¶Of faith

BElowed brethren a­boue all thinge be stronge and stedfast in youre faith / Ephe. vi as S Paul teached. Abo­ue all / take ye y^e shel­de of faith / wherwith ye maye quench all the fyrie dartes of ye wicked.i. Petri v. Therfore be ye sober and watch for youre aduersary the deuil as an roringe Lion walker about / sekinge whom he maye denore / whom resist stedfast in the Faith As Ihon saith ī his reuelation Beholde y^e deuil shal cast of you in presone / Apoca. ii to tēpte you be faithful vnto the deeth / & I shall geue y^• an croune of lyfe. Vithout this faith saith Paul / Hebreo. xi It is vnpossible to please God. Therfore be stronge in youre faith. This faith is [Page] the very rocke where on the chirch is hil­deth as saith oure saueour / Math. xvi ap one this rocke I vilbilde my congregation / i Corin. iij. And Paul saith in an other place. No man can laye a nother fundation then that which is layde which is Iesus Christ / that is tho saye / y^t faith of Iesus Christ / and in an other place saith he / ye nowe are no moare strangers ād foreners / Ephe. ij. but citesins with the saynctes and of the housholde of God / and are bildet apō the fundacion of the Apostles and Prophe­tes / Iesus Christ beynge the heed corner stone / in whom euery bildinge coupled to gether / groweth vnto an holy temple in the lorde / in whom ye also are but to gether / and made an habitacion for God in ye sprite.Apo. xxvi The fundacion of the wal of the cite sa­ith Ihone was garnisshed with all maner of precious stonis. The fundacion of the ci­te of Ierusalē (the chirch of almigty God) is faith which is garnisshed with the greate mercy and goodnes of God abundant­ly / as with all maner of precious stonis / or with all kynde of good workes precious & acceptable vnto God / for faith can nor be ydel / bot worketh thorowe lowe / Galath. [...] Mathei vij yee good to all man / like as a good tree bryngeth forth good frute / a good tree cā not brynge forth bade frute. Also an good mā out of ye good treasure of his herte brīgeth forth good thī ges. [Page] Faith thorow lowe is myghty in operacion / Gala. v Gala. 3. iiij Roma. v i Corin. xiij Apoca. xxi for faith bryngeth the sprite of God and the sprite of God bryngeth lowe. And lowe worketh no ewil / but al good So faith continualy worketh good to all man / and maye be callit the fūdaciō garnished with all maner of precious stonis. For by faith ve are iustifieth / and made righteous befo­re God.Roma. iij As it is written. Nowe merely is the righteuesnes that commeth of God / de­clared without the fulfillinge of the lawe hauinge witnes both of the lawe & of y^e Prophetes. The righteuesnes no dout w­hich is good before God / commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ / vnto all & apon all that beleue. For there is no difference: all haue synned / and lacke the prayse that is of valoure before God / but are iustified frely by his grace thorow the redemption that is in Christ Iesu / whom God hath made an seate of mercy / thorow faith in his bloud / to shewe the righteuesnes which before hym is of valoure / in that he forgeueth the synnes that are passhed / which God did sofre to sheue at this tyme / the righteuesnes that is alowed of hym / that he myght be coun­ted iuste / and an iustifiar of hym that bele­uith on Iesus Christ. Where is then thy [Page] reioysinge? it is excludet. By what lawe? by the lawe of workes? naye but by the lawe of faith. We suppose therfore that an man is iustified by faith / without the deades of the lawe. Ys he God of the iewes only? ys he not the God also of the gentyls? he is (no dout) God also of the gentyls / for it is God only which iustified circumcision / which of faith / and vncircumcisiō thorow faith

¶Yf Abraham were iustified by deades then hath he wherin to reioyce / but not with God. For what saith the scripture.Roma. iiij. A­braham beleued God / Gene. xv and it was counted vnto hym for righteuesnes

¶To hym that worketh the rewarde is not reckened of fauour / but of duety. To hym that worketh not / but beleueth on hym that iustified the vngodly / is faith reckened for righteuesnes.Psal. xxxi Euen as Dauid describeth the blessed fulnes of an man / vnto whom God ascribeth righteuesnes without de­ades. Blessed are they / whose vnrighteues­nes is forgeuen / and whose synnes are co­uered / blessed is that man / to whom the lor­de imputeth not synne. Cam this blessednes [Page] then apon the circumcised or apon the vncircūcised? we saye verely howe yat faith was reckened to Abrahā for righteuesnes Howe was it reckened?Gene. xv In the time of circumcicision / or in the time before he was circumcised? Not in the time of circumcision / but when he was yet vncircumcised And he receaued the signe of circumcision as an seale of that righteuesnes which is by faith / Gene. xvii which faith he had / yet beynge vncircumcised. That he shulde be the fa­ther of all them that beleue / thougt they be not circumcised / that righteuesnes myght be imputed to them also. Abraham was made stronge in the faith / and gaue honour to God / and stedfastly beleued that he which had made the promes was able also to make it good / and therfore was it reckened to hym for righteuesnes.Roma. iiij. It is not written for hym only / that it was reckened to hyme for righteuesnes / but also for vs / to whom it shal be counted for righteuesnes / so we beleue on hym that reysed vppe Iesus the lorde frō deeth. As saith Paul be cause that we are iustified by faith / we are at peace with God / Roman [...]. v thorow oure lorde Iesus Christ. The Gētils which foloweth not righteuesnes / Roma. ix haue ouer takē righteuesnes. I meane ye righteuesnes which cōmeth of [Page] faith. But Israel which foloweth the lawe of righteuesnes / coulde not attayne vnto y^e lawe of righteuesnes. And wherfore? because they sought it not by faith / but as it were by the workes of the lawe. For they haue stombled at the stomblinge stone. As it is writtē Beholde I put in Syō an stomblinge stone and an rocke on which shal men faule / Esai. xxviij & none that beleue on hym shalbe ashamed.Romano. x I beare Israel recorde sayth Paul / that they haue an feruent mynde to God warde / but not accordinge to knouledge. For they are ignoraunt of the righteuesnes / which is aloued before God / ād goo about to stablisshe their aune righteuesnes. And therfore are not obedient vnto the righteuesnes which is of value before God. For Christ is the ende of the lawe / to iustifie all that beleue / ād in y^e same chap. saith he. The beleue of y^e herte iustified. And in an other place. We kno­we y^t no man is iustified by the deades of lawe / but by the faith of Iesus Christ / Gala. iii. and we haue beleuet on Iesus Christ / that we myght be iustified by y^e faith of Christ / and noth by the deades of the lawe.Gala. iii Abraham beleued God / and it was counted vnto hym for righteuesnes / vnderstonde therfore that they which are of faith / are the childerne of Abraham. The scripture sawe afore honde that God wolde iustifie the gentils thorow [Page] the mouthes of lyons / quenched the violence [...]f fyre / eschaped the edge of the swearde / of weake were made stronge / woxet valient in fyght / turned to flyght the armees of the alientis. The wemen receaued their deed / to lyfe agayne wother were racked / and wolde not be deliuered / y^t they myght receaue a better resurrectiō. Wother tasied of moch­ingis and scourgyndis / moreower of bon­des and presonment / were stoned were he­awen a sunder / were tempted were slayne with sweardes / walked vppe and doune in shepes skynnes / in gotes skynnes / in nede tribulacion and vexation / which the worlde was not worthy of. They wandred in wil­dernes / in mountaynes / in dens and cayes of the erth. And these all thoroue faith obteyned good reporte and receaued not the pro­mes. God prouidinge an better thinge for vs / that they without vs shulde not be ma­de perfect

Belowed bethren it is writtē The eyes of the lorde beholdeth faith / [...]ieremi. v that is to saye. The lorde taketh pleasure of faith / and faueours them in whom he findeth faith / ād imputed not their synnes vnto them for the pleasure which he hath of their faith / he loket not to their synnes / but he loketh to their faith as saith y^e scripture. [...]sal. xxxiii Dearly beloued / this faith where of I speake is not fayned faith / nether [Page] deed faith / nether infruteful faith / which ta­keth name after y^e opiniō of mē / but it is perfect faith / quycke lyuinge faith / which wor­keth y^e pleasure of God / Galath. v frō y^e herte of poore lowe This faith is not had be y^e deuils ne­ther by wicked & vngodly mē / but by y^e saynctes of God / yee the childerne and heyres of God. Whom he had called vnto the supper of lyfe.Apoca. xix Nether mo the man which had this faith / consent to do any thinge agaynst ye lawe of God for his herte is so vppe lyfted thorowe lowe / y^t he foryettes his awne profit and pleasure / and continually seketh the pleasure of God / ād the profit of his brethrē This faith is callit / the faith of the Gospell and it is an sure confidence (or trust) in God that he is faithful / and wil without any dout fulfil they thinges which he of his greate mercy hath promised vnto vs in Christ Ensample we haue of faithful Abraham / whois faith was coūted vnto hym for righteuesnes. And his faith was an sure confi­dence (or trust) in the promes of God / as saith Paul. Abraham cōtrary to hope beleued in hope / Roma. iiij. that he shulde be the father of many nacions / accordinge to that which was spoken. So shal thy seed be / and he faynted not in the faith / nor yet consideret hys aune body / which was nowe deed / euen when he was almost an hondred yeare olde. Nether [Page] cōsidered he the barenes of Sara. He sta [...]kered not at the promes of God thorowe vnbelefe / but was made stronge in the faith / and gaue honour to God and stedfastly be­leued / that he which hath made the promes was able also to make it good / and therfore was it reckened to hym for righteuesnes. It is not written for hym only / that it was rec­kened to hym for righteuesnes / but also for vs: to whom it shalbe counted for righteues­nes / so we beleue on hym that reysed vppe Iesus oure lorde from deeth. Here Paul shewet what faith was in oure father Abraham / we shulde beleue in hope / contrary to hope as did Abraham / which contrary the hope of his natural strength or powere / be­lewed in the strength and powere of God infulfillīge his promes. So shulde we beleue surly to obteyne they thinges which God hath promised to vs / thought they be vnpo [...]sible to vs to obteyne them after oure natu­rall weake powere.Ioan. iij God hath promised to vs eternall life / which is vnpossible to vs to obteyne after oure weake naturall powere because we are synners / [...] Ioan. i yet thougt it be vn­possible to vs to obteyne it of oure sylfes: because we are sinful.Math. xix It is not vnpossible to God to geue it to vs / accordinge to his pro­mes. Therfore let vs with Abraham beleue in hope / aboue hope / in Gods righteuesnes [Page] aboue oure vnrighteuesnes.Roma / iij▪ Iacobi ij Phili. ij.iiij Galatas iij In gods trueth aboue oure lyes. In Gods mercy: aboue oure synfulnes. In Gods power / aboue oure weaknes. Let vs haue faith with Abra­ham in gods promyses.Ioannis i i Corin. ij And we shall reioy with Abraham in receawinge of thesame thynges promysed. This faith is not kno­wē of the worlde / nether be y^e naturall man it / for it is an super naturall gyfte geuen vnto man frely by god.Ephesi. ij As saith Paul ye are made saue by faueoure throwe faith / and that not of youre sylfes / for it is the gyfte of god / and commeth not of workes / lest any man shulde bost hym sylfe. Belowed bre­thern sen ye mo not haue this faith of youre sylfes / but it is an excellēt gyfte of god (mo­ther of all godly virtue) which he of his kyndnes & mercy geweth vnto you frely. Ther­fore crye with the Apostles vnto y^e lorde / Luce xvij Marci ix to increase youre faith. And with the man w­hich hath the possessed sonne: which sayde o lorde i beleue / sucker myne vnbelefe. That god seen ge youre powerte in the sprite: and takynge heed to youre peteous complayne mo graunt youre peticion / and make you rych by his precious gyfte of faith.Roma. ix.x And not only seke ye youre awne health / but the he­alth of youre brethern / prayēge to god to sent faith on the ertha [...]d plant it in all quarters y^t all nacion maye prayse god / which only [Page] hath immortalite / and duellit in light: that no man maye attayne / whom newere man sawe nether cane se / vnto whom be honour and rule euerelastinge. Amen

¶Of vnfaithfulnes

DEarly belowed brethern / vnfaithfulnes is the mother of allwice ād synne / for it bryngeth forth all kynde of synne & euil. [...]ath. vij Lyke wise as euil fru­te cōmeth of an euil tree. So of vnfaithfulnes commeth no thynge but euil. As aduo [...]rie / fornication / vnclemes / wantānes / ydolatrie / witchecraft / hatred / zele / [...]ath. xv [...]a. v wra [...]th / stryfe / sedition / partetakin­ges / enuyinge / murther / dronckennes glottony / and soche lyke▪ As saith oure sa­ueoure an euil man out of the euil treasure of his hert bryngeth forth euil thynges. [...]ath xij This euil treasure is vnfaithfulnes / which bryngeth forth all kynde of euil and synne / be which cause it is only before God / recke­ned synne / as saith oure saueoure. The ho­ly goost whē he shal come shal rebuke y^e worlde of synne / [...]. xvi be cause they beleue not on me. And it maketh an man worthy of eternall damnation / as it is writen. Whosoeuer be­leueth not shalbe damp [...]ct. And in a no­ther place. [...]ar. xvi Héth at beleueth not is condēp­ned [Page] already.Ioan .iij This vnfaithfulnes maketh god to hat vs / Ephe. v as saith the scripture The wraeth of God commeth apon the chyldren of vn­belefe. And in a nother place saith Ihon the baptiser. He that beleueth not the sonne / shall not se lyfe:Ioan .iij but the wraeth of God abydeth on hym. Vnfaithfulnes is no other thynge: but lackynge of faith / euen as dark­nes is but the lackynge of lyght. So the vnfaithful lacketh faith / ād be y^e same cause / al that cōmeth of faith: as hope / lowe / ioy: pea­ce: longe sofferynge / gētlenes / goodnes / Gala. v ke­pynge of promes: meknes tēperaunce & ce. And in steade of them is full of allwice / as vane presumption: hatred: dispare and all abhomination. Nether is it possible to hym to lowe god or his brethrē / Hebre. xi Psal. xxxij Roma. xiiij nor to do any thynge pleasesynge to god. For whatsoeuer cōmeth not of faith / y^e same is synne. For he is by nature euil / and perceaueth not y^e thynges of y^e sprite of God:Gene. viij i Corin. ij for they are but folishnes vnto hym. He is blynde and knoweth not where hence he goo: but is led by y^e po­wer of darknes. Of y^e vnfaithful saith Paul Yf oure gospell yet be hid:ij. Corin. iiij it is hid amonge thē y^t are lost: in whom the God of this worlde hath blynded y^e myndes of thē which beleue not: lest shulde shyne vnto thē y^e light of y^e glorious gospell of christe: which is y^e ymage of God: and in a nother place

[Page] [...]cobiiThe vnfaithfull is lyke y^e wawes of the see tost of the wynde / and caried wyth violence nether let that man thynke that he shal rece­aue any thynge of God. A wauerynge mynded man is vnstable in all his wayes. Be­lowed brethern / this i saye not to youre re­buke / but to theyrs whosoeuer lacketh faith which shalbe knowen and iudget of the fa­ithful / by theyre frutes. As saith oure saue­oure. [...]athei vij Ye shal knowe them by theyre frutes Herefor study and labour / that ye be not found vnfrutefull but that youre vnfayned faith mo be knowen by her frutes / and you­re brethern mo see her frutes / [...]athei v and glorify youre father which is in heuen. For there is many (of whom alace with sorowe i cōplay­ne) That confesse / [...]itum i that they knowe God / but with deades they denie hym / and are abho­minable / [...]mano. ij and disobedyent / and vnto all good workes discommendable. They do shayme (so moch as is in thē) to oure moste holy faith. [...]ma. xvi They seke in all thynges the li­bertie of the flesshe / and not the prayse of the lorde / nor the health of there brethern / and do dishonour the gospell of God. This i saye that ye knowōde soch fautes in others awoyde them from youre sylfes: and beha­ue youre sylfis / [...]he. v as it becommeth saynctes. And beare youre frute in holynes. As saith Paul. [...]omano. vi [...]tum iij Ye which beleue in god / be studious [Page] [...]goo forwarde in good workes. This thyngis are good / and profitable vnto men. Folisshe questions / and genealogies / and braulingis / and stryfe aboute the lawe a­woyde / for they are vnprofitable / and su­perfluus. A man that is the auctor of sectes after the first and the second amonition a­woyde / remembrynge that he that is soche / Marke wel is peruerted / and synneth / euen damned by his awne iudgement. Of these thyngis i wolde ye were certifieth (my brethern) for nowe is the last tyme. And as ye haue her­de howe that Antechrist shal come / i Ioan .ij euē no­we are there many Antechristes come all redy. Beware of the false prophetes which come to you in shepes clothynge:Mathei vij but inwardly they are raueninge wolues: ye shal kno­we them by theyre frutes. So men gaddre grapes of thornes? or figges of brires? euen soo euery good tree / bryngeth forth good frute. But a corrupte tree / bryngeth forth euil frute. A good tre can not brynge forth bad frute. Nor yet can a bad tree brynge forth good frute. Euery tree that bryngeth not forth good frute / shalbe heawen doune / and cast in to the fyre / wherfore by theyre frutes ye shal knowe them. Not all they that saye vnto me / master / master / shal enter in to the kyngdome of heuen / but he that fulfilleth my fathers wyll / which is in heuen. Many [Page] wil saye to me in that daye / master / ma [...] haue we not in thy name prophesied? and in thy name haue we not cast out deuyls? and in thy name haue we not done many myra­cles? and then wyl i knoudledge vnto them that I newer knewe thē. [...]al. vi [...]ma. xvi Departe from me ye workers of iniquite I beseche you bre­thern marke them which cause diuision / and gewe occasions of euyl / contrary to the doc­trine which ye haue learned (of the oyntment which ye haue of the holy goost) and awoyde them. [...]oan. ij For they that are soch serue not the lorde Iesus Christ / but theyr awne belyes / and by swete preachynges and flatterynge wordes deceaue the hertes of the innocen­tes. [...]oma. i For youre obedience (vnto the trueth) is publeshed through out amonge all christē brethern. I am glad (no dout) of you / but yet I wolde haue you wyse vnto that which is good: and to be innocent as concerninge e­uyl. [...]oma. xvi The God of peace / shall treade sathan vnder youre fete in shorte tyme. To hym that is of power to stabilishe you accordynge to the Gospell: wherewith Iesus Christ is preached vnto you in openynge of the mistery which was kept closse from you a longe ty­me a goo thorowe bely wysdome / I meane y^e craft of y^e ypocrites. And nowe is opēned at this tyme / and declared in the holy scrip­ [...] [Page] [Page] [Page] heuenly father.Math. vi Ioan. iij Which spared not his aune sonne / but gaue hym for vs all. Wherefore no dispare mo haue place in you / for as saith Paul.Roma. viij Ye haue not receaued the sprite of bō dage to feare eny moare / but ye haue recea­ued the sprite of adoption wherby ye crye abba father. God youre father is mercifull yee and very merciful / sayth the scripture And his mercy he wyl not denye vnto his awne children / whiche are ye / Psal. lxxxv Mat. xxiiij Roma. viij. so ye kepe su­re the faith of the Gospell. Herefore truste sure in the lorde / for there is no damnation to you whiche are in Christ Iesu / whiche walke not after the fleshe / but after the sprite for the lawe of the sprite wherin is lyfe thorowe Iesus Christ / hath deliuered you from the lawe of synne and deeth. For what the lawe coulde not doo in as moch as it was weake because of the fleshe / that performed God / and sent his sonne in the similitude of sinful fleshe / and by synne / dampned syn­ne in the fleshe / that the righteuesnes requi­red of the lawe / myght be fulfilled in you / which walke not after the fleshe / but after the sprite. &c. It is God that iustifieth you / who then shal condempne you? it is Christ which is deed / yee rather which is rysē agayne / i. Corin· vi i. Petri i. Psal. ij which is also at the ryght honde of God and maketh intercession for you. Ye are de­arly bought. Ye are Christis awne possessi­on. [Page] Ye are members of Christ. [...]: vi & xij [...]he. ij [...]etri v [...]al. liiij And the ve­ry housholde of God. Wherfore doute not / for he careth for you / cast roure care on the lorde / and he shall nouresshe you. To put all feare / all dredoure: and all dispare / from you / Christ hath geuen you consolation say­inge. [...]ce xij Feare not lytle floocke / for it is youre fathers pleasure / to geue you an kyngdom. Be not careful: [...]ath. vi for youre heuēly father kno­weth what ye haue neade of / and wyll mi­nistre all necessary thynges vnto you

[...]ath. vij¶ Axe and it shalbe geuen you / seke and ye shal fynd / knocke and it shalbe opened vnto you / for whosoeuer areth receaueth: and he that seketh findeth / and to hym that knoc­keth it shalbe opened. Is there any man amonge you which wolde profer his sonne a stone yf he axeth hym breed? or yf he axeth fisshe / wolde he profer hym a serpent? yf ye then which axe euyl / can geue to youre chil­dren good gyftes / howe moche moare shall youre father which is in heuen / geue good thynges to them that axe of hym?

Corin. viI will dwell amonge you and walke amō ­ge / and wilbe youre God / and ye shalbe my people I wilbe an father vnto you / and ye [Page] shalbe vnto me sonnes and doughters say­th the lorde God almyghty.Hiere. xxxi Beholde the dayes shal come (saith the lorde) and I will fynnisshe apon the hous of Israel / and a­pone the hous of Iuda / an newe testament not lyke as the Testament that I ma­de with theyr fathers at that tyme w­hen I toke them by the honde / to leed them oute of the lande of Egipte. For this is the testament that I will make vnto the hous of Israel / after theyr dayes / I wil put my lawes in theyre myndes / and in theyr hertes I will writ them / and I wil­be theyr God / and they shalbe my people. And they shall not teache euery man his neybour / and euery man his brothre sayin­ge knowe the lorde / for they shal knowe me from the leest to the greatest of them / for I willbe mercifull to them on theyr iniqui­tes and synnes / and on theyre vnrighteues­nes will I not thynke any moare

¶ I the lorde defende / Esaie. xxvij and water her in the due tyme. I kepe her daye and nyght leste any man inuade her. I am with oute all wrathe / who then mo so mowe me to be so greate an enemie to her that I my promes neglecte?

[Page] Esa. xxxviijI shal fyght for this cytie / and shall defen­de it (saith the lorde) and shal saue it for my namys sake.Esaie xl Be of good chere / be of good chere / my people (saith youre God) se that ye counforte the hertes of Ierusalem / and tell them of theyr reest and deliueraunce from captiuite / tell them howe theyr synnes shal be forgeuen them / after that they haue rece­aued theyr full chastisinge of y^e lordis hon­de for all theyr synnes. Thou shalbe my ser­uaunte / Esaie xli I haue chosen y^e / nether shal I at any tyme refuse y^e ▪ se that thou feare not / for I shalbe with y^e: nether loke thou aboute for eny other / for I am thy God which shal conforte y^e / I shal helpe y^e / I shal holde the fast with this same my faithful righthonde. Beholde as many as prouoke the to angre / shalbe counfunded and shamed / thy aduer­sares shal come to nought and peresshe: so that he that shal seke for them / shal no where fynde them. Thy enemies which dare mo­we batayle agaynste the shalbe distroyed. For I the lorde thy God shal holde faste thy right honde / which also nowe saye vnto the feare not / for it is I that shal helpe the / be not afrayde my litle seruaūte Iacob / feare not poore dispysed Israel / for I shal helpe the saith the lorde / and I that maketh ho­ly Israel shall auenge the / yee I shal trende [...] the lyke a wayne and lyke a newe shode car­ [...]e [Page] to thresshe doune mountayns and to bete them in poulder / and the lytle hyls shalt thou dryue into duste / thou shalt wenowe them / and dryue them awaye lyke the wynde / and scater them abrode kyke a whyrle wynde / whyles thou thy silfe shal reioyce greatly in the lorde: and prayse hym that maketh the holy Israel. When the poore afflicte desyred [...]ater / and fynde it not / and theyr tonge is drye for thyrste: then do I the lorde geue it them: I the God of Israel forsake them not.Esaie xlij I shal lede the blynde in to a waye that they knowe not: and directe them into a pathe of which they are ignoraunt / I shal turne the darknes into light before them / and the kro­ke in to an euen waye / this thynges wyll I do for them / nether wyl I forsake them.

¶ This speaketh the lorde which hath cre­ated the o Iacob: and fasshioned y^e o Israel / Esaie xliij feare thou not / for I shall redeme y^e / I ha­ue chalenged y^e for my awne sylfe / and ge­uen the thy name / that thou shuldest be my­ne / so that when thou passedste thorowe the waters I wylbe with the. Remembre wel these thynges Iacob and Israel / Esaie xliii for thou arte my seruaunt whom I haue fasshio­ned to thentēte that thou shuldest be my ser­uaunt newer to be oute of my mynde o Is­rael I do awaye thy wickednes euē as I [Page] disperse a cloude: and thy synnes take I [...] waye lyke a myste / turne the therfore to [...] for I wyll delyuer the.Esaie li Lyfte vppe you [...] eyes to heuen / and beholde the erth vnd [...] you: for heuen shalbe dispersed lyke smoke and the erth shalbe broken lyke a garme [...] and her inhabitours shal peresshe in ly [...] maner / but my sauynge health shall indure for euer / and my mercy wherwith I make men righteous shal newer fayle. It is that conforte you at all tymes saith the lorde

Esaie. liiij¶ I forsoke the for a litle tyme / but I cal­led the to me agayne with moche mercy. [...] hyd my face from the for a litle space why [...]les I was angrye: but I will take y^e [...] my armes agayne with an euerlastinge me [...]cy: saith the lorde thy redemer: for this thyn­ge shalbe to me as were the waters of n [...] he apon the erth. For lyke wyse as I swo­re newermoare to brynge agayne the wa­ters of nohe vpon the erth / euen so haue I sworne to be not angrye with y^e agayne / nether yet to chyde with the: for ye mountanys shal soner forsake theyr places: and the hyl­les shall soner fall doune / then other my mercy shall forsake y^e: or the promyse of my peace shall fayle y^t / saith thy mercifull lor­de. Beholde my lytle poore afflicte and for­ [...]aken: [Page] I shall make thy walles of precious [...]arboncles: and shall laye thy fundati­ [...]n with Saphyrs: thy wyndous and yer­ [...]s shal I make of cleare Christal: and all [...]y wttermoste byldinge shal I sette with [...]ych stones. And besyde all this / all thy [...]ilderne shalbe taught of the lorde: and [...]hal endue them with ryche peace / thou shal [...]e byldeth all of righteuesnes / and be oute [...]f all daunger of violence / wherof thou [...]hal [...] not neade to feare / no plage shal come [...]y [...] the &.c. Gyue eare to me ād come to me: and youre soules shalbe refresshed / for I wy [...]l [...]myt hondes with you into an euerla­ [...]tinge conuenaunce to geue you these as­suerd marcyes promysed vnto Dauid.

¶ My deare brethern geue faith vnto theyr promyses / ād let not y^e dissaytfull workinge of sathan / make you anys to doute in the mercifulnes of youre heuenly father / for soner shall the mountaynis leawe theyr places / then his mercy shalbe drawyne from you: he hath sworne / and hath not re­pented: to shewe his aboundante and euer­lastīge mercy vnto you Therfore my welbe­lowed brethren / be stronge in the faith: and geue honoure to God: ād stedfastly beleue y^e [Page] he which hath made the promyses vnto you is able also to make them good. And geue no hede to other false prophetes that wolde drawe you from god.Math. vij They are wolues and wolde deuore you / be not tayne awaye with the erroure of the wicked: But reioy­ce in the lorde alwayes / and agayne Isaye reioyce / Philipp. iiij les youre softenes be knowen vnto all men / the lorde is euen at honde / which is able to saue you: and all that trusteth in hym.i. Thimo [...]. i. To whom only be honoure and prayse for euer and euer. Amen

Of peace

PEace commeth of faith / nether mo faith be wit­houte peace / nor peace withoute faith for peace commeth of ryghteues­nes (which is of faith) Peace shalbe the end of ryghteuesnes.Esaie xxxij· Roman. iij Romano. v An man is iustified by fayth wythout the deades of the lawe. Herefore Paul concludeth. Because therfore that we are iustified by fayth / we are at peace wyth god. &c. Thys peace wherof I speake is the peace whiche Christ gaue and left to the apostles and disciples sayenge. Peace I l [...]ue with you / Ioan. xiiij my peace I geue vnto you / no [...] [Page] as the worlde geueth / geue I vnto you Let not youre hertes be greued / nether feare ye. The same peace Paul cōmended vnto the people (to whom he wrote his epistles) sayinge Grace be with you:Roma. i i Cori. i [...]. ij Gala. i Esaie xxxij and peace frō God oure father / and from the lorde Iesus Christ. My people shal dwel in the fayer hous of peace / in sure tabernacles / and in rych beddes / hayle when it shal descende / it shal fall only vpon wodes and ceties. & [...]. Christ the prince of peace / Esai [...] ix an kynge which shal newer haue an ende: in encressinge his impery / and yet shal [...]e there with nores­she peace.Esaie xlv Esaie lxv [...] I am the lorde that maketh peace This speaketh the lorde / lo I shallede forth peace to her lyke a floude. This peace is an ioyful reest ād quyetnes in a faithful mānis cōscience. The whiche cōmeth of faith / Ioan. i for faith maketh hym sure / that his synnes are forgeuen hym / and that he is in Gods fa­ueours. Wherfore the dredoure / the trouble & in quyetnes / whiche he had before of his synnes is awaye. And he hath peace that is to saye / an ioyful reest and quyetnes in his conscience. Of the whiche sayeth Christe. Come vnto me [...]e all that labour / Math. xi and are [...]aden / and I wyl ease you. Take my yoke on [...]ou: and learne of me / for I am meke and [...]oly in herte: and ye shal finde reest vnto you [...]e soules The vnfaithful hath not this peace [Page] for theyr consciences are troubleth wyth theyr synnes.Esaie xlviij As it is written vnto the vn­godly there is no peace sayeth the lorde for they knowe not the waye of peace / whiche only is Christ whiche was wounded for ou­re transgressions / Psal. xiij Esaie liij and smyten for oure vngodlynes. For the punisshment wherby we haue peace was layed apō hym. Wo be vnto y^e vnwyse prophetes (saieth y^e lord god) which dissaue my people / Ezechie. xiij preachynge / pe­ace / Esaie lvij peace / and there is no peace. I make peace & sue [...]nes both with them that dwell farre / and with these that dwel nye sayeth y^e lorde / and I haue healeth them / but the vngodly are lyke the wode see called Entipus which can newer reest: her waters are conti­nually troubled with slyme and stynkynge mudde / and euē so haue the vngodly newer reest nor peace sayeth my god. But vnto you belowed brethern Christ hath geuen thys peace sayenge Peace I lewe with you / Ioan. xiiij my peace I geue vnto you.

Whiche peace ye haue receaued (inwardly in youre soules) thorowe faith: ād are at pea­ce with god / Roman. v Ephe. ij. Ephe. v thorowe oure lorde Iesus Christ which is youre peace Therfore brethern reioyce syngynge ād playinge to the lorde in you­re hertes / gevynge thākes all wayes for all [Page] thynges (in the name of oure lorde Iesus Christ) to God the father: submittīge youre sylfes one to another in the feare of God. And haue peace amonge youre sylfes. And also y fit be possible (yet on youre parte) haue peace with all men.Roma. xij. ij Cori. xiij. Esay. xl And the god of peace shall counforte youre hertes in to hys eternall promes. Amen.

Of lowe

HEare o Israell / Deute. vi. the lorde thy god / is god only. And thou shall lowe thy god / with all thy herte / with all thy soule / and with all thy strēgth. This lowe commeth of faith / nether mo this lowe be where faith is not / nor mo faith be (wher of I mea­ne) without this lowe. For by faith an man is made sure of y^e goodnes of y^e graciousnes and of the mercyfulnes of God. Wherfore he must neade lowe hym.

Because hys excellence / his goodnes [Page] and kyndnes to warde vs deserued lowe.Ioan. iiij We shulde not lowe god for the deades of lowe whiche he hath shewed vnto vs. But we shulde lowe god for the goodnes: graci­ousnes / ād mercyfulnes of hym sylfe / which is declared vnto vs by soche gracious and mercyfull deades wrought by hys godly wysdom for oure well. The lowe and good­nes of god is not made perfect by soche workes: for it is and was in hym sylfe before the workes. And the workes do but shewe vnto vs / Romano. .i hys nature: ād howe worthy he is to be­lowed.Ephe. i. Helowed vs before the fundatiō of the worlde was layde. But thys lowe he shewe vnto vs in these last dayes: by hys lowely workes. Hereby perceaue wethe lo­we of God / i Ioan. iij. for he gaue hys lyfe for vs. He lowed vs euer and prepared an kyngdom for vs / Mat. xxv from the beginninge of the worlde. Yee he lowed vs euer / i. Ioan. iiij. for he in hys incom­prehensible godhed is very lowe / but thys lowe was declared openly vnto vs: by his workes which he hath wrought to warde vs And not only shulde we lowe hym be cause he lowed vs / but for his awne goodnes ād mercyfulnes / the whiche we knowe in that he receaued vs to his grace whiche are vnworthy. Faith maketh an man sure of the excedynge goodnes of god / the whiche goodnes maketh an man yee drawed an man [Page] with soche power to the lowe of God / that he can not do but lowe God / for he is so lo­we worthy / that it is vnpossible to knowe hym and not to lowe hym. Wherby ye shall knowe that faith bryngeth lowe / and mo not be without it moare no the fyre withoute heeth For faith bryngeth ye sprite of God as saith Paul to the Galathy.Gala. iij This only wolde I learne of you / receaued ye the sprite of God / by the deades of the lawe? or els by preachynge of the faith? and the sprite of God which cōmeth of faith bryngeth lowe as Paul writteth to the Romayns.Romano. v The lowe that God hath vnto vs: is sheed abrod in oure hertes by y^e holy goost / Gala. v which is ge­uen vnto vs. The frute of the sprite is lowe So of faith commeth lowe / nether mo it be withoute lowe / faith by lowe is myghty in operaciō. Howe perfect that this lowe shulde be in vs / almyghty God hath shewed vnto vs / by hys lawe.Deutero. vi Wherin it is commaun­deth vs that we lowe oure lorde God with all oure herte / with all oure soule / and with all oure streyngth. The whiche lowe no mā in this present lyfe mo fulfill / because of the seed of synne sowen in vs by Adam:Romano. iij which thought it sprynge not and beare no frute / yet it remaneth euer ready to sprynge / Romano. vi Iacobi. i. yee and wolde beare frute vnto the deeth were not the holy sprite subdued it / and morty­fyed [Page] it / Roma. vij and holdeth it doune I am carnall soulde vnder synne / because I wote not w­hat I doo. For what I wolde / that do I n [...] but what I hate: that do I. Yf I do now [...] that whiche I wolde not / I graunte to the lo [...]we that it is good. So then nowe it is not I that do it / but synne that dwelleth in me. For I knowe that in me (that is to saye in my flesshe) dwelleth no good thynge. To wyll is present wyth me / but I fynde no m [...]anes to performe that whiche is good. For I do not that thynge which I wolde / but that euyl do I: whiche I wolde not. Fynal­ly yf I do that I wolde not / then is not I that do it / but synne that dwelleth in me do [...]eth it. I fynde then by the lawe that when I wolde do good: euyl is present wyth me. I delite in the lawe of God / as concerninge the inner man / but I se a nother lawe in my mēbers rebellinge agaynst the lawe of my mynde / and subduinge me vnto the lawe of sy [...]ne whiche is in my members. O wret­ched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this body of deeth? I thank God by Iesus Christ oure lorde / so then I my sylfe in my mynde serue the lawe of God / and in my flesshe the lawe of synne. Here Paul she [...]wed the synfulnes of his flesshe / laudinge God by Iesus Christ / that he was not ther vnto subdued.Roma. viij Yf ye mortyfie the deades of [Page] the flesshe / by the helpe of the sprite ye shall liue: for as many as are ledde by the sprite are the sonnes of God. Here it is openly de­clared: that it is by the powere of the sprite of God / and not by oure deades / that the syn­ne whiche is in oure flesshe is mortyfied: subdued: or dampned. But soche perfection ha­ue we not / nor yet mo haue that synne shalbe clene taken oute of vs / so longe as we are in this corruptible body. The flesshe lusteth (e­uer) cōtrary to the sprite.Roman. vi But yet let not y^e synne which is in youre mortal bodyes regne y^e ye shulde there vnto obey in the lustes of it. Nether gyue ye youre members as instru­mentes of vnrighteuesnes vnto synne: but geue youre sylfes vnto God / as they that are aliue from deeth / and geue youre members as instrumentes of righteuesnes vnto God Synne shall not haue powere ower you / for ye are not vnder y^e lawe / but vnder grace / Io. i.iij.viij and xx Gala. iij T [...]um iij Gala. iiij Roma. vii ād ye are borne a newe in ye sprite. The sprite is made fre. Ye sprite is fylled with y^e holy gost And ye sprite fulfilleth the lawe. In my mynde (sayeth Paul) I serue the lawe of God / howebeit y^e synne dwell in the flesshe / yet the sprite wyl not cōsent nor obey there vnto because it is borne a newe:i Corin. i.xij ii Corin. iij Roma. viij Gala. v ād made fre by faith / but wyl obey vnto the lawe of God / by the power of his holy sprite / by whom spryngeth very lowe from the herte. And so [Page] in the sprite the lawe is fulfilled. Tha [...] commande vs to lowe God. With all oure herte / i. Corin. xiij with all oure soule / with all ou­re streyngth: oute of this lowe spryngeth all good workes / for lowe canne not be ydel / but must of neade worke to the pleasure of hym whom is lowed / when occasion com­meth An man that hath perfect lowe to God seketh with all diligence to knowe they thynges wherin God hath pleasure. And when he knowed the wyll of God:Psal. i there mo nothynge holde hym from the doinge of it. Yee he is glade that God hath com­maunded hym to do soche thynges Becau­se his pleasure is to be occupyed in the la­we of the lorde:Math. xi nether is his lawe heuy to soche a man. For it is an easy yoke / and an light burdynge thorowe lowe / wherin I praye God to cōferme youre hertes by his sprite thorowe faith. Amen.

Of pacience

Iacob iv BE ye pacient bre­therne vnto the cō ­mynge of the lorde Belowed brethern pacence is an virtue whiche is necessary in theyr euyl and peralouse dayes:Ephesio. v ād thereby all y^e sayn [...] ­ [...]e [...] [Page] of God haue ouercōme all persecutiō ād trouble put om them in this present lyfe / and this pacience Paul cōmended vnto vs say­inge.ij Corint. v [...] In all thynges let vs behaue oure sylfes as the ministers of God in moche paci­ence / in afflictions / in necess [...]te / in auguy [...]she in strypes / in presōment / in stryfe / in labour in warche / in fastinge / in purenes / in know­ledge / in lōge sufferinge / in kyndnes / in the holy goost / in lowe vnfayned / in the wordes of trueth in the power of God / by the arm [...] ­ [...] of righteuesnes on the ryght honde / and on the lyfte honde / in honoure / and disho­noure / in euyll reporte / and good reporte / as disceauers / and yet true / as vnknowen / and yet knowen / as deyinge / and beholde we yet liue / as chastened and not kylled / as soro­wynge / and yet alwayes mery / as poore / ād yet make many ryche / as hauynge no thyn­ge / and yet possessynge all thynges.Beholde Iob This pacience is to soffre and receaue gladly wit­houte any murmure whatsoeuer trouble / payne / vexation / Romano. v and aduersite that God sent And this pacience commeth of perfect lowe whiche commeth of stronge and sure faith This paciēce teached vs the apostle Iamys sayenge. Be ye pacient bretherne / Iaco. v. vnto the commynge of the lorde. Pacience do marke some trouble / for in prosperite she lost her [...]ome / she ragne neuer but wher trouble ād [Page] Beholde wicked Iezabel caused to kyll all the holy prophetes in Israel excepte they that were hyd secretly / or fledde to the deser­te / iij Regū xix as Elias &.c. Of the trouble ād persecu­tion of the prophetes and seruauntes of God saith Christ to the olde scribes and phari­sees.Mat. xxiij Beholde I sende vnto you / prophetes wyse men / and scribes / and of them some shall ye kyl and crucifie / and some shall ye scourge in youre synagogges / and persecute them from citie to citie. Take (my brethern) the prophetes for an ensample of sufferinge aduersitie / Iacobi v and of longe pacience which spake in the name of the lorde. Beholde we counte them happy which endure. Ye haue her­de of the pacience of Iob: and haue knowen what ende the lorde made / for the lorde is pi­tyfull / Tobie i. & ij ād merciful. Beholde also the greate aduersitie and trouble of holy Tobie: for all his substance was taken from hym / ād hymsylfe was sought to be kylled / ād his syght was taken from hym by God / also ye haue herde what endethe lorde made of all his aduersite.God tryeth he faith of his children Market his also: yf God sende the to the see / and promyse to goo with y^e / and to brynge the saffe to londe / he wyl reyse vp a tempest agenst the / to proue whether thou wilt abyde by his woorde / and that thou maist feale thy faith and perceaue his good­nes / for were it all wayes fayre wether ād [Page] [...]ou neuer brought to soch ieoperdy when­ [...]e his mercy only deliuered the / thy faith [...]ulde be but a presumption and thou shul­ [...]est be euer vnthankefull to God and mer­ [...]ylesse vnto thy neyboure

¶ Yf God promyse riches: y^e waye therto is [...]owerte. Whō he loweth hym he chasteset / [...]hom he exaltet / he casteth downe / whom he [...]ueth he dāneth fyrst. He bringeth no man [...]o heuen excepte he sende hym to hell first. Yf he promise lyfe he sleyeth first: when he [...]yldeth / he casteth all downe fyrst. He is no [...]atcher / he can not bylde on a nother mans foundacion. He will not worke vntyll all be past remedy and brought vnto soch a case / that men may se how that his hāde / his po­wer / his mercy: his goodnes ād trueth hath wrought all to gether.Esaie xl [...] He will let no man be partetaker with him of his prayse ād glorie. His workes are wonderful and contra­ry vnto mans workes.The worke of God ar [...] wonderfu [...] Who euer saue he delyuered his awne sonne / his only sonne / his dere sonne vnto the deeth and that for his enemies sake / to winne his enemie / to ouer­come him with lowe / that he myght se lowe and lowe agayne / and of lowe to doo lyke wyse to other men / and to ouercome them with well doinge

¶Ioseph sawe y^e sonne and the mone and xi. ster res worshepinge him. Neuerthelesse [Page] shameful deeth of the crosse as a thef or a mortherer. Yee an cursed deeth as saith the lawe cursed is whosoeuer hangeth on tree.Deuter. xxi He vas [...]ende in the warlde by the father to suffre trouble / whiche before he apoynted to hym. Yee he seet an strōge batayl before hym in the which he do fyght a [...] an worthy kny­ght:Ioann. [...]vi and obtayned victory / and haue recea­ued y^e rewarde / but fyrst he fought / or he wā ­ne the rewarde / yee he suffered to be sore wounded be fore he obtayned victory. As the holy prophete sawe longe afore honde / and spake of hym.Esaie liij He shal haue nether beutye nor fauoure / whē we shall beholde hym he shalbe oute of shappe / so that we shal not desyer hym / he shalbe despysed and leste set bye of al men / a man hauynge experience and fealinge bothe oure sorowes and syke­nesses / we shal (I saye) repute hym so vyle and lothly that we shall hyde oure faces frō hym. When this (not withstondinge yet) is euen he muste beare oure sykenesses and so­rowes. But we shall iudge hym to be thus cast doune and smyten with some plage of God / yee when he is wounded euen of ou­re transsgressions: and thus smyten for ou­re vngodlynes / for the punyshment for ou­re correction shalbe layde apon hym: and by his stripes and hurte shalbe healed. All we are strayed awaye lyke shepe / euery man fo­louynge [Page] his awne waye / but the lorde lay­eth all oure wykednesses vpon hym to forgeue vs. It is he that shal abyde the anguyshe and be scourged: and yet shal he not ons o­pene his mought / he shalbe led lyke a lam­be to be offered vp / and he shalbe as styl as a shepe vnder her clyppers hondes / ād shal not ons open his lippes / he shalbe taken a­waye and put to deeth / his cause not exami­ned after true iudgement: as a man frenlesse and kynlesse. And yet who maye noumbre his kynrede euen then when he shalbe thou­ght clene to be kut oute of this worlde? whi­che plage shal fal apon hym for the trans­gressiō of his awne people Farthermore he shalbe thought to dye amonge the vngodly and be lyfted vp on the crosse betwen the­ues: al thought he neuer dyd hurte nor yet any desayt founde in his wordes / but the lorde had decreed hym to be thus broken with infirmite that he offered for oure synnes / mought se his longe lyued prosperite. And this decree of the lorde shal prospere in hon­de / with the petel of his awne lyfe he shall fynde ryches And by this means my right seruaunte shal iustyfie many mē / for he hym sylfe shal beare awaye theyr synnes. Wherfore I shall diuide to hym the praye bothe of the many men: and also of the stronge vi­olence / because he shal let his lyfe to deeth / [Page] and be reputed amonge the mysdoers / w­hiche not witstondinge / yet shall he take a­waye the synnes of many / and make inter­cession for the transsgressours. Therfore be lowed brethern folowe manfullye youre blessed lorde vnto the batayl: seynge hym fyght as youre stronge captayne before you / and his baner blowynge on bredht. Trowe ye to receaue the rewarde but yf ye suffre? or trowe ye to obtayne victory but yf ye put youre sylfe in ieopardye? no verely. Be not ther­fore deceaued (my brethern) with flesshlye lu­stes / but stonde vppe and put on the armu­re of God that ye maye be able to resist in the euyl daye / and to stōde perfect in all thyn­ges.Ephesio. vi Stonde therfore and youre loynes gyrd aboute with veritie / hauynge on the brest plate of righteuesnes / and shood with she­wes prepared by the gospell of peace. Abo­ue all take to you the shelde of faith / wher­with ye maye quenche all the fyrye dartes of the wicked. And take the helmet of health and the swearde of the sprite / and rynne vn­feardlye to the batayl that is set before you / & put youre sylfe in to prese folowynge youre master. Care not thought ye be wounded / for deeth shall haue no power ower you / and of youre woundes ye shalbe made hole: by youre awne mooste noble phisitiane Iesus Christ.Mat. ix Herefore murmure not thought the [Page] batayl be stronge / for youre master had the greatest burden of it.Psal. lxvij By whois helpe ye shall sone haue victory: when youre enimi­es shalbe subdued: and ye shall regne eter­naly in glory with Iesus Christ.Hebreo. [...] Belowed brethern despyce not so greate health / for a litle and shorte trouble· but suffre ād ye shal regne. Loke vnto Iesus:Hebreo. xij the auctor and fyn­nyssher of youre faith / whiche for the Ioye that was set before hym: abode the crosse / ād despysed the shame and is set doune at the ryght honde of the troune of God. Consider therfor howe that he endured soche spea­kinge agaynst hym of synners / lest ye shulde be weried ād faynte in youre myndes. For ye haue not yet (all) resisted vnto the bloud shed dynge. &c.Ioann. xv. Ephesio. i Zacha. ix Roma. viij Prefere not youre sylfes aboue youre master and lorde / yee youre heed / and youre kynge. Desyre not to be spared seyn­ge that God spared not his only begotten sō ne / but gaue hym for vs all. Yf ye be sōnes and children with Christ / Hebreo. xij suffrethe chasti­singe of youre heuenly father (with Christ) for and ye be not vnder chastisinge / whereof al are partetakers▪ then are ye bastardes ād not sonnes nor children / caste not the crosse from you / whiche Christ and all the saynctes hath borne. Beholde the heuy crosse that God layde on the shulders of his welbelo­wed apostles / as Christ before or they suf­fred shewed vnto them

[Page] Ioan. xx. Ioan. xv Mat. xAs my father sēt me: so sende I you. Yf the persecute me / then shal they persecute you I sende you forth as shepe amonge wolue The shepe fyght not / but the sheparde fyghteth for them and careth for them. Be harmeles as doues therfore (saith Christ) and wise as serpētes.The wisdo­me of the serpente The doues ymagen no defence nor seke to auenge them silfes The serpētes wisdome is to kepe his heed and tho­se partes wherin his lyfe resteth. Christ is oure heed: ād Gods worde is that wherin ou­re lyfe resteth. To cleue therfore fast vnto Christ ād vnto those promyses whiche God hath made vs / for his sake is oure wisdome. Let vs therfore loke diligently where vnto we are called / that we disceaue not oure sil­fes.Roman. vi We are called to dye with Christ: y^t we maye lyue with hym: and to suffre with hym that we maye regne with hym. We are called vnto a kingdome / that must be wonne with sufferinge only / as a seke mā winneth health. God is he that doeth all thynge for vs and fyghteth for vs / and we do but only suffre. Beware of men (saith Christ) for they shall delyuer you vp vnto theyr counsels / Math. x. and shall scourge you. And ye shall be brought before rulars and kynges for my sake. The brother shall betraye or delyuer the brother to deeth / and the father the son­ne. And the childerne shall ryse agenst fa­ther [Page] and mother / and put them to deeth / and ye shalbe hated of all men / for my name / but whosoeuer shall continew vnto the ende / shalbe saued. When they persecute you in wonne citie / flye into an other. The disciple is not aboue his master / nor the seruaunt a­boue his lorde. It is ynought for the disciple to be as his master is / and that the seruaunt be as his lorde is. Yf they haue called the master of y^e housse Beelzebub / howe moche moare shall they call them of his housshol­de so? feare them not therfore.Luce xiiij Whiche of you disposed to bylde a toure (saith Christ) sitteth not doune first and counteth the cost wheter he haue sufficient to performe it? lest when he hath layed the foundacion and then not able to performe it / all that beholde beginne to mocke hym sayenge. This man beganne to bylde: and was not able to ma­ke an ende. So lyke wise none of you that for saketh not all that he hath canne be my dis­ciple. Whosoeuer therfore casteth not this afore honde. I must ieopardy lyfe: goodes honoure / whorsepe and all that ther is for Christes sake disceaueth hym sylfe and ma­keth a mocke of hym sylfe vnto the god­lesse ypocrites and infidels. No mane can serue two masters / God and mammon / Mathei vi. that is to saye weked ryches also. Thou must lo­we Christ aboue all thynge but that does [...] [Page] is not slokned / but they abyd for theyr praye wa [...]thynge as raweninge wolues / yf they mo se any of Christes poore shepe to deuoure Belowed brethern be stronge in the lorde / and feare them not whiche canne do vnto you no harme but kyll the body:Math. x wher vnto ye are apoynted of God (yf it so come to pas­se) as it is written For thy sake are we kyl­led all daye longe:Psal. xliij and are counted as shepe apoynted to be slayne. Tribulation is oure righte baptim / and is signified by plungin­ge in to y^e water / we that are baptysed in y^e name of Christ (saith Paul) are baptised to dye with hym.Roma. vi The sprite thorowe tribula­cion purgeth vs and kylleth oure flesshly witte: oure wordly vnderstondinge and bely wisdome / and fylleth vs full of the wisdo­me of God. Tribulacion is a blessinge that cometh of God / Tribulatiō i [...] a blessige Math. v as Christ witneseth. Bles­sed are [...]hey that suffre persecution for righ­teuesness is sake: for theyrs is the kingdome of heuen. Ys not this a confortable worde? who ought not rather to chose ād desyre to be blessed with Christ in a litle tribulation then do be cursed perpetually with the worlde for a litle pleasure?Prosperite is [...] a curse Lu [...] vi prosperite is a ryght curse and a thynge that God geueth vnto his enemies. Woo be to you rich saith Christ Lo ye haue here youre cōsolatiō: woo be to you y^t are full: for ye shall hōgre / woo be to [Page] you that laugh / for ye shall wepe / woo be to you when men prayse you. For so did theyr fathers vnto the false prophetes / yee and so haue oure fathers done vnto the false ypo­crites. The ypocrites with worldly preachynge haue not goten the prayse only / but euen the possessions also and the domination and rule of the hole worlde.Tribulatiō for righte­uesnes is ye gyfte of god Actor .v ij Thimo. iij Philippe. i Tribulaciō for righteousnes is not a blessinge only / but also a gyfte that God geueth vnto none saue his speciall frendes▪ The apostles reioysed that they were counted worthy to suffre rebuke for Christes sake. And Paul saith. All that wil lyue godly in Christe Iesu must suffre persecution. And in a nother place vnto you it is geuen not only to beleue in Christ / but also to suffre for his sake. And Peter sayeth Happy are ye / i Petri iiij yf ye suffre for the name of Christe / for the glorious sprite of God re­steth in you. Is it not an happy thynge to be sure y^t thou arte sealed with gods sprite vnto the euerlastinge lyfe? ād verely thou arte su­re therof / yf thou suffre paciently for his sa­ke. By suffrynge arte thou sure.Whereby thē are you­re tyrannes sure? Romano. v ij Corint. xij But by per persecutinge canst thou neuer besure. For Paul saith. Tribulation maketh fealinge / that is / it maketh vs feale the goodnes of God and his helpe and the workynge of his sprite. And in another place he saith. The lorde sayde vnto hym / my grace is suf­ficiente [Page] for y^e / for my strength is made per­fecte thorowe weaknes. Lo Christ is neuer stronge in vs / tyl we be weake. As oure str­ength abateth / so groueth the strength of Christ in vs. When we are clene empted of oure awne strength / then are we full of Christes strength. And loke howe moche of oure strength remayneth in vs / so moch lacketh there of the strēgth of Christ. Therfore saith Paul in the same place. Very gladly wil I reioyse in my weaknes / that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me

¶ Therfore haue I delectation saith he in­my infirmites / in rebukes / in neade / in persecutions / and in anguisshe for Christes sake. For when I am weake / then am I stronge / meaninge that y^e weakenesse of ye fleshe is the the strength of the sprite. And by fleshe vn­derstonde witt wisdome / and all that is in a man before the sprite of God come / and whatsoeuer spryngeth not of the sprite of God / and of Gods worde. And of lyke testi­monyes is all the scripture full▪

¶ Beholde God setteth before vs a blessinge and also a curse. A blessinge verely and that a glorious and a euerlastinge▪ yf we wil suffre tribulation and aduersite with oure lorde and saueoure Christ. And an euerla­stinge [Page] curse / yf for a litle pleasures sake we with drawe oure sylfes from the cha­stisinge and murtoure of God / wherwith he teachet all his sōnes and faschioneth thē after his godly will and maketh them per­fect (as he did Christ) and maketh them ap­te and mete wessels to receaue his gra­ce and his sprite / that they myght percea­ue and feale the exceadinge mercy which we haue in Christ / and the innumerable blessinges / and the vnspeakeable enheri­taunce where vnto weare called and cho­sē and sealed in oure saueoure Iesus Christ vnto whom be prayse for euer. Amen

¶ Finally whom God choseth to regne euerlastyngly with Christ / hym sealeth he with his myghtye sprite / and powreth strength into his herte to suffre afflictions also with Christ for berīge of vit [...]es vnto y^e tru­eth.The differē ce betwene y^e childerne of God and of the deuil Deute. viij And this is y^e differēce betwene the childerne of God and saluation / and betw­ene the childerne of the deuil and of dam­nation / that the childerne of God haue po­wer in theyr hertes to suffre for Gods worde which is theyr lyfe and saluation / theyr hope and trust / and wherby they lyue in the soule before God

[Page]And the childerne of the deuyll in tyme of aduersite do flye frō Christ.Ioan .vi Whom they folowed faynedly / theyr hertes not sealed with his holy and myghtie sprite / and get them to the stondert of theyr ryght father the de­uyl / Ioan .viij and take his wages / the pleasures of this worlde / which are ernest of euerlastin­ge damnation. As ye reade in many places of the holy scripture.i. Corin. ix. The whiche are writtē for oure learnynge

Mat. xix.¶ Iesus sayde / vnto his disciples. Ve­rely I saye vnto you / a ryche man shall with difficulte enter into the kingdom of heuen. And moreouer I saye vnto you / it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to enter in to the king­dom of heuen

Luce. xij.¶ The londes of a certayne man brought forth frutes plenteously: and he thought in hym sylfe sayinge / what shall I do: becau­se I haue no roume where to bestowe my frutes? and he saide. This will I do. I will destroye my barnes / and bilde greater ād ther in will I gadder all my frutes / and all my goodes / and I will saye to my soule. Soule thou haste moch goodes layde vp in stoore for many yeares / take thyne ease / eate / drin­ke / and be my mery. But God sayde vnto hym. Thou fole / this night will they fetche awaye thy soule agayne frō the. Then who­se [Page] shall thoose thynges be which thou hast [...]rouided? So is it with hym that gaddreth ryches / and is not ryche in God

¶ There was a certayne riche man / which was cloethin purpure / and fine raines / Luce. xvi and fared deliciously euery daye. And ther was a certayne begger named Lazarus / whiche laye at his gate full of soores desiringe to be refresshed with the cromes whiche fell from the riche mannes borde / but there was no mā that gaue hym ought. Neuerthelesse / y^e dogges cam / and licked his soores. And it fortuned that the begger dyed / and was ca­ryed by the angelles into Abrahams boso­me. The riche man also dyed / and was bu­ried in hell

¶ When he lifte vppe his eyes / as he was in tormentes / he sawe Abraham a farre of: and Lazarus in his bosome / and cried / and saith / haue mercy on me / and sende Laza­rus that he maye depe the rippe of his fin­ger in water / and cole my tonge / for I am tourmented in this flame. Abraham saith vnto hym. Sonne remembre: that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedst thy pleasure / and contrary wyse Lazarus payne. Nowe therfore is he conforted: and thowe arte punis­shed. &.c.

¶ For as moch then as we must neades be baptised in tribulations / and goo thorowe [Page] the redde see / and a greate and fearful wil­dernes:Hebreo. xiij and a londe of cruell ge [...]untes into oure awne contree / for here haue we no contynuinge citie / but we seke [...] citie to come / yee and in as moch as it is of playne ernest there is no nother waye into y^e kyngdome of heuē / Which way goo youre persecuters to heuen thē Mathei vij then thorowe persecutiō and sufferinge of payne and very deeth: after the ensā ­ple of Christ. For we [...]ustenter in at ye strayte gate▪ for wyde is the gate: and broade is the waye that leadeth to distruction / and many there be which goo in there at. For strayte is the gat: and narawe is the waye which leydeth vnto lyfe / and feawe there be that fynde it

¶ Therfore let vs arme oure soules with the conforte of the scriptures / howe that God is euer ready at honde in tyme of nea­de to helpe vs. And howe that soch tyraun­tes and persecuters are but Gods scour­ge and his rodde to chastise vs. And as the father hath alwaye in tyme of correction the rodde faste in his honde / Youre persecuters haue no power to do vnto you what they wolde so that the rodde doeth no thynge but as he moweth it / euen so hath God all tyrauntes in his honde / and letteth them not doo whatsoeuer they wolde / but as moch only as he apoynteth them to do and as for forth as it is necessa­ [...]y [Page] for vs. And as when the childe submit­ [...]eth hym sylfe vnto his fathers correction / and nurtoure and humbleth hym sylfe all to gether vnto the will of his father: then [...]he rodde is taken awaye / euen so when we are come vnto the knowleage of the righte waye and haue forsakē oure awne wyll and offer oure sylfes clene vnto the will of God to walke which waye so euer he will haue vs / then turneth he the tyrauntes. Or else yf they enforce to persecute vs any forther: he putteth them out of the waye accordynge vnto the confortable ensamples of the holy scripture

¶ Moareouer let vs arme oure soules: with the promyses both of helpe and assi­stence: and also of the glorious rewarde that foloweth.Mat. v Mat. x Greate is youre rewarde in he­uen saith Christ. And he that knowledge me before men / hym shall I knowledge before my father that is in heuen.Psalm. xlix And call on me in tyme of tribulation:Psal. xxxij. and I shal delyuer y^e And beholde the eyes of the lorde are [...]uer them that feare hym / ād ouer them that trust in his mercy. To delyuer theyr soules from deeth / and to fede them in the tyme of hongre

[Page] Psal. xxxiij.And Dauid sayeth. The lorde is nye the [...] that are troubled in theyr hertes / and the m [...]ke in sprite he wyll saue. The tribulation of the righteous are many / and out o [...] them all will the lorde delyuer them. Th [...] lorde kepeth all the bones of them / so tha [...] not one of them shalbe brosed. The lor [...]de shal redeme / the soules of his seruaun­tes. And of soch lyke consolation are the psames full / the lorde open youre hertes / to re­ade them and vnderstonde them perfectly in the sprite.Mat. x When ye delyuer you take no tho [...]ught what ye shal saye. It shalbe geuen you the same houre what ye shall saye. For it is not ye that shall speake / but the sprite of you [...]re father speaketh in you. The very heares of youre heedes are noumbred. Yf God care for oure heares / he moch moare careth for oure soules which he hath sealed with his holy sprite.i Petri v Therfore saith Peter. Cast al you [...]re care apon hym / for he careth for you / and Paul saith. God is true he will not suffre you to be tempted aboue youre myght·Psal. liiij A Christen mans care Cast thy care apon the lorde. Let thy care be to prepare thy sylfe with all thy strēgth to wal [...]ke which waye he wyl haue the / and to bele­ue that he wyl goo with the / and assiste the and strength the agenst all tyrannes and delyuer the out of all trib [...]lation. But what waye or by what meanes he wyll do it / that [Page] committe vnto hym and to his godly plea­ [...]ure and wisdome and cast that care apon hym. And thougth it seme neuer so vnlikely or neuer so vnpossible vnto naturall reason yet beleue stedfastly that he will doo it. And [...]hen shall he accordynge vnto his olde vse / chaunge the course of the worlde / euen in the [...]winkelinge of an eye / and come sodēly apon youre tyranntes and myghtye geauntes as a thefe in the nighte / and compasse them in theyr wiles and worldly wisdome: when they crye pece ād all is saffe / then shal theyr sorowes begynne / as the sorowes of a wo­man that traueleth with childe. And then shall he dystroye them / ād delyuer you / vn­to the glorious prayse of his mercy ād tru­eth. Amen

And as perteyninge vnto them that despice Gods worde:The despi­cers persecuters ād they that fall frō Gods wor­de ar [...]h [...] ­a [...]ead countinge it as a phantasy or a dreame / and to them also that for feare of a litle persecutio flye frō it setthes before thy eyes. How God sens the beginnynge of the worlde before a general plage: euer sē ­te his true prophetes and preachers of his worde / to warne the people / and gaue them space to repente. But they for the greatest part of them hardened theyr hertes and persecuted the worde that was sente vnto them And then God destroyed them vtterly and [Page] toke them cleane from the erthe. As thou seist what folowed the preachynge of Noe in the olde worlde / Noe Lot Moses Aaron what folowed the preachin­ge of Lot amonge the Sodomites / and the preachinge of Moses: and Aaron amonge the Egiptians / and that sodenly agenst all possibilite of mans witte. Moareouer as ofte as the childerne of Israel fell frō God to the whorsepinge of ymages / he sente his prophetes vnto them. And they persecuted and waxed harde herted.The prophetes And then he sente them into all places of the worlde captiue. Cast of all he sente his awne sonne vnto them.Christ And they waxed moare harde herted then euer before. And se what a fearfull en­sample of his wrath and cruell vengeaun­ce he hath made of them vnto all the worl­de nowe almost fyftene hūdred yeres

¶ Marke also howe Christ threathnet them that forsake hym for whatsoeuer cause it be Whether for feare: eyther for shame / eyther for lousse of honoure / frendes / lyfe or goo­des?Mat. x he that deniet me before men (saith he) hym wil I denie before my father that is in heuen / he that loweth father or mother moare then me / Marci viij is not worthy of me. Whoso­euer is asshamed of me (saith he) or of my wordes amonge this adoutours and sin­neful generation / of hym shall the sonne of [Page] [...]an be asshamed when he cometh in the [...]lorie of his father with his holy Angels.Luc. ix Also none that layeth his honde to the plo­we and loketh backe / is mere for the king­dome of heuen

¶ Neuerthelesse yet yf any man haue re­sisted ignorauntly / as did Paul / Thimoth. i God recea­ueth them that come agayne let hym lo­ke vnto the trueth which Paul wrate after he come to knouledge. Also yf any man cle­ne agenst his herte: but ouercome with the weaknes of the flesshe for feare of persecu­tion: haue denied as did Peter / or haue de­lyuered his boke to the tyrauntes or put it awaye secretlye

¶Let hym (yf he repente) come agayne and take better holde and not dispare or take it for a signe that God hath forsaken hym.Why letteth god his chosē childerne fall? For God oft tymes taketh his strength euē from his very electe: when they other trust in theyr awne strength or are negligente to call to hym for his strength. And that do­eth he to reach them and to make them fea­le that in the fyre of tribulation fo [...] his wor­des sake no thynge canne endure and aby­de / false his worde and that strength only which he hath premysed. For which strēgth he wil haue vs to praye vnto hym nyght ād daye with all instaunce

[Page] Ephesi. iijWhich also is able to do excedinge aboun­dātly / aboue all that ye are or thynke: accordynge to y^e power that worketh in vs vnto whom be prayse in the congregation by Ie­sus Christe / thorowe out all generation for euer. Amen

Of the mortification of the fleshe

Roma. v BY one mā synne en­tred in the worlde / ād deeth by the me­anes of synne: and so deeth went ouer all men / in so moch that all men synned. Dearly beloweth bretherne it is not vnknowen to you / the ser [...]tute the bondage / ād the [...]hialdom where vnder we were so­me tyme to synne. Ye were ons the seruaun­tes of synne.Roma. vi Ephes. v Ye were one darknes. But tho­rowe the greate mercy of almyghty God we are delyuered there from / by his sonne Iesus Christ.Rom. vi. So that we are deliuered frō synne / and made the seruauntes ef righte­uesnes:Ephe. ij but not so perfitly that ther is no s [...]nne in vs. We are deliuered thorow faith / frō the wrath of God / and from the vengeaun­ce and curse of the lawe / and from the eternal [Page] deeth / Roman. iiij Psal. xxxi & we haue obteyned forgyuīg of all oure synnes / so that they shal not be im­puteth to vs on that daye when the lorde shal come. And in the sprite we are made perfect / and borne a newe vnto God / Ioan. i Roma. viij so that we are no seruauntes / but sōnes / & dough­ters. But yet in oure flesshe / there is s [...]me synne / yee an wicked seed is sowen in oure flesshe: and is so roted / that it maye not be cleanly taken awaye in this present lyfe.i Ioan. i Of the which saith Ihon. Yf we shall saye that we haue no synne / we deceaue oure syl­fes / and the trueth is not in vs.Iacob iij Luce xvij For in ma­ny thynges we synne all. When we haue done all they thynges which are comman­ded vnto vs / we are yet vnprofitable ser­uauntes / we haue done but that which was oure duety to do. This synne: is this concu­piscence / this lust / and euyl desyre which we haue in vs contraryous to the lawe of God And this concupiscence is verely synne / because it is forbydden in the lawe of God / Exod. xx which saith thou shall not concupisce or desyre. And be cause it is contraryous to God and to his pleasure and will / for there ma­ye no thynge be contraryous to God / but euyl and synneful thynge / and this concu­piscence or euyl desyre / Gala. [...] thought it be euyll and sinnefull / yet we maye not awoyde it: so longe we are here in the fleshe. For (as sa­ith [Page] Paul) the fleshe lusteth contrary to the sprite / and the sprite contrary to the fleshe Theyr ar contrary one to the other / so that [...] canne not do that what ye wolde. This b [...] ­tayl is euen in an righteous and iustified man which hath the sprite of God. For the fleshe lusteth continualy agenst the sprite [...] that an maye not do that which he wold [...] that is / that he mygh [...] holely and perf [...] ue hym to the seruice of God but he may [...] not: for the fleshe lusteth contrary to the spr [...] te / and wyll not nor canne not be obedien [...] to the lawe / Roman: vij. of this same saith Paul. The la [...]we is spirituall / but I am carnall solde vnder synne / because I wo [...]e not what I do Here Pa. knowledgeth hym sylfe: to hau [...] an carnall concupiscence or desyre in hym and thereby knowledgeth hym subdued to synne. For he saith. I am carnall solde vn­der synne. The lawe he saith also is holy ād good / yee y^e lawe is spiritual: but I am ca [...] nall / solde vnder synne. And when Ier [...] me my sylfe / to do and fulfil / that holy and spirituall lawe / I fynde in me an contrariousnes to it / and maye not fulfill it. Whereby I knowe that I am carnall and [...]ld [...] (that is) subdued vnder synne / for in the fl [...] she he serued the lawe of synne. In my fle­she saith he I serue the lawe of synne. B [...] thought he was subdued to the lawe of sy [...] ne [Page] in the fleshe / yet he was fre in the sprite. I serue the lawe of God (saith he) in the spri­te. And in the sprite he fought continualy agenst the synne in the fleshe / and wolde al­wayes haue had it awaye. And be­cause he [...] no meanes culde get it awaye he cōplayneth sayenge / what I wolde that do I not / but what I hat that do I. As he wolde saye. I wolde the flesh lusteth not a­genst the sprite. And this concupiscence I [...]at because it is euyll: and yet I maye not be fre frō it. Thē it foloweth. Yf I do that which I wolde not / I confesse to the lawe [...]hat it is good. So then nowe it is not I that do it / but synne that dwelleth in me. As he wolde saye. Yf synne to the which I consent not in the sprite (but hattes & wolde haue it awaye) abydeth in the fleshe: yee worketh and lusteth agenst the lawe. And I in the sprite consent to the lawe / and graunteth is good / and wolde fulfill it / and haue awaye that synne out of the fleshe which is contra­rious to the lawe / thought I maye not get it awaye: yet I synne not / nor transsgresses not the lawe in the sprite / but the synne that dwelleth in the fleshe doeth it

¶ Then it foloweth. To will is present with me / but I canne fynde no meanes to performe that which is good

[Page]That is to saye. I wolde this euyl lust / and synne in the fleshe were awaye: so that then were no thynge in me contrarious to the holy lawe of God / but I can not get it a­waye: I hat it and yet it abydeth fast rote [...] in the fleshe. It foloweth. I fynde then by the lawe: that when I wolde do good / euyl is present with me. Here Paul shewed that y^e lawe gaue hym knouledge of synne for he had not knowen that this lust or concupis­cence had bene synne / excepte the lawe had said: thou shall not lust / or concupisce / [...] desyre. Therfore he saith I fynde by the la­we: that euyl. that is to saye / synne is presēt with me / not in the sprite / but in the fleshe. Then it foloweth. I delite in the lawe of God / as concerninge the inner man / but I se another lawe in my members rebellinge agenst the lawe of my mynde: and subduin­ge me vnto ty^e lawe of synne which is in my members. Not that this lawe of synne in his members ouer come hym / that he was in the sprite subdued vnto it. But it subdued hym to synne / because it made hym in daunger of the lawe / for it requireth the hole mā with his strength and power.Deutero. vi And becau­se ther was an euyl lust and concupiscence in hym contrarious vnto the lawe / therfore he was subdued to synne / not in the sprite but thorowe synne in the fleshe. Nowe Paul [Page] seinge this synne sowen and fast roted in his fleshe / that it was vnpossible to get it cleane awaye in this lyfe / he longeth and murneth for the delyueraunce of the synnefull fleshe / sayenge. O wretched man that I am who shal delyuer me frō this body of deeth? thē it foloweth I thank God by Iesus Christ oure lorde. As he wolde saye: thought I wolde delyuer my sylfe from synne / I maye not: and no other man maye delyuer me from synne / for they are all in the same bondage and thrall with me so many as are yet in the fleshe.Psal. xiij There is none righteous / no not one / ther is none that vnderstōdeth / the­re is none that seketh after God / they are all gone out of the waye. They are all made vn­profitable / there is none that d [...]eth good no not one. Theyr throte is an open sepulchre / with they [...] tounges they haue disceaued: the poyson of aspes is vnder theyr lippes. Whose mouthes are full of chursinge and bitter­nes. Theyr fete are swifte to sheed bloud. Destruction and wretchednes are in theyr wayes / and the waye of peace haue they not knowen: there is no feare of God before theyr eyes. But thou alone o lorde God / and father which art the weake mans strenght / ād refuge / ready at the honde of hym that is in strese / arte my delyueroure. For thou shal de­lyuer me of this presonment of synne / and [Page] body of deeth / by thy wellbelowed sonne Ie­sus Christ / oure lorde. And thought for an tyme I must neade suffre / or I receaue the finall ende of my deliueraunce / ye [...] by hope I ā sure of it. For thou arte true in all thy sayēges. And thy trueth is sure to all age for euer. And thought in the fleshe be some synne / yet in the sprite I shall consent to the la­we / and serue it. Belowed brethern / thoughe there be in vs some synne / and euyl lust / ād concupiscence / yet let vs not consent to it in the sprite. But resist to it / and fyght agenst it / seruynge the lawe of God in the sprite. As did Paul.Roman. vij And as he reached vs sayen­ge. Let not synne regne in youre mortall bo­dyes: that ve shulde there vnto obey in the lustes of it / Roma. xiij make not prouisiō for the fleshe / to fulfill the lustes of it. Walke in the sprite / and fulfill not the lustes of the fleshe. Yf ye liue after the fleshe / Gala. v ye must dye: So thou­ght we haue synne in the fleshe / oure sprite is fre of it / but not thorowe oure sylfes / but thorowe the holy goost

ij. Corint. iij Ioann. viij¶ Where the sprite of the lorde is / there is libertie. And Christ sayd to the Iewes. Yf the sonne shall make you fre / then are ye fre in deade. The sonne worketh by the ho­ly goost. So doeth the father also. And the­yr workynge is indiuisible

Ioan: v¶ For that which the father doeth / the son­ne [Page] doeth / and lyke wyse the holy goost. So when the holy goost maketh vs fre / the son­ne maketh vs fre. And when the father / ād the sonne maketh vs fre / the holy goost ma­keth vs fre. And though one of the iij. per­sones of the holy trinite be named in any place of the scripture / yet it shalbe vnderstonde after the indiuisible workinge of the holy trinite / hauynge some workes after oure ma­ner of speakinge / appropriet to euerych persone Thyse fredome that we haue (as saith Paul) we haue it thorowe the sprite of the lorde and not be oure sylfes. For God hath sent his sprite in oure hertes / wherby we are louseth in the sprite from the bondes of syn­ne / and delyuered out of seruitute / and cry­es to God Abba father.Roman. viij Nowe seinge that we are made fre in the sprite from synne / let vs not tangle oure sylfes agayne in subiec­tion therto / but fyght agenst it / resist to it / ād with all diligence labour to dante and tay­me the wantannes of it / to holde it doune and mortifie it as it is written. Yf ye thē be rysen agayne with Christ / seke they thynges which are aboue / where Christ sitteth at the ryght honde of God. Set youre affectiō / on thynges that are aboue / and not on thynges which are on the erth. For ye are deed:Collossen. iij and youre lyfe is hyd with Christ in God [Page] When Christ which is youre lyfe shal shew [...] hym sylfe / then shal ye also apere with him in glory / mortifie therfore youre mēbers which are on y^e erth. &.c. And in another place it is writtē.Gala. v They y^t are Christes / haue crucifyed the fleshe with the appetites and lustes. Not that we maye mortifie the fleche / thorowe oure awne strength / and labours / as pre­ache the false preachers. No: no but by the holy sprite / as it is written.Roma. viij Yf ye mortyfie the deades of the fleshe / by the helpe of the sprite / ye shall lyue. And of what sprite he speaketh: he shewed immediatly after sayenge. As many as are ledde by the sprite of God / are the sonnes of God. This mortyfi­cation and crucifienge of the fleshe and syn­ne / is an subiection where vnder synne is [...]ut / not that it is takē cleane awaye / but subdued / holden doune: and not suffered to worke. An thynge when it sca [...]es workynge / it is called deed. An [...] tree when it springeth not: and beareth no frute nor braunches / it is called deed. So synne when it worketh not / and shewed not the sylfe / by workes / it is called deed: so we shall make synne to dye and we shulde crucifie it / not sufferinge it to worke. And this we maye not do of oure sylfes / but by the holy sprite which regneth in oure hertes: and of his power mortyfies and crucifies this synne which resteth in [Page] the fleshe. He strenghteth vs / for in to the inner man he maketh vs able and stronge to resist to all the assautes of oure enimies He eyketh oure power / and minishet they [...]s He maketh vs fre / and subdued them. He gyueth vs lyfe / and kylled them. The fleshe and synne (as is said) is mortifieth by the sprite of God / but to the same mortification oure workes are required / but oure ablenes commeth of God. Not that we maye do any good of oure sylfes.ij Corint. i [...] No we are not suffici­ent of oure sylfes / to thynke any thynge as it were of oure sylfes / but our ablenes (there to) cometh of God / by his holy sprite.Philippe. i [...] For it is God that worketh in vs / both the will ād also the deade / yee euē of his awne good wyll. He worketh in vs / the workes which are necessary to the mortification of the fle­she / yee he maketh vs to chastifie the body & brynge it into subiection / by resistinge vnto the lustes of it / and continuall excertion of good workes. For the moare that an man be vseth to synne / the harder shall it be to resist vnto the euyl vse and lustes therof. For the lustes of synne / are euer the strōger / the mo­are that an man folowe them be an euyl vse. And by the contrary / the resistinge of synne and excercition of good workes taketh so­me thynge awaye of the strength of synne.i Thimo. ii [...] Herefore brethern exerce youre sylfes vnto [Page] Verely I saye vnto you / they haue receaued theyr rewarde. But when ye faste anoynte youre heed: and washe youre face / that it a­pere not vnto men howe ye faste / but vnto youre father whiche is in secrete. &.c.

¶ Herefore bretherne in all thynges kepe measure be discrete / folowe the sprite / and mortyfie the fleshe / by the holy goost whom ye haue receaued / as the ernest of youre en­heretaunce / by whom ye are teached in all trueth / and as he hath teached you abyde therin.i Ioan. ij Hebreo. xiij And be not caryed hidder / and thyd­der / with diuers and straunge learninge.

¶(I saye the learninge of men whiche the holy scripture do not knowe) as ye haue bene in tyme passed. Wherwith ye were drawene from the faith and gaue hede vn­to sprites of erroure / and deuylshe doctrine of them which speake lyes thorowe ypocri­sy / and haue theyr consciences marked with an hett yerne forbiddynge to mary / and cō ­maundynge to absteyne from meates / whi­che God hath created to be receaued with geuynge of thankes of them whiche bele­ue: and haue knowen the trueth. For all the creatures of God are good: and no thynge to be refused / yf it be receaued with geuyn­ge of thankes. For it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer. Yf thou shall put the bretherne in remembraunce of these thyn­ges [Page] (saith Paul to Thimothe) thou shalbe a good minister of Iesu Christ whiche hast bene norished vppe in the wordes of faith / and good doctrine / whiche thou hast continualy followed: but cast awaye vngostly and olde wyues fables

This I saye lest eny man shulde begylle you with entysinge wordes. For though I be absent in the fleshe: yet am I present with you in the sprite ioyinge and beholdinge youre stedfast faith in Christ. As ye haue therfore receaued Christ Iesu the lorde: euē so walke ro [...]ed and bilt in hym / and sted­faste in the faith / as ye haue learned / and therin be plenteous in geuinge thankes

¶ Beware lest eny man come and spoyle you thorowe philosophy and disceatful va­nitie / thorowe the tradicions of men / and or­dinaciōs after the worlde and not after Ch­rist. For in hym duelled all the fulnes of the go [...] heeth boddyly / and ye are full in hym / which is the heed of all rule and power / in whom also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hondes by puttinge of of the sinful body of the fleshe / thorowe the circumcision that is in Christ. In that ye are buried with hym thorowe baptim / in whom ye are also risen agayne thorowe faith / that [Page] is wroght by the operation of God which raysed hym from deeth

¶ And hath with hym quickened you also which were deed in synne and in the vncir­cumcisiō of youre fleshe / and hath forgeuē vs oure trespases: and hath put out the ob­ligation that was agaynst vs / made in the lawe written / and that hath he taken out of the waye: and hath fastenet it on his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power / and hath made ashewe of them openly / and hath tri­umphed ouer them in his awne persone

¶ Let no man therfore trouble youre cōci­ences aboute meate and drincke: or for a pe­ace of an holy daye / which are no thinge but shadowes of thinges to come / but the body is in Christ. Let no man make you to shute at a wronge marke / which after his awne ymaginacion walketh in the humble­nes and holynes of angels / thinges which he neuer sawe / causlesse puft vppe with his fleshly mynde / and holdeth not the heed / wherof all the body by ioyntes and couples receaueth norishment: and is knet to gedder and encreaseth with the increasynge that commeth of God

¶ Wherfore sen ye are deed with Christ from the doctrine of the worlde: why as th­ought ye yet lyued in the worlde / shuld ye be yet ledde with tradicions of them that saye [Page] touche not / tast not / handle not. &.c. Nowe in cōclusiō be ye all of one mynde ād the God of peace / that raysed from deeth oure lorde Iesus Christ:i Corin. xiiij Ioan x the greate sheperde of you his shepe / thorowe the bloude of the euerlastinge testament / make you perfect in all good workes / to do his godly and ho­ly will / and brynge to passe that whatsoeuer ye do maye be accepted in his fyght / by the meanes of Iesus Christ. To whom be pray­se for euer. Amen

¶ I beseche you bretherne / suffre the wor­des of exhortation: for I haue written vnto you in feawe wordes. Salute all the saync­tes / they which are here salute you in the lor­de. Grace be with you all. Amen

¶ At Parishe / by me Peter congeth A.M.D. xxxv.xx. Ianuarij