exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may
matter what it is to let the true Christian religion I do meane those which are confirmable and agreable to the Christian rule and good manners On the contrarie I beséech them to remember a lawe of the Aegyptians by the which the kings of the countrie did adiure and sweare the iudges not to iudge any thing wrongfully yea when the king hath commaunded them expresly and if they do disalowe me in this matter I wil put before their eyes the exhortation which Iehosaphat made vnto the Iudges of Iuda admonishing and warning them to consider that they doe not exercise the iudgment of men but of GOD and that it shall be with them according to the thing iudged to haue the feare of the Lorde before their eyes to know that there is no vnrighteousnes in the Lord your god nor the regarding of persons nor taking of rewardes They haue written this lawe not with ynke but with the spirite of the liuing God not in tables of stone but in the fleshly tables of their heartes To the end that by their arrestes and Edictes they haue moued by that afore the people vnto a rage and furie more then barbarous and Scythian they may be also an occasion that hereafter the Christian people doe breake their swordes and speares to make sithes sickles and sawes thereof From that time foorth shall not one people lift vp weapon against another neither shall they learne to fight from thencefoorth but as the prophet Iob saith that we may all walke in the feare of the Lord let vs acknowledge also on our parte that God hath ben prouoked iustly against vs for our demerites and transgressions according as he doth menace and threaten some time his people by the Prophet that he wil take from them the Captein the Souldier the Iudge and the Prophet the wise and the aged man the worshipfull of fiftie yeare olde and the honourable the Senatours and men of vnderstanding the maisters of craftes and Oratoures and shall giue vnto them to be their Princes children and babes shall haue the rule ouer them The people shal be pilled and polled one shall euer be doing violence and wronge to an other The boye shall presume against the elder and the vile person against the honourable Bicause saith the Prophet that both their wordes and counseils are against the Lorde they prouoke the presence of his maiestie vnto anger Wherefore O Christian and faithfull people let vs consider our wayes and search them and let vs returne vnto the Lorde and bewaile vs for our sinnes Let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen saying We haue bene dissemblers and haue offended wilt thou therefore not be intreated thou hast conuerted vs in thy wrath and persecuted vs thou hast slaine vs without any fauour thou hast hidde thy selfe in a cloude that our prayers shoulde not goe thorowe thou hast made vs outcastes and to be dispised among the heathen All our enimies gape vppon vs feare and snare is come vpon vs yea dispite and destruction O Lorde be not so sore displeased and kéepe not our offences too long in thy remembrance but consider that we are all thy people The cities of thy Sanctuarie lie wast Syon is a wildernesse Ierusalem a desert Our holy house which is our beautie where our fathers praised thée is brent vp yea all our pleasures and commodities are wasted away remember not Lorde our offences but finish the worke which thou hast begunne in vs in this meane libertie of the religion that we may all sing in great hope and assurance with the Prophet Dauid mercie and truth are met together righteousnesse and peace kisse each other truth shal rise out of the earth and righteousnesse shall looke downe from heauen Graunt vs O Lorde that grace in the name and fauour of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen ESAY 11. c. The Lord shall set vp a token among the Gentils and gather together the dispersed of Israel yea and of the outcastes of Iuda from the foure corners of the worlde A prayer O Lord which doest disperse and breake the counsells of the nations dost bring too nothing the enterprises of the people shed out the bowels of thy mercies vpon those which do fight daily against thée as their forefathers and woulde chase and driue thée from thy celestiall throne as the king of Babilon To conclude doe put and set them selues against thy sonne Christe teachers and liers as that sonne of perdition for to pull vp by the roote that which thou hast planted to destroy to ruinate that which thou hast builded to hinder and stop that which thou hast shed out euen vnto the vttermost ends of the earth yea do go about by all meanes to marre and to spill that which thou hast tried in the furnesse of the earth and purified seuen times in the fier to ad vnto that which thou hast ordeined in all integrie perfection To cōclud would suppresse abolish by force that which thou hast established for euer O Lord giue thē feare that they may acknowledg confesse him whom thou hast raised vp to set vp the kinreds of Iacob to restore the destruction of Israel and whom thou hast giuen for to lighten the Gentiles that he may be thy health vnto the end of the worlde our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen AN ADVERTISEMENT VNto these which doe crie dayly that wee must not suffer two religions Cap. 4. 1. TIMOTH 4. ¶ Therfore we labour and suffer rebuke bicause we beleeue in the liuing God which is the sauiour of all men but especially of all those that beleeue IT is most euident and knowen by the discourse of the holy scripture that as the Lord is true entire perfect so doth hée require of vs an acknowledging of him neither fained nor cloked That is the cause wherfore he did regard rather the sacrifice of Abel then of Cain did commaunde in the lawe that is written that wée must haue a perfecte and a iust measure and weightes and not to haue two manner of weightes he did rebuke Saul because that he did not wholy and fully accomplish his will and desire inasmuch as he did reserue some of the spoiles which they had gotten against the king of Amalech And in the Gospell is more praised the prayer of the Publican then that of the Pharisie To conclude in the booke of the Actes of the Apostles Ananias is punished bicause he deceiued the Apostles of the price of his possession In the same respect also we do greatly abhorre those which do mingle the sacrifice of the liuing God with that of Baal the doings of the Iewes with the fame of the Samaritans the baptisme with the circumcision the Christian lawe with that of Antichrist And yet
blame the poorenesse and littlenesse of our church forasmuch as it is staied vpon the worde of the Lorde which abideth for euer But we must rather accuse the malice of those which do rise vp against vs for to destroy and ruinate that principall foundation whiche is Iesus Christ in whom all the building coupled together groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord in whom we also are built together made the habitation of God by the spirite for as we ought not to blame Moses nor to attribute vnto his doctrine that the people of God did not multiplie and increase but vnto king Pharao which did force them vnto an extréeme and miserable seruitude and bondage euen vnto the killing of the first borne of the people neither vnto the prophet Helyas that in his time the true Prophets were no more at commaundement but rather vnto king Achab and Iesabel his wife whiche did followe and chase them vnto death No more also then we ought to blame Sainct Iohn Baptist the messenger or forerunner of the sonne of God or the Apostles of Iesus Christe because that so many people did put themselues against the Christian lawe But to accuse the ambition of the Romaine Emperours together with the priuie hatred of the Scribes and Pharises willing to deface in the earth the memorie of Christ In like manner we ought not to condempne the true Christian religion or to stay vs or tarrie vppon the default of those which do professe it but to acknowledge the rage furie of the enimies of the crosse of Christ and in the meane season to beare patiently the manners of our domesticalls teaching them with gentlenesse prouing if God at any time will giue them grace that being conuerted they may know the trueth And because that the haruest is great but the labourers are fewe let vs on our parte pray vnto the Lord of the haruest to send foorth labourers into his haruest and that for so many hired and vnprofitable shepherds he do send good shepherds into his folde looking for or beholding the cōming of the true shepherde of our soules our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glory for euer Amen 1. CORINT 1. d. VVhen the world by wisedome knewe not God in the wisedome of God it pleased god by folish preaching to saue them that beleeue A prayer O Lorde whiche hast spoken by thy Prophet I will destroy the wisedome of the wise and will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudent yea which hast chosen the foolish things of this world for to confounde the wise and the weake and féeble things for to confounde the strong and the vile and despised and those which are not for to abolish those which are to the end that no flesh doe glorifie himselfe before thée Poure out thy vengeaunce vpon those which are of a corrupt iudgement rebuke as concerning the faith Who as Iannes and Iambres withstode Moses also of a purpose doe resist the trueth of thy gospel and do count the worde of the crosse folishnesse Breake a sunder and confounde the enterprises and counsailes of all those which do eleuate themselues against thy holy Mounteine as thou hast destroyed the strength and force of all the kings and monarkes of the worlde by that little stone cut out of the rocke without any handes and hast abated the pride of the mightie through the humilitie of thy sonne to the end that all the worlde may knowe that thy kingdome is not of this worlde and that the felicitie of thine doth not lie in this present life but in the kingdome of the blessed Finally that the Christian Church is not an assemblie of proude and imperious Magistrates but of those which do humble themselues vnder thy obedience and do put themselues vnder the yoke of thy welbeloued sonne Iesus Christ our Lorde And yet Lord that bicause of vs thy name is blamed not among the Christians onely but also among the straungers in so much that our sinnes demerites do giue occasion vnto our enimies of slaunder and to vs of confusion and rebuke Neuerthelesse O Lord in asmuch as thorough the incredulitie of some of ours thy lawe is no lesse veritable and true as it is written That thou mightest be iustified in thy sayings and ouercome when thou art iudged Remember not O Lord for thy fatherly goodnesse our offences and haue not in minde the wickednes of those which do polute and blame thy name but beholde the face of him which was holden and taken to be of the companie of the malefactours and hath protested before thy maiestie that the rebukes of them which rebuked thée were fallen vpō him our Lorde Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT NONE CAN HINder or stoppe the course of the religion by fire and sword threatnings and bonds Cap. 6. 2. CORINT 13. c. ¶ VVe can do nothing against the trueth but for the trueth IF the Scripture doth teach vs in diuers places that the Gospel is none other thing but a message of peace according as Esaie saith that beautifull are the féete of him that bringeth the message from the mounteine proclaimeth peace that bringeth the good tidings precheth health saith vnto Syon thy God is the king if say I the same prophet speaking of the vocation and calling of the Gentiles and message of the gospel doth write in the persone of the Lorde that he will let peace into her like a water floud and the might of the heathen like a flowing streame and that in that same time men shall breake their swords and spears to make sythes sickles sawes thereof From that time forth shall not one people lifte vp weapon against another neither shal they learne to fight from thenceforth according to that we do reade that at the fist or new comming of the sonne of God that there was with the Angel a multitude of heauenly souldiers lauding God and saying glorie be to God in the hie heauens and peace in earth and towards men good will. As it is most euident that Iesus Christ our sauiour was borne vnder Cesar Augustus reigne a kingdome full of tranquilitie and peace truely the Ambassadour and herauld of one such message ought to obserue and kéepe a great méekenesse and gentlenesse in his charge profession For it is most certeine that Moses and Iesus Christ in that haue had a singuler prerogatiue aboue all other of Moses the scripture saith that he was a verie méeke man aboue all the men of the earth what Iesus Christ was he himselfe doth manifest and declare it when he cried with a loude voice come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am méeke and lowely in heart In somuch that the Prophet speaking of his méekenesse saith he shall not be an outcrier nor
an hie minded person His voice shall not be heard in the streates A brused reade shal he not breake and the smoking flaxe shall he not quench he wil not be hatefull or odious vnto him selfe nor yet werie him selfe That is the cause wherfore Sainct Peter did exhort the pastours shepherds to féede Christes flock which is commited vnto them taking the ouer-sight of theÌ„ not as though they were compelled thereto but willingly not for the desire of filthy lucre but of a good minde not as though they were Lordes ouer the parishes but that they shoulde be an ensample to the flocke Euen so dothe Saint Paul say writing vnto the Thessalonians we haue béene saith he tender among you euen as a nursse cherisheth her children so was our affection towarde you our good will was not to haue delt vnto you not the gospel of God onely but also our owne soules bicause ye were deare vnto vs Euen so saide Iesus Christe vnto his Apostles behold I sende you foorth as shéepe among wolues Be ye therfore wise as Serpentes and innocent as Doues And in an other place of the same booke Ye know saith Christ that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them And they that are great exercise power ouer them It shall not be so among you But whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your minister and whosoeuer will be chiefe a mong you let him be your seruant As the Lorde also doth witnesse by his prophet speaking of the remnants I meane of the faithful congregation that the remnant of Israel shall doe no wickednesse nor speake lyes neither shall there any disceitful tongue bée founde in their mouthes for they shall be fedde and take their rest and no man shal make them a fraide And it is verie well saide of Plato that he which doth stablishe and make Lawes in cities ought to hold and kepe the office of a father and mother Insomuch that his writings shold conteine in them rather a kinde of loue and wisedome then of a tirant thretning and ruling by rigor and cruelnesse And therefore the Lorde did rebuke sometimes the shepeherds of Israel for that they did rule ouer their flock in duritie and rigorousnes And Iesus Christ did declare vnto the Scribes Pharises that they did binde heuie burthens and gréeuous to be borne and lay them on mens shoulders but they themselues will not heaue at them with one of their fingers and loue to sit vppermost at feastes and to haue the chiefe seates in the sinagogs gréetings in the markets and to be called of men Rabby As it did appeare that the chiefe priest asked the Apostles saying did not we straitely commaunde you that ye shoulde not teach in his name Such is and hath béene alwayes the manner and condition of those which haue little regarde to the christian religion so that they may get vnto themselues powre aucthoritie As we do reade that king Nabuchodonosor did coÌ„pell and constraine the people to do homage worship vnto his idoll one Antiochus which did cause the Iewes and Machabees to forsake the diuine seruice and preceptes of the elders one Cozba in the time of the Emperour Elyas Adrianus would the men should take or acknowledge him for the true Messias promised in the lawe or as we doe se in our time an Emperour of the Turkes by force of armes did go about to mingle the heauen earth for to obscure and darken the name of Christ and to deface his remembraunce Not without great cause Saint Hierome did coÌ„plaine sometimes that when the powre was vsurped by the prelats of the Church that the Church being increased in goods and riches hath ben also diminished and made weake in vertues things much more dampnable and contrarie to our religion as the worde of the Apostle doth admonishe and teach vs that the weapons of our warre are not carnall things but things mightie in God to cast downe stronge holdes wherewith wée ouerthrowe imaginations and euerie hie thing that exalteth it selfe against the knoweledge of god And verie well a certeine auncient authour saide that the Church doth not knowe the corporall weapons and that for her onely aide and helpe she doth patiently abide and tarie patiently the Lordes leasure when it will please him to haue pittie on her to the same ende a Bishoppe of the Church of Rome saide When I shal be coÌ„pelled I may not resist I may besorrie I may wéepe and lament against the armies weapons of the men of Gotia my teares weepinges are my weapons Behold saith that good authour the munitions and weapons of priestes otherwise I can neither speak against nor resist Now for asmuch as our enimies do goe about and endeuour themselues to mainteine their Religion by fire and sworde threatnings and bandes they do sufficiently declare that they cannot assure it by the scripture Euen as king Pharao desiring to raigne ouer the people of God fearing that he should not treade vnderfoote all other nations did lay vpon them importable burthens and at the last caused to be killed all the first borne of the people of Israel Euen so I say as Herode being troubled for the homage obedience that men did beare vnto Iesus Christe of his natiuitie considering the promises of the sauiour of the worlde accomplished and fulfilled in him dyd slaye all the children that were in Bethelem and in all the coastes thereof as many as were two yeare olde and vnder fearing least that the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ should be the ruine of other people Beholde the ende of those which haue no regarde what become of the kingdome of Iesus Christ so that they may establish set vp their puissaunce and greatnesse to the ende they may reigne and beare rule in this world But the meaning of the true christians is altogether otherwise forasmuch then as they doe seeke first the kingdome of God and the righteousnesse therof Yet they care not what their aucthoritie power and greatnesse be so that the word of God haue his frée passage and the name of the Lord be glorified For that same reason they put not their hope and strength in carnall weapâ—ns but in spirituall Their sword is the word of God quicke and mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entereth through euen vnto the deuiding asunder of the soule and of the spirite and of the ioyntes and the marie and iudgeth the thoughtes and intentes of the heart Their victorie is that that ouercoÌ„meth the world eueÌ„ our faith by the which as saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes The auncient fathers patriarks and Apostles haue subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnesse obteined the promises stopped the mouthes of the Lyons And as Iesus Christ said that he will fight against his enimies with the swoorde of his mouth Also
rather to retourne vnto the punishment then to breake the faith that hée promised vnto his enimie As also the auncient histories doe witnesse vnto vs that the othe of Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians was holden so certeine and sure that his enimies haue so assured it as the same fayth and amitie that they doe beare the one to the other By what excuse can a christian prince excuse himselfe to breake the fayth that he hath promised vnto his subiectes what shall I say if the Machebeans are praysed to haue giuen their liues for to mainteine and kéepe the lawes of the countrey Shal the christians bée blamed and counted to bée rebelles to haue repulsed the force and strength of those which haue euen heere violated al diuine and humaine lawes To conclude if the ciuile lawe hath saide that it is the interest of a Prince to haue of his subiectes riches and goodes who can thinck that the Christian Prince will destroy the best part of his subiectes for to fill the ambition and vnmesurable couetuousnesse of some of his realme The histories of the Romaynes doe teach vs that Marcus Marcellus did bewayle bitterly the ruine and destruction that was to come vppon the Citie of Syracusia And as Sainct Augustine sayth before the same Citie hée did first shedde foorth his teares and weepings then his victories and prowesses And shal the christians take pleasure to see to be shed as water the innocent blood in the middest of the most famous cities of this realme shall they pill and spoile the goodes and substance of so many good people The Grecian saith Plato will not destroie Greece forasmuch as they are Grecians nor burne their houses nor will take from them their landes and possessions And the Christians wil beat downe race the beste Cities of Fraunce will take away the goods of the Frenchmen doe take pleasure to see the rich and famous Cities of the realme to come to decay and to be destroyed If the examples of the painims can not moue vs yet at the least wise let vs remember the humanitie and gentlenesse of the Hebrewes who did not suffer that one shoulde destroye by fire or swoord the landes or that one shoulde spoile those wich were fallen downe or slaine in battaile or that one should not do any wrong vnto those which wer taken prisoners chiefly vnto women For as Cicero saith of the nature of man the which we ought principally to follow crueltie is greatly an enimie there is no difference saith the same author whether that man be chaunged and turned into a brute beast or whether that vnder the figure of a man he hath a brutish cruelnesse Inasmuch thē as our Lord Iesus Christ doth teach vs that blessed are the méeke for they shall inherite the earth On the otherside the Lorde doth threaten the princes of Iacob and the dukes of the house of Israel that he will make Syon to be ploughed like a fielde and Hierusalem shal be an heape of stones and the hill of the Lordes house shal be turned into an hie woode for the tyrannie of the princes and abuse of the false priestes and prophets By good right we doe exhorte the christian Princes to all gentlenesse and humanitie towardes their subiectes To the end that they may be mainteined in their puissaunce authoritie and greatnesse And moreouer we do warne admonish them not to beléeue too lightlie euerie lying spirite fearing that they be not depriued of that blessed temple that heauenlie Hierusalem Furthermore we doe beséech them to acknowledge howe pernitious and noysible vnto a realme are so many flatterers false bretheren and hypocrites which doe honour them not for to teach them or aduaunce them to some thing but for to drawe them from profite according as Plato doth declare that the flatterer is a daungerous beast and hurtfull vnto mankinde and is like vnto a wicked spirite féeding and alluring the simple and foolish people vnder the colour of pleasaunt meate full of pleasure And in an other place the same authour doth write that the flatterer doth followe the good after the nature of the inchaunter and poysoner yea that hée is more pernitious then is the the thefe and homicide Bicause that he doth not steale away the money or the life onely but also as a sacrileger an halowed thing that is to say the iudgement of reason vnder the colour of good Wherefore O ye kings of the people and you O Christian princes which delite in royall seates and scepters loue that benignitie and gentlenesse that ye may reigne for euermore Remember that souereigne prince which hath not béene an outcrier nor an hie minded person nor which hath not broken the brused réede and the smoking flaxe he hath not quenched whiche hath not I say iudged according to the outward appearaunce of the eyes neither reproueth a matter at the first hearing but with righteousnesse hath he iudged the poore and with holinesse he reformeth the simple of the worlde our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be glorie for euer Amen ECCLESIASTICVS 6. c. 16. A faithfull friend is a medicine of life and they that feare the Lorde shall finde him A prayer O Lorde whiche hast the kinges hearte in thine hande like as the riuers of waters and maist turne it whether so euer thou wilt Whiche hast power vppon all the kingdomes of men and settest ouer them whome thou listest vouchesafe so to bende the hearte of our king that hée reigning ouer vs in all veritie and righteousnesse may sometime witnesse with thy faithfull seruauntes Samuel and Nehemias that he hath not gréeued nor molested thy people And as thou hast established him vnto a Christian kingdome he may be also a follower of that king which is the souereigne ouer all whome thou hast ordeined ouer thy holy hill of Syon of whome I say his seate endureth for euer and the scepter of his kingdome is a right scepter to the end that by that meanes he may followe righteousnesse flie from all iniquitie to conclude that he be of an entier and perfect heart towards thée and humble and gentle towardes his subiectes after the example of the same Lorde who for to accomplish and fulfill thy will did humble himselfe euen vnto the death of the Crosse Our Lorde Iesus Christe vnto whome be Glorie for euer Amen THAT IT IS THE HONOR and renowne of a Prince and his subiectes to cause the lawes and politicke ordinaunces of his countrie to be kept inuiolated Cap. 10. ROMAINES 13. a. ¶ The king is the minister of God for all mennes welth FOrasmuch then as the lawes doe teach vs two things that is to say to commaunde and to obey vnto the commandement and that the Lorde doth witnesse that to obey is better thē offering and to giue héede is better then the fatte of Rammes because that rebelliousnesse
he was not dicomforted but blessed the name of GOD which gaue him grace to suffer for him Let vs leaue off then al such excuses when it is a question to obey the commaundement of the LORD for when the will is readie the powre is lacking Forasmuch as wée doe staye all in the strength of him which hath loued vs bicause that he which is in vs is greater then he that is in the worlde Let vs haue for example that liitle Dauyd who going to fight with that great Goliah measured not his strengthes but the power of him in whose name hée did fight Let vs remember that the Apostles hauing expresse cōmaundement of the Lord to go into a towne that lieth ouer against thē to the ende to vnlose an Asse and hir colte did not consider the difficultnes of the cōmaundement but staying themselues vpon the authoritie of him which commaunded them did execute incontinently their charge When Iesus Christ did send his Apostles thorow out the whole worlde for to preach declare his gospell they regarded not the daungers that might haue happened vnto them by the way the force and puissaunce of the enemies of the crosse of Christe Furthermore they excused not themselues of their ignoraunce but fortefying themselus in this word I wil giue vnto thée a mouth and wisedome to the which your enemies cannot resist did execute incontinently the commaundement of the Lorde Let vs then take example of those whom Iesus Christ hath sometime called for to followe him whereof the one excused himselfe saying suffer me first to burye my father the other sayde suffer me firste to bidde them farewell which are at home at my house Vnto whome the LORD aunswered no man that putteth his hande to the ploughe and loketh backe is apte to the kingdome of god Wherefore when the LORDE doth commaunde vs any thinge or when he doth call vs let vs doe as that good Samuel did who as often times as hée was called of the Lord as often times aunswered I am here for thou diddest call me Or as sainct Paule who sodeinly at the voice of the LORD aunswered What wilt thou haue me doe To conclude let vs kepe simplie that which is commaunded vs for to doe without putting too or taking from the word Dooing not that which seemeth good in our eies but that which God hath ordeined For the Lord doth protest by his Angell vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke that if any man shall adde vnto these thinges GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke And if any man shall minish of the words of the booke of this prophesie God shall take awaie his part out of the booke of life and out of the holy Citie and from those thinges which are written in this booke Deuteronomium 30. c. The commaundement which I commaund thee this day is not separated from thee neither farre off It is not in heauen that thou needest to say who shall go vp for vs to heauen and fet it vs that we may heare it and doe it Romaines 10. b. The word is nigh thee euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This is that worde of faith which we preach A Prayer O Lorde which hast made fast for euer and euer all thy commaundements in all truth and equitie and which puttest in man both the will and the desire to fulfill them Teach vs the way of thy statutes and shed and poure into our hearts thy loue through thy holy spirite by the which thou doest helpe our infirmities that we distrusting in our strengthes and despising the assaultes of the flesh the world and the diuel we may stay altogether vpon the loue of him which was once offered vp for vs for to accomplish thy will. And hast made vs more then vanquishers through the victorie which doth surmount the worlde that is to say our faith thy welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer Amen ¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION vnto those which doe make profession of the true christian Religion and neuerthelesse doe refuse the ecclesiastical discipline wherein is described somewhat the vse fruite thereoff Cap. 15. Psalme 32. d. ¶ I will knowledge my sinne vnto thee and mine vnrighteousnesse haue I not hid And I saide I will confesse my sinnes vnto the Lord and so thou forgauest the wickednesse of my sinne 2. Timothe 4. a. ¶ Preach the worde be feruent in season and out of season improue rebuke exhort with all long suffering and doctrine 2. Corinth d. ¶ So write I nowe beeing absent to them which in times past haue sinned and to all others that if 〈◊〉 come againe I will not spare THe Prophet Ioel did complaine of his people calling them to repentaunce saying Tourne you vnto the Lord with al your hearts with fasting wéeping and mourning rent your heartes and not your clothes and tourne vnto the LORD your God for he is gracious and mercifull long suffering and of greate compassion and readie to pardon wickednesse Then no doubt he also shall tourne and forgiue and after his chastening he shall let your encrease remaine for meate and drincke offerings vnto the Lorde your God blowe out with the trumpet in Sion proclaime a fasting call the congregation and gather the people together warne the congregation gather the elders bring the children sucklings together Let the bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber and the bride out of hir closet Let the priestes serue the Lord betwixt the porch and the aulter wéeping and saying bée fauorable O Lord be fauorable vnto thy people let not thine heritage be brought to such confusion least the heathen be Lords thereof Wherefore should they say amonge the heathen Where is now their God Nowe goe to sayth the Lorde we will talke together It is not so though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet shall they not be whiter then snowe And though they were like purple shal they not be like white woll The Lorde standeth waiting that he may haue mercy vppon you and lifteth himselfe vp that he may receiue you to grace Be conuerted and tourne you cleane from all your wickednesse so shall there no sinne doe you harme Cast away from you al your vngodlinesse that ye haue done make you newe heartes and a newe spirite Wherefore will yee die O ye house of Israel séeing I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth saith the Lorde God. Tourne you then and ye shall liue Forasmuch then as the voice of the Lorde is commune to all as that of his sonne Iesus Christ hath bene commune who hath sayd Come vnto me all yée that are wearie and laden and I will ease you Take my yoke on you and learne of me that I am méeke and lowly in heart and that God is not parciall But in all people he that feareth him
feare for feare hath painefulnesse and hee that feareth is not perfect in loue Let vs propose the example of Sainct Paul who beeing aduertised by the holy Ghost that bands and troubles abide him at Hierusalem aunswered that none of these things moued him neither is his life deare vnto himselfe so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy and the ministration whiche hee receiued of the Lord Iesus to testifie the Gospell of the grace of God the whiche hée did not onely of mouth but also hee accomplished it by workes Let vs remember those good women I meane Marie Magdalen and Marie the mother of Iames and Salome who were not only assistent to Iesus Christ before his afflictions But also in his crosse and after his death bought sweete oyntementes of Aromatica for to embalme him yea they folowed him long time after his death I do speake vnto those who making profession of the true Christian religion and beeing drawen from the cares of the world thorow the knowledge of our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ for a smal occasion afterwards are fallen into them againe haue beene ouercome Insomuch that that is happened vnto them according to the true prouerbe The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe and the sow that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire Truely such people are like vnto the young man which told our Lord Iesus Christ that hee hath obserued al these coÌ„maundements from his youth but when Iesus saide vnto him that he must sell all that he had and giue it to the poore for to get a treasure in heauen hée went away mourning We must alâ—o note that there is an other regarde or â—espect to the amitie which we doe beare vnto GOD and to the amitie whih we doe beare vnto men for GOD ought â—o be loued for his regarde onely I doe meane bicause that of himselfe hée is altogether good perfect puissaunt and mercifull Man ought to bée loued for the respect that we haue vnto GOD that is to saye forasmuch as he is created to the image of GOD as wée endued with the giftes and graces of GOD aswell as wée and called to the ecclesiastical heritage as wée For he that wil consider man in himselfe he is nothing els but altogether vnrighteous ful of impietie and imperfection The Prophet Esaie shall be my witnesse when he saith we are all as an vncleane thing al our righteousnesse are as a stained cloth The which the roiall Prophet Dauyd doth speake off more at large in his verses saying The Lord looked downe froÌ„ heauen vpon the children of men to sée if ther were any that would vnderstand and séeke after god But they are all gone out of the way they are altogether become vnprofitable there is none that doth good no not one The like matter we do read off in Iob wheÌ„ hée confessed most cléerely that man cannot iustifie himselfe towardes god And how saith hée can hee bée cleane which is borne of a woman Behold the moone shineth nothing in comparison to him the starres are vncleane in his sight How much more then man that is but corruption and the sonne of man which is but a worme wherefore man of himselfe is not amiable but inasmuch as he is regenerate of God who through the merite of his welbeloued sonne doth couer hide wholy all those imperfections and impieties And in that respect wee haue greatly to consider the ingratitude and miscognisaunce of those which loue not the Lord but for their proper respect I do meane when the Lord doth sende them the thinges euen as they demaund and desire as great abundance of worldly goods a blessed life great prosperitie of the thinges which appertaine vnto them and also to their friendes kinsfolke and other pleasures of mans life of whom saith Dauid happie are the people that bée in such a case but when any affliction happeneth vnto them then they murmure against God and do demaund if there bée any prouidence in Heauen The whiche Salomon forbiddeth expressely when hée saith vse not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sinne that thou say not before the Angell my foolishnesse is in the faulte Such manner of people are like vnto those which séeke Iesus Christ not bicause they sawe his miracles but because they eate of his loaues were filled For he which is a friend as Salomon reciteth vnto vs alway loueth and in aduersitie a man shall know who is his brother Which if it bée so that loue ought to bée loued againe truely wée haue most greatest occasion to loue God and which is more wee cannot without the vice of ingratitude but that wee should loue him inasmuch as hee loued vs first And herein is loue not that wee loued God but that hee loued vs and sent his sonne to make agréement for our sinnes For God so loued the world that hee hath géeuen his onely begotten sonne that none that beeléeue in him shoulde perish but haue euerlasting life If a man demaund what is the goodnesse that hée hath done vnto vs at this present Saint Paul doth aunswer vnto the same saying that he spared not his owne sonne but gaue him for vs all to death how shall hee not with him géeue vs all things also In this matter what can wee render vntâ— the LORD which may bee equiualenâ— to the amitie that he hath borne vnto vs for the iniuries that his sonne our LORD Iesus Christe hath suffred in his flesh for the stripes that hée hath receiued on his bodie for the crosse for his death for his buriall woe bee vnto mée if I doe not saye it I dare well saye it Peter hath not rendered or restored neither Paul hath rendred or restored although he hath restored death for death but yet neuerthelesse he hath not altogether restored for he oweth a great deale Marke when he him selfe confesseth who hath giuen vnto him first and hee shall bee recompensed againe For of him and through him and for him are all things to him bee glorie for euer And although wee restore vnto him the crosse for the crosse and the graue for the graue that is to say whether wee restore vnto him that whiche wee haue receiued of him and through him no truely Wherefore the same Author concludeth let vs restore vnto him loue for loue for debte loue for the goodnesse that he hath doone vnto vs a géeuing of thanks for the price of his bloud I say moreouer that from our birth nature hath put in vs a certaine mouing and pricking forward to the end to incitate and stirre vs to loue our God. Forasmuche then as by the same saying of Plato beautie hath gained that aduauntage aboue all other things that of her selfe shée is very much amiable and for that cause wee desire verie much the faire things Yet truely the heauenly beawtie excelleth and passeth
sonne bicause hee serued to him as an instrument for to giue vnto him the corporal life what honoure what homage what obedience owe wée vnto him which dayly doth shew vs the meanes for to conduct and leade vs to eternall life And what shall hée bée which will not receiue those whom the Lorde by hys prophet speaketh off saying O how beautiful are the feet of the Embassador that bringeth the message from the mountaine and proclaimeth peace that bringeth the good tidings and preacheth health and saith vnto Sion thy God is the king And in Daniel The wise such as haue taught other shal glister as the shining of heauen and those that haue instructed the multitude vnto godlinesse shal bée as the starres worlde without end Wherefore Sainct Paul doth teach vs that the Elders that rule wel are worthy of double honoure most specially they which labour in the word teaching The same Apostle exhorted the Thessalonians that they should know theÌ„ which laboure among them and haue the ouersight of them in the Lord which giue them exhortatiton That they may haue theÌ„ the more in loue for their works sake Also the same Apostle in his Epistle vnto the Hebrewes doth aduertise them to remeÌ„ber them which haue the ouersight of theÌ„ which haue declared vnto them the word of God and to follow their faith considering what hath béene the end of their conuersation Also the same Apostle in his Epistle which he sent vnto the Galatians desireth theÌ„ that he that is taught in the word minister vnto him the teacheth theÌ„ in all good thinges For as he himselfe witnesseth in an other place saying if we haue soweÌ„ vnto you spiritual things is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things do ye not vnderstand how that they with minister about the sacrifice eate of things of the temple and they which wait at the aulter are partakers with the aulter EueÌ„ so also hath the Lord ordained that they which preach the gospel should liue of the gospel EueÌ„ so sayth the sonne of Siraac feare the Lord with al thy soule honor his priestes The same sufficieÌ„tly declareth that eueÌ„ as we owe vnto our carnall fathers honoure and obedience with the things which are necessarie vnto them for their life also we ought to owe vnto our spiritual fathers to the conductours of our soules the like dueties And forasmuch then as the Lorde hath cruelly punished those whiche haue shead the bloude of their carnall fathers or haue done vnto them any other wrong Also the Lord hath shewed his vengeaunce vpon those which haue despised the holy admonitions of the pastors of our soules My witnesse shal be Achab who dispising the voice of Micheas within a little while after was slaine in battaile Also king Asa which caused the prophet Hanani to be imprisoned bicause that he declared the truth which was partely the cause that the king Asa fell into a certeine disease in his féete whereof he dyed Aso Ioas which caused the prophet Zacharie to be stoned to death and for that déede he fell into greate griefes diseases Insomuch that his owne seruants conspired against him for the bloud of the children of Iehoiada the priest slew him on his bed What shall I say of Heliseus who being mocked of the little children at the same instant was reuenged by Gods punishment of the iniurie wrong the which they did vnto him when two beares came out of the woode and eate fortie and two of the boyes Woe be vnto thée then thou Alexander how great so euer thou hast béen for thy renown and worldly prowesses when thou didest cause Clytus to be slaine who preserued so carefully thy life When I say thou hast caused to be slaine that great philosopher Calisthenes bicause he would not worshippe thée telling thée that such duety homage apperteineth to one onely God our true and soueraigne lord I wil omit willingly to speake of Parmeno and Philotas who were the conductors of all thy enterprises and vpon whom thou diddest put an repose all thy force strength whome thou hast recompeÌ„sed with the like reward for so many good seruices I do speake also vnto thée O thou people of Athens which hast chased and driuen out of thy Citie put to death in Cyprus he which established for thée the lawes for to assure thy puissance and greatnesse among so many enimies Shal I forget Licurgus which hath béene banished and driuen away of them whom he hath instructed by which meanes one of his eyes was put out in a common sedition In like maner Aristides banished from his countrie whom his own could neuer rebuke but that he was too iust The time will not serue mee to speake of Socrates the great Philosopher which was choked with poyson by those whom he hath nourished in all religion godlines righteousnesse Also Seneca which was slaine by Nero although that he lead his younge life in all good manners disciplines These matters here are referred vnto those which do honoure their fathers feare to disobey theÌ„ And sometime that rather for their authoritie puissance then of a christian charitie faithful amitie and do not beleeue that so many wrongs and violences committed against the true ministers of God do merite deserue a worthy and open punishment They will nourish rather in their houses some Iester and one that is plesaunt at that table then a good man which would teach their children in good learning to feare god What say I wo bée vnto mee if I do not speake it they do giue the great charges and Ecclesiastical dignities to their domesticall seruants so ignorant are they and do chase driue away those whiche for their wisdome excellent knowledge will do greatly their endeuor to instruct them in al good disciplines Wherof coÌ„plained sometime Basil the great speaking of Gregory NaziaÌ„zenus as he doth write Of our time saith that good author this name of Bishop came from poore people children seruants Insomuch that of the Lordes houshold there is no man which dare put him selfe against them And neuerthelesse they haue driuen away my brother Gregory of Nazianzenus haue brought in his place amaÌ„ what say I a man yea a villaine bond seruant In such sorte that it seemeth that wee are also returned to the time of Ieroboam where it is said that Ieroboam turned not from his wicked way but turned away and made of the lowest of the people priests of the hilaulters whosoeuer would he filled their hands they became priests of the hilaulters Or rather to the time of whom it is spoken in the second booke of the Machabees at which time the priestes were no more occupied about the seruice of the aulter but despised theâ—iemple regarded not the offrings yea gaue their diligece to