and being not able by reason of the iniquitie of the time to finish it it was afterward perfited by Elizabeth wife to King Edward the 4. in the yere of our Lord 1465. Katherine Hall was built by Robert Woodlarke Doctor of Diuinitie and Chancelor of Cambridge by him indowed with cōpetēt possessions Iesus Colledge was conuerted from a Priorie into a Colledge by Iohn Alcocke Bishop of Ely in the yeare of Christ 1502. and by him both reedifyed and also possessed with sufficient reuenewes the rents whereof were afterward inlarged by Sir Robert Reade Knight Doctor Eleston Doctor Royston and Doctor Fuller with others Christes Colledge was first founded by King Henry the syxt who named it Gods house afterward it was translated by the Lady Margaret Countesse of Richmond Darby in the yeare of our Sauiour 1505. and called Christs Colledge To this Colledge Edward the 6. conferred one felowship and three schollerships That honorable Knight also Sir Gualter Mildmay and Edmund Grindall late Archbishop of Canterbury were notable contributors benefactors to this Colledge gaue to it annuall pēsions for euer Saint Iohns Colledge was translated from a Priorie into a Colledge by the Lady Margaret Coūtesse of Richmond and Grandmother to King Henry the eyght in the yeare of our Lord 1508. Magdalen Colledge was conuerted frō a house of Monks into a Colledge by the noble Duke of Buckingham in the yeare of our Lord 1519. This Colledge hath since beene greatly repayred and beawtified with goodly buildings by Sir Christopher Wray Knight late Lorde chiefe Iustice of England Trinity Colledge was erected by King Henry the 8. in the yere of our Lord 1546. who gaue vnto it yearely for euer 1300. poūds besides the old ancient possessions Qu. Mary augmēted the same Colledge and gaue to it in lands 338. pounds Sir Gualter Mildmay Knight founded a goodly Colledge called Emanuell Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1584. The Lady Francis Countesse of Sussex hath also begun the foundacion of a newe Colledge and hath geuen to the same 5000. pound in the yeare of our Lord 1588. But to come to the Vniuersitie of Oxforde and so to make an ende Alfredus sometime King of this land for the zeale he bare to good letters erected the Vniuersitie of Oxford in the yeare of our Lord 872. but some attribute the first building of it to Mempricius before Christ 1015. yeares othersome ascribe it to Vortiger after the birth of Christ 474. yeares King Aluredus or Alfredus whether you will for he was called by both those names built the Vniuersitie Colledge which beeing afterwards almost defaced William Bishop of Durham repaired agayne and gaue to it goodly reuenewes in the yeare of our saluation 1217. Bailiol or Ballioll King of the Scots built Balioll Colledge in the yeare of our Sauiour 1263. and his wife Deruergulla indowed it with yearely reuenewes Gualter de Merton sometyme Lord Chancelor of England built Merton Colledge in the yeare of our Redeemer 1264. and inuested it with great and large possessions Gualter Stapleton Bishop of Exceter built Exceter Colledge in the yere of our Lord 1316. Edward the 2. after the Conquest or as some hould Sir Adam Browne Almoner to the sayde King built Oriall Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1323. Robert Eglesfield Bacheler of Diuinitie built the Queenes Colledge in the yere of our L. 1340. wherto Edmund Grindall Archbish. of Canterbury besides 100 pound in money which hee gaue in his life time gaue also 20 pound a yere for euer The same Archbishop also at his death gaue to the same Colledge many goodly bookes ten pound in mony to buy chaynes to tye them in besides plate and other iewels of great value William Wiccam sometime Bishop of Winchester and Lord Chancelor of Englande built a most stately Colledge called New Colledge in the yeare of our Lord 1375. gaue to it goodly reuenewes The same Bishop also built a goodly Colledge in the suburbs of the Citie of Winchester for the better erudition of youth in good letters Richard Flemming Bishop of Lincolne in the yeare of grace 1420. built Lincolne Colledge and bestowed vpon it lands and possessions which remayne to this day Henry Chichley Archbishop of Canterbury built All Soules Colledge in the yeare of our Lorde 1437. and gaue to it large reuenewes About the same time Humfrey called the good Duke of Glocester built a most famous Schoole called the Diuinitie Schoole wherein he placed a goodly Library of 129. chosen bookes which he had gathered out of the most places in Christendome to his vnspeakable great cost and charges William Wamflet Bishop of Winchester in the yeare 1459. built Magdalene Colledge and gaue fayre lands and goodly possessions to it He built also a good part of Eaton Colledge besides a free Schole at Wamflet in Lincolne shire William Smith Bishop of Lincolne built Brasen nose Colledge in the yeare 1513. Richard Fox Bishop of Winchester erected Corpus Christi Colledge in the yeare 1516. and indowed it with sufficient reuenewes Thomas Wolsey Cardinall Archbishop of Yorke founded a goodly Colledge called Christs Colledge or Christs Church in the yeare 1546. gaue to it many great possessiōs Sir Thomas Pope Knight reedified Trinitie Colledge in the yere 1556. which Colledge was first founded by Thomas of Hatfeild Bishop of Durham for his Monkes and bestowed great possessions vppon it also Sir Thomas White Knight repaired the colledge first begun by Henrie Chichley Archbishop of Cantuburie and called it Saint Iohns Colledge whereto he gaue in reuenues for euer fiue hundred pounds a yeere this he dyd in the yere of Christ 1557. The said sir Tho. White also founded a hall for students called Saint Iohns hall but sometime Glocester colledge which beeing suppressed he bought it with his monie and placed therein a principall and a hundred poore schollers and moe and hauing made great reparations of the same hee adioyned it to Saint Iohns colledge which before he had founded He also erected free schooles at Bristow Reading Moreouer he gaue in his lyfe time two thousand poundes to the citie of Bristow to purchase landes to the value of one hundred and twenty poundes a yeere for the which the Maior and communaltie of Bristow in anno 1567 and so yeerely during the terme of tenne yeeres following shoulde cause to be paide at Bristow one hundreth pounde The first eight hundreth pounds to be lent to sixteene pore young clothiers and free men of the same towne for the space of ten yeeres fiftie pounds a peece they ptuting in sufficiēt sureties for the same And at the end of tenne yeeres the same to bee lent to other sixteene at the discretion of the Maior and communaltie aforesayde The other two hundred poundes to bee imployed for the prouision of corne for the releefe of the poore of the same Citie for theyr readie monie without gains to be taken And after the ende of nine
yeeres on Barthelmewe daie in the yere one thousand fiue hundred seauentie and seauen at the Machaunt sailers hall in the Citie of London to the Maior and comcommunaltie of the citie of Yorke one hundred and foure pounds to be lent to foure young men free of the sayde Citie of Yorke fiue and twentie poundes a peece for the space of ten yeeres without paying anie interest for it The foure pounds ouerplus of the hundred four he gaue to the Maior communaltie for their paines The verie same or the like order hee tooke for the deliuerie of one hundred and foure pounds in the yeere of our Lorde 1578. to the Citie of Canterburie in the yeere 1579. to Reading 1580. to the companie of the Marchaunt Tailers 1581. to Glocester 1582. to Worcester 1583. to Exeter 1584. to Sarisburie 1585. to Westchester 1586. to Norwich 1587. to Southamtō 1588. to Lincoln 1589. to Winchester 1590. to Oxford 1591. to Hereford East 1592. to Cambridge 1503. to Shrewsburie 1594. to Linne 1595. to Bath 1596. to Ipswich 1598. to Colchester 1599. to New-castle and then to begin againe at Bristow one hundred and foure poundes the next yeere to the citie of Yorke and so forth to the said cities as before and the same to continue for euer Also this said sir Thomas White gaue to the Maior and communaltie of Couentrie one thousand and foure hundred pounds to purchase lands to the value of three score and ten pounds a yeere which rents he deuised as foloweth First that twelue poore inhabitants of the foresayde citie shall haue paide them foure twentie poundes yeerely the eleuenth daie of March that is fortie shillings a peece for euer Furthermore hee deuised for the space of ten yeres to commence within one yere after his decease to foure pore men of the said Citie forty pounds yerely vz. ten poundes to each of them for nine yeres after the receit therof in free lone And after those nine yeeres were expired to other foure poore men of the same citie for nine yeeres and so from nine yeres to nine yeres for euer At the end of which nine yeeres he deuised that the maior and communaltie of Couentrie for the space of thirtie yeeres shall imploy the said fortie poundes yeerely to two young men of the sayd citie for nine yeres in free lone for euer and so after those nine yeeres from nine yeeres to nine yeeres for euer And after the expiratiō of those thirty yeres the sayd fortie pounds to be delyuered to one yong man of the sayd Citie in free lone for nine yeeres and so from nine yeeres to nine yeres for euer Afterwards he deuised the sayd sum of fortie pounds to bee deliuered to Northampton and to be lent to one young man of the sayde towne for nine yeeres in free lone and so from nine yeeres to nine yeeres for euer And then the next yeere after that to the towne of Leicester as aforesayd The yeere following to the Towne of Northampton as aforesayd The next yere after that to the towne of Warwike as aforesayd And then againe to Couentrie for one yeere and so to the other townes aforesayde one after another for euer But to leaue this worthie person and to hasten vnto others Iohn Alcocke Bishoppe of Elie founded a free schoole at Kingstone vppon Hull and gaue to the same certaine landes for euer King Henrie the sixt built Eaton colledge in the yeere of our Lorde 1443. Our most gracious and dread soueraigne Ladie Elizabeth the Queenes Maiestie that nowe is whom God preserue for euer not onely reedified but also inlarged with greate and ample reuenewes the famous free schoole of Westminster Iohn Collet Deane of Paules founded a goodly free schoole in the Churchyard of Saint Pauls in London called Paules schoole in the yeere 1510. Iohn Tat builte Saint Anthonies schoole in London The Worshipfull Companie of the Marchant tailers built a famous schoole in the Citie of London called the Marchant tallers school anno 1560. Hugh Prise Doctor of the lawe founded a new colledge called Iesus colledge in the yeere 1572. King Bladud founded the Vniuersitie of Stanford and brought Philosophers from Athens thether Besides all which Colledges Vniuersities and schooles of learning we reade almost of infinit Churches Temples Chappels Abbies Frieries Monasteries and other religious houses not onely in England but euen throughout all christendome which they our forefathers I meane haue founded erected to their perpetual praise honor renown But of many heare a few King Ethelbert for the singular zeale hee bare to religion built St Augustines a goodly Church in Canterburie Hee built also S. Paules Church in London and S. Andrewes in Rochester Cissa built the Abbey of Abingdon and Erkenwald Bishop of London built the Abbeies of Chertsey Barking Ostricke Duke of Glocester founded the Abbey of Glocester Remingus Bishop of Dorchester built a goodly new Church in Lincolne Osmond Bishop of Sarisburie founded the Cathedrall Church of Sarisburie in the yeere 1091. Herbert Bishoppe of Norwich built the Cathedrall Church of Norwich in the yeere 1202. Queen Mathild built the church of the Trinitie within Algate in London in the yeere 1108. One Peter a Priest of Colchurch was the first that built Londō bridge of timber in the yeere 1562. And yet ceased they not heere but other some built hospitalles spittles and almes houses for the poore as namely Walter Brune Citizen of London and Rosia his wife founded the hospitall without Bishops gate in London Iohn Lowkin sometime Maior of London builte a Chappell and an hospitall for the poore at Kingstone vpon Thames he built also the Parish Church of Saint Michael in crooked lane Iohn Philpot Maior of London gaue certaine landes to the chamber of London for which they are to paie seuen pence a peece to thirteen poore persons for euer in the yeere 1379. One William Seuenocke founded in the Towne of Seuen-oke in Kent a freeschoole and twelue almes-houses in the yeere of our Lord 1418. Iohn Clapton Maior of London built a stone bridge at Straitford vpon Auon and also a high waie of foure miles long in the yere 1492. Iohn Milborne builte certaine almes houses by Crochet Friers in London wherein are maintayned twelue poore people who haue theyr dwellinges rent free and two shillings sixe pence a peece the first daie of euery month for euer Nicholas Gibson builte the free schoole in Ratcliffe by London gaue ten pound a yeere to the master and twentie nobles a yeere to the vsher for euer besides hee built there certaine almes houses for foureteene poore people who quarterly receiue vi shillings eight pence a peece for euer Sir Thomas Lupton knight founded a free Schoole and certayne almes houses at Arendale in Northamptonshiere where seuen poore people haue eight shillinges eight pence a peece the quarter for euer Sir Rowland Hill Mercer of London caused a causie or pauement to bee made in the high waie betwixt
Stone and Nantwich in Chesshire for horse and man to passe Hee caused the like causie to bee made betwixt Dunchurch and Brausen in Warwikshier well nere three miles in length Hee gaue twentie pounds in monie towards the making of Royton bridge he made also foure bridges two of stone and two of timber he built also a notable free schoole at DraitoÌ„ in Shrop-shier with lands sufficient for maister and vsher for euer Moreouer hee gaue in his life time fiue hundred poundes in monie to the hospitall of Christes Church in London and an hundred pounds at his death Sir William Peter knight besides that he gaue one hundred pounds a yeere in lands to Exeter colledge in Oxford builded also ten almes houses in Ingerstone for twentie poore people euerie one of them hauing two pence a daie a winter gowne and two loads of wood amongest them all keeping for sixe kine Winter and Summer for euer William Lambe Gentleman of the Chappell to king Henrie the eight made the great conduit nere Holborne bridge in London carrying the water by pipes of lead aboue two thousand yards and this he did of his owne proper cost and charges amounting by estimation to the summe of fifteene hundred poundes The same master Lambe gaue to the parish of Saint Faiths vnder Paules in London sixe poundes thirteene shillings and foure pence yeerely to be distributed equally amongst twelue pore people euerie fridaie twelue pence in monie and twelue pence in bread for euer He gaue also to Christs hospitall yerely for euer sixe pound and an hundred pound in monie to purchase lands to the same To Saint Thomas hospitall in Southwarke hee gaue 4. pound a yeere for euer To the hospitall called the Sauor hee gaue sometimes ten pounds at once towardes the buying of bedding for the poore He gaue to the Companie of the cloth workers in London foure poundes a yeere for euer He gaue to the same companie his dwelling house and other lands to the value of thirtie pounds a yeere to hire a Minister to saie seruice euerie wednesdaie fridaie and saterdaie to preach foure sermons euerie yeere after his decease in the Church called Saint Iamesses in the wall by Cripple gate in London and also to giue to xii poore men to euerie one a freeze gowne ready made a shirt of locoram and a new paire of shooes and to twelue pore women twelue gownes of freese twelue smockes and twelue payre of shooes for euer Hee also erected a free schoole and six almes houses at Sutton Valens in Kent with sufficient allowance mayntenance for them both Hee also gaue to the townes of Ludlow and Bridgenorth to either an hundred pounds a peece to set poore men on worke withall He gaue also towardes the setting of poore men on worke in Suffolke an hundred poundes I might heere recite many moe such lyke examples of our good forefathers if I feared not to bee tedious but I will wade no further heerein at this time hoping that those fewe except we haue shakeÌ„ hands with all godlynesse made a league with death a couenant with hell as the Prophet speaketh wil yet some what serue to the stirring vp of our drousie mindes to the exercise and practise of good workes and to leaue behinde vs to the posterityes to come some fruites of our faith some seales of our profession and some pledges of our christian loue and charitie as our good ancestors haue done before vs. For is it not a shame vnto vs that our forefathers liuing in the times of superstition when poperie and Idolatrie had ouerflowed almost the whole world and hauing but as it were a glimmering of the glorious lyght of the Gospell of Christe shoulde notwithstanding so farre passe vs in good workes as that we may not once be compared to them in anie small measure Oh what a condemnation will this be vnto vs It had bin better for vs a great deale we had neuer knowen the truth than knowing it not to follow it as Christ witneseth in a certayne place if I had not come vnto them and done those works which none else could do they should haue had no sinne yea I pray God that publicanes and sinners do not goe before many of vs Protestants into the kingdome of heauen for wee talke much but walke nothing after it And therfore now at the last euen in the name of God let vs contend and striue one with another in an holy zeale if not to excel yet to match or if not to match yet to come some-what neere our forefathers in doing of good works Let vs follow the councell of Christ who sayth Let your lightes so shine before men that they seeing your good works may glorify your father which is in heauen And doubtles God is glorified by vs in nothing more than in good works being done in faith according to the word of God and in leauing of monuments and remembraÌ„ces of our christian loue and godly zeale towards the brethren behind vs. And no maruaile for in the very actioÌ„ of good works we effect three most excellent vertues christian dutiess as first we glorify God in our selues and by our selues secondly we relieue sustaine and comfort our poore brethren and thirdly we moue theyr harts their soules spirits to thank God for vs to pray for vs and to praise the Lord for his blessings bestowed vpon them in the mouing of our harts to the succoring of theÌ„ For if the goods that wee bestowe be the Lordes and not ours as without all peraduenture they are the Psalmist bearing witnes where he sayth Domini est terra plenitudo eius The earth is the Lords and the fulnesse thereof and the Prophet affirming the same speaking in the person of God golde is mine siluer is mine and all the riches vpon the face of the earth is mine and haue not my handes made them all and if it be God that geueth both the will and the deede as the Apostle sayth it is then great cause haue the poore soules to prayse the goodnes of God for hys fatherly care and mercifull prouidence towardes them in succouring and relieuing theyr necessities by the hande or ministery of such and such hys seruants And vppon the other side happie and blessed art thou whome God thy creator doth vse as an instrumeÌ„t to do good and to relieue his Saints vppon the earth that haue neede It is a testimonie to thy conscience that thou art a childe of grace a vessell of saluation and feaâ—â—ed vp to the day of redemption But heere peraduenture it may be obiected that these men that did these workes were for the most part Papists and therfore their deedes were naught and no better than the workes of the Turkes Infidels or Pagans I graunt that the most part of them were indeede Papists but yet it followeth not therefore that they were absolutely euill because they were done by Papists The Deuill may doe and sometimes
also doth a good worke but yet against his will and by deuine impulsion is it therefore euill because he doth it hee confessed that Iesus was the sonne of God is it euill therefore to confesse Christ because he did so is good seed the worse though an euill mā sow it so a Papist may do good works and to a good end is it therefore euill because he doth it but if he do them to this end to be iustified to purchase heauen and to merite euerlasting life by them then in respect of the doers and in regard of the ends whereto they are done they are altogether vnlawfull and no good workes indeede but rather pledges seales of cōdemnation against the doers Yet notwithstanding in as much as the most of these works although they were afterwards horribly abused by others tended to the glory of God and benefite of the common wealth they were therefore good works and notable testimonies and demonstrations as wel of their great loue and zeale as also of their godlines For example Is not this a good worke to build Churches Chappels and other oratories and houses of religion wherin the preaching of the word of God and other exercises of true religion might bee practised amongst all posterities to the end of the world yea it is such a worke that I pray God sende vs moe of them For it is lamentable in some parishes the people are forced to goe three or foure nay fiue or sixe in some peraduenture eyght or ten miles to the Church for want of Churches neerer them Shall wee thinke to build Churches was no good worke because they were afterwards prophaned by Idolatrie and polluted by superstition What thing is there in this world but it hath beene is or may be abused And shall wee take away the thing it selfe because of the abuse Then farewell meate and drinke farewell apparrell yea farewell word of God and all for euery one of them hath beene is and will be continually abused to the end But in as much as the abuse is not of the substance of the thing but meerely accidentall take away the abuse and let the thyng remayne still There are in deede neotericall and phantasticall spirits start vp of late that would haue all Churches pulled downe and defaced to the ende that theyr priuate conuenticles and Iewish Synagogues myght take place And truely the world is nowe almost come to theyr humor for nowe euery one seeketh to pull from the Church to raze and deface it by all meanes possible accoumpting that well gotten what soeuer is extorted or purloyned from it quo iure quaue iniuria eyther by hooke or crooke as they vse to say And the same to be true in deede doth the present state of the most of our Churches in England verify For where I haue trauayled as I haue trauayled the whole realme ouer I haue found in most places nay almost in all the Churches to lye like barnes some thatched with strawe and which is worser some with broome bent loope reede and I cannot tell what rubbish els the windowes all to torne the wals cleft and rent asunder the roofes rayning in without measure and the chauncels as they call them eyther pulled quite downe I will not saye begged of some greedie puttocke or insaciable cormorant or other to build his owne house withall or else ready to fall vppon their heads euery day with euery little puffe of winde And as for the pues and seates they are such as would make a man to loath to come in them Their flowres or pauements are so farre from being tiled or paued that there is nothing to be seene but sand and dust a foote or two thicke so that if you stirre your feete neuer so little all the Church is full of dust enough to stifle or choke a man Agayne in othersome places I haue seene the Churches strawed ouer either with hay grasse strawe sedges bent loope or such other trash worser than I haue knowen many swyne to lye in Yea truly I haue seene some Churches as I haue sayde to lye farre worser than eyther barnes or stables God be mercifull to vs. For the one they will keepe well and repaire for the safegard of their corne the other for their beasts and cattell And is it not a lamentable case that the Church and house of prayer for so Christ calleth it My house shall be called the house of prayer but you haue made it a denne of the eues should lye so beastly our owne houses in the meane time being most stately sumptuous and gay Good King Dauid was of an other minde when hee sayde Shall my house be of Cedar and Cipres wood and the Arke of God to lye in Tents and therefore made he infinite prouision to build a Temple for it Is it nowe tyme to build your owne houses and is it not tyme to build the Lordes house sayth the Prophet Well I wyll say no more heereof but I pray God that the reuerend Byshops to whome God hath committed the dispensacion of his word and the scepter and rule of hys spouse vppon earth may looke better to the building repairing keeping of the Church of God and house of prayer Now to goe forward Is it not a good worke to build bridges to make causies pauements and high wayes that trauellers may paste safely frō one place to an other There are some not a few no doubt that think it no good deede whatsoeuer it be if a penny of money must goe from them therfore they care not if al good workes were buryed in the graue of obliuion that they might neuer see the light but as abortiues to be vtterly smothered for euer Hereof is it that we cānot so much as finde in our harts not only not to build but not so much as to maynteyne and repaire those bridges high wayes causies pauemēts and other ancient monuments of good works which our Ancestors haue left behind thē as to their inestimable charges so to their perpetuall praise renowne so far off are we frō doing any of our owne I my selfe hauing trauayled ouer and about the whole realme haue found diuerse Bridges yea and that ouer mighty waters eyther cleane broken downe without any great hope of building againe in haste or else so shaken rent and torne that it would feare a man eyther to goe or ryde ouer them I could name aboue an hundred such in Englande but for that I will offend no man by name I will ouerpasse them beseeching God to put into the harts of our Magistrates and Rulers that they may be amended For I am sure there are not a fewe both men and women in England drowned in a yeare by reason these Bridges are not maynteyned Our good Auncestors not onely built them but also left for the most of them both landes and rents to vphould them I pray God they be not imbezeled and purloyned from them and bestowed an
is honored by these two kindes of othes so is hee dishonored and displeased with swearing by him at euery word in our ordenary talke and that vppon euery trifle or light occasion or rather for no cause at all This kinde of vsuall swearing is altogether forbidden by our Sauiour himselfe where he sayth Sweare not at all neyther by heauen for it is the throne of God nor yet by the earth for it is his footestoole neyther by Ierusalem for it is the City of the great King neyther shalt thou sweare by thy head because thou canst not make one hayre white or blacke but your communication shall be yea yea nay nay for whatsoeuer is more than this commeth of euill The Apostle S. Iames also warneth vs to the same effect saying but aboue all things my brethren sweare not neither by heauen nor by earth nor by any other kinde of oth but let your communication be yea yea nay nay least you fall into cōdemnation The very same doth Salomon teach vs when he sayth The man that vseth much swearing shall be filled with iniquity the plague of God shall neuer goe frō his house And yet notwithstanding all this there are not a few that make euen as it were an occupation of swearing and forswearing of blaspheming cursing and banning at euery word accoumpting him a peasant and no man that cannot sweare it out lustely In which point the diuels are better than they for as the Apostle Iames recordeth they tremble and quake at the very name of the Maiestie of God but these desperate roagues and shagd hayred ruffians are so farre off from trembling or quaking at the name of God that they rent and teare him in a thousand pieces at euery word as much as lieth in their powers blaspheming both him and his glorious name without all remorse or conscience But let them take heede for surely I am of this minde that it were better though both in the iustice of God be damnable to kill a man than to sweare an oth or once to blaspheme the name of God any maner of way for the one is the breach of the first Table which respecteth the worship of God only the other is but the breach of the second Table which compriseth our duties one towards an other And as it is forbid to sweare vaynely by the name of God in our ordenary talke familiar communication at euery word for euery trifle so is it also forbid to sweare by any other than by God alone in the two respects before remembred and neither by Saints nor Angels Sunne nor Moone Starres nor Planets bread nor salt fire nor water nor any other creature else what so euer neyther is it lawfull to sweare by any counterfaite oth as fay or fecke gogs bud gogs lownes nor the lyke for all these kindes of swearings are abhomination before the Lord who hath geuen vs an expresse commaundement that wee neyther sweare by their idolls nor yet once make mention of theyr gods in our mouthes For whatsoeuer we sweare by we make an idoll of it and a false God attributing that honor and worship to the creature which is due to the creator who only is to be inuocate and called vppon as a witnesse in all our actions and none but hee And nowe to the second part of theyr blasphemous allegacion Whereas they say that it is lawfull to haue the name of God often in our mouthes and the oftner the better I aunswere true it is wee ought indeede to haue the maiestie of God both in our heartes and in our mouthes and the oftener the better but how not in blasphemous sort to make a stale or a iesting stocke of hym for we are forbid to take the name of God in vayne and the Lorde wyll not hould hym guiltlesse that taketh hys name in vayne but in all holy reuerence deuotion and obedience yea in all holy feare and trembling This the Apostle meant when he sayde If any man speake let hym speake as sayth the word of God againe let your cōmunication be such as may minister grace to the hearers Let these lusty Caueliroes take heed how they dally with the Lord any while for as the Apostle noteth God is a consuming fire and in an other place it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of God yea he is that stone that vpon whom soeuer he falleth he grindeth to powder But to draw towards an end It is a good worke in euery one to be carefull of his brothers good name neyther backbiting detracting slaundering nor any way discrediting him by word or deede but rather seeking by all meanes possible to conserue his credit as much yea and in some respects more than his owne And if he knowe or heare any thing which might sound to the impayring of his credit or blemishing of hys good name to bury it in the graue of obliuion that it may neuer rise agayne nor come to light to the disparagement or preiudice of his brothers good name for euer What shall we say then to those vile persons and scummes of the worlde not worthie to haue cōmon breath amongst christians who are so farre off from christian charitie that albeit they neither knowe nor in truth neuer heard anie euill of their brother will yet in the fulnesse of their mallice coine and forge matter defamatorie agaynst him and when they haue done publish it to the view of the world in railing pamphlets and paltrie libels to his vniust infamie and their owne perpetuall shame The badge or cognisance of the children of God whereby they are knowen and discerned from the children of the deuill is loue as our sauiour Christ saith himselfe By this shall all men knowe that you are my disciples if you loue one another Again the badge or cognisance of the children of the deuill whereby they are discerned from the children of God is hatred rancour mallice enuie lying slaundering detracting and backbiting of theyr brethren and the lyke Now then these fellowes are so farre off from wearing the cognizance of the children of God that they marshall themselues vnder the standard of the deuill being inuested with his cognizance as his seruants and vassals Is this to doe to an other as they would wish an other should doe to them Is this the nature of that loue which Paule describeth where he saith Loue suffereth long is bountiful enuieth not doth no euill is not prouoked to anger thinketh no euill reioyseth not in iniquity Is this the fruite of that loue which the Apostle Peter goeth about so earnestly to perswade vs vnto where he sayth But aboue all things my brethren haue feruent loue amongst your selues for loue shall couer a multitude of sins The Apostle S. Iohn sayth that God is loue and that those that dwell in loue dwell in God and God in thē Then it must needes follow that if those that dwell in loue do dwell