Wood County reporter. [volume] (Grand Rapids [i.e. Wisconsin Rapids], Wis.) 1857-1923, 1892-12-22
A SERMON BEFORE THIEVES.

taken from the portfolio OF the late
Ellen E. Phillips, of Stevens Point,
is thought to be about four hun
dred years old, and is, we believe,
as a curiosity, to good to be lost.
The DR.. has kindly consented to
our giving the readers Of the
REPORTER a reprint of it:
A sermon of parson Hyberdyne
which hee made att the command
emente of certen thieves after they
had robbed hymn besvde Hastleroe
in Hamshyre in the feldes, then
standynge upon hyll, where as
a wynde myll had bene, in the
presens of the thieves that robbed
hymn, as followith.
THE SERMON AS FOLLoWITH.
l greatly mervell that any man
wyll presume to dysprase theverie
and thynke the dooers thereof to
be worthy of deth, consyderinge lit
is thynge that cumithe near unto
vertue, beinge used of many in all
countries, and commended and al
lowede of God hymself. The
which thynge, by cause, I cannot
compenditiously shew unto you att
500 shorte a warnynge, and in 500
sharpe a wether. | shall desyre
you, gentle audiense of thieves, to
take in good parte these thynges
that att this TYNE comith to my
mynde, not mysdoutynge, but
that you Of your goode knowledge
are able to adde mutche more I'M
to ytt than this which | shall MOVE
utter unto you.
Fyrste, fortitude and stowtnecs
of courage and also bowldness of
mynde, is commendyd of sum men
to be a vertue, which beinge grant
ed, who is ytt then that wyll not
judge thieves to be vertuous, for
they be Of all men moste stoute
and hardy, and moste withoute
feare, for theverie is a thynge
moste usual amonge allie men, for
not only you that be here presente,
but many others in DIVERS places,
both men and women, and chyl-
dren, rytche and poore, are daylie
of thys facultie, as the hangman Of
Tyboorne can testife. And that
ytt is alloWede Of God hymselfe, as
ytt is evidente in many stories of
Scripture, for if you locke in the
whole course of the Byble you
shalle fnde that thieves have bene
beloved of God, for Jacobe when
he came cute of Mesopotamie dyd
steale his uncle Laban's kynne,
the same Jacobe also did steale hys
brother Esau's blessynge, and yeti
God saide Il have chosen Jacob
and refusede Esau.' The chyldren
Of Israeli, when they came cute Of
Egyptte did steale the Egyptians
jewelles of sylver and golde as
God commanded them SO to doe.
Davide, in the days of Abiathas
the hygh prieste, did come into
the temple and did steale the hal
lowede bread, and yeti God saide
David is a man after my own
hearte." Christie hymselfe, when
he was heare on the earthe, did
take an ass and a coalte that was
none Of hys, and you know that
God said of hymn "this is my be-
lovede some in whome delyght"
Thus you may see that God de-
lighteth in thieves. Blu moste Of
allie, | mervell that men can dys-
pise you thieves whereas in all
ponies almost, you be like unto
Christie hymselfe. For Christie had
no dwellynge place, no more have
you, Christie went from towne to
towne, and soc doe you-Christe
was hatede Of all men savinge of
his frendes and SO are you-Christe
was laid waite upon in many
places, and soc are you-Christe
at the lengthe was caughte, and
soc shalle you beetle was
broughte before the judges, and
soc shalle you bee, He was &C
cusede, and soc shalle you bee
He was condemned and soc shalle
you beetle was hangede and soc
shalle you beetle wente downe
into hell and soc shalle you doe,