Sermon Preached at Pauls Cross

Jesus Christus

The grace of the holy ghost, proceeding from God the •… ather, by the interces •… ion and mean of Jesus Christ, so prepare your herts, and open my mouth, that I may declare, and show, and that you may hear, understand, remember, and practice in your living, his lively word as may be most to his honor and glory and to your souls health and comfort.

Y Ou Citizins of London, & all other that be here prefēt mark, note, and remember what ye hear of me this day: for if I shall say or speak any thing that is evil, you must bear record against me of that evil. But if I do preach well and truly, then you shall understand and know yourselves to be in great danger of heinous treason towards god & the kings majesty of this realm, which be by you spoiled, and robbed: god of his glory, the king of his honor, and the realm of his wealth. Howbeit the merciful goodness of both god and the king hath sent me hither this day, to proclaim a general pardon, intendynge thereby to try out and save them that have offended by simple ignorance, because the force of their mighty power is now ready and coming utterly to destroy all other that continue in willful stobe •… es & rebellyous treason. Wherefore afore the reading of my commyssion, I will declare that piece of scriptur which appointed to be •… d in the church as this day, will certyfye you that God by his scriptures hath shown the king, who be his fay •… thfull servants, and who be his enemies. Thys scripture is written in y ^• . iiii. Chapter of the first epistle of. S. Paul unto the Corinthians. Sic nos estimet homo ut ministros Christi, 〈◊〉 dispensatores ministrorum d •… i. &c.

Filioli •… ei quos iterum parturio. Albeit I use not scrupulouslye the same terms, yet conuenyently following the manner and phrase of scripture, I say unto you as Paul writeth unto the Galathyans: My dear chyldrē of whom I travel in brythe again until Christ be facyoned in you, I would I now being with you might change my voice, which heretofore I have used: declaring by the word of God, that you here in England which will receive no mercy, shall feel sore vengea •… nce, which will •… ot be •… aued, shall be destroyed. Thys voice used here afore of me, now would I fain change. For now 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 I doubt I am paste hope and allmooste in utter dyspayre of you. Tell me you that through covetousness desire the •… yches and wealth of this world. Have ye not heard how that he which would be a friend unto the world is made an enemy unto God, doethe not Paul teache that covetousness is the root of all evil? Is it not written that covetousness is Idolatry? Have ye not red i •… the prophet Ezekiel howe that he which keepeth his Idolles, meaning covetousness in his hert and cometh to hear gods word, doth thereby provoke gods vengeance to his utter destruction. Paul saith and testifieth that every man which is circumcysed, hath no profit by Chrys •… e, is gone quite from Christ, is fallen frō grace. I say and testyfye unto you in the word of the Lord, y ^• so many of you as be covetous, have no profit by the preaching of gods word. the mynistracion of his sacraments and the setting forth of pure religion within the realm: no ye be clean from God framyng yourselves unto the fassion of this world, ye can bring forth no good fruits of charitable works nourishyng the rote of all evil in youre hearts, ye must needs provoke the wrath & indignation of god to your utter destrucion, whan as ye keep the ydoll of covetousness still in youre minds to be honored and served in all your doings, and yet pretend a zeal and love unto the religion of Christ in your works and sayings. I would fain have had just occasion to have spoken at this time such things as might have been comfortable and pleasant for you to hear.

But I must needs show the causes of gods wrath & indignation kyndled against us, least that those plages should be ascribed unto the word and religion of Christ set forth amongst v •… , which be procured by the wickedness of them that serving covetous Mammon, have forsaken, offended, and slandered both Christ, & Christ's word and religion. No man can serve two masters, why then do ye pr •… tend that ye be the servants of Christ, seeing that ye will not forsake the service of wicked Mammon? if ye be ashamed to be named, and afraid to continue the wicked servants of wicked mammon. now show and prove by youre ordinarye calling, faythf •… ll dealing, and godly judgment according to this example of Paul plainly painted & set forth in this epistle unto the Cor •… thiās, that ye be Christ's mynysters, the servants & disposers of gods mysteries & treasures: for Paul showing him self as a good example of Christ's servants, saith: Sic nos existi •… et homo, ut ministros Christi. &c. So let a man esteem us, as the ministers of Christ, & the dysposers of the secretes of god. No man can come unto Christ Jesus to be his minister▪ except he be drawn of the father. The father draweth not by force violētlye them that be stuborne and froward, but by love thē that be gē till, & come willingly▪ For when the father showeth in Christ forgiveness of sins, grace of amendment▪ justification, and everlasting life, thē those that make fast them selves with the bande of love by desire of the same be drawn unto Christ.

As contrary wise when the devil showeth in fleshly lusts and worldly vanytyes, many voluptuous pleasures, then they that there with be entangled and delyted be drawn of the temptour away from Christ. Take hede therefore how ye have entered into religion, professed chryste▪ and received the gospel. For if ye be drawn by love of mercy, grace and •… yghteousnes, ye come unto Christ: But by the desire of riches, wealth, & voluptuousness, men be drawn and •… ysed away from Christ.

He therefore that by the profession of Christ, the zeal of his word, the favor of the gospel, seeketh covetous gain, or a carnal liberty, surely he is a servant of Mammon, enemy unto Christ, and a sclaunde •… er of the gospel. For he that will be the servant of Christ, must follow the example of Christ. He that will follow Christ in example of living, he must forsake himself, take his cross vpō his back daily & follow Christ. So Christ's servant shall be delivered frō the bondage of sin, y ^• he may freely & willingly contemnyng y ^• vanities of the world, & mortifying y ^• lusts of y ^• flesh, serve chryst in bearing the cross of paynful diligence, to do the duty of his vocation.

But all those that delight in a carnal liberty, or seek unlawful geynes, although they be named Chrystians and favorers of the gospel, yet be they in deed not ministers of Christ, but enemies unto Christ: not lovers of the Gospel b •… sclaunderers of the Gospel, not iustyfied by lively faith to be of that ryghteouse sort for whose sakes GOD spareth and favoreth a common wealth, but deceived with a dead faith to be of that ungodly sort, for whose cause God plageth and destroyeth many a common wealth. And now undoubtedly be we in great miseries and danger of destruction, for that we have many that be hearers, readers, and talkers of God's word, and few or none that do walk and live according to gods word: we ought truly to esteem and take them only to be mynysters of Christ which for the love of mercy, grace, and ryghtuousnes shown of the father unto them in Christ, do kill the lusts of their own flesh, dyspyse the vanytyes of the whole world, and forsakyng their own pleasures and commodities do take the cross of painful diligence and walk after Christ in doing of their duties.

All other that have the name and profession of Christ without living and conue •… saciō according th •… rto, be feigned brethren, in feasts with Christian men to take parte of their good chere, unclean spots amongst honest company, feeding them selves without fear of god, clouds w ^t out any moisture of gods grace, tossed about with contrary winds of strange doctrine, trees passyng summer time w ^t out any fruits of good works, twice dead without felynge the corrupcion of sin, or looking to be graffed in the stock of grace, yea rooted up from amongst y ^• vynes of the Lord, wild waves of the sea frothyng forth vnshame fast brags, & wandryng •… arres without constancy in judgment & opiniō unto whō the dungeon of darkness is ordained for everlasting damnation.

What marvel is it thē though the vengeance of God be poured forth among •… thē of such iniquity, yea & most habundātly when as his word plainly preached, is of them moste wickedly abused & shamefully slandered, which say: Lord, Lord, and do not as they be commanded of the Lord. Wherefore let us say: Non nobis domine, non nobis. Not unto us o Lord, not unto us, but unto thy name give glory, not for that we by our deeds have deserved, but y ^• thy name O Christ amongst us Christians may behonored, pardon our tauts, amende our lives, and indue us with grace, that the light of our good works afore men upon the earth, may cause thee to be gloryfyed O Lord in heaven. Dearlye beloved in Christ for the tender mercies of god, whē as ye se carnal gospellers, covetous ydolaters, greuyng youre consciences, slaunderynge Christ's religion, and damnynge their own souls, do not of malice contempne disdain and renyle thē, but of charitable pitye, lament, sorrow, and pray for them, which blinded with ygnoraunce know not them selves, deceived with the devil, be drawn from Christ, comfort and salvation, unto everlasting death and damnation. Say and pray for them: O lord suffer not the enemy thus to lede into captiuitye our fellows thy servants, our brethren thy children, O Christ restore unto lyberty thē that y ^• hast redeemed with thy precious blood, so y ^• we may alto •… ether draw̄ of y ^• father, received of the son, and gided of the holy ghost, be ministers of Christ in liberty of the gospel, delivered from sin free lie to delight and take pleasure in a godly conversation all the days of our life. Now let us after this taking of the mynisterye of Christ, wyich pertaineth generally unto all Christians, speak of the dysposers of God's mysteries, wherein we may consider severally every mans vocaciō.

Paul did dyspose the secretes of God by the preaching of the Gospel, which was ever secretly hid from the wyttye, wise, and learned in the world. Other men in other vocacions must dyspose other treasures of God by other means. As the magistrate by authorytye must dyspose the punyshmente of vice, & the maintenance of virtue.

The rich man by liberalytye, must dyspose relief and comfort unto the poor and nedye. The Marchaunt by byinge and sellynge, and the crafts man by his occupacion, must provide unto the common wealth of necessary wares, suffyciente plenty. The landelorde by lettyng of fermes must dyspose unto the tenants necessary lands, and houses of an indifferent rente. The houshandmē by tyllyng of the ground and keeping of cattle, must dyspose unto their landlordes, dew rentes, and unto them selves & other, both corn, and other vytals. So every man by doing of his duty must dyspose unto other that commodytye and benefyte, which is committed of god unto them to be dysposed vn to other, by the faithful and diligent doing of their du •… yes.

The treasures of the Lord be immeasurable, his heart is lyberall, there can be therefore no lack amongst his people, if his stewards unto whom the dysposing of his gifts be committed, be true and faithful. Thys therefore saith Paul, is required in a steward, y ^• he be faithful. Who think▪ ye, saith Christ, is a faithful and a wise stewa •… de whom the Lord setteth over his house •… hold to give them a due measure of the wheat of necessaryes in time conuenyente? Blessed is that servant whom the Lord when he cometh, shall find so doing: verily▪ I say unto you that he will make him lord of all that ever he hath. Behold the faythfulnes of the Lord's steward consysteth in dylygente prouydynge and mynistrynge unto the Lord's famylye any such things as be necessary. The reward of such faythfulnes is to be put in trust with all that his Lord & master hath. Then who can delyre a better master then the Lord God or a higher room then a stewardshyppe in the house of Christ, or a greater reward then to have all the treasures of God which be an hundred fold passynge any man's deseruyng here, and farthermore everlasting life. O that men would consider the goodness of God, the worthiness of their offices, the comfortable felowshyp of the household of Christ, and the joyful reward of the croune of glory, and so be faithful stewards and dysposers of the manyfold gyfts of God: And not being bleared and blinded with covetousness, deserve to be cut of from the company of Christians, & to have their por •… ion with hypocrites, whereas shall be wayl •… ng and gnashing of teeth. For that y ^• greedy worm gnawyng •… he conscience never dieth, and the flamynge fire of intolerable vengeance shall be never quenched.

O brethren, God hath given great plenty, and we in England find great lack: therefore the st •… wards of God be vnfeythfull. Who be gods stewards? They that have gods gifts. Suerly no man hath all the gyfts of God, and every man hath some gyfts of God. Then if all things be lacking, yet can no one man deserve all the blame, but every man shall be found fauty for that which is amiss, for lack of his duty.

Do ye perceive that the laytie is either altogether ygnoraunte and blind, or else having knowledge to speak fayer, hath no learning to do well? Then suerlye the cleargye hath not ben faithful in preaching of gods word earnestly, in s •… son and out of season to reprove, beseech and blame, in all patience and token, or dyscyplyne. Do ye see the cleargye hath not wherwithall to maintain learning, to relieve the pore, to keep hospytalytye, and too find them selves? Then trewly hath not the lay itye sufficiently provided that they which preach the Gospel, should live on the Gospel, and that they which sow spiritual treasures, might reap corporal necessaryes.

Do ye se y ^• they which be in authority have not ben regarded and obedientli served? Then y ^• common people have not done their duties, dysobeying any man placed in authoryty by gods ordinance. Do ye se the people have had injuries and ye •… the •… r cōplaintes negly gentlye heard and long delayed? then have the higher powers omytted righteousness and judgment, which will be required at their hands of the Lord.

Do ye se that in all manner of things there is some lack of that which is very necessary? Then be ye sure that all manner of men do leave or mysuse some parte of their duty.

Q •… is potest dicere: mundum est cor meum, purus sum a peccato.

No man can say: my hert is clean, I am pure without faults. Therefore s •… ynge that w •… be all gyltye, Lette us not envy, grudge, or 〈◊〉 ▪ dayne one an others faults, but everyone acknowledge, lament, and 〈◊〉 own faults.

Do not triumph and be glad when ye 〈◊〉 that other men's faults be noted or rebuked, but be most certain and suer, that except ye •… de ye repent and amende, ye shall everyone be likewise served. If ye have not those same faults which ye hear by the preacher noted & rebuked, yet if you take pleasure and be glad to hear other men's e •… vis, he sure that even that pleasure taking is a faute, which God hateth and will punysh.

Therefore when ye hear any mann •… faults spoken of, be sorry for them, and take hede to yourselves: so shall you thereby get good and they have no harm. If ye so do at this time, I may the more boldly examyne and try the faythfulnes of some stewards and disposers of God's gifts.

And for the better trial & assurance of their fydely •… e I note two things to be required: first that a steward or disposer be, Quem constituit dominus, whom the Lord assigneth and maketh: and secondarily, Vt det cibu •… in tempore, that he use to feed and cheryche, and not to deuou •… e and hurt them of the lords family. For the first parte it is to be noted, that every man in the time of his admyssion, when he shall be put into his office, is set on the hill of consyderacion and aduysement: where as the Lord Christ to those which he admitteth, showeth that the harvest is great, the laborers b •… few, great pains must be taken that much good may be done: vile rebukes & grievous affliccions here to be suffered, be the signs & tokens of great rewards in heaven for them prepared. The enemy of Christ Sa •… ā unto those which he would deceive showeth all the glory of the world, promysyng to give it a reward presently unto all the that will worship him falling down at his feet, in flattery, craft, and iniquity.

Christ the Lord indueth with will and habily •… ye to take pains to do good, those which he bringeth in at the door to be shepherds of the fold and stewards of the house: the devil the enemy of Christ cloketh in sheep skynnes of solemn titles to get gains, those which he con •… yeth not in at the door, but over another way to dystroye the flock, and rob the house.

Therefore if thy room be benefyce prebende, office or authorytie in a christen comminaltye within God's house, and if thou be brought in at the door of ordynarye and lawful calling, by painful dyligence to do good, thou mayest be a faithful steward in that place: but if thou be brought in over and besides all ordinarye and lawful calling, by covetous ambycyon to get gains, then must thou needs be a thief and robber: for Christ which so saith can be no liar. I mean if thou by money or fryndshyp have boughte either benefyce or office, thou can •… not be of Christ's iustitucion, but of the Dyuylles intrusion, not a fayethful dysposer, but a theuysh extorcioner of God's gyfts. For Christ saith plainly that he which entereth not in at the door, but clymeth over another way, is a thief and a robb •… r, and the thief cometh not but to steal, murder, and to destroy.

The door which is Christ him self, can never be entered in at •… y either •… rendshyd or money.

Sum perauētur •… will be offended not because I speak against the bi •… ge of benefices, which be spiritual charges, but for that I also include the bying and sellynge of offices, which as they say, be temporal promocions. As for benefyces ye know so well, that I need not to stand about the declaracion or proof in them.

No, I am sure that ye perceive howe that through the abuse of one benefyce, the Deuyll often times is sure to have many souls.

Fyrste the patron for his presentacion, then the Byshoppe or admission, the person for his unworthiness and a great many of the paryshe that be lost for lack of a good Persons duty.

But now as conce •… nyng the biynge of offices, to come thereby unto the room of an auditor, Suru •… our Chauncelloure, or any such like, surely no man will attempt it, but he which is so covetous and ambyciou •… e that he doth neither dread God nor love man. Whereof cometh the byinge of offices but of covetousness howe then can that be a good fruit which 〈◊〉 out of the root of all evil? Is not every Chrysten common wealth the fold of Christ's sheep, the house of his famylye? be not then all officers in a Christian common wealth named by God's word sheppeherdes of the fold, and stewards of the famylye of Christ? O Lord what shall we then say to excuse them that by and sel offices wythyn England? Shall we say those offices be no roumes and places ordained of God for his faithful stewards, therein to dyspose his treasures and benefits? or that the vile slaves of wicked Mammon for their brybery may lawfully be promoted unto those roumes which be ordained of God to his holy servants for their fydelytye? If we say that the offices be not meet for God's servants, then we confess that the officers which be in them be gods enemies. If we say that they be ordained for the faithful servants of God, how can we think that they may be bought unto the bryb •… nge servants of wicked mammon? Lette us not seek excuses to cloke sin, no let every man be known to be a lie •… and specyallye, they that say: One man can serve two masters, Mammon in giving or taking of bribes, and GOD in faithful dooynge of duty. Let God be justified when ye find his word true, which plainly affyrmeth that they which clyme into a common office of Christ's fold by the help of Mammon in at the wyndowe of bryberye, be thieves and robbers, coming to steal, murder and destroy.

O that no man in this faute wer gilty, then might I be sure y ^• no mā would be offended. But & if any man be grieved because his sore is touched, let him remember the saying of the wise man: Meliora sunt uulnera diligentis, quam fraudulenta oscula odientis: the wounds of the lover be better then the deceytefull kysses of the hater. For the wounds which the frinde openeth, be to •… le old sores: and the dysceytfull kysses of the enemies be to make new wounds. I speak playnelye to open the •… ounde▪ •… o root out and heal the dysease of covetousness, which would be to the wounded and to every man, c •… mfort. They that by flattery do covet, kiss, and plaster this deep wound, do seek their own gain to the utter dampnacyon of the wounded, and to good men's great grief, yea and to the great dysquyetinge of a commune wealth: making no dyfference betwixt the Lord's servants, and the Lord's enemies. For without dout, Non 〈◊〉 quem constituit dominus.

He is none of the Lord's appoyntmente or admyssion, which 〈◊〉 in to an office by brybyng, Monye, or flattering frendeshyp. Byinge of an office is an eu •… dente token of vnfayeth •… uines. He that is once known by that token and mark, should be thrust out of the Lord's foulde, Ne furetur, mactet, et perdat, lease that he rob, kill, and destroy. But now by the seconde note to try whether that the steward and dysposer of gods treasures be faithful or not, se whether that he be 〈◊〉 feder o •… devourer. He that fedeth, is faithful: he that devoureth, is vnfaythefull. What doeth he which is vnfaythefull? devour gods sheep, Christian people, the kings subjects, A dangerous matter, which if it be spoken of, will procure dyspleasure: and if be it not remedied, will procure God's vengeance. Surelye brethren, I think God would never have caused me to have meddeled with this dangerous matter, but that he will give me grace m •… e pacyentlye to suffer the loss of mine own life, then the damnacyon of your souls.

For if I lose my life here, I shall find▪ it in heaven. But if you be dampened, & I being a watcheman, and seeing your dampnacyon coming, do not give warning, you shall be taken in youre own sins, and your blood required at my hands. If I give warning, and you take hede, gods indignation shall be appeased, and both we saved. Therefore I being a watcheman and by the light of gods word spying that the abominacion of ydolatrous covetousness hath kyndled the indygnacyon of God, to consume and destroy the people of this realm, do c •… ye out against England by the voice of the Prophet: Abiecerunt •… egem domini, they have cast away the law of the lord, everyone framyng him self unto the fashyon of this world: •… loquium sa •… cti Israel blaspheme auerunt. They have blasphemed the word of the holy one of Israel, by their ab ominable living. Ideo incensus est furor domini in populum suum: therefore is the indignation of God kindled against his people. Therefore doth all run at syxe and seven, from evil unto worse: therefore doeth gods word take no place to do good, but is unthankfully refused, which causeth more harm. Is gods word received in England because it is playnlye preached and taught, or refused and forsaken because it is not obeyed & followed? Be we in better case then we have ben afore time because papistry amongst us is kept under, or else worsethen ever we were because covetousness raygneth at lybertye? That which papystry abused, hath not covetousness destroyed? is not papistry superstition, & covetousness ydolatrye? Then I b •… ch you be not we well amended y ^• be come from abusyng to destroying, from superstition to idolatry? And hath not God given unto us at the bynyshyng of superstition, comfortable plenty of his holy word, and by the suppressyng of abbeyes exceeding abundance of all manner of lands, riches, and treasures? And now where is it all become? Surelye it is much spent, wasted and lost by evil officers, unfaithful disposers, which be in deed devourers. S •… therefore howeye have offended god, begyled the king, spoiled the realm, and indaūger •… d yourselves to be accused, condemned, & suffer as most vile heinous traitors to God, the king, & to y ^• cōmō wealth. Wherefore whiles ye have time, before ye be condemned, Sacrificate sacrificium iu •… itie, & sperate in domino. Off •… a sacrifice of righteousness, makig restitu •… iō of y ^• which ye have wrongfullye gotten: then trust in the Lord, and he will sh •… w mercy, prouydynge you pardon and safeguard, unto every man's comfort. Here I namynge no man, do mean almost every man: for every mā hath some treasures of the lords to dyspose, and none is so faithful that he may be able to stand unto the trial, entering with the Lord in to judgment. Therefore I advertise both ministers of the clergy, officers in authority, and other people of every degree, to acknoweledge their faults, and make restitucion to y ^• vtterm •… st of their power. First unto the clergy, I say: there is none of you all having so much learning, wit, and dylygence, as is possyble to be in one man, that can do more then one m •… ns duty: why then do ye take and keep, some four or five men's livings? I do not think that every man is worthy blame that hath a great living, nor to be praised that hath a little living. For as God hath given some more excellent gifts of learning, wit and polycy, so hath he provided for the same better living with higher authority: howbeit no man may promote him self to proceed from a mean living unto a better, quia nemo sibi su •… met honorem, for no man may prefer him self unto honor, nisi qui a deo uocatus est, but he which for his fyd •… lytie in a little, is called of God to be trusted with more. But it is not a good reason to say that because an honest man for his fydelyty is called of God from the less unto the more, therefore a covetous man through gredynes, may keep less and take more, and so join three or four of them together to make divers paryshes in divers shyres, all one man's living. The Prophet crieth: ue uobis qui coniungitis domum ad do mum, & agrum agro copulatis. Woe be unto you that yoine house to house and knyt fyled unto fylde. What reherseth he no more but houses and fyeldes? No, for there was never such abominacion in the prophets times as to join paryshe to parysh, prebend to benefyces, and Dean •… yes unto knyghtes lands. I pray God that some of them if they be worthy men in wisdom, learning and judgment, may be promoted unto worthy roumes, & that those meaner livings which they have heaped together to fill one purse, being so far dystante in place and conditions that they can never be well served of one man's duty, may be divided and dysposed unto meaner men: which being more fit for these livings, may do more good with them.

I hear some complain and say that all things be now so chargeable that one benefyce is not able to find one honest man. And if ye enquyre of the same men whom they k •… pe and find in tehyr benefyce they them selves being absent, they will say a learned curate, and a dyligent farmer both honest men. O wicked worldlings condemned by your own words. The whole benefi •… e if you should therwyth be content lying upon it, and loke for no more, would not find one man.

But when ye have gotten other promotions besides that, to lie in another place from it, then a small porcyon of it doth serve two honest men which ye leave in youre absence. Herke you that have three or four benefyces, I will say the best for you that can be spoken: Thou liest always at one of thy benefyces, thou art absent always from three of thy benefyces: thou kepest a good house at one of thy benefyces, thou kepest no house at three of thy benefyces, thou doest thy deutye at one of thy benefyces, thou doest no duty at three of thy benefices. Thou semest to be a good man in one place, and in deed thou art found nought in three places. Woe be unto you worse then Scrybes and Pharisees Hypocrytes, which shut up the kingdom of heaven afore men, keeping the paryshe so that neither you enter in yourself, neither suffer them that would enter in and do their dewtye, to have your roumes and commodities. Woo be unto you dumb Dogs, choked with benefyces, so that ye be not able 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 to open your mouths to barcke against pluralytyes, improperaciōs, bying of vousōs, nor against any evil abuse of the cleargies livings. No, for you youre selves might go a beggynge yt livings that be ordained for the clergy wer not abused, but restored and bestowed upon them only that doeth the cleargyes dewtye. Therefore you be the inuenters and procurers of ungodly statutes, and deuelyshe deuyses, to give Lord's chaplaynes whyehe ought to live upon their masters wages, authorytye to live upon the spoil of divers paryshes. Ad 〈◊〉 u •… stram dico, I speak to make you ashamed of youre selves. If gentylmenne that be lords servants might obtain of the king and his counsel placardes or warrantes to keep a standy •… g upon shoters hill, Salesbury plain, or n any theuyshe place, to take men's purses by the way, should not this be robbery and shameful abhomina cion to be maintained by laws, statutes and authority? What should a young ge •… telman be ashamed to rob one rich man's purse of forty shyllinges once in his life? & an ancient prelate not once blush which robbeth diverse pore paryshes of forty pounds yearly all the days of his life. You pestilent prelates which by flattery poison the high powers of authorytye, be ye neither afraid nor ashamed to make the Kynges majesty, his laws and your lords and masters which should be the ministers of justice and equitye, to be the defenders and maynteyners of your ungodly robbery, Your example and flattery hath caused the great men and rich men to take to them selves the vauntage and profytes, and give •… nto their children being ignorant babes, the names and lytles of Personnages, Prebendes, Archedeaconryes, and of all manner of offices. For even as well may the Lord that cannot, as the Doctoure that will not do his duty, take the profits to himself, and leave a hyrelyng unto the parysh: and yet both be nought. O that it would please God to open the eyes of the higher powers too perceive what good doctrine, nay what deuylyshe dysorder is taught by them that be double and tryple benefyced. For their example teacheth, and theyre preaching can never dissuade, to set and ordain rich robbers and ignorant teachers over the Chrysten congregation, gods people, the kings subjects: yea and as for cyuyll order in all offices, ambitious covetous mē learning at them, take the solempne titles and good fees unto thē selves, and leave their duties unto other, so to be neglected & abused, as causeth all discord and disobedyence. For who but officers. should set good order, and make quietness? And how can he set any good order, which placeth him self in ten men's roumes? or make other to be quiet with nothing, that will never quiet him self with any one living? Yea how can he be but a maker of business y ^• thrusteth many men out of their livings? But for all this the flatterer wy •… say that there is a great number of them that hath▪ many men's livings in their hands, which do much good with them, yea and be liberal gentlemen, very good officers and godly preachers. But wotte ye what the scripture saith: they be Canes impudentissimi, nescientes saturitatem, Unshamefaste dogs, knowing no measure of gredye gettynge.

Der •… linquentes rectam uiam err •… uerunt secuti uiam Balaam filii Bosor, Leauyng the right way of procedynge unto greatefees by faithful diligence in doing worthy duties, do straye in covetousness, following Balaam the son of Bosor. Leauynge the reward of cursed in wyeked craft, O take heed of Balaam you that love the reward of iniquity, a reward for •… ntsyng the people, whom god would have blessed. A fee for ke pyng those offices unto yourselves which god amongst y ^• people would have executed. Can ye say anymore for yourselves then Balaam did? S •… dederit michi Balak domum suam▪ 〈◊〉 argenti & •… uri, If Balak would give unto me his houseful of silver and gold, I cannot change the word of the lord my God, to speak more or les. Can ye do any better in the sight of the world then Balaam did upon the hylles, even as the lord did command him and none otherwise? & yet loving the reward of iniquity being a Prophet, was rebuked of a bruyt beast: as you being wise men ought to learn at a folysh Ass not to ouerburden and lode yourselves with far more th •… ye a •… able to bear. Suerlye it is an ungodly & wicked desire of you, to loke for a reward both of god for doing of your duty and also of Mammon for taking upon you far more then ever ye be able for to dyscharge. Balaā sought howe too get thanks of God and a reward of Baala •… , and in so doing he lost the favor of God, the reward of Balak, and caused the people too sin, so that the vengeance of God did sore plague the Israelites, and utterly destroyed Balaam and Balak & all their sort. And when as you by heapynge of livings together, do seek to get the wealth of the world, and also the favor of god by pretendynge to do so many duties as no man is able to perform, ye lose the favor of god, & ye shall be deceived of the world, & bring such iniquity amongst y ^• people as shall provoke y ^• indignation of god to plage them, and to destroy you. O for the tender mercies of god in our savior Jesus Christ, although I rushe & fret youre legs upon the hedge and pales of gods vencyarde, and speak plainly be inge but a very asse in comparyson of your wisdom, connynge, & experience, yet I beseech you dere brethren be assured y ^• I speak not of malice but of pyty, not of envy, but of fear: for I se euydently the angel of the Lord with a sword of vengeance red ye to destroy you if ye do not stay, but proceed in this ungodly way: Se and behold, Nisi conuersi fueri tis, gladium suum acuit, arcum suum tetendit et par auit illum, except ye turn, he the Lord hath whet his sword, he hath bente his bow, and made it ready with deadly darts. Suerlye brethren this heapynge together of livings maketh you to have so many things to do, that ye can do no thing well: it is the ready way not to edify but to destroy. Wherefore if ye cannot espy your own faults in yourselves, yet loke one at another: loke you of the layty at them of the cleargye, that seeing the motes in their eyes, ye may learn to pull the boames out of your own eyes. Do ye not se how that they of •… he clergy by heapyng together many livings, have caused many poor parishes to pay their tithes y ^• lack their persons? Do ye not se how that prebendes which were godly founded as moste convenient and necessary lynyngs for preachers to healp the bishops and the persons too enstructe the people, be now ungodly abused to corrupt the bishops and the persons that rather seek the vauntage of good prebends to enryche them selves, then the healp of godly preaches, to enstruct God's people? Do ye not se howe these pro uiders of pluralities having the cure of Christian souls in the paryshe, and shepefolde of Christ, do leave the flock and take the spoil to spend in Noble men's houses▪ where as they do se that the keeper of horses in the stable, of cattle in the fyelde, and of dogs in the kenell, doeth live on his masters wages, and not on the Pyllage of his •… re. O ye noble men do ye give unto the kepers of your horses, cattle, and dogs, wages, lease that they should sell youre horses, kill youre cattle, or •… eye youre dogs to live upon the skynnes: and will ye allow youre Chapleynes no wages, but cause cheym to live upon the murder and spoil of the innocente Lambs of God, redeemed and boughte with Christ's precious blode? Do ye se howe by these servants of Mammon, enemies of Christ, greedy wolves in Lamb skynnes, the paryshes be spoiled, the people untaught, God unknown, his lyuelye word set gracy •… uslye forth by the kings proceedings, is vngracyously suspected, hated, and abhorred of the ignorant people?

You of the laytye, when ye see these small motes in the eyes of the clargye, take heed too the great beams that be in your own eyes. But alas I fear least y ^• ye have no eyes at all. For as hypocrisy and superstition doth blear the eyes:

So covetousness and ambycyon doeth put the eyes clean out. For if ye were not stark blind ye would se and be ashamed that where as fyfty •… unne belied Monckes given to glotony filled their pawnches, kept •… p their house and •… elyued the whole country round about them, there one of your gredye gu •… es deu •… wrynge the whole house and making great pyllage throughouce the country, cannot be satisfied.

If ye had any eyes, ye should se and be ashamed to confess that if some of you should not have many offices, there would not be men enough found, to put in every office one man, mete and able by doing of their dewtyes to serve the king, and take good order amongst the people, where as there is a great number too many of your sort which think yourselves mete and worthy by taking many Offyces in hand, too burden the king and the people with all fees and charges belonging unto every office: yea and fu •… ermore to require personages, prebendes, Dean •… yes and any manner of living due unto the Ecclesiastycall ministry, to be given unto you for serving the Kynge in taking the vauntage of many, and doing the duties of few offices belonging unto ciuyll pollycye.

If ye had any eyes ye should se and be ashamed that in the great aboundannce of lands and goods taken from Abbeies, Colleges and Chauntryes for to serve the king in all necessaryes, & charges, especially in provision of relyefe for the pore, & for maintenance of learning the king is so dysapoynted, that both the pore be spoiled, all maintenance of learning decayed, and youonly en ryched. But for because ye have no eyes to se with, I will declare that you may hear with yours cares▪ and so perceive and know, that where as God and the king hath been moste liberal to give and bestow; there you have been moste vnfayethfull to dyspose and deliver. For according unto gods word and the knges pleasure, the universities which be the schools of all god lines and virtue, should have been nothing decayed, but much incresed and ameuded by this reformacion of religion.

As concerning gods word for the vpholdyng and increase of y ^• universities, I am sure that no man knowing learning and virtue doth doubt. And as for the kings pleasure it did well appear in that he establyshed 〈◊〉 the vnyu •… rsityes all Priuileg •… granted afore his time, and also 〈◊〉 all manner of paymentes requyr •… d of the cleargye, as tithes, and first fruits, the vnyuersities be ex •… ted. Yea and the kings mayesty 〈◊〉 that dead is, did give unto the universities of Cambryge •… t one time, two hundred pounds yearly to the exibition and fyndynge of five learned men, to read and teache dyuynitye, law, Physycke, Greke and Hebrew.

At another time. xxx. pound yearly In liberam et puram 〈◊〉 . In free & pure alms. And finally for the fust dacion of a new College so much as should serve to build it, and replenyshe it with mo Scholers and 〈◊〉 •… nges th •… any other College in the vniuersitye afore that time ha •… .

By the which every man may perce •… ue that 〈◊◊〉 •… yng •… nye things▪ and •… nge nothing from the vni •… ▪ was very d •… sirous to have 〈◊〉 increased and a •… nded 〈◊〉 all 〈◊〉 that have know •… n the vnyuersitye of 〈◊〉 sense▪ that time that it did first begin to r •… ue these great and manyefolde benefits from the kings majesty, at youre hands, have •… uste occasion to suspecte that you have deceived both the king and university, to enryche youre selves. For before that you did begin to be the disposers of the kings liberalitye towards learning and poverty, there was in houses be longynge unto the vnynersytye o •… Cambryge, two hundred students of dyuynytye, many very well learned: which be now all clean gone, house and man, young toward scholars, and old fatherly •… Doctors, not one of them left: one hundred also of another sort that having rich friends or being benefyced men did live of them selves in Ostles and Inns be either gone away, or elles fain to crepe into Colleges, and put poor men from bare livings. Those both be all gone, and a small number of poor godly dylygent students now remaynynge only in Colleges be not able to tarry and continue their study in y ^• vniuersitye for lack of exibicion and help. There be divers there which rise daily betwixt four and five of the clock in the morning, and from five until syxe of the clock, use common prayer with an exhortation of gods word in a common chapel, and from sixth unto ten of the clock use ever either private study or commune lectures. At ten of the clock they go to dynner, where as they be content▪ with a penye pyece of byefe amongst. iiii. having a few porage made of the brothe of the same byefe, with salt and otemell, and nothing else.

After this slender dinner they be either teaching or learning until v. of the clock in the euenyng, when as they have a supper not much better then their dyner. Immedyat •… lie after the which, they go either to reasoning in problemes or unto some other study, until it be nine or ten of the clock, and there being without fire are fain to walk or run up and down half an hour, to get a heat on their feet whan they go to bed.

These be men not werye of their pains, but very sorry to leave their study: and sure they be not able some of them to continue for lack of necessary exibicion & relefe. These be the living saints which serve god taking great pains in abstinence, study, labor and dylygence, with watching and prayer. Wherefore as Paul, for the Sayn tes and brethren at Jerusalem, so I for your brethren and Saints at Cambrydge most humbly beseech you make youre colleccions amongst you tych Marchaunies of this city, and send them youre oblacions unto the vnyuersytye, so shall ye be sure to please God, to comfort them, and provide learned men to do much good throughout all this realm. Yea and truly ye be detters unto them: For they have sown amongst you the spiritual treasures of gods wdrde, for the which they ought to reap of you again corporal necessaries. But to return unto them that should better have provided for learning and poverty in all places, but especyally in the universities.

Loke whether that there was not a great mumber of both learned & pore that might have ben kept, maintained, and relyeued in the vuiuersities: which lacking all bealpe or comfort, were compelled to forsake the vniueclitye, leave their books, & seek their living abroad in the country? Yea & in the country many Grāmer Schools founded of a godly intent to bring up poor men's sons in learning and virtue, now be taken awye by reason of the gredye covetousness of you that were put in trust by God, and the king to erecte and make grāmer schools in many places: And had neither commandment nor permission to take away the scholmasters living in any place, moreover much charitable alms was there in many places yearly to be bestowed in pore towns and parishes upon gods people, the kings subjects: which alms to y ^• great dyspleasure of god and dyshonoure of the king, yea and contrary to gods word and the kings laws, ye have taken away. I know what ye do say and brag in some places: that ye have done as ye were commanded with as much charytye and lyberalitye towards both poverty and learning, as your commission would bear and suffer.

Take heed whom ye slander, for God's word, and the kings laws and statutes be open unto every man's eyes, and be every commission directed according unto thē, ye both might and should have given much where as ye have taken much away.

Take hede unto the kings statutes, the acts of parliament, there ye shall find that the Nobles and commons do give, and the Kynge doth take into his hands Abbeys Colleges and Chauntryes, for erectynge of Gramer schools, the godly bringing up. of youth, the farther augmentynge of the vnyuersytyes, and better prouisyon for the poor. Thys shall ye find in the, Acts of parliament, in the Kynges statutes: but what shall be found in your practice •… nd in your deeds? Surely the pullyng down of gramer schools, the deuylishe drownynge of youth in ignorance, the utter decay of the universities, and most vncha •… table spoil of prouysion, that was made for the pore.

Was it not a godly and charitable prouysion of the Kynge to give unto the university two hundred pounds yerelye for excellent Readers? three hundred pounds ye elye in pure alms, and many hundred pounds also to the foundacyon and ereccion of a new College? And was it not a deuilishe deuyse of you to tourne all this the kings bountuouse liberalitye into improperacions of benefices, which be papysticall and vncharytable spoils of most necessary prouysion for pore paryshes? Intelligite insipientes in popu •… lo, et stulti aliquando s •… pite.

Learn understanding you that play unwise partes amongst the people, and you fools once wax wise. Qui plantauit aurem non audiet?

He that set the ears, shall h •… not hear the sorrowful complaynte of pore paryshes, against you that have by improperacions clean taken away hospitalitye, and much impared the due livings of gods mynysters, the people's instructoures and teachers Qui figur at •… culum non considerat? he that fashioned the eye, doth he not behold howe that the best lands of abbeyes, colleges & chaunteries be in youre hands, and evil improperacions conueyd to the king and to the universities & Byshopes lands? Qui corripit gentes non arguet?

He that corrected and punysheth the heathen lacking the light of gods word for the only abuse of natural reason, will he not reprove and condemn you which have good reasonable wits, gods only word, the kings laws, and statutes: and much power & authority given unto you to edifye and do good, seeing it is abused of you to destroy and do hurt? Shulde not you have amended the provision for the pore, the educacyon of youth, and the condition of the universities? And be they not by you sore hurt and dekayed? The king should and would have reformed religion. The first parte of reformacion is to restore and give again all such things as have been wrongfullye taken and abused. Surelye the Abbeys did wrong fully take and abuse nothing so much as the improperacions of benefices. Nothynge is so papistical as improperacions of benefices be: they be the Popes darlynges & paramors, which by the dyuely she deuyce of wicked Balaamytes, be set a broad in this realm to cause the learned men of the vnyuersities and all bishops that be godly men, the Popes enemies, to commyt spiritual fornicacion with them. Whye did God destroy the Madianytes but for their sin? Why did he plage the Israelyt •… s but for 〈◊〉 same 〈◊〉 ? Why did God cause the Abeyes to be d •… stroyed, but for papistical abuses? And why should not god plage the vnyuersityes and Bishops keeping and meddelynge with improperacions, that be the same papysticall & deuelysh abuses?

O what a bloody day shall it be: when as for this abhomynacion this spiritual fornicacyon, God shall command his faithful servant Moses the kings mayesty to take and hange all the rulers of the people that have wit •… ynglye suf •… ed th •… se whoryshe Madyanytes these Popysh abuses? And cause a zealous Phinehas to shed the heart blood of him that before Moses and many Israelites▪ before a high justice and many people, taketh a Madianite into his tent, an improperacion into his inheritance? But now brethren as Peter preached unto the Jews: Nunc fr •… res scio quod per ignorantiam 〈◊〉 . Now brethren I know that you have done this through ignorance: for the Lord which forseeth all things, knoweth that if you had not been blinded with ignorance, ye could never for pitye have executed his indignacyon and wrath in making such destruccyon. Seynge therefore that it was God's pleasure thus by one evil to punish an nother, now repent, and amende, that youre faults may be pardoned. It pleased God by the blind malice of the Jews, to nail Christ Jesus upon the cross: and yet as many of them as hearing that mart •… r opened by Peter were grieved and pr •… ted in conscience, so many said unto Peter, and to the other Apostles What shall we do? The Apostoli •… all counsel was: Agite pen •… , recipiscite. Repent & amend. So dere brethren hearing and knowing that God hath used your greedy covetousness to destrye Abbeys▪ Colleges, and chauntryes▪ and to plage all this realm, be grieved and sory in your hearts, seeing that ye have been▪ •… fair, instruments of wrath to execute vengeance: and purge yourselves of this vile covetousness, then shall ye from henceforth be 〈◊〉 honoris vessels of honor, to serve God, in 〈◊〉 et iusticia in holiness and righteousness all the days of youre life.

And now on the other parte, you that be of the comynaltye, when ye feel that any plague or punishment cometh by thiem that be •… ette over you in office, and aucthory •… ye, know that they do it not of them selves, but be moved and styred of God, to work his wrath upon you. For when as God was dyspleased with the Israelytes, then his dysple sure caused David their king to take that way that brought a pestilence amongst the people, whereon died. lxx. thousand: Addidit▪ furor domini •… ras ci contra Israel, commou •… tque dauid. The indignation of the Lord waxed hot against Israel, & he stired up David. What kyndled the indignation of God, but the sins of the people? The sins of the peo ple did kyndle the indignacyon of the Lord: the Lord's indignacyon stired up David in presumpcyon. David's presumptuousnes caused the people to die on the pestylence. And even as then God ordained y ^• christ should be crucified by y ^• malicious blindness of the Jews, the Israelites plagued by the presumptiō of David:

So hath he ordained that England should be spoiled with greedy covetous officers. Look then, what hath made this great spoil in England? gredye couerousnes of officers. What did make in them such greedy couerousnes? the indignation of God. What kyndled gods indignation? the sins of the people. What was the sin of the people? Eloqu •… um sancti Israel, blasphe •… auerunt. They have blasphemed the holy word of GOD, calling it new learning and heretycall doctrine: Ideo iratus est furor domini. And therefore is the wrath of the Lord kyndled. Now you people which •… ry & say that you are robbed and spoiled of all that ye have: Woulde ye have this which ye call robbyng & spoiling to be ceased? Then quench the indignation of god which doth cause and make it. If ye will quench the indignation of God, Hodie si uo •… m •… ius •… dieritts. To day, even now if ye shall hear his voice, hard̄ not your hearts, as in the prouocacion in the day of temptation. Harde hearts, stay •… e necks, dysobediente minds, provoke, tempt, and styre up the indignation of God.

Truelye the indignation of God shall never be quenched, until that you with tender hearts, humble, obedyente, and thankful minds, receive, embrace, and cōform yourselves unto the holy word of God set forth by the Kynges Magestye his gracious proceedings.

There is as yet more styffe necked stubbornness, dieuellysh disobedience, and gredye couerousnes in one of you of the commune sort that keepeth this great swellynge in the heart, having no occasion to set it forth in excercise, then is in ten of the worst of them that being in office and aucthoritye, have many occasions to open and show them selves what they be.

When did ever any officers in authorytye show such rebellyous proud minds, as was of late plain lie perceived in very many of the cōmunaltye? I put the case that they be so covetous, that one of their gredi guts hath swallowed up a whole Abbey, house, lands and goods, And if you had had powers unto your wylles, ye had devoured whole countries, houses and goods, men and beasts, corn and cattle, as ye did begin.

Some of them keepeth their fermes in their own hands, and many of you keep youre own Corn in youre own barns. Yea marry, why should we not keep our corn in our own barns? Forsooth ye no we may not keep it for dread of God, obedience to the Kynges majesty, and pity of your poor neighbors: For God saith: Qui abscondi •… frumenta, maledic •… tur in populis: benedictio autem super caputuendencium: He that hydeth up corn, shall be accursed amongst the people: but blessing shall •… e upon their heads that bringeth it forth to the Markettes to sell. Here ye hear the •… lessynge and curse of God.

Ye know the kings gracious Proclamacyon, ye may perceive youre neighbors need, by their miserable complaint. And yet neither God by blessing and cursynge, neither the king by proclamacion & cōmissiō, nether the •… ore by praying and paying, can cause you to serve y ^• Markets with corn. But let gods word, the Kynges laws, honest order, and charytable prouysyon be put forth of all marketts towns by wicked Mammon, and let him only keep the Markets and set pryses for youre purposes, & without doubt every market shall be full of all manner of Corn and vytayles coming in on all sydes.

O wicked servants of Mammon▪ always both enemies and traytoures to GOD and the king and the common wealth. Is it God or Mammon that hath made the Corn to spring, and given you plenty? If ye say Mammon, then ye confess plainly whose servants ye be, what Idolatry ye use. If ye say God, How dare ye confess him in youre words and deny him in youre deeds? Whye do ye not bring forth gods corn unto gods people, at gods commandment? Why be ye not faithful disposers of God's treasures? Well, he y ^• hath no corn thinketh he hath no parte, nor is not gyltye in this matter: but I cā tell that there is many of them, that neither hath nor will have corn, which make corn most dere. I have heard howe that even this last yere, there was certain Acres of corn growing on the ground bought for. viii. pounds: he that bought it for. viii. sold it for. x. He that gave. x. pounds, sold it to another above. xii. pounds: and at last, he that carried it of the ground, paid. xiiii. pounds. Lykewyse I heard, that certain quarters of malte were boughte after the price of. iii. shyllynges. iiii. pence a quarter to be delivered in a certain markette town upon a certain day. Thys bargayne was so oft bought and sold before the day of deliverance came, that the same Malte was sold to him that should receive it there and carrye it away, after. vi. s. a. quarter. Look and se howe much a crafts man or any other honest man that must spend corn in his house, by this manner of bargaynynge, payeth, and howe littel the housbande man that tylleth the ground, and payeth the rent, receiveth: Tē ye may se & perceive it must needs be hard for either of them to keep a house, the crates man pay •… so much, & the husbandmā taking so little.

There is a like manner of barganyng of them that be leasemongers, for leasemongers make the tenaunts to pay so much, and the landlord to take so little▪ that neither of thē is well able to keep house. I hear say that wit •… a few miles of Lōdō an honest gētleman did let his ground by lease unto pore honest mē after. ii. s. iiii. d. an 〈◊〉 : thē cometh a lesemounger, a thief, an extorcioner, deceiuyng y ^• tenaunts, bieth their leases, put them frō the grounds, and causeth thē y ^• have it at him now, to pay after ix. s. or as I hard say. •… ix. s. but I am ashamed to name so much. How be it, covetous extorcioners be ashamed of no deed be it never so evil. And as I hear say, there be many lese mongers in Londō, that heyghthen the rent of bare houses: & as corn, lan des, tenemētes & houses, so in all manner of wares, there be such bi •… rs & sellers as cause y ^• prouyders & mak •… rs of y ^• wares to take so little, & the occupiers of the wares too pay so much, that neither of them both is able too live. All the Marchauntes of myschyefe that go betwixt the bark and the tree, Betwixte the housband man that getteth the corn, and householder that occupyeth Cor •… e, betwix the Landlord •… , that setteth fermes, and the tennauntes that dwell in the fermes. And betwixt the crafts man that maketh, or the marchaunte that prouydeth wares, and other men that occupieth wares. I say these merchants of mischief coming betwixt the bark and the tree, do make all things dere to the byers: and yet wonderful vile & of small price to many, that must needs set or sell that which is their own honestlye come bye. These be far worse than any other that hath been mencyoned heretofore: for although benefyced men and officers have many men's livings, yet they do some men's duties. But these have every man's living, & do no man's duytye. For they have that which is in deed the living of crafts men, Marchauntmenne, husbandmen, landelordes and tennauntes, and do never a one of these men's duties. These be idle vacaboundes, living upon other men's labors: these be named honest barginers, and be in deed crafty covetous extorcioners. For they that be true marchauntemen to by and sell in deed, should and do provide great plenty and good chepe by honest byenge and sellynge of their wares. But these having the names of true merchants, and being in deed crafty thieves, do make a scarsitye and dearth of all things that cometh through their hands.

Take away all marchauntmen from any town or cytye, and ye shall leave almost no prouysyon of things that be necessary. Take away leasmongers, regrators and all such as by byinge and sellynge make things more dere, & when they be gone, all things will be more plen tie and better chepe. Now may ye se who they be that make a great dearth in a great plenty. For who is it, that heygtheneth the price of Corn, the housbandman that getteth plenty of corn by tyllynge of the ground? No: the regrator that byeth corn to make it dere, growynge upon the grownde. Who reyseth rentes, joineth house to house, and heapeth fermes together? The Gentyll man, that by giving of leases, letteth forth his own lands into other men's hands? No, the leasemongers, that by sellynge leases, byeth and bringeth other men's Lands into their own hands. Who maketh all manner of wares and marchandyses to be very dere? the marchaunt venterer, which with faithful dylygence to provide for the commune wealth, carrieth forth such things as may well be spared, and bringeth home such wares as must needs be occupied in this realm? No, the Merchant of myschyefe that by crafty conueyaunce for his own gain, carrieth away such things as may not be spared▪ and bringeth again such wares as are not needful. Take hede you Marchauntes of London that y •… be not Marchaūtes of myschyefe, conveying away to much old lead, wol, lether & such substantial wares as would set many Englyshmē to work, and do every man good service, and bringing home sylkes and sables, cattayls, and foolish feathers to fil the realm full▪ of such baggage as will never do rich or poor good, and necessary service. Be ye sur •… , if this realm be rich, ye shall not need to be poor: if this realm be poor, you shall not be able to keep and enjoy your riches. Take hede thā that your marchaūdise be not a serving of folysh men's sansies, which will destroy the realm: but let it be a prouydyng for honest discrete men's commodities, which will be the vpholdyng and enrychyng of you and the whole realm. Take hede unto your vocacions prelates and preachers, Magystrats and officers, land lords & tenaunts, crafts men and merchants, all manner of men take hede unto youre selves and to your conversation and living: yea dere brethren at the reverence of god, for a general comfort to all partes without gredye covetousness towards our selves, or malicious envy towards other, with a single eye, of a pure heart, let us consider and acknowledge how that the bountiful liberalitye of almighty God hath given unto this realm wonderful plenty of personnages, prebēds, benefyces, offices, and all manner of livings: with great abundance of corn, cattle, lands, goods, and all wares that be good and profitable: and howe that it is certeynly the unfaithful disposers which cause a great scarsyty, dearth and lack of all these gifts and treasures of God, therefore dominus de celo prospexit, ut uideat si est intelligens aut requirens deum.

The Lord looked down from heuē to se if there were any that had under standing and sought to please God in faithful dysposynge of God's treasures: but seeing that Omnes student auaritie, a maiore usque ad minorem. All be givē unto covetousness from the hyeste unto the loweste, so that pore people can have no houses to dwell in, ground to occupy, no nor corn for their money. The Lord him s •… lfe speaking unto the earth, showeth where is the faute: principes tui infidels. Thy head rulers and of fycers be unfaithful disposers. •… ocii furum, theuishe fellows.

Omnes diligunt muner •… , they all love bribes, •… t sequuntur retributiones, and hunt for promocyons. What then o Lord shall be the ende of all this? Viuo ego dicit do minus. As truly as I live saith the Lord, propterea quod facti sunt greges mei in rapinam, Because that my flock have 〈◊〉 spoiled, et oues me in deuorationem omniū be •… tiarum agri, and my sheep devoured of all wyld beasts of the fyelde, quia non esset pastor, Because there was no keeper, Neque •… nim quesiuerunt pastores mei gregem meum, For these which were named my pastors, did take no heed unto my •… cke, Sed pastores pascebant semetipsos, But those pastors did feed them selves prowlyng for profit, et greges meos non pascebant, and my flock thy did not feed by dooyng of their duties. Propterea pastores audit •… erbum domini.

Therefore ye keepers hear the word of the Lord. What word? that the flock shall be delivered, & you shall be destroyed: That is a true word: for qua mensura mensi fueritis, remecietur uobis: By the same measure that you have served other, ye youre selves shall also be served: for as ye have served super •… tycious papists, so shall you yourselves be served, being covetous Idolaters: yea and have as much vauntage at the metynge, as is betwixt superstition and Idolatry. Howe be it, God giving you respite to loke for amendmente: offers more gentelnes, if ye will take it. For in the. xx. of Jeremiah he saith: Ecce ego do cord uobis uiam uit •… et uiam mortis: Behold I set before you the way of life & the way of death: if ye reap̄d & amend, life: If ye be still stiffnecked▪ death: for the Lord by Isaiah. i. say eth: Si uolueritis et audieritis: If ye will hear to reap̄t & amend, Bona terre comedetis, ye shall eat the good fruits y ^• the earth shall bring forth, to your cōsort. Si nolueritis, et me ad iracundi •… pro uocaueritis, if ye will not, but provoke me to anger, gladius deuorabituos. The sword shall eat you up. Quia os domini locutum est. For it is God's own mouthe that hath spoken it. For God's sake believe it: And do not by a •… hard heart void of repentance heap unto yourselves the wrath of god against y ^• day of vengeance.

But thankfullye enbrasynge the riches of gods goodness, pa •… ience and long suffering, acknowlegyng that gods kindness draweth you unto repentance, if ye have so little spyrituall felyng and ghostly understanding that ye can nothing be persuaded or moved by the comfortable promises, & terrible thretenynges of the invisible God: yet having corporal eyes and natural reason, consider the decay of this Realm, and the towardness of the kings magestye. Note the decay of this realm, and thereby ye shall learn to know that nothing can make a realm wealthy, if the inhabitauntes thereof be covetous: for if lands and goods could have made a realm happy notwyth standing men's covetousness, then should not this realm so vnhappylye have decayed, when as by the suppressiō of Abbeies, Colleges and Chaunteries, innumerable lands and goods were gotten.

If gods word were ordained by any other mean then by the conuertynge of covetous men, to make that realm happy where covetous men be, then suerlye should England now be most happy, where gods word is freely set forth in the mother tongue, plainly preached in solēpne congregacions, and commonly used in daily cōmunicacion. But undoubtedly whereas covetous men be, there neither lands or goods, no not gods holy Gospel can do so much good as covetousness doeth harm. Wherefore seeing this realm by covetousness is soore decayed, least it should also by the same be destroyed, away with youre covetousness, all you y ^• love this realm. Or if ye will not do it for love of the realm, yet for the reuerente obedience which ye owe unto God and the kings majesty, away with covetousness which maketh men servants of Mammon, and enemies unto god and the king. Be ye well assured that the kings Maiestye which now is, God save his noble grace, dreadeth god, loveth his people, & abhorreth covetousness, which in this realm offendeth God, dishonoreth y ^• king, anoyeth the people.

Therefore he doeth partly now perceive and consider, and will do better hereafter, that prelates with pluralities, and magystrates with many offices, do burden him and his people with paying tithes, fees, and many great charges, and yet keep so many roumes vacant of prechers and officers, that his magesty cannot be duly served, nor his people well instructed by the preaching of gods word, nor yet well ordered by the mynistracion of justice and equitye.

He knoweth that regratours of corn vyttals and of all manner of wares, make such dearthe and scarcity, that no diligence of good merchants by honest byinge and sellynge can provide any things to be either good cheap or plentiful. It is well known to his gracious majesty, or at the least unto his honorable council that leasemūgers taking much of tenauntes and paying lyttell unto the landlordes, have both their livings, and doth the duties of neither. For to their own private luker they take rentes of tenauntes, and fermes of land lords: but when by occasion they shall be required to serve the Kynge for a common wealth, then they will have neither lands nor •… erme to do the king service. Do not therefore imagyn you that be either of the cler gye or of the laytye in high or low degree, that the Kynges Gracious Magestie and his honorable council be so negligent that they do not espy, or so parcyall that they will not punish those which in this realm hynder the prechyng of gods word, stop the adminystracion of justice and equitye, cause of all things a dearthe and scarsytye, and bring Gentlemenne too poouertye, and husbandmen unto beggary. It is spied and must be punished, although it be delayed for a time, to se if you of yourselves wyllynglye will amende it.

Beware therefore that ye stay not yourself unto a bryttell staff, for it will brast in spylles and perce thorough your▪ hands. Do not stay yourself upon this ymaginacion to think that although craftelye contrary to law and conscience ye do invade other men's roumes, livings and goods, yet for because ye be so many in number that do it, therefore the king and his council either cannot or will not be against you in it: For truly even therefore must they now neades without delaye reform and amend it. For as seditious rebelliō, so covetous treason being in a few may be suffered at the first in hope o •… amendment, so long as they few by clokynge it secretelye, seme to be ashamed of their own evil doings, or afraid of the rulers power and authorytye: but being so many that they all together without shame and fear, fall to open spoylynge of the realm, then without delaye must they needs be repressed, although they both say and swear, that they be the kings subjects, and break no laws. If y ^• spoil be found in their hands, it is neither saying nor swearing that can excuse them. Open spoil hath been made of personages, prebendes, offices, fermes, wares, vyctuals, and of all manner of men's livings. Therefore there is no long delay to be taken in hope o •… amendemente, but spedye provision for redress must be made for fear of a general destrucciō. You then that for wastynge and abusynge of the Lord's goods be worthy and like lie sone to be displaced, yet in y ^• mean time whiles ye have respyte, play the parte of a wise steward. Restore unto preachers and officers, benefyces and offices: let landelordes have their rentes, and fermoures their leases: cause byinge and selling to be a prouysyon of good chepe and plenty, and not an occasion of dearthe and scarsytye. Soo shall both God and the king perceyuyng your wise prouysion, allow your well doing, pardon your faults, and confirm you in your offices.

O refuse the service, restore the iniuryes of wicked Mammon, that ye may from hencefoorthe serve God and the king, prouydyng for the people in holiness and ryghtousnes all the days of youre life: take hede when ye go from a meaner living unto a better, from a lower office unto a higher, that ye goo as men called of Christ, not as bewitched and allured by Mammon, se that God by higher authority perceyuyng •… your faythfulnes in a lyttell, do in at the door of worthiness and honestye, admytte and receive you to be trusted with more: beware lease that the devil by flattering frendshyppe and covetous ambycion, perceyuynge your world lines in a little, do in at the wyndow of wicked bryberye convey and receive you, to abuse and be abused with more. Se that ye obey the commandment of God, taking pains in youre duty e to feed and do good. Do not consent v •… to the temptation of the Deuell, worshipping him in worldlynes, for to get gains. These things observed, ye shall be esteemed and taken as worthy minysters of Christ, and •… ruaunts of God, for so much as appertaineth unto the lawful calling and admission of you into youre rooms, and also the faithful dylygence in using of yourselves in your roumes. Furthermore Paul giveth example of a lowly mind which doeth not iustifye a man's self, and judge evil of other. For so it becometh the servants of God, and the mynysters of Christ, even when they have done as they be commanded, to acknowledge them selves unprofitable servants. And not as proud Pha •… iseis, praying in the presence of the Lord, to make boast of them selves, and find faults with other men. No, for if other men praise thē, they must not regard it, no nor if their own conscience commend thē, except God also allow it. Ther fore Paul saith. Mihi pro minimo est ut a nobis iudicer. It is one of the least things with me too be judged of you that be with me, either in time or place. Vel ab humano die, either of man's day, by the experience of them that shall have further trial in contynuaunce of time. Sed neque me ipsum iudico. No nor I do not judge myself. Mihi enim nihil conscius sum, sed non ide •… instificatus sum. For there is nothing that I know myself gylty of, yet through that am I not justified, no not thorough the judgment of you or of other, or of mine own conscience. Qui uero iudicat me dominus est. He truly y ^• iugeth me, is y ^• lord judge of all men. Quare, nihil ante tempus iudicate, wherefore judge ye nothing afore the time of judgment. Quand▪ dominus uenerit, when the Lord shall come to judge. Qui et illustrabit occult •… tenebrarum, which also shall make bryghte the couertes of darkness and crafty clokynge of faults. Et manifestabit concilia cordis, and shall open the thoughts of the hearts, which he only searcheth. Et tunc laus erit unicuique a deo. And then praise shall be unto everyone of God, that giveth praise to the praise worthy. If Paul, being a mynyster of Christ, and a disposer of God's mysteries, was so faithful in his doing that neither all the world nor his own conscience could in any thing reprove him, and yet to continue his careful dylygence had evermore a great respect unto the coming and judgment of the Lord: Howe shall we think that they rede and take this place, which being known both to them selves and unto the whole world to do very evil in many things, yet without care of amendment, do forget them selves, the Lord, and his iudgemēte? Surely they understand it as Peter saith: that many places of Paul be understand of them which being indocti 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 unlearned and unsettled in judgment, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 wrast or wryng until a wrong pin in suam ipsorum perniciem, unto their own destruccyon, many places of Paul, et reliquas scripturas, and the other scriptures. For whereas this place of Paul should be applied to make men careful and diligent, they wrast and wryng it to make for them that be careless and negligent. For Paul saith that he doth very little regard what any man doth judge of him, menyng thereby that though all the world would commend him, yet would he not be vain glorious, of his well doing. They say, they pass little what any man saith by them, meaning thereby that though all men find faults with them, yet will they never be ashamed of their evil doing. Paul saith that no man should judge, meaning that no man as concerning secretes of the mind, should judge other to be yuell, and them selves to be just: and so take occasion to speak shamefully of other, and to glory in them selves: they say that no man should judge, meaning that neither preacher nor friend▪ should so rebuke their manifest evil deeds, as might give them occasion to be ashamed of them selves, and leave iudgynge of other. Lette us not wrest the places of Paul and of other scriptures unto a wrong purpose. They wrest the saying of Paul unto a wrong meaning, when as the mercy of God, which passeth all his works is denied of them unto any penytente synnet, by their allegynge of the tenth of Paul unto the Hebrews. Then is that place not well applied but wrong wrested. For when it is said that if we sin wylfullye after that we have received the know ledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sin, but a fearful lookynge for judgment and violente fire, it is a meant that there is remaynynge and leafte in the scriptures no mencyon of sacrifice for the forgiveness of sins, but terrible threatnynges of vengeance to punish sinners, too be preached unto willful sinners.

Howbeit there is no condemnacion but always mercy to be preached unto them that grafted in Christ Jesus, be penitent sinners, how sore & often soever they fall▪ For his mercy is above all his works. Therefore whensoever he suff •… eth the Deuyll to tempt men to •… o sin, or too plage them for sin, or whensoever by his word written or preached he doth aggravate sin, all is done to drive men unto mercy. The devil hath caused here in England much sin and abomination, grievous plages, and sore miseries, God hath sent wondrous plenty of his comfortable word. And now brethren all this is even the work of god: for it is God that worketh all things in all men. Deus est qui operatur omnia in omnibus. And yet take good hede to •… he true interpretation of this place least that ye make God to be the author of syn, Qui non nouit peccatum, nec est inuentus dolus in ore eius, which know •… th no sin by experience of doing it, nor hath no gyle found in his mouthe. But even as it was God that did both give and take away Job's goods: So is it God that doth all things both good and evil. And as he did make Job rich, by giving him goods, and poor b •… suffering the d •… uill to destroy those goods: so doethe he good deeds of his own goodness, and evil deeds in suffering the devil to do them. Yea it is even God that hath concluded all mē under sin, that hath suffered the devil to tempt all men to do sin, yea and scriptura conclusit omnia sub peccato, y ^• scriptur of God hath concluded all mē vndersyn, or as •… aul speaketh in a nother place more plan li, 〈 in non-Latin alphabet 〉 . We have concluded or proved, allegynge good reason, that both the grekes and the Jews be under sin. So now all ye by GOD be concluded vnderneth sin, that is by gods suffraunce the devil hath caused you to commit sin. By God's ordinance the scriptures and the preachers of God, do open and declare that ye be all sinners.

And this is all done, ut omnium mis •… riarctur, that he might have mercy upon all, that all might receive the pardō of his mercy without y ^• which none can be saved, none cā escape vēgeaunce. For non est in aliquo alio salus, there is no health in any other, •… ec aliud nomen datum sub Celo, in quo opor •… nos s •… luos fieri, nor none other name geu •… under heaven, in the which we should be saved. So y ^• he which will have any health must come unto Christ, showing him self wounded with sin, to stand in need of a Phisic •… on. He y ^• will be saved must show him self a penytente sinner unto Christ which came not to cal the righteous but sinners to amendmente. But he y ^• regardeth the flattery of the world or the parcialitie of his own conscience, & thereby taketh occasion to glory in his own doings, he shall find no mercy, he cā receive no pardon or for geuenes sent frō god to be delivered only unto those y ^• fele & acknowledge them selves to be sickely & unrighteous siners. Thei therefore that fele & acknowledge y ^• greatest sins wickedness & abhominaciōs in them selves▪ being sory therefore, & intend amend̄t, be most wortht & sure to receive y ^• great pardon of gods mercy, which certainly will deliver thē out of all danger, keep thē in safti & bring thē to prosperity. Hear therefore and I will now read my cōmissiō, by y ^• which ye shall well perceive y ^• I speak nothing vpō my own head, but every thing according to the commandment of the Lord your god, which hath sent me unto you his people. The example of this proclamaciō. Es. lviii. Clama. Make proclamaciō openlie. y ^• all mē may hear: n •… cesses. Ceas not for fear of thē that may kill the body, & cannot hurt the soul, quasi 〈◊〉 exalta uoc •… tu •… , Lifte up thy voice as a trumpet, giving men knowledge of the coming of the enemies in the time of war. So give thē knowledge of the swerd of vengeance, which shall follow immediatli after this warnig Et annuncia populo meo scelera •… orū. And show thē their faults y ^t in bering of my name, & professinge my religion will be my people. Et domui Jacob peccat •… sua, & unto the house of Jacob their own sins: unto all sortes of men evē those sins which they thē selves do use. Unto the clergy, the sins of y ^• clergy, unto the laitye, the sins of the layte: and unto every degree, y ^• sin nes y ^• be of that degree used. Shew y ^• clergi that thei feed thē selves fat w ^t many livings, & let my flock be sca tered & vnfed, because there is few pre ching pastors y ^• can & will feed them.

Shew the clergy that they cā neither teach, nor require the king & la itye to provide new livings for pre chers, until they do restore forth of their own hands those which be pro uided already: show such of the clergy as be fatlings puffed up w ^t pluralities, that they neither have fed, do feed, or can feed my flock, yet have spoiled, do spoil & will spoil my lā bes, y ^• kings subjects, & their own brethren, so long as thei use their pluralities. Shew the laity y ^• thei have robbed me their lord & god of double honor due unto my ministers: for they have taken away the fodder that was prepared for the laborynge ox, and been disobedyent unto my law, pronounced by them that sat in Moses cheire.

Show the nobility that they have oppressed the comminaltye, Kepyng them under in fear & ignorauce, by power & aucthoritye, which might & should have been lovingly learned their obedience & duty to both God & the king by preaching of the gospel. Shew the nobility y ^• they have extorted & famished the cōmynalty by the heigthening of fynes & rentes of fermes, & decaying of hospitality & good house keeping. Shew the cōminaltye y ^• they be both traytoures & rebels, murmuryng & grudgyng against mine ordinances: tell the cō minalty y ^t the ox draweth, the horse beareth, y ^• tree bringeth forth fruits & the earth corn and grass to the profit and comfort of man, as I have ordained them: but they of the comminaltye in England bye and sel, make bargaynes, and do all thyn ges to the grefe and hynderaunce of man, contrary to my commandment. Tell the commynaltye that they take one another's ferme over their heads, they thrust one another out of their houses, they take leases unto them selves, and let them dearer unto other: they bye corns and wares to make other pay more dere for it: they hurt and trouble, eat up and devour one another. Tell all England hye and low, riche and poor that they everyone prowlynge for them selves, be servants unto Mammon, enne •… es unto god, disturbers of common wealth, and destroyers of them selves. And for all this let them know that I have no pleasure in y ^• death of a siner. Sed magis ut c •… uer t •… tur et uiuat, but rather I give him respite & send him warning y ^• he may turn & live, comfortably here vpō earth, & ioifully in heaven forever. Therefore if any in England do tourne & amende, he shall save him self. But they which will not repent & amend shall not be saved by their fathers or friends, which by repentance be as sure them selves to be accepted unto me as was Noah Danyel & Job: but and if all or the most parte of thē in England, turn & amend thē▪ say unto England: delectaberis super domino, Frō •… enceforth y ^• shalt have delight & pleasure in y ^• lord, et sustoll •… te super altitudines terre, & I will lift the higher in honor wealth & power, then any other realm in or vpō the earth, et albabo te heredita •… e Iacobi p •… tris tui, and so will I feed the with the inheritance of Ia cob thy •… ather. I will restore unto y ^• whatsoever land or holds in Scotland or in France did at any time be longe unto Jacob thy father, unto the kings of this realm, os enim domini locutum est, for the Lord's own mouth hath spokē it, which is a better assurance unto this commission, thē though it were signed & seled with ten thousand men's hands.

Now all you y ^• intend to be saved by the mercies of God in our savior Jesus Christ, come when ye be call •… frō greedy covetousness wherewith ye have been blinded to wreak God's wrath: receive mercy & grace which be now freely offered to make you frō henceforth holy ministers of Christ, & faithful disposers of y ^• manifold gifts of God's grace & goodness: & now for fere of forgetful negligence, when ye depart hence, replenish your minds with y ^• comfortable remēbranc •… of your own grievous myseries, and of gods great mercies, in secrete meditacion of the lords prayer, here tarrying together in quyetnes a littell for to receive the Lord's blessing.

The god of peace that brought again frō death our Lord Jesus the great shepherd of the sheep, thorough the blood of the everlasting testament, make you perfect in all good works, to do his will, working in you that which is plesāt in his sight, through Jesus Christ.

Imprynted at London by John Day dwelling over Aldersgate. Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per septennium.