Therfore there is not so much ioye in climing vpward as there is sorrow in falling hard downward nor so much roume after victory as after ruine reproch of follie Therefore bee sure with what measure is mette to others the same to be measured againe If these sentences had bene and were of the enemies of Gods Gospell well cōsidered truly they would not haue shewed so much crueltie in shedding so much innocent bloud as they haue done and continually seeke to do What should hee that is strong auaunt of his strength whō bodily sicknes bringeth to feblenes Therefore in tyme foresee and amend if not the fall will bee the greater Concerning a further setting forth of the Romish Church and crueltie I referre it to other authors which speake therof sufficiently Great griefe assailes the Lecherous minde of such as doth the youth alure More worse then beastes I do thē finde such youth to lechery to procure ¶ The signification THe Goate signifieth Lechery the woman Whoredome◠she which leadeth the Goate by the beard is meretrix the baude and the deuill Nicticorax a blinde guide or deceauer LEchery in all estates is vtter enemie to vertue and an offence to the body It causeth all mischiefe discorde not only betwixt mā and wife but also it engendreth dreadfull hate endlesse destructiō both to the body liuing and also to the soule euerlasting Ualerius in his 4. boke declareth of one Sophonides who in hys old age sayd to one which demaūded of hym if he were any thyng lecherous His answere was willing hym to haue other matters to speake or talke of for sayth he I haue had great victory for that from my tyme to thys present I haue vanquished that which otherwyse would haue vanquished me Looke in the 34. chapter of Genesis and there is manifestly shewed the punishment for adulterers When Dina the daughter of Lea which she bare vnto Iacob went out to see the daughters of the land whom when Sichem the sonne of Hemor the Heuite Lord of that countrey sawe he toke her and lay with her and forced her And when Iacob heard that hys daughter Dina was defiled hee with his sonnes ceased not to auenge the crime committed so that Simeon Leui her brethren toke either of them hys sworde and went into the citie and slue all that was male and also Hemor and Sichem hys sonne c. Looke also in the second booke of the Kinges the 13. chapter of Ammon who for defiling of hys sister Thamar was destroyed by hys brother Absolon Consider also the horrible plage that fell vnto those which had cōmitted horrible adultery with the Leuites wife looke in the 20. chapter of the Iudges Moreouer what was the cause of the Lordes threatning agaynst the Niniuites It was for the wicked sinne of whoredome Who caused Ioseph to be imprisoned Euen the lecherous desire of his mistresse as it appeareth in the 39. chapter of Genesis Therefore lechery doth not onely cause offence by actuall deede but also in inward thought to such as doe desire the same Looke in Math. 5 Who so looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery already in his hart Flie from sinne as thou wouldest flie from a Serpent if not bee thou sure what soeuer thou bee not to haue fellowship with the faythfull Worse then a Pharesite I may them call which lawfull mariage doth disdaine And seekes the truth to bring in thrall all such doth Sathā quit their paine ¶ The signification THe Fryer is Fallax the Nunne Dedecus the deuill in the tree superstition and the other deuill Dicax a reprocher of wickednes and a rayler agaynst the veritie FOrnication ought to bee eschewed Looke in the 1. Corinth 10. chapter The people satte downe to eate drinke and rose vp to play Neither let vs be defiled with fornication as some of thē were defiled with fornication and fell in one day xxiij thousand Therefore to auoyde whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her husband Euery sinne that a mā doth is without the body But he that is a fornicator sinneth agaynst hys own body Wedlocke is to be had in honour amōg all mē the bed vndefiled As for whorekepers adulterers God will iudge There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one should haue hys fathers wife And ye swell and haue not rather sorrowed that hee which had done thys deede might bee put from among you Therefore flie thys horrible sinne and as for such as will cōdemne the lawfull estate of Matrimonie and honest mariage of godly Ministers such chaste and maidenly prelates of their doinges shall bee shewed as followeth in the fourth part of this treatise of Lecherie Fornication is enemie to God and enuieth vertues It consumeth all substance and deliteth in the appetite present it letteth that a man can not thinke on pouertie which is not long absent If we will consider the excellencie of mans nature and the dignitie therof we shall well perceaue how foule and dishonest a thyng it is to bee resolued in fornication and to liue wantonly Contrarywyse how honest and fayre a thyng it is to liue temperately continently sadly and soberly When Dauid the King by sight had desired the wife of Vrias to fulfill hys lust He was by the Prophet therfore reproued Vrias in the forward being slaine first ¶ The signification THese two armyes signifieth the striuing of the fleshe agaynst the spirite all worldlynes is confounded and happy is he that fighteth by fayth diuine vnto the end AS in the two chapters of Lechery and fornicatiō is described the wretchednes of y e horrible sinne so in adultery and rape shall be rehearsed y e wonderfull calamities and losse of countreyes with the ouerthrowing of kingdomes to the cleane secludyng or cutting of of all such as haue bene maintainers of the same Adulterie is the violation of the fayth promised in mariage the which thing is forbidden vs Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Adulterers are stoned to death Susanna had leauer die then to committe adultery with the two false Iudges Adultery is cause of procuring of other mens death as it appeareth in the xj chapt of the second boke of Kinges Dauid the King cōmitted adultery with Bethsabe the wife of Urias the Hethite and also caused Urias to be put to death being slaine in y e forefrunt of Ioabs hoste The Prophet Nathan being sent of the Lord reproued the king because of his wickednes Also S. Iohn the Baptist reproued Herode for lying with his brother Phillips wife saying It is not lawfull for thee to haue her An harlot will make a man to begge his bread and a woman will hunt for the precious life All bread is sweete to a whoremonger hee will not leaue of till hee haue his
we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sins but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries This place is also spoken of in the 6. of thys epistle and also in the 12. of the Euangelist S. Mathew that in sinnyng willingly is blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth y e sinne vnto death let all such therfore as spare not to blaspheme the spirit of God in resisting and rayling vpon hys worde know that their masse is no sacrifice for sinne but y t the terrible iudgement of God remaineth for them and their wicked idolatry Charitie ouercōmeth all sinne If I had the spirite of prophecy and knew all misteries all maner of cunning Also if I had all fayth in so much as I could translate and cary away mountaynes out of their places yet were I nothyng if I lacked charity Moreouer if I did distribute all my goods in feding the poore and although I gaue my body that I burned hauing no charitie it nothyng auaileth me Charitie is pacient and gentle Charitie hath enuy at no man it doth nothyng amisse it is not puft out wyth pryde it is not ambicious she seeketh not her profite she is not moued she thinketh no euil she reioyceth in no mischiefe she goeth with truth all thinges she suffereth all thinges she beleueth according to godly charitie all thinges she hopeth which is to saluation all thinges she beareth charitie neuer fayleth Thus sayth the Lord the people of Israel which escaped in the wildernes from the sworde found grace to come into their rest Euen so shall the Lorde now also appeare vnto me from farre say I loue thee with an euerlasting loue therfore by my charitable mercy I haue drawen thee to me I will repaire thee agayne O thou daughter of Israell that thou mayest be fast and sure Therfore whatsoeuer thou be that this shal read iudge not rashly but vse the Scriptures to the furtheraunce of thy health and solace and although in many points they may dislike thee yet know thou that it is the truth and thou the lyer therefore I say agayne whatsoeuer pointe or title thou happen to read and do not wel vnderstand it as if thy capacity be not able to comprehend y e meaning therof omit it to the diuine wisdom of god pray y t it may be opened reueled vnto thee thus with charitie vse thy selfe that therby it be not only a profit to thee whilest thou art liuing but also an euerlasting ioy in the world to come The hipocrites for to follow their inuencions do leaue iudgement and charitie vndone as appeareth more euident in the xi chapter of the Euangelist S. Luke God graunt for his mercy such charitie to raigne amongst vs that there may not onely be an outward shew therof but also in dede wherby we may be found at the generall day such seruaunts as were occupied and not stepyng when we shall be called Of humayne iustice and iudgement ⧠Of Iustice. The signification SHe which sitteth hauing in one hande a sworde and in the other a paire of balance is iustice also hauyng but one eye in the midst of her forehed signifieth vpright iudgement not exteming the person the balance equitie to vse no parcialitie nether for loue nor fauour the sword to cut of all rebellious persons and offenders the other are signified in the chapter Cambices beyng kyng ouer the Persians and Medes aboute the yeare of the worlde foure thousande and seuentie elected and chose one named Sisamnes to be iudge ouer his people the which for his parcialitie was complained vpon vnto the king that he had against law right condēned a man to death the matter being examined and founde true forthwith the kyng caused the sayde Iudge to be put to death and his skinne to be striped of and layd before the iudgement seat where tofore he had done the offence and also caused Ottanus Sisames sonne to succede in iudgement admonishing hym to beware of peruerse iustice by example of his fathers skinne lest beyng founde with the like fact to haue the lyke rewarde and also caused these verses to be written of him as followeth 1. Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta 2. A manibus reuoces munus ab aure preces 3. Sit tibi lucerna lex lux pellisque paterna 4. Qua recedes natus pro patre sponte datus Thou that sittest in this iudicall place Set vp right and holde thy handes from meede Thine eares from prayer and fauour from thee chace Let loue be thy guide keepe iustice I thee read Thy fathers skinne which doth thy chayre spred Haue in thy mynde fall not to like offence Lest for thy fault thou make like recompence The iudges ought to do righteous iudgement accordyng to the commaundement of God geuen by Moses vnto the children of Israell saying I charged your iudges at the same tyme saying heare the cause of your brethren iudge righteously betwene euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him See that you know no faces in iudgement but heare the small as wel as the great and be afraid of no man for the iudgement is Gods and the cause that is to harde for you bring vnto me and I wyll heare it Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God geueth thee thorough out thy tribes and they shall iudge the people righteously Wrest not thou the law nor know any person neither take any reward for giftes blynde the wise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous That which is iust and right shalt thou follow that thou mayst liue and enioy the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee Rewardes and giftes blyndeth the eyes of the wise and maketh him domme that he cannot tell men their faultes It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement neither to regard the outward appearaunce of men He that saith to the vngodly thou art righteous him shall y e people curse yea the comminaltie shall abhorre him but they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight and a riche blessing shall come vpon them Condemne no man before you haue tried out the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteously geue not sentence before thou hast heard y e cause but first let men tell out their tales Striue not for a matter that toucheth not thy selfe and stand not in the iudgement of sinners If there be strife betwene men they shall come vnto the law and let the iudges geue sentence betwene them and iustify the righteous and condemne y e vngodly Cursed be he that taketh rewarde to slay the soule of innocent bloud for in iudgement a mā should not agree to the voyce of many for to come by the truth Thou shalt not accept a vaine tale nether
Mahole and hys name was spoken of throughout all nations on euery side and Salomon spake 3000. problemes and his soÌ„ges were a thousand and fiue And the Queene of Saba hearing the fame of SalomoÌ„ concerning the name of the Lord came to proue him wyth harde questions and she came to Ierusalem with a very great trayne but wheÌ„ she sawe y e goodly building and costly apparell of y e ministers and hys drinke burnt sacrifices she sayd vnto y e king it was a true word that I heard in mine owne land of thy sayings of thy wisdome howbeit I beleued it not till I came and saw it wyth mine eyes And beholde the one halfe was not tolde me for thy wisdome and prosperitie exceedeth the fame which I heard of thee happy are thy men and happy are these thy seruants which stande euer before thee and heare thy wysedome And thou Esdras after thy wisedome of thy God that is in thyne hand set Iudges and arbitrers by my authoritie to iudge all the people that is beyond the water euen all such as know the lawe of thy God and them that knowe it not those see that ye teach And whosoeuer will not fulfill the lawe of thy God and the kinges lawe let hym haue hys iudgement wythout delaye whether it be vnto death or to be rooted out or to be condemned in goodes or to be put in prison Thys notable example seemeth good yea and to be well considered of amonge the true professours of Christian religion firste to câ—nsider what a horrible thing it is to goe about to peruert the scriptures and sacred worde of God with manes lawes and inuentions Secondarily what a haynous offence it is before God in that the subiect shall eyther wilfully or coÌ„temptuously go about to make ordinauÌ„ces lawes contrary to the precept and commaundement of that the which the Prince hath determined by generall counsaile and consent of y e whole realme so long as it is to the aduauncement of Gods glory true religioÌ„ Now when I asked my counselers how these things might be brought to a good ende there was one by vs excelent in wisedome whose good will truth and faithfulnes hath oft bene shewed and proued which was also the principall and next vnto the king Aman by name which certified vs howe that in all hands there was scatered abroade a rebellious folke that made statutes and lawes agaynst all other people and haue alwayes dispised the proclaymed commaundementes of kinges how y t for this cause it were not to be suffred that such rulers should coÌ„tinue by you not to be pin down seing now we perceaue the same that this people alone are contrary to euery man vsing strange and other maner of lawes and withstand our statutes and doinges and go about to to stablish shrewd matters that our kingdome should neuer come to good estate and stedfastnes Therfore haue we commaunded by such as is next vnder vs appoynting Aman which is ordayned to roote out with the sworde all such aduersaries and that there shall be no mercy shewed and none suche spared By these meanes kinges raigned in honour and God to blessed them that all that euer they went about prospered so long as they rebelled not agaynste his testimonies and lawes thâ— which he commaunded them to kepe And also the suâ—â—dcees for that they obeyed there prince with godly 〈◊〉 and 〈…〉 so long God did also as well defende them from oppression as he did the prince or Kinâ— from 〈◊〉 heuennes and subâ—â—â—sion Shall a man be more iust then God or shall a man be 〈◊〉 then his maker Beholde he founde no truth in his seruauntes and in his angells there was folly how much more in them that dwell in houses of clay and whose fundation is but dust whiche shall be consumed as it were with a mothe They shall be smitten from the Morning to the Euening yea they shall perish for euer when no man thinketh thereon Is not theyr royaltie gone awaye with them they shall dye truely and not in wisdome Sould he that bableth much be commended therin Should men geue eare vnto thee onely Thou wilt laugh other men to scorne and shall nobody mocke thee agayne Wilt thou say vnto God the thing that thou takest in haÌ„d is perfect and that thou art cleane in his sight Oh that God would speake and open his lippes agaynst thee that he might show thee out of his secret wisedome why he rewâ—rdeth thee double as he appoynted to do then shouldest thou know that God had forgotten thee because of thy sinne Would God ye kept your toung for then might ye be taken for wise men And be no leaders of the simple into strange errours folish imaginations of men what plague can be greater vnto that realme where so many sectes of religion is vsed then the sufferance of such to continue truely no plague more greater and no offence more haynouseâ— not onely agaynste the prince but most chiefest against the almighty Wast y u made before the hilles oâ— Hast thou hearde the secrete counsail of God that all wisedom is to litle for thee Who geueth sure wisedome or stedfast vnderstanding Commeth it through thy wisedome Obey thou the Lord for the feare of the Lord is the begining of wisedome â—f good vnderstanding haue all these that do thereafter My sonne if thou wilt receaue my wordes and kepe my commaundementes bâ— thee thaâ— thou wilt encline thine hart vnto wisdome apply thine harte so vnderstanding For if thou criest after wisdome and calleâ— for knowledge if thou sekest after her as after money and diggest for her as for creature then shalt thou vnderstande the feare of the lord finde the knowledge of God For it is the Lord that geueth wisdome out of his mouth commeth knowledge and vnderstanding and he hideth vp health for the righteous Well is him that findeth wisedome and obtayneth vnderstanding Wisdome is more worth then precious stones and all thinges that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her heare O ye children the fatherly exhortation and take good heede that ye may learne wisedome for I haue geuen you a good doctrine forsake not my law Wisedome resteth in the hart of him that hath vnderstanding and it shall be knowne among them that are vnlearned Whoso loueth wisedome mâ—keth hys father a glad man Moreouer thus sayth the Lord of hostes beware of the vengeance that hangeth ouer you and call for mourning wines and send for wise women that they come shortely and singe a mourning song of you that the teares may fall out of your eyes Thus sayth the Lord also let not the wise man reioyce in his wisdome nor the strong man in hys strength neither the rich man in his riches but who 〈◊〉 will reioyce let him reioyce in this that he vnderstandeth and knoweth me for I am the Lord