against Iuda Lest God beholdyng suche a confusion come and say vnto thee as vnto the figge tree Neuer man eate fruit of thee hereafter while the world standeth Yet Christ him selfe hungering In consideration whereof it is to bee noted that although the founders vnder God of his house here in Englād which God euer mainteyne and increase are nowe willyng haue bene of long tyme with the aduise of the best workmen that might be had in so carefull a worke and about so weightie a cause suche as God be thanked haue not seassed to take great paynes in Englande for the perfecting of so woorthie a worke and therein many good people about London and in other places haue and doe declare them selues very studious and paynfull to haue the same perfourmed In so muche as God be praysed there are some certaine that willingly and gladly doe shew them selues to bee faythfull labourers in the house of God But the greater number besides seeme to be suche as in very deed woulde be accompted good labourers in Gods Vineyarde who in deedes doe appeare playne to bee but Loyterers when as the maister of the Vineyarde shall come to tryall It is true hee wyll not deny his good Stewardes Bailiffes and faythfull seruauntes their due rewarde At what tyme all the contrery will be founde to be too too negligent in suche their duetifull businesse some of obstinate frowarde and malicious myndes and some by foolishe ignoraunce lyke vnto the fyue foolishe Virgines And many suche as doe flatter themselues with the parable of those whō the good husbandmā was willyng to retayne in his Vineyarde and gaue vnto him for his hyre that came at the thirde houre of the day as large as vnto those which entered at the first houre and dyd beare the heate of the day Whereby it is manifest that the same good husbande man who is our Sauiour Christ hath alwayes had a lyke care for all in generall and will deny none of their hyre that came vnto him in any tyme in mind to be accepted But alas what may be sayd or thought of suche as doe deferre and set off their commyng into the Lordes Vineyarde euen vntyll their laste houre And then perhaps doe as it were looke ouer the hedge and doe commyt their good deeds to bee sent after them by Executors in hope to receiue their rewarde w t the first Wherein is not to be forgotten that although our heauenly husbandman hath dealt and doeth deale so fauourably in his mercyes with so many as hee findeth sorowful and careful to lyue with him And not obstinately or willingly to pine them selues away for want of a litle paines taking wherby to procure vnto themselues foode and rewarde which I doe so muche the more lament whyle I doe beholde a number whose lyues doe bewray that they care not to haue to do with God nor his house suche as may not be persuaded to enter into the same and other some such and that for the most parte who if they happen a litle to enter in they soone wax weary and so stealeth foorth againe In so much as it is very doubtfull that any suche shall haue any part of reward with the true labourers but rather shal want foode when as they shall be hungrye and thirstie and shall alwayes be drye And so in case to perish for want of that which they so contemptuously and negligently refused when the large measure was offered vnto them through Christ his merites and louing kindnesse In so muche as rather it is to be desired that all those that haue any feeling desire in them selus to come into the Lordes Vineyarde and to dwell with God in his euerlasting māsion may refuse no paynes to bee ioyned vnto him in ioyfull gladnesse of Ghostly rauishing which is to be sought from the high to the lowe with all due humilitie reuerence vnto God loue to our neighbours obedience vnto our soueraigne vdder whose protection next vnder God we doe enioye our being and continuyng in so good a woorke for the which euery true member of England is bound daily and hourely to pray vnto God that so good a foundation of the house of GOD may become so well framed and perfected as to encrease remayne vnremoueable to the euerlasting comfort of all the professors As is testified by the scriptures The earth shall fayle all things therein conteined but the worde of God abideth euerlasting and one iotte of his worde shall not fayle And when we haue done all that euer we can doe yet shal we be but vnprofitable seruants By these words some may doubt what they ought to doe in so weightie a matter it is in these fewe wordes declared That wee ought to preferre the glory of God the promotyng of Christ his Euangil that is his word and the saluation of our soules aboue all things in the earth So shall we bee sure that though all the worlde besides were in an vprore and troubles Though warres and contentions plagues pestilence and all inconueniences were round about vs yet shold we be defended and protected For so is Gods louyng promises vnto so many as with willyng and obedient heartes doe seeke to be preserued in his folde expressing their inwarde desires by their outward conuersation and actions By reason whereof many haue beene stirred to forsake their froward wayes and return vnto the Lord by ensample of Kyng Ezechia as foloweth And Ezechia sent to all Israel and Iuda and wrote letters to Ephraim and Manasses that they shold come to the house of the Lorde at Ierusalem offer passeouer vnto the Lord God of Israel And the Kyng helde a counsell with his Lordes all the congregation at Ierusalem to keepe the feast of passeouer in the seconde moneth And the tenour of his letters was this You sonnes of Israel returne to the Lorde God of Abraham Isaac Iacob and he shall returne to the residue that resteth from the handes of Assur Be not as your fathers and as your brethren were who haue transgressed against the Lorde God of their Fathers who hath made them desolate as you see Holde not your heartes therefore But giue your hands to the Lorde returne to his Sanctuary serue him and hee shall shewe mercy vnto you to your sonnes and daughters that be in bondage for he is pitifull and easie to bee entreated Thus farre dyd Ezechias by letters and messengers prouoke the people declined from God to repentaunce not onely in Iuda where he raygned lawfull Kyng but also in Israel subiecte then to an other Kyng And albeit that by some wicked men his messengers were mocked so lacked they not theyr iust punishmentes For within sixe yeares after Samaria was destroyed and Israel ledde captyue by Salmanazar So dyd not this zealous King Ezechias desist to prosecute his dutie in restoring the religion to Gods perfect ordinance remauyng all wickednes And again in the Prophecie of
is no more redeemers to be looked for and the Prophets are gone before Albeit wee heare daily speakyng vnto vs from God him self and all his Prophets to the end to gather together the remnaunt of Iuda In so muche as the Prophet Ezechiel hath left vs these comfortes When the wicked man turneth away from his wickednesse that he hath done and doeth the thing which is equall and right hee shall saue his owne soule and lyue For in somuch as he remembreth him selfe and turneth him from all the vngodlines that he hath vsed hee shall lyue and not dye Albeit the Prophet Ieremy doth in this Chapter folowing lay hard to the charge of all vngodly persons taking occasion first to reprooue whoredome and swearing taking Gods name in vaine Shold I not correct this sayth the Lord should I not be auenged of euery people that is lyke vnto this Clyme vp vppon theyr walles beate them downe but destroye them not vtterly Cut of their branches because they are not the Lordes for vnfaythfully hath Israel and Iuda forsaken mee sayeth the Lorde they haue denyed the Lorde and sayde it is not hee Tushe there shall no harme or misfortune come vppon vs wee shall neyther see sworde nor hunger As for the warning of the Prophetes they take it but for wynde yea there is none of those that will tell them that suche thinges shall happen vnto them Feare yee not mee sayeth the Lorde are yee not ashamed to looke mee in the face which bynde the Sea with the sande so that it can not passe his boundes For though it rage yet can it doe nothyng and though the waues doe swell yet may they not goe ouer But this people hath a false and an obstinate heart they are departed and gone away from mee They thinke not in their heartes O let vs feare the Lord that giueth vs rayne early late which keepeth euer styll the haruest for vs yearely Neuerthelesse your misdeedes haue taken from you and your sinnes haue robbed you thereof for among my people are founde wicked persons that priuily laye snares and wayte for men to take them and destroy them And lyke as a Neâ—â—e is full of Byrdes so are their houses full of that which they haue gotten with falshoode and deceite whereof commeth their great substance and ryches whereof they are fatte and well lykyng and are runne away from me with shamefull blasphemyes They minister not the lawe ryghtfully They iudge not accordyng to equitie Should I not punishe these things sayth the Lord should I not bee auenged of all suche people as these bee Horrible and greeuous things are done in the lande Which while the Lorde dyd beholde See I pray you the louyng mercyes of the Lorde offered vnto those people and nowe speaking vnto vs by the mouthes of many godly Preachers in folowyng and obseruyng the fourme of the good Prophet Osee in daily crying out Turne from your frowarde wayes and turnyng from your disobedience with the children of Israel saying vnto the eternall God Thou arte the Lorde our God and thee will we worshyp Confusion hath deuoured our fathers labour froÌ„ our youth vp yea their sheepe their Bullockes theyr sonnes and their daughters So doe wee also sleepe in our confusion and shame couereth vs for we and our Father from our youth vp vnto this day haue sinned against the Lorde our God and haue not obeyed his voyce For reconciliation whereof it is written thus by the Prophet Ioel. Make thy moane as a Virgine doeth that girdeth her selfe with sackecloth because of her Bridegroome for the meate and drinke offerings shall bee taken out of the house of the Lord. And the Priests the Lords and Ministers shall mourne the fielde shall be wasted the lande shal be in a miserable case Wherefore in the seconde Chapter of the same Prophet it is written thus Turne you vnto the Lorde your God for he is long suffring and of great mercy Proclaime a fasting call the congregation and gather the people together warne the congregation gather the Elders bryng the children and sucklyngs together let the Bridegroome go foorth of his Chamber and the Bryde out of her Closet Let the Priestes serue the Lorde betwyxt the Porch and the Alter weeping and saying Be fauourable O Lorde to thy people let not thine heritage be brought to such confusion lest the Heathen be Lordes thereof And Sainet Paul to Timothie hath left vnto vs in this age a probable reason that the day of the Lord his translation of this worlde is neerer vpon commyng then nowe seemeth to be made accompt off This knowe that in the latter dayes shal come perillous times for men shall be louers of their owne selues couetous boasters proud cursed speakers disobedient vnto father and mother vnthankfull vngodly vnkynde trucebreakers false accusers riotous fierce despisers of theÌ„ that are good Traytours headie mynded greedy vpon boluptuousnesse more then the louers of God hauyng a similitude of godlinesse but hauyng denyed the power thereof and such abhorre For of this sorte are they which enter into houses and bryng in bondage women laden with diuers lustes euer learnyng and neuer able to come to the trueth If the consideration of such ensamples then may not mooue the people in this age to bee deepely touched with repentaunce let them take the louyng Parables of Christ of the two sonnes and of the tylman vnto whome hee set his Vineyarde A certayne man had two soones and hee came to the first and sayde sonne goe and worke to day in my Vineyarde who answered I will not but afterwards repented and went Then came bee to the seconde and sayde likewyse and hee answered I will syr but went not Wherein is expressed a wonderfull comfort first is to be considered how the Lorde our God maker of heauen earth doeth humble him selfe not onely to bee called a husbandman a housholder and suche lyke But he abaseth him selfe of mercy to vs vile earth and ashes that his sonne became man to make mankynde glorious in his sight to make all those that do not refuse his grace offered of the slaues of Saten his sonnes by adoption We are his sonnes we are his Vinyard wee are as deare vnto him as the Apple of his eye As Moyses speaketh if you can beleeue it hee sweareth that you shal be his inheritance and he will be yours If yee will onely beleeue his grace offered and beleeue him when hee sweareth Will yee call his trueth into doubt his glorye into shame by your misreliefe Better it were that all creatures should perishe Heauen man and Aungels then that GOD shoulde not haue credite or that his power and glorye in the least iotte shoulde bee diminished Hee hath called vs hys people of Englande by his worde many yeares to worke in his Vineyarde But what many one haue answered I appeale to your owne consciences which witnesseth and all the world seeth that some
by mee For then that may neither auayle thee nor amend them As wee finde it written That when Diues desired that his other brethrē might haue knowledge of his torments It was answered him They haue Moyses the law and the Prophets By which ensample all people are admonished y t in this lyfe while they haue time space euery one both men and women to do nothing against a good conscience and to examine in them selues how they doe delight to lyue in the feare of God and by their innocency of lyfe doe indeuour them selues to obtayne Gods fauour and so to be brought into the fold mētioned in S. Iohn Wherin it is noted how the sheepe of Christ are marked and w t what seales they are sealed against the day of the Lorde By which parcell of scripture Christ doeth acknowledge his In that hee sayeth My sheepe heare my voyce I knowe them and they followe mee and I giue vnto them eternall lyfe which is to bee obtayned by earnest repentance and mortifling of our earthly members framyng our felues to bee obedient vnto the voyce of that good shepheard of our soules Seeing wee feede all in one greene pasture vnder so good a shephearde nexte vnder God as our gratious Queene of whom rightly it may bee registred in perpetuū That by the permission of God his protection her Maiestie hath raigned the peaceable Queene and shephearde ouer the litle shepcoate of the people of England Wherefore it behooueth the people to be as simple as sheepe in their yelding lyke due obedience to God and our so blessed a gouernesse not to set light by the callyng of the Pastors who watch for our soules euen as those that muste giue account therefore and vnto such we owe a duetifull reuerence especially if they be suche Pastors and Ministers as are required in so weightie a businesse and whatsoeuer the Minister be be hee good or badde whose conuersation if we will needes looke vpon yet wee must so looke that our looking be rightly And although we are forbidden to do as some of them doe yet we are not forbidden to folowe the doctrine which by them is deliuered vnto vs out of the worde of God And to trye whether our followyng bee rightly and howe wee doe profite euery mā in the course of this our pilgrimage Let vs examine it by these twoo rules First as husbandment can make no perfit reckoning of his painefull labour trauayle nor of the increase of his seed sow en in the ground vntill he haue had some certaine tryall of the yeelde which oftentymes is hindered in the commyng vpp in so much as although it haue a prosperous tyme first in growyng greene and pleasant to looke vppon which notwithstanding it is apparant that in that season may happen great imperfection as to be choked with weedes or blasted And albeit it grow to a more forwardnesse to earyng yet it is seene oftentymes that a tempest commeth and beateth it downe And if there remayne a hope of plentifull increase yet the same is not certainely knowne howe much it will profit the husvandman vntyll it bee housed in the barne And againe as the Merchant aduenturer can not perfite their accomptes before the dangerous aduentures be returned in safetie to their wished and desired port So as after their merchandise and commodities beeyng vended then fall they to casting and Ballaunsing of their recconings Vpon the examinatiō wherof they doe discerne what and how much they haue profited or lost in their voiage or aduenture and if they finde that they are brought behynde hand and fall short of their recconing then they examine the cause which beyng founde they become more carefull in their next aduenturing An suche wyse as by their diligence and God his blessyng of their trauayles in so good cōditiō as their former losses oftentyme is restored againe with double increase to their great comfort and the discouraging of all suche as doe fraudently deceiue or wastfully cōsume their goods and so become bankerupt These examples I woulde wishe all men to imitate by examinyng euery one in him selfe howe they doe growe riche in the perfityng of their accompt to God warde Although it is apparaunt that there are some men which waxe riche otherwyse who shewe them selues not to knowe what it is to heare the Lord God speakyng to them by his Prophets and in this our age deliuered vnto them by the mouthes of many learned and godly Preachers whose callyng if they may not be heard and receiued accordyng as it is written in the Reuelation Hee that hath eares let him heare That is to heare rightly and with ioy and to expresse the fruite thereof in a lyfe agreeable to the same which if riche men doe refuse to practise then let it be examined how and what such and their posteritie shall be the better for riches vnlawfully gotten seeing that the more they haue the more they want And that which they haue so gotten and scraped together shel one day bee a witnesse against them For it is true that although wee haue here many dayes God shall haue one day As the worde of God testifieth That the day of the Lorde shall come vpon all fleshe And as it is written in the Gospell of Saint Marke Except that the Lorde shoulde shorten those dayes no man should be saued but for the elects sake which he hath chosen he hath shortened those dayes c. Moreouer it is written in the same Chapter Thus saith the Lord. Til these thinges be done heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shal not passe But of the day the houre knoweth no man No not the Angels which are in heauen neither the sonne of man him selfe saue the father onely Take heede watch and pray for ye knowe not when the time is As a man which is gone into a straunge countrey and hath left his house giuen authoritie to his seruauntes and to euery one his work and commaunded the Porter to watch watch therfore for ye know not when the maister of the house will come whether at euen or midnight whether at the Cocke crowing or in the dawnyng Lest if he come sodainly he should sinde you sleeping And that I say vnto you I say vnto all men watch and pray The due consideration of this doctrine hath mooued many good and godly men to become stedfast in the faith of Christ as the best meanes to the attainement of saluation But this fayth that is requyred must be no idle fayth for a perfecte fayth is as a consumyng fyre to burne vp all infidelitie sinne and wickednes And as faith of it selfe Is the summe of our Creede So good workes are not excluded in word nor indeede As testifieth these necessary places of scriptures Thou hast fayth and I haue deedes shew me thy fayth by thy deeds belieuest thou that there is one God thou doest well The Deuils also
is so vngreeable vnto the children of pride as it seemeth the most parte of the people haue so framed theyr faces to looke God in the face moste impudently feeding theyr ownelicentious appetites with all newe fangled fantasies in making the Sabboth day prophane and agreeable to their own lustes and liking with vigilant eyes and attentiue eares to vnderstande where and newe deuised folly or tidings is to be learned wheÌ„ as there can be no better tidings to reioyce in then the glad tidinges of the Gospel To the hearing wherof many doe require discipline to the ende too bring them into a better compasse of obedience whereas to spende theyr time in vaine delightes there shall neede no such strickt order to mooue them therunto as daily experience teacheth God graunt all suche a more consideration of themselues and a perfiter iudgement of suche examples as are left vnto vs by the saered woorde of God againste pride and all other froward and wicked wayes Whereunto ignoraunce may not bee pleaded for that wyll not serue our turnes to excuse vs in the day of the Lordes visitation as the examples are many wherein it appeareth howe much God hath beene from the beginnig offended by pride Pride ouerthrewe the Tower of Babylon Pride hanged vpp Haman Pride was the destruction of Antiochus Pride murdered Zenacherib the king of Assyrians in the temple of his false God Whereby it is manyfest that God hath not left pride vnpunished in the offendours For sort is written in the Prophet Esay The day of the Lorde of Hastes shall came vpon euery proude and high minded man and vppon euery arrogant person and suche shalbe caste downe and be made lowe and the stoutnesse of the valiant and couragious shalbe abated Therefore hath Hell increased his power and hath enlarged his mouth and shall deuoure all the proude and vaine glorious persons The Lorde hath determined this to out of the pride of the insolent As it is written by S. Luke that the riche man that was clothed in purple and silk was buried in Hell Dina the daughter of Iacob before shee went foorth to buye ornamentes of forraigne women as Iosephus writeth continued her virginitie but afterwardes Sichem sonne of the king of the Amonites violently rauished her for which his odious fact the sonnes of Iacob slew Sichem and his father Hemor the king with all the Male in his Citie Salem and spoyled the same As the examples of such are sundry who for theyr hyre haue receiued like rewarde with the two wicked Elders who falsly accused Susanna Wherefore let neuer pride haue rule in thine heart for in pride began al destruction Woe be vnto the proud wealthy in Sion to such as thinke themselues sure vpon the mount of Samaria which hold theÌ„selues for the best of the worlde and rule the house of Israel euen as they list Behold is the borders of the Philistines wyder then yours Yee are takeÌ„ out for the euill day eueÌ„ that sit in the schole of wilfulnesse yee that light vpon the beds of Iuory and vse your wantonnesse vppon your Cowches Yee that eate the best Lambe of the Folde and the fattest Calues of the Droues yee that sing too the Lute and playing to the Instrumentes compare your selues to Dauid Yee that drinke wine out of Goblettes and annointe your selues with the beste Oyle but no man is sorye for Iosephes hurte And in the Prophet Esay it is written this Ierusalem and Iuda must decay because both their woordes and councels are against the Lorde to prouoke the presence of his maistie vnto anger the changing of theyr countenaunce bewraieth them yea they declare theyr owne sinnes themselues as the Sodomits did and hyd them not Woe be vnto theyr soules for they haue rewarded euill vnto themselues Bid the righteous dowel for they shall inioy the fruits of their studies and woe vnto the vngodly and vnrighteous for they shalbe rewarded after theyr woorkes And in the Prophet Ezechiell it is written Beholde the sinnes of Sodome were pride fulnes of meate abundaunce of idlenesse tâ—â—â—se thinges had shee and her daughters be sides that they reached not theyr handes to the poore and needy but were proude and did abhominable thinges before me therefore I tooke them away when I had seene it neither hath Samaria doone halfe the sinnes yea thou hast exceeded them in wickednesse Moreouer thus saith the Lord seeing the daughters of Sion are become so proude and haue walked with stretched out neckes and with vaine wanton eyes seeing they come in so nicely tripping with theyr feete Therefore shall the Lord shaue the heades of the daughters of Sion and the Lorde shall discouer their shame In that day shall the Lord take away the gorgeousnes of their apparrell Spanges Chaines Partlettes and Collers Bracelets hoopes of Golde the goodly flowred wyde and broyded raimeÌ„t Ouches and Head bandes Holy day clothes and Vales Glasses and Scarfes and insteede of good smelling there shalbe stink among them And for theyr Gyrdles there shalbe loose bands for wel set beare shalbe baldnesse and in steede of a stomachet a Sackcloth and for theyr beautie wither nesse and Sun burning your husbandes and mightie men shall perishe with the Swoorde in battaile At that time shall theyr Gates mourne complaine and they shall sit as desolate folke vppon the earth And vnto men the same Prophet in his 2. Chapter writeth thus And therefore get thee in some Rocke hide thee in the grounde for feare of the Lord and for the glory of his maiestie which casteth downe the high lookes of the presumptuous persons bringeth low the pride of man And the Lord onely shalbe exalted in that day for the day of the lord of Hosts shal go ouer all pride and laye mans presumption full lowe vpon al theÌ„ that exalte them selues and shall bryng them all downe both costly Towres and strong walles and vpon all Shippes of the Sea and vpon all things that is glorious and pleasant to looke vpon Then shall man cast away his goddes of siluer and his goddes of gold which he neuerthelesse had made to honour them And they shall creepe intoo the Caues and rocks and into the cliftes of hard stones for feare of God and for the glory of his Maiestie when hee ariseth to condemne the earth Feare yee not then any man whose breath is in his nosethrilles for what is he of reputation Wherefore saith Samuel Talke not muche proudly let olde thinges departe out of your mouthes for the Lorde is a GOD of knowledge and his purposes come to passe And in the same Chapter it is written If one man sinne against another Dayesmen may be Iudges but if a manÌ„ sinne against the Lord who wil be his Dayesman For this saith the Lorde Them that worshipp me I wyll woorship and they that despise mee shall come to shame In the Prophet Esdras it is also written that thinges present are
at our hands from God wherevnto wee shoulde the rather bende our selues for that as in the olde lawe they had the sacrifices So nowe God be thaÌ„ked so graâ—ious a Queene Englande doeth possesse the true sacramentes to the endles comfort of all such as haue in them selues a 〈◊〉 â—esire vnto true iudgement and ryghteousnes which I pray God to plant in the hearts of the people And so beyng perfourmed I am persuaded that there woulde not be so manye frowarde sutes maynteyned in Englande euen as it were for stirring of strawes vppon euerye friuolous clause In so muche as if the people coulde discerne ryghtlye in them selues what small goodnes commeth of frowardnes maliciousnes and deceitfulnesse I iudge that there woulde not bee such throng in Westminster Hall as in this our age is nowe folowed with greedinesse in weariyng the Lawyers in trudging from barre to barre whervnto they are not easily hyred Neither the Notaries and Scriueners shoulde not neede to occupie and busie their heades in deuising framing large instruments of writings with couenaunt vppon couenaunt and bonde vpon bonde and all to litle as nowe thinges are abused in such lameÌ„table wyse that oftentimes in place of true dealyng and keeping of promyse betwixt man and man nowe one couyn foloweth an other and deceit is met with the lyke in such odious manner as if hell were broken loose and the wicked spirits raging euery where inanimatyng the people to become lyke them selues Albeit it is most true that the Deuill is the father of all lyes whervpon the Prophet Micheas hath set downe vnto vs an excellent fourme howe all such as professe Christ should behaue them selues and to flee deceitfulnes Speaking thus I wil shewe thee O man what is good what the Lord requireth of thee namely to do right to haue pleasure in louyng kindnesse to be lowly and to walk with God that thou mayest be called a Citie of the Lorde and that thy name might be righteousnes Heare O ye Tribes who wold els giue you suche warnyng shoulde I not bee displeased for the vnrighteous good in the houses of the wicked and because the measure is diminished or shold I iustifie the false Ballances the bag of deceitfull weightes among those that bee full of riches vnrighteously gotten where the Citizens deale with falshood speake lyes and haue deceitfull tongues in their mouthes Therefore will I take in hand to punish them and to make thee desolate because of thy sinnes Thou shalt eate and not haue enough thou shalt flee but not escape And in the prophet Esai Christ reprouing the wickednes of euil doers saith O all ye false of promise companions of theeues that loue giftes altogether and gape for rewardes Therefore sayth the Lorde God of hostes I must ease me of mine enemyes and auenge mee of myne Aduersaries By which doctrine all Christians are willed to auoyde so great threatenynges from God and hereby wee learne that no man can keepe his hands cleane from deceites and bribes except he first washe away the couetous desires from his hart and so shal we obtayne a true iudgement In so muche that where the people haue no feelyng desire in them selues of suche iudgement let them theÌ„ beware of Christes iudgement and learne in tyme to be more carefull howe to frame them selues towardes God and their neighbour both in heart and tongue As for ensample if a prisoner beyng brought before a Iudge to bee tryed by the lawes of this realme and that the prisoner standyng vpon his tryall should let passe some speache makyng agaynst him selfe which beyng so taken in trip by the Iudge the prisoners life might be hazarded thereby woulde not suche a one gladly wish in his hart that he had refrained his tongue from suche his vnaduised speach tending to his distruction Howe muche more ought wee miserable creatures feare to commit so great 〈◊〉 and wicked deedes worthie of death 〈…〉 excusable before the high maiestie oâ— our eternall God And to the ende that no man shoulde so flatter him selfe as to say that God is no such seuere Iudge let euery one take vnto him self the ensample of the ten virgins spoken of in the Gospell of whome fiue were so negligent as hauing no oyle in their Lampes whereby to haue entered in with the Bridegroome who passing by and findyng fyue of them so vnprouided as that they were excluded their entering in with the bridegroome when as the other fiue wyse entered in with ioy hauing oyle in their vessels and lightes in their Lampes and were made partakers of the promised reward wheras the other fiue were sequestred from the benifit therof as vnto them reckoned for folishnesse by reason of the sodain coÌ„ming of the Bridegroome And in so muche as those folish virgines after coÌ„ming vnto y e gate said Lord Lord opeÌ„ vnto vs but he answered saide verely I say vnto you I knowe you not watche therefore for ye know neither the day nor yet the houre 〈…〉 the Sonne of man shall come Which ignorance of those foolishe could not excuse nor auayle theÌ„ in saying would to God we had done as the other did for they came too late and the gate was put too But mee thinkes I heare some say that it concerneth not mee to haue taken in hande the handelyng of so weightie causes vnto whome I answere this Admyt that any one would say that saluation belonged not vnto mee should I yelde therevnto No God forbyd for although I am no Publike Minister yet am I a publyke Christian Although some light disposed persons will not let to say thus by any whome they perceiue to be godly and better disposed then them selues Lo he is touched and sauoureth of the spirit but we are of the worlde and must lyue after the manner of the worlde To such I say that this worlds prouisions and actions must so bee tempered with vertue and godlinesse as that the one be not distempered by the ouer muche follye committed in the prosecuting of the other for there is godly sorowe and a worldly sorowe and two contraryes may not well agree to be ioyned together No manne can serue two masters No man can serue God and Baall By which reasons all those that doe professe to loue God shold hate and shunne all things that are contrary to his diuine will and pleasure for God is of power to make frustrate what soeuer is repugnant to his will But this doctrine seemeth to be separated so farre from the most of the people in this age As it appeareth that when God doeth touch many with bodily sickenesse losse of goods or friendes howe carefull euery one sheweth him selfe euen very pensiue and heauy And yet how light seemeth to be set by many greeuous and loathsome diseases of the soule daily experience teacheth In so muche as where it is vsed in LondoÌ„ in tyme of Gods visitation of the plague to shutte vp the doores