GOD in ty­mes paste,Heb. i. a diuerslye & many wai­es spake to the fathers by prophe­tes, but in these last daies hath he spoken vnto vs, as S. Paule sayeth, by his sonne, whō he hath made heyre of al thinges, and by him hath he now declared his most godlye will vnto vs, that we might obtain life in him: whose most excellent cleare brightnes hath long time been darkened,Apoc. 6. and as S. Iohn saieth, hid as with a sackeclothe made with [Page] heare, y^t is to say with a fayned ryghtuousenes grounded vpō naturall wysdome and carnall reason, inuented and set fourth by man: So that the bright shynyng beames of goddes truth cōteyned in the holy scriptures might in no wise appere (by reason of that dark vaile or cloud) to the eyes or mynde of men, whiche is not yet wyth all men taken awaye.1. Cor. 3. c Neuerthelesse, when they tourne to the lorde (saith Paul) the vayle shalbe taken awaye, for no doute, saithe he, y^e lord is a spirit, and where the spirite of the lorde is, there is lybertie. And seyng that god which is ryche in mercy, hathe once againe put downe y^e great power of the enenemy, broken down his brasen gates, and by [Page] vyolence taken the praye (as a spoyle) frō out of the mouth of the Lyō, yea victoryously hath he delyuered his truth y^e longe time hath of his enemies be holdē in bōdage & captiuitie, & we haue herd and sene these thin­ges, obeyed & do beleue. Therefore am I not ashamed to testyfye the truthe vnto the worlde because it is the poure of God vnto saluation,Roma. i. to all them that do deleue. And as Sainct Ihō saythe,Ihon. i. i. Ihon. i. the onely trewe lyghte whiche lyghteneth all menne that come into the worlde, our handes haue handeled of the worde of lyfe, for lyfe hath ape­red, saith he, and we haue sene and beare witnes, & shew vnto you lyfe, that is euerlastynge whiche was withe the father, & [Page] hath now apered also vnto vs. And y^e tidyngs which we haue heard of him (as Ihon saith) declare we vnto you, that ye may haue felowship with vs, & oure felowshyp may be with the fa­ther and with his sonne Iesus Christe &c.

¶For as moche as, it hathe pleased the eternall god, which seperated me frō my mothers wombe, to lighten the inward eyes of my mynde withe hys grace, and thorowe the knowe­ledge of his word and working of his holy spirite, to worke a perfect repentaunce in me, and amendmente of my formoure lyfe, loue constraynethe me too wyl you (good bretheren) to be partakers of this greate bene­fyte. And for this cause, I haue [Page] thought it necessary, as well to declare vnto you the daunge­rouse harmes that synne bryn­geth to suche as delyte and continew therein, as also the vn­speakeable reward of the righteouse whiche god hath prepa­red for those that withe their h [...]le hartes tourne from theyr synnes and walke wyth theyr god in the way of rightuouse­nesse. I wyll not withhold frō you, good brethren, that which god hath wrought in me, to in­courage the weake stomakes, of them that now waxe faynte herted and shrynke backe, that I may say wyth the Prophete Dauid.Psal. 39. Lord I do not hide thy righteousenes in my herte, but my talkynge is of thy truthe & sauynge health, all y^e day long. [Page] Therefore tourn not thou thy mercy from me (o lorde) but let thy louyng kyndnes and truth alwayes preserue me. &c.

Ezec. 3.¶For it is writen, whē I speke vnto the, then open thou thy mouthe, saith the lord, and say who hereth, let hym here, who so wyll not, let hym leaue, for it is a frowarde housholde. &c

¶For as moche as I perceyue that the earth maketh haste to bringe fourth her children, and the tyme draweth fast toward the end, and all flesh semeth ve­ry desirouse and as it were gredy, to accomplyshe the thynge with moche haste, whiche it ta­keth in hande, be it good or e­uyll, my desyre is also to occu­pie my talente accordynge to y^e wyll of the geuer, wherebye I [Page] may please my lorde, which is my desire aboue all thynges, & not onely therby to gather tresure for my selfe, but also to prouoke as wel my bretheren and naturall contrymenne of thys realme of England / as al other nations and named Christians to bryng fourth their frutes redyly accordyng to their nature that they may be rype against the day of haruest,Named cristians. when y^e lord shall rewarde euery man accordyng to his deades. Therfore beloued fathers and brethren, seyng ye haue taken the name of holynes vpon you, beyng called Christians of Christ, and do in word professe the same, este­mynge your selues the trewe churche and espouse of God vpon earth, as al that lyue godlye [Page] doubtles be, See that ye be dilygente to obey to the word of truth which our heauenly father hath now sente and set a­broade by his beloued messen­gers, as wel within this reame of England, as in all other regions on the earth, as it is wry­ten in the eyghtenth Psalme.Psal. 18 Rom. 16 Theyr sownde is gone owte into all landes: And their wordes into the endes of y^e world. If ye accepte the voyce of the shepeherde, then wyll he know you for his owne, and lead you in and oute, where ye shall all wayes fynde riche pasture. Godde hathe made daye and nyghte,Ihon. 10 lyghte and darkenesse, sommer and wynter, to the intente that all thynges myght-haue [Page] as well place and time as sufficient occasion to shew forth & declare theim selues, eyther good or euill. Repent & turne frō your euill waies with your whole hertes, that ye maie be­leue, & set your faithe on a sure ground,Psal. 65 Gala. 6. build it on y^e sure foun­dacion of gods holy worde and promises, and then will it al­waies abide the violence of the stormes, but yf ye go by groo­pyng and woorke at auenture, be ye sure, ye shal not go right, for true fayth is liuely, & no vn­certayne thynge, it is surelye grounded and stablished vpon the sure rocke of Gods woorde and promise, as it is written. Abraham beleued God in hys promise,Gene. 13. and none opinion of his own imaginacion, & it was [Page] counted to hym for righteous­nes, but yf your faith bee with­out the word, then is it carnall and fleshely, beyng builte vpon naturall reason, and therefore it is vayne and of no valure,Eccle. i. for trewe faithe is accoumpanyed with godly loue, who hath the wiisdome of god for her gouer­nour, she teacheth her chyldren (as a right good nourice) knowledge and nurture, and leadeth them safely in the waye of lyfe,i. Ihon. and with doctrine she purgeth their hertes from all filthe and corruption, euē as god himselfe is pure. She shyneth from and out of the bosome of y^e highest, for her clearenes doth farre ex­cede the brightnes of the sōne, whiche lighteth the whole erth with her shine. Therfore O ye [Page] ignoraunte, geue a diligēt eare to the voice of wisedom, which daily cryeth vnto you in y^e high places stretes, and wayes, and before the holy citie, and in the gates where mē go out and in. It is you, O ye men, saieth she, whom I call, vnto you, (O ye children of men, lyfte I vp my voyce: Take hede vnto know­ledge, saieth she, O ye ignoraūt, be wyse in harte. O ye fooles, geue eare, sayeth she, for I will speake of great matters, and o­pen my lyppes, to tell thynges that be right, for my throte shal be talkyng of the truth, my lip­pes abhorre vngodlines, al the wordes of my mouth are righ­teousnes, there is no froward­nes nor falshode therein. They are all plain, sayeth she, to suche [Page] as wyl vnderstande, and right to them that fynde knowledge receiue my doctrine, saith shee, and not syluer, and knowledge, more then fyne golde,Prou. 3. c for wyse­dome is more worth then pre­ciouse stones, yea all the thyn­ges that thou canst desyre, are not to be compared vnto it &c.

¶Wherefore if ye wyll seeke wisdome and dwell with her, shee will make you the verye frendes of god, for the highest hath geuen her a commaundemente, and he that made herre hath apointed her a tabernacle saying. Let thy dwellynge be in Iacob, & thyne inheritaunce in Israel, rote thy selfe among my chosen, for the congregati­on of the rightuouse, are the Children of wisedome, and the [Page] lorde dwelleth amonge them in hys holye Sinay. An vtter enemye to wisdome is the fro­warde synner, for he hateth to be refourmed, and because he will not refuse thynges which he knoweth to be euyll; he can come in no good way, brethern consider this most excellent benefite of god, dayly offered vn­to you. Refuse not his worde which teacheth you al wisdom Come to her brokes, & drinke of her cūduite, for wisdom hath cast out floudes, I am,Eccle. 24. saith she as a great water broke oute of the ryuer &c.

And as a water cūduite am I come oute of the gardeine of pleasure, I saide, I wyll water the gardeine of my yonge plantes, and fill y^e frute of my birth, [Page] so my water brooke, became exceadinge greate saith shee, and my Ryuer aprocheth vnto the See, for I make doctrine to be to all men as light as the faire morning and I shal make it, saith she, euer the clearer, I will perse thorow all the lower partes of the earth, I will loke vpon such as be a slepe, & ligh­ten all theym that putte their trust in the Lorde, I shall yet poure oute doctrine lyke a pro­phecie, and leane vnto suche as seke after wisdome, and their generations shall I neuer faile vnto y^e holy euerlasting world.

¶Obey vnto the louing voice of God, and accepte this gentle doctrine of wisedome, slumber not to long in thyne owne way (O thou named Christiā) least [Page] the lorde be angry, leaste thou fall a slepe againe in synne, and so perishe vtterly by thine own folly. How can theye be made hole that wyll not knowe they be sicke, or howe can suche ob­taine that refuse y^e right way? Thou thinkest thy selfe well al redy, because thou hast a name that thou liuest. O thou named Christian, therfore thou saiste in thy selfe.Apoca. [...] Tushe I am riche and incresed with goodes, and haue nede of nothynge, & knowest not how thou art wretched and myserable, poore, blynde, & naked: thou haste a name that thou liuest, but thou art deade, for by synne art thou subdued, and thrust downe by thyne enemies euen to the brinke of hell. O named Christianytie, thou [Page] waft rolde vp in extreme darknes and mysery, yea solde and solde again wast thou for thine offences, to be a bonde seruant whereof thou art not yet dely­uered, for ignoraunce holdeth the in captiuitie, and bringeth the a slepe, that thou neyther seest nor felest thye harme,Esaye 29. but lyke an hongry man dremyng that he is eatyng, & wakynge hath nothinge, or lyke a thyr­sty man y^t dreameth that he is drinkyng, but when he waketh he fyndeth nothynge to refresh hym self, so doth synne deceiue the, and thou not ware. Awake awake oute of thy heauy slepe thou Christianitie, harken to y^e loud voice and trompe of god which in these last daies is now blowen amongest you. I mean [Page] the preachyng of the gloryouse gospell of Christ, which is day­ly preached vnto you, and yet soundeth in youre eares. O fo­lysh people, why stop you youre eares so longe from the truth: and as it were, styll geue youre selues to vanitie? Why seke ye suche frendshyp of the worlde, whiche hath nothyng to recō ­pence, but extreame myserye? Why sekeste thou reste, where none is? Treasure vp such thinges as are godly, then shalte y^u be recompensed .vij. folde: but who so seeketh rest in worldly thynges, his labour is in vain. Consider O man, thy lyfe in this worlde, how short, how vncerteine, and daungerouse it is it is lyke a vapour or breathe, saith the Apostle S. Iames,Iames. 4 y^t [Page] appereth for a lytle season, and then vanissheth away, therfore truste not to the worlde, for he is disceitfull, he promyseth rest, but payeth trouble, he promy­seth ioye and paieth sorowe he promyseth longe lyfe, and pay­eth short, totally, he promyseth good and payeth euyll, for na­ture and fortune be muche va­riable, & chaunge as the winde and therfore do they suffer no thynge here certeine. O folysh man woldest y^u then be thought wise, and yet delytest and set­test thy hole hert and pleasure in this vaine transitory world. what frendshippe woldest thou haue of hym that can do you no good, neither careth he lenger for the then thou maist do hym pleasure, for in sorow pouertie [Page] or payne, will he vtterly dispise the, and laugh the to scorne in the anguysh of thy soule. Soo vngodly doth this myserable worlde recompence his louers that the nighe frende,O bestes vngodly & very vnnaturall. so called of nature, the wife that lyeth in the bosome, or the Chyldren whom with busy paine and study some bringe vp, intendynge by them to haue their kindnes after recompenced, do nothing at all regarde them, but flate­ryngly from the teth outward thinkyng euery day three, tyll they be gone, that they myght receiue the worldely goodes which their frendes do posses. O mysery of all myseries, thus the worlde which many so inor­dinately loue, and set such store by, for all his greate bragges, [Page] and flateryng face of frendship (if nature withdraw her selfe) wyl not onely think hym moch burdened by them, but also dis­dainfully abhor & deteste their presence. Therefore as Christe saith,Mat. 6. d seke ye first y^e kingdome of god, & the righteousenes there of, and all these thynges shalbe mynistred vnto you. And also Crist saith, geue not ouer your membres to serue the flesh, se­ing the beutie thereof fadethe away, for he that soweth in the fleshe,Gal. 6. shall of the flesh repe cor­ruptiō, saith Sainct Paul, but he that soweth in the spirite, shall of the spirite reape lyfe e­uerlastinge. Againe the apostle Iude saith. Hate the filthy ve­sture of the flesshe, for doubtles it is subiect to corruption, it is [Page] also, the very gate and meane whereby Sathan oure greate aduersary, and mortall enemy corrupteth both bodie & soule, and draweth man to vtter di­struction. Wherfore see that ye furnish the house in tyme with an honest exercise of vertu, that perfecte repentaunce make a ready way, for faith and godly loue with all her noble compa­nions, to dwell with you: for if the enemy finde you vnprepa­red, he will busily seke to enter with his soudears, for as moch as, man is by y^e transgression of Adam, set at lybertie in y^e knowledge of good and euyll, the e­nemy first moueth man by con­sente, to chose the euill and re­fuse the good, which consent beyng coupled to the thought of [Page] mans knowledge,By the fall of A­dam, the inward eye of mā was ope­ned in the knouledge of good and euyll, Iam. 1 c. Mat. 5. c Christe saith, who so lo­keth on a wyfe lu­stynge, hath com­mytted adultry with her. Exody. 20 Deutro. 5 is synne. As witnesseth S. Iames saying. When lust hath conceyued, shee bringeth fourth synne, by this meanes winneth the enemy y^t gate or fyrst ward, then proce­dinge forth in his wicked pur­pose, he tēpteth mā duryng his life in y^e tyme of youth, by wātō nes delectatiō, pleasure & redynes of mynd, to spend the tyme of this lyfe, either idely or vainly, that he should laboure in nothing that is good, and when nature hathe some what done with these, he bringeth in place euery carnal concupiscēce, riot, naturall wisdome, and worldly honoure and riches: and in age he bringeth coueteousenes, vnpacient pouertie, childyshe do­tage, and suche lyke. For sone [Page] after xxx. yeares are spent,, as age increaseth, the thinges of nature dimynishe, and begin to fade as a flower, but the enemy alway duryng the tyme of this lyfe, ceaseth not to assaulte man by synne, which is most a­greeing to the nature and age of the person so tempted. And by suche vngodly meanes he seketh to fyll and kepe the mynd of man so busied, that it cā haue no respecte to the word & wyll of god, nor seke after thinges y^t please hym. But seinge the re­warde of these is naught els but playne mysery and distruc­tion bothe of bodye and soule, what folysh blyndnes is it, for men to set their loue so inordi­natelye vpon suche thynges wherein is neuer rest nor peace? [Page] and to seke the seruice of suche maisters as be very Aucthors of all trouble and mysery, and the bond seruantes of synne, and corruption, that serue thē. Wherfore, stryue daily against your lustes, and mortyfie your affections, compell youre fleshe to be ruled and ordered, by the rules of Christe, prescrybed in the sacred worde of god, vnto you. Then doubtles our hea­uenlye father wyll not onelye loue vs, & take vs for hys dear children, but also for Christes sake (so that we yet, continew in faith) beare our imperfecti­on durynge the tyme of this lyfe, clearelye forgeue and for­get our synnes. And make vs partakers with oure sauioure Christe, of hys eternall kynge­dome [Page] and glorie. Therfore O ye Christined nations call to remembraunce the longe time of your captiuitie & blyndnes of mynde, which hath very far exceded the tyme of the capty­uitie of the Hebrues, the chyl­dren of Israel, or of any other congregations, professyng the truth before you: neuertheles, the mightie lorde of powers, y^e onely God of Israel, hath now remembred his promyses, and accordyng to hys oulde wonte hath he loked mercyfully vpon vs, for his names sake, yea, he hath now herd thy mornyngs O Israel, & he is come downe to delyuer Iacob his chosen w^t a myghtie hand, & a stretched out arme.Rom. [...]. But as S. Paul saith. I speake not these thyn­ges [...] [Page] ceyued not y^e loue of the truth, saith he, God shall sende them strong delusion, that they shuld beleue lyes, that all they might be dampned (saith he) which beleue not the truth but had pleasure in vnrighteousenes. &c.

Neuertheles, god hath now remembred Israel his electe, for he wyll alway haue compassion vpon Iacob his chosen: there­fore, is he now mynded to shew mercy, and to delyuer his peo­ple, for our Lordes Ieloussy is waxen greate, to see hys truth dayely thus traiterousely tro­den vnder foote of hys enemy­es, and cleane defaced vnder a coloure of truthe, and wyth a counterfaicte dysguised holy­nes and outwarde pretence of vertue, whereby the symple ignoraunte [Page] synners be disceiued, for bycause the pathes of christ be so troden out, many can find nothyng of the way. Thus the mysterie of iniquitie, as Paul saith, workth in his place, wherby the synfull man is opened, and the sonne of perdition, whiche is an aduersarie, is exalted aboue all that is called God, or of God, for the vaine glorie of man apereth on earth to haue the vpper hande.In earthe worldly wisedome hath got­ten the chayre, or vpper seat Is not natu­ral, or carnal reason and worldly wysedome, most hyghliest e­steemed? Who amongeste men knoweth anye thynge lyke, or that may be compared vnto it? Where is the wisdome of God become? Is it not vtterly dispised of the blynde worlde, and set at naughte, and not regar­ded. [Page] When ye se y^e abhomyna­tion,Apoca. 12. Esay. 14. Daniel. 9 Mat. 24, Mat. 13. The man of sinne is exalted, he sitteth in the estimation of men. wheare god ought to syt for chief. 2. Thess. 2 Esay. 11. Daniel. 8. God fighteth alwai against the man of synne to ouercōe and to subdue hym. 1. Corr. 1, Esa. 18.37 4. Reg. 5. that betokeneth desolati­on, spoken of, by Danyel the Prophete (saith Christ) stande in y^e holy place, or (as S. Mark saith) where it ought not: Let hym that readethe it, vnder­stande it. Thus is flesshe and bloude, that is to saye, the man of synne, exalted, extolled, and praysed, whiche sheweth hym selfe as god, and as thoughe ther were no power aboue him And sytteth in the holy temple whom the lorde neuetthelesse shall consume with the spiryte and breath of hys mouth. And wythe the apparaunce of hys comynge, euen hym saith Paul whose comynge that is exal­tynge, or settynge vp, is saithe he, by the workyng of Sathan [Page] withe all lyinge power, signes, and wonders, & in all deceiueablenes of vnrighteousenes &c.

¶Neuertheles, our god hath taken part againste flesshe and bloud, because it is become his verie enemy, and he hath said. I wyl destroy the wisedome of the wyse, and caste awaye the vnderstandyng of the prudent that no flesshe should reioice in hys presence, for the lorde shall step fourth, as he dyd vpon the mounte Pirazim, saith Esaye, and shall take on, as he dyd in the dale of Gibion, that he may brynge fourth his deuice, yea, hys stronge deuyce, and fulfyll hys worke / therfore make no mockes at it, saithe the Pro­phete, that your captiuytie or blyndenes increase not, for I [Page] haue hearde the lord of hostes say, that there shall fall a soden distruction, and plage, vpon the hole earth (saith Esay) there­fore, take heade, and heare my voice, ponder and marke mye wordes well,Iere. 13. c for the lorde shall fight against all them that mu­ster them selues agaynste the hyll of Sion,The hea­then are suche as do not be­leue. saith the prophet. And with his myghtie two ed­ged sworde, shall he smyte the Heathen, they shall be at theyr wittes ende, they shall be abas­shed, stacker and reele to and froo &c.

¶Therefore, thus saithe the lorde, against all them that call them selues of the congregati­on of god, and yet are not (be­cause they lyue vngodly,Esai. 29. and are the bond seruauntes of syn [Page] ye shalbe dronken, but not with wine, ye shal fal, but not thorow dronkennes, for the Lorde shal geue you an harde slepyng spi­rite / and hold doune your eyes namely of your prophetes and heades which shoulde see, them shall he couer, so that al visions shalbe vnto you, as the wordes that stand in a sealed lettre &c.

For, thus saith the lorde, for so muche as, these people drawnie me wyth their mouthes, & praise me holly with their lyp­pes (where as their hartes ne­uertheles be far from me) and the feare that they owe vnto me,Abdi. 1. that turne they vnto mens lawes and doctrines: therfore, wyll I shew vnto this people, a maruelouse terryble, & great thing (saith the lorde) namelye [Page] this, I wyll destroy: the wise­dome of the wise, and the vnder standynge of the learned men shal perysh. Therfore wo be to them that seke so depe to hyde their ymaginations before the lorde, which reherse their counsels in the darknes, & say, tush, who seeth vs,The churche of god in name, but not in deade, must pe­rysshe, or who knoweth vs. Therfore, must Ierusalē & Iuda decay saith the lorde, be­cause their words & coūsels are against y^e lorde, they prouoke y^e presence of his maiestye vnto anger y^e changyng of their coū ­tenaunce (saith y^e prophete) be­wrateth them,Esay. 3. yea they declare their owne synnes theym sel­ues as the Sodomites, and hide them not. Woo be to their soules, for they shalbe heauely rewarded, saieth the lord, then [Page] shall they say, O happie are the godly, for they may enioye the frutes of their studies, but wo be vnto the vngodlye and vn­righteouse, for they shall be re­warded after their workes. O my people, rybauldes oppresse thee, and women haue rule o­uer thee: O my people thy lea­ders deceiue thee (saith y^e lord) and treade out the way of thy fote steppes. The lorde is here to common of the matter, saith Esai, and stādeth to giue iudgement with the people, for y^e lord shall come forth to reason with the princes & Senatours, and shall say thus vnto them, saieth Esay. It is ye that haue bur­ned vp my vyneyarde, and the robberye of the poore in youre house, wherfore do ye oppresse [Page] my people, and marre the faces of the innocentes? And thus sayeth the prophete, shal y^e lord of hostes reuile thē therefore.

1 Wo be to those proude boa­styng spirites, which liuing wickedlye, teache their flockes by poure and penaltie, and not ra­ther by ensamples of vertue & godly lyuyng.

2 Wo be to those, whose hertes are double, whiche with theyr mouthes boast proude thinges and flatteryng vertue, theyr wrathe is as the angry Lyon, or as the shee beare robbed of her whelpes, whiche euery oc­casion kendleth, as fire the drie flaxe.

3 Wo be to those false prophe­tes whiche vnder the name of gouernours and teachers, doo [Page] the deades of false deceyuers, seruyng their owne lustes, and yet saye, do as we byd you, and all is forgeuen.

Wo be to those Ipocrites, & 4 wanderyng starres, to whome the myste of darkenes is reser­ued for euer, whiche couloura­bly for the bealy, and for lucres sake, pray for other, and yet neither forsake sinne, nor amende their owne lyues.

Woo be to those deceytefull 5 messengers of Sathan, whose hertes are exercysed with co­uetousnes, hauyng eyes full of adultrye that can not cease to synne. And although they goe wrōg them selfes, yet they say, thei be sent of god, to teach and leade other the right way.

Wo be to those paynted tō ­bes 6 [Page] and stinking sepulchres ful of all filth and corrupciō, which oftentimes spake of faythe, pe­nance and loue, and yet cōsume the tyme of their lyues in vanitie and idlenes, keepyng theyr belyes from hungre, and theyr throtes from thryst.

7 Wo be to those murtherers of the soules of men, which tho­rough flatterye sowe pelows,Ezeche. 13 Esay. 5. Miche. 3. as the prophete sayeth, vnder the armeholes of the people, to to the entent they may bryng theim a slepe in blindnesse and sinne, that they myght suspecte none of their doynges.

8 Wo be to those blynde guy­des, and most wicked generaci­on, by whose carelesse lyuynge, true repentaunce is almost ba­nyshed and thrust out of place, [Page] and amendment of lyfe is lau­ghed to skorne and not regar­ded.

Wo be to those filthye spot­tes 9/ which haue thus forsaken the right way / & count it plea­sure to liue deliciously for a sea­son, whiche as ragyng waues of the Sea / foome oute theyr filthynes and shame.

Woo be to those serpentes & 10 adders broodes,Venē and poyson is false doc­trine, and ensamples of naugh­tie liuyng. whiche moste greuously corrupt the inhaby­ters of the earth with their ve­nem and deadly poyson, and to mainteyn ambition / pryde / co­uetousenes, voluptuous and beastly liuyng / peruert al thynges, and preposterously tourne it out of frame.

Wo be to the vngodlye / the 11 beast & all his warriers, which [Page] maliciously do euyll, and fighte continually against the lord of powers and all his true soul­diers.

12 Woo be to those bishops, pa­stours / and lawiers / of what name and place so euer they be­whiche boast of power and auc­toritie to rule and gouerne o­ther / and yet haue no respecte to their owne soules: For heui­ly and miserably shal thei be re­warded that beare the name of christen people, whiche seke ho­lynes onely by outward sacra­mentes and signes, not regar­dyng what the hert & inwarde conscience bee / and also saye in your selfes, tushe we be well i­nough for the holy lawes, cere­monies / and Sacramentes of god, are remaining among vs, [Page] and thereby we are knowen to be his people. Neuertheles be thou of good cumfort,Esai. 1. O thou litle worm Iacob, and thou despysed Israell, for thy redemer liueth: feare neyther y^e proude boastyng nor threatenynge of thyne ennemies, for the Lorde standeth by thee to defend and deliuer thee,Esai. 11. for the mightye god of hostes wyll now take in hand to conquere the rēnaunt of his people, whiche are left a­liue, from the Assirians, Egip­cians, Arabians, Morians, E­lamites, Caldees, Antiochiās, and Ilandes of the sea: for the the earth shalbe full of y^e know­ledge of the Lord (sayth Esay) Euen as though the water of the sea flowed ouer the earth:Esai. 11. Abac. 2.6. And then shall the Gentyles [Page] whiche are vnbeleuers, knowe that our God hath mercifully heard the lamentable cōplaint of the poore oppressed, and re­membred his couenaunt made with Abraham,Exody. 2. Isaac, and Ia­cob his choosen. Therefore the Lord commaundeth you to let his people go, ye Heathen naci­ons and ennemies of righteousnes, that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our god, for the lorde hath now seene the heauy bur­dens, wherewith ye dailye op­presse his people, and therefore is he come to deliuer thē with a mightie hand, and a stretched out arme,Esai, 11. Nylus, signifieth the See of tro­bles & ad­uersitie ye y^e Lord shal cleaue the tong of the Egipcians. Se saith Esay, and with a mightie wynde shall he lyft vp his hand ouer Nylus, and he shall smyte [Page] his seuē streames, & make men go ouer dry shod, and thus shal he make a way for his people y^e remaineth from the Assirians lyke as it happened to the Is­raelites, what tyme they de­parted oute of Egipte &c.

But if you wyll not let hys people goo (O yee enemyes of righteousenes) y^t they maye serue hym, after his wyll, then wyll he poure hys plages vp­on you, as he did vpon Egipte, and vpō other nations, among whom he scatered hys people for their offences: to the intent they myght teache you righte­ousenes, that ye myght repent and turne from your euyll waies, and lerne to know the name of the lorde, which is greate in Israel, and myghtie in Sion: [Page] for as touchyng Israel and Iuda (thus saith the Lorde) they shall not be forsaken of their God,Ier. 51.50 of the Lorde of hoostes, of the holy one of Israel, noo thoughe theye haue fylled all their lande full of synne &c. For I wyl not consume the, but chasteine y^e, and correcte the, and y^t with descretion, saith the lord neither wyl I spare the as one that were faultlesse, for thus saith the lorde: O Iacob and Israel,Iere. 46. and 30. Esai. 44. & 43. d thou art my seruaunte, I haue made the, y^t thou migh­test serue me. O Israel forgete me not (saith the Lorde) as for thyne offences, I driue them a waye lyke the cloudes, and thy synnes as the myste: tourne y^t againe vnto me, and I wyl de­lyuer the, saith the lorde. Therfore, [Page] tourne againe O thou dis­pysed people vnto the lorde, forsake thy syns, leaue thyne own wylful waies, thē shalte y^u be deliuered in the landes of thy captyuitie, and be taken as a spoile from, and oute of the mouthe of the deuourer, whiche seketh to fyll hym alwaye of the. Cry to god from the very herte, to delyuer the from the violente hande of thyne oppresser, pour downe thy teares daily before hym, and say,A prayer O euerlastynge god and my father, I beseche y^e remembre the poore oppressed, deale fauourablye with vs, for thyne owne sake, for thou arte our onely surgion. Shew mercy vpon vs O father, for Chry­stes sake, shew mercy vpon vs, the worke of thyne owne han­des. [Page] Haue compassion vpon thy people, O lorde, that greuousely haue synned against the, for by reason of our synnes, haue we longe tyme bene thus exy­led and kepte from the: and the enemye hath sore preuayled a­gainst vs. O be thou mercyfull and take awaye our synnes, & let our iniquities no more dis­please the. O Lorde forget not thyne owne accustomed mer­cyes. Is our hurt so great that it may no more be heled? Turn our hertes vnto the, that wee maye seke thy wyll, praise thy name, and walke in thy waies. O lorde, wee knowe that thou only art our god, whose nature and propertie is, to shewe mer­cy, yea, and that thou art alwai readye (O lorde) but oure syn [Page] lyeth heauye vpō vs, & presseth vs sore down, quicken vs with thy holy spirite (O lorde) and lyft vs vp, we beseche the with thy holy hande, and strengthē vs dayly with thine arme, that we may praise the with ioyfull lyppes, and magnifie the, O e­ternall God, oure onely sauy­our, father, Sonne and holye ghoste. &c.

Refuse not thou thy helth, O thou Englysshe nation, see­yng god hath loued the aboue many other, and hath sent hys worde, the sonne of god, the very true patrone and ymage of hys moste godly substaunce, vnto the too call the frome thyne own waies that thou mightest be made his owne people, too serue hym accordynge to his [Page] wyll, with reuerence and god­ly feare.Apoca. 3. Say not in thyne hert I am ryche and encreased with goodes, and haue neade of no­thinge, least thou be reproued: but anointe thyne eyes with eye salue (saithe the veritie of God) that thou maiste see, and know how thou art wretched, poore, blynd, and naked. I coū sell the, saith Christe, bie of me golde tryed in the fyre, that y^u maist be ryche, and white ray­mente, that thou maist be cloo­thed, that thy filthy nakednes do not apeare &c.

Therfore, althoughe thou haste gotten a name that thou liuest, let it not disceiue the: but obey to the word of god, turne frome youre Ignorance, and knowledge your synnes, caste [Page] youre selues downe,Luke. 1. that the lord may lyft you vp and shew mercy vpon you: for he casteth downe the proud, and exalteth the lowly. If ye thynke youre selues heyres with Christ and gods chyldren: where is youre loue and readye obedience, to­warde his will? Where is the victorie which ye haue gotten against your flesshe, synne and the deuyll: the extreame enemies of vertue and godlynes, a­gainst whō at the tyme of your profession and baptisme, ye promysed manfully to fighte, du­rynge the tyme of your lyues: and to renounce and vtterlye forsake Sathan, & all his wor­kes. Boast not of the name onely (O ye christened natiōs) but shew your deades, for that it is [Page] that must testify with you. Re­membre therfore, from whence thou art fallen, O thou blynde and ignoraunte people, tourne to the lorde that thou maist be healed, knowledge thye synne which is greate, then shall it be forgeuen the. How longe write thou mocke with thy god, and beare a double hert, that goeth two waies: ye pretende in face to haue a greate zeale, and too be very feruent in the waye of the lorde, but youre hertes run after your couetouse lucre, and daily ye walke in youre owne waies & lyue after your owne lustes, and yet ye say, tusshe we be well inou [...]he. When wilte thou leaue of O thou wilful nation and why wyll ye thus pe­rishe thorow your owne folly. [Page] Truly excepte ye doo repente, and tourn from your euyl waies (what name of holynes so e­uer ye haue) ye cānot be made the sonnes or Children of god, because ye haue refused y^e way of life, nor yet receiue any inheritance in his euerlasting kingdome:Ezec. 44. for this saith y^e lord our mercifull god, of all the straun­gers that dwell among y^e chyldren of Israel. No straunger, whose herte and flesshe is not circumcysed, shall come with in my sainctuary. Therfore, dear lye beloued and longed for, at my herte, I pray you, cut away your carnall desires and fighte against your fleshly lustes, too subdu them: that ye dwel w^t in y^e holy sainctuarye and receiue enheritaunce amonge sonnes, [Page] and daughtours.Esai. 1. Againe, this saith the lord, washe you, make you cleane, put away your euil thoughts out of my sight, cease from doyng euill and violence, learne to do right, apply your selues to equitie, deliuer the oppressed, helpe the fatherles to hys right, let the widowes cō ­plaint come before you &c. And is it not so then saith the lorde, though your sinnes, be as red as scarlet, shal they not be whi­ter then snowe. And thoughe they were like purple, shal they not be like white wol? Is it so? If you belouinge and obedy­ent, ye shall enioy the best thin­ges that growe in y^e land, but if ye be obstinate and rebelliouse ye shall be deuoured with the swerde,Leuiti. 26 for thus the lorde hath [Page] promised with his own mouth O ye named christians, cōsider y^e tyme paste, present & to come loke your owne waies, & wan­der no longer astray, refuse not the lighte of the gloriouse gos­pell of God, for it is the lyfe of your soules. Remembre y^e long time of your captiuitie, whiche doubtles happened for your offences: surely it passeth far the bondage and captiuitie of y^e Hebrues, or children of Israel in y^e daies of Helyas, Helizeus, & Ieremie, and other prophetes, Iosias, Ezechias, and many o­ther kinges of Israel & Iuda, in whose tyme the people with their princes and priestes for­soke the law of y^e lorde, & went a whoringe after straunge goddes, & because of their sins, god [Page] gaue them vp to their own lu­stes, and let them folowe their blynde Imagination, yet was not their fal lyke vnto thine, O Christianitie nor their hurt to be compared w^t thine: for thou haste not onely exceaded in thy fall, but much more in the long tyme of thy myserable captiui­tie: and although thou be day­ly called, yet hast thou no mind to rise & come to be made hole: ye hold the name of y^e people of god (as they did) but few do y^e deedes: ye hold y^e sacramentes signes,The sacramentes be kepte, but the vertue is gone. and cerimonies appointed in the churche of God (as they saye) but ye haue loste the strengthe and vertue of them. For not with standynge, youre daily ministration, both youre selues and the people, to whom [Page] ye minister, yea,Much la­bour loste. bothe ye and they abide styll in youre owne lustes, which declare playnely that your synnes be nother forgeuen, nor taken awaye. Is it not because ye are wicked, that your praiers be not hearde, as perfecte and holye mens haue bene before tyme? For wheare they praied and layde on theyr handes,Actes. 8 god affirmed their do­inges, with his holy spirite: soo that they receyued knowledge and their vnderstanstyng was opened, and their mindes were obediente to the wyll of God. If the doinges of the Apostles had bene so vncerteine that no thynge thereof hadde appered outewardelye, saue onely wor­des, all remayninge as before euery man in his owne waies: [Page] thinke ye they should haue ben so well beloued, or if Christe at the mariage in Cana of Galile,Ihon. 2. had sente the gouernoure of the feast, water to gyue his ge­stes, in the steade of wyne (al­thoughe he had tolde theym it had bene good wine) and that they must vnder paine of damp nation so haue beleued, thynke ye it wolde haue beene so well accepted at hys hande? Where Christe, y^e Prophetes, or Apo­stles, or any other in his name, and by his power and spirite, did anye miracle, wheather it were outwarde or inwarde, in healynge of the body,The my­racles of Christ and his apo­stles, were not onely in face and wordes, but were done in veritie: the signes be kepte, but the power is gone. The sacri­fice of vn­godly are abhominatiō before the lorde. Gene. 4. or soule: the thynge after appeered, soo to be, and it shewed it selfe that it was doone, as theye sayde [Page] they set neuer the people to be­leue and woonder at thynges wherof thei heard, felt nor saw nothing, saue only an outward token or signe. But your doyn­ges are vncertayn, euē to your selues, but much more to other yet would ye haue al men com­pelled to beleue thē: thus haue your sinnes (ye your wilful sin­nes) long turned y^e eyes of the Lorde from you, and made all your doynges as the sacryfice of Cayn. For ye haue forsaken the Lorde, the onelye well and fountaine of lyfe, and haue cho­sen and dygged you brokē pit­tes that hold no water. In euery strete & place, haue ye burnt swete odoures, and offered in­cens before your Idolles, and haue chosen you Goddes after [Page] your owne imaginacion,Iere. 7. a. and serued theym after youre wyll: yea, as the Iewes and Heathē nacions, haue ye inuented and set vp brothell howses, to offre in sacrifice to your Idolles, the vncleane lustes of your bodyes for many ordinances contrary to the word of God, haue ye set vp, whiche may neyther bee o­mitted nor spoken againste, but must be continewed as thinges lawdable (as ye say) & for good purposes. Haue ye not also as they,Iere. 32. s. geuen your seede to Mo­loch? and burnt your chyldren before Idolles, in that ye pro­cure by power, brybes or flatterye, or by any other vngodlye meanes, to make theim myny­sters, or common officers, more regardyng the vayne glorye of [Page] thoffice, the dignitie, or y^e worldly profit of the same, then either the health of the soules of your selues (of thē) or of the people, whose teachers, leaders, & go­uernours ye make them, the cō ­mon welth, or the glory and honour of god. Thus haue ye vn­wisely forsaken the Lord, for ye are sick, and your mouthes out of taste, and therefore so that e­uery rome and place bee fylled, ye thinke it is well, although y^e persones that be in them haue scarce any one poynt of vertue requisite and nedefull to the of­fice and place they be in. Thus haue you set & appoynted such to be meanes betwene god and you, and to pray for you, as be voyde of all honest poyntes of vertue, whose doynges ar hatefull, [Page] and their prayer execrable and before god an abominaciō: Thus is that wooful plage and great miserie happened vnto you for your offences, thretned of god by Esay,Esai. 3. The na­med churche vpon earth. Sapien. 4. who sayth. The lord of hostes shall take awaye from Ierusalem and Iuda, all possessions and power, al meate and drinke, the captain and the souldyer, the iudge and y^e Pro­phete, the wyse & the aged man the worshipfull of fyftye yeres olde, and the honourable, y^e Senatours and men of vnderstandyng, the maisters of craftes & oratours. And I will geue you childrē to be your princes, saith y^e lord, & babes shall haue y^e rule of you, one shalbe doing violēce & wrōg to an other, y^e boy shall presume against y^e elder, and the [Page] vile persō against y^e honorable,What an elder is by the scrip­ture, loke Sapience 4. chapter for both Ierusalē & Iuda must decay, because both their wor­des & coūcels ar against y^e lord, and thei prouoke the presens of his maiestie to angre. &c.

And yet neuertheles they say tushe / we be safe, for we bee all christians: we haue gods word and his holye Sacramentes a­mong vs, and therfore y^e great plagues and threatenynges of god (declared by his prophetes and Apostles) againste sinners, shall not touche vs, nor come nigh our dwellyng, & although thou liue more wickedlye then they (O named Christianitie) yet saiest thou, it is spoken a­gainst Iewes, Turkes, Sara­sins and heretikes, y^t dispise our holy religion, and reproue our [Page] dooynges / it is they that shall peryshe (saiest thou) for thei are worthye, but we bee safe for we ar gods people. Thinkest thou that they shalbe preserued and defended of God that continue and delite in stune and wicked­nes? Or thinke ye to escape the punishmente of god due to syn­ners, with a face or outewarde apparance of holines? The vertue and strēgth therof is away then art thou clearely deceiued for as it is right with god to reward the iuste for well doyng, so is it also to punishe y^e wicked for euill dooynges. God is all good, and no euil may come me hym: and although his iudge­mentes be vnsearcheable, yet be they al righteouse and true. He is no respecter of persō, na­cion [Page] / lande / tyme nor place: but loke who doeth right, hym wil he accept: and he that do the e­uill, hym wyl he punish, of what religion, tong, or nacion so euer he be: For God is determyned (as he hath plainly declared in his worde) to gather together and chose out his elect from the foure wyndes, from and out of al nacions vnder heauen: ther­fore deceyue not youre selues with a name but bryng foorthe the frutes of righteousnes: for­thinke your old wayes, and de­light no lōger in vanitie, but as S. Paul saith.Rom. [...]. Let it suffise vnto vs, that we haue spente the tyme of our lyfe past in vanitie, as in eatyng, drinkyng, chaum­bryng and wantonnes, and lay from you that olde man which [Page] marreth hymself in deceyuable lustes, and be ye renued, sayeth he, in the spirite of your vnder­standyng: obey to the voyce of god, do iustice and equitie, hate the euill, & chose y^e good, so shal ye lyue for euer, for thei that do these thynges are born of god, and are made the belouing son­nes of the highest, of what rely­gion, tong or nacion soeuer thei be. Circūcision is nothyng, nor vncircumcision, saith Paul, but the kepyng of the commaunde­ment of god (saith he) is altoge­ther: circumcision verily auay­leth, saith he, if thou kepe y^e law, but yf thou transgresse, then is thy circumcision made vncircū ­cision. What auayleth then a christen name, or baptisyng and receiuyng of Sacramentes al­though [Page] it be neuer so many, yf there folowe not amendement of life / but that the herte delite in euyll as before. Haue ye not thē made your baptisme, which signifieth repentaunce, the new regeneracion and amendment of lyfe, toward your helth,An vntrue professer of Christe, is worse then an infideele. of no value? But it is rather an open witnesse against you, that ye ar false dissembling christians and suche as haue mocked god, pre­tendyng one thyng in face / but the contrary in your hertes:Ezechi. 8. yf an infidell turne in his hert frō his infidelitie, and do y^e thynge that is equall & right, although he neuer receiue christen name nor outward sacrament, thinke ye that he shal not be saued? It is the circumcision and bapty­syng of the hert, in that we are [Page] washed from an euill consciēce,Peter. 3d Circum­cise there­fore, the fore skyn of the hert saithe the lorde, and be no mor stiffe nec­ked. Deutr. 10. and the lustes of the fleshe daily foughten against by the power of the spirite, that is of value before god, whose prayse is not of men but of god. The outward face of religion and holines on­ly excepted: what haue ye to reioyce in, aboue other Hethen nacions? So long as ye conty­nue in euill, is there anye kynd of sinne and wickednes done in any heathen nacion vnder hea­uen that is not in the, thou na­med christianitie? What kind of pryde, vainglory, hipocrisie, dis­simulacion, hatred, malice or enuye, is there in any other naciō that may not be found in thee? Or what kynde of dronkēnes, theft, murther, whordom or le­cherye, may there be found out [Page] or imagined, of fleshe and blud / that is not daily done, and most shamefully committed in thee: although ye compare your sel­ues in wisdom and knowledge to Dauid or Salomon, and yet liue wickedly, & wil not amend when ye are warned: thinke ye to escape vnpunyshed? Nay, ye shall surely perysh as other like sinners haue done beefore you, and drynke of y^e same: for thinke ye to escape with extollyng of Christes holy religion in name or wordes only, or with setting vp of sacramentes and ceremo­nies, although ye extol them to the cloudes, if ye regard not to leaue synne nor to do that they teache you? How can they pro­fit you any thyng at all, for god regardeth not your flatteryng [Page] titles and wordes of holynes (neirher youre swete songes & pleasaunt armonie, swete smelles,Deades be acepted for y^e mannes sake that doth them, and not y^e man for the goodnes of the deades. nor gloriouse sightes: but he loketh vnto the herte, and sercheth y^e raines, ye, his iudgementes be, and shall be accor­dyng to equitie, after y^e inward thoughtes of the herte, & not after the outward apperance. For the corruptiō of y^e though­tes of the herte, the lorde refu­sed the offeringes and sacrifice of the children of Israel, which he hym selfe had befoore com­maunded,Ierem. 7. saying vnto hym by his prophete Ieremye, ye hepe vp your burnt offeringes with youre sacrifices,Deutro, 10 Esai. 43. and eate the flesshe (as though I delyted in youre doynges) but when I brought your fathers out of e­gipte, [Page] I spake no worde vntoo them of burnte offeringes and sacrifices: but this I commaunded thē saying. Herken and o­bey my voice, & I wyll be your god / & ye shall be my people. Although they brought nothyng but that they were commaun­ded: yet God vtterly refused it at their handes, because they thought to please him with the worke, & intended not to leaue their syns, nor to forsake their owne euill and croked waies. Thinke ye that god wyl accept yours, which are not all grounded vpon the worde, but partly inuented and set vp by natural wisedom, and carnall reason, ye altered and chaunged among your selues at youre pleasure. Or wil ye thinke that god hath [Page] suche nede of you,The peo­ple are cō ­tente to be bounde to all that man can ymagyn, so y^t they myght haue ly­bertie to synne, and abyde styl in their owne lu­stes: the lā des that professe Christ tea­che the faith, and minister sacramentes & ceremo­nies, diuerslye. Esai. 1. b that he wyll accepte you, eyther for youre wisedome or workes sake: or y^t he hath more loue and fauoure to you, then he had to the Iew­es: in whose generatiō he both made and fulfylled, his many-folde promyses? yet neuerthe­lesse, when they synned against hym, he saide vnto them by E­say. Heare the word of the lord ye tirauntes of Sodoma, and herkē vnto the law of our god, thou people of Gomorra. Why offer ye so many sacrifices vn­to me, saith the lorde? I am dis­contented for the burnte offe­ringes of wydowes, saith he, & with the fatnes of fed beastes, I haue no plesure in the bloud of Bullockes, lambes and goo­tes, when ye appere before me. [Page] who requireth you to tread w^t in my porches?Iere. 6. Amos. 5. Mich. 6. Offer me noo more oblations for it is but lost laboure (saith the lorde) I ab­horre your incence, I maye not awaye with your new incence, youre Sabaothes & solempne dayes: your fastinges are also in vayne.Esai. 58. I hate your new ho­lye dayes and fastinges,Esai. 1. euen from my verie herte, saith the lorde &c. If these (notwithstandinge, their offeringes and sa­cryfices, holy daies, praiers, fa­stynges, and suche lyke obser­uaunces) could not be accepted at the hande of God, because their hertes delyted in sinne, lokest y^u to be accepted,God aloueth not y^e deades of those y^t be euyll. and so to escape vnpunished, O named Christianitie? Nether except y^u amende and tourne from thine [Page] owne waies, thou shalte not escape: but surely shalte thou pe­risshe, as they. Wherefore, thus saith the lord also vnto you. O wicked christians, which conty­nually delyte in synne, heare y^e worde of the lorde, ye tyrantes of Sodoma, and herken to the lawe of oure god, thou people of Gomorra,Esai. 1. c whi offer ye so many sacrifices vnto me &c. Lerne obedience in y^e landes of youre captiuytie, wasshe you & make you cleane, put awaye youre e­uyll thoughtes out of my sight (saith the lorde) cease from do­inge of euyl and violence, lerne to do right, apply youre selues to equitie, delyuer y^e oppressed, helpe the fatherles to his right and let the widows complaint come before you &c.

[Page]Prefer the wyll of God aboue and before all thinges, I saye, and let that which pleseth hym be good and beste, how so euer it sounde or appeere vnto you. Hath there euer anye yet that stroue against God, and taken in hande to teache hym righte­ousenes and iudgemente, or to alter or chaunge hys wayes, since the beginning,2 Pete. [...] escaped vnpunisshed? If y^t these thynges may not be suffred in Aungell, moche les in fleshe and bloude, whiche is corrupte, whose beu­tie fadeth as a flower, and wy­thereth awaie as hey or grasse. O thou folysshe duste & asshes, darest thou presume againste thy creator & lord,Esai. 40. 1 Peter. 1. Psal. 89. & to reason with hym of Iudgemente and righteousenes? O thou proude [Page] Lucifer,Esai. 14. Apoca. 12 Carnall wisedome seketh all­wayes to exalte it selfe, a­g [...]nste. god. thou saist in thy herte: I wyll clyme vp into heauen, & make my seate aboue the sterre of god. I wyll syt vpon the gloriouse mount toward y^e north: I wyl clyme vp aboue the cloudes, and wyll be lyke the high­est of all: yet dare I say (saith y^e Lorde) thou shalt be broughte downe, to the depth of hell &c. your wisedome canne not pre­uayle against god and therfore shall your glorie haue a greate fall,Esai. 29. 1 Corin. 1. [...]. 1. Esai. 27. The lord shall de­stroy all y^t is in man, of des [...]he and bloud 1 Cor. 1. for thus saith the lorde. I wyll destroy the wisedome of y^e wise, and caste away the vnderstandynge of the prudent: for y^e lord with his heauy great long swerde, shall visite Leuiathan that vnuisyble serpente (saithe Esai, and shall flee the Whale fysshe in the See &c.

[Page]Againe, S. Paul saith, where are the wise? Where are y^e scri­bes? Where are the disputers of this worlde, hathe not God made y^e wisedom of this world folyshnes? For the folyshnes of god, saith he, is wyser then mē, and the weakenes of God, is stronger then men &c. For god hath chosen the folysshe before the worlde, that he myght con­founde the wise, and the weake before the world hath god cho­sen, saith Paul, that he myghte confounde the mightie, and the vile and dispised befor y^e world hath god chosen, yea, and that whiche is nothinge saythe he,Nothing of flesshe & bloud shall reioyce be­fore god. y^t he myght destroy that whiche is ought, that no flesshe should reioyce in his presence &c.

Therefore, doo not iustifie [Page] your selues as pharisees, ney­ther exalt any thyng in fleshe & blud, for y^e thinges whiche men highly magnifie,Luke. 16. sayth y^e lord, be abhomynable in y^e sight of god. Lay away your hygh reasōs, & let gods word although it seme simple & rude, lede you, seke not to ioin your wisdom w^t god, lest in couetyng to clyme so high, ye take a gret fall, obedience is an acceptable offering. Therefore, put salt on your sacrifice, that it may be wel accepted at your hā des,Iere. 7. Exodi. 22. zacri. 8. Leuiti. 10 for thus hath the lord pro­mised with his own mouth. &c. If ye wicked amende your waies & counsels, yf ye wyll iudge right betwixte a man and hys neighboure, if ye wyll not op­presse the strannger, the fatherlesse and the wydow. If ye will [Page] not shede inocent bloud in this place: If ye wyll not cleaue vn­too straunge goddes to youre owne distruction, then wyll I let you dwell in thys place for euer &c. If ye bee louynge and righteouse ye shall enioy of the beaste thynges that dwelle in the lande, saith the lorde,Esai. 1. but if ye be obstinate and rebellyous ye shall be deuoured wyth the swearde. Wherefore,The pols or water of Siloah signifyeth repētance, or rather y^e lauer of regeneration. Ihō. 9 Eye salue is inward knouledge of y^e truth. conuerte and tourne with your hole hertes, from your euyll waies, O ye named Christians: washe ye vii. tymes in Siloah, that yee maye be clensed from youre of­fences: anointe your eies w^t eie salue, that ye may see: walke in the steppes of Christ, whose re­ligion thou haste professed, and whose name thou so well louest [Page] O thou Christianitie, brynge forth worthy fruictes of repē ­taunce, as sobrenes and amendment of lyfe, that the thicke seales may fall from youre eyes, y^t ye may see the perfecte way of lyfe. For except ye vtterlye re­nounce and forsake, at the least in affection, all that is in you of flesshe and bloud, yea and your owne lyues whiche ye loue soo well, ye can not see the glorie of god nether be partakers of his eternall kyngdome. Therefore as Christe saith, enter in at the strait gate,Mat. 7. and walke in thys narrow waye, for although the pathe fro the flesshe, be nothing pleasaunte, yet thende leadeth our soules vnto rest. For what is he saith the lord, that geueth ouer his hert to come vnto me [Page] ye shall be my people, & I wyll be your god. But beholde, on y^e other syde, shall the wrathe of the lorde breake out saithe Ie­remi as a stormy weather, as a myghtie whirle wind, and shall fall vpon the heades of the vn­godly, the tetrible displeasure of the Lorde, shall not leaue of, tyll he haue done and perfour­med the intente of hys hearte which in the latter daies (saith the Prophete) ye shall vnder­stande &c.Iere. 33.

For at that same tyme, I shal be the god of all the generati­ons of Israel (saithe the lorde) and they shall be my people &c.Iere. 18. Neuerthelesse sayth he: whom I take in hande to roote oute, to destroye, or to waste awaie, any people or kyngdom, if that [Page] people (against whome I haue thus deuysed) conuerte from their wickednes, ymediately I repente of the plage y^t I haue deuysed to bringe vpon theym, saith the lorde &c.

Our god is alwaies mercy­full vnto them y^t prepare their hertes by obedience and repentaunce,Esai. 55. to receiue his holy spy­rite, for like as rayne and snow cometh down from thence and turneth not thyther again, but watereth the earthe & maketh it frutefull and greene, that it may gyue corne and breade to the sower, so the worde whiche cometh out of my mouth, saith the lord, shall not tourne again voide vnto me, but shall accom­plyshe my wyll, & prospere in y^e thing where vnto I send it &c. [Page] Therfore, seyng god wyll now repaire the decayed places of his temple, make youre conscience cleane that ye may be lea­nynge stones, being fastened to Christe by faith and loue, whi­che is the head corner stone,Ephesi. 2. in whom euery buildyng, coupled & ioyned togyther, saith Paul, is made an holy habitation for god, in the spirite &c.Ezechi. 2. For God dwelleth with them that be of an humble spirite, and of a con­trite herte, which stand in awe of his worde: yea, he hath pro­mysed, to dwel and abide with them for euer,Ezech. 36. Ieremi. 31. Esai. 51. and to gyue thē a newe herte, and to write his law therein, soo that they shall not nede to say one to an other, know y^e lord, for they shal know me from the lest; to the most of [Page] them saith the lorde, for I wyll forgeue their mysdeades, and wyl neuer remembre their sin­nes any more,Ihon. 1 for the sonne of God hathe appered (saithe S. Ihon) to take awaye synnes, & in hym is no synne: and who so euer abydethe in hym sinneth not &c.Ihon. 1. For to as many as re­ceiue hym, gyueth he power to be the sonnes of god, euē those that beleue in his name, saithe he, which are not born of bloud, nor of the wyll of man, but of god: or here now O Israel. Reioyce and be glad, for thy rede­mer lyueth: he hath sene thyne oppression, and his eyes do py­tie the. Therefore, wil he visite y^e, and gather y^t out frō amonge all nations, where thou art scatered & holden in captiuitie, for [Page] thine offences, but yet not for­saken: for with an euerlasting loue hath he loued the: & there­fore hath he raised vp for the,Luke. 1. y^e mightie horne of healthe in the house of Dauid, of whose king­dome there shall be none ende:Psal. 113. neither hath he spared his own sonne, but geuen hym yea, hys lyfe y^t he loued soo well, for thy sake, to make an euerlastyng at tonement betwixte him & the, for thine offences. He hath pro­mised to leade y^e safe, by his ho­ly spirite, & daily to defend the frō and oute, of all daungers. Therfore, he calleth euermore gretly vnto y^t, saying. Come vnto me my beloued, for I am he y^t for myne own sake, pardoned thine offences, & caste thy syns into y^e bottome of y^e see. Make [Page] none excuse, neyther prolong y^e tyme, but come immediatly my beloued brethrē & natural coū ­treimē, to this most ioyful sup­per or feast, which our merciful father hathe of his owne good wyl prepared & made ready for you: yea, & of long tyme hath he called you by his seruauntes & prophetes: saiyng. Here & obey my voice, thē shal ye be my peo­ple, & I wil be your god: it appereth he hath not forsakē you, for as a most gētle & louing father hath he sēt his holy word y^e sōne of god, y^e very true patrone & i­mage of his most godly substāce to deliuer you frō al captiuitie & blindnes, but y^e naciōs y^t oppres the & Iacob, & hold his seruant Israel in captiuitie, wil he iuge: neuertheles y^e lord hath promi­sed [Page] w^t his own mouthe,Leui, 19.14 y^t if any strāger wil turne to y^e lord with his hole hert, y^t thē y^e same strā gers shal haue inheritāce in Is­rael, euē as sōnes & doughters saith y^e lord almighty, what can there be more done for vs:The fore skynnes signifieth y^e iustes of y^e flesh and mind whi­che muste be cutte a­waye. therfore, turne to y^e lord with youre hole hertes, circumcise youre fore skynnes, y^t ye may be made right Israelites, & of y^e promy­sed sede, & receiue inheritaunce as naturall sonnes in y^e house of Israel the faithfull congrega­tiō: To you wicked people & malicious tirantes,All y^t hol­deth nor y^e religion of Christe indede, as well as in worde, are heathen & infideles. y^e seke to spoile & deuour Iacob his peple, & to rote out Israel his chosē y^e lord sendeth word, let Israel go, ye heathē natiōs, y^t he may do me sacrifice at my wyl, vpon y^e moū taines: for he is my eldest son: [Page] perfite is y^e iudgemēte of hym y^e floweth in righteousnes,Esai. 13. The elect must be tried by try­bulacion & aduersitie. & per­fitely shal the lord of hostes ful­fyll the thyng that he hath de­termyned in the middes of the world, for I will punish y^e wyc­kednes of the world, and y^e syn­nes of the vngodlye (sayeth the lord) y^e hye stomakes of y^e proud wyll I take away, & lay downe the boastyng of tyrauntes, ye I wil make a man dearer thē fine gold, & a man to be more worth then a golden wedge of Ophir, for I will shake the heauē,All that is of flesshe, must be doen awaye. that the earth shall remoue oute of her place. &c.

The staffe is y^e worde wherwith the world is smitten.For the Lord shall smite the world w^t the staffe of his mouth and with y^e breath of his mouth shal he slea the wicked: but mercifully wyll he delyuer his cho­sen, [Page] and deuide the good frō the euil: for thus saieth y^e lord god. Behold I wyll seuere the fatte shepe from the leane. And for so muche as ye haue shot y^e weake shepe vpon the sides and shoul­ders, and runne vpon thē with your hornes,Ezech. 34. Hornes signyfyeth strength. so long til ye haue vtterly scattered them abrode, I will helpe my shepe, so y^t they shall no more be spoyled: yea, I will discerne one shepe from an other, I wyll rayse vp vnto thē one onely shepeheard, euen my seruaunte Dauid,Iere 30. Miche. 5. he shall feede them, and he shalbe their shepe­herd, and I the lord wilbe their god / and my seruaunte Dauid shalbe their prynce, euen I the lord haue spoken it. &c.

Moreouer I will make a co­uenaunt of peace with thē, saith [Page] the lord, and driue all euill bea­stes out of the land, so that they may dwell safely in the wilder­nes & slepe in the woodes, good fortune and prosperitie wyll I geue them, and vnto all that be round about my hyll, a prospe­rous shower and rayne wyll I send them in due seasō, that the trees in the wodde may bryng forth their frintes, and y^e groūd her encrease, they shalbe safe in their land, and shall knowe that I am the lord, which haue bro­ken their yoke, and delyuered them out of the handes of those that held thē in subiection they shall no more bee spoyled of the Hethen, nor deuoured with the beastes of the lande, but safelye shall they dwell / and no mā shal fray them. I wyll set vp an ex­cellent [Page] plant for them, so y^t they shall suffre no more houngre in the lande, neyther beare the re­profe of the Heathen any more. Thus shal they vnderstād that I the Lord their god am with them, and that they (euen the house of Israel) are my people saith the lord god: ye mē ar my flocke, ye are y^e shepe of my pa­sture, and I am youre God &c.

O ye people turne frō your croked wayes, and from youre owne frowarde imaginacions, ceasse & leaue of from your own fayned dissimulacion. Darest y^u so dissemble with God, and to play the part of an infidel or vnfaithfull hypocrit before hym? Thynkest thou to hyde thy self vnder thyne owne shaddowes from hym that made thee, and [Page] put thy herte in a secrete place Or wylte thou thynke to hyde thy sinnes with deceit, that the highest (which searcheth y^e her [...] and y^e raynes) shall not reproue thy wayes? ye come togyther / as god sayde to the Iewes, by his prophet / after the maner of a greate people,Ezech. 33. to heare his word at the mouth of the prea­cher or prophet, but in no wyse wyll ye do thereafter. In your mouthes / lykewyse ye shewe youe selfes as though ye were feruent, but your heartes goo after youre owne couetous lu­cre, and as a balade that hath a swete tune, and is pleasaunt to syng, so is the Preacher vnto you his wordes wyll ye heare saith the lord / but ye wil not do thereafter. &c.

[Page]For vaine glorie and lucre, ye make croked lawes, wherby ye laye snares for the feete of the symple: and wolde ye that noo man should reproue your wai­es? The mouth of the disceitful is right well with you alowed, but he that speaketh the truth,To deale with equi­tie & truth men saye playnelye they can not lyue. shal not escape vnpunisshed: for crafte, disceyte and falshode, is suche an vniuersall thinge, that to deale with equitie and truth men say playnelye they can not lyue, and thus vertue is so ge­nerally contempned, that it is nigh a common reproche, for a man to do well. O lord, as Da­uid saith, when wilte thou loke vpon this? O restore my soule frome the wycked rumoure of them and my darlynge from y^e Lyon, for they are stained with [Page] their owne workes, and runne a horinge after their own yma­gination, for daily do they blas­pheme thy name, & slaunder y^e foote steps of thyne anointed, & yet wil they be knowen for such as know their god, hold of him, & ar feruēt in his wais. For thei say in their hertes, tusshe God seeth it not, the highest regar­deth none of these thynges, al­though god by longe pacience, suffer such thinges at their handes loking and tariyng for thy amendmente (O Christianitie) thinkest thou y^t it wyl be forgo­ten? Hath there euer any nati­on which cōmitted like abhominations before y^e, escaped vnpunisshed? And dost y^u thinke to escape? Naye thou shalte surelye drinke of y^e same, thou shalt not [Page] be forgotē: but thy synnes shall truly be recompensed in the (e­uen into thy bosome) god shall tourne thy clothes ouer thye heade (O thou filthy herlot) y^t thy filthynes may many festely appere also: and seyng thou art a people y^e runnest in thine own wilfull wayes, and saiest, tusshe there shal no faulte be found in all my doinges: therefore, stom blest thou in the clere day, & fallest in the darke, yea, grope do ye as blynde men, after youre own ymagination, but because ye let your handes deale with wickednesse, ye can not fynd y^e right way.Psal. 13. For as the Psalme saith, your fete are swift to shed bloud, destructiō and wretchednes are in youre waies, but the way of peace haue ye not kno­wen. [Page] O yee frowarde people heare the word of the lord, giue your eares to doctrine, and dispise not good coūsell, seke frendship of god by vertu, & not by flaterie, for y^e lord is alway frend­ly to them that put their truste in hym, but ye call your selues christians, and yet commyt wickednes with your mouthes, ye extolle Christes worde, name, lawes and sacramentes, but in your deedes ye dishonour him for as longe verely as ye delite in euyll, your deades are hated of God, and yet saye with dys­ceite wyll we escape,Esai. 28. and withe nymblenes wyl we defend our selues, therfore are ye cursed w^t penurie: ye chose ignorance for your guide, & wylfulnes too be your gouernour, as for y^e war­ninges [Page] of the Prophetes,They y^t truste in their own wisedom, or in any other thīg of flesshe & bloud shal surely erre and be dis­ceiued. Esai. 19. Egipte signifiethe y^e congre­gation of wylfull synners. yee take for winde, and the worde of god for a scorne, because yee haue no luste thereto, and thus they go wrong by reasō of wine (saith the lorde) they fall & stacker because of stronge drinke: yea, the priestes & Prophetes them selues go amys, they are dronken with wine, and weake brained thorow strong drinke. They erre in seing, & in Iudgemente they faile. For the lorde hath made Egipte dronken w^t the spirite of errour, saith Esai, and they shall vse it in all ma­ters, euē lyke as a dronkē man gooeth spewinge aboute. For Egipte shall lacke good coun­sell (saith he) so y^t they shall not know what to do, neither y^e be­ginning, nor thend neither vpō [Page] y^e land nor water, then shall the Egiptians be lyke vnto womē afraide and astonied at the lyf­tinge vp of the hande, whiche the lorde of hoostes,Esai. 24. saith Esai, shall lyfte vp ouer them &c.

Myserably shall the worlde be wasted and cleane destroy­ed, for the lorde hath so deter­myned in hym selfe &c.

For the earth is corrupte of her indwellers, for whye they haue offended the lawes chaū ged their ordinaunces, & made the euerlastinge Testament of none effects, and therefore shal the curse deuoure the earth: for they that dwell thereon haue sinned. And although these places come dayly vpon you from the lorde, for your offences, yet yee see it not, nor regarde the [Page] matter noothinge at all: O ye blynde and frowarde nations,Esai. 1. therefore, though ye holde out your handes, yet tourn I mine eyes from you saith the lord, & though ye make many prayers yet here I nothinge at all, for your handes are full of bloude, and ye deale alway with wyc­kednes, because certeine synne hath no outward punyshment, apointed by y^e rulers, for those that do them: Thinke ye ther­foore, that God wyll forgette them?

The people in Christes tyme (whyle he raygned vppon the earthe) thoughte that thoose Galathians whose bloude Pi­late myngled with theyr owne sacrifyce, and the .xviii. persons vpon whome the towre of Si­loahLuke. 13. [Page] fell, and slewe, had beene moche greater synners then the other that suffered no such punyshmente, but our sauiour Christ sayde playnely, nay and excepte the other repeted, they shoulde lyke wyse perisshe, al­thoughe they suffered no suche punyshment here, therefore re­membre thy selfe, O thou na­med Christianytie, repente in tyme, and tourne to the Lorde wyth thy hole herte. Too you do I speake, O yee Ignoraunt people, gette ye to moornynge quyckely, and poure oute your teares befoore hym / that hee maye shewe mercye and tourn all wayes hys wrathe frome you. &c.

O tourn you, tourne you, [Page] why will ye dye,Ezech. 18. 3. Par. 3. seyng the lord hath no plesure in the death of a sinner, but willeth rather that he conuert and liue. &c. But yf ye withdraw your eares, & will not heare, to turne frō your euil wayes: then am I sory for your sakes. Bee not wilfully blynde, but searche the scriptures, and ye shal see, that no people or na­cion that did suche abhominaci­ons and hated to be refourmed since the beginnyng escaped vnpunished: and would ye escape?Psal. 33. Then must ye refuse the euill, & choose the good: seke peace and ensue or folowe it, for the eyes of the lord are ouer the righte­ous, and his eares are opē vn­to their prayers: but the face of the lord beholdeth thē that do euill, to destroy the remēbrance [Page] of them out of the earth. &c.

Prou. 3.yea the cursse of the lorde is in the house of the vngodly, but he blesseth the righteous. Con­sider these thynges with your selues in time, lest sinne by long custome blind your vnderstan­dyng, so that ye iudge derknes for light and good for euill: ye knowe the blynde are easye to leade out of the way, wher thei sone fall and be made a pray for the enemy.Pro. 22.8. Wherefore beloued geue diligent eare vnto wise­dom whiche hath now agayne opened her flouddes and putte forth her voyce in the streetes, she booeth call before the con­gregacion in the open gates, & sheweth her wordes in the citie O ye chyldren sayeth she, howe long will ye loue childishenesse? [Page] how long will the skorners de­lite in skorning, and the vnwise be enemies to knowledge? O turne ye to my correccion, saith she, lo I will expresse my minde vnto you, and make you vnderstand my wordes. For who so herkeneth vnto me shal dwelle safely, and haue inough w^toute any feare of euill.Pro. 22. Again she sai­eth, my sonne: let not these thin­ges departe from thyne eyes, but kepe my lawe & my councel so shall it be lyfe vnto thy soule and grace vnto thy mouth, thē shalte thou walke safelye in the way, and thy fote shal not stumble, if thou slepest thou shalt not nede to be afrayed, but y^u shalte take thy rest and slepe swetely, thou shalt not nede, sayeth she, to bee afrayed of any soodayne [Page] feare, neither for the violēt ru­shyng in of the vngodly whē it cometh, for the lord shalbe bee­side thee,Prouer. 1, and kepe thy fote that thou be not takē. O ye beloued children, herken vnto wisdom: Come no more in the pathes of the vngodly, saieth she, & walke not in the way of the wicked.

Take fast holde of doctrine and let her not go, kepe her, for shee is thy life. And again she saieth, my sonne marke my woordes, for the pathe of the rightuouse shineth as the light, and is euer brighter and brighter vnto the perfite day, but the waye of the vngodly is as the darknes, sai­eth she, wherin men fall or they be aware.Prouer 4. And moreouer she saith, heare ye chyldren the fa­therlye exhortacion, and take [Page] good hede that ye maye learne wisdom, yea I shall geue you a good reward, yf ye wil not for­sake my lawe, saith wisdom. &c. The chief poynt of wisedom is to be willing to attain wisdom. Therefore let thy hert receyue my wordes (saith she) and kepe my commaundementes, & thou shalt liue. Obey vnto god, and then shall ye receiue a good spi­rite of hym, which (as S. Iohn saith) wyll loose the woorkes of synne, & geue you a will to loue him, and to kepe his commaun­dementes:1. Io. 3. for thei that ar born of hym synne not (saieth he) be­cause they haue the sede remai­ning in them,Where y^e Spirite of god is, sai­eth Paule, there is li­bertie. the earnest of our saluacion: I meane the spyrite of truth, the ioyfull coumforter whiche god hath promised that [Page] shall alwayes abyde with them that looue hym, euen vnto the ende of the worlde. This is he that losseth the workes of sinne and bringeth a godly desire vnto righteousnes and a longing to fulfull the wyl of god: & they that haue opteined a mynde to loue god are begotten & borne of hym and they are knowen & loued of hym. And herby know we saith Ihon,1. Io. 1. y^e god abydeth in vs euen by the spirite which he gaue vs as it is writē: To as many as receiue him giueth he power to be y^e sons or children of god,Io. 1. euen thoose that beleue in his name, which are not born of bloude, nor of the wyll of the flesh nor of the wyll of man, but of God. The vngodlye are the bonde seruauntes of synne, be­cause [Page] they are carnally minded their hertes hate god,He that is an ene­my to ver­tue & goodnes hateth god. thoughe theyr lyppes praise hym, which is all goodnes, yea, the onelye well and fountayne there of. They lacke true obedience too the word and wyll of god, therfore can they not optain to that rightousnes, which before god, is alowed.The lorde wyll visite thē, whose fore skīne is vncircū cysed. For theire hertes and eares are vncircumcised, y^t they wyl not heare, to learne o­bedience, leaste they should conuerte and be healed. And ther­fore, runne they astray and establysh their own righteousnes, for vnfaithfully haue they denied the lorde in dede, and said, it is not he. Tush (say they) there shal no misfortune come vpō vs we shal see neither sweard nor hunger, as for the warnynges [Page] of the prophetes, thei regard it not: There is almost none, ney­ther that will tell thē their synnes nor geue them warnyng of the plagues that are come vpō them,Iere. 6.8. or shall happen vnto thē: for from the least to the moste, they hang altogether vpon co­uetousnes,Oseas. 3. and from y^e prophet to the priest, thei go altogether about with falshod and lies. &c.

For lyke as a net is full of bir­des, so are theyr houses full of that whiche they haue gotten with falsehode and disceit, saith the lord.Ieremi. 5. Here of cometh theyr great substaunce and rychesse, and hereof are they fatte and welthye, and are runne awaye fro me with shamefull blasphe­mies, sayth the lord, they miny­stre not the lawe, they make no [Page] end of the fatherles cause, they iudge not the poore according to equitie: shoulde not I pu­nysh these thynges, saythe the lorde?That is not onelye on these, but aswell on al other such lyke. Should I not be auen­ged of all such people as theese be? Horrible and greuouse thinges are doone in the lande, the Prophetes teache falsely, and the priestes folowe thē, and my people hathe pleasure therein. May such thinges at any time or in anye people be vnpunys­shed? Therefore, repente and tourne from your euyll waies, that ye may enter into the rest of God, and kepe his holy Sa­bothes, for they that enter into the reste of god, do cease frome their owne workes, saith Paul as God dyd cease from his, the vii. daye: and excepte ye keepe [Page] the holy feaste of tabernacles y^t is to say, cease from your owne wyl, and from doing your own workes: The Lorde wyll con­sume you, in his wrath, and vt­terly destroye you, in his soore displeasure. For thus sayth the lorde, I am excedynge gelouse ouer Ierusalem and Sion,zacha. 1. and am soore displeased at the careles heathen, for I was but a lytle angrye, and they dyd theyr beste, that I might distroy thē. Neuerthelesse, I wyll tourne me againe in mercy toward Ierusalem, so that my house shall be builded in it, saith the lorde of hoostes. &c.

zacha. 1.Cry and speake, thus sayth the lorde of hostes, my Cities shall be in good prosperitie, a­gaine the Lorde shall yet com­forte [Page] Sion, and choose Ierusa­lem. yea Hierusalem shalbe in habited with out any wall,zacha. 2. for the multitude of the people & cattell that shall be therein, yea I my selfe (saith the lorde) wyll be vnto her a wal of fyre, round about, and wyl be honoured in her.Oseas. 3. For although the children of Israel sytte a longe whyle wythout Kyng or Prince, withoute offeryng, and aulter with out priest & reuelacion, yet shall the children of Israel conuerte saith the prophete Oseas, and seke the lorde their god, & Da­uid their king, and in the latter daies, saith he, they shal worship the lord & his louyng kindnes.

Therefore, seyng that God hath nowe called you by his grace, be not negligent to come, [Page] and se that the herte be estably­shed with grace,He that both righ­teousenes is of god, and not with y^e vain pleasures of this world, whiche shal not profite thē that haue their pleasure and felicitie in them. For who so dooeth not righteousnes is not of God: yf we say, we haue felowship with him,To walke in darknes is to do su­che deades as wee all did, before we knewe the truthe. and yet walke in derknes / saith S. Iohn / we do lye, & doe not the truth. Therfore se that ye loue not the world, neyther the thinges that are in y^e world for the world passeth away, and the lustes thereof: but he y^e ful­filleth the wyll of god, abydeth for euer,1. Io. 3. and hereby knowe we that he abydeth in vs, euen by the spirite whiche he hath geuē vs.Apoca. 3. And they that ouercome shall obtain a croune of glorye, and I wil geue to euery one of [Page] you (saith the veritie of god) ac­cordyng to his workes. &c.

Babes, flee from the worship­pyng of idols, I meane frō ser­uyng of your owne lustes, and learne to serue the liuyng god in spirite, in a cleane hert / was­shed frō an euil conscience, with reuerence and godly feare / for our god (saith Paul) is a consu­ming fier. To as mani as walk accordyng to this rule, peace, and mercie be vpon them, and vpon Israel of god. So be it.

Geue praise only to god.