of idle braines and brainles people together robbe mens houses spoyle their goodes breake vp their hedges make seuerall pastures coÌ„mon to all men hunte carnal libertie make a coÌ„munion yea conâ—usion of al thinges and al for the belly Paule woulde rather lyke vnto the pore Lazar haue dyed for honger then once violently and vniustly to take awaye other mens goodes Chri. Ye se the vnmercifulnes of y e riche what wold ye haue the pore people starue for honger Phil. Rather starue and die for honger as pore Lazar dyd then to trouble a coÌ„mon weale As riches so likewise pouertie cometh from god And both are to be takeÌ„ thankefully and not to be grudged at If oppression be done to the pore of the ryche worldlinges shall they auenge them selues God forbyd yea rather take that crosse paciently and thynke that they haue deserued far worser thinges whiche haue so ofte deserued hell and pray to god to geue those ryche men mercifull hertes that accordinge to their dutie they may be moued with pytie and compassion toward the pore Againe if they haue iniuries done vnto them if they can not otherwise be redressed let them complayne to the Magistrates and officers of the commoÌ„ weale whyche are appointed to heare mennes causes Christo. If the poore oppressed complayne to the Iustices of peace or suche lyke in the contrey where he dwelleth that hathe the iniurye done vnto hym lytle redresse as I heare can be hadde one so serueth anothers turne euen as the Mules scratche one anothers backe Philemon If there be anye suche parciall officers whyche are not indifferente but iudge for fauour yet remayneth there another refuge and that is to complaine vnto the Kynges Maiestie and hys moste honorable councell whyche wythoute all doubte wyll bothe gladlye heare theire lamentable complayntes and redresse theyr matters accordinge to iustice But who so leaueth godly meanes and attempteth wycked wayes bothe he and his enterprise muste nedes come to naught as we haue seene of late dayes The lorde hym selfe hath spoken it All they that take the sweard shall peryshe with the swearde All they that are priuate menne and go aboute wyth force and violence to auenge theyr own cause and to redresse theyr owne matters shall surelye come vnto destruccion For they be order breakers and despisers of goddes holy ordinauÌ„ce which hath appointed magistrats and head rulers iustly to iudge betwene man and man in al matters of controuersie that peace and quietenes may be maynteined in a coÌ„mon weale Theo. If men wer christen men in dede as they professe in word they wolde neuer for the bellies sake go aboute to disturbe trouble and disquiet all the members of the bodie There is a prouerbe no lesse true then common God neuer made mouthe but he made meat And truly I am thus perswaded that god which made me a liuing soul and fed me in my mothers wombe wyl not after he hath brought me in to this world suffer me to peryshe for honger if I hange on his fatherlye prouiâ—â—â—e cast my care on hym seke to please hym and liue in my vocacion according to his worde Phil. I am glad neybour Theophile this to heare you speake for as I may tel you truth the principall occasioÌ„ whi I so greatli desire to speake w t you wyth my other neyghbours here was to confort and strengtheÌ„ you againste this sollicitude and thought taking for the belly wherwyth manye at this presente are muche vexed For I am not ignorant what importune suâ—er the bellye is and how she is euer crauing and castyng doutes fearinge that she shuld neuer haue inoughe and therfore continually knocketh at the doore of the mynde to putte him in remembraunce to prouide for her saiyng Adfer Infer bring hither bringe in For the idle belly continuallye consumeth wasteth but getteth prouideth nothinge Therefore is she full of thoughte and care for her liuynge euen as a beggare is whiche is so ielouse ouer hys drynke that he wyll not suffer the lytle flye to sitte vpon the brymme of his cuppe leste she should beguyle him of his drinke Thys belly care causeth the Lawers to corrupte the lawe the iudge to geue false sentence the officers to be vntrue to their Lordes and masters the Hipocrites to corrupt the holy scriptures the ryche men to be vnliberall vnmercifull the Beneficed menne to receyue much and distribute lytle the Patrones of benefices to sell to vnlearned Priestes theyr benefices parentes to sell theire chyldren lyke calues and sheepe for money the papiste to hate the truthe of goddes worde the marchaunte to for sweare hym selfe in sellynge hys marchandise the craftes manne to make and vtter false and sleyghty wares the temporal Lord to raise hys rentes or to take greate fines and incommes the Iâ—ne kepers to polle and pylle hys geastes the seruaunte to robbe his master the mayde her masters the syngle or maried woman to pley the whore the syngle or maryed manne to playe the Rufian and the thiefe the subiecte to ryse agaynst his superioure c. Innumerable euels dothe thys belly care brynge vnto menne againste the whyche except they be well furnyshed both wyth strong fayth in goddes holy prouidence and also fortressed wyth the knoweledge of holye scriptures wherein lye buryed so greate consolacions for the faithful they can not abide y â— importune continual futes of the sluggyshe bellye but must nedes dispaire of satisfiynge her requestes and by this meanes not only haue an vnquiet mynde but also throwe them selues into desperacion and so to muche wretchedly finishe this their careful life Chri. Thys bellye care withoute doute is a great temptacioÌ„ to maÌ„ and very muche disquieteth hym namely when he seeth all thynges so dere as thei be now and despair of a redresse for asmuche as they which shuld amende thys thynge are the cause of this dearth and famine I speake of Grasiers Shep mongers and riche faâ—mers Therfore neyghbour Philemon ye can not intreate at this present in your communicacion amonge vs of a thing more mete for this beggerly and nedy wretched tyme then to declare vnto vs by the holy scriptures how mercâ—full and bounteous lâ—de we haue in heauen whiche wyll not suffer vs to peryshe for honger if we hange on his fatherly prouidence and cast al oure care on hym Phil. Thys your beÌ„te good wyl to heare doth not a litle encourage me to speake that whiche I haue purposed yea and that in fewe wordes because I wyl not be tedious vnto you Eusebius Speake I pray you we wyl geue good eare Phil. That ye maye be thorowly perswaded of goddes liberalitie toward his faythfull seruauntes I praye you fyrst of all consider gods order in the prouision for hys creatures Before god made man whom he was determined to make the hygh ruler vnder him ouer al thinges in this world he made and prepared euery thing necessarye for him and for the conseruacion of his bodie y â—
raigned in his stead But what folowed though Baasa in the syght of the worlde died no shameful death yet died he in the displeasure of god afterward al his succession with al his freÌ„des kinsfolke were al destroied so that ther was not one left aliue Again zimri coÌ„spired against Ela kynge of Israell slue him reigned in his steade But shortly after he was driuen to such misery and strayte that he fâ—ed into y â— kinges palace at Thirza settinge it on a fyre brent him selfe so wretchedlye ended hys lyfe Theo. An ende worthy of such a beginninge Phil. What shall I rehearse vnto you the histories of the .ii. sedicious men Theudas and Iudas of Galile of whom blissed Luke writeth in his booke of the Apostels actes The one boasted to do great thynges and so allured much people to folowe him the other councelled the Iewes by no meanes to paye tribute to Cesar but to maintaine theyr olde liberties and by this meanes moued great sedicion amonge the people What became of theÌ„ were they not put to death and so many as folowed them eyther sâ—ayne or els scatered abroad and so brought to naughte Wee reade not in al the scriptures that any traytour or notable sedicious parson hathe at any tyme escaped wythout notable punyshmente God caÌ„ not suffer his magistrates to be disobeied his coÌ„mon weales to be disturbed his polltique or ciuile lawes to bee contemnedâ— hys godly and honest orders to be broken c. Who soeuer attempteth any such wickednes god wyl be auenged of him as it is euident not only in the holy scriptures but also in the prophane histories For god euen among the Heathen cannot abyde his ordinaunce to be dispised Chri. Wold god that al they which eyther were authors of sedicion or consented therunto at any time in this our realme had knowen these thinges then wolde not they so greatly haue forgotteÌ„ theÌ„ selues and theyr duetie Euse. If they had ben as wel trayned vp in learning suche godly histories as thei were â—ouseled in hearing popishe masses such other trifeling truÌ„pery thei had raised vp no such tragedies If there had bene but the tenth part of true and learned preachers y â— there were of popyshe priestes among them they had neuer fallen to such disorder But it is truly sayd of the wiseman wheÌ„ the preaching of gods worde fayleth the people runne out of order perishe and come to naught The. Yet haue I heard it reported that these new preachers as they call them thorow their vndiscrete sermons opened a large window vnto dissolucion of lyfe and by this meanes caused the coÌ„mon people to aspire and breath vnto carnall libertie which whyle they hunted they forgot bothe them selues and theyr duetie Phil. I wyl not excuse al preachers For some as I haue heard haue taken vpon them the office of preachinge vncalled vnsente and suche disordered preachers for the mooste parte brynge all thynges to a disorder yea to an vtter coÌ„fusion maske they wyth neuer so pleasaunt a visare and bable wyth neuer so paynted eloquence in the syghte and eares of the simple and ignorante people Howe shall they preache excepte they be sente sayeth Saint Paul I haue not sent the preachers sayeth the Lorde and yet they runne I haue not spoken to them and yet they preached But as I maye speake in the faythefull and discrete preachers behalfe whyche are lawfully sente of the hye powers and called thereunto by the secrete mocion of goddes spirite in theyr hertes howe soeuer they be reported certaine I am they neuer taughte suche doctrine as should minister occasion to godlye people to shake of the zeale of obedience or to breake any good order or pollityke lawe Chri. Yet haue I heard some preachers whom I knowe to be bothe prudent and faythful sclaundred that they by their preaching haue caused these vproures Philem. Ye sayde well sclaundred Were they preachers or rather massemuÌ„gers that caused y â— insurreccions in Deuonshyre Chri. Massemungers papiâ—tes as it is reported Phâ—lem Then are the godly preachers fre from geuinge any occasion of that sedicion Euse. But what of Norfolke Phil. Euen in Norfolke also or els where I am sure the veri rebels them selues wyl confesse as I haue partly heard and knowen that the preachers wer not the authors nor prouokers of theyr commocion Can the sermons of them which teache al obedience humilitie and pacienâ—e moue men vnto disobedience hautines of mynde and desyre of reuenginge Canne lyght be the occasion of darkenes or truth of salsehead But what is so prudently godly and circuÌ„spect lie spoken that enuy can not wrest and corrupt Neither is it strauÌ„ge for the christeÌ„ preachers to be misreported of the voluptuous world lynges and couetouse carles How earnest a setter forth of gods glorie was the Prophet Elias yet howe was he reported not only of the baser sort but euen of the king and of the Quene Art thou he saieth Kynge Achab that troubleth Israel As though he shuld saye art thou he which thorow thine vndiscrete and rashe sermons mouest the people to sedicion makest theÌ„ disobedient to me theyr kynge and to al my officers causest them vnlawfully to assemble together and to make hauocke of all thinges But y â— Propheâ— boldly answered It is not I that haue troubled Israell but thou and thy fathers house in that ye haue forsaken the coÌ„maundementes of the lord and folowed the waye of Baall as though he should haue answered Doest thou O kynge laye to my charge y t I troubled thy realme which teache thy subiectes to obey the in all those thy coÌ„maundementes that fyghte not wyth goddes worde Then vntruly thou accusest me There is I graunt in thy realme sedicion and muche hurlye burly what then Impute not the faute to me but corie thy selfe on the head saye I my selfe and my wycked progenitors which haue not teÌ„dered the glorie of god nor loued to heare his blessed worde nor to maintaine y e preachers therof but rather haue slayne them and folowed the way of that foule Idole Baall and nouryshed hys priestes at oure owne table and haue not ruled the Realme wyth such iustice and equitie with suche clemency aud gentlenes as becommeth ryghteous and godlye rulers but haue polled and pylled oure subiectes oppressed the widdowes and fatherlesse receyued brybes condemned the gyltelesse for gyftes and shedde innocente bloud lyke vnmercyful Bochercyke tirauntes we we are only the occasion of al these tumultes sedicions conspiracies c. wherewith thys my Realme at this preseÌ„t is so greatly dis quieted As I maye let pas the other Prophetes whiche for their godly sermons susteyned the like displesure at y â— worldly tirauntes handes how was the self master of truth the wysedome of the father I meane Iesu Christ our Lorde in whose mouthe was found no guyle no disceate haudeled for hys Sermons When they broughte
he might abundantly haue what soeuer is expedient for hym and by no meanes peryshe for honger and lacke of foode Fyrst placing hym in paradise that garden of pleasure he gaue man libertie to eate of al the frute that grew in the garden except the tre of knowledge of good and â—uel After the transgressioÌ„ of gods coÌ„maundement when man was iustly driuen out of paradise and worthye for his disobedience not only to starue for honger but also to be condeÌ„ned for euer if god for his mercies sake promised in that blessed sede Christ Iesu had not fauored forgeuen him God sending forth man into this vale of misery dyd not leaue him confoâ—â—les and without prouision for his bodelye sustenaunce neyther sente he him into a bareyn deserte or â—alte grounde voyde of all frute but into this worlde where he founde plentye and aboundaunce of all thynges and gaue him libertie to eate of all frutes and seedes growynge in it Encrease saieth he and multiplie and replenishe the earthe and subdue it and haue dominion of the fyshe of the sea and the foule of the ayre and of euerye liuinge thinge that moueth vpon the earthe And god sayde Beholde I haue geuen you euery hearbe sowinge seede which is in the vpper face of al the earth and in euerie tree in the whiche is the frute of the tree and that sowâ—the seede that they maye be meate vnto yoâ— Wyth thys kynde of foode was Adam and his posteritye contente vntyll the floude of Nohe After the floude God purposinge as it were to repayre man kinde and to be mannes good and merciful lorde no lesse but much more bounteous to hym then he was aforeâ—sayed bringe ye forth and multiplye and replenyshe the earth The fear of you the drede of you shall be vpon euery beaste of the earth and vpon euerie foule of the ayer and in all suche as the earth bringeth forth and in all the fyshes of the sea into your hande are they deliuered Euery thynge that moueth it self and that liueth shal be meate for you Euen as the grene hearbe haue I geuen you al thinges As god afore gaue maÌ„ libertie to eate al kynde of herbes sedes and frutes that grow vpon the earth so likewise geueth he maÌ„ authoritie nowe to eate all kynde of fyshe or fleshe as he lysteth Christ. O exceadinge greate is the liberalitie of our lorde god which dealeth so fauorablye wyth wretched manne Not onlye to geue hym libertie to eate all kynde of hearbes seedes and frutes buâ— also all maner of fleshe and fyshe This is with out doubte a singulare benefite and greate token of goddes inestimable goodnes towarde man Phi. Here euen frome the beginning and reparing of maÌ„ dothe the kyndenes of god braste out and shew forth it selfe toward man abundantly so that nowe all thynges are pure to them that are pure Nothing is commune or vnclean neither is any kinde of meat to bee refused if it bee taken with thankes geuinge For that which god hath purified made cleane ought no man to call vnpure vncleane And all these thinges hath god geueÌ„ vs to eate Now that ye maye be thorowlye perswaded of goddes truth in performinge hys promises call to remembrauÌ„ce the histories of the holye scriptures whiche do declare and euidentlye proue that god is faythfull in all his wordes and dealeth no lesse fauorablye wyth his seruauntes in dede then he promiseth in worde GOD coÌ„maunded Absolom to get him out of his contrey and out of his nacion and frome hys fathers house vnto a lande that he woulde shewe hym Abraham dyd as the lorde commaunded him If Abraham had not bene fully perswaded of goddes constancie and truthe in accomplyshing his promises wolde he haue forsaken his natiue contrey and gone oute of hys owne house where he was quiâ—tely placed and wealthily settled and wandered abrode lyke a masterles hounde he can not tell whither Eusebius A carnall and worldlye wyse man woulde haue thought it greate madnes to leaue a thynge certeine for that that is vncerteyne Philemon So iudgeth the wysedome of thys worlde whyche is folyshenes afore God Notwythstandinge Abraham nothyng doutynge of goddes promise forsoke contrey nacion and house and obeyed the voyce and commaundemente of God Neyther was he any thynge at all thereby impoueryshed The scripture sayeth he was very ryche in cattell syluer and golde For his natiue contrey God gaue hym a contrey that flowed wyth mylke and honye that is wyth the abundaunce of al thinges For one house he gaue hym many houses For one nacion he made hym a father of many nacions So recompenseth God the losses that any man susteineth for hys sake Theophilus The lyke thynge is promised of oure sauioure Christe in the gospel Ther is no maÌ„ saieth he that hath forsaken house either father or mother either brethren or wyfe or children for the kyngedome of gods sake which shal not receiue muche more in this world and in the world to come life euer lastinge Phil. Who euen by this one exemple is not greatli encouraged to beleue the promise of god and to be fully perswaded that as god dealte wyth Abraham so in lyke maner wyl he deale with vs if we obey the voice of god as AbrahaÌ„ did For there is no respecte of persons with hym but in al people he that â—â—areth hym worketh ryghteousenes is accepted vnto hym The promise of god is vniuersal Whosoeuer therfore laieth hande on it wyth stronge fayth he shall haue of god whatsoeuer he hath promised There is no difference betwene the Iewe and the Gentile for one is lorde of all whiche is ryche vnto all that cal vpon him For whosoeuer calleth on the name of the Lorde he shall be safe Chri. It is not withoute a cause that thapokles praied Lorde encrease oure faythe For if true and vndoubted faythe were in the hertes of meÌ„ thei wold nether distrust y â— promise of God nor yet despaire of conuenient lyuinge Phil. Faith is muche yea faithe is altogether Whatsoeuer ye axe when ye praie saithe Christ beleue to haue it and ye shal haue it in dede as god shewed him self faithfull in his promise to Abraham whiche is the father of the faythfull so lykewyse did he to other because no man shoulde doubte of his liberalitie whych is comune not to Abraham only but to all the faithefull in lyke maÌ„ner ye remeÌ„ber y t Hager was the hand maide of Sara Abrahams wife because Sara hir self was barreÌ„ childeles she gaue to hir husbande her maid to be his wife y t she might be edified by hir Christo. We remember it well Phil. This Hagar broughte forthe a sonne called Ismael by hir master Abraham whiche child was a mocker in somuch y t after Sara had brought forthe Isahac hir sonne she wold not suffer neyther the lad nor his maister to