saying Againe patronus facere potest debet c. the patron both may and ought to take heede that the fruites of the Church doe not goe to anie other vse Also that permission of the Ordinarie by this lawe to take any oath if hee will of euerie incumbent for his cleere entrance if there were nothing else in the worlde against it doeth strike a blowe to the soules of them that so offende and that a great one C. ex literis C. de iure C. cum saeculum Extra de iure Patronatus What shoulde I note that which yet is most worthie noting in this lawe to wit that Venditio iurispatronatus prohibita est nisi vniuersitas quaedam praediorum cui hoc ius accedat distrahatur That is that the right of patronage may neither bee bought nor soulde nor passe in speciall wordes in anie alienation but in generall onelie with the lande whereunto it is appertayning For the saide lawe admitteth no patronage in grosse Or those expresse wordes againe donatio permutatio permittitur not venditio I warrant you What should I note the most exact streytnesse of these laws in making the verie minde of the patron coueting rewarde for the gift of his Church a Simonie before God which they call mentalem Simoniam With a number such like notable rules and places So that wee see euen these lawes also detest it and condemne it And nowe then to conclude this matter if I thinke there is a God and a day of iudgement to come for mee and all my doings what should my heart minister to maintaine mee in this euill when God and man be against it But why shoulde I bee thus tedious in this matter Truelie that it might appeare if God so will how farre the corruptions wherein some sleepe as in no offences differ from the lawes of God and man and from synceritie of former times and ages But againe why vnto you right worshipful should I write so much Truly that by your godly care conscience indeuor hauing the places that you haue this great wound of your countrey may by litle and litle be releeued and better prouision dayly made for the winning of that good that bringeth with it ten thousand blessinges promised by the Lorde Which care and christian consideration as places fall I most hartily craue in the name of Iesus Christ vnto whose seruice I am called both for his glorie your owne discharge and the benefit of that place which I wish may euer be as the blessed of the Lord. I can not be thought to pleade any benefit for my selfe because I want the tongue and therefore I am more boulde But nowe I cease to followe it anie further The second thing that I greatly rewe our want in is the carefull good bringing vp of children in learning and vertue whilest they are fit Which howe it wanteth for want of schooles amongest vs woulde God I sawe no more than I had abilitie without charge to anie to redresse But what wanteth in me aboundeth in you and might it please the Lorde to giue will to your abilitie in this also to promote his glorie to benefit thousands in your countrey truely his heart hath mercie to accept it kindly and his hand hath blessinges to rewarde it richly Other thinges also yet mo there be which these happie daies of peace would haue vs carefull of But some other times shal serue to name them and increase of grace stirre vp to do them For this time therfore I leaue off to trouble your worships any further beseeching you most humbly and heartily to consider the mercies of the Lord which we all inioy by his worde by her Maiestie by most happie helpes about her by freedome of our consciences by plentie peace by health and great comfort a thousand waies and in thankfulnesse for them all to vouchsafe your assisting heartes and handes to these duties euer that may long prouoke the Lorde our God to be thus good and gracious to vs. Of which number are these that I nowe haue named the preaching of his worde and â—he carefull bringing vp of children in â—ood letters For my selfe I can doe no â—ore either for my dutie to his honoraâ—le Lo. to whom I owe so much or for â—ll the goodnesse wherewith your selues â—nd many others in the countrey so loâ—ingly and liberally haue incouraged â—e but vowe my selfe to you at your â—irection with any paines in my power whilest I liue to doe you seruice And â—hat I doe with as desirous an heart to â—he good of euerie one as euer hadde â—â—ranger in the place The Lorde in merâ—ie nowe multiplie his spirite vpon you â—â—ue your helpe to me and confirme my â—aines to you that his name may be â—â—owen vpon earth amongest vs and â—â—s sauing health in euerlasting comfort â—â—ioyed of vs. London the first of Deâ—ember Your worshippes bounden in the Lord euer Geruase Babington To the godlie readers and especially to them amongst whom this author and my selfe exercise our function IT hath pleased God good Reader to vse my ministerie not in one but in moe places in this manner still to succeede the author of this treatise to water what hee hath planted to labour in the â—aruest whereof he cast the seede to seede and â—urther to bring on those of whom he was the spirituall father and by the immortall seede of gods word first begat them and still to enter vpon his â—abours and goe forwarde with his beginninges Alwaies to my great helpe and comfort God â—nowing otherwise my wantes and weakenesse â—he easilier to wade there where he had broken â—he yee the plainlier to goe on and leade others where he had beaten the path and more readilie â—o builde vpon and reare vp where he had layed â—he foundation and squared the frame and with lesse paines to keepe agoing that which hee had moued and set agoing God hauing dealt thus mercifully with me in my ministerie and by the hande of this author thus holpen me I thought my selfe in duetie bound in respect of this course which God hath taken with me and especially by his meanes to giue to thee some testimonie of this his worke for thy further profit withall to him some witnesse of my good will Supposing my selfe in respect of the former cause as fitte to doe this as another knowing the effect hauing reaped the profit of these his labors and daily reaping it being and abiding in the place where this seed was cast I thought I ought to doe as willingly and as readily as anie other If for no other cause yet to commende this especially to them to bring foorth further fruite among whome it was first sowen and in whose heartes I doubt not but it tooke roote nowe long since An especiall commendatioÌ„ of this worke if I would take that way might be drawen from the workeman of it most plentifully from his stocke and kindred education and such
new Testament that were married to begge any pardon for it at Gods hand or to insinuate anie way any impietie of theirs in so doing Which yet assuredly they would haue doone if the opinion of poperie had bin true concerning single life and matrimonie Lib. 10. ca. 26. S. Augustine in his booke of Virginitie hath manie words of the rewardes of matrimonie concludeth thus that eternall life is giuen of the Lord both to married vnmarried indifferently The councell of Gangren thought good to make this canon An. 333. Can. 10. that if any liuing single for the Lord should in arrogancie pride contemne those that were married they should be accursed Wherefore wee conclude this matter say as the Church of God said in that time Virginitie we coÌ„mend Concil Gangren Epiph. tom 1. lib. 2. baeres 48 widowhood we praise the chast bond of godly wedloocke we honour receiue But as for adulterie fornication vncleannes whatsoeuer either of body or mind we abhor it condeÌ„ne it Thus then I I hope you sée how the opinioÌ„ of chastitie to consist only in liuing single spruÌ„g vp euen by the diuell who knew not otherwise how to draw men to vncleannes being robbed of his former means than by making them to abridge themselues of the ordinance of God against the euil You haue séene also how false this is and that in godly matrimonie aswel as in single life there is liked chastitie of the lord You haue séene that neither of these estates haue any premineÌ„cie aboue the other in respect of greater pietie or merit but both of them alike acceptable to God if for the parties they be expedient only in regard of outward incuÌ„brances the one is more frée thaÌ„ the other Lastly you sée the vertue of this coÌ„mandement opposed to adulterie to be chastitie but how not to liue vnmaried as the papistes dreame but both in mariage out of it to kéepe body soule vnspotted of filthie lust concupiscence The other pointes of mariage it self of second mariages of poligamie of diuorce such like which were in this place to be handled I think good to cut off hauing taried alreadie too â—ong in this coÌ„mandement to reserue â—hem till some other occasion Que. Yet adde some thing concerning the punishmeÌ„t of them that breake this commaundement Ans The law of God as we all may â—ée Deutro 22. punished adulterie with present â—eath Fornication with mariage of â—he partie if the parentes would and if â—hey would not with a dowrie to be giuen The Athenians punished it with â—eath This lande of ours in the dayes of Canutus had a lawe to cut off the noâ—es and eares of adulterous women And for the spirituall punishment of it â—t was euer is 1. Cor. 6. and shall be damnation â—f body and soule in the pit of hell withâ—ut repentaunce The Application NOwe then consider what hath béene said euen as we desire true fruit of the worde of God vnto our soules let vs weigh our â—wne estate in euerie branch of this commandement The act of vncleannes howe it can accuse vs that God doeth know who hath hell in his hand to cast vs into it if we haue sinned And therfore if either with maried or vnmaried wee haue euer thus offended let his power be thought of let hell be feared and so foule a fault from the verie hearâ— roote be earnestly lamented Excuse iâ— not with youth or any circumstaunce cause or occasion in the world these scoffings of the Lord wil not euer be borne in youth we are Gods aswell as in age and in youth we should serue him asweâ— as in age if we do not euen youth shall to hell aswell as shall age Sinne séene and sorowed for left and forsaken hath pardon promised but sinne iested at and played withall hath vengeance threatned It is the voice of a Christian to say I haue sinned but it is the voyce of a reprobate to say still I wil sin wtout remorse The best may offende but the best can neuer continue offending And therfore take héede and if act can accuse vs let it neuer héereafter be able to blame vs for souden and feareful is the vengeancâ— from heauen that lighteth vpon adulterers From the act let vs come to the â—nwarde thought and as it is more priuie and we all more prone vnto it so let it be more carefullie weighed and searched out euen of vs all Let vs call to minde with a féeling heart how foullie howe fearefully and how euen continually we offende the Lorde by our hidden conceites Howe quickly créeâ—eth into vs an euill thought and howe swelleth it within wheÌ„ it once is there It worketh within vs as a thing most strong verie fowly stayneth vs oâ—ten â—ere we do coÌ„sider it Yea our negligence in this befalse doth condemne vs before the Lord and pronounceth against vs that wee feare more men than God For our outwarde actions we are carefull of so néere as we can to kéepe the blottes of them out of sight but our heartes being thinges hidden from the eies of men we cary litle care ouer them to kéepe them cleane from impure concepts What man may sée we are ashamed that he should sée but which God beholdeth our secret thoughtes we feare not at all to haue them foule filthie and wicked O what a God serue we that being able to set euerie thought wee thinke visible in our foreheads in great letters that euerie one which runneth by might reade them yet most mercifully spareth vs and is content our secret shame should not appeare to men Shall we still prouoke him shall wee still offende and grieue him Surely theÌ„ hotte wil be the wrath at last which so long his mercie hath withhoulden Wherefore to conclude this matter euen as we loue the Lord and our owne health let vs sée and weigh how déepely this lawe against impure thoughtes is able to charge vs let vs consider the cause if we can find it out that driueth vs vsually into such hidden sinne and héereafter as men touched with some Christian remorse that so good a God should so still be offended let vs ridde our heartes as we can of the effect by taking away or at least stopping in some measure the course of the cause The meanes and allurementes either to the actuall offence or the thought â—ondemned in this commaundement as we haue heard before are many and diuerse Sometimes the eyes disorderly wander and beeing not checked by a Christian conscience that feareth to giue them libertie too long they become the occasions both of thoughtes and actes wicked and damnable Sometimes behauiour vnchast and vnséemely Someties speeche wanton and light stir the hart vp to conceiue that thing and the wicked fleshe to perfourme it fully which God and nature abhorre as filthie The dalying tattles of these courting dayes the lasciuious songes made by loose mindes and
like which because it is rare fruite on such trees to some may make it seeme the better but I passe ouer these shewes and outwarde leafes to decke it with it hauing ynough in it selfe to commend it least if I should long speake of this colour and grace I should speake the lesse of him or of the thing it selfe minding not to speake much of either but litle in all And as I passe the stocke from whence this graft was taken so will I not stand to shewe you where it was ingrafted planted in what vniuersitie in what Colledge what roote he toke what sufficient time he grew howe he spred there and with what liking which would make this fruite to many not without cause to realish the better But to come to that which commeth nearer to the bringing forth and producing of this worke when hee was first planted by a fellowshippe in that famous Colledge of the holy and vndiuided Trinitie in Cambridge wholly or most especially consecrated to the studie of him and his knowledge whose name it beareth so straight he toke himselfe to that studie whereby he might be most seruiceable to gods Church and some triall first had of his guiftes as it were aduowed himselfe a man to the Lord to serue in his tabernacle Not long after that betimes he might begin to be profitable be profitable long God touching his heart he toke on him the ministerie so mercifully God dealt with him that with all he placed him in one certaine Charge not far from his Colledge that he might haue where to sowe be still at hande to sowe and knowe both what and how to sowe and to his comfort see the growing vp and fruit of it Nowe hauing there painefully laboured by the space almost of two yeares and seene the effect of that promise with what measure ye mete 4. Mark 24. shall be measured to you againe and vnto them that haue shall more bee giuen that though he cast in with full hande and euer a zelous heart to doe good in a continued course yet God so blessed that the haruest ouer-abounded his labour and exceeded his hope and that litle towne was a candle light set on a candlesticke and a tower vpon the toppe of a hill When God to his comfort had thus encouraged him in his lawe he by great meanes calleth him from this litle towne where he had no pastorall charge to a greater charge and in respect of the change and dignitie of the place whither he was called it was as it were from Tecon to Bethel from preaching in some vplandish and countery towne â—n the wildernesse of Iudea to Herods court or as â—ndeede in many respectes it well may be sayde by a Sergius Paulus vnto his house When he had there continued nowe a whole yeare and more to the good reformation and great benefitte of that most honorable familie it pleased God that his Sergius Paulus leauing as it were Nazareth went and dwelt for a time in Capernaum Math. 4.13.14 which is neare the sea in the borders of Zabulon and Nepthalin beyond Iordan in Gallilie of the Gentilles out of the borders of Palestina I hope I may without offence allude vnto that place in all pointes it so fitly answereth where a while abiding by his meanes God wrought that the people which before in comparison sate in darkenesse sawe great light and to them which sate in the region shadowe of death light was risen vp Of this place and this people he hauing yet further coÌ„passion they beeing as sheepe without a shepheard wandring in the mountaines and the haruest there great and the labourers fewe the Lorde moued his heart to remaine there and wrought this in the heart of his most honorable Lorde himselfe to forgoe him and leaue him there for the further increase of God his Church and for the tender loue he bare and good he would to this people where what paines hath beene taken good hath beene done it is by more witnessed than 〈◊〉 neede to make relation and this worke and some others of this authors since that time come forth giue open testimony though I hould my tongue I would not haue saide thus much of the man 〈◊〉 the places themselues of which I haue spokeâ— were not readie to say and set downe more thaâ— I haue saide and this haue I saide that God in him may be glorified they among whom he liueth foâ— â—im thankefull and to admonish him what proâ—eedinges these beginninges require The worke 〈◊〉 selfe might manie waies beside be commended â—he matter and principall grounde of it is the â—awe of God brought from the highest heauen giuen by God himselfe to his seruant Moses with â—hunders and lightninges 19. Exod. 16. c. 18. c. and the sounde of the â—rumpe exceeding loude on mount Sinay the mountaine all on smoke the Lorde discending vpon it in fire c. and all the mount trembling exceedingly giuen to all the Israell of God aperâ—ayning to all men conteining infinite blessinges â—or the hearers and doers of it and innumerable intollerable curses plagues for the breaker â—hereof either by negligence or contempt This principall not laide vpon with any borrowed colâ—ours to hide the grounde but the workemanship and ingrauing of it is out of the matter it selfe so that still the grounde and marble thereof may appeare and dealt with all in this manner fitlie answering to the subiect matter deliuered as it were in thunder with a spirite as hotte as fire zealous with iudgment setting an edge by receiued strength euen vpon this rasier The place also and persons where and for whome this worke was both made and vttered may adde much grace and strength vnto it In a most honourable familie and for it and with good liking and profitte there and commonly men like that the better which liketh them well and that which profiteth such profiteth manie If it wette the mountaines it will water the vallies and if it bee sweete oyntment for the heade it cannot be but acceptable to the reâ—â— of the partes and to the borders of the garment The dewe from Hermon and the mountaines of Sion trickleth downe sweeteliâ— vppon the vallies about And if this make iâ— profitable to others because deliuered heere then must it be most profitable to this family it selfe for which it was made and first for it alone and nowe is by me especially to it commended It is fruite of your owne grounde the voice of your owne sheephearde the sounde of your proper trumpet and therefore you must both knowe it and like it the better and thereby be warned the sooner It is a lesson which alreadie you haue learned and therefore in it may and must be more readie than others It is not nowe first commended to you but againe recommended to your eyes which heeretofore hath beene sent by your eares to your mindes and to your heartes by a great vehemencie
of true Christians is to bee praied vnto since other doctrine is deliuered by the Church of Rome Ans First it is prooued by the words of the Apostle Paul Rom. 10. Howe shal they call vpon him in whome they haue not beleeued as though he should say Beléefe must néedes euer goe before prayer whereupon then thus wee may reason Wee must onely pray to him in whom we must beléeue but we may ought beléeue onely in God the Father God the Sonne and GOD the holie Ghost therefore onely to these thrée persons one onely God must our prayers be directed The first proposition we sée prooued by Paul the second by the articles of our faith all the scripture the conclusion followeth vpon thē both Secondly it is prooued by Christ himselfe who teaching his Apostles to pray and in them all other men biddeth them neither call vpon Angel nor saint no not vpon his mother Marie But when you pray saith he say Our Father which art in heauē That is what forme of words so euer you vse euer direct your praiers vnto God and to him only And Father in this place signifieth any of the thrée persons and is not to be restrained onely to the first person Thirdly wee haue no commaundement to pray to any but to God onely we haue no promise to be heard if wee doe no example in Scriptures of any godly man or woman that hath done it euer at any time or vpon any occasion we haue no punishment threatened if we doe it not but to pray to God we are commaunded Psal 50. we are promised to be helped we haue examples and we are threatened if we doe it not Therefore whether of these two is to be done who séeth not Que. What is the fourth duetie of this commaundement Ans Fourthly we are bound by this Lawe to acknowledge God alone to be the guider and gouernour of all things of whom we receiue all the benefites that we haue and therefore that wee trust and stay vpon him alone Que. Here are three seuerall thinges affirmed very worthie to be seuerallie considered and therfore first I pray you howe is it prooued that God guideth gouerneth all things Ans Besides a number of other places which might be alledged to prooue it withal a very good testimonie is that in the Psalme Whatsoeuer pleased the Lorde that did he in heauen and earth Psal 135.6 in the sea and in all the depth Where marke well the space of the Lordes dominion in heauen he rulech in earth he ruleth in the sea he ruleth and in all these whatsoeuer it pleaseth him that doeth he at all times and seasons The like spéeche againe hath the same Prophet in an other place Psal 115.3 But our God is in heauen saith he and doeth whatsoeuer he wil The eyes of all things waite vpon him Psal 145.15 and he giueth them meate in due season So then nothing without him is done at any time but his power almightie guideth and gouerneth all things Que. Howe is it prooued that all good commeth to vs from this directing prouidence of the Lorde Ans The holy ghost in plaine words affirmeth it by his Apostle Iames Iames. 1.17 Euery good giuing euery perfect gift is from aboue and commeth downe from the father of light Que. This doctrine is plaine And yet notwithstāding euer it hath had euen in these dais hath som enemies Such obiectiōs as I haue hard at times I wil propound vnto you I pray you aunswere thē The first is this if God rule all things by his prouidence direction then must he needs be author of sin also in that he hindreth it not but suffreth it to be done Ans I answere to this your first doubt thus that the argument is not good neither foloweth that béecause all thinges are doone by his prouidence therefore hée should be author of euill For one may bée author of an action yet not of the euil in the action as in this similitude wée sée If a man cut with an euill knife hee is the cause of cutting but not of euill cutting or hackling of the knife but the badnesse of the knife is the cause of that Againe if a man strike the stringes of an instrument that is out of tune he is the cause that the stringes sounde but that they sounde iarringlie and out of tune that is in themselues and the man that striketh is not to bée blamed for it Therefore séeing one maie bée the cause of an action and yet not of the euil in the action you sée it doth not folowe that if God bée the cause of the action by and by the euill in the thing must néedes also procéede of him Nay contrarilie this doctrine is a sealed truth That no euill commeth of GOD in any worke but though in euerie thing that is done the Lord bée some worker yet as he doth it it is euer good Marke but an example or two Iob. 1. Iob his great aduersitie procéeded of God and by God in some respect it procéedeth of Satan also and of the Chaldeans that robbed him Yet sée that which Satan did malitiously and the Chaldeans couetously that did the Lord well to good purpose to the glorie of his name to the instruction and comfort of vs all and to Iobs great benefite also Gen. 38. Iosephs affliction againe it came by God by his brethren by his light mistresse and ouer credulous master but yet so much as God did was well done to the great benefite of his father and friends after and what the other did was euill wrongfully done to Ioseph The like againe may be said touching the death of Christ Had not God his worke in it when his determinate counsell appointed it Act. 2.23 and deliuered him vp Had not Iudas his worke in betraying him Had not the Iewes their worke whose wicked hands crucified and slew him Yet that which they did most horriblie the Lorde himselfe did in vnspeakeable mercie to all our endelesse comfortes Therefore whatsoeuer procéedeth of GOD as it commeth from him it is most good although the same thing as it commeth of man and by man bée wicked and euill and no author of euill is he though guider and gouernour of all things Que. My seconde doubt then is this if GOD gouerne all thinges by his prouidence then looke howe hee list to haue things and so shall they be men cannot chaunge his will and therefore it skilleth not what wee doe Ans Surely the conclusion is very wicked and no way followeth vpon Gods prouidence For albeit he direct all things yet we must euer vse the meanes that God hath appointed notwithstanding for so we sée Gods children euer did and tempted not the Lord by any such wicked spéeche as this Rebecca had heard Gods owne mouth speake it Gen. 27. that hee would of her two sonnes Esau and Iacob make two
spéeches in the scriptures against it Let all bitternesse and anger and wrath be put away from you Ephes â— 31 and be ye curteous one towardes an other and tender hearted forgiuing one an other euen as God for Christes sake forgaue you saith the Apostle And againe Be slowe to wrath saith an other Iam. 4.19 For the wrath of man doeth not accomplish the righteousnesse of God That is anger and wrath hindreth Gods worke in vs. Vnto which and a number such other perswasions in the worde the prophane writers by the verie light of reason haue agréeed and sought in their sort to giue men a sight of this foule vice Anger haue they saide is the beginning of madnesse anger is the drunkennesse of the minde anger admitteth not anie good counsell anger is the roote of murther and death with a number such spéeches Que. Foule then I see is this vice in all and especially in a Christian and therefore it were good we knewe howe to auoide it Ans We reade that a king of Thracia being presented with a sort of verie fine glasses by and by brake them all in péeces And being asked the reason answered that hee did it to auoyde the wrath that hee was sure would be in him against them that should breake them afterwarde Howe then are we taught by this king though not euerie way to doe as hee did yet with him to bee carefull to preuent our anger by taking away the occasion The occasions of anger in manie men are plaie and gaming curiositie in dealing and medling taking a matter as they thinke they heard it when indéede they heard it not right nipping woordes and gawling spéeches with a number such which if men will not haue anie care to eschewe then in vaine doe they say they are afraide to let murther into their heartes For in truth the effectes will followe if the ordinarie causes doe goe before Que. Why but is all anger forbidden â—o a Christian Ans No indéede it is as lawfull for a man in time place in his office for a iust cause to be angry in a conuenient measure as it is vnlawfull otherwise And it is apparant by the children of God in all ages the Patriarkes Prophetes Apostles and others whose hearts haue burned with misliking of euill and wordes bewrayed asmuch vnto them Wherefore truly was it sayd of the godly father Nolle irasci vbi irascendum est nolle emendare peccatum est That is for a man not to be angrie wheÌ„ he should be angry is as much as to be vnwilling to amend what is amisse Que. Proceede nowe I pray you to the other branches Ans Anger as was saide begetteth hatred nay becommeth hatred if it be let to settle For Odium est inueterata ira Hatred is nothing else but olde anger And therefore since anger is apparantly forbidden in this commandement hatred by consequence being festred anger must néedes be much more Besides wee haue heard the wordes of the scripture plaine He that hateth his brother is a mansleaer 1. Iohn 5. Therfore I passe it ouer and come to the fellowe that is euer ioyned with it when it méeteth with a fit subiect to wit Enuie a vice compounded of the hatred of an other for vertue Enuie what it is guiftes fauour honour and such like and of selfe loue which maketh vs gréeue to sée our selues in these thinges excelled of him A vice also of the spirite of God by name forbidden Eate not the meate sayth Solomon of him that hath an euill eie Prou. 23.6 neither desire his dainties Let vs not be desirous of vaine glorie sayth the Apostle prouoking one an other Galat. 5.26 enuying one an other But laying aside all maliciousnesse all guile and dissimulation all enuie and euill speaking 1. Pet. 2.1 as newe borne babes let vs desire the sincere milke of the worde of God that wee may growe thereby Vnto which expresse testimonies if wâ— ioyne the experience of such euill as enâ—uie hath wrought we shall plainele sé◠the foulnes of it Num. 12.10 Aaron and Miriam enâ—uied Moyses and the Lord with leprosiâ— plagued her Corah and his companie enuied him also and the Lorde as abhorred made the earth to shrinke and swallowe them vp quicke with all that they possessed Saul had an eie vpon Dauid for the womens singing and it stirred him still to séeke the life of his sonne and seruant Iosephs brethren enuied him and it almost brought them to his bloudshedding Euerie way therfore is enuie in a Christian poyson and apparantly it falteth against this commaundement It is a possession besides that destroyeth the possessour For as the rust the iron and mothes a garmen so eateth vppe enuie the man that enuieth These thinges make enuie loathsome ynough to a godly minde and yet is there more to bee sayde against it For besides all this enuie as it wisheth an other mans fall so doth it reioyce if it happen vnto him Which also is a thing verie horrible in the eyes of God For hee that mocketh the poore sayth Salomon reprocheth him that made him Prou. 17.5 and hee that reioyceth at destruction shall not be vnpunished Againe Bee thou not glad when thine enemie falleth 24.18 and let not thy heart reioyce when hee stumbleth least the Lorde see it and it displease him and he turne his wrath from him to be auenged of thee To the which wordes of Salomon howe consonant was the practise of Iob testified in that most excellent spéeche of his If I reioyced at his destruction that hateth me Iob. 31. sayeth be or was mooued to ioye when euill came vpon him If I suffred my mouth to sinne by wishing a curse vnto his soule c. Meaning that hee neuer did it neither would doe For it is a fearefull sinne Calamitas illius fores pulsat qui aliorum calamitatibus non mouetur That is Miserie knocketh at his dore of right whose heart sorroweth not to see others in aduersitie And neuer obiect his harde happe to any man could the Gréeke Oratour say for fortune is common to all what is to come is not yet séene Therefore euen this companion of enuie maketh it worse as I hope wée sée and of all that woulde please the Lorde more carefullie to bee shunned To reioyce at the sinnes of an other much more must bee gréeuous if his worldlie estate may not be reioyced at that it is euill Besides when by sinne the Lorde is gréeued and my brother wounded to eternall death what a spirite were it to reioyce Againe consider our selues in comparison with them that offende and either we are better like or worse the two later giue no cause of ioy and the former should fill our heart with praise for our grace giuen of God and not our mouthes with mockes at the infirmitie of others Que. What else is forbidden Ans Last of all as the murther of the heart is forbidden all
our thoughtes offende and what most carefully we are to take héede of Also I further consider the maruelous care and strict regard that euerie Christian man and woman ought to haue of their senses séeing all euill thoughtes are forbidden For it is the eie and the eare that sendeth in sinne in store into our hearts and neuer shall we haue the one reformed vnlesse there be a stable couenaunt made with the other Iob. 31.1 The heart will conceiue wickedly if the eies fréely behoulde vanities But checke the one and ye stay the other maruelouslie And no more quench you the fire by withdrawing the wood than assuredly you staie the course of wicked conceites when you watch and warde well ouer your senses Que. But I pray you what shall wee thinke of dreames which seeme to be sinnefull and we cannot amende them Ans We must consider the causes of them and thereby aswell as we can growe to some right conceit of our offending by them and in them The causes are either inwarde or outwarde and of inwarde either the minde it selfe or the bodie For often doth the minde the bodie sléeping and the senses resting remember those thinges which it waking conceiued and either desired or feared Also the diuerse complexion and temperature of the bodie occasioneth diuers kindes of dreames whereby the physition will guesse the nature of the bodie and causes of disease in the sicke Cholericke men will dreame of fires and downefaules Melancholicke men of monstrous and horrible thinges The phlegmatike of waters and dull matters And the sanguine of pleasant and comfortable euentes The outwarde causes are also diuers as the influence of the heauens the circumstance of elementes necessitie and want some hapning chance and such like Thus doe hungry men dreame of meat drunken men of moysture and so foorth Quae vigilantes cogitauimus ea solent postea dormientibus obuersari sayth one That is Such thinges as waking wee earnestly thought of euen such thinges often wee sleeping dreame of Aucupibus volucres aurigae somnia currus The fouler dreames that birdes he takes And carters cart his visions makes Therefore these things thus knowen and weighed if we dreame wickedly to name no particulars let euerie one consider well what occasion in him selfe he can finde of the same and if his owne disorder either in dyet or spéech or meditation or anie way hath done it then néedeth he none to tell him his conscience is a thousande witnesses hee hath offended Thus answered Gregorie byshoppe of Rome when he was writ vnto for his iudgement of this matter and if I can find in my selfe none of all these to procure it in me yet knowe if it be euill it is a frute of corruption and weigh well the lawe of the Lorde in this behalfe laide downe Plutarch saith Leuit. 15. Honest dreames are an argument of vertue in a man and then me thinke in reason a contrarie effect should bewray a contrarie cause The same man saith Peruersorum somnia semper turbata De virt viti Plutarch Euill mens dremes are cōmonly troublesome But I referre you for more of this to others And this onely I say againe the bodie well ordred and the minde well occupied hardly shall our dreames feare vs for euill Que. What nowe then might be the affirmatiue part of this commaundement Ans If thus wee sée all wandring wayes from vpright integritie be they but euen in thought and that also in the least degrée without any consent to be by this lawe condemned as impure what should we sée on the contrary part to be commanded but euen a full perfect and absolute conformitie both of minde will appetite and whatsoeuer is in man to the lawe of God That which Moses in these words describeth Thou shalt loue the Lorde thy God with all thy heart Deutro 6.5 and with all thy soule and with all thy might Luke 10.27 and our Sauiour Christ doth adde vnto it for plainenesse sake with all thy thought That also which S. Paule describeth thus This is the will of God euen your sanctification 1. Thess 4.7 and that yee should abstaine from fornication that euerie one of you shoulde knowe howe to possesse his vessell in holinesse and honour and not in the lust of concupiscence and so foorth From which exact perfection looke howe farre our conscience truely awaked doeth tell vs we are wanting euen so farre accursed stande we before the Lorde for not fulfilling all if wee had not a Sauiour Que. Is there anie punishment outwarde appointed to this lawe Ans No and that because man can not iudge the guilt of hidden heart But it suffiseth to feare any man that feareth any thing to consider that the spiritual punishment allotted vnto it as to the rest is eternall death and endlesse torture both of bodie and soule for euermore in flame of lasting fire Onely one storie that I remember there is recorded of some outwarde execution vppon an inward thought and that is of Glaucus King of Sparta Herodotus who for conceiuing but a thought to retaine Milesius his pledge committed to his kéeping yet not dooing it was vtterly destroyed both he and his and so foretolde by the Oracle whereat he asked counsell The Application LEt vs weigh now well what hath béene sayd I beséech you and neuer spare to speake or feare to confesse if not openly before the worlde yet secretly in our heartes vnto the Lorde what due regarde of passed course compared with this lawe shall make vs sée Though we were able which yet neuer any could but Iesus Christ to stande cleare before the Lorde in all the former preceptes either for déede or thought yet are we neuer able to say wee are cleare of this For consider hath there neuer thought but good crept into that heart of yours within at no time since the day that you were first able to thinke a thought till this present houre weigh it well And what though you haue neuer consented to it yet wo wo vnto vs for consent wee sée neuerthelesse by this lawe of God that we are but gone For here is condemned the verie entrance and beeing of anie vile conceit within vs for any time though vpon some better wakening we repell it and abhorre it and thrust it away without his act And who is able to say he neuer thought awry in the least maner or measure that might be Nay what conscience cryeth not if it be a litle rowsed that in verie fearefull manner measure we haue all herein transgressed and offended Call out our houses and chambers wherein and vnder which we haue liued aske the fieldes the gardens the walles and hedges where we haue often walked summon the seates where we haue sit examine the pillowes whereon our heades could take no rest what guilt against our heartes in this behalfe they well can witnesse euery one of them Shall they not speake first one by one and