What ungodliness, superstition, Hypocrisy, dissimulation, swearing, ⟨image 6⟩pride, envy, dronkenshyp, gluttony, fornication, adultery, whoredom, covetousness, & an whole sea of evils hath overflowed the world? And all this is come to pass through the sleepy negligence of Curates, nether can there as yet be perceived any amendment. The Priests go forth still to neglect y• office of preaching Gods word, and y• people remain still in their old blindness, not caring much though they never hear one word of the holy Scripture preached unto them in all their life, so little pleasure have the poor silly souls in it, because they know not what a precious treasure y• most holy word of God is. What than remaineth, but that one of us mo•yshe,1 teach and exhort another? as S. Paul biddeth, teach & monish ye one another For if one lay man were no more merciful to ⟨p. v⟩another, than y• Priests are for the most part, surely the greatest part of the world should,2 I think, run headlong unto the devil for want of knowledge. Wherefore I exhort all men of what degree & •orte soever they be charitably to monish one another when they see any man offend, and rebuke him by the Scriptures of God, y• we may shine in the midst of a froward & crooked nation as great lights in the world, pure, faultless,3 & such as no man can complain of, holding fast the word of life. Let us suffer no sin to reign in this our mortal body, but mortify all things y• strive against the spirit. Let us so watch & give diligence to our selves, y• nether Satan nor the world, nor yet the flesh, may have any interest in us.4 Let us hate detest & abhor sin,5 as y• most grievous pestilence and pestiferous ⟨image 7⟩poison, that can chance unto us. But above all things, as Christ & James monyshe•he us, let us not swear at all, nether by heaven nor by earth, nor yet by any thing that is contained in them. If one of us at any time shall chance to hear another swear & pollute y• name of our Lord God by vain, idle & unlawful oaths, let us charitably monish the offender, exhort him to cease from his swearing, and move him unto y• praise of God and of his most holy & blessed name.
What vngodlynes, supersticion, Hypocrisye, dissimulacion, swearynge, ⟨image 6⟩pryde, enuye, dronkenshyp, glotony, fornicacion, adulterye, whoredome, couetousnes, & an whole sea of euelles hath ouerflowed the world? And all this is come to passe thorow the sleapye negligence of Curates, nether can ther as yet be perceuedony amendment. The Prestes go forthe styl to neglecte y• office of preaching Gods worde, and y• people remayne styll in theyr old blyndenes, not carynge much though they neuer heare one word of the holye Scripture preached vnto them in al theyr lyfe, so lytyll pleasure haue the poore selye soules in it, because they knowe not what a precious tresure y• most holye worde of God is. What than remayneth, but that one of vs mo•yshe,1 teache and exhorte another? as S. Paule byddeth, teache & monyshe ye one another For if one laye man were no more mercyefull to a ⟨p. v⟩nother, than y• Preastes are for the moste part, surely the greatest part of the world shuld,2 I thyncke, ronne hedlonge vnto the deuel for want of knowlege. Wherfore I exhort al mē of what degre & •orte soeuer they be charitably to monyshe one a nother whan they se ony man offende, and rebuke hym by the Scriptures of God, y• we maye shyne in the myddes of a froward & croked nacion as greate lyghtes in the worlde, pure, fauteles,3 & such as noman can complayne of, holdynge fast the word of lyfe. Let vs suffer no synne to reygne in thys our mortal body, but mortifye all thynges y• stryue agenst the spirite. Let vs so watch & gyue diligence to our selfes, y• nether Satan nor the world, nor yet the flesh, may haue ony interest in vs.4 Let vs hate deteste & abhorre synne,5
- 1Colos. iii,
- 2phil. ii.phil•. ii.
- 3Rom. vi▪
- 4Math. v.
- 5Jacob. v.Iacob. v.
