musi­cions, which rather prouoke vn­to fleshelye fantascis than vnto vertuous exercises. A Christen mans melodie after S. Paules mynde consisteth in herte, whyle we recite Psalmes, himnes and spirituall songes, and syng to the Lorde in oure hertes, geueynge Ephe. v. [Page] thankes al wayes for al thynges vnto God the father in the name of oure Lorde Iesus Christe, Al other outward melodye is vaine and transitory, and passeth away and commeth to naughte.

Uayne and traunsitorye is it in dede, notwithstandyng Musicke maye be vsed, so it be not abused. If it be so berly exercised and re­puted as an hande mayde vnto vertue it is tollerable, otherwyse it is execrable and to be abhor­red of all good men. So that ye perceyue, that Musicke is not so excellente a thyng, that a Christē mā ought ernestly to reioise in it.

It is euident inough, se­inge that it endureth not, but pa sseth awaye lyke other thynges subiecte to vanity.

Ther are y ^t greatly delight in buildinge gorgeous houses & sumptuous mansions, but howe [Page] vayne is their delectacion? Whā Gorgeous houses. they haue spente innumerable riches in erectinge their pleasaūt and fayre houses, what haue thei but a greate heape of stones cou ched one vpon a nother, whiche for a litle season fedeth the eye well, but whan we be once goone what profyte carye we awaye wyth vs? The holye Patriarkes of the olde tyme remembrynge howe vayne it is to delyghte in gorgeous houses buylte them tentes, and in those safely dwelte considerynge wyth them selues that they were but straungers and pilgrimes, and therfore pre­pared them houses not for thys world but for the worlde to come by couchynge there treasures in the bosomes of poore menne.

To buylde necessarye and conueniente houses for oure vse is not vngodly, as I [Page] iudge, but to repose oure delyght in them, or so to spend oure goo­des on buildynge that the poore people are y ^e les regarded, socou­red, releaued and holpen, thys is wicked, this is vngodly.

Buildynge is the daughter of phansye and maye in a maner be compared to the webbe of Pene­lope. For that one setteth vp, ano ther after the disbursinge of ma­ny powndes, destroyeth, and buil deth it vp againe with double ex pences the thirde succedeth, and his phātasy not fully satisfied, he agayne altereth the buildynge and addeth threfolde charge, so that to build (I spake of to much gorgeous and not necessary hou­ses) is nothyng else than to dalie wyth the worlde and to be led with fansy.

What was in tyme paste more gorgeous than Rome, whan she was called the [Page] Ladye and heade of the worlde? What was more sumptuousiye buylt than the tēple of Solomō? yea and that at gods commaun demente, as I maye passe o­uer many aunciente and famous cities? what is become of them? Howe are they decayde? Ma­nye are come to suche and so greate downe faule and to so ex­treme tuine, so deformed, so de­stroyed, so cōsumed to death that ther remaineth not somuche as a steppe, neyther is there lefte of them any mencion at all. Well were it wythe Christen religion, if christen men woulde remem­ber this sentēce of blessed Paul. We haue no dwellyng place in thys world, but we lobe for ano­ther to come Thā should the hea uenly mansion be more desired & soughte after. But nowe manye builde and they knowe not who [Page] shal enherite, & in y ^e mios of these their gorgious buildinges y ^e pore people are not cōsidered nor pro­uided for.

Woulde God all such as so greatly delite in costu ous buildinges, would somtime set this sentēce of the wyseinā be­fore theyr eyes If y ^u kepeste not thy selfe, sayeth he, in the feare of Eccle. xxvii. the Lord continually, thy housse shal sone be subuerted, topled o­uer & brought to noughte.

Me thinke y ^t thys curious buyl­dyng, whych al moste vniuersal­li is vsed now a daies among vs is a great tokē of the daye of iud gemente beinge at hande. For Christe in the Gospel, amonge o­ther tokens reciteth buildyng to Luke. xvii. be one of y ^e cheife wherbi we may learne y ^t the commyng of the son of man vnto the teribleiudgemēt is at hād as. s. Iames sayth. Be­hold y ^e iudge standeth before the Iohn. v. dore.

I perceyue now right [Page] ryght wel ye are fully persuaded that no man ought to reioyce in gorgeous buildynges, wherein many delighte nowe a dayes.

Yea verely. The history of Luke. xii. the riche man in the Gospell ma­keth vs afraid, which was a buil der also, and whē he had finished hys buildinge and couched hys goods in his faire & large houses thinking y ^t he should haue lyued many yeres, sodenly it was say­ed vnto hym, y ^u fole thys nyghte shal they take away y ^e life frō the, and thā whose shal these thinges be that y ^u hast gathered togither?

To enioye greate possessi­ons in thys worlde semeth not to a fewe a singulare commoditie & high profite, but with how many cares & troubles are they accōpa ned? With what great labour at thei gotē & scraped vp together? Of riches. With what carfulnes & disquiet [Page] of mynde are they kept, the hor­dets vp of them being at al hou­res in more feare left they should be taken awaie from them either by robbynge, pollynge, pillinge burning, or by some other chaūce Howe shortly are they consumed and broughte to naught, whiche were not gathered together with out long time and great sweate? So vaine and transitorye be the goodes of the world. Againe, are not the wordly possessions many tymes lefte to suche heytes, as spende them no lesse prodigally, than their auncitours got them hardely and kept them niggard­ly? What iuste cause also hath a ny man to reioyce in temporall riches, seing that at the dreadful day of iudgemēt they shal render a straight accōptes of euery far­thing to the high & euerlastinge. Iudge Christ, how they haue be­stowed [Page] them? For God hath not endeued the rich men wyth their possessions that they should spēd thē at their pleasure and phansy, but accordinge to hys most god­lye commaundemente, wyll and pleasure. Syluer is myne, and golde is myne, sayeth the Lorde of hostes. Hereto agreeth the say inge of the Psalmographe, the earth is the Lordes, and all that is contayned in it. The Lorde hath committed hys goodes to the ritche men, and he wyll cale them to accomptes a gaine to se how they haue bestowed thē, and what thei haue won and gottē by the exercise of thē for the Lordes auauntage, as we maye se in the Gospell. If ther be foūd vnpro­fitable seruauntes, and haue not bestowed them in settingeforth the glorye of God, and in the hel pynge of theyr christen brethren, [Page] but haue hid thē vp in the groūd that is to saye, kepte them ni­gardly to their owne vse, or spent them aboute vayne and wycked Mathew. [...]ii thynges, they maye be sure to be bound, fete and handes to be cast Mar [...]e. [...]. into vtter darckenes, where shal be weping and gnashing of teth.

O that th [...]se thynges were Luke. xxii. wel cōsidered, pondered & weigh­ed in the iuste balance of resona­ble discression, than shoulde the ryche men of thys worlde haue litle occasiō to glorie in their ter­restrial and worldly possessions, Mathew. xxv but rather recounte them moste happie, wealthie and fortunat, to whom least is committed. For e­uery Luke. xix. man shall rendre accountes of the talentes receiued, be they fewe or many.

Blessed is the ryche, which is founde wyth out blemishe, say eth the wyse man, & hath not gon [Page] after golde, nor put hys truste in Esai. xxxi. monye and treasures. Where is there such a one? and we shal cō ­mend hym, and call hym blessed. For greate thynges doeth he a­mong Luke xvi. hys people. Who so is tri­ed and founde perfecte in suche thynges shal be commended and praysed. Yea hys good shall be stablished, and the whole congre­gacion shall declare hys almes Make you frendes, sayeth oure Sauiour Christ, of the vnrygh­tous Mammō, that whē ye shal haue nede, they maye receiue you into euerlastynge habitacions.

To se the inordinate affecti on & insatiable desier, whych the more parte of men haue vnto the goodes of y ^e world, it is a world. Aunciente Authours complaine of the couetuousnes vsed in their tyme but if they were now a liue [Page] they woulde maruell, and wyth hyghe indignacion wete theyre penne, and wright Satyres and Inuectiues agaynste oure coue­tous worldlyngs. For theyr coue tous affectes knowe no ende, ney ther a [...]e thei at any tyme sa [...]ate, be their aboūdaūce temporal po­ssessions Spiritual mē [...]er so muche ouer­flowynge and passynge al mea­sure. Oh good God, good God, howe do oure spiritual men tum­ble benefice vpon benefice, and prebende vpon prebende? And yet are they led wyth no care of fedynge Christes flocke neyther corporally nor spirituallye. Chri­stes threfolde Pasce, is turned in to y ^e Iewes double Tolle. They fede nothyng, except them selues they tol & catch whatsoeuer cach they may, would God they once woulde be obediente to thys cō ­maundemente of God gyuen by [Page] the wise man. Let not thyne hād be stretched oute to receyue, and Ecclesi. iiii. shut when thou shouldest geue, A byshoppe sayth. S. Paul (he i. Timo. iii. meaneth euerye spirituall ouer­sear) ought to maintaynehospi­talitie. Agayne he sayeth, for­get Hebrues. xiii. not hospitalitie & housholde kepyng. For therby haue diuers men receyued into theyr houses Hospitalitie. Angels vnwares. Hereto agre­eth the sayinge of. S. Peter. Be i. Peter. iiii. ye herbourours one to an other wythout grudgynge. As euerye manne hathe receyued the gifte euen minister the same one to an other, as good ministers of the manifolde grace of God. God in the olde lawe greatly tendering the mayntenaunce of hospitali­tie, in hys ministers gaue thys commaundement to hys people for paying theyr tythes, saying. Malachi. iii. Bringe ye in all tythes into my [Page] barne, that ther mai be meate in Why [...]theo were payed my house. Here God commaun­ded tythes to be payed, but for what cause, that the ministe [...]s should spende them in the court or at the vniuersitie? or aboute whoreynge? or in kepeynge of haukes or dogs? or in mayntey­nyng a sorte of idle valeaūt lub­bers, whych do nothing but con­sume the good fruites of y ^e earth Nay verely, but that ther should be meat in his house (for the per­sonage or viccarage is Goddes house) For whom? For the coue­touse worldelynges and rich mē whyche haue no nede of it? Nay syr, not so, but for the pore christi ans, as Christe prescribeth say­ing, Luke. xiiii. When thou makest a diner or supper, call not thy frendes, nor thy brethrene, neyther thy kynsemen, nor thy ryche neygh­bours, leste they also byd the a­gayne, [Page] and a recōpence be made the. But when thou makeste a feaste, call the pore, the feble, the lame, and the blynde, and thou shalt be happye, for they can not recompence the. But thou shalt be recompēced at the resurrecti­on of the ryghtuous men.

I thinke the greatest cause why Whi priestes are despised. priests be contēned at thys tyme is, y ^t they neyther regarde their office in preachynge Gods word nor yet theyr dutye in mayntay­nyng hospitalitie.

Trueth it is, For God sai­eth Malachi. ii. by the prophet. I haue made you, O ye priestes, to be despised and to be of no reputatiō amōg all y ^e people, bicause ye haue not kepte my wayes, but haue bene parciall in the lawe. The wayes and ordinaunces of God, whych he hath prescribed to priestes for to obserue, is truly to preach his [Page] holy doctrine reuerētly to mini­ster hys blessed sacramētes, and bountuouslye to mayntayne ho­spitalitie. If they would do these thyngs, they shold recouer their honoure whych is due to fayth­full ministers by the worde of God as, S. Paule sayeth. The priestes that rule well, are wor­thy double honour, specialli thei y ^t labour in worde and doctrine.

But couetuousnes reyg­neth not only in the spiritualtie? i. Timothe. v.

In the spiritualtie onelye? Temporall men. No God knoweth. For the tem­poralltye is not behynd for their parte. If euer heretofore, in this oure tyme speciallie is thys say­inge of the Prophet found true, From the lest vnto the most thei Ieremye. vi. hange vpon couetuousnes, and from the prophet vnto the priest they go al aboute with falshead and lyes. How ioyne they Lord­shyp [Page] to Lordeshyppe, manner to manner, ferme to ferme, land to lande, pasture to pasture, house to house, and house for a vantag Howe do the ryche men, and spe Shepemon­gers. cially suche as be shepmongers oppresse the kinges liege people by deuourynge theyr commune pastures w ^t theyr shepe, so that the poore people are not able to kepe a cow for the confort of thē and of their pore familie, but are like to starue & perish for hōger, if there be not prouision made shortly? What shepe groūd sca­peth these caterpillers of the cō ­mune weale? How swarme they with aboundaunce of flockes of shepe? and yet when was wooll euer so dere, or muttō of so great pryce? If these shepemongers go forthe as they begin, the peo­ple shall both miserablye dye for colde, and wretchedly perysh for [Page] hōger. For these gredy woulues and comberous cormerauntes, wyll eyther sell theyr woll and theyr shepe at theyr owne price or els they wyll sell none. Oh what a diuersitie is thys in the sale of wolles, a stone of woll somtime to be sold at. viii. grots and now for. viii. s? And so like­wise of the shepe. God haue mer cy on vs. If the kynge hys ma­iestie, with hys most honourable councel do not prouide for the re dresse of these thinges, God him selfe wyll surely se a remedye, as he sayeth by the Psalmongraphe [...] for the wretchednes of the nedye and the bewaylynge of the pore. Euen nowe wyl I ryse sayth the Lorde.

Agayne he sayeth, Woe be to the that spoilles [...]e, shalte not Esai. xxxiii. thou thy selfe be lykewyse spoy­led? And thou that despiseste the [Page] pouertie, shalte not thou in lyke maner be despised? When thou haste made an ende of pollynge and pyllyng, then shalte thou be polled and pilled thy selfe.

And when thou ceaseste to de­spise other, then shalte thou be despised and nought set by.

O Lorde haue mercye vpon vs. For all oure whole truste is in the. Be thou oure defence, yea, and that shortelye, and be thou oure sauynge health in the time of our trouble.

Ryche men were neuer so muche estraunged frome all pytye and compassion towarde the poore people, as they be at thys presente tyme, they deuour Psal. xiiii▪ the people as it were a morcell of breade.

If anye pece of grounde delite theyr eye, they must nedes haue it other by hoke or by croke.

[Page] If the pore man wyll not satisfy The vnmerci­fulnes of rych men. theyr couetouse desyre, he is sure to be molested, troubled, and di­squieted on such sorte, that whe­ther he wyll, or wyl not (though boeth he, hys carefull wyfe, and miserable chyldrene wyth hys whole familie should perysh for honger) he shal forgo it, or els it were as good for hym to lyue a­monge the furies of Hell, as to dwell by those ryche carles & co­uetouse churles. Ther is no end of enlargynge theyr groundes, neyther are they ledde wyth a­ny feare of Gods indignation, Esai. v exprest by the Prophet sayinge. Wo and euerlastyng damnatiō be vnto theym that ioyne house to house, and couple land to lād, so nyghe togither, that the pore can get no more grounde. Shal ye alone dwell in the myddest of the earth? These thynges are in [Page] myne eares, sayeth the Lorde of hostes. Surely sayeth he, many greate and fayre houses shall be made so desert and wast, that no man shall dwell in them. Hereto agreeth the sayinge of an other Prophet. Wo and euerlastynge [...]. ii. dānation be vnto him, that hea­peth vp other mennes goodes.

Howe longe wyll he lade hym selfe wyth thycke claye vnto his owne damnation? O howe so­daynly wyll they stande vp that shall byte the, and awake, that shal teare the in peaces? Yea y ^u shalt suerlie be theyr praye, Se­ynge thou haste spoyled manye people, therfore shal they that re mayne spoyle the, bicause of mē ­nes bloude and for the wronge done in the land, in the citie, and vnto all them that dwell therein Wo and euerlastinge damnati­on be vnto hym that couetously [Page] gathereth euil goten goodes in­to hys house, that he may set his neste on hie to escape y ^e power of misfortune thou hast deuised the shame of thine own house, for y ^u hast slaine to much people & hast wilfulli offended, so that the ve­ry stones of the wall shal cry out of it, and the tymbre that lyeth betwixte the ioyntes of the buil­dynge shall answere. & ce.

These be greuouse threates of Gods vengeaunce againste the couetuouse worldelinges.

They be no lesse true then gre­uouse, and shall vndoubtedlye chaunce as it is threatened, ex­cepte the couetous worldlynges repent and amende. For God is Psal. [...] iv. fayethfull in all hys sayinges & the worde of the Lorde abideth Esai. xi. for euer. He is the selfe trueth, therfore can he not lye. What so Iohn. xiiii. euer he threateneth, he wyl sure­lye [Page] brynge to passe except fayth­ful repentaunce be a meane. Are not these hys wordes? Wo and euerlastyng damnation be vnto iiii. Esor. xv. theym that synne, and kepe not my commaundementes, sayeth the Lord, I wyl not surely spare them.

And the wyse man sayeth. Wo be vnto you, O ye wycked per­sonnes, Ecclesi. xli. which haue forsaken the lawe of the Lorde, that mooste hyghe God. If ye be borne, ye shall be borne to curssynge, if ye dye, the cursse shal also be youre portion.

Dauid sayeth, vpon the vn­godlye, the Lorde shall rayne Psal. xi. snares, fyre, and brymestone, storme, and tempeste: thys shall be theyr portion to drynke. How doeth our sauiour Iesus Christ thonder agaynste the vngodlye ryche in the holy Gospell.

[Page] Wo vnto you that are riche sai­eth Luke. vi. he, for ye haue your consola­tion. Wo vnto you that are ful, for ye shall hōger, Wo vnto you that nowe laughe, for ye shall wayle and wepe.

These be greuouse wordes agaynste the couetouse wordelynges and vo­luptuous Epicures, but full lit­tle do suche thynges syncke into the breastes of menne nowe a­dayes, Note. the deuyl hath so blinded theyr eyes, that they thynke that God is a childish God, and will be pleased wyth thys apple at y ^e laste ende. I am sory for my sin­nes. Good Lorde forgeue me, I trust to be saued by Christes pa­ssion, and mani good morrowes So longe as they lyue they ne­uer repente theyr wicked lyuing they go forth dayly more & more to prouoke the wrath of God a­gaynste theim, they heape synne [Page] vpon synne, they wallowe all in pleasures like fylthy swyne, they haue not thefeare of God before their eyes, they are wythoute all mercy towarde theyr christē bre­threne, they greuouslye oppresse theyr neadye neyghbours, they make no ende of rakeynge togi­ther the goodes of y ^e world, they folowe the lustes of the fleshe as miserable and bonde captiues, to conclude, theyr whole lyfe is nothynge els but a seruynge of the deuyll, how can these menne at the laste ende truely repent & conuerte vnto God, leadynge a­fore a lyfe abhominable, so wyc­ked, so stynckynge, so hatefull both to God and to al good mē? I graunte, the mercy of God is great, & excelleth al hys workes, Psal cxlv. but howe cā they which haue led theyr whole lyfe altogyther dis­pleasaunte vnto God, be bolde [Page] to craue mercye of God at the last ende, whom all the dayes of theyr lyfe they haue so despised by disobeyinge hys moste God­lye wyll and pleasure? Are not these his wordes spokē by kinge Solomon? I haue called, and Prouer. i. ye refused it. I haue streatched out my hand, and no man regar ded it, but all my counsails haue ye despised, and set my correctiō at nought. Therfore shall I al­so laughe in youre destruction, and mocke you, whē that thyng that ye feare cometh vpon you, euen when the thynge that ye be a frayed of, falleth in sodaynely lyke a storme, and youre mise­rye lyke a tempeste, yea, when trouble and heuynes commeth vpon you.

Then shall they call vpon me, but I wyll not heare, they shall seke me early, but they shal [Page] not fynde me, and that bycause they hated knowledge, and recei ued not the feare of the Lorde, but abhorred my councell, and despised all my creation.

If the tyghtuous shal scasly be saued, sayth blessed Peter where sha [...]l the vngodlye and the syn­ner appeare?

Satan thorowe couetu­ousnes Destroye [...] of townes. doeth so possesse the her­tes of many menne in these oure dayes, that they do not onelye lincke house to house, but when they haue gotten manye houses and tenementes into theyr han­des, yea, whole towneshyppes, they suffer the houses to fall in­to vtter ruyne, and decaye, so that by this meanes whole tow­nes are become desolate, and lyke vnto a wyldernes, no man dwelling there, excepte it be the shephearde and his dogge.

Truth it is. For I my selfe knowe many townes and villa­ges sore decayed, so that where as in tymes paste there were in some town an hūdred housholds there remaine not now thyrty, in some fifty, ther are not now ten, yea (whyche is more to be lamē ­ted) I knowe townes so wholly decayed, y ^t ther is neyther sticke nor stone standynge, as they vse to saye. Wher many men hadde good liuynges, and maynteined hospitalitie, able at all tymes to helpe the kynge in his warres, & to susteyne other charges, able also to healpe their pore neygh­bours, and vertuously to bringe vp theyr chyldren in Godly let­ters and good sciēces, now shepe & conies deuoure altogyther no man inhabitynge the aforesaied places. Those beastes whyche Psal. ix were created of god for the nou­rishmente [Page] of man, do nowe de­uoure man. The scripture sayeth that God made both shepe & ox­en with al the beastes of the field subiecte vnto man, but nowe mā is subiecte vnto them. Wher mā Beastes aboue menne. was wont to beare rule, ther thei now beare rule. Wher man was wōt to haue his liueing: ther thei nowe only liue. Where man was wonte to inhabite, ther they now raing and grease. And the cause of all thys wrechednes and beg­gary Gentle men shepmongers. in the commō weale are the gredy Gentilmē, which are ship­mongars & grasiars. While thei studie for their owne priuat com moditie, the comon weale is lyke to decaye. Sins they beganne to be shepe Maisters and feders of cattel we neither had vitaile nor cloth of anye resonable price. No maruell, for these forstallars of the market, as they vse to saye [Page] haue gotten all thynges so into their handes, that the poore man must either bie it at their price, or els miserably starue for hongar, and wretchedly dye for colde. For they are touched w ^t no pitie to­ward the pore. It is foūd true in thē y ^t S. Paul wrighteth. Al seke ther own adauntage, & not those Phili. ii. thinges which belonge vnto Ie­su Christ. They whiche in times past were wonte to be fathers of the contrie, are now pollers and pillers of the cōtrie. They which in times paste were wōt to be the defēders of the pore, are now be­com y ^e destroiers of y ^e same. Thei by whom the comon weale some­time was preserued: are now be­come the Caterpillers of y ^e comō weale, & such as seme by their ma ners to haue made a solē vowe vt terli to subuert the comō weale, & to procure y ^e final destructiō of y ^e same. Thei a [...] [...]satiable woul­ues. [Page] Thei know no measure. So they maye reygne, they care not who rule. So they maye abound they care no whoe faulle to the grounde. So they maye be enri­ched thei care not who [...]e enpoue rished. They are right brothers of Caine, whiche had rather sl [...] Gen. iiii. his brother Abell, thā he shoulde haue any part with him of world ly possessions. The wyse mā say­eth, Eccle. xxxiiii. the breade of the nedye is the lyfe of y ^e pore, he that defraudeth him of it, is a mansl ear [...]. Do not these riche worldlinges defraud the pore man of hys bread, wher by is vnderstande al thynges ne cessary for a mans life, which tho Breade wha [...] it signifieth. row their insatiable couetousnes sel all thynges at so highe pryce, & suffer townes so to decaye that the pore hath not what to eat nor yet wher to dwel? What other ar they than, but verye manslears? [Page] They abhore the names of Mō ­kes, Friers, Chanons. Nonnes Marke well. & c, but their goodes they grede­ly gripe. And yet where the cloy­sters kept hospitaliti, let out their fermes at a resonable price nori­shed scholes, brought vp youth in good letters, they do none of all these thynges. They lightly esteme and in a maner contemne Priestes, parsons, vicares, Pre­bendaries. &c, yet their possessiōs thei gladlye enbrase & niggardly retayne. So' that nowe they are become in effecte althoughe not in name, very Monckes, Friers, Chanons, Priestes, Persons, Ui cares, Prebendaryes, and at the last what not? and yet how vain­ly those goodes be spente, whoe seeth not? The state of England was neuer so miserable, as it is at thys presente.

Good Lorde haue mercy vpon [Page] vs and put in the hertes of the kinge and of his coūsel to redres these intolerable pestilences of Rome. ii. the common wealth, or els make haste to dissolue thys wreched world by thy glorious commyng vnto the iudgement, where thou Prouerb. xx [...]. shalt render to euery man accor­dinge to hys dedes, lest if we lōg remayne in thys to muche wret­chednes, we be compelled tho­rowe pouertye to attempe vn­rightuous thinges, and forswere the name of the our Lorde God. Wel, of these thynges afore say­ed I trust ye perceiue that no mā oughte to reioyse in the rytches of this world, seing they are none of oures but Godes, and we as the treasures and stuardes, of God must at the dreadful day of iudgement render acomptes to the hyghe Iudge Christe of all that we haue receiued, be it much [Page] or litel, seinge also they are verye transitorye f [...]itting from one to a nother in so much that he whych is thys daye a Lorde highely in fauoure and a manne of greate Riches abu­ [...]d. possessions is to morowe a tray­toure and not worthe a gallye halfe penye. A gayne if they be abused, they are verye entise­mentes vnto all myschefe and naughti [...]es, they plucke our her tes from God to the deuyll, they make vs Idolaters by seruinge that wycked Mammon they pro uoke the vengaunce of God a­gaynste vs thei make is to be ab horred of God and of all good men, they plucke from oure bo­dyes reast from our mindes qui­etnes from our eyesslepe frō our face natural colour, and adde to al the partes of mā distēperaūce, makinge man a slaue vnto that [Page] whiche oughte to be obedient vn to him.

We perceyue these thyn­ges ryghte well. For the wyse man sayeth, their is nothynge Eccle. xx worse than a couetous man, ney­ther is ther a more wicked thyng then to loue money. For such one hath his soule to sel, and yet is he but filthye dunge while he liueth And the Preacher sayeth, he that Eccle. v. loueth money wyl neuer be satis­fied wyth monye, and whoso de­lyghteth in ryches, shall haue no profite thereof.

Where as muche rychesse is, there are many also that spēd them awaye. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth thē sauinge that he maye loke vpon them with his eyes. A labouring man slepethe swetelye, whether it be litle or much that he eateth [Page] but thaboūdaūce of the rich wyl not suffer hym to slepe, yea many times riches are kept to the hurt of hym that hath them in posse­ssion. For ofte times they perishe wyth his great misery, and trou­ble, and if he haue a childe, it get­teth nothynge. Lyke as he came naked out of hys mothers wōbe Iob. i. so goeth he thither agayne, and caryeth nothynge awaye wyth hym of all hys laboure. &c.

It were wysdome for the ryche menne, if they tender their owne saluation and be ledde wyth any hope of the lyfe to come, to heare what blessed Paulle wryghtethe vnto Byshoppe Timothe, and earnestlye to folowe that. [...]ys i. Timo. vi. wordes are these. Charge them whyche are ryche in thys worlde that they be not hye mynded nor truste in vncertayne ryches, but in the lyuynge God (whiche ge­ueth [Page] vs aboundantly al thinges to enioy them) that they do good workes, that they be redy to giue and glad to distribute, leying vp in [...]ore for thē selues a good foū dacion agaynst the time to come, that thei may obtaine eternal lif.

O that they woulde be ad­uertised by thys Aopstle. Then shoulde God be their defender in al their affayres, & cause both thē & their posteritie longe to enioye then possessiōs w ^t the fauoure & blessinge of al good men, But let vs go forth, and search whither a ny thynge can be founde in thys transitorye worlde wherein we may worthyly reioyse. What say ye vnto nobilitie?

Not a­fewe do greately reioyse in that, Of nobilitie. magnifieynge them selues be­cause they descende of noble pa­rentage, and in comparison of them selues they greately dispise [Page] other.

O folish & ignoraūte people. Why rather do they not consider y ^t boeth riche & pore, no­ble & vnoble, hie or base do cōsiste & are made of the same elemētes, subiect vnto like diseases & bond G [...]e. iii. to y ^e same affectes? Earth we are al & dust, & vnto earth & dust shal we returne. As we were made to liue so likewise are we al appoin­ted to die. Bodies haue we al cor ruptible & bōd to mortaliti. Ther is no exception amonge vs. Nei­ther hath ani of vs obtained such priuiledge of God, y ^t we maye es­cape y ^e bondage of fraile nature. Seing thā y ^t as touching our cor poral creacion ther is no differēce no prerogatiue, what nobilitie or worthines of bloud, can there be more in the noble personage thā in the base slaue. Their beginnīg is like, ther ende is al one. Twise mad are thei therefore, y ^t brag of [Page] their noble bloud & esteme thē selues y ^e more worthy because they descēd of noble parentages, nei­ther do such any other thing thā bost of y ^t which is none of theirs. King Dauid sayth, what profite Psalm [...]. is ther in my bloude, seinge I go doūe vnto corruptiō? And y ^e wise mā sayth, why art y ^u proude, O y ^u earth & ashes? We are al earth & ashes boeth noble & vnoble, We Eccles. x. al shal returne vnto corruption, & be so cōsumed as cōcerning our bodies, as though we had neuer bene. The Prophet also saieth, al flesh is gras, & al his glori is like Esai. xi. a floure of the field, Wher is any mēciō made here of noble bloude I know, sayth. s. Paule, that ther Rom. vii dwelleth in me, y ^t is to saye in my flesh, no goodnes, wher is carnal nobilitie thā become? Doth not y ^e same lothsum vilenes come frō y ^e noble, y ^t isueth out of y ^e vnnoble? [Page] Are not the carcasses of al perso­nages meate for wormes a lyke? Pour the bloud of the vilaine in one basen and the bloude of the gentleman in an other, what di­fferēce shal there be proued? Dig vp the bones out of the sepul­chers both of y ^e noble & vnnoble, and who can deserne of the sight of them, which was the seruaunt whych the Lord, who was rich & who was poore, who beautifull & who deformed, which were no­ble, and which vnnoble? Ther is no differēce, as S. Ambrose say­eth, betwene the carcasses of the deade, except paraduenture it be thys, that the deade corps of the rych stincke more greouslye than the pore because it was more den tely fed.

So far as I perceiue, they Tituled gen­ [...]emen. erre greatly, that bost of the kind red, & esteme thē selues the more [Page] worthy because they come of wor they parentes, although they thē selues be neuer so greate dronc­kardes, glotones, diceplayers, Whoremongers, swerers, fight­ters, theues, ruffians, pickers of quarels, riotous persons. &c. For litle doeth it profite a man to des cend of a noble house, if he hym selfe be of base and vile maners and leade a life defiled with wyc­kednes, yea it rather bringeth vnto hym ignobilitie than nobi­litie. Well is it sayde of our gol­den mouthed doctor, the nobilite In Math and goodnes of oure kinsefolke auaileth nothyng, except we our selues be good. For what doethe noble generacion profite hym, whom, hys maners do defile? Or what doeth vile generacion hurt hym, whome good maners dooe garnishe and adourne? Certes he sheweth hym selfe voyde of al [Page] goodnes, y ^t glorieth in his parentes To glorie vpon y ^e nobilitie of other, sayth Petrarche, is a bost­inge euen to be laughed at. And suche as haue nothynge but the badges, counisauces and armes of their Auncestours to set out their nobilitie with al, they differ not much frome Esopes crowe, which decked him selfe wyth o­ther birdes fethers, he hym selfe being altogither blacke & vnami able.

The true nobilitye consisteth neither in strength, be­autie, Wherein tru [...] no [...]litie con sisteth. nor riches, no nor yet in a­ny other exernall & bodely thyng but in the suppressing of vice and embraseinge of vertue. Uertue is the alone and onely nobilitie, as Antisthenes was wonte to saye thei that are endued with vertue, they haue the true nobilitie, No­tably is it sayd of the goldē mou­thed In Mathew. doctor Iohn Chrisostom. He [Page] is a man of great renoume, he is a worthye personage, he is the true noble man, that disdayneth to serue vices, and by no meanes wyl be ouer come of them? And Cocceus Nerua the Emperour sayde that the vertue of a man and not hys kynnered nor hys contrye is to be considered.

Woulde God all menne of nobilitye were perswaded that vertue and godlye conuersation were the alone and onelye true nobilitie. Than woulde they not repose their glorye in their aun­cestours, as many very folishely do at thys present, but rather en­deuoure them selues so to traine their life in al godlines and ver­tue, that euen for their owne god ly and vertuous enterprises thei should be cōpted noble and wor­thy of prayse.

But what say you vnto beautie?

Euen as Solomon saieth, fauoure is deceitefull, and beau­tye Beautie Prouer. xxxi. is a vayne thynge. They are muche [...] [...]ro the course of true reasonne, that reioyse in so fraile a thynge. For it is more britle thē glasse, more transitorye than the flowre, more inconstant than the wynde, more vaine than the smoke, and more f [...]ittynge a­way than the tyme. Beautye is a thousande maner of wayes cor­rupted and defaced. Howe doeth one lytle feauer make the fayrest woman in the worlde, the fowlest & the must vnpleasaūt in aspect? And to saye the trueth, is beauty anye other thynge, than a litell thine skyne wel coloured? If the inwarde partes myghte be sene, howe greate filthynes woulde there appeare euen in the moste beautifull personne? Neyther is the fayrest bodiein the world any [Page] other thing thē a dunghyl coue­red w ^t a clothe as it wer of white and purple coloure. And what a madnes is thys for anye person to glorye in beautye, seynge that Beauty is an [...]ntisemente to vncleannes. the beholder of it hath more de­lectation and pleasure in it, as one that hath the vse and fruiti­on thereof, then suche as are endued with the beautie. I leaue of to speake that beauty is a en­tisement vnto vncleannes, and a very enemy to chaste and pure conuersation, as we reade in di­uers histores.

This semeth to be true by the sayinge of the wise man, Loke not to narrowly Ecclesi. xxv. sayeth he, vpon the beautye of a womā, lest y ^u be prouoked in de­sire toward hir. Againe he saith, Turne away thy face frō a beau tiful womā, & loke not vpon the Ecclesiasti. ix. fayrenes of other. Many a man hath perished thorowe the beau­tye [Page] of women, for thorowe it the Prouer. vi. desyre is kyndled as it were fyre

Hereto agreeth the sayinge of Solomō. Let not thine hert lust after the beauty of a womā, least thou be taken w ^t hir faire lokes. What kindled Dauids hert w ^t loue toward Bethsabe, the wyfe of Urias, & caused him to cōmit adultry w ^t hir, but only hir beau ii. Reg. xi. ti? Dauid, saith y ^e scripture, arose out of his bed, & walked vpō the roufe of the kinges palaice, & frō y ^e roufe he saw a womā washing hir selfe, & the womā was verye beutiful to loke on. Again how came it to passe y ^t the. ii. Iudges burned so feruērly w ^t the loue of Daniel. xiii. Susanna Ioachims wife, and soughte all meanes possible to haue defiled hir, but y ^t they were drowned w ^t the sight of hir beau ty? The scripture saieth she was a very faire womā, but ther is a goodli additiō, she was also such [Page] one as feared god. Whē beuty & Note well y ^e fear of god are licked togither beuty is not to be discōmēded, o­therwise it is but a nette, wher w ^t y ^e deuil vseth to catch y ^e folish peo ple. A faire womā w ^tout discrete Prouer. xi. mauers saith Solomō, is like a ring of gold in a swines snowte. And y ^t we mai be wel ascertened y ^t it was hir beauty y ^t moued thē w ^toute shame to prouoke hir to vnclēnes, these words of y ^e history declare it manifestli: Susāna was a tēder persō & merueylous fair of face. Therfore the wicked mē cōmaūded to take y ^e cloth frō hir face (y ^t at y ^e lest they might so be satisfied in hir beuty.

God sēd vs mo Susās. Beauti reig­neth F [...]low y [...] w [...]s. in mani, would god it were accōpaned w ^t y ^e fear of god, y ^t the beutiful persōs might not abuse their beutye, but chuse rather to be stoned w ^t Susā, then once to defile theyr h [...]sbandes bedde,

God sende vs the beautye of the minde, whyche consisteth in Godlye vertues and honeste qualites, for y ^t is the true beauti, y ^e other is but fraile, vayne; traū sitory, & doth not longe endure. But what sai you vnto galaunt apparell, where of so many brag Of galaunt apparell. and boaste nowe adayes? Is it not a thynge, where in we maye worthely reioice?

Nothing lesse, for the wyse manne sayeth, Glory not in thyne apparaile at Ecclesiasti. xi. any tyme. Uestures were geuen vs of God to couer oure filthye nakednes, & not that we shoulde glorye in them, & make them in­strumentes of pride. We ought rather when we put on our gar­ments to lament our mischaūce our mortalitie and vncleannes, then to reioyce in theym. For so longe as our grādfather Adam continued in the state of innocē ­cy, [Page] he neded no kynde of apparel to couer his body (for he was al­togither cleane, beautiful, good, holye, innocent and perfect) but after he had brokē the commaū ­dement of God by geuinge eare to Satans subtile, perswasions, perceyuynge his miserie & wret­chednes, wherinto he was fallen thorow his disobedience, he was ashamed of hym selfe, and boeth he & his wyfe perceiuinge y ^t they were naked sowed fig leaues to­gither, and made them selues a­pr [...]ns to couer their fylthye and shamfull nakednes wythall. Af­terward Gene iii. when God droue theim out of Paradise, bicause their fe­ble and mortali bodies, whyche now were subiecte to all kind of diseases, tempestes, and blastes, shoulde not perishe for colde, a­gayne that they myghte haue, where with to couer theyr filthye [Page] nakednes, y ^e they myghte walke the more honestly, he made them lethern garinentes, and clothed them therwyth. Here euen from the beginning do we learn both what garments were geuen vn­to manne of God, and for what purpose.

Neyther wyth fyne clothe, nor wyth Saten Dam [...]ske, veluet nor wyth cloth of gold, did God apparayll Adam, neyther dyd he trime and set forth oure grand­mother Eue wyth sumptuouse apparayle, of cloth of syluer, or clothe of golde, neyther dyd he set vpon hyr head a french hode wyth an edge of golde besydes pearles and precious stons and suche other trime trames, I can not tell what, but he clothed thē boeth wyth symple garmentes of leather, not that they shoulde reioyce and be proude of theym, [Page] but to vse theim as thynges ne­cessarye to couer theyr wretched nakednes, and to defende theim from the cruell stormes & fearce tempestes of wynde, raine, snow hayle. &c.

As in other thynges, so lykewise in apparel is the world at thys presente, wonderfullye fallen frome the first institution of thynges,

For if wee shoulde compare the chyldrene wyth the father, I meane, if wee shoulde consider what apparell God appoynted vnto Adam, and what is vsed nowe a dayes, a manne shoulde fynde as greate differ [...]nce be­twene theym, as is betwene the Sunne, and the leaste starre in lyghte and bryghtenes, to be­holde the vayne and folish light fashyons of apparayle vsed a­mōg vs, it is to much wōderful. The madnes of Englishe [Page] I thinke no realme in y ^e worlde, men in theyr apparell. no, not among the Turkes and Sarazyns dote so muche in the vanitie of theyr apparell, as the Englyshe men do at thys presēt Theyr cote muste be made after the Italian fashion, theyr cloke after the vse of the spanyardes, their gowne after the maner of the Turckes, their cappe muste be of the frenche fashion, and at the laste theyr dagarde muste be Scottish wyth a venecian tassel of sylke. I speake nothynge of theyr dublets and hoses, which for the moste parte are so minsed cutte, and iagged, that shortlye after they become boeth torne & ragged. I leaue of also to speke of the vanitie of certayne lighte braynes, which bicause nothing should want to the settyngforth of theyr fondenesse, wyll rather weare a Martē chaine the price [Page] of. viii. d, thē they would be vn­chayned. O what a monster and a beaste of manye heades is the Englyshe manne nowe become? To whom maie he be compared worthely, but to Esoppes crow? For as the crow decked hyr selfe wyth the fethers of all kynde of byrdes to make hyr selfe beauti­full, euen so doeth the vaine En­glyshe man for the fonde appa­relynge of hym selfe, borow of e­uery nation to set forth hym self galaunt in the face of the world He is an Englishe mā, he is also a Italiā, a Spaniard, a Turke, a Frencheman, a Scot, a Uene­cian, and at the laste what not? He is not much vnlyke a mōster called Chimera, which hath thre heades, one like a Lyō, an other like a Gote, the thyrd lyke a dra­gon. I passe ouer the lighte and wanton apparel of women now [Page] a dayes, partlye bycause it is so The apparell of women. monstrous, and partlye bicause I haue not bene nor yet am veri muche acquaynted wyth theim, wherby I myght be the more a­ble to discribe theyr proude Pe­cockes tayles, if not at the full, whiche were an infinite, laboure yet at the leste somewhat to set it forth as a painter doth, y [...]r he do lay on colours. But of thys am I certaine, that they obserue not in theyr apparell the rule of the holye scriptures. For. S. Peter i. [...]. iii. sayeth, that the apparayll of ho­nest and vertuous women shold not be outewarde wyth broyded hear, and hangyng on of golde, eyther in puttynge on of gorge­ous apparel, but lette the hydde man which is the herte be with­out al corruption, so that the spi­rite is before god a thyng much sette by.

[Page] For after this maner in the olde tyme did the holy women which trusted in God, tyre them selues and were obediente to theyr hus­bandes, euen as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Lord, whose doughters ye are as long as ye do well.

Hereto agreeth the sayinge of S. Paul to Timothe, Lette the i. Timothe. ii. womē aray them selues in come­ly apparell wyth shamefastenes and discrete behauour, not wyth broyded hear, eyther Golde or pearles, or costelye araye, but as it becometh women y ^t professe godlines thorow good works. A game to Titus he saith. Speke Titus. ii. to the womē that they be in such rayment, as becometh holines. Solomon in the description of an vnhonest woman amonge o­ther proprieties rehearseth sum­ptuouse and galaunte apparel, Prouer. vii. [Page] callynge it whoreishe apparell fit to deceiue soules, signifiyng that thys to muche costelye and proude apparayle is more mete for whores that lye awayt to al­lure men vnto theyr loue, then for honest womenne whych pro­fesse Godlines.

As filthy, beggerlike & slut­tishe apparel becometh not chri­stē women, if they haue, or rygh­tously and wyth honestie maye haue other: so lykewyse is it not conuenient for them to weare to muche sumptuouse, costely, and galaunt araye. It is inough for chast and pure maydes to weare cleane and simple apparell, as a testimony of the vncorruption & cleannes boeth of theyr mynd & bodye wythout the flaringe out and coleryng of theyr heare, w ^t ­out the payntyng of theyr faces, without the puttyng on of wan­ton [Page] and light aray, wherby they be entised rather to prid & whor­dome thē to humilitie, shamfast nes, & cleannes of life. It is suf­ficiente also for honeste maried wiues, that they be so appareled that they please their husbands, they that decke theym selues to please the phanseis of other, and to make theim selues gaseynge­stockes to the world, practise ra­ther the maners of whores, then the conditions of honest women There is nothing that doth bet­ter adourne, garnishe, and sette forth an honest woman, then so­brietie, shamfastnes, cleannes of life, honest cōuersatiō, integritie of maners, scilēce, feare towarde God, louyng obedience toward hyr husbande, comely behauour in countenaunce, in lokynge, in goynge, in speakynge, in doyng and at the last to weare such ap­parell, [Page] as serueth for hyr state & degre, She that is endued wyth these goodly and Godli vertues atoresayed is a verye fayre and beautifull woman, thoughe hyr face maye tyghte well be resem­bled to the colour of an Ethiope and she maye saye as it is wryt­ten an [...] [...]. in Solomons Balades. I am blacke, yet am I fayre. For thoughe she be blacke in colour of face, yet is she beautifull in mynde, And looke howe muche the mynde excelleth the bodye, euen so muche doeth the beautye of the mynde excede the fayrnes of the face.

Hester was a very Godlye and vertuous wo­man, yet did she weare glorious apparell.

I graunt but ye muste consider that she was no priuate personne, nor one of the base sorte, but she was the moste worthy womā in the realme, euē [Page] the kynges wyfe, notwythstan­dynge howe lyttle she delited in that gorgious apparell, whyche she was compelled to weare for to serue hir state and degre, these hyr wordes do euidently shewe. Thou knowest, O lord saith she my necessitie, that I hate the to­ken Hester. [...]. of preheminencie, and glory or worshyppe, whyche I bear v­pon my heade, what tyme as I must shewe my selfe and be sene and that I abhorre it as an vn­cleane cloth, and that I weare it not, when I am quiet and alone by my selfe.

Do we not also read, that when she prayed to the Lord, she laied away hyr glorious apparel, and put on the garmentes that ser­ued for sighynge & mou [...]ninge?

Agayne, do we not also reade that when the Iewes at anye tyme dyd humble theym selues [Page] in the syght of God, and woulde obtayne any at hys hand, y ^t they laied asyde theyr galaunte appa rel, & put on sack cloth? Laid thei not awaye their precious oynte­ [...]ētes & sca [...]red ashes and dung vpon their heaues? this meante somewhat.

Of thys am I sure that holy Iohn Baptist did weare verye homelye apparell. Mathewe. iii. Hys rayment saith the scripture was of Camels hear, and he had a gyrdle of leather aboute hys loynes. It is to be thought also that Christe and hys Apostles, which were but pore mē, had not very sūptuous apparel to weare. And. S. Ihō writeth. He y ^t saith that he dwelleth in Christ, ought [...]. Iohn. ii. to walke euē as Christe walked. How can gorgious and galaūt apparel then agre w ^t christē pro­fessiō? Is the disciple aboue his maister, or the seruaunte aboue [Page] his Lorde? Doeth no [...] Sayncte. Paule in hys Epistle to the He­brues declare, y ^t certaine faithful [...]br. xvi. and godly persōs walked vp and downe in shepes skinnes & gote skinnes & were highly cōmended of God? Doth not sainct Iames Iacob. v. rebuke the riche men, that haue suche plentie of garmentes, that they be motheeaten? Doeth he not also reproue suche as wyl ac­cepte and make much of thē that be clothed in goodli apparel, and Iacob. [...]. neglecte the pore, whiche are but homely apparelled? Was it for nought that Christe sayed to the people of Saint Iohn Baptise, what went ye out to se a man clo Math. [...]. thed in softe rayment? Beholde, they that weare softe clothynge are in kynges houses. Is it in vaine, y ^t Sainct Luke in the di­scri [...]tion of the rich gloton decla [...]. xvi. reth, that he was clothed in pur­ple [Page] and fyne whyte? Do we not reade also, that Kynge Herode Act. xii. was arayed in royall apparrell, whē the Angel of the Lord smote hym, so that he dyed a very mise­rable death? To reherse what the doctoures of Christes churche wryte of the vanitie of gorgious apparell, agayne to declare out of prophane histories how great­ly the noble princes and mightie Emperours euē amōg the Eth­nyckes abhorred sūptuous ray­ment, both time and tong should fayle me.

It is very syttynge A rule for ap­parell. and prayse worthy ynough for al degrees of personnnes to weare apparell accordyng to their state and callynge, so that vanitie, ex­cesse and reioysyng therin be ba­nished. But confusedly euery mā or woman to weare as them ly­keth, is boeth wythout ordre and greatly discōmendable, & oughte [Page] by the higher powers to be re­dressed. To be shorte in this be­halfe, it shall be conuenient for so many as professe Christ alwayes to set before y ^e eyes of their mynd thys saiynge of the Apostle, ha­uyng i. Timo. vi. fode, & wherewyth we may be couered: let vs be content. For we broughte nothynge into the worlde, neither shall we cary any thynge out of it. And he appare­leth hym selfe wel, whiche forget­teth not to cloth the pore accor­ding to this cōmaūdemēt of god. Whē y ^u seest the naked, cloth him [...]sa. [...]viii. Act. ix as we reade of the noble & vertu­ous womā Tabitha, which made cotes & garmētes for y ^e pore.

If these thynges were deeplye weyghed and considered, they that so greatly delighte in sump­tuous apparayle, woulde sone cease from that vanitie, and no more repose their delectatiō in it. [Page] For these garmentes, whiche we nowe set by verye muche, within fewe yeres we put thē to vile offi­ces and threwe them away vpon the doūghili, so that we haue litel occasion to reioyse in them.

Trueth it is, as these thynges a­foresaide be proued to bringe no perfecte felicitie nor true ioye to menne, so lykewyse these that re­maine, whatsoeuer they be, make a man nomore truely ioyful than the other. To pamper the beally and to fare deliciously is reputed Of [...]. amonge the voluptuous Epi­cures an highe & singular plea­sure, yet these meates & drynkes which are so deraely bought, and wherin many so greatly, delight become afterwarde so vyle and lothsome, that we can neither a­byde the syghte nor the smell of them. What doeth yesterday fa­sting profit the gredy appetite of [Page] y ^e day folowing? O short & vaine pleasure.

Thys bealy chere and bancketinge bryngeth no [...] onely to man a transitorye delec­tacion, and such pleasure as sone passeth away, but it also wasteth a mannes substaunce and pear­ceth hym wyth the dartes of po­uertie, as Solomon sayeth, he that hath pleasure in bancketes Pro. xxi. shall be a pore man, and who so delyteth in wyne and delicates, shal not be riche. Agayne he say­eth, keepe not cōpany wyth wyne bibbers and ryotous eaters of fleshe, for such as be dronckardes and ryotous shal come to pouer­tie. Pro. xxiii.

They shall not onelye come to pouertie, but such as are ryotous persōs shall get to them selues thorow their distēperaūce and excesse of eatynge and drinc­kinge diuers sickenesses and dis­eases very harde to be put a way [Page] as the same Solomō sayth, who hath wo? who hath sorowe? who hath strife? who hath brawlinge? Pro. xxiii. and who hath woundes w ^tout a cause? Or who hath red eyes? E­uen they y ^t be euer at the wyne, & seeke excesse. Loke not thou vpō the wyne, howe red it is, & what coloure it geueth in the glasse. It goeth downe softly, but at y ^e laste it biteth like a serpent, & styngeth like an adder. Hither maketh the saiynge of the wyse man. Be not greedy in euery eatinge, & be not Eccle. xxxvii. to hasty vpon all meates. For ex­cesse of meates bringeth sicknes, & glotony cometh at the laste to an vnmeasurable heate. Thorow surfet haue many one perished, but he that dieteth him selfe tem­peratly, prolongeth his life. Our Luke. xxi. Sauiour Christ cōmaundeth vs to beware of excesse in eatynge & drynckynge, when he sayeth, take [Page] heede y ^t your hertes be not ouer­charged with surfetyng & dronc­kenshyp. S. Paule also sayeth. Be not druncken w ^t wyne wher­in is excesse.

Of these holy Ephe. v. sentenses maye ye gather y ^t there is no cause, why any mā shoulde reioyse in banckettinge, except he haue a pleasure to procure his owne destruction, which cometh by no meanes soner then by po­uertie and sicknesse, which spryn­geth out of delicate t [...]e, as I maye leaue of to speake of other incōueniences, yea & pestilēces to mans life, which issue frō bācket­ting in like maner.

It is an easy thing to gather out of the ho ly scriptures not only sētēces, but histories also, which declare what destructiō to mā bāketting, drūc­kēship, & the study of y ^e bealy bringeth. Did not Adā & Eue thorow eating y ^e forbiddē fruite caste not [Page] only, thē selues but al their poste Gene. iii. ritie in to damnacion? How was Noe much laughed to scorne euē of his owne son whā through his droūkēship, he fell on sleape & lay naked wyth his priuities? Into Gene. ix. what abhominable vncleanes did loth fall thorow dronckēnes, when he cōmitted incest with his Gene. xix. owne doughters? Did not y ^e childrē of Israel giue them selues to bankettynge and afterwarde fel to the worshipping of the golden calfe committyng most shamful Idolatrie? Was not Holofer­nes Ex [...] xxxii. that myghtye and valiaunte captayne in hys dronckennes Iudeth. xiii. slayne of a woman? Is not that rich man, whych would haue no Luke. xvi. pity vpon Lazarus and therfore was after hys death caried into hel fire, described of blessed Luke Math. xiiii. to fare dētely euery daye? What shall I speake of kynge Herode [...] [Page] whyche in the mids of hys ban­ketyng was cōtente to graunte that holy Iohn Baptistes head shoulde be striken of? It is ther­fore conueniēte for a christen mā to remembre in all hys eatynge Of the fa­uour of greate men. and drinkynge christen sobrietie and alwayes to auoyde excesse, leste he fal into some of those in­cōueniēces, wherof is made mē ­tiō afore.

But what say y [...] to the fauour of noble mē? maye we not reioyce in that?

Ther are not a fewe, whych cou­uet nothyng so greatly as to be in fauour wyth greate men, and to be placed in their houses, thin kynge by thys meanes to auoyd the cruell dartes of fortune, to obtayne wealthy lyuinges, and to haue al thynges at their own wil & pleasure, but I se not, why any mā should repose his chiefe delectation in the fauour of any [Page] noble man, seing y ^t holy scripture sayth. Put not your trust in prin Psal. [...]. [...]. ces, nor in y ^e childrē of mē, in whō there is no health. And the Pro­phet sayeth. [...] be he, y ^t put­teth his trust in mā, and maketh fleshe his arme.

How vayne Ieremy. xvii. a thyng the fauour of great men is, the historie of Amā declareth, which was so high in his kinges Hester. vii. fauoure, y ^t he mighte do what he liste, kyl, saue, exalt, depresse, lyfte vp, pluckedowne, & as we say cō mōly, binde beares, & yet was he not shortly after caste out of fa­uour on suche sorte, y ^t he was im­mediatly hāged on the same gal­lowes, whiche he had newly pre­pared for an other?

There is nothyng more vncertē thā the good wyl of great men. For whō they nowe loue, streightwayes they hate, and such as haue done most forthē, are mani times least [Page] regarded, & most cruelly entrea­ted. Howe hādled king Alexāder his most trusty coūsellers, which Alexander. so ofte had put their liues in i [...]o­pardy for him? How tyrātlike did he slea thē, & yet no cause why [...] I leaue to speake of Nero y ^e mon­ster Nero. of nature, whiche caused his owne mother to be slaine, & suche as had done moste for him. Who was so much in fauour wyth the Emperour Iustini [...]s Bellisa­ [...]iꝰ & Narses, which [...] [...]ing most noble warriours su [...]d diuers Iustinian. kyngdomes to the [...]yre, but how were thei [...] Bellisarius y ^e most valiaūt capteine w ^t ­out deserte had at y ^e Emperours cōmaūdemēt both his eyes pluc­ked out, & afterward was cōpel­led to begge his bread from dore to dore, and at the laste dyed mi­serably a moste wretched beg­garre. Narses also, if he had not fled, had bene moste vnworthely [Page] handeled, so are good men m [...] ­ny tymes recompensed for theyr intollerable paynes, and payn­full seruice. Of suche ensamples the bokes of Histories are full. Whereof we maye learne howe vayne & to much folishe a thyng it is to trust in the fauour of no­ble men, so farre it is of, that any man maye worthely reioyse in it.

I can none otherwyse do but marueyle at the madnes of some men, whiche rather chose Seruing men idlely to spēd their tyme in great mennes houses wyth thys hope to haue some what at the laste to lyue wyth al (which many tymes chaunceth neuer) then in their youth to learne some honeste oc­cupation, whiche may [...] defende them at all tymes from the bitter stormes of needy and cruell for­tune. Of all creatures are they slaues moste miserable, and for [Page] the moste parte come to the most wretched ende. A yonge courtea [...] an olde beggar. Ah howe many haue I knowne, whiche after twentie or-thirtie yeres seruice haue ben wyth great displeasure dryuen awaye, and so dyed moste wretchedly? And thus is that cō ­mon saiynge founde true. Ser­uice is no heritage. Seruing mē may well be cōpared to Esoppes tothlesse greyhounde, whiche so longe as he coulde hunte wel, fo­lowe & get his praye, was muche made of, but when he beganne to waxe olde and coulde catche no more, he was no more loued of his maister, but rather hated, de­spised & beaten. Nothynge nowe adayes is deare, where profit is absēt. If these thynges were well pondered, menne woulde not so headlonge and wythout conside­ration runne vnto seruice, there [Page] to spend the flour of their youth & whē crocked olde age cometh eyther to go a begging, or els to be put in some almes house. But howe so euer the matter goeth, of thys am I sure, y ^t no man ought to reioyse neyther in men, nor yet in mennes seruices, seinge that nothing is more vncerteyne then their fauour, seing also that cruel fortune doeth oppresse so sodenly noble mē many tymes, that they being turned to a base state, haue neither to succoure them selues, nor yet to healpe their pore ser­uauntes.

Well, thus haue we searched the principall thinges, that perteyne vnto man outwardly, wherein the folyshe world doeth most chiefly reioyse, and we haue found among them all not one thynge, wherein we maye worthely glorie and repose oure delectation.

Trueth [Page] it is, but what saye you to the inwarde natural gyftes' of man, as wysedome, strength, know­ledge and suche other gyftes of the mynde?

Heare what God sayth by the Prophet. Iere ix. Let not the wyse man reioyse in his wysedome, nor the strong mā in his strength, neither the ryche mā in his ryches, but who so wyl reioyse, let hym reioyse in thys, that he vnderstandeth and kno­weth me, for I am the Lorde whiche do mercie, equitie and rightuousnesse vpon the earth. Therefore haue I pleasure in suche thynges, sayeth the Lorde. Whether we haue respect to the body or to the mynde, if we fynde any good thyng in them, it is the gift of god, as S. Iames sayth. Iacob. [...]. Euery good gift & euery perfecte gifte is from aboue, and cometh downe frō the father of lyghtes, [Page] and therfore ought no mā to glo ry neither in hym selfe nor in the g [...]ftes, but in God alone the gy­uer, as S. Paul sayth, what hast [...]. [...]. thou, that thou hast not receiued? If thou haste receyued it where­fore dost thou reioyce and glory as thoughe thou haddest not re­ceyued it? But wherefore do we tary longe before we come to our matter, whyle we labour to shew Of man y ^t there is nothyng in the worlde, wherein we maye worthily re­ioyse, seinge that man hym selfe, whiche is the principall creature y ^t euer God made in thys worlde is but vanitie, and not worthie, wherein any true and perfect de­lectation ought to be se [...]? Are not these the wordes of the holy scrip ture▪ Euery man that lyueth, is altogether vanitie. What is the body of man, cometh it of neuer so noble house, but earth, duste [...]. [Page] and asshes? Or as S. Barnard sayeth, a stynckynge sperme or seede, a sacke of dounge and the meate of wormes. Who wyl re ioyse in such a body? to garnish suche a bodye wyth golde, siluer pearles, precious stons, owches galaunte apparell, sumptuous garmēts. &c, What other thing is it, then to couer a dunghyl w ^t clothe of golde? Nowe as tow­chynge ou [...]e inwarde manne, I meane the soule, what are we?

What haue we receyued of A­dam In what case hath he sette Iohn. ii [...] Rom. v [...]i: vs, before wee be regenerate by Christe? Are we any other thing then flesh, and f [...]eshely minded? As Christe sayeth. That whiche is borne of the flesh is flesh. And sayth not blessed Paule, that we [...]. [...]. are the children of wrath? Is not our herte vncleane, lewde, wyc­ked Pro. xx. and vnsearcheable? Are not [Page] our senses, Imaginations, and thoughts, euen from our infan­cye, Ieremi. xvii. Gene. viii. euyll and noughte? Are not al our rightuousnes like a cloth Es [...]i. lxiiii. defiled with mēsture? Are we not all hypocrites, liynge chyldren, Esai. ix. workers of iniquitie, vnprofita ble seruauntes, synners, vngod­ly, Luke. xvii. and of our selues al y ^t nought is? What haue we then either of oure selues, or in oure selues (I meane before our regeneration) wherof we mai worthely reioyce

Truly nothing at al.

It is conuenient therfore, seyng hitherto we haue found nothing wherin we mai worthely reioice, to sequester our ioye, our mirth, oure delectation, from worldely thynges, and to traunsfer it vn­to the Lord our God accordyng to thys admonicion of the holye Phllyp. iiii. Apostle. Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye, yea once agayne I saye [Page] Reioyce.

But we woulde gladly heare, what earnest occa­sion we haue to reioyce in God.

My desyre is to declare thys thynge aboundauntly vn­to you, if ye will heare.

We all wyll gladlye geue eare.

God in whom we are The benefits of God to­warde man so instantly mocioned to reioyce euē frō the begynning, had such fauour to mā, y ^t whē the Angels for theyr disobediēt prid, & proud disobedience were worthely cast downe headlonge into hell, ther perpetually to remayne in most Iob. iiii. ii. Peter. ii. greuouse & intollerable paynes, he wyllynge agayne, to furnishe the celestiall mancions wyth o­ther Creatures, made manne, not lyke vnto other bruite bea­stes, but accordynge vnto hys owne Similitude, lykenes, and Image, not to be a fyre brand of Gene. ii. [Page] hell, but heyre of his most glori­ous and regal palaice, not to pe­rishe for honger, but to enioy all kinde of pleasures most aboun­dantlye, not to be subdued of o­ther, but as Lorde & chiefe ruler vnder God his creator & maker to haue y ^e dominiō of all beastes fyshes, and foules, of all landes medowes & pastures, of al trees herbes & flowers, and what so­euer other thynge is comprehē ­ded in thys greate and vnmea­surable worlde. Yea the hygh e­lement, the sunne, the mone, the starres, the daye, the nyghte, the water, the fyre, the colde, the heat the rayne, the wynde, and what so euer other thyng ye canne re­ken besides, did he make not on­ly to shew forth his glory, might and power, but also for mannes conforte, wealthe, ioye and plea­sure.

O the vnoutspekea­ble [Page] goodnes of god toward mā.

Haue we not here a greate occasion vnfaynedlye to reioyce in the Lorde our God, and for e­uer and euer to glorify, celebrate and magnify hys most glorious and blessed name? To make vs lyke to hys owne similitude? to appoynt vs heyers of his moste glorious mansion? to [...]due vs wyth the fruition of so manye goodlye and swete pleasures? to make vs rulers and Lords ouer al hys creatures in the worlde? to prepare all thynges for oure solace, ioye, and conforte? Who is so flynte herted, that melteth not at the hearynge of these thin ges so pleasaūt and swete? Who is so estranged frome God, that he applieth not w ^t all mayne to embrace so gentle, so kind, so lo­uinge a Lorde, yea suche a Lord as is altogyther set to magnify [Page] man, to exalt hym vnto the high heauens, to place hym amonge the holye Angelles, and blessed spirites, to kysse and kull hym as his dear dearling & welbelo­ued heyer? Canne that man re­ioyce inoughe in his Lorde and maister, whyche of a base slaue maketh hym a man of honoure of a begger a man of greate po­ssessiōs, of a vi [...]e condition, a mā of hygh & noble renoume.

Trulye the goodnes of God to­warde man can not be expressed.

Yet are these benifites. whych one man geueth to an o­ther more vyle then dust, if they be compared to y ^e precious gif­tes heretofore rehearsed, whiche God gaue to man. But marcke what foloweth.

Saye on, we besech the.

Satan that old & subtile serpent perceiuing man to be made of God for this [Page] entēte, y ^t he should enherite that glory, frome the whyche for hys intollerable arrogancye he was moste worthely deiecte and caste [...]ene. iii. downe, craftelye, subtilly, & lyke him selfe w ^t manye swete pro [...] ­ses and faire flaterynge wordes at the laste allured oure grand­mother Eue to the traunsgressi­on of Gods commaundemente, and she lykewyse hyr [...], so that by this me [...]s [...] they and theyr posteritie were not onely depriued of those pleasurs and commodities, whyche I re­hearsed heretofore, but also vt­terli dāned for theyr disobediēce. And al this came to pas thorow the enuy of Satā, as y ^e wise mā [...]. [...] saith. God created m [...] to be vnde stro [...]ed, yea after y ^e image of his own liknes created he him. Ne­uertheles thorow enu [...] of the de­uyl death entred into the world.

O lamentable chaunce. Nowe is man become of the I­mage of God, the Image of the deuill, of the heyre of glorye, the enheritour of euerlasting paine of immortall, mortall, of good & Godly, wicked and deuillishe, of fre, a bonde slaue wyth all hys powers to Satan, sinne, death, hell, desperation. &c.

But what, enioied that ra­uenynge woulfe his pray?

Nothynge lesse, for God whych is gentle, and the self gentilnes moued wyth louynge compassi­on, tender zeale and fatherly pi­ty towarde man, forgettyng the displesure y ^t mā had done to him thorow hys disobediēce castyng al hys sins behind his backe, en­flamed w ^t no lesse loue towarde mā cōcernyng hys saluatiō (be­holde what grace & mercy doth) then he was before the trauns­gressiō, [Page] & minding to shew hym selfe of no lesse puissaunce and strēgth to recouer & saue mā, thē Satan was to destroy & cōdēne [...]. iii. mā, came into Paradice, sought hym vp, made garmētes for him to couer hys nakednes, sēt hym into thys world, made him Lord ouer all, and promised hym that the sede of a woman, euen Iesus Christ hys owne sonne borne of Mary the vyrgin, shoulde deli­uer him from the power of Sa­than, reconcile hym to his God­ly fauoure, satisfye for hys wyc­kednes, make hym a newe man, endue hym wyth hys holye spi­rite, fynallye, thorowe hys meri­tes and good workes bring him vnto the celestiall enheritaunce from the whyche Satan at that presente had exiled hym. Thys Iohn. xiiii. promise was so fayethfull (for God hym selfe spake it which is [...]. [...]. [Page] the selfe trueth, whyche can not lye, which is iuste in al his wor­des & agayne so cōfortable, that Psalm. [...]xiv. so manye (I meane Adam & hys posteritie) as did apprehend and laye hand on that wyth earneste fayeth, were fre from that mise­rable thraldome, wherinto they were cast thorow Satans will­nes, receyued into fauour, taken as moste deare chyldren, and re­counted perfectly rightuous, for the assured perswation and vn­doubted faith, y ^t they cōceiued in the blessed s [...]de Iesus Christe at the tyme promised of God the father. So that so longe as they liued in thys present world, they liued in the fauour of God, and when they departed from hence God appointed theyr bodies to reaste in the earth, placed theyr soules where hys good pleasure was vnto the commynge of his [Page] sonne, thē to receiue that blessed ioye and heauenly felicitie, that they had loste thorow their diso­bedience, Iesu Christ that most blessed sede workynge thys sal­uation for mā, no [...] for any good dedes that we had done, but of his own mere mercy and tender pity.

O here is the good [...]. [...]v. shephearde, that soughte vp the loste shepe, & when he had foūde it layed it louyngelye vpon hys shoulders, & [...]ēderly brought it home agayne to the shepefolde. O here is y ^e most swete, louing, & tender father, which w ^t so greate ioy & embrasing armes receiued home againe the lost son. O here is y ^e merciful Samaritā, whych Luke. x. py [...]ying the woūded man being half dead, poured wine & oilein­to his woūds, bound thē vp, lai­ed him vpō his beast, caried him to an inne, & paid for his healīg. Mathe. xviii.

[Page] O here is that moste puisaunte Math xviii. kynge, whyche of his owne libe­ralitie forgaue hys seruaunt the ten. M. talētes which he ought. O here is y ^e mighty Lo [...]d, which trode downe the wyne p [...]sse a­lone, Esai. [...]. alone, neyther was there a­nye at all that holpe hym.

O here is that moste louyng sa­uiour, that saueth his people frō all theyr synnes. O here is that Math. i. diligente Phisitian, that is rea­dy at all tymes to healpe the di­seased, Math. ix. to refreshe theym that la­bour [...] and are laden. O here is that myghty Dauid, that slewe Math. xi. Golias, and deliuered the Isra­elites from the cruel Philistiās. O here is that mooste valiaūte i. Re [...]. xxi. Emperour, whych for our sakes hath cōquered Satā, [...]el, death, synne, desperation, damnation, O [...]. xiii. wyth al the powers infernal. O here is that tender herted louer, i. [...]. xv [Page] that can no more forget vs, then [...]. x [...]ix. a mother can forget the chyld of hyr wombe, and though she for­get hyr chyld, yet can not he for­get v [...]. For he hath written vp vs in his handes, so that we are alwayes in his sight. To whom is not here opened an exceading greate and large windowe to re­ioyce in the Lorde oure God, ex­cept we be estrāged frō al that is God or Godly.

I am glad brother Theophilus to heare you speake on thys maner. But lette vs go forth. After so many plea­sures shewed to man, which all thorowe hys owne faulte he so wyckedly loste, after so greate a synne committed agaynste the diuine maiestie, so frelye to for­geue man, so to accepte hym in­to hys fauoure, so to loue hym, that he promiseth to send downe from hys moste glorious throne [Page] hys owne dearly beloued son to make a perfect recōciliation & e­uerlastynge agremente betwene hym and man, that they may for euer and euer dwell togyther in ioyefull glorye. Oh what a fer­uente charitie, and vnmeasura­ble loue of God is this?

Who canne worthelye either by herte thynke, or by tonge expres or yet by penne sette forth the ex­ceadynge greatenes of Goddes kynde hertye loue towa [...]d man? The Kynge of all Kynges, the Apo [...]. [...]ix. Lorde of all Lordes, yea, that Lord to whose maiestye al thin­ges Philyp. i [...]. are obediente boeth in hea­uen, earth, and Hell, so to set his mynd on man beyng but a pore vile, and miserable creature, yea of all mortall Creatures moste synne [...]ull, mooste disobediente, mooste frayle, and readye to fal, so to loue and tender hym, that Romayn. viii [Page] to do hym good, to brynge hym vnto glorye and honoure, he dis Iohn. iii. dayneth not, but mooste wyl­lyngelye vowchesafeth to sende downe hys onelye begotten and dearelye beloued sonne, yea and that into thys synnefull vale of miserye here to become manne, to be circumcised, to be made o­bediente to the lawe, to be bap­tised, to preache, to worcke mira­cles, to honger, to thyrst, to wat­che, to faste, to praye, to suffer all kynde of aduersitie, to be perse­cuted, to be laied wayte for, to be snatched at, to be blaphemed, to be rayled vpon, to be conuented before worldly tyrātes, Bishops priests, lawiers. &c, to be scorned m [...]d, buffeted, whipped, crow ned w ^t thorne, nailed on y ^e crosse, s [...]d, [...]earsed to y ^e hert wyth a sp [...]re, & at the last diynge the mos [...] desp [...]ful & shameful death [Page] that coulde be inuented of the wycked worldelynges vnto the vtter defaceynge of thys blessed seede Christe, and of hys God­ly doctrine, yea, and all thys for the loue that he beareth toward mā. Oh what a kindnes is this? what loue, what amitye, what herty frendshyp? Far be it frome vs, deare brethren, to be so stony herted, & vngodlye, that we feele not thys tender loue of God to­ward vs.

Ther is in myne opinion no fayethful manne, no true professoure of Christe, that doth not earnestly reioyce at the hearing of these most heauenlye benifites promised t [...] mā of god in this blessed sede Christ Iesu.

Moreouer after the pro­mise made to oure fyrst parents concernyng theyr recōciliatiō to be made by the blessed s [...]de Iesu Christe, whereby they wyth all [Page] their posterity were in the meane season wel conforted, enarmed a­gaynst Sathan, blessed and sa­ued, howe frendelye euer after dealte God wyth man? What be nefit was ther, wherof man was not made partaker? In what kynde of benignite dyd man at any tyme (I speake of the fayth­ful congregation) perceiue the tē der bowelles of God to be spared agaynste him? What desired he, and obtayned not hys requeste? Howe ofte dyd God familiar [...]ye [...] viii. [...]. [...] c. talke wyth man by hys holy An­gelles? Was he not so louing to man, that he sente hys Angelles to eat and drinke and to be mery with hym? If anye plage or mis­fortune were imminēt & at hand for the vngodly, did he not de­clare it to man, and so prouided G [...]n. viii. for hym that he was fre from all daunger? How many victorious [Page] battels gaue he to man agaynste his enemies▪ How dyd he so accō panie him at all tymes, y ^t he euer found fauoure euen amonge the Barbarous & straungers? Howe wonderfully deliuered he his peo [...]rod. xii. ple frō the Egiptians▪ How mer u [...]ilously fed he thē w ^t y ^e meate of angelles frō heauē? How mighte ly did he subdue y ^e heathē Kinges & brought his people into y ^e land of behest a land that flowed with Gene. xii. xv. xvii milke and honie, a land full of al plentie & pleasure. But what shal I speake of this moste singulare benefite, that he gaue hys law to Psal. xviii. mā, yea such a law as is pure, tur neth soules, giueth wisdom to ba bes, maketh hertes mery, lighte­neth eies, and is sweter than the ho [...]ye and honie combe. Prophe­tes Esa. [...]vii [...]. also gaue he to man to pre­mo [...]she and aforewar [...]e hym if any mischife were at hād, to teach hym his holye ordinaunces, to re [Page] newe the promes of sendynge the blessed sede Iesu Christ for mans saluaciō, that he might not waxe fainte in fayth, but wyth valiaūt hope loke for that blessed Saui­oure. And whan the tyme prede­fined and tofore appointed from euerlasting was come of sēdinge doune this blessed sede and glori [...]ala. iiii. ous Messias, howe fayethfully and no les louyngly sent he hym [...]sai. vii. into y ^e wombe of the most blessed Uirgine Mary thorow the won­derful Math. i. operacion of the holy gost ther to take very fleshe wythout Luke. x. ii. the sede of man, ther to take on hym humayne nature, and to be come of that holy maide perfecte and true manne, as he was be­fore Rom. [...]. of god perfect and true God.

Woulde God this thing were no les of all menne truely Gala. iiii. beleued, than it is in the holye scriptures aboundanlye proued. Io [...]n. i.

The Anabaptistes in thys our time do vehemētly impugne thys Article of oure fayeth, and affirme obstinately, that Christe. toke no flesh of the blessed virgin The Anabaptistes. Mary, but brought his body with hym from heauen.

Of thys matter, if I remember well, y [...] taughte vs, Neyghbour Phile­mō, in your new yeres gyft.

This Article, that Christ toke natural fleshe of Mary the virgin, is so necessarye vnto saluacion, that who so euer beleueth it not, beleue the other in vaine, neither is he of God, but of the diuell, as Saincte Iohn sayeth, derely be­loued, beleue not eueri spirit, but i. Iohn. iiii. proue the spirites whether they be of God for many fals Prophetes are gone forth into the world By this know ye y ^e spirit of God Euery spirit that confesseth, that Iesus Christe came in the fleshe [Page] is of God. And euery spirite that doth not cōfesse, that Iesu Christ came in the fleshe, is not of God. And thys is that spirite of Anti­christe, of whome ye haue hearde that he shoulde come, and he is nowe all redie in the worlde. And thys most pestilent heresy, which The deniynge of Christes incarnacion is an old heresy. the apishe Anabaptistes haue re­newed in these our dayes (as Satan is neuer idle, nor ceaseth in his membres to disquiete the cō ­gregation of Christ) was holden many hundred yeres paste of di­uers heretikes as Marcion, Cerdon, Manicheus, Ualentinus, Apelles, and suche other ofspringes of the deuyll, and was con­demned and confuted by dyuers greate learned men. But to oure matter. And because we shoulde not feare to come vnto thys oure Lord and sauioure Iesu Christ, all that euer he dyd, was done in [Page] suche humilitie and lowelynes both of outward behauioure and mynde, that it woulde allure any resonable creature in the worlde with highe boldnes and faythful courage to come vnto hym. He was not borne of a noble Em­presse, nor of a deuoute vowe [...]e, Luke. ii. nor yet of an holy Nunne but of a pore mayd in a pore stable, and porely wrapped in pore clo [...]es. In stead of a mighti and galaūt Esal. i. garde of m [...]n, he was accompa­nied with o [...]en and asses. Thus became Christe poore, whan he ii. Cor. viii. was rych and the Kynge of glo­rye, that we thorow hys pouertie shoulde be made riche. Moreuer he beynge wythout al synne and Lorde of the law, became subiect to the lawe, and was circumsised accordynge to the lawe. He was Luke. ii. obediente to hys mother Marye and to Iosephe hir husband, and [Page] ledde a pore l [...]fe w ^t them vnto the age of thirty yeres, and wrought diligentely for hys liuynge af­ter the maner of other menne. At the age of. xxx. yeres he was bap­tised Luke. iii. of blessed Iohn, sonne to za­chary the Prieste. After his bap­tisme Math. iii. was he led of the holy Gost Math. iiii. into, Wyldernes, where he fast­ed. xl. dayes and. xl. nyghtes, and was greuously tempted of sa [...]an Immediatly after humbly & low Marcke. i. ly at the cōmaūdement of his hea uenli father he toke on him the o­ffice Luke. iiii. of preaching declaringe free remissiō of synnes to so manye as repente in fayth. And as he was pore in worldly riches & lowly in Math. iiii. mind, so did he chose pore & hum ble men to be his disciples, y ^t they i. Cor, i. might go & b [...]are abrod like faith ful ministers y ^e heauēly riches, of I [...]. ii. his exceding mercy toward man.

Not wyth out a cause. For the riche galaūte, and pompous. [Page] worldlynges are no fit vessels t [...] Math. vi. c [...]rye the treasures of the kyng­dome of heauen, so vnequally Luke. vi. matched are Christe and Mam­mon, heauen & earth, Golde and Math. xi. gods worde, light and darcknes They maye pretend and beare an outwarde fac [...] to the worlde as thoughe they were the Apo­stles and ministers of Christe, as Iudas, Simon Magus, and The dis [...]ples of Christe, suche other dyd, but inwardelye and afore God th [...]y are the Apo­stls and ministers of Satan, and whan they seme moste of all to talke of Christe, of Christes doc­trine & of hys glory, than are thei most of all ennemies of the crosse of Christe, seke the condemnaci­on both of his doctrine and glo­ry, and laboure to stablishe their owne drousy dreames, lowe [...]ye lawes, croked cōstitutions, diuel lishe decres, Antichristian actes, [Page] and al for their God y ^e belly. So swete a thynge is it to these false ministers and craftie apostles of Satan, to tomble, and walow in all kyndes of carnall pleasures and worldly riches. Christe ther­fore knowynge all suche Bellye goddes to be vnapte for the prea chynge of the Gospell as he was pore and humble him selfe, so did he chose to be hys ministers and Apostles por [...] homble menne, [...]i shars, day labourers, tolgathe­rers, & such other vyle personnes & abiectes of y ^e worlde. These ap­pointed he vnto the office of prea chyng his heauenly fathers wil. These made he dispensatoures and Stuwardes of the miste­ries of god. These commaunded he to goforth and preach the Go­spell, the ioyful and glad [...]idings the fauoure of God towarde i. Cor. iiii. manne Repentaunce, fayeth, fre [Page] remission of sinnes, in his bloud, peace, tranquillite of conscience, euerlastinge lyfe. &c.

These your wordes doeth blessed Paul [...]. [...]or. [...]. affirme sayeing, the folishenes of God is wiser then mē & y ^e weake­nes of god is stronger then men. Brethrē ye se your calling, how y ^t not mani wise mē, after the flesh, not many mightie, not manye of hie degre, are called: but god hath chosen the folishe thynges of the world to confound the wyse. And god hath chosē the weake things of the world to cō [...]oūd the things which are mightie. And vile thin ges of the world & thinges which are dispised hath god chosē, yea & thinges of no reputacion, for to bring to noughte things of repu tatiō, y ^t no flesh should reioyce in his presēce.

Againe, to shewe his humilite & lolines, how was he cōtent at euery mans desire to [...]o whither thei wold haue him, & [Page] gladly to do, what so euer they re quested him? Did he not heale y ^e deseased? Restore y ^e blind to their sight? The deaffe to their hearig The dūbe to their speaking? The Math. iiii. dead to their life? Yea y ^e very Le­pers did he not disdaine to purge & cl [...]se of their leprosie, & to touch w ^t his own handes, whō the fine Math. viii. Pharises y ^e lusty lawers, y ^e solēne saduces, y ^e sawsy scribes, the brag ing byshopes, y ^e pattering priests w ^t y ^e whole rable of y ^e hypocritish sort disdained once to loke vpon: so far is it of, y ^t these holy fathers sought any remedy at al to helpe y ^e pore disseased. After many tra gedies had betwen Christe & the spiritual sorcerers w ^t y ^e other pō ­pouse worldlings for his doctrin The passion of Christe. & miracles whā the time came ap poynted of hys heauenly father frome euerlastinge, that he for mans reconciliation, and pacifi­yng of the diuine wrath, shoulde [Page] offer hymselfe▪ a swete and euer­lastynge Sacrifice to God hys father, wherby he myght redeme man from the tiran [...]y of Satan paye hys raūsome by the price of his dere herte bloude, fatisfie for hys offēses, set a perpetual peace betwene God the father and mā and by hys death and passion bringe an whole sea of heauenlie treasures to the faythful penitēt sinners, wyth what alacritie and cherefulnes of mynd, wyth what desire and redines went he to his glorious passion?

O the vnoutspeak [...]able fa [Page] uoure of God towarde man. If he had sent downe faythful Abra [...]ā, or any other of the old Patri arches or aunciente holye Pro­phetēs to haue suffered for mans saluatiō, it had wythout al doubt bene a token of singulare great fauoure toward man: but to send downe hys onely begotten and derely beloued sonne from hys glorious throne, yea and that for Rom. v. his enemies, for their health and saluacion, it is loue passynge all loue, it is charite farre exceading all charite, it is fauoure rather to be depely maruelled at than a ble worthily to be expressed. The sonne of god to be come man and suffer dath for our sake. Oh how cā we otherwise thē ernestly and frō y ^e very hert reioyce in y ^e Lord oure God?

Truly to much iron herted are all thei, which re­ioyce not in y ^e blessed incarnaciō [Page] & glorious death of this most ble ssed sede Iesu christ our Lord by whom so many & so excellēt trea­sures of heauēli goodes haue fre ly chaūced vnto vs. Al things e­uē vnto the very death did he for our health, & saluation, yea, & y ^t so cōsūmat & perfecte, y ^t ther was no thing left behind vnaccōplished y ^t might turne vnto our wealth, cō modite & profit cōcerning our re­dēpciō. Let the turckes bost their [...]he turkes. Mahumet and reioyce in hym so much as thei list, let Papistes a­uaunce [...]he papistes their pope & triumphe in him so much as is possible, let the rich worldlinges magnifie their T [...]e christiās wicked mamon & reioyse in it ful their hertes, let y ^e glistering hypo crites delight in their god the bel ly euē vnto the vttermost, yet let vs, let vs I say, y ^t professe Christ aright only reioyse in Christe, in Ga. vi. Christes natiuite, passiō, bloud & death, as s. Paul saith, god forbid [Page] y ^t I should reioyse in any thinge, but in the death of our lord Iesu Christ. For so louinge & gentle a Sauioure can no wher be found so fauourable & liberal a Lord cā no where be sought out. In this sauioure & lord therfore let vs re ioyse, & in none other.

The papistes can not broke this doc­trine The papistes y ^t Christ alone (y ^e most highe & euerlastinge priest) hath by hys death & passiō in offeryng vp his Ephe. vi. own blessed body a swet smelling sacrifice to God the father so plē tuously, so omnisufficiently, so at the ful made satisfacion for oure sinnes, y ^t we nede none other sa­crifice satisfactory to put awaye our wickednesses.

No mar Of the masse. uel, for in defacing the glory & honour of y ^e true & onli sacrifice Iesu Christ, thei set vp & magnifie an Idol of their own makīg whiche is y ^e masse & presume in y ^t to [Page] offer sacrifice dayly for y ^e synnes of the quicke and deade, & crake that it is of no les price, valoure strength and vertue, than the passion and death of Christ [...]is. Againe, that what so euer christ did for the saluacion of man vp­on [...]. the altare of y ^e crosse, they do the very same at the masse.

O extreme blasphemy. Whoe euer denied y ^e Lord that bought them, if these popishe massemon ii. Peter. ii. gers do it not? Who iustly may be called the enemies of the cros of Christe, if the mumblynge Massehunters be not the verye Phil. iii. same? Whoe at anye tyme hath troden vnderfote the sonne of God, and counted the bloude of the testamente, wherewyth the fayethfull are sanctified, as an Hebru. [...]. vnholy thynge and done disho­nour to y ^e spirite of grace: if these shamelesse sacrificers haue not [Page] done it? And yet it is a worlde to Masse hun­ters. se, what a numbre there are not onely of the ignoraunt and vn­learned, but of them also whych bragge boeth of wysedome and learnyng, that cleaue to this I­dolatrous masse wyth to the and naile, that defend it to the vtter­moste wyth swerd, fyre, and hal­ter, that maintayn it wyth their tyches & possessions, that striue for it wyth as stronge reasons, and arguments, as they canne, partely bicause they are afrayed M [...]y y ^e Pa­ [...] are loth to forg [...] t [...]e masse. (I speake of the Popeishe prie­stes) lea [...]t thys commune whore theyr masse should be driuen out of the game place, and by thys meanes theyr kitchen shoulde ware colde, and theyr idle bea [...]i­es be no more fedde with the la­bours of other mennes handes, p [...]rtelye bicause they thynke, if thys abhominable strompet the [Page] masse were banyshed oute of the temples (I speake of the rude & ignoraunte people) all true reli­gion were gonne, al christen de­uotiō were perished, in so muche that they coulde not tell what to do for to please god, nor yet how to worship him, partly (I speake of the worldly wise) bicause they wyll geue no place to the trueth leste if they should consēte to the puttynge awaye of thys mooste stynkinge and filthye whore the masse that old baude and grād­mother [...]. xvii. of whoredome and ab­hominations of the earth, they shoulde be compelled to graūte as they thynke, to theyr greate shame and ignominie, that both they haue bene blynde, and also led other blind these many yeres and so they sholde lose theyr esti­mation, renoume, and fame, a­monge the people, which things [Page] they mooste chiefelye hunte and haucke after. For they loue the Iohn. xii. praise of men more then the glo­ry of God. What incom modities fo­low the masse

Certes so longe as that Popeyshe Masse shall be con­tinued in the churche and be­leued to be a sacrifice for the sin­nes of the quicke & deade: Ido­latrye shal beare rule among vs infidelitie shall lye couched in y ^e hertes of mē, Supersticion shal neuer be exiled frome the bon­des of Christianitie, Hypocri­sye shall styll fytte in the consci­ences of menne, the vsurped po­wer of the Byshoppe of Rome, shall not loose hyr strengthe, the fruites of Christes deathe shall neuer be truly knowne, neyther our heauenlye father worthylye thancked for them, the purgyng fornace of the Italiā bishop shal neuer be quēched, the idle shauē [Page] nation of the popeish masse mō ­gers shall styl be mainteyned in theyr disolute and beastlye ma­ner or lyuynge, the papisticall sa crificers shall not cease to blas­pheme that most swete smelling sacrifice Iesu Christe that most hygh and euerlasting bishoppe, the holye & blessed supper of the Lorde, shall neuer be truely fre­quented and vsed in the churche of Christe, to be shorte, an whole sea of euyls shall raygne, florysh and triumphe in the christen cō ­gregatiō.

Truly I thinke there is no christen herte, whych considerynge these thynges to­fore rehearsed lamenteth not to se so greate an euil and pestilēce as the masse is, to reygne amōg theim that professe Christ, yea & to be had in so hygh price, that it is beleued to be of no lesse strē ­gth and vertue thē the glorious [Page] passion of oure Lorde and Sa­uioure Iesus Christ. But let vs se, howe thys wycked opinion of the sacrifice of the masse agreeth The sacrifice of the masse wyth Gods moste holy worde.

The Papistes affirme that the synnes of the quicke and deade, are put awaye by the sacrifice of theyr masses, whiche they mum­ble daily. Against thys deuillish doctrine must we set (as an inui­sible bulwarke) thys texte of ble­ssed. S. Paule. It became vs to Hebrue. vii haue suche an hye prieste, as is holye, innocente, vndefiled, sepe­rate frō sinners, and made high­er then heauen, whyche neadeth not dayly (as the other priestes) to offer Sacrifice fyrste for hys owne synnes, and then for the syns of the people. For this did he, that is to saye, Christe, once for all, when he offered vp hym selfe. Lette these sacrificers here [Page] note, that no prieste can offer a­ny sacrifice for oure synnes but suche a one as is holy, innocent vndefiled. &c. whyche is Iesus Christe alone. Seyng then that they wante thys holynes, inno­cency, puritie. &c. It is euidente by. S. Pauls wordes, that they can not sacrifice neyther for the quicke nor for the dead.

Agayne blessed Paule sayeth, that thys euerlastynge priest Ie sus Christe, neadeth not daylye (as the other priests) to offer sa­crifice, whyche by one oblation of him selfe hath deliuered for e­uermore so manye as beleue in hym, from al theyr sinnes. Ueri­li these missars are altogither a­mise. What wyll they say now?

If Christe neade no more to offer sacrifice, muche lesse neede the priestes. If one oblation of Christe be altogyther suffitiente [Page] thē are the dayly oblatiōs of the popish massemōgers vaine and vnprofitable. If Christe offered hym selfe once for al, then canne not the papists offer hym so oftē as it pleaseth them. Whereof it maye be concluded, that they do no thynge in theyr satisfactorye masses but blaspheme the Lord and hys annoynted, seynge they so arrogantly arrogate vnto thē selfes power to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people, when this one oblation of oure Sauioure and Lorde Christe Iesus is all whollye suffitiente, and thorow­lye able in euerye poynte euen vnto the vttermooste to saue all the electe & chosē people of God, yea and y ^t so abūdaūtlye & at the ful, y ^t henseforth there nedeth no reiteraciō nor no renewing ther­of. If ther were no mo scripturs to cōdemne this wicked opinion [Page] of the Sacrifice of the masse but thys one tofore recited, it myght seme to any christen iudgement sufficient to subuert, ouerthrowe & tople downe, what so euer the Papists haue builded vpon the sande of theyr owne inuentions these certayne hundred yeres.

What is chaffe in comparison Ieremy. xxiii. to wheate, sayeth the Lorde? Is not my word lyke fyre, sayth the Lord? and lyke a twibytte clea­uynge the rocke of stonne? But lette vs rehearse mo scriptures. The blessed Apostle saith. Christ Hebrues. ix. beyng a bishop of good thinges to come came by a greater and a more pe [...]fit tabernacle, not made w ^t hands, y ^t is to say, not of this maner buildinge, neyther by the bloude of Gotes or calues, but by hys owne bloude entered he once for all into the holye place, and founde eternall redemcion.

[Page] Agayne in the later ende of the same chapter, Christe is not en­tred into y ^e holye places that are made wyth handes (whyche are but similitudes of true thyngs) but into the very heauen, for to appeare nowe before the face of God for vs. Not to ofter hym selfe ofte as the hygh prieste en­tereth into the holy place euerye yere with strange bloude, for thē muste he often haue suffred sēce the worlde began. But nowe in the ende of the worlde, hathe he appeared once for all, to put syn to flyght by the offerynge vp of hym selfe. And as it is appoyn­ted vnto mē, that they shall once dye, and then commeth the iudg mente, euen so Christe was once offered to take away the synnes of many. Blessed Paule hath no shyfte of descante, but singeth e­uer one songe, nothinge lesse thē [Page] pleasaunte to the eares of these Sacrificers. He affirmeth that Christe by hys owne bloude en­tered into heauen once for all, & found eternall redemption.

Where we maye learne y ^t Christ Ephe. v. is so swete a smellynge sacrifice to God the father, y ^t by the once offeryng vp of him selfe, he hath founde euerlastynge redempti­on. Redēption and remission of synnes is so plētuously purcha­sed by the deathe of Christe, that it remaineth for euermore. The papisticall sacrificers do greate­ly erre therfore, whych take vpō thē daily to sacrifice for the sins of the quicke & dead, as though Christes sacrifice endured no lē ­ger and were of no more effecte and vertue.

O blasphe­mouse hypocrites.

Againe he sayeth, that nowe in the ende of the world Christ hath appea­red [Page] once for all to putte synne to flight, by the offering vp of hym selfe, as though he shoulde say, Many sacrifices were offered of the priestes of the olde lawe, but none of theym coulde put synno to flyghte. Therfore Christe the hyghe prieste in these laste day­es became manne, and was not offered of anye other, but he of­fered hym self, yea and that once for all for the sinnes of so manye as vnfaynedly repente and tru­lye beleue, and hys oblation for euer & euer abydeth of so greate strength, vertue and power, that that alone & none other, chaseth awai, & putteth to flight the sins of many both of Iewes & gētils if thei beleue. Once again he sai Hebru. x. eth. We ar sāctified & made holi bi y ^e oblatiō of christes bodi once for al. Are not these words plain inough? How oft doth. S. Paul [Page] resite the oblatio of Christes bo­dy, yea & that once for all, & stifly affirmeth that by that once offe­rynge vp of him selfe we are per fectly sanctified and made holy. What nede thē haue we of y ^e sa­crifice of y ^e masse to be made ho­lye, if there were any suche sacri­fice, as the papisticall sacrificers faine? It foloweth also in y ^e same chapter. Euery prieste is readye daylye ministerynge, and often times offreth one maner of offe­rynge, whyche canne neuer take awaye synnes. But thys manne that is to saye, Christe, when he had offered for synnes one sacri­fice, whyche is of value for euer, sate hym downe on the ryghte hande of God, and from thence­forthe tarieth, tyll hys foes be made his fote stole. For with one offerynge hath he made perfecte for euer them that are sanctified: [Page] thys one sentence maketh to fall flatte vpon the grounde, al that euer the Papistes haue builded for the mayntenaunce of theyr Missall sacrifice. Fyrste he sayth that all the sacrifices, whych the Note this ya note it well other Priestes offer, can take a­way no sinne. Secōdly, y ^e Christ offred one sacrifice for our syns, whyche is of value for euer, by the whiche one Sacrifice he ex­cludeth all other. Thirdely y ^e he sate hym downe on the ryghte hande of God the father, & there tarieth tyl the daye of iudgmēte Thē can he be offered and sacri­ficed no more, what so euer the Romain. vi. pedlerlyke Papistes chatter as S. Paule sayeth, Christe raysed frō the deade, dieth no more.

Death shal haue no more pow­er ouer hym. For as towchynge that he dyed, he dyed as concer­nynge sin once, but as towching [Page] that he lyueth, he liueth to God. Fourthlye, that wyth one offe­rynge he hath made perfecte for euerthem y ^t are sanctified. If we be made perfecte wyth one offe­rynge, whych is the oblation of Christes body vpon the aultare of the crosse, what imperfection remayneth there in vs, that wee shuld haue nede of the missal sa­crifice: If one Sacrifice make vs perfecte for euer, what neede wee to haue so manye sacrifices offered daylye in the Popeyshe masses? All these scriptures to­fore aledged shew euidētly, that y ^e death of Christ is a sacrifice so omnisufficiēte, so perfect, so abso lute, so cōsūmate, so plētuous at the full, y ^e it alone maketh cleane for euer the faythfull from their synnes w ^toute any repeticion or renewing.

Curssed therfore are these papistical Sacrificers [Page] whyche so arrogantly dare pre­sume to offer and sacrifice Christ agayne, as though the fyrst ob­lation & sacrifice were imperfect.

God amende them, turne theyr hertes, and geue thē grace to know hys trueth. For what o­ther thynge is it to set vp a new oblation, then to anulle the olde to make God a lyar, to denye Christe as Sainte Peter ryght well prophesied of suche subtyll ii Peter. ii. Sacrificers.

For he that sayeth, that synnes are forgeuen by the masse, & that the masse is a Sacrifice for the synnes boeth of the lyuyng and of the Deade, he muste eyther graunte that the alone Sacri­fice of Christe vpon the crosse is not sufficiente for the fayeth­ful, or els that the missal sacrifice is a mockeynge of Christe and a plain scorning of god the father. [Page] O abhominatiō. Why is Christ called an euerlastynge Prieste, Psal. [...]ix but that hys sacrifice once done on the aultare of the crosse endu reth for euer in ful strength and power for so manye as beleue, though they synne neuer so ofte, if they returne vnto God, & seke remission of theyr synnes in the precious bloude of oure alone sauiour Iesus Christ? As sa [...]ct i. Iohn, ii. Iohn sayeth. If any man synne wee haue an aduocate wyth the father, Iesus Christ the rightu­ous, and he it is that obtayneth grace for our sinnes, not for our syns onely, but also for the sins of the whole worlde. What nede [...], [...]. we thē moe oblations? S. Paul sayeth, without effusion or shea­dynge of bloude, there is no re­mission of syns. If the papistes therfore wyll haue theyr masse a sacrifyce, so is it proued by the

[Page] wordes of the Apostle that they crucifie Christ agayne and shede his bloude

O bloudy sacrificers. What Christen herte can byde to be presente, where such ignominie is done to Christ the lord?

He that sacrificeth is greater than the sacrifice, so doth it folow that the pristes are greater than Christe the Kynge of glori? He offered vs a sacrifice to God, and go we aboute to o­ffer hym. Agayne, he that sacrifi­ceth, Prouer. [...]. oughte to be so pure as the sacrifice, and whoe, I praye you, can be so pure, as Christe our sa­crifice? Whoe is able to saye my herte is cleane, and I am fre frō synne? To presume to offer sacri­fice for the synnes of the people, is it anye other thynge than to, make them selues Christes and sauiours, and to saye wyth that moste proude Angel, as it is writ Esai. xiiii. [Page] ten by the prophet, I wyll clyme vp aboue the cloudes, and wil be like the highest of al? Do not thei go aboute to shewe them selues equale to Christe, yea Christ hym selfe, which take vpon thē to offer sacrifice for the sinnes of the peo­ple? What other thing did Christ A comparison betwen Christ and the Masse mongers. but take awaye oure synne? If our Massemongars do the same are they not Christs in dede? And yet thys prerogatiue haue they a boue Christe, that wher as Christ coulde not obtayne pardonne for our sinnes but by suffering great paines, yea & very death, they do it w ^tout any paynes taking at al. Christ was mocked & scorned thei be praised & much made of. Christ was accused of heresy and treasō: they be coūted good catholike mē and fulle deuote fathers. Christe was pricked to the braynes with a crowne of thorne, they haue a [Page] bald patch vpon their heades in stead of crownes, & some haue on their cappes & miters for catch­ing cold. Christ was stript naked of all hys clothes: they be clad in sylke, saten, damaske, veluet and cloth of golde. Christe bare hys owne crosse of woode vpon hys shulders whan he went to suffer: they haue crosses of golde and syluer borne before them. Christ was nayled vnto the crosse: they stande at the altare wyth turne, returne and halfe turne. Christe hanging on the crosse prayde for his very enemies: thei standinge at the altare praye for such as be their patrones, Founders, Bene factours, and for suche as hyere them for monie. Christe pacient­ly suffered the blasphemyes and opprobrious wordes y ^t causeles were spoken agaynste hym, they if any man offende them, streight [Page] waies accuse, condeme, cursse and excommunicat them. Christ with hys sacrifice soughte to do good to other: they wyth their sacrifi­ces seke to brynge men to super­stition, to wrap thē in Idolatry, to graffe in them wycked opini­ons, but aboue al thynges to en­riche Corban, Corban, that they may haue plenteously, wherwith to fede their idle and beastly bel­lies. Christe at hys passion had vineger and gall geuen hym to drinke: but thei haue bread of the fineste and wyne of the beaste to eate and drincke. Christe offered hys owne blessed bodye a swete smellynge sacrifice to God the fa ther for the synnes of the people: they offerre a wafer cake and [...] sponefull of wyne, makynge the people to beleue that it is a sacri fice, whyche they offer pro salute uiuorum et requie omnium fideli­um [Page] defunctorum. For the health of them that be aliue and the rest of all the faythfull that are dead. Christe after he had offered hys sacrifice, sayd. Consummatum est, Iohn. xix. Euery thyng is done and pefect­ly finished, that maketh vnto the saluaciō of man, yea and that by this my one oblation. They can not say so, neither bring they any thyng vnto perfection. For theyr sacrifices are so imperfecte, that they are as redye to offer to mo­rowe as to day, and neuer the bet ter. Christe after the oblacion of hys most blessed bodye, commen­ded hys spirite into the handes of hys heauenly father, and died straight wayes, they after they haue offered their newe founde oblation, faull to bancketynge, drinckynge, gullynge and glo­ssynge, to huntynge, whoring, dis inge and cardynge, and all the [Page] dayes of their life they liue disso­lutely in moste vayne pleasures boethe of the fleshe and of the worlde. What feloweshippe and agremente is there here I praye you, betwene Christe and the Massemongers? betwene the ob lacion of Christ & the popish sacri fice, betwene the Masse and the death of Christe? Ye maie se into what absurdities and to muche inconueniences these pedlerlyke Papistes faulle, whyle they sta­blish an Idole of their owne ma­kynge. How saye ye, are they not goodly Christes and pretye saui­oures?

Christes? They are euen suche Christes, as the true Christ hym selfe speaketh of in the Gos­pell of Sayncte Mathewe. Ther shal aryse, sayth he, fals Christes and false prophetes. Here they be called Christes, but ther is ad­ded [Page] vnto it, False, so that they be Math. xxiiii. false Christes, fayned Christes liynge Christes, deceyteful Chri­stes.

Of suche Christes, Christe gaue vs warnynge and bade vs take hede, saying, if any man shall saye vnto you. Behold heare is Christ, or there is Christ beleue hym not. [...]f they shall say vnto you. Beholde he is in the wyldernes, go not out. Beholde he is in the pixe, beleue them not. Lo, I haue told you afore hand. These popishe Masse mongers are the ministers of Satā, which chaūge themselues into Angel­les ii. Cor. xi. of lyght. These are those men that haue corrupt mindes, which are wythout all trueth, whyche thyncke that luc [...]e is godlines. These are those false Prophetes and false teachers whiche, sayeth Sayncte Peter, shall priuelye [...]. vi. brynge in damnable sectes, euen [Page] deniynge the Lorde that hath bought them, and brynge vpon them selues swifte damnacion, and many shal folowe theyr dam ii. Peter. iii. nable wayes, by whome the way of trueth shall be euyl spoken of, and thorowe couetousnes shall they wyth fayned wordes make Marchaundise of you, whose iudgemente is nowe not farre of, and theyr damp [...]acion slea­peth not.

We haue textes almost innumerable conteyned in the holye scriptures, whyche declare that Christ alone by hys bloude hath perfectely wrought oure re demptiō, satisfied for our sinnes, pacified the wrath of God, and brought vs agayn into fauoure. But if ther were no mo places of the scripture to condēne the sacri fice of the Masse, but thys one, whyche Christe hangynge vpon [Page] the crosse, sayed. Euery thynge is Iohn. xix. made perfecte, it were sufficiete. For if Christe by his death haue made all thynges perfecte, than lefte he nothynge imperfect. So doeth it truely folow that the pa­pistical sacrificeynge for the syn­nes of the quicke and deade is damnable, iniurious and despit­ful to the blessed passiō of christe, seinge Christe made all thynges cōsūmate and perfecte by his pre cious death and by that alone ob tayned perpetuall remission for al the synnes of the faythful. For his glorious death and bytter pa ssion is euē now of as ful strēgth and of as much vertue, as it was what time he suffered, and so shal cōtinewe vnto the worldes ende, as blessed Paulle sayeth, Iesus Christ yesterday and to day, & the same continueth for euer. There­fore is he called an euerlastynge Hebrn. xiii. [Page] priest, because he doth al thinges perfectly, & requireth none other to healpe hym as he him selfe sayeth by y ^e prohet, I am he that tea cheth rightuousnes, & am of po­wer Esai. lxiii to helpe. The cōgregation of the faithful speaketh. Wherefore thē is thy clothinge red, & thy rai mēt like his y ^t treadeth in the win presse? Christe answereth, I haue troden the presse alone, & of al peo ple ther is not one w ^t me. Neither Iohn. i. Abrahā nor Isac, neither zachary nor Iohn Baptist, neither Mary nor Elizabeth, neyther Peter nor Paulle, neyther man nor Angell hath payde our raunsome by his bloude shedynge, but Christe a­lone, alone, that moste pure and i. Pet. i. vndefiled lambe, whyche taketh a waye the synnes of the worlde. In hym alone and in none other Act. iiii. is all oure health and saluacton Neyther is ther any other name Esai. liii. [Page] giuen vnto mē, wherin thei must be saued, but onelye the name of our most blessed lord and bounte ous sauioure Christe Iesu that Kynge of glorye. He onelye hath taken on hym oure infirmities & Math. viiii. borne our paynes. He was woū ­ded for oure offences, & smittē for i. Peter. ii. our wyckednes. The chastisment of our peace was laide vpō him, and w ^t his stripes we are healed. Esai liii. As for vs we haue gone al astray like shepe euery one hath turned his own way. But the Lord hath Psal cxix heaped together vpō him the ini­quitie of vs all. He suffered vio­lence and was euyll entreated, and dyd not yet open his mouth. He was led as a shepe to be slain Iere. xi. yet was he as styl as a lambe be­fore the shearer, and did not open Math. xxvi. hys mouth. He was had a waye [...]. viii. frō presonne, hys cause not heard and wythout any iudgement. Al ii. Cor. v. [Page] thys suffered he for our sake & to put awaie our iniquities. Yea he was cut of frō the groūd of the li uing, which punishment dyd go vpō him, sayth God, for the tran­sgression of my people, whych in dede had deserued y ^t punishment It pleased the lord thus to burst hym wyth plages, and to smite hym wyth infirmities, that when he had made hys soule an offe­rynge for synne, he might se long lastynge seede. He hath iustified the multitude, and borne awaye their synnes. These wordes are spoken by the Prophete, whyche teache vs manifestly, that ther is no sacrifice, that deserueth remi­ssion of synnes to vs, or pacifieth the wrath of God styred vp a­gaynst vs thorowe synne, but on Esai. liii. ly the death of Iesus Christ. By the meanes of Iesu Christe, say­eth Sayncte Paulle, ye whyche Ephe. ii. [Page] sometime were farre of, are made nye by the bloude of Christe. By Ephe. i. Christe we haue redempcion tho rowe his bloud, euen the forgeue nes of synnes accordynge to the ryches of his grace. God hath de linered vs frō the power of darck nes, and hath translated vs in­to the Kyngedome of hys deare sonne, by whom we haue redem­tion thorowe hys bloude, euen the forgiueues of sinnes. It plea Colo. i. sed the father, that in him should all fulnes dwel, and by him to re concile al thinges vnto himselfe and to set at peace by him thorow the bloud of his crosse boeth thin ges in heauē & thinges in earth.

This is a true sayeinge and by all meanes worthy to be rea­ceyued Timo. i. of vs, that Christe Iesus came into the worlde to saue sin­ners. There is one God and one mediator betwen God and man Timo. ii. [Page] euen the mā Christ Iesus, which gaue hym selfe a raunsome for al men. Ye know, sayeth blessed Pe i. Peter. i. ter, howe that ye were not rede­med with corruptible thingse (as siluer and golde) from your vain conuersacion, but wyth the preci­ous bloude of Christe, as of a lambe vndefiled and wythout spot. The bloud of Iesus Christ gods owne sonne, maketh vs per fectly cleane, sayth S. Iohn, frō [...] [...]ohn. [...]. al synne. Agayne he sayth, Christ loued vs and washed vs from oure synnes in hys owne bloude If these sentenses were truely knowen of the Laye people and vnfaynedly beleued, they would sone geue ouer their popyshe sa­crifices, and onely cleaue, as they oughte, to the alone sacrifice of the highe and euerlasting Priest Iesus Christe, which he once for [...]ebru. i [...]. all offered vpō the aultare of the [Page] crosse. They woulde leaue to run madyng to y ^e masking Masse of the papistes, and make more hast vnto godlye sermons and vnto the holye and blessed Supper of the Lord.

Me thincke these Massemongers, whiche make of the Lordes Supper a priuate Of the Lords Supper. churlish breakefaste, for as much as they eate and drincke alone, and make th [...] people beleue that in their Masse thei offer Sacri­fice for their synnes boeth of the liuynge and of the deade, and boste that their Masse is of as great vertue and strength as the passion of Christ for the satisfac­tion of our wickednesses, besides their intollerable blasphemies a gaynste the Lorde and hys an­noynted, offende greatly against the dignitie and the ryght vse of the Lordes Supper. For Christe whan he instituted thys blessed [Page] Supper to be celebrated wyth breade and wyne and appoynted them to be the holye misteries of hys bodye and bloude, gaue no commaundemente to offer and sacrifice for the sinnes of y ^e quicke and the deade, but to eate and drinke these holy misteries in the remembraunce of hys death, as he hym selfe sayeth, Do thys in Luke. xxii. the remembrance of me. Hereto agreeth. Sainct. Paule, so ofte, sayeth he, as ye shall eate of thys i. Cor. ii. bread, and drincke of thys cuppe ye shall shewe the death of the Lorde tyll he come. So that the Lordes Supper was not insti­tuted of Christe to be a sacrifice propiciatorye, satisfactorie, expi­atory, and I cā not tel you what: but onelye a commemoration or remembraunce of that sacrifice, which could not but once be offe­red, and a certayne confirmacion [Page] or seale for the infirme and weak linges, that they be redemed by Christ, bi Christes passion, bloud and death, that hereby they may be assured of the fauoure of God of remission of sinnes, if they sted fastly beleue, that Christe hath sa tisfied for their synnes vpon the crosse, and in thys fayth eate and drincke the misteries of hys bo­dye and bloud. For whan so euer the true Christians eate & drinke the bodye and bloude of Christe Marke well. in fayeth and wyth a beleuinge spirite, their synnes are forgeuen them no les than if Christe euen at that presente hadde died vpon the crosse, not for the eatyng and drinckynge, but for the fathers sake in Christes bloude, so migh­tye in operacion is Christe, and so presente is he at euerye howre vnto so manye as beleue in hym and are gathered togither in hys [Page] name. For he is the eternall god, therefore hath hys death an eter nal & euerlastynge fruite.

Ye haue taught vs Neighboure Philemon many goodli and god ly thynges concernyng the sacri­fice of Christ which beate downe the sacrifice of the popishe masse euen vnto the grounde, yea they driue it downe euen vnto the pit of hel, from whens it firste came. Nowe wyll I reherse vnto you agayne, what I haue redde and hearde of the papistes concer­nynge this matter, that ye maye se what their opinion was and is of the Masse and of the sacrifice thereof.

I praye you speake on.

The Masse, saye they, makein men holy, yea it maketh them ryghtuous and deliuereth them from sinnes. The Masse is a sacrifice, and not the sygne of a The doctrine of the papists sacrifice onelye. In the Masse is [Page] the bodye and bloude of Christe truely offered for the quicke and conserninge the Masse. deade. The masse of a prieste, be he neuer so naughti, is profitable ex opere operato Christ w ^t his pa ssion satisfied for originall synne and instituted the masse to be an oblacion for the synnes commit­ted dayely, boeth mortall and ve niall. To heare masse is the hono ringe of God, whither the hearer vnderstandeth it or not. Missa soundeth sacrifice, ergo the masse is a sacrifice, Missa is deriued of Mitto, to sende, for in the masse the lamb, that is to say, Christ is sente vnto the father to forgeue oure synnes. The Masse deliue­reth s [...]ulles from purgatorye, for asmuche as it is a satisfactory sa­crifice for synnes. Not onely the sacrifice of Christ, wherin he offe­red hym selfe, was a sacrifice for synne, but we also offer for oure [Page] sinnes a continual sacrifice in the masse. The sacrifice of Christ ob­tayneth mercy onely for original synne, and for the synnes paste. The sacrifice of the masse euerye daye, is the true sacrifice for syn­nes. Althoughe Christ was once offered on the crosse in the open likenesse of fleshe, yet is the same Christe dayelye offered on the al­tare at masse. The wordes of con secracion duly spokē of the priest there is made a transubstantia­cion of wyne into the bloude of Christe and of the bread into hys bodye. Euery man may lawfully worshippe the hoste consecrated. Althoughe Paule calleth the sa­cramente of the Supper breade, yet maye we not beleue therefore that the substaunce of breade re­maineth in the sacrament. Christ saide. Hoc est corpus meum. This is my bodye, therefore muste we [Page] nedes holde, that there is a tran­substantiacion, and that the sub­staunce of breade is chaunged in to the bodye of Christe. The bo­dye of Christe is presente in the Masse so greate and large, as it was, whā it hanged on the crosse Forasmuch as Christe that most hyghe maiestie of God is present at the masse, therefore is it verye godly to appointe many ceremo­nies, that Christ may be entertay ned honorably. Masse ought not to be sayed but in an holye place and vpon an altare of stone, for Christe him selfe is called a stone The masse amonge al the suffra­ges for the deade, doeth profitte moste of all for the deliueraunce of soulles out of purgatory. By hearinge of masse we maye ob­tayne not onely spiritual goodes but all maner of corporall and temporall goodes also. The can­non [Page] of the masse is godly and ca­tholyke and it was ordeyned of the Apostles. The masse, ex opere operato, iustifieth and taketh a­way the giltines of the faute and payne in thē, for whom it is done With y ^e sacrifice of the Masse the satisfactiōs of the deade are rede med. The masse, ex opere operato geueth grace, and beyng applied for other deserueth vnto them ex opere operato, forgyuenes of the faute and payne, and obtayneth what so euer we haue nede of in al oure lyfe. In the olde testamēt ther was a byshop, that offered sacrifices for the synnes of y ^e peo­ple, therefore in the newe testa­mente muste ther be priestes and Byshoppes to offere sacrifices for sinnes. The body of the Lord once offered on the crosse for ori­ginall synne, is continually offe­red for dayly sinnes vpon the al­tare, [Page] that by thys meanes the churche maye haue a gyfte, wher wyth they may pacifie the wrath of god. It is an heresy of the Ar­rians to holde that the masse is not a sacrifice for the quicke and the deade. Howe saye ye Neighe­boures to thys doctryne of the massekynge papistes? Is it not good stuffe?

God haue mer cy on vs. I haue not heard more blasphemous doctrine in my life agaynst the trueth of Gods most blessed word, nor more iniurious and dispiteful agaynst the glori­ous passion of our onely Lord & sauioure Iesu Christ. O to much miserable is that realme, where suche doctrine is taught. Bonde slaues and wreched captiues are they to Satan and to hys Anti­christian sinagog, where such tea chers reigne and bare rule. Oh, whan wyl these papistes cease to [Page] speake blasphemies againste the sonne of the liuinge God? The teachers of thys doctryne are ryghte chaplens to that beaste, which had seuen heades and ten hornes, and opened hir mouthe to speake blasphemies agaynste God and hys name and agaynst hys holye congregation wyth so Apo. xiii. many as inhabite the heauens. These are those marked Mar­chauntes, whiche haue commit­ted abhominable whoredomme wyth that fylthey and vncleane stromppette Babylon, and wepe nowe because no man wyll bye their marchaundise nor their ped lary any more, their golde, syluer and precious stones, their pearle raynes, purple and scarlet, their Apo. xv [...]ii ornamētes, their franckensence, wyne and oyle, their fyne flower and wheate with the bodyes and soules of mē.

I haue spent [Page] the more tyme in declaringe vn­to you the wycked opinion of t [...]e papistes concerning the sacrifice of the masse and cōfutinge of the same, because ye shoulde reioyce in none other thyng as touching your redempcion & satisfactiō for your sinnes & a perfecte atonmēt made betwene God and vs, but onely in the death and passion of oure Lorde and sauioure Iesu Christ, as S. Paule sayeth, God forbid that I shoulde reioyse in [...]ln. vi. anye thynge, but in the death of oure Lorde Iesu Christe. Nowe the sacrifice of the masse beynge reproued, and proued of no force and vertue to put awaye the syn­nes of the quicke and deade, as the papistes haue falsely taught and made the folishe simple peo­ple to beleue for lucr [...]s sake, of what price, I praye you, is the masse nowe to be estemed? It a­greeth [Page] nomore with christes sup­per, [...]n antithe [...]s betwen the Lordes sup­per and the po pes Masse. thā Christ & Belial, light and darckenes, trueth and falshode. Christe made a sermon before he ministred the sacramente of hys bodye and bloude to hys Disci­ples: the papistes say masses the deuill and all and yet no sermon at all. Christ sate at the table and turned hys face to his Disciples Iohn. xiiii. xv xvi. Math. xxvi. whan he gaue them the miste­ries of hys bodye and bloude: the papistes sequester them selfes Marcke. xiiii. from the people, they stand at an altare and turne their backes to Luke. xxii. the multitude. Christe reheresed the wordes of the institution of hys supper openly, yea and that in suche a tonge as al hys Disci­ples vnderstode: y ^e papistes whis­per to them selues playenge si­lence glome, and vtter althinges in a straung tong that no manne vnderstādeth what is spokē, nor [Page] for the moste parte them selues neyther. Christe gaue the sacra­mente of hys bodye and bloud to hys Dysciples for to eate: the pa­pistes gyue nothyng to any man but eate and drincke altogether them selues. Christe ministered the misterye of hys bodye in com mon breade, the papistes mini­ster printed waferre cakes other wyse not cōmonly vsed. Christ mi nistered wyne to be a cōmemora­cion of hys bloude shedeynge to his Disciples: the papistes mini­ster to the people not onely wyne but water also myngled theyr with. Christe gaue the sacrament of his bodye and bloude into the Disciples handes: the papistes put it in the peoples mouthes, not sufferynge them to touche it wyth their handes for their to muche base filthines. Christe de­liuered the sacrament to his Dis­ciples [Page] sittyng at the table, the pa­pistes cōpel y ^e people to receyue it kneling vpon their kenes. Christ deliueringe the breade and wine to hys Disciples, sayde vnto thē take ye: eate ye, and drincke ye, the papistes say, beholde, honour worshippe and reuerence youre maker here. Christ instituted his supper to be a remembraunce of hys death and passion, whiche is the onely sacrifice for the synnes of the people, the papists affirme that their massekyng Masse is a perfecte sacrifice fo [...] the quicke and the deade, and of as greate vertue and strenght as the ble­ssed passion of our sauioure christ is. Christe deliueringe the miste ries of hys body and bloude to hys disciples tolde them that his body shoulde be broken for them and hys bloude shead for them and many into the remissiō of sin [Page] nes, the papistes shame not to lie that Christe by hys death satis­fied onely for original synne and the synnes paste, as for all oure synnes what so euer they be, ve­niall or mortal, they be put away by the sacrifice of y ^e masse. Christ deliuered the sacramente of hys body and bloude vnder both kin des to hys disciples, the papistes steale awaye from the common people the misterye of Christes bloude. Christe gaue to hys Dis­ciples the sacramente to be eaten for a remembraūce of his death, the papistes holde it vp aboue their heades and commaund the people to worshippe it as God. Christe ministered the sacrament in suche apparel, as he did custo­mably weare, the papistes put on maskyng apparel, Albes, girdels vestimentes, coopes, subdeacon, deacons, tunicle and what not? [Page] Christe playnly and puerly mini­stered the sacramente to hys Dis­ciples wythout [...] ceremonies: the papistes muste haue sensers, belles, candles, [...], pa­xes, corporasses Superaltaries altare clothes, cruetres napkins besides their dowkynges and lowtynges, their turnynges and returnynges, their gaspynges and gapynges, their knelynges and winkinges their mockinges and mowynges, their crossinges and knockinges, their kissynges and lickeynges, their noddynges and nosynges, their washynges and wypynges, th [...]ir booynges and bleatinges, as I may speak nothynge of their prostracions and inclinacions, of their com­memoracions and histrionicall gesticulacions, more meate for madde braines and dronckardes than for graue and sober honeste [Page] men. Christe commaunded hys Disciples to receyue the sacra­mente so ofte as they woulde: the papistes appoynte the common people onely to receyue it at Ea­ster, or whan they be in perell of death. Christe wylled hys Disci­ples so ofte as they eate of that sacramentall breade to remem­ber hys death tyl he come, he mea neth vnto the iudgemente: the papistes say they haue hym al re­dye in there handes and in theyr mouthes, in theyr boxes and in their pixes. Christe dyd not ap­poynte anye parte of the sacra­mente to be reserued after the cō munion: the papistes reserue it and hāge it vp wyth an haltar in the pixe, sence it, carye it about in procession and make a pageaunt of it. Christ appoynted his sacra­mente to be eaten in the remem­braūce of his passiō, the papistes [Page] kepe it so long, that it corrupteth waxeth moul [...], & breadeth ful of wormes. Christe in the institutio of the mistery of hys body, sayed. [...]hys is my body, which is geuē Luc. [...]. for you. Do thys in the remem­braunce of me. The Papistes in theyr consecration, as they cal it, mangle the wordes of Christe, in some place addinge of theyr own to the wordes of Christe, and in an other place leauynge altogy­ther oute. In the consecracion of the bread they haue Enim, which Christe hath not, nor anye word for it in the Hebrue tonge. And herein do they greuously offende Dent. xii. agaynste God, whyche commaū ­deth that nothyng should be ad­ded to hys worde. Agayne they leaue oute thys confortable pro­mis [...]. Prou xxi. quod pro uobis datur. which is geuē for you, wherin our chefe consolacion, ioye and comforte is Apo. xxx. [Page] cōtained. And here again do thei not a lityll offende agaynste the hyghe maiestye of God, seynge they plucke so many wordes frō the institucion of Christe. They are also verye theues & enemies to vs seynge they depryue vs of so swete and confortable promise wherin is cōprehēded the misteri of our saluatiō. Christ in deliue­ring the cup of the mistery of his Math. xxvi. Luke. xxii. bloud spake these words, Drinke ye all of this. This cup is y ^e new Testament in my bloude, whych is shed for you and for manye in­to the remission of synnes. The Papists rehearse not the words in the consecration of the wyne (as I maye go forth to vse theyr terme) in all poyntes, as Christe dyd, but adde moe vnto them, as though there were a certayne im perfection or insuffitiencye in the wordes of Christe. Theyr words [Page] are these. Thys is the chalice of my bloude a newe and euerla­stynge testament, the misterye of fayeth, whiche for y [...]u and many shall be shed for the remission of synnes. Although in the additiō of these wordes there is no vn­trueth, yet is it not conueniente for any man whych is but fleshe, earth, duste, and ashes, to putte Iohn. iii. oughte to the wordes of Christe, whyche is the wysedome of the father, and knoweth beste what Ecclesi. x is mooste expediente for the set­tynge forth of his glory. If a mā Collo. ii. adde anye thynge to the Testa­mente and laste wyll of any mor­tall manne, or doe plucke oughte therfro, his faulte is counted ve­ry Note greate, and he hym selfe for e­uer after discredited bycause he hath so vniustly dealte wyth his neyghboures wyl. In what esti­mation then are they to be hadde [Page] whyche corrupte the testamente and laste wyll not of man onelye but of God and man also, wher­in are bequethed not worldely & transitorye thinges, but thyngs heauenlye and perpetuall. Ney­ther is thys blessed testamēt sea­led wyth waxe, but wyth the pre­ciouse and deare herte bloude of our Lorde and sauioure Christe Iesus, to mancle this heauenlye testamente, to corrupte thys ble­ssed wyll, wherein is bequethed vnto vs, the fauoure of God, re­mission of al our sinnes & eternal lyfe, if we truely repent, and ear­nestly beleue, is much vnsittyng for any christen man, neyther are suche manckelers, and corrup­tours, suche theues and robbers, anye more to be beleued of the faithful congregation.

Christe (as I may once make an end) after he had fed his disciples Math. xxvi. [Page] with the holy misteries of his bo Mathe. xiiii Iohn. xvii. dye and bloude, gaue thankes to God the father, and so prepa­red him self thorow earnest prai­er vnto the death. The Papistes after they haue once droncke and eate vp all togyther, they gyue no thankes, wherby the cōmune people are edified, excepte it be when they blesse wyth the empty cup, or byd theym go home wyth Itemissa est. Well thys maye ye easly perceyue, howe greatly the Popysh masse differeth from the true institutiō of the Lords sup­per, and that they agre togyther as Christe and Beliall, lyghte and darcknesse, trueth and false­hode. & ce.

It shall therfore be con­uenient for all true christian her­tes no more to repose the trust of theyr saluation in the Sacrifice of theyr Popeyshe masse, nor in [Page] anye thynge apperteynynge to the same, but onely in the blessed passion, in the precyouse bloude, & gloryouse death of oure Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ, which by the alone Sacrifice of hys mooste holye body, hath euen vn to the vttermoste, and at the full payed our raunsome, & broughte vs euerlastynge healthe.

Thys is a confortable hea rynge for all fayethfull penitent synners.

But I praye you, neighboure Philemon, remayne there no mo causes of reioysyng in the Lorde oure God? Of Christes resurrection

Yesse verilye. For thys oure Lorde and Sauioure Ie­sus Christe dyd not onelye boeth wyllyngely and frelye gyue him selfe vnto the deathe of the crosse for oure synnes and wyckednes, and by thys meanes paye oure [Page] raunsome to God the father for oure offēses, that Satan might haue no power ouer vs, but he al so thorowe the might of his god­head, rose agayne gloriously and triumphantlye on the thyrd day accordynge to the scriptures for oure iustification, as the Apostle sayeth.

He was betraied vnto the death Romains. iiii for our synnes, and rose agayne for oure iustification.

For as by the death of Christe oure raunsome is payed, the di­uine wrath is pacified, oure syn­nes are washed away in Christes bloude, a reconciliacion & perfect atonemēt is made betwene God the father and vs, the obligation of oure dette is rased oute, the law is fulfilled, the curse of god­des wrath is takē away, al thyn­ges both in heauen and in earth are pacified: so in lyke maner by [Page] the Resurrection of Christe wee are made ryghtuousse, accepted into Goddes fauoure, recounted for iuste, holye, and vertuousse, sette at libertye, from the tyran­nye of Sathan, admitted into the celestiall courte of the newe Hierusalem, and become felowe cityzyns of the houshold of God wyth the Saynctes, and blessed spirites.

O inestimable treasures broughte to vs by the gloryouse resurrection of our moste blessed sauiour Iesu Christ.

Yea, lette vs marke thys also by the waye, that as oure moste valeaunt Lorde and Em­peroure Iesus Christe by his re­surrection, gatte the vyctory o­uer Sathan, Synne, Deathe, Hell, Desperation, and all that is enemye to Mannes healthe, [Page] so in lyke condicion haue we in hym and thorowe hym goten a glorious victorye ouer Sathan and all hys kyngdome, that we maye wyth a ioyeful voyce saye, death is swalowed vp into victo i. Corhin. xv rye. O death where is thy vycto­rye? O death where is thy styng? The stynge of death is sinne, the power of synne is the lawe. But thanckes be to God whiche hath geuen vs the victorye, thorowe oure Lorde Iesu Christe.

O what a ioye and comforte is this to a Christen mans herte, to se hys enimies, whiche before so greately soughte hys distruc­cion, thus vanquished, subdued and troden vnder his fote? This haue we gotten, as ye very truly haue sayde, by Christes resurrec­tion, as Christe hym selfe testifi­eth sayeinge, nowe is the iudge­mente Iohn. xii. of the worlde, nowe shall [Page] the prince of thys worlde be caste Iohn. xvi. oute. Agayne, be of good com­fort, I haue ouercome the world By the Prophet Ose he also say­eth, I wyl deliuer them from the Osee. xiii. power of death, yea from deathe it selfe wyll I redeme them. O death I wyll be thy death. O hel I wyll be thy destruccion.

Moreouer by Christes resurrec­tion haue we obtayned not only Iustification & victory ouer our enemies, but also resurrection of bodye and euerlastynge immor­talitie. For as oure Lorde and sa uioure Iesus Christe dyd put of the mortalitie of hys bodye, and became immortall at hys resur­rection, so by the power of that hys moste glorious resurrection shall we also at the greate day of iudgemente in oure resurrection receyue immortall and incorrup­tible bodyes, euen lyke vnto the glo­rious [Page] body of oure moste mygh­tye and valeaunt captayne Iesu Christe.

Oh who cā expres the wor­thines & excellency of these hea­uenly gyftes, whiche we obtaine by the mooste victorious and tri­umphante Resurrection of Ie­sus Christe oure Lorde and sa­uioure?

Lette these thyn­ges therefore (dearelye beloued brethren) make you to reioyce in the Lorde.

Lette these thyngs prouoke you to wythdrawe your mynde from transitory thynges and stedfast­ly to fyxe it on thynges cōstaunt and euerlastinge.

Lette these thynges sequester youre Ioye and pleasure frome the swete entisynge moremaydes of thys worlde, and allure to [Page] the alone delectation in celestiall treasures.

O blessed is that man, to whōme it is geuen frome aboue truely to sauoure these thynges, fayethfullye to beleue theim, and earnestly to reioyce in that Lord whyche is the alone geuer of thē Sure m [...] [...]at man be, that hys name is written in the booke of lyfe.

But lette vs go forthe to declare moe benifites of God towarde man, that oure ioye in Of Christes ascentio [...] the Lorde maye be vnfayned, cō ­summate and perfecte. After this mooste noble conqueste and vic­torious triumphe, whyche oure moste mighty Emperour Christ Iesus hadde ouer Sathan and hys infernall ministers, he tari­ed here in thys worlde, certayne dayes wyth hys Disciples, ea­tynge, drynkeynge, and talkyng [Page] wyth thē of the kyngdome of his heauenly father, and confirming them in the waye of trueth. And thys dyd he not only to make thē stronge in the article of his resur rection, but also by the instructi­on of them to corroborat, fortifye and strength vs in the same, see­kynge no les oure health then the saluacion of them. For as the Romain [...]. x Apostle sayeth, if thou doste con­fesse wyth thy mouth the Lorde Iesus, & beleue wyth thyne herte that God raysed hym vp frome the dead, thou shalt be saued. Cer Actes. i. tayne dayes paste from his resur rection, Christe our Lorde by the power of hys godhede in y ^e sight of his Apostles ascēded into hea­uen God and man. Haue we no cause to reioyce in this behaulfe? Hath this his marueylouse ascē ­sion brought no commoditie and profite to vs? Haue we a iuste [Page] cause to reioyce in hys natiuitye, preachynge, miracles, good wor­kes, crosse, passion, bloude, death resurrection (whych al are ours) & not in hys ascention also? We reade that the Apostles were ve­ry sadde, when Christe told theim that he shoulde ascende vnto his father. But Christe sayed vnto them, I tel you trueth, it is expe­dient Iohn. xvi. and profitable for you that I go & ascende vnto my father. Christe tolde the Apostles that it was expediente & profitable for theim that he shoulde go vp into heauen. If it were expedient for them, it is euē so like wyse for vs. For we are saued by y ^e very same waye, whereby they receyued sal­uation. Let vs therfore consider what commodities and profites the Apostles had by Christes as­cention, and let vs w ^t a constaūt fayth and hope loke for the same [Page] For there is but one Lorde of all Romain. x The frutes of Christes ascē ­tion. Iohn. xiii ryche inough for so many as call on hym.

I praye you let vs heare, that our ioye maye be ful.

Fyrste that we maye truely reioyce in Christes ascētiō, I wil labour to shew you some of the cō modities of it, as we are taught in the sacred scriptures. Christ in hys laste sermon sayed vnto hys disciples. I go to prepare a place for you, If I gooe my waye and prepare I wyl come agayne and take you vnto my self, that wher I am, ye maye be also. Here haue we one vrgente cause, whye wee oughte earnestelye to reioyce in Christes ascention. For of thys aforesayed sentence we learne, y ^t Christe is ascended vnto hys fa­ther to prepare a place for vs in heauen. Can anye thynge sound more pleasaunt and thanke wor­thy to oure eares, then to heare that the son of God came downe [Page] frō hys heauenly throne, became man, suffered death, rose agayne for oure sake, and is nowe ascen­ded very God, and very man in­to heauen to prepare a gloryous mācion for vs in the kyngedome of heauen? What is more cōfor­table for a Pilgrime, then after long traueling by straunge con­tries at the laste to come home to hys owne house, and ther to find all thyngs wel prouided for him Are not we straungers and pyl­grimes i. Peter. ii. Hebrues. xiii. in thys worlde? Do wee not wāder frō place to place vn­certainly, & loke for an other mā ­cion more quiet & mery to come? If ther were not such a dwelling place to be loked for after thys presēt life, of al creaturs, the true christiās were most miserable. But ther is vndoubtedli an hea­uēly palaice prepared for y ^e faith­ful, yea and y ^t bi Christes ascētiō.

Certise here haue we, I cō fesse, one great occasiō to reioice in the ascention of Christe, se­ynge by it he hathe prepared for vs a dwellynge place among the holy sayntes & blessed angels, & promiseth y ^t he wyl come againe, take vs vnto hym, and place vs euen there, where he him selfe is.

An other commoditie that we haue by Christes ascention, is the gyfte of the holye Goste. For Christe him selfe sayeth. If I go not awaye, the confortou [...]e shall Iohn. xvi not come vnto you. But if I goe my waye, I wyl sende hym vnto you. By thys confortoure he vn­derstandeth the holy gost, whych conforteth and maketh stronge wyth Godly puissaunce, yea and leadeth into al truth, y ^e hertes of so many as he inhabiteth. What an inestimable treasure the gyfte of the holy Gost is, no mā know­eth, [Page] but he that is endued wyth wysdome from aboue. Whence come al these backe slyders from God and hys worde, but onely of the lacke of the holye Gooste? Whence come so manye Here­tikes, scismatikes, anabaptistes sacramentaries, papistes, with al the whole rable of sedicious sec­taries, but onelye that thei are destituted of thys cōfortoure, of thys holy spirite, whiche shoulde comforte thē in fayeth, and leade them into all truethe? Dauid knewe full well, what a singular and greate treasure to a fayeth­ful man the hauynge of the holy Goste is, agayne, what an vtter decaie and extreme destruction it is to y ^t man, that whanteth thys confortoure, whan he prayde on thys maner. create in me a pure herte, O God, and a right spirite Psal. li. renewe thou in my inwarde par­tes, [Page] Caste me not awaye frome thy face, and thy holy spirit take not awaye from me. Thys holye spirite do the fayethfull receyue from God the father thorowe the ascention of Christe. Is thys a small gyfte to haue the holy gost geuen vnto vs to dwell wythin oure breastes, and wyth hym all the heauēly fruites of the spirite, Gal [...]. v. fayeth, loue, hope, pacience, ioye, longe sufferyng, meakenes, tem­peraunce, iustice, goodnes, gētle­nes, modestie, honest behauioure peace, with an whole sea of good thynges mo, yea and at the laste euerlastinge life? Who reioyseth not in thys moste excellente gyft purchaised for vs by the ascenci­on of the Lorde Christe our God and sauioure?

That such giftes shoulde be geuē vnto men of Christe after Christes ascenti­on, it was longe before propheci­ed [Page] of the holye Psalmographe, Psal. lxvii. thou arte gone vpon hye, thou, haste ledde capptiuitye captiue, Ephe. iiii. and receyued gyftes for menne▪

Of the gyfte of the holye goste plenteously to be geuen af­ter Christes ascencion, God hym selfe speaketh by the Prophete Ioell, sayeinge: it shall be in the Iewel. ii. laste dayes, sayth God, of my spi­rite I wyll powre out vpon all Actu. i [...] flesh. And your sonnes and your doughters shall prophesye, and your young men shall se visions and your olde men shall dreame dreames. And on my seruau [...]tes and on my hande maydens I wyll powre oute of my spirite in those dayes, and they shall Pro­phesie.

Neyther do here cease the commodities and profites that wee enioye by the ascension of Christe. For besy­des the preparacion of the hea­uenly [Page] mansions and the gyfte of Christe our in [...] in [...]ure and [...]. thi holy Goste (whiche withoute doubte are moste highe and syn­gulare treasures) Christe by hys ascension is become oure inter­cessoure, mediatoure and aduo­cate. He sitteth on the ryght hand of God the father makyng inter­cession for vs. If we wyl obtaine any thynge of God the father, he is straight wayes redye to be an aduocate and to plead our cause before his father, and easelye ob­tayneth what so euer he desireth so greate is hys dignitie and ex­ce [...]ncye. Agayne, if at any tyme Iacob. iii. we offende God (as we all do a­mysse in manye thynges) and by oure offence prouoke the wrath of God vnto vengeaunce, Christ oure aduocate and mediatoure is at hande immediately to pa­cifie the i [...]e and wrath of God, to reconcile vs vnto hym, to pur­chaise [Page] remission of oure synnes, and to recouer the fauoure that we had loste thorowe oure weake nes, as S. Iohn sayeth, if anye man synne, we haue an aduocate i. Iohn. ii. wyth the father Iesus Christe that ryghteouse one. And he is a mercie stocke for oure synnes, not for oure synnes onely, but for all the worldes also. For the bloude of Christe is not lyke the bloude of Abell. For the bloude of Abell Heb. xii. crieth for vengeaunce vpon hys brother Cayne, which vniustely Gene. iiii. slewe him (as the bloude of al in­nocences and martyrs do in like maner call for vengaūce against thē, that haue oppressed thē & shed their bloud vniustly) but y ^e bloud of Christ crieth for grace, fauour and mercy, crieth for pardon, for­gyuenes and remission of synnes crieth for ioye, quietnes and euer lastyng life. God, sayeth Sainct [Page] Paull, setteth forth his loue won derfully towarde vs, for if when we were yet synners Christe died for vs, muche more than we be­ynge nowe iustified in his bloud shal be saued from wrath by him. If when we were enemies, we were recōciled to God by y ^e death of hys sonne, muche more we be­yng reconciled shall be made safe thorowe hys lyfe. No man can sufficientlye expresse the worthy­nes of thys cōmodite, that Christ is not onely become by his ascen cion a preparer of a heauenli and glorious mansion for vs, againe a purchaser of the holye goste to comforte vs and to lede vs into al trueth, but also an intercessour mediatoure and aduocate, where by he obtayneth for vs all good thynges, and putteth a backe frō [...]s what so euer shoulde hinder [...]e obtaynynge of gods fauoure [Page] and the heauenly enheritaunce. Christe purchaseth for vs of hys father thoroughe his intercessiō so aboūdantly and so altogether sufficiently, al thinges necessarye for the conseruacion boeth of our bodie and soule, that we nede not to praie vnto any sainct in heauē as the papistes haue taughte vs neither vnto mary, Iohn, Peter, Iames, nor any other to be oure intercessoure, mediatour or aduo cate. It is Christes office alone to be a mediatonree betwene god and vs, as blessed Paulle teach­eth vs in his Epistle vnto Timo the. I doubte not neygheboures but so many as are fayethful, are replete wyth exceadynge ioye to consider howe manifolde and di­uers benefites, gyftes and gra­ces chaunce to vs by the wonder­full ascencion of Christ our Lord and sauioure.

Who so euer considereth depely in hys minde those thyn­ges that ye haue taughte vs hi­therto, shall be occasioned vnfai­nedly, to obeye thys commaun­demente of the blessed Apostle, he that reioyceth, let hym reioyse in i. Cor. i. the Lorde, so swete and full of all heauenly pleasure are these com­modities, whyche wee receyue of God thorowe Christ oure Lord.

But let vs make haste vnto an ende concernynge thys matter, that we maye learne in fewe wordes, what so euer remai neth of gods goodnes towarde vs in Christe, I meane so muche as oure wyte can comprehende, and we be taughte in the holye scripture, that we maye earneste­ly reioyse in the Lorde oure God We haue hearde heretofore ma­nye vrgente and wayghtie cau­ses, why we shoulde of very right [Page] and boūden dutie reioyse and be mery in the Lorde. Nowe it re­mayneth orderlye to declare the finall and laste cause, whye wee ought to be glade and reioyse in God.

I praye you lette vs Of christes [...]inge vnto the iudgement heare.

As Christ was borne for vs, wrought al good thinges in hys manhode for vs, suffered for vs, died for vs, rose againe for vs, ascended into heauen for vs, purchaised the holy goste for vs, prayeth for vs, obtayneth al best thynges for vs, so likewise at the laste daye shall he beynge oure heade come agayne frō the right hande of his father to fet [...] vs hys membres, and to enunite vs w ^t him in the same glori ther euer to remayne. And althoughe to the wycked he shall come as a ter rible and ryghteous iudge, to re­venge and not to pardonne, to punishe and not to forgiue, to cō ­deme [Page] and not to saue, yet to the fayethfull shall he come in hys glorious maiestye and all the blessed Angeles wyth hym lyke a mooste louynge and Gentle sauioure, sayeynge to them on thys manner, come ye blessed of my father, possesse ye the kyng­dome, prepared for you from the begynnynge of the worlde.

O whooe is able, to expresse what ioye and comforte thys a­fore sayed sentence shal bringe to the hertes of the fayethfull? But to the vnfayethfull it shall be sayede gette ye hence ye cur­sed into euerlastinge fire, which is prepared for the deuil and hys Angeles.

O that daye shall be to the wycked a bitter daye, a, daye of wrath, a daye of tribulacion and anguishe, a day of calamitie mise [Page] ry & wrechednes, a daye of darck­nes and miste, a day of cloudines & boistuousnes, a day of feareful trompettes and shawmes blo­wynge.

I graunte, notwyth­standeynge to the fayethefull it shall be a swete daye, a daye of fauoure, a daye of quietnes and peace, a daye of wealth and felicitye, a daye of clearenes and lyghte, a daye of comforte and solace, a daye of heauenly myrth ioye and pleasure. For as blessed Paulle fayeth, the eye hathe not seene, nor the eare hathe not hearde, neyther canne the herte of manne thynke, what thynges God hathe prepared for them that loue hym.

They shall be as Angel­les of God in heauen. They shall shyne as the clearenes [Page] of the firmament, and as starres for euer and euer. They shall be counted amonge the sonnes of Sapi. v. god, and their lot shal be among the saynctes. They shall receyue of the Lordes hande an honora­ble kyngedome and a beautifull diademe. They shall be clad with longe whighte garmentes. Thei shalbe be fore the throne of God, and serue hym day and nyght in Apoc. vii. his temple. They shal hōgar and thyrste no more, neither shall the sonne or any heate faul vpon thē for the lambe Christe, whyche is in the middes of the throne, shall gouerne them, and lead thē vnto the fountayues of the water of lyfe, and God shal wype a waye euery teare from their eies. Thei shall dwell in a citye, that nedeth neyther sonne nor mone to shyne in it. For the clerenes of God shal Apoc. xxi. illumine it. They shall beholde [Page] the glorious face of god present­ly, Apoc. xxii. and hys name shall be written in their foreheades. They shall eate of the tre of lyfe, whych is in the paradise of God. To conclud they shal haue a crowne of glory Apoc. ii. and syt wyth Christe their elder brother in hys throne, euen as he sitteth wyth hys father in hys throne, and shall lyue wyth God and hys holy angelles in al kind of honoure and glorye, ioye and pleasure worlde wythout ende. Apoc. iii. O what can a Christen man de­sire more of the Lorde hys God, then these thinges, which I haue heretofore rehersed? Come of, tell me nowe I praye you, if we haue not many yea and innumerable boeth vrgent and wayghtie cau­ses, why we shoulde reioyse in the Lorde our God. I doubte not, I doubte not, moste dere brethren, but by the hearynge of these thin [Page] ges ye are nowe so rapte into the loue of God for the moste hyghe and singulare pleasures, whyche thorowe Christe Iesus ye haue allredye receyued, and here after shall receyue a thousand tymes more abound a untlye, that from hēceforth al worldly thinges shal waxe vile vnto you, and ye shall euen from the verye herte ende­uoure youre selues at all tymes to repose all youre ioye, comforts pleasure and felicitie in the Lord oure God alone, alone, so that ye shall reioyse in none, neyther in heauen nor in earth but in hym alone, alone.

Neyghboure Philemō we all are kindled with so feruente and so hertye loue to­warde God for these hys moste singulare and inestimable bene­fites, that we do not onely defye the world and all the vayne plea sures of it, but we also are redye [Page] for our stedfast loue in God and for the perfecte reioysinge in him gladly to saye wyth the blessed A postle, who shall seperat vs from the loue of Christe? Shall tribu­lacion or anguishe? Or famine? Or nakednes? Or parel? Or per­secution? Or swerde? I am sure that neyther death nor lyfe, nor angels, nor soueraignties, nor powers, nor thinges present, nor thynges to come, nor strenghte, heyght, nor depth, nor anye o­ther creature shall be able to se­perate vs from the loue of God whyche is in Christe Iesus oure Lorde.

I am gladde to heare these youre wordes, and I am fully persuaded y ^t thys youre ioye shall encrease vnto an exce­dynge and perfecte reioysynge in the Lord our god, vnto the great and syngulare comforte boeth of [Page] youre bodies and soules. But ye shall note, that the holye Apostle doeth not onely bydde vs reioyse in the Lorde, but he addeth vnto it. Alwaye. Reioyse in the Lorde Alwaye, sayeth he,

What meaneth the blessed Apostle by thys worde Alwaye?

Ueri­ly he wyll that oure ioye and re­ioysynge Prouer. xiiii. in the Lorde be not flit­tyng, transitory and of small con tinuaunce as the pleasure that is conceyued of worldly thynges is, the ende whereof is bytter and sorowfull, as Salomon say eth, the ende of worldelye ioye is heauines, mornening and lamen tynge) but constante, stedfaste, in­mutable, not diminishinge but encreasynge vnto an hyghe per­fection of godly mirth, ioye, feli­citye & pleasure. For he that conti nueth vnto the ende, sayth Christ Math. x. shal be saued. It is not ynoughe [Page] to begynne well and to continue in the same a certayne space, ex­cepte we perseuer euen vnto the end of our lyfe. The wyfe of Lot began well, when she came oute of synfull Sodome, but bycause she dyd not goe forthe, but loked Gene. xix backe agayne vnto it, she was turned into a salte pillar. The wyse menne that came frome the East parte of the worlde to wor­shyppe Iesus Christe the newe Mathew. ii. borne kynge of the spirituall Is­raelites: were cōmaunded of god no more to returne to the mooste blouddy and wycked kynge He­rode. Iudas begā well and was one of Christes disciples, & ve­ry earneste in settynge forthe the kyngedome of God for a certain space, but seynge he dyd not per­seuer in that Godly purpose, but became of a preacher a treytour, of a disciple a thiefe, of a minister [Page] a murtherer, he is now the sonne Mathew. xxi. of perdition and dampned for e­uermore. He is not y ^e true sonne that promiseth hys father, that he wyll worcke in hys viniyarde & doeth not, but he that māfully worketh in it indede, & so perceue teth to y ^e ende, he shal inioy y ^e en­heritaunce of his father. For the kingdome of god shal be takē a­way frō idle lubbers, & geuen to Mathe. xiii. theym that worcke and brynge forth the fruits therof. Not they Marke. iiii. whych, whē they heare the word fyrst of al, do ioyfully receyue it, Luke. viii. beleue it for a tyme, talke of it, & in the time of tentation go away, slide backe and become other mē, shall possesse eternall lyfe: but they whyche with greate ioy and gladnes of mynde, heare it, re­ceyue it, beleue it, cleaue faste vnto it in the tyme of persecuti­on, and perseuer in the same euē [Page] vnto the very last breath. ii. Timo. i [...]

No man is crowned saith saynte Paule, excepte he fyghte lawe­fullye, that is, vntyll he haue go­ten the victorye by resistynge the worlde, the Deuyll, and the flesh thorowe Christe oure Lorde.

And the Lord hym selfe sayeth. No manne that putteth hys hād to the plough, and loketh backe, Luke. ix. is meete for the Kyngedome of heauen.

Hereto agreeth the sayinge of Saynt Peter: If after they haue forsaken the vncleannesse of the worlde by the knoweledge of the Lorde and Sauiour Christ Ie­sus, they yet againe beyng wrap­ped ii. Peter. ii. in theym are ouercome, the laste is worsse then the fyrste to theym. For it had bene better for thē not to haue knowen the way of ryghtuousenes, thē after theyr [Page] knoweledge to turne away from that holy commaundement, that was geuen theym. But that it chaunced to theim, that is wonte to be spoken in a true prouerbe. The dogge is returned vnto his vomit, and the sowe cleane wa­shed Prouer. xxvi vnto the wallowinge in the myre. Of these thyngs aforesaid maye wee learne that it is not i­noughe to begyn well, except we perseuer and continue euen vn­to the geuynge vp of the Goste, as they vse to saye. He that con­tinueth Iohn. viii to the ende saieth Christ, shall be saued. Agayne he sayeth. If ye abyde in my worde, truelie ye shall be my Disciples, and ye shall knowe the trueth, and the truth shal deliuer you. We must abyde in the worde of God, or els we can not be Christes disciples. We are deliuered frō the rule of our enemies, saieth holy zachary [Page] the prieste father to that mooste excellente Prophete of God. S. Luke. i. Iohn Baptiste, that we beynge wythout feare shoulde serue god in holines and rightuousnes be­fore him all the dayes of our life. Note that he saieth, all the daies of oure lyfe muste we serue God in suche holines and ryghtuous­nes as is acceptable before hym. The holye scripture requireth of vs a continuall progresse and an vnletted perseueraūce in y ^e waye of Godlines. In consideration wherof the blessed Apostle doeth not onely exhort vs to reioyce in the Lorde, but he addeth vnto it Alwaye, requirynge of vs not a flyttynge and transitorye reioy­synge, but a constaunte, stedfast, sure, continual and vnchaunge­able reioysynge in the Lord. Re­ioyce in the Lorde alwaye, saieth he.

It is but a trifle to ioy [Page] and reioyce in the Lorde, in hys Note well worde and ordinaunces so longe as prosperitye endureth, and the worlde laugheth vpon vs, but to reioyce in the Lorde, in hys word and ordinaunces when we be as­sayled wyth troublous aduersi­tie, whē we be visited wyth grea­uouse sicknes, when we be empo­uerished thorowe miserable mis­fortunes, whē we be hated, blas­phemed, persecuted, oppressed, en prysoned, punished of worldelye tyrantes for God, for hys worde and ordinaunces, thys is a per­fecte ioye, and christian reioysing to beare the crosse of Christe, to suffer patientlye all kynde of ad­uersitie, to cleaue faste to God in the tyme of temptation, to be cō ­tente so well to abyde troubles as prosperouse thynges, & thāk­fully to take what so euer plages or punishmentes God shall laye [Page] vpon vs, eyther by hys owne lo­uynge visitation or by the cruel­tye of the wycked worldelynges, whyche are alwaye enemyes to Goddes trueth, and to al true lo­uers of the same, thys is in mine opinion to reioyce alwaye in the Lorde, and to acknowledge hym to be our most gentil father and louinge sauiour, whether he send prosperitie or aduersitie.

Truth it is y ^t ye [...], brother Eusebius.

If therefore anye of you at [...] good lesson anye tyme be visited wyth sicke­nes or diseases of the body, mur­mure not, nor grudg not against God, blaspheme hym not, nor speake not vnreuerently of hym, nor yet wyshe not that syckenes to be taken frome you otherwyse then hys Godlye pleasure shall be, whyche knoweth muche bet­ter what is expediēt or profitable [Page] for you, then ye youre selues do, but wyth hyghe patience, & most herty thankes geuynge, receyue that louynge visitation of youre heauenlye father, as an holy en­plasture & holsome salue to heale all those pockye diseases wherw ^t your soules are infected thorowe the stynkynge corruption of olde synfull Adam. We are corrected and punished of the Lorde, saith i. Corhin. xii S. Paule, that we should not be dampned with thys worlde. Da­uid also sayth. It is good for me that thou haste thus humbled & brought me down full lowe, that I may learne thy ryghtuous or­dinaūces. If thou therfore in thy sycknes shalt fele thy fleshe to be Psal. exviii. impatiente, disobediente to the wyll of God and at defiaunce w ^t God for thys hys louyng correc­tion, pleasaunte to the spirite, al­togyther bitter to the fleshe for a [Page] season, restrayne and plucke hyr backe wyth the bytte of patience and neuer leue to fyght againste the furious and rageynge moti­ons of the fleshe, tyll thou haste made hyr obediente to the spirite & wyllyng to suffer what soeuer kynde of aduersitie God shall laye vpon hyr backe. Laboure in thy syckenes so to ioye & reioyce in the Lorde, that with hygh pa­cience and cherefulnes of mynde euen in the myddes of thy moste bitter vexation, thou maiest saye with. S. Paule. We are not we­ried, ii. Corhin iiii. but though oure outwarde man peryshe, yet the inwarde mā is renewed daye by day. For our tribulation whyche is momenta nye, of shorte continuaunce and lyghte, prepareth an exceadynge and an eternall wayeght of glo­ry vnto vs, whyle we loke not on the thynges, whyche are sene but [Page] on the thynges whyche are not seene. For thynges whyche are sene, are temporal, but thynges whyche are not seene are euerla­styng. Agayne, we knowe surely, ii. Corhin. iiii if our earthly mantion, wherein wee nowe dwel, were destroyed, that we haue a buildynge ordei­ned of God, an habitation not made wyth handes, but eternall in heauen. And that ye maye w ^t the more patiente and thankeful mynde receyue all kynde of sick­nesses and diseases, wherwith ye are at any tyme vexed, loke that ye perswade your selues and be­leue vndoubtedly, that your pu­nishmētes come not vnto you by chaunce, but by the councell, pro­uidence & appoyntmēte of God, wythoute whose wyll an heare doeth not fall from your heades Mathew. x. whych also kepeth al your bones so that not one of thē shal be bru­sed Psal. xxxiiii [Page] wythoute the permission and Psa. xcix sufferaūce of that our good god. He made vs, and we not oure sel­ues. We are hys flocke, and the shepe of his pasture, therfore like a moste gentyl shephearde consi­derynge the greuous [...]e diseases, wherewyth we are already infec­ted or els lyke to be, he prepareth hys tarre and greaseth vs wyth that, that we should be free from all contagious diseases, and be founde whole and sounde, when so euer we shall be searched. For God doth not visite vs w ^t sycke­nes & other plages that he might destroy vs, cast vs headlong in­to hell fyre, & damne vs perpetu­ally, but to cal vs to repentaūce, to prouoke vs to come home a­gayne vnto the shepefolde, to ex­ercise, proue, and trye oure fay­eth, y ^t by thys meanes he myghte saue vs.

[Page] For that Lorde, whyche is the searcher of raynes & hertes, per­ceyuinge how olde Adam begin­neth to waxe cruell and fearce in vs, restrayneth & plucketh hym backe wyth the bridel of sycknes that he shall not do what he hym selfe woulde, but what the good wyll of oure heauenlye father is, whyche els wythoute all doubte woulde so rage and growe vnto suche licencious ryote, that with hys vayne pleasures and fleshly lustes he would deceiue the most precious and noble soule, and so deceyued throwe it into the da [...] ­ger of eternall damnation.

Of these your words may we ryght wel perceiue that aflic­tion, troubles sycknesses, and di­ceases be no tokēs of Gods Ire wrath, & dispeasure towarde vs, but of much hygh mercy, fauour loue, & good wyl, y ^t he beareth to [Page] vs.

Truth. For if this most gentle Sauioure and beste God dyd not seke oure saluation, oure wealth and health euerlastyng: he woulde not wyth so sharpe & louyng corrections cal vs home agayne vnto the shepefold, but suffer vs to runne hedlonge into all kynde of carnal voluptuous­nes and beastly pleasure, and af­terwarde for our dissolute liuing reward vs wyth paynes eternal amonge the bealye Goddes and Epicures.

O who is so far estraūged from the ryght course of reason, that he had not rather haue hys carnal affectes & beast­ly wyll mortified wyth temporal & short sicknesses in thys worlde, then for a little space to tumble and wallowe in all kynde of car­nall pleasures accordinge to his fleshly desyre, and afterwarde for euer and euer to be cast into such The p [...]ynes of hell [Page] paynes as are boeth intollerable and euerlastyng, where wepinge and gnashynge of teath is, wher the darcknesses are so great that Mathe. xiii. they maye be felte, wher the fyre shall neuer be quenched, where the worme that shall gnawe the Esai. [...]xvi conscience of the wicked shal ne­uer dye, wher there is a lake and stinckeynge puddell, that bur­neth Apoca. xx [...] continuallye wyth fyre and brymstone, wher nothynge shall be fealte but payne, nothyng re­membred but synne, nothyng ta­sted but bitternes, nothinge sene but our mooste wycked enemyes Satan wyth hys infernal mini­sters, whoe shall not be greaued and ledde wyth a certayne com­passion toward the dāned for the multitude of the moste bitter pai nes, wherin they shal se thē most miserablie tormented, but they shall reioyce, yea they theim sel­ues [Page] shall neuer cease to minister intollerable punishmētes to the damned soules worlde wythout ende.

O whose herte is so en­flamed wyth the fyre of carnall pleasure, that waxeth not colde at the hearynge of these thyngs? Whoe hadde not rather in thys worlde continnally to be shaken wyth hot agues, greaued wyth bone ache, eaten wyth canckars, pyned awaye for hunger, and to suffer any other temporall disea­ses that can be named, be it ne­uer so greuouse and bitter to the fleshe, then to fal into those most horrible paynes that you named heretofore?

The paynes that are suffered in thys worlde are greate and bitter (I confesse) but they haue an ende, and worcke healthe to the soule. And in lyke maner: [Page] the paynes that are sustayned in hell, are boeth greate and bitter also, but they haue no ende, and bryng eternall damnation to the soule.

O what plage can be named lyke vnto thys? Who is nowe so stifenecked and harde herted, that he wyll not say wyth the Apostle. I wyll wyth all my herte reioyce in my infirmities & ii. Corhin. xi [...]. weaknes, that the vertue, power and strength of Christ may dwel in me. Who nowe is so blynde whyche seeth not, that to be visi­ted wyth syckenes in thys world is to receiue a singuler and hygh benefite of God? Who is so far frome true fayeth, that wyll not be perswaded, y ^e afflictions, trou­bles, syckenesses and diseases be playne testimonies, and euident sygnes of Goddes good fauoure towarde vs? as the wise man sai­eth. The chastening of God thou Prouer. iii. [Page] shalt not refuse, neither grudge thou, whan he shall correcte the. For whom the Lord loueth, hym he correcteth, and delyghteth hym selfe as the father in the son Dauid also sayeth, O blessed is that man, whiche is vnder the lawe and nourtoure of the Lord, Agayne, It is hyghely, for my wealth, O Lorde, that thou haste Psal. cxviii. broughte me vnder to learne thy ordinaunces. Hereto agreeth the sayinge of the Apostle, my sonne despise not the chastenyng of the Lorde, neyther faynte thou, wh [...] thou arte rebuked of hym. For whom the Lorde loueth, hym he Hebr. xxi. chasteneth, yea and he scourgeth euery sonne, that he receyueth. If ye endure chastening, God o­ffereth him selfe vnto you as vn­to sonnes. What sonne is that, whom the father chasteneth not? It ye be not vnder correccion [Page] (whereof al are partakers) than are ye bastardes and not sonnes. Wherefore seeynge we had fa­thers of oure fleshe, whyche cor­rected vs, and we haue them in reuerence, shoulde we not muche rather be in subiectiō vnto the fa ther of spiritual giftes? And they verelye for a fewe dayes nourte­red vs after theyr own pleasure, but he learneth vs vnto y ^t, which is profitable, y ^t we might receiue of his holynes. Nomaner of cha stesynge for the presente time se­meth to be ioyous but greuous, not wythstandynge after warde it bryngeth quiet fruite of righ­tuousnes vnto them, whiche are exercised in the same. Beare not therefore, derely beloued impaci­ently the crosse of sickenes, whan so euer God layeth it on youre backe, neyther striue ye agaynste the good pleasure of your heauē ly father, whiche onelye seaketh [Page] your comoditye & eternal saluaci on, but paciētely suffer and praie, y ^t his godli wil (which is alwaies best) may be done in you, & whe­ther he sendeth sickenes or health euer glorifie hys name, & reioyse in him being thorowly persuadid that he wil hādle you none other wise, than shall make boeth vnto his glori & your saluacion, which to resiste were extreme impietie & to much vngodlines.

For as much, o lord, as we are thy work­māship A godly pr [...] ­pet. & are in thy hādes euē as y ^e claye is in the potters, do w ^t vs according to thy most godly plea sure onli giue vs a pacient & thāk ful hert, y ^t whither y ^u sēdest prospe ritie or aduersitie, siknes or helth quietnes or trouble, we may at al times praise & magnify thy most blessed and glorious name.

Let it so come to passe O Lorde.

Nowe Neyghbours euen [Page] as I would wishe you to reioyse O [...] pouertie or losse of goodes. in the Lorde our God, whansoe­uer he visite you with his louing correction and scourge of sicke­nes, so would I gladly also haue you to ioye and reioyse in hym, if he at any tyme sendeth pouertye or losse of gooddes to any of you all. If therefore it so chaunceth, that ye be acombred wyth anye misfortune, grudge not agaynst God, but shewe your selfe cōfor­mable to hys godlye wyll in all poyntes, nothynge doubtynge but that losse of youre temporall possessions shal turne vnto your hyghe commoditye and furthe­raunce in obtaynynge goodes, whiche are a thousande tymes more precious, I meane gods fa uour, quietnes of conscience and eternall glorye. Let the brother, sayeth Sayncte Iames, that is poore and of lowe degree reioyse Iaco. i. [Page] in that he is exalted, and the rich in that is made lowe. For euē as the flour of the grasse shall he vanishe awaye. The sonne riseth wyth heate, and the grasse wide­reth, and his floure falleth away, and the beautie of the fashiō of it perisheth: euen so shall the ryche mā perishe wyth hys abundaūce The goodes of thys world, wher wyth ye be ryghtuouslye endued are gods, if therefore it shall be hys good pleasure at anye tyme to take them from you, grudge not agaynste hym for takeynge his owne, but rather with a thā ­full and reioysynge herte saye wyth the paciente manne Iobe, Iob. ix. the Lord gaue it, the Lorde hath taken it awaye agayne. As it pleased the Lorde, so is it come to passe. Blessed be the name of the Lorde. Paraduenture God perceyueth, that thy mynde is so Why God [...]aketh awaye [Page] muche set on tēporall possessiōs y ^t the worldely goodes from them whome he loueth. y ^u cleane forgettest y ^e spiritual ri­ches & heauenly treasures of the soule, therfore he mīdīg to make the his son & heire of eternal glo ry & of much better & more excel­lente goodes than this beggerly vale of misery can cōprehend, ta­keth away frō the mucke of this world, that y ^u maiest y ^e more frely aspire & breath forward vnto the gettīg of heauēly riches, wher w ^t the soule beīg gorgeously decked may after this transitory life sit gloriously in the glorious palace of heauē. For what doth it profit a mā, sayth christ thoughe he win neth al y ^e world, & loseth his sole? Againe, hord not vp tresures vn­to you on y ^e earth, wher rust & mo­thes Math xvi. corrupte, and where theues breake thorow & steale. But hord ye vp treasures in heauen, where Math. vi. neither rust nor mothes corrupt, & wher theues breake not vp nor [Page] yet steale. For wher your tresure is, ther wil your hert be also. And y ^t ye may bere y ^e crosse of pouertie w ^t the more paciēt mind remēber Math. vii. y ^t though christ was lord ouer al, yet was he so pore frō hys infan­cie vnto his depature out of this world, y ^t he had not a place, wher once to rest his hed. His mother & al y ^e apostles w ^t mani blessed marters, faythfull ministers of gods Luke. ii. word & other innumerable y ^t were good mē & derely beloued of god escaped not y ^e harde dart of pouer Actu. iii. ty. Now seīg ye haue christ y ^e lord of lordes & king of kīges, his blessed mother, w ^t y ^e holy Apostles & marters &c exēplars of pouerti to folow and practise, if God at any time do lay y ^e crosse of necessiti on youre backes, suffer it boeth pa­ciētly & thākefully. Disdaine not you beynge seruauntes to beare y ^e burden, which your lord & mai­ster refused not to take vpō hym. [Page] Ye knowe the liberalitie of oure ii. Cor. viii. Lorde Iesu Christe, sayeth S. Paule, that for youre sake he be­came poore whan he was ryche, y ^t ye thorowe his pouertie should waxe ryche.

Neyghboure Philemon, althoughe, thankes be to God, we haue oure brestes so well furnyshed and fortressed wyth the weapons and armours of holy scriptures against the vi­olēce of all misfortunes, yet some perchaunce not beynge thorowly instructed of Gods liberalitie to­warde his creatures, wyll obiect and saye, as the comon prouerbe is, necessitye is an hearde darte. And honger is a sharpe thorne, howe than can we take pouertye so pacientlye, that we maye re­ioyse in the Lord our God, namely in so greate penurie and scase­nes of thynges.

I an­swere wyth the Psalmographe, [Page] I haue bene yonge, and nowe I Psal. xxxvii. am olde, yet neuer sawe I right tuous man forsaken, nor his sede beggynge their breade on the earth. If thou therefore be ryght tuouse, that is, fayethfull to God and iuste to thy neyghboure la­boringe diligently for thy lyuing accordynge to the vocacion and callynge, as God hath commaun ded the, thou mayste be sure not to wante, that shal suffice nature Who euer trusted in God, and Psal. lv. wente awaye succoureles? Caste thy care on the Lord, and he shall nourishe the, sayeth Dauid. The Psal. xlv. Lorde geueth meate to the hun­grye. Beholde the eys of the Lorde are vpon them that feare Psal. xxx [...]ii. hym, and vpon them that truste in his mercye, that he maye deli­uer their liues from death, and nourishe thē in the tyme of hon­ger. They that feare the Lorde [Page] shall haue no scarsenes. They which seeke the Lord, shall want no good thynge. Feare not my sonne, sayeth Tobias, we leade a Tobi. iii [...]. pore lyfe, notwythstandynge we shal haue plentye of al good thin ges if we feare the Lorde, depart from all synne and do well. God [...]. Timo. vi. gyueth vs aboūdantly in al thin ges to enioye them sayeth sainct Paule. God him selfe sayeth, I Iosue. i. wyll not fayle the nor yet forsake the.

Who beynge a fayeth­full manne, althoughe neuer so Hebru. xiii. muche oppressed wyth pouertye, wyl not reioyse in the lord, which hath promised and wil no les per fourme, that he wyll not forsake so manye as truste in hym.

And that ye may be thorow ly perswaded of hys, faythfulnes concernyng thaccomplishement of his promes, consider, I praye [...] [Page] you, howe frendly and fayethfully he dealt in tymes paste wyth his seruauntes, and wyll no les fauorably handle vs, if we haue Exo. xvi. x [...]. lyke fayeth in hym. Dyd he not fede the people of Israell wyth meate from heauē, and gaue thē iii. Reg. xvii. drincke out of the rocke? Dyd he not sende meate twise a daye by the rauens to the Prophet Heli­as, and so miraculously fed him, whā the vnfaythful perished for hōger? Did not Christ turne wa ter into wyne at the mariage in Iohu. ii. Cana Galile? Dyd not Christe wyth fyue barlye loues and two fyshes fede fyue thousande men Math. x [...]ii. besydes womenne and children, and yet there of remained xii bas­kettes full of the fragmentes? [...]ohn. vi. Do not all these histories teache vs to haue fayeth in God, and to beleue that God hath a father lye care for hys seruauntes? [...] [Page] [...] [Page] [Page] What so euer thynges are wry­ten, are writtē sayth blessed Paul for oure learnynge, that thorowe pacience and cōforte of the scrip­tures Rom. xiiii. we shoulde haue hope. It is not to be passed ouer at thys presente, that Christe hath in the gospel of Mathewe. Be not care Math. vi. full for youre lyfe what ye shall eate, or what ye shall drincke, nor yet for youre bodye, what ye shal put on. Is not y ^e life more worth than meate? And the bodie more of valure than rayment? Behold the foules of the ayer, for they sowe not, neyther reape nor carye into the barnes, and youre hea­uenly father fedeth them. Are ye not much better thā they? Which of you by takyngr thoughte can put one cubite to hys stature? And why care ye thē for raiment? Consider the lylies of the felde, howe they growe. They laboure [Page] not, neyther spinne, and yet I tel you, y ^t Salomon in al his rialtie was not arayed lyke vnto one of these. Wherfore if god so cloth y ^e grasse, whyche is to daye in the felde, and to morowe shall be cast into y ^e fornace, shal he not muche more do the same to you, O ye of litle fayeth? Take therefore no thoughte sayinge, what shall we eate, or what shall we drincke, or wherewyth shall we be clothed? After al these thynges seake the heathen. For youre heauenly fa­ther knoweth, that ye haue nede of all these thynges. But seke ye firste the kyngdome of heauen and the ryghtuousnes thereof, and all these thynges shalbe cast vnto you.

O swet & comfortable scrip­tures. Lette the heathen take thought for their liuinge, which knowe not God, as for the fayth [Page] full Christians thei haue a lorde whiche wyl prouyde for them a­boūdauntly. Let adulteres forni cators, theues, Dronkardes, swe rers, and suche other wycked par sonnes take care wherewith they shall be fedde and cladde, as for the seruauntes of God they haue an almyghtye Lorde in heauen, whiche wyll sende them plentye of all good thynges. If ye be lo­uynge Esa. i. and obediente, sayeth the Prophet Esay, ye shal enioye the beste thynge that groweth in the lande. But if ye be obstinate and rebelious, ye shall be deuoured with the swerd. For thus the lord hath promised wyth hys owne mouth. The wicked therfore and not the faythfull shall want and be oppressed wyth famyne.

If God taketh such father­ly care for hys seruauntes, howe than commeth it to passe manye [Page] tymes, that those, whyche seeke most of al hys glory, lede in this worlde the most base & miserable lyfe, and often are found socour­les and destitute of all mannes healp? Whan they whych be vn­fayethfull regarde, neyther God nor any thynge that is godly, dis pise hys most blessed worde, per­secute the true preachers thereof, oppresse theyr pore neyghboures deale vniustly wyth all men &c, haue ouer flowyng aboūdaunce of al thinges, lyue lyke voluptu­ous Epicures in al kind of plea­sure, & possesse whatsoeuer theyr hertes can wishe or desire. Thys thing se we presentely before our eyes, and as it may be gathered of the holye Scriptures, manye good menne in tymes paste haue complayned of this thynge vnto god and almooste, as it were, ac­cused God of vnryghtuousnes. [Page] Are not these the wordes of the holye and paciente man Iobe [...] When I consider my selfe I am Iob. xxii. a trayde, and my fleshe is smitten wyth feare. Wherefore do wyc­ked men lyue in health and pro­sperite, come to ther olde age and increase in ritches? Their chil­drē lyue in their syghte, and their generacion before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from all feare, and the rodde of God doth not smyte them. Their bullocke gendereth, and that not oute of tyme, their cowe calueth, and is not vnfruiteful. They send forth their chyldren by flockes, and their sonnes leade the daunce. They beare wyth them tabrettes and harpes, and haue instrumen tes of musicke at their pleasurs. Thei spend their daies in wealth thynes. &c. The holy Prophet Ie I [...]e. xii. remye maruelynge greatelye at [Page] the prosperitie of y ^e wycked spea­keth to God on thys maner. O Lorde thou art more ryghtuous then I should dispute wyth the. Neuertheles lette me talke wyth the in thynges reasonable. How happeneth it, that the way of the vngodli is so prosperous? & that it goeth so wel wyth them, which wythout any shame offende and lyue in wyckednes? Thou plan­tist them, and they take rote, they growe and brynge forth fruite.

Are not these the wordes also of the blessed Psalmographe? true­ly God is louynge vnto Israell, Psal. lxxiii. and vnto suche as are of acleane herte. Neuertheles my fete were almost gone, my treadinges had welnigh flypt. And why? I was greued at the wicked, I do se al­so the vngodly in such prosperi­tie. For they are in no parell of death, but are lusty and stronge. [Page] they come in no misfortune lyke other folke, neyther are they pla­ged lyke other men. And thys is the cause, why they be so holden wyth pryde, and ouerwhelmed wyth crueltye, theyr eyes swel for fatnes, and they do euen what they luste. They corrupte other, and speake of wycked blasphemy theyr talking is against the most higheste. For they stretche forthe theyr mouthe vnto heauen, and theyr tonge goeth thorowe the worlde. Therfore fall the people vnto thē, & therout sucke they no smal aduauntage. Tush say they howe shoulde God perceyue it? Is there anye knowledge in the moste hygheste? Lo, these are the vngodlye, these prospere in the worlde, and these haue ryches in possession. Againe the Apostles of Christe, euen Christe him selfe beinge wyth them, were sumtime [Page] so hungry & destitute of al kinde of vitaile: y ^t as they wente by the waye they were cōpelled euen for very hūger to plucke y ^e eares of [...]athew. xii corne, and to eat it. And doth not S. Paul in these wordes declare Marcke. ii the miserable state boeth of hym selfe, and of hys felowaposties? Euen vnto thys tyme (sayeth he) Corhin iiii. we hunger, and thyrste, and are naked, and are buffeted wyth fy­stes, and haue no certayne dwel­lynge plase, and laboure worck­ynge with oure handes.

Wee are reuyled, and yet we blesse. We are persecuted, and suffer it. We are euyll spoken of and we praye. We are made as the fylthynes of the worlde, the ofscourynge of all thynges, euen vnto thys daye.

At the maryage in Cana Galile wher Christe hym selfe was pre­sent w ^t the blessed virgin Mary Iohn. [...]. [Page] hys Mother and hys disciples, was there not suche scarsenesse, that they wāted wyne before the weddynge feaste was done? And yet it is to be thought, that both they whych were maried and the other ther assembled, were Chri­stes frendes and dearly beloued of Christ. What shal I rehearse the historye of the ryche manne whych was gorgeously appare­led Luke. xvi & fared daintilye euerye day, and of the pore Lazar, whych di­ed for hunger? The riche gluttō lyued pleasauntly and was dam ned in hel, the pore Lazar lyuing in all kinde of worldelye miserye after the death of his body reig­neth in glory with god. The ene­my of God hathe after hys owne carnal luste all thynges, the frēd of God wanteth, that should su­ffice the necessary appetite of na­ture.

I confesse that for the [Page] mooste parte the wycked in thys worlde haue more aboundaunce of temporall goodes, and lyue a thousande tymes more pleasaūt­lye in the face of the worlde, then the true christians do, God tho­row his vnsearcheable wisdome so appoyntinge, whyche afore se­eth much better then we, what is necessarye for vs. Notwythstan­dynge thoughe God doeth not customably send to hys seruātes suche abundaunce of worldelye treasures, as voluptuous world lyngs do possesse, lest theyr min­des snarled wyth the loue of thē shoulde be withdrawen from the true & euerlastynge goodnes (as it cometh to passe in mani) yet ve ry seldon or neuer doeth he leaue theim socourles but sēdeth them, what so euer is necessarye for the sustentation of theyr [...]eadye and pore lyfe accordynge to hys pro­myse, [Page] as he sayed vnto hys disci­ples, Luke. xxii. When I sent you, wythout wallet, and scrippe, and shou [...]s, lacked ye anye thynge? And they sayed, No. Truely no more shall we lacke any necessarye thynge, if we loue God & obey hys word The fayethful maye perchaunce sometyme fele the dart of pouer­tie, yet wyll not God leaue theim socourles and destitute of helpe

For God sendeth pouertie sum­tyme to the ryghtuousse for to proue hys fayeth, and to styrre hym vp to call on hym whych is the geuer of al good things, that he maye knowe by the exercise of hys fayeth, y ^t they be the gyftes of God, as the wyse man sayeth. Good and euyll, lyfe and deathe, Ecclesia. xi pouertye and riches are of God. Truste in God, and abide in thy place. For it is an easye thyng in the syght of God, quickely to en­riche [Page] a pore man. Disconfort not yourselues therefore (deare bre­thren) thoughe sumetyme ye fele the crosse of pouerty, but be on a good confort, ioye and reioyce in Iosue. i. God. For God hathe promised, that he wyl not leaue nor forsake Hebrue. xiii you, but gyue you all good thyn­ges abundauntlye for your pre­sente i. Timo. vi. necessitie..

Hys delaye is onelye to proue your fayeth, and to prouoke you to fle vnto hym by teruent pray­er, and to require of hym al thin­ges necessary for your lyuynge.

If ye do thys (so ye be not idle, but worcke accordynge to youre callynge) the earthe shall soner cease to gyue forth hir fruit, then ye shal wāt your honest necessa­ries. Reioyce therfore in the lorde alwai, & once again I sai reioyce

The Lord of heauē giue vs al grace so to order our life accor [Page] dyng to hys holy worde, so to re­pose our affiaunce in hym, so to call on hys mooste blessed name, in al oure aduersitie, and so to be thankefull for hys exceadynge goodnesse towarde mankynde, that we be not found altogyther vnworthy the recepte of hys be­nefites.

So be it.

Fi nallye as I woulde haue you to reioyce in the Lorde, when so e­uer he sendeth you syckenes, po­uerty Of the cross or any other crosse to nur­ture you, to mortifye olde Adam, to slea your carnal lusts, to make your bodies subiect to the spirite that they maye be a liuynge and holy sacrifice to God, so woulde Romayns. xii I exhorte you to reioyce also in the Lorde, if at any tyme he ray­seth vp tyrants to persecute you for the feruent zeale, and Godlye loue, that ye beare toward the ve ritie and trueth of hys moste ble­ssed [Page] word. For as it came to passe in the tyme of Moyses & the pro­phetes, in y ^e daies of Christ & hys Apostles, euē so hathe it bene frō theyr tyme vnto thys daye, that the bealyed hypocrites, & wicked wordelynges haue euer hated, & styl vnto the worldes ende, shall hate the glorious lyght of Gods worde. Neyther is it any meruel

For as concernynge the bealied hypocrites, Gods word condem­neth Hypocrites their hypocrisie, superstitiō, fayned holines, newe founde re­ligion, carnall ceremonies, out­warde sanctimonie, and all the whole glitterynge face of theyr popishe solemnitie. It cryeth out vpon theym, that they are so idle and do not onely not preache thē selues, but also forbyde other, y ^t woulde boeth gladlye and frelye set forth y ^e glory of Christes go­spell vnto the exceadynge con­forte [Page] and greate Ioye of all true christiās, yea they persecute thē, blaspheme them, enpryson them, burne theim. &c. It crieth out v­pon thē that haue so greate mul­titudes Mathew. v of worldelye possessions, and yet make no prouisiō for the poore people, for the vertuousse bryngynge vp of youthe in good letters and vertuousse maners, but spende it vpon gorgeousse buildinges, lusty horses, delicate fare, idle lubbers, yea vpon hau­kes, dogges and whores. It cri­eth out vpon them, that wheras they ought to be the lyght of the worlde, and to gyue example of vertuouse lyuynge to all menne, they are become of all men most abhominable, moste leude, moste vngodly, moste geuen to idlenes moste drowned in voluptuouse­nes, and altogyther sworne to do mischiefe. Howe can these bealy­gods [Page] and swynyshe Hypocrites whose lyfe is ouerwhelmed with the darcke cloudes of syn, abide the gloryous lyghte of Christes gospell? Howe can these glutto­nyshe Epicures suffer theyr Hy­pocrisy and fayned holines to be rebuked of the poore abiectes and vyllaynes of this worlde by the authoritie of Goddes worde? It can not be, it can not be. For euery one that doeth euyll, sayth Christ, hateth the lyght, neyther cometh he to the lyght, least hys works should be reproued. Now as cōcerninge the wicked world­lings, Iohn. iii. thei cā fauour no more the truth of Gods word, thē the bea­lied hipocrites. For it condēneth Worldelings their couetousnes, theyr ambitio their vain glory, their pride, their whordome, their pollynge, their pillinge, their falshode, theyr op­pression, their vnmercifulnes, [Page] theyr cruelty, theyr tyrannye, and what so euer ahomination they vse beside. Howe can it otherwise come to passe, but they whych re­buke these vices, muste neades be hated, persecuted, enprisoned and slayne of the wycked world­lynges for tellynge thē the truth & for rebukynge these theyr most abhominable and outragiousse synnes? as the prophete sayeth.

They hate hym that reproueth Amo [...]. v. them openlye, and who so telleth them the playne trueth, they ab­horre hym. Can lighte and darc­knes agre? Can Christ and Be­liall be at vnitie? No more canne ii. Cor. vi. the worckers of wyckednes, and the rebukers of the same be ledde wyth one consente. There muste nedes be dissētion betwen thē, as was betwene Abell, and Cayne, Iacob and Esau, Christ and the byshoppes, the Apostles, and the [Page] worldelye tyrantes. And for as muche as the same impietie and vngodlynes, the same wycked­nes and abhomination reigneth nowe in the worlde, that hathe bene vsed in tymes paste, and it ought of veri duti to be rebuked at thys presente wyth no lesse li­bertye of speache, then it hathe bene in tymes paste, excepte wee wyll wyncke at so greate abho­mination, and wyth the wycked worldelynges, and bealied hypo crites syncke downe to the deuyl for oure laboure, it is not to be doubted, but they that shall take vpon them that office, shal proue & fynd euen that same gentilnes at theyr handes, that Moyses & the Prophetes, Christe and hys Apostles, the holye martyrs and blessed sayntes, receyued of their bluddy predecessours. Therfore if the waues and surges of cruell [Page] persecution shal at any tyme rise againste vs (the good wyl of our heauenlye father so prouidynge, without whole sufferaunce al the hypocrites in the worlde can do nothynge agaynst vs) let vs not despayre nor cast away our hope but styl go forth to reioyce in the i. Corhin. i. Lorde oure God, and manfullye abyde by the veritie of his word, remēbring y ^t it is called the word of the crosse, trouble & persecutiō remembringe that no kynde of aduersitie chaunceth to vs, but the same happened in times past to the Prophetes and Apostles, yea to Christ hym selfe that pure Lambe of God, remembrynge y ^t all, whyche wyll lyue Godlye in Christe Iesus, shall suffer perse­cution, remembrynge that by the crosse awaye is prepared for vs vnto eternall lyfe. And that we maye wyth the more free spirite [Page] and francke courage reioyce in the Lord, when so euer the crosse or persecution is layed on oure backes for Goddes sake and for hys Gospell, let vs enarme oure selues wyth the cōfortable textes of the holye scripture, and call to remembraunce the hystories of the blessed menne of God, whych also suffred like or greater pains for the glorye of the Lorde, not forgettynge that euen frome the beginyng of the worlde, the wic­ked begā to persecute the godly Gene. iiii as we may see in Abel and suche other.

Unto this pacience Mathe. xxiii and the folowing of the prophe­tes, doeth blessed Iames exhorte Iacob. v. vs saying. Bepatient brethren to the cōming of the Lorde. Behold the husband man waiteth for the precious fruite of the earth, and hath long patiēce therupō vntyll he receiue y ^e yarelye & later raine. [Page] Be ye also patiente therfore, and settle youre hertes, for the com­mynge of the Lord draweth nye, Grudge not one agaynste an o­ther brethren, leste ye be damp­ned. Beholde the Iudge stan­deth before the dore. Take (my brethren) the prophets for an ex­emple of sufferynge aduersitie, & of patience, whyche spake in the name of the Lorde. Beholde we counte them happye, whyche en­dure.

Oure sauiour Christ Mathew. v. sayeth also. Blessed are ye, when men reuile you, & persecute you, and shall falselye saye all maner of euyll saying agaynste you for my sake. Reioyce and be glade, for great is your reward in hea­uen. For so persecuted they the Prophetes, whyche were before The persecu­on of the pro­phetes. you.

What pleasures the holy prophetes of God found at the worldes hande, it is not hard [Page] to expresse. Esaie that moste ex­cellente Esai. Prophet of God for hys libertie of speache in rebukynge the syn of the princes and of the people, and for prophesyeng of the vengeaunce of god to fal vppō the cōtreie and people for not receiuing the word of god, was cut in two partes a sūder wyth a sawe of wode.

O intollera­ble payne.

The prophet Ieremy was stoned vnto death of his Ieremy. people at Taphnes in Egipte, because he rebuked them of their wicked liuynge and exhorted thē vnto repentaunce and amende­mente of lyfe. The Prophete A­mos at the commaundemente of Amos. kynge Amasias for hys prea­chinge was cruelly beaten and greuously tormented, and at the laste the Kynges sonne Ochosi­as caused hym to be thurste into the temples of the heade wyth a [Page] great naile oftrone, & so shortli af iii. Re. xxii. ter died. The Prophet Micheas was cruelly beatē, emprisoned, & fed w ^t breade & water, because he spake the trueth, & told the king, Micheas. what should chaunce vnto hym. The Prophete Helias was gre­uously persecuted of quene Iesa Helias. ble kinge Achabes wife for spea­kinge agaynste Baall and hys chaplens. The Prophet zacharie zacharie son of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth. The Prophete Daniell was cast [...]. Para. xxiiii into the denne of lions, because that contrarye to kynge Dari­us commaundemente he prated vnto his Lord the God Israell. Which of the prophetes escaped Dani. vi. wythout persecution? And as the wicked worldlynges and bellie [...] Hypocrites handled the prophe­tes of God for telling the trueth, Daniel. so handled they al other y ^t obeied [Page] not their wickedlawes and filthy requestes. Were not Sidrach, Misac, & Abednago caste into a firie fornace, because they would not worship the golden Image Dan. iii. that kinge Nabugodonoser had made, but only y ^e God of Israel? Was not Achimelech wyth cer­taine other holy mē of god slaine at kynge Saules commaunde­mente, because he she wed kynde­nes to Dauid the hertye beloued seruaunte of God? Was not Io Ichimel [...]ch. sephe caste into prisonne, because he woulde not leane to the filthy requeste of hys Lordes wyfe? [...]g. xx [...]. Was not Susan that vertuous woman at the poynt to be stoned Ioseph. vnto death, because she woulde not consente to the vnlaufull Gene. xxix. and fylthy requestes of the two Iudges? Was not Eleazarus Susanne. miserablye put to death, because [...]e at the kinges comaundement Daniel. xiii. [Page] would not eat swines fleshe con­trarie Eleazarus. to the lawe of God? was not a certayne woman wyth her ii. Maca. vi. seuen sonnes most cruelly put to death, because they would not o­baye the wycked precepte of the ii. Maca. vii. most wicked kinge? I passe ouer many other of the olde testamēt, which were vnmercifully perse­cuted and slayne for gods trueth Some, as the blessed Apostle say eth, were tried wyth mockynges Hebru. xi. scourginges wyth bondes & pri­sonment, some were stoned, some were hewen a sunder, some were slayne with swerde, al were trou­bled and vexed.

These are Sap. iii. they, of whom the wise man spea keth, god proued thē, and founde thē meete for him selfe, yea as the golde in the fornace dyd he trye thē, and receyued thē as a brunte offeringe. &c.

As I may at y ^e last come to the newe testament, Christe. [Page] to whō is it vnknowne, that Ie­sus Math. xxvii. Christ our Lorde & sauioure after mani blasphemies, rebukes Luke. xxiiii. slaunders and bitter tormentes, suffred the most spiteful death of Math xiiii. y ^e crosse, & so entered in to glorye? Holye Iohn Baptist that blessed Iohn Baptist priestes sonne for trueth tellynge to king herod for reprouing hym of his abhominable liuing, was Actu. xii. cast into prisonne and beheaded. Iames the brother of Iohn had Iames. his head striken of for preaching Christ to be son of y ^e liuinge god. The holy martirs. Stephē was stoned vnto deth, because he prea ched Christ, & affirmed that God dwelleth not in temples made w ^t mans hād, What kindnes Peter and Paule w ^t the other apostles Actu. vii. foūd at y ^e hādes of thē, whose sal­uaciō they most diligētly sought, the histories make menciō. Ney­ther Stephen. do I heare speake of those [Page] blissed martirs, which syns their dayes haue died for the confessiō of gods trueth, so that the Gospel of Christe is not without a cause called of sainct. Paulle, the word i Cor i. of the crosse. For al that wyl lyue godlye in Christ Iesu, sayeth he, shal suffer persecution. To consi­der ii. Timo. iii. these histories afore rehersed, shall stablishe our fayeth greate­ly, and very much comforte vs in the tyme of oure tribulacion, so that we shall not lyghtely slyde frome God and frome hys holye worde, but reioyse in hym, recoū ­tynge oure selues moste blessed, fortunate and wealthy, that god hath vouched safe not only that we shoulde beleue in him, but al­so suffer for hym. It shall be ex­pediente for vs also to remember that Christe calleth them blessed Mathe. v. which suffer persecution for righ tuousnes sake, and sayeth, that Math. x. [Page] theirs is the kingdome of heauē. Agayne, that the seruaunt is not greater thā hys Lord, but if they persecuted Christ our Lorde and maister, thei wil also persecute vs his seruauntes & Disciples. If they haue called the father of the houshold Belzebub, much more Iohn. xv. they wyl cal them so, that are of hys housholde. If we were of the worlde, the worlde woulde loue vs, but for asmuche as we are not of the worlde, but Christ hath chosen vs out of the world, therfore doth the world hate vs. And did not Christe tel vs afore, that we should lament and wepe that is to saye, be oppressed of ti­rauntes, but the worlde shoulde reioyse, and that in the world we should haue affliction and trou­ble? Ihon. xv [...]. Agayne, are we not taughte y ^t by many tribulations we must Actu. xiiii. enter into the kingdome of God.

The fleshe abhorreth trou­ble & persecution, namely whan death is like to folow.

The Math. xxvi. spirite, as Christ sayeth, is redye and of a good courage to suffer al thinges for the glorie of God, but the fleshe is weake. The out­ward man is loeth to dye, but the inward man wisheth to be loso­ned out of this corruptible body and to be wyth Christ. But if the good wil of our heauēly father so be, y ^t we muste nedes suffer death for Christes sake, let vs set thys saying of S. Paule before oure eies, and stedfastli beleue it: if we ii. Timo. ii. die with christ, we shal liue with him. If we suffer w ^t him we shall also reigne with him. And our sa uioure Christ sayeth, whosoeuer shall lose his life for my sake and for y ^e Gospel, he shal kepe it. Here to agreeth the saying of s. Peter, Mark. viii. detelye beloued, maruaile not, [Page] that ye are proued bi fire (whiche i. Prter. iiii thyng is to trie you) as thoughe some straūg thing happened vn­to you, but reioyse in asmuch as ye are partakers of christes passi­on, y ^t when his glory appereth, ye may be mery & glad. If ye be rai­led vpō happie are ye. For y ^e glo­ry & the spirite of god resteth vpō you. Againe, if any mā suffer as a Christen man, let hym not be a shamed, but let him glorifie God on this behaulfe And let thē y ^t are troubeled accordinge to y ^e will of God, cōmit ther soules to him w ^t wel doing as vnto a faythful cre ature. They y ^t suffer trouble for y ^e lordes sake & for the gospell, shal stande before the glorious seate of God, and before the lambe [...]po vii. Christe, and they shall be clothed wyth longe whyte garmentes and palmes in their handes.

They shal euer be in the presence [Page] of the seat of God, and serue him daye and nyghte in hys temple, and he that sitteth in the seate, shall dwell amonge them. They shall honger no more neyther thyrste, neyther shall the sunne lyghte on thē, neyther any heate. For the lambe whyche is in the middes of the seate, shal fede thē, and lede them vnto fountaynes of liuynge water, and God shall wype awaye al teares from their eyes.

Furthermore it shall be greate comforte for vs also to remem­ber, wyth what wyllynge hertes Christ and al the blissed martires suffered death for the glorye of God. Christe oure Lorde and sa­uioure, whan the tyme of hys bytter passion beganne to drawe nyghe, and perceyued that Iu­das wente aboute to betraye hym to the Byshopes and prie­stes [Page] sayde, that thou entendeste to do, do it quickelye and out of Iohn. xlii. hand. And whan the Byshoppes seruauntes came to laye hande on hym, where as he myght haue escaped their cruell handes, he wyllyngely offered hym selfe vn­to them, whereby we maye se, that he wente vnto hys death wyth a merye and ioyefull herte.

These hys wordes, Math. xxvi. which long before his passion he spake to y ^e Iewes, do also testify and wytnes his redy bente good wyll to suffer for the saluacion of mankynd. Therfore doeth my father loue me, because I gyue Iohn. x. ouer my lyfe, that I maye take it agayne. No manne taketh it away frō me, but I gyue it ouer e­uē of myne own good wil I haue power to gyue it ouer, & I haue power to take it againe.

[Page] Of the willinge oblacion of him Esai. liii. selfe, it was prophecied by the holy Prophetes. The prophet Esai sayeth, he was offered, because it was his good pleasure. Dauid also saith in the parson of Christ, I wil offer sacrifice vnto the willingly. Psal. liiii. He speketh of the sacrifice of his body. Againe Christe hym selfe sayeth by the forsayde Pro­phet vnto his heauēlye father as for sacrifice and offerynge thou wouldest none, therfore madeste thou me a bodie. As for burnte o­fferinges for synne, thou hast not alowed them. Than sayed I, be­hold Psal. xxxix. I am at hand In the begin ing of the boke is it writtē of me, that I should do thy wyl O God

As the lord Christ willingly suffered for the health of man so likewise did the apostles suffer al kindes of tormentes ioyefully for the glorye of God, for the set­tinge Actu. v. [Page] forth of his blessed worde & for the name of Iesu Christe the lord, as we rede in the actes of y ^e apostles. They were whipped of the byshopes seruauntes, as S. Luke testifieth, because they prea ched Christ, & so sent awaye. But whan thei came frō the councell, they reioysed, y ^t thei were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesu. How glad, ioyeful and redie the blessed Apostle S. Paule was to suffer any kinde of Actu. xx. torment for Christes sake, these his wordes do aboūdātly shewe. Beholde I beinge bound in the spirite, go forth vnto Hierusa­lem, not knowyng what thinges shall chaunce vnto me ther, but y ^t the holy goste in euery citie doth testifie, sayinge, y ^t bondes & trou­bles do abide me. But I care not for thē, neither is my life dere vn to me, so that I maye finishe my [Page] course w ^t ioye, & y ^e office which I haue receyued of y ^e lord to testifi­the gospell of the grace of God. Againe, whē Agabus y ^e prophet toke Paules girdel, & bound hys Actu. xxi. hādes & fete ther w ^t, saying, thus sayeth the holye goste, the man, whose girdel this is, shal the Ie­wes thus bind at Hierusalē, and they shall deliuer hym into the handes of the heathen: and whē they that were wyth Paule hea­rynge these thynges, moste in­stātly desired him, that he should not go vp vnto Hierusalem, the blissed apostle answered saying, what do ye wepyng and troube­lynge my herte? I am redye not only to be bounde but also to die at Hierusalem for the name of y ^e Lord Iesu. O faythful Apostle. The lord Iesu christ was so dere vnto him, y ^t for his sake for the anauncement of his glorye, for [Page] y ^e setting forth of his most glori­ous gospel, he feared neither chea nes nor death. He alwayes had before hys eyes y ^e short paines of this world & y ^e euerlastinge ioyes of y ^e world to come. He euer remē ­bred this saying of y ^e lord Christ, whosoeuer shall lose hys lyfe for Marc. viii. my sake & for the gospel, he shall kepe it. He neuer forgat these his maisters wordes, whosoeuer shal be ashamed of me & of my sayīgs in this whorishe & sinful genera­cion, the son of man shal also be a shamed of him, whā he shal come in y ^e glory of his father w ^t y ^e holy angelles. But whosoeuer shal cō Math. x.. fesse me before mē, I shall cōfesse him also before my father, which is in heuē. We rede also y ^t the blissed martire Ignatius after ma­ny greuous tormētes was thratened if he wold not forsake christ & hys word, y ^t he shuld be cast vnto Ignatius. [Page] wilde beastes, & so be deuoured. But he being nothinge abashed w ^t those threates but perceyuing his death to be differted, whiche he so greatly desired to suffer for christes name, wrot an Epistle to the Romaines, & desired thē that thei woulde kepe hym no lenger frō his martirdome, but w ^t al ex­pediciō bringe to passe y ^t thei had so long threatened. In the which epistle amōg many other wordes which declare hys valiāt fayth & mighti courage in god, he wrigh teth on this maner. O wholsome beastes y ^t are prepared for me.

Whā shall they come? whan shal they be sente out? whan shal they eate my fleshe? I would wishe w ^t al my herte, y ^t they might be more gredy, & I wil bid thē vnto y ^e de­uourīg of me, & praie thē, lest par aduēture, as they haue done in many, thei feare to touch my bo­die. [Page] Yea if they shal make any de lay, I my selfe wil brast into thē, & offer my selfe to thē. Gyue me liberty I besech you, for I know what is expedient for me. Nowe that I beginne to be the disciple of Christ, let fyres, galowes, wild Not [...] beastes, breakyng of my bones, rackynge of my membres, payne thorowout all my bodye, and all the punyshmentes of the world, that can be inuented by the craft and subtilty of the deuyll be mi­nistered vnto me. I wyll refuse none of theim all, so that I maye deserue to obtaine Iesus Christ.

O blessed & glorious mar­tyre. O valeant and noble souldi our of our most mighty capitain Christ Iesu. O what a myrrour glasse and spectacle is here offe­red vnto vs, wherein we maye se and learne not onelye hygh pati­ence, but also an exceadynge de­syre [Page] to suffer al kynde of tormen­tes for the glory of Christe.

Not onely the blessed mar­tyre Ignatius shewed him selfe wylling and ioyfull to suffer all kynde of aduersitie, yea verye death for the cōfession of Christ, and of hys blessed trueth, but o­ther holye men innumerable, as we reade in histories. Whē De­cius the Emperoure that mooste cruel tyraunte hadde spoyled the blessed martyre Hypolitus of his Hypolitus. vestures, bycause he woulde not do sacrifice to false Gods, the mā of God spake boldely vnto him, sayinge, thou haste not spoyled me of my garmentes, but thou haste rather begun to clothe me. And when the aforsayde tyraunt cōmaunded that he should be clo thed agayne w ^t his own accusto­med kynd of apparaile, and said vnto hym. Use thyne olde seruice [Page] whych thou hast euer had in our syght, & be our frende: the blessed martyre w ^t a stoute courage an­swered, my seruyse is thys, faith­fully to serue Christe, and by ser­uyng him, spedly to come vnto a frutefull victory. Shortlye after the tirant seyng his stedfast and vnshakē cōstācy cōmaūded him to be depryued of all hys goodes and to be headed w ^t diuers other about y ^e nūbre of nintene, whiche al wyth ioyfull courage suffered death for Christes sake. The ble­ssed martyre Tiburtius was ap­prehēded Tiburtius of y ^e cruel iudge Fabiā, and cōmaūded either to offer sa­crifice to y ^e Idols, or els to go w ^t naked fete vpō the hote burning coles. He boldly wēt on thē bare­foted hauinge no harme, & saied to y ^e tyrante. Lay away thine vn­faithfulnes, & learne that he is the God alone, whō we cōfesse to [Page] haue power, ouer all creatures.

For thorowe the myghte of my Lorde Iesus Christe, me thynke that goyng vpon burnyng coles I walke as it were vpō red roses w ^tout fealynge of anye paine or hurt of my fete. For the creature obeyeth the commaundement of the creatoure. When the tyraunt sawe that the fyre dyd hym no harme, he commaunded that he should be slayne w ^t the swerd.

The blessed martyre wente vnto hys deathe wyth a toyfull herte, praysynge God, that he woulde vouchsafe to gyue hym strength for to confesse his mooste blessed name & holy word before worldly tyrantes. When Galerius the Proconsull cōmaunded that. S. Ciprian. Cipriā should be headed, bicause he was an enemy to the Goddes of the Romains, and wold serue none but Christe alone the sonne [Page] of almighty God, y ^e blessed mar­tyre with a lusty courage and me ry hert braste out into these wor­des, sayinge. I thanke almygh­ty God, whyche voucheth safe to losen me from the bādes of this Mauricius & his fellowes body. And so died. When Max­imianus that moste cruell Empe roure commaunded hys souldi­ours to worshyppe false Goddes and to slea so manye as professed Christ & hys blessed word, Mau­ricius w ^t his felowes answered that eyther in worshypping false Goddes, or in sleaynge the true Christians, they by no meanes would obeye the Emperour, We are, sayd they, thy souldidur [...], O Emperour, but yet we frely con­fesse, that wee are the seruauntes of God, which gaue vs thys our life. We can not folowe the Em­perour so, that we shoulde denye God our maker, yea and thy ma [Page] ker also, whether thou wylte or wylte not. We are christian men, therefore maye wee not persecute such as professe Christe. We are readye rather to dye, then to kyll suche.

And wee are more desierousse to dye innocentes, then to lyue wycked and synfull. Know thou that the mindes of thys army by no meanes can be ouercome.

These wordly weapons we caste awaye. Oure breaste is enarmed wyth the fayeth of Christ, which is oure shylde bucler, and defēce agaynste the fyrye dartes of the deuil, & of al his souldiours.

Therfore slee thou, kil thou, mur ther thou, minister what kynd of payne thou wylte, we w ^t a bolde courage offer our selues to suffer for the glory of God. And shortly after y ^e holy man of God, wyth a greate nūbre of blessed martyrs [Page] mo were slaine w ^t the swerd. Eus. These be notable exēples & wor­thy to be practised of al faythfull christiās, if God at any time cal­leth thē vnto this conflicte w ^t the worldely tyraūtes & fained holy hypocrites for the cōfessiō of hys blessed trueth.

I could re­hearse many mo godly hystories to declare w ^t what a readye wyll wyth howe reioysing an hert, the blessed martyrs of Christ suffred all maner of bitter tormentes for the Lords sake, but these at this presente shall suffice.

For hereof maye ye learne to practise thys word of the Apostle Alway. I mean to reioyce in the Lorde our God not onely in pro­speritie, but also in aduersitie, be it in sycknes, losse of goodes, po­uertie, persecution, or anye other crosse, y ^t god our father laieth v­pō vs. For this the duty of a true [Page] christen mā to cōceyue that same Note fayeth, hope and ioye, in God, when he is assayled in tribulati­on, that he had before, when all thynges were moste prosperouse to him. So meaneth the Apostle when he sayeth. Reioyce in the Lorde alwaye. And bycause he woulde haue vs earnestlye to re­ioyce in the Lorde at al tymes, be it in prosperitie or aduersitie, he doubleth this word, Reioyce, sai­yng. Reioyce in the Lord alway yea once agayne, I saye reioyce. Piththye and full of efficacye is thys sentence of the Apostle, and comprehendeth in it many God­ly misteries, as ye haue hytherto partely hearde. S. Paule desie­reth nothyng more, then that we shoulde reioyce in the Lord. His ioye is altogyther in God, there­fore would he, that yours should be so lykewyse. And vnto thys [Page] doeth that princelyke prophet ex Psal. x [...] hort you also, saying. Be ye glad & reioyce in the Lord, O ye righ­tuous, and al ye that are true her ted, be mery in the Lord. Agayne Let so mani as trust in y ^e, O lord, be meri, yea, thei shal be ioyful for Psal. vi. euer, and thou shalt dwel among them. And al that loue thy name, shall reioyce in the. Therefore if we loue the name of God, if wee truste to be saued by hys mercye if we loke for good thynges at y ^e hand of our heauenly father tho­rowe Iesus Christ, let vs seque­ster our ioye frome all worldelye thynges, whyche are but vanitie as ye haue hearde before, and re­pose it only in the Lord our God

That Lorde whyche is the ii. Corh [...]n. i. father of mercies, and the God of all consolation mought graūt vnto vs hys most holy spirite to worcke in vs suche a swetenes & [Page] delectation in spiritual thynges, that what so euer is of the world may waxe vile, vnpleasaunt and bitter vnto vs, and that wee by thys meanes maye vnfaynedlye and euen from the very bottome of the herte reioyce in the Lorde our god alone, alone.

The Lorde myght brynge thys thinge to passe in vs.

Well neyghbours.

Nowe accordynge to my pro­misse haue I geuen you this Ie­well of Ioye, not so conningelye and worckemanlyke (I confesse) handeled, as some other of better knowledge and more rype iudg­mēt in y ^e misteries of God coulde haue done it, notwythstandynge [...] bu [...] [...] truely and fayethfully wroughte accordynge to the pure vayne of the holye scriptures.

But what so euer thys youre [Page] gyfte is I praye you take it to good worthe and accepte my lo­uynge herte towarde you.

Thoughe possibilitte fayleth, yet good wyll shall neuer wante in me, but what so euer the Lord shall geue, at all tymes I wyll bestowe it vpon you and vpon hys holye congregation, and by no meanes suffer the talente ge­uen vnto me of my Lorde God, to lye Idle by me, but for my po­wer I wyll so employe [...], that it maye turne to the glorye of God and to the profite of hys blessed churche.

For the hystorye of the vnpro­fitable seruaunte, whyche hydde vp the money of hys Lord in the Mathew. xxv. ground & therefore was cōdēned caste into vtter darckenes, where wepyng & gnashyng of teth shal [Page] be, ought to make al mē afrayed that haue receyued any gyfte at al of God, and to prouoke theim not to be sluggyshe and idle, but to vse theyr talentes accordynge to the commaūdemente of God, whyche sayeth. Occupye youre selues tyl I come.

Blessed is that man, whych so occupieth Luk [...]. ix. hys talent, that God therwith is glorified, and hys neyghboure­difted. Sure maye he be at that great and dreadful day of iudge mente to heare of hys Lord God thys most swete and ioyfull sen­tēce. O myne own good seruaūte Math. xxvi. and fayethfull. Thou haste bene faythful in little. I wyl make the ruler ouer muche. Enter in, into thy Lordes ioy.

Neygh­bours I wyll disease you no len­ger, but as I haue geuen you a spirituall Iewell, ioyful and cō ­fortable for the soule, so wyll I [Page] in like maner at this my cōming home and returne into mi natiue contrye bestowe somewhat vpon you, that shall not be vnprofita­ble for y ^e body. For I wysh good boeth to your soule & body. And woulde God it laye in my power to gratifie you in both alyke.

But that whych, shall wante in worldely thinges, shall, if I lyue be recompensed in spiritual thin ges. But as I maye at the laste make an ende, remember brethrē remembre, what ye haue hearde of me at thys present. Remembre that all thynges in thys worlde, be subiect vnto vanitie, yea they them selues are mere vanitie, as Ecclesiast. [...]. the preacher sayeth. Al is but va­nitie, yea altogither is plain va­nitie. What maruel, whē mā him selfe, for whose sake al worldelye things were created, is very va­nitie. Remēber that the ende ofal [Page] worldlye ioye, of al carnall plea­sure, of all temporall felicitie, is bitter sorow and greuous payne Remembre that we are borne to dye, prepare therefore for youre laste ende. Remembre that the goodes of this world are transi­torie, [...]ttyng away, and seldome tary longe wyth theyr olde posse­ssour and owner, gather not ther fore treasure togither on earthe, Mathew. vi. wher rusie and mothes corrupt, and wher theues breake thorow and steale, but gather ye treasure togither in heauen, wher neyther rust, nor mothes corrupt, & wher theaues neyther breake vp nor steale. Make you frendes of the Luke. xv [...]. wicked Mammon, that when ye shal haue nede, they may receiue you into euerlastynge dwellinge places. Remembre that what so­euer ye sowe, that shall ye reape, whither it be of the flesh, corrup­tion Galat. vi. [Page] or of the spirite, eternal life: If ye on thys wyse iudge both of the worlde, and of worldly thyn­ges, doubt ye not, but that yours hertes shall burne wyth suche an earneste and vnfayned loue to­warde God, that ye shall reioyce in hym alone, alone, yea and that alway, that is boeth in prosperi­tie and aduersitie, & at all tymes haue a quiet & a mery conscience which of al treasures is the most precious in this world. And y ^t ye may do this the more fortunate­ly, consider your vocation, remē ­bre youre callynge. Ye are called christians, expresse Christe youre [...]ord and maister in al your cō ­uersatiō & liuing. He that sayeth he dwelleth in Christe, oughte to walke euē as Christe walked. Ye [...]. Iohn. ii. are called gospellers, loue, & lyu [...] y ^e gospel. Let your lighte so shine before menne, that they maye se [Page] your good worckes and glorifye Mathew. vi. your father, whiche is in heauen. The Papistes raile on you, blas­pheme you, cal you heritikes, se­ditious personnes. &c. Ordre so your life, that the aduersaries se­ynge your Godlye conuersation, maye eyther be wonne to cōfesse the same truth with you, or els be ashamed to speke any euil of you For this is the wyl of God, that i. Peter. ii. wyth wel doinge ye shoulde stop the mouthes of folysh and igno­raūt men, as fre, but not making liberty to be a cloke of noughty­nes, but euen as the seruauntes of God. Ye confesse youre selues to be iustified before God bi fai­eth alone, prouid that thys youre fayeth be not idle, sluggishe, nor deade, as. S. Iames sayeth, but [...]iuish, and mighty in operation, and full of all good and Chrian workes. For in Christe Iesu nei­ther [Page] is circumcision anye thynge Galathi. v. worth, neyther yet vncircūcision but fayth, which worketh by cha ritie, and the ende of the cōmaun dement is charitie, that commeth of a pure herte, & of a good con­science, i. Timo. i. & of fayeth vnfayned. Ye beleue to be saued by the alone sacrifice of Christes most blissed Hebru. ix. x. bodie, cōmit nothinge vnworthy the gentlenes of so kind & louing Tit. i. sauiour. Ye cōfesse to know god, denie him not in your dedes, but be alwayes studious of good Rom. xiii. worckes. Ye professe y ^e doctrine, which requireth of you and of al [...]. Pet. ii. subiectes fayethfull and hūble o­beisaunce to y ^e King his Maiesty, answere to youre professiō, obeye vnfainedly, not onely for feare of [...]nishemēt, but for cōsience sake [...] For ther is no power but of [...] [...]e powers y ^t be, are [...] [...]d. Therfore whosoeuer [Page] resisteth the power, resisteth y ^e or­dinaunce of God. And they y ^t re­siste, shall get to thē selues dāna­cion. Feare god & the king, sayth Salomon. Feare god & hououre Pro. xiiii the Kinge, sayeth blissed Peter. Therfore feare, obeye, loue, & ho­noure i. Pet. [...]. our most excellent Prince. Neyther thicke, breath, speake or do anything, y ^t may be preiudici­al to the godly doīges of y ^e king his highnes, but be y ^u alwaye led w ^t a reuerente feare towarde his grace. Neither cōsente to any tu­mult cōmotiō, insurrectiō, sedici­on, conspiracy &c, neither cōseale any thig, wherby any dishonour to the Kinges Maiestie, any dis­pleasure to hys moste honorab [...] coūcel, ani vnquietnes to y ^e p [...] que weale may be wrough [...] [...] euermore sette before yo [...] [...] thys sentence of the [...] wyshe the kynge [...] [Page] thought, & speake no hurte of the Eccle. x. noble man in thy priui chamber. For a birde of the ayer shall be­traie thy voice, and with her fe­thers shall she bewraye thy wor­des. How greuously they haue al waies be punished y ^t were sedici­ous & walked w ^tout anye godlye feare toward the ciuille Maigi­strates, the histories of Dathan Numer. vi. and Abiron, of zambry and Baa sa of Bagathā & Thares, shewe iii. Reg. [...]i. manifestly. Neyther haue we wā ted experience of thys thynge in these our dayes. And as vnto the Kinge his Maiestie, so lykewyse He [...]. ii. submit youre selues vnto the o­ther Rulers y ^t are sent of him, for the punishemente of euill doers, but for the prayse of thē y ^t do wel. Ye haue a pleasure to heare the preachers of gods worde, reue­rence i. [...]eter. ii. thē as the ministers of god geuing thē no les honoure, than [Page] the childe gyueth the father, re­membring Malach. ii. y ^t they be the Angells of God, the messengers of Christ the light of the worlde, y ^e salte of the earth, y ^e dispensatours of the i. Cor. i. misteries of God, the feders of Math. v. Christen mens soulles, the com­fortours of the weake, the Phisi­cians i. Cor. iiii. of the sicke, the vpholders of the whole, the exhorters vnto the vertue, the fraiers awaye frō vice whiche watch continually Iohn. xxi. for the health of oure soulles. Be not vnthākful to the preachers, but to suche as minister spiritual Hebru. xiii. thynges to you disdayne not to giue corporal thinges, y ^t the prea chers may y ^e more freli giue their mind to y ^e studies of y ^e holy scriptures. If we sowe vnto you spi­ritual i. Cor. ix. thinges, sayeth s▪ Paule, is it a great thing, if we reape your carnal thinges? The Lorde hath ordayned, y ^t they whiche preache [Page] the gospel, should liue of the go­spel. Againe he sayth, let him y ^t is taught w ^t the word, minister vn­to [...]ala. vi. him y ^t teacheth him in al good thinges. Be not deceiued, god is not mocked. Moreouer ye y ^t are Ephe. [...] maried, loue your wiues, euen as christ loued the cōgregaciō. Nou rishe, & cherish thē as your owne bodies, remēbrynge that they be your owne fleshe & your own bo­nes, & se y ^t by no meanes ye be bitter vnto thē, but giue honour vn to thē as to the weaker vessels, & Colo. iii. as to thē y ^t are felow heires also of the grace of life. Teach youre wiues to be obediēt vnto you as i. Peter. iii. vnto y ^e lorde, to loue you as their owne selues, to be of honest beha uoure, chast, housewifely, good, no euil spekers, but sober & fayth Tit. ii. ful in al thinges. Learne them to kepe silence w ^t al subiectiō & to a raie thē selues in manerly appa­rel i. Timo. iii. [Page] w ^t shamefastnes & honest be­hauoure, not w ^t broided heare, o­ther gold, or pearles or costlye a­ [...]aie, but w ^t such as becometh wo [...]. Peter iii men, y ^t professe y ^e worshipping of God thorowe good workes y ^t the hid man of the herte maye be vn­corrupte w ^t a meke & quiet spirit, which spirit is before god a thing much set by. For after this man­ner in the old time did y ^e holy we men, whiche trusted in God, trie thē selues, & were obediēt to their husbādes, euen as Sara obeied Gen. xvi [...]i. Abrahā, & called him lord. Bring vp your childrē w ^t the nourtoure Eph [...]. vi. & informacion of the lord, & teach thē to obeie & honoure you. Do y ^t vnto your seruauntes, whiche is Colo. iii. iust & equal, remēbringe y ^t ye also haue a maister in heauen. Exhort your seruauntes to be obediente vnto you in al godly thinges, not with eye seruice as men pleasers, [Page] but in singlenes of herte, fearing god. Loue al men as your selues In few, whatsoeuer thinges are Phi. iiii. true, whatsoeuer thinges are ho­nest, whatsoeuer thinges are iust, what so euer thynges are pure, whatsoeuer thynges pertaine to loue whatsoeuer thiges are of ho nest report, if their be anie vertu­ous thing, if ther be ani laudable Colo. iii. thing, those same haue ye in mid▪ And al things, whatsoeuer ye do in worde or dede, do in the name of the lord Iesu, geuinge thākes to God y ^e father bi him. So shall ye in this world liue w ^t a mery cō science, & after this presēt life ioye & reioyse in eternal glory w ^t god y ^e father, to whō w ^t his son christ Ie su our most precious Iewel, & the holy gost y ^e swete cōfortoure be al honoure & prayse for euermore. The, Amen.

So be it.

Nowe dere neyghbours come w ^t