Woe to the World Because of Offenses, Part 10 – To the reader 1
¶ Anſweare.
¶ If all Byſhoppes and Preachers reſſpectinge God, & the cauſe only hauehave wyſhed and perſuaded not to vſe this apparell, as Ioab not to nombre the people, and yet reſpectinge the Prynces commandemente contrarye to theyr formall wyſhinge and perſuadynge ſhuld yelde in dedes as Ioab did. Then weare to be feared ſuche ſequell of plagues on the people with great greife to the Prynce, nowe heare as was then there: and as the Iſmalites deſtroinge manye of the Ammorytes accordinge to Godes commandementt, yet leauing ſome relyques of the ſame by theyre owne neglygence, or affection, or pollycie, weare continually corrupted, polluted, & plagued with the Ammorytes, ſo is it to be feared in Ingland, that the abolyſhinge of muche Papyſtrye accordinge to Godes will reueled by his worde, and by reſeruinge of ſome reliques of the ſame by humayn negligence, affectione, and pollycie, ſhold cauſe this realme contynually to be polluted, corrupted, and plagued with Papiſtrie: thes thinges well cōſydered moue many good preachars to be conſtantt, zealous, and ſyncere, as in will and doctrine, ſo in conuerſacion and manners, reprouyng and refuſinge all thinges propre & belonginge to Papiſtrie: eſpeciallie to the Idolatrous blaſhphemous and traiterous preſthoode, moſte peſtilent enemye to all Chriſtyane auctoritye, and princelie dignitie, and therfor manye good preachers the rather dyſpoſed for ye preſeruacion of the Prynce & the people, loſinge lyuinge, lyfe to confyrme theyre doctryne preached, then keapinge liuinges with flattery, with danger of the Prynce, & the people to buyld & bringe agayn, that which by faythfull preachinge hathe bene deſtroyed, reprouid & refuſyd, ſo cā no ſuch preachers be put to ſylence, theyr dedes declaringe & confyrminge theyr doctryne: nor ſuche be thought to be left deſtytute of thoſe preachers, by whoſe doctryne & manners alſo the church is taught as to knowe and embrace true doctryne, & ſyncere rites & manners, & ſo ſhall Godly & faythfull doctryne cōfyrmed with lyke dedes, by Godes grace gyue no offence, butt vnfayned thankfulnes to a godly Prynce reſtoringe & receauing true doctryne with ſyncere rites and manners to Godes glory, to the Prynces honor, & the people edyfycation thorowgh Chriſt our Lord. Amen.
¶ It is good for a man to be feruent in good thinges. Galat. 4.
A prayer mete & neceſſarye for oure tyme and all tymes to be vſed.
OH Lord God maker of all thinges, thou ye art fearful & glorious, thou righteous & marcyful. Thou which onelyonly art moſt gracious, onelyonly liberal, onelyonly iuſt, almighty & euerlaſtinge: thou yt of thyn accuſtomid & riche mercyes deliuerydſt thyn electe and choſen from all trouble, vouchſaffe for thy Sonnes ſake to delyuer, and preſerue vsus from all euill, and alſo from doynge of thoſe thynges, whiche thou in thy holye word haſt forbidden. Oh be gratious vntounto vsus, and thinck vponupon thy couenante made with oure forfathers of olde, as Abraham, Iſaac and Iacob, thy true, and faythfull ſeruauntes. And geue vsus all ſuche hartes, that we may vnfaynedly louelove, and ſerue the by true obedience to thy holye Lawes, and Commaundementes. Send vsus inwarde peace in conſcience, that we maye be at one with the, ſo that thou neuer forſake vsus in the tyme of trouble: be vntounto vsus in all oure nede and neceſſytye as a ſuer rock, defence, buckler and ſhyeld, that vnderunder the winges of thy deuine maieſtye we maye be ſaffly kepte, and couetyd, that Sathan and his wicked imppes neuer preuayle agaynſt vsus, by anye cruell tyranny, or oppreſſion. But graunt (good Lorde) for thyne owne glories ſake, yea for thy Sonn Chriſte Ieſus ſake, that we in the tyme of tryall maye ſhewe oure ſelues as valiaunt warriours firmlye & conſtantly to fyght vnderunder thy banner, and not lyke cowardes at eueryevery blaſt of winde, be redy to rune away, ſtarting back, and ſlyding from the felowſhip of Godes ſayntes. Thincking here in this wicked world for a longe tyme to enioye the riches and pleaſures therof, the whiche tyme yf we conſyder is but as one drop of rayne comparid to the hole ſea, yea yf for this ſhort and momentanie tyme we might gete the hole worlde, and looſe oure owne ſoules, what ſhuld it profit? or what is there (oh Lorde) to redeme our ſoules agayne with all: In eueryevery ſouldyer that in this world takethe in hand vnderunder his Capitayne to fight, there is requyred in hym, that he be ſtoute, valiaunt and manly, that when the pinche of the battayle cōmith, he may then ſurely ſtand and fighte in hope of victory. Euen ſo lyke wyſe (oh good Lord) it is required of eueryevery one of vsus, whiche profeſſe thy holy ghoſpell, that we ſhew our ſelues manfullye to fyght for the defence of the ſame, that when the brunt of perſecution by Godes prouidence to vsus is myniſtred, we may then ſhew our ſelues as true and faythfull Chriſtyans, to fyght that good fyght for an eternall tryumphe & victory, in geuing & offring vp oure owne bodies, for a ſacryfice vntounto the Lord our God, who is euer ready to ſtrenghthen them that put theyr full truſt in hym. Oh good Lorde, graunt for thy names ſake vntounto vsus ſuche plentie of thy grace, that when time requirethe, as we do beleue in hart to iuſtyfication, euē ſo by mouthe we may make true confeſſion to ſaluation, that the frute of the ſame may be to vsus in the latter daye, ioye, comfort, and eternall conſolation, thorough Ieſus Chriſt, by whoſe deathe & merytes we are made inheretours of hys euerlaſtinge kingdome. To whome with the Father, Sonne and Holye Ghooſt be prayſe glory and dominion world without ende. AMEN.
OH Lord deſtroy all the workes of ſathan: confort thyne that are in adverſytie: helpe thoſe that be in troble for thy names ſake, hauehave mercy vponupon vsus, and make vsus thy true faithfull obedient & thankfull ſernaunts, Lorde inclyne oure hartes into thy teſtimonies, and not into any vnlawful luſte. Oh turne away oure eyes, that they behold not vanytie, but quycken thou vsus in thy lawe: beſtowe vponupon vsus thy worde (oh Lord) ſo that we never abuſe it, neither turne it vntounto wantonnes, but that entering into the grace of true repentaunce we may therein increaſe, and therein contynew, and that tyll oure lyues end.
¶ To the Reader.
TO my faythfull Brethren, we geue thankes to God for your conſtancie and vpryght delynge in this gret controuerſie now rayſyd by packynge of enemys about the wearinge of popiſh apparell, and as ye hauehave well begonne, ther is no doubt, but the Lorde in mercy ſhall kepe ye pure and blameles to the ende. It hathe byne no ſmall ioye and comfort to many godlye and good Churches, which dayly and howerly prayeth for your perſeuerāce, and that it wolde pleaſe God to eaſe it, whē his good will and pleaſure is. So on the other ſyde muche lamentynge the blyndnes of thoſe that goeth about to defende it: but eſpeciallye thoſe that are become perſecutors of their godly & faithfull brethren: but as charite requireth we deſyre God neuer laye it to theyr charge, but geue them grace to ryſe agayne vntounto whom we leue them wether they ſtande or falle. Let Lottes wyfe be a warnynge in tyme to take hede. Moſes that bleſſyd ſeruant of God wolde not alter the valew of a curten, or a lytill pyne in the Arcke, ſo zelous was he in the Lordes worke: nor neuer brought any thynge out of his owne heade to the people: But had always the warrant of the worde for hym, to cōclude, what ſo euer may be obiected agaynſt the refuſars of thoſe ydolators garmētes, for what ſo euer they brynge, may be reduſed into this poyntes, that Godly men ether nede not or ought not to be ſcrupulous in ſo ſmall a matter, which anſwer ye ſhall vnderſtand as folowith with an anſwere to a queſtion at the end hereof. The Lord for his Chriſt ſake make Ephrahim and Manaſſis agre, that we maye all with on hart and mynde vnfaynydly ſeke Godes glorye, the edificacion of his people, that we may lyue in all godly peace, vnyte, and concord. This grant, o Lorde, for Chriſt Ieſus ſake, to whom, with the, and the Holy goſte, be all prayſe, glory, and honor for euer and euer. Fare ye well deare Brethren.