The Jewel of Joy

SO often as I call to remembrance (which for the most part I do eueri hour) this commandment of our Lord and master. Occupy yourselves til I come, wherbi we are admonished diligently to emploie our talēt committed unto us everyone according to our vocation in the auauncemente of God's glory, and in the edification of our Christian brethren, whose health and salvation, not only with the loss of our temporal possessions, but evē of our life also, if need so require we are bound under pain of damnation to seek, leynge that God as the wise man testifieth, hath given to every man charge over his neighboure, again seeing that according to the doctrine of blessed John, as Christ gave his life for us, so likewise are we bound to bestow our life to wynne our Brethren to Christ, forasmuch as we all are members of one body, & are commanded without dissimulation to love our neyghboure as our self, and to seek his commodity profit, & furderaunce in all Godlines, no less then our own, I can none otherwise then reprove and accuse mine own sluggishness, which almooste these five years past have omitted my butye toward my neyghboures, not going forth as I began in my Christemas banket, in my Potation, in my Nolegaye, and in my Neweyers gift to exhort thē to godliness, & to encourage thē valeauntly to go forth in the same, & to persevere unto the end, but traneing my life in other exercises, I trust not altogether ungodly, nor unprofitable to the christen public weal, I have neglected the neighborly office which I ought to have practiced toward thē. Yea I fear lest thorough the neglectyng of my duty toward my neighbors, I have not shown myself an obedient servant in all pointes concerning the diligēte accōplishmēte of my Lord & masters precept, which straightly chargeth me not only to occupy myself privately in virtuous studies & godli exercises, but also openlie, that his holy & glorious cōgregatiō may be edified & brought to y ^e true & perfect knowledge of his most godly will. Certes the omissiō & leaving of this my duty toward my neighbors doth not a little disquiet me, seeing y ^e so long time I have had no familiar talk with thē of Godly matters, no nor yet once seen them sense I gave thē a new years gift, being vnwillynglye thorough the furious and Nerolike cruelty of certain persons (whose tyranny sense that time God hath not left unpunished) dreuē away from them to the great and continual disturbance of my mind for lacking the company of so loving neighbors, and sweet friends.

But I have sent my servants for them, that I may talk with thē after mine old sort, renew our acquaintance, and be merye togythere. For it is a sweet thing when friends mete, and merry when old acquaintance flock togitherward. I maruail that they tarry so longe. I fear leste my servant doeth not his message expeditelye, or else that they have some great lettynge. For I am well assertayned, that if they once have knowledge of my return into the contrye, no worldly affairs can withdraw them longe from my company.

But behold, where they come flockyng together. Oh pleasant and comfortable sight. Tears distyll out of mine eyes for very joy, yet can I not withhold myself from them, but must needs with m •… ting arms embrace thē lovingly salute them, and swetely kiss thē. O most dear neighbors & christen brethrē, so hertelye welcome as heart can think. Blessed be God, which hath preserved us alive unto this day, that we may yet once again se one an othere, talk one with another, & freely rejoice in the Lord our God. Come, come unto me. Let me embrace you, kiss you, & once again did you hertely welcome.

O moste true herted friend and unfeigned brother, we praise God for your salfe return into the country.

This day moste sweet neighbor hath replenished us all w ^t joy unspeakable, forasmuch as it hath offe red you again to our sight.

O dear brother Philemon your reparing into this coūtry, your sight, your company, your ta •… ke hath evē now suddenly so revived us, that we seme to have put on a certain kind of immortality. And as for all other his benifites, so likewise for this 'do we render to the immortal God moste hertye thanks, and with o •… voice we all bid you moste hertely welcome home.

I know dere neighbors your unfeigned love and ready bent goodwyl toward me. And you do not more rejoice at mi return, then I am entierly glade that I have found you all in good health.

But I pray you tell us of good felowshippe brother Philemon in what parties of y ^e world have ye traueyled so long time? For neither by letters nor yet by report of any credible persons sense your departure could we learn where you trained youre life.

We feared lease in so perellouse time ye had been swallowed up of the greadye cormorantes, and insasiable Locusts, which are never satisfied nor filled with the sheadynge of innocente blood. Neither was the liberty of your speech, nor the swyftenesse of youre pen vnknowē to us, which y ^e swarm of Antechristes sect, sense you first of all traueiled in the Lord's harvest, could never abide, but extrēlie persecute, blaspheme and condemn.

What gentilnes I found for my Godly travails at the hands of some men in these parties, ye know right well. Therefore when neither by speaking, nor by writing I could do good, I thought it best not rashly to throw myself into the raueneynge paws of these greadye wolves, but for a certain space to absent myself from their tyranny according to the doctrine of the Gospel.

For as there is a time to speak, so is there a time to keep scilence When the poor are oppressed and trodden under the foot, then shall the wise man, saith the prophet, hold his peace, for the time is evil. And we have a manifest commandment of our savior Christ, that we should not give that which is holy unto dogs, nor caste pearls before swine, leste they tread them vn der their feet, and they turn again and all to rent us. For there be some kind of men so greatly infected w ^t the nature of Suffenus, and accombred with the properties of Menius, two foleish & vain glorious Poetes, that they think nothing well spoken, nothing truly written, except they them selves be the authors & doers thereof, they are those same very hypocrites, which find fault at a little mote in another man's eye, but they cā not perceive a great •… eame in their own eyes. They are those same Pharisees, which sparre up the kingdom of heaven before mē. They are those same sawiers which take awai the key of know ledge, thet thē selves enter not in, nether suffer they other y ^t would to enter in. They are those same Babilonical backslideds, & •… yng childrē, which will not hear the law of the Lord, but daily cry, Loquimini nobis placentia Tel us pleasant things, provide us of errors, care not for the right way, but away w ^t the holy one of Israel from our face, they are those same faulse Christians, of whom sainte Paul prophesied, which should be lovers of them selves, couetuouse, hye minded, proud, evil speakers, disobedient to their elders, unthankful ungodly, unkind, false of their promise, false accusers, riatours fierce, despisers of them that are good, traitors, heady, standing in their own conceit, lovers rather of pleasures, then lovers of God, having an outward apperaunce of godliness, but deuyinge the power thereof. Lyke as Jannes & Jambres wythstode Moses, evē so do they also resist the truth. Men are they of corrupt minds and lewd as cō cerning the faith, but they shall prevail no lenger. For their foleishnes shall be manifest unto all men, as theirs was. Where things be so ordered, that the truth can bear no place, nor the professors thereof be thankfully received, but rather blasphemed persecuted, enprysoned, and vngentillye handled: what should men do, but shake of the dust of their fete, for a witness against the at y ^e day of judgment & depart into some other place where they may do good, as Christ & y ^e Apostles did, & quietli to abide y ^e pleasure of god, as the prophet saith.

It is good to loke for y ^e saving health of the Lord with scilence After this sort did I appoint myself, and leaving mine own natyue contrye, I traueiled into such strange places, as were unknown to me, and I to them And yet I thank the Lord my God, which never leaveth his servants succorless, I although an unprofitable servant in that exile and banishment wanted no good thing. Let the voluptuouse worldelynges take though for the beal •… , and be careful for this present life. I have learned in that my journey to cast my care upon the Lord my God which aboundauntlye feadeth so many as trust in him, and depend on his liberality and goodness. For one house, I found. xx. and for one friend, an hundrede. I could wish nothing for the provision of this my life, but I had it plentuously, God so afore seeing for me his unprofitable and wretched servant.

The promise of God is even so. Everyone, saith he, that forsaketh house, or brethrene, or sisterne, or father, or mother, or wife or children for my names sake, and for the kingdom of God, that is to say, for the love that he beareth toward the Gospel of Christ, he shall receive an hundred fold as much in this present time, and in the world to come life everlasting,

Truth it is, but you have not yet declared to us, in what contryes ye have been here in England sense your departing from hence.

After I departed from you and had takē my leave of my moste sweet mother, & of m •… other dear friends, I traueyled into Darbyshere & from thense into the Peke, whither I appointed my books and my clothes to be brought.

Into the Peke? Lord God what made you there?

Mine intent was by exercising the office of a school master to engrafte Christ and the knowledge of him, in the breasts of those scholars, whom God should appointe unto me, for to be taught.

I think you found there very peakeish people.

Not so, I confess to you, that I found there very good wits & apt unto learning.

But how favor they christen religiō in those parties?

I will tell you. Comming into a little village called Alsoppe in y ^e dale, I chaūsed upon a certain gentilmanne called Alsoppe, Lord of that vilage a mā not only ancient in years, but also rype in the knowledge of Christ's doctrine.

By what means had ye knowledge of his Godly disposition?

After we had saluted one another and take a sufficient repast for that present, he shown me certain books which he called his Jewels and principal treasures.

I pray you what books were they?

To rehearse thē all by name, I am not able, but of this am I sure that among all other there was the new Testament after the translation of the Godly learned mā Myles couerdale, which seamed to be as well worn by the diligente reading thereof, as ever was any portas or mass boke among the papists.

A rare thing and almost a miracle to find an old man namely in those parties, where Christ I think as yet was never truly preached, to be so well affected toward the reading of the sacred scriptures.

Yea and a gentylman also, For gentylmen nowadays for the most parte delight so much in reading the word of God, as a true Christian doeth in reading the Popes decretals, they are all together so addict to the vain pleasures of this world.

Many think it to be an vnsemly thing for a man of nobility to be studiouse of holy letters, hawks, and dogs dise and cards (as I may speak nothing of their seruise to lady Uenus) is their pastime and delectation. If they read any thing, it is some vain trifle of love, or when they be best occupied an history or cronicle.

I grant many gētilmen little answer their vocatiō, nether are they studious of gods word as they ought, notwythstādinge (praised be God for it) I know many both mē & womē of nobility which greatli delight in readīg the holy scriptures, & do not only love, but also live the Gospel

I pray God increase the number daily. For then shall it go well with Christian religion, when noble men shall be learned in those books, which are fountaynes and head sprynges of all true, perfect, and Christian religiō. Notable is y ^e sētense of Plato which affirmeth that the public weal is most fortunate & greatly auaūced, if such as be the governors thereof be either wise or studiouse of wisdom. Therefore doeth the scripture in so many places exhort the civil magistrates to be learned in the law of god. But I pray you tell us, had the gētilman none other books but only y ^e new testament?

Yes verily. I remember right well, y ^t he had many other godly books, as y ^e obedience of a christē mā, the parable of y ^e wicked Mā mō, y ^e reuelatiō of Antichrist, the sum of holiscripture, the boke of John Frith against purgatory, all y ^e boks published in the name of Theodore Basil, w ^t diverse other learned men's works, In these godly treatises, this aūciēt gētilmā among the moūtains & rocks occupied himself both diligently and vertuouslye.

I would not lightly have believed that such a mā could have been found in so barbarouse and rude a country, nor y ^t so fruitful works had been placed in so unlearned a regiō.

Neither would the prophet Helias have believed y ^t there had been any godly mē left alive besides himself, whē king Ahab & his wicked wife Jezebel had cruelly murdered such great number of y ^e Lord's Prophets & servants, til god made him answer & said. I have yet re served to me. vii. M. mē, which have not bowed their knees before Ba •… l. Whē the Papists & Antichrists think their kingdom moste strongest and most like to continue, then is it most nigh unto down fall, so worcketh God for the auauncemente of his glory, and for the profit of his poor afflicte congregati on. When the enemies of God burn good men, and consume their books unto ashes, then are these martyrs the better credited their doctrine y ^e more regarded, & their books both y ^e more warely kept & hold in y ^e greater reverence.

I believe it right well. For there be certain books whose remembrance hath fall̄ away long before this time frō the minds of the people, if they had not furiously, and without cōsideratiō been condēpned for heresy. But whē the people saw them condemned & no cause why, but plain tyranny. Sic volo, sic iubeo, stat pro ration voluntas: It caused thē to have the more respect unto the books, and when they had read them, perused them & compared them with the scriptures of God, perceauynge that in all points they did agre with thē, it caused the readers to have an evil opinion of the adversaries, and to embrace and safelye keep the books as holy relics, and precious treasures. So y ^t where the Papists sought a final destructiō to the books bi burning thē, contrary to their expectatiō they have made them as it were immortal, & won to the authors of them a noble fame, & glorious renown. Uery truly, is it said of Solomō, there is no wisdom no forecast, no council that can prevail against the Lord. Euse. Truth it is, but to return unto y ^e Peke, of what sort I pray you are the people concerning christē religiō.

Whē I was there, all their religion cōsisted in hearing matins, & masses, in super sticious worshipping of Saints, in hyeringe soul caryars to sing trentals, in pattering upon beads, and in such other popeishe pedlary.

The history of the gentylman caused me not so much to rejoice, as the hearing of this maketh me sory. I wonder y ^t the commune people be •… o ignoraūte.

Do ye wonder? What wonder is it? When such as should lead them in the light of Christ's gospel, are the very self darkness. The eye, y ^t is to say, y ^e preacher of gods word is y ^e light of the body, y ^t is, of the whole congregation of Christ. If y ^e eye be single, y ^t is to say, if the curate or preacher be godly learned, then shall all the body be full of light, y ^t is the christē congregation shall have the word of god dwell in thē plentuously, & truly walk in y ^t light of God's most blessed will, w ^t out haltinge on both partes. But if the eye be darkness, y ^t is to say, if the preacher be unlearned, how great thē shall the dark nes be, y ^t is, howe ignoraūte and blind shall the gross & tude people be? Is not this the saying of Solomō. Whē the preaching of God's word faileth, the people perish and come to naught. The priests are the salt of the earth in deed, but if the salt be unsavory & have lost his saltnes, what can be salted there w ^t ? It is afterward good for nothing but to be cast out & to be trodē under foot of mē.

I cannot deny, but y ^t the priests in y ^t country are very baselylearned, & in a manner such as are pointed of y ^e prophet saying. The curats are blind everyone of thē, thei are altogether w ^t out knowledge, they are dumb dogs not able to bark. &c.

The priests for the most part universally thorough y ^e realm, are such as Ezekiel crieth out on saying. Woe be to y ^e shepherds of Israel which feed thē selves. Should not the shepherds feed y ^e floke? Ye have eat̄ up y ^e milk Ye have clothed you w ^t y ^e wolle, the best fed have ye slain, but the stoke have ye not nourished the weak have ye not hold̄ up, the sick have ye not healed, the broke have ye not bound together, the outecastes have ye not brought again, the lost have ye not sought up, but churlishly, & cruelly have ye ruled thē &c.

Wher such unlearned pastors bear rule, no marvel though papistry be not exiled.

If the blind lead the blind, both fall into the dytche.

The people where I hauetraueiled for the most part are reasonable and quiet enough, yea and veri cōfor mable to God's truth. If any be stobournlye obstinate, it is for fault of knowledge, and because they have been seduced of blind guides.

It should help very much unto an uniformity in religion, & unto the salvation of christen men's souls, if there were learned curates appointed in every parish, if so many cā not be found, thē to place in every country certain learned & godly preachers, which may go frō parish to parish, preaching to the people the good will, & pleasure of god. And let the other priests be ministers under the superattēdentes or ouersears, & in their absēce read to the people y ^e said scriptures, & the homiles, reverently minister the sacraments, vi sit the sick people, make colleccions for the poor, & vertuo uslye bring up the youth of the town. If this were brought to pass, what a flowrishing realm should we have? How should lear nig & virtue prosper? How purely should we honor God? How faithfully should one of us love another? What christiā works should issue out of our daily cōuersatiō & living.

I doubt not but y ^t the kings majesty w ^t his most honorable council will veri gratioussi consider these thin ges, yea & that w ^t expedittō

But sit once again to the Peke. I pray you continued you there still to this return into the coun trey.

I will tell you. While I was in the Peke, I learned y ^t R. Wysdome was in Stafforde shere, ye know the mā I am sure

We know him to be a godli mā in his cōuersatiō, & a faithful preacher in his doctrine, and such one as hath not been altogether free frō persecution for the maintenaūce of gods truth.

He was y ^e same to me, y ^t Aristarchus was to Paul. Desieringe greatly to se him, I bad mi frindes in y ^e Peke fare well, & made hast toward him. Whē I came to him, I did not onli rejoice to se him in health, but also gave god thankes y ^t he was so well placed & provided for. For I found him in the house of a certain faithful brother called John Olde, a mā old in name, notwithstanding young in years, & yet •… unciēte in true Godlines & christen life. He was to us as Iasō wasto Paul & Silas. He received us joyfully into his house, & liberallye for the Lord's sake, ministered all good things to our necessities. And as he beganne, so did he continue a right hearty friend, & dearly loving brother so long as we remained in y ^e coūtry. Evē as blessed Paul wished to Onesiphorus, so wish I to him, and w ^t the same words pray for him, y ^e lord grant to him that he may find mercy w ^t the Lord in y ^e day. After y ^t we had passed over certain days in the house of y ^t moste loving brother, refreshing our selves w ^t the comfort of y ^e holy scriptures, after so many grievous tēpests, troublous storms, & pain full labors I know not of what friend our dear brother Robert wisdom was called awai bi letters, which was to us both, no small pain & grief. Notwithstā ding we submitted our selves to the good pleasure of God, w ^t this hope & comfort, y ^t his return to his old familiars should make greatly to y ^e auaūcemēt of gods glory, and to the quietness of his christen studies, whereof might spring hereafter no small cōmodi tie to the christē public weal And so we wishinge one to another the assistēce of God's spirit repentance of our former life, strength of faith & perseueraūce in all godliness to our last end, de parted, yea & that not w ^t out tears.

Did he write nothing all y ^e time y ^t he was in those parties?

He was ever virtuous occupied, & suffered no hour to pas awai w ^t out good fruit. He is a mā in whō y ^e fear of god reigneth unfeignedly. Besides his other works, of this I am sure y ^t he hath writ̄ veri godly & fruit full expositions vpō certain Psal. of David, of the which also he traūslated some into english meter very learnedly. He hath writ̄ also many godly & learned set mōs vpō the epistles & Gospels that are read in y ^e temples on sondaies, part whereof I have both seen & read. Moreover he hath traūslated the postill of Antonius Coruinus and diverse other learned mens works. And, which I had almost forgotten, he hath made a confutation of those errors which were imputed & lat ed to his charge veri unjustly of his adversaries, a boke farsed w ^t all kind of godli learning.

These his works are not prīted nor comunely published abroad.

Truth it is, would God they were. They should w ^t out doubt bring great profit to the readers, & highly auaūce y ^e glory of god.

But I pray you, what exercise did you practice in Stafford there after his departure,

According to my talēte I brought up youth in 〈◊〉 knowledge of good literature & instill led into their breasts the elements & principles of Christ's doctrine teaching thē to know their Lord & god, to believe in him, to fear & love him, & studiouslye to walk in his holy ways frō their very cradels even to y ^e yeldinge up of their last breath. I dout not, but that Christ was so depeli gravē in their hearts at y ^t time, y ^t he is not yet worn out, neither as I trust shall be so long as they live.

Howe savored the people christ & his doctrine in those parties, whē you were there?

Not altogether unlike y ^E people of the Peke, but y ^t they were not in all points comunli so superstitious they savored somewhat more of pure religiō. This I think came to pass thorough certain englishe books y ^t were among them, & thorough traueilers to & fro London.

What of y ^e priests?

Ye should axe, what of y ^e mouinge of the moūtains.

In deed whē I was there, they were all massemōgers appliyng their portasse & mass boke very diligently, but the holy Bible very little.

Were they not as he writeth of men of Crete, evil beasts, and slow bealies?

It becometh me to dispraise no mā. For charity covereth the multitude of sins. Notw ^t standing. I would wish more learned pastors to be appointed for to feed the flock of Christ. For they are not such priests, as whose lips keep knowledge, neither can̄ their mouth utter y ^e law of God, if any mā should require it of them.

If I should rehearse here to you, y ^e childish ignorance y ^t was found in priests at y ^e kings majesties visitatiō, it would make your hert to blede for to consider y ^t such blind curates should have the over sight & charge of Christ's cōgregatiō.

Their blindness is rather to be lamented thē to be derided, notw ^t standing this must I needs say by the way, I wish w ^t all my hert that the church of Christ may be purged of such unprofitable clods of the earth, at the lest that they may not occupy the tome and enteye the li uyng of a preacher, they them sel ues being altogether unlearned and more mete to be taught then to teach. He that should be a curate after S. Paul's rule ought to be a mā able to teache the peo ple God's word, yea & such a mā as should not only be able to ex hort, but also to convince & overcome all such as speak against the truth.

A great faut in this behalf is to be imputed unto the Bishops, which admitted such unlearned asses unto y ^e order of priesthood.

The patrons of the benefits are not altogether blameless for giving the lyuinges to such ignorant men, wether it be for affection or for rewards, neither shall their punishment, I fear, be small at y ^e day of judgment. For if whan the blind ledeth the blind, both faule into y ^e ditch, what shall we thā say of thē, which are the occasiō that the blind gide w ^t his blind floke faule into y ^e dich, y ^t is to say, into everlasting dānation? Shall not the blood of them that perish be required at the Patrons hands in the dredeful day of iugemēt? If I put a sword in a mad man's hand, which with the same immeadiatli killeth a nother mā: am not I giltye of the blood of him that is slain?

Let these things pass, for doubt ye not the kings highes with his most honorable counsel will most graciously provide for the redress of such abuses.

Dyd you tarry I pray you cotinually in Stafforde shere until ye returned into youre country?

Nay forsoeth. After that I had consumed a year in that country and some what more in the virtuous educacion and Godlye bringing up of youth, I departed into Warwyke shere, where in like manner as afore I freely enjoyed the liberallytie of my moste sweet & dear friend John Olde, which impelled by vorgent causes departed into that country for to inhabit. There likewise taught I diverse gentil men's sons, which I trust, if they live, shall be a beutie to the public weal of Egland both for the preferment of true religion and for the maintenance of Justice.

How fancied you that contrye?

I travailed both in Darbye shere, in the peke, in Stafford shere and in Lechester shere, yet Warwyke shere was to me moste dere and pleasant.

How so?

In Lecester shere (as I may pass over the other) I had familiarite only w ^t one learned man a contriman of ours called John Aylmer, a master of art of the university of cambrige, a young man singularly well learned both in the latin & greek •… onge, teacher to my Lord Marques Dorset his children, but Warwick shere ministered unto me theacqueyntaunce and frenshyppe of many learned mē.

What are their names I pray you? For nothing delighteth me more than to hear of learned men.

Friste cometh to my remenbraunce a man worthey to be loved and reverenced of all true herted christen men not only for the puernes of his life, which hath always before the world ben innocent and blameless, but also for the sincerity and godliness of his Euange like doctrine, which since the beginyng of his preaching hath in all points ben so conformable to the teaching of Christ and of his Apostles that the veri adversaries of God's truth with all their manachynge words and cruel emprisonmētes could not with draw him from it, but that so ever he had once preached, he valeauntly defended the same before the world without fear of any mortal creature although of never so great pour and high authority, wishynge & minding rather to suffer not onli loss of wordly possessions, but also of life, than the glory of God and the truth of Christ's Gospel should in any point be obscured or defaced thorough him. Hys life was not dere unto him so that he might fulfil his course with joy and the office that he received of the Lord Jesus to testify the Gospel of God's favor. He might well say with the holy Psalmograph, I spake O Lord, of thy testimonies and ordinauntes in the presence of Kynges, Princes and Rulars, and I was not abashed.

I much desire to know his name tell it us I pray you.

Ye have heard I am sure of Master Latimer sometime By shoppe of Worcester?

Hys noble fame and virtuous renown is more known not only in this Realm of England but also in foren countries a monge both learned and unlearned, than it can be hid. I for my parte have known him before. xx. years in the vniuersite of Camb •… ig to whom next unto God I am specially bound to give moste hertye thanks for the knowledge, if any I have, of God and of his moste blessed word.

How so?

I was sonetyme a pore scholar of Cambrige very desirous to have the knowledge of good letters, and in the time of my being their, this godly man preached many learned and christen sermons both in latyn & englishe tongue, at the which all, I for most parte was present, and although at y ^e time I was but a child of xvi. years yet I noted his doctrine so well as I could, partly reposynge it in my memory, par lie commendynge it to letters as moste faithful treasurers vn to memory.

I was present whan with manifest authorities of God's word and arguments inuicible besides the allegations of doctoures he proved in his Sermons, that the holy scriptures ought to be read in the English tongue of all christē people, whether they were priests or lay men, as they be called, which thing diverse drowesy dunsers with certain falls fliynge flatering Friers could not abide, but openly in their unsavory sermons resisted his godly purpose, even as Alexander the copersmyth and Elymas the sorcerer with many other resisteth blessed Paul and his Godly doctrine, not wythstandynge he (yea rather God in him, whose cause he handled) gate the victory, and it came to pass according to his teaching. Neither was I absent whan he inveighed against temptle works, good ententes, blind z •… ale, superstitious deuocion. &c. as the payntynge of tabernacles gylddynge of Images, setting up of candles, ronnynge on pilgrimage & such other idle inuencions of men, whereby the glory of God was obscured and the works of mercy the les regarded. I remember also howe he was wont to rebuke the beneficed men with the authority of God's word for neglectyng and not teaching their flock and for being absent from their cures, they them selves being idle and mastinge them selves like hogs of Epicurus flock, taking no thought though their pore parishners miserably pine a way, starve, perish and die for hunger. Neither have I forgotten howe he at that time condemned foolish ungodly and impossible vows to be fulfilled as the vow of chastity, wyshinge rather y ^t liberty of mariag might be granted to thē which have so vowed by the highter pours, than so to continue thorough single life in all kind of abhominable uncleanness. O howe vehemente was he in rebukynge all sins, namely Idolatry, falls and idle swering covetousness and whoredom? again howe sweet and pleasant were his words in exhortynge unto virtue? He spake nothing but it leafte as it were certain pricks or stinges in the hearts of the hearts, which moved them to consent to his doctrine. None except they were stiffnecked and vncircomcised in heart, went a way from his sermons, which were not led with a fayethful repentance of their former life affected with hight detestaciō of sin, and moved unto all Godlines and virtue. I did know certain men, which thorough the persuasion of their friends went unto his Sermons swellynge, blown full and puffed up like unto Esoppes Frog, with envy and malice against him but whan thei returned, the Sermon being done, and demanded howe they lyked him and his doctrine, they answered with the Bishops and Pharisees servants. Nun quam sic locutus est homo, sicut hic homo.

Ther was never mā that spake like unto this man, so sharppe a two edged sword is the word of God (it entereth thorough even unto the deuydynge of the soul and the spirit, and of the ioynctes and the mary) so watchethe God upon his word, so causethe the father of heaven his word not to return unto him void, but to do what so ever his good pleasure is, and to take root and bringeforth fruit in them that are afore ordained unto everlasting life, in some an hondered fold, in some three score fold, in some thir t •… fold. I leave of to report his free speech against biyng & selling of benefices, against the promo tynge of them unto the lyuinges of spiritual ministers which are unlearned and ignorant in the law of God, against popish pardons, against the reposinge our hope in our own works or in other men's merits, against faise religion &c. Neither do I here rehearse howe beneficial he was according to his possibility to pore scholars and other nedye people, so conformable was his life to his doctrine, so watered he with good deeds, what so ever tofore he planted with godly words, so labored he with all main both in word and deed to wyne and allure other unto the love of Christ's doctrine and his holy religion there is a comō saying, which remaineth unto this day, When Master Staforde read, and Mayster Latimer prea ched, than was Cambridge blessed.

What was that Stafford?

A man whom the vnthanful world was unworthy any lenger to have. As I may pass over the gifts of nature and such goodly qualities, as win unto them that have them the favor and commendacion of men, wherewith he was plentu ously endued, this I unfeignedly say unto you, he was a man of a very perfect life, and if I may so speak, of an Angellike conuersaciō, approuedly learned in the Hebrew, Greke and latin tongues, and such one as had thorough his payneful labors obtained singular knowledge in the mysteries of gods most blessed word.

I doubt whether he was more bownde to blessed Paul for leauinge those Godly Epistles behind him to cusituet and teach the congregation of God, whereof he was a dere member, or that Paulle, which before had so many years been foiled with the foolish fantases and eluyshe exposicions of certain dotynge doctors and as it were drowned in the dir •… ye dregs of the drowsye dunsers, was rather bownde unto him, seeing that by his industrye labor, pain and diligence he seemed of a dead man to make him a live again and putting a way all vnsemlines to set him forth in his native colors, so that now he is both seen, read and heard not without great and singular pleasures of them that travail in the studies of his moste godly Epystles. And as he beutified the letters of blessed Paul with his godly exposicions, so like wise did he learnedlye setforth in his lectures the native sense and true understanding of the fore Euaungelistes, viuely restoring unto us the Apostls mind & the mind of those holy writers, which so many years before had lien unknown and obscured thorough the dark nes and mists of the Pharisees and Papists.

He was a faithful and prudent servant, giving meat to the Lord's howshoulde in due time He did caste away profane and old wives fables, and as the good servant of Jesus Christ he exersised himself unto godliness: He was an ensample to the faithful in word, in conversation, in love, in spirit, in faith, in purity. He gave his mind to reading to exhortynge, to doctrine. He studied to show him self unto god a laudable work man y ^t needeth not to be ashāmed deuidyng, the word of truth justly. He was gentle unto every mā and with mekenes informed thē that resisted the truth, if God at any time would give thē repentance for to know the truth, & to turn again from the snare of the devil. He foughte a good fight, he fulfilled the course, he kept the faith, therefore is there laid up for him a croune of righ tuousnes, which the Lord that ryghtuous judge shall give him in that day, not to him only, but to all them that love his come minge.

I am glad brother Christofer that ye have spokē no less truly then frendely of these two mē of God, of the which one reigneth w ^t the high bishop in Christ's glory (for the wise as the prophet Daniel saith, which have taught other shall glister as the shynynge of heaven, and those y ^t have instructed the multitude unto godliness, shall be as the stars world without ende) the other is yet alive worthy, if God's good pleasure so were, to live the years of Mathusalath, both for his godly doctrine and Christian conversation.

With this true preacher of gods word, I chanced in Warwyke shere to be somewhat acquainted (which was to me no small comfort) not with him only but with diverse other, whereof some were men of worship well bente toward the holy scrip tures, some were men very godly learned in the laws of the most higheste, & professors of y ^e same. So oft as I was in their company, me thought I was clean delivered frō Egypt & quietly placed in y ^e new glorious Ierusalē which is described in y ^e reuelatiō of blessed John, so sweet a thing is it to be in the company of Godly learned men.

Traueyled you into none other country afterward?

Whyle I was traynynge up of youth, and fashyonynge their minds unto true Godliness in that country, behold vnloked for, were letters sent unto me, from my most dear mother, in the which she required me, to return into my native country, and to be a staff of her old age, for as much as my father in law was departed from this vale of misery.

I considerynge my duty and the honor which I owe unto her by the manifest commandment of God, immediately after, not without the friendly consent of my well willers departed from Warwyke shere, and with all haste repared home. And for as much as I have now quietly reposed myself (thanks be to the high Lord) I remembrynge our old friendship thought i •… my bounden duty to send for you & after mine accustomed manner to talk with you of some parte of the holy scripture.

The rehearsal of this youre travail by diverse contreis hath so delyghted us that we seme now to have been with you in all your journeys.

We magnify God moste hertely that he by his holy Angel hath safe conduite you in all youre ways, preserved you in health, gotten you dear friends and now at the last, brought you home again into your natyue country.

But I pray you did you wright nothing in this your longe absence?

I wrote diverse treatises, but as yet there are publishede only these three, the gouernaūce of ver tue, an invective against whoredom, a dialoge of Christ's nativity, between the Angel and the shepherds. The other shall be set forth, if the Lord will, hereafter at a convenient time. I tran̄slated out of latin into English •… diverse little treatises, the shyl •… of Salvation, the solace of the soul, the commendation of death &c. Thus have I declared unto you, how I spent my time, whilse I have been from you. It now remaineth that for as much as hereafore I have perceived your gentilnes in accepting the pore and homelye gifts that I have given you, I go forth to use still mine accustomed liberality toward you, & to enryche you with mo gifts, which may no less garnish your souls, thē the other have done in times past, howsoever the papists & Antichrists Soldiers have judged of them. The gift which I will now give you, is called the Jewel of Ioye, & not without a cause. For in it you shall receive much true Ioye & perfect solace, much Godlye pleasure and spiritual comfort. In it ye shall se in what thing alone ye ought to rejoice, and howe vain and transitory those things are, wherein the foleishe and fantastical worldelynges repose their chief pleasure and de lectation. Thys Jewel have I borrowed of y ^e blessed apostle. S. Paul, and it is among his treasures cowched in y ^e fourth chap. of his Epistle to the Philippiās

I pray you what is it •… let it be brought forth.

Lo, here it is. Rejoice in y ^e Lord always, and again I say rejoice. How like you this Jewel? Is it not both goodlye and precious? Is it not worth y ^e looking on as they say? Is it not a Jewel worthy to be worn of every true herted christiā man?

It is a Jewel in deed not only amiable and pleasant in aspecte, but also very comfortable and wholesome to a Christian man's conscience.

It is no apt Jewel for the wicked worldelinges & bellied hypocrites, which like to E soppes cock set more by a barley corn, then by all the precious stones in the world, of this sort chiefly.

Truth it is. For if men estranged from the public weal of the true Israelites, car nallye minded, vncircumsed in heart, disobedient to the yoke of Christ, not regenerate bi the spirit of God, nor renewed by the holy baptism, but in all points led captive at the devils pleasure w ^t the affects of the world, should hear this aforesayed sentence of the holy apostle recited to them, & chiefly of such one as is enprisoned, fettred, bound in chains (as blessed S Paul was, what time he wrote this Epistle unto the Phillyppians) which are instruments to the vo luptuouse worldelynges of no gladenes but of sadenes, of no joy and pastaunce, but of sorrow and greuaunce, they would no less then marvel at his fondness, yea it is to be thought, that they would laugh him to scorn as a person transposed and far set beyond the limites of wyttye reason, and reasonable wit, seeing he exhorteth unto y ^t which in so great storms and tempests of troublous adversity no heart led w ^t human wisdom can easily approve, so blind, foleishe, ignorant, and of no capacity, felynge or understanding in spiritual things, is the wisdom of this world, as. S. Paul saith. A natural man doth not perceive those things that pertain to y ^e spirit of god. For they are foleishenes to him, neither can he come to the knowledge of them, because they are spirituallye judged. The head rulers among the Jews, the bishops, the priests, the scribes, the Pharisees, y ^e Sadducees, the Lawiers with many other, which were in Christ's time prove this thing evidently true enough, which although in their own conceit puffed up w ^t the excellent know ledge of God's mysteries, perceyuynge nothing at all of Christ's blessed doctrine, so truly is it said of the holy Apostle, The wisdom of this world is foleyshnes before God. Neither want we exemples at this present.

To know Christ & Christ's doctrine, aright is the singu ler gift of God, wrought in our hearts by his holy spirit, as Christ him self testifieth, saying. No man cā come unto me, except the father which sent me, draw him, and I will raise him up in the last day. It is written in the prophets, all shall be taught of God, therefore everyone y ^t hath heard of the father, and hath learned, he cometh to me.

In the Gospel of blessed Matthew our savior Christ giveth thanks to his heavenly father, because he hath hidden the knowledge of his mysteries from the wise and prudente of this world, which gloried in their own wisdom, and hath reueyled them to the little ones that is to say, to them that be humble minded, meek in spirit lowly in heart, and even such as ascribe all glory and honor to God and not to thenselves. Forsoth father, saith he, evē so was it thy good pleasure. All things are given over unto me of my father. And no mā knoweth the son but the father, nether knoweth any man the father save the son, and he to whom so ever the son will open him.

But this our Apostle & faithful Embassadoure sent from god the father to be a doctor to the gentyls in faith and verity, a true citizyn of the new celestial Jerusalem, abundantlye replete with the fruits of y ^e holy Goste, and plentuouselye endued with wisdom from above to understand and declare the excellent mysteries of God's moste high providence hid in y ^e bosom of his divine secrets frō everlasting, & now in this last age revealed published & set abroad to y ^e great comfort of all faithful penitent sinners thorough his son Jesus Christ our Lord. This our apostle I say, evē in y ^e mids of his chains & setters writeth to the Philippiās, and by them to all other true Christians, and exhorteth thē to be merye, and to rejoice in y ^e Lord. He is nothing dismayed, nor yet abashede, of his bōdes, chains, and fetters, of his enprifonnyge, lockynge, & stockyng, but being of a frank courage and lusty stomach, not only to suffer chains, but also death, if the good will of God so be, he with a vehemencye of spirit, and stoutenes of heart commaūdeath us not to be discouraged with what so ever kind of adversity we be assailed, but va leantly and vnfainedli to repose fyxe, & set the eyes of our mind on y ^e Lord, & in him, in him alone to rejoice at all times. Rejoice in the Lord alway, saith he, & once again I say rejoice.

Every man moveth other to delight in that thing specially, wherein he himself hath reposed his chief delectation. The couetuouse man hath his greatyst de light in temporal possessions, and as he is only bent to the accumulatynge and heapynge up together of wordly goods, so in like manner doth he exhort so many as he tenderlye loveth to set their minds on gatherynge together the Goodes of this world, being not unlike them, which are ever criynge, Adfer, adfer, Bringe hither, bring hither, The papist hath his mind altogether set on papistry, therefore, laboreth he to the uttermost of his power to allure other unto his pernitiouse & damnable sect.

Truth it is that you say. Therefore the blessed Apostle haueynge his principal joy in the Lord our God, exhorteth, moveth, & flyrreth us earnestly to rejoice in the lord, that we may be partakers w ^t him of one, & the same glory. He is not con •… ente him self only to be in the favor of God, except he have other also to be in the bowels of Jesus Christ.

In the Epistle unto the Romayns, he wisheth him self to be cursed from Christ, so that his brethren the Israelites, which were his kynsmen as pertaynynge to the flesh might be saved.

He dissēted not much from the manners of Moses that most excellent Prophet of God, which perceyuyng that God was minded to destroy the children of Israel for their abhominable Idolatry in worshipping the golden calf, desired God very hertely y ^t he would either forgive them that fault, or else wype him out of the boke of life.

O most faiethful heardman, which wished the saluatiō of his flock no less then his own.

But we shall note that saint Paul pricketh not us forward unto the reioysyng in worldly & carnal things but unto a perfect joy in y ^e lord our God, which endureth forever. For what thing is comprehended in the whole circle of the world, wherein we may worthily rejoice?

Cōsider the air above, y ^e earth vnderneth, with the depe waters in the secrete & inferior partes of the world, & mark diligētlye if in thē any thing be contained y ^t may bring to us true & perfect joy. They may delight our fāseis, & move our affects for a certain space to delectaciō, while we behold, hear, fele or taste them, but how sone doth this carnal delectatiō, & worldli joy vanish awai? yea howe sone are we weary of thē, if measure be exceded? Musicall instruments feed the ear with very sweet and pleasant armony, and for a time greatly exhilarate, chere, and comfort our weried spirits, but in how short space do we loath them, if they be continually played upon or exercised out of time? And though we delight never so greatly in thē, doeth not the sound strayghte way perish, & we receive none other commodity then loss of time?

The wise man saith Like as the Carbuccle stone shineth that is set in gold, so is the swetnes of music by the mirthe of wyne. Agayne wine and minstrels rejoice the hert.

Yea but what followeth? The best is behind as they say. But the love of wisdom, is above thē both. This sētense of the wyseman doeth not condemn Music nor wyne, so that the use of them be moderate and excedethe not measure, notwithstanding it preferreth the love of wisdom that is to say, a fervent desire to know the will of God, and advanceth that above both wyne and musyke.

I wish that all men, but chiefly such as be of nobility, did know and would practice this afore said sentence. For many delyghte in Music, but few in the love of wisdom Many covet to excel in singing playng and dancing, but in the knowledge of God's word very few. Many can abide to spend whole days and whole nyghtes in musical exercises, but in hearing or reading the holy scriptures, they think one holy day in aweke a great matter, whē the one moveth unto virtue, the other unto vice, 'the one getteth the favor of God, the other pro uoketh his wrath, indignation and vēgeaunce, the one lifteth up unto heaven, the other detrudeth and thrusteth doūe into hell fire.

To say the truth, music is a more vain and triefelinge science, than it becometh a man borne & appointed to mat ters of gravity, to spend much time about it. And all though I have learned of histories, y ^e diverse have exercised minstrelsye both kings & philosophers, which I think used it as a remedy against the tediousness of there painful labors, and to make them the more apt to return vn to matters of great importaūce: yet I remember well that it was counted a reproach in many.

Kynge Philipe whan he heard his son Alexander that trium phante conqueroure sing and play very pleasauntly, checkingly rebuked him saying, art thou not ashamed, that thou canst play and sing so conningely? Meanynge that other arts and sciences are more worthy a king. An heathen Prince thought that a great faute in his son, which Christian rulears count worthy of high commendacion and singular praise. Sextus Nero the Emperor, lieynge on his death bed greatly lamented that he was so excellent in the science of music, wyshyng that he had spente that time in good letters and virtuous exercises, whereby he might have been made the more able iustelye and truli to govern his realm.

Woulde God that his repentance might be a warning to all noble men.

Ther have been, would God there were not now, which have not spared to spend much riches in norishynge many idle singynge men to bleate in their chappeles thinckinge so to do God an high sacrifice, and to pipe down their meat and their drink and to whystle them a sleape, but they have not spente any part of their substance to find a learned mā in their houses to preach the word of God, to haste them to virtue and to dissuade them from vice. Therefore swarmed their houses with pride, ambition, vain glory, covetousness, whoredom, swearing, stealinge, polling, pic king, envy, malice, fightinge, flattery, superstition, Hypocrisy, papistry, Idolatry and all kind of abomination, as it must needs come to pass, where the word of God is banished though there be never so much massinge and maskynge according to the say inge of Solomon, whan the preaching of gods word faileth, the people perish and come to naught.

It becometh kings, princes and rulars rather to here the preacher of gods word and to give ear unto the lamentable voices and humble •… upplications of their pore aflict and oppressed subjects, than to hearken to the sound of vain instruments, and to delight in in hearing the filthy and trifelinge songs of droncken Musicions, which rather provoke unto fleshelye fantascis than unto virtuous exercises. A Christian man's melody after S. Paul's mind consisteth in heart, while we recite Psalms, himnes and spiritual songs, and sing to the Lord in our hearts, geueynge thanks all ways for all things unto God the father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, Al other outward melodye is vain and transitory, and passeth away and cometh to naughte.

Uayne and traunsitorye is it in deed, notwithstanding Music may be used, so it be not abused. If it be so berly exercised and reputed as an hand maid unto virtue it is tolerable, otherwise it is execrable and to be abhorred of all good men. So that ye perceive, that Music is not so excellent a thing, that a Christ̄ mā ought earnestly to reioise in it.

It is evident enough, seeing that it endureth not, but pa sseth away like other things subject to vanity.

Ther are y ^t greatly delight in buildinge gorgeous houses & sumptuous mansions, but howe vain is their delectacion? Whā they have spente innumerable riches in erectinge their pleasant and fair houses, what have thei but a great heap of stones cou ched one upon a nother, which for a little season fedeth the eye well, but whan we be once goone what profit carry we away with us? The holy Patriarchs of the old time remembrynge howe vain it is to delyghte in gorgeous houses buylte them tents, and in those safely dwelte considerynge with them selves that they were but strangers and pilgrims, and therefore prepared them houses not for this world but for the world to come by couchynge there treasures in the bosoms of poor men.

To build necessary and conueniente houses for our use is not ungodly, as I judge, but to repose our delight in them, or so to spend our goods on buildynge that the poor people are y ^e les regarded, socoured, releaued and holpen, this is wicked, this is ungodly.

Buildynge is the daughter of phansye and may in a manner be compared to the web of Penelope. For that one setteth up, ano there after the disbursinge of many powndes, destroyeth, and buil death it up again with double ex pences the third succedeth, and his phātasy not fully satisfied, he again altereth the buildynge and addeth threfolde charge, so that to build (I spake of to much gorgeous and not necessary houses) is nothing else than to dalie with the world and to be led with fancy.

What was in time paste more gorgeous than Rome, whan she was called the Lady and head of the world? What was more sumptuousiye built than the temple of Solomō? yea and that at gods commaun demente, as I may pass over many ancient and famous cities? what is become of them? Howe are they decayde? Manye are come to such and so great down faule and to so extreme tuine, so deformed, so destroyed, so consumed to death that there remaineth not so much as a step, neither is there left of them any mention at all. Well were it with Christian religion, if christen men would remember this sentence of blessed Paul. We have no dwelling place in this world, but we lobe for another to come Thā should the he uenly mansion be more desired & sought after. But now many build and they know not who shall enherite, & in y ^e mios of these their gorgeous buildings y ^e pore people are not considered nor provided for.

Woulde God all such as so greatly delight in costu ous buildings, would sometime set this sentence of the wyseinā before their eyes If y ^u kepeste not thyself, saith he, in the fear of the Lord continually, thy housse shall sone be subverted, topled over & brought to nought.

Me think y ^t this curious buyldyng, which all moste vniuersalli is used now a days among us is a great tokē of the day of iud gemente being at hand. For Christ in the Gospel, among other tokens reciteth building to be one of y ^e chief wherbi we may learn y ^t the coming of the son of man unto the teribleiudgemēt is at hand as. s. James saith. Behold y ^e judge standeth before the door.

I perceive now right right well ye are fully persuaded that no man ought to rejoice in gorgeous buildynges, wherein many delight now a days.

Yea verily. The history of the riche man in the Gospel maketh us afraid, which was a buil der also, and whē he had finished his buildinge and couched his goods in his fair & large houses thinking y ^t he should have lived many years, suddenly it was said unto him, y ^u fole this night shall they take away y ^e life frō the, and thā whose shall these things be that y ^u hast gathered together?

To enjoy great possessions in this world seemeth not to a few a singular commodity & high profit, but with how many cares & troubles are they accōpa ned? With what great labor at thei gotē & scraped up together? With what carfulnes & disquiet of mind are they kept, the hordets up of them being at all hours in more fear left they should be taken away from them either by robbynge, pollynge, pillinge burning, or by some other chance Howe shortly are they consumed and brought to naught, which were not gathered together without long time and great sweat? So vain and transitorye be the goods of the world. Again, are not the worldly possessions many times left to such heytes, as spend them no less prodigally, than their auncitours got them hardly and kept them niggardly? What just cause also hath a ny man to rejoice in temporal riches, seeing that at the dreadful day of judgment they shall render a straight accōptes of every farthing to the high & everlasting. Judge Christ, how they have bestowed them? For God hath not endeued the rich men with their possessions that they should spend thē at their pleasure and fancy, but according to his most godly commandment, will and pleasure. Syluer is mine, and gold is mine, saith the Lord of hosts. Hereto agreeth the say inge of the Psalmograph, the earth is the Lord's, and all that is contained in it. The Lord hath committed his goods to the ritche men, and he will call them to accounts a gain to se how they have bestowed thē, and what thei have won and got̄ by the exercise of thē for the Lord's auauntage, as we may se in the Gospel. If there be found unprofitable servants, and have not bestowed them in settingeforth the glory of God, and in the hell pynge of their christen brethren, but have hid thē up in the ground that is to say, kept them nigardly to their own use, or spent them about vain and wicked things, they may be sure to be bound, fete and hands to be cast into utter darkness, where shall be weeping and gnashing of teth.

O that th •… se things were well considered, pondered & weighed in the just balance of reasonable discression, than should the rich men of this world have little occasiō to glory in their terrestrial and worldly possessions, but rather recounte them moste happy, wealthy and fortunat, to whom least is committed. For every man shall render accounts of the talentes received, be they few or many.

Blessed is the rich, which is found with out blemishe, say eth the wise man, & hath not gone after gold, nor put his trust in money and treasures. Where is there such a one? and we shall commend him, and call him blessed. For great things doeth he among his people. Who so is tried and found perfect in such things shall be commended and praised. Yea his good shall be stablished, and the whole congregation shall declare his alms Make you friends, saith our Savior Christ, of the vnryghtous Mammō, that whē ye shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting habitacions.

To se the inordinate affecti on & insatiable desier, which the more parte of men have unto the goods of y ^e world, it is a world. Aunciente Authors complain of the couetuousnes used in their time but if they were now a live they would marvel, and with high indignation wete theyre pen, and wright Satires and Inuectiues against our covetous worldlyngs. For their coue tous affects know no ende, ney there a •… e thei at any time sa •… ate, be their aboūdaūce temporal possessions •… er so much ouerflowynge and passynge all measure. Oh good God, good God, howe do our spiritual men tumble benefice upon benefice, and prebende upon prebende? And yet are they led with no care of fedynge Christ's flock neither corporally nor spirituallye. Christ's threfolde Pasce, is turned in to y ^e Jews double Tolle. They feed nothing, except them selves they tol & catch whatsoever cach they may, would God they once would be obediente to this cōmaundemente of God given by the wise man. Let not thine hand be stretched out to receive, and shut when thou shouldest give, A bishop saith. S. Paul (he meaneth every spiritual ouersear) ought to maintaynehospitalitie. Agayne he saith, forget not hospitality & household keeping. For thereby have diverse men received into their houses Angels unawares. Hereto agreeth the saying of. S. Peter. Be ye herbourours one to another without grudgynge. As every man hath received the gift even minister the same one to another, as good ministers of the manifold grace of God. God in the old law greatly tendering the maintenance of hospitality, in his ministers gave this commandment to his people for paying their tithes, saying. Bringe ye in all tithes into my barn, that there may be meat in my house. Here God commanded tithes to be paid, but for what cause, that the ministe •… s should spend them in the court or at the university? or about whoreynge? or in kepeynge of hawks or dogs? or in maynteynyng a sort of idle valeaūt lubbers, which do nothing but consume the good fruits of y ^e earth Nay verily, but that there should be meat in his house (for the personage or viccarage is God's house) For whom? For the covetous worldelynges and rich mē which have no need of it? Nay syr, not so, but for the pore christi ans, as Christ prescribeth saying, When thou makest a diner or supper, call not thy friends, nor thy brethrene, neither thy kynsemen, nor thy rich neighbors, leste they also bid the again, and a recompense be made the. But when thou makeste a feast, call the pore, the feeble, the lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be happy, for they cannot recompense the. But thou shalt be recompēced at the resurrection of the ryghtuous men.

I think the greatest cause why priests be contemned at this time is, y ^t they neither regard their office in preaching God's word nor yet their duty in mayntaynyng hospitality.

Truth it is, For God saith by the prophet. I have made you, O ye priests, to be despised and to be of no reputatiō among all y ^e people, because ye have not kept my ways, but have been parciall in the law. The ways and ordinances of God, which he hath prescribed to priests for to observe, is truly to preach his holy doctrine reverently to minister his blessed sacraments, and bountuouslye to maintain hospitality. If they would do these things, they should recover their honor which is due to faithful ministers by the word of God as, S. Paul saith. The priests that rule well, are worthy double honor, specialli thei y ^t labor in word and doctrine.

But couetuousnes reigneth not only in the spiritualty?

In the spiritualty only? No God knoweth. For the temporalltye is not behind for their parte. If ever heretofore, in this our time specially is this saying of the Prophet found true, From the lest unto the most thei hange upon couetuousnes, and from the prophet unto the priest they go all about with falshead and lies. How join they Lordshyp to Lordeshyppe, manner to manner, ferme to ferme, land to lande, pasture to pasture, house to house, and house for a vantag Howe do the rich men, and spe cially such as be shepmongers oppress the kings liege people by deuourynge their commune pastures w ^t their sheep, so that the poor people are not able to keep a cow for the confort of thē and of their pore family, but are like to starve & perish for hunger, if there be not provision made shortly? What sheep ground scapeth these caterpillars of the commune weal? How swarm they with abundance of flocks of sheep? and yet when was wool ever so dere, or muttō of so great price? If these shepemongers go forth as they begin, the people shall both miserablye die for cold, and wretchedly perish for hunger. For these greedy woulues and comberous cormerauntes, will either sell their wool and their sheep at their own price or else they will sell none. Oh what a diversity is this in the sale of wolles, a stone of wool sometime to be sold at. viii. grots and now for. viii. s? And so likewise of the sheep. God have mer cy on us. If the king his majesty, with his most honorable council do not provide for the re dress of these things, God him self will surely se a remedy, as he saith by the Psalmongraphe for the wretchedness of the nedye and the bewaylynge of the pore. Even now will I rise saith the Lord.

Agayne he saith, Woe be to the that spoilles •… e, shalt not thou thyself be likewise spoiled? And thou that despiseste the poverty, shalt not thou in like manner be despised? When thou haste made an ende of pollynge and pyllyng, then shalt thou be polled and pilled thyself.

And when thou ceaseste to despise other, then shalt thou be despised and naught set by.

O Lord have mercy upon us. For all our whole trust is in the. Be thou our defense, yea, and that shortelye, and be thou our saving health in the time of our trouble.

Ryche men were never so much estranged from all pytye and compassion toward the poor people, as they be at this present time, they devour the people as it were a morcell of bread.

If any piece of ground delight their eye, they must needs have it other by hoke or by croak.

If the pore man will not satisfy their covetous desire, he is sure to be molested, troubled, and disquieted on such sort, that whether he will, or will not (though both he, his careful wife, and miserable chyldrene with his whole family should perish for hunger) he shall forgo it, or else it were as good for him to live among the furies of Hell, as to dwell by those rich carles & covetous churles. Ther is no end of enlargynge their grounds, neither are they led with any fear of God's indignation, expressed by the Prophet saying. Woe and everlasting damnatiō be unto them that join house to house, and couple land to land, so nigh together, that the pore can get no more ground. Shall ye alone dwell in the myddest of the earth? These things are in mine ears, saith the Lord of hosts. Surely saith he, many great and fair houses shall be made so desert and wast, that no man shall dwell in them. Hereto agreeth the saying of another Prophet. Woe and everlasting damnation be unto him, that heapeth up other men's goods.

Howe longe will he lade him self with thycke claye unto his own damnation? O howe sodaynly will they stand up that shall byte the, and awake, that shall tear the in peaces? Yea y ^u shalt suerlie be their pray, Seynge thou haste spoiled many people, therefore shall they that re main spoil the, because of mennes blood and for the wrong done in the land, in the city, and unto all them that dwell therein Woe and everlasting damnation be unto him that couetously gathereth evil goten goods into his house, that he may set his neste on hie to escape y ^e power of misfortune thou hast devised the shame of thine own house, for y ^u hast slain to much people & hast wilfulli offended, so that the very stones of the wall shall cry out of it, and the tymbre that lieth betwixt the joints of the buildynge shall answer. & ce.

These be grievous threats of God's vengeance against the couetuouse worldelinges.

They be no less true then grievous, and shall undoubtedly chance as it is threatened, except the covetous worldlings repent and amende. For God is faithful in all his sayings & the word of the Lord abideth forever. He is the self truth, therefore can he not lie. What so ever he threateneth, he will surely bring to pass except faithful repentance be a mean. Are not these his words? Woe and everlasting damnation be unto them that sin, and keep not my commandments, saith the Lord, I will not surely spare them.

And the wise man saith. Woe be unto you, O ye wicked persons, which have forsaken the law of the Lord, that most high God. If ye be borne, ye shall be borne to curssynge, if ye die, the curse shall also be youre portion.

David saith, upon the ungodly, the Lord shall rain snares, fire, and brymestone, storm, and tempeste: this shall be their portion to drink. How doeth our savior Jesus Christ thonder against the ungodly rich in the holy Gospel.

Woe unto you that are riche saith he, for ye have your consolation. Woe unto you that are full, for ye shall hunger, Woe unto you that now laughe, for ye shall wayle and weep.

These be grievous words against the covetous wordelynges and voluptuous Epicures, but full little do such things syncke into the breasts of men now adays, the devil hath so blinded their eyes, that they think that God is a childish God, and will be pleased with this apple at y ^e last ende. I am sory for my sins. Good Lord forgive me, I trust to be saved by Christ's passion, and mani good morrows So longe as they live they never repent their wicked living they go forth daily more & more to provoke the wrath of God against them, they heap sin upon sin, they wallow all in pleasures like filthy swine, they have not thefeare of God before their eyes, they are without all mercy toward their christē brethrene, they greuouslye oppress their neadye neighbors, they make no ende of rakeynge together the goods of y ^e world, they follow the lusts of the flesh as miserable and bond captives, to conclude, their whole life is nothing else but a serving of the devil, how can these men at the last ende truly repent & convert unto God, leadynge afore a life abhominable, so wicked, so stynckynge, so hateful both to God and to all good mē? I grant, the mercy of God is great, & excelleth all his works, but howe cā they which have led their whole life altogether displeasaunte unto God, be bold to crave mercy of God at the last ende, whom all the days of their life they have so despised by disobeyinge his moste Godlye will and pleasure? Are not these his words spokē by king Solomon? I have called, and ye refused it. I have streatched out my hand, and no man regar ded it, but all my counsails have ye despised, and set my correctiō at naught. Therefore shall I also laughe in youre destruction, and mock you, whē that thing that ye fear cometh upon you, even when the thing that ye be a frayed of, falleth in sodaynely like a storm, and youre misery like a tempeste, yea, when trouble and heuynes cometh upon you.

Then shall they call upon me, but I will not hear, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, and that because they hated knowledge, and recei ued not the fear of the Lord, but abhorred my council, and despised all my creation.

If the tyghtuous shall scasly be saved, saith blessed Peter where sha •… l the ungodly and the sinner appear?

Satan thorough couetuousnes doeth so possess the hearts of many men in these our days, that they do not only lincke house to house, but when they have gotten many houses and tenements into their hands, yea, whole towneshyppes, they suffer the houses to fall into utter ruyne, and decay, so that by this means whole towns are become desolate, and like unto a wilderness, no man dwelling there, except it be the shephearde and his dog.

Truth it is. For I myself know many towns and villages sore decayed, so that where as in times paste there were in some town an hundred households there remain not now thyrty, in some fifty, there are not now ten, yea (which is more to be lamented) I know towns so wholly decayed, y ^t there is neither stick nor stone standing, as they use to say. Wher many men had good livings, and maynteined hospitality, able at all times to help the king in his wars, & to sustain other charges, able also to help their pore neighbors, and virtuously to bring up their children in Godly letters and good sciēces, now sheep & conies devour altogether no man inhabitynge the aforesaied places. Those beasts which were created of god for the nourishmente of man, do now devour man. The scripture saith that God made both sheep & oxen with all the beasts of the field subject unto man, but now mā is subject unto them. Wher mā was wont to bear rule, there thei now bear rule. Wher man was wont to have his liueing: there thei now only live. Where man was wont to inhabit, there they now raing and grease. And the cause of all this wrechednes and beggary in the commō weal are the greedy Gentilmē, which are shipmongars & grasiars. While thei study for their own private come moditie, the common weal is like to decay. Sins they began to be sheep Masters and feders of cattle we neither had vitaile nor cloth of any reasonable price. No marvel, for these forstallars of the market, as they use to say have gotten all things so into their hands, that the poor man must either by it at their price, or else miserably starve for hongar, and wretchedly die for cold. For they are touched w ^t no pity toward the pore. It is found true in thē y ^t S. Paul wrighteth. Al seek there own adauntage, & not those things which belong unto Jesus Christ. They which in times past were wont to be fathers of the contrie, are now pollers and pillars of the cōtry. They which in times paste were wont to be the defēders of the pore, are now become y ^e destroiers of y ^e same. Thei by whom the common weal sometime was preserved: are now become the Caterpillars of y ^e comō weal, & such as seme by their ma ners to have made a solē vow vt terli to subvert the comō weal, & to procure y ^e final destructiō of y ^e same. Thei a •… •… satiable woulues. Thei know no measure. So they may reign, they care not who rule. So they may abound they care no who faulle to the ground. So they may be enriched thei care not who •… e enpoue rished. They are right brothers of Cain, which had rather sl •… his brother Abel, thā he should have any part with him of world lie possessions. The wise mā saith, the bread of the nedye is the life of y ^e pore, he that defraudeth him of it, is a mansl ear •… . Do not these riche worldlings defraud the pore man of his bread, where by is understand all things ne cessary for a man's life, which though row their insatiable covetousness sel all things at so high price, & suffer towns so to decay that the pore hath not what to eat nor yet where to dwell? What other ar they than, but very manslears? They abhor the names of Mōkes, Friers, Canons. Nuns & c, but their goods they gredely gripe. And yet where the cloisters kept hospitaliti, let out their fermes at a reasonable price norished schools, brought up youth in good letters, they do none of all these things. They lightly esteem and in a manner contemn Priests, parsons, vicares, Prebendaries. &c, yet their possessions thei gladly enbrase & niggardly retain. So' that now they are become in effect although not in name, very Monckes, Friers, Canons, Priests, Persons, Ui cares, Prebendaryes, and at the last what not? and yet how vainly those goods be spente, who seeth not? The state of England was never so miserable, as it is at this present.

Good Lord have mercy upon us and put in the hearts of the king and of his counsel to redress these intolerable pestilences of the common wealth, or else make haste to dissolve this wreched world by thy glorious coming unto the judgment, where thou shalt render to every man according to his deeds, lest if we long remain in this to much wretchedness, we be compelled thorough poverty to attempe vnrightuous things, and forswere the name of the our Lord God. Well, of these things afore said I trust ye perceive that no mā ought to rejoice in the riches of this world, seeing they are none of ours but God's, and we as the treasures and stuardes, of God must at the dreadful day of judgment render acomptes to the high Judge Christ of all that we have received, be it much or litel, seeing also they are very transitorye f •… itting from one to a nother in so much that he which is this day a Lord highely in favor and a man of great possessions is tomorrow a traytoure and not worth a gallye half penye. A gain if they be abused, they are very entisementes unto all mischief and naughti •… es, they pluck our her tes from God to the devil, they make us Idolaters by seruinge that wicked Mammon they pro uoke the vengaunce of God against us thei make is to be ab horred of God and of all good men, they pluck from our bodies reast from our minds quietness from our eyesslepe frō our face natural color, and add to all the partes of mā distēperaūce, making man a slave unto that which ought to be obedient vn to him.

We perceive these things right well. For the wise man saith, their is nothing worse than a covetous man, neither is there a more wicked thing then to love money. For such one hath his soul to sel, and yet is he but filthy dung while he liveth And the Preacher saith, he that loveth money will never be satisfied with money, and whoso delyghteth in riches, shall have no profit thereof.

Whereas much rychesse is, there are many also that spend them away. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth thē saving that he may loke upon them with his eyes. A laboring man slepethe swetelye, whether it be little or much that he eateth but thaboūdaūce of the rich will not suffer him to sleep, yea many times riches are kept to the hurt of him that hath them in possession. For often times they perish with his great misery, and trouble, and if he have a child, it getteth nothing. Lyke as he came naked out of his mothers womb so goeth he thither again, and carrieth nothing away with him of all his labor. &c.

It were wisdom for the rich men, if they tender their own salvation and be led with any hope of the life to come, to hear what blessed Paulle wryghtethe unto Byshoppe Timothy, and earnestly to follow that. •… ys words are these. Charge them which are rich in this world that they be not hye minded nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God (which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy them) that they do good works, that they be ready to give and glad to distribute, leying up in •… ore for thē selves a good foū dacion against the time to come, that thei may obtain eternal lif.

O that they would be advertised by this Aopstle. Then should God be their defender in all their affairs, & cause both thē & their posterity longe to enjoy then possessions w ^t the favor & blessing of all good men, But let us go forth, and search whither a ny thing can be found in this transitorye world wherein we may worthyly rejoice. What say ye unto nobility?

Not afewe do greatly rejoice in that, magnifieynge them selves because they descend of noble parentage, and in comparison of them selves they greatly despise other.

O foolish & ignoraūte people. Why rather do they not consider y ^t both riche & pore, noble & vnoble, hie or base do cōsiste & are made of the same elemētes, subject unto like diseases & bond to y ^e same affects? Earth we are all & dust, & unto earth & dust shall we return. As we were made to live so likewise are we all appointed to die. Bodies have we all cor ruptible & bōd to mortaliti. Ther is no exception among us. Neither hath ani of us obtained such privilege of God, y ^t we may escape y ^e bondage of frail nature. Seeing thā y ^t as touching our cor poral creation there is no difference no prerogative, what nobility or worthiness of blood, can there be more in the noble personage thā in the base slave. Their beginning is like, there ende is all one. Twise mad are thei therefore, y ^t brag of their noble blood & esteem thē selves y ^e more worthy because they descēd of noble parentages, neither do such any other thing thā bost of y ^t which is none of theirs. King David saith, what profit is there in my blood, seeing I go doūe unto corruptiō? And y ^e wise mā saith, why art y ^u proud, O y ^u earth & ashes? We are all earth & ashes both noble & vnoble, We all shall return unto corruption, & be so consumed as concerning our bodies, as though we had never been. The Prophet also saith, all flesh is gras, & all his glory is like a flour of the field, Wher is any menciō made here of noble blood I know, saith. s. Paul, that there dwelleth in me, y ^t is to say in my flesh, no goodness, where is carnal nobility thā become? Doth not y ^e same lothsum vileness come frō y ^e noble, y ^t isueth out of y ^e unnoble? Are not the carcasses of all personages meat for worms a like? Pour the blood of the vilaine in one basen and the blood of the gentleman in another, what difference shall there be proved? Dig up the bones out of the sepulchers both of y ^e noble & unnoble, and who can deserne of the sight of them, which was the servant which the Lord, who was rich & who was poor, who beautiful & who deformed, which were noble, and which unnoble? Ther is no difference, as S. Ambrose saith, between the carcasses of the dead, except peradventure it be this, that the dead corps of the rich stink more greouslye than the pore because it was more den tely fed.

So far as I perceive, they err greatly, that bost of the kind red, & esteem thē selves the more worthy because they come of wor they parents, although they thē selves be never so great dronckardes, glotones, diceplayers, Whoremongers, swerers, fightters, thieves, ruffians, pickers of quarrels, riotous persons. &c. For little doeth it profit a man to des cend of a noble house, if he him self be of base and vile manners and lead a life defiled with wickedness, yea it rather bringeth unto him ignobilitie than nobility. Well is it said of our golden mouthed doctor, the nobilite and goodness of our kinsefolke availeth nothing, except we our selves be good. For what doethe noble generation profit him, whom, his manners do defile? Or what doeth vile generation hurt him, whom good manners do garnishe and adorn? Certes he showeth him self void of all goodness, y ^t glorieth in his parents To glory upon y ^e nobility of other, saith Petrarche, is a bostinge even to be laughed at. And such as have nothing but the badges, counisauces and arms of their Auncestours to set out their nobility with all, they differ not much from Esopes crowe, which decked him self with other birds feathers, he him self being altogether black & vnami able.

The true nobilitye consisteth neither in strength, beauty, nor riches, no nor yet in any other exernall & bodily thing but in the suppressing of vice and embraseinge of virtue. Uertue is the alone and only nobility, as Antisthenes was wont to say thei that are endued with virtue, they have the true nobility, Notably is it said of the gold̄ mouthed doctor John Chrysostom. He is a man of great renown, he is a worthy personage, he is the true noble man, that disdayneth to serve vices, and by no means will be over come of them? And Cocceus Nerua the Emperor said that the virtue of a man and not his kynnered nor his contrye is to be considered.

Woulde God all men of nobilitye were persuaded that virtue and godly conversation were the alone and only true nobility. Than would they not repose their glory in their ancestors, as many very folishely do at this present, but rather endeuoure them selves so to train their life in all godliness and virtue, that even for their own god lie and virtuous enterprises thei should be cōpted noble and worthy of praise.

But what say you unto beauty?

Even as Solomon saith, favor is deceitefull, and beautye is a vain thing. They are much 〈◊〉 •… ro the course of true reasonne, that rejoice in so frail a thing. For it is more britle thē glass, more transitorye than the flower, more inconstant than the wind, more vain than the smoke, and more f •… ittynge away than the time. Beautye is a thousand manner of ways corrupted and defaced. Howe doeth one little fever make the fairest woman in the world, the foulest & the must vnpleasaūt in aspect? And to say the truth, is beauty any other thing, than a litell thine skyne well coloured? If the inward partes might be seen, howe great filthiness would there appear even in the moste beautiful person? Neither is the fairest bodiein the world any other thing thē a dunghyl covered w ^t a clothe as it wer of white and purple color. And what a madness is this for any person to glory in beautye, seeing that the beholder of it hath more delectation and pleasure in it, as one that hath the use and fruition thereof, then such as are endued with the beauty. I leave of to speak that beauty is a enticement unto uncleanness, and a very enemy to chaste and pure conversation, as we read in diverse histores.

This seemeth to be true by the saying of the wise man, Loke not to narrowly saith he, upon the beautye of a womā, lest y ^u be provoked in desire toward hir. Again he saith, Turn away thy face frō a beau tiful womā, & loke not upon the fayrenes of other. Many a man hath perished thorough the beautye of women, for thorough it the desire is kyndled as it were fire

Hereto agreeth the saying of Solomō. Let not thine hert lust after the beauty of a womā, least thou be taken w ^t hir fair lokes. What kindled David's hert w ^t love toward Bethsabe, the wife of Urias, & caused him to commit adultery w ^t hir, but only hir beau ti? David, saith y ^e scripture, arose out of his bed, & walked vpō the roufe of the kings palaice, & frō y ^e roufe he saw a womā washing hir self, & the womā was very beutiful to loke on. Again how came it to pass y ^t the. ii. Judges burned so feruērly w ^t the love of Susanna Ioachims wife, and sought all means possible to have defiled hir, but y ^t they were drowned w ^t the sight of hir beau ty? The scripture saith she was a very fair womā, but there is a goodli additiō, she was also such one as feared god. Whē beuty & y ^e fear of god are licked together beuty is not to be discōmended, otherwise it is but a net, where w ^t y ^e devil useth to catch y ^e foolish peo ple. A fair womā w ^t out discrete mauers saith Solomō, is like a ring of gold in a swine's snowte. And y ^t we may be well ascertened y ^t it was hir beauty y ^t moved thē w ^t out shame to provoke hir to unclēnes, these words of y ^e history declare it manifestli: Susāna was a tender persō & merueylous fair of face. Therefore the wicked mē commanded to take y ^e cloth frō hir face (y ^t at y ^e lest they might so be satisfied in hir beuty.

God send us mo Susās. Beauti reigneth in mani, would god it were accōpaned w ^t y ^e fear of god, y ^t the beutiful persons might not abuse their beutye, but choose rather to be stoned w ^t Susā, then once to defile their h •… sbandes bed,

God send us the beautye of the mind, which consisteth in Godlye virtues and honest qualites, for y ^t is the true beauti, y ^e other is but frail, vain; traū sitory, & doth not longe endure. But what sai you unto galaunt apparel, where of so many brag and boast now adays? Is it not a thing, where in we may worthily rejoice?

Nothing less, for the wise man saith, Glory not in thine apparaile at any time. Uestures were given us of God to cover our filthy nakedness, & not that we should glory in them, & make them instruments of pride. We ought rather when we put on our garments to lament our mischaūce our mortality and uncleanness, then to rejoice in them. For so longe as our grādfather Adam continued in the state of innocency, he needed no kind of apparel to cover his body (for he was altogether clean, beautiful, good, holy, innocent and perfect) but after he had brokē the commandment of God by giving ear to Satan's subtle, persuasions, perceyuynge his misery & wretchedness, whereinto he was fallen thorough his disobedience, he was ashamed of him self, and both he & his wife perceiuinge y ^t they were naked sowed fig leaves together, and made them selves apr •… ns to cover their filthy and shameful nakedness withal. Afterward when God drove them out of Paradise, because their feeble and mortali bodies, which now were subject to all kind of diseases, tempests, and blasts, should not perish for cold, again that they might have, where with to cover their filthy nakedness, y ^e they might walk the more honestly, he made them lethern garinentes, and clothed them therwyth. Here even from the beginning do we learn both what garments were given unto man of God, and for what purpose.

Neither with fine clothe, nor with Saten Dam •… ske, velvet nor with cloth of gold, did God apparayll Adam, neither did he trime and set forth our grandmother Eve with sumptuouse apparayle, of cloth of silver, or clothe of gold, neither did he set upon her head a french hode with an edge of gold besides pearls and precious stons and such other trime trames, I cannot tell what, but he clothed thē both with simple garments of leather, not that they should rejoice and be proud of them, but to use them as things necessary to cover their wretched nakedness, and to defend them from the cruel storms & fierce tempests of wind, rain, snow hail. &c.

As in other things, so likewise in apparel is the world at this present, wonderfullye fallen from the first institution of things,

For if we should compare the chyldrene with the father, I mean, if we should consider what apparel God appointed unto Adam, and what is used now a days, a man should find as great differ •… nce between them, as is between the Sun, and the lease star in light and bryghtenes, to behold the vain and foolish light fashyons of apparayle used among us, it is to much wonderful. I think no realm in y ^e world, no, not among the Turks and Sarazyns dote so much in the vanity of their apparel, as the English men do at this present Theyr cote must be made after the Italian fashion, their cloke after the use of the spanyardes, their gown after the manner of the Turckes, their cap must be of the frenche fashion, and at the last their dagarde must be Scottish with a venecian tassel of sylke. I speak nothing of their dublets and hoses, which for the moste parte are so minsed cut, and iagged, that shortly after they become both torn & ragged. I leave of also to speak of the vanity of certain light brains, which because nothing should want to the settyngforth of their fondenesse, will rather wear a Martē chain the price of. viii. d, thē they would be vnchayned. O what a monster and a beast of many heads is the English man now become? To whom may he be compared worthily, but to Esoppes crow? For as the crow decked her self with the feathers of all kind of birds to make her self beautiful, even so doeth the vain English man for the fond apparelynge of him self, borrow of every nation to set forth him self galaunt in the face of the world He is an English mā, he is also a Italiā, a Spaniard, a Turk, a Frencheman, a Scot, a Uenecian, and at the last what not? He is not much unlike a mōster called Chimera, which hath three heads, one like a Lyō, another like a Gote, the third like a dragon. I pass over the light and wanton apparel of women now a days, partly because it is so monstrous, and partly because I have not been nor yet am veri much acquainted with them, whereby I might be the more able to describe their proud Pecockes tales, if not at the full, which were an infinite, labor yet at the leste somewhat to set it forth as a painter doth, y •… r he do lay on colors. But of this am I certain, that they observe not in their apparel the rule of the holy scriptures. For. S. Peter saith, that the apparayll of honest and virtuous women should not be outewarde with broyded hear, and hanging on of gold, either in putting on of gorgeous apparel, but let the hid man which is the heart be without all corruption, so that the spirit is before god a thing much set by.

For after this manner in the old time did the holy women which trusted in God, tire them selves and were obediente to their husbands, even as Sara obeyed Abraham and called him Lord, whose daughters ye are as long as ye do well.

Hereto agreeth the saying of S. Paul to Timothy, Lette the womē array them selves in comely apparel with shamefastenes and discrete behavior, not with broyded hear, either Golde or pearls, or costelye array, but as it becometh women y ^t profess godliness thorough good works. A game to Titus he saith. Speke to the womē that they be in such raiment, as becometh holiness. Solomon in the description of an dishonest woman among other proprieties rehearseth sumptuouse and galaunte apparel, calling it whoreishe apparel fit to deceive souls, signifying that this to much costelye and proud apparayle is more mete for whores that lie awayt to allure men unto their love, then for honest womenne which profess Godlines.

As filthy, beggerlike & sluttishe apparel becometh not christē women, if they have, or ryghtously and with honesty may have other: so likewise is it not convenient for them to wear to much sumptuouse, costely, and galaunt array. It is enough for chaste and pure maids to wear clean and simple apparel, as a testimony of the vncorruption & cleanness both of their mind & body without the flaringe out and coleryng of their hear, w ^t out the payntyng of their faces, without the putting on of wanton and light array, whereby they be enticed rather to prid & whoredom thē to humility, shamfast nes, & cleanness of life. It is sufficient also for honest married wives, that they be so appareled that they please their husbands, they that decke them selves to please the phanseis of other, and to make them selves gaseyngestockes to the world, practice rather the manners of whores, then the conditions of honest women There is nothing that doth better adorn, garnishe, and set forth an honest woman, then sobriety, shamfastnes, cleanness of life, honest cōuersatiō, integrity of manners, scilēce, fear toward God, loving obedience toward her husband, comely behavior in countenance, in looking, in going, in speaking, in doing and at the last to wear such apparel, as serveth for her state & degree, She that is endued with these goodly and Godli virtues atoresayed is a very fair and beautiful woman, though her face may tyghte well be resembled to the color of an Ethiope and she may say as it is written in Solomon's Balades. I am black, yet am I fair. For though she be black in color of face, yet is she beautiful in mind, And look howe much the mind excelleth the body, even so much doeth the beautye of the mind exceed the fayrnes of the face.

Hester was a very Godlye and virtuous woman, yet did she wear glorious apparel.

I grant but ye must consider that she was no private person, nor one of the base sort, but she was the moste worthy womā in the realm, evē the kings wife, notwithstanding howe little she delited in that gorgeous apparel, which she was compelled to wear for to serve hir state and degree, these her words do evidently show. Thou knowest, O lord saith she my necessity, that I hate the token of preheminencie, and glory or worship, which I bear upon my head, what time as I must show myself and be seen and that I abhor it as an unclean cloth, and that I wear it not, when I am quiet and alone by myself.

Do we not also read, that when she prayed to the Lord, she laid away her glorious apparel, and put on the garments that served for sighynge & mou •… ninge?

Agayne, do we not also read that when the Jews at any time did humble them selves in the sight of God, and would obtain any at his hand, y ^t they laid aside their galaunte appa rel, & put on sack cloth? Laid thei not away their precious oynte •… ētes & sca •… red ashes and dung upon their heaues? this meant somewhat.

Of this am I sure that holy John the Baptist did wear very homelye apparel. Hys raiment saith the scripture was of Camels hear, and he had a gyrdle of leather about his loins. It is to be thought also that Christ and his Apostles, which were but pore mē, had not very sūptuous apparel to wear. And. S. Ihō writeth. He y ^t saith that he dwelleth in Christ, ought to walk evē as Christ walked. How can gorgeous and galaūt apparel then agre w ^t christē professiō? Is the disciple above his master, or the servant above his Lord? Doeth no •… Sayncte. Paul in his Epistle to the Hebrews declare, y ^t certain faithful and godly persons walked up and down in shepes skins & gote skins & were highly commended of God? Doth not saint James rebuke the riche men, that have such plenty of garments, that they be motheeaten? Doeth he not also reprove such as will accept and make much of thē that be clothed in goodli apparel, and neglect the pore, which are but homely appareled? Was it for naught that Christ said to the people of Saint John Baptise, what went ye out to se a man clo thed in soft raiment? Behold, they that wear soft clothynge are in kings houses. Is it in vain, y ^t Saint Luke in the discri •… tion of the rich gloton decla reth, that he was clothed in purple and fine white? Do we not read also, that Kynge Herod was arrayed in royal apparel, whē the Angel of the Lord smote him, so that he died a very miserable death? To rehearse what the doctoures of Christ's church write of the vanity of gorgeous apparel, again to declare out of profane histories how greatly the noble princes and mighty Emperors evē among the Ethnyckes abhorred sūptuous raiment, both time and tongue should fail me.

It is very sitting and praise worthy enough for all degrees of personnnes to wear apparel according to their state and calling, so that vanity, excess and reioysyng therein be banished. But confusedly every mā or woman to wear as them lyketh, is both without order and greatly discōmendable, & ought by the higher powers to be redressed. To be short in this behalf, it shall be convenient for so many as profess Christ always to set before y ^e eyes of their mind this saying of the Apostle, having food, & wherewith we may be covered: let us be content. For we brought nothing into the world, neither shall we carry any thing out of it. And he appareleth him self well, which forgetteth not to cloth the pore according to this commandment of god. Whē y ^u seest the naked, cloth him as we read of the noble & virtuous womā Tabitha, which made cotes & garments for y ^e pore.

If these things were deeplye weighed and considered, they that so greatly delight in sumptuous apparayle, would sone cease from that vanity, and no more repose their delectatiō in it. For these garments, which we now set by very much, within few years we put thē to vile offices and threw them away upon the doūghili, so that we have litel occasion to rejoice in them.

Truth it is, as these things aforesaid be proved to bring no perfect felicity nor true joy to men, so likewise these that remain, whatsoever they be, make a man no more truly joyful than the other. To pamper the beally and to fare deliciously is reputed among the voluptuous Epicures an high & singular pleasure, yet these meats & drynkes which are so deraely bought, and wherein many so greatly, delight become afterward so vile and loathsome, that we can neither abide the sight nor the smell of them. What doeth yesterday fasting profit the greedy appetite of y ^e day following? O short & vain pleasure.

Thys bealy chere and bancketinge bringeth no •… only to man a transitorye delectacion, and such pleasure as sone passeth away, but it also wasteth a man's substance and pierceth him with the darts of poverty, as Solomon saith, he that hath pleasure in bancketes shall be a pore man, and who so delyteth in wyne and delicates, shall not be riche. Agayne he saith, keep not company with wyne bibbers and riotous eaters of flesh, for such as be dronckardes and riotous shall come to poverty.

They shall not only come to poverty, but such as are riotous persons shall get to them selves thorough their distēperaūce and excess of eating and drinckinge diverse sicknesses and diseases very hard to be put a way as the same Solomō saith, who hath woe? who hath sorrow? who hath strife? who hath brawlinge? and who hath wounds w ^t out a cause? Or who hath red eyes? Even they y ^t be ever at the wyne, & seek excess. Loke not thou vpō the wyne, howe red it is, & what color it giveth in the glass. It goeth down softly, but at y ^e last it biteth like a serpent, & styngeth like an adder. Hither maketh the saying of the wise man. Be not greedy in every eatinge, & be not to hasty upon all meats. For excess of meats bringeth sickness, & glotony cometh at the last to an immeasurable heat. Thorow surfeit have many one perished, but he that dieteth him self temperatly, prolongeth his life. Our Savior Christ commandeth us to beware of excess in eating & drynckynge, when he saith, take heed y ^t your hearts be not overcharged with surfetyng & dronckenshyp. S. Paul also saith. Be not druncken w ^t wyne wherein is excess.

Of these holy sentenses may ye gather y ^t there is no cause, why any mā should rejoice in banckettinge, except he have a pleasure to procure his own destruction, which cometh by no means sooner then by poverty and sickness, which spryngeth out of delicate t •… e, as I may leave of to speak of other inconveniences, yea & pestilēces to man's life, which issue frō bācketting in like manner.

It is an easy thing to gather out of the ho lie scriptures not only sētēces, but histories also, which declare what destructiō to mā bāketting, drūckēship, & the study of y ^e bealy bringeth. Did not Adā & Eve thorough eating y ^e forbid̄ fruit caste not only, thē selves but all their post ritie in to damnation? How was Noah much laughed to scorn evē of his own son whā through his droūkēship, he fell on sleape & lay naked with his priuities? Into what abhominable uncleanness did loath fall thorough dronckēnes, when he committed incest with his own daughters? Did not y ^e childrē of Israel give them selves to bankettynge and afterward fell to the worshipping of the golden calf committyng most shamful Idolatry? Was not Holofernes that mighty and valiaunte captain in his dronckennes slain of a woman? Is not that rich man, which would have no pity upon Lazarus and therefore was after his death carried into hell fire, described of blessed Luke to fare dētely every day? What shall I speak of king Herod 〈2+ pages missing〉 which in the mids of his banketyng was cōtente to grant that holy John Baptists head should be stricken of? It is therefore conueniēte for a christen mā to remember in all his eating and drinking christen sobriety and always to avoid excess, leste he fall into some of those incōueniēces, whereof is made mentiō afore.

But what say y •… to the favor of noble mē? may we not rejoice in that?

Ther are not a few, which couuet nothing so greatly as to be in favor with great men, and to be placed in their houses, thin king by this means to avoid the cruel darts of fortune, to obtain wealthy lyuinges, and to have all things at their own will & pleasure, but I se not, why any mā should repose his chief delectation in the favor of any noble man, seeing y ^t holy scripture saith. Put not your trust in prin ces, nor in y ^e childrē of mē, in whō there is no health. And the Prophet saith. 〈◊〉 be he, y ^t putteth his trust in mā, and maketh flesh his arm.

How vain a thing the favor of great men is, the history of Amā declareth, which was so high in his kings favor, y ^t he might do what he list, kyl, save, exalt, depress, lift up, pluckedowne, & as we say cō mōlie, bind bears, & yet was he not shortly after caste out of favor on such sort, y ^t he was immediately hanged on the same gallows, which he had newly prepared for another?

There is nothing more vncertē thā the good will of great men. For whō they now love, streightwayes they hate, and such as have done most forth̄, are mani times least regarded, & most cruelly entreated. Howe handled king Alexander his most trusty coūsellers, which so often had put their lives in i •… opardy for him? How tyrātlike did he slay thē, & yet no cause why •… I leave to speak of Nero y ^e monster of nature, which caused his own mother to be slain, & such as had done moste for him. Who was so much in favor with the Emperor Iustini •… s Bellisa •… i{us} & Narses, which •… •… ing most noble warriors su •… d diverse kingdoms to the •… ire, but how were thei 〈◊〉 Bellisarius y ^e most valiaūt capteine w ^t out desert had at y ^e Emperors commandment both his eyes plucked out, & afterward was compelled to beg his bread from door to door, and at the last died miserably a moste wretched beggarre. Narses also, if he had not fled, had been moste unworthily handled, so are good men m •… ny times recompensed for their intolerable pains, and painful service. Of such ensamples the books of Histories are full. Whereof we may learn howe vain & to much foolish a thing it is to trust in the favor of noble men, so far it is of, that any man may worthily rejoice in it.

I can none otherwise do but marueyle at the madness of some men, which rather chose idly to spend their time in great men's houses with this hope to have some what at the last to live with all (which many times chanceth never) then in their youth to learn some honest occupation, which may •… defend them at all times from the bitter storms of needy and cruel fortune. Of all creatures are they slaves moste miserable, and for the moste parte come to the most wretched ende. A young courtea •… an old beggar. Ah howe many have I known, which after twenty or-thirty years service have ben with great displeasure driven away, and so died moste wretchedly? And thus is that common saying found true. Service is no heritage. Seruing mē may well be compared to Esoppes tothlesse greyhounde, which so longe as he could hunt well, follow & get his pray, was much made of, but when he began to wax old and could catch no more, he was no more loved of his master, but rather hated, despised & beaten. Nothynge now adays is dear, where profit is absēt. If these things were well pondered, men would not so headlonge and without consideration run unto service, there to spend the flour of their youth & whē crocked old age cometh either to go a begging, or else to be put in some alms house. But howe so ever the matter goeth, of this am I sure, y ^t no man ought to rejoice neither in men, nor yet in men's services, seeing that nothing is more vncerteyne then their favor, seeing also that cruel fortune doeth oppress so suddenly noble mē many times, that they being turned to a base state, have neither to succoure them selves, nor yet to help their pore servants.

Well, thus have we searched the principal things, that pertain unto man outwardly, wherein the foolish world doeth most chiefly rejoice, and we have found among them all not one thing, wherein we may worthily glory and repose our delectation.

Truth it is, but what say you to the inward natural gifts' of man, as wisdom, strength, knowledge and such other gifts of the mind?

Hear what God saith by the Prophet. Let not the wise man rejoice in his wisdom, nor the strong mā in his strength, neither the rich mā in his riches, but who so will rejoice, let him rejoice in this, that he understandeth and knoweth me, for I am the Lord which do mercy, equity and righteousness upon the earth. Therefore have I pleasure in such things, saith the Lord. Whether we have respect to the body or to the mind, if we find any good thing in them, it is the gift of god, as S. James saith. Every good gift & every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down frō the father of lyghtes, and therefore ought no mā to glo ry neither in him self nor in the g •… ftes, but in God alone the gyuer, as S. Paul saith, what hast thou, that thou hast not received? If thou haste received it wherefore dost thou rejoice and glory as though thou haddest not received it? But wherefore do we tarry longe before we come to our matter, while we labor to show y ^t there is nothing in the world, wherein we may worthily rejoice, seeing that man him self, which is the principal creature y ^t ever God made in this world is but vanity, and not worthy, wherein any true and perfect delectation ought to be se •… ? Are not these the words of the holy scrip ture▪ Every man that liveth, is altogether vanity. What is the body of man, cometh it of never so noble house, but earth, dust and asshes? Or as S. Barnard saith, a stynckynge sperme or seed, a sack of dounge and the meat of worms. Who will re ioyse in such a body? to garnish such a body with gold, silver pearls, precious stons, owches galaunte apparel, sumptuous garments. &c, What other thing is it, then to cover a dunghyl w ^t clothe of gold? Now as towchynge ou •… e inward man, I mean the soul, what are we?

What have we received of Adam In what case hath he set us, before we be regenerate by Christ? Are we any other thing then flesh, and f •… eshely minded? As Christ saith. That which is borne of the flesh is flesh. And saith not blessed Paul, that we are the children of wrath? Is not our heart unclean, lewd, wicked and unsearchable? Are not our senses, Imaginations, and thoughts, even from our infancye, evil and nought? Are not all our righteousness like a cloth defiled with mensture? Are we not all hypocrites, liynge children, workers of iniquity, vnprofita ble servants, sinners, ungodly, and of our selves all y ^t naught is? What have we then either of our selves, or in our selves (I mean before our regeneration) whereof we may worthily rejoice

Truly nothing at all.

It is convenient therefore, seeing hitherto we have found nothing wherein we may worthily rejoice, to sequester our joy, our mirth, our delectation, from wordly things, and to traunsfer it unto the Lord our God according to this admonition of the holy Apostle. Rejoice in the Lord alway, yea once again I say Rejoice.

But we would gladly hear, what earnest occasion we have to rejoice in God.

My desire is to declare this thing aboundauntly unto you, if ye will hear.

We all will gladly give ear.

God in whom we are so instantly mocioned to rejoice evē frō the beginning, had such favor to mā, y ^t whē the Angels for their disobedient prid, & proud disobedience were worthily cast down headlonge into hell, there perpetually to remain in most grievous & intolerable pains, he willing again, to furnishe the celestial mancions with other Creatures, made man, not like unto other brute beasts, but according unto his own Similitude, lykenes, and Image, not to be a fire brand of hell, but heir of his most glorious and regal palaice, not to perish for hunger, but to enjoy all kind of pleasures most aboundantlye, not to be subdued of other, but as Lord & chief ruler under God his creator & maker to have y ^e dominiō of all beasts fishes, and fowls, of all lands meadows & pastures, of all trees herbs & flowers, and whatsoever other thing is comprehended in this great and immeasurable world. Yea the high element, the sun, the mone, the stars, the day, the night, the water, the fire, the cold, the heat the rain, the wind, and what so ever other thing ye can reken besides, did he make not only to show forth his glory, might and power, but also for man's comfort, wealth, joy and pleasure.

O the vnoutspekeable goodness of god toward mā.

Have we not here a great occasion unfeignedly to rejoice in the Lord our God, and forever and ever to glorify, celebrate and magnify his most glorious and blessed name? To make us like to his own similitude? to appoint us heyers of his moste glorious mansion? to •… due us with the fruition of so many goodlye and sweet pleasures? to make us rulers and Lord's over all his creatures in the world? to prepare all things for our solace, joy, and comfort? Who is so flynte herted, that melteth not at the hearing of these thin ges so pleasant and sweet? Who is so estranged from God, that he applieth not w ^t all main to embrace so gentle, so kind, so loving a Lord, yea such a Lord as is altogether set to magnify man, to exalt him unto the high heavens, to place him among the holy Angels, and blessed spirits, to kiss and kull him as his dear dearling & well-beloved heyer? Canne that man rejoice enough in his Lord and master, which of a base slave maketh him a man of honor of a beggar a man of great possessions, of a vi •… e condition, a mā of high & noble renown.

Trulye the goodness of God toward man cannot be expressed.

Yet are these benifites. which one man giveth to another more vile then dust, if they be compared to y ^e precious gifts heretofore rehearsed, which God gave to man. But marcke what followeth.

Saye on, we beseech the.

Satan that old & subtle serpent perceiving man to be made of God for this entēte, y ^t he should enherite that glory, from the which for his intolerable arrogancye he was moste worthily deiecte and caste down, craftelye, subtly, & like him self w ^t many sweet pro •… ses and fair flaterynge words at the last allured our grandmother Eve to the traunsgression of God's commandment, and she likewise her 〈◊〉 , so that by this me •… s 〈◊〉 they and their posterity were not only deprived of those pleasures and commodities, which I rehearsed heretofore, but also vtterli damned for their disobedience. And all this came to pas thorough the envy of Satā, as y ^e wise mā saith. God created m •… to be vnde stro •… ed, yea after y ^e image of his own liknes created he him. Neuertheles thorough enu •… of the devil death entered into the world.

O lamentable chance. Now is man become of the Image of God, the Image of the devil, of the heir of glory, the enheritour of everlasting pain of immortal, mortal, of good & Godly, wicked and deuillishe, of free, a bond slave with all his powers to Satan, sin, death, hell, desperation. &c.

But what, enjoyed that rauenynge woulfe his pray?

Nothynge less, for God which is gentle, and the self gentilnes moved with loving compassion, tender zeal and fatherly pity toward man, forgettyng the displesure y ^t mā had done to him thorough his disobedience casting all his sins behind his back, enflamed w ^t no less love toward mā concerning his saluatiō (behold what grace & mercy doth) then he was before the traunsgressiō, & minding to show him self of no less puissaunce and strength to recover & save mā, thē Satan was to destroy & condemn mā, came into Paradise, sought him up, made garments for him to cover his nakedness, sent him into this world, made him Lord over all, and promised him that the seed of a woman, even Jesus Christ his own son borne of Mary the vyrgin, should deliver him from the power of Satan, reconcile him to his Godly favor, satisfy for his wickedness, make him a new man, endue him with his holy spirit, fynallye, thorough his merits and good works bring him unto the celestial enheritaunce from the which Satan at that present had exiled him. Thys promise was so faithful (for God him self spake it which is the self truth, which cannot lie, which is just in all his words & again so comfortable, that so many (I mean Adam & his posterity) as did apprehend and lay hand on that with earneste faith, were free from that miserable thralldom, whereinto they were cast thorough Satan's willnes, received into favor, taken as moste dear children, and recounted perfectly righteous, for the assured perswation and undoubted faith, y ^t they conceived in the blessed s •… de Jesus Christ at the time promised of God the father. So that so longe as they lived in this present world, they lived in the favor of God, and when they departed from hence God appointed their bodies to reaste in the earth, placed their souls where his good pleasure was unto the coming of his son, thē to receive that blessed joy and heavenly felicity, that they had lost thorough their disobedience, Jesus Christ that most blessed seed working this salvation for mā, no •… for any good deeds that we had done, but of his own mere mercy and tender pity.

O here is the good shephearde, that sought up the lost sheep, & when he had found it laid it louyngelye upon his shoulders, & •… ēderly brought it home again to the shepefolde. O here is y ^e most sweet, loving, & tender father, which w ^t so great joy & embrasing arms received home again the lost son. O here is y ^e merciful Samaritā, which py •… ying the wounded man being half dead, poured wine & oileinto his wounds, bound thē up, laid him vpō his beast, carried him to an inne, & paid for his healīg.

O here is that moste puisaunte king, which of his own liberality forgave his servant the ten. M. talētes which he ought. O here is y ^e mighty Lo •… d, which trode down the wyne p •… sse alone, alone, neither was there any at all that helped him.

O here is that moste loving savior, that saveth his people frō all their sins. O here is that diligente Pysician, that is ready at all times to help the diseased, to refresh them that labor •… and are laden. O here is that mighty David, that slew Golias, and delivered the Israelites from the cruel Philistiās. O here is that most valiaūte Emperor, which for our sakes hath conquered Satā, •… el, death, sin, desperation, damnation, with all the powers infernal. O here is that tender herted lover, that can no more forget us, then a mother can forget the child of her womb, and though she forget her child, yet cannot he forget v •… . For he hath written up us in his hands, so that we are always in his sight. To whom is not here opened an exceading great and large window to rejoice in the Lord our God, except we be estrāged frō all that is God or Godly.

I am glad brother Theophilus to hear you speak on this manner. But let us go forth. After so many pleasures shown to man, which all thorough his own fault he so wyckedly lost, after so great a sin committed against the divine majesty, so freely to forgive man, so to accept him into his favor, so to love him, that he promiseth to send down from his moste glorious throne his own dearly beloved son to make a perfect reconciliation & everlasting agremente between him and man, that they may forever and ever dwell together in ioyefull glory. Oh what a feruente charity, and immeasurable love of God is this?

Who can worthelye either by heart think, or by tongue express or yet by pen set forth the exceeding greatenes of God's kind hertye love towa •… d man? The Kynge of all Kynges, the Lord of all Lord's, yea, that Lord to whose majesty all things are obediente both in heaven, earth, and Hell, so to set his mind on man being but a pore vile, and miserable creature, yea of all mortal Creatures moste sin •… ull, most disobediente, most frail, and ready to fall, so to love and tender him, that to do him good, to bring him unto glory and honor, he dis dayneth not, but most wyllyngelye vowchesafeth to send down his only begotten and dearelye beloved son, yea and that into this sinful vale of misery here to become man, to be circumcised, to be made obediente to the law, to be baptized, to preach, to work miracles, to hunger, to thyrst, to watch, to fast, to pray, to suffer all kind of adversity, to be persecuted, to be laid wait for, to be snatched at, to be blaphemed, to be railed upon, to be convented before worldly tyrātes, Bishops priests, lawiers. &c, to be scorned m •… d, buffeted, whipped, crow ned w ^t thorn, nailed on y ^e cross, s •… d, •… earsed to y ^e hert with a sp •… re, & at the last diynge the mos •… desp •… full & shameful death that could be invented of the wicked worldelynges unto the utter defaceynge of this blessed seed Christ, and of his Godly doctrine, yea, and all this for the love that he beareth toward mā. Oh what a kindness is this? what love, what amitye, what hearty frendshyp? Far be it from us, dear brethren, to be so stony herted, & ungodly, that we feel not this tender love of God toward us.

Ther is in mine opinion no fayethful man, no true professoure of Christ, that doth not earnestly rejoice at the hearing of these most heavenly benifites promised t •… mā of god in this blessed seed Christ Jesus.

Moreover after the promise made to our first parents concerning their recōciliatiō to be made by the blessed s •… de Jesus Christ, whereby they with all their posterity were in the mean season well conforted, enarmed against Satan, blessed and saved, howe frendelye ever after dealt God with man? What be nefit was there, whereof man was not made partaker? In what kind of benignite did man at any time (I speak of the faithful congregation) perceive the tē der bowels of God to be spared against him? What desired he, and obtained not his request? Howe often did God familiar •… ye talk with man by his holy Angels? Was he not so loving to man, that he sent his Angels to eat and drink and to be merry with him? If any plage or misfortune were imminēt & at hand for the ungodly, did he not declare it to man, and so provided for him that he was free from all danger? How many victorious battles gave he to man against his enemies▪ How did he so accō panie him at all times, y ^t he ever found favor even among the Barbarous & strangers? Howe wonderfully delivered he his peo ple frō the Egyptians▪ How mer u •… ilously fed he thē w ^t y ^e meat of angelles frō heavē? How might lie did he subdue y ^e heathē Kings & brought his people into y ^e land of behest a land that flowed with milk and honey, a land full of all plenty & pleasure. But what shall I speak of this moste singular benefit, that he gave his law to mā, yea such a law as is pure, tur neth souls, giveth wisdom to ba bes, maketh hearts merry, lighteneth eyes, and is sweter than the ho •… ye and honey comb. Prophets also gave he to man to premo •… she and aforewar •… e him if any mischife were at hand, to teach him his holy ordinances, to re new the promise of sendynge the blessed seed Jesus Christ for man's saluaciō, that he might not wax faint in faith, but with valiaūt hope loke for that blessed Sauioure. And whan the time predefined and tofore appointed from everlasting was come of sēdinge down this blessed seed and glory ous Messias, howe fayethfully and no les lovingly sent he him into y ^e womb of the most blessed Virgin Mary thorough the wonderful operacion of the holy ghost there to take very flesh without the seed of man, there to take on him human nature, and to be come of that holy maid perfect and true man, as he was before of god perfect and true God.

Woulde God this thing were no les of all men truly believed, than it is in the holy scriptures aboundanlye proved.

The Anabaptists in this our time do vehemently impugn this Article of our faith, and affirm obstinately, that Christ. toke no flesh of the blessed virgin Mary, but brought his body with him from heaven.

Of this matter, if I remember well, y • taught us, Neyghbour Philemō, in your new years gift.

This Article, that Christ toke natural flesh of Mary the virgin, is so necessary unto salvation, that who so ever believeth it not, believe the other in vain, neither is he of God, but of the devil, as Saint John saith, dearly beloved, believe not eueri spirit, but prove the spirits whether they be of God for many falls Prophets are gone forth into the world By this know ye y ^e spirit of God Every spirit that confesseth, that Jesus Christ came in the flesh is of God. And every spirit that doth not confess, that Jesus Christ came in the flesh, is not of God. And this is that spirit of Antichrist, of whom ye have heard that he should come, and he is now all ready in the world. And this most pestilent heresy, which the apishe Anabaptists have renewed in these our days (as Satan is never idle, nor ceaseth in his members to disquiete the congregation of Christ) was holden many hundred years paste of diverse heretics as Marcion, Cerdon, Manicheus, Ualentinus, Apelles, and such other ofspringes of the devil, and was condemned and confuted by divers great learned men. But to our matter. And because we should not fear to come unto this our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, all that ever he did, was done in such humility and lowelynes both of outward behauioure and mind, that it would allure any reasonable creature in the world with high boldness and faithful courage to come unto him. He was not borne of a noble Empresse, nor of a devout vow •… e, nor yet of an holy Nun but of a pore maid in a pore stable, and porely wrapped in pore clo •… es. Instead of a mighti and galaūt garde of m •… n, he was accompanied with o •… en and asses. Thus became Christ poor, whan he was rich and the Kynge of glory, that we thorough his poverty should be made riche. Moreuer he being without all sin and Lord of the law, became subject to the law, and was circumsised according to the law. He was obediente to his mother Mary and to Iosephe hir husband, and led a pore l •… fe w ^t them unto the age of thirty years, and wrought diligentely for his living after the manner of other men. At the age of. xxx. years he was baptized of blessed John, son to zachary the Prieste. After his baptism was he led of the holy Gost into, Wyldernes, where he fasted. xl. days and. xl. nyghtes, and was grievously tempted of sa •… an Immediatly after humbly & low lie at the commandment of his he uenli father he toke on him the office of preaching declaringe free remissiō of sins to so many as repent in faith. And as he was pore in worldly riches & lowly in mind, so did he chose pore & hum ble men to be his disciples, y ^t they might go & b •… are abroad like faith full ministers y ^e heavenly riches, of his exceeding mercy toward man.

Not with out a cause. For the riche galaūte, and pompous. worldlings are no fit vessels t •… c •… rye the treasures of the kingdom of heaven, so unequally matched are Christ and Mammon, heaven & earth, Golde and gods word, light and darkness They may pretend and bear an outward fac •… to the world as though they were the Apostles and ministers of Christ, as Judas, Simon Magus, and such other did, but inwardelye and afore God th •… y are the Apostls and ministers of Satan, and whan they seme moste of all to talk of Christ, of Christ's doctrine & of his glory, than are thei most of all enemies of the cross of Christ, seek the condemnacion both of his doctrine and glory, and labor to stablishe their own drowsy dreams, low •… ye laws, crooked constitutions, devil lishe decres, Antichristian acts, and all for their God y ^e belly. So sweet a thing is it to these false ministers and crafty apostles of Satan, to tomble, and walow in all kinds of carnal pleasures and worldly riches. Christ therefore knowing all such Bellye gods to be vnapte for the prea chynge of the Gospel as he was pore and humble him self, so did he chose to be his ministers and Apostles por •… homble men, •… i shars, day laborers, tolgatherers, & such other vile persons & abiectes of y ^e world. These appointed he unto the office of prea chyng his heavenly fathers will. These made he dispensatoures and Stuwardes of the mysteries of god. These commanded he to goforth and preach the Gospel, the joyful and glad •… idings the favor of God toward man Repentaunce, faith, free remission of sins, in his blood, peace, tranquillite of conscience, everlasting life. &c.

These your words doeth blessed Paul affirm sayeing, the folishenes of God is wiser then mē & y ^e weakness of god is stronger then men. Brethrē ye se your calling, how y ^t not mani wise mē, after the flesh, not many mighty, not many of hie degree, are called: but god hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confound the wise. And god hath chosē the weak things of the world to cō •… oūd the things which are mighty. And vile thin ges of the world & things which are despised hath god chosē, yea & things of no reputacion, for to bring to nought things of repu tatiō, y ^t no flesh should rejoice in his presence.

Again, to show his humility & lolines, how was he content at every man's desire to •… o whither thei would have him, & gladly to do, what so ever they re quested him? Did he not heal y ^e deseased? Restore y ^e blind to their sight? The deaf to their hearig The dūbe to their speaking? The dead to their life? Yea y ^e very Lepers did he not disdain to purge & cl •… se of their leprosy, & to touch w ^t his own hands, whō the fine Pharisees y ^e lusty lawyers, y ^e solemn saduces, y ^e sawsy scribes, the brag ing byshopes, y ^e pattering priests w ^t y ^e whole rabble of y ^e hypocritish sort disdained once to loke upon: so far is it of, y ^t these holy fathers sought any remedy at all to help y ^e pore disseased. After many tra gedies had between Christ & the spiritual sorcerers w ^t y ^e other pōpouse worldlings for his doctrine & miracles whā the time came ap pointed of his heavenly father from everlasting, that he for man's reconciliation, and pacifiyng of the divine wrath, should offer himself▪ a sweet and everlasting Sacrifice to God his father, whereby he might redeem man from the tiran •… y of Satan pay his raūsome by the price of his dere heart blood, fatisfie for his offēses, set a perpetual peace between God the father and mā and by his death and passion bring an whole sea of heavenly treasures to the faithful penitent sinners, with what alacrity and cherefulnes of mind, with what desire and redines went he to his glorious passion?

O the vnoutspeak •… able fa uoure of God toward man. If he had sent down faithful Abra •… ā, or any other of the old Patri arches or ancient holy Prophet̄s to have suffered for man's saluatiō, it had without all doubt been a token of singular great favor toward man: but to send down his only begotten and dearly beloved son from his glorious throne, yea and that for his enemies, for their health and salvation, it is love passynge all love, it is charity far exceading all charity, it is favor rather to be depely marvelled at than a ble worthily to be expressed. The son of god to be come man and suffer dath for our sake. Oh how cā we otherwise thē earnestly and frō y ^e very hert rejoice in y ^e Lord our God?

Truly to much iron herted are all thei, which rejoice not in y ^e blessed incarnaciō & glorious death of this most ble ssed seed Jesus christ our Lord by whom so many & so excellent treasures of heavenli goods have free lie chanced unto us. Al things evē unto the very death did he for our health, & salvation, yea, & y ^t so cōsūmat & perfect, y ^t there was nothing left behind vnaccōplished y ^t might turn unto our wealth, cō modite & profit concerning our redēpciō. Let the turckes bost their Muhammad and rejoice in him so much as thei list, let Papists auaunce their pope & triumph in him so much as is possible, let the rich worldlings magnify their wicked mamon & rejoice in it full their hearts, let y ^e glistering hypo crites delight in their god the bel lie evē unto the uttermost, yet let us, let us I say, y ^t profess Christ aright only rejoice in Christ, in Christ's natiuite, passiō, blood & death, as s. Paul saith, god forbid y ^t I should rejoice in any thing, but in the death of our lord Jesus Christ. For so loving & gentle a Sauioure can no where be found so favorable & liberal a Lord cā nowhere be sought out. In this savior & lord therefore let us re ioyse, & in none other.

The papists cannot broke this doctrine y ^t Christ alone (y ^e most high & everlasting priest) hath by his death & passiō in offering up his own blessed body a sweet smelling sacrifice to God the father so plē tuously, so omnisufficiently, so at the full made satisfacion for our sins, y ^t we need none other sacrifice satisfactory to put away our wickednesses.

No mar uel, for in defacing the glory & honor of y ^e true & onli sacrifice Jesus Christ, thei set up & magnify an Idol of their own making which is y ^e mass & presume in y ^t to offer sacrifice daily for y ^e sins of the quick and dead, & crake that it is of no les price, valoure strength and virtue, than the passion and death of Christ •… is. Again, that what so ever christ did for the salvation of man upon the altare of y ^e cross, they do the very same at the mass.

O extreme blasphemy. Whoe ever denied y ^e Lord that bought them, if these popish massemon gers do it not? Who justly may be called the enemies of the cross of Christ, if the mumblynge Massehunters be not the very same? Whoe at any time hath trodden vnderfote the son of God, and counted the blood of the testament, wherewith the faithful are sanctified, as an unholy thing and done dishonor to y ^e spirit of grace: if these shameless sacrificers have not done it? And yet it is a world to se, what a number there are not only of the ignorant and unlearned, but of them also which brag both of wisdom and learning, that cleave to this Idolatrous mass with to the and nail, that defend it to the uttermost with swerd, fire, and halter, that maintayn it with their tyches & possessions, that strive for it with as strong reasons, and arguments, as they can, partly because they are afraid (I speak of the Popeishe priests) lea •… t this commune whore their mass should be driven out of the game place, and by this means their kitchen should ware cold, and their idle bea •… ies be no more fed with the labors of other men's hands, p •… rtelye because they think, if this abhominable strompet the mass were banished out of the temples (I speak of the rude & ignorant people) all true religion were gonne, all christen deuotiō were perished, in so much that they could not tell what to do for to please god, nor yet how to worship him, partly (I speak of the worldly wise) because they will give no place to the truth leste if they should consēte to the putting away of this most stynkinge and filthy whore the mass that old baude and grādmother of whoredom and abominations of the earth, they should be compelled to graūte as they think, to their great shame and ignominy, that both they have been blind, and also led other blind these many years and so they should lose their estimation, renown, and fame, among the people, which things they most chiefelye hunt and haucke after. For they love the praise of men more then the glory of God.

Certes so longe as that Popeyshe Mass shall be continued in the church and believed to be a sacrifice for the sins of the quick & dead: Idolatry shall bear rule among us infidelity shall lie couched in y ^e hearts of mē, Supersticion shall never be exiled from the bonds of Christianity, Hypocrisye shall still fytte in the consciences of men, the usurped power of the Byshoppe of Rome, shall not loose her strength, the fruits of Christ's death shall never be truly known, neither our heavenly father worthylye thancked for them, the purgyng furnace of the Italiā bishop shall never be quenched, the idle shavē nation of the popeish mass mōgers shall still be maintained in their disolute and beastly manner or living, the papistical sa crificers shall not cease to blaspheme that most sweet smelling sacrifice Jesus Christ that most high and everlasting bishop, the holy & blessed supper of the Lord, shall never be truly frequented and used in the church of Christ, to be short, an whole sea of euyls shall reign, florysh and triumph in the christen cōgregatiō.

Truly I think there is no christen heart, which considerynge these things tofore rehearsed lamenteth not to se so great an evil and pestilence as the mass is, to reign among them that profess Christ, yea & to be had in so high price, that it is believed to be of no less strength and virtue thē the glorious passion of our Lord and Sauioure Jesus Christ. But let us se, howe this wicked opinion of the sacrifice of the mass agreeth with God's moste holy word.

The Papists affirm that the sins of the quick and dead, are put away by the sacrifice of their masses, which they mumble daily. Against this devilish doctrine must we set (as an invisible bulwark) this text of blessed. S. Paul. It became us to have such an hye priest, as is holy, innocente, undefiled, separate frō sinners, and made higher then heaven, which neadeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer Sacrifice first for his own sins, and then for the sins of the people. For this did he, that is to say, Christ, once for all, when he offered up him self. Lette these sacrificers here note, that no priest can offer any sacrifice for our sins but such a one as is holy, innocent undefiled. &c. which is Jesus Christ alone. Seyng then that they want this holiness, innocence, purity. &c. It is euidente by. S. Paul's words, that they cannot sacrifice neither for the quick nor for the dead.

Agayne blessed Paul saith, that this everlasting priest Ie sus Christ, neadeth not daily (as the other priests) to offer sacrifice, which by one oblation of him self hath delivered for evermore so many as believe in him, from all their sins. Uerili these missars are altogether amise. What will they say now?

If Christ neade no more to offer sacrifice, much less need the priests. If one oblation of Christ be altogether suffitiente thē are the daily oblations of the popish massemōgers vain and unprofitable. If Christ offered him self once for all, then can not the papists offer him so often̄ as it pleaseth them. Whereof it may be concluded, that they do no thing in their satisfactorye masses but blaspheme the Lord and his annointed, seeing they so arrogantly arrogate unto thē selves power to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people, when this one oblation of our Sauioure and Lord Christ Jesus is all whollye suffitiente, and thorowlye able in every point even unto the vttermooste to save all the elect & chosē people of God, yea and y ^t so abūdaūtlye & at the full, y ^t henseforth there needeth no reiteraciō nor no renewing thereof. If there were no mo scriptures to condemn this wicked opinion of the Sacrifice of the mass but this one tofore recited, it might seme to any christen judgment sufficient to subvert, overthrow & tople down, what so ever the Papists have built upon the sand of their own inventions these certain hundred years.

What is chaff in comparison to wheat, saith the Lord? Is not my word like fire, saith the Lord? and like a twibytte cleauynge the rock of stonne? But let us rehearse mo scriptures. The blessed Apostle saith. Christ being a bishop of good things to come came by a greater and a more pe •… fit tabernacle, not made w ^t hands, y ^t is to say, not of this manner buildinge, neither by the blood of Gotes or calves, but by his own blood entered he once for all into the holy place, and found eternal redemcion.

Agayne in the later ende of the same chapter, Christ is not entered into y ^e holy places that are made with hands (which are but similitudes of true things) but into the very heaven, for to appear now before the face of God for us. Not to ofter him self often as the high priest entereth into the holy place every yere with strange blood, for thē must he often have suffered sense the world began. But now in the ende of the world, hath he appeared once for all, to put syn to flyght by the offering up of him self. And as it is appointed unto mē, that they shall once die, and then cometh the judge mente, even so Christ was once offered to take away the sins of many. Blessed Paul hath no shyfte of descante, but singeth ever one song, nothing less thē pleasant to the ears of these Sacrificers. He affirmeth that Christ by his own blood entered into heaven once for all, & found eternal redemption.

Where we may learn y ^t Christ is so sweet a smellynge sacrifice to God the father, y ^t by the once offering up of him self, he hath found everlasting redemption. Redēption and remission of sins is so plētuously purchased by the death of Christ, that it remaineth for evermore. The papistical sacrificers do greatly err therefore, which take vpō thē daily to sacrifice for the sins of the quick & dead, as though Christ's sacrifice endured no lēger and were of no more effect and virtue.

O blasphemous hypocrites.

Again he saith, that now in the ende of the world Christ hath appeared once for all to put sin to flight, by the offering up of him self, as though he should say, Many sacrifices were offered of the priests of the old law, but none of them could put synno to flyghte. Therefore Christ the high priest in these last days became man, and was not offered of any other, but he offered him self, yea and that once for all for the sins of so many as unfeignedly repent and truly believe, and his oblation forever & ever abideth of so great strength, virtue and power, that that alone & none other, chaseth awai, & putteth to flight the sins of many both of Jews & gētils if thei believe. Once again he sai eth. We ar sanctified & made holy bi y ^e oblatiō of Christ's body once for all. Are not these words plain enough? How oft doth. S. Paul resite the oblatio of Christ's body, yea & that once for all, & stiffly affirmeth that by that once offering up of him self we are per fectly sanctified and made holy. What need thē have we of y ^e sacrifice of y ^e mass to be made holy, if there were any such sacrifice, as the papistical sacrificers fain? It followeth also in y ^e same chapter. Every priest is ready daily ministerynge, and often times offereth one manner of offering, which can never take away sins. But this man that is to say, Christ, when he had offered for sins one sacrifice, which is of value forever, sat him down on the right hand of God, and from thenceforthe tarrieth, till his foes be made his foot stole. For with one offering hath he made perfect forever them that are sanctified: this one sentence maketh to fall flat upon the ground, all that ever the Papists have built for the maintenance of their Missal sacrifice. Fyrste he saith that all the sacrifices, which the other Priests offer, can take away no sin. Secondly, y ^e Christ offered one sacrifice for our sins, which is of value forever, by the which one Sacrifice he excludeth all other. Thirdely y ^e he sat him down on the right hand of God the father, & there tarrieth till the day of iudgmēte Thē can he be offered and sacrificed no more, what so ever the pedlerlyke Papists chatter as S. Paul saith, Christ raised frō the dead, dieth no more.

Death shall have no more power over him. For as towchynge that he died, he died as concerning sin once, but as touching that he liveth, he liveth to God. Fourthlye, that with one offering he hath made perfect for euerthem y ^t are sanctified. If we be made perfect with one offering, which is the oblation of Christ's body upon the altar of the cross, what imperfection remaineth there in us, that we should have need of the missal sacrifice: If one Sacrifice make us perfect forever, what need we to have so many sacrifices offered daily in the Popeyshe masses? All these scriptures tofore aledged show evidently, that y ^e death of Christ is a sacrifice so omnisufficiēte, so perfect, so abso lute, so cōsūmate, so plētuous at the full, y ^e it alone maketh clean forever the faithful from their sins w ^t out any repeticion or renewing.

Curssed therefore are these papistical Sacrificers which so arrogantly dare presume to offer and sacrifice Christ again, as though the first oblation & sacrifice were imperfect.

God amende them, turn their hearts, and give thē grace to know his truth. For what other thing is it to set up a new oblation, then to anulle the old to make God a liar, to deny Christ as Sainte Peter right well prophesied of such subtyll Sacrificers.

For he that saith, that sins are forgiven by the mass, & that the mass is a Sacrifice for the sins both of the living and of the Deade, he must either grant that the alone Sacrifice of Christ upon the cross is not sufficient for the fayethful, or else that the missal sacrifice is a mockeynge of Christ and a plain scorning of god the father. O abhominatiō. Why is Christ called an everlasting Prieste, but that his sacrifice once done on the altar of the cross endu reth forever in full strength and power for so many as believe, though they sin never so often, if they return unto God, & seek remission of their sins in the precious blood of our alone savior Jesus Christ? As sa •… ct John saith. If any man sin we have an advocate with the father, Jesus Christ the righteous, and he it is that obtayneth grace for our sins, not for our sins only, but also for the sins of the whole world. What need we thē moe oblations? S. Paul saith, without effusion or sheadynge of blood, there is no remission of sins. If the papists therefore will have their mass a sacrifice, so is it proved by the

words of the Apostle that they crucify Christ again and shede his blood

O bloody sacrificers. What Christian heart can bide to be present, where such ignominy is done to Christ the lord?

He that sacrificeth is greater than the sacrifice, so doth it follow that the priests are greater than Christ the Kynge of glory? He offered us a sacrifice to God, and go we about to offer him. Agayne, he that sacrificeth, ought to be so pure as the sacrifice, and who, I pray you, can be so pure, as Christ our sacrifice? Whoe is able to say my heart is clean, and I am free frō sin? To presume to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people, is it any other thing than to, make them selves Christ's and saviors, and to say with that moste proud Angel, as it is writ ten by the prophet, I will clyme up above the clouds, and will be like the highest of all? Do not thei go about to show them selves equale to Christ, yea Christ him self, which take upon thē to offer sacrifice for the sins of the people? What other thing did Christ but take away our sin? If our Massemongars do the same are they not Christ's in deed? And yet this prerogative have they a boue Christ, that where as Christ could not obtain pardonne for our sins but by suffering great pains, yea & very death, they do it w ^t out any pains taking at all. Christ was mocked & scorned thei be praised & much made of. Christ was accused of heresy and treasō: they be counted good catholic mē and fulle devote fathers. Christ was pricked to the brains with a crown of thorn, they have a bald patch upon their heads instead of crowns, & some have on their cappes & miters for catching cold. Christ was stripped naked of all his clothes: they be clad in sylke, saten, damaske, velvet and cloth of gold. Christ bare his own cross of wood upon his shulders whan he went to suffer: they have crosses of gold and silver borne before them. Christ was nailed unto the cross: they stand at the altare with turn, return and half turn. Christ hanging on the cross prayde for his very enemies: thei standing at the altare pray for such as be their patrons, Founders, Bene factors, and for such as hyere them for monie. Christ patiently suffered the blasphemies and opprobrious words y ^t causeless were spoken against him, they if any man offend them, straight ways accuse, condeme, curse and excommunicate them. Christ with his sacrifice sought to do good to other: they with their sacrifices seek to bring men to superstition, to wrap thē in Idolatry, to graff in them wicked opinions, but above all things to enriche Corban, Corban, that they may have plenteously, wherewith to feed their idle and beastly bellies. Christ at his passion had vinegar and gall given him to drink: but thei have bread of the fineste and wyne of the beast to eat and drink. Christ offered his own blessed body a sweet smellynge sacrifice to God the fa there for the sins of the people: they offerre a wafer cake and 〈◊〉 sponefull of wyne, making the people to believe that it is a sacri fice, which they offer pro salute uiuorum et requie omnium fidelium defunctorum. For the health of them that be alive and the rest of all the faithful that are dead. Christ after he had offered his sacrifice, said. Consummatum est, Every thing is done and pefectly finished, that maketh unto the saluaciō of man, yea and that by this my one oblation. They cannot say so, neither bring they any thing unto perfection. For their sacrifices are so imperfecte, that they are as redye to offer tomorrow as today, and never the bet ter. Christ after the oblation of his most blessed body, commended his spirit into the hands of his heavenly father, and died straight ways, they after they have offered their new found oblation, fall to bancketynge, drinckynge, gullynge and glossynge, to huntynge, whoring, dis inge and cardynge, and all the days of their life they live dissolutely in moste vain pleasures boethe of the flesh and of the world. What feloweshippe and agremente is there here I pray you, between Christ and the Massemongers? between the ob lacion of Christ & the popish sacri fice, between the Mass and the death of Christ? Ye may se into what absurdities and to much inconveniences these pedlerlyke Papists faulle, while they stablish an Idole of their own making. How say ye, are they not goodly Christ's and pretye sauioures?

Christ's? They are even such Christ's, as the true Christ him self speaketh of in the Gospel of Sayncte Matthew. Ther shall arise, saith he, falls Christ's and false prophets. Here they be called Christ's, but there is added unto it, False, so that they be false Christ's, feigned Christ's liynge Christ's, deceyteful Christ's.

Of such Christ's, Christ gave us warning and bade us take hede, saying, if any man shall say unto you. Behold hear is Christ, or there is Christ believe him not. •… f they shall say unto you. Behold he is in the wilderness, go not out. Behold he is in the pyx, believe them not. Lo, I have told you afore hand. These popish Mass mongers are the ministers of Satā, which change themselves into Angels of light. These are those men that have corrupt minds, which are without all truth, which think that luc •… e is godliness. These are those false Prophets and false teachers which, saith Sayncte Peter, shall priuelye bring in damnable sects, even deniynge the Lord that hath bought them, and bring upon them selves swifte damnation, and many shall follow their dam nable ways, by whom the way of truth shall be evil spoken of, and thorough covetousness shall they with feigned words make Marchaundise of you, whose judgment is now not far of, and their damp •… acion sleapeth not.

We have texts almost innumerable contained in the holy scriptures, which declare that Christ alone by his blood hath perfectely wrought our re demptiō, satisfied for our sins, pacified the wrath of God, and brought us again into favor. But if there were no mo places of the scripture to condemn the sacri fice of the Mass, but this one, which Christ hanging upon the cross, said. Every thing is made perfect, it were sufficiete. For if Christ by his death have made all things perfect, than left he nothing imperfect. So doeth it truly follow that the papistical sacrificeynge for the sins of the quick and dead is damnable, injurious and despitful to the blessed passiō of christe, seeing Christ made all things cōsūmate and perfect by his pre cious death and by that alone ob tayned perpetual remission for all the sins of the faithful. For his glorious death and bitter pa ssion is evē now of as full strength and of as much virtue, as it was what time he suffered, and so shall cōtinewe unto the worlds ende, as blessed Paulle saith, Jesus Christ yesterday and today, & the same continueth forever. Therefore is he called an everlasting priest, because he doth all things perfectly, & requireth none other to help him as he him self saith by y ^e prohet, I am he that tea cheth righteousness, & am of power to help. The congregation of the faithful speaketh. Wherefore thē is thy clothinge red, & thy rai ment like his y ^t treadeth in the win press? Christ answereth, I have trodden the press alone, & of all peo ple there is not one w ^t me. Neither Abrahā nor Isac, neither zachary nor John the Baptist, neither Mary nor Elizabeth, neither Peter nor Paulle, neither man nor Angel hath paid our ransom by his blood shedynge, but Christ alone, alone, that moste pure and undefiled lamb, which taketh a way the sins of the world. In him alone and in none other is all our health and saluacton Neither is there any other name given unto mē, wherein thei must be saved, but only the name of our most blessed lord and bounte ous savior Christ Jesus that Kynge of glory. He only hath taken on him our infirmities & borne our pains. He was wounded for our offenses, & smittē for our wickedness. The chastisement of our peace was laid vpō him, and w ^t his stripes we are healed. As for us we have gone all astray like sheep everyone hath turned his own way. But the Lord hath heaped together vpō him the iniquity of us all. He suffered violence and was evil entreated, and did not yet open his mouth. He was led as a sheep to be slain yet was he as still as a lamb before the shearer, and did not open his mouth. He was had a way frō presonne, his cause not heard and without any judgment. Al this suffered he for our sake & to put away our iniquities. Yea he was cut of frō the ground of the li uing, which punishment did go vpō him, saith God, for the transgression of my people, which in deed had deserved y ^t punishment It pleased the lord thus to burst him with plages, and to smite him with infirmities, that when he had made his soul an offering for sin, he might se long lastynge seed. He hath justified the multitude, and borne away their sins. These words are spoken by the Prophet, which teache us manifestly, that there is no sacrifice, that deserveth remission of sins to us, or pacifieth the wrath of God styred up against us thorough sin, but on lie the death of Jesus Christ. By the means of Jesus Christ, saith Sayncte Paulle, ye which sometime were far of, are made nye by the blood of Christ. By Christ we have redemption though row his blood, even the forgive nes of sins according to the riches of his grace. God hath de linered us frō the power of darck nes, and hath translated us into the Kyngedome of his dear son, by whom we have redemption thorough his blood, even the forgiueues of sins. It plea sed the father, that in him should all fullness dwell, and by him to re concile all things unto himself and to set at peace by him thorough the blood of his cross both thin ges in heavē & things in earth.

This is a true sayeinge and by all means worthy to be reaceyued of us, that Christ Jesus came into the world to save sinners. There is one God and one mediator between God and man even the mā Christ Jesus, which gave him self a ransom for all men. Ye know, saith blessed Pe ter, howe that ye were not redeemed with corruptible thingse (as silver and gold) from your vain conversation, but with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb undefiled and without spot. The blood of Jesus Christ gods own son, maketh us per fectly clean, saith S. John, frō all sin. Agayne he saith, Christ loved us and washed us from our sins in his own blood If these sentenses were truly known of the Laye people and unfeignedly believed, they would sone give over their popish sacrifices, and only cleave, as they ought, to the alone sacrifice of the high and everlasting Priest Jesus Christ, which he once for all offered vpō the altar of the cross. They would leave to run madyng to y ^e masking Mass of the papists, and make more hast unto godly sermons and unto the holy and blessed Supper of the Lord.

Me think these Massemongers, which make of the Lord's Supper a private churlish breakefaste, for as much as they eat and drink alone, and make th •… people believe that in their Mass thei offer Sacrifice for their sins both of the living and of the dead, and boast that their Mass is of as great virtue and strength as the passion of Christ for the satisfaction of our wickednesses, besides their intolerable blasphemies a gaynste the Lord and his annointed, offend greatly against the dignity and the right use of the Lord's Supper. For Christ whan he instituted this blessed Supper to be celebrated with bread and wyne and appointed them to be the holy mysteries of his body and blood, gave no commandment to offer and sacrifice for the sins of y ^e quick and the dead, but to eat and drink these holy mysteries in the remembrance of his death, as he him self saith, Do this in the remembrance of me. Hereto agreeth. Saint. Paul, so often, saith he, as ye shall eat of this bread, and drink of this cup ye shall show the death of the Lord till he come. So that the Lord's Supper was not instituted of Christ to be a sacrifice propiciatorye, satisfactory, expiatory, and I cā not tell you what: but only a commemoration or remembrance of that sacrifice, which could not but once be offered, and a certain confirmation or seal for the infirm and weak linges, that they be redeemed by Christ, bi Christ's passion, blood and death, that hereby they may be assured of the favor of God of remission of sins, if they stead fastly believe, that Christ hath sa tisfied for their sins upon the cross, and in this faith eat and drink the mysteries of his body and blood. For whan so ever the true Christians eat & drink the body and blood of Christ in faith and with a beleuinge spirit, their sins are forgiven them no les than if Christ even at that present had died upon the cross, not for the eating and drinckynge, but for the fathers sake in Christ's blood, so mighty in operacion is Christ, and so present is he at every hour unto so many as believe in him and are gathered together in his name. For he is the eternal god, therefore hath his death an eter nal & everlasting fruit.

Ye have taught us Neighboure Philemon many goodli and god lie things concerning the sacrifice of Christ which beat down the sacrifice of the popish mass even unto the ground, yea they drive it down even unto the pit of hell, from whens it first came. Now will I rehearse unto you again, what I have red and heard of the papists concerning this matter, that ye may se what their opinion was and is of the Mass and of the sacrifice thereof.

I pray you speak on.

The Mass, say they, makein men holy, yea it maketh them ryghtuous and delivereth them from sins. The Mass is a sacrifice, and not the sign of a sacrifice only. In the Mass is the body and blood of Christ truly offered for the quick and dead. The mass of a priest, be he never so naughti, is profitable ex opere operato Christ w ^t his pa ssion satisfied for original sin and instituted the mass to be an oblation for the sins committed daily, both mortal and ve niall. To hear mass is the hono ringe of God, whither the hearer understandeth it or not. Missa soundeth sacrifice, ergo the mass is a sacrifice, Missa is derived of Mitto, to send, for in the mass the lamb, that is to say, Christ is sent unto the father to forgive our sins. The Mass delivereth s •… ulles from purgatory, for as much as it is a satisfactory sacrifice for sins. Not only the sacrifice of Christ, wherein he offered him self, was a sacrifice for sin, but we also offer for our sins a continual sacrifice in the mass. The sacrifice of Christ obtayneth mercy only for original sin, and for the sins paste. The sacrifice of the mass every day, is the true sacrifice for sins. Althoughe Christ was once offered on the cross in the open likeness of flesh, yet is the same Christ dayelye offered on the altare at mass. The words of con secracion duly spokē of the priest there is made a transubstantiacion of wyne into the blood of Christ and of the bread into his body. Every man may lawfully worship the host consecrated. Althoughe Paul calleth the sacrament of the Supper bread, yet may we not believe therefore that the substance of bread remaineth in the sacrament. Christ said. Hoc est corpus meum. This is my body, therefore must we needs hold, that there is a transubstantiacion, and that the substance of bread is changed in to the body of Christ. The body of Christ is present in the Mass so great and large, as it was, whā it hanged on the cross Forasmuch as Christ that most high majesty of God is present at the mass, therefore is it very godly to appointe many ceremonies, that Christ may be entertay ned honorably. Mass ought not to be said but in an holy place and upon an altare of stone, for Christ him self is called a stone The mass among all the suffrages for the dead, doeth profit moste of all for the deliverance of soulles out of purgatory. By hearing of mass we may obtain not only spiritual goods but all manner of corporal and temporal goods also. The cannon of the mass is godly and catholic and it was ordained of the Apostles. The mass, ex opere operato, justifieth and taketh away the giltines of the faute and pain in thē, for whom it is done With y ^e sacrifice of the Mass the satisfactions of the dead are rede med. The mass, ex opere operato giveth grace, and being applied for other deserveth unto them ex opere operato, forgyuenes of the faute and pain, and obtayneth what so ever we have need of in all our life. In the old testament there was a bishop, that offered sacrifices for the sins of y ^e people, therefore in the new testament must there be priests and Bishops to offere sacrifices for sins. The body of the Lord once offered on the cross for original sin, is continually offered for daily sins upon the altare, that by this means the church may have a gift, where with they may pacify the wrath of god. It is an heresy of the Arians to hold that the mass is not a sacrifice for the quick and the dead. Howe say ye Neigheboures to this doctrine of the massekynge papists? Is it not good stuff?

God have mer cy on us. I have not heard more blasphemous doctrine in my life against the truth of God's most blessed word, nor more injurious and dispiteful against the glorious passion of our only Lord & savior Jesus Christ. O to much miserable is that realm, where such doctrine is taught. Bonde slaves and wreched captives are they to Satan and to his Antichristian sinagog, where such tea chers reign and bare rule. Oh, whan will these papists cease to speak blasphemies against the son of the living God? The teachers of this doctrine are right chaplens to that beast, which had seven heads and ten horns, and opened hir mouthe to speak blasphemies against God and his name and against his holy congregation with so many as inhabit the heavens. These are those marked Marchauntes, which have committed abhominable whoredomme with that fylthey and unclean stromppette Babylon, and weep now because no man will bye their marchaundise nor their ped lary anymore, their gold, silver and precious stones, their pearl reins, purple and scarlet, their ornamētes, their franckensence, wyne and oil, their fine flower and wheat with the bodies and souls of mē.

I have spent the more time in declaringe unto you the wicked opinion of t •… e papists concerning the sacrifice of the mass and cōfutinge of the same, because ye should rejoice in none other thing as touching your redemption & satisfactiō for your sins & a perfect atonmēt made between God and us, but only in the death and passion of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, as S. Paul saith, God forbid that I should rejoice in any thing, but in the death of our Lord Jesus Christ. Now the sacrifice of the mass being reproved, and proved of no force and virtue to put away the sins of the quick and dead, as the papists have falsely taught and made the foolish simple people to believe for lucr •… s sake, of what price, I pray you, is the mass now to be esteemed? It agreeth no more with Christ's supper, thā Christ & Belial, light and darkness, truth and falsehood. Christ made a sermon before he ministered the sacrament of his body and blood to his Disciples: the papists say masses the devil and all and yet no sermon at all. Christ sat at the table and turned his face to his Disciples whan he gave them the mysteries of his body and blood: the papists sequester them selves from the people, they stand at an altare and turn their backs to the multitude. Christ reheresed the words of the institution of his supper openly, yea and that in such a tongue as all his Disciples understood: y ^e papists whisper to them selves playenge silence glome, and utter althinges in a strange tongue that no man understandeth what is spokē, nor for the moste parte them selves neither. Christ gave the sacrament of his body and blood to his Dysciples for to eat: the papists give nothing to any man but eat and drink altogether them selves. Christ ministered the misterye of his body in come mon bread, the papists minister printed waferre cakes other wise not commonly used. Christ mi nistered wyne to be a cōmemoracion of his blood shedeynge to his Disciples: the papists minister to the people not only wyne but water also mingled their with. Christ gave the sacrament of his body and blood into the Disciples hands: the papists put it in the people's mouths, not suffering them to touche it with their hands for their to much base filthiness. Christ delivered the sacrament to his Disciples sitting at the table, the papists compel y ^e people to receive it kneeling upon their kenes. Christ deliueringe the bread and wine to his Disciples, said unto thē take ye: eat ye, and drink ye, the papists say, behold, honor worship and reverence youre maker here. Christ instituted his supper to be a remembrance of his death and passion, which is the only sacrifice for the sins of the people, the papists affirm that their massekyng Mass is a perfect sacrifice fo •… the quick and the dead, and of as great virtue and strength as the blessed passion of our savior christ is. Christ deliueringe the miste ries of his body and blood to his disciples told them that his body should be broken for them and his blood shed for them and many into the remissiō of sin nes, the papists shame not to lie that Christ by his death satisfied only for original sin and the sins paste, as for all our sins what so ever they be, venial or mortal, they be put away by the sacrifice of y ^e mass. Christ delivered the sacrament of his body and blood under both kin des to his disciples, the papists steal away from the common people the misterye of Christ's blood. Christ gave to his Disciples the sacrament to be eaten for a remembrance of his death, the papists hold it up above their heads and command the people to worship it as God. Christ ministered the sacrament in such apparel, as he did customably wear, the papists put on maskyng apparel, Albes, girdels vestimentes, coopes, subdeacon, deacons, tunicle and what not? Christ plainly and puerly ministered the sacrament to his Disciples without 〈◊〉 ceremonies: the papists must have sensers, belles, candles, 〈◊〉 , paxes, corporasses Superaltaries altare clothes, cruetres napkins besides their dowkynges and lowtynges, their turnynges and returnynges, their gaspynges and gapynges, their knelynges and winkinges their mockinges and mowynges, their crossinges and knockinges, their kissynges and lickeynges, their noddynges and nosynges, their washynges and wypynges, th •… ir booynges and bleatinges, as I may speak nothing of their prostracions and inclinacions, of their commemoracions and histrionical gesticulacions, more meat for mad brains and dronckardes than for grave and sober honest men. Christ commanded his Disciples to receive the sacrament so often as they would: the papists appoint the common people only to receive it at Easter, or whan they be in perell of death. Christ willed his Disciples so often as they eat of that sacramental bread to remember his death till he come, he mea neth unto the judgment: the papists say they have him all redye in there hands and in their mouths, in their boxes and in their pixes. Christ did not appoint any parte of the sacrament to be reserved after the cō munion: the papists reserve it and hāge it up with an haltar in the pyx, sense it, carry it about in procession and make a pageaunt of it. Christ appointed his sacrament to be eaten in the remembrance of his passiō, the papists keep it so long, that it corrupteth waxeth moul •… , & breadeth full of worms. Christ in the institutio of the mistery of his body, said. •… his is my body, which is givē for you. Do this in the remembrance of me. The Papists in their consecration, as they cal it, mangle the words of Christ, in some place addinge of their own to the words of Christ, and in another place leaving altogether out. In the consecracion of the bread they have Enim, which Christ hath not, nor any word for it in the Hebrew tongue. And herein do they grievously offend against God, which commaūdeath that nothing should be added to his word. Agayne they leave out this comfortable promise •… . quod pro uobis datur. which is givē for you, wherein our chief consolacion, joy and comfort is contained. And here again do thei not a lityll offend against the high majesty of God, seeing they pluck so many words frō the institution of Christ. They are also very thieves & enemies to us seeing they depryue us of so sweet and comfortable promise wherein is cōprehēded the misteri of our saluatiō. Christ in delivering the cup of the mistery of his blood spake these words, Drink ye all of this. This cup is y ^e New Testament in my blood, which is shed for you and for many into the remission of sins. The Papists rehearse not the words in the consecration of the wyne (as I may go forth to use their term) in all points, as Christ did, but add moe unto them, as though there were a certain im perfection or insuffitiencye in the words of Christ. Theyr words are these. Thys is the chalice of my blood a new and everlasting testament, the misterye of faith, which for y •… u and many shall be shed for the remission of sins. Although in the additiō of these words there is no untruth, yet is it not conueniente for any man which is but flesh, earth, dust, and ashes, to put ought to the words of Christ, which is the wisdom of the father, and knoweth best what is most expediente for the setting forth of his glory. If a mā add any thing to the Testament and last will of any mortal man, or do pluck ought therfro, his fault is counted very great, and he him self forever after discredited because he hath so unjustly dealt with his neyghboures will. In what estimation then are they to be had which corrupt the testament and last will not of man only but of God and man also, wherein are bequethed not wordly & transitorye things, but things heavenly and perpetual. Neither is this blessed testament sealed with wax, but with the precious and dear heart blood of our Lord and savior Christ Jesus, to mancle this heavenly testament, to corrupt this blessed will, wherein is bequethed unto us, the favor of God, remission of all our sins & eternal life, if we truly repent, and earnestly believe, is much vnsittyng for any christen man, neither are such manckelers, and corruptours, such thieves and robbers, any more to be believed of the faithful congregation.

Christ (as I may once make an end) after he had fed his disciples with the holy mysteries of his bo die and blood, gave thanks to God the father, and so prepared himself thorough earnest prayer unto the death. The Papists after they have once droncke and eat up all together, they give no thanks, whereby the commune people are edified, except it be when they bless with the empty cup, or bid them go home with Itemissa est. Well this may ye easily perceive, howe greatly the Popysh mass differeth from the true institutiō of the Lord's supper, and that they agre together as Christ and Belial, light and darcknesse, truth and falsehode. & ce.

It shall therefore be convenient for all true Christian hearts no more to repose the trust of their salvation in the Sacrifice of their Popeyshe mass, nor in any thing apperteynynge to the same, but only in the blessed passion, in the precious blood, & glorious death of our Lord and savior Jesus Christ, which by the alone Sacrifice of his most holy body, hath even vn to the uttermost, and at the full paid our ransom, & brought us everlasting health.

Thys is a comfortable he rynge for all faithful penitent sinners.

But I pray you, neighboure Philemon, remain there no mo causes of reioysyng in the Lord our God?

Yesse verilye. For this our Lord and Sauioure Jesus Christ did not only both wyllyngely and freely give him self unto the death of the cross for our sins and wickedness, and by this means pay our ransom to God the father for our offēses, that Satan might have no power over us, but he all so thorough the might of his godhead, rose again gloriously and triumphantlye on the third day according to the scriptures for our justification, as the Apostle saith.

He was betrayed unto the death for our sins, and rose again for our justification.

For as by the death of Christ our ransom is paid, the divine wrath is pacified, our sins are washed away in Christ's blood, a reconciliacion & perfect atonemēt is made between God the father and us, the obligation of our dette is rased out, the law is fulfilled, the curse of gods wrath is takē away, all things both in heaven and in earth are pacified: so in like manner by the Resurrection of Christ we are made ryghtuousse, accepted into God's favor, recounted for just, holy, and vertuousse, set at liberty, from the tyranny of Satan, admitted into the celestial court of the new Jerusalem, and become fellow cityzyns of the household of God with the Saints, and blessed spirits.

O inestimable treasures brought to us by the glorious resurrection of our moste blessed savior Jesus Christ.

Yea, let us mark this also by the way, that as our moste valeaunt Lord and Emperor Jesus Christ by his resurrection, gatte the vyctory over Satan, Synne, Deathe, Hell, Desperation, and all that is enemy to Mannes health, so in like condition have we in him and thorough him goten a glorious victory over Satan and all his kingdom, that we may with a ioyeful voice say, death is swallowed up into victo rye. O death where is thy vyctorye? O death where is thy styng? The sting of death is sin, the power of sin is the law. But thanks be to God which hath given us the victory, thorough our Lord Jesus Christ.

O what a joy and comfort is this to a Christian man's heart, to se his enemies, which before so greatly sought his distruccion, thus vanquished, subdued and trodden under his foot? This have we gotten, as ye very truly have said, by Christ's resurrection, as Christ him self testifieth sayeinge, now is the judgment of the world, now shall the prince of this world be caste out. Agayne, be of good comfort, I have overcome the world By the Prophet Ose he also saith, I will deliver them from the power of death, yea from death it self will I redeem them. O death I will be thy death. O hell I will be thy destruction.

Moreover by Christ's resurrection have we obtained not only Justification & victory over our enemies, but also resurrection of body and everlasting immortality. For as our Lord and sa uioure Jesus Christ did put of the mortality of his body, and became immortal at his resurrection, so by the power of that his moste glorious resurrection shall we also at the great day of judgment in our resurrection receive immortal and incorruptible bodies, even like unto the glorious body of our moste mighty and valeaunt captain Jesus Christ.

Oh who cā express the worthiness & excellency of these heavenly gifts, which we obtain by the most victorious and triumphant Resurrection of Jesus Christ our Lord and savior?

Lette these things therefore (dearelye beloved brethren) make you to rejoice in the Lord.

Lette these things provoke you to withdraw your mind from transitory things and steadfastly to fyxe it on things cōstaunt and everlasting.

Lette these things sequester youre Ioye and pleasure from the sweet entisynge moremaydes of this world, and allure to the alone delectation in celestial treasures.

O blessed is that man, to whomme it is given from above truly to sauoure these things, fayethfullye to believe them, and earnestly to rejoice in that Lord which is the alone giver of thē Sure m •… •… at man be, that his name is written in the book of life.

But let us go forth to declare moe benifites of God toward man, that our joy in the Lord may be unfeigned, cōsummate and perfect. After this most noble conqueste and victorious triumph, which our moste mighty Emperor Christ Jesus had over Satan and his infernal ministers, he tarried here in this world, certain days with his Disciples, eating, drynkeynge, and talking with thē of the kingdom of his heavenly father, and confirming them in the way of truth. And this did he not only to make thē strong in the article of his resur rection, but also by the instruction of them to corroborat, fortifye and strength us in the same, seekynge no les our health then the salvation of them. For as the Apostle saith, if thou dost confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, & believe with thine heart that God raised him up from the dead, thou shalt be saved. Cer tayne days paste from his resur rection, Christ our Lord by the power of his godhede in y ^e sight of his Apostles ascended into heaven God and man. Have we no cause to rejoice in this behaulfe? Hath this his marueylouse ascēsion brought no commodity and profit to us? Have we a just cause to rejoice in his natiuitye, preaching, miracles, good works, cross, passion, blood, death resurrection (which all are ours) & not in his ascension also? We read that the Apostles were very sad, when Christ told them that he should ascend unto his father. But Christ said unto them, I tell you truth, it is expedient and profitable for you that I go & ascend unto my father. Christ told the Apostles that it was expediente & profitable for them that he should go up into heaven. If it were expedient for them, it is evē so like wise for us. For we are saved by y ^e very same way, whereby they received salvation. Let us therefore consider what commodities and profits the Apostles had by Christ's ascension, and let us w ^t a constaūt faith and hope loke for the same For there is but one Lord of all rich enough for so many as call on him.

I pray you let us hear, that our joy may be full.

Fyrste that we may truly rejoice in Christ's ascētiō, I will labor to show you some of the cō modities of it, as we are taught in the sacred scriptures. Christ in his last sermon said unto his disciples. I go to prepare a place for you, If I gooe my way and prepare I will come again and take you unto myself, that where I am, ye may be also. Here have we one vrgente cause, why we ought earnestelye to rejoice in Christ's ascension. For of this aforesayed sentence we learn, y ^t Christ is ascended unto his father to prepare a place for us in heaven. Can any thing sound more pleasant and thank worthy to our ears, then to hear that the son of God came down frō his heavenly throne, became man, suffered death, rose again for our sake, and is now ascended very God, and very man into heaven to prepare a glorious mancion for us in the kingdom of heaven? What is more comfortable for a Pilgrim, then after long traueling by strange contries at the last to come home to his own house, and there to find all things well provided for him Are not we strangers and pylgrimes in this world? Do we not wander frō place to place uncertainly, & loke for another mancion more quiet & merry to come? If there were not such a dwelling place to be looked for after this present life, of all creatures, the true Christians were most miserable. But there is vndoubtedli an heavenly palaice prepared for y ^e faithful, yea and y ^t bi Christ's ascētiō.

Certise here have we, I cō fesse, one great occasiō to rejoice in the ascension of Christ, seeing by it he hath prepared for us a dwelling place among the holy saints & blessed angels, & promiseth y ^t he will come again, take us unto him, and place us even there, where he him self is.

An other commodity that we have by Christ's ascension, is the gift of the holy Goste. For Christ him self saith. If I go not away, the confortou •… e shall not come unto you. But if I go my way, I will send him unto you. By this confortoure he understandeth the holy ghost, which conforteth and maketh strong with Godly puissaunce, yea and leadeth into all truth, y ^e hearts of so many as he inhabiteth. What an inestimable treasure the gift of the holy Gost is, no mā knoweth, but he that is endued with wisdom from above. Whence come all these back slyders from God and his word, but only of the lack of the holy Gooste? Whence come so many Heretics, schismatics, anabaptistes sacramentaries, papists, with all the whole rabble of seditious sectaries, but only that thei are destituted of this cōfortoure, of this holy spirit, which should comfort thē in faith, and lead them into all truth? David knew full well, what a singular and great treasure to a fayethful man the having of the holy Goste is, again, what an utter decaie and extreme destruction it is to y ^t man, that whanteth this confortoure, whan he prayde on this manner. create in me a pure heart, O God, and a right spirit renew thou in my inward partes, Caste me not away from thy face, and thy holy spirit take not away from me. Thys holy spirit do the faithful receive from God the father thorough the ascension of Christ. Is this a small gift to have the holy ghost given unto us to dwell within our breasts, and with him all the heavenly fruits of the spirit, faith, love, hope, patience, joy, longe suffering, meakenes, temperaunce, justice, goodness, gentleness, modesty, honest behauioure peace, with an whole sea of good things mo, yea and at the last everlasting life? Who rejoiceth not in this moste excellent gift purchaised for us by the ascencion of the Lord Christ our God and savior?

That such gifts should be givē unto men of Christ after Christ's ascension, it was longe before prophesied of the holy Psalmograph, thou art gone upon hye, thou, haste led capptiuitye captive, and received gifts for men▪

Of the gift of the holy ghost plenteously to be given after Christ's ascencion, God him self speaketh by the Prophet Ioell, sayeinge: it shall be in the last days, saith God, of my spirit I will pour out upon all flesh. And your sons and your daughters shall prophesye, and your young men shall se visions and your old men shall dream dreams. And on my seruau •… tes and on my hand maidens I will pour out of my spirit in those days, and they shall Prophesy.

Neither do here cease the commodities and profits that we enjoy by the ascension of Christ. For besides the preparacion of the heavenly mansions and the gift of thi holy Goste (which without doubt are moste high and syngulare treasures) Christ by his ascension is become our intercessoure, mediatoure and advocate. He sitteth on the right hand of God the father making intercession for us. If we will obtain any thing of God the father, he is straight ways redye to be an advocate and to plead our cause before his father, and easily obtayneth what so ever he desireth so great is his dignity and exce •… ncye. Agayne, if at any time we offend God (as we all do amiss in many things) and by our offense provoke the wrath of God unto vengeance, Christ our advocate and mediatoure is at hand immediately to pacify the i •… e and wrath of God, to reconcile us unto him, to purchaise remission of our sins, and to recover the favor that we had lost thorough our weak nes, as S. John saith, if any man sin, we have an advocate with the father Jesus Christ that ryghteouse one. And he is a mercy stock for our sins, not for our sins only, but for all the worlds also. For the blood of Christ is not like the blood of Abel. For the blood of Abel crieth for vengeance upon his brother Cayne, which vniustely slew him (as the blood of all innocences and martyrs do in like manner call for vengaūce against thē, that have oppressed thē & shed their blood unjustly) but y ^e blood of Christ crieth for grace, favor and mercy, crieth for pardon, forgyuenes and remission of sins crieth for joy, quietness and ever lastyng life. God, saith Saint Paul, setteth forth his love won derfully toward us, for if when we were yet sinners Christ died for us, much more than we being now justified in his blood shall be saved from wrath by him. If when we were enemies, we were reconciled to God by y ^e death of his son, much more we being reconciled shall be made safe thorough his life. No man can sufficiently express the worthiness of this cōmodite, that Christ is not only become by his ascen cion a preparer of a heauenli and glorious mansion for us, again a purchaser of the holy ghost to comfort us and to lede us into all truth, but also an intercessor mediatoure and advocate, where by he obtayneth for us all good things, and putteth a back frō •… s what so ever should hinder •… e obtaynynge of gods favor and the heavenly enheritaunce. Christ purchaseth for us of his father thorough his intercessiō so aboūdantly and so altogether sufficiently, all things necessary for the conseruacion both of our body and soul, that we need not to pray unto any saint in heavē as the papists have taught us neither unto mary, John, Peter, James, nor any other to be our intercessoure, mediator or aduo cate. It is Christ's office alone to be a mediatonree between god and us, as blessed Paulle teacheth us in his Epistle unto Timo the. I doubt not neygheboures but so many as are fayethful, are replete with exceeding joy to consider howe manifold and diverse benefits, gifts and graces chance to us by the wonderful ascencion of Christ our Lord and savior.

Who so ever considereth depely in his mind those things that ye have taught us hitherto, shall be occasioned unfeignedly, to obey this commandment of the blessed Apostle, he that rejoiceth, let him rejoice in the Lord, so sweet and full of all heavenly pleasure are these commodities, which we receive of God thorough Christ our Lord.

But let us make haste unto an ende concerning this matter, that we may learn in few words, what so ever remai neth of gods goodness toward us in Christ, I mean so much as our wyte can comprehend, and we be taught in the holy scripture, that we may earnestely rejoice in the Lord our God We have heard heretofore many vrgente and wayghtie causes, why we should of very right and boūden duty rejoice and be merry in the Lord. Now it remaineth orderlye to declare the final and last cause, why we ought to be glade and rejoice in God.

I pray you let us hear.

As Christ was borne for us, wrought all good things in his manhood for us, suffered for us, died for us, rose again for us, ascended into heaven for us, purchaised the holy ghost for us, prayeth for us, obtayneth all best things for us, so likewise at the last day shall he being our head come again frō the right hand of his father to fet •… us his members, and to enunite us w ^t him in the same glory there ever to remain. And although to the wicked he shall come as a ter rible and righteous judge, to revenge and not to pardonne, to punish and not to forgive, to cōdeme and not to save, yet to the faithful shall he come in his glorious majesty and all the blessed Angeles with him like a most loving and Gentle savior, sayeynge to them on this manner, come ye blessed of my father, possess ye the kingdom, prepared for you from the beginning of the world.

O whooe is able, to express what joy and comfort this afore said sentence shall bring to the hearts of the faithful? But to the vnfayethfull it shall be sayede get ye hence ye cursed into everlasting fire, which is prepared for the devil and his Angeles.

O that day shall be to the wicked a bitter day, a, day of wrath, a day of tribulacion and anguish, a day of calamity mise ry & wrechednes, a day of darkness and miste, a day of cloudines & boistuousnes, a day of fearful trompettes and shawmes blowynge.

I grant, notwythstandeynge to the fayethefull it shall be a sweet day, a day of favor, a day of quietness and peace, a day of wealth and felicitye, a day of clearenes and light, a day of comfort and solace, a day of heavenly mirth joy and pleasure. For as blessed Paulle faith, the eye hath not seen, nor the ear hath not heard, neither can the heart of man think, what things God hath prepared for them that love him.

They shall be as Angels of God in heaven. They shall shine as the clearenes of the firmament, and as stars forever and ever. They shall be counted among the sons of god, and their lot shall be among the saints. They shall receive of the Lord's hand an honorable kingdom and a beautiful diademe. They shall be clad with longe whighte garments. Thei shall be be fore the throne of God, and serve him day and night in his temple. They shall hōgar and thyrste no more, neither shall the son or any heat faul upon thē for the lamb Christ, which is in the middes of the throne, shall govern them, and lead thē unto the fountayues of the water of life, and God shall wype a way every tear from their eyes. Thei shall dwell in a city, that needeth neither son nor mone to shine in it. For the clerenes of God shall illumine it. They shall behold the glorious face of god presently, and his name shall be written in their foreheads. They shall eat of the tree of life, which is in the paradise of God. To conclude they shall have a crown of glory and sit with Christ their elder brother in his throne, even as he sitteth with his father in his throne, and shall live with God and his holy angelles in all kind of honor and glory, joy and pleasure world without ende. O what can a Christian man desire more of the Lord his God, then these things, which I have heretofore rehearsed? Come of, tell me now I pray you, if we have not many yea and innumerable both urgent and wayghtie causes, why we should rejoice in the Lord our God. I doubt not, I doubt not, moste dere brethren, but by the hearing of these thin ges ye are now so rapte into the love of God for the moste high and singular pleasures, which thorough Christ Jesus ye have allredye received, and here after shall receive a thousand times more abound a untlye, that from henceforth all worldly things shall wax vile unto you, and ye shall even from the very heart endeuoure youre selves at all times to repose all youre joy, comforts pleasure and felicity in the Lord our God alone, alone, so that ye shall rejoice in none, neither in heaven nor in earth but in him alone, alone.

Neyghboure Philemō we all are kindled with so feruente and so hertye love toward God for these his moste singular and inestimable benefits, that we do not only defye the world and all the vain plea sures of it, but we also are redye for our steadfast love in God and for the perfect reioysinge in him gladly to say with the blessed A postle, who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulacion or anguish? Or famine? Or nakedness? Or parel? Or persecution? Or sword? I am sure that neither death nor life, nor angels, nor soueraignties, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor strenghte, heyght, nor depth, nor any other creature shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

I am glad to hear these youre words, and I am fully persuaded y ^t this youre joy shall increase unto an exceeding and perfect reioysynge in the Lord our god, unto the great and syngulare comfort both of youre bodies and souls. But ye shall note, that the holy Apostle doeth not only bydde us rejoice in the Lord, but he addeth unto it. Alwaye. Reioyse in the Lord Alwaye, saith he,

What meaneth the blessed Apostle by this word Alwaye?

Verily he will that our joy and reioysynge in the Lord be not flittyng, transitory and of small con tinuaunce as the pleasure that is conceived of worldly things is, the ende whereof is bitter and sorrowful, as Solomon say eth, the ende of worldly joy is heaviness, mornening and lamen tynge) but constante, stedfaste, inmutable, not diminishinge but encreasynge unto an high perfection of godly mirth, joy, felicitye & pleasure. For he that conti nueth unto the ende, saith Christ shall be saved. It is not enough to begin well and to continue in the same a certain space, except we persevere even unto the end of our life. The wife of Lot began well, when she came out of sinful Sodom, but because she did not go forth, but looked back again unto it, she was turned into a salt pillar. The wise men that came from the East parte of the world to worship Jesus Christ the new borne king of the spiritual Israelites: were commanded of god no more to return to the most blouddy and wicked king Herod. Judas begā well and was one of Christ's disciples, & very earneste in setting forth the kingdom of God for a certain space, but seeing he did not persevere in that Godly purpose, but became of a preacher a treytour, of a disciple a thief, of a minister a murderer, he is now the son of perdition and dampened for evermore. He is not y ^e true son that promiseth his father, that he will work in his viniyarde & doeth not, but he that manfully worketh in it indeed, & so perceue teth to y ^e ende, he shall enjoy y ^e enheritaunce of his father. For the kingdom of god shall be takē away frō idle lubbers, & given to them that work and bring forth the fruits thereof. Not they which, whē they hear the word first of all, do joyfully receive it, believe it for a time, talk of it, & in the time of temptation go away, slide back and become other mē, shall possess eternal life: but they which with great joy and gladness of mind, hear it, receive it, believe it, cleave fast unto it in the time of persecution, and persevere in the same evē unto the very last breath.

No man is crowned saith saynte Paul, except he fight lawefullye, that is, until he have goten the victory by resistynge the world, the Deuyll, and the flesh thorough Christ our Lord.

And the Lord him self saith. No man that putteth his hand to the plough, and looketh back, is meet for the Kyngedome of heaven.

Hereto agreeth the saying of Saint Peter: If after they have forsaken the uncleanness of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Christ Jesus, they yet again being wrapped in them are overcome, the last is worse then the first to them. For it had been better for thē not to have known the way of ryghtuousenes, thē after their knowledge to turn away from that holy commandment, that was given them. But that it chanced to them, that is wont to be spoken in a true proverb. The dog is returned unto his vomit, and the sow clean washed unto the wallowinge in the mire. Of these things aforesaid may we learn that it is not enough to begin well, except we persevere and continue even unto the giving up of the Goste, as they use to say. He that continueth to the ende saith Christ, shall be saved. Agayne he saith. If ye abide in my word, truly ye shall be my Disciples, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall deliver you. We must abide in the word of God, or else we cannot be Christ's disciples. We are delivered frō the rule of our enemies, saith holy zachary the priest father to that most excellent Prophet of God. S. John Baptist, that we being without fear should serve god in holiness and righteousness before him all the days of our life. Note that he saith, all the days of our life must we serve God in such holiness and ryghtuousnes as is acceptable before him. The holy scripture requireth of us a continual progress and an vnletted perseueraūce in y ^e way of Godlines. In consideration whereof the blessed Apostle doeth not only exhort us to rejoice in the Lord, but he addeth unto it Alwaye, requirynge of us not a flyttynge and transitorye reioysynge, but a constaunte, steadfast, sure, continual and unchangeable reioysynge in the Lord. Rejoice in the Lord alway, saith he.

It is but a trifle to joy and rejoice in the Lord, in his word and ordinances so longe as prosperity endureth, and the world laugheth upon us, but to rejoice in the Lord, in his word and ordinances when we be assailed with troublous adversity, whē we be visited with greauouse sickness, when we be empouerished thorough miserable misfortunes, whē we be hated, blasphemed, persecuted, oppressed, en prysoned, punished of worldly tyrants for God, for his word and ordinances, this is a perfect joy, and Christian rejoicing to bear the cross of Christ, to suffer patientlye all kind of adversity, to cleave fast to God in the time of temptation, to be cōtente so well to abide troubles as prosperouse things, & thankfully to take what so ever plages or punishments God shall lay upon us, either by his own loving visitation or by the cruelty of the wicked worldelynges, which are alway enemies to God's truth, and to all true lovers of the same, this is in mine opinion to rejoice alway in the Lord, and to acknowledge him to be our most gentil father and loving savior, whether he send prosperity or adversity.

Truth it is y ^t ye 〈◊〉 , brother Eusebius.

If therefore any of you at any time be visited with sickness or diseases of the body, murmur not, nor grudge not against God, blaspheme him not, nor speak not unreverantly of him, nor yet wish not that syckenes to be taken from you otherwise then his Godlye pleasure shall be, which knoweth much better what is expedient or profitable for you, then ye youre selves do, but with high patience, & most hearty thanks giving, receive that loving visitation of youre heavenly father, as an holy enplasture & wholesome salve to heal all those pockye diseases wherw ^t your souls are infected thorough the stinking corruption of old sinful Adam. We are corrected and punished of the Lord, saith S. Paul, that we should not be dampened with this world. David also saith. It is good for me that thou haste thus humbled & brought me down full low, that I may learn thy ryghtuous ordinances. If thou therefore in thy sycknes shalt fele thy flesh to be impatiente, disobediente to the will of God and at defiaunce w ^t God for this his loving correction, pleasant to the spirit, altogether bitter to the flesh for a season, restrain and pluck her back with the bytte of patience and never leave to fight against the furious and rageynge motions of the flesh, till thou haste made her obediente to the spirit & willing to suffer whatsoever kind of adversity God shall lay upon her back. Laboure in thy syckenes so to joy & rejoice in the Lord, that with high patience and cherefulnes of mind even in the mids of thy moste bitter vexation, thou mayest say with. S. Paul. We are not weried, but though our outward man perish, yet the inward mā is renewed day by day. For our tribulation which is momenta nye, of short continuance and light, prepareth an exceeding and an eternal wayeght of glory unto us, while we loke not on the things, which are seen but on the things which are not seen. For things which are seen, are temporal, but things which are not seen are everlasting. Agayne, we know surely, if our earthly mantion, wherein we now dwell, were destroyed, that we have a buildynge ordained of God, an habitation not made with hands, but eternal in heaven. And that ye may w ^t the more patiente and thankful mind receive all kind of sicknesses and diseases, wherewith ye are at any time vexed, loke that ye persuade yourselves and believe undoubtedly, that your punishmētes come not unto you by chance, but by the council, providence & appoyntmēte of God, without whose will an hear doeth not fall from your heads which also keepeth all your bones so that not one of thē shall be bruised without the permission and sufferaūce of that our good god. He made us, and we not our selves. We are his flock, and the sheep of his pasture, therefore like a moste gentyl shephearde considerynge the grievous •… e diseases, wherewith we are already infected or else like to be, he prepareth his tarre and greaseth us with that, that we should be free from all contagious diseases, and be found whole and sound, when so ever we shall be searched. For God doth not visit us w ^t syckenes & other plages that he might destroy us, cast us headlong into hell fire, & damn us perpetually, but to cal us to repentance, to provoke us to come home again unto the shepefolde, to exercise, prove, and try our faith, y ^t by this means he might save us.

For that Lord, which is the searcher of reins & hearts, perceyuinge how old Adam beginneth to wax cruel and fierce in us, restrayneth & plucketh him back with the bridel of sycknes that he shall not do what he him self would, but what the good will of our heavenly father is, which else without all doubt would so rage and grow unto such licentious ryote, that with his vain pleasures and fleshly lusts he would deceive the most precious and noble soul, and so deceived throw it into the da •… ger of eternal damnation.

Of these your words may we right well perceive that afliction, troubles sycknesses, and diceases be no tokens of God's Ire wrath, & dispeasure toward us, but of much high mercy, favor love, & good will, y ^t he beareth to us.

Truth. For if this most gentle Sauioure and best God did not seek our salvation, our wealth and health everlasting: he would not with so sharp & loving corrections cal us home again unto the shepefold, but suffer us to run hedlonge into all kind of carnal voluptuousness and beastly pleasure, and afterward for our dissolute living reward us with pains eternal among the bealye God's and Epicures.

O who is so far estraūged from the right course of reason, that he had not rather have his carnal affects & beastly will mortified with temporal & short sicknesses in this world, then for a little space to tumble and wallow in all kind of carnal pleasures according to his fleshly desire, and afterward forever and ever to be cast into such pains as are both intolerable and everlasting, where wepinge and gnashynge of teath is, where the darcknesses are so great that they may be felt, where the fire shall never be quenched, where the worm that shall gnawe the conscience of the wicked shall never die, where there is a lake and stinckeynge puddell, that burneth continually with fire and brimstone, where nothing shall be fealte but pain, nothing remembered but sin, nothing tasted but bitterness, nothing seen but our most wicked enemies Satan with his infernal ministers, who shall not be greaued and led with a certain compassion toward the damned for the multitude of the moste bitter pai nes, wherein they shall se thē most miserably tormented, but they shall rejoice, yea they them selves shall never cease to minister intolerable punishmētes to the damned souls world without ende.

O whose heart is so enflamed with the fire of carnal pleasure, that waxeth not cold at the hearing of these things? Whoe had not rather in this world continnally to be shaken with hot agues, greaued with bone ache, eaten with canckars, pyned away for hunger, and to suffer any other temporal diseases that can be named, be it never so grievous and bitter to the flesh, then to fall into those most horrible pains that you named heretofore?

The pains that are suffered in this world are great and bitter (I confess) but they have an ende, and work health to the soul. And in like manner: the pains that are sustained in hell, are both great and bitter also, but they have no ende, and bring eternal damnation to the soul.

O what plage can be named like unto this? Who is now so stifenecked and hard herted, that he will not say with the Apostle. I will with all my heart rejoice in my infirmities & weakness, that the virtue, power and strength of Christ may dwell in me. Who now is so blind which seeth not, that to be visited with syckenes in this world is to receive a singular and high benefit of God? Who is so far from true faith, that will not be persuaded, y ^e afflictions, troubles, syckenesses and diseases be plain testimonies, and evident signs of God's good favor toward us? as the wise man saith. The chastening of God thou shalt not refuse, neither grudge thou, whan he shall correct the. For whom the Lord loveth, him he correcteth, and delyghteth him self as the father in the son David also saith, O blessed is that man, which is under the law and nourtoure of the Lord, Agayne, It is hyghely, for my wealth, O Lord, that thou haste brought me under to learn thy ordinances. Hereto agreeth the saying of the Apostle, my son despise not the chastenyng of the Lord, neither faynte thou, wh •… thou art rebuked of him. For whom the Lord loveth, him he chasteneth, yea and he scourgeth every son, that he receiveth. If ye endure chastening, God offereth him self unto you as unto sons. What son is that, whom the father chasteneth not? It ye be not under correccion (whereof all are partakers) than are ye bastards and not sons. Wherefore seeynge we had fathers of our flesh, which corrected us, and we have them in reverence, should we not much rather be in subiectiō unto the fa there of spiritual gifts? And they verily for a few days nourtered us after their own pleasure, but he learneth us unto y ^t , which is profitable, y ^t we might receive of his holiness. Nomaner of cha stesynge for the present time seemeth to be joyous but grievous, not wythstandynge after ward it bringeth quiet fruit of righteousness unto them, which are exercised in the same. Bear not therefore, dearly beloved impaciently the cross of sickness, whan so ever God layeth it on youre back, neither strive ye against the good pleasure of your heavē lie father, which only seaketh your comoditye & eternal saluaci on, but paciētely suffer and pray, y ^t his godli will (which is always best) may be done in you, & whether he sendeth sickness or health ever glorify his name, & rejoice in him being thoroughly persuadid that he will handle you none other wise, than shall make both unto his glory & your salvation, which to resist were extreme impiety & to much ungodliness.

For as much, o lord, as we are thy workmāship & are in thy hands evē as y ^e claye is in the potters, do w ^t us according to thy most godly plea sure onli give us a patient & thank full hert, y ^t whither y ^u sēdest prospe ritie or adversity, sickness or health quietness or trouble, we may at all times praise & magnify thy most blessed and glorious name.

Let it so come to pass O Lord.

Now Neyghbours even as I would wish you to rejoice in the Lord our God, whansoeuer he visit you with his loving correction and scourge of sickness, so would I gladly also have you to joy and rejoice in him, if he at any time sendeth poverty or loss of gooddes to any of you all. If therefore it so chanceth, that ye be acombred with any misfortune, grudge not against God, but show yourself conformable to his godly will in all points, nothing doubtynge but that loss of youre temporal possessions shall turn unto your high commoditye and furtherance in obtaynynge goods, which are a thousand times more precious, I mean gods fa uour, quietness of conscience and eternal glory. Let the brother, saith Sayncte James, that is poor and of low degree rejoice in that he is exalted, and the rich in that is made low. For evē as the flour of the grass shall he vanishe away. The son riseth with heat, and the grass widereth, and his flour falleth away, and the beauty of the fashiō of it perisheth: even so shall the rich mā perish with his abundaūce The goods of this world, where with ye be ryghtuouslye endued are gods, if therefore it shall be his good pleasure at any time to take them from you, grudge not against him for takeynge his own, but rather with a thanfull and reioysynge heart say with the paciente man Iobe, the Lord gave it, the Lord hath taken it away again. As it pleased the Lord, so is it come to pass. Blessed be the name of the Lord. Paraduenture God perceyueth, that thy mind is so much set on temporal possessions y ^t y ^u clean forgettest y ^e spiritual riches & heavenly treasures of the soul, therefore he mīdīg to make the his son & heir of eternal glo ry & of much better & more excellent goods than this beggarly vale of misery can comprehend, taketh away frō the mucke of this world, that y ^u mayest y ^e more freely aspire & breath forward unto the gettīg of heavenly riches, where w ^t the soul being gorgeously decked may after this transitory life sit gloriously in the glorious palace of heavē. For what doth it profit a mā, saith christ though he win neth all y ^e world, & loseth his sole? Again, hord not up treasures unto you on y ^e earth, where rust & moths corrupt, and where thieves break thorough & steal. But hord ye up treasures in heaven, where neither rust nor moths corrupt, & where thieves break not up nor yet steal. For where your treasure is, there will your hert be also. And y ^t ye may bere y ^e cross of poverty w ^t the more paciēt mind remember y ^t though christ was lord over all, yet was he so pore frō his infancy unto his depature out of this world, y ^t he had not a place, where once to rest his hed. His mother & all y ^e apostles w ^t mani blessed marters, faithful ministers of gods word & other innumerable y ^t were good mē & dearly beloved of god escaped not y ^e hard dart of pouer ty. Now seeing ye have christ y ^e lord of lords & king of kings, his blessed mother, w ^t y ^e holy Apostles & marters &c exēplars of pouerti to follow and practice, if God at any time do lay y ^e cross of necessiti on youre backs, suffer it both patiently & thankefully. Disdaine not you being servants to bear y ^e burden, which your lord & master refused not to take vpō him. Ye know the liberality of our Lord Jesus Christ, saith S. Paul, that for youre sake he became poor whan he was rich, y ^t ye thorough his poverty should wax rich.

Neyghboure Philemon, although, thanks be to God, we have our breasts so well furnyshed and fortressed with the weapons and armors of holy scriptures against the violence of all misfortunes, yet some perchance not being thoroughly instructed of God's liberality toward his creatures, will object and say, as the common proverb is, necessity is an heard darte. And hunger is a sharp thorn, howe than can we take poverty so pacientlye, that we may rejoice in the Lord our God, namely in so great penury and scasenes of things.

I answer with the Psalmograph, I have been young, and now I am old, yet never saw I right tuous man forsaken, nor his seed beggynge their bread on the earth. If thou therefore be right tuouse, that is, faithful to God and just to thy neyghboure laboringe diligently for thy living according to the vocation and calling, as God hath commaun ded the, thou mayste be sure not to want, that shall suffice nature Who ever trusted in God, and went away succoureles? Caste thy care on the Lord, and he shall nourish the, saith David. The Lord giveth meat to the hungrye. Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, and upon them that trust in his mercy, that he may deliver their lives from death, and nourish thē in the time of hunger. They that fear the Lord shall have no scarsenes. They which seek the Lord, shall want no good thing. Fear not my son, saith Tobias, we lead a pore life, notwithstanding we shall have plenty of all good thin ges if we fear the Lord, depart from all sin and do well. God giveth us aboūdantly in all thin ges to enjoy them saith saint Paul. God him self saith, I will not fail the nor yet forsake the.

Who being a faithful man, although never so much oppressed with poverty, will not rejoice in the lord, which hath promised and will no les per form, that he will not forsake so many as trust in him.

And that ye may be thorough lie persuaded of his, faythfulnes concerning thaccomplishement of his promise, consider, I pray 〈2+ pages missing〉 you, howe friendly and fayethfully he dealt in times paste with his servants, and will no les favorably handle us, if we have like faith in him. Dyd he not feed the people of Israel with meat from heavē, and gave thē drink out of the rock? Dyd he not send meat twice a day by the ravens to the Prophet Helias, and so miraculously fed him, whā the unfaithful perished for hunger? Did not Christ turn wa ter into wyne at the marriage in Cana Galilee? Dyd not Christ with five barlye loves and two fishes feed five thousand men besides womenne and children, and yet there of remained xii baskettes full of the fragments? Do not all these histories teache us to have faith in God, and to believe that God hath a father lie care for his servants? 〈1 page duplicate〉 〈1 page duplicate〉 What so ever things are wryten, are writ̄ saith blessed Paul for our learning, that thorough patience and comfort of the scriptures we should have hope. It is not to be passed over at this present, that Christ hath in the gospel of Matthew. Be not care full for youre life what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for youre body, what ye shall put on. Is not y ^e life more worth than meat? And the body more of valure than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither reap nor carry into the barns, and youre heavenly father fedeth them. Are ye not much better thā they? Which of you by takyngr thought can put one cubit to his stature? And why care ye thē for raiment? Consider the lylies of the field, howe they grow. They labor not, neither spin, and yet I tell you, y ^t Solomon in all his rialtie was not arrayed like unto one of these. Wherefore if god so cloth y ^e grass, which is today in the field, and tomorrow shall be cast into y ^e furnace, shall he not much more do the same to you, O ye of little faith? Take therefore no thought saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? After all these things seek the heathen. For youre heavenly father knoweth, that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of heaven and the ryghtuousnes thereof, and all these things shall be cast unto you.

O sweet & comfortable scriptures. Lette the heathen take thought for their living, which know not God, as for the faith full Christians thei have a lord which will provide for them aboūdauntly. Let adulteres forni cators, thieves, Dronkardes, swe rers, and such other wicked par sons take care wherewith they shall be fed and clad, as for the servants of God they have an almighty Lord in heaven, which will send them plenty of all good things. If ye be loving and obediente, saith the Prophet Isaiah, ye shall enjoy the best thing that groweth in the lande. But if ye be obstinate and rebelious, ye shall be devoured with the swerd. For thus the lord hath promised with his own mouth. The wicked therefore and not the faithful shall want and be oppressed with famyne.

If God taketh such fatherly care for his servants, howe than cometh it to pass many times, that those, which seek most of all his glory, lede in this world the most base & miserable life, and often are found socourles and destitute of all man's healp? Whan they which be vnfayethfull regard, neither God nor any thing that is godly, dis pise his most blessed word, persecute the true preachers thereof, oppress their pore neyghboures deal unjustly with all men &c, have over flowyng aboūdance of all things, live like voluptuous Epicures in all kind of pleasure, & possess whatsoever their hearts can wish or desire. Thys thing se we presentely before our eyes, and as it may be gathered of the holy Scriptures, many good men in times paste have complained of this thing unto god and almooste, as it were, accused God of vnryghtuousnes. Are not these the words of the holy and paciente man Iobe •… When I consider myself I am a trayde, and my flesh is smitten with fear. Wherefore do wicked men live in health and prosperite, come to there old age and increase in riches? Their childrē live in their sight, and their generation before their eyes.

Their houses are safe from all fear, and the rod of God doth not smyte them. Their bullock gendereth, and that not out of time, their cow calueth, and is not vnfruiteful. They send forth their children by flocks, and their sons lead the dance. They bear with them tabrettes and harps, and have instrumen tes of music at their pleasures. Thei spend their days in wealth thynes. &c. The holy Prophet Ie remye maruelynge greatelye at the prosperity of y ^e wicked speaketh to God on this manner. O Lord thou art more ryghtuous then I should dispute with the. Neuertheles let me talk with the in things reasonable. How happeneth it, that the way of the vngodli is so prosperous? & that it goeth so well with them, which without any shame offend and live in wickedness? Thou plantist them, and they take rote, they grow and bring forth fruit.

Are not these the words also of the blessed Psalmograph? truly God is loving unto Israel, and unto such as are of acleane heart. Neuertheles my fete were almost gone, my treadinges had well nigh flypt. And why? I was grieved at the wicked, I do se also the ungodly in such prosperity. For they are in no parell of death, but are lusty and strong. they come in no misfortune like other folk, neither are they plagued like other men. And this is the cause, why they be so holden with pride, and overwhelmed with cruelty, their eyes swell for fatness, and they do even what they lust. They corrupt other, and speak of wicked blasphemy their talking is against the most higheste. For they stretch forth their mouthe unto heaven, and their tongue goeth thorough the world. Therefore fall the people unto thē, & therout suck they no small advantage. Tush say they howe should God perceive it? Is there any knowledge in the moste hygheste? Lo, these are the ungodly, these prosper in the world, and these have riches in possession. Again the Apostles of Christ, even Christ him self being with them, were sumtime so hungry & destitute of all kind of vitaile: y ^t as they went by the way they were compelled even for very hunger to pluck y ^e ears of corn, and to eat it. And doth not S. Paul in these words declare the miserable state both of him self, and of his felowaposties? Even unto this time (saith he) we hunger, and thyrste, and are naked, and are buffeted with fystes, and have no certain dwelling plase, and labor worckynge with our hands.

We are reuyled, and yet we bless. We are persecuted, and suffer it. We are evil spoken of and we pray. We are made as the fylthynes of the world, the ofscourynge of all things, even unto this day.

At the marriage in Cana Galilee where Christ him self was present w ^t the blessed virgin Mary his Mother and his disciples, was there not such scarsenesse, that they wanted wyne before the weddynge feast was done? And yet it is to be thought, that both they which were married and the other there assembled, were Christ's friends and dearly beloved of Christ. What shall I rehearse the history of the rich man which was gorgeously appareled & fared daintilye every day, and of the pore Lazar, which died for hunger? The riche gluttō lived pleasauntly and was dam ned in hell, the pore Lazar living in all kind of worldly misery after the death of his body reigneth in glory with god. The enemy of God hath after his own carnal lust all things, the freēd of God wanteth, that should suffice the necessary appetite of nature.

I confess that for the most parte the wicked in this world have more abundance of temporal goods, and live a thousand times more pleasaūtlye in the face of the world, then the true Christians do, God thorough his unsearchable wisdom so appoyntinge, which afore seeth much better then we, what is necessary for us. Notwythstandynge though God doeth not customably send to his servants such abundance of worldly treasures, as voluptuous world lyngs do possess, lest their minds snarled with the love of thē should be withdrawn from the true & everlasting goodness (as it cometh to pass in mani) yet ve ry seldon or never doeth he leave them socourles but sendeth them, what so ever is necessary for the sustentation of their •… eadye and pore life according to his promise, as he said unto his disciples, When I sent you, without wallet, and scrippe, and shou •… s, lacked ye any thing? And they said, No. Truly no more shall we lack any necessary thing, if we love God & obey his word The fayethful may perchance sometime fele the dart of poverty, yet will not God leave them socourles and destitute of help

For God sendeth poverty sometime to the ryghtuousse for to prove his faith, and to stir him up to call on him which is the giver of all good things, that he may know by the exercise of his faith, y ^t they be the gifts of God, as the wise man saith. Good and evil, life and death, poverty and riches are of God. Truste in God, and abide in thy place. For it is an easy thing in the sight of God, quickly to enriche a pore man. Disconfort not yourselves therefore (dear brethren) though sumetyme ye fele the cross of poverty, but be on a good confort, joy and rejoice in God. For God hath promised, that he will not leave nor forsake you, but give you all good things abundauntlye for your present necessity..

Hys delaye is only to prove your faith, and to provoke you to flee unto him by teruent prayer, and to require of him all things necessary for your living.

If ye do this (so ye be not idle, but work according to youre calling) the earth shall sooner cease to give forth hir fruit, then ye shall want your honest necessaries. Rejoice therefore in the lord alwai, & once again I sai rejoice

The Lord of heavē give us all grace so to order our life accor dyng to his holy word, so to repose our affiaunce in him, so to call on his most blessed name, in all our adversity, and so to be thankful for his exceeding goodness toward mankind, that we be not found altogether unworthy the recepte of his benefits.

So be it.

Fi nallye as I would have you to rejoice in the Lord, when so ever he sendeth you syckenes, poverty or any other cross to nurture you, to mortify old Adam, to slay your carnal lusts, to make your bodies subject to the spirit that they may be a living and holy sacrifice to God, so would I exhort you to rejoice also in the Lord, if at any time he raiseth up tyrants to persecute you for the fervent zeal, and Godlye love, that ye bear toward the ve ritie and truth of his moste blessed word. For as it came to pass in the time of Moses & the prophets, in y ^e days of Christ & his Apostles, evē so hath it been frō their time unto this day, that the bealyed hypocrites, & wicked wordelynges have ever hated, & still unto the worlds ende, shall hate the glorious light of God's word. Neither is it any meruel

For as concerning the bealied hypocrites, God's word condemneth their hypocrisy, superstitiō, feigned holiness, new found religion, carnal ceremonies, outward sanctimony, and all the whole glitterynge face of their popish solemnity. It crieth out upon them, that they are so idle and do not only not preach thē selves, but also forbyde other, y ^t would both gladly and freely set forth y ^e glory of Christ's gospel unto the exceeding comfort and great Ioye of all true Christians, yea they persecute thē, blaspheme them, enpryson them, burn them. &c. It crieth out upon thē that have so great multitudes of worldly possessions, and yet make no prouisiō for the poor people, for the vertuousse bringing up of youth in good letters and vertuousse manners, but spend it upon gorgeousse buildings, lusty horses, delicate fare, idle lubbers, yea upon hawks, dogs and whores. It crieth out upon them, that whereas they ought to be the light of the world, and to give example of virtuous living to all men, they are become of all men most abhominable, moste lewd, moste ungodly, moste given to idleness moste drowned in voluptuousenes, and altogether sworn to do mischief. Howe can these bealygods and swynyshe Hypocrites whose life is overwhelmed with the dark clouds of syn, abide the glorious light of Christ's gospel? Howe can these gluttonyshe Epicures suffer their Hypocrisy and feigned holiness to be rebuked of the poor abiectes and vyllaynes of this world by the authority of God's word? It cannot be, it cannot be. For everyone that doeth evil, saith Christ, hateth the light, neither cometh he to the light, least his works should be reproved. Now as concerning the wicked worldlings, thei cā favor no more the truth of God's word, thē the bealied hypocrites. For it condemneth their covetousness, their ambitio their vain glory, their pride, their whoredom, their pollynge, their pillinge, their falsehood, their oppression, their unmercifulness, their cruelty, their tyranny, and what so ever ahomination they use beside. Howe can it otherwise come to pass, but they which rebuke these vices, must neades be hated, persecuted, enprisoned and slain of the wicked worldlings for tellynge thē the truth & for rebukynge these their most abhominable and outragiousse sins? as the prophet saith.

They hate him that reproveth them openly, and who so telleth them the plain truth, they abhor him. Can light and darkness agre? Can Christ and Belial be at unity? No more can the worckers of wickedness, and the rebukers of the same be led with one consent. There must needs be dissētion between thē, as was between Abel, and Cayne, Jacob and Esau, Christ and the bishops, the Apostles, and the worldly tyrants. And for as much as the same impiety and ungodliness, the same wickedness and abomination reigneth now in the world, that hath been used in times paste, and it ought of veri duti to be rebuked at this present with no less liberty of speech, then it hath been in times paste, except we will wyncke at so great abomination, and with the wicked worldelynges, and bealied hypo crites syncke down to the devil for our labor, it is not to be doubted, but they that shall take upon them that office, shall prove & find even that same gentilnes at their hands, that Moses & the Prophets, Christ and his Apostles, the holy martyrs and blessed saints, received of their bluddy predecessors. Therefore if the waves and surges of cruel persecution shall at any time rise against us (the good will of our heavenly father so prouidynge, without whole sufferance all the hypocrites in the world can do nothing against us) let us not despair nor cast away our hope but still go forth to rejoice in the Lord our God, and manfullye abide by the verity of his word, remembering y ^t it is called the word of the cross, trouble & persecutiō remembringe that no kind of adversity chanceth to us, but the same happened in times past to the Prophets and Apostles, yea to Christ him self that pure Lamb of God, remembrynge y ^t all, which will live Godlye in Christ Jesus, shall suffer persecution, remembrynge that by the cross away is prepared for us unto eternal life. And that we may with the more free spirit and francke courage rejoice in the Lord, when so ever the cross or persecution is laid on our backs for God's sake and for his Gospel, let us enarme our selves with the comfortable texts of the holy scripture, and call to remembrance the histories of the blessed men of God, which also suffered like or greater pains for the glory of the Lord, not forgettynge that even from the beginyng of the world, the wicked begā to persecute the godly as we may see in Abel and such other.

Unto this patience and the following of the prophets, doeth blessed James exhort us saying. Bepatient brethren to the coming of the Lord. Behold the husband man waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience therupō until he receive y ^e yarelye & later rain. Be ye also patiente therefore, and settle youre hearts, for the coming of the Lord draweth nye, Grudge not one against another brethren, leste ye be dampened. Behold the Judge standeth before the door. Take (my brethren) the prophets for an example of suffering adversity, & of patience, which spake in the name of the Lord. Behold we count them happy, which endure.

Oure savior Christ saith also. Blessed are ye, when men revile you, & persecute you, and shall falsely say all manner of evil saying against you for my sake. Rejoice and be glade, for great is your reward in heaven. For so persecuted they the Prophets, which were before you.

What pleasures the holy prophets of God found at the worlds hand, it is not hard to express. Isaiah that moste excellent Prophet of God for his liberty of speech in rebukynge the syn of the princes and of the people, and for prophesyeng of the vengeance of god to fall vppō the cōtreie and people for not receiving the word of god, was cut in two partes a sūder with a saw of wode.

O intolerable pain.

The prophet Jeremiah was stoned unto death of his people at Taphnes in Egypt, because he rebuked them of their wicked living and exhorted thē unto repentance and amendemente of life. The Prophet Amos at the commandment of king Amasias for his preaching was cruelly beaten and grievously tormented, and at the last the Kynges son Ochosias caused him to be thurste into the temples of the head with a great nail oftrone, & so shortli af ter died. The Prophet Micah was cruelly beat̄, emprisoned, & fed w ^t bread & water, because he spake the truth, & told the king, what should chance unto him. The Prophet Helias was grievously persecuted of queen Iesa ble king Achabes wife for speaking against Baal and his chaplens. The Prophet zacharie son of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth. The Prophet Daniel was cast into the den of lions, because that contrary to king Darius commandment he prated unto his Lord the God Israel. Which of the prophets escaped without persecution? And as the wicked worldlings and belly •… Hypocrites handled the prophets of God for telling the truth, so handled they all other y ^t obeyed not their wickedlawes and filthy requests. Were not Sidrach, Misac, & Abednago caste into a fiery furnace, because they would not worship the golden Image that king Nabugodonoser had made, but only y ^e God of Israel? Was not Achimelech with certain other holy mē of god slain at king Saul's commandment, because he she wed kyndenes to David the hertye beloved servant of God? Was not Io sephe caste into prisonne, because he would not lean to the filthy request of his Lord's wife? Was not Susan that virtuous woman at the point to be stoned unto death, because she would not consent to the vnlaufull and filthy requests of the two Judges? Was not Eleazarus miserablye put to death, because •… e at the kings comaundement would not eat swine's flesh contrary to the law of God? was not a certain woman with her seven sons most cruelly put to death, because they would not obaye the wicked precept of the most wicked king? I pass over many other of the old testament, which were unmercifully persecuted and slain for gods truth Some, as the blessed Apostle say eth, were tried with mockynges scourginges with bonds & prisonment, some were stoned, some were hewn a sunder, some were slain with sword, all were troubled and vexed.

These are they, of whom the wise man spea keth, god proved thē, and found thē meet for him self, yea as the gold in the furnace did he try thē, and received thē as a brunte offering. &c.

As I may at y ^e last come to the new testament, to whō is it unknown, that Jesus Christ our Lord & savior after mani blasphemies, rebukes slanders and bitter torments, suffered the most spiteful death of y ^e cross, & so entered in to glory? Holye John the Baptist that blessed priests son for truth tellynge to king herod for reproving him of his abhominable living, was cast into prisonne and beheaded. James the brother of John had his head stricken of for preaching Christ to be son of y ^e living god. The holy martyrs. Stephē was stoned unto death, because he prea ched Christ, & affirmed that God dwelleth not in temples made w ^t man's hand, What kindness Peter and Paul w ^t the other apostles found at y ^e hands of thē, whose saluaciō they most diligently sought, the histories make menciō. Neither do I hear speak of those blessed martyrs, which sins their days have died for the confessiō of gods truth, so that the Gospel of Christ is not without a cause called of saint. Paulle, the word of the cross. For all that will live godly in Christ Jesus, saith he, shall suffer persecution. To consider these histories afore rehearsed, shall stablishe our faith greatly, and very much comfort us in the time of our tribulacion, so that we shall not lyghtely slyde from God and from his holy word, but rejoice in him, recoūtynge our selves moste blessed, fortunate and wealthy, that god hath vouched safe not only that we should believe in him, but also suffer for him. It shall be expediente for us also to remember that Christ calleth them blessed which suffer persecution for righ tuousnes sake, and saith, that theirs is the kingdom of heavē. Agayne, that the servant is not greater thā his Lord, but if they persecuted Christ our Lord and master, thei will also persecute us his servants & Disciples. If they have called the father of the household Belzebub, much more they will cal them so, that are of his household. If we were of the world, the world would love us, but for as much as we are not of the world, but Christ hath chosen us out of the world, therefore doth the world hate us. And did not Christ tell us afore, that we should lament and weep that is to say, be oppressed of tirauntes, but the world should rejoice, and that in the world we should have affliction and trouble? Agayne, are we not taught y ^t by many tribulations we must enter into the kingdom of God.

The flesh abhorreth trouble & persecution, namely whan death is like to follow.

The spirit, as Christ saith, is redye and of a good courage to suffer all things for the glory of God, but the flesh is weak. The outward man is loeth to die, but the inward man wisheth to be losoned out of this corruptible body and to be with Christ. But if the good will of our heavenly father so be, y ^t we must needs suffer death for Christ's sake, let us set this saying of S. Paul before our eyes, and stedfastli believe it: if we die with christ, we shall live with him. If we suffer w ^t him we shall also reign with him. And our sa uioure Christ saith, whosoever shall lose his life for my sake and for y ^e Gospel, he shall keep it. Here to agreeth the saying of s. Peter, detelye beloved, marvel not, that ye are proved bi fire (which thing is to try you) as though some straūg thing happened unto you, but rejoice in as much as ye are partakers of Christ's passion, y ^t when his glory appeareth, ye may be merry & glad. If ye be railed vpō happy are ye. For y ^e glory & the spirit of god resteth vpō you. Again, if any mā suffer as a Christian man, let him not be a shamed, but let him glorify God on this behaulfe And let thē y ^t are troubeled according to y ^e will of God, commit there souls to him w ^t well doing as unto a faithful cre ature. They y ^t suffer trouble for y ^e lords sake & for the gospel, shall stand before the glorious seat of God, and before the lamb Christ, and they shall be clothed with longe white garments and palms in their hands.

They shall ever be in the presence of the seat of God, and serve him day and night in his temple, and he that sitteth in the seat, shall dwell among them. They shall hunger no more neither thyrste, neither shall the sun light on thē, neither any heat. For the lamb which is in the middes of the seat, shall feed thē, and lede them unto fountaynes of living water, and God shall wype away all tears from their eyes.

Furthermore it shall be great comfort for us also to remember, with what willing hearts Christ and all the blessed martires suffered death for the glory of God. Christ our Lord and savior, whan the time of his bitter passion began to draw nigh, and perceived that Judas went about to betray him to the Byshopes and priests said, that thou entendeste to do, do it quickelye and out of hand. And whan the Bishops servants came to lay hand on him, where as he might have escaped their cruel hands, he wyllyngely offered him self unto them, whereby we may se, that he went unto his death with a merye and ioyefull heart.

These his words, which long before his passion he spake to y ^e Jews, do also testify and witness his ready bente good will to suffer for the salvation of mankynd. Therefore doeth my father love me, because I give over my life, that I may take it again. No man taketh it away frō me, but I give it over evē of mine own good will I have power to give it over, & I have power to take it again.

Of the willing oblation of him self, it was prophesied by the holy Prophets. The prophet Isaiah saith, he was offered, because it was his good pleasure. David also saith in the parson of Christ, I will offer sacrifice unto the willingly. He speaketh of the sacrifice of his body. Again Christ him self saith by the forsayde Prophet unto his heavenlye father as for sacrifice and offering thou wouldest none, therefore madeste thou me a body. As for burnt offerings for sin, thou hast not allowed them. Than said I, behold I am at hand In the begin ing of the boke is it writ̄ of me, that I should do thy will O God

As the lord Christ willingly suffered for the health of man so likewise did the apostles suffer all kinds of torments ioyefully for the glory of God, for the setting forth of his blessed word & for the name of Jesus Christ the lord, as we rede in the acts of y ^e apostles. They were whipped of the byshopes servants, as S. Luke testifieth, because they prea ched Christ, & so sent away. But whan thei came frō the council, they rejoiced, y ^t thei were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Jesus. How glad, ioyeful and ready the blessed Apostle S. Paul was to suffer any kind of torment for Christ's sake, these his words do aboūdātly show. Behold I being bound in the spirit, go forth unto Jerusalem, not knowing what things shall chance unto me there, but y ^t the holy ghost in every city doth testify, saying, y ^t bonds & troubles do abide me. But I care not for thē, neither is my life dere vn to me, so that I may finish my course w ^t joy, & y ^e office which I have received of y ^e lord to testifithe gospel of the grace of God. Again, whē Agabus y ^e prophet toke Paul's girdel, & bound his hands & fete there w ^t , saying, thus saith the holy ghost, the man, whose girdel this is, shall the Jews thus bind at Hierusalē, and they shall deliver him into the hands of the heathen: and whē they that were with Paul hearing these things, moste instātly desired him, that he should not go up unto Jerusalem, the blessed apostle answered saying, what do ye weeping and troubelynge my heart? I am redye not only to be bound but also to die at Jerusalem for the name of y ^e Lord Jesus. O faithful Apostle. The lord Jesus christ was so dere unto him, y ^t for his sake for the anauncement of his glory, for y ^e setting forth of his most glorious gospel, he feared neither chea nes nor death. He always had before his eyes y ^e short pains of this world & y ^e everlasting joys of y ^e world to come. He ever remembered this saying of y ^e lord Christ, whosoever shall lose his life for my sake & for the gospel, he shall keep it. He never forgot these his masters words, whosoever shall be ashamed of me & of my sayīgs in this whorishe & sinful generation, the son of man shall also be a shamed of him, whā he shall come in y ^e glory of his father w ^t y ^e holy angelles. But whosoever shall cō fesse me before mē, I shall confess him also before my father, which is in heuē. We rede also y ^t the blessed martire Ignatius after many grievous tormētes was thratened if he would not forsake christ & his word, y ^t he should be cast unto wild beasts, & so be devoured. But he being nothing abashed w ^t those threats but perceyuing his death to be differted, which he so greatly desired to suffer for Christ's name, wrote an Epistle to the Romaines, & desired thē that thei would keep him no lenger frō his martyrdom, but w ^t all expediciō bring to pass y ^t thei had so long threatened. In the which epistle among many other words which declare his valiāt faith & mighti courage in god, he wrigh teth on this manner. O wholesome beasts y ^t are prepared for me.

Whā shall they come? whan shall they be sent out? whan shall they eat my flesh? I would wish w ^t all my heart, y ^t they might be more greedy, & I will bid thē unto y ^e deuourīg of me, & pray thē, lest par aduēture, as they have done in many, thei fear to touch my body. Yea if they shall make any de lay, I myself will brast into thē, & offer myself to thē. Gyue me liberty I beseech you, for I know what is expedient for me. Now that I begin to be the disciple of Christ, let fyres, galowes, wild beasts, breaking of my bones, rackynge of my members, pain throughout all my body, and all the punyshmentes of the world, that can be invented by the craft and subtlety of the devil be ministered unto me. I will refuse none of them all, so that I may deserve to obtain Jesus Christ.

O blessed & glorious martyre. O valeant and noble souldi our of our most mighty capitain Christ Jesus. O what a mirror glass and spectacle is here offered unto us, wherein we may se and learn not only high patience, but also an exceeding desire to suffer all kind of torments for the glory of Christ.

Not only the blessed martyre Ignatius shown him self wylling and joyful to suffer all kind of adversity, yea very death for the confession of Christ, and of his blessed truth, but other holy men innumerable, as we read in histories. Whē Decius the Emperor that most cruel tyraunte had spoiled the blessed martyre Hypolitus of his vestures, because he would not do sacrifice to false God's, the mā of God spake boldly unto him, saying, thou haste not spoiled me of my garments, but thou haste rather begun to clothe me. And when the aforsayde tyrant commanded that he should be clo thed again w ^t his own accustomed kind of apparaile, and said unto him. Use thine old service which thou hast ever had in our sight, & be our friend: the blessed martyre w ^t a stout courage answered, my seruyse is this, faithfully to serve Christ, and by serving him, spedly to come unto a fruitful victory. Shortlye after the tirant seeing his steadfast and vnshakē cōstācy commanded him to be depryued of all his goods and to be headed w ^t diverse other about y ^e nūbre of nintene, which all with joyful courage suffered death for Christ's sake. The blessed martyre Tiburtius was apprehended of y ^e cruel judge Fabiā, and commanded either to offer sacrifice to y ^e Idols, or else to go w ^t naked fete vpō the hot burning coles. He boldly went on thē barefoted having no harm, & said to y ^e tyrante. Lay away thine unfaithfulness, & learn that he is the God alone, whō we confess to have power, over all creatures.

For thorough the might of my Lord Jesus Christ, me think that going upon burning coles I walk as it were vpō red roses w ^t out fealynge of any pain or hurt of my fete. For the creature obeyeth the commandment of the creature. When the tyrant saw that the fire did him no harm, he commanded that he should be slain w ^t the swerd.

The blessed martyre went unto his death with a toyfull heart, praysynge God, that he would vouchsafe to give him strength for to confess his most blessed name & holy word before worldly tyrants. When Galerius the Proconsull commanded that. S. Cipriā should be headed, because he was an enemy to the God's of the Romans, and would serve none but Christ alone the son of almighty God, y ^e blessed martyre with a lusty courage and me ry hert braste out into these words, saying. I thank almyghty God, which voucheth safe to losen me from the bādes of this body. And so died. When Maximianus that moste cruel Empe roure commanded his soldiers to worship false God's and to slay so many as professed Christ & his blessed word, Mauricius w ^t his fellows answered that either in worshypping false God's, or in sleaynge the true Christians, they by no means would obey the Emperor, We are, said they, thy souldidur •… , O Emperor, but yet we freely confess, that we are the servants of God, which gave us this our life. We cannot follow the Emperor so, that we should deny God our maker, yea and thy ma ker also, whether thou wilt or wilt not. We are Christian men, therefore may we not persecute such as profess Christ. We are ready rather to die, then to kill such.

And we are more desierousse to die innocents, then to live wicked and sinful. Know thou that the minds of this army by no means can be overcome.

These worldly weapons we caste away. Oure breaste is enarmed with the faith of Christ, which is our shylde bucler, and defense against the fyrye darts of the devil, & of all his soldiers.

Therefore slee thou, kill thou, mur there thou, minister what kind of pain thou wilt, we w ^t a bold courage offer our selves to suffer for the glory of God. And shortly after y ^e holy man of God, with a great nūbre of blessed martyrs mo were slain w ^t the swerd. Eus. These be notable exēples & worthy to be practiced of all faithful Christians, if God at any time calleth thē unto this conflicte w ^t the wordly tyraūtes & feigned holy hypocrites for the cōfessiō of his blessed truth.

I could rehearse many mo godly histories to declare w ^t what a ready will with howe rejoicing an hert, the blessed martyrs of Christ suffered all manner of bitter torments for the Lord's sake, but these at this present shall suffice.

For hereof may ye learn to practice this word of the Apostle Alway. I mean to rejoice in the Lord our God not only in prosperity, but also in adversity, be it in sycknes, loss of goods, poverty, persecution, or any other cross, y ^t god our father layeth vpō us. For this the duty of a true christen mā to cōceyue that same faith, hope and joy, in God, when he is assailed in tribulation, that he had before, when all things were moste prosperouse to him. So meaneth the Apostle when he saith. Rejoice in the Lord alway. And because he would have us earnestly to rejoice in the Lord at all times, be it in prosperity or adversity, he doubleth this word, Rejoice, saying. Rejoice in the Lord always yea once again, I say rejoice. Piththye and full of efficacye is this sentence of the Apostle, and comprehendeth in it many Godly mysteries, as ye have hitherto partly heard. S. Paul desiereth nothing more, then that we should rejoice in the Lord. His joy is altogether in God, therefore would he, that yours should be so likewise. And unto this doeth that princelyke prophet ex hort you also, saying. Be ye glad & rejoice in the Lord, O ye righteous, and all ye that are true her ted, be merry in the Lord. Agayne Let so mani as trust in y ^e , O lord, be meri, yea, thei shall be joyful for ever, and thou shalt dwell among them. And all that love thy name, shall rejoice in the. Therefore if we love the name of God, if we trust to be saved by his mercy if we loke for good things at y ^e hand of our heavenly father thorough Jesus Christ, let us sequester our joy from all worldly things, which are but vanity as ye have heard before, and repose it only in the Lord our God

That Lord which is the father of mercies, and the God of all consolation mought grant unto us his most holy spirit to work in us such a swetenes & delectation in spiritual things, that what so ever is of the world may wax vile, unpleasant and bitter unto us, and that we by this means may unfeignedly and even from the very bottom of the heart rejoice in the Lord our god alone, alone.

The Lord might bring this thing to pass in us.

Well neighbors.

Now according to my promise have I given you this Jewel of Ioye, not so conningelye and worckemanlyke (I confess) handled, as some other of better knowledge and more rype judgment in y ^e mysteries of God could have done it, notwithstanding truly and fayethfully wrought according to the pure vain of the holy scriptures.

But what so ever this youre gift is I pray you take it to good worth and accept my loving heart toward you.

Thoughe possibilitte faileth, yet good will shall never want in me, but what so ever the Lord shall give, at all times I will bestow it upon you and upon his holy congregation, and by no means suffer the talente given unto me of my Lord God, to lie Idle by me, but for my power I will so employe 〈◊〉 , that it may turn to the glory of God and to the profit of his blessed church.

For the history of the unprofitable servant, which hid up the money of his Lord in the ground & therefore was condemned caste into utter darkness, where weeping & gnashyng of teth shall be, ought to make all mē afraid that have received any gift at all of God, and to provoke them not to be sluggyshe and idle, but to use their talentes according to the commaūdemente of God, which saith. Occupye youre selves till I come.

Blessed is that man, which so occupieth his talent, that God therewith is glorified, and his neyghbouredifted. Sure may he be at that great and dreadful day of judge mente to hear of his Lord God this most sweet and joyful sentence. O mine own good seruaūte and faithful. Thou haste been faithful in little. I will make the ruler over much. Enter in, into thy Lord's joy.

Neyghbours I will disease you no lenger, but as I have given you a spiritual Jewel, joyful and comfortable for the soul, so will I in like manner at this my coming home and return into mi native contrye bestow somewhat upon you, that shall not be unprofitable for y ^e body. For I wish good both to your soul & body. And would God it lay in my power to gratify you in both alike.

But that which, shall want in wordly things, shall, if I live be recompensed in spiritual thin ges. But as I may at the last make an ende, remember brethrē remember, what ye have heard of me at this present. Remembre that all things in this world, be subject unto vanity, yea they them selves are mere vanity, as the preacher saith. Al is but vanity, yea altogether is plain vanity. What marvel, whē mā him self, for whose sake all worldly things were created, is very vanity. Remēber that the ende ofal worldly joy, of all carnal pleasure, of all temporal felicity, is bitter sorrow and grievous pain Remembre that we are borne to die, prepare therefore for youre last ende. Remembre that the goods of this world are transitory, •… ttyng away, and seldom tarry longe with their old possessor and owner, gather not there fore treasure together on earth, where rusie and moths corrupt, and where thieves break thorough and steal, but gather ye treasure together in heaven, where neither rust, nor moths corrupt, & where theaues neither break up nor steal. Make you friends of the wicked Mammon, that when ye shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting dwellinge places. Remembre that whatsoever ye sow, that shall ye reap, whither it be of the flesh, corruption or of the spirit, eternal life: If ye on this wise judge both of the world, and of worldly things, doubt ye not, but that yours hearts shall burn with such an earneste and unfeigned love toward God, that ye shall rejoice in him alone, alone, yea and that always, that is both in prosperity and adversity, & at all times have a quiet & a merry conscience which of all treasures is the most precious in this world. And y ^t ye may do this the more fortunately, consider your vocation, remember youre calling. Ye are called Christians, express Christ youre •… ord and master in all your cōuersatiō & living. He that saith he dwelleth in Christ, ought to walk evē as Christ walked. Ye are called gospellers, love, & lyu •… y ^e gospel. Let your light so shine before men, that they may se your good works and glorify your father, which is in heaven. The Papists rail on you, blaspheme you, cal you heritikes, seditious persons. &c. Ordre so your life, that the adversaries seeing your Godlye conversation, may either be won to confess the same truth with you, or else be ashamed to speak any evil of you For this is the will of God, that with well doing ye should stop the mouths of folysh and ignorant men, as free, but not making liberty to be a cloke of noughtynes, but even as the servants of God. Ye confess youre selves to be justified before God bi faith alone, prouid that this youre faith be not idle, sluggishe, nor dead, as. S. James saith, but •… iuish, and mighty in operation, and full of all good and Chrian works. For in Christ Jesus neither is circumcision any thing worth, neither yet vncircūcision but faith, which worketh by cha ritie, and the ende of the cōmaun dement is charity, that cometh of a pure heart, & of a good conscience, & of faith unfeigned. Ye believe to be saved by the alone sacrifice of Christ's most blessed body, commit nothing unworthy the gentleness of so kind & loving savior. Ye confess to know god, deny him not in your deeds, but be always studious of good works. Ye profess y ^e doctrine, which requireth of you and of all subjects faithful and humble obeisaunce to y ^e King his Majesty, answer to youre professiō, obey unfeignedly, not only for fear of •… nishemēt, but for cōsience sake 〈◊〉 For there is no power but of 〈◊〉 •… e powers y ^t be, are 〈◊〉 •… d. Therefore whosoever resisteth the power, resisteth y ^e ordinance of God. And they y ^t resist, shall get to thē selves dānation. Fear god & the king, saith Solomon. Fear god & hououre the Kinge, saith blessed Peter. Therefore fear, obey, love, & honor our most excellent Prince. Neither thick, breath, speak or do anything, y ^t may be preiudicial to the godly doīges of y ^e king his highness, but be y ^u alway led w ^t a reuerente fear toward his grace. Neither cōsent to any tumult cōmotiō, insurrectiō, sedition, conspiracy &c, neither cōseal any thig, whereby any dishonor to the Kings Majesty, any displeasure to his moste honorab •… council, ani unquietness to y ^e p •… que weal may be wrough •… 〈◊〉 evermore set before yo •… 〈◊〉 this sentence of the 〈…〉 wish the king 〈…〉 thought, & speak no hurt of the noble man in thy priui chamber. For a birde of the air shall betray thy voice, and with her feathers shall she bewraye thy words. How grievously they have all ways be punished y ^t were seditious & walked w ^t out any godly fear toward the ciuille Maigistrates, the histories of Dathan and Abiron, of zambry and Baa sa of Bagathā & Thares, show manifestly. Neither have we wā ted experience of this thing in these our days. And as unto the Kinge his Majesty, so likewise submit youre selves unto the other Rulers y ^t are sent of him, for the punishment of evil doers, but for the praise of thē y ^t do well. Ye have a pleasure to hear the preachers of gods word, reverence thē as the ministers of god giving thē no les honor, than the child giveth the father, remembering y ^t they be the Angels of God, the messengers of Christ the light of the world, y ^e salt of the earth, y ^e dispensatours of the mysteries of God, the feders of Christian men's soulles, the comforters of the weak, the Physicians of the sick, the upholders of the whole, the exhorters unto the virtue, the fraiers away frō vice which watch continually for the health of our soulles. Be not vnthākful to the preachers, but to such as minister spiritual things to you disdain not to give corporal things, y ^t the prea chers may y ^e more freli give their mind to y ^e studies of y ^e holy scriptures. If we sow unto you spiritual things, saith s▪ Paul, is it a great thing, if we reap your carnal things? The Lord hath ordained, y ^t they which preach the gospel, should live of the gospel. Again he saith, let him y ^t is taught w ^t the word, minister unto him y ^t teacheth him in all good things. Be not deceived, god is not mocked. Moreover ye y ^t are married, love your wives, even as christ loved the cōgregaciō. Nou rishe, & cherish thē as your own bodies, remembering that they be your own flesh & your own bones, & se y ^t by no means ye be bitter unto thē, but give honor vn to thē as to the weaker vessels, & as to thē y ^t are fellow heirs also of the grace of life. Teach youre wives to be obedient unto you as unto y ^e lord, to love you as their own selves, to be of honest beha uoure, chaste, housewifely, good, no evil spekers, but sober & faith full in all things. Learn them to keep silence w ^t all subiectiō & to a raie thē selves in mannerly apparel w ^t shamefastness & honest behauoure, not w ^t broided hear, other gold, or pearls or costlye a •… aie, but w ^t such as becometh woe men, y ^t profess y ^e worshipping of God thorough good works y ^t the hid man of the heart may be vncorrupte w ^t a meek & quiet spirit, which spirit is before god a thing much set by. For after this manner in the old time did y ^e holy we men, which trusted in God, try thē selves, & were obedient to their husbādes, even as Sara obeyed Abrahā, & called him lord. Bring up your childrē w ^t the nourtoure & information of the lord, & teach thē to obeie & honor you. Do y ^t unto your servants, which is just & equal, remembering y ^t ye also have a master in heaven. Exhort your servants to be obediente unto you in all godly things, not with eye service as men pleasers, but in singleness of heart, fearing god. Love all men as yourselves In few, whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things are just, what so ever things are pure, whatsoever things pertain to love whatsoever thiges are of ho nest report, if their be any virtuous thing, if there be ani laudable thing, those same have ye in mid▪ And all things, whatsoever ye do in word or deed, do in the name of the lord Jesus, giving thankes to God y ^e father bi him. So shall ye in this world live w ^t a merry cō science, & after this present life joy & rejoice in eternal glory w ^t god y ^e father, to whō w ^t his son christ Ie su our most precious Jewel, & the holy ghost y ^e sweet cōfortoure be all honor & praise for evermore. The, Amen.

So be it.

Now dere neighbors come w ^t