vs besides the saying of the Painim that through concord amitie little things become great the great doo perish It is most certeine true that the assuraunce of a kingdome consisteth not onely in an armie or number of people no more then-the force of a king in his royal scepter But in the amitie and obedience that his subiectes doe owe vnto him And verie well the historiographer saith when he did write that sport or pleasure is not durable wherein one is established and set in by swoord According to that another doth teach that those doe abuse themselues greatlie which doe thincke better to assure the realme by force then by amitie Euen so Theopompus béeing asked how a king may easelie kéepe a kingdome aunswered if he doe suffer his friendes to speake fréelie of laweful things And that he doe right and iustice vnto those which are wicked and euill For he which is much feared cannot choose but that he haue many enimies For as it is conteined in a common prouerbe men doe hate willingly those whom they doe feare and they doe desire gladlie the death of him whom they hate We must conclude that the most rediest meanes for to kéepe a realme is to kéepe the people vnder his obedience by gentlenesse and amitie According as Salomon doth write That mercie and faithfulnesse preserue the king and with louing kindnesse his seate is holden vp Furthermore I will not occupie my minde to search the examples of prophane histories All men doe knowe very well howe the kingdomes of Dauyd and Salomon his sonne haue prospered in respect of those of Pharao Saul and Nabuchodonosor As the Lord doth witnesse vnto vs of Saul that he hath giuen him in his wrath and in his displeasure will take him awaye agayne But as that is not mercy to desire one so great gentlenes bicause that mercy ought to gouerne hir selfe with all righteousnesse equitie and iustice Forasmuch as with true iudgement the king setteth vp the lande and the Lorde doth establish the seate of him which doth iudge the poore in vertue To conclude that the scepter of the kingdome of GOD is a right scepter To bee shorte as he which sitteth in the iudgement seate ought not to bee much enflamed and moued against these which are wicked or to weepe with the people that are gréeued or afflicted But to iudge with all vprightnesse without béeing affectioned through too much clemencie or rigorousnesse Also a vertuous and stout prince ought not indiscretly to repute for his friendes all those which do offer themselues sodeinly to his friendship But to consider diligently vnder what condition they do bear him fauoure That is the cause wherefore Isocrates Amonge other precepts that he did write vnto a Prince did commende vnto him three thinges aboue all others First that he would not repute for faithfull all those which do praise or allowe al that that he sayth or doth But those which doe rebuke him when he hath fayled Secondly that he would seperate those which doe flatter him by some kinde of deceipt from amonge them which doe honoure him by amitie Least that the condition of the wicked should be better then that of the good people Finally that he doe permitte and suffer the prudent and sage people to speake vnto him fréely to the ende that he may haue people which may aunswere to the purpose and satisfie him And truely that great orator of the Latines hath very well sayd that wée must first iudge before that we loue For that there are some men which doe loue a great deale better the body then the soule and doe not seeke but to fulfill their desire For the true friende as sayth Plutarch doth not followe all things but the thinges good and honest That is the cause wherfore a vertuous prince ought to be prudent euen to discerne and iudge of men to the ende not to beléeue too lightly all those which doe cal euill good and good euill which make darkenesse light and light darkenesse that make sower swéete swéete sower which doe sow pillowes vnder al arme holes and bolsters vnder the heades both of younge and olde to catch soules withall For as Quintus Curtius sayth That flattery is a pernitious thing and an ordinarie euill of kings by which their riches are sooner wasted then by the enimie I will content my selfe at this time with the example of Ieroboam who refusing to comfort his people according as hee was taught of the elders was the cause of the diuision and ruine of his kingdome And I will not make mencion of king Achab who for that he beléeued more the voice of the false prophets then the holesome admonitions and warnings of Micheah doth let all christian Princes vnderstand what it is to beléeue the counsaile of the good As often times it chaunceth bicause we receiued not the loue of the truth that we might be saued God shall send vs strong delusion for to beleeue lyes euen as Iob doth wryte that the Lorde chaungeth the heart of the princes and kings of the earth and disapointeth them So that they goe wandering out of the way and grope in the darke without ltght staggering to and fro lyke dronken men And Dauyd doth declare that the same Lord doth make the princes hatefull and doth let them wander out of the way in the wildernesse The which ought to serue for the christian princes chiefly for to kéepe their subiectes in their obedience rather by gentlenesse and amitie then by seueritie and cruelnesse The example is manifest of Denys the tyraunt of whom Cicero speaking off sayth that he was shutte into a merueilous prison fearing very much his subiectes for the crueltie that he vsed towardes them I will not rehearse the common saying of the Emperour Anthonius Pius that is to say that he loued rather to keepe one of his Citizens then to kil a thousand of his enimies I doe leaue willingly the sentence of Silla surnamed the happie which aboue all his prowesses did aduaunce him selfe of two thinges I doe meane of the amitie of Pius Metellus and for that hee did not destroye the Citie of Athens but did spare it As also Salust speking of the aūcient wals of the Citie of Rome doth write that the Romaines were become great puissant bicause they pardoned their enimies I wil ende this matter by the sentence of Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians warning oftētimes his souldiers not to wrong and hurt those that they dyd take as people vniust But to kéepe them and acknowledge them as men If then the Painims and heathen men haue vsed such gentlenesse and humanitie towardes their enimies shall the christian princes vse crueltie towardes their subiectes If that one ought to kéepe faith among the straungers as we doe reade of Marius Regulus who loued
acknowledge his imperfection and should the better kéepe that bande of amitie and Chrian charitie For although that we are all baptised by one spirite into one bodie whether they be Iewes or Greekes whether they be bonde or frée and haue all dronke into one spirite for the bodie is not one member but many And the eye cannot say vnto the hand I haue no néede of thée nor the heade also to the féete I haue no néede of you Yea rather a greate deale those members of the bodie whiche séeme to be more féeble are necessarie And vpon those members of the bodie whiche wee thinke most vnhonestie we put more honestie on and verie well that great Oratour of the latines hath declared that wee cannot doe all things of our selues And that one is more apt and profitable for one thing then another is That is the cause wherefore friendshippes are gotten to the ende that common vtilitie be kept thorowe great commune pleasures Then if there bee any grace in vs let vs not abuse it but let vs consider with our selues that euery good gifte and euery perfect gifte is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of lightes and with the same let vs giue glorie vnto him of whose aboundaunce we haue receiued euen grace for grace Furthermore that wee remember that wee haue receiued that grace to serue for to profite euerie one For vnto whome muche is giuen of him shalbée muche receiued and to whome men much committe the more of him will they aske Finally let vs confesse boldly that such and so muche excellencie as is in vs it is alway ioyned with some imperfection to the ende that the wise man reioyce not in his wisedome nor the strong man in his strength neither the ritch man in his riches But who so will reioyce let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth that it is the Lorde whiche doth mercie equitie and righteousnesse vppon the earth In so muche that if the Lorde hath put in vs any knowledge whether it be the gifte of tongues or grace to interprete the holy scriptures there resteth none other thing but to magnifie and celebrate the name of him in whome not onely are hidde all the treasures of wisedome and knowledge but also him in whome doth dwell all heauealy fulnesse corporally He whiche opened the witts of his desciples that they might vnderstande the scriptures The Lyon of the tribe of Iuda the roote of Dauid hath obteined to open the booke and to lose the seuen seales theroff and if such are our prowesses and heroical déedes that they excell and passe the déeds of Alexander the great or of Iulius Caeser what can we better doe but to followe the example of the fower and twentie elders which fell downe before him that sate on the throne and worshiped him that liueth for euer and cast their crownes before the throne saying Thou arte worthie O LORDE to receiue glorie and honour and power for thou hast created all thinges and for thy willes sake they are and haue béene created And with the same also we ought to giue vnto him all honour homage and obedience vnto the Lambe I say whiche hath redéemed vs vnto GOD thorowe his bloude and hath made vs kinges and priestes vnto our GOD I doe meane the sonne of GOD who on his vesture and on his thigh hath a name written king of kings and Lorde of Lordes Vnto whome also a thousande times a thousande serued him and tenne thousande times ten thousand stoode before him Briefly wée must conclude that the things which are in vs whether they be the goods of the body or the goods of the soule are of small value if they be not bestowed vnto the glorie of the Lorde and to the health of our neighboure Nowe being applied and bestowed to that ende they bring fruite to eternall glorie As the Lorde saide make you friends with the riches of iniquitie that when ye shall departe they may receiue you into euerlasting habitations To the same end Toby exhorted euery faithfull man as followeth Be mercifull after thy power If thou haue much giue plenteously if thou hast little doe thy diligence gladly to giue of that little For so gatherest thou thy selfe a good rewarde in the day of necessitie For almes deliuereth from deathe and suffereth not the soule to come into darkenesse According as Dauid hath declared that blessed is he that considereth the poore for the Lorde shall deliuer him in the time of trouble As touching the seconde point Saincte Iames doth teach vs that if any of vs haue erred from the trueth and another hath conuerted him Let the same knowe that he which conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death and shall hide the multitude of sinnes By this we may knowe plainly that two thinges are proper to loue that is to say to lament and be sorrowful for the miserie of our neighctour And to reioyce and be glad of his prosperitie and health Of the first Moses doth giue vs an example who being greatly sorowfull for the sinne of his people cryed with a lowde voice and saide O Lorde this people haue sinned a greate sinne yet forgiue them their sinne I pray thée if not wipe me out of thy booke which thou hast written For that purpose Sainct Paule wished himselfe to be seperated from Christ for his brethren whiche are his kinsmen as perteining to the sleshe And in an other place he complaineth with wéeping of some enimies of the crosse of Christe Whose end is dampnation whose God is their belly and whose glorie is to their shame which are worldly minded And he himselfe doth witnesse in his Epistle vnto the Corinthians that he is gelous ouer them with Godly gelousie hauing prepared them for one husbande to present them a pure Virgin to Christ But he doth feare least as the serpent beguiled Eue through his subtilitie euen so their mindes should be corrupt from the simplicitie that is in Christ Euen 〈◊〉 Dauyd doth crie out saying I am horriblie afraide for the vngodly that forsake thy lawe On the other side the Apostle Sainct Paul reioysed at the repentance of his when he protested to the Corinthians that hée reioysed not that they were sorie but that they so sorrowed that they amended for they sorrowed godly But it is not inough to haue compassion of the miserie of the néedy which doth not assist him in the thinges necessarie for his life For as sainct Iames saith if a brother or a sister bée naked and destitute of dailie foode and one of you say vnto them Depart in peace warme your selues and fill your bellies notwithstanding ye giue them not those thinges which are néedfull to the bodie what helpeth it Also it is not much to sée our neighbour naked of spirituall thinges except that we
Apostles I doe meane Policarpus Ireneus and Denis Nereus For whosoeuer will haue regarde in that matter to the number of persons he must preferre the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisies vnto that of Marie Anna Simeon Elizabeth and Zacharie Bicause that the Scribes Pharisies were more in number then those which did holde of the part of Iesus Christ And our enimies do abuse themselues greatly to thinke to stay or kéepe backe the course or passage of the gospell or to winne vs to their Romish Church hindering the exercise of our religion For if our exile losse of our goods and so much shedding of bloud thorowe out all the Realme could not force or compell euen there the true Christians to make them cleaue or sticke to the Romish religion so much lesse shal it serue to depriue vs from the exercise of the religion which hath bene permitted vs with good deliberation aduise of counsell And when we shal be driuen or chased into straunge countries yet truely fréely we shal sing the songs of Syon and the Lords songs For euen as the course of a floud being stopped stayed doth shew it selfe to be more vehemēt and of greater force so the true faithfull people being letted constrained in the doing of the religion doe giue themselus more willingly and with a better will to the true seruice of God and to the meditation and studie of the holy scriptures And to the end not to dissemble and cloke that déede what is he that will binde that that the Lorde woulde shewe foorth euen to the vttermost endes of the earth Who shall stay or let that which hee hath shed abrode as a water floude and as a mightie flowing streame for the helth and saluation of his Who shall let that which he hath set vp and established for euer Or who shall binde that which he hath ordeined for euer The Lorde hath not bounde or tied his word shall man shut it fast in a certeine place Iesus Christ hath shewed and declared it openly shall man hide it in darkenesse He which hath receiued the talent of the Lord for to gaine or winne thereby shall he hide it in the earth he I say whiche is debter both to the Greekes and to them which are no Greekes vnto the learned and also vnto the vnlearned shall not hée preach the gospel I doo speake vnto those who following the Acts more then barbarous or Scithian of one Antiochus Epiphanus not being cōtēt to haue shed hether to the bloud of the faithfull without leaue aucthoritie of the magistrate haue procéeded to so great wickednesse that they haue burned holy bookes of the Lorde I doe meane those which doe make mention of the eternall alliance of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ thinking by that meanes more easely to establish kéep in their temples and Churches their idolles and God Marsin And yet neuerthelesse they coulde not do so much by their trauailes iourneis that the Lord hath not raised for vs of the Machabeans euen as he did vnto the Iewes from sixe yeares to seuen after the persecution of Antiochus for to giue some libertie vnto his people to repaire the ruinous places of his Temple to assure more and more the true faithfull people in their religion Vnto you O Christian Princes these matters are directed to the end that to day if you do heare the voice of the Lorde you harden not your heartes For if the father bée compted cruell whiche hauing manie children doth giue of his goods yea of those whiche GOD hath giuen him to some and not to other some which I say doth administer the corporall foode and other necessaries to some and denieth it to other some Truely the Christian prince cannot excuse him selfe of ingratitude to giue some Christian libertie and exercise of the Religion vnto some of his subiects and to denie it vnto other some Forasmuch as the materiall breade is not the proper meate of the bodie as the worde of God is the nourishing of the soule also that the princes as saith Socrates in his booke of Xenophon be towards their subiects as the shepherds are towards their flocke the fathers towardes their children that is the cause why Homere did call a prince gratious and louing shéepherd of the people And Agasicles king of the Lacedemonians being asked howe a king can commaunde without a bodie of defence and companie of people aunswered that he would commaunde his subiects as the father his children Nowe I woulde demaunde willingly what dishonour that shoulde be vnto a Christian Prince vnto whom doth apperteine to establish and to kéepe the doing of the religion to shewe him selfe so negligent and vnthankefull towards his that the little ones or young children should demaunde or aske of him the heauenly breade and there was no man that giueth it them I do meane that the young children should suffer not the hunger of breade nor the thrist of water as saith the Prophet Amos but an hunger to heare the worde of god Let vs consider in this matter what reproch Iesus Christ did make vnto the Scribes and Pharises when he said Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharises hypocrites for ye shut vp the kingdome of heauen before men ye your selues goe not in neither suffer ye them that come to enter in the which words are applied not to the Scribes and Pharises onely but vnto all ministers ordeined of the Lord for to declare and mainteine his worde Shall I speake of those who hauing taken or snatched away that heauenly bread from the hand of the children of God deuowring also the children themselues not being content to suppresse by force and violence the exercise of the religion but doe condempne to a most slaunderous and cruell death the professours of the same they are those of whom the Lord speaketh off by his prophet Dauid which eate vp my people as it were breade I cannot here forget that which Plato doth write off that is to say that it shoulde be a thing verie gréeuous and vile to nourish doggs for for to kéepe the flocke and in the meane time thorow glouttonie impatience of hunger or any other custome the dogs do lifte themselues vp for to deuoure the flocke or for to hurt it in what sorte soeuer it be in such maner and sorte that the doggs were made like vnto the Wolues We must also as the same Author doth write take héede that they do not the like against the Citizens which are gouernours of the townes and in stéede to liue with them in amitie as familier and domesticall they do not rule ouer them in duritie and rigorousnesse I will not here blame the honour of some Magistrates or gouernours For it is written thou shalt not curse the ruler of the people Their conscience may bere them witnesse in that
hée doth giue power and strength vnto his in the vertue and power of his woord to roote out breake off destroy and make wast to build vp and plant as he promised in Ieremy and afterward confirmed by the mouth of his sonne sending his Apostles through out the whole world Then let all those bée confounded and put to shame which doe thincke to abolish the true christian religion by force of armes or with a great companie of people or by threateninges For as an auncient author hath very wel written that it is no religion to constraine the religiō the which men ought to receiue with a willing heart our religion cannot be forced and constrayned by force of armes but by woordes As for vs bicause that the Gospell hath bene preached throughout the whole worlde amonge the horrible persecutions of the martyres and that the bloode of them hath bene the séede of the Church yea that the Church is come to her perfection and greatnesse by those persecutions and hath ben crowned by the punishments and witnesses of the true faythfull christians we do make it no doubt to mainteine and defende our religion by the same meanes by the which she hath bene established I doe meane by patience and gentlenesse in such sort that although that our enimies doe yet murmure yet we are assured that the gates of hell shall not ouercome vs forasmuch as the church is the house of God the pyller and ground of truth We doe beléeue also that the persecutions which we do suffer doe not serue for any other thing then to witnesse the tyrannie and crueltie of our enimies and to assure more and more the veritie of our doctrine in our constantnesse and patience Euen as the persecution of Lot did figure none other thing but the vtter subuersion of the Citie of Sodome The affliction of the Israelites did declare and teach none other thing but the wast and destruction of the people of Aegypt to be nigh at hand To conclude the blood of the prophets did demonstrate declare the vengeaunce of God vpon that citie of Ierusalem so goodly and excelent According to that which is saide in Iesus the sonne of Siraach that bicause of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and diuers deceites a realme shal be translated from one people to an other And sainct Paule doth shewe and declare that the thinges which haue happened vnto him are tourned to the great furthering of the Gospell So that his bands in Christ were famous through out all the iudgement hall and in al other places Insomuch that many of the brethren in the Lord were boldened through his bands and dare more franckly speake the word I do speake vnto those which doe thincke to abolysh the true christian religion by the bloode of the faithfull as some which are so madde and senselesse willing to quench the fire doe put into it oyle For the Lord is come to sende fire on the earth And what desireth he more but that it be kindled If he himselfe hath embraced it in the heartes of the faithful who shall quench it Finally who shall seperate them from the loue of Christ shal tribulation or anguish or persecution either hunger either nakednesse either perill either swoord God forbid for in the same they are more thē vanquished by him which hath loued them Wherefore those are to much deceiued which doe thinck by some meanes whatsoeuer it bée to put out and quench in vs that lyght knowledg of Christ and celestiall veritie and doe not consider that sure loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell her coales are of fire and a very flame of the Lord so that many waters are not able to quench loue neither may the streames drowne it Héere some will saye vnto me that the dooing of the religion ought to mainteine it selfe not by force of armes but by patience and méekenesse who haue moued and stirred vp those of the reformed religion to put themselues with force armes against the tyrannie of their enimies I doe aunswere that as it was lawefull by the olde lawe for the people of God to take weapons against the Philistians Moabites Madianites and other nations contrarie vnto the people of the Iewes then for that they were forced and constrained of them in their religion personnes or goodes Also it hath not bene lesse lawfull vnto those of the reformed religion hauing expresse commaundement of the king to kéepe defend by weapons that which hath bene concluded and determined so holily by the priuie counsayle for the dooing of the religion and the ecclesiasticall pollicie Inasmuch as all was confirmable and agreeing to gods lawe and expresse commaundement of the king who dyd aduowe them to doe the same by many letters and writings Euen as Dauid did take the weapons against Goliath forcing and troubling the people of God. And Gedeon did rise vp against the Madianites for to deliuer his people Iudith against Holophernes willing altogether to destroy and exterminate the Iewes Furthermore if the warre bée lawefull as it appeareth that the LORD did alowe so many warres of the Israelites And our LORD Iesus Christ dyd not despise the estate of the souldiers and of the Centurian In the Gospell chiefly and principally in two thinges weapons may be lawefull As king Alphonsus doth very well declare that is to say for the lawe and for the flocke I doe meane for the religion and the tuition of his person and of hys subiectes and for that the consciences the bodyes and the goodes haue bene forced and compelled euery where and that there was no more redyer helpe for to remedy that disease then to take weapons Not without cause then wée following the expresse commaundement of the king the aduise of the best reformed Churches together wyth the counsell of the most learned straungers of the realme haue taken the weapons for to withstand such iniuries and violences pretending none other thinge but the honoure of GOD the aduauncement of his kingdome and the health of his with the preseruation of the scepter of our king Which if the Painim or Heathen man hath wrytten that men ought to take weapons to the ende that without wrong they maye liue in peace In such sorte that the intente of those whyche doe carie them is none other thing but to séeke peace Who shall bée so shamelesse or madde that dare say that it is euill done to haue vpholden and mainteined by weapons the assaultes and force of our enimies for to liue in rest both of our goodes and of our consciences Furthermore if those children of the Machabeans are praised to haue constantly suffred death for to mainteine the lawes of their countrey shal it be compted vnto vs dishonoure shame to haue bestowed our life and our goodes for to mainteine the lawefull christian lawes of the king Without the
the estates doe destroy the Iudges and in the meane time it must néeds be that the Iudges doe liue by stelth and doe get againe through dishonest gaine that that they haue vnlawfully disboursed Furthermore I wil not muse or studie to marke and discouer the faultes of ours it is inough for me that euery one doe knowe that the puissance and greatnesse of the cities and common wealthes doe not lye and consist in an excessiue and madde number of magistrates â—endinge and seruing rather to the ruine and destructioÌ„ of the people then to the comforting of them No morâ— then the iustice and true rule to liue well to so many newe Edictes and statutes But to the wisdome of the magistrates and true vsage and exercise of the religion and iustice And I will not bee abashed if an Emperour of Rome called Licinius Cesar did call sometime a heape and companie of officers mothes and rattes As also one may daylie sée that they do despise so many waies the edictes and statutes of the Prince and of the superiors Bicause that the number of magistrates serueth nothing to the common wealth no more then so many edictes and statutes of the magistrates to the helping and comforting of the subiectes I will ende this matter by the prayer which king Salomon made aswell for his owne regarde as for the regard of all his people O Lord forasmuch as thou hast caused a younge Ladde to reigne ouer thy people giue vnto him a heart full of knowledge to iudge thy people and to knowe the good from the euill that he may walke in thy waies in truth and righteousnesse and kéepe thy statutes and commaundements Giue vnto him grace that he may duely and rightly rule his subiectes vnder the obedience of thy lawes and ordinaunces teaching them the way by the which they shall walke in the worke that they shall doe Finally O Lord cause that the same Prince doe prouide among the people vertuous men and fearing God men louing truth and hating couetousnesse and which doe iudge thy people at all seasons in all right equitie iustice In the fauour of him which iudgeth the poore with righteousnesse and with holynesse reformeth the simple of the worlde Our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen Prouerbes 29.14 The seate of the king that faithfully iudgeth the poore shall continue sure for euermore Prouerbes 28. Bicause of sinne the lande doth oft chaunge hir prince But through men of vnderstanding and wisedome a Realme endureth long A Prayer O Lord which by thy mightie and puissant hand hast made the world of nothing and which doest dispose all thinges with a meruailous order and counsell Which settest vp againe righteousnesse in the ballaunce and iudgement in the weights yea by whom the kings reigne and the Princes make iust lawes Direct so by thy grace the young age of our king vnder thy feare that he reigning ouer vs in all equitie and righteousnesse he doe mainteine his people in the kéeping of the lawes which do concerne the aduauncement of thy glorie and the libertie of thine O Lorde make him to vnderstand that as al puissance and power is from thée So the Prince is the minister of God for all mens wealth To the ende that the may employ bestowe the giftes which thou hast giuen vnto him to thy glorie to the aduauncement of the kingdome of thy sonne and to the comfort of his people Assist through thy fatherly goodnesse all those which are of his counsell That they may acknowledge that thy feare is the beginning of wisdome and that they doe not séeke onely their priuate commodities but also those of other mens or that they séeke not their owne but those of Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer Amen A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION vnto those which doe make it no conscience to shed the innocent bloode vnder preteÌ„ce I know not of what foolish zeale Wherein is shewed by examples of the scripture how odious before God such cruelties are Cap. 11. Genes 9. a. ¶ He which sheddeth mannes blould shal haue his bloude shed by man againe For God made man after his owne likenesse 1. Samuel 15. g. ¶ Samuel said vnto king Agag as thy swoord hath made women childlesse so shall thy mother be childlesse among other women SAlomon doth witnesse in his prouerbes that ther be sixe things which the Lord hateth and the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth A proud loke a dissembling tongue handes that shed innocent bloud an heart that goeth about with wicked immaginations féete that be swift in running to doe mischiefe a false witnes that bringeth vp lies and such one as soweth discord amonge bretheren That is the cause wherefore Dauyd prayed the Lord that he will not destroy his soule with the sinners nor his lyfe with the bloude thirstie Where that good Prophet speaking vnto GOD doth crie thou O God shalt cast them downe into the pitte of destruction For the bloud thirstie and deceiptfull man shal not liue out halfe their daies The Lord trieth the righteous but his heart hateth the wicked and him that loueth violence The which is sufficiently declared vnto vs by examples of the scripture yea who will begin from the creation of the world For froÌ„ the lawe of nature Cain killed his brother Abel for that cause the Lord said vnto Cain What hast thou done The voice of thy brothers bloud cried vnto me out of the earth And nowe cursed be thou as perteining to the earth for when thou tillest the ground she shall hence foorth not giue hir power vnto thée a vagabund and a runnagate shalt thou be vpon the earth In the lawe that is written Pharao king of Aegypt went about by all meanes to afflyct the people of GOD vntill that he caused to be killed al the men children of the Hebrewes But in a little while after all the first borne in the lande of Aegypt were killed Pharao and all the Aegiptians were drowned in the seas In the time of the Iudges Abimelech desiring to reigne ouer Israel caused to bée killed all the children of Gedeon except Ioatham insomuch that Abimelech was made king in Sichem But within a little while after this vengeaunce happened vnto him For Abimelech hauing besiged the Citie of Thebes and taken it and going to take a tower wherein the people were gotten together a woman did caste a peace of a milstone from the wall vppon his head and all to brake his brayne panne â–ª So as sayth the Scripture all the wickednesse of Abimelech which hée did vnto his father in sleying his thre score and ten bretheren God did bring vpon his head The Quéene Iezabel caused Naboth to bée killed for to haue his vineyard But the Scripture doth teach vs that the Lord spake against Iezabel saying that the dogges shal eate Iezabel vnder the walles of Iezrael the which came to passe For Iehu
exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may
feare for feare hath painefulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue Let vs propose the example of Sainct Paul who beeing aduertised by the holy Ghost that bands and troubles abide him at Hierusalem aunswered that none of these things moued him neither is his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy and the ministration whiche hee receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God the whiche hée did not onely of mouth but also hee accomplished it by workes Let vs remember those good women I meane Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome who were not only assistent to Iesus Christ before his afflictions But also in his crosse and after his death bought sweete oyntementes of Aromatica for to embalme him yea they folowed him long time after his death I do speake vnto those who making profession of the true Christian religion and beeing drawen from the cares of the world thorow the knowledge of our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ for a smal occasion afterwards are fallen into them againe haue beene ouercome Insomuch that that is happened vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire Truely such people are like vnto the young man which told our Lord Iesus Christ that hee hath obserued al these coÌ„maundements from his youth but when Iesus saide vnto him that he must sell all that he had and giue it to the poore for to get a treasure in heauen hée went away mourning We must alâ—o note that there is an other regarde or â—espect to the amitie which we doe beare vnto GOD and to the amitie whih we doe beare vnto men for GOD ought â—o be loued for his regarde onely I doe meane bicause that of himselfe hée is altogether good perfect puissaunt and mercifull Man ought to bée loued for the respect that we haue vnto GOD that is to saye forasmuch as he is created to the image of GOD as wée endued with the giftes and graces of GOD aswell as wée and called to the ecclesiastical heritage as wée For he that wil consider man in himselfe he is nothing els but altogether vnrighteous ful of impietie and imperfection The Prophet Esaie shall be my witnesse when he saith we are all as an vncleane thing al our righteousnesse are as a stained cloth The which the roiall Prophet Dauyd doth speake off more at large in his verses saying The Lord looked downe froÌ„ heauen vpon the children of men to sée if ther were any that would vnderstand and séeke after god But they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one The like matter we do read off in Iob wheÌ„ hée confessed most cléerely that man cannot iustifie himselfe towardes god And how saith hée can hee bée cleane which is borne of a woman Behold the moone shineth nothing in comparison to him the starres are vncleane in his sight How much more then man that is but corruption and the sonne of man which is but a worme wherefore man of himselfe is not amiable but inasmuch as he is regenerate of God who through the merite of his welbeloued sonne doth couer hide wholy all those imperfections and impieties And in that respect wee haue greatly to consider the ingratitude and miscognisaunce of those which loue not the Lord but for their proper respect I do meane when the Lord doth sende them the thinges euen as they demaund and desire as great abundance of worldly goods a blessed life great prosperitie of the thinges which appertaine vnto them and also to their friendes kinsfolke and other pleasures of mans life of whom saith Dauid happie are the people that bée in such a case but when any affliction happeneth vnto them then they murmure against God and do demaund if there bée any prouidence in Heauen The whiche Salomon forbiddeth expressely when hée saith vse not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sinne that thou say not before the Angell my foolishnesse is in the faulte Such manner of people are like vnto those which séeke Iesus Christ not bicause they sawe his miracles but because they eate of his loaues were filled For he which is a friend as Salomon reciteth vnto vs alway loueth and in aduersitie a man shall know who is his brother Which if it bée so that loue ought to bée loued againe truely wée haue most greatest occasion to loue God and which is more wee cannot without the vice of ingratitude but that wee should loue him inasmuch as hee loued vs first And herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to make agréement for our sinnes For God so loued the world that hee hath géeuen his onely begotten sonne that none that beeléeue in him shoulde perish but haue euerlasting life If a man demaund what is the goodnesse that hée hath done vnto vs at this present Saint Paul doth aunswer vnto the same saying that he spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not with him géeue vs all things also In this matter what can wee render vntâ— the LORD which may bee equiualenâ— to the amitie that he hath borne vnto vs for the iniuries that his sonne our LORD Iesus Christe hath suffred in his flesh for the stripes that hée hath receiued on his bodie for the crosse for his death for his buriall woe bee vnto mée if I doe not saye it I dare well saye it Peter hath not rendered or restored neither Paul hath rendred or restored although he hath restored death for death but yet neuerthelesse he hath not altogether restored for he oweth a great deale Marke when he him selfe confesseth who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall bee recompensed againe For of him and through him and for him are all things to him bee glorie for euer And although wee restore vnto him the crosse for the crosse and the graue for the graue that is to say whether wee restore vnto him that whiche wee haue receiued of him and through him no truely Wherefore the same Author concludeth let vs restore vnto him loue for loue for debte loue for the goodnesse that he hath doone vnto vs a géeuing of thanks for the price of his bloud I say moreouer that from our birth nature hath put in vs a certaine mouing and pricking forward to the end to incitate and stirre vs to loue our God. Forasmuche then as by the same saying of Plato beautie hath gained that aduauntage aboue all other things that of her selfe shée is very much amiable and for that cause wee desire verie much the faire things Yet truely the heauenly beawtie excelleth and passeth
all thinges forasmuch as it is not subiect to any filthinesse or corruption as are the other creatures Insomuch that the soule of a true Christian regenerated through grace and wounded of that heauenly loue is sicke for that true spouse which is Iesus Christ And which is more it sigheth incessantly for the deliueraunce of this body which of it selfe is subiect to corruption Euen soe Dauyd did crye out saying wo is mée that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue mine habitation amonge the Tentes of Cedar My soule is a thirst for God yea for the liuing God saying Alas when shall I come to appeare béefore the presence of God These are also the words of Sainct Paul I am saith hée compassed in on both sides desiring to be loosed and to bée with Christ The which is a great deale better for mée that if for their vertue we doe loue them whom we neuer saw as saith Cicero and if such is the force and strength of vertue which if one may behold it with the eyes it will stirre vp and imbrace in vs a meruailous desire to loue it how much more ought wee to loue God of whom as of the Nurse of al things doth descend euerie good and perfect gift To conclude if wée loue them whiche may helpe vs with all things which are necessarie for vs How much more ought wee to loue God which is all in all and with whom all pleasure dwelleth as Dauid witnesseth that fulnesse of ioy is with his countenance and at his right hand there is pleasure and ioy for euer That men shal be satisfied with the plenteousnesse of his house and hee shall giue them drink of the riuer of his pleasures for by him is the well of life and in his light shall wee see light I do say this not onelie for the eternall goodnesse which are promised vnto the blessed in the resurrection to come but also for the goodnesse whiche the Lorde giueth vnto vs in this present life Euen so the same prophete saith so is this wide and great sea also wherein are thinges créeping innumerable both small and greate beastes There goe the ships ouer and there is the Leuiathan whome thou hast made to take his pastime therin They waite all vppon thée that thou maist giue them meate in due season When thou giuest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hande they are filled with good But when thou hidest thy face they are sorowfull And if thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust Againe when thou lettest thy breath goe foorth they are made and so thou renuest the face of the earth And in an other place hee saith O feare the Lorde ye that be his saincts for they that feare him lacke nothing Furthermore in the that the Lorde desireth that wee shoulde loue him so perfectly we are sufficiently aduertised that those which doe giue vnto other creatures the homage and obedience which is due vnto the Lorde be they deade creatures or liuing creatures they loue not GOD perfectly forasmuch then as God hath chosen vs as a chast virgin for to be presented to his Christe according as hée hath foreshewed by the Prophet Oseas that he will marie his owne selfe vnto her in righteousnesse in equitie in louing kindenesse and mercie and in faith yet when we doe seperate the loue which we owe vnto the Lorde for to giue of that whiche apperteineth vnto him vnto other creatures truely we are vnto him vngentle Bicause he is a gelous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation That is the cause wherfore Moses saith in the same booke Thou shalt worshippe no straunge god For the Lorde is called gelcus because he is a gelous GOD. For that same cause Sainct Peter seing that Cornelius fell downe at his féete to worshippe him he tooke him vp saying stande vppe for euen I my selfe am a man Acknowledging verie wel that Cornelius for the affecttion that he did beare vnto him did forgette the homage and obedience that he owed vnto the Lorde In like manner Barnabas and Paul séeing that the inhabiters of Listria woulde doe sacrifice vnto them they rent their clothes and ranne in among the people crying and saying O men why do ye these things We are mortall men like vnto you In like manner it is written in the Reuelation of S. Iohn that the Angel séeing that Sainct Iohn was fallen downe at his féete to worshippe him he saide vnto Sainct Iohn sée thou doe it not I am thy fellowe seruant and one of the brethen whiche haue the testimonie of Iesus worshippe god Euen so hath not Herod done for vpon a day appointed Herod being aâ—aied in royall apparell and sitting in his â—eate made an Oration vnto the people And the people gaue a shoute saying it is the voyce of a God and not of a man And immediatly the Angell of the Lorde â—mote him because he gaue not God the honour so that he was eaten of wormes Asmuche also happened vnto Alexander the greate for hauing taken the Citie of Babilon raised him selfe against the commaundement of the liuing GOD and woulde that his people shoulde worshippe him and offer vnto him Sacrifices Wherefore within a little while after he died through Gods punishement for hee being ouer drie for lacke of drinke fell into a gréeuous sicknesse of whiche hee dyed And that great personne who as the worlde thought feared not to bee ouercome of men was ouercome and vanquished of wine The same doth learne vs and sufficiently declare vnto vs that the loue the whiche wée ought to beare vnto the creatures ought to be ruled and gouerned by the worde that wee ought not to compare it to the loue which we ought to beare vnto GOD our creator I do speake this for those whiche according to their priuate affections and indiscréete zeale do beare such honour as it pleaseth them vnto the creatures and in the meane time consider not that the Lord is gelous of the loue and obedience that they owe vnto him What shall I say of those who making profession of the Christian religion do beare vnto wicked spirites the loue that they owe to their lord And in what aduersitie or affliction that they finde themselues in haue recourse As Saul vnto the Magicians and Witches not trusting themselues of the promise of the LORD Who saith Call vppon me in the time of trouble so will I heare thée that thou shalt thancke me Things truely which are verie much forbidden in the lawe of God where Moses admonished the people of Israel saying Turne not your selues to them that work with spirites neither regarde them that obserue dismall dayes that ye be not defiled by them for I am the Lord your god And in the booke of Deuterenomium