Our Lord and alone saviour.1 Jesus Christ declareth in a parable of the gospel, that after a certain householder had sowed good seed in his field, while his servants slept, his enemy came and sowed tares among the wheat and went his way, This householder is Christ the lord. The good seed is y• children of god & gods word. ⟨image 3⟩The servants that slept are negligent Prelates and sleepy shepherds, which watch not over the Lords flock. The enemy is the devil. The tares are the children of the wicked, & errors and heresies, which? Satan soweth in the hearts, of the unbelieving. Of this parable as we learn the goodness of Christ toward us in be getting us a new,2 not of mortal seed but of immortal by the word of God, which liveth and lasteth for ever, so like wise learn we the maliciousness of Satan, which like a subtle serpent and old enemy of man kind, never sleepeth, but continually walketh up and down like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour and warily watcheth his time to destroy,3 when ⟨image 3⟩soever any occasion is given, be it never so little. Not without a great cause therefore did out saviour. Christ exhort us to watch and pray, that we fall not into temptation.4 And albeit in this our frail and sinful life many occasions of doing mischief be offered to the enemy on our behalf such is our negligence and uncircumspecte behaviour, yet the gratest occasion wherein Satan most glorieth and soonest hopeth for the victory, is when the shepherds of Christs flock give no attendance to their charge but lye sleeping and snorting, wallowing and weltering in their pleasures, and suffer the wolf to scatter, yea to catch, to kill and to destroy the sheep.5 For although the devil leteth go no proffer, ⟨image 4⟩which may move him to do evil, but layeth hand on it straight ways, yet as the histories both of the holy scriptures & of credible writers do testify, he never showeth him self so right a devil nor so lively setteth forth him self in his true colours, as when y• guides of the Lords flock be either absent from their sheep, or else are negligent in doing their duty, I mean in preaching gods word, & in writing godly books, if need require for the confutation of errors and heresies and for y• establishment of gods holy religion.
OUre Lorde and alone sauioure.1 Iesu Christe declareth in a parable of the gospell, that after a certayne houshoulder had sowed good seede in hys fielde, whyle hys seruauntes slepte, hys ennemye came and sowed tares amonge the wheate and wente hys waye, Thys houshoulder is Christ the lord. The good sede is y• children of god & gods worde. ⟨image 3⟩The seruauntes that slepte are negligente Prelates and sleepye shepheardes, whiche watche not ouer the Lordes flocke. The enemy is the deuil. The tares are the children of the wicked, & errours and heresies, which? Satan soweth in the heartes, of the vnbeleuinge. Of this parable as wee learne the goodnes of Christe toward vs in be getting vs a new,2 not of mortal sede but of immortall by the worde of God, whiche liueth and lasteth for euer, so like wyse learne we the maliciousnes of Sathan, whiche lyke a subtile serpente and olde enemye of mā kinde, neuer sleepeth, but contynuallye walcketh vp and downe lyke a roryng lion, seking whom he may deuoure and warely watcheth hys tyme to destroye,3 when ⟨image 3⟩souer anye occasion is geuen, be it neuer so little. Not wythoute a great cause therefore did out sauioure. Christ exhort vs to watch and praye, that wee fall not into temptatiō.4 And albeit in this our frayle and synnefull lyfe manye occasions of doinge myscheife be offered to the ennemy on our behalfe such is our negligence and vncircumspecte beha•youre, yet the gratest occasion wherin Satan most gloryeth and soonest hopeth for the victorye, is when the shepheardes of Christes flocke giue no atēdaūce to theyr charge but lye sleepynge and snortyng, walowynge and welterynge in theyr pleasures, and suffer the wolf to scatter, yea to catch, to kil and to destroye the shepe.5 For although the deuil leteth go no profer, ⟨image 4⟩whiche maye moue him to do euil, but laieth hād on it streight waies, yet as the histories both of the holye scriptures & of credible writers do testify, he neuer sheweth him selfe so right a deuil nor so liuely setteth forth him selfe in his true colours, as whē y guids of the Lords flocke be either absent frō their shepe, orels are negligēt in doīg theyr dutie, I mean in preching gods word, & in writing godly bokes, if nede require for the confutacion of erroures and heresies and for y establishment of gods holi religion.
- 1Math. xiii
- 2i. Peter. i.
- 3ii. Pete. v.
- 4Mat. xxvi.
- 5Isaiah. lvi. John. x.Esaye. lvi. Ihon. x.
