Th [...]y we­re called Apostolyke men that were disciples of the Apostles, as Luke & marke we­re. THat in tymes paste, ma­ny admonitiōs were geuen by the prophetes, in the olde Testament, & in the newe by apostolyke men, yea, & the Apostels thē selues, whych were the chief mini­sters of Christes churche, vnto the Pa­stours of the people, euerye man doeth know, that only hath redde with a di­ligent mynd, their bokes & writinges, in the which, mooste deare brethren in Christ, & most faythful seruauntes, and ministers in the house of god, we may deprehende and fynde very sute tokēs of this thinge. Wherfore I haue thou­ghte that it was also lawfull for me, to speake, talcke, and reason, wyth all the fydelytie and diligence that cā be, of oure commune offyce and admyny­stration, and that mooste especiallye in [Page] thys godly and dyuyne Sinode,A Synode is an assē ­ble or con­vocatiō of y^e clergye togeath .x. wher so many hūdreth of Pastours, so great numbre of learned menne, and also so great a multitude of brethrē, that with a feruent desyre do thyrste for the word of God, are assembled. Let vs therfore, in gods holy name begynne oure mat­ter.

The Christian Pastour, and flocke, whych he taketh vppon hym to feede, doeth wyth soche euydence and lyuely­nesse expresse the type & fygure of thee dyuyne Maiestie, and of vs al:The scripture of the old Testamēt, doeth adumorate & shadowe the diuine prouydēce of god vnder the si­militude & shadow of a shepeherde. that the Scripture of thee olde Testamente is wonte often tymes too shadowe vnder thee similitude and Image of a Pa­stoure or shepeherde, that euerlarstynge prouydence of thee hyghe God, where wyth he doeth beholde, care for, rule, & as a faythfull housholder, dispose all thynges, that is to saye, when it doeth depicte and sette forth that most hygh gouernour of the worlde, vnder the personne of a shepeherde, and vs vnder the similitude of shepe. What shoulde we saye? Syth that the sauiour of vs all, Iesus Christe doeth vouchesafe to call hym selfe by the name of a shepeherd? Iohn .x chap. For he is thee true fode, in hym the fatte Pastours of the soules [Page] are layde forth vnto vs, to be shorte, he is that true leader & shepeherde of the [...]ocke, which hath brought vs misera­ble & wretched sinners, out of the thick darckenesse of ignoraunce, and snares of mennes traditions, into that plea­saunte lyghte, of gods wysdom, and in to the lybertye of the sonnes of God.

Wher the offyce of a shepeherde or pastour oughte to be learnedWherfore it shall be necessarye for all theym, that are sente as Pastours, to feede the flocke of thee LORDE, that they receaue and take thee admy­nystration and lawes of theyr offyce oute of none other Doctryne, than out of thee pure, and syncere woorde of God, whyche in these latter tymes dyd declare, manyfeste, expound and expres­se it selfe vysyblye and mooste lyuely, wythe greate lyghtesomnesse and eui­dence in Christ Iesus thee trewe and naturall sonne of thee Father, whyche thynge was also done before in thee olde Testament (thoughe it was some what darckelye) in thee tymes of thee Patriarches and Prophetes.The diui­sion of the whole worke. We shall therefore looke fyrste vppon Goddes woorde at Chistes mouthe, and in hys Actes (whyche Christe is also a trewe God.) Then by and by, we wyll seke oute thee same in thee Prophetes and [Page] Apostles, that we maye knowe there­by, howe excellent, and of what digni­tie and worthynesse the offyce of a Pa­stour is, whom by other names we doo cal ether a Byshop, or Person, a Vicar, or Curate, a preacher, prophete or Euangelyste. Secondely we shall lykewyse depicte and set forth the false prophe­tes in theyr owne coloures, that they may the better and more easely be kno­wen and taken hede of. We wyll also declare and set forth the punyshmente, whych is prepared for theym, that thee knowledge, and vnderstandinge of it, may ether bring them to amendement, or yf they refuse it, moue the Magistrates, to remoue & put them frō theyr be­nefyces and rowmes that they are in.Christ is y^e true exāple of a good Pastour.

But least we shuld be fayne to tarye longe vpon the mooste holy & profunde mysteryes of that wonderfull incarna­tion and natiuitie of oure Lorde Iesus Christe, we wyll begynne to speake of those thynges, whiche he both dyd and taughte, sence thee tyme that he was manyfested vnto thys worlde. Amonge thee whyche, we fynde thys thynge fyrste, that he, beynge broughte into thee Temple, accordinge to thee pres­cripte of thee lawe, was receaued in­to [Page] Symeons armes, and not wythout hyghe gratulation and ioye, which af­ter that he hadde declared wyth many wordes, that he was thee Sauiour of all the whole worlde, turned hym selfe to his mother, and sayd:Luke ii. Behold, this chylde is sette to be thee fall and vpry­synge agayne of many in Israell,The Pa­stoure is y^e stone of of fence & vpresinge a­gayne and for a sygne, whych is spoken agaynste. And more ouer the sworde shall pearce thy soule, that the thoughtes of manye hartes may be opened. Thys therfore, shall the Pastour, afore of all thynges perswade hym selfe in hys mynd, that there shall be many, whych shall waxe worsse by hys fode, doctryne, and la­boure, and also that manye beyng tau­ghte and instructed by hym, shall ryse from theyr synnes and fylthynesse therof. And also that there shall be alway­es some vngodlye and vnfaythful per­sonnes, whyche shall wythstande hys Doctryne and godlye endeuours. For, thee flesshelye man doeth not re­ceaue that spyrytuall woorde of God, but rather doeth resyste it wythe all hys whole strengthe. Whereby, it is wonte to ensue and folowe also, that thee Pastour beynge moste greuouslye hated and layde wayt for,The Pa­stour is in not wyth­out peryl & ieopardye by those wicked [Page] and vngodlye enemyes of Goddes worde, is alwayes in peryll and ieo­pardye. Thys thynge also the paren­tes, kynsfolckes and frendes muste be surely perswaded, nor oughte to loke for any other ende of thys mynystery and function, but that theyr chyldren, kynsefolckes and frendes beynge cal­led to thys office, shal be hated, mocked derided and laughed to scorne of al mē, yea, and that before theyr owne eyen. For thee nature of flesshe, is not soche, that it can suffice it selfe to be kept and holden in so, that it doeth not breake forth at some tymes, and goo about to folowe hys owne studyes and affecti­ons. Here therfore a greate grief and sorowe doeth sprynge and ryse in thee myndes of the parentes and kynsfolc­kes, here also they do feele that swerd, whiche not wythoute greate griefe & dolour dyd pearce thee [...]oule of Mary. For it is so ordeyned by nature, that patentes do loue theyr chyldren so tenderly, that they are wonte to haue excea­dynge great compassyon on them, not onely, when they are afflicted without a iuste cause, but also when they are punished deseruingly. Dauid is an example or proue of this thinge, which doth [Page] so sore lament and bewayle the destruction and death, [...]. Regum xviii. of hys moste vngodly and vnfaythfull sonne Absalon.

It is y^e of fi [...]e of a pastour nether to d [...], nor to lear­ue vndone any thinge for the lo­ue & respecte of hys parentesAgayn it is the duety and part of a faythfull pastour, to renunce, & forsake the loue, frendship, and amytye of hys parentes, and to do nothing in fauour of them, but go on styll, & persyste sted­fastly in the worke of the Lord, without any respecte of thē, whych thing Christ with his owne example doeth teache in the same place. For, when Ioseph, and the vyrgyn Mary hys mother, had by thee space of .iii. dayes, wyth a heauye harte sought hym, and at length hadde found hym in the myddest of the Doc­tours & Scribes, hys mother dyd some what sharpely reprehēde or rebuke him saying: Sonne, why hast thou so done vnto vs. Beholde, thy father and I dyd wyth a heauye harte seeke the: He dyd answere, why dyd ye seke me? Dyd ye not know that I muste be in those thinges, that belonge to my father. A Chri­stian pastour then must be of that mynd and must be so affectioned, least perad­uenture, he beynge moued, wyth thee grief of his parentes, doeth slowely ad­ministre Gods worcke, and thee offyce that he hath receaued of hym. He shall [Page] (I saye) regarde nothynge, nor passe vppon thee wepynges of hys chyldren, nor thee mournynge and bewaylynge of hys wyfe, nor the affection and loue of hys systers and brethren, nor yet the teares of hys frendes, and kynsfolkes. For he seeth, that Iesus Christe thee sonne of the Vyrgyn Mary (whych els was mooste obediente) dyd thee same.Mathe .x. Wherfore, when de dyd send hys dis­cyples too preache thee gospell, he dyd saye vnto theym: He that loueth hys father and his mother aboue me, is not worthy of me. And he that loueth hys sonne and hys daughter aboue me, is not worthye of me, or he is not mete for thys offyce and vocation. Also a fayth­full pastour shall not suffer hys paten­tes too haue anye auctoritye, or beare anye rule in thee admynystratyon and preachynge of Goddes woorde, that is too saye, he shall in noo wyse admy­nyster or preache the Gospell, and wor­de of God, accordinge too their myn­de, affection and Iudgemente. For, it is knowen howe sharpely christ did speake vnto his mother, when she be­ing moued with a womanly affection, did begynne to exhort him,Iohn .ii. as he sat at the mariage, that he shoulde mira­culouslye [Page] helpe theim withe wyne, for they wanted it. Did he not saye wo­man what haue I to do with thee? Let this, I say, be the stedfastnesse and constancie of a pastoure, lette this be thee firme, stedfast, and constant purpose of his minde, to respecte or regarde thee auctoritie of no mortal men, no, not of his owne mother, that bare him, but folowe on styll the ryght course of his administration and office. And yf his parentes wyll to importinatelye with stande his godlye purpose, & w^t stubbernes and obstinacye resiste thee euerla­stinge worde of God, lette then a faithfull pastoure counte hym selfe their vtter fooe and enemye, he shall forsake them, yea and hate them. For Christ sē dinge forthe his disciples doeth spea­ke vnto them after this maner:Math .x. Thī ke not that I am come to sende peace into the earthe. I came not to send peace, but a sworde, for, I am come to sett a man at variaunce, against his owne father, and the daughter agaynste the mother, and the daughter in lawe, a­gainst her mother in lawe. And againe in Luke:Luke .xiiii Yf anye man, sayeth he, doth come vnto me, and doethe not hate his father, and his mother, his wyfe, and [Page] hys chyldren, and systers, yea and hys owne lyfe, also he can not be my discy­ple. For, a faythful pastour of the Lor­des flocke, muste bee so wholye geuen and addicted to God the father,Though y^e children oughte ra­ther to forsake theyr parentes, thā to swarue one io­te frō thee trueth of gods wor­de, yet notwythstan­dynge we do not teache thē too withdraw theyr hel­ping hand frō thē in the time of necessitie & nede. that he shall also be readye to hate hys owne parentes (whose loue, and carefull lo­kyng to, the lawes of god do in an o­ther place commende) yf at anye tyme they go aboute to let his godly functyon and offyce, howbeit, these thynges, that we haue rehearsed nowe, are not commaunded to the Pastours onely, but to all mankynde, but yet fyrste of all, they are requyred of Pastoure, too whome also they oughet chyefelye to be referred. Now therfore, I do thyn­ke, that we haue declared suffycyently ynoughe, and that ye doo well see and perceaue, howe a Pastoure ought to be haue hym selfe, towardes his paren­tes, leste the respecte of theym shoulde brynge hym anye let or impediment. And agayne it hathe bene shewed how the parentes ought to be affectyoned & minded, that is to say, how they ought in no wyse to hope, loke, or gape, for a­ny honours, and glorye of this worlde in their childrē, that be sēt to this message and chosen to this office, yea let [Page] them know this also for a surety, that theyr chyldren can not but hate theim, yf they goo aboute at anye tyme too lefte theym in thys functyon and bu­synesse of thee Lorde.how a faythful Pa­stour oughte to be af­fectioned towardes hym selfe. But nowe wee shal se how the Pastour oughte to be affectyoned towardes hym selfe.

Christ the sauyoure of the world, and infallyble example of oure lyfe. Math xvi. chap. and Luc. ix. chap. speakethe after thys maner: Yf any manne wyll come after me, lette hym forsake hym selfe, and take vppe hys crosse and fo­lowe me, for he that wyll saue hys lyfe, shall lose it. And agayne: he that shall lose hys lyfe for my sake, shall fynde it. Here fyrste and formeste we doo see that it is requyred that a manne do vtterlye forsake hym selfe. For, thee nature of man is suche that he thynkethe alwayes hym selfe to be somewhat, or too bee worthye of no small honoure, promysynge vnto hym selfe alwayes mountaynes of golde, of hys owne strengthe and wysedom. But here nowe, it is necessarye that a manne doo as a seruaunte all togea­ther oppygnorate, bynde, and gyue hym selfe ouer vnto almyghtye god, and therewythe, caste or throwe hym [Page] selfe wholye downe in hys syght. For he shall alwayes haue an eye onelye too God, to learne hys wyl, nor he shal in no wyse enterpryse too doo anye thynge of hys owne strength and wysdome, but styll shall consyder, behol­de and loke vppon, that one onely and infallyble example of hys lyfe why­che is God, and doo all thynges, accordynge to thee prescrypte of hys wor­de. But as sone as he hathe doone thys, by and by shall thee crosse offer it selfe, whyche euerye daye muste bee taken vpon oure shoulders, for euerye daye he shal feele newe cares, new heauinesse, and some new misfortune, whiche all, he shall suffre pacyentlye, nor shall in anye wyse, or at anye tyme shake of the yoke, that the Lorde hath sette vppon hym For, yf any man doethe forsake hym selfe, and so, lea­uynge the flesshe and Sathan, cometh vnto Christ, for to haue, or that he may haue onelye, in all his doynges, an eye vnto God, euerye daye, he shall see a greate numbre of theym, that haue not yet forsaken theym selues, which companye shall farre passe thee num­bre of the godly and faythfull. Now, these contrarye kyndes of people [Page] or of menne, can no more agre amonge them selues, than fyre and water. For the fleshe doethe couet agaynst the spy­ryte, & the spyryte agaynste the fleshe.Galat. iii. The fleshe chalenging vnto it selfe no lesse knowledge & administraciō of the truth and of good thinges, thā the spirit:The nature of oure corrupted flesshe. she thinketh alwaies y^t she cā do some thyng, & doeth promise vnto her self, a very great knowledg of holy thī ges. And although she doth plainely se y^t her workes in cōparisō of the diuyne workes of god ar nothīg els but a vaine painting, decēitfulnes, & as yf a mā myght say, a chyldyshe play & game: yet notw^tstandyng doeth she disdayne to geue place of the ouer hande to thee diuine maiestye. How beit though she doth counterfeyt before men no small godlynes, and true religion, yet in the meane seasō can she in no wyse escape the iudgment of a godly and faythe­ful man, which hath wholye and from the very hart forsakē hym self. For, he doeth quickly smelle out the affectiōs of the fleshe, & the cō [...]umacie or stubbernes y^t is naturally toted in her: as sone as she ones begynneth to set forthe her self. But yf he ones enterpryseth or go about to bryng to lyght the paynting, [Page] hipocrysie,Who soe­uer goeth about to [...]etecte & opē y^e hipocry­sye of thee fleshe shall fele sorow & trouble. & deceytefull nature of the fleshe, by and by, shall he feele her ene­mytye & armure. For, strayght wayes armyng, and weapynge her selfe, wyth most ygnominiōs, reprocheful, and opprobrious wordes, she shall furiouslye flye vppon hym, that hath touched her payntinge and hypocrysye, neuer ceassynge too spende all her whole stren­gthe agaynste him, tyll she can eyther ouerthrowe or vtterlye destroye hym. Christe therefore, wyllethe vs afore all thynges to bee perswaded, that euerye day, we muste beare a crosse, for y^t more, that gods word doth encrease & florish, the more doth the crosse, & persecutyon ryse and folowe, the greater that thee proceding of gods word is,The godli oughte ne­uer to loke for peace & quietnes in this world the more furyous & angrye doeth the fleshe waxe. Therfore they are all together decea­ued and erre all the worlde wyde, y^t are wonte to hope and gape for peace and quietnesse, nor wyll sustaine or abyde y^e greuous scornes of persecutiōs, for the holy wordes sake, or thinke y^t they must suffre none For, though the peo­ple doth by flockes & swarmes flie to y^e word of god, & w^t feruēte studies come vnto christ, yet not w^tstanding, we shal feele, that euer moch persecutyon, and [Page] crosse, shalbe styrred vp agaynste vs, by the mighty rulers of the world, which wyl alwayes, w^t al their strength endeuours, & myght, withstand & resyst the euāgelical doctrine. Yes, put y^e case, y^t ther be no such in the world, or that the Princes & rulers do fauor y^e truth of y^t gospel yet shal we neuertheles se false teachers & false Apostles,The nature of false teachers & false apo­stle. ryse daylye, which hauing more learnyng, & knowledge, thā charitie & loue, wyl set forth them selues not wythout great hynderaūce of the truth of gods worde. For, they w^tout any vrgent cause, styrryng vp contentious and stryfes, for euerye lyght tryfle, shal greuously offend the weake and meke harted, they care not though they al offend y^e worlde, so that they may be counted of the simple and ygnoraunt people greate clerkes and well learned. Here therefore shall a newe gryef and crosse rise and come vp on vs, which doth require in vs a new & whole strēgth. For, they that at soūd & stedfast or cōstant in y^e faith must ne­des be sore greued in their mindes,It is a greate [...]rosse to the godly to se the weake too be offēded whē they se the weake to be offended, and truly ther can be no greater, greuouser, or bytrerer gryefe vnto a godly man, as Paule testyfyethe of hym selfe to [Page] the Corinthi. sayinge?ii. Cori. xi. Who is offen­ded, and I burne not? What neadethe many wordes? Euerye daye we muste take a newe crosse vpon vs: for, chryste lyeth not, when he doth say:math, vi Suffycient vnto the day, is the trauaile therof. And in an other place:math .x. He that wyll saue his life, shal lose it. Wher ye must marke & note, y^t this word, anima (whiche communely is taken for the soule or lyfe of mā) doth not only in this place signifie, y^e lyfe, y^t we do lyue in thys body but also y^e mind, intēt purpose or counsail of mā. Who soeuer thē, for to saue this frayle & transitory life, doth vnfaithfully fal from the word of god, shal lose hys lyfe, who soeuer trustyng in his owne learnyng, wysdom, coun­sailes, & intent or purpose of his mynde, wyl not suffre hym self to be pluc­ked frō it, but rather honeth, y^t by it he shal obtaine the true beatytude & euer lastyng felicitie, shal also lose his lyfe and caste awaye hys soule. Therefore, the pastour shall vtterly forsake hym self, he shal al together caste and throw down him self before god, he shal vtterly take and banishe away the froward intent or purpose of is obstakle & stubborne mynde, & euery day prepare him [Page] selfe to beare some newe crosse. For, christ dyd also folow y^e same way and rule, euer submitting his wyll to hys fathers wyl, which he dyd alwayes o­beye, bearing the crosse that was lay­de vpō him, tyl he was takē vp, to that glory that he shulde syt at thee ryghte hande of the father.

After that the pastour hath forsaked hī self he must be replenis­shed w^t the spirite of godAs sone thē, as y^e pastour (& not only he, but also euery mortal mā) hath for sakē himself, & by this forsaking, hath wholy euacuated him self, y^t is to say, hath made hī self of no reputatiō ī his own sight, next of al it behoueth y^t he be filled or replenished w^t God, y^t is to say, that he put al his hope & trust in y^e one only god. Our lorde Iesus chryste did both performe & expresse thee same in his disciples, whō by & by as sone as they leauing al thinges did stick & cleaue only to him, he did not only prouide for, concerning externe & outwarde thinges, y^t is to say, meate & drinke and clothing, & that so lyberally, that they beinge asked, whether they wanted any thing, when they were sent to preach the gospel w^tout scrip or wallet, dyd answere that they did lack no maner of thyng: but also wylled them to bee withoute all care, and too take no [Page] thought, what they shuld aunswere, yf at any tyme they shuld be brought be­fore Kynges and Princes,Math. x. for in the same selfe houre, sayth he: it shalbe geuen you, what ye shall aunswere. Be­sydes that he dyd not commit vnto thē the full offyce of preachinge, afore that he blowing vpon them (as we may see in the .xx. cha. of Iohn) dyd say: Recea­ue ye the holy ghost, signifying therby that no mā is mete to fede the people, & that no man can well & truely execute the offyce of a Pastour,To euacu­ate hī selfe whyche is halfe a la­tin phrase, is too este­me hī selfe of no reputatiō. Philip .ii. excepte he vtterly forsakinge & euacuatinge hym selfe hath God inhabytinge, dwellinge, and speakinge in, or by hym. Besydes that, he doth commaunde thē also, that they shuld not depart frō Hierusalē, tyl that they had receaued the spirite,Actuū. i y^t was promysed unto thē. Which, being receaued, they dyd by & by beginne, and not without great gratulation and ioye of myndes, the function & offyce of prea­chinge, for so it behoueth to be, least the Pastour do le [...]de the shepe cōmitted vnto him, into any other pastours, than in to the same, out of the whych, he hathe pycked & gathered y^e fode of gods wor­de, that is to saye, into the knowledge of the true god, & into a constant & most [Page] sure confidēce in him only. Yf he wyll thē set forth these thīges vnto y^e people, that is cōmitted vnto him, he mu [...] himselfe learne to know god fyrst, and put hys hole affi [...]unct trust, and confidence in hym onely.

These thinges being thus promised & done, he shal begin to preach y^e worde, after y^e same maner that christ him selfe dyd vse. For, he being about to teach y^e worlde, dyd saye: Repēt ye, for, the kingdom of heauē is at hand.Repētāce is the fyrst part of the preachyng of the gos­pel. Whych forme and maner Iohn baptist, the fore renner of Christ Iesus dyd obserue. But who wyll repent, who wyl amende his lyfe, that afore doeth not vnderstande and knowe howe wycked and euyll he is? Therfore the syckenesse & dysease must be fyrst shewed and declared, & than afterwardes y^e saluatiō ought to be preached. No mā ought to be moued, y^t oure lord & sauiour Iesus christ,Math. x marke .xvi doth commaunde to preache only saluatiō, & the gospel. For, the sickenes must be knowē afore y^t any mā wyl suffre the medicine to be ministred vnto him. Christ also in those places y^t we now haue made men­tion of, doth by a more swete pleasant & cōfortable word, denominate, & cal the preaching of the gospel grace, because that the gospell is the ioyful tyding of [Page] that most sure & infallible grace,What the knowledg of synne doth wor­ke in vs. which of god is graūted, & geuē vnto vs. The knowledge of synne, which we do nede here most of al, bringeth vs to y^e poynte, y^t we doo vtterly dispayre of oure owne selfes, wherfore, it cōpelleth, dryueth & forceth vs, to flye vnto the gratuite, and free mercy of god, of the whych we are most sure, syth y^e god y^e father dyd geue his only begottē sōne for vs. Wherfore christ (as it is sayd before) dyd vouchsa­ue to call the hole misery of our salua­tiō, a medicine. And in an other place, as Luk. xxiiii. he doth ioyne both togeather▪ y^t is to saye, repētaunce & forgeue­nes of synnes, saying: So it behoueth y^t christ shuld suffer & rise agayn frō death the thyrd daye, & that repentaūce, & re­mission of synnes shulde be preached a­mong all natiōs in my name. Beholde, how he hath here ioyned both together & setteth forth vnto vs, both repētāce & forgeuenes of synnes. For no man can worthely delight in the preachinge of y^e gospel, no mā can worthely receaue it w^t a full ioye, excepte he hathe afore a full knowledge of his syckenesse & disease, that is to saye, of hys synnes.

The secōd care of a pastour is to take he­de▪ y^t they, which doo repent, pe­rish not a­gayne.But now as soone as the wretched & miserable mā doeth know his sicknes, [Page] infirmitie & disease, & seing y^e filthines of his synnes, doth also espye, deprehēd and fynde a sure knowledge, & hope of saluation in Iesus Christ: he oughte in no wyse afterwardes to lyue in synne. For sith y^t in christ Iesus we are al dead to synne, we can not afterwardes lyue in synne, as the holy Apostle S. Paule doth largely & copiously declare & shewRoma, vi. This shal therfore be one of the chie­fest and greatest care of a Pastour, and true shepeherde, to watche diligently, and as nyghe as he can, to take hede & beware, that the shepe, which are already washed & clensed, do not voyltre thē selfes agayne in the stinking myre, and puddell of synne. For, after y^t the faythfull, are ones come into the knowledge of theyr saluacion, and haue tasted of the gratuite & free mercy of god, which the heauenly father doth most liberal­ly graunt & gyue vnto vs: it is most cō ­uenient, that they do leade an innocent lyfe and pure, from all contagiouse fyl thynesse of synne, least parchaunce they dye agayne. For as Christ, beyng ones rysen from death, dyeth nomore, death hath nomore power ouer hym: so they doyng or putting of the olde man, shal put on the new, whych is created after [Page] the lykenes of god, that is to saye: oure Lorde Iesus Christ hym self.what it is to putt on Christ. They do (sayth the scripture) put on christ, that walke and lyue, as Christ him self dyd lyue here in the earth. Therfore he doth byd and commaund his disciples after the same maner:mat. xxviii Go ye therfore and teache all nations, and baptise them in the name of the father, the sonne, & the holy ghost, teachinge them to obserue & kepe, what soeuer I haue commaūded you. For, who soeuer doth not thincke euery day vpō y^e amēdemēt of his lyfe, after that he feleth him self to be rede­med by Christ, & renewed, doth cōtemp­ne the name of christ, abusing the same most shamefully, yea, rather he is thee cause, that the holye name of christ is e­uyll spoken of, and blasphemed among the infidels and vngodly. We do reade therfore, that the holye Apostle S. Pe­ter doth not wythout a good cause say:i. Pet. ii.l. for as moch then as Christ hath suffred for vs in the fleshe, arme ye your selues lykewyse wyth the same mynde, for he, which suffreth in the fleshe, ceasseth frō synne, that hence forward he shuld lyue (as moche tyme, as remayneth in thee flesshe) not after the lustes of men, but after wyll of God. For it is suffici­ente [Page] for vs, y^t we haue spent thee tyme, y^t is past of our lyfe, after the wyl of the Bētils, walking in wātounes, lustes, in excesse of wyne, in excesse of eatinge, in excesse of drinking, or drōkenes, & in abhominable Idolatrie. By the whyche wordes, we maye easely see &perceyue or vnderstand, y^t we haue not yet fulfylled nor done fully our duety, yf we she­we and declare the saluation which is pourchased by Christ, for, we haue most nede too beware and take hede, that we do not lose agayne the saluation which is gotten and purchased vnto vs therby, as most vnfaythfull Apostates & Traytours, most vngodly blasphemyng the holye and blessed name of thee lyuinge God.

It is y^e dut [...]e of a pastour to lyue accordī ge too hys doctryne y^t he teachethWhich thing y^t it may be cōmodiously brought to passe & done, ther is none other way more cōmodiouse & redy, thā yf the honestye of the pastour be soche, y^t he shal with his workes & dayly exam­ple of lyuing expresse the thing, that he doth teache wyth his mouth, and wor­des. Which thing, Christ doeth highlye requyre.mathew. v Who soeuer (sayeth he) shall breake the least of these cōmaundemen­tes, & teache men to do so, he shalbe cal­led lesse in the kingdom of heauē. But [Page] who soeuer shal both do & teach, he shal be called great in the kingdō of heauē. For, this is most sure, no man is able to denye this, but that it is a playne payntinge and hypocrysye to speake gaylye of god, and in the meane season to lyue nothing after the rule & prescript of his word. Which thing S. Paul doth ma­nifestly declare, wryting to Titus,Titum. i. whē he sayeth: They confesse, y^t they knowe god, whō w^t their dedes, they do vtterly denye, syth y^t they be abhominable & disobedient, & vnapte to euery good worc­ke. And again,Roman. ii he writeth after this maner: Which teachest another, and doeste not teache thy self, which preachest y^t a man shuld not steale, & thou stealest, whiche sayest y^t a man shuld not commit ad­ultery, and thou breakest wedlock, why the abhorrest ydols, & robbest god of his glory, which boastest in the lawe, & by y^e breakīge of the law doest dishonor god, for the name of god is yll reported and spoken of, among the Bētyls for your sakes. Therfore the pastour shall wyth all care and study beware & take hede, y^t he do not destroye, with his fylthyely­uyng & cōuersation, the thinge, that he doeth buyld & set vp with his doctrine and traditiōs, for the nature of mans [Page] wit is soche, that y^e weaker persons are sore offended with this thing, they wyl not suffre thē selfes lightely to be won, drawen, & allured with gods worde, yf they see that the lyfe and conditions of the pastoure, do not agree with the doc­tryne, whych is pure, holy and sounde.

The pastour oughte diligent [...]ie to shūne y^e hypocrity­cal faynynge of rely­gion.Finally here, with a diligent mynd and most vigilant care hede must be ta­ken y^t the pastour be not decked wythe any hypocritical clothing & fayned co­louring of godlynes, rather than with that true, and pure wedding garment, which for the most parte, is wont to be now a dayes: that is to saye, good bede must be taken, that he be not clothed in a shepes skynne, wearing a lōge gowne downe to the fete, a longe fattynet tip­pet, or a wyde & broade hoode, cominge downe to his very myddell (these thin­ges,Many yet do seke by these try­me trames to crep [...] in to the esty­mation of the people god woot, haue ben, and are yet ta­ken of some, for most infallible tokens, and sygnes of a godly & deuout mynd) wher as he doth beare a mynd replenisshed and flowinge ouer wythe auarice and coueteousnesse, as all moste all thee Doctours of diuinitie are wont to be, specially soche, as the worlde hathe in estimation: Agayne, that he god not a­broade in y^e stretes, with a bowed necke, [Page] lokynge downe, wythe his face to the ground,O ye hypocrites wasshe ye ra­ther the inner part of the cup. wher as he hath a harte pufte vp, with all kynde of arrogancye and pryde: Item that he doo not weare a whyte rotcher, which is a sygne of chastitie, & clenlynesse, where as he is more lastiuious, wantonne, and lecherous, than anye he gote, or stynkynge bore: Farthermore that he doo not weare hygh shoone aboue the ankles, & a depe cappe downe benethe his eares, where as he doth nourishe and cloke inwardly in his hart, the most pernityous mō sters of enuye and hatered: Fynallye that he do not mummell euerye fote a, m. Psalmes, and in the meane season doth leaue and neglect the plaine, light some, and euerlastyng worde of God.The sym­ple & rude people by y^e outwar­de shew of ceremony­es is broughte to hypocrysy & su­perstition. For, yf the simple & rude people, doeth se such outwarde shew of worckes, set forth before their eyen, in their teacher or Pastour, what shal they suck out of it, but a vayne & vngodly hypocrysye? which the pastour or teacher, doth out­wardlye shewe, but inwardlye in his harte, is not a lytle troubled, and exercysed, with the aluremētes & coūsayls of his affections. This therfore shalbe the duty & offyce of a Pastoure, to fra­me & order his lyfe, not according to y^e [Page] prescrybed rules of mens tradytions, but according to the rule of gods wor­de, wherof he is a minister, For, excepte he doth the same, he shal plant nothin­ge elles, but a playne hypocrysie, as it is sayde euen nowe.Christ is a mo te per­fect exāple of the Pastours life And sythe that he hathe christe, for a moste perfect exam­ple of hys lyfe, he ought wyth all care and diligēce to folow him. Wherfore, yf christe was farthest from all hypo­crisye, and hypochriticall workes: we ought in no wise to be studious or folowers of thē. For, he is y^e highest & most perfect God, which as it wāteth or lacketh nothing, so by mans industry, la­bor, & study nothīg cā euer be added vnto it to make it more perfect. In those thinges then, y^t pertaine & belōg to the ministery of the church, y^e pastour shall folow the condiciōs & nature of a godly & a louing father. A louing & wyse father, doth in no wise come forthe mas­ked into the syght of hys chyldren, to begge any thing of thē, but al his hole intēt, study & endeuour is, to teach, in­struct, & bryng them vp so, y^t they maye liue a chast & impolluted life, that they may be frendly & gētyl vnto al men, y^t they may be hurtful to no man liuing vpō the earth, y^t they may in al thīges, [Page] folow temperaunce & stubbernes or modestye, and alwayes abhorre al kyndes of temperaunce. These are thee chyefe thynges wherein a Pastour oughte to exercy se hym selfe, whych therfore is called by christ, a housholder or stewarde. And Paul,i. Cor. iiii. not w^tout great sorow & grief, doth cōplaine of y^e Corinthiās, y^t although they had a great nūbre of scole maisters & teachers yet they had very few fathers. Wherby we do,Excepte y^e teacher is a father he is a p [...]ayn deceauer. & that by a sure & infallible demonstratiō gather, y^t they can in no wise be true tea­chers, except they be also very fathers of the congregatiō. For, y^e nature of fathers is such, y^t they directīg both their dedes & sayinges, to this ende, y^t they may profyt, and do good, vnto other y^t cā neuer be sene to seke their own pro­fyt & aduātage, of y^e disprofit, & harme of theyr chyldrē, wherfore, no man can be a faythfull, & true Pastoure, excepte he doeth beare a fatherly affection, to­wardes the flocke, that is commytted vnto hym. And yf the teachers do not delyght & haue a pleasure in those thī ges, y^t they do teach, they ar very deceauers of y^e people, but yf thei do exercise thē selues in those thinges y^t they doo set forth & inioine vnto other, by their [Page] doctrine: that lyuely example of y^e true Pastour, shal bryng more vtilitie & profyte, to the shepe committed vnto him, & shall take greater increase, than yf they shuld, as tynkelyng brasse, resoūde a. M. tymes the holy oracles & word of god. Agayne yf they neglectyng the word of the Lorde do teach hym value traditions & fables expressing as nigh as they can, the same doctrine of their, both in theyr bedes & lyuyng: They ar false prophetes, whom thee lorde hath oftentymes cōmaunded to slaye, kyll, and roote out of the earth.ye shal not euery man do y^t thing y^e s [...]th good to you, but y^e thing [...]at I cōmeūd you, y^t doo ye onli sayeth y^e lord. But of thē, we wyll sneake hereafter. Therfore, the pastour shal not initiate & folowe, n [...] yet expresse in his owne lyuinge, y^e exemplary and paterne of those thin­ges, that eyther he hym selfe, or other do iudge to be good, & acceptable vnto god, but he shall frame hys lyfe after, or accordynge too those thynges, that god doeth requyre of vs by hys word.

What the faythfull pastour ought too preacheNow any man may easelye know, vnderstād & gather, by this, that hathe bene sayde hetherto, what thynge it is that a christian pastoure oughte too preache: Truly none other thyng, but the pure worde & scryptures of the eternall & euerlastynge god. For, oure [Page] of theym shall he brynge forthe those thynges that shall induce and brynge the people commytted vnto hym, in to y^e knowledge of their infirmitye, weakenesse, and disease, that is to saye, of theyr synnes. Whyche after that they haue ones knowen perfectly, they shal also feele that there is no maner of strength in man, wherewyth he maye obtayne saluatyon. Then shall he by and by declare and shew vnto them, the mercy of god, vnto whome they maye with their hole harte and vndoubted fayth & affyaunce commyt thē selues, and that chyefely for thys cause, y^t they se that most hyghest & merciful father, to haue delyuered vs, his one only be­gotten sonne, oure lorde and sauyoure Iesus christ, for a moste sure pledge of his grace, by whom, we haue alwaies, a mooste free accesse and passage vnto thee throne and seate of thee dyuyne grace and mercy. After, then, that they haue, wyth a sure and vndoubted faith knowen and vnderstanded ones, thee hole matter of their saluacyō and that moste sure wrytynge and pledge of the mercye of god, so that they are alrea­dy made the children of god, our heauē ly father, which afore, were the childrē [Page] of the flesh & euerlasting dāpnaciō, this duety shalbe requireth of thē, that they folowe hence forwarde thee lawes and rules or gods holy wyll: For, they are, a newe creature,Galat. vi. as we maye see. Therfore the Pastoure, shall wythe an ear­nest care & studye beware and take he­de, that the shepe, whych are alreadye cured and healed from their sycknes & disease,The kno­wledge of the worde of God is necessari to a pastour. shall not fall agayne into thee same dyseases. But syth y^t this thyng can & ought to be ministred, by the operacion of gods worde onelye, no small knowledge of gods word is requyred in him. Which oughte to be soughte none other wher, thā in the holye & sa­cred scryptures of both Testamentes. But it shal profyt and auayle lytle or nothyng, to loke vpon the outward letter except god doeth vouchesafe wyth hys inwarde vertue to draw the harte and mynde of man, and cause hym by hys spirite to credit hys word, and not too wraste it at hys owne pleasure, ac­cordynge too hys inordynate, affectes, lustes, and passyons, but rather folow the free, syncere, and playne meaning, sense, and vnderstandynge, of it, why­che the holye spyryte and grace of god hathe inspyred. Paule doethe in fewe [Page] wordes, most lyuelye comprehende all these thynges, in thee later epystle too hys dyscyple Timothe,ii. Tim. iii wrythyng after thys maner: All scrypture geuen by the inspyratyon of god, is profytable, to teache, to improue, to amende, and to instructe in ryghteousnesse, that thee man of god maye be perfect, and prepared vnto all good workes. All institution, then, or teachynge, wherwythe the faythful Pastour wyl fede hys people, shalbe ordered after thys fourme and rule. Whyche bokes bee Canonical & which be not, I haue no neade in thys place and at thys tyme to declare, for, I thynke that no man is ygnoraunte thereof, yf onely he hathe anye syght in the knowledge of the tongues.

After y^t the Pastour,The Pa­stour must rebuke & rote away vyc [...]s. is wel instruc­ted in al those thīges, y^t pertaine to his kinsefolkes, his owne life & doctrine (for, of the loue of god, we wyll speake hereafter in a due time and place) y^t is most necessary for hym, to know & vn­derstand how he ought to be haue him self in other externe & outward thīges, & what reward he oughte to loke for. The fyrst thing, y^t offereth it self, here in this place, is that he must wythe a bolde and stoute courage rebuke all [Page] noysome and pernicyous vyces ney­ther fearyng the vayne pride & threateninges of thys worlde,The pastoure oughte too dreade nothynge. nor yet beynge abashed, that he is on euery syde layd wayte for, for, the lorde doeth inioyne the same to Hieremy,Hierem. i. saying: Behold, I put my wordes in thy mouth, and behold, this day do I set the ouer the people & kyngdomes, that thou mayst rote out, breake of, destroy, & make waste, & that thou mayst build vp, & plante. Let therfore y^e pastour be mighty, & of ablenes to ouerthrow euery hygh thing, y^t exhalteth it self, against y^e prescript of gods worde▪ let him▪ w^t a bold stomack assawte and destroy all such thynges, as Paul doth teach in the later epystle to the Corinthians.ii. Corin. x Christ him self did leaue a most sure & euident exāple of y^e same thing which example is to be fo­lowed of al mē.The example of christe. For, after that he had ones, by his euerlasting wysdō percey­ued, that the hipocrysie, & vnsatyable couetousnes of y^e prestes & scribes, was y^e cause & occation y^t the rude & vnlear­ned people dyd fall from the true and euerlastynge god, whyche symple peo­ple beynge as yf a man myghte saye, captyuated, and snarred, wyth the co­uetous deceates, tradityons, dreames, [Page] and fayned inuentions of thee pristes, dyd he, wrapped in al kyndes of errour, he dyd rebuke no kynde of men, wythe soche seueryte, and sharpenesse, as he dyd vse agaynst them, speaking alway openly agaynst theyr paynted hypocrysye, & fylthy coueteousnesse, for, he dyd, and not wythout great grief of mynd, pytye alwayes the poore people, whom thee deceyptfull craftes of thee priestes dyd deceaue, and that, because that he dyd se thē destituted of the fode of gods worde,Mathe. i [...] which is that most pleasaunte & gratious meate of thee soules, and that they dyd wante a true & faythful Pa­stour, whych shoulde beare a fatherlye mynde & affiction towardes thē. Many tymes also, he doth teache and instruct thē gentely. And yf at any tyme necessytie doth requyre, that he must also rebuke them, yet doth he neuer vse soch au­sterite & sharpenesse in rebuking, as he was wont to vse agaynst the vngodlye priestes, that so deceaued and seduced y^e people. For, layinge to theym lacke of knowledge, & ignoraunce of the trueth, he calleth them blinde guydes, vipers, generation of Sathan, hypocrites, shameles crauers, lyers, and other lyke na­mes, whych thinge any man may see & [Page] learne in the bokes & wrytinges of all the Euāgelistes, wherfore we shal haue no nede here of many testimonies. But now, syth that in our tyme, this poysoned euyl of hypocrisye, is growē to so great a power, hath gottē & pourchased lo great a strength & myghte, & is come vp to that poynte, that it can or dare no more for shame hyde it selfe, but rather defende wyth stronge hand theyr deuy­lyshe craftes and deceates, & that moste shamefully, what (I praye the, o faythfull mynyster in thee house of God) is beste for the to doe? for, yf thou doeste holde thy peace, the bloud of them that perisshe, shalbe requyred at thy hande, which thing,Ezechī. iii. we may learne by the wordes of God in Ezechiel. And y^u seest that the hypocrisye of the Papistes (here I do call papistes,Al y^e spiri­tualty and clergie are Papistes except they do ether fauour or preach sincereli gods worde. al the sorte of thē that are called spirituall, or the clergye, thē beynge excepted, which preache purely and sincerely the worde of God) hath gotten & pourchased so great treasours of ryches, and so great myght & strēgth that they haue no more nede of a cloke, to cloke theyr deceytful craftines with all (whyche thynge neuerthelesse was moste necessarye to the Priestes of thee Iewes, in the tyme of christ) but rather [Page] be not ashamed to defende them selfes openly, wyth most myghty and stronge armes, y^t is to say, w^t rewardes & giftes, with warres, & fyering of villages and townes, w^t spoyling & destroying of fel­des & slaughter of the innocētes, and al other kindes of crudelite,The Kyn­ges of Scicilia were counted to be y^e cruel­lest tiraūts of y^e worl­de. in so much y^t the tyrauntes of Scicilia, whych were of most famous crudelitie coulde deale no cruellier. For, they dyd neuer handel a man cruelly, afore that his cause was hearde, but these our spiritual prelates, do with al care & diligence studye thys one thinge, that they maye in all regi­ons and countreys, winne to thē selfes, wyth large gyftes and rewardes, thee myndes of the myghtye rulers and ma­gistrates, whom they so intoxicate and poysonne, that they thyncke, that they haue well and truelye done theyr duety yea, that they do hygh seruice vnto god when they do most cruelly persecute al them, y^e preache the word of the gospell, without any hearinge of the causes or trying of y^e doctrine. And yf they their owne selues haue the secular swerde in theyr hādes (as they do cal it, by and by they do without any measure slea, kyl, and murther the innocentes, beynge in thys poynt, more cruell, than Tygres, [Page] and Crocodiles. And onles they shulde feate, y^t thei shuld be so serued, yf at any tyme y^e world shuld alter & chaūge they wold in no wyse be contēt w^t y^e cōmune & vsed kindes of punishmēts,Phalaris was kinge of the Ar­genti [...]s & most cruell tyraūt whiche daylye inuented new kīdes of tormēts to exercise their ragiouse crudelitie, but wold as a most cruell Phalaris, day [...]ly inuente & fynde out newe facions and kyndes of tormentes, to afflicte there wyth accor­ding to their inordinat lustes, the faythful ministers of gods minde.

the iniqui­t [...]e & vnry­ghtfull gouernement of y^e Ma­gestrates of ouer ty­me.Besydes that, thou doest before thyne owne eyen see this thing also, o fayth­full seruaunt, which hast wholy conse­crated thy self vnto god, that many of the hygh powers, whose part it was to administer the swearde of iustice, do vse exercise iustice (yf that maner of rul [...]ng that they do vse may be called iustyce) rather accordinge too theyr coueteouse myndes, inordinate lustes, & bold rashe­nesse, that they may be hygh, & voyltre theym selfes in all kyndes of pleasure than of any loue or feare of God & true religion.The peo­ple is s [...]een to y^e verye bones w^t importa­ble tar [...]s exactyōs & subsydies. For, they doo myserable vexe theyr owne subiectes, wyth pryde, hau­tenesse of mynde, & insolent arrogācye, yea, they do oppresse them, they tormēt and afflicte them, they pylle and poole, robbe & fley thē to the very bones, wyth [Page] vnlawfull exactions, taxes & subsydes. They trouble forenne nations, and peoples, wyth wartes, excursiōs, or hostile renninges out, with dayly scarmychinge & battailes. And at home (yf y^u doest beholde & loke vpō their priuate maner of lyuing) they do nothing els, but ry­otte, eate, and drinke & make mery, vse vnlawful games, in theyr abhominable dronckenes, most shamefully polluting all theyr studyes and doynges, wyth fil thye whoredom & adultery. This, is the sickenes, and most pestilēt boyle, where with the heades of the Christian people, are infected. Wherefore,Ezechi iii. o faythful Pastour take good hede to thy self, and se how these euyls can be remedyed For, yf thou doest not set forth y^e truth of the worde of God, the bloud of them that peryshe (as it is sayd before)The office of a Pa­stour is very peryl­lous. shal be requyred at thy hād. Agayn, yf thou doest beginne to speake & tel the truth, thou shalt fall [...]nto the handes of them that be able to do the no small harme. For, the deceate, fraud, subtyltie,The craft of y^e papi­stes in winning y^e hertes & fauoure of Princes. & craft of the papistes is soche, that they haue crepte into y^e palaces of al princes, Emprours, & Kinges, craftely at the fyrste promoting the chyldrē of certayn Princes. For, they dyd make some of theym [Page] Cardinals, some Byshops, some agayn Abbates, Prious, Cōmendours, Admi­nistratours, or Coadiutours: yea, they dyd also make the same selfe Princes parteners wyth theym, of the money y^t they gotte of the symple & ignoraunte people by theyr pardons & indulgēces. Whereby it came to passe, that they ha­ue almost all earthly princes, not a litle subiect & bound vnto thē. Wherfore, yf thou folowinge the example of Christe doest go about to assaute & expell & dry­ue out thys deceyptful cōpany & flocke of hypocti [...]es, by & by thou shalt see the Princes leape forth, to defend these hy­pocrites with dothe and [...]ale. Agayn, yf thou casting away thy weapons and harneys, wyll runne away and seeke a meane, howe thou mayste cōmodiously rydde & delyuer thy self, frō that pe [...]yl­lous function & office, thou shalte be re­kened among the vnfaythfull pastours, which seinge the wolfe doo forsake the shepe, and take them selfes to their fete, sauing thē selfes by runninge awaye. Here, as yf it were by y^e way, the vertue & strength of fayth is knowē, for, when a man, being in extreme daunger, is in perplexitie and all together doubtfull of mynde, he may not flye to none other [Page] (yf he be faythfull in dede) than to thee o [...] god & his word, as vnto a most sure refuge, that he being fully instruc­ted by i [...], may p [...]t his host trust and cō ­fidence in hym onely.

Hauing therfore a [...] eye vnto Christ,A pastour ought in no wise to feare dea­th. hea [...]e, take hede and marke diligently, what he doth speake, Iohn x. When he saithe a good pastour, doth ieoparde his lyfe for his shepe. Yf then thou wylt be counted a faythful & good pastour, and desyrest to be numbred and rekened a­mong them, that haue wrought and la­boured faithfully in y^e worke of y^e lorde thou muste nedes ieoparde thy lyfe for thy shepe. Besydes that, he doeth moue & styrre vs, with other wordes. Math. x when he sayth [...] That thing, that I saye vnto you in darkenesse, tell ye it in thee light, & that thing that ye heare in your eares, preache ye it vpō houses. And, be not ye afrayed of them, y^t kyl the bodye, but the soule they cā not kyl, but rather feare ye him, y^t cā cast both body & soule into y^e fyre of hel. By the which wordes we do most playnly learne, y^t we oughte in no wyse to kepe close, or hyde Gods word: but rather y^e lord doth cōmaūd, y^t we puttīge aside al feare, do speake it a­broade. Also he y^t is the minister of God [Page] shall in no wyse dreade the manasshes and threateninges of the world. For, as it is our duety and office, to speak boldely agaynst all thē, that lyue in synne lycentiously and wythout shame (as y^e Lorde doth cōmaunde the prophet, say­inge:Hierem. i. Thou shalt go to whom soeuer I shall send the, & crye oute, ceasse not,Esay. iviii lyft vp thy voyce, as a trompette, and shewe vnto my people theyr synnes) so it is the duety of a Pastour, to coope o­penly wyth the enemyes of the trueth, and to withstande them to theyr faces, that so he may defende the flocke com­mitted vnto hym, and helpe hys shepe out of thee myre and puddell of synne, for, onlesse soche thinges were done, ca­red for, and takē hede of, we shuld haue no nede of a Pastour, for, whyles no pe­ryl doeth hange ouer the shepe, they haue no neade of a pastour, nor of a watch man, that should watch for theym: but rhey haue nede of a pastoure, that they may throughe his fatherly care & dili­gence both for see and shunne the peryl, Yf then the pastour, when there is any daunger, peryl & ieoperdye, doth runne away, as touching the shepe, it maketh no matter at al whether that they haue any shepeherde or not.

Wherfore it is most necessary,The example of christe. that afore all thynges we haue an eye vnto christ, whych sayeth. Iohn. x. I do ieo­parde my lyfe for my shepe. For, he dyd not onely speake these thinges, w^t wordes, but also he dyd fulfyll and performe them in dede. For, when he was goynge to Hierusalem he dyd wythe plaine and manifest wordes declare vnto his discyples, what paryl & daūger he shuld bryng his lyfe toMath. xv [...] & whē Peter dyd go about to turne hym frō the minde and purpose, he turned hym self to Peter sayinge: Goo after me, Sa­than, thou hynderest me, for thou doest not sauoure those thinges that are of god, but those thynges that are of mē. And afterwardes beyng entred into y^e citie, he did cast the biers & sellers out of the temple, fearyng nothynge thee malycyous intentes of thee Scrybes and priestes, whom he knewe dyd hate hym deadly. Yea, he dyd also opēly in the audyence of all thee people, wythe greate grauitye and sharpe wordes rebuke theyr synnes and vyces, that is to saye, theyr couetousnes ambition, & hypocrysye.math. xxii [...] And when the appoynted houre or tyme of hys deathe was come, that he shoulde delyuer hym self [Page] for vs, & his enemies beīge yssued forth dyd seeke too take hym, he dyd come forthe to mete theym, and that we be­ynge instructed by hys owne exam­ple, myghte vnderstande that it is al­so thee offyce of a Pastoure, to beware and kepe of, those outewarde perylles and ieopardyes, whyche maye hurte the lyues and goodes of the shepe, he dyd not onelye delyuer hym selfe too deathe for vs all, but also dyd deliuer hys dyscyples from thys bodelye dea­the, sauynge theyr lyues when he, not wythout a dyuyne & godly maiestie & power dyd saye: Yf ye seke me, suffre, these to go away. Therfore, he y^t wylbe a faythful & good pastour of the shepe, of our lord and sauyoure Iesus Chry­ste, folowynge chrystes example, muste set hym selfe agaynste all peryllous tem [...]estes and stormes and come forthe against al the enemies of Christ, which, for goddes sake, and hys euerlastynge worde, and also for the faythfull care, y^t he taketh for hys shepe, do go aboute to persecute and afflycte hym, fearyn­ge nothyng, nor yet regarding y^e persō of any man. Lette hym not be afrayde nor abasshed in hys mynde. thoughe he were cōpelled to reproue, rebuke & [Page] speake against the great Kynge Alex­ander magnus, or Iulyus Cesar,The true Pastour shall also rebuke and reproue prī ces, yf they vse any ex­tortion, or burden o­uer sore their poore subiectes. or thee Bysshoppe of Rome hym self to be short, against al y^e mightiest & moste puissaunt kynges & Princes of y^e worlde. Which thing he shal not only do, yf they do obstinateli resist y^e word of god, but also, yf they do oppres y^e poore people that is vnder their subiectiō, with intollerable burdens of subsidyes ex­actiōs & taxes. Which thinges we wyl proue nowe, w^t plaine & euident exam­ples, and also wythe manifest testimo­nies of the scryptures.

Whē y^e almighty & merciful father. did se, that y^e people of Israel, was op­pressed w^e exceding great & vnmeasurable afflictiōs, & with an ouer heauy yoke of seruitude, by y^e most cruel tiraūt Pharao, & al the people of Egipt: by & by he did sēd Moses to delyuer them, frō so hard a thraldom & bodage. For, he could beare no longer, y^e tyrannicall & vniust affliction, of his people. Exo. iii. And although Moyses excusynge him selfe, by his simplicitie and rude­nesse, dyd al that he could, to put from hym that functyon & office, yet did he profytte or auayle nothing prayed he neuer so moch, but beynge compelled [Page] and constrayned of the lorde, dyd brynge forth, that great people and innumerable multytude of men, women, and chyldren, yea against the tyraunt Pharaos wyl, and how? Through the myddest of the sea, through y^e desertes, tho­roughe thousandes of their enemyes, thorough infinit parylles of hunger, thyrste, sycknesses, & punysshementes. So that to haue reade, or harde suche great paynes, labours and trauayles, wolde make anye man to tremble and quake for horrour God, notwythstan­dynge, althoughe they were beset on euerye syde with parylles & most daugerous ieopardyes: yet remembrynge his promyse dyd geue the vyctorye to his people. Thys therfore shalbe y^e of­fice & duety of euery Pastour, to come forth, and to stand vp manfully for the health & saue garde of hys shepe yf at any tyme the tyrauntes of this world, do begynne vniustly, and after newe & vngodly wayes, to aggrauate or bur­den, and oppresse thee people. For, they that mynyster thee lames of natyons and peoples,The du [...] ­t [...]e of chri­stian ma­gistrat. [...]. and are gouernoures of publyke weales, oughte too be bene­fycyall, not iniuryous or wrongefull, not pyllers, and pollers, not robbers, [Page] and theues. Luke .xxii. Wherefore that famous & godly philosopher Seneca,Seneca. dyd ryght wel and iustely cal y^e offyce or ruledomme of a Kynge, Benefecy­um, that is to saye, a benefytte. No man, I suppose, is ygnoraunte, what is dued of subiectes, to magystrates, whych thynge, Paule doeth playnelye set forthe Roma. xiii: but here in thys place we speake of tyrauntes, whyche doynge intollerable wronges vnto all men, haue in theym no sparkle of loue towardes theyr neyghboure nor yet of true relygyon or godlynesse.A digressi­on. What shall we saye, o faythfull soule? shall wee not beleue, that thys is doone, by thee syngulare loue, mercye, and bounteous worcke of God thee father, that in thys oure moste wycked tyme, whyche is polluted, w^t all kyndes of vyce, we see thee bryghtenesse of hys holye worde, too shyne forthe, wythe so greate vertue and lyghtesomnesse? In this oure tyme, I saye, that all inorydynate lustes & fleshely affectyons, vnryghteousnesse iniquitie, a dyssolute or lycentyous corruptyon of all good lawes do raygne euery wher: that we se al states and orders of menne, yea thee greateste parte of thee myghty Pryn­ces, [Page] corrupted, cōtaminated & polluted, with fylthye whoredom adulterye, rauyshyng of mayden, vnfaithfulnes, impudency or vnshamefastnes, w^t robberyes theftes, detestable vsurye, & all other lyke horryble synnes. Wherfore, sythe that it is playne and euedente, that the word of god, was neuer he­therto, sens that the fayth of chryst, beganne fyrst to bee preached and sprea­de abroade, set forth with suche power vertue & lyuelynesse, as we do se before our owne eyē, to be done now a dayes, and that euerye where almost, it maye easely be gathered therby, that thys is done by the deuyne prouidence and not wythout our great good, that we beyng instructed wyth the knowledg of our saluation shuld rather rote out, thys deceateful hypocrysye of humayne tradytyons.Wo be to y^e pastour which hy­deth the lyghte of gods wor­de vnder a bushel. Wo therfore, be vnto y^e pastour, which now, in this our time, y^e children & fooles can speake, is not a­shamed to hold his peace, which hidīg the lyghte of gods word vnder a bus­shel, doth the worke of the lord fraudulently or deceatfully, nor endeuoureth him self al y^t he can y^t the people of the lord, may be delyuered.

God, w^t expressed & plaine wordes, [Page] reueled by Samuel,The example of Saul and Samuel .i. Regum xv had in tymes past cōmaunded Saul y^e fyrst king of y^e Is­raelites, y^t he shuld make warre against y^e Amalechites, & destroy thē al, and kil w^t the sweard all liuing soules, & y^t he shulde saue either to him self, or to hys soldiours no maner of thing of the ry­ches & spotles of those vngodlye men. But Saul breaking y^e cōmaundemēte of god, dyd bring aliue Agag y^e Kyng of y^e Amalechites, & also he doubted not to reserue & saue a great nūbre of catel, for to offre vnto the lord, with the most precious & costely garmētes and many other thinges. This proude presump­tiō of Saul, that faithful prophet Sa­muel could not suffre, nor abide, which fearinge him nothinge, y^t both was la­tely made a kinge, & also was not a lyttle pufte vp, w^t y^e prosperous v [...]ctory y^t y^e lord had geuē him doth boldly wyth such wordes blame & rebuke his diso­bediēce: Wherfore, hast y^• not harkened vnto y^e voice of y^e lorde,Soche are oure good intentes y^t ar not grō ded vppon gods worde. but hast turned to the pray, & hast done that, which is wycked in y^e syght of thee lorde? But Saul excusing him self, aunswered y^t he had performed & fulfylled the wor­de of thee lorde, sayinge: I haue gone the way, which the lord hath sente me [Page] vnto, and haue broughte Agag thee kyng of Amaleke, & haue vtterlye de­stroyed y^e Aamalechites. But the people toke of the spoile, shepe, oxen & the chefest of the thinges, which shulde haue bē destroied, to offre vnto y^e lord thy god in Gilgal.Ma [...]ke ye this, that wil may a­taine good intentes Which thinges being hearde, Samuel dyd agayne blame & rebu­ke hym very sharpely, saying: Hath y^e lord as great pleasure in burnt sacry­fices & offringes, as when y^e voice of y^e lord is obeyed? Behold to obeye, is better than sacryfyce & to herken is bet­ter than the fat of Rammes. For, rebellyon is as the synne of wytchecrafte, and stubbernesse, is as the wyckednesse of Idolatryr Because thou hast cast a­waye the word of the Lorde, therefore, hath the lord cast away the, from beyn­ge kynge.A good pastour ou­ght to fo­low y^e exā ­ple of Samu [...]ll. Howbeit these thynges being thus paste, & after that Samuell had executed & done the cōmaundement of god he dyd hewe in peces Agag the king of Amaleke, which was brought too hym prysoner, Thys dede then, of that most holye and stronge prophete. Samuel, doth suffycyently teache vs, that it is y^e office and duety of a pastor, to spare neither kinges nor myghtye magistrates, but as sone as he shall [Page] perceaue them, to be deceaued, and too go out of the way, by & by, he shal rebuke their errour, y^t they may learne both to acknowledge theyr faultes, and also to amende.

Therfore,against thē y^e will not haue sīnes to be rebu­ked by the Pastours. a certayn of those hygh prelates of the Romisshe churche (whose name I wil wittingly passe ouer) was not all togeather folyshe, whych when he dyd cōmitte the cure & administratiō of a parishe, whych dyd belonge to hys Diocesys vnto a certayn minister, or pastour, he dyd bynd hym to these conditi­ons, that he shoulde in no wyse rebuke or touche sharpely his order, yea, not as moche as wyth a word: Agayne that he shoulde so tempere and moderate thee preachinge of the gospell, that he shuld in hys sermons blame and rebuke no­man. What shall then, thys poore wretched Pastour, beinge thus bounde, en­treate vpon, in hys publyke sermons? Behold, y^e whole world doth lye buried in the stinking puddel of synne, & is all togeather drowned in vyces: and yet, it shall not be lawefull too rebuke or blame it. What nede haue thē the poore shepe of a Pastour? In the meane sea­son, I knowe ryghte well, what thys good and wyse father, dyd saye, when [Page] he gaue thys commaundement, forsoth, that the condition & nature of the gos­pell was, to rebuke no man to sharpely. But, o reuerende father, open your eyes a lyttle, and loke diligently vpō Math. iii. & xiii. Item Ioh. iii. & .viii. & other innumerable places, of the Euangeli­call scripture, that ye maye vnderstande what wordes, and maner of speaking, Christe and Iohn dyd vse in rebukinge mens synnes I know that he wyll ge­ue thys aunswere: Forsouth, that it is thee duetye of a pastour: to rebuke thee synnes of the commune & rascall peo­ple, and to bringe thē of the basest sorte, from theyr acco [...]umed vyces & maner of lyuinge. For, in thys one thyng, that holy and reuerende father, dyd not a lit­tle shewe and declare hys godlynes, sayinge: that he dyd in no wyse gayn saye or contrarye the Euangelicall doctrine but rather that he dyd fauoure it, wyth all hys harte. Beholde then, howe these men, do bewray theyr owne nature and mynde. He [...]e, here, a snake lurketh in y^e grasse. For, the myghty Princes and rulers of this world, [...]he world­līges coul­de wel [...] de y^e prea­ching of y^e gospell, yf it shuld not rebuke their vici­ous liuing coulde well abyde or beare the preaching and doctrine of the trueth, yf they shulde not feele and per­ceaue, y^t therby theyr tyrāny is brought [Page] to lyght & rebuked, or yf they were not afrayed, to lose theyr temporall commodities and profytes. Another thing shal also the faythful pastour learne in thee example of Samuell: that he oughte in no wyse to spare the Princes and gouernours, but blame and rebuke sharpely theyr faultes. Which thing, yf they can not abyde:Actuum. v he heareth what Saynte Peter sayth: Better it is to obeye God, than man.

But because the annoynted sorte of the Papystes, are not ashamed,Of y^e true obedyēce [...] disobediē ­ce agaynst y^e papistes to affyr­me, strengthen, and establyshe that obe­dience, that they doo requyre of al kyn­des of men, by thys example of Samu­ell, we muste better looke vpon it, and also speake more largelye of it. When Saule, in hys factes and dedes, had ra­ther folowed and obserued hys intente and mynde, than thee playne decree of Goddes worde: he dyd commyt a great synne of disobedience. Wherfore Sa­muel sayth, that it is playne Idolatrie yf a man doeth not applye and submyt hym selfe too the lawes of God, and in hys doynges felowe theym as a mooste sure and infallible rule: yea, that it is a thynge, not onely hurtefull and perui­tious, but also most deceyptful, wherw^t [Page] a man is wonte to be no lesse deceaued, than sorcerers, wytches, and iugglers, be wont to delude & deceaue thee sym­ple and ignoraunt persons wyth theyr merye inuentions and iuggelinge ca­nes. Whych sayinge of the Prophete, ought to be taken after thys meaning, sense, and vnderstanding: When a man by thee iustincte and counsayle of hys owne reason, doeth fourge and ymagy­ne vnto hym selfe some thinge, as iuste, good, and holy determining to obserue and folowe it, and in the meane season wyll not learne of that one onely God, and hys wordes, what is good, righte­ous and holy, he hath already set vp in hys mynd, a false and deceyptfull God, that is to saye, hys owne reason & wyll of hys owne flesshe. Now, when thys false God is ones erected & set vp, it is an harde & difficulte thing, to put hym downe, or to banishe him away. For, by and by, he doeth shewe and declare hym selfe in externe and outwarde thynges, and that wyth wonderfull mystes iug­gelinges, and hypocrisy, wherwyth, vnder the colour of godlynes, he goeth a­bout to deceaue all men. For, as an ape doth lyke her yonglinges, though they be most deforme & euyl fauoured, better [Page] than the whelpes or yonglinges of al o­ther beastes, so al men generally ar wōt to prefarre the inuentiōs of their owne reason & brayne, vnto al other ordinaunces, statutes and lawes, that euer were ordeyned, eyther by god or by man.The good intente of Saul. For the same cause, Saul dyd thincke, that it was a iuste, an equal & semely thing that one Kynge should not handle ano­ther Kynge too cruellye, nor slaye hym with the sweard, but rather that it was a Royall and Kyngly thinge, to leade hys enemye, beynge ouercomed, capty­ue and bounde. Lykewyse he dyd iudge that it was neyther commodious, not profitable, that the costely garmentes, and other precious thinges, which were found in the treasors of the Amalecht­tes, shuld be destroyed wyth fyre & thee sweard, or that all the herdes of cattell, shuld thus vnprofitably perishe: Wherfore, he dyd suffre the souldiers to take vnto theym selues, those thynges, that were costelye and precious, (as thoughe he shuld study & go about, by thys mea­ne to fulfyll thee charitie of his neygh­bour, expressed in the law). And also he dyd iustitute, and ordayne a greate and solempne sacrifice vnto God hys Sa­uyour, thereby studyinge to fulfyll the [Page] fyrste lawe, that commaundeth to ho­noure, serue, and worshyppe one onelye God. Samuell hauinge an eye too hys sounde & fleshely intent of Saul, sayth: Better it is too obeye, than sacrifice, and what shall a man call that obedi­ence? That obedience of Saul, wherby he suffereth both the Kynge to be kepte a lyue, and thee people too take of thee spoyle, costely garmentes and precious iewels, and to saue a lyue great heardes of cattell for a sacrifice vnto almighty God? No, Haue not all these thynges a gteat shewe of godlynesse? Yeas for­south. But the Lorde doeth requyre an­other obedience: that is to saye, that we folowe thee prescripte and rule of hys worde, whych onely, King Saul ought to haue obserued and folowed, and not to haue preferred hys owne good intent to the deuyne oracles of Gods woorde.The obedience y^t Samuel doth speake of, doth maintayne no­thing y^e ty­ranny of y^e Papystes. By thys do Monkes, Popishe priestes, Nonnes, and all the flocke of thee Pa­pistes vnderstande, that this sayinge of the prophete Samuel, where he sayeth, that obedience is better than all sacry­fyces, doeth make nothynge, to the esta­blishment and strenghtening of their ty­rannye, but that it doeth rather directe­lye [Page] contrary theyr statutes and ordinaū ­ces. For, by these wordes euery man is commaunded to obeye goddes woorde wythoute all tergiuersation and con­trouersye (truely thys worshyppynge is moste acceptable vnto god) and that we oughte too suffre oure selues to be brought awaye or plucked from it, by no mans aucthoritie, nor by the coun­sayle of oure owne reason. Therefore, sythe that all thee whole flocke of thee papistes, do teache onely, theyr owne traditions, set forth theyr counsayls, and leane vpon theyr inuentions & dreames whych are all togeather repugnaunt & contrary vnto goddes worde, it shall be oure parte and duetye to oppone & sett agaynst soche traditions of theyrs, the veritie of the dyuyne worde of God, When then they crye and thounder out that Prelates, byshoppes,Whē Bisshops & prelates do cō maund vs any thinge we must loke whether it agreeth w^t goddes worde or not. and Priestes muste be obeyed, lette vs by and by loke whether that these men, doo commaun­de and sette forthe thynges, that maye be proued and allowed by goddes wor­de. Yf the thynges, that they commaunde, are soche, as maye be borne by gods woorde, we haue all ready in thys thin­ge, noo neade at all, of theyr Precep­tes, and Commaundementes, syth that [Page] we haue Goddes worde it selfe, whyche ought onely to be broughte forthe and adduced, whych ought only to be obserued of vs after whose prescript all our lyfe ought to be ordered, nor it is conueniente and mete that we shoulde ascri­be it to any mōrtall man. Agayne, yf theyr commaundementes be seche, that the trueth of Gods worde, toth neyther admitte, nor alowe them: and yet in the meane season be of soche impudencye and vnshamefastnesse, that they be not ashamed to saye: Our decrees & lawes, though, they be all togeather contrarye to Gods holye lawes, muste be obeyed: for obedience is better, thā al other thinges, we shal by and by aunswere, that those thynges, whych they do trifing­ly alledge for the obseruaunce and ke­pynge of theyr traditions oughte to be referred to god onely: Yea, we shall dye rather a. M. deathes, than neglecte in any maner of thinge the prescript and rule of gods worde, for, there can be no­thynge more pleasaunte and acceptable vnto god, than yf we do diligently her­ken to hys voyce nor suffre oute selfes to be deceaued by the auctoritie of any man, be he neuer so greate, and holye in the syght of the worlde. As often then [Page] as ye cōmaunde thinges contrary to y^e oracles of the diuine wo [...]d of god,It is an hygh seruice to God to be diso­bedient to the vngodly tradity­ons of the papistres. as of [...]ini [...]st hygh [...] is [...] pury thee [...]ghrye; and that [...]ynge god, yf no man [...] ouer tradityous.

When [...] the kyng of Israell, had with most [...]table and filthy adultery des [...] of that moste va­liaunt and godly man [...]uas,The example of Dayud & Na­thā .ii Res­guin .xii [...]ysing him most treattiously (whych sought manfully agayne the vnfaythful ene­myes of god ieoperdynge alwaye his lyfe for the weale of hys owne coun­trey) to be stay [...] and [...]therd, with the sweathe [...] enemyes: God did by and by [...]de Nathan the prophete vnto hym, [...] shuld sharply [...]l [...] ­ [...]e and rebu [...] [...], for thys most wycked and abho [...]ble dede: because that be [...] ye contem [...]ynge the diuine maiestie, was nothing neyther afrayde nor ashamed to [...] thys filthy wickednesse in the sight of god, onely [...]ing dede to thys thyng, that [...] shuld not [...] the heynousnesse of his faci [...]. [...] also he cōm [...]ed, y^t the punishm [...], [...]hich ensued, shuld be, with sharpe wordes, denunced, and she med vnto hym .ii. Reg. xii. for he say­eth: Thou hast staine with the sweard, [Page] [...]ias thee herbyte, [...] maryed hys wyfe: and therfore thos death shal [...]enet departe from the house. [...] be [...]than the [...]yph [...]s, compel­led to [...], that [...] [...]yaunte and mightye kynge D [...]d too hys face, and to rebuke hym for thee cryme of adulterye and trayteouse murther, that he hadde so shamefully commyt­ted.Many pastours are faynt h [...] ­ted & tolde in rebukīg y^e vyt [...]s of the princes What shall we saye then of those faynte harted and solde Pastoures, whyche seynge baylye and hourtlye the stynkyng adulteryes of their high rulers and couer [...]u [...], before theyr owne [...]ye [...] doo not [...] muche as open theyr mouthes [...] speake agaynste th [...] but rather (whyche is an hor­ryble thyng to be sp [...]) are coadin­toutes and helpers, vnto theym, that they ma [...] thee easely [...] poll [...]ge all the who [...] world, wyth adulteryes? What can bee spoken of y^e [...]thy,The dete­stable cha­stitie of y^e Papystes. [...]y [...] [...]ynge and [...]eggy she ab [...]ytye of the Papy­stes, whose for [...]ycatyon and adultes [...] me mo [...] shamefully exce [...] [...] them as the [...] of all men▪ And yet in thee m [...]ne season these wycked hypocrytes wyll hee coump­ted chaste of all men. Whyche thyn­ges thought they bee ungodlye and [Page] mooste wycked yet they were too bee borne in some of them, yf they woulde kepe them selues, mythe theyr detesta­ble lecherye, wythin thee Limytyes & bondes of nature.

Hieroboam the fyrst kyng of the .x.The sexample of Hieroboam & of the pro­phet .ii. regum .xiii. trybes, dyd conceyue suche a pryde, an dacytie, and vngodlynesse in his mynde, that he dyd sette vp .ii. calues for too worshyppe, one in Bethell, and all other in Da [...], boldelye peruertyng the feast of the Tabernacles, which ought onely to be celebrated in thee trybe of Iuda, leaste thee people shoulde haue anye occasyon too returne too Hierusalem: He as the fyrste of thee Kyn­ges, that dyd so we the sedes of Idola trye, and false relygyon in Israell, as we maye .iii. Reg .xii. and .xiii. But when thee tyme appoynted for relygyon was at hande or come, and the vngodlye kynge standynge at thee aultare, dyd burne incens: beholde, thee manne of God, whome we call & Prophete, beynge seure from Iuda, dyd sodaynely appeare before the kynge, whyche dyd blowe forthe and de­clare wythe a lowde voyce, thee com­maundemētes that the was charged w^t all, by almyghtye god, sayinge:iii. Re. xiii. [Page] aulter aulter, The Lorde god sayethe these thynges, Beholde, a sonne shall be borne vnto the house of Dauid (called Iosias) and vppon thee, wal he of­fre thee pryenes of thee hyll aultates, that burnte incense vppon thee, and mennes bones shall bee brente vppon thee. And he gaue a token thee sa­me tyme saying: Thys is thee token that thee Lorde hathe spoken it. Beholde, the aultate shall tente, and thee asshes that are vppon it shall fall out. And when thee Kynge hearde the sayinge of thee man of god (whyche had ceyed agaynste thee aultare in Bethel) he stretched oute hys hande, from thee aultate, sayinge helde hym. And hys hande, whyche he put forthe agaynste hym, dryed vp, and be coulde not put it in agayne too hym, the aultare also claue assunder, and the asshes fell out from the aultare accordynge to the token, whyche the manne of god hadde geuen, by the worde of the lorde. And when thee same prophete hadde made intercessyon vnto god, for thee healthe of that vngodlye Kynge, hys hande was myraculouslye restored to bee for­mer state, and yet for all that, he woul­de not thus leaue and forsake the Ido­latrye, [Page] whyche he hadde ones begonne and sette vp, so greate was thee indu­taryon and hardenesse of hys harte. Nowe wee are taughte by thys, that it is thee duetye and offyce of a Pa­stoure, too suffre in no wyse hys shepe to bee broughte into anye peryll of I­dolatye, or into anye kynde or spere of vngodlynesse: yea thoughe some vn­godlye and rasshe Hieroboam doethe tyse agaynste hym,The Pa­stour oughte not to leaue of, though he knowethe, y^e he shall profyte nothinge. yet he oughte too tesyste hym, too hys face, and not too ceasse or leaue of, thoughe he knoweth that he shall spende all hys laboure in vayue. For god, dyd ryght wel knowe thee harde harte of Hieroboam, and that no reasons coulde perswade him from hys vngodlynes: yet notwythe­standynge he doethe vouchesafe to sende a Prophete vnto him. This thyn­ge doethe make agaynste those Pa­stoures, whyche be woute too excuse theyr sylence that they doo vse, wythe thys reason, sayinge that they doo spende and bestowe all theyr laboure in vayne. For, Chryste doethe not therefore ceasse too teache, whyles he was amonge that frowarde and stubberne natyon of thee Iewes, becau­se that he dyd see theym too bee obsty­nate, [Page] and that they coulde wythe no reason bee perswaded too receaue hys doctryne.

The example of A­chab & of Elias thee Prophete. iii.xi.xviiiAchab also kynge of thee people of Israell, beynge no lesse vngodlye and rashe, dyd walke in the wayes of Hie­roboam: yea, he dyd passe all other Kynges (were they neuer so noughte and vngodlye) in mayntaynynge of false relygyon and wyckednesse. For, vesydes thee Idolatrye, whyche hys forefathers hadde broughte in, he dyd also execte and sette vp thee Idoll of Baall, instytutynge or ordarynynge a great multytude and numbre of prie­stes to worshyppe Baal, and to vp hol­de hys relygyon: Wherefore thee heauenlye father, beynge not a lytle moued dyd stutte vppe thee heauens, that by thee space of thre yeares no raigne dyd come downe, or fall vppon thee earthe: afterwardes he dyd sende y^e Prophet Elias, whych shuld bothe shame the prelates of Baals relygion, and also reduce or brynge thee poore people again into the true knowledge of god. When then, that moste wicked and ungodly king Achab, the extreme enemye bothe of god hym selfe, and also of true relygyon, dyd mete thys [Page] holy prophete, he dyd incontynentlye say: Art thou not be that trouble Is­raell: Whome thee prophete dyd aun­swere: I haue not troubled Israel, but thou, & the house of thy father, whych haue forsaken y^e comaundemētes of y^e Lord, & haue folowed Baall. Howe be it sende nowe, and assemble all whole Israell togeather vnto me, in thee meaunte Carmell, and thee foure hun­drethe and fyftye Prophetes, and the foure hundrethe propthes of the gra­ues. Whome when, he hadde gathered, (that is to sayt Achab the kynge) De­ltas comynge too hee people of Isra­ell, sayde: How long halte ye betwene two opynyons? Yf the Lorde be God, folowe hym: but yf Baall bee he, goo after hym. And when he hadde offered vnto theym thys condytyon, that they shoulde by fyre commynge downe form heauen, for too consu­me the sacryfyce, declare and shewe, thee dyuyne power of Baall, they coulde in noo wyst doo it. But be callynge vppon thee dyuyne po­wer, and name of the hyghe and true lyuynge God, dyd see hys sacryfice to bee consumd withe fyre, that came [Page] downe from heauen. Thou seest then, wyth what stedfastnes and constancye of mynde, Elyas doeth assawte Ido­dolatrye, before that furyous and cru­ell kynge Achab,iii. Re .xix. and also before so greate, a multytude and numbre of false Prophetes and Baalles pr [...]estes, thoughe he dyd thynke hym selfe too haue bene lefte alone of all thee num­bre of thee Prophetes. Lette the faith full Pastoure learne by hys example, that it is hys duetye, too mayntayne, defende and vpholde, boldelye, and wythout anye feare the auctorytie of gods worde, yea thoughe he doethe see all the whole worlde too bee agaynste hym: besydes that, let hym not suffer hym selfe to bee frayde or dyscoraged, by that infinit numbre of false tea­chers, & prelates of Baals relygyon, or the people to halte betwene two opinyons,A haltinge in religion that is too saye, lette hym not permyt & suffre, y^t the rude & poore simple people, bee intangled or wrapped wythe that erroure, wherewythe ma­nye nowe a dayes beynge deceaued, are wont to say: that in dede, they doo trust in y^e high and tru lyuinge god, & yet in the meane season (say they) we haue some cōfidēce in those creatures, [Page] whych are alreadye partakers of the e­uerlasting blessedfulnes, for the people of Israell was wont at some tymes to geue some honoure vnto the true God: but that almyghty and mercyfull crea­tour of all thinges, doeth not admitte, receaue, or alowe soche kyndes of wor­shippinge.

When the selfe same rasshe,The hystorie of Na­both, and what thee trewe Pa­stour oughte by it. i [...]i Regū .xxi. wicked and ungodly Achab, wold haue bought of Naboth thee Israelite, a vertuous and godly man, the vyneyarde, whyche he had nyghe to the Kynges palayce, affyrminge vnto hym▪ as moche as he woulde haue for it: he dyd take so gre­uouslye, that he was sayde naye, that he dyd sodayulye fall into a syckenesse, or ague, whyche ague, that vngodly Iesabell hys wyfe, dyd by and by, by trayterous meanes put away. For, she dyd by false wytnesses whych should accu­se that vertuous man Nabothe as a blasphemet of the holy name of the ly­uinge God, bringe to passe that the in­nocent man should be stoned to death. Whych thinge beyng done, she dyd dyd her husbande to be merye, and to ryse, and to go take possession by the kinges lawes, of the vyneyearde of Naboth. Here was the Prophete Elias sent the [Page] seconde tyme, whych should rebuke the Kynge, for this wycked facte, and dete­stable murther. Whych, when he came to the Kyng, dyd saye vnto hym: Thus sayth the Lorde. Hast thou kylled and taken possession? Thus sayth the Lord. In the place, where dogges lycked the bloude of Naboth, shall dogges lycke thy bloude also. And of that vngodly & wycked Iesabell, ye dyd prohetye af­ter this maner: Dogges shall eate Iesabell in the fielde of Israell. The scrip­ture doeth testifye, that all these thyn­ges were done, according to the prophe­cye of Elias. By this example thē, shal the faythfull Pastour learne, that it is requyred of hym, and that it is hye duetye and ocfyce, to wythstande manful­lye, and wyth a bolde stomacke, the wicked purposes of cruell tyrauntes, not onely, when he seeth all the people, and thee whole commune weale too be op­pressed, but also yf he perceaueth that one pryuate man alone doth suffer wrō ge and iniurye.

The example of Micheas & of the false prophetes. iii. re .xxii.Agayne, when all thee whole flocke of the false Prophetes dyd promyse vnto the Kynges, Achab and Iosaphat, a mooste wyefull, prosperous, and fortu­nate successe of thee matte, exhortynge [Page] theym, too setteforthe theyr armye a­gaynste the Syrians: one onelye Pro­phete, called Micheas, dyd sette hym selfe agaynste all them, tellinge theym before wyth a constant and holde myn­de, al the fortune, chaunce, and successe, that they shoulde haue. He coulde be letted in no wyse, nether by y^e greuouse iniuryes of the proude Sedechiab, nor wyth the opprobrious blowe, nor wyth hys hyghe woordes, whee wyth he dyd boaste hys Propheticall spyryte, to perseuere and contynue styll in thee decla­rynge and settynge forthe of Goddes commaundemente and holy woorde: Yea, when he was caste into prysonne, he perseuered styll in hys pourpose. And thee oracles or prophecyes of gods woorde, werer so fulfylled, that Iosa­phat dyd retourne home, beynge sore wounded, Achab beynge slayne wythe an arrowe. And when hys charette, where in he dyd ryde in thee battayle,They that haue gods word alwayes ī their mouthes & yet in thee meane sea­sō ar liers, must be [...] sisted by y^e faythful pastour. was wasshed in thee poole of Sama­tia, that, whyche was prophecyed be­fore by Elias, dyd happend ant chaunce. For, thee dogges dydde lycke there thee bloude of Kynge Achab. By thee whyche example wer are taughte [Page] agayn, that a good and faythfull Pa­stour ought to resyste theym, that haue gods worde in theyr mouthes, and are wont to boaste and crake of it, wher as in the meane season they be lyers, and set forth eyther of some pryuate affec­tion, or of a flattering mynde, the counsayls of theyr owne reason. Whether a­ny man doth set forth and handle gods worde of a fraudulent and deceyprfull mynde, it may easely and euydently be gathered, knowen and tryed, by goddes worde it selfe. Agayne, we do se that it is the duetye and offyce of a Pastour, to rebuke and lette, as moche as in hym lyeth, that inordinate luste and desyre, that almoste all Princes haue to make watte one agaynst another. Let nowe therefore,Against popishe Bys­shoppes, y^e styyre and mayntayn warres those hyghe popishe prelates come forth. Let the proude company of mysted Byshops, and of all other, that ate by a false and wronge name, called spirituall, shewe theyr heades, that it maye be knowen of all men, what they haue done hether to. Who doeth not knowe, that by thee space of fyftene yeares, and much more, great and mighty nations haue wyth deadly and irre­conciliable hatred, through the crafyte working and couueyaunce of these An­tichristes [Page] warred, and yet (thee more is the pyrie) do warre one against another Oh Lorde God, how many soules haue in the meane season peryshed, how ma­ny poore innocentes haue bene cruellye murthered, howe greate treasours, and tyches haue ben wasted and spent? and yet we se no ende, but rather feare, that worse tymes wyll folowe. And as often as they doo reason amonge them selfes of peace & concorde, they do it for none other cause, but that they hauing got­tē some profyt, may afterwardes styrre vp greater tragedyes of marres, in so moch that to heare theym at any tyme, speake of peace, wyll make any man a­frayed. For truely, when soeuer they do it, they intende to sende forth into thys myserable and wretched world,Ate, is [...] hurtful sp [...] rite alwayes doyngeyll to men. that vnluckye Ate, which troubleth al thinges But that I maye in fewe wordes con­clude all these thynges, who soeuer is studious of true peace, and godlye con­corde, let hym fyrste receaue the woorde of God, whose lyght shineth forth now a dayes, wyth so great lyghtsomnesse, for onelesse a man receaueth it, he shall neuer euioye the true peace. The are is all readye layde too thee roote of thee tree.

But what neade we to proue, wyth any longer demonstratiō, out of the bo­kes and wrytynges of the prophetes, after what facion, and maner, the pastour ought to resyste & withstand the synnes and vyces of the hygh powers & gouer­nours? Let the faythful & diligent pa­stour reade theyr sermons, and there he shal fynde none other thinge, but a con­tinuall fyghte, whych they haue had w^t the myghty princes & theyr vicious ly­uing. For, who doth not heare and see, with what wordes Esay both rebuke,Esaye the rulers of the commune weale, when he sayth: Esaye. i. Heare the worde of the Lorde, ye princes of Sodoma, and herken vnto the lawe of our God, thou people of Gomorra. Thy prynces are wycked and companions of theues. They loue gyftes all togeather, & gape for rewardes. As for the fatherles, they helpe hym not to hys ryght, nether wil they let thee wydomes causes come be­fore theym.Hieremye. and Hieremye doeth also complayne, that he can not fynde a ryghteous man, or that ministreth iu­stice in all the stretes of the sytie: why­che he speaketh not of the commens or rascall people, but of thee Lordes and chief rulers, whose synnes and vnfaythfulnesse [Page]do farre passe the wyckednesse of the people. Therfore, the princes and rulers of oure tyme, be wyse ynoughe, whych forbyd by theyr lawes, that no man shall speake agaynst theym, nor a­gaynst theyr vycyous lyuinge, wher as the fountaynes of all vyces and deuy­lyshe wyckednesse, do springe frō none other, than from thee Prynces, spiritu­all prelates, and gouernoues. Agayne, wyth what sharpenesse, doo they spea­ke agaynste false Prophetes? How cru­ell, dreadfull, and horrible a punishmēt doeth Ezechiell .xxxiiii. Chapter, threa­ten to those Pastours,Ezechi [...]. whych are wont to fede theym selues onely? Of whom, wythout doubte, there is, and shalbe al­wayes a great number, and yet neuer­thelesse the prophetes do not therefore spare theyr craftye deceyptfulnes and hypocrysye. What shal we saye of the prophete Amos,Amos. whych moste sharpelye rebuking the synnes of the head rulers doeth call theym fat bullockes, & also doeth prophecie & tell before, what mis­fortunes, plagues, & calamities are pre­pared for them? What,Ionas. Ionas was cō ­pelled by the deuyne commaundement of God, to goo into a straunge Cytye, whych was al drowned in wyckednesse [Page] and synne, and to deuounce and tell vn­to them the punishementes and plague that shuld folowe, wythin the space of xi. dayes. To be shorte, what seueritie & sharpenesse dyd they all vse, whych be­fore the captiuitie of Babilon dyd pro­phecye of the vtter destruction of thee people, and yet for all that, they coulde auayle or profyte nothinge.

The example of Io­hn against Herode. marke. vi. That valyant and noble fore tenner of Iesus christ, Iohn baptist, dyd right well know the strength, might, and fycecenesse of Kyng Herode. whych was so great, that none of al hys contrey durst contradicte, or gaynesaye it: and yet in the meane season, he doeth also vnder­stande, that he ought not therfore to be spared, nor yet to be suffred at his owne pleasure, wythout the blame of any mā to exercyse and vse hys inordinate lechety: & because that ther was none other, that durst reprehend or rebuke thys ab­hominable dede of thee Kynge, he hys owne selfe cometh vnto hym, & layinge thee heynousuesse of thee facte before hym sayth:Mark. v. It is not lawfull for the to haue thy brothers wyse. The Kynge therfore, beynge offended at hys bolde­nesse, dyd bothe cast hym into pryson, & at length put hym to death. Whereby, [Page] we do gather, that a Pastoure is dry­uen to thys necessytye, that he must rebuke, blame and reprehende, all those fawtes, vyces, and synnes, that none other mortall man date rebuke:marke ye thys, o ye faynt har­ted pastours, y^e dare not freeke againste agnatter, here we see no manne too bee excepted, but that he muste resyste the verye Princes them selues, and also y^e myghtye prelates of the churche, and that, too theyr owne faces: lette hym not suffre hym selfe, to be dismayde wythe the vayue feares, neyther of mans strengthe, nor of dignytye and power, nor of thee fo­lysshe and madde multytude: but as sone as thee lorde doethe warne hym of hys duetye, lette hym goo aboute it, wythe a soute and bolde stomache, and neuer leaue of, tyll he feele and perceaue in theym a manyfeste amendmente of lyfe. For, so doethe the lorde commaund Hieremye, sayinge: And therefore gyrde vppe thy loynes, aryse, and tell theim all, that I geue thee in commaundement, feare them not, leste I destroye the before them. For behol­de, thys day do I make the, a strong defenced towne, and yron pyllet, & a brase walle against the whole lande, against the kinges and myghty men of Iuda, against the priestes & people of the lād. [Page] They shal fyght agaynst the, but they shal not be able to ouercome therfor I am with the to delyuer the. They shal conuerte vnto the, and thou shalte not conuerte vnto theym.

It is the duetye of Pastours, too rebuke chose vices y^e none o­ther mā dare rebuke.For, as among the Lacedemonians there were certayne offycers called Ephori, and among the Romaynes, o­ther, whome they called Tribuni, and at thys presence, in certayne cytyes of Germanye, there be hygh wardens of companyes or trybes, whyche do resyst and wythstande the heade ruler, yf at any tyme,Ephori & tribuni were offy­cers amōg the Lacedemonians & Romayns too who y^e people, yf they were not wel v­sed myght haue aupelled frō the hygher magistrates. through ouer greate power, he wareth out of faciō, so god did in­stitute & ordaine Pastours amōge hys people, as certayne offycers, whyche shulde alwayes watche. For god wyll haue no man to be so hygh nor of sech auctorytie, y^e al mē shoulde be afrayde to rebuke his synnes, or tel hym of his fawres. And yf the magistrate, whose offyce and dutye it is to do it, beynge eyther letted wyth feare or infected & syck w^t the same disease, dare not boldly resist & wythstād the supreme ruler & gouernour: yet shall he that is a Pastour neuer slepe: In dede yf thautory­tie of the magistrate be ioyned w^t hys studye, laboure, and godly endeuoures [Page] or enterpryse: Vyces and wyckednes, shal the more easelye, and withe grea­ter quietnes, or more commodiously be taken awaye. But yf he be slouthfull, or negligent, the pastour shal take vpō hym thys harde cure yea, w^t the peryl and ieopardye of hys owne heade, and shall loke for helpe and delyueraunce, from none other, that from god only. Thee Pastoures muste watche,il. Croni. xxxvi. Hiere. xxv and stoppe the waye vnto wyckednesse and synne. For god arysethe yerly sendynge for the hys prophetes in tyme, to monyshe, correcte, and amende the world, which altogether is polluted, w^t y^e stynking filthines of synne, as we may se. Hierem xxv. and xxix. But after that, thee admonycyon sente of God, is ones come, there is none other reme­dye, but that wee muste chaunge our former lyfe, and amende oure sel­ues. For, excepte thys be doune, a greater euyll or plague is at oure owne doores, whyche daylye drawethe nerer and nerer, and is aggraguated, tyll ex­treme and vtter destructyon do ensue and folowe. Wee haue examples in readynesse, wherewythe thys can bee proued. For, who doethe not [Page] se thee lamentable destruction of So­doma, and of the Niniuites?Exo. xxxii Also y^e people of Israel, when they had wor­shipped the golden calue in the desert, were receaued into fauour agayn, but whē afterwardes dwellyng in the lande of promission, they had vngddly despised the voices of the prophetes, they were extremely plaged, & caryed away captyues into Babylon.

What ar­mure a pastour must bee armed wyth all.Syth then, that it is the offyce and duetie of a Pastour, to set hym selfe a­gainst, to resyst & withstād, al the Princes, & myghty rulers of thys worlde, and to fyght against them, & theyr vycious lyuīges, w^t al his might, strēgth, & power it is very necessary and nedefull, that he bee well armed, afore that he take vppon hym thys harde bur­den or charge. Wherfore, he muste bee brought into the armory of Christ, that out of it, he maye be decked and armed, wythe thee same armure, that Chryste dyd afore hand arme his discyples w^t.math. x marke vi. Luk. ix. & x For, he sending forthe his dyscyples, dyd say: Go, and preach sayinge: Thee kyngdom of heauen is at hand heale y^e syck, clēse y^e leapers, raise y^e dead, caste out deuyls, & preach that y^e kyngdō of god, is already at hand, or at the verye [Page] dooore. Freelye ye haue receaued, geue frely. Possesse not gold, nor syluer, nor brasse in your purses, not yet scrippe towardes your iorney: neither .ii. cotes, neither shoes, nor yet a rode. For the worke mā is worthy of his meate. In the which place, Christ doeth diligent­ly beware & take hede, y^t the pastour be not intāgled w^t any cares of earthli thī ges, or w^t any study & thought, howe he shal get his lyuynge, yea, he wyl haue him in no wise to prouide him self of a liuing: but doth cōmit vnto him, that chiefe & principal fode of thee soules, whō he biddeth him to set forth, w^t all faythful labour & diligēce, beleuing & y^t w^tout al doubte, y^t they shal wante no maner of externe & outward thinge, y^t is necessary for y^e lyfe of the body. For, there shalbe almaies euery wher some godly & liberal mē, which wyl not suffre thē that labour faithfullye in thee lordes vineyard to lack or want anye such thinges. Besides that, he can not denye a liuīg, and other necessary thinges, vnto his ministers & worke men, that prouydeth so liberally for the bry­des of the ayre, & floures of the fyelde. Moreouer, her cōmaunded thē to geue frelye vnto other, y^e giftes of y^e spiryt, [Page] which they had receaued,A staf is both graū ted & for­biddē to y^e Apostles. by y^e free liberalytye of god. In marke he doth ꝑnit or suffre thē to weare a staffe, which is nothing repugnaūt to those thīges, y^t we haue now here aledged. For, ther a staffe is permitted or graūted vnto thē, to helpe thē in theyr way or iourney, y^t so they shuld vnderstād that all pompe & pride of charets & horses was forbidden thē, In Mathew, he doth forbyd y^e same lest they shuld thīk, y^t they might bryng their matter to passe w^t stryppes, & force of armes: besydes that, because they shuld wholy cōmit thē selues, vnto his diuine wil prouidēce & promise, nor go about to prouyde for thē selues w^t theyr owne wysdome and studye.

The keies of binding & lousinge, ar geuē to y^e apostlesA lytle after, Christ doth also adde: And who soeuer shal not receaue you, nor heare your preachyng, when ye de­parte oute of that house, or that cytye, shake of the duste of youre fete. Vere­lye, I saye vnto you, it shall be easyer for the lande of Sodoma and Gomor­ra in the day of iudgement, then for y^e cytye. Euen as in the fore aledged places he dyd byd theym to vse the keyes of losynge and forgeuyng that is too saye, when he commaūded theym to preach the gospel, and to tel forth, that the kingdō of god is at hād: so now, he [Page] doth byd thē to bynd such, as wyl not receaue the gospel or glad tydinges of saluac [...]ō offered by thē. For, when he doth cōmaund them, to shake of, y^e dust of their fete, he doth teach thereby, as by a certaine signe & token, that the infydels ar snarred & boūd w^t so straight bondes of infidelitie, misbeleue, & in­credulitie, that they that are faythful, may not haue, as moch as y^e duste, (thā y^t which, nothīg is more vile & abiect) cōmune w^t thē. After the same faction & maner,Actu. xviii Paul afterwardes (as we may se in the Actes) byd vse the keyes of bī ding. For whē certain vngodly & stubborne Iewes withstāding y^e Euāgely­cal doctrine, did most vngodly blaspheme y^e name of christ▪ he did shake his garmētes, & dust of his fete against thē, say­inge: Your bloude be vpon youre owne heades. Frō hence forth wyll I go bla­melesse vnto the gentyls. Also, in thys place, we may se,christ wyll haue no mā to be compelled violētly to thee fayth. y^e christ doth violently cōpel no mā to y^e faith, nor wil haue any mā to be cōcayued (as we do see many now a dayes to be fowle deceaued, whi­che thinkinge that it is lawfull, make y^e faithfull afrayed, y^t they do rather seke y^e riches & kingdō of this world, than y^e kyngdō of christ) that al vertue, power, [Page] and glorye, may be adscrybed too hys word alone.

The Apo­stels & Pastours, are destytuted of al exter­ne and outward helpBy & by agayne Christe sayth: Be­hold, I sēd you forthe as shepe amōge wolues. Be ye therfore wyse as serpē tes, and innocent as doues. But beware of those men, for, they shall delyuer you vp to the counsailes, & shal scour­ge you, in theyr synagoges. And ye shalbe broughte to thee heade rulers, and kynges, for my sake, in wytnesse to them and to the Gentiles &c. Beholde he taketh from thē all earthlye de­fence of this world, al hope of comfort and helpe. For, what could be spoken, more greuous, dreadeful, and horryble vnto the fleshe,The fleshe cā not wel away with these thynges. then that? ye shall bee delyuered vp to counsayles, ye shalbe broughte vnto heade rulers, kynges, and also before iudges, they, whome ye do thinke moste frendely, shal treaterouslye betraye you, ye shall be scourged in Synagoges, one brother shall delyuer an other to deathe, thee father shall brynge hys sonnes into extreme ieopardye and peryll of theyr own lyues, nor the sonnes wyl in any wyse spare theyr poore parētes. And yet in y^e meane ceason he sayeth, y^t amō ge or in y^e middest of so many & greate [Page] peryls, they shalbe naked, and as tou­ching the bodye destituted of all helpe, as shepe that be in the myddeste of wol­ues. For, as wolues do in no wise pytie the shepe, nor acknowledge that they be bothe innocente and meke,A similitude. but rather runnynge vpon them, do scatter, teare, rente, deuoure, and destroye all aboute, so they, that are the true worshyppers of God, shall fynde no maner of mercy before tyrauntes, whyche wyll esteme them as shepe, appoynted to the slaughter, yea, they runninge furiouslye and most ragiously vpon theym, wyll thin­ke that they doo hyghe seruyce vnto God, yf they do roote out frō the earth and murther cruelly as manye, as he soche.

Thys armure, I say, and other lyke, (as whē he saith: The disciple or scoler is not aboue the mayster, nor the seruāt aboue his Lord. Agayne: yf they haue called the good man of the house, Beel­zebub, howe moche more shall they hys housholde seruauntes? And when he sayeth: And the worlde ye shall haue persecution. Item: They shall speake all yll woordes agaynste you) maye seme vnto some, lettes rather, and stoppes, than anye defence, or strengthenynge, [Page] wher as in very dede, they are nothing [...] els but a very armure. For, yf any man be already before fullye perswaded in hys mynde, that these thinges wyl happen and chaunce vnto him, lokinge for thē wyth a bolde & coragious stomack, all feare being banished from his mynd he is already wel armed, so that they cā neyther hurt nor harme him any more. Yf then, these thynges can nether hurt nor harme the Pastour, we must neades b [...]leue, that he is surely fenced and ar­med, and that wythe a stronge complete armure, agaynste all thse thynges. And yet I doo not sette forthe here the de­scryptyon, of that armure, whereof Saynte Paule maketh mention. Ephesians .vi. Chapter. but I bringe forthe the same, whyche Christe dyd briefelye and wyth playne wordes describe and sette forth. For, when he hath, Math. x. rehearsed an infinite number of mys­fortunes and perylles, whych do dayly and hourely hange ouer the Pastours,To be w^t ­oute feare is y^e moste stronge a­m [...]re of a Pastoure. he sayeth by and by: doo not ye feare theym. And a lyttle after: do not ye fea­re theym that kyll thee bodye, but thee soule they can not kyll, but rather dreade hym, that can destroye both y^e bodye and soule in thee fyre of hell. Not to [Page] feare then, not to be dismayde, for anye dreade, feare or horrour of perylles, is a mooste stronge and sure armure. But paraduenture, thou wylte make an Obiection, and saye: Obiection What newe thynge hathe Christe taughte here? for, alreadye afore I dyd vnderstande, that I shoulde lustelye and wythe a bolde stommacke goo aboute thee offyce and charge, whyche is geuen and enioyned vnto me, yf I feared nothynge at all. Wherfore I hadde more nede of hym, that shoulde geue me that mynde, whi­che wyll be afrayed of nothinge. For excepte soche a mynde be geuen me, I can not perseuere, but Christe hym selfe doeth make aunswere to all these Ob­iections. For, Solution, when he hadde commaunded theym, that they shoulde not be a­frayed in those waues of perylles: by and by he dyd shewe, wher they myght gette soche a mynde, as should be with out feare, for he sayth, Iohn xvi. These thynges haue I spoken vnto you, that in me, ye maye haue peace, for, ye shall haue affliction in the world. But be ye of a good chere, for I haue ouercommed the worlde. Doest thou see nowe, howe Christ is our defendour? He byddeth vs to be of a good chere, & that we putting [Page] awaye all feare, do persyste constantelye in hys worcke, though moste greuouse afflictions do ouerwhelme vs. For, this is the nature of the worlde thus alway­es to exercyse and trouble the true worshyppers of God. Here doeth lye a most sure hope of oure comforte, and an vn­doubted defence, that Christ hath ouer­commed the worlde. For, yf we be hys faythfull mynysters, he shall also ouer­come the worlde for vs. Wherfore, he byddeth vs to be of a good cheare, and to putte awaye al feare. After the same maner Moyses doeth comforte the children of Israel saying:Exod. xiiii The Lord shal fyghte for you, and ye shal holde youre peace and be styll. The Pastour then, beynge endued, or rather armed wythe soche a mynde, shall wyth all care dili­gence, and fidelitie admynistre the wor­ke of hys Lord, cōmitting al the residue vnto hym, who, according to hys good and deuyne wyll, shall geue a ioyefull and prosperous ende or successe.

But because the pastour myght here make another obiection, Obiection & say: Truely, I do heare the voyce & worde of Christ, which promiseth that he wilbe both an helper & a defendour vnto me, but I see in the meane season, how he is wont to [Page] defende hys mynisters, euen so, that at length they be fayne to suffre death. I aunswere that then thou art very well defended, Solution. when thou doeste suffre death for Christes sake For, no man suffreth death for the name of god, excepte he be a chyld of God. But here in this place, thou shalt knowe the chiefe and mooste principall foundations of fayth & cha­ritie,The prīci­pal foūdations of faith & charitie. wher wyth the whole buyldinge of a Christian man is set vp, as it hath bene promysed afore. Doest thou beleue that there is one onely almighty God? I beleue, wylt thou saye. Doest thou beleue, that the same is thy god, thy Lord and thy father? I beleue wylt thou say. Tell me then, doest thou putte all thyne hope and confydence in hym onelye? Yes, wylte thou saye. Wythout doubt then, thou doeste beleue thys also, that the same God hath promysed nothyng vnto the, but that he wyl perfourme it. That do I also beleue, wilt thou saye. Yf thou doeste then acknowledge God to be thy father, I doubte not, but that thou wylt loue hym, & in all his cōmaū demētes, be obediēt vnto him. And yf y^u be thus mynded, thou wylte be glad, I trow, yf thou canst at any tyme do ser­uyce, vnto so bounteous, mercyfull and [Page] gentyl a father, or yf thou canste do any maner of thinge, that may please hym. Or that fayth then, wherby thou doest acknowledge him, to be that most hygh and almyghty God, wherby thou doest acknowledge hym to be thy God, and thy father, that also is wont to ensue & folowe, that thou conceaueste a verye great hope to come into the presence of thys God, yea, thou wylte make haste to come vnto hym, as soone as may be. For, yf thou doest acknowledge hym to be thy father, thou shalte loue hym. Yf thou doest loue hym, as thou oughteste to do, thou canste neuer abyde that hys name be blasphemed, that hys honoure and glory be any thing mynyshed, that his worde be not beleued, that his com­maundementes be thus so vngodly and wickedly contempned and troaden vn­der fete.A similitude. As then, thou wylt rather dye, than to suffre thy father to be broughte into an yll name, or too be diffamed: so shalt y^u moch more wyshe and desyre to suffre this bodely death, rather than to see gods glory to be diminished. Agayn yf thou doeste beleue that Gods worde is constant, sure, and infallible, y^u shalte also knowe and vnderstande, that noo greater glorye can vppon the earth happen [Page] vnto man, and that we can doo no greater seruyce vnto God, than yf we suffer death for the glorye of hys name. Therfore, the lesse feare and horrour of death is in thee, so moche thee greater and stronger fayth is in thyne harte, on the contrarye, thee more thou doeste feare and dreade thys bodelye death, so moche the lesse doest thou loue Christe, and truste in God. For, whosoeuer is endued wyth a true faythe and is fyered wyth an vnfayned and syncere loue of God, he doeth already vnderstand, that thys death, whyche we muste suffer for the name and glorye of Christ: is a very lucre and a most true waye,The death y^t we suf­fer for christes sake is a true w [...]y to co­me to euerlastīg lyfe to come to y^e euerlastinge lyfe. Besydes that, he doth know, that he is in no wise ouercomed which, for the confession of Christes na­me, suffreth death, but rather that he is both ouercomed & all together vndone, that for thee loue of thys mortall lyfe, doth suffre him self to be plucked away from God. He then, that vnderstandeth all these thinges perfectely, shall in no wyse excuse thee peryll of death, for, it is the nature of the fleshe, to feare death and to complayn of it, but he that hath in hym a syncere and so [...]nde loue of GOD, noo fyre, noo concupyscence, [Page] or coueteousnesse of earthlye thynges, shalbe able to quenche that deuyne heat whych is in hym We must nedes, with the myghte and power of thys loue, as wyth a muste sure armure, to ouercome the enemyes of god, as Paule doth tea­che, when he sayeth: Roma .viii. I am sure, that neyther death, neyther lyfe, neyther aungels nor rule, nether power neyther thinges present nor thinges to come, nether heyght no: lowenesse, nor any creature shalbe able to departe vs frō the loue of god, whych is in Christe Iesu our Lorde.

Why and wherefore loue is re­quired in a Pastour.Nowe because that charitie is afore all thinges, and most chiefely requyred in a pastour, as very necessary, the cause must be shewed why he hath nede of it, and also we must tell, wher he maye get it, Loue is therfore necessary in a Pa­stour,A similitude. because that all hys actions and doynges, all hys endeuours, and coun­sayls must be proued, tryed and righted by the rule and lyne of charitie or loue. For, as no carpenter, be he neuer so con­uinge and industrious, is so well eyed, or hath so perfect a syghte that he nea­deth no rule & lyue. So, nether y^e strēgth of the mind, nor y^e science & knowledge, nor yet fayth, is any thinge worthe, ex­cepte [Page] it be righted by y^e rule of charitye.i. Cor xiii, For, Paul doth speake of it after thys maner: Loue suffreth long, & is courteous: Loue enuyeth not loue doeth not frowardlye, swelleth not, dealethe not dishonestly, seketh not her own, is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euil, reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyseth in the truth, suffereth al thinges, bele­ueth al thinges, hopeth in al thīges, endureth al thinges. loue calleth neuer away. It may then easely be gathered by these condicions of loue, that afore al other vertues it is necessary & nede­ful to a pastours. For, as a shepeherde,A similitude. doth scourge & beate some of his shepe, some he dryueth forwardes w^t his handes, some with fete, some againe he doth wystell forwardes, some he doeth allure w^t bread & salt, some, y^e ar weake, he doth beare vpō hys shoulders, some agayn he leaueth in y^e tables & foldes, tyl they be growē & of strength, & in al these thinges he seketh y^e ꝓrofit of hys marster, hauing a respect only, y^t the nū ber of y^e shepe may encrease, & that thei may be safe & sound: So, y^e Pastour of y^e soules, being kyndeled w^t the fyre of gods loue, shal do al that he can, that y^e shepe of god, may bothe encrease, and [Page] abydyng stedfastly in y^e true fayth, may alwayes, through hys dyligence, be in safegarde. Wherefore he shal, now in tyme; now out of tyme cal vpon them, as the nature of shepe is wonte to re­quyre, and as God, accordynge too the true meanynge of hys worde doth ad­myt. But, what nead [...] we manye wor­des? she that hath loue, doth neuer, de­ceaue or fayle, nor is deceaued, for, loue is not ydle, but moueth man, to promote & set forth alwayes the honour and glory of god, bearyng, & sufferynge in the meane season wyth a constant and stedfaste mynde,Withoute the loue of God it is an easy things to fall into pryde. all those thynges, that muste be suffered for it. But yf a man doeth want thys charytye and loue, he shall easelye fall and that headlonge into thee bottomlesse pyt of pryde: for without the loue of god, what is man, but an arrogante pryde, & mere hypo­crysye.

Wher the loue of god ought to be soughte.Now, and where a man shall bothe seke and fynde thee loue of god, it is easye to bee knowen by the wordes of Chryste, where Ioh. vi. he speaketh after thys maner: No manne cometh vnto me, except my father doth drawe him. Ergo, it cometh of god y^e draweth vs, y^t we do styck vnto him, leaue vpon [Page] him, & truste in him. For, god him selfe, is loue, as Iohn .i. Ioh. ii:i doth testi­fye. He the, y^t dwelleth in loue, dwel­leth in god, and god dwelleth in hym. Wherfore, it is most necessary & nede­ful for a pastour, to cal earnestly vpon god, y^t he vouchsafe to kindel in him y^e fyre of his loue. But how shal he call vpō him, in whome he beleueth nor. in whō he trusteth not? Ro x. The inuocatyō thē, or prayer, cometh or springeth of fayth: For, no mā is wonte too cal vpō him, of whō, he can not hope, to receaue saluatiō & helpe: besydes y^t, men do not cal vpō him, of whose good wyl & loue thei do hope to haue al goodnes yf in the meane seasō, they know him, to be so weake, y^t he cā not helpe & aide them. Yf then, we do in our myndes acknowledge god, both to be mercyful & louyng towardes vs, & also almighty, that is to say, y^t he is not wyllyn­ge, but also able to helpe our necessy­ties: it is alredye most sure, y^t god is in vs. For our flesh, cā not haue, of it self, such a knowledge of god. Yf therfore, ther is in vs, & in our myndes, suche a knowledge of god, & such confydēce, & trust in him, that same is not of oure selues, but it cometh of god. For, it is [Page] he that learneth vs, both hys power, & hys wyl & certyfyeth vs of thē by hys onelye begotten sonne Iesus Chryste. And who soeuer, doth receyue hym for the sōne of god, he is alredy sure in his mind, that god both wil & cā helpe vs: for he hath delyuered to death his onely begottē sonne for vs: thau the why­che, nothing cā be found in this world greater, or more excellent. He therfore, which is certified by Iesus Christe, is borne of god, and god dwelleth in him i. Ioh. iiii. For, we cā not by our owne reason and strengthe receaue Chryste, wyth a sure, and stedfast faith, for that is wrought in vs, by god only. And he, that hath god dwellyng in him, is al­redy certyfyed in hys mynd, that God wyll both heare hys prayers, and also performe hys desyres. By these thīges thē, y^t haue ben rehersed hitherto, it is most surely to be gathered y^t they▪ whyche ar wōt to complayne of y^e feblenes of gods loue, and of theyr cold affectyon towardes hym, nor cā abyde to suf­fre death, for his names sake, haue not yet receaued christ, w^t a true and sound fayth. For, he y^t hathe embraced christ. from hys verye harte, can not, but bee ashamed, yf he feelethe hys fleshe too [Page] go aboute some let or stoppe, syth y^t he seeth god the father, to haue delyuered so liberally his onely begottē sōne for vs. Who soeuer then,Of whom we oughte to desire y^t loue of God. desyreth the loue of god, he must aske of god y^e father, the true knowledge of Iesus christ, and of his whole mistery, & that he may leane vpon him wyth a sure, true & vndoub­ted fayth: and by & by he shall feele in him self y^e fyre of loue. He shal also af­terwardes geue high thākes vnto god, y^e he doeth vouchsafe to spēd, bestow & cōsume, thys foule & vyle body, to the honour and glory of hys name. For, although our fleshe doth dreade & feare death (for chryste hym selfe, was not a lytle moued wythe the feare and hor­rour of deathe) yet notwythstanding, beynge by and by styrred, w^t that moste strōg fire of loue, & incēsinges of faith, will be cōstrained to folow the faithful soule, into y^e very death. Such I saye, is the necessitye of gods loue whyche may be drawen out of those fountay­nes, that we haue shewed euen nowe.

We thinke thē,What the loue of God is a­ble to doo y^t it is sufficiētly shewed & declared, y^t the loue of god one­lye, can performe or brynge too passe al those thinges, that are necessary for a pastoure, whych ar these: that he vt­terlye [Page] forsake his parentes & hys owne self, that he take vpon hym thys moste peryllous office, w^tout scrippe, purse, & without any rode or styck, that also, he suffre hym selfe to be broughte before heade rulers, before kynges and Iud­ges, that he suffre him self, to be scour­ged, to be reuiled & yl spoken of, and at­lēgth to be most cruelly put to deathe: Whyche loue againe,the rewar­de of a good Pa­stour. it is impossyble to stande, wythoute a true and assured fayth in god. Now also, the greatenes of the reward must be cōsidered, yf per­chaunce, according to the nature of mā ­nes wytte, thee hope of thee rewarde may encorage the Pastour, hoth to la­boure, and also to bee pacyente, in hys troubles and afflyctyons. Oure lorde Iesus Chryst doth appointe the rewarde. Marke .x. For, when Peter had in the name of all y^e disciples asked hym, sayinge: Beholde, wee haue forsaken all thynges, and folowed thee. What shall we then haue? Christe dyd aun­swere: Verely, I say vnto you, Ther is no man, that hath forsaken hys house, or hys brethren, or his systers, or his fa­ther, or hys mother, or hys wyfe, or his chyldren, or his fyeldes, for my sake & the gospel, but that he shal receaue an [Page] hundreth fold in thys world, houres, & brethren, and syners, & mothers, & chyldren and fyeldes wyth persecutions, & in the world to come, lyfe euerlasting. Here, chryste doethe promyse an ample and an excedynge greate rewarde, but he doethe adde a verye sowre sawce, he maketh it very bytter, and hatefull or heynouse vnto our flesshe, when he tel­leth before, that we shal haue, y^t rewar­de w^t persecutions. Wherfore, we must better loke and consyder, wher, the sa­me hundreth fold reward that he doth speake of here, was euer geuen. For, it is a very easye thing. to fyud persecution in this worlde, but we se, that it is not so easye to fynd an hundreth hou­ses, & so manye brethren & fyeldes &c. Wherfore pōder more dilygētly, what hath ben done.Actuum .ii. Whē Peter, as y^e Actes do testyfie. dyd vpon wytsonday, preaching christe, conuert thre.Howe it oughte to be vnder­standed, y^t we shal re­ceaue an hundreth folde in this world M men too the christian fayth, dyd he not get vnto hym, a muche greater numbre of sy­sters and brethren, and also manye mo houses, fyeldes, and much greater plē ­tye of all thynges than euer he hadde before? For, he dyd loue all theym whiche dyd take thee name of chryste vp­on them, and dyd beleue in him, no les [Page] than hys owne brethren, he dyd no lesse care for theyr ryches and possessyons, than yf the substaunce of all theym, had bene hys owne, takinge hede most dili­gētly to this thing, that they shuld not set theyr myndes to moch vpon earthly ryches, nor abuse them rashely. Truely all faythful pastours were of this mynde. In dede this reward doth in no wise serue for the body, nor for bodely cōmo­dities, but rather it doeth increase the care & solicitude of a Pastour, which he hath ouer the shepe cōmitted vnto him. What nedeth to speake of the promises of ꝑsecutiō, wh [...]ch we do se to be so fulfylled, y^t by the space of many yeres, the pastours & ministers of y^e churches haue ben most cruelly put to death? wherby, it may easely be gathered, y^t the Pastours do in no wyse minister and execute this function & office,whether a Pastour y^t is fa [...]thful doeth take this offyce vpon him, in respecte of the [...]uerlasting re­warde, or not. for any externe & out­warde reward. But because, the rewarde of euerlastinge lyfe is promysed al­so wythe these outwarde thynges, we must consyder & luke, whether y^t the Pastour doth take vpon hym this office, in respecte of it, or not. Where agayne we shal deprehend & fynd, y^t the Pastour, yf so be that he be true & faythfull, is not principally moued wyth thee promyse [Page] of y^e euerlastīg reward, to take thys of­fyce vpon him. For, he y^t seeueth for an euerlasting hier & rewarde, must nedes afore all thynges to know, where this hyer or reward is promised vnt [...] him, agayne, who is the author of this pro­myse, & that he, whych hath promysed, is true, whych can neytherlye, nor de­ceaue. Yf then, a man knoweth, that a rewarde is promysed vnto him, by and by doth he enquyre, wyth al dylygēce & studye, whether that he which hathe promysed it, is true. Yf he be eues assured and certyfyed in hys mynde there­of, he hath also gottē y^e true & most assured or strong faythe in god the father. And where faythe is, there also muste the loue of god ensue and fol [...]w. For, who coulde acknowledge god, for that hyghe and infallyble good, for a moste benigne, boūteous, & mercyful father, & not loue hym, from hys very hart? especyally syth that hathe certyfyed vs of hys grace and loue, wyth that most chyef Iewel, pryce▪ and pledge, of hys only beg [...]ttē sōne Iesus christ. No mā then that is a faythfull pastour, hath a respect to y^e reward or hyer. For, yf he be alredy before assured & certyfyed of the reward, knowynge that it can not [Page] be taken from hym, he muste also haue fayth before in hym: Yf he hath fatyh, he hathe also an inseparable company­on wyth it, whyche is called thee loue of God. Yf then the Pastour hath both faythe and loue, these two shall moue hym: to doo hys duetye. and to execute truely hys offyce, wythout any respect of rewarde or hyer. Seruauntes and hyerlynges do laboure and worcke for the hyer, and haue an eye onelye to it, the chyldren not so: but because they are chyldren they do so faythfully worke in the house of their father, wyth­out any solycitude or care of the hyer, or rewarde, for, they do committe who­ly the retribution or paying of it, what soeuer it shall be at length, vnto theyr father.Galat. iiii And we are chyldren and eyres wyth Christe, why shoulde we then as seruauntes and hyerlynges haue a re­specte onely to the hyer and rewarde, and not rather to the glory and honour of our father, whych accordynge to his ryghteous wyl, and euerlasting wysdō, doeth appoynte and assygne a portion of hys enheritaunce for vs? What Pa­stour soeuer is not come to this measure of gods loue, he shal in y^e flāmes of tēp­tacion & persecutiō, oftē tymes wauer. [Page] For this cause Christe dyd strengthen his disciples wyth his holy spyryte, a­fore y^t they went to preache, & that with an outwarde sygne and token of fyrye tonges, of a vehement noyse & impetu­ous wynd.Actuum. ii For, the wynd dyd go be­fore in tokē of y^e most troublous tempest wher with afterwardes the world was shaken & moued: which signe and tokē, fyrye tongues dyd folowe, wherby the strengthening & confirming of god the father, through hys loue, beynge kynd­led in our hartes, is sygnyfyed and be­tokened.

HEre I am cōpelled, for the great zeale, that I beare vnto y^e truth, & vnto the maintainers therof, to detect & bring to light, a most crafty & subtyll pollicye, which y^e Papistes ar wont to vse at this present: beyng in this poynt most lyke vnto cer­tayne warriours, which, whē they fele them selues, to be ouer weake for their enemyes, eyther cause an oure crye too bee made vppon theym, wythe these or like wordes: They flye, they flie: y^t so they may encorage theyr mē of warre, whych afore were most lyke to forsake thee fyelde and [...]enne awaye, and also make the enemies that are wythin the hearynge of it, too bee dysmayed and astonyed, and to thinke, that theyr companye, whome they se not, bee put too flyght, & haue vtterly forsaken theim: or elles beyng beaten and ouercomed. [Page] [...]o send tydinges about, that they haue gotten thee ouer hande or vyctorye thereby comfortyng theyr adherentes and frēdes, whych elles, yf their ouer­throw were knowen, wold haue swar­ued, from thē. A very lyke thynge dyd chaunce & happen in thys laste, Iulye Anne. M.D.L. That most valyaunt soldiour of the lord, and strong propugnatoure or defendoure of gods trueth Maister Iohn Hooper, as he returned frō my lorde Chauncelour, y^t then was in the countie of Essex, did (whether it was by a chaunce, or of a set purpose, I know not) come vnto & certayne manour or place of my good Mayster, Syr Iohn Yorke Knight thē Shreue of London, whych place is caller Markes .ix. myle fre [...] the cytie: wher a certaine learned mā, named Maister Doctour Cole, quōdam Chaūcelour of London̄, & now Wardeyn of the new college in Oxeford, was asserua [...]ed & kept prysoner (.Wherfore it is, all the worlde doth know) when these great clerkes were mette and come together, after a mutual congratulacion, they dyd, w^tin a while, begyn to reasō of sōdry & ma­ny thinges y^e belōg vnto learnyng, but most especyally of those poyntes of religiō, y^t now are in cōtrouersy betwene [Page] the Orthodoxes, I meane the true and faythful Christians and the Papistes. Thys was not so sone begunne, but that is was by & by blowē abroade, a­mong the symple & ygnouraunt people, that dwel, v, [...]. vi, myle of, y^e Mayster [...]ooper had not one word to answere, and that he was so handeled & beaten by the Doctoure that he was fayne, w^t moch shame both to hym, & to al these newe hererykes, to graunt him the victory. Whych rumour wyth in two or thre dayes, was spred al abrode here in thys noble cytye of London, & euerye wher elles: So that in Cambrige ther is no small reioysynge, yet at thys houre, among them, that wyth al their hartes do fauour and mayntayne Popyshnesse: (Howebeit thankes be vn­to god, ther be very fewe soche in that floryshyng vniuersitie) How the most part of Oxeforde do tryumphe at the mattttr, all men that haue anye wytte or iudgement may iudge. Is not this, o Chrystyan Reader, a maruayllous and a verye wonderfull Pollycye of thee Sapystes? They see that they are ouer weake to withstand the truth of Goddes worde, and that it is im­possyble for theym to recouer by open dysputacyon or reasonynge (yf onelye [Page] the pure and syncere worde of God, be as a moste sure and infallyble lyghte, brought and aledged, to decite or determyne al matters, their estate, that they haue lost, by the bryght shinyng forth of the Euangelycal verytie. Therfore, they doo wythe all crafte and de [...]eate noyse abroade, and that by theyr com­plyces and adherentes, that the defen­dours of thee trueth (whome they doo most shamefully cal peruitious hereti­kes, & sedicious persōs) dare not coope w^t them, & yf perchaunce they haue coo­ped with thē, & manfullly w^t the [...]erd of the spirit, which is gods word, ouer comed them: yet wyll these ranke Pa­pictes, being thus ouerthrowē, by some subtyll meanes, make all thee whole world to beleue, and especyally them, that are ygnoraunte and symple, that the Orthodoxes or faythful mere ouer throwen, and (as theyr commune ter­mes be) made very fooles. Which thinge was well sent at that dysputacy­on, that was kepte or hadde, at Oxe­forde betwene thee Papystes, and that godly learned manne Peter Martyr, in the matter of the Lorde sup­per: but nowe moue euydentlye, in [Page] thys reasonynge and communycatiō, that was betwene Mayster Hooper, and Maister Cole (though the matters were not of like importaūce & weyght) For thou shalte knowe and vnderstande, good Christyan reader, that it is nothynge so, as thou arre informed, or as it is noysed abroade and that thou mayest be sure thereof: I (whyche was present at it, and departed neuer from theym, not as moche, as thee bredthe of a strawe, so longe as they reasoned, togeather) wyll shewe and declare and that by order, whereupon theyr dysputacyon was, that thee thyn­ge beynge well and truelye knowen. (For that whyche I wryte nowe, I wyll iustyfye before Mayster Cole hym selfe, and all theym, that were there presente) thou mayeste now at lengthe perceaue and vnderstande, how thou haste ben: deceaued: and yf thou bee a true chrystyan, howe thou haste bene caste into a vayne feare and dreade, or yf thou be a Papyste (why­che thynge God for feude) howe thou haste be [...]e broughte into a fooles pa­radyse, by suche lyinge tales, that immedyatelye ensued vppon they, rea­sonynge [Page] and talke. The fyrste poynt of theyr dysputacyon was thys: Mayster Hooper dyd affyrme, that the Byshoppe of Rome dyd by hypocryty­call wayes growe to that auctorytye, power, and Maiestie, that he dyd chose the Emprours, whych thinge Mayster Cole dyd denye, and that stoutely. For, yf he had graunted the same, by and by it hadde folowed, that thee Emperour hadde bene so vnder thee subiection of that Antichriste, that he durste do none other thinge in matters of relygyon, but as that Antichriste should wyl him to do And therfore, y^e myghte well go shoe the goes, that loked for any re­dresse in Relygyon at the Emperours handes. Another thynge also shoulde haue ensued, and that by good conse­quence, that is to saye, that thee Bys­shoppe of Rome shoulde haue bene [...] very Antychriste, syth that clene contrarye to thei precepte of Christ, he dyd ta­ke vppon hym to rule Emperous and Kynges: Where as Chryste dyd saye: Thee Prynces of natyons shall rule theym, but ye shall not so doe. That coulde not thys greate Doctoure a­byde, and therefore he denyed Mayster [Page] Hoopers proposytyon, whyche he dyd proue after thys maner: Thee Bys­shoppe of Rome, sayde he, doeth by his Chanon lawe choose and appoynte out thee Electours. That doo I graunte, sayde Mayster Cole. Then sayde May­ster Hooper agayne: Also when the E­lectours haue choosen oute the Empe­rour: thee Electyon doeth not stande, onelesse the Bysshoppe of Rome doeth allowe and approue it. I doo not denye that, sayde thee other. Ergo sayd Mayster Hooper, thee Byshoppe of Rome chooseth the Emperour. I denye thee argumente, sayde thee other, is to saye, that thee Bysshoppe of Rome doeth choose thee Emprour. Here thou seeste, that thys Doctour coulde esca­pe no waye. He dyd graunt (for he coulde doo none other) that the Byshoppe of Rome, dyd by thee Chanon lawes, make thee Electours, and agayne that thee Electyon dyd not stande, onelesse the Bysshoppe of Rome dyd auowe it. What other thynge. I praye you, cast we conclude there vppon, but that the Bysshoppe of Roome dydde electe and choose thee Emperoure. That [Page] some thinge also was well proued, by notable Hystoryes, whyche doo teache, declare, and sette forth, howe those An­tichristes haue in tymes passed, handled the poore sely Emperours. The second poynte, that they reasoned vpon, was, that Gods worde doeth sufficientlye, wythoute thee helpe of thee fathers or counsayls, expounde it selfe, that is to saye, that one place of thee Scripture, oughte too be expounded by another, whiche opinion Mayster Hooper dyd holde. Thys thinge was reasonned in the fieldes betwene theym bothe, in the latyn tongue, (onely I beynge present wyth theym.) And when Mayster Hooper dyd brynge innumerable testimonies and places of the scriptures, to proue thys trueth wyth all, the other resysted hym stoutelye. But surelye they were not bothe armed and weapened in lyke. For Master Hooper being armed with a very eloquent latyne tonge, (In dede I haue, thanckes be vnto God, some knowledge in the latyn tōgue, and ma­ny haue I hearde speake in my dayes: but yet I neuer heard an Ecclesiastical man speake more [...]et and cleane latyn, then he dyd extempore) was also wea­poned wyth stronge Scriptures, and word of god, wheras the other, besydes [Page] hys haulte eloquence, hadde nothynge els but the fathers, counsayles, and I can not tell what church, or yf he brou­ghte any scriptures, they were so wra­sted oute of tune, that they serued no­thinge lesse, than for the pourpose, that they were alledged for. Vpon this matter they were aboute three houres by thee clocke. At length, when Mayster Hooper coulde gette nothinge of hym, but: The fathers, the fathers, the coun­sayls, the counsayls, and I can not tell what church (for the trew Church, why the is the spouse of Christ, and is ruled by hys spyryt onely, settinge forth no­thynge besydes or agaynst gods worde, Mayster Hooper dyd well allowe) they made an ende of that argument or matter. And as they were at dyuer, they be­ganne to talcke of thee counsayll that was lyke to be, by the appoyntmente of the Bysshoppe of Rome, Whych May­ster Hooper dyd thincke to be vnnecessa­rye, because that there nothynge could be redressed, or determyned, but as the Bysshoppe of Rome woulde haue it. And who, I praye, woulde thinke, that the same Antythryste woulde haue any thynge to passe agaynste hys detesta­ble pryde and deuylyshe coueteousnes? [Page] Nexte after that, they dyd conferre of thee offyce and duetye of a Kynge, whom Mayster Cole wyll not haue too bee learned and sene in Gods lawes. But that fonde and deuilishe opynyon dyd Maister Hooper confute wyth stronge and infallyble testymonyes of thee Scryptures, and woorde of God, she­wynge that it was mooste necessarye of all, that a Kynge shoulde haue a per­fecte knowledge of Gods worde. How coulde he elles rule and gouerne hys people, accordynge too thee wyll and pleasure of God? But Mayster Hoo­per dyd in fewe woordes shewe, what was the cause, why he woulde not ha­ue thee Kynges and Princes too haue learnynge. Trewely, because that they woulde haue styll the whole worlde vnder theyr iurisdictiō. Because that they woulde haue styll Prynces and rulers too see thoroughe theyr spectacles, and too be blynded wythe thee mystes of theyr tradytyons. Laste of all at thee instaunce of my Good Mayster, Syr Iohn Yorke, they shoulde haue reasonned vppon thee Supper of thee LORDE, but Mayster Cole woul­de not meddle in it. Then dydde Mayster Hooper offere too dyspu­te [Page] wyth hym in Hebrewe, Greke, and Latyn, and wythall theym that be of hys facte or secte, vpon al matters of Relygyon, that be nowe in controuer­sye. Whom Maister Cole dyd answere, that, as for the Latyn and the Greke, he coulde well skyll in them bothe, but as for the Hebrewe, he was not sene in it. And thoughe he were neuer so skyl­full: yet sayde he: that he wolde not put hys foote farther into the fyre. Then sayde Mayster Hooper vnto hym: Ye depredicate and saye euery where, that we are in errour, and not only that, but that ye be able to cōuince vs of errour. Syth then that ye can confounde oure errour, that we are in: and wyll not do it. I saye vnto you: that as many of vs, as do, or shall peryshe, thorough youre negligence or fayntenesse of harte, thee bloude of all theym shalbe requyred at youre handes. Thus they ended theyr communycation. And then my good Maister Syr Iohn Yorke, dyd take the matter in hande, exhortinge Mayster Cole, not to hyde his talente, but to em­ploye or bestow it diligently, accordyng to the wyll and pleasure of god. Thys is the whole matter, good Christian reader, trewely and faythfully sette forth vnto thee: whereby thou mayste vnder­stande [Page] whether of theym two hadde the vyctorye. Weyghe and poudre the mat­ter thyne owne selfe. Examine & trye it wyth that infallible touch stone, that can neuer fayle or deceaue, Suffer not thy selfe to be seduced, wyth those re­prochefull and opprobryous termes, wherwyth, some of theym most lying lye doo lode thee trewe messenger of God, sayinge: Mayster Hooper is but an asse, he is but a dyshe cloute to Mayster Cole, for trewely, though Mayster Cole is exceadinglye well learned, in all lyberall Artes, in Philosophie, and other of thee prophane sciences, wherevnto ye maye annexe thee eloquence in bothe the tongues: Yet not wythstan­dyng, Mayster Hooper doth farre passe hym, in heauenly knowledge and vnderstandynge, and beynge not inferior vn­to hym in the knowledge of both these tongues, he is well sene in the Hebrew and Chaldeike tongue, whych thee o­ther doeth lacke. Howe beit, I woulde that Mayster Hooper, or anye of vs, myghte be a dyshe cloute vnto hym, for then, we shoulde make thee inner parte of thee vessell cleane, (for it is the pro­pertye of dysshe clouttes so for to doo) but I am afrayed, that the inner parte of the vessell is so cankered, wyth Po­pyshe [Page] superstition, & deuylishe doctrine that it shall nede of a sweard, to scrape it out clene. The Lord God of heauen, from whō al goodnes doth come, vouchsafe to bringe him & all other, that are yet in errour, into the ryght know­ledge of his truth. That we may all together prayse & laude his holy and blessed name. Amen.