deuise thinges which be to harde to be kept through which the poore are oppressed on euerye side and the innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement Wo be to those shriÌ„kiÌ„g childreÌ„ saith y â— lord which seke counsel but not at me whiche take a web in haÌ„d but not after my will y â— they may heap one sinne vpon an other Thus saith the Lorde my thoughtes are not your thoughtes and your wayes are not my wayes but as farre as the heaueÌ„s are higher then the earth so far do my wayes exceade youres and my thoughtes your thoughtes Your lippes speake leasinges and your tong setteth out wickednes No man regardeth righteousnesse and no man iudgeth truly Euery man hopeth in vaine things and imagineth disceite conceiueth wickednes and bringeth forth euil They breede Cockatrices egs weaue the spiders web Whosoeuer eâ—…eth of their egs dieth but if one tread vpon them their commeth vp a serpent Their webbe maketh no cloth and they maye not couer them with their laboures Their deedes are the deedes of wickednesse and the worke of robbery is in their handes their feete runne to euill and they make haste to shed innocent bloude Theyr councels are wicked councels hate and destruction is in their wayes but y â— way of peace they know not In their goings is no equitie their waies are so crooked y â— who so goeth therin knoweth nothing of peace My people haue committed two greate euils They haue forsaken me the fountaine of liuing waters and digged them pits pits I say that are broken and can hold no water Take bâ—…de saithe the Lord ye truste in coâ—…sels that begile you do you no good Heare not the wordes of the Prophets that preach their owne dreames Heare O ye house of Israel saith the lord Is not my way right or ar not your waies rather wicked The children of thy people saye tushe the way of the Lord is not right where as their way is rather vnright Examples out of the olde Testament Ieroboam kynge of Israel contrary to gods word made two calues of gold and set them vp to be worshipped of people as their goddes but both he and his posteritie were greuously punished for it How greuously god punished al such as brought in strauÌ„ge worshippings of god or any matters concerning Idolatrye or ought els contrary to y â— word of God although y â— authors of theÌ„ made the simple people to beleeue y â— they were verities although vnwritteÌ„ as the Papistes do now adaies y â— holy scriptures in diuers places do euideÌ„tly shew namely in the bokes of the kinges and of the chronicles ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament Except your righteousnesse dooth excede the righteousnes of the Scribes and Phariseis ye can not enter into the kingdome of heauen Beware of false Prophets which câ—…me vnto you in sheepes clothing and inward ly are rauening wolues Why do ye transgresse the commaundenâ—…ent of God for your tradicions Euery plant y â— my heaueÌ„ly father hath not planted shal be plucked vp by y e rotes This is my welbeloued Sonne in whom I am wel pleased heare ye him Teache them to kepe all thinges that I haue commaunded you Ye leaue the commaundemeÌ„t of god and maintaine your owne constitutions Well ye do caste aside the commaundemeÌ„t of god to kepe your own tradicions If ye abide in my worde ye are my disciples in deede and ye shall knowe the truthe and the truthe shall make you fre He that is of god heareth the wordes of God My sheepe heare my voice I knowe them and they followe mee neither shall they at any time pearishe nor yet shall any man pluck them out of my hand He that hathe my commaundementes and kepeth them he it is that loueth mee If any man loueth me he will keepe my wordes If ye keepe my commaundementes ye shall abide in my law Ye are my frends if ye doe those things that I commaund you Euery one that is of the truthe heareth my voyce I dare not speak of any of these things that Christ hath not wrought by me I beseeche you brethern marke them that make deuision and geue occasions of euil contrarye to the doctrine y â— ye haue learned and auoid them For they that are such serue not the Lord Iesu Christe but their own bellies with swete preachiÌ„gs and flattering words deceiue the harts of the simple Though we our selues or an Angel froÌ„ Heauen preache any other Gospel to you then that whiche we haue preached vnto you holde him accursed As I saide before so say I now againe if any man preach any other thing vnto you then that ye haue receiued holde him accursed Thoughe it be but a mans testament yet no maÌ„ despiseth it or addeth any thing therto when it is once alowed How much more ought nothing to be added to the tes tament of the moste highe God nor yet be taken from it Be no more children from heÌ„ceforth wandring and caried with euerye winde of doctrine by the wilines of men crafts whereby they lay awaite for vs to deceiuâ—… vs but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all thinges growe in him whiche is thy head that is to say Christ. Caste away vngodlye olde wiues fables exercise thy self vnto godlines If any man teache otherwise is not content with the wholsome words of our Lord Iesus Christe and with the doctrine of godlines He is pufte vp knoweth no thing but wasteth his brains about questioÌ„s strife of wordes wherof spring enuye strife rayling euill surmisinges and vaine disputations of menne of corrupte mindes and destitute of the truth whiche thinke that lucre is godlynes From suche seperate thy self If any man speake let him speake as though it came of gods owne mouth Whosoeuer transgresseth and abideth not in the doctrine of Christ hath not god He that endureth in the doctrine of Christ hath bothe the Father and the Sonne If there come any vnto you and bring not this lerning him receiue not to house neither bid him god spede For he that bid deth him god spede is partaker of his euil deedes Be not caried about with diuers and straunge learninges If any man addeth to these thinges god shall adde vnto hym the plages that are written in this booke And if any maÌ„ shall minish of the wordes of this boke of this Prophecy god shal take away hys parte oute of the booke of life and out of the holye citie and from those thynges which are written in this booke Examples out of the newe Testament Christ rebuketh the pharises for bringing their traditions into the churche of God by that meanes defacyng the glory of Gods most holy worde Blessed Sainct Paule reproueth them which be dead with Christ from the commaundements
¶ The Gouernaunce of Uertue teaching all faythful christiaÌ„s how they oughte daily to leade their lyfe fruitfully to spend their time vnto the glorye of God the health of their owne soules Newlye corrected augmeÌ„ted by Thomas Becon 1566 ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day ⧠CVM PRIVILEGIO Regie Maiestatis THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAÌ„CTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR AETATIS SVAE 41 AN o. DNÌ„I 1553. Ora expressa vides viuos immitantia vultus Quod potuit calamo pictor arte vides Mentis quam Nullus potuit tibi redere pictor Effigiem scriptis prebuit ipse suis To the Godly Reader GRace groweth after gouernaunce Is an olde saide saw in eche place If gouernaunce hath good resemblance Grace delighteth to folow the trace Grace glorieth in godly gouernance Grace hasteth â—…o her haule and palace Grace doth godly gouernaunce auaunce And cause it to excel in eche place Where gouernaunce is godly wise Sage Sober Honest and Prudent There doth grace gloriously deuise To haue her seate aye permanent But if gouernaunce be wicked Idle wanton vndiscrete and vaine Grace whiche is godly disposed With such gouernaunce can not remaine This boke shall thee instruct therfore Thy life vertuously to leave That grace with thee may euermore Remaine as Gods moste blessed seede To fight against Sathan and sinnes To represse errours and heresies To pray to God his grace to winne In this boke to learne thou maiest deuise Take thou it therfore in good part As a ioyful Iewel for thy welth And geue God thankes withall thy hart Which by his worde worketh thy helth As for my trauaile and paine I craue none other recompence But thy life vertuously to traine That thou maiest enioy gods presence â–ª FINIS 3. Regum 1. If a man be vertuous ther shal not an heare of his fal to the ground But if wickednesse shal be found in him he shall dye for it Tobi. 4. Loue vertue all the dayes of thy life and walk not in the wayes of wickednes For while thou studiest for vertues thou shalt haue good successe in al thinges that thou goest about and so shall all they that loue goodnesse A Table to fynde the principall matters contayned in this booke AN exhortacion to the Reader The Epistle dedicatory How a man should be haue himself in the morning when he riseth A prayer in the morning A confession of our sinnes vnto God the father How thou shouldst behaue thy selfe before thou go to dinner A prayer before dinner Of the behauiour at the Table in dinner time A thankes geuinge after dinner What is to be done after dinner Of Supper A prayer before Supper Of the behauiour at the table in supper time A thankes geuing after supper Of going to bed A prayer to be sayd when we goe to bed A prayer to be sayd â–ª when thou art in bed Remedies against all kindes of temptacions Against Idolatry Against infidelity or misbeliefe Against the heresy of such as deny Iesus Christâ—… to be god Against the heresy of them which holde that Iesus Christe the sonne of God tooke no fleshe of Mary his Mother Againste the grosse and fantasticall opinion of the Papistes which affirm that Christes naturall body and bloud is carnally eaten and dronken in the Lords supper Against the plucking away of thy trust and confidence from Christ and his merites to put in the merites of other creatures or in thine own good workes or in the intercession of Saintes or in sacrifice of the popish Masse Against such as go about to diswadâ—… the christian people from the studiing reading or hearinge of Goddes woorde Against strange religion or newe found woorshipping of God Against mens traditions and vnwritten verities Against the folowing of vngodly forefathers Against the wicked olde customes longe vsages Againste suche as slaunder Christes gospell by cal linge it newe learninge Against pensiuenes and thought taking for the life Against hunger pouerty or carefulnes of liuing Against keping of euill company Against idlenes Against swearing Against lying slaundering â–ª and filthy or vncleane talke Against pride or vayneglory Against feasting glotony and dronkennes Against fornication and adultery Against couetousnes Against rebellion and disobedience Against malice grudge enuy hatred and anger Against the temptation of the faythfull in consideringe their owne miserye and contrarywise the wealth of the wicked Against the most horrible and dampnable sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost Against the despising of gods word and of the plagues that folow the same Against carnall security and fleshly liuing without the feare of God Against the flacknes of doing good workes Against the troublous tempestes of sicknes of losse of goods or any other kind of aduersity Against the temptation of the Deuill for noâ—…t satis fieng the lawe of God and for thy sinfull liuing â–ª Against desperation for thy late conuersion and tur ning vnto God Against sinne death and helâ—… To the right honorable and moste vertuous young Lady Iane Semer daughter to the highe and mightie Prince Edward Duke of Somerset his grace Thomas Becon wisheth increase of godlye knowledge in Christe Iesu our Lord. THere are no Parents most godlye Ladye that deserue better of the Christen publique weale then they whiche thorow gods gift hauing Children employ all their endeuours to traine them vp euen from theire verye cradels in good letters in the knowledge of gods moste blessed wil that with their young yeres learning vertue and godlines may grow and encrease and the younglinges by this meanes be made at the last auncient and perfect schollers in the mistery of Christes schole This careful study and studyous care for the vertuous bringing vp of youth god in time paste earnestlye required of all Fathers and Mothers in the common weale of hys people the Israelites and according to gods holy commaundement suche as vnfainedlye feared the Lorde their God and wished wel to their countrey refused no laboure no paine nor cost that their children might be made profitable members of the publique weale As I may pas ouer the auncient and holye Patriarches whiche were before the law of Moyses of whose diligeÌ„ce in the vertuous bringing vp of their yonglinges it is more than double wickednesse to doubt seing we haue this euident testimony of Abraham euen of gods own mouth Shall I hide froÌ„ Abraham saith god that thinge which I entend to do Seing that Araham shal be a great and a mighâ—…ye people and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him I know this also that he wil commaund his Children and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde and do after righte and conscience What earnest diligence did the moste noble and vertuous King Dauid shew in the godly bringing vp of his Children speciallye of Salomon that he might become a Prince worthye both for his godlynes learning wisedome and pollicye to rule in the common weale after him What godly
heare me ye shall eate the good fruites of y â— earth If that ye will not but prouoke me to anger the sworde shall deuoure you for the mouth of the Lord hath spoken it Put your burnt offerings to your sacrifices eate the flesh For when I brought your Fathers out of the lande of Egypt I spake not one word vnto them of burnte offeringes and sacrifyces but thys I commaunded them saying heare my voyce and I shall be your God and ye shall be my people See ye walke in all the wayes that I haue commaunded you that ye may prosper I hate and vtterly defie your holy daies and where as ye sense me when ye come together I will not accept it And though ye offer me burnt offeringes yet will not I receaue your giftes Awaye from me with the noyse of thy songes for I can not abyde the hearyng of thy playeng at the Organs Prouide that equitie may followe as the water and righteousnesse as a mightie streame for in these thinges haue I delight and pleasure sayeth the Lorde I will mercy and no sacrifice sayth the Lord and the knowledge of God do I set more by then burnt offeringes What shall I offer worthy the Lorde Shall I bowe my knee to y â— hie god Shall I offer vnto him burnt sacrifices calues of a yeare olde May the Lorde be pleased with a thousande fat Weathers Or with many thousandes of lustie Goates Shall I geue my first begotten for my wickednesse Euen the fruite of my wombe for the sinne of my soule I will shewe theâ—… Oman what is good and what the Lord requireth of thee verely to do iudgement to loue mercy and carefully to walke with thy God How long will ye halte on both partes If the Lord be God follow him If Baall be God follow him ☞ Examples out of the old Testament NAdab and Abihu of a good entent offered incense to the Lord w t straunge fyre yet for all their good zeale they were consumed with fyre so that they dyed before the Lord. King Saule thought that he had done great worship vnto God when in the absence of Samuell he offered burnt offeringes but Samuell said vnto him thou hast done folishly neither hast kept the coÌ„maundements of the Lord thy God which I commaunded thee Saule also of a good zeale contrarye to the commaundement of God spared Agag the kyng of Ameleche aliue with the best and fattest flockes of sheepe oxen â—…c Pretending that he reserued them for to offer vnto the Lorde But Samuell sayd vnto him for asmuche as thou hast caste away the word of the Lord the Lord hath cast away thee that thou be no more king Willeth the Lorde burnt offringes and sacrifices and not rather that it maye be obeyed vnto his worde Obedience is better then sacrifices and to geue eare to the lordes commaundement is more then to offer the fatte of Weathers Oza thought y â— he had done God highe seruice when he stayed the Arke of God in the waine being in ieoperdie of falling but yet was y â— Lord angry with him because he touched it contrarye to hys word in so muche that he was striken and sodenlye dyed King Ozias toke vpon him to burne incense vnto the Lord thinking that by this meanes he should highlye please God but for all his pretensed holines he was strikeÌ„ with leaprosie and so being cast out of the house of the Lorde he continued a leper euen vnto his death ¶ Sentences out of the new Testament THese people draw nighe vnto me with their mouthes honour me with their lippes but their hartes are farre from me Beholde they worship me in vaine teaching doctrines euen the coÌ„maundements of men Woe be vnto you ye Scribes Pharisees yea very ipocrites which deuour widowes houses vnder the pretence of long prayer ye shall therefore receiue the more greuous dampnation God hath deliuered vs from the hand of our enemies that we should serue him in holines and righteousnes all the daies of our life The houre commeth and now it is wheÌ„ true worshippers shall worship the Father in spirite and truth for the father seketh such that should worship him God is a spirite they y â— worship hym must worship him in spirite and truth The time shall come that whosoeuer killeth you shall thinke that they do vnto God an hie good seruice God is my witnesse whom I serue in my spirite Be ye fulfylled with the spirit speaking with your selues in psalmes and hymnes spiritual songes and making melodie to the Lord in your hartes geuing thankes alwayes for all thinges vnto God in the name of the Lord Iesus Christ. Unto god king euerlasting immortall inuisible and wise only be all honour and glory for euer and euer Amen ¶ Examples out of the new Testament OUr Sauiour Christ whan he liued in thys worlde dyd all thinges according to hys heauenly fathers commaundementes as he hym selfe sayth as my father hath geuen me commaundement so doe I thys dyd he to geue vs example that in matters of religion we shoulde attempte nothing as due seruice vnto god but that only which we haue learned out of his holy worde The apostles of Christe bothe taughte and wroughte that onelye whiche they had receaued of their Lorde and maister Iesus Christ. Of these aforesaid Scriptures histories maiest thou learne that God is not worshipped as carnall reason and fleshly wisdome imagineth and prescribeth but as god by his holy worde biddeth appointeth and commaundeth A Christen man oughte to followe Christes steps and to walke as he hath walked Against mens traditions and vnwritten verities IF Sathan or any of his impes vnto the derogation of Gods glorye shall at any time tempt thee with mans tradicions or vnwritten veryties for to geue no les credite vnto them than vnto the word of God auoyde him with these scriptures ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament YE shall not ad vnto the worde that I speake nor take ought from it Ye shall not turue vnto the right hand nor vnto the left haÌ„d but by the way that the Lord your god hath commaunded you ye shall walke that ye may liue and haue good luck Keepe the commaundementes of the Lord thy god and the testimonies and ceremonies whiche hee hathe commaunded thee and do that whiche is pleasaunt and good in the Lordes sight that thou maiest haue good luck That I coÌ„mauÌ„d thee do y â— only neither put to any thing nor take ought away Put nothing to his wordes least thou be reproued and found a lier Wo bee vnto them that cal euill good good euil which make darknes lighte and light darknes that make sower swete and sweet sower Wo be to them that are wise in their own sight and think them selues to haue vnderstanding Wo be vnto you that make vnrighteous lawes and
bee vnto their soules for they haue rewarded 〈◊〉 vnto theÌ„selues Byd the righteous do wel for they shal enioy y â— fruites of their study But wo be vnto thâ—… vngodly and vnrigheeous for thei shal be rewarded after their workes Thou shalt not praye for thys people thou shalte neyther geue thankes nor byd prayer for them Thou shalte make no in tercession to me for them for in no wise will I heare thee Readâ—… fourth This said the lord vnto me thou shalt not praye to do this people good for thoughâ—… they fast I will not heare their prayers Though they offer burnt offrings and sacrifices yet will not I accepte them For I wil destroy them with the sworde and hunger and pestilence ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament THe seruauntes and all the army of the proude Senacherib were destroyed for their blasphemy agaynst god Holoâ—…rnes blasphemed God when he sayde that there was none other god of the earth but Gabuchodonosor and therfore was he afterwarde slayne euen of a woman Nabugodonosor blasphemed god wheÌ„ he sayde to the three chyldren who is the God that caÌ„ delyuer you out of my hands The children of Isarell blasphemed god therfore perished when they sayd to the Prophet Ieremy As for the wordes that thou haste spoken vnto vs in the name of the lorde we will in no wise heare them But whatsoeuer goeth out of our owne mouth that will we doo We will do sacrifice and offer oblations vnto the quene of heauen lyke as we and our forefathers our kyngs and our rulers haue done in the cityes of Iuda and in the streates and fieldes of Ierusalem For then had wee plenteousnesse of vitails then were we in prosperytye and no mysfortune came vpon vs. But sence we lefte to offer and to sacrifice vnto the quene of heauen wee haue had scarsnesse of all thynges and perish with sworde and honger Those Iewes blasphemed God which saide let vs goe and make a couenaunte with the Heathen that are rounde aboute vs. For since we departed from them we haue had sorowe inough Nicanor blasphemed god when he saide Is their a mighty one in heauen that commaunded the Saboth daye to be kept It was aunswered yea euen the liuing god the mighty Lorde in heauen commaunded the. vii daye to be kepte Then sayde be and I am myghty vpon earth to commaunde them for to arme themselues and to performe the kinges busines Sentences out of the newe Testament He that is not with me is again me saith Christe And be that gathereth not with me scatereth abrode Therfore I say vnto you all manner of sinne and blasphemy shal be forgeuen vnto men but the blasphe mye agaynste the spirite shall not be forgeuen vnto men And whosoeuer speaketh a worde against the sonne of man it shal be forgeuen him But whosoeuer speaketh against the holy ghost it shal not be forgeuen him neither in this worlde nor in the worlde to come If any men see his brother sinne not vnto death let him aske and he shal geue him life for theÌ„ that sin not vnto deth Ther is a sin vnto death for which I say that a maÌ„ should not pray It maye not be that they whiche were once lightened and haue tasted of the heauâ—…nly gifte and were become partakers of the holy ghost and haue tasted of the good word of god and the powers of the world to come If they fall awaye ' that they should againe be renewed by repentaunce which in them selues do crucify the sonne of God making a mock of him If we sinne wilfully after that we haue receiued the knowledge of truth there remayneth no more sacrifice for sinnes but a feareful loking for iudgement and violent fire whiche shall deuoure the aduersarie He that despiseth Moyses lawe dyeth without mercye vnder two or three wytnesses How muche sorer suppose ye shall he be punished which treadeth vnder foote the Sonne of God and counteth the bloud of the Testament wherewith he was saÌ„ctified as an vnholy thing and dishonoure to the sprite of grace Examples out of the new Testament The Iewes spake blasphemie against the holy ghoste when they said of Christ by the power of Belzebub doth he cast out Deuils They were blasphemers whiche sayde to Christe hanginge on the cros thou that destroyedst the Temple of GOD and buildest it againe in three dayes saue thy selfe If thou be the sonne of God come down from the crosse They also spake blasphemy against the holy ghost which now adaies of a pretensed malice condemne the worde of God as herey and persecute the preachers therof as heretickes and sedicious persons Against the despising of Gods word of the plagues that follow the same IF the deuil go about to pluck downe thy minde from the loue of gods worde and to moue thee to despise the doctrine of thy saluation so that thou shouldest no more delight in the moste comfortable gospel of Christe which is the power of god to saue so many as beleue but rather in thinges of vanitie â—…ake hede that thou leanest not to his subtile suggestions but standing in awe of gods iudgementes â–ª and fearing his plagues valeauntly resist Sathan with these holy scriptures following ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament IF ye wil not harken vnto me saieth the Lord nor kepe my commaundementes but despise them c. then wil I doo this againe vnto you I will set my face against you and ye shall fal before your enemies and they that hate you shall raigne ouer you I will make the heauen ouer you as hardyron and your land as hard as bras I will sende my wilde beastes vpon you whiche shall rob you of your children and destroy your cattel I wil send a sword vp on you that shall auenge my Testament with you I wil send the pestilence among you Reade the Chapiter to thend If thou wilt not harken to the voice of the Lord thy God to kepe and to do all his commaundements and ordinaunces then all these curses shall come vpon thee ouertake thee Cursed shalt thou be in the Towne and cursed in the Fielde cursed shall thine almayrye be and thy store Cur sed shall the fruite of thine bodye and the fruite of thy lande be and the fruite of thy oxen and the flock of thy shepe The Lord shall make the pestilence cleane to thee vn til he haue consumed thee from the lande The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse blindnes and dasing of hart because thou seruedst not the Lord thy god with ioyfulnes and with a good hart for the abouÌ„daÌ„cs of all thinges wherefore thou shalt serue thine enemie which the Lord shal send oâ—… thee in hunger and thirste in nakednes in neede of all thinges And he shall put a yoke of iron vpon thy necke vntil be haue brought the to nought Read this Chapiter diligeÌ„tly from the beginning to
and shake the duste of your feete Uerely I say vnto you it shal be more easy for the land of Sodome and Gomorre at the day iudgement then for that city Wo bee to the Choraryn wo be to the Bethsaida For if the miracles which wer shewed in you had bene done in Tyre and Sidon they had repented long agone in sackecloth and ashes Neuerthelesse I saye vnto you it shal be easier for Tyre and Sâ—… don at the day of iudgment then for yon And thou Caparnaum whiche art lift vp vnto heauen shalt be broughte downe to hel For if the miracles whiche haue bene done in thee had bene shewed in Sodome they had remayned vnto this day Neuertheles I say to you it shal be easier for the land of Sodome in the daye of iudge ment then for thee The kingdom of God shal be taken froÌ„ you and shal be geuen to a nation whiche shall bringe foorth the fruites of it And whosoeuer it shall fall vpon it will grind him to pouder O Ierusalem Ierusalem which killest the Prophets and stonest them whiche are sent to thee how often woulde I haue gathered thy children together as the hen ga thered her chekins vnder her wings and ye would not Behold your habitation shal be lefte vnto you desolate He that heareth you heareth me and he that despiseth you despiseth me and he that despiseth me despiseth him y â— sent me This is the condemnacion that light is come into the world and men loued darknes more then light because their deedes were euel He that refuseth me sayeth Christ and receaueth not my wordes hathe one that iudgeth him The worde that I haue spoken shal iudge him at the last day If I had not com and spoken vnto them they shoulde haue had no synne but now they haue nothynge to cloke their sinne withal It was mete that the worde of God should first haue bene preached vnto you but seyng you put it from you and thinke your selues vnworthye of euerlasting life lowe tunre to the gentiles for so hath the Lord commaunded vs. He that despiseth the preacher despiseth not man but God which hath sent his holy Spirite among you He that despiseth Moses law dieth without mercy vnder two or iii. witnesses Of how much sorer punishmente suppose ye shal he be counted worthy which treadeth vnder foote the son of God and counteth the bloud of the testament asl an vnholy thinge Uerelye it is a fearefull thinge to fall into the handes of the liuing God The vngodly shal be so plaged that thei shall seke death and finde it they shall desire to dye and deathe shall flye from them Examples out of the newe Testament THey that were called to the mariage would not come but vngently treated the messengers were destroyed and theyr city brent vp When Christ came neare to Ierusalem he beheld the city and wept on it saying if thou knewest also euen at this day the things appertayninge vnto thy peace thou wouldest be more diligent to looke vpon them But nowe are they hidde from thine eyes For the dayes shal come vpon thee that thine enemies shall caste a banke aboute thee and besiege and keepe thee in on euerye side and make thee euen with the grounde with thy children which are in thee And they shall not leaue one stone vpon an other because thou knowest not the time of thy visitation Hereof may we learne that Ierusalem was destroyed because they would not receiue Christe nor his word but despised the doctrine of their saluation and the preachers of the same If we do not repent and amend the same or more greuous plages abide vs. ¶ Agaynst carnall security and fleshlye liuing withont feare of God IF Sathan tempteth thee to liue after the lusts of the flesh without all feare of God and to takâ—… no thought for thy saluation that by this meanes he may prouoke thee vnto all kind of wickednes loke hat thou by no meanes geuest place to his temptations but rather watche the more diligently about hyne owne healthe y t he may not preuayle agaiust hee enarme thy selfe with stronge faithe alwaye et before thine eyes these Scriptures folowing ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament SEeke after God and your soule shall liue Seke the Lorde whyle he may be found and cal vpon him whyle he is nie Let the vngodly man forsake his owne wayes and the vnrighteous hys owne imaginations and turne againe vnto the Lord so shal he be mercifull vnto him c. Folow not the lust of thine owne hearte in thy strengthe and saye not tushe howe haue I hadde strength or who wyll bryng me vnder because of my workes for doutles god shall auenge it And say not I haue committed no sinnes what euil hath hapned to me For the almightye is a pacient rewarder Because thy syn is forgeuen thee be not therfore without feare neither heape one sinne vpon another And say not tush the mercye of the lord is great he shall forgeue me my sinnes be they neuer so many For like as he is merciful so goeth wrath from hym also and his indignation commeth downe vpon sinners Make no tarying to turne vnto the lord pute not of from day to day for sodenly shall his wrathe come and in the tyme of vengeaunce he shal destroy the. A man knoweth not his tyme but like as the fishes are taken with the angle and as the byrdes are caught with the snare euen so aremen taken in the perillous time when it commeth sodenly vpon them Let thy garments be alway white and let thine head lacke no ointment ☞ Examples out of the olde Testament THe people to whome Nohe preached woulde not amend but wente forth to nousle themselues in all kynde of worldlys pleasures and euen in the mydes of their riotous liuing the floude came and drowned them all The Sodomites laughing Lot and hys exhortations to scorne and going forth to offende God with theyr to much beastlike voluptuoâ—…snes whan they thought themselues to be in moste safegard and furdest from any misfortune were consumed vnto assâ—…es wyth fire and brimston from heaueÌ„ The Iewes setting at nought y â— admo nitions of Gods Prophets continued in all their wickednes and euen in the mids of their carnall securitie and fleshly quietnes god sente their enemies vpon them which destroied their couÌ„trey slew a great number of people and led awaye most miserable captiues so many as pleased them leauing the residue behynd them in moste wretched slauery Sentences out of the neâ—… Testament WAtche for ye knowe not what houre your lord wil come Of this be ye sure that if the housholder knewe what howre the thiefe woulde come he would surelye watche and not suffer his house to be broken vp Therefore be ye also redye for in such an hour as ye thinke not wil the son of man come