aÌ„d also the deade yee eueÌ„ of his awne good wyll He worketh in vs the workes which are necessary to the mortification of the fleshe yee he maketh vs to chastifie the body brynge it into subiection by resistinge vnto the lustes of it and continuall excertion of good workes For the moare that an man be vseth to synne the harder shall it be to resist vnto the euyl vse and lustes therof For the lustes of synne are euer the stroÌ„ger the moare that an man folowe them be an euyl vse And by the contrary the resistinge of synne and excercition of good workes taketh some thynge awaye of the strength of synne Herefore brethern exerce youre sylfes vnto Verely I saye vnto you they haue receaued theyr rewarde But when ye faste anoynte youre heed and washe youre face that it apere not vnto men howe ye faste but vnto youre father whiche is in secrete .c. ¶ Herefore bretherne in all thynges kepe measure be discrete folowe the sprite and mortyfie the fleshe by the holy goost whom ye haue receaued as the ernest of youre enheretaunce by whom ye are teached in all trueth and as he hath teached you abyde therin And be not caryed hidder and thydder with diuers and straunge learninge ¶ I saye the learninge of men whiche the holy scripture do not knowe as ye haue bene in tyme passed Wherwith ye were drawene from the faith and gaue hede vnto sprites of erroure and deuylshe doctrine of them which speake lyes thorowe ypocrisy and haue theyr consciences marked with an hett yerne forbiddynge to mary and coÌ„maundynge to absteyne from meates whiche God hath created to be receaued with geuynge of thankes of them whiche beleue and haue knowen the trueth For all the creatures of God are good and no thynge to be refused yf it be receaued with geuynge of thankes For it is sanctified by the worde of God and prayer Yf thou shall put the bretherne in remembraunce of these thynges saith Paul to Thimothe thou shal be a good minister of Iesu Christ whiche hast bene norished vppe in the wordes of faith and good doctrine whiche thou hast continualy followed but cast awaye vngostly and olde wyues fables This I saye lest eny man shulde begylle you with entysinge wordes For though I be absent in the fleshe yet am I present with you in the sprite ioyinge and beholdinge youre stedfast faith in Christ As ye haue therfore receaued Christ Iesu the lorde eueÌ„ so walke roâ—ed and bilt in hym and stedfaste in the faith as ye haue learned and therin be plenteous in geuinge thankes ¶ Beware lest eny man come and spoyle you thorowe philosophy and disceatful vanitie thorowe the tradicions of men and ordinacioÌ„s after the worlde and not after Christ For in hym duelled all the fulnes of the goâ— heeth boddyly and ye are full in hym which is the heed of all rule and power in whom also ye are circumcised with circumcision made without hondes by puttinge of of the sinful body of the fleshe thorowe the circumcision that is in Christ In that ye are buried with hym thorowe baptim in whom ye are also risen agayne thorowe faith that is wroght by the operation of God which raysed hym from deeth ¶ And hath with hym quickened you also which were deed in synne and in the vncircumcisioÌ„ of youre fleshe and hath forgeueÌ„ vs oure trespases and hath put out the obligation that was agaynst vs made in the lawe written and that hath he taken out of the waye and hath fastenet it on his crosse and hath spoyled rule and power and hath made ashewe of them openly and hath triumphed ouer them in his awne persone ¶ Let no man therfore trouble youre coÌ„ciences aboute meate and drincke or for a peace of an holy daye which are no thinge but shadowes of thinges to come but the body is in Christ Let no man make you to shute at a wronge marke which after his awne ymaginacion walketh in the humblenes and holynes of angels thinges which he neuer sawe causlesse puft vppe with his fleshly mynde and holdeth not the heed wherof all the body by ioyntes and couples receaueth norishment and is knet to gedder and encreaseth with the increasynge that commeth of God ¶ Wherfore sen ye are deed with Christ from the doctrine of the worlde why as thought ye yet lyued in the worlde shuld ye be yet ledde with tradicions of them that saye touche not tast not handle not .c. Nowe in coÌ„clusioÌ„ be ye all of one mynde aÌ„d the God of peace that raysed from deeth oure lorde Iesus Christ the greate sheperde of you his shepe thorowe the bloude of the euerlastinge testament make you perfect in all good workes to do his godly and holy will and brynge to passe that whatsoeuer ye do maye be accepted in his fyght by the meanes of Iesus Christ To whom be prayse for euer Amen ¶ I beseche you bretherne suffre the wordes of exhortation for I haue written vnto you in feawe wordes Salute all the saynctes they which are here salute you in the lorde Grace be with you all Amen ¶ At Parishe by me Peter congeth A.M.D. xxxv xx Ianuarij Ephe. vi i. Petri v. Apoca. ii Hebreo xi Math. xvi i Corin. iij. Ephe. ij Apo. xxvi Galath â— Mathei vij Gala. v Gala. 3. iiij Roma v i Corin. xiij Apoca. xxi Roma iij Roma iiij Gene. xv Psal xxxi Gene. xv Gene. xvii Roma iiij Romanâ— v Roma ix Esai xxviij Romano x Gala. iii. Gala. iii â—ieremi v â—sal xxxiii Galath v Apoca. xix Roma iiij Ioan. iij â— Ioan. i Math. xix Roma iij â–ª Iacobi ij Phili. ij iiij Galatas iij Ioannis i i Corin. ij Ephesi ij Luce xvij Marci ix Roma ix x â—ath vij â—ath xv â—a v â—ath xij 〈◊〉 xvi â—ar xvi Ioan .iij Ephe. v Ioan .iij Gala. v Hebre. xi Psal xxxij Roma xiiij Gene. viij i Corin. ij ij Corin. iiij â—cobii â—athei vij â—athei v â—itum i â—mano ij â—ma xvi â—he v â—omano vi â—tum iij Marke wel i Ioan .ij Mathei vij â—al vi â—ma xvi â—oan ij â—oma i â—oma xvi Math. vi Ioan. iij Roma viij Psal lxxxv Mat. xxiiij Roma viij i. Corin· vi i. Petri i. Psal ij 〈◊〉 vi xij â—he ij â—etri v â—al liiij â—ce xij â—ath vi â—ath vij Corin. vi Hiere xxxi Esaie xxvij Esa xxxviij Esaie xl Esaie xli Esaie xlij Esaie xliij Esaie xliii Esaie li Esaie liiij Math. vij Philipp iiij i. Thimoâ— i. Esaie xxxij· Roman iij Romano v Ioan. xiiij Roma i i Cori. i â— ij Gala. i Esaie xxxij Esaiâ— ix Esaie xlv Esaie lxvâ— Ioan. i Math. xi Esaie xlviij Psal xiij Esaie liij Ezechie xiij Esaie lvij Ioan. xiiij Roman v Ephe. ij Ephe. v Roma xij ij Cori. xiij Esay xl Deute vi Ioan. iiij Romano .i Ephe. i. i Ioan. iij. Mat. xxv i. Ioan. iiij Gala. iij Romano v Gala. v Deutero vi Romano iij Romano vi Iacobi i. Roma vij Roma viij Roman vi Io. i. iij.viij and xx Gala. iij Tâ—um iij Gala. iiij Roma vii i Corin. i. xij ii Corin. iij Roma viij Gala. v i. Corin. xiij Psal i Math. xi Iacob iv Ephesio v ij Corint vâ— Beholde Iob Romano v Iaco. v. iij ReguÌ„ xix Mat. xxiij Iacobi v Tobie i. ij God tryeth he faith of his children Esaie xlâ— The worke of God arâ— wonderfuâ— Deuter. xxi Ioann â—vi Esaie liij Ephesio vi Mat. ix Psal lxvij Hebreo â— Hebreo xij Ioann xv Ephesio i Zacha. ix Roma viij Hebreo xij Ioan. xx Ioan. xv Mat. x The wisdome of the serpente Roman vi Math. x. Luce xiiij Mathei vi Math. x Psal xliij Roma vi TribulatioÌ„ iâ— a blessige Math. v Prosperite isâ— a curse Luâ—â— vi TribulatioÌ„ for righteuesnes is ye gyfte of god Actor .v ij Thimo. iij Philippe i i Petri iiij Whereby theÌ„ are youre tyrannes sure Romano v ij Corint xij The differeÌ„ce betwene y e childerne of God and of the deuil Deute viij Ioan .vi Ioan .viij i. Corin. ix Mat. xix Luce. xij Luce. xvi Hebreo xiij Which way goo youre persecuters to heuen theÌ„ Mathei vij You re persecuters haue no power to do vnto you what they wolde Mat. v Mat. x Psalm xlix Psal xxxij Psal xxxiij Mat. x i Petri v Psal liiij A Christen mans care The despicers persecuters aÌ„d they that fall froÌ„ Gods worde arâ—â—hâ—â—aâ—ead Noe Lot Moses Aaron The prophetes Christ Mat. x Marci viij Luc. ix Thimoth i God receaueth them that come agayne Why letteth god his choseÌ„ childerne fall Ephesi iij Roma v Roma vi Ephes v Rom. vi Ephe. ij Roman iiij Psal xxxi Ioan. i Roma viij i Ioan. i Iacob iij Luce xvij Exod. xx Gala. â— Roman vij Deutero vi Psal xiij Roman vij Roma xiij Gala. v ij Corint iij Ioann viij Ioan v Roman viij Collossen iij Gala. v Roma viij ij Corint iâ— Philippe iâ— i Thimo. iiâ— i Ioan. ij Hebreo xiij i Corin. xiiij Ioan x
An confortable exhortation of oure mooste holy Christen faith and her frutes Writtē vnto the Christē bretherne in Scotlāde after the poore worde of God Oure glory †At Parishe ▪ M.d.xxxv Ihon Ihon sone an humile professor of holy diuinite do grete you all with grace and peace in the lorde The eternal faueour of almygty God be vith you strēgth you and kepe you accordinge to his godly pleasure that ye be founde without any spot at the comminge of the lorde when he shall rewarde euery man after his deades Belowed brethren I gyue laude ād thākes vnto my God for he hath made you rych in all godly virtue for youre faith groweth excedingly and eueryche one of you floweth ower in lowe to warde a nother amōge youre sylfes and to warde al mē God hath blessed you with all maner of spiritual blessinges in heuēly thinges by Christe accordinge as he hath chosen you in hym thorow lowe before ye fundation of the worlde was layd And he hath ordeyned you to be holy ād without blame in his sight and hath chosen you before vnto hym sylfe to be heyres of his eternal glory thorow Iesus Christ by whom ye haue redemption that is to saye forgeuinge of synnes And he hath openned vnto you the mistery of his wil. And hath sealed you with ye sprite of promes which is the ernest of youre enheritance to redeme the possession purchassed vnto the laude of his glory Wherfore I gyue thankes vnto my God and prayes for you with gladnes because of the fellishippe which ye haue in the Gospel from the first daye vnto now And I am sure certifieth of this that he which begāne an good worke in you shal performe it vnto the daye of Iesus Christ as it becommeth me to iudge of you all Thankes be vnto God beloweth brethern ye neade nor to be teach it of any mā for that oyntment which ye haue receawith theachit you all thynges Nor withstōdinge I wil not be negligent to put you in remembraunce of youre dutie thought ye knowe it youre sylfes and are also stabilisshed in the present trueth For I thynk it mete as longe as I am in this tabernacle to stere you vppe by puttynge◠on in remēbraunce for as moch as i am sure howe that the tyme is at honde that i must put of this my tabernacle I wil enfoarce therfore that on euery syde ye myght haue wherwith to stere vppe the remembraunce of this thinges after my departynge The good that i mo do vnto you i wil not prolonge when i am present with you i wil exhort you by worde yee by the worde of God as my deare bretherne in the lorde When i am absent by writtinge vnto a prosperous iorney by the will of God fortune me to come vnto you ād haue cōsolacion to gyther with you thorow y e cōmē faith which both ye ◠haue Be not displeased of my hōmelynes dearly beloweth for lowe causeth me to iudge of you euen as my sylfe i do vnto you as i wolde ye did vnto me for i am yours and ye are myne and ve all are Christis and Christ is Gods so ve are Gods aune possession Sen ye are of God yee ye wil gladly heare Gods worde And that causeth me to writ◠the boldly are for in my writtinge and sayenge both present and absent ye shal nor fynde the worde of man but the very true worde of God And aboue in you some what i trust and reioyce ād that causeth me to writ this litle treatyse rather vnto you then to any other And euer i wil exhort you as my well beloweth brethern in the lorde besechynge you to receaue it with pacience And thought my knowdledge a greith not well to soch an office yet after the grace geuen vnto me of God i haue obeyit In the which ye that are of faith shall feale hys mighty powere thought ye fynde no worldly visdome for y e preachinge off y e crosse is to them that perisshe folisshnes But vnto you which are saued it is the powere off God whois grace remane euer with you and make you stronge in his inuincible trueth Amen ¶ Of faith BElowed brethren aboue all thinge be stronge and stedfast in youre faith as S Paul teached Aboue all take ye y e shelde of faith wherwith ye maye quench all the fyrie dartes of ye wicked Therfore be ye sober and watch for youre aduersary the deuil as an roringe Lion walker about sekinge whom he maye denore whom resist stedfast in the Faith As Ihon saith ī his reuelation Beholde y e deuil shal cast of you in presone to tēpte you be faithful vnto the deeth I shall geue y ◠an croune of lyfe Vithout this faith saith Paul It is vnpossible to please God Therfore be stronge in youre faith This faith is the very rocke where on the chirch is hildeth as saith oure saueour ap one this rocke I vilbilde my congregation And Paul saith in an other place No man can laye a nother fundation then that which is layde which is Iesus Christ that is tho saye y t faith of Iesus Christ and in an other place saith he ye nowe are no moare strangers ād foreners but citesins with the saynctes and of the housholde of God and are bildet apō the fundacion of the Apostles and Prophetes Iesus Christ beynge the heed corner stone in whom euery bildinge coupled to gether groweth vnto an holy temple in the lorde in whom ye also are but to gether and made an habitacion for God in ye sprite The fundacion of the wal of the cite saith Ihone was garnisshed with all maner of precious stonis The fundacion of the cite of Ierusalē the chirch of almigty God is faith which is garnisshed with the greate mercy and goodnes of God abundantly as with all maner of precious stonis or with all kynde of good workes precious acceptable vnto God for faith can nor be ydel bot worketh thorowe lowe yee good to all man like as a good tree bryngeth forth good frute a good tree cā not brynge forth bade frute Also an good mā out of ye good treasure of his herte brīgeth forth good thīges Faith thorow lowe is myghty in operacion for faith bryngeth the sprite of God and the sprite of God bryngeth lowe And lowe worketh no ewil but al good So faith continualy worketh good to all man and maye be callit the fūdaciō garnished with all maner of precious stonis For by faith ve are iustifieth and made righteous before God As it is written Nowe merely is the righteuesnes that commeth of God declared without the fulfillinge of the lawe hauinge witnes both of the lawe of y e Prophetes The righteuesnes no dout which is good before God commeth by the faith of Iesus Christ vnto all apon all that beleue For there is no difference all haue synned
of Christes poore shepe to deuoure Belowed brethern be stronge in the lorde and feare them not whiche canne do vnto you no harme but kyll the body wher vnto ye are apoynted of God yf it so come to passe as it is written For thy sake are we kylled all daye longe and are counted as shepe apoynted to be slayne Tribulation is oure righte baptim and is signified by plunginge in to y e water we that are baptysed in y e name of Christ saith Paul are baptised to dye with hym The sprite thorowe tribulacion purgeth vs and kylleth oure flesshly witte oure wordly vnderstondinge and bely wisdome and fylleth vs full of the wisdome of God Tribulacion is a blessinge that cometh of God as Christ witneseth Blessed are â—hey that suffre persecution for righteuesness is sake for theyrs is the kingdome of heuen Ys not this a confortable worde who ought not rather to chose aÌ„d desyre to be blessed with Christ in a litle tribulation then do be cursed perpetually with the worlde for a litle pleasure prosperite is a ryght curse and a thynge that God geueth vnto his enemies Woo be to you rich saith Christ Lo ye haue here youre coÌ„solatioÌ„ woo be to you y t are full for ye shall hoÌ„gre woo be to you that laugh for ye shall wepe woo be to you when men prayse you For so did theyr fathers vnto the false prophetes yee and so haue oure fathers done vnto the false ypocrites The ypocrites with worldly preachynge haue not goten the prayse only but euen the possessions also and the domination and rule of the hole worlde TribulacioÌ„ for righteousnes is not a blessinge only but also a gyfte that God geueth vnto none saue his speciall frendes â–ª The apostles reioysed that they were counted worthy to suffre rebuke for Christes sake And Paul saith All that wil lyue godly in Christe Iesu must suffre persecution And in a nother place vnto you it is geuen not only to beleue in Christ but also to suffre for his sake And Peter sayeth Happy are ye yf ye suffre for the name of Christe for the glorious sprite of God resteth in you Is it not an happy thynge to be sure y t thou arte sealed with gods sprite vnto the euerlastinge lyfe aÌ„d verely thou arte sure therof yf thou suffre paciently for his sake By suffrynge arte thou sure But by per persecutinge canst thou neuer besure For Paul saith Tribulation maketh fealinge that is it maketh vs feale the goodnes of God and his helpe and the workynge of his sprite And in another place he saith The lorde sayde vnto hym my grace is sufficiente for y e for my strength is made perfecte thorowe weaknes Lo Christ is neuer stronge in vs tyl we be weake As oure strength abateth so groueth the strength of Christ in vs. When we are clene empted of oure awne strength then are we full of Christes strength And loke howe moche of oure strength remayneth in vs so moch lacketh there of the streÌ„gth of Christ Therfore saith Paul in the same place Very gladly wil I reioyse in my weaknes that the strength of Christ maye dwell in me ¶ Therfore haue I delectation saith he inmy infirmites in rebukes in neade in persecutions and in anguisshe for Christes sake For when I am weake then am I stronge meaninge that y e weakenesse of ye fleshe is the the strength of the sprite And by fleshe vnderstonde witt wisdome and all that is in a man before the sprite of God come and whatsoeuer spryngeth not of the sprite of God and of Gods worde And of lyke testimonyes is all the scripture full â–ª ¶ Beholde God setteth before vs a blessinge and also a curse A blessinge verely and that a glorious and a euerlastinge â–ª yf we wil suffre tribulation and aduersite with oure lorde and saueoure Christ And an euerlastinge curse yf for a litle pleasures sake we with drawe oure sylfes from the chastisinge and murtoure of God wherwith he teachet all his soÌ„nes and faschioneth theÌ„ after his godly will and maketh them perfect as he did Christ and maketh them apte and mete wessels to receaue his grace and his sprite that they myght perceaue and feale the exceadinge mercy which we haue in Christ and the innumerable blessinges and the vnspeakeable enheritaunce where vnto weare called and choseÌ„ and sealed in oure saueoure Iesus Christ vnto whom be prayse for euer Amen ¶ Finally whom God choseth to regne euerlastyngly with Christ hym sealeth he with his myghtye sprite and powreth strength into his herte to suffre afflictions also with Christ for beriÌ„ge of vitâ—es vnto y e trueth And this is y e differeÌ„ce betwene the childerne of God and saluation and betwene the childerne of the deuil and of damnation that the childerne of God haue power in theyr hertes to suffre for Gods worde which is theyr lyfe and saluation theyr hope and trust and wherby they lyue in the soule before God And the childerne of the deuyll in tyme of aduersite do flye froÌ„ Christ Whom they folowed faynedly theyr hertes not sealed with his holy and myghtie sprite and get them to the stondert of theyr ryght father the deuyl and take his wages the pleasures of this worlde which are ernest of euerlastinge damnation As ye reade in many places of the holy scripture The whiche are writteÌ„ for oure learnynge ¶ Iesus sayde vnto his disciples Verely I saye vnto you a ryche man shall with difficulte enter into the kingdom of heuen And moreouer I saye vnto you it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to enter in to the kingdom of heuen ¶ The londes of a certayne man brought forth frutes plenteously and he thought in hym sylfe sayinge what shall I do because I haue no roume where to bestowe my frutes and he saide This will I do I will destroye my barnes and bilde greater aÌ„d ther in will I gadder all my frutes and all my goodes and I will saye to my soule Soule thou haste moch goodes layde vp in stoore for many yeares take thyne ease eate drinke and be my mery But God sayde vnto hym Thou fole this night will they fetche awaye thy soule agayne froÌ„ the. Then whose shall thoose thynges be which thou hast â—rouided So is it with hym that gaddreth ryches and is not ryche in God ¶ There was a certayne riche man which was cloethin purpure and fine raines and fared deliciously euery daye And ther was a certayne begger named Lazarus whiche laye at his gate full of soores desiringe to be refresshed with the cromes whiche fell from the riche mannes borde but there was no maÌ„ that gaue hym ought Neuerthelesse y e dogges cam and licked his soores And it fortuned that the begger dyed and was caryed by the angelles into Abrahams bosome The riche man also
dyed and was buried in hell ¶ When he lifte vppe his eyes as he was in tormentes he sawe Abraham a farre of and Lazarus in his bosome and cried and saith haue mercy on me and sende Lazarus that he maye depe the rippe of his finger in water and cole my tonge for I am tourmented in this flame Abraham saith vnto hym Sonne remembre that thou in thy lyfe tyme receauedst thy pleasure and contrary wyse Lazarus payne Nowe therfore is he conforted and thowe arte punisshed .c. ¶ For as moch then as we must neades be baptised in tribulations and goo thorowe the redde see and a greate and fearful wildernes and a londe of cruell geâ—untes into oure awne contree for here haue we no contynuinge citie but we seke â— citie to come yee and in as moch as it is of playne ernest there is no nother waye into y e kyngdome of heueÌ„ then thorowe persecutioÌ„ and sufferinge of payne and very deeth after the ensaÌ„ple of Christ For we â—ustenter in at ye strayte gate â–ª for wyde is the gate and broade is the waye that leadeth to distruction and many there be which goo in there at For strayte is the gat and narawe is the waye which leydeth vnto lyfe and feawe there be that fynde it ¶ Therfore let vs arme oure soules with the conforte of the scriptures howe that God is euer ready at honde in tyme of neade to helpe vs. And howe that soch tyrauntes and persecuters are but Gods scourge and his rodde to chastise vs. And as the father hath alwaye in tyme of correction the rodde faste in his honde so that the rodde doeth no thynge but as he moweth it euen so hath God all tyrauntes in his honde and letteth them not doo whatsoeuer they wolde but as moch only as he apoynteth them to do and as for forth as it is necessaâ—y for vs. And as when the childe submitâ—eth hym sylfe vnto his fathers correction and nurtoure and humbleth hym sylfe all to gether vnto the will of his father then â—he rodde is taken awaye euen so when we are come vnto the knowleage of the righte waye and haue forsakeÌ„ oure awne wyll and offer oure sylfes clene vnto the will of God to walke which waye so euer he will haue vs then turneth he the tyrauntes Or else yf they enforce to persecute vs any forther he putteth them out of the waye accordynge vnto the confortable ensamples of the holy scripture ¶ Moareouer let vs arme oure soules with the promyses both of helpe and assistence and also of the glorious rewarde that foloweth Greate is youre rewarde in heuen saith Christ And he that knowledge me before men hym shall I knowledge before my father that is in heuen And call on me in tyme of tribulation and I shal delyuer y e And beholde the eyes of the lorde are â—uer them that feare hym aÌ„d ouer them that trust in his mercy To delyuer theyr soules from deeth and to fede them in the tyme of hongre And Dauid sayeth The lorde is nye theâ— that are troubled in theyr hertes and the mâ—ke in sprite he wyll saue The tribulation of the righteous are many and out oâ— them all will the lorde delyuer them Thâ— lorde kepeth all the bones of them so thaâ— not one of them shal be brosed The lorâ—de shal redeme the soules of his seruauntes And of soch lyke consolation are the psames full the lorde open youre hertes to reade them and vnderstonde them perfectly in the sprite When ye delyuer you take no thoâ—ught what ye shal saye It shal be geuen you the same houre what ye shall saye For it is not ye that shall speake but the sprite of youâ—re father speaketh in you The very heares of youre heedes are noumbred Yf God care for oure heares he moch moare careth for oure soules which he hath sealed with his holy sprite Therfore saith Peter Cast al youâ—re care apon hym for he careth for you and Paul saith God is true he will not suffre you to be tempted aboue youre myght· Cast thy care apon the lorde Let thy care be to prepare thy sylfe with all thy streÌ„gth to walâ—ke which waye he wyl haue the and to beleue that he wyl goo with the and assiste the and strength the agenst all tyrannes and delyuer the out of all tribâ—lation But what waye or by what meanes he wyll do it that committe vnto hym and to his godly pleaâ—ure and wisdome and cast that care apon hym And thougth it seme neuer so vnlikely or neuer so vnpossible vnto naturall reason yet beleue stedfastly that he will doo it And â—hen shall he accordynge vnto his olde vse chaunge the course of the worlde euen in the â—winkelinge of an eye and come sodeÌ„ly apon youre tyranntes and myghtye geauntes as a thefe in the nighte and compasse them in theyr wiles and worldly wisdome when they crye pece aÌ„d all is saffe then shal theyr sorowes begynne as the sorowes of a woman that traueleth with childe And then shall he dystroye them aÌ„d delyuer you vnto the glorious prayse of his mercy aÌ„d trueth Amen And as perteyninge vnto them that despice Gods worde countinge it as a phantasy or a dreame and to them also that for feare of a litle persecutio flye froÌ„ it setthes before thy eyes How God sens the beginnynge of the worlde before a general plage euer seÌ„te his true prophetes and preachers of his worde to warne the people and gaue them space to repente But they for the greatest part of them hardened theyr hertes and persecuted the worde that was sente vnto them And then God destroyed them vtterly and toke them cleane from the erthe As thou seist what folowed the preachynge of Noe in the olde worlde what folowed the preachinge of Lot amonge the Sodomites and the preachinge of Moses and Aaron amonge the Egiptians and that sodenly agenst all possibilite of mans witte Moareouer as ofte as the childerne of Israel fell froÌ„ God to the whorsepinge of ymages he sente his prophetes vnto them And they persecuted and waxed harde herted And then he sente them into all places of the worlde captiue Cast of all he sente his awne sonne vnto them And they waxed moare harde herted then euer before And se what a fearfull ensample of his wrath and cruell vengeaunce he hath made of them vnto all the worlde nowe almost fyftene huÌ„dred yeres ¶ Marke also howe Christ threathnet them that forsake hym for whatsoeuer cause it be Whether for feare eyther for shame eyther for lousse of honoure frendes lyfe or goodes he that deniet me before men saith he hym wil I denie before my father that is in heuen he that loweth father or mother moare then me is not worthy of me Whosoeuer is asshamed of me saith he or of my wordes amonge this adoutours and sinneful generation of hym shall the