shal be saued as thou hast afterwardes confirmed it by thine Apostle that he that striueth for a mastrie shall not be crowned except he striue as he ought to do Giue vs grace that we all continuing in one spirit and striuing altogether in one minde through the faith of the gospell we may not be troubled by our aduersaries and that we be not as children wauering caried about with euery winde of doctrine But let vs folow the truth in loue in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is to say Christ Giue vs such constancie strength in the midst of those troubles of our enemies that we faint not in any thing so that with ioy we may end our course the charge which we haue receiued of thée for to testifie the gospel of thy grace Embrace so our harts our soules in thine heauenly loue through thy holy spirite especially that for al afflictions or threatnings we nothing varie frō thy lawe either to the right hād nor to the left that we hauing rightly accomplished the course of this presēt life And the time of our departing aprochīg euery one of vs may say with thine apostle I haue fought a good fight haue fulfilled my course haue kept the faith From heneforth is laid vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse which the Lord that is a righteous Iudge shall giue me at that day not to me onely but vnto all them also that loue his comming For all which thinges Lord we pray thée in the fauoure of him who for to accomplish and fulfill thy will humbled himselfe and became obedient vnto the death euen the death of the crosse our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ To whom be glorie for euer So be it ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISMENT for to shew that we must simplie obey the voyce of the Lord without further inquiring of the cōmaundement to beleeue that euē as he is iust in al his works he is as puissāt for to fulfil in vs his wil. Cap. 14. e 1. Samuel 15. ◠¶ To obeie is better then offering and to giue heede is better then the fatte of Rammes For rebelliousnesse is as the sinne of witchcraft and stoubournnesse is wickednesse and idolatrie IT is written in the booke of Iesus Siraach that many are excellent of great renowne but vnto the wise are the secretes reuealed For great power belongeth onely vnto God and he is honoured of the lowely Séeke not out the things that are aboue thy capacitie and search not the ground of such things as are too mightie for thée But looke what God hath commaunded thée thincke vpon that alwaie and be not curious in many of his works For thou hast not to doe to sée with thine eyes the things that are secrete where the sonne of Syrach doth exhort vs to execute willingly and with a frée will the commaundement of the Lorde without enquiring any further what is the cause of his commaundemen◠bicause that the seruaunt that knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe neither doth according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes And truely as a certeine christian authour hath verie well said the Lord hath left the effect of many things of which he hath hid from vs the causes Insomuch that we séeing with our eye the fulfilling of them yet for all that we know not to what end the Lorde hath ordeined them and in the meane time he would be obeyed The which is taught vs by an exāple in the booke of Samuel where the Lorde commaunded Saul to destroy wholy all the Amalechites both man woman infant suckling and oxen shepe camels and asses But Saul spared a liue of the shéepe and of the oxen and fat things and the lambes and al that was good for to haue sacrificed it vnto the Lorde Then the Lord saide it repenteth me that I haue made Saul king because he hath not perfourmed my commaundementes In which place is shewed that to obey is better then offering The like example is witten in the booke of the kings where the Prophet which did contrarie vnto that that the Lord said vnto him that is to say that he shoulde not eate breade nor drinke water nor to turne againe by the same way he went and he doing contrarie was torne in péeces and deuoured of a Lyon. In all this we ought not to take any excuse vpon the difficultnesse and hardnes of the commaundement or smalnesse or weakenesse of our strengthes For he which maketh the commaundement doth giue vnto vs also the meane to execute it Let vs remember that Moses being called of God for to deliuer the children of Israel excused him selfe saying Oh my Lord I am not eloquent no not in times past namely since thou hast spoken vnto thy seruaunt But let vs marke what the Lord vnto him Who hath made mannes mouth or who hath made the dum or the deafe the seing or the blinde haue not I the Lord Go therfore I wil be in thy mouth teach thée what thou shalt say Euen so Ieremie being chosen of the Lorde to bée a Prophete vnto the people of Hierusalem excused himself saying Oh lord God I am vnméet for I am yet but young and the Lord said vnto him say not so I am to young For thou shalt goe to all that I shal send thée vnto and whatsoeuer I commaund thée that shalt thou speake And although that the commaundement of the Lord doth séeme to be sometime according to mans sight either to hard or contrarie vnto that that they do ordinarily Yet hée ordeineth all to a good end and for iust occasions As we do sée that it séemed to mans iudgement that the children of Israel should haue bene vanquished or taken by Pharao king of Aegipt hauing the red sea against them as a fort ineuitable for to stop them of their way It séemed also that they going to the promised lande vnder the conducting and leading of Iosua should neuer haue entred the floud of Iordain letting them But the LORD which hath commaundement vpon all his creatures deuided the waters and the children of Israel went in through the middest of the sea vpon the drie ground And the water was a wall vnto them both on their right hand and on their left hand As much chaunced of the floud Iordain for the waters which came downe from aboue did stoppe and stoode vpon a heape a great way off And the waters that were on the side of the salt sea vanished and dried vp the people went rightouer against Iericho Furthermore the Lord séemeth sometime to commaund thinges altogether against the order of nature and good manners as when he cōmaunded Abraham to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac for to proue his obedience Also he commaunded the Prophet Oseas to take an harlot to his wife Also he commaunded an
matter what it is to let the true Christian religion I do meane those which are confirmable and agreable to the Christian rule and good manners On the contrarie I beséech them to remember a lawe of the Aegyptians by the which the kings of the countrie did adiure and sweare the iudges not to iudge any thing wrongfully yea when the king hath commaunded them expresly and if they do disalowe me in this matter I wil put before their eyes the exhortation which Iehosaphat made vnto the Iudges of Iuda admonishing and warning them to consider that they doe not exercise the iudgment of men but of GOD and that it shall be with them according to the thing iudged to haue the feare of the Lorde before their eyes to know that there is no vnrighteousnes in the Lord your god nor the regarding of persons nor taking of rewardes They haue written this lawe not with ynke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of their heartes To the end that by their arrestes and Edictes they haue moued by that afore the people vnto a rage and furie more then barbarous and Scythian they may be also an occasion that hereafter the Christian people doe breake their swordes and speares to make sithes sickles and sawes thereof From that time foorth shall not one people lift vp weapon against another neither shall they learne to fight from thencefoorth but as the prophet Iob saith that we may all walke in the feare of the Lord let vs acknowledge also on our parte that God hath ben prouoked iustly against vs for our demerites and transgressions according as he doth menace and threaten some time his people by the Prophet that he wil take from them the Captein the Souldier the Iudge and the Prophet the wise and the aged man the worshipfull of fiftie yeare olde and the honourable the Senatours and men of vnderstanding the maisters of craftes and Oratoures and shall giue vnto them to be their Princes children and babes shall haue the rule ouer them The people shal be pilled and polled one shall euer be doing violence and wronge to an other The boye shall presume against the elder and the vile person against the honourable Bicause saith the Prophet that both their wordes and counseils are against the Lorde they prouoke the presence of his maiestie vnto anger Wherefore O Christian and faithfull people let vs consider our wayes and search them and let vs returne vnto the Lorde and bewaile vs for our sinnes Let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen saying We haue bene dissemblers and haue offended wilt thou therefore not be intreated thou hast conuerted vs in thy wrath and persecuted vs thou hast slaine vs without any fauour thou hast hidde thy selfe in a cloude that our prayers shoulde not goe thorowe thou hast made vs outcastes and to be dispised among the heathen All our enimies gape vppon vs feare and snare is come vpon vs yea dispite and destruction O Lorde be not so sore displeased and kéepe not our offences too long in thy remembrance but consider that we are all thy people The cities of thy Sanctuarie lie wast Syon is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desert Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our pleasures and commodities are wasted away remember not Lorde our offences but finish the worke which thou hast begunne in vs in this meane libertie of the religion that we may all sing in great hope and assurance with the Prophet Dauid mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other truth shal rise out of the earth and righteousnesse shall looke downe from heauen Graunt vs O Lorde that grace in the name and fauour of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen ESAY 11. c. The Lord shall set vp a token among the Gentils and gather together the dispersed of Israel yea and of the outcastes of Iuda from the foure corners of the worlde A prayer O Lord which doest disperse and breake the counsells of the nations dost bring too nothing the enterprises of the people shed out the bowels of thy mercies vpon those which do fight daily against thée as their forefathers and woulde chase and driue thée from thy celestiall throne as the king of Babilon To conclude doe put and set them selues against thy sonne Christe teachers and liers as that sonne of perdition for to pull vp by the roote that which thou hast planted to destroy to ruinate that which thou hast builded to hinder and stop that which thou hast shed out euen vnto the vttermost ends of the earth yea do go about by all meanes to marre and to spill that which thou hast tried in the furnesse of the earth and purified seuen times in the fier to ad vnto that which thou hast ordeined in all integrie perfection To cōclud would suppresse abolish by force that which thou hast established for euer O Lord giue thē feare that they may acknowledg confesse him whom thou hast raised vp to set vp the kinreds of Iacob to restore the destruction of Israel and whom thou hast giuen for to lighten the Gentiles that he may be thy health vnto the end of the worlde our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen AN ADVERTISEMENT VNto these which doe crie dayly that wee must not suffer two religions Cap. 4. 1. TIMOTH 4. ¶ Therfore we labour and suffer rebuke bicause we beleeue in the liuing God which is the sauiour of all men but especially of all those that beleeue IT is most euident and knowen by the discourse of the holy scripture that as the Lord is true entire perfect so doth hée require of vs an acknowledging of him neither fained nor cloked That is the cause wherfore he did regard rather the sacrifice of Abel then of Cain did commaunde in the lawe that is written that wée must haue a perfecte and a iust measure and weightes and not to haue two manner of weightes he did rebuke Saul because that he did not wholy and fully accomplish his will and desire inasmuch as he did reserue some of the spoiles which they had gotten against the king of Amalech And in the Gospell is more praised the prayer of the Publican then that of the Pharisie To conclude in the booke of the Actes of the Apostles Ananias is punished bicause he deceiued the Apostles of the price of his possession In the same respect also we do greatly abhorre those which do mingle the sacrifice of the liuing God with that of Baal the doings of the Iewes with the fame of the Samaritans the baptisme with the circumcision the Christian lawe with that of Antichrist And yet
all thinges forasmuch as it is not subiect to any filthinesse or corruption as are the other creatures Insomuch that the soule of a true Christian regenerated through grace and wounded of that heauenly loue is sicke for that true spouse which is Iesus Christ And which is more it sigheth incessantly for the deliueraunce of this body which of it selfe is subiect to corruption Euen soe Dauyd did crye out saying wo is mée that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue mine habitation amonge the Tentes of Cedar My soule is a thirst for God yea for the liuing God saying Alas when shall I come to appeare béefore the presence of God These are also the words of Sainct Paul I am saith hée compassed in on both sides desiring to be loosed and to bée with Christ The which is a great deale better for mée that if for their vertue we doe loue them whom we neuer saw as saith Cicero and if such is the force and strength of vertue which if one may behold it with the eyes it will stirre vp and imbrace in vs a meruailous desire to loue it how much more ought wee to loue God of whom as of the Nurse of al things doth descend euerie good and perfect gift To conclude if wée loue them whiche may helpe vs with all things which are necessarie for vs How much more ought wee to loue God which is all in all and with whom all pleasure dwelleth as Dauid witnesseth that fulnesse of ioy is with his countenance and at his right hand there is pleasure and ioy for euer That men shal be satisfied with the plenteousnesse of his house and hee shall giue them drink of the riuer of his pleasures for by him is the well of life and in his light shall wee see light I do say this not onelie for the eternall goodnesse which are promised vnto the blessed in the resurrection to come but also for the goodnesse whiche the Lorde giueth vnto vs in this present life Euen so the same prophete saith so is this wide and great sea also wherein are thinges créeping innumerable both small and greate beastes There goe the ships ouer and there is the Leuiathan whome thou hast made to take his pastime therin They waite all vppon thée that thou maist giue them meate in due season When thou giuest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hande they are filled with good But when thou hidest thy face they are sorowfull And if thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust Againe when thou lettest thy breath goe foorth they are made and so thou renuest the face of the earth And in an other place hee saith O feare the Lorde ye that be his saincts for they that feare him lacke nothing Furthermore in the that the Lorde desireth that wee shoulde loue him so perfectly we are sufficiently aduertised that those which doe giue vnto other creatures the homage and obedience which is due vnto the Lorde be they deade creatures or liuing creatures they loue not GOD perfectly forasmuch then as God hath chosen vs as a chast virgin for to be presented to his Christe according as hée hath foreshewed by the Prophet Oseas that he will marie his owne selfe vnto her in righteousnesse in equitie in louing kindenesse and mercie and in faith yet when we doe seperate the loue which we owe vnto the Lorde for to giue of that whiche apperteineth vnto him vnto other creatures truely we are vnto him vngentle Bicause he is a gelous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation That is the cause wherfore Moses saith in the same booke Thou shalt worshippe no straunge god For the Lorde is called gelcus because he is a gelous GOD. For that same cause Sainct Peter seing that Cornelius fell downe at his féete to worshippe him he tooke him vp saying stande vppe for euen I my selfe am a man Acknowledging verie wel that Cornelius for the affecttion that he did beare vnto him did forgette the homage and obedience that he owed vnto the Lorde In like manner Barnabas and Paul séeing that the inhabiters of Listria woulde doe sacrifice vnto them they rent their clothes and ranne in among the people crying and saying O men why do ye these things We are mortall men like vnto you In like manner it is written in the Reuelation of S. Iohn that the Angel séeing that Sainct Iohn was fallen downe at his féete to worshippe him he saide vnto Sainct Iohn sée thou doe it not I am thy fellowe seruant and one of the brethen whiche haue the testimonie of Iesus worshippe god Euen so hath not Herod done for vpon a day appointed Herod being aâ—aied in royall apparell and sitting in his â—eate made an Oration vnto the people And the people gaue a shoute saying it is the voyce of a God and not of a man And immediatly the Angell of the Lorde â—mote him because he gaue not God the honour so that he was eaten of wormes Asmuche also happened vnto Alexander the greate for hauing taken the Citie of Babilon raised him selfe against the commaundement of the liuing GOD and woulde that his people shoulde worshippe him and offer vnto him Sacrifices Wherefore within a little while after he died through Gods punishement for hee being ouer drie for lacke of drinke fell into a gréeuous sicknesse of whiche hee dyed And that great personne who as the worlde thought feared not to bee ouercome of men was ouercome and vanquished of wine The same doth learne vs and sufficiently declare vnto vs that the loue the whiche wée ought to beare vnto the creatures ought to be ruled and gouerned by the worde that wee ought not to compare it to the loue which we ought to beare vnto GOD our creator I do speake this for those whiche according to their priuate affections and indiscréete zeale do beare such honour as it pleaseth them vnto the creatures and in the meane time consider not that the Lord is gelous of the loue and obedience that they owe vnto him What shall I say of those who making profession of the Christian religion do beare vnto wicked spirites the loue that they owe to their lord And in what aduersitie or affliction that they finde themselues in haue recourse As Saul vnto the Magicians and Witches not trusting themselues of the promise of the LORD Who saith Call vppon me in the time of trouble so will I heare thée that thou shalt thancke me Things truely which are verie much forbidden in the lawe of God where Moses admonished the people of Israel saying Turne not your selues to them that work with spirites neither regarde them that obserue dismall dayes that ye be not defiled by them for I am the Lord your god And in the booke of Deuterenomium
learn to fight to wrastle to leape to daunce to put at the stone not setting by the honor of their fathers Béehold briefly that which wée thinke to bée due aswell towardes the parents of our bodies as of our soules I will end by the same sentence whereof came this word Children obey you fathers and mothers in the lord For so is it right Honor thy father and mother that is the first commaundement that hath any promise that thou maist bee in good estate and liue long on earth Obey them that haue the ouersight of you submit your selues to them for they watch for your soules euen as they that must giue accomptes To the end that in all things God be glorified through our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer So bée it Prouerbes 23. â— Giue care vnto thy Father that beegate thee and despise not thy Mother when she is olde A Prayer O Lord which hast said by the mouth of thy faithfull seruant Moses that the imagination of mans heart is euill euen from the verie youth of him Direct through thy holy mercy and fatherly goodnesse in such wise my way and guide my pathes to the right and godly commaundementes that they may loue thée euen as the true children ought to loue their fathers and mothers and may feare thée as my souereigne Lord I doe honour also those whoÌ„ thou hast chosen for to bring me forth into the worlde to the ende that by that meanes my dayes may be prolonged vpon the lande obeying and walking alwayes after thy holy precepts and commaundementes and that receiuing in good part the holy admonitions and corrections of my parentes I may shewe by workes that I am not a bastarde but that I am a sonne lawfully begotten To conclude that in humbling my selfe vnder the yoke of thy holy lawe I may be felowheire of him which in all thinges made himself subiect obedient to Ioseph and Marie and alwayes to doe the thinges which were pleasing and agréeable vnto thée our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISment vpon the duetie of the Fathers towardes their children Cap. 19. Collossians 3. d. ¶ Fathers prouoke not your children to anger least they cast downe their heart IT is written in the sixte Chapter to the Ephesians Ye fathers moue not your children to wrath but bring them vp in instruction information of the LORD Now we may plainely perceiue that the true office of a father towardes his children consisteth chiefly in two thinges that is to say to instruct them in the lawe of GOD and other honest disciplines and also to correct them in all modestie and christian gentlenesse As touching the first Salomon in his proâ—erbes sayth O my sonne forgette not â—y lawe but sée that thine heart kéepe â—y commaundementes For they shall â—olong the dayes and yeares of thy life â—nd bringe thée peace For as witnesseth â—e same Salomon Where no Prophet 〈◊〉 there the people perish but well is him â—hat kéepeth the lawe And as touching â—he seconde it is sayde in the same place that the rodde and correction ministreth wisdome but if a childe bée not looked vnto hée bringeth his mother to shame Nourture thy sonne with correction and he shall comfort thée yea hée shall doe thée good at thine heart The which is â—eclared more at large in Siraac as followeth An vntamed horse will bée harde so a wanton childe will bée wilfull If thou bringe vp thy sonne delicatelie he shall make thée afrayde and if thou playe with him hée shall bringe thée to heauinesse Laugh not with him least thou weepe with him also and least thy teeth be set on edge at the last Giue him no libertie in his youth and excuse not his follie Bow downe his necke while he is young hit him vppon the sides while hée is yet but a childe least hée waxe stubbourne and giue no more force of thée and so shalt thou haue heauinesse of soule Teach thy childe and bée diligent therein least it bée to thy shame And Salomon in his prouerbes saith withholde not correction from the childe for if thou beatest him with the rodde hée shall not dye theroff Thou smitest him with the rodde but thou deliuerest his soule from hel The same Siraac doth set foorth vnto vs the instruction which we ought to kéepe as well towardes the sonne as towardes the daughter when hée saith If thou haue sonnes bringe them vp in nourture and learning and holde them in awe from their youth vp If thou haue daughters kéepe their bodie and shewe not thy face chéerefull towardes them Marrie thy daughter and so shalt thou performe a weightie matter But giue hir to a man of vnderstanding If thy daughter be not shamefast holde hir straitely least shée abuse hir selfe through ouer much libertie Wherefore inasmuch as the children are willingly moued with certaine little giftes and honest presents It should also be verie good that their fathers should let theÌ„ vnderstand and knowe the great goodnesse which the Lorde hath ordeined to them which obserue and kéepe his lawe and the daunger and persecutions which doe followe and haue alwaies followed those which are transgressors of his lawe That is the cause wherefore in the lawe of Moses are so often repeated the blessings vnto the kéepers of the lawe and to the transgressors of the same the cursinges which are contained chiefly in the bookes of Leuiticus and Deuteronomium And also in the prophesie of Esaie the Lorde sayde If ye be louing and obedient ye shall enioye the best thing that groweth in the lande But if ye bée obstinate and rebellious yée shall be deuoured with the sword for thus the Lord hath promised with his owne mouth And by his prophet Baruch he saith O Israel heare the commaundementes of life ponder them well with thine eares that thou maiste learne wisdome But how happeneth it Israel that thou art in thine enimies lande thou art waxen olde in a straunge countrie and defiled with the dead Why art thou become like them that goe downe to their graues Euen bicause thou hast forsaken the well of wisdome For if thou haddest walked in the way of GOD truely thou shouldest haue remained still safe in thine owne lande That is the verie cause which hath induced oftentimes the Lorde to cause to be set vp for the people a certaine marke and perpetuall monument in the places in which he hath giuen witnesse of his puissance and greatnesse to the ende to declare and shewe vnto the people that he was fauourable vnto them Also that the little children regarding beholding and marking such tropes and monumentes they shoulde be admonished by their parentes of the goodnesse and benignitie of the Lorde I will recite for this matter three examples of the olde lawe the first is in the booke of Deuteronomium where the LORD hauing giuen
asketh not counsaile at his God whether it be concerning the dead or the lyuing If any man want light let him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie whether they speake not after this meaning Notwithstanding then that our enimies doe glorifie and boast themselues in the outwarde appearaunce of their ceremonies and sacrifices crying with the Iewes that there is no nation or people so great that hath ordinaunces and lawes so righteous as al this lawe which they set before the people Although saye I that they doe boast themselues of their Temples and sumptuous presentes and goodly endowmentes and that they do exclayme so many times dayly This is the Temple of the Lorde despisinge the Christian and reformed Church for the poorenesse basenesse and littlenesse of the same They are not ignoraunt that Iesus Christ hath not ben as a stone to stumble at and as a rocke to fall vpon a snare a net to both the houses of Israell and shal be the fall resurrection of many in Israel and for a signe whiche shal be spoken against Insomuch that Saint Paul doth witnesse that Iesus Christ crucified is an occasion of falling vnto the Iewes and vnto the Grekes of foolishnesse and his doctrine a swéete sauour of life vnto those which were saued and of death vnto those which do perishe What is the cause that their reasons doe serue to no purpose for to abolish or change the veritie of our religion grounded vppon the word of the Lorde but rather for to condempne the malice of those whiche do abuse it as the hoggs do of the good pearles and the doggs of the childrens breade which if they doe consider well what their Romish Church is they shall finde it in nothing differing from a policie or gouernement altogether prophane and worldly hauing it subiect not vnto the worde but to their opinion and priuate will a thing asmuch contrarie vnto the Christian doctrine as Iesus Christ doth teach vs that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them And they that are great exercise power ouer them but it shall not be so among them That is the cause why we do not sée any other thing to reigne in the Romish Church then an excessiue ambition and inordinate desire to encrease augment their greatnes as saint Hierome doth testifie of his time that the Churche beeing augmented increased in temporall ryches was also weakened diminished in christian vertues in suche sorte that hee durst well call the Church of his time a sinke and puddle in respect and regarde that it had and did beare vnto the Churche of of Iesus Christ and of his Apostles For the Christian Church is not bound vnto titles nor vnto dignities But to the word and to the true vsage of the Sacraments ordeined of the Lord nor limitted vnto a certeine place as of late the Iewes did referre the doings of their religion vnto the Temple of Salomon the benedictions blessings of the Lord to the mount Garizim but in all people he that feareth him worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him and his welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe is in the middes of two or thrée gathered together in his name What shall I say more the greatnesse of the Christian church doth not consist in the number of persons for as Iesus Christ saith many are called but fewe are chosen And as Esdras doth witnesse the most highest made this world for many but the world to come for fewe As when thou askest the earth it shall say vnto thée that it giueth much moulde whereof earthen vessels are made but little of it that gold commeth off euen so is it with the worke of this worlde There be many created but few shal be preserued Insomuch that the Lord doth make sometime his Church like vnto a wilde and barraine vyne in the whiche one can finde but a fewe grapes yea vnto a budde in the which one can finde but one grape And he saith doe not destroye it for it is blessednesse And therefore the Lorde called his number the little flocke and doth tell vs that straite is the gate and narrowe is the way which leadeth vnto life and fewe there be that finde it I do say moreouer that we ought not to applie or referre the christian church vnto mans commoditie and felicitie For in the lawe of nature we do sée an Abel the figure of the true christians put to death and killed by his brother a Noe despised of his owne sonne Iacob the other prophets banished and constrained to flie that people of Israel so much praysed or estéemed of God compelled by Pharao vnto a great and miserable seruitude and bondage A little while after did wander stray abrode by the wildernesses The king and his people taken captiue in Babilon the Prophets constrained to hide themselues for the crueltie and tirannie of the kings In the Christian lawe the first Herolde and Ambassadour of Iesus Christe and of his gospell Iohn Baptist put to death by king Herod Iesus Christ from his birth or assoone as he was borne fledde into Aegypt The Apostles counted as shéepe to be slaine and after the Apostles I do meane from the time of the Romaine Emperours a verie bucherie and slaughter of Christians For all the same we haue none occasion to be offended or to be angrie with our selues seing the peace of the wicked and vngodly or to withdraw vs from the Christian Church for the aduersities of the same for euen as in the time of the vniuersal floude Noe and all his family were preserued from the waters and the Arke coulde not be forced with the windes and tempests or as the people of Israel erring and wandering in the wildernesse and vnknowen places were conducted and guided by the Lorde in the night by a piller of fire and by day in a piller of a cloude Finally as that ship wherin the Apostles were being tossed vppe and downe in the sea did séeme to manasse the Apostles of drowning if it had not béene that Iesus Christ at his comming caused the windes to cease and the sea to be calme Euen so this heauenly Arke I do meane the Christian Church or congregation being builded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets that corner stone which is Iesus Christ yea him which hath promised vnto his that he wil aide and helpe them euen vnto the end of the world forasmuch as he doth fortifie him in his afflictions that nowe of late the Arke of Noe did lifte vp it selfe aboue the waters stormes and tempests Wherefore it should be in vaine for to no purpose for vs here to alledge the magnificence and greatnesse of the Romishe Church for that is as if one shoulde leane vppon a stafe of a broken reade that is to say vpon mans force and strength Or for vs to
peace Cap. 7. Philip. I. d. Continue in one spirite and in one mynd fighting altogether through the fayth of the gospell in nothing feare your aduersaries FOrasmuch as the Scripture doth teach vs that God is not the God of confusion but of peace And that the Gospell of the Christians is called by the Prophet the message of peace And the christian church the congregatioÌ„ of saincts which doe liue in the peace of god Insomuch that the propht Esaie speaking of the church of God saith that God will let peace into her as a water floud and the might of the heathen as a flowing streame And in Baruch the god shal name his church with this name that is to say the peace of righteousnesse and the honoure of gods feare Finally forasmuch as the Church of GOD is the piller and staye of gods truth truely they maye knowe plainely howe wee ought to bee all diligent to keepe the vnitie of the spirite through the bande of peace to the ende that wée all agréeing together may after the ensample of Iesus Christ with one mouth as saith Sainct Paule praise Gâ—D which is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ And that we hence foorth be no more as chyldren wauering and caried about with euery winde of doctrine But let vs followe the truth with loue and in all things grow vp in to him which is the head that is to say Christ On the other side we are taught to auoide as much as we may possible the debates and contentions of the lawe and the parcialities touching the dooing of the religion According as Saint Paule did exhorte the Corinthians in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ that they all speake one thing and that there be no discentions among them But that they be knit together in one minde and in one iudgement that they doe continue of all one minde al fighting of one courage by faith And also hee dyd warne and admonish the Philippians that they bée lyke minded hauing the selfe same loue béeing of one accorde and of one iudgement that nothing be done through strife or vaine glorie but that in méekenesse of minde euery man estéeme other better then himselfe On the other side he writeth vnto Titus that he do suppresse foolishe questions and genelogies and brawling and strife about the lawe as vaine and superfluous Also the same Saint Paul doth complaine to the Philippians that some there are which preach Christ of enuie and strife and not purely Also in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians he saith that hée and Siluianus haue preached vnto you Gods sonne Iesus Christ not in double worde yea and nay but in this worde which is true that is to say yea The same Apostle doth giue vnto vs the reason of this doctrine when he saith that questions and strife of wordes do ingender enuie strife railings euil furmising vain disputations of men with corrupt mindes And saith also in an other place that if there be enuyâ—ng strife sects among vs we do declare that we are carnall and walke after the manner of men For verily he that is contentious in the church especially touching the doing of the religion he sinneth many wayes First in that hee breaketh the vnitie of the Christian Church which ought to be vnited and ioyned together not onely by naturall coniunction and amitie but also by vnitie of doctrine For as Iesus Christ saith that by this shall al men knowe that we are his disciples if we haue loue one to an other Also saint Paul doth warne vs to beware of them which cause diuision and offences contrarie to the doctrine which they haue learned and auoide them Consequently he which is contencious in the church concerning the doctrine or doing of the religion First of all he sinneth against Iesus Christ which is the head of the Christian church and prince of peace as saith the prophet inasmuch as he hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe to set at peace through the bloude of his crosse both things in earth and things in heauen Secondly he doth giue occasion vnto the simple and foolish people to erre and go astray from the christian Church in the which doth lie and rest the piller of our saluation And that the same is greatly odious and hatefull vnto God Iesus Christ doth teach and declare it when he saith Wo be vnto him through whome offences come it were better for him that a great milstone were hanged about his necke and that he were cast into the sea then that he shoulde offende one of these little ones The which his Apostle doth confirme shewing vnto the Galathians that he that troubleth them shall beare his condemnation whosoeuer he be and desireth that they that trouble them may be cut off from them Finally he doth giue occasion vnto straungers and enimies of our religion to blame the name of God. According as the prophet did rebuke the gouernours priestes of the house of Israel that they haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe And Sainct Paul writing vnto the Romanes saith that the name of God is euil spokeÌ„ off among the Gentiles through them And by good right a certeine auncient authour did complaine that we many wayes in the church do teare and rent Gods coate through our contentions the which the Souldiours durst not deuide in his passion the whiche did moue sometime the Iewes as Clement Alexandrinus doth witnes to swell and rise vp euen there against the Christians to say that the Christian religion was not of God but some pernicious sect and false religion Because that the Christians had debates and contentions in the church For the same occasion that great heriticke Celsus and chiefest enimy of the christians did rebuke daily the christians of their diuisions and parcialities saying that it were not expedient that they shoulde growe and increase to any more greater number Bicause that being but a fewe in number they would be of one accorde and agrée well together but assone as they did multiplie and waxe many they woulde fall into diuersities of opinions Also Samosetanus in the ecclesiastical history doth witnesse that the Emperour Constantine did suffer verie impatiently the controuersies and contentions of the christians saying that by that means they do turne many men from the christian religion Vnto whome Themistus a christian Philosopher aunswered that the differences controuersies of the christians were nothing in respect of the confusion of the sect of the Gentiles Also the same authour saith moreouer that for certeine small contentions which do chaunce and happen to the churches the church must not therefore leaue and forsake the principall foundation of the true religion nor to be the true churches but that by that means the Lorde doth trie and proue the hearts of many doth declare make plaine the
veritie of the christian doctrin as it is said that there must be euen heresies among vs that they whiche are perfect among vs might be knowen By that meanes we will not here denie but that alwayes ther hath ben some smal contention in the doctrine as it appeared that for the same cause was the counsell of the Apostles assembled together To conclude the scripture doth declare the difference whiche was offered betwene Peter and Paul Apostles And the Christian histories doe make mention of some little controuersies concerning the doing of the religion betwéene Peter Alexandrinus and Myletus Epiphanius and Chrisostome Hierome Augustine but we do exhort the Christians not to abuse the giftes of GOD through vaine glorie or contention for to be séene and estéemed the one aboue the other On the other side to humble them selues vnder the wisedome of him which hath saide that he hath not determined with himselfe to knowe any other thing saue Iesus Christe and him crucified And in an other place of the same Epistle he saith be assured that the kindome of God is not in words but in the power of the spirit Nowe the remedie helpe in such differences as Cyprian saith is to haue recourse to the beginning of Iesus Christ and of his gospel to the tradition of the Apostles To the end that from thence may rise and come foorth the reason of our doing whereof the order hath taken his beginning For inasmuch as Iesus Christ ought to be heard aboue all we ought not to consider that which some haue done before vs But that which Iesus Christ hath done obserued which is before all Insomuch that we must cast all the counsailes opinions definitions of men vnto the holy scriptures and in the to depose put downe all hautinesse arrogancie and enuious contencion and where it shal happen that the holy scripture hath nothing concluded determined In that case they ought to follow the manner and fashion of the most auncient Churches with whom the Apostles haue bene conuersant To conclude when the tradition of the apostles do faile they must beléeue the tradition of the churches which haue bene ruled and gouerned be the disciples and successours of the Apostles or those which haue had charge of them beholde how they ought to resolue the doubtes cōtrouersies which are in the Churches rather then by vaine disputations and vnprofitable contentions which do serue to none other end but to engender strifes And it maketh me afraide howe that in these latter dayes for the ignoraunce and calamitie of the time they haue thought to declare and expounde the darke places of the scripture and the debates moued in the Churche by questions of naturall Philosophie rather then by the scripture rightly vnderstanded and applied vnto his true sense Also Sainct Paule doeth admonishe and warne vs to beware least any man come and spoile vs through Philosophie and deceitfull vanitie through the traditions of men according to the ordinaunces of the worlde not after Christ Also sithens the Apostles Tertulian an auncient authour hath called the Philosophers the patriarkes of heriticks Also Saint Hierome hath confessed that the opinions of heritickes are founde amonge the subtilties of Aristotle and of Crisippus I will content my selfe at this time with the witnesse of a certeine Philosopher whereof mention is made in the counsaile of Nyce who being wonne and brought to the christian religion yea without any kinde of disputation by a poore simple and foolish man as the texte saith and being asked how the same was happened vnto him forasmuch as before the most learned men of the counsaile could not vāquish ouercome him by disputations and naturall philosophie aunswered that as long as they did speake against him by subtiltie of reasones he knewe verie well to aunswere to the arguments of his aduersaries by the same meanes But when the vertue was manifested vnto him by the mouth of him which hath pronounced it the words could not resist vertue nor man coulde speake against God. The same doth learne vs first of all to submitte our selues vnto the auncient church and best reformed as it is saide in Sainct Iohn my shepe heare my voice Secondly not to do any thing through enuie contention or vaine glorie but to beare with a patient minde one an other in all méekenesse and humilitie Thirdly not to presume so much that they would applie and referre the christian doctrine or rule the doing of our religion to mannes philosophie but to bring it againe to the true beginning and originall of the Scripture and to the traduction of Iesus Christe and of his successours Finally to beléeue that although that the slaunders and herisies doe come and happen vnto the church as well for the aduauncement of Gods glorie as for to proue and trie the true faithful christians yet truely he which is the causer thereof shall beare the condemnation Wherfore inasmuch as the scripture doth teach vs that the multitude of them that beléeued in the primatiue church were of one heart and of one soule that from thence we haue taken the beginning of our religion and doctrine going about and endeuouringe our selues as much as in vs is possible and according to the portion and measure of the giftes and graces which we haue receiued of the Lorde to make our selues agréeable confirmable to that auncient church insomuch that we being all of one minde may liue in peace and loue in the which we are called and the God of loue and peace shal be with vs Amen GALATH. 5. c. If we doe bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we be consumed one off another A prayer O Lord which art not the God of confusion but of peace yea whiche hast taught vs by thy welbeloued sonne that euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shal be desolate Giue vs grace that we all being vnited by one loue and vnitie of doctrine our enimies may knowe that not onely we are the true disciples of thy sonne But that they may witnesse by workes that the church to the which thou hast incorporated vs by one faith one baptisme one God and father of all that beléeue is the true christian church and the piller and staye of the trueth to the end that we all being ioyned together in loue in all riches of the certitude of vnderstanding may increase in thy knowledge and be ioyned altogether as liuely stones for to be made an holy temple Offering vnto thée a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lippes confessing his name Through our Lord Iesus Christe to whom be glory for euer Amen THAT IT IS THE DVETIE of a chrstian prince to watch take good heede that the estate of the religion doe abide cōtinue vndefiled impoluted as well in the true seruing of God as
we ought to kéepe them although that the end of them are hurtfull For we must not do euill to the end that there doe come no good but to do that which is right that which the Lord coÌ„maundeth If they are vnlawfull I doe meane contrarie vnto the religion and good maners although we ought not to kéepe them yet truely we ought not to breake them by an euill meanes But with all gentlenesse and patience to shewe what the faulte of theÌ„ is We doe reade in the holy scripture that the children of the Hebrewes did not obey the commaundement of king Nabuchodonosor constraining and commpelling his subiects to worshippe his image bicause that it was altogether contrarie to their religion but we doe not reade that they haue made any rebellion against the king or his subiects for to breake and infringe the edict of the king but that they haue modestlie and soberly declared the doing of their religion and the righteousnesse of their cause In like manner the bookes of the Machabees do teach vs that those seueÌ„ bretheren of the Machabees haue formeably in good order spokeÌ„ against the ordinaunce of king Antiochus compelling them to eate swines fleshe contrarie vnto the lawes and ordinaunces of their countrie but we do not sée that they haue threatned or that they did confederate theÌ„selues against the edict of the king It is most true that they are forbidden vppon the commaundement of their lawe As the booke of the actes of the Apostles doth teach vs that the hie Prieste did commaunde expresly the Apostles that they shoulde not declare remission of sinnes in the â—â—ne of Iesus Christ And notwithstanding the Apostles not regarding the edict and commaundement of the hie priest did as apperteineth to their vocation calling aunswering that it is better to obey God then men And in all that while we doe not reade that they haue made any violence or force for to withstande the edict of the hie priestes Furthermore the ecclesiasticall historie doeth teach vs that there was in the Citie of Nicomedia a certein man come of an auncient house and of great Aucthoritie who séeing that there were in all places edicts verie cruel published against the Christians being moued and constrained of an earnest faith did take the saide edicts and did teare them in péeces before the people As also we doe reade in like manner of one Artemenius a martyr of a woman named Publia who did breake a great nuÌ„ber of idolles and crying with a loude voyce the Emperour being present Their images are but siluer and gould euen the worke of mens handes But it is not written that those people haue shedde the bloude of the subiectes or robbed their goods for to breake such edictes although that they were cruell full of tyrannie and yet neuerthelesse a man may finde at this day so many wicked and rash people among the Christians which are not ashamed to violate the edictes of the Prince although that they are confirmable to all diuine and humaine ryght Thincking thereby to hinder and let the course of the religion Some myght héere replie that the same doth charge greatly those of the reformed religion Inasmuch as they doe put themselues by weapons against the force power of their enimie Vnto which I doe aunswere first that they haue done it by the authoritie of the prince Furthermore that there is great diuersitie to make a company of people and to take weapon without the lawe and authoritie of the magistrate for to breake the edictes of the king as our enimies haue done and to put themselues against the force and strength of an other for to defend the edyctes and authoritie of the king as those of the reformed religion haue done For in vpholding and maynteyning the edyct of the king they doe maintayne it in the authoritie puissance which the Lord hath giuen vnto him And by the same meanes they do kéepe his subiectes vnder the obedience of him in all gentlenesse and friendship On the contrarie in forcing the edicte of the prince they do dispise the prince and him which hath set him vpon his throne And besides they do giue an occasion vnto the people to giue themselues to all liscenciousnesse and vngodlinesse And consequently he whiche doth violate the lawe of his prince doth sinne many wayes First of all he sinneth against God thorowe whome the kings reigne and the princes make iust lawes the Lordes beare rule and all iudges of the earth execute iudgement Secondly he doth offende the Prince vnto whome he ought to yelde himselfe subiect as sainct Paule saith not onely for feare of vengeaunce but also bycause of conscience Finally he doth giue an occasion of greate slaunder vnto his neighbour thorowe an euill example inasmuche as he doth dispise the commaundement of his Prince And truely if any will aske me howe the common welth of Venice hath continued so long in his authoritie puissance greatnes at this day is more richer opulent then euer it was I will aunswere that the same was because that she did know howe to kéepe her people vnder the obedience of her lawes and statutes In like manner experience doth teach vs what is the force and puissance of the Cantons or Suisse for the pollicie whiche they obserue and kéepe in their common welthes It is to no purpose then the men do vaunce themselues to haue a Souereigne parliament in their citie and that they do magnifie themselues vnder colour of so many honourable and proude Senatours And that in the mean time Iustice doth soiourne in their paiâ—â—â—s and houses Also it is to no purpose that from day to day they doe publish and set forth so many newe statutes and that the poore subiects are oppressed spoiled and robbed euerie where in their personnes and their goods We do reade that the place to execute iustice among the Hebrewes was set at the gates of the cities where Sainct Hierome saith that the same was to the end that the labourer and poore man arriuing into the citie for to defend his right shoulde not be moued at the frequence of the citie and of so straunge a spectacle and beholding of the same Also that the Citizen should not goe farre for to séeke iustice or that he was afrayde to finde the iudgement seat which doth make me to say that it is a very straunge thing among the christians that not onely they are constrayned to make so many iourneis for to demaund iustice But also that they must pursue it with so great charges and expenses I doe remember a certeine king of Aegypt which ordeined sufficient and honest wages for his Iudges and magistrates saying that the Iudge ought neither to giue nor take Where a certeine christiaÌ„ author did exclaime and crye out O howe willingly I desire that the Princes of our time would followe that example who selling
a Iewe which did sacrifice vnto Idoles in the Citie of Modin For such men besides the expresse commaundement of the lawe which will that the Prophet which shal presume to speake ought in my name which I commaunded not to speake and he that speaketh in the name of straunge Gods the same Prophet shall dye do holde the place and office of a magistrate and they do it not without iust and great occasioÌ„ But at this day it shall not be permitted for certein perticuler exaÌ„ples chiefly in our lawe euangelicall for euery priuate person without leaue authoritie of the magistrate or knowledge of the cause to coÌ„mit such vnlawfull acts for to hide theÌ„ afterwardes w the cloke of religion The which Iesus Christ doth teach vs in rebuking Peter for drawing his sword smiting the high priests seruant for to shew vnto vs that the vsing of the same is forbiddeÌ„ vnto priuate persons reserued to the magistrate Of whoÌ„ S. Paul saith that he is the minister of God for thy wealth But if thou do euill theÌ„ feare For he beareth not a sword for naught but is the minister of God to take vengeaunce on theÌ„ that do euill The same sentence is repeated by Sainct Peter in these wordes Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake whether it be vnto the king as vnto the chiefe heade either vnto rulers as vnto them that are sent of him for the punishment of euill dooers but for the laud of them that doe well Woe then vnto you which desire the possessions and haue spoiled them and the houses and haue taken them And haue done wronge to a man and to his house to a man and to his inheritaunce Which haue stolen the coate and cloke from those which went by safely retourning from the battayle which haue thrust out women from their houses of pleasure And you also marke this ye prophetes which doe seduce the people which doe byte with the téeth and crie peace and if any doe gyue you nothing in the mouth yee prepare against him battaile And vpon thée also thou bloudy Citie altogether full of lyes and of stealth and defiled with the bloude of the iust â–ª which hast not receiued discipline which hast not had confidence in the Lorde and art not aproched or come nigh vnto thy God. For thy princes were in the middest of thée as roring Lyons And the â—â—dges are as wolues in the euening which â—â—aue nothing behinde them till the moâ—owe The handes of your Prophets are â—efiled with bloude and their téeth with vnrighteousnesse Their lippes speake leasinges and their tongue setteth out wickednesse Their féete runne to euill they make hast to shedde innocent bloude their counselles are wicked counsels harme and destruction are in their waies I doe speake vnto those which haue the knowledge and in whose mouth men may séeke the lawe Where is it written in the lawe that one may put a man to death without knowing the cause and authoritie of the magistrate vnto what matter doth Sainct Paule defende himselfe in the presence of the capitaine which ordeyned that he should be examined by the whippe or wherefore did he aunswere the Centurian that it was not lawfull to scourge a Citizen of Rome and vncondemned except it were but for to shewe howe odious and hatefull before the Lord those are which doe shed the bloud of the righteous For what pretence did the Lord awaken and stirre vp the spirite of holie Daniel béeing a younge childe but for to make knoweÌ„ the innocencye of that chast Susanna condemned to death And for to speak better what mo ue the said prophet to returne in iudgement and to crye with a loude voyce O ye children of Israel are ye such fooles that ye haue here condeÌ„ned a daughter of Israel to death and knowe not the truth wherefore except it were but for to teach vs that it is better to let the wicked go vnpunished then to condemne the innocent And neuerthelesse not onely ye consent vnto murthers but doe perswade the people béeing set in Moses chaire to do such cruelties and murthers That heauenly father hath not done so as he doth teach vs wheÌ„ he saith the crie of Sodome and Gomorra is great and their sinne is excéeding gréeuous I will go downe to see whether they haue done altogether accordinge to the crie whiche is come vnto me or not and if it be not so that I may knowe Euen so I say hath not Iesus Christ his soÌ„ne done which is the true pastor sheaperd of our soules and chiefe pastor of the bishoppes who being called for to iudge that poore sinneful woman did not pronounce incontinently iudgement against her as the Scribes and Pharises desired being all bloudie with the bloude of the Prophetes but said vnto them Let him that is amonge you without sinne cast the first stone at hir Admonishing and warning all true christians that gentlenesse and clemeÌ„cie is more séemely or better becommeth pastors then crueltie and rigorousnesse Furthermore I would willingly aske wherein the people can excuse themselues of such wickednesse to put a man to death of whom he knoweth nothing and to condemne him as a schismaticke heretick and imposter when he himselfe knoweth not any thing what religion is and beléeueth onely vppon the credite and sight of other And yet neuerthelesse in that matter his ignoraunce shall not excuse him By what coloure of iustice can a iudge saue himselfe in the midst of such cruelties which hath neither let the murthers nor condemned the murtherers On the other side haue made vnrighteous lawes and deuised things which be to hard for to kepe Wherthrough the poore are orpressed on euery side the innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement To conclude what punishments do those deserue to haue who béeing ordeyned for to declare the Gospell of peace doe incite and stirre forwarde with all their power the people to troubles and seditions I that great lawe géeuer of the Athenians and one of the seauen sages of Greece named Solon hath not published any lawe agaynst the Paricides estéeming that such a shamefull crime could neuer be committed What punishment are they worthy off which doe put to death the fathers of our soules if with one onely respect as sayth Cicero that fatherly pitie is hurted What shall that bée of vs if wee put to death those which daylie doe trauayle to beare vs agayne vntill Christ be fashioned in vs Wherefore let vs not be lyke vnto brute beastes who following their sensualitie and béeing made to be taken and destroyed speake euill of that they know not for they shall perish through their owne destruction But let vs iudge the things in veritie and righteousnesse and before we condempne any man let vs proue by the word whether the spirites are of God or
exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may
mouth of thy welbeloued disciple that hée which loueth not his brother whō he hath séene that he can not loue GOD whom hee hath not seene Imprinte so through thy grace and fatherly goodnesse such loue in our heartes that we considering that we are all members of one head That wée may haue also one selfe care the one for the other and may acknowledge that if thou hast so much loued the world as to giue thy onely sonne that none that beléeue in him should perish but haue euerlasting life that we also of our part bearing one an others burthen and that also we distributing vnto the necessities of the Saincts we may shewe by our example and good conuersation that we doe loue thée of déede truth yea that we are the true successours and disciples of him which hath taught vs not to gether vp treasure vp the earth but to make vs friends with the riches of iniquitie that when we shall depart they may receiue vs into euerlasting habitations Hee I say whiche though he were ritch yet for our sakes became poore that wée through his pouertie might be made ritch our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisement vpon the commaūdement to honour our father mother Chap. 18. Exodus 20. c 12. Deut. 5. b. 16. ¶ Honour thy father and thy mother that thy dayes may be long in the lande which the Lord thy God giueth thee THE Apostle Sainct Paul writing vnto the Ephesians saith children obey your fathers and mothers in the Lorde For so is it righte And in an other place he sayth Honoure thy Father thy Mother which is the first cōmaundement that hath any promise thou maist bee in good estate liue lōg on earth The which Iesus the sonne of Siraac declareth more at large when hée said that the Lord would haue the Father honored of the children and looke what a mother commaundeth her children to do hée will haue it kept Who so honoreth his father his sinnes shalbée forgeuen him and he that honoreth his mother is like one that geathereth treasure together Whoso honoreth his Father shall haue ioye of his owne children and when hee maketh his praier he shal be heard he that honoreth his Father shal haue a long life And hee that is obedient for the Lordes sake his mother shall haue ioy of him Hee that feareth the Lorde honoreth his Father and Mother and doth them seruice as it were vnto the Lord him selfe Now when we do speake in this matter of honor wee take not simply the honor for an honor by the which we do go the one before the other be it by any outward signe or by friendely amiable wordes But wée doe take it as the holie Apostle Sainct Paul when hee saith The Elders that rule well are worthy of double honor most specially they whiche labour in the worde and teaching And in the same place he saith further honor widowes whiche are true widowes Insomuch that that honour doth comprehend a subiection and obedience also a naturall bond the which doth constraine vs to assist those with necessarie thinges in this present life vnto whom wee owe honor and obedience The which the Lorde himselfe rebuked sometimes the Iewes For although the lawe commaundeth that the children should nourishe their fathers and mothers to rēder vnto them pleasures in their olde age the which they haue first receiued of them in their youth The Scribes and Pharises learned the children to say vnto their fathers by euery gift that proceedeth from mee thou shalt be holpen though hee honor not his father or his mother And thus haue they made that the commaūdement of God is without effect through their traditiones And so by that meanes they defraude their fathers of the duetie the nature cōmaundeth them But marke what the sonne of Siraac saith honor thy father in déede in worde and in all patience that thou maist haue his blessing for the blessing of the father buildeth vp the houses of the children but the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations Reioyce not when thy father is reproued for it is no honour vnto thée but a shame For the worship of a mans father is his owne worshippe and where the father is without honour it is the dishonestie of the sonne My son make much of thy father in his age and gréeue him not as long as he liueth And if his vnderstanding faile haue patience with him dispise him not in thy strēgth For the good déede that thou shewest vnto thy father shall not be forgotten when thou thy selfe wantest it shal be rewarded thée And verie well for this purpose a certeine auncient authour saide that the sonne of GOD honoured his parentes As we reade that he came into Nazareth and was subiect vnto them and honoured Marie and Ioseph not by duetie of nature but by office of pietie hath honoured his father being obedient vnto him to the death euen the death of the crosse Nourishe then thy father and thy mother and when thou hast nourished them thou hast not done that which thou owest vnto thy mother thou hast not rendred vnto her all the paines and trauailes that she hath suffered for the loue of thee thou hast not also rendred vnto her the seruices that she hath done for thee bearing thee in her belly thou hast not rendered vnto her the aliments and nurrishments that she hath giuen vnto thee of a tender affection and motherly loue pressing her pappes vnder thy lippes thou hast not rendred vnto hir the hunger that she hath suffered for thee fearing least that she shoulde eate any thing which should hurte thee or that she shoulde eate any thing which shoulde bee noysome and hurtefull to her milke shee hath fasted for thy loue and for thy loue she hath eaten and for the loue of thee she hath not eaten the meate that she louid wilt thou suffer her to be in neede and to lacke that whiche thou hast thou owest vnto her vnto whome thou owest that whiche thou arte The like matters we do reade off in Xenophon when he declared that there was noe people that receiued more greater goodes then the children doe of their parentes the whiche are the cause that they liue Furthermore there are not that see so greate goods and are also partakers of that which God hath geuen vnto men The wife as that good author saith in conceauing her child suffereth that charge with most great werinesse and daungers of hir life and of hir proper substaunce nourishing hir fruite goeth about the day that she must trauaile and bring foorth hir childe with great and diuerse trauailes and afterwarde she nourisheth him and besides she is carful for him of whom shee neuer receiued any pleasure and who not onely forgetteth what he was which did him good but also can not onely expresse
his lawe and preceptes vnto the people commaunded them to write theÌ„ vpon the postes of their houses and vppon their gates And to haue them as papers of remembraunce betwéene their eies and that which followeth To the ende that by that meanes the young people should be induced perswaded to obserue them In like maner it is written in Exodus how he exhorted theÌ„ to kepe the ordinaunces of the Lords passeouer for euer and of the vnleauened bread in remembraunce of the deliueraunce out of the land Aegypt To the ende saith Moses that when your children aske you what manner of seruice is this ye doe ye shall say it is the sacrifice of the Lordes passeouer which passed ouer the houses of the children of Israel in Aegypt as he smote the Aegyptians and saued our houses Besides these things he ordeined that they should take the bloude of the sayd Lambe strike it on the two side postes on the vpper dore post of the houses wherein they eate him In like manner the Lord commaunded Iosua saying as soone as the people shall goe ouer Iordan to take them twelue men out of the people of euery tribe a man and to take with them twelue stones and to erect and set vp a trope and a perpetuall monument for a signe betweene them and their posteritie that the waters of Iordin deuided at the presence of the Arke of the appointment of the LORD In so doing the children taking counsell by the examples of others shoulde acknowledge the grace of God towardes those which obey his lawe and his rigor iustice towards the transgressors of the same Now the chiefest marke and ende that the father ought to trauaile in is to make his sonnes honest men euen as the good labourer ought first to be carefull to till and dresse the young plantes and afterwardes to prouide vnto others All the whole consisteth specially in two thinges I meane to feare the Lord and to tourne them as much as we shall possible from all euill The which Iob verie well declareth when he demaunded howe that a man commeth by wisdome and where is the place that men finde vnderstanding verely no man can tell howe worthy a thing she is that good man aunswered neither is she found in the lande of the liuing The déepe saith she is not in mée She cannot be gotten for the most fine golde neither may the price of hir be bought with any money No wedges of gold of Ophir no precious Onix stones no Saphirs may be compared vnto hir In the ende he concludeth Beholde to feare the Lorde is wisdome and to forsake euill is vnderstanding Euen so the Lord sayd vnto the Iewes as it is written in the prophet Esay saying washe you â—ake you cleane put awaye your euill â—houghtes out of my sight cease froÌ„ dooing â—uill and violence learne to do right And â—â—rasmuch then as the whole scripture giâ—en by inspiration of God is profitable â—o teach to improue to amende and to inâ—truct in righteousnesse That the man of GOD may bée perfect and instructed â—nto all good woorkes also whatsoeuer things are written afore time are written for our learning that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope yet truely the true office of a father is to cause his children to reade the holy Scriptures To the ende as sayth the Apostle they bée not carried about with diuers and straunge learning yea that they bée no more children wauering and carried about with euery kinde of doctrine as commonly chaunseth vnto men and with craftinesse whereby they lay in waite to deceiue For as Plato hath verie well declared in his booke of vowes that the possession of all sciences is but of little profite If that man doth not acquire and get the science and knowledge of all good things againe it is noysible and hurtfull vnto him which doth possesse it That is the cause wherfore Homer speaketh of one named Margites that he did know a great many of thinges but he doth very euill knowe all thinges For the same cause the Lacedemonians as saith Valerius caused the books of Archilaus to bee caried out of their Citie bicause that they esteemed the reading of them not to bee honest and therfore would not that the minds of their children should bée learned or taught of them Fearing also on the other side that it woulde bee more hurtefull vnto their manners then profitable to their wittes Wherefore Plato in his booke that he hath intituled Protogoras speaking to a young man aduertised him to take heed to put in daunger the thinges which are vnto him verie deare and precious acknowledging that there is a great deale more daunger to disciplines then to the buying of victail or drinke bicause that hée that buyeth victaile or drinke may beefore hée vse and occupie them put and chaunge them into other vessels and carrie them into his house and enquire diligentlye of those whiche haue the knowledge of the thinges what hee ought to eate or drinke Insomuche that hee maye reiect the meates and drinkes whiche are hurtefull vnto him To bee shorte to learne of others what quantitie hee oughte to take and in what time As touching the disciplines and learninges it is not lawfull for vs to transport them into an other vessell But it must bee that hee that buyeth them must take them in his minde and leauing the price of them to beare and carrie them within him And that by them hee is eyther made better or worse That is the cause wherefore the same Author requireth that the Nurses should not content and please their children with vaine vnprofitable and vnhonest fables fearing to defile their mindes with so manye folyes and euill manners Euen as Sainct Paull exhorted the Christians to despise and caste awaye prophane and olde wiues fables and to exercise themselues vnto godlinesse In suche sorte that the same Philosopher doeth declare that the Poets ought to sing in their Poeticall verses that man is a good man forasmuche as hée is gouerned and iuste and thereby blessed or â—â—ppa bee hee great or stronge bee hee little or féeble bee hee riche or poore and that the wicked and vniust man althoughe that hee bée more rycher then Cymras or Midas is miserable and pâ—sseth awaye his life in extreme miserie I speake this to the ende that those whiche disdaine to learne true pietie and religion of the true Christians at the leaste wise maye acknowledge their faultes and transgressions by the same saying of the panâ—ms and gentiles And therein truely consisteth the great duety of a father towards his children But the like is no lesse necessary that is to say in the conuersation Insomuch that euen as the father ought not to spill and marre his children through wicked and vaine doctrines euen so hee ought not to bee vnto them as an example to do euill
grounde before that we doe plant but when we doe sée and perceiue the budde or sciences begin for to growe it is verie harde and diffcctle to perceiue and kéepe it vntill that it doth bring foorth fruite Euen so is it of man for the generation is verie easie but the bringing vp of him is full of great trauaile and wearinesse Also we wil not counsaile those which haue a certeine charge to instruct or teach the children to conduct and guide them with force feare or with too greate bondage For as the same author witnesseth euen as too much laboure and trauaile is noisome and hurtfull vnto the bodie chiefly when it is taken by feare and compulsion euen so no manner discipline of the soule forced and compelled is profitable Wherefore he concludeth that wée must nourish and bringe vp the children in learning not as compelled but as a playe and pastime to the ende that we may the easelier knowe the propertie of the spirites and mindes of the children And to a verie good purpose hath the Poet Terence spoken which saide that it is better to kéepe the children by shame and liberalitie then by feare That is the cause wherefore in the time of the Lacedemonians the childe béeinge taken in any faulte was compelled to make certaine Towers ouer against the temple and to pronounce and declare a prayer the which was composed and written to his shame and dishonoure which was none other thing but to blame himselfe of his owne mouth géeuing vs to vnderstand by the same edict statute that the children who of themselues are cleane are ledde to honest thinges through shame and gentlenesse and that it is the propertie of seruauntes to be conducted and ledde by feare Finally this shall serue to the fathers for to aduertise and warne them not to slacke so much the bridle to their children that they doe not committe a thing which maye tourne to their shame and dishonour as it chaunced vnto Hely as it appeareth in the first booke of Samuel who for that he had borne too much with his children in their faultes was rebuked by the Prophet afterwards hee and his children cruelly punished And the same which Sainct Paul speaketh off is greatly to be noted in the instruction and demonstracion of the LORD from the difference of some panimes who haue the power of life and of death towardes their children may sell them for certaine occasions The which the christian lawe doth not permit and suffer for the correction and discipline of the fathers ought to be ruled after the worde of GOD that is to say in all gentlenesse and loue for to proue whether God will giue them sometime repentaunce for to knowe the truth and that they may amende for to do the will of him béeing escaped from the snare of the Diuell wherein they were holden that their spirites may bée saued in the day of the LORD Iesus To conclude that they may bée sorie with a godly sorowe which causeth amendement vnto saluation not to bée repented off Briefly I desire that the father in all his life time yea vnto the last breath of his daies that hée woulde regarde asmuch as in him shal be possible to kéepe his children in the obedience and feare of the Lordes lawe the which the good patriarke Iacob doth teach vs who not onely in his life time but béeing nigh his death exhorted his children to kéepe the lawe of the Lorde And particulerly to declare and shewe vnto euery one of them their faults the which wee doe reade of Moses the conductour and leader of Gods people and spirituall father of our soules who before he died blessed the twelue tribes of Israel declaring vnto them wherein they haue varied and declined from the lawe of god To be short hée declared vnto them the great benefites of the same Lorde for to assure them more and more in his promises I will recite the aduertisement that Dauid made vnto his sonne as followeth My sonne I must walke by the way of all the world neuerthelesse be thou strong quite thy selfe manfully And sée that thou kepe the appointment of the Lord thy God that thou walke in his waies and kepe his commaundements ordinaunces lawes testimonies euen as it is written in the law of Moses that thou maist vnderstand all the thou oughtest to do al that thou shouldest meddell with Shal I sorget that good and holy man Tobiah who besides that hée instructed his sonne in all his life time in the feare of GOD counsailed him in his death to flée from Niniue and to flée and auoide the companie of the wicked also to kéepe the lawe and commaundements of the Lorde and to bee mercifull and righteous Shall I speake of that vertuous woman the mother of the seuen Machebeans béeinge enuironed and compelled on euerye side with tyrantes hangmen and neuerthelesse exhorted them with a manly and couragious heart to lay all things to the commaundements of the Lord I will ende this matter with Iesus Christ head of the church chiefe shepheard of our soules who before he yelded his soule vnto God his father when he loued his which were in the worlde vnto the ende hée loued them admonished them also to kepe obserue his commaundements and to kéepe like humilitie as they haue séene in him By these examples wée are taught that the Father ought to haue suche an eye vnto his children yea all his life time that they may haue none occasion if it bée possible to varie or decline neither to the right hande nor to the left hande from the LORDS lawe I doe speake vnto those which in their life and at their death doe make accounte of nothing els vnto their children but of their inheritaunces possessions and dominions and haue no regarde to declare and propounde vnto them the lawe of GOD his loue and his feare Cirus king of the Persians and verie riche hath not done so for he béeing nigh vnto his death spake of none other thing vnto his sonne then of the immortalitie of the soule and of the resurrection of the blessed Of his bodie he cared or set so little by that he desired his sonne not to regarde it any longer then he hath closed the eyes and not to shut or laye it in Marble Aliblaster or in any other precious sepulcher but to yelde it vp incontinently to the earth which doth bring foorth and nourish all goodly thinges good and profitable Wherfore let vs not estéeme that the principall and chiefest duetie of the fathers towards their children is to heape vp treasure for their children or to giue them the meanes not to be poore but rather to admonish them that they put not their hope trust in the vncertaintie of riches but to put it in the liuing God who doth giue vnto vs all thinges abundantly for to