An exhortation or Warning, to beware of greater plagues & troubles, then are yet come upon this Realm, for the sins and wickedness that hath been, & is yet daily committed there in. M.D.LI ¶ jeremy. xx. b. ¶ All the day long am I despised and laughed to scorn of every man, because I have now preached long against malicious tyranny, and showed them of destruction, for the which cause they cast the word of thee Lord in my teeth, & take me ever to the worst. ☞ Abacuc. i. O Lord how long shall I cry, and thou wilt not hear, how long shall I complain unto thee, suffering wrong, & thou wilt not help, why lettest thou me see weariness & labour, tyranny & violence are before me, power overgoeth right, for the law is toarne in pieces, & there can no right judgement go forth, and why? the ungodly is more set by then the righteous, this is thee cause that wrong judgement proceedeth. The Prologue ❧ Gylis Coucheman to all Christian Readers unto whom this book shall come, wisheth grace, mercy & peace from God the father of our Lord jesus christ, with increase of repentance and amendment of life thorough our Lord and only saviour, & by the working of the holy spirit. Amen. Like as the almighty eternal god of his tender mercy & love, not only created man at the beginning after his own similitude & likeness, but also when he was lost, most graciously redeemed him, & brought him out of bondage. Even so when man (neither regarding his wonderful creation, neither his most dear redemption) gropeth in darkness, in vice and blindness, lieth in the devils prison, and goeth in the way of damnation, God always setteth up his light before him, sendeth thee message of his word unto him, showeth him what case he is in, giveth him warning, openeth the prison door, calleth him out of the devils service, telleth him what danger it is to be his bondman, or servant unto sin. This doth God alway before he punish & plague the world. This (I say) hath ever been the work of god sense the beginning, as the stories and Prophets of all the holy Bible doth testify. And though we had no writings of gods acts in times past, yet hath he practised and used this same his wonderful work of mercy upon us now in our days, so that like as we must needs confess that we are created of god, & redeemed by his only mercy in his dear son jesus christ. So can we not deny, but that we have heard his holy message, had no less preachings & warnings of dangers to come, than other have had before our days. Yea even the same merciful god that sent Noah to preach righteousness unto thee wicked world, and converted the ninivites by his word in the preaching of the prophet jonas, hath done even so with us in every condition, & some (thanks be to him therefore) hath he brought out of darkness into his wonderful light & out of the devils service into the kingdom of his most dear son. But alas & woe to this unthankful world, for like as a great number that be in prison of sathan will not come forth when they are called & the door set open, but go on still stomblinge in darkness when the lantern of light is offered them. Even so, if any man play a wise man's part, & do as he is warned by god's word, he shall have a great sort, They that forsake the law praise thee ungodly, but such as keep the law abborrethe them, prou xxviii yea a number of scornful mockers (the which because the man will not dance in the devils morris with them, nor keep their company in the bondage of sin & vice, neither run with them unto like confusion) that will laugh him to scorn & mock him even to his face, & like as when a true poor man cometh out of prison, he shall have more to stand gazing and gaping upon him them to do him good, or to help him to his fees, even so now, that god of his mercy hath called some of us out of Satan's prison & from the worldly wicked doers, my lords fool with his companions standeth staring upon us & mocked us, because we sit not still with other prisoners in sin & vice, there goeth an apostle (saith one) there goeth one of the new brethren, Foules abhorreth them that escheweth evil. prou. xiii, c saith another, there goeth, a justifier of him self, saith another, there goeth one that will live without sin, saith another, and thus is it come to pass that who so ever will follow Christ and his doctrine, and forsake evil in his life & conversation, he is despised & hated of the world, & also mocked & jested upon. But the disciple is not above his master, neither the servant above his lord, for if they have called the good man of the household Beelzebub, how moche more shall they call than of his household so. If I were a fleshly fellow & a preacher of lies & told them that they might sit bibbing & bolling & be drunken, o that were a Prophet for this people. Mich. two. c O Lord why do men so much mock us, & scorn us, for well doing, surely I can not tell, except it be for this cause, that they be nothing minded to follow christ themselves, for if they were, they would not do so. O Lord where to is this world come, for like as we had need in times passed to have such an Apostle as holy S. Paul was, to rebuke the vain confidence that men did put in their works, & to tell us that no work of our doing, but faith of gods working, doth justify us in his sight. Even so now, we had no less need of such an Apostle as was holy S. james, to rebuke this horrible unthankfulness of men, that professing themselves to be christians, & to hold of Christ's old faith, & are yet dead unto all good works, receive not the word of god in meekness, cast not away all uncleanness & maliciousness, but are swift to speak, to talk, to jangle, & to take displeasure, and are forgetful hearers of thee word and not livers there after boasting themselves to be of gods pure & undefiled religion, They say that they know god, but with their deeds they do deny him. Titu. two. c and yet refrain not their tongues from evil, viset not the poor, the friendless and thee desolate in their trouble, neither keep themselves undefiled from this world. What an occasion might such an apostle (as holy S. james was) have to write another, yea a more sharper epistle, saying so many pretending to be of jesus Christ's old faith and religion, and are yet so partial, and have such a carnal respect of persons, are not rich in faith, but despise thee poor, practise not thee law of godly love, talk & jangle of faith not having the works thereof, cloth not thee naked, help not the poor too their right, nor regard not their necessity, have but a dead faith, declare not by good and Godly works the true and old faith of Christ, and are but vain believers, have not the effections working & living faith that Abraham had. How would holy Saint james reprove these bringers up of strange doctrines & false opinions, these blasphemers, backbiters, belyers of good men, false teachers of god's truth, dissemblers with the same, carry fire (as they say) with one hand, and water in the other, pretending to be learned and yet bring not forth th● works of good conversation in meekness out of god wisdom, but in frowardness, and out of carnal doctrine, are churlysshe an● uneasy to be entreated. Wherefore moste dear● Readers, who so ever of yo● hath been slack to follow thee good life and Godly conversation that saint james (and all thee holy scripture besides) requireth to be in them which profess thee holy religion of our saviour Christ, let him now take better hold, turn again to thee truth, And follow that loving exhortation which holy S. james maketh in thee latter end of his epistle, jame. v. b and let us that have received thee holy religion of christ in deed (not only be content too abide any storm or trouble for it, or to be mocked, scorned, and persecuted, yea and put to death therefore, if it so please god) but also every one of us to his power, in his heart by fervent prayer, in his mouth by good words, and in all his body by virtuous conversation and good Christian works, help and labour that thee blessed word of god, may have thee due honour belonging thereunto, and that the same which it hath lost thorough the ungodly behaviour of so me, may thorough thee grace and goodness of God be won again in our goo● living, that god may hau● of us better servants, ou● Prince true subjects, & ou● neighbours more unfeigned lovers, than many have be● before us. AMEN. ¶ The Prologue to the Ministers. ANd now to all you tha● have taken the name o● Pastors, shepherds and leaders of thee flocks (as ye would be called) as fa● forth as I can judge of you, ye are the greatest cause of the unthankful receiving of the word of God, and that thee people walk so carnally and so lasciviously as they do, for ye your selves walk so broad and so far wide from the truth of the gospel, that the very babes can spy it in you, yea and thee very papists that be enemies to thee Gospel also. For they say: Behold their livings & how they go themselves that should be thee show token too all their flocks (say they) mark their wives also (say they) how trimly they be decked of the new fashion, with their hair laid abroad, having on grievous apparel, as mynyvere caps, french hoods, frocks, and Cassocks guarded, stitched, and broidered with lace, yea and rings upon their fingers more like ladies and gentle women, then thee wives of ministers (say they) yea clean contrary and against the doctrine of S. peter and S. Paul also, i, pet. iii a i, tim two. b as ye full well know by their epistles. But surely I marvel how ye dare take upon you to teach the Congregations, seeing that ye can not (or will not) teach nor rule your own selves and your wives. But it is little marvel in deed considering what ye seek in your teaching and the state that ye walk in and the port that ye bear, O ye pryestes ye teach for lucre, o ye prophets ye prophecy for money. much. iii. c for it will not be maintained with a little, and therefore ye had need of that ye seek (which is I fear) great rewards and great livings for your doings too maintain your pride withal, or else it will not hold long, and than all your glory is lost in this world. But ye ought to seek god's honour and glory only and not your own. And because ye do not so. Therefore thus sayeth thee Lord. Ezechiel xxxiiii, a Woe be unto you shepherds, that feed yourselves. Should not thee shepherds feed their flocks (sayeth thee Lord) but ye have eaten up thee fat, ye have clothed yourselves, with the will, thee best fed have ye slain, but thee flocks have ye not nourished, the week have ye not holden up, thee sick have ye not healed, thee broken have ye not bound together, thee out casts have ye not brought again, thee lost have ye not sought, but churlysshelye and cruelly have ye ruled them (sayeth thee Lord) yea, ye have eaten up thee sins of thee people (as thee Prophet sayeth) and have coraged them in their wickedness and thus all ye priests are become like unto thee people (or rather worse I fear), Ose. ii●i, b for where shall ye have a priest in any parish but he is given too one vain thing or other, They take the most shameful men by the hand flattering them so that they can not return from their sins. jer xxiii b either to shooting bowling, hawking, hunting, carding, dycesing, quaytting, loggetting, penyprycke, tables, or one vain pastime or other, ye or else a tavern haunter or a good companion (as they call them) which is clean contrary to the rule of Saint Paul, which sayeth that thee ministers must be honest, i. tim. iii. b and not double tongued, not given too moche wine, neither too filthy lucre, but having the mystery of faith in pure conscience, and let them first be proved and then let them minister (sayeth he) if they be found blameless, even so must their wives be honest, not evil speakers, but sober and faithful in all things. O Lord, if we should have no ministers with in this Realm except we should first prove them and find them faultless according too thee rule of S. Paul, I doubt we should find very few that is meet for thee office, thee more is thee pity that it is not better looked unto, by thee bishops, who hath the authority given unto them of thee higher power, of thee choosing and proving of them before they come too thee office, for thee pryestes lips should be sure of knowledge (saith the lord) than men may seek thee law at his mouth, Malac. two, for he is a messenger of the Lord of hosts. etc. necessary to the body. So that on both parties love shallbe sought, & the congregations willbe edified & increased, & god thorough you shall be praised. And that it may thus come to pass let us all pray with one heart & one mind that we may there to agree to say. AMEN. An Exhortation or warning, to bewa● of greater plagues & troubles, then are yet come vpo● this Realm, for the sin & wickedness that hath been and is yet daily committed therein. GRace, mercy and peace from Go● the father of our Lord jesus christ, with increase of knowledge in his holy & everlasting word, be with all those that profess Christ & take him to be their only saviour & redeemer (the which knowledge in his holy word, I pray too God that it may change & alter their lives so, that where as they we●e wont to talk & speak of Christ in words) that they nay now preach him in their ●yues & conversation. He that committeth sin, is of the devil i. Io, iii. b For what a great shame is it to us, that take christ to be our saviour & master (whereof we take our names & are called christians) & profess him in words (as S. paul saith) and will deny him in our deeds. Titum. i. c For what soever our words & talks be, it is our lives & works that declareth whose disciples we are, and therefore saith S. john, i Io. iii. b by this are the children of god known, & the children of the devil. Therefore dear & well beloved brethren in our saviour Christ, remember what ye have professed in your baptism (you, & your parents for you) remember I say how that you have promised to● forsake the devil and all his works & to cleave unto chri●● and do his will & works, 〈◊〉 to become a christian in christ and to fight manfully with him against the devil the● world & the flesh, & to follow him in life & conversation. Now my brethren ye know what a promise that is made between man & man, & how that promise that is made with man ought to be kept & not broken, & if it fortune too be broken by negligence, ye know what a danger to the world there lieth on it. Now if the promise made with man ought to be kept upon pain of a danger. Know ye therefore my brethren that the promises which is made with God, ought much more to be kept & not broken under the danger of eternal condemnation. Ye have promised also ●o fight against the world & your own flesh. Now if ye give over yourselves to serve both the world and your own lusts and affections also, how do ye fight (think you), know ye not (saith S. paul) that to whom soever ye give over your selves to serve, Rom vi. b Ioh, viii, c two pet two. ● his servants ye are to whom soever ye do obey, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness. Therefore dearly beloved be sure that the enemy do not deceive you as he deceived Eva, making you believe that you may do what you will, & yet please god. Be not deceived with him, For if ye do that which 〈◊〉 sin, than are ye the seruante● of sin, & ye know that th● reward of sin is death's condemnation. But if ye d● that which is good in the light of god, than at ye sure that y● be the children of God. Bu● ye must be sure that the enemy make ye not believe that to be good which is evil, therefore try your works with gods word, psa. cxviii as David saith. Lord thy word is a lantern unto my feet, & a light unto my paths, therefore what soever work it be trie● it by gods word, & if the word will allow it to be good, do it, if not, then do it not how holy or good soever it seem to be in your own self. For it maketh me lament in my heart to see how the world is deceived by the subtlety of the enemy, in carrying them away so, in the vanity of vain things of this world, for a great many there be that profess christ and his religion, and yet do walk so carnalli and so laciviously at large, as though there were no law neither yet god, yea verily they be enemies unto the gospel of god, whose end, be ye sure, is damnation, and their glory shall be to their own shame they are so carnally minded & will not strive against it, yea & yet who soever should be so bold to say unto them that they were not of god, they would surely deny it and say, yes, for I am christened and therefore am I of god as well as you (as though all lay in receiving of baptism only) Titum, i, c And these be they that S Paul speaketh of, saying they confess with their mouths that they know god 〈◊〉 to be his servants, Thee foolish bodies say in their hearts ●ushe there is no god. psal. xiii, a but with their deeds they do deny him & be none of his, for so much as they are abominable i● their doings and unto all good works discommendable. And there is another sort also which walketh not so broad outwardly, but hath a show like unto holiness, but they are (as christ saith) like unto a painted supulcre which showeth fair and beautiful outward, math, xxiii d, but within they are full of dead men's bones and all filthiness. Even so are they, for they will show themselves very holy at thee church and else where, but when ye shall have any thing to do with them, ye shall find them full of malice and all kind of wickedness with in, prove them when ye will and ye shall find them even such people as it would lament any christian heart to see it. For if they go to the church and there say and number a certain prayers after their own imagination, & there to hea●e and see certain ceremonies ministered, they think to be safe all that day & may do what they list, or to buy & sell & beguile & deceive the poor and simple people, yea and to sit and spend the time at tables and cards or some other vain pastime all the day after, & there to sit & swear & talk vain & idle words, & do not remember that christe● saith that they shall give accounts of every idle word that they speak at the day of judgement, mat. xii. d and yet besides that if ye do ange● them, or speak against their doings ye shall find that they will not be pleased (not not scarce with blood), and is not this a miserable blindness cast upon them of the enemy, think you, that they shall seem to themselves to be so holy and so well for using this trade of life outward, when there is nothing well within, for if they would try themselves by god's word (as is said before) they should find themselves far from the life of a christian of Christ, bu● the serpent hath so deceived them that they be at peace with themselves and need nothing to do more, but to keep this outward trade of life. Also they think to win heaven by the following of the old law, & in keeping of the outward sacraments & ceremonies thereof. But if ye axe them the signification of a sacrament and thee promises annyxed to them, How can they have understanding that are workers of wickedness, psalm lii. a. or of a ceremony, they can not tell what it meaneth, but say, hath no god left them for us too keep and observe, what need we any more promises or significations. O thou subtle enemy full well knowest thou that thee outward work without the promise as little profiteth them as doth the sign at the taverns door to them tha● be a thirst, when there is n● wine within to be had. And ye will they seek their justification in the outward work● thereof only. two, two, iii, a, And this is the cause (a● the apostle saith) every on● is become a private lover o● themselves, and not of they● neighbours. And how do● they love themselves (thyn● you), After this manner doth thee worldinges love themselves verily they are become covetous, boasters, proud, cu●sed speakers, disobedient unto fathers and mother's unthankful, unholy, churlish, stubborn, false accusers, riatours, fierce, despisers of them which are good, traitoures, heady, hie minded, greedy upon voluptuousness more than the lovers of god, having a similitude of godly living, but have denied the power thereof, but such abhor saith S. paul, O lord what a miserable world is this, when the people be in this case that they have no fear of god before their eyes, but think that ●hey be in good state of living when they live thus far wide from the truth of the doctrine of the gospel & doth not remember that we ought to love our neighbours as our own self & seek their wealth & edifying to their comfort. We are bound to love god with all our hearts & powers and our neighbours as oure self, and so is all the law & the prophets fulfilled. mat, xxii. d But the wicked worldlings are in this mind now (the lord give them grace to repent and amend it) that if they may have all things at their will & pleasure, they care not although the poor needy neighbour starve & be in lack or perish in the mean while, for they say, if I be well clothed & warm, what care I who goeth naked & suffer cold, if I be well fed with the best and finest meat and lack none, what care I who is an hungered and perish for lack of the worst meat, if I be well covered with a fair house gorgeously decte and in all points trimmed with the best, what care I who dwelleth in a house uncovered raining in, in every corner, spilling and destroying all that he hath, and the house like to fall down upon his head, if I may sit warm and at ease and at rest, taking no pain, having money enough and all thing brought home too me, what care I who is cold, taking pa●ne and have no rest nor ease, night nor day, lacking money & all thing that should do them good, if I may have my rents and farm brought home to me without any study, what care I though the farmer's care & study night and day, having neither coat nor cloak to cover him, his wife or his children withal, no nor yet eat a good meals meat in a year. Thus far is the love of the world gone from the love of god, that they care not one for another, neither do they consider that we all should be members of one body. If they did remember that we were all members of one body, I think verily that natural love would compel them indifferently one to care for another, and one to love another, all though the● were no commandment of love spoken of, neither in the old testament nor yet in the new. For this we all know that the membres of one body be so united & knit in love together to the body, The righteous will consider the cause of the poor, but the ungodly regardeth no understanding Prou, xxix that if one member fortune to take hurt or harm all the rest suffer pain & grief with him, or if one member be had in honour, all the rest is glad & rejoice with him also, such is the love that pertaineth to the members of the body. Therefore for his sake that died to redeem us all (consider I say) & remember that we all be members (or should be) to one head, which is christ, & that we do now awake out of sin & cast away from us the cloaks of dishonesty and become lovers of god in his members, & know that what soever ye do to one of thee least of these my brethren (saith Christ) ye do it unto me. Remember this that our Saviour Christ saith thus his own self also, ●hat who soever giveth to one of these little ones a cup of cold water in my name, I tell you saith he, he shall not lose his reward Now if this little love showed unto one of his creatures shall not be unrewarded, be ye sure the moche more shall the wrong & injuries done unto them be rewarded unto condemnation. Yet once again, therefore I say, remember this unfeigned love that thee eternal God had unto the whole world. Yea his love was so great towards mankind (being yet his enemy) that he gave his only & dearly beloved son to the death, to redeem them from the bondage & thraldom of the devil. O what could he do more for us, than to give this immaculate & unspotted lamb for us, & to us, that who so ever now will repent of the life that is past, & believe & trust only in him, he shall be sure to be saved for his sake, so he continue to the end. And he requireth nothing so much of us as to love one another, yea by this love (sayeth he) shall all men know that ye are my disciples. Now to the contrary, if we love not one another, then is it a plain case that we be none of his, say what we will, for the kingdom of god standeth not in words, but in power, for love is the fulfilling of the hole law. Yea he hath not only given unto us this jesus alone, but he hath given us also all things with him, yea he hath given us his eternal and everlasting word to be our comfort, to rule & to govern our lives by, & to show us all the good will of our heavenly father towards us, in & for jesus Christ's sake. Yea what more could he have done, that he hath not done for us. But now, if he look amongst us for equity, he shall find in stead of equity, wrong. And if he look for righteousness, he shall have us full of misery & wretchedness (as the Prophet sayeth) for the more good he doth unto us Esay, ● & thee more he increaseth us with his gifts & benefits, the more we go astray wanton from him & provoke him unto wrath with our own idle, vain & mad inventions for as it is written, when vanity & idleness getteth the overhand among the children of men, Psal, xl, all are full of the ungodly. Notwithstanding the more we receive of him, the more we ought to be thankful unto him for it, & the more we should be studious & careful to bestow them to his honour & glory, seeking always his honour and praise. And not to bestow them to fulfil our own filthy & carnal desire. Saying to ourselves & to other, that they be ours & may do with them what we will, & so deceive our own selves, & bestow them about vain vanity. Yea, and sometime about that which is wicked & damnable in the sight of God. As to bestow them about harlots, cards, dice, tables, bowls and such like wicked abomination, for the which we do not only offend the eternal God for so bestowing of them, but also greatly provoke him unto wrath against us, for so misusing and consuming thee time that is spent about them, also if we bestow them about sumtuousnes in buildings, gorgeousness in raiment, & also in delicious fare, more than need requireth, we do greatly offend therein. And therefore for the love of god consider with yourselves & know for a surety, that all the riches and goods that any man receiveth at the hand of god, they are but delivered unto you & lente you for a while, and ye made stewards of them to bestow them according to the will of our heavenly father, and not to our own will, except our will be all together let to prefer and set forth gods will, for if we bestow them as is afore said, we shall surely render a strays accounts for the utmooste jot of them. And not only for these temporal gifts, but also we shall render a straight accounts for all the spiritual gifts that we have received of god, as wysdom● knowledge, faith, healing, prophesying, judgements of spirits. etc. If we bestow them not to god's honour and glory and to our neighbours wealth and comfort. Well beloved in our saviour Christ I would ye should not think that I have said all this as a teacher, but as a poor little member of the same body that ye are of, exhorting you & putting you in remembrance not only of the manifold gifts & goodness of our eternal father to us ward in times past, but also now in this time especially, knowing and seeing the world so full of all kind of wickedness & misery, and so unthankful as they be, ye even as though there were no god. Wherefore I pray you consider with yourselves, and note well the sins of Sodom & Gomorrah and way them well in your consciences & compare them with the sins of this Realm & ye shall find them I fear me (not only more) but also a great deal worse. And wherefore do I count them worse, think you, verily, even because tha● god hath given unto us his only son jesus Christ, whe● by & in whom we are called christians, & yet we live so Heathen like that it will be double damnation unto us, yea & with him he hath given us all things plenteously, & also hath left unto us his holy & sacred word among us for our comfort (yea and not a● this only) but also he hath not ceased night nor day to cry unto us by his servants the prophets & ministers of his gospel, that we should every one of us turn from his sins repent and become the followers of him in love, but we will not, but are become like unto the deaf adder that stopeth her ears that she should not hear the voice of thee charmers although he charm never so wisely. Even such are we, As for the warnings of the prophet's they take it but for wind, Jere, v, b, for we will not hear, nor do after the preachers of god's word although they preach & teach never so well or so wise ●i, yea, preach they what they will or what they can, it will not serve, no nor yet help. We are content to allow it in words and to say well by it, but to follow it in life & conversation (in respect of the multitude) there is none that will do it, or very few, for I think verily that, if Sodom & Gomorra had, had God's word so plenteously among them as we have had and so long, & so much preaching against sin, they would surely a repent in sackcloth and ashes. And for this cause I compare them worse than the sins of Sodom & Gomorra For the sins of Sodom & Gomorra were these, pride, fullness of meat, The sins of Sodoma and Gomorra. Eze. xvi. e abundance & idleness, besides that they wretched not their hand to the poor & needy, and which of these lacketh here in this Realm think you, I trow none of them all, besides the overplus of other. For who saw ever so moche pride in men women & children as there is now, so much superfluity in meats & drinks, so much abundance of all things up on earth among men as there is now, for there is nothing i● men can desire but they may have it for money. And who did ever see so many given to ●yue ydelye as they be now, & I think verily that theridamas was never so little charity showed unto thee poor as there is now. And this is the cause yt●uery one runneth forth in his sins as a wild horse in a battle (as the prophet saith) not ●oking behind him, jer. viii. b nor fea●ing the wrath of god which is like to come upon them for this miserable state of life that we now live in. For who is he amongst us that now will make his life & conversation to agree with this word of life, nay, rather a great number will make the word a cloak for their sin and wickedness, Brethren ye are called unto liberty, only let not your liberty be an occasion to the flesh but by love serve one another. Gal. v. a, Rom, viii & to search diligent for such places in scripture (as they suppose) as shall maintain them in all kind of liberty of the flesh, and do not remember that S. Paul faith to be fleshly minded is death, but to be spiritually minded is life & peace, for the fleshly or carnal man can not please god (sayeth he) but is thee enemy of God, saying that the flesh is not subdued unto the law of god. For is not this a lamentable thing to think & remember how long we have had this word & gospel of life amongst us, and how little i● hath prevailed among us, & how few it hath won unto the life of christ. O lord wha● stony heart would not morn & lament in his heart to think upon this: Remembering that when the lord sha● call us to accounts, how little we have won with this our talent having it so long as we have had it in use & occupying. I pray to god it be not said unto us, as it was said unto the evil and sloth full servant that S. Matthew speaketh of, mat. xxv, ● (saying) thou evil & slothful servant knewest thou that I reaped where I sowed not, & gathered where I strewed not, thou shouldest therefore have put my money to exchange & then at my coming should I have received mine own with vantage. Therefore take the talon from him & give it unto him that hath ten talents (said the lord) for who to hath, to him shall be given & he shall have abundance, but who so hath not from him shallbe taken away even that he hath, and cast thee unprofitable servant into utter darkness, This will be our reward except we repent. there shall be wailing and gnashing of teeth. For this I say & know it to be true that there is none within this Realm of England (thanks be to god therefore) that can justly say & approve it to be true, but that he hath & may both hear & read the word of life (if he can either hear or read) & therefore are we all without excuse to god ward. Yea if he do now punish us & take from us this word of life & give it unto another nation which was not worthy of it, and leave us clean void & empty. Yea & of all his promises & all so of his good gifts & benefits besides: We can not say nay, but that we have right well deserved it. Yea & for because that ye shall believe me thee better in this behalf, I will allege the words of the profit that S. Paul bringeth in against the Romans for the same purpose (saying) have they not heard (saith he) yes, ps. xviii, a Roma. x. c no doubt their sound went out into all lands, & their words into the ends of the world. How think ye now, who can excuse himself unguilty in thee knowledge of gods words and promises. If he now punish us as we have well deserved. Who can or is able to lay any thing to his charge or to abide his wrath. Wherefore I wish & desire in my heart, that every one of us may yet now repent betimes and call for mercy of him that had pity of the Ninivites when they repented at the short warning of one poor Prophet. jona, iii b Now ye do know that we have had many more than one to give us warning (if that would help) since the gospel came into this realm of Ingland. For do ye not know that it is the nature & property of god, yea, & his old wont manner to give warning or he punish or plague the people. For he saith by his Prophet Amos, amos, iii b now doth the Lord god no manner of thing but he telleth his secret before unto his servants the prophets, The Lord god is full of compassion & merci, long suffering great in goodness & truth ps, lxxx v. c when a lion roareth who will not be afraid (saith he) seeing them that the lord god him self speaketh who will not prophesy. As who should say, if the lord bid any man give warning & show the people of their sins, how dare he hold his tongue but tell them of their sins & wickedness. Now truly I can not remember me, of any people that ever hath been sense the beginning that the lord did plague, punish or destroy but he first gave them warning before For, Gene, vi, a i. Pet, iii e before he destroyed all the hole earth by the great flood, he said: my spirit shall not alway strive with man for he is but flesh also, I will give him respite an hundredth & twenty years. But after that when the lord saw that the wickedness of man was increased upon the earth & that all the thought & imagination of their heart was but only evil continually, it repented him that he had made man upon the earth, & he sorrowed in his heart, & said: I will destroy mankind which I have made from the earth, both man, beast, worm & foul under the heaven, for it repenteth me that I made them. O note this well I pray you, Note this how the lord sorrowed in his heart (saith the text) think you that he was not loath to destroy that he had made. Yes verily. But when he had looked down upon the earth & saw that it was corrupt, for all flesh had corrupt his way upon earth, saith the text, it gave him occasion for to destroy it. Then said he unto Noah his righteous servant, the end of all flesh is come before me, for the earth is full of mischief before them, & lo, I will destroy them with the earth, wherefore make the an Ark wherein thou & thy children may save yourselves, for lo, I will bring a flood of water upon the earth to destroy all flesh, wherein the breath of life is, but with thee, will I make a covenant & thou shalt go into the ark with thy sons, with thy wife & with thy sons wives. etc. Lo, here doth the lord make a covenant with the righteous, Gen. nineteen, c Gene. v. d for Noah was a righteous & perfect man, & led a godly life in his time. And all those that live righteously & godly as he did, the lord doth make also a covenant with them to preserve them for jesus Christ's sake (not only from destruction of the earth) but also preserve them into everlasting life. Leu, xviii● a psa, xxxiii. and. xxxv● i. tim, iiii b Ezec, xx. b Gal. ●●i. b Here in is the difference between the righteous and the unrighteous. For the righteous Noah was warned by god, & he took it for a warning and did make preparation according to the words of God and was preserved. But the ungodly did not so, and therefore was destroyed, wherefore my dear & well-beloved in our saviour christ I beseech you be warned in time, lest the lord destroy you likewise from the earth. Goe xviii, c Also when the lord was minded to destroy Sodoma & Gomorra, & was going thitherward for the purpose, he said, how can I hid from Abraham the thing that I will do, saying he shall be a great & mighty people, and all the people upon the earth shall be blessed in him, for I know (said the lord) that he will command his children and his household after him to keep the way of the lord, Note this well all ye that have children & keep household. and to do after right & conscience that thee Lord may bring upon Abraham what he hath promised him. And the Lord said: there is a cry at Sodoma and Gomorra which is great, & their sins are exceeding grievous, Eze. xvi. ● therefore will I go down and see whether they have done all together according to that cry which is come before me, or not, that I may know. Goe xviii, d But Abraham reasoned with the lord concerning that matter in so much that the lord promised him, if there were fifty righteous within the city, he would save all the rest for those fifties sakes, but he left him not so, seeing he was so merciful a Lord to grant him his request, he asked him if there were but xlv. in that place, if he would destroy the hole city for lack of those five, he said: if I find but xlv therein I will not destroy them, but he left him not so neither, but reasoned further in that behalf, & said, if there be but xl and so from xl to thirty, & to twenty & so to ten, but there could not ten be found therein, wherefore all the rest perished, Gene. nineteen. save just lot and his wife & his two daughters. For the messengers that were sent for to destroy the city, said unto lot, hast thou yet here any son in law, or sons or daughters, whosoever belongeth unto thee (said they) bring them out of this place, for we must destroy this place, because thee cry of them is great before the lord, which hath sent us to destroy them, than went Lot forth & spoke to his sons in law (which should have married his daughters) & gave them warning, & said, O stand up & get you out of this place, for the lord will destroy this city. Nevertheless they took it but for a sport and would not believe his saying, wherefore they perished with the rest, as I fear me, we of this Realm are like to do if we will not be warned in time, for thus is it written by the Prophet as followeth after, but it may well be said unto us now in this Realm the more is the pity. Jere, seven, c Thus sayeth the lord of hosts the god of Israel, ye heap up your offerings with your sacrifices & eat the flesh, but when I brought your fathers out of Egypt, I spoke no words unto them of offerings & sacrifices, but this I commanded them, saying, hearken & obey my voice & I will be your god & ye shall be my people, so that ye walk in all the ways which I have commanded you that ye may prosper. Exod, ix. a ☞ But they were not obedient, no more are we, they inclined not their ears thereunto, no more do we, but went after their own imagination & after the nations of their own wicked heart. And even so do we or rather worse & if it be possible. And so they turned themselves away & converted not unto me (saith the lord) & even so do we turn ourselves away from the lord with our own imaginations, We are like the deaf adder that scoppeth her ears that she should not hear the voice of the charmer, charm he never so wisely, Psal. lvii, a, and Actu. seven, ● some with one thing & some with another, some with cards, some with dice, some with tables, some with bowls, some with shooting, some with dancing, some with hunting, some with hawking, some with hoore hunting & some with gay clothing of this fashion & of that fashion, all becut & be pounced more like Heathen people or players, than those that doth profess the holy religion of christ, for we will not convert unto the lord withal our heart. And this have they done from the time that your fathers came out of Egipte unto this day (saith the lord) & even so have we done ever since the time that we were first brought out of the bondage of the Bishop of Rome by the light of the gospel. jerem. seven and xxv and, xxix Nevertheless I sent unto them my servants all the prophets (sayeth the lord) & even so hath he done unto us, I rose up early (sayeth the lord) & set them word, even so hath he done unto us, yet would they not hearken, no more will we, nor offer me their ears, no more will we, but were obstinate & worse than their fathers (saith the lord) & even so be we, & thou shalt now speak all these words unto them, as they are now spoken unto us, but they will not hear thee (saith the lord) no more will we. Thou shalt cry upon them for to turn from their sins (as some there be that cry unto us) but they will not answer thee (saith the Lord) no more will not we. Therefore shalt thou say unto them, as it may be now said unto us. This is the people that neither heareth the voice of the lord their god, nor receiveth his correction, faithfulness & truth is clean rooted out of their mouths, as it is clean gone from us. For we be all adulterers and a shrinking sort, jerem, ix, we bend our tongues like bows to shoot out lies, as for the truth we may not away with all to follow it, for we go from one wickedness to another, yea one must keep him self from another, no man may safely trust his own brother, for one brother under minethe another, Mich, seven a, and one neighbour begylethe another, yea one dissembleth with another, and we deal with no truth, yea our tongues are like sharp arrows to speak deceit. For although we hear and read & can say also that the lord liveth & is a rewarder of such evil & wickedness, yet will we swear to deceive. The plagues for sins Although we do confess that god hath scourged & plagued us with wars, pestilence, dearth, & hunger for our sins, yet will we not repent, we will confess also that the lord doth send all these for our correction & amendment of life, but yet we will not receive it. Neither yet amend: And thee cause why is this, that we are so puffed up with pride and overwhelmed with cruelty and unrighteousness, that we will neither hear nor see nor yet amend, for as it is written when vanity and idleness getteth the over hand among the children of men, Psalms, ●i. all are full of the ungodly, jerem. v. ● for like as a net is full of birds, even so are their houses full of that, which they have gotten with falsehood & dysceypte. And hereof cometh their great substance and riches, hereof are they so fat & so wealthy and are run away from the lord with shameful blasphemies, for they minister not the law, they make no end of the fatherless cause, O ye judges ye give sentence for g●ites. Mic. iii, ●. they judge not the poor according to equity and right, should not I punish these things (saith the lord) should not I be avenged of all such people as these be, ☜ horrible & grievous things are done in the land, the prophets teach falsely & the priests follow them & my people hath pleasure therein, what will come thereof at the last, verily destruction if we do not repent, for there is nothing now to turn the wrath of god from us but only repentance & amendment of life, for the lord hath blessed us with such a plenteous blessing & so long time (not only with the fruits of the earth) but also with his knowledge of his holy & sacred word of life by his preachers & we do not amend, that it seemeth unto me that the time is at hand that the lord will punish so sore that we shall not be able to abide it. ●i. Cor. i, c For all the promises of god are yet in him, and are Amen in him, to the praise of God. And surely the promise of God is to send and give his people all things necessary & plenteously. If than, when they have it, they be unthank full for it, & become vain & wicked in their imaginations, as we are now in this Realm. Even like unto the children of Israel, Nun, xi psa lxxvi● i, Corin, x, what must follow, verily even as it did unto them, read the places, for what should the lord do that he hath not done for us. He hath given us a land that is so plenteous that we lack nothing that we can desire or ask, yea not only that, but also he hath put almost all realms & nations in fear & dread of us, the which should be a great cause that we should be thankful unto him only for it. But it is so come to pass now (the more is the pity) that every one will say that my wisdom, deu. viii, d my strength my forecast & policy have done it & brought it to pass, and as it were, rejoice in themselves, and not praise God for it which only is worthy of all praise for all things. Wherefore if we will not take heed in time, The ungodly flieth no man chasing him, but the righteous standeth stiff as a lion. pro, xxviii. a Le, xxvi, b, pro, xxviii ●. it will come to pass, that as all Realms & nations have stand in awe & fled before us, even so will the lord make us afraid and flee before all nations & to turn our backs towards them & not our faces when need is. Now if it come thus to pass, surely it is our sins & wickedness that is the cause thereof, for it is thus written also by the prophet job, for the wickedness & sin of the people god maketh an y● Hereby do I prove & think that it is so like to come to pass as I have said, for thus is it written by the wisdom of god. Ecclesia. ● jere. xxvii Danie. iiii Because of unrighteous dealing, wrong blasphemies, & divers deceits, a realm shall be translated from one people to another. Now truly here be the causes that I do fear & suspect in us very moche, for surely in my judgement there was never more wrong among men than is now in these our days, never more blaspheming of gods holy name than now, never more deceits than is now, yea I think & believe verily that there was nothing so much in the time of ignorance (before the gospel was known) as there is now, for them the people had some fear of GOD before their eyes, but now there is no fear of god before them at all, iiii, Esdr●. viii. t. but as it is written, they have taken liberty, despised the highest, thought scorn of his law, and forsaken his ways, moreover they have trodden down his righteous and said in their hearts that there is no god, yea, and that wittingly. O Lord who will give my head water enough & a well of teare● for mine eyes, that I might weep night and day for the slaughter of my people. etc. jere. ix. a O lord who would not lament to hear & see this, that thee people do so clean contrary to their knowledge, yea, & also clean contrary to that they have promised by profession in their baptism to their only saviour & redeemer, who is so merciful a God that he is ready too forgive every one that turneth unto him unfeignedly with all their heart. Wherefore turn you, turn you unto the Lord, O wherefore will you perish in your sins, O turn you & take now the counsel of the lord which saith by his prophet Isaiah. wash you, Esay●. i c. make you clean, put away your evil thoughts from you, cease from doing evil and violence, and learn to do right, and apply yourselves wholly to equity and right, deliver thee oppressed, help the fatherless to his right, let the widows complaint come before you, & see that ye now walk in the ways and statutes of the lord god of Israel, for he is a righteous god, & rewardeth every one according to his works. Psalm v●● For god is a righteous judge (saith the Prophet) and he is ever threatening if men will not turn, he hath whet his sword, he hath bend his bow & made it ready, he hath prepared him the weapons of death & ordained his arrows to destroy. O take these warnings of the Lords own mouth (I beseech you) saying that ye will not take none of his servants, As for the warning of the prophets they take it but for wind jerem. v. b remember Lots two sons in law, that should have married his two daughters, when Lot gave them warning to flee the wrath of god (which came upon the City & thee people therein) they took it but for a sport, Gen. nineteen, c and would not. Wherefore they were destroyed with thee wicked: Even so you if ye take the words of god but for a sport and will not be warned of your sins and wickedness in time, ye shall sureli perish in deed. Although god do reserve you here in this world (to what end or purpose I can not tell) yet shall you be sure of eternal condemnation in the world to come by his promise. But lord who believeth our preachings or giveth any credence unto our sayings, Esa. liii. a john. xi, ● Roma ten e When they saw thee boldness of Peter and john & understood that they were unlearned & lay men they marveled, Actu. iiii b for we are despised among all people, because we be unlearned (as they call learning) of the universities, for they do not consider, neither yet know (or else they will not) what is learning, neither what is understanding as thee holy ghost doth define it in the holy scriptures, for thus doth the wisdom of god prove learning and understanding in the scriptures of God, first thus saith job, job xxviii c. to fear the lord is wisdom, & to forsake evil is understanding. Lo, here the prophets doth approve & acknowledge learning which is good and accepted in thee sight of god, is to be a feared to offend god. And to departed from evil is right understanding (saith he), also David in the Psalms doth say, Psal, cx, c the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom, & a good understanding have all they that do thereafter, yea the praise of it endureth for ever saith he, lo here doth David praise well doing & not well saying only. Prou, ix, v Also Solomon saith in the book of the proverbs the fear of the lord is the beginning of wisdom, & the knowledge of holy things is understanding. And thus do I approve by these scriptures that the chief learning which before god is accepted & allowed, is, to know the holy scriptures of god, & than by this knowledge to fear him & to depart from all evil, & so to walk in his way all our life long unto thou end. But the world doth allow him to be learned that can say many words, & set it out with many painted school terms, flattering & deceiving the poor innocentes, & although the life be as far from a christian life, as white from black, & light from darkness. But I say (& the holy ghost doth also affirm it to be true) that whosoever hath all the learning that is contained in all the books that is within the universities (if it were possible for one man to have it) he hath no promise of god to understand the scriptures of god a right and to be saved, Wicked men decern not the thing that is right, but they that seek after the Lord, discuss all things, Pro, xxviii except he depart from evil & continue with well doing unto the end. I have not said this to dispraise learning, but to put all men in remembrance that they should not trust so moche in learning that they should leave well doing & to think learning sufficient into salvation. For learning is good & the gift of the holy ghost, given to the glory of god & profit and comfort of the congregations if it be accompanied with virtue & godly living. But if it be accompanied with pride, vain glory, covetousness, envy, hatred, malice, and gorgeous apparel vain pastimes & all things that pertain to a worldly & carnal life not seeking no mortification of the flesh. What doth it profit, verily nothing but procure god's wrath too that person that hath it, for so moche as he doth abuse thee good gifts of god given unto him to set forth his glory and praise in the congregations, and doth seek but his own private wealth praise and vain glory only. And this is the spiritual wickedness in heavenly things that saint Paul speaketh of to thee ephesians, thee vi Eph. vi, b Chapter. But as it is said before, thee world doth not allow our sayings, nor believe it, neither will they follow it, because we do not set it forth with sclole learning and painted eloquence. Yet notwithstanding we speak the truth & tell the people of their sins, because we would not have them perish with the condemned, and because we do so and walk not with them in the same excess of riot as they do, in eating and drinking, in sporting and playing, in the lusts of thee flesh, We are reviled & yet we bless, we are persecuted & suffer it, we are evil spoken of, & yet we pray i cor. iiii, b. in wantonness & in all manner of riotous living. Therefore speak they evil of us & care not what they say of us, but as S. Peter saith, they shall give accounts unto him (for it) that is ready to judge both quick and the dead. But saint Paul was not ashamed to confess and say: my brethren, when I came unto you, i, Cor, two, a. I came not in gloriousness of words or of wisdom, showing unto you the testimony of god, neither showed I myself that I knew any thing among you save jesus christ, even the same that was crucified, and I was among you in weakness and in fear and in much trembling. And my words & my preachings were not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in showing of thee spirit and power that your faith should not stand in the wisdom of men, but in the power of god, saith he. Even so I my brethren, do not show you the words of god with the wisdom of men, but in the power and with the spirit of the Lord, as my conscience is witness before god, to thee healing of you, too thee knowledge of god and salvation of your souls. Nether do I seek the praise of men, but of god (who ought only to have all praise) neither do I seek yours, but you, neither would I have your faith stand in him that hath much learning & his life nothing agreeing to the same, but let your faith stand only upon god & his word, and let him that feareth god & departeth from evil be your show token to follow after. For it is written. Mat. seven b Not all they that say master master, or lord lord shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but all those that do the will of him that is in heaven (saith christ) many shall say unto me, Lord Lord have we not prophesied in thy name, have we not cast out devils in thy name, have we not done many great miracles in thy name. And then will I acknowledge unto them (saith christ) that I never knew them, wherefore depart from me ye workers of iniquity. Lo, note here I pray you what will be said to the evil & wicked doers, all though they have never so much learning, never so much wisdom, never so much eloquence, yea, & though they have never so many spiritual gifts of grace, if they be evil & wicked doers, it will be said unto them, depart from me ye workers of iniquity, Therefore if any man will be of christ, he must be a new creature, as for old things he must cast them away, & as the prophet saith, Ez●●. xviii ● cast away all ungodliness that ye have done and make you a new heart & a new spirit, nevertheless all things are of God which hath reconciled us unto himself by jesus christ, and hath given me this mind to tell unto you this atonement, that God was in Christ and made agreement between the world and himself, and imputed not their sins unto them, when soever they repent and turn from them, and therefore hath bound me now in conscience to testify thee same unto you in writing. We are not as many are why the chop & change with the word● of god, but even out of pureness & out of god in the sight of God so speak we in Christ. two. Cor, i. d Now then am I a messenger in the room of christ, even as though god did beseech you thorough me, so pray I you in Christ's stead that ye be at one with God, for he hath made him to be sin for us, which knew no sin, that we by that means should be that righteousness which before god is allowed. I as an helper therefore do exhort you that ye receive not the graces of God in vain, Esa. xlix b for he saith I have heard the in the time excepted, & in the day of salvation have I succoured thee, behold (saith he) now is thee excepted time, now is the day of salvation (when is thee day and time of salvation?) verily even when soever god offereth to any man repentance, by thee opening of his word unto him, that he may see his own Sins, and the great mercy of God offered unto him in Christ jesus, than I say, is the day and time of salvation to that person offered, if he be than willing to receive it & inbrace it with tears for his sins. Wherefore my well-beloved brethren, be it known unto you that the lord is not slack to fulfil his promise, as some men counteth him & sayeth, tush, seeing that the days of punishment are so slack in coming, all the prophecies are of none effect. I tell you therefore thus saith the Lord god. The days are even at hand that every thing which hath been prophesied shallbe fulfilled. Ezec. xii. d There shall no vision be in vain, neither any prophecy fail among the children of Israel, for it is I the Lord that spoke it, & what soever I the Lord spoke, it shall be performed in his time & not be slack in coming. Wherefore, for the love and tender mercy of God, if ye believe this to be true (or have any sparkle of love or fear in you) be ye warned in time, & be diligent that ye may be found before him in peace without spot and undefiled, and count the long suffering of the Lord your salvation. And now to all you that will be warned of these sayings & writing in deed, & do know it before hand, beware, lest ye be also plucked away thorough the error of the wicked, and fall from your own steadfastness, but grow in grace & in the knowledge of our Lord and Saviour jesus Christ. And take the counsel of the holy ghost, which saith: Esay. iii. b Away away, get you out from thence & touch no unclean thing. God out from among such, & be clean all ye that bear thee vessels of the Lord. And again S. Paul sayeth: Come out from among them and separate yourselves (saith the Lord) and touch no unclean thing and so will I receive you (saith the Lord) and be your father and ye shallbe my sons and daughters, saith the almighty Lord, unto whom with the son and the holy ghost be all honour and glory. AMEN. The Lord of all mercy send us Preachers with power (that is to say) true expounds of the word of God, and speakers to thee hearts of men, and deliver us from scribes, Phariseis, hypocrites, and all false Prophets & teachers. AMEN. ¶ give all praises unto God only, for he is worthy, and none but he, G.C. ¶ Imprinted at London in Paul's Church yard, at the sign of the star, By Thomas Raynalde.