Selected quad for the lemma: book_n
Text snippets containing the quad
|
ID |
Title |
Author |
Corrected Date of Publication (TCP Date of Publication) |
STC |
Words |
Pages |
|
A06898
|
The iewel of ioye
|
Becon, Thomas, 1512-1567.
|
1550
(1550)
|
STC 1733; ESTC S116427
|
101,881
|
346
|
They are those same Babilonical backslideds â—…yng childreÌ„ which wyll not heare the lawe of the Lorde but daily cry Loquimini nobis placentia Tel vs pleasaunt things prouide vs of errours care not for the ryghte way but away w t the holi one of Israell from oure face they are those same faulse christians of whom sainte Paule prophecied which shoulde be louers of them selues couetuouse hye minded proude euyll speakers disobedient to their elders vnthankeful vngodlye vnkind false of theyr promise false accusers riatours fearce despisers of them that are good traitours heady standing in their own conceite louers rather of pleasures then louers of God hauynge an outwarde apperaunce of godlines but deuyinge the power thereof Lyke as Iannes Iambres wythstode Moyses eueÌ„ so do they also resist the trueth Men are they of corrupt mindes and leude as coÌ„ cerning the faieth but they shall preuaile no lenger For theyr foleishnes shall be manifeste vnto all men as theyrs was Where thynges be so ordered that the truth can beare no place nor the professours therof be thaÌ„kfully receyued but rather blasphemed persecuted enprysoned and vngentillye handeled what should men do but shake of the dust of theyr fete for a wytnes agaynst thé at y e dai of iudgmeÌ„t depart into some other place wher they may do good as Christ y e Apostles did quietli to abide y e pleasure of god as the prophet saith It is good to loke for y e sauing health of the Lorde with scilence After thys sorte dyd I appoynte my selfe and leauyng mine own natyue contrye I traueiled into suche straunge places as were vnknowen to me and I to them And yet I thanke the Lorde my God whyche neuer leaueth hys seruauntes succourlesse I although an vnprofitable seruauÌ„t in that exile and banishmeÌ„t waÌ„ted no good thynge Let the voluptuouse worldelynges take though for the bealâ—… and be carefull for thys present lyfe I haue learned in that my iorney to cast my care vpon the Lord my God whyche aboundauntlye feadeth so many as trust in him and depeÌ„d on his liberalitie and goodnes For one house I founde xx and for one frende an hundrede I coulde wysh nothynge for the prouision of thys my lyfe but I had it plentuously God so afore seynge for me hys vnprofitable and wretched seruaunt Theo. The promise of God is euen so Euery one saieth he that forsaketh house or brethrene or sisterne or father or mother or wyfe or chyldren for my names sake and for the kyngedome of God that is to saye for the loue that he beareth toward the Gospell of Christe he shall receyue an huÌ„dred folde as much in this presente tyme and in the worlde to come lyfe euerlastinge Chri. Trueth it is but you haue not yet declared to vs in what contryes ye haue beene here in Englande sence your departing from hence Philemon After I departed from you and had takeÌ„ my leaue of my moste swete mother of mâ—… other deare frendes I traueyled into Darbyshere from thense into the Peke whither I appointed my bokes and my clothes to be brought Euse. Into the Peke Lord God what made you ther Phile. Mine entent was by exercising the office of a schole maister to engrafte Christe and the knoweledge of hym in the breastes of those scholers whome God shoulde appointe vnto me for to be taught Theo. I thinke you found there very peakeish people Phile. Not so I coÌ„fesse to you that I fouÌ„d ther very good wittes apt vnto learnyng Chri. But how fauour they christen religioÌ„ in those parties Philemon I will tell you Comming into a little village called Alsoppe in y e dale I chauÌ„sed vpon a certaine gentilmanne called Alsoppe Lord of that vilage a maÌ„ not onely auncieÌ„t in yeres but also rype in the knoweledge of Christes doctrine Theo. By what meanes had ye knowledg of hys Godly disposition Phile. After we had saluted one an other and take a sufficient repast for that presente he shewed me certayne bokes whiche he called hys Iewels and principall treasures Eusebius I praye you what bokes were they Phile. To rehearse theÌ„ al by name I am not able but of this am I sure that amonge all other there was the newe Testamente after the translation of the Godly learned maÌ„ Myles couerdale whyche seamed to be as well worne by the diligente readynge thereof as euer was anye portas or masse boke amonge the papistes CHri A rare thynge and almoste a miracle to fynde an olde man namelye in those parties where Christe I thynke as yet was neuer trulye preached to be so well affected towarde the readyng of the sacred scriptures Euse. Yea and a gentylman also For gentylmen now adaies for the most parte delite so much in readinge the worde of God as a true christian doeth in readynge the Popes decretals they are all togyther so addict to the vaine pleasurs of this world Theo. Many thinke it to be an vnsemly thing for a man of nobilitie to be studiouse of holy letters haukes and dogs dise and cardes as I may speake nothynge of theyr seruise to lady Uenus is theyr pastime and delectation If they reade any thynge it is some vaine trifle of loue or when they be beste occupied an history or cronicle Phile. I graunt many geÌ„tilmen litle answer their vocatioÌ„ nether are they studious of gods word as they ought notwythstaÌ„dinge praysed be God for it I know many both meÌ„ womeÌ„ of nobilitie which greatli delite in readiÌ„g the holy scriptures do not onely loue but also lyue the Gospel Euse. I praye God encrease the numbre dayly For then shall it go well wyth christian religion when noble men shal be learned in those bokes whiche are fountaynes and head sprynges of all true perfecte and christian religioÌ„ Notable is y e seÌ„tence of Plato which affirmeth that the publique weale is mooste fortunate greatly auauÌ„ced if such as be the gouernours therof be either wyse or studiouse of wysedome Therfore doeth the scripture in so many places exhort the ciuile magistrates to be learned in the lawe of god But I pray you tel vs had the geÌ„tilman none other bokes but only y e new testameÌ„t Phi. Yes verily I remeÌ„bre ryght wel y t he had many other godlye bokes as y e obedieÌ„ce of a christeÌ„ maÌ„ the parable of y e wicked MaÌ„ moÌ„ y e reuelatioÌ„ of Antichrist the sum of holiscripture the boke of Iohn Frith against purgatory al y e boks published in the name of Theodore Basil w t diuers other learned mens worckes In these godly treatises this auÌ„cieÌ„t geÌ„tilmaÌ„ amoÌ„ge the mouÌ„tains rocks occupied him self both diligeÌ„tly and vertuouslye Chri. I would not lightly haue beleued that such a maÌ„ coulde haue bene fouÌ„de in so barbarouse and rude a couÌ„try nor y t so fruitful works had bene placed in so vnlearned a regioÌ„ Phile. Neyther
wold the prophete Helias haue beleued y t ther had bene any godly meÌ„ left aliue besides him self wheÌ„ kyng Achab his wicked wife Iesabel had cruelly murthered suche great numbre of y e Lordes Prophets seruauÌ„tes til god made him answer said I haue yet re serued to me vii M. meÌ„ whiche haue not bowed their knees before Baâ—…l WheÌ„ the Papistes Antichristes thynke their kyngdome moste strongest and most lyke to continue then is it most nighe vnto downe fall so worcketh God for the auauncemente of hys glorye and for the profite of hys poore afflicte congregati on When the enemies of God burne good men and consume theyr bokes vnto ashes then are these martyrs the better credited their doctrine y e more regarded their bokes both y e more warely kept hold in y e greater reuereÌ„ce Theo. I beleue it right wel For ther be certain bokes whose remeÌ„brauÌ„ce hath falleÌ„ away loÌ„g before this tyme froÌ„ the mindes of the people if they had not furiously and without coÌ„sideratioÌ„ bene condeÌ„pned for heresy But wheÌ„ the people saw them condeÌ„ned no cause whye but plaine tyrannye Sic volo sic iubeo stat pro ratione voluntas It caused theÌ„ to haue the more respect vnto the bokes and when they had read them perused them compared them wyth the scriptures of God perceauynge that in all poyntes they did agre with theÌ„ it caused the readers to haue an euil opinion of the aduersaries and to embrace and safelye kepe the bokes as holy reliques and precious treasures So y t where the Papistes soughte a final destructioÌ„ to the bokes bi burning theÌ„ contrary to theyr expectatioÌ„ they haue made them as it were immortal won to the authors of them a noble fame glorious renowme Uery truly is it saied of SolomoÌ„ ther is no wisdome no forecast no councell that can preuaile against the Lord. Euse. Truth it is but to returne vnto y e Peke of what sort I pray you are the people coÌ„cerninge christeÌ„ religioÌ„ Phile. WheÌ„ I was ther al theyr religion coÌ„sisted in hearing mattens masses in super sticious worshipping of Saynctes in hyeringe soule caryars to syng trentals in pattering vpon beades and in suche other popeishe pedlary Theo. The history of the gentylman caused me not so muche to reioyce as the hearynge of this maketh me sory I wonder y t the coÌ„mune people be â—…o ignorauÌ„te Christo. Do ye wonder What wonder is it When suche as should lead them in the light of Christes gospel are the very self darcknes The eye y t is to saye y e preacher of gods word is y e light of the body y t is of the whole coÌ„gregation of Christe If y e eye be single y t is to say if the curate or preacher be godly learned then shal al the body be ful of lighte y t is the christeÌ„ coÌ„gregation shal haue the word of god dwel in theÌ„ plentuously trulye walke in y t light of Gods most blessed wyll wtout haltinge on boeth partes But if the eye be darkenes y t is to say if the preacher be vnlearned how great theÌ„ shal the dark nes be y t is howe ignorauÌ„te and blind shal the grosse tude people be Is not this the saying of SolomoÌ„ WheÌ„ the preaching of Gods worde faileth the people perish and come to nought The priestes are the salte of the earth in dede but if the salt be vnsauery haue loste his saltnes what can be salted ther w t It is afterward good for nothing but to be cast out to be trodeÌ„ vnder fote of meÌ„ Phil. I can not deny but y t the priests in y t couÌ„trey are very baselylearned in a maner such as are pointed of y e prophet saying The curats are blind euery one of theÌ„ thei are altogither w t oute knowledge they are dombe dogs not able to barke c. Euse The priests for the most part vniuersally thorowe y e realme are suche as Ezechiel crieth oute on saiyng Wo be to y e shepheards of Israel which fede theÌ„ selues Should not the shepherds fede y e floke Ye haue eateÌ„ vp y e milke Ye haue clothed you w t y e wolle the best fedde haue ye slayne but the stoke haue ye not nourished the weake haue ye not holdeÌ„ vp the sicke haue ye not healed the brokè haue ye not bounde togyther the outecastes haue ye not brought againe the lost haue ye not sought vp but churlishly cruelly haue ye ruled theÌ„ c. Chri. Wher suche vnlearned pastours beare rule no maruell though papistrie be not exiled If the blind lead the blind both fall into the dytche Phile. The people wher I hauetraueiled for the most part are resonable and quiet inough yea and veri coÌ„for mable to Gods truth If any be stobournlye obstinate it is for fault of knowledge and bicause they haue bene seduced of blynd guids Theo. It should help very much vnto an vniformitie in religion vnto the saluation of christen mennes soules if there were learned curates appointed in euery parish if so many caÌ„ not be founde theÌ„ to place in euerye couÌ„try certaine learned godly preachers which mai go froÌ„ parishe to parishe preaching to the people the good wyll pleasure of god And let the other priestes be ministers vnder the superatteÌ„dentes or ouersears in their abseÌ„ce read to the people y e saide scriptures the homiles reuereÌ„tly minister the sacrameÌ„tes vi sit the sicke people make colleccions for the poore vertuo uslye brynge vp the youthe of the towne If this were broughte to passe what a flowrishing realme should we haue How shold lear nig vertue prosper How purely should we honour God How faithfully should one of vs loue an other What christiaÌ„ workes should issue out of our dayly coÌ„uersatioÌ„ liuing Phile. I doubt not but y t the kinges maiestie w t his most honourable couÌ„cel will veri gratioussi coÌ„sider these thin ges yea that w t expedittoÌ„ Chri. But sit once again to the Peke I pray you continued you there stil to this returne into the coun trey Phile. I wyl tel you While I was in the Peke I learned y t R. Wysdome was in Stafforde shere ye know the maÌ„ I am sure Eus. We know him to be a godli maÌ„ in his coÌ„uersatioÌ„ a faithful preacher in his doctrine and such one as hathe not bene altogither fre froÌ„ persecution for the maintenauÌ„ce of gods truth Phi. He was y e same to me y t Aristarchus was to Paule Desieringe greatly to se him I bad mi frindes in y e Peke fare well made hast towarde him WheÌ„ I came to him I did not onli reioice to se him in health but also gaue god thaÌ„kes y t he was so wel placed prouided for For I fouÌ„d hym in the house of a certaine