The new pollecye of war, wherein is declared not only how the most cruel Tyrant the great Turk may be overcome, but also all other enemies of the Christian public weal, lately devised by Theodore Basille.  
prover. 21.  
¶ The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but the Lord gyvethe the victory.   

¶ The prayer of King Asa.  two. Parali. xiiii. 
O Lord it is all one with thee, whither thou helpest, in few or in many. Help us, O Lord, our God. For we having our whole affiance & trust in the & in thy name be come against this multitude. Thou art the Lord our God, let no man therefore prevail against the.  
¶ The prayer of King josaphat.  two. Parali. xx. 
IN us, o Lord, there is not so great strength, that we may be able to resist this great company, that cometh against us. But wh●̄ we know not what to do, than have we none other refuge nor succour, but only to lift up our eyes unto the.  
¶ King josaphat to his Soldiers.  
Believe in the Lord your God, and so shall, you be witheout all jeopardy. Believe his Prophets, and all things shallbe prosperous unto you.   

¶ To the right worshipful Sir Thomas Wyet Knight, Theodore Basille wisheth long life, continual health, and prosperous felicity.  
I Think there is no man so far estrasiged from civil humanity, which knoweth not, how moche every one of us is endetted to his native country. For all be it the duty that we own to our parents, 
How greatly we are bound to our country.  kynnesfolke, friends etc, be great even by the very law & instinct of nature, yet the debt, where with we are obliged to our country, seemeth to be greater and of moche more valour, than we may at any time be able to set ourselves frank & free from it. Our parents only give us this gross, rude and moortall body. Our country doth not only receive and joyfully sustentate it, but also opulently adorn & garnysh both that and the mind with most goodly and godly virtues. It engraffethe in us the true knowledge of ourselves, 
Our country is to be more regarded than our parents.  the fear of God, the love of God and of our neighbour, the true faith in God's promises, the unfeigned obedience toward our superious. It tilleth our hearts with the plough of painful diligence. It eradicateth all unfruitful wedes. It eiecteth all unprofitable clods, and maketh the earth of our hearts so fine, pure, pregnant & fertile, that it is ready to receive any manner of good seed, that may be sown thereupon, and to produce innumerable increase. 
What great commodities we receive of our country.  It sorroweth also in the ●elde of our breasts many precious seeds, as modesty, gravite, gentleness, honest behaviour, affabilite, comite, liberality, frugalite, patience, long sufferance, moderation, temperance, obedience, fortitude, magnanimite, justice, equite, continence, humility, erudition, prudence, learning, wisdom, probite of manners, with an whole see of good things more. All this doth our country for us thorough the diligent exercise of wise and sage teachers. So that it may appear right well, men be not only moche endetted to their native country, but also alured unto the love and desire of the same even by a certain inspiration both of God and nature. For how glad is an Englyshe man being in France, Germany, or Italy or else where, to know by the transmission of mutual letters, what is done in Englond, in what case the public weal consists, how it prospereth, how God's word is set forward, after what manner virtue is maintained, and vice detested. & c? Again, is not the French man, Germayn, or Italion, being herein England very desirous to know likewise, what is done in his native country?  
We read of some, 
The fervent affection that some have had to their country.  which, when they were in strange places, where they wanted no kind of pleasures, desired rather to be at home t their own native country, and to eat beans and dross with hogs, than to be in the most flourishing Realm in the world, & to sit at the tables of Kings, Princes and such other terrene potestates, and to afflue with all manner of delicious meats.  
To whom is it unknown, that when a certain noble man called Leo Byzantius, 
Leo Byzantius.  was grievously accused of certain of the City, where he was inhabited, and like to be in danger of death, and therefore counseled of divers of his friends to fly into some strange country, he came boldly into the assembly, which consulted about his matter, and said, O you my Cytysenies, I am counseled to fly but certes I had rather be slain of you, & so to die among you, than once to make myself captive to any strange country. O valiant and conrageous heart. O noble & prince like stomach. O unfeigned lover of his native country. He cho●●d rather to be slain although unrighteously of his contremen, and so to die among them, than he would once depart out of his native country.  
The victorious champion Sertorius 
Sertorius.  also, being in the wars or else where, was wont to say, that he had rather be at home in his own country, and to be the most base & vile Cytysen of Rome, than being absent to be Emperor of all the world so sweet a thing is it for a man to in his own native country.  
Thus see we how every nation is led even of nature with such an unspeakable loving affection toward his country, as never dieth, except peradventure any be of that pestiferous and poisoned nature, whereof one is, which being an Englyshe man born, danceth now like a traitor in a Carnalles wede at Rome, & as a shameless monsture abasheth not to writ, Roma est mihi patria.  
The love of our country must needs be great, seeing that the grave, prudent, sage, and wise governors of the public weal heretofore in all their acts sought nothing so much as the prosperity and wealth thereof. What goodly sweet sentences did they instill into the breasts of their yonglynges even from the cradles, to encourage them unto the love of their country? As these are: Pugna propatria. Mortem oppete propatria. Dulce & decorum estpropatria more. Fight for the country. Die for the country. It is a sweet & seemly thing to die for the country. And as they taught other to do this, so did they show goodly & virtuous examples most worthy imitation of their posterity For no kind of perel did they refuse for the safeguard of their country. Not riches, no substance, no possessions, not not their own life did they spare for to profit their country. And this may we see done in the Histories not only of the base sort but also of most victorious Emperors, puissant Princes, and noble consuls.  
King Codrus 
Codrus.  ascertained by the infallible oracle of Apollo, that his country men the Athenians could by no means enjoy the victory of their enemies, except he himself were slain in the batayle, came forth in to the field among the other warriors with a iustye and valiant cheer, fighting with his adversaries courageously. But in as much as it was not only known to that Athenians, but also to the contrary part what answer was given Codrus of Apollo, therefore the enemy's gave a commandment that no man should hurt the body of king Codrus. Which when he perceived, he conveyed himself out of the army, put of his princelike armours, clad himself like a common Soldier, and returned shortly into the host where both manfully and willingly he died, and by this means saved his country O most excellent Prince worthy immortality. O condign spectacle for all rulars to behold.  
A like thing do we read of that noble Consulle Publius Decius, 
Publius Decius.  which when he saw his army greatly disconforted and almost slain, spoored up his horse sharply, and with a valiant courage brest into the mids of his enemy's army, where after that he had slain many, and by his valeaū●e encouraged of new the hearts of his Soldiers, he being grievously wounded died at the instant, for the health of his country, so that notwithstanding by his wounds, blood and death the Romans gat the victory, whereof before they did so much despair.  
A certain woman also among the Lacedæmonians, caulled Gyrtias, 
Gyrtias.  when she herd that Acrotatus her daughters son was grievously wounded in the wars, yea and dead thereof, answered with a lusty heart and said, when he went forth unto the enemies, was it any other like, but that he should die, or else slay them? It is more merry to hear that he is dead, as it was worthy him, and the city and his progenitors, than to live all his life like a dastard, and show no point of valeaunce. O heart more courageous, than the feminine sex requireth. Grand mothers are wont for the most part to love their nephews and childres children more tenderly than the very mothers. Yet this granddame Gyrtias lamented nothing the death of her nephew, but entirely rejoiced that he died so valiantly in the wars.  
Another woman of Lacedemony, 
A woman of Lacedemony  after that she had sent forth five of her sons unto battle, stood before the suburbs of the city, waiting what should be the end of the battle. In the mean season came a certain man and showed her that all her sons were slain. To whom she said, I did not demand this of thee, O thou sluggish slave, but in what case the country standeth. When he had answered, that the country had got the victory, she said, o than very well, I am glad that my sons are thus dead. This noble woman did set more by the safeguard of her country, than by her private affect toward her children.  
Damatria 
Damatria.  also an woman of that nation, slew her own son at his return from the battle, because he behaved himself like a coward in the wars, and did not fight manfully for the wealth of his country. This seemeth to smell barbaryke immanite, and to be to moche cruel, notwithstanding it is a goodly example to show that all mothers should desire nothing so much in their children as to have them evermore bend to serve the public affairs of their country, even to the very death.  
The Emperor Otho Silvius 
Otho Silvius.  was determined at a certain time, I know not for what cause, to give over the regiment of his Empire. Many came unto him, and desired him very instantly, that he would not leave of his imperial dignity, & so forsake the common weal, and the valiant company of noble warriors that he had besides other. Among all one being but a Soldier taken at adventure, perceiving that the Emperor persisted in his determination, took out his sword & said, O Emperor know thou, that we all are franckely encouraged thus to do for the. And straight ways he killed himself. O lusty heart, & frank courageous stomach. Whom would it not animate to give his life for the health of his country, seeing so many goodly examples vively described and lyvishly set forth in histories before his face? To moche brutal is he, that is not moved with these most memorable antic monuments.  
But if I should go forth to rehearse all the Histories, which declare how greatly the fervent petty, the godly affection, & the reverend love toward the country hath been ever esteemed in times passed of all gentle and natural hearts, I should con pile a work moche longer than the Iliads of the Greek Poet Homer, yea I should not only far exceed the limits of an epistle, but also onerate and overcharge the reader.  
But to make few words, 
we are no less bound to our country now than our ancestors were in times past.  even the very same godly affection own we at this day to this our native country Englond, that men of old time have showed unto their country, except we be estranged from all natural humanity. And what soever our Ancestors have done in tymespast, unto the very same are we bond now likewise. So that who so ever detrecteth & refuseth to do for his country, what so ever lieth in his power, is an unnatural branch, and a corrupt seed, unworthy to enjoy any fruit or commodite thereof, as I may add nothing here unto.  
But all men have not all gifts, neither can every man profit his country alike. Yet ought the studious endeavours and diligent employmentes of all men, tend unto this, that the commodite of the public weal and the health of the country should be sought above all things. The rytche man with his riches, the strong man with his strength, the wise with his wisdom, the politic with his policy, the eloquent with his eloquence, the learned with his learning, the artificer with his science, the plough man with his tilling, and so every man in his degree according to his knowledge aught to serve his country. For unto this doth the law both of God & nature bind us, the which to resist is extreme impiete & plain wickedness.  
But if any nation be estranged from the unnatural affection toward their country, 
The hearty affection of English men toward their country.  certes I think England, I mean the Inhabitants thereof, may justly contend with any country for the alienation of this vice. It doth me good yea it maketh me seriously to rejoice even at the very heart, to see how glad my country men are to serve the commodities of this our country Englond. What so ever our most excellent Prince, or any in his name commandeth, it is with all reverent fear and loving expedition accomplished. No man grutcheth, no man muttereth no man thyncketh the precept unrighteous, nor the burden heavy, so fervent a love do they bear unto their country. All with one consent employ their endeavours to satisfy even unto the uttermost of their power the imperial precept of the kings most royal majesty. This hath God's word wrought in them, so mighty and fruitful is that sword of the spirit. 
Ephe. vi.  thanks be to God for it. The Lord of heaven might grant, that it may long prospero, yea & flourish in this Realm of Englond. So may we be sure never to be without his divine blessing. Lord let it so come to pass.  
It will not easily be believed, 
The Gentle men of Kent.  after that the kings grace's letters were delivered now of late to certain gentle men in this county of Kent for the prepation of certain men apt for the wars, how expeditely his grace's pleasure was accomplished in every condition. The gentle men (all other businesses laid aside) immediately provided theyrtofore appointed number of men, arrayenge them with decent martial armours so that nothing wanted, but all things set at such a stay, that they receiving premonition of very little time, are ready at all hours to bring forth their men apt & ready for the wars.  
Again the men, 
The 〈◊〉 of Kent.  which were priest to go unto the wars, it is almost incredible to see & perceive what alacrite & quickness of spirit was in them. They seemed to be so desirous to defend their country, that they in a manner neglected their domestical travails, their private businesses, not much esteemed there dear wives and sweet children, not nor yet their own lives, so that they might in any point do good to the public weal of Englond. When I saw this valiant courage in them, and perceived their unfeigned affection & love toward their country, Lord God, with how great admiration and stupore was I affected & stricken? My joy was surely greater than I can here express, to see this faithful obedience in them toward the Kings graces majesty, this fervent love toward their country, this hearty affect toward the common weal of England. And I doubt not, but that like obeisance and promptitude was also found in other places of this Realm.  
These things thus done, 
The good mind & fervent affection of the Author toward his country.  I began to think with myself on this manner, Lord God, under how unfortunate star was I born, that am endued neither with wit, policy, valeaunce, strength, wisdom, riches, or any other thing, wherwythe I may do good to my country, as other men do. The vain of my wit is barren, my pollecye is gross, my valeaunce is nothing, my strength is little, my wisdom is base, my riches are not worth a Galley half penny besides a few books & a little slender apparel. Alas what shall I do? Shall I show myself in no point thankful to my country? Shall other men jeopard both their lives and goods for the safeguard of the public weal, and I in the mean season do nothing? Shall I be found an unnatural branch and a corrupt seed: It shameth me to live, and I may right well recount myself most miserable saying I am conject into such unfortunate state, that I am able by no means to do that for my country in act, which my mind coveteth in will.  
At the last I remembered the poor widow of the Gospel, 
Luke. xxi.  which although she were not able to cast into the treasury so moche as the rytche men did, yet offered two minutes & ware accepted for her good will. I called also unto remembrance, how gentylly king Artozerzes', 
King Artozerzes'.  with divers other were wont to receive base, simple, homely & common gifts of their subjects, & to give them rewards worthy a Prince for their good will. When I prepended these things with myself it encouraged me to do some what (although the somewhat may right well be recounted some little nothing) that I may show myself not altogether unworthy the beneficence of my country. And for as much as I have been trained up from my cradles in the court of Lady Mnemosyne & her daughters, & exercised in the wrestling place of Apollo (although I may justly seem to have been there but a vain gazer and idle spectator) I thought it not undecent according to my profession of letters to bring for the some literal lucubration which being diligently read and followed of my countrymen, should not be altogether unfruytfull to our common country. I have therefore in this tumult & noise of wars compiled a certain little treatise, entitled, The policy of war, 
The cont●●tes of this book.  not unworthy the reading chiefly at this tyme. In it I have declared in how pitefull case y● christian public weal consists almost universally. I have showed also what is the cause of these cruel wars, that reign now almost thorough out the whole world, & by what means they may be ceased. I have furthermore openned after what manner we may get the victory of our enemies. Again I have showed how y● Soldiers aught to behave themselves both when they go to the wars, and when they are in them, that God may be on their side. Moreover I have declared, how they that tarry at home, ought also to behave themselves, unless that for their iniquity & unrighteous behavoure God forsake our army. Finally I have here openned how christen men shall return from the wars after they have got the victory, and on what manner they shall behave themselves, y● their country may enjoy peace & tranquilite ever after.  
All theyse things have I done in this little treatise following, 
Si quis loquitur ut sermons Deiloquatur.  according as I trust, to the vain of the holy scripture And as gladly as I have compiled this short work, so gladly would I have done any other thing for the incolumite and safeguard of my country, if it had lyghen in my power. verily let all men believe me, if my riches & wisdom had been equal with Salomons, if my policy & strength had been like with Sampsons', I would no less heartily have employed than all for the wealth of my country, than I have bestowed my labour in setting for the this little treatise. But when I may not do y● one, let it suffice that I do the other. The Poet saith, In magnis voluisse sattest. neither is he altogether ingrate & unkind, which for his puissance mainly contendeth to show himself thankful and kind again, although his act at all times doth not greatly answer his good will. notwithstanding I trust, if this my work be diligently read, marked and followed, it shall not only declare my honest and natural heart toward my country, but also teach men a more godly fashion in the wars, than hath been hitherto used of many. I pray God, it may bring forth no less fruit, than I have intended. But this my labour what so ever it be I offer to your right worshipful mastership, both because you are one whom God above many other hath endued with most goodly qualities, worthy the renown of worship, & apt for the godly administration of the public weal no less in the perfect knowledge of the diversity of Languages, than in the activity of martial affairs, & also for as much as you have ever hitherto earnestly embraced not only the studies of human letters, but also the grave exercises of divine literature, trusting that you will accept this my little gift with that benevolence, which all men commend & praise in you. If I shall may obtain this, it shall not only not repent me of my labour employed in this behalf, but also encourage me hereafter to attempt some other enterprises of no less weighty and grave importance, & dedicated them also unto your name. In the mean season God the Author of all goodness and the mighty shield of them, that repose their affiance in him, ●ought vouchsafe to preserve your good mastership in continual worship, and daily increase the same more & more unto the glory of his name, the conservation of the public weal, the contentation of your good mind, & the comfort & joy of so many as unfeignedly love you.  
AMEN.   

  

The policy of war.  
Who seeth not now, how miserable the state of the Christians is under this most cruel Tyrant, which notwithstanding hath exalted & increased his might above all Christian Monarchies or empires▪ And it is to be feared, saying he hath such prosperous success & triumphant victories against the Christians, that no nation shall be able to resist and wythstonde his tyranny, except there be some godly remedy found shortly. For all things prospero so well with him, that no man needeth to doubt, but that he is the scourge of God to ponish us for our wicked and abominable living, which without all shame is at this day used among us.  
Thus see we in what state the christian public weal standeth, yea rather lieth, & is trodden under foot: Let us now behold, what the occasion of it is, and by what means it may be repaired & brought again unto the pristme beauty & old glory, that we having the victory of all our enemies may with one accord sing perpetual praises to the name of our Lord God. Amen.  
What the occasion of all these cruel wars is, wherewith we are so miserably oppressed, it may easily be perceived by Histories of the holy scriptures. 
The cause of wars.  For verily so oft as I ponder this matter with myself, me think I see more clearly than the Son, y● as the only occasion of God's blessing is, the true worshipping of him and the following of his word, so likewise the alone occasion of his cursing, that is to say, of his plagues, whither it be by sword, pestilence or hunger (for by these three ways God is wont to ponysh the wickedness of his people) is idolatry, 
Note well.  strange worshipping of God, despising of his word▪ killing of the true preachers, & wicked living. Do not the divine Histories show evidently, that so long as the people of Israel obeyed God, served him according to his word, hathened to his preachers, walked in his ways led a pure and innocent life, they enjoyed all kind of felicity & pleasure, and ever got the overhand of their enemies? How did the public weal of Israel flourish under that most noble Captain & victorious Prince josue? What kingdom did they invade and not subdue? What did they take in hand, & brought not unto fortunate success & prosperous end? How came this to pass, by their own pollecye, wit and strength? Nam verily. For they despaired of their own strengths and said, we are not able to go up against the people, for they are stronger than we They are men of a great stature, yea we are like grasshoppers in comparison of them? It was God that did fight for them. 
Num. xiii. xiiii.  God slew their enemies. God gave them the victory, and brought them into the possession of that land. Fear not the people of that land, said josue, for they are but bread for us. Their shield is departed from them, & the Lord is with us, fear them not therefore. The Lord your God, 
josue. xxiii.  he shall expel and cast them out before you, and you shall conquer their lands, as the Lord your God hath said to you. One of you shall chase a thousand, for the Lord your God he fighteth for you.  
But how came it to pass, that they prospered on this wise, & had God so on their side, that nothing was able to prevail against them? verily because they did abide steadfast in the law of the Lord. They ran not an whorehunting after strange Gods. They did stick fast unto the Lord their God. They hearkened to his faithful preachers. They worshipped & served him not after their own fancy, but according to the prescript of his holy word. They sought his glory in all things, and wrought according to his holy will. So came it to pass, that they were made blessed & fortunate of God.  
Again in the book of judges & of Kings, do we not see in them that so long as the Israelites walked according to God's word, they prosperred and floryshed above all nations, and when they fallen unto Idolatry & wicked living, that god stored up some Tyrant, which oppressed them with cruel battle, shedding their blood, & spoiling all that they had? neither did God cease thus to ponyshe them, until they fell to repentance, know ledged their faults, amended their wicked living, & became faithful to the Lord. Moreover what was the occasion that God at the last suffered the Israelites to be led away captive into Babylon of the king of Caldey, 
iii●. Re. x●iii 〈◊〉. xx●vi.  the young men to be slain with sword in the holy Temple, yea neither young man nor maiden to be spared, neither old man, neither yet so much as him that stooped for age, all the vessels of the house of God both great & small & the treasures thereof, & the treasures of the king & of his Lords to be carried to Babylon every whit, the house of God to be burned, the waulles of jerusalem to be broken down, & all the places thereof to be burnt with fire and all the goodly stuff thereof? What was the occasion, I say that all things went thus to havoc without mercy? Forsorth the scripture saith, their king Sedechias first of all did thee, which displeased y● Lord. He humbled not himself before jeremias the Prophet at the mouth of the Lord, but was stiff necked & hard hearted to turn unto the Lord God of Israel. All the rulers also of the priests with the people trespassed apace after all abominations of the heathen, & polluted the house of the Lord, which he had hallowed in Jerusalem. And the Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes, for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God and despised their words, and misused his Prophets, until the wrath of the Lord so arose against his people, that it was past remedy.  
Here see we again that the occasion of this miserable captivity, which the Jews sustained, was because they received not the Prophets, harkenned not to God's word, but followed their own santasies, wrought that which was good in their own sight, and lived after their own sensual & beastlike appetites.  
What shall I speak of the final destrucciou of the jews at Jerusalem after Christ's ascension? What was the cause of that their grievous misery and unoutspeakable calamity? Was it not because they crucitied the son of god, despised his doctrine, slew his Apostles, walked after their own traditions, followed their old wicked forefathers, lived all in pleasure, regarding nothing the threatenings of God. & c?  
How chanced it, 
The Assyrians and Greeks.  that the mighty Monarchies or empires of the Assyrians & Greeks, which floryshed not only with all kind of temporal riches, but also with most excellent & learned wits, are now so miserably oppressed of the Turks tyranny? Was not their disobedience to God's word cause thereof, & their wicked living more lascivious & wanton, than that effeminate king Sardanapalus?  
How came it to pass, 
The Rhodes.  that the Rhodes even in our time is subdued of the aforesaid Tyrant, turned from Christ unto Mahumet, from the christian religion unto the Turkish profession? Was not superstition Idolatry, hypocrisy, feigned holiness, coloured chastity, that is to say, filthy whoredom, stinking forntcation, unclean adultery, dissolute living. etc. cause thereof? If we run thorough out all the histories both holy and profane, where is entreated of wars, we shall find that the contempt of God's word & wicked living are the only occasions, that such bloody battles and cruel wars have at any time been stoored up. For God is a righteous Lord, 
Behold and mark.  & a long season provoketh he unto repentance. If there followeth none amendment, than storeth he up one Tyrant or other to take vengeance on us, to shed our blood, to oppress us with sword, to ●yll our wives sons and daughters, to consume with fire all that ever we have, to make our kingdoms desolate, & at the last utterly to root us out of this world, that his name thorough our abominable living may no more be blasphemed, railed upon and evil spoken of. 
Esaie. i  If you will be obedient and hear me, saith God by his prophet, you shall eat the good fruits of the earth. If that you will not, but provoke me to anger, surely the sword shall devour you, for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it. 
Esaie. u  Again, my people is led captive, and brought into bondage, because they have no knowledge. And their noble men have died for hunger, and their army have perished for thirst. They have cast away the law of the Lord of hosts, saith the Prophet, and have blasphemed the word of the holy one of Israel. And therefore is the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people, and he shaketh his hand at them, yea he shall smite so, that the hills shall tremble. And their karkases shall lie in the open streets like mire. 
Esaie. xvii.  etc. Also in another place, thou shalt be desolate, because thou hast forgotten God thy saviour, & haste not remembered thy strong helper. Therefore shalt thou plant a fair plant, & graff a strange branch, but in the day of harvest, thou shalt reap an heap of sorrows & miseries. Again, these people are obstinate, 
Esaie. thirty.  they provoke me unto anger, they are lyenge children, and even such children, that will not hear the law of God. 
Dic nobis placentia.  They say to them that see, see nothing, and to the soothsayers, tell of nothing for to come, if it be either good or honest, but speak pleasant things unto us, and preach us false things. Tread out of the way, go out of the path, turn away the holy one of Israel from us. Therefore thus saith the holy one of Israel, for as moche as you have cast away this word, & have comforted yourselves with power and nymblenes, and put your confidence therein, therefore shall you have this mischief again for your destruction & fall, like as an high waull, that falls because of some ryfte or blast, whose breaking cometh suddenly. And your destruction shall be like as an earthen pot, which breaketh no man touching it, but breaketh so sore, that a man shall not find a shiver of it to fetch fire in, or to take water with all out of the pit. For the Lord God even that holy one of Israel hath promised thus. 
Esaie. x●ii  Also in another place, who suffered jacob to be trodden under foot and Israel to be spoiled? Was it not the Lord himself against whom we have sinned? We had no delight to walk in his ways, neither were we obedient to his laws. Therefore hath he poured upon us his wrathful displeasure & strange battle, which maketh us have to do on every side yet will we not understand. He burneth us up, yet sinketh it not into our hearts.  
The Prophet jeremy also saith what man is so wise to understand this? 
Iere. ix.  or to whom may the word of the lords mouth be spoken, that he may show, wherefore the land is perished so, & burnt like a wilderness, so that no man goeth thorough? Yea the Lord himself said: Because they have forsaken my law, the I gave them, & have not heard my voice nor yet walked thereafter, but followed the wickedness of their own hearts, & run after strange gods, as their fathers taught them: Therefore thus saith the Lord of hosts the God of Israel: Behold I will feed this people with wormeode, & give them gall to drink. I will scatter them also among the heathen, whom neither they nor their fathers have known. And I will sand a sword among them to persecute them, & never leave until I bring them to naught. 
Iere. xxvi.  Item, if you will not obey me, saith the Lord, to walk in my laws, which I have given you, and to hear the words of my servants the Prophets whom Isent to you rising up timely, and still sending: If you will not follow them, I say, than will I do unto this house, as I did unto Sylo, & will make this city to be abhorred of all the people of the earth.  
Thus see we not only by histories but also by manifest texts of the holy scripture, 
The despising of god's word, & wicked living cause all these plagues.  that the despising of God's word and the dissolute manner of living is the occasion of all the grievous and fierce plagues that God poureth upon us. And we need not doubt, but these very same things are even at this day the fountain and head spring of all the ponyshmentes that God lay upon us. For even as it was in the time of the old jews, 
A comparison between the old world and ours.  even so is it now in the world. They hated God's word than even so do they now. They persecuted the Prophets & true preachers of God's verity, even so do they now. They maintained the wicked traditions of their forefathers, even so do they now. They esteemed their own imaginations above God's word, even so do they now. They preferred their own acts, laws, decrees, constitutions, etc, above the ordinances of God, even so do they now. They could not abide their wicked living to be reproved, no more can they do now. They hated the light of God's word, and loved to walk in darkness, even so do they now. They lived in all kind of wicked abomination, even so do they now. Their men of law for lucre's sake mayntened false matters contrary to equite, even so do they now. Their officers of the common weal did not behave themselves uprightly in matters of contraverly, but polled & pyld all that they might come by, even so do they now. Their priests were all given to covetousness even from the highest to the lowest, yea they were blind & as ●ome dogs not able to bark, even so are they now. They abused the name of God by unlawful oaths, even so do they now. They were dihonourers of the civil magistrates, even so are they now. They were disobedient to their parents and superiors, even so are they now. They were mans●ears & thirsted innocent blood even so do they now. They were abominable whoremongers, stinking fornicators, and unclean adulterers, even so are they now. They did choose rather to live in abominable whore hunting, than in the state of christian wedlock, 
Hebre. xiii.  which is honourable among all men, and the bed undefiled, even so do they now. They were thieves and unjust usurpers of other men's goods, even so are they now. They covytted their neighbours goods, wife, servant, hand maid, etc, even so do they now. All kind of sin reigned among them unponyshed, even so doth it now. The threatenings of God's law were laughed to scorn among them, even so are they now. What so ever sin reigned than, that same flourisheth & tryumphethe now. What shall we than say, but as the common proverb is, like fault, like ponyshment? 
two. Pet. two.  If God that righteous Lord did not spare the old world in the time of Nohe but drowned it: If he again favoured not the filthy So domites and unclean Gomorians, but consumed them with fire & brymestonne from heaven, what terrible judgement and grievous plagues shall we than look for, seeing we row in the same haven, stick in the same mire, and commit the very same abominations.  
O Englond, 
Of Englond  Englond mine own native country, for whose wealth & prosperity I do not only shed out prayers, but also salt tears continually to the Lord our God, & am ready at every hour willingly to sustain any burden, that can be laid on my shoulders for thy safeguard: Would God, would God thou wast not partaker of those grievous enormities and wicked sins, which I have now rehearsed. Would God thou didst not aduse the most precious benefits, where with thou art endued from above before all other nations. Would God thou didst regard the pleasures, that God hath done the by restoring unto the the light of his holy word, & by sending the so noble and virtuous a Prince to maintain the same. 
Exod. xuj.  Would God thou wast not like to the old disobedient & murmuring Jews, which had pleasure rather to be in Egypt with the grecy flesh pots, than in the service of God with the celestial meat Mamna. Would God thou mightest not justly be resembled to Loathes wife, 
Gene nineteeen.  which after she was delivered from the filthy Sodomites, had a delight to look back again unto them. Would God the name of the most highest were not dishonoured by thy shameful and abominable oaths, which thou daily usest. Would God thou wast not disobedient, but faithful & true in all points to thy superiors. Would God thou wast not polluted with fornication, adultery, whoredom, in cest, and all other uncleanness. Would God thou wast not an unjust taker away of other men's goods. Would God thou didst not thirst after the shedding of innocent blood.  
Would God, thou wast not ready to bear false witness against thy neighbours. Would God thy men of law were not eaters of gifts, & oppressors of the poor people for lucre's sake. Would God thy pastors and spiritual sheppardes were not so given to pleasure, ambition, pride, covetousness, delicate fare, gorgeous apparel, idleness, etc, that they have no mind to feed Christ's flock with the syncer word of God. Yea would god they were not callers back & utter despisers of the same, 
Math. xxiii  neither entering into the kingdom of heaven themselves, nor yet suffering other that would to enter. To be short, would God thou wast not a manifest transgressor and open offender of gods most holy law, that thou mightest be free from the vengeance and plagues of God, the are like to fall upon thee, if thou dost not shortly repent and amend thy sinful living. O Englonnd, 
God calleth Englond unto repentance divers ways.  Englond, God calleth the unto repentance divers ways, as by his word, by the preaching of the same, by sending the such a virtuous, merciful, fatherlike and puissant a Prince, by endewing the with other innumerable benefits If thou regardest not this goodness of God, surely England great will be thy damnation, grievous will be thy plagues, intolerable will be thy ponyshmentes, to moche lamentable will be thy final destruction. O Englond with weeping tears I say unto thee, 
Luke. nineteeen,  as Christ said unto Jerusalem: If thou didst know even at this thy time, those things which belong unto thy peace, surely thou wouldst be more diligent to look after them. For easier & more tolerable shall it be for Sodom & Gomorre, for Tyrus & Sydon at the day of judgement than for thee, except thou repentest and embracest with meeting arms, as they say, the goodness and great mercy of GOD which is now proffered the.  
Of these things aforsayde is it evident that thoccasion of all these cruel wars & other plagues, wherewith we are so miserably oppressed, is the despising of God's word, and the wicked and dissolute manner of living that is used among them that profess Christ by mouth, but live Mahumet in deed.  
Now let us consider again, by what means the christen public, weal may be repaired & brought again unto the pristine beauty and old glory, that we having the victory of all our enemies may with one accord sing perpetual praises to the name of our Lord God. AMEN.  
To obtain the victory of our enemies, 
Of getting the victory over our enemies.  what than is to be done? Shall we prepare us innumerable thousands of strong and valeas●t warriors? shall we make us strong Castles, mighty Bulwarks, invincible fortresses, gorgeous charettes fears guns, well casting bows, swift arrows, sharp spears, great poleaxes, courageous horses, with other things innumerable, the pertain unto martial affairs? How weak & unable theyse things are to get the victory of our enemies, the holy scriptures show in divers places. How puissant was Holofernes 
Holofernes.  and incomparable in martial affairs? what wanted he that should help any thing at all to get the victory? What may be named, that he failed concerning the policy of war? What Prince in the world thought himself of sufficient puissance and strong enough to enter battle with him? He had such affiance in his martial armours that he thought, he might lyghe upon his one side, and get the victory. But how little all his valeaunce & strength profytted him, 
judith. xiii. xiiii.  the scriptures show evidently, which teach that by one woman he was not only destroyed, but also all his army put to flight. So little do all the pollecies and feats of man's brains avail where the help of God wanteth.  
What shall I speak of that arrogant and proud tyrant Sennacherib, 
Sennacherib.  which gloried so much in his martial valeaunce & strong power in matters of war, that he despised & blasphemed the living God, 
●iii. Re. xviii two. Par. xxix  thinking himself able enough to subdu and overcome so many, as he should war with all, though God himself took part against him? But to what point came all his proud cracks? 
Esaie. xxxvi  What did all his martial armours & weapons of war profit him? Did not God in one night sand his Angel, and slew of that tyrants company a great sort of thousands, in so much that that arrogant king of the Astyrians returned back with shame enough, & shortly after was slain even of his own sons?  
Let these two Histories suffice to show how little affiasice is to be reposed in human strengths & martial affairs. 
Psal. cxxvi.  verily except the Lord build the house, he laboureth in vain that byldeth it. Except the Lord keepeth the citte, he watcheth in vain that keepeth it. 
Psal. xxxii.  A king shall not be saved, sayeth David, by his own great host, neither shall a giant be helped in the abundance of his strength. A horse is but a deceavable thing to save a man, it is not the power of his strength that can deliver him. Behold the eyes of the Lord are upon them that fear him, and put their trust in his mercy, that he may deliver their souls from death, & norysh them in the time of hunger. Solomon also saith, 
Pro●●●. twelve  The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but the Lord giveth the victory. The Psalmograph saith again, 
Psal. nineteeen.  some put their trust in charettes and some in horses, but we will cawl upon the name of our God. They are brought down & fallen, but we are risen and stand right up like men.  
Here see we that all the pollecies of war, that the wits of men can invent, are but vain, and of themselves not able in any point to get the victory. What shall we than say? Are the armours of war to be neglected? 
Wither armours of war are to be neglected  Are the pollecies for obtaining of victory to be despised? Is no provision to be made for the conservation of the Christian public weal, but let all things run at havoc, as careless swine, chaunse what chaunie will? God forbid. we may not attempt God by any means. A Prince shall imagine those things that are worthy a Prince, 
Esaie. xxxii. The duty of Princes in martial affairs.  saith the Prophet Esaye, & he shall stand over his captains. Every Prince therefore aught with all diligence & policy to provide all things that should conserve & keep his Realm in safe estate, and free from the danger of such as would invade their dominion, and every subject aught not only to be contented freely & willingly to tender up his goods to his King and Prince for the prosperous maintenance of the kingdom, 
The dutyl of subjects in the time of wars.  wherein he is inhabited, but also with a glad heart to bestow his very life for the safeguard of the same, which thing the very Gentiles never disdained to do, but recounted themselves than most happy, when they might most of all both bestow their goods and their life also for the health of their native country, as we read in divers histories. And in this point, I mean for all things, that should conserve and keep this Realm of England safe and free from the invasion and danger of our enemies, what king doom in the world is to be compared unto this English Empire? How hath our most puyssaunte and redoubted King fortressed this his most flourishing Monarchye, 
Englond fortressed thorough the liberal and wise proussion of our King.  Empire and kingdom with all things that any man can invent for the prosperous conservation of a commonweal? Never was there Prince, that took like pains for the safeguard of his cominalte. Never was there father, that so greatly watched for the health of his son, as he doth for ours. To moche ingrate, ungentle & unthankful is he, that doth not agnize and knowledge the unmeasurable kindness of this most excellent Prince. If this title Pater patriae might lawfully at any time be ascribed unto any temporal rulare, certes to our most victorious Prince it is most of all due & convenient. For he is a very right & true father to this our country of England, as his most godly acts and virtuous enterprises do manifestly show every day more and more. We read that Augustus the Emperor, 
Augustus' Caesar.  when he had both garnished very pleasantly and fortressed very strongly the City of Rome, so that so moche as say in his power he had made it safe & sure against all insults and invasions of enemies for many years after his time, was wont rejoicing of his act to say, Roman lateritiam acce●i, marmoream relinquo. That is to say, I took Rome made of tiles, but I leave it of marble. How much more justly may our most bounteous King say, I took England made of tiles, but I leave it of marble. If any Realm therefore may rejoice & repose their affiance in martial armours & all kind of fortresses, that make unto the safe preservation thereof, surely we English men have most just occasion to give God thanks for them, seeing that we above all other nations unto our great consolation and the utter consternation of our enemies are most opulently enriched with them thorough the godly provision and divine pollecye of our most redoubted King. But what, shall we fly unto them, as unto an holy Anchor and invincible Bulwark, when the fierce tumulate and cruel noise of wars begyn●neth to rise up among us, and repose our whole affiance in them? God forbid. 
Note of mar●tial armourtes.  For as weapons apt for war are not to be neglected, & as all kind of pollecies, that may conserve the public weal, are to be proved, so is not the trust of a christian man to be put in them, as though our safeguard or deliverance did depend on them. For the scripture saith, 
Psal. xxxii  A king shall not be saved by his own great host, neither shall a giant ●e helped in the abundauns of his own strength. etc. Notwithstanding we must prepare all things, and with a lusty and valiant courage go unto the wars even as though there were no hope of victory, 
Mark well.  but of our own strength only, yet must all our whole affiance be reposed in the mighty strength of our Lord God, and look for the victory at his hand only, nothing douting, but that he will fight for us, & give us the overhand of our enemies, if we enter bartell for a just & godly cause. For it is god only, that giveth over their enemies into the hands of his people. It is God that fighteth. We & all the ever we bring, are but instruments & means, where by God subdueth our adversaries unto us, even as bread and meat are but means only, whereby God feedeth us. It is God that is the victorious and triumphant champion as Solomon, saith, 
prover. xil  The horse is prepared against the day of battle, but the Lord giveth the victory. Note that he saith, the Lord giveth the victory.  
How came it to pass that the Israelites got the upper hand of their enemies so oft? By their own valeafice? Nam verily, but by the strength of God's power. 
Deut. xxxi.  The Lord thy God saith Moses, shall go before the. He shall put away all these nations in thy sight, and thou shalt possess them. Go to it therefore manfully, & take a good heart unto you. Fear you not, nor be not once adread at the sight of them, for the Lord thy God, he is thy captain and guide, & he will not leave nor forsake the Again, 
Deut. xxxii.  how came it to pass, that one chased a thousand, and two put ten thousand to flight, but that their God sold them & the Lord snarled them. For our God is not as their GOD. Also in another place, 
Deut. xxxii●  Happy art thou, O Israel, who is like unto thee? A people that art saved by the Lord He is thy shield & helper, he is the sword of thy glory. And thine enemies shall hide themselves from the and thou shalt walk upon their high hills.  
How chanced it, 
josue. x.  that the noble captain josua had so many victorious conquests over his enemies? What saith the scripture, The Lord God of Israel did fight for him. But let us hear what God said unto him, 
josue. ●  Arise and go over this jordane, thou and all the people with the into the jond, which I shall give to the children of Israel. All the places that the soles of your feet shall tread upon, will I give you. Again, 
josue. x●.  be not afraid of them, for to morrow about this time will I deliver all thy enemies slain in the sight of Israel, and thou shalt hough their horses, & burn their charettes with fire.  
Moreover after the death of Io●sua, 
〈◊〉. i  the children of Israel asked the Lord, who should go up first unto the Canaanites to fight against them. The Lord awswered, juda shall go up, behold I have delivered the land into his hendes: Mark that it is said, the Lord delivered the land into his hands. So that it is God that giveth the victory. Who gave the victory of their enemies unto the Israe●●e., 
〈…〉  when Othoniel, Ahod, Sange●, Delbora, Barach, Gede●o, I●pte, Samson. etc. reigned, but the Lord only, as it appeareth by the histories. How wondered is the history of Gedeon, 
〈◊〉.  as I may let pass that other & no less manifest & evident to show, that God alone giveth the victory and not the strength and policy of any man, be it never so valiant and subtle. The Madianites which came to fight against Gedeon and his company, had in their army an hundred & five and thirty thousand valiant men, 
Madianites.  which say along in the valley like grasshoppers in multitude and their camels were without number, even as the sand by the sea side. Gedeon bringeth only with him a company of two & thirty thousand, and yet of these God commanded him to put away all except three hundred. His words were, these: The people that are with thee, are to many for me to give the Madianites into their hands, jest Israel make their boast unto my dishonour, and say, our own hand hath saved us. And when there were of gedeon's company xxii. M departed, so that there abode with him only ten thousand, God said once again unto him, the people are yet to many.  
The conclusion was, that all went their way besides three hundred, & by them only thorough his mighty power did God give the Madianites into gedeon's hands, so that of them that were slain of the Madi anites, were an hundred and twenty thousand men that drew swords. O wonderful victory. O the mighty & stretched out hand of god O the valeaunce of this our Lord God, which is almighty and full of puissance to defend and save his servants. 
〈◊〉. xxxill  Here see we this to be true y● one shall chase away a thousand, & that two shall put ten thousand to flight. Hereto pertaineth the saying of king Asa, 
Asa. 〈◊〉  which praised to God on this manner. O Lord it is all one with thee, whither thou helpest in few or in many. Help us oh Lord our God. For we havyuge our whole affiance and trust in the and in thy name become against this multitude. Thou art the Lord our God, let no man therefore prevail against the. And according to his prayer God gave him the victory and made the black Mores to fly and so were destroyed.  
Furthermore who gave josaphat 
josaphat.  the victory over the Moabites and Ammonites, but God alone? Did not he in his prayer speak on this manner unto God? 
The 〈◊〉 of josaphat.  In us, o Lord there is not so great strength, that we may be able to resist this great company, that cometh against us. But when we know not what to do, than have we none other refuge nor succour, but only to life up our eyes to the. God therefore streyghtwayes stored up Iazi●l the son of Zacharias, which said, hearken all juda, & you that devil in Jerusalem, and thou king josaphat also, thus saith the Lord unto you. Be not afeard nor faint hearted by the reason of this great multitude. For the war is not yours, 
two. Para. xx.  but Gods. It shall not be you that shall fight, only step you forth boldly, and stand to it like men, and you shall see the help of the Lord upon you. O you of juda & jerusalem fear you not, nor let not your hearts fail you. To morrow you shall go forth against them, & the Lord shall be with you. The king himself also said when they went forth unto battle, Believe in the Lord your God, and so shall you be without all jeopardy. Believe his Prophets, & all things shall be prosperous unto you. And according to all these things aforsayde came it to pass, so that josaphat & his company returned home with a glorious victory, thorough the mean & puissant power of God. notwithstanding when josaphat afterward joined friendship with Ochozias king of Israel, which was a wicked doer, & coupled himself with him to make ships to go into Charlis for gold, and seemed by this means both to have his mind estranged from God, & his affiance reposed in mortal amite, God deceived him of his purpose, brought his enterprises unto none effect, so that his ships were broken on such sort, that they were not able to go unto Charsis.  
What shall I speak of the noble and triumphant victories, which God gave to Ezechias, judith, Esdras, judas Machabeus, jonathas, Simon. & c?  
Thus see we that it is God that fighteth for his people, subdueth their enemies, and giveth them the victory, & that without his aid, help & succour, all is but vain & frustrate, what so ever man inventeth of his own carnal brain, seem it never so polletyke and wise. Cursed be he, 
Iere. xvii.  saith jeremy, that maketh flesh his arm, & whose heart departeth from the Lord. But blessed is that man that trusteth in the Lord, & whose hope the Lord himself is. 
Psal. ●.  For he shall be as a tree that is planted by the water side, which spreadeth out the root unto moystenes, so that ne needeth not to fear when the heat cometh, and his le●ues shall be green. etc. Woe be unto them, saith the Prophet Esaye, 
Esa. xxxi.  that go down into Egypt for help & trust in horses, & comfort themselves in charettes because they be many, and in horse men, because they be lusty and strong, and have not put their confidence and trust in the holy one of Israel. Again, what presumption is this that thou trustest unto? 
Esa. xxxv●  Or by what council or strength dost thou determine to go to war? upon whom dost thou trust, saying y● castest thyself of from me? Lo, thou puttest thy trust in a broken staff of rede, I mean Egypt, which he that leaneth upon, it goeth into his hand & shu●teth him thorough. 
Esa. xxxiii.  The Lord is our captain, the Lord is our law giver, the Lord is our king, he it is that shall save us. For he giveth strength to the weary one, & power unto the faint. 
Esaye. x●.  Children are weary & faint, & the strongest men ●aull like weakelynges, but they the trust in the Lord, shall be endued with strength. They shall have wings like eagles, they shall run & not ●aull, they shall walk & not be weary Fear not, saith God, 
Esaye. xli.  for I am with the. Turn not once back for I am thy God. I have made the strong, & I have helped thee, & the right hand of my righteous one hath taken the. Behold all they shall be confounded & ashamed, that fight against the. Yea they shallbe, as though they were not, & the men shall perish, that once speak against the etc. 
Esaye. xlv.  I will go before thee, & bring down the proud & arrogant of the earth. The brazen doors will I break & burst the iron bars. And I will give thee, y● hid treasures, & the thing which is secretly kept, that thou mayst know that I am the Lord. The unrighteous shall perish at one clap, as David saith, 
Psal. xxxv●.  & the remnants of the ungodly shall utterly be destroyed, but the health of the righteous is of the Lord, & he is their defender in the time of trouble. The Lord shall help them & deliver them, he shall set them free from the wicked, yea he shall save them in deed, because they have put their trust in him. Again, 
Psal. xxvi.  the Lord is my light & my health, whom then shall I fear? The Lord is the defender of my life, for whom than shall I be afraid? When the wicked came unto me for to eat my flesh, they that wrought me any woe, and were mine enemies, stumbled & fallen, so that now although an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid. And though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him, God himself also saith by the Psalmographe, 
Psal. xc  for asmuch as he hath trusted in me, I will deliver him, yea I will defend him, saying he hath known my name. He cried unto me, & I will favourably hear him. I am with him in tribulation I will deliver him & glorify him. I will replenyshe him with long life, and at the last I will show him my saving health.  
All the scriptures heretofore rehearsed declare evidently that God alone is the mighty helper, & that he only it is, which giveth the victory of their enemies to his people, that is, to so many as believe & trust in him, and that without him all hymayne industry, labour wit, conveyance, policy. etc. are of none effect, yea rather hurteth than profiteth, hindereth then furthereth, destroyeth than saveth. blessed is that land, which hath God their merciful Lord & puissant defender. For they shall prospero in all things, and what so ever they shall take in hand, shall undoubtedly come unto good effect, neither shall any man be he never of so great baleaunce, might, strength, puissance and power, be able to do them any harm. If God be on oursyde, who is able to prevail against us, as the holy Apostle Paul saith?  
But it will be demanded peradventure, 
By what means God may give us the victory.  how God may be made so merciful, that he will give us the victory of our enemies. I answer by our unfeigned conversion from wickedness unto true godliness. We herded b●fore that all the plagues that God casts upon us, whither they be battle, hunger, pestilence or any other, chaunse unto us for our sinful & abominable living, where with God is so greatly provoked unto anger: Again, that he will not cease thus to plague us, if he loveth us, until we earnestly repent & studiously amend our life. If he seethe, that none amendment will follow his correction, yet will he go forth still to ponyshe us, and never cease until he hath rooted us & our memory out of the earth, because his holy name may be no more blasphemed among the heathen thorough our wickedness and abomination. Your misdeeds saith Esay, 
Esaye. lix.  have separated you from your God, & your sins have hidden his face from you, that he should not hear you. 
The Prophet describeth the manner of this world.  For your hands are defiled with blood▪ & your fingers with unrighteousness. Your lips speak leasings, & your tongue setteth out wickedness. No man regardeth righteousness, no man judgeth truly Every man hopeth in vain things, & imagineth deceate, conceiveth weariness & bringeth forth evil. They breed cockatrice eggs, & wea●e the spiders web, who so ever eateth of their eggs dieth, but if one treadeth upon them, there cometh out a serpent. Their web maketh no clot, neither can they cover them with their labours. Their deeds are the deeds of wickedness, and the work of robhery is in their hands. Their feet run unto evil, & they make haste to shed innocent blood. Their counsels are wicked councils, harm & destruction are in their ways, but the way of peace they know not. etc And a little after, our offences are many before thee, O Lord, & our sins testify against us, yea we must needs confess that we offend, and knowledge that we do amiss, namely transgress & dissemble against the Lord, and fall away from our God, using presumptuous & traitorous imaginations, & casting false matters in our hearts. For equite is go aside, and righteousness standeth a far of. Truth is fallen down in y● street, & that thing that is plain & open, may not be showed. Yea truth is laid in presonne, & he that refraineth himself from evil, must be spoiled. When the Lord saw this, it displeased him sore, that there was no where any equite. He see also, that there was no man, which had pity thereof, or was grieved at it. And he held him up by his own power, & cleved to his own righteousness. He putrighteousnes on him for a breast plate & set the helmet of health upon his head. 
Ephe. vi. u Chess. ●.  He put on wrath in stead o● clothing, & took gelousy about him in stead of a cloak, like as when a man goeth forth wrothfully to recompense his enemies, & to be revenged of his adversaries, namely that he might recō●ēs & reward the islands, wherthorow the name of the Lord might be feared from the rising of the son to the going down of the son. For he shall come as a violent water stream, which the wind of the Lord hath moved.  
Hitherto have I rehearsed the words of the Prophet Esay, whereof we learn, that our wickedness is the cause of God's wrath toward us, notwithstanding if we cease from our iniquity, God will surely favour us, turn away his wrathefull displeasure, pardon our sinful iniquity, forgive our wicked living, wipe away our uncleanness, and be our mighty shield & defender against all our enemies, 
Esaye. ●.  as he saith in another place, your hands are full of blood. notwithstanding wash you make you clean, put away your evil thoughts out of my sight, cease to do evil, learn to do well, seek judge meant, help the poor oppressed, deliver the fatherless, defend the widow & come on your way, & reprove me, saith the Lord If your sins be as read as scarlet, yet shall they be made as white as snow. And if they were like purple, yet shall they be like white wool. Yea if you will be contented and hear me, you shall eat the good fruits of the earth. If you will not but provoke me unto wrath, you shall be devoured with the sword, for thus hath the Lord promised with his own mouth, It is commonly said, 
Iere. iii  saith God by the Prophet Hieremy, if a man putteth away his wife, & she goeth from him, and marrieth another husband, shall he resort any more unto her? Is not that woman than defiled & unclean? But as for the thou hast played the harlot with many lovers, yet turn again to me, saith the Lord, & I will receive the. Thou stinking Israel turn again, saith the Lord, and I will not turn away my face from you, for I am merciful, saith the Lord, and I will not be angry for evermore.  
Thus see we that though God doth plague us for our wickedness, yet if we repent & amend our sinful living, he will have mercy upon us, & turn away his anger from us. For the lords hand is not so shortened, 
Esaye. ●ix.  that it can not help, neither is his ear so stopped, that it may not hear. To obtain therefore his favour, that he may fight for us, & get us the victory over our adversaries, the only & most next way is to redress our naughty manners, to walk in the pathwayes of his holy commandments & to do that, which he willeth us to do. So may we be sure thorough his divine valeaunce to subdue all our enemies, as he himself testifieth, saying: 
Leu●ti. xxvi.  If you walk in my commandments, & & keep my precepts, you shall pursue your enemies, and they shall fall before you. five of you shall chase an hundred strangers, and an hundred of you shall put to flight ten thousand. But if you will not hear m●, but despise all my commandments, I will set my face agenste you, & you shall fall before your enemies, & you shallbe subdued to them that hate you, yea you shall fly, when no man pursueth after you. For if we enter battle with our adversaries, & yet be polluted with sin, surely God will neither fight for us, nor yet with us. God is not the captain of wicked & naughty people. He fighteth not for them that embrace iniquity, but for such as seek after true godliness, pure innocency, & love to walk in his most holy commandments. To such as are transgressors of his holy word, & yet dare presume to enter battle, & to look for help at his hand, he saith, se that you go not up & that you fight not, 
Nun. xiiii. Deut. i  for I am not among you, unless you be plagued before your enemies. If such fight, it shall chaunse unto them, as it did unto the Israelites, which when they had grievously offended God & disobeyed him would contrary to the commandment of God take upon them to fight against the Amnorites, but for their disobedience, notwithstonding their mighty valeaunce & polletyke wisdom in martial affairs, they were chased away, kutte, hewed, & grievously slain. So shall it chaunse to the wicked and ungodly.  
josue had a manifest promise made to him of God, that he should sudue the cananites, & enjoy their l●nde peasably, & that therefore he needed not to fear for to fight against them, 
josue. seven.  yet notwithstanding lost he at one time the field, & his men were slain & put to flight for the sin of one man, which contrary to the commandment of God had taken of the excommunicate things. For the offens of him alone could not the children of Israel stand before their enemies, for asmuch as God was not with them. 
Nota.  If the sin of one man deserved so great vengeance that for his offence only many were slain & put to flight, what shall we than say unto that army, which is replete with all kind of sin, as whoredom, fornication, adultery, theft, tyranny, shedding of innocent blood, swearing, gluttony, dronckenshyp. etc. How is it possible for them to prospero? How can God be among them to fight for them & to give them the victory? 
A good lesson  If we will subdue our enemies, we must seek all means possible to have God on our side. We may not only provide, that we score of the rust of our harness that it be clean, but that we also put out of our breasts the rusty & filthy sins, that have cankered our souls so long, & so become pure and clean. For what is the cause that our battles do but little prospero many times, but only that we be sinful, & God is angry with us? Can that Nerolyke tyrant the great Turk have subdued so moche of Christendom, 
☜  if we had lived according to our profession? Nam verily, our sins have got him so many victories. Our wickedness hath made us captive & thraull to his tyranny. Let us look what sin reigneth among us, & let us utterly wipe y● out, so shall we prospero against the violence of our enemies.  
It was not without a cause, that God, after Acan the son of Carmi, of whom I spoke before, had transgressed his holy precept by taking of the excommunicate goods, commanded josue, that he should sanctify the people, & ●yd them sanctify themselves before they went any more to battle, & kill him, which had so transgressed against the Lord For when that was done, they prosperred triumphantly ever after in all their wars, & God gave their enemies into their hands, & they enjoyed the land in peasable possession. Although this sanctifying of the Israelites did consist in external ceremonies, as in washing, purging & cleansing them from the filthiness of both their bodies & garments, & in abstaining from the company of their wives, yet shadoweth it to us also our manner of sanctifying, which is spiritual. 
How we ought to sanctify ourselves.  It requireth of us that we should purge ourselves of all iniquity, wash away the filthiness of our hearts, & put from us all carnal concupiscences & fleshly lusts, so that we may be clean both in body and soul, & be found worthy to have God our captain. They that thus sanctify themselves, are fit to go unto the war of the Lord.  
God gave a commandment to the Israelites & said, 
Deut. xxiii.  when thou goest out with the host against thine enemies, keep the from all wickedness, for the Lord is among you. If there be any man that is unclean by the reason of uncleanness, that chanceth him by night, let him go out of the host, & not come in again until he have washed himself with water before the even: & than when the son is down, let him come in to the host again. Thou shalt have a place without the host whither thou shalt resort to, & thou shalt have a sharp point at the end of thy weapon, & when thou wilt ease thyself, dig therewith & turn, & cover that, which is debarred from the. For the Lord thy God he walketh in thine host to rid thee, and to set thine enemies before the. Let thine boost therefore be pure, that he le no unclean thing among you, and turn from you.  
Here God commandeth that the host should keep themselves free from all wickedness. The cause is this. For the Lord is among you, saith he. God is pure, 
〈…〉  therefore must the host be pure, that cometh to b●ttell in his name. God is without all sin therefore must his warriors detest nothing more than sinful wickedness. God hateth the works of darkness therefore must his Soldiers abhor the works of darkness, and have a pleasure to walk as the children of light. Again, he declareth how pure & free from all uncleanness the host aught to be, seeing he would have them so clean & honest in those things that chaunse naturally If God can not abide the pollutions, which chaunse in the night time, how moche less can he away with whoredom & adultery. If God will have soche purite showed in things which corporal necessity c●pelle. ● us to do, is it to be thought that he will admit any thing, that is d●●● cotrary to his commandment, as theft, tyranny, swearing, droncke●hyp, gluttony quarreling. & c? God walketh in the host of his Servants, therefore ought they to be pure & free from all uncleanness, least God turneth from them, & so altogether go to havoc. But alas it chanceth contrary with us now a days. For when they, that profess Christ, should go unto the wars, they prepare themselves after a more wicked manner, 
How the H●th●n prepare thē●●lues ●nto battle.  than the heathen do. For the heathen come soberly together, consult sagely of things that shall most advance the prosperous state of the public weal, set all things in a goodly stay in their Bealme appoint certain wise & prudent rulars to govern their lands in the mean season, exhort so many as tarry at home to live well, & with all instans and hearty means to pray unto the Gods for them, that they may have fortunate success in their wars & return home again as noble conquerors with victorious triumph. This done they prepare themselves soberly & prudently unto the wars, ever having respect to an honest & innocent manner of living, that their gods by no means may be displeased with them, & diligently calling on the name of their Gods both day & night for help & strength against their enemies. Thus go they unto the battle, as men ready to give their lives for the heal the & safeguard of their country, being desirous of nothing but only to defend their Empire, and to enlarge the bounds and limits thereof.  
How Christian men prepare themselves unto the wars, 
How christen men prepare themselves unto battle.  it is more open than it need here to be expressed. As I may speak nothing of such as go with an evil will unto the battle. What a number goeth there only to pick, steal, rob, & that they may come home again well laden with spoils & robberies? How little respect have they unto the conservation & defence of their native country, so that their packs may be well enfarsed, laden and stuffed? What dicing, carding, and all kind of voluptuous riot is used among them? What dryncking, gulling, quaffing & superfluous bancketting do they use? What manacing, brawling, chiding, & fighting is herded & seen daily among them? 
The wickedness of Soldiers in the wars.  What whoredom is there committed among them? What maid escapeth undefloured? What wife departeth unpolluted, as I may add nothing here unto? What abominable swearing is used among them? How is God rend and torn among them by unlawful oaths? How desirous are they to shed blood, and to make havoc of altogether?  
The rapacite of wolves, the violence of lions, the fearsenes of tigers, is nothing in comparison of their furious & cruel tyranny, & yet do many of them this, not for the safeguard of their country (for so might it seem the more tolerable) but for to satisfy their bocherlyke affects, to boast another day, of how many men they have been the death, & to bring home the more prays, that they may live the fatter ever after for those spoils and stolen goods.  
As concerning the invocation & calling on the name of God, it is so far out of remembrance, that many of them do not so much as once think or dream of it. How is it possible, that these wars should prospero, where there is no regard of god, no respect to honest no desire of mutual concord, no endeavour employed to make God merciful unto us. Surely these warriors had need to sanctify themselves, or else they be not defenders but destroyers of the common weal, for the safeguard whereof they will seem to fight For be their valeaunce & might never so strong, yet can they not prospero, if God bliss not their labours as we herded before. 
How the Soldiers aught to prepare them selves unto battle.  It is therefore expedient, that they which shall prepare themselves unto battle, and offer their lives for the wealth of their country, sanctify themselves, I mean, expurge and put away all uncleanness, & wicked behaviour both of body and mind, and so appoint themselves in every condition, as though the time were come, that even now they should depart out of this world, and tender an accounts of their life here spent.  
They may not go unto the wars, as tyrants, whose hearts imagine miscefe, whose mouths breathe manslaughter, whose words boast lyonlyke crudelite, whose hands desire to be imbrued with blood, whose feet are swift to run unto evil, whose deeds bring to pass final destruction, but as charitable parsons, which (if the love of their country did not provoke them unto it, for whose wealth even by the commandment of God and the law of nature they are bound to give their lives) would by no means break the bond of Christian amite with no man, but rather suffer moche in jury, than they would be once at displeasure with any man. But in as much as they are first provoked ye and that unworthily, saying also it is no private injury, but a common wrong to invade any Realm, and to disturb the inhabitants thereof, therefore they come now in the name of God unto battle, not for their own cause, but for the conservation of the public weal, that they enjoyenge peace & tranquilite for ever after, may the more freely praise God, and live according to his most holy word.  
Moreover all the time of the wars it shall be necessary, 
cleanness of life.  that they keep themselves so pure, as they can, and by no means have any felloweshyp with the unfruitful works of darkness, but apply themselves unto the fruits of the sp●rite that they may remain in the favour of God, and have him their mighty captain.  
Let them that can read when they have convenient leisure, 
Reading of the holy scriptures.  rede the ho●y Scriptures. chiefly such histories as declare the omnipotency and almighty power of God, which he hath showed to his servants in times passed by giving them the victory over their enemies, & let them conceive a sure faith in their hearts thereof, & nothing doubt, but that he will be that same puissant Lord to them, if they walk according to his word, that he in times past was to the other. For he is still a Lord of that same puissance & strength. Let them that can not rede, hearken to them that do rede, and give undoubted & earnest faith thereunto. 
Preachers among the Soldiers   
It would help much unto true godliness for to have faithful preachers also among the soldiers in the time of wars, which might declare unto them the fear of God, exhort them unto virtue, move them unto the true confidence in God's help, encourage them manfully to fight, when time requireth, & show them how honest & godly a thing it is to jeopardy their life for the wealth of their country, which of all deaths the very Ethnyckes' recounted most glorious, & of highest renown.  
It is also very necessary, 
〈◊〉 prayer.  that the Soldiers give themselves unto fervent prayer, & desire the help of God with most humble supplications, that he will be their mighty shield & defence, but chiefly when the time cometh, that they must enter battle with their enemies. Let them than with one mind cawl upon God, 
☜  desire his help, & pray that for his mercies sake he will strengthen them, yea fight for them, be their captain, & give them the victory of their adversaries, that they returning home again like valiant conquerors, may sing perpetual praises to his most blessed and holy name.  
This done, let them go to fight valiantly, having their whole affiance reposed in God alone, and in his mighty help. Yet let them so fight, as though the victory did only depend of their own strengths wits and pollecies. Let them not despair, but take a good heart unto them, being perfectly persuaded that God is on their side, and will surely help them. But if they should die, seeing that their cause is lawful, just and righteous, saying also they fight not for their own private commodite, but for the wealth of an whole Realm, let them not doubt, 
Psal. ●xv.  but that their death is precious in the sight of God, & therefore they may be sure for this mortal life to receive a life of immortality full of eternal joy & glory.  
Therefore let them not once fear, but step unto it with a lusty & valiant courage, come their life, or come their death.  
Thus moche have I spoken concerning the Soldiers and them that shall fight for the safeguard of the country, that they may know how to behave themselves that God may be on their side, and return home again with a glorious and triumphant victory.  
Now it remaineth to show how they shall behave themselves the remain & tarry at home, 
How they aught to behave themselves that tarry at home.  unless the valeaunce & godly behaviour of the Soldiers do not profit so moche, as our wicked & dissolute manner of living should hinder & hurt. For how can GOD be in our army and fight for us, if we be wicked & ungodly? If we therefore will have prosperous success in our wars, we must first so lay aside all ungod lines, that there may appear nothing in us, whereby God may be displeased. 
For whom god fighteth.  For God will only fight for them, that are pure, clean, faithful, charitable, modest, merciful, benign, honest, lovers of their country, haters of discord, seakers of peace, maintainers of amite etc. The other he refuse thee, & knowledgeth than not for his people, neither will he fight for them. We must therefore repent us of our old wicked manners, take upon us a new life, if we will have God on our side in the battle. Let every man consider his fault, wherein he knoweth himself guilty, and quickly put it away from him. Let no man be quick sighted in other men's faults, and stone blind in his own. Let all men seek how they may best please God.  
For the strongest Bulwark & most invincible fortress that can be made for the safeguard of the country, 
☜  is to live well. If any damage chanceth to the country, our wickedness is cause thereof. And as I may speak my mind freely, certes it doth much grieve me, to behold the iniquity of the world, & to see how virtue is set aside, I had almost said, set at naught.  
What shall I speak of the familiar communication 
Familiar cōmuni●●●●  & daily talk, that is used among the Christians? What other thing do we hear in them than cursings, bannings, backbitings, blasphemies, evil reports, wanton words, idle tales, unclean communication. & c? Of their thoughts God shall judge, but their deeds are so manifest, that every man may easily judge the tree by the fruit, & the lion by his paws.  
How little do many civil magistrates regard the public affairs of the cominalte, 
Civil magistrates.  so that their coffers may be enriched, & they live in all wealth and pleasure?  
Now little do many layers 
layers.  tender the pytiefull complaint & righteous cause of the poor oppressed? How like gaping wolves do many of them inhiate & gape after wicked mammon, so that whosoever bringeth most money, is most allowed, & hath the law most on his side, in what so ever case the matter standeth, be it right or wrong? How long also do they suffer the cause committed unto them to hang in the law, before any judgement can be given, or final determination had & all to poll and pill the poor men, and utterly to empoverysh them, so that thorough their deceatfull craft & covetous mind, the simple people are beggared, their wives and children brought unto extreme misery, and set in such case, that they are never after able to help them selves nor their neighbours, nor yet to profit the public weal of their country. O gaping wolves. O ramping lions. O insatiable dogs. O crafty foxes.  
What craft, deceate, subtlety, 
Merchants.  & falsehood use merchants in buying & selling? How rejoice they, when they have beguiled their christian brother? What a sport have they, to deceive a simple hob and plain fellow of the country? How fair do they speak to his face, & lowte him behind his back? How false & sleyghtye wares do they utter for true and good?  
The other men of all occupations 
Men of occupation.  use like craft and subtlety. Few walk uprightly. All give their mind to covetousness. No man studieth to serve the public weal with their science, as they are bound to do. All seek their own profit and not that which is jesus Christ's. Where is the christian charity become, 
〈…〉  which seakethe not her own? Let no man seek his own, saith saint Paul, but the profit of other.  
How do many gentle men 
gentle men.  not only get into their hands other men's lands and tenements, that they may live like Lords alone in a town, and yet keeping slender houses and hungry hospitalite, but also after such sort let out their lands to other, yea and that for so high a price, as they were never wont to be in times past, in so much that they which hire them, are utterly beggared & redact to extreme poverty? By this means is the gallant pomp & lascivious pleasures of gentle men mayntened, but the poor farmers are greatly empoverished, hospitalite is decayed, releving of the poor people is utterly laid aside, the common wealth is miserably oppressed, penury, scarsenes & dearth of all things is brought into the Realm. Few are able to help their Prince, when need requireth. No man is able to set forth his child unto learning, whereby it is come to pass, that such blind ignorancy, and rude Chaos of barbarous and rustical manners reing now in the world universally. These things desire are dress, God grant it may come to pass shortly.  
What shall I speak of certain rich and greedy cormorauntes, 
Hoorders up of corn.  those locustus and caterpyllers of the common weal, which, when they have plenty of grain and se abundans thereof reign among the people, are greatly grieved thereat, and do not only not sell their own corn to maintain the commodide of the poor but also by other men's grain, & hoard it up, until they have made a great dearth, and than, scarsenes of corn being in every place, bring they forth their grain & cell it unto the utter empoveryshment & extreme undoing of the poor cominalte. O cruel murderers and unmerciful bloudsoupers. The wys● man saith, 
〈◊〉  the bread of the needy is the life of the poor, he that defraudeth him of it is a mansleare. Solomon also saith, 
Proverb. xi.  Who so hooredeth up his corn, shall be cursed among the people, but blessing shall lyghten upon their heads, that cell it. How can these devouring caterpyllers than escape the vengeance of God, that hangs over their heads, saying they esteem more their own private filthy lucre, than the wealth of so great a multitude? God might once quench their outrageous insatiable thirst of covetousness, & give them grace to use his gifts unto the profit of the Christian people.  
As touching the common byers & sellers 
The common byers a●d sellers.  & bargain makers, what false swearing, crafty juggling and deceatfull gyle do they use among them, that they may beg●le their christian brothers? How little is this cammaundement of S. Paul observed among them? 
●. Thess. iiii.  Let no man go to far and defraud his brother in bargaining, for the Lord is a venger of all such things. Doth not he think himself most wise, that can most deceive his neighbour? Here is a wondered charity and an hearty neyghbourhoode.  
As I may come to the grosser sins what whoredom reigneth there now a days? 
Whore m●ngers.  How little is honourable wedlock esteemed? How many wink, I will not say, laugh at the abominable uncleanness, which not a few commit at this time? Who careth though it be known, that he hath lyghen with an whore all night and so defiled himself, men have so rubbed their forhedes now a days, and become past all shame, so little ponyshment also is there ap pointed for this filthy abomination? I would whoredom were not grown up into such boldness, that it dare compare with holy matrimony for pleasant & easy living. I would stinking fornication were not so had in price, that it were preferred above honourable wedlock. I would there were not, which, when they have wrought wickedness, 
Prever. two.  glory, rejoyse, and boast of it unto the evil example of other.  
What shall I speak of false witness bearers, 
False witness bearers.  which for a little money or for hatred born toward the parson, are ready streyghtwayes to give false evidence, yea and to be sworn also that it is true, when nothing is more false? So that by their unjust and false witness bearing, the innocent is wrongfully condenned, & the wicked hath the uppermoost hand. Thorough such is much innocent blood also oftentimes shed. O pitefull case. O lamentable chaunse Would God all false witness bearers were handled according to the commandment of God, deuteronomy, the xix Solomon saith, A false witness shall not escape unponyshed, 
Prouer. xix  and he that speaketh lies, shall perish.  
I let pass manslaughter, 
Malorum mare.  theft, gluttony, surfeiting, dronckeshyp, dicing, carding, quarreling, with an whole see of evils mother, which at this day reign in the world. Do not all these things provoke God unto anger, and make him displeased with us? How can God be in our army, and make the wars to prospero, saying that they for whom the battle is, are wicked and replete with all sin and abomination? Certes this our iniquity must he redressed, it we will have God merciful unto us, & bliss our endeavours in martial affairs.  
But as I may leave of to speak of gross and corporal vices, 
Spiritual vices.  & turn my communication unto spiritual matters, what shall we say unto the Idolatry, 
Idolatry.  superstition, false worshypiping of God, confidence in ceremonies, trust in popish pardons, gadding on pilgrimage, gilding of images, setting up of candles, etc, which reign yet in divers places of the world? 
monstrous sects.  What a sort of idle monstrous sects also are there yet nourished in many Realms under the pretext of holiness, which do nothing but like greedy cormorauntes devour the painful labours of other men's hands?  
Moreover how slack almost universally are the curates & spiritual sheppardes to do their office? 
Spiritual sheppardes.  How negligent are they to feed chri stes flock with the sincerite of god's word? How little do they esteem the souls of their parysheners (for whose salvation our Lord jesus 
A●um●●. xx.  Christ disdained not to have his blessed body broken and his precious blood shed) so that they may devour the sat of the sheep, & gorgeously be clad with their wool? How many of them daily hunt, hawk, fish, & what not, after spiritual promotions, and when they have them, neglect their office, be absent from their benefices, commit their cure to such unlearned priests, as can scarcely judge between A and B? what a number also of them come unto their benefices, non per ostium sed aliunde, that is to say, not by the door Christ, 
joau ten  nor for any mind or love that they have to the glory of God, and the salvation of christian men's souls, but for the desire of filthy lucre, for an easy living for to be called master Parsonne, M. Vicar, M. Curate, M. Chaplain, & c? How little liberality do they show to paryshners? How long is their hand in receiving, & short in giving? How wicked and abominable is their living? How cold & little fervent are their prayers? How rare & seldom are their studies in the holy scriptures, wherein they are bound to be occupied both day and night? 
Psal. ●.  Are these fit priests to stand between the people & God to pacify his wrath? Are these fit priests to make intercession for the sins of the people? Are these fit priests to whom the flock of our Lord jesus Christ should be committed? Our Lord be merciful unto us. Undoubtedly there is great scasenes of sheppardes, when it is come to this point that wolves must have the cure & charge of sheep. I fear moche that if this great absurdite be not redressed shortly, the flock of Christ shall be miserably spoiled, rend, torn and devoured. God send us once such sheppardes, as may feed his flock with godly doctrine and virtuous living.  
Again to whom is it unknown, 
Dissension between the spiritualte & temporalte.  what dissension reigneth among the Spiritualte & Temporalte, as they are called, now a days in many places? Seldom doth the one report well of the other. The lay man hateth the pressed, the priest again burneth not in charity. The lay man thyncketh all that ever the pressed hath, is to moche, seeing he taketh so little pain in setting forth God's word and in doing his duty. The pressed again thyncketh all to little, though he may dispend hondreds yearly, and do naught for it. Will this commandment of GOD by his holy Apostle never be looked upon & earnestly put in execution? 
two. Thess. iii  Qui non laborat, non manducet. He that laboureth not, ought not for to eat. Certes until the priests be more seriously bend to love God and his word, to preach the Gospel of Christ, & to live according to their office, they shall never be esteemed nor regarded among the people, but hated, contemned, and detested. Let the priests remember the saying of God the father by his Prophet, 
Oze. iiii.  & take heed betimes: saying therefore thou haste refused knowledge, I will refuse thee, so the thou shalt no more be my priest. Again by the Prophet Malachy, 
Ma●a. two.  The lips of a priest shall keep knowledge, and at his mouth shall men require the law, for he is a messenger of the Lord of hosts. But as for you, O you priests, you are go clean out of the way, and have caused to be offended at the law. You have broken the covenant of Levy, saith the Lord of hosts. Therefore have I made you to be despised, & to be of no reputation among all the people, because you have not kept my ways, but been parcial in the law.  
Here may all men see why priests are so little regarded at this day, 
Why priests are so little regarded now a days.  verily because they hate knowledge keep not the ways of our Lord God, nor endeavour themselves to feed Christ's flock with Gods most blessed word. 
☞  If they will therefore be had again in price & reverent estimation, as it is convenient, let them cast away their old manners, shine as the light of the world, 
Math. u.  savour as the salt of the earth, love God and his word, preach Christ's Gospel purely, meditate in the law of the Lord both day and night, 
Psal. i  dissuade no man from reading the holy scriptures, exhort all men unto pure innocency, and a christian state of living, & above all things be the very same unto the people in deed, that they profess in word. So shall they recover their old dignity, and be had in honour of all men. 
i T●●. u  Yea so shall the lay men have them in reverence as true spiritual fathers, give them double honour, minister unto them abundauns of all things, receive them as an angel of God, yea as Christ jesus himself, and be ready at all times even to dig out their eyes to do them pleasure, 
Gala. u.  as Saint Paul writeth.  
Furthermore now that the light of God's word is come abroad amog divers nations, 
Despisers of God's word.  how unthanckefully is it received? How many wink and spear their eyes, because they will not see it? How many are obstinately blind? What a number is there, that had rather walk still in the darkness of man's tradicious, than in the glorious light of god's truth? Yea I would there were not, that persecute this open verity of God's word their conscience bearing witness that they do evil, and condemning them for so doing. This is the condemnation, 
joan. iii  saith Christ, that light is come into the world, and men have looked darkness rather than light. For their works were evil. Every one that doth evil, hateth the light, neither cometh he unto the light, because his works should not be reproved. But he that worketh the truth, cometh unto the light, that his works may be perceived, that they are done by God.  
Another sort of people there are which receive God's word at the first entrance very joyfully, 
Sliders' back from the truth of god's word.  and make moche of it, showing them selves so fervent, that they will seem to be ready for to give their lives for it. But full soon is their hot love cold. For when they see that the word of God fighteth so manifestly with their wicked living, and condemneth their ambition. pride, covetousness, effeminate manners etc than are they weary of it, despise it, & cast it away, being loath that any man should meddle with all. Than do they contemn the celestial Mamna, & chose rather to be fed with the greasy flesh pots of Egipte. Than fall they again unto their old blindness, so that this common saying may well be verefyed of them: 
prover. twelve. two. Pet. two.  The dog is turned to his vomet again, and the sow that was was washed, to her wallowing in the mire. Better had it been for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than after they have known it, to turn from y● holy commandment given to them.  
There be yet another sort of people, which desire to be called gospelers 
Gospelers.  and earnest favourers of God's word, promising many things for the glory thereof, and yet in their conversation are they no less wicked, than the other be. They confess that they know God, 
Tit●●●. i  but with their deeds they deny him, and are abominable and disobedient, & unto all good works discommendable. Thorough their iniquity the name of God is not glorified, 
Roma. two.  but blasphemed and evil spoken of among the heathen. Such may be compared to that son, which promised his father, 
Math. xxi.  that he would work in his vyneyearde, and yet did not. But what do I? If I should go forth to declare the abominable wickednesses that reign now in the world universally, I should never make an end, though I had an hundred tongues and an hundred mouths, as the Poet saith. 
Psal. xiii.  All are fallen out of the right way, they are all together become unprofitable, there is none that doth good, not not one.  
Where such a wicked sort is at home, though the Soldiers be never so good and virtuous, how can God fight for them? If God had pleasure in wickedness, if God did love them that work iniquity, I would than think in deed, that God would be in our army, and fight for us. But seeing that he hateth all them that work iniquity, 
Psal. u.  and destroyeth them that speak lies, & abhorreth such as be deceatfull and desirous of bloodshedding, we may know right well, that except we amend our wicked manners, and repent us of our sinful living, we shall never obtain the victory over our enemies at the hand of God, with out whose help what can prevail: If we do, surely it is given us for the greater plague and destruction, 
Mark well.  that shall fall upon us hereafter, as many things are oftentimes given & granted to the wicked for their greater damnation. Therefore if we will go the right way to work, & have our Soldiers to prospero in the wars, 
How they aught to behave them selves that taty at home.  let so many as tarry at home repent them of their wicked living, be sorry for their offences be wail their misery, & take a new life upon them. Bring forth fruits saith the Baptist, worthy of repentance. For every tree that bringeth not forth good fruit, shall be cut down, and cast into the fire.  
Let the civil Magistrates procure above all things the wealth of the poor cominalte. 
Math. iii magistrates la. vers.  Let the layers do all things uprightly, and not the devour the poor oppressed. Let the merchants seek to live truly by their occupying, 
Merchants.  & not to be to great gainers. Let them know that a christian man may not only serve his own, but also his neighbours necessity. Let the gentle men 
gentle men  be as fathers to the poor people, that devil in the country by them, and so let out their lands, that men may be able to live thereby, to maintain hospitalite, to set forth their children to learning, and to help to bear the charges of the common weal when time requireth. Let them that be rytche men, 
Rytch men.  and have plenty of corn, not hoard it up, but gladly sell it to the other, that the needy may have whereof to live. Let such as be common byers and sellers 
Byers & selers.  & bargain makers deal justly with their christian brothers, and by no means deceive them. Let them that have hitherto been adulterers 
Adulterers.  or unclean people forsake their wicked living and learn to possess every man his own vessel in holiness and honour. 
i Thes. iiii. Falls witnesses.  Let them that have been false witnesses in times past, testify the truth ever after this. 
wicked parsons.  Let them that have used manslaughter, theafte, gluttony, surfeiting, dronckeshyp, dicing, carding, quarrelling or any other vice, utterly forsake it, and become new men. Let the Idolaters leave their idolatry, 
Idolaters.  and learn to put their trust in the living and true God alone. Let them that be spiritual ministers and Curates, 
Spiritual ministers.  take heed unto themselves and to all the flock, whereof the holy ghost hath made them oversears to rule the congregation of God, which he hath purchased with his blood. 
Act. xx.  Let them be diligent to preach God's word to their parishioners, ever setting before their eyes this commandment of christ, 
joan. xxi.  pasce, pasce, pasce, fede, fede fede. S. Paul also saith, 
two. Tin●. iiii  preach the word, be fervent, be it in season or out of season. Improve, rebuke, exhort with all long suffering and doctrine. If they be not able to preach themselves, let them get them coadjutors & fellowhelpers, or else can not they stand before God with honest and clear consciences. Woe be unto me, 
i Cor. ix.  saith s. Paul, if I preach not the gospel. Again, 
i Cor. i  Christ sent not me only to baptize, that is to say, to minister the sacraments, but all so to preach the gospel. Let them also lead a godly life correspondent to their teaching. Let them be glad distributors of their goods to their poor paryshners. So shall it come to pass, that they shall be dear and well-beloved both of God and man.  
Let the say men by no means hate the priests, 
The lay men  nor the priests the say men, but being of one mind, love one another fervently Let the lay man reverence the pressed as his father let the pressed again receive and joyfully take unto him the lay man, as his son. By this means shall much godly mutual love increase of both parties. 
Despisers of God's word.  Let them that have hitherto spered their eyes at the light of God's word, open their eyes, cast away their blindness, be glad to receive the light of Christ's most blessed gospel, being assuredly persuaded, that otherwise they can not be the children of salvation. Let them that in times past received God's word, and did cast it away afterward, 
Slyders back from the truth of god's word  say hand on it once again, as Peter did, and be so earnest followers of it, that they nevermore slide away. Let them that will be counted Gospelers 
Gospelers.  & serious maintainers of God's truth provide, that their living may answer to their love, and that they may be the very same in work and truth, that they profess in word & tongue. So shall they add moche glory to the Gospel of Christ, and 'cause it the more fervently to be embraced of all men.  
If every man of every degree, 
Let every man amend one  will on this wise redress himself, his life and conversation, & become a new man both in word & deed, how can any tyrant, be he jew, Turk, Saracen, or any other, 
Rom● viii.  overcome us? God is on our side, who can be against us? God fight the for us, who can than prevail? The battle is Gods, how can it than be lost?  
Now after that we have changed our old manners and put on a new life, 
Of prayer ● calling on the name of go●d  we must fall in hand with the other fruits of the spirit, chiefly prayer and calling on the name of God. For thorough prayer we rede in the divine Histories, that many have prevailed against their enemies, and got the victory. The wise man saith, 
Prou. xviii.  the name of the Lord is the most mighty & strong Bulwark, unto that doth the righteous man fly and is helped. 
Psal. xlix.  Call upon me, saith God, in the day of thy trouble, and I will deliver the & thou shalt honour me. The scripture also saith, 
joel. two. Actum. two. Rome. x.  who so ever calleth on the name of the Lord, he shallbe sa●e. Unto this name of our Lord God let us fly with continual and servant prayers. Let us lament and bewail our cause to his divine majesty. Let us desire him to be our captain and valiant defender in our wars. And that we may be the more frankly encouraged to go unto God for help, let us set before our eyes the histories of the holy scriptures, which show how greatly the true and christen prayer hath helped the people of God in times passed, to get the victory over their enemies.  
Moses 
Moses.  was assuredly both a very good and valiant captain of the Israelites, and procured nothing more than their health and salvation yet notwithstanding when Amelech came to fight against Israel, 
Exo. xvii.  he went not forth straight ways with them unto battle, but took with him Aharon and Her, and went up into the top of an hill and there prayed, appointing josua to be captain of the Israelites in his stead. He doubted not, but that he should do more good being absent with his prayers, than he should do being present with the martial armours, as it came to pass. For when josua & his company began to fight against Amelech, who fought best, I pray you? By whose valeauns was the victory got? By the Soldiers that were present in the battle, or rather by Moses, which was absent from it? Let us hear what the scripture saith: When Moses lifted up his hands, Israel did overcome, but if he did let his hands down never so little, than had Amelech the better. Therefore when Moses hands were weary, Aharon & Her took a stone and put it under him, and he sat down thereon. And Aharon and Her steyed up his hands, the one on the one side, the other on the other side. And it came to pass, that his hands were steady until the Son was down. So that josua 
josua.  chased away Amelech and his people with the edge of the sword.  
josua 
josua. x.  also that most victorious captain thorough prayer did not only overcome his enemies in the battle, but also caused the Son and the Moon to abide and stand still without any removing for the space of an whole day, until he was revenged of his enemies.  
When the Philistines came to fight 
Samuel.  against the Israelites, the children of Israel were greatly afraid of them in asmuch that they came to Samuel and said, 
i Reg. seven  Cease not to cry unto the Lord our God for us, that he may save us out of the hands of the Philistines. Samuel took a young lamb, and offered it all together for a burnt offering unto the Lord, & cried unto the Lord for Israel. And the Lord herded him. And it came to pass, that when Samuel offered the burned offering unto the Lord, the Philistines began to fight against Israel, but the Lord thundered a great thunder that same day upon the Philistines, and turmoiled them that they were slain of the children of Israel, & so brought under, that they came no more into the coasts of Israel.  
Again by prayer king Asa 
Asa.  over came Zarach the Morian with all his army.  
By prayer also his son josaphat 
two Par. ●iiii.  valiantly subdued the Moabites 
josaphat.  and Ammonites. 
two. Para. xx.   
Item Ezechias 
Ezechias.  that most holy Prince thorough prayer overcame the proud tyrant Sennacherib with all his host. 
iiii. Reg. xx.   
Did not the most virtuous woman judith 
judith. twelve.  by prayer overcome Holofernes and his army?  
By prayer judas Machabeus 
judas Machabeus.  got the victory over his enemies. But in two battles when he should fight with Antiochus and prayed, not, he fled away. And when he did fight with Bacchiddes & Alcinus, he was slain because he did not pray as before. 
i ma●. iiii ix.  By prayer jonathas, when all had forsaken him, except a few, obtained the victory.  
Of these sew histories it is evident 
Ionath●s.  & manifest how greatly the true & christen prayer, 
i Macha. two.  that proceedeth from a faithful and repentant heart, profiteth in the time of wars to obtain the victory of our adversaries. 
☜  Unto prayer therefore as an holy anchor must so many as tarry at home fly incessantly, desiring god for his son jesus sake to have pity on us, to strengthen our army, to be our captain, to sight for us, to discō●yte our enemies, & to give us the victory. But these our prayers may not be cold, lazy, & only proceeding from the lips, but servant, earnest, & rising of the very effect of the heart. For to mumble with our lips, to bleat with our tongues, to roar with our throats, to shake our heads, to lift up our hands. etc. profiteth nothing at all, except the prayer cometh from a ●ayth full & repentant heart, as we may perceive by divers places of the scripture, 
Search the Pathwaye unto prayer Esa. x●i●. Math. xv. Lament. iii  & as I have abundantly proved in my Pathwaye unto prayer. This people honour me with their lips, saith Christ, but their heart is far from me. verily they worship me in vain. Let us look wel● upon our own ways, saith the Prophet Hieremy, & remember our selves, and turn again unto the Lord. Let us lift up our hearts with our hands unto the Lord that is in heaven. Therefore let our prayers be fervent & hearty, that God may see, that there is amendment in us, and that we thirst the glory of his name, and the health of our country. 
Markewell  And although it be necessary to pray at all times, yet at that time chiefly let us heartily call unto God, when our Soldiers shall fight. All the time by no means let us cease from prayer, but incessantly cry upon God, & never leave until he hath given us the victory, which thing undoubtedly he will do, 
Lament. iii  if he perceive that we call fervently unto him. For the Lord is full gentle & good saith the Prophet, to them that seek him.  
But as concerning the public prayers, 
Public prayers  as Processions, Masses, etc ●t were expediente, that before any such things were done, there were sermons 
Sermons  made to the congregation in the which they should be exhorted & admonished to repent, to believe, & to take a new life upon thē●nles they pray in vain and God detest their supplications. For wt●ut repentance, ●ayth, and renovation of life, prayers both public and private are nothing acceptable ●n the sight of god. To all such as pray ●o, God the father by Solomon speaketh on this manner: 
〈…〉  saying that I have called & you refused it, I have stretched out my hand, and no man regarded it, but all my counsels have you despised, & set my corrections at naught. Therefore shall I also laugh in your destruction, & mock you, when the thing that you fear, cometh upon you, even when the thing 〈◊〉 you be afraid of, falleth in suddenly, like a storm, & your misery like ● tempest, yea when trouble and heaviness cometh upon you. Than shall they cawl upon me, but I will not hear, they shall seek me early, but they shall not find me, And that because they hate knowledge, & received not the fear of the Lord, ●ut abhorred my council, and despised my correction. 
Esa. i  Also by the Prophet Esaye, when you shall stretch out● your hands, I will turn away mine eyes from you, and when you shall be still babbling of your prayers, I will not hear you. Therefore when we intend to pray, let us bring with us repentance, saith, & amendment of life, so may we be sure to be heard.  
The sermon once done, let them fall earnestly unto prayer, & desire God with one mind to be merciful unto the country, as I taught before.  
After the prayers let every man quietly return home ever bearing in his mind the safeguard of his country with a continual elevation of his heart unto God for the wealth of the same. And let them so behave themselves, that God may be pleased with them. And as they have promised God to become new men so let them walk in a new life, every man doing his office according to his vocation & calling. For if after our prayers and the promiss of amendment of life, 
Note.  we return again unto our old wickedness, what other thing do we, than provoke God unto anger, mock him, & seek the very destruction of our country. Let us therefore be the very same in deed, that we have promised in word. So shall it come to pass assuredly, that God shall be in our army, fight for us, strengthen our Soldiers, chase away our enemies, and give us the victory, so that neither Turk, jew, Saracen, nor any other Tyrant shall may be able at any time to prevail against us.  
When we have once got the victory over our enemies, 
After what ●orte the soldiers shall return home after they have got the victory  so that now the time requireth, that our Soldiers shall come home again, it must be provided the their return be godly, modest, sober and thankful unto our Lord God for the victory which he hath given us. And when they be once come home, let the people gather together, & the preacher make a solemn sermon unto them, declaring how greatly we are bond to God for this triumphant victory that he hath given us, and exhorting them to be thankful again to God for inestimable kindness.  
The sermon once done, let all the people both men, women, 
A sermon after the victory with thanks & praises.  and children with joyful voices sing hearty praises to our Lord God, confessing that by his omnipotent power alone, it is come to pass, that we have got the victory, as that noble man Pytho 
Pytho.  returning from the wars said to the Athenians, when they marveled greatly at his prosperous chaunse, and praised him because he had slain king Cotys: There is no thank, saith he, to he given unto me, but unto God alone, who being the Author, this act is very nobly done. As for me, I did none other thing but put my helping hand and diligence unto it. God alone gave the victory, to him therefore be all the thank, praise, honour and glory.  
We read also in divers places of the holy Scripture, that after God had given the victory to his people over their enemies, they braced out straight ways into praises, & gave God hearty thanks, as we rede of the children of Israel at their deliverance out of Egypt, which when they saw their enemy king Pharaoh with all his army drowned in the see, 
Exo. xv.  and themselves preserved, what goodly songs, lauds and praises, did they sing to their Lord God? How did Deborah and Barach after the victory praise God, 
I●●ic. u  because Sisara & his company were slain and they graciously kept safe?  
When that Holofernes was slain, and his army put to flight, what a goodly song did judith 
judith. xuj.  sing to the Lord? How joyfully came all the people together unto jerusalem for to give praise & thanks unto their Lord God, and to offer their burned sacrifices and promised offerings?  
After thexample of these devout and holy parsonnes aught we also, when we have got the victory, to give God thanks, and to offer the Sacrifice of praise unto him. So shall we show ourselves not unworthy his beneficence, yea so shall we provoke God to continue a gentle & favourable Lord unto us, when he shall perceive that we be thankful, and do not forget his inestimable benefits, which he daily showeth unto us.  
Now remaineth the last part of this our work, which is to declare, after what sort we shall be have ourselves, when we have got the victory of our enemies, tha● we may enjoy peace and tranquilite for ever after. 
How we shall be have ourselves, that we may enjoy peace ever after.  We herded before that the cause, why God plageth us either with wars, pestilence or hunger, is Idolatry, false worshyppyng● of God, the despising of Christ's gospel, wicked living, effeminate manners. etc. Now if we will be free from these plagues, and live in rest & quiet, we must cease to commit such grievous sins against God, and seek both to serve him according to his word, and also to lead a pure and innocent life. By this means shall God bliss our country with peace, increase it with thabundance of all things, & make it to flourish above all other nacious.  
That this thing may the more aptly be brought to pass, it is convenient that the civil magistrates and head rulars of every country provide that there be learned curates, 
Learned curates.  which may teach the people the true word of God, that they may know how to worship him according to the holy scriptures. It shall profit also not a little unto true god lives to have modest, learned, 
wise and godly scolemasters.  grave and godly Schoolmasters in every country, that may bring up youth not only in the knowledge of human letters and civil manners, but also in the fear of the Lord, that they may learn even from their cradles, as they say, to know God, to understand his word, to honour him aright, 
Fathers & mothers. Masters & Mastresses  & to walk in his holy pathwayes. This thing also aught all fathers & mothers, masters & mastresses do in their houses, that such as be under them may know & serve God aright, By this means shall all Idolatry and false worshipping of God shortly decay & vanish away, and the true service of God only remain among us.  
Now as concerning purite of life, 
Purite of life.  this shall easily follow of the true knowledge of God. For he that is engrafted in God, is a member of God hath God's spirit in him, which exciteth and moveth him unto all goodness, as Christ saith, 
joan. xv.  I am the vine, & you are the branches. He that dwelleth in me, & I in him, he bringeth forth much fruit. The fruits that we bring forth must be for every man to live according to his vocation & calling. Let them that be temporal rulars 
Temporal rulars  procure peace in their Realms above all things, use their office justly, seek not only to be feared but also to be loved, show them selves merciful guides and tender captains of the people, and so behave themselves in all things, that they may be the very Image of GOD. By this means shall their kingdoms well prospero and long continue. Let them again that be subjects show all reverent submission to their 
Subjects.  heads and rulars, being always obedient even from the very heart without any either privy dissimulation or open resistance.  
Let them that be bishops 
bishop's  and other spiritual ministers lay aside all tyranny, and hawtynes of mind and walk with all gentle softenes & tender compassion toward the sheep of Christ committed to their cure & charge. Let them be as most loving fathers to Christ's ●●ocke, and if any of the sheep chaunse to run astray and to go out of the way, let them not therefore ungently entreat the sheep, but as it is the office of a good sheppard, by fair means call it home again unto the fold & love it new again. 
Luke. xv.  Let them remember thistory of the lost sheep, and consider how tenderly the head sheppard our master Christ fetched it home again even upon his shoulders. The servant of the Lord may not fight, saith S. Paul, but be peasable & gentle toward all men, 
two. Tim. two.  ready to teach, suffering the evil with meekness, informing them that resist, if that at any time God may give them repentance to know the truth. Let them that be paryshners and say people reverence the Bishops and other spiritual ministers, 
Say people Malach. two.  giving them no less honour, 
i Cor. i  than the child giveth the father, 
Math. u.  remembering that they be the angels of God, 
i Cor. iiii.  the messengers of Christ, 
joan. xxi.  the light of the world, the salt of the earth, the dispensatours of the mysteries of God the feeders of their souls, the confortours of the weak, the Physicians of the sick, the upholders of the whole, the exhorters unto virtue, the frayers away from vice. etc. which watch continually for the health of their souls.  
Let all other parson's public or private so live, 
Heb. xiii. Parsonnes of every degree  that there be no dissension among them, nor grudge one toward an other, ever setting before their eyes this saying of the Psalmographe, 
Psal. xxxiii  seek after peace, & maintain the same. neither shall it be unfitting to have in memory this verse of the Poet.  
Candida pax homines, 
ovidius Lib. three, de arte amandi, Godly admonitions.  trux decet ira feras. If any discord chaunse to arise at any time among us, let it not long remain, but let all means possible be sought, that friendly concord and unfeigned amite may evermore reign among us. Let us charitably hear and monish one another. Loe us report well one of another. Let us interpret all things unto the best. To conclude, let christen charity so bear rule among us, that we may be all of one mind, 
〈…〉  even as we be all one body, and have one head, which is Christ.  
If we will on this manner give diligence, that we may be at peace both with God and man, we may be sure not only to exchewe all the assaults of our enemies, and to be free from those plagues, where with the disobedient be turmoiled thorough the mighty hand of God, but also to enjoy perpetual tranquilite, peace ●este, quietness, and to have our Realms abunde with all kind of commodities that pertain unto the properous conservation of a public weal. And if it should so chaunse at any time, that any foreign Prince either Christian or heathen should be moved of some evil spirit to assail our country, God will so watch the borders & coasts of our Realms that no Tyrant should prevail, nor once be able to twytche against us: So mighty a Bulwark & strong Castle is the hand of God for them that worship him according to his word, put their trust in him, call upon his most blessed name, & lede a pure and innocent life.  
Wherefore I exhort all Christian men, 
The conclusion of the book.  chiefly my country men of England (for whose wealth and prosperity I have compiled this little treatise, being moved unto it thorough the love that I bear toward my country) that they will from henceforth (all superstition laid aside) fear, love, honour and worship God according to his word, and lead a life so pure and innocent, that they may be known by their conversation to pertain to Christ. So shall it assuredly come to pass, that God shall not only give us in this world a glorious victory over all our enemies both corporal and spiritual, but also after this life bring us unto that celestial country where all joy, peace, pleasure and felicity is. AMEM.  
¶ give the glory to God alone.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Botulphe lane at the sign of the white Bear, by Iohn Maylerre for Iohn Gough. Anno Dni. 1542.  
Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum. Per Septennium.