doth threaten lasting payne To those which plentie had on earth and yet for scarcitie sought their furious rage with Chimera a lasting place hath bought And for as much as we do doubt of ioyes for to inshew we will conitinue as wée are lo this is certayn trew Not leauing now our wontid lore each one of vs in kinde proceading so as we began in this you know our mynde When goods we haue all men vs loue as kings among the rest if naught at all then Begger like in ragges must be adrest For Gospels predicacion preach still who that will wée sée therin none other grace we will not come their till For who that will the Scriptures feare shall euer bée in doubt when Skie doeth fall then Larks shall haue a place to sore about Thou Hidra fell deuoyd of grace reforne and that with spéed els lasting payn shalbe thy gayn the Lawe hath so decréed Thalia Plenteusnes PLentifull are the works of the Lord in wisdom hath he made theÌ„ all for with the Lorde ther is mercy and with him is plenteouse redemption for as by the plentifull gracis proceading from God the children of Israell wer delyuerid so shall euery such nacion likewise that seeketh by obedience obtayn the lyke haue due consideracion then of the plentifull gracis proceading froÌ„ God héere on earth to féede not only our corporall bodies with the fruits growing on the same for the tearm of our natural liues but also the vnspeakable vertues which doo as mighty riuers so plentifully ouerwhelme in manner the whole face of the earth that scharcely or not at all any one is able to say he neuer haue passid by or through them or being at one tyme or other mould so that not one of the séeds of mankind is able to excuse him selfe for the not knowing of so plentifull gracis proceding from so mercifull and heauenly father in what damnable state case or being are those meÌ„ who lasciuiously liuing in this vate of misery do séeke to escape from that which séeks to saue them and to imbrace that whiâ—h vtterly if continuance remayne in ill to consume and destroy theÌ„ Tantaleum poculum libernus the very heatheÌ„ Philosophers hath not ceasid to depict out dyuers and sundry warnings and all to that ende that vertues might be imbraced and vice subuertid ouerthrowen because that like as some festcrid vlcer being once rootyd in the flesh and toucheth the bone seaceth not by littel and litle till it haue by such infection masterid the whole body and brought it to subiection forcing it to geue place vnto death the first ende of corporall life Therefore as corrupt infections be the cause of the bodyly death so the wicked thoughts ingendering contempt of godlines hastens the soules distruction who would not therfore seyng so great daungers to inshew by meanes of disobedience séeke to please so excellent a Lorde and protector that so mercifully and so plentifully powrith forth before vs so many seueral gracis therby to plucâ— vs yea as it wer by force from so many euils which for sinne is left to possesse vs for as gold is tried in the fornace so that good men be tried in tyme of aduercite which aduercite is the dayly resisting of the flesh agaynst the spirit The awayting of our aduersary Leo rugens to none other end is but to destroy not the bodies of men only but also their soules And in getting inordinat goods through the desier therof maketh such most miserable Beggers from the knowledge of God And the vayne hope in this life maketh them think to be frée froÌ„ such sinne when in very déed they are most bond imppes of that infernall fuery Such is the sufferance of our iuste Judge when he seeth whervnto man is inclined in that his felicite is wholy set on those things which his fleshy eyes beholdeth regarding it more better assurance then the promised place to come what followeth but a flat distrust of gods promises to this ende therfore is Satan sufferid to be amoÌ„g the sonnes of men to styre vp strife to vere and molest them for which disobedience first of all the great Dragon that olde Serpent was cast out no more to be among the Juste for enuy wherof as a roring â—ioÌ„ he séeketh to deuour the whole race posterite of mankind notwithstanding his power recheth no further then the Lord permitteth as manifestly apperith by that pacient Iob whom the Lord of Ostes sufferid for a tyme to be molestid saying vnto Satan al that he hath be it in thy power only sée that thou spare his life the constancy of that iust moueth euery true Christian to hope that after dark and stormy tempest of tribulacions in this life for the hauen of feliciâ—e or triumphant glory not by due desert but by grace only in Christ and none but he a sufficient warning is this to those that haue â—yes to sée mouths to speak ears to heare hearts to conceue with a continuall wisshing for the coming of our only Lord and sauiour Christ Jesu But to those that haue eyes sée not ears and heare not because they loue not mouth to speake and doo not harts to conceaue and regard not in such the Gospell abides not Because God hath geuen them ouer to vnclennes through the lusts of their own herts to defile their own bodies among them selues which chaunged his truth for a lye and worshipped and seruid the things that bée made more then him that made them which is to be praysed for euer and euer Amen And as they regardid not to know God euen so God delyuerid them vp vnto a lewd mynd that they should do those things that were not comely being full of all vnrighteousnes fornicacion wickednesse couitousnes maliciousnes full of enuy murther debate dicept euil conditioned whisperers bakebiterâ— haters of God disdaynfull proud bosters bringers vp of euyll thinges disobedient to father and mother without vnderstanding couenant breakers vnlouing truce-breakers vnmercifull which men though they knew the righteusnesse of God consider not how that they which commit such things are worthy of death not only they that do y e same but also they which haue pleasure in them that do them What plentiousnes can be more then this wher such store of ensamples are to bring vs from vyce to vertue from being in bondage to perfect fréedom froÌ„ sorow to ioye from pouerty to riches from werines to ease from sicknes to health from corruptible thoughts to selestial mocions praysing and lawding God for his so plentious gracis worthy deseruing thanks to him which liueth for euer and euer The obstinate for all this will not be reclaymed and therefore voyde of all hope by this my warning without the greater grace mercy of God in Christ Jesus The very heathen are to be preferrid before such whose words remayne to the vtter ruen of all vnthankfull Christians When a resonable
that sées and yet is blynd a dimnid sight hath shure his woes with other eake also ther sorowes do procure If euery one which seeks by gayne the commons to oppresse by cullered licence for the time mought haue the like redresse Then such procurers would shure cease plenty would beare sway which if not séen vnto in time in stead of wealth decay Let this suffice in proose do write in hope that country thine will thee regard like faithful frend as vertues lawes assigne When hatrid and necligence expellith loue and diligence powre and auctoritie regardeth not minoritie Selfe loue with Ipochrisy are frindes vnto cruelty when all these gestes in some place raignes Ere long will fall some sodayne chainge OR euer the fundacioÌ„ of the world was layed the great Elohim Iehouah Adonai Gubernator Deus or omni â—otent God When Moyses demaunded saying who shal I say hath sent me was aunswered ego sum qui sum I am that I am hath sent thée euen that most triumphaÌ„t king of kings who before al worlds saw what should insew from time to time did pronosticate by diuers and fundry his seruaunts Some Patriarks Prophets and Apostels with sundry other people out of euery nation vnder heauen aforewarning to y e rest coÌ„moÌ„ or vulgar people som by proficy or prophisy some by reuelacion some by interpretacion some by dreams some by wonderfull Prodigius and most miraculus sightes to the end that ouer what dominion Realm or cuntrey so euer any of these appeared eyther by sight in act or show by word the people in any such dominioÌ„ what soeuer mought know by such for warning to eschew those dauÌ„gerâ— y â— else might insew Dame Charities being framed froÌ„ out of y e mightie Elohim so wrought as soone as she had auctorite which was not till man was framid in liuely substaÌ„ce And theÌ„ began she to show forth the substaunce of her fundacion which was is shalbe amoÌ„g the obedieÌ„t vnto the end And those here associate were Aglaia Thalia and Euphrosine thankfulnes plenteousnes and lyberalite whereby these being settelid in man shuld yelde forth some such fruit as it had recsued to the honoure prayse and immortall fame of such a moste mercifull and heauenly father Lord and king in as much therefore as in the tyme of our forefathers longe tyme passid ther fell vppon the earth suche fluds of waters wherby the whole world was ouerspred and that al flesh died by the rage of the same sauing Noah and his famely viii sowles And wherefore bicause they regarded not neither beleued the same to insew till they saw the extremite of the flud so spéedily to ouerwhelme them all hope then frustrate and past remedy The preparinge of the Arke made them not a frayed neither the enterance of the flud for so longe as any land mountayne or hill was to bée gotten vnto so longe hoped they of safety such vayne hope deceyued them wherefore they peryshed such was the incredulite at that tyme and much worse notwithstanding former insamples in these our present tymes from after the sayde Deluuium or flud no soner being retornid to their former or preordayned course And that the Sunne Moone and Stars appeard in their pulcritude and kynde then euen in the very presence of the late slayne carcasis such showed Obliuion in the brest of Noah that after a few grapes eaten became so infebelid in the heade that most disorderly laye to the great sorow of his two sonnes Sem and Iaphet although Cham being also one of their bretheren did most vnreuerently laughe at his fathers nakidnes for the which he was a curssud When Lot through wine forgat him selfe his offence was such as mouid a parpetual remembrance to be ware Zodoma Gomorra Adama Zeboim Zoar or euer they were destroyed they had warning their of by there forefathers that perished through the flud and also by the coÌ„ming of the messengers vnto Lot The children of Israel had warning also before they fel into captiuite for as long as Ioseph gydid or gouerned Egipt vnder Pharao so long they continuid in peace and tranquilitie But there rose vp a new king in Egipt which knew not Ioseph And he sayde vnto his folke behould the people of the children of Israel are great and myghtier then wée come and let vs play wiesly with them least they multiply And lest it happeÌ„ that if there chaunce any war they ioyne themselues vnto oure enemies and fyght agaynst vs. And so get them out of the lande so the children of Israell were by the Egyptians held in bondage without mercy Behould the skill of the Egiptians they being in doute of such great increase would not suffer the Israelites no more among theÌ„ c. And yet for all that reasid not to oppresse them in such sort as this second booke of Moyses makes relacion Be it knowen vnto thée thou now florishing Anglia whom God so gyde with continuance that sence thy first a ryuall by that noble Brutus thou hast sufferid many greuous attempes And also ben subuertid by forraigne powre if thou wilt know by whom reade Robertus de Auesbury Rogerus Houenden Forsard Harding Mathae Paris Mathaei VVestomasteriensis Policronicon Supplementi Chronicarum Polidory Virgilij cum alijs The first subuercion of this eyle was by the Britans called Gigantes as of Corineus which inhabited Cornewal and such lyke of whome came our originall by successiue liue from Brute But the second ouerthrowe was by Iulius Ceasar and his Romans who about fyue hundred yeares gouernid this lande but as touching the origynall from Brute Iulius Ceaser was the first that brought the Britans in subiection and after the ende of the sayd yeres the Romaines left both tribut and cuntry rather then to defend it agaynst the Scots Pysts The Britons were afterward conquerid by Hengist king of the Sarons vnto whom the Bretons vnaduisedly had before geueÌ„ to much entry which Sarons were afterward coÌ„querid by Svvane and other the Danes and these Danes with the Sarons Britans remayning were all conquerid by VVilliam bastard Duke of Normandy And since that time continued most victorius to the perpetuall fame of English men and long tyme may if gréedy desier be not the cause of her ouerthrow This being dewly considerid in these our present dayes would geue occasion to foresée a greate mischiefe which else ere tonge will inshew The cause is the people of foraine nations so fast do increase and the commodites of this our natiue soyle doth so fast decrease that it cannot be but that within short space Except the prudency of some foreseight al to be traÌ„sformid vpâ—down The gracis mouid me as in a dream this farforth to speak wher in is or ought both thankfulnes to God for such warning with thankefulnesse to God for so happy a prince called Elizabeth of the Debrues called Elischabeh as much to say as y e rest
that frindship such scape very well if nothing be not taken from of the sayd liuing for some yerely reward such wicked dealing of men consumeth the one and other as rust doth the yron as mothes the closh as sinne doth the soule which is not to be recouered The occasion which moued Euphrosine to speake is bicause the world should better vnderstand the liberalitie diuine and seing all things from thence proceadeth of loue we therby should so loue each other that the frutes of playâ— dealing without Ipocrisie might 〈◊〉 â—â—ode to our mortall fame and 〈◊〉 â—elicitie which till it be reâ—â—â—red and vsed in his kinde nonâ— other thing is to be loâ—ed for then a subuerâ—ion generall The greate aboundant liberalities from God should moue vs to such liberalitiâ— as worketh each saluacion and not damnation But for as much as Sathan the enemy of all flesh hath to blinded the eyes of the greater noumber no maruaile why the world continueth in such great wickednes for the which may wel be sayd Multi enim sunt Vocati pauci Vero electi For many be called and fewe are chosen If to speak of the liberalitie of the heathen read the auncient Philosophers whose notes are sufficient to reasonable mindes and although far from the knowledge of the true god yit notwithstanding in their liues maners more iust for that the one sought not to oppresie nor vâ—â—s the other neuerthelesse confessed one principall God whom they called Iupiter y â— which they held as chiefe aboue their other gods by whose intelligence the world was made And that he was the first before al other creatures O you auncient Britons who hath bewitched you to flye from the vengaunce to come bring forth therfore the workes of repentance and behold how mightely god hath deliuered you froÌ„ falling into many vayne supersticious errours aboue those Nations which for ensample folow be no more such gréedy gatherers for y â— which shall perish but be liberal with such Christian consideracion as may increase a perpetuall fame for wher honest vertuous men be aduancid and well rewarded it stireth the courage of them y â— haue any sparke of vertew to increase therin with all their force and endeuour wherfore next to the helping the reléeuing of a commonaltie y e greater part of liberalitie is to be imployed on men of vertew and good qualities wherin is to be required a good election iudgement that for hope of reward of fauour vnder the clâ—ke of vertew be not hidden the most mortal poyson of flattery Liberalitie that is vpon flatterés imploied And vpon gréedy Caterpillers which when they know not how to liue procure aduantages of actes to spoyle a common wealth not sparing temporall nor spirituall though for a time florish is not only perished but also spoyled and deuoured â—e is liberall that delighteth more in good renoume then in money for as liberalitie maketh frendes of enemies So pride maketh enemies of frindes Paucunius reporteth y e greatest part of godlines is to knowledge y e greatest part of gods goodnes toward vs to giue only prayses vnto him from whence all thinges are yeldid to our purposis The aunciant Panimes had gods of dyuers sorts how beyt the chese of all were these which they callid Dijs electi chosen gods from heauen which godes as they thought somtime dycendid from heauen to earth as Ianus Saturnus Iupiter Geminus Marcurius Apollo Mars V Vlcanus Neptune Sol Orcus Vibar Tellus Ceres Iuno Minerua Luna Diana Venus Vesta with as many strange seuerall gods and goddesis esteming some of more dignite then other as of one Cautius a God so namid among the rest whom they much honoryd also the goddice Lunica whoÌ„ they comendid their women quick and great with child to send them safe deliuerance the God Opes among the gentils was callid the God of the Babe new borne euen as Lucina was goddice of the mother which bâ—re it their custom was that during the time of y e mothers quickning she carried the image of their God Opes vppon her belly made fast to her girdle or garment till the houre of her deliuery so that if the child were wel born the parents that day made greate oblacions to the Idol if it happenid the child to bée dead born strayght way the parents of the child dyâ— beate the image to poudre or els bourn it or drown it The gentils also had an other God callid Vaginatus which God was hanged about their childers necks to kepe them that they wéept not much for that they supposid if their children dyd wéepe much in thier youth they should suffer great troubles in ther agée with diuers other Gods as Cumius Victoria The old Romayns lykewise had also diuers godes as Ruminus Stellinus Adeon Mentallis whom they called the God of wit such wit among the supersticius Romaynes transformid into ydolatry as it appearech not shaken of vnto this present The Iewes also had diuers godes for the which they were diuersiy plaged in that they reuoltid from the trew and eternall God as for ensample the golden Calf as for Baalim Astaroth among the Israelites Rempham Moloh Rimmon a God of the Assirians Dagon among the Philistians Nefrah Baal Bell the men of Babilon made Socote Benoth the men of Cutha made Nergall the men of Hamath made Asima the Auites made Nibbaz and Tharthake the Sepharnites burnt their childreÌ„ in the fier for Adramalech Anamelech with a peâ—â—iferus coÌ„pany of gods besid it doth appere in the sacaryd scripturs how in what maner they were plaged which ensamples are left vnto vs to beware whoÌ„ y â— â—nds of the world are come vpoÌ„ or at y â— least not far of it is come to passe in these dayes among such as are namid Christians to haue as many godes as euer had any other nacions before vs which seemeth very strang which is the only cause why the greater nâ—umber are draweÌ„ froÌ„ the feare and obedience of the myghty God by whom we haue our being As Maechus Morosus Carnifex Pantolabus Pertinax Rapax Colax Philopolemus Philosarchus Pigricia Inuidia Luxuria Auaricia â—a Gula Insolentia Poliphagus Inuentus Mergus cum Asinus with such araâ—lement as were not to be supposid to dwell in one such so little eyle where as so many godes are raygning possessing the bodies of men no maruayle though their be so littel liberalite for y e euery such person hath not inough to make dew sacrifice to each of their gods no maruayle though mens mynds be thus wandering dayly forgetting of their dew obedience to God Prince and cuntry when they are drownid by carnall corruption to be aquainted with so many no maruayll thought man hath ben likeâ—id to the Moone which seaceth not her changing for that man continueth not in one stay nether in mind nor body and that in the midest of