Brief and Necessary Instruction for All Householders, Title page – To the reader
¶ A briefe & necessary Instruction, Uerye needefull to bee knowen of all Housholders, Whereby they maye the better teach and instruct their Families in such points of Christian Religion as is most méete.
Not onelyonly of them throughly to be vnderstood, but also requisite to be learned by hart of all suche as shall bee admitted vntounto the Lordes Supper.
1572.
¶ To the Christian Reader.
IT shall not be necessary for me (most louing brethren) to shewe anye causes for mine own excuse why I hauehave attempted the setting forth of this little Catechisme, as though I had rashly aduentured aboue that was méete, to set forth any thing to be so common by my priuate aduise: Or as though I had presumed aboue mine abilitye to become so general a teacher, hauing my self so meane vnderstandyng. For in these daies in which there is so great licentiousnes of printyng bookes, as in déede it maketh vsus all the worse, who can blame it that hath any taste or sauer of goodnes, be it neuer so simple, if it had no other fruite, yet this is great and plentyfull, that in reading it we shoulde keepe our eyes from much godles and childish vanitie, that hath now blotted so many papers. We sée it all, and we mourne for griefe, so many as in spirite and truth do louelove the Lord. What multitude of bookes, full of all synne and abomination, hauehave nowe filled the world? No thing so childish, nothing so vaine, nothing so wanton, nothyng so ydle, whych is not both boldly printed, and plausibly taken. So that herein we hauehave fulfilled the wickednes of our forefathers, & ouertaken them in theyr syns. They had their spiritual enchauntmentes, in which they were bewytched, Beuis of Hampton, Guy of Warwike, Arthur of the round table, Huon of Burdeaux, Oliuer of the Castle, the foure sonnes of Amond, and a great many other of such childish follye. And yet more vanitie then these, the witles deuices of Gargantua, Howleglas, Esop, Robyn Hoode, Adam Bel, Frier Rushe, the Fooles of Gotham, and a thousand such other. And yet of all the residue the most dronken imaginations, with which they so defiled their Festiual and high holydaies, their Legendawry, theyr Saintes lyues, their tales of Robyn Goodfellow, and of manye other Spirites, which Satan had made, Hell had printed, and were warranted vntounto sale vnderunder the Popes priuiledge, to kindle in mens hartes the sparkes of superstition, that at last it might flame out into the fire of Purgatorie. These were in the former daies the subtile sleightes of Satan to occupye Christian wyts in Heathen fansies. And we as men that can not learne wisedom by anye examples to kéepe our selues from harme, but as though the wickednes of our forefathers were not yet full, we wyll make vp their measure, and set vp Shrines to the woord of God, and the wrytinges of all hys Saintes, which our forefathers had cast out of all honor, that their own dreames and illusions might be had in price. To thys purpose I trow we hauehave multiplied for our selues so many new delightes that we might iustefy the idolatrous superstitiō of the elder world. To this purpose we hauehave printed vsus many bawdy songes (I am lothe to vse such a lothsome woord, saue that it is not fyt inough for so vile endeuours,) to this purpose we hauehave gotten our Songes & Sonets, our Pallaces of pleasure, our vnchaste Fables and Tragedies, and such lyke Sorceries, moe then any man may recken. Yea some hauehave ben so impudent, as new borne Moabites, which wallow in their own vomit, and hauehave not bene ashamed to entitle their bookes, The Court of Venus, The Castle of LoueLove, and manye such other as shamelesse as these. O that there were among vsus some zealous Ephesians, that Act. 19. 29.bookes of so great vanity might be burned vp. The spirite of God wrought in them so mightely, that they contemned the price of so great iniquitie, in one Citie, and at one fire they brought together the bookes valued to twoo thousand markes, and burnt them al at once. O happy light & cleare as the Sun beames, if we might sée the lyke in London, that the chiefe streete might be sanctified with so holy sacrifice. The place it selfe doth craue it, and holdeth vp a gorgeous Idoll, a fyt stake for so good a fire. O Lord thou art able to woorke what thou wylt, let vsus sée this day that Iacob may reioyce, and Israel may be glad. So recompence thine enemies, as they hauehave recompenced thée. Of old they aIere. 36. 23burnt the wrytings of thy Prophets, and in their ages following they departed not from the synnes of their fathers, but gaue the bAn. dom. 290. sub Dioclesianus, et anno. 1559 sub Paulo. 4.holy labours of thy Saintes vntounto ashes, nowe let vsus sée the iust recompence of anger, and make our good Rulers the instruments to execute thy iudgementes. We hauehave now long inough played with our own fansies, Lord rayse vp agayne thy word into honour, that our eyes may be occupied in holy readinges.
And you deare Brethren that are yet in battail to fight against Satan, pray and cease not, that God alone maye be exalted in our daies, that Satan may be troden vnderunder foote, and that the woord of God, the strong weapen of our strife, may be geuen into the handes of all, that their lyfe may be in safetie. And be perswaded of this, that there is no one thyng more enemy to the woord of God, then these vaine and synfull imaginations of our owne vnbridled wits, which hauehave now filled so many volumes. And therefore I trust I can deserue no blame to aduenture the setting out of this short enstruction, sithe my desire is only to aduance Gods glory, and edefie hys poore Church, that is yet so couered in darke ignorance: when so many hauehave found leaue to spread abroad their labours, that hauehave no other pleasure then offyn and wyckednes.
Now for that that I hauehave taken vponupon mee to set forth vntounto many this enstruction, beare with me, I beseche you, and praye vntounto God that we may all together hold the humblenes of mynde that was in Christ Iesu, that we be not wise in our own conceits, nor thincke of our selues aboue ye which is conuenient, but acknowledging the blindnes of our hart, and the ignorance in which we are borne, we may say with the most happy Apostle, we hauehave nothing that we hauehave not receiued. And of many other I do willyngly professe it, I am the least, but by the grace of God I am that I am, and I trust hys grace is not in vayne in me. But this that I here present vntounto the Church of God, I hauehave not done it alone: but another faithfull labourer in the woorke of the Lord, and a good brother in Christ Iesu, whom God hath endued with great knowledge, and blessed with much vnderstanding, he hath taken the greatest paine, and the greatest fruit must grow of his labours. So that I hauehave not aduentured of my selfe, but hauehave onelyonly bene an helper of an other mans labour. And the cause yt hath mooued vsus both is suche, as hath made the Children of God euen to faynt in their mourning, vntil they shall sée the great mercies of God to take awaye the cause of their griefe. We sée the great ignorance in which the people are eueryevery wher couered, the cloudes of darknes, more then the darknes of Aegypt, hauehave so ouer shadowed them, that the light of the Gospel of the glorye of Christ, who is the Image of God, it doth hardlye or not at all shine in their vnbeleuing hartes.
Scarce one of a great many can giuegive an accompt of their faith, yet S. Peter requireth it of 3. Pet. 4. 13eueryevery Christian. A very few hauehave tasted the beginninges of the Gospel of Christ, and yet S. Paule biddeth that the word dwel plentifulfully Col. 3. 16.in eche one of our hartes. The Apostle blameth the ignoraunce of the people, who hauehave learned yet no further, then repentance from dead workes, and the first enstructions of the faith toward God: But O Lord, howe Heb. 6. 1.many thousands of vsus, of fayth and of true repentaunce can say nothyng? The Prophet speaketh of the kyngdome of Christ, that in those daies the earth should be ful of the know Esa. 11. 19ledge of the Lord, as the waters that do couer the sea: where is now that blessed spirite of vnderstandyng to be poored vponupon vsus? And wher is this riches of the knowledge of God? Are not rather the multitude of our brethren clothed with darknes, so that they grope in their wayes as at midnight, & know nothing of the way of lyfe? We pray dayly according as we are taught, Let thy kingdome come, if we speake not like the Parets, in woordes without vnderstanding, then this is our meaning: let thy spirite beare rule in our hartes, and the knowledge of thy woorde lighten the eyes of our mynde. And what do we then els but dally with the Lord, if we pray styll for knowledge, and yet sleepe stil in ignorance… Then thys is (louing Brethren) a good excuse for our boldnes, if in so great necessitye, according to our talentes, we séeke to be profitable vntounto many.
If any thinke that there are already sufficiently set forth many Catechismes, I do easely graunt it, but they are not sufficiently learned, neither yet can be. For it was necessary in the best and most godlye of these labours, whilest the Christian faith is plainly taught, to edifiyng of the simple, and conuincing of the aduersary, that the faithful teacher should vse moe wordes, then can be caried in mynde of the ignorant man. And therefore I thought itgood as briefly as I could, to comprehende the effect of all, that the begynninges beyng made playne, and easely printed in memory, we might enter into reasoning and disputation with our selues, enstructing one another, and helping one an other, that we might hauehave the more fruit in the lōger labours of others, but most of all that we might be encouraged to the most holy and liuely woord of God, to drinke wyth continuall desire of the fruitfull spring, euen vntyll the water of lyfe do flow vp in our hartes vntounto euerlastyng gladnes, & the day starre do arise in our hartes, which may lighten our mindes in to the knowledge of the God of glory.
There is nothyng remayning more why this labour should be misliked, except anye man would thinke, that eueryevery Congregation had a sufficient Pastor to instruct those that were ignorant, so that they should not néede any straunge Teacher: God graunt that in time to come this maye be found true. But yet we are farre from it, euen as light from darknes, or death from life, or as knowledge and vnderstanding is from insensible blyndnes. O that we had eyes to see so great miserie: For sure it may not wel be iustified, that in so cleare light of the woorde, as God hath made now to shine vponupon vsus, that there was euer nation which had so ignorant Ministers We maye here in compare with the man of synne him selfe. I do not knowe that in the midst of all hys abominations there was a more lothsome sight of that idolatrous priesthood, then we hauehave set vp among our selues, to be fellow labourers among vsus in the Gospell. For what though they excéeded in loosnes of life? Yet their darke and barbarous religion was so thicke a cloude spread ouer their maners, that the fulnes of their lynnes was not easely seue: But we hauehave the light that hath made althinges manyfest, and the Sunne hath shined that hath disclosed iniquitie, so that there hath not bene among vsus any popish Priest so dronken, nor any alehouse Chaplen at such a perpetuall truce with hys drinking pots, that hath possibly purchased so much discredite to his belly God, and kitchin faith, as our dum Dogs and guides, do dayly multiply against the God of Israel, and the faith of his anointed our onelyonly God and Sauiour. It gréeneth me to remember, and lotheth me much more to rehearse the estate of the ministration into whych we are fallen. We hauehave good time now to complayne wyth the Prophet, like people, like Priest. Euen Esa. 44. 2the same coueringes of Israel that shadowed then their glory, they hauehave spread thē selues agayne as the heauens, & are come ouer our head in so great a tempest of blindnes & ignorance, that they hauehave shaken the foundations of all our comfort.
We saw in deede Halcionios dies, the glad and pleasant daies in which our hope shined, when first our happy gouernment turned away our sorrowes, brake the yoke of Antitichrist, deliuered vsus from the power of darknes, and caryed vsus among the Saints of God into the kingdome of light. But our hope hath since suffered a great Eclipse, from the fulnes of her beutie, (such hath bene the malice of Satan.) He attempted agaynst vsus euen at the first his most pestilent practise, and hath brought accordinglye hys purpose to effect. When God had turned the wyl of the Magistrate, Deut. 1. 15and enclined his eare to vnderstāding: when he had geuen vntounto him courage to scatter Exo. 18. 21the enemies of his truth, and planted true feare in his hart to establish his Gospel: then the subtile Serpent which had turned all his deuices hether, he bent his violence, and thys counsell pleased hym best: To corrupt the Priesthoode, who should instruct the Prince Nu. 27. 21by Vrim and Thumim, that if thus he might darken the light of the people, it might be the more easy to leade them out of the way.
Then he entred againe, and with more successe into hys first assaultes, wherewyth he tempted once our sauiour Christ: He robbed the Minister of his blessed hope in the prouidence of God, and made him seeke the wayes ful of vile shame, to get his bread. He hanged before his eyes an other veale of pompe and vanitie, that he could not with open countenance see Christ, but folowed the present plea sures that better liked him. And so first woū ding the head, the infection hath growen since into the other partes of the body, that now al most there is nothyng but woundes & swelling, and sores full of corruption. Looke wher we wyl among the people of the Lord, & how hardly shall we funde the dwellyng place of the godly Pastour.
If Ieremie were now aliue, he would take Iere. 9. 1.vp againe his old complaintes: O that myne head werefull of water, and mine eyes a fountaine of teares, that I might weepe day and night for the slayne of the daughter of my people. For looke what agrement hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes, and what fellowship hath light with darknes, what concord Christ with Belial, or what part the beleuer with the Infidel: the same societie is betwene a great number of our English Parsons and Uicars, with the true Preachers & Ministers of the Gospell. Your selues good Christian Readers make the comparison, and be your own Iudges, what cause we hauehave to complaine. The true Minister is the salt of the earth, to drye vp corrupt and noysome humors, Mat. 5. 13.and to preserue the substance pure, that the world may be offered vp a swete sacrifice vntounto God: But our Uicars and Curates, we hauehave some of them yet of the old morowmas Priestes, whose salt is vnsauerie with much popish leauen, that there is no taste in them of the Gospell of Christ. Most certaine it is, that the popish Priesthoode is no calling for a Minister of the Gospell: And therefore they that hauehave not openly forsaken that, and hauehave geuen a new promise vntounto Christ, they may well hauehave the lyuing, but they cannot be the persons whom God hath called, nor yet the salt to season his elect and chosen.
The true Minister is the light of the world, Mat. 5. 14which holdeth foorth the Gospell of Christ in his hand as a lanterne to lighten the steps of a great number, how to walke vntounto Christ: but what daylight I beseche you, shineth in the Ministers of our making? They are better séene in their seueral occupations, then in the knowledge of the word, which they should dispence vntounto others. The true Minister is a fisher of men, by whom the parish is stirred vp to all louelove, to God first, and then mutually one to another: but the Parsons nowe hauehave either nets so broken, or their baytes so yll, that we sée the effect is, no gatheryng together, but a wofull dispersion both of Priest & people. How many examples do we sée of a continual dissipation in sutes and controuersies? the Parson against the Uicar, the Uicar against the Parson, the Parish against both, and one against another, and al for the belly. Among whō neither people, Parson, Curate, Uicar, one nor other hath anye care for the Gospel of Christ. As the Lord doth lyue, this is no other fishing, but to suffer that roaryng Lyon to catch al by his enchauntmentes, that he may hauehave large pasture in the Church of God. The true Minister is the eye of the body: Mat. 6. 22 Mat. 9. 38 Mat. 22. 3 Ma. 23. 34.the woorkeman in the haruest: the Messenger that calleth vntounto the Mariage: the Prophet that telleth the wyl of the Lord: the wyse man that teacheth to discerne betwene good and euyll: the Scribe that doth expound Ma. 25. 16 Lu. 24. 48 1. Cor. 4. 1the law: the Seruant that occupieth his Maisters talentes vntounto gayne: the Wytnes that beareth testimony of Christ to all people: the Mathew. 24. 45. Ro. 15. 16.dispensers of the misteries of God: the Stew ard that geueth meate in due time, vntounto the residue of the houshold: the Sacrificer of the Gospel of God, to make the oblation of hys flocke acceptable: the Minister by whom the 1. Cor. 3. 5people doo beleue: the Labourers of God to tyll hys husbandrye, and make vp his buylding: 1. Cor. 3. 9the Shepheard to féede the Church of God, which he hath purchased with his blood. Ac. 20. 28But alas and wo for vsus, if we can sée our sorrow, what one of these excellent vertues shineth in our Pastors? I speake the truth, and God in his good time wyll geue vsus eyes to sée his iudgementes. Scarce one Parish of an hundred hath found such a Minister, or scarce two and thrée in a Shéere whom God hath so blessed. If S. Paule say true, or if the voyce of God be fearfull in our eares, that we cannot beleue except we heare, and we cannot Ro. 10. 14heare wythout a Preacher: where is our glory that we are the people of the Lord? Or where is our reioycing that the Gospell is amongest vsus? Were it not that the woorkes of the Lord preached dayly vntounto vsus, and their voyce had come into our eares, as fully as to Psal. 19. 5.our forefathers, euen in the strongest of our people, it would make their faith to wauer.
For about vsus in our Countrie, wher dwelleth that Minister, or where is his name, that shall strengthen the weake harted, and rayse them vp in hope? He must faith S. Paule, he must be apt to teache that is made Minister: but we hauehave made the old saying true, Oportet … Tim. 32non habet locum, they are we may say, they are more meete for the plow, that dwell in the personage. Say the Apostle what he say wyll, he must or …e must not, he shall be made Minister now that pleaseth the maker.
Euen thus it is, both high and low, as many as God hath sealed with a god spirite, they complayne of it. They say all with Ieremy: Iere. 2. 8.The Priestes say not, where is the Lord? and they that should minister the law, they know nothing. The men among vsus that would be our leaders, they may say as of olde time, I wyl prophecie vntounto thee of wyne, & of strong Mich. 2. …drinke, but of the lawe and the testimonies they can no skil. So heauy is the hand of our God ouer our synnes, vntyl we be amended. He hath broken hys two staues of happy féeding, Zech. ii. 13both bewty and bandes, and geuen in stéede of them the instrumentes of a foolyshe Shepheard, and hath raysed vsus vp Pastours which looke not for the thinges that are lost, nor seeke the tender Lambes, nor heale that that is hurt, nor féede that that standeth vp. 2. Chroni. 15. 3.And therfore we may boldly say, God himself being our warrāt, that the Israel of the Lord is without his Pastour.
But some perhaps wyll thincke this complaint to be gréeuous, God hath not delt thus with vsus, but rather hath multiplied a great manye of learned and godly Ministers vntounto vsus, euen now in great aboundance, as in any age before vsus: Most certainly true it is, that God hath raysed vp in our dayes men of singuler hope, full of excellent giftes, whose vertues in yong yeares hath shined farre aboue the gray heares of their forefathers. Would God we were halfe thankfull inough for so manyfolde blessinges. The ioy of the whole earth, and the gladnes of al the world, that is the blessed hope of the Gospel, it shineth not a litle, euen in their countenances The Lord encrease them a thousand thousand fold, and geue them double his spirit, that they may be greater then all their enemies, & abyde faithfull euen vntounto death: that through them the Prince may reioyce, the Magistrate maye be glad, their fellowes may be encouraged, yt peo ple may be taught, al may hauehave hope, syn may be abolished, Idolatrye rooted out, Antichrist ouerthrowen, Satan troden downe, Hel may be confoūded, the Gospel may encrease, righteousnes maye shine, and God may hauehave the glory. This desire is the fruite of our lyse, and ther is not in the world a better portion: this we hauehave chosen, and in this we wil dwel, vntyl the fulnes of tyme, that we shall say in our course: Lord now lettest thou thy seruant depart in peace.
But we hauehave here not a litle feare, and we sée the stumbling blockes, that hauehave made our wayes daungerous. True it is many men ar greatly to be beloued, but this is as true: there is none so good but Sathan wyll seeke to fift him. Noe, Lot, Aaron, Miriam Samson, Dauid, Martha, Mary, men and women of most excellēt vertue, and such as the world was not worthy of: and yet not one of these whom Satan wounded not, yea almost vntounto death. The most glorious of all men subiect vntounto synne, was Adam him selfe, and yet he was throwne downe into great confusion. So that the Saintes of God (for so I trust I may call them, because of their great …) the Saintes I say, that God hath sent vntounto vsus, they hauehave great cause to feare, … to say wyth Paule, VVho seemeth to stand, let him take heede he fall not. Sure they are …f continual assaultes, and euen at this present one aboue other shaketh all their faith.
Satan hath so rent a sunder the glorye of our Ministerie, that fleshe and bloud is not halfe willing to beare the shame of the world that goeth after it. He hath spoyled it of the due reward: of al authoritie: of al obedience: louelove, reuerence & honor that man should gene vntounto it. He hath layd vponupon it much contempt, many reproches, great pouertie, intollerable bondage, so that though the calling be in deede the most precious inheritance vnderunder the sun, yet the glory is so darkned vntounto mortal eyes, that al Nobility is quite fled from it, the Gentlemen afraid to come vntounto it, the riche man rather chuseth any other kinde of life, the men nest estate so hardly contented with it, that S. Paule him selfe can finde but a few folowers, that wyll cast away from them the clokes of …. Cor. 4. 2shame, & not degenerate from the dignitye of their office. But God shall once geue agayne vntounto his Ministerie beuty, in stéede of ashes, and ritch apparel in stéede of sackcloth, when he shal turne againe the captiuitie of Syon, & build vp the walles of the promised Ierusalē. In the meane season we wyll lyue in hope, and geue thankes vntounto our God that hath brought vsus hetherto. One other assault of Sathan hurteth as much as this: yea and so much the more, because it is couered with the cloke of benefite, & sheweth vsus a saluing medicine against the former wound. For where as the Ministers liuing in most Churches is but smal, he hath found this remedy, that one man should hauehave many benefices: & whereas the reproche is not litle, but euen the name is ful of disdain, as to be called maister Parson, Maister Uicar, Syr Iohn, a parish Priest. &c. Agaynst this euyll he hath founde a remedye worse, and geuen liberty to al that wyll, to be Non residentes, to forsake their charge, to go where they wyl like masterles hounds, to fyl the cōmon wealth with worse then any ydle or vagabond persons. Loe this is the vessel of poyson that Satan hath set a broch, & the cup of whoordome which the Pope hath begun of vntounto al the world. This is the head and fountaine of all spirituall darknes: the roote from which the glory of Antichrist dyd first aryse: the filthy spring of al abominations, which by pestilēt encrease hath ouerslowed kingdomes with most shameful slauery: brought Princes into contempt: & set a vile person in the Monarchie of the world. And yet at thys day it doth so dull the spirites of many excellent mē, that their hartes are full of surfeting, and yet they foole not their disease, they wallow (as I said) in their own vomit, and yet they see not their shame. The hainousnes of this syune it is so displeasant in the sight of God, that he hath reuenged it wt one of his greatest plages in hardening the offenders hartes, that they should hauehave eyes to sée, & not sée, and eares to heare, & not heare, and hartes to vnderstand, and yet not vnderstand. For wher as in many thinges they heare the voyce of God, & follow humbly his calling, yet here they be deafe euen as the Serpent that stoppeth his eares, that he may not heare ye Charmer, charme he neuer so wisely. It is plaine y• the spirit speaketh: Be diligēt to know the state of thy flock, Pro. 27. 23and take hede to thy heards, for riches remain not alway, nor the crowne from generatiō to generation. But yet the louelove of riches, & gorgeous shew of honor hath so deceiued many, that in many yeares they sée not their flocke, nor care not at all in what pastures they be fed. So much in vayne it is that the Apostle speaketh vntounto them: He that hath an office, let him attend on his office. The charge that Ro. 12. 7.S. Paul geueth to the Ministers of the Church of Ephesus, is as plaine as may be spoken, yet they cānot vnderstād it: Take hede (saith he) Ac. 20. 28vntounto your selues, & to all the flock, of which the holy Ghost hath made you ouersears, to feede the Church of God which he hath purchased wich his own bloud. Oh that this precept were written in our harts with an yron pen, or a claw of Adamant, that we could neuer forget it. The often remēbrance that we hauehave bound our fayth vntounto the spirit of God, that hee hath called vsus for the instruction of his people, and that they are the price of the blood of Christ, would make vsus at the last so to louelove our duty, that the Sunne and Moone should be ashamed at the sound of a Nonresident, & the name of that parson should be odious vntounto vsus, y• would take vponupon him a charge and looke not after it. The Prophet saith, that Ezec. 3. 18 &. 33. 8.if the Minister declare not the iudgements of God against hym that synneth, the wycked man shal dye in hys syn, but his blood shall be required at the hands of the negligent watchman. And the Apostle to the Hebrewes, speaking of the faithful Minister, sayth that they Heb. 13. 17watch ouer the soules of those that are committed vntounto them, as they that shall geue accompt if any of them perish. If these two be sufficiēt witnes, that according to the law the truth should be estéemed, by their woord most certain it is that our negligent Pastors, who hauehave couered them selues as Salomon sayth, with thicke clay, and multiplyed their benefices, tyll they be many in number, they must needes thinke they hauehave an heauy accompt against the day of Christ. Neither gold nor siluer, nor the pride of honor shall be acceptable in stéede of the soules of their brethren. But so it is they are shut vp in blindnes, and God hath couered them with a spirit of slomber, & they are set down in the counsels of the mockers & despisers, which say in much securitye, where is the promise of his cōming? O curssed law of liberty that hath so dulled their spirit: And O bottomles pit and hel of whooredomes, out of which such a stincking sauour cōtinually breatheth of Pluralities, Totquots and al maner faculties, and dronken dregs of popish abominations.
O Lord God we beseche thée multiply thy spirit yet more vponupon thine anoynted & chosen seruantes. Leade them into the mydst of thy Sanctuary, that they may drinke full of thy louing kindnes. And enrich them so far wyth all thy blessinges, that they may sée wyth thy Saintes what is the height, the breadth, the length, the deapth, and how vnsearchable is the ritches of thy glorye, that hast alone immortalitie, and dwellest in light, which shall shine for euer: That thy manyfolde mercies which thou hast multiplyed vntounto them, may be made perfect in that fulnes of spirit, vntyl they shal say vntounto themselues, euen with the zeale of that noble Prophet and King: I wyll not enter into the tabernacle of my house, nor get vp into my bed, I wil not suffer mine eyes Psal. 132. 2to sleepe, nor mine eyelyds to slumber, vntyl I hauehave caused this land which thou hast blessed to spue out the surfetings of this deadly poyson. O Lord God thou that art able, bryng this good thing to passe, let not our synnes seperate betwene vsus and thy goodnes, but open thine eares vntounto our praiers, and poure out thy compassions vponupon vsus, that we & our Rulers may all reioyce and syng together wyth thy Saintes in the Apocalips, Allelu-iah, saluation, Apo. 19. 2and glory, & power be to thée O Lord our God, for true and righteous are thy iudgementes, and thou hast condemned the great whoore which did corrupt the earth with her fornication. And therfore make vsus say continuallye Allelu-iah, and her smoke let it ryse vp for euermore. Amen.
Farewell good Christian Reader, and forget not thy deutie to blesse them wyth thy prayer, who hauehave blessed thée with libertye, and helpe them to the gloryous triumphe of the Gospel of Christ, who hauehave broken from thy neck the yoke of Antichrist, that they may long rule with righteousnes, with peace, and with ioy in the holy Ghost, whose gouernmēt hath made thée free from the bondage of Aegypt, from the spiritual Baby lou, from Pope and papacie, which shame hath shadowed, and shal at the last close it vp for euer.
From my Chamber. the. 22. of Aprill. 1572. Thyne in the Lord.vE. D.
Roma. 8. 22.
¶ EueryEvery creature groneth together and traueleth in payne vntyll this present. and not onelye the creature, but we also which hauehave the first fruites of the spirit, euen we do sigh in our selues, wayting for the adoption, euen the redēption of our bodies.