the earth There is also an infernall language which is nothing but cursing Esa 8.21 therefore as it was said to Peter Mark 14.40 Surely thou art one of them for thou art of Galilea and thy speach is like so because of the abundaunce of the heart the tongue speaketh you may thereby know who is of heauen who of earth who of hell They that praise the Lord are heauenly indeed their conuersation is in heauen they that speake of the earth are earthly but they that curse and sweare are alreadie damned their speach is like As he is a Spaniard that naturally and properly speaketh Spanish he a French-man that speaketh French and hea Welch-man that speaketh Welch so he that speaketh of the praises of God is a saint hee that speaketh of the earth is an earthly man and he that is a swearer is of the diuel The bitter stream proueth the fountaine to bee bitter the leaues shew what the tree is so the blasphemous words of wicked men doo shew that they come from the bitter roote of infidelitie No man receiueth gold but hee weigheth it no man hath ground but he encloseth it why then do not our swearers weigh their words and hedge in their tongue because as S. James saith Iam. ◅ It is set on fire of hell when therefore hell fire ceaseth the blasphemers of Gods name will cease And hereunto agreeth the saying of Iesus the sonne of Syrach Syr. 23.13.15 Vse not thy mouth to ignorant rashnes for therein is the occasion of sinne the man that is accustomed to opprobrious words will neuer be reformed all the dayes of his life and such a one was Shimei 1. sam 16.7 King Lewes the eleuenth hauing an accustomed swearer in his Court cut off his lips and being demaunded of his Courtiers why he executed so greeuous a punishment hee aunswered Would my lips were so cut off that I had neuer a swearer in my Kingdome But the onely cause why swearing is so frequent in England is the negligence of Princes Why swearing is so frequent in England which punish not this offence and the fearfulnesse of the Ministers who dare not reproue this sin in Gentlemen and noble personages and especially the euill example of parents who neither leaue this sinne themselues nor yet punish it seuerely in their posterite The blasphemies and periuries of England haue infected euerie Countrie Citie and House of this land therefore without a generall heartie and speedie repentance perpetuall desolation the vengeance of eternall fire will fall vpon the father and the sonne the pastor and the people the priuate man and the magistrate for euer Prophanatiō of the sabaoth a manifest sinne in England Prophanation of the Sabaoth is another of the euident sinnes of England We are willed to hallow our Sabaoth Gen. 2.23 Exo. 20 11. Exod. 31.17 Deut. 5.14 Heb. 4.4 Jer. 17.21 22 23 24. Ezech. 20.12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19. and yet in all places and of the greater part of the people of this land the sabaoth is prophaned with dauncing stage-playing bearbayting bowling with all manner of abhominations And not onely the holy word of God but the ancient Fathers and the ciuill Law doo speake of the sanctification of the sabaoth Aug. in Psal 32. Augustine on the 32. psal saith It is better to digge than to daunce on the sabaoth Chrisost in homil 48. Chrisostome in his 48. homily saith Where wanton dauncing is there no doubt the diuell is present for God hath giuen vs these members not to daunce but that we should walke modestly and not to daunce impudently after the manner of Camels for not only women but Camels daunce vndecently but that we should stand in the companie of the Angells and if the bodie bee deformed by dauncing how much more is the soule in these daunces the diuell daunceth with these daunces they are deceiued of the ministers of the diuell Ambrose Lib. 3. de virg Ambrose in his 3. booke of Virgins thus writeth What say ye O holy women you see what ye ought to teach vnteach your daughters she danceth but the daughter of an harlot for she that is chast shamefast teacheth her children religion not dancing And as these inueigh against dauncing Lactant. lib. 4. cap. 20. so doth Lactantius against stage-playing in his 6. book cha 20. I know not saith he wherein there can be a more vicious corruption than in plaies for the Enterludes doo speak of the deflouring of virgins of the loues of harlots the more eloquent they are that haue fained those abhominations the more the elegancie of the sentences doth perswade and they sticke more easily in the memory of the hearers the verses which are numerous and eloquent The tragicall histories also doo set before our eies the patricides and incests of euill kings doo shew their wickednes on the stage the vnchast gestures of the plaiers also what doo they teach or stirre vp in vs but lusts whose bodies being made weake and wanton in imitating the going and apparell of women doo countersaite vnchast women with vnhonest gestures What shall I speake of ballads which teach the doctrine of corruptions which teach adulteries whiles they feigne and by feigned adulteries instruct to true what may yong men and maides doo when they see these things to be done and to be seene of al men gladly and without shame they are warned therefore what they maye doo and they are inflamed with lust which is most prouoked with seeing and euerie one according to his sexe prefigureth himselfe in those images and doo allowe them while they laugh at them and vices cleauing vnto them they returne to their houses most corrupt neither onely children which should not be endued with vices in their first age but also olde men whom it becommeth not to sin doo fall into the same path of iniquities It is cleare by this that hath been alleadged that as the Prophets and Apostles haue taught the sanctification of the Sabaoth so the Fathers haue walked in the same steps yea godly Princes haue made lawes for sanctifying the Sabaoth Leo and Anthemius being religious Princes writing to Armasius commanded him in these words That the festiuall dayes being dedicated to the excellent Maiestie of God should neither be occupied in pastime and pleasure neither be prophaned in exacting of tributes likewise wee decree say they that the Sunday shall be reuerently honoured that it shal be exempted from all busines in this day let no suretiship be taken let no man be summoned to appeare let no man vse pleading and let no causes or matters of controuersies be heard And a little after it followeth neither do we suffer that this day being exempted from all trauell should be spent in wantonnes and filthy delights that there be any enterlude or pageant plaid on the dominical day or anie game or pastime in the place of exercise
friend which is as thine owne soule entice thee secretly saying Let vs goe and serue other Gods which thou hast not knowen thou J say nor thy fathers anie of the gods of the people which are round about you nere vnto thee or far from thee from the one ende of the earth vnto the other thou shalt not consent vnto him nor heare him neither shall thy eye pitie him nor shewe mercie nor keepe him secret but shalt euen kill him thy hand shall be first vppon him to put him to death and then the hand of all the people The sinne not onely of idolatrie is manifest but also the sinne of blasphemie Manifest blasphemie in England What bargaine almost is made without swearing what oath is ministred in the iudgement seat without forswearing what sports without blasphemie what countrie what citie what towne what house or what tongue is not infected with this sinne of swearing the olde man sweareth by custome the yong man childe by imitation the gentleman sweareth of lustines the poore sweareth for necessity the thief sweareth to couer his fault the harlot to denie her crime and albeit not man but the Lord our God commaundeth vs saying Exod. 20. Thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vaine for the Lord will not holde him guiltlesse that taketh his name in vaine yet all the desperate people of this declining age are so giuen to swearing as though no man could be saued happily vnlesse he did sweare continually Can a bitter fountaine send out sweete water no more can a blasphemous mouth speake to the praise of God The first argument against swearing drawen from the person of God Psal 139.3 There be fiue things in God which euerie blasphemer should consider of the first is that he is present in all places and therefore Dauid saith Thou compassest my pathes and my lying downe and art accustomed to all my wayes Secondly he knoweth all things for there is not a word saith Dauid in my mouth Psal 89.4 but thou knowest it all O Lord. Thirdly there is truth in the Lord Psal 5.6 God loueth no wickednes neither shall anie euill dwell with him the foolish shal not stand in his sight for he hateth them that worke iniquitie he will destroy them that speake lies Fourthly God is righteous and therfore the Psalmist saith Psal 119.137 Righteous art thou O Lord and righteous are thy iudgements thou hast commanded iustice by thy testimonies and truth especially God is righteous first because he iudgeth in equitie With righteousnes shall he iudge the world and the people with equitie secondly because he iudgeth without respect of persons Rom. 2.9 c. Tribulation and anguish shall be vppon the soule of euerie man that doth euill of the Iew first and also of the Grecian but to euerie man that doth good shall be honor and glorie and peace to the Jew first and also to the Grecian for there is no respect of persons with God Thirdly God is iust because he leaueth no sinne vnpunished Binde not two sinnes together Syr. 12.14 for there shall not one be vnpunished For as no vertue is of God vnrewarded so there shall be no sin vnpunished Fourthly and lastly in God is all power Our God is in heauen Psal 118.3 he doth whatsoeuer pleaseth him From heauen he cast down the Angels from Paradice Adam hee made the earth to swallow vp Corah the flouds to couer Pharaoh and his hoast the sonnes of Aaron to be slaine in the temple Jezabel to be cast out of her chamber window Holofernes to be murdred in his bed and Ely to breake his necke sitting on the thresholde Wherefore excellent is that saying of Bernard Bernard in Psal 139. God is in himselfe as Alpha and Omega the first and the last in the world as the author and gouernor of it in the angels as the fauor and beautie of them in the church as a father of a family in his house in the soule as a bridegroome in his chamber in the iust as a helper and protector in the reprobate as a dread and horror Whither shall I goe from thy spirit no man goeth from him but to him from his seueritie to his goodnes from an angrie God to an appeased For what place can receiue him that flieth but there thou maist finde his presence God is present therefore the blasphemer should feare him God knoweth all things therefore the blasphemer should praise him in God is truth therefore the blasphemer should hate lies in God is iustice therefore he rewardeth the good and punisheth the euill in God is power therefore he can doo what pleaseth him fire haile stormes and tempests fulfill his commaundements yea there are spirites created for vengeance and in their suriousnesse they hasten their torments they wil not ouerpasse the commandement of the Lord. The Prophet Ieremy saith Ier. 4.2 The 2. argument against swearing drawen from the manner and maâ—â—er thereof thou shalt sweare the Lord liueth in truth iudgement righteousnes in truth in respect of the thing in iudgement in respect of the swearer in iustice in respect of the cause truth excludeth a false oath iudgement a rash oath iustice an vnlawfull oath but our blasphemers sweare not in truth but in falshood not in iudgement but rashly not in iustice that is first for the glorie of God secondly for the safetie of their neighbour thirdly for their own necessitie and fourthly when they are required of the Magistrate for iust causes but in common speach vnlawfully in buying and selling deceiptfully and in sporting and playing most damnably Further Eph. 4.25 Psal 32.5 Esa 50.4 1. Thes 5.14 Psal 51.14 The 5. argument against swearing drawen from the vse of the tongue the tongue being giuen of God to speake the truth to confesse our sinnes to teach to comfort the afflicted lastly to praise the Lord the blasphemer setteth forth leasing increaseth his sinnes is an ensample of corrupt manners bringeth no coÌ„fort but the plague of God to his house and dishonoureth the Lord whom hee should praise with soule heart heart tongue flesh and with all hys powers members for euer A thiefe stealeth but for necessitie but a blasphemer sweareth in a brauerie the harlots do sinne but in darknes the blasphemer offendeth openly the couetous man offendeth but seldome the blasphemer often at euerie word the slaunderer offendeth but against his brother but the blasphemer dishonoreth God his father There are but 3. sorts of languages in the world The 4. argument against swearing drawen from the customâ— of speech Psal 84.4 the best is the heauenly language whereof Dauid thus writeth Blessed are they that dwel in thy house O Lord they shall alwaies be praising magnifying thy name There is another language that is earthly whereof Saint John writeth Iohn 3.31 He that is of the earth is of the earth and speaketh of
to the houshold of faith in this time we do ill This is the day of saluation we make it the day of our destruction 2. Cor. 6.2 This is the time accepted and we by our oppression of the poore will turne it into the day of vengeance Syr. 10.8 Because of vnrighteous dealing wrong blasphemies and other deceipts a realme shall be translated from one people to an other Where is this oppression in the iudgement seate How is the faithfull Citie become an harlot Esay 1.21 c. it was full of iudgement iustice lodged therein but now they are murtherers thy siluer is become drosse thy wine is mixt with water thy Princes ore rebellious and companions of theeues euerie one loueth giftes and followeth after rewardes they iudge not the fatherlesse neither doth the widowes cause come before them They turne iudgement into wormwood Amos. 5.2 leaue off righteousnesse in the earth What abhominable sinne is this that those who should defend the poore Psal 82.3 and see that such as bee in neede and necessitie haue right do adde affliction to the afflicted Iob. 24.15 that those who should be eyes to the blinde do pull out their eyes and those that should be a legge to the lame Iob. 29.15 do breake his bones in peeces and those that should pull the spoile out of the iawes of the oppressours commit violence robery murther themselues and those that should giue the pure siluer of righteousnesse giue the heauie burthen of oppression and they that should giue the wine of comfort giue the water of teares and they that should minister iudgement giue the wormewood of affliction and they that should be the staffe of the poore mans estate are an yorne rodde to bruse them in peeces being turned from fathers to tyraunts froÌ„ magistrates to theeues froÌ„ Iudges to murtherers from Princes to Lyons from Gods to diuels For the couetous oppressor wheÌ„ he should giue hee saith it is too much when he should receiue he saith it is too little when he should forgiue hee saith it is too great when hee should repent he saith it is too soone when he should come to heare the worde of God he saith it is too farre and thus as he holdeth his needie brother vnder his yoake so the diuell holdeth him fast in his snare that hee shall neuer escape but shal haue iudgement without mercie because he hath shewed no mercie Esay 10 1. So true is the prophecie of Esay Woe be vnto you that make vnrighteous lawes to robbe the widowes and the fatherlesse For as the Prophet Dauid saith Psal 32 1. God standeth in the congregation of Princes he is a iudge amongst Gods And therefore albeit God in his secret iudgement doth suffer the greate mightie oppressors to go on in their vnconscionable dealings yet in the ende he will bring them to iudgement and then as the Psalmist saith he will set in order all their sinne Psal 50. I might heere speak the like of murmuring rebellion which are sinnes that prouoke the wrath of God but time will not giue mee leaue I will now go to the sinne of all sinnes which no doubt will procure to this lande a generall fearefull and seuere destruction this sinne is Atheisme Atheisme a manifest sinne that crieth for speedie vengeance The Idolator is a breaker of the second precept the blasphemer of the third the prophaner of the sabaoth is a transgressour of the fourth the rebel of the fifth the oppressor of the sixt the Sodomite of the seauenth but the Athiest is a wilfull contemner of all For he denieth GOD the father he trampleth vnder his foote the blood of our Sauiour he dishonoureth the spirit of grace in his heart he is an infidell in his tongue a blasphemer to his Prince a traytor to his countrey a rebell to his house a poyson to his friends a plague wheresoeuer he goeth the earth is accursed wheresoeuer he speaketh the aire is infected and wheresoeuer hee dwelleth there dwelleth the wrath of God for euer The starre confessed the son of God for it ledde the wise men to Christ Mat. 3.10 Mat. 8.27 Mat. 21.5 the sea and the windes did obey him the asse did beare him to Ierusalem the fishes obeyed him when they came into the Apostles nettes Ioh. 21.6 Mat. 17. â—7 Mat. 27.51 52. so did the fish that brought mony in his mouth to paye their tribute the Sunne at his death was abashed the earth did tremble the stones did cleaue asunder and the graues did open but our Atheists more insensible then the stone or starres more hard harted theÌ„ the flints more stincking then any carcasse do not acknowledge Christ to be the son of God Naye the very diuelles confesse Christ to be the Sonne of God Mat. 5.7 what haue I to do with thee Jesus the most high God and Jesus J knowe and Paule I knowe Act. 19.15 saith the deuill But our Atheistes worse then the deuill in this respect haue so hardened their heart that they denie Iesus to be the sonne of God and therefore sith they will not acknowledge him to be a Sauiour they shall know him to bee a iudge whose power they caÌ„not resist whose wisdome they cannot deceiue whose iustice they cannot corrupt and therefore will punish them without respect of persons Manasses was an idolater but he repented Paul was a blasphemer but yet hee was made a Preacher Lew was a Publicane but yet he became an Euangelist Peter did forsweare his master but yet he continued an apostle Dauid was an adulterer and yet a Prophet Zache was an oppressor but yet he was conuerted and said Luke 19.8 Behold Lord the one halfe of my goodes I giue to the poore and if I haue taken from any man by forged cauillation I restore him foure fold Zache did giue the halfe of his goodes wee will not giue the hundred part Zache gaue of his owne wee will not giue of that we haue wrongfullie gotten Zache gaue his goodes we giue of the worst things we haue Zache gaue presently we deferre till we be sicke or dead Thus we see that Idolaters blasphemers extortioners adulterers haue turned themselues vnto the Lord but no Atheist for they go froÌ„ worse to worse they go froÌ„ sin to sin they neuer come into the righteousnesse of God they are vesselles of dishonor they are cloudes without water carried about of windes corrupt trees and without frute Iude. 12.13 twise dead and plucked vp by the rootes they are the raging waues of the sea foming out their owne shame they are wandering Stars to whom is reserued the blacknesse of darkenesse for euer Against those therefore we must pray Psa 109.7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15. A praier against Atheistes as Dauid did against them in his time When he shall be iudged let him be condemned and let his praier be turned into sin
vnto them whom they reuile Sodome was not moued to repentance neither with their captiuitie nor deliuerance therfore they wer destroied Londō is not moued neither with persecution nor peace to repētance therfore London except it speedily repent shall bee brought to a perpetual desolation and to the vengeance of eternall fire In the sinnes of Sodome are three things to be noted first the euidencie of their sins which is noted in the word crie secondly they had manie sinnes which is noted in the word great thirdly their sins were haynous which is noted in these words exceeding greuous The euidencie of sin as it was in Sodom so was it saith Esay in Ierusalem Esa 3.9 The triall of their countenance testifieth against them yea they declare their sinnes as Sodome they hide them not And are not the sinnes of England manifest doo our Papists hide their sinne doo they not call idolatrie catholike religion Manifest idolatrie in England they are worshippers of images which are vaine vnprofitable abhominable Images are vaine both in respect of the maker which is the cause efficient in respect of the matter in respect also of the forme and of the end In respect of the maker images are vaine for he is vaine in thought in word in deed and in his essence Psa 94 11. in thought for the Lord knoweth the thoughts of men they are but vaine In word Psa 12.2 for they talke of vanitie euerie one to his neighbour Ier. 101.5 In deed for they are vanitie and the worke of errors in the time of their visitation they shall perish In essence Psal 39.11 for surely euerie man is vanitie man therefore beeing vaine in thought word deed essence must needs make a vaine image The matter also of images is vaine for they are made either of gold siluer brasse clay stone or wood therefore the Prophet Baruch saith Bar. 6.5 6 11 These Gods of wood siluer and of gold can neither defend themselues from theeues and robbers for they that are strongest take away their gold siluer and apparell wherewith they be cloathed and when they haue it they get them away The forme also of images is vaine for they haue eyes and see not Psal 115.5 6. noses haue they and smell not eares and heare not mouthes and speake not feete and walke not Finally images are vaine also in respect of the end for they help neyther the teacher nor the hearer nor the minister nor the receiuer of the sacrament nor him that praieth Therfore the Sun Moone and Starres are better than images nay the dore of the house or a scar-crow in the fields is better for all these doo serue vnto some end but images to no end The images therefore of the Papists are as vaine as the images of the heathen and so are they al as vnprofitable For as Paul saith they are nothing An idoll is nothing in the world 1 Cor. 8.4 For this cause Zachary calleth the vnprofitable minister Zach. 11.17 an idoll pastor so the Magistrate that doth not defend the poore and fatherles see that such as be in necessitie need Psal 82. haue right is an idoll magistrate the father that bringeth not vp his children in the feare of the Lord is an idoll father so the husband that loueth not his wife as his owne flesh as his owne bodie as Christ loued the congregation is an idoll husband the wife that is froward the child that is disobedient the seruāt that is vnfaithfull the subiect that is disloyal are al idolls insufficient for anie spirituall vse and therefore vnles they repent they shal be burst in peeces by the yron scepter of Gods iustice and so destroyed as they shall neuer be builded againe The idolatrie of the Papists as abhominable as the idolatrie of the heathen As the idolatrie of the Papists is vaine vnprofitable so is it as abhominable as the idolatrie of the heathen for as the heathen in the time of warre did inuocate Mars Bellona so the Papists doo inuocate S. George the heathen in pouertie went to Ceres the Papists to Saint Anne the heathen in sicknes went to Aesculapius the Papists to Saint Roche the heathen in captiuitie went to Liber the Papists to Saint Leonard the heathen in hunger went to Bacchus the Papists to S. Vrbane the heathen in sea-stormes went to Neptune the papists to Saint Nicholas the heathen in child-birth went to Juno the papists they went to our Ladie And heerein they doo offend most greeuously for three causes first because they attribute to the Saints omnipotencie secondly because they attribute to them vniuersall knowledge and thirdly because they make them more mercifull than Christ Further as the heathen did consecrate Troy to Neptune Cyprus to Venus Athens to Minerua Carthage to Juno and Rome to Jupiter so the papists dedicated Spaine to Saint James Germanie to Saint George France to Saint Denis Scotland to saint Andrew Ireland to saint Patricke and Rome to Peter and Paul And as the heathen haue consecrated their head to Minerua their heart to Juno their breast to Mars their tongue to Mercurie their armes to Hercules their liuer to Cupid their throate to Bacchus their bellie to Ceres their secretes to Venus their palmes to Apollo and theyr spirite to Jupiter so the papists haue for the head-ache Anastasius for their eyes Otilia for the teeth Apollonia for the necke S. Blase and for the bellie Erasmus And as the heathen dedicated the boare to Mars the goate to Bacchus the peacocke to Jupiter the swan to Apollo the doue to Venus the night-crow to Minerua the wheate to Ceres honie to Mercurie and the rose to Cupid so the Papists consecrated their sheepe to Vandolius their horse to Eulogius their oxen to Pelagius and their pigs to Saint Anthonie As therefore it is an abhomination to call vpon anie but on him on whom we beleeue so to commit our selues or ours to the defence or custodie of the creatures which should dwell vnder the protection of the highest Psal 91.1 Psal 18.2 and which should haue the Lord to be our rocke and our fortresse and him that deliuereth vs our God and our strength in him we should trust our shield the horne also of our saluation and our refuge is a great abhomination for the honoring of abhominable images Sap. 14.27 is the beginning the cause and the end of al euil I end therefore with this notable saying of S. Ierome writing vpon Ezechiel Ierome in Ezech Cursed is euerie man that putteth his trust in man though they bee Saints or though they be Prophets Because therefore idolaters are the cause of the ouerthrowe of the land God in his holy word commandeth that they should be destroyed Deu. 13.6 c. If thy brother the sonne of thy mother or thy owne sonne or thy daughter or the wife that lieth in thy bosome or thy
let his dayes be few and let another take his charge let his children be fatherlesse and his wife a widow let his children be vagabonds beg and seeke bread comming out of their places destroied let the extortioner catch all that he hath let the stranger spoile his labour let there be none to extend mercie vnto him neither let there be any to shew mercy vpon his fatherlesse children let his posteritie bee destroyed in the generation following let their name be put out let the iniquitie of his fathers bee had in remembrance with the Lord and let not the sinne of his mother be done awaie but let thē alwaie bee before the Lord that hee may cutte off their memoriall from the earth As poison when it entreth into the body it infecteth first the vains secondly the blood thirdly the members last of al the heart so Atheisme begā in the vains of the lighter sort of people and from thence it hath crept into the blood generositie of this land by meanes whereof it is spread into all the mēbers and parts of this realme God keepe it from the heart that is from the Court the Citie of London If my flesh were of stone if I had the learned tongue of Esay or my face were of Adamant as Ezechias was if I had that spirit of fortitude which was in Elias or that bold spirit that was in John Baptist if my bones were of brasse and my sides of steddie steele Mat. 14.4 then as John said to Herod Jt is not lawfull for thee to haue thy brothers wife And as Elias said to Ahab ◠King 18.18 Thou art he that troubleth all Israel so I should say to our Atheists it is not lawful for thē to eate drinke liue or breath among christians for they are the cause that this land wil be brought to an euerlasting destruction My heart trēbleth and my eyes shed teares to see the faintnesse of my selfe and my bretheren that this sinne of Atheisme openly committed is not openly reproued that others may feare We shal say in time to come as the Prophet said Esay 6.5 Woe be vnto me because J held my peace As the sinnes of Sodome are euident In Sodome were many sinnes and so there are in Englande Exo 19 4 9. so are they many Behold this was the iniquitie of thy sister Sodome pride fulnes of bread and aboundance of Idlenes neither did she strengthen the hand of the poore and needie Pride is of 2. sorts carnal and spirituall carnall pride is that which cōsisteth in the decking trimming of the flesh against which Paul thus writeth Rom 13 4. Take no thought of the flesh to fulfil the lustes of it And women are forbidden to weare broidred haire or gold or pearles 1. Tim 2 9. 1 Pet 3 3. or costly apparell And the like is also inhibited by Saint Peter This pride was in the harlot Prou 7 16 17. who said she had deckt her bed with couerings and clothes of Egipt and made her hed to smell of mirrhe Aloes Cynamon And this pride Saint Paul reproueth when hee willeth vs not to fashion our selues according to this world Rom 12 2. But notwithstanding pride is first in al ages as in children yong and old Secondly in euerie sexe as in men and women Thirdly in all estates as in magistrats priuate men Fourthly in all times as in poperie and in the Gospell Fiftly in all places as in the market and in the temple Apparel was ordained for three causes Apparell was giuen for three ends for honesties sake to couer our vnseemly parts for necessities sake to defend vs from the iniurie of the weather and for dignities sake both to distinguish men from beasts mē of high degree from the lower sort GOD clothed the noble subiect of the soule with a vile bodie Phil. 3.21 to teach vs that we should not deck our vile bodie with gorgeous apparell not agreeing either with cōlines necessitie or our calling Ciprian I thinke it good saith Cyprian that not onely maides and widowes but also married women be warned that they should by no meanes adulterate the worke of God Ierom. and his making for as Ierom saith These things are the nourishments of lust and the tokens of an vnchast minde How can she weepe for her sinnes or lift vp her eies and countenance to heauen whome God doth not know Thomas deceiued Iudas by trimming of apparell Iezabell painted her face to deceiue Ieho Cleopatra painted her face to deceiue Antonius who being overcome of Octauian he killed hir himselfe and buried her aliue with an aspe in the sepulcher of Antonius Ambrose in his Hexameron saith Ambr. in hexamer do not take awaie the picture of God and take on thee the picture of an harlot for that picture doth not become thee but is faultie not of simplicitie but of deceipt it beguileth and deceiueth so that thou canst not please him whom thou desirest to please which vnderstandeth that it is not his but an other mans that pleaseth and thou despisest thy maker whose workmanship is defaced For as Jerome noteth Ierom. If a woman decke her selfe that she may prouoke the lookes of men towards her although there follow no harme yet she shall suffer eternall condemnation for she hath offered poyson if any wil drinke of it Alas alas that greate citie that was clothed in fine linnen and purple scarlet Apoc. 18.16.17 gilt with gold and pretious stones and pearles for in one houre so greate riches are come to desolation Here yee see that pride goeth before and destruction commeth after So the Prophet Esay sheweth how this pride is punished with a generall seuere desolation Esay 3.19.17 Because saith he the daughters of Sion are hawtie and walke with stretched out neckes and wandering eyes walking and minsing as they goe making a tinckling with their feete therefore shall the Lord make the heades of the daughters of Sion bald the Lord shal discouer their secret partes in that day shall the Lorde take awaie the ornament of the slippers of the calles the rounde tires the sweete balles and the bracelets and the bonnets the tires of the heades and the sloppes the head-bandes and the tablets the earings and the mufflers the costly apparell and the vailes the wimples and the crisping pinnes all the glasses and the fine linnen the hoodes the launes and in steed of sweete sauors there shall be stinke in steede of a girdle a rent and in steed of dressing the haire baldnesse in steed of a stomacher a girding of sackclothe burning in stede of beautie thy men shal fall by the sword and thy strength in the battell Then shall her gates mourne and lament and shee being desolate shall sitte on the grounde Carnall pride is reckoned but a small fault but yet as yee do