loose nothing at gaming yet gripe poore men but yet I knowe there be a great manie that if they lost and spent not so much at plaie would bée more frank-hearted to poore men then they are Doth the Lord finde fault with the vnprofitable seruaunt that laid not out his talent to his masters aduauntage but hid it in the ground And will he not iudge that seruant that wasteth it vpon trifles The holie Ghost commandeth vs to honour the Pro. 3. 9. Lord with our riches And the Iewes to giue vs to vnderstand that they were redie to bestow their goods at the Lords appointment were willed to paie the first fruits to the Lord of all that euer they had but do we honour him with our goods thinke you when we trifle them away at cards tables But sin hath no staie with it For it is not enough for vs thus vnthankfullie to abuse the good gifts of God except we sin directly against himselfe What cholarick passions I pray you are the loosers tossed withall gentlemen or other insomuch that he that cannot chafe is accounted a senceles block And because they dare not giue the whole disposition of that dice vnto the Lord least in finding falt therwith they shuld open their mouth against him they set vp an Idoll to their imaginations I wil set out his hand saie they in despite of the dice. Did euer man hold out so long hauing so manie points to enter What fortune is this What lucke is this I care not so much for the monie but to sée what spitefull lucke I haue Then must the Cards be rent in péeces or the Dice throwne into the fire and yet they will laugh at a little child which beateth the ground for giuing him a fall I speake fauourablie of them for they are so farre from thinking that they shall giue account for euerie angrie and idle word that they thinke of no account for foming out such blasphemies against the blessed name of God and that also not in vaine alone as others doe which are no gamesters to confirme euerie trifle for they sweare not to ende anie controuersie but because God ordereth the Dice no better for them therefore do they spue out blasphemies against him For why els should they sweare by him Naie they themselues rēder this reson that I haue brought why they sweare It would make one sweare saie they to haue such lucke Of a truth God is long suffering to sée if they will repent For els he would neuer staie to take them awaie by ordinarie sicknes as he vseth to deale with others but he would cause the earth to swallow them vp into eternall confusion euen whilest the oathes are in their mouthes such open contempners of him And although the partie that plaieth with them beginneth to tremble for feare yet he must not reprooue him For then he looketh vppon him with firie eies and is readie to thrust his dagger into him he accounteth then that he hath great iniurie for loosers must haue their saieng So that a man must either by reproouing bée in daunger of outrage or els by his silence he must be accessarie to open treason against the almightie So that whether you looke to the winner or to the looser they are both guiltie euen by the iudgement of sinfull flesh of most grieuous sinne against the Lord God What is the cause of drunkennesse but this beastlie game For if the companie were not continued with flush and ace of spades king a diamonds and such like stuffe if I saie men were not kept still at the Alehouse with this fond talke by that time they had ben together a litle while they could not tell what to saie one to another they would then goe from their cups before that staring Pro. 23. 29. rednesse of the eies that the scripture speaketh of came vppon them Demas When a man doth tell gamesters that these fruits that you haue spoken of come by plaie their aunswere is that these be the faultes of men that abuse their sport and not of the game it selfe Paule Those that aunswere so you maie aske them how they themselues knowe anie thing for example How doe they knowe that a tale-bearer causeth contention They will aunswere by the effect of the matter it alwaies falleth out so So doe I know and so maie they know that a thousand more mischiefes then I haue spoken of doe come of dice-plaie If they saie that there be not these mischifes in the game if gamesters were as they should be so can I saie that a tale-bearer cannot cause contention if the partie to whom the tale is told were as he should be and yet we saie a talebearer causeth contention we maie as trulie saie that dice and cards cause such mischiefes as are spoken of When a statute was made by Act of Parliament against vnlawfull games did not the Knights and Burgesses being aduertised by the communaltie whose patrones they are Did not they perceiue what horrible mischiefes broke out into the common wealth For want of restraint that waies Did not the Lords and Nobles of the vpper house sée that their complaint was iust and that they laide the fault where it was when they confirmed that which they deuised And héere haue all good consciences iust cause to complaine For what a shameful thing is it that such an honourable assemblie should be gathered from euerie part of the lande to make so good and so notable a law and yet that thorough the loose negligence of those that haue that trust committed vnto them to sée these lawes executed all should be to no purpose Naie I speake fauourablie of them for they doe not onelie not punish these vnlawfull games but with their authoritie they license a companie of néedelesse Alehouses which are places of refuge for naughtie packes to lurke in And though for verie shame they be cōpelled to take awaie their license from some dronken Alehouse that for maintaining of wickednesse is more notable then the rest yet if some wicked rich mā speak a good word for them they shall haue leaue to be masters of as much euill rule as euer they wer And what man cannot make some friend or other to speake for him If they can saie that they are poore men all is well But why should not they worke for their liuing as well as other poore men Why haue they more respect to the pouertie of one then to the beggering of al the poore men in the towne They say men maie chuse whether they wil spende their moneie at the Alehouse or no but poore women their children can not chuse whether their husbands shal spend that at the alehouse that should be for their maintenance or no. Beside this if mē could gouerne themselues to what purpose should they be appointed gouernours of a towne For they are set in authoritie aboue their bretheren to the end they might ouerrule and gouerne such
they see sin vnpunished What crueltie is it to se women children almost starued the whole countrie grow into decaie The mercifull God open the eies of our Magistrates make thē see a difference betweene mercifull seueritie cruell pitie We haue an English prouerbe which saith that foolish pittie marreth a citie but it is little thought vppon They maie perhappes thinke they shall bee well thought of by suffering the wicked to go scotfree but it can not be The people shal curse such a one the multiude shall abhorre him but to them that rebuke the wicked shalll be sweetenesse vpon them shal come the blessing of euery good man Pro. 24. 23. For open rebuke is better then secret loue And though the parties punished winch a little at the first yet hee that reproueth a man shall finde more fauour at the last then he that flattereth with his tongue If men wold but open their eies experience would teach them the truth of that which I say For by reason of their fearefulnesse and loosenesse this waies men make no account of them they despise the Lord therfore the Lord despiseth them Now they do nothing they are accounted as a king in a stage play that only maketh a show whē he hath done he goeth his waies wheras otherwise the Lord would cause men to loue honor them To keep their court dinners or to haue their men officers to waite vpon them is but an outward thing an accessarie matter to giue some countenaunce to their office but the chiefe thing the essentiall part of their dutie is to doe iustice iudgement But men are hard to be intreated in this matter I therefore beseech all pastors teachers that they would not suffer themselues to be deceiued witht he disguised names of parson or viccar which names the scripture knoweth not but that they would remember that they are appointed as continuall watch men to ring the alarum bell to beat to knocke at the consciences of men especially of the Magistrates which maie do all in all in this matter For it is great pittie that they shuld wāt so great a benefit as is the putting them in minde of their dutie especially seing the whole Church receiueth so great losse by their slackenesse If I spake of mine owne head my words might be little set by for who am I that any mā shuld esteme of my saying But because they be the words of the great God they must be set by Apollos was a very eloquent learned man yet he was very well content to be more thē admonished of a poore simple man I desire my Reader that he would do the like For I protest before the Lord his Angells before all the world that I haue not spoken anie thing for any delight that I haue in reprouing the truth whereof the Reader may easily see if he consider that I haue reprooued no mans fault so much as mine owne If I seeme to be more vehement then needeth the cause thereof is because it is both long since this our good statute was made also a contrary custome hath almost ouergrowne it It hath bene smoothered shamefully kept vnder of a long time And it is noted of one that a Law the farder it is from the first authoritie which is as it were the first stroke wherewith it is first sent abroad the weaker it is And that a custome the longer it cōtinueth the stronger it is I speak not this to end any should be discouraged from labouring against this sin for the word of God is mightie to bring down euerystrong hold euery high thought that lifteth vp it selfe against the almightie but that we shold rouse vp our selues to fight more manfullie against it seeing it hath so manie so mightie enemies to defende it And because there is little hope that the Lord will take awaie this losenesse of life from vs either by preaching or by the seueritie and diligence of the godlie magistrate so long as we cast away from vs so churlishlie his blessed discipline that hath bene so louingly offered let vs throw our selues downe and craue forgiuenesse for this our great rebellion giue enterteinmēt to it at the last that the vse praise of our catholike religion maie bee seene and that it maie appeare in hir perfect beautie We see nowe that euerie bodie maie do what him listeth without controlement The Church maie seeme to bee nothing els but a companie of outlawes And what reproch is this to the holy and righteous Lord Iesus Christ which is the Lord thereof What Christian heart doth not bleed to see open common dronkards to come to the Church and to be accounted catholikes How wonderfullie doth this sinne preuaile for want of church discipline Know you not saith the Apostle that a leauen sowreth a whole lumpe of dowe How manie are infected whilest the corrupted parties are not cut off What great commoditie is the whole Church depriued off for want of this communication If these filthie persons were thus banished the Church deliuered vnto Sathan vntill they had acknowledged their fault and washed their faces with teares of repentance before all the congregation this fearfull punishment would make others afraid to offend The parties that hath offended shall receiue a singuler commoditie by this thing for now they be not of the Church and yet are accounted to be of the Church they thinke their case is verie good and harden themselues in their sins and so goe to hell as it were in a sleepe before they be aware wheras by this wholsome discipline they would be awakened out of their deepe sleepe they would be made ashamed and so repent Thus if they were confounded in this world they should bee glorified in the world to come vpon their repentance they should be receiued againe then should they not onely be in the Church but of the Church theyr sinnes which were so fast bound in heauen but not in earth should then be loosed both in heauen in earth These things are confessed wished for in our cōmunion booke as it were by a generall consent of the whole Realme that manie yeares ago yet we stand at a staie and account those good men our enimies that perswade vs to the practise of it The Lord for his mercies sake that sitteth in the heauens and laugheth his enimies to scorne that can bring to passe with the turning of an hand whatsoeuer he wil bring this thing to passe Wherfore shall the Papists saie We neuer saw the like wickednesse in our fathers daies O Lord deliuer thy word from this reproch and deliuer vs from the slauerie of sin Sathan our own rebellious practises to freedome libertie which is no where els to be found but in putting on the easie yoke of Iesus Christ in being gouerned by his word We shal not thē anie longer
vse the name of Christ as men are wont to vse an olde cloke which put it on when any stormy tēpest is towards thē are ashamed of it when the storme is ouer Men shall not then anie longer vse the calling vppon the name of God as they vse Aqua vitae only when they lye a dieng but they shall professe the calling of his name throughout the whole course of their life then shall not the son of God be ashamed of vs before his father If the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ were thus set vp we should haue euen an heauen vpon earth I am afraide I haue troubled my Reader with loking an Epistle and therefore I will heere take my leaue of him wishing him well to fare in the Lord. Thine in the Lord Samuel Byrd The summe of euerie Chapter VVhat pleasures are lawfull and that we maie offend by vsing them too little or too much Chap. 1. fol. 1. VVhat games are simplie vnlawfull Cha. 2. fol. 12. Continuing to much at lawfull games maketh Chap. 3. fol 29. That our kind of daūsing is vtterlie vnlawfull Chap. 4. fol. 34. Of Dice and Cards Chap. 5. fol. 37. A remedy against such euils as haue ben before spoken of Chap. 6. fol. 70. FINI◠¶ A friendlie communication or diōloge betweene Paule and Demas wherein is disputed how wee are to vse the pleasures of this life The first Chapter DEmas I am come to sée how you doe sir for me thinke it is long since I sawe you Paule It is long since I sawe you in déede but I will not saie you are therefore welcome for if you would come oftener you should be much more welcome De Well bicause as you saie I come so seldome I will tarrie with you so much the longer if it were not for hindering your studie you should haue me dwell with you this whole after-noone for I haue manie things to talke with you off you shall sée I will make you werie of me before I go The last time we were in companie together if you remember there was much talke had to and fro how we should vse this present world And me thinke it was well said of one that séeing it is the will of God to haue vs liue in this world It is likewise his plesure to haue vs inioy the pleasures of this life And yet on the other side the riotous life of a great manie was found fault withall that also not without good cause I would therefore gladlie learne some certeintie in this matter I would gladly learne I saie when we vse the pleasures of this world aright and when we abuse them But to the end you might vnderstand my meaning aright you shall vnderstand that I call those the pleasures of this life not which are simplie euill as adultrie is or such things as we inioie by stelth but I speake of such as maie be both vsed not vsed without anie breach of the commaundement And bicause I am somwhat doubtfull what those are that are of this kinde I praie you tell me what they are and how a man maie be bolde to vse them Paule The pleasures of this life maie verie well bée diuided into such as are common to all men as meate drinke such like or else into such as are vsed but of some men of this kind are games for all men you knowe are not gamesters Concerning the first kinde the Apostle telleth vs that the earth is the Lords all that there in is And therefore we maie boldlie féed on anie thing that is solde in the Shambles We maie be bolde I saie to delight our tast with anie kinde of foule that flieth in the aire with anie kinde of liuing thing that goeth on the earth with anie kinde of fish that liueth in the water or with anie kinde of fruite that groweth out of the earth It is lawfull to delight our hearing our eie-sight our smelling our tast our féeling with the vse of anie thing that the Lord hath made for example it is lawfull to delight our hearing with the singing of birds or with anie other kind of honest melodie It is lawfull to delight our eies with beholding the glorious maiestie of the heauens that are drawne out like a curtein We maie behold the Sun when he commeth out of his chamber like a bridegrome to run his race we maie beholde all the host of heauen and all the glorie of the earth we may delight our eies with looking vpon anie amiable coulour or pleasant sight we may take pleasure in anie fresh swéet smelling sauour We may féed as I said before on whatsoeuer is pleasant to our tast we maie refresh our selues with heat in Winter and with cooling things in Summer And 1. Tim. 4. 1. as the Apostle is bolde to call the forbiddng of anie kinde of meat the doctrine of diuels Bicause the occasiion of giuing God thankes therefore is therby taken awaie so I dare boldlie saie that the forbidding a man to refresh anie of his other senses with anie honest delight is likewise the doctrine of diuels so far am I frō condēning anie honest pleasures We maie therefore sport our selues as I haue said or to speake more particularlie we may with delight view the earth the is apparelled with flowers hearbs trées with all kinde of fruite The incredible multitude wherof is distinguished with an insatiable vareitie whervnto we maie adde fountaines Tullie de natura deorum 2. booke goodlie springs cléere waters riuers with their gréene bankes The huge height of mountaines the largnesse of the wide fields to conclude the whole earth with the rich treasures that are hid in the bowels therof what a comelie grace haue golde and siluer aboue other mettels what also and how manie kinde of beasts are there both wilde and tame how trimlie doe the birds fall vpon the earth the ground is diuided by the diligence of man some to pasture some to tillage and some is taken vp for places to dwell in The sea is full of fishes both great small If we consider the beasts of the earth it is wonderfull what care the dammes haue to defend their little ones how louinglie do the hen gather her chickins vnder hir wings Now if we shall come to the comelie proportion of euerie liuing thing especiallie of man how trimlie are our bones knit together fit for the mouing and for euerie action of the bodie The sences beeing the interpreters messengers of things are verie fitlie placed in the head as it were in a castle the eies as spies possesse the vppermost part of the face as it were a tower by their warning the bodie auoideth manie harmes All sounds and all sauours doe naturallie assend vpward our eares therefore and our nostrels which are made to receiue sounds sauours are verie fitlie placed aloft Our tast which trieth all those kinde of meates and drinks which we féede on dwelleth
in that part of the mouth where through all meats and drinks doe goe Our féeling is dispearsed throughout our whole bodie by which meanes if anie harme come to the bodie by féeling it maie soone be espied and remedied Our eies haue a couering which is made soft least our eie sight should be hurt Our eares are made winding and haue waxe in them least by béeing plaine and emptie some thing shuld enter in annoy vs. Our eies are able to iudge of the order and comlinesse of euerie thing they looke on Our eares can tel which is a swéet which is an harsh sound wherby were found out sundrie kind of instruments and the whole art of Musicke What our tast can doe we are taught by the sundrie kinde of dishes that are dailie deuised With these and all such like pleasant meditations maie we delight our selues Now concerning the right vse of all these thinges that I haue spoken of we shall haue a good direction if wée cōsider that they are all the creatures of God and that we cannot haue the vse of anie thing which is not his for he made all of him for him and through him are all thinges and therefore it is good reason that he should be glorified in all Wée doe not glorifie the Lord in his creatures as we ought to doe when either wée barre our selues to much from the vse of those thinges that hée hath left fit for vs or else when we vse them too much Concerning the first kinde we are to-learne that the creatures of God are as steps and staires wherby we arise to the acknowledgeing of the creator these gifts of God are as it were his hands whereby he doth lead vs vnto himself that gaue them But how can we be leade vnto him when wée refuse to take him by the hand how can we be thankfull for that which we cast a side make no account of How can we acknowledge the bountifull goodnesse of God toward vs when we refuse those things which would cause vs to haue a sencible feeling of it within our selues for this cause is the forbidding of meates called the doctrine of diuels And although this voluntarie abstinence may séeme to haue a glorious shew in the sight of men yet the Colos 2. 16 Apostle is verie carefull to haue vs take héede of it And we are to take the better view of this the Apostles admonition bicause for want of due consideration thereof the Pope hath of along time beguiled vs. For though he hath opened a gappe to all kinde of losenesse of life though hée hath giuen vs great libertie to break all the commandements of God yet in this matter he hath bene verie strait two daies in euerie wéeke thorough out the yeare and all the Lent long we might eate neither beast nor foule nor of any thing that came from either of them Fresh fish and the cherishing meate that is to be sold at the Poticaries is deere and hard to come by so that the meat that was left vnto vs to feede vpon was drie tough salt fish that hath no wholsome moisture in it I remember Fuccius the Phisition in his institutions speaketh merelie of this matter It was to be feared saith he that if the Pope had reigned ouer vs still he would haue made vs eate haie with the beasts of the field This strait charge of the Pope had a goodlie outward showe but if wée looke well vpon the matter we shall sée it was nothing but méere Hipocrisie In forbidding these meates the taming of the bodie was pretended but why then was not wine forbidden Why were not Poticarie Iuncates delicates taken awaie which are able to set the flesh aloft more a gret deale thē béefe or mutton Beside this saltfish is not the best meate to prepare our harts to praier as the Papists wold make vs beleue nay this cold watrish windie meate doth trouble disquiet our bodie maketh vs more vnfit for good meditatiōs thē any other kind of meate And therefore it is not without good cause that the Apostle hath giuen vs this admonitiō I denie not but a man may haue a good meaning in this kind of voluntarie abstinence yet if his straitnes be ouer great he maie offēd Timothie was a good man and yet he did amisse in that he weakened his bodie too much And therefore the Apostle willeth him to drink no longer water but to vse a litle wine for his stomackes sake his oftē infirmities The Lord 1. Tim. 3 is not like a couetous housholder that cōpelleth his seruants to fast that his vittels might be spared neither doth he enuie vs our meat He is rich inough is alwaies able to giue in great abūdance all such things as we haue néed of Indéed if we abstain from meat to that end we might be more fit to praie this kind of abstinēce is very acceptable vnto him but if we faint pine away w e too long fasting so the we cannot pray or walk in our calling so chéerefullie as otherwise we might we are thē in as great falt as if we had ouer eate our selues or as if by ouer drinking our selues we were made vnfit to do anie good thing therfore when fasting is cōmanded vnto vs in the scripture praier is alwaies ioined withall The heathē philosophers especiallie the Stoicks were wont to speak very cōtēptuouslie of all the cōmodities of this life but yet we Christians like neuer awhit the better of thē for their affections which were not delighted with the cōmodities of this present life were not set vpō a better life but we make some account of them although in respect of Christ we account all the world as dounge yet otherwise we take them as signes and scales of the fauourable loue of God towards vs. By them we are assured that he hath greater goods in store for vs against such time as he shall take vs vnto himselfe We maie also abuse the creatures of God by vsing of them too much for whether we eat or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe we must do all 1. Cor. 10. 31 to the glorie of God And therefore when the lawfull vse of meats and drinkes is set downe in the scripture there is also mention made of giuing 1. Tim. 4. 4 Rom. 14. 6. of thankes but when we stuffe our bodies with meates and drinkes the heart is kept downe so that it cannot ascend vnto the acknowledging of the giuer When we put on gorgeous or curious apparell to maruaile at our selues and to contemne other we cannot be thankfull For how can thankfulnesse proceed from a voluptuous and a proud heart How can we lift vp a thankfull heart vnto the creator when we staie so much in the creature it selfe that we are neuer satisfied therewith For this cause are we commanded if riches increase not to set our hearts vpon them Looke not saith Salomon vpon the
as cannot gouerne theÌ„selues Those that beare office are sworne to put downe dice card-plaie yet if they kéepe an alehouse theÌ„selues they wil allure poore men to these vnlawfull games and rather then they should not play they will play with them themselues This hath bene told to him that may remedie the matter yet there is nothing done A notable iudgement of God hath bene shewed vpon periured persons at Thaxted not farre hence and yet are we not afraid to forsweare our selues Séeing therefore these things are thus I beséech the Preacher in the name of the liuing God that he wold not sooth vp the officers as if all things were well when indéede there is onlie a vaine flourish of discipline vsed which is as much as nothing For who knoweth not that these games are vsed yet who hath ben reprooued for it Ther be indéed gouernours appointed but ther is not that diligent inquiring after these things as shuld be yet when things are complained of other men are not discouraged from sin by the punishmeÌ„t of the offender The Magistrate thinketh that he doth discharge his dutie highlie if he punisheth when a falt is brought before him otherwise though they heare men swearing at cards as they walke in the stréetes it maketh no matter Good Lord wher is that merciful seueritie that was in that good man Iob â—â—b 29. 8. 6. which made the vnrulie young meÌ„ hide themselues for feare when they saw him He did not waite til a complaint was brought to him but wheÌ„ he knew not the cause he sought it out diligeÌ„tlie This thing as all other things wer was written for our lerning we must therfore do the like We shuld put down all vitling houses but such as must néedes be had to intertaine straungers those vitling houses that remain we must search them diligentlie if there be anie cards or tables found we must bring them to the market place there burne them before all the people And if the Law will giue vs leaue we shuld take all the cards tables out of the haberdashers shops burne them I know not what the Lawe saith in this point but trulie I can sée no reason how it can be lawfull to buie or sel cards or tables wheÌ„ as the vse of theÌ„ is forbidden Idle persons must be hunted after at such places as are suspected their haunt must be brokeÌ„ then shal the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing If the Preacher be afraid to preach these things as we are all the sort of vs cowards dastards in Gods matters if we be afraid we know of whoÌ„ to aske strength euen of that mightie valiant God that is fierce in battell the Lord of hosts is his name What art thou faith the Prophet Esay that thou shuldest Esaie 51 feare a mortal man and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath spred out the heauens Let vs not therefore feare the reproch of men for their breath is in their nostrells the moath shal eate them vp like a garment the worme shal eate them like wooll If we will not speak the Lord is a iealous God Trusse vp thy loines saith the Lord vnto Ieremie arise and speake vnto the people all that I command thée be not afraid of their faces least I destroie thée before them If thou hast this boldnes with thée though men fight against thée they shall not preuaile the Lord euen the Lord shal deliuer thée Thou must not cease from speaking when some little abuse is amended Wicked king Pharao yéelded somwhat to Moses peticion but Moses would not content himselfe with a litle The Lord must haue an absolute obedience We must indéed yéelde obedience to all magistrates good and badde so that it be in the Lord but yet we must not commend them before they walke roundlie in their office as they shuld No no if the officers did their duetie we shuld not haue such disorders as we haue If a subtile fellowe to make those that should looke to it secure giue it out that plaie is well ceased then all is safe Demas But you knowe the magistrates cannot punish men for plaieng in Christmas time as they call it Paule But they maie and ought to punish them to for euen then when they haue most libertie they must not plaie at Alehouses but in their maisters house or when their maister looke on them when an inch is giuen they must not take an ell but I haue before shewed the abuse of this time and therefore I will not speake of it anie more Demas You haue done so indéed but yet you haue not aunswered one reson that hath bene vsed in defence of abusing the time in this order The reason is taken out of the third Chapter of the Preacher where the wise man saith that to all things ther is an appointed time and that there is a time to cast awaie stones or to trifle as they expound it Paule Yet casting of stones were a great deale better exercise then to sit moping and dreaming at a paire of cards But the truth is they shamfullie abuse the place For it hath bene proued before that whether wée eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe we must doe it to the glorie of God When we exercise or recreate our selues our recreation must tend to edifieng and to the building vp of our faith for example When we plaie at tennis we refresh our wearied spirits and memories by the which meanes we are better able to studie and to get knowledge whereby our faith is strengthened For aunswere to their place this I saie that the holie Ghost doth not set downe what maie be done without breach of that coÌ„mandemeÌ„t but he telleth vs what is commonlie done among men as it is plaine in the text as it is easie to perceiue by the argument of the whole booke Among other thinges that are there rehearsed it is said that ther is a time to hate and a time to loue but we knowe there is no time wherein we ought for to hate If anie alledge that we ought to hate sin they say nothing to the purpose For our hatred against sin must not be restrained to anie one time but we must bid it battle all our life But ther it is euident that the text speaketh of the diuersitie of time so that they are still to séeke for the defence of their vanities Demas If the lewde example of the vniuersitie were not truly I thinke and partlie by report I vnderstand so much that manie Gentlemen would leaue this game and also cause all their household to leaue it Paule I will not defend the vniuersitie in this sin of theirs notwithstanding so far foorth as the truth will giue me leaue I will speake somwhat in their defence Least therefore anie should think