and a new spirite wil I put within you I will put my spirite within you and will cause you to walke in my statutes and you shall keepe my iudgements and doe them And by the Prophet leremie I wil put my lawe in their inward parts and write it in their hearts Therefore Dauid maketh his praier Teach me O Lord giue me vnderstanding and I will keepe thy law The words of the Preacher enter in at the â—…are The spirite of God conueyeth them into the heart Augustine saith Auditur euangelium Auditur credunt quidam non credunt qui credunt intus a patre audiunt discunt qui non credunt foris audiunt intus non audiunt neque discunt Hoc est illâ—… datâ—…r vt credant illis non datur The Gospesis declared Some there are which beleeue some there are which beleeue not They which beleeue heare it inwardly by the father and so learne it They which beleeue not heare it onlie with their outward sense and not with inward feeling and therefore learne it not As much to saie to them it is giuen to beleeue to the other it is not giuen In the Actes of the Apostles Lydia a woman of the Citie of the Thiatirians heard the preaching of the Apostle Paul But it is saide Whose heart the Lord oponed that shee attended vnto the things that Paul spake The people which said vnto Peter and the other Apostles Men and brethren what shall we do did heare al the wordes of Peter but they had another teacher that gaue force vnto the worde and made it fruitefull in them and therefore it is said They were pricked in their hearts This also appeared in the Disciples which walked towards Emaus they heard Christ open the Scriptures vnto them they reasoned with him yet vntill their eles were opened they knew him not His worde crept into their eares but it was the spirite of God which wrought within them which inflamed their hearts and made them to knowe him Thus God blesseth his word and maketh it yéeld fruit in such measure as his wisedome hath appointed His blessing appeareth greater when many are conuerted yet is his word al one and the power thereof no whit shorter when it is vtterly refused or receiued but of few Surely saith God as the raine commeth downe and the snow from heauen and returneth not thither but watereth the earth maketh it-fruitfull that it maie giue seede to the sower and bread to him that eateth so shall my word be that goeth out of my mouth It shal not returne vnto me voide but it shall accomplish that which I wil and it shall prosper in the thing whereto I sent it It is the word of the liuing God which is blessed for euer And blessed is that hart which can receiue it which GOD instructeth and to which he giueth knowledge of his worde which doth so learne it that he is assured of the truth thereof and nothing doubteth but it is indéede the worde of life which saieth thereof this is the waie in which if I walke I shall certainely go forward to the Citie of my GOD this is the truth if I hearken vnto it I shall neuer be dereiued Whosoeuer findeth himselfe indued with this grace he doth as plainely and evidently iudge of the wordes of God and trie out the trueth thereof from the deuises and doctrines of men as a man of cléere eie sight is ahle to iudge of colours and to knowe one colâ—…ur from an other Yea in this is the knowledge of that more certain because colour doth fade and alter and manie times one colour thereby waxeth like an other but the truth of GOD doth neuer alter it continueth one throughal ages it is the word of euerlasting life Heauen and earth shall perish but one title thereof shall not be lost The truth of God shall be established for euer The humble shall heare it and be glad As ye knowe after what maner wee were among you for your sakes You knowe howe I behaued my selfe after what maner I haue liued among you You knowe my first comming and entrie vnto you You knowe what doctrine I haue taught and what hath béene my conuersation of life I neuer deceiued any nor offered wrong vnto the simplest I sought not you nor yours but those things which are Iesus I haue liued by the labor of my hands in watchings in hunger in colde and nakednesse God hath ordained that they which teach the gospel should liue by the gospel Who séedeth a â—…lacke and eateth not of the milke of the flocke But I haue not vsed this libertie For I haue a great care least by anie meanes I should offend you Yet would I neuer flatter anie in that thing they had done amisse I neuer spared to rebuke ill If I should feare or séeke to please men I were not the seruant of Christ. I séeke not mine owne glorie but the glorie of him that sent me who also hath made me a minister of his gospel I haue forsaken al things my goods and life my flesh and my bodie and am daily in perils compassed daily by persecution séedeath death daily before mine eies for the loue I be are to you and for the care I haue of the Church You are the Lords shéepe I am your shaepeheard you are the house of God I am your builder you are Gods orchard I am your ouerséer and workeman I shall giue an attâ—…mpt for your soules You know how â—…ly I haue loued you in thâ—… Lord. Your griese hath béene my griese your ioie hath béene my ioie I haue praied for you daie and night and haue giuen thanks to God for you and reioâ—…ced in your behalfe What is more deare to a man than life yet haue I desired to yeeld vp my life that you might liue I haue béene readie to suffer death if thereby I might doe you good These things you cannot but remember your conscience beareth mée witnesse that I haue thus liued among you for your sake V. 6. And ye become followers of vs and of the Lord and receiued the word in much affliction with ioie of the holie ghost He commendeth the godlie for the practise of that which they haue learned and séene in him in that they haue receiued the gospel and framed their liues accordingly and haue continued stedfast in the same in the middes of persecution Herein he doth not onlie laie out himselfe and the other Apostles for an example but telleth them that this waie is also â—…roden out by our Lorde himselfe Who as he is the waie and the light that lightneth euerie man which commeth into the worloe so did he heare his crosse and did laie downe his life for his shéepe Therefore he saide to his Disciples The disciple is not aboue his Maister nor the seruant aboue his Lorde It is enough for the Disciple to be as his Maister is and the seruant as his
a pullie and binde great weights of leade at their héeles to rent them and teare their bodies asunder Some they haue tied vnto great péeces of timber and haue put fire at the soales of their féete They haue opened their mouthes and made them drawe in Lawne into their bodie A thing most cruel and yet which they haue practised the maner whereof hath béene thus reported They laie it so farre in the mouth that a mans breath easily draweth it into his bodie and so it is conueighed into the stomacke When it is wel setled then commeth the tormentour and taketh the Lawne by the other ende and rasheth it sodainelie with such a force as it séemeth he doth plucke out the verie heart and entrailes such a rare strange kinde of crueltie as is not practised vpon most notorious rebels and traitors As for death 40 or 50 at one time haue béene heaped together and burnt in one fire They haue set vpon the seruauntes of God and compassed the Church where they haue assembled togither to pray vnto God and murthered them in their innocencie whiles they lifted vp pure handes vnto God The French king by the counfaile of such as hate the Gospel of Christ sent his cruel souldiers and murthered his subiects at Valois He ouerthrew their houses burnt their Towne destroyed man woman and childe spoyled their corne and turned their trées vpside downe He wasted defaced vnpeopled it not for that they were théeues or rehels but because they beléeued in the name of Christ. Consider how many are murthered in Flaunders and in the kingdome of Fraunce They are not so farre from vs as Iudea from Thessalonica They ioyne next vnto vs. God is blessed in his saints and holy in al his workes no crueltie is able to quench his truth There is no counsel which shal preuaile against the Lord. He giueth increase and placeth children in fréede of their fathers The more are slaine by the enemies the more spring up by the working of his spirite The more are hewne downe the more multiplie We may not be strangers in this case It beboueth vs to consider the afflictions of our brethren They belong vnto vs We must pray to God for them that he wil put an ende to their misenies otherwise wee haue not the spirite of God we beare no loue nor care for his bause Of your countrey men This was the greatest and beauiest part of their troubles For what a heartes griefe is it to the father if his sonne rise vp against him or to the sonne to sée his father readie to betray him and to seeke his bloud Where this is done he will say O father I am thy sonne alas what haue I done to haue thy displeasure death is bitter but thy displeasure is more bitter than death It were a cruel thing that any man should kil an other what is it then if thou shouldest kil thine own child yet if thou be so bent take my life and spare my conscience spare my soule that I may deliuer it vp into his handes that hath giuen it me I would be obedient vnto thée thou art my father but I may not disobey God He is the father of fathers He hath saide He that loueth father or mother more than me he is not worthy of me It is a miserable case when persecution groweth so hot y â— the child is driuen to forsake his father or the father his child yet so doth the world blind many Satan so possesseth their harts y â— he turneth their loue into hatred and shutteth their senses and thoaketh and dammeth vp the springes of nature They become so blind and so unsensible that they neither féele their owne fleshe nor know their owne bloud They thinke in so doing they doe God good seruice They are enemies to the truth They are y e enemies of the crosse of Christ their end is destruction And forbid vs to preach vnto the gentiles that they might bee saued This is the ende whereunto the Gospel is giuen that the people should be saued S. Paule sayth God wil that al men shal bee saued and come to the knowledge of the truth Therefore our Saniour appointed his Apostles to this office of preaching his word saying Go and preach the gospel vnto al nations Goe vnto the lost sheepe of Israel He sayth It is not the wil of my father that one of these little ones should perish Whosoeuer beleeueth and shal bee baptised shal be saued S. Iames exhorteth the faithful Receiue with meekenesse the worde that is graffed in you which is able to saue your soules By it we heare the swéete voyce of our Sauiour Come vnto mee all ye that trauaile and be heauily loaden and I wil refrosh you By it we heare the merciful calling of God Turne vnto mee and ye shal be saued By it we are warned to depart from the companie of such as are enemies to the truth and to haue no fellowshippe with the vnfruitful workes of darkenesse Saue your selues sayth S. Peter from this frowarde generation By it we are taught to beléeue that Jesus Christ is the sonne of GOD that â—…is name is Jesus because he shal saue his people from their sinnes and that there is not salnation in any other besides him For faith commeth by hearing and hearing by the word of God This is therefore the dutie of the preacher to preach vnto the people that so they may be saued that they may knowe the wayes of GOD that they may repent them of their sinnes and be renewed vnto godlinesse Who would thinke there were any that would hinder the course of the Gospelâ—… or forbid to preach it unto the people The Apoâ—…e here layeth that fault to the Jewes That they forbid him to preach to the Gentiles The same fault Christ founde in the Scribes and Pharises Woe be to you interpreters of the lawe for ye haue taken away the keye of knowledge ye entred not in your selues and them that came in ye forbad Sâ—… there haue béene alwaies and such there are now O say they why should y â— people know these thinges what should they meddle with the scriptures let them do their businesse and apply their occupations It is not reason not fit that euery one should be learned When they thinke they know somewhat they become proud and denise heresies and maintaine them as if God had not left them to enstruct the people or as if the holy scriptures and not the malice at Sâ—…tan were the cause of heresies But God hath said Gather the people together men 〈◊〉 women and children and thy stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and that they may learne and feare the Lord your God and keepe and obserue all the words of this law The Prophet Dauid thought it méete y e people shold know the scriptures therefore said Blessed is that man whose delight is in the law of
Thou shalt crie for succour and finde no man to helpe thée In these and these places hath manie a good mans childe béene cast away Oh take héede my sonne thou art the staffe and the comfort of mine age If aught come to thée otherwise than wel I shall soone after ende my daiâ—… in sorrow If a father be thus carefull that his child shoulde escape worldlie dangers hée must be more carefull of spirituall daungers in which whosoeuer is lost is lost for euer Therfore thus wil he saie to him Oh my sonne vnderstande what GOD hath doone for thy sake Take héede to thy selfe the worlde is al ouer â—…rewed with snares The dinel ranâ—… and séeketh whome he may deuour Giue â—…round to him but resist him and he wil 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 thée Be strong in saith The name of the Lorde is a strong Tower of defence-Call vppon him in the daie of thy trouble and he wil deliuer thee Hée wil giue thée of his spirite Take héeâ—… my sonne and be not deceiued let 〈◊〉 wilfulnesse cast thée away If sinners entire thée be not a companion of them in wickednesse Fashion not thy selfe to the likeneâ—… of this worlde for the worlde passeth awaie and the lust thereof He that loueth this worlde the loue of God is not in him Be not like vnto them that perish Thou wast conceiued and borne in sinne thou arte by nature the childe of wrath But God made thée méete to be partaker of the inheritance of the Saints in light and hath deliuered thée from the power of darkenesse and hath translated thée into the kingdome of his deare son Receiue not this grace in vaine Cast aâ—…aie the workes of darkenesse and put on the armor of light Be renewed in thy heart and in thy spirite that it maie appeare I haue béene careful for thée Thus a good father séeketh to traine vp his sonne and to nurturs him Besides these fathers must also be carefull for their children to giue them correction and chastisenient God knoweth the mould of mans heart Hée séeth our inward partes He hath said it in the beginning The imagination of mans heart is euill from his youth Hée did sée that al the imaginations of the thoughts of his heart were onelie euill continually Beholde mans nature and consider it euen from our first birth Howe full of affections howe waiward in the young childe which lieth in the cradle His bodie is but smal but hée hath a greatheart and is altogether enrlined to euill And the more hée wareth in reason by yeares the more hée groweth prowde froward wilful vnrulie and disobedient If this sparckle be suffered to encrease it will rage ouer and burne downe the whole house Wée are not borne good but by education wée are changed and become good Therefore the wise man saieth Foolishnesse is bound in the heart of a childe but the â—…odde of correction shall driue it awaie from him And againe The rodde and correction guâ—…e wisedome but a childe set at libertie maâ—… his mother ashamed And in the same Chapter Correct thy sonne and hee wil giue thee rest and wil giue pleasures vnto thy soule Hée that spareth the rodde hateth the childe 〈◊〉 If thou bring vp thy sonne delicately hee shall make thee afraid and if thou plaie with him hee shall bring thee to heauinesse Bow downe his necke whiles hee is young and beate him on the â—…tes while hee is a child least he wax stubborne be disobedient vnto thee and bring sorrowe to â—…hine heart saieth Saloâ—… 〈◊〉 Who hath not heard the storie of Eâ—… and of his sonnes It is worthie to be reâ—…mbred for euer Hee had shrewd children they feared not GOD but brake his commaundements and offended the people Their father heard of their doings but tooke no care for it hée suffered them and let them alone so long that God grewe displeased thereat and called vnto Samuel and saide Beholde I will do a thing in Ifrael wherof whosoeuer shall heare his two eares shall tingle In that daie I will raise vp against Elie al things which I haue spoken concerning his house when I beginne I wil also make an end And I haue told him that I wil iudge his house for euer for the iniquitie which hee knoweth bicause his sonnes ranne into a slander and hee staied them not And it came to passe shortly after The Arke of God was taken by the Philistines and the two sonnes of Ely Hophni and Phinees died And Ely also when he heard the report thereof fell from his seate backeward and his necke was broken Such shame and confusion came vpon him This was the hand and iudgement of God in sparing his children he cast awaie his children and himselfe altogither But Iob dealt farre otherwise with his children his eie was vppon them and hée tooke care least they shoulde offende God He sanctified them and offered burnt offerings for them daily For Iob thought it maie be that my sonnes haue sinned and blasphemed God in their hearts Therefore hée praied for them My sonnes saieth he are yong and tender and lacke discretion The wages wherein they walke are slipperie they maie soone be decâ—…iued and runne into danger O Lorde be thou their guide be vnto them a tower of defence let thy holie spirit goe before them to direct them in al their waies So mindful was he of his children Infancie is the first part of our life and as it were the foundation thereof Where a vertuous and godlie childhood goeth before there a godlie and vertuous age followeth after Contrariwise when the fathers are not carefull to teach their children to knowe God and to know themselues when they doe not bréede them vppe in vertue nor reprooue them when they doe amisse they become corrupt in their vnderstanding and abhominable in their doings voide of al knowledge and grace and of reuerence or féeling of nature V. 13. For this cause also thanke we God without ceasing that when you receiued of vs the worde of the preaching of God yee receiued it not as the worde of men but as it is in deede the worde of God which also worketh in you that beleeue As the Ministers duetie is to teach the word of God and diuide it aright without deceit or guile so ought the people to receiue it with reuerence and to giue obedience vnto it But herein haue wée not power of our selues our readinesse commeth of God vn lesse it please God to worke within vs and to remooue the vaile and to mollifie our hearts whatsoeuer wée heare it mooueth vs not it helpeth not our vnbeliefe it bringeth vs not to the obedience of Christ. If an earthly Prince speake or send message vnto vs we giue al shewe of reuerence and heare him with al diligence This word is not of flesh and bloud it procéedeth not from Kings or Emperours or from parliament or from councels of men but from GOD the father and from
or crown of reioicing are not euen you it in the presence of our Lord Iesus Christ at his comming 20 Yea ye are our glorie and ioie The greatest comfort to him that laboreth is to sée that his labour commeth to good effect and worketh that which he purposed â—…e hath before ayprooued his diligence and wed the mercie of God in making his word fruitfull by opening their hearts that it might sincke into them and take roote in them Therefore now he erhorteth them to continue stodfast that so he may present them vnto God and be partaker with them of euerlasting glorie This ought to be the care of al such which are ministers they should séeke aboue al things to bring the people to such perfection of vnderstanding and to such godlinesse of life that they may reioice in their behalfe and so chéerfully waite for the comming of our Lord Jesus Christ. CHAP. 3. WHerefore since wee could no longer forbeare wee thought it good to remaine at Athens alone 2 And haue sent Timotheus our brother and Minister of God and our labour fellow in the Gospel of Christ to stablish you and to comfort you touching your faith I Knowe your faith in Christ Jesus is manie waies assaulted The enuious man will take al occasions to sowe darnel among the Lordes corne He wil séeke to take awaie the good séede that is sowed in your heartes You are deare vnto mée Your woundes are my wounds and your griefe my griefe Therfore since I my selfe am hindred that I can not come vnto you to be with you in your afflictions I send vnto you my fellow labourer in the Gospel I haue but one with me whome I loue tenderly and trust him as mine owne soule him I send vnto you I leaue my selfe destitute and without a companion among the Infidels here at Athens in a citie much giuen to idolatrie and which can not abide the name of Christ. Thus haue I burthened my selfe to reléeue you and taken from my selfe to comforte you I haue béene carelesse of my selfe and carefull for you and for the Church of God which is among you The Apostle had sent Timothie to other places to the Corinthians and to the Philippians He alwaies found him constant in faith and zealous to do good vnto the Saints And now commendeth him to this congregation and calleth him brother a minister of God and his labour fellow that so they might conceiue of his great care for them which sent so worthie a maÌ„ vnto them and also that they would estéeme him and haue him in reputation to hearken vnto Timothie and to do in al things as he should direct them Such as S. Paul nameth Timothie should al they be which are sent vnto the people They must holde the faith of Christ vnfainedly and professe it boldly they must be called and allowed of God to his seruice and must not be idle but paineful and labouring to builde vp the house of God and to gather in his haruest that they may truely be called the ministers of GOD and labourers in the Gospel They that are called to this seruice must not thinke it ynough that they serue God as men of other trades doe For princes and al sortes of people owe seruice and homage vnto God to serue him in holinesse righteousnesse al the dayes of their life This seruice of godly conuersation and obedience must ministers also most carefully performe But the especial seruice which belongeth to their calling is to carrie the arke of the couenaunt before their people to doe their message truely when they are sent To teach to instruct to erbort to comfort to rebuke in season and out of season to plant to wéede to graffe to shrid to holde vp their handes and to pray for the people To doe this seruice for kings for subiectes for rich for poore for the wise for the simple for the godly and for the wicked to establish them and comfort them touching their faiâ—…h Paul callâ—…th himselfe often The seruant of God the seruant of our Lord Iesus Christ. He reioyceth in this seruice and reckoneth it in part of his glorie If we consider the paines and trauailes which he tooke we shal knowe what diligence al others that are called to the same seruice ought to shewe Thus he writeth of himselfe I am debter both to the Graecians to the Barbarians both to the wise men and to the vnwise Therefore as much as lyeth in mee I am readie to preach the Gospel to you also that are at Rome Againe Though I bee free from all men yet haue I made my selfe seruaunt vnto al men that I might winne the more And vnto the Iewes I became as a Iewe that I may winne the Iewes to them that are vnder the lawe as though I were vnder the lawe that I may winne them that are vnder the lawe I am made all thinges to all men that I might by all meanes saue some Againe Wee preach not our selues but Iesus Christ the Lorde and our selues your seruauntes for Iesus sake Againe Wee are reuiled and yet wee blesse we are persecuted and yet suffer it I serve not my selfe sayeth hée but GOD. I serve not to séeke mine owne affections but in set smith his glorie Thus in his owne example he teacheth vs that in the seruice of the Church of God we must indure al paines and 〈◊〉 refuse to followe our calling for anie reprothe or shame or vilanie which may be wrought against vs by men V. 3. That no man should bee mooued with these afflictions for yee your selues knowe that wee are appointed therevnto Thinke not that you shal enioy the pleasures of this worlde if you he the faithful seruauntes of Christ. Christ shed his bloud for thée that thou shouldest not refuse to giue thy bloude for him Drinke the cup of bitter gal whereof Christ beganne to thée And carie thy crosse that thou mayest followe him If thou be ashamed of the crosse thou art ashamed of Christ if thou be ashamed of Christ hee wil be ashamed of thée before his father in heauen The crosse can not hurt thée for Christ hath sanctified it in his bloude Beholde not the sworde which striketh thée but thinke on the crowne of glorie which thou shalt receiue Gold is clearer after it hath béene put into the fire Be thou gold and the firie persecution shal not hurt thée Let not the feare of death put out thy faith Trust in the Lorde be strong and he shal stablish thy heart Bée roofed and built in Christ and stablished in the faith Then shall thy heart reâ—…oyce and no man shal take thy ioie from thée V. 4. For verily when wee were with you wee tolde you before that wee shoulde suffer tribulations euen as it came to passe and yee knewe it God giueth vs warning to be readie to suffer afflictions for his name My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of God stande
is the curse of God and the curse of the people This is Vsurie By these signes and tokens you may knowe it for wheresoeuer it raigneth al those mischiefes ensue But how and how many ways it may be wrought I wil not declare It were horrible to heare and I come now to reprooue Vsurie and not to teach it Let vs sée then what is the cause hereof and whence it groweth who is the mother the nurce or the bréeder of Vsurie For it groweth not euerie where nor among al men Manie hate it and detest it and had rather die than liue of such spoile It is not of God for God straitly forbiddeth it Neither is it founde among the children of God for loue séeketh not her owne profite but to doe good to her neighbour Whence then springeth Vsurie Soone shewed euen thence whence theft murther adulterie the plagues and destruction of the people doe spring Al these are the workes of the Diuell and the workes of the flesh Christ telleth the Pharises You are of your father the Diuel and the lustes of your father you wil do Euen so may it truely be saide to the Usurer thou art of thy father the Diuell and the lust of thy father thou wilt doe and therefore thou hast pleasure in his workes The Diuel entred into the heart of Iudas and put in him this gréedinesse and couetousnesse of gaine for which he was content to sell his maister Iudas heart was the shoppe the Diuel was the foreman to worke in it Saint Paul saith They that wil be rich fal into tentation and snares and into manie foolish and noisome lustes which drowne men into perdition and destruction For the desire of monie is the roote of euil And Saint Iohn saith Whosoeuer committeth sinne is of the Diuel Thus we sée that the Diuel is the planter and the father of Vsurie Couetousnesse desire of money vnsatiable gréedinesse deceitfulnesse vnmercifulnesse iniurie oppression extortion contempt of God hatred to the brethré and hatred of al men are the nurces and bréeders of vsurie It springeth from Sathan and groweth and is watered and fed and nourished by these cruell and damnable monsters Let vs see farther what are the fruits which come of Vsurie For perhappes it doeth some good and you may thinke that manie are the better for it These therefore are the fruites It dissolueth the knotte and felowship of mankinde it hardeneth mans heart It maketh men vnnaturall and bereaueth them of charitie and loue to their dearest friendes It bréedeth miserie and prouoketh the wrath of GOD from heauen It consumeth rich men it eateth vp the poore it maketh bankerupts and vndoeth manie housholdes The poore occupiers are driuen to flée their wiues are left alone their children are helplesse and driuen to begge their breade through the vnmercifull dealing of the couetous Usurer When Dauid laieth out the wickednesse of the country where he was persecuted he saith of them Non defecit Vsura dolus in plateis eorum Vsurie deceit departeth not from their streetes one séeketh to spoile and eate vp an other These are the commodities and the fruits of Vsurie Such is Vsurie in the middest of a Citie and such good it worketh as fire doth when it is set to the roofe of a house or as the plague doth when it is taken to the middest of the body and toucheth the hart We haue heard whence Vsurie springeth and what hurt it doth Which whosoeuer considereth may finde cause ynough to loath it and forsake it One asked of Cato What it was to commit Vsurie What is it saieth hée againe to kil a man He that is an Vsurer is a murtherer The same Cato saith Our fathers punished a thiese with paiment of the double of that he had taken but the Vsurer was alwaies condemned to paie foure times the valewe They were wise men They thought that an vsurer was much worse than a théefe For a théefe is driuen by extremitie and néede the Vsurer is rich and hath no néede The théefe stealeth in corners and in places where he may be vnknowne the vsurer openly and boldely at al times and in anie place The théefe to relieue his wife and children the Vsurer to spoile his neighbour and to vndoe his wife and children The théefe stealeth from the rich which haue inough the Vsurer from the poore that hath nothing The théefe fléeth and will be séene no more the Vsurer standeth by it continueth and stealeth still daie night sléeping and waking he alwaies stealeth The théefe repenteth of his déede he knoweth he hath done wrong and is sorie for it the Vsurer thinketh it is his owne that it is well gotten and neuer repenteth nor sorroweth but defendeth and maintaineth his sinne impudently The théefe if he escape many times becommeth profitable to his countrey and bestoweth him selfe painefully in some trade of life the Vsurer leaueth his marchandise forsaketh his husbandrie giueth himselfe to nothing whereby his countrey maie haue benefite The théefe is satisfied at length the Vsurer hath neuer inough The bellie of the wicked wil neuer be filled As the sea is neuer filled with water though al the streams of the world runne into it so the gréedinesse of an Vsurer is neuer satisfied though he gaine neuer so vnreasonably The sea is profitable the vsurer is hurtfull and dangerous By the sea we may passe and come safely to the hauen but no man passeth by vsurie without lesse or shipwracke Now heare what the godlie and learned fathers of the Church haue thought of vsurie No doubt they were godlie men and wrate hereof as God had inspired them as others before them had done Augustine saith Quid dicam de Vsuris quas ipsâ—… leges c. What shall I speakeÌ„ of Vsurie whereof the lawes and Iudges require that restitution be made is hee more cruel which stealeth something awaie from the rich man or hee that killeth a poore man with Vsurie Marke this an vsurer saith Augustine is cruel Why he killeth Whom the poore man whom in charitie he is bound to relieue Ambrose hereof saith Vsur as solvit qui victu indiget an quicquam grauius c. Hee that lacketh wherewith to keepe life payeth you Vsurie What heauier case may there be hee seeketh to be healed and you poison him he asketh you bread and you giue him a knife hee desireth you to set him at libertie and you bring him to further bondage And againe Thou Vsurer growest wealthy by other mens heauinesse thou makest gaines of their teares and weeping thou art fed with their hunger thou coinest thy money of the skinnes of those men whome thou destroyest howe thinkest thou thy selfe to be rich and yet beggest an almes of hym that is poore And the same Father saith further Ab hoc Vsuram exige quem non sit crimen occidere Whomsoeuer it is lawful to kill thou maist lend him thy mony to Vsurie For he
treasure is brought to you in poore broken earthie vessels The vessels are simple but the treasure is heauenly The messenger is weake but his word is the word of life which can cast downe euerie high thing that is exalted against the glorie of God Whatsoeuer they â—…éeme to you they are the eies of the Church and the mouth of God Christ saith vnto them whome he appointeth to this ministerie As my father sendeth mee so sende I you They haue the same commission be they neuer so poore He that heareth you heareth mee and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him that sent me saith Christ. Some there are that thus say O that I might heare Christ or Peter or Paule I would verily beléeue what they should preach This is fondnesse and curious vanitie For whensoeuer thou doest heare the minister of GOD breake vnto thée the word of life and teaching thée the trueth of the Gospell thou hearest Paule and Peter and Christ himselfe If thou despisest the word of God spoken vnto thée by him and the grace which God offereth thée by him thou despisest Christ him selfe and heapest vp the heauie displeasure of God against thée God wil giue thée ouer into a reprobate minde thou shalt haue eies yet shalt not sée thou shalt haue eares yet shalt not heare thou shalt die in thy sinne It shall be easier for Sodome at that daie than for thée Therefore acknowledge them giue credit to their message they watch and take paines for you What shal we say of them that labour not that doe neither teach nor exhorte nor reprooue nor correct that haue no care to doe their message and no regarde to the people What may I say of such God himselfe saith They are dumbe dogges and can not barke they lie and sleepe and delight in sleeping they all looke to their owne waie and to their owne aduantage and euerie one for his owne purpose Christ calleth them théeues and robbers They are vnsauerie salte profitable for nothing but to be cast foorth and troden vnder féete of men Woe is vnto me saith Paul if I preach not the gospel Wo to the seruant that wrappeth his talent in a napkin and increaseth not his maisters gaine God graunt such idle and slouthfull ministers grace to knowe their office and to doe it If not God giue the people grace to know them and shunne them and to flée from them That ye haue them in singular loue for their workes sake He telleth Timoâ—…hie The elders that rule well are worthie of double honour specially they which labour in the worde and doctrine Reuerence them and loue them Loue them for your owne sakes you haue life and comforte by them Honour them for their office sake They are your fathers they haue begotten you in Christ they carrie the keyes of the kingdome of heauen They are the Stewards of Gods house and the disposers of his mysteries Honor them and loue them for Gods sake He hath sent them and hath put his word in their mouth He hath said to them go ye into all the world preach the gospell vnto euerie nation Goe speake to the heart of Hierusalem that they may féele the waight of thy wordes and repent Loue them therefore For they loue you in Christ and are readie to giue their liues for your sake The Galathians so reuerenced and loued Saint Paule that he saieth Yee receiued me as an Angel of God For I beare you record that if it had beene possible you would haue plucked out your eies and haue giuen them me Be at peace among your selues You are the sonnes of God God is the God of peace Discorde contention and vnquietnesse are fit for the children of Sathan Liue in godly vnitie as becommeth the children of peace V. 14. We desire you brethren that yee admonish them that are vnruly comforte the feeble minded beare with the weake be patient toward all men 15. See that none recompence euill for euill vnto anie man but euer folow that which is good both towards your selues and towards al men There are some which walke among you inordinately they breake the bond of peace they sowe diuisions and discord betwéene the brethren they draw disciples after them and disquiet the Church of God they commaunde that hath béene forbidden by God and forbid that God hath commaunded Warne them that are such saie vnto them as did Saint Paul to the Corinthians We haue no such custome neither hath the Church of God Woe to him by whome offence commeth Say vnto them as Iosuah said to Achan In as much as thou hast troubled vs therefore God will trouble thee this daie After this sorte admonish them and laie open their wilfulnesse and blasphemie before their eies that they may sée the blindnesse of their heartes and in what sorte their life is disordered and so repent and be saued But what greater disorder can there be than that of theirs who haue this daie assembled them selues in force and in armour which haue lifted vp their sword against their soueraigne and disturbed the peace of this realme and haue misted the people and sought â—…o ouerthrow the Church of God Let vs admonish them if we may speake with anie that are so ill disposed and shew them the danger that hangeth ouer their heads Let vs saie to them thou hast done wickedly in the sight of God thou hast resisted the ordinaÌ„ce of God bicause thou hast resisted the power which hee hath ordained thou hast stricken with the sword therfore thou shalt perish by the sword thou hast disquieted the Israel of God therefore God shall disquiet thée Such rebels are vnruly They rise vp against their Prince as did Dathan and Abiram against Moses they aduance themselues against God as did Lucifer therefore shall they be cast downe aliue into hetl Comfort the feeble minded and those that be heauy in hart which suffer imprisonment and liue in pouertie and are gréeued and cannot help themselues Saie vnto them as Saint Iames Blessed is the man that endâ—…reth temptation for when he is tried he shal receiue the crowne of life which the Lord hath promised them that loue him Saie vnto them as Saint Peter this is thank woâ—…hie if a man for conscience toward god indure griefe suffring wrongfully Comfort them with the words of the Prophet They that sow in teares shall reape in ioie Comfort them with the wordes of Christ Blessed are ye which weepe now for ye shall laugh See that none recompence euil for euill to anie man Though you suffer manie things at the handes of the wicked yet you may not be followers of that euill which is in them Auenge not your selues but giue place vnto wrath for it is written vengeance is mine I will repay saith the Lord. Therefore if thine enimie hunger feede him if he thirst giue him drinke Herein shall it appeare if
we loue our neighbour as our selfe if we patiently abide iniuries and séeke to doe good vnto them that grieue and oppresse vs. I saie vnto you saith Christ loue your enimies blesse them that curse you doe good to them that hate you and pray for them that hurt you and persecute you That you may be the children of your father that is in heauen for he maketh his sunne to arise vpon the euill and the good and sendeth raine on the iust and vniust V. 16. Reioice euermore The ioie of the wicked shall haue an ende They reioice in their goods in their wisedome in their peace and worldly safetie and in the multitude of their children or discent of their petidegrée This ioie is transitorie it fadeth and abideth not The worlde passeth saith Saint Iohn and the lust thereof They reioice in their wickednesse the Lute and the Harpe Tabret and Pype and wine are in their feastes but they regard not the woorke of the Lorde They eat vp the people as it were bread they doe whatsoeuer they can deuise against the seruantes of God but the later ende of their ioye shalbe heauinesse as it is saide Woe be vnto you that laugh nowe for you shall weepe and lament But the ioy of the righteous is euerlasting Their heart shal reioice and no man shal take their ioy from them They comfort in this that their names are written in the booke of life They knowe the Lorde is at hand therefore they are carefull for nothing but reioyce alwayes in the Lord. S. Peter therefore saith You are kept by the power of God through faith vnto saluation which is prepared to bee shewed in the last time wherein yee reioyce though nowe for a season if neede require ye are in heauinesse through manifolde temptations Againe Ye reioyce with ioy vnspeakeable and glorious receiuing the ende of your faith euen the saluation of your soules This is the happinesse the ioye and the comfort that the godlie haue and shall continue with them V. 17. Pray continually It is the part of a good Christian and a wise man to know himselfe and to knowe the nature of this fleshe which wée beare about with vs which fighteth alwaies so mightily against the spirite to knowe the waiwardenesse and â—…rokendnesse of our hearte and the weakenesse and vanity of our minde Many are so farre from this that they thinke all their abilitie is of themselues I haue sayeth he iudgement I haue the light of reason I haue sense I haue vnderstanding and counsel and the ordering of mine owne waie Thus say they that neyther knowe GOD nor themselues But we must humble our selues vnder the mighty hande of God acknowledge that we are nothing We must confesse with S. Paul I knowe that in me that is to say in my flesh dwelleth no good And againe It is not in him that willeth nor in him that runneth but in God that sheweth mercie Our sauiour sayth That which is borne of the fleshe is flesh and that that is borne of the spirite is spirite And God saith The imaginatioÌ„ of mans hart is euil from his youth He hath made vs and not we our selues he knoweth vs and not wee our selâ—…s This is his saying and his iudgement of vs. This we finde true For our will is frowarde and our vnderstanding blinde Therefore sayth the prophet O Lord I know that the way of man is not in him selfe neither is it in man to walke and direct his steppes And Salomon The steppes of man are ruled by the Lorde how can a man then vnderstand his owne way And the prophet Ieremie Behold as the claie is in the potters hande so are you in my hand O Israel I mould you and forme you to my glorie When the Apostle putteth the Corinthians in minde of that good successe which God gaue vnto his ministery among them he saith Such trust haue we through Christ to GOD not that we are sufficient of our selues to thinke any thing as of our selues but our sufficiencie is of God Christ sheweth this to his disciples I am the vine you are the braunches he that abideth in me and I in him bringeth foorth much fruite for without me ye can doe nothing To the Colossians sayth Paul It is God which worketh in you both the wil and the deede euen of his good pleasure It is God that disposeth our goings turneth our harts as séemeth best to him He is able to make of the stones in the stréetes children vnto Abraham he is able to take away our stony heart and to giue vs a heart of flesh The consideration hereof leadeth vs to séeke helpe and comfort by prayer at the hande of God And then because we stande in continual néede of Gods helpe either to giue vs something that is good or to deliuer vs from that is euil the Apostle biddeth vs pray continually The eares of the Lord are open to the praiers of the righteous Therefore Christ sayth Aske and it shall be giuen you Seeke and ye shall finde knocke and it shall be opened vnto you God will giue you your hearts desire Let vs therefore goe boldly to the throne of grace that we may receiue mercie and finde grace to helpe in time of neede Dauid prayed vnto God Open thou mine eyes lighten my darkenesse direct my feete into the way of peace encline my heart O Lorde vnto thy testimonies stablish O God that which thou hast wrought in vs take not thy holie spirite from vs be thou our helper in troubles O forsake vs not vtterly He founde no way to attaine vnto knowledge of the will of God vnlesse God would open his vnderstanding endue him with his spirite Faith is the gift of God or else was the Apostles prayer in vaine Increase our Faith Our Sauiour teacheth vs to pray in this maner Halowed be thy name thy kingdome come thy will be done because without the grace and mercie of God we can doe nothing to the setting foorth of his glory V. 18. In all thinges giue thankes for this is the will of God in Christ Iesus towarde you These thrée are the badges or cognisance of a christian souldier to reioyce in the mercie of God to be feruent in prayer and to giue thankes to God in all thinges The heathens which haue no part in the kingdome of Christ are thankefull for their life and libertie and wealth and glorie and worldly prosperitie But Christians ought to be thankful in persecution in thraldome in aduersitie in shame in miserie and in death it selfe Who would thinke that a Lyon which by nature is fierce and cruel should yéelde foorth Hony yet Sampson found Honie in the bodie of a Lyon Who would thinke it likely that a man should bée preserued in the bellie of a fish Ionas was swallowed vp of a Whale and yet not hurt Who would thinke that a man
y e names of our fathers The Church of Thessalonica whose foundation was surely built by S. Paule himselfe for which he was so careful vnto which he wrate special letters to commende their increase in godlinesse and their stedfastnesse in the Gospel is forsaken and laide wast If the worke which the spirite of God wrought by the Apostle be decayed whose work may we thinke shal stande Ieremie spake vnto the people of the Jewes saying Trust not in lying wordes saying the Temple of the Lorde the temple of the Lord this is the temple of the Lord. That temple GOD himselfe commaunded to be built the forme and fashion thereof God himselfe deuised and appointed therein he placed his Tabernacle and sette vp his mercie seate therein he shewed foorth his maiestie and the glorie of his countenaunce Yet al this notwithstanding God saide by the prophet trust not in these wordes they be lying words and wil deceiue you As the Prophet spake of the temple at Ierusalem so may it be sayde of any other church throughout the worlde So may it be saide of the Churche of Rome Wée may say trust not in lying wordes saying the church of Rome the Church of Rome Say not thus with your selues the Church of Rome is built vpon a rocke so surely that it can not be moued or that no winde can shake it say not the faith of that Church can neuer faile These be lying wordes trust not in them for Christ neuer spake any such thing of y e church of Rome It neuer had promise of more special priuiledge than was giuen to the Church at Thessalonica Reade the Scriptures beholde the words of our Sauiour and consider them yen shal finde no spéech made of the Church of Rome nor any promise nor péece of promise wherein he bindeth himselfe more to y e church of Rome than he hath done to other churches or to this of Thessalonica Thessalonica was beautiful in the sight of God the Lorde of hostes had pitched his tentes rounde about her the name of the most bolie was placed in the middest of her shée enioyed like spirituall peace and prosperitie as did the Ierusalem of the almightie she was as a Citie fenced within it selfe but the Lord hath taken away the light of his countenaunce from her shée hath forsaken the waies of righteousnesse she hath left off to serue the Lorde and is become the place which the Lorde hath forsaken there is scarce anie remnant left there of those which call vppon the name of our saluation and loue the Lorde Iesus with an vnfained heart This is the Lordes doing and it is marueilous in our eyes And is his hande shortned that he cannot or is his zeale abated that he wil not in like seueritie deale with such as forsake him If he spared not the natural braunches if Ierusalem were ouerthrowne because of her iniquities it cannot be that hee wil spare other places that doe the like but that they shal also be cut off This is it that our Sauiour hath saide in the Gospel by S. Mathewe Therefore say I vnto you the kingdome of God shal be taken from you and shal be giuen to a nation which shal bring foorth the fruites thereof Such terrible dreadful examples hath God layde before our eyes to kéepe vs in his feare and in aâ—…e of his iudgements V. 2. Grace be with you and peace from GOD our Father and from the Lorde Iesus Christ. This is the salutation of Paule in al his Epistles to say I wish that the blessing and fanour and loue of God may light vppon you But for the better consideration hereof that we may know how earnestly we ought to pray vnto God for this grace and peace which the Apostle wisheth to the Churches let vs looke into our selues and sée how miserable we are if wee be left voyde of this grace and if God take his holy spirite away from vs. By nature what are we other than the bonde slaues of sinne We are not able to lift vp our eyes into heauen nor to beléeue in GOD nor to praise him nor to cal vppon his name We are not sufficient of our selues to thinke anie thing as of our selues Vnlesse hee open our lippes wee cannot shewe foorth his prayse Vnlesse hée heale our deafenesse we cannot giue care to his worde Vnlesse he giue vs vnderstanding heartes wee cannot take â—…owledge of his wil. Destruction and vnhappinesse sayth the Prophet Dauid are in their wayes and the way of peace haue they not knowne there is no feare of God before their eyes speaking of such as had not receyued the fauour and grace of God to guide and direct them And by the Prophet Malachie God vttereth his displeasure against them saying I haue no pleasure in you sayeth the Lorde of hostes neither wil I accept an offring at your handes Therefore the Apostle prayeth that they may receiue such measure of Gods grace as may quench in them the fierie dartes of the wicked and enhable them to holde fast that worthie thing that is committed vnto them and may kéepe them holic and vndefiled against the glorious comming of our Lord and Sauiour Iesus Christ. V. 3. Wee ought to thanke God alwayes for you bretheren as it is meete because that your faith groweth exceedingly and the loue of euerie one of you towardes another aboundeth 4. So that we our selues reioice of you in the church of God because of your patience and fayth in al your persecutions and tribulations that ye suffer God hath wrought this good worke of faith and loue and pacience in your hearts he wil make it prosper and encrease It is he which hath put this fire in you and he wil make it burne Hee hath layde his leauine in the dough or meale of your heart and wil make it heauie and worke vntill al be leauined Hée wil make you abounde more and more and wil bring to a good ende the thing he hath begonne Your faith groweth exceedingly This is the wil of God that we ware and encrease in al holinesse Hereby we know whether we be of God or no. We may not stand at a stay but must be renewed One sayth in via virtutis qui noÌ„ proficit deficit Whosoeuer mendeth not him self in the practise of vertue he groweth worse God hath placed vs in a race to run we must so run that we may attaine the price We are graffes of y e Lords planting we must grow to the heigh and breadth of a trée and bring foorth fruit We are pilgrimes and strangers and passe by the wildernesse of this world into our heauenly resting place wee may not stay by the way but must remoue our tentes and continually march on forwarde vntill that day come when wee shall enter into the lande of promise So that we our selues reioyce of you in the Church of God c. Your faith is not onelie true and pure but setled and