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THus (Christian Reader) hauing sufficiently disprooued these friuolous newes, I would not haue any man to think that it is my meaning to perswade the world to sleep in security, and that vvee haue no neede to be vigilant to vvatch and to pray vvith all humility: Either els, that there
is no tokens of Gods wrath threatned for sinne, the contra∣rie whereof, vvould euidently appeare, if wee did but looke into the common manners of the people. For neuer vvas there seene such excesse in apparell, chiefly in the meaner sort, neuer such pride in all degrees, neuer such coue tousnes in the rich, such extortion in the vvealthie, such vsery, cru∣eltie, disloyaltie, whoredome, theft, idlenesse, enuie, malice. So that a man may boldly saye, the weather is not at this season so colde, but Charity is tvvise so colde. All vvhiche are manifest tokens of Gods heauy displeasure euen at hand which partly we feele by this bitter dearth vvithout neede, through out all the land. A fatherly scourge surely for our iniquities, especially for neglecting our dutie to God and our Soueraign, whose health is our safty. Therfore it is high time that we fall to hearty repentaunce, the onely salue a∣gainst sinne, after the example of the greate citie Niniuie. And then vndoubtedly God vvill turne from vs all those plagues whiche the signes of heauen shall at any time fore∣vvarne vs of, beeing the sure tokens of his loue and fauour toward his Chuch and chosen, as well as of his vvrath and vengeaunce against the vvicked, whereof the greatest Ci∣ties, and mightiest Nations in all ages can beare vvitnesse: VVhich vvell may put vs in minde of his almightie vvise∣dome and eternal prouidence, which in the beginning esta∣blished the heauens, causing them to mooue vvith such har∣monye and constant regularitie, that from time to time, they might foresheey not onely the natures and inclinati∣ons of men, but also the great mutations of times and the subuersions of Countries, warres depopulations deuastati∣ons plague, Pestilence, famine, and infinite other miseries vvhich he keepeth in store (against all such as either vvilful∣ly, or negligently forget him, or oppose themselues against his vvorde and vvill) to vvhome be all honour and glorie, vvorld vvithout end, Amen.