Oh thou god of justice, judge justly oh thou son of God which camest to destroy the works of Satan,1 destroy his furors now smoking, and almost set on fire in this real me. We have sinned, we have sinned, & therefore art thou angry. Oh be not angry for ever. Give us peace, peace, peace, in the lord, Set us to war against sin, against Satan, against our carnal desires, and give us the victory this way. This victory we obtain by faith. This faith is not without repentance, as her gentleman usher before her. Before her. I say in discerning true faith from false faith, lip faith, Englishmen's faith: for else it springs out of true faith. This usher then of repentance, if we truly possessed, we should be certain of true faith, and so assured of the victory over death, hell, and Satan: his works then which he hath stirred up, would quail: God would restore us politic peace, right should be right & have right, Gods Gospel should tarry with us, religion should be cherished, superstition suppressed, and so we yet something happy, notwithstanding the great loss of our most gracious liege sovereign Lord. All these would come to pass you see, if the gentleman usher I spake of, I mean repentance, were at inn with us. As if he be absent, we may be certain the lady faith is absent, wherefore we can not but be vanquished of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and so will Satan's works prosper though not in all things, to blear our eyes, yet in that thing which ⟨image 4⟩the most of all desireth. Therefore to repentance for our selves privately, and for the realm and church publicly everyone should labour to stir up both our selves & others. This, to the end, that for my part I might help, I have presently put forth a sermon of repentance, which hath lien by me half a year at the least, for the most part of it. For the last summer as I was abroad preaching in the country, my chance was to make a sermon of repentance the which was earnestly of diverse desired of me, that I should give it them written or else put it forth in print. The which thing to grant, as I could not (for I had not written it) so I told them that had so earnestly desired it. But when no nay would serve, but I must promise them to write it as I could: I consented to their request that they should have it at my leisure.
Oh thou god of iustice, iudge iustly oh thou sonne of God which camest to destroy ye workes of Sathan,1 destroye his furoures nowe smokinge, and almooste sette on fyre in this real me. We haue synned, we haue sinned, & therfore art thou angrye. Oh be not angrye for euer. Geue vs peace, peace, peace, in the lorde, Set vs to warre against synne, against Sathan, against our carnall desyres, and geue vs the vyctory this waye. This victorye we obtayn by fayth. This fayth is not without repentaunce, as hir gentleman vssher before hyr. Before hir. I say in discernynge true fayth from false fayth, lyppe fayth, Englishmens fayth: for els it sprynges oute of true fayth. This vssher then of repentaunce, if we trulye possessed, we shoulde be certayne of true fayth, and so assured of the victorye ouer death, hell, and Sathan: his workes then which he hath styrred vp, woulde quayle: God woulde restore vs politike peace, ryght should be right & haue ryght, Gods Gospel should tarry with vs, religion shuld be cherished, superstition suppressed, and so we yet somethynge happye, notwithstandynge the great losse of our moste graciouse liege soueraygne Lorde. All these woulde come to passe you see, yf the gentleman vssher I spake of, I meane repentaunce, were at ynne with vs. As if he be absēt, we may be certayn ye lady faith is absent, wherfore we cā not but be vanquished of the world, the flesh, and the deuyll, and so will Sathans workes prosper though not in al thinges, to bleare our eyes, yet in that thinge which ⟨image 4⟩the most of all desyreth. Therfore to repentaunce for our selues priuatelye, and for the realme and churche publikely eueryone shoulde laboure to styrre vp both oure selues & others. This, to the ende, that for my parte I myghte helpe, I haue presently put forth a sermon of repētaunce, whiche hath lyen by me halfe a yeare at the leaste, for the most parte of it. For the laste sommer as I was abroade preachynge in the countreye, my chaunce was to make a sermon of repentaunce the whiche was earnestlye of diuerse desyred of me, that I shoulde geue it them written or els put it forth in prynt. The whiche thynge to graunte, as I coulde not (for I had not wrytten it) so I told them that had so earnestlye desired it. But when no naye woulde serue, but I muste promyse them to wryte it as I coulde: I consented to their requeste that they shuld haue it at my leasure.
- 1• Joh. iij• Ioh. iij
