beinge ignorant of the scriptures denied the resâ—rrection of the fleshe therfore said Christ vnto them You erre bicause you knowe not the scriptures neither the power of god The wicked Iewes through ignoraÌ„ce put Christ to death for Christ praying to his father for them saith Pater remitte eis nesciunt enim quid faciunt Father forgiue them for they knowe not what they doe And S Paule saith if they had knowne they woulde neuer haue killed the kinge of glorye But I will let passe them and come nearer to our selues When we were ignorant in gods worde and hard nothinge but the sound of a tiâ—â—klinge Cimball did we not thinke supersticion to be religioÌ„ deceauers true teachers vanitie to be veritie the gospell to be heresie to gad abrode on pilgramage froÌ„ this saincte to y saincte to be a part of gods seruice mens traditions the commaundements of god Antichriste Christes vicar the man of Rome who is a creature ouerwhelmed with al wickednes and the beast that did rise out of the bottemles pit a most holy father Yea we thought that God was delited wyth incense perfume waxcandles golden copes and vestmentes and we worshipped those thinges which our owne consciences gaue vs to vnderstande were no gods we made no difference almost betwixt Christ his creatures wée confounded the signe with the thinge signified worshipped a wafer cake which is a creture corruptible in stéede of the maker of heauen and earth beleued it was the verie body of Christ that was borne of the virgin Marye and slaine for our sinnes vpon the Crosse The cause of all which grosse errors was the ignorance of Christ and hys worde For although some of the Papistes say that ignorance is the mother of deuotion yet it appeareth that it is the mother of all errour supersticion And therfore verie aptly it is compared to the night and to sléepe For euen as one when as he is in the night time fast a sléepe in his bedde hath all his senses so tyed vp and bound that hée cannot doe any thinge and yet neuerthelesse he dreameth sometimes and verily thinketh that he is dooing this that so they which are ignorant of Christ and his worde haue al the powers of theire soules so let and hindered that they cannot moue towardes heauen or doe anie thinge that can please God although oftentimes they thinke they do god most noble seruice wheÌ„ as they commit most horriable and greuous crimes But forasmuch as it is nowe not night with vs but day let vs doe those things that are séemely for them that haue the lyght and followe the counsell of Paule who wylleth vs to cast away the workes of darknes and to put on the armoure of lyght By the workes of darknes is signified sinnes and naughtye vices and they are so called chiefely for two causes The first cause is bicause they procéede of the ignoraunce of gods word and bicause wée are moued to doo them by the motion and instinct of Sathan who is the prince of darkenesse Secondly bicause they that commit naughtiâ—sse flée the light and couet rather for the night then for the daye according to the sayinge of our Sauiour Christe Qui malè agit odit lucem he that doeth euill hateth the light For whoremongers théeues murtherers and wicked persons commonly doo their feates in the darke and in the night season and therefore saith Paul Quae ab illis clam fiunt turpe est vell dicere It is a shame euen ones to name those thinges that are done of them in secrete The darkenes of the night doth make them bold to commit sinne for they feare onely the eyes of men and consider not that the eyes of the Lord are vppon euery mans waies that with him ther is no darkenes at al but that the night is with him as the noone daye And therefore although men commit sinne neuer so closely yet doth god sée them and at length will reauele and bring it to lyght as he dyd the whoredome of Dauid and there is no wall so thicke that can hide them that worke wickednesse from the sight of god Let vs therefore cast away the workes of darkenes and put on the armoure of light By the armoure of light he vnderstandeth good workes bicause they procéede of faith and of the true knowledge of god and shine before men to the honor praise of our good god who worketh them in vs by his holy spirit But here it may be demaunded why Paule doth call vices and sinnes the workes of darkenesse good workes the armoure of light Truely you knowe that our flesh is prone ynough and inclined of it self to follow naughtinesse and in committing sinne we take great pleasure and thinke it no payne at all to doo wickedly But if we begin ones to serue God to frame our liues according to the rule of his word then must we striue and take great paines and there is a battell set before vs full of great labour and perill In which battell we must fight against Sathan the inticemâ—nâ—es of the world and y sinfull lustes of the fleshe For the diuell is chiefe captayn in this battel and giueth vs euery day terrible assaultes and rangeth about like a rearing Lion seeking whom he may deueure Besides this great and mighty enimye looke howe many wicked thoughts â—uâ—l affectioÌ„s there be in vs so many enimies we haue that fight agaynst our saluation and which séeke to bring vs to destructioÌ„ And therfore if we wil liue vprightly we must continually mayntayne war againste Sathan the world the flesh Christ himselfe doth admonishe vs hereof in the Gospell wheÌ„ as he telleth vs y the way to heauen is strayt and narrow and the crowne of lyfe cannot be obtayned without paynes taking And we sée dayely by experience that they which giue themselues to serue God to be subiect to sclaunders and reproches to be beset on euery side with All which places do sufficieÌ„tly proue that it is not inough for vs to absteine from euill but also we must doe good And therefore here wée may sée that they vse vnséemely speaches which say what shoulde we giue our selues to holynes Or why should not wée folowe our pleasures if wée be of the elect and chosen of GOD we shall be saued howsoeuer wée liue if we be reprobates cast awaies we shall be damned whatsoeuer we doe As though the election of god did giue leaue vnto men to doe wickedlye when as it is playne by the testimonye of S. Paule that wée are chosen in Christe not to liue loselye but that we should be holy without blame before him in loue For it is certayne and out of doubt that holynes of lyfe cannot be seperate from the grace of election And therefore although good workes be not the causes of our saluation yet séeinge that the ende of our election is that wée shoulde liue vprightly
A Sermon preached before the right honorable Earle of Darbie and diuers others assembled in his honors Chappell at Newparke in Lankashire the second of Ianuarie Anno humana Salut 1577. GALA VI. ¶ Dum tempus habemus operemur bonum ¶ Whyle we haue time let vs doo good Gala. vi ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East the xiiij day of March. 1577. TO THE RIGHT Honorable and his very good Lorde Henrie Earle of Darbie Lorde Stanley and Strange Lorde of Man and of the Iles adioyninge and Knight of the moste noble order of the Garter continuance of health with prosperitie and increase of honor YOV Knowe right well right honorable my very good Lorde that I accordinge to my dutie giuinge attendaūce vpō your Lordshippe in the tyme of Christmas laste past was appointed by your honour to preach before you in your Chapple at neweparke the second of Ienuarie at which tyme I entreated of this text of Sainct Paule Rom 13. Idque perspecta oportunitate quod videlicet tempestiuū iam sit nos a somno expergisci so forth vnto the end of the chapter according as it pleased God at that time to minister vnto me matter and to giue vnto me the spirit of vtteraūce Which Sermon finished I was immediately called vnto your honor by you earnestly requested without delay to set downe in wryting such lessons and instructions as I had in your presence before certain gētlemen of worship vttered with my mouth And herewithall it pleased your honor not only to require a copie of my Sermon but also to giue me to vnderstand that you would send it vp to London to be Printed to the ende that the thinges which I had vttered before a fewe at home in your house might be further published abroade to the vse and behoofe of many Which when I perceaued I must needes confesse that I was very loth altogether vnwilling to deliuer to that ende into your Lordshippes handes any copy of that which I had preched First bicause my dooinges are so simple and my skil so small that they deserue not to come abroade into the sight of the world Secondly many are so fine and daintie that nothing can please content thē vnlesse it flow and swim with store of eloquence Thirdly and last of all bicause I feare that when many haue read it ▪ I shall by my playnnesse procure to my self more misliking for publishing of it then I had lyking of your honor for preaching of it Howbeit your honors great goodnesse diuers times shewed towards me your benefits bestowed vpon me which are yet greene abyding fresh in my remembrāce to my great releefe and comfort wherby I liue at this present a great deale the better haue ouercome all lettes and impediments enforced me to satisfie your godly desire herein Chosing rather to be mislyked for my doinges of a great many others to be reproued for my want of skil then to shew my selfe not dutiful towards your honor in this behalfe or to seeme slack to do any thing that may cōtent your noble mynde especially whē it pleaseth your Lordship so earnestly to require it of me who am so much bounde to your honor that I must nedes acknowledge my self to be ouermuch vnthākful if mi pore seruice wer not alwaies redi at your cōmādmēt Wherfore seing that it plesed your ◠to accept so well of this Sermon when it was preached I am thereby emboldned to craue patronage of you now it is Printed and further published abrode especially bicause it now hathe more neede thereof Most humbly desiring your honor to take it in good part now as you dyd then and to continue your good will to the faithfull Ministers Preachers of the word to seeke euer more and more to promote the honor and glory of our good God so that it may appere vnto al men that you haue in vtter hatred detestation the lying false doctrine of Antichrist as well as it is knowne to me and others that dayly haue experiēce of your honorable disposition herein The Lord of Lordes euermore enflame direct your noble hart with his holy and gratious Spirit increase all heroicall and godly vertues in you with prosperitie and encrease of honor in this lyfe graunt that in the end you may so dye that you may after wardes lyue for euer At Moberley the. viii of Februarie ¶ Your honors most humble bounden seruaunt Iohn Caldwell Parson of Winwick ¶ Idque perspecta oportunitate quod videlicet tempestiuum tam sit nos a somno expergisci c. AND that cōsidering the seasō that it is now time that we should arise from sleepe for now is our saluation nearer then when we beleued it The night is past and the daye is at hand let vs therfor cast away the works of darkenesse and let vs put on the armour of light So that we walke honestly as in the day not in gluttonie dronkennesse neither in chambering and wantonnes not in strife and enuyinge But put ye on the Lord Iesus Christ and take no thought for the fleshe to fulfill the lustes of it RIght honorable if we way and consider the holy Scriptures we shall easily finde and soone perceiue that our conuersaiton is then worthy of great praise our life best framed to gods will and the rule of his lawe when it shal be euery waye most profitable to our neighbours For god requireth nothing more earnestly of vs thē loue he would haue such a bande of friendshipe amongest men y they might be knit together as members of one body And for this cause hath he oftentimes in his word commaunded vs with no lesse chéerefulnes to be as ready to pleasure and to doe good to our neighboures then to our selues So that it is not without good cause that S. Paule in this chapter euen in the verse next goinge before this text ▪ saith that loue is the fulfilling of the lawe For Paule speaking here of the dueties and debt that we owe one to an other doth giue vs to vnderstand that whatsoeuor is contayned in y second table of gods lawe is comprehended in these fewe words loue thy neighbour as thy selfe And true it is that such is the force of holy and godly loue that it worketh not euill but it seeketh to ouercome euill with goodnes neyther will it permit and suffer a man to hurt his neighbour He that loueth his father and mother will shewe himselfe obedient and lowly towards them he will bée ready to ayde and assist them and willinge to do after their commaundement and be affrayde to doe any thing that may displease and offend them Hée that loueth his neighbour will not inwardly in minde conceue malice and hatred agynst him neither will he go about to offer violence and wrong too any man but will seeke to preserue his life and to procure his welfare yea though it
his deare and welbeloued soÌ„ne neither had we learned how swéete the Lorde is Our eares were so stopped y we could not harken vnto the swéete voyce of God and glad tidinges of saluatioÌ„ we perceaued nothing at all of the goodnes of God towards vs neither yet were we moued to any worke of charitye towards our neighbour but were vtterlye vnapt altogether vnable to doo any good worke yea not so much so much as to thinke a good thought But now seinge it hath pleased the lord to pittye our misery to awake vs out of this deadlye daungerous sleepe of sinne to send his worde amongest vs and by it through the working of his spirit to create fayth in vs it is very méete and also right nedefull that we sléepe no more in sine but rise vp with al spéed vnto newnes of life For seing we haue nowe the light of the Gospell amoÌ„gst vs it is now no time for vs to â—lugge and sléepe any more and to folowe the lustes pleasures of the fleshe as though Christ had neuer bene preched vnto vs and we neuer called by the voyce of God to repentance and amendment of lyfe Let vs therefore not neclect this good occasion considering y the apostle doth héere fel vs that it is nowe high tyme for vs to awake out of sléepe but let euery man be redy to do his duty séeing that good opportunitye serueth therevnto we ought in no wise to deferre the reformation of things that be amisse from daye to daye and yere to yere and to be idle at such a time as this is bicause god perchaunce will not alwaies graunt vs the like occasion to do good And therfore it behoueth vs to strayne our selus the more whilest occasion â—â—steth while god grauÌ„teth vs leaue to do wel The Smith stricketh his yron 〈…〉 it is hot The husband ma◠〈◊〉 his corne to be already ripe prouideth in dâ—â— seaâ—on reaperâ— and sicles to cut it doâ—â—â— and in the harâ—est time you shall heare him say to his seruauntes wheÌ„ the weather is faire plie it â—â—irs plye it for we cannot tell whether it will raine or no and howe longe this faire weather will last Likewise the Marchantman if he haue a voiage to make he will take shippe while tide anâ— wâ—â—de serueth For hée knoweth that time and tide will â—arye for no man The prophet Esay therfore giueth good counsel and willeth all men to receyue Christ when as he offereth himselfe into them by the preaching of his worde Sayinge Quâ—â—â—te dominum dum inueâ—â—â— potest inuocate eum dum prope est sieke the Lorde whilest he may be found cal you vpon him whilest he is neare Christ in the gospell doth shewe that manye through their owne slownes and negligence shall be that out of the kingdome of heauen he depriued of eternal life Here vpoÌ„ he saith Contendite intrare per anguâ—â—am portaÌ„ quia dico vobis multi quaerent intrare et non poterunt Stâ—â—ue to enter in at the strait gate for many I say wil seeke to enter in and shall not be able When the good man of the house is risen vp and hath shut to y dore ye begin to staÌ„d without and knock at the dore sayinge Lorde Lord open vnto vs he shall answer and say vnto you I knowe you not whence you are In the xxv of Math. we read y the siue wise virgins which wer ready went in with the Bridegrom vnto the weddinge but the fiue folishe virgins bicause they were not ready in time had the gate of heauen shut against them For whilest they went to bye oyle for their laâ—ps y bridegrome came the gaâ—â— was shut Paule therfore in the Gal. willeth vs to do good to all men while we haue time And here in this place he telleth vs y it is now time for vs to awake out of slepe Wherefore seeinge y good occasion of well doinge beings 〈◊〉 â—et â—lipe cannot be called back agane fâ—râ—â—much as it hath plesed god of his infinit mercy to seÌ„d his word amoÌ„gst vs to giue vs vnderstaÌ„diÌ„g of his good will plesure to awakeÌ„ vs which were afore fast a sleepe in Idolatry and vtterly vnable to do any good worke let vs I say not neclect this good occasion but with an earnest desire endeuour to do our duties whilest god graunteth vs leasure and whilest good opportunity serueth thervnto An other reason which ought to perswade vs to doo our dutye without delay is because our lyfe is short and passeth away swyftly and good occasions of well dooing slippe away apace and therefore greate cause haue we to do good whilest God giueth vs respite whilest opportunity serueth For we are taught by the prophet the we cannot be couÌ„ted for good fruitful trées vnlesse we bringe footh fruite in dwe season A good trée doth not only bringe forth good fruit but also it bringeth it foorth in due coÌ„uenieÌ„t time So if we wil be counted good ChristiaÌ„s we must do good whilest opportunitye serueth The good Samaritane meÌ„tioned of in the Gospel did good while opportunity did serue and when occasion was offered For so sone as he sawe the man that was falleÌ„ into the hands of theues lying by the way side sore beaten and wounded he was straight way moued with coÌ„passion on him in somuch that he went vnto him bouÌ„de vp his wounds powred wine oyle into them layde hym vpoÌ„ his beast caried him to his Inne and made prousion for him But the Preist and the Leuite had the same occasioÌ„ offered them to do good and to exercise theire charity towards theire neighbour but they passed by would not do good when occasioÌ„ serued thervnto So likewise wheÌ„ poore Lazarus laie at the gate of Diues with a naked body an empty belly crauinge to be refreshed with the smal cruÌ„mes that fell from his table there was occasion offered vnto him to do good but he would not do good when he might bringe forth fruite in dwe season therefore he was cut downe as an vnfruitful trée and cast into the fyre and his ende was euerlastynge myserye withoute all hope of mercy Therfore let vs learne to do good whilest we haue tyme and when we may But alas although we are here told that it is time to awake out of sléepe to arise out of the bedde of carnal securitie and to goe about our busines yet for al this we lye still wée are none of the hastinges yea wée deferre our doinge well from one day to another yea from one yere to another that is to say from henceforth for euer more Such is our negligence and slownes in this behalfe For we are in such a deade sléepe that wee awake not for all the noyse and callinges that is made and vsed euery daye The preachers crye out cease not they exalt their voyces like trumpetes and call
take possession of heauen The longer we liue and the nearer that we approch to death the more earnest we ought to be to serue God and the longer that we haue hard the Gospel and beleued in Christ so much the more earnest wée ought to be to obey the Gospell And therefore séeinge that we haue harde the Gospell many yeares in this Realme of England the more deligent we ought to be to serue God and to liue vprightly and to shewe foorth by our lyfe conuersation that we be dooers of the word and not hearers onely deceauinge our owne selues A prentice in seuen yeares wil learne his occupation and be able to doo hys maister good seruice and he will be more shylful the second yeare then the fyrst and so euery yeare better than another The lyttle chyldrne that goe to the Schole goe forwarde in learninge in thrée or foure yeres will not onelye be able to reade but also to write and to speake lattine But alas we haue gonne to schole not seuen yeares but eighttene yeares we haue had many notable Scholemasters and teachers and yet for all this wée be little amended but like very blockheades we tary styll in our ould lessons and will not take forth into good manners and newe conditions Yea we are more slowe to heare Gods worde and to frame our liues thereafter then we were wheÌ„ it was first preached And we go rather backward then forward And what a reproche and shame is it for vs to be more slowe to serue God then we were in the beginning considering we haue tasted of his mercye and grace so longe and so many yeres together and that in such sorte that we may iustly say Non taliter fecit omni nationi He hath not dealt so with any nation as he hath dealt with vs. You knowe that they which runne for a wager that the nearer they draw to the marke the faster they runne and they make the more spéede So the longer that we haue harde the Gospel and the longer that we haue beléeued so much the holier we ought to be in life and conuersation And truely if ther were no other reason to perswade vs yet consideringe as I haue sayd already that our lyfe is shorte and death knocketh at the dores and the daye of Iudgement commeth on so fast that we may looke for it euery houre we ought to be perswaded to liue vprightly and to walk as it be commeth vs. But alas many at the first hearing of the Gospell shewed them selues zelous and ready to folow it But after a while they gaue ouer euen in the middest of their race and waxed weary of well dooing And truely it appereth that ther hath bene many of these slydebackes in all ages but yet I thinke neuer more than at this day Kinge Asa in the beginning of his raigne was zelous in abolishing of Idolatrie in restoring of sound religion but at the length he began to waxe cold in the zeale of the Lorde imprisoned Hananie the Sear for telliÌ„g him of his fault therfore froÌ„ that time forwarde he felt the smart and bitternes of warre was striken by the hand of God with an extreme disease in the féete and at length taken away by death Ioas likewise was a good Kinge in the beginninge of his raigne and hée liued vprightly all the dayes of Iehoida the Priest who was vnto him a faithful counseller gouerned him by the worde of God but when Iehoida was dead he falleth to Idolatrie and forgettinge the kindenes which Iehoida had done vnto him slewe and sâ—oned to death his sonne Zacharia the Prophet of the Lorde For which it came to passe by the iust iudgement of God that he was slyan by the handes of his owne seruaunts The fiâ—e folyshe virgins went forth with their lampes to méete the Bridgroume aswell as the fiâ—e wise but bicause they faynted in the myddest of their race therefore they were shut out from the mariage and euerlasting life Let these horrible examples moue vs to take heede and to beware that we be not weary of well doing least we in the end perish as they dyd But let vs euery day morning euening risinge and goinge to bed consider that our salutation is now nearer then it was in times past and that therefore we ought with a good courage to goe forward to doo our duties throughly to the ende quietly to suffer that little trouble that is behind And euery day more and more to increase in faith to be more holy in lyfe It followeth in the text the night is passed and the daye is at hande Here is an other reason to moue vs to lyue vprightly and it differeth not much from that which he vsed before For the night hée calleth the ignoraunce of God and Christ the time of blindnes vnbelefe By day he meaneth the light of gods truth by which truth Iesus Christ the true sonne of rightuousnes doth appeare vnto vs And therefore in sayinge the night is passed and the day is come on he meaneth that séeinge we are not now ouerwhelmed with the thick mistes cloudes of ignoraunce as the infidels and vnbeléeuinge bée and as we our selues were in times past we ought to behaue our selues as the childrne of the day and light and not to sléepe still in sinne with the wicked and vnbeléeuinge And here by the way wée haue diligently to note and consider that Paule calleth the ignoraunce of Christ and his gospel night and darknes and coÌ„pareth the vnbeléeuers to such as bée fast a sléepe And verie aptly and not without good cause is the ignoraunce of Christ compared to night For as in the night time all thinges are couered with darknes and as we cannot for want of light knowe what is what and discerne black from blewâ— and redde from russet yea sometimes in the night season we thinke a bushe to be a man a dead thing a liuing creature for then as the Poet saith Est color omnibus vnus all things seeme to be of one hue and coulor so when wee were altogether ignoraunt in gods word knewe not Christ we did mistake things through igoraunce we did so erre y we accouÌ„ted superstision to be good deuotioÌ„ thought our selues highly in gods fauour when as wée were fast tied in the diuells setters and almost plunged into the pit of endles damnacioÌ„ For without the knowledge of gods word we are so blind that we cannot discerne betwene iustice and iniurie protection opression religioÌ„ and superstition Christ and Antichrist good euill Paule himselfe beinge ignoraunt of Christ did with great rage crueltie persecute his disciples thirsted after innoceÌ„t blood he himself coÌ„fesseth y he was sometimes vtterly parswaded that he ought to do many thinges against the name of Christ being led thervnto by a rash blind zeal and as yet wantinge the true knowledge of God. The Saduces
and lead a godly lyfe let vs not onely abstayne from euill but also doe good workes that they may serue as witnesses to confirme our election and that we may in so dooinge shewe our selues to be the shéepe 〈◊〉 Christ who doo not onely heare his voice but also follow him For S. Paule here in this place doth plainely tell vs that we cannot bée reckened for gods seruauntes vnlesse wée walke honestly as in that day In which words I haue to note vnto you to say some thing of thys worde walkinge bicause it is very life both in the olde newe testament and the Lorde dooth vse it often times to giue vs to vnderstande howe wée should order and frame our lyfe For then are we saide to walke honestly as it becommeth vs when as we liue vprightly and withdrawe our selues from euill Herevpon the Prophet often tymes in his boke of Psalmes goinge about to liue vprightly doth vse this worde walke In the first Psal. he saith Blessed is that man that walketh not in the counsell of the vngodly c. And in the. 119. Psal. he sayth Blessed are they that are sound in the way walke in the lawe of the Lorde by which two places it appeareth that to liue vprightly honestly is nothing els but to walke in the lawe of the Lorde For if a man liue after hys owne swynge he shall do nothing els but wander out of the right way and doe those thinges which are neyther séemely nor honest Paule settinge downe certaine preceptes concerning maners and christian life saith I pray you walke worthye of the vocation wherevnto you are called And Collo i. he willeth vs to walke worthie of the Lorde to please him in al things and to be fruitfull in all good workes So it appeareth that it is not inough for a man to walke vnlesse hée walke honestly as in the day For though all men doe walke yet doe not all men walke nonestly and in the lawe of GOD or daye light as they should doe Some there bée that walke not in the day but in the nyght and such walkers bée théeues and robbers which coÌ„mit wickednes in the night and when true men are at rest and in their beddes Some other there bée that walke in darknes for they haue not the true knowledge of Christ and of his worde but are vtterly ignoraÌ„t in matters pertaininge to GOD and to their saluation Such walkers were the filthye and polluted Gentils when as they lay drowned in all kinde of filthines and superstition in which they continued vntill Christ sent hys seruauntes to call them to bée partakers of the heueÌ„ly marriage Such walkers bée the Turkes which slatly deny Christe the gospell séekinge for life and saluation by the Alcoran Such be the Iewes which séeke for saluation by the lawe and deny Christ which was borne of the virgin Mary to bée the sonne of God and the true Messias Such walkers also be the papistes for they make the paineful passion of Iesus Christ the high ransome of our soules and the onely meanes which god hath vsed to worke our saluation by to be voyde and of none effect by bearinge themselues in hand that they are able to purchase the realme of Paradice by their owne merites For they walke after theyr owne fansies trangresse the lawe of God for their owne traditions Some other there be that walk but they walke not honestly as in the day for they walke after the fleshe not after the spirit Such walkers as these are they which delite in nothing but in sinne and wickednesse which take leaue to dooe naughtily neuer stryuing against theyr own lustes and wicked affections but suffering sathan the enimie of our saluation and welfare to hale them from one vice to another euen to theyr own destruction Such a fleshly walker was Absolon whose lust was so outragious that he defiled his fathers wyues in the sight of all Israel And surely as long as men walk after the fleshe and after the maner of this world which is altogether set vpoÌ„ mischiefe they shall euery day become worse worse their desire wil be nothinge els but to drawe others into the same sinke of sinne whereinto they theÌ„selues are alredy fallen And these that walk after this fashioÌ„ walke disorderly and they walke in horrible confusion and in that brode way that leadeth to hell and endlesse damnation An other kinde of walkers there bée which walke honestly as in the day and these be they which liue not after their owne swinge and let lose y bridle to vices but suffer them selues to bée gouerned by the word of GOD and walke accordinge to his lawe And these bycause they walke accordinge to the pure word of God they doe those thinges that are comely honest They spende their liues wholly in gods seruice and withdrawe theÌ„selues as much as is possible from all euill For they doe not walke as the wordlinges doe which euery day become worse and wofe but they sette GOD alwayes before their eies and haue a respect to his preceptes bicause they know they cannot doe any thing that can escape his sight Of this walkinge speaketh god himselfe in Gene. Wheras he commaundeth Adraham to walke before him and to liue vprightly and truely we shall neuer walke hnoestlye as wée should doe vnlesse we set the Lorde before our eies and thincke that we liue still in his sight Many doe glory of the multitude and boast thmselues to be holy and religious men bicause they liue as the moste doe and walke after the manners and coustomes if theyr forefathers but yet the holye ghost dothe here tell them that they shall neuer walke honestlye vnlesse they seperate them selues from men and frame theyr liues accordinge to the lawe of GOD. Here vpon it is sayde that Enoch walked with GOD bicause he was not peruerted by the euill example of others and although the world when as he liued was as corrupt as myght be yet hée continued vncorrupted and considered that it behooued him to walke honestly as in the presence of GOD. Suche a walker was Iob for hée gaue himselfe to the seruice of God liued amongest his neighbours without hurtinge of anye person guile deceit and naughtinesse was farre from him neyther went he about as many dâ—y in these dayes to encrease his substaunce by vndooinge of poore men And therefore the Scripture doth repâ—â—t him to bée a sounde and vpright man and suche a one as feared GOD and withdrewe himselfe from euill Ioseph also walked honestly for although hée was allured by his maisâ—res to doe wickednesse with hir yet could not he be drawne to destle his Maisters bedde And although no creature was present when as his maisteres did intice him to folly yet he walked honestly as in the daye and the feare of GOD preserued hym against hir continuall temptations And therefore he sayd how can I dâ—â— this great