latter dayes that we maye se whether thys fayth be amonge vs or not Many wryters haue compared the Pope to kyng Pharoo of egypte And in dede yt may welbe for as long as he gouerned the churche he made vs bond sines he and hys mynysters Yea we were so blyndly ledd and so tyraun nously handled and that with such vylany that I am sure the Israelytes were neuer so shameful intreated of kyng Pharoo and hys my nysters As we haue byn of thys Phatao and his shauen genetacion For the dayes hath bene that yf a manne hadd fownde a Preste or A Fâ—yer in the vedde wythe Hys wyffe He durste not to haue layed hys Handes vpon hym Where as yâ—yt hadd bene another mann all thoughe He hadd stayne hym yt hadd bene accoumted no faâ—lte at all No mann myghte haue sewed them at that comoÌ„ law Ye thes egyptyans were wexed so proude that they had deuyded theim selfes froÌ„ the pore israelites iÌ„ somuch that thei must be called spirituall fathers and we the lewde people And yf any poore Israelyte had grudged at anytime to bear ther heavy and intollerable but thens there was no remedy but cruel death with out mercy Onles he wold sweare to be obedient vnto theim in All thinges whasoeuer they should coÌ„maund him Many a pore soule hath suffred vndertheÌ„ most cruell torments Many a one haue they put to death the could not be suffred to answeare for them self many a one haue they put to death the cause where of was neuer knowen Many a one haue they murdred iÌ„ prison secretly lest there outragius cruel maÌ„slaghter shuld be opeÌ„li knoweÌ„but thaÌ„ks be vnto the almighti god which of his loue the he bare vnto vs at the cryes of some faythful Israelytes hath delyuerd vs by hys minister Kyng Henry the viii from vnder the great intollerable burthens of this cruel pharao hath brought vs into the wylderness where we heare the lord speak to vs dayly in the bible wherein is wryten both the newe testament the olde is brought amonge vs Pharaos power is taken from him hys bulles be not regarded his supersty oyous seetes of relygyon be gone agreate meany of his mahometrye other baggage did the worthey king henry destroye Many wonderfull thynges dyd the lord brynge to passe in his dayes yet lo for all the coulde not we contynew faythful Al these wonders the prophecyes of the lorde him selfe agaynst those false prophe tes nor yet the examples of thos israelytes in the wyidernesse cowlde kepe vs in a stedfaste fayth In the promyfes of the lorde but at euery temptation we were ready to go back agayne iÌ„ to Egipte For yf there came but a commaundement to burne our bokes or suche lyke strayghtway we began to dyspayre to grudg and murmur ye and many went backe againe into Egypt and benot yet returned Rather had they to be slaues in Egypte to sytte by the fleash pottes fyllyng their lustes theÌ„ to ieopred theire liues at the commaundement of god in the wyldernesse And for such iÌ„fy delity wickednes how haue we felt the plages of the lord both huÌ„ger pestilence war But they wyl say it hapneth onely for these new fownd oute Heresyes the be now abroad And euery euell that chauncethe they impute it to the Gospel whyche they cal He resye Yet thys I am sure All they can not denye But these plagues in the wyldernesse happened vnto the people for dysobeyng the word of the lord and for walkinge after ther owne in uencions Now yf these whom they call heretikes go aboute to set vp or put downe any thynge bysyde the doctryne of chryste then myghte they haue some couller to cloke their matter withal to make the rude people be leue that these plages belonged not to theyr vnfaythfull workes But now to contyrme ther malyce they say Loke vpon their lyuynge Here ys one preacheth asermon at fore none and ys drouÌ„k at after none Another iÌ„ ahole asseble makethe an oratyon to destroye vyce and forthe wythe a contynente committeth abhomynacion One wryttethe in boke thys daye to exhorte men to good lyuynge And the nexte daye him selfe ys fownde an opene transgressoure of the lawe Loke vpon them say they greatter whroekepers adulterers greater sueareâ—â— blas phemers of the name of god gretter extorcyoners and deceauers more proude more enuyous more couetous then these whych talke so much of the gosple can not nor ys possyble to be But what shall we saye to them now shall we saye they lye no for they speake many thinges truli although thei speak yt of malyce as I haue sene the experyence to ofteÌ„ But alas the euer suche manyfest wyckednes shulde be suffred vnpunyshed Loke to yt O ye Magystrates for ryght sharpe iudgement shal be done on these the be in auctorite sape vii and it perteineth to your charge as well to mayntayne christes doctryne in punishynge the wycked lyuynge As to destroye I dolatrye In aboly shynge false preachynge Therfore I saye a gayne loke to yt For thes false baalams be notable to open theire mouthes wyth learnyng to defende their false doctryne For euery chyld almost is able to confound theim euen by their owne learnyng and Doctors Only now do they slander the gospell wyth the fylthy lyuyng of a sorte of false faiued brethren which with their lyppes confesse chryste the lord but in ther dedes they deny him openly Tit. i. and that vnpunyshed And therfor yet once agayne thoughe I be but a poore and vnprofytable seruaunt of Iesus christe do I exhort you O ye Magystrates and hygh rulers Nu. xxv in the zeale of Phinees that due punyshment maye be had for suche outeragyous wickednes to th eÌ„tent that the Lorde maye the sonnet wythedrawe hys plague from vs and hys mercye take place in repentaunte hartes by faythe converted Due punyshmeÌ„t I say for I feare me exhortacion wyll not serue wickednes is so greate And I beseche you o ye Magystrates that yow wyl pardon me of so much boldnes that I may exhort you also to take hede that there be not in any of you an euel hart of vnbelefe to departe from the lyuing god for I am sure the deuel goeth aboue lyke a roriÌ„g lyoÌ„ i. petre v. sekyng whom he may deuoure therefore take hede For yf any of you be geuen to desyre and couette to reing with ryches and possessyons in this world He wyl be at hand withe you in such wyse wyl he perswade you that you shal thinke ye can not haue to muche to sette furhe Chrystes Gospell Yf anye of youe be geuen to the lust of wemen He shalle perswade your by the scryptures ye shall thynke that yow may take another bysyde your wyfe Orells put away youre wyfe and marye another for euery faulte Though you your self be the cause of her fal Yf any of you be geuen to pryde thys wycked serpente ys alway at hande to
the cheyfe in the concell and ruled the hole Realme by shoppes were Ambassators and of the preuer coūsaul Deanes and prebendaryes were the kynges phesycyās chaplens and stuardes Parsons vy cars wer great Lordes stuardes chaplyns I speak nothyng of abbottes pryours pro vyncyalls with such a rablemente of cloystererss What dyd all thes did they thach the peoplethe gosple of Iesus chryste dyd they teache the people fayth in chryst loue and charyte meakenes gentylnese symplycytie so bryrte chastyt lyberalyte and to dispyce the worlde and to go thorowe the wyld ernesse with Moyses and Chry ste theyr to be tryede whethere theyr fayth were Lyke Abrahams constance and lyuely in the promyses of god Alas fewe of them cowlde teache Any thonge at all for they Were for the moste parte greate menes sonnes brought vp in hawkyng hūtyng They knew not the gosple per adventure they wold set there chaplens to preach the master of sētence and the legend horrye yf he brought I .ii. or .iii. of the doctors oh what a learned man was that but these great men toke ther pleasures They knew not what fayth ys but Imagened that they had fayth when they beleued ther was a god that Iesus chryst was hys sonne and born of the vergyn mari etc but now they thought thys to be to lytyl to brynge them to heuē and therefore al the masse matins euen songes Dyryges holye breade holy water palmes ashes wythe suche Other geare shoulde be a meane And speacyaallye thēyre newe sacraments and Idolls that Ieroboam had sett vp and therefore they heldē stoutlye that faythe onelye cowlde not iusttifi nethercould webi faith ōly beaccepted into goddes fauour for they knew not what thys lyuely fayth that abraam had meante letpaule sai whāhe wil the churche was aboue pale and all the scripture now was ther lyuyng lyk vnto other men or wursse ank the cause of al others myschet for they were as prowde ēvyous and mali cyous as ani men wer in the world yea man had byn better to haue had the dysy leasure of .x. other thē one of them They fared as wel had as many daynte dyshes as any lordes in the realme and more quietnes a great deal This could not be wyth out wemē Whether they were whoremongers adulterers wurse let all the world be iudge Noman roughte more to be alofte in the world then thei did and such greate houses horses houndes sho tynge dysynge open housetor gentylmēne ther seruantes In veluet and chaynes of gold What temtatyon they had in in the wyldernes I can not tel onles they were tempted with ladyes and gentyllwomen that vysyted them But sure they tempted other and mad them go thorow the wyldeenes and thorow the fyre also Alas they had no mercy vpon a poore wreche that once opened his mowth agaynst them but cryed owte herytike herytyke burne burne fagotts fyre But hys examynatyons was not harde of the lay people for feare Alas Yf the lord had not lefte vs sede We shulde haue bene As sodome and lyke vnto Gomorra Psal ii Be wyse therfore o ye kynges be learned ye that be Iudges of the erth lest the lorde be angrye with yow and ye peryshe from the ryght way But kynges were alway as kepte dionge wyth warres Yf they had any learnynge and lyke to smell out any of their wyies or yf he wold reforme any thig Loke how thy handled king Iohn Tho mas becket was one oi their saints but gentell teader loke vpon hys liff in the legend the boke of saints lyues I am sure they haue wryttē the best thei cowld for him but yet marke yt well There was noman mought study the scrypture before he had bin Master of art and then was yt nothinge worth tyll he had studyed the doctors counsels and decrees the whych ys more thenaman ys able to do in all hys lyffe though he lyue Lxxxx. yere and to saye hys seruyce besyde whyche all prestes were bownd to doo on payne of dampnacyon Thys I speake of our doctors in the vuibersytees As for oure prestes in the contree the dayes hathe byn that be was coumptedd a greate clarke that coulde tell whome he shoulde serue to morowe They knew not what the byble meanthei were not acquanted wyth the new testament Some of them thought yt shuld be hetysy because yt was called the new testamente For this worde now offended then greatly But now they be well amended for some of them wylbe able to reade Englyshe wythyn a whyle though yt before aganst ther wyl I know wel they can not abyd the hearing of this Ma. xxii nomeor then thescribes and pharyses cowld a byde chryst when he sayed wo be vnto you scrybes pharties for ye shit vp the kingdō of godbefore mē etc. but weperad vēture they wyl say we denynot chryste put we wurshyp Chrpste and therefore we kyll them that wyll nott beleue in Chryste But saieth Chrste tak hede that no man decaue yow For ther shall many come and saye I am chryst and shall deceaue many but when ye se the abhomynacyon of desolacyon stond in the holy place etc then yf any man shal saye vnto you lo here ys christ beleue yt not Ieroboam was not so madd to say ye shal beleue no more tn the lorde but in straunge goddes Re. xii but he sai ed yt ys muche for you to go to Ie rusalē behold therfore these shal be youre goddes etc. hys meanynge was that they shoulde do to these godes the same wursh yppe that they dyd before at Ierusalem And our Patryarkes Pretend Christ altogether But the wurshype that he prescrybed vnto vs was gone Hys Docrryne wyth all the scryptures had they locked frō vs so that none of vs durstloke vp on yt in the tonge that we vnderstod so that we could haue but small hope thorow comfort of the sceyptures Alas how was yt possyble the we should be obedyent vn to the voyce of oure lorde god and walke in hys wayes whē we knew them not nor coulde we tell what they meant but most harti humble and Immortal thankes be geuen to the almighti god which thorow the merytes and prayer of oure mer cyfull Moyses hathe sturred the harte of noble king henry the .viii to destroye the abhomy nacyons of thys wycked Ieroboam But chefly of al other thynges as we are moste bownde ar thys tyme ou ghte we to lawde and prayse the lord whych of hys tēder loue lykewyse hath geuē vs a yoūge Iosias which by the grace power of the lord shal thorow his godligoueruour counsellers fynish the building of the holy tēple whych his father beganne accordynge to the patron that the lord hath perscrybed ithegosple of has onely son̄e Iesus cryste our lorde Ho wbeit we are not yet paste the wyld etnesse we are not yet ente red the lād of Canaan for althoghe the lorde haue doth dayly
that yf any maÌ„ne rebuke their vicious lyfe they may answer with saynt Iohn no man ys wyth owte synne But where as saynt Iohn sayeth he that sayeth I know hym kepeth not his commaundements ys a lyar the truth ys not in hym They be so hasty forth now they wyll not take this wyth them that god may worke in them He that sayeth he abideth in chryste owght to walke euen as he walke sayethe S. Iohn Agayn where as saynt paule saieth we hold that a man is iustyfyed by fayht with oute the deades of the law here be they perfyte but when saynt Paule sayeth though I had all the tonges though I could prophecy vnderstand all secretes and al knowlege Yea yf I had al fayth so the I cowld moue snowntaynes out of theyr Places yf I gaue all my goods to fede the poore and though I gaue my body to be burned yet yf I haue no loue I am nothynge sayeth he They make no reconynge of this But what ys this loue loue suffreth long and ys courteous Loue enuyeth not doth not frowardly swelleth not dealeth not dishonestly seaketh not her owne so forth Ioyne now Paules wordes and Iohns wordes together for yf we boast of fayth and yet contynew in synne what fayth haue we Rom vi Loke vnto whom ye geue ouer your selues as seruauntes to obey hys seruaÌ„nts ye are whom ye obey sayeth S. Paule whether it be of synne vnto death or of obedyence vnto ryghteousnes They heare S. Peter say thorow fayth god putifieth owr hartes Act xv But thei heare him not how geÌ„tly he desyreth theÌ„ to leaue ther wicked liuiÌ„ge saiyng dearly beloued Ibesech you as strangers and pilgremes abstaine from fleshly lustes which fyght agaynst the soule i Pet iii and se that you haue an honest conuersacion amonge the vnbeleuyng that where as they backe byte you as euel doers they may se your good worckes and prayse god in the day of vysy tatyon ii Pe. iii t etc. for yf after we haue escaped the fylthynes of the worlde thorowe the knowlege of the lord and sauior Iesus christ we be yet tangled a gayne therein and ouercome them is the later end wursse then the begynnyngâ—oh that these men wolde heare Moyses speke and be obedieÌ„t vnto the voyce of the lord spokeÌ„ bi his prophets not take that maketh for ther purpos run hedloÌ„g vp in to the top of the hyll For as many as be so hasty forth beyonde the word of the lord shal be slayne of the enymyes ouercom of synne and drowned in ther owne lustes for lacke of true and faythful shepher des which shulde exhort theÌ„ dayly they shal be so hardened in ther synnes that afterward yf any faythful man com vnto them they wyll not heare him but rather call him Ipocrite because he thretneth with the lawe yet doth S. Paul call the law owre scoimaster which leadeth vs to christ for truly whose conscyenre is not feared fyrst with the lawe and so broute to repentaunce shall neuere be meete to receaue a sure hope of saluaryone by the gosple Take hede therfore there be not in any of you an euel hart of vnbeleu to departe from the lyuynge god And with saynt Poule also I besech you brethren by the mercyfulnes of god that ye make your bodies A sacryfyce holye and acceptable which is youre reasonable seruyng of god And fashy on not youre selues lyke vnto thys world but be renued etc. And with sainte Paule also I beseche you Brethren the hiy e mercyfullnes of God the you make youre bodyes a sacrifice holy and acceptable which is your resonable seruing of god and fashioÌ„ not your selues like vnto thys world but be ye renued etc. And let vs be admonished by the Story of thes rwelf messengers to forsake oure owne wisedome oure owne strength and our owne polecie and inuencions that we may wholy and altogether subdue our selues and beobedient vnto the voice and commaundement of the Lord onely beleuig assuredli that he maketh rich and also poore be maketk sicke health againe he onely killeth reuiueth he only casteth down and exalteth He saueth and coÌ„deÌ„neth wherfore Ido exhorte you brethren beloued in the lorde Iesus Chryste again agaiÌ„ you chefeli the are seÌ„te by the pitite in your conscience to spye oute the lande of canaan for your brethreÌ„ whether it be by preachiÌ„g readinge writinge exhortinge or other wise Declaring vnto the people the heauenly kiÌ„gdom through the Gospel of the lord Iesus Yea the magistrates also and all other officers appointed by the king as well as beinge commaunded by God you also by your fauour and pacience do I exhorte to take exemple by the tenn vnfaithful messingers which feread the multitud of stronge menne that yebrynge not an euel report vpon the laÌ„de that through feare of men we shoulde mistruste the power of God But rather prouoked by the exemple of Iesua and Caleb through a stronge faith doo you acordynge to the commanÌ„dcemente of the lord And then are ye sure that the lorde wil appere in that tabernacle deliuer vs Where as elles we shal be plaged with euerlasting dampnation for our vnbelif But if we be feuÌ„d faithfull Iosues and Calebes the ther is no doubt but our Moyses wil so intreat hys father for vs that these plages shal lyght onely vpn suche vnfaythfull messengers thoro we whose euel reporte we haue byn so longe kepte from this heueÌ„ly doctryne the kyngdom of god euerlasting lyfe Cheifly art they now to be admonyshed that be so hasty forewarde lest they go beyonde the worde of the lorde and in stede of the true lyuely fayth Imagyn them a fayth after their owne mynde whiche shal suffer theÌ„ styll to syn But theirfore I say-where fayth is it wurketh a knowledge of our great infirmytye weaknes it wurketh also an inwarde sorow of the hart for this our synne and wyckednes and it prouoketh vs iÌ„ this for ow to pray vnto the lord to cal ernestly for streÌ„th coÌ„tynually thorow chryst to ouercome these reÌ„ptacions that with teares with asure hope of victo tie yf I haue offeÌ„ded my neybour faith causeth me to satisfe coÌ„tent him because Il oue him as my self yf my neibour be vngodly by no meanes wylbe recoÌ„cyled yet fayth maketh me pray for him hartely as I would he shuld for me yf I were iÌ„ lyke blindnes He thou fealeth not faith iÌ„ hy shart thys wyse wurkyng is blynd deceauech him selfe is styl iÌ„ vnbelefe tak hed therfor brethren that ther be not in any of you an euell hart of vnbelef to depart from the lyuynge god And I beseach the almighty god father of mercy and god of all comfort thorow our sauyour redemer Iesus Chryste that he wyll so lyghten strenghen them the hartes of oure rulers gouernours prophetes and preachers wyth his holi spret owr comforter that they hatyng all vice abomynacioÌ„ specially couetouines may neither feare men nor loue theÌ„ selues but doo that onely which the lord commaundeth with a pure vndefiled conscience And that we for owr partes as true and louynge subiectes may receyue yt at their handes without grudginge mur murynge with lyke fayth and purenes that withe a safe conscience and glad hart we may be alway ready at the commandemente of the lorde to enter the same lande of promyse whyche ys prepared from the beginning for all the true faithfull brethren Dominus mihi Adiutor et c. P N IMPRENTED AT LONDON the Tenthe daye Of MAye Anno dominice incaruationis MDXLViii By william hill remaynyng at the Signe of the hill in Paules Churche Yarde and be there by him to be solde
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
Here shall yt be very necessary to remeÌ„bre the wordes of the hieprestes pharyses whych gathered a couÌ„sel after that christ had raised lazarus thei saied what do we Ioh. xii this maÌ„ doth manytokeÌ„s yf we let hiÌ„ go thus al meÌ„ wyl beleue in hiÌ„ then shal the tomans come and take awaye all oute lande and people Now within fourty yeres after as the histories planly declare was ierusalem dest royed in dede of the romans and the most part slayne and led away captaine But why trou ye becaus they suffred chryste to preach and his doctrine to be published not but because they mystrusted lest yf they should haue suffred him the romans should com as they dyd iÌ„ dyd Quod verebantur hoc accâ—dit illis Take hede therefore that there be not in any of you an euell harte of vnbelef to depart from the lyuyng god I say tak hed for he the feareth the hore frost the depe snow shal fal vpon him and surely yf ye feare the dystructyon of your bodyly substaunce thorow in fidellte mystrust of goddes mighty haÌ„d it is to befeared lest he shalde stroi you both body soule Loke to it al ye that holde so much of youre polytyk wysdome for goddes pleasure hys coÌ„maundemeÌ„res passe the maÌ„s wysdom and reasoÌ„ He wyll not be mesured with mans polycye He wyll wourke with hys myghty powre wheras maÌ„s reasoÌ„ caÌ„notvnderstaÌ„d it For these messengers that were sent to spye oute the lande perceauing the multytud of people which were myghtye the stronge cityes that were in the land Agayn consy deryng the greate gyauntes that were there also thought it could not be that they should get the contre for it stoode not with reason And ther fore murmurede they and wyshed that they had dyed in egypte or that theymought dye in the wyldernes andeueÌ„ so it cainto passe for the un faythfulnesse for they were plaged and dyed in the wyldernesse As many as murmured But Iosua and Caleb were left Alyue and preserued by the wonderful powre of god that because of their stedfast fayth the they had in the promyses of the lorde But the people wolds haue stoned theÌ„ eueÌ„ for there fayth fulnes For the other .x. loke vpon the strong meÌ„ great cetyes but these meÌ„ loked vpon the people with them But alas for the blendenes of the worlde for as the faisr prophettes sys of god conforted the profetes were alway the grettest numbre so were the rude multytude coutynually bent to beleue the more paree and to stone crucife burne hang or with sdme other cruel tormentrs rydde suche all waye As broughe them the truth As we se it euydent in all the holye scriptures by the prophets by christe him selfe and his apostles And as we haue sene also by good experyence in owre dayes But the lorde is alway at hand to delyuer those that faythful trust in him he coÌ„forteth them and helpeth them For ether he delyuerethe beleue loked onely to the promyse the was proceded forth of the mouth of god and regarded nothing els He dyd not reason the matter first how he might for another soÌ„n the the former promes of god might 〈…〉 pacyence and coÌ„fort of the scryptures myght haue hope They are wrytten for oure learnyng sayethe saynt paule Yf they be wryttenfor our learnynge it ys reasoÌ„ we know them Els how shal we learn 〈…〉 whych I conmaunde the thys day shal be in thyne hart Deut. vi and thou shalt shew them vnto thy chyldren and shalt talke of theÌ„ when thou art at home iÌ„ thin house And as thou wal kest by the waie wheÌ„ yÌ„ liest downe and when thou rysest vpp and thou shalt bynde them for a signe vpon thy hand they shal be a warnyng betwene thyne eyes and thou shalt writ theÌ„ vpoÌ„ the postes of thy howse vpon thy gates etc. Agayn take hede therfore that ye do al the coÌ„maun demeÌ„ts lawes which I set before yow thys daye Deut. xi etc. Also what so euer I coÌ„maunde you that take hede ye do only to the lord put you nothinge thereto nor take ought therfrom etc. Beholde with what care the lorde geueth his coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts that they shuld not be forgoteÌ„ DylygeÌ„t therefore were the prophets alway to writ forth the wonders that god hath alway shewed for the childreÌ„ of menne The lorde sayed to Iosua Let not the boke of the law departe out of thy mouth Iosua i. but record therein both day nyght Now yf these coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts be forgotteÌ„ so the we haue theÌ„ not iÌ„ our hart TheÌ„ shal we haue litel pleasure to talke of theÌ„ For the mowth talketh of the aboundance of the hart Yf they be not in our hart nor in our mouth it is not possyble that we should be doinge of them Mat. xii Yf we be not doynge of the lordes coÌ„mauÌ„demeÌ„ts surely we tourne to the ryght hand or the lefte we adde we diminishe we forget yÌ„ true wur shyp of god we ferue Idolls folow our owne iueÌ„tions we forgete Abrahams farth we forget Moyses doctrine we forgett Caleb Iosua Christ all his apostles wyth al their doctrine of pacience throw whiche we should haue hope Alas what case were we iÌ„ when we knew not what was the olde testament nor what was the new the byble was an vnknowen thynge with in these xx yere Here iÌ„ Englande iii. Re. xii IeroboaÌ„ had invented vs a new law a new wurshype of god for he knew wel thou the people would haue such deuocion that they must nedes haue what to wurshype as we se by the Israelyres iÌ„ the vildernes whirh assone as Moyses was gone into the moÌ„te to talke with the lorde and to receaue the coÌ„maundements by and by they must haue some symilitude some lykenes of god Ex. xxxii some on thing or another to directe theyr prayers vnto And therefore made them a golden calfe and wourshyped yt And Ieroboam I say knew well that the people must nedes haue somewhat to wurshyp and he feared lest yf they should go to Ierusalem to wurshyp he should lese hys kyngdome agayne therefore he made them two golden calfes In Dan Bethel Owr Ieroboam lyke wyse after that he came to that great dig nytye that he was called Pater Patrum Caput Ecclesie etc. with such lyke he knew wel that yf the people shoulde know the scripture and be brought vp in the symple doctryn of chryste that he culd neuer contynew so prynce lyke cleane contrary to the doctryne theyrof nor non of hys Wherefore dylgent study was had to inuent seruyces wurshypyngs exposytyes sacramentes wyth all the goodlyests Iewelles and costly apparell that moughte be had so that at the laste the hole worlde was rauyshede wyth that greate holynes Than became the mynysters of thys Ieroboam in euery contre the greatest menne of the world Noo Realme but Car dynalles were
plage such vnfaythfull messēgers which haue not ernestly beleued hys word but feared men more then god yet ceaseth not temptatcyons troubles grudginges murmuringes For som wrig wrestto go backe agayn ito Egypt do as ther forefathers haue done for ther is plētey of gold syluer meate drynke there mought we fyl our belyes by the fleshpot tes Ther was more plēty say they of all maner of thinges ī oue toune thē ther is now ī a whol shire more mirth pastim ī on day thē is now in a whoe yere It was neuer mery sēce this new learnīg cā vp Thys say they the cā not abyd the scarcyte ī the wyldernes nor any tēptaciō in the de serte āother sort which be polytik men t hey wolde forth with a good wil for they care not which end of the stat go forwarde so they mighte not be ī dāger might also get sū what byit Thes mē beasraid of the canāites mo abitesamorites with the rest of the natiōs specially the Enyckes which be great Giaunts The byshop of Ro me is agreat mā hath done many fetes of armes ī his dayes I knowe wel his bishoppes other prelates beare agreat stroke yet in many cōtrees But what sayeth Iosua and Caleb Their shadowe is departed from thē the lord is with vs feare thē not therfore And surely as is sayed yf your conscyence be clere so the yow seke nothig but the glory of god yow nede not feare men But nou is ther another sort of mē which after they perceaued that god had opēly plaged the grndgīg people for their vnfaithfulnes such as wold go back agai ito Egypt ī so much that they perceued that the iord wold haue them go forewarde to cōquere the land these mē comero Moisesther Gouernouer and captayne and say lo we be here and wyll go vp vnto the place of whych thelord hath spokē ūto vs. For we haue sīned But Moyses sayed why go ye on thys be yonde the word of the lord it wyl not com wel to passe wyth you go not vp therefore etc. but they wold forth euen ī to the toppe of the hyll there was no remedy there were all slayne Very notable ys thys place for vs and worthy to be had in remembraunce For here maye we perceaue howfro ward vnruly the multytude of mē are alway to be obed yēt to the voyce of the lord eueri wai ar we prōe redi to falfrō the word of peare thei were not sofar f the right hād but now thear as far on the lest hād they wer not so slacke before but now ther beas hasti al besyd the word of the lord We haue sinned sai thei and whiso verely be cause they wēt not for that the cōman̄ demēt of god but grutched now they were commaunded to tarye and not go yet they went Theye thought to haue made amendes marred altogether A good lessone is this also for our good intentes What so euer is done of a good in tent say oure fathers is merytoryous And it is playne that these men went forth euē of such a good intent yet were slayne because they harkened not to the voyce of the lorde wich spake vnto them by his Prophet Moyses as he speaketh daily to vs by christ al the prophetes and apostles Take hede therfore therbe not ī any of you an euel hart of vnbelefe to depart frō the lyuīg god But these mē repēted were sory they were cōuerted Yea they were cōuerted frō Ignoraūce to error They wold not go forth be fore at the word cōmaūdement of god now they wold not tary at the cōmaundemēt of god but forth wtout any stay or let Some ther beȳ perceue the pope hys gard to haue ledd vs blyndly thys many yeres into a shāful cōfusyō of our faith of the true wurship of god And now therefore wtout al ad uysemēt discretiō wold destroialtogether care not whether ther be any myny sters or no so they may haue the landes benefyces of these blynde guydes they care not whether ther be any ī their rome or no or whether godes word be preached or the sacramēts mi nystred or uo I mean not ye. vif sacramēts after the ministraciō of these caterpyllers whych do all for lucre but euē christes sacramēts which he hath ordeyned to cōfirme our faith ī ȳ word but the mē I say be so hasty foreward to kil the can anites other of the nacyōs becaus thei wold haue their plesaūt lād to dwel ī it balik for they wēt besid the word of the lord Many ther be that get spyrytual landes and possessyons probendes benefices into their hādes but how many be there that labour in aman of good knowleg to enioye suche lyuynge no fye saye thei yt ys pety that euer he should be trubled with yt For the possessions and rytches doo corrupte euē the best preachers as yt hath happened in dede But alas good men how careful be thei to good preachers to prouide that thei be not corrupte withe greate lyuings but I meruayle thei haue no pety vpō thē self I promise you the yff good preachers whiche haue knowledge in chrystes doctrine and haue bene tyed in the wildernes with trouble temptaciō yf thei I saie cānot wel vse these riches possessiōs accordingly but must be corrupted with thē it shalbehard tomak mebeleue that you which haue not somuch knowlegī the sā doctrī nether hath you ȳ faith binso wel tired shuld vse them wyth owt a corrupte conscyence whyche shal be to your owne damnatyon Take hede therefore the ther be not ī any of you an euel hart of vnbelefe to depart frō the lyuynge god And remembre that saynt Paull sayeth coueteousnes is ȳ roote of al euel I would to our lord men knew and would consyder what a strayte reconynge we shall all be called vnto where we shal answer for the wyspēding of euery farthyng that the lorde hath cōmitted to our gouernānce Then shal we say alas the euer I tok such paynes trauaile for the which now is becōe myn euerlastīge shāe destructiō but what shuld it avail to speak against that vice of couete ousnes nothinge at al. And this is one cause that maketh many mē to hast so fast forewarde But these mē that came to Moyses would go so freshly agaynst their enymies went vp ito the mowntain Moyses bade thē tary take the lorde with thē they shold sped the better but they wold not tary for they had byn to stowe to go foreward at the cōmāndemēt of god therefore now they wold make more hast wher as befor they had beleued to enter into the kyngdome of heuē by their Idle inuēted supersticious vaine worckes or at lest way they thought them amean the rather to obtaine And therfore grutched at the doctrin of the gospel thought