Euangelistes some Shepeheardes and some teachers And for this only purpose they were ordeined to serue for the edifying of the body of Christ that the doctrine of the Gospell might continually be retained whereby alone the Churche is gathered togither and conserned But when this one truth namely the euerlasting Gospell of Christ was neglected and place giuen to Idolatrie and superstitions then new straunge worshippings deuised did bring in a necessitie of moe ministers than Christ did ordeyne to guyde and instruct his Church And of these erections of newe worshippings sprong more orders of officers in the Church namely Ostiarij Lectores Exorciste Acolithi Subdiaconi Diaconi Sacrifici Wherof though some names were in the primatiue Church and did then office in Gods seruice yet nowe they were drawen with the newe inuented ones to doe Idols seruice Wherevnto if you adde Monkes and Monials Friers Beguts Maiors Minors Eremites chast Nunnes and vnchast Nunnes that is common harlots gathered into an order of religion and moreouer the seuerall orders of Monkes Friers and Channons as Benedictes Bernardines Franciscanes Dominickes Augustines and such lyke Wee shall perceyue the Pope his broode to haue farre exceeded not onely these Iewes in sundrye Idolatries and superstitions but also all other ydolatrous nations of heathen folke And in seeing these their abhominable Idolatries with also their ydlenesse whoredome sodometrie treasons conspiracies and other their most horrible vilanies wherein they doe continue by dispensation of their Malchom the Pope if yet wee wyll mayntayne them and seeke to preserue them eyther in corners or openly wee can not escape greater plagues than are threatned to these Iewes by as much as we retayne more abhominable enimies to GOD and to hys truth than they did for wee doe not reade in all Iosias reygne which was 31. yeare that any of those remnauntes of Baall and Chemarims did cause insurrection in Iuda but wee haue experience of the Popes Chemarims pestilent practises in this behalfe here in our Realme and dispensations and pardons graunted by their meanes to Rebels for the same purpose And yet these are saued and maintayned contrarye to Gods lawe for which no doubt God is displeased with England For by his lawe they ought to die as also we see by this example of execution done by Iosias who would not haue spared anye of them Chemarims if hee coulde haue founde them but woulde haue serued them as hee serued the reast and as our Chemarims and Baalites ought to be serued And if Gods law were our rule I meane if wee would be ruled thereby it should not thus continue Alas what feare of God or zeale in Gods religion haue we I saye the great Baalites Chemarims neede not to hyde themselues here amongst vs for almost no man seeketh for them or if they once bee talked withall what commeth thereof is there any redresse of their mindes and Idolatries maye they not vse their secret seruice at their will God graunt that as our Prince and Magistrates doe allowe of Iosias doings in this point nowe in the twelfth yere of his reigne euen so they maye vouchsafe to put in practise after his example with like seueritie the like execution of Idolatrers and Idolatrous remnants now in the .xij. yeare of our Princes reigne remembring the perpetuall prayse that remayneth to and for such an acte as of Iosias it is sayde There vvas no Kinge lyke vnto him neither before nor after him that so vvholy turned to GOD vvith all his hart c. Surely there is not this day a greater lette of the increase of Gods Churche than these Papistes morrow Masse priestes are For where by preaching abrode in Churches the flocke of Christ shoulde be encreased and instructed looke what the Preacher buildeth by his doctrine these domesticall Papistes doe peruert and destroy in most places where they are retayned whereby they drawe after them many and many they make lame in religion that in continuaunce they become wearye and the Gospell is lothsome to them and so at length they grow to be haters of the truth And thoughe this sentence bee alwayes true and infallible namely that God knoweth his and will preserue them yet no man is thereby discharged of his dutie but eche in his office and charge must put to his helping hande to roote oute Idolatrie and errour or else he shall dearely account for that hee neglected his charge For God doth make men his instruments that men shall call men to him and doth make men ministers of his iustice one to another And therefore man must carefully diligently loke to his charge that he discharge his dutie to the vttermost of his power let God worke the successe If Magistrates doe not what they can to exterminate these things they know the perill I leaue them to god But if they do what they can and yet cannot preuayle they shal deliuer their owne soules and God will fynish the worke as he seeth good like as here hee sayth hee will roote out the remnants of Baall and the names of the Chemarims with the Priests Furthermore the Lord sayth that he vvill roote out all such as vvorship and bovv on the house tops to the host of heauen c. Hereby we see that such there were in Iuda and Ierusalem that did thus worship we reade that this good king Iosias did put downe the horses of the Sunne that the kinges of Iuda had giuen to the sonne which sheweth that the Sunne was worshipped and it is also written that he destroyed the aultars on the top of Ahas parlour which the kings of Iuda had made the aultars that Manasses built in the courts of the Lords house to the host of heauen which thinges were built in highe and open places euen in the face of the firmament of lyke to the ende that this host of Sunne and Moone and Starres might see their seruice and the higher they could climbe to doe their seruices so much the nearer their Gods they thought themselues and therefore their seruice the more accepted they vsed the same by night tymes also that the starres myght vewe their actions the better as they thought The Plannettes and Starres are called the host of heauen eyther for the continuall and orderlye course which they haue kept from the beginning and in respect of their multitude or number Or else for that men did attribute to them the power of gouernance in earthly thinges as mighty Gods. And this errour came first as it is thought from amongst those of the East parts and was now receyued amongst the Iewes which caused them so to worship and to buylde aultars to them The Astrologians of our time are not fullye so blockishe as to builde aultars and to worshippe the same hoste of heauen as they did though they strayne a veyne out of course
both Christen and Heathen haue detested the same vice him that committed it what punishments some people executed vpon such offenders And partly I haue shewed for I thinke no man can fully declare it what hurt there groweth by vsurie to the Church of God to the common weale I haue also shewed the abuse of trades by that they are generally contracted with vsurie in this our time and answered to some obiections of the adversaries And then hauing giuen a taste of honest and lawfull occupying I finish that matter But before I beginne to speake of vsurie I haue according to my simple knowledge made plaine the text and gathered thereon such notes as I thought apt and profitabe for this our time plainely according to the plaine speaking of my Patrone and example Sophonie without qualifications For it is not tyme to dallye or sooth men nowe in their doings no more than it was in Sophonies time And in the latter ende of my theame where it is sayde that God will roote out and destroye such as neyther séeke after God nor regarde him there I take occasion to examine by the doings of men whether they at this day doe séeke for God and regarde him or not for by the fruite the trée is knowne And so amongest the manyfolde fruites of infidelitie inerplicable I speake perticularly of fewe but speciallye of Vsurie for the reason before alleadged Wherin though such methode be not obserued as some maye thinke perhaps Art requireth yet I haue kept that course therein which I haue thought most profitable And though in respect of mine owne weakenesse and the subtiltie of the aduersaries I am not easilye drawne to set out my simple doings to the worlde in print yet by the earnest procurements of sundry worshipfull men with the speciall requestes of manye my friendes I haue bene mooued to print the same And the rather I haue bene moued so to doe bicause I would hereby eyther stoppe the mouthes of the aduersaries and of such as haue priuately made childish obiections to this doctrine not worthy to be aunswered or else stirre them to make stronger reasons against it if they can And also if they know another truth herein to set out their mindes in writing to the world and not mutter in corners For I woulde willingly be founde a lyer vpon condition that so manye others might be proued iust dooers Which I am perswaded will not be with all the cunning the aduersaries haue no thoughe they take the Deuill to helpe them Furthermore though I haue not kept the very same wordes in writing that I vsed in speaking bicause words vttered with iesture will not alwayes fit so well in writing yet the matter and substance I haue obserued fullye and wholy With some things added in the former part which through want of memorie were omitted whē I preached and in the latter part I haue of purpose added some thinges touching Vsurie which I spoke in my former Sermons to the ende that my minde in this matter of vsurie might the more fully appeare to them that are desirous to knowe it And if my trauaile herein shall doe any good I shall thinke it wel bestowed And the more good it doth the more shall be my comfort Let God haue the glory for euer and so good christen reader farewell Sophonias cap. Primo I Will gather vp all things in the lande saith the Lord I will gather vp man and beast I will gather vp the fowles in the ayre and the fishe in the waters and destructions shall be to the wicked I will vtterly roote out the men from of the lande sayth the Lord I will stretch out my hande vppon Iuda and vppon all the indwellers at Ierusalem Thus will I roote out the remnants of Baall from this place and the names of the Chemarims with the Priests yea and such as vpon the house toppes doe woorship and bowe themselues to the host of heauen which sweare by the Lorde and by their Malchom also Which start backe from the Lorde and neyther seeke after the Lorde nor regarde him WE reade in the fourth Booke of Kings also in the seconde of the Chronicles that after the death of good Ezechias wicked Manasses succéeded king of Iuda Ierusalem who did euil in the sight of the Lorde as did the heathen whom the Lord cast out before the children of Israeil for he set vp all the abhominations which his father put downe as hill aultars Idoll groues aultars vnto Baall as Ahab did and worshipped that host of heauen He offered his sonne in fire brought an Idol into the Lords temple and gaue héede to witchcraft and sorcerie and mainteyned workers with spirites and fortune tellers Whereby he made Iuda and the indwellers of Ierusalem to erre and to doe worse than the Heathen whome the Lorde destroyed before them Wherefore the Lorde brought him into the handes of the Assirian Captaines his enimies who bounde him in chaines and led him prisoner to Babilon where he repented and humbled himselfe before the Lord god And being restored to his kingdome he sought a reformation according to the will of God whome he learned more exactlye to knowe by chaines and prison than ever he did before by his crowne and scepter And after Manasses death his sonne Amon was made king in his place who walked in all the abhominations of his father did that which was euill in the sight of the Lorde He neither regarded the commaundement of God nor the example of his fathers repentance Wherefore God punished his sinne by sinne what time his seruantes conspired and slewe him in his owne house After whose death about 3312. yeares from the making of the worlde and. 658. yeares before the incarnation of Christ the sonne of Amon godlye Iosias at the age of eyght yeares was made king ouer Iuda and Ierusalem He did that which was right in the sight of the Lorde and walked in the wayes of his father Dauid neyther bowed to the right hande nor to the left Hée spéedilye began to séeke the Lorde and in the twelfth yeare of his reygne he beganne to purge Iuda and Ierusalem from Idolatrie and so reformed religion not only in Iuda and Ierusalem but also amongst his neyghbours that were left in Israell when the most part of them were led away captiue by the Assirians he destroyed the hill aultars Idoll groues and Images and burnt the bones of the Idolatrous sacrificers vppon their owne altars as was prophecied of him aboue 350. yeres before In the .xiij. yeare of his reigne the Prophet Ieremie began to prophecie and the King in the .xviij. yeare of hys reigne going about to repaire the temple the booke of Gods lawe was found which long time before through the tyrannie and Idolatrie of Princes and negligence of the Priestes lay hid and vnknowne Now when this good King vnderstoode of this booke and had heard it reade
God only those doe beleue God to be but apart worker of their helth safetie therfore they must haue an other God to make vp their help full whom they account and ioine equal in their beliefe with almightie god In which theyr thoughtes they drawe so muche trust from the almightie as they giue to any other which distrust in God and trust in the other is in deede the roote wherof all externall Idolatrie springeth and wherein the verie worshippings of straunge Gods do consist For looke in whome a man hath his chiefe trust to him doth that mā reuerence and seruice such as he thinketh shall please most These sort of Iewes seemed to trust partly to God and partly to Malchom therefore they worship GOD and Malchom they sweare by God and by Malchom and so make Malchom equall with god But God will not suffer this mixture and Idolatrie he will roote out those that swere by hym and by Malchom also God will not be cowpled Malchom was the Idoll of the Ammonites and the worde Malchom is by interpretation theyr king the Idoll as some think is the same which in other places is called Moloch to whom the Prophet giueth this name Malchom the more to reproch them in that they estemed and called an Idoll their king and defender as if he shoulde saye God almightie is king ouer all and yet your king and preseruer most specially but you thinke and will haue Moloch also to be your king for you worship Moloch as God and so you call him your king sweare by him euen as by God and thus you make him equall with God but God wil not suffer your Idolatrie vnpunished It may be that the prophet named this speciall part of Idolatrie swearing bicause their swering by the Idoll was then so commonly knowne that if anye would haue denyed and dissembled their Idolatrie and haue answered the Prophet that they had beene no Idolatrers theyr owne voyces woulde haue condemned them for all the multitude could haue borne witnesse of their swearing by Malchom Another cause why the Prophete threatneth such swearing by name may be for that otherwyse those blynde wretches would haue thought themselues small or none offenders so long as they vtterly reiected not the true God though with him they worshipped others or thoughe they swore by their Malchō also And here wee are to note and well to consider that to sweare in in the name truth of god in cases of neede as to preferre right and truth and godly quietnesse is a high honor to God and a chiefe part of his worship and seruice Which we cannot doe in the name or truth of any other without sacrylege and Idolatry committed Almighty God vouchsafeth to let vs serue our turnes in truth ioyned with necessitie by the vse of his sacred name and so doth commaund vs to sweare by hys name and when it is alledged in witnesse wherby iustice taketh place to extol right and suppresse wrong then no doubt God is highlye honoured by that othe and such swearing is a chiefe part of Gods worship and those that refuse so to sweare doe refuse to honor God. On the other side whosoeuer woulde bring to passe the ministration of true iustice the extolling of vertue or suppressing of vice by the credite of any other whose name they sweare by they doe so much as in them is transferre Gods worshippe to that thing whereby they sweare and so doe commit ydolatrie And forasmuch as this swearinge by the Lorde and by Malchom also is here shewed plainlye to be ydolatrie howe can the Papists denie themselues to be ydolatrers yea and much worse than these Iewes It is well knowne that not only in swearing but also in praying in mediatiō and in redemption they eyther put God quite out of hys place or else they ioyned with him one Malchom or other Hee was not as they thought able to helpe alone nor true ynough alone nor mercifull ynough alone nor our redeemer alone And therfore in euerye one of these thinges they ioyned fellow helpers with him and that no small number They thought God to bee ouer weake alone therfore they would put strength to his strength to make him strong Hee was and is beholding to them as much more than to these Malchomites and for their seruice let them looke to be rewarded with such payment as they were and that double and tryple yea centuplum c. Whereas Iesus Christ is our onely Mediatour and aduocate they haue placed with hym in that office aswell the saints of their owne canonising as also many of the holy Saintes mencioned in the Scripture Whereof they fayned the blessed Virgin to bee such a one that they desired hir to be as it were a stickler in mediation betwixt god the father and the sonne for them Where they besought hir in these woordes Roga patrem iube natum c. Pray the father and commaund the sonne c. Likewise in redemption and remission of sinnes where God alone in Christ Iesus hath fully accomplished the same to our euerlasting stay and comfort and therefore onelye is to haue the prayse for it these endlesse Idolatrers do ioyne with him in that woorke the merites of deade Saintes the bloude of Martirs works of Supererogation merytes of prayers fastings almesse deedes Masses and their owne good workes and others infinite Furthermore where our helpe and safetie standeth onely in the Lorde that made both heauen and earth he onely to be called vpon for helpe in time of neede these Romanists teach vs to call vppon saintes departed both for helpe and safetie Sometime vtterlye forgetting and excluding God as when they say O Lady Queene of heauen helpe mee speede me and saue me and somtime ioyning them felowes with God as where they saye God and our Ladie God and S. Peter God and S. Frauncis God and S. Anthonie God and S. Loye saue speede or helpe this or that And as in these rehearsed so doe they commit ydolatrie in this part of Gods worship namely swearing eyther by pulling it wholy from God as when excluding God they sweare by the Masse the Mattins our Lady Saint Iohn c. Or else by ioyning companions with God as when they sweare by God and by the Masse by God and by the Mattens God and our Lady God and Saint Iohn by God and by the Worlde and by God and the Deuill c. Thus in euerye part of Gods seruice they haue made their Mammets Malchoms and toyes equall with God by transferring and attributing that glorie and prayse that belongeth only to God in for these things to those whome they haue made fellowes and checkmates wyth God. And the continuaunce of these abhominations and filthie mixtures doth not cease to this day though by writing preaching and exhortations
sinner shall cōtinue vnpunished except he repent and ceasse from his wicked wayes The wisdome and pollicie of Cranes In the creation man was the wysest of al Gods creatures but as he is corrupted he may learne at the creatures 1. Tim. 4. August in Psalm 36. Vsurers Idolatrers Recayners of Baals remnants or of the Chemarims Mixers of religion Masse and Malchom Starres Planets Fortune tellers Witches Coniurers regarded Carelesse Apostates God will not Numeri 23. Malachi 3. Iames. 1. Romans 15. 1. Cor. 10. God by mans ministerie hath in all ages instructed men Math. 1. 6. 7. c. Actes 1. Actes 8. Actes 9. Actes 10. Math. 10. Luke 10. Iohn 13. 1. Tessa 4. 2. Peter 3. Actes 2. Ieremie 12. Blasphemous mockers in these tymes These grieued Dauid more than all his troubles and greeued Christ more thā his crosse These are the most horriblest tyraunts of all shall not escape their punishments Swete meate require sowre sawce Esay 1. Ieremie 1. 2. Peter 1. The holye ghost is aucthor of the holy scriptures Math. 22. Mark. 12. Psal. 110. 2. Tim. 3. 2. Peter 1. 2. Cor. 4. 2. Cor. 5. The excellencie of preaching the word of God is set forth by these places Wisdom 5. Galat. 6. Men maye mocke themselues but God cannot bee mocked bicause all things are naked and bare before his eies as in a Sea of Glasse Mark. 16. Actes 3. Math. 16. Romanes 2. 2. Cor. 5. ¶ A Table contayning the chiefe and principall matters in thys Booke And note vvheras thou findest this letter a it signifieth the first side and b the seconde AFflictious profitable to Gods children Fol. 1. b Iosias did helpe to reforme religion among his neyghbours destroyed Idoles executed Idolaters and exactly folowed the booke of Gods lawe 2. a Goodnesse commeth not of nature but of grace 2. b Godly Princes helpe their neyghbours to reforme abuses in religion 2. b Tiranie negligence darkners of that truth 2. b A note for Preachers 6. b The properties of Idolaters in all ages how they slaunder the truth and how they may be aunswered 12. b Iuda and Ierusalem specially threatned that men shoulde not trust to place or parentage 14. a Papistes affirme that place mynistreth holynesse but specially Rome 17. b Vayne men and women of our tyme no lesse boasters and braggers of place and parentage than the Iewes and Papistes 19. a What is ment by stretching out Gods hande why he will stretch it out 20. a What Baall was who brought him first to be worshipped among the lords people 23. a Iewes and Englishe Idolaters agree in retayning the remnaunts of Idolatry notwithstanding the reformation of religion offered by godly princes 24. b What the Chemarims were and from what Hebrue verbe they were deryued 25. b One God one order of Priests the worshipping of many Gods brought in many priests which the true God neuer ordayned 26. b The Papists haue infinite orders of priests which Christ neuer ordayned to supply the abundant superstitions by thē inuented 27. b The popishe Chemarims of our tyme more worthye to die than the Iewes Chemarims bicause they are not onely Idolaters but also rebels 29. a Starre worshippers in Iuda 31. b Astrologians of our tyme and of their vnlawfull dealing and vnprofitable practises 33. a What they were that did sweare by the Lord and by their Malchom also and how therby they mingled religion 35. b They that both heare masse and receyue the communion mingle religion and so sweare by the Lorde and by their Malchom 36. b Distrust in God the roote of Idolatry 38. a What Malchom was 38. b To sweare rightly is to honor God. 39. b Papists can not denie themselues to be Idolaters in coupling God and his Christ with so many Malchomes 40. b Papists sometime seclude God and sometyme couple him with other 42. a Blasphemy exceedeth Idolatry 43. a Malchom by interpretation their king 44. b Starters backe threatned 46. a Those that neyther seeke after the Lorde nor regard him are Atheistes and wicked worldlings 48. a Among infinite vices common at this tyme none doeth more argue the multitude to bee Atheistes than Vsury 48. b The definition of vsury and what an Vsurer is 51. b Vsury is in more things than in money 52. b He that selleth wares dearer for dayes then ready money is an Vsurer 54. b He that delyuereth money by exchaunge dearer for vzance or double vzance than at sight is an Vsurer and the ouerplus taken in respect of tyme is forbidden vsury 55. a By the true nature of buying selling and exchaunging men in lending doe not lend that which they delyuer but that which they shall receyue and may lawfully aske at their day of payment 55. b. Their iudgementes not to be allowed which thinke that vsury maye bee taken of ryche men 57. a In respect of the common welth it is woorse to lende for vsury to the riche than to the poore 58. b Vsurers will lend nothing vnto the poore bicause they will not oppresse them 60. a He that lendeth vnto the rich for vsury augmenteth the misery of the poore 62. a The riche borower at vsury is woorse than the lender at vsury 62. a The riche taker at vsury robbeth the poore of his breade 63. a The greatest cutting is in sale of wares 63. b Vsury hath chaunge of apparell 64. b Vsurers obiections vayne and their colours deceytfull 65. b The vsurer maketh his gaine when he getteth his neyghbours Wyll tyed to an extremity either of neede or of couetousnesse 66. a Theeues houserobbers bawdes witches and sorcerers may excuse their trades as well as vsurers 67. a Barnards differēce betwene theft vsury 68. a Skeltons difference betweene fur latro 68. a A comparison of theeues to vsurers 69. a Vsurers compared vnto manye extreme and cruell things 69. b Vsurers abhorred and punished by Heathen men and Christians 70. b Vnitie of the Church torne a sunder by vsurye 72. a All sellers will sell tyme except the needy 73. a Vsurers will not be perswaded that their trade is yll bicause it is so generall 73. b Honest trade commended and the gayne lawfull though centum pro cento 74. b An example by the sale of a Horse that vsury is in sale of things for tyme. 75. a The greatest Vsurers cauell in narowest points 75. b Exchaunge of things by nature lawful honest and necessary 77. a An example by Wheate exchaunged for Rie that vsury is vsed in exchange at this time 78. a A proofe that vsury is committed in the exchaunge of moneys 81. b The exchaunge vsurers obiection of vncertain gayne aunswered 83. b The exchaunge vsurer as prouydent to foresee hys gayne as the playne vsurer 84. b The playne vsurer maye alledge vncertayne gayne as well as the exchaunger 85. a The exchaunging vsurer taketh greater vsury and that certaine than the mony vsurer and therfore the worse man. 86. a The woorst exchaunger posteth his money to and fro and maketh it a trade of gayne against the nature thereof 86. b An admonition to vsurers that they leaue their trades 87. a Vsury in trades and exchaunge is not good bicause it is so generall no more than Idolatry was the true seruice of God when it was much more generall 88. a All that wyll contynue vsurers are wicked what authoritie soeuer they haue 89. a Men may not breake Gods law to liue 89. a Vnlawfull port and countenance require vnlawfull meanes to gayne by for the maintenaunce thereof 90 a The niggard 90. b The poore man to be blamed that boroweth at vsury 91. a Three sortes of takers at vsurye and three sortes of delyuerers at vsurye consider of them all and consider which is worst 93. b The Deuill at dinner with his guestes 94. a Lack of Saints where the Deuill beareth the the Crosse 94. a If men would be honest a redresse were soone had of vsury 94. b A redresse of abuses in occupying 95. a Purchasers may not borow at vsury to compasse their matters 96. a Good trades maintayned corruption of trades spoken agaynst 97. a The riche manne of the wicked company of vsurers 98. a The meane man of that company of vsurers 99. a The condition of banckrupts and what they deserue 100. b Borowers ought to shewe their creditours what aduenture they beare by lending to them 101. a Adam Eua and the Serpent dispute 102. a The vngooly poore 102. a Colouring of straungers goodes 103. a No obstinate sinner shall escape vnpunished except he repent 104. a A worthy saying of saint Augustine 105. a God in all ages hath instructed men by mans ministery 106. a The mockers of our time woorse Tyrants and more blasphemous then those that persecute to death 107. a The holy ghost author of that scriptures 107. b The dispisers dispise God not men 108. b FINIS Imprinted at London by Henrie Denham dvvelling in Pater noster Rowe at the signe of the Starre Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum Anno Domini 1570.