The Image of Both Pastors Set Forth, History 1

The Image of Both Pastors Set Forth · History 1

The Image of both Paſtours, or miniſters ſet forth by that famouſe Clerck Huldriche zwinglius, and now tranſlated out of Latyn into Engliſſhe by Iohn Vtron Seuonoys.

Th…y were called Apoſtolyke men that were diſciples of the Apoſtles, as Luke & marke were.THat in tymes paſte, many admonitiōs were geuen by the prophetes, in the olde Teſtament, & in the newe by apoſtolyke men, yea, & the Apoſtels thē ſelues, whych were the chief miniſters of Chriſtes churche, vntounto the Paſtours of the people, euerye man doeth know, that only hath redde with a diligent mynd, their bokes & writinges, in the which, mooſte deare brethren in Chriſt, & moſt faythful ſeruauntes, and miniſters in the houſe of god, we may deprehende and fynde very ſute tokēs of this thinge. Wherfore I hauehave thoughte that it was alſo lawfull for me, to ſpeake, talcke, and reaſon, wyth all the fydelytie and diligence that cā be, of oure commune offyce and admynyſtration, and that mooſte eſpeciallye in thys godly and dyuyne Sinode,A Synode is an aſſē ble or convocatiō of y^e clergye togeath .x. wher ſo many hūdreth of Paſtours, ſo great numbre of learned menne, and alſo ſo great a multitude of brethrē, that with a feruent deſyre do thyrſte for the word of God, are aſſembled. Let vsus therfore, in gods holy name begynne oure matter.

The Chriſtian Paſtour, and flocke, whych he taketh vppon hym to feede, doeth wyth ſoche euydence and lyuelyneſſe expreſſe the type & fygure of thee dyuyne Maieſtie, and of vsus al:The ſcripture of the old Teſtamēt, doeth adumorate & ſhadowe the diuine prouydēce of god vnderunder the ſimilitude & ſhadow of a ſhepeherde. that the Scripture of thee olde Teſtamente is wonte often tymes too ſhadowe vnderunder thee ſimilitude and Image of a Paſtoure or ſhepeherde, that euerlarſtynge prouydence of thee hyghe God, where wyth he doeth beholde, care for, rule, & as a faythfull houſholder, diſpoſe all thynges, that is to ſaye, when it doeth depicte and ſette forth that moſt hygh gouernour of the worlde, vnderunder the perſonne of a ſhepeherde, and vsus vnderunder the ſimilitude of ſhepe. What ſhoulde we ſaye? Syth that the ſauiour of vsus all, Ieſus Chriſte doeth voucheſafe to call hym ſelfe by the name of a ſhepeherd? Iohn .x chap. For he is thee true fode, in hym the fatte Paſtours of the ſoules are layde forth vntounto vsus, to be ſhorte, he is that true leader & ſhepeherde of the …ocke, which hath brought vsus miſerable & wretched ſinners, out of the thick darckeneſſe of ignoraunce, and ſnares of mennes traditions, into that pleaſaunte lyghte, of gods wyſdom, and in to the lybertye of the ſonnes of God.

Wher the offyce of a ſhepeherde or paſtour oughte to be learnedWherfore it ſhall be neceſſarye for all theym, that are ſente as Paſtours, to feede the flocke of thee LORDE, that they receaue and take thee admynyſtration and lawes of theyr offyce oute of none other Doctryne, than out of thee pure, and ſyncere woorde of God, whyche in theſe latter tymes dyd declare, manyfeſte, expound and expreſſe it ſelfe vyſyblye and mooſte lyuely, wythe greate lyghteſomneſſe and euidence in Chriſt Ieſus thee trewe and naturall ſonne of thee Father, whyche thynge was alſo done before in thee olde Teſtament (thoughe it was ſome what darckelye) in thee tymes of thee Patriarches and Prophetes.The diuiſion of the whole worke. We ſhall therefore looke fyrſte vppon Goddes woorde at Chiſtes mouthe, and in hys Actes (whyche Chriſte is alſo a trewe God.) Then by and by, we wyll ſeke oute thee ſame in thee Prophetes and Apoſtles, that we maye knowe thereby, howe excellent, and of what dignitie and worthyneſſe the offyce of a Paſtour is, whom by other names we doo cal ether a Byſhop, or Perſon, a Vicar, or Curate, a preacher, prophete or Euangelyſte. Secondely we ſhall lykewyſe depicte and ſet forth the falſe prophetes in theyr owne coloures, that they may the better and more eaſely be knowen and taken hede of. We wyll alſo declare and ſet forth the punyſhmente, whych is prepared for theym, that thee knowledge, and vnderſtandinge of it, may ether bring them to amendement, or yf they refuſe it, moue the Magiſtrates, to remoue & put them frō theyr benefyces and rowmes that they are in.Chriſt is y^e true exāple of a good Paſtour.

But leaſt we ſhuld be fayne to tarye longe vponupon the mooſte holy & profunde myſteryes of that wonderfull incarnation and natiuitie of oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſte, we wyll begynne to ſpeake of thoſe thynges, whiche he both dyd and taughte, ſence thee tyme that he was manyfeſted vntounto thys worlde. Amonge thee whyche, we fynde thys thynge fyrſte, that he, beynge broughte into thee Temple, accordinge to thee preſcripte of thee lawe, was receaued into Symeons armes, and not wythout hyghe gratulation and ioye, which after that he hadde declared wyth many wordes, that he was thee Sauiour of all the whole worlde, turned hym ſelfe to his mother, and ſayd:Luke ii.Luke 2 Behold, this chylde is ſette to be thee fall and vpryſynge agayne of many in Iſraell,The Paſtoure is y^e ſtone of of fence & vpreſinge agayne and for a ſygne, whych is ſpoken agaynſte. And more ouer the ſworde ſhall pearce thy ſoule, that the thoughtes of manye hartes may be opened. Thys therfore, ſhall the Paſtour, afore of all thynges perſwade hym ſelfe in hys mynd, that there ſhall be many, whych ſhall waxe worſſe by hys fode, doctryne, and laboure, and alſo that manye beyng taughte and inſtructed by hym, ſhall ryſe from theyr ſynnes and fylthyneſſe therof. And alſo that there ſhall be alwayes ſome vngodlye and vnfaythful perſonnes, whyche ſhall wythſtande hys Doctryne and godlye endeuours. For, thee fleſſhelye man doeth not receaue that ſpyrytuall woorde of God, but rather doeth reſyſte it wythe all hys whole ſtrengthe. Whereby, it is wonte to enſue and folowe alſo, that thee Paſtour beynge moſte greuouſlye hated and layde wayt for,The Paſtour is in not wythout peryl & ieopardye by thoſe wicked and vngodlye enemyes of Goddes worde, is alwayes in peryll and ieopardye. Thys thynge alſo the parentes, kynſfolckes and frendes muſte be ſurely perſwaded, nor oughte to loke for any other ende of thys mynyſtery and function, but that theyr chyldren, kynſefolckes and frendes beynge called to thys office, ſhal be hated, mocked derided and laughed to ſcorne of al mē, yea, and that before theyr owne eyen. For thee nature of fleſſhe, is not ſoche, that it can ſuffice it ſelfe to be kept and holden in ſo, that it doeth not breake forth at ſome tymes, and goo about to folowe hys owne ſtudyes and affections. Here therfore a greate grief and ſorowe doeth ſprynge and ryſe in thee myndes of the parentes and kynſfolckes, here alſo they do feele that ſwerd, whiche not wythoute greate griefe & dolour dyd pearce thee …oule of Mary. For it is ſo ordeyned by nature, that patentes do louelove theyr chyldren ſo tenderly, that they are wonte to hauehave exceadynge great compaſſyon on them, not onelyonly, when they are afflicted without a iuſte cauſe, but alſo when they are puniſhed deſeruingly. Dauid is an example or proue of this thinge, which doth ſo ſore lament and bewayle the deſtruction and death,…. Regum xviii. of hys moſte vngodly and vnfaythfull ſonne Abſalon.

It is y^e of fi…e of a paſtour nether to d…, nor to learue vndone any thinge for the louelove & reſpecte of hys parentesAgayn it is the duety and part of a faythfull paſtour, to renunce, & forſake the louelove, frendſhip, and amytye of hys parentes, and to do nothing in fauour of them, but go on ſtyll, & perſyſte ſtedfaſtly in the worke of the Lord, without any reſpecte of thē, whych thing Chriſt with his owne example doeth teache in the ſame place. For, when Ioſeph, and the vyrgyn Mary hys mother, had by thee ſpace of .iii. dayes, wyth a heauye harte ſought hym, and at length hadde found hym in the myddeſt of the Doctours & Scribes, hys mother dyd ſome what ſharpely reprehēde or rebuke him ſaying: Sonne, why haſt thou ſo done vntounto vsus. Beholde, thy father and I dyd wyth a heauye harte ſeeke the: He dyd anſwere, why dyd ye ſeke me? Dyd ye not know that I muſte be in thoſe thinges, that belonge to my father. A Chriſtian paſtour then muſt be of that mynd and muſt be ſo affectioned, leaſt peraduenture, he beynge moued, wyth thee grief of his parentes, doeth ſlowely adminiſtre Gods worcke, and thee offyce that he hath receaued of hym. He ſhall (I ſaye) regarde nothynge, nor paſſe vppon thee wepynges of hys chyldren, nor thee mournynge and bewaylynge of hys wyfe, nor the affection and louelove of hys ſyſters and brethren, nor yet the teares of hys frendes, and kynſfolkes. For he ſeeth, that Ieſus Chriſte thee ſonne of the Vyrgyn Mary (whych els was mooſte obediente) dyd thee ſame.Mathe .x. Wherfore, when de dyd ſend hys diſcyples too preache thee goſpell, he dyd ſaye vntounto theym: He that loueth hys father and his mother aboue me, is not worthy of me. And he that loueth hys ſonne and hys daughter aboue me, is not worthye of me, or he is not mete for thys offyce and vocation. Alſo a faythfull paſtour ſhall not ſuffer hys patentes too hauehave anye auctoritye, or beare anye rule in thee admynyſtratyon and preachynge of Goddes woorde, that is too ſaye, he ſhall in noo wyſe admynyſter or preache the Goſpell, and worde of God, accordinge too their mynde, affection and Iudgemente. For, it is knowen howe ſharpely chriſt did ſpeake vntounto his mother, when ſhe being moued with a womanly affection, did begynne to exhort him,Iohn .ii. as he ſat at the mariage, that he ſhoulde miraculouſlye helpe theim withe wyne, for they wanted it. Did he not ſaye woman what hauehave I to do with thee? Let this, I ſay, be the ſtedfaſtneſſe and conſtancie of a paſtoure, lette this be thee firme, ſtedfaſt, and conſtant purpoſe of his minde, to reſpecte or regarde thee auctoritie of no mortal men, no, not of his owne mother, that bare him, but folowe on ſtyll the ryght courſe of his adminiſtration and office. And yf his parentes wyll to importinatelye with ſtande his godlye purpoſe, & w^t ſtubbernes and obſtinacye reſiſte thee euerlaſtinge worde of God, lette then a faithfull paſtoure counte hym ſelfe their vtter fooe and enemye, he ſhall forſake them, yea and hate them. For Chriſt ſē dinge forthe his diſciples doeth ſpeake vntounto them after this maner:Math .x. Thī ke not that I am come to ſende peace into the earthe. I came not to ſend peace, but a ſworde, for, I am come to ſett a man at variaunce, againſt his owne father, and the daughter agaynſte the mother, and the daughter in lawe, againſt her mother in lawe. And againe in Luke:Luke .xiiii Yf anye man, ſayeth he, doth come vntounto me, and doethe not hate his father, and his mother, his wyfe, and hys chyldren, and ſyſters, yea and hys owne lyfe, alſo he can not be my diſcyple. For, a faythful paſtour of the Lordes flocke, muſte bee ſo wholye geuen and addicted to God the father,Though y^e children oughte rather to forſake theyr parentes, thā to ſwarue one iote frō thee trueth of gods worde, yet notwythſtandynge we do not teache thē too withdraw theyr helping hand frō thē in the time of neceſſitie & nede. that he ſhall alſo be readye to hate hys owne parentes (whoſe louelove, and carefull lokyng to, the lawes of god do in an other place commende) yf at anye tyme they go aboute to let his godly functyon and offyce, howbeit, theſe thynges, that we hauehave rehearſed nowe, are not commaunded to the Paſtours onelyonly, but to all mankynde, but yet fyrſte of all, they are requyred of Paſtoure, too whome alſo they oughet chyefelye to be referred. Now therfore, I do thynke, that we hauehave declared ſuffycyently ynoughe, and that ye doo well ſee and perceaue, howe a Paſtoure ought to be hauehave hym ſelfe, towardes his parentes, leſte the reſpecte of theym ſhoulde brynge hym anye let or impediment. And agayne it hathe bene ſhewed how the parentes ought to be affectyoned & minded, that is to ſay, how they ought in no wyſe to hope, loke, or gape, for any honours, and glorye of this worlde in their childrē, that be ſēt to this meſſage and choſen to this office, yea let them know this alſo for a ſurety, that theyr chyldren can not but hate theim, yf they goo aboute at anye tyme too lefte theym in thys functyon and buſyneſſe of thee Lorde.how a faythful Paſtour oughte to be affectioned towardes hym ſelfe. But nowe wee ſhal ſe how the Paſtour oughte to be affectyoned towardes hym ſelfe.

Chriſt the ſauyoure of the world, and infallyble example of oure lyfe. Math xvi. chap. and Luc. ix. chap. ſpeakethe after thys maner: Yf any manne wyll come after me, lette hym forſake hym ſelfe, and take vppe hys croſſe and folowe me, for he that wyll ſaue hys lyfe, ſhall loſe it. And agayne: he that ſhall loſe hys lyfe for my ſake, ſhall fynde it. Here fyrſte and formeſte we doo ſee that it is requyred that a manne do vtterlye forſake hym ſelfe. For, thee nature of man is ſuche that he thynkethe alwayes hym ſelfe to be ſomewhat, or too bee worthye of no ſmall honoure, promyſynge vntounto hym ſelfe alwayes mountaynes of golde, of hys owne ſtrengthe and wyſedom. But here nowe, it is neceſſarye that a manne doo as a ſeruaunte all togeather oppygnorate, bynde, and gyue hym ſelfe ouer vntounto almyghtye god, and therewythe, caſte or throwe hym ſelfe wholye downe in hys ſyght. For he ſhall alwayes hauehave an eye onelye too God, to learne hys wyl, nor he ſhal in no wyſe enterpryſe too doo anye thynge of hys owne ſtrength and wyſdome, but ſtyll ſhall conſyder, beholde and loke vppon, that one onelyonly and infallyble example of hys lyfe whyche is God, and doo all thynges, accordynge to thee preſcrypte of hys worde. But as ſone as he hathe doone thys, by and by ſhall thee croſſe offer it ſelfe, whyche euerye daye muſte bee taken vponupon oure ſhoulders, for euerye daye he ſhal feele newe cares, new heauineſſe, and ſome new miſfortune, whiche all, he ſhall ſuffre pacyentlye, nor ſhall in anye wyſe, or at anye tyme ſhake of the yoke, that the Lorde hath ſette vppon hym For, yf any man doethe forſake hym ſelfe, and ſo, leauynge the fleſſhe and Sathan, cometh vntounto Chriſt, for to hauehave, or that he may hauehave onelye, in all his doynges, an eye vntounto God, euerye daye, he ſhall ſee a greate numbre of theym, that hauehave not yet forſaken theym ſelues, which companye ſhall farre paſſe thee numbre of the godly and faythfull. Now, theſe contrarye kyndes of people or of menne, can no more agre amonge them ſelues, than fyre and water. For the fleſhe doethe couet agaynſt the ſpyryte, & the ſpyryte agaynſte the fleſhe.Galat. iii.Gal 3 The fleſhe chalenging vntounto it ſelfe no leſſe knowledge & adminiſtraciō of the truth and of good thinges, thā the ſpirit:The nature of oure corrupted fleſſhe. ſhe thinketh alwaies y^t ſhe cā do ſome thyng, & doeth promiſe vntounto her ſelf, a very great knowledg of holy thī ges. And although ſhe doth plainely ſe y^t her workes in cōpariſō of the diuyne workes of god ar nothīg els but a vaine painting, decēitfulnes, & as yf a mā myght ſay, a chyldyſhe play & game: yet notw^tſtandyng doeth ſhe diſdayne to geue place of the ouer hande to thee diuine maieſtye. How beit though ſhe doth counterfeyt before men no ſmall godlynes, and true religion, yet in the meane ſeaſō can ſhe in no wyſe eſcape the iudgment of a godly and faytheful man, which hath wholye and from the very hart forſakē hym ſelf. For, he doeth quickly ſmelle out the affectiōs of the fleſhe, & the cō …umacie or ſtubbernes y^t is naturally toted in her: as ſone as ſhe ones begynneth to ſet forthe her ſelf. But yf he ones enterpryſeth or go about to bryng to lyght the paynting, hipocryſie,Who ſoeuer goeth about to …etecte & opē y^e hipocryſye of thee fleſhe ſhall fele ſorow & trouble. & deceytefull nature of the fleſhe, by and by, ſhall he feele her enemytye & armure. For, ſtrayght wayes armyng, and weapynge her ſelfe, wyth moſt ygnominiōs, reprocheful, and opprobrious wordes, ſhe ſhall furiouſlye flye vppon hym, that hath touched her payntinge and hypocryſye, neuer ceaſſynge too ſpende all her whole ſtrengthe agaynſte him, tyll ſhe can eyther ouerthrowe or vtterlye deſtroye hym. Chriſte therefore, wyllethe vsus afore all thynges to bee perſwaded, that euerye day, we muſte beare a croſſe, for y^t more, that gods word doth encreaſe & floriſh, the more doth the croſſe, & perſecutyon ryſe and folowe, the greater that thee proceding of gods word is,The godli oughte neuer to loke for peace & quietnes in this world the more furyous & angrye doeth the fleſhe waxe. Therfore they are all together deceaued and erre all the worlde wyde, y^t are wonte to hope and gape for peace and quietneſſe, nor wyll ſuſtaine or abyde y^e greuous ſcornes of perſecutiōs, for the holy wordes ſake, or thinke y^t they muſt ſuffre none For, though the people doth by flockes & ſwarmes flie to y^e word of god, & w^t feruēte ſtudies come vntounto chriſt, yet not w^tſtanding, we ſhal feele, that euer moch perſecutyon, and croſſe, ſhalbe ſtyrred vp agaynſte vsus, by the mighty rulers of the world, which wyl alwayes, w^t al their ſtrength endeuours, & myght, withſtand & reſyſt the euāgelical doctrine. Yes, put y^e caſe, y^t ther be no ſuch in the world, or that the Princes & rulers do fauor y^e truth of y^t goſpel yet ſhal we neuertheles ſe falſe teachers & falſe Apoſtles,The nature of falſe teachers & falſe apoſtle. ryſe daylye, which hauing more learnyng, & knowledge, thā charitie & louelove, wyl ſet forth them ſelues not wythout great hynderaūce of the truth of gods worde. For, they w^tout any vrgent cauſe, ſtyrryng vp contentious and ſtryfes, for euerye lyght tryfle, ſhal greuouſly offend the weake and meke harted, they care not though they al offend y^e worlde, ſo that they may be counted of the ſimple and ygnoraunt people greate clerkes and well learned. Here therefore ſhall a newe gryef and croſſe riſe and come vp on vsus, which doth require in vsus a new & whole ſtrēgth. For, they that at ſoūd & ſtedfaſt or cōſtant in y^e faith muſt nedes be ſore greued in their mindes,It is a greate …roſſe to the godly to ſe the weake too be offēded whē they ſe the weake to be offended, and truly ther can be no greater, greuouſer, or bytrerer gryefe vntounto a godly man, as Paule teſtyfyethe of hym ſelfe to the Corinthi. ſayinge?ii. Cori. xi. Who is offended, and I burne not? What neadethe many wordes? Euerye daye we muſte take a newe croſſe vponupon vsus: for, chryſte lyeth not, when he doth ſay:math, vi Suffycient vntounto the day, is the trauaile therof. And in an other place:math .x. He that wyll ſaue his life, ſhal loſe it. Wher ye muſt marke & note, y^t this word, anima (whiche communely is taken for the ſoule or lyfe of mā) doth not only in this place ſignifie, y^e lyfe, y^t we do lyue in thys body but alſo y^e mind, intēt purpoſe or counſail of mā. Who ſoeuer thē, for to ſaue this frayle & tranſitory life, doth vnfaithfully fal from the word of god, ſhal loſe hys lyfe, who ſoeuer truſtyng in his owne learnyng, wyſdom, counſailes, & intent or purpoſe of his mynde, wyl not ſuffre hym ſelf to be plucked frō it, but rather honeth, y^t by it he ſhal obtaine the true beatytude & euer laſtyng felicitie, ſhal alſo loſe his lyfe and caſte awaye hys ſoule. Therefore, the paſtour ſhall vtterly forſake hym ſelf, he ſhal al together caſte and throw down him ſelf before god, he ſhal vtterly take and baniſhe away the froward intent or purpoſe of is obſtakle & ſtubborne mynde, & eueryevery day prepare him ſelfe to beare ſome newe croſſe. For, chriſt dyd alſo folow y^e ſame way and rule, euer ſubmitting his wyll to hys fathers wyl, which he dyd alwayes obeye, bearing the croſſe that was layde vpō him, tyl he was takē vp, to that glory that he ſhulde ſyt at thee ryghte hande of the father.

After that the paſtour hath forſaked hī ſelf he muſt be repleniſſhed w^t the ſpirite of godAs ſone thē, as y^e paſtour (& not only he, but alſo eueryevery mortal mā) hath for ſakē himſelf, & by this forſaking, hath wholy euacuated him ſelf, y^t is to ſay, hath made hī ſelf of no reputatiō ī his own ſight, next of al it behoueth y^t he be filled or repleniſhed w^t God, y^t is to ſay, that he put al his hope & truſt in y^e one only god. Our lorde Ieſus chryſte did both performe & expreſſe thee ſame in his diſciples, whō by & by as ſone as they leauing al thinges did ſtick & cleaue only to him, he did not only prouide for, concerning externe & outwarde thinges, y^t is to ſay, meate & drinke and clothing, & that ſo lyberally, that they beinge aſked, whether they wanted any thing, when they were ſent to preach the goſpel w^tout ſcrip or wallet, dyd anſwere that they did lack no maner of thyng: but alſo wylled them to bee withoute all care, and too take no thought, what they ſhuld aunſwere, yf at any tyme they ſhuld be brought before Kynges and Princes,Math. x.Matt 10 for in the ſame ſelfe houre, ſayth he: it ſhalbe geuen you, what ye ſhall aunſwere. Beſydes that he dyd not commit vntounto thē the full offyce of preachinge, afore that he blowing vponupon them (as we may ſee in the .xx. cha. of Iohn) dyd ſay: Receaue ye the holy ghoſt, ſignifying therby that no mā is mete to fede the people, & that no man can well & truely execute the offyce of a Paſtour,To euacuate hī ſelfe whyche is halfe a latin phraſe, is too eſteme hī ſelfe of no reputatiō. Philip .ii. excepte he vtterly forſakinge & euacuatinge hym ſelfe hath God inhabytinge, dwellinge, and ſpeakinge in, or by hym. Beſydes that, he doth commaunde thē alſo, that they ſhuld not depart frō Hieruſalē, tyl that they had receaued the ſpirite,**Actuū. i y^t was promyſed unto thē. Which, being receaued, they dyd by & by beginne, and not without great gratulation and ioye of myndes, the function & offyce of preachinge, for ſo it behoueth to be, leaſt the Paſtour do le…de the ſhepe cōmitted vntounto him, into any other paſtours, than in to the ſame, out of the whych, he hathe pycked & gathered y^e fode of gods worde, that is to ſaye, into the knowledge of the true god, & into a conſtant & moſt ſure confidēce in him only. Yf he wyll thē ſet forth theſe thīges vntounto y^e people, that is cōmitted vntounto him, he mu… himſelfe learne to know god fyrſt, and put hys hole affi…unct truſt, and confidence in hym onelyonly.

Theſe thinges being thus promiſed & done, he ſhal begin to preach y^e worde, after y^e ſame maner that chriſt him ſelfe dyd vſe. For, he being about to teach y^e worlde, dyd ſaye: Repēt ye, for, the kingdom of heauē is at hand.Repētāce is the fyrſt part of the preachyng of the goſpel. Whych forme and maner Iohn baptiſt, the fore renner of Chriſt Ieſus dyd obſerue. But who wyll repent, who wyl amende his lyfe, that afore doeth not vnderſtande and knowe howe wycked and euyll he is? Therfore the ſyckeneſſe & dyſeaſe muſt be fyrſt ſhewed and declared, & than afterwardes y^e ſaluatiō ought to be preached. No mā ought to be moued, y^t oure lord & ſauiour Ieſus chriſt,Math. x marke .xviMatt 10 doth commaunde to preache only ſaluatiō, & the goſpel. For, the ſickenes muſt be knowē afore y^t any mā wyl ſuffre the medicine to be miniſtred vntounto him. Chriſt alſo in thoſe places y^t we now hauehave made mention of, doth by a more ſwete pleaſant & cōfortable word, denominate, & cal the preaching of the goſpel grace, becauſe that the goſpell is the ioyful tyding of that moſt ſure & infallible grace,What the knowledg of ſynne doth worke in vsus. which of god is graūted, & geuē vntounto vsus. The knowledge of ſynne, which we do nede here moſt of al, bringeth vsus to y^e poynte, y^t we doo vtterly diſpayre of oure owne ſelfes, wherfore, it cōpelleth, dryueth & forceth vsus, to flye vntounto the gratuite, and free mercy of god, of the whych we are moſt ſure, ſyth y^e god y^e father dyd geue his only begottē ſōne for vsus. Wherfore chriſt (as it is ſayd before) dyd vouchſaue to call the hole miſery of our ſaluatiō, a medicine. And in an other place, as Luk. xxiiii. he doth ioyne both togeather▪ y^t is to ſaye, repētaunce & forgeuenes of ſynnes, ſaying: So it behoueth y^t chriſt ſhuld ſuffer & riſe agayn frō death the thyrd daye, & that repentaūce, & remiſſion of ſynnes ſhulde be preached among all natiōs in my name. Beholde, how he hath here ioyned both together & ſetteth forth vntounto vsus, both repētāce & forgeuenes of ſynnes. For no man can worthely delight in the preachinge of y^e goſpel, no mā can worthely receaue it w^t a full ioye, excepte he hathe afore a full knowledge of his ſyckeneſſe & diſeaſe, that is to ſaye, of hys ſynnes.

The ſecōd care of a paſtour is to take hede▪ y^t they, which doo repent, periſh not agayne.But now as ſoone as the wretched & miſerable mā doeth know his ſicknes, infirmitie & diſeaſe, & ſeing y^e filthines of his ſynnes, doth alſo eſpye, deprehēd and fynde a ſure knowledge, & hope of ſaluation in Ieſus Chriſt: he oughte in no wyſe afterwardes to lyue in ſynne. For ſith y^t in chriſt Ieſus we are al dead to ſynne, we can not afterwardes lyue in ſynne, as the holy Apoſtle S. Paule doth largely & copiouſly declare & ſhewRoma, vi. This ſhal therfore be one of the chiefeſt and greateſt care of a Paſtour, and true ſhepeherde, to watche diligently, and as nyghe as he can, to take hede & beware, that the ſhepe, which are already waſhed & clenſed, do not voyltre thē ſelfes agayne in the ſtinking myre, and puddell of ſynne. For, after y^t the faythfull, are ones come into the knowledge of theyr ſaluacion, and hauehave taſted of the gratuite & free mercy of god, which the heauenly father doth moſt liberally graunt & gyue vntounto vsus: it is moſt cō uenient, that they do leade an innocent lyfe and pure, from all contagiouſe fyl thyneſſe of ſynne, leaſt parchaunce they dye agayne. For as Chriſt, beyng ones ryſen from death, dyeth nomore, death hath nomore power ouer hym: ſo they doyng or putting of the olde man, ſhal put on the new, whych is created after the lykenes of god, that is to ſaye: oure Lorde Ieſus Chriſt hym ſelf.what it is to putt on Chriſt. They do (ſayth the ſcripture) put on chriſt, that walke and lyue, as Chriſt him ſelf dyd lyue here in the earth. Therfore he doth byd and commaund his diſciples after the ſame maner:mat. xxviii Go ye therfore and teache all nations, and baptiſe them in the name of the father, the ſonne, & the holy ghoſt, teachinge them to obſerue & kepe, what ſoeuer I hauehave commaūded you. For, who ſoeuer doth not thincke eueryevery day vpō y^e amēdemēt of his lyfe, after that he feleth him ſelf to be redemed by Chriſt, & renewed, doth cōtempne the name of chriſt, abuſing the ſame moſt ſhamefully, yea, rather he is thee cauſe, that the holye name of chriſt is euyll ſpoken of, and blaſphemed among the infidels and vngodly. We do reade therfore, that the holye Apoſtle S. Peter doth not wythout a good cauſe ſay:i. Pet. ii.l.1 Pet 2 for as moch then as Chriſt hath ſuffred for vsus in the fleſhe, arme ye your ſelues lykewyſe wyth the ſame mynde, for he, which ſuffreth in the fleſhe, ceaſſeth frō ſynne, that hence forward he ſhuld lyue (as moche tyme, as remayneth in thee fleſſhe) not after the luſtes of men, but after wyll of God. For it is ſufficiente for vsus, y^t we hauehave ſpent thee tyme, y^t is paſt of our lyfe, after the wyl of the Bētils, walking in wātounes, luſtes, in exceſſe of wyne, in exceſſe of eatinge, in exceſſe of drinking, or drōkenes, & in abhominable Idolatrie. By the whyche wordes, we maye eaſely ſee &perceyue or vnderſtand, y^t we hauehave not yet fulfylled nor done fully our duety, yf we ſhewe and declare the ſaluation which is pourchaſed by Chriſt, for, we hauehave moſt nede too beware and take hede, that we do not loſe agayne the ſaluation which is gotten and purchaſed vntounto vsus therby, as moſt vnfaythfull Apoſtates & Traytours, moſt vngodly blaſphemyng the holye and bleſſed name of thee lyuinge God.

It is y^e dut…e of a paſtour to lyue accordī ge too hys doctryne y^t he teachethWhich thing y^t it may be cōmodiouſly brought to paſſe & done, ther is none other way more cōmodiouſe & redy, thā yf the honeſtye of the paſtour be ſoche, y^t he ſhal with his workes & dayly example of lyuing expreſſe the thing, that he doth teache wyth his mouth, and wordes. Which thing, Chriſt doeth highlye requyre.mathew. v Who ſoeuer (ſayeth he) ſhall breake the leaſt of theſe cōmaundementes, & teache men to do ſo, he ſhalbe called leſſe in the kingdom of heauē. But who ſoeuer ſhal both do & teach, he ſhal be called great in the kingdō of heauē. For, this is moſt ſure, no man is able to denye this, but that it is a playne payntinge and hypocryſye to ſpeake gaylye of god, and in the meane ſeaſon to lyue nothing after the rule & preſcript of his word. Which thing S. Paul doth manifeſtly declare, wryting to Titus,Titum. i. whē he ſayeth: They confeſſe, y^t they knowe god, whō w^t their dedes, they do vtterly denye, ſyth y^t they be abhominable & diſobedient, & vnapte to eueryevery good worcke. And again,Roman. ii he writeth after this maner: Which teacheſt another, and doeſte not teache thy ſelf, which preacheſt y^t a man ſhuld not ſteale, & thou ſtealeſt, whiche ſayeſt y^t a man ſhuld not commit adultery, and thou breakeſt wedlock, why the abhorreſt ydols, & robbeſt god of his glory, which boaſteſt in the lawe, & by y^e breakīge of the law doeſt diſhonor god, for the name of god is yll reported and ſpoken of, among the Bētyls for your ſakes. Therfore the paſtour ſhall wyth all care and ſtudy beware & take hede, y^t he do not deſtroye, with his fylthyelyuyng & cōuerſation, the thinge, that he doeth buyld & ſet vp with his doctrine and traditiōs, for the nature of mans wit is ſoche, that y^e weaker perſons are ſore offended with this thing, they wyl not ſuffre thē ſelfes lightely to be won, drawen, & allured with gods worde, yf they ſee that the lyfe and conditions of the paſtoure, do not agree with the doctryne, whych is pure, holy and ſounde.

The paſtour oughte diligent…ie to ſhūne y^e hypocritycal faynynge of relygion.Finally here, with a diligent mynd and moſt vigilant care hede muſt be taken y^t the paſtour be not decked wythe any hypocritical clothing & fayned colouring of godlynes, rather than with that true, and pure wedding garment, which for the moſt parte, is wont to be now a dayes: that is to ſaye, good bede muſt be taken, that he be not clothed in a ſhepes ſkynne, wearing a lōge gowne downe to the fete, a longe fattynet tippet, or a wyde & broade hoode, cominge downe to his very myddell (theſe thinges,Many yet do ſeke by theſe tryme trames to crep… in to the eſtymation of the people god woot, hauehave ben, and are yet taken of ſome, for moſt infallible tokens, and ſygnes of a godly & deuout mynd) wher as he doth beare a mynd repleniſſhed and flowinge ouer wythe auarice and coueteouſneſſe, as all moſte all thee Doctours of diuinitie are wont to be, ſpecially ſoche, as the worlde hathe in eſtimation: Agayne, that he god not abroade in y^e ſtretes, with a bowed necke, lokynge downe, wythe his face to the ground,O ye hypocrites waſſhe ye rather the inner part of the cup. wher as he hath a harte pufte vp, with all kynde of arrogancye and pryde: Item that he doo not weare a whyte rotcher, which is a ſygne of chaſtitie, & clenlyneſſe, where as he is more laſtiuious, wantonne, and lecherous, than anye he gote, or ſtynkynge bore: Farthermore that he doo not weare hygh ſhoone aboue the ankles, & a depe cappe downe benethe his eares, where as he doth nouriſhe and cloke inwardly in his hart, the moſt pernityous mō ſters of enuye and hatered: Fynallye that he do not mummell euerye fote a, m. Pſalmes, and in the meane ſeaſon doth leaue and neglect the plaine, light ſome, and euerlaſtyng worde of God.The ſymple & rude people by y^e outwarde ſhew of ceremonyes is broughte to hypocryſy & ſuperſtition. For, yf the ſimple & rude people, doeth ſe ſuch outwarde ſhew of worckes, ſet forth before their eyen, in their teacher or Paſtour, what ſhal they ſuck out of it, but a vayne & vngodly hypocryſye? which the paſtour or teacher, doth outwardlye ſhewe, but inwardlye in his harte, is not a lytle troubled, and exercyſed, with the aluremētes & coūſayls of his affections. This therfore ſhalbe the duty & offyce of a Paſtoure, to frame & order his lyfe, not according to y^e preſcrybed rules of mens tradytions, but according to the rule of gods worde, wherof he is a miniſter, For, excepte he doth the ſame, he ſhal plant nothinge elles, but a playne hypocryſie, as it is ſayde euen nowe.Chriſt is a mo te perfect exāple of the Paſtours life And ſythe that he hathe chriſte, for a moſte perfect example of hys lyfe, he ought wyth all care and diligēce to folow him. Wherfore, yf chriſte was fartheſt from all hypocriſye, and hypochriticall workes: we ought in no wiſe to be ſtudious or folowers of thē. For, he is y^e higheſt & moſt perfect God, which as it wāteth or lacketh nothing, ſo by mans induſtry, labor, & ſtudy nothīg cā euer be added vntounto it to make it more perfect. In thoſe thinges then, y^t pertaine & belōg to the miniſtery of the church, y^e paſtour ſhall folow the condiciōs & nature of a godly & a louing father. A louing & wyſe father, doth in no wiſe come forthe maſked into the ſyght of hys chyldren, to begge any thing of thē, but al his hole intēt, ſtudy & endeuour is, to teach, inſtruct, & bryng them vp ſo, y^t they maye liue a chaſt & impolluted life, that they may be frendly & gētyl vntounto al men, y^t they may be hurtful to no man liuing vpō the earth, y^t they may in al thīges, folow temperaunce & ſtubbernes or modeſtye, and alwayes abhorre al kyndes of temperaunce. Theſe are thee chyefe thynges wherein a Paſtour oughte to exercy ſe hym ſelfe, whych therfore is called by chriſt, a houſholder or ſtewarde. And Paul,i. Cor. iiii.1 Cor 4 not w^tout great ſorow & grief, doth cōplaine of y^e Corinthiās, y^t although they had a great nūbre of ſcole maiſters & teachers yet they had very few fathers. Wherby we do,Excepte y^e teacher is a father he is a p…ayn deceauer. & that by a ſure & infallible demonſtratiō gather, y^t they can in no wiſe be true teachers, except they be alſo very fathers of the congregatiō. For, y^e nature of fathers is ſuch, y^t they directīg both their dedes & ſayinges, to this ende, y^t they may profyt, and do good, vntounto other y^t cā neuer be ſene to ſeke their own profyt & aduātage, of y^e diſprofit, & harme of theyr chyldrē, wherfore, no man can be a faythfull, & true Paſtoure, excepte he doeth beare a fatherly affection, towardes the flocke, that is commytted vntounto hym. And yf the teachers do not delyght & hauehave a pleaſure in thoſe thī ges, y^t they do teach, they ar very deceauers of y^e people, but yf thei do exerciſe thē ſelues in thoſe thinges y^t they doo ſet forth & inioine vntounto other, by their doctrine: that lyuely example of y^e true Paſtour, ſhal bryng more vtilitie & profyte, to the ſhepe committed vntounto him, & ſhall take greater increaſe, than yf they ſhuld, as tynkelyng braſſe, reſoūde a. M. tymes the holy oracles & word of god. Agayne yf they neglectyng the word of the Lorde do teach hym value traditions & fables expreſſing as nigh as they can, the ſame doctrine of their, both in theyr bedes & lyuyng: They ar falſe prophetes, whom thee lorde hath oftentymes cōmaunded to ſlaye, kyll, and roote out of the earth.ye ſhal not eueryevery man do y^t thing y^e ſ…th good to you, but y^e thing …at I cōmeūd you, y^t doo ye onli ſayeth y^e lord. But of thē, we wyll ſneake hereafter. Therfore, the paſtour ſhal not initiate & folowe, n… yet expreſſe in his owne lyuinge, y^e exemplary and paterne of thoſe thinges, that eyther he hym ſelfe, or other do iudge to be good, & acceptable vntounto god, but he ſhall frame hys lyfe after, or accordynge too thoſe thynges, that god doeth requyre of vsus by hys word.

What the faythfull paſtour ought too preacheNow any man may eaſelye know, vnderſtād & gather, by this, that hathe bene ſayde hetherto, what thynge it is that a chriſtian paſtoure oughte too preache: Truly none other thyng, but the pure worde & ſcryptures of the eternall & euerlaſtynge god. For, oure of theym ſhall he brynge forthe thoſe thynges that ſhall induce and brynge the people commytted vntounto hym, in to y^e knowledge of their infirmitye, weakeneſſe, and diſeaſe, that is to ſaye, of theyr ſynnes. Whyche after that they hauehave ones knowen perfectly, they ſhal alſo feele that there is no maner of ſtrength in man, wherewyth he maye obtayne ſaluatyon. Then ſhall he by and by declare and ſhew vntounto them, the mercy of god, vntounto whome they maye with their hole harte and vndoubted fayth & affyaunce commyt thē ſelues, and that chyefely for thys cauſe, y^t they ſe that moſt hygheſt & merciful father, to hauehave delyuered vsus, his one only begotten ſonne, oure lorde and ſauyoure Ieſus chriſt, for a moſte ſure pledge of his grace, by whom, we hauehave alwaies, a mooſte free acceſſe and paſſage vntounto thee throne and ſeate of thee dyuyne grace and mercy. After, then, that they hauehave, wyth a ſure and vndoubted faith knowen and vnderſtanded ones, thee hole matter of their ſaluacyō and that moſte ſure wrytynge and pledge of the mercye of god, ſo that they are already made the children of god, our heauē ly father, which afore, were the childrē of the fleſh & euerlaſting dāpnaciō, this duety ſhalbe requireth of thē, that they folowe hence forwarde thee lawes and rules or gods holy wyll: For, they are, a newe creature,Galat. vi.Gal 6 as we maye ſee. Therfore the Paſtoure, ſhall wythe an earneſt care & ſtudye beware and take hede, that the ſhepe, whych are alreadye cured and healed from their ſycknes & diſeaſe,The knowledge of the worde of God is neceſſari to a paſtour. ſhall not fall agayne into thee ſame dyſeaſes. But ſyth y^t this thyng can & ought to be miniſtred, by the operacion of gods worde onelye, no ſmall knowledge of gods word is requyred in him. Which oughte to be ſoughte none other wher, thā in the holye & ſacred ſcryptures of both Teſtamentes. But it ſhal profyt and auayle lytle or nothyng, to loke vponupon the outward letter except god doeth voucheſafe wyth hys inwarde vertue to draw the harte and mynde of man, and cauſe hym by hys ſpirite to credit hys word, and not too wraſte it at hys owne pleaſure, accordynge too hys inordynate, affectes, luſtes, and paſſyons, but rather folow the free, ſyncere, and playne meaning, ſenſe, and vnderſtandynge, of it, whyche the holye ſpyryte and grace of god hathe inſpyred. Paule doethe in fewe wordes, moſt lyuelye comprehende all theſe thynges, in thee later epyſtle too hys dyſcyple Timothe,ii. Tim. iii2 Tim 3 wrythyng after thys maner: All ſcrypture geuen by the inſpyratyon of god, is profytable, to teache, to improue, to amende, and to inſtructe in ryghteouſneſſe, that thee man of god maye be perfect, and prepared vntounto all good workes. All inſtitution, then, or teachynge, wherwythe the faythful Paſtour wyl fede hys people, ſhalbe ordered after thys fourme and rule. Whyche bokes bee Canonical & which be not, I hauehave no neade in thys place and at thys tyme to declare, for, I thynke that no man is ygnoraunte thereof, yf onelyonly he hathe anye ſyght in the knowledge of the tongues.

After y^t the Paſtour,The Paſtour muſt rebuke & rote away vyc…s. is wel inſtructed in al thoſe thīges, y^t pertaine to his kinſefolkes, his owne life & doctrine (for, of the louelove of god, we wyll ſpeake hereafter in a due time and place) y^t is moſt neceſſary for hym, to know & vnderſtand how he ought to be hauehave him ſelf in other externe & outward thīges, & what reward he oughte to loke for. The fyrſt thing, y^t offereth it ſelf, here in this place, is that he muſt wythe a bolde and ſtoute courage rebuke all noyſome and pernicyous vyces neyther fearyng the vayne pride & threateninges of thys worlde,The paſtoure oughte too dreade nothynge. nor yet beynge abaſhed, that he is on eueryevery ſyde layd wayte for, for, the lorde doeth inioyne the ſame to Hieremy,Hierem. i. ſaying: Behold, I put my wordes in thy mouth, and behold, this day do I ſet the ouer the people & kyngdomes, that thou mayſt rote out, breake of, deſtroy, & make waſte, & that thou mayſt build vp, & plante. Let therfore y^e paſtour be mighty, & of ablenes to ouerthrow eueryevery hygh thing, y^t exhalteth it ſelf, againſt y^e preſcript of gods worde▪ let him▪ w^t a bold ſtomack aſſawte and deſtroy all ſuch thynges, as Paul doth teach in the later epyſtle to the Corinthians.ii. Corin. x2 Cor 10 Chriſt him ſelf did leaue a moſt ſure & euident exāple of y^e ſame thing which example is to be folowed of al mē.The example of chriſte. For, after that he had ones, by his euerlaſting wyſdō perceyued, that the hipocryſie, & vnſatyable couetouſnes of y^e preſtes & ſcribes, was y^e cauſe & occation y^t the rude & vnlearned people dyd fall from the true and euerlaſtynge god, whyche ſymple people beynge as yf a man myghte ſaye, captyuated, and ſnarred, wyth the couetous deceates, tradityons, dreames, and fayned inuentions of thee priſtes, dyd he, wrapped in al kyndes of errour, he dyd rebuke no kynde of men, wythe ſoche ſeueryte, and ſharpeneſſe, as he dyd vſe agaynſt them, ſpeaking alway openly agaynſt theyr paynted hypocryſye, & fylthy coueteouſneſſe, for, he dyd, and not wythout great grief of mynd, pytye alwayes the poore people, whom thee deceyptfull craftes of thee prieſtes dyd deceaue, and that, becauſe that he dyd ſe thē deſtituted of the fode of gods worde,Mathe. i… which is that moſt pleaſaunte & gratious meate of thee ſoules, and that they dyd wante a true & faythful Paſtour, whych ſhoulde beare a fatherlye mynde & affiction towardes thē. Many tymes alſo, he doth teache and inſtruct thē gentely. And yf at any tyme neceſſytie doth requyre, that he muſt alſo rebuke them, yet doth he neuer vſe ſoch auſterite & ſharpeneſſe in rebuking, as he was wont to vſe agaynſt the vngodlye prieſtes, that ſo deceaued and ſeduced y^e people. For, layinge to theym lacke of knowledge, & ignoraunce of the trueth, he calleth them blinde guydes, vipers, generation of Sathan, hypocrites, ſhameles crauers, lyers, and other lyke names, whych thinge any man may ſee & learne in the bokes & wrytinges of all the Euāgeliſtes, wherfore we ſhal hauehave no nede here of many teſtimonies. But now, ſyth that in our tyme, this poyſoned euyl of hypocriſye, is growē to ſo great a power, hath gottē & pourchaſed lo great a ſtrength & myghte, & is come vp to that poynte, that it can or dare no more for ſhame hyde it ſelfe, but rather defende wyth ſtronge hand theyr deuylyſhe craftes and deceates, & that moſte ſhamefully, what (I praye the, o faythfull mynyſter in thee houſe of God) is beſte for the to doe? for, yf thou doeſte holde thy peace, the bloud of them that periſſhe, ſhalbe requyred at thy hande, which thing,Ezechī. iii. we may learne by the wordes of God in Ezechiel. And y^u ſeeſt that the hypocriſye of the Papiſtes (here I do call papiſtes,Al y^e ſpiritualty and clergie are Papiſtes except they do ether fauour or preach ſincereli gods worde. al the ſorte of thē that are called ſpirituall, or the clergye, thē beynge excepted, which preache purely and ſincerely the worde of God) hath gotten & pourchaſed ſo great treaſours of ryches, and ſo great myght & ſtrēgth that they hauehave no more nede of a cloke, to cloke theyr deceytful craftines with all (whyche thynge neuertheleſſe was moſte neceſſarye to the Prieſtes of thee Iewes, in the tyme of chriſt) but rather be not aſhamed to defende them ſelfes openly, wyth moſt myghty and ſtronge armes, y^t is to ſay, w^t rewardes & giftes, with warres, & fyering of villages and townes, w^t ſpoyling & deſtroying of feldes & ſlaughter of the innocētes, and al other kindes of crudelite,The Kynges of Scicilia were counted to be y^e cruelleſt tiraūts of y^e worlde. in ſo much y^t the tyrauntes of Scicilia, whych were of moſt famous crudelitie coulde deale no cruellier. For, they dyd neuer handel a man cruelly, afore that his cauſe was hearde, but theſe our ſpiritual prelates, do with al care & diligence ſtudye thys one thinge, that they maye in all regions and countreys, winne to thē ſelfes, wyth large gyftes and rewardes, thee myndes of the myghtye rulers and magiſtrates, whom they ſo intoxicate and poyſonne, that they thyncke, that they hauehave well and truelye done theyr duety yea, that they do hygh ſeruice vntounto god when they do moſt cruelly perſecute al them, y^e preache the word of the goſpell, without any hearinge of the cauſes or trying of y^e doctrine. And yf they their owne ſelues hauehave the ſecular ſwerde in theyr hādes (as they do cal it, by and by they do without any meaſure ſlea, kyl, and murther the innocentes, beynge in thys poynt, more cruell, than Tygres, and Crocodiles. And onles they ſhulde feate, y^t thei ſhuld be ſo ſerued, yf at any tyme y^e world ſhuld alter & chaūge they wold in no wyſe be contēt w^t y^e cōmune & vſed kindes of puniſhmēts,Phalaris was kinge of the Argenti…s & moſt cruell tyraūt whiche daylye inuented new kīdes of tormēts to exerciſe their ragiouſe crudelitie, but wold as a moſt cruell Phalaris, day…ly inuente & fynde out newe facions and kyndes of tormentes, to afflicte there wyth according to their inordinat luſtes, the faythful miniſters of gods minde.

the iniquit…e & vnryghtfull gouernement of y^e Mageſtrates of ouer tyme.Beſydes that, thou doeſt before thyne owne eyen ſee this thing alſo, o faythfull ſeruaunt, which haſt wholy conſecrated thy ſelf vntounto god, that many of the hygh powers, whoſe part it was to adminiſter the ſwearde of iuſtice, do vſe exerciſe iuſtice (yf that maner of rul…ng that they do vſe may be called iuſtyce) rather accordinge too theyr coueteouſe myndes, inordinate luſtes, & bold raſheneſſe, that they may be hygh, & voyltre theym ſelfes in all kyndes of pleaſure than of any louelove or feare of God & true religion.The people is ſ…een to y^e verye bones w^t importable tar…s exactyōs & ſubſydies. For, they doo myſerable vexe theyr owne ſubiectes, wyth pryde, hauteneſſe of mynde, & inſolent arrogācye, yea, they do oppreſſe them, they tormēt and afflicte them, they pylle and poole, robbe & fley thē to the very bones, wyth vnlawfull exactions, taxes & ſubſydes. They trouble forenne nations, and peoples, wyth wartes, excurſiōs, or hoſtile renninges out, with dayly ſcarmychinge & battailes. And at home (yf y^u doeſt beholde & loke vpō their priuate maner of lyuing) they do nothing els, but ryotte, eate, and drinke & make mery, vſe vnlawful games, in theyr abhominable dronckenes, moſt ſhamefully polluting all theyr ſtudyes and doynges, wyth fil thye whoredom & adultery. This, is the ſickenes, and moſt peſtilēt boyle, where with the heades of the Chriſtian people, are infected. Wherefore,Ezechi iii. o faythful Paſtour take good hede to thy ſelf, and ſe how theſe euyls can be remedyed For, yf thou doeſt not ſet forth y^e truth of the worde of God, the bloud of them that peryſhe (as it is ſayd before)The office of a Paſtour is very peryllous. ſhal be requyred at thy hād. Agayn, yf thou doeſt beginne to ſpeake & tel the truth, thou ſhalt fall …nto the handes of them that be able to do the no ſmall harme. For, the deceate, fraud, ſubtyltie,The craft of y^e papiſtes in winning y^e hertes & fauoure of Princes. & craft of the papiſtes is ſoche, that they hauehave crepte into y^e palaces of al princes, Emprours, & Kinges, craftely at the fyrſte promoting the chyldrē of certayn Princes. For, they dyd make ſome of theym Cardinals, ſome Byſhops, ſome agayn Abbates, Prious, Cōmendours, Adminiſtratours, or Coadiutours: yea, they dyd alſo make the ſame ſelfe Princes parteners wyth theym, of the money y^t they gotte of the ſymple & ignoraunte people by theyr pardons & indulgēces. Whereby it came to paſſe, that they hauehave almoſt all earthly princes, not a litle ſubiect & bound vntounto thē. Wherfore, yf thou folowinge the example of Chriſte doeſt go about to aſſaute & expell & dryue out thys deceyptful cōpany & flocke of hypocti…es, by & by thou ſhalt ſee the Princes leape forth, to defend theſe hypocrites with dothe and …ale. Agayn, yf thou caſting away thy weapons and harneys, wyll runne away and ſeeke a meane, howe thou mayſte cōmodiouſly rydde & delyuer thy ſelf, frō that pe…yllous function & office, thou ſhalte be rekened among the vnfaythfull paſtours, which ſeinge the wolfe doo forſake the ſhepe, and take them ſelfes to their fete, ſauing thē ſelfes by runninge awaye. Here, as yf it were by y^e way, the vertue & ſtrength of fayth is knowē, for, when a man, being in extreme daunger, is in perplexitie and all together doubtfull of mynde, he may not flye to none other (yf he be faythfull in dede) than to thee o… god & his word, as vntounto a moſt ſure refuge, that he being fully inſtructed by i…, may p…t his hoſt truſt and cō fidence in hym onelyonly.

Hauing therfore a… eye vntounto Chriſt,A paſtour ought in no wiſe to feare death. hea…e, take hede and marke diligently, what he doth ſpeake, Iohn x. When he ſaithe a good paſtour, doth ieoparde his lyfe for his ſhepe. Yf then thou wylt be counted a faythful & good paſtour, and deſyreſt to be numbred and rekened among them, that hauehave wrought and laboured faithfully in y^e worke of y^e lorde thou muſte nedes ieoparde thy lyfe for thy ſhepe. Beſydes that, he doeth moue & ſtyrre vsus, with other wordes. Math. x when he ſayth… That thing, that I ſaye vntounto you in darkeneſſe, tell ye it in thee light, & that thing that ye heare in your eares, preache ye it vpō houſes. And, be not ye afrayed of them, y^t kyl the bodye, but the ſoule they cā not kyl, but rather feare ye him, y^t cā caſt both body & ſoule into y^e fyre of hel. By the which wordes we do moſt playnly learne, y^t we oughte in no wyſe to kepe cloſe, or hyde Gods word: but rather y^e lord doth cōmaūd, y^t we puttīge aſide al feare, do ſpeake it abroade. Alſo he y^t is the miniſter of God ſhall in no wyſe dreade the manaſſhes and threateninges of the world. For, as it is our duety and office, to ſpeak boldely agaynſt all thē, that lyue in ſynne lycentiouſly and wythout ſhame (as y^e Lorde doth cōmaunde the prophet, ſayinge:Hierem. i. Thou ſhalt go to whom ſoeuer I ſhall ſend the, & crye oute, ceaſſe not,Eſay. iviiiIsa 7 lyft vp thy voyce, as a trompette, and ſhewe vntounto my people theyr ſynnes) ſo it is the duety of a Paſtour, to coope openly wyth the enemyes of the trueth, and to withſtande them to theyr faces, that ſo he may defende the flocke committed vntounto hym, and helpe hys ſhepe out of thee myre and puddell of ſynne, for, onleſſe ſoche thinges were done, cared for, and takē hede of, we ſhuld hauehave no nede of a Paſtour, for, whyles no peryl doeth hange ouer the ſhepe, they hauehave no neade of a paſtour, nor of a watch man, that ſhould watch for theym: but rhey hauehave nede of a paſtoure, that they may throughe his fatherly care & diligence both for ſee and ſhunne the peryl, Yf then the paſtour, when there is any daunger, peryl & ieoperdye, doth runne away, as touching the ſhepe, it maketh no matter at al whether that they hauehave any ſhepeherde or not.

Wherfore it is moſt neceſſary,The example of chriſte. that afore all thynges we hauehave an eye vntounto chriſt, whych ſayeth. Iohn. x. I do ieoparde my lyfe for my ſhepe. For, he dyd not onelyonly ſpeake theſe thinges, w^t wordes, but alſo he dyd fulfyll and performe them in dede. For, when he was goynge to Hieruſalem he dyd wythe plaine and manifeſt wordes declare vntounto his diſcyples, what paryl & daūger he ſhuld bryng his lyfe toMath. xv…Matt 15 & whē Peter dyd go about to turne hym frō the minde and purpoſe, he turned hym ſelf to Peter ſayinge: Goo after me, Sathan, thou hyndereſt me, for thou doeſt not ſauoure thoſe thinges that are of god, but thoſe thynges that are of mē. And afterwardes beyng entred into y^e citie, he did caſt the biers & ſellers out of the temple, fearyng nothynge thee malycyous intentes of thee Scrybes and prieſtes, whom he knewe dyd hate hym deadly. Yea, he dyd alſo opēly in the audyence of all thee people, wythe greate grauitye and ſharpe wordes rebuke theyr ſynnes and vyces, that is to ſaye, theyr couetouſnes ambition, & hypocryſye.math. xxii… And when the appoynted houre or tyme of hys deathe was come, that he ſhoulde delyuer hym ſelf for vsus, & his enemies beīge yſſued forth dyd ſeeke too take hym, he dyd come forthe to mete theym, and that we beynge inſtructed by hys owne example, myghte vnderſtande that it is alſo thee offyce of a Paſtoure, to beware and kepe of, thoſe outewarde perylles and ieopardyes, whyche maye hurte the lyues and goodes of the ſhepe, he dyd not onelye delyuer hym ſelfe too deathe for vsus all, but alſo dyd deliuer hys dyſcyples from thys bodelye deathe, ſauynge theyr lyues when he, not wythout a dyuyne & godly maieſtie & power dyd ſaye: Yf ye ſeke me, ſuffre, theſe to go away. Therfore, he y^t wylbe a faythful & good paſtour of the ſhepe, of our lord and ſauyoure Ieſus Chryſte, folowynge chryſtes example, muſte ſet hym ſelfe agaynſte all peryllous tem…eſtes and ſtormes and come forthe againſt al the enemies of Chriſt, which, for goddes ſake, and hys euerlaſtynge worde, and alſo for the faythfull care, y^t he taketh for hys ſhepe, do go aboute to perſecute and afflycte hym, fearynge nothyng, nor yet regarding y^e perſō of any man. Lette hym not be afrayde nor abaſſhed in hys mynde. thoughe he were cōpelled to reproue, rebuke & ſpeake againſt the great Kynge Alexander magnus, or Iulyus Ceſar,The true Paſtour ſhall alſo rebuke and reproue prī ces, yf they vſe any extortion, or burden ouer ſore their poore ſubiectes. or thee Byſſhoppe of Rome hym ſelf to be ſhort, againſt al y^e mightieſt & moſte puiſſaunt kynges & Princes of y^e worlde. Which thing he ſhal not only do, yf they do obſtinateli reſiſt y^e word of god, but alſo, yf they do oppres y^e poore people that is vnderunder their ſubiectiō, with intollerable burdens of ſubſidyes exactiōs & taxes. Which thinges we wyl proue nowe, w^t plaine & euident examples, and alſo wythe manifeſt teſtimonies of the ſcryptures.

Whē y^e almighty & merciful father. did ſe, that y^e people of Iſrael, was oppreſſed w^e exceding great & vnmeaſurable afflictiōs, & with an ouer heauy yoke of ſeruitude, by y^e moſt cruel tiraūt Pharao, & al the people of Egipt: by & by he did ſēd Moſes to delyuer them, frō ſo hard a thraldom & bodage. For, he could beare no longer, y^e tyrannicall & vniuſt affliction, of his people. Exo. iii. And although Moyſes excuſynge him ſelfe, by his ſimplicitie and rudeneſſe, dyd al that he could, to put from hym that functyon & office, yet did he profytte or auayle nothing prayed he neuer ſo moch, but beynge compelled and conſtrayned of the lorde, dyd brynge forth, that great people and innumerable multytude of men, women, and chyldren, yea againſt the tyraunt Pharaos wyl, and how? Through the myddeſt of the ſea, through y^e deſertes, thoroughe thouſandes of their enemyes, thorough infinit parylles of hunger, thyrſte, ſyckneſſes, & punyſſhementes. So that to hauehave reade, or harde ſuche great paynes, labours and trauayles, wolde make anye man to tremble and quake for horrour God, notwythſtandynge, althoughe they were beſet on euerye ſyde with parylles & moſt daugerous ieopardyes: yet remembrynge his promyſe dyd geue the vyctorye to his people. Thys therfore ſhalbe y^e office & duety of eueryevery Paſtour, to come forth, and to ſtand vp manfully for the health & ſaue garde of hys ſhepe yf at any tyme the tyrauntes of this world, do begynne vniuſtly, and after newe & vngodly wayes, to aggrauate or burden, and oppreſſe thee people. For, they that mynyſter thee lames of natyons and peoples,The du… t…e of chriſtian magiſtrat. …. and are gouernoures of publyke weales, oughte too be benefycyall, not iniuryous or wrongefull, not pyllers, and pollers, not robbers, and theues. Luke .xxii. Wherefore that famous & godly philoſopher Seneca,Seneca. dyd ryght wel and iuſtely cal y^e offyce or ruledomme of a Kynge, Benefecyum, that is to ſaye, a benefytte. No man, I ſuppoſe, is ygnoraunte, what is dued of ſubiectes, to magyſtrates, whych thynge, Paule doeth playnelye ſet forthe Roma. xiii: but here in thys place we ſpeake of tyrauntes, whyche doynge intollerable wronges vntounto all men, hauehave in theym no ſparkle of louelove towardes theyr neyghboure nor yet of true relygyon or godlyneſſe.A digreſſion. What ſhall we ſaye, o faythfull ſoule? ſhall wee not beleue, that thys is doone, by thee ſyngulare louelove, mercye, and bounteous worcke of God thee father, that in thys oure moſte wycked tyme, whyche is polluted, w^t all kyndes of vyce, we ſee thee bryghteneſſe of hys holye worde, too ſhyne forthe, wythe ſo greate vertue and lyghteſomneſſe? In this oure tyme, I ſaye, that all inorydynate luſtes & fleſhely affectyons, vnryghteouſneſſe iniquitie, a dyſſolute or lycentyous corruptyon of all good lawes do raygne eueryevery wher: that we ſe al ſtates and orders of menne, yea thee greateſte parte of thee myghty Prynces, corrupted, cōtaminated & polluted, with fylthye whoredom adulterye, rauyſhyng of mayden, vnfaithfulnes, impudency or vnſhamefaſtnes, w^t robberyes theftes, deteſtable vſurye, & all other lyke horryble ſynnes. Wherfore, ſythe that it is playne and euedente, that the word of god, was neuer hetherto, ſens that the fayth of chryſt, beganne fyrſt to bee preached and ſpreade abroade, ſet forth with ſuche power vertue & lyuelyneſſe, as we do ſe before our owne eyē, to be done now a dayes, and that euerye where almoſt, it maye eaſely be gathered therby, that thys is done by the deuyne prouidence and not wythout our great good, that we beyng inſtructed wyth the knowledg of our ſaluation ſhuld rather rote out, thys deceateful hypocryſye of humayne tradytyons.Wo be to y^e paſtour which hydeth the lyghte of gods worde vnderunder a buſhel. Wo therfore, be vntounto y^e paſtour, which now, in this our time, y^e children & fooles can ſpeake, is not aſhamed to hold his peace, which hidīg the lyghte of gods word vnderunder a buſſhel, doth the worke of the lord fraudulently or deceatfully, nor endeuoureth him ſelf al y^t he can y^t the people of the lord, may be delyuered.

God, w^t expreſſed & plaine wordes, reueled by Samuel,The example of Saul and Samuel .i. Regum xv1 Kgs 15 had in tymes paſt cōmaunded Saul y^e fyrſt king of y^e Iſraelites, y^t he ſhuld make warre againſt y^e Amalechites, & deſtroy thē al, and kil w^t the ſweard all liuing ſoules, & y^t he ſhulde ſaue either to him ſelf, or to hys ſoldiours no maner of thing of the ryches & ſpotles of thoſe vngodlye men. But Saul breaking y^e cōmaundemēte of god, dyd bring aliue Agag y^e Kyng of y^e Amalechites, & alſo he doubted not to reſerue & ſaue a great nūbre of catel, for to offre vntounto the lord, with the moſt precious & coſtely garmētes and many other thinges. This proude preſumptiō of Saul, that faithful prophet Samuel could not ſuffre, nor abide, which fearinge him nothinge, y^t both was lately made a kinge, & alſo was not a lyttle pufte vp, w^t y^e proſperous v…ctory y^t y^e lord had geuē him doth boldly wyth ſuch wordes blame & rebuke his diſobediēce: Wherfore, haſt y^• not harkened vntounto y^e voice of y^e lorde,Soche are oure good intentes y^t ar not grō ded vppon gods worde. but haſt turned to the pray, & haſt done that, which is wycked in y^e ſyght of thee lorde? But Saul excuſing him ſelf, aunſwered y^t he had performed & fulfylled the worde of thee lorde, ſayinge: I hauehave gone the way, which the lord hath ſente me vntounto, and hauehave broughte Agag thee kyng of Amaleke, & hauehave vtterlye deſtroyed y^e Aamalechites. But the people toke of the ſpoile, ſhepe, oxen & the chefeſt of the thinges, which ſhulde hauehave bē deſtroied, to offre vntounto y^e lord thy god in Gilgal.Ma…ke ye this, that wil may ataine good intentes Which thinges being hearde, Samuel dyd agayne blame & rebuke hym very ſharpely, ſaying: Hath y^e lord as great pleaſure in burnt ſacryfices & offringes, as when y^e voice of y^e lord is obeyed? Behold to obeye, is better than ſacryfyce & to herken is better than the fat of Rammes. For, rebellyon is as the ſynne of wytchecrafte, and ſtubberneſſe, is as the wyckedneſſe of Idolatryr Becauſe thou haſt caſt awaye the word of the Lorde, therefore, hath the lord caſt away the, from beynge kynge.A good paſtour ought to folow y^e exā ple of Samu…ll. Howbeit theſe thynges being thus paſte, & after that Samuell had executed & done the cōmaundement of god he dyd hewe in peces Agag the king of Amaleke, which was brought too hym pryſoner, Thys dede then, of that moſt holye and ſtronge prophete. Samuel, doth ſuffycyently teache vsus, that it is y^e office and duety of a paſtor, to ſpare neither kinges nor myghtye magiſtrates, but as ſone as he ſhall perceaue them, to be deceaued, and too go out of the way, by & by, he ſhal rebuke their errour, y^t they may learne both to acknowledge theyr faultes, and alſo to amende.

Therfore,againſt thē y^e will not hauehave ſīnes to be rebuked by the Paſtours. a certayn of thoſe hygh prelates of the Romiſſhe churche (whoſe name I wil wittingly paſſe ouer) was not all togeather folyſhe, whych when he dyd cōmitte the cure & adminiſtratiō of a pariſhe, whych dyd belonge to hys Dioceſys vntounto a certayn miniſter, or paſtour, he dyd bynd hym to theſe conditions, that he ſhoulde in no wyſe rebuke or touche ſharpely his order, yea, not as moche as wyth a word: Agayne that he ſhoulde ſo tempere and moderate thee preachinge of the goſpell, that he ſhuld in hys ſermons blame and rebuke noman. What ſhall then, thys poore wretched Paſtour, beinge thus bounde, entreate vponupon, in hys publyke ſermons? Behold, y^e whole world doth lye buried in the ſtinking puddel of ſynne, & is all togeather drowned in vyces: and yet, it ſhall not be lawefull too rebuke or blame it. What nede hauehave thē the poore ſhepe of a Paſtour? In the meane ſeaſon, I knowe ryghte well, what thys good and wyſe father, dyd ſaye, when he gaue thys commaundement, forſoth, that the condition & nature of the goſpell was, to rebuke no man to ſharpely. But, o reuerende father, open your eyes a lyttle, and loke diligently vpō Math. iii. & xiii. Item Ioh. iii. & .viii. & other innumerable places, of the Euangelicall ſcripture, that ye maye vnderſtande what wordes, and maner of ſpeaking, Chriſte and Iohn dyd vſe in rebukinge mens ſynnes I know that he wyll geue thys aunſwere: Forſouth, that it is thee duetye of a paſtour: to rebuke thee ſynnes of the commune & raſcall people, and to bringe thē of the baſeſt ſorte, from theyr acco…umed vyces & maner of lyuinge. For, in thys one thyng, that holy and reuerende father, dyd not a little ſhewe and declare hys godlynes, ſayinge: that he dyd in no wyſe gayn ſaye or contrarye the Euangelicall doctrine but rather that he dyd fauoure it, wyth all hys harte. Beholde then, howe theſe men, do bewray theyr owne nature and mynde. He…e, here, a ſnake lurketh in y^e graſſe. For, the myghty Princes and rulers of this world,…he worldlīges coulde wel … de y^e preaching of y^e goſpell, yf it ſhuld not rebuke their vicious liuing coulde well abyde or beare the preaching and doctrine of the trueth, yf they ſhulde not feele and perceaue, y^t therby theyr tyrāny is brought to lyght & rebuked, or yf they were not afrayed, to loſe theyr temporall commodities and profytes. Another thing ſhal alſo the faythful paſtour learne in thee example of Samuell: that he oughte in no wyſe to ſpare the Princes and gouernours, but blame and rebuke ſharpely theyr faultes. Which thing, yf they can not abyde:Actuum. v he heareth what Saynte Peter ſayth: Better it is to obeye God, than man.

But becauſe the annoynted ſorte of the Papyſtes, are not aſhamed,Of y^e true obedyēce … diſobediē ce agaynſt y^e papiſtes to affyrme, ſtrengthen, and eſtablyſhe that obedience, that they doo requyre of al kyndes of men, by thys example of Samuell, we muſte better looke vponupon it, and alſo ſpeake more largelye of it. When Saule, in hys factes and dedes, had rather folowed and obſerued hys intente and mynde, than thee playne decree of Goddes worde: he dyd commyt a great ſynne of diſobedience. Wherfore Samuel ſayth, that it is playne Idolatrie yf a man doeth not applye and ſubmyt hym ſelfe too the lawes of God, and in hys doynges felowe theym as a mooſte ſure and infallible rule: yea, that it is a thynge, not onelyonly hurtefull and peruitious, but alſo moſt deceyptful, wherw^t a man is wonte to be no leſſe deceaued, than ſorcerers, wytches, and iugglers, be wont to delude & deceaue thee ſymple and ignoraunt perſons wyth theyr merye inuentions and iuggelinge canes. Whych ſayinge of the Prophete, ought to be taken after thys meaning, ſenſe, and vnderſtanding: When a man by thee iuſtincte and counſayle of hys owne reaſon, doeth fourge and ymagyne vntounto hym ſelfe ſome thinge, as iuſte, good, and holy determining to obſerue and folowe it, and in the meane ſeaſon wyll not learne of that one onelyonly God, and hys wordes, what is good, righteous and holy, he hath already ſet vp in hys mynd, a falſe and deceyptfull God, that is to ſaye, hys owne reaſon & wyll of hys owne fleſſhe. Now, when thys falſe God is ones erected & ſet vp, it is an harde & difficulte thing, to put hym downe, or to baniſhe him away. For, by and by, he doeth ſhewe and declare hym ſelfe in externe and outwarde thynges, and that wyth wonderfull myſtes iuggelinges, and hypocriſy, wherwyth, vnderunder the colour of godlynes, he goeth about to deceaue all men. For, as an ape doth lyke her yonglinges, though they be moſt deforme & euyl fauoured, better than the whelpes or yonglinges of al other beaſtes, ſo al men generally ar wōt to prefarre the inuentiōs of their owne reaſon & brayne, vntounto al other ordinaunces, ſtatutes and lawes, that euer were ordeyned, eyther by god or by man.The good intente of Saul. For the ſame cauſe, Saul dyd thincke, that it was a iuſte, an equal & ſemely thing that one Kynge ſhould not handle another Kynge too cruellye, nor ſlaye hym with the ſweard, but rather that it was a Royall and Kyngly thinge, to leade hys enemye, beynge ouercomed, captyue and bounde. Lykewyſe he dyd iudge that it was neyther commodious, not profitable, that the coſtely garmentes, and other precious thinges, which were found in the treaſors of the Amalechttes, ſhuld be deſtroyed wyth fyre & thee ſweard, or that all the herdes of cattell, ſhuld thus vnprofitably periſhe: Wherfore, he dyd ſuffre the ſouldiers to take vntounto theym ſelues, thoſe thynges, that were coſtelye and precious, (as thoughe he ſhuld ſtudy & go about, by thys meane to fulfyll thee charitie of his neyghbour, expreſſed in the law). And alſo he dyd iuſtitute, and ordayne a greate and ſolempne ſacrifice vntounto God hys Sauyour, thereby ſtudyinge to fulfyll the fyrſte lawe, that commaundeth to honoure, ſerue, and worſhyppe one onelye God. Samuell hauinge an eye too hys ſounde & fleſhely intent of Saul, ſayth: Better it is too obeye, than ſacrifice, and what ſhall a man call that obedience? That obedience of Saul, wherby he ſuffereth both the Kynge to be kepte a lyue, and thee people too take of thee ſpoyle, coſtely garmentes and precious iewels, and to ſaue a lyue great heardes of cattell for a ſacrifice vntounto almighty God? No, HaueHave not all theſe thynges a gteat ſhewe of godlyneſſe? Yeas forſouth. But the Lorde doeth requyre another obedience: that is to ſaye, that we folowe thee preſcripte and rule of hys worde, whych onelyonly, King Saul ought to hauehave obſerued and folowed, and not to hauehave preferred hys owne good intent to the deuyne oracles of Gods woorde.The obedience y^t Samuel doth ſpeake of, doth maintayne nothing y^e tyranny of y^e Papyſtes. By thys do Monkes, Popiſhe prieſtes, Nonnes, and all the flocke of thee Papiſtes vnderſtande, that this ſayinge of the prophete Samuel, where he ſayeth, that obedience is better than all ſacryfyces, doeth make nothynge, to the eſtabliſhment and ſtrenghtening of their tyrannye, but that it doeth rather directelye contrary theyr ſtatutes and ordinaū ces. For, by theſe wordes eueryevery man is commaunded to obeye goddes woorde wythoute all tergiuerſation and controuerſye (truely thys worſhyppynge is moſte acceptable vntounto god) and that we oughte too ſuffre oure ſelues to be brought awaye or plucked from it, by no mans aucthoritie, nor by the counſayle of oure owne reaſon. Therefore, ſythe that all thee whole flocke of thee papiſtes, do teache onelyonly, theyr owne traditions, ſet forth theyr counſayls, and leane vponupon theyr inuentions & dreames whych are all togeather repugnaunt & contrary vntounto goddes worde, it ſhall be oure parte and duetye to oppone & ſett agaynſt ſoche traditions of theyrs, the veritie of the dyuyne worde of God, When then they crye and thounder out that Prelates, byſhoppes,Whē Biſſhops & prelates do cō maund vsus any thinge we muſt loke whether it agreeth w^t goddes worde or not. and Prieſtes muſte be obeyed, lette vsus by and by loke whether that theſe men, doo commaunde and ſette forthe thynges, that maye be proued and allowed by goddes worde. Yf the thynges, that they commaunde, are ſoche, as maye be borne by gods woorde, we hauehave all ready in thys thinge, noo neade at all, of theyr Preceptes, and Commaundementes, ſyth that we hauehave Goddes worde it ſelfe, whyche ought onelyonly to be broughte forthe and adduced, whych ought only to be obſerued of vsus after whoſe preſcript all our lyfe ought to be ordered, nor it is conueniente and mete that we ſhoulde aſcribe it to any mōrtall man. Agayne, yf theyr commaundementes be ſeche, that the trueth of Gods worde, toth neyther admitte, nor alowe them: and yet in the meane ſeaſon be of ſoche impudencye and vnſhamefaſtneſſe, that they be not aſhamed to ſaye: Our decrees & lawes, though, they be all togeather contrarye to Gods holye lawes, muſte be obeyed: for obedience is better, thā al other thinges, we ſhal by and by aunſwere, that thoſe thynges, whych they do trifingly alledge for the obſeruaunce and kepynge of theyr traditions oughte to be referred to god onelyonly: Yea, we ſhall dye rather a. M. deathes, than neglecte in any maner of thinge the preſcript and rule of gods worde, for, there can be nothynge more pleaſaunte and acceptable vntounto god, than yf we do diligently herken to hys voyce nor ſuffre oute ſelfes to be deceaued by the auctoritie of any man, be he neuer ſo greate, and holye in the ſyght of the worlde. As often then as ye cōmaunde thinges contrary to y^e oracles of the diuine wo…d of god,It is an hygh ſeruice to God to be diſobedient to the vngodly tradityons of the papiſtres. as of …ini…ſt hygh … is … pury thee …ghrye; and that …ynge god, yf no man … ouer tradityous.

When … the kyng of Iſraell, had with moſt …table and filthy adultery deſ… of that moſte valiaunt and godly man …uas,The example of Dayud & Nathā .ii Resguin .xii …yſing him moſt treattiouſly (whych ſought manfully agayne the vnfaythful enemyes of god ieoperdynge alwaye his lyfe for the weale of hys owne countrey) to be ſtay … and …therd, with the ſweathe … enemyes: God did by and by …de Nathan the prophete vntounto hym, … ſhuld ſharply …l… …e and rebu… …, for thys moſt wycked and abho…ble dede: becauſe that be … ye contem…ynge the diuine maieſtie, was nothing neyther afrayde nor aſhamed to … thys filthy wickedneſſe in the ſight of god, onelyonly …ing dede to thys thyng, that … ſhuld not … the heynouſneſſe of his faci…. … alſo he cōm…ed, y^t the puniſhm…, …hich enſued, ſhuld be, with ſharpe wordes, denunced, and ſhe med vntounto hym .ii. Reg. xii. for he ſayeth: Thou haſt ſtaine with the ſweard, …ias thee herbyte, … maryed hys wyfe: and therfore thoſ death ſhal …enet departe from the houſe. … be …than the …yph…s, compelled to …, that … …yaunte and mightye kynge D…d too hys face, and to rebuke hym for thee cryme of adulterye and trayteouſe murther, that he hadde ſo ſhamefully commytted.Many paſtours are faynt h… ted & tolde in rebukīg y^e vyt…s of the princes What ſhall we ſaye then of thoſe faynte harted and ſolde Paſtoures, whyche ſeynge baylye and hourtlye the ſtynkyng adulteryes of their high rulers and couer…u…, before theyr owne …ye… doo not … muche as open theyr mouthes … ſpeake agaynſte th… but rather (whyche is an horryble thyng to be ſp…) are coadintoutes and helpers, vntounto theym, that they ma… thee eaſely… poll…ge all the who… world, wyth adulteryes? What can bee ſpoken of y^e …thy,The deteſtable chaſtitie of y^e Papyſtes. …y… …ynge and …eggy ſhe ab…ytye of the Papyſtes, whoſe for…ycatyon and adultes … me mo… ſhamefully exce… … them as the … of all men▪ And yet in thee m…ne ſeaſon theſe wycked hypocrytes wyll hee coumpted chaſte of all men. Whyche thynges thought they bee ungodlye and mooſte wycked yet they were too bee borne in ſome of them, yf they woulde kepe them ſelues, mythe theyr deteſtable lecherye, wythin thee Limytyes & bondes of nature.

Hieroboam the fyrſt kyng of the .x.The ſexample of Hieroboam & of the prophet .ii. regum .xiii. trybes, dyd conceyue ſuche a pryde, an dacytie, and vngodlyneſſe in his mynde, that he dyd ſette vp .ii. calues for too worſhyppe, one in Bethell, and all other in Da…, boldelye peruertyng the feaſt of the Tabernacles, which ought onelyonly to be celebrated in thee trybe of Iuda, leaſte thee people ſhoulde hauehave anye occaſyon too returne too Hieruſalem: He as the fyrſte of thee Kynges, that dyd ſo we the ſedes of Idola trye, and falſe relygyon in Iſraell, as we maye .iii. Reg .xii. and .xiii. But when thee tyme appoynted for relygyon was at hande or come, and the vngodlye kynge ſtandynge at thee aultare, dyd burne incens: beholde, thee manne of God, whome we call & Prophete, beynge ſeure from Iuda, dyd ſodaynely appeare before the kynge, whyche dyd blowe forthe and declare wythe a lowde voyce, thee commaundemētes that the was charged w^t all, by almyghtye god, ſayinge:iii. Re. xiii. aulter aulter, The Lorde god ſayethe theſe thynges, Beholde, a ſonne ſhall be borne vntounto the houſe of Dauid (called Ioſias) and vppon thee, wal he offre thee pryenes of thee hyll aultates, that burnte incenſe vppon thee, and mennes bones ſhall bee brente vppon thee. And he gaue a token thee ſame tyme ſaying: Thys is thee token that thee Lorde hathe ſpoken it. Beholde, the aultate ſhall tente, and thee aſſhes that are vppon it ſhall fall out. And when thee Kynge hearde the ſayinge of thee man of god (whyche had ceyed agaynſte thee aultare in Bethel) he ſtretched oute hys hande, from thee aultate, ſayinge helde hym. And hys hande, whyche he put forthe agaynſte hym, dryed vp, and be coulde not put it in agayne too hym, the aultare alſo claue aſſunder, and the aſſhes fell out from the aultare accordynge to the token, whyche the manne of god hadde geuen, by the worde of the lorde. And when thee ſame prophete hadde made interceſſyon vntounto god, for thee healthe of that vngodlye Kynge, hys hande was myraculouſlye reſtored to bee former ſtate, and yet for all that, he woulde not thus leaue and forſake the Idolatrye, whyche he hadde ones begonne and ſette vp, ſo greate was thee indutaryon and hardeneſſe of hys harte. Nowe wee are taughte by thys, that it is thee duetye and offyce of a Paſtoure, too ſuffre in no wyſe hys ſhepe to bee broughte into anye peryll of Idolatye, or into anye kynde or ſpere of vngodlyneſſe: yea thoughe ſome vngodlye and raſſhe Hieroboam doethe tyſe agaynſte hym,The Paſtour oughte not to leaue of, though he knowethe, y^e he ſhall profyte nothinge. yet he oughte too teſyſte hym, too hys face, and not too ceaſſe or leaue of, thoughe he knoweth that he ſhall ſpende all hys laboure in vayue. For god, dyd ryght wel knowe thee harde harte of Hieroboam, and that no reaſons coulde perſwade him from hys vngodlynes: yet notwytheſtandynge he doethe voucheſafe to ſende a Prophete vntounto him. This thynge doethe make agaynſte thoſe Paſtoures, whyche be woute too excuſe theyr ſylence that they doo vſe, wythe thys reaſon, ſayinge that they doo ſpende and beſtowe all theyr laboure in vayne. For, Chryſte doethe not therefore ceaſſe too teache, whyles he was amonge that frowarde and ſtubberne natyon of thee Iewes, becauſe that he dyd ſee theym too bee obſtynate, and that they coulde wythe no reaſon bee perſwaded too receaue hys doctryne.

The example of Achab & of Elias thee Prophete. iii.xi.xviiiAchab alſo kynge of thee people of Iſraell, beynge no leſſe vngodlye and raſhe, dyd walke in the wayes of Hieroboam: yea, he dyd paſſe all other Kynges (were they neuer ſo noughte and vngodlye) in mayntaynynge of falſe relygyon and wyckedneſſe. For, veſydes thee Idolatrye, whyche hys forefathers hadde broughte in, he dyd alſo execte and ſette vp thee Idoll of Baall, inſtytutynge or ordarynynge a great multytude and numbre of prieſtes to worſhyppe Baal, and to vp holde hys relygyon: Wherefore thee heauenlye father, beynge not a lytle moued dyd ſtutte vppe thee heauens, that by thee ſpace of thre yeares no raigne dyd come downe, or fall vppon thee earthe: afterwardes he dyd ſende y^e Prophet Elias, whych ſhuld bothe ſhame the prelates of Baals relygion, and alſo reduce or brynge thee poore people again into the true knowledge of god. When then, that moſte wicked and ungodly king Achab, the extreme enemye bothe of god hym ſelfe, and alſo of true relygyon, dyd mete thys holy prophete, he dyd incontynentlye ſay: Art thou not be that trouble Iſraell: Whome thee prophete dyd aunſwere: I hauehave not troubled Iſrael, but thou, & the houſe of thy father, whych hauehave forſaken y^e comaundemētes of y^e Lord, & hauehave folowed Baall. Howe be it ſende nowe, and aſſemble all whole Iſraell togeather vntounto me, in thee meaunte Carmell, and thee foure hundrethe and fyftye Prophetes, and the foure hundrethe propthes of the graues. Whome when, he hadde gathered, (that is to ſayt Achab the kynge) Deltas comynge too hee people of Iſraell, ſayde: How long halte ye betwene two opynyons? Yf the Lorde be God, folowe hym: but yf Baall bee he, goo after hym. And when he hadde offered vntounto theym thys condytyon, that they ſhoulde by fyre commynge downe form heauen, for too conſume the ſacryfyce, declare and ſhewe, thee dyuyne power of Baall, they coulde in noo wyſt doo it. But be callynge vppon thee dyuyne power, and name of the hyghe and true lyuynge God, dyd ſee hys ſacryfice to bee conſumd withe fyre, that came downe from heauen. Thou ſeeſt then, wyth what ſtedfaſtnes and conſtancye of mynde, Elyas doeth aſſawte Idodolatrye, before that furyous and cruell kynge Achab,iii. Re .xix. and alſo before ſo greate, a multytude and numbre of falſe Prophetes and Baalles pr…eſtes, thoughe he dyd thynke hym ſelfe too hauehave bene lefte alone of all thee numbre of thee Prophetes. Lette the faith full Paſtoure learne by hys example, that it is hys duetye, too mayntayne, defende and vpholde, boldelye, and wythout anye feare the auctorytie of gods worde, yea thoughe he doethe ſee all the whole worlde too bee agaynſte hym: beſydes that, let hym not ſuffer hym ſelfe to bee frayde or dyſcoraged, by that infinit numbre of falſe teachers, & prelates of Baals relygyon, or the people to halte betwene two opinyons,A haltinge in religion that is too ſaye, lette hym not permyt & ſuffre, y^t the rude & poore ſimple people, bee intangled or wrapped wythe that erroure, wherewythe manye nowe a dayes beynge deceaued, are wont to ſay: that in dede, they doo truſt in y^e high and tru lyuinge god, & yet in the meane ſeaſon (ſay they) we hauehave ſome cōfidēce in thoſe creatures, whych are alreadye partakers of the euerlaſting bleſſedfulnes, for the people of Iſraell was wont at ſome tymes to geue ſome honoure vntounto the true God: but that almyghty and mercyfull creatour of all thinges, doeth not admitte, receaue, or alowe ſoche kyndes of worſhippinge.

When the ſelfe ſame raſſhe,The hyſtorie of Naboth, and what thee trewe Paſtour oughte by it. i…i Regū .xxi. wicked and ungodly Achab, wold hauehave bought of Naboth thee Iſraelite, a vertuous and godly man, the vyneyarde, whyche he had nyghe to the Kynges palayce, affyrminge vntounto hym▪ as moche as he woulde hauehave for it: he dyd take ſo greuouſlye, that he was ſayde naye, that he dyd ſodayulye fall into a ſyckeneſſe, or ague, whyche ague, that vngodly Ieſabell hys wyfe, dyd by and by, by trayterous meanes put away. For, ſhe dyd by falſe wytneſſes whych ſhould accuſe that vertuous man Nabothe as a blaſphemet of the holy name of the lyuinge God, bringe to paſſe that the innocent man ſhould be ſtoned to death. Whych thinge beyng done, ſhe dyd dyd her huſbande to be merye, and to ryſe, and to go take poſſeſſion by the kinges lawes, of the vyneyearde of Naboth. Here was the Prophete Elias ſent the ſeconde tyme, whych ſhould rebuke the Kynge, for this wycked facte, and deteſtable murther. Whych, when he came to the Kyng, dyd ſaye vntounto hym: Thus ſayth the Lorde. Haſt thou kylled and taken poſſeſſion? Thus ſayth the Lord. In the place, where dogges lycked the bloude of Naboth, ſhall dogges lycke thy bloude alſo. And of that vngodly & wycked Ieſabell, ye dyd prohetye after this maner: Dogges ſhall eate Ieſabell in the fielde of Iſraell. The ſcripture doeth teſtifye, that all theſe thynges were done, according to the prophecye of Elias. By this example thē, ſhal the faythfull Paſtour learne, that it is requyred of hym, and that it is hye duetye and ocfyce, to wythſtande manfullye, and wyth a bolde ſtomacke, the wicked purpoſes of cruell tyrauntes, not onelyonly, when he ſeeth all the people, and thee whole commune weale too be oppreſſed, but alſo yf he perceaueth that one pryuate man alone doth ſuffer wrō ge and iniurye.

The example of Micheas & of the falſe prophetes. iii. re .xxii.Agayne, when all thee whole flocke of the falſe Prophetes dyd promyſe vntounto the Kynges, Achab and Ioſaphat, a mooſte wyefull, proſperous, and fortunate ſucceſſe of thee matte, exhortynge theym, too ſetteforthe theyr armye agaynſte the Syrians: one onelye Prophete, called Micheas, dyd ſette hym ſelfe agaynſte all them, tellinge theym before wyth a conſtant and holde mynde, al the fortune, chaunce, and ſucceſſe, that they ſhoulde hauehave. He coulde be letted in no wyſe, nether by y^e greuouſe iniuryes of the proude Sedechiab, nor wyth the opprobrious blowe, nor wyth hys hyghe woordes, whee wyth he dyd boaſte hys Propheticall ſpyryte, to perſeuere and contynue ſtyll in thee declarynge and ſettynge forthe of Goddes commaundemente and holy woorde: Yea, when he was caſte into pryſonne, he perſeuered ſtyll in hys pourpoſe. And thee oracles or prophecyes of gods woorde, werer ſo fulfylled, that Ioſaphat dyd retourne home, beynge ſore wounded, Achab beynge ſlayne wythe an arrowe. And when hys charette, where in he dyd ryde in thee battayle,They that hauehave gods word alwayes ī their mouthes & yet in thee meane ſeaſō ar liers, muſt be … ſiſted by y^e faythful paſtour. was waſſhed in thee poole of Samatia, that, whyche was prophecyed before by Elias, dyd happend ant chaunce. For, thee dogges dydde lycke there thee bloude of Kynge Achab. By thee whyche example wer are taughte agayn, that a good and faythfull Paſtour ought to reſyſte theym, that hauehave gods worde in theyr mouthes, and are wont to boaſte and crake of it, wher as in the meane ſeaſon they be lyers, and ſet forth eyther of ſome pryuate affection, or of a flattering mynde, the counſayls of theyr owne reaſon. Whether any man doth ſet forth and handle gods worde of a fraudulent and deceyprfull mynde, it may eaſely and euydently be gathered, knowen and tryed, by goddes worde it ſelfe. Agayne, we do ſe that it is the duetye and offyce of a Paſtour, to rebuke and lette, as moche as in hym lyeth, that inordinate luſte and deſyre, that almoſte all Princes hauehave to make watte one agaynſt another. Let nowe therefore,Againſt popiſhe Byſſhoppes, y^e ſtyyre and mayntayn warres thoſe hyghe popiſhe prelates come forth. Let the proude company of myſted Byſhops, and of all other, that ate by a falſe and wronge name, called ſpirituall, ſhewe theyr heades, that it maye be knowen of all men, what they hauehave done hether to. Who doeth not knowe, that by thee ſpace of fyftene yeares, and much more, great and mighty nations hauehave wyth deadly and irreconciliable hatred, through the crafyte working and couueyaunce of theſe Antichriſtes warred, and yet (thee more is the pyrie) do warre one againſt another Oh Lorde God, how many ſoules hauehave in the meane ſeaſon peryſhed, how many poore innocentes hauehave bene cruellye murthered, howe greate treaſours, and tyches hauehave ben waſted and ſpent? and yet we ſe no ende, but rather feare, that worſe tymes wyll folowe. And as often as they doo reaſon amonge them ſelfes of peace & concorde, they do it for none other cauſe, but that they hauing gottē ſome profyt, may afterwardes ſtyrre vp greater tragedyes of marres, in ſo moch that to heare theym at any tyme, ſpeake of peace, wyll make any man afrayed. For truely, when ſoeuer they do it, they intende to ſende forth into thys myſerable and wretched world,Ate, is … hurtful ſp… rite alwayes doyngeyll to men. that vnluckye Ate, which troubleth al thinges But that I maye in fewe wordes conclude all theſe thynges, who ſoeuer is ſtudious of true peace, and godlye concorde, let hym fyrſte receaue the woorde of God, whoſe lyght ſhineth forth now a dayes, wyth ſo great lyghtſomneſſe, for oneleſſe a man receaueth it, he ſhall neuer euioye the true peace. The are is all readye layde too thee roote of thee tree.

But what neade we to proue, wyth any longer demonſtratiō, out of the bokes and wrytynges of the prophetes, after what facion, and maner, the paſtour ought to reſyſte & withſtand the ſynnes and vyces of the hygh powers & gouernours? Let the faythful & diligent paſtour reade theyr ſermons, and there he ſhal fynde none other thinge, but a continuall fyghte, whych they hauehave had w^t the myghty princes & theyr vicious lyuing. For, who doth not heare and ſee, with what wordes Eſay both rebuke,Eſaye the rulers of the commune weale, when he ſayth: Eſaye. i. Heare the worde of the Lorde, ye princes of Sodoma, and herken vntounto the lawe of our God, thou people of Gomorra. Thy prynces are wycked and companions of theues. They louelove gyftes all togeather, & gape for rewardes. As for the fatherles, they helpe hym not to hys ryght, nether wil they let thee wydomes cauſes come before theym.Hieremye. and Hieremye doeth alſo complayne, that he can not fynde a ryghteous man, or that miniſtreth iuſtice in all the ſtretes of the ſytie: whyche he ſpeaketh not of the commens or raſcall people, but of thee Lordes and chief rulers, whoſe ſynnes and vnfaythfulneſſe do farre paſſe the wyckedneſſe of the people. Therfore, the princes and rulers of oure tyme, be wyſe ynoughe, whych forbyd by theyr lawes, that no man ſhall ſpeake agaynſt theym, nor agaynſt theyr vycyous lyuinge, wher as the fountaynes of all vyces and deuylyſhe wyckedneſſe, do ſpringe frō none other, than from thee Prynces, ſpirituall prelates, and gouernoues. Agayne, wyth what ſharpeneſſe, doo they ſpeake agaynſte falſe Prophetes? How cruell, dreadfull, and horrible a puniſhmēt doeth Ezechiell .xxxiiii. Chapter, threaten to thoſe Paſtours,Ezechi …. whych are wont to fede theym ſelues onelyonly? Of whom, wythout doubte, there is, and ſhalbe alwayes a great number, and yet neuertheleſſe the prophetes do not therefore ſpare theyr craftye deceyptfulnes and hypocryſye. What ſhal we ſaye of the prophete Amos,Amos. whych moſte ſharpelye rebuking the ſynnes of the head rulers doeth call theym fat bullockes, & alſo doeth prophecie & tell before, what miſfortunes, plagues, & calamities are prepared for them? What,Ionas. Ionas was cō pelled by the deuyne commaundement of God, to goo into a ſtraunge Cytye, whych was al drowned in wyckedneſſe and ſynne, and to deuounce and tell vntounto them the puniſhementes and plague that ſhuld folowe, wythin the ſpace of xi. dayes. To be ſhorte, what ſeueritie & ſharpeneſſe dyd they all vſe, whych before the captiuitie of Babilon dyd prophecye of the vtter deſtruction of thee people, and yet for all that, they coulde auayle or profyte nothinge.

The example of Iohn againſt Herode. marke. vi.That valyant and noble fore tenner of Ieſus chriſt, Iohn baptiſt, dyd right well know the ſtrength, might, and fyceceneſſe of Kyng Herode. whych was ſo great, that none of al hys contrey durſt contradicte, or gayneſaye it: and yet in the meane ſeaſon, he doeth alſo vnderſtande, that he ought not therfore to be ſpared, nor yet to be ſuffred at his owne pleaſure, wythout the blame of any mā to exercyſe and vſe hys inordinate lechety: & becauſe that ther was none other, that durſt reprehend or rebuke thys abhominable dede of thee Kynge, he hys owne ſelfe cometh vntounto hym, & layinge thee heynouſueſſe of thee facte before hym ſayth:Mark. v.Mark 5 It is not lawfull for the to hauehave thy brothers wyſe. The Kynge therfore, beynge offended at hys boldeneſſe, dyd bothe caſt hym into pryſon, & at length put hym to death. Whereby, we do gather, that a Paſtoure is dryuen to thys neceſſytye, that he muſt rebuke, blame and reprehende, all thoſe fawtes, vyces, and ſynnes, that none other mortall man date rebuke:marke ye thys, o ye faynt harted paſtours, y^e dare not freeke againſte agnatter, here we ſee no manne too bee excepted, but that he muſte reſyſte the verye Princes them ſelues, and alſo y^e myghtye prelates of the churche, and that, too theyr owne faces: lette hym not ſuffre hym ſelfe, to be diſmayde wythe the vayue feares, neyther of mans ſtrengthe, nor of dignytye and power, nor of thee folyſſhe and madde multytude: but as ſone as thee lorde doethe warne hym of hys duetye, lette hym goo aboute it, wythe a ſoute and bolde ſtomache, and neuer leaue of, tyll he feele and perceaue in theym a manyfeſte amendmente of lyfe. For, ſo doethe the lorde commaund Hieremye, ſayinge: And therefore gyrde vppe thy loynes, aryſe, and tell theim all, that I geue thee in commaundement, feare them not, leſte I deſtroye the before them. For beholde, thys day do I make the, a ſtrong defenced towne, and yron pyllet, & a braſe walle againſt the whole lande, againſt the kinges and myghty men of Iuda, againſt the prieſtes & people of the lād. They ſhal fyght agaynſt the, but they ſhal not be able to ouercome therfor I am with the to delyuer the. They ſhal conuerte vntounto the, and thou ſhalte not conuerte vntounto theym.

It is the duetye of Paſtours, too rebuke choſe vices y^e none other mā dare rebuke.For, as among the Lacedemonians there were certayne offycers called Ephori, and among the Romaynes, other, whome they called Tribuni, and at thys preſence, in certayne cytyes of Germanye, there be hygh wardens of companyes or trybes, whyche do reſyſt and wythſtande the heade ruler, yf at any tyme,Ephori & tribuni were offycers amōg the Lacedemonians & Romayns too who y^e people, yf they were not wel vſed myght hauehave aupelled frō the hygher magiſtrates. through ouer greate power, he wareth out of faciō, ſo god did inſtitute & ordaine Paſtours amōge hys people, as certayne offycers, whyche ſhulde alwayes watche. For god wyll hauehave no man to be ſo hygh nor of ſech auctorytie, y^e al mē ſhoulde be afrayde to rebuke his ſynnes, or tel hym of his fawres. And yf the magiſtrate, whoſe offyce and dutye it is to do it, beynge eyther letted wyth feare or infected & ſyck w^t the ſame diſeaſe, dare not boldly reſiſt & wythſtād the ſupreme ruler & gouernour: yet ſhall he that is a Paſtour neuer ſlepe: In dede yf thautorytie of the magiſtrate be ioyned w^t hys ſtudye, laboure, and godly endeuoures or enterpryſe: Vyces and wyckednes, ſhal the more eaſelye, and withe greater quietnes, or more commodiouſly be taken awaye. But yf he be ſlouthfull, or negligent, the paſtour ſhal take vpō hym thys harde cure yea, w^t the peryl and ieopardye of hys owne heade, and ſhall loke for helpe and delyueraunce, from none other, that from god only. Thee Paſtoures muſte watche,il. Croni. xxxvi. Hiere. xxv and ſtoppe the waye vntounto wyckedneſſe and ſynne. For god aryſethe yerly ſendynge for the hys prophetes in tyme, to monyſhe, correcte, and amende the world, which altogether is polluted, w^t y^e ſtynking filthines of ſynne, as we may ſe. Hierem xxv. and xxix. But after that, thee admonycyon ſente of God, is ones come, there is none other remedye, but that wee muſte chaunge our former lyfe, and amende oure ſelues. For, excepte thys be doune, a greater euyll or plague is at oure owne doores, whyche daylye drawethe nerer and nerer, and is aggraguated, tyll extreme and vtter deſtructyon do enſue and folowe. Wee hauehave examples in readyneſſe, wherewythe thys can bee proued. For, who doethe not ſe thee lamentable deſtruction of Sodoma, and of the Niniuites?Exo. xxxiiExod 32 Alſo y^e people of Iſrael, when they had worſhipped the golden calue in the deſert, were receaued into fauour agayn, but whē afterwardes dwellyng in the lande of promiſſion, they had vngddly deſpiſed the voices of the prophetes, they were extremely plaged, & caryed away captyues into Babylon.

What armure a paſtour muſt bee armed wyth all.Syth then, that it is the offyce and duetie of a Paſtour, to ſet hym ſelfe againſt, to reſyſt & withſtād, al the Princes, & myghty rulers of thys worlde, and to fyght againſt them, & theyr vycious lyuīges, w^t al his might, ſtrēgth, & power it is very neceſſary and nedefull, that he bee well armed, afore that he take vppon hym thys harde burden or charge. Wherfore, he muſte bee brought into the armory of Chriſt, that out of it, he maye be decked and armed, wythe thee ſame armure, that Chryſte dyd afore hand arme his diſcyples w^t.math. x marke vi. Luk. ix. & xLuke 9 For, he ſending forthe his dyſcyples, dyd ſay: Go, and preach ſayinge: Thee kyngdom of heauen is at hand heale y^e ſyck, clēſe y^e leapers, raiſe y^e dead, caſte out deuyls, & preach that y^e kyngdō of god, is already at hand, or at the verye dooore. Freelye ye hauehave receaued, geue frely. Poſſeſſe not gold, nor ſyluer, nor braſſe in your purſes, not yet ſcrippe towardes your iorney: neither .ii. cotes, neither ſhoes, nor yet a rode. For the worke mā is worthy of his meate. In the which place, Chriſt doeth diligently beware & take hede, y^t the paſtour be not intāgled w^t any cares of earthli thī ges, or w^t any ſtudy & thought, howe he ſhal get his lyuynge, yea, he wyl hauehave him in no wiſe to prouide him ſelf of a liuing: but doth cōmit vntounto him, that chiefe & principal fode of thee ſoules, whō he biddeth him to ſet forth, w^t all faythful labour & diligēce, beleuing & y^t w^tout al doubte, y^t they ſhal wante no maner of externe & outward thinge, y^t is neceſſary for y^e lyfe of the body. For, there ſhalbe almaies eueryevery wher ſome godly & liberal mē, which wyl not ſuffre thē that labour faithfullye in thee lordes vineyard to lack or want anye ſuch thinges. Beſides that, he can not denye a liuīg, and other neceſſary thinges, vntounto his miniſters & worke men, that prouydeth ſo liberally for the brydes of the ayre, & floures of the fyelde. Moreouer, her cōmaunded thē to geue frelye vntounto other, y^e giftes of y^e ſpiryt, which they had receaued,A ſtaf is both graū ted & forbiddē to y^e Apoſtles. by y^e free liberalytye of god. In marke he doth ꝑnit or ſuffre thē to weare a ſtaffe, which is nothing repugnaūt to thoſe thīges, y^t we hauehave now here aledged. For, ther a ſtaffe is permitted or graūted vntounto thē, to helpe thē in theyr way or iourney, y^t ſo they ſhuld vnderſtād that all pompe & pride of charets & horſes was forbidden thē, In Mathew, he doth forbyd y^e ſame leſt they ſhuld thīk, y^t they might bryng their matter to paſſe w^t ſtryppes, & force of armes: beſydes that, becauſe they ſhuld wholy cōmit thē ſelues, vntounto his diuine wil prouidēce & promiſe, nor go about to prouyde for thē ſelues w^t theyr owne wyſdome and ſtudye.

The keies of binding & louſinge, ar geuē to y^e apoſtlesA lytle after, Chriſt doth alſo adde: And who ſoeuer ſhal not receaue you, nor heare your preachyng, when ye departe oute of that houſe, or that cytye, ſhake of the duſte of youre fete. Verelye, I ſaye vntounto you, it ſhall be eaſyer for the lande of Sodoma and Gomorra in the day of iudgement, then for y^e cytye. Euen as in the fore aledged places he dyd byd theym to vſe the keyes of loſynge and forgeuyng that is too ſaye, when he commaūded theym to preach the goſpel, and to tel forth, that the kingdō of god is at hād: ſo now, he doth byd thē to bynd ſuch, as wyl not receaue the goſpel or glad tydinges of ſaluac…ō offered by thē. For, when he doth cōmaund them, to ſhake of, y^e duſt of their fete, he doth teach thereby, as by a certaine ſigne & token, that the infydels ar ſnarred & boūd w^t ſo ſtraight bondes of infidelitie, miſbeleue, & incredulitie, that they that are faythful, may not hauehave, as moch as y^e duſte, (thā y^t which, nothīg is more vile & abiect) cōmune w^t thē. After the ſame faction & maner,Actu. xviii Paul afterwardes (as we may ſe in the Actes) byd vſe the keyes of bī ding. For whē certain vngodly & ſtubborne Iewes withſtāding y^e Euāgelycal doctrine, did moſt vngodly blaſpheme y^e name of chriſt▪ he did ſhake his garmētes, & duſt of his fete againſt thē, ſayinge: Your bloude be vponupon youre owne heades. Frō hence forth wyll I go blameleſſe vntounto the gentyls. Alſo, in thys place, we may ſe,chriſt wyll hauehave no mā to be compelled violētly to thee fayth. y^e chriſt doth violently cōpel no mā to y^e faith, nor wil hauehave any mā to be cōcayued (as we do ſee many now a dayes to be fowle deceaued, whiche thinkinge that it is lawfull, make y^e faithfull afrayed, y^t they do rather ſeke y^e riches & kingdō of this world, than y^e kyngdō of chriſt) that al vertue, power, and glorye, may be adſcrybed too hys word alone.

The Apoſtels & Paſtours, are deſtytuted of al externe and outward helpBy & by agayne Chriſte ſayth: Behold, I ſēd you forthe as ſhepe amōge wolues. Be ye therfore wyſe as ſerpē tes, and innocent as doues. But beware of thoſe men, for, they ſhall delyuer you vp to the counſailes, & ſhal ſcourge you, in theyr ſynagoges. And ye ſhalbe broughte to thee heade rulers, and kynges, for my ſake, in wytneſſe to them and to the Gentiles &c. Beholde he taketh from thē all earthlye defence of this world, al hope of comfort and helpe. For, what could be ſpoken, more greuous, dreadeful, and horryble vntounto the fleſhe,The fleſhe cā not wel away with theſe thynges. then that? ye ſhall bee delyuered vp to counſayles, ye ſhalbe broughte vntounto heade rulers, kynges, and alſo before iudges, they, whome ye do thinke moſte frendely, ſhal treaterouſlye betraye you, ye ſhall be ſcourged in Synagoges, one brother ſhall delyuer an other to deathe, thee father ſhall brynge hys ſonnes into extreme ieopardye and peryll of theyr own lyues, nor the ſonnes wyl in any wyſe ſpare theyr poore parētes. And yet in y^e meane ceaſon he ſayeth, y^t amō ge or in y^e middeſt of ſo many & greate peryls, they ſhalbe naked, and as touching the bodye deſtituted of all helpe, as ſhepe that be in the myddeſte of wolues. For, as wolues do in no wiſe pytie the ſhepe, nor acknowledge that they be bothe innocente and meke,A ſimilitude. but rather runnynge vponupon them, do ſcatter, teare, rente, deuoure, and deſtroye all aboute, ſo they, that are the true worſhyppers of God, ſhall fynde no maner of mercy before tyrauntes, whyche wyll eſteme them as ſhepe, appoynted to the ſlaughter, yea, they runninge furiouſlye and moſt ragiouſly vponupon theym, wyll thinke that they doo hyghe ſeruyce vntounto God, yf they do roote out frō the earth and murther cruelly as manye, as he ſoche.

Thys armure, I ſay, and other lyke, (as whē he ſaith: The diſciple or ſcoler is not aboue the mayſter, nor the ſeruāt aboue his Lord. Agayne: yf they hauehave called the good man of the houſe, Beelzebub, howe moche more ſhall they hys houſholde ſeruauntes? And when he ſayeth: And the worlde ye ſhall hauehave perſecution. Item: They ſhall ſpeake all yll woordes agaynſte you) maye ſeme vntounto ſome, lettes rather, and ſtoppes, than anye defence, or ſtrengthenynge, wher as in very dede, they are nothing… els but a very armure. For, yf any man be already before fullye perſwaded in hys mynde, that theſe thinges wyl happen and chaunce vntounto him, lokinge for thē wyth a bolde & coragious ſtomack, all feare being baniſhed from his mynd he is already wel armed, ſo that they cā neyther hurt nor harme him any more. Yf then, theſe thynges can nether hurt nor harme the Paſtour, we muſt neades b…leue, that he is ſurely fenced and armed, and that wythe a ſtronge complete armure, agaynſte all thſe thynges. And yet I doo not ſette forthe here the deſcryptyon, of that armure, whereof Saynte Paule maketh mention. Epheſians .vi. Chapter. but I bringe forthe the ſame, whyche Chriſte dyd briefelye and wyth playne wordes deſcribe and ſette forth. For, when he hath, Math. x. rehearſed an infinite number of myſfortunes and perylles, whych do dayly and hourely hange ouer the Paſtours,To be w^t oute feare is y^e moſte ſtronge am…re of a Paſtoure. he ſayeth by and by: doo not ye feare theym. And a lyttle after: do not ye feare theym that kyll thee bodye, but thee ſoule they can not kyll, but rather dreade hym, that can deſtroye both y^e bodye and ſoule in thee fyre of hell. Not to feare then, not to be diſmayde, for anye dreade, feare or horrour of perylles, is a mooſte ſtronge and ſure armure. But paraduenture, thou wylte make an Obiection, and ſaye: Obiection What newe thynge hathe Chriſte taughte here? for, alreadye afore I dyd vnderſtande, that I ſhoulde luſtelye and wythe a bolde ſtommacke goo aboute thee offyce and charge, whyche is geuen and enioyned vntounto me, yf I feared nothynge at all. Wherfore I hadde more nede of hym, that ſhoulde geue me that mynde, whiche wyll be afrayed of nothinge. For excepte ſoche a mynde be geuen me, I can not perſeuere, but Chriſte hym ſelfe doeth make aunſwere to all theſe Obiections. For, Solution, when he hadde commaunded theym, that they ſhoulde not be afrayed in thoſe waues of perylles: by and by he dyd ſhewe, wher they myght gette ſoche a mynde, as ſhould be with out feare, for he ſayth, Iohn xvi. Theſe thynges hauehave I ſpoken vntounto you, that in me, ye maye hauehave peace, for, ye ſhall hauehave affliction in the world. But be ye of a good chere, for I hauehave ouercommed the worlde. Doeſt thou ſee nowe, howe Chriſt is our defendour? He byddeth vsus to be of a good chere, & that we putting awaye all feare, do perſyſte conſtantelye in hys worcke, though moſte greuouſe afflictions do ouerwhelme vsus. For, this is the nature of the worlde thus alwayes to exercyſe and trouble the true worſhyppers of God. Here doeth lye a moſt ſure hope of oure comforte, and an vndoubted defence, that Chriſt hath ouercommed the worlde. For, yf we be hys faythfull mynyſters, he ſhall alſo ouercome the worlde for vsus. Wherfore, he byddeth vsus to be of a good cheare, and to putte awaye al feare. After the ſame maner Moyſes doeth comforte the children of Iſrael ſaying:Exod. xiiiiExod 14 The Lord ſhal fyghte for you, and ye ſhal holde youre peace and be ſtyll. The Paſtour then, beynge endued, or rather armed wythe ſoche a mynde, ſhall wyth all care diligence, and fidelitie admyniſtre the worke of hys Lord, cōmitting al the reſidue vntounto hym, who, according to hys good and deuyne wyll, ſhall geue a ioyefull and proſperous ende or ſucceſſe.

But becauſe the paſtour myght here make another obiection, Obiection & ſay: Truely, I do heare the voyce & worde of Chriſt, which promiſeth that he wilbe both an helper & a defendour vntounto me, but I ſee in the meane ſeaſon, how he is wont to defende hys myniſters, euen ſo, that at length they be fayne to ſuffre death. I aunſwere that then thou art very well defended, Solution. when thou doeſte ſuffre death for Chriſtes ſake For, no man ſuffreth death for the name of god, excepte he be a chyld of God. But here in this place, thou ſhalt knowe the chiefe and mooſte principall foundations of fayth & charitie,The prīcipal foūdations of faith & charitie. wher wyth the whole buyldinge of a Chriſtian man is ſet vp, as it hath bene promyſed afore. Doeſt thou beleue that there is one onelyonly almighty God? I beleue, wylt thou ſaye. Doeſt thou beleue, that the ſame is thy god, thy Lord and thy father? I beleue wylt thou ſay. Tell me then, doeſt thou putte all thyne hope and confydence in hym onelye? Yes, wylte thou ſaye. Wythout doubt then, thou doeſte beleue thys alſo, that the ſame God hath promyſed nothyng vntounto the, but that he wyl perfourme it. That do I alſo beleue, wilt thou ſaye. Yf thou doeſte then acknowledge God to be thy father, I doubte not, but that thou wylt louelove hym, & in all his cōmaū demētes, be obediēt vntounto him. And yf y^u be thus mynded, thou wylte be glad, I trow, yf thou canſt at any tyme do ſeruyce, vntounto ſo bounteous, mercyfull and gentyl a father, or yf thou canſte do any maner of thinge, that may pleaſe hym. Or that fayth then, wherby thou doeſt acknowledge him, to be that moſt hygh and almyghty God, wherby thou doeſt acknowledge hym to be thy God, and thy father, that alſo is wont to enſue & folowe, that thou conceaueſte a verye great hope to come into the preſence of thys God, yea, thou wylte make haſte to come vntounto hym, as ſoone as may be. For, yf thou doeſt acknowledge hym to be thy father, thou ſhalte louelove hym. Yf thou doeſt louelove hym, as thou oughteſte to do, thou canſte neuer abyde that hys name be blaſphemed, that hys honoure and glory be any thing mynyſhed, that his worde be not beleued, that his commaundementes be thus ſo vngodly and wickedly contempned and troaden vnderunder fete.A ſimilitude. As then, thou wylt rather dye, than to ſuffre thy father to be broughte into an yll name, or too be diffamed: ſo ſhalt y^u moch more wyſhe and deſyre to ſuffre this bodely death, rather than to ſee gods glory to be diminiſhed. Agayn yf thou doeſte beleue that Gods worde is conſtant, ſure, and infallible, y^u ſhalte alſo knowe and vnderſtande, that noo greater glorye can vppon the earth happen vntounto man, and that we can doo no greater ſeruyce vntounto God, than yf we ſuffer death for the glorye of hys name. Therfore, the leſſe feare and horrour of death is in thee, ſo moche thee greater and ſtronger fayth is in thyne harte, on the contrarye, thee more thou doeſte feare and dreade thys bodelye death, ſo moche the leſſe doeſt thou louelove Chriſte, and truſte in God. For, whoſoeuer is endued wyth a true faythe and is fyered wyth an vnfayned and ſyncere louelove of God, he doeth already vnderſtand, that thys death, whyche we muſte ſuffer for the name and glorye of Chriſt: is a very lucre and a moſt true waye,The death y^t we ſuffer for chriſtes ſake is a true w…y to come to euerlaſtīg lyfe to come to y^e euerlaſtinge lyfe. Beſydes that, he doth know, that he is in no wiſe ouercomed which, for the confeſſion of Chriſtes name, ſuffreth death, but rather that he is both ouercomed & all together vndone, that for thee louelove of thys mortall lyfe, doth ſuffre him ſelf to be plucked away from God. He then, that vnderſtandeth all theſe thinges perfectely, ſhall in no wyſe excuſe thee peryll of death, for, it is the nature of the fleſhe, to feare death and to complayn of it, but he that hath in hym a ſyncere and ſo …nde louelove of GOD, noo fyre, noo concupyſcence, or coueteouſneſſe of earthlye thynges, ſhalbe able to quenche that deuyne heat whych is in hym We muſt nedes, with the myghte and power of thys louelove, as wyth a muſte ſure armure, to ouercome the enemyes of god, as Paule doth teache, when he ſayeth: Roma .viii. I am ſure, that neyther death, neyther lyfe, neyther aungels nor rule, nether power neyther thinges preſent nor thinges to come, nether heyght no: loweneſſe, nor any creature ſhalbe able to departe vsus frō the louelove of god, whych is in Chriſte Ieſu our Lorde.

Why and wherefore louelove is required in a Paſtour.Nowe becauſe that charitie is afore all thinges, and moſt chiefely requyred in a paſtour, as very neceſſary, the cauſe muſt be ſhewed why he hath nede of it, and alſo we muſt tell, wher he maye get it, LoueLove is therfore neceſſary in a Paſtour,A ſimilitude. becauſe that all hys actions and doynges, all hys endeuours, and counſayls muſt be proued, tryed and righted by the rule and lyne of charitie or louelove. For, as no carpenter, be he neuer ſo conuinge and induſtrious, is ſo well eyed, or hath ſo perfect a ſyghte that he neadeth no rule & lyue. So, nether y^e ſtrēgth of the mind, nor y^e ſcience & knowledge, nor yet fayth, is any thinge worthe, excepte it be righted by y^e rule of charitye.i. Cor xiii,1 Cor 13 For, Paul doth ſpeake of it after thys maner: LoueLove ſuffreth long, & is courteous: LoueLove enuyeth not louelove doeth not frowardlye, ſwelleth not, dealethe not diſhoneſtly, ſeketh not her own, is not prouoked to anger thinketh not euil, reioyceth not in iniquitie, but reioyſeth in the truth, ſuffereth al thinges, beleueth al thinges, hopeth in al thīges, endureth al thinges. louelove calleth neuer away. It may then eaſely be gathered by theſe condicions of louelove, that afore al other vertues it is neceſſary & nedeful to a paſtours. For, as a ſhepeherde,A ſimilitude. doth ſcourge & beate ſome of his ſhepe, ſome he dryueth forwardes w^t his handes, ſome with fete, ſome againe he doth wyſtell forwardes, ſome he doeth allure w^t bread & ſalt, ſome, y^e ar weake, he doth beare vpō hys ſhoulders, ſome agayn he leaueth in y^e tables & foldes, tyl they be growē & of ſtrength, & in al theſe thinges he ſeketh y^e ꝓrofit of hys marſter, hauing a reſpect only, y^t the nū ber of y^e ſhepe may encreaſe, & that thei may be ſafe & ſound: So, y^e Paſtour of y^e ſoules, being kyndeled w^t the fyre of gods louelove, ſhal do al that he can, that y^e ſhepe of god, may bothe encreaſe, and abydyng ſtedfaſtly in y^e true fayth, may alwayes, through hys dyligence, be in ſafegarde. Wherefore he ſhal, now in tyme; now out of tyme cal vponupon them, as the nature of ſhepe is wonte to requyre, and as God, accordynge too the true meanynge of hys worde doth admyt. But, what nead… we manye wordes? ſhe that hath louelove, doth neuer, deceaue or fayle, nor is deceaued, for, louelove is not ydle, but moueth man, to promote & ſet forth alwayes the honour and glory of god, bearyng, & ſufferynge in the meane ſeaſon wyth a conſtant and ſtedfaſte mynde,Withoute the louelove of God it is an eaſy things to fall into pryde. all thoſe thynges, that muſte be ſuffered for it. But yf a man doeth want thys charytye and louelove, he ſhall eaſelye fall and that headlonge into thee bottomleſſe pyt of pryde: for without the louelove of god, what is man, but an arrogante pryde, & mere hypocryſye.

Wher the louelove of god ought to be ſoughte.Now, and where a man ſhall bothe ſeke and fynde thee louelove of god, it is eaſye to bee knowen by the wordes of Chryſte, where Ioh. vi. he ſpeaketh after thys maner: No manne cometh vntounto me, except my father doth drawe him. Ergo, it cometh of god y^e draweth vsus, y^t we do ſtyck vntounto him, leaue vponupon him, & truſte in him. For, god him ſelfe, is louelove, as Iohn .i. Ioh. ii:i doth teſtifye. He the, y^t dwelleth in louelove, dwelleth in god, and god dwelleth in hym. Wherfore, it is moſt neceſſary & nedeful for a paſtour, to cal earneſtly vponupon god, y^t he vouchſafe to kindel in him y^e fyre of his louelove. But how ſhal he call vpō him, in whome he beleueth nor. in whō he truſteth not? Ro x. The inuocatyō thē, or prayer, cometh or ſpringeth of fayth: For, no mā is wonte too cal vpō him, of whō, he can not hope, to receaue ſaluatiō & helpe: beſydes y^t, men do not cal vpō him, of whoſe good wyl & louelove thei do hope to hauehave al goodnes yf in the meane ſeaſō, they know him, to be ſo weake, y^t he cā not helpe & aide them. Yf then, we do in our myndes acknowledge god, both to be mercyful & louyng towardes vsus, & alſo almighty, that is to ſay, y^t he is not wyllynge, but alſo able to helpe our neceſſyties: it is alredye moſt ſure, y^t god is in vsus. For our fleſh, cā not hauehave, of it ſelf, ſuch a knowledge of god. Yf therfore, ther is in vsus, & in our myndes, ſuche a knowledge of god, & ſuch confydēce, & truſt in him, that ſame is not of oure ſelues, but it cometh of god. For, it is he that learneth vsus, both hys power, & hys wyl & certyfyeth vsus of thē by hys onelye begotten ſonne Ieſus Chryſte. And who ſoeuer, doth receyue hym for the ſōne of god, he is alredy ſure in his mind, that god both wil & cā helpe vsus: for he hath delyuered to death his onelyonly begottē ſonne for vsus: thau the whyche, nothing cā be found in this world greater, or more excellent. He therfore, which is certified by Ieſus Chriſte, is borne of god, and god dwelleth in him i. Ioh. iiii. For, we cā not by our owne reaſon and ſtrengthe receaue Chryſte, wyth a ſure, and ſtedfaſt faith, for that is wrought in vsus, by god only. And he, that hath god dwellyng in him, is alredy certyfyed in hys mynd, that God wyll both heare hys prayers, and alſo performe hys deſyres. By theſe thīges thē, y^t hauehave ben reherſed hitherto, it is moſt ſurely to be gathered y^t they▪ whyche ar wōt to complayne of y^e feblenes of gods louelove, and of theyr cold affectyon towardes hym, nor cā abyde to ſuffre death, for his names ſake, hauehave not yet receaued chriſt, w^t a true and ſound fayth. For, he y^t hathe embraced chriſt. from hys verye harte, can not, but bee aſhamed, yf he feelethe hys fleſhe too go aboute ſome let or ſtoppe, ſyth y^t he ſeeth god the father, to hauehave delyuered ſo liberally his onelyonly begottē ſōne for vsus. Who ſoeuer then,Of whom we oughte to deſire y^t louelove of God. deſyreth the louelove of god, he muſt aſke of god y^e father, the true knowledge of Ieſus chriſt, and of his whole miſtery, & that he may leane vponupon him wyth a ſure, true & vndoubted fayth: and by & by he ſhall feele in him ſelf y^e fyre of louelove. He ſhal alſo afterwardes geue high thākes vntounto god, y^e he doeth vouchſafe to ſpēd, beſtow & cōſume, thys foule & vyle body, to the honour and glory of hys name. For, although our fleſhe doth dreade & feare death (for chryſte hym ſelfe, was not a lytle moued wythe the feare and horrour of deathe) yet notwythſtanding, beynge by and by ſtyrred, w^t that moſte ſtrōg fire of louelove, & incēſinges of faith, will be cōſtrained to folow the faithful ſoule, into y^e very death. Such I ſaye, is the neceſſitye of gods louelove whyche may be drawen out of thoſe fountaynes, that we hauehave ſhewed euen nowe.

We thinke thē,What the louelove of God is able to doo y^t it is ſufficiētly ſhewed & declared, y^t the louelove of god onelye, can performe or brynge too paſſe al thoſe thinges, that are neceſſary for a paſtoure, whych ar theſe: that he vtterlye forſake his parentes & hys owne ſelf, that he take vponupon hym thys moſte peryllous office, w^tout ſcrippe, purſe, & without any rode or ſtyck, that alſo, he ſuffre hym ſelfe to be broughte before heade rulers, before kynges and Iudges, that he ſuffre him ſelf, to be ſcourged, to be reuiled & yl ſpoken of, and atlēgth to be moſt cruelly put to deathe: Whyche louelove againe,the rewarde of a good Paſtour. it is impoſſyble to ſtande, wythoute a true and aſſured fayth in god. Now alſo, the greatenes of the reward muſt be cōſidered, yf perchaunce, according to the nature of mā nes wytte, thee hope of thee rewarde may encorage the Paſtour, hoth to laboure, and alſo to bee pacyente, in hys troubles and afflyctyons. Oure lorde Ieſus Chryſt doth appointe the rewarde. Marke .x. For, when Peter had in the name of all y^e diſciples aſked hym, ſayinge: Beholde, wee hauehave forſaken all thynges, and folowed thee. What ſhall we then hauehave? Chriſte dyd aunſwere: Verely, I ſay vntounto you, Ther is no man, that hath forſaken hys houſe, or hys brethren, or his ſyſters, or his father, or hys mother, or hys wyfe, or his chyldren, or his fyeldes, for my ſake & the goſpel, but that he ſhal receaue an hundreth fold in thys world, houres, & brethren, and ſyners, & mothers, & chyldren and fyeldes wyth perſecutions, & in the world to come, lyfe euerlaſting. Here, chryſte doethe promyſe an ample and an excedynge greate rewarde, but he doethe adde a verye ſowre ſawce, he maketh it very bytter, and hatefull or heynouſe vntounto our fleſſhe, when he telleth before, that we ſhal hauehave, y^t rewarde w^t perſecutions. Wherfore, we muſt better loke and conſyder, wher, the ſame hundreth fold reward that he doth ſpeake of here, was euer geuen. For, it is a very eaſye thing. to fyud perſecution in this worlde, but we ſe, that it is not ſo eaſye to fynd an hundreth houſes, & ſo manye brethren & fyeldes &c. Wherfore pōder more dilygētly, what hath ben done.Actuum .ii. Whē Peter, as y^e Actes do teſtyfie. dyd vponupon wytſonday, preaching chriſte, conuert thre.Howe it oughte to be vnderſtanded, y^t we ſhal receaue an hundreth folde in this world M men too the chriſtian fayth, dyd he not get vntounto hym, a muche greater numbre of ſyſters and brethren, and alſo manye mo houſes, fyeldes, and much greater plē tye of all thynges than euer he hadde before? For, he dyd louelove all theym whiche dyd take thee name of chryſte vponupon them, and dyd beleue in him, no les than hys owne brethren, he dyd no leſſe care for theyr ryches and poſſeſſyons, than yf the ſubſtaunce of all theym, had bene hys owne, takinge hede moſt diligētly to this thing, that they ſhuld not ſet theyr myndes to moch vponupon earthly ryches, nor abuſe them raſhely. Truely all faythful paſtours were of this mynde. In dede this reward doth in no wiſe ſerue for the body, nor for bodely cōmodities, but rather it doeth increaſe the care & ſolicitude of a Paſtour, which he hath ouer the ſhepe cōmitted vntounto him. What nedeth to ſpeake of the promiſes of ꝑſecutiō, wh…ch we do ſe to be ſo fulfylled, y^t by the ſpace of many yeres, the paſtours & miniſters of y^e churches hauehave ben moſt cruelly put to death? wherby, it may eaſely be gathered, y^t the Paſtours do in no wyſe miniſter and execute this function & office,whether a Paſtour y^t is fa…thful doeth take this offyce vponupon him, in reſpecte of the …uerlaſting rewarde, or not. for any externe & outwarde reward. But becauſe, the rewarde of euerlaſtinge lyfe is promyſed alſo wythe theſe outwarde thynges, we muſt conſyder & luke, whether y^t the Paſtour doth take vponupon hym this office, in reſpecte of it, or not. Where agayne we ſhal deprehend & fynd, y^t the Paſtour, yf ſo be that he be true & faythfull, is not principally moued wyth thee promyſe of y^e euerlaſtīg reward, to take thys offyce vponupon him. For, he y^t ſeeueth for an euerlaſting hier & rewarde, muſt nedes afore all thynges to know, where this hyer or reward is promiſed vnt… him, agayne, who is the author of this promyſe, & that he, whych hath promyſed, is true, whych can neytherlye, nor deceaue. Yf then, a man knoweth, that a rewarde is promyſed vntounto him, by and by doth he enquyre, wyth al dylygēce & ſtudye, whether that he which hathe promyſed it, is true. Yf he be eues aſſured and certyfyed in hys mynde thereof, he hath alſo gottē y^e true & moſt aſſured or ſtrong faythe in god the father. And where faythe is, there alſo muſte the louelove of god enſue and fol…w. For, who coulde acknowledge god, for that hyghe and infallyble good, for a moſte benigne, boūteous, & mercyful father, & not louelove hym, from hys very hart? eſpecyally ſyth that hathe certyfyed vsus of hys grace and louelove, wyth that moſt chyef Iewel, pryce▪ and pledge, of hys only beg…ttē ſōne Ieſus chriſt. No mā then that is a faythfull paſtour, hath a reſpect to y^e reward or hyer. For, yf he be alredy before aſſured & certyfyed of the reward, knowynge that it can not be taken from hym, he muſte alſo hauehave fayth before in hym: Yf he hath fatyh, he hathe alſo an inſeparable companyon wyth it, whyche is called thee louelove of God. Yf then the Paſtour hath both faythe and louelove, theſe two ſhall moue hym: to doo hys duetye. and to execute truely hys offyce, wythout any reſpect of rewarde or hyer. Seruauntes and hyerlynges do laboure and worcke for the hyer, and hauehave an eye onelye to it, the chyldren not ſo: but becauſe they are chyldren they do ſo faythfully worke in the houſe of their father, wythout any ſolycitude or care of the hyer, or rewarde, for, they do committe wholy the retribution or paying of it, what ſoeuer it ſhall be at length, vntounto theyr father.Galat. iiiiGal 4 And we are chyldren and eyres wyth Chriſte, why ſhoulde we then as ſeruauntes and hyerlynges hauehave a reſpecte onelyonly to the hyer and rewarde, and not rather to the glory and honour of our father, whych accordynge to his ryghteous wyl, and euerlaſting wyſdō, doeth appoynte and aſſygne a portion of hys enheritaunce for vsus? What Paſtour ſoeuer is not come to this meaſure of gods louelove, he ſhal in y^e flāmes of tēptacion & perſecutiō, oftē tymes wauer. For this cauſe Chriſte dyd ſtrengthen his diſciples wyth his holy ſpyryte, afore y^t they went to preache, & that with an outwarde ſygne and token of fyrye tonges, of a vehement noyſe & impetuous wynd.Actuum. ii For, the wynd dyd go before in tokē of y^e moſt troublous tempeſt wher with afterwardes the world was ſhaken & moued: which ſigne and tokē, fyrye tongues dyd folowe, wherby the ſtrengthening & confirming of god the father, through hys louelove, beynge kyndled in our hartes, is ſygnyfyed and betokened.