a moment The Woman falling ouer the pan of coles was burned that all her bowels gushed out the man was founde lying by his cloths in some partes being scorched and burned some partes of his body also But which is most wonderfull his arme was burned to the very boone his shirte sleeue and dublet not once perished nor tutched with the fire Wherby may be thought not without great probabilitie of truth that it was eueÌ„ the fire of God his wrath from Heauen and not any natural fire from the earth And in this wonderfull fearfull maner weare these cupple founde which God graunt may be a documeÌ„t to all y e heare or read the same to avoyde the like offence and to all Magistrates an Example to see the same punished with more seueritie to the glorie of God and their owne discharge But so farre are some from suffering condigne punishment for this horrible sinne that they get good maintenance with practising the same For shall you not haue some yea many thousands that liue vppoÌ„ nothing els and yet go clothed Gentlewomenlike both in their silks and otherwyse with their fingers clogged with rings their wrists with bracelets Iewels and their purses full of gold and siluer And here of they make no conscience so their Husbands know it not Or if they doo some are such peasants and such maycocks that either they will not or which is truer they dare not reproue them for it But if the Husband once reproue them for their misdemeanour than they coÌ„spire his death by some meane or other And all this commeth to passe because the punishment therof is no extremer as it ought to be And some both Gentlemen and others wherof some I know are so nusled herein that hauing put awaye their owne wyues do kéepe whores openly without any great punishment for it and hauing beâ—ne conuented before the magistery and there béene deposed vppon a booke to put away their whores haue put them foorth at one doore and taken them in at the other And thus they dally in their othes with the Lord and stoppe the course of the lawe with rubrum argentum wherof they haue store to bestowe vppoÌ„ such wickednesse but haue not a mite to giue towards any good purpose Wherfore in the name of GOD let all men that haue put away their honest wyues be forced to take them again and abandon all whores or els to taste of the law And let all whores be cut of with the sword of right iudgement For as long as this immunitie and impunitie is permitted amongest vs let vs neuer looke to please GOD but rather proâ—oke his heuie iudgements against vs. And the reason is for that there is not sinne in all the World but these whores and whoremaisters will willingly attempt and atcheiue for the inioying of their whordome And Hell destruction and death euerlasting is the guerdon therof and yet men cannot be aware of it The Lord remooue it from all his Children and present them blameles before his tribunall seate without spotte or wrincle at that great day of the Lord. Spud. What memorable thing els haue you séen there frequented For séeing you haue begun in parte I pray you describe the whole Gluttonie and drunkennesse in Ailg Philo. I Haue séene that which gréeueth mée to report The People there are marueilously giuen to daintie fare gluttonye bellichéer many also to drunkennesse gourmandice Sp. That is a manifest argumeÌ„t of good hospitality which both is coÌ„mended in y â— word of God which I know you wil not repreheÌ„de Ph. Godly hospitalitie is a thing in no wisâ— worthy of reprehensioÌ„ but rather of great coÌ„mendatioÌ„ for many haue receiued Angels into their houses at vnawarâ—s by vsing y â— same as Abraham Lot Tobras many others Yet if hospitality flow ouer into superfluitie riotous excesse it is not tolerable for now adaies if y e table be not couered froÌ„ the one end to y â— other as thick as one dish can staÌ„d by another with delicat meats of sundry sorts one cleane different from an other and to euery dish a sâ—uerall sawce appropriat to his kinde it is thought there vnworthye y â— name of a dinner Yea so many dishes shal you haue posteruing the table at once as the insaciablest Helluo the deuouringest glutton or the gréediest cormorant that is can scarse eat of euery one a litle And these many shall you haue at the first course as many at the second and peradâ—entuâ—e moe at the third besydes other swéet 〈◊〉 and delicat 〈◊〉 of spiceries and I cannot tell what And to these dainties all kind of wynes are not wanting you may be sure Oh what nisitie is this what vanitie excesse ryot and superfluitie is heare Oh farewell former world For I haue heard my Father say y â— in his dayes one dish or two of good wholsome meate was thought sufficient for a man of great worship to dyne withall and if they had thrée or four kinds it was reputed a sumptuous feast A good péece of beef was thought thaÌ„ good meat and able for the best but â—ow it is thought too grosse for their tender stomacks are not able to disgest such crude and harsh meats For if they shold their stomacks being so queâ—sie as they be and not able to concoct it they should but euacuat the same againe as other filthie excrements their bodies receiuing no noorishment therby or els they should lye stincking in their stomacks as dirte in a filthie sinck or pryuie If this be so I marueile how oure fore-Fathers lyued who eat litle els but cold meats grosse and hard of disgesture Yea the most of them fead vppon graine corne roots pulse herbes wéâ—ds and such other baggage and yet liued longer then wée helthfuller then we were of better complection then we and much stronger then we in euerie respect wherfore I cannot perswade my self otherwise but that our nicenes and curiousnes in dyet hath altered our nature distempered our bodies and made vs more subiect to millions of discrasies and diseases then euer weare our Forefathers subiect vnto and consequently of shorter life then they Spud. They wil aske you again wherfore god made such varietie of meats but to be eaten of men what answere giue you to that Philo. The Lord our God ordained indéede the vse of meat and drinks for man to sustain the fraile caduke and brittle estate of his mortall body withall for a time But he gaue it him not to delight and wallow therin continually for as the olde Adage saith Non viuendum vt edamus sed edendum vt viuamus Wée must not liue to eat but wée must eat to liue wée must not swill and ingurgitate our stomacks so ful as no more can be crammed in The Lord willed that they should be ordinarie meanes to preserue the state of our bodyes a time whilste we
and clothing to be centent for they that will be rich saith he fall into diuerse temptations and snares of the Deuill which drowne Men in perditioÌ„ Dauid saith Man disquieteth him selfe in vaine heaping vp riches cannot tell who shall possesse them Salom. coÌ„pareth a couetous man to him y e murthereth sheadeth innocent bloud Againe Hell and destruction are neuer ful so the eyes of Men can neuer be satisfied The Apostle S. Paule saith neither WhormoÌ„gers Adulterers nor couetous persons nor Extortioners shal euer enter into the Kingdom of Heauen And saith further y â— the loue of monie is y e root of al euil Christ biddeth vs be liberal lend to them that haue néed not looking for any restitutioÌ„ again neuer to turn our face away froÌ„ any poore maÌ„ thaÌ„ y e face of the Lord shall not be turned away froÌ„ vs. By these few places it is manifest how farre froÌ„ al couetousnes y e lord wold haue al cristiaÌ„s to be Spud. Be their any examples in scriptures to shew foorth the punishmentes of the same inflicted vpon the Offenders therin Philo. The Scripture is full of such fearful examples of the iust iudgements of God powred vpon theÌ„ that haue offended herein Wherof I will recite three or four for the satisfying of your Godly mind Adam was cast out of Paradice for coueting that fruit which was inhibited him to eat Giese the Seruant of Elizeus y e Prophet was smitten with an incurable leprosie for y â— he to satisfie his couetous desire exacted gold siluer riche garments of NaamaÌ„ y e K. of Siria his seruant Balaam was reproued of his asse for his couetousnes in going to curse y e Children of Israel at the request of K. Balac who promised him aboundance of gold siluer so to doo Achab y â— K. for couetousnes to haue pore Naboth his viniard slew him and dyed after himselfe with all his progeny a shameful death The SoÌ„nes of Samuel were for their infaciable couetousnes deteined froÌ„ euer inioying their Fathers kingdome Iudas for couetousnes of mony sould the Sauiour of the world and betrayed him to the Iewes but afterward dyed a miserable death his bellye bursting his bowels gushing out Ananias Saphira his wiâ—e for couetousnes in coÌ„cealing part of y â— price of ther laÌ„ds froÌ„ y â— apostles were both slain died a fearful death AchaÌ„ was stoned to death by y â— lord his coÌ„mandemeÌ„t for his couetousnes in stealing gold siluer Iewels at the sacking of Iericho al his goods were burned presently Thus you sée how for couetousnes of mony in all ages Men haue made shipwrack of their consciences and in the end by the iust iudgemeÌ„t of God haue dyed fearful deaths whose iudgmente I leaue to the Lord. Spud. Sâ—eing that couetousnes is so wicked a sin so offensiue both to God Man pernicious to the soule I marueile what moueth Men to followe the same as they doo Ph. Two things moue meÌ„ to affect mony so so much as they do y â— one for feare least they shold fal into pouertie beggery oh ridiculous infidelitie y e other to be aduanced promoted to high dignities honors vpoÌ„ earth And thei see y e world is such y e he who hath moni enough shalbe rabbied maistered at euery word and the vaine title of worshipfull and right worshipfull though notwithstanding he be a dunghill Gentleman or a Gentleman of the first head as they vse to terme them And to such outrage is it growne that now adayes euery Butcher Shooemaker Tailer Cobler Husband-man and other yea euery Tinker pedler and swinherd euery Artificer and other gregarii ordinis of the vilest sorte of Men that be must be called by y e vain name of Maisters at euery word But it is certen that no wyse Man will intitle them with any of these names worshipfull and maister for they are names and titles of dignitie proper to y e Godly wyse for some speciall vertue inherent either els in respect of their birth or calling due vnto theÌ„ but such Titiuillers flattering Parasits and glosing Gnatoes as flatter them expecting some pleasure or benefit at their haÌ„ds which thing if they were not blowen vp with the bellowes of pride and puffed vp with the wind of vainglori they might easily perceiue For certen it is they do but mocke and flatter them with these titles knowing that they deserue nothing lesse Wherfore like good Recusants of that thing which is euill they should refuse those vainglorious Names remembring the words of our sauiour Christ saying be not called Maister in token there is but one onely true Maister and Lord in Heauen which only true Maister Lord God graunt all other may followe bothe in life and name vntil they coÌ„e to perfect men in Iesus Christ. Spud. The people béeing so let vpon couetousnes as I gather by your speeches they be is it possible that they wil lend moâ—ey without vsurie or without some hostage guage or pawn for vsurie followeth couetousnes as the shadowe dooth the bodie Great Vsurie in Ailgna Philo. IT is as impossible for any to borrowe money there for the most part without vsurie loane or with out some good hostage guage or pledge as it is for a dead man to speak with audible voice Spud. I haue heard say that the positiue and statute lawes there doo permit them to take vsurye limitting them how much to take for euery pound Philo. Although the ciuile lawes for the auoiding of further inconueniences doo permit certain sommes of money to be giuen ouerplus beyond or abooue the principall for the loane of mony lent yet are y â— vsurers no more discharged from the gilt of vsurie before God therby then the adulterous Iewes were from whordome because Moyses gaue them a permissiue law for euery man to put away their wiues that would for euery light trifle And yet the lawes there giue no libertie to commit vsurie but seeing how much it rageth lest it should excéed rage further and ouer flowe the banks of all reason and godlynes As couetousnes is a raging sea and a bottoÌ„lesse pit and neuer satified nor coÌ„tented they haue limited them within certain méeres and banks to bridle the insatiable desires of couetous men beyond the which it is not lawful for any to go but this permissioÌ„ of y e lawes argueth not that it is lawful to take vsury no more I say then y â— permission of Moyses argued that whordome adulterie is lawfull good because Moyses permitted them to put a way their wiues for y e auoâ—ding of greater euil for as christ said to y â— Iewes froÌ„ y e begiÌ„ning it was not so so saâ— I to these vsurers froÌ„ the begiÌ„ning it was not so nor yet ought so to be Spud. If no interest were permitted then no
dauncing is but rather of restraints inhibitioÌ„s froÌ„ the same which are not there to be found For what clipping what culling what kissing and bussing what smouching sâ—abbering one of another what filthie groping and vncleane handling is not practised euery wher in these dauncings yea the very deed and action it selfe which I will not name for offending chast eares shall be purtrayed and shewed foorth in their bawdye gestures of one to another All which whither they blow vp Venus cole or not who is so blind that séeth not wherfore let them not think that it is any recreation which word is abusiuely vsed to expresse the ioyes or delightes of y â— mind which signifieth a making againe of that which before was made to the mind of a good Christian but rather a corrosiue most sharp and nipping For seing that it is euill in it self it is not a thing wherin a ChristiaÌ„ Mans heart may take any comfort The â—nely summum bonum wherin a true Christians heart is recreated and comforted is the meditatioÌ„ of y â— passion of Iesus Christ the effusion of his blood the remission of sins and the contemplation of the ineffable ioyes and beatituds after this life prepared for the faithfull in the blood of Iesus Christ. This is the only thing wherin a Christian maÌ„ ought to reioyse and take delight in all other pleasures delights of this lyfe set a parte as amarulent and bitter bringing foorth fruit to eternall destruction but the other to eternall lyfe And wheras they conclude it is a holesome exercise for the bodie the contrary is moste true for I haue knowen diuers by the immoderate vse therof haue in short time become decrepit and lame so remaining to their dying day Some haue broke their legs with skipping leaping turning and vawting and some haue come by one hurt some by another but neuer any came from thence without soÌ„e parte of his minde broken and lame such a wholsome exercise it is But say they it induceth looue so I say also but what looue Truely a lustful loue a venereous looue a concupiscencious baudie beastiall looue such as procéedeth from the stinking pump and lothsome sink of carnall affection and fleshly appetite and not such as distilleth from the bowels of the hart ingenerat by the spirit of God Wherfore I exhort them in the bowels of Iesus Christ to eschue not only from euil but also from all apperance of euil as the Apostle willeth them proceeding from one vertue to another vntil they growe to perfect men in Christe Iesus knowing that we must giue accouÌ„ts at y â— day of iudgment of euery minut and iote of time from the day of our birth to the time of our death for there is nothing more precious then time which is giuen vs to glorifie God in good-woorks and not to spend in luxurious exercises after our owne fantasies and delights Spud. But I haue heard then affirme that dauÌ„cing is prouable by the woord of God for say they did not the women come foorth of all the Cities of Israel to méet king Saule and Dauid returning from the slaughter of Goliath with psalteries flutes tabrets Cymbals and other musicall Instruments dauncing leaping before them Did not the Israelites hauing passed ouer the red sea bring foorth their Instruments and danced for ioy of their deliuerance Againeâ— did they not daunce before thâ— golden Calf which they had made in Horeb or Sinai Did not king Dauid daunce before the Ark of the Lord Did not the Daughter of Iephtah daunce with tabret and harp at the return of her Father from the Féeld Did not the women of the Israelits dance comming to visitâ— good Iudith Did not the Damsel dance before King Herod Did not Christ blame y e people for their not dancing when he said wee haue pyped vnto you but you haue not daunced Saith not Salomon there is a tune to wéep and a time to laughe a time to mourne and a time to daunce And dooth not the Prophet Dauid in many places of his Psalmes commend and commaund dauncing and playing vpon Instruments of Musick Wherfore for thus they conclude séeing these holy Fathers wherof some were guided by the instinction of God his Spirit haue not only taught it in doctrine but also expressed it by their Examples of life who may open his mouth once to speake against it Philo. The Fathers as they were men had their errors and erred as men for Hominis est errare decipi et labi it is naturall for man to erre to be deceiued to slide from the trueth Therfore the Apostle saith follow mée in all things as I follow Christ but to y e intent that they who perpend the Examples of the Fathers and Scripture falsly wrested to maintaine theirâ— deuilish dauncings withall may sée their owne impietie grosse ignorance discouered I wil coÌ„pendiously set down the true sence and meaning of euery place as they haue cyted them perticulerly For the first wheras they say that the Women came foorth in daunces with timbrels and Instruments of Ioy to méet Dauid and Saule I aske them for what cause they did so Was it for wantonnes or for very ioye of hart for their Uictorie gotten ouer the Philistines their sworne Enemies Was it in prayse of GOD or to stirre vp filthie lust in them selues or for nicenes onely as our daunces bée Did men and women daunce togither as is now vsed to be doon or rather was it not doon amongst women only for so saith the text the women came foorth c. But admit it were neither so nor so wil they conclude a generall rule of a particuler example it is no good reason to say such and such did so therfore it is good or we may doo so but all things are to be poysed in y e balance of holy scripture and therby to be allowed or disalowed according to the meaning of the holy Ghost who is only to be heard and obeyed in his woord The Israelitish women hearing of the fame of Dauid and how he had killed their deadly enemie Goliath came foorth to méet him playing vpon instrumeÌ„ts dancing singing songs of ioye and thanks-giuing to the Lord who had giuen them victorie and deliuered them from the deadly hostilitie of him who sought their distruction euery way Now what maketh this for our leâ—d wanton nice and vbiquitarie dauncings for so I may call them because they be vsed euery where let the godly iudge who seeth not rather y â— this example let Cerberus the dog of hel alatrate what he list to the coÌ„trary clean ouerthroweth them Theirs was a godly kind of daÌ„cing in praise of God ours a lustful baudie kinde of deameâ—our in praise of our selues theâ—rs to shew their inward ioy of minde for the blessings of God bestowed vpon them ours to show our actiuitie
world to haue escaped to repaire to Holofernes by some meanes or other to work his destruction who guided by the hand of God attempted the thing brought it happely to passe For she cut of his head with his owne fauchine wrapping his body in the canopie wherin he lay sléepingly possest as he was with y e spirit of drunkennesse this done the Women of Israell came together and went to visit this worthie Woman and to coÌ„gratulat her prosperous successe with instruments of musick singing of Godly songs and dauncing for ioye in hâ—nor and prayse to God for this great victorie obtained Now who sâ—eth not that these women sang dauÌ„ced and played vppon instrumentes in prayse of God not for any other lewdnes or wantonnes as coÌ„monly the world doth now adaies This also ouerthroweth the dauncinges of Men and Women together in one companie for though there was an infinite number of People by yet the Text saith there daunced none but onely Women which plainly argueth the vnlawfulnesse of it in respecte of Man And this being but a particular fact of a sort of imprudent Women shall we draw it into example of lyfe and thinke it lawfull or good because they did practife it It was a custome in those dayes when God had powred foorth and notable blessing vpon his People from his Heauenly Pallace the People in honour praise and thankesgiuing to God for them would play vppon their instruments sing Godly Songs daunce leape skip and triumphe shewing foorth the ioye of their mindes with their thankefulnesse to GOD by all exteriour gestures that they could deuyse Which kinde of thankefull dauncing or spirituall reioycing wold God we did follow leauing all other wanton dancing to their Father the Deuill Their .vij. Reason Did not quothe they the Damosell daunce before Kinge Herode when the head of Iohn Baptist was cut of She daunced indeed And herein they maye sée the fruite of dauncing what goodnesse it bringeth For was not this the cause of the beheading of Iohn the Baptist Sée whether dauncing styreth not vp lust and inflameth the mind For if Herode with séeing her daunce was so inflamed in her loue and rauished in her behauiour that he promised her to giue her whatsoeuer she wold desire though it were half of his Emperie or Kingdome what wold he haue béene if he had daunced with her and what are those that daunce with them hand in hand chéek by chéek with bussing and kissing slabbering and smearing most beastly to behold in so much as I haue heard many impudently say that they haue chosen their Wyues and wyues their Husbands by dauncing Which plainely proueth the wickednesse of it Their .viij. reason Did not Christ rebuke the People for not dauncing saying we haue pyped vnto you but you haue not daunced They may as well conclude that Christ in this place was a Pyper or a Minstrell as that he alowed of dauncing or reproued them for not excercysing the same This is a Metaphoricall or Allegoricall kinde of speach wherin our Sauiour Christ goeth about to reprooue and checke the styfneckednes the rebellion and pertinacious coÌ„tumacy of y â— Scribes and Phariseis who were neither mooued to receiue the glad tydings of the Gospell by the austeritie of Iohn the Baptiste who came preaching vnto them the doctrine of repeÌ„taunce in mourning sort neither yet at the preaching of our Sauiour him selfe breaking vnto them the pure Ambrosia the Coelestial Manna the word of life in ioyfull and gladsome maner Ihon the Baptist he piped vnto them that is he preached vnto them austeritie of life to mourn for their sinnes to repent to fast pray and such like Our Sauiour Christ he pyped that is preached vnto them the glad comfortable tidyngs of y e Gospell yet at neither of these kinde of concions they were any whit mooued either to imbrace Christ or his gospell Wherfore he sharply rebuketh them by a similitude of foolishe Children sitting in the market place and piping vnto them that wold not daunce This is the true vndoubted sence of this place which whether it ouerthrow not all kinde of lewd dauncing at lest maketh nothing for them allowing a certen king of spirituall dauncing and reioysing of the heart vnto God that I may suspend my owne iudgement let wyse men determine Their .ix. Reason Saith not Salomon there is a time to wéep a time to laugh a time to mourn and a time to daunce This place is directly against their vsuall kinde of dauncing For saith not the Text there is a time meaning somtime now and than as the Israelites did in prayse to GOD when anie notable thing happened vnto them and not euery daye and howre as we do making an occupatioÌ„ of it neuer leauing it vntil it leaue vs. But what and if Salomon speaketh here of a certen kind of spiritual dauncing and reioysing of y e heart in praise to GOD This is easily gathered by the circumstances of the place but specially by the sentence precedent vz. there is a time to mourn a time to daÌ„ce c. that is a time to mourn for our sinnes a tyme to dauÌ„ce or reioyse for the vnspeakable treasures purchased vnto vs by y e death passion of Iesus christ How much this place maketh for defence of their nocturnall diuturnall wanton lewde and lascivious dauncings if it be censured in the imparciall ballance of true iudgement all y e world may sée aud iudge And now to draw to an end I will come vnto their vltimum refugium That is Doth not Dauid both commend and also coÌ„maunde dauncing and playing vpon instruments in diuerse of his Psal. In all those places y e Prophet speaketh of a certeÌ„ kind of spirituall dauncing and reioysing of the heart to y â— Lord for his graces benefits in mercie bestowed vpon vs. This is the true kinde of dauncing which the word of God doth allow of in any place and not that we should trippe like rammes skip like goats leap like mad men For to y â— end our féet were not giueÌ„ vs but rather to represent y eimage of God in vs to keep Companie with the Angels to glorifie our heuenly Father thorow good works Spud. Do you condemne al kinde of dauncing as wicked and prophane Ph. All lewde wanton lasciuious dauncing in publique assemblies conuenticles without respect either of sex kind time place Person or any thing els I by the warrant of the word of God do vtterly condemne But that kind of dauncing which is vsed to praise and laud the name of God withall as weare the dauÌ„ces of the people of the former world either priuatly or publiquely is at no hand to be dysallowed but rather to be greatly commended Or if it be vsed for mans comfort recreation and Godly pleasure priuatly euery sex distincted by themselues whether with musick or otherwyse it cannot be
those that are put in trust to sée theÌ„ executed as I haâ—e tould you and notwithstanding do not Spud. This is a great corruption Abuse doubtles and worthie of great punishment Ph. It is so truely for if they be good lawes tending to the glorie of GOD the publique weale of the Cuntrey and correctioÌ„ of vices it is great pytie that money should buy them out For what is that els but to sell vertue for lucre Godlynes for drosse yea mens souls for corruptible money Therfore those that sell them are not onely Traitors to GOD to their Prince and Countrey but are also the Deuils Marchants and ferrie the bodies and soules of Christians as it were in Charons boate to the Stigian flood of Hell burning with fire and brimstone for euer And those that buy them are Traitors to GOD their Prince and Countrey also For if the lawes were at the first good as GOD he praised al the lawes in Ailgna be why shuld they be suppressed for money and if they were euill why were they diuulged but had rather béene buried in the wombe of their Mother before thy had euer séene y e light And why were lawes instituted but to be executed Els it were as good to haue no lawes at all the People lyuing orderly as to haue good lawes and theÌ„ not executed The Prince ordeining a law may lawfully repeale adnull the same againe vâ—oÌ„ speciall causes considerations but no inferiour maiestrat or subiecte what so euer may stop the course of any lawe made by the Prince with out daunger of damnation to his owne soule as the Word of GOD beareth witnesse And therfore wâ—â—e to those men that will not execut the sentence of the lawe being so Godly and so Christian as thei be in Ailgna vppon Malefactors and Offenders Uerely they are as guiltie of their blood before GOD as euer was Iudas of the death of Christe Iesus Spud. Séeing it is so that al flesh hath corrupted his way before the face of God and that there is such abhomination amongest them I am perswaded the daye of Iudgement is not farre of For when iniquity shall haue filled vp his measure than shall the end of all appeare as Christ witnesseth in his Euangelie Philo. The day of the Lord cannot be farre of that is most certen For what wonderfull portents strang miracles fearful signes and dreadfull Iudgements hath he sente of late daies as Preachers fortellers of his wrath due vnto vs for our impeniteÌ„ce wickednes of life Hath he not caused the earth to treÌ„ble and quake the same Earth to remooue from place to place the seas and waters to roare swell brust out and euerflow their bankes to the destruction of many thousands hath he not caused the Elements and Skyes to send foorth flashing fire to raine downe wheat a wonderfull thing as euer was heard and the like hath he not caused wonderfull Eclypses in the Sunne and Moon with most dreadfull coniunctions of Starres and Planets as the like this thousand yeeres haue not béen heard of haue not the clowdes distilled downe aboundance of rayne and showres with all kinde of vnseasonable wether to the destroying almost of al thinges vppon the Earth haue we not séene Commets blasing starres firie Drakes men feighting in the ayre most fearfully to behold Hath not dame Nature her selfe denied vnto vs her operation in sending foorth abortiues vntimely births vgglesome monsters and fearfull mishapen Creatures both in man beast So that it séemeth all the Creatures of God are angrie with vs and threaten vs with destruction and yet we are nothing at all ameÌ„ded alas that shal become of vs RemeÌ„ber we not there is a God that shal iudge vs righteously that there is a Deuill who shall torment vs after this lyfe vnspeakably if we repent not At that day the wicked shall find that there is a Material Hell a place of all kinds of tortures wherein they shal be punished in fire and brimstone amongest the terrible Company of vgglesome Deuils world without end how light so euer they make account of it in this World For some such there be that when thei heare mention of Hell or of the paines therof in the other World they make a mocke at it thinking they be but metaphoricall speaches onely spoke to terrifie vs withall not otherwyse But certen it is as there is a God that will reward his Children so there is a Deuill that will remunerat his Seruaunts And as there is a Heauen a Materiall place of perfect ioye prepared for the Godly so there is a Hell a Materiall place of punishmeÌ„t for the wicked and reprobat prepared for the Deuil his Angels or els the word of God is in no wyse to be credited which blasphemie once to think God kéep all his Children from Spud. But they will easily auoid this for they say it is writ at what time so euer a sinner doth repent him of his sinne I wil put all his sin out of my remembrance saith y e Lord. So that if they maye haue thrée words at the last they will wish no more What think you of these felowes Philo. I think them no men but Deuills no Christians but worse thaÌ„ Tartarians and more to be auoided than y e poison of a serpent for the one slayeth but the body but the other both body soul for euer Wherfore let euery good Christen Man take heed of them and auoid them For it is truely said cum bonis bonus eris cum peruersis peruerseris with the good thou shall learne good but with the wicked thou shall be peruerted Spud. Do you think than that that cannot be a true repentance which is deferred to the last gaspe Ph. No truely For true repentance must spring out of a lyuelie faith with an inward lothing hating and detesting of sinnâ— But this deferred repentaÌ„ce springeth not of faith but rather of the feare of death which he â—éeth imminent before his eyes of the grief and tediousnes of paine of the Horror of Hell and feare of God his ineuitable iudgement which he knoweth now he must néeds abyde And therfore this can be no true repentance For there is two maner of repeÌ„taÌ„ces y e one a true repentaÌ„ce to life the other a false repentance to death As we maye sée by Iudas who is said to haue repented and which is more to haue confessed his faulte and which is most of all to haue made restitution and yet was it a false repentance And why because it sprang not out of true faith but as before Peter repented and wéept bitterly and was saued therby though he neither made coÌ„fession nor satisfaction and why Because it sprang of a true and lyuely faith So these felowes may say they repent but except it be a true repeÌ„tance springing of faith it can serue theÌ„ no more to life than the pretensed repentance of Iudas did serue him to saluation Let them
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
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