The whole works of W. Tyndall, John Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…The vvhole workes of W. Tyndall, Iohn Frith, and Doct. Barnes, three worthy martyrs,…

We read sense the time of Christs ¹death, of virgins that have been brought unto the common stews, and there defiled, and of Martyrs that have been bound, and whores have abused their bodies. Why? The judgements of God are bottomless. Such things chanced partly for examples, partly God through sin healeth sin. Pride can neither be healed, nor yet appear, but through such horrible deeds. Peradventure they were of the popes sect, and rejoiced fleshly, thinking that heaven came by deeds, and not by Christ, and that the outward deed justified them, and made them holy, and not the inward spirit received by faith, & the consent of hart unto the law of God.

We read sence the tyme of Christes ¹death, of virgins yt haue bene brought vnto the common stues, and there defiled, and of Martyrs that haue bene bound, and whores haue abused theyr bodyes. Why? The iudgementes of God are bottomlesse. Such thynges chaunced partly for examples, partely God thorow sinne healeth sinne. Pride can neither be healed, nor yet appeare, but thorow such horrible deades. Peraduenture they were of the popes sect, and reioysed fleshly, thinking that heauen came by dedes, and not by Christ, and that the outward dede iustifyed them, and made thē holy, and not the inward spirite receaued by fayth, & the consent of hart vnto the law of God.

1. 1Ensamples. of their evils not to bolden us, but to fear us from sin and desperation.Ensāples. of their euils not to bolden vs, but to feare vs frō sinne and desperation.

As thou readest therefore think that ¹every syllable pertaineth to thine own self, & suck out the pith of the Scripture, and arm thy self against all assaults. First note with strong faith the power of God, in creating all of nought. Then mark the grievous fall of Adam, and of us all in him, through the light regarding of the commandment of God. In the iiij. Chapter God turneth him unto Abel, and then to his offering, but not to Cain and his offering. Where thou seest that though the deeds of the evil, appear outwardly as glorious, as the deeds of yt good: yet in the sight of God, which looketh on the hart, the deed is good because of the man, and not the man good because of his deed. In the vj. God sendeth Noah to preach to the wicked, and giveth them space to repent: they wax hard hearted, God bringeth them to nought. And yet saveth Noah: even by yt same water by which he destroyed them. Mark also what followed the pride of the building of the Tower of Babel.