The appellation of Iohn Knoxe from the cruell and most iniust sentence pronounced against him by the false bishoppes and clergie of Scotland, with his supplication and exhortation to the nobilitie, estates, and co[m]munaltie of the same realme.

AN ADMONITION TO ENGLAND AND Scotland to call them to repentan∣ce, written by Antoni Gilby.

VVhere as many haue writtē many profitable admoni∣tiōs to you twaine, (O En∣gland and Scotlād, both ma∣kinge one Iland most hap∣pie, if you could know your own happi∣nes) somme against the regimēt of womē, wherewith ye are bothe plaged, somme against vnlauful obediēce, and the admit∣ting of strangers to be your kinges, som∣me declaring the vile nature of the Spa∣niards, whome thou, o Englād, to thy de∣structiō mainteinest, somme the pryde of the Frenchmen, whome thou, o Scotland, to thy ruine receauest: and many hundre∣thes with penne, with tonge, with worde, with writing, with ieopardie and losse of landes, goods, and lyues, haue admoni∣shed you bothe twaine of that cākred poy¦son of papistrie, that ye foster and pamper to your own perdition, and vtter destru∣ction of soules and bodies, of your selues ād yours for now and euer. I thoght it my duetie (seing your destructiō to mans iud∣gemēt

to draw so neare) how much or litle so euer they haue preuailed, yet once agai∣ne to admonishe you both, to giue testimo¦nie to that trueth, which my brethren ha∣ue writtē, ād specially to stirre your hearts to repentance, or at the least to offre my selfe a witnesse against you: for the iusti∣ce of God and his righteous iudgementes, which doubtles (if your hearts be hard∣ned) against you both are at hand to be vt∣tered. Thus by our writīgs, whome it plea¦seth God to styrre vp of your nations, all men, that now liue, and that shall comme after vs, shall haue cause also to praise the mercie of God, that so oft admonisheth be¦fore he do stryke, and to cōsider his iust pu¦nyshment, when he shall pourefurth his vengeance. Giue eare therefore betymes, O Britanie (for of that name both reioy∣seth) whiles the Lord calleth, exhorteth, ād admonisheth, that is the acceptable tyme, when he will be founde. Yf ye refuse the tyme offred, ye can not haue it afterward thogh with teares (as did Esau) ye do se∣me to seke it. Yet once againe in goddes behalfe I do offre you the verie meanes, which if God of his mercies graunte you grace to folow, I doubt nothing but that of al your ennemies spedely ye shallbe deliue¦red. Ye reioyce at this word, I am sure, if ye haue ani hope of the perfourmāce. Thē har¦kē to the matter, which I do write vnto you

not furth of mennes dreames nor fables, not furth of prophane histories painted with mannes wisdome, vaine eloquence, or subtile reasons, but furth of the infallible trueth of goddes worde, and by such plai∣ne demonstrations, as shall be able to con∣uince euerie one of your owne conscien∣ces, be he neuer so obstinate. I will aske no further iudges. Is not this goddes curse, and threatninge amongest many other pro∣nounced against the sinfull land and diso∣bedient people?

That strangers should deuoure the frute of thy lād,* 1.1 that the stran∣ger should clyme aboue the, and thou should comme downe and be his inferiour, he shall be the head and thou the taile. The Lord shall bring vpon the a people farr of, whose tongue thou canste not vn∣derstand, thy strong wales, wherin thou trusted, shall be destroied &c.

And doth not Esaie reckē this also as the extremitie of all plages for the wicked∣nes of the people to haue womē raised vp to rule ouer you?* 1.2 But what saieth the same {pro}phete in the begynnyng of his prophesie for a remedie against these and

all other euilles?

Your handes are full of blood, saieth he, O you princes of Sodom, and you people of Gomorrha, but washe you, make you cleane, take away your wicked thoghts furth of my sight. Cease to do euil, learn to do well, seke iudgemēt, help the oppressed &c. Then will I turn my hand to the, and trie owt all thy drosse, and take away thy tynne, ād I will restore thy iudges, as afore tyme, and counsilours, as of old.

And Moses said before in the place al∣ledged.

That if thou wilt heare the voice of the Lorde thy God,* 1.3 and do his commaundementes, thou shalt be blessed in the towne, and blessed in the feelde. The Lord shall cau¦se thyne ennemies, that rise vp a∣gainst the, to fall before the. &c. Lo the way in few wordes, O Britanie, to winne goddes fauour, and therefore to o∣uercome thyne ennemies. But to prynt this more deeply into your heartes, o ye

princes and people of that Iland, whome God hath begōne to punishe, seke I warne you no shifting holes to excuse your faul∣tes, no political practises to resist goddes vengeance. And first I speak to you (ô Ru¦lers and Princes of both the realmes) repēt your treason, and bewaile your vnthank∣fulnes. For by no other meanes can you es∣cape goddes iudgementes. You stomack I know to be called traitours, but what shall it auaile to spare the name, where the facts are more then euident. You hath God ere∣cted amōgest your brethrē, to the end that by your wisdome and godlie regiment your subiectes should be kept aswell from domestical oppression, as from bondage and slauerie of strangers. But ye alas decli∣ninge from God are made the instrumētes to betray and sell the libertie of those, for whome ye oght to haue spent your liues. For your consent and assistance is the cau∣se, that strangers now oppresse ād deuoure the poore within your realmes: who short∣ly, if God call you not to repētance, shall recompence you, as ye haue deserued. For the cupp, which your brethren do now drink, shall be put in your handes, and you shall drink the dreggs of yt to your de∣struction. And wōder it is if ye be becōme so foolishe ād so blynd, that ye think your selues able long to continue, and to be sa∣fe, when your brethren rounde about you

shall perishe: that you can pack your mat∣ters well enough with the princes, that ye can make you stronge with mariages, with flateries, and other fonde practises, or that with your multitude or strengthe ye can escape the daies of vengeance, or that you can hide your selues in holes or corners. Nay thoghe you should hyde you in the hels, God can drawe you thence, if you had the egles wynges to flie beyōde the east seas, you cannot auoid goddes pre∣sence. Submitt your selues therefore vnto hym, which holdeth your breath in your nostrels, who with one blast of his mouth cā destroy all his ennemies. Embrase his sō¦ne Christ, lest ye perishe, ād for your obsti¦nacie agaīst hym ād his worde repent be∣tymes, as we all do admonishe. Repent for your crueltie against his seruants and the contempt of his worde so plainely offred, as it was neuer sence the begynnyng of the world. Repent we cry repent. For repen∣tance is the onlie way of your redresse and deliuerance. Did God euer longe spare any people, whome he hath taught by his Prophetes, without somme euident re∣pentance? or vseth any father to pardon his childe, whome he hathe begonne to chastice, without somme token of repen∣tance? Consider how the Lord hath intrea∣ted Israel and Iuda his owne people: how oft they trespassed, and how he gaue them

ower into the hand of their ennemies. But whensoeuer they repented and turned a∣gaine to God vnfeanedly, he sent them iudges and deliuerers, kinges ād Sauiours. This way then of repentance and vnfea∣ned turning to God by obedience is the onlie way before God accepted and alo∣wed. Therefore was Noah sent to the old world to bring this doctrine of repentan∣ce, and all the old prophetes, as Elias, Eli∣saeus, Esaias, Ieremias and Malachias, and he, who excelled all the prophetes, Iohn Baptist. Any of whose stiles, and sharpe re∣bukes of synners if I should now vse, it would be thoght full strange and harde∣ly would be suffered: yet were any of their lessons, wherebie they called to repentan∣ce, most mete for our tyme and age, and no¦thinge disagreinge from this my present purpose. For the same spirit still striueth against the malice of our tymes, thoghe in diuerse instrumētes and sundrie sortes and fashions. Noah pronounceth, that within an hundreth and twentie yeares all fleshe should be destroyed. We haue many No∣haes, that so crieth in our tymes, yet no mā repēteth. All the tyme, that Noah was preparing for the arke to auoide goddes vengeance, the multitude derided this ho∣lie prophete, as the multitude of you two realmes doth at this day deride all them,

that by obedience to goddes worde seke the meanes appointed to auoid gods iud∣gementes. Then the people would not re∣pent, but as they should liue for euer, they maried, they banketed, they builded, they planted, deriding gods messēger. Do not you the like? I appeale to your own con∣sciences. You marie, but not in God, but to betray your countries, you bāket and buil∣de with the blood of the poore.

The Lorde calleth to fasting (saieth the prophete Esaie) to mortifie thē selues, and to kill their lustes, but they kill shepe and bullockes. Ieremie crieth for teares and lamentation, they laughe and mock. Malachie crieth to the people of his tyme, Turne vnto me ād I will turne to you, saieth the Lor∣de of hostes, and they proudly answer, wherein shall we returne? Are ye not suche? Do not ye aske wherein shall we re∣turne, when ye will not know your sinnes? when ye can not confesse, nor acknolledge your faultes, thoghe ye go a hooringe in euerie street, towne and village with your idols? thoghe the blood of the oppressed crie euerie where against you for vengean¦ce? So that seyng no token of repentance I can not crie vnto you with Iohn Baptist, Qye generatiō of vipers who hath

taught you to flie from the wrathe to comme?

O that I might see so good tokens, that ye would fear goddes wrathe and venge∣ance. But this must I say to you bothe to your confusion, and shame, that ye are such vipers and serpentes, vntil I see better to∣kens. You do what ye can to destroy your parentes, you cast of God your heauenlie father, ye will not fear hym calling you to repentance, you destroy and banishe your spiritual fathers, which once had begot∣ten you as spiritual children by the worde of trueth, you consume your countree, which hath geuen you corporal life, you stīge with tounges ād tayles all, that would draw you from your wickednes. Finally man, womā, and childe are either venemed with your poysons or stingged with your tayles. In you are fulfilled the wordes of Dauid.

Their throte is an open sepul∣chre, with theyr toūges they haue deceiued, the poyson of aspis is vn∣der their lippes, their mouthes are full of curse ād bitternes, their fete are swift to shedd blood, destru∣ction and wretchednes are in their wayes, and the way of peace they

haue not knowen, the feare of God is not before there eyes, &c.

I do know your tendre eares, you can not be grated with such sharpe sentēces of condēnation, that thus prick you to the he∣arts: howbeit thus it behoueth, that ye be taught to iudge your selues, that in the end ye be not dāned with the wicked world. But I will wounde you no more with the words of the Prophetes, with the sayinges of Da∣uid, or of this holy sainct of God Iohn the Baptist, but with our sauiour Christs two most swete parables of the two sonnes and of the tilme, to whome he set his vineyard, I will labour to set before your eyes your rebellion, hypocrisie, and crueltie, if so I cā bring any of you to repentance. Our sa∣uiour Christe putteth furth this parable,

A certaine man had two sonnes, ād he came to the first, and said sō∣ne go ād worke to day in my vine∣yard. Who answered, I will not, but afterward repēted and went. Then came he to the second, and said li∣kewise, and he answered, I will syr, but went not.

Wherein a wonderful comforte first is to be cōsidered, how the Lord our God ma¦ker of heauē ād earth doth hūble him selfe

not only to be called a mā, a husbād man, a housholder, ād such like, but he abaseth hī¦selfe of mercie to vs vile earth and asshes, that his sonne becometh mā to make man∣kynd glorious in his sight, to make all tho¦se, that do not refuse his grace offred, of the slaues of Satan his sonnes by adoption. You are his sonnes, you are his vineyard, you are as dear vnto hym, as the apple of his eye, as Moses speaketh, if you can be∣leue it: he sweareth that you shall be his inheritāce, and he will be yours, if ye will only receiue his grace and beleue hym, when he sweareth. Will ye call his trueth into doubt? his glorie into shame by your misbelefe? Better it were, that all creatures should perish, heauen, man and angels, then that God should not haue credit, or that his glorie in the least iote should be diminished. He hath called you by his worde now many a tyme to worke in his vineyard, I aske what you haue answered: your conscience can witnesse and all the world seeth it. Sōme of you haue said plai¦ne lyke rebellious childrē, that ye would not do it, that ye would not worke in your fathers vineyarde. Shall I applie this part to Scotland? I may right well do it, and al∣so to a greate parte in England. But Scot∣land in dede called most plainely and eui∣dently through the mercies of God both

by their own faithfull countrie men, and also by earnest trauail of our English na∣tion to comme to the Lords vineyard in the tyme of king Edward, hath to the do∣mage of both cōtinually refused, as the cō¦science of many this day beareth witnesse. That tyme, as ye know, the vineyarde in Englād by the children of God was not all togither neglected, and thē most earnestly were ye (O Brethren of Scotland) required to ioyne hādes with vs ī the Lords worke, but Satan alas would not suffer it. His old fostred malice, and Antichrist his sonne could not abyde, that Christ should grow so strong by ioynynge that ile togither in perfect religiō, whome God hath so many waies coupled ād strēgthended by his worke in nature: the papistes practised all theyr fyne craftes in England, Scotland, and in France, that the Ghospellers should not with so strong walles be defensed, lest this one iland should becōme a safe sanctuarie, as it began to be, to all the persecuted in all places. They moue sturdie stomackes, they dispens with periuries, they worke by theyr craftie cōfessions, they raise vp war∣re in the end, whereby ye (deare Brethren of Scotland) were sore plaged. Of all the∣se traiterouse sleghtes ye can not be igno∣rant. For yet it is not passed the memo∣rie of man, that your king made promisse

to haue mett king Hērie the eght att Yorke▪ whose purpose (albeit in other things I do not alow him) in that case was most god∣lie and praise worthie. For it was to make an end of that vngodlie warre, and cruell murther, which lōge had cōtinued betwixt the two realms. Your king, I say, made pro¦misse to mete him: the breche whereof as it was the occasion of much trouble, so is it euidently knowen, that your Cardinal, and his clergie laboured and procured the same. For it is not vnknowen to somme a∣mongest you, how many thousand crow∣nes the churchmen did promisse for main∣tenance of the warre,* 1.4 which king Henrie did denoūce by the reason of that breche. Superfluous it were to me, to recite all the causes mouing your pestilent preestes to solicitat your king to that infidelitie. But this is moste euident, that they feared no∣thing, but the fall of their glorie, and the trouble of their kingdome, which then in England beganne to be shaken by suppres∣sing of the abbaies. This moued your pree¦stes ernestly to labour, that your kinge should falsly breake his promisse. But what affliction ye sustained by that and o∣ther their practises, your selues can witnes∣se. For your borderrs were destroyed, your nobilitie for the most parte were takē pri∣soners, and your king for sorowe sodenly

died. But these your miseries did nothing moue your preestes to repentance, but ra∣ther did inflame them against God, and a∣gainst the {pro}pfit of their natiue realme. For when againe after the death of your kīge, your frēdship and fauours were soght, first by king Hērie, and after his death by king Edward his sonne, ād by him, who thē was chosen Protectour, how craftely, I say, did thē your preestes vndermine all, ye are not ignorāt. When your Gouernoure with the consent of the most part of the nobilitie had solēnely sworne ī the abbay of Haliro∣ode house, syr Raphe Sadler thē being em∣bassadour for Englād to perfurm the ma∣riage cōtracted betwixt king Edward and your yonge quene, and faithfully to stand to euerie point cōcluded and agreed 〈◊〉〈◊〉 perfurmāce of that vniō, when seales were interchanged, and the embassadour dimis∣sed, what sturr, tumult, and sedition raised your Cardinal in that your realme, it is not vnknowen. To witt, how that by his craft and malice the realme was deuided, the Gouernour compelled to seke his fa∣uour, to violate his oth, and so to becomme īfamous for euer. And finally by the pride of the papistes was that leage broken. But what did thereof ensue? Edinburgh, Leith, Dūdie, yea the most part of the realme did fele. Your shippes were stayed, your good∣des

were lost, your chefe townes were bur∣ned, and at the end the beautie of your real me did fall in the edge of the sworde, the hand of God manifestly feghting against you, because against your solemne oth ye did feght against them, who soght your fauours by that godlie cōiunction, which before was promised. But still proceaded your ennemies the clergie, and theire ad∣herētes in theyr purposed malice. Wōder not that I terme them your ennemies. For albeit they be your countrie men, yet be∣cause they seke nothing more, then the maītaināce of their owne kīgdome, which is the power of darckns, ād the king dome of Antichrist, they are becomme cōiured ennemies to euerie citie, nation or man, that labour to comme to the knolledge of the trueth. That pestilent generation, I say, did not cease, till they obteined their purpose, by deliueringe your yonge que∣ne to the handes of the French king, assu∣redly mindinge by that meanes to cutt for euer the knot of the frendship, that might haue ensued betwixte England and Scot∣land by that godlie coniunction. What the papistes feared is manifest. For then Christe Iesus being more purely prea∣ched in England, then at any tyme before, would shortly haue suppressed their pride and vaine glorie: and therefore they ra∣ged,

that he should not reigne aboue them also. But what is like to apprehend you, for because ye did not betymes withstād their most wicked coūsils, wise men do cōsider. How heauie and vnpleasant shall the bur∣then and yock of a Frenchman be to your shoulders ād necks, God graunt that expe¦rience do not teach you. But to returne to my former purpose, by all those means re∣hersed, by his messēgers, by the blood of his saincts shed amōgest you, by fauours ād frendship, by warre and the sword, yea by famin, ād pestilēce, ād all other meās, hath God your mercifull father called you to labour in his vineyard, but to this day, alas, we heare not of your hūble obedience, but stil ye say with stubburn faces, we will not labour, we will not be boūde to such thral∣dome, to abide the burthens of the viney∣ard. Ye think perchāce I am to sharpe, and that I accuse you more then you deserue. For amōgest you many do know the will of your father, and many make profession of his Ghospel, but cōsider, Brethrē, that it is not enoug he to know the cōmaūdemēt, and to {pro}fesse the same in mouthe, but it is necessarie, that ye refuse your selues, your owne pleasures, appetites, and your owne wisdome, if ye shall be iudged faithfull la∣bourers in the Lordes vineyard, ād that ye beare the burthens togiter with your bre∣thren,

and suffre heate, and sweate, before ye taste the frutes with them. God will not stand content, that ye loke ouer the hedge, and beholde the labours of your brethrē, but he requireth, that ye put your hādes also to your labours, that ye trauail continually to pluck vpp all vnprofi∣table wedes, albeit in so doing the thornes pricke you to the hard bones: that ye as∣sist your brethrē in theyr labours, thoghe it be with the icopardie of your lifes, the losse of your substance, and displeasure of the hole earthe. Except that thus ye be minded to labour, the Lord of the viney∣arde wil not acknolledge you for his faith full seruantes. And because this matter is of weight and greate importance, I will speake sōwhat more plainely for your in∣struction. It is bruted (to the greate com∣fort of all godlie, that heare it) that som∣me of you (deare Brethren of Scotland) do desire Christ Iesus to be faithfully prea¦ched amōgest you, which thing if frō the heart you desyre and with godlie wisdo∣me and stowt courrage folow your purpo∣se and enterprise, ye shall be blessed of the Lord for euer. But in the begynnyng ye must beware that ye folow not the exāple of your brethrē of Englād, in whose han∣des albeit the worke of the Lord appeared to prosper for a time, yet because the eye was not single, we see to our grief the ouer

throw of the same. They began to plante Christ Iesus in the heartes of the people, ād to bānish that Romish Antichrist, they did driue owt the fylthie swyne frō theyr dennes and holes (I mean the monkes and other such papisticall vermin from their cloisters ād abbayes). This was a good be ginning, but alas in the one and the other there was great faulte. For the banishīg of that Romish Antichrist was rather by the feare of the lawes pronoūced against him by actes of parlamēt, thē by the liuelie pre∣achīg of Christ Iesus, ād by the discouerīg of his abominatiōs. And the suppressiō of the abbaies did rather smell of auarice, thē of true religiō. Those venemous locustes, which before were holdē within their cloi¦sters, were then set abrode to destroy all good ād grene herbes. For superstitious fre¦ers, ignorāt mōks, ād idle abots were made archbishoppes, bishoppes, persons, vicars, ād such as oght to fede the soules of men▪ who thus set at libertie did cōtinually wro∣otup the Lords vineyard. And one crafty Gardener, whose name was Stephen, hauīg wolflik cōditiōs, did maītaī many a wolfe, did sow wicked seed in the gardē, ād cheri¦shed many weedes to deface the vineyard. And his maid Marie, who after was his ma¦stres, now maried to Philip, wātīg no wil to wickednes whē she was at the weakest norsto

make to do euill, when she gatt the mastrie did cherishe many weedes. Those two I say haue so broken the hedges of the same vi∣neyarde, (God so punishing the sinnes of those, that oght to haue made better pro∣uision for the same) that the husbandmen are hanged vp, the diggars, dressours, and planters are banished, prisoned and bur∣ned. Such hauock is made, that al wilde bea¦stes haue power to pollute the sanctuarie of the Lorde. O heauens beholde her cru∣eltie, o earthe cry for vengeance, o seas, and deserte mountains witnesses of her wickednes, break furthe against this mon∣ster of England. But whether do I runne by the bitternes of my grefe? I must nedes leaue the o Scotland, after that I haue ad∣uertised the of this, that thou folow not the example, as I haue said, of Englād: but in the bowels of Christ Iesus I exhorte the, that if thou pretēdest any reformatiō in religion, which is the chefe labour of the vineyarde, that thou do it at the first with a single eye, and all simplicitie, that from yeare to yeare thou be not compel∣led to change, as was England, but let thy reformation be full and plaine, according to goddes holie will and worde without addition. Let all the plātes, which thy hea∣uenly father hath not planted, be rooted owt at once, let not auarice blind the, nei∣ther yet wordlie wisdome discourage thy

hearte, let none beare the name of a tea∣cher, that is knowen to be a fosterer of su∣perstitiō, or any kynde of wickednes. And thou so doing shalt moue God of his grea¦te mercie to send vnto the faithfull worke men in abundāce, to blesse the worke, that thou pretēdest in the vineyarde, ād to pre∣serue the to the glorie of his own name, and to thy euerlasting comforte. Thus must thou Scotland repent thy former ino¦bedience, if that thou wilt be approued of the Lord. And now do I return to the (O Englād) I do liken the to the secōde sonne in the parable which answered his father with flattering wordes, saying,

I go father, but yet he went not at all.

For sence the time, that I had any re¦membrance, our heauēlie father of his gre¦at mercies hath not ceased to call the in to his vineyard, and to these late daies thou hast said alwayes, that thou woldest enter and be obedient. In the tyme of king Hen∣rie the eght, when by Tyndale, Frith, Byl∣nay, and other his faithfull seruantes God called Englād to dresse his vineyard, many promised full faire, whome I could name. But what frute folowed? nothing but bit∣ter grapes, yea breeres and brambles, the wormewood of auarice, the gall of cruel∣tie, the poisō of filthie fornicatiō, flowing from head to foote, the contempt of God

and open defense of the Cake Idol by o∣pē proclamatiō to be red in the Churches in the stead of goddes scriptures. Thus was there no reformation, but a deformation in the tyme of that tyrant and lecherous mōster. The bore I grāte was busie wroo∣ting ād digging in the earth, ād all his pig¦ges, that folowed hym. But they soght on∣ly for the pleasāt frutes, that they winded with their longe snowtes. And for their own bellies sake they wrooted vp many weeds, but they turned the groūde so, mīg¦ling good ād badd togither,* 1.5 swete and so wre, medecine, ād poyson, they made, I∣say, such cōfusiō of religiō and lawes, that no good thing could grow, but by great miracle, vnder such Gardners. And no mer¦uail, if it be rightly cōsidered: for this bore raged against God, against Deuill, against Christ and against Antichrist, as the fome that he cast owt against Luther, the racing furth of the name of the Pope, and yet alo¦wīg his laws, ād his murther of many Chri¦stian souldiours, and of many papistes, do clearly ād euidētly testifie vnto vs. Especi∣ally the burnīg of Barnes, Ierome, ād Gar¦rat three faithful preachers of the trueth, & hāgīg the same day for maintaināce of the Pope Powel, Abel, and Fetherstone, doth clearly paynt his beastlynes, that he cared for no maner of religiō. This mōstrous bo¦re for al this must nedes be called the head

of the Churche in paine of treason, dis∣placing Christ our onlie head, who oght alone to haue this title. Wherefore in this pointe (o England) ye were no better then the Romishe Antichrist, who by the same title maketh hym selfe a God, sitteth in mēnes cōsciences, bānysheth the worde of God, as did your king Hērie, whome ye so magnifie. For in his best time nothing was hard, but the kings booke, ād the kings {pro}∣cedings, the kinges homelies in the Chur∣ches, where goddes word should onely ha∣ue bene preached. So made you your kīg a God beleuing nothīg, but that the alowed. But how he died, I will not write for sha∣me. I will not name how he turned to his vomet. I will not write your other wicked¦nes of those times, your murthers without measure, adulteries and incestes of your kinge, his Lordes, aud cōmunes. It greueth me to write those euils of my coūtrie, saue onlie that I must nedes declare, what fru∣tes were foūde in the vineyarde after you promised to worke therin, to moue you to repentance, and to iustifie Godds iudge∣ments, how greuously so euer he shall pla∣ge you hereafter. Wherefore I desire you to call to remēbrance your best state vnder king Edward, when all men with generall cōs̄t promised to worke in the vineyarde, and ye shall haue cause I doubte not to la∣mēt your wickednes, that so contēned the

voice of God for your owne lustes, for your crueltie, for your couetousnes, that the name of God was by your vanities e∣uill spoken of in other nations. I will na∣me no particulare thinges, becaus I reue∣rence those tymes, saue only the killing of both the kinges vncles, and the prison∣nement of Hoper for popishe garments.

God graunt you all repentant heartes, for no order nor state did any part of his due∣tie in those dayes. But to speak of the best, whereof ye vse to boast, your religion was but an English matyns, patched fur∣the of the popes portesse, many thinges were in your great booke supersticious ād foolishe, all were driuen to a prescripte seruice lyke the papistes, that they should thinke theyr dueties discharged, if the nō∣bre were said of psalmes and chapters. Fi∣nally there could no discipline be broght into the Churche, nor correction of ma∣ners. I will touche no further abuses, yet willing and desiering you to consider thē in your heartes, that knowing your negli∣gence ye may bring furth frutes of repen∣tance. For this I admonishe you (o ye peo∣ple of England) wheresoeuer you be scat∣tered or placed, that onles ye do right spe∣dely repent of your former negligence, it is not the Spanyardes only, that ye haue to feare, as roddes of goddes wrath, but all

other nations, France, Turkie, and Den∣marke, yea all creatures shall be armed a∣gainst you for the contempt of those ty∣mes, when your heauenlie father so merci∣fullie called you. To what contempt was goddes worde and the admonition of his prophetes comme in all estates, before God did stryke, somme men are not igno∣rant. The preachers them selues for the most part could fynd no fault in religion, but that the Churche was poore and lac∣ked liuing. Trueth it is, that the abbay lā∣des and other such reuenues, as afore ap∣pertained to the papistical Churche, were most wickedly and vngodly spent, but yet many thinges would haue bene reformed, before that the kitching had bene better {pro}uided for to our prelates in England. It was moste euidēt, that many of you vnder the cloke of religion serued your own bel¦lies: somme were so busie to heap benefice vpon benefice, sōme to labour in parlamēt for purchesing of lands, that the tyme was small, which coulde be founde for the re∣formation of abuses, and very litle, which was spent vpon the feeding of your floc∣kes. I nede not now to examine particular crimes of preachers. Only I say, that the Ghospell was so lightly estemed, that the most part of men thoght rather, that God should bow and obey to theyr appetites,

then that they should be subiect to his ho∣lie commaundementes. For the commu∣nes did continew in malice, and rebellion, in craft and subtiltie, notwithstanding all lawes, that could be deuised for reforma∣tion of abuses. The merchants had their own soules to sell for gaines, the gentle∣men were becomme Nērods and Gyants, and the nobilitie and coūsile would suffer no rebukes of Gods messēgers thogh theyr offenses were neuer so manifest. Let tho∣se, that preached in the court, the lent be∣fore king Edward deceased, speak theyr conscience, and accuse me, if I lie, yea let a writing written by that miserable man, then duke of Northumberland to master Harlow for that time Byshoppe of Har∣ford, be broght to lighte, and it shall testi∣fie, that he ashamed not to say, that the li∣bertie of the preachers tonges would cause the counsile and nobilitie to ryse vppe against them: for they could not suf∣fer so to be intreated. These were the fru∣tes euen in the tyme of haruest a litle be∣fore the winter came. And of the tyme of Marie what should I write? England is now so miserable, that no penne can paynt it. It ceaseth to be in the nomber of chil∣dren, because it openly dispiteth God the father. It hath cast of the trueth knowen and confessed, and foloweth lies and er∣rours,

which once it detested. It buyldeth the buylding, which it once destroyed▪ it raiseth vp the idols, which once were the∣re confounded: it murthereth the sainctes, it mainteineth Baals prophetes by the cō∣maundement of Iesabel. Such are the euil husbandes, that now haunte the vineyard, so that this is true, that our Sauiour Christ, saieth:

The Lord hym selfe hath plan∣ted a faire vineyard, he hedged it round about, and buylded a tou∣re, &c. And when the tyme of the frute drew nere, he sent his ser∣uants to the tilmen to receyue the frutes thereof, but they caught his seruantes, they bett one, they killed an other, and stoned o∣thers. Againe he sent other ser∣uantes mo, and they serued them like wise.

What nede any exposition to ap∣plie this vnto England? All is fulfilled, that is spoken in that parable, onles they do waite for the sonne hym selfe, for to comme, that they may handle hym lyke∣wise, as they haue done his seruantes. But all is one, saieth our Sauiour Christ.

That, which ye do to one of the∣se litle ons,* 1.6 the same ye do to me, be it good or bad. Why doest thou per¦secute me, saieth Christ to Saul, when he was, as he now is, at the right hand of God his father in the heauens. Therefore they persecute, they banishe, they burne Christ the sonne of God in his mem∣bres. The iudgement therefore now re∣maineth, which the wicked then gaue a∣gainst them selues,

That the Lord of the vineyar∣de will cruelly destroy those euill persons, and will let furth his vi∣neyarde vnto other husbandes.

And the confirmation of the same by the sentence of the chefe iudge, that

The kingdome of God shall be taken from such, and geuen to a people, that shall bringe furth the frutes thereof.

The which iudgement is begonne in Englande, and shortly alas will be fully executed and finished without right spe∣die repentance. Somme hope is in Scot∣land, which hath not shewed furth any such crueltie, and hath not contemned the knowen treasures: but lyke wanton chil∣dren

haue contemned the commaunde∣ment of theyr father, partely of frailtie, partely of ignorance. But Englād the ser∣uante, that knew the will of his Lord and maister, which was once lightened with most clere beames, which hath tasted of the swetenes of the worde of God, and of the ioyes of the worlde to comme, which hath abiured Antichrist, and all idolatrie, which hath boasted to professe Christ with greate boldnes before all the worl∣de, must be beaten with many stripes, it can not be auoided.

But to be shorte this only remaineth for bothe these nations, that they repent and returne into the vineyarde with the fyrst sonne. For neither shall ignorance excuse any land or nation, as is playn in the fyrst to the Romanes, neither can any people be receyued without the frutes of repentance, as Iohn Baptist proclaimeth.

The frutes of repentance I call not only to know your synnes, and to lament them, but to amend your liues, and to make streght the Lordes pathes by resisting Sa∣tan and synne, and obeying God in doing the workes of righteousnes, and execu∣ting goddes praecepts, and iudgementes, so longe amongest you contemned.

For euen now is the axe put to* 1.7

the roote of the tree, so that euerie tree, that bringeth not furthe goode frute, shalbe hewē downe, and cast into the fier. The Lord hath now his fanne in his hande, and will purge his flore, ād gather the wheate into his garner, but will burne the chaffe with vnquē∣chable fier.

Repent therefore, whiles ye haue ty∣me, before ye be fanned, hewē downe and fiered. When I do behold both your two realmes, I see the fanne, I see the axe. But this I am suer is the begynnyng of your ruine, that ye do mary with strangers, and giue your power to forraine nations, such as feare not God, but are open idolaters, blasphemers, persecuters of the saincts of God, that careth neither for heauen nor hell, God nor deuill, so that they may wynne landes, townes and countries. God shall hew you downe by thē therefore, as he hath done other nations by like mea∣nes and causes, and they shall fanne you furthe of your own huskes and homes, to make you vagaboundes and beggars, and after possesse your landes and goods, as God threatned by Moses, as was before

alledged. Trust not to thy strengthe af∣terwarde, when thy ennemy is setled, if thou haue no strengthe to resist his begyn∣nynges, no more thē thou canst ouercome a canker, that hath ouerrunne many mem∣bres. That God would not haue you to truste to your force of men, townes, or ca∣stels, there is enough exāples, that you bo∣the haue felt to your grefe. And I can not write without murnyng. For how litle a∣uayled the multitude, and stowt courrage of you (dear Brethrē of Scotlād) att Mus∣selburgh, or Pinkefield, the carcases alas of many thousands, who that day fell in the edge of the sworde, may teach you. And how vaine be all strengthes, (be they iud∣ged neuer so stronge, or inexpugnable) lett Calice lately taken admonish you.

But I do leaue such exāples to your consi∣derations to teache you to call to the li∣uinge Lord, who offereth hym selfe, as a mercifull father vnto you, still calling you to repentance by wordes, by writin∣ges, and most gentle corrections, if ye will not be harde harted.

Yet here haue we to lamēt the misera∣ble state of mākynde, which is so seduced by the subtile serpēt, that he can not know his miserie, when he is admonished, nor perceaue his perdition, when it draweth so nere. When the seruantes of God set

furthe his trueth, they are charged to trou¦ble realmes, and countries, as was Elias: when they warne men not to ioyne han∣des with wicked kinges and princes, they are counted traitours, as was Esaias and Ieremias. Such is mannes malice. But if there be a God, that is fyrst of all to be soght, and without whome nothing can be profitable vnto vs, but without hym all thinges are vnhappie and accursed: if the kingdome of God and the righteous∣nes thereof must fyrst be soght, and then all thinges shall be ministred: if our hea∣uenlie kinge must before man be obeyed, then all such doctrine, as calleth vs from man to God, is easie to be perceaued, and oght not to be resisted. Wherefore I do admonish and exhorte you bothe in the name of the liuinge God, that how so euer you haue hitherto shewed your selues the seruants of men to beare and to flatter with the worlde, that now ye learne in goddes cause to despise the faces of men, to bend your selues against this wicked world, neither regarding the visars of honours, vaine titles nor dignities any further, then they seke God his onelie glo¦rie. For his glorie will he not suffer to be contemned for any cause. No he will powre contempt on those princes, that striue against his trueth: but those, that

glorifie hym, will he glorifie. And what king dome, realme or nation so euer it be, that will not seke to sanctifie his name, they shall in the day of goddes greuous visitation, which is now at hand, be vtter¦ly cōfounded, theyr strēgth shalbe straw, theyr honours shall be shame, and all their idolatrous preestes, in whose lies they delyte, togither with their idols, with whome they are bewitched, shall be stub∣ble and brymstone to burne togither, whē the wrathe of the Lorde of hostes shall set them on fier. The preestes shall not saue theyr goddes, nor the goddes their wor∣shippers, but both alike accursed shall thē perish for euer. And thoghe our mercifull father hathe longe suffred heretofore in the tyme of ignorāce, yet now in the ende of the world he calleth all people so plai∣nely by his worde to repentance, that he must nedes take spedie vengeance, if his callinge be contemned: especially becau∣se the day can not longe be delayed, whe∣rein he hath determined to iudge all peo∣ple and nations of the whole world, and to put an end to wickednes.

Wherefore to conclude, behold, your onlie remedie remaineth to repent your tyme of ignorāce, of stubburnnes, of cruel¦tie, of idolatrie, wherein ye haue so long continued. And now with all diligence

to seke for knolledge of the worde of God, and opēly to professe the Ghospell, which is the power of God, whereof ye oght not to be ashamed. Cease at the last from your olde stubburnnes, wherbie ye haue deserued vengeance, and labour in the vineyarde with all mekenes, that ye may receaue mercie and grace: cease from your crueltie against Christes membres, and learne to suffer for Christes sake, if ye will be true Christians: banishe all ido∣latrie and popishe superstition from a∣mongest you, els can ye haue no parte in Christes kingdome, no more then Christ can be partaker with Antichrist. Pray to the Lorde of hostes and armies to giue you the courrage, strengthe, and meanes. The Lords arme is not shortened now, no more then of olde. Be stronge therefore in the Lord for the defence of the trueth, thogh all the worlde ryse agaīst itt. Now when the battaile is fierce against the li∣uinge God for dead idols, (euen for the vile wafercake, the most vaine idol, that euer was) against the Ghospel of Christe for the inuentions of Antichrist, against Christes mēbres for Popishe ceremonies, can any of you, that wilbe compted gods children, styll halt of bothe handes? If that cake baked in yron tonges, not able to a∣byde a blast of winde, be the aeternal God,

folow it: but if he only be God, that hath created the heauens, abhorre suche vile i∣dols, that haue no force to saue thē selues: if Christes Ghospel and doctrine be suf∣ficient to saluation, and by receauing of it ye are called Christians, away with all An¦tichristes inuentions broght into your Ro¦mish churches: if you hope to haue any parte with Christ, cherishe his mēbres and maintaine thē against theire ennemies the papistes, ād the bishoppe of Rome the verie Antichriste. What strengthe, what force, what power, what coūsil so euer ye haue of God, bende all to this ende and purpose, as ye wyll make answere to your heauēly kīg for the talent receaued. If you haue no re∣garde of those prīcipal pointes, which on∣ly, or chiefly should be before your eyes, go to with your forraine mariages, ioyne Frāce to Scotlād, and Spayne to England, if it be possible, yet shall ye all be confoun¦ded. The Lord shall plage you one with an other, vntill you be consumed, your strēgth, wherein ye trust, shall be shakē to naught, your courrage shalbe cowardise, your wisdom shall be folie, ād the Lord of hostes by your ruine ād destructiō will be renowmed ād praised, ād his iust iudgemēts through owt the earth shalbe honoured ād feared. Where of the contrarie if you will maintaine Gods trueth in the earthe, he

will receaue you as his children into the heauens, if you confesse his Christe befo∣re this wicked generation, Christ shall con¦fesse you before his father in the heauens, in the presēce of his angels. But if you per∣siste stubburnly to banishe goddes worde, and his sonne Christ in his membres furth of your earthlie kyngdomes, how cā ye lo∣ke for any parte in his heauēlie king dome? muche more if ye continue to murther his messīgers, what cā ye loke for emōgst your selues, but that ye shoulde digge one ī ano∣thers bellie to be your own murtherers? So that if ye wil stil remaine after all these ad∣monitiōs in your murthers and idolatries, be suer, that in this worlde ye shall haue enoghe of your idolatries, and you shalbe filled with blooddy murthers aud in the end ye shall be iudged without the gates of the heuenlie Ierusalem a∣mongest the dogges,* 1.8 enchaunters, hooremōgers and murtherers and idolaters with all those, that lo∣ueth lies. But he, that ouercom∣meth all these, shall inherit all thin¦ges, and I will be his God, saieth the Lord, and he shall be my son∣ne. Where as the fearefull in gods

cause, the vnbeleuing, the abomi∣nable, the murtherers, hooremon∣gers, sorcerers and idolaters shall haue their parte in the lake, that burneth with fier and brymstone.

Lo here is the choise of life and deathe, of miserie and welthe offred vnto you by gods mercies, and the meanes how yow may winne goddes fauour opened, where∣bie onely ye may preuaile against your en¦nemies. God graūte you heartes to answer as the people did to Iosua offering the ly∣ke choyse.* 1.9 God forbyd (say they) that we shoulde forsake God, we will serue the Lorde our God and obey his voice, for he his our God.

And we your banished brethren by the power of God to prouoke you forward, will thus pronounce with Iosua.

That we and our families will serue the Lorde God, thoghe all natiōs runne to Idols, thoghe all peo¦ple do persecute vs. We knowe that Satan hathe but a shorte tyme to rage, and that Christe our captaine right spedely will crowne his souldiours, to whome, as he is the eternal God with his father, be all ho∣nour and glorie for euer and euer. So be it.

Notes

• * 1.1

  Deu. 28.
• * 1.2

  Esa. 3.
• * 1.3

  Deut. 28,
• * 1.4

  I suppose they pay∣ed litle.
• * 1.5

  Kinge Henry his boke a∣gainst Luther is noted.
• * 1.6

  Mat. 25.
• * 1.7

  Mat. 3.
• * 1.8

  Reuel. 21.
• * 1.9

  Iosu. 24.