An Comfortable Exhortation

Of faith

B Elowed brethren above all thing be strong and steadfast in youre faith / as S Paul teached. Above all / take ye y ^e shelde of faith / wherewith ye may quench all the fiery darts of ye wicked. Therefore be ye sober and watch for youre adversary the devil as an roringe Lion walker about / sekinge whom he may denore / whom resist steadfast in the Faith As John saith ī his revelation Behold y ^e devil shall cast of you in presone / to tēpte you be faithful unto the deeth / & I shall give y ^• an croune of life. Vithout this faith saith Paul / It is impossible to please God. Therefore be strong in youre faith. This faith is the very rock where on the chirch is hildeth as saith our saueour / ap one this rock I vilbilde my congregation / And Paul saith in another place. No man can lay a nother foundation then that which is laid which is Jesus Christ / that is though say / y ^t faith of Jesus Christ / and in another place saith he / ye now are no moare strangers and foreners / but citesins with the saints and of the household of God / and are bildet apō the fundacion of the Apostles and Prophets / Jesus Christ being the heed corner stone / in whom every bildinge coupled to gether / groweth unto an holy temple in the lord / in whom ye also are but to gether / and made an habitacion for God in ye sprite. The fundacion of the wall of the cite saith Ihone was garnisshed with all manner of precious stonis. The fundacion of the cite of Ierusalē (the chirch of almigty God) is faith which is garnisshed with the great mercy and goodness of God abundantly / as with all manner of precious stonis / or with all kind of good works precious & acceptable unto God / for faith can nor be ydel / bot worketh thorough low / ye good to all man / like as a good tree bringeth forth good fruit / a good tree cā not bring forth bade fruit. Also an good mā out of ye good treasure of his heart bringeth forth good things. Faith thorough low is mighty in operacion / for faith bringeth the sprite of God and the sprite of God bringeth low. And low worketh no ewil / but all good So faith continually worketh good to all man / and may be called the fūdaciō garnished with all manner of precious stonis. For by faith ve are justifieth / and made righteous before God. As it is written. Now merely is the righteuesnes that cometh of God / declared without the fulfillinge of the law having witness both of the law & of y ^e Prophets. The righteuesnes no dout which is good before God / cometh by the faith of Jesus Christ / unto all & apon all that believe. For there is no difference: all have sinned / and lack the praise that is of valoure before God / but are justified freely by his grace thorough the redemption that is in Christ Jesus / whom God hath made an seat of mercy / thorough faith in his blood / to show the righteuesnes which before him is of valoure / in that he forgiveth the sins that are passhed / which God did sofre to sheue at this time / the righteuesnes that is allowed of him / that he might be counted just / and an iustifiar of him that beleuith on Jesus Christ. Where is then thy reioysinge? it is excludet. By what law? by the law of works? nay but by the law of faith. We suppose therefore that an man is justified by faith / without the deades of the law. Ys he God of the iewes only? ys he not the God also of the gentyls? he is (no dout) God also of the gentyls / for it is God only which justified circumcision / which of faith / and vncircumcisiō thorough faith

If Abraham were justified by deades then hath he wherein to rejoice / but not with God. For what saith the scripture. Abraham believed God / and it was counted unto him for righteuesnes

To him that worketh the reward is not reckoned of favor / but of duty. To him that worketh not / but believeth on him that justified the ungodly / is faith reckoned for righteuesnes. Even as David describeth the blessed fullness of an man / unto whom God ascribeth righteuesnes without deades. Blessed are they / whose vnrighteuesnes is forgiven / and whose sins are covered / blessed is that man / to whom the lord imputeth not sin. Cam this blessedness then apon the circumcised or apon the vncircūcised? we say verily howe yat faith was reckoned to Abrahā for righteuesnes Howe was it reckoned? In the time of circumcicision / or in the time before he was circumcised? Not in the time of circumcision / but when he was yet uncircumcised And he received the sign of circumcision as an seal of that righteuesnes which is by faith / which faith he had / yet being uncircumcised. That he should be the father of all them that believe / thougt they be not circumcised / that righteuesnes might be imputed to them also. Abraham was made strong in the faith / and gave honor to God / and steadfastly believed that he which had made the promise was able also to make it good / and therefore was it reckoned to him for righteuesnes. It is not written for him only / that it was reckoned to hyme for righteuesnes / but also for us / to whom it shall be counted for righteuesnes / so we believe on him that reysed up Jesus the lord frō deeth. As saith Paul because that we are justified by faith / we are at peace with God / thorough our lord Jesus Christ. The Gentils which followeth not righteuesnes / have over takē righteuesnes. I mean ye righteuesnes which cometh of faith. But Israel which followeth the law of righteuesnes / could not attain unto y ^e law of righteuesnes. And wherefor? because they sought it not by faith / but as it were by the works of the law. For they have stombled at the stomblinge stone. As it is writ̄ Behold I put in Syō an stomblinge stone and an rock on which shall men faule / & none that believe on him shall be ashamed. I bear Israel record saith Paul / that they have an fervent mind to God ward / but not according to knouledge. For they are ignorant of the righteuesnes / which is aloued before God / and goo about to stablisshe their aune righteuesnes. And therefore are not obedient unto the righteuesnes which is of value before God. For Christ is the ende of the law / to justify all that believe / and in y ^e same chap. saith he. The believe of y ^e heart justified. And in another place. We know y ^t no man is justified by the deades of law / but by the faith of Jesus Christ / and we have beleuet on Jesus Christ / that we might be justified by y ^e faith of Christ / and noth by the deades of the law. Abraham believed God / and it was counted unto him for righteuesnes / vnderstonde therefore that they which are of faith / are the childerne of Abraham. The scripture saw afore honde that God would justify the gentiles thorough the mouths of lions / quenched the violence • f fire / eschaped the edge of the sword / of weak were made strong / woxet valient in fight / turned to flyght the armees of the alientis. The women received their deed / to life again wother were racked / and would not be delivered / y ^t they might receive a better resurrectiō. Wother tasied of mochingis and scourgyndis / moreower of bonds and presonment / were stoned were heawen a sunder / were tempted were slain with sweardes / walked up and down in shepes skynnes / in gotes skynnes / in need tribulacion and vexation / which the world was not worthy of. They wandered in wilderness / in mountains / in dens and cayes of the erth. And these all thoroue faith obtained good report and received not the promise. God prouidinge an better thing for us / that they without us should not be made perfect

Belowed bethren it is writ̄ The eyes of the lord beholdeth faith / that is to say. The lord taketh pleasure of faith / and faueours them in whom he findeth faith / and imputed not their sins unto them for the pleasure which he hath of their faith / he loket not to their sins / but he looketh to their faith as saith y ^e scripture. Dearly beloved / this faith where of I speak is not feigned faith / nether deed faith / nether infruteful faith / which taketh name after y ^e opiniō of mē / but it is perfect faith / quycke living faith / which worketh y ^e pleasure of God / frō y ^e heart of poor low This faith is not had be y ^e devils nether by wicked & ungodly mē / but by y ^e saints of God / ye the childerne and heirs of God. Whom he had called unto the supper of life. Nether mo the man which had this faith / consent to do any thing against ye law of God for his heart is so up lyfted thorough low / y ^t he foryettes his awne profit and pleasure / and continually seeketh the pleasure of God / and the profit of his brethrē This faith is called / the faith of the Gospel and it is an sure confidence (or trust) in God that he is faithful / and will without any dout fulfil they things which he of his great mercy hath promised unto us in Christ Ensample we have of faithful Abraham / whois faith was counted unto him for righteuesnes. And his faith was an sure confidence (or trust) in the promise of God / as saith Paul. Abraham contrary to hope believed in hope / that he should be the father of many nations / according to that which was spoken. So shall thy seed be / and he faynted not in the faith / nor yet consideret his aune body / which was now deed / even when he was almost an hundred year old. Nether considered he the barenes of Sara. He sta • kered not at the promise of God thorough unbelief / but was made strong in the faith / and gave honor to God and steadfastly believed / that he which hath made the promise was able also to make it good / and therefore was it reckoned to him for righteuesnes. It is not written for him only / that it was reckoned to him for righteuesnes / but also for us: to whom it shall be counted for righteuesnes / so we believe on him that reysed up Jesus our lord from deeth. Here Paul shewet what faith was in our father Abraham / we should believe in hope / contrary to hope as did Abraham / which contrary the hope of his natural strength or powere / belewed in the strength and powere of God infulfillīge his promise. So should we believe surly to obtain they things which God hath promised to us / thought they be vnpo • sible to us to obtain them after our natural weak powere. God hath promised to us eternal life / which is impossible to us to obtain after our weak natural powere because we are sinners / yet thougt it be impossible to us to obtain it of our sylfes: because we are sinful. It is not impossible to God to give it to us / according to his promise. Therefore let us with Abraham believe in hope / above hope / in God's righteuesnes above our vnrighteuesnes. In gods truth above our lies. In God's mercy: above our synfulnes. In God's power / above our weakness. Let us have faith with Abraham in gods promises. And we shall reioy with Abraham in receawinge of the same things promised. This faith is not know̄ of the world / nether be y ^e natural man it / for it is an super natural gift given unto man freely by god. As saith Paul ye are made save by faueoure throw faith / and that not of youre sylfes / for it is the gift of god / and cometh not of works / lest any man should bost him sylfe. Belowed brethren sen ye mo not have this faith of youre sylfes / but it is an excellent gift of god (mother of all godly virtue) which he of his kindness & mercy geweth unto you freely. Therefore cry with the Apostles unto y ^e lord / to increase youre faith. And with the man which hath the possessed son: which said o lord i believe / sucker mine unbelief. That god seen ge youre powerte in the sprite: and taking heed to youre peteous complain mo grant youre petition / and make you rich by his precious gift of faith. And not only seek ye youre awne health / but the health of youre brethren / praȳge to god to sent faith on the ertha • d plant it in all quarters y ^t all nation may praise god / which only hath immortalite / and duellit in light: that no man may attain / whom newere man saw nether cane se / unto whom be honor and rule euerelastinge. Amen

Of unfaithfulness

D Early belowed brethren / unfaithfulness is the mother of allwice and sin / for it bringeth forth all kind of sin & evil. Lyke wise as evil fruit cometh of an evil tree. So of unfaithfulness cometh no thing but evil. As aduo • rie / fornication / vnclemes / wantānes / ydolatrie / witchecraft / hatred / zeal / wra • th / strife / sedition / partetakinges / enuyinge / murder / dronckennes glottony / and such like▪ As saith our saueoure an evil man out of the evil treasure of his hert bringeth forth evil things. This evil treasure is unfaithfulness / which bringeth forth all kind of evil and sin / be which cause it is only before God / reckoned sin / as saith our saueoure. The holy goost whē he shall come shall rebuke y ^e world of sin / because they believe not on me. And it maketh an man worthy of eternal damnation / as it is written. Whosoever believeth not shall be damp • ct. And in a nother place. Heth at believeth not is condēpned already. This unfaithfulness maketh god to hat us / as saith the scripture The wraeth of God cometh apon the children of unbelief. And in a nother place saith John the baptiser. He that believeth not the son / shall not se life: but the wraeth of God abideth on him. Vnfaithfulnes is no other thing: but lackynge of faith / even as darkness is but the lackynge of light. So the unfaithful lacketh faith / and be y ^e same cause / all that cometh of faith: as hope / low / joy: peace: longe sofferynge / gentleness / goodness / keeping of promise: meknes tēperaunce & ce. And in stead of them is full of allwice / as vane presumption: hatred: dispare and all abomination. Nether is it possible to him to low god or his brethrē / nor to do any thing pleasesynge to god. For whatsoever cometh not of faith / y ^e same is sin. For he is by nature evil / and perceaueth not y ^e things of y ^e sprite of God: for they are but folishnes unto him. He is blind and knoweth not where hence he goo: but is led by y ^e power of darkness. Of y ^e unfaithful saith Paul If our gospel yet be hid: it is hid among thē y ^t are lost: in whom the God of this world hath blinded y ^e minds of thē which believe not: lest should shine unto thē y ^e light of y ^e glorious gospel of christe: which is y ^e image of God: and in a nother place

The unfaithful is like y ^e wawes of the see tost of the wind / and carried with violence nether let that man think that he shall receive any thing of God. A wauerynge minded man is unstable in all his ways. Belowed brethren / this i say not to youre rebuke / but to theirs whosoever lacketh faith which shall be known and iudget of the faithful / by theyre fruits. As saith our saueoure. Ye shall know them by theyre fruits Herefor study and labor / that ye be not found unfruitful but that youre unfeigned faith mo be known by her fruits / and youre brethren mo see her fruits / and glorify youre father which is in heaven. For there is many (of whom alas with sorrow i cōplain) That confess / that they know God / but with deades they deny him / and are abhominable / and disobedyent / and unto all good works discommendable. They do shayme (so much as is in thē) to our moste holy faith. They seek in all things the liberty of the flesh / and not the praise of the lord / nor the health of there brethren / and do dishonor the gospel of God. This i say that ye knowōde such faults in others awoyde them from youre sylfes: and behave youre sylfis / as it becometh saints. And bear youre fruit in holiness. As saith Paul. Ye which believe in god / be studious • goo forward in good works. This thyngis are good / and profitable unto men. Folisshe questions / and genealogies / and braulingis / and strife about the law awoyde / for they are unprofitable / and superfluus. A man that is the auctor of sects after the first and the second amonition awoyde / remembrynge that he that is such / is perverted / and sinneth / even damned by his awne judgment. Of these thyngis i would ye were certifieth (my brethren) for now is the last time. And as ye have heard howe that Antichrist shall come / evē now are there many Antechristes come all ready. Beware of the false prophets which come to you in shepes clothynge: but inwardly they are raueninge wolves: ye shall know them by theyre fruits. So men gaddre grapes of thorns? or figs of brires? even so every good tree / bringeth forth good fruit. But a corrupt tree / bringeth forth evil fruit. A good tree cannot bring forth bad fruit. Nor yet can a bad tree bring forth good fruit. Every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit / shall be heawen down / and cast in to the fire / wherefor by theyre fruits ye shall know them. Not all they that say unto me / master / master / shall enter in to the kingdom of heaven / but he that fulfilleth my fathers will / which is in heaven. Many will say to me in that day / master / ma • have we not in thy name prophesied? and in thy name have we not cast out devils? and in thy name have we not done many miracles? and then will i knoudledge unto them that I newer knew thē. Departe from me ye workers of iniquity I beseech you brethren mark them which cause division / and gewe occasions of evil / contrary to the doctrine which ye have learned (of the ointment which ye have of the holy goost) and awoyde them. For they that are such serve not the lord Jesus Christ / but their awne belies / and by sweet preachynges and flattering words deceive the hearts of the innocents. For youre obedience (unto the truth) is publeshed through out among all christē brethren. I am glad (no dout) of you / but yet I would have you wise unto that which is good: and to be innocent as concerning evil. The God of peace / shall tread Satan under youre fete in short time. To him that is of power to stabilishe you according to the Gospel: wherewith Jesus Christ is preached unto you in opening of the mistery which was kept close from you a longe time a goo thorough bely wisdom / I mean y ^e craft of y ^e ypocrites. And now is openned at this time / and declared in the holy scrip • heavenly father. Which spared not his aune son / but gave him for us all. Wherefore no dispare mo have place in you / for as saith Paul. Ye have not received the sprite of bondage to fear eny moare / but ye have received the sprite of adoption whereby ye cry abba father. God youre father is merciful ye and very merciful / saith the scripture And his mercy he will not deny unto his awne children / which are ye / so ye keep sure the faith of the Gospel. Herefore trust sure in the lord / for there is no damnation to you which are in Christ Jesus / which walk not after the flesh / but after the sprite for the law of the sprite wherein is life thorough Jesus Christ / hath delivered you from the law of sin and deeth. For what the law could not do in as much as it was weak because of the flesh / that performed God / and sent his son in the similitude of sinful flesh / and by sin / dampened sin in the flesh / that the righteuesnes required of the law / might be fulfilled in you / which walk not after the flesh / but after the sprite. &c. It is God that justifieth you / who then shall condemn you? it is Christ which is deed / ye rather which is risē again / which is also at the right honde of God and maketh intercession for you. Ye are dearly bought. Ye are Christis awne possession. Ye are members of Christ. And the very household of God. Wherefore doubt not / for he careth for you / cast roure care on the lord / and he shall nouresshe you. To put all fear / all dredoure: and all dispare / from you / Christ hath given you consolation saying. Fear not little floocke / for it is youre fathers pleasure / to give you an kingdom. Be not careful: for youre heavenly father knoweth what ye have neade of / and will ministre all necessary things unto you

Axe and it shall be given you / seek and ye shall find / knock and it shall be opened unto you / for whosoever areth receiveth: and he that seeketh findeth / and to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Is there any man among you which would profer his son a stone if he axeth him breed? or if he axeth fisshe / would he profer him a serpent? if ye then which axe evil / can give to youre children good gifts / howe moche moare shall youre father which is in heaven / give good things to them that axe of him?

I will dwell among you and walk among / and will be youre God / and ye shall be my people I will be an father unto you / and ye shall be unto me sons and daughters saith the lord God almyghty. Behold the days shall come (saith the lord) and I will fynnisshe apon the house of Israel / and apone the house of Judah / an new testament not like as the Testament that I made with their fathers at that time when I toke them by the honde / to leed them out of the lande of Egypt. For this is the testament that I will make unto the house of Israel / after their days / I will put my laws in theyre minds / and in their hearts I will writ them / and I will be their God / and they shall be my people. And they shall not teache every man his neybour / and every man his brothre saying know the lord / for they shall know me from the leest to the greatest of them / for I willbe merciful to them on their iniquites and sins / and on theyre vnrighteuesnes will I not think any moare

I the lord defend / and water her in the due time. I keep her day and night leste any man invade her. I am without all wrath / who then mo so mowe me to be so great an enemy to her that I my promise neglect?

I shall fight for this city / and shall defend it (saith the lord) and shall save it for my namys sake. Be of good chere / be of good chere / my people (saith youre God) se that ye counforte the hearts of Jerusalem / and tell them of their reest and deliverance from captivity / tell them howe their sins shall be forgiven them / after that they have received their full chastisinge of y ^e lordis honde for all their sins. Thou shall be my servant / I have chosen y ^e / nether shall I at any time refuse y ^e ▪ se that thou fear not / for I shall be with y ^e : nether loke thou about for eny other / for I am thy God which shall comfort y ^e / I shall help y ^e / I shall hold the fast with this same my faithful righthonde. Behold as many as provoke the to angre / shall be counfunded and shamed / thy aduersares shall come to naught and peresshe: so that he that shall seek for them / shall nowhere find them. Thy enemies which dare mowe batayle against the shall be distroyed. For I the lord thy God shall hold fast thy right honde / which also now say unto the fear not / for it is I that shall help the / be not afraid my little seruaūte Jacob / fear not poor dispysed Israel / for I shall help the saith the lord / and I that maketh holy Israel shall avenge the / ye I shall trende • the like a wayne and like a new shode car • e to thresshe down mountayns and to bete them in poulder / and the little hyls shalt thou drive into dust / thou shalt wenowe them / and drive them away like the wind / and scater them abroad kyke a whyrle wind / whiles thou thy silfe shall rejoice greatly in the lord: and praise him that maketh the holy Israel. When the poor afflicte desired • ater / and find it not / and their tongue is dry for thyrste: then do I the lord give it them: I the God of Israel forsake them not. I shall lede the blind in to a way that they know not: and direct them into a pathe of which they are ignorant / I shall turn the darkness into light before them / and the kroke in to an even way / this things will I do for them / nether will I forsake them.

This speaketh the lord which hath created the o Jacob: and fasshioned y ^e o Israel / fear thou not / for I shall redeem y ^e / I have challenged y ^e for my awne sylfe / and given the thy name / that thou shuldest be mine / so that when thou passedste thorough the waters I will be with the. Remembre well these things Jacob and Israel / for thou art my servant whom I have fasshioned to thentēte that thou shuldest be my servant newer to be out of my mind o Israel I do away thy wickedness evē as I disperse a cloud: and thy sins take I 〈◊〉 way like a myste / turn the therefore to • for I will deliver the. Lyfte up you • eyes to heaven / and behold the erth vnd • you: for heaven shall be dispersed like smoke and the erth shall be broken like a garme • and her inhabitours shall peresshe in lie • manner / but my saving health shall endure forever / and my mercy wherewith I make men righteous shall newer fail. It is that comfort you at all times saith the lord

I forsook the for a little time / but I called the to me again with moche mercy. 〈◊〉 hyd my face from the for a little space why • les I was angry: but I will take y ^e 〈◊〉 my arms again with an everlasting me •• cy: saith the lord thy redeemer: for this thing shall be to me as were the waters of n • he apon the erth. For like wise as I swore newermoare to bring again the waters of nohe upon the erth / even so have I sworn to be not angry with y ^e again / nether yet to chyde with the: for ye mountanys shall sooner forsake their places: and the hylles shall sooner fall down / then other my mercy shall forsake y ^e : or the promise of my peace shall fail y ^t / saith thy merciful lord. Behold my little poor afflicte and for • aken: I shall make thy walls of precious • arboncles: and shall lay thy fundati • n with Saphyrs: thy wyndous and yer • s shall I make of clear Crystal: and all • y wttermoste byldinge shall I set with • ych stones. And beside all this / all thy • ilderne shall be taught of the lord: and • hal endue them with rich peace / thou shall • e byldeth all of righteuesnes / and be out • f all danger of violence / whereof thou • hal • not neade to fear / no plage shall come • y • the &.c. Gyue ear to me and come to me: and youre souls shall be refresshed / for I wy • l • myt hondes with you into an euerla • tinge conuenaunce to give you these assuerd marcyes promised unto David.

My dear brethren give faith unto their promises / and let not y ^e dissaytfull working of Satan / make you anys to doubt in the mercifulnes of youre heavenly father / for sooner shall the mountaynis leawe their places / then his mercy shall be drawyne from you: he hath sworn / and hath not repented: to show his aboundante and euerlastīge mercy unto you Therefore my welbelowed brethren / be strong in the faith: and give honor to God: and steadfastly believe y ^e he which hath made the promises unto you is able also to make them good. And give no hede to other false prophets that would draw you from god. They are wolves and would deuore you / be not tayne away with the error of the wicked: But rejoice in the lord always / and again Isaye rejoice / les youre softenes be known unto all men / the lord is even at honde / which is able to save you: and all that trusteth in him. To whom only be honor and praise forever and ever. Amen

Of peace

P Eace cometh of faith / nether mo faith be without peace / nor peace without faith for peace cometh of ryghteuesnes (which is of faith) Peace shall be the end of ryghteuesnes. An man is justified by faith without the deades of the law. Herefore Paul concludeth. Because therefore that we are justified by faith / we are at peace with god. &c. Thys peace whereof I speak is the peace which Christ gave and left to the apostles and disciples saying. Peace I l • ue with you / my peace I give unto you / no • as the world giveth / give I unto you Let not youre hearts be grieved / nether fear ye. The same peace Paul commended unto the people (to whom he wrote his epistles) saying Grace be with you: and peace frō God our father / and from the lord Jesus Christ. My people shall dwell in the fayer house of peace / in sure tabernacles / and in rich beds / hail when it shall descend / it shall fall only upon wodes and ceties. & • . Christ the prince of peace / an king which shall newer have an ende: in encressinge his impery / and yet shall • e there with noresshe peace. I am the lord that maketh peace This speaketh the lord / lo I shallede forth peace to her like a flood. This peace is an joyful reest and quyetnes in a faithful mannis conscience. The which cometh of faith / for faith maketh him sure / that his sins are forgiven him / and that he is in God's faueours. Wherefore the dredoure / the trouble & in quyetnes / which he had before of his sins is away. And he hath peace that is to say / an joyful reest and quyetnes in his conscience. Of the which saith Christ. Come unto me • e all that labor / and are • aden / and I will ease you. Take my yoke on • ou: and learn of me / for I am meek and • oly in heart: and ye shall find reest unto you • e souls The unfaithful hath not this peace for their consciences are troubleth with their sins. As it is written unto the ungodly there is no peace saith the lord for they know not the way of peace / which only is Christ which was wounded for our transgressions / and smyten for our ungodliness. For the punisshment whereby we have peace was laid apō him. Woe be unto y ^e unwise prophets (saith y ^e lord god) which dissaue my people / preaching / peace / peace / and there is no peace. I make peace & sue • nes both with them that dwell far / and with these that dwell nye saith y ^e lord / and I have healeth them / but the ungodly are like the wode see called Entipus which can newer reest: her waters are continually troubled with slyme and stinking mud / and evē so have the ungodly newer reest nor peace saith my god. But unto you belowed brethren Christ hath given this peace saying Peace I lewe with you / my peace I give unto you.

Which peace ye have received (inwardly in youre souls) thorough faith: and are at peace with god / thorough our lord Jesus Christ which is youre peace Therefore brethren rejoice singing and playinge to the lord in youre hearts / gevynge thankes all ways for all things (in the name of our lord Jesus Christ) to God the father: submittīge youre sylfes one to another in the fear of God. And have peace among youre sylfes. And also y fit be possible (yet on youre parte) have peace with all men. And the god of peace shall counforte youre hearts in to his eternal promise. Amen.

Of low

H Eare o Israel / the lord thy god / is god only. And thou shall low thy god / with all thy heart / with all thy soul / and with all thy strength. This low cometh of faith / nether mo this low be where faith is not / nor mo faith be (where of I mean) without this low. For by faith an man is made sure of y ^e goodness of y ^e graciousnes and of the mercyfulnes of God. Wherefore he must neade low him.

Because his excellence / his goodness and kindness to ward us deserved low. We should not low god for the deades of low which he hath shown unto us. But we should low god for the goodness: graciousnes / and mercyfulnes of him sylfe / which is declared unto us by such gracious and merciful deades wrought by his godly wisdom for our well. The low and goodness of god is not made perfect by such works: for it is and was in him sylfe before the works. And the works do but show unto us / his nature: and howe worthy he is to belowed. Helowed us before the fundatiō of the world was laid. But this low he show unto us in these last days: by his lowely works. Hereby perceive wethe low of God / for he gave his life for us. He lowed us ever and prepared an kingdom for us / from the beginning of the world. Ye he lowed us ever / for he in his incomprehensible godhead is very low / but this low was declared openly unto us: by his works which he hath wrought to ward us And not only should we low him because he lowed us / but for his awne goodness and mercyfulnes / the which we know in that he received us to his grace which are unworthy. Faith maketh an man sure of the exceeding goodness of god / the which goodness maketh an man ye drawed an man with such power to the low of God / that he cannot do but low God / for he is so low worthy / that it is impossible to know him and not to low him. Whereby ye shall know that faith bringeth low / and mo not be without it moare no the fire without heeth For faith bringeth ye sprite of God as saith Paul to the Galathy. This only would I learn of you / received ye the sprite of God / by the deades of the law? or else by preaching of the faith? and the sprite of God which cometh of faith bringeth low as Paul writeth to the Romayns. The low that God hath unto us: is sheed abroad in our hearts by y ^e holy goost / which is given unto us. The fruit of the sprite is low So of faith cometh low / nether mo it be without low / faith by low is mighty in operaciō. Howe perfect that this low should be in us / almyghty God hath shown unto us / by his law. Wherein it is commandeth us that we low our lord God with all our heart / with all our soul / and with all our streyngth. The which low no mā in this present life mo fulfill / because of the seed of sin sown in us by Adam: which thought it spring not and bear no fruit / yet it remaneth ever ready to spring / ye and would bear fruit unto the deeth were not the holy sprite subdued it / and mortyfyed it / and holdeth it down I am carnal soulde under sin / because I wote not what I do. For what I would / that do I n • but what I hate: that do I. If I do now • that which I would not / I grant to the lo • we that it is good. So then now it is not I that do it / but sin that dwelleth in me. For I know that in me (that is to say in my flesh) dwelleth no good thing. To will is present with me / but I find no m •• anes to perform that which is good. For I do not that thing which I would / but that evil do I: which I would not. Finally if I do that I would not / then is not I that do it / but sin that dwelleth in me do • eth it. I find then by the law that when I would do good: evil is present with me. I delight in the law of God / as concerning the inner man / but I se a nother law in my menbers rebellinge against the law of my mind / and subduinge me unto the law of sy • ne which is in my members. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me from this body of deeth? I thank God by Jesus Christ our lord / so then I my sylfe in my mind serve the law of God / and in my flesh the law of sin. Here Paul she • wed the synfulnes of his flesh / laudinge God by Jesus Christ / that he was not there unto subdued. If ye mortyfie the deades of the flesh / by the help of the sprite ye shall live: for as many as are led by the sprite are the sons of God. Here it is openly declared: that it is by the powere of the sprite of God / and not by our deades / that the sin which is in our flesh is mortyfied: subdued: or dampened. But such perfection have we not / nor yet mo have that sin shall be clean taken out of us / so longe as we are in this corruptible body. The flesh lusteth (ever) contrary to the sprite. But yet let not y ^e sin which is in youre mortal bodies regne y ^e ye should there unto obey in the lusts of it. Nether give ye youre members as instruments of vnrighteuesnes unto sin: but give youre sylfes unto God / as they that are alive from deeth / and give youre members as instruments of righteuesnes unto God Synne shall not have powere ower you / for ye are not under y ^e law / but under grace / and ye are borne a new in ye sprite. The sprite is made free. Ye sprite is filled with y ^e holy ghost And ye sprite fulfilleth the law. In my mind (saith Paul) I serve the law of God / howebeit y ^e sin dwell in the flesh / yet the sprite will not consent nor obey there unto because it is borne a new: and made free by faith / but will obey unto the law of God / by the power of his holy sprite / by whom spryngeth very low from the heart. And so in the sprite the law is fulfilled. Tha • command us to low God. With all our heart / with all our soul / with all our streyngth: out of this low spryngeth all good works / for low can not be ydel / but must of neade work to the pleasure of him whom is lowed / when occasion cometh An man that hath perfect low to God seeketh with all diligence to know they things wherein God hath pleasure. And when he knowed the will of God: there mo nothing hold him from the doing of it. Ye he is glade that God hath commanded him to do such things Because his pleasure is to be occupied in the law of the lord: nether is his law heuy to such a man. For it is an easy yoke / and an light burdynge thorough low / wherein I pray God to cōferme youre hearts by his sprite thorough faith. Amen.

Of patience

B E ye patient bretheren unto the coming of the lord Belowed brethren pacence is an virtue which is necessary in their evil and peralouse days: and thereby all y ^e sayn • • e • of God have ouercōme all persecutiō and trouble put om them in this present life / and this patience Paul commended unto us saying. In all things let us behave our sylfes as the ministers of God in moche patience / in afflictions / in necess • te / in auguy • she in strypes / in presōmeant / in strife / in labor in warche / in fasting / in pureness / in knowledge / in long sufferinge / in kindness / in the holy goost / in low unfeigned / in the words of truth in the power of God / by the arm • •• of righteuesnes on the right honde / and on the lift honde / in honor / and dishonoure / in evil report / and good report / as disceauers / and yet true / as unknown / and yet known / as deyinge / and behold we yet live / as chastened and not killed / as sorowynge / and yet always merry / as poor / and yet make many rich / as having no thing / and yet possessynge all things. This patience is to soffre and receive gladly without any murmur whatsoever trouble / pain / vexation / and aduersite that God sent And this patience cometh of perfect low which cometh of strong and sure faith This patience teached us the apostle Iamys saying. Be ye patient bretheren / unto the coming of the lord. Pacience do mark some trouble / for in prosperite she lost her • ome / she ragne never but where trouble and Behold wicked Jezebel caused to kill all the holy prophets in Israel except they that were hyd secretly / or fled to the desert / as Elias &.c. Of the trouble and persecution of the prophets and servants of God saith Christ to the old scribes and pharisees. Behold I send unto you / prophets wise men / and scribes / and of them some shall ye kyl and crucify / and some shall ye scourge in youre synagogges / and persecute them from city to city. Take (my brethren) the prophets for an ensample of sufferinge adversity / and of longe patience which spake in the name of the lord. Behold we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job: and have known what ende the lord made / for the lord is pityfull / and merciful. Behold also the great adversity and trouble of holy Toby: for all his substance was taken from him / and hymsylfe was sought to be killed / and his sight was taken from him by God / also ye have heard what endethe lord made of all his aduersite. Market his also: if God send the to the see / and promise to goo with y ^e / and to bring the saffe to londe / he will reyse up a tempest against the / to prove whether thou wilt abide by his word / and that thou mayest feale thy faith and perceive his goodness / for were it all ways fair wether and • ou never brought to such ieoperdy when • e his mercy only delivered the / thy faith • ulde be but a presumption and thou shul • est be ever unthankfull to God and mer • ylesse unto thy neyboure

If God promise riches: y ^e way thereto is • owerte. Whō he loweth him he chasteset / • hom he exaltet / he casteth down / whom he •• ueth he dāneth first. He bringeth no man • o heaven except he send him to hell first. If he promise life he sleyeth first: when he • yldeth / he casteth all down first. He is no • atcher / he cannot bylde on a nother man's foundation. He will not work until all be past remedy and brought unto such a case / that men may se how that his hand / his power / his mercy: his goodness and truth hath wrought all to gether. He will let no man be partetaker with him of his praise and glory. His works are wonderful and contrary unto man's works. Who ever save he delivered his awne son / his only son / his dere son unto the deeth and that for his enemies sake / to win his enemy / to overcome him with low / that he might se low and low again / and of low to do like wise to other men / and to overcome them with well doing

Joseph saw y ^e son and the mone and xi. ster res worshepinge him. Nevertheless shameful deeth of the cross as a thef or a mortherer. Ye an cursed deeth as saith the law cursed is whosoever hangeth on tree. He vas • ende in the warlde by the father to suffer trouble / which before he appointed to him. Ye he seat an strōge batayl before him in the which he do fight a • an worthy knight: and obtained victory / and have received y ^e reward / but first he fought / or he wāne the reward / ye he suffered to be sore wounded be fore he obtained victory. As the holy prophet saw longe afore honde / and spake of him. He shall have nether beutye nor favor / whē we shall behold him he shall be out of shappe / so that we shall not desyer him / he shall be despised and leste set bye of all men / a man having experience and fealinge both our sorrows and sykenesses / we shall (I say) repute him so vile and lothly that we shall hyde our faces frō him. When this (not withstondinge yet) is even he must bear our sykenesses and sorrows. But we shall judge him to be thus cast down and smyten with some plage of God / ye when he is wounded even of our transsgressions: and thus smyten for our ungodliness / for the punyshment for our correction shall be laid apon him: and by his stripes and hurt shall be healed. All we are strayed away like sheep / every man folouynge his awne way / but the lord layeth all our wykednesses upon him to forgive us. It is he that shall abide the anguyshe and be scourged: and yet shall he not ons opene his mought / he shall be led like a lamb to be offered up / and he shall be as still as a sheep under her clyppers hondes / and shall not ons open his lips / he shall be taken away and put to deeth / his cause not examined after true judgment: as a man frenlesse and kynlesse. And yet who may noumbre his kynrede even then when he shall be thought clean to be kut out of this world? which plage shall fall apon him for the transgressiō of his awne people Farthermore he shall be thought to die among the ungodly and be lyfted up on the cross between thieves: all thought he never did hurt nor yet any desayt found in his words / but the lord had decreed him to be thus broken with infirmite that he offered for our sins / mought se his longe lived prosperite. And this decree of the lord shall prosper in honde / with the petel of his awne life he shall find riches And by this means my right servant shall iustyfie many mē / for he him sylfe shall bear away their sins. Wherefore I shall divide to him the pray both of the many men: and also of the strong violence / because he shall let his life to deeth / and be reputed among the mysdoers / which not witstondinge / yet shall he take away the sins of many / and make intercession for the transsgressours. Therefore be lowed brethren follow manfullye youre blessed lord unto the batayl: seeing him fight as youre strong captain before you / and his baner blowynge on bredht. Trowe ye to receive the reward but if ye suffer? or trow ye to obtain victory but if ye put youre sylfe in ieopardye? no verily. Be not therefore deceived (my brethren) with flesshlye lusts / but stonde up and put on the armure of God that ye may be able to resist in the evil day / and to stōde perfect in all things. Stonde therefore and youre loins gyrd about with verity / having on the breast plate of righteuesnes / and shood with shows prepared by the gospel of peace. Above all take to you the shelde of faith / wherewith ye may quench all the fyrye darts of the wicked. And take the helmet of health and the sword of the sprite / and rynne vnfeardlye to the batayl that is set before you / & put youre sylfe in to prese following youre master. Care not thought ye be wounded / for deeth shall have no power ower you / and of youre wounds ye shall be made hole: by youre awne most noble phisitiane Jesus Christ. Herefore murmur not thought the batayl be strong / for youre master had the greatest burden of it. By whois help ye shall sone have victory: when youre enemies shall be subdued: and ye shall regne eternally in glory with Jesus Christ. Belowed brethren despyce not so great health / for a little and short trouble· but suffer and ye shall regne. Loke unto Jesus: the auctor and fynnyssher of youre faith / which for the Ioye that was set before him: abode the cross / and despised the shame and is set down at the right honde of the troune of God. Consider therefore howe that he endured such speaking against him of sinners / lest ye should be weried and faynte in youre minds. For ye have not yet (all) resisted unto the blood shed dynge. &c. Prefere not youre sylfes above youre master and lord / ye youre heed / and youre king. Desyre not to be spared seeing that God spared not his only begotten sonne / but gave him for us all. If ye be sonnes and children with Christ / suffrethe chastisinge of youre heavenly father (with Christ) for and ye be not under chastisinge / whereof all are partetakers▪ then are ye bastards and not sons nor children / caste not the cross from you / which Christ and all the saints hath borne. Behold the heuy cross that God laid on the shulders of his welbelowed apostles / as Christ before or they suffered shown unto them

As my father sent me: so send I you. If the persecute me / then shall they persecute you I send you forth as sheep among wolue The sheep fight not / but the sheparde fyghteth for them and careth for them. Be harmless as doves therefore (saith Christ) and wise as serpētes. The doves ymagen no defense nor seek to avenge them silfes The serpētes wisdom is to keep his heed and those partes wherein his life resteth. Christ is our heed: and God's word is that wherein our life resteth. To cleue therefore fast unto Christ and unto those promises which God hath made us / for his sake is our wisdom. Let us therefore loke diligently where unto we are called / that we disceaue not our silfes. We are called to die with Christ: y ^t we may live with him: and to suffer with him that we may regne with him. We are called unto a kingdom / that must be won with sufferinge only / as a seek mā winneth health. God is he that doeth all thing for us and fyghteth for us / and we do but only suffer. Beware of men (saith Christ) for they shall deliver you up unto their counsels / and shall scourge you. And ye shall be brought before rulars and kings for my sake. The brother shall betray or deliver the brother to deeth / and the father the son. And the childerne shall rise against father and mother / and put them to deeth / and ye shall be hated of all men / for my name / but whosoever shall continue unto the ende / shall be saved. When they persecute you in won city / fly into another. The disciple is not above his master / nor the servant above his lord. It is ynought for the disciple to be as his master is / and that the servant be as his lord is. If they have called the master of y ^e housse Beelzebub / howe moche moare shall they call them of his houssholde so? fear them not therefore. Which of you disposed to bylde a toure (saith Christ) sitteth not down first and counteth the cost wheter he have sufficient to perform it? lest when he hath laid the foundation and then not able to perform it / all that behold begin to mock him saying. This man began to bylde: and was not able to make an ende. So like wise none of you that for saketh not all that he hath can be my disciple. Whosoever therefore casteth not this afore honde. I must jeopardy life: goods honor / whorsepe and all that there is for Christ's sake disceaueth him sylfe and maketh a mock of him sylfe unto the godless ypocrites and infidels. No mane can serve two masters / God and mammon / that is to say weked riches also. Thou must low Christ above all thing but that does • is not slokned / but they abyd for their pray wa • thing as raweninge wolves / if they mo se any of Christ's poor sheep to devour Belowed brethren be strong in the lord / and fear them not which can do unto you no harm but kill the body: where unto ye are appointed of God (if it so come to pass) as it is written For thy sake are we killed all day longe: and are counted as sheep appointed to be slain. Tribulation is our righte baptism / and is signified by plunginge in to y ^e water / we that are baptized in y ^e name of Christ (saith Paul) are baptized to die with him. The sprite thorough tribulacion purgeth us and kylleth our flesshly wit: our worldly vnderstondinge and bely wisdom / and fylleth us full of the wisdom of God. Tribulacion is a blessing that cometh of God / as Christ witneseth. Blessed are • hey that suffer persecution for righteuesness is sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven. Ys not this a comfortable word? who ought not rather to chose and desire to be blessed with Christ in a little tribulation then do be cursed perpetually with the world for a little pleasure? prosperite is a right curse and a thing that God giveth unto his enemies. Woo be to you rich saith Christ Lo ye have here youre cōsolatiō: woo be to you y ^t are full: for ye shall hōgre / woo be to you that laugh / for ye shall weep / woo be to you when men praise you. For so did their fathers unto the false prophets / ye and so have our fathers done unto the false ypocrites. The ypocrites with worldly preaching have not goten the praise only / but even the possessions also and the domination and rule of the hole world. Tribulaciō for righteousness is not a blessing only / but also a gift that God giveth unto none save his special friends▪ The apostles rejoiced that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for Christ's sake. And Paul saith. All that will live godly in Christ Jesus must suffer persecution. And in a nother place unto you it is given not only to believe in Christ / but also to suffer for his sake. And Peter saith Happy are ye / if ye suffer for the name of Christ / for the glorious sprite of God resteth in you. Is it not an happy thing to be sure y ^t thou art sealed with gods sprite unto the everlasting life? and verily thou art sure thereof / if thou suffer patiently for his sake. By suffrynge art thou sure. But by per persecutinge canst thou never besure. For Paul saith. Tribulation maketh fealinge / that is / it maketh us feale the goodness of God and his help and the working of his sprite. And in another place he saith. The lord said unto him / my grace is sufficient for y ^e / for my strength is made perfect thorough weakness. Lo Christ is never strong in us / till we be weak. As our strength abateth / so groueth the strength of Christ in us. When we are clean empted of our awne strength / then are we full of Christ's strength. And loke howe moche of our strength remaineth in us / so much lacketh there of the strength of Christ. Therefore saith Paul in the same place. Very gladly will I rejoice in my weakness / that the strength of Christ may dwell in me

Therefore have I delectation saith he inmy infirmities / in rebukes / in neade / in persecutions / and in anguisshe for Christ's sake. For when I am weak / then am I strong / meaning that y ^e weakness of ye flesh is the the strength of the sprite. And by flesh vnderstonde wit wisdom / and all that is in a man before the sprite of God come / and whatsoever spryngeth not of the sprite of God / and of God's word. And of like testimonies is all the scripture full▪

Behold God setteth before us a blessing and also a curse. A blessing verily and that a glorious and a everlasting▪ if we will suffer tribulation and aduersite with our lord and saueoure Christ. And an everlasting curse / if for a little pleasures sake we with draw our sylfes from the chastisinge and murtoure of God / wherewith he teachet all his sonnes and faschioneth thē after his godly will and maketh them perfect (as he did Christ) and maketh them apt and mete wessels to receive his grace and his sprite / that they might perceive and feale the exceadinge mercy which we have in Christ / and the innumerable blessings / and the unspeakable enheritaunce where unto wear called and chosē and sealed in our saueoure Jesus Christ unto whom be praise forever. Amen

Finally whom God choseth to regne euerlastyngly with Christ / him sealeth he with his mighty sprite / and poureth strength into his heart to suffer afflictions also with Christ for berīge of vit • es unto y ^e truth. And this is y ^e difference between the childerne of God and salvation / and between the childerne of the devil and of damnation / that the childerne of God have power in their hearts to suffer for God's word which is their life and salvation / their hope and trust / and whereby they live in the soul before God

And the childerne of the devil in time of aduersite do fly frō Christ. Whom they followed faynedly / their hearts not sealed with his holy and myghtie sprite / and get them to the stondert of their right father the devil / and take his wages / the pleasures of this world / which are ernest of everlasting damnation. As ye read in many places of the holy scripture. The which are writ̄ for our learning

Jesus said / unto his disciples. Verily I say unto you / a rich man shall with difficulte enter into the kingdom of heaven. And moreover I say unto you / it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a nedle then for a rich man to enter in to the kingdom of heaven

The londes of a certain man brought forth fruits plenteously: and he thought in him sylfe saying / what shall I do: because I have no room where to bestow my fruits? and he said. This will I do. I will destroy my barns / and bilde greater and there in will I gadder all my fruits / and all my goods / and I will say to my soul. Soul thou haste much goods laid up in stoore for many years / take thine ease / eat / drink / and be my merry. But God said unto him. Thou fole / this night will they fetch away thy soul again frō the. Then whose shall thoose things be which thou hast • rouided? So is it with him that gaddreth riches / and is not rich in God

There was a certain riche man / which was cloethin purpure / and fine rains / and fared deliciously every day. And there was a certain beggar named Lazarus / which lay at his gate full of soores desiringe to be refresshed with the cromes which fell from the riche man's borde / but there was no mā that gave him ought. Nevertheless / y ^e dogs cam / and licked his soores. And it fortuned that the beggar died / and was carried by the angelles into Abraham's bosom. The riche man also died / and was buried in hell

When he lift up his eyes / as he was in torments / he saw Abraham a far of: and Lazarus in his bosom / and cried / and saith / have mercy on me / and send Lazarus that he may depe the rip of his finger in water / and cole my tongue / for I am tourmented in this flame. Abraham saith unto him. Son remember: that thou in thy life time receauedst thy pleasure / and contrary wise Lazarus pain. Now therefore is he conforted: and thowe art punisshed. &.c.

For as much then as we must neades be baptized in tribulations / and goo thorough the red see / and a great and fearful wilderness: and a londe of cruel ge • untes into our awne contree / for here have we no contynuinge city / but we seek • city to come / ye and in as much as it is of plain ernest there is no nother way into y ^e kingdom of heuē / then thorough persecutiō and sufferinge of pain and very deeth: after the ensāple of Christ. For we • ustenter in at ye strayte gate▪ for wyde is the gate: and broad is the way that leadeth to destruction / and many there be which goo in there at. For strayte is the gat: and narawe is the way which leydeth unto life / and feawe there be that find it

Therefore let us arm our souls with the comfort of the scriptures / howe that God is ever ready at honde in time of neade to help us. And howe that such tyrants and persecutors are but God's scourge and his rod to chastise us. And as the father hath alway in time of correction the rod fast in his honde / so that the rod doeth no thing but as he moweth it / even so hath God all tyrants in his honde / and letteth them not do whatsoever they would / but as much only as he apoynteth them to do and as for forth as it is necessa • y for us. And as when the child submit • eth him sylfe unto his fathers correction / and nurtoure and humbleth him sylfe all to gether unto the will of his father: then • he rod is taken away / even so when we are come unto the knowleage of the righte way and have forsakē our awne will and offer our sylfes clean unto the will of God to walk which way so ever he will have us / then turneth he the tyrants. Or else if they enforce to persecute us any forther: he putteth them out of the way according unto the comfortable ensamples of the holy scripture

Moareouer let us arm our souls: with the promises both of help and assistance: and also of the glorious reward that followeth. Great is youre reward in heaven saith Christ. And he that knowledge me before men / him shall I knowledge before my father that is in heaven. And call on me in time of tribulation: and I shall deliver y ^e And behold the eyes of the lord are • uer them that fear him / and over them that trust in his mercy. To deliver their souls from deeth / and to feed them in the time of hongre

And David saith. The lord is nye the • that are troubled in their hearts / and the m • ke in sprite he will save. The tribulation of the righteous are many / and out o • them all will the lord deliver them. Th • lord keepeth all the bones of them / so tha • not one of them shall be brosed. The lor • de shall redeem / the souls of his servants. And of such like consolation are the psames full / the lord open youre hearts / to read them and vnderstonde them perfectly in the sprite. When ye deliver you take no though • ught what ye shall say. It shall be given you the same hour what ye shall say. For it is not ye that shall speak / but the sprite of you • re father speaketh in you. The very hears of youre heedes are noumbred. If God care for our hears / he much moare careth for our souls which he hath sealed with his holy sprite. Therefore saith Peter. Cast all you • re care apon him / for he careth for you / and Paul saith. God is true he will not suffer you to be tempted above youre might· Cast thy care apon the lord. Let thy care be to prepare thy sylfe with all thy strength to wall • ke which way he will have the / and to believe that he will goo with the / and assiste the and strength the against all tyrannes and deliver the out of all trib • lation. But what way or by what means he will do it / that committee unto him and to his godly plea • ure and wisdom and cast that care apon him. And thougth it seme never so unlikely or never so impossible unto natural reason yet believe steadfastly that he will do it. And • hen shall he according unto his old use / change the course of the world / even in the • winkelinge of an eye / and come suddenly apon youre tyranntes and mighty geauntes as a thief in the night / and compass them in their wiles and worldly wisdom: when they cry piece and all is saffe / then shall their sorrows begin / as the sorrows of a woman that traueleth with child. And then shall he dystroye them / and deliver you / unto the glorious praise of his mercy and truth. Amen

And as perteyninge unto them that despice God's word: countinge it as a phantasy or a dream / and to them also that for fear of a little persecutio fly frō it setthes before thy eyes. How God sense the beginnynge of the world before a general plage: ever sēte his true prophets and preachers of his word / to warn the people / and gave them space to repent. But they for the greatest part of them hardened their hearts and persecuted the word that was sent unto them And then God destroyed them utterly and toke them clean from the erthe. As thou seist what followed the preaching of Noah in the old world / what followed the preaching of Lot among the Sodomites / and the preaching of Moses: and Aaron among the Egyptians / and that suddenly against all possibilite of man's wit. Moareouer as often as the childerne of Israel fell frō God to the whorsepinge of images / he sent his prophets unto them. And they persecuted and waxed hard herted. And then he sent them into all places of the world captive. Cast of all he sent his awne son unto them. And they waxed moare hard herted then ever before. And se what a fearful ensample of his wrath and cruel vengeance he hath made of them unto all the world now almost fyftene hundred years

Mark also howe Christ threathnet them that forsake him for whatsoever cause it be Whether for fear: either for shame / either for lousse of honor / friends / life or goods? he that deniet me before men (saith he) him will I deny before my father that is in heaven / he that loweth father or mother moare then me / is not worthy of me. Whosoever is asshamed of me (saith he) or of my words among this adoutours and sinful generation / of him shall the son of • an be asshamed when he cometh in the • lorie of his father with his holy Angels. Also none that layeth his honde to the plow and looketh back / is mere for the kingdom of heaven

Nevertheless yet if any man have resisted ignorauntly / as did Paul / let him loke unto the truth which Paul wrate after he come to knouledge. Also if any man clean against his heart: but overcome with the weakness of the flesh for fear of persecution: have denied as did Peter / or have delivered his boke to the tyrants or put it away secretly

Let him (if he repent) come again and take better hold and not dispare or take it for a sign that God hath forsaken him. For God oft times taketh his strength evē from his very elect: when they other trust in their awne strength or are negligente to call to him for his strength. And that doeth he to reach them and to make them feale that in the fire of tribulation fo • his words sake no thing can endure and abide / false his word and that strength only which he hath premysed. For which strength he will have us to pray unto him night and day with all instance

Which also is able to do excedinge aboundātly / above all that ye are or think: according to y ^e power that worketh in us unto whom be praise in the congregation by Jesus Christ / thorough out all generation forever. Amen

Of the mortification of the flesh

B Y one mā sin entered in the world / and deeth by the means of sin: and so deeth went over all men / in so much that all men sinned. Dearly beloweth bretheren it is not unknown to you / the ser •• tute the bondage / and the • hialdom where under we were some time to sin. Ye were ons the servants of sin. Ye were one darkness. But thorough the great mercy of almyghty God we are delivered there from / by his son Jesus Christ. So that we are delivered frō sin / and made the servants ef righteuesnes: but not so perfectly that there is no s • nne in us. We are delivered thorough faith / frō the wrath of God / and from the vengeance and curse of the law / and from the eternal deeth / & we have obtained forgyuīg of all our sins / so that they shall not be imputeth to us on that day when the lord shall come. And in the sprite we are made perfect / and borne a new unto God / so that we are no servants / but sonnes / & daughters. But yet in our flesh / there is s • me sin / ye an wicked seed is sown in our flesh: and is so roted / that it may not be cleanly taken away in this present life. Of the which saith John. If we shall say that we have no sin / we deceive our sylfes / and the truth is not in us. For in many things we sin all. When we have done all they things which are commanded unto us / we are yet unprofitable servants / we have done but that which was our duty to do. This sin: is this concupiscence / this lust / and evil desire which we have in us contraryous to the law of God And this concupiscence is verily sin / because it is forbydden in the law of God / which saith thou shall not concupisce or desire. And because it is contraryous to God and to his pleasure and will / for there may no thing be contraryous to God / but evil and synneful thing / and this concupiscence or evil desire / thought it be evil and sinful / yet we may not awoyde it: so longe we are here in the flesh. For (as saith Paul) the flesh lusteth contrary to the sprite / and the sprite contrary to the flesh Theyr ar contrary one to the other / so that 〈◊〉 can not do that what ye would. This b • tail is even in an righteous and justified man which hath the sprite of God. For the flesh lusteth continually against the sprite 〈◊〉 that an may not do that which he would • that is / that he mygh • holely and perf • ue him to the service of God but he may • not: for the flesh lusteth contrary to the spr • te / and will not nor can not be obedien • to the law / of this same saith Paul. The la • we is spiritual / but I am carnal sold under sin / because I woe • e not what I do Here Pa. knowledgeth him sylfe: to hau • an carnal concupiscence or desire in him and thereby knowledgeth him subdued to sin. For he saith. I am carnal sold under sin. The law he saith also is holy and good / ye y ^e law is spiritual: but I am ca • nall / sold under sin. And when Ier • me my sylfe / to do and fulfil / that holy and spiritual law / I find in me an contrariousnes to it / and may not fulfill it. Whereby I know that I am carnal and •• ld • (that is) subdued under sin / for in the fl • she he served the law of sin. In my flesh saith he I serve the law of sin. B • thought he was subdued to the law of sy • ne in the flesh / yet he was free in the sprite. I serve the law of God (saith he) in the sprite. And in the sprite he fought continually against the sin in the flesh / and would always have had it away. And because he 〈◊〉 no means culde get it away he cōplayneth saying / what I would that do I not / but what I hat that do I. As he would say. I would the flesh lusteth not against the sprite. And this concupiscence I • at because it is evil: and yet I may not be free frō it. Thē it followeth. If I do that which I would not / I confess to the law • hat it is good. So then now it is not I that do it / but sin that dwelleth in me. As he would say. If sin to the which I consent not in the sprite (but hattes & would have it away) abideth in the flesh: ye worketh and lusteth against the law. And I in the sprite consent to the law / and granteth is good / and would fulfill it / and have away that sin out of the flesh which is contrarious to the law / thought I may not get it away: yet I sin not / nor transsgresses not the law in the sprite / but the sin that dwelleth in the flesh doeth it

Then it followeth. To will is present with me / but I can find no means to perform that which is good

That is to say. I would this evil lust / and sin in the flesh were away: so that then were no thing in me contrarious to the holy law of God / but I cannot get it away: I hat it and yet it abideth fast rote • in the flesh. It followeth. I find then by the law: that when I would do good / evil is present with me. Here Paul shown that y ^e law gave him knouledge of sin for he had not known that this lust or concupiscence had been sin / except the law had said: thou shall not lust / or concupisce / 〈◊〉 desire. Therefore he saith I find by the law: that evil. that is to say / sin is present with me / not in the sprite / but in the flesh. Then it followeth. I delight in the law of God / as concerning the inner man / but I se another law in my members rebellinge against the law of my mind: and subduinge me unto ty ^e law of sin which is in my members. Not that this law of sin in his members over come him / that he was in the sprite subdued unto it. But it subdued him to sin / because it made him in danger of the law / for it requireth the hole mā with his strength and power. And because there was an evil lust and concupiscence in him contrarious unto the law / therefore he was subdued to sin / not in the sprite but thorough sin in the flesh. Now Paul seeing this sin sown and fast roted in his flesh / that it was impossible to get it clean away in this life / he longeth and murneth for the deliverance of the sinful flesh / saying. O wretched man that I am who shall deliver me frō this body of deeth? thē it followeth I thank God by Jesus Christ our lord. As he would say: thought I would deliver my sylfe from sin / I may not: and no other man may deliver me from sin / for they are all in the same bondage and thrall with me so many as are yet in the flesh. There is none righteous / no not one / there is none that vnderstōdeath / there is none that seeketh after God / they are all gone out of the way. They are all made unprofitable / there is none that d • eth good no not one. Theyr throat is an open sepulcher / with they • tongues they have disceaued: the poison of asps is under their lips. Whose mouths are full of chursinge and bitterness. Theyr fete are swifte to sheed blood. Destruction and wretchedness are in their ways / and the way of peace have they not known: there is no fear of God before their eyes. But thou alone o lord God / and father which art the weak man's strength / and refuge / ready at the honde of him that is in strese / art my delyueroure. For thou shall deliver me of this presonment of sin / and body of deeth / by thy wellbelowed son Jesus Christ / our lord. And thought for an time I must neade suffer / or I receive the final ende of my deliverance / ye • by hope I ā sure of it. For thou art true in all thy saȳges. And thy truth is sure to all age forever. And thought in the flesh be some sin / yet in the sprite I shall consent to the law / and serve it. Belowed brethren / though there be in us some sin / and evil lust / and concupiscence / yet let us not consent to it in the sprite. But resist to it / and fight against it / serving the law of God in the sprite. As did Paul. And as he reached us saying. Let not sin regne in youre mortal bodies: that ve should there unto obey in the lusts of it / make not prouisiō for the flesh / to fulfill the lusts of it. Walk in the sprite / and fulfill not the lusts of the flesh. If ye live after the flesh / ye must die: So thought we have sin in the flesh / our sprite is free of it / but not thorough our sylfes / but thorough the holy goost

Where the sprite of the lord is / there is liberty. And Christ said to the Jews. If the son shall make you free / then are ye free in dead. The son worketh by the holy goost. So doeth the father also. And their working is indivisible

For that which the father doeth / the son doeth / and like wise the holy goost. So when the holy goost maketh us free / the son maketh us free. And when the father / and the son maketh us free / the holy goost maketh us free. And though one of the iii. persons of the holy trinite be named in any place of the scripture / yet it shall be vnderstonde after the indivisible working of the holy trinite / having some works after our manner of speaking / appropriet to euerych person Thyse freedom that we have (as saith Paul) we have it thorough the sprite of the lord and not be our sylfes. For God hath sent his sprite in our hearts / whereby we are louseth in the sprite from the bonds of sin / and delivered out of seruitute / and cries to God Abba father. Now seeing that we are made free in the sprite from sin / let us not tangle our sylfes again in subjection thereto / but fight against it / resist to it / and with all diligence labor to dante and tayme the wantannes of it / to hold it down and mortify it as it is written. If ye thē be risen again with Christ / seek they things which are above / where Christ sitteth at the right honde of God. Set youre affectiō / on things that are above / and not on things which are on the erth. For ye are deed: and youre life is hyd with Christ in God When Christ which is youre life shall show • him sylfe / then shall ye also appear with him in glory / mortify therefore youre menbers which are on y ^e erth. &.c. And in another place it is writ̄. They y ^t are Christ's / have crucified the flesh with the appetites and lusts. Not that we may mortify the fleche / thorough our awne strength / and labors / as preach the false preachers. No: no but by the holy sprite / as it is written. If ye mortyfie the deades of the flesh / by the help of the sprite / ye shall live. And of what sprite he speaketh: he shown immediately after saying. As many as are led by the sprite of God / are the sons of God. This mortyfication and crucifienge of the flesh and sin / is an subjection where under sin is • ut / not that it is takē clean away / but subdued / holden down: and not suffered to work. An thing when it sca • es working / it is called deed. An • tree when it springeth not: and beareth no fruit nor branches / it is called deed. So sin when it worketh not / and shown not the sylfe / by works / it is called deed: so we shall make sin to die and we should crucify it / not sufferinge it to work. And this we may not do of our sylfes / but by the holy sprite which regneth in our hearts: and of his power mortyfies and crucifies this sin which resteth in the flesh. He strenghteth us / for in to the inner man he maketh us able and strong to resist to all the assautes of our enemies He eyketh our power / and minishet they • s He maketh us free / and subdued them. He giveth us life / and killed them. The flesh and sin (as is said) is mortifieth by the sprite of God / but to the same mortification our works are required / but our ableness cometh of God. Not that we may do any good of our sylfes. No we are not sufficient of our sylfes / to think any thing as it were of our sylfes / but our ableness (there to) cometh of God / by his holy sprite. For it is God that worketh in us / both the will and also the dead / ye evē of his awne good will. He worketh in us / the works which are necessary to the mortification of the flesh / ye he maketh us to chastifie the body & bring it into subjection / by resistinge unto the lusts of it / and continual excertion of good works. For the moare that an man be useth to sin / the harder shall it be to resist unto the evil use and lusts thereof. For the lusts of sin / are ever the stronger / the moare that an man follow them be an evil use. And by the contrary / the resistinge of sin and excercition of good works taketh some thing away of the strength of sin. Herefore brethren exerce youre sylfes unto Verily I say unto you / they have received their reward. But when ye fast anoynte youre heed: and wash youre face / that it appear not unto men howe ye fast / but unto youre father which is in secrete. &.c.

Herefore bretheren in all things keep measure be discrete / follow the sprite / and mortyfie the flesh / by the holy goost whom ye have received / as the ernest of youre enheretaunce / by whom ye are teached in all truth / and as he hath teached you abide therein. And be not carried hidder / and thydder / with diverse and strange learning.

(I say the learning of men which the holy scripture do not know) as ye have been in time passed. Wherwith ye were drawene from the faith and gave hede unto sprites of error / and deuylshe doctrine of them which speak lies thorough ypocrisy / and have their consciences marked with an hett yearn forbiddynge to mary / and cōmaundynge to abstain from meats / which God hath created to be received with giving of thanks of them which believe: and have known the truth. For all the creatures of God are good: and no thing to be refused / if it be received with giving of thanks. For it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. If thou shall put the bretheren in remembrance of these things (saith Paul to Thimothe) thou shall be a good minister of Jesus Christ which hast been norished up in the words of faith / and good doctrine / which thou hast continually followed: but cast away vngostly and old wives fables

This I say lest eny man should begylle you with entysinge words. For though I be absent in the flesh: yet am I present with you in the sprite ioyinge and beholdinge youre steadfast faith in Christ. As ye have therefore received Christ Jesus the lord: evē so walk ro • ed and bilt in him / and stedfaste in the faith / as ye have learned / and therein be plenteous in giving thanks

Beware lest eny man come and spoil you thorough philosophy and disceatful vanity / thorough the traditions of men / and ordinaciōs after the world and not after Christ. For in him duelled all the fullness of the go • heeth boddyly / and ye are full in him / which is the heed of all rule and power / in whom also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hondes by puttinge of of the sinful body of the flesh / thorough the circumcision that is in Christ. In that ye are buried with him thorough baptism / in whom ye are also risen again thorough faith / that is wrought by the operation of God which raised him from deeth

And hath with him quickened you also which were deed in sin and in the vncircumcisiō of youre flesh / and hath forgivē us our trespasses: and hath put out the obligation that was against us / made in the law written / and that hath he taken out of the way: and hath fastenet it on his cross and hath spoiled rule and power / and hath made ashewe of them openly / and hath triumphed over them in his awne person

Let no man therefore trouble youre cōciences about meat and drink: or for a peace of an holy day / which are no thing but shadows of things to come / but the body is in Christ. Let no man make you to shute at a wrong mark / which after his awne ymaginacion walketh in the humbleness and holiness of angels / things which he never saw / causeless puffed up with his fleshly mind / and holdeth not the heed / whereof all the body by joints and couples receiveth norishment: and is knet to gedder and increaseth with the increasynge that cometh of God

Wherefore sen ye are deed with Christ from the doctrine of the world: why as thought ye yet lived in the world / should ye be yet led with traditions of them that say touche not / taste not / handle not. &.c. Now in cōclusiō be ye all of one mind and the God of peace / that raised from deeth our lord Jesus Christ: the great sheperde of you his sheep / thorough the blood of the everlasting testament / make you perfect in all good works / to do his godly and holy will / and bring to pass that whatsoever ye do may be accepted in his fight / by the means of Jesus Christ. To whom be praise forever. Amen

I beseech you bretheren / suffer the words of exhortation: for I have written unto you in feawe words. Salute all the saints / they which are here salute you in the lord. Grace be with you all. Amen

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