beware for Cain repented yet is he condemned Esau did repent yet is he condemned Antiochus did repent yet is he condemned Iudas did repent yet is he condemned with infinite moe And why so Because their prolonged repentaunce sprange not of faith c. Thus they may sée that euerye light affection is no true repentance And that it is not ynough to say at the last I repent I repent For vnles it be a true repentaÌ„ce indeed it is worth nothing But indeed if it weare so that man had liberuÌ„ arbitrium free wil of himself to repent truely when he wold and that God promised in his word to accept of that repentance it weare another matter But repentance is donum Dei the gifte of God de sursum veniens a patre luminum comming from aboue froÌ„ the Father of light therfore it is not in our powers to repent when we will It is the Lord y t giueth the gift when where to whom it pleaseth him of him are we to craue it incessantly by faithfull prayer not otherwise to presume of our owne repentaÌ„ce when indeed we haue nothing lesse than a true repentance Spud. Than thus much I gather by your words that as true repentance which is a certen inward grief and sorrow of the heart coÌ„ceiued for our sinnes with a hatred and lothing of thesame erueth to saluation thorow the mercie of GOD in Christ so fained repentance saueth not from perdition And therfore we must repent dayly and howrely and not to deferre our repentaunce to the last gaspe as many doo than which nothing is more perilous Philo. True it is for maye not he be called a great Foole that by deferring and prolonging of repentance to the last cast as they say will hazard his body and soule to eternall damnation for euer Wheras by daily repentaunce he maye assure him selfe both of the fauour of GOD and of life euerlasting by faith in the mercy of GOD thorow the most precious blood of his deare Sonne Iesus Christ our alone Sauiour and Redemer to whome be praise for euer Spud. Now must I néeds say as the Wyse King Salomon said all things are vaine and transitorie and nothing is permanent vnder the Sonne the workes of men are vnperfect and lead to destruction their exercyses are vaine and wicked altogether Wherfore I setting apart all the vanities of this lyfe will from hencefoorth consecrate my selfe to the seruice of my GOD and to follow him in his Woord which onely is permanent and leadeth vnto life And I most hartelie thanke the Lord God for your good Company this day and for your graue instructions promising by the assistance of God his grace to followe and obey them to my possible power all the daies of my life Philo. God giue you grace so to do and euery Christen man els and to auoid all the vanities and deceiuable pleasures of this life for certenly they tread the path to eternal destruction both of body and soule for euer to as many as obey them For it is vnpossible to wallowe in the delights and pleasures of this World and to lyue in ioy for euer in y e Kingdom of Heauen And thus we hauing spent the daye and also coÌ„summate our iorney we must now depart beseaching GOD that we may both meete againe in the Kingdome of Heauen there to raigne and lyue with him for euer through Iesus Christe our Lorde to whome with the Father and the holy Spirit be all honour glorie for euer more Amen FINIS Flying fame oftentimes lyeth The place wher the Authour hath trauayled Trauailing chargeable The causes that moued the author to take this trauaile in hand The differeÌ„ce betwixt a maÌ„ the hath trauayled and a man that hath not The benefite of a good Companion to trauayle withall A request to auoid offeÌ„ce Ailgna a goodly cuÌ„try The people of Ailgna The liues of the people of Ailgna From wheÌ„ce all euilles spring in maÌ„ We ought to haue no dealing with the workes of the flâ—sh The day of Dome not regarded Euery Man must answer for him selfe The mutuall harmonie of one member with an other No maÌ„ born for himselfe The number of Abuses infinite All sinne in it owne nature is mortall The greatest abuse which offendeth god most is pride Pride the begyning of all euill ECCLES 10. What is it but pride dares attempt it Pride is three fold pride of the hart pride of the mouth and pride of apparell What pride of the hart is PHILAVTIA How pride of wordes or of the mouth is committed How pride of apparel is perpetrate coÌ„mitted A decorum to be obserued Our apparell rather deformeth than adorneth vs. No Cuntrey so drunken with pride as Ailgna Other countreyes not to be blamed though they go in silkâ— veluets and why Other Countryes esteme not so muche of silkes veluets as we do Euery man may weare apparell according to his callinge The nobility may weare gorgiouse attyre and why Maiestrats may were sumptuouse attyre why Not lawfull for priuate subiectes to weare sumpâ—â—ous attyre Hard to know a Gentleman from another by apparell Wherfore the lord made riche ornamentes Wherto riche ornamentes do serue When where and for what cause our appâ—rell was geuen vs. The fall of man by the malice of the deuill Impudenâ— beasts Wherfor our apparell was geuen vs. Mens bodies lyuing sepulchres In our apparell we ought rather to oby necessity than to feed vanity AdaÌ„ his meankind of attire was a â—igne 〈◊〉 mediocrity vnto vs â—n our â—pparell No religion reposed in apparell The fruite of Pride The Lord accepteth no man after his apparell No attyre can make the creature of God seeme fayrer Euery one is to contente him selfe with his creation and to prâ—yse God for it The Lord ouâ— God is a consuming fire to destroy all impenitenâ— siâ—nerâ— The wise will not accept of any after apparell Wisdom not tyed to exteriour pompe of apparell Reuerence due to vertue not to attyrâ— Wherfore man is to be worshiped and had in reuerence Gentilitie without vertue is no geÌ„tilitie The exordium of virtue is the exordium of gentilitie worship and want of the one is the decay of the other No holynes in apparell An argument trimly contryued Vnpossible to take away pride except sumptuouse apparell be taken away also Apparell and pride combined togetheas mother daughter Vnpossible not to be proud of rich attyre The Godly haue euer detested pride of apparell The verie hethen haue coÌ„temned sumptuouse apparell Testimonieâ— of hethen people who derided richâ— attire Virtue is the comlyest ornameÌ„t of all Dioâ—ines his â—suerity The example of a Philosopher deriding the pompe 〈◊〉 World The exaÌ„ple of a Philosopher who spat in the kings face ProbatioÌ„ that the former world hath contemned pompouse attyre Elias Elizeus Samuell The children of Israell Iohn Baptist. Peter The humility and pouertie of Christe vppon earth Superfluitie of apparell With dyuersitie
by their apparell new fangled fashions euery day inuented The beastly Epicures the Drunkards swilbowles vppon their ale benches when their heads are intoxicat with new wine wil not stick to belch foorth and say that the inhabitantes of Ailgna go brauelye in Apparell chaunging fashions euerie daye for no cause so much as to delight the eyes of their harlots withall and to inamoure the mindes of their fleshly paramours Thus be this People a laughing stock to all the world for their pride a slaunder to the word of God to their profession scandalles to their brethren a dishonor and reproch to the Lord and very caterpillers to themselues in wasting and coÌ„suming their goods and treasures vppon vanyties trifles Spud. Séeing that by diuyne assistance you haue now finished your â—ractation of the Apparell of Ailgna shew me I pray you what other abuses be there vsed for I am perswaded that pride the Mother of all sinne is not without her Daughters of sinne semblable to her selfe The horryble vice of Whordome in Ailgna Philo. THE horryble vice of Whordome also is ther too too much frequeÌ„ted to y e great dishonor of God the prouoking of his iudgements against them the staine and blemish of their profession the euill example of all the world any finally to their owne damnation for â—uer except they repente Spud. I haue heard them reason that mutuall coition betwixt man and woman is not so offensiue before God For do not all Creatures â—ay they as wel reptilia terrae as volatiâ—a Coeli the creping things vpon the earth as the flying Creatures in the aire and all other Creatures in generall both small great ingender together hath not nature and kynd ordained them so geuen them meÌ„bers incideÌ„t to that vse doth not y e Lord say they as it were w t a stimule or prick by his mandat saing crescite multiplicamini replete terraÌ„ increase multiplie fill the earth stirre theÌ„ vp to the same Otherwyse the World wold become barren and soone fall to decay wherfore they conclude that whordome is a badge of loue a cognizaÌ„ce of amitie a tutch of â—ustie youth a frendlie daliance a redintegration of loue and an ensigne of vertue rather meritorious than daÌ„nable these with the like be y â— exceptioÌ„s which I haue hard them many times to obiect in defence of their carnal pollutions Philo. Cursed be those mouths that thus blaspheme the mightie God of Israell and his sacred word making the same clokes to couer their sinne withall worse are they than Lybertines who thinke all things lawfull or Atheistes who denie there is any God The deuills themselues neuer sinned so horribly nor erred so grossely as these not Christians but dogges do that make whordom a vertue and meritorious but because you shal sée their deceptioÌ„s displayed their daÌ„nable abuses more plainly discouered I will reduce you to y e first institutioÌ„ of this Godly ordenaÌ„ce of matrimony The Lord our God hauing created all things in Heauen earth or Hell whatsoeuer created of euery sex two male female of both kindes and last of al other creatures he made man after his own likenesse similitude geuing him a womaÌ„ made of a ribbe of his own body to be his companion comforter lincking them together in the honorable state of venerable wedlocke he blessed them both saying crescite multiplicamini replete terraÌ„ Increase multiplie replenish y e earth wherby it is more than apparent that the Lorde whose name is Iehouah the mightie GOD of Israell is the Author of Godly matrimony instituting it in the tyme of mans inconcency in Paradice and that as mée séemeth for foure causes First for the auoydauÌ„ce of whordom Secondly for the mutuall comforte consolatioÌ„ that the one might haue of the other in all aduersities calamities whatsoeuer Thridly for the procreation and Godly propagation of Children in the feare of the Lord that both the world might be increased therby and the Lord also in them glorified And fourthlie to be a figure or type of our spirituall wedlocke betwixt Christ and his church both militant and triumphante This congression and mutuall copulation of those that be thus ioyned together in the Godlye state of blessed matrimony is pure virginitie and allowable before God and man as an action wherto the Lorde hath promised his blessing thorow his mercy notâ— by our merite ex opere operato as some shame not to say All other goinges together and coitions are damnable pestiferous and execrable So now you sée that wheras the Lord saith increase multiplie fill the earth he alludeth to those that are cheyned together in the Godly state of matrimonie and wedlock and not otherwyse For to those that go together after any other sorte he hath denounced his curse and wrath for euermore as his alsauing word beareth record And wheras they say that all crâ—atures vppon the Earth do ingender together I graunte it is true But how in suo genere in their owne kinde There is no creature créeping on the earth or flying in the aire how irrationable soeuer that dooth degenerate as man dooth but kéepethe the same state and order wherein they were made at the first and so if man did he should not commit abhominable whordom and filthie sinne as hée dooth It is said of those that write de natura animalium that almost all vnreasonable beasts and flying fowles after they haue once linked and vnited them selues togither to any one of the same kinde and after they haue once espoused them selues the one to the other wil neuer after ioyne them selues w e any other til the one be dissolued froÌ„ the other by death And thus they kéepe the knot of matrimonie inuiolable to the end And if any one chaunce to reuolte and go togither with any other during y e life of his first mate at the rest of the same kind assemble togither as it were in a councel or parliament and either kil or gréeuously punish the adulterer or adulteresse whether euer it be which lawe I would God were amongst Christians established By all which it may appéer how horrible a sinne whordome is in nature that the very vnreasonable creatures doo abhorre it The Heathen people who know not God so much lothe this stiâ—king sinne of whordome that some burne them quick some hang them on gibbets some cut off their heds some their armes legs and hands some put out their eyes some burne them in the face some cut of their noses some one parte of their bodye some another and some with one kind of torture and some with another but none leaueth them vnpunished so that we are set to schoole to learn our first rudiments like yung Nouices or Children scarce crept out of the shel how to punish whordome euen by the vnreasonable
creatures and by the heathen people who are ignorant of the deuine goodnes God be merciful vnto vs. Spud. I pray you rehearse some places out of the woord of God wherin this cursed vice of whordome is forbidden for my better instruction Philo. Our Sauiour Christe in the eight of Iohn speaking to the woman whom the malicionâ—â— Iewes had apprehended in adulterie bad her go her way and sin no more If it had not béen a moste greeuous sin he would neuer haue bid her to sin therin no more In the fift of Mathew he saith who so lusteth after a woman in his hart hath committed the fact alredy and therfore is guiltie of death for the same To the Pharises asking him whether a man might not put away his wife for any occasion Christe answered for no cause saue for whordome onely inferring that whordome is so hainous a sinne as for the perpetration therof it shalbe lawful for a man to sequester him self from his owne wife and the wife from her owne husband The Apostle Paul sayth know you not that your bodyes are the members of Christe shall I then take the members of Christe saith he and make them the members of an whore God forbid knowe yée not that he who coupleth him self with a harlot is become one body w t her flée fornication saith he therfore for euery sinne that a man committeth is without the body but who committeth fornication sinneth against his owne body And in anâ—other place knowe you not that your Bodyes are the temples of the holy ghost which dwelleth within you And who so destroyeth the Temple of God him shall God destory In an other place he saith be not deceiued for neither Whoremonger Adulterer Fornicator incestuous person nor such like shall euer enter into the kingdome of heauen Again Coniâ—gium honorabile est inter omnes Mariage is honorable amongst all men and the bed vndefiled but whooremongers and adulterers God shall iudge In the Reuelation of Saint Iohn it is said that they who were not defiled with women doo waite vpon the Lamb whether soeuer he goeth The Apostle Paul willeth vs to be so far from fornication that it be not once named amongst vs as becommeth Saints with infinit such places which for bréefnes I omit reâ—erring you in the olde Testament to these and such like places namely the 20. of Exodus 20. of Leuiticus Deâ—tronomie 22. Deutro 27. 2. Reg. 11. Leuit. 18. Exodus 22. Num 5. Eccle. 9. Pro. 33. Pro. 7. verse 24. Spud. As you haue now prooued by inuincible testimonies of holy Scripture that whordome is forbidden by the Lord so I pray you shew mée the gréeuousnes thereof by some seuere rare examples of Gods iust iudgement executed vppon the same from the begining Philo. The whole world was destroyed w t water not any liuing thing left vpon the erth saue in y e Ark of Noath for the sin of whordoÌ„ incest brothelry vsed in those daies Sodoma and Gomorra two famous Cities were consumed with fire and brimstone from heauen for the like sin of whordom adulterie and fornication The citie of y e Sichemits man woman and childe weare put to the edge of the swoord for the rauishing of Dina the daughter of Iacob The Lord also tolde Abimelech that if he did not let go vntouched Sara Abraham his wife bothe he and all his housholde should dye the death notwithstanding he did it ignorauntly The very same hapned to Isaac also Iudas vnderstanding that his daughter in law was impregnate and great with childe and not knowing by whom commâ—nded that she should be burned without any further delay Was not Absalon king Dauid his sonne plagued all his life for going into his Fathers Concubines And did not Achitophel who gaue councel so to do hang himself Was not Ruben the first borne sonne of Iacob accursed for going vp to his Fathers bed and lost he not his birth-right his dignitie and primacie ouer his Bretheren for the same Were there not abooue thréescore and fiue thousand men slain for the adulterie doon with one Leuits wife Was not king Dauid punished all y â— daies of his life for his adultery doon with Bersabe Vrias his wife Was not his soÌ„ne Amon for lying with Thamar slain Was not Salomon béeing peruerted with hethen women cast out of the fauour of GOD notwithstanding being otherwise the wisest Prince in all the world Did not Achab at the perswasions of Iesabel his cursed wife falling to Idolatrie and woorshiping of Idolles and deuils suffer moste cruel punishment in this life all his dayes besides what he suffereth now God onely knoweth Were not the Israelite and Madianitish woman both slain by that woorthy man Phinees who ran them both thorow the priuy members with his Iauelin or swoord Was not Sampson brought to a miserable end his eyes beeing bothe put out and he made to be a laughing stock to all men thorow his too much fauouring of wantoÌ„ women Was not king Pharao wunderfully plagued for but intending euil in his hart towards Sara Abraham his wife Did not the Lord slay with a moste gréeuous mortalitie foure twentie thousand of y e Israelites in one day for whordome and adulterie with the women of the Moabites and Madianits By these and such like fearful Examples of the iustice of God powred vpon these whoremongers adultrers we may learn to know the gréeuousnes of the same and the punishment due to all whoremongers and fornicatours either in this life or in the World to come or els in both for if the Lord deferre the punishment of whordome in this life hée reseruetâ— it for the world to come suffering the wicked to wallow in their sinne and to fil vp the measure of iniquitie that their damnation may be iust And if the Lord lâ—ft not sin vnpunished no not in his most déer Saints what he wil doo in them who dayly crucifie him a new let the world iudge Spud. Now am I fully perswaded by your inuincible reasons that there is no sin greater before the face of God then whordome wherfore God grauÌ„t that all his may auoid it Philo. You haue said true for there is no sinne almost comparable vnto it for besides that it bringeth euerlasting damnation to all that liue therin to the end without repentaÌ„ce it also bringeth these inconueniences with many mo vidilicet it dimmeth the sight it impaireth the hearing it infirmeth y e sinewes it weakneth the ioynts it exhausteth the marow consumeth the moisture and supplemeÌ„t of the body it riueleth the face appalleth the couÌ„tenance it dulleth y e spirits it hurteth the memorie it weakneth y â— whole body it bringeth it into a consuÌ„ption it bringeth vlcerations scab scurf blain botch pocks biles it maketh hoare haires bald pates it induceth olde age in finâ— bringeth death before nature
vrge it malady enforce it or age require it Sp. Séeing y â— whordome bringeth such soure sauce with it namely death euerlasting after this life and so many discoÌ„modities besides in this life I wunder that men dare coÌ„mit the same so securely as they doo now a dayes Philo. It is so little feared in Ailgna that vntill euery one hath two or thrée Bastardes a péece they estéeme him no man for that they call a mans déede insomuch as euery sâ—uruie boy of twelue sixtéen or twenty yéeres of age wil make no conscience of it to haue two or thrée peraduenture half a dosen seuerall women with childe at once and this exploite béeing doon he showes them a faire pair of héeles and away goeth he Euro volociuâ— as quick as a Bâ—e as they say into some strange place where he is not knowen where how he liueth let the wise iudge for coelum non animum mut 〈◊〉 qui trans mare currunt though they châ—uâ—ge their place of abode yet their naughtie dispositions they retaine stil. Then hauing estraunged them selues thus for a small space they returne againe not to their pristine cursed life I dare say but vnto their cuntrey and then no man may say black is their eye but all is wel they as good christians as those that suffer them vnpunished Spud. The state and condition of that Cuntrey is most miserable if it be true you report it weare much better that euerye one had his lawful wife and euery woman her lawful husband as the Apostle commaundeth then thus to bedrowned in the filthie sin of whordome Philo. That is the only salue and soueraine remedy which the lord ordained against whordome that those who haue not the gift of continencis might mary and so kéep their vessels vndefiled to the Lord. But notwithstaÌ„ding in Ailgna there is ouer great libertye permitted therin for litle infants in swadling clowts are often maried by their ambicious Parents and frends when they know neither good nor â—uill and this is the origene of much wickednesse directlie against the word of God and examples of the primityue age And besydes this you shall haue euery sawcy boy of x. xiiij xvi or xx yeres of age to catch vp a woman marie her without any feare of God at all or respect had either to her religion wisdom integritie of lyfe or any other vertue or which is more without any respecte how they maye lyue together with sufficient maintenance for their callings and estat No no it maketh no matter for these things so he haue his pretie pussie to huggle withall it forceth not for that is the only thing he desireth Than build they vp a cotage though but of elder poals in euery lane end almost wher they lyue as beggers al their life This filleth the land with such store of poore people that in short tyme except some caution be prouided to preuent the same it is like to growe to great pouertie and scarsnes which GOD forbid Sp. I caÌ„not sée how this geare shold be holpeÌ„ Ph. What if a restraint were made y â— none except vppon speciall and vrgente causes should marie before they come to xx or xxiiij yéeres or at y e least before they be .xiiij. or xviij yeeres old would not this make fewer beggers than now there are Sp. But if this were established thaÌ„ should we haue moe Bastards and of the two I had rather we had many legittimats than many illegittimates Philo. The occasion of begetting of manyâ— Bastards were soone cut of if the punishment which either God his lawe doth allowe or els which good pollicy doth constitute were aggrauated and executed vppon the Offenders For the punishment appointed for whordom now is so light that they estéeme not of it thei feare it not they make but a iest of it For what great thing is it to go ij or thrée dayes in a white shéete before the congregation and that somtymes not past an howre or two in a day hauing their vsnall garmeÌ„ts vnderneth as commonly they haue This impunitie iâ— respecte of condigne punishement which that vice requireth doth rather animate and imbolden them to the acte than feare them from it In so much as I haue heard soâ—e miscreants impudently say that he is but a â—east that for such white lyuered punishment would abstaine from suche gallant pastyme but certen it is that they who thinke it suche sweet meate here shall find the sawce sowre and stiptick enough in Hell Spud. What punishment would you haue inflicted vppon such as commit this horrible kinde of sinne Philo. I would wish that the Man or Woman who are certenlye knowen without all scruple or doubte to haue committed the horryble fact of whordome adulterie incest or fornication eyther should drinke a full draught of Moyses cuppe that is â—ast of present death or els if y â— be thought too seuere for in euill men will be more mercifull than the Author of mercie him selfe but in goodnesse fare well mercy than wold GOD they might be cauterized and seared with a hote yron on the chéeke forehead or some other parte of their bodye that might be séene to the end the honest and chast Christians might be discerned from the adulterous Children of Sathan But alas this vice with the rest wanteth such due punishement as GOD his Word doth commaunde to be executed ther vppon The Magistrates wincke at it or els as looking thorowe their fingers they see it and will not sée it And therfore the Lorde is forced too take the sword into his owne hands and to execute punishment him selfe because the Magistrates will not For better proof wherof marke this strange fearful iudgment of god shewed vpon two adulterous persoÌ„s there euen y e last day in effect y â— remeÌ„braÌ„ce wherof is yet gréen in their heds There was a man whose name was W. Ratsurb being certenly knowen to be a notorious vserer and yet pretending alway a singular zeale to religion so that he wold seldom tymes go without a byble about him but sée the iudgements of God vpon them that will take his word in their mouthes and yet lyue cleane contrarie making the word of God a cloke to couer their sinne and naughtynesse withall who vppon occasion of busines visiting Lewedirb a place appointed for the correctioÌ„ of such that be wicked lyuers saw there a famous whore but a very proper Woman whoÌ„ as is said he knew not but whether he did or not certeÌ„ it is that he procured her delyuery from thence bayled her hauing put away his owne wife before kept her in his chamber vsing her at his pleasure Whylest these two meÌ„bers of y e deuil were playing the vile Sodomits together in his chamber hauing a litle pan of coles before them wherin was a very litle fire it pleased GOD euen in his wrath to strike these two persons dead in
after that in effect 2000. yéeres he iterated this Commandement when he gaue the law iâ— mount Horeb to Moyses in him to all the Children of Israel saying remember forget it not that thou kéep holy the seuenth day c. If we must kéep it holy then must we not spend it in such vain exercises as please our selues but in such godly exercises as he in his holy woord hath commaunded And in my iudgement the Lord our God ordained the seuenth day to be kept holy for foure causes especially First to put vs in minde of his wunderful woorkmanship creation of the world and creatures besides Secondly y â— his woord the Church asseÌ„bling togither might be preached interpreted expounded his sacraments ministred sincéerly according to the prescript of his woord that suffrages praiers bothe priuat publique might be offered to his excellent Maiestie Thirdly for that euery christiaÌ„ man might repose himself from corporall labour to the end they might y â— better sustain the trauailes of the wéek to ensue and also to y e and y â— all beasts cattel which the Lord hath made for mans vse as helps adiuments vnto him in â—his daylie affaires businesse might rest and refresh them selues the better to go thorow in their traueiles afterward For as the hethen Man knew very wel sine alterna requie non est durabile quicquà m Without some rest or repose there is not any thing durable or able to coÌ„tinue loÌ„g Fourthly to th'end it might be a typical figure or signitor to point as it were with the finger and to cypher foorth and shadowe vnto vs that blessed rest thryse happie ioye which the faithfull shall possesse after the day of iudgement in the Kingdome of Heauen Wherforâ— séeing the Sabaoth was instituted for these causes it is manifest that it was not appointed for the maintenance of wicked and vngodly pastymes and vaine pleasures of the flesh which GOD abhorreth and all good men from their hartes do loth and deteste The Man of whome we read in the law for gathering of a few small stickes vpoÌ„ the Sabaoth was stoned to death by the commaundement of God from the Theator of Heauen Than if he were stoned for gathering a few sticks vppon the Sabaoth day which in some cases might be for necessities sake and did it but once what shall they be who all the Sabaoth dayes of their lyfe giue them selues to nothing els but to wallow in all kind of wickednesse and sinne to the great contempt both of y â— Lord and his Sabaoth And though they haue played the lazie lurdens al the weke before yet that day of set purpose they wil toile and labour in contempt of the Lord and his Sabaoth But let them be sure as he that gathered stickes vpon the Sabaoth was stoned for his contempt of the same so shall they be stoned yea grinded to peeces for their conteÌ„pt of the Lord in his Sabaoth The Iewes are verye strict in kéeping their Sabaoths in so muche as they will not dresse ther meats and drinks vppon the same day but set it on the tables y e day befor They go not aboue ij miles vpoÌ„ y â— sabaoth day they suffer not the body of any Malefactor to hang vppon the gallowes vppon the Sabaoth day with legions of such like supersticioÌ„s Wherin as I do acknowledge they are but too scrupelous and ouershoot the marke so we are therin plaine contempteous and negligent shooting short of the marke altogether Yet I am not so strait laced that I would haue no kinde of worke done vppon that daye if present necessitie of the thing require it for Christe hath taught vs the Sabaoth was made for Man not Man for the Sabaoth but not for euery light trifle which may as well be done other dayes as vpon that day And although y e day it self in respect of y e very nature and originall therof be no better thaÌ„ another day for there is no difference of dayes except we become temporizers all béeing alike goodâ— yet because the Lord our God hath commaunded it to be sanctified kept holy to him self let vs like obedient obsequious Children submit our selues to so loouing a Father for els we spit against heauen we striue against the stream and we contemn him in his ordinances But perchance you wil aske me whither the true vse of the Sabaoth consist in outward abstaining from bodilye labour and trauaile I answere no the true vse of the Sabaoth for Christians are not bound onely to the Ceremonie of the day consisteth as I haue said in hearing the woord of God truely preached therby to learn and to doo his wil in receiuing the sacraments as seales of his grace towards vs rightly administred in vsing publique and priuate prayer in thanksgiuing to God for all his benefits in singing of godly Psalmes and other spirituall exercises and meditations in collecting for the poore in dooing of good woorkes and bréefly in the true obedience of the inward man And yet notwithstanding wée must abstain from the one to attend vpon the other that is wée must refrain all bodily labours to the end that wée may the better be restant at these spirituall exercises vppon the Sabaoth day This is the true vse and end of the Lord his Saboth who grauÌ„t that we may rest in him for euer Spud. Hauing shewed the true vse of the Saboth let vs go forward to speke of those Abuses particularlye wherby the Saboth of the Lord is prophaned And first to begin with stage playes and enterluds What is your opinion of them Are they not good examples to youth to fray them from sinne Of Stage-playes and Enterluds with their wickednes Philo. ALL Stage-playes Enterluds and Commedies are either of diuyne or prophane matter If they be of diuine matter than are they most intollerable or rather Sacrilegious for that the blessed word of GOD is to be handled reuerently grauely and sagely with veneration to the glorious Maiestie of God which shineth therin and not scoffingly flowtingly iybingly as it is vpon stages in Playes Enterluds without any reuerence worship or veneration to y e same the word of our Saluation the price of Christ his bloud the merits of his passion were not giuen to be derided and iested at as they be in these filthie playes and enterluds on stages scaffolds or to be mixt and interlaced with bawdry wanton shewes vncomely gestures as is vsed euery Man knoweth in these playes and enterludes In the first of Ihon we are taught that the word is GOD and God is the word Wherfore who so euer abuseth this word of our God on stages in playes and enterluds abuseth the Maiesty of GOD in the same maketh a mocking stock of him purchaseth to himselfe eternal daÌ„nation And no marueil for the sacred word of GOD and God himselfe is neuer to be thought
but most ruefull to behold did y â— Lord send down from Heauen to shew vnto the whole World how gréeuously he is offended with those that spend his Sabaoth in such wicked exercises In y â— meane tyme leauing his temple desolat and emptie God graunt all men may take warning hereby to shun the same for feare of like or worser Iudgement to come A fearfull Iudgement of GOD shewed at the Theaters THE like Iudgement almost did the Lord shew vnto them a litle befor being assembled at their Theaters to sée their bawdie enterluds and other trumperies practised For he caused y e earth mightely to shak and quauer as though all would haue fallen down wherat the People sore amazed some leapt down froÌ„ the top of y e turrets pinacles and towres wher they stood to the ground wherof some had their legs broke some their arms some their backs some hurt one where some another many sore crusht and brused but not any but they weÌ„t away store affraid wounded in coÌ„science And yet caÌ„ neither y e one nor y â— other fray them froÌ„ these diuelish exercyses vntill the Lorde consume them all in his wrath which God forbid The Lord of his mercie opeÌ„ the eyes of the maiestrats to pluck down these places of abuse that god may be honored and their conscieÌ„ces disburtheâ—ed Besids these exercises thei flock thick thrée fold to y â— cockfâ—ights an exercyse nothing inferiour to y â— rest wher nothing is vsed but swering forswering deceit fraude collusion coâ—enage scoulding railing conuitious talking feighting brawling quarreling drinking whooring which is worst of all robbing of one an other of their goods y â— not by direct but indirect means atteÌ„pts yet to blauÌ„ch set out these mischiefs w tall as though they were vertues thei haue their appointed daies set howrs when these dâ—uelries must be exercised They haue houses erected to y â— purpose flags ensignes hanged outâ— to giue notice of it to others and proclamation goes out to proclaim y e same to thâ—end y â— many may come to the dedication of this solemne feast of mischief the Lord supplant them And as for hawking hunting vpoÌ„ the sabaoth day it is an exercyse vpon y â— day no lesse vnlawful thaÌ„ the other For no maÌ„ ought to spend any day of his life much lesse euery day in his life as many do in such vaine ydle pastimes wherfore let Gentlemen take â—eed for be sure accounts must be giuen at the day of iudgemeÌ„t for euery minut of time â—oth how they haue spent it in what exercyses And let them be sure no more libertie is giuen theÌ„ to mispend an howre or one iote of the Lord his goods than is giuen to the poorest and meanest person y â— liueth vpoÌ„ the face of the earth I neuer read of any in y â— volume of y â— sacred scripture that was a good man and a Hunter Esau was a great hunâ—er but a reprobat Ismaell a great hunter but a miscreant Nemrode a great hunter but yet a reprobat and a vessell of wrath Thus I speake not to condemne hawking and hunting altogether being vsed for recreation now and than but against the continuall vse therof daylie hourly wéekly yéerly yea all the time of their life without intermissioÌ„ And such a felicitie haue some in it as they make it all their ioye bestowing more vpoÌ„ hawkes and hounds and a sort of idle lubbers to followe them in one yéer than they will impart to the poore members of Christ Iesus in vij yéers peraduenture in all the dayes of their life So long as maÌ„ in Paradice persisted in innocency all beasts what so euer we are obedieÌ„t to him and came and prostrated themselues before him But euer since his â—all they haue fled from him disobeyed him because of his sin that séeing he disobeyed the Lord they again disobeied him For so long as man obeied God so long they obeied him but so soone as maÌ„ disobeyed God they disobeyed him becam enemies to him as it were seeking to reueÌ„ge y e iniurie which maÌ„ had don vnto GOD in disobeying his lawes Wherfore the cause why all beasts do fly from vs and are become Enemies to vs is our disobedience to the LORD which we are rather to sorow for than to hunt after their deaths by the sheading of their blood â—If necessitie or want of other meats inforceth vs to séek after their liues it is lawfull to vse them in the feare of God w t thanks to his name but for our pastimes and vain pleasures sake wée are not in any wise to spoyle or hurt them Is he a christian man or rather a pseudo-christian that delighteth in blood Is he a Christian that spendeth all his life in wanton pleasures and plesaunt delights Is hée a Christian that buieth vp the corne of y â— poor turning it into bread as many doo to féed dogs for his pleasure Is hée a christian that liueth to the hurt of his Neighbour in treading and breaking down his hedges in casting open his gates in trampling of his corne otherwise in preiudicing him as hunters doo wherfore God giue them grace to see to it and to mend it betimes ere it be to late for they know mora trahit periculum delay bringeth danger Let vs not deferre to leaue the euil and to doo good least the wrath of the Lord be kindled against vs and consume vs from of the vpper face of the Earth Spud What say you to kéeping of Markets of Fayres Courtes and Léetes vpon y â— Sabaoth day Think you it is not lawful to vse the same vpon any day Philo. No truely for can you serue God the deuil togither can wée carrie to God and ferrie to the deuil can we serue two Maisters and neither offend the one nor the other can wée serue God and Mammon can wée please God and the world bothe at one time The Lord wil not be serued by péecemeale for either he wil haue the wholeman or els none For saith he Thou shalt looue the Lord thy God with all thy soule withall thy minde withaâ—l thy power withall thy strength and so foorth orels with none at all Then séeing that we are to giue ouer our selues so wholely and totally to the seruice of God al y e daies of our life but especially vppon the Sabaoth day being consecrate to that end we may not intermedle with these prophane exercised vpon that day For it is more then manifest y â— these faires markets courtes and léetes vpon the Sabaoth day are not only a hinderaÌ„ce vnto vs in the true seruice of God and an abuse of y â— Sabaoth but also lead vs the path way to hel For what cosonage is not there practised what falshod deceit fraude is not there exercised what dissimulation in bargaining