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 〈◊〉
Sommer and haue nothing Delight not thou in sleepe least thou come vnto pouertie but open thine eyes that thou mayest haue bread Thus gentle reader mayest thou see the mischiefe and vnhappines that ensueth sloth When Eneas came from the siege of Troy hee ariued in Carthage there for a tyme to solace hym selfe and as he walked y e Quene of Carthage whose name was Dido espying y e comely personage of Eneas was therwith inflamed And when they had talked togethers and sociated them a certaine space the sayd Eneas departed into Italy and there was long tyme absent from the presence of Dido who waxed displeasant at his sloth and forgetfulnes saying that the cause of hys absence without spedie returne would be cause of her death Eneas not regarding the letter that Dido sent but being loth to iourney remayned still in Italy In the meane tyme Dido slue her self and whē Eneas knew of her death then he lamented y t he had not come before her death Some writers say that Dido builded Carthage and Eneas was dead iij. C. yeares before the buildyng of Carthage therfore it was not that Eneas but some other S. Augustine writeth of y e same Confessionum in fine Great griefe it is the learned to see in slothfull rest to spend their dayes Such may be likened to dronebees that sucke the sweete and go their wayes ¶ The signification HE which rydeth on the Asse signifieth sloth as well amōg the chiefest as among the lowest the Fryers weede and Beades signifieth hypocrisie and lothsomnes of the truth SLoth among the spiritual is much to be reproued spokē of in all such as do not thankfully apply the giftes that God geueth thē to their brothers profite From such God wil take hys giftes will make thē voyde of al ghostly vnderstāding The kingdome of heauen is lyke vnto x. virgins which tooke their lampes and went to meete the bridegrome Fiue of them were folishe and v. were wise The folishe tooke their lampes but tooke no oyle with them But the wyse tooke oyle with them in their vessells with their lampes also While the bridegrome taried they all slumbred and slept And euen at midnight there was a cry made beholde the bridegrome commeth goe out to meete hym Then all those virgins arose and prepared their lampes And the folish sayd vnto the wise geue vs of your oyle for our lampes goe out But the wise aunswered saying not so least there bee not inough for vs and you but goe ye rather to them that sell and bye for your selues And while they went to bye the bridegrome came and they that were readye went in with hym to the wedding and the gate was shut vp Afterwardes came also the other virgins saying Lord Lord open to vs. But he answered sayd verely I say vnto you I know you not Watch therefore for ye know neither the day nor the houre when the sonne of man shall come The lampes signifie such dead fayth as S. Iames declareth to bee in deuills and rotten trees which bring forth no fruite We ought alwayes so to liue euen as though we should depart presently Enuie seeketh where to finde to hurt hys neighbour if he can And neuer ceaseth but to purloyne which hath bene the vndoing of many man ¶ The signification THese two mē signifieth the one a true labourer the other an enuious deceauer he which soweth the ground is diligēce of mind in sowing the seedes of veritie but he which stādes pouring the corne into the water signifieth a deceatfull person seeking by all meanes to waste and spoyle the seedes of veritie the byrdes signifie the faythfull followers of the veritie ENuie ought to be put out frō all men for by enuie many men cōspire their owne death and come to vtter destruction Example of Caine that slue hys brother Abell and therefore the Lorde sayd to Caine Now art thou cursed from the earth c. By enuie Ioseph was solde of hys brethren into Egypt Thorowe enuie Saule would haue slaine Dauid with a Iauelinne but Dauid escaped and fled from hym Who made Daniell to bee cruelly entreated but onely enuie For when Darius had ordayned a C. xx Lordes which should be in all his kingdome amongest whō was Daniell which exceeded all the reast of the Lordes for the spirite of God was with hym so that y e kyng was minded to set hym ouer the whole realme Wherfore the princes Lordes sought to picke out in Daniell some quarrell yet could they finde none occasion nor fault vpon hym Then they seing that they could not preuaile they imagined a sure statute namely that who soeuer desired any petition either of any God or man within xxx daies except it were to the king the same person to be cast in the Lions dēne So Darius made the writing and confyrmed it whereby ensued that those which sought the death of Daniell whom God had deliuered from the denne of the Lions the same were of the Lions destroyed Where Gods word preached is in place vnto the people willingly Woe be to them that would deface for if such cease the stones will crie ¶ The signification HE which preacheth in the pulpit signifieth godly zeale a furtherer of the gospel and the two which are plucking him out of his place are the enemies of Gods word threatning by fire to cōsume the professors of the same and that company which sitteth still are Nullifidians such as are of no religion not regarding any doctrine so they may bee quiet to liue after their owne willes and mindes WHo caused our Sauiour Christ to be condemned to death but enuie of y e Iewes Also because the coūsell of Ahitofell was refused hee presently sadled hys Asse and rode home and so hāged himselfe The Iewes also thorow enuie stoned to death y e Martyr S. Steuen So likewise Senacherib or Sanabalat when he heard say that the walles of Ierusalem were redified he was wroth and tooke great indignatiō and mocked the Iewes Wherby it appeareth that enuie is a right greuous malady and contrary to nature for nature desireth good and euery creature naturally taketh pleasure in good thinges But enuie tormenteth him selfe when he seeth any good thyng happen vnto an other and the most harme falleth vpon hym selfe It holdeth the hart and the minde in great melancholy and maketh y e cullour to waxe pale It drieth the body and maketh all such as vse it oft to sigh and to speake alwayes euill of other and can not say well Enuie seeketh alway to destroy the wealth and welfare of hys neighbour Enuie maketh a man to be like a feend of hell which may not suffer the creature in no wyse to do well God graunt for hys mercy to shorten the dayes of such enuious mindes as seeketh to displace the veritie While enuie seeketh to destroy and will not cease to leaue hys will Then mischiefe
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