be stained by his owne sonne And yet notwithstanding such executiōs of gods iustice were verie hard and a burthen for him almost insupportable yet did he endure all things patiently and submit himselfe wholly to the will of God assuring himselfe of his mercy of the which he remembreth himselfe alwaies in his iudgements that the burthen which he would laie vpon him should not bee to cast him downe vtterly Wée haue one notable example of his patience humble obedience that hee resolued to yéelde vnto God in all his aduersities when with so modest milde a spirit he suffered y e vile opprobrious iniuries wherewith Semei reproched him when hee was constrained to fly in all hast and to forsake the Citie of Ierusalem to saue himselfe from the conspiracie that his sonne and all his people had wrought against him For the principall cause that made Dauid so milde and patient was that he did referre all the presumptuous insolency and sawcines of this litle Puppy to the prouidence of God who had raised him vp to gréet him with these iniurious wordes to make him humble and to make triall of his patience vertue And what was the cause wise that Iob after so manifolde and great losses of his goods and children and finally of the health of his body did blesse and praise God so sincerely and hartily as euer he did before in time of his prosperitie and euen then when he had his harts desire but a speciall care that hée had of the prouidence of God the which he did contemplate and behold stedfastly in all his miseries that he might receiue them from his hand as his blessings and speciall fauours that he bestoweth vpon his dearest and best beloued children Thē it is not inough that we beleue that all sicknesses and diseases are sent from God but we must belieue that all their circumstances come from him also as if they be grieuous and tarry long with vs if they be loathfull and full of paine and languishing and sometimes if they be incurable so that by reason of their contagion they cause our friendes and kinstolke to refraine from visiting and comforting vs and insomuch that wee can haue no remedy no more then had the poore woman which had an issue of blood for the space of twelue yeares and the poore man that béeing saised and benummed with a palsie all ouer his bodie kept his bed 38. yeares and in al that space could neuer get any remedie We must then attribute all this vnto God and thinke that he is iust and frée to disperse the goods and euils which he taketh out of his treasury to bestow them where he thinketh best and in such portion and measure as pleaseth him so that no man may complaine iustly of him or demaund of him by any reason wherefore he dooth thus or thus After that wée be fully resolued in our mindes that not onely all sicknesses and diseases but also all other harmes and euils whatsoeuer doo procéede from God who pleaseth by his prouidence to send them for our chastisement hauing alreadie gathered some comfortable sayings to encourage vs withall now for our better comfort wee must consider who this God is that dooth send vs these afflictions how néere vs he is for it is not such a God as these Gods are whō the foolish Heathen people doo adore and are nothing at all indéede vnto whome they addresse themselues they cannot sée at all with their eyes nor heare with their eares nor smell with their noses nor tast with their tongues nor speake with their mouthes nor take or giue with their hands nor walke with their féete and to be short they can neither do good nor harme For they are not so much as mortal as are men and beasts but things altogether dead which haue in them no sense no vnderstanding no mouing no féeling or force at all But the God in whome we beleeue is the Creator of heauen and earth who maketh by the only powrable vertue of his word all things that are in this world to liue and die and to breath againe who with one of his fingers doth measure the earth and hold it vp with the tip therof as it were with a fishooke who knoweth the number and the names of all the starres who calleth the things that are not as if they were who carryeth the keyes of life and death who is infinite in himselfe and all his vertues are infinite for his bountie mercie wisedom iustice and veritie are so incapable and incomprehensible that their longitude can no more be fadomed then their largitude nor their largitude can no more be measured then their profunditie which are past all length and largenes all height and deapth all count and capacitie Now this good and great God is not farre from vs neither by his presence nor by his affection he is in vs as in his owne Temple to sanctifie vs he is about vs to garde and keepe vs with his fauour to hyde vs vnder the shadowe of his wings He is dwelling in vs as in his owne house to guyd and gouerne vs to enrich vs to garnish and deck vs vp our thoughtes and hearts are his galleries wherein he walketh and taketh his pleasure there talking with vs by holye thoughts inspirations that he doth put in our mindes And although that he fill both heauen earth that the loue that he beareth to all his creatures be the cause that he aid assist them prouiding al things necessarie to nourish preserue them Neuertheles herein is his tender loue most of all seene in that he hath so much honored vs born vs so great good will as to espouse vs to comoigne and vnite vs so vnseperatly with himselfe by the means of such an vnion to receiue vs into his fellowship to be partakers of all his graces gifts benefites for euer Euen so then as a woman which perceiueth her selfe entirely beloued of her owne husbande neede not feare that he wil at any time misvse her so ought we to assure our selues that God who doth loue vs aboue measure cannot do or suffer to be done to vs any thing that shall not be for our benefit For if then when wee were enimies as saith S. Paul wee were reconciled to him by the death of his sonne much more beeing alreadie reconciled wee shall bee saued by his life Is there anye thing to be imagined more absurde then to thinke that GOD who is the soueraigne good can be the Author of anye euill Or can wee haue from one Fountaine or spring both salte water and sweete water The heretikes as Marcion and the Manichees to shewe that they had such blasphemie in horror and detestation would establish two principles the one of life and light the other of death and darknesse perswading themselues by no meanes that from God who is the
of their vertues That he hath delighted to heare flattering tongues that doe nothing but glose with him and make him beléeue that hée was more vertuous and lesse vicious then his owne conscience could witnes and accuse him in secret 10 Lastly to shut vp his confession we must shew him that all his nature as also that of all other men that liue here on the earth is most vile vicious corrupt and that of himselfe he can bring forth but bad fruit as a bad trée doth that is to say all wicked thoughts all inordinate affectiens all filthie and dishonest talke and all things contrarie to the will of God leauing vndone all that is conformable to his will and expresly commanded by him Then when we haue shewed vnto him in this manner his faultes to make him haue a better féeling of them and to conceiue in himselfe a greater displeasure and sorow for them we must aggrauate them vnto him by the circumstances of place time and person where hee hath committed them And then by féeling them if we perceiue him to be humble and contrite wée must lift him vp againe and comfort him in denouncing vnto him the remission and pardon of his sinnes and to assure him of it in the mercie of God Then must we discourse vnto him the reasons contained in this treatise to take awaie the feare that he may haue conceiued of death the deuill the iudgement of God and lastly the sorrowe that hée may haue to forgoe and leaue this worlde and the things that are therein in lieu of the hope and desire that he ought to haue of those heauenly incorruptible blessings This done we must knéele downe our his knées and praie vnto God for him and all the assemblie in this manner A Praier O God the Father of all consolation who hast promised to heare all those that call vpon thée in sinceritie and truth and to reiect none that commeth to prostrate himselfe before thy Maiestie with a sighing soule and sorrowfull heart humble contrite and repentant with the remembrance and féeling of his most grieuous sinnes wée beséech thée altogether in the name of thy sonne Iesus Christ our sauiour and redéemer that it will please thée to extend thy mercie vppon vs all that are héere assembled together and specially vppon this our brother whome it hath pleased thée to afflict and visite by sicknes and by the same to couer forget and forgiue and cleane to blot out all his sinnes by the which he hath so grieuously offended in all his lyfe Beséeching thée that 〈◊〉 woulde please thée of thy great grace and fauour to seale confirme in his hart by the holy spirit the forgiuenes that thou doest grant vnto him by the promise of all his sinnes That he may féele in his conscience and that with ioy and full assurance hée may make himselfe readie to appeare before thée when it shall please thée to call him out of this world assuring him that there is no condemnation neither for him neyther for all those which by true faith are vnited and incorporate in thy sonne Iesus Christ. That not his sinnes death and the deuill nor anie other creature whatsoeuer shal be able to separate him from thy loue or cast him out of thy fauour and grace and that thy throne is not a throne of rigorous iustice but an hauen of health a throne of mercie a sanctuarie a place of libertie and fréedome for all the faythfull Good God strengthen and increase his faith héerein so that he may couer him selfe as with a shéeld be by this meanes made strong and inuincible against all temptations wherewith hée may bée assayled and that reiecting all other confidence hée relie vpon nothing but the sole righteousnes obedience and sacrifice of thine onely sonne to assure him agaynst the daie of thy iudgement And now wée heséech thée good God to giue him grace to pardon and forgiue from the bottom of his heart all his neighbours who haue by anie wise offended him to the end that hée béeing vnited by true charitie with all the members of the bodie of thy Church may also be knit and ioyned with thée who art the head thereof Lastly we beséech thée that it woulde please thée to giue vs also grace so well to looke into the person and disease of this our brother that séeing how short and vncertaine the course of our lyfe is wee may thinke betime of our owne selues and retiring our mindes from the vanities of this worlde wee may bestowe that litle time that we haue to liue here in learning the wisedome of God that is to beléeue firmely and to trust in his promises to shewe our obedience in all thinges that he doth command and to take diligent héede to flie and auoid all things that hee defendeth vs in his holy word FINIS A SHORT CONsolation for the sicke taken forth of the holy Scriptures WHosoeuer is of God heareth Gods word and doeth not onelie heare it but kéepeth and followeth it also for all things shall haue an end and wax olde as doth a garment but the worde of God abideth for euer Now séeing it is so that by a man sin is come into the world and by sinne death and therevpon by consequent all afflictions and aduersities doe depend verie well may the life of man bée termed a continual fight here vpon earth where the flesh doth fight against the spirite and the spirite against the world the flesh and the deuill who are the deadly enemies of our soules But following the counsel of the Apostle to get the victory in the spirituall battaile wee must resist and striue against them constantly by faith For the victorie which ouercommeth the world is our faith the which is an assured knowledge of the loue of God towardes vs by the which hée declareth in his Gospell to bée our Father and sauiour by the meanes of Iesus Christ his sonne Hauing then such a firme faith for our prinicpall foundation acknowledge and confesse your selfe before the maiestie of God to be a poore and miserable sinner conceiued and borne in sinne and corruption redie and apt to doe euill vnreadie and vnapt to doe anie good and that by your vice and sinne you haue transgressed without measure the holy commandementes of God so that you haue purchased by his iust iudgement vtter ruine and perdition vpon you Yet you haue great sorrowe in your selfe to haue offended him so grieuously condemning your selfe and your vices with true repentance desiring that the grace of God woulde succour you in this your great calamitie Praie you then with a firme faith if you cannot with your mouth yet from your heart That God our most mercifull Father woulde not enter into count or iudgement with you but that hée woulde take some pittie on you in the name of his sonne Iesus Christ our Lord and that hée woulde blot out our sinnes and staines by
is to liue in this wicked peruerse world and be forced to see so many abhominable impietie and sacriledges committed and to heare so many execrable and horrible blasphemies that they spit out without any feare or shame against Heauen against the throne and maiesty of God shall he not lament his life so long in this world and say with the Prophet Dauid Woe is me that I remaine in messhech and dwell in the tents of Kedar my soule hath too long dwelt with them that hate peace I seeke peace and when I speake thereof they are bente towarre Ely séeing the people of Israell had forsaken GOD and had giuen themselues ouer to Idolatry and perceiuing the strange cruelties on the other side that Achab and Iezabell did vse against the Prophets and seruants of God being a weary of his life got him into the desart vnder a Iuniper trée and ther he praied vnto god that hee would take him out of this life that he might not behold any loÌ„ger that he did then behold and sée so also is it not possible for a man be he neuer so stronge harted séeing the disorder and confusion that raignes now a daies in the world and how euery where except in very few places Piety and Iustice are altogether ouerthrowne faith and the feare of God vertue and verity are clean banished from the company of most men but he shal féele in his heart strange pangs and passions of sorrow and that to turne away his eies from such pitifull sightes hee shall desire with all his heart that his soule mighte dislodge quickely from this earthly Tabernacle to take vppe and haue a newe dwelling place in Heauen where wee haue a permanent Cittye and an habitation well fenced and fortified againste all dangers and that then shalbe fully accomplished that which the Prophet saith The Lorde shall preserue thee from all euill he shal keepe thy soule The Lord shall preserue thy going out and thy comming in from henceforth and for euer And besides this will greatly increase our desire for that dislodging from this world we shalbe sodenly transported vp into Heauen where we shall sée God face to face and Iesus Christ in his glory by which sight the Angells af heauen and all blessed Spirites are so rauished that they desire and séeke none other thinge at all for their contentment and pleasure as saith the Prophet In thy presence is the fulnes of ioy at thy right hand there is pleasure for euermore The Quéen of Saba hauing séene Salomon and heard his great wisedome by the aunswere that he made to all questions that shée demanded hauing moreouer considered and remarked the order and pomp of his Court being as one rauished and in an estasis shée began to cry O how happy are the seruants of thy house that may behold thy face euery day and vnderstand thy profound wisedome that commeth from thy lippes How much more happy then they shall we be then séeing fully the glorious face of our God all the diuine treasures of his heauenly wisedome being opened vnto vs. If Moyses thought himselfe happy and was accounted one of the greatest Prophets of the world because he had séene on ly the hinder part of God what shall wâ—…e be when we shall sée him face to face as he is in all his glory Many kings and prophets in the time of our Fathers haue greatly desired the comming of Iesus Christ and would haue thought themselues most happy if they had séene God manifestly in the flesh as Saint Iohn Baptist Simeon the Apostle did how happy then may we thinke our selues at this present day when by our death wee haue this prerogatiue to se him in his glory and maiesty clothed with his royall robe sitting at the right hand of God his Father hauing auctority and power in heauen and earth to gouerne and dispose all things according to his good pleasure treading vppon all his enemies as vpon a footestoole vnder his féete When hee transfigured himselfe in the mountaine Peter Iohn and Iames séeing but a little beame of his glorie were so soddenly rauished in theÌ„selues that forgetting all other things they desired for all felicitie but that they might continue still in that ioy and pleasure wherein they were at that houre Now let vs thinke if neuer so little taste of the life to come hath béene able so to rauish these thrée Disciples how shall it be with vs when according to the good hope that we haue we shall haue the whole precious stone and drinke our fill in this streame or rather in this Sea of pleasure and al perfect contentment When this euerlasting ioy whereof the Apostle speaketh shalbe poured vpon our heads And this ioy shalbe doubled when with Iesus Christ we shall see this noble and glorious company of Angels Archangels dominions powers patriarches prophetes apostles martirs and generally all the triumphant Church of the blessed soules which doe nothing but sing incessantly the praises of God crying Holy Holy Holy Lord God Almighty who wast art and art to come for euer Likwise to him that sitteth on the throne and to the Lambe be honour praise glory and power for euer euer It was merueilous pleasant in olde time to beholde the solemne méeting of all the Tribes of all the people of Israell in Ierusalem when Salomou hauing finished the Temple did dedicate it with an infinite number of burnt offerings and other sacrifices with swéete parfume and incence with praiers and thankesgiuing and such mirth and melody of al the people that the like was neuer séene nor heard off before There was likewise two other notable assemblies in IerusaleÌ„ which are very famous in holy Scripture the one in the raigne of Ezechias the other in the raign of Iosias when these two good princes moued with a zeale of godlines and the seruice of God that before had béene pittifully corrupted by the idolatry and impiety of their predecessors with an heroical and magnanimious hart vndertook to puâ—…ge y â— holy land of al filthy stinking abhominations wherwith both the bodies soules of diuers were infected taking clean away y â— stewes Idols of al the county of Iudaea and abolishing cleane all the false seruices that their hipocritical fathers had inuented and established against or cleane beside the worde and ordinance of God hauing no warant for it at all And to renew the couenant of God which was almost forgotten and cleane defaced out of the peoples heart assembled all the inhabitants of the Countrey with whom after the law was read publikely they solemnised the Easter with great solemnity then euer was séene or heard of before And who was he amongst that company think ye that séeing such an assembly gathered together for so good an end whose heart did not leape in his belly for ioy séeing God present in the midst of his holy people hearing the agréement that was
in the perfect tranquilitie of our soules and in the full satisfaction of all our desires The which vaine men séeke in vaine to haue in this life in the transitorie trashe and treasure of this present world There is yet one thing more which should make vs embrace death willingly when our houre is come which is that it doth set vs in possession of all the goods that Iesus Christ hath purchased for vs. For while we liue in this worlde wee are not saued as the Apostle sayth but by hope onely But when by death wée departe from hence then wee inioy lyfe euerlasting and that pleasure which is so greate that neyther eie eare vnderstanding or heart of man may conceiue or apprehende the greatnesse thereof It was a ioyfull thing I thinke for the people of Israel after theyr long and irkesome slauerie wherein they were detayned in Aegypt after so long wandering and many vnhappie reencounters that they had in the deserts of Arabia for fortie yeeres together when at the last they sawe themselues arryued at the bankes of Iordaine and had but to passe ouer the riuer to enter into the possession of the lande that GOD had promised to their Fathers which they had so long waited for before A young man that hath béene many yeeres warde vnder a rigorous and seuere Tutor who hath misused him and dealt verie hardly with him kéeping him short of those things which were necessary for him hath he not great cause to reioyce séeing the date of his wardship to draw out when he shall haue all his goods at his owne pleasure and hee at no mans controlment anie more The children that descende of anie noble family that are brought vp vnder the king or in the house of anie greate Prince or Signiour to waite vpon them being brought vp vnder the hand and correction of a sharpe and curst squire who doth kéep them in with a seuere and rigorous discipline are not they ful glad when they are out of their waiting office frée from the feare and seruilitie wherein they were so long rigorously detained The young maidens that haue all their youth bin straitly kept within their fathers and mothers doore they reioyce greatly when they heare they shall be maried a great deale more when they are betrothed but their greatest pleasuxe and ioy is when they are maried and giuen into the hands of an husband whome they loue and lyke well of For so they haue their hearts desire Wee also that here on earth by the preaching of the Gospell of Iesus Christ and by faith which wee haue fixed in his promises haue as it were betrothed our selues vnto him what cause shall we haue to reioyce when our soules departing frō our bodies shall mount vp into the heauens to espouse him and there to solemnize the feastifal daie of our mariage with such ioy and gladnes as shall neuer haue end and neuer be interrupted or troubled neither by death disease or anie other accident that euer may bechance Then wil our spouse comming before vs saie vnto vs that which is written in the Canticles Come he ther my sweete one enter into the closet of thy loue The winter is passed so are also the raine the snow the haile the cold and frost and all the sharpe and bitter season which thou hast bene faine to endure hetherto with great paine and sorow And nowe the spring into the which thou art entered shal endure for euer and the pleasures that shee bringeth with her shall neuer haue anie ende Enter then my sweet one into the ioy and rest of the Lorde Then shall bée fulfilled the saying of the Prophet They that sowe in teares shall reape in ioy They went weeping and caried precious seede but they shall returne with ioy and bring their sheues with them So béeing out of our wardshippe and taken from vnder the hande and discipline of our Tutor wee shall bée set at full lybertie and in possession of that inheritance that GOD our good Father hath promised vs and appointed vs when hee adopted vs for his children and heyres of the inheritance of eternall life and of the kingdome of heauen which wée may well hope for whilest wée are héere but to saie or thinke what it is it is impossible for anie tongue or eloquence bée it neuer so singular for the greatnesse thereof farre passeth all humane capacitie Man hauing built this fortresse agaynst the feare that the sicke man may haue of death wee must also set downe some thing agaynst the feare of the deuill who is Emperour of the kingdome of death For he is the enemie that giues the last assault that plants all his artillerie and employes all his engins agaynst vs to make vs yéelde But we being vnder the defence and safegarde of our shepheard who is carefull and vigilant to kéep vs and stronger to defend vs than this rauening woulfe or furious lyon can bée to assaile vs we ought not to feare at all For who can take vs out of his handes seeing that hee and his Father who is greater then all are but one essence power glorie and maiestie We are then assured that as there is no subtiltie or fetche that can surprise or goe beyonde his wisedome so is there no force sufficient to encounter with his puissance Let vs kéep our selues then vnder the shadowe of his wings and assure our selues that hee will keepe vs safe that neither the deuills nor anie other creature shall bee able to hurt vs as the Prophet saith Who so dwelleth in the secrete of the most high shall abide in the shadow of the almightie I will saie vnto the Lorde O mine hope and my fortresse He is my God in him will I trust And after that he had named some dangers by the which he assured the faithful they could neuer bée hurt in the end he commeth to the deuils the ancient and mortall enemies of mankinde and speaketh on this wise Thou shalt walke vpon the Lion Aspe the yong Lion and the Dragon shalt thou tread vnder feete Because thou hast loued me therefore wil I deliuer thee I will exalte thee because thou hast knowen my name c. Where we may beholde the victory which he doth promise vs of the deuilles And the example of the Apostles vnto whome Christ gaue power ouer deuils so that they were constrained to acknowledge the power that hee had giuen the Apostles ouer them obeying vnto those things that they did command in his name may put vs in good securitie that fighting against them so that we be furnished with the same weapons that they were that is to saie with faith and the word of God we shall bee sure to haue the victory of them and by the buckler of our faith to breake off their firie dartes Your aduer sarie the deuil saith Saint Peter walketh as a Lion roring round about you seeking whom hee may deuoure to whom you
of Almightie GOD among them That after these spirituall exercises to the which hee ought chieflie addictâ—… himselfe on the Sabboth daie as to heare Sermons and Exhortations with feare and reuerence to bée assistaunt in all humilitie at the confessions prayers and thankesgiuings that are made to GOD for all the assemblie hée hath not employed the rest of the time to visite prisoners to comfort the sicke to inquire after the poore and helpe to reléeue their necessitie Then when wée haue briefly discoursed vnto the sicke person the faultes that he maye haue committed agaynst the commaundementes which are in the first Table wée must goe vnto the seconde and doe also in the lyke manner 5 First that he hath not yéelded such honour and reuerence vnto his superiors nor shewed his obedience so dutifully and readily nor lastly had so great feare to offend as God doth command in his lawe And if at anie time he hath performed his dutie toward them then it hath béene rather sleightly and more for fear of punishment if he shoulde haue neglected it then for anie respect that he bare them in conscience or desire that he had otherwise to obey vnto God therein That he hath not alwaies praied so duly vnto God for their health and prosperitie to direct them by his holy spirite in all their counsels and giue them grace so to order themselues in all their actions by his holy word and generally to blesse and guide them in all their waies as he is bound by the expresse commandement of God That he hath not spoken of them at all times reuerently as his dutie is and if in his presence some haue spoken euill of them he hath held his tongue and answered nothing for them at all That he hath not thought so reuerently of his Pastors who haue had charge of his soule to giue vnto it the spirituall food that he hath alwaies respecteâ—… theyr authoritie hearkned to their voice taken their good lessons obeied vnto the true doctrine that they preached and bended his necke willingly vnder the swéete yoake of Iesus Christ that they haue laide vppon him in his name 6 That he hath not loued his neighbours as himselfe desiring and procuring their good as well as his owne That hee hath hated them when hee thought to receiue some domage or iniurie by them desiring their death and some ill hap to befall them That he hath desired sought means to be reuenged of his enemies litle regarding how God hath forbidden it reseruing vnto himselfe the appeale and vengeance of all iniuries done vnto him his children and seruants That he hath not taken pittie of the poore nor done what hee coulde to helpe with his goods to nourish cloath and harbour them and to aide them with necessarie things for their comfort and solace in their miseryes and calamities wherewith they are compassed in rounde about That hée hath not resisted the wicked and vngodly which did oppresse them and employed all his power and meanes that he coulde make to defend them from the violence and outrage that is offered them That hée hath not reioyced at the prosperitie of his neighbours but hath bin icalous and enuious of their felicitie when he hath séene God hath blessed them and preferred them in anie higher degrée then himselfe 7 That he hath not kepte and possessed his vessell that is to saie his bodie in honour and holynes as hee ought to doe nor considered that it was the temple the which God by his holie spirite had consecrated vnto himselfe and that hée ought for this regard to kéepe it from al filthines and pollution That hee hath not kepte his eies from wanton looking so carefully as hee ought but in stead of curning them aside to auoid such sightes hee hath let them gaze and runne after their owne lusts and wantonnes That he hath not so chasâ—…ned brought his flesh vnder as he ought to make it obedient to the Spirite in all things That he hath fedde himselfe to daintie and hath not alwayes vsed such sobrietie and abstinence as is requisite to represse his passion and to quench the heate of his concupiscence That by deuises letters presents laughters lookings dauncings iesture and immodest mouing of the bodie hée hath made attempt to defile the chastitie of his neighbours wife daughter or maide seruant That in his fashion of apparelling himselfe he hath sought rather to trimme vp the outwarde man thinking thereby to please the world then by a modest shew and behauiour of himselfe in his manners and apparell to edifie the Churche of God That he hath not bene carfull inough to kéepe the chastitie of his eares and tongue neyther to speake or heare anie dissolute or dishonest purpose 8 That he hath coueted to enrich him selfe siby nister meanes That in the trafique and affaires that he hath had with his neighbours he hath not alwaies vsed that vpright dealing iustice sinceritie and equitie that God commandeth according to the rule of humane societie that God will haue kept and obserued amongst all men That he hath béene readie in time of dearth and famine to enhance the price of his wares and marchandise so to make his owne profite by the publike miseries and calamities of many That he hath reserued and locked vp in his coffers caues and garners the surplus of his goods that God hath giueÌ„ him for the maintenance of himselfe and his family being due vnto the poore robbing and defrauding thereby those vnto whom it did of right appertaine That not considering at all that godlines with a contented minde as the Apostle saith is great riches and therefore it should suffice vs to haue our clothing and foode and that onely which is néedfull for our bodies hee hath not thought himselfe to be rich if besides this hee haue not many superfluous things That he hath not béene liberall nor readie to giue of his goods to whosoeuer should aske him considering and beléeuing that it is a more blessed thing to giue then to take That he hath not paide his worke men euerie daie theyr wages but hath made them staie till the morow 9 That he hath not loued the truth in word and déed doing nothing foolishly and vnaduisedly but shewing a grauitie and sinceritie in all his affaires customes and countenances which should be worthie a man of truth and sinceritie That in him there hath béene false shewes and disguising to exalte and magnifie his vertues or els to hide and excuse his vices by some counterfaite colours That he hath not béene so constant to confesse defend the truth against the blasphemers and enimies of the same nor so valiant to fight against those that by lyes and errors séeke to impugne the same as he ought to be That vpon enuie and mallice hée hath gone about to backbite and speake euill of his neighbors falsly condemning them in their actions that are not blame-worthy séeking by false accusations to obsure the glorie