sworde of the word of God The Diuil vnder him is temptation being ouercome by faith in Christ Iesus FAith is a sure cōfidēce of things which are hoped for and a certainty of things which are not seene By it the Elders were well reported of Through fayth we vnderstand that the world was ordayned by y e word of God And things which are seene were made of thinges which are not seene By faith Abell offred vnto God a more plenteous sacrifice then Cayne by which he obtayned witnes that he was righteous God testifiyng of hys giftes by which also he being dead yet speaketh By faith was Enoch translated that he shoulde not see death neither was he found for God had taken him away Before he was takē away he was reported of that he had pleased God but without faith it is impossible to please him for he that cōmeth to God must beleue that God is and that he is a rewarder of thē that seeke him By faith Noe being warned of God eschued the thinges which were as yet not seene and prepared the Arke to the sauing of his houshold through the which Arke he condempned the worlde and became heyre of y e righteousnes which is according to faith By faith Abraham when he was called obeyed to goe out into a place which he shoulde afterward receiue to inheritaunce and he went out not knowing whether he should goe By faith he remoued into the land of promise as into a straunge countrey whē he had dwelt in tabernacles and so did Isaack and Iacob heires with him of the same promise for he looked for a Citie hauing a foundation whose builder and is God Through faith Sara also receaued strength to conceaue and be with childe and was deliuered of a childe when she was past age because she iudged him faithfull which had promised therefore sprang there of one euen of one which was as good as dead so many in multitude as are the starres of the skye and as the sand the which is by the sea shore innumerable These all dyed according to faith when they had not receiued the promises but sawe them afarre of and beleued them and saluted them and confessed that they were straungers pilgrimes on the earth for they that sawe such thinges declare that they seke a Countrey and if they had bene mindefull of the countrey frō whence they came out they had leasure to haue retourned agayne but now they desier a better that is to say an heauenly wherefore God hymselfe is not ashamed to be called their God for he hath prepared for them a Citie By fayth Abraham offered vp Isaac when he was proued and he offred him being his onely sonne in whome he had receiued the promises and to him it was sayde in Isaac shall thy seede be called for he considered that God was able to rayse vp agayne from death therefore receiued he him also for an example of y e resurrection By faith did Isaac blesse Iacob and Esau concerning thinges to come By fayth Iacobe when he was a dying blessed both the sonnes of Ioseph and bowed hymselfe towarde the toppe of his scepter By fayth Ioseph when he dyed remembred the departyng of the children of Israell and gaue commaundement of his bones By faith Moyses when he was borne was hidde three monthes of his father and mother because they saw he was a proper childe neither feared they the kinges commaundemente By fayth Moyses when he was great refused to be called the sonne of Pharaoes daughter and chose rather to suffer aduersitie with the people of God then to enioy the pleasures of sinne for a season and estemed the rebuke of Christ greater riches then the treasures of Egipt for he had respect vnto the reward By fayth he forsoke Egipt and feared not the fiercenes of the king for he endured euen as though he had sene him which is inuisible Through fayth he ordayned the passouer and the effusiō of bloud least he that destroyeth y e first borne should touch them By faith they passed through the red sea as by dry land which whē the Egiptians had assayed to do they were drowned By faith y e walles of Iericho fell downe after they were compassed about seuen dayes By faith the harlot Rahab perished not with them that were disobedient when she had receiued the spies to lodging peaceably and what shall I more saye for the time wilbe to short for me to tell of Gedeon of Barach and of Sampson and of Iephtaph of Dauid also and Samuell and of the Prophets which through faith subdued kingdomes wrought righteousnes obtayned the promises and stopped the mouthes of Lions quenched the violence of fier escaped the edge of the sword out of weaknes were made strong waxed valiant in fight turned to flight the armes of the aliantes the women receiued their dead raysed to life agayne Other were racked would not be deliuered that they myght inherit a better resurrection Againe other were tried with mockkinges and scorninges moreouer with bondes and prisonment and were stoned were hewen a sunder were tempted were slaine with the sworde walked vp and downe in sheepes skinnes and goates skinnes being destitute troubled and vexed which men the worlde was not worthy of They wandered in wildernes and in mountaynes and in dennes and caues of the earth and these all through fayth obtayned good report and receiued not the promise because God had promysed a better thynge for vs that they without vs should not be made perfect By faith we resist the Deuill and ouercome him in the worlde Finally my brethren be stronge in the Lord and in the power of his might put on the armour of God that ye may stand stedfast against the crafty assaultes of the Deuill for we wrestle not against flesh and bloude but against rule against power and against worldely rulers of the darckenes of thys worlde against spirituall wickednes for heauēly thinges for this cause take vnto you the armoure of God that ye may be able to resiste in the euill day and stand perfect in all thinges They that haue receiued the faith and the holy Ghost and also tasted the gospel of God if they do forsake it and blaspheme it willing to be saued by other sacrifice then that by Christ do abide the iudgement of God wythout mercy we y t beleue Christ let vs follow Christes liuing The faith of a Christian is ioyned with charitie and without charitie is the faith of the Deuill Like as the bodye is deade wherein is no spirite so faith is dead where there lacketh workes Fayth not exercised soone waxeth sicke and being vnoccupied is assaulted with sundry displeasures Well may he be counted right valiaunt in dede which in ioy nor in sorow doth not exceede the faithfull man possesseth his treasure whose modestie moueth still to minde
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
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
there is no secrete where drunkennes raigneth least they being drunken forget the lawe and peruerte the iudgement of all poore mens children Who hath woe who hath sorrowe who hath strife who hath brawling and who hath woundes without cause or who hath red eyes euen they that bee euer at the wine and seeke excesse Bee not thou a wine bibber for that hath destroyed many a man The fire proueth the hard yron euen so doth wine proue the hartes of the proude All such therefore as peruert bee and seekes to maintaine their estate Without repentance straight shall see the endles woe and dreadfull gate ¶ The signification THe two foremost excesse the king mainteinaunce the Frier sufferance and Backus the god of wyne the Beare force the seruing man riot and the Popishe priest careles dyet GLuttonie is the worke of darknes let vs not therfore be geuen vnto it but let vs set against it the prayer that is written in the 23. chapter of Ecclesiasticus As Esau which for one messe of meate solde hys byrthright For ye know how that afterward when he would by enheritance haue receaued blessing hee was put by for hee found no place of repentaunce though hee sought for it with teares Thus by example it is manifest that gluttony looseth the memory and causeth many a man to promise that which after he repenteth Gluttony is neuer satisfied and when the belly is full then doth y e body craue rest Gluttony loseth fyrst memory secondly consumeth substaunce and thirdly Gods vengeance and wrath falleth vpon such disobedient liuers Example of the childrē of Israell who being not satisfied with the Lordes prouision grudged and shortly after so much prouoked the wrath of God that they were destroyed the meate being in their mouthes Thus therfore as the Lord is a reuenger of the gluttonous euen so is he also of the superbious and all other offendors as Diues was punished had his reward so also shall be all those that in time haue no regard As sluggishe sleepe the tyme doth spend and loytering luskes no paine will take So fire consumes them in the end as filthy varmin the idle forsake ¶ The signification HE which lyeth a sleepe in hys bed signifieth sloth in hearing of the worde the fire burning about him signifieth Gods wrath which consumeth hym through hys slothfull negligence and he which lyeth dead with the varmin creeping from hym is filthy behauiour and idle life whose end is also miserable THe omnipotent God plasmator of all creatures neuer ceaseth but still laboureth by hys holy spirite in y e hartes of the faythful to draw procure thē to al vertuous studies exercises as most best seemeth hym among all estates as well y e tēporal as spiritual not y t he hath any neede of man but y t he seing man so subiect to all deformed vices and vanities oft stirreth hym by hys holy spirite to repentaunce For as hys Godhead is incōprehensible so hys mercies are also innumerable Therfore flie sinne and geue not thy selfe to sloth and idlenes least thou by long sleeping ouerpasse the houre and so be shutte out A man negligent is as a land that is barren Also Cato reproueth sluggishnes as a vice most deadly Plus vigila semper nec somno deditus esto Nam diuturna quies vicijs alimenta ministrat Delight not in sloth but frō sleepe sone arise for rest idlenes is mother of all vice Also a mā negligent and slothfull is as a dead mā alwayes apt to great mischiefes There is also an inward sloth or sluggishnes and that is when a man by desire of worldly goods promotions cleane forgetteth his creator and remēbreth more y e goods of this world then y e life to come S. Paul to Timothe sayth Take hede vnto thy self vnto learning continue therin For if thou shalt so do thou shalt saue thy selfe them that heare thee Miserable are the daies of the sluggishe and sleepie vagabondes as will not worke nor once geue them selues to labour whose dayes are dolefull and endes most odious and hatefull The sleepie minde doth tyme forget and youth to toyes do most desire So tyme once paste is hard to fet to late in age learning to require The signification HE which sitteth sleeping signifieth slothfulnes amongest teachers whose desire being satisfied careth not for the charge the children idlenes whose mindes without a carefull tutor are bent to nothyng but ease and vanities OUr Sauiour Christ rebuked his Disciples when he came and founde them a sleepe sayd vnto Peter What coulde ye not watch with me one houre watch and pray that ye fall not into temptation the spirite is ready but the flesh is weake Also the kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto a mā which sowed good seede in his field But while men slept there came hys enemye and sowed tares amōg the wheate went his way Which signifieth y e negligence y t mē haue in y e thinges belōging to God which is by y e carefulnes of riches pleasures of thys world Quintilian sayth y t naturall sinne foreseeth sloth idlenes Ishbosheth was slaine by Rechab Baanah in his sleepe Sampson by sleeping lost y e lockes of hys head whereby his great strength was diminished so takē of y e Philistians Ouid declareth in his first boke of one Argus who had an hūdreth eyes alwaies whē he slept certain of his eyes were open saw so y t at no time he might be found with all on slepe But Mercury by his subtil musicke brought Argus in so sound a sleepe y t he strake of hys head so deliuered Io y t before was transformed into a Cow There be many y t haue an hūdred eies for they see very cleere haue also quicke wittes and perfect vnderstādinges but neuertheles Mercury that is to say the world oft bringeth them a sleepe and then the Cow that is to say the flesh is lost and perisheth An idle hand maketh poore but a quicke labouring hand maketh rich Time is the most precious thing that is All such as will not labour in time but spend their dayes in idlenes Full soone are caught vp with the line of sorrowe paine and wretchednes ¶ The signification HE which standeth by hys tooles signifieth the dissēbling labourer who mindeth to worke no longer then his cōmaunder standeth by and when there is none to controle hym then hee loytereth as before Of such idle labourers there are to many AS smoke is vnto y e eyes euen so is a sluggishe person to them that send hym forth A slothfull person shutteth hys handes into hys bosome as into a pot and will not take paine to put it to his mouth A slothfull body will not go to plough for colde in the winter therfore shall he go a begging in the
my side who And there looked out to him two or three chamberlaines And he sayd throwe her downe so they threw her downe and her bloud dashed toward the wall and toward the horses and he troade her vnder foote And so she was deuoured of dogges Why boastest thou thy selfe thou tyraunt that thou canst do mischiefe where as the goodnes of God endureth yet dayly put me now in remembraunce for we wil reason together shewe what thou hast for thee to make thee ¶ The signification THe womaÌ„ signifieth Gods loue The hart continuance of the same Hell vnder her signifieth death and destructioÌ„ vnto the careles liuers of this world the lambe signifieth the quiet conscience of the faithfull And death vnder him signieth the chaunge of life vnto all the good to immortalitie the bad to destruction righteous thy first father offended sore and thy rulers haue sinned against me The earth is the Lords and all that therein is the compasse of the worlde and they that dwell therein who shall assend into the hill of the Lord or who shall rise vp in his holy place Euen he that hath cleane hands and a pure hart and that hath not lifte vppe his minde vnto vanitie nor sworne to deceiue his neighbour What man liuing can say that he is cleane and hath not offended now therefore consider what wonderfull loue our creator hath to man when he by his holy spirite calleth vs to repentaunce to the ende that all shoulde come to hys eternall and heauenly kingdome From all misdedes wherin they haue offended against me I saith the lord wil clense them and all their blaspeemies which they haue done against me when they regarded me not I will forgeue them and this shall gette me a name and prayse and honour among all the people of the earth which shall here of the good that I will shewe vnto them yea they shalbe afrayed and astonned at all the good deedes and benefites that I will do for them God so loued the world that he gaue hys only begotten sonne that whosoeuer beleueth in him shoulde not perishe but haue euerlasting life for God sent not his sonne into the worlde to condemne the worlde but that the worlde through him myghte be saued he that beleueth on him is not condemned but he that beleueth not is condemned already because he hath not beleued on the name of the onely begotten sonne of God and this is the condemnation that light is come into the word and men loue darckenes more then light because theiâ— deedes were euil foâ— euery one that doth euill hateth the light neither commeth to the light least his deedes shoulde be reproued but he that doth truth coÌ„meth to y e light that his deedes may be knowne how â— t they are wrought in God Be ye therefore followers of God as deare children and walke ye in loue euen as Christ loued vs and gaue himselfe for vs an offringe and a sacrifice of a sweete sauour to God as for fornication and all vncleanes let it not be once named amonge you nor coueteousnes as it becommeth saintes or filthines or foolishe talking or iesting which are not comely but rather geuing of thaÌ„ks for this ye know that no whoremoÌ„ger either vncleane person or couetous person which is a worshipper of Images hath any inheritaunce in the kingdome of Christ and of God let no man therefore deceiue you with vayne wordes for because of such thinges commeth the wrath of God vpoÌ„ the childreÌ„ of disobedience be not ye therefore companions of them ye were sometyme in darcknes but now are ye light in the Lorde for vngodly communication strengthneth the body against the spirit and withdraweth the minde from al good exercise and labour and thereby deserueth the iust wrath of God and such as are worshippers of Images fornicatours such like hath no part wyth Christ in his kingdome to whome be all glory for euer Be not wise in thine owne consent but feare the Lord and depart from euill so shall thine nauell be hole and thy bones strong honour the lord with thy substauÌ„ce with y e firstlings of al thine increase geue vnto the poore so shal thy â—arnes be filled with plenteousnes and thy presse shall flowe ouer with sweete wine My sonne depise not the chastening of the lord neither faint wheÌ„ thou art rebuked of him for whom the Lord loueth him he chasteneth and yet delighteth in him euer as the father in his owne sonne if ye endure chasteninge God offereth himselfe vnto you as vnto sonnes what sonne is he whome the father chasteneth not Reioyce ye heauens and singe prayses thou earth talke of ioy ye hilles for God hath comforted his people and will haue mercy vpon his that be in trouble but Sion saide God hath forsaken me and my Lord hath forgotten me Will a mother forgette the childe of her wombe and not pitie the sonne whome she hath borne And though she do forgett yet will I not forgette thee sayth the Lorâ—e These are the wordes that the Lorde sheweth vnto Ieremy saying Thus saith the Lord God of Israel write vp diligently all the wordes that I haue spokeÌ„ vnto thee in a booke for loe the time commeth sayth y e Lord that I will bringe agayne the prisoners of my people Israell and Iuda sayth the Lord for I will restore them vnto the lande that I gaue to their fathers and they shal haue it in possession By this may it euidently appeare that God is alwayes myndefull of hys people and will not forget them although for a time he suffer them yet at the length he will visite and helpe them For when the Phariseyes had heard that he had put the Saduces to silence they came together and one of them which was a Doctour of the law asked him a question and tempting him saying Maister which is greatest commaundement in the law Iesus saide vnto him Thou shalt loue thy Lorde thy God with all harte and with all thy soule and wyth all thy minde this is the firste and greatest commaundemeÌ„t And the second is like to it Thou shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe in these two commaundementes hange al the law and Prophetes In this commaundement the which our Sauiour Christ spake to a Doctour of the seâ—t of the Phariseyes and Saduces in willinge them firste to loue God and next his neighbour or neighboures is plainely to be vnderstanded the loue of our Sauiour Christ towards man in declaring that he which loued God faithfully and also his neighbour should receiue for his reward the euerlasting ioyes and feliciâ—ie thâ—t soroâ— is â—endent plaine that for the great louâ— our â—auiour Christ hath towarâ—â—s man dyd not onely teach all those the which were mindefull of his euangelicall doctrine but also shedde his most precious bloud to 〈◊〉 come man from the bondage of sinne vnto the life of righteousnes and so 〈◊〉
He that findeth his life shall lose it and he that loseth his life for my sake shall finde it Men can better suffer to be denied then to be deceiued Where wrōg is committed by two manner of wayes either by force or by fraud fraud belongeth to a foxe force to a Lion both the one and the other is to the nature of man wonderfull contrary for that I thinke very necessary some history to be spoken of concerning brotherly loue the which ought to be and also the misery the which eftsons happeneth to malicious myndes and seekers of others harmes I finde that in the dayes of Darius the sonne of Ahasuerues king of Caldey there rayned also one Phalaris a tyraunt ouer Scicilia the which vsed to punish euill offenders very cruelly and it fortuned that on a tyme there came vnto him one Palarius a craftes man of brasse or as it may be more plainlier spokē a brasier such a workman as was very politike in his occupacion The sayde Palarius desiring to please Phalaris not onely to get vnto himselfe some great praise but also hoping to haue had some large reward made a Bull of brasse being hollow wyth a doore to open in the one side whereas all those men that were condempned shoulde go in to be tormented and when they were within the doore to be closed fier to be made vnder the Bull so that the crye the which the offenders made sounded through the sayde Bull in such hidious sort as if there had bene a great number of Bulles because of certaine ingens that were within enclosed Whē Phalaris saw the crueltie of the crafts man against those mē condemned among the which there were some of his natiue countrey as also strangers forthwith he caused Palarius to be tormented in that sort the which he had ordayned for others it is therfore necessary that among Christiās there should be christian gouernment the one to loue the other not the one to hate the other For by such meanes the worst end of the staffe happeneth to the beginner Yf thy neighbour be an offender and such a one as will not be reformed then let the lawes prouided serue for his punishment but be thou no imaginer of euill also let not there be too whot loue the one with the other least there happē as sodaine a colde but liue and loue by measure I reade of one Candalus king of Lidus the which loued his wife so much because of her beutie and fayrenes that on a time he shewed her vnto one Gigy the which to fore had bene his companion and fellow all naked to the end that he should thereby praise her beutie and fairenes reporting her to be one of the personablest women that then were liuing in so much that shortly after his fellow Gigy committed adultery with the wife of Candalus and so the sayde Candalus thereby lost both his wife and kingdome In this Candalus time was liuing the prophet Daniell Let vs loue therefore effecteously supporting one an other and looke that thou neuer do vnto an other man the thing that thou wouldest not an other man should do vnto thee eate thy bread with the hungry and poore and couer the naked with thy clothes set thy bread and wine vpon the buriall of the righteous and do not thou eate and drinke thereof wyth the sinners aske euer coūsayle of the wise be alwayes thankfull vnto God and beseech him y t he will order thy wayes and that whatsoeuer thou deuisest or tahest in hand it may remayne in him Haue we not all one father hath not one God made vs why doth euery one of vs then despise his owne brother and so breake the couenaunt of our fathers Thou shalte not beare false witnes against thy neighbour We which are strōg ought to beare the frailenes of them which are weake and not to stand in our owne conceite but euery man please his neighbour vnto his wealth and edifiyng for Christ pleased not himselfe but as it is written the rebukes of them which rebuke thee fell on me Brethren if any man be fallen by chaunce into any fault ye which are spiritual helpe to amend him in the spirit of meekenes considering thy selfe leaste thou also be tempted Beare ye one an others burthen and so fulfill the law of Christ. I therefore which am in bandes for the Lordes sake exhorte you that ye walke worthy of the vocacion wherewith ye are called in all humblenes of mynde and meekenes and long suffring forbearing one an other through loue and that ye be diligent to keepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bonds of peace being one body and one spirit euen as ye are called in one hope of your calling let there be but one Lord one Faith one Baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all through al and in you all If there be among you any consolation in Christ if there be any comfortable loue if there be any felowship in spirit if there be any compassion or mercy fulfil my ioy that ye draw one way hauing one loue being of one accord and of one mynde that nothing be done through strife or vayne glory but that in meekenes of mynde euery man esteme other better then himselfe and that no man consider hys owne but what is meete for others Aske and it shalbe geuen you seeke you shall finde knocke it shalbe opened vnto you for whosoeuer axeth receiueth and he that seketh findeth and to him that knocketh it shalbe opened Be ye therefore discrete and sober that ye may be apte to prayers but aboue all thinges haue feruent loue amonge you for loue couereth the multitude of sinnes be ye harborus one towardes an other and that without grudging as euery mā hath receiued the gift minister the same one towardes an other as good ministers of the manifolde grace of God whosoeuer doth not righteousnes is not of God neither he that loueth not his brother A newe commaundement geue I vnto you that ye loue together as I haue loued you that euē so ye loue one an other by this shall all men know that ye are my desciples This is my commaundement that ye loue together as I haue loued you greater loue then this hath no man then that a man bestow his life for his frendes Thou shalt not fauour the pore nor honour the mighty but in righteousnes shalt thou iudge thy neighbour Thou shalt not go vp and downe as a priuy accuser among the people neither shalt thou stand against the bloude of thy neighbour I am the Lorde thou shalt not hate thy brother in thine hart but shalt in any wise rebuke thy neighbour that thou beare not sinne for his sake thou shalt not auenge thy selfe nor be mindefull of wrong against the children of my people but shalt loue thy neighbour as thy selfe I am the Lord ye
neuer haue escaped vndestroyed but God so preserued him that he escaped y t death and those princes which hoped that after his death to haue ruled borne their owne sway were of the lions vtterly destroyed this is the ende of all vayne hope Therfore as there is an infallible and true god so is there also but one firme and true faith and in like one hope and one charitie Let all christians therfore pray vnto God to send his holy spirite amongeâ—t vs and that we may be thankful for his inestimable benefites daily bestowed vpon vs lest the like mischiefe happen vnto vs now present as by example hathe happened vnto those the which â—aue bene refusers of the same ⧠The description of Charitie GOd is charitie he that dwelleth in charitie dwelleth in God and God in hym Here in is also loue perfect in vs that we should haue trust in the day of iudgement The charitie of God is declared vnto vs for he hath sent his sonne alredy into the world to redeme the world from sinne death and hell and hath payde for our raunsome euen his most precious bloud vpon the crosse for vs miserable creatures els had we bene vtterly destroyed for euer No man ascended vp into heauen but he that came downe from heauen And as Moyses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernes euen so must the sonne of man be lifted vp that none that beleue in him perish but haue eternall life Little children ye are of God and haue ouercome the world for greater is he that is in you then he that is in the worlde he the which is prince of the worlde is the diuell But the charitable louing and merciful sauiour he is the king of heauen and of all charitable people but suche as say that workes onely iustifieth from sinne do not onely and vtterly deny Christ to be come in the flesh but also they deny and depriue them selues from the euerlasting ioy and heauenly felicitie and although workes are nedefull and necessary yet beyng without faith hope charitie nothing at all auayleth In beleuyng that all such workes as are done truely and not fainedly with faith ioyned are most wholesome and profitable Hope in tarying the good will and pleasure of God neuer thinkyng the Of Charitie ¶ The signification AS many as intend to be pertakers with Christ his Apostels must vse this worke of charitie which is to fede the hungry to clothe the naked to harbor the harbourles lodge the stranger to visite the sicke and to relieue the prisoners and poore afflicted members of Christ this is the dueties of all faithfull people tyme long of this our abode and pilgrimage Charitie in all thinges nourishing and ready to cherish all such as lacke and are in necessitie and so continuyng till it shall please the Lord to chaunge vs into a better life which is most glorious for if when we were enemies we were reconciled to God by the death of his sonne much more seyng we are reconciled we shalbe preserued by his life not onely so but we also ioy in God by the meanes of our Lord Iesus Christ by whome we haue receyued the attonement Nothing ought to seperate vs from the charitie of God for whatsoeuer he be y t seeth what Christ hath done for him cannot but beleue that God loueth hym and with all his soule mynde and will ought to loue god agayne for thorough his loue that loueth vs we ouercome strongly the infirmity of our corrupt and filthy flesh yea I am sure that neither death neither life neither aungels neither rule neither power neither thinges present neither thinges to come neither hie neither low neither any other creature shall be able to depart any faithfull beleuer from the loue of God shewed in Christ Iesu our Lord. For the eternal wisdome of God was and is such that before the world began appointed certayne that should professe set forth the gospel of his sonne euen to the worlds ende that is they are not onely called but also elected and chosen All the commaundementes do lead vs to charitie for the ende of the commaundementes is loue the which commeth of a pure hart and of a good coÌ„science and of fayth vnfayned for the which thynges some haue erred and haue turned vnto vayne iangelyng because they would be doctours in the Scriptures and yet vnderstand not what they speake neither wherof they affirme If this part of Scripture were well considered of all such frantike heades the which taketh vpon them to interprete the scriptures according to their owne wilfull myndes I doo not doubt but suche would be better aduised in considering their dueties not onely to their princes and gouernours but also to the omnipotent God who is able in a moment clearely to seclude and cutte of such vnprofitable impes For as Corach Dathan and Abiram were destroyed for their rebellioÌ„ against Moses Gods seruaunt in resisting the ordinaunces and lawes before commaunded they as men the whiche would seme wiser in their doyng then Moses which had the firme and true law in dede were by the Lord so greuously plaged that the earth opened and they all went downe into hell suche is the rewarde of all disobedient children Watche ye stande fast in fayth quit you like men and be strong and let your busines be done in loue My little children these things write I vnto you that ye sinne not if any maÌ„ sinne yet we haue an aduocate with y e father Iesus Christ which is righteous and he it is that obtayneth grace for our synnes not for our sinnes onely but for the synnes of the whole worlde And hereby we are sure that we knowe him if we keepe his commaundementes He that saith I know him and keepe his commaundements is a lyer and the veritie is not in him Owe nothing to any man but to loue one an other with charitable loue I therefore which am in bondes for the lordes sake exhort you that we walke worthy of the vocation wherwith you are called in all humblenes of minde and meekenes and long suffering forbearing one an other and forgeuyng one an other through loue and that you be diligent to kepe the vnitie of the spirit in the bonde of peace beyng one body and one spirite euen as you are called in one hope of your callyng Let there be one Lord one fayth one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and in you all Let vs be rooted in charitie that is let vs consider one an other to prouoke vnto loue to do good workes and let vs forsake the fellowship that we haue among our selues as the maner of some is but let vs exhorte one another and that so much the more because ye see that the day draweth nye in this part is shewed our duetie if we wil be pertakers of the mercy before rehersed But if we sinne willinglingly after that
we haue receiued the knowledge of the truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sins but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire which shall deuoure the aduersaries This place is also spoken of in the 6. of thys epistle and also in the 12. of the Euangelist S. Mathew that in sinnyng willingly is blasphemy against the holy ghost which S. Iohn calleth y e sinne vnto death let all such therfore as spare not to blaspheme the spirit of God in resisting and rayling vpon hys worde know that their masse is no sacrifice for sinne but y t the terrible iudgement of God remaineth for them and their wicked idolatry Charitie ouercōmeth all sinne If I had the spirite of prophecy and knew all misteries all maner of cunning Also if I had all fayth in so much as I could translate and cary away mountaynes out of their places yet were I nothyng if I lacked charity Moreouer if I did distribute all my goods in feding the poore and although I gaue my body that I burned hauing no charitie it nothyng auaileth me Charitie is pacient and gentle Charitie hath enuy at no man it doth nothyng amisse it is not puft out wyth pryde it is not ambicious she seeketh not her profite she is not moued she thinketh no euil she reioyceth in no mischiefe she goeth with truth all thinges she suffereth all thinges she beleueth according to godly charitie all thinges she hopeth which is to saluation all thinges she beareth charitie neuer fayleth Thus sayth the Lord the people of Israel which escaped in the wildernes from the sworde found grace to come into their rest Euen so shall the Lorde now also appeare vnto me from farre say I loue thee with an euerlasting loue therfore by my charitable mercy I haue drawen thee to me I will repaire thee agayne O thou daughter of Israell that thou mayest be fast and sure Therfore whatsoeuer thou be that this shal read iudge not rashly but vse the Scriptures to the furtheraunce of thy health and solace and although in many points they may dislike thee yet know thou that it is the truth and thou the lyer therefore I say agayne whatsoeuer pointe or title thou happen to read and do not wel vnderstand it as if thy capacity be not able to comprehend y e meaning therof omit it to the diuine wisdom of god pray y t it may be opened reueled vnto thee thus with charitie vse thy selfe that therby it be not only a profit to thee whilest thou art liuing but also an euerlasting ioy in the world to come The hipocrites for to follow their inuencions do leaue iudgement and charitie vndone as appeareth more euident in the xi chapter of the Euangelist S. Luke God graunt for his mercy such charitie to raigne amongst vs that there may not onely be an outward shew therof but also in dede wherby we may be found at the generall day such seruaunts as were occupied and not stepyng when we shall be called Of humayne iustice and iudgement ⧠Of Iustice. The signification SHe which sitteth hauing in one hande a sworde and in the other a paire of balance is iustice also hauyng but one eye in the midst of her forehed signifieth vpright iudgement not exteming the person the balance equitie to vse no parcialitie nether for loue nor fauour the sword to cut of all rebellious persons and offenders the other are signified in the chapter Cambices beyng kyng ouer the Persians and Medes aboute the yeare of the worlde foure thousande and seuentie elected and chose one named Sisamnes to be iudge ouer his people the which for his parcialitie was complained vpon vnto the king that he had against law right condēned a man to death the matter being examined and founde true forthwith the kyng caused the sayde Iudge to be put to death and his skinne to be striped of and layd before the iudgement seat where tofore he had done the offence and also caused Ottanus Sisames sonne to succede in iudgement admonishing hym to beware of peruerse iustice by example of his fathers skinne lest beyng founde with the like fact to haue the lyke rewarde and also caused these verses to be written of him as followeth 1. Sede sedens ista iudex inflexibilis sta 2. A manibus reuoces munus ab aure preces 3. Sit tibi lucerna lex lux pellisque paterna 4. Qua recedes natus pro patre sponte datus Thou that sittest in this iudicall place Set vp right and holde thy handes from meede Thine eares from prayer and fauour from thee chace Let loue be thy guide keepe iustice I thee read Thy fathers skinne which doth thy chayre spred Haue in thy mynde fall not to like offence Lest for thy fault thou make like recompence The iudges ought to do righteous iudgement accordyng to the commaundement of God geuen by Moses vnto the children of Israell saying I charged your iudges at the same tyme saying heare the cause of your brethren iudge righteously betwene euery man and his brother and the straunger that is with him See that you know no faces in iudgement but heare the small as wel as the great and be afraid of no man for the iudgement is Gods and the cause that is to harde for you bring vnto me and I wyll heare it Iudges and officers shalt thou make thee in all thy cities which the Lorde thy God geueth thee thorough out thy tribes and they shall iudge the people righteously Wrest not thou the law nor know any person neither take any reward for giftes blynde the wise and peruerte the wordes of the righteous That which is iust and right shalt thou follow that thou mayst liue and enioy the land which the Lorde thy God geueth thee Rewardes and giftes blyndeth the eyes of the wise and maketh him domme that he cannot tell men their faultes It is not good to haue respect of any person in iudgement neither to regard the outward appearaunce of men He that saith to the vngodly thou art righteous him shall y e people curse yea the comminaltie shall abhorre him but they that rebuke the vngodly in them doth God delight and a riche blessing shall come vpon them Condemne no man before you haue tried out the matter and when thou hast made inquisition then reforme righteously geue not sentence before thou hast heard y e cause but first let men tell out their tales Striue not for a matter that toucheth not thy selfe and stand not in the iudgement of sinners If there be strife betwene men they shall come vnto the law and let the iudges geue sentence betwene them and iustify the righteous and condemne y e vngodly Cursed be he that taketh rewarde to slay the soule of innocent bloud for in iudgement a mā should not agree to the voyce of many for to come by the truth Thou shalt not accept a vaine tale nether
haue thought good to search the scriptures to the intent to see if there had bene any such word or place as by their writings is alleaged there is neither word nor place in such sort to be fouÌ„d But sith they affirme such a place to be I thinke in dede as many as goe thether wheÌ„ they are deade do leaue their winding shetes behinde for at okeÌ„ which semeth y t such Prelates may put y t more cloth in their Ephod Tunicle and Rochet els it is to be thought tohse relickes should not be made so holy And for the auoyding of such superstitious imaginations I haue thought good to nominate so many places of y e scriptures as do alow this third place which they cal purgatory but nought there is to be founde as hereafter folowing in thys sayde chapiter more at large shalbe shewed In y e first of y e holy Euangelist S. Mathew is written these wordes she shall bring forth a sonne and thou shalt call his name Iesus for he shall saue his people from their sinnes all this was done to fulfill that which was spokeÌ„ of the Lord by the prophet Esay in his viij chapiter saying Beholde a mayde shalbe with childe and shall bringforth a sonne and they shall call his name Emanuell which is by interpretation God with vs which name was geuen vnto Christ because he being God was as Paul witnesseth found like vnto vs in all thinges sinne onely excepted Also in the 2. chapiter of S. Marke the Euangelist is written these wordes when Iesus saw their faith he sayde to the sicke of the paulsey sonne thy sinnes are forgeuen thee and there were certayne of y e Scribes sitting there reasoned in their hartes saying how doth this felow blaspheme who can forgeue sinnes but God onely Herein they shewed themselues altogether ignoraunt not crediting him for all the miracles that he had done and shewed among them in like doth the Pope and his fraternity beholde the scriptures but nothing at all vse them as they ought to do but altogether to their owne imaginations in as much as they haue done and do mayntayne a purgatory a place to punishe soules in after they be departed this life at their pleasures which is nothing but mere falshod and deceit ye and also are not ashamed to say that by vertue of trentall Masses pardoÌ„s and dirgies they are able to redeme those that are passed this life from all paynes and tormentes O wretched congregation o generation of vipers that are not ashamed so superbiously to brage and so arrogantly seeke to deface the truth of the liuing God for as there is but one true and liuing God no more is there any other sauiour and redemer then God in Christ Iesus which suffred for all men vniuersally and he it is that worketh our saluation and none but he Si quis peccauerit aduocatum habemus Non habemus hic maneÌ„teÌ„ ciuitatem sed futuram inquirimus Heb. 13. Beatiqui ad coenam nuptiarum Angni vocati sunt Apoc. 19. Verbum Dei comburens gladius Omnia parata venite ad nuptias Math. 22. apud deum Iesum Christum iustum ipse est propitiatio pro peccatis nostris If any man sinne yet haue we an aduocate with y e father Iesus Christ the righteous and he it is that obtaineth grace for our sinnes for he was wounded for our offeÌ„ces smitten for our wickednes Venite ad 〈◊〉 omnes qui laboratis onerati estis ego reficiam vos Come vnto me all ye that lavour and are laden and I will refresh you He saith not go to Iohn Peter or Paule much les to eyther Pope or Cardinal that any maÌ„ should pray vnto but only and soly vnto him which died on the Crosse for our sinnes and rose agayne for our iustification now must it plainly appeare as it is most euident that the Pope is an hipocrite a lyer deceauer going about to robbe God of his honour in y t he taketh vpon hym to forgeue sinnes being a miserable wretched offender himselfe wich none can do but God only Christus semel pro peccatis passus fuit iustus pro iniustis vt nos adduceret deo Christ hath suffred for sinnes the iust for the vniust for to bring vs to God and was killed as pertaining to the flesh but was quickned in the spirit Sanguis Iesu Christi emundat nos ab omni iniquitate The bloud of our Lord Iesus Christ hath purged vs from vs from all our sinnes Non mortui laudabunt te domine neque omnes qui discendunt in infernum The deade prayse not thee O Lord neither all they y t go downe into silence How then can Pope or Prelate rayse them vp forgeue sinnes when the Lord hath sayd that none prayse him that are gone downe into the sileÌ„ce O blinde guides here the blinde leade y e blind and so both falleth into the dich Quomodo facti sunt indesolationem subito defecerunt perierunt propter iniquitatem fuam O how sodenly do they consume perishe and come to a fearefull ende that seeke to maintaine their hipocriticall deuises before y e true words documents of our sauiour Christ Iesus as shall be shewed by y e life of holy S. Dunston a saint of y e Popes owne making Anno. 958. Iohn y e xij helde y e Papacie at Rome y e space of 4. yeares 10. monethes some authors write y t he raigned 9. yeares 3. monethes 5. dayes and was strikeÌ„ of a deuill as he was liyng on bed with a maÌ„s wife and so dyed within 8. dayes folowing This is he of whom the bie word rise Be as mery as Pope Iohn Unto this holy vicar of Sathan successour of Simon magus went Dunstone out of England to be confirmed Archbishop of Canterbury As soone as he was returned againe to England by authority of this most execrable monster and wicked Antichrist he gaue a strait commaundement that Priests out of hand should put away their lawfull wiues whome that brute conâ—inced hipocrite called the vessayles of fornication as more playnely appeareth in the actes of the English votaries Now to returne to the former place of purgatory King Edwine vppon the day of his Coronation lay with Alfiga or Alfgina hys Concubyne hauing then no wife Dunstone being at that tyme but a munke and Abot at Glassenbury and beyng very nere the place come and plucked them both violently from the bedde and brought them before the Archbishop Odo threatning y e woman suspencion for the which the king after that exiled the sayde Dunstone into Flaunders and wrought the munkes many other displeasures When King Edwine was dead the Archbishoppe of Florance for the good wyll that he bare vnto Dunstone wrote this lie of him as followeth WheÌ„ king Edwine was departed this life y e deuils came caried his soule to hel Dunstone knowing therof caused his