wept for her hart had a sure trust in the Lord. After that Antiochus had caused a great murther of men in Ierusalem 1. Mach. 1. there arose a greate heauinesse in all the lande of Israel The maried men mourned and the Bride and Brydegrome lamented Israel made great lamentation for the death of Mathathias 1. Mach. 2. Al the people of Israel made greate lamentation for the deathe of Iudas Machabeus 1. Mach. 9. and mourned long saying Alas how was this worthy slain which deliuered the people of Israel After that Ionathas his ii sonnes and a 1000. other men 1. Mach. 12. the whyche he had of Triphon were slaine Israell bewailed Ionathas and theym that were with him right sore Antiochus was sory in his mind for thuniust death of Onias 2 Mach. 4. and moued with pity wept remembring his sobernes manerly behauiour modesty After that Herode had caused at the children that wer ii yere old to be slain Mat. 2. then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by the prophet Iere. In Rama was ther a voyce hard lamentatyon weping and great mourning Iere. 31. The father of the childe that was lunatike cried wyth teares sayinge Lorde I beleue Mar. 9. healpe thou mine vnbelefe We read that Mary MagdaleÌ„ wept thre diuers times Luke 7. Fyrst at our Lordes fete for her sinnes Secondarilye for the death of her brother And thirdly for the Lordes passion Ihon. 20.11 We finde that our Sauioure wept thrise First vpon Lazarus whom he reuiued againe Ihon. 11. Secondarily vppon Ierusalem the which he knew should be destroied for sinne Luke 19. And thirdly vp on the crosse when he offred him self as a sacryfyce for the synnes of the worlde Heb. 5. As Paule sayeth Offerynge vp prayers wyth stronge crying and teares After that Peter had denied his master thrise Luke 22. he went out and wept bitterly But note that Lucas premytted saying Oure Lord loked vppon Peter A great company of people women folowed him vnto the crosse whiche bewailed and lamented him Luke 23. Paule the Apostle did serue the lord with teares Act. 20. for when he â—ad his brethren fare wel he said Ye knowe after what manner I haue bene wyth you at all seasons seruing the Lorde with all humilitye and wyth manye teares Also he monished his neyghboures with teares Act. 20. and prouoked theym to weepe sayinge By the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euerye one of you night and day wyth many teares Then followeth They wept very sore Also Paul wrote his Epistles with teares 2. Cor. 2. Out of great affliction and anguish of heart I wrote vnto you with manye teares And manye walcke of whome I haue told you often Philip. 3. now tel you wepinge And to the Romaynes he saith the spriâ—e maketh intercession for vs with groninges whiche cannot be expressed Rom. 8. Such groninges are not wont to be without weping When Peter was come to Ioppa al the widowes stode rouÌ„d about him weping Act. 9. and shewing the coâ—tes and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them ¶ Of swearing ca. xviii ABimelech spake vnto Abraham sayinge Gen. 21. God is with thee in all that thou doste And therefore sweare vnto me And Abraham sayd I wil sweare Gen. 31. Iacob and Laban made a couenaÌ„t and Iacob sware by the feare of his father Isaac Moses was content and sware that he wold dwell with Ietro Exo. 2. take hys doughter Zephora to his wife 1. regu 20. Ionathas made a couenaunt wyth Dauid in the Lord they sware both Dauid hearinge of the hardnesse of Nabal â— regu 25. sayde So GOD do vnto the ennemyes of Dauid If I liue of all that pertaineth to him by the dawning of the dai any thing that pisseth against the wall 2. regu 19. Dauid mourning for the deathe of his sonne Salomon Ioab saide vnto him Arise and come out and speake kindelye vnto thy Seruauntes for I sweare by the Lord. Except thou com out ther wil not tarye one man with thee this night Dauid sware vnto Bethsabe Salomons mother 3 regu 1. that Salomon shoulde raigne after him After that king Salomon had hard his mothers peticyon for Adonia 3. regu 2. he sware by the lord saying God do so so to me if Adonia hathe not spoken this word against his owne life Helias the Thesbite saide vnto Achab the king of Israell 3. reg 17. As truely as the Lord God of Israel liueth before whome I stand there shal be neyther dew nor rain these yeares but according to my worde Benadab king of Siria disdaining at Achabs aunswer 3. reg 20. saide Thus and thus do the Gods to me if the duste of Samaria be inough for al the people that folow me Wicked Iesabel that slewe Helias the Prophet 3. reg 19. made the like oth Helias said vnto Helizeus tary here for our Lord hath sent me to Bethel He saide 4. regu 2. As surelye as the Lorde lyueth and as thy soule liueth I wyll not leaue thee Nabuchodonozor swore by hys throne Iudi. 1. that he wold be auenged King Antiochus the sonne of Antiochus sente vnto the Iewes to make peace 1. Mach. 6. And made an othe vnto them and afterwardes brake it againe immediately Herode the Tetrarch sware vnto Herodias doughter Mar. 6. whatso euer thou wilt aske I wil geue it thee euen vnto th one half of my kingdome Peter to those that said vnto hym Mat. 26. And surely thou art euen one of them for thy speache bewrayeth the began to cursse and to sweare that he knew not the man We read that Paule in hys Epystles dyd oftentimes sweare Philip. 1. Thus he saythe Rom 1. GOD the father of oure LORDE Iesu Christ doth know that I lye not 2. Cor. 1. And againe Beholde before God I lie not God is my witnes whom I serue I cal God for a record vnto my soule ¶ Of the obseruation and keping of the Sabboth day Capit. xix THe obseruation of the Saboth had his originall beginning of that Gen. 2. that is saide and wrytten in Genesis God blesseth the seuenth daye and sanctified it because that in it he reasted from al his worke And the children of Israel gathered in the wyldernesse on the .vi. daye a double quantitye of Manna Exo. 16. Because that on the Sabboth they should reast from all worke And amonge all the ten commaundementes Exo. 20. there is only a reason geuen of thobseruayâ—on of the Saboth because that amonge carnall men it semed to haue lytle reason And thys precept is very often times founde in the law to thintent that man should diligentlye obserue and keepe it and laboure to get and obtayne the true reast And on the Sabboth day ther wer offred two lambes
shewed to the liuing he reserueth for the dead Boom did commend Ruth that fled to the GOD of Israell ruth 3. and sayde Blessed arte thou in oure Lorde for thou hast shewed more goodnesse and mercy in the latter end than at the beginning Hely blessed Elkana and his wife and saide vnto him 1. regum 2. Oure Lorde geue the seede of this woman for that she hath lent our Lord or for the peticion that she hath made vnto the Lorde The Ziphites sēt word vnto Saul 1. regum 23 that Dauid lurked in theyr countrey And Saule said Blessed are ye in our Lord for ye haue compassyon on me It was told Dauid that they of Iabes had buried Saule 2. regum 2. and hee sayde vnto them Blessed are ye vnto oure Lord that ye haue shewed such kindnesse vnto your Lord Saul and haue buried him King Salomon turnes his face 3. regum 8. and blessed al the congregation of Israel and all the Congregation of Israell stode still When Dauid had made an ende of the burnt offeringes 1. Para. 16◠and peace offeringes he blessed the people in the name of our Lord. And he dealte to all Israell bothe man and woman a craknell of bread and a good peece of fleshe and a flacket of wyne Raguel takyng the right hande of hys daughter Tob. 7. gaue her into the right hand of Tobias saying The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob be with you Ioyne you together and fulfyll hys blessynge in you He kyssed Tobye and wepynge toke hym aboute the necke and sayd Tob. 9. Gods blessinge haue thou my sonne for thou arte the sonne of a good vertuous man Gabelus goyng into the house found Tobi he wepte and sayde the god of Israel blesse the for thou art the sonne of a ryghte vertuous and iuste man and of one that feareth god Osias the chefe ruler of the people of Israel sayd vnto Iudith blessed art thou of Our lorde the hye god Iudi. 13. aboue all wemen vpon earth And afterwardes all the elders began to prayse her wyth one voyce Iudit 15 sayinge Thou worshyp of Ierusalem thou ioye of Israell c. And it fortuned that when Elizabeth heard the salutacion of Mary LuK. 1. she cryed with a loude voyce and sayde Blessed art thou amonge wemen c. ¶ Of the malediction and cursse wherwith man dothe cursse man ca. ix IT is red that Noah amonge all other menne was the fyrst that cursed Chanaan his nephew Gen. 9. because that C ham hys father disclosed the nakednesse of Noah to the reste of his brethren when that he should rather haue kept it close Amonge the wordes of benediction that Isaac gaue to Iacob hys sonne Gen. 27. He sayd Cursed be he that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee Iacob sayd vnto Simon and Leuis father Gen. 49. cursed be their wrathe For it was shamelesse their indignation and fearcenesse for it was harde and cruell Balac sente messengers vnto Balaam Nume 22. that he should come curse the people of Israel Nume 22. for he had heard him to be acursed vpon whom maledictiō or curse fell or chaunced Who so curseth hys father or his mother Leui. 20 let him dye Moyses writeth and setteth for the Deu. 27. manye maledictions curses agaynst those that transgresse goddes cōmaundementes deliuered vnto them The Citie of Hiericho beynge destroyde Iosua sware Iosu. 6. saying cursed be the mā before our lord that riseth vp and buildeth this cyte Hiericho The Sickemites when they were eating and drinckinge and mery Iudi. 49. dyd curse Abimelech Goliah the philistine cursed Dauid in the name of his goddes 1. reg 17. Saule purposinge to ensue and folowe the philistines 1. regu 14 charged the people with an oth saying Cursed be the man that eateth anye foode tyl night vntil I be auenged of mine enemies Semei came out cursing he caste stones at Dauid 2. reg 16. sayd come forthe thou bloudsheder and thou man of Belial Eliseus cursed the chyldren that mocked him 4. reg 2. saying go vp thou balde head go vp thou bald head And there were torne in peeces with .ii. beares .xlii. chyldren When Machabeus layde sege to a certen holde named Gazer 2. mach 10. they that were within curste and bande excedingly And made great craking with wycked wordes The Pharisees berated and cursed him that was borne blynd whom our Lord Iesus dyd illuminate Iohn 9. And they sayd Be thou his disciple The Iewes reproued Paule saying Reuilest and cursest thou goddes hye Priest Actes 23. But Paule excused hym selfe and sayd I wyste not brethren that he was the hie priest and gouernoure ¶ Of the seuerite of god against the wicked ca. x. GOd punished the sinne of our first parentes greuously Gen. 23. the whiche as they beleued was veniall that it shuld not haue ben punished so extremely God spared not the original world but welnye destroyed it wholye with water Gen. 7. The .v. cities were consumed with stinkinge fyre be the angels sent from god Gen. 19. for bogery The Egiptians perceyued that the chyldren of Israel were drowned and sanke as leade Exo. 14.15 god cōmaundinge the same in the mightie waters Because Amalech people did let the children of Israel goinge to the lande of promise Exo. 17. Oure lorde sayd to Moses I will vtterly put out the remēbraūce of Amalech from vnder heuen For the calfe sake that the people worshipped Exo. 32. there fell in one daye aboute 3000. men There went a fyre oute from oure lorde and consumed Nadab and Abihu Leui. 10. the sonnes of Aaron because they tooke eyther of them his censor and putte straunge fyre therin and cens thereupon And offered it before oure Lorde Oure Lorde cōmaunded the cursed Leui. 24. speaker to be broughte wythoute the hoste and let all the multitude stone hym And while the fleshe that our lorde sent Nume 11. the children of Israell beholding and seing the same was yet betwene theyr tethe Our Lord smote the people with an exceading great plague Our Lorde plaged Marye with the Leper Nume 12. because she spake against Moses Of 600. thousand men the whiche were nombred shall none come into the land of promise and that for their sinnefull dealinge Nume 14 saue Caleb and Iosue as our Lorde did threaten them He that was found gatherynge of stickes vpon the Sabboth daye Nume 15. was stoned to deathe by Gods commaundement Our Lord consumed Chorath Dathan and Abiram Nume 16 wyth a terryble deathe Oure Lorde punished Moses greuouslye at the water of strife Nume 20. because he doubted and yet vntil then he had born him self very holily faithfully as wel vnto God as to man Our Lord sent fiery serpentes amonge the people Nume 21. because they
Nume 28. and vppon other daies but one except in solempne feastes kalendes And that to declare that in festiual daies men shuld honor god more reuerently and aboundauntlye then other daies The man that was takē gathering of stickes vpon the Saboth day Nume 15. was by Goddes commaundemente stoned with stones of all the people Nehemias saw some treading wine presses 2. Esd. 13. and bringing of burthens to be solde vpon the Saboth day and he rebuked them as breakers of the Sabothe The gentiles which held with Antiochus appoynted to fighte vpon the Sabboth daies against certen Iewes that were fled out of Iewry 1. mach 2. but they casted not one stone at thē nor made faste theyr preuy places but said we will die all in oure innocencye But yet it is to be obserued and noted that notwythstandynge that in thys thing they shewed a Deuotyon towardes Goddes commaundemente yet inas much as they perceiued afterwardes that therby Gods people myghte be scattered and loste they toke better counsel sayinge What soeuer he be that cometh to make battell wyth vs vpon the saboth day we wil fight against him for why to fighte for the defēce of mans life or for the lawe of God is no seruile worke or labour Iudas Machaheus his companye fought against Nicanor his hoste 1. mach 7. slue 5000. men put the rest to flit◠But yet they followed not the chase because it was the day before the saboth Nicanor thought withal his power to strike a field vpon a Sabboth day Neuerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to go with him 2. mach 15. said O do not so cruelly and vnkindlye but halow the Saboth daye The Pharisies saide vnto the Disciples that did plucke and eat the eares mat 12. of corne 1. regu 21. ye do that which is not law full to do vpon the Sabboth day But the Lorde saide vnto them haue ye not read what Dauid did c. Then followeth The sonne of manne is also LORDE euen of the Sabbothe daye We do read that oure sauioure dyd many miracles vppon the Sabbothe day Mat. 12. as it is manifest thorow oute all the Gospell and for that ther may be assigned thre causes Fyrste to shewe hym self to be the Lord. Mat. 12. The seconde to open the true vnderstanding of the precept and commaundement for mē oughte not to cease from all woorkes vpon the Saboth Luke 6. Whether is it lawful on the Sabboth dayes to do good or to do euel Luke 12. to saue ones lyfe or to destroy it The thyrde that he myghte edifye and profet all that sawe hym and hard him When Christe had healed the woman which was bowed together the ruler of the Sinagoge disdayned Luc. 13. because that he had healed on the Sabbothe daye and saide There are syxe daies in which men ought to worke in them come that ye maye be healed and not on the Sabboth day But the Lord answered hym and said Thou hipocrite doth not eche one of you on the Sabboth day lose his Oxe or hys Alfe from the stal and lead him to the water And ought not this doughter of Abraham whome Sathan hathe bound lo 18. yeares be loosed frō this bonde on the Sabboth day And when he thus sayd all his aduersaries were ashamed all the people reioysed on all the excellent deedes that wer done by him The holy women which had prepared swete odours Luke 23. to anoynt our lords body kept the sabboth day so strictly that on that they would not anoynte so precious and holy a bodye So they rested the Sabboth daye according to the commaundement Oure Lorde laye in the Sepulchre on the Sabboth daye Ihon. 1◠The Sabboth day was moste apte and conuenient to heare the worde lawe of God Act. 13. and the prophetes The whiche are read euery Sabooth day ¶ Of the reuerence that ought to be done exhibited to Gods Temple ca. xx OUR Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying Exo. 30. Thou shalt make a lauer of brasse to washe withall and putte water therin Aaron and hys sonnes shall washe their handes and theyr feete therin euen when they goe into the tabernacle of wytnesse Nume 4. It was lawfull but for a fewe to entre into the tabernacle or to touch the vessell 3. regu 6.7 Salomon was muche more dylygente and feruente in the edification and buyldynge of Goddes Temple then in buildynge of hys owne house For he accomplyshed Goddes house in seauen yeares and hys owne in thyrtene Yea he began soner to build the Temple than his owne house 3. regu 8. Salomon made greate solemnite in the buyldyng of the Temple 4. regu 11. Ioiada the byshoppe commaunded that Athalia shoulde be brought oute and not to be slayne in oure Lordes Temple Oure Lorde semed to haue greate cure and care for the Temple when that he commaunded Sirus the kyng of Percia Esd. 1. ca. 1. Esd. 45. to buylde hym an house at Ierusalem And it is vnderstanded of a materyall Temple As the texte dothe declare And Esaye declared the same two hundreth yeares before After that the Iewes were returned from the captyuite of Babilone they beganne to buylde the Temple 1. Esd. 3. or euer they edified or made the walles of the Citie notwythstandynge that they hadde manye ennemyes whome they feared bothe daye and nyghte Tobias is muche coōmended which wente to Ierusalem vnto the Temple of our Lord Tobi. 1. and ther worshypped and prayd vnto the Lorde After that they had optayned the vyctorye of theyr enemyes the which had defyled the Temple 1. Mach. 4. Iudas and hys brethren or euer they made any mention of theyr owne houses sayd beholde oure ennemyes are dyscomfyted Let vs nowe go vp to clense and to repayre the Sanctuary Kynge Demetrius ordayned that who soeuer fledde vnto the Temple at Ierusalem or within the liberties or coste thereof 1. Mach. 10 shoulde as thoughe they wer fallen into the kinges daunger for anye maner of busynesse be pardoned The Iewes goynge to make battayle agaynste Nicanors hoste 2. Mach. 15. hadde pryncipally more solycitude care and feare for the holye Temple then for theyr wyues chyldren brethren and kynsfolkes At the fortie dayes ende Our lorde woulde be broughte and offerd in the Temple Luke 2. And when he was twelue yeares olde Luke 2. he was founde disputing in the Temple Afterwardes he droue oftentymes the byers and sellers out of the Temple Ihon. 2. Luke 19. And manye times he taughte and did miracles in the Temple Oure Lord doth reproue the Pharises whiche sayde that the golde of the Temple was more holy Mat. 23. than the Temple After that the Apostles had receyued the holye ghoste Peter and Iohn went vp into the Temple Act. 3. at the nine houre of prayer And euen then was the fyrste myracle of healthe shewed
the mount the commendatioÌ„ of pouerty as though it wer the foundation of the spiritual building Luc. 6. Mat. 5. is fyrste placed and spoken of Among al other Christes miracles this is wrytten that the pore receyue the glad tâ—dinges of the Gospel Mat. 11. For before the comming of Christ it was not wont to be so Our Lord sayd vnto the yong man that asked hym how he mighte come to euerlastinge life mat 19 If thou wylt be be perfect goe and sell all that thou hast and geue to the pore And oure lord doth promise a meruelous remuneration aud rewarde to those that leaue and forsake any thinge for hys names sake Of that famous and notable Lazarus whyche was caryed by the aungelles into Abrahams bosome Luc. 16. the Scripture alledgeth no other worke of righteousnes or cause of his glory but because he receyued paine in this mortall lyfe and therfore God in another life would comfort him The poore and feble were brought into the great supper of oure Lorde Luc. 14. yea and certayne as it is râ—d there were compelled to come from the hie wayes and hedges In the primatiue churche all that beleued were together Act. â— and had all thinges commen they solde their possessions and goodes and parted them to all men as euery man had nede Peter sayde vnto the crepell that asked hys almes Act. 3. syluer and golde haue I none c. Paule taking his leue of the faythfull of Achaia Act. 20. sayed amonge other thynges I haue desyred no mans golde syluer or vesture as ye knowe youre selues for these handes haue ministred 1. Cor. 4. vnto my necessities and to them that were with me we honger and thyrste and are naked c. ¶ Of hipocrisy and dissimulation Ca. lxxv AMon Dauids sonne dissembled and fained him self sick and disâ—ased to deceiue Thamar whoÌ„e he luxuriously loued 2. regâ— 13. Ieroboams wife did chaunge her habite and disguising of her self came to Abdias the prophet 1. regu 14. vnto whome he said why doste thou dissemble and fain thy self to be an other 4. regu 5. Gehezi Elizeus â—eruaunt fayned that his master had nead of two chaunge of garments for two yong men of the children of the Prophets When Apollonius was come to Ierusalem sente from Antyoche Act. 5. hee fained peace and kept him stil vntill the Saboth daye And then hee commaunded his men to take theÌ„ to their weapons for the Iewes kepte holye day and so he slue all those that were gone forth to the open play rouer 8. Although the deuine sapience doth generally detest the wicked yet most specially he threateneth hipocrites Mat. 23 sayinge very ofte in the gospell Wo be to you ye pharises ye ypocrites The pharises goyng about to tangle Iesus in his worde he answered rebukinge them math 22 why tempte ye me ye ypocrites Some there be that commit greate fautes and exchue those synnes that are lesse Math. 23 straynynge oute a gnat and swaloynge a Camel As the hie preastes did that feared more to enter into the iudgement hall of Pilate Iohn 18. then to committe or procure that haynus crime of murther The ruler of the sinagoge disdaynynge that oure lorde shoulde heale the sycke on the Sabboth daye Luc. 13 sayed vnto the people There are .vi. daies in which men ought to worke in theÌ„ come that ye may be healed and not on the Sabbote day But our lord reproued him callinge him ypocrite Ananias and Saphira his wife coÌ„mitted greate hypocrisie Act. 5. when they dyssembled that they hadde broughte the hole price of the lande and hadde laied yt before the Apostles fete Notwihstanding that Simom Magus gaue credence to Philippes preachinge Act. Yet Peter sayed vnto hym Thou hast no parte in this sermon for thy hart is not right in the sight of god Do penaunce therfore c. Then answered Simon and sayed Pray ye to oure lorde for me Paule did greuouslye note Elimas the sorcerer of falshode and ypocrisy Sayinge Act. 13 O full of all subtlety and disceptfulnes thou chylde of the deuell thou enemy of all righteousnes wylt thou not cease to peruerte the strayght waies of our lorde ¶ Of the receayte of gyftes and rewardes Capitu. lxxvi ABraham woulde not receaue the gyftes that the kinge of the Sodomites proferd him Gen. 14. when he retourned from the slaughter of the foure kinges althoughe he hadde well deserued them Iacob sente presentes to hys brother Esau Gen. 32 to aswage and mitigate his anger The people offerd and gaue giftes in so greate a quantite to the woorke of our lordes tabernacle Exo. 36 that Moses caused it to be proclamed that they shoulde offer no more Balaam loued the rewarde of iniquite and went with balacs messengers Nu. 22. that had the reward of the south sainge in their handes Ahiud offerd giftes vnto Eglon the king of Moab Iudi. 3 and afterwardes speakyng in secret with him he greuously smote him and slew him Sampsons enemyes promised Dalida money and induced her to begile and deceyue him Iudi. 16 It is sayed by Samuels chyldren that they tourned a syde after lucre 1. regu 8. toke rewardes and peruerted the righte It was not laid to Samuels charge that hee 1. regu 17. whyche hadde iudged the people twentye yeares at any tyme had taken of any man any gift or rewarde The giftes that Siba Mephiboseth seruaunt presented vnto Dauid flyinge from the face of Absolon 2. reg 16 seme so to haue inclined Dauids minde that he gaue an vnryghte iudgemente against him that was absent The quene of Saba gaue kynge Salomon .120 talentes of golde 3. regu 10. and of swete odours exceding muche and precious stones And kyng Salomon gaue her accordinge to all her desyre what so euer she asked besydes that he gaue her of a free wyll with hys owne handes Aranna would haue geuen Dauid the threshyng floore all thynges necessary to do sacrifice with all 2. reg 24 but he wold not take it but at a price nor offer vp no sacrifice of other meÌ„s goods Benedad the king of Siria had peace with Basaa the king of Israell but yet the giftes that Aza the king of Iuda sent him 3. reg 15 caused him to breake his consideration with Basaa and greauously to intreate him Naaman the Sirian was frely healed of Eliseus 4. reg 5 and yet Cihezi because he toke giftes of Naaman was greuously plaged The king of Babilon sent letters presentes vnto king Hezechias 4. re 20 Then foloweth Hezechias was glad of theÌ„ of their coÌ„ming But note ther how greatly he displeased our Lorde After that Achaz kyng of Iuda had spoyled our lordes house 2. Para. â—8 the kynges and the princes houses he gaue giftes vnto the kynge of the Assirians And yet it helped him not The Iewes in
them and spake proudly and disdainfully Antiochus estemed and thought in his pride 2. Mach 5. that he mighte make men saile vpon the drye land to go vpon the sea suche an hye mynde had he Nicanor coÌ„minge to fyghte agaynst Iudas his fellowes thought him so sure of the victorye 2. Mach. 8. that he solde the Iewes or euer he saw theÌ„ in the fielde Antiochus beynge put to flyghte most shamefully and wyth dyshonour by Porâ—is spake proudly saying 2. mach 9. that he woulde come to Ierusalem and make it a graue for the Iewes But our Lorde smote hym wyth an vncurable dysease and plage When the Iewes sayed There is a mighty Lord in heauen that which hath coÌ„maunded the seuenth day to be kept TheÌ„ sayed Nicanor And I am mighâ—y vpon earth to commaunde theym for to arme them selues 2. Mach 15. and to performe the kinges busines And eleuated wyth greate pride he deuysed to ouercome Iudas and to brynge a waye the victorye Luc. 10 When the disciples had saied Lord euen the verye deuels are subdued to vs through thy name Our lord refrained theÌ„ saying I saw Satan as it had bene lightning falling down froÌ„ heaueÌ„ neuerthelesse in this reioyce not Luc. 18. The pride of the Pharisey the which bosted him selfe and condempned his neighbour is dysalowed Herode vpoÌ„ a day appoynted araied him in royall apparell and set him in his seate and made an oration vnto the people Act. 12. And the people gaue a shoute sayinge It is the voyce oâ— a god and not of manne And immedyately the Aungell of oure Lordâ— smote hym because hee gaue not God the honoure And he was eaten of wormes and gaue vppe the ghost ¶ Of vayne bostinge and crakinge Ca. xcix GAall Odebs sonne sayed vnto hys felowes what is Abimelech and what is Sichem that we shoulde serue hym Iudi. 9. Woulde God thys people were vnder my hande that I myghte take Abimelech oute of the waye Sampson wyth hys bare handes tare a Lion Iud. 14. neyther tolde his father nor his mother what he had done Goliath the Philistine defyed the hooste of the Israelytes 1. regu 17. and demaunded that one shuld come to fight with hym hande to hande Adonias the sonne of Hagith exalted hym selfe sayinge I wyll be kynge 3. reg 1. But hys kyngedome dured not longe Benadab the kynge of Siria sente messengers vnto the king of Israel 3. regu 20. saied Thus thus doo the goddes to me If the duste of Samaria be ynnoughe for all the people that folow me To take euery man an handfull But he was well answered that he whych putteth on hys harnesse shuld not boast hym selfe as he dothe that putteth it of 4. regu 18 Rapsaces spake hye proude wordes in the kinge of Assirians name sayinge haue they delyuered them oute of the lande of the king of Assirians c. Iudi. 6. Holofernes sayed to Achior when we slaye them all as one man then shalte thou also peryshe wyth them through the swearde of the Assirians al Israel shal be destroyed wyth the. Aman beynge immitted and calde to Esthers banket sent for his frends and hys wyfe Esther 5. and tolde them of the glory of his rychesse and of the multitude of hys children that he the king onely shuld dine with the Quene And yet note that he the next daye after was hangde vpon the galous that which he had prepared for Mardocheus Esay hath dysclosed the wordes of the king of the Assirians Esa. 10. Thus haue I done through the power of mine owne hand through my wisedome I vnderstode it And there was no man that durst moue a feather or opeÌ„ his mouthe or once whysper This saying of the prophet Esa. 14. I wyl clyme vp into heauen set my seat aboue the starres of God and will be lyke the hyghest of al is literally vnderstanded ment by Nabucho c. Ieremy saith of Moab I know her stoutnesse Iere. 48. her boasting her arrogancy and the pride of her stomacke and that vertue is not by her Nabuchodonozor said vnto Danyels thre fellowes Dani. 3. that wold not worshyp hys golden Image What God is there that may deliuer you out of my handes Nabuchodonozor walkyng in hys haule Dani. 4. sayd Is not this the great city of Babilon whyche I my selfe haue made a kynges court wyth my power and strength for the honour of my maiesty whyle these wordes wer yet in hys mouth there fell a voyce from heauen c. When Sereon hard say that Iudas had gathered vnto him the congregatioÌ„ of the faithful he said I wyl get me a name 1. Mac. 3 and ouercome Iudas the whiche contrariwise did ouercome hym sone after Demetrius the sonne of Demetrius sent vnto Ionathas saying come downe to vs into the plain field â— Mach. x. and there let vs proue our strength together thou shalt find that I haue valiant men of warre with me aske and know whom I am And yet his chaÌ„ce was but euill Nicanor purposing to fight against the Iewes 2. Mach. 8. cald marchaunt men vnto hym promising that he would geue them lxx Iewes for one talent The multitude of armed men comminge together 2. mach 9. Antiochus was put to flighte from Persepolis a citye of Persia with shame and dyshonoure And yet he spake proudly saying that he wold come to Ierusalem and make it a graue for the Iewes Nicanor did ask of the Iewes whether there were a mighty one in heauen 2. mach 15 that commaunded the Sabothe day to be kept And when they said the mighty Lord in heauen coÌ„maunded the seueÌ„th day to be kept he said And I am mighty vpon earthe Peter said verye boldlye vnto oure Lorde mat 26. Thoughe all men be offended because of thee yet wil not I be offended And yet afterwardes it chaunced farre otherwise They that boast and crake moste of them selues Mat. 4. do chaunce to lye they follow specially the deuyll the which when he had shewed our Lord all the kingdomes of the world said al these thinges are deliuered vnto me Luc. 4 and I geue them to whome I wil. Our Lord against those that be bosters and arrogante Luc. xviii dothe brynge in the example of that Pharisey saying I am not as other men are or as this Publicane The Phariseis spake woordes of greate arrogancye to him that was borne blynde Iohn 9 and restored agayne to his sight by oure Lorde and he wyth good reason confounded them Thou art all together borne in synne and dost thou teach vs Pilate but to arrogantly said vnto oure Lorde Iohn 19 knowest thou not that I haue power to crucify thee and haue power to lose thee ¶ Of elections Capitu. C. MOses vsing Ietros the priest of Madians counsel Exo. 18. did elect and chuse vnder iudges or
prelates men of actiuity and power and suche as feared God true men and hatyng couetousnesse Our Lord commaunded Moses to take xii rods after the nomber of the tribes of Israel Nume 17. the name of Aaron was in the tribe of Leui. And when he had put thē in the tabernacle on the morow he found Aarons rod budded Moses purposing to reuenge Israel of the Madianites Nume 31. said Let ther be chosen a M. out of euerye tribe of Israel to the warres When Moses which had disobeied the wil of God Nume 27. shuld die he praid our Lord deuoutly saying Let the Lord of the sprites of all flesh set a man ouer the congregation and our Lorde ordained that Iosue the sōne of Nun should be his successor and guyde of the people in his steade After the death of Iosue the childrē of Israel asked counsel of our Lorde saying Iudith 1. who shal go vp before vs and be the captain of the warre And our Lord said Iudas shal go vp When the men of Israel saw that Gedeon had fought strongly and māfully for them Iudi. 8. they said al vnto him raign thou ouer vs. The elders of Galaad wente vnto Iepthe Iud. 11. sayd vnto him come and be our prince and captaine and fight against the children of Amnon Ther was a man of Beniamin named Eis 1. regu 9.10 the same had a sonne called Saule a chosen and a good man nor there was not a better in all Israell Oure Lorde disclosed vnto Samuell that he shuld be chosen and anoynted vpon the people of Israel Samuel at the special commaundement of our Lord went to Bethleem 1. regu 16. and anoynted Dauid the son of Isai king vpon Ierusalem and Israell Saule being dead the menne of the tribe of Iuda came and anoynted Dauid king ouer the house of Iuda 2. regu 2. after that 2. regu 5. al the tribes of Israell came vnto him and anoynted him king ouer all the people of Israel And therfore he saith in his Psalmes he hathe chosen his seruaunt Dauid And in a nother place 1. Para. 28. It hath pleased our Lord to chuse me kynge ouer all the people of Israel And Dauid drawynge towardes hys deathe 1. Para. 28. saide vnto the elders of Israel Of all my sonnes our Lorde hath chosen Salomon my sonne to sit vpon the seat of the kingdome of our Lord in Israel Ieroboam by the terrible iudgement of God was chosen and taken to be king ouer ten tribes of Israell 3. regu 12. And yet he was the occasion that the people departed and went from god Iehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria vnto the rulers and best of the city 4. regu 10. Of all our masters sonnes chuse the best and him that shal please you and set him on his fathers seate and fight for your Lordes house All Iudas frendes came together and said vnto Ionathas 1. mach 9. for so muche as thy brother Iudas is dead ther is none like him to go forth against our ennemyes Wherefore we thys daye chose thee for him to be oure Prynce and captaine to order and to fyghte our battaile Our Lorde called his disciples and of them he chose twelue Luc. 6. whom he called apostles After the assention of our Lord the disciples appoynted two Ioseph and Mathias Act. 1. and when they praied they said Thou Lord whiche knowest the hartes of all men shewe whether of those two thou hast chosen to take the ministration of thys apostleshyp vpō hym The sayinges of the apostles pleased the whole multitude Act. 6. And they chose Steuen a manne full of fayth and full of the holye ghost and Philippe c. As the Discyples minystred to our Lord and fasted the holy ghost saide Seperate me Barnabas and Saule Act. 13. for the worke where vnto I haue called them ¶ Of good Princes and Prelates Ca. Ci. MOses the good prelate wente in oftentimes to Pharao to deliuer the people from the Egipeiacal seruitude and bondage Ex. 67.8.9 Moses did comfort the people that wer afraid saying Fear ye not stād stil Exo. 14. our Lord shall fight for vs and ye shal holde your peace He spake wyth his mouth but praid our Lorde with hys hart as it appeareth there Exo. 15 Moses cried for the people vnto our lord whē they murmured agaīst him A good prelate must refer all thinges to our Lord. Exo. 16 And so Moses sayde your murmuringes is not agaynste vs but against our lord Moses when Israel fought against Amelech went not to the battail but sent his seruaunt Iosue only and yet as touching his part the warre was iust Exo. 17. But he standinge in the toppe of the hil applied and turnd him to prai vnto our lord When Moses should depart from the people Exo. 23 and ascend vp to the moūtaine he left them two good vicares and gouernoures that is Aaron and Hur. Our lorde semed to be willynge to confound and destroy the synfull people Exo. 32 and promised vnto Moses greate dignity and honoure And yet Moses did pray instantly for the people And note with what seueritye he punyshed the people for whome he prayed our Lord so instantly Moses gaue vnto the Leuites xii oxen and vii charettes Numer 7. the whyche the lordes of the tribes of Israell had offred But he gaue nothing to the children of Caath althoughe they were nearer of kin vnto hym because their office was to heare all thynges vpon their shoulders Moses wished and desired that all the Lordes people could Prophecye Notwithstanding that his honor as it semed Nume 11. should therby haue bene deminished After that the spies were retorned our Lord said to Moses Nume 14 how long do thys people prouoke me how long will it bee or they beleue me I wyll smite them therefore with the pestylence and wyl make of the a prince of a greater nacion and mightyer then this is But Moses wold be preserde no hier The people pearishing for the tumult murmuringe that they made againste Moses and Aaron Nume 16. Moses saide to Aaron Take a censare and put fire therin out of the aultare and pour on cense and goe quicklye vnto the congregacion that thou mayste praye and obtayne the forgeneuesse for them When Moses shuld dye Nume 27. he prayed our Lorde mooste diligentlye that he woulde prouide the people of a meete and a good captain But yet in speciall he would name none Israell serued oure Lorde all the dayes of Iosue c. Iosu. 24. For why a good prelate is very mete to direct the people in the waye of our Lorde Samuel iudged al Israel and went about Bethel Calgala 1. regu 7. and Masphat that they whiche hadde nede of hym might the easlyer come vnto hym Samuel saied vnto the people God kepe me from this synne 1.
house with fyre Achab beinge wounded in battayl dyed at euen and the dogges licked vp Nabothes bloud 3. Re. 21.22 the which Achab dissemblinge the thyng that he shuld and myght haue voyded was stoned and he dyed 4. regu 1. When Eliseus went vp to Bethel a sorte of yll taughte chyldren mocked hym And there came oute two beares and tare .42 of them One of those two which were present wyth the kinge of Israell 4. regu 7. would not credit Heliseus wordes for speakynge of the abundaunce that was to come The next daye after the people that ranne to the spoyle trode hym downe and so he dyed Benadab kinge of Siria whiche dyd the children of Israel much woo 4. regu 8. was at the laste strangled of Asahell hys sonne Iehu beholdinge wicked Iezabell the whyche was the cause of muche euyll 4. regu 9. commaunded her to be caste down hedlyng the which was so trotrodeÌ„ with horses that she albeit she was a kings doughter was not buried for there was nothinge left but her skul her fret and the palmes of her hands Athalia Ochozias mother destroyed all the kynge seede that she might raygne ouer the people 4. regu 11. afterwardes by Ioiada the preastes coÌ„maundement she was slayne mooste fylthelye Ioas that euyll and vnkynde kinge of Iuda 4. regu 12. the whiche caused Zacharias Ioiada the preaste sonne to be stoned was slayn after that of his own seruants Senacheryb that proude kinge of the Assyrians 4. regu 19. and blasphemer of God of heauen auoyded and fledde oute of Iewry wyth shame ynoughe hys owne sonnes flewe him Sedechias kynge of Iuda beynge euyll to God and man was taken as he fled and wente hys wayes 4. regu 25. The kynge of Babylon flewe hys sonnes before hys eyes And after that hys owne were put oute he was caryed to Babilon and there he dyed wretchedlye Holofernes toke and destroied many conntreys Iudith 13. and at lengthe beynge a sleape and dronken a woman smote of hys head Proude Aman the whyche caused men to worshippe him Esther 7. was hanged on the galowes that he had made for Mardocheus Balthazar the king of BabiloÌ„ was nothing amended by the ensample of his father Nabuchodonozor Dani. 3.5 the whiche euen before him was changed into a beast And being at his banket he saw a wryting in the wall Mane Thetel Phares and the very same night he was slain and his kingdome translated to the Medes and Perses Dani. 6. Danyels accusers by Darius the kinge of Perses commaundemente were cast into the Lions den and deuoured The like chaunced in the xiiii chapter It is said that Alexander after that he went vnto hys bed 1 Mach. 1 knewe that he should die as though that before that time he neyther had remembraunce nor knowledge of death Alchinus the traytor was to smytten with the palsy 1. Mach. 9. that he coulde not speake nor coÌ„maund any of his house concerning his businesse and so he died in great misery Antiochus was sorye in his minde that Andronicus had vniustly put Onias the hie priest to death 2. mach 4. And commaunded that Andronicus should be slayne in the same place wher he coÌ„mitted to great impiety and wyckednesse When Lysimachus had commytted many great sacrilegis in the temple 2. Mach. 4. the multitude gathered them together againste him and killed hym beside the treasury Wicked Iason that toke his owne brother prisonner 2. Mach. 5. and had expelled many out of theyr country peryshed from home and was throwne out vnburyed no man mournyng for hym Antiochus whiche had martired other mens bowels suffred an horryble and greuous payne of hys bowels 2. Mach. 9. and he died a miserable and a meruelous death vpon the mountaines Menelaus the whiche for a time had gotten the dominion and rule 2. Mach. 13. was cast headlonge oute of a hie tower among the ashes The riche manne whose grounde brought forth plentiful frutes thought to destroy hys barnes Luc. 12. and builde greater he trusted to liue longe But the Lord said vnto him Thou foole this night thou shalt die The example of the rich glutton is very terrible Luc. 16. he died was buried and brought into hell Because that Ananias and his wife Saphira craftely kept away parte of the price of the land which was sold Act. 5. they at Peters increpatyon fearfully gaue vp the ghost Herode arayed in royall apparell fate in hys iudgement seat Act. 12. and made an oration to the people And they gaue a shout sayinge It is the voyce of a God and not of a man And immediatly the angell of the LORDE smote hym because he gaue not God the honoure and he was eaten of wormes and gaue vp the ghost ¶ Of the pretious deathe of the iust Cap. Cxxxiiii WHen Caine and Abell were in the field Gen. 4. Caine rose vp against Abel and slue hym Ihon dothe shewe the cause for hys woorkes and doynges were euel and hys brothers iust Enoche walked wyth God Gen. 5. and he was no more sene for God toke hym awaye Abraham dyed in a lustye age Gen. 25. verye olde and was putâ—e to hys people The dayes of Isaac were an 180. yeares Gene. 35. he died euen for very age and was put vnto his people beyng olde and ful of dayes When Iacob hadde commaunded all that he would vnto hys sonnes Gene. 49. he plucked vppe hys feete vnto the bed and dyed and was putte vnto hys people After that Ioseph hadde taken an oth of hys brethren Gene. 50. and hadde sayde GOD wyll visytte you carye my bones hence wyth you he died Nume 20. Moses and Aaron as the LORD commaunded them went vppe into mount Hor in the syght of al the multitude And whan Aaron had put of his clothes and put them vpon Eleazar his sonne he died there Moses the seruaunt of God dyed at Gods commaundement in the lande of Moab Deut. 34. The Lord buried hym but no manne knoweth of hys sepulchre vnto this day 1. Para. 29. Dauid after he had instructed hys sonne Salomon and made hys oratyon vnto God for him and al the people he died in a good age ful of dais richesse and honor 4 re 2. As Helias and Helizeus were walking together a charet of fyre horses of fyre departed them a sondre and Helias went vp thorow the whirlwinde into heauen 2. Para. â—4 The spirit of God came vpon Zacharia Ioâ—adas sonne Whiche sayde vnto the people Why transgresse ye the commaundementes of the Lord that ye can not prosper And they gathered them selues agaynst hym and stoned him at the commaundemeÌ„t of the king and so he dyed Thobias in the hour of his death Tobi. 14. called hys sonne vnto hym and seuen spryngaldes hys sonnes Children and sayde vnto them My deathe is at hande And a little after it is sayde of hys sonne that when he was ninety yeare of age and had fulfylled them in the feare of the LORDE wyth ioy and gladnesse they buried him Iob after his afflyctyons lyued an hundred and fortye yeares Iob. 41. and sawe his childers children into the fourthe generation and so died beinge olde and of a perfect age Dauid whyche lamented for hys sonne beyng sicke 2. re 12.18 woulde not weepe for hys innocente Chylde that dyed But hee wepte sore for Absolon the paricide Matathias after he had instructed comforted his Children 1. mach 2. gaue them his blessynge and dyed and was put vnto hys fathers 1. Mach. 9. When Iudas Machabeus saw the multitude of hys ennemyes and so fewe of hys owne men he sayde If our time be come let vs die manfully for our brethren Eleazarus after manye tormentes dyed 2. Mach. 6 leauinge to all the people a remembraunce of hys deathe for an example of vertue and manlinesse 2. Mach. 7. The seuen brethren wyth their deuout mother made a wonderfull and a laudable end And there may be noted many examples of vertue Mar. 6. Ihon the Baptist for the truthe and honesty of mariage was beheaded of Herode the Tetrarch It is wrytten thus of Lazarus that famous poore man And it fortuned that the begger dyed Luc. 16. and was caryed by the aungels into Abrahams bosome Dauid after he had instructed hys sonne Salomon 1. Para. 29. and made hys oratyon vnto God for him and al the people he died in a good age ful of dais richesse and honor How so euer the thefe lyued vnto whome Christe sayde Luc. 23. This day shalt thou be wyth me in Paradise He died happely When Sainte Steuen was stoned hee called on the LORDE saying Act. 7. LORDE Iesu receaue my spirit And hee knealed downe and cryed wyth a loude voyce and saide Lorde laye not thys synne to theyr charge And when he hadde thus spoken hee fell a sleape Lette vs geue dylygence that oure deathe maye bee lyke vnto hys And oure Sauyoure and LORD IESUS CHRISTE by hys syngulare deathe Li. 4. de tri Lib. 14. de ciui dei as sayth Saint Augustyne destroyed oure dowble Deathe and graunted vnto vs as saythe the selfe Augustyne so greate grace of faythe that hee was and became the instrumente of deathe the whyche is as it manyfestly appeares contrary to lyfe by the whyche wee should come to lyfe The which life the true author of eternall healthe that is the waye the truthe and lyfe and hathe the dominyon ouer death and lyfe Graunt vs. The whyche wyth the father and the holye ghoste lyueth and raygneth one God worlde without end So be it FINIS
yeare Deute 26. and theyr clothes waxed not old nor their shoes were not consumed vpon their fete Ther was a certain man at Listra the which was a crepel from his mothers wombe Actes 14. and neuer had walked vnto whome Paul loking vpon him saide with a loude voyce Stande vpright on thy fete and he start vp and walcked Nume xxii Balaam commyng to curse gods people was reproued of the asse that he rode vpon Iosu. iii. After that the children of Israell were entred into the floud of Iordan the waters that came downe from aboue did swell and rise vp vppon an heape like a mountaine and the waters that were beneath departed into the dead or salt Sea Iosue vi After that the children of Israell had compassed the city of Iericho vii times the wall fell downe Iosu. x. Our Lord obeyed to Ioâ—ues vow sayinge Sunne stand thou still vpon Gabeon Iosu vii Our Lord sent the sweard into al the hostes of the Medianites they slue one a nother so that by a fewe many were ouercommed and discomfited iii. Reg. v. By our Lordes Arke the whiche the Philistines toke were many miracles shewed i. Reg. xiiii Ionathas and his Harnesse bearer destroyed so manye of the Philistines that it was taken for a myracle and al the hostes were troubled This likewise was no smal thing that Dauid 1. regum 17 beinge but yonge inexpert and vnarmed preuailed against that stronge and armed Philistiane Goliah It is red 3. regum 17 that Helias did miracles as when he asked of God such a drought that it rained not vpon th earth for the space of thre yeres and a half Likewise the rauens brought him bread and flesh twise euery day 3. regum 17 Consequentlye he reuiued the womans childe 3. regum 17 Afterward through praiers 3. regum â—8 he obtained of God fire that wonderfully consumed the burnt sacrifice and after hys Prayer there was a greate raine After this the angell of oure Lorde shewed him breade and water 4. regum 1. And throughe his praiers the fire burnte vp ii captains ouer fiftye with theyr fiftyes At length he deuided the waters of Iordan with his mantel 4. regum 2 and was taken vp in a charet of fire into heaueÌ„ 4. regu 4. Many like thinges are wrytten of Helizeus for the increased the poore widowes oyle that was indetted 4 regu 4. The selfe obtained a childe for the sunamite And after it was departed he reuiued it againe 4. regu 4. He cast meale into the pottage that was firste bitter and made it sweete And multiplied the loues for the prophets children 4. regum 5. He healed Naaman the Sirian of his leprosy 4. regum 6 He maketh yron to swim vpon the water 4. regum 6 He knew many thinges being absent as though he had bene present And caused his seruaunt to see the firy charets of Aungels And he smote the hoastes of the Assiryans wyth blindnesse 4. reg 7.8 Uery often he prognosticated thinges that were to come 4. regu 13. The carkase of a certain dead man touchinge the bodye of Elizeus reuiued 4. regu 19. Whan king Sennacherib besieged the city of Laâ—his three were slayne of his men in one night an hundred foure score and fiue thousande in the daies and time of king Ezechiell The children of Ammon 2. Para. 20. of Moab of the mount of Seir gathered theÌ„ selues together against kinge Iosaphat and what time the Leuites began to laud and praise GOD in the hoast of Iosaphat their aduersaries tourninge theyr weapons agaynste them selues and murthered one an other Thys thynge was verye maruailous 4. reg 20 that the Sunne at the peticyon of Ezechia wente ten lines or degrees backewarde in the Dyall of Achaz Tobias was foure yeares blinde Tob. 11. but afterwardes by the angels counsell he annoynted his eyes wyth the gall of the Fishe and receyued hys sighte The myracle of Daniels three fellowes Daniel 3. and howe magnificentlye they were deliuered from the fornace of burning fire is worthye to be remembred Daniell 6. Likewise how that Daniel remained vii daies with the Lions vnhurted Ionas 1.2 By Ionas occasion the Sea was sore troubled but after they had cast him into the Sea a fishe swallowed him vp and he liued there thre dais and afterwardes escaped and came out safe and sounde 2. Macha 3 Heliodorus proued the mighte and power of God when he woulde haue spoyled the temple For he was beaten and scourged of two yonge men very greuously 2. Macha 8 There pearished againste the Galathians in Babilon .6000 menne throughe the aid of 12000. men sente vnto them from heauen Luke 1. The Angell of our Lord appeared vnto Zachary declaringe vnto hym from God that Helizabeth his baren and old wife shuld beare him a sonne the which geuinge no credence to the Aungels wordes was made domme vntil the childe was circumcised and then his speache was restored him againe And this was very maruelous that Ihon Luke 1. being yet in his mothers woÌ„b reioysed and sprange at the salutation of blessed Mary the whiche hadde newly conceiued oure sauioure And when blessed Elizabeth knewe it she reioysed saying Blessed arte thou among women And also that there came wise men from the East to Ierusalem Mathe. 2. a starre leading and going before them Oure Lorde Iesus beinge called to the marriage Ihon. 2. at the beginnynge of hys miracles tourned water into wine Nor this was no small miracle of our Lord Luke 4. that he whan they of Nazareth filled with wrathe led him euen to the edge of the hill that they mighte caste him downe headlonge went hys way euen thorow the middest of them And Iesus wente aboute Math. 4. and they brought vnto him all sicke people he healed them As for the miracles which oure sauioure vouchsaued to do beinge conuersaunt amonge the people are gathered out of the Euangelicall historye For he reuiued thre deade men that is the Doughter of Iaâ—rus the Archsinagoge Math. 9. and the widowes soÌ„ne that was caried oute of the Citye Luke 7. The thyrde was Lazarus Ihon. 11. After that he healed a leuen leapers Of the one Math. viii Luke v. Of the other ten Luke xvii Afterwardes he gaue syxe blynde men theyr syght Of two Math. ix of other two Math. xx Of one other Mark viii Of hym that was borne blinde Ihon. ix He deliuerd vii specially that wer possessed of Deuils Of two of them Mathew viii Of the one of them the whyche was mooste famous whose name as he saide was called Legio is touched Luke viii Of one other the whyche was blinde and dumme Math. xii Of a certaine Lunatyke the whiche coulde not bee delyuered but by Prayer and Fastinge Math. xvii Marke ix And of an other vncleane spirite that was caste
ye the man in whom the euil sprite was ran on them and preuailed against them so that they fledde awaye naked and wounded And vpon one of the sabboth daies Paule preached and continued the preachinge vnto midnight Actes 20. And ther satte in a windowe a certaine yonge manne beinge fallen into a deade sleepe And ouercome wyth sleape he fell downe from the thyrde lofte and was taken vp dead But when Paul went downe he fell on hym and embrased him And they broughte the yonge man a liue and were not a lytle comforted And in the Winter when Paule and his fellowes were scaped oute of the broken ship Actes 28. and were warminge them at the fire There came a viper oute of the heate and caught hym by the hande he shoke the viper into the â—ire and felt no harme How be it the menne of that countrye loked and beleued that he shoulde haue fallen down dead sodenly Paule by prayer and by laying his handes on the father of Publius Actes 28. deliuered him of a feuer and of a bloudye â—lixe So when this was done other also which had diseases in the I le came and were healed ¶ Of Goddes prouidence and secreat iudgementes ¶ The second Chapter OUr Lord knewe that man wold sinne Genes 1. yet he made him inclining there vnto when that he might haue made him wythoute anye suche inclinatyon or promptnesse to sinne at all But he knew how great profite and goodnesse should ensue begotten by the occasion of his fall Iacobs soÌ„nes did decre and purpose to extinguishe Ioseph theyr brother Genesis 27 but yet God disposinge the thinge otherwise they exaulted him farre aboue them selues Iacob wheÌ„ he blessed Iosephs children Ioseph wandering and beynge ignoraunt of the cause laid his right hand on Ephraims hed Genesis 48 and hys left hand vpon Manasses Exod. â— 3 After that Moises had smitten and slaine the Egiptian and by the way of rebultinge of a Iewe had offended him he fled from the face of Pharaâ—e and as a banished man dwelt manye yeares in the countrye of Madian so that it was thought that he durst appeare no more in the land of Egipte and yet by keping there his father in lawes shepe he had a more greater occasion to serue God and sawe that greate vision and was sente by God to the children of Israell and to Pharao Exod. 5.6 Our Lord knew ful wel that Pharao would not obey his commaundementes and yet he caused him to bee required and spoken to by Moyses Exod. â— Our Lord or euer he would bringe the children of Israel out of Egipte permitted and suffred them a longe time ofteÌ„ to be afflicted punished Pharaos wise menne and his enchaunters did throughe Gods sufferaunce Exod. 7 as great signes as touching certaine of them in Egypte as Moyses did Our Lord dothe permit and suffer the reproued to be indurate Exod. 9 and hys elected to be afflicted thereby to do that is wonderfull and to bee the better knowen and praised Our Lorde did oftentimes promise the children of Israel Nume xiiâ—â— a country that floweth with milke and honye and yet but two of them Saleph and Iosue of twenty yeres of age came thyther the reast came not thyther but their children only Moses the which did so often times reconcyle the synnefull people vnto oure Lorde did once sinne at the water of strife Nume 20 nor he obtained not for him selfe to enter the lande of promission In that that the children of Israell for their iniquity remained more theÌ„ xl yeres in the desert Oure Lorde was thereby greatlye magnified Deute 29. the which did feede them there so longe and kept their raimeÌ„t from wearing and at the last did woÌ„derfully bring them into the lande of promesse Of the people that did inhabite the lande of promesse Iosu. xi thys was our Lordes commaundemente and sentence that theyr hartes should be hardened and that they shoulde come agaynste Israell in battaile and vtterlye to be destroyed and that no mercy shoulde bee shewed them but that they shuld pearish and be brought to nought After that Gedeon hadde obtayned and wonne so maruelous a vyctorye of hys ennemyes Iudi. 8. and hadde refused to raigne ouer the people he made an Ephod the which dede was the decaye and ruine of him selfe and his housholde Oure Lorde was greued with the children of Israell for their iniquitye and wickednesse Iudi. 10. and said vnto them I wyll healpe you no more goe and crye vnto the Goddes which ye haue chosen And they saide vnto oure Lorde We haue sinned Then there foloweth that our Lorde had piâ—ye on theyr misery Sampson Iudi. 16 the aungell bryngynge the message was conceiued of his mother the whyche was barren And afterwardes he was often times deceyued by women and at the laste hee was destroyed by the ruine and fal of a house The children of Israel by the counsaile and will of oure Lorde Iudi. 20 foughte twise with the children of Beniamin and were ouercome but afterwardes they vtterly in a maner destroid them Our Lord suffred the Arke to be taken of the vncircumcised 1. regum 6. where hee shewed many miracles And when it was reduced brought home agayne the meÌ„ of Bethsames receiued it ioyfully and yet our Lord siue 70. of the Princes 5000. of the coÌ„men people Among al the people ther was none better then Saule 1. regum 15 when oure Lorde chose him yet afterwardes he synned and our Lord refused him Dauid was the least among al his brethren 1. regum 16 and as it wer of no reputatyon amonge theÌ„ So that when I sais children were called for this Dauid was neglected and contempned and yet our Lord gouerned all the people by him and for his cause extolled all his progeny and kindred 1. regum 28 This is much to be maruailed at that Samuel the prophet was called vp by a sorcerer Sainte Augustyne saithe in his boke de doctrina christiana that it was the similitude Image of Samuel but not the Prophet hym self nor yet his spirite for he appeared by the sacrilegious art and crafte of the deuil It is to be noted how expresly oure Lord spake vnto Nathan of the goodnes of Dauid and Salomon his sone â— regum 7. the which should build the temple yet bothe they fell into iniquitye and sinne most shamefully When Dauid should die he made a maruelous ordinaunce 3. regum 2. but for as muche as the scripture dothe so commend him it is to be supposed notwithstanding he was partlye cruell that yet he did it not without a iust a reasonable cause Our Lord gaue Salomon so great prosperity and peace 3. regum 11. that sathaÌ„ was not against him and he gaue him wisdome aboue all other kinges and yet at length our Lord suffered him to be in satuated
depraued and manye aduersaries to bee stirred vp agaynste hym Ieroboam by our Lordes commandemente spoken and declared by the Prophet Esay 3. regum 1â— was ordained made chefe ruler of ten tribes the whyche afterwardes yet induced the people malitiously to Idolatry ALyon slue the manne of God 3. regum 13. the whiche foretolde Hieroboam the destruction of the aultare nor he did not eate nor yet touch the carkase of the dead Notwithstandyng that Achab was a man mooste wycked iii. Reg. xxi and had harde say that he should be afflicted and punished for his trespasses yet he began outwardlye to repent and our Lorde deferd his paine and punishment 4. regum 1. This was verye terrible and fearful that Helias caused the ii captains and their l. men to be consumed deuoured vp with the Fire that came downe from heauen 4. regu 10. Iehu king of Israel with most feruent zele did so persecute the worshippers of Baall that oure Lorde dyd commend his doinges and yet he departed not froÌ„ Ieroboams Idolatry Kynge Manasses did many terrible and euil deedes in Ierusalem 2. Para. 33 afterwardes he was bound with chaines and caried to Babilon and doing penaunce he called vpon our Lord and was heard After that king Iosias had ledde a most holy life 1. Par. 35 he went forth to fighte against Necho the king of Egipt sayinge vnto him leaue of to meddle against god which is with me least he destroy thee but he harkned not vnto the words of Necho out of the mouth of god and his chance was but euyl for he being pearced and shot thorow with dartes and arrowes pearished and died Our Lord suffred the holy elect specially beloued city and his peculiare people the which he brought woÌ„derfully by the desert out of Egipte into the lande of promise Tob. 13. to be ouer â—â—nd and takeÌ„ by the Chaldeans and Assirians And it semed that he lyttle estemed theÌ„ for it is wrytten O geue thankes vnto our Lorde ye children of Israell For amonge the heathen which know him not hathe he scattered you to thintente that ye shoulde shew forthe his maruelous workes and cause them to know that there is none other God but he Tobias after such holy and mercyful woorkes in whiche he was verye carefull and diligente Tob. 2 waxed blinde and his kinsfolkes and frendes offended therwith and not perceiuing the cause therof derided and laughed him to scorne It might be reputed thought very meruailous Iudi i. ii why the oure Lord suffred that wicked Holofernes to subdue so many realmes and kingdomes Also of Aman the whiche of all other was mooste proudest and mooste crueltest Esth. 3. and yet nexte vnto the king he was exalted aboue all other prynces Iob. 1. â— Iobes frendes wondred and were euen ashamed that they sawe hym so greuously afflicted and punished The deuine iustice doth punishe euel meÌ„ at somtimes by those that are worse then they them selues Esay 10 as he punished the chidlren of Israell and Iuda by Nabuchodonozor and the Cauldes As the prophet Osay wryteth wo be vnto Assur whiche is a rod of my wrath Romayn 13. Our Lorde dothe not sette princes and prelates vppon those onlye that are faithfull and good but vppon all people For there is no power but of God Ionas â—â—â— Our Lorde commaunded Ionas to preache There are yet xl daies and then shall Ninâ—ue bee ouerthrowen And yet our Lord knew that the Niniuites would do penaunce and that they shuld not be so punished Our Lorde suffred that Antiochus shuld make that venerable and reuerent temple prophane 1. macha 1. burne the holy citye and make greate slaughter of Innocentes In the daies and time of Antiochus Epiphanius 1. Macha 6 the which destroyed the Temple and made it Prophane did cruelly handle many of the Iewes and slue them It mighte apeare and seme to manye that the whole world was in a confusion and euil ordained and ruled But for all that our Lorde out of those euils could bring the punishmente of the wicked and the corruption of certain other And againe the vertue and merites of manye of those that were slaine were diuersly increased I pray those that heare this to consider howe that Iudas Machabeus Ionathas 1. Macha 9. 1. Mach. 10 and Simon hys brethren were men towardes God and menne most valiaunt and most faythful and yet they died but miserably For Iudas was slaine in battayle agaynste Bacchides Triphon slue Ionathan his two soÌ„nes 1 Macha 16 Ptolomeus the sonne of one Sabolde slue proditoriously Simon and his two sonnes which were dronken It is to be wondred at 2. Mac. 6.7 that GOD when Eleazarus being so old a man and the vii brethren suffred such cruell tormentes for the law of God dyd shew no vengaunce ther against the tyrauntes Math. 2. Our Lorde beynge yet but a child would be conueyed from the presence and face of Herode and suffred the Innocentes to be slaine in hys place But in that he prouided well for the infantes for they shoulde neuer haue had so much profite if herode had indeuerd him self to haue honoured theÌ„ as they had by that that he commauÌ„ded them to be slaine Our Lord when he hard the faith of the Centurion he maruailed and saide to them that followed him math 8. Many shal come from the East and west and shall reast with Abraham and Isaac and Iacob in the kyngdome of heauen but the Chyldren of thys kingdome shall be caste oute into vtter darcknesse A certaine Scribe offred hym selfe to followe oure Lorde math 8. and was not admitted Luke 9. He inuited an nother to followe hym the whyche semed not to bee willynge For he sayde Suffer me fyrste to goe and burye my father Our Lord did miracles in Chorasin and Bethsaida Math. 11 where they profited but litle But he did none in Tire or Sidon where if he had done them they shuld haue ben profitable haue done much good God suffred Ihon Baptist thexample of all holinesse to be beheaded of Herode the moste vilest aduouterer mar 6. But it encreaseth the astonishmente of man for as much as it was done at the instance of an harlot nor we read not in the gospel that there insued any variaunce neither against the daÌ„sel nor against the aduoutrer nor yet against Herode the Tetrarche In our Lordes passion God as coÌ„cernynge the redemption of maÌ„kind fulfilled his most benigne will by the moste celerate and wicked iniquity of men Actes 3 For scripture saith God whych before had shewed by the mouthe of all hys Prophettes how that Christe shoulde suffer hathe thus wyse fulfilled Ihon. 18. Peter the Prince of the Apostles and heade of the Churche denied his master thryse Christe sufferinge the same Ihon. 11. Thomas the whiche saide so confedently Let vs go that we
may dye with him doubted of our Lordes resurrection whereof it came that Peter was the more meke and gentle to sinners and that the faithfull and they that stackard in the faithe were the better stablished there in And of this it is gathered that no manne should presume vpon his stedfastnes And that no man whether he be fallen from his faith or doubteth therin should despair of the mercye or of the forgeuenesse of God And by this that Iudas the Apostle and dispensator of God did slide into suche an eanorme crime nor rose not againe al presuÌ„pteous security is deminished and broken by the whiche no manne for the state condition that he is in nor for the dedes that he hath done oughte to be hie mineded but in fear For why the Apostles wer the faithful leaders of the people and yet they were kept in prysonne wythal diligence It might seme to such as be weake that God shuld not haue suffred such thinges to haue bene done in the beginning of the faith Actes 4â— But yet the faithful therby wer maruelously comforted and the aduersaries of our faithe confuted Actes 12. The like thing chaunced in Peter alone when he was taken by Herode put in prison and broughte forth and miraculouslye deliuered by the Angell It was great iniquity to stone Steuen to death Actes 7. and yet many good thinges throughe the prouidence of God came therof For Steuen was gloriously crowned in heauen and aboundauntly honoured in earthe his oration and prayer that he made there brought Paule vnto vs and left vnto al our posterity an example of a maruelous paâ—ience and charitye Actes 8 Steuen beynge thus stoned there followed a greate persecution in the Churche and congregation that was at Ierusalem For they were all sparkled abrode through out al the regions of Iewry and Samaria except the Apostles so that â—t semed to be a great detriment or hinderaÌ„ce to the honour of the christiane religion But the Discyples that were scattered abroade dyd so preache and sette forthe the worde of God that the Churche there by was a greate deale the more enlarged Actes 13. For as much as the Iewes when Paule and Barnabas preached the woorde of God vnto them refused it and put it from them they tooke an occasyon to preache vnto the Gentyles There was a dissentyon betwene Paule and Barnabas for IhoÌ„ whose sirname was Marke whome Paule woulde not receyue because he wente from theÌ„ but Barnabas toke Marke wyth hym Actes 15. and so they departed a sunder one from the other Where by shoulde haue folowed as it was thoughte some greate rebuke and shame But God disposing the matter there ensued greate frute and profite For the worde of God was opened preached to manye They committed a verye haynous deede and faute that putte that excellente doctoure Paule in prison coÌ„pellynge hym to cease from Preachinge the whyche thynge myghte seme to many a great inconuenience and that God should not haue suffred it And yet it is to bee greatly noted that the deuine prouidence by suche impedimentes and losses hath shewed and caused greate frute and profyte For as the merites of Paul did therby increase so likewise he left the mo examples of vertue and taughte muche better by his woorkes then before time by his wordes For beynge in prison he wrote to those that were absent and in farre countries nether was he so profitable vnto the church by his preachinge as he was by sending of his Epistles And therefore if he in any one city or prouince had ben honoured of all men and gladly hardt he should not yet haue had such occasions to haue gone and visited so diuers and many nations as he visited Therfore when that the Iewes or any other did persecute him froÌ„ towne to towne he preached the woorde of God to manye And when he was in hold he wrote his Epistles and when the Iewes resisted him Actes 13. he turned him self to the gentiles And againe because that in Syria he founde Festus and Felix vnrightfull Iudges Actes 25. hee was enforced to appeale to Cesar and so hee came to Rome and throughe his predication and doctrine was greatly illustred and luckelye by hys passion made mooste famous ¶ Of the benignitie of God to hys seruauntes ¶ The third Chapter ABraham commynge and speaking with our Lord Genesisâ— 28 desired him to spare the Sodomites vsed suche a maruelous boldnes that men might haue iudged him very importune But yet our Lord answered him all wayes gentlye and graunted him his request Our Lord moste gentlye appeared vnto Iacob flying and eschuynge hys brothers anger Gene. 31. and deliuered hym from his father in lawes insecution returning again to his brother Iacob vsed a greate audacitye and bouldnes in his prayer to our Lorde Gene. 38. saying I wyl not let thee go excepte thou blesse me And oure Lorde saide vnto Moses I haue seene this people Exodus 32. and behold it is a stiffe necked people suffer me that my wrath may wax hot against them As thoughe he wold saye thou holdest me nor I cannot consume these wicked sinners excepte thou let me go And our Lord spake vnto Moses as a man speaketh to his frende Exodus 33. and did defend him from his enemies and detractours Oure Lorde obeyed vnto Iosuas voyce Iosue 10. saying Sunne stand thou styll vpon Gibeon Balack called Balaam for to curse the children of Israell Iosu. 24. but our Lorde cleane contrarye blessed them by Balaam Nume 22 Gedeon demaunded twise of oure Lorde a signe in the fiece Iudi. 6. whether he shoulde obtaine the victorye of his enemies This was to be maruailed at that oure LORDE when he hym selfe was abiected and refused 2. regum 7. disdayned not there at but in the contempte of the seruauntes of GOD he estemed him self to be contemned As it is manifest and plaine in Samuel 1. regum 8. They did not reiecte thee but me saithe oure LORDE Note also howe courteouslye oure LORDE spake vnto Nathan 2. regum 7 of Dauid and of his house in time to come Notwithstandynge that the posteritye of Dauid did sinne greuouslye and manye manner of wyse 4. regu 19. yet hys good deedes are oftentymes remembred and because of them oure Lorde doth verye ofte spare and forgeue the sinnes of the people At the Commaundemente of God the rauens broughte breade and flesh to Helias 3. reg 17.19 And afterwardes the angell of God shewed hym breade and water Ezechia the kinge of Iewry sayde Oure LORDE wyll be mercifull 2. Para. 30 vnto all those that seeke hym withall their hartes nor shall not impute vnto them that they are not sufficiently inough sanctified Our LORDE sente his Aungell the whyche ledde for the yonge Tobias and broughte him agayne he draue the deuill from hys wife he made hys parentes glad and ioyfull To. 5.8.11
he cured the olde Toby of his blindenesse and replenished his house wyth all goodnesse Oure Lorde semed as it were to be afraide to offend Ieremye when that he did vtterly purpose to destroye the people for theyr sinnes Iere. 7. for he sayde I shall thrust you oute of my syghte Therfore thou shalt not pray for this people thou shalt nether geue thaÌ„kes nor prayer for them nor thou shalt not let me nor make no intercessyon to me for them For in no wise wyl I heare thee This thing is plain and manifest that GOD is with his seruauntes in their tribulation Daniell 3. For Nabuchodonosor sawe one in the burnynge fornace with Azaria and his fellowes like the sonne of God When Daniell was in the Lyons den at Babilon Daniel 5. Daniel 14. Our Lord sente him his dinner from a far of that is from Iewry by the prophet Abacucke Daniell 13. Our Lord hard the voyce of Susanna because she was vniustly condemned by thold and vnchast elders likewise by the iust iudgement of a continent and a chast childe she was delyuered Our Lord prepared a great fishe to swallow vp Ionas Ionas 2. the which semed yet for his disobedience iustly to haue deserued pain and punishment Machabeus and they that wer with him fightinge against Timothe 2. Mach. 10 had manifestlye healpe from heauen for there appeared fiue men vpon horsebackes with bridels of golde c. And afterwardes in a nother place 2. macha 11 they goynge to battaile against Lystas there appeared before them vpon horsebacke a man in white clothynge wyth harnesse of gold shakynge hys speare There was a greate benignitye in oure Sauioure Math. 4. For he wente aboute healynge all manner of Sickenesse and all manner of dyseases For if he had not so don many sick persons could not haue come vnto him Oure Lord answered the Leaper that sayde vnto him LORDE if thou wilte Math. 8. thou mayste and canste make me cleane verye meekelye and gently for Iesus puttinge forthe hys handes touched him saying I wyll be thou cleane But the Priestes abhord all suche men Oure Lord incontinent after Mathewes vocation dynde in hys house with him Math. 9. After that oure LORDE was departed and gone into the desarte math 14. he sawe muche people and was moued wyth mercye towarde them and he healed of them those that wer sick And when the euen drew on his disciples saide vnto him let the people departe Iesus as one moste liberall sayde vnto them Geue ye theym to eate When Peter begaÌ„ to sincke he cried saying Math. 14. Lord saue me And immediatlye Iesus stretchynge forthe hys hand caughte him Oure LORDE did gentlye defende Marye Magdalen agaynste the pharisy that thought euil by her Luke 7. and agaynste her owne Sister complaininge of her Mar. 14. yea and agaynste hys Disciples that for the effusyon of the oyntment Luke 10. fumed against her The vnspeakeable goodnes of god is muche declared in the example of the prodigal sonne where it is written But when he was yet a great way of Luke 15. hys father sawe hym and moued wyth compassion ranne and fell on his necke and kissed him He desyred to be one of hys hired seruauntes but yet his father interruptinge his communication receyued hym as hys sonne This was a meruelous benignity and gentelnesse of Christe Luke 19. when that he inuited and badde hym selfe to the Publicans house the whych was desirous to see him and also he blessed the same When our LORDE hadde indistinctlye spoken these wordes Ihon. 13. One of you shall betray me It followeth when Ihon leaned on Iesus breaste he sayde LORDE who is it Lo what a benignitye and familiarity was this Actes 2 Our sauioure promised his Disciples being heauye that he shoulde depart from them that his father shuld sende them a nother comfortoure the whyche thynge was well fulfilled at Whitsontide when that the holy spirite did so mightely strengthen comfort illuminate and teach them Ihon. 18. The bishops ministers commynge to take our Lord he said vnto them if ye seke me let these go theyr waye For he knew ful wel that they were not ready to suffer martirdome And therfore mekely condesceÌ„ding to their infirmity he would that they shoulde spare them Ihon. 23. The thefe desired our Lorde to remember him when hee came to hys kingdome But our LORDE dyd graunt him more then he demanded saying To day shalt thou be with me in paradise Luke 22 This was the great mekenesse and gentlenesse of Christe the which refused nor Peter that denied him thrise but beningly beheld him nor he lefte not Thomas in his doutfulnesse Ihon. 20 but did exhibite him selfe manifestly to be touched And he made Paule blinde Actes 9 folowing the act of his persecution He cast him to the earth called him and conuerted him Steuen when they stoned him Actes 7 saw oure Lorde standinge in heauen as though he had bene ready strongly to haue defended him Our Lord shewed great gentlenes to blessed S. Ihon Apoca. 1. being banyshed in to the yle of Pathmos when he appeared and sent his angel vnto hym the which with diuers reuelatioÌ„s did comfort hym ¶ Of deuine consolation ¶ The fourth chapter AFter that Abraham at the commaundement of God Gen. 12.15 went oute of his country Oure Lorde dyd comfort him wyth apparitions and reuelations Genesis 18 Iacob flyinge from the face of hys brother and sleaping vppon a stone our Lord appeared and repleanished him with great consolation Exod. 3. Oure Lorde appeared to Moses beinge exiled and kepinge sheepe the whiche thinge for the time that he was in Pharos house chaunced not vnto him Exodus 16 It rained Manna from heauen in desert to the children of Israell yea often he gaue theÌ„ miraculously fleshe and water Exodus 34 Moses beynge in the mounte For the space of fortye dayes and fortye nyghtes dyd nether eat nor dryncke but was refreshed wyth the deuyne word of God Iosu. 1. Our Lorde saide vnto Iosua be of good chear and strong for I wyll not faile thee nor forsake thee 3. regum 17 Oure Lorde commaunded the raâ—ens twise a day to bear Elias bread and flesh Afterwardes oure Lorde appeared to Elias flying from Iezabell iii. Reg. xix whose Prophettes he hadde caused to bee slaine Our Lorde did comforte kinge Hezechias effectuously 4. regum 19 both by his prophet and by his aungell the whyche smote and slue in the host of the Assiri ans an 185000. Euen at the selfe same time Saras and Tobias prayers were hard To. 3.8.11 and the angell of our Lord was sente to cure and deliuer them both that is Sara from the Deuyl that had slaine her husbandes and the elder Tobias from pouerty and blindnesse Oure Lorde vouchsafed wonderfullye to comforte his people of Israell by the
hande of one woman Iudi. 14. the whiche were in anguishe and fear of Holofernes hoast Our Lorde tourned the Iewes sorowe into ioye and gladnesse Esth. 9 when that they by Hesters procuremente slewe theyr ennemyes that were prepared to oppresse and to Murther them This thinge is notable that when the people of Israel in the time of the captiuity of Babilon were in greate affliction that they had euen than mo Prophets than in Salomons tyme whan he was in his most prosperity For Ieremy was in Iewry Ezechiel and Daniel in Chaldea Dani. 3. The Aungell of oure Lorde came downe with Azaria and his fellowes into the Ouen and smote the flame of fire out of the Ouen and made in the middest of the ouen as it had bene a cold winde blowing so that the fire neither touched them greued theym nor dyd them hurte Whereby it appeareth that the deuine pity is in euery place and ready at all times to cōfort man Dani. 6. Our Lord hath twise comforted Daniell that was put into the denne of Lions Fyrst by sending of his angel whiche shut vp the Lions mouthes Secondarily by the prophet Abacuck Dani. 14. the whiche was transported and conueyed with meat oute of Iewrye into Calde by Gods angel Our Lord by his seruaunt Daniell did sodenly deliuer Susanna whyche was calumniously and falsely condēned Daniell 13. Iudas Machabeus and they that were with him perceiuinge that aide was sente them from God 2. macha 1◠blessed the merciful Lord and toke theyr hartes againe vnto them Our Lord did well fulfill his promise made vnto his Apostles Actes 2. sayinge vnto them that he would send them a comforter when he sent them the holy spirite that instructed them comforted them and fortified them so aboundauntly Paule was happye and fortunate in this life 2. Corin. 1. which said withoute anye feare as the afflictions of Christe are plenteous in vs euen so is our consolation plenteous by Christ. The churche had reast and peace Actes 9 and was edified walking in the feare of oure Lorde and was repleanished with the comfort of the holy ghoste Our Lord sent his angel to Peter that was bound in Herodes prisone Actes 12. which deliuered him oute of Herodes and the Iewes handes As Paule and Silas were praying and lauding God in prison Actes 16. sodenlye ther was a great earthquake And the dores opened and euery mans bands were losed Our Lorde spake thus to Paule in the nighte by a vision Actes 18. preachynge at Corinth Be not afraide but speake for I am with thee Paule being in Claudius the Tribunus hold Actes 23. Our Lorde stode by hym in the nighte and saide be constante Paule for as thou haste testified of me in Ierusalem so must thou bear witnesse also at Rome Paule hauinge in will to comforte those that were with him in the shyp Actes 27. sayde There stode by me thys nyghte the aungell of God sayinge feare not Paule Thou must be brought before Cesar. And lo God hath geuen the al that saile with the. Ihon the Apostle beinge relegated and exiled into the Isle of Pathmos Apoca. 1. was manye and diuers tymes comforted wyth deuine and Godlye consolation ¶ Of the benediction and blessing that God geueth vnto man ¶ The .v. chapter GOd created man in his own Image and likenesse Genes 1. male and female created he them And God blessed them and said Grow and increase and repleanish the earth And God blessed Noe Genesis 9. hys sonnes and said vnto them bryng you forthe frute c. The feare of you and the dread shall be vpon euery beast of the earth c. Our Lord said vnto Abram Genesis 12. get the oute of thy countrye and I will blesse thee and make thy name greate that thou maist be euen a blessing And as concerning Ismaell Gene. 17 I haue hearde thee saithe oure LORDE vnto Abraham Loe I wyll blesse him and make him to encrease wil multiply him excedingly Gene. 26 Oure Lorde blessed Isaac and the man encreased in richesse and wente forth and grew Iacob speaking vnto our Lorde and his vncle Gene. 30 said It was but little that thou haddest before I came to the and thou art enriched and our Lord hath blessed thee for my sake Iacob wrestling with the angell in his oration said Genesis 32 I wil not let thee go except thou blesse me And it followeth he blessed hym in the selfe same place Our Lorde blessed the Egiptyans house for Iosephes sake Genesis 39 and the blessing of God was vpon al that he had in the house and in the field 2. regum 6 The Arke of our Lorde continued in the house of Obethedom the Ecthite thre monethes our Lord blessed Obethedom and all his houshold Thou hast blessed the workes of his handes Iob. 1. and his possession is increased in the land Iob. 4. Our Lord blessed and encresed Iob more at the latter end then at the beginning Christ ascendinge vp to heauen led his disciples to Bethany Luke 24 and lifting vp his handes he blessed them That blessing is to be desired that our Lorde shall geue to his elected in the latter day when he shal say Math. 2◠come ye blessed of my father ¶ Of the maledictyon and curse wherwith god doth curse man ¶ The .vi. Chapter WE read that the serpente was fyrst cursed of God Gene. 3 Thou arte cursed aboue all cattell and aboue euery beast of the earthe vpon thy belly shalt thou go c. And to the trauall and pain of mā it is said Genes 3. Cursed is the ground in thy worke or for thy sake And Ieremias lameniynge the destruction of Ierusalem sayde Oure Lord hath forsaken his owne aultar and cursed and abhorred hys owne sanctuary Daniel in his oration said the curse is poured vppon vs. Dani. 9. And note that cursinges are saide to be poured vpon the sinnefull and blessing to redound vppon the iust His blessing seeth the wise manne Eccle. 19. shall runne ouer as the streame Our Lord speaking by Malachy the prophet to euel priestes Mala. 2. saithr I wyll curse your blessinges And the figge tree hauing no frute but leaues onlye mat 21. was cursed of oure Lord and incontinent it wythered Math. 25. The curse that in the day of iudgement shal be pronounced agaynste the wicked shal be very terrible and fearful Departe from me ye cursed into euerlastinge fire ¶ Of the blessing wherewith man blesseth God ¶ The .vii. Chapter MElchisedech king of Salem meting with Abraham Genesis 14 returninge from the slaughter said Blessed be the highe GOD by whose aid and defēce thou haste thine enemies in thy handes When Sisera was ouerthrowen Delbora and Barak sange Iudi. 5 sayinge Ye that so willinglye put your liues in pearel ieopardy for Israell
Esther shuld speake vnto kinge Ahasuerus Esth. 4 she saide to Mardocheus Gather all the Iewes together that maye be founde and faste ye and pray for me but howe deuoutlye and howe humbly they praid howe Mardocheus praied for hym selfe and the people It is wrytten in the .xiiii. Chapter of Esther The praier of Ieremy was of great reputation with God Ihere 11. when our Lord said vnto hiÌ„ pray not for this people Azarias standing in the mydst of the fornace Dani. 3. praid thus Blessed art thou o Lord God of our fathers Daniel for al king Darius acte and decre Dani. 6. left not of kneling downe vpon his knyes to pray vnto the Lorde lyke as hys manner was to do afore time three times a daye See now how precious and howe profitable a thyng he estemed it to pray vnto our Lord. Daniel perceiuynge the tyme of the Captiuitye to be compleate and at an ende prayde the more instantly for the people that were in captiuite And note howe mekely and howe feruently he maketh his intercession and prayer Dani. 9. When Susanna perceiued that she lacked all humaine ayde and counsel Dani. 13. she made her recourse to the helpe of prayer and her prayer was heard Ionas prayed vnto our Lorde out of the fyshes bellye Ionas 2. and sayde in my trouble I called vnto our Lorde and he heard me The congregation were ready gathered to fight 1. Mach. 3. to pray to make supplication vnto God for mercy grace When that Iudas Machabeus should geue battayle with Gorgias he made his praier and said i. Mac. iiii blessed be thou O sauiour of Israel i. mach Vi. In other .ii. principal battaylles we rede not that he praied The one was against king Antiochus then he wanne not but departed his wayes i. Mac. ix The other was agaynst Bacchides Alchimus and then he was slayne in the battaille i. mach xi Ionathes perceiuing that al his coÌ„pany except a few left him fightinge against straungers he rent his clothes and praid and afterwardes obtayned the victory The Iewes beinge in tribulatyon praied vnto our Lord. The priestes hauing on them their priestly stoles and vestimentes fel downe before the aultare and called vpon God ii mac iii. whych had made a law concerning stuffe geueÌ„ to kepe that it might be safely preserued for such as deliuerd it to be kepte And al the wemen held vp their handes toward heauen and praid Onias the hie priest praid for Heliodorus that was greuously scourged by God for spoiling of the temple ii mac iii. oure Lord restored him to life again Iudas Machabeus they that wer with him iii. Mac. viii praid and besought our Lorde to deliuer theÌ„ from wicked Nicanor and though he wold not do it for theyr sakes yet for the couenaunte that he made with their fathers and because they called vppon his holye and gloryous name The wycked Antiochus praid vnto our Lord of whome he should haue obtained no mercy 2. Mach. 9. Nicanor and they that were wyth him 2. Mach. 15. drue nie with shaumes songes but Iudas and his company with praier and calling vpon God They buckled together with their handes they smote but with their hartes they praied vnto our Lord and slue no lesse theÌ„ 35. thousand men for thorow the present helpe of God they were gloriously comforted Mat. 8. The Leper had a short a profitable and an humble maner of praying Luke 5. the which knelinge before oure Lorde did worship him and saide Marke 1. master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane The Centurion vsed as it wer by a certain insinuation Mat. 8. the like manner of prayer Luke 7. when he saide Master my seruaunt lieth sicke of the palsy Ihon. 11. And also Martha and Mary for Lazarus that was dead and buried Our Lord at times will be prayed for that Luke 10. that he purposeth to do praye ye the Lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into his haruest Mat. 9. Then there followeth immediatelye Calling together c. And when the people were sente away he weÌ„t vp into a mountaine to pray alone Mat. 14. Wherby we are taughte that when we inteÌ„d to pray we shuld fie the company of man lest we shuld be troubled Our Lord and sauiour in hys holye Gospels Mat. 6. hath taughte vs to praye by word of mouth saying Thus shall ye pray Our father c. Men oughte alwaies to praye Luke 18. not be weary Also our Lord hath animated vs to praye by his promise Luke 11. Ihon. 14. Aske saithe he and ye shall haue Item what soeuer ye aske in my name that wil I do He hathe lykewise informed and taughte vs to praye by hys example Mat. 14. For he that might commaund would pray And specially he did the same Mat. 26. for the persecution of this Passion beynge at hand he prayed and warned other to pray saying watch and pray When Mary Magdalen obtaind forgeuenes of her sinnes of oure Lord saying Luke 7. Thy sinnes are forgeuen the we rede not that she vsed anye loude prayer but that she wept only where by the efficacye of the inwarde desyre appeareth without any vocall or loud praier Our Lord doth induce vs to instant and coÌ„tinual praier by thexample of one that went to his frend at midnight Luke 11. Luke 18. And by thexample of a widow the which desired wyth great importunity of the wicked iudge to auenge her And to instruct vs to pray with huâ—mility without pride Luke 18. or any auaÌ„cement of our selues Our Lorde inducâ—th thexample of the proud pharisy and the lowly humble Publicane Act. 1. After our lordes assention into heauen the Disciples returned vnto Ierusalem and they al continuedâ— with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary Thapostles being minded and willinge to chuse one of the disciples in Iudas place Act. 1. apoynted two Ioseph and Mathias and when they praied they said Thou Lord which knowest the hartes of al men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen In the primitiue church al faithful people continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Act. 2. and in breaking of bread and in prayers Peter Ihon weÌ„t vp together into the temple at the ninth hour of praier Act. 3. And assone as the disciples had praied the place moued Act. 4. where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the holye ghoste and they spake the word of God boldly The Iewes stoned Steuen callinge on Act. 7. saying lord Iesu receiue my spirite And he kneled downe and cryed with a loud voyce saying Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge Peter and Ihon prayed for them of Samaria Act. 8. that they might receiue the holy
that was done after the assention of oure Lorde The aungell of oure Lorde whiche by nyghte opened the pryson doores Act. 5. and brought the Apostles forth sayd goe stande and preache in the Temple to the people all the woordes of this lyfe The Enuke Quene Candace of the Ethiopians chamberlayn Act. 8. is commended that he came oute of Ethiopia to Ierusalem to worshyppe And note that he sittynge in hys Charetâ— Reade Esaye the Prophette The whyche thynge maketh verye sore agaynste manye goynge to sanctyfyed and holye places the whyche nether read nor yet declare any holy documents or lessons but multiply vain and trifling wordes only Thoughte the Iowes persecuted Paule wyth muche hatred Act. 21. yet they woulde not murther hym in the temple but drue him out of the temple the they myght kill him withoute the region of the temple beinge vntouched and vndefiled ¶ Of the adoration and worshipping of God Ca. xxi IT came to passe Gen. 4. the Caine broughte and offered of the frute of the grounde an Oblation vnto the Lord. Abel also offered of the first â—inges of his shepe and of the fat ther of and our Lord had respect vnto hys oblation Enoch the sonne of Seth began to call vpon the name of God Gen. 4. Noe builded an aultare vnto oure Lord Gen. 8. and toke of euery cleane beast and of euery cleane foule and offered sacrifices and oure Lorde smelled a swete sauour Oure Lorde appeared vnto Abraham in the land of Canaan Gen. 12. and saide vnto hym Unto thy seede wil I geue this lande And there buylded hee an aultare vnto our Lord that appeared vnto him When Abraham had lyfted vp hys eies ther appeared iii. men standyng by him Gen. 18. And wheÌ„ he saw them he fel to the grounde and worshipped them saying Lorde if I haue founde grace and fauour in thy sighte go not from thy seruaunte Abraham being prepared and ready to offer vp in sacrifice vnto GOD his onlye sonne Isaac Gen. 22. oure Lorde otherwise prouiding therfore he offered a Ram. Our lorde appeared vnto Isaac in Bersabe Gen. 26. and said feare not for I am with thee And he builded an aultare there vnto our Lord. And God saide vnto Iacob aryse and get the vp to Bethell Gen. 35. and dwell there And make there an altare vnto God that appeared vnto the when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother When the children of Israell harde that our Lorde had visited them Exo. 4. and had loked vppon theyr trybulatyon they bowed theyr heade and worshypped And after that our Lord had spoken vnto Moses of the religion of Phase and of the destruction of the first born in the land of Egipt Exo. 12 Then there followeth The people bowed them selues and worshypped Ietro sayde to Moses bee thou vnto the people to godwarde Exo. 18 that thou mayste bringe theyr causes to God And thou shalte teache them the ceremonies and ordinaunces the waye to worshyp god And oure Lorde sayd vnto Moses come vp vnto the Lord Exo. 24 thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the 70. elders of Israel and ye shal worship far of And after a few words ther dothe folow They offred peace offrynges that is xii calues vnto the Lorde And our Lord coÌ„maunded to make him a tabernacle Exo. 25 with diuers vtensiles and ministers to be ordayned to minister to his honor and worship as it is manifest in diuers Chapiters of Exodus The firste of the ten Commaundements is Exo. 20 Thou shalt haue no straÌ„ge gods Thou shalt make the no graueÌ„ Idoll Thou shalt not worship them neyther serue theim Deut. 6. And in a nother place Mat. 4. Thou shalt worshyp the Lord thy God and hym onlye shalte thou serue The angell of God sayd vnto Manne Samsons father Iudi. 13. if thou wilt offer a burnt offering thou muste offer it vnto the Lord. Elcana Samuels father wente vp out of his city at certain appointed or feastful daies 1. regu 1. to pray and to offer vnto the lord of hostes in Silo. The sin of Helis children was very great before our lorde 1. regu 2. for they wythdrue meÌ„ from the sacrifice of the lord And as Samuel offred the burnt offring the Philistines came to fyghte against Israel 1. regu 7. But our lord thuÌ„dred a great thundre the same daye amonge the Philistines and put them in such a feare that they fel and were slayne before Israell Salomon wente to offre vnto oure lord at Gabaon 3. regu 3. he offred a thousaÌ„d burnt offringes and the lord apeared vnto him in a dreme by night Salomon after the temple was edified stode before thaltare of our Lord 3. regu 8. in the sight of al the congregation of Israel stretching out his hands toward heauen kneled vpon bothe his knees and praid King Dauid gaue muche diligeÌ„ce to amplify increse the worship honor of our lord 1. Para. 15. vnto 25 in the number of singing men and prestes After that the children of Israell were returned from the captiuity of Babilon 2. Esd. 9. they red in the booke of the law of our lord iiii times on the day and iiii times on the night and worshipped the lord their God When all the Children of Israell wente to the golden Calues Tobi. 1. Thoby fled al theyr companies and got him to Ierusalem vnto the temple of god and there worshipped oure Lord god of Israel When Iob had hard the wordes of the messengers declarynge vnto hym the losse of his substance Iob. 1. he stode vp and fallinge downe vppon the grounde worshypped and sayde Naked came I oute of my mothers wombe and naked shall I tourne thither agayne Notwithstanding it was prohibyted that no manne should desyre any peticyon Dani. 6. eyther of anye God or man wythin thirtye dayes but onlye of kynge Darius yet Danyell kneeled downe vppon hys knees three tymes a daye in hys house and made hys peticion and prayer and praysed hys Lord God The wyse men went into the house and founde the Chylde wyth Marye hys mother Mat. 2. and fell downe flat and worshypped hym Beholde the deuotyon of a meruelous humility what shuld we christianes then do to the lord our god that now doth raygne if the gentyles did such reuerence to a child that wept When Iesus was come down from the mouÌ„tain Mat 8. ther came a leper worshipped him saying Lord if thou wylte thou canst make me cleane The manne that was borne blynd fallynge on hys knees worshypped hym Iohn 9. The disciples after the Lordes resurrection worshipped him Mat. 28. The priest and the people of Listra lokynge vppon Paule and Barnabas Act. 14. beleuing them to be Goddes wold haue done sacrifice vnto them But they forbode them Ihon fel before the angels feete to worship him
Apo. 19 he said vnto him Se thou do not for I am thy fellowe seruaunt worship God ¶ Of Idolatry Ca. xxii ANd when the people saw that it was long or Moses came downe from the mountaine Exo. 32. they gathered them selues together againste Aaron said Make vs Gods to go before vs. The people of Israell commytted Whoredome with the doughters of Moab Nume 23. whiche called them vnto the sacrifice of their gods And the people did eat and worshipped theyr gods When Iosua the son of Nun was dead Iudi. 2. the children of Israell dyd wyckedly in the sight of oure Lord serued Baalim and Astraroth and forsake the Lord God of their fathers All Israel went a whoringe in Ephod that Gedeon made Iudi. 8. which thing became a ruine vnto Gedeon and to all his house Salomon was old women depraned and turned his hart to folowe after other Gods 3. regu 11. and his hart was not perfect After that Ieroboam hadde taken counsel 3. regu 12. be made two calues of gold and saide Beholde Israel these are thy Gods whiche broughte you oute of Egipt It suffised not Achab king of Israell to walcke in the sinnes of Ieroboam 3. regu 16. but furthermore he serued Baal and worshipped him Iuda made them altares Idolles and groues on euery hie hil 3. reg 14 and vnder euery thicke tree Achaz king of Iuda walked in the way of the kinges of Israell 1. regu 16. and Iuda yea and consecrated his soÌ„ne and made him to go thorow the fire after the abhominations of the heathen wheÌ„ the children of Israel wer translated and caried amonge the Assirians diuers natyons and stronge people wer brought and put into the cyties of Samaria 4. râ—gu 17. And euerye natyon made them gods of their owne And when they shuld serue our lord they serued their goddes also after the custome of the people Sennacherib being confounded and put to rebuke and shame 4. regu 19. retourned from the impugnatyon of Esechia kynge of Iuda to Niniue And as he was praying and worshippynge hys Nefrach in the temple Adramelech Sarasar his ii soÌ„nes smote him with the sweard and escaped Manasses king of Iuda rered vp altares for Baall 4. regu 21. worshipped all the host of heauen and serued them Iudi. 6. Holofernesse taking great indignation against Achior that setforth and much coÌ„mended the power of the god of the Hebrues Said that he woulde shew him that there was none other God but Nabuchodonozor Dani. 3. Nabuchodonozor made a golden Image and commaunded that al people kinreds and tounges should fall downe and worship it Darius king of Pers made and put forth a commaundement Daui 6. that no maÌ„ within 30. daies should require anye peticion of God or man but onely of king Darius There was at Babylon an Idoll called Bell Dani. 14. hym the kynge dyd worship and honor dailye But after that Daniel had destroied him they of Babilon worshipped a dragon Antiochus coÌ„manded idols to be worshipped 1. Mach. 1. that they should edifye set vp altares aâ—d temples and offer vp swines flesh and that meÌ„ shuld leaue their children vncircumcised When Paul was abiding at AtheÌ„s his sprite Act. 17. when he saw the city geueÌ„ to worshippinge of Idols was moued in him Of blasphemy against God Ca. 23. THe Israelitish womans sonne was stoned to deathe by Gods commaundemente Leui. 24. because he blasphemed the name of our Lord. Hely saide vnto his sonnes 1. regu 2. If one man sin against an nother our Lord maye be pacified and pleased but if a man sinne against the Lord who shal pray for him Nathan the Prophet did agrauate the sinne of Dauid 2. regu 12. sayinge because thou hast geuen the ennemies of the lord a cause to rail and to blaspheme his name The manne of God said vnto Ahab kinge of Israel 3. reg 20. Because the Sirians haue said Our Lorde of hilles is but theyr Lorde and he is not god of valleis therefore will I deliuer all thys greate multitude into thy hand and ye shal know that I am the Lord. 3. reg 21. It semeth that wicked Iezabel could not excogitate nor inuent a more greuous or a greater synne to cause Naboth shortly to be stoned to death theÌ„ blasphemye where wyth she falsly accused him 4. regu 19. The blasphemies that Sennacherib king of the Assirians seruauntes spake and vsed did greatlye displease God And therfore the anger of oure Lord smote in the hoste of the Assiryans an C.lxxx and .v. M. It is not expedient for symple men to dispute agaynst the blasphemies 4. regu 18. of infidels And for that cause kyng Hezechias forbad that the vnlearned people should not aunswere the blasphemies of Rabsaâ—is the Assiriane Holofernes disdayning that Achor had commended the powre of the god of heauen Iudi. 6. said vnto him for so muche as thou haste prophecyed that the people of Israell shal be defended of their god I wyll shewe the that their is no god but Nabuchodosor ye wheÌ„ we slay them all as one man When Hieremy rebuked the people because they dyd sacryfyce vnto straunge goddes Iere. 44. they answered we wyll in no wyse heare the worde of God but we wyll do sacryfyce vnto the quene of heauen like as we oure forefathers haue done For then were we in prosperitie nor no misfortune came vpon vs. Nabuchodonosor kyng of Babilon said vnto Daniell and his companions that woulde not worshyppe the golden Image Dani. 3. what god is ther that may deliuer you out of my handes In the daies and time of Antiochus certen wicked people of Israell gaue counsell sayinge Let vs go and make a couenaunte wyth the Heathen 1. Mach. 1. for sence wee departed frome them wee haue had muche sorowe Iudas Machabeus laying siege to a certen stronge holde 2. Mac. 20. A companye of the Hethen that were within it craked spake manye blasphemous and cursed wordes But within few dayes after they were burnt and consumed with fyre The Iewes saying vnto Nicanor There is a mighty Lorde in heauen 2. Mac. 15. that commaundeth the seuenth daye to be kept The wicked Nicanor said And I am myghtye vpon earthe to commaunde them for to arme them selues to performe the kings busines After that our Lord had healed and caste the deuyll oute of the blinde and the dumme man Mat. 12. LuKe. 11. The people were a mased but the Pharises blasphemed saying This fellowe driueth the deuyls no otherwise out but by the help of Belzebub the cheif of the deuyls Our Lord hanging vpoÌ„ the crosse Mat. 27. they that passed and went by reuyled and blasphemed him waggyng their heades c. The Iewes spake agaynste those thinges that Paule spake Act. 13.18 blaspheming and rayling against it ¶ Of Goddes preceptes
yet he obeied hys father sending him with vitayles vnto his brethrē notwithstanding he was elected chosen aboue al his brethrē Our lord foretold Salomon 3. regu 9. that if he wold do fulfil al thinges that he had cōmaunded him to do that thē he wold stablish the throne of his kingdōe in Ierusalē for euer But if he turned away 2. Para. 7. wold not kepe his preceptes and commaundementes that than he wold wede Israel out of the lād for euer 3. regu 20. Obedience at some times is also cōmended in such thinges as seme to be commaunded withoute any reason therfore a Lion slue him that beynge commaunded wold not smite one of the Prophets children The man of god that foretold Ieroboas the destructiō of his aultar 3. regu 13. was killed and slain by a Lion because the contrary to Gods commaundemente he did eat bread drynke water in an other prophets house When that Naaman disdaining the prophet Elizeus commaundemēt 4. regu 5. departed from him with displesure hys seruants said vnto him father if the prophet had bidden the do som great thing surely thou shuldst haue don it Toby the yonger after he had hard his fathers exhortations Tobi. 5. answered said father al that thou hast cōmaunded me wil I do and diligently Whatsoeuer Mardocheus cōmaunded that did Esther obserue keepe Esth. 2. did all thinges so euen as she was wont to do when she was yonge and vnder hys gouernaunce The Recabites are much commended of our Lord because that they wold drinke no wine Iere. 35. obeying folowyng their fathers commaundemente saying ye shal drinke no wine Ionas 1.2.3 Ionas did refuse vn wiselye to obey our Lord commaundinge him to go and preach at Niniue but comminge backe againe He came to the place that God sent him 1. Mach. 2. Mathathias saide vnto Antiochus messenger Though all nations obey the king yet I and my sonnes wil obey the lawes of our fathers 2. Mach. 7. One of the seuen brethren said we are ready rather to suffer death then to offende the lawes of God and the fathers And the childe Iesus went downe wyth Mary and Ioseph LuKe. 2. and came to Nazareth and was subiect and obedient vnto them Mat. 4. Those Apostles did spedelye perfectly obey the which being called of our lord straight way left the nets folowed him Luke 5. Likewise Mathew lefte all and followed him Mat. 21. Of those that obey in word not in dede or in dede more than in worde Our lord putteth an example of two sonnes of the which two th one said that he woulde go into hys fathers vyneyarde and woorke and wente not The other sayde I wyll not and wente Our Lord doth commaund vs to obey euē those prelates that bear rule Mat. 23. They shall sit in Moses seate what so euer they bid you obserue that obserue and do Our sauiour and lord of the lawe Luke 2. would obey the law in circumcisyon Mat. 26. and oblatyons made in the Temple and also in eatynge of the Paschall Lambe The Apostle dothe put vs an ensample of obedyence in our sauyour Philip. 2. sayinge hee became obedyente vnto deathe whome he also declareth the frute of obedyence Then there followeth Wherefore God hath exaulted him c. The chefest of the priestes threatned and commaunded Peter and Act. 4. Ihon that they shoulde speake nor teache no more in the name of Iesu. They answered and said whether it bee righte to harken vnto you more then to God Act. 4. iudge you For we can not but speake that whiche we haue sene and hard And afterwards when the Apostles were reproued agayn of the hye prestes because they had not obserued theyr Commaundemente Peter and the other Apostles aunswered Act. 5. we ought more to obey God then men Saule lyinge prostrate vppon the earthe Act. 9. and hearynge Iesus of Nazareths wordes saide euen promptlye Lord what wilt thou haue me to do Cornelius said vnto Peter Nowe are we al here in thy presence Act. 10. readye to here al thinges that are commaunded vnto the of God Paule chose Silas to be hys felow and wente throughe Siria and Cilicia Act. 15. stablyshynge the congregatyon and Commaundynge to keepe the Preceptes of the Apostles and Elders ¶ Of holy scripture Ca. xxvi WE oughte to haue greate reuerence vnto holye scrypture Exo. 31. the which God hym self did wryte deliuer and teach Moses retourned from the Mounte bearing two tables written with the finger of God Exo. 31. Our Lord Iesus doth say that he was sent to Euangelice and preach mat 10. and he sent forthe his disciples to doe the same If it may be said then that the olde law was geuen Moses by god by the meanes of angelles as saythe the Apostle and S. Steuen doth testify the same Act. 7. Ye haue saithe he the lawe of God by the ministration of aungels The reast of the old Testament was geuen by the inspiratyon of the holy Ghoste as saith S. Peter The scripture came neuer by the wyll of man 2. Pet. 1. But holy men of God spake as they were moued by the holy ghoste The new Testamēt doth contain the wordes dedes of the Lord Iesu Christe in the Gospelles the woordes of the Apostels in the Epystels and in the Apocalipses the deades of the Apostles in the actes Christ very God and man spake parte of the Gospell by him selfe and the holye ghost and by him other wordes the whiche the Apostles the Euangelistes by him instructed did speake They wer all filled with the holy ghoste Act. 2. and began to speake with diuers other tongues A wise man seketh out the wisdom of them of the olde tyme exercyseth him selfe in the prophetes Eccle. 39. As though he would saye A wyse man must exquire and seke the wysdome of wyse men but specially he must giue his diligēce to the scriptures of the prophets Notwithstandynge that Ionathas the hie priest the elders of the Iewes were occupied in maters of warre 1. Mach. 2. yet they were vnto the Spartianes vndre this maner But as for vs we reade no such mater for why we haue the holy boke of scripture in our handes to our comfort And our Lord answering by scripture defēded his disciples against the Pharises Haue ye not read quoth he what Dauid did when he was an hōgred Mat. 12. Oure sauiour being tempted of the deuyll Mat. 4. answered by scriptures and by the auctoryte of scripture confounded him And he sayde that the scripture was fulfylled at his comminge This daye is this scripture fulfylled in your eares LuKe. 4. Oure Lorde gaue greate auctoryte to the olde Testament when he sayd Tyll heauen and earth passe Mat. 5. one iote or one tytle of the law shal not
manfully for the law of God 1. Mach. 2. When Iudas Machabeus shoulde fighte 1. Mach. 3. he exhorted and encouraged hys people wyth goodlye woordes And in a nother place hee weaponed them 2. Mach. 15 not with the armour of shielde and speare but with wholesom wordes and exhortations When the fyrst of the seuen brethreÌ„ was tosted and tormented 2. Mach. 7. the rest of hys brethren with hys mother exhorted him to die manfully and strongly saying Our Lorde God shal regarde the truth and comfort vs. But specyally theyr mother dyd wonderfully efficacely exhort her children Ihon the Baptist exhorting manye thinges Mar. 1. preached vnto the people of the whyche Luke 3. certaine are touched in the fyrst of Luke whose exhortatyon was of suche efficacy that not onlye many coÌ„fessing their sinnes wer baptised Mar. 6. but also when Herode him selfe heard hym he dyd many thinges and heard him gladly Our Lord sent forth his discyples saying Mat. 10 Go and preach sayinge The kingdome of heauen is at hand Mar. 16. Peter the Apostle preached vppon Whytsonday so effectuouslye that in one daye there were baptysed Act. 2. 3000. soules And at a nother time through hys preachynge ther were christened fiue thousand And when the Prophets and doctors that were at Antioche had fasted and praid Act. 13. the holy ghost saide Seperate me Bernabas and Saule Then followeth They were sente forthe of the holye Ghoste and preached the worde of God in the sinagoges of the Iewes As Peter was preachyng in Cornelius house Act. 10. the holye Ghoste fell on all theym whyche hearde the word of God And he commaunded them to be baptysed Paule and Barnabas returned againe to Listra Act. 14. and to Iconium and to Antioche and strengthed the discyples soules again and exhorted them to continue in the faith And it fortuned in Iconium that Paule Barnabas went into the synagoge of the Iewes Act. 14. and so spake that a great multitude both of the Iewes and also of the Grekes beleued When Paul being in bonds should speke and answer for him selfe before king Agrippa and the iudge Festus Act. 26. Agrippa saide vnto him Somewhat thou perswadest and bringest mee in minde for to become christen A vision appeared vnto Paule in that nyght There stode a manne of Macedonia and prayed hym sayinge come into Macedonia and healpe vs. Act. 16. Then there followeth After he hadde seene the vysyon Immediatelye wee prepared to goe into Macedonia beynge certefyed that oure LORDE had called vs to preache the Gospell vnto them And manye of the Corinthyans whan they gaue audience to Paules preachynge beleued Act. 18. and were baptised Then spake our lord to Paule in the night by a vision Be not afraide but speake and hold not thy peace for I am with thee and no man shall inuade the that shal hurt the. And a Iew named Apollos born at Alexandria Act. 18. was learned in the way of our lord spake feruentlye in the spryte and taughte diligentlye the thinges of our Lord Iesu. Paul entring into the Iewes sinagoge at Ephesus behaued hym self spake boldly Act. 19. disputing and geuynge them exhortations of the kyngdome of God And vpon one certen daye Paule being ready to depart on the morow continued his preachinge vnto mydnight A certain yong man oppressed with dead sleepe Act. 20. fell downe from the window and was taken vp deade When Paule was come downe vnto hym had reuiued himâ— he weÌ„t vp again and talked with them euen til the morning and so departed Paule departing from Asia said vnto the elders Act. 20. By the space of three yeares I ceased not to warn and monyshe euerye one of you nighte and day wyth teares ¶ Of euil counsels and perswasions Ca. xxviii EUa gaue vnto Adam her husbaÌ„d of the forbidden tree Gen. 3. and he dyd eat of it It is to be thought and estemed that she perswaded hym Gen. 39. Iosephes mystres whom he serued did wickedlye perswade and sollycite hym to euil Moses tarying somwhat long with God in the mountain Exo. 32. the people said vnto Aaron make vs straunge Gods to go before vs. Unto whose suggestions Aaron did folyshlye condescende and obey Baalam taught Balaac how that by wemen he might drawe the chyldren of Israell to iniquity and synne Nume 31. and so to prouoke our Lorde agaynst hym self The chyldren of Amon perswaded their king verye euill 2. regu 10. that he shoulde dishonest Dauids messengers Ionadab Dauids Nephew gaue verye euyl counsaile to Amon 2. regu 13. when he counsailed him to defloure his syster Of the whych thing chaunced greate inconuenyence harme afterwards Achitophels counsel that he gaue to Absolon was detestable and fylthye And yet the counsaile that he gaue in those daies was as a man had asked counsaile of God Wemen turned Salomons hart throughe theÌ„ it was so depraued that he followed other Goddes 3. regu 11. and worshypped them Ochozias the kynge of Iuda walked in the wayes of the house of Achab the whyche was moste wyckedâ— 2. para 22. for hys mother Athalia by her counsayle entysed yea and compeld hym to do wickedly As the Iewes after theyr retourne and commyng againe from Babylon wer building theyr temple 1. Esd. 4. theyr ennemies wrote vnto king Artaxerses and perswaded by them dyd forbyd them to worke any more Amans frendes hearynge him complaining of Mardocheus Esth. 5. that would not knele vnto hym said CoÌ„maund a hyghe payre of galowes to be made and to morrowe speake thou to the kynge that Mardocheus may be hanged theron Iobs wyfe gaue him verye folyshe counsel Iob. 2. but he as a prudent and a holy man wold not folow it Pharaos wise counsellers gaue him vnwise and folish counsaile Esa. 19. Because that Ieremy did Prophecye that the citye of Ierusalem shuld be taken of the Chaldees Iere. 38. The prynces and rulers of the people said vnto kynge Zedechias Syr we beseche you let this manne be put to deathe And he vnwysely agreing vnto them saide Lo he is in your handes for it is not mete that the king should deny you any thing Darius the king of Percia through the euyll suggestion of this Princes and noble men Daâ—i â— made a statute that whoso desyred any peticion either of God or man except of the kinge onelye Should be caste into the Lyons Denne In the dayes and tyme of Antiochus wicked men wente oute of Israell 1 Mach. 1. and persuaded manye sayinge Lette vs goe and make a couenaunte with the Heathen Menelaus dyd so persuade Andronicus that he slewe Onias the priest 2. Mach. 4. without anye regarde of righteousnes When the court was kept against Menelaê° before Antiochus Ptolome beynge corrupted with money by Menelaus persuaded the kynge 2. Mach. 4. and brought him to the
sentence the whiche discharged Menelaus and condēpned to deathe his iuste accusers Herodias gaue her doughter wicked counsell Mat. 14. saying Thou shalt aske nothynge els but the head of Iohn Baptiste Paule the proconsulle desired to heare the woorde of God Act. 13. that Paule and Barnabas did preache But Elimas the sorcerer withstode them and sought to turne the ruler away from the fayth When Paule and Barnabas were in suche honoure at Listra that men would haue done sacrifice vnto them as vnto Goddes Act. 14. Thether came certaine Iewes whiche when they had persuaded the people and had stoned Paule drewe him out of the cyty supposing he had bene dead By the occasion of a certaine damsell whome Paule delyuered of an euyl By the occasion of a certain damsel whome Paule deliuered of an euyll spirite Act. 16. her master fearing and sorowing the losse of hys auauntage declared so manye thinges to the magestrates rulers that he caused Paule and Silas to be beaten with roddes and to be cast into prison Of hearing the word of God Ca. xxix AAron tolde al the wordes which oure Lorde hadde spoken vnto Moses Exo. 4. and the people beleued And when they heard that our Lorde hadde visited the children of Israell they laye downe prostrate and worshypped And Moses saide before the Lorde Loe the chyldren of Israell heare me not and howe shall Pharo heare me Al the people sayd vnto Moses with one voyce Exo. 24◠All the woords whych our Lord hathe saide wyll we do And a litle after And Moses toke the booke of the appoyntment and red it in the audience of the people And they sayd all that our Lorde hath sayd we wyll doo and be obedient Eglon the kyng of Moab sat in his somer parler Iudi. 3. and Aliud sayde vnto hym I haue a message vnto thee from God he arose immediatly out of his seate asthough he would haue doone reuerence vnto the woorde of God Hely taughte Samuell ryght well that he should saye vnto oure Lorde that spake vnto hym 1. regu 3. Speake on lord for thy seruaunt heareth Achab the Kynge of Israell would not heare Micheas our Lordes Prophete 3. regu 22. because he prophecied no good vnto hym but euyll Yet when Micheas was calde He sayd vnto hym Heare the worde of God Esdras brought foorthe the booke of the lawe 2. Esd. 8. and redde in it openlye from the mornynge vntyll the noone day and the eares of the people were erected vnto the booke Then foloweth All the people wepte when they hearde the wordes of the lawe Iobbe makynge aunswere vnto oure LORDE sayde Iob. 42. I haue geuen dylygente eare vnto thee and nowe I see thee with myne eyes Wherefore I geue myne owne selfe to blame and take repentaunce in the dust and ashes OURE Lorde spake vnto Ieremye Iere. 26. Keepe not one woorde of the Lorde backe yf peraduenture they wyll hearken and tourne euerye man frome hys wycked waye That I maye also repente of the euyll that I haue determined to do vnto theim because of their wicked inuentions OURE Lorde sayd vnto Ezechiell Eze. 3. Gette thee vnto the house of Israell and thou shalte shewe them my woordes and mynde Then there foloweth The howse of Israell woulde notte heare nor folowe the for they woulde not heare nor folowe mee The woordes of Ionas came vnto the king of Niniue Iona. 3. which rose out of his seate and did his apparell of and put on sackcloth and sate hym down in ashes Herode the Tetrache feared Ihon the Baptist Mar. 6. and kept hym and when he heard him he did manye thynges and hard him gladly Mary the sister of Martha sate at Iesus fete LuKe. 10. and hard hys worde And at the laste she hard our Lorde say Marye hath chosen the good parte which shal not be taken away from her Luke 6. Oure lorde in the later ende of hys sermon in the mount said whosoeuer heareth my sayinges and doothe the same shall be likened to a wise man that hathe builte hys house vppon a rocke of stone Luke 5. When the people preased Iesus to heare the word of God he sat downe and taught the people out of the ship Peter and hys fellowes brought the shippes to lande and they forsoke all and folowed hym To the woman that lyfted vp her voyce and said Luke 11◠Blessed is the wombe that bare thee Oure Lorde aunswered yea blessed or happye are they that heare the worde of GOD and keepe it We do read that our Lorde aboute the time of his passion Luke 19 taught dailye in the temple And after a few words we read that all that people stode by him and were astonyed when they hearde hym As two of the Lordes disciples wer goinge to a towne or castell called Emaus Lu. 24. and talked together of al those thynges that had hapned and chaunced at the time of our Lordes passyon they deserued to haue hys companye of whome they spake and had theyr communication The sermon that was made to the people in the feast of Pentecost Act. 2. beyng ended and after the commynge of the holy ghost thus it is sayd and wryttē When they hard thys they wer pricked in theyr hartes and said vnto Peter and vnto thother Apostles Ye mē and brethren what shall we doe And ther wer baptised about a 3000. men After that the lame man was healed and Peters sermon ended Act. 3.4 manye that hard his predication beleued and the nombre of the menne was aboute fiue thousand The twelue Apostles called the multytude of the Disciples together Act. 6. and said It is not mete that we shuld leaue the word of God and serue Tables And note that those tables wer the tables of pore wydowes Where by we may vnderstande that the predication and setting forth of the word of God is preferd aboue the corporal workes of mercy The Iewes could not resist the wisdome and the spirite whiche spake by holy Steuen Act. 6. Philip went into a city of Samaria and preached christe vnto them Act. 8. And the people gaue hede vnto those thinges whyche Phyllyp spake wyth one accord Phillip opened hys mouth Act. 8. and preched Iesus vnto the chamberlain and commynge to a certaine water the chamberlaine sayde that he beleued that Iesus Christe is the son of God and he baptised hym Our lorde said thus vnto Ananias of Paule Act. 9. whome he blineded corporally and illumined spiritually Goe thy way for he is a chosen vessel vnto me to beare my name before the gentiles and kynges and the Chyldren of Israel Our lord wold not instruct Cornelius by his aungel Act. 10. but sent hym worde that he shoulde call Simon whose syrname is Peter he should tell teach him what he ought to do While Peter spake Act. 10. the holy ghost fel on all them
whych hard hys preachyng The gentils heard that the Iewes put from them the worde of God Act. 13. and that Paul and Barnabas wold turne to them they wer glad and glorifyed the word of our lorde and beleued euen as many as were ordeined vnto eternal lyfe And it fortuned in Iconium that Paule and Barnabas wente into the sinagoge Act. 14. and so spake that a greate multitude of the Iewes and also of the Grekes beleued A certaine woman named Lidia a seller of Purple Act. 16. gaue audyence vnto Paules woordes whose hearte oure Lord opened and was baptysed wyth all her housholde When the Atheniens hard Paule speake of the resurrection of the dead some mocked Act. 17. and other said we wyll heare thee agayne of thys matter So Paule departed from them Howbeit certain men claue vnto him and beleued among the which was Dionisius an Ariopagite and a woman named Damaris and other with them Paule remained at Ephesus by the space df ii yeares Act. 19. and disputed dailye in the schole of one called Tirannus so that al they that dwelt in Asia hard the word of our Lord. After that king Agrippa had heard Paule Act. 26. he said vnto hym Somewhat thou perswadest me to become Chrysten When Paule was come to Berrea he entred into the Synagoge of the Iewes Act. 17. some of them receiued the word wythal diligence gredines of minde and searched the scriptures daily whether those thynges were euen so and many of them beleued ¶ Of the apparitions and visions shewed in the olde tyme. Capitu. xxx BEfore iniquity and synne oure Lord spake vnto Adam Gen. 1.2.3 but after that synne was commytted and done he spake to Adam Eue and to the serpent Ye he monished Caine or euer he slue his brother and afterwardes reproued hym Oure Lorde commaunded Noe to make an arke Gen. 6.7.8.9 and to goe into it and after the exercitation or destruction of the earthe he had hym come forthe of the arke then he blessed Noe and hys children and said vnto them bring ye forth frute and multiply and repleanysh the earth Our lord saide vnto Abraham Get thee oute of thy countrye Gen. 12. and oute of thy nation And again our lord apeared to Abraham and saide vnto hym vnto thy sede wil I geue thys land After that Abraham and Lot wer departed one from the other Gen. 13.15.17 Then followeth The worde of oure Lorde came vnto Abraham in a vision And after that oure Lorde appeared vnto hym and gaue hym the commaundement of the circumcision And there appeared vnto Abraham three men Gen. 18. c. And euen then he hard what time his sonne should be borne And ther came ii angels Lot sitting at the gate of Sodome Gen. 19. And Lot seyng them rose vp to mete them and worshypped them God came to Abimelech in a dreme and sayde vnto hym Gen. 20. See thou shalte die for the womans sake whiche thou haste taken awaye for she is a mans wyfe Gen. 21. When that Abraham had taken Saras wordes greuouslye complainyng of her maide Agar and her Sonne our Lord said vnto hym let it not bee sharpe and greuous in thy syghte because◠of the ladde and of thy bondmaide An angell appeared in the wildernes to Agar the maid Gen. 26. to her sonne God proued Abraham Gen. 22. and sayd vnto him take thy sonne c. And when he held forth the sweard Beholde the angel of our Lord. c. Our Lord appeared vnto Isaac in Bersabe Gen. 26. saying I am the God of Abraham thy father c. God appeared verye often to Iacob going to Laban Gen. 28.31 and comming again from thence And our Lord saide vnto Laban in a dreame Take heede that thou speake not to Iacob oughte saue good And after thys our Lorde spake many tymes to Iacob It were to longe to rehearse howe oftentymes our Lord spake vnto Moses Looke in the booke of Exodus the thyrde Chapter wyth other moe that follow We rede also that oure Lord spake vnto Balaam by night and when he rode vpon hys Asse the whyche sawe the Aungell Nume 22. whome Balaam sawe not Iosu. 1.4.5 7.13 Our Lord in like maner spake very often to Iosua After the death of Iosua the childrē of Israell counsailed with the Lorde and asked saying Iudi. 1. who shall go vp before vs And our Lord said Iuda shal go vp The angel of our Lord ascended vnto the place of those that did weepe Iudi. 2. and sayde I broughte you oute of Egipt The angel of oure Lorde appeared vnto Gedeon Iudi. 6. and said The Lorde is wyth thee The angell of oure Lorde appeared vnto Mannes wyfe Iudi. 13. And at a nother seasō he appeared both to Manne and his wife The children of Israel being gathered to fight against the Beniamites Iudi. 20. counsailed wyth oure Lorde Unto whome he said that Iudas shoulde be captaine of the hoste and begyn And notwithstanding that they wer twise ouerthrowne yet our Lord commaunded them to fight Our Lorde called vppon Samuell foure times 1. regu 3. and at the laste he sayde speake on Lord for thy seruaunt he areth and that by Helis counsaile And than there foloweth that oure Lorde appeared again in Silo. When Dauid should geue battaile 2. regu 2. he did oftentimes consulte wyth oure Lorde And we reade that he alwayes answeared hym as it appeareth in many places but speciallye in the second booke of the kynges the seconde Chapiter Our Lord appeared to Salomon 3. regu 3. and said Aske what thou wilt When Salomon had finyshed the building of the house of our Lord 3. regu 9. and the kinges palace Our Lorde appeared vnto him and said I haue hearde thy prayer And he spake again vnto Salomon 3. regu 11. rebuking and checking of hym verye sharply for his fautes committed The angell of oure Lord appeared 3. regu 19. vnto Helias flyinge from the face of Iesabel the which shewed hym bread and water And also in a small styll voyce or ayre When Elizeus was compassed about with the Assirians hoste 4. regu 6. manys aungels that defended hym appeared the whyche hys seruaunt sawe in the similitude and likenesse of firy horses and charets The appearinge of the angell Raphael continued leng Tobi. 9. whom our lord sent to cure and heale Sara Diuers of the Prophets sawe many meruelous visions Esa. 6. as of the wakyng rod Iere. 1.24 and a sethinge potte and of two maundes of figges But specially Ezechiel Daniel Amos and zacharias arful of imaginarious visions the whiche to expresse woulde require a long time Ther apeared vnto Heliodorus the which wold haue spoyld the temple 2. Mach. 3. and haue conueid away such thynges as wer deposed laid ther to be kept an horse with a terrible and a fearful
daunger of the fysh and his wise from the deuil he restored old Toby to hys sight and throughe him as well hys parentes as his companions and felowes were repleanished wyth dyuers consolations As truly as our Lord lyueth sayth Iudith Iudi. 13. hys aungell hathe kepte me going thither remaining there and comming hither again froÌ„ thence One of the Seraphins flewe vnto Esay Esa. 6. and cleansed him with a stone whyche he toke from the altare wyth the tonges The angell of God descended with Azaria and his felowes into the ouen or fornace of fyre Dani. 3. Daniel beynge wythin the den of Lions Dani. 6. sayde vnto king Darius commyng vnto him My God hathe sente hys aungell whyche hathe shutte the Lyons mouthes so that they myghte not hurt me Afterwardes the angell of our lord brought the prophet Habacucke oute of Iewry into Chalde Dani. 14. to beare Daniel his dinner There were diuers and great misteries shewed vnto Danyell by the ministery of angels Dani. 9.10.11 Machabeus and they that wer with him praid our Lord 2. Mach. 11. that he woulde send a good aungel to deliuer Israel Then there followeth Ther appeared before them an aungell in white clothyng The angel Gabriel to auaunce and â—pon the conception of Iohn the Baptist Luke 1. appeared vnto zachary And to denounce the conception of our sauiour Luke 1. the self angell Gabryell was sent of God vnto a city of Galile named Dauid or Nazareth And againe when oure Lord was borne the aungell of our Lorde slode harde by the Shepheardes Luke 2. and there was wyth the angel a multytude of heauenly souldyors praysing God c We rede also that thangell of our Lord appeared spake vnto Ioseph Mat. 1. fyrst before his natiuity saying fear not to take vnto the Mary thy wyfe Secondly after the adoration worshipping of the wise men Mat. 2. Mat. 2. Aryse and take the child and his mother goe into Egipt Thyrdly after Herodes death Take the child and his mother and go into the land of Israel After the departure of the deuil that tempted hym Mat. 4. the angels came and ministred vnto him And after hys supper and in hys prayer made in the garden Luke 22. there appeared an angel vnto hym from heauen comforting him Mat. 28. At the tyme of hys resurrection the angel of our Lorde came downe from heauen Iohn 20. Mar. xvi Lu. xxiiii At our Lords assencion behold two men stode by them in white apparell Act. 1. The chefe prestes rose vp and all they that were wyth hym laid handes on the Apostles Act. 5. and put them in common pryson But the aungell of oure lord by night opened the prison dores and broughte them forthe and fayde go and preache in the Temple to the people The angel of our Lord spake vnto Philip Act. 8. saying Arise and go toward the South c. Cornelius saw euidently about the ninth hour of the day Act. 10. an angel of god comming into hym and saying Cornelius c. And Peter being a slepe in Herodes pryson Act. 12. the aungel of oure Lorde was then present c. Kyng Herode arayed hym in royall apparel Act. 12. and set hym in hys seat and made an oration vnto theym and the people gaue a shoute saying It is the voyce of a God and not of a manne And immedyatelye the aungel of the lorde smote hym because he gaue not the honoure to God and he was consumed and eaten of worms and gaue vp the ghost There stode an aungell of God by Paule in the ship Act. 27. counsellyng him to be of good cheare sayinge feare not Paule Our Lord signifyed thinges which must shortly come to passe Apoca. 1. And after that he spake by hys angell vnto hys seruaunte Ihon whyche bare recorde of the woorde of GOD. c. And that booke is full of angelycall reuelatyons ¶ Of euill Spirites Ca. xxxii EUil spirites are sayd to be oure Lords 1. regu 16. because they are in gods power and what so euer they do they do it by God The euil spirit of God vexed Saule The deuyll killed Saras Raguels daughter vii husbandes Tobi. 3.8 but yet by the comming of Raphael the good angel was eiected Sathan had euen so muche power vpon Iobs cattell his house wherein his children did eat Iob. 1.2 and vpon his body how much the deuine prouydence did suffer him to haue The euil sprite made the maÌ„ fearce and cruel Mat. 8. And also he maketh a man vncleane for those ii demoniakes or possessed with deuils wer out of measure fearce Luke 8. dwelt laye in graues And the deuils desired to goe into the swine not into Lambs One of those ii was more famous then thother he ware no clothes he abode in no hous but in graues he was bounde wyth chaines kepte wyth fetters and he brake the bandes and was caryed of the fende into wildernesse This euel sprite maketh a manne bothe deafe and domme Mar. 7. and when the spirite taketh hym he knocketh and teareth him and he fometh and gnasheth with his tethe pineth away LuKe. 9. Mar. 9. often times he casteth him into fire water to destroy and lose him Oure Lorde refused the laude and praise of maligne spirites LuKe. 8. Holde thy peace quod he come out of the maÌ„ Mar. 1. Our Lord dyd forbid his discyples to reioyce that the euill spirites were vnder them Luke 10. and subdued vnto them as though they shuld not esteme that thing very greatly A certaine damsel possessed wyth a sprite the prophesied Act. 19. cryed out many a day after Paule hys fellowes But Paule being heuy therfore turned about and said to the sprite I commaÌ„d the in the name vertue of Iesu christ that thou come oute of her and he came out the same hour And note that Paule would not that the doctrine of truthe shuld be confirmed by the spirit of deceitfulnesse and falshode Certain of the Iewes toke vpon theÌ„ to cal ouer theÌ„ which had euil sprites the name of our Lord Iesus sayinge Act. 19. we adiure you by Iesu whome Paule preacheth And the euyl spryte answered and said Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye and the man in whome the euyll spryte was ran on them and ouercame them and preuailed againste them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded ¶ Of the immortality of the resonable soule Ca. xxxiii FOr as much as it is saide of Abraham that he was put to his people Gen. 25. it is supposed that he had people in a nother world that is men which liued wel as he dyd We haue the lyke saying of Isaac He was put vnto hys people Gen. 35.49 And of Iacob And when Iacob beleued that hys
sonne Ioseph was deade Gen. 37. he sayde I wil go downe into hel vnto my sonne mourninge So then he beleued that he was there in spryte Iosephes brethren hauynge in wil and mynde to saye that one of theyr brethren was deade said We are xii brethren Gen. 42. the sonnes of one man the yongest is with oure father and one no man wotteth wher he is Our lord appearing vnto Moses in a bush Exo. 3. sayd I am the God of Abrahā Isaac and Iacob c. by thys our sauiour proueth the resurrectyon of the dead Mat. 22. He is not a God of the dead saith he but of the liuyng It is sayd of Chore and hys companye that they wente down alyue into hell Nume 16. and the earth closed vpon them and they pearyshed from amonge the congregation By thys it appeareth that the euil as touchyng theyr soules do lyue in hel If Saule had surelye beleued that Samuel had bene extincte and deade as touchyng hys soule 1. regu 28. he woulde not haue desyred hym to haue bene reuyued and called againe When that Dauids seruauntes maruailed why he wepte not for hys yonge sonne that was dead he said I shal go to him rather thē he shal come again to me When that Dauids seruaunts meruailed why he wept not for his yong sonne that was dead 2. regu 12. he said I shall go to him rather then he shall come againe to me When Absolon was hanged and thrust thorowe with iii. speares 2. regu 18 Dauid be wailed lamented him mournfully And s. Augustine in his boke de doc chri sayth That Dauid bewaild not the lack and deathe of hys sonne But because he knew to what pains that adoulterous and Paracide soule shoulde be drawen vnto But for his other sonne that died an Innocente and for whose sicknesse hee was sore afflicted 2. regu 12. he reioysed 3. regu 17. Helias praid for the reuiuification of hys hostes chylde saying O Lord my God let thys childes soule come into hym againe Oftentimes we read in the bookes of the kynges 3. regu 14. he was layde a sleape wyth hys fathers The whiche thing by no meanes maye be vnderstanded or spoken of brute beastes 4. regu 13. and therefore ther by it is proued that they liue after theyr death and that here after they shal arise again as it appeareth in those that slepe It is manifest and open by Thobias wordes which he spake rebuking the folishnesse of his kinsfolkes that the soule liueth after that it is seperated from the body Tobi. 2. We are saythe Toby the children of holy men and loke for the life which God shal geue vnto them that neuer tourne their be lefe from him And afterwardes in his oration and prayer he saithe Tobi. 3. O Lord deale not wyth me accordynge to thy wil and commaund my sprite to be receiued in peace Our Lord gaue Iob double of al the euer was his Tobi. 42. And at length he gaue him vii sonnes and iii. doughters The preacher after the mynd of s. Eccle. 11. Gregory in the laste of his Morales spake expresly and plainly sayinge Let the dust be tourned agayne vnto earthe from whence it came and the spryte shall retourne vnto God whiche gaue it By those woordes that the dampned do saye in hell they declare and shew Sapi. 5. that the good as wel as the euil do liue in a nother world Thus it is wrytten euen literallye of Nabuchodonozor king of Babylon Now that thou art laid down to slepe that is in death Esai 14. there come no mo vp to hewe vs downe Hel also beneathe trembleth to meete thee at thy comming And after there foloweth Thy pryde is brought downe into the depe of hel And many mo thinges ar wrytten there by the whyche it is euidente that he pearished not vtterly but that his soule went downe into hel When that they counseld Eleazarus to faine and dyssemble hym self to haue eaten of the flesh of the sacrifice 2. Mach. 6. he said Though I were now delyuered from the tormentes of menne yet shuld not I escape the hand of almighty God nether aliue nor dead One of those seuen brethren saide 2. Mach. 7. Those thynges I possesse and haue from heauen but now for the lawe of God I despyse them for my truste is that I shall receyue them Of hym agayne Lykewise it is cleare and manyfest by the mothers wordes and other that they as touchyng the soule beleued not that they should pearish Razias takyng hys owne bowels threw them vpon the people 2. Mach. 14 callyng vpon our Lord and ruler of the earth and spirit to reward and restore him this again and so he dyed Our sauiour warninge his Dysciples the whych he sent abrode Mat. 10. sayde vnto them Feare ye not them which kyl the body but are not able to kyll the soule But rather fear him which is hable to destroy both soule and body into hel That thing which our Lord dothe shew of the rych man and Lazarus semeth to be no parable or symilitude Luke 16. but a manifest hystorye And so it appeareth that the soules bothe of the good and euyll be immortall and receyue after the separatyon from the bodye euen as they deserued beynge in the body Our Lorde by the ensample of the vniust steward that made hym frendes wyth hys masters goodes Luc. 16. dothe conclude sayinge make you frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon that when ye shall haue neade they may receiue you into euerlastinge habitatiōs The which saying was of none effect if the soule after the seperation from the body or after the death of the body had no receptacle or place to be receiued vnto Blessed saint Steuen had a deuout and a right opinion and faithe of the soule Act. 7. the whyche when they stoned him saide Lorde Iesu receyue my spryte It appeareth manifestlye by the wordes of that excellent doctor Paul tha◠the soule doth liue after it be seperated from the bodye 2. Cor. 5. We knowe saith he that if our earthy mancyon of thys dwellynge wer destroyed we haue a building of God an habitation not made wyth handes but eternal in heauen Philip. 1. And he saith I desyre to be losed to be with Christ. And the selfe same man saythe O wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodye subdued vnto death roma 7. Truely he wold not say such thinges but that he was sure of a nother life ¶ Of the faith that man shuld haue vnto God Cap. xxxiiii ABraham beleued our lorde Gen. 15. and that counted he to him for righteousnesse and note that he beleued God whiche promised hym a thynge most difficult and hard After that the children wer past ouer the red sea Exo. 14. and Pharaos host ouerthrowne and drowned the people feared oure Lorde and beleued
Act. 16. the congregations were stablished in the faithe and encreased in nombre daily When the keper of the prysone in the which Paule and Silas were detained Act. 16. saw the earthquake and the prison open beyng sore troubled and afraid fel down at their fete saying what must I do to be saued and they said beleue in oure Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued When Paul had disputed at AtheÌ„s against Idolatry Act. 17. certaine men cleauing vnto him beleued amonge the which was Dionisius c. ¶ Of the fidelitye that ought to be kept to man Capi. xxxv ELiezer Abrahams seruaunt dyd the message coÌ„mitted vnto hym Gen. 24. by his master verye faithfullye when he went for Rebecca to Bathnals house Iacob serued his vncle Laban faithfully when that he keping his shepe by day was consumed with heat Gen. 29.31 and by night with frost Ioseph shewed him self faithful vnto his maister Gen. 39. in that he woulde not touche hys wyfe And in his counsail that he gaue vnto Pharao Gen. 41. and in suche seruice as he exhibited and dyd for hym Rachab the harlot did faithfullye with the spies which Iosue sent Iosu. 2.6 and likewise Iosue afterwardes vsed her faithfully again Althoughe the Gabaonites had deceiued Iosue and the children of Israel Iosu. 9.10 yet they kepte their othe and promise wyth them and after that faithfully defended them against theyr enemyes Ionathas did faithfully disclose his fathers yre and wrathe vnto Dauid 1. regu 20. and as much as laye in hym excused hym and afterwardes coÌ„forted hym Abiathars father beynge slaine by the occasion of Dauid 1. regu 22. I am saythe Dauid the cause of the deathe of all the soules of thy fathers house Abide with me and feare not For if anye seke my soule he shal seke thine also with me thou shalt be in sauegarde Dauid would not smyte nor laye his handes vpon Saul hys Lord and king 1. regu 24. Notwithstanding he was euel and did persecuâ—e him and yet if hee had woulde hee myghte twyse haue slaine hym The harnesse bearer of Saule was a greate signe and token of fidelitye 1. regu 31. and yet he did but vndiscretely when that he seing his master was deade woulde liue no longer but fel vppon his sweard and died with him what oughte we then to do for oure Lorde that was crucified for vs The men and inhabitours of Iabes in Galaad 1. regu 31. shewed them selues faithfull to Saule theyr Lorde notwythstandinge he was euell and wicked when they reuerently buried hym Urias the Hethite would not liue in delite and pleasure 2. regu 11. as long as hys Lord Ioab labourd and was in warfare When the city of Rabbath was in ieopardy to be loste and taken 2. regu 12. Ioab as long as he beseged it sent for Dauid to come thither to take the citye that the honor of the victory might be geuen to his master not to him self When Dauyd fled from Absolon Ethai sayde vnto him As trulye as God lyueth 2. regu 15. in what place my Lorde the kynge shal be whether in death or lyfe euen there also wyll thy seruaunt be Dauids menne woulde not that he should goe forthe with theim to battayle 2. regu 18. Saying Thou art compted to be worth ten thousand of vs. Wherby it appeareth that faythfully they loued hym And in another place Thou shalte notte goo oute with vs to battayle 2. regu 21. that thou quenche not the light of Israell All Israell separated them selues from Dauid 2. regu 20. and folowed Selon the sonne of Bochri But the Iewes cleaued vnto their kynge bothe faythfully and constantly Thre robust and stronge menne moste faithfully defended Dauid fightygne agaynste the Philistians 1. Para. 11. and brought him water out of the well of Bethelem the whyche he greatlye desyred Ioiada the hye priest dyd exceding faythfully with Ioas the sonne of Ioram kynge of Iuda 4. regu 11. Notwithstanding that he afterwardes regarded it but slenderly Onias the byshop and other priestes did faythfully trauell and labour 2. Mach. 3. to kepe such thinges as widowes and pepylles had deposed and geuen them to kepe Oure Lorde dothe commende the Mat. 25. fidelite of those seruauntes that encreased the thynges delyuered vnto them Paule wyth great faithfulnes procured 2. Cor. 9. the gatherynge of mennes almes to be done for the necessite of the poore in Iewry Paule sent faythfull and effectuous letters to Philemon for his fugitiue seruaunte Onesimus Philip. 1. Certain of the chefe of Asia gaue Paule discrete and faythfull Counsayle Act. 19. desirynge hym that he would not prease nor come into the common hall ¶ Of quietnesse and illustration of the minde Cap. xxvi AFter that Abraham went from Hur of the Chaldees Gen. 12.13.15.18 Our lord apâ—eared sondrye tymes vnto hym and visyted hym wyth dyuers reuelations Gen. 18. Our Lorde appeared vnto AbrahaÌ„ in the plaine of Mambre as he sat in his tent dore in the heat of the daye The whiche maye he expounded of a contemplatiue man Gen. 24. Isaac dwelt in the south countrey and was gone out in his meditations or to pray in the field Gen. 25. Esau became a cunning hunter a tiller of the earth but Iacob was a quiet and a symple man and dwelled in the tentes Gen. 28. Iacob departed from Bersabe to come to Haram and purposynge to reast there in a certaine place because the sonne was downe he tooke of the stones that were in that place and put them vnder his heade and layde hym downe and slept in that same place and he sawe in a dreame a ladder standinge vpon the earth c Moses kept the shepe of Ietro his father in lawe Exo. 3. and he droue the flocke to the back side of the desert and came to the mountaine of god Horeb. And Oure lorde appeared vnto hym in a flame of fire Iethro Moses father in lawe seinge hym occupied from morninge vnto euen in geuinge of iudgement to the people he sayde vnto him Exo. 18. Thou consumest and weriest thy selfe and those that are with the with vayne and vndiscrete labour Be thou vnto the people in those thinges that pertayne vnto god Our lord came doune to the mount Sinay Exo. 19. and called Moses vp to the top of the mountaine and there he reueled vnto hym the iudgementes the commaundemeÌ„tes and the ceremonies the which he should teache the people Our lorde spake vnto Moses face to face as a maÌ„ speaketh vnto his frende And Moses was with oure lorde .40 dayes and fortie nightes and did neither eate bread nor drinke water Oure Lorde spake vnto Moses saying get the vp into this mountayne Deu. 32. and frome thence beholde the lande whiche I geue vnto the chyldren of Israell Samuel did slepe in the temple and oure Lorde calde Samuell
Ierusalem was finyshed 2. Esd. 6. that all the hethen which were there about were afrayde All the heathen on euery side were afrayde of Iudas and his brethren 1. Mach. 3. so that the rumoure of hys name came vnto the kinge Theire aduersaries heard that Ionathas was ready with his menne to the battayle 1. Mach. 10. they feared and were afrayde in they re hartes After that Lisias was ouerthrone be Iudas Machabeus 2. Mach. 11. he was wyllinge to make peace with him and promised that he woulde consent to all thinges whiche were reasonable euen as Iudas woulde Herode feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust manne Mar. 6. and an holy and he kept hym After the terrible death of Ananias and Saphira the disciples wer all together in Salamons porche And no man durst ioyn him selfe to them Act. 5. but yet the people magnified them When Paule and Silas were both in prisone together Act. 16. and their feete made fast in the stockes sodenly there was a greate earthquake The keper of the prison beinge afraide fel doune at the fete of Paule and Silas saide Sirs what muste I do to be saued ¶ Of the loue of god Capi. xl WHen God shoulde geue the law vnto Moses he said vnto hym Exo. 20. I am thy lorde god shewynge mercy vnto those that loue me and keepe my commaundementes The chefest of al the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes is the loue of god Deu. 6. For Moses said after he had repeated the commauÌ„dementes vnto the people Thou shalt loue the lorde thy god with all thine harte c. Moses willinge specially to printe in the peoples mynde the feare and loue of god Deu. 10. saide and nowe Israell what dothe the lorde thy god require of thee but to feare the Lorde thy god and to walke in all his wayes to loue him and to serue the lorde thy god with all thine harte c. Iosua beinge olde and stryken in yeres calde all the people of Ierusalem vnto him Iosua 13.13 and wareninge them of many thinges amonge all other he sayde Take hede most deligentlye of this that ye loue your lorde god It is wrytten of Dauid that with his whole hert he did prayse our lord and loued god that made him Eccle. 47. ye and be hym selfe sayde a lorde that arte my fortitude and strengthe I wyll loue the. The Apostle Paule hathe geuen this sentence Psal. 17. If any manne loue not our lorde Iesus Christ the same bee cursed For oure lorde that shall reuenge thinges shall come In asmuch as loue is a vertue that moueth a man to christ wards 1. Cor. 16 Paule â—adde greate Loue the whiche was crucified vnto Christ. And it may be noted that Christ was his wisdome Nether shewed I my self that I knew any thinge amonge you 1. Cor. 2. saue Iesus Christe euen the same that was crucified And his substaunce I haue counted sayth Paule all thinges losse Philip. 3. and do iudge them but vyle that I maye winne Christ. And hys iustice He is made vnto vs our wisdome 1. Cor. 1. our Iustice our sanctification and our redemption It may be sayd that Christ spake in Paule 2. Cor. 13. Seke ye experience of Christ whiche speaketh in me Also Christ did worke by Paule I dare not speak of any of those things Rom. 15. which christ hath not wrought by me Againe Christ did lyue in Paule I liue yet now not I but Christ lyueth in me Gala. 2. And agayne he saythe Christ is to me lyfe Philip. 1. Item Christ doth triumphe in him Thankes be to god whiche alwaies geueth vs the victory in Christ 2. Cor. 2. He may also be called Christes seruant Paule the seruaÌ„t of Iesê° Christ. And the Apostle of Christ. româ— 1. Paule the Apostle of Iesu Christ. And the legate or messenger of god Now then are we messengers in the roume of Christ 2. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 5. euen as though God did exhorte you throughe vs so praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconciled vnto God And he was Gods helper We are goddes helpers or labourers And Gods champioÌ„ 1. Cor. 3. I haue fought a good fight And againe So fight I not as one that beateth the ayre 2 tim 4. And againe 1. Cor. 9. If I haue foughten with beastes after the maner of men 1. Cor. 15. Item a runner I so runne not as at an vncertaine thinge 1. Cor. 9. And a speciall folower Be ye folowers of me 1 Cor. 1â— as I am the folower of Christ. Saint Iohn sayth Let vs therfore loue god for he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. ¶ Of the loue that man ought to haue to his neighboure Cap. xli CAyne was greuously reprehended of oure Lord Gen. 4. and punished because he did wickedly against his brother and sayde that he was not hys brothers keper Note how diligently and carefully Abraham prayde oure lorde Gen. 18. that he would spare the Sodomites the whiche thinge was a great signe and token of loue Moses had so greate dilection and loue to his neighbours exodi 32. whyche were hys subiectes that in hys prayer to God he sayde eyther forgeue them their sinne or wype me oute of thy booke Moyses did wyshe in hys prayer that oure Lordes people coulde prophecy Nume 11. notwithstaÌ„ding that his honor should seme to be deminished therby Moses would haue no greater dominion then he had Nume 14. and yet our lorde promysed him it Suche was his loue towardes his neyghbours whome he ruled Iudi. 21. The chyldren of Israell after the occision and death of the chyldren of Beniamin wept very sore and sayd O lorde wherfore is this euyl chaunsed in Israell The soule of Ionathas was knyt with the soule of Dauid 1. regu 18. and Ionathas loued him as his owne soule Dauid shewed that he loued his enemye 2. reg 1.3 when he mourned for Saul and his frende when he wept for Ionathas and Abner Dauid likewise bewailed the death of Absolon his sonne 2. regu 18 althoughe he was euyl and his aduersary Nehemias dothe shewe his greate loue towardes the children of transmigratioÌ„ esdra 2. per totum as it appeareth by the thinges that he did for them Because Tobias hadde shewed the works of charity to many Tobi. 1. many did loue him and therfore when he was commaunded by the king to be slain he was hiden and not found Oure LORDE wolde that we should haue suche loue to our neighbors Mat. 18. that he said vnto Peter that he shoulde not forgeue his brother that sinneth against him till seuen times but seuenty times seuen times The Samaritane is much extolde and lauded for the great loue and charitye that he had to his neighboure Lu. 10. For comming vnto him being halfe deade he was moued with pytye and
compassion he bound vp his wouÌ„des and poured in oyle and wine It is declared that S. Steuen had a meruelous great loue to his neighbours the which praid more deuoutly for those that stoned hym to death Act. 7. than for hym selfe For them he kneled downe and cryed wyth a loude voyce But for him self he spake thus simplye Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Paule did loue his neighbours inestimablye for he was to them as a mother that is in trauel Gala. 4. For he sayd vnto the Galathians My lyttle chyldren of whome I trauel in byrthe againe Item Paule is to his neighbour as a father that correcteth 1. Cor. 4. In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you thorowe the Gospel And a litle after Shal I com vnto you wyth a rod And to the Thessalonians Ye are wytnesses how that we haue prayed 1. Thes. 2 you comforted you as a father doth vnto his children And as a nourse the chearysheth and flattereth her chyldren And in a nother place Euen as to babes in Christ 1. Corin. 3 I gaue you milke to drynke And as a master and a Doctor instructing I am apoynted a preacher 2. Timo. 1 and Apostle and a teacher of the gentiles in faith and veriâ—y And as a labouring and a helpyng brother Phil. 4.1 My brethren dearly beloued and longed for I beseche Germaine my yoke felow And in a nother place I haue you the companyons of my ioye in the defendinge and stablyshyng of the Gospel And againe we be not Lords ouer your faith 2. Corin. 1. but are helpers of your ioy And as it were a Legate to those that be reconciled 2. Corâ—n 5. Now are we messeÌ„gers in the roume of Chrisâ— And Apostle bringing good tidinges ye know that I wold kepe backe nothinge that was profitable vnto you Act. 20. but to shew you teach you openly throughout euery house And in a nother place Act. 17. whome ye ignorauntlye worshyp him shew I vnto you 1. Corin. 3 And as a builder buyldynge As a wise builder haue I laid the foundatyon And yet neuerthelesse it maye be said that Paule by other wayes and meanes shewed him self to be a most feruent louer of his neighbours Because he did many thinges for them For he ether sustained them or eâ—sse he gaue them and procured for the power that he had not to geue them of those that had it Paule him selfe doth testify that he counselled and did for the vtility profit of hys neyghbors saying Act. 20. These handes haue ministred vnto my necessities to them that were wyth me For it is more blessed to geue then to receiue and al though it was a worke of supererogation considring he might haue receiued somwhat of them yet he did it to spare those he preached vnto I am ready saith he 2. Corin. 12 to come vnto you and yet wil I not be chargeable vnto you for I seke not yours but you Secondarely he toke nothynge that he myght cut of from the Pseudapostles the occasion of gloryfying In all things I kept my self so that I should not be chargeable to any man 2. Cor. 11. and so wyl I kepe my self What I do that wyll I do to cut away occasyon from them which desire occasioÌ„ that they might be found lyke vnto vs in that wherin they reioyse And again he procured that thereby he shoulde haue the greater rewarde We haue not vsed thys power to receiue any reward of you 1. Cor. 9. What is my reward then Uerely that when I preach the Gospell I make the Gospel of Christ fre Paule procured also of the congregatyon of Achaia to dystrybute geue to the pore that were in Iewry and therefore he caused collectyons 1. Cor. 16. 2. Cor. 9. to be gathered and induced the faythful effectuously to the same Item he that soweth lytleâ— shal reape lytle And he distributed vnto his neighbours the word of God wherwith he plentifullye abounded Ye and gaue him self to be profitable vnto his we woulde haue dealte vnto you not the gospel only but also our own soules because ye were dear vnto vs. ii Thes. ii And again he saith ii Cor. xii I will very gladlye bestowe and wyl be bestowed for your soules Furthermore Paule euen wyth hys owne body did meruelous thynges to conuert hys neighbours to the faith and to spiritual health by preaching disputing and iournyinge froÌ„ Damasco to Arabia and Ierusalem and to Antioche And then by the coÌ„maundement of the holy ghost wyth Barnabas he wente from Antioche to Cipers and from thence they sayled by Cicill and came to Persida Iconium Lycaoniam and ordeyned prestes and elders in euerye congregation And after that they had done muche good they retourned to Antioche Afterwardes Paule purposing to visite his brethren vnto whom he had preached the word of god he toke Sila with him and went to Siria Cilicia and from thence to Phrygia and Galatia and came to Mysia and after that beinge called he sailed into Macedonia And when he had done muche good at Thessalonia and in many other cities of that regyon he went to Athens and ther he disputed with certayn curious Philosophers And from thence he wente to Corinthum and there he conuerted muche people to our Lord. And then he toke his iourny to Ephesus and entred in to the sinagoge and dysputed wyth the Iewes And from thence he went to Cesaria Act. xvii and from Cesaria he cam to Antioche and after hee had taryed there a certaine time he tooke hys iourny towardes the country of Galatia and Phrigia and confirmed stablished al the disciples And when he had wandred ouer all the hye partes of the country he came agayne to Ephesus and taried there two yere disputing of the kingdome of God did so much that all they that dwelte in Asia both heathen and Iewes dyd heare the worde of God From theÌ„ce he returned by Macedonia Troyade and Miletum passing by manye other cities and Iles he came to Tire and from Tire he toke his iorney by Ptolomaidem and Cesaria came from thence to Ierusalem And there the Iewes toke hym drew hym bet him and falsly accused him before diuers iudges and manifestlye greued was constraind to appele vnto Cesar He was deliuered vnto the captain after the shyppe was broken many other pearyls he being bouÌ„d with chaines came to Rome ther beyng geuen to preaching and teachynge purposed to go into Spain Behold now how he loued those for whose sakes he suffred such and so manye paynes and pearils And Paule sayth we do all thynges dearly beloued for your edifying ii Cor. xii Also the sygnes of loue appeare when a man wil sustaine and suffer that is greuous for his frendes sake For it is wrytten Thou shalt not be ashamed to salute or defend thy freÌ„d and if any euill or hurt chaunce vnto
Lorde beholding the cytie of Ierusalem Lu. 19. and considering the euyls that should afterwardes chaunce vnto it wept on it saying Yf thou haddest knowen c. When Iesus sawe Marye wepe and the Iewes also wepyng whiche came wyth her Iho. 11. he groned in the spirite and was troubled in him selfe and wepte Oure Sauiour euen hangyng vpon the crosse was carefull for his mother whome he knewe to be crucified and tormented in soule Woman said he behold thy sonne poynting vnto Iohn When Peter was come to Ioppa and sawe the wydowes wepyng for the death of Tabitha Act. 9. whichie made them cootes and garmentes he kneled downe and prayde and when he had called her he shewed her alyue to the saynctes and wydowes When Paule was at Athens his sprete was moued in him Act. 17. when he sawe the cytie geuen to worshipping of Idolles The barbarous and straunge people shewed Paule and hys felowes no litle kyndnes Act. 27. for they kyndled a fyre and refreshed them euerye one because of the present raine and colde And they that in the tyme of wynter scaped oute of the broken shyppe had good nede of it for some dyd swymme to lande and some were caried on boordes and on broken peeces of the shyppe Paule sorowed hys brethren and kynsmen that perished with so great anxiete of sprite Roma 9. that he sayd I haue greate heuines and contynuall sorowe in my heart for I haue wyshed my selfe to be cursed from Christ for my brethren my kinsmen as pertayning to the fleshe And to the Galathians My lytle children of whome I trauell in byrth agayne Gala. 4. Of hospitalyte Capi. xlv NOte Howe spedely and how Ioyfullye Abraham receyued Angelles into his house Gen. 18. And howe he caused all thinges necessary to be prepared for pylgrimes Marke also howe Lot honored the Angels that past by Gen. 19. Whiche he toke to be men He praide them instantly and offering them most gently all necessarye thinges defended his house as he coulde against those that violently would haue entred into it Rebecca semed to be prest and redye to hospytalyte Gen. 24. the whiche sayd vnto Abrahams seruaunte We haue litter hay and prouinder inough and also fair roume to lodge in And anon after Laban saide vnto hym I haue dressed the house and made roum for thy camels Iethro without any great praier receiued Moses being a straunger into his lodging Exo. 2. Afterwardes he honoured his daughter and his Nephewes magnificently Moses saith Our Lord god loueth the straunger Deut. 10. and geueth hym fode raiment Loue ye therfore the stranger for ye wer strangers your selues in the land of Egipt Rachab the harlot lodged the spies sent by Iosua most liberally Iosu. 2. and she was holpen and deliuered most faithfully The Leuite found no man in al Gabaa Beniamin Iudi. 19. that would take hym to lodging but one old man that cam from his worke Helias reuiued the womans sonne that sustained and lodged him 3. regu 17. The Sunamite receiued Elizeus going by 4. reug 4. into her house and lodged him the which obtained her a childe and reuiued the same Iob a good receiuer of gestes and strangers Iob. 31. said The straunger taried not without and my dores wer open vnto him that went by the way When our sauiour sent his dysciples to preach Mat. 10. he said that he was receiued and hard in them He that receiueth you receiueth me he that heareth you Luke 10. heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me Iesus walking here in the world had not where to lay his hed Luke 9. Luke 10. and yet we reade that Martha was his speciall hostes zacheus receiued our Lord ioyfully into his house Luke 19. And oure Lorde made him more ioyful when he said Thys daye is healthe happened vnto thys house By the example of those two discyples that constrained our Lord being LuKe. 24. in the likenesse of a pilgrime to tarye with them it appeareth that straungers should not only be called in vnto vs but also compelled to tary with vs. The Apostles most commonly wer lodged in the houses of artificers Act. 10. and and of mene men As we do reade of Peter who was lodged with one Simon a tanner whose house was by the sea side And Paule lodged with Aquila Priscilla Act. 18. because they wer of the same craft and occupation Lida a seller of Purple besoughte Paule and his company to tary with her in her house Ac. 16. and she constrayned them When Paul and his felowes wer escaped out of the broken ship Act. 28. Publius the chefe of the I le receiued and lodged them thre dayes curteouslye And Paule by prayer and by laying his handes vppon his father whyche laye sicke of a feuer and of a bloudye flixe healed him Paul wryting vnto Philemon vsed an vrbane and a ciuill hope and confidence Ad. phi 1 when he said prepare me lodging for I trust that through the helpe of your prayers I shal be geuen vnto you Amonge all other things vnto the whiche Paule dothe specially induce the hebrews Heb. 13. is hospitalitie Be not forgetful to lodge strangers for therby haue dyuers men lodged Angels vnwares Saynt Iohn in his thyrde Epistle dothe cōmende Gaynus Capi. 1. sayinge Beloued thou dooest faythfully what so euer thou dooest to the brethren and to strangers whiche beare wytnesse of thy loue before the congregation ¶ Of amitie and loue Capi. 46 LAban called to gether a greate company to the feaste Gen. 29. and marryage And gaue hys daughter Rachel to Iacob hys nephewe Our lorde spake vnto Moses face to face Exo. 33. as a manne speaketh vnto hys frende Ruth abode styl by Naomy her mother in law Ruth 1. And sayde vnto her whether soeuer thou goest I will go also And wheresoeuer thou shalte dwell there wyll I dwell The soule of Ionathas was knytte with the soule of Dauid 1. regu 18. Ionathas loued him as his owne soul. And Ionathas put of his own cote that was vpon hym and gaue it to Dauid and therto his cloke his sweard his bow and his girdle It was a token of faithful amity although it was vndiscrete 1. regu 31. that Sauls harnesbearer seing that his Lorde maister was deade woulde dye wyth hym Abner sente his messengers to Dauid sayinge 2. regu 3. Make a bonde of amitye with me and my hād shal be with the to bring al Israel vnto the. Chusai the Arachite Dauids frend came to Absalon 2. regu 17. and destroyed Achitophels counsail The prophet Iehu said vnto Iosaphat king of Iuda the whiche hadde made peace 2. para 19. and was come to helpe to fight with Achab the king of Israel Wilt thou helpe the vngodly and loue them that hate our Lord therefore thou haste deserued
trouble suche lucke and prosperite was in his hande Ptolomy the king of Aegipt would haue obtained Alexāders kingdome bee fraude and gyle 1. Mach. 11. but his enmite and malice was openly knowne Simon knewe that Triphon dissembled in his wordes 1. Mach. 13. when he demaunded Ionathas two sonnes and a hundred talentes of syluer yet cōmaunded he the money and the chyldren to be sente vnto hym leeste hee shoulde be the greater enemy against the people of Israell and saye because hee sente hym not the money and the chyldren therefore is Ionathas dead ¶ Of peace and concorde Cap. xlviii Gen. 1. IN the begynning god made all other beastes double that is male and female But he created man sole and of him are all other procreated and made and that to cōmende the vnite of peace and concord in man Riches and abundaunce of temporall thinges Gen. 13.26 are oftentimes the matter and occasion of strife and debate as it appereth in Abrahams and Lots herdsmen and Isaac and the shepherdes of Gerare Menne doo gladly make peace and frendshyppe with suche as be of great mighte and powre Gen. 16. And therefore Abimelech came to Isaac because he sawe him prosper Sumtimes a man must geue place and avoide the fury or hastines of his better Gen. 17.18 As Iacob did departing from his brother Esau vntill his fearsnes and wrath was swaged The Gabaonites hearinge what Iosua hadde done at Ierico and Hai Iosu. 9. came vnto hym and made a good peace and agrement with them Whan Phinees and the other legates that wer sent vnto the children of Iosu. 22. Ruben had heard theyr excuse they were appeased and gladly receaued theyr answere Althoughe Absolon hadde doone to 2. regu 18. wickedly againste his father yet Dauid more desyred peace then the death of his sonne for he sayd Is the yong man Absolon safe Notwithstanding that Dauid was holy 2. regu 7. and suche a one as pleased god yet our lord would not that he should buylde hym a house but that Salomon his peasible sonne should enioye and be honored and haue that priuiledge Our lord is much to be lawded and praysed when he geueth his people a peasable and a quiete estate 3. regu 5 as was in Salomons time the whiche sayd The lorde my god hathe geuen mee rest on euerye syde so that there is neyther aduersarye nor anye euyll plage Then there foloweth blessed be oure lorde Good and blessed menne haue loue and amite one to a nother 3. regu 14. But the euyll fyghte agaynst the good and other that are euyll As there was war contynually betweene Roboam and Ieroboam It was declared and shewde vnto Helias that oure lorde was not in the mighti strong winde 3. regu 19. nor in the earth quake nor in the fyre But in a small styll voyce that is in tranquilite and peace And the people blessed and thanked all those 2. Esd. 11. that wer wyllinge to dwell at Ierusalem Ionathas sente ambasidoures vnto Bachides for to make peace wyth him 1. Mach. 9. and yet the selfe Bachides was capytane of the hooste in the whyche Iudas Machabeus Ionathas brother was slayne King Demetrius sent letters vnto Ionathas with louynge wordes and praised him greatly for he sayde we wyll firste make peace with him 1. Mach. 10. before he bynde him selfe with Alexander against vs elles he shall remember the euyll that we haue doone agaynst him his brother and his people The cause of the peace that was in Onias time 2. Mach. 3. was his wisdome and goodnes and the goodnes of his subiectes After that Iudas Machabeus had ouerthrowen Lisias 2. Mach. 11. he wyllinglye and gladlye made peace with hym For he perceyued that the Hebrues beinge defended by the healpe of almightie God could not be ouercome Wherfore he sente them worde and promised that he would consent to all thinges whiche were iuste and resonable and to make the kinge their frende Oure Lorde woulde vs to haue so muche peace and concorde with oure neighbours Mat. 18. that he said vnto Peter that we should not forgeue our brother yf he sinne against vs tyll seuen tymes but seuentye tymes seuen tymes The Angelles in oure Lordes natiuitie brought tidinges of peace and commaunded them to haue peace amonge them selues Luke 2. Luke 10. Iohn 14. that they should shew it forthe Luke 24. Forther more he leaft them peace and after his resurrection he offered them peace He that desireth to kepe peace and to haue the quietnes of minde muste abstayne from discursions and troubles of the minde Iohn 11. and at sometymes cease from that that is honest and laufull For when Martha hearde that Iesus was come she wente and met him Mary sat styll at home nor moued not thence vntyll she was called of oure Lorde by her sister althoughe that Mary parauenture was not ignoraunt of oure Lordes commynge when that Martha knewe it before Howe greate that the goodnes of peace is it may be pondred by Paule that discrete iudge the whiche moste diligentlye in all hys Epistles dothe wyshe it to all those that he writeth vnto excepte in hys Epystle to the Hebrewes in the whyche for certayne causes he nether setteth to his name nor premytteth anye salutation Note yet that when he sayeth peace be vnto you he premytteth grace Sayinge Grace bee with you and peace Roma 1. Wher by it is manifestely vnderstanded that true peace cannot be hadde wythoute the grace of god Esa. 48. And therefore Esaye saythe As for the vngodlye they haue no peace ¶ Of vnite and common consent Capi. xlix De. Ci li. 12. Capi. 22. GOD made mākynde of one mā to cōmende declare vnto men how pleasant a thing the vnite of many is vnto hym Wherevppon Saint Augustine doth say Man was made one but not lefte alone There was neuer thinge that humayne nature spake of so commodius for mankynde so full of discorde through vice so geuen to feloshippe so naturall agaynst the vice of discorde other to be taken hede of if it be not or to be holpen and healed if it apeare as the remembraunce of oure fyrste parent whome god would creat alone that of him many other shuld spring that by thys admonition a concordiall vnitye myght be obserued and kepte in many The people of Israell was of one consent and minde in the desarte Exo. 19. and willing to receiue the law For after they had hard of Moses the wordes of the law they answered all wyth one voyce all that our Lord hath said we wil do The people to make and performe the worke of the tabernacle of oure Lord Exo. 35. and the holy uestmentes of the ministers did bringe in offer with most readiest deuout minds all that was necessary to performe the same All the children of Israell wer gathered and knit
together as it hadde bene but one manne Iudi. 20. so reuenge and punishe the flagitious dedeâ— committed against the Leuites wife in Gaba Beniamin The vniuersal tribes of Israel cam to Dauid vnto Hebron 2. regu 5. and anoynted him king ouer them The feare of our LORD fell on the people and they came oute as it 1. regu 11. had bene but one man to ayde theyr brethren which were besieged in Iabes Galaad All Israell came to kynge Salomon and then the Arcke 3. regu 8. and all the holy vessels were borne into the temple and the temple was solemly blessed and dedicated All the people were gathered and 1. Esd. 3. came together euen as one man vnto Ierusalem to edify and to builde the temple the whiche was destroyed by the king of Babilon And all the people gathred them selues to gether 2. Esd. 8. as one manne in the streat and they said vnto Esdras that he should bryng the boke of the lawe of God When Achior hadde disclosed all thinges that Holofernes had said Iudi. 7. all the people with a common lamentation and weping and with one consent prayed vnto God After the death of Iudas Machabeus al his frendes came together 1. Mach. 9. saide vnto Ionathas hys brother for so much as thy brother Iudas is dead c. We chose the this day for him to be our prince and captain to order to fight our battail After that the people had hearde Simons wordes 1. Mach. 13. the heartes of the people weer kindled together so that they cryed wyth a loud voyce Thou art our captain in stead of Iudas and Ionathas thy brethreÌ„ order thou our battail and whatsoeuer thou coÌ„mandest vs we shal do it After the assention of our Lorde Act. 1. all the disciples continued with one accord in prayer and supplicatioÌ„ with the wemen and Mary the mother of Iesu and with his brethren And so the holy ghost found them All that beleued kept them selues together after they had receyued the holye sprite Act. 2. and had all thinges commen and continued dailye wyth one accord in the temple and brake bread from house to house When the disciples had heard that the creple was healed and of Peters and Ihons answer to the magestrates they lift vp their voyces to God with one accord Act. 4. and said Lord which hast made heauen and earth c. After that Ananias and Saphyra his wife were terriblye punyshed at Peters word Act. 5. great fear was thorow out all the country And they were al together with one consente in Salomons porch And the multytude that beleued were of one hart Act. 4. and of one soul. Nether said any of them that oughte of the thinges whiche he possessed was his owne but they had all thynges common ¶ Of discorde strife and debate Ca. l. ENuy moued the firste discorde among men Gen. 4. as betwixt Cain and Abell because that Caines workes were maligne and euell and hys brothers good and iust The substaunce of Abraham Lot was great Gen. 13. and they coulde not dwell together and so there fell a strife betwene the herdmeÌ„ of Abraham Lot The fiue kinges of the Sodomites serued and were subiect vnto Chodoriamor xii yere Gen. 14. and in the xiii yeare they rebelled and departed from him And so there was war betwene foure kinges againste fiue In the whyche warre Lot was taken and recouered by Abraham The inhabitours and men of Sodome dyd compas the house aboute Gen. 19. in the which two aungels in the likenes of meÌ„ war lodged for they would haue knowen them and they preased sore vpon Lot because that faithfully he defended his gestes There was stryfe and debate betwene the heardmen of Gerar and Isaacs Gen. 26. for the possession of sheape of Oxen and a mighty houshold Iacob fletinge away was wroth Gen. 31. and saide to Laban for what trespace or offence art thou thus angrye with me and hast searched all my stuffe By the occasion of Dina Iacobs daughter whom Sichem Emors son Iere. 34. dyd rauyshe and forced a greate dyscorde arose betwene Iacobs sonnes and the inhabitoures of that Countrey Moses vpon a certain day saw two Hebrues that stroue together Exo. 2. And he saide vnto him that did the wronge Wherfore smitest thou thy fellow After that the Children of Israell were gone oute of Egipte Exo. 17. and were paste the red sea Amalech came and fought with them in Raphidim Oftentimes the children of Israell did striue againste Moses in the wyldernesse Gen. 16.17 Fyrste for lacke of dryncke And againe when they had one kind of meate Nume 21. they desyred a nother And when they lothed Manna they calde for fleshe Also they came together agaynste Moses and Aaron at the waters of contradiction and strife Nume 20. wher they did chide and murmur agaynste our Lord and Moses Betwene Abimelech Gedeons son and the men of Sichem the whyche hadde made hym kynge wrongfully Iudi. 9. was greate dyscorde so that they beganne to detest him and to rebell against him and he ouercomde them There arose astrife betwene those of Ephraim and Iephthe Iudi. 12. for asmuch as Iephthe goynge to fighte aginste the children of Ammon woulde not as they sayd call them There was so vehement a discorde and battayl in Gabaa Beniamin and iudi 20. the Tribes of Israell for the Leuites wife that they of the Tribe of Beniamin were vtterly all slayne except 5. hundred After that Dauid hadde slayne the Philistine 1. regu 18. Saul was wroth and angry with Dauid because he was most commonly praysed Wherfore Saule loked a side on Dauid from that daye forewarde Nor no man coulde from that time mollifie his hart but nedes he must persecute hym There was longe debate and strife betwene the house of Saule 2. regu 3. and the house of Dauid But Dauid Waxed stronger and stronger and Saul continually weaker and weaker There was to greate and to dishonest a dissention and discord betwene Absolon couetinge the kingdome and Dauid his father 2. regu 18. At the last yet Absolon that moued the same was hangd When Dauid retourned to Ierusalem the children of Israell were troubled and vexed because that the Iewes 2. regu 19. they being not calde there vnto brought hym againe Two wemen did striue be â—ore king Salomon for a childe 2. regu 3. the which they bothe woulde haue had After the deathe of Salomon the people desired his soÌ„ne RoboaÌ„ to vse and to handle them more courteously 3. regu 12. But because he answered theÌ„ churlishly and hardly ten of the Tribes leftâ— him made IeroboaÌ„ their king by the occasioÌ„ wherof ther was sore wars betwene the kyngs of Israel Iuda There was a strife amonge the disciples whiche of theim shoulde seme to be the greatest Luke 22. but it
afterwardes to their pain Nabal vsed hiÌ„ self vnliberally towardes Dauid that desired him to geue hym somwhat 1. re 15. After that Dauid had obtained the victorye of the Amelechites 1. reg 30 he sente giftes and part of the praye vnto the elders of Iuda and to hys frendes neighbors sayinge see here is a blessyng for you Dauid commaunded that Mephibo seth should eat bread alway vpon his table 2. re 9. And he gaue him all that pertained to Saule Soby Machir and Berzillai dyd profer vnto Dauid flyinge from the face and presence of Absolon 2. re 17 manye necessarye thinges for his hoaste as wheat barly and flour This Berzillai did aid Dauid wheÌ„ he fled from his sonne Absolon 2. re 19 And after that Dauid hadde obtained and won the victory he retained Chymeam his sonne as one of his family The Quene of Saba gaue SalomoÌ„ manye thinges 3. re 10 And Salomon gaue her according to her desire what so euer she asked besides that he gaue her of a fre wil with his owne hand Certaine good men of Israell clothed the naked prisonners 2. Para. 28 and set all that were feble vpon horses brought them to their brethren King Cyrus brought forth the vessel of the temple of our Lord 1. Esd. 1. whych Nabuchodonozor had taken and sent them again to Ierusalem al the vessels of gold siluer were 5000. and 400. The children of Iuda returnynge from Babilon 1. Esd. 2 offred willingly to the building of the house of God gaue gold after their hability King Darius commaunded that the house of God should be builded in Ierusalem 1. Esdâ— 6 that the charges should be taken oute of the kinges cofers Although ther were some enuious persons that by theyr letters laboured to let and hinder the worke 1. Esd. 7 King Artaxerzes gaue a glorious a liberal epistle to Esdras the priest that came to Ierusalem to coÌ„fort the Iewes 2. esd. 2. King Artaxerzes vsed him self liberallye to Nehemias comminge into Iewry and gaue him euen suche letters as he required Nehemias was a very liberall Legate the which did not greue the people with vitall exactions 2. esd. 5. he dyd much good to those that he was seÌ„t vnto Tobias did study how to deuide all that euer he had among his brethren that wer prisoners Tob. i. and of his kin he fed the hungry and clothed the naked Raguel deliuered to yong Tobias with his daughter the half of all hys substaunce Tob. 10 Tobias the yonger was very kind vnto Raphael Tob. 12 whom he toke to be a man and well acknowledged the benifites that he had done vnto hym where vpon bothe he and hys father did offer him most liberally the moity of al theyr goodes Kinge Ahaswerus commaunded a greate feast to bee made for Esthers mariage Est. 2. caused the landes to be in quietnesse and gaue giftes as it became the royalty of a king WheÌ„ king Ahasuerus saw Quene Esther Esth. 5 he safd vnto her what wilt thou Esther what is thy peâ—icion if it bee euen the halfe of my kingdome thou shalt haue it Esth. 6 King Ahasuerus enquired what honour or rewarde Mardocheus had gotten for the fidelity that he had shewd vnto him And when he vnderstode that he was vnrewarded hee caused hym magnificently to be honoured Iobs sonnes made bankets eche of them on the daye that he made hys feast Iob. 2 sent for theyr sisters to eate and to drinke with them Blessed Iob doth declare that he was merciful to the poore Iob. 29.31 saying I comforted the widowes harte and I was a father vnto the pore Again he saithe If I haue eaten my meat alone For mercye hathe growne wyth me euen from my childhode The chefe captain of Babilon gaue Ieremy meat Iere 40 and rewardes and let him go whether so euer he wold promising him great humanity kindenesse if he wold go with him to Babilon and yet he gaue him free leaue and licence to cary Seleucus the kinge of Asia in the time of Onias the hie priest â— mach 2 payed al the charges pertaininge to the minysterye of the Sacrifices of his owne rentes and heritage The wise men opening their treasures not their litle purses with half pence Math. 2 offred vnto a pore Lord gold frankensence and mirrhe Our Lord is a liberall and a large rewarder math 19 the which to those that leaue these temporal goodes for hys cause dothe geue an hunderfolde in thys worlde and life euerlastynge in the world that is to come It came of a benigne and a gentle liberality that our Lord defended the disciples math 12 whiche vppon the Saboth day did plucke the eares of corne Lu. 6 and chafed them with theyr hands to eat against those wicked Pharises And also of the Publicanes synners that came to heare him Lu. 15.19 And of zacheus math 26 And there is an ensample of Mary Mar. 14 that kissed oure Lordes feete And of Iudas for the which signe of gentlenesse the vnhappye and wycked manne oughte to haue the soner repented The people folowed our Lord on fote into the desert and left the cities and when the euen drue on Mat. 14 his disciples said vnto him Let the people depart that they may go and bye them vitailes But hee as a liberall Lorde master answered geue ye theÌ„ to eat Zacheus in distrybutyâ—ge of hys goodes Lu. 19 and makynge of restitucyon was verye large and liberall Thus hee sayde vnto oure Lorde Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goodes I geue to the poore and if I haue done anye maÌ„ wrong I restore hym four fold The gift of the pore wydow which cast two miâ—es into the treasurye Lu. 21 is preferd of our Lord aboue the giftes of the rich Our Lord was very bountiful and liberal to the thefe that hanged asked sayinge Lu. 23 Lorde remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome And Iesus saite vnto him verelye I saye vnto thee to daye shalt thou bee wyth me in paradise Our lord vouchsaued to shewe hys benignitye and liberalitye Iohn 2 when that he beyng called to the pore maryage went thether and ther turned water into wyne to chere the poore that were there at dyner The great liberality of God apeareth in the parable of the vngratious seruant math 18. vnto whom our lord saide I forgaue the all the debt because thou desyredst me Ioses whose syr name was Barnabas had land sold it Act. 4 broughte the price and laid it downe at the Apostles fete When the disciples that wer at Antioch hard say that ther shuld be great dearth throughout al the world Act. 11 thei purposed to send socour vnto the brethreÌ„ which wer in Iewry The which thing thei also did and sent it to
be offred shoulde bee sold in the temple And for this cause the goulde of the Temple was calde more holye then the temple and the gifte that was vppon the aultare to be of more reuerence then the altare it selfe The couetousnesse and cupiditye of gaine semeth to be the Pryncipall motion mat 26. whye that Iudas betrayed oure Lorde For hee sayth what wyl ye geue me and I wyll delyuer hym vnto you By mony the kepers of our lordes sepulchre were corrupted mat 28. and sayde falsly that our Lorde by nighte was stoln away by his disciples Our Lord Iesus the true lawyer Luc. 12. would not meddle with the diuisyon of the worldly heritage notwythstaÌ„ding that he was required but saide who made me a iudge or a deuider ouer you Our Lord against those that heape vp temporall goodes Luc. 12. and thyncke that they shall manye yeares delyte and haue pleasure in theym dothe propounde the Symylytude of the riche man whose grounde broughte forth plentiful frutes Luke 16. Our Lord againste these rich glottons that vse these precious and delicate garments which are straighte and neady to releaue and healpe the pouertye of theyr neighboure dothe put forth the parable of the rich glotton And note that it semeth not to be a parable but an history Again note that if hee bee so punished that gaue not hys owne proper goodes what shal become of them that steale other mennes Luke 14. The biers of Oxen and Farmes that is the biers of things moueable and vnmoueable excused theÌ„ selues that they coulde not come to the greate supper vnto the which they were inuited and cald For by suche thynges men are oftentimes withdrawne froÌ„ the celestial glory The couetous Pharises hearynge our Lordes monitions Luke 16. and that they should make them frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon laughed hym to scorne The auarice of Ananias and Saphira the which kept away parse of the price of the land Act. 5. was most terribly punished Certaine craftes men which had a damsell possessed wyth a spirite that prophesyed Act. 16. whome Paule deliuered of the Deuell perceiuinge that they had lost theyr gain and lucre caught Paule and Silas hys fellowe and brought them to the rulers and officers saying and accusyng them that they troubled the city and preached vnlawfull obseruaunces customes The magestrates rentinge their clothes commaunded them to be beaten and to be cast into prison to be kept wyth all diligence Paule beyng at Ephesus and doing there many miracles Act. 19. a certayne manne named Demetrius a Syluer smith whiche made siluer shrines for Dyana was not a litle beneficial vnto the craftes menne whome hee called together and sayde that Paule hadde perswaded and tourned away much people sayinge that they be no Goddes which are made wyth hands but deuels and hathe so trouled the City that it is al in a rore and ful of confusion And they rushed into the common hall wyth one assente and caught Gaius and Aristarcus Pauls companions When Paule was wyth Felix the presideÌ„t Act. 24. being bound of the Iewes accused as a seditious and a pestiferous person Felix hoped mony shuld haue bene geuen him of Paul Wherfore he called him the oftner and commoned with him But in as much as it came not so to pas he did not quite him but left him bound to Fest us his successor ¶ Of Pouerty Ca. lxxiiii Gen. 32. WE reade not that Iacob had eyther beast or man when he departed from his parentes and went to his brother Laban but that he went ouer Iordan with his staffe And at a certaine time beinge disposed after the Sunne was downe to reast him self 28 he toke a stone put it vnder his head and laide him downe in the same place to slepe Moses kâ—pt the shepe of Iethro hys father in law Exo. 3. priest of Madian wher by it appeareth that he had no shepe of hys owne that kept other mens Ruth the Moabite hadde no great store of richesse Ruth 2. when she went a glening the eares that the reapers lefte behinde them the whiche pertayned vnto the pore Saule beynge contente wyth one ladde 1. regu 9. wente for to seâ—ke his fathers asses And Saule not long after said vnto Samuell that his kinred was the least of al the kynreds of the tribe of Beniamin Dauid was the least of all hys brethren so that when Samuel came to annoynt one of Isais children Dauid was in the pastors 1. regu 16.17 nor he was not cald at the beginning as though he had bene of no reputation afterwardes his brethren beinge in the hoste hys father sent him loden wyth vitayles vnto them Helias suffred great penury when he prayed the widowe of Sarept to geue him a morsel of bread 3. regu 17. and a lytle water The children of the Prophets dyd liue vnder Elizeus in great pouerty 4. regu 4. the which had but a litle breade and vnsauery pottage Anna Tobias wiâ—e went dailye to the weauing work Tobi. 2.4 wherby it appeareth that they were but pore whyche could not haue their loum iÌ„ their own house And Tobias said vnto his son my sonne be not afraide truthe it is we leade heare a pore lyfe but great good shall we haue if we feare God and depart from all syn and do well The children of the Rechabytes build no houses Iere. 35. sow no seede plante no vine haue no vineyardes dryncke no wine but did dwel in tents Nabuharadan left the rascall people and those that hadde nothynge to dwel sâ—il in the land of Iuda Iere. 39. He spared the pore but he slue the mighty rich or els he led them as prisonners and captiues vnto Babilon We haue an ensample of pouerty in the Lord our sauioure Luke â— the whych was born of a pore mother and nourished of a poore carpenter semelye fed wrapped in cloutes and not in furres laid in a maunger and afterwardes when his glorious mother was churched his parents offered in the temple the offringe of the poore And anon after Ioseph fled wyth the child and his mother into Egipt Mat. 2. And when the child was xii yeare old he abode stil in Ierusalem vnknowyng to his father and mother Luc. 2. And so it appeareth that they had no great family to associate and serue the child Iesus going aboute from towne to towne Mat. 8. had not wher vpon to lay his hedâ— and therfore he saith The foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the air haue neastes but the sonne of manne hath not wher to reast his head Iohn 19. And for this it makethâ— that he hunge bare vpon the crosse The disciples for the moste parte wer chosen out of the porest sort Mat. 4. IhoÌ„ and Iames did mend theyr nets Mar. 1. and did wash them Luc. 5. In our lordes sermon that he made in
of oure lorde Mar. 15. For first he was scourged vpon the heade he was smitten vpon the heade wyth a rede Iohn 18. And vpon the face One of the ministers whiche slode by the bishop smote hym on the face Mat. 27. Aud they dyd smyâ—e hym in the necke and ouer all his body And Pilate delyuerd Iesus that was scourged to be crucifyed And in this thynge it is to be noted that all such as do learne are wont to be scourged and beaâ—eÌ„ vpon the heade seruantes vpon the necke the whiche men thrust out of the house gilty persons vpon the face and sceleraâ—e persons thorowout all the body Also a faythfull soule muste consider that hee was scourged wyth the tonges of blasphemers dispisers and of those that cried oute and sayde Mat. 26. crucifie him and that smote hym wyth their handes as it is wrytten They smote hym on his face wyth the palme of their handes And with a rede and scourges As Mathew and Marke do testifie And to the heape of all iniuryes it maketh that the lorde of all lordes and rulers the whiche doth lose that be fetered and dothe illuminate the blynde was taken and bounde lyke a thefe Iohn 18. The Iewes ministers sayth Iohn toke Iesus and bounde him Also he was lesse estemed theÌ„ a thefe for the Iewes demaunded that Barrabas Luc. 23. should be loosed oure lorde to be crucified Mat. 27. yet Barrabas was a thefe and in seditioÌ„ had coÌ„mitted murther So that Barrabas was a murtherer a sediâ—ius person a famous thefe and in malyce sore diffamed forther more he was hanged and set betwene two theues as thoughe he had bene their maister and worste of all other For Iohn saith Iohn 19. And Iesus in the middes Forthermore we must way ponder that he was afflicted and punyshed in all the members and sences of his body His eies behelde and sawe those cruell tormentors And also his mooste mekest mother the whiche in soule was crucified his derely beloued disciple and the deuoute wemen that in minde suffered with him His eares did heare blasphemouse mocking iniurious and dispising wordes Likewyse hys nose by reason of the place in the whiche he was crucified where the misdoers were beheaded might with filthy slenche be offeÌ„ded His tast was noied because they gaue him wine mingled with myrre or vineger with gall to quenche his thurst withall wherby we may well vnderstand that the drinke which thei gaue him was very bitter His sense of feeling or touching sprede thorowout all his body felte paine in his members which wer scourged in his handes and feete Which were borde thorow with nayles It may be likewise coÌ„sidered Iohn 19. that he sustained losse in things longing and pertayning to his bodye For he was spoyled of hys raiment his frendes went from him Mar. 14. For his disciples for soke him ran awaye Thus he was afflicted as it is sayed in all partes of his body by his most bytter passion Also in hart and minde he suffered for he was sorye for his frendes that stode by and for his enemies that ignorauntly did crucify him And againe in a maner he sufferd was hurte in his good name fame Mat. 27. For they called him a seductor of the people Sir sayd the chefe of the priestes to Pilate we remeÌ„ber that this deceiuer said while he was yet a liue c. And yet we muste marke as touching the helthfull passioÌ„ of our Lord Iesu Christ that it was most fylthy most ignominius shameful be reasoÌ„ of the place because it was done in Ierusalem Wher he was knowen and honored and wher he had done many miracles Item because of the time day for it was done in the solempne feast of Ester when a greate multitude came together vnto the feast and he was led vnto his crosse and passion at nyne of the clocke to thenâ—ent he myghte bee sene and knowen of all menne And agayne it was most fylthy coÌ„sidering the kinde of death For it was the deathe of the crosse a death dewe vnto yll spoken menne yll doers and vniuste menne And the maner of goynge to his deathe Iesus wente forth bearynge his crosse the whiche thinge is not red of other two wicked persones which wer led with him Iohn 19. And again bi reason of his coÌ„panions For he was crucyfied betwixt ii theues asthough he had ben one of theÌ„ or the greatest or maister of them Forthermore the bitternes of hys blessed passyoÌ„ was increased by the naturall complection of our lords body For manifest it is that his holi bodi was of the best most purest coÌ„plectioÌ„ made fashioned by the worke of the holye goost without any faute or errour of nature and so his holye fleshe had no rebellion or fyght against the spirite And therfore the spirit did loue not without a good cause his body more then any other mans spirite or soule shuld loue his body Item the bitternes of his passion was agrauate by the continuaunce of the same For many marâ—irs that wer burnt or drowned or beheaded did accomplish and ende their martirdome very shortly But oure Lordes passion endured euen in a manner from thinstance of his conception vntil the houre of his death For he foreknewe mooste certenlye what his humanity shulde suffer but specially it continued from the tyme of his laste supper vntill the nynthe hour of the syxte daye folowyng And also it was aggrauate by the quality of the members in the which he suffred that is in his fete and handes the whiche are members full of neaues sinewes most ready to receiue dolor and pain And that our lordes passyoÌ„ was most bitter and very greuous it may be most chefely gathered by this that Luke sheweth for in his oration prayer had after supper hys sweate throughe the vehement imaginacion of the anguishe and paines that were to come Luc. 22. wer like droppes of bloude trickeling downe to the ground But that our Lord went frely and willingli vnto his passion that made it most gratious Mat. 26. Râ—â—e saith he let vs be going Behold he is at hande that shal betray me And Ihon saithe he went forth to mete the ministers that sought Iesus of Nazareth Iohn 18. and when they hard our Lord say I am he they wente backewardes and fell to the ground And when he was taken bounde ignominiousâ—y led away falsly accused buffeted be spued scourged mockingly crowned with thorne yet hee neuer shewed anye word or signe of impacience or trouble but shewed them manifolde benefites that so dyd handle him For hee healed the seruaunts eare that was cut of he spake many deuout and profitable wordes vnto theÌ„ and praid meekely for those that crucified him calliuge mooste swetely vppon his father beninglye excusinge them Luc. 23. sayinge father Forgeue them for they wotte not what they
hys body dwelt and abode in graues And the deuels desired praied our Lorde Iesu that they goyng out of the man might enter into the swine Not into the oxen lambes the which are cleane beastes The ensample of the rych glutton the whyche complayneth that he is specially tormented in his tonge Luc. 16. maketh very sore agaynste these greate eaters and haunters of feastes and bankettes ¶ Of matrimony Capitu. lxxxix IT is euident that a wyfe ought to be in many thinges vnto her husbande a felowe and equale Gen. 2. but not a mistresse nor a maid because that our lord made her of Adams ryb and not of his heade nor of his foote Againe it is manyfest that manne is the heade of the woman for asmuche as he is in a maner the begynnynge of her beynge and the woman was made of the man not the man of the woman And therfore the man muste be the master and the instructer And the coÌ„mmaundement was geuen vnto Adam by God by Adam to Eue. Because the one man oughte to haue but one wife Gen. 2. therfore our lord saieth They shall become one fleshe It is red Gen. 4. that onely Lamech before the flud had two wyues Our Lord coÌ„maunded that in Noes Arke shoulde bee reserued so many males as females Gen. 7. that there myghte be one for one The Egiptians in Abrahams time semed more to abhor aduoutery than murther Gen. 12. And therfore Abraham feared least they woulde fyrst slaye hym and then present hys wife vnto Pharao Asthoughe he woulde not haue knowen her so longe as he beleued that she had an husband Sara AbrahaÌ„s wyfe was obedieÌ„t vnto her husbande Gen. 21. and calde hym Lorde And Abraham in like manner condescended vnto her wil and minde in some thinges Oure Lorde punyshed Abimelech wyth greauous plages for Sara Abrahams wyfe Gen. 20. The consent of the partie is requyred in mariage Gen. â—4 We will cal the damsell and know her wyll and minde The blasphemer that was stoned to death in the desert was the sonne of an Israelytishe woman Leui. 24. and gotten of a man of Egypte Where out a man maye gether that it is not expedient to make mariages of diuers and contrary tribes for the chyldren begotten of suche persons are euell brought vp and nurtred That secreat the which Sampson woulde not shewe nor declare vnto his parentes Iudi. 14. hys wyfe to hys great losse wryngde it out of hym Helcana sayed vnto Anne his wife Am not I better to the theÌ„ ten sonnes 1. regu 1. Nabal was hard euell and folysh He had Abigail to his wife 1. regu 25. the which was very wyse and beutifull All be it Dauyd hadde maâ—y wyues yet he committed aduoutry with Bersabe 2. regu 11. Ioram the kynge of Iuda did euell in the syght of oure Lorde and walked in the wayes of Achab 4. regu 8. the cause is this for the doughter of Achab was his wife The chyldreÌ„ of transmigration and captiuity that had taken straunge wiues 1. Esd. 10. refused and put them a waye at Esdras commaundement Nehemias perceyuing that the Iewes dyd mary straunge wyues 2. Esd. 13. dyd chyde and cursse them and did chasten and beate parte of them Sara Raguels doughter sayed in her prayer Tobi. 3. O lorde I haue consented to take an husbande not for my pleasure but in thy feare The Aungell sayed vnto Tobias They that receaue mariage of such a fashion Tobi. 6. that they shut god oute from them from their hart and geue theÌ„ selues to theyr owne lust euen as it were horse and mule whiche haue no vnderstandinge vpon suche hath the deuyll power The fyrste nyghte when Tobias was broughte into Sara his wife he exhorted the virgyn saying vnto her Up Sara let vs make our prayer vnto God to day Tobi. 8. to morow and ouermorow For these thre nightes wyll we ioyne and reconcile oure selues wyth God and when the thyrd night is paste we shall ioyne together in the dewty of mariage The Angell declared vnto Tobias an honest cause and fashion of taking a wyfe Tobi. 6. Thou shalt take the mayden in the feare of God saith he and more for the desire of children then for any fleshly lust Saras elders dyd monyshe her to honoure her father mother in lawe Tobi. x. to loue her husbande to rule well her housholde to kepe her house in good order and to shewe her selfe fautlesse The wemen that were caryed out of Iewrye into Egypte Iere. 44. the whyche did sacryfice vnto the quene of heuen excused them selues by theyr husbandes the whyche dyd the like thinge Susan to kepe the faythe and promise of matrimony was content Dani. 13. and offred her self to infamy and deathe but that the iuste Lorde by Danyell made other prouision for her Our Lord disdained not to be present at the mariage and at the feast in Cana a city of Galile Iohn 2. Ihon the Baptist was beheaded because hee reproued Herode of aduoutry Mat. 14. When the Phariseys asked whether it were lawful for a maÌ„ to make a deuorcement with his wife for any maÌ„ner of cause Mat. 19. Our lord answered let no man put a sonder that whyche God hath coupled together They that were calde to the greate supper went not and he that had taken and maried a wife Iuâ— 14. desired not to be excused for the state of mariage doth vehementlye prouoke and drawe a man back from that that is godly As touching the act of matrimony the apostle iudgeth the man and the wife alike 1. Cor. 7 The wife hath not power of her own bodye but the husbande And likewise the husbande hathe not power of his own body but the wyfe Ananias his wife Saphira hauing knowledge therof deceitfully kept away part of the price of the land that was sold Act 5. but they wer both greuously punished ¶ Of Chastity Cap. lxxxx AS long as our first parents wer in Paradise so longe they were virgins Gen. 4. but after that they wer caste oute it is wrytten That Adam knew Eue his wife When Sichem hadde defiled Dina Iacobs daughter her brethren were very angry because he had wrought folly in Israell Gen. 34. in that he hadde lyen wyth Iacobs doughter whych thyng ought not to be done At length they slue hym that had defyled her and his father and all the people And note that that thynge was done vnder the lawe of nature and before the lawe wrytten How muche more then oughte virginitye to be honoured vnder the lawe of grace and fornicatyon punished Althoughe Ioseph was a seruaunt that was bought Gen. 39. a beutifull yonge man without a wyfe and prouoked by his mistres yet he refused aduoutery and hadde rather to offende her and to be cast into prison then to lese his chastity
Iudas beynge vnchast Gen. 38. detested and abhorde the fornication of Thamar After the ouerthrow of the Medianites by Phinees and other warriers Nume 3â— Moses commaunded the corrupt and defyled womenne to be slayne and the vyrgyns to be reserued and saued They oughte to be pure and cleane and specially from wemen 1. regu 21. that eate halowed bread When the Sunamite Helyzeus hostesse woulde speake wyth hym 4. regu 4. Eliseus sente his seruaunt vnto her as wyllinge to auoyde the speache of wemen Sara in her prayer sayed Thou knowest Lorde Tobi. 3. that I neuer had desyre vnto man and that I haue kept my soule cleane from all vncleanely luste Iudith after the deathe of her husband knew no nother and continually she loued chastitye Iudi. 8. but yet marke what she did she dwelt closelye wyth her maidens and wearing a smocke of heere fasted al the daies of her life except the sabothes and new mones and the solempne daies that the people of Israel kept Dani. 13. Susan was greuously afflycted by those ii olde iudges but she supposed nothing to be preferd aboue chastity and her good name and fame Furthermore let no man truste to chastity only mat 25. for of the Euangelicall virgins there were as many folyshe as wise The blessed virgin beinge most reuerently saluted by the aungell Luc. i. forgat not her purpose and vow of chastity althoughe the aungell did promise her that she shoulde beare the sonne of the most hiest By that that our sauiour saide in that world they nether mary nor are maried mat 22. is signified that virgins aproch most niest the eternal life There was an argument of chastity in Steuen Act. 6. In as much as he was deputed by the Apostles to the ministery and custody of wemen ¶ Of luxuriousnesse and incontinency Capit. xci THe sinne of the flesh semeth to be the chefe cause Gen. 6. whye oure Lord drowned the hole world For it is wrytten that all fleshe had corrupt his way vpon â—arth Note how many and howe greate mischefe and euil that chanced by the ardent and burning loue of Sychem Gen. 34. Emors sonne that violently oppressed and forced Dina. Whan so euer luxurious persoÌ„s do vse lechery in other yet they detest it Gen. 38. As it appeareth by Iuda the whyche said by Thamar brynge her forthe that she may be brent By the occasion of the Leuites wyfe there were slain of the men of Belial in Gabaa Beniamin â—udi 20. an increadible libidinous furye vexing them aboue vi M. persons Isboseth Sauls sonne rebuked Abnor the which went into hys fathers concubine 2. Re. 3.4 But Abner being angrye there wyth procured the matter so that he toke his land from hym And sone after they both loste theyr lyues and theyr landes Dauid being in amours with Bersaba Urias wife 2. regu 11. abused her and proditoriously commutted murther Iudith 12. Iudith stode before Holofernes his hart was whole moued so that he brent in the desire toward her The aungell sayde vnto yong Tobias against those Tobi. 6. that receiue mariage of suche a fashion that they shut God out from them and from theyr hart geue theÌ„ selues to their owne lust euen as it were an horse mule vppon suche hath the deuyll power What shal become theÌ„ of fornicators luxurious persons that mind no other thing but to fulfill theyr filthy stinking pleasure The two old priestes wer so deceiued and set in the loue of Susanna Dani. 13. that they when she refused to accomplish and fulfill theyr will went aboute to procure her death By the occasion of Herodian whoÌ„ Herode had maried contrarye and against the lawe Mat. 14. Ihon the Baptyst at the peticion and instance of a synfull woman was beheaded Uncleane Spirites loue vncleane places Mat. 8. and therfore they desired our Lorde Iesus that he woulde suffer them to enter into the swine not into the Oxen and lambes the whyche are cleane beastes Among those that were cald to the great supper Luc. 14. went not he that was married desyred not to be excused Where by it appeareth howe far of the luxurious and vncleane liuers be from our lordes supper if to marry a wife dothe so inuolue and intangle a man that in a manner it suffreth him to thinke vpon no other thing It appeareth by the ensample of the prodigall childe that had wasted hys goodes with luxurious and ryotous liuing that the sinne of lechery doth impouerish man therfore it is wrytteÌ„ that he began to lack Luc. 15. Item it maketh that nature of man vile For there foloweth that he kept swine And againe it extinguishith not the burninge flame and fyre of lecheary and lust but doth kindle it For it is wrytten ther he woulde fayne haue filled hys â—ealye wyth the coddes that the Swyne did eat ¶ Of vnwise lokes Capit. xcii THe first woman loking vpon Gen. 3. and beholding the fair and lustye frute of the tree that was forbidden them toke of the frute ther of and did eat The beautifulnes of wemen sene was the occasion of much harme Gen. 6. The sonnes of God beholding the doughters of men that they wer fayre c. Because that Cham saw the naked priuities of his father Noah Gene. 9. and told his two brethren that he was naked his father did curse hym Abraham said vnto Sara his wife I know that thou art a fayre woman to loke vpon and therfore when the Egiptians shal se thee Gen. xii they will kill me and saue thee aliue Dina hauynge a mynde to see the wemen of the laÌ„d Gen. 34. was sene defiled Iudas seing Thamar in the coÌ„mon way Gene. 38 lay and sinned with her Iosephes masters wife whome he serued cast her eyes vppon hym and said Gen. 39. come lie with me Our lord said vnto Moses Charge the people Exo. 19. leaste perauenture they woulde passe ouer the markes to see our Lord. Dauid from the rofe of hys palace saw a woman washing her self ouer against him 2. regu 11. he tooke her and afterwardes caused her husbande deceytfully to be slaine When Iudith came in before Holofernesse immediatly he was taken with her beautye Iudi. 10.16 And after it is wrytten her slippers rauished his eyes her beauty captiuated his minde The ii old men saw Susan dailye going forthe and walkynge Dau. 13. and they burned for lust to her Because that Herodias doughter daunsing before Herode pleased him Mar. 6. he promised her folishly that cruelly he fulfilled ¶ Of silence and clattering Capi. xciii GOd gaue the commaundemente to Adam Gen. 2. not to Eue because the the woman shuld haue the lesse occasion to speake but an occasioÌ„ rather to aske thinges and to learne of man We read that Eue spake firste wyth the serpent Gen. 2.
were now in dyspleasure and anger althoughe that a little before they were mylde and gentle After the oration and words of the seuenth brother 2. Mach. 7. king Antiochus being kindled in anger was more cruel vpon him then vpon all the other 2. mach 9. Antiochus perceiuing nowe that it lay not in his power to spoil the city of Persepolis hee auauncynge hym self in his wrath thought he was able to aduenge the iniury that was done to those that fled vpon the Iewes It happened that when the heatheÌ„ hard 1. mach 5. how that the altare was set vp in the sanctuary in the old estate thei were very angry When Herode sawe that he was mocked of the wise men he was exceading wroth mat 2. and sendynge forthe men of warre he slue all the children that were in Bethleem When they of Nazareth had heard our Lord say Luc. 4. No prophet is accepted in hys owne country All they in the sinagoge wer fylled with anger and wrath A certain maÌ„ named Demetrius a siluer smith Act. 19. which made siluer shryâ—es for Diana cald together the workmen of like occupation and said that Paul had turned away much people saying that they be no Gods whyche are made with hands When they hard these sayinges they were full of wrathe ¶ Of Humility Capi. xcvii THe angel said vnto Agar turne againe to thy mastresse Gen. 16. submit and humble thy selfe vnder her handes Abraham spake most humbly vnto our lord Gen. 18. saying I wil speake vnto my Lord which am but dust ashes Iacob did humiliate humble hym self very much before Esau Gen. 33. and so he abated his anger Moses excused him selfe vii times or euer he would take vpon hym the leading and gouernaunce of the people Gen. 3.4 the which our Lorde put and appoynted vnto him nor wold not agre vnto it vntil he vnderstode that oure Lord was angry For in the text it is wrytten And our Lord was angrye wyth Moses Moses despised not the profytable counsel of a heathen Exo. 18. but most huÌ„bly graunted and agreed vnto it Moses perceyued and sawe that he had of our Lord the special gouernaÌ„ce and leadinge of the people and yet he dysdained not to desire and praye Oâ—ab the sonne of Raguell to go wyth him Nume 10. and that he shoulde be the guide and leader of the people Gedeon answered the Aungel saying thus vnto him Go hence in this thy might thou shalt deliuer Israell Iudi. 5. And he answered Beâ—olde my kyndred is poore in Manaâ—ses and I am lytle in my fathers house The men of Ephraim chode a good proudly with Gedeon Iudi. 8. yet through his meke and lowly answer they wer quieted The men of Isael saied vnto Gedeon Raigne thou ouer vs Iudi. 8. both thou thy soÌ„ne And Gedeon saied vnto theÌ„ I wyll not raigne ouer you neyther shall my chylde raygne ouer you but our Lorde shall raygne ouer you Saule or euer hee was anoynted kinge 1â— regu 9.15 when he sought his fathers asses and excused him selfe to Samuel pretended humility in dede in word And afterwardes it was sayed vnto hym When thou wast lytle in thine owne sight wast thou not made the heade of the tribes of Israell Althoughe Samuell had anoynted Dauid kinge 1. regu 17. yet at his fathers commaundement hee bare vitayles vnto hys brethren before whome he was preelected and chosen Dauyd dyd humble hym before Saule 1. regu 18. when he shoulde marye hys doughter And agayne before Semei the seruaunt When he hearde that he cursed him Forthermore he humiliated hym selfe vnto God 2. regu 16. when he daunste before the arke And when Nathan came vnto hym 2. Re. 6.7 shewynge him the wil of our Lord as touchinge the perpetuitye and continuance of his kingedome Mephâ—boseth beyng falsely accused of his seruaunt 2. regu 19. and vniustly put froÌ„ his enheritaunce made a meke and a gentle answer Achab that moste wycked kynge of Israel 3. regu 21. hearinge how he shoulde be punished for his trespaces humbled hym selfe before our Lorde and therfore he diminished sumwhat his pain and punishement The fire touched nor consumed not the capitayne that spake mekely vnto Helias 4. regu 1. as it touched the other other two wyth theyr fyftyes whiche came before hym Helizeus commynge to Iordayne smote fyrste the waters sayinge nothinge and they departed not a sonder 4. regu 2. But afterwardes he calde vpon the name of his master then they departed this waye and that waye Semeas the prophet sayed to Roboam and his Lordes 2. Para. 12. Thus sayeth our Lord ye haue lefte me therefore haue I lefte you Then they beynge astoned sayed our Lorde is ryghteous and when our Lord sawe that they submitted theÌ„ selues The worde of our Lord came to Semeas sayinge They submit and huÌ„ble them selues therfore I wyll not destroye them Hezechias submitted him selfe after that his hart was rysen vp at the coÌ„minge of the messengers of Babilon 2. Para. 22. and therefore the wrath of our Lorde came not vpon them in hys dayes When the chyldren of Israel harde of the mighty and terrible power of Holofernes Iudith 4. they cried earnestly vnto God and humbled theyr soules with fastinges and prayers Quene Ester fled vnto oure Lord and humbled her body with fastings Esth. 14. And praying amonge other thinges she saied Thou knowest lord that I abhor the signe of pride prehemineÌ„ce c WheÌ„ our Lord sayd that Ieremy was a prophet Iere. 1. he verye humbly excused him selfe and sayed Oh Oh Lorde God I can not speake c. Nabuchodonozor walkinge in the palace of Babilon spake arrogantly and proudlye Dani. 4. but after that he was cast oute of mennes companye and had recouered his vnderstandinge he knew that al they that dwel vpon the earth in comparison of God Were to be reputed as nothinge When our Lorde had smitten Antiochus with an incurable plage and dysease 2. Mach. 9. so that he myght not abide hys owne stinche He sayed It is reason to bee obedyente vnto God and that manne desyre not to be lyke vnto hym Ioseph humbly thinking him selfe vnworthy to be ioyned with the blessed Mary Mat. 1. whome he sawe was conceyued Beleuinge that thinge to be wrought by God not by the worke of man was minded priuely to departe from her In those daies great humility appeared in the wyse menne that they Mat. 2. when they founde the chylde wyth Mary his mother fell downe flat and worshiped him When Iohn the baptist was of so Mat. 3. greate reputation that the people beleued that he was Christ he sayed There shall come a myghtyer after me whose shoes I am not worthy to vnlachet Oure Lord Christ the vertue and wisedome of God mat 3.4 was not ashamed to begynne his predication with the same
selfe theame that Iohn the baptyste beganne wyth all Do pennaunce For the kyngedome of heauen is at hande The blessed virgin Mary whyche was so reuerentlye saluted of the Angel and calde the mother of the hyest Luc. 2. waxed not proude there with nor she cald not her self the mother of God but the hande maide of God Nor she sent not for Elizabeth her kinswomaÌ„ but mekely went vnto her And when the Elisabeth replenyshed wyth the holy ghost knew what was done theÌ„ Mary commended the dyuine mercy and power sayinge My soule magnyfâ—eth the Lord Luc. 1. for he hath loked on the humility of hys hande mayden The CeÌ„turion answered mekely faythfully sayinge vnto oure Lorde being minded to go and heale his seruaunte mat 8. Lorde I am not worthy that thou shouldest come vnder my roofe When Peter sawe that he at oure lordes coÌ„maundement had inclosed a greate multytude of fyshes Luc. 5. hee fell downe at his knees sayinge lorde go from me for I am a synfull man Oure Sauioure did forbyd them to publishe his miracles Mat. 8. to learne vs to flie a voide the vice of pride vanity and to grue vs an ensample of humilitye As it appeareth in the leaper which was cleansed And in the two blind meÌ„ that wer restored vnto their sight And again in the deft and dum which were healed And in his transfiguration he said Math. 17. shew the vision to no man When our Lord had said to the womaÌ„ of Canane It is not mete to take the childreÌ„s bread mat 15. to cast it to dogs She answered Truth Lorde for the dogges eat of the crummes whyche fal from their masters table The disciples askinge Christe who is the greatest in heauen Mat. 18. he answered whosoeuer humbleth him self as this childe the same is the greatest in the kingdome of heauen Our Lord induced an ensample or a parable of humble and meke ciuility Luc. 14. saying When thou art bydden to a wedding syt not downe in the hiest roume Then sample which our Lord bringeth in of the proudeâ— Pharisey Luc. 18. the huÌ„ble Publican is very good to auoid pride and to follow and ensue humility The humility of Ihon the Baptist doth diuersly apear Iohn 2. For he did iudge but meanely of him self when that the people perchaunce estemed him to be Christe I am not Christe Also hee spake lowly Iohn 1. I am a voyce crying in the desarte He denied hym selfe to be Christ or a prophet And he was but meanely araide with Camels heereâ— And he chose but a simple a meane habitation Iohn 1. He was in the desart We read that Mary Magdalen did sit most humbly and very oftentimes at Iesus fete Luc. 7.10 and harde the worde of God Peter answered our Lorde mooste humbly Iohn 21. askinge him whether he loued hym more then the other dyscyples and said ye Lord thou knowest that I loue thee We may and ought to take the most notable examples of humility of our sauiour Iohn 7. For he would be conceyued in a despised country that is in Galile Of the which it is wrytteÌ„ Search and looke for oute of Galile aryseth no prophet And Nathanaell wondering said Can there come anye good thing out of Nazareth Iohn 1. Item he was borne of an humble and a meke mother the which said Luc. 1. Luc. 2. he beheld the humility of hys hand mayden And in a small cotage and a low place for she laide him in a maunger And for the space of xxx yere he was in the world in a manner as vnknowne so that there is nothing red of hys doynges but that he when he was xii yere of age Luc. 2. remained at Ierusalem was found in the temple hearynge questionyng determinyng The which thing maketh against those presumptuous persons Luc. ii that take vpon them to hastely the office of a teacher And then he went downe with Mary and Ioseph and was obediente and subiect vnto them Then beyng about a xxx yere of age he came to Ihon Baptist to be baptised of him But he seÌ„t not for him The which thynge maketh sore against those mat 3. that disdayne to go to theyr inferiors Likewyse he chose him lowly and pore disciples wtal humility was conuersaÌ„t among them and taughte them to be meeke humble mat 11. saying learn of me for I am mecke lowly And he cald him self more often the son of man than the son of god although they wer bothe two after the two natures which were in him Yet moste commenly he woulde name hym self after thinferiour and lowest nature He was conuersant with men Ihon. 2. and wold be present at pore mariages where they lacked wyne He went to no costly and riche mariges in the whyche there is mooste commonlye enorme and great excesse And when he knew that they would come and take him vp to make him a king Iohn 6. he fled vp into a mountain Mat. 17. and he paid as a seruaunt or as an aliene the tribute monye Luc. 9. Nor he hadde not wheron to lay his head And going about to castels and villages he went continually a fote so that he beynge weary of his iourny Iohn 4. set on the well and desyred the woman of Canane to geue him drinke And when he came to Ierusalem he had no horse to ride vpon but an asse And departing froÌ„ this world vnto his father mat 21. he lefte a speciall example of humilitye when he washed his disciples fete and wyped them with the towel Ihon. 13. wherwyth he was girded But in hys passyon he most chefely humbled hym selfe euen to death Philip. 2. and not to all kyndes of death but to the death of the Crosse the which kinde of death was mooste shamefulst as it appeareth in all the Gospelles Of this it maye be noted that proud men and such as loue the world are wont to be occupied about vii thinges and to desire the same or specially to glory in thinges obtained the whiche thinges Christe hanginge on the crosse lacked and hadde the contrarye They maye be called these earthly aboundaunce Worldly wisdome Carnal plesure The fame and praise of the people A rought of seruauntes The fall of theyr ennemyes A nomber of frendes But our Lord Christ Iesus vppon the Crosse was most poorest Ihon. 19. for he was spoyled of his garmentes He was taken for a fole and vnwise For the preachinge of the crosse is to them that pearish folishnesse 1. Cor. 1. Item he was diâ—famed and called a deceauer of the people For the hye Pryestes sayd by hym we remember that this deceiuer said c. And beyng vpon the crosse he was wel nie ouercummed inclinynge of hys heade gaue vp the ghost And ther he had no frendes I haue troden the presse
Mardocheus bowed not hys kne vnto hym Holy Iob was a gentile and as it is sayde hee descended of Esau and yet it is certaine Iob. 30. that he was maruelous noble both in faith and maners The which saide of him selfe I was the brother of dragons and the felow of Estriches Ieremy was wyth the people whithe remayned in Iudea after the destruction of Ierusalem Ier. 43. and he prayed for theym and declared the wyll of oure LORDE vnto them But they sayde vnto hym Thou liest our LORDE hathe not sente thee But Baruche prouoketh the against vs that hee myghte brynge vs into the handes and captiuitye of the Caldees Eze. 2. Our Lord sayd vnto Ezechiel thou sonne of man feare them not for the vnfaythful and prouokers are wyth the and thou dost dwel among Scorpyons Daniel Ananias Azarias and Misael dwelt among the Caldees Idolaters Dani. 3.6.14 the which labourd to induce bring them to Idolatry and to draw them from the worshipping of the very true God Dani. 13. Susanna liued in Babilon mooste chastly wheras the two olde priestes were vnchaste and vntrue iudges It semed that in Antiochus Epiphanis time that the Iewes were translated and brought to the rites and customes of the gentiles 2. Mac. 6.9 But yet there was found Mathathias and his sones Eleazarus and manye moe whyche were stable and stronge in the law of God Our Lord commending the faythe and deuotion of the Centurion Math. 8. sayd I haue not found so great faith in Israel Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes cam to Iesus by night cōfest plainly Rabbi Iohn 3.19 we know that thou art a teacher come from God And after that our Lorde was crucifyed he came to bury him and brought a C. pound of precious oyntment Ioseph of the citye of Aramathia Mar. 15. a noble counselloure was also the dysciple of Iesu but yet a secreat disciple for feare of the Iewes But laying al feare a syde he went in boldlye vnto Pilate and made a deuoute peticyon askyng of an vndeuout tyraunte the body of Iesu. Gamaliell an honorable doctour of the lawe Act. 5. was a Pharisey and gaue good excellent counsaile to the chefe priestes for the Apostles There was a certayne man in Cesaria called Cornelius Act. 10. a deuout man and one that feared God wyth all hys housholde whiche gaue much almesse to the people prayed God alway ¶ Of the mobility and inconstancy of the people Ca. Cxiiii MOses returning out of the lād of Madian into Egipt told al the wordes of oure Lorde for the whych he had sent him Then foloweth And the people beleued And when they hard that oure Lorde had sanctified the chyldren of Israel they bowed theyr head and worshypped But afterwardes when they wer afflicted by Pharaos task masters Exo. 4.5 they said to Moses and Aaron Our Lorde loke vpon you and iudge which hath made the sauor of vs stink in the eyes of Pharao and in the eies of hys seruauntes and haue put a swearde in theyr hand to slea vs. When that the children of Israel after mani plages of Egypt came out of Egipt enriched armed our lorde going before them shewynge them the way by a cloud and fire Exo. 14.15 they saw the Egiptians folowyng after them and were sore afraid And saide vnto Moses because there were no graues in Egipt haste thou therfore brought vs awaye for to dye in the wildernesse After that they were comforted by Moses when our Lord deuided the sea that they passed ouer dry foted and that Pharaos host was drowned then the people feared oure Lorde and beleued him and hys seruaunt Moses saying we wyl sing vnto the Lord. And sone after commynge to Marath the people murmured because the waters were bytter when they were made swete by castinge in of a lyttle wodde Exo. 15.16 they murmured agayn for lacke of meat and sayde vnto Moses and Aaron would to God we had dyed in the lande of Egypt when we sate by the flesh pots and oure Lorde at the euen tyde sente them quayles and in the mornynge he sente theym Manna After thys when he shuld geue thē the law Exo. 19. they said All that our Lord hath said we wil do And whē Moses had shewed them the wordes and preceptes the whych he had receyued of our Lord Exo. 24. they sayde All the wordes whych our Lord hath sayd wyl we do But when Moses staid long in the mount with our Lorde about the description of the tabernacle Exo. 32. the people gathered them selues together vnto Aaron and said Make vs Gods to go before vs. After that the Tabernacle was reared vp Nume 11. and that the chefe men after that the fighting menne and Leuites were nombred had made theyr oblations and that all thynges were ordayned howe they should go on their iourney the people a non after began to murmur Nume 21. as greaued by muche labour After that the people had hard the spies relation they murmured and wept Nume 14. And sayde one to another Let vs make a captain and retourn vnto Egipt again They hearynge that theyr murmuring dyspleased our LORDE ascended vppe into the Mountayne and against Moses wyll and pleasure did fight and wer ouercomde by their ennemyes Nume 14. Agayne in the sedition of Chore there rose many agaynste Moses and Aaron Nume 16. and when they were most terriblye punished the multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron sayinge ye haue kylled the people of oure Lorde And when oure Lorde hadde by the miracle of Aarons rod caused them to ceasse from their grudginge Nume 17. they sayed Beholde we are wasted away and consumed we all come to noughte who so euer cōmeth nye the dwelling of our Lorde dyeth Forthermore they proceded came to the waters of strife Nume 20. where they chode in suche manner wyth Moses and Aaron that they lykewyse mystrusted the diuine power And therefore oure Lorde punished them After that the people beganne to cōmit whoredome wyth the doughters of Moab Nume 25. whyche called the people vnto the sacryfice of theyr goddes Israell coupled hym selfe vnto Baall Peor And oure Lorde commaunded the heads of the people to bee hanged vp agaynst the sonne When Gedeon hadde delyuerd the chyldren of Israell from the hande of Madian and had slain zebee and Salmana the men of Israell sayed vnto him Iudi. 8. raygne thou ouer vs both thou thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne But after that he was dead hauinge .70 sonnes they went not aboute to take any of them to be their Lorde ruler Samuel the prophet delyuered the people of Israel from the hand of the Philistines 1. reg 7.8 and recouered the cityes whiche they had taken from Israell Afterwards they gathered thē selues together demaunded a king both against our Lords will and
and fought saying We fynde no euell in thys man Though a spryte or an angel hath appeared and spoken to him let vs not striue against God When that Paule after the shypwracke that happened in the wynter was warminge him selfe at the fyre ther came a viper out of the heat and caughte him by the hande when the straungers saw that they sayd amōg them selues Act. 28. No doubte this man is a murtherer whome though he haue escaped the sea yet vengaunce suffreth not to lyue Paule shoke of the viper into the fyre and felt no harme But when they sawe no harme come to him they chaunged their mynds and said that he was a God ¶ Of good operations and workes ¶ Capitu. Cxv. OUr Lord put man in the garden of pleasure to dresse and keepe it Gen. 2.3 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread And after that our Lord put hym out of the garden of pleasure to labor the groūd of the whyche he was taken made And so note thou that oure LORD woulde manne to laboure bothe in the state of innocencye and also after hys fal Dauid when other kynges were wonte to goe forthe to battayle 1. regu 11. tarryed at home and in that idlenesse commytted bothe aduoutry and treason Salomon did build our lords house and his owne 3. regu 6.7 But yet note that hee builded our Lordes house fyrste And although the worke was much greater yet he accomplyshed all in a lesse time The workmen wrought industriously 2. Para. 24. and sette vppe the house of our Lorde in as good estate and condytyon as it was before and strengthened it Hezechias the Kynge of Iuda wrought it that was good 2. Para. 31. right and true before our Lord and sought hys God and that did he withal his hart and prospered In the second yere that the children of Iuda wer returned from Babilon 1. Esd. 3. they began to lay the foundation of the temple Iosue the sonne of Iosedech and his brethren ouer loked the work men that laboured 1. Esd. 6. Kinge Darius commaunded that our Lordes house shuld be buylded in Ierusalem that the expences shuld be geuen out of the kinges cofers for hindring of the worke 1. Esd. 4. Note that the workes the whyche the children of transmigration made as concerninge the foundation of the temple and the wals of the city had many hinderers Iona. 3. God beheld the workes of the Niniuites and had mercy on them Mat. 20. Idle workmen if they bee called to wages are reproued Our Lord commendeth the seruāt whiche receiued fiue talentes and vsing them Mat. 25. gaind other fiue And him likewise that receiued two and gayned other two But he reproued hym which receiued one talent and encreased it not but kept and reserued it vnprofitablye The two disciples which constrained our Lord to abide with thē Luc. 24. knew him not by hys woordes as longe as they wer wyth him But by his work of hospitality and breaking of breade they knew him Our Lord approued the woorke of Mary Magdalen when she anoynted him euen as he sat at meat Mar. 14. notwithding that his disciples grudged with in them selues there at Christ dothe declare that chyldren should ensue and follow the laudable workes of theyr fathers Iohn 8. saying If ye bee the children of Abraham do the dedes of Abraham Paule the Apostle doth cōpare good workes to sede 2. Cor. 9. of the whyche a man soweth litle inough and yet reapeth plenteously for he which soweth little shal reape little Paule reprehended the Thessalonians for theyr idlenesse verye sharplye 2. Thes 3. althoughe in a nother place hee commendeth them And saythe that if anye woulde not woorke the same should not eat Tabitha was Christes dysciple the same was full of good workes and almes dedes Act. 9. which she did And therfore when she was dead many were moued to praye Peter for her and he reuiued her againe In all people he that feareth oure Lord Act. 10. and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Paule beinge at Corinthe abode with Aquila and Priscilla Act. 18. because he was of the same craft wrought Their craft was to make tentes ¶ Of mans true intention in doing of his workes Cap. Cxvi CAin kild his brother Abel Dauid Goliath Ioab Abner and Amasia Herode Antipas Ihon the Baptist. Agrippa Iames. Peter wyth a word slew Ananias and Saphira but consider their diuers intentions and causes Abraham when our Lord promysed him a childe laughed and Sara laughed within her selfe Gen. 17.18 But Abrahams laughing was commēded and Saras reprehended Pharao sayd I haue sinned Ex. 9. Dauid said I haue trespassed .ii. Re. xii Manasses said the same .2 Par. 33. Iudas saide also that he had synned Math. 27. But the affections and intentions of theyr heartes were verye diuers Moses in a maner spake like words at Raphidi Exo. 17. when the people asked water to drink And at the waters of strife But at the fyrste tyme he was in no doubt as he was in the second As it appeareth by the payn that followed Nume 20. The chyldren of Ruben and Gad and halfe the trybe of Manasses Iosu. 22. builded an aultare but in an nother intent then the children of Israell beleued Our Lord cōmended the good will 2. regu 7. of Dauid intending to buylde hym a temple although he woulde haue no temple of his buildinge Dauid sent not for Urias whyche was in the host to exalte hym 2. regu 11. but to cloke his synne the which he had committed with Urias wife Iudith decketh her self very curyously but all that deckinge came not of voluptuousnesse Iudi. 10. but of vertue to deliuer the people of God oute of the handes of theyr most enemy That Mardocheus wold not worshyp Aman Esth. 3. nor bowe bys knee vnto hym he did it not vpon any disobedyence or contempt but that he woulde not as hee saythe geue the honoure due vnto God to anye mortall creature Herode said vnto the wisemen that when they had found the childe Math. 2. they should send hym word that he might worshyppe hym also But hee intended one thynge and pretended an other Our Lord charged the two blynde men to whome he restored their sight that no man shoulde know of it mat 9. Yet there followeth that they spreade abrode hys name in al the land wtthout the reproch of any transgression Our Lord dothe adde notablye the end and intention whych euery man ought to haue doyng wel or suffryng euill Blessed are ye Mat. 5.10.19 when mē reuile you c. For mee or for my names sake And who soeuer shal geue a cup of colde water c. Or who so leaueth hys house c. Our Lord commaunded that men should geue almes and faste Mat. 6. but not for the loue and fauour
of men least perchaunce such good workes should be corrupted depraued throughe an euel intention Some there were that ensued and folowed our Lord Iohn 6. to take him in hys words some other to eat of his bread And other that he or his frend might be healed of theyr diseases and some to be eternally saued Herode was desirous of a long season to se Iesus Luc. 23. not of any deuotyon but vpoÌ„ hope to se some myracle done by him And therfore it profited hym not to se Iesus ¶ Of Slouthfulnesse and negligence ¶ Capitu. Cxvii IAcob hearynge that there was vitayles and corne to be solde in Egypt Gen. 42. saide vnto hys sones Whye neglect you this mater Get you downe and by vs that that is nedefull The chyldren of Israell in the desert hadde Aungels breade Nume 11. and yet being blinded they desyred the metes of Egypte Slouthfulnesse and tediousnes is vnto manne the cause of impacience Nume 11. and carnall desyre and the occasion of many lyes as it is euidente in the boke of numbers We remember the fishe which we did eate in Egipte for naughte The chyldren of Israell departed from mount hor Nume 21. and began to fainte by the way and war weary of their loboure and iourney And they spake against God and Moses saying Our soule lotheth this light breade wherfore our Lorde sente fyerye serpentes amonge the people Abner kept Saule his Lorde verye neglygentlye 2. regu 26. for when Dauid came downe into hys hoste he founde noman that watched Isboseth Sauls sonne being a slepe was slayne 2. regu 4. When other kinges were wont to go a warfare 2. regu 11. Dauid taried at whom wher that he by thys occasion coÌ„mitted aduoutry and most hainusmurther It pleased Ioas the kinge of Iuda to repayre oure Lordes house 2. Para. 24. and he commaunded the Leuites to be diligente aboute the same But yet they did theyr parte but negligentely and therefore the kinge reprehended Ioiada the hye preaste Whylste the men were a slepe the enuious man came and sowde tares amonge the corne Mat. 13. The slothful and idle are reproued and they that do work rewarded Mat. 20. A greate tempest arose in the sea Ionas gaâ—e hym vnder the hatches fell a slepe Ionas 1. So the master of the shyp came and saide vnto him Why slombrest thou Up and call vpon thy god Our lord did reprehend veri sharply Mat. 25. the slouthful seruaunt which neglected to multiplye and encrease the talent commytted and delyuered vnto hym Mat. 25. The sleping virgins whose lampes were not prepared wer afterwardes excluded from the mariage Mar. 14. The disciples semed to be at the hour euen very heauy and slouthful when that they after our Lord had prayed them to watche dyd sleape continually ¶ Of the good towardnesse of children ¶ Capitu. Cxviii IT is not red that Isaac when hys father at Gods commaundemente woulde haue offered hym vp in a sacrifice Gene. 12. did either murmur ther at or run his waies Ioseph accused hys brethreÌ„ to hys father of an exceading greate cryme Gene. 27. the whych accusement in hym was a signe that he detested sinne And wheÌ„ his father said vnto him come for I wyl send thee to thy brethren he most obediently answered here am I. Samuel beinge yet a childe was a minister in the sighte of God 1. regu 2.3 where the arke of God was When Dauid should be anoynted king 1. regu 16. he was a little one in the fielde and kept sheape obeyinge hys father humbly and abiectly Ioas the sonne of Ioram kynge of Iuda 2. Para. 24. was but a childe of 7â— yere old when he began to raign he dyd that which was right and good before our Lorde all the dayes of Iehoiada the priest Iosias was viii yeare olde when he began to raign He did that which was righte 4. regu 22. good and pleasant in the syght of oure Lorde and yet he had a very euell father and graundfather Though Tobias wer yonger then all other in the tribe of Nephtaly yet did not he behaue him selfe childishly in hys woorkes Tob. 1.4 And afterwardes when hee hadde begotten a sonne he taught him from his childhode to fear God and to abstain from all synne Dani. 1. Daniell and his thre companions obseruing the lawe of God without Prophete priest or master lyued soberly iustly and deuoutlye amonge the gentyles chyldren The seuen brethren yonge men had a wonderfull wysdome in their aunswers 2. Mach. 7. and a maruelous pacience in their tribulations Iohn the Baptist grew and waxed stronge in spirite Luc. 1. and was in wyldernes tyll the daye came when he should shewe him selfe vnto the Israelytes Our sauiour a childe of .xii. yeares of age Luc. 2. was founde in the temple in the middes of the doctours hearinge them posing them And after that he went downe with Mary Ioseph and was subiect obedient vnto the. ¶ Of the societie and felowshyp of good men Ca. 119. Gen. 18. THis is greatlye to be considered that if ther had bene found ten iuste men in the v. synfull Cities that for their sakes our Lord would haue spared all the reast Iacob said vnto Laban it was but tittle that thou haddest before I came to thee Gen. 30. and nowe thou art increased made rich and our Lord hathe blessed thee for my sake Our lord blessed the house of Egipt for Iosephes sake Gen. 41 and increased it Iacob was well accompanyed that sayd Gene. 35. let vs make and reare vp an altare vnto our Lord for he hath heard me in the day of mitribulation was wyth me in the way which I went Israell serued our Lord al the daies of Iosua Iosu. 24. and the elders that ouer lyued Iosna the whyche knewe all the workes of our Lorde that he had done for Israel The children of Dan tooke Lachis and flue the men Iudi. 18. whiche dwelt carelesse without castinge of pearyls and hadde no society nor businesse with other men Saule sent sergeauntes and messengers to take Dauid that was wyth Samuel and other prophets 1. regu 19. that which began to prophesy and Saule came and prophecied with them For the reuerence and honor of Iosaphat king of Iuda which worshypped God 4. regu 3. Elizeus the prophet obtayned water for the host in the whych were two euil kinges Tobias would haue such gestes to dine with him Tob. 2.4.5 as feared God and he saught his sonne the same Eate not with the sinful And he most diligently wold know wyth whom his sonne should go wythall YoÌ„g Tobias wife said I haue not kept company wyth those that passe their time in sporte Tobi. 3. Neyther haue I made my self partaker with theÌ„ that walke in light behauour When they hearde the cruel commaundement of king
sheweth the cause why For I dwell amonge people that hathe vncleane lyppes also It was said vnto Ezechiel vnfaithfull and subuerters are wyth thee eze 2. and thou dost dwel amonge Scorpyons The wycked hurt one another for the two old men toke audacitye and boldnesse of thys to accuse Susanna Dani. 13. because they both agreed to one myschefe So longe as Iudas Machabeus fought for hys people 1. mach 8.9 trusting to the ayd and healpe of God al thyng prospered wyth hym but after that he made amitye and societye wyth the mooste puissaunt Romaines sone after hee was ouercumd and slaine in battail The like thing chanced to Ionathas Iudas brother 1. mach 12. Peter being with the disciples at the supper of oure Lorde was verye bolde and sure mat 26. but when he came to the hie priestes courte he at the voyce of a wenche denyed our Lorde The blynde manne that sat by the waye syde begginge Luc. 18. cryed vnto our Lorde Iesus And they that went before rebuked hym that hee shoulde holde hys peace He that was borne blynde whome oure Lorde restored vnto his syghte agayne Ihon. 9. was not counted amonge the faythfull of christ vntyll the Pharysees hadde thrust hym oute of the synagoge At tymes many euyll and wicked persons drawe to one euil society and felowshippe Nume 22. to hurte those that bee good So came Balaac and Balaam together to cursse the people of Israell Adonizedech king of Ierusalem and other foure kinges came together against the Gabaonites Iosu. 10. because they had made peace with Iosue Also Iabin the kinge of Asor and other .30 kinges came against Iosue and the chyldren of Israell Iosu. 11. And the fyue princes of the Philistines of Canane of Sydon and Euei Item Madian Amalâ—ch and other natioÌ„s of the East And thus is that sayinge of Esay vnderstanded Siria rested vpon Ephraim that is the ten tribes Esa. 7. and the kinge of Siria agreed in one vtterlye to extirpate and destroye the king of Iuda Luc. 23 Agayne at the tyme of oure Lordes passyon Herode and Pilate were made frendes Panle doth commende the Philipians sayinge In the myddes of a croked and a peruerse natyon Philip. 2. amonge whome ye shyne as lyghtes in the worlde Act. 2. Peter the Apostle sayed vnto certayne Iewes which harde the worde of God Saue your selues from thys vntowarde generation Paulus Sergius the ruler desired to heare the worde of God But he had with hym one Elimas the sorcerer Act. 13. a pseude prophet a Iewe the which withstode Paule and Barnabas sekinge to turne the ruler away from the faith The men of Listria were of suche simplicity that they estemed Paule and Barnabas to be gods and come downe to the earthe in the likenes of menne And when Paule had euen skarsely apaysed them and had begonne to shewe theÌ„ the way of truth thether came certayne Iewes the whiche perswaded the people so that they stoned Paule and lefte him for dead When that our Lordes worde did stronglye encrease and growe in Ephesus and the god did many myracles there by Paule Act. 19. Demetrius whiche made siluer shrynes for Diana called together workemen of like occupation and moued a greate sedytion against Paule ¶ Of good prosperity Capitu. Cxxi THe aboundaunce of temporall thinges is oftentymes the occasion of muche synne as in that regyon and countrey the whiche was watered and lyke the garden of our Lord Gen. 13. and like the land of Egipt as thou coÌ„mest vnto zoar the whiche the wicked Sodomites dyd inhabite When Gedeon was litle and threshed wheate Iudi. 6.8 hee was good and the Aungell of oure Lorde did visite him But after he had obtayned the victorye against the Madianites he mysbehaued hym selfe Saule or euer he was made kinge was good 1. regu 15. but after he toke vpon him to rule he waxed proude and brake oure Lordes commaundement After that Dauid had made greate war and had gotten many victoies of hys ennemies 2. regu 11. he remayninge in quietnes at Ierusalem coÌ„mitted aduouterye and afterwardes ensued murther Dauid by the occasion of the multitude of his subiectes 2. regu 24. waxed proud and caused his people to be numbred But yet note how greuously he was punished In Salomons tyme siluer was of no valure 3. reg 10.11 For in Ierusalem syluer was as plenteous as stones But note how maruelus and how terrible a thinge it was that his abundaunce of thinges hurte him more then hys wisedome auayled him Or euer Ieroboam had dominion and rule ouer the .x. tribes 3 regu 12. we rede not that he was euyl but that he was a good yong man and a deligent but sone after he had obtayned the kyngdome he made golden calues and leaste hee shoulde bee tourned oute of hys domynion and rule hee auerted and tourned the people from GOD. Amasias the kynge of Iuda made warre against Edome 4. reg 14 Where vpon hys hart became proud and intended to fight against Ioas the kinge of Isell but he prosperd not When Roboams kingedome was fortified 2. Para. 11. and comforted he forsoke the lawe of oure Lorde and all Israell wyth hym When Osias the kinge of Iuda became myghtye 2. Para. 20. hys harte arose to his destruction for hee wente into the temple to burne incense vppon the aulter of incense Manasses kinge of Ierusalem was exceadynge euyll 2. Para. 33 But afterwardes being bounde in Babilon and in tribulation he prayde vnto oure Lorde and dyd exceadinge greate penaunce before our Lord. They dyd eat and were fylled and became fat 2. Esd. 9 and lyued in wealth thorow thy greate goodnes And prouoked thee to anger Wordly prosperity doth somtimes multiplye and muche encrease and bringe carnall frendes together Tobi. 2.11 the whiche aduersitye dothe auoyde and flye for Tobias kinsmen and frends after he had recouered his sight and was enriched came vnto him the whiche thinge is not redde that they dyd as longe as he was blynde and that hys wyfe went to the weauinge worke After that Nabuchodonozor hadde ouercomde Arphaxat the king of Medes his kingdome was exalted Iudith 1. and his hart was lyfte vp Although Aman was next vnto the mighty and puissaunt king Ahaswerus Esth. 3.5 and had great richesse children and frendes yet he was troubled and vexed that Mardocheus woulde not bow hys kne vnto him as though he had had nothyng Note the shortnesse of this prosperity As long as the plage of the lorde was ouer Iob althoughe certayne frendes came vnto hym yet they wer onerous and heauye comfortors nor it is not red that they gaue hym any thing But after the lorde had geuen Iob twise as much as he had before then came there vnto hym al his brethren and all that had bene of his acquaintance before Iob. 42. and dyd comforte him
and euery one gaue him a shepe and an earing of gold The Image whyche Nabuchodonozor sawe Dani. 2. was smitten of a stone hewen oute of a mountaine and was broken to poulder doth sufficientlye declare worldly prosperity to be nothing The Children of Zambry made a great marriage 1. macha 9. And the Iewes wyth Ionathas slue manye of them Thus the marriage was tourned to mourning and the noyse of their melodye into lamentation King Ptolomy of Egipt after that Alexander the kinge of Siria was ouercumd 1. Mach. 11. dryuen into Araby was exalted and his honor increased Gadiel the Arabian smote of Alexanders head and sent it to Ptolomy but the third daye after died kinge Ptolomy him self The yong manne that inquyred of Christ mat◠19. how he mighte haue eternall life had many and great possessions and therefore when oure Lorde gaue him the counsel of perfection he wēt his wayes sory Peter denyed our Lord in the high priestes palace math 26. The Iewes receiued our Lord into Ierusalem solempnlye math 21. but after hee had wel beheld them towardes euen he went to Bethany For he founde not one that woulde receiue him into hys house and lodge him The example that our Lord dothe vse Luc. 12. and put by the riche man whose ground brought forth plētiful frutes doth greatly serue vs to despise the aboundance of temporall thinges For when he most diligently thoughte to breake down and destroy his barnes and build greater God said vnto him Thou fole this night will the deuils fetch away thy soul from thee Then whose shall those thinges be whyche thou hast prouided The biers of the farme and Oxen and he that maried a wife were calde to our Lordes supper Luc. 14. and they as being busy about other thinges excused them selues but the poore and the feble were brought in Our Lorde beholdinge the citye of Ierusalem Luc. 19. being in temporal peace and ignoraunte of the miseryes that were to come wept on it sayinge If thou haddest knowne thou woulde wepe When the people gaue a shout He rode hauinge on his royall apparell sitting in his seat and makyng an oration vnto them Act. 12. they said It is the voyce of a God and not of a manne And immediatly the aungell of oure lord smote hym because he gaue not GOD the honoure and he was eaten of Wormes and gaue vppe the Ghoste ¶ Of worldly curiosity Capi. Cxxii THe occasyon of the fyrst transgression semeth to haue hadde hys beginnynge of thys Gen. 3. that Eue did lysten curiously vnto the serpent and did curiously behold the tre forbode Dina the doughter of Lia wēt out to se wemen of the land Gen. 34. Ther foloweth that she was sene rauyshed and forced Our lorde commaunded Moses to saye vnto the people Exo. 19. beware ye goe not vp into the mount or touche the border of it Who so euer toucheth the mount shall surely dye And after a few wordes Charge the people that they prease not vp to see our lorde and so manye of them pearyshe Our lord sayd vnto Moses that Aaron and hys sonnes only should enter into the holy tabernacle Nume 4. And that other by no curiosity shoulde see what thinges were in the sanctuary vntyl they were folden vp least they dye Ozias the king of Iuda went into the temple of our Lord 2. Para. 16. toke the Censar and woulde haue burnte insence vpon the aultar of insence The whiche thing pertaind not to hys office but to the priestes and by and by the leprosy sprange in his forehead When the Iewes sawe that oure Lord did manifest and profitable miracles Luc. 11. they would not so but sought for a signe from heauen When Herode the Tetrarch sawe Iesus Luc. 23. he was exceading glad not of any deuotion but of a curiosity for he trusted to se some miracle don by him so that the syght of oure LORDE did litle profyte hym but hurte hym rather Act. 1. Our Lord refraind the curiosity of his Disciples whiche woulde haue known the time of his second aduent and comminge sayinge It is not for you to know the tymes or the seasōs whyche the father hathe putte in hys owne power Act. 8. It semeth to haue bene of a curiosity that Simon Magus woulde haue bene baptised in as much as he sawe the sygnes and miracles which Phillip did Act. 17. The Atheniens and straungers cald Paule for no nother thynge but to tell to see or to heare some newe thyng When Paule preached in the city of Ephesus Act. 19. many of them which vsed curious craftes brought their bokes and burned them before all men The Apostle Paul doth reprehend and reproue certayne Thessalonians which walcked vnquietly 2. Thes. 3. and vnordinatly working not at all but being busy bodies The Apostle monisheth to auoyde yong widowes and he dothe often reproue those whiche vage abrode 1. Timo. 5. are idle and curious and warneth vs to exchue them that learne to goe from house to house that wander aboute and that shewe and sell them selues speaking thinges which are not comly and when they haue liued luxuryously they wil marry ¶ Of the greate faithe of wemen Capi. Cxxiii THe Apostle commendeth the faith of Raab Hebr. 11. whyche pearished not wyth them that were disobedient Iosu. 2. when she had receiued the spyes to lodging peaceably Ruth remayned wyth her mother in law Noemy Ruth 1.2 sayinge Thy people shall be my people and thy God my God And Booz afterwardes said vnto her Our Lorde quite thy woorke and a ful reward be geuen the of our Lorde vnto whome thou arte come and vnder whose wynges thou arte come to abide 3. regu 17. A widow woman of Sarepta beleued Elias the prophets woordes althoughe he commaunded her to doe a thing very hard to be done 2. Mach. 7. That wonderfull and maruelous mother the whiche sawe the vii brethren her sonnes tormented in one day and did strōgly animate them to die for the law of God dyd very well confesse the creation of the worlde the resurrection of the dead As touchinge the misterye of oure Lordes incarnation Luc. 1. wemen were more prompt and readye to beleue it then men For Zachry was reproued by the aungel of incredulity because thou beleuest not my wordes c. But we reade that Elizabeth was not reprehensible but commendable the which euen assone as Mary was com cried out blessed art thou among wemen and blessed is the frute of thy wombe In like manner the blessed virgyn is to be commended Luc. 1. the which gaue creadit vnto the angell sayinge vnto her that she should conceiue of the holy ghoste And Anna the widow prophetesse spake vnto all men Luc. 1. that loked for the redempcion of Israel of a childe that was borne Our Lord said vnto Mary Magdalen Thy faith
hath saued thee Luc. 7. go in peace And the woman that had an issue of bloud Luc. 8. had so greate faythe vnto oure Lord that it suffised her only to touch the hem of his raiment And therfore she deserued to heare a swete woorde of oure Lorde Doughter bee of good cheare and comfort thy faythe hathe saued thee The woman of Canane nother for longe expectatyon mat 15. nor yet for sharpe aunswer lefte of to crye vnto oure LORDE and therefore at length she hearde O woman greate is thy faythe be it vnto thee euen as thou wylt The woman of Samaria did fully coÌ„fesse saying Iohn 4. Messias is come whych is called Christ And afterwards many of the Samaritans beleued in our Lord for the saying of the woman Marthas confessyon of faith which said I beleue that thou art Christ the sonne of God Iohn 11. which should come into the world was verye like the confessyon of Peter We read of many men that doubted of oure Lordes resurrectyon math 28. and how that our Lord reproued their in credulity and hardnes of hart Ther is no such thinge red of wemen But that when our Lord rose Fyrst of all he appeared to a woman that is to Mary Magdalen and she wyth spede brought the tidinges vnto the Disciples the whiche were in heauinesse A certaine woman calde Lydia a seller of purple hard Paule preache Act. 16. whose hart our Lord opened and she was baptised and her houshold ¶ Of the wisdome of wemen Capi. Cxxiiii SAra did wisely vnderstaÌ„d and perceiue Gene. 21. that the play betwene Isaac Ismael was not good and it was the Lordes wil that Abraham should agre vnto Saras wyll to heare her voyce Rebecca was verye wilye and subtile to procure Gen. 27. that Iacob might obtain his fathers blessynge the which was due vnto the fyrste borne And afterwardes she caused hym euen wyttely to auoyd his brothers anger Raab the harlot did very discreatly hide the spies Iosu. 2. so that there by she wholy deliuered and saued her selfe and all her houshold Delbora Lapidoths wife a prophesesse Iudged the people of Israel Iuhi. 4 and laught Barach Abinoams son what he should do to deliuer the people of God from the handes of Sisara Noemi was very careful and wise to inuent howe Ruth an aliane Ruth 2. and her doughter in lawe myghte marry wyth that noble and mightye manne Booz Anna Samuels mother discretlye excused her selfe 1. regu 1. as touchinge that that Hely the preast layed vnto her when she required a chlde of god Abigaile throughe her wisedome eloquence 1. â—egu 25. and liberality saued her husbandes Nabals lyfe and letted Dauyd from commyttynge of murther The wisewoman Thecuris induced Dauid to fetche his sonne Absolon home againe 2. regu 14. As Ioab besieged the citye of Abel A wise woman spake so vnto hym 2. regu 21. and afterwardes to the cityzens that he left the siege and departed to the great vtylitye and profyte of all the countrey Bethsaba Salomons mother spake wysely before kinge Dauid that her son Salomon might raign after him 3. regu 1. That woman of the two whyche condented before Salomon answered wisely and mercifully 3. regu 3. sayingeâ— I beseche thee my Lorde geue her the lyuynge chylde and in no wise slaye it There was greate prudencye and wysedome in the Quene of Saba 3. regu 10. that came to here the wisedome of Salomon The Sunamite Elyzeus hostesse dyd wyselye abyde wyth hym 4. regu 4. nor woulde not leaue hym for all Giezyel vntyll hee hadde reuyued her sonne Holda the prophetesse Sellumus wyfe 4. regu 22. dyd comforte kynge Iosias and foretold the people the euils that were to come for their offences Sara Raguells doughter prayed oure LORDE dyscreatly and deuoutely Tobi. 3. to delyuer her from the rebuke that shee hadde hearde of her mayde Iudith speakinge vnto the people Iudith 8.13 and in deceauinge of Holofernes so pusant and myghty a prince shewde greate constantye and wisedome Esther after shee hadde inuyted the kynge to dynner Esth. 7. and that hee was wel heated wyth wyne made her peticion circumspectly and warelye Luc. 1. Elizabeth Ihon the Baptiste mother knew very discreatly of the comming of blessed Mary and named her the Lordes mother It appeareth that the blessed vyrgin was wonderfullys prudent and wise aswel in silence kepinge as in speaking In silence for we find that she spake very few words She spake with the angel questioning with him discreatlye and agreinge vnto hym more discreatly Howe shall thys beâ— And agayne Luc. 1. behold the hand maiden of the Lorde And wyth holy Elyzabeth when she saluted her And note that after Elizabethes greate praises the whych she gaue her she answered her nothyng directly but turnde her to geue laude and prayses vnto the Lord sayinge My soule magnifyeth the Lord. Also she spake wyth her sonne askyng hym most swetely Luc. 2. Sonne why haste thou thus dealte wyth vs And prayinge or intreatinge hym for the shamefast pore people Iohn 2. saying They haue no wyne Mary Magdalen did very prudentlye Luc. 7.10 when she sate her downe at the Lordes feete For there she obtayned forgeuenesse for her selfe Iohn 11. lyfe for her brother hard the wysedome of God and exhibited vnto Christ deuout reuerence Pilates wife spake so vnto hym that if he woulde haue beleued her Mat. 27. he had done wisely ¶ Of the pitye and compassion of wemen Cap. Cxxv. REbecca seing that Abrahams seruaunt a straunger Gen. 24. was desirous to dryncke aunswered wythout any delay drinke my lorde Ye and I wyl draw water for thy camels also vntil they haue al dronkeÌ„ The mid wyues feared God dyd not as the king commaunded theÌ„ Exo. 1. but saued the men chyldren When Pharaos doughter saw the childe wope Exo. 2. she had compassion on it and said It is one of the Hebrues children And causinge it to be nurssed made it her sonne Iosu. 2. Raab the harlot hearinge that the spyes were soughte for to bee put to death hadde compassion ouer them and hydinge them deliuered them and sent them a waye safe 2. regu 17. The messengers sente to Dauid were hydden in a well and saued by a woman whiche spred a couerlet ouâ—er the welles mouth and begiled those that soughte them Of those two wemen whiche contended before Salomon 3. regu 3. her hart was the pityfulste that woulde haue lefte of her sute whose bowels yerned vpon her sonne The wyddowe woman of Sarepta was Elias the prophetes hostesse 3. regu 17. and she sustaynde him The Sunamite induced her husbaÌ„d to make an apte and a mete place with in his house 4. Re. 4. for Eliseus to lodge in Whan Athalia had destroied al the kinges seed 4. Re. 11. Iosaba the doughter of Ioram
the more vpon earth Of the two harlottes whyche contended and pleated before Salomon 3. rgu 3 shee spake folyshelye and wyckedlye that sayed of the intante Let it bee neyther myne nor thyne but denyde it When Amans wyfe hard the complaynt that her husbaÌ„d made of Mardocheus Esth. 5. she answered and sayed commaunde a loftye galous to bee made that he may be hanged thereon As Iob was sytting vpon the dunghyll and scrapinge of the fylth of his sores with a potshard Iob. 2. hys wyfe sayde vnto him Cursse God and dye But he made her a good and a dyscreate answer sayinge Thou speakest lyke a folyshe woman Shall we receyue prosperitye at the hande of GOD and not receyue aduersitye Our Lord approued not the chyldren of Zebedes mothers peticyon Mat. 20. when she said Graunt that these my two sonnes may sytte the one on the right hand and the other on the left in thy kingdom Peter at the voyce of a maid denied our Lord. mat 26. The woman of Samaria spake manye symple wordes vnto our Lorde Iohn 4. or euer she stumbled vpon the truth ¶ Of the superfluous ornamentes and raimente of wemen Capi. cxxx THamar Iudas doughter in law Gene. 38. beinge mineded to intice her father in lawe that by him she might be conceyued put her widowes garments from her and couered her self with a cloke When the comming of Iehu whiche slue Ioram the kynge of Israell was hearde of 4. regu 9. Iesabell payneted her eyes starched her face and tired her head Iudith dothe testify that her ornamentes and apparell whych she toke deceiued Holofernesse Iudith 16. She putte on the apparell of gladnesse she anoynted her face wyth oyntmentes shee bounde vp her here in an houe to beguile him We read of Esther that when she should come into the king Esth. 2. she requyred no ornamentes as other wemen did And threatninge it is wrytten Esay 3. In that day our Lorde shall take awaye the gorgiousnesse of their apparell spanges chaines partlets Colers Bracelets Houes the goodly floured wide and broydred raiment broches hedbandes ringes garlandes holye day clothes vales kerchers pinnes glasses cipresses bonets and taches Salomon describeth the reprehensible garmentes of an euill woman Prouer. 7. saying I spied a yong fole and there mette hym a woman decked lyke an harlot prepared to intrap the soul of man ful of words wandering hither and thither and vnquiet The wise man not without a cause doth monish vs Eccle. 9. when he saith Turn away thy face from a wel decked and a beautiful woman For such womeÌ„ intice and prouoke men to synne Wemens apparel shall not be outward wyth broydred hear 1. Peter 3. hanging on of gold ether in putting on of gorgyous apparell ¶ Of deathe in generall Cap. Cxxxi THe sentence of God wherwith he said vnto man Gen. 2. In what dai so euer ye shall eate thereof shalt dye the deathe It is playne and euident that man assone as sinne is committed doth die So that the liuing man doth die as it were continuallye As Sainte Augustine sayth in hys fourtene booke of the Citye of God Notwithstanding that men before the floude liued so manye yeares gen 9. yet scripture after the descriptioÌ„ of their liues saith And he died It was no maruaile that oure fore fathers feared to die and desired to be longe liued For they as yet coulde not ascende vp into heauen nor haue the fruition of the deuine vision vntyll the commyng of our sauyour the which opened the gates of heauen And therefore holye Lot was monyshed to saue him self in the mouÌ„taine Gen. 19. He feard to go thether least some misfortune should fal vpon him and that he should die there The wycked also do desire to dye wel Nume 23. I pray God that my soule may die the death of the ryghteous that my last end may be like his said Balaam Althoughe Moses would not obey our Lordes commaundement Deutâ— 24 which woulde he shoulde haue passed ouer Iordan Yet it seemeth that he wold gladly haue lyued longer if it hadde pleased our Lord. For he sayth Our LORDE is angry with me Lo I must die in this land and shal not go ouer Iordan A great part of the rewarde of Moses lawe semed to consist and stande in long lyfe Deute 32. Set your haries vnto al the woordes whyche I testifye vnto you for if ye fulfill and do them ye shal prolong your dayes in the lande whether ye go to coÌ„quere and to possesse it Zebee and Salmana desired rather to be slayne wyth the hand of worthy Gedeon Iudi. 8. then wyth the hande of Iether his yongest sonne Dauyd whych wept for hys childe beynge sycke and dyseased 2. re 12. woulde not weepe for hys chylde which was departed When Helyas sate vnder the Iunyper tree 3. re 19. he desyred for hys soule that he myghte dye And sayde It is nowe ynoughe o LORDE take my soule for I am not better then my fathers Hezechias kyng of Iuda did walk before oure Lord in truthe and was good Yet whan Esaye brought hym word that he should die Esay 38. he prayd our Lord with sorowful teares to proloÌ„g his life for a while Tobias being much prouoked with his wiues answer Tobi. 3.4 tooke it heauilye and with teares began to make hys prayer sayinge O Lorde thou arte righteous commaâ—â—de my spirite to be receiued in peace for more expedient were it for me to die then to liue So when he thoughte hys prayer to be hearde hee called vnto hym hys sonne After that Sara Raguels doughter was iniuried by her maid she praied vnto our Lord Tob. 3. and amonge all other thinges sayde I beseche the o Lorde lose me oute of the bondes of thys rebuke or els take me vtterlye awaye from of the earthe Ieremy praied king Sedechia most humbly that he wold not slaye hym Ieâ—e 38. nor commaund hym to be led agayne to that pryson where he laye before least he die there After the death of the crosse which oure Sauyoure woulde susâ—ayne and suffre Math. 27. he apertlye and manifestly declared that a iust man ought not only to dye but to suffer euen readily anye kynde of deathe for to obey oure Lord. Before the commynge of the holye ghoste math 26 the Apostles feared death exceadingly the which when our Lord was taken lefte hym and fledde from hym But after that they were fortyfyed and had receiued strengthe from aboue they beynge sette before princes and tyrants spake faithfully and chearely Paule feared but little yea he feared not death which saide I am ready not to be bound onlye Act. 21. but also to dye for the name of oure LORDE Iesu. If the Iewes knowe that I haue hurte theym Act. 25. or commytted anye thynge worthy of death I refuse not to die And this is
to be noted that when Paule at diuers times to auoyde the deceitfulnesse of the Iewes dyd flye from Citye to Citye that he dyd it not for anye feare of deathe but that he auoidinge the furiousnesse of the euel might reserue hym selfe for the profite of many Of sepultures and burials Ca. cxxxii Gene. 23. ABraham wyth greate diligence bought a field wherin he buryed hys wyfe Sara Iacob woulde not be buried in Egypt among the euil Ge. 47.49 But caused Ioseph to sweare that he shoulde carye hym beynge deade to the sepulture and graue of hys fore fathers He repeated the same at the houre of hys death after he hadde blessed hys chyldren The which thing Ioseph accomplyshed most carefully Moses going out of Egipt toke the bones of Ioseph with him Exo. 13 Dauid muche commended the men of Iabes Galaad that so reuerentlye dyd burye the bodyes of Saule and hys chyldren 1. re 31. 2. re 2. The punishment of the manne of God 3. re 13 the whyche contrary to the commaundement of God dyd eate breade in the house of the euel and false prophet was only thys that he was not buryed in the sepulchre and graue of hys elders Iehu the kyng of Israell that caused Iezabell to be slayne 4. re 9. wylled her to be buryed because she was a kynges doughter Tobias is much commended that he wyth the danger of hys own life Tob. 2 toke the dead coarses and moste dilygently did bury them The fyrste of all those holsome admonitions wherwith Tobias instructed hys soÌ„ne Tob. 4 was of the diligent buriyng of him self and hys mother The Iewes which accused wycked Menelaus 2. Mach. 4 were by an vnryghtfull iudge condempned Wherfore they of Tyrus toke indignation and buryed them honourably wyth great liberality After the battayle was foughten againste Gorgias Iudas Machabeus came to take vp the bodies of them that were slaine 2. Mach. 12 and to bury theÌ„ in theyr fathers graues Whan Ihon the Baptist disciples hearde that Herod had beheaded him they came mar 6. and toke vp his body and laid it in a graue It appeareth that our Lord Iesus had a carefulnesse for hys burial Iohn 12. and that by the answer he made vnto Iudas murmuringe for the oyntment the whyche after hys mynde shoulde haue bene solde Let her alone saythe oure LORDE agaynste the daye of my burying hath she kept this Luc. 23. Ioseph and Nicodemus dyd burye oure Lord and laid him in a new sepulchre that was hewen in stoane where in neuer manne before was layed Certayn good and deuout Iewes dressed Steuen which was stoned Act. 8. and made great lamentation ouer hym ¶ Of the horrible death of wicked and euyll men Capitu. Cxxxiii CAin whiche flew his owne brother was slayne by Lamech Gen. 4. The Lord raigned vpon Sodome and Gomor brymstone and fire from heauen Gen. 19. and ouerthrew .v. cytyes most stinkinge in sinne and most detestable Sichem Emors sonne whiche forced Dyna Iacobs doughter Gen. 34. was slayne by Iacobs sonnes and all the people and inhabytoures of the cytye The waters of the redde sea couered the charettes Exo. 14. and the horsemen and all the hooste of Pharao so that there remayned not one of them And that euen iustelye ynoughe that hys bodye whose harte coulde not bee mollyfyed myghte be drowned in water Nadab and Abihu the sonnes of Aaron offerynge straunge fyre before the LORDE Leui. 10. were deuoured and consumed with the Lordes fire and they dyed The children of Israel by the lords commaundement broughte forth the blasphemer and cursed speaker wyth oute the host Leui. 24. and stonde him Chore Dathan and Abiron and theyr companions Nume 16 rebelling against Moses keuered wyth earthe wente downe a lyue vnto hell And other lykewise murmuringe and commyttynge dyuers crymes peryshed with dyuers deathes in the wyldernesse Nume 1. so that of syr hundred thousande fyghtynge menne there enterd but two into the lande of promyse And because Acham tooke bestelthe of the excommunicate thinges of Ierico Iosu. 7. al Israel stoned him with stones and consumed all that euer he hadde with fyre Iahell Abners wyfe tooke a nayle of the tent and fastened it into Sisaras braynes Iudi. 4. the whyche beynge in a deedlye slombre and werye faynted and so he dyed If zebee and Salmana hadde saued Gedeons brethren Iudi. 8. he hadde spared them But inasmuche as they kylde them he in lyke maner slewe them The chyldren of Israell tooke Adonibezeche Iudi. 1. and cuttynge of the vtter partes of hys thombes and greate toes for euen so he hadde serued .70 kinges brought hym to Ierusalem and there he dyed A certayne woman caste a pece of a mylstone vppon Abimeleches head Iudi. 9. and all to brake his brayne panne And hee called hys harnesse bearer and commaunded hym to slea hym And so our Lorde quyted him the euil that he hadde don when he flew .70 of hys brethren When Hely hearde saye that the Lordes arke was taken he fell from hys stole backwarde vppon the threshold of the dore 1. regu 4. and his necke brake and he dyed Dauid a chylde vnarmed nor hauynge the vse of harnesse 1. Reg. 17. slewe the proud and blasphemus Goliath euen with his owne swerd 1. regu 31. Saule moued with a certayne vniusâ—e enuye persecuted and folowed after Dauid But in processe of time he toke his swearde and fell vpon it and dyed Dauids eldest sonne opprest his syster Thamar 2 regu 31. and wythin a whyle after hee beynge at dynner with Absolon at Absolons commaundement was slayne 2. regu 18. Absolon throughe a lust to rule afflicted and vexed his father Dauid verye sore But or euer he came to his purpose and intente he was hangde betwene heauen and earthe 2. regu 17. When Achitophel sawe that his counsell whyche he gaue againste Dauid was not accepted nor folowed he gat him whome to his owne house and hanged him selfe and dyed 2. regu 20. Siba the sonne of Bochry moued the people against Dauid and sleyng to Abell where he thoughte to haue had refuge and healpe there he was beheaded Dauid coÌ„maunded the yonge man which saide that he had kylled Saul 2. regu 1. to be slain notwithstaÌ„ding he thought that he had brought prosperous tidings The like thinge chaunced vnto the two theues 2. regu 4. which brought vnto Dauid Isboseth king Sauls soÌ„nes head Albeit that Ioab had bene a faythfull and a worthy man of warre 3. reg 2. yet forasmuche as he slew two men proditoriouslye Salomon commaunded him to be put to death Zambrye rebelled againste Hela that wicked kinge of Israel his Lord and slew him 3. regu 16. But zambry after .7 dayes when he saw that the citye of Thirza must nedes be taken wente into the kynges Palace and burnt hym selfe and the kynges
1. regu 3. When kynge Dauid satte in his house after that our Lorde had giuen him rest rounde abouâ—e from all hys enemyes 2. regu 7. he sayde vnto Nathan the Prophete Thou seyste that I dwell nowe in an howse of Cedarre trees but the Arke of God dwelleth within the curtaine It was shewed vnto Helias that fled from the face of Iezabel 3. regu 19. that our lorde was not in a greate spirite nor in no coÌ„motion nor winde nor earthquake but in a small styll voyce The mynde of man muste take his iudgement by the sumilitude and likenes of corporall thinges or els it must be lifted vp to god in whoÌ„ what soeuer is sene or thought delectable in anye creature is inseperable sounde muche better 4. regu 3. So that when the mynstrell played before Eliseus the hande of Oure lorde came vpon him When Eliseus woulde praye deligentely for the Sunamites child that was departed 4. regu 4. he dyd it not openly before al men but shutte the dore to the lad and him and prayed vnto Oure lorde Sara Raguels doughter beynge rebuked and slaundred of on of her maydens Tob. 3. went into the innermost chamber of her house and thre dayes and thre nightes she nether eat nor drank but continued in prayer and besought god with teares that he woulde deliuer her frome that rebuke Iudith perceyuing her people to be streyted and in daunger went into her closet Iudi. 9. put on an heary smocke strawed ashes vpon her head and fallynge downe before oure Lorde cryed vnto hym Quene Esther fearing the daunger that was at hande Esth. 14. fledde vnto oure lorde And when she had laide a waye her glorius apparel she put on garmentes that serued for syghinge and mourninge and prayd thus vnto our Lorde helpe me desolate woman After the tribulations and perturbations which Dauid sustained suffred Psal 54. he sayd Who shal geue me winges lyke a doue For then would I flie away and be at reste Then he sheweth the maner howe to come to these wynges rest saying Lo then would I get me away farre of and remayne in the wyldernesse When Ezechiell was amonge or in the myddes of the prisoners Eze. 1. the hande of our Lorde came vpon hym and he sawe a stormy wynde come out of the north When Daniell hearde of the cruell sentence that was pronounced against the wise men of Babilon Dani. 2. he wente home and the mysterye was shewed vnto hym by a vision by night Dani. 9. The Angell Gabriell sayde vnto Daniell that prayde feruently I am nowe come to teache thee and to make thee vnderstand that thou art a man greatly beloued I wyll stande vppon my watche sayth habacuc Haba 2. and shall fasten my ioy vpon my bulworke to looke and se what shal be sayd vnto me and what answere I should make hym that reproued me And when the people were sent awaye he wente vp into a mountaine to praye alone Math. 14. And when night was come he was there hym selfe alone By the whiche thynge he geueth the people an ensample to flee and to seke for solitariousnes And zacharias wente into the temple of our Lorde LuKe. 1. and the whole multitude of the people were wyth oute in prayer while the incense was a burnynge And then there appeared vnto hym an Angell of oure Lorde Martha was troubled and combred about muche seruinge Luke 10. but Mary syttyng at Gods feete hearde the woorde of God And it is greatly to be noted that quyetnes and the hearing of gods word should be preferde aboue al religyons and deuoute ministery seruice Iohn 11. When Iesus sawe mary wepe and the Iewes also wepinge whiche came wyth her he groned in the spirite and wepte the whyche thinge he dyd not when Martha spake vnto him Our lordes disciples wer wonderfullye illuminated and taughte at the coÌ„minge of the holy ghost Act. 2. After the light from heauen shyned rounde a boute Saule Act. 9. he fell to the earthe and was made blind the fasted and prayed by the space of thre dayes and hadde many exellente reuelations from Christ. When Peter was lodged in SimoÌ„s the Tanners house Act. 10. at a certain time he wente into the hyest place of the house to praye to the entent that he beynge farre from the troublous people that were beneathe myghte geue hym selfe the more quyetlye to hys prayers Oure Lorde Peter beynge in a traunce shewed vnto hym that the heathen oughte not to be repelled from the predication of the gospel Paule was taken vppe into the thyrd heauen 2. Cor. 12. and hard secreate wordes which no man can vtter rom 1.9.10.11 His exceading great wisdome appeareth in hys Epistles Ephe. 1.2 and principallye to the Romaynes Col. 1.2 To the Ephesyans To the Collossyans And also to the Hebrues Heb. 1. Oure Lorde disclosed vnto blessed Sainte Ihon beyng sequestred from the tumulte and consolatyon of the worlde and banyshed into the I le of Pathmos the celestial and heauenly workes and dedes as it appeareth in his reuelations ¶ Of longanimity ¶ Capit. xxxvii ABraham taried many yeares or euer he hadde any chylde by Sara Gen. 21. for hee was an hundred yere old when his sonne Isaac was borne vnto him From the fyrst promise made vnto Abraham vntyl he hadde sede were yeres 440. Oure Lorde suffered Israell to bee scourged and afflicted in Egipt a loÌ„g time and season And afterwardes to be tempted and proued in wildernes the space of 40. yeares or euer they came to the land of promise as it appeareth thorowe oute all the boke of Exodus and Numery Iudi. 20 The children of Israel fightyng against the tribe of Beniamin many against a few wer twise ouerthrown and yet at the last they preuailed Iob. 13. Iob beyng punyshed in bodye depriued of al hys chyldren laughed to scorne of hys frendes and spoyled of all hys goodes dyd say Lo though he slaye mee yet wyl I put my truste in hym Tobyas elders kinsfolkes laughed hym to scorne whyche sayde vnto hym Tob. 2. where is thy hope for the whyche thou haste done almesse and buryed the deade But Tobias rebuked them spake Say not so for we are the chyldren of holy men and looke for the lyfe which God shall geue vnto them that neuer turne their belefe from him When Susanna was condempned by the false testimony and wytnesse of two iudges Dani. 13. it is thus wrytten of her That her heart hadde a sure truste in the Lorde When one of those seuen brethren was requyred of the tyrande 2 Mach. 7. quyckely he put oute his tounge and constantly helde forth his handes and spake with a steadfaste fayeth These haue I of heauen Iudas Machabeus sente vnto Ierusalem two thousande dragmas of syluer to bee offred there for the offences and synnes of the dead 2. Mach.