Commentary Upon Malachi

Of Eleccion and Reprobacyon.

HEre is a just occasion offered to entreat of reprobacion and Election, in that the Lord saith by his prophet, I have loved Jacob, and I do hate Esau.

And though the matter seameth to many learned men most dangerous of all other to be entreated and taught among the unlearned, yet because I have myself thereby attained to such fealynge of the mighty god his marvelous woorkynge, to such a fear of his majesty, rejecting and refusynge, electyng and chewsyng whom it lyketh him. Even as the potter may make and break without resistance of the vile claye, which he with his hands formeth and fashyoneth as the Prophet speaketh. Therefore have I thought it my dewty, not to envy unto any, but to utter the same unto other my brethren, children of the same father, servant of the same Lord, and pots made of the same moulde, and metal that I am and by the same only workemaster. Nether do I think the unlearned so unmeet to receive heavenly doctrine, as we do make them. Onlesse it be through their negligence, which will no more, dylygently teach them, for like as they deny this doctrine to the unlearned in the Latyne tongue, though some such hath as much fealynge of the excellencye of the knowledge of God in Jesus Christ, as any Doctor that ever I did know, yet I say as they do deny this and say: that it is perylous for the unlearned, so have they within this few years, denied the word of God, the testament of our heavenly father to the lay men unlearned in the tongues.

And yet we all do see, and know at this day (the Lord our God be praised) that there be many unlearned in the tongues (either Latyne or Greek, who hath attained to such a deap knowledge of God his will & pleasure opened in his scriptures, that they may be compared not with the meanest but with many of the great learned sort. And (I pray you) had it been well donne, that such bees had benne prohybyted these flowers of these comfortable pastures? Because that some poisoned spythars, had gathered poison in the same. Nay Doutelesse. For by the same reason, Christ should not be preached at all, Because he is a stomblynge stone unto some and the savor of death unto death.

But Consyder that it hurteth only the wicked and thē it driveth toward their Iornayes end, to the pytte of hell, whether they be learned in the Latyne tongue or no, for amongst both the learned and unlearned, we must know that there be both good and bad, holy and wicked, elect and reprobate, wherefor unto nether ought the truth of God his holy word to be denied.

But that it may be a testemonye towards condempnacion to the one, and the glad tiding of salvation to the comfort of conscyences to the other: it ought unto all to be offered, opened, and published. Wherefore by the good will of GOD, we entende to speak of this great matter, none other ways, neither in any other sort, then the open-scriptures shall approve our sayings. And we do say with the holy Apostle Sayncte Paul as it is written:

Blessed be God the father of our Lord Jesus Christ, which hath blessed us with all spyrytuall blessings in heavenly things unto Christ, like as he hath elected and chosen us in him him before the foundations of the world were laid, that we should be holy and blameless before him by love, who hath predestinate us, that he might freelye chewse us to be his chyldrene by Jesus Christ. Ephes. i. And though there come some wicked men which were long before appointed to this judgment, which do tourne the grace of our god to lasciviousness and wantonness, as holy Judas saith, yet know we that we are chosen by Jesus Christ, that the glory of his grace, his favor and mercy towards us might be praised. For we are the elect and chosen kyndred and his people by purchase, that we should show the virtue of him which hath called us forth of darkness into this marueylous light.

For this Electe people only was Christ sent into this world. To them only is the word of saluatyon sent, as Peter saith to the elect by the for knowledge of God the father. i. Peter. i. Then to know what this election of God is, and what in the scriptures it doth sygnyfye: We describe and defyne Eleccyon to be the free choice of the good will of the almighty God appoyntynge and prescrybynge in the book of life before the beginning of the world, whom he will have to be saved and accounted amongst the just. Thys choice, this chewsynge, this afore appointed purpose and ordinance of God, is a boundantlye set forth in the first chapter to the Ephesians. That this cometh of the free will of god and his only grace, freely without our deseruynge, Contrarye to the vain oppinion of the scole men, the same chapter and the next chapter following doth playnelye testyfe. Ephe. i.ii. And moste euydentlye, the Lord in his Maiestye, speaking to his servant Moses. Exodi .xxxiii. declareth all this to stand of his mercy, saying: I will have mercy upon whom it lyketh me, and I will show mercy where it shall be my pleasure, for so is the meaning of those words, I will have mercy upon whom I will have mercy. Paul also declaring this place the work of God betwixt these two children Jacob and Esau. Romans .ix. Sayeth thus of this free Election, when Rebecca was with child with one and the same father Isaac before the chyldrene were borne, when they had neither done good nor bad, that the purpose of god which is by Election might stand, it was said to her: not for the cause of works, but by the grace of the caller, the elder shall serve the younger. As it is written saith he: Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated. Of the boke of life, Moses speaketh. Exodus. xxxii. And Christ him self Luke. x. Sayinge to his Apostles: Ioye you and be glad, for youre names are written in the book of life in the heavens. And in the, lxix. Psalm, it is spoken against the wicked. Let thē not be written amongst the Iuste, and put them forth of the book of life. And against the false Prophet. Ezechyell. xiii. He shall not be in the counsel of my people, nor written in the book of the house of Israel.

Now it is to be noted and marked dylygentlye, that this word eleccyon is taken after two sortes in the scripture, some times as it sygnyfyeth absolutelye the free choice, will, and appointment of God, without the respect of the reuelacyon of the word and message of salvation. And thus speaketh the holy Apostle Sayncte Paul of eleccion, saying of the carnal Jacob: They were enemies concerning the gospel for your cause, but concerning the eleccion, they are beloved for their parents. For the gifts of God, and his calling are such, that he cannot repent. Even as you once were mysbeleuers from god, but now have attained mercy by their mysbelyefe, that they should attain mercy also.

Thys eleccion expresseth absolutelye the course of god his woorkeyng, without the respect of reuelacion of the word or any of our works following. Under this first kind of eleccyon were those hundredth and twentye thousand, which god did chewse and keep unto him self in Nineue amongst the Idolaters and the .vii. thousand which god did leave for him self in Israel in the third book of the kings the .xix. chapter. Yea, those that yet are not, are thus elect, chosen, and amongst all nanacions both Jews in this long blindness, and banyshement from their country, emonges the Turckes in their Idolatrous wickedness, yea amongst y ^e Edomytes, the Sabees, the Indyanes, and Ethiopians.

And in the late blindness of the popish church, wherein we together with our fathers were all together Idolators, all Hypocrytes and counterfayte Christians, this absolute eleccyon whereby the merciful LORDE God did reserve and keep his chosen unto him in all places, all ages, all countries without respect of parsones did most evidently appear. How be it this secresy of eleccion must only be left to the Majesty of God, where, whan, how and whom, he thereby saveth and showeth his mercy. For to the blind iudgmente of man, all these people rehearsed and such like seemeth reject, reprobate and caste away, as appeareth by Jonah condempnynge the Ninevites, by Elyas condempninge the Israelites and a long while, until God had by miracle from heaven delivered him from that error unto the chief Apostle Peter, iudgynge all the gentyles to be a polluted people far from the favor of God.

The second kind of Eleccyon is set forth & known euidente & open by the spryte of God, worckyng in the hearts of the elect and chosen by faith and trust in God his promises, teaching us that we are the children of God, chosen to him self by Jesus Christ from the begynynge, and therefore preparynge us to an holy and blameless life to the land and praise of the grace of god. The which eleccion besides the daily experience of our consciences may be approved by y ^e testimonies of these scriptures compared together. Isaiah. lix. Rom. viii. Ephe. i. Collossi. iii. and a very brief and parfit dyscripcion of this Elecciō. ii. Thess. ii. in these words. We ought to thank God that he hath chosen you from the beginning by the santefyinge of the spryte and the belief of the truth to the which he hath called you, by our gospel to attain the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ, by this gracyous eleccyon was Jacob dearly beloved in his mothers womb, and Hieremy known unto God before he was fashyoned in his mothers womb. Hieremi. i. And to be short, all other the elect of god are thus chosen, santefied, and beloved from the beginning, from before the foundacyons of the world, from everlasting to everlasting. For there is no change of time with God, seeing that all things are present in his sight. For unto him a thousand years are but one day, but the course and change of times are in us, our deeds, our knowledge in man's chaungeable wisdom.

Thys Eleccyon must of necessytye drive down the pride, we have of our own strength, our own power, our own nature, or own free will, our own merits, our own iustificaciō, of our own works and bring us to the fealynge of the mighty power of God, which worketh all in all things, to the restoringe of all things in our Christ, both in heaven and earth, by whom we are called into this state, longe before appointed according to his purposed pleasure, by whose power all things be wrought, that we may boldly say with the Apostle, who dare lay any thing to the charge of the elect of God? It is God that justifieth, who is he that can condemn? who can separate us (which are this chosen Jacob) from the love of God.

Canne affliccion? can anguyshe? can parfecucion? can hunger? can nackednes? can peril? can the sword? For I amparswaded saith he: y ^t nether death nor life, nor angel, nor power, nor things present, neither things to come, nether heighe nor depth, nether any creature can separate us from the love of God in Christ Jesus our Lord, lo this is the love wherewith the Lord loveth his Jacob whereby we say: O heavenly father, Lord of heaven and earth, it hath pleased the that thou might show thy great goodness, most liberallye and freely towards us, before that we were. And therefore before we had done either good or ill, without any our merits or deseruyngs, only thorough thy free mercy to elect and choose, ordain and appoint us heirs of everlasting life, and thereby to make all things perteynyng to our salvation so fyrme and sure, that they can not stagger nor waver nor fail, Where contrarywyse if they did hange of our worthiness, we should ever be doubtefull, because every man is a liar, and all our righteousness is like a spotted clothe, and nothing but counterfeyte hyprocrysy, weighed in the balaunce of thy severe justice. But the grace of this thy free eleccyon maketh us most certain and sure, seeing no creature is able to take out of thy hand, O God. Wherefore we do lande and magnyfye thy name world without ende.

So be it.

Now after this doctrine of electyon, and love of God toward Jacob, the haysynge and reprobatyon of Esawe must likewise be declared, and though the adversaries of this doctrine do seem to deny, that there is any such reprobaciō of the wicked, yet y ^e words are so plain, both here in this prophet and Rom. ix. That nothing can be more euydent. For what can be more playnelye spoken for this purpose, then that god should say before the children were borne that he hated Esau. What was this hatred, but the reprobacion, reieccion and condempnacion by god his own mouth of this wicked Esau, like as in the last verse of y ^e first psalm, where it is said: that the Lord knoweth the ways of y ^e just (that is) he hath thē writ̄ in his boke in the heavens, he loveth them as is said of Jacob, he hath such care over them, that they cannot fall, but unto the glory of god, and their own commodity, & by the course of the cōtraries compared together in that Psalm: it should be added, the Lord knoweth not the wicked, like as Christ saith: it shall be answered unto thē, I know you not. The latter parte of the verse is, that the way of the wicked shall perish, so that it appeareth to be all one, not to be elected, accepted and known of god, and to perish, and to be as a reprobate condēpned. And Felinus forth of kymhi doth note that that parte of the last verse of the .ii. Psalm. God being angry, you shall perish forth of the way, doth expound this of the first psalm, so that the election knowledge, love and favor of god and eternal salvation cannot be separate: Like as his anger and hatred, reprobacion and condempnacion consequently do follow, in Cain, Esau, Pharaoh, Judas the Pharisees, and like obdurate persons, so manifestly uttering thē selves to be of that sort whom god always hated: The children not of Abraham, but as Christ answereth unto them of their father y ^e devil, who was a murderer before the beginning of the world like as his children hath been also ever sith the beginning of the world, and therefore must of necessity be hated of the most merciful Lord, who is compelled by the order of his works, to use these wicked rods and cruel scourges, for the chastysement of his children, doing many times the work strange from his nature, that he may do his work of marcye, peculyer unto his nature. And than utterly break, hate, reject and cast away into everlasting fire and utter destruction, this rod and scourge, like a most marcyfull father, fauouryng his children and hating the rod. Lyke as he saith by his Prophet: Woo unto Assur the rod of my fury and the staff of my indingnation, and after promyseth to break the staff and caste away the rod. Psa. x. Suffering in the mean season yet these instruments of his wrath prepared unto destructyon, with great pacyence for this ende that he may utter the riches of his glory towards the vessayles of glory, which he hath prepared unto glory.

Thus was Pharaoh y ^e manifest scourge and rod of God, to correct, to chastyse, and to exercise the Israelites, and to spread the power of God through all the world. Therefore was Moses sent unto him with the rod of God his mighty mercy, to break in sondre this rod of chastisemente. And the Lord said unto Moses, I have appointed the to be the God of Pharaoh, and Aaron thy brother shall be thy Prophet, thou shall speak unto him, all that I command the. And he shall speak unto Pharaoh, to let go the children of Israel for the of his lande. But I will harden his heart saith the Lord and I will multiplye my signs and wonders in Egypt and he shall not hear you. And I will lay my hand upon Egypt and I will bring mine army and people forth of the lande of Egypt, by most great judgments, and the Egyptians shall know that I am the lord Exodus .vii.

Agayne the Lord saith. Now shall I stretch my hand to stryke the, and thy people with a plage, and thou shalt perish from the earth, for therefore have I caused the to stand (for so is the Hebrew word) that I may show in the my strength and that my name may be renowned through all the earth. Exod. ix. Then the lord sendeth a great hail so that fealynge the hand of God the tenthe time, Pharaoh was compelled to cry the Lord is just, and I and my people are sinners as followeth in the same chapter. Yet for all this the Lord hardeneth his heart, that he pursueth the chyldrē of Israel to his own destruction. Exodus. xiiii. So that resystyng the power of god he perisheth in this world, and in the world to come he is appointed to the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his aungelles by the just judgment of the almighty Lord: who being refused and so openly resisted: justly doth give over the wicked to their own reprobate minds with greadynes to fulfill their fleshly desires, and obstynat purpose to prosecute that which the Deuyll and the world willeth them to do, and so causeth them to hepe upon their own heads their own damnation, treasuryng & storing up all their life long, works deseruynge the wrath of god against the day of his wrath and vengeance, as the Apostle saith to the Romans.

Thys reprobacion then is the declaracion of god his severe Iustyce, and just judgment against the serpent and his seed, whom by the word of his eternal wisdom, he hath accurssed from the beginning and appointed to everlasting torment. The which work necessary for the proceeding of god his holy providence, eternal and never ceassynge regymēt & gouernāce, because it is the work of the will of the mighty god, which is the very law equity and justice it self, free from all affectyons, far from all fault, crime or sin. It ought to be known unto us all, that all flesh may tremble and consider before whom it standeth, even before that great Lord and mighty god, who hath power both over the body and soul to cast into hell fire. To whom no man may say: what doest thou? Being like the clay in the poters hand, or the staff or axe in the hand of the smiter. Who offendeth against no law, because his godly will is the law it self, and to know his pleasure, is to know the law, to follow his will, is to do y ^e law, so that of necessity this great Lord is so far and free from all sin, that nothing is good but that which is wrought by him, nothing can be evil that he worcketh in his creatures. No the fall of Lucifer the father of the reprobate doth utter his Maiestye, doth show his Iustyce, which old Satan and father Devil, was woorthelye cast down into the bothome of hell and eternallye condemned to everlasting pain and tormente, because he did so ambiciously and proudly clymbe up above his appointed place in the heavens. And where the malice of this old serpent caused Adam the first man to mount above his estate, to desire to know good and evil like a God, the marvelous mercy of God and inestimable love towards mankind caused and compelled this wicked woorcke of the Serpent to serve his glory and to tourne to our great commodytye and profytte, in that he raiseth of the seed of man, a nother Adam, most innocent, and holy, against whom no devil, nether any helly power may prevail, by whom we are not only reconciled unto God and do obtain pardon for this offense, but we are borne a new, and as it were again created into greater glory by far then we were at the first, for the first man had only a promise to live in the earthly gardine so long as he did not eat of the forbidden fruit, we have the promise of the heavenly paradyse, and everlasting pleasures. He had earthly meat and fruit, we have the heavenly Manna which feedeth into life everlasting. He was created to work in the gardyne works natural, we are renewed unto works supernatural, above nature, heavenly, and celestial. He was over come by the serpent, we do overcome and triumph over the serpent, Synne, Deuyl, Death and Hell. He had the gift of reason and understanding, we have the rich wisdom of God his holy spirit, whereby we dyscerne our own infirmity and weakness, and his almighty power, mercy, and goodness. To be short, where he did renne frō God, hyd him, and sewe fig leaves to cover his shame, following his fond fantasye. We do boldly behold the course of god his woorkyng in our nakedness, sin, and infyrmitie, and magnify, renown and praise our Lord god which showeth his grace, by our sin, which uttereth his power by our weakness, his wisdom by out foolyshnes, which setteth forth his elect vessels, his chosen Abel's, by Caynites the vessayles of his wrath. In wych Cain the first murthetherar, & therefore manifestly of the serpentes seed, appeareth euydentlye the just judgment of the almyghty god, accurssyng and condempnynge, in Satan and Cain, all sin and wickedness. To utter that he abhorreth sin, and hateth it, being so far contrary from his nature, which is Justice it self, contrary from his will which is equity, and his law which is judgment. In Pharaoh a child of the same father, reprobate indurate, and accurssed, whom god stirred up for the declaracion of his great power and mighty arm, as well in the manifold miracles wrought for his people, which nothing had needed, neither had been occasyoned, if there had not ben such a tyrant so indurate and so obstinate, to wythstande God and his Seruauntes, as also by the submercion and drownyng of him and his people in the read sea, a sign and token first of the eternal and inevitable destruction and damnation, whereunto the wicked are appointed, then of the salvation assygned and sealed up for the elect and chosen, we do learn here by also the power of god which the very Sorcerers, the enemies of god were compelled to confess before Pharaoh. Exod. viii. We do learn more over y ^e justice of god, which justice Pharaoh him self was compelled against him self, to denounce and affirm. Exo. ix. And finally we may se expressed most manifestly y ^e fatherly mercy of y ^e god of Jacob, which did give the king and the whole people of Egypt a price for his chosen Jacob. Loo the love towards Jacob, and the hatred towards Esau. What shall we speak of Judas and other manyfestlye reprobate, which are compelled by the testymony of their own consciences, to pronounce them selves wicked, and therefore to fear god his seueare justice and just judgment. And to fly there from by the terror of their evil consciences, which is more sore then a thousand witnesses, against such as god doth leave to their own selves. The which terrible examples, the elect of god, having before their eyes, hath great cause to praise their heavenly father, through his son Christ, who hath sent them his hollye spirit of comfort, which will never suffer them to be tempted above y ^t they are able to suffer & to bear.

But where we have two kind of mē, that be adversaries to this doctrine of reprobacion. The one sort uttering thē selves most manyfestly reprobate, obstinate, and wylfully wicked: cryinge and blasphemyng, we will follow our lusts, what need we to care howe we live, or what we do? if we be elected w ^t Jacob, we shall be saved, if we be reject & cursed with Esau, we shall be dampened. These Lucifers, not submyttynge them selves to the gouernaūce of god, careless what becometh of them, must be bette down with the consyderacion of the majesty and mighty power of God, which suffereth not one sparowe to fall upon the earth without his will and providence, neither one hear to fall from the head of his elect and chosen, howe fearcelye so ever they shall rage against them.

Wherefore (O you Serpentes seed) howe so ever you shall be offended with this y ^t I shall speak, know this: y ^t as the mighty God hath made the skattered sons, able enough to stay the raging seas: so shall your proud waves of your boylyng stomachs, and over busy heads, be broken and brought full low, where and whan it shall like the Lord of all flesh, by these his weak vessels. And lycence must you ask, as did youre father the Deuyl, executynge his tyrranny upon the good man Job, as we read in the first chapter of that history, before you can lay hands, either of body or goods of any of his chosē, & therein shall you be lymitted and appointed (as there appeareth) how far you shall be able to extend your violence. For God holdeth youre hearts in his hand, be you never so great tyrants, and can soon cause you to faint and fail from your fury, turning your hearts round about as him lyketh best. And because thus you blaspheme God, both in words and deeds, following your father Lucifer, abusynge God's creatures, and despysyng his benefits, his tollerance, and his longe sufferance, which might move you to repentance (as holy Paul warneth) you treasure up for yourself even wrath & vengeance against the day of vengeance. I do fear nothing at all to offend you with my writing, neither do you pas any thing at all what is written or spokē, though you use to swear, stāpe, & stare for a little space in a furious rage, when you hear & feel things contrary to your poysō. But the scriptures of God, all good writings, all truth unto such dogs & hogs ar uttered to this purpose, y ^t they may be a testimony of cōdēpnatiō of the light of God his truth rejected & despised. Therefore for the elect of god y ^t they may understand the course of God his woorckinge in all his creatures, & reverence his majesty, & magnify & renown his holy name, is this writ̄. Yet doutles do I know amongst the chief vessayles and chosen children of God, there be many, which have not attained to this point of doctrine of eleccion & reprobaciō, whō I am very loath to offend, and therefore I desire thē for the love of god to suffer me quietly without their grief, to utter unto other the comfort of mi conscience, which I have here by undoubtedly received: like as I have many times harkened unto them, in the contrary. Fyrst praying thus both of us together unto our heavenli father, knowledging our own infirmity & weakness O father in the heavens, what so ever we are, what so ever we have, what so ever we know, it is only by thy free grace, for we wer by nature the children of wrath, & we are not borne a new of flesh & blood either of the seed of man, or of the will of mā, flesh & blood cannot reveal y ^e mysteries of thy heavenly kingdom unto us. But by thy blessed will, are we y ^t we are, & by the same know we that we know Therefore (O father) do we commytte into thy hands only our salvation. If our knowledge be small, yet we doubt nothing, but that we are the children of thy everlasting kingdom, and therefore by thy mighty power, we shall grow whan it shall be thy pleasure, to a more full and ryper knowledge of a more perfect age, wherein our faith shall be fully able to comprehend and perceive the breadth, depth, light, and largeness of thy great mercies, and gracious promises. But seeing this power of full knowledge, and parfite reuelacion, passeth all powers natural, and remaineth only in thy power, and the light of thy spirit (O Lord.) Do thou what shall please the, to open to us thy servants and children, depending of thy hands, so much of the light of thy countenaūce, and at such times as shall seme good to thy wisdom, and fatherlye mercy. In the mean time thus restyng hollye upon the, neither can we despair, neither will we be to much careful, although we cannot attain to the knowledge of many of thy works, neither to the vnderstādyng of many places of the scriptures, but we will confess unto thee, the weakness of our faith, wayghtyng always for further reuelacion of thy glorious light, to be uttered unto us when thou shall think of thy fatherly benevolence and goodness, mete and convenient, knowing most surely that thou wilt pyttye our chyldyshe infansye, and cause the same to serve for thy glory & our great commoditye, seeing that we do err, and are chyldysh, as sons before such a father which cannot put of his fatherlye pyttye, but rather as thou hast bought us unto the, to be the heirs of thy kingdom by the blood of thy natural son, so we be moste sure that thou wilt lyghten us in the ende, with the full fruition of the bryghte light of thy countenance, that we may see the and know thee as this thy son our redeemer knoweth the, yea, see the our father face to face, and know as we be known. Thus rest we only of thy hand to encreace our knowledge at thy good pleasure, O mighty Lord and moste merciful father. So be it.

If you can thus submit yourselves good brethren, to the wisdom of God, woorkyng in us weakelyngs what him lyketh. Al the stomblyng stocks which might offend you, may easily be removed. Ther be two things especyallye which do seem to stand against this doctrine of eleccion and reprobacion, or of God his governance and providence, for all is one in effect, the one toucheth God, the other man. The tyrst and principalis, lest that y ^e wicked do make God the author of sin in the reprobate, the which doubt, we may remove four manner of ways.

Fyrst, by the authoryty of scriptures. Secondly, by the testimony of their own consciences which be the reprobate. Thyrdlye, by the nature of sin. Fowrthly, by the majesty of god which is bound to none of his creatures, to make him this or that vessayle. For the first Saint James saith: Lette no man say when he is tempted, that he is tempted of God, for God, as he cannot be tempted with evil, so neither doth he tempt any man. But every man is tempted, drawn away, and entysed of his own lust and concupiscence. Then the lust when it hath conceived, bringeth forth sin. James. i. And even thus it appeared in the first fall of mankind. Fyrste, though the Lord our God had warned and commanded the contrary, our old ennemye styrreth the concupiscence and lust of the woman, with the goodness, pleasātnes & beawty of the apple, then her lust conceiving this, bringeth forth sin, enticing also her housbād to the breaking of God his cōmandemētes. Gen. iii. But cōtrarywise saith James in y ^e same place. Ia. i. Lest you should err & cōeeyue any evil opiniō of God, every good gift and every parfyte gift is from above, descending from the father of light, with whom is no varyablenes, neither change into darkness, that he should give now good things, now evil, now light, now darkness. No, saith the Apostle Paul, let God be true, and all men liars. Can God be unjust? How shall he then judge the world? Rom. iii. Agayne, God saith by his prophet Ezechyel: I will not the death of a sinner, but I will rather that the sinner convert, repent, and live. And unto wicked Iherusalem saith our savior Christ: O Iherusalem Iherusalem, which sleyest the Prophets, and stonest them that are sent unto the: How oft would I have gathered together thy children, as the Hen gathereth her chykyns under her wings, and thou wouldest not. Lo, thy house therefore is left desolate. Math. xxiii. Loo, here appeareth the goodness of the living Lord, so dylygently calling the wicked to him by his word, by his Prophets, by his messengers, and at the length by his own son, that he cannot in any case be accounted the author of their evil, nor cause of their fall. But contrary wise their own wylful and wicked stobbernes, is the cause of their evil and the only occasion of their fall, as it is written: 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 Thy perdition and destruction is of thine own self, but only of me is thy saluaciō. And infinite scriptures to the same purpose appertaynyng. That we may say with Danyel: unto the O lord, belongeth ryghtuousnes, and to us the shame & coueryng of our faces. Dani. ix. Secondly. The testemony of the consciences of the wicked, which shall accuse or excuse them at the great day, which is always of the force & valure of a thousand witnesses, which is the worm that shall never die but gnawe the wicked forever. Esa. lxvi. Thys conscience (I say) of theyres shall condemn the wicked, and what shall God then do? Or wherein is his dreadful majesty to be charged? Cain by his own conscience, is compelled to confess: greater is my wickedness then can be remytted. Thou castest me from the face of the earth (saith he) and I must hyde me from thy face. Lo, the just judgment of God and his worthy condempnacion, openly confessed. Who dare then blame God. Cain dare in no wise do it. Neither yet proud Pharaoh, who condemned in his own heart and conscience, accuseth him self and his people, and iustifyeth god delyuerynge all men from this wicked blasphemy, saying openly: I have sinned now, the Lord is just, and I & my people are wicked. Exodi. ix. What doth Judas? Doth he not cry likewise I have sinned, betraying this innocent blood. Math. xxvii. And to utter in deed that thing he felt within his breast, he is compelled to take aduengeance, and execute a judgment most terrible against him self, uttering to all the world him self most wicked, and that the justice of God, punyshyng such wicked traitors and murderers: ought most worthelye to be feared, magnyfyed, and reverenced, throughout the whole world. Lyke as all the other wicked and desperate parsones, which for anguyshe of heart, and terror of conscience, do murder them selves, doth euydētly and continually witness unto the worlds and, that there is a just Lord, the god of judgment, whom they do fear, and before whose face they dare not appear, to accuse him of any sin, but rather taking the crime, blame, shame, and punyshment, unto themselves, who worthelye by their own conscience, have deserved it, doth thus tormente them selves, and with vyolente hands, aduenge the sin they have committed in their own sinful souls and bodies. Thus must God always be found just, and overcome whē he is judged, by the testimony of our own conscience, which shall accuse or excuse us at the great day. Roma. ii. Wherefore let no man be so foolishly, to say, that God is the author of evil, unless he will be accounted woursse then Cain, more proud then Pharaoh, more wicked then Judas, or any other the reprobate from the beginning.

Thyrdly, the nature of sin, being defyned by the authority of scriptures, to be a thought, word, or deed, contrary to the will of God. For such things only defile the man, as Christ our master saith. Matthew. xv. and therefore are only to be accounted sin. No such thought can be attributed or ascribed unto God, as can be against his will, therefore no sin can be his work. Neither can he be the author of evil, which therefore is called god, because he is the author and giver of all good, so contrary to the nature of sin, and so far from evil, that he tourneth all our evil to some good, our sin to the uttering of his grace, our lies, to the declaraciō of his truth. No, this is the parfyte work master which worketh all things without fault or trespass, all other do fail, fault, and trespass, and sin in all their works, that he may be justified in all his doings, and all creatures fall down before his face & presence. Who though he do work all in all things, yet doth he work the same to such godly ende and purpose, known only to his majesty, that thought we be compelled to say God is the author of the fact, yet must we answer: but not of the crime. Because he is the master of the house. and Lord over the family, and therefore may do any thing without the blame of his servants.

And like as that which is no fault in the Mayster of the house, is a great fault many times in any of his servants, because it is breaking of their Maysters commandment. Even so doubtless the self same work is sin in God his servants and creatures, which to God is no sin, but an ordynary work appointed for some special purpose, either for the manyfestacion of his power, as was the hardenyng of Pharaoh, or for the declaraciō of his mercy, as was the fall of David, of Peter, of Mary Mawdelen, and all other repentant sinners. And wherefore (I pray you) may not this Lord, thus use his own Seruauntes, without any blame of sin, seeing that he hath created and made them all only to serve his glory, his justice and his mercy. Or how can he be unjust, or the author of any sin, by whom all the world must be judged and brought to the balance of justice and equity. Whan the first world shall be condemned for their sin and iniquity, and we now living shall be judged for our sins: especyallye all those which not only do evil thē selves, but are authors and fautours to wicked doers. Roma. i. Fourthly. The majesty of God can be subject to no sin, because it can be under no law, And that only is worthelye called sin, which is done against a law, therefore no work that God doth, ought to be accounted evil, either that he is the occasion of any evil, which only is the mind, sense, and spryte and power of the law, without whom no law of itself is good. For every good law is the mind, will and commandments of God, and what so ever law is not the mind, will, and commandment of God, as was the laws of the Scribes and Pharyseis, and of our late Papists, the same be wicked: who of necessity were set up the body of antechrist to vttre their unrighteousness, that Christ the son of rightousnesse, the head of his body, in his manifold mercies, more playnelye might appear, and shine with more glory. Again to define sin to be the affeccion, mocion, or operacyon of any reasonable creature, against the law of God: his majesty must needs be secluded and excused, who is the law maker, the creator, no creature, having no evil mocion, nor led with any affection, which might make his work evil. Like as the creature is for the most part blame worthy, because evē whan it doth the best of all. It is subject to some affectiō either self love, or hatred of some other, yea the Lord God may use any of his creatures in any work, without the blame of any evil, as well as the smithe may make his colles to flame, or to quench them, either the same peace of iron, sometimes his hammer, sometime his tongues or stythye.

Wherefore though very much might be said in this parte, that as the potter may make of one piece of claye what him lyketh, the smythe may make of his yrō diverse instruments, yet following the godly wisdom of. S. Paul, I think it more mete, to beat down man's subteltyes, with the contemplation of the majesty of the mighty God, pronouncing boldly that such as say (if my lies and sin, setforth his glory, why am I then judged as a sinner, let us do evil that good may come, and so in their wicked words dare make God the author of evil, hath their worthy damnation all ready as Paul saith. Roma. iii. For of necessity which their eyes cannot see, such diversity of sin and grace, of righteousness and vnrightousnes, of the contraryete & chaung of things, must be in this wonderful creation of heaven and earth, by the high Maiestye of God appointed and opened, For what neaded the goodly creature of light? If there had been no darkness, or howe should this benefyte have been felt or perceived? what matter or cause of vtterynge justice might have been found? without sin and vnryghtousnes? howe should grace have been shown if no wrath had been deserved? No, the mighty God thereby most evidently uttereth his majesty, in that he showeth how the heavens fall in to darkness without him, the earth into dust, the angels into devils, the mē into sin, and so finally without him all things to come to nought, y ^t he might be magnified creating all things, his son our savior renowned who hath redeemed us all, his holy spirit exalted who hath renewed all us, y ^t be his elect and chosen. Now to what creature is y ^e majesty of god bound and found debtor of his spryte. If he with hold it from any, his dreadful majesty may rightly w ^t hold it, for who hath given him first to ask anything again of debt or duty? If his majesty do give his spirit, it is of his free mercy and grace. If y ^e earth fall into dust, if man fall into sin y ^t all things may be known to be nothing without god: what blame deserveth god or who dare accuse him? No, let all flesh fall down before his majesty & cōfes. Al things doth only rest upon the o Lord god, thou hast created all things of nothing, so that without the they all do fall to their original, to show them selves vain and nothing worthy, weak, wretched & miserable, wherefor if we have any good thing it cometh of thy mercy, if we have any weakness sin or infirmity, it cometh of our own concupiscence, lusts and vanity, our perdition is of our selves, our sin is of our selves, only of the is our salvation, thou made us claye, pots and vessails to thine use. Do thou with us as y ^u shall think good in thine eyes, & the shame shall fall upon our own faces The second cause which concerneth mā, (whereby many mistake this doctryn) is that God exhorteth man always in his scriptures to good, and forbiddeth evil with many terrible threatenings, which things seemeth not to be needful (say they (seeing the elect shall be saved and the reprobate condemned, by decree and sentence given upon them before they be borne. To this we do answer that these exhortacions and comninations, are very necessary to both twain, because God leadeth us men always, like reasonable creatures, not like in sensible stocks or stones. And to the elect they are most necessary Pryckes and spurs, to stir the dull flesh toward his deuty, as all good men fealeth and can bear witness. To the reprobate they are testymonies of the good will of the almighty God to them opened and uttered, but openly resisted, refused and rejected, according to the saying of our savior Christ. If I had not come and spoken to them, they had had no sin but now they have no pretense or excuse for their sin, Peradventure you will answer me: they cannot obey unto it. What is the cause thereof I pray you? because they lack the spirit of Christ to lead them, you will say. I dare easily grant you, but will they grant this? will they (think you) submytte them self under poor Christ, and the folyshenes of the cross and not rather boast and brag their wisdom, their knowledge, and their up right dealing, and righteousness. Ar not these the men that dare thus boast? We know as well as the Preacher can tell us. Is the sprite of God departed from us to speak with him (as was said to Micah .ii. of the kings .xxii. chap. Or as the Pharisees did answer unto Christ are we blind? to whom our savior saith again. If you wer blind you had no sin, but now you say you see, therefore your sin remaineth. Io. ix. Thus doubtless they are so far from the submission and subieccyon to poor Christ, that contrary wise they do willingly and naturallye follow their father Lucifer, Who did lyft himself arrogantly above Christ the son of righteousness, and evermore fyghteth against Christ, though the mighty power and high wisdom of God turneth his evil will and all theyres to his glory and good purposes. None other ways then bodilye and natural darkness which by the wonderful wisdom of God, clearelye setteth forth the bright son shine, and yet laboreth by continual course to shadow the sonne & to cover the whole earth. Wherefore the Lord God to drive a way this natural darkness from man, exhorteth to justice & equitye, which is his nature and the image which man ought to coūterfait. And always commandeth things thereunto agreeable. And forbiddeth that he is not, that is to sai iniquiti, and behorteth there from by his Prophets and preachers publishing his will & pleasure, which is the light and law most perfect to man his noble creature, whom he hath made for his honor and glory, whom he hath appointed to bear his Image upon earth of justice righteousness and innocence. But because this image cold by no creature parfytlye be expressed, unless the same were fully replenished with y ^e self same godhead, because that all things besides forth had some inperfection, bewraying their original the darkness as John calleth it the Tohu and Bohu. as Moses doth it name, The vain vanity, and wild deformite, whence they were by creacyon altered, recovered, and brought into light and life, as apeared in Adam falling from truth to lies straight at the beginning, now of necessity the sonne of God (who only is good of nature, becometh mā, and taketh this office to bear the image of god invisible. Col. i. And to be the head of that spiritual perfection which was to be wrought in mankynd, by his a fore appointed purpose, and becometh the first begot̄ of all creatures, for bi him wer all things created both in heaven and earth, visible and invisible majesty, Lordship, rule and pour, by whom and in whom all things are created, and he is before all creatures and in him all things have their being. And he is the head of the body, he is the beginning and first begotten of the dead, that in all things he might have preeminence For it pleased y ^e father that in him should dwell all fullness, and by him to reconcyle all things to himself. And to set at peace by him through y ^e blood of his cross both things in heaven and things in earth, for evē you saith Paul which in times past were strangers, because your minds were set in evil works, hath he now recōsiled in the body of his flesh through death, to make you holy and vnblameles & without fault in his sight. Seeing then that this cannot be denied to be the course of god his holy working to drive away this darkness, & to bring mā to his light to take away sin, & to bring man to a life blameless the state of innocency & his own liknes: shall it not be most nessessarye to have preachers & teachers to tell us this same, and admonyshe us whereunto we be called seeing of our selves and our own reasons no such thing can be perceived. Therefore have we preachings and exhortacions as Paul saith: for when the world through wisdom knew not God in the the wisdom of God, it pleased God through the foolyshnes of preaching to save them that believe .i. Corin. i. And as he also saith of him self in another place: We do preach this riches in Christ the hope of your glory, warning all men, & teaching all men in all wisdom, to make all men parfyt in Christ Jesus.

Thus serveth then exhortacions, dehortacions, cōminations and publicacions of the laws and will of our Lord God: that he may be known the Lord and governor over all the things he hath created, and the only law maker amongst his creatures publyshyng unto all that parfyt equity & justice which ought in no case to be resisted. Wherevnto if they cannot attain, they must confess and knowledge their own infyrmytye and weakness, and submyt them selves under the mighty hand of God, and so doing they shall be received as children of the most loving and most merciful Father, in such degrees of parfection as he hath appointed to the beawtefying of the body of his son our head. So that the Lord God doth teache all, and lyghten all men that come into the world both chosen and reprobate, with such a knowledge as doth the good Prince, which unto all his subjects proclaimeth his statutes, and publysheth his laws: but like a good & tender father, he leadeth his children (regenerate and borne a new, neither of flesh nor blood, nor the will of man) and guydeth them with his fatherly spirit in the paths of the same laws, writing in their hearts what is his good will and pleasure.

In the which course of God his wonderful work, the wicked hath no cause to complain, for as their father whom they do follow is named y ^e prince of this world, so they have the world at will, and are rich roysters, and wealthy worldelynges, tramplynge under their feet poor Abel, and the despised Christians: neither will they change their estate with any such, no when they are called from darkness to be partakers of light, of life, and the heavenly daynties, laid up in poor Christ they despise that estate excusynge their purchases, their marchaundyse and their earthelye lusts and delytes. Luke .xiiii. Wherefore in the other world, they that here are oppressed, shall have comfort and the other torment.

Sutche is the order then of God his woorkeynge that by the contrayetie of the chosen and reprobate, of Jacob and Esau, of Pharaoh and Israel, and the wisdom of God, and the wisdom of the world, he will set forth his majesty, his power, his divinity, his Godhead so mutche as may be known unto man (that is to say) in his wisdom, Iustyce, mercy, and almyghtynes. For comparynge his wisdom to any other wisdom, now appeareth, the contrary, that it is very foolyshnes, even darkness compared unto light, death unto life, lies unto truth, as Paul saith: When they accounted them selves wise, they were made very fools, and changed the truth with lies, the glory of the immortal God, to mortal and corruptyble creatures. They following their own ryghtuousnes could not come to the ryghtuousnes of God in Jesus Christ.

Wherefore of necessity God did shytte all under sin that his mercy might flowe over all. And that his mighty power might appere, he hath created the heavens & earth, wherein we do se light & darkness, death and life, shame and glory, weakness and strength, lies & truth, ryghtuousnes and vnryghtuousnes to serve to the setting forth of his glory, that man may be driven to say with Paul: O the depth of the riches of the wisdom and knowledge of God. How incomprehensible are his ways? How unsearchable are his judgments. For who hath known the mind of the Lord, or who hath been his counsailour. Or who hath given him ought afore hand? that he might be repaid. For by him and through him and in him, are all things, to him be praise forever. Amen.

And as this holy Apostle Paul doth submyt him self to the great depth of the wisdom of God and his wonderful regyment and prouydence, and would beat & drive down all flesh by the consideracion of the same. So also all our fathers frō the beginning hath laid this the only foūdaciō of their faith. Wherefore Moses beginneth to stablish the faith of man at the history of the creation, and so forth by thorder of god his present governance about the things made & created. And David for a confession of his faith pronounceth of this providence Psa. xcv I do know that thou art a great Lord & a Lord above all God's. Althyngs whatsoever the lords pleasure was he hath made in the heavens thearth, the seas, & the bothomles waters. Again, by the word of God all things were set in their places, and by the spirit of his mouthe all the powers that be in them. And Paul considering most deeply, and pronouncing most playnelye this divine governance of the creatures, and godly providence of the creator, in all things for his elect and chosen saith thus. Roma. viii. We know that all things work for the best unto them that love God, who also are called of purpose, for those which he knew before, he also predestinate that they should be like fashyoned to the shape of his son. Moreover, whō he hath predestinate, those hath he called, and whom he called, them he also hath justified, whom he hath justified, those also hath he gloryfyed.

So that this appeareth to be no new learning or vain doctrine of God his providence and election. But the only ground of faith and certayntye of conscience in all conflyctes against the world, the flesh & the devil, against Synne, Death, & hell, as thapostle useth it in the latter ende of the same chapter and all rhe fathers from the beginning hath felt it. For how could Adā by any other work or creature, either by comfort of any other doctrine, stay his conscience? but in that the Lord God promised to provide for him, and to save him from his ennemye (who once had overcome him) by the blessed seed which not by merits, but by mercy and grace, and therefore of his free purpose before appointed, should be sentte unto him to break the head of the serpent. Why? should Abraham have left his country and his own fathers house if he had not felt this divine providence, fatherly care, free choice and eleccion of him and his seed? By the which lively felyng of God his careful providence, and free choice, sending him seed whan he was past hope of seed (concerning his dead body and all the works of nature) and by the steadfastness of faith in the temptacions about the same seed to be made a slain sacrifice, and other grievous temptaciōs and adversities from time to time laid vpō him, this chosen vessayle Abraham is called the father of all faithful. As by his history appeareth a fatherly care of our god, for all his people, both for bodies and souls, for wife and child and all together. And Isaac his son, that chosen seed, in whom all the nations of the earth were promised to be blessed longe before the child was borne, hath this promysse of enherytaunce given him by favor, that the promise might be sure to all the seed as Paul saith. Ro. xiiii unto whom and his faithful seed this free promys and fatherlye eleccion and predestinacion (or what else you will cal it) was again revealed and opened. Genes. xxvi. in these words: thorough thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. And the lively sense and feeling of this eleccion and fatherly care of God, for him, did then especially shine in his heart when the Lord said unto him: Go not into Egypt tarry here, I will be with the, and will bless the, and thorough thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed. Gene. xxvi. And after that grievous temptation undoubtedly wherein he was compelled for fear of the Philistines, to deny his wife and call her syster, and after the manifold contencyons with the Philystynes, wherein his God did preserve him, and at the ende in the wonderful miracle of his children, whose birthe right was altered by the unsearchable prouydence of God the manifest notes and tokens of the free Eleccyon and choice of God did appear. And Jacob chosen and beloved in his mothers womb felt this free work of God his great favor, who had chosen him before he was borne, and taking occasion of the necessity of his brother, seeketh the birth right, the which God had unto him before appointed and promised renouncing the cours of nature, thē doth he leave and forsake his fathers house and pacientlye taketh all troubles offered unto him, In the which oftentimes undoubtedly he fealeth the heavy and grievous temptations that his fathers Abraham and Isaac had before (for no creature more often suffereth trouble than the very elect of God) for the experimentes of his faith, whereby the lyuelye sense and undoubted tokens of his favorable eleccyon after many battayles and vyctoryes might be made certain and sure, thorough present comfort always ministered unto him either by secreate inspiration or manifest revelation, wytnessynge the singular care of his heavenly father over him his dearly beloved and chosen child, as his wonderful vision of the ladder and the angels dessendynge from heaven doth declare, and the other vision wherein the aungel did show him the partye colored sheep for his porciō to multyply and increase his substance, as also whan God byddeth him go into his own contry from this disceitfull Laban, and defendeth his Jacob from him, and finally the glorious vyctory given unto him over the aungel, comforting him against y ^e fear of his brother Esau, doth bring forth unto his heart and conscience the assured signs and tokens of his heavenly father, first electinge and chusyng, and after evermore gouernynge, guydynge and preseruynge by the free mercy of his dyuyne prouydence.

Iheremy also chosen in his Mothers womb as appeareth in the first chapter of his Prophecy, where it is said from the mouthe of God (before I fashyoned the in thy mothers womb I did know the. And or ever thou wast borne I did sanctifye the, and ordained the too be a Prophet unto this people, then felt the moste lyuelye signs and tokens of his eleccion, whan his flesh repyned, grudged & feared to take in hand the execution of this great & dangerous ēbassage, and the pour of God his spryte doth 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 touch his heart, and openeth his mouth to the plāting and rooting up of all people and kingdoms to breke, destroy and make waiste, and raised him as a fenced town, a brazen wall an Iron pyller against the kings, priests and people of the lande. Now though some times his flesh doth grudge for the burden of his office & anguish of heart as though he had been an abiecte or reprobate, yet always after the brunte of temptacyons vtteringe his weakness, he fynedeth the merciful providence of his heavenly father, to take a continual care for him and not only comfort and assist him but also most evidently to punish his enemies.

And to be short all the elect of God are thus chosen and called guyded and governed from their mothers womb, according to the saying of the princelye Prophet. Thou art he that takest me from my mothers womb, thou wast my hope, yet whan I hanged upon my mothers breasts. I have been left unto the ever sense I was borne thou art my God even from my mothers womb. And then do they fele most sensybly and lyuelye this their election, when temptacions and adversities doth assayl and assaulte them, in the which conflyctes 〈16 pages missing〉 bring to an earthly prince, and compare then with the prince over all earthly and heavenly things, the Lord of all Lord's, the king of all kings, what comely offerings would be brought to his divine majesty. Would any of our earthly Dukes be well pleased with the present of a lame dog or blind horsse? Nay doubtless: they would think thē selves utterly dispysed and shamefully dishonored by him y ^e should offer them any such. If nothing then be acceptable amongst worldly men in worldly gifts, save that only which of it self is commendable: howe mutch more before the Lord of hosts, the Lord over all dukes & kings must we be careful what we do bring? least he being displeased, do reject us together with our offering.

Yea, hear what the Lord of hosts & armyes, the great & terrible God, the mighty Lord saith unto you by his prophet, you priests come to the temple & to the altar to pray for the people, there you do offer, you drenne incense, you make vows as though you would move me to have mercy upon you, and grant your petitions, but thus careless you do come bringing the same and blind, pollutynge the bread of my table with your leaven of hipocrisy, making my table despised with your vile offerings, y ^t I neither can of my Iustyce, nor will of my mercy, receive the faces of such feigned hypocrites, neither any sutche skornefull gifts. No, I youre God am a just God, I do not hear the willful sinners. And to the wicked I have said: why doest thou take my name in thy mouth? I abhor the praises, the sacrifices, and the offerings of the sinner. Fyrst pourge thyself therefore, and then bring a pure offering to mine alter if thou wilt have me to receive thy face. O give ear you priests, you are negligent in youre offices, and that causeth this word of God to be like an heavy burden to you.

Deceyue not youre selves and youre people, abydynge still blind and haltynge of both sydes. Betwyxte God and the world, the Spyryte and the flesh, the living Lord and Baal, neither flatter yourselves, thinking that God will receive your fair faces & hypocritical gestures void of true holiness. No, be sure you hypocrites, that if the earthly Dukes and Lord's will have no lame horses when you prole for your benefits, neither will the Lord of heaven and earth hear your prayers, neither grant your requests for your blind and lame offerings, your haltyng doctrine, & crooked lameness in the course of your vain life and evil conditions. But thus saith the Lord God to you preestes again.

Lo, what cā be spokē more plainly or more wayghtely against your covetousness & ambiciō? O priests seeing no man but the Lord of all men, the Lord of all hoastes and armyes, be they never so fierce, speaketh these words: I have no pleasure in you nor youre gifts, I will none of them, because you do not serve me, but your avarice & your belly, for wer not that, you would not ons shut the church door, no now in these evil days, many priests will not do so much as shut the doors of their churches, but gapynge still for gain more and more, abide abroad in courts and great mens houses, and though they have great livings and mutche advantage by their churches, yet will they not once look in at the church door, where they ar named the pastors and shepeheardes, but like thieves come only thither to rob and to steal, where thou oughtest as thou hast freely taken, so freely to minister. Thys ought to be thy special respect, namely to do good & profit without offense (though all other men must likewise consider that the true & good laborer is well worthy his deue and just reward) yea, and if thou will be a good shepherd thou must not only seek thine own gain, but thou must be prompte and reddy to ieoparde thy life for thy sheep, else art thou an hyrelyng and a thief.

Wherefore. O priests, this prophet and messenger of God tellethe you plain, that so longe as you neglect your dewties toward Christ's flock, and only seek youre own gain and to saciate your covetous minds the lord God will have no pleasure in you nor youre offerings, be you Papystes, be you protestants, exammyne your own consciences with this question of the Prophet.

Who is there amongst you that will do anything for naught? And fear the mighty Lord which thus chargeth you. And let someone be found amongst you, which followeth no gain but laboreth for love in the vyneyarde of the Lord.

This prophecy as all other the sayings of the prophets, are general and agreeth first to the time when it was spoken, and so consequently the truth thereof remaineth unto all ages, the priests in that time thought that in Jury only did remain the true worship of God: but hear is answered as in the tenthe chapter of the Acts unto Peter, being of the same oppinion it was by reuelacion declared, that there is no regard of no place or parson before God, whether it be Jew or gentle, but in every nation he that feareth God and worketh justice, he is acceptable unto him. Thys fear & reverence of god his sacrate Magestye, is the sweet incense & pure offering which the lord God requireth frō the one side of the world to the other. Therefore saithe the Apostle Paul of this general acceptacion of all nations, glory honor and peace to everyone that worketh good both to the Jew and also to the Gentil, so that in eueri place god accepteth the just and heareth him, but he abhorreth the sinner with his sacrifice, which is the sense and meaning of our prophet, threatening to cast away the priests with their feigned holiness, & to receive such worshippers which in any place should worship in spirit and truth according to the saying of our savior Christ to the woman of Samaria Iho. iiii. Examples have we right many, that the mercy of God, is much farther delated and spread a broad, then the holy wordlyngs, who only will be accounted holy alone supposeth. For unto Jonah (not able to consider this mystery) it was by the mouthe of God said and pronounced: Shall not I have mercy of Nineveh the great cyty wherein there be mo then a hundredth and twenty thousand men which do not know betwyxt the righthād and the left hand? Though to our wicked cities and vnrepentaunt contraryes, this example ought to be no comfort but a condempnacyō, as Christ our master warneth the pharises. For if one poor Jonah could cause Nineveh the great to repent and .v. hundredth Prophets, apostles and preachers cannot pearse our flyntysh harts, what deserve so stubborn people? The Ninevites did repent in ashes and sakcloth both Prince and people, we gettte us into Harnesse and gather great horses to resyste God his wrath.

They weped for the preacher, we laugh at the preacher, They fasted we feast, They mourned, we play the hoiters like brainsyk beasts, yea in the kings court where should begin repentance and in the contrye for their mournynge, we mutter, we murmur, we grudge, and we groan against God, against our heads, against our preachers against our guides The Ninevites did cry unto the Lord myghtelye (saith Jonah) and commanded every man to torn from his evil way and from the vyolente oppressyon of his brethren. We neither cry nor cal but show our selves unwilling, weary and very loath to come to comune prayers, to hear godly preachings. Ah this comparison to our cities is far unlike, and nothing but a manifest condempnation of our wicked world. Though amongst the moste wicked, God hath his chosen children as he had Loth, amongst the Sodomites. For the Ninevites had a great noumber both of their heads and inferioure people fearing the Lord of heaven and earth, and therefore was Jonah readilye received. We have not one niste (as the Psalm saith) no not one, God looketh down from heaven and seeth us all unprofitable, all declining from the way, all working wickedness, neither priest nor writer working the worthy works of repentance. To conclude all in two words. They did cease from sin, we do all increase our sin, which is our condempnacion, yet in our awne country we nothing doubt, but God hath his chosen and knoweth them, and causeth them to confess his holy name, to call their brethren too repentance, and to glorify the mighty power of God. In many other countries we have examples also y ^t God hath always had his people, which did offer unto him acceptable sacrifice emonges the heythen, as in Siria Naman, the queen of the Southe, Hyra the king of Tyrus. In Madian Jethro, the father in law of Moses, the widow of Sarephta, & in diverse other regions, which as they were all made for the glory of God, so was there alway sum amongst them, that by marking his woēderous woorckes in the creation of the world and governance of the same, or else by secrete inspiracion, where there lacked open teaching, did magnyfy his name and offer the calves of their lips, that is to say: continual praises and rehearsynge of his marvelous works, with due obedience unto the general rules of his commandments, which he always preferreth to all sacrifices, and counteth it moste pure incense, and an offering moste pleasant. Wherefore the Jews warrefarre deceived, which thought them selves only the people of God, because they had the circumsicion & the sacrifices, likewise we Christians may not boast of our name, of our profession, of our baptime despising all other people, and living contrary to the will of God, uttered by Christ, contrary to our professyon promised in baptysme, for as the Lord God had many of his people at this time of our prophet scattered from the East to the West, though never in flesh cyrcumcysed, and as our savior Christ saith to the Jews bragyng of their father Abraham, that god his father was able to raise up stones to be sons unto Abraham, so may it be said unto us counterfayte Christians, which with our Lasciuious life do pollute our profession. For we must know that neither circumcision neither vncircūsicion, neither washing nor not washing of the flesh is any thing, but a new creature renewed with God his holy spirit is all together, which in all places is ready to offer a pure offering of thanks giving, ministryng justice, and working mercy. In the time of Malachi the table of the Lord was despised by the covetousness of the priests, his name was polluted by their Lasciuious life, the priests said: the meat of the Lord's table is not to be regarded, it is no living but beggary to serve the Lord, we will not labor therefore in the Lord's house, we will not shut the door for naught, neither light a candle upon his table without some reward.

Even as our priests at this day (unworthily concerning their office, but worthily concerning the wicked spoils of their livings) do lament that the layitie will bring them to extreme penury and beggarye. And some not worthy of v.li. living, from the church, can say what is, xl. pound, what is an hundredth pound, and some Lordlye Bishops can say what is D. mark. Now where the lay men do wyckedly in taking any thing from you: Doubtless you do much the worse in causinge the word of God to be despised through your covetous desires. Whereby you do make the Table of the Lord despised, and make all men vnwillynge to ministre meat to youre sacryfices that is to say to aid and to releaue you to the increase of your livings.

I do pass over because I would have it buried in silence, how the table of the Lord was polluted of late in our popish time, both with the blindness of the things offered there upon, and the dumb Popish ceremonies heaped as it were wode heaps, the word will and ordenaunce of God utterly despised, and so many as God hath opened their eyes, doth behold it and lament. Yet you pope holy Papists say.

As the Pharisey say in the Gospel magnifying him self and his works, loo I do fast twice in the weak, and I give the tithes of all that I have, & our Pharisees and poope holy prelates selling their lyppe labors, their prayers, and fastings, and such other holiness to other mē, believing their lies following the precepts and doctrine of men, which hath an outward show of wisdom by superstition and humblinge of their selves do bring laborious and paynful works as they think.

Suche are the works you do boast, so weak and vnweyldye, that they are not of so much force and strength as one blast of wind, no not youre God your Idol your popish wafer cake, was able in all his pour to wythstande one blast of wind, and how much less then was all your will holiness and other popish chaffer. Yea the whole kingdom of Antechriste shall be blown a way and their king destroyed with the breath of God his mouthe. And the blast of his spirit.

The Lord will have nothing gotten by rauyne, by robberye, by spoil and by bryberye, no he alloweth no such sacrifice, no such offering as is gotten of the spoil of our brethrē. This is not his honor, no it were much his dishonoure to admit such servants. This were as pleasant a thing to him, as it is to a natural father to rob or to sleye the natural child in the eyes of his father, and to bring to his father parte of the spoil for a present. Thinkest thou the carnal father will receive this thankfully? nay doubtless. No more will the heavenly father receive any offering, sacrifice, prayers or alms favorably, which such Priests and Bishops bringeth, as taking great lyuinges, forth of poor men's labors, doth no part of there duty, which is plain theft and robbery. But as the Iuste Lord hateth all disceite in all men, and that which cometh under the cloke of holiness especially, & as the blind, lame, and maimed beast, is an vnseamelye sacrifice to be brought to the mighty God, as all such sacryfycers with their presents, sacrifices and offerings are to be dyspised amongst the people. So much more the priest, who should appear