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
he tooke out two pence and gaue to the host and said vnto him take cure of him and whatsoeuer thou speÌ„dest more when I come agayne I will recompence thee Which now of these three thinkest thou was neighbour vnto him that was wounded and he said he y t shewed mercy on him The Lawyer perceiued not y t it was himselfe the which was wounded with extreame woundes of fained hope ignoraunce and sinne and the same whiche profered to heale those woundes was the Samaritan Christ which profered not health vnto him onely but also vnto all such as had confidence and trust in him But he iustifiyng himselfe therein condemned himselfe because there is none righteous but Christ alone And now Israell what doth thy Lord thy God require of thee but to feare y e Lord thy God and to walke in all his wayes to loue him and to serue thy Lord thy God with all thy hart and with all thy soule Namely that thou keepe the commaundementes of the Lord and his ordinaunces which I commaunde thee this day for thy wealth God geueth to maÌ„ that which is good before him wisdome vnderstanding and gladnes but vnto the sinner werines and superfluous care that he may gather and heape together the thing that afterward shalbe geuen vnto him whome it pleaseth God thys is now a vaine thing yea a very disquietnes and vexation of minde Marke also the wordes of our Sauiour Christ to Philip. Philip saith vnto him shew vs the father and it suffiseth vs Iesus sayde vnto hym haue I bene so long time with you yet hast thou not knowen me Philip. He that hath seene me hath â—eene the father and how sayest thou then shewe vs the father beleuest thou not that I am in the father and the father in me At the least beleue me for the very workes sake If ye loue me keepe my commaundementes and I will praye the father and he shall geue you another comforter that he may abide wyth you euer which is the spirit of truth whom y e worlde cannot receiue because the world seeth him not neyther knoweth him but ye know him but he dwelleth with you and shalbe in you I will not leaue you coÌ„fortles but will come vnto you All transitory things shall faile at the last and the workers thereof shal go withall Euery chosen worke shalbe iustified and he that medleth withall shall haue honour therein blessed is the man that keepeth himselfe in wisdome and exerciseth himself in vnderstanding and with discretion shall he thinke vpon the foreknowledge of God which considereth the wayes of wisdome in his hart hath vnderstanding in his secretes goeth after her as one that seeketh her out coÌ„tinueth in her wayes he looketh in at her windowes and harkeneth at her doores he taketh his rest besides her house and fasteneth her stake into her walles he shall pitch his tente nigh vnto her hand and in his tent shall good things rest for euermore he shall set his children vnder her couering and shal dwell vnder her braunches vnder her couering shall he be defended from the heat and in her glory shall he rest For I suppose that the afflictions of this life are not worthy of the glory which shalbe shewed vpon vs. Also the feruent desire of the creatures abideth looking when the sonnes of God shall appeare because y e creatures are subdued to vanitie against their will but for his will which subdued them in hope for the very creatures shalbe deliuered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the sonnes of God ¶ How we ought to loue our neighboures EUery beast loueth his like eueÌ„ so let euery man loue his neighbour all fleshe will resort to their like And euery man wyll keepe coÌ„pany with such as he is himsele But as the Wolfe agreeth with y e lambe so doth the vngodly with y e righteous What fellowship should an holy man haue with a dogge how can the rich and the poore agree together The wild asse is the Lions pray in the wildernes euen so are poore men the meate of the rich Like as the proud may not away with lowlines euen so doth the rich abhorre the poore If a rich man fall his frendes set him vp agayne But when the poore falleth his aquaintance forsake him If a rich man fall into error he hath many helpers he speaketh proude wordes and yet men iustifie him But if a poore man goe wronge he is punished yea though he speake wisely yet can it haue no place WheÌ„ the rich man speaketh euery man holdeth his tonge and loke what he saith they prayse it vnto the clouds But if the poore maÌ„ speake they say what fellow is this and he do amisse they shal destroy him for what felowship hath righteousnes with vnrighteousnes what company hath light with darckenes what concorde hath Christ with beliall eyther what part hath he that beleueth with an infidell and how agreeth the temple of God with Images Beware of vnrighteous thinges he gaue euery man also a commaundement coÌ„cerning his neighbour their wayes are euer before him are not hid from his eyes The mercy that a man sheweth is as it wer a purse wyth him and the grace that is geuen to a man preserueth him as the aple of an eye But as touching brotherly loue ye neede not that I write vnto you for ye are taught of god to loue one an other who so discouereth secretes leseth his credence and findeth no frende after his mynde loue thy frende and bynde thy selfe in faithfulnes with him but if thou bewraiest his secretes thou shalt not get him againe for like as the man is that destroyeth his enemy so is he also that dealeth foolishly in the frendshippe of his neighbour Like as one that letteth a birde goe out of his hands cannot take her againe also he that loueth his neighbour hath fulfilled the law I say walke in the spirit and fulfil not the lustes of the flesh for the flesh lusteth contrary to the spirit and y e spirit contrary to the flesh these are contrary one to the other so that ye cannot do that which you would but and if ye be ledde of the spirit then are ye not vnder the lawe The deedes of the flesh are manifest which are these fornication vncleannes wantonnes idolatry witchcraft hatred varience zeale wrath strife sedition sectes enuiyng murther droÌ„kennes glotony such like of y e which I tell you before as I haue tolde you in time past y t they which such things commite shal not inherit the kingdome of God But y e fruit of y e spirit is loue ioy peace long suffring geÌ„tlenes goodnes faithfulnes mekenes teÌ„peraÌ„ce against such there is no law they that are Christes haue crucified the flesh with the appetites and lustes He that loueth his father and mother sonne or daughter more then Christ is not worthy of him
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
where in Howe stedfast are thy woordes of truthe and whiche of you can rebuke or reproue them Be thou my Iudge O Lorde c. For thy louyng kindnes is euer before mine eyes and I will walke in thy truth c O shut not vp my soule with the sinners nor my life with the bloud thirsty in whose handes is wickednes and theyr right hands are full of gifts Good lucke haue thou with thine honoure ride on because of the worde of truth of mekenes and righteousnes and thy righte hand shall teache the terrible thinges But loe thou requiredst truth in the inwarde parts and shalt make me to vnderstand wisdome secretly Mercy and truth are met together righteousnes and peace haue kissed ech other truth shall florish out of the earth and righteousnes hath looked downe from heauen But thou o lord art full of compassion and mercy long suffering plenteous in goodnes truth My song shall be alwayes of the louing kindnes of the lord with my mouth will I euer be showing thy truth from generation to generation thy truth shalt thou stablish in the heauens O Lord y e very heauens shall prayse thy wonderous workes and thy truth in the congregation of saintes O Lord who is like vnto thee thy truth most mighty lord is on euery side righteousnes and equitie is the habitation of thy seat mercy and truth shal go before thy face my truth and my mercy also shal be with him and in my name shal his horne be exalted neuerthelesse my louing kindnes will not I vtterly take from him nor suffer my truth to fayle Lord where are thine olde louing kindnes which thou swarest vnto Dauid in thy truth hys faythfullnes and truth shall be thy shilde and buckler It is a good thinge to geue thankes vnto the Lord and to sing prayses vnto thy name O moste hiest to tell of thy louing kindnes early in the morning and of thy truth in the night season the workes of his handes are veritie and iudgement all his commaundementes are true they stand fast for euer and euer and are done in truth and equitie O prayse the Lord all ye heathen praise him all ye nations for his mercifull kindnes is euer more and more toward vs and the truth of the Lord endureth for euer O take not the worde of truth vtterly out of my mouth for my hope is in thy iudgementes all thy commaundementes are true Thy truth also remayneth from one generation to an other thy righteousnes is an euerlasting righteousnes and thy lawe is the truth Be thou nigh at hand O Lorde for all thy commaundementes are true Thy word is true and is from euerlasting all thy iudgementes of thy righteousnes endureth for euer Doth not wisdome cry doth not vnderstanding put forth her voyce and say my throate shall be talking of thy truth and my lippes abhorre vngodlines A Iust man will tell the truth and show the thing that is right but a false witnesse deseueth A true mouth is euer cōstant but a dissembling tong is euer chaungeable the lord abhorreth lying lippes but they that labour for truth please him A false witnesse shall perish but he that is a true man boldely speaketh that he hath hard Haue I not warned thee very oft with counsaile and learnyng that I myght shew thee the truth and that thou with the veritie mightest aunswer them that send vnto thee Wo be vnto them that make vnrighteous lawes and deuise thinges which be to hard for to keepe where through my people are oppressed and the Innocentes of my people robbed of iudgement that wisdome may be theyr pray that they may rob the fatherlesse What will you do in time of visitation and when destruction shall come from farre To whom will ye runne for helpe and to whom will you geue your honoure that he may kepe it that when I with drawe my hande ye come not among the prisoners or lye among the dead c But faythfulnesse and truth shall they trust vnto yea vnto the lord the holy one of Israel And in mercy shall thy seate be prepared and he shal sit vpon it in the truth in the tabernacle of Dauid iudging and seking iudgement and making hast vnto righteousnes In that day shall this song be soung In the land of Iuda we haue a strong citie saluation shall God appoynt in steade of walles and bulwarkes open ye the gates that the righteous people which kepeth the truth may enter in there minde is set vppon thee because thou preseruest them in peace yea in peace because they put theyr trust in thee put ye your trust alwayes in the Lord for in the Lord God there is strength for euermore let all christians ioye in this heauenly comfort the which the holy prophet of God speaketh for although it be long agone since he spake it yet is it as fruitfull to al faythful christians now in these our dayes as euer it was before God graunt that the harts of al faythful christians may be thankfull for these his inestimable benefites and mercyes shewed vnto vs in these our dayes and therefore let vs reioyce with the Israelites and say God is oure righteousnes and truth and God hath deliuered vs from the fiery and cruell malice of sathan and al papistical doctrine wherby now hauing no let nor foes to disturbe vs may so diligently shew ourselues in ech vocation that thereby Gods name may be glorified and our soules refreshed with y e heauenly foode of immortall ioyes to the which eternall and liuing God be all honour and glory for euer and euer He that feareth God will do good and who so keepeth the law shall obtayne wisdome men that go about with lies will not remember her but men of truth shalbe found in her and shall prosper euen vnto the beholding of God And aboue all things pray the hyest that he wil lead thy way in faithfulnes truth The arrogant and stifnecked Phariseyes although they beleued not y e preaching of our Sauiour Christ yet they confessed him to be the truth saying maister we know that thou art true and teachest the way of God truely neither carest thou for any mā for thou regardest not the outward appearaunce of men tell vs therefore how thinkest thou is it lawfull that tribute be geuen vnto Cesar or not But Iesus perceaued theyr wickednes sayde why tempte ye me ye hipocrites shewe me the tribute money and they tooke him a penny and he sayde vnto them whose is thys Image and superscription they sayde vnto hym Cesars Then sayde he vnto them geue therefore vnto Cesar the thinges which are Cesars and vnto God those thynges that are Gods By thys Cesar is ment all temporall rulers to whome we ought to geue all thinges that the lawe of the countrey we be in bindeth vs to geue whether it be our goodes our life our childrē or