as new born Bibes yea shall not enter into the kingdome of heauen A new borne Babe seeing a faire woman is not delighted beholding gorgeous apparell he doth not desire it Being hurt he dwelleth not in anger he doth not remember nor hate therefore he followeth his father and doth not forsake his mother And therefore let no man thinke that he shall attaine the kingdome of heauen vnlesse he be a follower of this innocencie viz of chastitie contempt of the world of loue and patience following Christ and resting in the bosome of the church his mother Put off most beloued the old man and put on the armour of God that yee may stand against the treacheries of the Deuill Let your weapons wherewith ye fight be chasâ—itie patience humilitie and charitie for these are weapons against the subtleties of the Deuill wherewith if yee be armed yee shall gird your loynes with fortitude and strengthen your arme and when yee shall be in the battaile yee shall laugh your house shall truly be founded vpon a sure rocke which is Christ Luxurie is the sword of the Deuill as how many doth he slay with that sword and there is no sin whereby the Deuill doth so often ouercome For as chastitie doth equall a man vnto the Angels so luxurie doth make a man like to the brute beasts yea to speake truly it makes him worse than a beast We doe not read of any other sin that God said that he repented that hee made man for it The workes of luxurie are these it weakneth the body and doth alwaies as it were destroy a man by death it brands the good name it emptieth the purse it sets a worke to steale it causeth murther it dulls the memory it takes away the heart it blindes the eyes of either man and prouokes the wrath of God aboue other sinnes It springeth from gluttonie as from a roote and for no other sin hath God exercised so manifest iudgement as for that without all mercy For this sinne God brought the flood vpon the world he burnt Sodom and Gomorrah and slew many other men This is the net of the Deuill if any man be taken herein he is not soone let loose againe In this so grieuous a battaile no men can ouercome vnlesse hee flies none can firmely indure vnlesse he times the flesh He that vseth wine carries fire in his bosome Be not drunken with wine saith the A postle where in is luxury This brunt is not borne but by abstinence and fasting Wine hurteth but the countenance of a woman an hundreth fold more A beautifull woman is the deuils dart whereby a man is soone drawne into luxurie Let no man liuing be confident in this if thou beest a Saint yet thou art not secure Can a man hide fire in his bosome and his garments not burne or walke vpon coales and his feete not burne A man a woman togither are fire and towe and the Deuil neuer ceaseth blowing to kindle it Many most holy men haue fallen by this vice for their securitie therefore feare ô my sonaes and if in other sinnes much more in this But to speake truly a new kind of fornication is committed by many of the spiritualty now a dayes Alas what shall I say men doe not now blush but glory in doing euill There is some kinde of bashfulnesse tho but a litle in women but in men this euill hath so increased that he is counted a foole that is not expert in these things What should I say more This is their holy day keeping this is their preaching for this come they to the Church that they may see faire women and that they may talke with them that the desire of filthinesse may the more increase thereby But ô wretched man why dost thou glory in this euill Thou sinnest an hundreth times more than the woman Shee is weake and thou thinkest thy self strong shee sitteth at home and thou wandring abroad seekesta thousand waics to intangle hir and sometime compellest hir by force and when thou dost these things because God holds his peace thou thinkest that hee is like vnto thee But the time will come wherein he will reproue thee and set thy sinnes before thy face Wherefore ô my sonnes be yee wise as serpents innocent as doues fight manfully against the old serpent O loue one another I haue receiued this not of man but of my Sauiour who saith This is my commandement that yee loue one another As out of one root many branches do spring so out of charitie spring all vertues If I speake with the tongues of men and angels and haue not loue I am nothing saith the Apostle He that hath loue is benigne and patient He hath true loue which doth not only loue the nearest vnto him by kindred and in the flesh as the heathen doe but which loueth his enemy euen as his friend By this one thing a man may know that he abideth in loue if he loueth him that is against him There are very many that loue but they loue amisse for in louing man they oftentimes loose the loue of God They which loue any thing more than God are not worthy of God In all vertues temperance is required vertue must alwaies keepe a meane To loue too much or too litle is euill All loue that hurteth is to be anoyded Through too much loue some haue fallen into fil thinesse through too litle some haue fallen into enuie Ouer-much loue would alwaies see the thing which it loueth This loue is ignorant of iustice and truth it wants reason it knowes no measure neither can it thinke any thing but that which it loueth It is impossible that a man which hath such loue should offer acceptable prayers vnto God or please God This loue is not charitie but folly We ought to loue all our brethren as our selues but yet so as that we loue not their vices It is loue to punish sinne it is iust to loue more the better man Men are so to be loued that goodnesse may be exalted and vice disgraced He that is without true loue is without God because God is loue and loue is God He that dwelleth in loue hath already begun to dwell in heauen Where there is true loue there is no enuie no ambition no backbiting no murmuring or mocking but one and the same will Therefore I beseech you whilsi yee haue time that ye receiue not the grace of God in vaine In this short time of our life let vs sow and so we shall reape in due time The dayes of man are short our life is cut off as a weauers threed death commeth as a theefe and euery mans workes follow him Whilst ye haue light walke not in darknes he that walketh in darknesse knoweth not whither be goeth Your light is Christ which doth shine in darknesse come there fore vnto him the liuing stone reiected indeede or men but chosen of God that yee as liuing stones may be
built vpon him and yee may carry your selues in all things as the ministers of God in much patience in tribulations in necessities in streights in scourges in prisons in labours in fastings in chastitie in long-suffering in the Holy Ghost and in loue vnfained in the word of truth and in the virtue of God Let there not be a lye told amongst you for euery lyer is abominable vnto God God is truth and lying is opposite to truth Flie euery idle word for of euery idle and vaine word wee must giue accompt vnto God Loue silence where there is much talking there cannot but be much lying The speech bewraieth what a man is Let no word come from your mouth which may not sauour of Christ alwaies meditate vpon Gods law Surely nothing hurts a man more then euill society for such is a man made as they are whose society hee vseth The Wolfe neuer dwells with the Lambe A chast man flies the society of the luxurious I thinke it impostible for a man to remaine long in good workes that vseth euill society euery day With the holy saith the Psalmist thou shalt be holy with the innocent thou shalt be innecent with the froward thou shalt learne frowardnesse For euen as euill company hurteth so good companie profiteth Nothing can be compared to this treasure hee that hath found good Companions hath found life flowes with riches And to speake truely very seldome is a man made either good or euill but by company The heart of a child is like vnto a table wherin nothing is at the first ingrauen therefore what hee receiueth from company he reteineth euen vnto old age whether it be good or bad Let youth keepe company with men of yeares and wisedome for if hee be linked to one like vnto himselfe by daily fellowshippe hee shall fall from folly to folly Aboue all things my sonnes sweare not neither by heauen not by earth nor by any other Oath Out of whose mouth Oathes are heard in him is little knowledge and loue of God If it be not true which I sweare I doe in effect denie God for God hath for bidden to take his name in vaine Be instant in continuall prayers Frequent and deuout prayer doth much auaile Prayer doth lift vp a man from earth to heauen and makes him to speake with God Hee obteineth grace of God if his Prayer be deuout and mixt with teares Hezechiah by his prayers and teares did presently obtaine grace of the Lord so that the sentence was changed which had bin denounced At the praiers of Elias the beauen gaue raine which had beene shut vp three yeares and six monethes If ye want any thing aske it of the Lord by prayer and weeping being no whit doubtfull for whosoeuer hath faith but so much as a graine of mustard seed whatsoeuer he shall aske shall be granted vnto him The same Lord that then was is now also rich in all things wherefore let God now be your hope your ioy your thinking and your desire For of him in him and through him are all things in whom we liue and moue and haue our being and without whom we are nothing And now ô my sonnes I shall not speake many things to you for the houre is come vnto which I was borne vpon this condition I came into the world that I might goe out againe The Lord spared not his owne son but made them to die vpon the Crosse for vs all by whose death our death is dead for none of vs liueth to himselfe but dieth whether wee liue we liue to the Lord and if we die we die to the Lord therfore whether we liue or die we are the Lords and for this cause Christ is called the Lord of the liuing and of the dead For if Christ bee dead surely the seruant is not about his Master we must also die and if he be risen againe we haue also most sirme hope that we shall rise againe and if he bee risen to die no more neither shall we die any more after our resurrection but shall alway abide with him in glory When Christ died a man like vnto vs died that the body of sinne might be destroyed that we might be made one body together with him Wherefore my beloued sonnes although I now die I beleeue that my Redeemer liueth and that I shall rise vp out of the earth at the last day and shall bee couered againe with this skinne and in this my flesh I shall see him my Sauiour whom I my selfe shall see who now speake whom ye see now dying and not any other for me And these very eies whereby I now see you shall looke vpon him Wherefore reioice with me and sing cast away the garments of mourning and heauinesse praise the Lord sing a Psalme vnto his name giue glorie to his praise for hitherto I haue walked through fire water behold now he refresheth me I will enter into the house of the Lord that I may pay my vowes from day to day Oh how great a game it is to me to die Because Christ shall bee my life againe Behold the earthly house of this habitation is dissolued that another may succeede not made with hands eternall in the heauens Behold I put off this mortall cloathing that I may put on immortall Hitherto I haue bin in pilgrimage now I returne to my countrey Behold I now receiue the prize for which I ran in the race I touch the hauen which I haue desired with so great a desire Behold I am carried from darkenesse to light from dangers to safetie from pouertie to riches from battell to victorie from heauinesse to ioy from a temporall life to eternall and from a filthy stincke to a most sweete smell Here I am blinde there I am inlightened here I am wounded there I am healed here I am alwaies made heauie there I am made ioyfull liuing here I am dead there I am truely made aliue The life in this world is no life but death a deceitfull life a life loaden with sorrowes weake vmbraticall deceitfull Now thou flourishest by and by thou witherest it is a fraile a momentany a fading life Wherein looke how much thou growest so much thou decreasest when thou goest more forward thou drawest nearer to death O life full of snares how many men doest thou intangle in the world How many through thee doe indure the torments of hell How blessed is he that acknowledgeth thy deceits how much more blessed is he that careth not for thy flatteries and how most blessed is hee that is well rid of thee O sweete and pleasant death thou art truely no death that bestowest true life Thou puttest away feuers and wounds thou quenchest hunger and thirst O most just death good vnto the good and rough vnto the euill thou humblest the proud rich and mightie and exaltest the humble Thou openest the way to eternall punishment to the euill and to eternall reward to the iust
After these and other graue and comfortable speeches he vttered this heauenly praier following The Prayer of Ierome being now ready to die OHoly Iesus my virtue my resuge my taker vp my deliuerer and my praise in whom I haue hoped in whom I haue belecued and whom I haue loued my cheife sweetnesse my tower of strength and my hope euen from my youth Call me ô the Guide of my life and I will answer thee Stretch foorth the right hand of thy clemencie to the worke of thine owne hands which thou the creature of all things hast made of the mire of the earth and ioyned together with bones and nerues to whom thou dying hast giuen life and mercy Bid me come ô Lord doe not delay it is time that dust returne to the dust and that the Spirit returne to thee the Sauiour who hast sent it hither Open to me the gate of life for thou hast promised mee that thou wouldst receiue it when thou didst hang vpon the crosse for me Come my beloued let me lay hold vpon thee and not let thee go bring me into thy house Thou art my Taker vp my glorie and the lifter vp of mine head my saluation and my blessing Receiue me ô mercifull God according to the multitude of thy mercies Thou dying receiuedst the Theife vpon the Crosse running vnto thee O eternall blessednesse let me possesse thee Inlighte with the light of thine eternall sight mee blinde man crying by the way Iesus thou sonne of Dauid haue mercy vpon me O inuisible lights what ioy can I haue when I sit in darknesse and see not the light of heauen O light without which there is no truth there is no discretion no wisedome no goodnesse inlighten mine eies that I sleepe not in death that my enemie say not I haue preuailed against him My soule is weary of my life I speake in the bitternesse of my soule I am sicke my life is weakned through pouertie my bones are fried as it were in a frying pan And therfore I runne to thee Lord the Phisitian Heale mee O Lord and I shall bee healed saue me ô Lord and I shall be saued and I shall not be confounded because I put my trust in thee But who am I most holy God that I should speake so boldly vnto thee I am a sinner altogether begotten borne and brought vp in sinnes I am a rotten carcase a slinking vessell euen wormes meate Woe is me ô Lord spare mee what victorie is it if fighting with me thou shouldst ouercome mee who am lesse then the stubble before the fire Forgiue all my sinnes lift mee poore Wretch out of the mire O Lord if thou wilt giue me leaue I will say that thou oughtest not to put me away comming vnto thee because thou art my God Thy flesh is of my flesh and thy bones of my bones For for this cause not leauing the right hand of the Father thou hast cleaued to my nature and becamest God and man And why didst thou this so hard and vnthought of thing but that I might come confidently vnto thee as vnto a brother and that thou mightest mercifully communicate vnto me thy diety Wherfore arise helpe mee ô Lord arise and reiect me not finally Euen as the Hart braies after the riuer of water so my soule thirsteth after thee the liuing fountaine that it may drinke waters of ioy out of the fountaine of my Sauiour and neuer thirst againe O Lord when wilt thou haue regard and restore my soule from euill deeds and my daâ—â—ing from the Lyonsâ— If my sinnes were weighed whereby I haue deserued thine anger and my calamitie were put in the ballance it would be heauier then the sande of the sea and if thou stay a little longer I shall finde tribulation and sorrow Come the ioy of my Spirit that I may delight in thee reueale vnto mee thy mercie the ioy of mine heart Let me finde thee my desire Euen as a seruant longs for the end of his worke so I long for thee O LORD Let my request come into thy sight that thy hand may saue me I haue bin a great sinner in my life time and done much euill in thy sight I haue not knowne thee I haue bin vngratefull for thy benefits I haue not praised thee as I ought I haue often coÌ„cealed thy truth when thou didst knocke at the doore of my heart I was slow to let thee in reuerently I haue loued my rotten body which goeth away like a shadow with too much affection I haue defiled my mouth with vaine words my minde hath not bin alwaies in thy testimonie I haue not turned mine eyes from beholding vanitie I haue polluted mine eares with vnprofitable words I haue not stretched out my hands oftentimes to the necessities of my neighbours I haue made hast with my feet to iniquitie What should I say more from the sole of my foote to the crowne of my head there is no whole part in me Surely vnlesse dying vpon the crosse thou hadst holpen mee my soule had dwelt in hell O holy Iesus I am part of so great a price for mee hast thou shed thy pretious blood ô reiect mee not I am the ship that haue wandred ô good Shepheard looke me vp and bring me to thy fold that thou may est be iustified in thy sayings For thou hast promised mee that at what houre soeuer a sinner repenteth he shall be saued I am greeued I know my sins and mine iniquitie are alwaies before me Truly I am not worthy to be called thy Sonne for I haue sinned against heauen and before thee Speake ioy and comfort in mine eare turne away thy face from my sinnes blot out mine iniquities according to thy great mercy Cast mee not away from thy sight neither deale with me according to my sinnes but helpe mee ô God of my saluation and for the honour of thy name deliuer me Deale benignly with me according to thy good will that I may dwell in thy house all the dayes of my life that I may praise thee togither with those that dwell there for euer and euer Arise and make haste ô the most beloued husband of my soule do not consider that it is tawney black through sinne Shew hir thy face vtter thy voice in her eares for thy voice is pleasant and thy face is comely Turne not away from me shun not thy seruant at this houre I waite vpon thee O Lord I beleeue to see the goodnes of the Lord in the land of the liuing Therefore come my beloued let vs goe out togither into the field and see if the vine hath flourished Turne my mourning into ioy incline thine eare vnto mee make haste to deliuer me out of this vale of teares miseries Trinitati in vnitate Gloria
shee was annoynted with wisdome as Abigail who is sayd to be of excellent vnderstanding Shee did not lose her time in hearing reading discourse and meditation but profited more then many more ancient to apply that of Dauid vnto her Psal 119.100 I am become wiser then the ancient because I keepe thy commandements Such was her vnderstanding as that she could readily recite sit texts of Scripture for any purpose and finde them out and for harder places by singular labour she attained good skill herein She was not like the dul Hebrues Heb. 5. that were like babes in vnderstanding when by reason of the time they might haue beene Doctors but her knowledge with the time increased so as that like a teacher she was capable of great mysteries Old nature was not so in her as that she should bee blinded from perceiuing the things of God but the new Spirit gaue her an vnderstanding of all things 1 Cor. 2.14 as it is sayd The naturall man perceiueth not the things of God but the spirituall man discerueth all things She had doubtles then a cleere sight of her saluation giuen by God seeing that they which are thus inlightned 1 Cor. 2.12 haue receiued the Spirit of God whereby they know the things giuen them of God Thirdly shee was annoynted with true loue causing in her plenty of good works as in Dorcas Acts 9.35 her loue was exceeding great both toward God and towards her neighbour Of God her loue was so great as that shee burnt with the fire of earnest zeale for his glory stoutly euen beyond the strength of her sex opposing sinne and maintaining vertue in those that were about her As Dauid Psal 101.7 in setting forth his zeale so it may truely be said of her A wicked person shall not stand in my sight If any were neere in alliance or great in worldly respects yet if they were not orious for finne she tooke no delight but rather a lothing of their company 2 For the loue of God she kept a continuall watch ouer her wayes lest she should offend against his holy will no childe is more afrayd of offending the father or master then she of offending God 3 Because that notwithstanding all watches sinne cannot altogether be kept out shee was not a little troubled for her frailties and falls being alwaies glad when the Lord took the matter into his owne hands by chastizing her with sicknesse for then and in health time also shee did much complaine of her sinnes and forgetfulnesse for which it was necessary to be corrected Her continuall bewailing and often mourning euen with teares when wicked cursed speakers were in presence did plainely shew such an heart as Lots so taken vp with the loue of God as that hearing and seeing any thing against God 2 Pet. 2 8. could not but vex the hart inwardly with sorrow Of her neighbour shee had also a true loue not in word but in deed She had loue of almes-deeds which she plentifully performed to the poore as Iob Iob 31.16 17. not eating her mosells alone but the fatherlesse did eat part with her from her youth vp the poore were nou rished vp with her Vers 20. their loines blessed her for that they were kept warme with her fleeces Whilest shee liued the hungry could not goe vnfed the naked vncloathed the sicke vnuisited plentifully the Lord had dealt vnto her plentifully she gaue to the Lord againe in his poore members appointing continuall releefe to bee giuen to the sick and needy in such places of great pouerty as wherein shee liued not 2 She shewed loue by admonishing the disorderly instructing the ignorant and exhorting the backward in religion by all meanes prouoking to loue and good workes O how great was her care that her whole houshold and all her neighbours might serue the Lord that it might goe well with them for euer 3 Her loue was exceeding great towards Gods Ministers and all Saints reioycing alwaies to entertaine such and to be in their company 4 Her loue was such towards all as that shee would not giue offence to any by speaking ill of them neither did she delight as many do to heare ill reports against others Wherefore her religion was not vaine 1 Cor. 13. as all is without loue but it was a true religion her purity was in heart and in truth and blessed are the pure in heart Mat. 5.1 for they shall see God Her life was a continuall laying vp of treasure in heauen and therefore she could not but see heauen to be her dwelling place She led a right Angelicall life as Icrom truly speaketh Ieron epist 14 part 3. cap 1. Sine hac monasteria sunt tartara homines sunt damones c. Without this famlies are hels and men are diuels But with this families are paradices and men are Angel and if Angels they see their saluation Fourthly shee was annoynted with humility as Mary the blessed mother of Christ who being so highly graced by God Luc. 2.48 yet acknowledgeth herse fe his humble handmayden Although shee had something whereof others are proud as birth riches and estimation yet shee was the same lowly hand-maid of the Lord. 1 Through humility she made herselfe equall to those that bee of low degree being euen a companion of the poore ones that feare the Lord. 2 She despised the ornaments of vanity which other women so much delight in her outward habit did shew the inward lowlines and modesty of her mind 3 Shee stroue against the sharpnesse of her naturall disposition and by striuing did attaine a great measure of meeknesse and gentlenesse learning of him that sayd Matth. 11. Learne of mee that I am meeke and gentle and ye shall finde rest vnto your soules 4 Like the poore Publican shee was alwayes humbled in the sight of her sinnes in health and sicknesse neuer flattering herselfe with any thing which shee had done but alwayes bewailing her vnworthinesse and sinnes with which she sayd that she alwayes found herselfe compassed about 5 Because shee thought herselfe worthy of greater punishments she did humbly in all her sufferings submit herselfe to whatsoeuer it should please the Lord to lay vpon her verily perswading herselfe that no sicknesse or griefe came by chance but by Gods prouidence Without murmuring or impatient complaining she buckled her shoulders to to the yoke often affirming that shee respected not any sufferings heere Iam. 4.6 so that shee might goe to heauen heereafter Now to the humble it is promised that the Lord is neere though he despiseth the proud a farre off Esa 66.2 The Lord that inhabiteth eternity saith the Prophet is neere and hath respect to the humble that tremble at his word and if the Lord be neere hee is seene by the humble to bee their saluation Aug Mat Ser 5. This is the step saith Augustine whereby we ascend vp vnto God begin at the step
be beloued of the world The Lord doth often correct and chaslise those whom be loueth If ye must glory in the world glory willingly in your tribulatious and aduersities for Christ promised these vnto his Disciples whom he loued euen vnto the end and that in signe of his chiefe loue when in his last supper he said Verily I say vnto you yee shall waile and weepe but the world shall reioyce Reioice my most beloued sionnes when the world hateth you Desire to suffer contumelies and reproaches of men because ye shall be blessed when men shall curse you and persecute you and say all manner of euill against you falsly for the sonne of mans sake Know that ye are not of the world for if yee were of the world the world would loue his owne Thinke it all ioy when ye haue many reproaches and oppositions in the world knowing that euen out of these doth arise valour and patience and patience hath its perfect worke Virtues are tried by patience euen as gold by the fire He that hath other virtues without patience carries gold in earthen vessells In your patience onely said our Sauiour ye shall possesse your soules Valour is ioyned vnto patience a patient man is of a valiant minde and he which is penitent and valiant may securely hope for the good things of the life to come Keep patience in your minde and whilst yee haue time exercise it in your workes For patience is a couering whereby our ship saileth securely in the stormes of this world what winde soeuer bloweth without any feare of danger Let reproachfull words moue none of you to reuenge or hatred of your neighbour Be ye mercifull euen as your Father is mercifull who doth raine vpon the iust and the vniust and makes his Sunne to shine vpon the good and the bad Hee shall haue iudgement without mercie that doth not exercise mercie and mercie reioiceth against iudgement If ye will not from your hearts forgiue such as offend you neither will your Father forgiue you He doth in vaine aske for mercie which denieth mercie to others Herein is our virtue established herein standeth our stipend and reward if wee lone our friends in God and our enemies for God That wicked seruant which receiued mercie and denied mercie to his Fellow-seruant did therefore deserue to haue the seueritie of iustice Iustice without mercie is crueltie and therefore mercie is to be mingled with iustice All our law is in mercie God could haue condemned all in iustice whom he saued in mercie Wherfore he that wanteth mercie is no Christian It is almost imposlible that a mercifull and godly man should not pacifie Gods anger Blessed are the mercifull for they shall obraine mercie A man without mercie is as a shippe in the midst of the sea in euery part full of holes The Preist which dissereth from the men of this world in apparell yet agreeth with them in life Cerainely there is no beast in the world so cruel asan euill Preist for hee deth not suffer himselfe to be am ended and can neuer heare the truth and that I may smish in a word he excceds all men in naeghtinesse Alas how much hath couetousnesse growne in some that are spirituall in habit and name yea that I may speake truely couetousnesse is the cause of this spiritualitie who truely are rauening Wolues in sheepes cloathing If thou seest a Priest couetous and without mercie flie more from him then from a Serpent There are some which thinke that all the fruite that they are to bring foorth is to build Churches and Monasteries in a wonderfull manner whose couetousnesse is so great that they think the world and all things too little for them Their minde and thoughts are altogether set vpon this that they may picke other mens purses Our Sauiour reprouing such saith Woe to you that build the tombes of the Prophets Behold they that build Monasteries and set vp Churches of rare workemanshippe seeme to doe a goodly worke but if they shew mercie to the poore that is a good worke indeede Wouldst thou haue thy worke to please God prouide that the poore may haue ioy of it what Church is more deare to God then man Yee are the Temple of God saith the Apostle when thou reachest out thy hand vnto the poore when thou succourest a man in his necessitie When thou bringest the wandring in to the right-way Oh what an admirable temple and acceptable vnto God hast thou built Breake thy bread vnto the hungry and bring the poore wandring into thy house Let not man excuse himselfe and say I haue nothing to giue to the poore if thou hast any garment or any other thing besides very neeessaries and dost not succout a poore-man in want thou art a theefe and a Robber Wee are beloned only Stewards and not Possessours of things temporall One man hath so much more then hee needeth as an hundreth might hue vpon which perish thorough famine Hee that hath a little and giuoth nor robbes one but such rob beth so many as he giueth not vnto being in want But perchance thou wilt say ô Wretch it is mine owne my Parents left it me How could they leaue that to thee which was not their owne if it were their owne whence had they it who gaue it vnto them what brought they with them when they came into the world what shall they carrie away when they go out Certainely such things of the poore as wee possesse will crie for vengeance in the day of iudgement before the eyes of Gods iustice The law of nature requires this that what we desire should be done vnto vs wee should doe vnto other What other thing doth the old law publish and if thou aske the doctrine of the Gospell what other thing doth it infinuate These truely shall bee Witnesses before GOD the iudge What therefore should I say to these that onely gather together stones and erect wals aloft that their worke may appeare to the eyes of man and that the building may be praised Who is so foolish as that he vnderstandeth not that such buildings are not to the praise of God but for worldly pompe But some man will say what is it not good to build Monasteries and Churches that God may bee honoured thereby I answere it is good so that the poore in the meane while crie not to God against such How can I build an house pleasing vnto God or to his Saints of those monies for which the poore crie out What iustice can it be to reward the dead and to spoile the liuing and out of the want of the poore to offer vnto God Certes if this iustice should please God he should be the companion of violence and if it displeaseth God it cannot please the Saints Wherefore most beloued sonnes as new borne babes desire the sincere milke of the word that yee may grow thereby if ye haue tasted how sweet the Lord is For verily if ye be not