Good husbandry, when one man would fain have all. And eke alike to that is unmerciful extortion, A sin in sight of God of great abhomination: For pride, that is now a grace; for round about The humble-spirited is termed a fool or a lout. Whoso will be so drunken, that he scarcely knoweth his way, O, he is a good fellow, so now-a-days they say. Gluttony is hospitality, while they meat and drink spill, Which would relieve diverse whom famine doth kill. As for all charitable deeds, they be gone, God know'th; Some pretend lack, but the chief cause is sloth: A vice most outrageous of all others sure, Right hateful to God, and contrary to nature. Scarce blood is punished but even for very shame, So make they of murther but a trifling game. O, how many examples of that horrible vice Do daily among us now spring and arise! But thanks be to God that such rulers doth send, Which earnestly study that fault to amend: As by the sharp punishment of that wicked crime We may see that committed was but of late time. God direct their hearts they may always continue Such just execution on sin to ensue; So shall be saved the life of many a man, And God will withdraw his sore plagues from us then. Theft is but policy, perjury but a face, Such is now the world, so far men be from grace. But what shall I say of religion and knowledge Of God, which hath been indifferent in each age Before this? howbeit his faults then it had, And in some points then was culpable and bad. Surely this one thing I may say aright: God hath rejected us away from him quite, And given us up wholly unto our own thought, Utterly to destroy us, and bring us to nought: For do they not follow the inventions of men? Look on the primitive church, and tell me then, Whether they served God in this same wise, Or whether they followed any other guise? For since God's fear decayed, and hypocrisy crept in, In hope of some gains and lucre to win, Cruelty bare a stroke, who with fagot and fire Brought all things to pass that he did desire. Next avarice spilt all, which, lest it should be spied, Hypocrisy ensued the matter to hide. Then brought they in their monsters, their masses, their light, Their torches at noon to darken our sight: Their popes and their pardons, their purgatories for souls: Their smoking of the church and flinging of coals. IGNORANCE. Stay yet a while, and let us hear more communication.