toward god the fulfyllynge of his commaundementes that he hath a perpetual desyre in his mynde to worke that which is good whā occasion is gi uen he falleth streytwayes to workynge not his owne fantasy but y e wyll of God So that now he doth not only beleue in God loue God in his herte but also brynge for the those workes which God hath appoynted him as Dauid sayth I be leued therfore haue I spoken As though he should say for as muche as I am fully perswaded of y e boūte goodnes of God towarde me beleue that all thynges are true shall come to passe vndoubtedly according to his promyse I can none otherwyse do but worke speake those thynges that pertayne vnto his glorye do what so euer shoulde make vnto the magnifienge of his moost blyssed name the edifienge of my neyghbour though an hundred deathes were im◅inent han gynge on my heade for so doynge Euery tree is knowē sayth Christ by his fruyte For there is no good tree that brīgeth forth euel fruite neyther is ther any euell tree that bryngeth forth good fruyt A good man bryngethe for the good fruyte out of the good tresure of his hert an euell man out of the euell trea sure of his harte bryngeth forth euell thynges For of the abundāce of the harte the mouthe speaketh We read in the Actes of the Apo stles that whē Peter Iohn̄ were cōmaunded of the Bysshops prestes y t they shoulde speake no more to ony man nor teache in the name of Iesus christ they aūwered bold ly sayd whyther it be ryghteous in the syght of god to heare you ra ther than god iudge ye For we can none otherwyse do but speke those thīges that we haue sene or heard Marke that they sayde we can do none otherwyse but speake Howe chaūsed it y t Peter as I may speke nothyng of Iohn̄ was nowe bolde to speake and confesse the name of Christ without feare before the hed prestes magistrates of y e Temple whiche not many monethes paste was not only afearde to cōfesse him before a poore mayde but also forsware Christ denyed hym vtterly sayde playnely he neuer knewe y e man Howe commethe it to passe y t Peter is now become another mā Before he had no commaundemēte of the Byshoppes to speke no more of Christ and yet he vtterly denyed hym nowe whan he is cōmaūded to holde his peace he wyll not but aunswereth boldly we can none otherwyse do but speake those thynges y ◠we haue sene heard Howe cōmeth this to passe Uerely of the great efficacy vertue strength and power of his fayth which God had gyuen hym by his holy spirite His fayth was nowe so stedfast on God his loue so feruēte that the gates of hell coulde not preuayle ageynst hym nor driue him frō doyng those thynges that shoulde make vnto y e glory of God and the healthe of his neyghbour as we maye perceue by the History For notwithstondyng the cōmaundement of the Bysshop ◅es he went forthe preached in y ◠name of Christe conuerted many vnto the christen fayth whan the head prestes sayd vnto hym vnto y ◠other Apostles dyd not we streightly cōmaund you that ye should not teach in this name And behold ye haue fylled Ierusalē full of your doctrine ye wyll brynge y e bloud of this man vpon vs. Peter the other Apostles aunswered sayde We muste obey God rather thē mē Afterwarde also when they were whypped so sent away receauig a cōmaundement that they should no more speke in y e name of Iesus they went awaye from the syght of the councel reioycynge and beyng glad that they ware counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Christ. And for al the cōmasidemēt of y ◠Bysshops they ceased not daye ly both in y e temple in euery house to teach and to shewe Iesus Christ. Here se we both by our Mistrell dauid the apostles of Christ how myghty in power the true christē fayth is that it is neuer without y t cōsent of doyng good workes and whan occasiō is offered it worketh in dede yea and that those workes whiche are commaunded of God Let euery man nowe consither his owne faythe take hede he be not deceaned Many in these oure dayes glorye muche of the name of fayth contende maynly that we are iustified only frely by faythe yea that without workes Let no man deceaue him selfe Fayth I cō fesse is an excellente treasure the gyfte of God wythoute the whiche no man can be saued nor obtayne onye parte of Christes merites butte yette for all that if it be not accompanyedde withe a continuall purpose of doige good workes yea also brynge thē forth whan occasiō is gyuē surely it is but a vayne dead fayth as S. Iames wryghteth yea to saye the trueth it is no fayth in dede at the least no true li uish christen fayth which is migh ty in operacion worketh by chari te We se manifeste fruytes followe the fayth of Dauid the Apostles Let vs also bringe forth good workes so maye we be sure that we haue in vs the true christē fayth which is so precious a thyng in the syght of God Arte thou a magistrate gouer noure of the common weale If y u wylte shewe thy selfe to haue true fayth in god bryng forth good wor kes such as become thy office and callynge Exercyse iustice Do no wronge Be mercifull Spoyle not the poore man Helpe the conforteles Ponyshe vice mayntayne vertue So shalte thou be assured to hau the true christē fayth in the. Arte thou a Bysshop or Preste preache the worde of God purelye Set forthe the glory of God aboue all thynges Seake the saluacion of Christes flocke Be an exāple to thy parishners of honest godly cō uersacion Exhorte vnto vertue Fraye awaye from vice If y u doste this than nedeste thou not doubte of thy fayth Arte thou a father or mother master or mastres Bryng than vp thy family in the nourtoure of the Lorde so arte y u truely faythfull Arte thou a maryed man Loke thou cleaue only to thy wyfe loue her as thyne owne flesh as christ loued the Congregacion So shall thy fayth appeare to be vnfayned Arte thou a maried womā Be obedient to thyne owne husbonde seake aboue all thynges to please hym so shalte thou shewe thy selfe to be truely faythfull Arte thou a subiecte or seruaūt Obey than wythe a glad humble harte thy superiours rulers masters So shalte thou be found not vnfaythfull To be short ī what so euer state God hathe set the lyue accordynge therunto in thy office callynge seake euermore the glory of God
the health of thy neyghboure If y u doste this thaÌ„ shalte thou shew thy selfe to be no vayne man but faythfull true in thy profession But if thou doste the coÌ„trarye crake thou neuer so muche of thy faythe yet te doth it profyt the nothynge at all but rather encreaseth thy damnacion seynge thou arte an Hypocrite dissembler both before God maÌ„ Certes if thou hast the true faythe in the thou shalte be so enflamed w t the loue of God disposed vnto all goodnes that thou wylte not feare to saye w t S. Paule who shall seperate vs from the loue of God shall trouble do it or anguysh or persecucion or hunger or nakednes or perrell or sword as it is wrytten for thy sake are we kylled all y â— day longe yâ—… we are counted as shepe appoynted to be slayn Neuertheles in all these thynges we ouercoÌ„e far re for his sake y t loued vs For I am sure y t neither deth nor life nother Aungel nor rule nother power no ther thynges present nother thynges to come nother height nor low eth nor ony other creature shall be able to seperate vs from the loue of God which is in Christe Iesu oure Lorde Agayne he sayth I am not only redy to be bounde but also to dye for y e name of the Lorde Iesus So mighty a thyng is fayth that it neyther feareth manacinge wordes cruell threates sharpe lookes empresoning fetters chenes fagot tes fyre nor what so euer tyranny all the tyrauntes of the worlde can inuent It maketh y e parson whose hert it occupieth to be soâ—… flamed set on fyre w t the loue of God the desyre of doynge his wyll Wylte y u heare me If thou beleue aright in God workeste accordynge to thy fayth coÌ„fessyng Christ his worde boldely and vnfaynedly before the world thou mayst be sure to fynde lytle fauour at the haÌ„des of carnal worldly men as thou shalte easly perceaue by that which followeth ¶ The thyrde strynge But I was very sore troubled AFter that our Mynstrel hath made mencioÌ„ of fayth of spe kynge the worde of God whereby are to be vnderstande all good workes that procede come forth oute of faythe he nowe syngethe of the Crosse sheweth that he was very sore troubled greuously thretened vncharitably blasphemed euell reported maliciously persecuted cru elly handled suffered al kyndes of tormeÌ„tes for vtteryng declaring y e word of God I beleued sayth he therfore haue I spokeÌ„ but I was very sore troubled Here se we that as good workes followe faythe so doth persecucion follow the confession of Gods worde For this cause doth S. Paule caull the gospell of Christe the worde of the Crosse bycause it bryngeth persecucion trou ble blasphemies slaunders euell re portes empresonmeÌ„t hoÌ„ger thirst cold nakednes pouerte losse of fren des yea at the last very death oftentimes to so many as cleaue vnto it valeauntly Christes worde the Crosse are coÌ„pagnions insepera ble As the shadowe followethe the body so doth the Crosse followe the worde of Christ. And as fyre heat can not be seperated so can not the Gospel of Christ the crosse be pluc ked asundeâ—… Let vs call to remembraunce so many as from the fyrste age of the world fauoured god and his word howmanye shal we fid y â— escaped w toute the Crosse one waye or other as I may leaue of to speke of all the other olde and aunciente Patriarches at this tyme onlye take ryghteous Abell for an example whiche of all men shewed y e first example of pure innocencye and of a thankefull harte toward God for his benefites was not he shortely slayne of his bloudy brother cruell Cain yea that onlye bycause his owne workes were noughte hys brothers good as y e scripture testi fieth As fyre water put togyther fighte stryue are euer at debate tyl one hath swallowed vp another deuoured one another ouercome one another so lykewyse so long as good euell dwell togyther in this worlde there shall be a perpetuall discension betwene them The euel wyll euer hate the good neuer be at reste tyl the innocent be had out of the way not that the good doth ony displeasures vnto the euel but that the euell can not awaye with the good no more theÌ„ the rauening wolfe canne awaye with the poore harmeles shepe or the hoÌ„gry hauke w t the simple doue as Christ sayth The Prince of this worlde coÌ„meth yet hath he nothyng agaynst me Howe lytell fauoure also dyd Moses Aaron fynde amonge the diso bedient Iewes after they brought them out of captiuite from y e londe of Egipte Were not they many ty mes in daunger of theyr lyues for all theyr labour payne that they toke for theyr healthe saluacion How ware the Prophetes handled whiche preached in the name of the Lord Were not soÌ„e stoned to deth SoÌ„e slayn w t swerd Some sawne in peces As I mayepasse ouer ma ny holy meÌ„ Iacob Ioseph Dauid Helias Ananias Azarias Misael Tobias Eleazarus the mother among the Machabites her seuen sonnes wythe other innumerable whiche ether suffered deathe or els great trouble persecucion for the glorye of God Howe was Christe y t lambe of God w tout spot which dyd neuer no syn in whose mouth there was neuer ony gyle deceat found handled in this worlde How was he rayled vpon so sone as he began to speake preache the worde of his celestiall father Was he not called a glotton A wyne bybber A frend to PublicaÌ„s harlottes synners A deceyuer of the people A madde person A Samaritan A breaker of the Sabboth day A Heretyke A destroyer of the Temple An ene my to our mother the holy chyrch A Traytoure A forbydder to paye tribute vnto Cesar And such a one as woulde marre altogyther yf he were suffred longe Was he not reported to worke his miracles to cast out diuels by the helpe of Beel zebub prince of the dyuelles Was not his doctrine counted new lear nynge What dyd he at ony tyme althoughe neuer so good godly y t the worlde dyd not discoÌ„mend and condempne Dyd not theyr malice at the last growe vnto suche fury that they neuer ceased vntyll they had put hym vnto deth yea that the moost spitefull deathe y t coulde be inuented euen the deathe of the crosse hangynge hym betwene two theues as y e principal malefactour chefe captayne of all wickednes Agayne howe were the Apostles of Christe entreated Uerely euen as theyr mayster was before theÌ„ How ofte were they slauÌ„dered layd watche for thretened beaten whypped scourged put in preson caste out of cities stonned dragged out of the townes for dead Howe many also of them were slayne Some withe stones some w t
that he hathe shewed vnto him it lieth not in his power notwithstandyng he desyreth very greatly to do somewhat wherby he maye shewe hys thanckefull harte agayne toward God For he confes seth that all that euer he hathe beyng good he receyued it of God as S. Paule sayth What hast thou y ◠thou hast not receued If thou hast receaued it why doste thou reioyce as though y u haddest not receued it S. Iames also saythe Euery good perfecte gyfte is from aboue com mynge downe from the Father of lyghtes On this manner oughte we to pōder with our selues the inestima ble benefites great giftes of God towarde vs. Fyrst that he made vs not lyke to brute beastes but lyke vnto his owne ymage neyther dyd he place vs in hell or in some other dolorous sorowefull place but in ioyfull Paradise where all kynd of pleasures dyd abound He endewed vs with wyt reason discrecion pru dence wisdome knowledge wyth al other thynges that should moue vs vnto godlynes vertue setting vs at oure owne liberte to do what so euer we woulde only he gaue vs a cōmaundement to abstayne from the tree of lyfe told vs lyke a mer cifull father before that whan so euer we did taste of y t we should dye the death Notwithstondynge this his moost gentle premonicion thorowe y ◠subtilite of Satā we brake his moost godly precepte throwe our selues into y e deathe wherof he tolde vs before so that no we of all earthly creatures we ware become moost miserable Yet beholde agen the great goodnes of God towarde vs whā we had worthely deserued to be damned for euermore he dyd not as he handled the Aungelles streyghtwayes cast vs ito hell fyre but marcyfully sente vs into thys world that we myght here repent deplore lament bewayle our synfull abhominable offence that by this meanes thorow the diuine pro uidence we myght afterward be re stored to our olde innocency be sa ued Neyther sent he vs hyther as into a salte barrē desolate place or wyld forest but rather into such a kyngdome as florysheth with all kyndes of rytches treasures pleasures moost goodly possessions so that we can desyre nothynge but y t we haue it here redy at hande He hath garnysshed the earth w t grene grasse swete herbes moost plesant floures He hath gyuen vs all kyndes of grayne to sowe in the earthe for our sustenaunce He sendeth vs rayne temperate heate in conuenient tyme for y e fortunate encrease therof He hath planted vs trees garnysshed thē in tyme of the yeare withe moost goodly grene leaues fruites to serue our necessary businesses for diuers causes And as he hath replenyshed the earth with all kyndes of beastes so hath he stuffed the sea other waters with inumerable sortes of fysshes And of all these thinges with many other mo hath he made vs Lordes rulars go uernours owners Neyther do the his kyndenes here cease concerning temporall thynges For he hath also set ouer vs as a moost beautiful roofe goodly seelynge the firmamēt or ayer which in the day tyme sheweth vs lyght thorow the clerenes therof wherin for our great cō solacion cōforte he hath also set a goodly great lyght whiche we call the sonne by the vertue operaciō wherof y e erth brigeth forth her fru ites in due season yeldyng them to vs bothe rype apte mete for oure vse whan conuenient tyme requireth For the nyghte tyme agayne because we should not be dismayde thorowe the great darkenes wher with y e earth is than ouerwhelmed seynge it is a tyme appoynted not to laboure but vnto reste not vnto trouble but vnto quietnes not vn to watchynge but vnto slepynge God hath moost gorgiously garnisshed the firmament withe a goodly great lyght called the moone w t innumerable Starres mo for oure great ioye pleasure cōfort so y t no gardē be it neuer so plesaūtly refer ted stuffed full of herbes moost amiable in aspecte maye be cōpared vnto it And al these thynges hath God wrought and done not for his owne sake but for ours not for his owne wealth felicite but for oure profyt and commodite Hytherto haue I spoken of his tēporal gyftes which though they seme to be muche precious as they are in dede yet are they nothynge to be compared vnto those that fol low For looke howe muche the spirite excelleth the body so muche do these gyftes excell the other beynge incōparable not able by ony mea nes to be recōpēsed of ony creature neyther in heauen nor in earth Fyrst what an excedynge gentle nes of God was this whā we were worthely condemned for our offēce had no hope of health to promise vs streightwayes bicause we shuld despayre y t his only begotten sonne the highest treasure that he hadde shoulde come downe from his right hand be conceaued by y ◠holy ghost take very flesh be borne of y ◠moost pure virgin Mary yea and y t with oute the seed of ony man reconcyle vs to his fauoure make an attonemēt for vs purchased grace mercy remission of our synnes offer his moost blissed body a swete smellyng sacrifice for our iniquite sufferhis moost precious bloud to be shed for the purgacion clensynge of oure synnes become a perfecte ful satisfaccion for all the synnes of hys people that is of so many as repēt beleue in him and lead a godly and innocent lyfe This promised God the father oftentimes accordyng to his promyse at his tyme predefined and tofore appoynted he moost faythfully performed it vnto y ◠perpetuall ioye conforte of all true Christiās But in the meane season howe great sees of kyndnes dyd he opē vnto vs After that he had set vs in this world howe dyd he prosper vs in all thynges that we wēt about How dyd he giue vs y ◠victory of our enemies Howe wonderfully dyd he delyuer vs from oure cruell enemy Pharao How maruelously preserued he vs whē he made the red see to gyue place vnto vs How fauourably dealt he with vs when he gaue vs meate frō heauen and water out of the harde rocke What a londe dyd he gyue vs flowynge with mylke honye And bycause we should lyue an honest and godly lyfe before hym dydde not he gyue vs his moost holy lawe yea that not only 〈◊〉 tables of stone but also wrytten in our hartes by y e holy Ghoste What goodly ceremonies also receaued we of hym whiche were mysteries figures types cloudes shadowes of good thi ges to come euen of Christe of hys moost holy passion glorious resurreccion c. All these thynges ware great consolacion to the true spirituall christen men in asmuche as they preched Christ vnto thē which accordynge vnto theyr fayth whol ly fixed on y
weale punysh the euel mayntayne the good accept no parson in iudge mente allowe no false accusacion shed no innocente bloude heare the small so well as the great set forth gods glory promote his holy word in all thynges seake the profyt of of the common weale Let the subiectes be faythefull true obedient to theyr Prynces hygher powers Lette the Bysshoppes Prestes that be called vnto the office of prechynge take hede to theyr selues to all the flocke in the which y e holy Ghost hath appoynted thē ouerseers to fede the cōgregacion of God Lette them fede Christes flocke so muche as lygheth in theyr power take the ouersighte of them not as thoughe they were compelled but wyllyngly not for the desyre of fylthy lucre but of a good mynde not as Lordes ouer the Parysshes but to be an example vnto the flocke Let them caste awaye vngodly and olde wyuysh fables be vnto them that beleue an example in y e worde in conuersacion in loue in spirite in fayth in purenes Let them giue attendaunce vnto readynge to exhortacion to doctrine Let thē study to shew thē selues to God lauda ble which nede not to be ashamed Let the husbōdes loue theyr wy ues as theyr owne bodyes and be not bytter churlysh or vnkynd vnto them but gyue honour vnto thē as vnto the weaker vesselles and as vnto them that are fellowe heyres wyth them of the grace of lyfe Lykewyse let y e wyues be in sub iecciō to theyr husbondes as vnto the LORDE in all thynges so behaue themselues as it becommethe women of an honest godly conuer sacion Let them aray them selues in comely apparell with shame fastnes discrete behauour not wythe brayded heere or golde or pearle or costely araye but withe suche as it becometh women that professe godlynes thorowe good workes Lette y e inward mā of the hart be vncorrupte withe a meke quiet spirite whiche before God is moche set by For after this manner in the olde tyme dyd the holy women whiche trusted in God tyer them selues were obedient to theyr husbondes euen as Sara obeyed Abraham called hym Lord whose doughters the wyues are so longe as they do well nor being afrayd for ony trou ble Let fathers not rate theyr chyldrē lest they be of a desperate mind but brynge thē vp in the nourtour and informacion of the LORDE Let the chyldren also obey theyr pa rentes in all thynges for y e is well pleasynge vnto the LORDE Let masters do vnto theyr seruauntes that which is iust equal put tynge awaye threatenynges know that they also haue a master in heauen with whome there is no respecte of parsons Let the seruauntes agayne be obediēt vnto theyr bodely masters in al thinges w t feare tremblyng in siglenes of harte as vnto Christ not w t seruice only in the eye syght as men pleasers but as the seruaū tes of Christ doyng the wyll of god from the harte wythe good wyll Let them thyncke that they serue the LORDE and not men let them be sure y t what so euer good a man doth he shall receaue it agayne of y e LORDE whether he be bond or free To cōclude let euery one amōg vs do our dutye lyue accordyng to the vocacion whereunto God hathe called vs. So shal it come to passe y t we shall not walke vnworthy the kyndenes of God So shall we truly paye our vowes vnto the LORDE So shall we faythfully per forme y t which we heretofore promt sed in baptisme So shall we dayly more more encrease in the loue of God taste more plēteously of his bounteous giftes But it is to be noted that Dauid saythe Before all his people This is none other thynge but y e which Christ commaundeth in the in as much as Christe hathe chosen them from the worlde therfore the world hateth them What is than to be sayd Uerely whither we liue or dye we are the LORDES and precious is the death of Sayntes in y ◠syght of y e LORDE as it followethe ¶ The eyght strynge Precious in the syghte of the Lord is the death of his Sayntes This song of our Mynstrel Da uid must nedes be very plesaūt delectable to the hearers seyng y t he syngethe all thynges in suche a godly goodly order setteth euery thynge in his ryght place For after that he hath made mēcion of payenge his vowes vnto the Lord whyche is to do all thynges accordynge to the cōmaūdemēt of God not after the fansy of carnall reason nor the iugemente of the wyse worldlynges wherof is lyke to ensew as we haue heard before much trouble yea very deth for y e worlde can not abyde to be rebuked nor to haue his pompe pryde pleasures glory honour hypocrisy supersticion fayned holynes pharisaical iustice glysteryng righteousnes dotynge inuencion fleshly imaginacions good ententes c. to be reproued yea condēned by y ◠worde of God he nowe declarethe what a dere precious a thyng the deathe of Sayntes that is to saye of the faythfull is in the syght of y e LORD be it recounted before the worlde of neuer so great ignominy despyte reproche and shame And this doth he to encourage men to paye theyr vowes vnto the Lorde that is to say to be earnest in y e word of God to seake the promocion of his glory to walke innocently before y e eies of his diuine maieste though al the world yea very hell should be wood and ryse vp agaynst vs. Precious sayth he in the syghte of the Lorde is the death of his Sayntes It is to be noted that he calleth not the death of the wycked precious in the syght of the Lord but y ◠death of Saynctes yea that not popysh but Gods Sayntes Precious sayth he in the sight of y ◠Lord is the deth of his Sayntes As for the wicked so longe as they lyue in this world they lyue more at theyr hartes ease haue all thiges more plenteously at theyr owne pleasure concernyng tēporall matters thā the true christen men and faythful Sayntes of God haue in as much that as we read in diuers places of the holye scriptures the godly many tymes complayne vnto God of the prosperous estate of y ◠wycked seme almoost to accuse God of vn righteousnes seyng the enemies of God prosper so wel and haue good lucke in all thynges they agayne which moost intierly fauour Goddes word seke his glory are moost miserably oppressed slaūdered persecuted empresonned redye to be slayne at all houres For as y ◠Psalmograph sayth The vngodly hath the ouerhande the poore is brēt The siner is praysed in followyng the lustes of his harte the wicked is blyssed and made muche of My feete were almoost gone sayth