ca. 47. rede the places The exequution of the paine agaynst the transgressours Rede 1. Reg. 28.4 Reg. 23. in the law of man we rede thus Sileat omnibus perpetuo diuinaÌ„di curiositas etenim suppliciuÌ„ capitis feret gladio ultore prostratus quicunque nostris iussis obsequiuÌ„ denegauerit Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. that is to say the supersticion of fore destening is for bydden allwayes vnto all men and who so euer obey not oure commaundementes is coÌ„demnyd vnto the swerd and shall suffer the loste of his hedde Thowghe I do by the thauctorite of Godes lawes and mannes lawes damne this damnable art Mathematicall I do not damne souche other artes and sciences as be associatyd and annexid withe this vnlawfull Astrologie as is Geometrie and Arithmetice those be necessarie for euery man spetially Arithmetice for she extendithe as an necessarie ayede not only vnto all sciences but also to euery liberall art and condicion of liefe and among all artes Mathematicall Arithmetice is accomptyd the fyrst Musyke Geometrie and Astronomie wantythe here ayede and she not thers Plin. lib. 35. cap. 10. They be the gyfftes of God and to be honoryd because they com from him onlye that gyuythe all goodnis Iac. 1. Farther the Emperours of the worolde Dioclet and Maximian Tyberio Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. doothe permit these artes Artem Geometriae discere atque exercere publice interest Ars auÌ„t Mathematica daÌ„nabilis interdicta est that is to say it is expedient or profetable to lerne and exercyce the art of Geometrie but the damnable art mathematicall is for bydden The law menythe Astrologie and Astronomie whiche ar vsyd well but of a few men The Astrologer is he that knowithe the course and motions of the heauens and teachythe the same whiche is a vertew if it passe not his bondes and be come of an Astrologer an Astronomer who takythe vpon him to yeue iudgment and Censure of these motions and course of the heauens what they pronosticat and destenye vnto the creatures of the earthe man best and other what shal be the temperature of the ayre the condition of the Erthe the state and successe of souche frute as it bryngythe forthe By this knolege they fore speke of pestilence and other diseacis and seythe the deathe of great men to cum and souche commotions and warres as shall folow betwene the prynces of the wotold And Thus they sey they know by the course of the heauens Where as they sethe coniunctions of many planetis of rygures and fatall disposition and qualite concurre by reasone of whois influence into these inferiour partes all those calamites must happen Here they abuse not only the name of God and the Naturall discurse of reason whiche hathe comprehendid the motions and course of heauens but also heauens it selfe and attribute vnto the heauens the thing that onlie appertainithe to god to sai the healthe of man and sichnis of man the pleÌ„tie of the earthe and scarsite of the same the regimeÌ„t of commune wealthes and the lyffe and deathe of the gouerns therof There knolege and practise in these thynges is nothyng att all for allmightie god hathe not made the heauens to that end and purpose that man shuld lern of them good fortune or I le as it is playne Gen. 1. in the second daye God made the fyrmament and the superiour speres whiche the text callythe rakiah to this end that it shuld seperat The waters that be vnder the firmament from those that be a boue the firmament and God callid the firmament heauen in the 4. daye God made the Sonne the Mone and the Sterres And shewithe to what purpose and end he made them the one to haue dominion in the daie the other in the night and God put them in the fâ—rmament of heueÌ„ to yeue light vnto the erthe â–ª those rule in the day and night and put diuersite betwene light and darkenis to deuyde the yere into his partes The spring Somer Autumne and wynter They ar in signes like wyce saythe the text The whiche the housbound maÌ„ that tylythe and sowith the growne obseruithe withe out supersticion to sowe and repe his corn he castythe it into the wynter and receauythe it agayne in the Somer So doothe the Mariner marke the reuolution of the Mone his decrese and increse wher by he knowithe the tydes the Ebbe and flow of the see and the later phisicions Auicenne and Auerroys hathe like wice assignid there vse in mannes bodye Therefore they apoynt diuersite of dayes in the practise of phisike one to be more apt for letting of blud then other to purge and to balne theÌ„ the other If they may be obseruyd without superstition it may be suffryd so notwithstonding that souche as obserue not these later rules may booth ministre and receaue medicins for the heuenes were made to serue vs and not to master vs. were creatyd for man and man not for them Therfore it is a false supersticion to saye good or bad plentythe or scarsite sicknes or elthe warr or peace dependithe of the influence of the heauens Or he that is borne vnder one signe to be more fortunate then he that is borne vnder the other as this Egyptiacall and Ethnycke folyshnis barythe men in hand The Pronostication of these blynd Prophetis is good to be born in a mannes besoÌ„me to know the day of the monethe The rest of there practice is not worthe one hawe as Moses teachithe Deut. 28.29.30 Leuit. 26. Thre 2. Malach. 2. Where as ye may se that all these illes and many more then the Astronomers spekythe of commythe vnto vs for synne and the transgression of Godes commaundement It is nether Sonne nether Mone Iupiter nor Mars that is the occation or mater of wealthe or who plentythe or scarsythe of warr or pece Nether is the cause of penitence the putrefaction of the ayre as Galenus wrytythe libr. 1. De diffe feb cap 5. But the contempt of Godes commaundement is the cause as thow maist rede in the chapiters of the scripture alitle afore rehersyd The Ayre The Water and the Erthe hathe no poyson in them selfes to hurt there lord aÌ„d master man But fyrst man poysenithe him selfe with synn and then God vsythe these Elementes ordeynyd for the lief of man to be thoccation of his deathe Rede the places and know that godd healthe is nom bred among the blyssynges of God and apperteynythe vnto those that fere and kepe Godes Commaundementes aÌ„d not to those that be destenyd to lyue loÌ„g by the fauour aÌ„d respectes of planetes And the I le of what kynd so euer it be is the malediction of God agaynst synne The phisicians say that the chefyst remedy agaynst pestilence is to fle from the place where the Ayre is corrupt Godes law saithe fle whether thow wilt Adherere faciet tibi Dominus pestilenciam donec consumat te de superficie terrae Deutero 28. That is to say
respect vnto the glorie of Christ then shall he boldlye speake the truithe without respect of persones not temperyng his oration withe colours of flaterye but hardelye call vertew vertew and vyce vyce as he seythe occasion who so euer be his audience S. Ianin his Epistole capit 3. shewithe who is apt for this office to preache the word of God so doothe christ Matt. 10. so doothe Paule 1. Timo. â— Tit. 1. so doothe Moses and the prophetes nothing more blasphemythe the name of God theÌ„ false doctrine and souche as sekythe them selfes and can vse the word of God as the se there audience and not as it is commaundyd them by the word of God souche preachers hathe browght the superiour poures of the erthe vnto a contempt of godes word hatred of the preacher when he tellythe truythe and the vnlernyd into blyndnis and ygnorancie Those abuse the name of God that sike helpe of damnyd sprytes or of souche soules as be departyd out of this worold as Saul dyd 1. Reg. 28. or those that by Necromancie or souche like incantamentes abuse the name of god to resuscitat ded bodies or call sprites departyd vnto the bodie agayne whiche is nothing else but an illusion and craffte of the deuill to make men belyue lyes Those men in Englyshe be callyd coniurers who vsithe artes for byddin by Godes lawes And also by the lawes of Ethnikes before Chryst was born Titus Liuius lib. 1. de vrbis origine wrytithe of Numan pomp that was instructid disciplina tetrica the whiche discipline S. Aug. callith Hydromanciam ether necromantiam lib. de Ciuit. 7. cap. 35. the whiche artes were forbydding as it aperythe by Apuleius whiche in his booke de magia defendythe him selfe agaynst one that accusyd him of Nâ—cromancie The law of the 12. tables that were in Rome loÌ„g before the byrthe of Christ for bydithe those artes As Cicer. wrytythe De Repub the more I wondre that ony souche supersticious bookes shuld be pryntyd vnder the pryuyleige of ony Christyane prynce or Magistrates as be the bookes of Iohn Tritemius and Henrye Cornelius Agrippa spetialli his thyrd booke de occulta philozophia that is to say of secreat philozophie Withe many other that sparyd no labor in settyng forthe souche vngodlie workes They browght fyrst thabuse of Godes name in to christiane mennes hartes and tawght them the same superstityon that ons was namely among the Persians and Aegiptians Valerius lib. 8. cap. 6. for as amoÌ„g the gentiles there were sommne callyd Augures that by obseruation of the byrdes of th aire in there fleyng criyng and eating made men belyue the knew thinges to comme so among the Christyanes be somme that thynke they can do the same As if the Pye Chatter they loke for gestes If the croo cry they say we shall haue rayne If the hole hoyle it is signe of deathe And as there were somme that by the obseruation of the Sterres toke vpon them to speke of thinges to com by certayne supersticious and dyuyllishe incantacions whiche the persians call Magos the Grekes philozophos the Latynes sapientes Galli druidas The Aegiptions sacerdotes the Indies gymnosophistas the Assyrians chaldeos so is there among the Chrystianes the same sort of people whiche be callyd soothe sayrs or pronosticatours that writ and speake of thinges to comme as when Iubiter rulythe the constellations aboue and is not impeachyd nor let by the coniunction of his contrary planete we shall haue a godd yere and aplentyfull If Saturn and souche as astronomers attribute contrarye qualites vnto raigne we shall haue scarsetye and derthe of thynges Plin. lib. 18. wrytithe of souche as by only wordes or withe some other thiÌ„g annexid withe the wordes workithe thinges aboue nature as the deuill hathe doÌ„ne all waies as Histories record Luca. lib. 6. Valer. li. 8. cap. 1. wrytithe of one of the Godes vesta Nunnes that was falslie accusyd of an vnchast lieffe desyrid the Godes to delyuer here innocensie in that cryme by somme miracle As she dyd The mayde went to the ryuer callyd Tyber withe a seue and browght it ful of water into the temple of the Godes So among Chrystyane men be the same sort of people that by thabuse of Godes name throwghe the helpe of the deuyll doothe many tymes worke the same in helyng man and lest as not many yers sithe I was born in hand of a pore man that erryd by ygnorauÌ„ce that this Medycine could hele all diseaces †Iesus †Iob †habuit †vermes †Iob †patitur †vermes †In †nomine †patris †et filij †et spiritus sancti †Amen †lamazabathani †God openyd his hart after ward to know the truythe Souche as be yeuen to the artes practyue as Geometrie Musycke Astrologie and Arithmetice takythe vpon them to iudge of mennes conditions by the sight of there faces Gell. lib. cap. 9. lib. 14. cap. 1. so be there among people Chrystenid that know nether art nor science that take vpon them to know the same by there countenaunce the lynes of there handes or by there passis or goyng Lucane the Poete wrytithe that one resuscitatyd from deathe to lyue shewyd vnto Sextus Pompeius what shuld be the successe and end of the batell in the feldes of Thessalie so wrytithe Plin. lib. 37. ca. 11. and Tullie lib. 1. Tusc Quest so dyd the shadow of Samuel shew the deathe of Saul 1. Reg. 28. The same doothe the deuyll shew vnto many that by thabuse of Godes name vse supersticious coniurations and inchauntmentes when they syke the truythe of the deuill and ded bodies and leue the word of the lyuing God Augustus themperour for byd this supersticious art and Claudius themperour clene abolishyd it Cesar lib. 6. How the law of Chrystiane Emperours hathe for byddin and punyshite this vngodly artes thow mayst rede Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. The law ciuile punishythe it withe banyshment withe the swerd and to be toren with bestes Culpa similis est tam prohibita discere quam docere that is to say the fault is one to lerne and to teache the thynges for biddyn Rede the 18. cap. of Deut. and there thow shalt fynd as many names of those that vse for byddin artes as be reherhersyd by CoÌ„stantine and Iuliane the Emperours Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. and like wyce the same artes and as Moses for bydith all the people those vngodlie artes so doothe those Emperours Boothe Moses in Godes lawes and these Emperours in mannes lawes punishythe withe deathe the transgressours of this commaundement Moses Deut. 13. prescribythe this payne Propheta ille aut somniator somniorum occidi debet eo quod auersionem loquutus sit aÌ„ domino deo uestro that is to sai that prophete or dreamer of dremes must be slayne be cause he hathe spoken a defection or apostasie from the lord youre god more at large is this payne wroten Leuit 20. and Esa
Paule saithe 2. Cor. 3. oure abilite ād sufficiencie is of god whē we haue cōsiderid the malice of the deuill against souche as rule in the worold ād likewice the rulers propre infirmites thē let vs cōsider likewice oure awne sinnes ād nawghtie liffe for the punishmēt where of God yeuithe many times cruell and vngodly gouerners Iob. 35. as he yenithe good wise and louing princis to souche as fere his name 2. Para. 9. if they happen to fall frō god ād folow vice it is not thy dewty straight way to cālūniat speake moue sediciō cast of obediēce loue and fere that thow a wist vnto thē but prai for thē studie what thow cāst to call thē agaīe to god be prone to for gote ād remitt th offence remēbre Sau. ād Sal. that fell ād yet returnid dissēble at souche fātes as be curable lest the publicke peace be troblid remēbre thowghe he be nawght that rulithe the place and office that he is in is the order and worke of God so if thow put difference betwene the office it selfe whiche is good and the offycer that is I le it shall kepe the in afere that thow reuerēce a godd and godlye gouernaunce in a nyle gouerner As Paule louyd the polycie and lawes of Rome and neuer tawght sedicion thowghe he hatyd Caligula and Nero themperours that ocopied the imperye and dominion Beware therfore of contumacie and disobedience agaynst the superiour powres obey them in all thynges where they commaund the nothing agaynst Godes lawes so commaundithe Paule Ephe. 6. for they ar apointid vnto that place of gouernaunce to be Godes Vycars to execuet his lawe his will his pleasure to bring men to god and not to carimen from god for in case they instigat there subiectes to the transgressiō of godes lawes we must obey nether them nether there lawes they be not then oure fathers but rather strangers that would drw vs from the obedience of God whiche is oure very father It is not decent that there auctorite shuld be aboue and Godes auctorite vnder for as mannes auctorite dependithe of Godes so shuld it bryng mē and lede men to God Where as they cōmaund nothing against Godes law thow hast hard before what reuerēce thow owist vnto thē A thīg more vnnaturall is there not then to sethe sonne dishonor the father the subiect his superiour As we lern not only by the scripture but also by the examples of all other bestes of the ertht ād fowles of the ayre except a fewe therfore the booke of Iob sendithe vs vnto them to lern wysdō cap. 12. So doothe Plin. lib. 8. cap. 27. Nat. hist shew what wysdome the bestes of the erthe hathe tawght man Be not as the vipere that gnawithe out the bely of here damme and sekithe here awne liefe withe here dammes deathe folow the nature of the Cicone that in here vthe norishithe the old daies of here parentes Plin. lib. 10. cap. 23. Nat. Hist thus thow art bound to do if thow do it thow shalt haue thy reward whiche is to lyue long vpon therthe Exod. 20. Deut. 5. if thow do it not be assuryd that God will punishe it thowgh man do not Deu. 17. Eyod. 21. Prouerb 15. Rom. 13. Rede the 35. chapiter of Hier. the prophet and marke how God punyshyd the children of Israel for disobedience and rewardyd the Rechabites for obedience of there fathers will Now it is necessarie to know the superiours deutye fyrst the fathers to the sonne then of others that bare rule in the worold The fathers offyce is to teache and bryng vppe there chyldren in the knolege and discipline of God to know him aright and kepe them from wantenis and vngodlie liefe Ephe. 6. Deut. 6. Exod. 21. not to prouoke them to ire but gentle wynne them to vertew and loue with out seuerite and rigure if fere meanes can awaile If not to vse rod and the punyshemēt as he sey the cause requyre and not to be remisse and negligent incorrectyng his chyldes faut nother to wynk at his I le doynges Prouerb 13. 23.10 Eccle. 30. rede the place but alas how can this be donne where as the Parentes thēselfes can scarse repet by hart the Articles of the faythe the pater noster and ten commaundementes How can those miserable persones teache there children the meanīg of there beliffe the vertew of prayer the danger of synne or right vse of the sacramentes This the worold o withe vnto the Holie churge that is extollid in to the higher heauens that hathe robbyd people not only of the scripture in a knowen tong but also preferrid vnto the cure of solles souche as syng solle fa and can do nothyng lesse then the thing that apertainithe to there offyce Now what the Prynce and Magistrate shuld be what there offyce is towardes there subiectes what is there reward if they gouerne well and what there payne if they do the contrarie it shall apere by the scrypture What the kyng shuld be it is wroten Deut. 17. and like wyce what thinges the shuld do or not do if thow wilt saythe God vnto the Israelites haue a kyng thow shalt take him that I-chose in the myddes of thy boothers vnderstand that now all kynges be they good or bad or put in there auctorite by god thow cāste make no stranger kyng ouer the. in these wordes is declaryd that who so euer will gouern a commune wealth aright must loue it and the membres therof as the father his chyldren As Xenophon saythe a godd prince differithe nothing from a good father Arist lib. Politicorū 5. ca. 9. shewithe many condicions that ar necessarilie requirid in him that shuld be preferryd to the gouernaunce of a commune wealthe The fyrst is that he loue it and the state therof Thus requiryd like wyce Chryst in peter when he commendyd the people vnto his charge Sayng peter louyst thowme yea lord sayd he and that thow knowest then Peter fede my shepe Io. 21. He shall not profet in the regiment of the Ciuile wealthe nor ecclesiasticall without a singuler loue vnto the preseruation therof The Kyng there is for hyddyn to multiplie horses and to cary the people agayne into Egypt not that the kīg shuld haue no horses or permit none of his subiectes if occasiō requirid to trauell into Aegipt but that he shuld not glorie in his owne strenghe and cause the people to trust in the might and poure of the fleshe as thowghe by mā there cōmune wealthe might be preseruyd or there Ennimies so euer cō in tyme of warre as Pharo and the Aegyptians dyd farther it is for bydden the kyng to haue manie wiefes And the cause is lest they shuld withe drawe his hart from god Nether shuld the kyng multiplie for himselfe great abundaunce of gold and syluer ▪ But thus the kyng must do when he raignythe in his kyngdome cause an Exampler of Deu. be wrotē out and that booke
shuld be with him and he to rede therin all the daies of his liefe and lerne to fere the lord his God and to obserue all the preceptes therof and lawes to do them Ffarther his hart shuld not be lifft vpp aboue his brothers and shuld not declyne from the preceptes of the booke nether to the lefte hand nether to the right that he may prolong his daies in his raygne he and his children in the myddes of Israel Deut. 17. The fyrst cure ād charge of the magistrat or prynce must be to se there subiectes instructyd in the fyrst table and the preceptes therof Whiche cannot be except they appoynt lernyd and conuenient ministres in the churge that teache none other doctrine then the Hole bible conteynythe Consernyng there offyce in Ciuile gouernaynce it is describyd Psal 100. to lyue well him selfe and to obserue mercy and iustyce to punyshe vyce and to extoll vertew rede that psalme there shalt thow se a prynces office his liefe and familie describyd How he shuld lyue after the word of God gouerne his people there by what seruantes he shuld haue in his curt and what persones shuld be banyskyd out the curt to vse the industrie of souche as be good in publick and priuat busynes as it is in the 6. verse it may happen Aprynce to haue ile seruantes extorsiners pollers pyllers oppressors of the pore nor commodious for his maiesti nor for the people of his realme Souche as lyue in illenys blaspheme God and can do none other thyng then deuoure the bred of the pore those Dauid saythe in the Eight verse he will banisheout of his court In the nynthe and last verse he saythe he will not only ryd his court of souche ile persones but also dayly yeue diligence to purge and clēce all his realme of souche ile doers The princes that hathe this studie to mayntayne the glorie of God and to preserue iustyce and equite if by infirmites they fall sōtymes must be born withe all and there faultes otherehidd or helid ▪ As it is to be sene in Solomon and Dauid if there offence be hurfull and slaunderous to the word of god and pernicious to the commune wealthe the preacher of Godes word must not dissemble to correct it by the word of God playnly without coloure or circumloquncion as Nathan dyd Dauid Elias Achab. Iohn Herod Ffor that that is spoke to all men is as thowghe it werke spoken to noman so doothe paule teache The princes ar callyd reges a regē do that is to say They ar callyd kynges whiche name commythe of a verbe that signifiethe to gouern they must led the people and them selfes by the law and not agaynst the law to be mynisters of the lawe and not masters of ouer the law Cato saythe well therin obey the law that thow madist thy selfe it shuld not offend the Magistrates to be reprehindyd by the preacher of the law of God but rather take it in good part and thank God that he hathe one to admonyshe him of I le in tyme. Remembryng the wordes Eccl. 10. cap. Rex hodie cras morietur that is to say to day a kyng and to morow shall dye All the estates of the worold in there honor shuld remēbre the wordes wroten Gene 2. Formauit Dominus deus hominem lutū de terra that is to say the lord God made man clay of the erthe Whiche wordes shuld admonishe all mē of there condiciō and originall Quid igitur superbis cinis lutum Eccl. 10. that is to say why art thow prode aisshis and clay thus shuld all other remembre that boste so there nobilite and thyncke there be no men but they In tyme past men were accomptyd noble for vertew and iustyce souche as had donne somme noble act ether in peace ingouernyng the commune wealthe or in warre for the defence of the his countrey and the heddes therof They were born no gentile men but made gentle men for there noble and vertews actes The nobilite now adaies is degenerat it applyythe no studie to folow the wysdome lernyng and vertews of there predecessours but thynkythe it Inawghe to haue the name without effect There wysdome and lernyng on s rulyd other now they contemne lernyng and scarse can vnder stand alernyd man when ye talkyth of wysdomme and lernyng Traianus the Emperour sayd vnto the capitayne of his Horse men when he gaue hym a swerd vse this swerd for me if I commaund the thynges that be right if not vse it agaynst me There shuld no uyce be excusyd nether defendyd vnder the pretence and cloke of Godes workes nether for the dignite of ony place manifest iniuries and wykednys permittyd to raigne but the word of God shuld allwayes without respect of persones stand in his full strengh and poure whose 〈◊〉 offyce is to teache the ignoraunt rebuke the transgressours chastine the intractable and to institute man in all kynd of vertew 2. Tim. 3. They shuld remembre that kyngdomes be alteryd and changyd by cause of synne Iob. and that God remouyd likewyce princes frō there dignites by reason of synne as it is to be seene by Saul the fyrst kyng among chrystiane people 1. Reg. cap. 16. all kynges and commune weal this of chrystiante were institutyd spetially to preserue the ministerie of the churche and the estimatiō of godes word that people might know and lyue accordyng to it ād as it teachithe to declyne all iniust wartes and battelles to defend them selfes there realmes and all other that be persequutyd for iustyce as Abrahā did his Neghbours and Loth is neuew Gē 14. to promote peace and make concord that they may be the chylder of God Mat. 5. No christiane man will take me hyre as thowghe I extenuatyd the Pryncely honor of kynges and other Magistrates commēdyd vnto vs by god Whom I honor reuerence loue and know by the scripture what I awe vnto them to say boothe goddes and liefe Rom. 13. Eph. 6. farther what mannes lawes gyuythe Cod. lib. 11. Tit. 74.75 I would all men shuld obserue The subiectes of euerye Ciuile wealthe must bare the charges and burdon that is necessarie for the preseruation therof and must not refuse to pay tribute vnto the superiour powres vnder the pretence of a chrystiane libertie but pay it with out grugge what so euer lawfully and of dewtie is demaundyd Remembring the liberty that Christ hathe yeuen vs is deliuerance from synne from deathe eternall the Horror of hell and to restore vs to euerlasting liffe and not to deliuer vs from the obedience of princes in souche ciuile cases Mat. 22. Lu. 20. Ro. 13. geue thē thyng to Cesar that is dew to Cesar and to god the thing dew to God Christ puttithe difference betwene those to great lordes God and the ciuile Magistrat that people shuld beware the yeue not the thing that is dew to on vnto the other But this order is changyd for where God commaundithe to
good an argument as this when he spake as the scripture do the and sayd Pater maior me est My father is greather then I. Or might not aman proue by the same reason that Elie Esaie and all other Prophetes before Christ came to be deseauers of the people aÌ„d false preachers For Christ said Io. 10. as maÌ„â— as came before me werethiffes aÌ„d murderers he that spekithe thus spekithe as the scripture spekithe there is not nor neuer was chrystiane Reader Heretick but spake in the defense of his heresie as the Scripture speakythe But toke not the meaning withe the word as we must do except we intend to robb the holye scripture of here trew sense and vngodlie forse the letter from the trew meanyng therof as those do that rather constrayne the vnlernyd conscience with fere then persuade them with godd Argumentes out of the Scripture They intricat the wyttis of men with sophistre and illusion that the know not what they hyre nether they them selfes what they say wheÌ„ the oration is endid for a trew bodye they shewe a blancke shadowe or rather phantasie of a bodie and all there wordes hathe browght forthe nothing lesse then a bodie that they promessid to deliuer vnto him that they would perswade As those that Horace spekythe of Parturient montes nascetur ridiculus mus They say he that beliuithe not there wordes that they haue atrew body withe Hoc est corpus meum Was neuer well perswadid of the fyrst article of his faithe scilicet I must beliue that God is omnipotent so we do But withe this reason they subuert them selfes Because ye se in the Sacrament God doothe not make the thing they speke and therfore it is not there for if he would it shuld be it must be a maÌ„nes bodie withe all the qualites therof for Christ hathe none other body but that he toke of the holie virgine and is allwaies visible and subiect vnto the senses whereso euer it be Ioan. 21.1 Ioan. 1. When they troble the withe the wordes of the supper this is my bodie returne vnto all the sacramentes of the old Testament Gene. 17. Exo. 12. and thow shalt fynd that they were the conconfirmations of the thinges they were callid and not the thing it selfe Roman 4. Then loke vpon other places of the Scripture Ioan. 6.16 Marc. 16. Luc. 24. Act. 1.3.7 belyue thy credo He ascendid into heuens Syttythe at the right hand of God the father all mightie from thense shall cum to iudge the lyue and the ded Woult thow not beliue all these places as well as the dreame of them that Cholythe the withe one place of the Scripture I le vndrestand Let those vntractable men iudge what they list of the Sacrament and holye supper of the lord Beliue thow withe the Scripture that it is but a memorie of Christ deathe a confirmation and mistery of oure redemption Luce. 22. 1. Corinth 11. Luc. saythe do it in the memorie of me and lest ony man shuld say that memory is to receaue the corporall bodie of Christ Sainct Paul 1. Corinth 11. interpretatytht it plainly and saithe the eathing of the bred and drinkyng of the wynne is donne to shew the deathe an passion of Christes body till be cum We must therefore in this kind of thifft and all other studie to make restitution and to pay euery man his as it is wroten in the law and Prophetes Exod. 22. Esa 3. Amos. 3. Luce 10. of the whiche restitution writithe Sainct Augustin ad Macedonium Epistol 54. The whiche noman shuld prolong nor commeÌ„d the doyng therof vnto his exequutors but he that hathe committyd the fault must make the menniâ— in this case vnto him that he hathe deceauyd If thow canst not remembre whom nether how mouche thow hast defraudid let that be thy dayly studij to call to remembraunce somme way as well to restore the Godes I le goten as thow foundist meanes to optaine them And be no more ashamyd to returne to grace theÌ„ thow were to lost it If thow find no persones to whoÌ„ thow shuldest restore it yeue it to the poure aÌ„d not to souche as shall synge Requiem for the after thy deathe And yeue no lesse then thow hast taken away The godes that be trewlie thyne thow shalt vse aright if thow obserue these too rules Fyrst if thow put no trust in them Red the 61. Psalme Matth. 6. 1. Tim. 6. Second if thow vse theÌ„ to the honor of God to the necessite of this present lieffe without excesse moderately with thy frendes for humanite and aboundantlie withe the poure for cherite so shalt thow haue I nowghe and leue I nowghe as Abraham did to his sonne Isaac Caput XII The nynthe Commaundement THow shalt be no fase wittenys agaynst thy neyghbour IN the eyghthe Commaundement ye se how God bound the handes of manne froÌ„ robbyng of his neighbours Godes the whiche is as it were a maâ—acle or hand sacle to kepe them from doyng of ile So dothe he in this nynthe commaundement bridle the tong from hurting his neighbour Whiche is if it be well vsyd the moost pretious membre of man if the contrarie moost detestable and pernicious an I le incorrigible full of pestiferous poisonne Ioc. 3. this precept coÌ„mauÌ„dithe a moderation of the tong and requirithe the truithe allwaies to be saide as occasion requirithe that no man hurt his neighbour whiche may happen where this law is neglectid many wayes In the soule in the body in his name or in his Godes an is committid ether by word writinges simulation dissimulation or be ony other becke or signe whiche ar all there for biddiÌ„ likewice that nomaÌ„ being callyd to bare testimonie in ony mater shuld spek other theÌ„ the truithe for he that is a false wittnys offendi the boothe against God and his neighbour Here is for biddin all kind of lies that be contrarye to cherite There be thre kindes of lies The fyrst men call iocosum mendatium wheÌ„ in bording they merelie speke of thinges vntrew that rather extend to exhiler at the companie theÌ„ to ony mannes harme This kind of bording is not commendable among christian men that shuld seke other meanes to ocopy the tyme with all and hathe more vice and lightnis then vertew and grauite The second sort of lies is callyd mendatium officiosum and is requirid when otherewyce I le or murder cannot be avoydid as ye rede Exod 1. where the mydwyues being commaundyd of Pharo to kyll all the males among the Israelites at the tyme of there byrthe sayde the women of the Ebrewes were deliuerid before they came to theÌ„ 1. Sam. 19. Michol Dauid wieffe by the same meanis sauid Dauid So did Ionathas cap. 20. Dauid in the 21. by this meanes optaynid bred of Ahimelech the Highe prist in Nobe and avoidid the handes of Achis the kyng of Gath. The third kynd is callyd meÌ„dacâ—â—Ì„ perniciosum a pernicious and hurtfull kynd of
lying that cummythe of malice hatred enuye or disdayne and extendithe to the hurt of his neyghbour this kynd is damnable whether it be in ciuile causes or maters of religion spetially to be abhorryd in diuines and preachers of the churche that cause men to erre from the way of saluation tawght vs by the scripture and to bring people from the old lerning of the Patriarches prophetes and Apostelles to the new lernyng of men from our mother the holie churche and the spouse of Christ Eph. 5. frâ—m a churche buldyd apon the doctrine and fundation of the Prophetis and Apostelles Ephe. 2. vnto the synagoge of the deuill buld vpon the doctrine of Antechrist Here is for bydden all thinges that hurtythe and not the thyng that can honestlie and cheritable profet the truythe and a good cause This law extendithe against those that by ony false meanes contend in iudgment to ouer com a right cause or molest an honest persone with slaunders and lyes or souche as fayne vntrew accusatione and crymes agaynst ony man Who is not onlie damnyd by this law of God but also by the law of man For when an vngodlie and malicious person is suffryd to lye and speake what he lystythe vnpunyshyd there is nothyng more pernitious in the worold to make debate and to breake cherite therefore not onlie Godes lawes requirythe the slaunderer to be punyshyd with the same payne that is dew for the offence that falselye he hathe accusyd his brother of Deut. 19. Matth. 7. Luc. 6. But also by the law of the 12. tables in Rome August de Ciuit. libr. 21. cap. 11. Instit lib. 4. Tit. 18. libr. Pandect de ijs qui infamiam irrogant slaunderours be not vnpunishyd likewyce those that secratly intende dissention or debate betwene persones and barers of tales that they theÌ„ selfes haue fainyd out of there awne malicious interpretyng of a thing donne to a godd purpose or the wordes spoken to an honest end contrary to the trew meaning of theÌ„ Against souche spekythe S. Aug. de ciuit lib. 19. cap. 6. qui ponit in iudicio debet poenam similem sustinere quamuis sint uera quia occulta manifestanda non sunt that is to say he that propounythe the thing he cannot proue thowghe it be trew he shuld suffre the like payne him selfe for thinges secreat shuld not be openyd Vndrestond that if the mater apertayne vnto God cherite the gouerners of the commune wealthe or vnto the commune wealthe it selfe then shuld the I le cheritable be openyd if it cannot be secreatlie remedyd Deut. 13. Here is for bydden all flattery and curyng of fauour An I le that destroythe cite and worold Raignythe in Moses cheyre in the court of priÌ„ces and euery pryuate house where as men carythe not so they may kepe them selfes in fauour or com into fauour what the preace or what they dispreace So it pleace there maisters these Parasites and seruile sort of men hold vpp I and nay as the wynd blowithe whiche is of all seruytudes the greatist It is not without cause that so many wysmen hathe yeuen counsell to be ware of this pestiferous kynd of people Cato Cum quis te laudat iudex tuus esse memento That is to say if ony man preacethe remembre to be thyne awne iudge Cic. de Offic 1. Cauendum est ne assentatoribus patefaciamus aures ne adulari nos sinamus that is to say we must beware we open not oure eares to souche as preâ—sythe vs falslie and not suffre oure selfes to be slatteryd None be so mouche in danger of these ile men and daungerous synne as the prynces nobles and superioure poures of the erthe therfore Ouid. saythe Agmen adulantum media procedit in aula that is to say The Cluster of flatterers walke in the myddes of the court To this inhonest and fylthy gayne ether pouertie or auaryce storithe them as Cic. writithe ad Heren lib. 4. Duae res sunt quae possunt homines ad turpe compendium commouere in opia atque auaritia Ffarther there is here for byddin the iudge to admit or ony man to offre in iudgment ony partiall fore wrowght or condudyd cause in case it be knoweÌ„ the person accusyd may appele to a higher iudge aÌ„d refuse the testimonies that speke of hatred or being corruptyd other wayes by loue or mony whether it be all redye payed or yet to be payd Cod. lib. 4. Tit. 20. wheÌ„ the law saythe thow shalt not answere as a false wyttnis against thy neighbour it declarythe that it is lawfull to shew the truythe when he is requiryd which coÌ„demnythe the opinion of those that thynke it not lawfull for a Chrystiane man to contend in ony cause before the ciuile Magistrates of the Erthe Remembre those 4. thynges in yeuing of testimonie and then thow shalt not offend Ffyrst remembre God and the truythe and do for them asmouche as thow mayst 2. Put a part all affections fere loue and hatred CoÌ„sider what the cause is and not who is the cause is if ony man speke godd or I le kepe one eare stoppyd with thy fynger and here him that speakythe withe the other So dyd Alexander the great and when he was demaundid why he dyd so he sayd he kept th one eare close to hyre the other part And that is the greatist testimonie that ony man can haue to coÌ„mend his wisdomme and so we be commaundid Exod. 23. Leuit. 19. rede the chapiter 3. se thow faine nothyng nor add nothyng to the cause whether it be godd or bad as the Pharises did against Christ and his holie Martir S. Steuen 4. se thow hyde nothing nor dissemble but speake platle and playnly asmouche as thow knowist if thow obserue not these 4. thinges it is not only thyffte agaynste cherite but also sacrilege agaynst God Whiche he abhorrythe Prouer 6. rede the cap. and shall not be vnpunishid Deut. 19. cap. rede the place The end of this precept is that we vse in all thynges a simple verite to wardes all men without fraude deceat or gyle in word and dede and all that is before spoken in many wordes the somme and hole is that we uiolat not nor hurt with slaunderous wordes calumniat not the thing well spoken or donne nor other waies our brothers name but be glad in all thynges to promote him boâ—the in Godes and fame Caput XIII The Tenthe commaundement THow shalt not couet thy neighbours house nether desyre thy neyghbours wiffe ether his man seruaÌ„t ether his woman seruant ether his or ether his Asseether onything that is thy neighbours ASmouche as is necessarie for man to lyue an vpp right and godlie lyffe in this worold boothe to wardes god and man is repetyd in the Nynne commaundementes afore if they be obseruyd accordin to there institution and mid of allmightie the yeuer of the same As he desyrithe all thexternall actes of man to extend vnto the glorie of