haue spent and made a way theyr lyuyng in belly chere and vnthriftines Yf sklaunderers scolders such as be periured and reporters of vayne tales And finally if al offenders were streyghtly punyshed surely there shulde be both lesse occasion geuen to offende and also good men shulde not haue so greate cause to complayne of the maners of men of this age Let the magistrate therefore remembre his office and thinke that he must surelye gyue an accompte at the daye of dowme Lette him learne of Paule that he bearethe not his temporall swearde for ryght naught for he is gods minister appoynted of god to punyshe offenders As it appeareth playnlye vnto the Romaynes Forasmuche then as Paule declarethe that a law was ordeyned not for iust men but the vnrighteous for the disobedient lyers such as intyce other mens seruantes from them and are periured forasmuch also as the magistrate in this behalfe is as it were a minister of the lawe certes he can not be slacke in executynge his offyce without great reprofe Lette potestates therfore those I meane that are in offyce and haue authoritie restrayne this libertie to offende without punyshment by one meane or an other which thynge yf they do not execute they do very naught it wyll be vndoubtedly layd to theyr charge at the last day Who so prohibiteth not men to offende when he may in a maner commaundeth them so to do I feare me greatly lest the heathen mens seueritie streyghtnes in punyshyng vyce shal be a reproche to vs and accuse at the laste dowme our negligeÌ„ce and slacknes herein There was amonge them punyshment ordeyned and appoynted by the lawe for all offenders and trespassers They had theyr sonmers theyr examiners and iudges which dyd most rigorously se vice and wickednes punyshed Thus were fearse and wylde felowes for feare of punyshement kept backe from the outwarde acte for feare of punyshment they brydled brought theyr wylde affections into subiection for feare of punyshment they conquered and ouercame theyr lustes and so ranne not headlynge into vyce But nowe a dayes by a reason of libertie without punyshemente and slackenes of men in offyce which forgyue offenders at the fyrst nor do punyshe vice so seuerely as they shuld do a blynd man may se how much the 〈◊〉 order and polycyâ— is fallen away and decayed No man causeth lychâ—ry to be punyshed no not adultrye and fautes which are very heynous No man correctethe the dysobedyence of chyldren towardes theyr parentes the styfe rebellyon of inferyoures agaynst heades and superiours the detractacyon refusing of laweful impery and authorite No man maketh a restreynt for superfluous apparell No man represseth the lyght and madde conceyte of men pryde not onelye for theyr gorgious and kyngelyke arraymente but also for the dyuersitie of coloures for cuttynge and gardynge theyr garmentes No man restreyneth theyr large expences and costes in theyr breakefastes theyr dinners and sumptuous suppers And though they drinke both nyght and day there is nothynge sayde to it No man punyssheth carders diessers vserers engrosers skolders cursers the periured and such as speake blasphemye agaynst god And yet I haue not touched the common stewes in euery cytye the lybertie permitted within the byshoppe of Romes dioceses to kepe whores and impunitie of all vyces and enormities Men in authoritie therfore shuld wtoute all de lay punyshe such not that it is an offence to do so but that all occasyon to do yll myght be remoued and taken awaye In punishyng thre thynges be chyfly to be consydered first that thou studye his reformation whome thou punysshest Than that by his example thou make aâ—erde others frome commyttynge the lyke offences Thyrdly and last of al that by weadynge out the naughtye vn godly the innocente may lyue at rest in quietnes Hitherto statutê haue profited nothing we must now therfore take an other waye And here let â—s consider that the magistrate beareth not his swerde for a shewe As Paul witnesseth wheÌ„ nede requireth therfore let him drawe it to punyshe and cut awaye vice and let not men long cry for theyr redines promptnes in executyng theyr office whiche are in auctoritie and do intermedle in suche matters that in as muche as perteyneth vnto the outward policie â–ª we be not founde wors than the Heathen and gyue and ministre by our slacknes to the enemyes of the gospel and Christian name occasion to sklaunder and speke yl by our religion as it happeth manye tymes Howe wolde ye haue the turkes to thynke that our relygyon is good syth that the professours teachers of it are so vicious and abominable vndoubtedly they may iustly and by good ryght hit in our teach obiecte to vs so many riottours as one certayne man say the so many dronkerdes aduouterers fornycatours and whoryshe ruffyans so that we in very deade may be greatly ashamed of our behalfe They wyll and may muche agaynst our vyces they wyl also as they iustly may fynde faulte with and reproue oure superfluitie They wyll and may laye to vs for a reproch our beastely voluptuous lyuynge And thus by reason of our vyces and our yl lyuyng the worde shal be diffamed And as Paul sayeth the name of god shal be sklaundered amonge the Heathen for oure sakes And though riot is a vyce of euery tyme and age hath so ben and belly chere also as breakefastes deyntye dynners sumptuous suppers excesse in meate and drynke â–ª aduoutry fornycation violent wrongynge and oppressynge of the pore by powers the neglectyng of good lawes and ordinaunces whiche we fynde that euery learned man reproued in men of his tyme lyke as Seneca affirmed that none age was euer voyde of all blame yet in our tyme vyces haue wonderfully encresed and not onelye vyces but also the impunitie of vyce whiche is the origine cause of vice Good order is nowset at naught youth is corrupted by to much lybertye all kynde of wyckednes is growen vp and encreased wonderfully so that vngodlynes selfe and Epicurisme semeth to haue inuaded and occupyed a place amonge men and possessed a kyngedome amonge Chrystyans Men do lytle regarde good lawes ordynaunces but do al together folowe pleasure and carnall lybertye Wherfore it were the offyce dewty of kynges and byshops by theyr authoritie to withstande such enormyties and to remedye them syth that for this cause they were exalted and called vnto such an hyghe dignitie and god wolde that they shulde excel in myght and power He commaundeth them to haue theyr people in subiection and to loke ouer them as though they were set vppe on an hyghe mountayne to espye out vyces and enormities and most rygorously to restreyne and punyshe the same to defende the godly feare the naughtye from theyr vyce by seuere punyshment and to defend and meynteyne iustice and truth and set forth and dilate the religion glory of god Wherfore let them remembre theyr offyce and
communicacion and infinite other of the same sorte wherwith soâ—euer godlye eares are offended buâ— also the vnsene and hyd ententes oâ— the herte such thinges as we hauâ— wyckedly eyther wyshed or thoughtâ— moreouer the naughty affections oâ— the mynde which be contrary to thâ— worde of god as anger grudge hâ—tred ennimitie malyce enuy prydâ— couetousnes desyre of other menâ— goodes c. Who wold not than thâ— remembraunce of this iudgemente withdrawe from vice and stay leste he shulde fall all together whiche is perswaded assuredly that it shal be One of the olde wryters hath a very good and notable sayeng whether I eate or drynke sayeth he or what thyng so euer I do the terible voyce of the archangell sowneth in myne eares Arise you dead men come vnto your dowme whiche whan I remembre I quake bothe bodye and soule Yf the fleshe then stirreth vp any man vnto beastly lustes and bodely pleasures or vnto gluttony or â—urfettynge or vnto any such vyce â—et hym by and by call to his remembraunce the dreadful day of dowme Yf prosperitie as it doth very often cause a man to be hauty and proude if ryches make a man fearse and his mynded yf honoure promocion or high dignitie cause a man to thinkâ— much of hym selfe and to despise others let hym streyght way remembre the iudgement seate of the lorde Yf anger prycketh any manne to reuenge his quarell yf grudge and malyce trouble the hertes of any yf couetousnes enforceth a man to rob and deceyue others yf the worlde doth prouoke any man vnto ambycion pryde or ryote yf the deuyl by his suttyll and false meanes and crafte dryue any man to speake blasphemie agaynst god or vnto any other suche myschefe let hym thynke none other but that he shal appeare before the iugement seate of the lord and shall there pleade for hym selfe Let hym feare the sentence that the iudge shall pronounce which dothe condempne the wycked to hell fyre wolde god wolde god I saye that this day of dowme wolde neuer fall out of mens myndes Than surelyâ— euery man wold do as he shulde do Kinges and rulers wold haue their onely and specyall care vppon the weal of the communaltie committed to theyr charge and wolde defende theyr Lybertye and vpholde and maynteyne bothe theyr priuate and publique ordynaunces and lawes Of the other part the comons wold shew them selues loyall obedient towarde their liege and soueraygne head and kyng and wolde not disdayne to haue him rular ouer them nor refuse to pai their rentes towles or trybutes but otherwyse wolde render vnto hym aswell due reuerence and feare as also honour c. Euery man wolde loue his wyfe as his owne selfe the wyues wolde reuerence theyr husbandes and be in subiection vnto them as vnto their lordes and heades Parentes wold trade and brynge vp theyr chyldren in godly education and discipline and as Paule wylleth in the feare knowledge of god Agayne chyldren wolde be obediente towardes theyr parentes in the lord and wold ernestly folowe theyr wayes and busely do theyr commandement Seruantes wold be redy at the coÌ„maundement of them which as apperteyneth vnto the flesh are their masters and that with all honest reuerence and godly feare and symplicitie of hert as also Paule exorteth Againe maysters wolde be meke and gentil towardes theyr seruauntes beynge well assured that they haue also a mayster in heauen Pastoures and mynisters wolde attende the lordes flocke as they are bounden Ryche menne wolde relieue the poore with theyr goodes â–ª wydowes wolde pray nyght and day without ceassynge Poore men wolde take paciently well in worthe theyr pouertie sythe that it is the wyl of god that it shal so be The maryed man wolde lyue as though he had no wyfe The vnmaried man wolde referre al that euer he doth vnto the glory of god what wyl ye more euery man wold do his offyce and duetie in his callynge as he oughte to do if the remembrance of the laste dowme were euer before his eyes when god wyll requyre a reckenyng of our whole lyuynge and of all our doynges and wyl gyue to euery man accordingly as he hath deserued eyther rewarde or punyshment We see dayly with our eyes in a gret and feruent plage tyme when death is euery houre present before mens eyes howe careful they are and howe diligentely they go aboute the reformation of their life specially if they be not suche as do vsurpe falsly the name of Christistians What Ought not we than muche more to go about the reformacion of our lyfe at all tymes all houres and euerye moment of the houre and to repent vnfeinedly and bewayle our wicked and synful life and pacifie the wrath and indignation of god agaynst synne sythe that by casualitie and vncertayne chances death is imminent and at hande euerye houre A wyse man therfore wyll so leade his lyfe alway as men vse commonlye in the daungerous plage time when they are as it wer awaked out of theyr dreame and be carefull and go ernestely about the reformacion of theyr lyfe and purpose to chaunge it into better and to eschewe vyce exercyse iustyce and equitte and finally to pacifie gods wrath whiche is worthely stered agaynste vs for our synne by true repentance and remorse of conscience â–ª I praye you ought not euery man when there is no such daunger nor feare of any plage to be the like that afore in the hotte and daungerous plage tyme he determined to be Euery man wil graunt that the houre of deathe is vncertayne and that it is a thyng most certayn that we shal dye what a great folly is it than to feare death so much which is euery houre at hande nor to thinke at any tyme of the reformacion of our lyfe but thus it is We fele and acknowledge the most iuste wrath of god aaynst syn in aduersitie as in plage famine yearthquake daungerous dissases of the body but in prosperitie when we haue the world at wyl we feare nat to abuse the goodnes of god In this state we remembre nat death which is iminent euery houre nor the laste dowme nor the terrible 〈◊〉 of the Arâ—hangel of the which S. Paul maketh mention vnto the Thessalon nor the sowne of the lordes trumpe nor hell or euerlastinge peyne nor the vnquenchable fyre nor the darkenes where there shal be wepynge and gnasshynge of teeth Whiche thynges verely we oughte to remembre at all tymes whether it be in the mornyng at our vprisynge or at night when we go to rest or at dynner or supper or when we bathe our selfe for our healthes sake or do any serious and weighty busines or fynally when we refreshe and recreate our myndes with some honest pastyme But the vngodly can not be perswaded none other but that these thynges are fables whiche the scripture setteth forthe of the last dowme of the iudgement seate of the lorde of the voyce of tharchaungel of the trumpe of
though they can not cleane extirpate and abolyshe suche enormities as haue crepte in and are roted in mens hertes yet at least let theÌ„ go about to restreine the same And though it consisteth not in them to make other men godly and Christians for that is the worke and offyce of the holy ghost let them yet in deuour to brynge this to passe and effecte that we be not founde eyther Pagans or wors then they be And lette magystrates charge parentes streightly with this thinge that they do se theyr children traded brought vp in good learnyng and also in the knoweledge and feare of god euen from theyr chyldhod For surely the magistrate ought most of all to tranayle in this thynge syth that it is a thynge so profytable for the common welth the preseruation of townes and cytyes resteth in this one thynge chefly Yf they loâ—ed but to this one thynge dylygentlye and executed theyr offyce herein we shulde not be troubled with suche vyces as haue heretofore reygned and yet raygne in many places which thynge vndoubtedly can not be prouided for by any statutes or lawes but onelye by this meane whiche I haue shewed that is to wytte by the godly education and bryngynge vp of youthe For syth that lawes punyshe offences alredy commytted godly education letteth a man to commytte any thynge worthye of punyshemente Lawes do but correcte vyces godly education kepeth them farre of and suffereth no such thynge to be it is very euidente that godly education doth more profyt the common welth then lawes and Statutes do It is commonlye sene in oure tyme that suche as haue bene broughte vp in vyce are not refreined and brought in feare by the punyshement whiche the lawe ordeyneth and appoynteth for vyce and enormities This was the cause therfore that prudent and wyse rulers were wonte to laboure and trauayle herein chiefly haue theyr specyal care on this one thinge not alonely how to punyshe vice but howe to preuente and take away the causes thereof Whiche thynge bycause they dyd se myght the best be broughte to passe if youth shulde be brought vp in good learnynge and in the feare of god and yf fathers imployed theyr diligence and indeuour to the same ende they thought it best to labour and trauayle chefly therein But from this dygressyon lette vs returne agayne vnto oure purpose ¶ The fourth cause I Fynde that welth and prosperitie is the fourth cause whiche dothe inebriate the myndes of men in such wyse that they neyther remeÌ„bre god nor constantly purpose to refourme and amende theyr lyuynge Therefore one auncient wryter sayth very wel that lyke as of prosperitie riotte procedeth euen so of riotte commeth both other common vyces and also vngodlynes and the neglectynge of gods worde and coÌ„mandementes And Seneca affyrmeth that into greate welthe and prosperitie as it were continuall dronkennes men fall into a certayne soote and plesaunte steape Also Paule vnto Timothe commaundethe that this admonition and warnyng be geuen to the rych that they wax not proud nor put theyr affyaunce in vncertayne ryches but in the lyuynge god to do good be ryche in good workes This verse of Publius may also be verified of the inordinate rych men Fortune maketh hym a foole whome she kockereth to muche For howe suche passe for no manner of thynge whiche haue this worlde at wyl it is euydent ynough and nedeles it is to speake therof This securytie is verely the mother of al vyce for by the same a man is made vnseÌ„sible so that in his conscience he feleth not the anger and wrath of god agaynst synne by securitie mennes myndes are brought on a dead slepe that they be not a whyt perced with the feare of the punyshment of god or withdrawen from vyce nor yet awaked with the feare of deathe or of the last dowme Our sauiour dothe in Luke artificially paynt this securitie where as mencion is made of the rych man which when his lande had enryched and made hym welthy with a frutfull and plentyfull crop dyd not go about to refourme his lyuynge and to repente nor to bestow almes vpon the poore but studyed howe for to enlarge his barnes and to make more roume for his corne and thus delayted the matter with hym selfe I wyll brynge in and gather vpon heapes all my corne and lay vp al my substaunce and ryches and speake to my sowle in this wise Nowe thou hast my soule a greate deale layde vp for the whiche wyll laste the â–ª the space of manye yeares Nowe therfore take thy reste eate drynke and be of good chere But in this securitie and this imagination what herde he of god Thou foole this nyght requyre they thy sowle of the markest thou not howe deathe commeth sodaynly vpon hym thinkynge to haue had all the commodities and pleasures of the worlde as ease rest delicious fare pastymes delectacions and sauegarde of all his goods For this cause then as Paule sayth commaundethe vs to awake be in a redines at al tymes agaynst the commynge of the lorde which myght be a fayre sufficiente warnynge for vs yf we take heade of it for lyke as it befell and chaunced in the time of Noe wheÌ„ the floud ouer went and drowned the worlde some eatynge and drynkynge other some weddynge and doynge suche busines as they had to do As it also chaunced that the Sodomites were al destroyed with fyre and brymstone froÌ„ aboue after that Loth departed out of theyr cytie so verely the laste daye shal come sodaynely and at the twincklynge of an eye euen when men loke leaste for it Therefore S. Iames to vanquishe and dryue ouâ— such securitie oute of mennes hertes speaketh to ryche men in this wyse Ye ryche men mourne and owle for the miseries that remayne for you and hange ouer your heades Your ryches putrifie wormes and mothes corrupte your gorgious apparel your syluer and golde gathereth rust and cancte deliciously and wantonly ye haue lyued on yearth Ye haue spente your dayes in ryottynge c. In this place call to remembrauÌ„ce the rych man in the gospell whiche in the dayes of his lyfe weÌ„t gorgiously arayed with his veluets purples silkes but after his death he was greuously tormented in hell wherof prosperitie welth was the cause whiche dyd not permytte and suffer hym to repente and refourme his lyuynge Our sauioure also declareth the same thyng in S. Mathewe where he saythe that it is hard for one that is rych to eÌ„ter into the kyngdome of heauen eftsoones it is more ease for a cammell to passe throughe the eye of a nedle then for a ryche man to entre into the kyngedome of god which Marke in a maner expowneth Chyldren sayenge howe harde a thynge is it for suche one as putteth his trust in ryches to entre into the kyngdome of god Christ also hym selfe calleth ryches and worldely pleasures brambles bryers wherwith the seede of gods worde is choked that it
in the assembles of the faythful As muche as euer thou mayst withdrawe thy selfe from euyll company and accompanye the vertuous and godlye for by them thou maist be the better But receaue such to be thy familiers as thou maist refourme and make better For it is a great matter and very expedynt to consider what maner of felowes those are whiche are our familiers and dayly companions for lyke as in accompanienge the naughtye we be as it were infected by a contagyon so verelye by the company of suche as be godlye and liue in the feare of the lord our maners are corrected and amended With these therfore be conuersant but with the other neyther make nor meddle Salomon in the prouerbes commaūdeth the same thynge And vnto the Cor S. Paul ernestlye counselleth and exhorteth men to eschewe the felowship and company of the wicked insomuch that he wold not haue men to eate and drinke with them These are his wordes If any man among you called brother shal be an whorekeper couetous a worshypper of ydols a railer a dronkerde or a rauener neither eate nor drinke with him And I graunt that there are diuerse other causes why S. Paul wylleth vs that we shulde eschewe their company eyther that we seeme not to alowe their vices or els that whē thei perceaue that all men for theyr vyce sake do flee and abhorre there company they might be ashamed repent But verely the chefest cause this is bicause he wolde not that their famyliars and companions shulde therewith be infected For lyke as a lytell leauen dothe cause a great heape of doughe to soure so verelye thexample of one naughty man corrupteth and dothe marre a great multytude And though it is a very herde thyng to leue the company and familiaryty of suche as thou hast afore tyme lyued withal long merely and plesant lye yet verely thou must dyligently apply thy selfe therunto and laboure by al meanes that euer thou canst to withdrawe thy selfe from theyr company Attempt but the thing ernestly and with a bolde courage and I dare promise the suche successe in the thynge as thou woldest not thynke And bicause the beginninge as it is commonly said is the better parte of the whole and whosoeuer begynneth wel hath as Horace saieth the halfe of the whole dead set vpon the thing therfore nor despeire in an◠wise whē thou considerest with thy selfe howe harde and ful of difficultie the thing it selfe is If it shal fortune the to cal to remembrance those feastes which thou hast kepte with thē the reresuppers the bākets and quaffing which thou hast had with them ofte and many tymes If it fortune the I saye to fal into any such fonde and folyshe ymaginacion Againe if thou shalt call to remembraunce at any tyme sore against thy wyll al such good felowes as thou werte wont to iest and prate withal merely al such as kept the company in playe and at tauerues euen then in that same very moment cal also to remembraunce the shortnesse of life death which is nighe at al tymes the last dowme the iudgement seat of the lord hel and dampnacion And by this meane thou shalte put away one difficultie with an other If thou shalt reson with thy selfe in this wise my felowes whiche I haue afore nowe ben merye withall call and cry vppon me deinty suppers bankets and reresuppers allure me what shal I nowe do verelye if thou thinke but so with thy selfe what shal I do streight way reson weieng and debatinge the thynge shall ouercome the and thy wylle and appetyte shall without questyon be made obedient to reason whiche moueth and exhorteth menne euer vnto those thinges which be best and most profitable for our behofe Take space therefore when the deuyll putteth any suche thinges in thy mynde to pouder and wey the thing and laye awaye all folyshe nisenes of the mynde and lette not the appetites bere the suffragnitie in any wise fal not hedlong whither the deuel wold haue the. What do thy felowes prouoke the vnto wine drinkig moderate thou thy selfe kepe measure bycause in a certaine place our sauiour speketh these wordes Take heed lest your hertes be burdened or ouerladen with meate Also Saynte Paul saith ouercharge not your selues with winedrinkinge for therein is riote and againe drunkerdes and rioters shall not inheryte the kingedome of god Also S. Peter be sobre and awake also Esay wo be to such as do arise in the morning to frequēt and haunte tauernes And in this place thou must remember that we be more bounden to be obedient and submit our selfe to the auctorytye of the word of god and of his Apostles then to do a pleasure and to gratyfye the desires of the wicked and vngodlye and that we must rather obey the good angel which exhorteth vs and doth gide vs vnto al good thynges then the deuyl whiche intiseth vs to al kinde of naughtynes And that we must rather withstande the euyl spyryte then repyne agaynste the good Wherfore for the plesaunt company of thy playfelowes be not cause of thyne owne destruction but rather withdrawe thy selfe so much as lieth in the from them neither make nor medle with thē Regarde and esteme yf thou be wyse more thy saluacyon then the shorte delectation that here thou maist haue by thy naughtye wicked company of thin old cōpanions Se also that thou remēber and diligently wey this thinge that who so doth obstinately contynue in vyce doth neyther vnfeynedly repent nor eyther is or can be taken for a Christian for in hym surely whom sinne pleseth trewe fayth can not be which he lacketh also that sinneth against his owne conscience or commytteth any deadly syn Wherfore let vs not be named Christians when we are farre of much differ from the thing it selfe nor yet let vs boste and sette forth our fayth in wordes but let vs in deade and vnfeynedly repent and with all our herte be conuerted vnto the lorde god Let vs laboure to a mende that thyng whiche is amysse and by doynge wel and as we shuld and are bounden to do recompence such offences as we haue alredy cōmitted and by thus doyng remoue out of gods sight the remembraunce of oure former mysdoynges Let vs referre and imploye our studies vnto these endes that we maye alwaye lyue in the feare of god and accordyng to ryghtuousnes let vs in our lyuynge be innocent vpryght holye chaste sobre and temperate in al maner of thynges Let vs profitte the congregation and helpe the poore membres therof and to be short let vs as Paule exorteth vs lyue worthely and as it becommeth such as do professe the gospell of Chryst hauynge yet for all this our cheafest special trust in the goodnes and mercye of god none at al in our selues Let vs praye also with out ceasynge vnto the father by our lorde and sauyoure Iesus Chryste that he wyll vouchsafe to sende his holy spirite among vs for to
bashefull sobre and honest and vpryght in al thy doinges And bicause this thynge doth not consyst in the to do thou must therefore resorte vnto God for helpe thou must acknowelege the weakenes and vnablenes of man Thou must hartelye and loulye seke the father to strengthen the with his holy spirite which Christe in the Gospell promysed that the father wolde gyue to such as shuld require it of him with ardente prayers If thou shalt require than that thou mayst haue the holy ghost plentifully aboundantly rychly as Paule sayth Powered vpon the by Iesus Chryst by his myght and his helpe those thinges which we could not by natural strength bryng to passe shal be ryght easelye atcheued Let this thinge be onely thyne endeuour 〈◊〉 to brydle thine affectioÌ„s and beware lest at any time thou embrase idlenes or fayle thy selfe For the holy ghoste doth not iudge them to be worthy of his helpe which be lâ—dder and geuen to ydlenes and such as cantynde theÌ„ selues none honest thyng to be occupied withall but syt al the day longe with theyr handes clasped together lyke vagaboundes But he aydeth workers such as put to their owne diligence and do laboure for to van quishe and ouercome the redines inclination vnto vice which is graffed naturally in vs. Suche I saye doth the holy ghost helpe as wrastle and fyght contynually with the wicked and euyl affections of the mind Let vs not therfore folow the example of the carter which when his cart stacke in the tough clay called vnto god for helpe but he hym selfe stode lokynge about hym and dyd no maner of thynge This thyng may also feare vs from committinge of euyll and may also stere vs vp vnto godly lyuynge bycause god is present euery where whom thou canst escape in no maner wyse and he hath set his angel ouer the to kepe and gouerne the and to maâ—ke and bere wytnesse of that thynge that thou doest Yf thou woldest not for any good that a man shulde take the in doyng that thynge which were not lawefull nor meete to be done howe muche more shuld the feare and reuerence of god cause the to refreâ—e froÌ„ such Thou fearest a man wonderfully bycause he knoweth and is a wytnes of thy naughtynes doest thou then thinke that he which ouerseeth all thynges and nothyng doth escape to be fitte that in his â—yght thou shuldest permit thy selfe to do that thinge which thou woldest be ashamed to commit in the syghte of a man sythe that he shall â—…es iudge the which is a witnes and marker of all thynges that thou doest A cerâ—ayne Heathen man geueth good counsel that thou must so lyue as though thou werte in the syght of all men and that thy thynking must be such as thoughe there were one that myght se thine inward thought For it is a great stay for a man when he bethinketh hym that there is one present whiche knoweth his inwarde thinking A great occasion of sinninge is taken awaye wheÌ„ there is a present wytnes by This precepte and this rewle dyd an Heathen writer geue which verely euery Chrysten man shulde thynke that it toucheth him and is a lesson for him If at any tyme therfore thou purposest any vnhonest or vnlawful thing consyder thus with thy selfe before thou enterprisest such a thyng what shal I do shal I purpose that thing in gods sight which I wold be ashamed to do before meÌ„ Shal I make the holy Aungel mine enemie by this offence which is set to loke ouer and rewle men which wolde be looth to cause my frende to forsake me Shal I make the good spirite sory and the euyll gladde Did Christ redeme me therfore with the shediÌ„g of his blode that I shulde become the seruaunt slaue of sinne and of the deuyll dyd he make me an inheritoure of the kyngedome of heauen therfore that I shulde lease by my negligence the same godly and heueÌ„ly inheritauÌ„ce dyd he delyuer me from sinne that I shulde wyllyngly and weatyngly fal into it agayne Nowe where is that burnynge loue towardes god Now where is the feare of god where is the shame that shuld be in meÌ„ wher is the fayth and mercy shall I thus recompence the benefites of god shal I render this thanke to Chryste for the benefitte of my redemption doth the holy ghost stere me no more than thus Do I come thus vnto the lordes table do I loke thus for the coming of Christ shall death take me in this state shal I be seen before the iudgement seate of the Lorde in this state do I suffer after this sorte the wylde affections to beare the suffragnite in me the fleshe to haue the victory and vpper hande and to triumphe ouer me and sin to raine in my bodye Am I a beast haue I not a mans herte that I thus cowerdly like a dasterde giue place to suche mocions and resist theÌ„ not do I chose euer theÌ„ worse when I dayly se the better surely if thou woldest consyder those thynges and such like which no man can nombre thou woldest not easly committe any vnhonest or vnlawful thinge What thynge soeuer thou doest therefore what thynge soeuer thou attemptest remember that there is God present as vndoutedlye he is and that he beholdeth and loketh vpoÌ„ what thinge soeuer thou doest or attemptest fere and dreed hym And for as muche as he is alway preseÌ„t let that thing sum what stay the kepe the backe from sin For as thei say he is a witnes He is a iudge he beholdeth what thinge so euer maÌ„s minde compryseth This is a iudge whom no mannes craftye conueyaunce canne blynde This thynge shall also much further and helpe vnto godlye lyuynge yf a man call to remembraunce that by baptyme he is made the son and heyre of god and that he is also made brother of Chryst and with hym partener of his Fathers kyngdome whiche one thynge farre passeth and surmounteth all other For who wolde not be muche moued with this thynge vnto godlye lyuynge and wolde not abhor by a certeyne natural feare from vyce whiche remembreth that God is his father wherfore forget not the benefyt of hym whiche hath made the by adoption his son Loue hym worshyp hym feare hym reuerence hym and in no maner thynge offende or dysplease hym Be obedyente to hys wyll and plesure at all tymes do his coÌ„maundement and folowe it in thy lyuynge expresly do not thynke that onely the pertakynge of his heritage dothe belonge vnto the but also thimitacion and folowyng of his goodnes and vertue So that thoughe thou be not able for to attayne vnto the excellency of that goodnes which is in god by imitacion and folowing yet thou mayst in herte and wyll approche nyghe thereunto and thynke that it is a great shame for the to degenerate from the same If thou commyttest that thynge by chaunce at any tyme whiche is agaynst the wyll and plesure of the father lyke