V [...]hen I remember the feareful threatninges of God, pronoū ­ced against [...]ealmes and [...] ­ous, to whō the lyght of Gods word hath bene offered, and contemp­tuously [...]. [...]. Math. r. by them refused, as my harte [...]fainedli mourneth for your present state (dearely beloued in our Sauiour Iesus Christ) so do the whole powers of my body tremble and shake for the plages y^• are to come. But that Gods true woorde hath bene offered to the Realme of England: can none denye, eccept such, as by the Diuel holden in bōdage (god iustly so punishyng their [...]. [...]. ii. proude inobedience) haue neither eyes to see, nor vnderstandyng to discerue good from bad, nor darknes frō light. [...]inst whō none other wise wil I cō tend at this preset, thē did the prophet [Page] [...]gainst y^• stifnecked & stubburn people of Iuda, saying: ☞ The wrath of theIere. [...] Lord shal not be tourned away, tyl he hath fulfylled y^• thoughts of his hart. And thus leaue I them, as of whose repentaunce there is smal hope, to the hādes of him that shal not forgot their horrible blasphemies, spokē in [...] of Christes truth, and of his true mi­nysters. And wyth you that vnfay­nedlye mourne, for the great [...] of Gods true religion, purpose I to communicate such counsel & ad­monition, now [...] mine owne pen, [...] ­somtimes it pleased god I shuld pro­claime in your cares. The end of whi­che my admonition is, that euen as that you purpose and intend to auoid Gods vengeaunce both in thys lyfe▪ & in the lyfe to come, that so ye auoid and flye aswel in body as in spirite, al felowship & societie wyth idolatours in their idolatrie.

You shrincke I knowe euen at the first: but if an Oratour had the mat­ter in handling, he would proue it ho­nest, profitable, easy and necessary to [Page] be done, and in euery one point were store inough for a long [...]ration. But as I neuer laboured to [...] any man in matters of [...]ligion (God I take to record in my conscience) [...] by the very [...] and playne in­fallible truth of Gods word, no more mynde I to doo in thys behalfe: but this I affirme that to [...] from idola­trie is so profitable and so necessarye vnto a Christian, that vnlesse he so do: all worldly profit tourneth to his per­petual disprofit and condempnation.

Profit apert [...]th either to the bo­dies or cl [...] to the soules of our selues and of our [...]. Corporall com­modites consist in such thinges as mā chiefely [...] for the body, as ryt­ches, estimation, long life, healthe and [...] in earth. The only comforte and ioye of the soule is God, by hys word [...]lling ignoraunce, [...] and beath: & in the place of these, placyng true knowledge of him selfe, and with the same, iustice and life by Christ his Sonne. [...] of these aforesaid [...], thē of [...] it is that we auoid [Page] [...], for plaine it is that the soul [...] hath neither lyfe nor comfort, but by God alone, wyth whom idolatours haue no other participatiō; thē haue y^e [...]. Cori. [...] Diuels. And albeit that abhominable idolatours for a moment triumphe: yet approcheth the houre when Gods vengeaunce shal strike, not only their soules, but euen theyr vyle [...] shall be plaged, as God before hathe [...]. [...]. threatned. Theyr Cities shalbe [...], their land shalbe layd waste, their ene­mies shal dwel in their strong holdes, there wyues and daughters shall be de [...]led, their children shall fall in the [...]dge of the sweard. Mercy shall the [...] fynde none, because they haue refused the God of all mercy, when louin [...] and long he called vpon them.

You [...] the [...], & [...] I haue hereof, to God [...] I appoynt no time, but that these and [...] plages shal fall vpon the [...] of England, and that or it be longe. I am so sure, as that I am that [...] god lyueth.

This my affirmation shal displease [Page] many, & shal content fewe. God (wh [...] knoweth the secretes of harts) know­eth that also it displeaseth my self, and yet lyke as before I haue bene cōpel­led to speake in your presence, and in the presence of others, such thyngs as were not pleasable to the eares of m [...], wherof (alas) a great part this day are come to pas: So that I am compelled now to write with the teares of myne eyes (I knowe to your dyspleasure.) But deare brethren, be subiecte vnto God, and gyue place to hys wrathe, that we may escape hys euerlastyng vengeaunce.

My penne I trust shal nowe be no more vehement, then my tonge hathe bene oftner then once, not only be [...]ore you, but also before the chyese of the [...]alme. What was said in Newcastel & [...]arwicke before the sweate, I trust yet some in those places beareth in mynde. What vpon the daye of Al­sayntes, that yeare that the Duke of Somerset was last apprehended, let [...]castel wytnes. What before him [...]hat then was Duke of Northumber­land, [Page] in the towne of Newecastel, and in other places mo: What before the Kynges Maiestie at Wyndsor, [...] ­ton Court, and Westminster: And fi­nally what was spoken in London, in mo places then, one, when Fyers of soye and [...]otous bancketinges were made at the proclamation of Marye your Quene. If men wyl not speake, the stones and tymber of those places shall cry in fyre, and beare record that the truthe was spoken, and shall ab­solue me in that behalfe in the daye of the lorde.

Suspect not brethren, that I delyte [...]n your calamytyes, or in the plages that shal fal vpō that vnthankfull na­cion. No, God I take to recorde that my hart mourneth wythin me, & that I am cruciate for remembraunce of your troubles. But if that I shoulde [...]ase, then dyd I as well agaynst my conscience, as also against my know­ledge: and so should I be gylty of the bloud of those that pearished for lacke of admonition, & yet should the plage [...]. xxxiii not a moment the longer be delayed, [Page] for the Lord hath appointed the dai of his [...]geaunce, before the whych he fendeth trumpets & Messengers, that hys elect watching with praiers & so­ [...], [...]. xiiii may by his mercye escape the vengeaunce that shal come.

But you would [...]now the groun­des of my certitude, God grannt that hearing them, ye may vnderstād, and stedfastlye beleue the same. My assu­raūces are not the [...] of Mer­line, neyther yet the darcke sentences of prophane prophets, but the playne i truth of Gods worde, the [...] ii iustice of the euerliuing God, and the iii ordinarie course of his plages frō the beg [...]ynge, are my assuraunces and groundes. Gods word threatneth de­structionDe. [...]viii to al inobedient. [...] immu­table [...]rem. v. ius [...] must requyre the [...]aine. [...]. iii The [...] punishments & plages, shew [...]: what [...] then hauing vnderstanding, can cease to propheci.

The word of God playnelye spea­keth: that if a man shal heare the cur­ses [...]. [...]. of Gods law, and yet in his harts shal promise to him selfe [...] and▪ [Page] good lucke, thin [...]nge that he shall haue peace, al be it he [...] after the imagynations of [...] owne barte, to [...]ch a man the Lord wyl not be mer­ciful, but hie wrath shal be [...] a­gainst hym, and [...] shall destroye hys name from vnder the heauen. [...] the Lord threatneth plage after plage, and euer the last to be the for [...]st, while finalli he wil consume [...] & Na­tions, if they repent not, read ye, [...]vi. [...]eu. [...]. chap. of [...]euiticus, which chapter ofte I haue wylled you to marcke, as yet I do unfainedly. And thinke not that [...] appertaineth to the [...] onelye: No brethren, the Prophetes ar the in­ter preters of the lawe, and they make the plages of God cōmon to al offen­ders, the punishment euer beginning at the housholde of God.

And here must I touche a point ofThe duke of North­ [...] [...], that diuelysh cōfession, made (alas) by that myserable man, whose name for sorrowe I can not recite. Thys argu­mēt he vseth to proue the doct [...] of [...]ite yeares taught amongst you to be wicked. Troubles & plages (saieth he) [Page] haue followed the same, not o [...]li here in England, but also in Ger [...], as he wylled you to marke. This fragile and vaine argumēt at this time none otherwise wil I labour to confute, thē by playne scryptures: declaryng that plages appertaine to al [...], be­gu [...]īg first wher Gods mercies hath bene offered, and obstinately refused, and that maye aunswere the blynde rage of ignoraunce.

The Prophetes Esay, Ieremi, and [...]say. xiii [...]. xvii. xviii, xix. xx. xxiii. [...]chiell, after they had proclaymed plages to fal vpō the people of Israel▪ & vpō the house of Iuda, prophecyed particulerly against certain Natiōs & Iere. l. li. Eze. xxv. xxvi. xxvii Cities, not only adiacent in circute a­bout Ierusalem, but also against such as wer far distaūt, as agaynst Moab▪ [...], Palestina, Egipt, [...]irus, Da­mascus & Babilon. And in conclusion general prophecies are spokē against al inobedient & sinful natiōs, as in the foure and twenty chap. of Esai plain­li appeareth. As also the Lord cōmaū ­deth [...]. xxv. Ieremye, to g [...]ue the cup of hys wrath to al nations one after another [Page] who shoulde drynike of the same, [...] thoughe they refused it of hys hande: that is: [...] thei wold not beleue the voi [...] of the prophet, yet should they not escape the plages that he spake, forIerem. [...]. euery nation like vnto this, shal I pu­nish (saith the Lorde of hostes.) Wyth the same agreeth [...] sayinge: The eyes of the Lord are vpō euery sinfull nat on, to roote it out of the earth. [...]. [...].

These and many mo places euidēt­ly proue, that plages spokē in the law of God, appertain to eueri rebellious people, he they Iew, or be the Gentil: Christians in title, or Turckes in pro­fessyon. And the grounde of the Pro­phetes was the same, which before I haue rehearsed for one of my assuraū ­ces, that Englād shalbe plaged, which is Gods immutable and inuiolable iustice, which cānot spare in one real­me and Nation, those offences, that most seuerely he hath punished in an­other, for els were he vnequal, & made different as touching [...]cusion of his iust iudgementes be [...]wirt person and person, which is moste contrarious to [Page] the integriti of his iustice, t [...]us he [...] by [...]remi his prophet: Behold, [...]. [...]. I haue begone to punysh in the house wher my n [...]me is incalled, and shal [...] the [...] lord wold saye: How can my iustice permit those cry­mes [...] in proude contemp­ [...], that neither regard me, nor yet my law, seing I haue not [...]ared mine owne people that [...] beareth some [...] to my name.

That God hathe punyshed other [...] and [...], men of [...] vn­derstanding wyll easlye confesse. But whether that like [...] haue bene & yet are committed [...] the [...]alme of Englande, [...] the laste pl [...]es of [...]od [...] those Naci­ons, that [...] to be [...]. In thys [...] cā nothing better [...] vs, thē Gods plaine word, [...] the vy­ces w [...]ich raigned in those daies. [...]nd omitting al such as [...], it shal [...] [...]or this [...] to rehearse some places of [...]: the tyme of whose prophecye wel considered, shal make the matter more sensible. He be [Page] [...] in y^• thirten yere of king [...] raygue, & continueth tyll after the destruction of Ierusalem, whyche came in the leuenth yere of Zederchi­ [...]. Long preached this godly man, to wyt thyrty and nyne yeares and two monethes, before the vttermost of the plages apprehended this stubbourne nation. And that he did wyth mutche trouble and [...] susteined, as in his prophecy is to be sene. By all lykely­hode then ther was some [...] that were not pleased [...]th the Pro­phet, neither yet with his preachyng. And yet playne it is that no [...]yng so truely tourned vnto God, with al his hart, with al his soule, and with al his strength, according to all the [...]awe of Moyses, as did Josias, & yet (as sayd [...]) the prophet of God was troubled, and that not by a meane number, for I fynd him complain vniuersally and generally vpon the peoples iniquitie. For thus induceth he God, speaking: My people hath commytted dubble [...]quitye, they haue forsaken me the fountaine of lyuyng water, and haue [Page] dygged to them selues [...]storns that [...]. ii. can conteyne no water. Why wylte thou iustifie thy selfe? Under thy win­ges is found the bloude of the soul [...] of the poore innocentes, whom thou [...] [...]oundest not in corners. And yet tho [...] sayest: I am innocent. Thou hast got­ten a wh [...]res forehead. Thou canst not thincke shame: My people is fo­lyshe, they know me not. They ar fo­lish [...]erem. iii Children, and haue no wysdome, wyse they are to commyt myschyefe, [...]. iiii. but to do good, they are all together ignoraunt: Euery man maye beware [...]. [...] of his neyghboure, and no man assu­redly may trust his brother, for euery man is become diceytfull, they haue practesid theyr tonges to lyes & gyle, they haue left my law (saith the Lord) and haue followed the wycked ima­gynations of their owne hartes, they haue followed after Baal [...], whom theyr Fathers taught them.The [...] ­ces of [...] before [...].

Of these and many mo places like, appeareth the generall offēces of that people to haue bene, defeccion from God, sheddynge of innocent bloude, [Page] iustification of them selues: & defence of their iniquity, whyle yet they aboū ded in theft, murther, [...]sion, lies, craft, practise, [...], and manyfest idolatry, folowyng the trade of theyr Fathers: who vnder [...] and [...]mon (of whom the one in the be­gynning, the other all his life, mayn­tained idolatry) had bene the ring lea­ders to all abhomination.

The Prophet of God (wondering at so manyfest iniquitye) iudged that such ignoraūce and disobedience [...] only among the rascal sort of mē, and theefore he sayth: These be but poore ones, they are foolish, they know not the wai of the Lord, nor the iudgemēt of their God. I wil go to the [...], and I wyl talke wyth them, for [...] [...]. [...] know the wai of the Lord, & the [...] mentes of their God. But what fyn­deth he amongest them? [...] in these wordes. They haue al broken the yoke: they haue heaped [...], & one mischiefe vpon another. From the least vnto the most, all [...] [...]. [...] [...] vpō auarice, & gape for [...]: [...] [Page] the priest to the prophet, euer mā [...] ▪ leth dis [...]ytfully. Behold theyr [...]ares be [...], they cannot aduert, the word of god is a rebuke vnto thē, they delite not in it, they haue cōmit­ted abhominable myschiefe.

What this abhominatiō was, god sheweth to [...]echiell: all had forsaken [...]zech. viii. God in theyr hartes, in so much that a great nomber openlye had tourned theyr backes vnto God, and made sa­crifice to the Sunne, euery man in his [...] secret closet. [...], wemen mour­ned for that they were not permytted to commit open abhomination. Is it not to be wondred that al estates [...] so corrupt vnder so godlye a prynce? But our prophet [...] procede [...] [...]. v. in his complaint, saying: they cannot repent, neither yet thincke shame: thei haue demed the Lord, & saide: it is not he, we shal neither [...] nor [...].

[...]ou heare the obedyence that the Prophet found amonges the princes of [...]. And yet (I say) [...] it not to be wondred, that the [...] whyche was so wel manured, broughte forthe [Page] no better grapes▪ They had a [...]ynge [...] England. most godly minded, they had prophe­tes (for [...] was not alone) moste [...]aythful and feruent, they were [...] nished by [...]uers plages, and alwaies the prophets cried out for repentaūce; and yet folowed nothynge but open contempt of [...], and of hys Messē ­gers. [...]. vi. Their [...] was [...] the mornynge [...], it [...] not, al­thoughe they coulde [...] theyr mouthes: The Lorde lyueth, yet were [...]. v. theyr othes nothing but lyes. Fynde me one man that doth [...] & iu­stice. &c. And to him wil I be merciful (saith the Lord.) Here [...] narrowe & [...] inquisicion, [...] so greate a multitude. [...] like ther haue not [...] very many, whē he that knoweth the secret thoughts, searcheth so [...].

But before we procede [...] [...] and [...] before the [...] this matter [...] shalbe [...] to see, how these [...] do agree [...]yth our estate & tyme. [...], y^• we [...] not Gods word offered [...], [...] none (eccept an [...] papist) [...]. [...] had a [...] of so godli [...] [Page] towardes vertue, and chiefly towards Gods truth, y^t none frō the beginning passed him, and (to my knoweledge) none of hys yeares dyd euer matche hym in that behalfe, if he myght haue bene [...]ord of hys owne wyl. In thys meane tyme if [...] did abound, let euery man accuse hys own cōscience, for here I am not minded to spetyfye al that I know, neither yet is it neces­sarye, [...] some crymes were so ma­nifest and so hainous, that the earthe could not hyde the innocēt bloud, nor yet could the heauens without shame behold the craft, the disceit, the violēce and wrong that openly was wrought and in the meane ceason the hande of God was busy ouer vs, and hys true Messengers [...] not sylence. You [...]nowe that the [...]ealme of Englande [...] visited wyth straūge plages, and whether it were euer prophecied that [...] plages were to [...]olow, [...] apeale to the [...] of your own cōsciēce.

But what insued here vpon? [...], [...]. I shame to rehearse it. vniuersalll con­tempt of al godly admonitiōs: hatred [Page] of those that rebu [...]ed theyr [...]: [...] tho [...]ig of such as could inuent most vilany, against the preachers of God. In this matter I may be admitted for a sufficient wytnes: for I heard & saw, I vnderstode & knew with the sorowe of my harte, the manyfest contempte and the craftie deuices of the deuil, as­well against those most godlye Prea­chers, that this last [...]ent, [...]. M. D. [...]iii. were apoynted to preache before the Kynges Maiestye, as also against al others, whose touges wer not tem­pered by the holy water of the court, to speake it playnly, who flattering a­gainst theyr owne consciences coulde not say al was wel, and nothyng nee­ded reformation.

What reuerence and audience was geuen vnto Preachers thys last [...]ent, by such as then wer in authori [...]: their own countenaūces declared, assured­ly euen such as was geuē to [...]. Thei hated such as [...] their [...], and stubbornely they sayd: We wyll not amend. [...] yec how boldli theyr [...] wer [...], such as wer pre­sent [Page] can witnes with me. Almost ther was none, who dyd not prophecy and plainly speake the plages that are be­gone, and assuredly shal end.

Master Grindal playnly spake therindal. death of the [...] Maiestye, com­plaining vpon his houshold seruaūts, who neither shamed, neither feared to raile against the word of God, and a­gainst the true preachers of the same.

That godly and [...]ruent man Ma­ster [...]. leuer playnly [...] the desolati­on of thys common wealth.

And Master Bradford (whō GodBradford. for Christ his sonne sake, comforte to the ende) spared not the proud est, but boldlye declared that Gods venge­aunce shortly should stryke those that then were in authoritye, because they lothed and abhorred the true word of the euerlasting God, and willed them to take ensample by the late Duke of Somerset, who became so cold in hea­ring Gods word, that the year before his last aprehencion, he woulde go to viset his Masons, & would not daun­ger hym selfe from his Galery to [...] [Page] to hys Hall, for hearing of a Sermon. God punished hym (sayd that godlye preacher) and that sodainly: and shall he spare you, that be doubble more mycked? No, he shal not, wyl ye, or wil ye not, ye shall dryncke the cup of the Lords wrath. Iudicium Domini, Iu­dicium Domini, the iudgement of the Lord, the iudgement of the Lord cryed he wyth a lamentable voice and wee­pynge teares.

M [...]ster haddon mostlearnedly o­penedHaddon. the causes of the by passed pla­ges, and assured them that the worsse [...] after to come, if repentaūce short­lye were not founde.

Much more I heard of these foure and of others, which now I may not rehearse And that which is to be no­ted, after that the whole counsail had said, they would here no mo of theyr Sermons, they were vndyscryte fel­lowes, yea and prating Knaues, but I wyl not speake al, for if God conti­nue me in thys trouble, I purpose to prepare a dysh for such, as then led the [...], pea, and who but ther? But [...] [Page] they haue bene at the schoole of Pla­cebo, and there they haue learned a­mong ladies to daunce, as the Dyuel lyst to [...], agaynst those whō God hath striken. Seyng now reasteth to them no place of repentaūce, nothing mynde I to speake: but suche as lyue to thys day wold be admonished, that he that hathe punyshed one, wyll not spare the reast.

But to our matter. These presidēts I iudge sufficient to proue thys oure age to haue bene, and yet to remayne lyke wycked (if it be not worsse) wyth the time of Ieremi. Now let vs search what followed in Iuda: Mischief vp­on mischiefe, notwythstādyng the cō ­tinuall and longe cryinge of the Pro­phetes, while finally God in hys an­ger toke away good kyng Iosias, be­cause [...]iii. [...]. [...]iii. he was determined to destroi Iu da, as before he had destroied Israell.

After the death of this godly King, great was y^• trouble, dyuers & sondry were the alterations in that common wealth. Their Kings taken prisoners [...] after another in short space, what [Page] other were the miseryes of that stub­borne nation. O God for thy greate mercyes sake, let neuer thy small and troubled flocke within the Realme of England, learn in experiēce: But in al these troubles, no repētaūce apeared, as by the Prophet you may lerne, for thus he cryeth: Thou hast stricken thē Ierem. [...]. (O Lord) but they haue not mourned: Thou hast destroied thē, but thei haueEsay. i. not receiued discipline, they haue har­dened theyr faces harder then stones, they wyl not conuert. The whole lād is wasted, but no man wyl wey, pon­der, nor consider the cause. Thys peo­ple wyl not heare my woordes, they talke in the wick [...] inuencion of their owne harts, they go after other gods, to worship and serue them. And of the Prophetes natural frendes of the mē of [...]nathot, some plainly said: Speake no more to vs in the name of the lord, least thou dye in our handes. Selyke these men had smal fantasy to Gods Prophet: But yet shal a Sermō (and that which ensued the same) made in the beginning of the raigne of [...] ­him [Page] sonne to Iosias, make euident & better knowen, how much the people were bent to idolatrye, and to heare [...]alse Prophetes, after the deathe of theyr good [...]iynge.

The Prophet is commaunded by God, [...]o stand in the court or entresse of the [...]ordes house, and to speake to all the Cities of Iuda, that then came to worshyp in the house of the Lord, & is cōmanded to kepe no word backe. [...] paraduenture (sayth the Lord) they☞ wyl harken and turne euery man frō his wycked way. The te [...]or of his ser­mon [...]. xxvi. is thys: Thus saith the [...]ord: if ye wil not obei me, to walke in mi lawes whych I haue geuen you, and to hear the wordes of my seruaūtes the Pro­phetes, whom I sent vnto you, [...] ­ng vp [...]times, and styl sending: If [...] wil not heare them (I say) then wil I do to thys house, as I did vnto Si­lo, and wyl [...] thys City to be ab­horred of all the people in the earthe­ [...]careJer. xxvii. not the words of the Prophets that sai vnto you: ye shal not serue the [...]nge of [...]bylon. I haue not sent [Page] them, saith the Lord: how [...] then are bold to prophecye lyes in my name.Nota. [...] If you [...]ue care vnto thē, both you and your false Prophetes shal perish.

Here is syrste to be noted, that the people was alreadye entred into ini­quity, and specially straight after the death of theyr King into idolatry: frō which the Lord by his Prophet labo­red to cal them backe, threatnyng vn­to them desolation, if they proceded to rebell.

Secondarelye it is to be obserued that amongst thē wer false Prophets, not that they were so knowen and holden of the people, no they were holden and esteemed (for so they bo­sted them selues to be) the true Chur­che of God that coulde not erre, for☜ how should the law perishe from theIERE. [...]. mouth of the priest? These false Pro­phetes were maintainers of idolatry, and boldly they promised to the peo­ple prosperity and good lucke, wher­with the people wer so abused & [...]yn­ded, that the wordes of Ieremye dyd rather harden their hartes, then p [...]o­uoke [Page] anye to repentaunce, as the con­sequentes declared. For his Sermon ended, the Priestes and Prophetes & the whole people aprehēded Jeremy, [...]. xxvi. & with one voice cried: he is worthy of y^• death. Great was y^• vprore agaynst the poore Prophet, in which apparat­li he could not haue escaped the death, if the princes of Iuda had not hastelie come from the Kinges house into the tempel, & had taken vpō them the hea­ring of the cause, in which after much debate (whyle some defended and some accused, the Prophet most vehe­mently) the text sayth: the hande of [...] the sonne of Saphan, was with Ieremy, that he should not be geuē in to the hands of the people to be killed.

Here of you may easly consider (be­loued brethren) what wer the maners of that wicked generation, immediat­ly after [...] death of their good kyng, and how they wer encouraged to ido­latry by false prophets. But in al thys tyme the Prophet ceasseth not moste faithfully to execute his office. For all be it [...] thys he might not enter in­to [Page] the temple (for he was forbyddē to prrach) yet at Gods commaundemēt he writeth his Sermons, and causeth them to be openly read in the temple: (Alas I feare we lacke Saruch) & af­ter they came to the eares of the [...] ­saile, and last to the king. And all be it in dispite they were once brent, yet is Ieremy cōmaunded to write againe, and boldlye to saye: Iehoiakim shall haue no seede, that euer shall syt vpon the seate of Dauid. Their Carion shal [...]. xxxvi. be cast to the heate of the daye, & to y^e frost in the night. And I shal viset (sai­eth the Lorde) the iniquitie of hym, of his seede, and of his seruauntes, and I shall bryng vpon them, vpon the dwel lers in Ierusalem, and vpon all Iuda, all the calamities that I haue spoken against them. [...] when these wor­des were spoken and wrytten, so they were contemned & despised that they durst cry: let the counsaile of the holy [...]. [...]iii. one of the Israel come, we wil follow the [...] of oure owne hartes. Yet no wordes of hys threatninges were spoken in vaine: for after mani plage [...] [Page] [...] bi the mischeuous father, the wycked and myserable sonne in the third moneth of his raygne, was led prisouer to Babilon. But now when the time of their desolariō approcheth. God sierreth aboue them such a king. [...] Prophetes and Prestes as their own hartes wyshed, euē such as shuld wychout repugnaûce lead thē to their [...] again: that they (who neuer [...] in the truth) myght fyl theyr bel­lyes wyth horryble lyes. Zedechias was [...]yng, and suche as long had re­sisted [...]. [...] poore Jeremy, had now gotten in their hand the fearful [...] of cor­rection. Pha [...] and his companiōs led the Kynge as they lyst. [...] goeth [...] (a place of [...].) The hyll au [...]ers [...] with incense. [...] & his bell▪ Gods, [...] y^t vengeaūce of God was poured upō them, and upō them whō they disceiued, get the daye they long looked for. In conclusiō, so [...]. ri. horrible wer the abhominations that newly were [...], that the lord cry­eth to hys sore troubled flocke: what hathe my well beloued to do in my [Page] house? (meaning in the tempell of Je­rusalem) seing the multitude commit­teth such abhominatiō? Thei haue pro uoked me to anger, burnyng incense vnto Baal. Which greate abhomina­cion, when God had shewed, not onli to [...]eremy (who then was in Jerusa­lem) but also to Ezechiel being pryso­nerEzec. viii. in Babilon, their bodies being se­parate, in prophecie they did bothe a­gree, that whole Israel & Iuda should be [...]. Thus [...] Ezechiell: [...] vpon al the abnominations of the house of Israell, they shall fall by the s [...]rd, by [...]ieluce & hunger, he that in far of, shal dye of the plage: [...] that [...], shal fal by the swe [...]d. [...] that is left and is beseged, shal dye by hūger, and I shal compleat my [...]rathe vpon them. And Jeremy sayth: Beholde I wyl geue thys citie in the hand of the [...], in the hand of [...] [...]ere. rrrii. Kyng of Babylon, who shall take it. The [...] verely shal euter into it. & they shal burne it wyth fyre: they shal burne it, and the houses in which they brent [...] to Baall. &c. The [Page] chyldren of Israell, and the chyldre [...] of Iuda haue don nothing from their youth but wickednes, and that before myne eyes, to prouoke me to anger. They haue tourned vnto me theyr [...]. viii. backes, and not their faces: they, their Kinges, their princes, their prophets, their priestes, whole Iuda, & al the city of Jerusalē. Thei wold not hear nor be reformed. Thei haue set vp their dong (so termeth he their idols) in the place that is cōsecrat to my name. And whē the Kynge of Babylon was lying a­bout the citie, he saieth to the messen­gers of Zedechias (who are sent to demaund of the Prophet what shoulde become of thys Citye.) The CaldeesJer. rrrvii shal take thys City, and shall burne it with fire: yea if you had kylled all theWho would not haue cal­led y^• Pro­phet a traitour. host of the Caldes, that besegeth you, and if the killed man were left, euerye man should rise in his tent, and shuld burne this Citie wyth fyre. He that a­bideth in thys Citye, shall dye eyther by sweard, by hūger or by pestilence. But he that shal go forthe to the Cal­des, shall lyue, and shal wyn his soule, [Page] for a pray. And to the liyng in [...] askyng hys counsaile, he boldly saith: If sodenly thou shalt go foorth to the princes of the Babilonians, thy soule shal lyuc, and thys Citye shall not be brent wyth fyre: But yf thou go not forth to the captaines of the Babylo­nians, thys city shal be geuen ouer in the handes of the Caldees, who shall burne it wyth fyre, neyther yet shalte thou escape theyr handes.

Thus did these. ii. Proplietes (as al so dyd others before them) playnelye speake the desolation of that place, for such offences as before hath bene re­hearsed, But how pleaseth such mes­sage the Citie of Jerusalem? the Prie­stes, Princes and people of Iuda? and what reward receiued Jeremy for his long trauel & painful preaching. Dere­lye euen such as Pha [...]hur & his coun­selThe [...] ­mes laied agaynste [...]. iudged meete. He spa [...]e against the temple (said they) He prophecied mys­thiefe against the Citie, he faynted the hartes of the souldiars and of the peo­ple: but principally he was vnfriendly to the faith that Phas [...]hur taught the [Page] people: to wyt, the faithe of their [...] Ierem. [...].. fathers, who alwaies rebelled against God. And therfore he was reputed an [...]. xx. Ieremies commen­dations. [...], accused of sedition, and dampned of treasō. Plam preachings were made against at that he had spo­ken, and such [...] was promysed, that within. ii. yeares should the yokeJer. xxviii of [...] be broken frō the neckes of al the people, and the vessels of the Lordes house together myth all pleasures shuld be brought agayne to Ierusalem.

Now dyd they abound in wine and [...] ­dāce cam befor the distructiō Iere. xiii. Ie. xxxviii with oile. [...] pleasing & blessed amōgst the people were such Prophets. Iere­mye had troubled them, and therfore he must dye: to pryson shall he go, for the king can deny nothing to his prin­ces, of whom Phas [...]ur appeareth to haue bene chiefe chauncelour: by whō was not only the king, but al y^• whole multitude so blinded: that boldly they [...]iexxvii. durst crye: no mischaunce shal come to vs. We shall neither se pestilence not hunger, the king of Babilon shall ne­uer come against this land.

[Page]In the midst of these stormye trou­bels, no other comforte had the Pro­phet, then to complame to his God, at whose cōmaundement he had spokē. And in this his cōplaint he is so kynd­ledIere. [...]. against their idolatry and great vn thākfulnes, that he crieth as in a [...]: O thou Lord of hostes, the [...] the iust, thou that seest the raynes of the hert: let me se thy vengengeaunce ta­ken vppon th [...]m, for vnto the haue I referred my cause. As thi [...] prayer was moost searfull to his enemyes, if they had sene the efficacy therof. So by the same was the Prophet assured, that Gods wrath was kīdled against that sinfull nacion: and that it shoulde not turne backe; til he had perfourmed the cogitations of his owne hert.

I appeale to the conscience of eue­ry indifferent in [...]: what one point differeth the Regiment, maners and state of England this day from the [...] ­boue rehersed estate of Iuda in [...] daies: excepte that thei had a kinge a man, as apeareah of nature [...] a­ [...] then cruel: who sometimes was in [Page] [...]reated in the Prophetes favour, [...] also required him of counsaile in some daungers: And yeu haue a Quene, a momā of a stoute stomake, more [...]iffe in opinion, then flexible to the truth: who in nowise may abide the presēce of gods Prophetes. In this one thing you disagre, in al other thinges so like as one [...]ut is to another.

Theyr King was ledde by pestilentIudge [...] indifferē ­cie wher­in you a­gree. preistes. Who guideth your Quene it is not vnknowne. Vnder such came idolatry to the height againe. [...] wold to God that the worsse were not a­mong you. In Jeru [...]alē was Ieremy persecuted for speakyng the truth, and for rebuking their idolatri. What pri­son wyth in London tormenteth not some true Prophet of God, for y^• same causes: And O thou [...] of dark­nes, wher that idoll of late dayes [...] The To­wer. first erected, thou [...]mer of London. In the do mo [...] then one suf­fer [...] and trouble, whom God s [...]al comfort according to his promis, and reward their [...], euen as they haue deserued. And in that dai [Page] shalt thou tremble: and suche as shall purpose to defend the, shal perish with the, because thou wast first defyled in that most abhominable idoll.

Consider deare brethren: if al thin­ges as pertaining to iniquitie be a like betwene Englād and Iuda before the destruction therof. [...], if England be worsse then Iuda was in those daies: Seyng God spared not them, shal we thincke that the Lords vengeaūce shal sleepe, mans iniquitye beyng so [...] ▪ No deare brethren, he that hath vnder standing must know the cōtrary: and he to whom the Lordes mouthe hathe [...]. [...] spoken, must shew the causes why the Land shalbe waste. It may offend you that I call England worsse then was vnthankful Iuda: but if good and eui­dent reasons adduced, mai take place, then I feare not iudgement.

From Ierusalē many passed awayWhere in [...] better, thē England is nowe. at the admonicion of the Prophet, le­uing al thei had, rather then thei wold abide the daungers of Gods plages that were threatned. Gods Prophets haue cryed, but I heare not of manye [Page] that prepare to flytte, God graunte they repent not.

In Ierusalē were princes and No­bels, who defended Ieremy and also that dyd absolue hym, when wrong­fully he was accused by the priestes▪ But how many now of the Nobilyty with in England, boldly speake in de­fence of Gods Messengers, is easye to be [...].

Amonges them had Gods Pro­phet iii liberty to speake in maintenaūce of his doctrine: How suche as seeke a tryal of their doctrine, haue bene, and are intreated among you, it is hearde of in straunge countries.

In Ierusalem was [...]demeleche,iiii who when the Prophet was cast into pryson (as they sayd worthy of death) boldly passed to the kyng, and defen­ding the [...] of the innocent, obtained hys liberty: But in Englād I heare of none (God styrre some) y^• dare be so bold as to put theyr hand betwene the [...]ons and their prai, the poore saints, & those cruel murtherers

In Ierusalem, Ieremy being dam­ned [Page] ned to prison, was fedde of the Kings charges, and that wh [...]n great honger & scarcitie of bread was in the whole [...] In London where al plentie a­boundeth are Gods messengers per­mitted to hounger, yea to horrible to be heard, and a [...]cient Fathers are so cruelly intreated, that like extremitie hath seldome bene vsed vpon theeues and murtherers.

In this behalfe I do not blame you (beloued brethren) for assuredlye I know your hartes to mourne for that troubles of your brethren and faithful prechers, and that you seke [...] meanes possible, home thei maye be cōforted or relyued: But these thynges I re­hearse, to the ende that you maye see, that more abhominatiō and lesse [...] of God, more vniust dealinge & lesse shame, more cruel persecutiōs against Gods messēgers and lesse merey and gentilnes, is now among your chiefe Rulers with in Englād, then in those dayes was in Iuda. And yet did not Ierusalem escape the vengeaunce of God. Shal we then beleue, that [...] [Page] gland mai auoid the vengeaunce that [...]. is thr [...]ned? no deare brethren*if I­dolatrye continewe as it is begunne, no more can Englande escape Gods vengeaunce, then God him selfe may lose his iustice.

And therfore dearly beloued in our sauiour Iesus Christ, is profit to your self or to your posteritie, canne moue you any thing, than must ye auoyde and flye Idolatry. For if the Lordes messēgers that shalbe sent to e [...]ute his wrath, finde you amongest filthy Idolaters, your bodies committinge like abhominatiō with them, ye haue no warrant that ye shal escape the pla ges prepared for the wicked: But ra­ther it is to be feared, y^t ye shalbe pla­ged with them. The whole Tribe of [...]. rr. [...]. [...]. [...]. Beniamin perished with the adulte­rers and yet were thei not all adulte­rers in facte. Whole [...] was commanded to be destroied, and yet was not one of those liuyng, that tro­bled the Israelites in their passage frō Egipt. Pharao was not drowned a [...], as in another letter I haue more [Page] plainly written, [...]ther yet found Io­ [...]athas mercy, as touching life corpo­ral, in the [...] when Gods vengeaūce [...]oma. [...] ▪ punished Saule the reprobate. And whye? The Apostle aunswereth: Be­cause mē knowing the iustice of God (saith he) and doing the contrary, are worthi of death, not onely those that do wickedly, but also such as consent to the same. And no man can be accu­sed, but that he consenteth who daily frequentinge in the company of wic­ked men, geuech nether signe in word nor in work, that iniquitie displeaseth them, and therfore yet I saye, if profit may moue vs, most profitable shal it be, euen for the bodye in this presente life, to auoyde Idolatry: for so doing as we shal escape the plages whiche y^• vngodly shal suffer, so is God by hisEsai. [...]. [...]. promise obligate and bound vnto vs, to be our fathe, our porcion, our inhe­ritaunceZach. iii. and defence, he promiseth, & Psal. [...]. wil not deseiue, to carye vs vpon [...] lvii. crl. crlui. owne winges frō al daunger, to plant vs and our posteriti in euerlasting me­moriall, to fede vs in the time of hon­ [...], [Page] and finally to fight for vs, & to sau [...] vs from al miseries and mischaunces, but no [...]e to the subsequent.

[...] it is most profitable for bod [...]e & What me doo when me [...] our seiues with I do [...]. soule to auoide id [...]latro, so is it neces­sary, that unlesse we so do, me refuse to be in leage [...] God: we declare our▪ selues to haue no faith, and we denye to be gods witnesses. And so must he of his iustice [...] in his woorde,Note well [...] lessō. [...] vs to appertame to him or to his kingdome, & then (alas) what [...]easteth for vs, but perpetuall death, ordeined for those that wyll not cont [...]nue in leage wyth God?

The leage betwene God and vs cō ­taineth these [...]: that God shal be our God, and we shalbe hys peo­ple? [...] shal communicate wyth vs, of [...] graces and goodnes, we shal serue him in body and soule: he shalbe our safegarde from death and [...], we shal sticke to him, and fly from all straunge Gods, Thus is the leage in [...] [...] wher of we [...], neuer to haue felowshyp with [...], [...] that whych God [Page] hath authorised by his manifest word▪ [...]f by Gods scriptures these presidēts be so plaine, that reasonablye no man can deny any point therof, then haue I good hope that ye wyl admyt it to be necessary, that you auoide idolatri, if the leage betwene God & you shal­be kept sure. And [...]yrst is to be obser­serued, that Gods iustice being infy­nite, in matters of [...], requireth like obedience of al those that be with in his leage at al times, that he requi­reth of anye one nation or perticuler man in [...] one age. For all that beDeut. [...] within his leage, ar one bodi, as Mo­see doth wytnes, reconyng men, we▪ men, chyldren, seruauntes, prynces, priestes, officers and straungers with in the [...] of the Lorde. Then what God requyreth of one as tou­ching thys leage, he requyreth of all, for his iustice is immutable: and what he damneth in any one, that he muste damno in others, for he is ryghteous with out [...]. Then let us con­sider what God hath required of such as haue bene in leage wyth hym, and [Page] what he pronounceth damnable.

Moyses (the mouth of God to his [...]. xiii. people of Israel) speaketh as follow­eth: [...]f thy brother, the sonne of thy mother, or y^• wife of thine own bosōe­or thy neyghbour, whō thou louest as thine own life, shal priuely solicite the, saying: [...]et vs go & serue other Gods, whō thou hast not knowen. &c. [...] him not, heare him not, neither yet let thine eye spare hym. Be not merciful vnto him, nor hyde hym not, but kyll him, let thy hand be the first vpō him, [...] that such a one may be killed, and thē the hand of the whole people. StoneMarke what god cōmaun­ded shuld be don to al Idola­ [...]ours. him with stones tyl he dye. And like­wise cōmaundeth he to be done with a whole City, if the indwellers therof turne backe to idolatry, addyng also that the city and the whole spoile ther of shal be brent, that no porciā shalbe saued, nor yet that the city shalbe buil­ded for euer again, because it is accur­sed of God.

[...]ere is a playne declaration, what God requyreth of them, that wil con­tinue in leage with hym, and what he [Page] hath damned by his [...] woord. And do we [...] (beloued brethren) that the immutable God wyl [...] at our idolatry, as that he sawe it not, semg he commaundeth iudgement to be eccecuted so seuerely against idola­tours, and against such as onli prouo­ked or solicited others to idolatri, that neither should bloud nor affinity, nei­ther multitud [...] nor ritches, saue suche as offend: neither yet that we shoulde [...] their offences, but y^• we shuld be the fyrst that should accuse brother, sonne, daughter or wife: And why: be­cause he intendeth (sayeth Moises) to bryng the frō the Lord thy God, who led the forth from the land of Egipte▪ and therfore let him dye, that al Israel hearyng, may feare, and presume not after to commit the like abhominatiō. Let nothing pertaining to such a man or citie cleaue vnto thy hand, that the Lord may turne frō the furour of hys wrath, and be moued ouer the [...] most tender mercye and affection, and that he may multiply the, as he hathe sworen vnto thy fathers.

[Page]In these wordes most [...]uidently is e [...]spressed vnto vs, why God wil that we auoid a [...] felowship with idolatry & wyth the maintainers of the same. In which are thre thyngeo [...] to be noted. Fyrst that the holye Ghost in­str [...]cteth vs, that maintamers of ido­latrie, and prouokers to the same, in­tend to dr [...]w vs from God, and ther­fore he commaundeth vs that we shal not conceale theyr impietie, but that we shal make it knowen, and that we shal punish it, if we wyl haue the leage betwene vs and God tō stande sure. And here is the firmament of my first cause, why it is necessary to auoid ido­latrye, because that otherwyse we de­clare our selues lyttle to regarde, yea to haue broken & [...] demed that holy league whiche is betwirt vs and God thorow Iesus Christ.

Secondly. It is to be noted, that I­dolatry so kindleth the wrath of God that it is neuer quenched, [...] the often­ders & al that thei possesse be destroied from the earth, & that by fyre. It maye appeare, that this is a scuere and rigo­rous [Page] iudgemēt: but let y^• cause be con [...]idered, & then shal we vnderstād that in the same, God she [...]eth vnto vs his most singuler loue, declaring himselfe enemy to our enemyes. For all thoseDrawers of mē frō God are of the [...] uels na­ture. that wold dram vs frō God (be they Kings or Quenes being of the [...] nature) are enemyes vnto God, and therfore wil God, y^• in suche cases we declare our selues enemies vnto thē.

And last, it is to be noted, that obe­dience geuen vnto God, in taking [...] [...]eaunce vpon Idolators, by such me­anes as GOD hath appointed, is a cause, why God sheweth his mercie. Why he multiplieth vs and embra­ceth vs with fatherly loue: wher con­trary wyse by consenting with Ido­latry, are the mercies of God shut vp from vs, and me cut of from the body of Christ, to wither and rotte as trees without moister.

But now shal some deman̄d: whatQuestiō ▪ then? Shal we go to & kil al Idolators

That were the office and dutie of e­uery [...]nswere▪ ciuile maiestrate within his [...] and iurisdiction: But of you is [Page] required only to auoyd perticipation and company of that abhomination▪ aswel in body as in soule, as Dauid & Paule plainly teacheth. Dauid in hisPsal. rvi. e [...]ile in the middes of Idolators, saith I wil not offer theyr drink offerings of blou [...], neither yet will I take their name in my mouth. And Paule saith: You may not be pertakers of the lor­des Table▪ and of the table of deuils? [...]. Cori. r. you may not drinke the Lords cuppe and the cuppe of deuils.

As these two places of Scripture plainlye resolue the former question, so do thei confirme that which is be­fore saide: that the league betwene vs and God, [...] of all Idolatrye. First, plaine it is that in [...]. [...]. rrvii [...]ath & in Corrinthus, was no smale noumbre of Idolators, whan Dauid was ther in ecsile, and whan s. PauleIdolatrie [...] be so abhorred, y^• no part of vs bee defiled a [...]l. wrote his Episile: yet nether saith Da uid that he will kil anye in that place, (because he was not their maiestrate) nether geueth Paule any suche com­maundement: But in one thing they both agree, that suche as hath societie [Page] and leage with God, must so [...] Idolatry, that no part of the body be [...]efiled therwith, for Dauid sayth: I wil not take theyr names in my mo­uth: As though he would say: so odi­ous are the names of false and [...]aine goddes, that the mencion of them is righteously compared to stinckynge dounge and vile carion, which nether can be eaten, nether yet smelled with­out disyleasor of such as haue not lost the iudgementes of their sences. And therefore sayth Dauid: I wil not de­fileNote wel▪ my mouth with them: That is, I wil neuer speke one fauourable word of them. I thinke much lesse woulde he haue crouched and kneeled before them for any mans pleasure.

Aduert brethren that Dauid inspy­red with the holy gost, knew no suche shiftes, as worldly wyse men imagy [...] now a daies, that they may kepe their hartes pure & cleane to God, though theyr bodies daunce with the Dyuel. Not so beare brethren, not so, the tem­ple of God hath nothing to do myth [...]. The cause ecspresseth Dauid in [Page] these wordes, for the lord him selfe [...] my porcion and in my inheritaunce. Great is the cause if it be depely [...] ­sidered. Dauid illuminated by the ho­ly Gost, saith euē the selfe same thing which before we haue alledged of the Apostles wordes: that God myll not part spoile with the [...], permitting him to haue the sctuice of the body, & he to stand cōtent with the soule, hart or minde. No brethrē, Dauid [...] thys the foundament and reason, whi he [...] offer sacrifice to idols, neither yet defile hys mouth w^▪ theyr names: because (saith he) y^• lord is my porcion. As he would say: Such is theWhat the league be­twene vs & god, requi­ [...]. condition of the leage betwene [...] & my god, that as he is my [...] of de­fence against my enemies preseruyng and norishing both the body & soule. So must [...] whole his in body and soule: For my God is of that Nature that he wyll suffer no porcion of hys glory to be geuen to another.

In confirmation of this, saith [...] after he had rebuked theyr idols and [...]. These are thy por­tion. [...], lvii. [Page] And Ieremy lykewyse in [...] of thē, saith: [...] thy bedfellowes delyuer the: cal vpon them, and let thē heare the. Thou hast commytted forIere. [...] nicatiō and whoredome wyth stocke and stone. The Prophetes meanynge therby that Idolatours can haue no leage nor couenaunt with God: in so [...] as their hartes be alienated from hym, which the seruice of their bodies doth testifie. And therfore renounceth God such leage and bond, as was be­fore offered: for Esay wold saye: Euen such as thou haste chosen, such shal be thy porcion. And Ieremy would say: Thou hast put thy trust in them (whi­ch he meaneth by the liyng with thē in bedde) and therfore let them [...] theyr power in thy deliueraunce: and thus he sendeth theim, as it were to such water from hate burning coles.

It shal nothing [...] vs to say: we trust not in Idols, for so wil euery I­dolator alledge: But if either you or thei, in Gods honour, do any thynge contrary to Gods worde, you shewe your selfe to put your truste in some­what [Page] elce besides God, ant so are [...] Idolators. Marke brethren, that ma­nyTrusting in mās wis dome, is i­dolatrye. make an Idol of theyr owne wise­dome or fantasaye: more trustinge to that whith thei thinke good, then vn­to God, who plainlye sayth: not that thig, which semeth good in thine eies, do vnto thy God: But what thi lord God hath commaunded the: But of this some other time God willynge more shalbe spoken.

Hereof I suppose it be playne, that like as GOD is immutable, who by his lawe hath not onely forbidden al felowship with Idolators in their I­dolatrye, but also hath commaunded that [...] and punishment be taken vpon them: And as the saintesMarke. of God were inspired with the holye gost, who would not so much as once fauourably speake of Idols. And last as the scriptures be infallible, whiche pronounceth, that God maye not a­bide, that our bodies serue the deuyll in ioyning our bodyes with Idolatri: So is it of mere necessitie, that bothe in hodye and soule we [...] from [Page] the same, if we will haue the leage be­twene God and [...] to stand sure.

I wil not trouble this time with an swering to any such obicctions as mē sekinge to liue as thei list, do nowe a daies inuent: seing that partly in ano­ther letter I haue answered the same. And if God shall graunt anye rest in this wiked life, I purpose bi the grace of God (as occasion shall bee offered) fully to answere what can be sayd for their defence: which in veri dedewhā al is sayd that thei can, thei haue sayd nothing that God wil admit.

Now resteth to shewe, that inhaū ­ting Idolatrye, we declare our selues to be without fayth, and do denye to beare witnesse vnto God. But that faith perseth the heart, I trust none of you wil denie. But whether that in­ward faith reqvireth an ecsternal con­fession, and if a man mane not have faith, and yet do in Ceremon: [...] of the church as the world doth. Herein per­ [...] ye doubt. As to the first the [...]. [...] aunswereth in these wordes, In the heart it is [...] vnto [...] [Page] but by the mouth, is co [...]fession to sal­uation. And Dauid saith, I haue be­leued, and therfore haue I spoken, butPsal. crvi. I was sore trobled. As Dauid would say, I could not [...] the confessiō of my faith, [...] be it trouble did in­sue the same. Thus the holy ghost ioy neth fayth and confession, as thinges that be inseperable the one from the other. And therefore dare I not take☞ vpon me to disseuer thē, but must say that wher true faith is, ther is also cō fession of the same, when time and ne­cessitie requireth, and that where con fession is not founde, there faith is a sl [...]pe, if he be not from home.

Now is it to be considered, yf thysWheither this tyme requyreth [...]ōfessiō of [...]ur [...]. time requyreth the confession of oure faith. Christ and his gospel ar oppug­ned his holy sacramentes are propha­ned. Christes Messengers are some eccded, some cruelly tormented in pri­son: Our aduersarics haue gotten the vpperhād, and an ecsecrable idol [...] ­ted vp in confirmation of al iniquity. What now shal I do, that am assured that all thys is abhomination? Here [Page] Christ is in battaile. Shal I do as the multitude, or as Christeo enemies do? What [...] giue I then? Assuredlt euen such as the reast doth, for neither doth foote, hand, eye nor mouth, wyt­nes the contrary. The feete carye the body to serue an idoll, the eye behol­dethNote. it wyth a certayne reuerence, the mouth dare not whysper what y^• [...] thincketh, yea, the handes are ecsten­ded, and giue signification of humble obedience. Haue I not now iustifyedEsa. [...] ▪ the Diuell, and dampned Christ, it can not be denyed.

But let me haue no credit, vnles the same be yet proued by most plaine de­monstrations of Gods sacred scryp­tures. The lord by hys Prophet E­say, saith to his people of Israell (and this is answer also to the seconde que­stion: If I may not do as the worlde doth, and yet haue faithe) you are my [...] whither there be any God but I alone. Is ther any Creator that I shuld not know him? These words were spoken, as it were: [...] an en­ [...] [...] to rebuke al idolatry, and the [Page] [...]ayne [...] of the same. As the [...]ord wold say: Thou house of Iacob, and you natural children, discendyng from Abraham. You are my people, whom peculyerly I haue chosen, to shew in you the greatnes of my name: and for that end haue I spoken vnto you hid thinges from the begynning, that you may vnderstand and knowe that ther is no knowledge but in me a [...]one: That you perswaded of my infi­nite wisdome, power, and goodnesse, may testifye and beare wytnes of the same to such as hath not the lyke vn­derstandynge wyth you. Hereof it is plain, y^• of such as to whō god geueth knowledge, he requyreth a confessiō, to prouoke the ignoraunt to embrace God and his word, or at the least that by the vnderstanding man, the vaui­tie of the foolishe should be rebuked.☞ So zelous is GOD ouer his giftes, that if we labour not to imploy them to the glory of God, and to profite o­thers his creatures, he wil according to the threatninge of Christ, take [...] talent from vs, and wil geue it tosuch [Page] as wil labour thervpon. Some per­chaūce would gladly labour, but thei se not what fruit shal succede, and ther fore iudge they better to cease: euē as though God could bryng foorthe no fruit, eccept he made vs fyrst of coun­saile. God is to be obeied in his com­maundementes,A good les son to be folowed. and the successe is to be committed vnto him, whose wys­dome is vnsearchable, He commaun­deth vs to refraine from idolatrye, toWhy we should re­f [...]ayne frō idolatrye. let other men see that they do wrong. This ought we to obei, albeit the pre­sent death should followe, for we are [...]alled as witnesses betwene God and the blinde world as is before said: Is­raelNote. thou art my witnes.

The worlde asketh: is the Masse Gods seruice, or is it idolatrye? God hath opened to vs, that it is abhowi­nable idolatry, but when that we, for feare of our vyle [...], doo as the blind world doth, what witnes beare [...]e? Assuredly false wytuesse agaynst God, and against our neighbour. [...] God, for that we iustifye and mayntayne that wyth our presence, [Page] which God cōdemneth. Against [...] neighbour, for that we confirme him in errour to both our cōdempnaciōs. But when we abstaine from al felow ship of idolatrie, what euer ensue ther vpon, we do our deuties to gods glo­rie. [...] no mā thincke that I am more seuere, then necessitye requyreth. Na brerhren, I [...] coutain my affir­macions within the bondes of Gods. [...], and that shal [...] the Prophet witnes, who writinge to the Iewes, being prisoners in [...], after he had sorbidden them to folow the vaine religion of y^• people amōgst, whom they were then [...], by many reasons prouing that theyr, idols were no Gods. [...] last he saieth: [...]eremi. x. [...] shal say to them: the Gods that made neither heauen nor earthe, shall perysh from the earthe, and from vn­der the heauen.

Here is to be obserued (as Thō [...], [...], that singuler instrumēt of God,The Pro­phet con­strayneth y^• [...] to declare theyr cōfes siō [...] idols, and that chaū ­ging their naturall [...]. most diligently noteth) that the reaft of the Prophetes worke was written in the Hebrue [...], which then was [Page] peculiar to the Iewes: but these [...] ses and mordes aboue rehersed, were written in the Caldees tounge, in the toung of that people wher the Iewes were then in thraldome, as that the Prophet woulde constraine theim to chaunge their natural tounge, and in plaine wordes declare the hatred and alienation whiche thei hadde from all worshipping of Idols. I beseche you brethren, marke the wordes of the pro phet. He sayth not: You maye thynke in your heart that they are [...], and that thei shal perish. But you shal say it, and that not priuilye, but to theim who put their trust in such vanity. [...] that the thre children openlye spake, deniyng to geue the ceuerēce of their bodies before an Idol. And Daniel that would not kepe secret the confe­ssionDani. [...]. [...]. &. [...]. of his fayth [...] thre daies, as in my former [...] more plainly is expressed. Hereof it is plain, that requi ryng that [...] prophane not your bo­dies with Idolatri. I require no more then Gods Scriptures by plain pre­ceptes and ensamples teache. Neither [Page] ver require I of eueri mā & at al times so much: for I cōstrain no mā to go to [...]. [...]. v. idolatours in the tyme of theyr idola trie, & to sai y^• al which they do is ab­hominable & nought: but only y^t we keepe our owne bodies (called of the [...] the temple of the holy ghost) cleane from al such diabolical conuē ­ [...]: which that we do, is most pro­ [...] and also necessarye to the pre­seruaciō of our selues, and of our po­steritie, of whom now at the end, [...] ­what must we speake. Euery mā that is not degenerated to the nature of [...] beast, wil appeare to beare such lone to his children, that to leaue thē ritches, in reast, and in good estate, he paciently wil suffer troubles: & wyth­ [...] grudge wil do many things, that otherwise are contrary to hys owne pleasure: and with my hart I wish to God, that the perfection of this were deepely grounded in mans hearte, I meane very loue, and not fond folish­nes, whiche vnder the name of loue, [...]. Cor. [...]. procureth destruction of body: Wher contrarywise true loue most careful­ly [Page] laboreth for saluation of bothe. [...] this loue I say, towardes our [...] (which euery mā pretendeth to haue) [...] in vs: thē of necessitie it is, that for their causes we shal auoide al societie of those filthy abhominations. Thys my assertion may appeare [...], but if it be with in differēce perceiued it shalbe very easy to be vnderstand.

The only way to leaue out childrē blessed & happye, is to leaue thē righ­teously instructed in Gods true Re­ligion: For what anaileth al that is inNote. earth, if condempnatiō folow death, yea and Gods vengeaunce go before the same? as of necessitye they [...] wher the true knowledge of God isThe true knowledg of God, [...] not berne with man. absent. Plaine it is that y^• true know­ledge of God is not borne with mā, neither yet cōmeth it vuto him by [...] ­tural power, but he must haue schole Masters to traine him vp in y^t which he lacketh. The chiefe schole Maister (the holy Ghost eccepted) of the age folowing, is the worckes, practises, & the life of the forefathers: Wher vnto [...] we se the children so addicte [Page] and boūd, & specially if it be in idolatri, y^• god crying by y^• mouthes of his mes sengers, hath muche to do to reaue or plucke any mā backe frō their forefa­thers fotesteps. Now, if y^• you altoge­therNote and dispise not refusing god; stoupe vnder idola­try, what sc [...]lemasters ar you to your posteritye? What image shewe you to your childrē? yea, in what estate leaue you thē, both touchig body & soule? as­suredly you ar euē such scholemasters as [...]er those fathers, who cōsētyng to Iero [...]oā to his idolatri, left vnto their [...]. [...] ▪ rii childrē a patern of pardiciō. To speake it plamly, you leaue thē blinded in ido latri, & bond slaues to t [...]e Diuel, [...] hope of redēpcion or light to be recei­ued. [...] (wil some say) y^• [...]ord know­eth [...]uasion [...]. his own. True it is, but his ordina­ry meanes to cōe by his knowledge, a [...] not to be contēned. He cōmaūdeth you to teach your children his lawes, statutes & cerimonies, y^t they likewise may teach y^• same to the generatiō sol­lowīg. But yet wil some obiect: what taught our fathers to vs? O deare bre­thrē be not so ingrate & vnthankful to [Page] yet I wold y^• you shoulde flatter [...] selues, thinking y^• such a trūpet shal be blown to your posterity, as hath bene blown vnto you, if al come to so closig s [...]lence as y^t Lords messēgers foūd the beginning of this our age, when thys whole [...]ealme of Englād was drow­ned in so dead a slepe, y^• the soūd of the [...] trūpet was not vnderstād, while fyrst the most part of y^t blowers gaue theyr bloud in testimony y^• theyr doc­trine, was y^• same which began [...] blud was plāted & kept in minde bi y^t fame, & by blud increased, & did fructifi. Wil the Lord haue his [...] to fight a lone: Wil he bestow such aboūdāce ofNote. blud vpon your childrē, to encourage thē, as y^t he did vpon you, for your in­siruction & incouragemēt? Y [...] that you also traiterously fly frō him in y^t dai of this his battel, the cōtrary is greatli to be feared. Oft [...] how god hath [...]sed my toung (my tonge I say being most wretched of others) plainelye to speake the troubles y^t ar presēt, ther o [...] [...]ureth to mind a certain admonitiō ▪ y^t god [...]old I cōmēly shuld vse in al [...] [Page] The admoniciō was this: that the last Trumpet was in blowing with in the Realme of England, & therfore ought euery man to prepare him for battail. For if the trompet shoulde cease aud be put to silence, then should it neuer blow againe with like force in Eng­land, til the cōming of the lord Iesus. O deare brethrē, how sore these threat ninges perce my hart this day, onely God knoweth, and in what anguysh of harte I wryte the same, God shall declare when the secretes of al hartes shal be disciosed. I wyshe my selfe to [...] accurssed of God, as touchinge all earthlie pleasures or comforte, for on [...] year of that time, which (alas) neither you nor I dye righteous [...]ye esteeme, when al abounded wyth vs.

I sobbe and grone, I call & I pray, that in that point I may be disceiued. But I am commaunded to stand cō ­tent, for it is God hymselfe that per­formeth the wordes of his true messē ­gers: his iustice and order cannot be peruerted. The Sunne keepeth hys ordiuary course, and [...]eapeth not back [Page] from the West to the South: but [...] goeth down, we lacke the light of it, tyll it ryse the next daye towardes the Easte agayne. And so it is wyth the light of the Gospel, which hathe hys day appointed by God, as witnessethIhon. [...]. Christ saying: while ye haue the light, [...] the light, that darkenes ap­prchendRom. xiii. you not. And Paul: the night is passed, & the day is come (meanyng of the Gospel.) And also? thys daye yfHebr. iii▪ you heare his voice, harden not your hartes. And albeit that this day be allNote. time from Christes incarnacion til his last gaincōming: yet euident it is that al nacions haue not had at one time y^• light of Gods word, but some wer in darknes, when other some had lyght. But by the contrarye most euident it is, that where the light of the Gospell for mās vnthankfulnes, hath bene ta­kē away: ther is it not to this day re­stored againe. Witnes whole Israel, & al the congregacions of the Ge [...]tyis, wher Christ was first preached by the Apostels. What is in Asia? ignoraunce of God. What in Africa? abnegaciō of [Page] Christe. What in those moste notab [...]e churches of the [...], wher Christ was planted by Paule, and long after matred of others? Mahomet and hys false sect. Yea, what is in Rome? y^t most idoll of all others, that aduersarye to Christ, that man of sin, extolled above al that is called God. Hathe God pu­nished those Nations befor vs, not on­lye the fyrst offenders, but euen theyr posterity vnto this daye: And shall he spare vs, if we be lyke vnthankfull as they were▪ yea if we be worsse thē they were? For of them no smal nōber sus­fered persecuciō, banishment, slaūder, pouerty, and finally death, for the pro­fessing of Christ: Who hauing onelye this knowledge, that idol [...] were ody­ous before god, could neither for losse of temporal goodes▪ for honors offred if thei wold obey, nor yet for most cru­el tormentes suffered in resisting, once be perswaded to bowe before Idols. And (alas) shal we after so manye gra­ces that God hath off [...]red vnto vs, sor pleasure or vaine threatnings of those whom your heartes knowe, and your [Page] [...] haue confessed to be odious idolatours; [...] bac [...]e to idolatrye, to the pardicion of our selues; & of our posterity to come? Shall Gods holye Prophetes worke no grea [...] obedience in you? Shal nature no otherwise mo­ [...] your hartes? Shall not fatherlye [...] ouercome that [...]? O be­hold your chyldren, and consider the end of theyr creacion. Great crueltye it wer to saue your selues, & to damne them. But O more then crueltye and madnes, that cannot be ecspressed, yf for y^t pleasure of a moment, ye depriue your selues, and your posteriti of that [...]ternal ioy, that is ordaiued for those that continue in confessiō of Christes name and truth to the end, [...] as­suredly ye do▪ if wythout resistaūce al together, ye returne to idolatri again.

Alas than the trompet hath lost hisNote▪ sound, the Sunne is gone down, and the light vanished away. But if that God shall strengt hen you boldlye to gayne stand al suche impietie, then is there but ad arke mistie cloude ouer spred the Sunne for a momēt, which [Page] shortlye shall vanishe: so that the bea­mesGod [...] you maye vn­derstand. of the Sunne after shalbe seuen folde more bryghte and amyable, then thei were before. Your pa [...]ience and constancy shalbe the louder trom pet to your posteritie, then wer al the voices of the Prophetes that cried vn to you. And therefore for the tender mercies of God, arme your selues to stand with Christ. Fly from that ab­hominable Idol, y^t maintainers wher of, shal not escape the vengeaunce of God. Let it be knowne to your poste­ritie, that ye were Christians, and not Idolators: and so is not the trompet seaced▪ so lōg as any bouldly resisteth Idolatry. The preceptes are sharpeThe ob­section of the flesh. and hard to be obserued (wil some ob­iect) and yet again I affirme, that cō ­pared with the plages, which assured ly shal fal vpon the coutemnours, thei shalbe founde easie and light. For a­uoyding of Idolatry, it may chaunce that you be contemned in the worlde, and compelled to leaue the Realme: but obeiers of Idolatri as before god thei are abhominable, so shal thei be­compelled [Page] body and soule to burne in hel. For auoyding of Idolatry, your worldly substaunce shalbe lost & spoi­led: but for obeiyng of Idolatry, hea­uenlye ryches shalbe lost. By auoy­ding Idolatry, you maye fal into the handes of earthly tyrauntes: But o­ [...], consenters and mayntainers of Idolatry shall not escape the han­des of the liuing God. For auoyding of Idolatry, your children shalbe de­priued of father, of frindes, riches, and earthly rest: but by obeiynge to Ido­latrye, thei shalbe lefte without God, without the knowledge of his worde and without hope of his kingdome.

Consider deare br [...]thren, that howe muche more dolorous, it is to be tor­mented in hel, then to suffre trouble in earth: to be depriued of heauenlye [...], than to be robbed of transitory riches, to fal in the hādes of the liuing God, than to abyde mans vaine and vncertain displeasure: So much more fearful and daungerous it is to obey Idolatry, or (dissemblyng to consente [...] that abhomination, then auoiding [Page] the same) to [...] [...]hat in [...]ōueniēces [...]ay folow therupō by mās [...]. O be not like to Esaw, y^• sold & lost his birthright for a mes potag [...]: I am not preiudicial to Gods mercyes, as that such as after shall repent, shal not find [...]. xviii. [...]. grace, God forbydde, for herein am I most assuredlye perswaded, y^t in [...] soeuer hour a sinne [...] shal repent: God [...]. i. [...]hal not [...] one of his iniquities But albeit his offēces were as red as Scarlet, thei shalbe made as why [...]e as Snow: & albeit in multitude thei pas­sed nomber, yet so shal thei be [...] out, y^• none of them shal appear to dā ­natiō of the very re pentaunt. For his promises be infallible, y^• such as truly beleue in Christ, shal neuer ēter in iud­gemēt. For the bloud of Iesus Christ purgoth thē frō al sin. So y^• how far y^• [...]. Iohn. i. heauē to distaūt frō the earth, so [...] doth he remoue y^• sins frō the [...].Psal. ciii. But cōsider derelie beloued brethrē, y^t these & like promises ar made to pem­ [...], & do nothyng appartain to prophane persōs, idolators nor to fear ful sh ri [...]kers srō the truth, for feare o [...] [Page] [...] trouble [...]. And if any alledge, god may cal thē to repētāce, how wic­ [...] y^t euer mē be. I answer, that I ac­knowledge & do [...], Gods omni­potēcy to be so [...], y^t he may do what pleaseth his wisdōe: But yet is he notNote▪ boūd to do al y^t our fantasie requireth. And likewise, I know y^t God is so lo­uyng and so kind to such as fear him: that he wil perfourm their willes and pleasures, although Kinges and prin­ [...] had sworne the contrary.

But herein standeth the doubt, whe­therLet this be noted. that suche as for pleasure of men or for auoidyng temporal punishmēt defile them selues with Idolatry, fear god. And whether thei which al their life deny Christ, by cousentinge to I­dolatry, shal at the last houre be called to repentaūce. No such promises haue we wythin the Scryptures of God▪ but rather the expresse contrarye. And therfore God is not to be tēpted, but is to be hard, feared, and obeied, wh [...] thus earnestlye he calleth and threte­neth not without cause, passe from theApo. xviii▪ middes of [...]er O my people (saith the [Page] [...]) that you bee not partakers of her plages. And that is ment of that abhominable whore and of her abho­mination. [...]. [...]. xviii How longe wil ye halte on [...]. Cor. x. both parts▪ You may not both be par takers of the cuppe of the lord and of the cuppe of the deuil: [...] that denieth me before men, I wil deni him beforeMath. x. my father: [...]e that r [...]fuseth not him­selfe, and taketh vp his crosse and fo­loweth me, is not worthye of me. No man putting his hand to the ploughe, [...]. ix. and lokyng backwarde, is worthy of the kingdome of God. And Paule to [...]eb. vi. x. the Hebrues only meaneth of this [...] where he saith: Who willynly sinnes after the knowledge of the truth, can­not be renewed again bi repentaunce

O dear brethren, remember the dig­nitie of our vocation, you haue folow ed Christ, you hau [...] [...] warre against Idolatry. You haue laied hād vppon the truth, and haue communi­cate with the lords table, wil ye now sodenlye slide backe? Wyll ye refuse Christ and his truth, and make pacti­ [...] with the deuil and with his discei­ [...]able [Page] doctrine? Wyl ye tread the pr [...] ­cious bloude of his Testament vnder your feete, and set vp an Idoll before the people▪ whyche thinges assuredly you do, as oft as euer you presēt your bodies amonges Idolators before y^t [...] Idol. God the father of al mercies for Christ his sonnes sake, preserue you from that sore tentation whose dolours and daungers very so rowe wil not suffre me to expresse. A­las brethren, it is to be feared, that if [...]e fal once a slepe, you lye to long before you be weakened. Yet som shal obiect Peter the denier optained mercy. To whom I aunswere, perticuler ensam­ples make no common lawe. Neither yet is there any resemblaunce or like­lihode betwene the fal of Peter & our dayly Idolatry. Peter vpon a sodain without any former purpose, thrise de­nied Christ withī the space of an hour or two. We vpō determinate purpose and aduised mynde daily deny Christ Peter had Christes assuraūce and pro mis, that after his de [...]ial he should be conuerted: We haue Christes threte­ninges, [Page] that if we denie, we shalbe de­ [...]. Peter in the [...] and a­ [...] wicked men of warre [...] his offence for feare of lyfe, [...] in [...] citie and [...] for losse of wicked [...] do no lesse. Peter at the [...] of the Cocke & at [...] loke, left the company that [...] his sinne, We after Christes [...], yea after gentle erhor­tations and fearful threatninges, wyl continew in the middes of [...] and for their [...], wil crouch and [...] as the deuill [...].

What likelihode [...] here, let euerye man iudge. But much I wonder, that [...] that can espie so narrowe shiftes [...] to hyde [...] selues from the pre­sence of God, behinde a bushe with [...] their father, cannot also espie that [...] was [...] in presence of [...], of no lesse authoritie then Pe­ter was: That [...] was the first born. in the world: That Saul was the first annointed [...] by Gods [...] ­dement [...]. [...]. [...]. and by his prophet. And that [...]. [...]. [...] [...] was a man of most singu­ [...] [Page] wisdome, & [...] none of these foūde place of repentaunce. Haue we any o­ther assuraunces and perticuler war­rantes within the scriptures of God, then they had, that al our life we may be in leage with the [...], & then at our pleasure that we may lay hād vp­on Christ, and clothe [...] with his iu­stice: [...] not disceined deare brethrē:Joel. ii. for [...] most true it is that whosoe­incalleth [...]. [...]. the name of the lord, shal be saued, yet like true it is, that who thatii. Tim. ii. [...] incalleth the name of the [...], shal auoide and eschem all iniquitye, & that whosoeuer continueth in opē ini­quity, the same man incalleth not theJohn. [...]. name of the [...], neither hathe God any respect to his praier. [...] greaterJob. [...] iniquitie was neuer from the begyn­ning of the worlde, then is [...] in that abhominable idol, for it is theThe [...] the diuels sacramēt and [...]. scale of that leage which y^• [...] hath made with the pestilent sonnes of [...] ­tichrist, & is the very chiefe cause, why the bloude of the saints of God hath bene shed nye the space of a thousand yeares, for so long almost hath it bene [Page] [...], & in decking with y^t whoo­rish garment, wherin it nowe tryum­pheth against Christ. The only one sa­crifice of his death, and merites of his passion. Which whole abhominacion [...] confirme and shewe your selues [...] to the murther of those that haue suffered for [...] agaynst it, [...] oft as euer you garnishe that Idol with your preface, and therfore auoid it, as that [...] wyll be part [...] wyth Christ, with whom ye haue sworen to die & to liue in baptisme & in hys holy Supper, Shame it wer to breake pro­mis vnto mā, but is it not more shame to [...] it vnto God? Foolishues it were to leaue that [...], whose victo­ry you [...] present, and to take parte with [...] whō you vnderstode & per­ceiued to be so vanquished & ouerthro­wen, that he might neither gainstand, nether yet [...] the cōming of his ad­uersary. O [...], is not the DiuellThen▪ [...]. [...]. the prince of this world, vanquished & cast out? [...] not Christe made con▪ quest of [...] he not caryed our flesh vp to glory, in despite of Sathās [Page] [...]? Shall not our Champion [...] tourne? You [...] that he shall, and that with ecspedicion, when Satā and his adherentes I dolatours, wor­shippers of that blasphemous beaste, [...] persons & [...] from [...]. [...] the truth of God, shaibe cast in y^• [...] or lake burning with fyre & [...] which neuer shalbe quenched. But in the meane tyme you feare corporall death. [...] Nature admitted any mā to liue euer, then had your fea [...] some ap pearaunce of reason. But if corporall death be cōmon to al: why wil ye ieo­pard to lose the lyfe euerlasting, to de­cline & escape that which neither ritch nor poore, neyther wise nor foolyshe. proude of stomake, nor feable of cou­rage, and fynally no earthlye creature by no craft or ingyne of man dyd euer escape. [...] any haue escaped the horri­ble feare of death, it was such as bold­ly did gainstand mens iniquity in the earth. But yet grudgeth the flesh (sayThe fleshe can do no thing but grudge. you) for feare of the torment, let it do the own nature & office, for so must it do tyll it be burdened wyth Christen [Page] crosse, & then no dout shal God sende such comfort, as now we loke not for.Others before vs [...] pas­sed the [...] [...]y tormē ­tes. Let vs not turne backe from Christe▪ albeit the fiesh complaine and fear the torment. Wonder it is that the wai to life is fearfull vnto vs, cōsidering that so great a nomber of our brethrē hath passed before vs, in at the same gate▪ that we so much abhorre. Hath not y^• most part of the Saintes of God en­tred into theyr reast by torment and troubles, of whom witnesseth Paule: Some were racked, some hawen a sō ­der,Hebr. ri. some slaine with sweardes; some [...] up and down in shepes skins, in nede, in tribulation and [...], in mountaines, dennes, and in caues of the earth. [...]nd in al these [...]; what cōplaintes hear we of their mouthes, eccept it be that they lamēt the blindnes of the world; and the per dition of theyr persecutors? Did God comfort them, and shal he despise [...] if in obedience to him, we folowe theyr footesteppes? He shal not do it: for he hathe promised to the contrarye. And therfore dearely beloued in the Lord, [Page] as ye purpose to auoid the [...] of God, that sodenly shal s [...]rike al ob­ [...] I dolators, as ye [...] haue the leage betwene God mid you to stand sure, & as you wil declare your selues to haue true faith, without whiche no man euer shal enter into life. And final ly as ye wil leaue the true knowledge of God in possession to your children, auoide [...] and at partici [...]aciō therof, for it is so [...] before Gods presence, that nor only doth he punish the inuenters and fyrst offenders, butDe. [...] often times theyr posterity are striken with blindnes and dasednes of mind, the vattail shal appeare strong, which ye are to suffer, but the Lord hym selfeZacha. [...]. shalbe your comfort. He shall come in & our defence with his mighty [...]. He shal giue you victorye, when nonePsal. [...]. is hoped for. He shal turn your teareslrrvi. lri. into euerlasting ioy. He shal confound [...]. vii. rrii. [...]our enemies with the breath of hys month. He shal let you se their [...] ­cion,Psal. to▪ that nowe are most proude. The God of al comfort and cōsolacion, for Christ Iesus hys sonnes salte, graunt [Page] that thys my simple Admonicion ( [...] rather the marnyng of the holy Go [...]) may be re [...]eiued and accepted of you, with no lesse feare and obedience, then I haue writtē it vnto you, with vnfai­ned loue and sorowful hart, and thē I dout not [...] we shalbe cōforted, when al such as now molest vs, shal trem ble and shake, by the commyng & our Lord Iesus, whose om­ [...] spirit preserue & [...]eepe you vndefiled bodye and soule to the end.

Amen.

¶ Lord increase our Faith▪

¶ From Wittonburge by Nicholas [...] Anno. M. D. [...]. the. [...]. of May.