Therfore there is not so much ioye in climing vpward as there is sorrow in falling hard downward nor so much roume after victory as after ruine reproch of follie Therefore bee sure with what measure is mette to others the same to be measured againe If these sentences had bene and were of the enemies of Gods Gospell well cōsidered truly they would not haue shewed so much crueltie in shedding so much innocent bloud as they haue done and continually seeke to do What should hee that is strong auaunt of his strength whō bodily sicknes bringeth to feblenes Therefore in tyme foresee and amend if not the fall will bee the greater Concerning a further setting forth of the Romish Church and crueltie I referre it to other authors which speake therof sufficiently Great griefe assailes the Lecherous minde of such as doth the youth alure More worse then beastes I do thē finde such youth to lechery to procure ¶ The signification THe Goate signifieth Lechery the woman Whoredome◠she which leadeth the Goate by the beard is meretrix the baude and the deuill Nicticorax a blinde guide or deceauer LEchery in all estates is vtter enemie to vertue and an offence to the body It causeth all mischiefe discorde not only betwixt mā and wife but also it engendreth dreadfull hate endlesse destructiō both to the body liuing and also to the soule euerlasting Ualerius in his 4. boke declareth of one Sophonides who in hys old age sayd to one which demaūded of hym if he were any thyng lecherous His answere was willing hym to haue other matters to speake or talke of for sayth he I haue had great victory for that from my tyme to thys present I haue vanquished that which otherwyse would haue vanquished me Looke in the 34. chapter of Genesis and there is manifestly shewed the punishment for adulterers When Dina the daughter of Lea which she bare vnto Iacob went out to see the daughters of the land whom when Sichem the sonne of Hemor the Heuite Lord of that countrey sawe he toke her and lay with her and forced her And when Iacob heard that hys daughter Dina was defiled hee with his sonnes ceased not to auenge the crime committed so that Simeon Leui her brethren toke either of them hys sworde and went into the citie and slue all that was male and also Hemor and Sichem hys sonne c. Looke also in the second booke of the Kinges the 13. chapter of Ammon who for defiling of hys sister Thamar was destroyed by hys brother Absolon Consider also the horrible plage that fell vnto those which had cōmitted horrible adultery with the Leuites wife looke in the 20. chapter of the Iudges Moreouer what was the cause of the Lordes threatning agaynst the Niniuites It was for the wicked sinne of whoredome Who caused Ioseph to be imprisoned Euen the lecherous desire of his mistresse as it appeareth in the 39. chapter of Genesis Therefore lechery doth not onely cause offence by actuall deede but also in inward thought to such as doe desire the same Looke in Math. 5 Who so looketh on a woman and lusteth after her hath committed adultery already in his hart Flie from sinne as thou wouldest flie from a Serpent if not bee thou sure what soeuer thou bee not to haue fellowship with the faythfull Worse then a Pharesite I may them call which lawfull mariage doth disdaine And seekes the truth to bring in thrall all such doth Sathā quit their paine ¶ The signification THe Fryer is Fallax the Nunne Dedecus the deuill in the tree superstition and the other deuill Dicax a reprocher of wickednes and a rayler agaynst the veritie FOrnication ought to bee eschewed Looke in the 1. Corinth 10. chapter The people satte downe to eate drinke and rose vp to play Neither let vs be defiled with fornication as some of thē were defiled with fornication and fell in one day xxiij thousand Therefore to auoyde whoredome let euery man haue his owne wife and let euery woman haue her husband Euery sinne that a mā doth is without the body But he that is a fornicator sinneth agaynst hys own body Wedlocke is to be had in honour amōg all mē the bed vndefiled As for whorekepers adulterers God will iudge There goeth a common saying that there is fornication among you and such fornication as is not named among the Gentiles that one should haue hys fathers wife And ye swell and haue not rather sorrowed that hee which had done thys deede might bee put from among you Therefore flie thys horrible sinne and as for such as will cōdemne the lawfull estate of Matrimonie and honest mariage of godly Ministers such chaste and maidenly prelates of their doinges shall bee shewed as followeth in the fourth part of this treatise of Lecherie Fornication is enemie to God and enuieth vertues It consumeth all substance and deliteth in the appetite present it letteth that a man can not thinke on pouertie which is not long absent If we will consider the excellencie of mans nature and the dignitie therof we shall well perceaue how foule and dishonest a thyng it is to bee resolued in fornication and to liue wantonly Contrarywyse how honest and fayre a thyng it is to liue temperately continently sadly and soberly When Dauid the King by sight had desired the wife of Vrias to fulfill hys lust He was by the Prophet therfore reproued Vrias in the forward being slaine first ¶ The signification THese two armyes signifieth the striuing of the fleshe agaynst the spirite all worldlynes is confounded and happy is he that fighteth by fayth diuine vnto the end AS in the two chapters of Lechery and fornicatiō is described the wretchednes of y e horrible sinne so in adultery and rape shall be rehearsed y e wonderfull calamities and losse of countreyes with the ouerthrowing of kingdomes to the cleane secludyng or cutting of of all such as haue bene maintainers of the same Adulterie is the violation of the fayth promised in mariage the which thing is forbidden vs Thou shalt not breake wedlocke Adulterers are stoned to death Susanna had leauer die then to committe adultery with the two false Iudges Adultery is cause of procuring of other mens death as it appeareth in the xj chapt of the second boke of Kinges Dauid the King cōmitted adultery with Bethsabe the wife of Urias the Hethite and also caused Urias to be put to death being slaine in y e forefrunt of Ioabs hoste The Prophet Nathan being sent of the Lord reproued the king because of his wickednes Also S. Iohn the Baptist reproued Herode for lying with his brother Phillips wife saying It is not lawfull for thee to haue her An harlot will make a man to begge his bread and a woman will hunt for the precious life All bread is sweete to a whoremonger hee will not leaue of till hee haue his
serue the Lorde in the truth seeke after hys wyll and doo the thyng that pleaseth him For God is gracious and mercifull he forgeueth sinnes in the tyme of trouble and is a defendour for all them that seeke hym in the truthe And we sawe the glorye of it as the glorye of the onelye begotten sonne full of grace and truthe If ye beleue not that I am he ye shall dye in your sinnes Then sayde they vnto him what art thou and Iesus sayth vnto them euen the very same thing that I spake vnto you I haue many thinges to saye and to iudge of you yea and he that sent me is true then sayde hee to those Iewes whiche beleued on hym if ye continue in my worde then are ye my verye disciples and ye shall knowe the truth and the truth shall make you free but now ye goe about to kill me a man that hath tolde you the truth which I haue hearde of God why doo ye not knowe my speache euen because ye can not abyde the hearyng of my woorde ye are of your Father the Diuell and the lustes of your father will ye serue he was a murtherer from the beginnyng and abode not in the truth therefore ye beleue me not whiche of you rebuketh me of sinne if I say the truth why do ye not beleue me For this cause was I borne and for thys cause came I into the world that I should beare witnes of the truth and al that are of the truth heare my voyce I say the truth in Christ and I lye not if the truth of Christ be in me this reioysing shall not be takeÌ„ away froÌ„ me in the region of Achaia Wherfore because I loue you not God knoweth neuerthelesse what I do that will I do to cut away occasion that they might be found like vnto vs in that wherin they reioyce we can do nothing agaynst the truth but for the truth But let vs follow the truth in loue and in all thinges growe in him whiche is the head euen Christ. Let no maÌ„ deceiue you with vain words for because of such things coÌ„meth the wrath of God vpon the children of disobedience be not ye therefore companions of them Ye were sometime darkenes but now are ye light in the lord walke as children of light for the fruite of the spirite consisteth in all goodnes righteousnes and truth Study to shew thy selfe laudable vnto God a workeman that neadeth not to be ashamed distributing the word of God truely and iustly as for vngodly vanities of vices passe thou ouer them for they will encrease vnto greater vngodlinesse and theyr wordes shall freate euen as doth the disease of a canker of whose number is Himeneus and Pliletus which as coÌ„cerning the truth haue erred saying that the resurrection is passed al ready and do destroy the fayth of some but the sure ground of God standeth still hath this seale the lord knoweth them that are his and let euery man that calleth on Christ depart from his iniquitie This witnes is true wherefore rebuke thou them sharpely that they may be sounde in the fayth not taking heede to Iewishe fables and commaundements of men that turne away the truth If we say that we haue felowship with him and walke in darkenes we lye and do not the truth I haue not writteÌ„ vnto you as though ye knew not the truth but as though ye knewe it and knowe also that no lye commeth of truth God graunt al christian hearers and readers of his worde to be as well followers as hearers that after this life we may all raygne in the eternall and euerlasting kingdome with God the father and his sonne Iesus Christ to whome be all glory and dominion both now and euer The description of wisdome ANd the Lord spake vnto Moyses saying beholde I haue called by name Besalael the sone of Ury the sonne of Haâ—â—e of the tribe of Iuda and I haue filled him with the spirit of God in wisdome and vnderstanding in knowledge and in all maner of worke to finde out subtill feates and to worke in golde siluer and brasse And now harken O Israell vnto the ordinaunces and lawes which I teach you c. Kepe it therefore and do them for that is your wisdome The valiant and kingly Prophet Dauid in that he feared the Lord the Lord prospered hym and he behaued him selfe wisely in all his wayes and the Lord was with hym wherefore when Same sawe that he was so exceding wife he was afrayde of Dauid The dayes of Dauid drewe nye that he shoulde dye and he charged Salomon his sonne saying I go the way of all the world be thou strong therefore and shew thy selfe a man Kepe thou the watch of y e Lord thy God that thou walke in his wayes and keepe his statutes and his precepts his iudgementes and his testimonies euen as it is written in the lawe of Moyses that thou mayst prosper in all y t thou dooste and in euery thing that thou medlest wiâ—h all concerning Ioab the sonne of Zarine in that he slewe the two capitaines Abner and Amasa Deale with hym therefore according vnto wisdome and bring not his hore heade down to the graue in peace Prudence coÌ„sisteth in knowledge of things good euill ⧠Of wisdome The signification THe house which standeth on the rocke signifieth the stedfast beliefe of the faythfull The other which standeth in the valy and on sandy ground is the church of Antichrist and all popishe preaching whiche house by violence of the water which falleth froÌ„ the heigth ouer turneth it and so lieth voyde and empty Seperate them that do craftely flatter thee froÌ„ those that do faithfully loue thee least the ill men haue most profite by thee By these examples it is manifest that God hath â—lwayes and at all tymes preserued not onely those rulers and maiestrates the which haue vsed and kept hys preceptes wyth prudent wisdome and iust dealing but also as well the poore and simple hath not onely bene vnto those realmes a most prosperous sauiour in sending aboundaunce of all fertility but in the ende an euerlasting redemer vnto enlesse ioyes and most happy felicity Consider the excellent wisdome of Salomon in doyng iustice betwene the two women that stroue for the quicke childe when as the one of them through her necligence smothered her childe and by craft ment to lay her fact on the other to auoyde the blame was reproued and the true mother of the liuing childe was knowen Also God gaue SalomoÌ„ wisdome and vnderstanding exceding much and a large hart euen as the sand that is on the sea shore and Salomons wisdome exceded the wisedome of all the children of the East countrey and all the wisedome of Egipt for he was wiser then all men yea theÌ„ Ethan the Ezrahite and Hemam Chalcol and Darda the sonnes of
him and with his posteritie for euer So likewise thys sayde example moueth all true Christians to be stedfast in the promyses of God and not for vayne and transitory preferment to colour or vse them but wyth singlenes of harte do them not regarding the person but the cause and in so doynge the rewarde Of Peace The Signification HE which standeth with a booke in his hand signifieth quietnes and peace to the church of God And the Woman signifieth the spouse and congregation of Christ being maried to the Lambe Christ Iesus rewarde is as much in effect vnto all such as euer it was vnto Phinies or at any other that at any time haue geuen theyr mindes vnto the obedience of gods lawes God graunt to all such zeale vnto his word that thereby we may haue the like rewarde that are now liuing in these present dayes Moreouer when the children of Israell had committed wickednesse in the sight of the Lord and they being deliuered into the hand of Madian yet the Lords compassion was such that he chose Gedeon and made him captayne ouer the children of Israel and by his mighty power deliuered them and the Lord sayde vnto Gedeon peace be vnto thee feare not thou shalt not dye for Gedeon after that he had sene the angell of the Lord was in a great feare and thought that he should haue dyed saying haue I therefore sene the angell of the Lord face to face that I should dye then Gedeon made an alter vnto the Lord and called it The Lord of peace Also the spirite of the Lord came vpon Iepthath and he passed ouer to Gilead and from thence vnto the children of Ammon and Iepthath vowed a vow vnto the Lord and sayde if thou shalt deliuer the children of Ammon into my handes then that thing that commeth out of my dores of my house agaynst me when I come home in peace from the children of Ammon shall be the Lordes and I will offer it for a burnt offering and the first that met him at his returne home was his owne daughter All the cities the which the Philistines had gotten from the Israelites the Lord restored them agayne euen from Acarom to Gathe with the costes of the same and Israell plucked them out of the handes of the Philistines and there was peace betwene Israell and the Amorites Also consider the great kindnesse of Abigaell the wife of Naball that churle when Dauid sent x. of his young men vnto him for that he had preserued his shepehardes and shepe in the wildernes saying greete him in my name and thus shall ye say peace be to thee and peace be to thine house peace be vnto all that thou hast Beholde I haue heard say thou hast shearers now thy sheepe were with vs in the wildernesse and we did them no spite neither was there ought of thy flocke minished vnto them all the while they were in Carmell aske thy laddes and they will shew thee wherefore let these young men finde fauour in thine eyes for we come in a good season and geue I pray thee whatsoeuer commeth to thine hand vnto vs and vnto thy sonne Dauid Naball hearing these wordes sayde what is Dauid and what is y e sonne of Isay there is plenty of seruantes now adayes that breake away euery man from hys master shall I then take my bread my water and my flesh that I haue killed for my shearers and geue it vnto men whom I wot not wheÌ„ce they be when the younge men perceaued the churlishnes of Naball and that for the good done vnto him to haue no recompence returned and tolde Dauid then Dauid commaunded euery man to girde his sworde to hys side and prepare themselues to destroy Naball but Abigaell Nabals wife seing the misery that was like to ensue on her husbande for his churlishnes proâ—â—ded certayne loaues and partched corne and wine and a 100. frayles of reasons and 200. topnets of figges to pacifie the wrath of Dauid and rode to mete him in the way vnknowing vnto her husband and as she came in the way Dauid met her and sayd vnto her in vaine haue I kept al that this fellowe hath in the wildernesse and he hath quit me euill for good So and so do God to the enemies of Dauid if I leaue any thing that partaineth vnto him Abigael seing the fearcenesse of Dauid agaynst her husband fel down at his feete desired him to leaue of his enterprise and not to shed bloud and so Dauid withdrew his hand and receaued of Abigaell that which she brought vnto him sayd vnto her go vp in peace to thyne house beholde I haue heard thy voyce and haue accepted thy parson He that hath not peace of the hart the mouth and the acte ought not to be called a christian man wo be vnto them that had rather haue the sigâ—â—e of abundaunce then to haue peaceable quietnesse for where the hart is fixed with the inordinate desire of the world there can neuer grow any prosperitie in the common wealth for if the subiect be in penury and haue the lacke of suffisance then is it not onely a misery to the commons but most of all to the prince or magistrates the kinges power ought alwayes to rest in his subiectes For if they he weake and feable then cannot that prince or gouernour be strong although he had neuer so much aboundance of golde or treasure for such treasure being hid and vnoccupied bredeth most miserable reproch and endlesse tormentes These thinges haue I spoken vnto you being yet present with you but the comforter which is the holy ghost whome my father will sende in my name he shall teach you all thinges and bring all thinges to your remembraunce what so euer I haue sayde vnto you peace I leaue with you my peace I geue vnto you let not your hartes be greued neither feare ye haue heard how I sayd vnto you I goe and come agayne vnto you The Lord is euen at hand be not carefull but in all thinges shew your peticion vnto God in prayer and supplication with geuing of thankes And the peace of God which passeth all vnderstanding kepe your hartes and mindes in Christ Iesu. Grace be with you and peace from him which is and which was and is to come and from the 7. spirites which are presente before hys throne froÌ„ Iesus Christ which is a faithfull witnesse and first begotten of the dead and washed vs from sinne in his owne bloud and made vs kinges and princes vnto God his father be glory and dominion for euer more Amen ⧠The fetching of soules out of purgatory FOrasmuch as the Antichristians haue a place among themselues imagined a place the which the call purgatory and so affirming it and that through their power they are able to bringe soules departed out of hell into theyr purgatory and also to sende soules thether at theyr pleasure and will I
a thousande shall fall beside thee and ten thousande at thy right hand but it shall not come nigh thee yea with thine eyes shalte thou beholde and see the rewarde of the vngodly God beginneth iudgement at his owne house for he sendeth tribulations and afflictions vnto his church If ye be rayled vppon for the name of Christ happy are ye for the spirite of glory and the spirite of God resteth vpon you one theyr part he is euill spoken of but one your partes he is glorified see that none of you suffer as a murtherer or as a theife or an euil doer or as a busie bodie in other mens matters if any suffer as a christian maÌ„ let him not be ashamed but let him glorify God on his behalfe for the time is come y e iudgement must begin at the house of God if it first begin at vs what shal the end be of theÌ„ which beleue not the gospell of God and if the righteous scasely be saued where shal the vngodly sinner appeare wherfore let them that suffer according to y e will of God commit their soules to him with well doing as vnto a faithful creator Riches helpeth not in y e day of veÌ„geaunce but righteousnes deliuereth from death the righteousnes of the iust shall deliuer them but the wicked shalbe taken in their owne vngodlines If we had truely iudged our selues we shoulde not haue bene iudged but when we are iudged of the Lord we are chastened because we should not be damned with the world Uerely verely I say vnto you the tyme shall come and now is when the dead shall heare y e voyce of the sonne of God and they that heare shall liue for as the father hath life himselfe so likewise hath he geuen to the sonne to haue life in hymselfe and hath geuen hym power also to iudge in that he is the sonne of man Maruaile not at this the houre shall come in the which all that are in the graues shall heare his voyce and shall come forth they that haue done good into the resurrection of life and they that haue done euill vnto the resurrectioÌ„ of damnatioÌ„ For God so loued y e world y t he hath geueÌ„ his only son y e none y t beleue in him should perish but should haue euerlasting life for God seÌ„t not his son into y e world to condemne the world but that the world through hym myght be saued he that beleueth on hym shall not be condeÌ„ned but he that beleueth not is condeÌ„ned already because he beleueth not in the name of the only sonne of God He that refuseth me and receaueth not my wordes hath one that iudgeth hym the wordes that I haue spoken they shall iudge hym in y e last day There shall goe a fire before hym and burne hys enemies on euery side hys lightnes gaue shine vnto the worlde the earth saw it and was afrayd The Lords comming shalbe heard like a great noyse froÌ„ the Citie and shall reward hys enemyes on a sodayne euen as the trauayling of a wife wheÌ„ she bringeth forth a maÌ„ childe or euer she suffer the paine of the birth and anguish of the trauayle The night is passed and the day is come nye let vs therefore cast away the dedes of darkenes and let vs put on the armour of light Let vs walke honestly as it were in the day light not in eating and drinking neither in foolishnes as strife and enuiyng but put ye on y e Lord Iesus Christ and make no prouision for the flesh to fulfill the lustes of it Of y e times and seasons brethren ye haue no neede that I write vnto you for ye your selues know perfectly that the day of the Lord shal come euen as a theife in y e night when they shall say peace and no daunger then commeth on them sodayne destruction as the trauayling of a woman with childe and they shall not escape therfore let vs not sleepe but watch diligently for the comming of the Lord that at our calling we may be found occupied in all God exercises least being found idell we perish in our owne iniquitie and so come to destruction both of body soule Examine therefore euery maÌ„ amoÌ„g your selues and so spende y e dayes of thys troublesome pilgrimage that in y e ende we may come and appeare at y e generall day before y e eternall iudge who shall iudge all flesh according to theyr desartes and let vs most chiefely pray vnto God so to ayde vs wyth hys holy spirit against the temptacions of Sathan that at our appearance we may be found lawdable and glorious in the sight of that most pure and imaculate lambe Iesus Christ and to receaue y e blessed benediction when he shal say come ye blessed children into my euerlasting kingdome prepared for you from y e beginning of the world And to y e reprobate wicked ones goe ye wicked into the infernall hell prepared for you the deuill and his aungels Let all faithfull hartes pray vnto God and alwayes glorify his most blessed name vnto the which God be all glory power and dominion for euer and euer AmeÌ„ A Smalle reward I looke to haue Of such as do the truth despise No whit at all I mynde to craue But further truth in any wise All flesh is frayle and soone doth rotte As doth the flower in the fielde When man is gonne full soone forgot Therefore in tyme to truth do yelde Lament all flesh that liuing be With brinish teares and blubbrid eyen Then after death you soone shall see The christall glasse of light to shine Which glasse is Christ our Sauiour That for vs all his bloud hath shed Yelde vnto him all might and power Our only ioy and supreme head Let fickle fancie not you moue From him which can both kill and saue For like as gold so will he proue If light you way to late to craue FINIS Eccl. 14 Eccl. 16 Eccle. 10. Oseas 5. Iohn 18. Psal. 15. Ezech. 12. 1. Thess. 5 The property of the viper is the femall biteth of the males head and the yong gnaweth themselues out of their dammes belly Chitofell Aiax 2. Esd. 13. Prou. 19 Deut. 19. Prou. 17. By the Asse is meÌ„t the cruell Antechristians Iohn 12 Mark 13 Luk. 12 Rom. 8 Prou. 27. Tullius Augustinus Ambrosius Ambrosius Gen. 34. 1. Cor. 10. 1. Cor. 7. 1. Cor. 6. Heb. 13. 1. Cor. 5. Augustiâ—us Tullius Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Luk. 18. Dan. 13. Math. 14 Prouer. 6. Eccle. 23. Rom. 1. Hieronimus Luke 15. Abessa of BetheleÌ„ was iudge in Israell about thys tyme. ReguÌ„ 16. â— Reg. 13. Iudit 13. Gen. 9. Ouid. lib. 14. Iudges 17 Cor. 6. Tullius Ecclesia Boctius Eccle. 31. Osea Luk. 21. Eccle. 37. Ephe. 5. Prou. 31. Prou. 23. Eccle. 31. Rom. 12. Eccle. 23. Esau. * Heb. 12 Gen. 25. Exod. 16. Luk. 16. Percius in hys Satires Cato â—