man that speaketh froward thinges from such as leaue the high streat walk in the way of darknes which reioyce in doing euill and delite in wicked thinges whose wayes are crooked and their pathes slaunderous That thou maiest be delited also from the straunge woman and frō her that is not thine owne which geueth sweet wordes forsaketh the husbande of her youth and forgetteth the couenaunte of her God For her house is enclined vnto death and her pathes vnto Hell All they that go in vnto her come not againe neither take they holde of the waye of life That thou walk in the good way and keepe y ◠pathes of the righteous For the iust shall dwell in the lande and the innocentes shall remaine in it but the vngodly shall be rooted out of the lande and the wicked doers shal be taken out of it Blessed is the man that findeth wisedome and obtaineth vnderstanding for y e getting of it is better then any m◅rchandise of siluer and the profit of it is better then gold Wisdom is more worth then precious stones and all the thinges that thou canst desire are not to be compared vnto her Upon her ryght hand is long life and vppon her lefte hande is ryches and honor Her wayes are pleasaunt waies and al her pathes ar peaceable She is a tree of life to them that lay hold vpon her and blessed are thei that kepe her fast My son let not these thinges depart frō thine eies but kepe my law and counsail so shall it be life vnto thy soule and grace vnto thy mouthe Then shalte thou walke safely in thy waye and thy foote shall not stumble If thou slepest thou shalt not be afrayed but shalt take thy rest and slepe swetely Thou shalte not nede to be afrayed of any soden feare neither for the violent rushing in of the vngodly whē it commeth For the lord shall be beside thee and kepe thy fote that thou be not taken Let thine heart receiue my words kepe my commaundementes and thou shalt◅ lyue Get the◅ wisdome get thee vnderstandinge forget not the wordes of my mouth and shrink not from thē Forsake her not and shee shall preserue thee loue her and she shal kepe thee The chief point of wisedome is that thou willingly to obtaine wisedome and before all thy goods to get vnderstandinge Make much of her and she shall promote thee yea if thou embracest her she shall bringe thee vnto honour She shall make thee a gracious head garnishe thee with the crowne of glory Heare my son receiue my wordes that the yeres of thy life may be manye I will shew the way of wisdome and lead thee in the righte pathes So that if thou goest therin there shal no straitnes hinder thee and when thou runnest thou shalt not fall Take faste holde of doctrine let her not go kepe her for she is thy life The commaundement is a lantern and the law is a light and the way of life Wher no knowlege of gods word is the soule is not wel Apply thy heart vnto learning and thine eare to the wordes of knowledge Hee that turneth away his eare from hearing the lawe his prayer shal be abhorred When the preachinge of Gods worde faileth then perisheth the people Euerye worde of GOD is pure and cleane yea it is a shield to them that trust in it Uaine are all those men in whom no knowledge of god is Neither hearbe nor emplasture hathe healed thē but thy worde O Lord which healeth all thinges The fountaine of wisedome is the the word of god Be make and lowly to heare the word of god that thou mayest vnderstand and bring forth a wise and true answer Haue all thy pleasure in the commaun dements of god and in his lawes be thou most of al occupied and he shall geue thee an hart and a desire of wisdome shal be ge uen thee Be not slacke to beleue the worde of God Learnig is a precious iewel to a wisemā Nothing is better then the feare of god and nothing is sweter then to haue a respect to the commaundements of the Lord My people is led captiue because they haue no knowledge They haue caste away the lawe of the Lorde of hostes and the worde of the holy one of Israell haue they blasphemed Therfore is the wrath of the lord who◅ agaynst his people and he wyl stretche oute his hande and destroye them Make hast vnto the law and witnesse If they speake not according to this word they shall not haue the morning light All ye that are a thirst come vnto the waters and ye that haue no mony make haste by and eat Come I say by without mony and without any ◅xchaunge wyne and milke Why lay ye out your monye for that that is not breade in deede and spend your labor about that that shall neuer satisfye you Heare me heare I saye and eate that which is good that ye may be well liking Geue eare and come vnto me heare me I say and your soule shall liue As raine and snowe commeth downe ◅rom heauen and returneth not th◅ther agayne but watereth the earth and maketh it to bud and bring forth the fruit so that it geueth sede to the sower breade to the eater so shall my word be that shal come out of my mouth It shall not returne vnto me boyde but shall do what soeuer I wil and prosper in them to whom I send it Let not the wise man reioyce in his wysedome nor the stronge man in hys strength nor yet let the riche man glorye in his riches but let him that reioyseth reioyce in this thing that he know me that I am y e Lord which doth mercy iudgemēt and righteousnes in the earth Withdrawe not the woorde from the people if peraduenture they heare turne from their wicked way so that it may repent me of the euil which I haue determi ned to do vnto them for the maliciousnes of their councels Heare Israel the commaundements of life geue eare that thou maiest become wise Howe chaunced it O Israell that thou arte in the lande of thine enemies Thou art worne out in a straunge lande thou art defiled with the dead Thou art◅ reputed with them that go down to Hell Thou hast forsaken the fountain of wisedome For if thou haddest walked in the way of god vndoubtedlye thou haddest dwelt in rest vpon the earth Learne therfore where wisedome is and vnderstanding is that thou maiest also know where continuance of life is and all thinges necessary for to maintaine the same agayne where the light of the eyes and peace is This is the booke of the commaundementes and the lawe whyche abideth for euer All that keepe it shall come vnto life but they that forsake it shall come vnto death Behold the day is come sayth y ◠Lord that I
in Paradise Against sinne death and hell IF Sathan in the time of sicknes or els whaÌ„ goe about to fray thee to quenche thy spirit either with the greatnes of thy sinnes or els with the error and fearcenes of death and hell be not dismayd but with a lustye courage resiste his temptations with these most swete and comfortable scriptures Sentences out of the olde Testament I am he indede sayth god he which puteth away thy sinnes yea that for myne own sake will remeÌ„ber them no more As for thine offeÌ„ces I haue driuen theÌ„ away like the cloudes and thy sinnes as the miste Turne thee againe vnto me for I haue redemed thee Where is ther such a god as thou artâ—… that pardonest wickednes and forgeuest the offences of the remnaunt of thine heritage He keepeth not his wrathe for euer And why for his delighte is to haue compassion He shall turne againe and be mercifull to vs hee shall putte downe our wickednes and caste al our sinnes into the bottome of the sea Out of the power of death sayth the lord wil I deliuer them yea from the death it self wil I redeme them O death I will be thy death O hel I wil swallow thee vp Examples out of the olde Testament That holy king and prophet Dauid being fully perswaded that by Christ which was to come Sathans head was broken a sunder sinne was vanquished death was ouercome hell was swalowed vp that they could nothinge hurt that faythful man lamented sorowed that he continued so long in this vale of misery and moste hartelye wished to be deliuered out of thys prison and to goe vnto the Lord his God That godly and aunciente father Toby knowing that neither sinne death nor hell can do any thing against gods choseÌ„ people which in Christe haue gotten the victory ouer them al so that they nede not to feare death nor anye thing to come after this life praied to god on this maner Nowe O lord drale with me according to thy wyl and commauÌ„d my spirite to be receiued in peace for more expedient were it for me to dye than to liue Sentences out of the new Testament CHriste shall saue hys people from their sinnes Behold the Lambe of God that taketh away the sinnes of the world There is no damnation to theÌ„ that are graft in Christ Iesu. Christe came into the worlde to saue sinners The bloud of Iesu Christe maketh vs cleane from all synne Thorow the name of Christ al Prophets beare witnes that so many as beleue in him shal receiue remissioÌ„ of their sinnes Death is swalowed vp into victory Wher is thy sting O death Wher is thy victory O hell The sting of deathe is sinne and the power of sin is the lawe But thankes bee to God which hath geuen vs the victory thorow our Lord Iesus Christ. By death hath Christ put him to flight that had lordshippe ouer deathe that is to saye the Deuill that he myght delyuer them which thorow the fear of death were all theyr lyfe tyme in daunger of bondage Examples out of the new Testament SO sone as the auncient father Simeon had seene and receiued Christe into his armes he fering neither sin death nor hel shewed himselfe redy to depart out of this world and spake with a ioyful voice O Lord now lettest thou thy seruaunte depart in peace c. Blessed Paule knowing that thorowe Christ the power of synne death and hel is so altogether weekened that they can do the faithful no harme wished to be losoned out of this world and to be with Christ. ¶ Against them that deny the resurrection of the body IF that olde enemy Sathan labour to perswade thee that there is no resurrection of the dead but as the bodye returneth to death so shall it for euer continue in the earth neuer receiue lyfe again nor line either in glory or in peace after this present life that therfore thou maiest liue as thou iust defende thy selfe against his cruel assaults 〈◊〉 these senteÌ„ces exaÌ„ples of the holy scripture Sentences out of the olde Testament The Lorde killeth and maketh alyue againe bringeth downe to the graue and stretchetâ—… vp againe I am sure that my redemer liueth and that I shall rise out of the earth in the latter day and that I shall be clothed againe with this skinne and see god in my flesh yea I my self shall beholde him not wyth other but with these same eyes These that be deade will I raise vp againe from their places and bringe them out of the graues Thy dead shall liue euen with my body shall they rise againe Awake and singe ye that dwel in the dust For thy dew is euen as the dew of hearbes and the earthe shall cast out of her them that be vnder her the earth shall disclose her own bloud and shal no more hide â—…em that are slaine in her Your bones shall florish like an herbe Beholde saith god I wil put breath in to you that ye may liue I wil geue you sinowes and make fleshe growe vpon you and couer you ouer with skin and so geue you breath that ye may liue knowe that I am the Lord. Thus saith the Lord god behold I wil open your graues O my peo ple and take you out of your Sepulchres Many of them that slepe in the duste of the earth shall awake some to euerlasting life some to perpetuall shame and reproofe Examples out of the olde Mestament THe Prophet Helias raised vp froÌ„ death vnto life the Sonne of the widdow of Sarepta which is in Sidon Helizeus obtained of God a Childe for his Hostesse which dyed and as afterward by the prayer of Helizeus raysed vnto life Read and mark diligently the 37. Chapiter of Ezechiel A certaine woman with her 7. Children were cruellye put to death because they would not eate swines flesh contrary to gods worde at the commaundement of the kinge The seconde of the brethren saide vnto the kinge thou moste vngracious person puttest vs now to deathe but the kinge of the worlde shall raise vs vp which dy for his lawes into resurrection of euerlasting life The mother of the 7. Children sayde thus vnto them I cannot tel how ye â—…am in my woÌ„be for I neither gaue you breath nor soule no nor life It is not I that ioyned the members of youre bodyes together but the maker of the worlde whiche fashioned the birth of man and began all thinges Euen he also of his owne mercye shall geue you breath and life againe like as ye now regard not your own selues for his lawes sake ☞ Sentences out of the newe Testament AS touching the resurrection of y â— dead haue ye not reade what is said vnto you of god which saieth I am Abrahams god and Isaackes god and god is not the god of
time of your pilgrimage in feare for as much as ye know how that ye were not redemed with corruptible siluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receaued by y â— traditions of the forefathers but with the precious bloude of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spot Examples out of the new Testament THe Pharisies and the Scribes following their vngodlye forefathers obserued the traditions of their elders and neglected the commaundementes of God The Iewes fulfilling the measure of their forefathers whiche slewe the Prophets that were sent vnto them froÌ„ God killed Christ and his blessed Apostles Paule before his conuersion following his wicked forefathers the Iewes persecuted the congregation of Christ euen as hys elders persecuted Christ and the Prophets Agaynst the wicked olde customes and long vsages IF Sathan or any of his members labour to plucke thee from gods word vnto wicked olde customes and longe vsages auoyde him with these scriptures following Sentences out of the olde Testament ACcording to the custome of the land of Egipt wherin ye dwelt shall ye not do and after the manner of the land of Canaan whether I wil bring you shall ye not doe neither walke in their ordinaunces but do after my iudgements keepe my ceremonies to walke therin I am the lord your God Ye shall keepe therfore mine ordinaunces my iudgements which if a man do he shall liue in them I am the lorde Take heede that ye commit not one of these abhominable customes which were committed before you and loke that ye defyle not your selfe therin I am the Lorde your God An example out of the olde Testament EUen vnto this present day do they still followe their olde customes They feare not the Lord neither kepe they his ceremonies his lawes and commaundements The Prophets cried worship no straunge Gods but feare the Lord your God and he shall deliuer you from the power of all your enemies But they would not heare but still committed wickednes according to their olde custome They pretended as though they serued the Lorde and yet neuerthelesse did they also seruice to their idoles For as their forefathers did so do their sonnes neuewes vnto this present day â–ª Against such as sclaunder Christes Gospell by calling it new learning IF the aduersarye of true godlinesse goe about to perswade thee that Christes gospel is new learning and that therefore thou oughtest to geuâ—… no care vnto it nor beleue it looke that thou by nâ—… meanes consent vnto them but rather remember that thys is no newe blasphemie but vsed manye yeares before of wicked hipocrites as thou shalte perceaue by these examples following ¶ Examples out of the new Testament WHen Christ preached in the Sinagoge at Capernaum and healed the man that was possessed with an vncleane spirit the people cryed out and sayd what newe learning is this When Paule preached at Athens the resurrection of the dead certayne bellye gods as the Epicures Stoikes straue with him and sayd what meaneth thys pratler Other sayd he semed to be a preacher of new deuills An other companye sayd maye we not know what new learning this is that thou shewest Thou bringest in new things in deede vnto our eares Our olde fathers neuer taught vs any such geare We will knowe what these thinges meane Agaynst pensiuenesse and thought taking for the life IF thou be troubled for the preseruacion of thy life eyther in sickenesse trouble persecution emprisonment or otherwyse comfort thy selfe with these scriptures Sentences out of the olde Testament THe Lorde killeth and geueth life agayne He bringeth euen to hell and backe agayne The Lorde is my light and my health whom then should I feare The Lorde is the strength of my life of whom then should I be afrayd though an host of men were layde agaynst me yet shall not my harte be afrayde And though there arose vp war against me yet wil I put my trust in him He hath geuen his Aungells charge of thee to kepe thee in all thy wayes The Aungell of the Lord shall be sent among all them that feare him and shall deliuer them The sourges of the sea are maruelous yea the lord on high is rather maruelous They consented all against me they coÌ„spired to take away my life but in thee O Lord haue I trusted and I sayd thou art my God In thy hand are my destenies Many tribulations fall on y â— righteous but from them all the lord deliuereth theÌ„ The Lorde kepeth all their bones so that not one of them shall be broken The health of the righteous is of the Lord and he defendeth them in the tyme of their trouble Yea the lorde will helpe them and deliuer them and set theÌ„ harmeles from the vngodlye and saue them because they haue trusted in them Thou haste limitted the waters these bounds which they may not passe The Lord is my helper I will not feare what man doe vnto me The Lord is my deliuerer therefore will I set nought by mine enemies The Lord hath geuen a coÌ„maundemeÌ„t and none shall go beyond it Fyre Hayle Snow Ise and vapours stormie windes accomplishe his worde Suffer not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sinne neyther saye thou before the Aungell there is no prouidence least peraduenture the Lord being angry against thy wordes do destroye all the workes of thy handes Life and death are of God Thy prouidence O father gouerneth all thinges froÌ„ the beginning Thou O Lord art he which hast power of life and death Who can say that any thing can be done without the Lordes coÌ„maundement From the mouth of the highest goeth there not good and ill ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament ESau burned with an immortall hatred against his brother Iacob because of the blessing wherwith his father had blessed him and purposed fully in his hart to kill his brother But Iacob prayed vnto the Lord and he mollifyed Esaus hart in so much that whan Iacob thought that both he and his shoulde be slaine his brother Esau came gently vnto him louinglye embraced him kissed him frendly and for very ioye wept so mightie is God to mollifie tiraâ—…ntes hartes whan it pleaseth him and to make them gracious and fauourable to his seruauntes Saule persecuted Dauid cruelly purposing to kill him but his labor was in vain Iezabel threatned and sware to sley Helias but the Lorde preserued him Sathan coulde doe nothing to Iob till God suffered him neither exercised he hys cruelnes any further against Iob than he was appointed of God The godly woman Susan through the false accusations of y e two wicked iudges was at y â— point to be stoned vnto death but God wonderfully deliuered her from the handes of her enemies ☞ Examples out of the new Testament FEare not them which kill the body
with her at the wine lest thy hart consent vnto her and thou wyth thy bloud fall into destruction A man that breaketh wedlocke and re gardeth not his soule but sayth tush who seeth me I am coÌ„passed about with darke nes the walles couer me no body seeth me Whome nede I to feare the highest wyll not remember my sinnes He vnderstandeth not that his eyes see all thynges for all such feare of meÌ„ driueth away the fear of God from him For he feareth onelye the eyes of men and considereth not that the eyes of the Lorde are clearer then the Sunne beholdinge all the wayes of men and the ground of the deepe and loking euen to mens hartes in secrete places c. Reade forth the Chapiter to the ende Examples out of the olde Testament God drowned once all the whole world eight persons only excepted for the sinne of vncleannes God poured downe from heauen water fyre and brymstone vpon the Sodomites Gomorrians and such other and destroyed them al for their abhominable vncleanes When Sychem the sonne of Hemor had violently defloured Dina the doughter of Iacob her brothers hearing of the matter slew not only Sichem and Hemor but also al the men and men children that were in the city and afterward spoiled the city And when Iacob their father talked with them of the matter they answered should they deal with our sister as w t an whore When it was told Iuda that Thamar his doughter in law had played the whore and with playing the whore was become great with child Iuda her father in lawe answered and said bring her forth that she may be brent Ioseph feared god and woulde not consente vnto his Lordes wyfe in any pointe of vnclenes but chosed rather to be cast into prison then he would commit so great wickednes and defile his Lordes wyfe Therfore did God bless him and brought him to hyghe degree There were slayne in one day of y â— Iewes 24. thousand for the whoredom that they committed For the defloring of a certayne Leuites wife there were destroyed mo theÌ„ an hun dred thousand people Dauid committed adultery with Bethsabe Urias wife but he escaped not vnplaged Salomon before he doted in loue of womeÌ„ was wholy geuen to the setting forth of Gods honor but beyng once nousâ—…ed with theyr loue he dyd not onely neglecte the glory of the alone true and lyuynge God but he also thoroughe the entisment of these women fel vnto the worshippyng of straunge godes and so he prouoked the highe displeasure of God agaynst him and his realme Susan feared God and desired rather to be stoned vnto death then she should de file her husbandes bed or once consent to the two filthy Iudges and so become an whore god therfore preserued her Sentences out of the new Testament Ye haue heard that it was sayde to theÌ„ of olde tyme thou shalt not commyte adultry But I say vnto you that whosoeuer loketh on another mans wyfe to luste after her hath committed adultry already with her in his harte It semeth good to the holy ghost and to vs to charge you that ye abstayne from whordome Kepe no company with whoremongers If any that is called a brother that is to say a christen man be an whorehunter with such one se that ye eate not Neither whoremongers nor adulterers nor weakelynges neyther abusers of them selues with mankinde shall inherite the kingdom of god Knowe ye not that youre bodyes are the members of Christe shall I now take the members of Christ and make them the members of an harlot God forbid Do ye not know that he whyche coupleth him selfe with an harlot is become one body For two saith he shal be one fleshe But he that is ioyned to the Lorde is one â–ª spirite whoredome Euery sinne that a man doth is without the body But he that is a whoremonger sinneth against his own bo dy Knowe ye not how that youre bodyes are the temple of the holy ghoste whiche dwell in you whome ye haue of god and how ye are not your own For ye are dearly bought Therfore glorify god in your bo dyes and in your spirits which are gods To auoyd whoredome let euery man haue his wife and let euery woman haue her husband It is better to marry then to burne Adultery fornication vnclennes wanton nes c. are workes of the flesh and whosoeuer doth them shall not inherite y â— kingdome of god Let not whoredome or vnclennes be once named amoÌ„g you For this ye know that no whoremonger or vncleane person hath inheritance in the kingdome of christ and of god This is the wil of god that ye abstain from whoredome For god hath not called vs vnto vnclennes but vnto holynes Kepe thy self pure and honest Auoyd the lustes of youth but follow righteousnes faithe loue and peace wyth them that call on the Lorde with a pure hart Wedlock is honorable among all meÌ„ and the bed vndefiled but whoremongers and adulterers god wil condemne Whoremongers shall haue their part in the lake that burneth with fire and brim stone which is the second death ¶ Sentences out of the new Testament WHoredome was the occasion that Herodias Herods whore sought so dilygently the death of godly Iohn Baptiste which reproued them of their abhominable liuing Thorow whoredome and kepinge of riotouse company the prodigall sonne was ted away his goodes and fel vnto such necessitie beggerye and misery that he was glad to kepe swine and would faine haue filled his bellye with the coddes that the swine did eat but he could not be suffered Learne of this history what the ende of whoredome is Saint Paule did excommunicate that man of Corinth which vngodlye kept his fathers wife and woulde not suffer that any of the faithful should kepe him company nor yet eat or drink with him The ende of the whore of Babilon is described of Saint Iohn to be wonderfull wretched miserable and dampnable Against Couetousnes If the deuil and the worlde moue thee not to bee content with that is sufficient and enough but inordinatly add vnmeasurably to scrat together the goods of the world to oppresse the pore â–ª to ioine house to house land to land lordship to lordship c. to take great incommes to raise the rentes and to get that maye be gotten by right or by wrong defend thy selfe against them with these holye scriptures that folow euer remembring that thou arte but a straunger and a pilgrime in this worlde and that thou must go hence eyther vnto glory or vnto paine yea and that â–ª how sone thou knowest not Sentences out of the olde Testament TThou shalt not couet thy neyghbours goods Ye shall not trouble hurt nor anoy no widow nor fatherles childe If ye shall hurt them and they cry vnto me I wil surely heare tâ—…eir cry
yet if I haue no loue it profiteth me nothing at all Brethren if any mā be fallen by chance into any fault ye which are spiritual helpe to amende him in the spirite of mekenes consideringe thy selfe least thou also be attempted Beare ye one an others burden and so fulfill ye the law of Christ. Let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath Be gentle one to another mercifull forgeuing one another euen as GOD for Christes sake hath forgeuen you Let euery man be slow vnto anger For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God Aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you For loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes If anye man saye I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that lo ueth not his brother whom he hath seene god whome he hathe not seene how can he loue And this commaundement haue we of him that he that loueth god shoulde al so loue his neighbour He that loueth not his brother a◅ideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer And ye know that no murthe rer hathe euerlasting life abidinge in him ▪ My babes let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in worke and truthe Examples out of the new◅ Testament Christ so dearly loued vs yea and that when we◅ were yet his enemies that hee gaue him self euen vnto the death for our sake Yea he hanginge on the cros prayed for his very◅ enemies vnto his heauenly◅ Father Blessed Stephen in the middest of his tormentes prayed for his enemies S. Paule wished him self to be cursed from Christ◅ so that his kinsmen might◅ be saued Against the bitter stormes of persecution of Gods worde IF at a◅y time thorow the frailti of nature thou be troubled in thy minde when the cros ◅f persecution is laid vpon thee for the word of God looke that thou shrinke not backe from the truthe nor discourage thy selfe but think thy selfe blessed of G◅d call these scriptures that follow vnto rei membrance for thy comfort Sentences out of the old Testament THe Lorde killeth and geeueth life again◅ hee bringeth euen to Hell and back agayne The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh vnto them that ar of a troubled heart and wil saue such as be of an humble spirite Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of thē all He kepeth all his bones so that not one of them is broken But misfortune shall flea the vngodly and they that hate the righteous shal be desolate The Lorde deliuereth the soules of his seruauntes and all they that put theyr trust in him shall not be comfortles For thy sake O Lord are we killed all the day long and are counted as shepe ap pointed to be slaine Up Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from vs for euer Wherfore hidest thou thy face and for gettest our misery and trouble For oure soule is brought low euen vnto the duste our belly cleaueth vnto the ground Arise and helpe vs and deliuer vs for thy mercies sake Thou O god hast proued vs thou also hast tryed vs like as siluer is tryed Thou broughtest vs into the snare and laydest trouble vpon our loynes Thou suffredest men to ride ouer our heades we went thorow fire and water and thou broughtest vs out into a comfortable place I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled Righte deare in the sighte of the Lorde is the death of his saintes The way of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Althoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hope ful of immortality They are punished but in few things neuertheles in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them and findeth thē mete for hym selfe yea as the golde in the furnace dooth ◅e try them and receyueth them as a burnt offring and when y e time commeth they shal be loked vpon My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of god stand fast in righteousnes and feare and arme thy soule to temptation Setle thine heart be patient ◅ow down thine eare receiue the wordes of vnderstāding and shrink not away when thou art entised Holde thee faste vpon god ioyne thy selfe vnto him and suffer that thy life may encrease at the last Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee receyue it suffer in heauines and be paciēt in thy trouble For like as gold and siluer are tried in fire euen so are acceptable mē in the fornace of aduersity Beleue in God and he shal helpe thee For righteousnesse take payne with all thy soule and for the truth striue thou vnto death and God shall fyghte for thee against thy enemies Examples out of the olde Testament Abell was cruelly slaine of his brother Cayne whome he neuer offended Ioseph was cast into prison because he woulde not leane to the fy◅thy requeste of his lordes wyfe Moses Aaron and the Israelites were greuously entreated persecuted of King Pharao Saule with great diligence soughte to destroy Dauid Quene Iezabel pursued the Prophete Helias Zachary the sonne of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth Achymeleche with certayne other holy men of god was slaine at king Saules commaundement because he shewed kind nes to Dauid the harty beloued seruant of God Sydrac Misac and Abdenago were cast into a firye fornace because they wouldnot worship the golden Image that king Nabuchodonosor had made but only the God of Israell Daniel was cast into the den of Lions because that contrary to king Darius commaundement he had prayed vnto his Lord God the God of Israel At an other time also he was caste into the den of Lions because he sayde that Bell and the Dragon were no Gods The vertuous and chast woman Susan was at the point to be stoned vnto death because she woulde not breake the commaundement of god and consent to the vn lawfull and filthy requests of the two Elders Eleazarus was miserably put to death because at the kinges commaundemente he woulde not eate swines flesh contrary to the lawe of god A certaine woman also with her vii sonnes were with moste extreme cruelty put to death because they would not obey the wicked precepte of the moste wicked kyng The prophets were vnmercifullye slain because they rebuked synne and taught◅ the wyll of God The most excellent Prophet Esay for his libertye of speach in re◅uking the sins of the princes and of the people and prophe◅iyng of Gods vengeaunce to fall vpō the countrye and people was cut in two partes asunder with a saw and buried vn der an Oke Ieremy after much enprisonment was stoned onto death of his people at Taphu as in Egipc◅ because he warned them of