the top of the heade to the sole of the foote, there is no hole part in all the body, to witte: In the inferiours, because they are not able to lyue for pouertie: in the superiours, because for there excessiue riches, they are let from doing good. And foloweth in þ^e same place: But all are woūdes, botches and stripes, behold here the daunger commyng, the wounde of discorde and diuision, the botch or sore of rankor and enuey, the swellyng stripe of rebellion and mischief. &c.

Marginalia4. signeThe fourth signe is the pride of prelates. Some there haue bene which fondly haue disputed of the pouertye of Christ, and haue inueyghed against the prelats, MarginaliaPride of prelates noted.because they lyue not in the pouerty of the sayntes. But this phātasy commeth of the ignoraunce of morall philosophie and diuinitie, and of the defect of naturall prudence: for that in all nacions, and by common lawes, priestes haue had and ought to haue wherewith to susteyne thē selues more honestly then the vulgar sorte, and prelates more honestly then the subiects. But yet hereby is not permitted to them, their great horses, their troupes of horsemē, their superfluous pompe of their wayting men & great families, which scarcelye can be mayntayned wythout pride, neyther can be susteyned with safe iustice, and many not without fighting and iniuries inconuenient: not much vnlike to that as Iustine the historician wryteth of the Carthaginenses. The family (sayth he) of so great Emperours was vntollerable to suche a free Citie. In sembleablewyse, this great pride in the churche of God (especially in these days) doth moue not so few to dewe reuerence, as many to indignation: And yet mo to those thinges aforesayd, which thincke no lesse but to doo sacrifice to God, if they may rob and spoyle certayne fat priestes and persons, namely such as neyther haue nobilitie of bloud, and lesse learning to beare them selues vpon, but are lyars, seruile, and fraudulent, to whom the Lord speaketh by his prophet Amos. iiij. Heare you fat fed kyne of Samaria, ye that do poore men wrong, and oppresse the nedie: the day shall come vpon you, &c.MarginaliaAmos. 4.

Marginalia5. signe.The fift signe is, the tyrannie of the prelates and presidentes. which as it is a violent thyng, so it can not be lōg lasting. For as Salomō sayth. Sap. xvi. MarginaliaSapi. 16For it was requisite that (without any excuse) destruction shoulde come vpon those which exercised tyrannie. The propertie of a tyraunt is, to seeke the cōmoditie not of hys subiectes, but onely hys will and profit. MarginaliaThe tyranny of prelates noted.Such were the pastours that fedde not the Lordes flocke, but fedde themselues: of whom, and to whom speaketh the Prophet Ezech. 34. Wo be vnto those pastors of Israel that feede them selues. MarginaliaEzech. 34.Should not the shepherdes feede the flocks? With many other threatnings against them in the said chapter. Wo be vnto them which reioyce at the transgressions of such, whom it lyeth in their power to condemne, neither do they seeke what he is able to pay. To whom cryeth Micheas the prophet. iij. chap. Ye hate the good, and loue the euill ye plucke of mens skynnes and the flesh, from the bones: ye eate the flesh of my people, & flay of their skyn: ye breake their bones, ye chop them in peeces as it wer into a Caudrō, & as flesh into the pot. &c MarginaliaMicheas. 3.And therfore þ^e foresayd Ezechiel pronounceth: Behold I wyll my selfe vpon the shepheardes, and require my sheepe from theyr handes, and make them cease from feeding my sheepe: yea the shepheardes shall feede them selues no more, for I wyll deliuer my sheepe out of their mouthes, so that they shall not deuour them anye more.MarginaliaEzech. 34.

Marginalia6. signe
Promotyng of vnworthy ministers.The sixt signe is, the promoting of the vnworthy, and of neglecting them that be woorthy. This as Aristotle saith, is a great cause many tymes of the dissolution of common weales. And often times it so happeneth in the warres of princes: þ^t the contempt & small regarding of the valiant, & the exalting of others that be lesse worthy, ingendereth diuers kinds and kyndlelinges of sedition. For by the reason partly of the same, partly of the othercauses aboue recited: we haue red not onely in bookes, but haue sene with our eyes, diuers floorishing Cities, well neare subuerted. Where as good men be not made of, but are vexed with sorow and griefe by the euyll: the contention at length, brasteth out vpon the Prince. As Haymo reciteth out of Origen. This hath alwaies ben the peruers incredulitie of mās hard hart, that not onely in hearing, but also in seing: yet wyll they not beleue that other haue perished, vnlesse they also peryshe them selues.MarginaliaHaimo.

Marginalia7. signeThe seuenth signe is, the tribulation of outward policie and cōmotions of the people, which in a great part is now happened alredy. And therefore, for as much as Seneca sayth: Men do complaine commonly, that euyls onely come so fast: It is to be feared least also the ecclesiasticall policie be afflicted not onely outwardly, but also in it selfe. And so be fulfilled in vs, þ^t in Hieremy is prophecied cap. 4. Murther is cryed vpon murther, and the whole land shal perish, & sodenlye my tabernacles were destroyed, and my tentes very quickly. MarginaliaHiere. 4.And Ezechiel. 7. Wherefore I wyll bring cruell tyrantes from among the heathen, to take their houses in possessiō. I wil make the pompe of the proude to cease, and their sanctuaries shall be taken. One mischiefe and sorow shall followe an other, and one rumour shall come after an other, thē shall they seeke visions in vayne at their Prophets: the law shall be gone from the priestes, and wisedome from the elders, &c.MarginaliaEzech. 7.

Marginalia8. signe.The eyght signe is, the refusing of correction, neyther will they heare their faultes tolde them: So that it is happened to the princes and rulers of the church, as it is written in the Prophet Zach. cap. 7. MarginaliaZacha. 7.
Refusyng of correction in the cleargy.They stopped their eares that they would not heare: yea they made their hartes as an Adamant stone, lest thei should heare the law and words which the Lord of hostes sent in his holy spirite, by the Prophets aforetime. Also Esay witnessing after the same effecte chap. 30. sayth: For it is an obstinate people, lyeng children and vnfaythfull, childrē that will not heare the lawe of the Lorde: whiche say to the Prophets, medle with nothing, and tell vs nothing that is true & right, but speake frendly wordes to vs, &c. MarginaliaEsay. 30.
Truth shent.All this shall be verifyed, when the prelates beginne to hate them that tell thē truth, and haue knowledge, like vnto such of whom Amos speaketh chap. 5. Thei beare him euill will that reproueth them openly, and who so telleth them the plain truth, they abhorre him. MarginaliaAmos. 5.And therfore sayth the Lord to the church of Hierusalem Ose. 4. Seing thou hast refused vnderstanding, I haue refused thee also, that thou shalt no more be my priest. And forso much as thou hast forgotten the law of thy God, I will also forget thy children, and chaunge their honour into shame. And so shall it be like priest, lyke people, &c. MarginaliaOse. 4.And many other sayings there be in the Prophets, speaking of the deiecting and casting downe of the priestly honor.

Besides these foresayd signes and tokens hetherto recited, there be also diuers other: MarginaliaLacke of learned priestes.As the backsliding frō righteousnes, the lacke of discrete and learned priestes, promoting of children into the church, with such other like. But these being alreadie wel noted & marked, you may easely iudge and vnderstand, whether these tymes now present of ours be safe and clere from tribulation to be loked for, and whether the word of þ^e Lord be true according to my theame. Iuxta est iusticia mea vt reueletur, my righteousnes is nere at hand to be reueled, &c. And thus much of the second part.

MarginaliaThe third part or mēber of the subdiuisiō.Now to the thyrd part or member of my subdiuision, which is concerning the false and perilous opinions of some, vpon thys word of my theme: vt veniat, &c. which opinions principally be fower, repugning all against the truth of the canonicall scripture.

MarginaliaThe first opinion.The fyrst opinion is of such mē, who hauing to much confidence in themselues: do thinke and perswade them