most doth him annoy and so of death he hath his fill ¶ The signification HE which striketh with death behind him signifieth enuiousnes against the quiet state of the faithfull and in hoping by enuie to destroy death is hys reward the other by constaÌ„t faith in Christ is preserued by the sword which is the word of God and so ouercoÌ„meth enuie the Angell behind hym is Gods prouident loue which neuer faileth all those that trust in hym THe vngodly is caste downe for his iniquitie but the righteous hath a good hope euen in death A pacient maÌ„ is better then one stroÌ„g he that can rule him selfe is more worth then he that winneth a citie Thorow enuie Acis was slaine by the monster Poliphemus because he would haue rauished Galathe the wife of Acis Also the two sonnes of king Phillip of Macedon Percius Demetrius thorow enuie sought eche others death and were both slaine Also Nessus deceaued Hercules of Dianira at a riuer and being on the other side would haue violated her wherby Hercules shotte an arrowe through his body Nessus perceauing him selfe to haue his deathes wound gaue a venomed shirte to Dianira saying that to whom soeuer she gaue that shirte his loue should neuer depart from her so that by the sayd shirte Hercules was destroyed Thus enuie hath vndone many a man and woman brought theÌ„ to vtter destruction O wretched enuie and daughter to pride which neuer seeth the end of thy miseries thou desirest to see the people in misery and then thou reioycest and art glad when that thy neighbour decayeth by thee neither from thee may come any profite neither in this world nor in the world to come To Serpent like I may compare those greedie wolues that lambes deuoure Awayting still to catch in snare all such as gette they may by power ¶ The signification THe Dragon signifieth the enemie to all that professe the worde of God the Cardinall persecution or a persecutor of the same the Fryer murther the sheepe which are a killing signifieth the professours of Christ from the beginning of the worlde to these present dayes ENuie is blinde can doe nothing but dispraise vertue it is a scabbe of thys world to haue enuy at vertue O y e miserable conditions of people that are to bee gouerned amoÌ„g whom diligeÌ„ce is hated negligence is reproued where sharpnes is perillous liberalitie thaÌ„keles coÌ„municatioÌ„ deceatfull pernitious flattery euery mans couÌ„tenance familiar many mens mindes offended waite to hurt priuily faire wordes openly wheÌ„ officers be coÌ„ming they tary for theÌ„ while they be present they do await on theÌ„ being out of authoritie al do forsake theÌ„ All other sinnes are not so pestiferous as enuy for y e lecherous by his sinne getteth somtime a frend or louer but it may be accoÌ„pted a miserable deadly kind of frendship The couetous by his vsury getteth goods possessions The negligent by his sloth oftentimes hath peace because he medleth with nothing The proud of such as he is him self is often praysed If he be rich of the poore for feare or if he hath ought for that which he hath The irious or wrathfull maÌ„ is often feared The glutton by filling hys panch of sweete and delicate meates Thus among all sinnes enuie is most pernitious and to be accompted most miserable When daintie dames hath whole delight with proude attyre them selues to ray Pirasmos shineth in the sight of glittering glasse such fooles to fray ¶ The signification THe woman signifieth pride the glasse in her hand flattery or deceate the deuill behinde her temptation the death head which she setteth her foote on signifieth forgetfulnes of the life to come wherby commeth destruction TAke heede y t thou fall not into pride least thou perishe with such as before haue offended Example of Lucifer which for his pride was cast down into y e infernal hell Also Adam by traÌ„sgression fell thorow y e subtill intisinges of the Serpent Agar the seruant of Sara thorow pride disdained her mistres because of a childe that she had by Abraham therefore she was driuen to flie into the wildernes by the way that lyeth to Sur. Also Membroth or Nimrod thorow pride caused the Tower of Babell to bee builded And the Lorde sayd Beholde the people is one and they haue all one language Come let vs goe downe and confound their language that euery one vnderstand not hys neighbours speach And so the Lorde scattered them from that place into the vpper face of all the earth It is therfore to be vnderstanded y e pride surmouÌ„ting folly all sinne is shame seruitudâ— Pharao king of Egypt through hys obstinate pride was drowned in the red sea all his hoste so y t there remained not one of theÌ„ Haman for his pride was haÌ„ged on y e gallowes that he had ordayned for Mardocheus Abimilech because a womaÌ„ smote him on y e head with a peece of a milstone therwith brake his braine panne as he approched the Tower of Thebez he therefore caused his harnesse bearer to runne him through y e body for that it should not be sayd y t a woman had slaine him Also Nabuchadonozor was transformed into a dumbe beast for the space of vij yeares because he so proudly exalted him selfe saying Thys is the great Citie of Babylon which J my selfe with my power and strength haue made The rich to prayse in some respecte as from all vice will soone refraine But such as Pauper doe detecte those gestes with Diues must take paine ¶ The signification THe rich man signifieth a proude maÌ„ couetous such a one as careth for no poore man but for such as hym lyketh to many such are not good in a coÌ„mon wealth the poore man signifieth the pouertie generall whose petitions of such are not heard nor once relieued ANtiochus also for hys pride was greatly punished of God smitten with such a disease of y t which he might not be healed Nicanor thorowe pride was discoÌ„fited ouercome of y e Iewes Phaeton because he toke vpon him to gouerne y e chariot of his father Phâ—bus he therfore had a great fall Dedalus was also drowned because he tooke vppon him to flie so hie in the ayre that the force of the sunne beames melted hys magicall winges in refusing his father Icarus counsell Dauid the kyng after that hee had numbred the people his hart smote hym saying I haue sinned exceedingly in that which I haue done Iezabell proudly sought the death of the Prophets and therfore the Lorde sent Iehu to Iezraell And wheÌ„ Iehu was come to Iezraell Iezabell heard of it and starched her face and tyred her head and looked out at a window And as Iehu entred at the gate she sayd had Zimri peace which slue hys maister And he lift vp his eyes to the window and sayd Who is of
Therfore there is not so much ioye in climing vpward as there is sorrow in falling hard downward nor so much roume after victory as after ruine reproch of follie Therefore bee sure with what measure is mette to others the same to be measured againe If these sentences had bene and were of the enemies of Gods Gospell well cōsidered truly they would not haue shewed so much crueltie in shedding so much innocent bloud as they haue done and continually seeke to do What should hee that is strong auaunt of his strength whō bodily sicknes bringeth to feblenes Therefore in tyme foresee and amend if not the fall will bee the greater Concerning a further setting forth of the Romish Church and crueltie I referre it to other authors which speake therof sufficiently Great griefe assailes the Lecherous minde of such as doth the youth alure More worse then beastes I do thē finde such youth to lechery to procure ¶ The signification THe Goate signifieth Lechery the woman Whoredome◠she which leadeth the Goate by the beard is meretrix the baude and the deuill Nicticorax a blinde guide or deceauer LEchery in all estates is vtter enemie to vertue and an offence to the body It causeth all mischiefe discorde not only betwixt mā and wife but also it engendreth dreadfull hate endlesse destructiō both to the body liuing and also to the soule euerlasting Ualerius in his 4. boke declareth of one Sophonides who in hys old age sayd to one which demaūded of hym if he were any thyng lecherous His answere was willing hym to haue other matters to speake or talke of for sayth he I haue had great victory for that from my tyme to thys present I haue vanquished that which otherwyse would haue vanquished me Looke in the 34. chapter of Genesis and there is manifestly shewed the punishment for adulterers When Dina the daughter of Lea which she bare vnto Iacob went out to see the daughters of the land whom when Sichem the sonne of Hemor the Heuite Lord of that countrey sawe he toke her and lay with her and forced her And when Iacob heard that hys daughter Dina was defiled hee with his sonnes ceased not to auenge the crime committed so that Simeon Leui her brethren toke either of them hys sworde and went into the citie and slue all that was male and also Hemor and Sichem hys sonne c. Looke also in the second booke of the Kinges the 13. chapter of Ammon who for defiling of hys sister Thamar was destroyed by hys brother Absolon Consider also the horrible plage that fell vnto those which had cōmitted horrible adultery with the Leuites wife looke in the 20. chapter of the Iudges Moreouer what was the cause of the Lordes threatning agaynst the Niniuites It was for the wicked sinne of whoredome Who caused Ioseph to be imprisoned Euen the lecherous desire of his mistresse as it appeareth in the 39. chapter of Genesis Therefore lechery doth not onely cause offence by actuall deede but also in inward thought to such as doe desire the same Looke in Math. 5 Who so looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery already in his hart Flie from sinne as thou wouldest flie from a Serpent if not bee thou sure what soeuer thou bee not to haue fellowship with the faythfull Worse then a Pharesite I may them call which lawfull mariage doth disdaine And seekes the truth to bring in thrall all such doth Sathā quit their paine ¶ The signification THe Fryer is Fallax the Nunne Dedecus the deuill in the tree superstition and the other deuill Dicax a reprocher of wickednes and a rayler agaynst the veritie FOrnication ought to bee eschewed Looke in the 1. Corinth 10. chapter The people satte downe to eate drinke and rose vp to play Neither let vs be defiled with fornication as some of thē were defiled with fornication and fell in one day xxiij thousand Therefore to auoyde whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her husband Euery sinne that a mā doth is without the body But he that is a fornicator sinneth agaynst hys own body Wedlocke is to be had in honour amōg all mē the bed vndefiled As for whorekepers adulterers God will iudge There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one should haue hys fathers wife And ye swell and haue not rather sorrowed that hee which had done thys deede might bee put from among you Therefore flie thys horrible sinne and as for such as will cōdemne the lawfull estate of Matrimonie and honest mariage of godly Ministers such chaste and maidenly prelates of their doinges shall bee shewed as followeth in the fourth part of this treatise of Lecherie Fornication is enemie to God and enuieth vertues It consumeth all substance and deliteth in the appetite present it letteth that a man can not thinke on pouertie which is not long absent If we will consider the excellencie of mans nature and the dignitie therof we shall well perceaue how foule and dishonest a thyng it is to bee resolued in fornication and to liue wantonly Contrarywyse how honest and fayre a thyng it is to liue temperately continently sadly and soberly When Dauid the King by sight had desired the wife of Vrias to fulfill hys lust He was by the Prophet therfore reproued Vrias in the forward being slaine first ¶ The signification THese two armyes signifieth the striuing of the fleshe agaynst the spirite all worldlynes is confounded and happy is he that fighteth by fayth diuine vnto the end AS in the two chapters of Lechery and fornicatiō is described the wretchednes of y e horrible sinne so in adultery and rape shall be rehearsed y e wonderfull calamities and losse of countreyes with the ouerthrowing of kingdomes to the cleane secludyng or cutting of of all such as haue bene maintainers of the same Adulterie is the violation of the fayth promised in mariage the which thing is forbidden vs Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Adulterers are stoned to death Susanna had leauer die then to committe adultery with the two false Iudges Adultery is cause of procuring of other mens death as it appeareth in the xj chapt of the second boke of Kinges Dauid the King cōmitted adultery with Bethsabe the wife of Urias the Hethite and also caused Urias to be put to death being slaine in y e forefrunt of Ioabs hoste The Prophet Nathan being sent of the Lord reproued the king because of his wickednes Also S. Iohn the Baptist reproued Herode for lying with his brother Phillips wife saying It is not lawfull for thee to haue her An harlot will make a man to begge his bread and a woman will hunt for the precious life All bread is sweete to a whoremonger hee will not leaue of till hee haue his
purpose So lykewyse the wylie craftes of Sathan doth so stirre the mindes of the disobedient sort that they are careles minding neither to amend their folly nor suffer others to auoyde the same but headlong goeth forth in the demonaicall lawes as brute beastes and at no tyme satisfied Prouerbes 23. A whore is a deepe graue and an harlot is a narrow pi◠She lurketh like a theefe and bringeth vnto her such mē as be full of vice ¶ The signification THese foure sitting banqueting signifieth fleshly delight and the fift which is apparelled lyke a woman with a cup in her hand and whose legges are like vnto a Serpent is called Philogines a louer of Lechery the cup horrour the legs destruction the men fighting murder and hell the place for such offendors whose continuannce is endles WHen man is geuen to the Sodomicall lust then cōmeth misery to the body sorrowe to the life death to the soule S. Paule in his Epistle to y e Romaines sayth that to delight in other mens sinnes is greater offēce then to sinne thy selfe Therfore as y e sinne is horrible to hym that offendeth so is it more greuous to those that are maintainers of the same That which thou art ashamed to speake bee also ashamed to thinke Euill thoughtes bringeth euill factes whereof ensueth greuous offence What was the cause that the Prodigall sonne came to such misery Because he delighted to company with harlottes and inordinate liuers Sodome and Gomorra were destroyed because of adultery lechery fornication rape and inuiolate rauishing which is most horrible What mischiefe fell among the Romaines after that Tarquinus Sextus had violated Lucrecia by hys Sodomicall will Hee was vtterly exiled and neuer after was there any kyng and she after for sorrowe slewe her selfe What monstrous slaughter fell among the Troyans Grecians Fyrst the Grecians rauished Hesiona the daughter of Laomedon king of Ilion And Priamus stale away Helane the wife of Menelaus king of Lacedemonia whereof came the vtter ruine and destruction of Troy Let these few examples guide thee from all such mischiefes Where murther is suffered not seene to in time There mischiefe encreaseth and bringeth to woe All such as to Backus doth honour diuine Shall soone bee bereft their goods to forgoe ¶ The signification THese which are fightyng signifieth incontinence he which is slaine hazarde and death and the one which goeth out with hys sword in hys hand audax one past grace or a murtherer IN the xxvj yeare of Asa King of Iuda beganne Ela the sonne of Baasa to raigne ouer Israell in Thirza ij yere And hys seruant Zimri which was captaine of halfe his Chariots conspired agaynst him as hee was in Thirza drinking and was dronken in the house of Arza steward of his house in Thirza And Zimri came and smote hym and killed hym in the xxvij yeare of Asa King of Iuda and raigned in hys stead Amon being dronken was slaine of his brother Absalon Also Holofernes was slaine by Iudith in hys dronkennes as it appeareth in y e xiij of Iudith Noe being dronken was mocked of hys sonne Cham. Also Polyphemus a monstrous Gyant was in hys dronkennes destroyed by Ulissis Therfore dronkennes doth not only surfet the body for a time but also breedeth extreme malady maketh a man to forget reason and causeth bloudshed wilfull murder so y t it is not onely a griefe to the body in thys world but also an endles sorrow in the world to come When y e Philistines had gotten Sampson also had determined to haue bene mery to see Sampson to play before thē he being blind they reioyced in their God Dagon beleuing y t he had deliuered Sampson into their handes they being in their iollitie were by Sāpson sodainly destroyed in shaking their house all to peces vpon thē Drunkardes shall not possesse the kingdome of heauē c When gredy glotony seketh his ease forsaking true labour which is most fitte Then followeth Podagra with her disease to vtter ruine she doth them knitte ¶ The signification THe woman is Podagra the naked man with the barrell on his legge is Prodigus the other with the grapes in his hand is rauin the cordes are force to destruction and are led by Podagra the gowte WHat thing in a mā is best Reason For by that he goeth before beastes and followeth the Gods wherefore a perfecte reason is that good which properly belongeth to man all other thinges is to hym common with beastes if he bee strong so is the Lyon if he be fayre so is the Pecocke if he be swift so is the horse I do not say y t in euery of these things the other surmounteth hym for I seke not that thing which is most excellent in hym but that which is his owne and belongeth properly to hym for as he hath substance so hath the trees and as he hath voluntary mouing in lyke wyse hath not onely the beastes but also the wormes if he haue a voice so hath dogs and much louder the Egles more sharpe and perching the Bull much greater the Nightingale sweter Thē what thing properly is a mans owne surely reason for that being in the right course perfect maketh a man full of felicitie A drunken workeman shall neuer bee rich and he that setteth nought by a little shall by a little and a little come vnto nothyng Wine inordinately taken troubleth mans reason maketh dull vnderstanding and corrupteth the body and engendreth noysome diseases as the goute empostum plurisies caterns palsies dropsies with such lyke and also infebleth remembraunce sendeth in forgetfulnes poureth in errours bryngeth forth sluggishnes When prelates to wyne doth geue their delight To vanquishe truth which shines so cleare Then followeth death with all thys might Them to prouent and payes their hyre ¶ The signification THe Priest signifieth Newter neyther hoate nor colde the man in the barrell vnsatiable desire the bookes torne vnwrittē verities the Nunne light credence in beleuing the same HOw sufficient vnto a learned man is a small quantitie of wine so that in sleepe he shall not bee sicke therof nor feele any paine Lecherie wine and sacietie consumeth all wysedome Take heede to your selues least your hartes bee ouercome with surfetting and drunckennes and cares of this life and so the day come vpon you vnwares Be not greedie in euery eating and bee not to hastie vppon all meates For excesse of meates bryngeth sicknes and gluttonie commeth at the last to an vnmeasurable heate Take heede therefore that ye walke circumspectly not as vnwise but as wise men redeeming the tyme because the dayes are euill Wherfore bee ye not vnwise but vnderstand what the will of the Lorde is and bee not drunken with wine wherein is excesse It is not I say for kinges to drinke wine excessiuely nor princes stronge drinke for
we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sins but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries This place is also spoken of in the 6. of thys epistle and also in the 12. of the Euangelist S. Mathew that in sinnyng willingly is blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth y e sinne vnto death let all such therfore as spare not to blaspheme the spirit of God in resisting and rayling vpon hys worde know that their masse is no sacrifice for sinne but y t the terrible iudgement of God remaineth for them and their wicked idolatry Charitie ouercōmeth all sinne If I had the spirite of prophecy and knew all misteries all maner of cunning Also if I had all fayth in so much as I could translate and cary away mountaynes out of their places yet were I nothyng if I lacked charity Moreouer if I did distribute all my goods in feding the poore and although I gaue my body that I burned hauing no charitie it nothyng auaileth me Charitie is pacient and gentle Charitie hath enuy at no man it doth nothyng amisse it is not puft out wyth pryde it is not ambicious she seeketh not her profite she is not moued she thinketh no euil she reioyceth in no mischiefe she goeth with truth all thinges she suffereth all thinges she beleueth according to godly charitie all thinges she hopeth which is to saluation all thinges she beareth charitie neuer fayleth Thus sayth the Lord the people of Israel which escaped in the wildernes from the sworde found grace to come into their rest Euen so shall the Lorde now also appeare vnto me from farre say I loue thee with an euerlasting loue therfore by my charitable mercy I haue drawen thee to me I will repaire thee agayne O thou daughter of Israell that thou mayest be fast and sure Therfore whatsoeuer thou be that this shal read iudge not rashly but vse the Scriptures to the furtheraunce of thy health and solace and although in many points they may dislike thee yet know thou that it is the truth and thou the lyer therefore I say agayne whatsoeuer pointe or title thou happen to read and do not wel vnderstand it as if thy capacity be not able to comprehend y e meaning therof omit it to the diuine wisdom of god pray y t it may be opened reueled vnto thee thus with charitie vse thy selfe that therby it be not only a profit to thee whilest thou art liuing but also an euerlasting ioy in the world to come The hipocrites for to follow their inuencions do leaue iudgement and charitie vndone as appeareth more euident in the xi chapter of the Euangelist S. Luke God graunt for his mercy such charitie to raigne amongst vs that there may not onely be an outward shew therof but also in dede wherby we may be found at the generall day such seruaunts as were occupied and not stepyng when we shall be called Of humayne iustice and iudgement ⧠Of Iustice. The signification SHe which sitteth hauing in one hande a sworde and in the other a paire of balance is iustice also hauyng but one eye in the midst of her forehed signifieth vpright iudgement not exteming the person the balance equitie to vse no parcialitie nether for loue nor fauour the sword to cut of all rebellious persons and offenders the other are signified in the chapter Cambices beyng kyng ouer the Persians and Medes aboute the yeare of the worlde foure thousande and seuentie elected and chose one named Sisamnes to be iudge ouer his people the which for his parcialitie was complained vpon vnto the king that he had against law right condēned a man to death the matter being examined and founde true forthwith the kyng caused the sayde Iudge to be put to death and his skinne to be striped of and layd before the iudgement seat where tofore he had done the offence and also caused Ottanus Sisames sonne to succede in iudgement admonishing hym to beware of peruerse iustice by example of his fathers skinne lest beyng founde with the like fact to haue the lyke rewarde and also caused these verses to be written of him as followeth 1. Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta 2. A manibus reuoces munus ab aure preces 3. Sit tibi lucerna lex lux pellisque paterna 4. Qua recedes natus pro patre sponte datus Thou that sittest in this iudicall place Set vp right and holde thy handes from meede Thine eares from prayer and fauour from thee chace Let loue be thy guide keepe iustice I thee read Thy fathers skinne which doth thy chayre spred Haue in thy mynde fall not to like offence Lest for thy fault thou make like recompence The iudges ought to do righteous iudgement accordyng to the commaundement of God geuen by Moses vnto the children of Israell saying I charged your iudges at the same tyme saying heare the cause of your brethren iudge righteously betwene euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him See that you know no faces in iudgement but heare the small as wel as the great and be afraid of no man for the iudgement is Gods and the cause that is to harde for you bring vnto me and I wyll heare it Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God geueth thee thorough out thy tribes and they shall iudge the people righteously Wrest not thou the law nor know any person neither take any reward for giftes blynde the wise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous That which is iust and right shalt thou follow that thou mayst liue and enioy the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee Rewardes and giftes blyndeth the eyes of the wise and maketh him domme that he cannot tell men their faultes It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement neither to regard the outward appearaunce of men He that saith to the vngodly thou art righteous him shall y e people curse yea the comminaltie shall abhorre him but they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight and a riche blessing shall come vpon them Condemne no man before you haue tried out the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteously geue not sentence before thou hast heard y e cause but first let men tell out their tales Striue not for a matter that toucheth not thy selfe and stand not in the iudgement of sinners If there be strife betwene men they shall come vnto the law and let the iudges geue sentence betwene them and iustify the righteous and condemne y e vngodly Cursed be he that taketh rewarde to slay the soule of innocent bloud for in iudgement a mā should not agree to the voyce of many for to come by the truth Thou shalt not accept a vaine tale nether
shalt put thine hand with y e wicked to be an vnrighteous witnes The law doth forbid to iudge of a man except he be knowne to be such a one as hath bene before either an extorcioner or a periured person or such a one as hath bene before an vtter enemy to all good lawes and orders he that iudgeth his brother iudgeth the law What art thou that iudgest an other Go to now ye that say to day and to morrow let vs go into such a citie and continue there a yere and buy and sell and winne and yet cannot ye tell what shall happen on the morrow for what thing is your lyfe it is euen a vapour that appeareth for a little tyme and then vanisheth away for that ye ought to say if the Lord will and if we lyue let vs do this or that but now ye reioyce in your bostinges all such reioysings is euill therefore to hym that knoweth how to do good and doth it not to hym it is sinne he that backbiteth or iudgeth his brother doth iudge the lawe to be euil for the law forbiddeth so to do He that knoweth and yet doth not is without excuse for God hath promised no mercy but to thē that wil do their good will Herein is not onely an excellent admonition vnto worldly iudges but also among all estates so that whatsoeuer he be that by any meanes goeth about to dislike or misuse vnto that person is promised the iust iudgement of God the which hath power to destroy both body soule Thou shalt not fauour y e poore nor honour the mighty but in righteousnes thou shalte iudge thy neighbour thou shalt not go vp and doune as a priuy accuser among y e people neither shalt thou stand against the bloud of thy neyghbour that thou beare no sinne for his sake My sonne forget not thou my law but see that thine hart kepe my commaundements let mercy and faithfulnes neuer go from thee bynd them about thy necke and write them in the tables of thine harte so shalt thou fynde fauour and good vnderstandyng in the sight of God and man Deliuer him that suffreth wrong from the hand of y e oppressor and be not faint harted when thou sittest in iudgement Be mercifull vnto the fatherles as a father be in stede of an husband vnto their mother so shalt thou be an obedient sonne of the highest and he shall loue thee more then thy mother doth At the mouth of two or thre witnesses shall he that is worthy of death dye and at the mouth of one witnes let no man die Beware of bribery and giftes for rewardes and giftes blynde the eyes of the wise and make him domme that he cānot tell men their faultes The Kite in the ayre knoweth her tyme the turtle the Storke and the swalow do come at their seasons my people knowe not theyr lordes iudgemēt A good man will not in his frendes cause do against a weale publike against hys othe nor agaynst the trust which is put in hym for he layeth aside the personage of a frend when he taketh on hym a iudges office The emperor Alexander would neuer suffer to be solde the office of a iudge or great authoritie in y e execution of lawes saying nedes must he sel that doth buy And I wil not let that there shal be merchants of gouernance which if I do suffer I may not condemne for I am ashamed to punish a mā that buyeth and selleth Themistocles being the chief iudge in Athence when there came to hym a great musitian which desired of hym a thyng somewhat against iustice Themistocles aunswered if in singing thou doost not regarde number and tyme thou art not worthy to be called a good musitian nor I a good Iudge if I would preferre before the lawes the priuate fauour of any one person The children of Israell cried out vnto Samuell against his two sonnes the whiche he had made to be rulers of his people because they did peruert y e law and were corrupt with rewardes whose names were Ioell and Abia and required a kyng consider the misery the which hath alwayes happened among cruel and tyrannous iudges and also the happy successe of good godly maiestrates Iudges and other officers and then may it plainely be perceiued to whome Gods mercy is shewed for as he is a god of truth so is he also in vsing hys iustice to the wicked damnation and to the other most happy saluation ⧠The description of Veritie CHrist is the truth and he is also called the spirite of truth not onely because he is true but bicause he maketh y e name into whome he entreth true where as all they do without the spirite is none other thing but lies Also S. Peter saith that all diligence ought to be shewed among christians And hereunto geue all diligence in your fayth ministryng vertue in vertue knowledge in knowledge temperaunce in temperance pacience in pacience godlines in godlines brotherly kindnes in brotherly kindnes loue for if these thinges be among you are plenteous they will make you that ye neyther shall be idle nor vnfruitfull in the knowledge of our Lord Iesus Christ. But he y t lacketh these things is blinde and gropeth for the way with his hand and hath forgotten that he was purged from hys olde sinne as many as lacketh these and such like workes are blynde and vnderstandeth not what the faith of Christ meaneth and also without the mercy of Iesus Christ are vtterly secluded from all heauenly felicity which felicitie cannot be gotten of suche with out harty prayers in the tyme of this transitory abode vpon earth and as many as haue in them the motions of these godly and fruitfull vertues may be most assured to be the very elect and that they haue the true faith so long as they cōtinue therin no state no time no florishing power no monarchie nothyng within the circuite of the whole earth may once be compared to the prosperous estate and endeles felicitie of those and such as haue and do obey the liuing God Of Veritie The signification HE which sitteth on the raynebowe signifieth Christ and the sworde in his hande signifieth his wrath against the wycked the round compasse the worlde and those two climing the one a Pope and the other a Cardinall striuyng who shall be higheir and the Diuell which falleth headlong downe is Lucifer whiche through pride fel he which holdeth the world is death standing in the entrance of hell to receyue all such superbious liuers Hezekiah the sonne of Ahaz kyng of Iuda did raigne fiue and twenty yeares olde was he when he beganne to raigne and raigned nine twenty yeares in Ierusalem and he dyd that whiche was right in the syghte of the Lorde and therefore the Lorde prospered hym Teache me and I will holde my tounge and when I doo erre shewe me
sworde of the word of God The Diuil vnder him is temptation being ouercome by faith in Christ Iesus FAith is a sure cōfidēce of things which are hoped for and a certainty of things which are not seene By it the Elders were well reported of Through fayth we vnderstand that the world was ordayned by y e word of God And things which are seene were made of thinges which are not seene By faith Abell offred vnto God a more plenteous sacrifice then Cayne by which he obtayned witnes that he was righteous God testifiyng of hys giftes by which also he being dead yet speaketh By faith was Enoch translated that he shoulde not see death neither was he found for God had taken him away Before he was takē away he was reported of that he had pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cōmeth to God must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of thē that seeke him By faith Noe being warned of God eschued the thinges which were as yet not seene and prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold through the which Arke he condempned the worlde and became heyre of y e righteousnes which is according to faith By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed to goe out into a place which he shoulde afterward receiue to inheritaunce and he went out not knowing whether he should goe By faith he remoued into the land of promise as into a straunge countrey whē he had dwelt in tabernacles and so did Isaack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and is God Through faith Sara also receaued strength to conceaue and be with childe and was deliuered of a childe when she was past age because she iudged him faithfull which had promised therefore sprang there of one euen of one which was as good as dead so many in multitude as are the starres of the skye and as the sand the which is by the sea shore innumerable These all dyed according to faith when they had not receiued the promises but sawe them afarre of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers pilgrimes on the earth for they that sawe such thinges declare that they seke a Countrey and if they had bene mindefull of the countrey frō whence they came out they had leasure to haue retourned agayne but now they desier a better that is to say an heauenly wherefore God hymselfe is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Citie By fayth Abraham offered vp Isaac when he was proued and he offred him being his onely sonne in whome he had receiued the promises and to him it was sayde in Isaac shall thy seede be called for he considered that God was able to rayse vp agayne from death therefore receiued he him also for an example of y e resurrection By faith did Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concerning thinges to come By fayth Iacobe when he was a dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and bowed hymselfe towarde the toppe of his scepter By fayth Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departyng of the children of Israell and gaue commaundement of his bones By faith Moyses when he was borne was hidde three monthes of his father and mother because they saw he was a proper childe neither feared they the kinges commaundemente By fayth Moyses when he was great refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and estemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt for he had respect vnto the reward By fayth he forsoke Egipt and feared not the fiercenes of the king for he endured euen as though he had sene him which is inuisible Through fayth he ordayned the passouer and the effusiō of bloud least he that destroyeth y e first borne should touch them By faith they passed through the red sea as by dry land which whē the Egiptians had assayed to do they were drowned By faith y e walles of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed about seuen dayes By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that were disobedient when she had receiued the spies to lodging peaceably and what shall I more saye for the time wilbe to short for me to tell of Gedeon of Barach and of Sampson and of Iephtaph of Dauid also and Samuell and of the Prophets which through faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the promises and stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fier escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknes were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armes of the aliantes the women receiued their dead raysed to life agayne Other were racked would not be deliuered that they myght inherit a better resurrection Againe other were tried with mockkinges and scorninges moreouer with bondes and prisonment and were stoned were hewen a sunder were tempted were slaine with the sworde walked vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and goates skinnes being destitute troubled and vexed which men the worlde was not worthy of They wandered in wildernes and in mountaynes and in dennes and caues of the earth and these all through fayth obtayned good report and receiued not the promise because God had promysed a better thynge for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect By faith we resist the Deuill and ouercome him in the worlde Finally my brethren be stronge in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the armour of God that ye may stand stedfast against the crafty assaultes of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloude but against rule against power and against worldely rulers of the darckenes of thys worlde against spirituall wickednes for heauēly thinges for this cause take vnto you the armoure of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and stand perfect in all thinges They that haue receiued the faith and the holy Ghost and also tasted the gospel of God if they do forsake it and blaspheme it willing to be saued by other sacrifice then that by Christ do abide the iudgement of God wythout mercy we y t beleue Christ let vs follow Christes liuing The faith of a Christian is ioyned with charitie and without charitie is the faith of the Deuill Like as the bodye is deade wherein is no spirite so faith is dead where there lacketh workes Fayth not exercised soone waxeth sicke and being vnoccupied is assaulted with sundry displeasures Well may he be counted right valiaunt in dede which in ioy nor in sorow doth not exceede the faithfull man possesseth his treasure whose modestie moueth still to minde
neuer haue escaped vndestroyed but God so preserued him that he escaped y t death and those princes which hoped that after his death to haue ruled borne their owne sway were of the lions vtterly destroyed this is the ende of all vayne hope Therfore as there is an infallible and true god so is there also but one firme and true faith and in like one hope and one charitie Let all christians therfore pray vnto God to send his holy spirite amongeâ—t vs and that we may be thankful for his inestimable benefites daily bestowed vpon vs lest the like mischiefe happen vnto vs now present as by example hathe happened vnto those the which â—aue bene refusers of the same ⧠The description of Charitie GOd is charitie he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in hym Here in is also loue perfect in vs that we should haue trust in the day of iudgement The charitie of God is declared vnto vs for he hath sent his sonne alredy into the world to redeme the world from sinne death and hell and hath payde for our raunsome euen his most precious bloud vpon the crosse for vs miserable creatures els had we bene vtterly destroyed for euer No man ascended vp into heauen but he that came downe from heauen And as Moyses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernes euen so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that none that beleue in him perish but haue eternall life Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome the world for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde he the which is prince of the worlde is the diuell But the charitable louing and merciful sauiour he is the king of heauen and of all charitable people but suche as say that workes onely iustifieth from sinne do not onely and vtterly deny Christ to be come in the flesh but also they deny and depriue them selues from the euerlasting ioy and heauenly felicitie and although workes are nedefull and necessary yet beyng without faith hope charitie nothing at all auayleth In beleuyng that all such workes as are done truely and not fainedly with faith ioyned are most wholesome and profitable Hope in tarying the good will and pleasure of God neuer thinkyng the Of Charitie ¶ The signification AS many as intend to be pertakers with Christ his Apostels must vse this worke of charitie which is to fede the hungry to clothe the naked to harbor the harbourles lodge the stranger to visite the sicke and to relieue the prisoners and poore afflicted members of Christ this is the dueties of all faithfull people tyme long of this our abode and pilgrimage Charitie in all thinges nourishing and ready to cherish all such as lacke and are in necessitie and so continuyng till it shall please the Lord to chaunge vs into a better life which is most glorious for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more seyng we are reconciled we shalbe preserued by his life not onely so but we also ioy in God by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome we haue receyued the attonement Nothing ought to seperate vs from the charitie of God for whatsoeuer he be y t seeth what Christ hath done for him cannot but beleue that God loueth hym and with all his soule mynde and will ought to loue god agayne for thorough his loue that loueth vs we ouercome strongly the infirmity of our corrupt and filthy flesh yea I am sure that neither death neither life neither aungels neither rule neither power neither thinges present neither thinges to come neither hie neither low neither any other creature shall be able to depart any faithfull beleuer from the loue of God shewed in Christ Iesu our Lord. For the eternal wisdome of God was and is such that before the world began appointed certayne that should professe set forth the gospel of his sonne euen to the worlds ende that is they are not onely called but also elected and chosen All the commaundementes do lead vs to charitie for the ende of the commaundementes is loue the which commeth of a pure hart and of a good coÌ„science and of fayth vnfayned for the which thynges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vayne iangelyng because they would be doctours in the Scriptures and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither wherof they affirme If this part of Scripture were well considered of all such frantike heades the which taketh vpon them to interprete the scriptures according to their owne wilfull myndes I doo not doubt but suche would be better aduised in considering their dueties not onely to their princes and gouernours but also to the omnipotent God who is able in a moment clearely to seclude and cutte of such vnprofitable impes For as Corach Dathan and Abiram were destroyed for their rebellioÌ„ against Moses Gods seruaunt in resisting the ordinaunces and lawes before commaunded they as men the whiche would seme wiser in their doyng then Moses which had the firme and true law in dede were by the Lord so greuously plaged that the earth opened and they all went downe into hell suche is the rewarde of all disobedient children Watche ye stande fast in fayth quit you like men and be strong and let your busines be done in loue My little children these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not if any maÌ„ sinne yet we haue an aduocate with y e father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obtayneth grace for our synnes not for our sinnes onely but for the synnes of the whole worlde And hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commaundementes He that saith I know him and keepe his commaundements is a lyer and the veritie is not in him Owe nothing to any man but to loue one an other with charitable loue I therefore which am in bondes for the lordes sake exhort you that we walke worthy of the vocation wherwith you are called in all humblenes of minde and meekenes and long suffering forbearing one an other and forgeuyng one an other through loue and that you be diligent to kepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bonde of peace beyng one body and one spirite euen as you are called in one hope of your callyng Let there be one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and in you all Let vs be rooted in charitie that is let vs consider one an other to prouoke vnto loue to do good workes and let vs forsake the fellowship that we haue among our selues as the maner of some is but let vs exhorte one another and that so much the more because ye see that the day draweth nye in this part is shewed our duetie if we wil be pertakers of the mercy before rehersed But if we sinne willinglingly after that