⧠Here begynneth a godly newe story of .xii. men that moyses by the CoÌ„maundement of god sent to spye owt the land of canaan of whiche .xii. onely Iosua and Caleb wer found faythful messengers Psalme Cv. O that meÌ„ woulde prays the goodnes of god and the wonders that he doth for the chyldren of men for he hath brokeÌ„ the gates of brasse and smytten the barres of Iron in sunder Folyshemen were plaged for their offences because of their wickednes The Epistle to the reader To all the faythfull brethreÌ„ whiche onely desyre the glory of god in our sauiour and Redemer Iesus Chryst be grace mercy and peace thorow the workyng of hys holy spirite Amen WHERE SalomoÌ„ had coÌ„sidered al thiges doÌ„ vnder the suÌ„ne Eccle. viii to be but vanitie and vexacione of mynde Yet sayeth he ys there a vanyte vppon earth There be iust men vnto whom it happeneth as though they had the workes of the vngodly agayne theyr be vngodly wyth whom it goeth as though they had the workes of the tyghteous Thys me thynke alse a vayne thynge etc. Thys vexed saloinon aboue other thynges and moued hym the rather to say al is but vanyte when he saw good men rewarded wyth euel and the wycked floryshe and haue prosperyte he sawe the Good the badde prospere alyke iÌ„crese their ryches possessyoÌ„s to be had iÌ„ reuerenc he saw the wycked decaye peryshe and lykewyse it happened to the innoceÌ„t Vnmeate it semeth to a maÌ„ of good reson that a soore laborynge man should lack hys meate and an idleâ— sleape with a ful belly But what shal we saye lyke as it was in salomons dayes so also now is it most sure and certayne that many tymes a man shall seke hys brothers wealth and shew him a greate benefite finde hys displeasure and haue his euell wyl that is for his well doynge shal be rewarded with euel and yet shal the disseÌ„bler haue greate beneuolence fauoure Oftentimes it chaÌ„nceth that he which â—â—nestly studyeth to profyt the coÌ„men welth hath lytell thank for hys labour and is despised of the same and he whose dylygence may be best spared most avauÌ„ceth hym selfe ther by and coÌ„meth to honour Ryches possessyoÌ„s pleÌ„teousnes of the worlde happeneth not seldome to the wicked vngodly yea they be had in fauour wyth greate men wythowte any deseruynge be brought to great dignyte Peuury scarsite trouble aduersyte be sayed on the ryghteous which feareth god his good wysdom bryngeth him dispyt This is wel knowen to such as seke wysdome in chryste whome fortune alwaye fauoureth not and haue experymented the assaultes of the enimye He that reapeth the corne perchaunce eateth non of the bred He that treadeth the vyne presse drynketh not alway of the wine The labour trauel that some men take of pure good wyl also effectuous hath not the grace with meÌ„ nor fauour the others pastâ—â—â— concylyateth withowte payne yea at last vnprofitable But should I now be agreued with the wedes growynge amoÌ„g the corne Seynge the ldrds sayeth Mat. xiii psa xxvii Let them grow both tyl haruest CaÌ„ my hatred destroy synne or doth my synne myny she their offeÌ„ces fret not thy selfe at the vngodly saeth a Dauid be not enuyous agaynst the euel doers And why so for they shal sone be cut do wne lyke the grasse be wythered as the grene herbe Put thou thy trust in the lord be doyng good so shal thou dwell in the land it shal surely feade the etc Vnderstand now geÌ„tyll reader that wheÌ„ I was aboute to wryte thys mater that I haue taken in hand I coÌ„sydered what anuÌ„bre of bokes ther be abrode in euery maÌ„s hand of dyuers suÌ„dry maters which at very gredely deuoured of a greate sorteÌ„ Who so laboreth both writig redig I do very much coÌ„meÌ„d But ar the labors of al such writer thaÌ„kefully receaued trow ye Ar ther diligeÌ„ce study gratified accordingly or doth euerye maÌ„ rede with such a purpos itent that the coÌ„mon wealth of chrystes flocke mought therby be profyted and the people reduced to a chrysten coÌ„uer sation and amendment of lyfe As the auctor intended Do they reade withe suche iudgemente that they receaue the Good and reiecte the badd No no. The wayghtyer matter the sonner passed ouer and the lesse thanke to the aucthour But tryflynge matters fynely Handled are estemed So croked and peruerse is the nature of man and so lytell pleasure haue we in folowyng the heuenly doctrane of chryst And so lytell profytte haue they also that with synglenes of hart laboure therin But what theÌ„ should the wryters therfore leaue wrytynge because the most parte do not wourthyly receaue it God forbyd But rather would I wyshe the those whyche neuer wrote before should also sette them selfes to woorke be stowinge the talent that god hath lent them to the most aduauntage And seinge it is not lauful for any man as yet to preache in an open audyence onâ—es he be or hath byne an Apostata an Apostle I should say I purpose by the grace of god and the helpynge of hys holy sprete to doo that lyeth in me to spye out the lande of Canaan and to brynge such tydynges as the Lord shall open vnto me in wrytynge by meanes wherof his people may know theyr Lord the better and at last be partakers of that plesaunt land flowinge with milke and hony Now for as much as by all likelyhods tokens we approch neare the borders of thys promysed land for the Lordes commaÌ„ndemeÌ„t is come into the harte of our moises which willeth me of euery sorte to go spie out the coÌ„tre to bring tidines what maner of contre it is that al his people myght enter I thought it very good and profytable to publyshe the storye of these .xii. messengers written in the boke of Numeri the .xiii. .xiiii. cha that we being admonished by their exaÌ„ple mai the better know how to behaue owr selues in owr iourney euery man in hys callyng specially such as are purposly sent Lyft vp your harts therfor brethren vnto the lord besechyng hi of hys mer cyful goodnes that he wil wouchesafe to gouerne my hart al others trauialinge thys heuenly lande that thorow fayth in his promyses accordynge to the example of Iosua Caleb we may be found faythful true messengers bryngyng wyth vs the frute of the same land auoidig the vnfaithfulnes of the other teÌ„ cowerdes which brought an euel report vp poÌ„ the land cause the people to sine we may comfort them so wyth the promises that with a glad harte surs hope of a constant fayth we may altogether enter into the heueÌ„ly taberna cle which christ hath prepared for hys electe Amen Spiritus vbi vult spirat P.N. Phillyp Nycolls The story It shal not nede to wryte that hole stori word for word iÌ„ this
placebut to refer the gentle reder to the place wryttē in the bok of nūbre the .xiii. .xiiii. Chapters theffect where of ys thys After that the children of Israell were gone oute of Egypte and had bin a great whyle in the wyldernes Num. xiii and nowdraweyng nygh the lande of Canaan the lord spake vnto Moyses and saied send furth men to spy out the land of Canaan whych I wyll geue vn to the chyldren of Israell of euery trybe of their fathers a man and let them be suche as are captaynes amonge them etc. Moyses dyd so chose oute of euerye trybe a man sente thē furth and bad thē vieu the land and see what maner of cūtre yt was and what maner of people they were that dwelte in yt also to brynge some of the frute of the land wyth them Thei went after .xl. dayes they returned and came to Moyses and Aaron and the hole Congregacyon and declared vnto thē that they had townde a goodly Contre flowinge with milke hony they had broughte of the frute of the lande A Cluster of Grapes pomegranetes fygges But ther be stronge people dwellynge in the land and grate and myghtye Cytyes we are not able to go agaynst thē saye they for all the men are of greate stature yea we saw Gyauntes there also as the Children of Enock we semed in our syght as the greshoppers so dyd we in their syghte At thys report Nu. xiii the Chyldren of Israel toke on and cryed and wepte and murmured Agaynste Moyses and Aaron sayed oh that we had dyed in Egypt or that we myght dye yet in thys wyldernesse Wherefore bryn geth the lord vs into thys land that our wyues shoulde fall thorowe the sword our Chyldren to be a prey Is yt not better that we goo agayne into Egypte And they sayed one to another let vs make a Captaine and goo into Egypte agayne But Moyses Aaron fel vpō their faces before the whole Congregacion of the multitude of the childrē of Israel and Iosua the Sonne of Nun and Caleb the sōn of Iephun which wer also .ii. of the .xii. that had bene to spy out the land rente theire clothes and spake to the hole Congregaciō of the chyldren of Israel and sayde the land which we haue walked thorowe to spye yt owte ys a verye good lande yff the lorde haue luste vnto vs he shall brynge vs into the same land geue yt vs wiche is a land that floweth wyth milke and hony But in any wyse rebel ye not agaynst the Lord and feare not the people of thys land for we wyl eat thē vp as bread Theire defence ys ys departed from thē but the lorde ys with vs be not ye affrayed of them And al the people bad stone them with stones Thē appered the glory of the lord ī the tabernacle of witnes vnto all the chyldren of Israell And the Lorde sayed vnto Moses how long shal thys people blasp heme me And how longe wyll yt be eare they beleue me for all the tokens that I haue shewed among them I wyl smit thē with pestilence and destroye them and wil mak of the a greter a mightier people then thys ys But Moyses sayed Thē shall the Egiptiās heare yt for with poure hast thou brought this people frōamōg thē so shall yt be told to the īhabyters of thys lande also whyche haue herd that thou o lord arte amonge thys people that thou art seen from face to face and that thy clowd stande the ouer them and the thou goest before thē ī the cloudy pyller on the day tyme and in the fyrye piller in the nyght ceason Yf thou shouldest now slea thys people as one manne than the heathen that haue hearde so good report of thee should say The lord was not able to bryng the people into the lande that he sware vnto them therfore hath he slayne them in the wyldernes So let the power of the lorde now be great according as thou hast spoken and sayd the lord ys of long sufferaunce and of greate mercy and forgeueth syn and trespasse and leaueth no man inocent and vysyteth the mysdedes of the fathers vpon the cyldren vnto the thyrd and fourth generatyon O be gracyous now vnto the synne of thys people accordynge to thy great mercy lyke as thou hast forborne this people also euer frō Egipte vnto this place And the lord said I haue forgeuē itas thou hast said but as truly as I lyue al the world shal be full of my glorye For of al the mē that haue seene my glory my tokens which I dyd in Egypte in the wyldernesse tempted me now .x. tymes and haue not hearkened vnto my voyce et c. For I haue heard theyr murmurynges agaynst me tell theim therefor As truly as I lyue sayeth the Lorde I wyll do vnto you euen as ye haue spoken in myn eares Your carcases shall lye in thys wyldernesse But my seruaunte Caleb because there is Another maner of sprete in him and because he hath folowed me hym wyll I bryng into the land and Iosua the sonne of Nū But ye wyth your carcasses shall lye in thys wyldernesse And your chyldren shall beare your mysdeades fourty yeres for the .xl. dayes that you were aspyenge out of the land a day for a yere that ye may know what it is whā I with draw my hand euen I the lord haue saied it wil do it īdeid vnto al this euel cōgtegaciō the haue lyft vp thē selues agaynste me ī thys wildernesse shal they be consumed there shal they dye And their dedes wer plaged before the lorde all the mē whom moyses sent to spy owt the land saue Iosua Caleb And whē Moyses had declared this to the people they toke greate sorow they rose early in the mornyng went vp to the toppe of the mountayne and sayed Io we are here ready to go vpp to the place that the lorde commaunded vs for we haue synned But Moyses sayed wherefore go ye on thys maner beyonde the woorde of the Lorde Yt shalle not prosper with you Goe not vp for the lorde is not among vs hat ye be not slayn of your enymyes But they wer blinded wold go vp not withstanding Moises and Aaron nor the arke of couenaunt came not into the host and thre they were slayne euery one of the enemyes Here hast thou derely beloued ī christ almost the hole matter euen as it is wrytten Now shal it be in my iudgement very profytable to recyte it agayne and applye it to owr tym that it may be prynted the better ī owr mynde and that we may both learne by thē to beware of infidely te impatiēce the we murmur not agaynst god neglecte hys cōmaū demētes also to folow the stedfastnes of Caleb and. Iosua in faith beleue doyng all thyng accordyng to the word cōmāndemēt of the
lord Eebre iii. Thys counsel doth saynt Paul geue vs saige take hede good brethreÌ„ sayth he that there be not iÌ„ any of yow an euel hart of vnbeleue to depart froÌ„ the liuiggod but exhort out selues daili whil it is called to day lest ani of you wax hard harted throu the deceatfulnes of synÌ„e etc. Take hed say eth he By thys we may perceaue the thorow vnbeleue we departe from the lyuiÌ„g god for lacke of dayly exhortactyoÌ„s meÌ„ wax hard harted tho row that deceatfulns of siÌ„ue He that hath the grace coÌ„syder perceaue wel the stat of vnbeleffe speacilli wheÌ„ the hart is once hardned thorow synÌ„eâ— shall not me ruayle the saynt Paule sayeth take hede For suer he that will serue the lord must take hede feare for he shal haue many emmies Eccle. ii the the feare of the lorde is the ryght goddes seruyce sayeth syrach het serueth god wel that feareth to displese hi now ar all those thinges wrytten for our lernyng that we mought lerne both by examples exhortacions to feare god do his wyl Exo. ii vii viii xi x. xiiii The chyldren of Israel after that the egyptyans be gonne to make slaues of then cryed vnto the lord and syghed to be dely ueredat but after the the lordehade wrought many wonders in Egypt for their delyueraunce and caused the sea to open gaue theÌ„ rome and pharao with his hoost drowned yet al this notwithstandynge asson as any temptacion arose they forgart altogether Ex. xv xvi xvii Gene. xvii xxv xxxv Exo. xiii Exo. xxxii Nu xxxv psal c. vi murmured agaynste the lorde wyshed the they had dyed in Egypt althoughe the lorde had promised their fathers abraaÌ„ isaac Iacob to multyplye their seade blesse theÌ„ bryng theÌ„ into the land the floweth with milk hony yea that lord weÌ„t with theÌ„m the pyller of a clowde by day by nyght iÌ„ a pyller of fyre All thys notwithstandyng I saye for euery tryfle they murmured gruged wyshyng theÌ„ selues agayn in egypte euen dispysyng the boyce of the lord ther god made theÌ„ other goddes serued the goddes of the nacyoÌ„s went a whoring after ther owne inuencyons for which the lord plaged them often very sore Thes are examples vnto vs sayeth saynt Paule that we should not lustafter euel thynges i. cor x. as they lusted nether be ye worshypers of images as were soÌ„ of them accordynge as it is wrytten the people sate downe to eate drynke rose vp to play Exo. xxxii Nn. xxv Nu xxi nether let vs coÌ„myt whordome as som of theÌ„ coÌ„mitted fel in oneday xxiii thoâ— sand Nether let vs tempte chryst as some of theÌ„ tempted him were destroyed of serpeÌ„tes Num. xi Neyther murmur ye as some of theÌ„ murmured were distroyed of the dystroyer All these happened vnto them for ensamples sayeth saynt paule but they are wrytteÌ„ towarne vs vpoÌ„ whom the ende of the worlde is come therefore let him that thinketh he stondeth take hede lest he fal These be saynt paules wordes And I wold wyshe from my very harte that all men from the hyest to the loweste wolde wey them ernestly For they be wrytten for oure learnyng to th enteÌ„t that we shuld take hed frar god flee such oftences lest we provoke the lorde to cast vs of foreuer He speaketh eueÌ„ to the wysest among men saynge let him the thinketh he staÌ„deth take hede lest he fall Thys waruyng of saint Paul may not be forgotten take hede therfore breth ten the there be not in any of you an euel hart of vnbelef to depart froÌ„ the lyuyug god Wher withal shall ayoung maÌ„ cleÌ„â—e his way psal c. ix sayth dauid he answereth him selfe sayth euen by rulyng him selfe after the word of god but he the goeth besyde the word of the lord must nedes fal though he thynke hi selfe neuer so sure For what is maÌ„ oryâ— wisdoÌ„m of maÌ„ i. cor i is not wysdoÌ„ of the world foly shnes with godâ— The lord bade Moyses send out samu xiii xii men to spye owte the land of canaue For he wuld geue It to the chyldrenne of Israele in possessyon Moyses dyd so and chose of euery of the xii tribes one to go spye out the land And the no 〈◊〉 fooles but eueÌ„ of the thefe of the trybes And ther they found a frutful cuÌ„tre flowiÌ„g with mylk houy They brought of the grapes pomgranettes and fygges All thys was accordinge to the worde of the lorde and his promys made to the fathers But as the nature of maÌ„ is alway to loue him selfe to leane to his owne wisdome to put some confidence therin and thus forsake fayth so these messengers sayed vn to the pople we cam vnto the land whether ye sent vs where it flowath withe mylke and hony and thys is the fruete thereof Bute then the people are myghtye theire Cities stronge and greate So that we at not able to matche theÌ„ Yea we sawe gyauntes there also the chyldren or Euocke say they And we femedâ— our syght as the greshoppers and fodyd we in theyr syghte lyke wyse Now here we sauhow thei fal away thorow vubelef for what neded thei haue feared the giaÌ„nts or any other thynge yf they had beleued god as AbraÌ„ their fathers did but thei tok no hed to the word of the lord therfore they brought thys euel report vpoÌ„ the land iÌ„ so much that the people these wordes beganne to crye and howle sayeng Nu. xiiii oh that we had dyed in the land of Egypte or that we myght dye yet in thys wyldernes wherefore bringeth the lord vs into this land that our wyues shuld fal thorow the swerd and our Children be a pray Is yt not better that we go again into Egypte And thus they sayde on to another let vs make a Captayne ouer vs and go agayne Into Egypte Marke here the the vnfayfullnes of the so Messen gers Beholde also the weake 〈◊〉 fayth that was in the people The word of the lord bad moyses send spies into the land which the lord wold geue to the children of Israel as yt was often promysed before But these messengers loked vpon the mighty men great gyauntes and forgat the promyse of god Lykewyse the people herkened to the voice of the messengers and let the voyce of the lord go Oh vnfaythful generacyon Where was Abrahams fayth whych when he was coÌ„maunded to kyll hys onely sonne Gen. xxii iÌ„ whom the lord had promised to blesse al nacyoÌ„s he forsoke reason left hys owne wysdome beleued that that lord wold rais him again froÌ„ death to lyf rather theÌ„ his word shuld not be fulfiled This is wryt ten for oure learnynge that we also maye set hande of the promyeses of god with lyke faith is But where thys fayth let vs nowe talke awhyle of our
be brute beastes The pope shal set the Emperoure vpon vs. And all nacyons wyl in vade vs. Ye owr owne countre wyll rebell agadnst vs. Oh Caleb Caleb Oh Iosua here you not what an euel report this messengers bringe vpon the land Thus such lyke tales wyll make the people rebell agaynst Moses Why rent you not your clothes amonge these xii messengers that were sent to spye out the land was there but two faythfull menne But these two when they saw the multytud so farre out of order so voyde of grace that Moyses and Aaron fell downe vpon there faces to intreate them They rent theyr clothes and spake to the hole congregatyon sayeng The land that we haue walked tho row to spye oute ys a very good lande yf the lorde haue luste vnto vs he shall bryng vs into the same lande and geue yt vs whyche ys a land that floweth with milke and hony But in any wyse rebell not agaynste the lorde And feare not the people of thys lande For we wyl eate them vp as breade Their defence is departed from them but yÌ„lord is with vs be not affraid of theÌ„er c Marke wel the werdes of these two faithful Messengers we wyl eate theÌ„ vp as bread say they there defence is departed from them the lorde is wyth vs be not affrayd of them Oh fayth fayth Yf all these landes and coutrees were bent to come iÌ„ dede what should we feare Rather should we beleue that of these Enymtes in coÌ„mynge ouer the Ryuer the hole hoost shuld synke then that god should faile those that fayth fully trust in hym But all thynge must be done with dyscretioÌ„ sobryete and wysdom saye they But I pray you what greater wisdome dyscretion caÌ„ therbe then to do ernestli the coÌ„maÌ„ndemeÌ„t of god with an ernest ele to set forth his truth what is your minde to do are ye not myu ded to set forth goddes worde with a pure coÌ„science Are you not mynded to do accordyng to the same is it not your purpose to Root out Idolatrie do you not intend to set vp the treu wourshipe of god yf coÌ„sieÌ„ce be defyled with coueteousnes hordoÌ„e pryde or any such lyke vyce then feare how ye go forward and take good councel before you procead for goddes word wyll not cloake yÌ„ longe but wyl doutles se it punish ed ye and al men shal se it But yf your conscyence be cleare and ye seake nothing but the onely glory of god though it were with the losse of al youre goodes yf it plesed god so to hryng it to passe to do only that he coÌ„nmundeth your why stay ye are ye afrayde of the numbre of meÌ„ and the greate gyauntes is it not godds cause that you take in hand darennynat you bentet vpon such a laÌ„dâ— is not god our sheld defeÌ„ce haue we not apromise that v. shal chase aâ—â—e hundreth Le xxvi Deut. xxx ii and an C. shall chace tene thowsand Are these vâ—yne wordes are they not oure lyfe do we not se here in the same story that when the people would haue stoned Caleb and Iosua for spekyng to them in this tayth the glory of the Lorde appered in the tabernacle of wytnesse vnto the people And the lorde sayd vnto Moyses How longe shall thys people blaspheme me And how long wyll it be ere they beleue me for all the Tokens that I haue shewed amonge them I wyl smpte thys people wyth pestilence and dystroy them and wyll make of the a greatter and a myghtyer people then thys ys sayeth the lorde Consyder well these wordes coÌ„syder who spake them to whom they were spoken and for whose sake they were wrytten Oh what case shoulde we be in Psal cvi yf oure Moyses stode not in the gapp and prayed hys father for vs How vnfaythfully do we dayly fal euen as yt were a people that had no god at all Let vs therefor be warned in tyme. Let vs be conuerted vnto the lorde Let vs separate oureselues from the trust of menne from the wysdome of menne from the vayne confydence of thys worlde wyth all the vanytes of yt And let vs wyth a syugle eye and a pure conscence call vpon the name of the Lorde Oure medyatour ys alwaye ready to offer out prayers to hys father and hathe promysed that we shall be hearde yf we call in fayth Let vs learne of Moyses and other holy fathers of Chryste and hys apostles how to praye For alwayes are there oceasyons offerede to afaythefull Manne to Praye As was here to Moyses for the people But we had nede to praye for oure selues to desyre oure Moyses to pray for vs also for we haue offeÌ„ded after thys maner Therefor let vs lyft vp oure boyce saiynge o lorde be mercyfull vnto thy people accor dyng to thyne accoustomable mercyes do away oure offences For we haue synned But yet for thy names sake delyuer vs. We haue taken vpon vs to be of thy gosple and wyth our mouthes we confesse the but in our deades we deny thee yet lorde haue mercy for yf thou shuldest plage vs accordiÌ„g to our desertes theÌ„ should the other vnbelouiÌ„ge say Lo Behold how God hateth their heresye and thus shuld thy worde be despysed and hared of al nacyoÌ„s oh be gracyous therefore vnto our synnes accorynge to thy greate mercy lykewyse as thou hast forborne vs alwaye hytherto be thus gracyous vnto vs for christes sake Lett all suche faythfull men as do earnestly study the amendment of their wycked lyfe say amen But he that doth not so let him kepe sileÌ„ce orels say our lady Psalter for such prayers doth goddes word teache vs by hys sayntes which wer writ ten for oure learnynge As for matyns mumblers and mass mongers with dyryges and trentalles with such superstious prayers the scry pture speaketh not of theim But thes such lyke ar the scypture full No vaine bablynge but effectuall faythful ferueÌ„t ought oure prayers be For the prayer of a cyghtesous man Iaco. v. auayleth much sayeth laynct Iames yf it be feruent As it appereth also iÌ„ this story by Moy sts which obteyned grace for the people For the lord sayed I haue forgeueÌ„ it as thou hast sayed But thos the haue murmured agayust me tell them as truly as I lyue sayrth the lorde I wyll do vnto youe euen as ye haue spoken in myue eares Your carkasses shall lye In the wylldernes and all ye that were numbred frome .xx. yeres and aboue whyche murmered agaynste me shall not come into the lande coucecuynge the whyche I lyft vp my hande that I wold let youd wel therein saue caleb the sonne of Ie phune and Iosua the sonne of NuÌ„ And so ther dyed and were plaged before the lorde all the men whome Moyses sent tospye oute the lande and cam agayn and made the hole multytude to murmure aâ—anist yt because the brought vp a misreport vpon the lande that yt was euell
perswade you that forasmuche as ye be iÌ„ aucthoryte ye ought to be knowen abue other men Thus shall he brynge into you a certayne loue of your self and ye shal thinke that you be lyft vp aboue other meÌ„ whiche yet be your brethreu Yf you be geuen to be angrye he shall cause you in a fury to forget mercy yea theÌ„ shal your autoryte be aminister of sin Do what vyce soener you be bent to heys redy to iÌ„crease yt and to make you forget yt And theÌ„ for lacke of exhortacyons may ye be hardened in youre synne and theÌ„ ys yt dauÌ„gerous Take hede therfor for a liÌ„tlesin iÌ„ you is much noted of the commoÌ„s and in thos thiÌ„ges ye fall Yourefalses how caÌ„ ye punysh other So by thys meanes maye yt come to passe that synne shall not be punyshed Thus shal these backbyters haue alway an occasyoÌ„ to slaunder Chrystes gosple For they forget not the euel lyuiÌ„ge that they maye spye in these Gospelers But I aske these holye Fathers whene theye say these gospellers lyue so naughtyly in al kynde of synne and abhomynacyons Whether doo they hate the Synne that these menne commytte Or ells the gospell that they so much talke of Nay the sinne wyl they saye for verye shame But yf synne be be the cause why theye saye thes gospelers be such horemongers susuche swerars such prowde menne suche coueteous persons et cc. Yf These Be the Causes Why hadd they not made Statutes When they bare the Rule and strayghte Lawes to Punyshe These abhominacions with some punishmentes at lest as wel as they made lawes to punysh with death 〈◊〉 as red â—eâ—alked preached or 〈◊〉 any thinge out of the 〈…〉 defence of chrystes gosple 〈◊〉 their Ipocâ—ytys and falsy 〈◊〉 â—â—yne yea why do they not â—â—e owle vpon these Abhomy aâ—yous indeferentsye in all â—â—enne Seing euen of ther owne secte be as fylthye lyues and as wycked â—s The other and A greater number ye the holy fathers them salues wylbe knowen to be no sayilles I warante ye we â—umtyme But wyll ye know the cause why the gosple preacheth A gâ—ynste there Ipocrysyâ— A gaâ—nste there edâ—et cousnes Agaynst their pâ—yâ—e and daylie gloryt And Agaynste theyte blyndenesse specyalâ—ye in godes worde And anyâ—â—te all there abhomynacyons The gosple the gospel Hoâ—est illud hinc illi clamores Hecest illa maliiia Thys is the thynge they be a greued with all Howe carefull therefore and ware oughte they to be in theyr conuersacyon that shale preache Teach wryt or reade or with authoryty set forth goddes worde vnto the people for they be as it were messengers sent to spye owte the land How had they nede to take hede that there be in none of them an euell harte of vnbeleue to departe from the lyunge God lest thorowe Infydelyte they Brynge Ane euelle reporte vpon the lande of Canuaan We are Admonyshed here bye These messengers to cleaue faste to the worde of god To stycke to hys promyle be to dyâ—gence in owre vocatione And to forsacke owre oâ—ne wosdome Ye and to do onely which he commaundeth For yf the word of the lorde sayd destroye the Images of baall plucke doun the Idols iiii Re. xx iii. destroy the hylaulters burne the groues leaue nothynge feare theme not I ame the lorde What councelle is there In thys case that may be allowed Hathe not the lorde sayede to Moysese sende menne to spye oute the lande whiche I wyl geue to the children of Israel Heb. iii Vnderstand deare bretherne that as Moyses the chosen seruant of god to whom was commytted the gouernaunce of the chyldren of Israel to rule In the leter Doth sygnyfye the onely begotteÌ„ sonne of god Iesus Chryste to whom is committed al Iudg went rule and powe owt al mene in his spirite Geue xv Hed. vii Aod as Melchysedech kyng of salem the hye preste of god withowet begynnynge or endynge doth paynt before owre eyes the euerlastyng presthod of chryste whych offred the true brede and the true wyne Heb. iiii of whyche whoso eateth and drynketh hath euerlaflyffe so doth this holi land promisyd to Abraam and hys posteryte sygnyfy vnto vs the holy promised dwellynge of the father that heueÌ„ly mansyon prepared of chryste for this elect that kingdoÌ„ in which ys ioy and peace iÌ„ the holy ghoste Hebre. x. These are the shadowes of good thynges is come and not the thiÌ„ges iÌ„ ther nation sayeth sayut pauie thys land of Canaan whyche was promisd to abraam and to his seed and they possest yt in dede was but a shadowe of the euerlastynge kyngdome of heuen The Iourney thorow the wildernes betokâ—â—th thys myserable lyffe so ful of troubles and teÌ„ptacyon And as all suche as grudged a gaynste god in the wyldernesse when any temptacyon arose and wold go back agayn into egypt dyed in the wyldernesse and were not suffrede to enter into the lande of canaan cuuÌ„ so are all suche vnfaythfull and fleshly lyuers as can not abyde to haue their lustes restraned but wold go agayne into egypte by the flesh pottes and all such as wyll not abyde by the worde of the lord to worshyppe him accordynge as he hath appoynted but wold go after strauÌ„g goddes worshiping hiÌ„after ther owne inuentyons all these I saye oneles they repent and be conuerted shall not enter the kyngdoÌ„ of god but shal lye in the wildernesse that ys in the place of euerlasting trouble vexacyoÌ„ Take hede therfore there be not iÌ„ any of you aÌ„ euel harte of vnbelefe Let vs not shrynkee In thys wylldernessee but pacyentelye abyde the wyll of god and then be we sure we shall possesse thys trutefull lande for god hath promised and that ys sufficient Loke what he hath spoken must nedes come to passt and god ys mi wytnesse I dyd euer seÌ„e I had any perseaueraunce iÌ„ christes doctryn beleue that as the pope was depriued of his false vsurped poure so shuld al hys fayned relygyoÌ„ de caye and be vtterly destroied For the lord sayeth Math. XV. euery plant whych my heauenly father hathe not planted shall be pluckede vp bye the rootes Not wythe stanedynge yt hathe come forthe fayre and easylye and peraduenture some of these vnfaythefull Messengerse hathe broughte An euell report vppon thys heauenly Canaan whyche ys the verye doctryne of Chryste What. xiii as chryste callethe yt hym selfe For I haue hearde some saye whyche haue bene no small fooles it ys good in such wayghtye maters to take good aduysemeÌ„t and do al thinges with discretion For yf we shuld abolyshe and put downe al thinges that gods worde doth not allowe meanyng the abhomynable abuses of the masse and the greate dysorder of mynysters with suche lyke greate hoostes and greate armyes of men wyll inuade vs And we shall not be able to Indure agaynste them For here haue we the scottesone the one syde the frenchmen on the other syde The Irysh men