be called his children the sonnes of the hyest And is so carefull ouer vs that he that toucheth vs toucheth the Aple of hys eye And that he so hateth oure ennemyes the bloudy Edomites that he wyll destroye theym wyth euerlastynge destruccyon Yea hee maketh the heauens aboue the holy angels in the heauens to minister vnto vs. He causeth the earthe beneathe the ayre the seas to serue vs. And ouer all creatures he gaue vs the lordshippe and dominion to beare hys image and to be as it were earthlye Goddes And whyche surmounteth and farre passeth all the woorckes that euer were wroughte in heauen or in earthe Thys mercyefull Lorde oure God when we were not hys people but hys ennemyes not seekynge after his mercy but goynge a straye frome hym in oure fleshly vanities hath so loued vs that he hath not spared hys only begottē sonne but most louingly hath geuen hym vnto deathe for vs to delyuer vs from the Egypte of synne and the helly Pharao to blesse vs to sanctifyt vs to make vs hys children To deliuer vs from cruel Esaw and all Edomites To bring vs into the country promised salf from seas flouds and waues of thys worlde To feede vs wyth heauēly Manna of hys own flesh to gyue vs drynke forth of hys own side for Christ the sonne of our god is the stony rocke of whome all the faythfull Israell doth drynke and are satisfied Yet we not wythstandinge thys greate loue and manyfolde mercyes do lyue careles of God hys commaundementes as thoughe there were no cause whye wee shoulde loue God or obey his pleasure whiche is thonlye tryall whether wee do loue him or no as Christ our sauiour his dearly beloued sonne teacheth Iho. xiiii xv Not much vnlyke to our first father Adam who thoughte that God had not loued him when he did forbidde him the tree in paradyse but deluded by the subtyll serpente supposed that God hadde enuyed his furtheraunce in knowledge and therefore beleued the deuyll to loue hym better and to counsayle more for hys profytte then hys creator maker Lorde and God Lykewise are we all mooste readye to runne whether oure lustes leadeth and thys olde Serpent dothe hisse and whystle vs. But the word and wyll of God is vnto vs an heauye burthen so that wee heare and take it not as a louinge lesson taughte by a father or a frende but as a greuous yocke and burthen layd vppon our backes by some tyraunt or rather a frende So that in oure deedes we clearely deny that we do loue God or that hee hath deserued any loue or seruice at oure handes Thus did the Iewes and carnal Iaacob our spectable and glasse to looke vppon thoughe their father was chosen in hys mothers wombe and hys posteritye with maruelous miracles fostered cheryshed and set vppon highe aboue al natyons dispyse theyr louynge Lord who of hys onlye free mercy had chosen them in Iaacob and refused Esau wyth all his posteritye before that eyther of theese two children were borne into this world And because they dyspysed theyr God and woulde not confesse vnto hys glorye wherein he loued theym Therefore are they worthelye reiecte caste awaye and scattered a brode from the face of God and dryuen from hys holye temple vnto this daye The whych obstynate ingratitude wycked vnthankfulnesse of thys carnal Iaacob together with their worthy desolacyon ought to stirre our harde hearts and to moue our carelesse mindes to remember wherin our moste mercyfull father vttereth hys loue so many wayes vnto vs. Especiallye seyng by the fall of the same Iaacob saluacion is come vnto vs which ones were vnder the shaddowe of death before their bowes were brokē that we beyng wilde olyues might be grafted in thē and be come partakers of the roote and the fatnesse of the olyue kyndlye and natural This report of the great loue of God towarde vs whyche are the chosē Iaacob and spiritual Israell how he hath refused hys own chyldren naturallye borne of Iaacob as concernynge the flesh and taken vs to him self which were hys open enemyes and straungers from that people as it is greatelye comfortable so it is also verie terryble For therin also muste we considre howe they dyd fall for their vnthanckefulnesse and mysbelief that we be not proude but trēble and feare and alwayes knoweledge the louynge kyndenesse of oure Lorde towarde vs. For if God haue not spared the naturall braunches beware leaste it happen by any meanes that he do not spare thee whyche art of nature a wylde Olyue Loo therefore the loue of God and hys goodnes towarde the if thou abyde in goodnes myndful of the louinge kyndnesse of the Lorde God Or els contrarywyse shal thou be cutte of and they grafted in agayne whyche are the natural braunches yf they do turne from their mysbeleue and confesse howe greatelye god loueth theym For we gentyles are thys same Esaw and Edom here mencioned yf we be vnthankfull vnfaythfull and forgetfull of god hys benefytes where as we huylde the Lord wyl destroy and we shal be called the wicked borders and the people agaynst whom god is angrye for euer as oure Prophet Malachy speaketh But if we only can be thākful for al hys louing kyndenesse and confesse and knoweledge the benefytes receyued than shall wee be the true Israell circumsised in harte the chosen Iaacob the holye people whyche were wonne and purchased to preache foorthe hys prayse whyche hathe called vs foorthe of darckenes into hys maruaylous lyghte And oure eyes shall see the Edomites that is to saye all the vnfaythfull of what manner of Nacyon Countrye or kyndred so euer they be vtterlye destroyed Then shall we renowme praise laud and magnifie the Lorde oure God in all our borders because he hathe so wonder fully shewed hys powre hys myght his iustice and iust iudgement vpon the wicked Edomites the vessels of his wrathe and in contrary sort hath he shewed the ry hes of hys glory towardes vs the vessayles of hys mercye whom he hath prepared and appoynted vnto glory whom he hath chosen before the worlde began called in the ende of the world loued with loue vnspeakeable that hee woulde bee conuersaunte and set hys tabernacle amonges vs. And bee oure god and make vs hys people To hym must we crye holye holye holy iust are thy iudgementes O Lorde To recompence the wycked theyr euyll wayes and to kepe thy promesse with thy chosen To iudge the mighty Edomits after theyr own merits and defende the simple Iaacob from all violence and to shew mercy aboūdantlye to thy people whome thou hast chosē to be the spituall Israel cyrcumcysed in hartes by thy spirite to do seruyce honor to thy holy name Amen ¶ Of Eleccion and Reprobacyon HEre is a iuste occasion offered to entreate of reprobacion and Election in that the Lord sayeth by hys prophet I haue loued Iaacob and I do hate Esau And thoughe the matter seameth to manye learned men mooste daungerous of
the iust iudgement of the almyghty god accurssyng and condempnynge in Satan and Cain al synne and wyckednes To vtter that he abhorreth synne and hateth it beyng so farre contrary from hys nature whych is Iustice it selfe contrary from hys wyll whyche is equitie and hys lawe which is iudgement In Pharao a chyld of the same father reprobate indurate and accurssed whom god styrred vp for the declaracion of hys greate power and myghty arme as well in the manifold myracles wrought for his people whych nothyng had needed neither had bene occasyoned if ther had not ben suche a tyraunt so indurate and so obstinate to wythstande God and hys Seruauntes as also by the submercion and drownyng of hym and hys people in the read sea a sygne and token fyrste of the eternal and ineuitable destruccion and damnacion whereunto the wycked are appoynted then of the saluacion assygned and sealed vp for the elect and chosen we do learne here by also the power of god whych the very Sorcerers the enemyes of god were compelled to confesse before Pharao Exod. viii Wee do learne more ouer the iustice of god whych iustice Pharao hym selfe was compelled agaynst hym selfe to denounce and affyrme Exo. ix And fynally we may se expressed most manifestly the fatherly mercy of the god of Iaacob whych dyd gyue the kynge and the whole people of Egypte a pryce for hys chosen Iaacob Loo the loue towardes Iaacob and the hatred towardes Esaw What shall we speake of Iudas and other manyfestlye reprobate whych are compelled by the testymony of theyr owne consciences to pronounce them selues wycked and therefore to feare god hys seueare iustice and iust iudgemente And to flye there frome by the terrour of theyr euyl consciences whych is more sore then a thousand witnesses agaynst suche as god doth leaue to theyr owne selues The which terrible examples the electe of god hauyng before theyr eyes hathe greate cause to praise theyr heauenlye father throughe hys sonne Christe who hath sent theym hys hollye spirite of comforte whyche wyl neuer suffer theym to be tempted aboue that they are able to suffer to beare But where we haue two kynde of mē that be aduersaryes to thys doctryne of reprobacion The one sorte vtteryng thē selues most manyfestly reprobate obstinate and wylfully wycked cryinge and blasphemyng we wyl follow our lustes what neede we to care howe we lyue or what we do yf we be elected with Iaacob we shal be saued yf we be reiect curssed wyth Esaw we shal be dampned These Lucifers not submyttynge them selues to the gouernaūce of god careles what becometh of them must be bette downe wyth the consyderacion of the maiestye and myghty power of God whych suffereth not one sparowe to fal vppon the earth wythout hys wyl and prouidence neyther one heare to fal from the heade of hys electe and chosen howe fearcelye so euer they shal rage against them Wherefore O you Serpentes seede howe so euer you shall be offended wyth thys that I shall speake knowe thys that as the myghtye God hath made the skattered sonnes able inoughe to stay the ragyng seas so shal your proude waues of your boylyng stomakes and ouer busye heades be broken and brought full low wher and whan it shal lyke the Lorde of al flesh by these hys weake vessels And lycence must you aske as dyd youre father the Deuyl executynge hys tyrranny vpon the good man Iob as we reade in the fyrst chapter of that history before you can lay handes eyther of bodye or goodes of any of hys chosē therin shal you be lymitted and appoynted as ther appeareth how farre you shal be able to extend your violence For God holdeth youre hartes in hys hande be you neuer so great tyrauntes and can soone cause you to faynt and fayle from your fury turnyng your hartes rounde aboute as hym lyketh best And because thus you blaspheme God bothe in woordes and deedes followyng your father Lucifer abusynge Gods creatures and despysyng hys benefytes hys tollerance and hys longe sufferaunce whyche myghte moue you to repentance as holy Paule warneth you treasure vp for yourselfe euen wrathe vengeāce agaynst the day of vengeāce I do feare nothing at al to offend you with my wryting neither do you pas any thyng at al what is written or spokē though you vse to swere stāpe stare for a litle space in a furious rage when you heare feele thynges contrarye to your poysō But the scriptures of God al good wrytinges al truthe vnto such dogges hogges ar vttered to this purpose that they may be a testimony of cōdēpnatiō of the light of God his truthe reiected dispised Therfore for the elect of god that they may vnderstād the course of God hys woorckinge in al his creatures reuerence his maiesty magnify renoume his holy name is this writtē Yet doutles do I know amōgest the chiefe vessayles and chosen chyldren of God ther be many whych haue not attayned to this poynt of doctrine of eleccion reprobaciō whō I am very lothe to offend and therefore I desyre thē for the loue of god to suffer me quietly with out theyr greefe to vtter vnto other the cōfort of mi cōsciēce which I haue here by vndoutedly receyued like as I haue many times harkened vnto them in the contrary Fyrst praying thus both of vs together vnto our heauēli father knowledging our own infirmitie weakenes O father in the heauēs what so euer we are what so euer we haue what so euer we know it is only by thy fre grace for we wer by nature the children of wrath we are not borne a newe of flesh blud either of the seede of man or of the wyll of mā flesh bloud cānot reueale the mysteries of thy heauēly kyngdom vnto vs. But by thy blessed wyl are we that we are by the same knowe we that we know Therefore O father doe we commytte into thy handes onelye oure saluacyon If oure knoweledge bee small yet wee doubte nothynge but that wee are the chyldren of thy euerlastyng kingdome and therfore by thy myghtye power we shal growe whan it shal be thy pleasure to a more full and ryper knowledge of a more perfyte age wherin our fayth shal be fullye able to comprehende and perceiue the bredth depth light and largenesse of thy great mercies and gracious promyses But seyng thys power of ful knowledge and parfite reuelacion passeth al powers naturall and remayneth onely in thy power and the lyght of thy spirite O Lorde Doe thou what shall please the to open to vs thy seruauntes and chyldren depending of thy handes so much of the light of thy countenaūce and at such tymes as shall seme good to thy wysedome and fatherlye mercye In the meane tyme thus restyng hollye vpon the neyther can we despayre neyther wil we be to much careful although we can not attayne to the knowledge of many of thy woorkes
faith whereby the lyuelye sence and vndoubted tokens of hys fauourable eleccyon after manye battayles and vyctoryes myght be made certayne and sure thorowe present comforte alwayes ministred vnto hym eyther by secreate inspiration or manyfest reuelation wytnessynge the syngular care of hys heauenlye father ouer hym hys dearely beloued and chosen chyld as hys wonderful vision of the ladder and the angels dessendynge from heauen doth declare and the other vision wherein the aungel dyd shewe him the partye colored shepe for hys porciō to multyply and encrease his substaunce as also whan God byddeth him go into his owne contry from this disceitfull Laban and defendeth his Iacob from him and finally the gloryous vyctory geuen vnto him ouer the aungel comforting him against the feare of his brother Esau dothe bryng forthe vnto his heart and conscience the assured sygnes and tokens of his heauenly father first electinge and chusyng and after euermore gouernynge guydynge and preseruynge by the free mercye of hys dyuyne prouydence Iheremy also chosen in his Mothers womb as appeareth in the fyrst chapter of hys Prophecy where it is sayd from the mouthe of God before I fashyoned the in thy mothers wombe I dyd know the. And or euer thou wast borne I dyd sanctifye the and ordeyned the too be a Prophet vnto thys people then felt the moste lyuelye sygnes and tokens of hys eleccion whan his fleshe repyned grudged feared to take in hand the execution of thys great daūgerous ēbassage and the powre of God hys spryte doth touch his heart and openeth his mouth to the plāting and rooting vp of al people and kingdoms to breke destroy and make waiste and raised him as a fensed towne a brasen wall an Iron pyller against the kings priestes and people of the lande Nowe thoughe some tymes his fleshe dothe grudge for the burthen of his office anguish of hart as though he had bene an abiecte or reprobate yet alwayes after the brunte of temptacyons vtteringe his weakenesse he fynedeth the merciful prouidence of his heauenlye father to take a continuall care for him and not only comfort and assist him but also most euidently to punyshe his ennemies And to be shorte all the electe of God are thus chosen and called guyded and gouerned frome their mothers wombe accordynge to the saying of the princelye Prophete Thou arte he that takest me from my mothers wombe thou wast my hope yet whan I hanged vppon my mothers brestes I haue bene lefte vnto the euer sence I was borne thou art my God euen from my mothers wombe And then do they fele most sensybly and lyuelye this their election when temptacions and aduersities doth assayl and assaulte them in the whyche conflyctes brynge to an earthlye prynce and compare then with the prynce ouer al earthly and heauenly thynges the Lorde of al Lordes the kyng of al kynges what comly offerynges would be brought to hys deuyne maiestie Would any of our earthly Dukes be well pleased with the present of a lame dogge or blind horsse Nay doubtlesse they would thynke thē selues vtterly dispysed and shamefully dishonored by hym the should offer them any such Yf nothyng then be acceptable amonges worldlye men in worldlye gyftes saue that only whych of it selfe is commendable howe mutch more before the Lord of hosts the Lord ouer al dukes kings must we be careful what we do brynge least he being displeased do reiect vs together with our offeryng Nowe go to and pray before the face of God that he maye haue marcye vpon vs. Thys is done by your handes wyl he receiue your faces saith the Lord of hostes Yea heare what the Lord of hostes armyes the greate terryble God the mighty Lord saith vnto you by his prophet you priestes come to the temple to the aultare to praye for the people there you doe offer you drenne incense you make vowes as though you would moue me to haue mercye vpon you and graunte your peticions but thus carelesse you doe come bryngynge the same and blynde pollutynge the breade of my table wyth your leuen of hipocrisy makynge my table despised wyth your vyle offerynges that I neyther can of my Iustyce nor wyll of my mercy receyue the faces of suche fayned hypocrytes neyther anye sutche skornefull gyftes No I youre God am a iuste God I doe not heare the wylfull synners And to the wycked I haue sayed why doest thou take my name in thy mouth I abhorre the prayses the sacrifyces and the offerynges of the synner Fyrst pourge thy selfe therefore and then bryng a pure offeryng to myne aultar yf thou wylt haue me to receyue thy face O gyue eare you priestes you are negligent in youre offyces and that causeth thys worde of God to be lyke an heauye burthen to you Deceyue not youre selues and youre people abydynge styll blynde and haltynge of bothe sydes Betwyxte God and the worlde the Spyryte and the flesh the lyuyng Lorde and Baal neyther flatter your selues thincking that God wyl receyue your fayre faces hypocritical gestures voyd of true holines No be sure you hypocrites that yf the earthlye Dukes and Lordes wyll haue no lame horses when you prole for your benefites neyther wil the Lord of heauen and earth heare your prayers neyther graūt your requests for your blynd and lame offerynges your haltyng doctryne crooked lamenesse in the course of your vayne lyfe and euyl condicions But thus sayeth the Lorde God to you preestes agayne Who is there also amonges you that wyll shutte the doores for noughte or sette lyght vpon myne aultare I haue no pleasure in you sayeth the Lorde of hoastes and I wyll allow none offerynge of your handes Lo what cā be spokē more playnly or more wayghtely agaynst your couetousnes ambiciō O prestes seing no man but the Lord of al men the Lorde of all hoastes and armyes bee they neuer so fearce speaketh these woordes I haue no pleasure in you nor youre gyftes I wyll none of theym because you do not serue me but your auarice your belly for wer not that you wold not ons shut the church doore no nowe in these euyl dayes many prestes wyl not do so much as shut the doores of their churches but gapynge styl for gayne more and more abide abroade in courtes and great mēs houses and though they haue great lyuynges and mutche aduantage by their churches yet wyll they not once looke in at the church doore wher they ar named the pastors and shepeheardes but lyke theeues come onelye thyther to robbe and to steale wher thou oughtest as thou hast frely taken so freely to minister Thys ought to be thy speciall respect namely to do good profyt without offence though all other men muste lykewyse consyder that the true good laborer is wel worthye his deue and iust reward yea and if thou wyll be a good shepeheard thou must not onelye seeke thyne owne gayne but thou muste bee prompte and
reddy to ieoparde thy lyfe for thy sheepe els art thou an hyrelyng and a theefe Wherfore O priestes thys prophet and messenger of God tellethe you playne that so longe as you neglecte your dewties towarde Christes flocke and onlye seeke youre owne gayne and to saciate your couetous mynds the lord God will haue no pleasure in you nor youre offerynges be you Papystes be you protestants exammyne your owne consciences wyth this question of the Prophet Who is there amonges you that wyll do any thing for nought And feare the myghtye Lorde whyche thus chargeth you And let some one be foūd amonges you which followeth no gayne but laboreth for loue in the vyneyarde of the Lorde For frome the easte to the west my name is greate amonges the heathē and euery wher they brenne incense vnto my name and a pure offerynge for great is my name amongs the heathē saith the Lord of hosts and you polluted it in your wordes saying the table of the lord is polluted and the word of the prieste is that the meate therof is despised This prophecy as al other the sayings of the prophetes are generall and agreeth fyrste to the tyme when it was spoken and so consequently the truth therof remaineth vnto all ages the priestes in that time thought that in Iury only did remaine the true worship of God but heare is aunswered as in the tenthe chapter of the Actes vnto Peter beyng of the same oppinion it was by reuelacion declared that there is no regard of no place or parson before God whether it be Iewe or gentle but in euerye nacion he that feareth God and worketh iustyce he is acceptable vnto hym Thys fear reuerence of god his sacrate Magestye is the sweete incense pure offerynge which the lord God requireth frō the one syde of the worlde to the other Therefore saithe the Apostle Paule of this general acceptacion of al nacions glorye honoure and peace to euerye one that worketh good both to the Iew and also to the Gentil so that in eueri place god accepteth the iust and heareth hym but he abhorreth the sinner with his sacrifice which is the sence and meanyng of our prophet threatnyng to cast away the priestes with their fained holynes to receiue such worshippers which in any place shulde worshippe in sprete and truth according to the saying of our sauiour Christ to the woman of Samaria Iho. iiii Examples haue we ryght many that the mercy of God is much farther delated and spreade a broade then the holye wordlyngs who only wyl be accompted holye alone supposeth For vnto Ionas not able to consyder thys mystery it was by the mouthe of God sayd and pronounced Shal not I haue mercye of Niniue the greate cyty wherin ther be mo then a hundreth and twēty thousande men whych do not knowe betwyxt the righthād and the left hād Though to our wicked cities and vnrepentaunt contraryes this exāple ought to be no comfort but a condempnacyō as Christ our master warneth the pharises For if one poore Ionas could cause Niniue the great to repent and .v. hundreth Prophets apostles and preachers cannot pearse our flyntysh harts what deserue so stubborne people The Niniuites dyd repente in ashes and sakcloth bothe Prynce and people we gettte vs into Harnesse and gather great horsses to resyste God hys wrathe They weped for the preacher we laugh at the preacher They fasted we feaste They mourned we play the hoiters like brainsyk beastes yea in the kings court where shulde begynne repentaunce and in the contrye for theyr mournynge we mutter we murmur we grudge and we grone agaynst God against our heads against our preachers against our guids The Niniuites dyd crye vnto the Lorde myghtelye saythe Ionas and cōmaunded euerye man to torne from hys euyll waye and from the vyolente oppressyon of hys brethren We neyther cry nor cal but shewe oure selues vnwilling weary and very lothe to come to comune prayers to heare godlye preachings Ah this comparison to our cities is farre vnlike and nothing but a manifest condempnation of oure wycked worlde Though amonges the moste wycked God hathe hys chosen chyldren as he had Loth amonges the Sodomites For the Niniuites hadde a greate noumber bothe of their heades and inferioure people fearynge the Lorde of heauen and earthe and therefore was Ionas readilye receiued Wee haue not one niste as the Psalme sayeth no not one God loketh downe from heauen and seeth vs al vnprofytable all declining from the way all workynge wickednes neyther priest nor writer working the worthy workes of repentaunce To conclude all in two wordes They dyd cease from synne we do all encrease oure synne whyche is oure condempnacion yet in oure awne countrye we nothinge doubt but God hathe hys chosen and knoweth theym and causeth them to confesse hys holye name to call their brethren too repentance and to glorify the myghty power of God In manye other countryes we haue examples also that God hath alwayes had hys people whyche dyd offre vnto hym acceptable sacrifice emonges the heythen as in Siria Naman the quene of the Southe Hyra the kyng of Tyrus In Madian Iethro the father in lawe of Moises the wydowe of Sarephta in dyuerse other regions whiche as they were all made for the glorye of God so was there alwaye summe amonges them that by marking his wōderous woorckes in the creation of the worlde and gouernaunce of the same or else by secrete inspiracion where there lacked open teachyng did magnyfy his name and offre the calues of theyr lips that is to saye contynuall prayses and rehearsynge of his maruelous workes wyth due obedience vnto the generall rules of his commaundementes which he alway preferreth to al sacrifices and counteth it moste pure incense and an offerynge moste pleasaunt Wherefore the Iewes warrefarre deceyued which thoughte them selues onlye the people of God because they had the circumsicion the sacrifices lykewyse we Christians maye not boaste of oure name of our profession of our baptime despising all other people and lyuinge contrarye to the wyll of God vttered by Christe contrarye to oure professyon promysed in baptysme for as the Lorde God had manye of hys people at thys tyme of oure prophet scattered from the East to the West thoughe neuer in flesh cyrcumcysed and as oure sauyour Christe saith to the Iewes bragyng of theyr father Abraham that god hys father was able to rayse vp stones to be sonnes vnto Abraham so may it be sayde vnto vs counterfayte Christians whyche wyth our Lasciuious lyfe do pollute our profession For we muste knowe that neyther circūcision neither vncircūsicion neither washing nor not washing of the fleshe is anye thyng but a new creature renewed with God hys holy spirit is all together which in all places is ready to offer a pure offerynge of thanckes geuynge ministryng iustyce and working mercye In the time of Malachy the table of the Lord was despysed by the
couetousnes of the priests hys name was polluted by theyr Lasciuious lyfe the priests sayd the meate of the Lords table is not to be regarded it is no lyuing but beggary to serue the Lorde we wyl not labour therfore in the Lords house we wyll not shutte the dore for nought neyther lyght a candle vpon hys table wythout some rewarde Euen as our priestes at this day vnworthely concernyng theyr offyce but worthely concerning the wycked spoils of their liuings do lament that the layitie wyll bryng them to extreme penury and beggarye And some not worthy of v.li. lyuinge from the churche can saye what is xl pound what is an hundreth pounde and some Lordlye Byshoppes can saye what is D. marke Now wher the laye men do wyckedly in takyng any thynge from you Doubtlesse you do muche the worsse in causinge the worde of God to be despysed through your couetouse desyres Whereby you dooe make the Table of the Lorde despysed and make all men vnwillynge to ministre meate to youre sacryfices that is to saye to ayde and to releaue you to the encrease of your lyuynges I do passe ouer because I wold haue it buryed in silence how the table of the Lord was polluted of late in our popish time both with the blindnes of the thinges offered there vppon and the dombe Popishe ceremonyes heaped as it were wode heapes the worde wyll and ordenaunce of God vtterly despised and so many as God hathe opened theyr eyes doth behold it and lamēt Yet you pope holye Papistes saye Loo oure greate payne and wearynes do we brynge As the Pharisey saye in the Gospell magnifying hym selfe and his workes loo I do fast twyse in the weake and I geue the tythes of all that I haue our Pharises and poope holye prelates selling theyr lyppe labours theyr prayers and fastings and such other holines to other mē beleuing their lyes following the preceptes and doctrine of men whiche hath an outward shew of wysdome by supersticion and humblinge of theyr selues do bring laborious and paynful workes as they thincke But the Lorde of hostes sayeth you myght blowe it away Suche are the workes you do boaste so weake and vnweyldye that they are not of so muche force and strengthe as one blaste of wynde no not youre God your Idol your popish wafer cake was able in all hys powre to wythstande one blast of winde and how much lesse then was all your wyl holines and other popish chaffer Yea the whole kingdome of Antechriste shall be blowne a waye and theyr kyng destroyed with the breath of God hys mouthe And the blaste of hys spirite And you haue brought the rauine the sicke the lame bryngynge suche an offerynge shal I receiue it of your hand fauorably sayth the Lorde No cursed is the deceitful which hath the male in his flocke and doth vowe and offre corrupcion vnto the Lorde for I am a greate kyng sayth the Lord of hostes and my name is terrible amōges the heythen The Lorde wyll haue nothynge gotten by rauyne by robberye by spoyl and by bryberye no he alloweth no suche sacrifyce no suche offerynge as is gotten of the spoile of our brethrē This is not his honour no it were much his dishonoure to admitte such seruauntes This were as pleasaunt a thynge to hym as it is to a naturall father to robbe or to sleye the naturall chyld in the eies of hys father and to brynge to hys father parte of the spoyl for a presēt Thinkest thou the carnall father wyl receiue this thākfully nay doubtlesse No more wyl the heauenly father receyue any offerynge sacrifice praiers or almes fauourably which such Priestes and Byshops bringeth as takinge greate lyuinges forth of poore mens laboures doth no part of there dutye whiche is playne theft and robbery But as the Iuste Lord hateth all disceite in all menne and that which commeth vnder the cloke of holynes especially as the blynde lame and maimed beast is an vnseamelye sacryfyce to be broughte to the myghtye God as all suche sacryfycers wyth theyr presentes sacrifices and offerynges are to be dyspised amonges the people So muche more the priest who shoulde appeare