make his bonde men because she is not able to discharge the dette O in what miserye is this carefull woman She hathe nothing at al in her house but a pitcher of oyle But what is that to the dispatche of the dette And if that be gone there remaineth nothing wherof she her sonnes may lyue What is then to be done Det must be payed Her substaūce wyl not reache so far To make her childrē bond slaues shuld be to her present death This therfore remaineth The sorowfull widowe lamēteth fyrst of all her cause secretly in her hert vnto god which is the helper and patrone of all true wyddowes and fatherlesse children and afterwarde vttereth the same to Elizeus the Prophet of god whiche thorow gods blessinge of one pytcher of oyle filleth so many emptie vessels ful of oyle that she sellinge part of the same was not only able to paie her dettes at the vttermost but also had inough of the reste to fynde her and her children Eus. O notable miracle Here fynd we true y t holy Thoby sayde to his sonne My sonne be not afraide Truth it is we leade here a poore lyfe but greate good shal we haue if we feare god and departe frome al sinne and do wel Chri. This womans husbād was a Prophet and feared the lorde therfore could not she and her children remaine longe confortles For god hath promised to be a husband to suche widowes and a father to suche godlye mens children I haue not sene the ryghteous forsaken nor their children begging their bread on the earthe sayth the Psalmographe Againe Blessed is the man that feareth the lorde he hath great delyght in his cōmaundementes His sede shal be myghtie vpon earthe the generacion of the faythfull shall be blessed Riches and plenteousenes shall be in his house hys ryghteousenes endureth for euer Theo. This is a confortable historie for suche godly womē as are christen preachers wiues Hereof may they learn that though theyr husbandes be neuer so poore when they departe out of this world yet if they remain faithful and in the feare of god and diligently call on his blessed name in their aduersitie he wyll neither suffer them nor their children to lacke necessaries for their liuinge but by one meanes or other sende them all good thinges so that they shal not wante I wyll not fayle the nor yet forsake the sayth god The lord geueth meate to the hongry Beholde the eyes of the lorde are vpon them that feare him and vpō them that trust in his mercy that he may deliuer their liues from death and nouryshe them in the tyme of honger God despiseth not the desire of the fatherles nor the wydowe saith the wyseman when she powreth oute her prayer before hym Dothe not god se the teares that runne downe the chekes of the widowe or heateth he not the cōplaint ouer suche as make her to wepe For frō her chekes do y e teares go vp vnto heauen the lord which heareth them doth accepte thē Phil. At a nother tyme also we reade y t thaforesayd Prophet in the tyme of dearth fed the Prophets childrē with a few loaues norished a great number of men in somuche that they dyd not only eat inough but also left much of y e bread so greatly was it multiplied thorow y e blessing of god which is able of a lytle to make much seyng of nothing he made al. Geue vnto the people y t they may eat sayeth y e Prophet The minister answered What shulde I set this before an hundred men Set it before the people sayth he and let them eate For thus sayth the lord They shal eate and leaue And he dyd set it before them and they dyd eate and leaue accordyng to the word of the lorde Se ye not here what the blessyng of the lord is and how al thinges increase and abound when the lord openeth his hande If we depend on goddes goodnes he wyll surely increase our vitayle in our store houses vpon our table yea in our mouthes and bellies The Prophets seruaunt though it not possible that so great a number of menne coulde be sustayned wyth so fewe loaues But that whiche is impossible with menne is possible with god Who therefore wyll doubte anye more of goddes liberalitie haue he muche or haue he litle It is all one before God to feede wyth muche or to feede wyth lytle If god blesse vs we can not want but if Gods blessinge be taken frō vs we muste nedes peryshe Euse. So sayth the Psalmographe All creatures depende vpō the O lord that thou shuldest geue them their meat in due time For thou geuing it them they take it and thou opening thy hād thei are wel satisfied But y u hidinge thy face they are sorowfull thou taking away theyr breth thei are but dead and turned into the earth that they came of Phil. Howe wonderfully dyd God fede Daniel the Prophet when he was caste in to the Lions denne of the hye rulers because he sayd that the greate Dragon whom they of Babilon worshipped as god was not god Dyd not the Angel of the lorde take the Prophet Abacucke by the top when he was goinge in to the fielde to beare meate to the mowers caried him by the herre of the heade and thorowe a myghty wynd set him in Babilon vpon the denne wher Daniel was So carye thy meate saythe the Angel that thou haste into Babylon vnto Daniell whyche is in the Lyons denne And whan Abacuch eryed and sayde O Daniell thou seruaunte of God haue take thy breakefaste y ◠God hath sente the. Daniel answered O god hast thou thought vpon me well Thou neuer fayleste them that loue the. What a lyuely exāple is this of gods singular prouidēce and fatherly care whiche he hathe for his seruauntes Notable and worthy to be written in letters of golde is this sayinge of Daniel Thou neuer faylest them that loue the. Chri. This historie is very confortable for al thē that suffer inprisonment for the glorie of god and the confession of his truth Hereof may they learn that god wyl not leane them socourles nor destitute of help as Dauid sayeth The lorde is my lyght and my health whō then shal I feare The lorde is the defender of my lyfe of whom then shal I be afraid Whē mine enemies came vpon me to eat vp my flesshe they stoumbled and fell Therfore thoughe an host of men were layd against me yet shal not my hearte be afrayde yea and thoughe there rose vp war against me yet wyll I put my trust in him Phil. As I maye leaue of the historyes of the olde Testament and rehearse certeine oute of the newe that we maye learne goddes liberalitie towarde hys seruauntes to bee one and the same at all tymes and in all ages lette vs call to remembraunce the
y â— wol the best fed haue ye slayne but the flocke haue ye not nourished The weake haue ye not holdeÌ„ vp y â— sycke haue ye not heaâ—â—d the brokeÌ„ haue ye not bouÌ„d togither y â— outcasts haue ye nor brought againe the lost haue ye not sought but churlishly cruelly haue ye ruled them Agayâ—e how do many of the temporal worldlinges ioyne ferme to ferme office to office lordshyp to lordshyp pasture to pasture land to land house to house house for auauntage that the vengeaunce of God threatned by the Prophetes maye come vpon theÌ„ Wo be vnto you y â— ioyne house to house couple land to lande so nyghe one to another that y â— poore man can get no more ground Shal ye dwel alone vpon the face of the earth These thynges are come vp vnto my eares sayth y â— Lord of hostes Shal not many great gorgious houses be so waste that no man shal dwell in theÌ„ Agayne wo be vnto hym y â— heapeth vp other meÌ„s goodes How loÌ„g wyl he lade hym selfe w t the thycke clay Wo be vnto hym y â— couetously gathereth euyl gotten goodes into hys house that he maye set his nest on hye to escape froÌ„ the power of misfortune Thou hast deuised y â— shame of thyne own house The very stones of the wal shal cry out of it O how doth our sauiour Christ thunder against y â— rich worldlings y â— liue al in pleasure yet are not once moued w t pytie coÌ„passioÌ„ toward y â— pore Wo be to you y â— ar rich saith he which haue your coÌ„solacioÌ„ Wo be to yâ—u y â— are filled for ye shal hoÌ„ger Wo be to you y â— laugh now for ye shal mourne weepe Thus se we what vnmercifulnes reigneth in the world almost vniuersally And how al the threatninges of Gods veÌ„geauÌ„ce can not queÌ„ch in y â— wicked worldlynges hartes y â— insaciable thyrst of gathering worldly gooddes but that they go styl for the to heape vp thycke claye agaynst theÌ„selues yea that beyond al measure not consideringe how vaine deceatful y â— possessioÌ„ of temporal thinges is in this worlde He heapeth treasure vpoÌ„ treasure saith Dauid yet knoweth he not for whoÌ„ he gathereth these thinges to gether Notable is the histori y â— our sauiour Christ telleth of a certaine rich maÌ„ in y â— Gospel of s. Luke The grownd of a certaine rich maÌ„ saith he brought forth pleÌ„tyfull frutes and he thought win him selfe saying what shal I do because I haue no roume wher to bestow my frutes And he sayd thus wil I do I wyl destroy my barnes buylde greater theÌ„ wyl I gather al my gooddes y â— are groweÌ„ vnto me I wyl say to my soule O soule y â— hast much goods laid vp in store for mani yeres take thine easâ— eat drinke be mery But God said vnto him y â— foole this night wil they fetche awai thy soule again froÌ„ the. TheÌ„ whose shal those things be which y â— hast prouided So is it w t him y â— gathreth riches to him self is not rich toward god What theÌ„ remaineth but y â— thei which ar godlâ—riâ—h remeÌ„ber theÌ„selfes to be y â— stewardes of God endued wyth worldly substauÌ„ce not to speÌ„d it voluptuously or after their own folyshe fansye about trifles but vpon theyr necessaryes and that they may conuenieÌ„tly spare to distribute vnto the poore which are their brothers in Christ of the same fleshe and bloude fellowe enheritours with them of one and of the same glory O blessed is the riche which is founde wythoute blemyshe and hath not gone after golde nor hoped in mony and treasures Wher is ther such a one and we shal commend hym and call hym blessed For great thinges doth he amoÌ„g hys people And that the Godlye ryche maye be the more encouraged to gratify the poore and to do good vnto the nedye in thys wretched and begerlye tyme let theÌ„ euer set these and such lyke seÌ„tences of the holy scriptures before the eyes of theyr minde My sonne defraude not the poore of hys almes and turne not away thyne eyes from hym that hathe neede Despyse not an hongry soule and despise not y â— poore in hys necessitie Greue not the herte of hym that is he alpelesse and wythdrawe not the gyft froÌ„ the nedeful Refuse not y â— praier of one y â— is in trouble tourne not away thy face froÌ„ the nedye Cast not thine eyes asyde froÌ„ y â— poore for any euil wil y t thou geue him noue occasion to speake euyl of the. For if he complayne of the in y e bytternes of hys soule his prayer shalbe herd eueÌ„ he that made hym shal heare him Be courteous vnto the coÌ„pany of y e poore humble thy soule vnto the elder and bow downe thy head to a man of worship Let it not greue the to bowe downe thine eare vnto y e poore but paye thy debte and geue hym a freÌ„dli answer that with mekenes Deliuer hym that suffereth wronge froÌ„ y e hand of y e oppressour be not faint harted wheÌ„ thou fyghtest in iudgemeÌ„t Be merciful vnto the fatherles as a father and be in steade of an husband vnto theyr mother so shalt thou be as an obediente sonne of the hiest he shal loue the more then thy mother doth Helpe the poore for y e commaundementes sake and let him not go emptie froÌ„ the because of hys necessitie Lese thy money for thy brother neighbours sake and bury it not vnder a stone wher it rusteth corruptiâ—h Gather thy treasure after the commaundemeÌ„t of the hyest so shal it bryng the more profitte theÌ„ golde Lay vp thy almes in the hand of the poore it shal kepe the from al yuyl A mans almes is a purse wyth him shal kepe a maÌ„s fauour as y â— aple of an eye afterward shal it aryse pay euery maÌ„ his reward vpoÌ„ his head It shall fight for the agaynst thine enemies better theÌ„ y e shyld of a Giaunt or speare of y â— mighty Who so is merciful geueth almes that is the ryght thanke offeringe Loke what thine hand is able geue w t a chereful eye For y â— Lord recoÌ„peÌ„ceth geueth the seuen tymes as muche agayne Geue almes of thy goods turne neuer thy face froÌ„ the poore so shal it come to passe y â— the face of y t Lord shal not be turned away froÌ„ the. Be merciful after thy power If y â— haue much giue pleÌ„â—eously if y â— haue litle do thy diligeÌ„ce gladlye to giue of y t litle For so gatherest y u thy self a good reward in y e day of necessitie â—or mercy delyuereth froÌ„ al syn froÌ„ death suffereth not y e soule to come in darknes A great coÌ„fort is merci before y e
to our successioÌ„ with large teares lamenteth not The inferiour meÌ„bers to enuie the principall partes of the bodye O vnnatural disposicion The seruaunte to rule the master y â— inferiour to ryse against his soueraign y â— subiect to disobey his gouernour O comberous coÌ„fusion The brainsicke yea rather the brainles head to atteÌ„pt redres of matters in a comon weale vnsent vncalled O preposterous order Christo. It can not de denied but diuers of y e comons haue gone far beyond their limites takeÌ„ in hand that hath not become them for asmuch as thei coÌ„trary to 〈◊〉 callinge haue presumed to do the office of magistrates of men lawfullye called to rule in the coÌ„mon weale Theo. Those their rashe disobedieÌ„t behauiour caÌ„ bi no meanes please god Phil. Please yea it rather most highli displeaseth god which is the author of peace not coÌ„fusioÌ„ which wil al thinges to be done semely in comeli order whiche coÌ„mauÌ„deth the subiect to obey his superioure in all thinges not only for feare of punishmeÌ„t but also for coÌ„science sake How greatly god is euer hath ben offeÌ„ded w t disobedieÌ„ce rebellion with order breaking disturbauÌ„ce of a comoÌ„ weale y â— holy scriptures sufficieÌ„tly do shew Was not AdaÌ„ our graÌ„dfather throwen out of paradise for his disobedience toward his lorde god y e most high most excellente magistrate both he all we his ofspring daÌ„ned for euer if we had not ben redemed by the preciouse bloud of y â— vndefiled lambe Iesu Christ Thus froÌ„ the beâ—inninge se we howe greatly god abhorreth disobedieÌ„ce though y â— faute in our eies semeth verye lytle not to be passed of Euse. Truly therfore is it said of Samuel behold to obey is better theÌ„ sacrifice to harkeÌ„ is better theÌ„ the fat of raÌ„mes For rebellioÌ„ is as y e sin of whordoÌ„ stubburnes is as y e sin of idolatry Phi. But y â— I may declare to you how god in comoÌ„ weales hath euer punished disobedience rebellioÌ„ coÌ„spiracies insurreccioÌ„s coÌ„mocions c ageinst lawful magistrats I praâ— you geue eare marke what shall be sayd Chri. We gladly hear Phi Ye know ryght wel y â— wheÌ„ god determined to deliuer his people the Israelites out of Egipt y â— laÌ„de of boÌ„dage slauery he made Moses their gide ruler vnder him The. Ye sai trutâ— Phi. Here was Moses chosen and appointed of god to be the supreme magistrate and principal gouernour of gods people And as he had here by gods commaundemeÌ„t authoritie to rule eueÌ„ so were the Israelites bounde by gods worde to obey which thinge so long as they did they ryght wel prospered they liued quietly god fauored them Moses as a louing father cherished theÌ„ But wheÌ„ thei shoke of the yocke of obedience sought carnal libertie murmured against their magistrate troubled the comon weale oh how did god punishe and plage theÌ„ The lorde hath heard your murmurings saieth Moses which ye murmure against him For what are wee he speaketh of him selfe and Aaron your murmuriÌ„ges are not against vs but against the lorde The Israelites murmuring against Moses murmured against god whose officer Moses was Therfore sayeth the scripture behold the countenaunce of the lorde was moued against the people the lorde fiue the people w t an exceading greate plage And as Dauid sayeth the heauy wrath of god came vpoÌ„ theÌ„ and slue the wealthiest of theÌ„ yea and smot doune y â— chosen men that were in Israel For ther is no power sayth S. Paul but of god the powers y â— be are ordeined of god Whosoeuer therfore resisteth power resisteth the ordinaunce of god But thei that resist shal receiue to them selues daÌ„nacion With how greuous and horrible leprosy did god stryke Mir Iam for murmuring against Moses How plaged god y â— Israelites for murmuringe against him Moses his seruauÌ„t with fyrie serpentes which stonge them vnto death Corah Dathan and Abirom because they did not obeie Moses goddes magistrate but disdained that he shuld reigne ouer them although appointed of god wer they not swalowed vp of the earth bothe they their wyues their children al theyr goodes Went not they al that they had doune alyue vnto hell the earth closed vpon theÌ„ and they perished from among the coÌ„gregacioÌ„ Chri A mete plage for rebellioÌ„ Phi. On the morow after when the people of Israel murmured against Moses saying ye haue kylled the people of the lorde so vnreuerently rayled on him what escaped they vnpunished The scripture sayth there dyed in that plage .xiiii. M. and .vii. hundred besides theÌ„ that dyed about the busines of Corah Thus se we that in y â— beginninge of the Israelites publyke weale god by no meanes could abyde rebels sedicious persons but punyshed them with moste horrible notable plages Eus. If god so greuouslye plaged theÌ„ which dyd but murmure against his magistrate how extremely wyl he punishe theÌ„ y â— do not onely vnâ—cuereÌ„tly speake of the hye powers but also gather vnlawful assembles against them and enarme theÌ„ selues on such maner as though they shulde ryse against a comoÌ„ pestileÌ„ce of the publyke weale Surely y e ende of such must nedes be tomuche miserable The. These thinges were done to shew how greatly god approueth the office dignitie of a lawefull magistrate that he wyl be auenged of al suche as despise his holy ordinaunce agayne y â— we by these examples maye learne to feare the hye powers to honoure and obey them and by no meanes to resiste them excepte wee wyll proue the same or worse plages Philemon Well sayde Absolom Kynge Dauides sonne made an iâ—surreccion agaynste hys father and thorow the counsel of wicked Ahithophel wrought moste vilanie againste his fathers honoure What folowed was not AbsoloÌ„ miserably slaine Did not his vngodly councellour hang him self Wer ther not also .xx. M. meÌ„ slain in battell y e toke Absoloms parte Se to what poynte sedicion bringeth both the authors couÌ„cellors and mainteiners thereof Chri. It is therfore wisedom for all men to folow this councel of the wisemaÌ„ my sonne feare y u the lorde and the kynge kepe no company with sedicious persons for their distruccion shall come sodenly And who knoweth the aduersitie that maye come of them both Againe wishe the kyng no euyll in thy thought and speake no hurt of the ryche in thy priuie chamber for a byrde of the ayre shal betray thy voice and with hâ—â— fethers shal bewraye thy wordes Phil. Who knoweth not that Seba the soÌ„ne of Bichri whiche conspired also against Dauid and disswaded the people of Israel from obedience to their liege soueraign lord had his head cut of Euse. A mete death for a traitour Phile. Baasa the sonne of Ahâ—a coÌ„spired againste Nadab kynge of Israell sâ—ue him
of idle braines and brainles people together robbe mens houses spoyle their goodes breake vp their hedges make seuerall pastures coÌ„mon to all men hunte carnal libertie make a coÌ„munion yea conâ—usion of al thinges and al for the belly Paule woulde rather lyke vnto the pore Lazar haue dyed for honger then once violently and vniustly to take awaye other mens goodes Chri. Ye se the vnmercifulnes of y e riche what wold ye haue the pore people starue for honger Phil. Rather starue and die for honger as pore Lazar dyd then to trouble a coÌ„mon weale As riches so likewise pouertie cometh from god And both are to be takeÌ„ thankefully and not to be grudged at If oppression be done to the pore of the ryche worldlinges shall they auenge them selues God forbyd yea rather take that crosse paciently and thynke that they haue deserued far worser thinges whiche haue so ofte deserued hell and pray to god to geue those ryche men mercifull hertes that accordinge to their dutie they may be moued with pytie and compassion toward the pore Againe if they haue iniuries done vnto them if they can not otherwise be redressed let them complayne to the Magistrates and officers of the commoÌ„ weale whyche are appointed to heare mennes causes Christo. If the poore oppressed complayne to the Iustices of peace or suche lyke in the contrey where he dwelleth that hathe the iniurye done vnto hym lytle redresse as I heare can be hadde one so serueth anothers turne euen as the Mules scratche one anothers backe Philemon If there be anye suche parciall officers whyche are not indifferente but iudge for fauour yet remayneth there another refuge and that is to complaine vnto the Kynges Maiestie and hys moste honorable councell whyche wythoute all doubte wyll bothe gladlye heare theire lamentable complayntes and redresse theyr matters accordinge to iustice But who so leaueth godly meanes and attempteth wycked wayes bothe he and his enterprise muste nedes come to naught as we haue seene of late dayes The lorde hym selfe hath spoken it All they that take the sweard shall peryshe with the swearde All they that are priuate menne and go aboute wyth force and violence to auenge theyr own cause and to redresse theyr owne matters shall surelye come vnto destruccion For they be order breakers and despisers of goddes holy ordinauÌ„ce which hath appointed magistrats and head rulers iustly to iudge betwene man and man in al matters of controuersie that peace and quietenes may be maynteined in a coÌ„mon weale Theo. If men wer christen men in dede as they professe in word they wolde neuer for the bellies sake go aboute to disturbe trouble and disquiet all the members of the bodie There is a prouerbe no lesse true then common God neuer made mouthe but he made meat And truly I am thus perswaded that god which made me a liuing soul and fed me in my mothers wombe wyl not after he hath brought me in to this world suffer me to peryshe for honger if I hange on his fatherlye prouiâ—â—â—e cast my care on hym seke to please hym and liue in my vocacion according to his worde Phil. I am glad neybour Theophile this to heare you speake for as I may tel you truth the principall occasioÌ„ whi I so greatli desire to speake w t you wyth my other neyghbours here was to confort and strengtheÌ„ you againste this sollicitude and thought taking for the belly wherwyth manye at this presente are muche vexed For I am not ignorant what importune suâ—er the bellye is and how she is euer crauing and castyng doutes fearinge that she shuld neuer haue inoughe and therfore continually knocketh at the doore of the mynde to putte him in remembraunce to prouide for her saiyng Adfer Infer bring hither bringe in For the idle belly continuallye consumeth wasteth but getteth prouideth nothinge Therefore is she full of thoughte and care for her liuynge euen as a beggare is whiche is so ielouse ouer hys drynke that he wyll not suffer the lytle flye to sitte vpon the brymme of his cuppe leste she should beguyle him of his drinke Thys belly care causeth the Lawers to corrupte the lawe the iudge to geue false sentence the officers to be vntrue to their Lordes and masters the Hipocrites to corrupt the holy scriptures the ryche men to be vnliberall vnmercifull the Beneficed menne to receyue much and distribute lytle the Patrones of benefices to sell to vnlearned Priestes theyr benefices parentes to sell theire chyldren lyke calues and sheepe for money the papiste to hate the truthe of goddes worde the marchaunte to for sweare hym selfe in sellynge hys marchandise the craftes manne to make and vtter false and sleyghty wares the temporal Lord to raise hys rentes or to take greate fines and incommes the Iâ—ne kepers to polle and pylle hys geastes the seruaunte to robbe his master the mayde her masters the syngle or maried woman to pley the whore the syngle or maryed manne to playe the Rufian and the thiefe the subiecte to ryse agaynst his superioure c. Innumerable euels dothe thys belly care brynge vnto menne againste the whyche except they be well furnyshed both wyth strong fayth in goddes holy prouidence and also fortressed wyth the knoweledge of holye scriptures wherein lye buryed so greate consolacions for the faithful they can not abide y â— importune continual futes of the sluggyshe bellye but must nedes dispaire of satisfiynge her requestes and by this meanes not only haue an vnquiet mynde but also throwe them selues into desperacion and so to muche wretchedly finishe this their careful life Chri. Thys bellye care withoute doute is a great temptacioÌ„ to maÌ„ and very muche disquieteth hym namely when he seeth all thynges so dere as thei be now and despair of a redresse for asmuche as they which shuld amende thys thynge are the cause of this dearth and famine I speake of Grasiers Shep mongers and riche faâ—mers Therfore neyghbour Philemon ye can not intreate at this present in your communicacion amonge vs of a thing more mete for this beggerly and nedy wretched tyme then to declare vnto vs by the holy scriptures how mercâ—full and bounteous lâ—de we haue in heauen whiche wyll not suffer vs to peryshe for honger if we hange on his fatherly prouidence and cast al oure care on hym Phil. Thys your beÌ„te good wyl to heare doth not a litle encourage me to speake that whiche I haue purposed yea and that in fewe wordes because I wyl not be tedious vnto you Eusebius Speake I pray you we wyl geue good eare Phil. That ye maye be thorowly perswaded of goddes liberalitie toward his faythfull seruauntes I praye you fyrst of all consider gods order in the prouision for hys creatures Before god made man whom he was determined to make the hygh ruler vnder him ouer al thinges in this world he made and prepared euery thing necessarye for him and for the conseruacion of his bodie y â—
he might abundantly haue what soeuer is expedient for hym and by no meanes peryshe for honger and lacke of foode Fyrst placing hym in paradise that garden of pleasure he gaue man libertie to eate of al the frute that grew in the garden except the tre of knowledge of good and â—uel After the transgressioÌ„ of gods coÌ„maundement when man was iustly driuen out of paradise and worthye for his disobedience not only to starue for honger but also to be condeÌ„ned for euer if god for his mercies sake promised in that blessed sede Christ Iesu had not fauored forgeuen him God sending forth man into this vale of misery dyd not leaue him confoâ—â—les and without prouision for his bodelye sustenaunce neyther sente he him into a bareyn deserte or â—alte grounde voyde of all frute but into this worlde where he founde plentye and aboundaunce of all thynges and gaue him libertie to eate of all frutes and seedes growynge in it Encrease saieth he and multiplie and replenishe the earthe and subdue it and haue dominion of the fyshe of the sea and the foule of the ayre and of euerye liuinge thinge that moueth vpon the earthe And god sayde Beholde I haue geuen you euery hearbe sowinge seede which is in the vpper face of al the earth and in euerie tree in the whiche is the frute of the tree and that sowâ—the seede that they maye be meate vnto yoâ— Wyth thys kynde of foode was Adam and his posteritye contente vntyll the floude of Nohe After the floude God purposinge as it were to repayre man kinde and to be mannes good and merciful lorde no lesse but much more bounteous to hym then he was aforeâ—sayed bringe ye forth and multiplye and replenyshe the earth The fear of you the drede of you shall be vpon euery beaste of the earth and vpon euerie foule of the ayer and in all suche as the earth bringeth forth and in all the fyshes of the sea into your hande are they deliuered Euery thynge that moueth it self and that liueth shal be meate for you Euen as the grene hearbe haue I geuen you al thinges As god afore gaue maÌ„ libertie to eate al kynde of herbes sedes and frutes that grow vpon the earth so likewise geueth he maÌ„ authoritie nowe to eate all kynde of fyshe or fleshe as he lysteth Christ. O exceadinge greate is the liberalitie of our lorde god which dealeth so fauorablye wyth wretched manne Not onlye to geue hym libertie to eate all kynde of hearbes seedes and frutes buâ— also all maner of fleshe and fyshe This is with out doubte a singulare benefite and greate token of goddes inestimable goodnes towarde man Phi. Here euen frome the beginning and reparing of maÌ„ dothe the kyndenes of god braste out and shew forth it selfe toward man abundantly so that nowe all thynges are pure to them that are pure Nothing is commune or vnclean neither is any kinde of meat to bee refused if it bee taken with thankes geuinge For that which god hath purified made cleane ought no man to call vnpure vncleane And all these thinges hath god geueÌ„ vs to eate Now that ye maye be thorowlye perswaded of goddes truth in performinge hys promises call to remembrauÌ„ce the histories of the holye scriptures whiche do declare and euidentlye proue that god is faythfull in all his wordes and dealeth no lesse fauorablye wyth his seruauntes in dede then he promiseth in worde GOD coÌ„maunded Absolom to get him out of his contrey and out of his nacion and frome hys fathers house vnto a lande that he woulde shewe hym Abraham dyd as the lorde commaunded him If Abraham had not bene fully perswaded of goddes constancie and truthe in accomplyshing his promises wolde he haue forsaken his natiue contrey and gone oute of hys owne house where he was quiâ—tely placed and wealthily settled and wandered abrode lyke a masterles hounde he can not tell whither Eusebius A carnall and worldlye wyse man woulde haue thought it greate madnes to leaue a thynge certeine for that that is vncerteyne Philemon So iudgeth the wysedome of thys worlde whyche is folyshenes afore God Notwythstandinge Abraham nothyng doutynge of goddes promise forsoke contrey nacion and house and obeyed the voyce and commaundemente of God Neyther was he any thynge at all thereby impoueryshed The scripture sayeth he was very ryche in cattell syluer and golde For his natiue contrey God gaue hym a contrey that flowed wyth mylke and honye that is wyth the abundaunce of al thinges For one house he gaue hym many houses For one nacion he made hym a father of many nacions So recompenseth God the losses that any man susteineth for hys sake Theophilus The lyke thynge is promised of oure sauioure Christe in the gospel Ther is no maÌ„ saieth he that hath forsaken house either father or mother either brethren or wyfe or children for the kyngedome of gods sake which shal not receiue muche more in this world and in the world to come life euer lastinge Phil. Who euen by this one exemple is not greatli encouraged to beleue the promise of god and to be fully perswaded that as god dealte wyth Abraham so in lyke maner wyl he deale with vs if we obey the voice of god as AbrahaÌ„ did For there is no respecte of persons with hym but in al people he that â—â—areth hym worketh ryghteousenes is accepted vnto hym The promise of god is vniuersal Whosoeuer therfore laieth hande on it wyth stronge fayth he shall haue of god whatsoeuer he hath promised There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile for one is lorde of all whiche is ryche vnto all that cal vpon him For whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lorde he shall be safe Chri. It is not withoute a cause that thapokles praied Lorde encrease oure faythe For if true and vndoubted faythe were in the hertes of meÌ„ thei wold nether distrust y â— promise of God nor yet despaire of conuenient lyuinge Phil. Faith is muche yea faithe is altogether Whatsoeuer ye axe when ye praie saithe Christ beleue to haue it and ye shal haue it in dede as god shewed him self faithfull in his promise to Abraham whiche is the father of the faythfull so lykewyse did he to other because no man shoulde doubte of his liberalitie whych is comune not to Abraham only but to all the faithefull in lyke maÌ„ner ye remeÌ„ber y t Hager was the hand maide of Sara Abrahams wife because Sara hir self was barreÌ„ childeles she gaue to hir husbande her maid to be his wife y t she might be edified by hir Christo. We remember it well Phil. This Hagar broughte forthe a sonne called Ismael by hir master Abraham whiche child was a mocker in somuch y t after Sara had brought forthe Isahac hir sonne she wold not suffer neyther the lad nor his maister to
tari any longer in hir house but caused Abraham to put them both oute Eusebi Ye saye truethe Phi. Abraham rose vp earelye in the morenynge and toke breade and a bottell of water and gaue it vnto Hagar puttyng it on hir shulders with the ladde also and sent hir away Nowe marcâ—â— Hagar is put oute of hir masters house wyth hir childe She knoweth not whither to go She hathe no house wherin to hide her head but wandreth vp and downe in y e wyldernes of Ber Seba. To conforte her no man is bente For no man is presente As touching her vitaile it is al spent The breade is eaten the water is drunke vp There remayneth now in sight no more but vtterly to despayre of soucoure and miserablye to dye Which thinge Hagar considering casteth the ladde Ismael vnder a bushe goeth her waye and sitteth on the other syde a greate waye as it were a bowe shote of because she wolde not se the deathe of the chylde Wyth howe great sorowes her herte was stuffed whaâ— plentie of teares gushed out of her eyes what careful fayntenes occupied her whole bodie no man is able to expresse A chylde to dye for honger the mother knowinge of it yea and as it were in her syghte in her bosome O dolour vnspeakeable The mother lykewyse to bee pearsed wyth the same darte O in comparable payne Al thinges are brought here to extreme desperacioÌ„ There is no waye to escape this present mischiefe The childe cryeth the mother wepeth Both loke for presente death But what Is god vntrue vniust false in his promise Stoppeth he his cares that he may not heare the lameÌ„table coÌ„plaintes of the to much wretched Despiseth he the teares of the mother and the cryinges of the child Yea rather when no remedie is loked for god is present god conforteth god helpeth because he wyll be founde a god which is faythful in all his wordes whych is the self trueth and can not lye whiche leaueth no maÌ„ socurles that calleth on him He sendeth his holye angel to the miserable womaÌ„ when no mortall creature is present to help He conforteth her and biddeth her not feare for god hath heard saith he the voice of the chylde where he lyâ—th He sheweth her a well of water to confort both her her childe withal and afterwarde prâ—miseth that the lad Ismaell shall be a noble man and greate multitudes of people shall ryse of hym Theo. O historie ful of most swete consolacion This is a confortable pleasaunt mirrour for all people to beholde specially for them that are maried and yet se not suche and so great is theyr pouertie howe they maye bee able to noryshe them If the maried folke liue according to their vocacion and trauaile in their estate in the feare of the lord though they haue neuer so manye childreÌ„ and great familie yet shall the sea soner be without water and fyshe and the land without grasse and cattell then any of them shall perishe for honger If god prouided for Ismaell and his mother in the wyldernes wher no sustenauÌ„ce was to be gotten wher no maÌ„ was present but brute beastes foules of the ayer wyl he leaue theÌ„ socourles that put their trust in him be-being in cities townes and villages and coÌ„uersant with men wher all thinges do abouÌ„d Chri. If the pore maried meÌ„ dyd earnestly wey and diligentlye ponder this moste swete and confortable historie they shulde neuer dispaire of a liuinge neither for theÌ„ selues nor for their chyldren and familie neither wold they seke any vnlawefull meanes as by stierring vp coÌ„mocions makynge insurreccions spoylynge other mens goodes c how to auoid their misery but rather laboure to answere their vocacion and without ceassing call on the name of the lorde which wyl deale no lesse fauorably wyth theÌ„ then he dyd w t Hagar and Ismaell Putte thou thy truste sayeth Dauid in the lorde and do good so shalte thou dwell in the earthe and be fedde wyth the beste daynties thereof Delyghte thou in the lorde and he shal geue the thy hertes desyre Committe thy waye to the lorde and put thy truste in hym and he shall brynge it to passe He shal make thy ryghteousenes as cleare as the lyghte and thy iuste dealing as the noone daye Holde the styll in the lorde and abyde pacientlye vpon him c Agayne Put your truste in God alwaye O ye people powre oute your hertes before hym for he is oure hope Philemo In the dayes of Isahac Abrahams sonne there fell a greate dearthe in the lande where he dwelte in so muche that he remoued frome that place and tooke his iourneye towarde Abimeleche Kynge of the Philistines euen vnto Gerer And whyle he was yet in hys iourney god spake vnto hym and sayde Go not doune into Egipte but abide in the land which I shal shew vnto the soieorne in this land and I wyl be wyth the and wyll blesse the. For vnto the and to thy sede I wyl geue al these contreis Behold goddes carefull prouidence for his seruauntes Isahac wyshing to escape the cruell daries of honger hunteth aboute where he and hys maye conuenieÌ„tlye dwell And rather then he wolde die for honger he after the example of his father AbrahaÌ„ determineth to go doune into Egipte God which is able to fede and to saue his people in euery place for the earth is the lordes and al that is conteined therin for biddeth Isahac to go doune into Egipt wylleth him to tary styll in the contrey and promiseth to blesse hym yea to geue to him and to his sede all the contreis of that lande Isahac obeying the voyce of god taried in that coÌ„trey waxed exceâ—ding myghty wealthy ryche For god gaue him greate abundaunce of corne of shepe and of oxen yea wyth a myghtie household dyd the lorde blesse hym insomuch that the kinge him selfe came vnto him desired to make acouenauÌ„t of peace and amitie with him vnto suche so great power was Isahac growen He which afore knew not wher coÌ„modiously to lyue and in y â— contrey which he wolde haue forsaken for penurie and honger euen he nowe is become so ryche that the kynge him selfe is glad to come to hym and to desire his fauour Eus. O wonderful workes of god Chri. Here finde we that true whiche is spoken by the wyseman Put thy truste in god and abide in thine estate for it is an easye thinge in the syght of god to make a poore man ryche yea and that sodenlye The blessinge of god hasteth to the rewarde of the ryghteous and maketh his frutes sone to florishe and prosper Theo. This in dede was proued true in Isahac phil Not in Isahac onlye but in so many as euer obeyed the voyce of God and liued according to their vocacion God is the same god to vs all that he was to Abraham and Isahac if we by stronge faythe hange on hym
and on his fatherlye prouidence as they dyd if the same integritie of maners and innocencie of lyfe apeareth in vs that shined in them Euse. This beneficence and liberalitie of god towarde Isahac ought to encourage al men to tary at home in their own contreis and houses to be contente wyth theire estate callinge and not to stray a brode for liuinges as many idle braynes do nowe a daies leauinge theyr wyues and theire children in greate care and miserie and manie of them neuer returning vnto theÌ„ Neyther ought men to doubte but that god whiche is almyghty and able to do what soeuer hys good pleasure is wyl as wel prouide for them at home in their poore cotages as in the haulles of Princes The blessinge of the lorde maketh men ryche as for carefull trauaile it doth nothing therto Phil. When Isahac sent his soÌ„ne Iacob to Mesopotamia y â— he might take to wife one of y â— doughters of LabaÌ„ Iacob as he passed forthe on his iourney made a vow sayd If god wyl be with me wil kepe me in this iourney which I go and wyll geue me bread to eate clothes to put on so y â— I come againe vnto my fathers house in safetye theÌ„ shal y â— lorde be my god this stone which I haue set vp an ende shall be gods house and of all that thou shalte geue me wyll I geue the tenthe vnto thee Here Iacob desireth gods assisteÌ„ce in his iourney that he may go and come safe And as touching worldly goodes he desireth no more but foode and raiment And so nothing douting of goddes helpe he goeth forward on his iourney according to the coÌ„maundemeÌ„t of his father Nowe behold the louing kyndnes of god toward Iacob God which neuer leaueth them socourles that calle on hys holye name appeareth vnto Iacob in his slepe and promiseth that he wyl geue him his seede the lande that he slepeth vpon and that his posteritie shall be great and many that they shall be as the dust of the earth and shal spread abroude to the weaste to the easte to the north and to the south yea and that in his sede all kinreds of the earth shall be blessâ—d Chri. Here are mo benefites promised to Iacob then he asked Phil. Yea mo then he durst haue required of god Euse. But what of the requestes coÌ„cerninge his iourney Phil. Ye shal heare Wher as Iacob desired god to be with him and to kepe him in his iourney god sayd vnto him on this maner Behold I am with the and wyll be thy keper in all places whither thou goest and wyl bring the againe into this lande neither wil I leaue the vntil I haue made good al that I haue promised the. According to goddes promise Iacob had a prosperous iourney trauailynge into Mesopotamia Of whose coÌ„minge when LabaÌ„ heard vnto whom he was sente of his father Laban for very ioye ranne to mete him enbrased him and kissed him and brought him to his house Theo. Thys was good lucke Chri. Good lucke in dede Phi. So worketh god for hys seruauntes which hath all mens hartes in his hande Theo. But what entertainement had Iacob afterwarde Phil. Iacob taried wyth Laban twenti yeres in the which tyme God dyd not only sende him bread clothes accordinge to hys requeste but also such wiues as his harte desired wyth manye goodly children Yea God so blessed Iacob that he was excedinge ryche in gold and siluer in maide seruauntes and men seruauntes in shâ—pe Camels Asses goates kyne c. And afterwarde God brought him home again into his contreye bothe saffelye and wealthely Who will now distrust the promyse of suche a Lorde so liberall so bounteous so beneficial Euse. This historie is greatlye coÌ„fortable for al godly trauaâ—lers by coÌ„treies hereof may they learne y â— god wil not forsake theÌ„ nor leue theÌ„ socourles but seÌ„d theÌ„ al things necessary in their iourney defeÌ„d them frome theire ennemies and safely bryng them whoÌ„ agayn if they cal on his holy name caste their care on hym Chri. So sayth the Psalmographe he shall giue his Aungels charge ouer the to kepe the in al thy wayes They shal beare the in theire handes that thou hurte not thy foote against a stone God shall defende the vnder hys wynges thou shalt be safe vnder hys fethers His faithfulnes trueth shal be thi sheld buckelar Thou shalt not be afraid for ani terrour by nyght nor for y â— arrowe y â— flyeâ—th by y â— day Againe my helpe cometh euen from y â— lord which hath made heaueÌ„ earth He wil not suffer thi foote to be moued he that kepeth the will not sleape Behold he that kepeth Israel shal neither slomber nor sleape The Lorde hym selfe is thy keper the Lorde is thy defence vpon thy ryghte hande So that the sunne shall not burne the by daye neither the moone by nyght The Lord shal preserue the from all euyl yea it is euen he that shal kepe thy soule The Lord shal preserue thy goinge oute and thy comminge in from thys time forth for euermore Theo. Thesâ—e be swete and comfortable scriptures Phil. I graunt to the faithefull whiche depend altogether on God and on hys fatherlye prouidence But the vnfaithfull whiche truste on them selfes on their owne wysdome and pollicy fele no sauour nor swetnes in them as saynt Paule saith a naturall man perceaueth not the thinges that beloÌ„g to the spirit of god for they are folyshnes vnto hym But let vs beholde mo histories which shal declare set forth goddes hiâ— prouidence singular liberalite toward his seruauntes y â— we mai learne perfectli to haÌ„ge on the lorde our god Ye reade in the first boke of Moses that in the time of Iacob whom we spake of a litle afore there was a great dearth in al contreis in somuch that in the laÌ„de of Canaan there was no vitaile to be gotten for money Now behold the prouidence of god God aforeseyng this plage of famine to the entente that his seruauntes shulde not peryshe in tyme of honger for lacke of fode wonderfully sent Ioseph afore into Egipte And although his brothers solde him in to a straunge land by this meanes sekyng his destruccion yet god turned thys his seruitude vnto his honour and the euel that they dyd to theyr brother vnto their profite wealthe and commoditie For god exalted Ioseph and set vp his honour aboue all the lordes and princes of Egipte euen nexte vnto the Kynge was he in dignitie in somuch that he hadde the rule of all the kynges dominions did what semed him good in his owne eyes such fauour founde he in the syght of the kynge thorow goddes working Now when this dearth was also felte in the lande of Canaan and Iacob w t his familie in great daunger thereof Iacob hearinge that corne was to be sold in
Egipt for thorowe Iosephes wisedome was there corne inoughe layde vp in the store houses of euerye Citye in Egipte sente his sonnes thither to bye corne for theire money that they might liue and nâ—t die To be short seyng the historie is knowen when the sonnes of Iacob came thither for vitaile there was Ioseph their brother in hie authoritie whoÌ„ they iudged eyther to be dead or elles to liue lyke a bonde slaue and drudge not able eyther to do him selfe good or any other In fewe they had vitailes home with them and their money also with manye precious gyftes and at the laste a coÌ„maundement geuen them y â— they shuld bringe their father and hys houshold wyth al that he had and prouision shulde be made for them euen in the best partes of the lande of Egipte Yea the kynge him selfe sente charâ—ttes oute of Egypte to fetche Iacob and all his familie and bad them not regarde theire stuffe for the good of all the lande of Egipte is youres sayth he Iacob and all his were honorablye brought thyther liberally and gently enterteyned of the kynge quietely and wealthelye placed in the lande of Egypt And all this came to passe by the prouidence of God whiche afore seynge thynges to come worketh wonderfullye for the sauegarde and healthe of hys seruauntes For the cause that Iacob and hys chyldren found such fauour in the syght of kynge Pharao was not fortune nor chaunce but goddes prouidence againe that Ioseph was exalted vnto such dignitie the cause thereof was not Iosephes fayr face nor yet his goodly personage but gods good wyll whiche gaue him suche wisedome as none had the lyke in all Egipte neither was there any in al the dominions of kynge Pharao founde lyke vnto Ioseph whom the kyng might make gouernour ouer his realme And al these thinges wrought god for the preseruacioÌ„ of his seruauntes as Ioseph himselfe said to his brethren I am Ioseph your brother whom you solde in to Egipte Nowe therefore be not greued therwyth neyther let it seme a cruell thinge in your eyes that ye solde me hither For god dyd sende me before you into Egipte for your wealth and to saue your liues For this is the second yere of dearth in the lande and fyue mo are behind in whiche there shall bee neyther earing nor heruest Wherfore god sente me before you to make prouision that ye myght continue in the earth and to saue your lyues by a greate deliueraunce So nowe it was not you that sente me hither but god which hath made me a father vnto Pharao and lorde of all his house and ruler thorowe oute all the lande of Egipte God hym selfe also spake vnto Iacob in a vision by nyght saying I am god the god of thy father feare not to go doune into Egipte for I wyll there make of the a greate people I wyll go doune wyth the into Egipte and I wyll also bringe the agayne Chri. O the vnspeakeable good wyll of god toward all them that trust in hym What other nacion saith Moses is so greate that goddes come so nye vnto as the lorde our god is nye vnto vs in all thynges so ofte as wee call vnto hym The Lorde our god is a mercifull god he wyll not forsake vs neyther destroye vs nor forget the appointement of our fathers whiche he sware vnto them The lorde oure god cherysheth vs euen as a father doth his sonne Wyll a mother forget the child of her wombe saythe god and not pitie the sonne whom she bare And thoughe she doth forget yet wyl not I forgette the. Behold I haue written the vp vpoÌ„ my handes c. Theo. The last historie which you rehearsed neighbour PhilemoÌ„ is very coÌ„fortable and teacheth vs that although the plage of famine be caste vpon any realme the wicked therof peryshe for honger yet wyl god so prouide for them that fear him cal on his holy name that they shall want no good thyng Phil. Wel noted neighbour Theophile So wold I haue you both heare and reade the histories of y â— holy scriptures y â— ye shuld perswade your selfe that what soeuer confortable historie ye finde in the sacred byble is ther written for your coÌ„fort And to proue your saying true heare what god sayth by the Prophet Behold my sernauntes shal eate but ye shall honger Behold mi seruauntes shal drinke but ye shal suffer thirst Behold my seruauntes shall be merye but ye shall be confounded Beholde my seruauntes shall reioyse for a very quietnesse of hearte but ye shal cry for sorowe of herte and complaine for vexacion of mynde Eusebius The sayinge of Kynge Dauid dothe not muche differ frome this Beholde the eyes of the lorde are vpon them that feare him and vpon them that truste in his mercie that he maye deliuer their lyues from death and noryshe them in tyme of honger Salomon also sayth the lorde wyl not let the life of the ryghteous suffer honger Phil. After god had deliuered the Israelites out of Egipte with an out stretched arme and broughte them into the wyldernes of Sin where they sawe neither meate nor drynke for god was determined to proue them whether they wer faithfull or not they grudged againste Moses and Aaron sayinge wolde to God we had died by the hand of the lorde in the land of Egipt wheÌ„ we satte by the fleshe pottes and when we dyd eate breade oure bellyes full For ye haue brought vs oute into thys wyldernesse to kyll the hole multitude wyth honger Ye se the vnthanckefulnes of this people for whoÌ„ God had wrought so manye wonders and to whome God had shewed so greate tokens of louynge kyndenes euen as a father dothe to his childe Ye haue hearde howe they murmured ageÌ„st Moses Aaron Goddes laweful ministers whiche is nothynge else then to murmure agenst God him selfe Ye se theire vnfaithfulnes howe they are altogether swarued frome God and from his holy prouidence so that they are worthy no benefite at the hande of God but what theÌ„ Is God false of his promise yea rather eueÌ„ for his promis sake where vnto God hathe euer cheife respecte whyche he made to theire fathers Abraham Isahac and Iacob he wonderfullye sente them downe meat from heauen eueÌ„ maÌ„na so fed theÌ„ as y â— wise maÌ„ sayeth y u hast fed thine own people with angels foode sent theÌ„ bread redye from heauen wythout theyr laboure beynge very pleasaunte good of taste And to shewe the riches and swetnes vnto thy childreÌ„ thou gauest euery one their desire so that euerye man myghte take what lyked hym beste Theo. If God for his promyse sake fedeth the vnfaithfull no les vnthaÌ„ckefull Israelites frome heauen we that beleue his promises and haÌ„ge onlye on him and on hys fatherlye prouidence may be sure not to waÌ„t but abundantlye to haue what so euer is necessary for vs
as y e Psalmographe sayeth The eyes of all thynges loke and wayte vpon the O Lorde and thou geueste them meate in due tyme. Thou openest thy hande and replenishest all thinges lyuynge wyth thy blessynge Ageine They that feare the Lord shal haue no scarsenes Thei whyche seke the Lorde shall wante noâ— good thynge Chri. God shall soner cease to be God then such as vnfainedly trust in hym shal peryshe for honger Phil. As y e Israelites murmured for meat so likwise did they for water They came to Moses chide with him yea thei wer almost redye to stone him and saide Gyue vs water to dryncke Wherefore haste thou broughte vs oute of Egipte to kyll vs and oure chyldren and cattalle wyth thyrste The Lorde God styll conâ—â—derynge hys promyses and not weyinge their in fidelitie nor vnthanckefulnes woÌ„derfullye and agaynste all naturall and humayne expectacioÌ„ gaue them plentye of swete waters oute of the harde stonye rocke Euse. O the maruelouse worckes of God He is not called almyghtye wythoute a canse For he dothe what so euer hys good pleasure is It is truelye sayde of Dauid greate is oure Lord and greate is his power yea his wysdome is infinite Who wil now doubt of necessari foode seing God so meruelously fedeth the vnfaithful vnthaÌ„ckefull disobediente people Phi. At a nother tyme the rascall people y t was amonge them beinge wearye of the meate sent downe from heauen fell a lustynge and turned theÌ„ selfes and wept euen as did also y e children of Israel and sayde who shall gyue vs fleshe to eate We remember the fyshe which we did eat in Egipte for nought and y e cucuÌ„bers and melons lekes onions garlecke But nowe oure soule is dryed away for we can se nothing else saue Manna And oure soule lotheth thys lyghte breade Ye see that these people are styl like them selfes that is vnfaithful vnthaÌ„kefull disobediente O frowarde and croked generacioÌ„ sayth Moses do ye so rewarde the Lorde O ye folyshe people and vnwyse Chri. It is not without a cause that sainte Stephen called that nacion styfnecked vncircumcised hartes and eares and suche as alwaye resyste the holy ghost Phil. Wel yet note Notwithstandinge their infidelitie vnthanckefulnes and disobedience God continued styl iuste in his promises faythfull in his wordes true in his dealynges for accordinge to their desire for his promyse sake he wolde not suffer them to wante but gaue them whatsoeuer they lusted for Ther weÌ„t forth a wynde frome the Lorde saythe the scripture and brought quailes from the sea and let them fal about the host eueÌ„ a daies iournei rouÌ„d about on euery syde of y e hoste and they dyd flye in the ayer as it were two cubites hye ouer the earthe And the people stode vp all that daye and all that nyghte and on the morow they gathered quayles And he that gathered a litle gathered ten homers full And they spred them abrode rounde aboute the hoste Thus se ye how God for hys promyse sake cheryshed the Israelytes although vnfaythful vnthanckefull and disobedient euen as y e Nurse doth hir sucking babe and fedde them by the space of .xl. yeres in y e wildernes without their paine care trayuayle or laboure Theo. If God shewed such gentilnes to the vnfaithefull and disobediente for hys promyse sake howe much more wyll he shew hym selfe a gentle and louynge father to them that fear hym beleue in hym loue hym and for their powers laboure to walke in hys holye path-waies Phil. Such shal neuer waÌ„t Nowe marcke what followeth As god prouided meate for the Israelites so in lyke manner suffered he them not to go naked nor to peryshe for colde but all that tyme of fortye yeres when they were in the wyldernesse he so preserued their clothes that they waxed not olde and soo saued their shooes that they were not worne but both garmentes and shooes so whole at the fortie yeres ende as they were at their fyrste comminge into wildernes I haue led you forty yeres in the wyldernesse sayeth god and your clothes are not waxed olde vpon you neyther are the shooes of your feete worne Ye haue eaten no breade nor dronke wyne or stronge drynke that ye mighte knowe that I am the Lord youre god Moses also sayth god humbled the suffered the to honger fed the wyth Manna whiche neyther thou nor thy fathers knew of to make the to knowe that man dothe not lyue by breade onlie but by euerye word that procedeth out of the mouthe of the Lorde doth a man lyue Thy rayement waxed not olde vpon the neyther did thy foote swell those fortie yeres Here of maye ye perceaue howe bountifull God is in geuynge foode and apparell to them speciallye y t feare hym and kepe his holy commauÌ„dementes Who wyll nowe be careful eyther for the bellye or for the backe as they saye God made theÌ„ both God wyl nourishe them both Eus. These histories do so set forth the kindenes of God towarde maÌ„ that none excepte verye infideles haue iuste occasion to dispayre of Gods liberalitie if they cal on his name and trauaile accordinge to theire vocacion phil There is no thyng more certeine But leste any man should thyncke that thys kyndnes of god ceassed in them of whome I haue hitherto spoken I wyll rehearse one or two histories mo out of the olde testamente and then alledge certeine oute of the new wherof ye maye learne that other proued the lyke kyndenes at the hand of god euen as wel in the newe testament as in the olde that by this meanes ye maye be perfectlye perswaded god to be the Lorde of the same liberalitie now that he was afore alike kynde to his seruauÌ„tes in all ages Who knoweth not y â— Elias was an excellent Prophet of god feruent in spirit vehement in worde and ielous for the glory of god Chri. The scriptures testifie no lesse of him Theo. Elias stode vp as fyre saith the wiseman and his worde brent lyke a cresset Whyle he liued he was afrayed of no Prince and no man myghte ouercome him Of his prayse wryteth Iesus the sonne of Syrache Phil. Thys man of God lyued in the time of Achab kinge of Israel in whose dayes God sent a greate dearth into the world for it rained not vpon the earth by the space of iii. yeres and .vi. moneths In this plage of famine whereof innumerable wythoute dyed se howe God prouyded for hys seruaunt Elias Fyrste when the waters began to be dryed vp God sente hym to the brooke Cherith where he promysed to gyue hym drincke whyche thyng he vnfainedly performed so that wheÌ„ other perished for lacke of dryncke he hadde Gods plentye inoughe as they vse to saye Now as touchyng his meate behold the wonderfull power of God whyche commaunded the Rauens to fede him and to bringe him meate The Rauens saith y â— scripture brought hym
wonderfull myracles that Chryste wrought for the sustenaunce of hys people Reade we not that our Sauioure Christ at a certeine time fedde almost fiue thousande men besyde women and children with fyue loaues and two fyshes And yet when they all had eaten inoughe they gathered vp so muche of the fragmentes that be lefte as filled twelue baskets full At a nother tyme when the people hadde bene with Christ thre daies and were readye to departe hauynge nothynge to eate and some of them hadde farre to go so that if they had gone awaye wythoute meate they shulde haue faynted by the waye what a fryndlye care had Christe for them I haue compassion on the people saythe he because they haue continued with me three dayes and haue nothynge to eate And I wyll not lette them departe fastyng leste they peryshe by the waye And whē his disciples sayd whēce shuld we get so muche bread in the wiloernes as shuld suffice so great a multitude tolde him that they had but seuen loaues and a fewe lytle fyshes he cōmaunded the people to sit doune on the ground and toke the seuēloaues and the fishes and geuyng thankes brake them and deliuered them to his disciples and the disciples to the people and they all dyd eate and were fylled And they toke vp of y e brokē meate that was lefte seuen baskets full And yet they that did eate wer .iiii. thousand men besides women and chyldren Here se ye that the loaues and fyshes were multiplyed in the handes of the disciples and in the mouthes and bellies of them that dyd eate thorow Christes blessing so myghty is he to preserue the liues of his seruauntes in the tyme of nede Theo. This is a confortable historie for all them that loue to heare the worde of god to frame theyr lyfe accordinge to the same Such may be sure not to want the liberalitie of god in theyr necessitie which as S. Paul sayeth geueth vs all thinges abundauntly to enioye thē Chri. This affirmeth that princelyke Prophet sayinge The ryche shal want suffer hōger but they whych seke the lord shal want no good thyng Phil. Whē Christ his mother wyth his disciples wer at the mariage in Cana a citye of Galile ye know that y e gestes wanted wyne What spared he hys liberalitie from them Yea rather dyd he not cōmaund the seruitoures to fyll the water pottes wyth water And when they had fylled euen vnto the bryme .vi. water pottes of stōne containing .ii. or thre fyrkins a pece dyd not he turne all y ◠water in to swete wyne Certes they can want nothyng which haue Christ present wyth them Let vs prouide that we haue Christ amonge vs we may be sure to haue abundaūce of al good thynges Euse. This historie is very confortable for al maried persons which mary in y e lord Al such that so mary continue in the feare of god may be sure that the water in their welles shal soner be turned into wine the stones of their walles in to bread the claye of their flores into meat y e thatch of their houses in to cloth then thei shal extremely want necessary thinges eyther for them selues or for their family Chri. Wold god al mē beleued thys Then shulde they haue merrye and quiete myndes where now thorow infidelitie they be miserablye disquieted wyth the care of worldly thynges Theo. Laye thy care on the lorde sayth Dauid and he shal noryshe the. Also S. Peter Caste all pour care on god for he careth for you Phil. Agayne how dyd our sauiour Chryste prouide for hys disciples when he sent them forth to preach without money or meat as he him selfe sayeth in the gospell of Luke When I sent you without wallet and scryp and shoes lacked ye any thynge And they sayde No. The disciples accordinge to their vocacion wente forth and preached the gospell nothynge doutyng but he that sente them wolde prouide for them For what maister can fynde in his hert to se his seruātes lacke Chri. Thys is verye confortable for the true Preachers of goddes word Herof maye they wel be asserteined that if they do their masters message faythfullye they shall not wante though the wycked worlde be neuer so vnthankeful and nyggardely vnto them Phil. O how confortable are these wordes of our sauioure Christe to a faythfull christen man I say vnto you be not carefull for the lyfe what ye shall eate or what ye shall drinke nor yet for your body what ye shal put on Is not the life more worthe then meate and the bodye more of value then raymente Behold the foules of the ayre for they sowe not neither reape nor yet carye into the barnes and yet your heauenly father feedeth them Are ye not muche better then they Whych of you thoughe he tooke thought therfore could put one cubite vnto his stature And whye care ye then for rayment Consider the lylies of the fyelde howe they growe They labour not neyther spyn And yet for all that I say vnto you that euen Salomon in all his royaltie was not arayed lyke vnto one of these Wherfore if god so cloth the grasse whych is to day in the field to morow shal be cast into y e furnace shall he not muche more do y e same vnto you o ye of lytle faith Therfore take no thought saying what shal we eate or what shall we drinke or wher w t shal we be clothed After all these thinges seke y e gētiles For your heauēly father knoweth that ye haue nede of all these thynges But rather seke ye fyrst the kyngdome of god and the ryghteousenes thereof and all these thynges shall be caste vnto you Behold what goodly and natural examples our sauiour christ bringeth forth here that he may allure vs to truste only on gods prouidence not to be carefull for the necessaries of this lyfe whych are not gotten by painful trauaile but receyued of gods mere liberalitie And because we shuld not be careful for meate he first setteth before our eies the foules of y e ayer for an example whō seing god the father feedeth so plenteouslie y t they want nothyng when they neyther sowe nor reape nor cari in to the barnes muche more wyll he feede vs and sende vs what soeuer is necessarie for the preseruacion of thys our naturall lyfe if we call on hys holye name and lyue accordynge to our vocacion If he fedeth the byrdes because they be hys creatures whiche notwythstandyng so once dye that they neuer lyue after muche more wyl he prouide for vs which are not only hys creatures but also created after his owne Image endued wyth an immortall soule and made vnto this ende that we shulde set forth his glorye prayse hys blessed name and after the generall resurreccion our bodies and soules beyng knytte together liue