the poore in youre house wherfore do ye oppresse my people and marre the faces of the innocentes And thus sayeth the prophete shal y e lord of hostes reuile thē therefore Wo be to those proude boastyng spirites which liuing wickedlye teache their flockes by poure and penaltie and not rather by ensamples of vertue godly lyuyng Wo be to those whose hertes are double whiche with theyr mouthes boast proude thinges and flatteryng vertue theyr wrathe is as the angry Lyon or as the shee beare robbed of her whelpes whiche euery occasion kendleth as fire the drie flaxe Wo be to those false prophetes whiche vnder the name of gouernours and teachers doo the deades of false deceyuers seruyng their owne lustes and yet saye do as we byd you and all is forgeuen Wo be to those Ipocrites wanderyng starres to whome the myste of darkenes is reserued for euer whiche coulourably for the bealy and for lucres sake pray for other and yet neither forsake sinne nor amende their owne lyues Woo be to those deceytefull messengers of Sathan whose hertes are exercysed with couetousnes hauyng eyes full of adultrye that can not cease to synne And although they goe wrōg them selfes yet they say thei be sent of god to teach and leade other the right way Wo be to those paynted tōbes and stinking sepulchres ful of all filth and corrupciō which oftentimes spake of faythe penance and loue and yet cōsume the tyme of their lyues in vanitie and idlenes keepyng theyr belyes from hungre and theyr throtes from thryst Wo be to those murtherers of the soules of men which thorough flatterye sowe pelows as the prophete sayeth vnder the armeholes of the people to to the entent they may bryng theim a slepe in blindnesse and sinne that they myght suspecte none of their doynges Wo be to those blynde guydes and most wicked generacion by whose carelesse lyuynge true repentaunce is almost banyshed and thrust out of place and amendment of lyfe is laughed to skorne and not regarded Wo be to those filthye spottes which haue thus forsaken the right way count it pleasure to liue deliciously for a season whiche as ragyng waues of the Sea foome oute theyr filthynes and shame Woo be to those serpentes adders broodes whiche moste greuously corrupt the inhabyters of the earth with their venem and deadly poyson and to mainteyn ambition pryde couetousenes voluptuous and beastly liuyng peruert al thynges and preposterously tourne it out of frame Wo be to the vngodlye the beast all his warriers which maliciously do euyll and fighte continually against the lord of powers and all his true souldiers Woo be to those bishops pastours and lawiers of what name and place so euer they bewhiche boast of power and auctoritie to rule and gouerne other and yet haue no respecte to their owne soules For heuily and miserably shal thei be rewarded that beare the name of christen people whiche seke holynes onely by outward sacramentes and signes not regardyng what the hert inwarde conscience bee and also saye in your selfes tushe we be well inough for the holy lawes ceremonies and Sacramentes of god are remaining among vs and thereby we are knowen to be his people Neuertheles be thou of good cumfort O thou litle worm Iacob and thou despysed Israell for thy redemer liueth feare neyther y e proude boastyng nor threatenynge of thyne ennemies for the Lorde standeth by thee to defend and deliuer thee for the mightye god of hostes wyll now take in hand to conquere the rēnaunt of his people whiche are left aliue from the Assirians Egipcians Arabians Morians Elamites Caldees Antiochiās and Ilandes of the sea for the the earth shalbe full of y e knowledge of the Lord sayth Esay Euen as though the water of the sea flowed ouer the earth And then shall the Gentyles whiche are vnbeleuers knowe that our God hath mercifully heard the lamentable cōplaint of the poore oppressed and remembred his couenaunt made with Abraham Isaac and Iacob his choosen Therefore the Lord commaundeth you to let his people go ye Heathen nacions and ennemies of righteousnes that we may sacrifice vnto the Lord our god for the lorde hath now seene the heauy burdens wherewith ye dailye oppresse his people and therefore is he come to deliuer thē with a mightie hand and a stretched out arme ye y e Lord shal cleaue the tong of the Egipcians Se saith Esay and with a mightie wynde shall he lyft vp his hand ouer Nylus and he shall smyte his seuē streames make men go ouer dry shod and thus shal he make a way for his people y e remaineth from the Assirians lyke as it happened to the Israelites what tyme they departed oute of Egipte c. But if you wyll not let hys people goo O yee enemyes of righteousenes y t they maye serue hym after his wyll then wyll he poure hys plages vpon you as he did vpon Egipte and vpō other nations among whom he scatered hys people for their offences to the intent they myght teache you righteousenes that ye myght repent and turne from your euyll waies and lerne to know the name of the lorde which is greate in Israel and myghtie in Sion for as touchyng Israel and Iuda thus saith the Lorde they shall not be forsaken of their God of the Lorde of hoostes of the holy one of Israel noo thoughe theye haue fylled all their lande full of synne c. For I wyl not consume the but chasteine y e and correcte the and y t with descretion saith the lord neither wyl I spare the as one that were faultlesse for thus saith the lorde O Iacob and Israel thou art my seruaunte I haue made the y t thou mightest serue me O Israel forgete me not saith the Lorde as for thyne offences I driue them a waye lyke the cloudes and thy synnes as the myste tourne y t againe vnto me and I wyl delyuer the saith the lorde Therfore tourne againe O thou dispysed people vnto the lorde forsake thy syns leaue thyne own wylful waies thē shalte y u be deliuered in the landes of thy captyuitie and be taken as a spoile from and oute of the mouthe of the deuourer whiche seketh to fyll hym alwaye of the. Cry to god from the very herte to delyuer the from the violente hande of thyne oppresser pour downe thy teares daily before hym and say O euerlastynge god and my father I beseche y e remembre the poore oppressed deale fauourablye with vs for thyne owne sake for thou arte our onely surgion Shew mercy vpon vs O father for Chrystes sake shew mercy vpon vs the worke of thyne owne handes Haue compassion vpon thy people O lorde that greuousely haue synned against the for by reason of our synnes haue we longe tyme bene thus exyled and kepte from the and the enemye hath sore preuayled against vs. O be thou mercyfull and take awaye our
be made right Israelites of y e promysed sede receiue inheritaunce as naturall sonnes in y e house of Israel the faithfull congregatiō To you wicked people malicious tirantes y e seke to spoile deuour Iacob his peple to rote out Israel his chosē y e lord sendeth word let Israel go ye heathē natiōs y t he may do me sacrifice at my wyl vpon y e moūtaines for he is my eldest son perfite is y e iudgemēte of hym y e floweth in righteousnes perfitely shal the lord of hostes fulfyll the thyng that he hath determyned in the middes of the world for I will punish y e wyckednes of the world and y e synnes of the vngodlye sayeth the lord y e hye stomakes of y e proud wyll I take away lay downe the boastyng of tyrauntes ye I wil make a man dearer thē fine gold a man to be more worth then a golden wedge of Ophir for I will shake the heauē that the earth shall remoue oute of her place c. For the Lord shall smite the world w t the staffe of his mouth and with y e breath of his mouth shal he slea the wicked but mercifully wyll he delyuer his chosen and deuide the good frō the euil for thus saieth y e lord god Behold I wyll seuere the fatte shepe from the leane And for so muche as ye haue shot y e weake shepe vpon the sides and shoulders and runne vpon thē with your hornes so long til ye haue vtterly scattered them abrode I will helpe my shepe so y t they shall no more be spoyled yea I will discerne one shepe from an other I wyll rayse vp vnto thē one onely shepeheard euen my seruaunte Dauid he shall feede them and he shalbe their shepeherd and I the lord wilbe their god and my seruaunte Dauid shalbe their prynce euen I the lord haue spoken it c. Moreouer I will make a couenaunt of peace with thē saith the lord and driue all euill beastes out of the land so that they may dwell safely in the wildernes slepe in the woodes good fortune and prosperitie wyll I geue them and vnto all that be round about my hyll a prosperous shower and rayne wyll I send them in due seasō that the trees in the wodde may bryng forth their frintes and y e groūd her encrease they shalbe safe in their land and shall knowe that I am the lord which haue broken their yoke and delyuered them out of the handes of those that held thē in subiection they shall no more bee spoyled of the Hethen nor deuoured with the beastes of the lande but safelye shall they dwell and no mā shal fray them I wyll set vp an excellent plant for them so y t they shall suffre no more houngre in the lande neyther beare the reprofe of the Heathen any more Thus shal they vnderstād that I the Lord their god am with them and that they euen the house of Israel are my people saith the lord god ye mē ar my flocke ye are y e shepe of my pasture and I am youre God c. O ye people turne frō your croked wayes and from youre owne frowarde imaginacions ceasse leaue of from your own fayned dissimulacion Darest y u so dissemble with God and to play the part of an infidel or vnfaithfull hypocrit before hym Thynkest thou to hyde thy self vnder thyne owne shaddowes from hym that made thee and put thy herte in a secrete place Or wylte thou thynke to hyde thy sinnes with deceit that the highest which searcheth y e her◠and y e raynes shall not reproue thy wayes ye come togyther as god sayde to the Iewes by his prophet after the maner of a greate people to heare his word at the mouth of the preacher or prophet but in no wyse wyll ye do thereafter In your mouthes lykewyse ye shewe youe selfes as though ye were feruent but your heartes goo after youre owne couetous lucre and as a balade that hath a swete tune and is pleasaunt to syng so is the Preacher vnto you his wordes wyll ye heare saith the lord but ye wil not do thereafter c. For vaine glorie and lucre ye make croked lawes wherby ye laye snares for the feete of the symple and wolde ye that noo man should reproue your waies The mouth of the disceitful is right well with you alowed but he that speaketh the truth shal not escape vnpunisshed for crafte disceyte and falshode is suche an vniuersall thinge that to deale with equitie and truth men say playnelye they can not lyue and thus vertue is so generally contempned that it is nigh a common reproche for a man to do well O lord as Dauid saith when wilte thou loke vpon this O restore my soule frome the wycked rumoure of them and my darlynge from y e Lyon for they are stained with their owne workes and runne a horinge after their own ymagination for daily do they blaspheme thy name slaunder y e foote steps of thyne anointed yet wil they be knowen for such as know their god hold of him ar feruēt in his wais For thei say in their hertes tusshe God seeth it not the highest regardeth none of these thynges although god by longe pacience suffer such thinges at their handes loking and tariyng for thy amendmente O Christianitie thinkest thou y t it wyl be forgoten Hath there euer any nation which cōmitted like abhominations before y e escaped vnpunisshed And dost y u thinke to escape Naye thou shalte surelye drinke of y e same thou shalt not be forgotē but thy synnes shall truly be recompensed in the euen into thy bosome god shall tourne thy clothes ouer thye heade O thou filthy herlot y t thy filthynes may many festely appere also and seyng thou art a people y e runnest in thine own wilfull wayes and saiest tusshe there shal no faulte be found in all my doinges therefore stom blest thou in the clere day fallest in the darke yea grope do ye as blynde men after youre own ymagination but because ye let your handes deale with wickednesse ye can not fynd y e right way For as the Psalme saith your fete are swift to shed bloud destructiō and wretchednes are in youre waies but the way of peace haue ye not knowen O yee frowarde people heare the word of the lord giue your eares to doctrine and dispise not good coūsell seke frendship of god by vertu not by flaterie for y e lord is alway frendly to them that put their truste in hym but ye call your selues christians and yet commyt wickednes with your mouthes ye extolle Christes worde name lawes and sacramentes but in your deedes ye dishonour him for as longe verely as ye delite in euyll your deades are hated of God and yet saye with dysceite wyll we escape and withe nymblenes wyl we defend
lyfe hath apered saith he and we haue sene and beare witnes shew vnto you lyfe that is euerlastynge whiche was withe the father hath now apered also vnto vs. And y e tidyngs which we haue heard of him as Ihon saith declare we vnto you that ye may haue felowship with vs oure felowshyp may be with the father and with his sonne Iesus Christe c. ¶ For as moche as it hathe pleased the eternall god which seperated me froÌ„ my mothers wombe to lighten the inward eyes of my mynde withe hys grace and thorowe the knoweledge of his word and working of his holy spirite to worke a perfect repentaunce in me and amendmente of my formoure lyfe loue constraynethe me too wyl you good bretheren to be partakers of this greate benefyte And for this cause I haue thought it necessary as well to declare vnto you the daungerouse harmes that synne bryngeth to suche as delyte and continew therein as also the vnspeakeable reward of the righteouse whiche god hath prepared for those that withe their hâ—le hartes tourne from theyr synnes and walke wyth theyr god in the way of rightuousenesse I wyll not withhold froÌ„ you good brethren that which god hath wrought in me to incourage the weake stomakes of them that now waxe faynte herted and shrynke backe that I may say wyth the Prophete Dauid Lord I do not hide thy righteousenes in my herte but my talkynge is of thy truthe sauynge health all y e day long Therefore tourn not thou thy mercy from me o lorde but let thy louyng kyndnes and truth alwayes preserue me c. ¶ For it is writen wheÌ„ I speke vnto the then open thou thy mouthe saith the lord and say who hereth let hym here who so wyll not let hym leaue for it is a frowarde housholde c ¶ For as moche as I perceyue that the earth maketh haste to bringe fourth her children and the tyme draweth fast toward the end and all flesh semeth very desirouse and as it were gredy to accomplyshe the thynge with moche haste whiche it taketh in hande be it good or euyll my desyre is also to occupie my talente accordynge to y e wyll of the geuer wherebye I may please my lorde which is my desire aboue all thynges not onely therby to gather tresure for my selfe but also to prouoke as wel my bretheren and naturall contrymenne of thys realme of England as al other nations and named Christians to bryng fourth their frutes redyly accordyng to their nature that they may be rype against the day of haruest when y e lord shall rewarde euery man accordyng to his deades Therfore beloued fathers and brethren seyng ye haue taken the name of holynes vpon you beyng called Christians of Christ and do in word professe the same estemynge your selues the trewe churche and espouse of God vpon earth as al that lyue godlye doubtles be See that ye be dilygente to obey to the word of truth which our heauenly father hath now sente and set abroade by his beloued messengers as wel within this reame of England as in all other regions on the earth as it is wryten in the eyghtenth Psalme Theyr sownde is gone owte into all landes And their wordes into the endes of y e world If ye accepte the voyce of the shepeherde then wyll he know you for his owne and lead you in and oute where ye shall all wayes fynde riche pasture Godde hathe made daye and nyghte lyghte and darkenesse sommer and wynter to the intente that all thynges myght-haue as well place and time as sufficient occasion to shew forth declare theim selues eyther good or euill Repent turne froÌ„ your euill waies with your whole hertes that ye maie beleue set your faithe on a sure ground build it on y e sure foundacion of gods holy worde and promises and then will it alwaies abide the violence of the stormes but yf ye go by groopyng and woorke at auenture be ye sure ye shal not go right for true fayth is liuely no vncertayne thynge it is surelye grounded and stablished vpon the sure rocke of Gods woorde and promise as it is written Abraham beleued God in hys promise and none opinion of his own imaginacion it was counted to hym for righteousnes but yf your faith bee without the word then is it carnall and fleshely beyng builte vpon naturall reason and therefore it is vayne and of no valure for trewe faithe is accoumpanyed with godly loue who hath the wiisdome of god for her gouernour she teacheth her chyldren as a right good nourice knowledge and nurture and leadeth them safely in the waye of lyfe and with doctrine she purgeth their hertes from all filthe and corruption eueÌ„ as god himselfe is pure She shyneth from and out of the bosome of y e highest for her clearenes doth farre excede the brightnes of the soÌ„ne whiche lighteth the whole erth with her shine Therfore O ye ignoraunte geue a diligeÌ„t eare to the voice of wisedom which daily cryeth vnto you in y e high places stretes and wayes and before the holy citie and in the gates where meÌ„ go out and in It is you O ye men saieth she whom I call vnto you O ye children of men lyfte I vp my voyce Take hede vnto knowledge saieth she O ye ignorauÌ„t be wyse in harte O ye fooles geue eare sayeth she for I will speake of great matters and open my lyppes to tell thynges that be right for my throte shal be talkyng of the truth my lippes abhorre vngodlines al the wordes of my mouth are righteousnes there is no frowardnes nor falshode therein They are all plain sayeth she to suche as wyl vnderstande and right to them that fynde knowledge receiue my doctrine saith shee and not syluer and knowledge more then fyne golde for wysedome is more worth then preciouse stones yea all the thynges that thou canst desyre are not to be compared vnto it c. ¶ Wherefore if ye wyll seeke wisdome and dwell with her shee will make you the verye frendes of god for the highest hath geuen her a commaundemente and he that made herre hath apointed her a tabernacle saying Let thy dwellynge be in Iacob thyne inheritaunce in Israel rote thy selfe among my chosen for the congregation of the rightuouse are the Children of wisedome and the lorde dwelleth amonge them in hys holye Sinay An vtter enemye to wisdome is the frowarde synner for he hateth to be refourmed and because he will not refuse thynges which he knoweth to be euyll he can come in no good way brethern consider this most excellent benefite of god dayly offered vnto you Refuse not his worde which teacheth you al wisdom Come to her brokes drinke of her cuÌ„duite for wisdom hath cast out floudes I am saith she as a great water broke oute of the ryuer c. And as a water