THE Triall of Truth wherein are discouered three greate enemies vnto mankinde as Pride Priuate grudge and Priuate gaine which corruptions are the disturbers of â—â—â—â—s cities common weales and peoples Jmprinted at London at the three Cranes in the vintree by Thomas Dawson and Thomas Butter 1580. ¶ To the moste great and highest soucraigne Christe IESVS HAuing written this small Treatise vnder the protectioÌ„ of thee most reuerend most sweete and almightie IESV which I did begin with intention to lyne out and directe a way vnto thee the author of all trueth and goodnesse taking the cause vppon the greatest abuses of the worlde raigning and raging euery where at this day and continuing concluded the same with exhortation of amendemeÌ„t of life according to thine expresse worde and commandements aswell by thine owne selfe pronounced out of thy most sacred mouthe at what time thou wert conuersaunt in this miserable vale and anguished with the iniquities of Ierusulem Corasm Bethsaida the whole land of Iuda yea and all the worlde and continually be fore that by the holy Prophetes which haue bin since the world began whose bookes are so ful of declamatioÌ„ against sinne and like argumentes to exhort the retourning vnto the Lorde with haste and so laborious to prepare the way vnto thee The greatest matter theÌ„ rested in hand to whom I should direct the same who might take the protection in hand of this my woorke to defend it against the maleuolent and malicious worldlings who furnished with all the suggestions of Satan that olde enemy who seaseth nullum non mouere lapidem against thee and thy truthe Resting vpon this consideration I founde the great men of the world were busied the richemen had no disposition the meane men were afearde the simple men might answer me they could not iudge And so not to trouble the great nor to hazard the small I determined to offer the same vnto thee OIESV which I present vnto thy Diuine Maiestie with bowed knees ioyned handes and all simplicitie of mind beseeching thee mercifully to looke vpon mine infirmities who for the multitude of my sinnes am vnworthy to lifte vp mine eyes to thy mercy seate and vnable to imagine any thing worthy of thine acceptance but stayed on the foundation of thy worde wherein it appeareth how thou diddest accepte of the widowes myte and how thou diddest condemne the seruant of sloth for hyding his tallent are sufficient assuraÌ„ces of thy fauourable fatherly and comfortable acceptance to such as with good intent of the fruites of their labour yelde aught vnto thee as sacrifice proceeding from the puritie of hearte whereof thou onely arâ— the searcher vnto whose tuition I doe most humbly submit my self body and soule To the Christian Reader REuerend Reader after it had pleased God to touch me diuers waies to what intent I know not to reforme I hope I coÌ„mitted me vnto the same our eternal God who pronouÌ„ceth himselfe to bee the way the truth the life vnder his protection and fauourable assistance I determined as tyme would giue me leaue to proceed try by my trauel obseruance a straighter course of life for my better proceeding therin for mine own instructioÌ„s I beganne to coÌ„pare make difference betwixt the spirit of truth the spirit of errour hauing collected sundry notes to the intent aforesaid as I passed by iudged theÌ„ ought worth I set theÌ„ down to helpe memory with inteÌ„tioÌ„ to haue brought theÌ„ into fourme to the absoluing of the matter which I had in hand WhervpoÌ„ a friend of myne viziting one at my chamber and finding me so solitary exercised and perusing my notes conceaued so good liking of myne indeuour the discourse therof as hee did not onely intreat me to perseuer therin but afterwards at sundry times very earnestly required me to put the same in print insomuch as after my often denial has importunacy was such that vnlesse I coulde haue bene content to hazard his frieudship beare the greate reproche of ingratitude I might not auoid him and so oppressed yelded graunted Whervnto I did the rather incline considering myne imminent danger surprised with deadly sicknesse ioyned with dispositioÌ„to do some thing plausible to the good In which my meaning by deferring thereof I might haue beene preuented seing the lyfe of man is so vncertaine thus by that necessity ioyned with good wil like the poore farmer who plucketh the frute before it bee seasonable or ripe because he wold bee saide to haue presented of the first frute of the yoÌ„g sapling I was forced to publish this myne abortiue yoÌ„gling ful of faults blemishes in parte wherof as I cannot excuse my selfe so muste I needes impute some fault too the Printer notwithstanding howsoeuer it fal out the giuers mind and not the thing is that which is presented which construction of this my simple labour if I shal receaue at your friendly haÌ„ds in this work that might haue required a workman of greatest skil to haue treated I shal think my self happy ymagining I haue already so done I wil vse no further intreaty heerin then I thinke standeth with good manners which consisteth in fewest woordes vttered with best meaning the frute hereof shal be that al in general may receaue the vse of that which I had written for myne owne obseruance and priuate instruction wherby euery one may be moued to the consider atioÌ„ of their faultes to the dismasquing of theyr yll colloured actions and bee appointed to dewe regarde of the heanenly mansion prepared vnto the rightuouse for their euerlasting coÌ„fort In which respect I called this little booke the Tryal of Trueth leauing the whole contents therof to the worlde and the censure to the good Beseeching the Almighty that it may please him in his mercy to giue vnto euery one that professe his name an vnderstanding hart to the attainment of a true iudgement As that after this our pilgrimage and this life ended we may together be made partakers of the life eternal Edw. Knight ¶ The Tryall of Trueth THree thinges vndid the Romans raigne viz. Young heades Priuate grudge and Priuate gaine as the principall causes of the destruction of that great Empire And I doe greatly lament it whilest I do behold so great euils in this our age raging among the people euery where in such lamentable maner that what true Christian liuing is there not touched w t the due consideration of the deformitte of the people but that if hee had not a flood of teares hee coulde doe no lesse then shed them foorth in the beholding such dayly prouoking and irritating of God too his heauie wrath for theyr so grecuous disobedience and concempt committed against him and his worde As the Prophet Ieremie was mooued and sore greued with the beholding of the sinnes and wickednes of the people committed against God in that former age insomuche as he brake foorth into these speaches All my bâ—nes
As for ensample howe many nowe in this age are so greedily set vpon couetousnes as to incroche into one mans hands so many tenements and houses as by all meanes possible hee may compasse eyther in buying the fee-simple or els the graundelease ouer the tennantes heades in suche wyse as hauyng obtayned the same and doing some small reparations thereupon then doeth the new Landlord not onely inhaunce the rent for which such Tenements went before tyme But also the Tenaunt must giue a large fyne besides some reparations left vndone for him to doe for the easement of the house although the poore Tenantes purse bee so wronged therby as oftentymes it so falleth out that all the shiftes that hee can make may hardlye recouer so chargeable a sicknesse as happeneth to many by suche yll meanes in such sort as sometimes the tenant groweth in so weake a case as not able to abyde the ayre or to goe out of the dooers by reason of the infection of priuate gain being an euil in this case not much different from vsury and so muche the more to be sorowed where the people can apply themselues to no better trade then hauing compassed a peece of money before hand to frame thereby a heauy burden wherwith to lade their poore bretheren as it is too too true that there are many suche as haue weake handes and feeble knees to doe good but are strong enough to keepe down their weaker brethren And very fewe is the number that do labour truely in the Lords pathwayes in any their vocations but from time to time it is too manifest howe the Lordes wayes haue beene peruerted by the corrupt nature of mankinde in all ages By meanes wherof Christ his religion hath bene greeuously hindered as it is euidēt by one notable ensample as hereafter foloweth Sometyme there was a great Turke whose name was called Soldanus Egypti who was touched with the consideration of the profession of Christ his religion as that he was mooued and stirred in mynd to haue forsaken his abominable errour and become a Christian So as he might bee ascertayned that the lyues of Christians were agreeable to their profession Wherevpon in the consideration of his intention after hee had long pondered with him selfe howe hee might best bee resolued in so weightie a cause he determined to breake the matter vnto one nere about him in whome hee had most confidence and vnto him the said great Turke declared the some of his intention and findyng his trustie friende readye to accomplishe his request who secretly was furnished about that busines So that in short time he arriued in some parts of Italy as a part of Christendom to the end there to discouer the maners and behauiours of the people where bee founde the maner of their liuyng so farre vnagreeable to the professiō of the names of Christians as the saide messenger of the. Turkes had no neede to make any long abode in those partes for any better tryall So as hee hauing attayned the effect of his message which hee had giuen in charge he returned again from whence hee came and made relation vnto his master the great Turk in this wise True it is that those people where I haue byn in Christendome that beare the names of Christians doe in their outwarde appearaunce professe to serue a Godwhom they knowe note and otherwise theyr lyues in deedes are distayned with all abominable loathsome sinne and wyekednesse Whereuppon the sayd great Turke hauyng taken some pause brake out in these speeches or the lyke And is it so then I decest and defie them and theyr religion In suche odeous and reprochfull wyse as may bee an ensample to all partes of Christendome where as Christ is professed in words and contemned in deedes In so much as we are to praye to GOD to keepe the Turkes spyes out of this parte of Christendome vntyll a more vnifourme order of liuyng may bee founde ioyned with our profession in suche godlye conuersation as that Englande especially maye become a Lanterne to other our neyghbours who haue not as yet so large measure of Gods louyng kyndnesse as it hath pleased him in his mercy to extende vnto Englande aboue other nations For the which Englande is the more indebted and accomptable vnto God in the consideration whereof euery member ought to bee so heedefull in yelding their due obedience as that if it were possible the very Turke may be mooued to acknowledge Christ And that the enemyes spyes may haue no iuste cause to vse any suche manner of reproouyng the people of Englande But that euerye one of the congregation maye be stirred to frame theyr lyues in godly conuersation and not to delyght to take ensample of euill doyng but rather to be doing that which is good and to edifie with all As not compelled therevnto but of loue and zealous affection vnto God who by his word hath left vnto vs perfect ensamples howe to behaue our selues in obedience vnto him our Prince and rulers As Saincte Paule to the Romaynes playnely setteth downe Let euerye soule bee subiecte to the Superiour powers And againe in his Epistle to Titus he hath set downe speciall exhortations how those that professe Christ should behaue them selues in godly conuersation of lyfe But alas there are a number of people in this age both men women who by the settyng on of the couetous Deuill and the consent of dilobedience doe not cease to take in hand many wicked deeds and euill actions the most parte whereof are yet vntolde In so much as it may be sayde who might offende and hath not offended Wherefore let euerye one in tyme refraine from their froward waies and to cease from committyng of sinne with greedines And not so to ouerweene or thinke of them selues to be suche as in deed they are not For it is true that although any man or woman doe possesse beautie or riches or any other good gift yet suche thinges are vnperfite in vs so long as wee doe remayne in this vayle of miseryes as our sundry imperfections do declare But all are as a lumpe of clay lying vppon the face of the earth remayning at the choyse and will of the Potter to apply and woorke it at his pleasure who oftentymes in the workyng findeth the clay to fram◠but badly to the workemans mynde by reason of the sundry imperfections which lye hidden therein Whereby the same becommeth in the woorkyng so full of crackes and flawes not sitting to the vse for which it was mēt in the workemans beginnyng And so oftentymes it falleth out with the heartes of men which ought to bee prepared as a payre of writyng tables which serue for to noate in all remembrāces and as in infancy none can write so long are they easie to be kept cleane But once beyng growen to iudgement to discerne of good and euill If we haue blotted the tables of our heartes with euill thinges the same must first bee
pray by an other mans simplicity or ignorance nor by any false meanes or malice contrary to the dealings amōg the people in this age where no difference seemeth to be made betwixt honest and lawfull bargaining and corrupt bargaining Wherevpon Plato writeth that that which is separated from iustice is rather to bee called craftinesse then wisdome In especially practised by those that professe Christe who ought to know that all suche as follow mens traditions and their owne inuentions do as it were forsake God and his worde by the measuring of his woorde by theyr owne corrupt willes and affections tempting god thereby And as a false Diamōd is not set in a Ring without a subtill foyle in such wise as the deceite of the deceiuer may hardly be discouered w tout the help of an expert Lapidarie So Vsurers are not without theyr subtill shifts argumēts for to colour defend their false and deceiueable practises Insomuchas some of thē dosay that such places of the scriptures as are written in reproouing of Vsury is not so intended nor to be applied against their For then say they that no man may buy and sell without committing of Vsury and so they doe dwell vppon a nyse point of definition what Vsury is albeit the euill nature thereof doth demonstrate and declare it selfe contrary too the condition of such commendable buying and selling as ought to be orderly performed in the fellowshipp of men without the compasse or hauing to doe with Vsury As it is manyfest that when any honest Merchaunt or Retayler of wares doo put the same to sale the maner thereof is put in vse in open market and that by some knowne signe without the sinister dealings that vsurers doe practise whose dwelling places are not easie to finde out from other mens for want of a Signe which is not so agreeing to theyr profession as experience teacheth for asmuche as the name of an Vsurer is not onely hatefull to all good men but also lothsom vnto the Vsurers thēselues So as theyr dwelling places are as subtill as the lurking of the Serpent that lieth hidden vnder greene leaues and Vsurers by theyr apparell may as hardly be discerned as a Strumpet from an honest woman onely the difference resteth in the tryall of theyr seuerall conuersations and maner of liuing Insomuche that it is noted in a Parliament holden by the famous King Edwarde the firste of England y t amongst other things Vsury was forbidden to the Iewes and that they might be knowen from Christians the King commaunded them to weare a Table the breadth of a palme vpō their outmost garment The examples are not fewe whereby Christians are forbidden the vile trade of Vsurye as testifieth the woorde of God Ieremie in propheciyng of the miseries of the Iewes and the causes sayth thus O mother alas that euer thou diddest beare mee an enimie and hated of the whole land though I neuer lent nor receiued vpon vsury yet all men speake euill vpon me And the Lorde answered lead not I then vnto good Thou shalt occupie no Vsurie to thy brother neyther with money nor foode neyther with any maner of thing that Vsury may be vsed withal that the Lord thy God may blesse thee in all that thou takest in hande Yf thou lend a poore body saith God thou shalt not lye downe too sleepe with his pledge but shalt deliuer him his pleadge againe when the Sunne goeth downe That he may sleepe in his own rayment blesse thee So shall the same bee reckoned vntoo thee for righteousnesse before the Lord thy God God speaking by the mouth of his Prophet saith Thou hast receiued giftes to shed blood thou hast taken vsury and increase Thou hast oppressed thy neighbour by extortion and forgotten me saith the Lorde Moreouer it is written yf a man bee godly and do the thing that is equall and right he greeueth no body he giueth his debtor his pledge againe he parteth his meate with the hungry he clotheth the naked hee lendeth nothing vpon Vsury hee withdraweth his hand from doyng wrong hee handeleth faithfully bebetweene man and man hee shall surely liue faith the Lord God And to trye the Vsurers vngracious substaunce to bee geathered most agree able too the nature of swines feeding that as those beastes doe soonest increase theyr fatty substaunce in tyme of yeere when Acorns are aptest to bee had not forcing what trespasse they doe too anye neighbour according too theyr beastly kind So fareth it w t Vsurers who so lōg as they may increase theyr corrupt money eyther by landes iewelles or plate they wil not bee vnoccupied that wayes And some of thē be so basely minded as if Acorns bee past their reach Then wil they listen with attentiue eare where anye Swill or Draffe is too bee had whereon they maye satisfie theyr greedy appetites with deceaueable Wares which they call Commodities householdstuffe Apparell and suche lyke as nothing commeth amisse too suche monsters Insomuche as it is too bee thought that if the Diuell should come to an Vsurer and demaund his share of interest that the vsurer woulde put it in practice to defeate his partner for it is not to be thought otherwise but that hee who hath so many shiftes too check his Christian brethren wyl not be vnprouided of one shift to mate the Deuill In the meane time tyll they come to scratching for the game the Vsurers neglect not the help of theyr vngracious Brokers to the ende they may not forsloe no time vpon Billes of sales and otherwyse to helpe to drawe the Vsurers into Hell wyshing all suche whyle they haue time and space too pray too GOD that it maye please hym in his mercy so too touch theyr heartes with suche a repentant minde speedily to returne from committing suche abhominations least that suche their facting doe turne to theyr owne harmes and too the Deuilles profite For it is most true that those thinges which haue byn mens delightes in this life as causes of offences shall eftsoones be made the instrumentes of theyr tormentes in time to come vnlesse the grace of God in this lyfe may mooue them more duetifully to obedience towardes GOD and theyr Prince with loue to theyr neighbours as euery Christian man ought to do As floods that flow against their kind are best restrained by contrary wynd So such as ryse inordinately must be repressed by pollicy But vnto suche as after many warnings from God and his worde deliuered by the mouth of his ministers and nothing may moue the frowardnes of the Vsurer to returne from hallyng synne together as it were with Cartropes Then may it rightly be saide to all such O yee foolish Galathians who hath bewitched you O yee generation of Vipers who hath taught you to flee from the vengeance to come In deed ye may flee but ye shall not escape for God hath a cuppe prepared for suche and they shal drink the
bitter draught of his vēgeance and receiue the rewarde of iniquitie In dislyking of which wofull estate God be thanked there are a number in London and els where whose appetites may not be framed neyther would if they might feede on such euill conditioned substance as is accumilated and gotten together by the wicked trade of Vsury but do rather abhorre the same as too loathsome a feeding for a Christian mans profession by reason of the yll disgestion which the same doeth carry w t it for experience teacheth y t such vnprofitable substance may not well agree nor continewe with those who do fill and cloy their stomackes therwith And surfiting therby can not be at quiet tyl such tyme as they haue discharged and vnladen them selues thereof againe although to their great indangering both of body and soule For assuredly such yll gotten substance is of an infectious condition and euill operation As appeareth by this doctrine of S. Luke where it is written Take heed lest at any tyme your heartes bee ouercome with surfiting and drunkennes and the cares of this worldes lyfe and so the day come vpon you vnwares For as a suare shall it come vpon all them that dwell on the face of the whole earth Watche you therefore continually pray that ye may escape al those things that shal come and that yee may stande before the Sonne of man and the better to drawe on all Vsurers and all vngodly persons to the ende that their deformities myght become loathsome vnto them selues I woulde to God that euery one dyd beare it written in the forehead of their heartes As it is written in the Prophesie of Abdy Lyke as thou hast done so shalt thou vs done with all For so is the way to finde grace and mercy w t God that euery one both man and woman do refourme thē selues and refraine frō hauing to do with the felowshyp of vngodlines as that no man to lye for his own auaile to accuse wrongfully to preuent deceitfully or frawdulētly So rich men should not be enuied for their riches nor poore men oppressed by reason of their pouertie thē shold mutual loue be maintained in a common wealth farre different to suche euils as the euil nature of priuate grudge priuate gaine hath inforced in the hearts of men which worketh much trouble amongest the people wher so great euils haue araied thēselues against the peace of the lande as more plainly appeareth by the manifolde contentions dailye mooued and slyred among the people in theyr goyng too lawe one with another yeldyng them selues to euery vayne passion of theyr myndes as it is to be noted by the abuse in that behalfe Against the frowardnes and absurditie of Clyents at the Lawe ALthough it bee true that the lawe is necessary in euery commō wealth for keepyng of the people in their due obedience and that euery man maye inioy his own according to the peace of the lande yet the abuse of the lawe is not so expedient for oftentymes it so falleth out that what some Lawyers do so gainfully get many their Clyents forgoeth more peruersly As for insample may bee discerned by the tyde Boates in the passing too and fro London Howe one commeth vp with the wynde by easie labour an other goeth downe against the tyde by painefull toyle and not without danger of shipwracke so to bee put to their shiftes especially when a sodaine storme ariseth vnlooked for with a contrarye wynde for in suche cases passengers are most subiect to be indangered indamaged which notwithstanding it fareth not so with those that doe come vp the very self same tyde keeping the Lee shore hauing both winde and tyde with them seldome sustaining any damage in their course be the winde neuer so contrary to others that goe downe Albeit suche as come vpp are not freed of all misfortune as some times subiecte to bee ouerrunne by a greater shippe or vessell or such like casualties which as they do seldom happen by reason of the good conducte of the Lodesman yet it can dot be denyed but that such casuall blastes may happen as are most too bee feared when the wether waxeth darke and glummy But for better proofe that the euill of priuate grudge and priuate gaine doth more profite to the Lawyers then vnto any other profession it is easie to bee discerned by the diligence that is vsed by a great number of people traueiling from farre to the ende to helpe the Lawyers in with their haruest which is foure Termes or seasons of the yeare duryng which tymes many Lawyers are diligent husbandes for them selues in their attending and gathering of their priuate gaine But howe stack many of them be in dispatchyng of their Clyentes causes doeth manifestly appeare by the prolonging of their sutes by all dilatory means Insomuch as notwithstanding it is to be thought that there is no Counseller at the lawe worthie so to bee allowed but that vpon perfect instructions deliuered vnto him hee is able to say or should say of his learned knowledge whether the case so put vnto him be in right and truth to be mainteined or not But this Maxime with many is a Fallax in the law for that the same is not agreeing with many of that profession So to play the part of expert cunnyng Surgions who sounding the depth of their patients wounds will foorthwith minister a speedie curyng salue But rather too many haue cunnyng to playe the parte of an yll conditioned Surgion who hauyng sounded his Patients griefe and vpon tryall finding that his Patient hath any store of hearbes in his Gardeine straightway will apply a detractiue plaister thereby to trye their cunnyng and so doeth practice the same so long as they finde theyr Pacient to haue any suche hearbes as will worke to their myndes And in the meane tyme such beareth his poore Patient in hande that his griefe had beene sooner cured if some tyme one impediment some tyme an other had not hyndered the cause in working accordyng to the quilities and slintes of the lawe tyll suche tyme as all his Patientes hearbes are spent by the froward meanes of such Surgions and many a man so left comfortlesse and voide of hope of recouery of that which by good meanes might better haue beene holpen or els not to haue beene taken in hande at all Notwithstandyng it is certayne that hearbes doe worke much in curing but the better if they be applied in their right nature and condition in such sort as men can not vse the Surgions practise without much payne to be indured by his patient especially if the Surgion bee indurate of hart So assuredly men can not goe to lawe one with an other with suche quietnesse of mynde as it is by some supposed For proofe whereof if men would examine in them selues howe difficult a thing it is for Christian bretheren too spende their tyme in folowing lawe matters It will easily appeare that
permission we do enioye such good blessings as Moyses gaue vnto the Tribes of Israel in time of their continuing in Gods coÌ„mandements ordinaÌ„ces who is like vnto the people Thou art saued in the Lord which is the shield of thy helpe sword of thy glory Thine enimyes haue lost their strength to thee ward thou shalt treade vpon the height of them But then it foloweth that when as God did behold the grudging and disobedience of the Israelites hee appoynted Moyses to commaund them that they shoulde not presume to come vp vnto the Lord lest be destroyed them And let the Priests which come vnto the Lord sanctifie them lest the Lorde destroye them Wherevpon God gaue foorth the Table of the ten Commaundementes left vnto all that shoulde come after to folow them as children of obedience And for that cause doe all the godly Preachers crye out daily foorth of the worde of God Repent betymes as wee all doe admonish yee repent for your coÌ„tempt and wickednesse so plainely committed in so blessed a tyme as God was not more professed in woordes in many yeares before But alas too too farre out of the way in deedes wherfore we are stil called to repent for repentance is the onely way of our redresse deliuerance For dyd God euer so long spare anye whome he hath taught by his Prophets without some euident repentaunce Or vseth any father to pardoÌ„ his childe without some token of amendment Consider howe the Lord hath intreated Israel and Iuda his owne people Howe ofte they trespassed and howe he gaue them ouer into the handes of their enemyes But when so euer they repented and turned againe to God vnfeignedly he sent them Iudges and deliuerers Kyngs and Sauiours This way then of repentance and vnfeigned turnyng vnto God by obedience is the onely way before God accepted and allowed Therfore was Noah sent into the old worlde to bring this doctrine of repentance and all the olde Prophets as Elias Eliseus Esaias Ieremias and Malichias and hee who excelled all the Prophets Iohn Baptist whose sharpe rebukes for sinnes woulde nowe be hardly abyde and suffered Yet are they not vnfittyng to this age for that the same spirite stil striueth against the malice of our tyme. Albeit in diuers sortes and fashions Noah pronounced that within an hundreth and twentie yeares all fleshe shoulde bee destroyed Wee haue many Noahs that doe crye in our tymes yet fewe repent All that tyme that Noah was preparyng of the Arke to auoyde Gods vengeance the multitude derided this holy Prophete as many nowe doe make a scoffe at all them that by obedience to Gods worde seeke the meanes appoynted to auoyde Gods indignation and iudgements Then the people wold not repent but as they shoulde lyue for euer they maryed they banquetted they builded they planted but not in God And so it is muche to be feared that in this age there are many that do the like they marry but not in God they builde but not in trueth and righteousnesse and therefore because their buildyng is not accordyng to Gods direction they know not howe soone it shall fall downe And that it may appeare howe God hath vseâ— to call those that he would haue saued in former ages I haue thought good to set downe certaine places of the scriptures because euery one hath not to buye the whole booke The Prophet Ieremy setteth downe a very notable ensample what returnyng God requireth of his people O Israel if thou wilt turne thee then vnto me saith the Lorde and if thou wylt put away thine abominations out of my sight thou shalt not be mooued and shalt sweare the Lorde liueth in trueth in equitie and righteousnesse And the people shall be fortunable and ioyfull in him For saith the Lorde to all Iuda and Ierusalem Plough your lande and sowe not among thornes be circumcised in the Lorde and cut away the foreskyn of your heartes all yee of Iuda and the indwellers of Ierusalem that my indignation breake not out lyke fyre and kindle so that no man may quenche it because of the wickednesse of your imaginations Here it is to bee noted that there is a great difference betwyxt the visible fyre and a paynted fyre Moreouer thus sayeth the Lorde When I haue taken in hand to rootout to destroye or to waste away any people or kyngdome If that people against whome I haue deuised conuert from theyr wickednesse I repent mee of the plague which I had deuised to bryng vpon them Agayne when I take in hand to build or to plante a people or kingdome if the same people doe euil before me and heare not my voyce I repente of the good which I deuysed to doe for them Speake nowe vnto Iuda Thus sayeth the Lorde Beholde I am deuising a plague for you therefore let euery man returne from his euill wayes and do the thyng that is good and right And in the Prophecie of Esai Heare this O thou house of Iacob yee that are called by the name of Israel and are come out of the stocke of Iuda which sware by the name of the Lord and beare the witnesse of the Lorde of Israel But not with trueth and right which art called free men of the holy Cities and are grounded vppon the GOD of Israel whose name is the Lorde of Hostes The thynges that I shewed you euer since the begynnyng haue I not brouâ—ht them to passe immediately as theâ—â—ame out of my mouth and declared thâ—â— and they are come Howebeit I knowe that thou arte obstinate and that thine necke hath an yron bayne and that thy browe is of brasse Neuerthelesse I haue euer since the beginnyng shewed thee of thinges for to come and declared theÌ„ vnto thee or euer they come to passe That thou sholdest not say my Idol hath done it my carued or molten Image hath shewed it Heare and consider all these thinges whether it was yee that Prophecied them But as for me I told thee before at the beginnyng new and secret things that thou knewest not of and some done nowe not of olde tyme wherof thou neuer hardest before they were brought to passe that thou canst not say beholde I knewe them Moreouer there be some whereof thou hast neuer heard nor knowen neither haue they bene opened vnto thine eares afore tyme for I knew that thou wouldest maliciously offende therefore haue I called thee a transgressont euen from thy mothers wombe Neuerthelesse I haue withdrawen my wrath for my names sake for mine honours sake I haue ouer seene thee so that I haue not rooted thee out Behold I haue purged thee and not as Siluer I haue choseÌ„ thee in the fyre of affuction that onely for mine owne sake for I giue myne honour to none other that thou shouldest not despise mee Hearken vnto mee O Iacob and Israel whome I haue called I am euen that is I am the first and the last Whereby it is plaine that there