TO the which Christ I wold to the almighty God that all the Iewes nowe turning themselues wold forsake their old Moses which at this time conceiueth this opinion amongste them selues that it is sufficient inoughe for their saluation to be the children of Abraham by descente or to kéepe the lawe which by Moses was giuen vnto them Whereas in very déede nothing of all this doth any thing at all profit them except they shew themselues faithful in Christe and after this sort conforme themselues to him that they may be beloued of God his heauenly father But to their great shame it is doutlesse that Christ is thus cast out from amongste them which was so promised vnto them in their owne law and by whose vnfaithfulnesse the Gentiles do now receiue him Notwithstanding this I do not speake any thing héere in despite of the Iewes which be my natural country men whom in Christ I déerely loue at the hart roote thoughe they cannot abide me nor yet once further me their friendly good worde Verily I speake as the thing it self is Christ is my record which knoweth al mens secretes Neither do I make any lie I take witnes of my conscience which the holy ghost perfectly knoweth that I am very sory that with continual dolor thought in my hart for their fal mischance which most apparantly commeth through their owne wilful fault folie For so litle do I hate the Iewes the I with all my hart wold wish to be made their safetie helth yea euen through mine own destruction Neither wold I refuse to be reiected froÌ„ Christ so that I might haue al those that be of my stock kinred adioyned as I now am in the true faith of Iesus Christ And that as they be al Israelites by birth so they might be also very Israelites in the truth veritie For whom it was conuenient aboue all other creatures to haue embraced him which the law had promised before vnto them considering they be of the only nation which God the father from all others did seperate did chuse it only to himself to be his only peculiare proper people and did put away froÌ„ him all other nations couÌ„ting them but reiects as misbegotten bastards and toke only the Israelites for his true natural childreÌ„ which only had the glory dignitie of the world when they did forsake idolatrie gaue themselues to the only worshipping of the true god which only had then the preheminence of the lawe his prerogatiue which only had the couenantes promises of God made vnto them which had only declared vnto theÌ„ the rites ceremonies of religion which only had the prophets sent vnto theÌ„ that promised the comming of Messias many yeares before he came and which only had also made vnto them the promisse of the heaueÌ„ly glory which we receiue through the same only Messias the great God sauior of the world Al which Iewes do come of the stocke of the most noble highe personages Abraham Isaac Iacob and of many other notable worthy men of whose most noble famous lignage Christ him self coÌ„meth as touching the flesh for which cause sake they came not to chuse but whether they will or will not they be of kinred vnto Christe which is much more mightie and of higher maiestie than were those old ancient good fathers whom they so highly extol vpon whom they bost themselues so much For the old fathers though they were godly creatures and worthy great estimation yet amoÌ„gst men they were but men But Christ himselfe is a man in suche sort manner that he is also very God and that not of this or that nation only but of al nations where so euer they be foreseing in himselfe all their saluations vnto whom only be al laud praise honor now and for euermore Amen Neither shall we think that the iniquitie of the Iewes did so abouÌ„d that through the great desart of vengeance for the same God will not for all that performe al such things as he promised before in his Prophets I cannot deny but our felicitie was promised vnto Abraham to the children of Israel how be it not properly to each of them or to theÌ„ only but specially vnto all those that shuld be of his true posteritie possessors of the like faith For we caÌ„not say that they which come of Israel are all Israelites but only those same that be strong in faithe vnvanquished against the incoÌ„ueniences of this world in which God trieth proueth our religion and godlinesse and in al such verily rightly agreeth the name of an Israelite Further they that come of AbrahaÌ„s stock are not al the true childreÌ„ of Abraham haue to themselues the possession of the promisse of God but al they that represent the faith of Abraham by vertue wherof he deserued that the promise shuld be made vnto al his séede And marke I pray you diligeÌ„tly if the words of the promiser do not souÌ„d eueÌ„ the same thing which saith In Isaac shal be named vnto thee they seede And it was promised vnto the sede of Abraham the through it al nations shuld be renoumed blessed But God wil not that al which come of Abraham shuld be called the sede of Abraham except they be in Isaac which is the sonne of faith beareth truely the figure of Christ Isaac was not begotten borne into this world as is the common birth of children but was begotten of an old man worne withered with age which also was past bodily lust yet had always good faith in the promisse power of God born of an old womaÌ„ that was also past bearing of children wherfore the vertue of God and good faith of the father did rather beget him than the power work of that flesh What meaneth God therfore wheÌ„ he saith In Isaac shal be named vnto thee thy seede but only that he wold manifestly declare that they which be borne of Abraham after the flesh are not all the sonnes of Abraham so forthe the heires of the promise but all suche only as haue faith throughe which Abraham deserued to haue the promise made vnto him and those in déede be they that are of the seed of AbrahaÌ„ But otherwise if God shoulde haue made his promise after this fourme and sorte who so euer he be that shall be borne of thée to them shall appertayne my promise then without all doubt they might chalenge his promise by inheritaunce and for theyr duetie what soeuer he be that commeth of Abrahams descents Therefore séeing then that he spake after this maner as the Scriptures do shew About this time will I come and Sara shall haue a sonne God menâ—e Isaac to be one onely sonne and that the sonne of fayth whom he elected and chose out to him selfe for the same purpose not for
excellencie of whiche precious and inestimable treasure neyther the lawes of the Iewes neyther the precepts of your Philosophie or fantasticall imaginations could once possibly attayne or bring to passe Howbeit it was first preached to the Iewe and after to the Gentile In myne opinion he is very far frō healthfull state which in sickenesse neither knoweth what his disease is neyther woteth where to séeke redresse for the same Many heretofore in the blindnesse of their hearts haue thoght that their iustification or state to saluation dyd stande in the superstitious worshipping of vayne images or else in the outwarde obseruaunce of Moyses lawe but the onely true and sure iustification floweth méerely and simply out of the fayth which we haue in our Lorde Iesus Chryst For if men will confesse that God hath already truly perfourmed vnto vs through his deare sonne all such things as was before promised of him in the Bookes of the Prophets vndoubtedly the certayntie of that fayth and true trust sufficiently iustifieth all men vnto eternall saluation The iuste man sayth Abacuc shall liue by hys fayth But whereas in tymes passed God hath séemed to winke or rather in déede to sléepe at the sinnes and iniquities of men now he earnestly sheweth him selfe to be brode waking and declareth to the worlde the issue of his iuste furie and anger aswell agaynst the Iewe and all them that be vnder the lawe as agaynst the Gentile and them that haue not the law And specially bycause they now knowing the truth of God doo not truely apply it to pietie and godly liuing but still doo continue in the beastlynesse of their former iniquitie to heape iustly vpon them selues the fierce wrath of god And further bicause they now perceiuing and knowing more and more the secrets and high mysteries of the kingdome and grace of God than the multitude of the common people doth yet they doo no lesse vnthankfully receiue it and giue it their carelesse and negligent flippe than though they knew nothing thereof at all And though it be impossible wholly and throughly to know the high maiestie of the immortall God yet as muche as is possible and sufficient for man to know the Iewes of all other nations haue had the grace offered of true instructions for the which they should moste highly haue thanked and praysed their God In asmuche as it was his owne teaching in the Bookes of the Prophets wherein he spake onely to the Iewes to the great admiration of all the whole worlde besides yea and although God him selfe be an inuisible God and not to bée rightly comprehended of flesh and bloud yet he is not altogither aboue our godly imagination and vnderstanding but dothe appeare wonderfully vnto vs by the same vnderstanding as it were by a figure or in a glasse and that by the mightie straunge and maruellous workmanshippe of thys present worke and by the gouernement of the same of the which although there were a beginning and shall also haue an ending yet notwithstanding the wonderfull making and direction thereof declareth moste playnely the vertue and great maiestie of the Maker not to be as his creatures but sheweth him selfe thereby neither to haue had beginning neither yet to haue any ending In all which God hath opened the state of his eternall deitie vnto them to the ende they should of all others haue nothing to lay for their excuse agaynst him but they knowing him and béeing well assured thereby that he was God yet they would not take him as God neither giue him therefore their due and hartie thanks but wholly abandoning them selues and giuen ouer to pride and vanitie were deceiued in their blinde imaginations of their hearts and brought thereby into vtter forgetfulnesse of God ignoraunce and damnable darknesse And where they so muche boasted themselues of their owne wisedome they playnely became before him starke idiotes or very fooles Beholde I pray you and sée into what blindnesse and madde foolishnesse they fell into They forsooke the very Maiestie of the true God that is onely almightie immortall and mercifull and gaue his glory vnto the images of moste frayle mortall and wicked men and not onely of men but also of brute beasts and foules and that more abhominable is of venimous Serpents créeping and noysome vermine of the earth In suche sorte of prodigiouse and most monstruouse idolatrie God giuing them ouer suffered them to fall and to wallow like moste filthy Swine in all suche vnclenlinesse and most abhominable filthinesse that they in continuance of time defiled their owne bodies with the most vncleane sinne and horrible filthe of the Sodomites and moste beastly dooings agaynst nature Certaynely God did suffer them to fall into these abhominations not without great cause which for their pride sake stoutnesse and vayne-glorie made of the almightie true and euerliuing God a counterfeted most miserable dead Idol wrought with the hand of wretched man al that they did was vtterly against the heare peruerse most monstruouse and cleane out of all order For they honored I say the creatures in stéede of the creator him selfe which is onely to be exalted blessed and worshipped for euer and euer Amen Also God did not suffer the men of the Iewes thus agaynst nature and most wretchedly to abuse their owne flesh but also their wiues in the vncleannesse of their hearts to relinquish the naturall vse of their husbands and to become moste miserable and filthy sinners agaynst nature that is as the men dyd so they also did most filthely accomplish like monsters their stinking luste one with an other All which they committed because they hauing the lighte and truthe of God shyning vnto them before their eyes woulde not receyue the lighte but chose rather vaynely to lyue in the darkenesse of their dreames in superstition and in moste damnable idolatrie And the common enormities that were dayly amongst them besides other abhominable wickednesses which are not héere named were these they were full of vnrighteouse dooing giuen to fornication wickednesse couetousnesse maliciousnesse full of enuie murther debate deceite euill conditioned whisperers backebiters haters of God dooers of wrong proude boasters bringers vp of euill things disobedient to father and mother without vnderstanding couenaunt breakers vnlouing truce breakers and mercylesse They therefore which knowe that there is a God and haue the lighte of hys grace offered vnto them and will not thankefully recoyue it practise it in conuersation but turne their hearts to wickednesse and abhomination Let them also assuredly knowe that the same God is also moste iuste and wyll suffer all those to fall into suche lyke accursed and semblable myseries that forsake hys holy doctrine for their owne foolish imaginations or deuyses of men not onely all the workers thereof themselues but also all the whole filthy hande of all the like sinnefull consenters The .ij. Chapter The
accomplyshe your fathers commaundementes euen for the loues sake that ye naturally beare vnto hym bicause ye haue now receiued the spirite of God through which you are adopted and numbred hys louing children and not seruaunts And the same spirite also giueth suche an audacitie and boldenesse vnto vs all that when soeuer we haue any necessitie whether for soule or body we shall not feare to call vpon God himselfe and say vnto him father father At which calling euery louing and naturall parent do glory and reioyce Surely if we haue in consideration the glory and highe maiestie of God his mightinesse and heauenly power we should not once dare nor be so bolde to call him father onlesse we were moste perfectly assured through the goodnesse of his holy spirite that we be his very children and he our louing and mercifull father For to this same onely purpose he sente vnto vs his moste holy spirite that it should be a very sure and earnest gage vnto our spirite that we are the vndoubted children of him that gaue vs that heauenly gage Wherefore séeing we be now made the children of God and fully persuaded that he is our father we are no more to be counted seruaunts but rather his very heires For all men that beléeue in Iesus Chryst are the true heires of God and felow heires with Chryst him selfe into whose body béeing engraffed through our Christian profession we haue one father with him and through his onely deseruings we take participation with him of the heauenly inheritaunce The possession of which inheritaunce shall come vnto vs none other wayes than it came vnto Chryst him selfe For he through the afflictions and sufferings of myserable calamities in this lyfe came duely to the possession of thys highe inheritaunce Through his obedience he came to a kingdome through the ignominie and slaunder of the crosse he came to glorie and through the pacient suffering of his death he came to the state of immortalitie Therefore all we muste suffer with him that we may haue the fruition of the inheritaunce with him we muste obey that we may reigne with him we muste paciently beare the slaunders of this worlde that with him we may haue prayse and glory and we muste also dye with him to our sinnes that we may for euermore liue with him After this maner doo we come to our inheritaunce with Chryst which bicause it is euerlasting and of moste high felicitie I thinke that if one onely man him selfe could possibly suffer all the calamities and miseries of thys wretched worlde yet they all should be estéemed but vnworthy light and of no comparison to the great benefite of the glory to come though through the sayde myseries and painfull afflictions he doo séeme dearely to buy the same glory Yea and though we haue receiued the gage of this felicitie and glory to the ende we shoulde not mistruste any thing at all yet for all that our glory can not be consummate and made perfect in vs although our bodies be subiecte to suche sorte of miseries and wretched calamities as be in this present lyfe without we haue our fayth stayed in the onely merites death and passion of our sauiour Iesus Chryst How be it in the meane time through the helpe and comfort of the spirite they are a certayne inwarde taste of the same glory in vs Which glory at the resurrection of the flesh and after the putting away from vs all our mortalitie shall be fully declared and giuen vnto vs At which tyme wée shall all liue immortall with Chryst that is always immortall and euerlasting for our onely faythes sake in his bloud And that is the tyme the which all the godly vniuersally looke continually for as desirous to beholde the comming of the same At that time also shall the full number of the children of God be made and fulfilled and the glory of all these shall be opened vnto them which in this life haue ben afflicted with persecution and imprisonment with thirste hunger sorowes gréefes and other calamities for Chrystes sake And so greatly in subiection are the creatures of this worlde to myseries that the very circuite and compasse of the worlde it selfe séemeth to continue altogither in miserie as in example the ayre the earth the water with all other celestiall bodies yea the very angels them selues are created to none other ende but to set foorth Gods glory and to shew their seruice for the necessities of men For which cause the very buylding of the worlde it selfe shall not be frée from trouble and disquietnesse vntill suche time as perfecte fréedome shall be giuen to the children of god Howbeit the worlde it selfe though it be insensible neither feeleth disquietnesse yet there is in it a certayne naturall taste and desire to come to perfection And in the meane tyme it obeyeth willingly to him for whose pleasure it was to make it in suche wyse subiecte to disquietousnesse Whiche so muche the more paciently abideth his sorowe bicause his naturall inclination dothe recorde to him him selfe that hys sorowe shall not bée perpetuall but vntill suche tyme as the children of God shall fully and plenarily be deliuered from all their gréefe and carefulnesse At whiche tyme shall the whole Cope therof cease from his great vnrest and disquietousnesse Also forasmuche as we sée that all the elements and planets of this worlde do vary at so many and sundry tymes and doo sée likewise the Sunne and the Moone to haue so many Eclipses and Chaunges as also perceyuing by dayly experience what laboures are taken in vayne for the repaire of things in this life which do not continue but fall agayne to their corruption And beholding also the Starres to alter and striue one with another and in conclusion nothing to be in perpetuall reste It can not be chosen but euen the very Angelles also of heauen looking downe by the power of God from an high vpon our infinite miseries and wretchednesse are greatly dismayed of them moued at them and sorowe for them as muche as their creation can suffer them to do Wherfore al the whole number of creatures and things made by the hands of God do euen grone sigh with vs in our misfortunes All which after the maner of women laboring with child wish and long for the ende of their great trauell and sorowes And herein is no maruell though it chaunce to others considering the same happeneth to vs also that firste before all men haue receiued the spirite of Chryst which he gaue moste abundantly vnto vs Yet that notwithstanding we are entangled with thousands of cares and myseries partely for the sustentation of our lyues and partely by the occasion of wycked persons alwayes troubling and conspiring agaynst vs Yea our cares are so many and variable so gréeuous terrible and vnsufferable that we oftentimes doo sorow and lamente our owne wofull causes moste hartily wishing for that happie day when all the
they expected by the law and that for their vnbeléefes sake But they onely attayne to their saluation whiche looke not for it by Circumcision or kéeping of the law but onely of frée mercy and for the election sake of god For all other wayes profiteth not neither Circumcision nor kéeping of the Lawe excepte they yéelde them selues vnto the fayth of Chryst But they in the stubbornenesse of their hearts are all blynded after suche a sorte with their owne pride and malice that though they had dayly shewed amongst them numbers of miracles by Christ yet they beléeued not in him whom they looked for by the promise of the law And all they though they did sée Chryst with their bodily eyes yet with the eyes of their hearts and minds they saw him not And this same dyd Esaias prophesie should come vppon them which at this day as I truely sée it come to passe so with mine vnfayned hart I doo lamente and sorowe it For the which bicause they so wretchedly caste from them the moste gracious and good spirite of Chryst God hath sent vnto them the spirite of vnquietnesse a spirite that is harde full of prickes and very rough to be handled For though they sée with their bodily eyes yet notwithstanding they are so inwardly blinded and amased that they say and so shew them selues to sée nothing at all And though they also heare with their outward eares yet they are therwith no more moued than though they herd nothing at all Such maner of people were there in the time of the Prophets the lyke also was with Chryst him selfe and suche people are there vntill this present day among the preachers of the Gospell Dauid therefore foreseeing in the spirits that these things shoulde come to passe doth prophecie the destruction of them for their disobedience agaynst God and sayth Let their table be made a snare to take them selues withall an occasion to fall and a punishment méete for their actes Let their eyes bée blynded that they sée not and bowe thou downe their backes euen for this speciall cause that they would not thankefully receiue the great benefite of God béeing offered vnto them and would not yelde them selues contented with the sight of Chryst and the hearing of his Gospell but in their disdaynfulnesse were puffed vp holding proudly vp their heades into the ayre and set at nought the benignitie of their maker towards them And cleauing faste vnto the rude letter of the Lawe they had in vtter contempt those things that were heauenly and spirituall and scorning the things that were euerlasting they chose to continue their liues in momentayne and worldely vanities which now beare about with them the bookes of Moses but they doo not vnderstand them which also read the Prophets but they yet deny him whom they prophecied of should come But heere peraduenture a man will demaunde of me for what purpose I discourse so muche agaynst the Iewes Verily euen for this cause they are so manyfestly blinded they are berefte of their senses they be twofolde crooked and are vtterly dubled and amased in their braines But are they in this wise so déepe fallen into the myre or sonke into the tough clay of blindnesse that there is yet no hope lefte of recouerie and to rayse them vp agayne God forbidde for their fall happened vnto them but for a certayne season And their fall was not vnprofitable to you bycause thereby you were occasioned to be called vnto the Gospell And that as the fall of the Iewes opened the way vnto you to take holde of your saluation euen so you agayne by your vertuouse example before the end of the world draw them agayne to godlynesse and stirre them vp by your fruitfull fayth to the true beléefe in Chryste from whiche they fell through their own hateful and most cankred malice Wherfore if the fall of the Iewes did in suche sorte profite you that it was nothing at all preiudiciall or hurtefull but rather occasioned that fayth in many other was muche more quicke and liuely forasmuche as in the stéede of a few that fell the Gospell of Chryst was the more largely spredde amongst all men and the losse of one nation was the cause that so many nations were wonne and brought in to Chryst How muche more then should the worlde be enriched with the Christian flocke if by the vertuouse example of your godly religion and fayth in Iesus Chryst that same nation agayne should be wonne and so ioyned to all the other in the same moste holy profession O ye Gentiles it is euen to you that I now speak which I take as mine owne bicause by appoyntment I am your moste glad Apostle For whose sake though I can find in mine heart to labour and to doo al things be they neuer so harde yet that notwithstanding I am a great deale more bounde to execute my office which with strayte charge is committd vnto me that is to lucrifie and winne you vnto the Gospell of Chryst and to profite you in suche godlynesse of lyfe that if it be possible I may by that meanes conuert and turne agayne my natiue countreymen vnto the same godlynesse whiche peraduenture they will not doo fréely and with a franke courage taking example of you yet that it may be done although at the least for enuie and hatred sake For as the Countrey it selfe is enuiouse agaynst the Gentiles euen so to sée you doo better than themselues they would be lothe or that you shoulde with God be in better case than they Likewise also in thys maner though I am not able to saue them all yet I moste hartily pray you that by your good example of fayth and holy life which you haue promised to perfourme before God I may seeme to bring some of them to goodnesse agayne and I do not doubt of you but you will all wish and desire the same thing with me For if the reiection now of the Iewes hath bene the occasion that the rest of the world is reconciled vnto God bicause their falling from his grace was the cause of the Gentiles admission to it howe muche better shall it then be that all they which be now falne from Christ doe repent and returne vnto grace againe and to become as new born men or restored againe from death taking example of you to accōplishe the same with gladnesse Which thing done there remaineth then nothing else to be loked after but the resurrection of all fleshe Neither should we despaire of all the whole nation for the impious state or vngodlinesse of a fewe of them for séeing the Gentiles being once very farre from all kinde of godly religion were yet at the calling of God brought vnto the true worshipping of him why shuld not in like maner the Iewes be called againe to the grace and fauours of God considering they procéeded of so godly parents which also were beginners of their
vprightly deale in their holy functions woorthy theyr laud and commendation then the honor that is done vnto them is done woorthily vnto God him selfe But contrarywise if they shall abuse the excellencie of their state as men corruptly folowing their owne sinfull lustes and regarde not the vtilitie of the people then the honoure that is done is done only to the magistrate eschuing all vprores breaking no peace but to kéepe an order with humblenesse in all their publike weales To conclude therefore conforme your selues as well to the common tranquilitie of the publike affaires as also to serue the expectation of the magistrates that héerein in any wise there may not be once found in you any offence at all Also among your selues haue this in remembrance that ye make neither chalenge nor paiment of any custome tribute or other earthy taxing one of an other but only of mutuall and brotherly charitie to lead your liues in vnitie Which also that of right by order is to be done amongst you let it be of that perfection and Christen vehemencie that there be no delay towards any person which should lawfully require it and to auoid an extremitie of his condition that after oft demaunds may chaÌ„ce to fal To the magistrates when you haue payed that which they haue taxed vpon you then are you frée for the time and no longer detters in that behalf vnto them But althoughe throughe your godly charitie you haue thus fully satisfied all men to their lawful requests yet it doth neuer satisfie it selfe but alwayes laboreth studieth to heape benefite vpon benefite vnto euery man. Therefore before all other things embrace and kéepe stil amongste you that noble vertue charitie which in it selfe fulfilleth most amplie all the whole law For whatsoeuer he be that in pure christen charitie loueth his neighbor hath in him selfe the very summe of Moses law pleaseth God most singularly But if charitie be awaye the obseruation of many lawes suffiseth not thoughe the number of them be infinite Againe if it beare sway and raigne amongst you there néede none other lawes at all in as much as this only vertue of charitie setteth forthe vnto oure perfect knowledge the ful effecte that the whole commaundements requireth of vs The law of Moses forbiddeth adultry manslaughter theft false witnesse coueting of another mans goods vsurie with many such like but the whole summe of all these is bréefely comprehended in this coÌ„maundement of charitie Thou shalt loue thy neighbor as thy selfe Charitie to hir power séeketh for the profite of all men whether they be good or euill and not to hurte any man Therefore to what purpose doeth it serue to prohibite that you doe no hurte this waye or that waye sithe the nature of charitie is to hurt no man whatsoeuer he be Can he that loueth kill will he that loueth his neighbour as him selfe séeke to defile his neighbours wife will he robbe and spoyle his neighbour of his goodes that is ready to helpe and succour him with his owne gâ—â—d â—â—e will he beare false witnesse to the hurte of his neighbour that vpon his owne perill will saue and defende hym will he set foorth his riches vnto vsurie which thinketh the whole summe of his goodes to be common for others necessitie will he couet another mans losse or misfortune to whom he wisheth as well as to him selfe Or can he with will vexe any man for whoÌ„ Chryst dyed if he vnfainedly loue Chryst and him It is very true therefore that charitie it selfe is the summe of the whole lawe By charitie we all learne what to folowe and what to eschue and put away from vs To the loue of which euen the very nature and condition of the time enforceth vs that is to say that in taking vpon vs true repentaunce and amendement of our liues we awake euen from the sléepe of darkenesse and death the errour of our olde liues The night season in the darkenesse therof séemeth to giue libertie of offence bicause of his owne condition it is shamelesse and darke for in the darkenesse of the nighte all suche as in the vncleannesse of their hearts are inclined to whordome and wantonnesse giue them selues then to fulfill their filthy luste yet notwithstanding as soone as daylighte appeareth they leaue off their sinfull workes of darkenesse and doo decke or fashion them selues agayne to the open shew and face of the worlde Wherein béeing thus in the brightnesse of the day made agayne as new men they shew them selues abroade and are become of filthy wantons chaste and cleane persons of dronkards sober men of sediciouse felowes quiet men and of slouthfull and lumpish lubbors liuely quicke and cherefull men For which cause according to the time we must holily apply and frame our liues which if we in déede shall rightly vse we shall then the more ioyfully account vppon our saluation and to be now néerer at hand vnto vs than in the dayes of Moyses although we then beléeued it to be very nigh vnto vs The night of our olde life is gone past and the clere day is euen at hande which shall make open and manyfest all the moste déepe and darke secrets that lye moste couertly hidde Let vs now therefore in the bright day of Gods grace shining presently vpon vs moste happily embrace it and conforme our selues to the clerenesse of that heauenly light casting away from vs al our deadly darke nightly maners wherof in the fayre light of the day we may be all ashamed And if it be a godly maner that as soone as the light of the day appeareth we gladly yeld to the time and euery of vs decke our bodies with more comely apparell that in the sight of men we may appeare more decent séemely then much rather at the comming of the clere light of the Gospell we should adourne and garnish our soules with the most séemely beautiful vesture of vertue And he that thus worthily walketh in this true light of life let him not drede at any time the sighte of God who euer and in all places beholdeth our dooings And so let vs altogither in this world dispose our liues that it may euidently appeare before the face of God before all his holy angels and vnto all other his creatures that we haue clerely cast from vs the obscuritie and darkenesse of our liues and to walke honestly in the cléere light it self not abusing the time in eating drinking in chambering wantonnesse neither in strife enuying or vnchristenly contending among your selues with al which vices suche like you haue heretofore ben most filthily spotted and foyled walking in the darknesse of your olde liues But now at this time séeing you be altogither vnited vnto christ by baptime take him vpoÌ„ your backs garnish your selues with him yea let him shine in you throgh your holy coÌ„uersation all your life long whose name