¶ A fruitful sermon of the most evangelical writer M. Luther/ made of the Angels upon the xviii chapi. of Matthew translated out of latin into english. ✚  
printed at London in Paul's church yard/ at the syngne of saint Augustyne by Hugh Syngleton.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   

To his Christian friend & brother Henry Ruoche the translator wisheth abundance of grace.  
I Culde wish either all men to be learned in the understanding of latin, or else learned men more diligent in translating to the vulgar tongue such things as our ignorant brethren do not perceive, both for the reading of many other excellent books in this tongue written, & namely of Martem Luther, whose books I judge very expedient and also necessary in Christ'S church, both for the most sweet consolations in them contained, & farther for opening of many mysteries, moche convenient to be known of every christian man. Amongst which other this little book or sermon made of the Angels I 〈◊〉 ●…ked out and translate for you (gentle Henry) with what dexterite I can not say, truly of a good purpose & a studious mind toward you, to do you good, to th'intent not only it should be a testimonial of my heart I bear unto you, but also and much rather an occasion whereby to encourage & styreup this propensite and forwardness of yours so happily begun, and godly continuing/ I will not say this author in all points to stand up right and absolutely, as in the sacraments, but what human writer hath there ever been but some default he hath left behind him. Also Peter was not with out his reprehension. In every thing the best is to be taken. Verily in this matter I doubt not, you will like him well as he is worthy. Christ's grace with you. Amen.  
At Stepney. Yours I. Fox.   

An homely of doctor Marten Luther made of the Angels on Mychaelmasday upon the gospel of Mathewe xviii. ✚  
IN the gospel this day we hear Christ make mention of Angels, for whom this present feast of saint Michael was istituted, and not so much for this angel only saint Michael, nor the other Angels, but chiefly for the honour of our lord god the maker of all the angels. And that not without a great consideration. because it is very necessary in Christ's church a right knowllege & doctrine of the Angels to be a 'mongst christian men. Which thing is also very profitable and bringeth no small consolation to know what is their office and duty, no less than it is to know what is the office of a father, of a mother, of a servant, of a maid or any other such like. For if so be it the office of every person be not known precisly whereto he is called, & to what he is ordenid, one shall meddle with ones office & an other shall meddle with an others, none knowing his proper functione what he hath to do, thus must needs be that all run in heaps, in tumults, & in confusion together. Wherefore it is necessary that we know what the proper office and functione is of Angels, to do. The ignorance whereof, bringeth in many absurd cogitationes and fond fables amongst christian people, as we see planly in this feast, which hath been a feast now many years full of Idolatry besides the vain fables and feigned miracles which have been brought in of the hill Sargarus, that is called saint michaels mount. And of saynet michals' letteres, with such like manifest foolish and trifling lies spread through all the world, by reason whereof we have fallen from the worship of god the maker of all, to the worshipping of Angels, which he hath created. Therefore we do not keep this feast but only for this cause, to learn & know what the Angels do, whereabout they go, and what is the charge where unto they be assigned of god, to the intent that after we shall be certified & instructed in the matter, we shall begin to render thanks to god for his Angels, so as we do thank his majesty for making of the sun & moan, for sending us peace, for giving us concord, for setting us laws, officers, and for all our other benefits which he sendeth to us & preservyth, not that we do worship the sun or the moon, with such other, but that we do mark and consider the wonderful work and or dinaunce of almighty god therein, & so in the sun praise him that made the sun, glorify him and worship him. And so I say likewise of the Angels, that we must learn and know their office, their duty, & function whereunto they serve, that in considering & marking of this, we shall give thanks to god, ascribing all this benefit whole to god, so that all the honour & glory hereof may redound unto him, to whom it is only dew.  
Therefore first of all we must know and be suered that there be Angels, not only good angels but also bad. There have been christian men that have thought as the saduceys did, neither Angels nor spirits to be. And I myself have herd some to play the saducees, which have not been ashamed to blaspheme and to deny and think neither Angels nor spirits to be. But a true christian man ought not to doubt but that Satan the devil is naturally an Angel made, even as saint Mychaell is created an Angel. But their office & doings be much divers, for like as a naughty tyrant hath autorrite and power as well as a good prince, but the one abuseth his power to oppress his subjects, the other useth it as he shulddo to the preservation and commodity of his realm. So is it betwixt the devil and the good Angelle. Besides these men that think there be no devils. There be also other which not withstandyng they believe there be devils, yet do not think they be so neyghe, nor so sore against us, but when they here any speaking of the devil, they imagine him an hundredth or a thousand miles of from us. And so by reason we do not know nor consider how nigh and ready the devil is against us at all times, ne can not perceive so well the great benefits which god showeth to us by his Angels. Like as he which never felt death nor tasted the bitterness thereof, cannot tell how precious and sweet is life. And as he which never felt hunger, can not judge how good and precious a thing is bred, nor cannot esteem the valow thereof, so the man which ever thinketh the devil so far absent from him, doth not greatly regard the daily preservation of the holy Angels of god, nor can not esteem it accordingly. But every good christian man must thus think with himself that he sitteth in the midst of the devils, which with a great multitude enclose him and besiege him round about. And that Satan is more near him than his coote, than his shirt, yea than his skin and his own flesh, evermore he is about us, for us to fight with and to strive against. That the devil is so nigh and ready about us, that our german proverb doth show and testifey, whose meeaning is this. It needeth not to paint the devil upon the door, meaning thereby that the devil is neigh enough our house, though he be not painted at the door. Therefore first of all we must know this and so persuade ourselves, that there be devils, and that they be more neghe unto us than our shirt is to our body. And this saint Peter doth well testify which is no liar saying, in the v. ca 
Pet. 5.  Be you sober and be ware, for your adversary the devil goeth about like a roaring lion whom he may devour. These words were not spoken of no drunkard, nor is no fools bolt, as we be wont to say, but they were spoken of Peter's own mouth by the holy ghost, neither in geest nor in sport, but in earnest as earnestly as he culde speak them. Be sober & beware saith he, as though he would say, do not so imagine with yourselves, as though your enemy were far from you. Your enemy is a strong and a perpetual adversary evermore against you, with all hatred and malice he can, whose purpose is nothing else but to destroy you both body and soul. Where is he than wilt thou say. Peter telleth the. He runnyth about thee, saith he/ what doth he, what entendyth he running about us? Peter showeth thee, he sekyth/ saith Peter, whom he may devour. Here you have the devil painted in his colours. Ye hard before that there is a devil, here you see what a thing he is, how malicious, how pestilent, and vexed against us, which every day doth no thing else but studieth how to devour us & to destroy us, this is all his intent & purpose, to work our destruction, evermore running about us, with such hatred and malice that no man can express it, even like a roaring lion he ragyth about, that is to say/ what soever thou dost, whether thou thinkyst or speakyst, or what so ever thou settyst upon to do, other to begin a thing or to finish any work, the devil is ever present seeking all means and occasion to stop to trouble thee, & to let the. But few men believe it, for if they did, they would not live so securely & so carls as they do. And this is the cause that we see all the world so full of strife, debate, hatred, enuey, pride, covetousness lusts, and such other vices. And yet how securely & how negligently men live, as though they had clean devoured and consumed the devil. And here is to be understand that there be two sorts of men possessed with the devil. Sum be possessed bodily in whom we may plainly perceive the good will of the devil toward us, as in Matthe. viii. 
Mat. 8.  What pleasure it was to him in punishing the poor miser not only with one devil, but with an whole host of devils. This is the good will he beareth toward us. Is not this a poisoned and exceeding malice that the wicked find beareth to mankind, in that we see him so vex this one silly soul with so many thousand of devils. furthermore we may see also sufficiently, what mind he beareth toward us, by such possessed persons that lay in their monuments. These with such other exsamples do well declare the mischievous fury and the byrning hatred of the wicked spirit against us, which hath no other desire nor pleasure that he delighteth in, but only in our destruction, so that he may destroy our bodies, & bring our souls to everlasting peril. Secondarly there is also an other sort, of men which be privily and spiritually possessed of the devil, as these which be entangled with covetousness with hatred, with enuey, with lusts, and filthy desires, with other like vices, and yet for all that live in such security and so reckless as though the devil were a thousand leges of, & had nothing ado with them. If any external grief or sickness should chance to our bodies, we run straight to the physician for his cunsell and succore. But to seek any remedy against our inward diseases, against our covitusnes, our malice, our envy and such other more, to seek remedy I say against these that we may learn to refrain our sinful living, hereof we pass not a button, nor once do mind any such thing. And why so? because no man will believe that the devil is so nigh and ever about us. Therefore let us learn as I said, and consider diligently what manner a thing the devil is, how fears, how malicious, how mighty, how subtle and crafty he is, what power he hath to hurt both body and soul. He bringeth in to our souls false and erroneus doctrine, desperation filthy desires with other like, and all to pluck away our faith from us, and to cast us in to infidelity and wavering, or else to put in to our minds cold filthy, & vain cogitations, that by that means he may cast us in to security and necligens. I know it and dare speak it by experience, for oft-times I do sensibly feal the devil stopping and letting my cogitations my purpose, and my labours. I cannot do and finish all things so as I would, by the reason he stoppyth me and hindereth me. Many times it is my mind to do things with more fervent study with more heed and diligence than I do, but by the reason of his impediments and stops of the devil I cannot employ my matters so always with such perfection as I would: So than after that he hath thus possessed the spiritual inind of a man, than after he doth also infest and doth noy the body other with pestilence, with famine, with war, with slaughter, or with some calamity or other, which he hath an infinite sort. All these mischiefs doth the deull stir up, he is only the worker of all these evils. One breaketh his leg, an other is drowned, an other doth murder an other committeth advoutre, and so forth. Who is the doer of all these, who is the motioner and the leader to all these? Who but only the devil? And this all we percetue, we see it with our eyes, we feel it with our hands, and yet neeligently, how secuerly with out heed or dread we live? And what is the cause of this? Truly nothing else but as I said, because we imagine the devil to be far from us. But we far deceive ourselves. Forsooth he is hard by thee, and is over thy head, & is about thee, and about all men. And this god wyllyth and doth suffer it to be, by this means to keep us in fear, that we beware & take heed to ourselves, and that through necescite of such greart perils we should be driven to flee to our lord god for succour. if there were no devils, truly we should be cold, negligent, slack, secure omisse without all care and fear. And yet for all this, for all these wicked spirits about us, for all these calamities & vexationes, for the wretchedness and miseries, for all these evils & displeasures that we have God can scarcely drive us to call upon him, to flee unto him, and to cry for succour. O father of heaven, Come help us, and deliver us, than what would we do if there were no devil at all? Therefore principally and first of all we must understand and know that we sit not here in the middle of roses, or in a garden that is safe and sure from all perils and deceits of our enemies. If the devil did seduce Adam and Eve in paradise, also if he troubled so many other good men and children of god. Moreover if he did not spare to tempt Christ himself both god and the son of god, think not thyself so sure nor so well defensed, that he will be afraid of the. Therefore let us pray unto god diligently and fervently that he will give us grace to be ware and to take heed of ourselves against the crafty assaults & suggestion of the devil, that he cast us not in desperation or incredulity. At the general counsel kept in the cetie Angusta how he went about all that he might possibly, to with draw us again from our true faith, & to bring us again in to our old errors. So & if his purpose had prospered and gone forward, he would also have wrought more mischief in stirring up battles, and bloodshed, & tumults among the people. But we must know this moreover that though there be never so many evil spirits against us that work us sorrow, yet be there many more good Angels again which stop and let the purpose of these wicked finds, keeping and defending us against them. The wicked spirits do neither sleep night nor day, ever watching and studying how to bring in Idolatry, & so to cast our souls into perpetual destruction, and then after to do sum villainy to our bodies, to our goods, or good name: So unless that God again had other rulers, & an other kingdom, in the which were other more valiant spirits than these, truly the devil would neither leave us wife, children nor house standing, not the moment of an hour, but would destroy, would overturn, confound, and abolish all together: such malice and hatred he hath against mankind, that by his good will thou shouldest not have one foot of ground to stand upon. And it grieveth him evil that thou haste thine eyes, thine arms, thy legs, and other of thy limbs/ that if he might have his will and God would so permit him, he would denumme the of all, yea and not leave the one cow, or an ox, or a horse to help the with, finally if that he were suffered to work his pleasure he would not suffer not so much as a n1 to stand in his place, neither any man to continue his life the space of half an hour. Therefore where as these things do not so come to pass, and where as thou seest kingdoms, and common wealths to remain and stand whole in their right form and state with out any such perturbation, where as thou seest any cattle, sheep, or oxen to live, or any such thing which doth service to man (which thing grieveth the devil sore for he can not abide any thing to be safe that pertaineth to man) be that mayst thou well perceive that there is a more strong and more valiant a power ordained of God, for to preserve & defend us against so wicked and furious maladies of our enemies. Also where thou seest any good man to live in faith and fear of God which favour and love the gospel, by that thou mayst well perceive and know that there is an other power ordained and set up of God against the devil to withstand and resist & to bring to nought his works and his subtylties. For mark well the words of saint Peter/ he calleth him our adversary so infuse and vexed against us seeking about like a roaring lion whom he may devour. Then how can he with his good will suffer any thing to remain whole or safe? Wherefore saying the devil is so promt and so ready to hurt us by all the means and occasions he can, and yet is put so oft beside his purpose (by reason that God doth so stop him through his holy Angels) thou oughtest therefore ever to give thanks to God, that thy wife and children do live & that thine house is not plucked over thine head. For our defence, our strength were nothing to the devil. If there were nothing in him but only his malice and his will to hurt us, yet were not we able to resist the same. But now besides this malicious & set will against us, in this also he prevalyth and passeth us, in wit, craft policy, and subtilty, wherei all the saints be nothing to be compared with him. He hath the scriptures at his fingers end. He knoweth all the bible better than all Paris or Colony. Whosoever doth enter in disputation with him is quickly overcome, there is none in the world able to hold argumentation with him. Besides this such is his might and power, that all might of men and power of all the world is nothing in comparison. Set all the turks, all the emperors, all the rulers, kings, and princes, in all the whole world together, he is able to destroy them & blow them down with turning of an hand. The cause now why he doth not so, that he doth not destroy all things after his mind & will, it is through the benefit and the preservation of good Angels which do resist and withstand him that he can not so exercise his tyranny as he would. And so for this purpose be the Angels ordained to withstand the devil & to keep him short. Even like as a good prince hath his officers under him, such whom as he appointeth and setteth over his countries and city's, against thieves and murderers. And yet though the same officers take never so much heed over the kings subjects, yet can they not chose, do best they can, but sum thief or other will come in, and do some robbery/ whereby we may well perceive, that the thieves mind and good will is to do more, if he might be suffered. And so is it here in like manner. God some times doth give some permission to evil spirits, but yet he hath his good Angels again, for to keep us and defend us against fury and violence. Thus every prince, every citesyn, every householder, brefuely every christian man hath his good Angels assigned unto him, for to save him and to preserve him, as Christ testifieth in the gospel saying. Their Angels in heaven do see the face of my father which is in heaven. These words verily do well declare the great and marvelous regard, love, & tenderness that god hath upon us. And these words should diligently be showed & betten in to children, that they might learn and know the office of Angels, and accept their benefit, and give god thanks therefore. The devil is a great enemy to all children, and it grieveth him much when he saith them be borne in to the world, to grow up and to prosper. And for this cause doth he many times frey women great with child and doth cast them in to fear. How be it good Angels be present and ready to succore and keep them that they take no harm. These things be privy and privily done that we can not see them with our eyes. In like manner as he possessyth men privily and after asecret fashion, as when he bringeth a man's mind to covytusnes, he putteth in to his heart this persuasion that he maketh him believe he doth it for an honest purpose, for the necessity of his life, to provide for himself & for his household, & so thinketh he doth very well, and the devil to be far from him. Thus doth the devil possess these covytus' persons so privily, that they can scarcely perceive him in their mind, much les can they see him with their bodily eyes. And so doth he also blind and which our princes hearts, putting in to them this persuasion & thought, that they wage battle against other princes, neither for hatred, nor envy nor for any revengans or hastiness of their mind, but only for a right quarrel, for justice and peace. This is their pretence where with they cloak their tyranny & grief or grouge of their mind. And these suggestions of the devil, yet seem to them to be honest and very Just quarrels. They think nothing les than these cogitations to come of the devil. And like as the evil spirit doth privily & inwardly possess a man. so do the good Angels also privily & secretly minister their help and succore. And like as the evil spirit casteth in his fury darts privily in to the heart of man, so likewise have the good Angels again their good & wholesome darts to comfort us with. And when so ever the evil angel doth tempt us, they be ever ready to stoup him, & defend us speaking thus unto us in our hearts. Not so. Not so. Much like as if a man should fall in to a deep water, and be in the jeopardy of drouning, a other should run to take by the hand and to draw him out of the water. Even so do good Angels to us, plucking us bake, and calling us agay●…, saying thus inwardly in our hearts. Thou must take heed of that. In no casse thou must do so. It is not meet nor lawful so to do. And thus do the good Angels help us, & stoup the devil, that he take not our faith from us, nor have his purpose of us. Therefore we use to say, and it is well said. Thou haddyst a good & a trusty Angel to keep the this day/ where by is signified, that no wit nor power of man could turn away that evil and mischief, unless the good Angels had been ready with their aid and custody/ unless that they had espied out and thrown down the ingyns, deceits, and crafts of the devil, thou shouldest other perish miserable, or else shouldest be brought in to sum great calamity. And this is that we mean when we say: Thou was blessed this day and kept of a good Angel: and so it is true: for unless the good Angels should preserve us, all kinds of wretchedness in the world should light upon us, through the procurement of the devil: wherefore let us learn to know, and thankfully to accept, this high office and benefit of the holy Angels. Also let us learn this, that the wicked angels do work and go about nothing else, but only how to hurt us to vex us, & to bring us in to all troubles he can. But like as these evil angels be always ready to harm us, so be the good Angels again ever ready to help us, that we forsake not the truth, but constantly stick to it, and that we have and keep our lives, our bodies, our wifes, and children, briefly, all that we have, sayffe & whole, from the hurting of the devil. Thus the cause then why all the world is not set on fire, all is not cast in heepes, that any cities, any comen weithes, any realms, any villages, be not destroyed, cast down and over thrown, all this cometh through the help and keeping of the holly Angels. These good Angels be much more prudent, politic, and witty than the, wicked spirits be: by reason that they have a glass to look in, which the wicked spirits have not. This glass is the face and the fruition of the father almighty. furthermore the good Angels be much more of power than other angels be. For they be ever in presence & in service with him that is almighty. Wherefore let us give everlasting thanks unto God for these tutors, such ministers, and potestates which he hath ordained for us, to keep us, and to preserve us in all places, which thing they do both diligently and gladly.  
Furthermore we must understand also, that these angels be not to be worshipped, nor must we put our trust in them as we have done in times passed, for we find in scriptures that they never would suffer themselves to be worshipped, but evermore have given that honour only to God, They praise and laud God and thank him that they were made for us. For as I said they be spirits made and created of God on  for this to serve us and to help us: Like the same manner we praise and thank God, that he made this comfortable sun for us, the moon, wine, bread, and all other manner of things. Even likewise ought we to offer up to him immortal thanks for his good Angels, and sometimes among to burst out with some such prayer/ thanks and praise to thee, heavenly father, for that thou dost defend us, keep us, and govern us so diligently through thy holy angels, & that thou hast ordained such povers and so mighty princes over us. & c So when thou gyvyst god thankys after this manner I think thou dost praise & worship the Angels sufficiently. Now to prove that the Angels be such manner of spirits as we have showed, it is evedent in many places of the scripture as in Luc. the xii. where the Angels apering to the shepperds & showing them the birth of Christ, did sing the goodly song Gloria in excelsis deo et in terra pax hominibus bona voluntas. That is glory be to God above, peace in earth, good will among men. It is a proverb amongst us. As the heart thinketh, so the tongue speakyth. And so here, the Angels speak and desire the honour and praise of god: then that we may see their heart and good will to us ward, they pray next that peace be in earth: for it grieveth them nothing more when they see such wars, & battles among men, when they see any calamity or destruction among us, when they see any house burn, or a man's ox die: For their nature and heart is nothing else but peace, and therefore all their wish and prayer is to have peace, quietness, health, & goodness to all men: the devils nature is this, and this is all his endeavour to pluck men from god. Contrariwise the good Angels do ever seek and covitte that we should honour god and love him. The devil is our adversary, and therefore nothing doth grieve him more, than when he saith us be in peace. Again the angels do wish and rejoice in nothing more, than when they see the world bend to peace & concord: other else if there be no concord, it is our own fault we can blame none but ourselves. For god can no otherwise debate and restrain our wantonness, hedynes, & our malicious nature.  
The third thing that the Angels wish for among men, is good will, that is to say, that they will take well in worth what soever God sendeth other good or bad: And that they will humbly submit themselves to the will of God, and every man be content with his state and fortune, taking his cross patiently what soever God sendeth. Here in these scriptures you see the Angels describe unto you of an other fort, than the sophisters and school men have taught you in times past. As where I have showed you how. S. Peter hath describe the devil, where as he first calleth him our adversary, and afterward painteth him in his colours, notifying him to walk about like a roaring Lion, seeking whom he may devour. By these words of S. Peter, you may see him much more plainly and lively painted unto you, than if I should dispute and muse with myself never so long, what an head or nose he hath, or whether he hath such claws or not as we paint him to have. And if thou wilt see the true & plain figure of the devil, imagine with thyself such a manner of a man that is all wicked, all given to naughtiness, malicious and full of rankore, of a mischievous mind and stomach, crafty, sottyll, deceitful, all set to hurt and noye men. And so shalt thou see the true proportion and fisnamie of the devil. On the contrary side the good angels is nothing else, but a mind or an heart which is perfitly good and loving. As if thou couldyst find or wouldst imagine with thyself such a person, which were all nothing else but sweetness, goodness, cumlynes, and fryndlynes, whose mind and stomach were most meek most gentle, most hearty, and kind, simple with out all fraud or guile, of most supreme wisdom & knowledge. And so shalt thou have the very shape and image of a good Angel. Wherefore have they their name given to them: for this word angel in greek is that which we call in english a messenger or an embassadore, because they be sent of God. The scripture doth not give them their name, of their nature or substance whereof they be made (save only that it calleth them spirits) but it giveth them their names of their office and ministry. And therefore we call them angels, not as concerning their substance or nature whereof they be created, but as concerning their office which they be appointed to. Wherefore we ought to love this name Angel, and to make much of it. Truly I am greatly delighted with it, I can not tell what other men be, and do embrace it with all my heart. Now if they be the messengers and ambassadors of our lord god, then what thing do they, or wherefore doth god send them: answer thou again. They do govern us, they keep us and preserve us: for that cause be they sent, and that is their office to do, to accomplesse the commandment of god that is given them to do: that is: to stop the works of the devil, to turn away evil chanses, that houses or streets be set on fire, that our cattles be not devoured of wild beasts, that men escape drowning with such like things. Also the evil spirit hath his name, and is called the devil, that is, acousar or a damner: for that is the nature and all the study of him, to accuse, to blame to damn or pervert, to make the worst of every thing that we do. He is called also an Angel that is a messynger: but an ill messynger & a wicked. And well the Grecians have given him this name Calumniator, that is to say in our engleshe tongue a depraver of every thing, for a depraver properly is he which doth slaunderusly accuse, dreprave, and faulty that thing that is faucles: wherein this wicked spirit passeth and excellyth all, such things as god doth teach & command us thoo things he corrupteth, depraveth & expoundyth them other wise than they be. And this feyt he first practised in paradise, in the first creation when god commanded we should not touch nor taste of the tree that grew in the midst of paradise. How craftily & perversely he expounded the word of god. Do you think, said he, that god did forbid you to eat this. No you shall not die: thus he turned the truth in to a lie, & made god a devil: the same thing also he practiseth daily in our consciences when he creepeth in and hardenyth our hearts, he maketh them so secure with out all remorse and fear as though they had never sinned in all their life: the same he practised also at the general counsel in the city Angusta, in his bishops and princes. But then most chiefly he playeth the part of a devil, and a depraver, when he reciteth up to good men all their sins, and maketh them much more grievous than they be. In this point he can so deprave and faulty all thy doctrine and all thy living that he will make the aborre thyself, and bewail that ever thou couldyst letter in the book. This is the very point and practise of the devil: this is the work and the only study of that wicked spirit: to pervert and corrupt things though they be never so good. Contrary wise again the good Angels, do take all things to the best, expounding every thing in the honest part, do comfort us, do provide for us, do aid us, do defend us, & teach us. These things ought we to consider and to give god thanks therefore with all diligence, and every day that we rise, to make some such prayer unto god, as this. O father of heaven, I beseech thee, that thy good angel may be with me this day to keep me, to guide me, to govern me, to preserve me and teach me et c.  
Of the great diligence and mind of the angels toward us & our health, we have a goodly example in the book of kings, where as Elezeus the prophet did show to his minister great fiery hills which were set full of charettes and horsemen, by the which sight he perceived that his enemis were not to be feared when there were many more Angels and much stronger than his enemies were. Truth it is that the good Angels be much more ready and glad to help and further us than the wicked spirits be to hurt and hinder us. besides that there be many more good Angels than there be ill: the good Angels be ever sure & diligent to do that which is commanded them, that is, they keep & defend us both truly & carefully: wherefore though the devil be never so sert to hurt or to destroy us, & though he roar never so sore against us, yet be the good angels much more diligent to assist and defend us, briefly, be ever more tender and careful over us, with their ready service to do us good. This we ought to learn and know/ for that shall cause us that we shall not be so secure and so slogyshe in ourselves, but be more circumspect and better look about us and that we shall learn the better to believe and trust in god, when we know that we have many more good Angels of our side them devils against us, and be always of good cheer and comfort in all our affairs, in all our afflictions, troubles, and adversities, saying with the prophet Elezeus: we have many more warriors on our part, than enemies against us. And so shall we overcome the devil, as Elezeus did overcome his enemies, being blided in the darkness of their mind, and we having our eyes seyght shall bring in our sowdiers in to the city of their adversaries/ as we read that Elezeus did in the same chapter. These examples be written for us, that we should praise god and give him thanks, for that, that he hath so appointed for us such an host and an army of his holy angels for our defence and saffete, so that if one angel be not enough, there should thousands be ready by and by, so as we see here in Elizeus, for whose only cause so many thousands of holy angels did show themselves & did muster before him, ready at all times to secure him when need should be. The very same thing we se in Luke where first one angel came and showed the birth of Christ, but soon after there was a multitude of the army of angels, singing with that one angel. et. c. Such a multitude and a whole army of good Angels there be that God hath appointed for our succour and safeguard.  
Wherefore if we use to thank god for temporal peace, for good magistrates, & officers, and for such other worldly comodites. Than how much more ought we to give god praise and thanks for his good angels which he sendeth to help us, not only in bodily & external things, but also in all our spiritual affairs. For why they do both confirm our faith in god, and also keep us in the fear of god: so their keeping and goodness it is, that where we see one man dysstroyed by the craft and temptation of the devil, we see a thousand and a thousand saved again. Truly more men there be always that live, than that die. Therefore where thou seest any City, any town, any house sayffe or standig, there mayst thou perceive, the good angels be there to stop the evil spirits that they destroy them not. Thus always we see and prove by experience, more goodness, than evils to be sent unto us: As we see in a bright day/ the son to shynne much more clear and lightsome, than the blackness of the night time is dark. Thus doth god make us to see his benefits and good turns, which he bestoweth upon us through his holy angels, for to comfort us and confirm us with all, that we may understand by that means the wondrous deceits, subteltes, and damages of the devil, to the intent that we all ways should stand in fear, and awe, and never to be secure and negligent in ourselves. Therefore let us learn this well, and bet in also to our children, that they may learn thus to comfort and strengthen themselves with the aid of their good angels, & so that they may learn to fear the devil. And in this manner they ought to be brought up with like information as this, or such other like. My child thou must not take the name of thy lord in vain: thou must not backbytte thy neyg bower: thou must not name the devil, nor much have him in thy mouth, for he is at hand in every place, and is hard by, & about the where soever thou goest, unless thou take heed, and fear god, and employ thyself to goodness and virtue, he will other cast the in the water to drown thee, or else he will be sure to do the sum great mischief or other. And again lest they should be brought in to to much fear of him or to weakharted in themselves thereby. These wicked spirits, My son, as I told thee, be always about thee, & greattly desirous to noy the some way or other, but our lord god hath ordained good angels again an infinite numbered, and they be ever ready at hand, if thou be a good and an obidient child, to keep the and preserve the. what so ever the devil goeth about, other to cast the in the water to drowned thee, or to fray the in thy sleep, or to break thy neck, et c.  
Moreover in so much as we must fight and war with the devil, it is requisyt that we should know first what he is and how mighty he is. No man can camp well with the emnye whom he knoweth not. Now what manner and sort he is of I have showed you, before. Also I have showed you, how he is a spirit which never restyth nor ceaseth, whose labore and study is nothing else but to disturb the peace of the world, to bring in battles, to stir up insurrections, strife and seditions, to make tumults, and confusion amongst men: he can not rest neither can he will well to no man. It grieveth him I dare say that I make this sermon now, and sore it goeth to his heart, nothing more, yea it grieveth him that my life induryth a quarter of an ower: he hath conspired and laid wait for my death, and at lenghth will dispatch me. But what should I do? Truly nothing else but stick only to the word of god and pray. O father of heaven, thou sayst and perceivyste what the devil goeth about, send down thy good Angel, to stop his wicked purpose that he have no power in any thing to hurt any body, but to the health and everlasting salvation to my soul. Amen. that ought we in like manner to commend ourselves to god every day: thus we ought also to inform our children, that they may likewise learn to commend themselves to god after the same manner. And so when we do instruct our children thus still accustoming them to the same, they may turn to good men, and learn to fear god. Likewise as children do hang of their parents, subtectes of their magistrates, having all their succour and providing by them: so do we hang of the angels, to whom god hath appointed all the promision and costody over us. And so by that reason that god hath so appointed his angels, to see to us and succour us, we may well understand that we have a perilous enemy about us, ever ready and labouring to destroy us. For else what need we the aid and costodie of so many Angels, unless we were in great danger of strong & mighty adversaries? wherefore it is our parts evermore to give thanks to god, and to say. O heavenvly father the father of all gentleness, thanks, praise, and glory be to thee, for that, that through the strength and succour of thy Angels I am able to withstand all the wicked spirits, which notwithstanding of mine own power, am not able to withstand the weykest one of them, no though I had an hundredth thousand men more to help me. Also that notwithstanding mine enemy is so passing crafty & subtle, that I have not one drop of craft where that he hath a whole seefull: yet through the protection and custody of thy holy angels, he hath no power to do me any wrong or villainy. My poor wisdom, though it yet but very small, and simple, doth confound the high and great wisdom of his, and all through thy mere grace & the help of thy holy Angels, my Lord God Amen. And so this is the glory of our Lord God, that he declareth and setteth forth his glory, his wisdom, his power, in our unableness, in our foolishness, and infirmity. This honour is only dew to him, that he is a god of might, power, of high wisdom, and infinite goodness. And that thing he well declareth, in that, that he sendeth us his help and defence by his holy Angels, so that we be able to stand against all the main host & army, all the proud guard of the wicked Angels above, to overcome them, to overthrow them and gloriously to triumph upon them. Christ jesus voutch save evermore to be with us all with his help and power. Amen.  
Praise be to God for ever Amen.