lay no more vpon his children then they shall be able to beare but will giue the issue with the temptation And this promise hath the Lord alwaies fulfilled to his Saints faithfull children in all ages Whereof wee haue innumerable examples in the Scripture and the Acts and Monumentes of the Church howsome were stoned hewen a sunder slaine with the sword drawen in peeces of wilde Looke for examples in the scriptures and Acts and Monumēts how God hath strēghned his children in most gneuous torments horses rosted vpon gredirons some cast vnto wilde beastes to be deuoured some their skins fleyed off their shoulders innumerable burned vnto Ashes in flaming fire or consumed by some other torment deuised by cruel and bloudy tyrants In this lost age of the worlde that bloudy beast of Rome hath endeuored to be like other tyrants that were before him in crueltie But in all these torments the Lord sustained his Saints and children and gaue them great patience to endure what paines or punishments soeuer that could be inflicted vpon them so true is that saying of the spirite of God The Lord The beast of Rome hath endeauoured to exccede all tyrants before him in crueltie 2. Pet. 2.9 knoweth how to deliuer them that are his out of temptation Wherfore euery Christian ought to take boldnesse in all afflictions euen as Saint Paule did when he was deliuered for a time out of the mouth of that Lyon at Rome The Lord assisted me saith he and strengthned me and I was deliuered from the mouth of the Lyon meaning from cruell Nero Emperour of Rome that bloudy tyrane Whereof also he taketh further 2 Tim. 4.16 17.18 assuraunce for time to come saying in the same place and the Lord wil deliuer me The faithfull are assured that God will either deliuer them orgiue thē strength patience to endure Acts. 20.25 How Gods children are marty red and deliuered out of the hand of their enemies Mat. 10.28 Rom 15.4 will preserue me vnto his heauenly kingdome here then is that assuraunce which euerie one ought to haue in God Paule was sure he should be deliuered he was sure hee should be preserued yet no doubt hee did know that he must bee martyred one time or other as not long after he was how was he then deliuered His body and soule were preserued vnto Gods euerlasting kingdome Therefore our Sauiour Christ biddeth vs not to feare death nor tyrants for they can kill but the body but rather to feare God that can cast both body and soule into hell fire Althese things are written for our learning that we through patience and comfort of the Scripture might haue hope Let these examples euer bee before our eyes let vs serue God truely in our callings let our trust be wholly in him then shall we neuer want patience in afflictions but rather reioyce in tribulations which shall Rom. 5.3 bring forth patience Let vs still remember this saying of Saint Peter it is better if the will of God be so that we suffer for well doing 1. Pet. 2.20 then for euill for hereunto are wee called as Christ suffered for vs leauing vs an example that wee should follow his steps Let vs oftentimes call to remembraunce that sweete saying of our Sauiour Blessed are they which suffer persecution for righteousnesse Mat. 5.10.11 sake for theirs is the kingdome of heauen Blessed are ye when men reuile you and say all manner of euill sayings against you falsely for my sake reioyce and be glad for great is your reward in heauen Let vs neuer forget these most comfortable sayings of Saint Paule That all the afflictions of this life are not worthie of the glorie that wee shall haue in the life to come That we need Rom 8.18 31. not feare the force of anye tyrants for if GOD bee with vs who can be against vse who spared not his owne Son but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not withhim giue vs al things also Who shal lay No tribulation nor persecution canseparate the faithfull from God anything to the charge of Gods chosen It is GOD that iustifieth who shall condemne It is Christ which is dead yea rather which is rysen againe who is also at the right hand of GOD and maketh intercession for vs. Who shall separate vs therefore from the loue of God Shall tribulation or anguish or persecution or famine or nakednesse or sworde At it is written for thy sake are we killed all the day long wee are counted as sheepe for the slaughter neuerthelesse in all these thinges wee are more then conquerours through him that loued vs. Last of all let vs bee assuredly perswaded as Sainte Paule was that neyther Vers 38. death nor lyfe nor Angels nor principalities nor powers nor things present nor 39. things to come nor height nor depth nor any other creature shall bee able to separate vs from the loue of God which is in Christ Iesus our Lord. This assurance of faith wee ought to haue in our God in all our tryals temptations and afflictions whatsoeuer Let vs therefore bee faithfull and patient vnto the death then Christ will giue vs a crowne of life which he hath purchased for vs by his death and passion A Praier for Patience O Righteous God and mercifull father how wonderful art thou in al thy works and who is able to comprehend the secrets of thy iudgements Thou bringest man vnto destruction by and by thou sayest come againe O yee children of men thy wrath lasteth but the twinckling of an eye but in thy presence there is life for euermore heauinesse may endure for a night but ioye commeth in the morning I acknowledge O Lord that all my corrections are ten thousand times lesse then my deseruings therefore I pray thee good Lord stil correct me to amendment but plague mee not to my destruction And because ther is no chastisement but is grieuous for the present season though after it bringeth forth the quiet fruit of righteousnes to them that are exercised therin therefore I most humbly beseech thee O my good God and father to giue vnto me in al my tryals and temptations that most excellent gift of patience quietly to beare and suffer whatsoeuer thy gracious goodnesse hath appointed to lay vpon me for the tryall of my faith for the glorie of thy name and for the good example of others Yea O Lord I most instantly intreate thee to let patience haue her perfect working in me so shall I be perfect lacking nothing and howsoeuer it shal please thee to dispose of my body and goods yet graunt me good Lord this benefit that I may possesse my soule in patience so whether there come sickenesse come health come life come death or come what wil come I may say with patient Iob the Lord giueth and the Lord taketh blessed be the name of the Lord. This mercy O my good God vouchsafe to
when hee was reuiled reuiled not againe when hee suffered hee threatned not but in great humility committed his cause to God that iudgeth righteously Therefore Christ for his great meekenesse and humilitie is compared in the Scripture vnto a Lambe Christ for his humility compared to a sheepe and to a lambe Ioh. 1.36 Esay 53.7 Christians called the sheepe of Christ Ioh. 21.16 and a sheepe Iohn saith Behold the Lambe of God And Esay by the spirite of prophesie saide that Christ was oppressed and afflicted that hee was brought as a sheepe to the slaughter yet opened he not his mouth This great humilitie of Christ ought to bee followed of all Christians who are therfore called the sheepe of Christ Vnto this humilitie Christ himselfe doth exhorte vs saying Learne of me that am meeke and lowly of heart and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules Learne of Christ what Mat. 11.29 shall we learne Learne humilitie learne patience if thou bee rich and an heire borne vnto great lands and possessions yet learne humilitie of Christ for hee was Lorde and heire of heauen earth when he so humbled himselfe for thy sake Art thou poore hauing nor house nor liuing Learne of Christ to be contented for he had them not The All vertues are to be learned of Christ Mat. 8.20 Foxes haue holes and the birds of the ayre haue nestes but the sonne of man hath not wheron to rest his head Art thou afflicted grieued and tormented in this life O learne of Christ to bee patient for hee suffered a great deale more for thee Blessed are they that mourne for they shall bee comforted Mat. 5.4.5 Blessed are the meeke for they shall inherite the earth In one word learne humility patience and all other vertues of Christ God sayth Saint Austen was made humble let man blush to be proud And to say the truth what cause hath man to bee proud that is nought else but Nothing in man wherof he shuld be proude before he was man he was dust before dust was made hee was nothing dust and ashes Dust thou art and to dust thou shalt returne saith the Scripture Puluises saith Isydore in puluere sede Cinis es in Cincre viue Dust thou art in dust therefore sit and abide Ashes thou art and therein spend thy life These things indeede are proper vnto vs our bodies are earthy weake fraile subiect to hunger to thirst to colde to heate to wearinesse to all kind of defect and sicknesses and last of all to death and corruption Our soules which are the chiefest parts of man are defiled and polluted with sinne and filthines whereof then should man be proud O esca vermium saith that sweete father O massa pulueris c. O Wormes meate O froath O vanitie why art thou so proud and insolent Learne therfore betimes of Christ to bee humble least Pride will haue a fall that pride haue a fall Knowe that without humilitie thou shalt neuer bee praised for any vertue Similitudes Isydore saith he that will heape vertues together without humilitie doth nothing else but carrie dust in the ayre As a little Colloquintida doth marre a whole pot of pottage so pride doth make all other vertues abhominable Pride and vaine-glorie hath brought many men otherwise indued with very rare gifts to shame and ignominie * Quanto doctior es tante te geras submissius is a good lesson for all that are or haue The better learned the more humble wee should be beene Schollers to remember Saint Gregorie saith al our gifts whatsoeuer are nothing worth except they bee seasoned with the salt of humilitie For this cause is it that I haue made mention thereof in this Chapter Humilitie is as salt to season al other vertues of vertue If any take profite thereby it is that I haue wished If any other by meanes of their pride scorne at it their case is to be lamented Now we will follow the other vertues in order euen as they are linked together by S. Peter when he saith Ioyne vertue with your faith with vertue knowledge and so forth A Praier for the vertue of humilitie O Most glorious God mercifull Father whose dwelling is in eternitie whose Maiestie filleth both heauen and earth I thy vile and wretched seruant nought else but dust and ashes doe prostrate my selfe here before thy throne of mercy beseeching thee euermore to giue me true knowledge and feeling of mine owne defects and miserie of the corruption of my body and deformitie of my soule polluted with sinne and iniquitie to this end that I may be truely humbled when I shall see all the partes of my soule and body and whatsoeuer proceedeth from them both euen my best deedes to bee stayned as a menstruous and defiled cloth O Lord let neuer the foot of pride get the vpper hand of me nor the winde of of vaine glorie ouerthrow me let faith bring me to the tower of vertue but let humilitie keepe me from falling Let me not glory in any thing that I doe or in any vertue that I haue seeing I haue nothing which I haue not receiued from thee Let not learning strength honour riches or beautie make me proude and hautie for they are but the fading flowers of this life Let me euer haue this poesie written in my heart Hee that exalteth himselfe shall be brought low but he that humbleth himselfe without hypocrisie shall be exalted because it is thou O Lord that resistest the proude and giuest grace to the lowly This grace good Lord I bescech thee graunt vnto mee for his sake that through humilitie hath purchased vnto vs eternall glorie euen Christ Iesus thy Sonne and Prince of our saluation to whom with thee O deare Father and the holy Ghost be all praise and glorie for euer Amen Of Knovvledge CHAP. 3. ASsone as Almightie GOD by his infinite wisedome had created heauen earth of nothing presently he saith let there be light shewing thereby as also Gen. 1.3 we finde by experience that nothing in the world would either haue beene pleasant or comfortable if therunto had not beene added the benefit of light And is not the same thing to be noted in the creation of man who is called by Phylosophers a little world Yes truely for the life of man without light is most tedious and vncomfortable Now looke what the Knowledge vnto the soule is as light vnto the eyes of the body light of the eyes is vnto the body the same is knowledge vnto the soule for a man that hath neuer an eye to see with all if he haue knowledge in his minde is much more happie then hee that hath two eyes without knowledge They that want the benefite of their eyes and sight are called blinde and they that want the benefit of knowledge are called ignorant the one is blindnesse of the body the other of the soule As therefore it is
13 12 where our knowledge shall bee perfited and our happines felicitie for euermore continued A Praier for the true knowledge of Gods worde O Most wise God and louing father which dwellest in the light that none without thy grace mercy in thy son Christ can attain vnto I heartely beseech thy diuine maiesty for Christ his sake to enlighten my mind vnderstanding with the bright beames of thy heauenlie light I meane with the trne and certein knowledge of thy most holy and blessed word that mine owne naturall blindnes and ignorance of my soule being driuen away I may the better see to walke without stumbling in the right path that leadeth vnto vertue O Lord aboue al things I beseech thee to grant me this grace that I may knowe thee to bee the true God and Iesus Chist whom thou hast sent to be the Sauiour of the world so shall I not onelie thereby auoide the errors of this life but also attaine vnto thy heauenlie kingdome to see thy light in the land of the liuing where there is no neede of the sun or of the moone for thy glory the brightnes of the lambe thy sonne Christ Iesus is the light thereof to whom with thee the holy Ghost bee all prayse and glory for euer Amen OF TEMPERANCE CHAP. 4. IT is not a thing obserued to no purpose that phisitions doo feele the pulses of their sicke patients whether they bee moderate or out of temper for thereby they giue a great iudgement of the state of them that are diseased Now looke howe mans body is distempered with sicknes euen so is the soule of man with sinne there are infinite diseases to disquiet the body and there are innumerable sinnes to grieue and torment the soule there is Phisicke appointed for the body and there is also Phisicke ordained for the soule the body many times for want of timely Phisicke is in great danger of death by sicknes so is the soule of man by sinne Much money giuen for helth of bodye but phisicke for the soule is little regarded the body oftentimes is recouered when Phisicke is applied and so is the soule of man if shee receiue that Phisicke which is appointed for her onelie heerein is a difference when wee are sicke in our bodies by diseases wee will giue any money to haue health but will suffer our soules to bee verie extreamlie sicke and almost at point of death with sinne and neuer care to seeke for health nay wee will scarce receiue Phisicke for our soules though it bee brought home vnto vs freely without money without penny or penny worth Euen as the prophet Esaie complaineth of the Iewes that refused to receiue the grace of God which Esay 55.1.2 was offered vnto them freely without monie but were willing to laie out their siluer for that which was nought worth wherewith they could not be satisfied What maruell then is it that the sinfull soule of man is so distempered and out of order insomuch that the beating of her pulses may bee perceiued with out feeling Now of all sicknesses the sicknes of intemperācy is the worst for it greatlie anoyeth in time destroyeth Intemperancy a dāgerous disease of the soule both the health of soule and bodie it also maketh the bodie vnapt for any labor and it hindereth the soule from all vertue wherof we haue but too many examples S. Peter therefore knowing the great hurte which commeth vnto man by intemperancie exhorteth vs to make much of the vertue contrary thervnto called temperance or sobriety and to the end wee should regard it the better he linkes the same to his chaine saying Ioyne with your faith vertue with vertue knowledge with knowledge temperāce Temperance therefore without al question 2. Pet. 1.5 is a worthy vertue otherwise it shoulde not haue bin ioyned with these other Iewels of faith knowledge and the rest But what is temperance Temperance or sobrietie sayeth one is a vertue which doth moderate the appetites and desires of meate drinke and other thinges which What temperance is man maye lawefullie vse so that neither prayer meditation studying or labouring in our vocation bee hindered with the excesse thereof neyther our naturall sleepe nor health of our bodyes hurted for want of that which is sufficient so it seemeth that temperance is a keeper of a meane in euerie thing And euen as in tunes or A similitude singing without the meane there can bee no good melodye so in the gouernment of our life without sobrietie or temperance euerie thing will bee disordered Where Temperance ruleth not there is gluttonie surfetting drunkennes luxuriousnes and all kind of wickednes Where Temperance beareth swaye there the health of the bodie is preserued there also the soule of man is at libertie to reade to praye to studie to meditate to take counsell Temperance a worthy vertue to giue counsell to gouerne all the affayers of this life Where temperance is there is shamefastnes there is honesty there is chastitie there is modestie there is humilitie there is moderation and good order kept in discerning what ought to bee done howe it ought to bee done and what ought to be left vndone By temperance wee auoyde many sicknesses of the body and many diseases of the soule Who then would not bee in loue with temperance Temperance saith one is a noble Vertue and chiefely appertaineth to the honorable state of mankind whereby the princely gouernour reason which raigneth as king in man is known to beare sway in man wherby all his things are tempered and ordered and thereby differeth from brute beastes Temperance is an enimy to luste and lust is a wayting seruant vnto bodily pleasure Temperance calleth a man backe srom all wicked lustes and carnall appetites and suffereth him not to exceede in foolishe reioycing nor in vngodlie sorrowing He is to be called a temperate and moderate person saith one which not onelie Who is a temperate man doth keepe vnder his wanton and corrupt affects but so endeuoreth also himfelfe that in his country he is chargeable to no man to no man cruell or grieuous neither to anie man dangerous Temperance therefore is a moderatrixe which causeth vs to keepe 2 decorum in euerie thing Vntemperate youth full of carnall affections quickelie turneth the bodye into age to bee full of infirmityes foule and feeble When the vnbridled carcasse or foule fleshe of man is not well tempred or discreetly ruled but ouermuch cherished set at liberty and pampered then is the soule the lesse regarded or looked vpon but abideth in most deformed Where the body is too much pampered there the soule is the lesse regarded A similie state and miserable and the more delicatly the body is handled the more stubbornely it wrestleth against the minde and doth cast it of euen as a horse too well cherished vseth to cast off his rider If we could therefore consider the excellency of mans
nature and the dignity thereof wee should wel perceiue how foule dishonest a thing it is to be resolued into letcherie immoderate eating and drinking and to liue loosly and wantonly and on the contrary howe honest fayre and commendable a thing it is to liue continently temperatly sadly and soberly But if we could step a degree farther and consider now not what excellency man is of by nature but whereunto wee are called by grace then doubtlesse wee should be ashamed of those foule vices which wee daylie commit and giue our selues more to temperance sobrietie chastity the like which are the true ornaments of christianitie Vnto this temperance and sobrietie the scripture doth verie earnestly exhort vs and diswade vs from the vices contrary thereunto The grace of God saith Saint Paule Tit. 2. 11 Sobrietie a chiefe ornament of christianity Rom. 13.11 hath appeared to this end to teach vs to denie all vngodlines and worldly lustes and to liue soberly righteously and godly in this present world Therefore he saith in another place The night is past the day is at hand let vs therfore cast away the works of darknes and let vs put on the armour of light so that wee walke honestly as in the day not in gluttony and drunkennes neyther in chambering wantonnes neither in strife enuying but put yee on the Lord Iesus Christ and make no prouision to fulfill the lusts of the flesh Againe among the manyfold fruits of the spirite which the Apostle Saint Paule Gal 5 23 reckoneth vp hee nameth temperance for one The fruites of the spirit are ioy peace meeknes temperance against such there is no lawe And when Saint Peter would exhorte vs vnto holynes hee first of all exhorteth vs vnto temperance and sobernes saying Bee sober and trust perfectly in 1. Pet. 1.13 the grace of God and so foorth And then presentlie addeth Bee yee holy as God is holy Againe putting vs in minde of the day of iudgment and that we should take heed of Sathan hee saith Be ye sober and watch and Bee ye sober and watchfull vnto prayer 4.7 5.8 Meaning that there can bee neither prayer nor watchfulnes without sobriety and temperance And indeede who findeth not by experience that when the fleshe is pampered vp then drowsie sleepines and Intēperancy an enimy to study all good exercyses sluggishnes commeth vppon vs and makeeth vs vnapt to studie prayer or anie good exercise For this cause hath it beene the manner of the church of God in all ages whensoeuer they woulde giue themselues to holy exercyses presently to commaund a godly and religious fast not from flesh onely as the papists do but from all kinde Godly fasting a good helpe vnto praier of meates to the end they maye the more deuoutly serue God So likewise doth our Sauiour Christe commend vnto vs abstience sobrietie and temperance when hee Mat. 26.41 commaundeth vs to watch and praye least wee fall into temptation And aboue all thinges to take heed that our heartes bee not ouercome with surfetting and drunkennesse Luk. 21 34. and cares of this life and so suffer the day of iudgement to come vppon vs vnawares Oh that the beastly belly Gods and drowsie drunckardes of our dayes which Esay 28.1 sitte quaffing from morning till night woulde sometimes call to theyr remembrance this admonition and forewarning of our Sauiour who telleth them plainely that the daye of iudgement shall come vppon them as a snare if they continue Luk 21.35 in their beastlines But what reckoning make they of the daye of iudgement Are not they the very mockers and scoffers Belly Gods and drunkerds make a mocke of the day of iudgment 2. Pet. 3.3 which Saint Peter fore-prophesied should come in this last age of the world that in derision of God and al godlines say where is the promise of Christes comming vnto iudgement because they see the continuance of the world as yet therefore they imagine that it shall neuer haue an end not considering that one daie is with the Lord as a thousand yeeres and a thousand yeares as one daye that it is as easie for the Lord to destroy the world with fire as it was to make the same of nothing and to destroy it again with water that the Lord is not slacke concerning his promise as some men count slacknes but is patient toward vs and would haue no man to perishe but wold all men come to the knowledge of his truth Howsoeuer these wicked mockers according to the hardnes of their heartes Rom. 2. 5. which cannot repente heape vnto themselues wrath against the daye of wrath and declaration of the iust iudgement of God O consider this all yee that forget God least hee teare you in peeces and there be Psal 50.22 none to helpe for surelye as Saint Peter saith the daye of the Lord will come how sone the Lord knoweth and farre of it cannot 2. Pet. 3.10.11.12 be as a theefe in the night in the which the heauens shal passe away in noise and the elements shall melt with heat and the earth with the workes that are therein shall bee burnt vp Seeing therefore that all these thinges must bee dissolued what manner persons ought we to be in holy conuersation and godlynes Wherefore let vs take heed of surfeting drunkennes the cares of this life al which now a daies are scarcely Surfetting and drunkennes scarce coūted for sins counted for sinnes least the day of iudgement come vpon vs to our euerlasting destruction Aboue al let vs make much of sobriety temperance for if we would keepe our selues our soules and bodyes in temperance chastitie and sobrietie surely neither the daye of iudgment nor the daye of our own death should euer ouertake vs sodainlie Let vs remember that Saint Peter biddeth vs to ioyne with our knowledge temperance Temperance doubtlesse is a vertue much to be sought for without it we are more like beasts then men Shee is both a necessarie and profitable seruant What saye I a seruant nay shee should bee our mistres yet truely such is the intemperancy of our time that shee would Tēperance both a necessarie and profitable seruant thinke her selfe happie if shee might haue any office in our houses she would serue for little or no wages yet would shee saue yerelie in some houses inough to paye the wages of all the rest of the seruants Shee cares not what office she had so she might be curteouslie entertained shee would be cooke but gluttonie will not suffer her to come into kitchin she would be panterer but shee cannot haue the chippinges for her labour so little is she accounted of she would be in the Seller to drawe beere wine but drunkennes will not suffer her to be quiet shee woulde come to bee her misters chamber-maide to put on her apparrell seemely about Tēperance fit for euerie office
in christendome France Germany and many other countries may be produced for witnesses yea I am perswaded that the King of Spaine himselfe which at this day is content to be in this respect at the Popes command to runne to go to fight when he bids him woulde also confesse this The Spanish cleargy the drudges of popery truth if he were not affraide of his cleargy the very drudges of Popery The Turkes and Sarasens neede not trouble themselues to make warre against Christendome for wee haue them that by name and profession are Christians which doe trauel in paine as a woman ready to be deliuered till they heare or see all christendome together by the eares But let Spaine aboue all take heede lest while they prepare A good caueat for Spaine their forces to fight against christians their countrie be ouerthrowen by Turkes and Barbarians And as for that beaste of Rome and the Cittie and country thereof which a long The iudgement of the whore time haue fed and pampered such a blouddy beast and beastly whore Let her I say assuredly knowe that her sinnes are come Reuel 18.5 vp into heauen and God hath remembred her iniquities and will rewarde her as shee hath rewarded other and giue her double according to her workes and in the cuppe which she hath filled to other shall bee filled to her the double In as much as she hath glorified her self liued in pleasure so much shal she haue torment and sorrowe for she saith in her harte I sit as a Queene and am no widdow and shall see no mourning Therefore shall her plagues come at one day death and sorrow Ver. 8. When God iudgeth there is no end of torment and famine and she shal be burnt with fire for strong is the Lorde God that will condemne her Yea God doth dayly destroy her with the breath of his mouth but shal vtterly abolish her at the brightnes of his comming which 2. Thess 2 8 shal be at the day of iudgement And that this day is at hande this is not one of the least signes that nation shal rise against nation kingdome against kingdom as now is to be seene in christendome that Tokens that the day of iudgement is at hand brotherly loue kindnes among christian nations is waxen colde iniquitie abounding euen as our sauiour foretolde shoulde come to passe before the end of the world Therefore let all the wicked ones of the Mat. 24.7.12 world specially they that haue receiued the marke of the beaste in their right Reue. 13.16 hand or in their foreheade howle crie and weepe for the iudgement of the great day is comming But O heauen reioyce of this 18.20 and ye holy Apostles and prophets martirs for God hath giuen you iudgement vpon The godly reioyce for the iudgement of the whore Luk. 21.28 the beast and let all the godly and faithfull people in the worlde bee glad and lift vp their heades with ioy because their redemption draweth neare Thus haue wee seene howe the bondes of brotherly loue and kindnes are broken and rent asunder throughout all the landes of christendom And I would to God ther were no breach of this brotherly loue and kindenes among those christians which liue together in one land vnder one christian Prince hauing all one God one faith one baptisme one true religion that we would walke worthy Contentions among Christians lamentable Ephes 4. 1 2 3 4 5.6 of the vocation whereunto wee are called in all humblenes of mind and meeknes with long suffering supporting one the other through loue endeuouring to keep the vnity of the spirite in the bonde of peace euen as we are called in one hope of our calling and that wee woulde all speake one thing that there were no dissentions among vs but 1 Cor. 1.10 that wee woulde bee knit together in one mind and in one iudgement So should God be glorified so should all our Princes good and godly lawes be obeyed The fruit of Christian concord so should the mouthes of our aduersaries bee stopped so shoulde vertue florish and righteousnes should looke downe from heauen vpon vs so should Sion reioyce and Israel would be glad to see brotherly kindnes maintayned among vs. God is not the authour Galat. 6 16 of confusion but of peace and as many as follow this rule the God of loue and peace bee with them Amen A Prayer for brotherly kindnes O Most wise and mightie creator Lord of heauen and earth who by thine infinite wisedome hast knit mankind together in a most wonderfull order to this end that wee shoulde shew all frendlines and brotherly kindnes one to the other and as in all other liuing creatures of this worlde so specially in man thou didst at the beginning infuse into his breaste this secreat force of nature that we should like and liue together in godly fellowship societie among our selues but so it hath fallen out by reason of sinne the malice of Sathan that as in all other good things so especially in this we do degenerate and grow out of kind one man careth not for another but eueryman for himselfe selfeloue is strong and headdy but brotherly kindnesse weake decayed Therefore good Lord I beseech thee renew agayne in me and in all people by the benefite of grace that which we haue lost by sinne and corruption that as we are all brothers by creation so all nations if it be thy will may shew natural kindnes one to the other but specially graunt grace O Lord to me al Christians that as we are nowe knit together againe by a more neerer bond of religion christianitie so we may shew our selues in all dutifull kindnes to be the children of one God members of one bodie heyres and coheyres with Christ Iesus of eternall saluation purchased vnto vs by his death and passion to whom with God the Father God the holy Ghost bee all praise and glory for euer Amen Of Loue or Cheritie Chap. 8. IT is the manner of cunning and curious golde-sinithes that worke onely vpon fine and pure gold euermore to put vnto their worke some priuie signe or marke whereby they will know their owne doinges from others that vse not so fine gold as they doe The very same thing in a sorte our skilfull and perfect workeman Sainte Peter seemeth to doe in this excellent peece of worke now in hand he hath beaten out all his linckes of the purest and finest golde hee hath so curiously lincked one lincke in the other riuited the same fast with the hammer of Gods worde that it cannot bee perceiued where the soldering is Now being about Saint Peters chaine made all of pure gold to finish his chaine he addeth this last linck of loue vnto it which serueth him as a priuie signe or marke to know this chaine made all of purified gold from all