FOr as muche as Almyghty God doth vyset, handle and punysh the contry and region wyth the horrible and fearfull plage of the pestilēce, and many folkes (after an vnmanerly fashion) are so afrayed therof, that ther be herde and sene of them al maner of vncostumable wordes and workes, whiche become not well a Christen mā: And seynge that all the dedes of charite which one Christē mā is bounde to shewe vnto another (no lesse then vnto Christ hymselfe,) are perlously o­mytted, wherby then ryseth all maner of sklaūder to the weake, and mysreporte vnto the holy Gospell: I thought it profytable & necessary to bestowe vpon youre charite in this case a shorte instruccyon and comforte out of the holy scripture, to the intent that the ignoraunt maye be taughte, the weake strengthed, and euery one counselled after hys callynge to serue his neghboure. And I wyll take for me the .xci. Psalme, which soū deth after this mane:

[Page] Who so sytteth vnder the defēce of the hyghest, and abydeth vnder the shadowe of the Almyghtye.

He sayeth vnto the LORDE: My hope, and my strōge holde: my God on whom I trust.

For he delyuereth me from the snare of the hunter, and from y^e noy some pestilence.

He shall couer the wyth hys fe­thers, and thy truste shalbe vnder hys wynges: hys truth is spere and shylde.

So that thou nedest not to fear for the horriblenesse of the nyghte, for the arowes that flye by daye tyme.

For the pestilence that commeth preuely in the darke: for the sycke­nesse that destroyeth in the noone daye.

Though a thousande fall at thy syde, and ten thousāde at thy ryght [Page] hande, yet shall it not come nye the.

Yee wyth thyne eyes shalte thou se thy desyre, and beholde, howe the vngodly shalbe rewarded.

BVt afore we come to the vnderstō dynge of these comfortable wor­des, your charite shal fyrst knowe that it is not my meanyng to forbyd or inhibite ony man to flye or to vse phisycke, or to auoyde daungerous and sycke places in these fearfull ayres, so farre as a man doth not therin against the belefe, nor gods commaundement, nor agaynst hys callynge, nor agaynst y^e loue of hys neghboure. For though some wyll saye: Such plage toucheth no man, but those that be ordeyned of God therevnto, lyke as ther be certayne ensamples therof founde in the holy scripture▪ Namely, how y^e Ezech. 9. and Apoca. vii. ther was sent an angel, which aforehāde marked y^e vertuous & electe, or euer it was charged & cōmaūded y^e seconde angell to smyte with pestilence or other plages) those y^t were not marked. Neuertheles agaynst that it myght be sayde: Good syr, thoughe it wente so at suche a tyme in suche places, who maketh vs sure yet nowe, that it shall therfore [Page] chaunce so in all other deathes of the coun­try? Therfore wyll I now at this tyme let all suche thynges continue in theyr worthynesse and fre, lyke as all other naturall thynges, whiche be subiecte and commytted vn­to oure reason to rule. But as for the chri­sten, whiche (by reason of offyce, or for po­uerte sake, or for other reasonable causes) can not, or be not mynded to flye, I wyll here withall shewe them theyr best and hy­ghest comforte that they haue.

In lyke maner, I wyll not entre a­gaynst them, that speake naturally therof, and saye: Suche plage commeth out of the influence of the starres, out of y^e workynge of the Cometes, out of y^e vnseasonable we­ther and alterynge of the ayre, out of the Southe wyndes, out of stynkynge wa­ters, or out of foule mystes of the grounde: For such wysedome of theyrs wyl we leaue vnto them vndespysed, and not fyght there agaynst: But (as Christen men) we wyll holde vs vnto the worde of God, the same wyll we suffre to be oure moost hye wyse­dome, and geue credence vnto it, and follow it: and so shall we fynde muche better and surer instruccion: Namely, that this horri­ble plage of the pestilence commeth out of [Page] Gods wrath, because of the despysynge and transgressynge of his godly commaundemē tes. For thus sayeth the holy prophet Moses in the fyft boke, the .xxviii. Chapter:

Yf thou wylt not herken vnto the voyce of the LORDE thy God, to obserue and kepe all his com­maundementes and ordynaunces which I commaunde the, then shal all these curses come vpon the. &c. And it followeth: The LORDE shall cause the pestilence to endure longe wyth the: the LORDE shall smyte the wyth swellyng, feuer, heate, burnynge, blastynge, drouth. &c. and shall persecute the tyll he vtterly destroye the, and brynge y^e to naught.

And certaynly this is the playne truth and the very originall of these plages. No man ought to doute theron. For thoughe the forsayd naturall causes do somwhat al­so thereto, yet is it sure and vndouted, that the same causes be sent and stered vp oute of Gods wrath for our synne and vnthank­fulnesse. [Page] And truely that it is euen so, the holy scripture declareth, not wyth bare wor­des onely, but sheweth it also wyth notable ensamples. For in the fourth boke of Moses the fourtenth Chapter, whan all the spyes (excepte Iosua and Caleb) spake euell of the lande of promes, and made the people vnpacyent and vprourysh, so that they chose thē a captayne, and thought to go agayne in to Egipte, and to stone Moses and Aaron, (which commaunded them the contrarye) we reade thus: Then appeared the glorye of the Lorde, and spake vnto Moses▪ Howe longe doth thys people blaspheme me? And howe longe wyll they not beleue me, for all the tokens that I haue done vpō them? ther fore wyl I smyte and destroye them w^t pestilēce, & make of the a grater nacion thē this.

Lykewyse also whan Dauid caused the people to be nombred agaynste Gods com­maundement, he displeased the Lorde God horribly therwith. Therfore layed he the punyshment vpon hym, so that he was fayne to chose hymselfe whether he hadde rather haue seuen yeares derth, or thre monethes myschaunce in battayll, or thre dayes pesti­lence in the lande. And whan he chose the pestilence, ther dyed in thre dayes seuentye [Page] thousande men, as it is wrytten in the laste Chapter of the .ii. boke of Samuel.

Seynge then y^t out of the word of God we knowe the very cause of thys horrible plage: Namely, that it is the defaute of our synnes, as vnbelefe, disobedience & vnthāk­fulnesse. Therfore before all thynges it shal be necessary, that we refrayne frō the same, repent, and amende our lyues. Yf we wyll els be preserued and delyuered frō thys hor­rible plage. For yf God punysh vs because of synne, it is good to cōsidre that we must fyrst knowlege & eschue our synnes, in case that he shall withdrawe and take away hys wrath & punyshment from vs. For yf we cō ­tinue in our euell synfull and culpable lyfe, certaynly he shall not ceasse wyth y^e punyshment, but go forth more & more, tyl he geue and recompence accordynge to our workes. But yf we knowlege our synne, refraine frō it, repent and axe grace, thē shal he also take awaye hys wrath. And this horrible wrath (with other heuy burthens as warre & derth that lye vpon oure neck) shall he mercyfully take awaye from vs agayne. As holy Paull sayeth .i. Cor. xi. Yf we iudged our selues, we shulde not be iudged: But whan we are iudged, we be chastened of the Lorde, that we [Page] shulde not be damned wyth the worlde.

And out of all thys maye youre charyte well perceaue, howe vnwysely and vnchri­stenly they do, y^t out of inordinate feare, of thys plage leaue theyr callynge and office, maliciously wythdrawyng the loue, helpe, & faythfulnesse, which they (out of gods com­maundement) are bounde to shewe vnto theyr neghbours, and so do synne greuously agaynste the commaundement of God. For certaynly they do but stere vp the wrath of God more earnestly agaynste themselues, that he may the sooner take hold vpon them and pluck them awaye with thys plage. For men maye heare on euery syde, that some do shone and flye not onely the syck, but also the whole: Yee (that yet more foolyshe is) euen the platters and candelstyckes which come out of straunge houses, as though death dyd surely styck therin. And (out of suche fonde chyldyshe feare) it commeth, that not onely some syck folkes be suffred to dye away wyth out all kepynge, helpe and comforte, but the wemen also greate wyth chylde be forsaken in theyr nede, or els commeth there vtterly no man vnto them: Yee a man maye heare also, that the chyldren forsake theyr fathers and mothers, and one houshold body kepeth [Page] hymselfe awaye from another, and sheweth no loue vnto hym: Whiche neuertheles he wold be glad to se shewed vnto hymselfe, yf he laye in lyke necessite.

Howbeyt I suppose ther come not manye such chaunches to passe, neuertheles I must speake therof that it be done nomore from henceforth. For certaynly it is vnwysely & vnchristenly handled: & we nede not thynke that the same is the waye to escape thys plage, but rather an occasiō that it raygneth the more myghtely ouer vs. For seynge it is sure (as ye haue herde afore) that such plage is sent for punishment of oure synnes, and Christe hath geuen vs a new commaunde­ment that we shulde loue one another (as he hath loued vs) it followeth, that the farther we departe from the loue of our neghboure, the mor we lade synne vpon vs, and deserue thys plage but the more. Agayne the more diligentlye that we take hede vnto the loue of oure neghboure, the surer shall we be from thys plage: No man nedeth to doute therof.

But here withall wyll I also counsell or compell no man, to ony vnnedeful daun­ger, (that he is not bounde vnto by his cal­lynge nor by loue) but onely warne those, [Page] whiche for feare leaue that whiche they are bounde to do before God: To the intent that for such naked feares sake, they do not transgresse nor omytte the commaundemēt of God, and hope by synne to escape thys plage, which neuertheles commeth because of synne. For that were a foolysh vnad­uysed counsell, yf one wolde go aboute to escape the wrath of God by transgressiō, and by synne to auoyde the punishment of synne.

Besydes thys, doth experience shewe also that they which be so sore afrayed, do cōmunly miscary. Agayne, they that wayte vpon theyr offices and serue theyr neghbours, be delyuered: As it is well sene in y^e ministers of the churche and other mo, that shone not the syck, but muste vyset and comforte them wyth Gods worde, and prouyde for them wyth the holy sacrament: For we se no where, that they therfore must also be soone syck & must dye. Yee how must the hygher powers of the worlde do, which (by reason of theyr callynge, and for the cōmune profyt & regimentes sake) abyde also in the ioperdy, and must mynistre because of loue? Specy­ally the chefest, on one wherof ther lyeth more, then on a thousand of other? And yet [Page] doth God cōmunly preserue them also that they be delyuered, left styll on lyue, and dye in a good quyete age.

Therfore certaynly such inordinate feare and flyenge agaynst Gods commaundemēt is nothynge els, but a declaryng of a greate and sore vnbelefe, that men do not beleue & trust in God, that he can and wyll delyuer. And thus is verified the sayenge: The vngodly haue no peace. Esa. lvii. For yf we wyll feare and flye where no parell is, whan wyll we then bestowe oure lyues for oure neghbours, as Christ hath done for vs? & we also be bounde to do lykewyse .i. Io. iii.

Who so now desyreth to escape y^e wrath of God & thys horrible plage, let hym not axe his own reason how he shal do, but beleue & folow y^e word of God: which teacheth hym, not to flye euel ayre & infecte places (which he maye well do: neuertheles he remayneth yet vncertayn whether it helpeth or no) but it teacheth hym to leaue of from synne, as from the very originall cause of this plage and punishment, and (by true repentaunce and amendemēt of lyuyng) to walke agayn in the right waye. For y^t is the onely sure & wholsome flyenge in thys daūgerous tyme, wherby a man may escape thys plage. [Page] also and defence of God, is set forth vnto vs euery where in the scripture, as an ouershadowynge & coueryng with wynges. For lyke as y^e two Cherubins spred out theyr wynges ouer the Arke Exodi. xxxvii. Euen so doth God sprede out the wynges of his protectiō ouer hys electe. Therfore sayeth Moses Deutero. xxxii. Lyke as an Aegle stereth vp hys nest, and flyeth ouer hys yonge ones: so spredde he out hys fethers, and bare hys people vpon hys wynges. After this maner spake the holy angell Gabriell also vnto the moste blessed and pure virgyn Mary, whan she shulde be the mother of God: The holy goost shall come vpon the, and the power of the hyghest shall ouershadowe the. Luc. i. In lyke maner spake Christ also vnto Ierusalē ▪ How oft wolde I haue gathered thy chyldrē together, as an henne gathereth hyr chekens vnder hyr winges, & ye wold not? Mat. xxiii For though a true beleuyng man be in dede the tēple of god, & god dwelleth in hym yet vseth y^e scriptur oft to speak therof, as though he dyd flye aboue vs (in asmuche as he doth ouershadowe, couer & defende vs) & that be­cause y^e heauē & the heauen of all heauēs (as Salomon sayeth) can not cōprehende nor cō teyn hī .iii. Reg .iii. But though he dwelleth [Page] in vs, yet flyeth he wyde, hye & lowe, not only on the outsyde of vs, but also on the out­syde and ouer all creatures. And so in all these wordes ther is nothynge els sayde, but: who so euer is a ryght beleuynge Chri­sten.

Marke now then that he sayeth not: Who so is wyse, strōge, ryche, whole, or wel frended. Nether sayeth he also: who so kepeth hymselfe thence, or flyeth thether, holdeth hymselfe well, or vseth good phisycke, but who so putteth hys trust in God. Not that the foresayd good thynges be euell, or maye not be had or vsed wyth profyte: But that they (where fayth is not) may euen assoone do harme as good, are in no wyse able to delyuer from the wrath of God. But what doth the beleuer: He sayeth vnto the Lorde: my hope. But this do not y^e vngodly and vnbeleuers, but set theyr hope in the forsaid poyntes, put theyr trust in them, and boast theron, and so commyt spirituall whoredom therwith, and make ydols therof. But to God do not they lyfte vp theyr eyes, nother thynke they vpon hym, nor feare hym. And whan he commeth then with hys wrath, and ouertaketh them with a plage, so y^t of neces­site they must nedes thynke vpon hym, then [Page] feare they, and be afrayed of him, flye away and knowe not where to abyde: Then vanysheth awaye theyr hope and boastynge, whych they (in tyme of prosperite) had vnto the creatures. And so commeth it to passe, that theyr wysedome hath ben playne foo­lyshnesse: theyr strength, theyr owne mysfortune: theyr ryches, theyr owne destruccion: theyr health theyr own harme: theyr frēdes theyr owne ypocrytes & traytours. And al y^• whych they trusted vnto, can not helpe thē. Whan they wolde hyde themselues on the backsyde therof, it is euen as much as whan one hydeth hym behynde a ladder. And whā they wolde seke helpe therby, it is euen lyke as yf a wolfe shuld defēde a shepe or a goose

But thus goeth it not wyth the bele­uer: for who so putteth hys trust in y^e Lorde, shall not be confounded. Therfore sayeth he not only that the Lorde is hys hope, but also hys stronge holde, whych he maye flye vnto, in the whych he may shutte hymselfe close, and be delyuered therin. As Salomon sayeth in the .xviii. Chapter of the prouer­bes: The name of the Lorde is a stronge castel, the ryghteous flyeth vnto it, and shal be defended. For the vnbeleuers haue theyr hope euen in theyr goodes, but in necessyte [Page] they fynde no refuge, as the faythfull hath a stronge holde and hye castell in God the Lorde.

And though the vnbeleuers haue theyr whole wyll all theyr lyfe longe, yet hath it an euell ende, as it had wyth the rych man, whych was buryed in the hell. Luce. xvi. For who so beleueth not, shalbe damned. Agayn, though the faythfull be plaged and persecu­ted all hys lyfe longe, so that he can not se how he maye be delyuered, yet hath he thys comforte, that the Lorde is hys God: that is that he can helpe and delyuer hym as an al­myghty Lorde, yee after suche a fashion and waye, as nother he hymselfe nor ony mans reason can thynke or deuyse. And thoughe he do it not, yet doth not the faythfull dis­payre, but letteth the Lorde be hys God, on whom he hopeth: that is, at whose hande he loketh for all good in the lyfe for to come & euerlastynge. For hope seyth and loketh on that whych is to come, whych as yet is hyd. As Paule sayeth Roma. the .viii. Chapter. Hope that is sene, is no hope: for how can a man hope that whyche is sene. But yf we hope that whych we se not, we loke for it by pacience.

And so is this meanyng: The vnbeleuers [Page] haue theyr hope in the creatures, and are a­frayed of God. The faythfull hath his hope to God, and is lorde ouer the creatures. The vnbeleuers myscary, and by the crea­tures fynde they no helpe in nede. The faythfull myscary not, but God is vnto thē a stronge holde. The vnbeleuers may well haue theyr wylles aslonge as they lyue, but at the last (thorow theyr dispayre) ther followeth euerlastynge damnacyon. The fayth­full maye theyr lyfe longe haue disquyetnes and temtacion, but at the last (thorow theyr hope) ther followeth euerlastynge lyfe.

Suche hope shulde they haue, and they haue it in dede, that though they must lye vnder aslonge as they lyue, yet after death they shall enherete euerlastynge lyfe. But certaynly it commeth not to passe, that they must alwaye lye vnder: For God is fayth­full, and suffreth not his to be temted aboue theyr strength, but maketh the temtacion so to haue an ende, that we may bear it .i. Cor. x. Therfore sayeth the prophete moreouer: For he delyuereth me frō y^e snare of the hunter, & frō y^e noysome pestilēce And in these wordes doth he shortly shewe vnto vs, that almyghty God can and wyll [Page] delyuer hys owne from all mysfortune yee euen in thys lyfe. For all the myschaunces that we be troubled wythall in thys tempo­rall lyfe, are of two sortes: Some come out of the wycked deuyce of the deuell and of men, as shame and persecucion: Some playnly of nature and out of the ordinaūce of God, as tempest and pestilence. The faythfull nowe beleueth and maketh hys boast, that these myschaunces can not be so greate and myghtye, but God shall delyuer hym ther from.

And it is a goodly naturall similitude, that he lykeneth the euell wycked deuyce of the vngodly agaynst the faythfull, to a nette or snare of the hunter. For lyke as an hunter proueth the kynde and nature of e­uery wylde beast, commeth priuely after hym, seketh out the course and habitacion therof, and afterwarde setteth the nette, that he maye dryue it therein: Euen so do the vngodly also vnto the ryghteous: Fyrst, they loke how they be mynded. Yf ony one be fre of langage, then set they hym on fyre, that he maye speake somwhat sharpely, as saynt Steuen dyd. Actu. the .vii. Chapter. Yf he be gentle and frendly, then ymagen they some foolyshe thynge vpon hym, and [Page] flatter awaye hys harte frō hym as Dalila dyd vnto Samson. Yf he seke the saluacion of the people, then sklaunder they hym, as y^e Iewes blasphemed Christ to be a wynesup­per and a companyon of publicans. Yf he be simple, then lye they vpon hym behynde hys backe, or euer he be ware therof: Then followe they vpon hym, crye, lye, and com­playne, that the vertuous Christen man woteth not what poynte to be at, or how he hath deserued it. Neuerthelesse they thynke the bell is so cast, y^t at the last it must rynge as they wyll, but it fayleth them.

For the Lorde on whom we beleue, whych is our hope, refuge and God, can not only preserue vs from theyr snares that we fall not therin, but also whan we fall in to them, and they thynke we be theyr captiues he can and wyll delyuer vs yet therout. In lyke maner doth God the Lorde preserue hys faythfull, not onely from the noysome sycknesse of the pestilence, but also whan they be taken therwyth and infecte already he delyuereth them from it and maketh thē whole agayne. But how that commeth to passe, and howe we shall vnderstande it, it shall followe here after more clerely.

This is now well to be marked also, [Page] that the pestilence is a noysome sycknesse, not because it bryngeth death (for that do al other mortal sycknesses lykewyse, and death is no losse vnto the faythfull, but auaūtage, as Paule sayeth, Philip. the fyrst Chapter) but because that it taketh awaye the peo­ple very sodenly vnloked for and vnwares: Wherout thē ther followeth, stryfe, lawyng or busynes amonge synners and of the co­mune welth, as euery man by hymselfe can lyghtly perceaue and vnderstande. Ther­fore is it also an horrible punyshment ouer the synne of the worlde, whyche concerneth both them that dye, and them that are lefte alyue, as hereafter it shall followe.

Where as is nowe suche a fayth as geueth credence vnto God, he shall preserue hym from all wycked ymaginacions of mē, lykewyse from all noysome syckenesses. And at the last shal he saue hym, that conti­nueth not wythout frute, but breaketh out wyth ryght loue and faythfulnesse towarde hys neghboure, and desyreth also to brynge hym vnto that poynte, that he maye beleue and be partaker of all suche goodes and be­nefites of God. Therfore doth the prophete turne hys wordes now also vnto hys negh­boure, and sayeth farthermore:

[Page] He shall couer the wyth hys fe­thers, and thyne hope shalbe vnder hys wynges. That is: Yf thou also wylt put thy trust in hym, thou shalte fynde it so lykewyse. For he sheweth such his benefites vnto all and euery one that put theyr truste in hym. As for the couerynge of hys fethers and hope vnder his wynges, youre charite hath herde ynough afore what it is.

Now though all faythfull loke for suche helpe at God, and it happeneth vnto them, yet is it not done without a specyal battayl of fayth. For such helpe doth he promyse vs in hys holy worde, that we shulde beleue it. And yf we beleue it, it happeneth vnto vs accordynge to oure fayth. Therfore sayeth the prophete moreouer: hys truth is spere and shylde. That is, hys godly promy­ses, whych are sure and true, and nother lye nor deceaue: Those be oure wapens wher­wyth we fyght, and ouercome al aduersyte. But lyke as spere and shylde are not profy­table vnto hym that can not vse them, nor wyll: Euen so also do not the promyses of God profyte hym, that can not fyghte ther­with, and wyll not beleue theron. For that is the ryght scyence in this battayll whan [Page] mysfortune, aduersite or tentaciō commeth, that we loke aboute vs accordynge vnto Gods worde: Namely what comforte and promes he hath made vnto vs in such a case, and wyth a ryghte belefe to take holde of the same as of a shylde, and to comforte and defende oure selues therwyth, so can ther no mischaunce do vs harme, as the holye Saynte Paule in the laste chapter of hys Epistle to the Ephesians teacheth & sayeth: Before all thynges take the shylde of fayth wherwyth ye maye quench all the fyrie dar­tes of the wycked.

Agaynste the same (namelye agaynste Sathan oure head enemye) is suche worde of God, euen the ryghte spere, wherwith we wounde and ouercome hym. For no bodely wapen hurteth and hyndreth men so sore, as the worde of God stoppeth and hyndreth Sathan. Yf it be thrust vnder hys nose agaynst hys venymous dealynge and temtation. For yf a seruaunt (that dealeth wrongeously and vnthriftely in hys masters goodes and businesses) be afrayed, vexed, and persed thorowe the hart, whan a symple man sayethe vnto hym: Thou vnthrift why doost thou so. That is not thy masters wyll and meanynge, he dyd not so commaunde me. Howe [Page] much more goeth it thorowe Satans harte, whan a vertuous Christen man holdeth the worde of God vnder hys eyes, and bryn­geth witnesse ouer hym, that he as a wicked creature handleth agaynst hys maker, and agaynst hys chosen chyldren? Therfore doth holye saynte Paule call Gods worde also the swearde of the sprete: And the Lorde Christe defendeth hymselfe onely wyth the same agaynst all tentacions of Satan in the wyldernesse.

Now whan thou takest holde thus of Gods promyses thorow fayth, and vsest thē for spere and shylde to defende thy selfe, and to smyte Satan, then out of the same it fol­loweth as the prophet sayeth farther:

That thou nedest not to feare for the horriblenesse of the nyght.

For the arowes that flye in y^e daye tyme.

For the pestilence that commeth priuely in the darke.

For the sicknesse that destroyeth in the noone daye.

For these foure aduersites set forwarde [Page] and shorten the lyfe of the vnbeleuers: But the faythfull hath such consolacion and pro­mes, that he nedeth not to be afrayed. Fyrst for the horriblenesse of the nyght. That is, for all maner of tentacion and deceate, that happen vnto men by nyght in the darknesse. For thys we all perceaue, that in the nyght and in the darknesse we are weaker mynded, of more despare, and more afrayed them in the lyght. The bloude runneth to our hartes, and the heeres stonde vpryght, & all the body waxeth colde for feare. Out of thys commeth it then, that we thynke we se, heare and perceaue somwhat, which in very dede is not so. Then goeth ther one astray, another leseth hys coloure, the thyroe fal­leth syck, the fourthe is become crocked, the fyfthe goeth out of hys wyt. And so men thynke, that the deuell hath done it, where as it is yet a playne naturall workynge of the exceadynge grete feare, whyche wolde destroye a mā euen by daye tyme, yf it were so greate. Howbeyt true it is that the deuell causeth such feare, and prynteth it in, that he maye begyle and destroye vs by feare as by a naturall workynge. Yet is it nothyng but a feare: for the prophet calleth it not an [Page] euel or good sprete, but planely the horrible­nesse of y^e nyght. Nother is it ony thynge els also but an horrour and feare, & continueth an horrour and feare.

Therfore where a ryght belefe is, there is no feare. Where no fearfulnesse is, there is also no horrour, nor fantasie of spretes, or deceatfulnesse of the nyght, but playne co­rage and boldnesse. Yf onye thynge els be sene (as fyre or lyghte) they be but naturall thynges, out of the heate of the ground, lyke as lyghtenynges, draggons, fallynge starres and cometes be in the ayre & in the heauen. But herewithall wyll not I speake agaynst the wonderfull visions and tokens, whiche god sendeth for a warnyng befor greate my schaunces to come.

Secondarely, is the faythfull sure for the arowes that flye in the daye tyme. That is all maner of mischaunces which ouertake a man openly in the daye: and yet so sodenly and vnwares, that he can not escape them. As whan a tyle falleth from the roofe of an house, whan a wycked beast doth euell, or whan an vngracious personne doth hurt in body, name or good. For such misfortunes come for the moost parte so sodenly, that a man can not preuente them, but muste let [Page] them hyt as wyth an arowe, and afterward restore and heale the harme wyth greate trauayle and laboure. But nowe wyll God preserue hys faythfull from suche misfor­tune, yf they haue hys promyses before theyr eyes, beleue theron, and ordre theyr lyues therafter.

Thyrdly, a faythfull person nedeth not also to be afrayed for the pestilence, that slippeth in preuely in the darke. Thys is verely a confortable promes in thys daungerous tyme, for the whiche we shulde by ryght put oure trust in God, and thanke hym therfore for asmuch as it is one of the moost perlous and horrible plages, wherwyth he visyteth and punysheth the synne of the worlde. For it taketh hold of lyfe vnwares, and plucketh a man awaye in two or thre dayes (or euer he can ordre his busynesse and house, & make hys testament) crepeth in preuely in y^e darke so that no man knoweth what it is, or whēce it commeth, or whyther it goeth, therfor can ran no man kepe hymselfe surely from it: For yf it were in meate or drynk, it myghte be eschued: Yf it were an euel taist, it myght be expelled with a swete sauoure: Yf it were an euell wynde, the chambre myghte wyth diligence be made close therfore: Yf it were [Page] a cloude or myst, it myght be sene, & auoyded Yf it were a rayne, a man myght couer hym selfe for it. But now is it a secret misfortun that crepeth in preuely, so that it can nother be sene nor herde, nother smelled nor taisted tyll it haue done the harme.

Therfore the more daungerous and noysome that the plage is, the better & more excellent is the promes, that no man shulde haue cause to despare. For how might God make vs a more excellent and fayrer pro­mes, then that he promyseth to delyuer frō the pestilence, vs that be hys chyldren, and that we nede not to be afrayed therof, though a thousande dye of the same at oure leftsyde, and ten thousande at our ryght syde Yet shall it not reach vnto vs, yf we do but beleue thys promes, and let it be oure spere and shylde. For yf we so do, then shall suche poysoned arowes eyther not hytte vs at all, or els not wounde vs to death.

Fourthly, God wyll also preserue hys chyldren from the sicknesse that destroyet [...] in the noone daye: For the noone day (wha [...] the Sonne is at the strongest) is cause of muche heate and feuerous sycknesse, specy­ally in those countryes where the Sonne ryseth hye and commeth nye ouer mens [Page] heades. For greate heate bryngeth muche sweate, consumeth and altereth the bloude causeth inordinate drynkynge, and maketh that the people are gladde to coole them selues agayne folyshly: Wherout then aryse all maner of perlous diseases, whiche be not very vnlyke the sycknesse of the pesti­lence.

Now whether it be frare of the nyght or arowe of the daye, whether it be pestilence or sicknesse, that commeth by the euell Southewynde, or what plage it wyll that lyeth vpon the worlde because of theyr synnes, God the Lorde wyll preserue hys faythfull therefrom, or delyuer them from it: and that shall come to passe so certaynly and so wonderfully, that (as the Prophete sayeth) thoughe a thousande fall at thy left syde, and ten thousāde at thy ryghte syde yet shall it not touch the. Thys is doutlesse a louynge, mercyful, cōfortable, and fayre pro­mes, wher on oure hart by reason shulde truste, and chefely reioyce in the same: For he that speaketh it, is Almyghtye and true therfore shulde we by reason geue cre­dence vnto hym. For we can do God no greater dyshonoure, then to dyspayre in hys holy worde. We oughte therfore to be [Page] much more afrayed of that inordinate feare then of death it selfe: for death can not hurt vs, in asmuch as we (thorowe baptyme) are grafted & buried vnto lyke death with christ. But fearfulnesse (which is nothyng els but an vnbelefe) maye harme vs, and bringe vs in to imprudence. Wherfore my moost derely beloued, take these promyses to harte, strength youre hart, mynde and vnderstan­dynge therewyth, and be not faynt harted. So shall ye proue by experience, that God is true, & faythfully perfourmeth that which he promyseth.

And that ye maye y^e more easely beleue it, I wyll declare it vnto youre charite by a similitude how it cōmeth to passe, & whence it spryngeth, that a ryght faythfull Christen man can be so safe and fre from all these plages: For it is good to vnderstande, and comfortable to knowe.

Youre charite seeth and proueth dayly by experience, howe myghtye and horrible a thinge the darknesse of the nyght is. For whā it falleth, it couereth all y^e whole world darkeneth the coloure and fasshion of a [...] creatures, captiuateth all men and beastes lyuyng, that they must be styll and rest, yee and maketh them fayntharted and fearfull, [Page] and so of all thynges it is a myghty inuincible tyraunt, whom no man maye withstāde Neuerthelesse it is not yet so myghtye, that it can darken, ouerwhelme, and quench the least lyght that is founde in the worlde. For we se, that the darker the nyght is, the clea­rer do the starres shyne: Yee the leest candle lyght that is lyghted, withstandeth y^e whole nyght, and suffreth not onely the darknesse not to couer or oppresse it, but geueth lyght euen in the myddes of the darknesse, and smyteth it backe a certayne space on euery syde: and thyther as it is borne, must darke­nesse depart, and geue place vnto the lyght: all the power and fearfulnesse therof, can not helpe agaynst it.

And though a lyght be so weake, that it geueth not lyght farre aboute it, nother can smyte the darknesse abacke (as the sparke of an whote cole) yet can not the darknesse co­uer it, much lesse to quench it: but it geueth lyght it selfe alone, so that it maye be sene a farre of in the darknesse, and remayneth vn ouercome of the same, though it cā not help other thynges, nor geue lyght vnto them.

Yee (that yet more wonderfull is) a rotten shynynge pece of woode, which neuer­thelesse hath the fayntest lyghte that can be [Page] foūde, remayneth inuincible of all the po­wer of darcknesse: and the more it is com­passed aboute wyth darkenesse, the clearer lyght it geueth, so lytle can darcknesse ouer come or hold downe ony lyght: but it ruleth vanquysheth and expelleth the darkenesse, whych els ouerwhelmeth, snareth & putteth all thynges in feare.

Euen so lykewyse doth a well sprynge also, for there may we se, how a lytle vayne of water breaketh out of the groūde, some­where scace so great as a fynger. And whan it is closed in rounde aboute that the water maye gather together, and must nedes be a dych or a pyt, yet spryngeth it neuerthelesse And though the water be certayne hūdreds weyght aboue the sprynge, yet maye not it dryue the sprynge backe, but the sprynge dryueth the whole burthen of the water backe, and aboue it selfe, and spryngeth styll more and more, tyll the pole flowe ouer. And yf the other water be foule and vncleane, it cā not myxte it selfe vnder the freshe clere wa­ter of the sprynge, but it remayneth clere tyll it come farther abrode from the fyrste heade therof, as it maye all be sene wyth eyes, and also be proued by daylye expe­rience.

[Page]Yf a naturall lyghte then be so mygh­tye agaynste the darkenesse of the nyghte, & an earthen well sprynge so stronge in strynynge agaynst all standynge waters, howe muche more doth it then the true euerla­stynge and heauenly lyght, and the only inuincible sprynge of all lyfe, namely, God the Lorde oure maker and Saueoure?

That God is the true, euerlastynge and heauenly lyght, wytnesseth Ihon the e­uangelist in the fyrst Chapter, and sayeth: God was the worde, in hym was the lyfe, and the lyfe was the lyghte of men. Lyke­wyse also in hys Canonicall epistle in the fyrst Chapter: God is lyght, and in hym is no darknesse.

In lyke maner, That he is the onely inuincible sprynge of all lyfe, wytnesseth the prophete Ieremy in the seconde chapter For there sayeth the Lorde: My people commytteth a dubble synne, they forsake me the lyuynge sprynge of lyfe, and make themselues fayre welles, whyche neuerthelesse geue no water. And Dauid sayeth in the .xxxv. Psalme: With the is the sprynge of lyfe and in thy lyght se we lyght.

Yf God the Lorde thē be the true lyght, it followeth, that all they whyche put theyr [Page] trust in hym, be as a brennynge candle: for by fayth doth God dwell in our hartes, and we are the lyuynge tēple of God, as Paul to the Corinthians doth wytnesse more thē once. Therfore sayeth Christ of hys discy­ples. Math. v. Ye are the lyght of the worlde And of Ihon the baptyste: He was a bur­nynge and shynynge lyght. Ioh. v. Lykewyse yf God be the euerlastynge & lyuynge fountayne, it followeth, that the faythfull be euē flowynge sprynges. Therfore sayeth Christ also, Ioh. vii. Who so beleueth on me as the scripture sayeth, out of hys body shall flowe streames of lyuyng water: But this he said of the sprete, which they that beleue on him shulde receaue.

Lyke as the darkenesse of the nyght now can hurte no earthly or worldly lyght, but muste geue place and flye from y^e lyght: Euen so Sathan also whyche is a prynce of spirituall darkenesse, can do no harme to a true ryghte beleuynge Christen man; but must feare and flye from hym: For God, which is the euerlastynge lyghte, dwelleth and shyneth in hys hart, and dryueth and expelleth farre from hym all the workes of darknesse. And lyke as no heape of water cā dryue backe ony foūtayne of the groūde, [Page] and hynder the quycke sprynge therof, and lyke as no vnclennesse can make it soule, euen so also can no aduersite of this worlde take awaye or shorten ony christen mans lyfe. For God whyche is the fountayne of al lyfe, dwelleth and lyueth in hys harte, and dryueth all hurtfull poyson and mortall sycknesses farre awaye from thence, so that not only it can not harme hym, but he also helpeth other people, and delyuereth them by hys presēce: euen as a lyght that shyneth farre aboute it, and as a sprynge that alway floweth, runneth & maketh the groūd, moyst and frutefull.

And thys is it that the Lorde sayeth in the Gospell, in the last of Marke: The to­kens that shall followe them whych beleue, are these: In my name shall they cast out deuels, speake wyth new tūges, dryue away serpentes: and yf they drynke ony deadlye thynge, it shall not hurte them: They shall laye handes vpon the sycke, and they shall recouer. So is it red also in the Actes of the Apostles the .v. Chapter, that the syck were made whole only of saynt Peters shadow. So vtterly must vanysh euery thynge that it is contrary and agaynst the euerla­stynge lyghte, and sprynge of lyfe, where a [Page] ryght Christen man is, in whom God dwelleth by a true belefe, and out of whom the holy goost shyneth and floweth.

Let Sathan then preasse in here wyth all hys darknesse and wyth all hys hurtfull infectiō, yet shall ye se in belefe, that he can not take nor destroye ony Christen man therwyth yf he continue in fayth, and kept God in hys harte: But he shalbe smytten backe and dryuen awaye by force, as y^e wonderfull workes of Christe and of all sayntes do manyfestly declare. Therfore is it a great shame for a Christen man to be so a­frayed for the plage of the pestilence, as to flye from them whom he is bounde to serue by Gods commaundement. For by reason he shulde wythout all feare make haiste vnto them, not onely to fulfyll Gods com­maundemente, but also by hys presence to helpe them, yf theyr fayth do els worke with all. But yf it come not to passe, yet is he sure, for as muche as God dwelleth in him, & he walketh & goeth in Gods cōmaūdemēt For certaīly thys promes shal not fayl hi [...]

Though a thousande fal at thy syde, and ten thousande at thy right syde, yet shall it not touch the.

[Page]But wyth fayth must these wordes be taken holde vpon, for naturall reason doth not comprehende them, in as muche as in dede it appeareth farre otherwyse. And no man nedeth to thynke nor iudge, that they whyche dye of thys plage, be all vnchristen and faythlesse: but we ought not to doute but that ther dye therof many vertuous men, and leaue many vngodly. Thys is done, because that death maye happen to a man two maner of wayes.

One waye, after the commune course of nature, accordynge as euery mans death is appoynted hym of God: and we haue cō sented vnto it in baptyme. Of thys sayeth y^e prophete Iob in the .xiiii. Chapter. A man hath hys appoynted tyme, the nombre of his monethes standeth w^t the: y^u hast appoynted him his boūdes, which he shal not ouerpasse

Another waye maye death happen to a man before the tyme, by reason of hys great & greuous synnes: As the Lorde hath threa­tened by Moses, that yf hys cōmaundemēt be not kept, he wyl cause pestilēce to reigne. Wherout it is certayne, that whan they be kepte, y^e plage abydeth out. Lykewyse sayeth he in the commaundements: Honour father and mother that thou mayest lyue longe &c. [Page] Out of the whiche it is certayne, that hys lyfe which doth them not, shalbe shortened. In lyke maner sayeth Dauid in the .iv. Psal The bloud thyrsty shall not bryng theyr lyfe to the halfe nombre. Wherout it is sure that they shulde lyue muche longer, yf they shed not innocent bloud. Lykewyse sayeth Christ Luce. xii. Yf ye do not repent, ye shall all pe­ryshe, as they that the tower in Siloa fell vpon. Where by it is certayne, that who so repenteth not, maye loke for al mysfortune.

And of thys vntymely death only spea­keth thys Psalme, and promyseth the faythfull christen men, that they shalbe fre from it. For from the ryght appoynted death in to the whych we haue consented in baptyme, we can nor shalbe delyuered. Wherfore yf a vertuous ryghte Christen man dye of thys plage, it is certaynly hys very houre appointed vnto hym of God, whyche he can not preuente. But doutlesse ther dye of it ma­ny synners also besyde, whych myghte wel lyue longer yf they repented. And though some be taken because of theyr synnes, yet be they not therfor damned: but yf they axe forgeuenesse of synnes and beleue, they shal be saued. As Paule sayeth: Whan we be iudged, we are chastened of the Lorde, that we [Page] shulde not be condemned wyth the worlde.

Thus goeth it then together, that iuste men dye theyr owne ryght death, but y^e wycked dye an vntymely death, and therwyth doth God punysh the worlde sorest of al because of theyr synnes, but spareth hys own for theyr faythes sake. Therfore shulde they not be fearfull nor fayntharted, but (as the prophet sayeth) they shulde loke and be­holde, how the vngodly are recōpenced: For whether the wycked dye before the tyme, or the iuste in the ryghte season, yet is it done both for the punishment and plage of the vngodly. Yf vertuous fathers and mo­thers dye from wycked disobedient chyldrē, then be the chyldren plaged, for they are af­terwarde euell nurtoured, hanged or slayn. Yf yonge chyldren dye from wycked fathers and mothers, then be the chyldrē delyuered, and the fathers and mothers punished, in that they haue gathered theyr goodes for those that they wysshe them not vnto. Yf tyraūtes dye, then be they punished, and the persecuted Christen delyuered. Yf good rulers dye, which wyth theyr wysdome haue maynteyned peace and good gouernaunce, then be they in peace: And so the vngodly which are lefte alyue, rayse vp warre and [Page] sedicion, and be alwaye punished worse and worse. Shortly who so hath eyes of fayth, seyth that true beleuers dye in a ryght seasō but the vngodly before the tyme. Wherfore whether good men dye or lyue, it is done for theyr welthe. But whether y^e wycked dye or lyue, it is done for theyr punishment, and be al wayes shall they be plaged, and theyr wyckednesse shall be rewarded them.

Wherfor my most derely beloued, take ye such doctrine & comforte to hart, and follow the same. Flye in good ernest (by true repentaunce & amendemet) frō synne, wherwith y^e world hath deserued this horrible plage: And flye by a true vpryght fayth vnto gods word wherin is the fountayne of lyfe and y^e lyght of men: Then shall ye be whole & safe from thys and other plages, and so lyue to the ho­noure of God and welth of your neghbour, tyll the appoynted tyme come, wherin God the father (in the death of Christ that we be baptised in) shal sende for vs out of thys my­serable lyfe to hys owne euerlastynge kyngdome: Which God graunte vnto vs all. Amen.

SEynge now that God hath called your husbonde, father or other good frende out of thys mysery into euer lastynge ioye, therfore shall ye receaue it wyllyngly: for it is hys worke. Repyne not therfor at hys worke, nother wepe agaynste hys wyll, but committe the cause vnto hym: take it of hys hande as a fatherly prouynge, and saye wyth Iob: God hath geuen vs hym and hath taken hym agayn, the name of the Lord be blessed: as it was the Lordes wyll, so is it happened.

God almyghty wyll proue you as he dyd Iob how ye wyll behaue youre selfe as he taketh out of youre syghte the thynge that ye loue. He wyll admytte well ynoughe that ye be sorye. For it is seldome sene but a man (be he neuer so vyle, or of so lytle re­putaciō) hath euer a sondery gyfte wherew^t he serued and profyted other. And the same gyftes were not greatly regarded in a man [Page] whyle he lyued: for we regarde lytle com­munely such thynges as are present, but as soone as the man is gone, so soone as the vessel is spylte than begynne we to want the gyftes that where conteyned therin.

Therfore is it no maruayle that we be sory for such a gyfte of God, yf it be takē out of oure syghte.

As longe as we vse men and the gyftes accordynge as they be ordyned of God for our necessite, than do we well, and that can God suffre well ynough: But that we my­suse them and make an ydoll of them, that can not God suffre. For whan we put oure trust and confort in man, or ony other crea­ture, thā do we wronge and mysuse the same and the curse commeth vpon vs wherof it is wryttē Ieremye. xvii. Cursed is the mā that putteth hys trust in man.

For all mans helpe is to be suffred only whan they be presente & that we haue nede of them: but as soone as they are gone, than must we loke for other helpe, namely: God lettynge go it that passeth awaye thynkyng it to be temporal, faydyng at the twynklyng of an eye, and vanyte that is in thys world. We haue here no abydynge thyng, but must loke aboute for the thynge to come that en­dureth [Page] for euer.

For thys cause doth God draw and pulle vs so from the creatures. And seynge he is oure true father, brydegrome and husbonde he can not (for he is stronge & gelous) abyde that we set oure hope, loue or trust vpō ony creatur. Thys is the cause then that he doth take vs from thē, and caryeth vs vpon hym, selfe. For loke on what creature we haue mooste hope, loue and affection, that wyl he soonest take out of our syght: yf he doth loue vs. And whan he hath suche gelousy vpon vs than doth he moost chefely declare hys loue towarde vs.

By thys also it commeth that Christe Mathe. xviii. forbyddeth vs to call ony man father vpon earth, for we haue only one fa­ther in heauen, namely God, which wyl nor can suffre vs to call or to haue ony mā vpon earth father: & that because we shuld depend and hange only vpō hym, lokyng for al good of hym. For he wyll be y^e same that we maye hardely truste vnto: seyenge he can not nor wyll fayle vs, & that because he is no earthly but an heauēly father. For thys cause thā is that man blessed and happy, that put­teth hys truste, hope and confidence in the Lorde, as the prophete sayeth.

[Page]Fynally yf whan nature fulfylleth hyr course, man hath but cōtinuall trauayll and mysery, and after that thys course of nature is ended and at reste, mā is eased of so great trauayll: we seme to hate rather thā to loue them that be departed, yf we wold wysh thē to be in thys wretched worlde agayne. Mo­reouer in makyng so muche of oure frendes departed, and settynge so greate affection vpon them, wyshynge Gods worke not to be fulfylled vpon them, we blame God in hys wyll and workynge: as though he knew not better what were best both for them and vs than we.

Let vs therfore set oure wyll in Gods wyll, and suffer hym to worke at hys pleasur. For he knoweth best what is both oure frendes and oure soules health.