IF we the chyldren of Adam depely wold consyder, and ponder diligently from the beginnyng, the maiestie of thimmortall God: In beholdyng symply and with all humblenes (both externely and with our inward senses) his omnipotent power and workemanship in heauen and in erth: the merueilouse order of his doynges,Gene. 1. and his most happy entent towardes mankind in the same: what greate appearaunce there was of his moste deere and syngular loue, that after the creation (first) of heauen and earth, as also the depe and bottomlesse seas, and all thynges innumerable in theym conteyned (and by hys blessynge tencreace and multiply) for the redy vse seruyce, and pleasure of man: howe he then (in tyme) made man a creature amonge all other his louelye creatures, moste glorious, beautyfull and semely, yea, and after his owne ymage and symilitude a liuyng soule, breathyng into him the breath of life:Gene. 2. Eccle. 32. 1. Cor. 15. how he made him lorde and ruler, and to haue dominion ouer all, & gaue names vnto all maner [Page]of cattall, fowles of thaire, and beastes of the fielde, how he planted a gardeyn of pleasure, and there set man, whom he had fourmed, to dresse it, to keepe it, and to enioye all the louely pleasures therof, onely one thynge excepted, from the which (because he wolde ther shuld be signified vnto hym wyth reuerence, lowe submission as vnto God his maker, and his duetie in obedience) he streyghtned the reane of his freely vertie, and layed the burdeyne of his greuous commandement vpon his shoulders, sayeng vnto him:Gene. 5. Eccle. 11. Of al the trees of the gardeyn, thou shalt eate, and vse at libertie, for the accomplisshement of thy full delight and pleasure: but of the tree of Knowledge of good and euyll, thou shalte not eate: and gaue hym further a sharpe and mooste bitter threate, saying: Take hede, and be well ware of this my commandement: for the same day thou eatest of that tree, thou shalte die the death. It is here then to be noted after this straight precept of God, what greate daunger (through disobedience) man stoode in: and howe the most subtil and malicious serpent the deuyl and onnemye to mankynde (who alwaies [Page]and by al meanes possible, despightfully seeketh his destruction, watched his time, and immediatly deuysed to worke his present cōfusion, through his sleigh tie & sweete sugred tale vnto the weake & fraile woman,Gene. 3. 2. Cor. 11. tellyng her they should be as goddes, and know both good and euyll, not withstandyng the commandement of god (if they wold eate of that fruite) wherby without fearyng god, & forgetfull of his former loue towardes theim, of theyr most blyssefull and high estate, and of the place of great plesure, where he had planted them, neither yet remembryng his straight commandement and most terrible threatenyng of death, theyr heartes were sore blynded, they were vtterly deceyued, they receaued the foule spotte of the serpent, they were desyled with disobedience & pride, and hastened to leaue God theyr maker theyr dere and most louyng fronde, and folowed the dyuell and his moste cursed suggestions, beeyng theyr mortall and deadly ennemie, and to tast of that moste bytter and forbydden fruicte of deathe and euerlastynge dampnation, whiche by the iustyce of God, and accordyng to the doome of theyr own consciences, [Page]through theyr most wretched disobedience) they had duely deserued:Gene 2. for their faultes were thenne opened vnto theym, they knewe assuredly they had doone amisse, and therfore they sled and ran into corners, to couer and hide thēselues with leaues, and amonge the trees, from the face and presence of god as (in themselues already condemned) moste disobedient to the voyce of god, and wretched synners, and durste not appeare nor shewe their faces: so lothesome and foule was their spotte apparant in their owne eies. And God that created thē, not yet forsaking them,Esay. 40. Iere. 30. but stil bearyng his tender cōpassion & mercy towardꝭ mā, wold not yet leaue him but sought him out where he had hidde himselfe, he called vnto him, he gently talked with him, & herd the grounde of that most hainous & great offence. And so consequently according to his diuine wille and iustyce, rewarded euery of theim: the malicious serpente for his part, the fraile woman for hir part,Gene. 3. and lykewise the vnhappy manne with the malediction of god vpon thearth: and for his parte also depriued from his former & most blisseful estate, cast out of the [Page]gardeyne of pleasure, and constrained to labour and to tylle the earthe, frome whence he was taken, and so myserably with great trauayle and sorow, and wyth the sweat of his owne browes, to get his breade. So that vnto man, yt sorowful & reiected creature, ther apered then no hope of redresse, in that his present distresse and moste wofull misery, but rather vtter desperacion and encreace of all forowe, continuall tribulation and trauayle, paine and anguish in bodye and soule, corporall death and eternall damnation, tyll God (still renuyng his loue, whiche is vnspeakable and infinite) made promise vnto man, that Christ the seconde Adam,Rom. 5. Colos. 1. Luc. 11. the seede of the woman, and sauior of the world, shoulde in time be raysed vppe, to ou [...] come synne, and lyke a valyant & most puissaunt conqueror, to destroye the anuyll, deathe, hell, and damnation: [...] that also by hym shalbe restor [...] [...] (through a liuelye faith) the gra [...] [...] heauenly father, peace and [...] conscience,Esay. 53. Iohn. 3. Act. 10. and eternall saluation [...] che he vndoubtedly did then [...] therfore obteined grace: whole [...] also we are, and spotted impes, spryngyng [Page]out frome that olde, crooked, and stoupyng tree: a stocke vnstable, waueryng and alwaies leanynge, and ready with euery storme and tempest of tentation to fall, suche is the feblenes therof and corrupted nature: whose fruictes continually are none other, but rotten and vnsauery wourkes: as blynde ignorāce, disobedience, pride, & stoughtnes, mistrust, contempt of god and godlie thinges, feruent lusting after carnal thynges, scornefulnes, hatred and malice, selfe loue, with innumerable suche other odible stuffe and stinkynge store, and therefore most worthye the banishmente of all pleasure and the presence of god, to wander the earth in misery, and to susteyn as rotten braunches, the stroke of the axe,Math. 7. Luke. 3. and to be cast for euer into hell fyre. For the which and frome the daunger wherof, we also know non other remedy (yf we desyre the fauoure of God, to be his faithfull seruauntes, his obedient children and heires of his kyngdome) but to seke our pourgation in Iesus Christe, whose name we haue professed, whome we acknowledge to come frome aboue, the sonne of God,Esay. 7. and verye God (and to be incarnate in [Page]the wombe of the virgin,Esay. 7. Luke. 20. Iohn. [...]. Rom. 8. Philip. 2. that he here lyned perfecte man amongest vs in the fleshe, immaculate and vnspotted, and suffred al kind of affliction in the fleshe: yea euen very death: and that the most cruell and shameful death of the crosse. for the redemption and freedome of vs disobediente and wretched synners, to pourge vs,Esay. 54, and with the effusion of his bloud, to wash and make cleane our spotted and moste fylthy soules, and so to restore vs agayne to the grace of our heauenly father: from whom (with our synneful father, lyke frayle and vnthākful creatures, we were sled: and through our instabilitie and lightnes, lyke rūnagates, rebellious and presumptuous chyldren,Esay. 23. Psal 119, wandrynge a strate lyke loste shepe, & falne euē into the lap or mouth of the roryng and deuouryng lyon the deuyll: whose tearyng teethe and insaciable throte is alwaies wyde, strained, and firmely fixed impituously to rente, deforme, and deuoure the beautie of goddes creation: vnto whom we were in most bytter thraldom, his seruile and very bond slaues, the children of sinne, and deathe, and for euer thunquenchable tyrebrandes of hell. From the whiche [Page]he hath mercifully delyuered vs, restored vs vnto strength, peace, and quietnes of mynde, he hath fylled vs full of ioye, he hath made vs to be of the cō pany of the aungelies,Iohn. 1. 1. Cor. 6. 1. Cor. 11. and the sonnes of God, the heyres of immortalitie, the membres of his body, and oure bodies the temples of the holy ghost: our myndes the ymages and the secrete habitatle of the deitie.1. Cor. 1. And therfore most worthyly we acknowledge hym to be oure only sauiour and redemption, our rightuousnes and sanctification, our onely iustifier and reconciliation to god the father, and haue therefore promysed to reuerence his glorious and most excellent name,Pro. 18. Act. 4. whervnto the rightuous flieth, as vnto a stronge castell, for theyr strength, safegard, and saluation) whiche is moste blessed and prayse worthy for euer, Amen. Thus (I say yf we the spotted chyldren of our synfull father,The remē braunce of the vvourhes of god, leadethe vs to the knovvlege and loue of god. woulde happyly remembre as we haue professed the meruaylous woorkes of GOD, and the order of his dooynges in the begynnynge, as haue been here but briefely touched (besydes the innumerable exaumples of his omnipotencye, mercy, and also his Iustice, [Page]signified vnto vs throughout his holy scriptures, and that we also our selues haue bothe felts and seene in our daies, to thexaltation of his owne glorye, and to the blessyng, greate comfort, and reioicing of his deare, obedient, and most louynge freendes: and to thutter ouerthrowe, rooting out, and destruction of his cursed and moste malicious ennemies,Roma. 1. we shoulde haue good cause not onely to acknowlede hym an omnipotent God, and immortall, holy, rightuous, and mercyfull, and therefore in a certain maner, for those his moste blessed and singuler graces, a farre of with a stipper loue, as dyd our father Adam, to loue hym agayne: but rather wee should haue good occasion to loue hym vnfeynedlye,Exod. 2 [...]. Deute. 6. as obedient and constant chylderne, accordynge to hys mooste holy commaundemente, euen wyth all oure heartes, wyth all oure soules, and with all oure strengthe and power: and feare to offende hym, because also we know hym to be a iust god, and terrible in wourking his reuengement against his enemies, for their dissimulation, vnthankefulnesse, disobedience, coldenes, and slippernes. Then, forasmuch as we [Page]here see, whereby tacknowledge God and his loue; and for his loue to loue hym agayn, and for his iustice to feare hym, I thynke it (at this present) conuenient, some thynge to touche particularly of our loue to God,Math. 2 [...]. Eccle. 1. whyche is the fyrste and greattest commaundement, as also to ours neighbours, and then of the feare of god, that shoulde alwaies possesse our heartes, whiche is the ryghte and true seruice of god: wherby we shal the better knowe our selues, oure louely obedience to god, and our loue also and duetie towards our neyghbours, But before (herin) I procede any further, I make myn hū ble suite vnto you (my deere countrey men, my neighbours, louyng frendes and christen brethern) that the ground of your hartes beyng well wrought, moilified, and softe tempered with the dewe of goddes grace, ye wyll nowe paciently heare, and aptly receiue this exhortation offered vnto you, not from me (most wretched synner) but rather from hym, an by his onely good motion, from whom procedeth all vertue and goodnes,Philip. 2. (whiche also woorke the [Page]in vs bothe the wyll and also the deede euen of his good wil and fauour: that the lyuely seedes or plantes of his heauenly and diuine spirite, beyng fyrmly sette or deepe sowen in your hartes, faste roote maye there bee taken, that naturally in tyme without delay like forward impes and freshe flourishyng braunches in the gardeyn or vine yard of Christe,E [...]dr. 5 Iohn. 15. the quicke and liuely buddes, blossomes, leaues, and the louely fruites of hys fatherlye encrease and blessyng, may appeare wourthys hys gloriouse contentation, beautifulle, large, and seemelye: and to the senses of youre owne soules, sweete in taste, comfortable, delicate, and deyntie. So that the operacion of loue (that moste singuler and acceptable vertu to god) shal haue power & force in you: wherof I wyll nowe procede, groundynge myne intention onelye vppon the enemytie and malice of mankynde, howe agaynste goddes wyll and the lawe of nature our hartes are cursedly bente:Thorough small occasiō our hartes are [...]endeled to mischiefe. not onelye vppon good occasion, or for great causes, as we vse to term them, but for euery triflinge & lyght matter [Page]also we wyll quarell and fall oute one wyth an other: one countrey or kyngdome agaynst another: natural countreimen one against another (by mutanies, conspiracies, ciuill warres, and commotions:) yea, natural brotherne one seeke to destroye another: suporiours also and inferiours: spirituall menne, temporall menne: Riche men, poore menne: familiar companions: neere Neighbours and frendes: And fynallye, euen frome the prynce to the poore plough man, or moste wretched wandring begger, we are all deuided, we are all fledde frome Christ, the serpent hath deceiued vs, for we haue all rebelled, and haue broken the bonde of the peace of god. Heauen and earth (if we list to knowe it) beare manifest witnesse agaynste vs of oure cursednes, hardenes of harte, and maliciousnes. Whose vnnaturall and rare seene signes, signyfieth vnto vs the yre of god, for our chosen way of iniquitie, god by his mercy sendeth them vnto vs, and before our eyes, to admonyshe vs, to putte vs in feare, and to remember his iustice: and that wythoute spedye [Page]repentaunce his swifte vengeance by some terrible meane shall shortly ouerrunne and consume vs. Whereof the true mynysters and preachers of the wourde of God,Straunge signes signifieth vnto vs the comminge of goddes vvrath. hath, and doo, frome tyme to tyme (before the imminence falle of the wrathe of god) thundered in our eares, our moste detestable and wycked state of lyfe, and the terrour also of his most bytter reuengement, duely therafter ensuyng.Our consciences condemneth Of the whiche also our owne consciences beareth witnesse agaynst vs: they preache vnto vs: the wourme gnaweth in vs: it vexeth and tourmenteth vs: and describeth playnly vnto vs our most iust damnation to come. And as Sathan hath seemed sleightily to compasse vs: and by his craftyingins to woūd and ouerthrowe vs, and leade vs captiue from the lyghtesome and lyuely waie of Christe, into his moste lothesome hypathes of dackenes, daunger, and deathe: So we thunexperte souldiors in the campe of Christe, and vtterly voyde of the fencible armour of god (without resistence) cowardely suffer our selues to sustayne the deuyls most [Page]damnable and deadly darts, and to be vsed as his bond slaues and cursed instrumentes,Faynte courage in christen souldiours. to wourke in all mischieues, his moste noysom appointed purposes. And for the probation wherof, whether is this truly sayd or not?VVe feare neyther god not the feuil. God and his lawes we esteeme not: of our othes & promises we passe not: of goddes kingdom we thinke not: his power we regard not: his only glory we seke not: whiche ende go foreward we care not: No, it playnly seemeth in dede amongest vs, yt hel fyro also we fear not. Wherby we shew our selues not onlye to be of our selues very corruptiō, ye sede and frayle fleshe of our disobedient father Adam, but rather the naturall brotherne and ryghte companions in deede, of cursed Cayne,VVe are cō pa [...]ns, and natural brother [...] to to Come. the serpentes seede: whose poysoned nature, cancred rebellion, wilfull disobedience, pretenced malice, murmuryng and murther breake forth in tyme, to the kendlyng vpon hym self, the heauy indignation and wrathe of god: whose vilitie also and noysome state of lyfe, oure hartes wyl seeke to folowe, to the purchasing vnto our selues the lyke damnable rewarde [Page]and assured end of destruction. Verily, if we the children of Adam (engendred of moste frayle fylthynes, and wonderfully defiled with Sathās sleightes, were not thereby approued and knowne cursed Caynites: that is to safe, the apte companyons and vnfayned folowers of wycked Caynes affecte: and dyd detest vtterly the vncleane steppes of Cayn, but were the lyuely and true chyldren of peace, and the mylde folowers of ryghtuousnes, with blessed Abel, guyded by the good spirite of God: we wold not be as we are, so hatefull, suche seckers of varyaunce, kendlers of diuision, wourkers of mischiefe, nor suche mercyles committers of vnnatural and deadly murders, as the euyll ympes of Sathan, and the wylfull destroyers of the christen Abelles: Namely the faithful mē bres of Iesus Christ: hindered, conspired against, rasshely iudged and murdred, by the diuel, and by vs his naughty noisome membres. For in steade of thalowed & true loue of christ, wherby we shuld blesse, preserue, & succor our brother:Gene. 4. we haue the hatefule lothsom [Page]loue of Cayne, whereby we curse, annoy, & destroy our brother. And ye cause also why, we our selues do know: that is: because our owne wourkes beinge euil cānot abide,1. Ioan. 3. but haue in vtter detestatiō our brothers most godlye and rightuous wourkes. Therfore vnto ye deare louers & frendes of god, it is nothing at al merueilouse, that they be in such wise hated, & in dāger of ye vnrightuous & most wicked worldlinges: by whō (as I said) they are cōtinually assaulted & bewrapt in misery. Of whose further cōuersaciō or vnkīdnes (namely of ye wicked) through corruptiō of nature in other ꝑticuler euil, to their own great hurte, & to the vtter discōforte or hurt of gods peple: shal in diuers pointes hereafter, more plaīly be manifest, neither is this here spokē properly, in ye respect of any one mā, or of a few persons, either only of ye clergie or of ye laitie, for ye due execution of iustice in honest & godly causes, nether is ther here anye thinge spoken againste the noble vertue of magnanimitye, valiaunte stoughtnes or couragious resittynge wicked enmies, at due times, in necessary causes, & in ye fear of god, whether [Page]onely for particular cases, or for the moste nedefull defence of a countrey, or commune wealthe: Neither nowe of this presente tyme, or onely here of Englande (one christen region so called among the rest) or otherwyse solye and generally of all barbarous nacions (besides our selues) that haue not knowē god: but specially of the whole and vniuersall dispersed churche of all Christendome (whyche shoulde moste clearelye shyne in rightuousnesse) hath been and is sowly contaminated, and the whole bodye thereof embrued, with these most dampnable and dyueilishe spottes, of maliciousnes, wrathe, and murther: yea, they seme to be spottes (alas for pitie) so depely sette, dryed vp, and inward lye rankeled, that they are vtterly to be immundified and irradicable (as though god had clearely withdrawne the plentyfulnes of the moisture of his grace frō vs) to purge waste, and consume all fylthy affectes in vs, bycause he hath called vnto vs, and we wickedly abusyng our senses, haue not endeuored our selues to here and vnderstande his will for our christen [Page]conuersion and sauynge health: but haue not withstandyng styll with rage, hungrely hūted to spy our pray: and in spyeng, we haue falne to scaterynge: and in scatterynge (withoute ceassyng) haue falne to chasynge, violent stronge straynyng, and short breathyng, tyll we haue (at the leaste) fore wearied, greuously pinched, piteously wounded, or elles most gredily deuoured: yea, we are therefore no lesse knowen and wel tryed, then very forward impes, approued swift folowers, skilfull and conninge hunters, and vnfained louers of this oure forefixed and most merciles wicked game. And certenly, if thei (whom we haue in chase) escape at our handes, a mischeuouse or deadlye daunger, as truelye they seldome dooe: we maye then saye as they haue alwaies said: Go thy waies, thou hast escaped a scouringe, or passed thorough the pykes. For in our natures, from the begynnynge, we haue ben so mischieuous, cankred, and furious, rooted in vnhappynes, wedded to wickednes, and imaginynge mischiefe as lawe:Psal 94. that if we can gette them at aduantage, [Page]or cote theim in their rase, & that God assist theim not mightilye in their course: we wyll assuredlye ouerthrowe them, with lyngryuge paynes tormente theym, and gredllye gnashe (in the ende) their bones in sonder. Vpon whose abhominable outrage, fylthie affecte and corruption, god loked downe from heauen, to beholde amongest vs the state of our vnderstanding, our desire to knowe hym, and our diligence in seking after him: But he perceyued playnelye that we were al out of the waye: that we were treaders of hys pathes: that we were altogether becōme abhominable: that there was none of vs good: that oure throates were as the open sepulchres: howe wyth our tongues we had deceyued:Psal. 14. that the poysone of aspes was vnder our lips: that our mouthes were full of cursynge, venome, and bitternesse, that oure feete were swyfte to shedde blonde: that destruction and vnhappynesse was in oure wayes: that the waye of peace was vnknowne to vs, and that we had not beefore oure eyes the reuerende feare of God. What [Page]can we saye, but that all these and suche other lyke euylles mencioned in goddes holy wrytte, of this generation, haue been felt from tyme to tyme, throughout christendome (generally) and in all ages? haue they not beene fulfylled? It were happye for vs, in these our dayes, yf we coulde saye, it were not so. But wee muste needes saye, as experience hath moste trewely (with bytternesse) taught to the contrary. For we may auouche with teares, that the soules of the ryghtuous,Psal. 120. and the true louers of God hath long dwelte (with wo and greate myserye) amongest them that are enemyes vnto the peace of god. Vnto whome notwithstandynge, when dylygent suite and labour hath been most most humbly made by the rightuous, for the vpholdyng of this peace (tendyng to the glory of god, and theyr owne saluation) they haue chaunged theyr countenaunces (with Cayne):Genes. 4. they haue growen exceedynge wrathe: they haue gnashed theyr teeth at them: they haue stopped their eares agaynst them [Page]and haue prepared them selues immediatly to bloudye battayle or murther. And haue shewed hatrede with cursed Caine, agaynst those whom god most dearely loued. But what gette they at any time therby? Are they not therfore (with blouddy Cayne) most wourthitie accursed? And for this their hurtful rebellion, wrathfulnes, & the breach of goddes peace, knowen where so euer they be scattered or intermedled in the true church of god to be the right synagoge of Sathan, & the serpentes most poysoned and noysome seede, only rooted in the rotten hartes, and stinkyng soyle of the wycked, growynge vp and spreadynge ouer the whole face of the earth: euen verye duste and drosse, the ofscourynge and fylthe of the earthe, the venemous slynkynge weedes, and moste fylthy rotten dunge, spoylyng, spottynge and poysonynge (where yt maye) the pure and holsome ayre, the beautifull and goodlye groundes, the louelye greene pastures, the sweete smellynge herbes, and the moste faire flourysshynge flowers, fruictes, and trees, enclosed with glorye in the most [Page]amiable, seemelye, and precious gardeine of Christ: yea and that by his only power also, this moste pestilent and infectuous fylthy dunge, shall bee in time, as myre in the streates, throwne out, euen by that most iust, most pure, most puissaunt, and almyghty prynce of peace: and shall for euer susteyne wyth the dyuell and cursed Cayne, the violence of his wrathe, the weightye stampe of confusion vnder hys feete, and his most fearse & furious spourne, into the botomles pitte & stinking lake of helle. God shall recompence oure wyckednes and destroy vs in our malice: yea, I say, euen the Lorde god, he it is that shal destroye vs: he watcheth ouer vs: and when we in our vngodlynes, least feare hym, and beare our selues agaynste hym, and agaynste the peace, healthe, and lyfe of his people: when we are greene as the grasse, and at the ripest, and that all oure workes of wickednes doo moste abounde and florishe: thenne shall we bee destroied, and euerlastynglye perishe wyth oure workes of wickednes, euē by the same Lorde that is most high, and lyueth in [Page]glory for euer? We are called vnto by the mylde voyce of god, to attayne to the knowledge and vnderstandyng of god: to loue hym: to seeke after hym: to be a ryght folower of hym: to keepe holy his lawes and ordinances: to acknowledge our wickednes: co confesse our weakenes: to calle for strengthe: to tourne from euyll, and to doo good, to shewe obedience: to be humble and full of humilitie: to be mercyfull, charitable, and frendly:Heb. 13. Iohn. 12. to embrace loue: to seeke peace also, and ensewe it. He cryeth vnto vs, Peace, peace: peace bee with you, and peace bee amongest you: peace within, and peace without: yea, haue ioyfulnes and peace in your consciences: be charitable and folowe peace with all men and holynes: without the whiche, no man shall see the Lorde got: who onely of hymselfe is a god of al puritie and holynes: and seeketh accordynge to his nature, the ouelye peaceable and pure harte of man: vnto whome, as vnto the faithfull louers of his testimonies, lyke a mercyfull and louyng GOD, yeldeth vnto theym the bountyfulnesse [Page]of his grace, and to bee theyr readye healpe in all necessities. And it is sygnyfyed vnto vs by the spirite of god, that greate is the peace of the ryghtuouse, and suche as feare God, and that they neuer be offended at it. It behoueth you then to be wyse, peaceable, and louynge: and that ye also take good heede, leaste ye be destitute of the knowledge and grace of God: neyther that ye refuse that,God offereth his grace frely vnto al me. whyche he so freelye and largelye offerethe vnto all men: that ye also in his holye peace, maye not be hurtfull, but fauourable, plentuouse, and bountyful in all good woorkes, to thexaltation of his name, that is ryche of grace and plentyfull. Vse freely therfore the grace of god in the waye of peace, neither respect persones therein: And knowe, that the peace of god maye not be patched or colorably disguysed: for all as we that bee of Christe (euen from the hyghest to the lowest) haue receyued but one onely waye (thoroughe the power of his spirite) to enter the bonde of peace: so muste wee, all and euery of vs, indifferently haue peace with all men.Rom. 12. [Page]Concorde must be kepte: we may not breake vnitie:1 Cor. 1. Rom. 12. we muste be all of one mynde: there may bee no discention amongest vs: we may not recompēce vnto any man euyll for euyll: neyther may we wickedly spende our tyme in vaine talkynge,Iacob. 4. foolysshe babblynge, vile detractyng, or rashe iudgyng one an other: for by suche thynges are broken our true faithe, fidelitie, and promise, and our perfecte loue and peace that we owe to God. And he that is a backe byter also and iudger of his brother, as a most wicked and rebellious membre, backebiteth and iudgeth the lawe, which is holy and good, & deepely grauē in the hartes of the rightous. If true loue and charitie, by the good lawe of God, to his praise, and to the prosyte of our neighbour, onely belongeth vnto vs: then nothynge at all verily, of our vayne talkyng,VVe may not be rash in Iudgemente or othervvise to the hurt of our neighbome. detraction, rashe and blynde foolyshe iudgement, or otherwise, wherbye we may hurte our neighboures, belongeth vnto vs. For the peace of god and vnitie is our profession: and the vertue of charitie, true frendship, and godly loue, should [Page]shoulde be alwayes oure very hungre and luste, for our honest preferment to the estimation of God: yea it is the fulfyllyng of his lawe. But to vse folishe babblyng, detraction, or vndirect iudgement, to the hurt of our neyghbour belongeth not to vs: for we are corrupted in our vnderstandyng: we ar carnall: our iudgementes are vnperfect: we are wilful and effectionate:Because vve are affectionat [...] and vvilful our iudgementes are vnperfect. we are eyther foolyshe, blynde, or full of maliciousnes: by whiche meanes, we rather (before God) seke his offence and displeasure, then the increace of vertue, or the godlye reformation of oure neyghbours abuse, whereof we wyll talke and vaynely waste oure breathe. If we will seeme to busye oure selues in cases of iudgement, or to looke narowly vpon other mens matters, lette vs fyrst paynfully and with dilygente trauayle,If we first examine a our selues, vve shall the better liscerne the doinges of other. examyne and iudge of oure selues, what reprochefull wickednes our owne hartes possesseth, what venomous fylthe lyeth lurkyng therin, and the greate blyndenes also that is in our own eies: that we may then the better discerne the doyng of other: and [Page]so with cōpassion to ordre all thynges for our neyghbors comfort & cōmoditie. We are firste required to the triall and examination of our owne state,VVhen our eyes and hartes are cleare and vnspotted vve shall shevv forth the fruites of a good spirite, to the exaumple of other. But to the contrary, if our eies be wicked, and oure hartes corrupted: vve shevve forthe the fruites of an euil spirite, to others decay & to iudge of our selues, leste we bee in dede, iudged of the lorde: whose iudgementes are infallible, and ryghtuous altogither. Whē our own eies ar opened, cleere, vnspotted, and pure: & oure hartes cleane purged of all impuritie, then it shall beautifully appeare (in suche thynges as we shall haue to dooe) that we possesse a good spirit: by whose power and holynesse, all our dooinges shalbe comely and well doon, euen accordyng to the diuine nature thereof. But to the cōtrary, if our eies be wicked, or our owne hartes foule and corrupted: we shall shew forth the fruites of an euil and wicked spirite: whether it be by hasty iudgemēt, lyeng, detraction, fals accusation. &c. which ar notable euils, not belōging to vs that haue professed Christe: who by his wourde hath cōmanded vs, to seke peace & quietnes, to loue one another, and to kepe our selues frō murmuring, which profiteth nothing, & to spare our tongs frō [Page]sclaunderouse reportes and backbyghtynges: for an ydle worde shal not passe in vayne, and the mouthe that speaketh lyes, sleeth his own soule.Sapi. 1. who art thou (saith saint Paul) that iudgest another mannes seruaunt?Rom. 1 [...]. He standeth or talleth vnto his Lorde: yea he maye well stande, for god is able to make him stād There is one lawe geuer & iudge,Iacob 5. whyche is onely able to saue and to destroy. What arte thou then that iudgest another?Eccle. 18. Iudge firste thy selfe beefore the iudgement com: so shalt thou be sure to fynde grace in the syght of God.Ephe. 4. Iudge not therfore (I require the) that thou be not iudged agayne. Walke as it becommeth your callynge (wherein ye ar called,Ezechi. 18 Gal. [...]. wyth al humblenes of mynd, mekenes, and longe sufferynge, forbearinge one another in loue: and be diligente to keepe the vnitie of the spirite, thorough the bonde of peace: for euery man shall beare his own burthen, and receiue his rewarde accordingly. Therfore spende your tymes in the conteplacion of beuēly thinges: be frendly, loue togyther wyth pacyence, and praye one for an other that ye maye all bee saues. [Page]In loue and peace the good sowle reioyceth:Iacob. 5. Rom. 16. Ephe. 2. and oure hartes by loue and peace, are vnited to the god of peace. In whome peace abydethe, there the grace of God aboundantly floweth: And the possessours thereof purchase vnto theim selfes to be called the sonnes of God.Math. 5. Whose godly and diuine myndes are alwaies bent to doo well, and not to consente to any euyll: they are paciente: there is in them no desire of reuengement: no murmuryng, no rebellion, no discorde, no discention or variance abydyng. Among many vertues, that god gyueth vnto menne (his faythfull and speciall good frendes: in whom through Christe he delighteth) are chiefely knowen in this lyfe, by hauyng in them these thre principall vertues,Thre vertues.. that is, loue, peace, and pacience. Whiche comfortablye shyneth frome the hartes of the righteous, in greate beautie and clearenesse before the face of god, to the reioycyng and comforte of his people, and to the greate laude and prayse of his name. Wherby also, the world for alyght and example vnto it, may well see whome they do possesse, [Page]what good spirite guideth them, and to what godly ende they are so guided. For by their sayd vertue of loue,Loue. they ioyefully passe foorth their tyme, and spende their lyues with inwarde trauayle or outewarde payne in the fleshe: not proprely in any thyng touchynge them selues, or for their owne singular gayne and commoditie: but fyrst respectynge the knowen wyll of God, they obedientely (to his praise in all poyntes) easily performe the onely straight named bond of charite. They are so lyuely possessed with the good spirite of God, that touchyng theyr inwarde man, they freely with ioye sette foorthe thacceptable good wourkes of god. And as loue in all cases of necessitie, is presentely apte to succour and comforte, without respect of persons:Peace. so peace also adioyned to loue (& bothe deriued from the loue of god) sorcibly ioyne them selues togither, to preuent dangers that inwardely bredeth in the conscience (through thinfirmite of the flesshe) or suche also as hyndereth the continuance of our naturall lyues in the fleshe. [...]acience. And touchyng pacience in [Page]thapproued man of God,3. Reg. 21. 4. Reg. 14. Esdras. 18. Psal. 44. Roma. 8. what frende or enemy, by word or dede can plucke him backe frō the bond of loue, frendeship or amitie? What vexation or forment in the flesshe, suffereth god to bee layde vppon hym, but he will contentedly beare it, and that for the loue of God? so deepely in suche, hath he planted his grace. But we cōmonly, (from whem as it semeth, god for our greate wickednes sake, hath withdrawne his grace) are so pufte vp with the poysoned venym of the serpent, and our hartes so strained with thanguishe of syn, that health is taken frome vs: our soules are sicke: we ar fled from the helthfull and sweete foode of lise,VVe haue refused the grace of god. vnto the noisom and most tart tast of death. In steds of goddes heuenly loue and charitie, our harts are wickedly possessed with willful malice & enmite: for peace warre & discention: for pacience in aduersitie, murmuringe, detraction, lyeng, spightful reuengemēt, & slippyng frome god: or in steade of frendly familiaritie, vayne contempt & strangenes. O the subtiltie of ye moste sleighty and malicious serpent, & the great soly [Page]frailtye or blindenes in our flesshe. Euell are those seedes (by appeeraunce) and of poysoned nature,Esdras. 4. that hath ben sowne frome the begynnynge, in the hart of man, whose estate doubtles ys moste miserable, whenne thorowe the wante of vertue and the lighte of gods grace, he forsaketh the plesant & plaine pathe way of pietie (which is yt reuerēt seruice, honour and obedience,Math 7. Luke. 13. Psal. 10. due vnto god) & falleth into the dāgerous stonye, & harde bestubbed way of iniquitye, the very bonde slauery, and dirtye drudgerye of the dyuell. I onsure you (louyng brotherne) oure ease is to manifeste, that onles Sathan the prince of darkenes, had thorowly bewitched vs, blynded oure eyes, darkened oure vnderstāding, & (as it were to distaine the stoughtnes & couragious estate of christē souldiours) robbing vs of oure memory, and to tourne and winde vs, like a sort of effemmate, feeble, & light persons, at his pleasure, where he lusteth, to our vtter derogation, shame, and dishonor: we wold not be so strongly deluded, ouerrun & blindely seduced in suche snarlyng and impious pathes [Page]that leadeth vnto the lake of perpetuall payn and pardition: whervnto the very order truely and continuance of our stiffenecked wickednes,VVe vvilfully vvalke the vvay of vvickednes declareth playnely what pathes we treade, and whose steppes to the deathe we wylle seeme frankely and very wylfully folowe. For the auoydyng wherof, we cannot saye to excuse our selues of ignoraunce, or that we knowe not God by the doctrine of his wourde, to be a god of loue, of vnitie, peace, and concorde: or that we haue not abundantly (in Christe Iesus) both tasted and felt of the liuely and faste flowynge fountaines of his grace, [...]. Cor. 13 to the greate blessyng, sustentation, and comfort of body and soule: whose cōmandementes also we haue professed and promised to obeye, and whose steppes of rightousnesse we ought to embrace and folow. In consideration whereof, and for the perfourmaunce of ryghtuousnes, haue not wee Christians, the rather good occasyon well to remembre, that when we were professed & consecrated wyth the holye mysteries of the foun [...]aine of lyfe, howe we thenne boundo [Page]our selues vnto the good wyll of god,Rom. 6. and Christ, in all puritie and holynes, and to forsake the deuil and al his dāpnable wourkes of darkenes: and lyke dilygence and faythfull souldiours of Christ, to be alwaies prepared and redie armed wyth the armoure of lighte and rightuousnes, to wythstande the cruell assaultes and craftye ingins of Sathan, that our most aunciente and mortall enemye? And valyauntlye to aduenture our lyues, throughout the whole rase and dangerous passage of this shorte lyfe vnder oure victoriouse prince, & most puissant captain, christ, to whome oure lyues are double due: first because he ons gaue lyfe vnto vs, and thā being lost, to restore it vnto vs agayne? Eyther are we forgetfulle agaynste whome wee stryue? For we wrastle not agaynste fleshe and bloud, but agaynste rule, agaynste power, againste worldlye rulers, euen gouernours of the darkenes of thys worlde, and agaynste spirituall craftynesse in heauenlye thinges. Wherefore take vnto you the whole armoure of god (sayeth saint Paule) that ye may be able to [Page]resist in the euyll daye,Ephe. 6. Luke. 18. Thes. 5. and stande perfect in al things. Stande therfore, and your loynes gird with ye truth, hauing on the breast plate of rightuousnes: & hauing shoes on your fete, that ye may be prepared for the gospel of peace. Aboue al things, take to you the sheld of faith, wher with ye may quench all the fyry dartes of the wicked. And take ye helmet of saluation, & the sword of the spirite, which is the word of god. And Iob saith, [...]oh. [...]. That the life of manne here vpon thearth, is but a continuall warfare or tyme of resistence, & mightily touer come the stoughtnes of our enemies: & that no mā attaineth the croun of victory, except (in Christ) be striue laufully: And yt we prepare our selues by cōtinuall praier to preuaile against our ennemies: as the Israelitꝭ therby preuailed againste the wicked Amalachitꝭ,Exod. 17. or other their deadly enmies, mē cioned in the scriptures. Wherfore for the more strait loking to of our charge and the more spedye, fulfyllyng of our professiō & bond, as we wold shew our selfs faithful valiāt & wise souldiors, & thobediēt seruantꝭ of god: as we wold declare our selfes to be ye zelous childrē [Page]of the vprighte and moste pure honourynge of god: and as we woulde haue any regarde to the state of our soules, and to the lyfe to come (whose euerlastyng ioyes no tungue can expresse) let vs haue in remembraunce oure sayde promyse [...] made to anye earthelye kynge, or other vayne creature vnder the sonne, nor to any angel in heauen, but to the Lord of heauen him self that liueth for euer, a god aboue al goddes, a righteous god, omnipotent, and immortall: vnto whome let vs acknowledge our owne weakenes, and applye our selues, chieflye and aboue al thinges humbly to abase our selues, to prepare our strength in Christ, to seke the mortification of thold man (the whole body of synne) to seeke newnes of life, and to hungre and thirst for the waye of rightuousnes:Prayer is the eleuation of the minde to god vva [...]do vvhereby is secluded al worldly do sires and all carnall and vayne fantasies. And vnto the said prayer must be ioyned fastynge and almose dedes. Toby. 12. lette vs trauell wyth our ful force and strength, and with al feruent prayer and bourning desire to god, to attayne at his gracious & most mercyfull hande, to bee partakers of the depthe of hys grace: whereby we maye the rather attayne into our hartes, the wisedome of his sonne Christ: [Page]whiche by vs must be reuerently searched for, and digged out of the hydde treasures, and plentyfulle vaynes of diuine scriptures or wourde of god, which is the word of truth, the touche-stone of trial, the lanterne of light, the heauenly foode, health, strengthe, and life to our soules (wrought in vs by the spirite of God, or mynistred vnto vs by his diuine and faithfull mynisters) And by whose clearenes and beautyfull bryght shynyng beames, our soules may be pourged frome all impuritie, frome the vayne wisedome of the worlde, from darkenes, and from the fowle stynkynge, and blynde thycke myste of ignorance: whiche dymmeth in vs the perfect senses and iudgemēt of reason, whiche is wonderfully corrupted: against whom sensualitie preuaileth: who also of it selfe is not able to healpe and rule it selfe, but feebly yealdeth to confusion, and therefore muste haue for his assured and perfect guyde, a more excellent and wourthy gouernoure. For not withstandynge that Baptisme (the outewarde signe and lauachre of Regeneration) hathe [Page]wiped away in vs, the greate and foule spotte: yet the synne,VVee styll possesse the spot of our father Adā partlye there remayneth styll, of oure progenitoures, and first parentes: which hath not a litle darkened, that soo pure and cleere light, of the coūtenance, resemblaūce, or similitude of god (whyche he hathe wonderfullye shewed and layed vpon vs) whereby our courage is greatly enfeabled, oure strēgth diminished, or the vertue of our wysedome, fowlye dysteyned and spotted. For the reformacion wherof, through the liuely courage omnipotencye, and greate wysedome of oure Capitayne Christe, and by the vertue & heauenlye operacion thereof in vs, our hartes by hym shalbe cleane pourged and lyghtned, to possesse and enioye the spirite of humilitye & mekenes. Through whyche vertue also, we shall bee the rather (in Iesus Chryste) made more apt vesselles prepared and sanctified to honoure, and meete for the vse and seruice of our lord god, and to the receyuinge also of hys most holye spyrite:Math. 5. Iohn. 4. who alwayes reioyceth to reste, in the humble and meke harted personne: vnto whom Christ hath promised [Page]the blessyng of god, and to en [...] ̄erite and possesse the earth.Iohn. 14. Math. 5. And when our mynds are therby replenished, we shall be thā the more enforced with all singlenes of hert, to marke dilygently by hearyng or readyng the wourde of god, what his good wyll and pleasure is, should here in this lyfe, be done by vs, and amongest vs: who hath promised vs for our christen obedience, humilitie & mekenes, in acknowlegyng (as before) oure owne inhabilitie and weakenes, trustyng and only leauyng to the power and merites of Christe, that he wyl mercifully heare vs when we call vnto hym,Iohn. 7.9. and teustruct vs in his doctrine: and to make vs againste oure aduersaries wyse, politike, and puissant: And therfore with al our possible strength and endeuour, to apply our good myndes to folowe the same: that althoughe our flesshe seeketh her owne, and couereth with the deuil and the worlde, to take parte against god, to the destructiō of our soules: yet will he assist vs, & strēgthen vs with the armour of grace, that his holye and diuine wil here in earth, may be done by [Page]vs, and amongst vs,Math. [...]. Luc. 11. as in the presence of his glorious maiestie, amonge the angels and saintes in heauen: leste we be founde to the contrary, very rebels in the latter daie and wilfull disobedient children (vainely kickyng against the pricke) whiche can neuer be aptely atteyned vnto, onles the said corruption and blyndnes bee first taken from vs,Ephe. [...] Iohn. [...]. Iohn. 8. and our soules clean purged of the vnfruitefull workes of darknes, wherwith we shuld haue no felowship: that we may be light in the Lorde, & walke as the children of lyght, by thexample of Iesus Christe, the trewe lyghte of the worlde: whome if we folowe, we shall not walke in darkenes, but shall haue the light of life: wherby we may the better & the more clerely discern in our profession, thynges that are euyll to be refused, frome thynges that are good to be accepted: & so to eschew the stūbling or the doubtful aduēture at ye electiō of such thyngs as appertaineth in dede, to the very profession & tru religion of christen men. we shall then fynde thereby (to the confirmation of oure promise,) howe verye needefulle [Page]it shall be,Mat. 13.16 Marc. 9. Luc. 8. Iohn. 2. 1. Ioan. 5. Faithe is a liuely and quicke feling knovvlege of the mercye of our heuenly father: agreed, made at one, and moste graciousely reconciled vnto vs by the bloude of our lord Iesus. Act. 5. to haue in our hartes an assured and lyuely faithe in god our creatour and heauenly father (as his chyldrē regenerate and new borne) to rule vs, to dwel and abide in vs: And whollye to dedicate oure selues vnto hym (both harte and soule, our mynde and wytte, and that all is within vs) as vnto a god of loue, mercy, and righteousnes: whome we euer fynde to bee oure readye helper in all necessities: by whose dyuyne power also we lyue, we haue oure beeinge, and are moued. Of whose greate mercye and goodnes towards vs, the prophet wrighteth: that he lyke a diligente watcheman, attendeth euer more vppon his people, whether they wake or sleepe: and is these strength and mightye defence, not onlye against Sathan, that olde and maliciouse enemye of mankinde, but also againste all other oure aduersaries, so that thorow his great mercy and godlye power: we be harmeles preserued, and are deliuered frome the power of darknes, & hath translated vs into the kingedome of his deare sonne: whose eyes contynuallye respecteth theym [Page]that loue hym: for their loue agayne is largely required: he is their myghty protection and stronge grounde: a defence for the heate, and a refuge for the hot noone day, a succour for stumvlyng,Eccle. 34. and an healpe for fallynge: He lyfteth vp the soule, he lyghteneth the eies, he geueth lyfe, health, strengthe, and blessyng. And the cause also why the said prophete (who alwaies beholdeth the mercies of God in Christe) brefely declareth vnto vs: that is, for our faithfulnes, mekenesse, and humblenes of spirite, for our hartes contrition,Psal. 1 9.15.25.33.34 37.40.41.84.91.101.103.107.112.116.119 128.145.147. for our constancy in loue and obedience to his commandementes. And sainct Paule also saieth: That he hath blessed vs with all maner of spirituall blessynges in heauenlye thynges by Christ, accordyng as he had chosen vs in hym before the foundations of the worlde were layde, that we should be holy and blamelesse before hym thorowe loue. Wherby also he hath ordeined vs to be heires vnto hymselfe, accordynge to the good pleasure of his will, and to thexaltation of his glorye for his grace: wherwith thorowe oure [Page]Lord Christ he hath made vs accepted &c. For these his abundant mercies & innumerable benefites and blessyngs poured vpō vs most wretched sinners we owe duely vnto hym (by the direction of sound & clere consciences, euen frō ye very depth of our harts & soules,Deute 10. Eccle. 2.14. Iohn. 14. Roma. 8. 1. Iohn. 4. Iohn. 3 Roma. 2. 2. Cor. 5. Collos. 1. all thankes geuyng, praise, and glory: and with no lesse efficacie, force, and vertue, to loue hym again in wourd & deede: to loue him feruently aboue all thynges, and to keepe his commandementes. Whose greate loue apered vnto vs first: in yt he sent his only begottē sonne into the world, that we the children of death, might haue life, and liue thorowe hym. Herein appeared the great loue of god to vs ward, not that wee loued hym, but bycause he loued vs, and gaue his onely sonne to make agrement for our sinnes. God is loue, and he that dwelleth in loue, dwelleth in god, and God in hym. And hereby knowe we, that we divelle in hym, and he in vs, because he hathe geuen vs of his spirite. And we knowe and beleue, the loue that God hathe to vs. If god so loued vs, thenne oughte we also [Page]to loue one an other. If we loue one an nother, God dwellethe in vs, and his loue is perfecte in vs. And the perfecte loue of God seekethe not it selfe, but frankelye appeareth for all others necessitye. It is alwayes charitable and frendelye, paciente,1. Cor. 8. and longe sufferynge. If a mannne saye, I loue God, and yet hate hys brother, he is a lyar.Leuit. 19. Iohn. 13. For howe camme he that loueth not his brother, whome he hath s [...]ene, loue God whome he hathe not seene? And this commandement haue we of hom, that he which loueth god, shoulde loue hys neighbour also. Wherby (saieth Christe) all men shall knowe that ye are my disciples, yf ye loue one an other. If my wourdes abyde in you, then are ye my right disciples: and ye shall knowe the truthe, and the truth shall make you free and delyuer you. You shal be cleane rydde from all bondage of vnrightuousnes: ye shall bee possessed with the good spirite of GOD:Iohn. [...] and where the spirite of God is, there is freedome: And therefore abyde you in Loue: [Page]Obeye my preceptes and commandementes. And this cōmandement geue I vnto you,Iohn. 15. that ye loue togyther, as I haue loued you. As ye haue found me to be vnto you, a God of mercy and louyng kyndnes, and haue alwaies trained ye vp, by example and doctrine, to thexcercise of godly cōpassion and charitie: so I requite you, and geue cō maundemente vnto you, that ye obedientely walke in my waus, inseparably to knitte your hartes in vnitie, and [...]saynedly to loue one an other. And howe to continue in loue, Christe (in fewe wordes) signifieth vnto vs, that is: [...] the preceptes of god. 1. Cor. 14. by kepyng his preceptes and commandementes. Moste precious in the sight of God are these three vertues: Faythe, Hope, and Charitie: and of theim all, the laste excelleth, and hath the souerayntie.Miche. 6. Micheas the prophet of god cryeth vnto vs, sayeng: I wyll shewe thee O man, what is good, and what the Lorde requireth of thee: namely, that thou trade thy selfe in rightousnes: that thou be humble and lowly: that thou haue pleasure in mercy & ionyng kyndnes, & to walke with the [Page]Lorde thy God. O the heauenly voyce and counsayle of God, that soundeth vnto vs for our sauynge healthe, and wherein is comprehended the wholle summe of our duetie. Whiche with all humblenes we oughte to receyue: whervnto we shuld with reuerence be obedient, and to exalte therefore at all tymes his moste glorious name: and beyng myndefull of his mercy, to bee hartily thankefull, as well in all kyndes of aduersitie and dolour, as otherwise in any manner of prosperitie or pleasure: and then for his greate mercy and loues sake, to loue hym agayn. Whiche can bee by no better meane,To [...] god ready is [...] be [...] a [...] then to showe our selues frendely and charitable vnto all men, what soeuer they be without exception, bicause thei are of his creation and image, and preciousely redemed also by Christ, as we our selues hope to be. Whom the charitable heart imbraceth indifferently, yea, euen the whole kynde of manne: whose state, whether it standeth highe or low, right or wrong, wel or euill, al must be referred to ye good wil, disposition & grace of god. we must therfore, [Page]respecting herein the will of God and the stoughtenes of our bonde and promise, deuise with our selues, how, and by what meane, we myght happily do good vnto all men, to the vttermost of oure power:VVe muste haue feruent loue amōg oure selues, for the saide loue shall couer the multitude of oure sinnes. 1. Pet. 4. and by no meanes (no, not by thoughte, yf it were possible, for the clearenesse of oure owne conscience sake) to hurte anye manne. For as the bande of charitye: is to loue god wyth all oure heartes, wyth all oure lyues, and wyth all oure power and strength: so charitie (also in Chryst) doeth further extend to the loue of euery man: poore or ryche: good or badde: holye or vnrightuouse: protestante or catholyke: frenche manne or spaniard: chrysten or heathen: faythefull or vntrue: bonde or free: kynsefolkes or straungers, no personne excepted.
And as the fygure of GOD is perfecte and equall in all: so lykewyse vncorruptelye wythoute affection, indyfferentelye to fauoure all: Whyche is agreable to the example of Chryste: who woulde all menne indifferentlye without any respecte of personnes, to haue the benefytte of hys holye lyfe [Page]and passion, and to bee saued thorowe faythe in his bloude (so great was his loue towardes vs,) by whose exaumple he woulde haue vs in lyke maner, indifferently, gladdely, and with good wyll, to spreade foorthe oure affections to all man, after the free, and most liberall distribution of charitie. And what soeuer cause be geuen to the contrary, yet neuerthelesse, accordyng to the will of God, and thorowe the vertue of pacience, to beare good harte and wyll vnto euery man, to vse oure selues well, and to be fauourable vnto theym: not onely in cherefull wordes,Rom. 12. and by outward familiaritie and countenaunce (whereof otherwhyles we make very nyce and straunge) but also in other oure actes and deedes, euen frome oure veraye hartes. If they bee good menne, to loue theym in Christe, and yf they be euyll men, to loue theim also for Christes sake.
And whenne they haue deserued hurt or disfauoure, or that occasyon be geuen by theym of reuengemente and displeasure, yet we shoulde not withdrawe oure frendeshyp frome theym, [Page]and to hurte or hynder theim, but to doo good vnto them,Rom. 12. though they haue not deserued it. For to ouercome euyll with goodnes, and malice with kindnes, is truely to counterfayte the perfect charitie of Iesus Christ, the sonne of God, the sauiour of the worlde, and patron of all pietie:Esa. 53. Math. 26. Act. 8. Eccle. 17. who hath taught the very same doctrine for our erudition and learnyng, that haue earnestlye professed his name: whiche also to our example (in his owne persone) performed in very deede: although the malicious and proude people of this world that vainly boast of Christe, and hath their whole felicitie onely fixed vppon earthly vanities, are the sworne seruā tes of Sathan: who was a dissembler proude, malicious, and a murtherer from the beginning: by whose corruption and malice, is engendred in oure hartes, priuie hatred, open contempt, secrete murmuryng, selaunder, detraction, sedition, false accusation, and finally wylfull consent to murther. Suche among many other, are the woorkes of the deuil, and of his malignāt & bloudy membres, from the beginning [Page]vpon the earth. And lyke as is the minister, suche are the seruauntes. If [...] therfore be (in deede) of Christ, and [...] vnfeyned professours of his name, we are also the true seruauntes of Christ, and beloued of hym, whome we take to be our Lorde & maister, our marke, and perfect exaumple of lyuynge, and whome we ought alwaies to haue before our eies, as the only patrone of all holy conuersacion, and godlye state of lyfe: that euen as he hath geuen vs exaumple, so we shoulde also doo.Iohn. 3. Ephe. 5. 1. Pet. 2. Vnto whome, (and beefore whose presence) oure myndes shulde wholly and at all tymes appeare vncorrupted, and oure soules contynuallye occupied in the meditation of celestyall or heauenlye thynges: reiectynge frome vs violentlye (as drosse) all vayne and vnfruitful studies: al hatred, enmity, and malice (or other kyndes of fylthynes:) and to direct onely vnto hym, all our enforcements: al our pastymes and pleasures all our ententes and purposes, all our rest and quietnes, and finally also, all the whole summe of our busines. For touching proprely the perfectiō of the [Page]saide loue and charitie, that we ought to haue amonge our selues, and eche to other, in this maner, sayenge: Ye haue hearde it taught in tymes paste, thou shalte loue thy frende,Math. 5. and hate thine enmy. But I say vnto you: Loue your enemy. Speake well of theym that defame you,Rom. 12. and speake euyll of you: Blesse them that curse you: doo well to theim that hate you: praye for theym that vexe and persecute you, that ye maye be the chyldren of your father, whyche is in heauen. For he maketh his Sunne to ryse bothe vppon the good and badde: and sendeth raine to the iuste and vniuste. For yf ye do but loue theym that loue you, what rewarde shall ye haue? Dooe not the Publicanes lykewyse? And yf that ye speake well of theym that bee youre bretherne and dearely beeloued frendes, what greatte mattier is that? Do not the Heathen the same also?Math. 6. Agayne, If you forgeue menne theyr faultes, your heauenlye father shall also forgeue you youre faultes. For if our fautes shoulde trouble our consciences, thenne we in this thynge [Page]thoroughe Faythe, oughte to knowe as by a sure and a moost certayn token of comforte, that oure trespasses he forgeuen vs of GOD, yf we firste forgeue oure Neyghbours their tresspasses, wherein so euer they haue offended vs, howe greate so euer the trespasse bee, and muche moore for tryfelynge cases, or (as I maye say) for womannelye quarellynges: I doo speake wythoute offence to he wyse. And we in oure daylye prayer require of GOD to bee forgeuen of hym, of oure dayelye and contynuall wyckednesse, as wee forgeue other their faultes commytted agaynste vs.
So that beefore we praye,Prayer. (whyche we are alwayes bounce to doo,) and of all thynges moste needefull: and that not tediouselye, stoughtlye, faynedlye, doubtiullye, neyther yet maliciouselye: but cheerefully, reuerentlye, heartylye, faythfullye, and charitablye, wyth a freendelye and louynge hearte:) oure prayers (I saye) when we doo praye, must either with the charitie of God, in suche wyse bee tempered, that we can frely forgeue [Page]if offence be committed agaynst vs,Math. 21. Iohn. 15. 1. Iohn 3. Iacob. 1. or elles wourthyly secke for our malyce sake, and stiffenecked wickednesse, not onely to susteyne the losse of our present suite and desyre, but also encreace of the vengeāce and wrath of god, the more abundantly to fal vppon vs. For onelesse we forgeue vnto others theyr offences,Math. 6.11.18. god our heauenly father wil not forgyue vs our offences. And whe ther we haue offended theym, or they haue offended vs, we must seeke the vnitie and peace of Christ: yea (I say agayn) we must seeke it, except we will seeme wylfully to runne headlonge to the deuill and damnation: we may not be deuided: we may not breake the bōd of the felowshyp of Christe: we are all membres incorporate into the body of Christe: we must thruste backe stately courage and thestimation of wealth: we muste herein laye our malice and pride aparte: we may not bee quoy or nyce in these straighte cases of god, nor vaynelys shamefaste: wee maye not daly wyth GOD: we may not thynke of oure paynted sheathe: but all peenyshe fantasies, worldlye vanities [Page]and flesshely affectes set asyde, wee must symplye and wyllynglye wyth at diligence, prosecute the good work whiche God describeth vnto vs, and oure owne consciences also most plainly directeth. Beefore thou praye [...] therfore,Ecclesiastic. 18. prepare thy soule (in anye wyse) to contence well god, and dalye not with him as one that tempteth hym, but simplye or reuerentlye looke to thy charge. Humble thy selfe: bee obedience to hys voyce: imprint or engraue in thine hart his most fruitful and diuyne sentences We are taught to bee of lyke affection,Rom. 12. one towardes another, and not to bee hygh minded, proude and stought, but humblye abasinge our selues, to bee equall wyth them of the lower sort. We may not be wyse in our own opinions, neither recōpence vnto any man, euyll for euell: we may not by double minded for our loue must be perfecte and sound without dissimulation. We must be feruente in the spirite, applye to the tyme, and lyue peaceably wyth all menne. And yf we wyll take Christ, for our patrone and exaumple of lyse, we must reuerence him, and obey hym also in his [Page]wourde: who saieth vnto vs also in this wyse: Beholde, I am the lyghte of the worlde. &c. Take me for youre guyde: Learne of me: for I am not proude:Math. 11. I am not haute mynded, disdaynfull, nor scornefull: but gentyll, lowely, and meeke in hearte. And yf we (that are the folowers of Christe,) wyll seeke or desyre any thynge at the hande of God the father for Christes sake, we must reuerently seeke to content his will: we must tast and sauour of hym in goodnes: we muste manyfest oure selues to bee the folowers in deede, of his glorious and most beautifuile steppes, we muste rente frome our hartes, and treade (with force) vnder foote, these our moste poisoned ragyng euylles: namely the deadly and venomous prickyng, priuy lukynge, secrete annoyeng, inwarde fretrynge, outward defacing, disteinyng, swellīg disgracyng, rēting, tearing & choking thornes, thistles, brābles, burres & briers, & such other shameles & endles noisom shrubs of our monstrous beastly pride, cancred maliciouines, & moste vain foolishe stoutnes (which are thincensementes of Sathan, and his only [Page]vehement motiōs in vs, to the stirring vp of disobedience and stryfe: of which more shall hereafter be somme thinge touched) and seeke him simplie that is simple and lowely, wyth al simplenes lowlynes: and mekenes of harte:Prou. 28. For he appeareth and is onelye founde of them, that tempteth him not,Sapi. 1. but reuerentelye feareth hym, and beleueth in hym; that reioyceth to please him, and loth to offend him. And if we think it a great thyng to remit thoffences cōmitted againste vs by others, respectings this or that offēce, or ye basenes of ye party yt offendeth vs, thinking therby that our estimatiō or honesty shuld be greatly di [...]eined, if we dydde seks to cōferrs with him,If vve consider the darkenes and vvickednes of our ovvne liues, other mennes liues shal be fore God, seeme vnto vs, so much the purer. although for concord & charities sake, how much more ought we rather to cōsider & remēbre our owne notable & most vile state of life, & yt heapes of offences, which we daily cōmit against god, and in the presence of his mooste glorious and excellente maiestie, who respecteth no persones, but knoweth & reproueth thiniquitie and frailtie of all fleshe, notyng by his iustyce, what is dewe vnto theym, [Page]and that he not withstandynge of his [...] [...]lemency and mercye beholdeth [...] Christe, and dooeth forgeue vs, [...] with repentāce we praye [...] vnto hym. Let vs therfore in [...] callyng examyne well our selues, [...] men in anctoritie he, so vvill the people bee Orce. 4. and consider the great mercye of god, and his exaumple to charitie: and the greater we be of byrth among many others, in estimacion of men, & in anctoritie or welthy, (that ye prayse of god may shyne amongest vs:) so much the more to consider our estate to god-warde, we oughte to submytte our selues to hys wyll: and in charitye to apply our selues, to the good exaumple of all men: that the peace of god and godly amitie, maye bountifully flourishe and abounde lyuelye amongest vs.
Whose mynde in hys diuyne wourde and manifest exaumples of hys mercy he hath thus (as before) sygnified vnto vs, touchynge oure loue and charitie, that we owe to oure neyghbours. And there vnto saint Paule counsaileth vs, satenge: [...] Bee ye therefore folowers of God, as deare children, and walke in loue, euē as Christ loued vs, and gaue [Page]hymselfe for vs, an offerynge and a sacrifice of a swete sauour to god.He [...]. [...]. Iacob. [...] Let brotherlye loue and peace continue amongest you: for the fruites of rightuousnes are sowen in loue and peace, of theim that are the louers and mai [...] [...]e [...]ers of peace. Of which peace, brotherly concorde and vnitie, kyng Dauid, the seruant and beloued proph [...], of God, had experience, and hath signified vnto vs the excellencye and noblenes of the same vertue: to the eno [...] we should (euen from the depth of ou [...] hartes) be thervnto affected, and delite to trade our selues therin ioyfully, all the daies of our loued: b [...]yng all brotherne and sisierne, and haue one father, euen our heuenly father: by whō also, we haue Christe our sauioure, to be our lorde and brother; And by hym we are the sonnes and heyres of god:Rom [...]. 8. yea and felowe heyred with hym of eternall glory: how requisite therefore is it (seing we haue but one father, the God of heauen, and Christe to be one brother, and are all brotherne and sisterne in Iesus Christe, to be all of one mynde: because there is nothyng that [Page]more garnisheth and becommeth better the name of brothern, thā brotherly loue, true peace, quietnes, mekenes and amiable concorde. It must needes picase well God, and be an excellente treasure in any cōmon welthe, seynge the prophet so hyghly extolleth it, and compareth it to a moste precious ointment,Psal. [...] and most pleasant dewe, whose swete smelles can not be expressed. Beholde, saieth he, howe good and ioyfull a thynge it is, bretherne to dwell togyther in vnite: & so forsh as in ye psalme. Thexperience wherof,VVhere peace and [...] abideth, thers is the blessinge of God. we also our selues ar able som thing to declare by perfect knowledge, what benefites innumerable (by the blessing of god) hath hē poured vppon those countreyes and commen wealthes, where it hath raigned (as also amonge faythfull and vnfeyned frendes, or honest familiar cō panions!) And to the contrary, where the sayde vertue betwixt thē, hath byn broken and not flouryshed: but rather diuision, murmuryng, maliciousnes, warre:VVher vvar and discen [...]ō is, there is the curse of God. and discention: there, by the curse of god, hath appeared amongest theim, innumerable other plagues, to [Page]to their great griefe in conscience, to the confusion of their owne bodyes, losse of their goodes, spoylyng of their frendes, defylynge their wyues,Euery king dome diuided, muste: come to desolation. rauishyng their daughters and maydens, destruction of insantes, and fynallye the vtter decaye and subuersion of the whole common wealthe: whether by diuision or ciuill warres among them selues, or by anye other vyle nation: whome, aboue all others, their hartes doth most abhorte. If our hartes therfore be presentely yrefull, or poysoned with rancoure and malice, and suffer the continuaunce thereof in vs, withoute fearynge daunger, or seekynge rem dy: It is not possible to the contrarye, but beeynge wylfulle possessours of wrathe, whereby we shewe oure selues to bee the very chylderne of wrathe, but also that the iuste anger and wrathe of GOD, shall therfore agayn consume and destray vs. By our sedition and wrathe wee deuyse and seke all maner of myscheues:Prou. Oree. 10. but violente and cruelle messangers shall therfore be sent agaynst vs. [Page]Suche fruites as we plante, we shall plucke and taste. If we sowe iniquitie, we shall reape sorow.Iob. 1. Gala. 6. But forasmuch as we vs all of Christ and liuely membres also incorporate into the body of Christ, and are al one with Christ, and in Christ: and Christ (in no wise may amongest vs) bee diuided: of whome also,VVe must [...] liue in loue [...] a [...] of Christe. we receyued example of loue and vnitie: we muste all lyue in the same loue, we must stil continue in the same loue, we musse seeke the peace of god: and as muche as in vs shall lye, neuer to breake the bonde of vnitie. And yf through frayltie, we other whiles slip from it, and therby breake the peace of Christe: yet bycause he woulde in no wyse haue any continuance therof amongest vs, beyng a pestilente malady and an infection of the soule, he calleth vnto vs, sayeng: Let not the son go downe vpon your wrathe. Christe vnderstandyng this cursed euyl to be a foule spotte and deforinitie in the soule of man: & that thervpon also did depende great distruction & mischiefe, geueth vs this shorte and swete lesson to auoyde the continuaunce thereof [Page]that the rather our lyues maye be perfect and holye, accordyng to the excellencye of our christen confession,Eccle. 18. thinkyng alwayes vpon the couenaunt of the rightuouse and most high god, and so charitably, to shewe our selues frēdlye, and to forgeue oure Neighboures their offences and ignoraunces, not leauynge (in no pointe) to stryfe or variaunce: wherby, god shall be wel contented, and our sinnes also diminished. For suche as be yrefull, busye, and vnquiet, they are wycked wourkers of mischief, kendelers of variaunce, and sowers of discorde, among theim that be at peace,Ecclesiastic. 25 to the encrease of iniquitie and heaping vpon them selues the yre of god. The more woodds there is, the more vehemente is the fyre, and the longer that strife endureth, the more wyckedlye it dourneth. And therefore for thauoydyng of euyl, and that good may come vnto vs, saint Paule counfaileth vs, sayenge. Let all bitternes,Eph [...]. 5. fearcenes, wrathe, roryng, and cursed speakyng be put away from you, with all maliciousnes. Be curteous one to another: be charitable, lowly and mercyfull, [Page]forgeuynge one another, euen as god for Chrystes sake,Phil. 2. hathe forgeuen you. Be ye lyke mynded vnto me, hauynge one loue, beynge of one accorde and of one mynde, that nothing be done through stryfe or of vaine glorye, but in mekenes of mynde: And let euery man esteme another, better thē hym selfe.Phil. 4. Agayne, let your softnes be knowne vnto all men. For the Lorde is euen at hande, remembre therefore these diuyne counsayles of Christ and hys Apostles, & sleepe not before thine harte be pour god of maliciousnesse, of the pride and stoughtnes. And thynke that yt cannot be only perfourmed of thee, wyth thoughts (For soo mayest thou styll keepe the serpente of maliciousnes lurkynge wythin thy breaste:) but let it in deede be manifeste (in the spight of the diuell) vnto those, against whō thou bearest thy malice, & stoutenes of stomack. For in yt mean while, that this rule is not thus by the obserued: truely greate is thy daunger and present peril by ye hand of god. O what knowst thou, yu grosse lūp of erth, what soeuer yu be, ye liuest vpō ye earth, yt gloriest [Page]so much vpon thy selfe, yt couchest downe thy selfe at nyght vpon thy soft bedde, with a mischeuous and cancred stomacke, what shal chaunce vpon thy soule, before the daye returne? Or after thou risest in the mornynge, what state thou shalt be in er nyght? He that gaue vnto thee thy life, can also take away frome thee thy life: and is able to caste both thy body and soule into hell fyre.Math. 10. Luc. 12. Why dooth thyn hert then ma [...]e thee so proude? Why standest thou to greatly in thyn own conceipt? Whervnto looketh thy eies, that thy mind is so puft vp againste god? Fearest thou not in thy selfe yt huge heapes of sinne that wil accuse thee, or make the more careful and lowely? Neither thy barthen of thy conscience, that so fore oppresseth thee, and wherby the iustice of god hangeth ouer thee? Either wy [...]e thou shew thine hart to be hardened against him? O fadyng floure, & erthly creature, what meanese thou vnreuarently to forget god thy creator, or not to fear hym? Thinkest thou that the cō tinuāce of thy wil to do wickedly shal euer endure? Or why art thou so presumptuous ageinst him? Art thou able [Page](thou wretched and feeble wourm [...] to resiste hys omnipotence or almyghtye power? Art thou not in hys hande as a piece of clay in the hand of the potter?Esaie. 49. Iere 18.19 Rom. 9. Or whyche of all the stought or puyssaunte prynces of the earthe, shall not stoupe at hym, and obeye hym? He, trulye) is almyghtye and terryble: yea, the earth trembleth and quaketh for feare of hys greate indignacion and wrath: and the people shal not he able to abide hys threatnynge. The whole power and strength of all the earth ioyned to I [...]ther, is not able to abyde one blaste of the breathe of goddes mouthe. And darest thou (thou dustye stubble) persist or stand at any time, in the state of wickednes, before the face of so great and terrible a god? Consider therfore thy wilfull malice and folishnes, and thy carelesse slippyng from god, that is so iust and terrible. Examin thy self, & reuerentlye in the feare of god, trye well the state of thy cōscience whether thou mayest iustlye saye before heauen and earth: O lord, thou omnipotēt & terrible god:Hiere. 17. whose throne is most glorious excellēt, and of most antiquitie, which [Page]dwellest in ye heuens: euen in the place of mans holy rest: of whō, thou arte of all goddes moste highely to he feared: for thou art a rightous and a iuste god in pouryng thy wrath vpon thyne enmies:The repentant sinner. yea I must also say that thou art a mercyfull and a louyng god: the only comforter and refuge of man: his immouable pillour and staye of assurance, and the lyuely hope of his helth, ioy, strength, and saluation. Therfore O Lorde, in acknowledgynge thyne omnipotency and great mercy, whervnto I appeale: I humbly fly vnto thy mercy seate for succour. for myne iniquitie, O god, is manyfest vnto thee: which I confesse before thy diuine maiestie. I haue, O lord, offended against thee: I haue forsaken thy lawe, and cōmitted iniquitie: I haue fledde from thy loue: I haue falne from thy word: I haue broken my fidelite: I haue ben rebellious against thee: For myn hart hath wickedly possessed pride and maliciousnes, wherby I haue greuousely offended and hurte my neyghbour. O Lorde, greate therfore is myne iniquitie in thy sight.Psal. 119. My conscience iustly accuseth [Page]me: my fleshe trēbleth for feare beefore thee: my spirites are troubled within me: And the remembraunce of thy Iudgement is terrible vnto me. O Lorde myne eies therefore gushe oute with water, my sight falleth me: I am greuouslye vexed: myne harte panteth within me: my strength is gone from me: my knees are weake: my flesshe is dryed vp: my beautie is consumed, & I am weary of my gronynge. Alas my griefe, alas my fal: Alas my great wo and myserye, for thys my stroke and wofull plage, that thy grace (O God) should thus be taken frome me: wherby, I most wretched sinner, am forget full of my truthe and obedience, of my faythe and promises, of thyne infinyte loue and goodnesse towardes me, and of thy greate indignation and Iustice for my synne & iniquitie. Ah, who shall geue me water to my head, and a fountain of teares to mine eies, that I may washe my bedde with teares of sorow and bewayle my sinnes both nighte & day: wherby thy grace (O swete god) may yet be returned vnto me, and thy iustice agaist me be shortlye preuēted. [Page]I make myn hūble peticion in thy presence with my whole hart, ye thou wile be merciful vnto me, accordyng to the truthe in thy wourde. O heauenly father,A Prayer. lette thy greate mercy in Iesus Christe, lyghten, vppon me, that thy wrathfull indignation preuaile not against me. I humbly (with repentāce) acknowledge myne iniquite: I cōtesse my sicknes & frailtie, & appeale to thy mercye, promysed vnto me in Iesus Christ. And if thou, O Lorde, for his sake, wilt assist me,Psal. 119. & order my steppes according to thy wourd, my fete shall kepe thy pathes, & no wickednes shall henseforth haue dominion ouer me. O refourme therfore with mercy that is amisse:Psal. 3 [...]. for thy mercy recheth vnto the heauens, and thy faithfulnes vnto the cloudes. With the is cōfort & the light of life: & in thy light shal I se light, and the workes of darknes shall flie farre from me. O turne thee then vnto me,Ierem. 1 [...]. so shall I be tourned: heale thou me, and I shall bee made whole: saue thou me, and I shall be saued. O be not terrible vnto me after thy rightuous iudgemente.Psal. 143. Enter not into iudgement [Page]with thy seruaunt: for then shall I not be iustified in thy syghte. Yea, if thou O lorde, shouldest extremely marke what is doone amysse, who could then abyde it? But thou arte also a God of mercy: yea, thou delightest in mercy, and with thee is plentuous redemption. My soule therfore flieth only vnto thee:Psal. 130. it wayteth humbly for thee, & trusteth assuredly in thee. Out of the depe doo I call vnto thee (O Lorde) O here myne humble voyce, and lette thyne eares consyder welle the voyce of my complaynte. Benignely beholde me with thyne eye of mercy, that I (I say) thyne vnwourthy seruaunt, maye bee ioyfull of thy coūtenance. O let thine holy spirite possesse my harte, to create in me a cleane harte. & to [...]enue within my bowelles a ryghte spiryte: that I wretched synner may be quiet in thee, maye growe in the true knowledge of thee, that I may feruentlye desyre thy kyngedome, and that I maye knowe thy wyll and reuerently wourke there after. For thorow thyne onelye grace (O Lorde) and by the vehement impulsion of thyne holye spirite, shall myne [Page]heart and soule be cleane pourged, quiesed, quickened, strengthned, & sanctified. It is thy spirite (O GOD) that shal conuerte my soule, and guyde me forth in the pleasaunte and playn path waye of rightuousnesse. Yea Lorde, I wyll therfore be bolde and saye: Come thou good spirite of god: comme (I beseche thee) and assiste me with the present healthe of thy grace. I haue affiaunce in thee. O instruete thou me, and strengthen mee: refresshe, comforte, and quiete me: replenysshe my soule with ioye and gladdenesse, and kendle in me the fyre of thy loue. Th n O holy spirit, whether in body I wake or sleape, my soule shall continuallye watche vnto thee, thynke of thee, delight in thee, depende onely vpon thee: yea, it shalbe fully satisfied in thee: and euermore reioyce, loue, & please thee, euen from my verye hearte, with all my power and strength, and loue my neyghbour as my selfe, to thy glory O god, all the daies of my lyfe, and for euer in the world to come Thus, I say, O thou erthly creature, & dere christen brother, that hasardly (by due iustice) [Page]abidest the hard hande of God, let daily sorow fasten vppon: thee, and continuall sadnes po [...]e [...]fe thyne hart. Offre vnto God the acceptable sacrifice of a troubled spirite, of a brokē, sore vexed, and contrite heart, till grace bee planted againe in thee, and thy synnes thorowe faithe, cleane purged and taken from thee. And alwaies remembre, if thou loue god bicause of his mercy, if thou feare hym for his iustice sake, or if thou beare any good hart towardes the counsailes or voice of god, harden not thy hart, as in the day of temptation: kēdle not vpon thy self the wrath of god: flee from the vengeāce to com, for otherwise the iustice of God wylle fall faste vppon thee. And yf thou, as before, wilfully dost desire to be mindfull of wrath, reuengement, or displeasure, either of speking or of doing wickedly, vse fyrste thy cogitation in this maner folowyng, whiche shall bee rather to a godly entent and purpose, accordyng to the counsayle of the preacher: which is, not to be yreful against thy neyghbour, to wourke reuengemente agaynst hym for any matter: [Page]or to wythhold thy charitie from him but to thinke vpon the moste terrible & bitter day, when thou (among the rest) shalt be called vppon by the trompe of god,Eccle. 18. to appere before his wrathfull indignacion, and to remembre the bitternes of his vengeāce, whē he shal turne his face away from thee, yea, euen frō thee, thou wrathfull and dampnable reiected creature, if thou abyde in thy wrath, and yf thou (with the rest) shalte be partaker of thys terrible and moste bytter sentence. Awaye ye wicked, to the deuell and to hell fyre for euer. Yf thou otherwyse haue pleasure to think vpon wrath, and to wourke or deuyse mischiefe thereby, to the hurte of thy neighboure: be thou certaine hereof & well assured, that suche a matche shall be ioined vnto thee as wyll cruellye in his wrath, vexe thee, quickly consume thee, and violentlye twyne thee, euen lyke a rysshe,Psal. 49. to the sodaine and shorte confusion. Euen God hym selfe it is, that shal recompence thee thy wickednesse, & shal destroy thee in thine owne wycked malyce: yea, it is the Lorde God hym selfe (I say) that shall vtterlye [Page]destroye thee. As hatrede, enemitie, & reuengement, with suche other, are wyeked euils forbidden thee, and thervppon agreed with thyne owne consent and promise, to a blessed and most happie ende; so if thou contemnynge this prohibition, dooest swarue frome thy promyse and fidelitie, and cleaue vnto suche iniquitie, they wyll kendle the wrathe of God agaynste thee,Eccle. [...] to the increace of affliction, to the wour kyng of an euyl death and euerlastyng destruction. Thou shalte worthily be compted among the numbre of the cursed and vngodly people Vpon whom, god (in this lyfe) shall rayne snares, fyre, brymstone, storme, and tempeste, whiche shall be their dewe portion to drynke.Psal. 1 [...]. And suche as be scornefull despisers withoute a cause, they shall bee put to confusion:Psal. 5. Psal. 68. Psal. 75. neyther shall suche as be mercylesse and cruell, stande in the syghte of God. For lyke as ware melteth at the greate heate of the fyre [...] so shal [...]hun godly perishe at the presēce of god, & come to a terrible and feareful end. Fire, haile, wind, earthquake, tempest, and whirlewind: hungre and [Page]thirst, pestilence, murrayn, burninge feuers, incurable botches, swellyngs, madnes, and suche straunge diseases, sodayn fearefulnes, strise, vnquietnes rigour, oppression, sworde, bloudsheddyng, death, sodayn death, destruction and punishment: the teeth also of wild and noysome beastes: the scorpions,Eccle. 39. serpentes, and all suche poisoned and venomous wourmes, are created for vengeaunce, to the destruction of suche malicious and wicked people. If yu wylt not therfore do & obserue the will of God, and feare to offende the fearefull name of the Lorde thy God,Deut. 28. Psal. 39. he will sende vpon thee, yea and vpon thy seede after thee, these foresaid greuous and moste terrible plagues and curses. O chaunge therfore thy copy, and tourne in tyme. Leaue of frome wrathe, what soeuer thou be, and lette go displeasure: feare god: be charitable: kepe peace: abyde in loue: styppe not from it: consider it wel, and thinke what theron dependeth: so shalte thou knowe it: yea, thou shalt gladly also exeresse it, and enioy for euer the delectable fruites of it. And if thou wilte further [Page]knowe of loue what it is, note saint Paule: Loue saith he, is pacient and curteous:1. Cor. 4. it enuieth not, it dooth not frowardly: it is not pufte vp: it dealeth not dishonestly: it seeketh not her own: it is not prouoked to anger: it thī keth none euil, it reioiceth not ouer iniquitie, but in rightuousnes & truthe: it beareth al thinges,1. Tim. 1. beleueth al things, hopethe all thynges, and suffere the all thynges. And this loue is the whole summe and ende of the lawe, that shineth from a pure harte and good conscience, and out of an vnfayned faith:Rom. 13. For they that loue one an other fulfilleth the law. So that the dedes thē of yt fleshe beynge mortitied,Gala. 2. we shall haue our conuersation in the spirit, and not lyue vnder the lawe. These are the fruites of the spirite,Gala. 5. loue, ioy, peace, longe sufferynge, gentylnesse, goodnesse, faithefulnesse, meekenesse, and temperaunce. These (I saye) bee the fruictes of the spirite. And those that possesseth them, are free, and lyue not vnder the law: wherby our soules are in rest, & at peace with god: we cōtent well god; we reioyce to worke his will [Page]to the helpynge and edifyenge of oure neyghboure, and to compte of our selues, to be as before, al membres of one bodye: to thinke that we be all but one in Christ:Charitie. to reioice in our neighbours helth, welth, & cōfort, euē as we would do of our own: to remedy his incōmodities, to lamēt hys distresse & mysery, to aide him and comforte hym: or if he erre or go oute of the right way, to bewayle (frome oure hartes) hys greate blyndnes & errour: to geue him frendlye counsayle and warnynge: to admonish him gently: to tel him of his faultes soberlye and courteousely: to geue hym instructions for his learning, according to the veritie of goddes worde (wherby oure hartes are illumined, & y• will of ye flesh confoūded:) & finally, as the redemed iewel of Christ, & decely beloued of him, to succour him in al necessities. Thus, if we hereby, wel regard the mynde of god, hys great loue and mercy towardes vs, our obediece vnto hym, and oure dueties towardes our neighbours: we shal perceiue and easely finde out, what heauēly doctrin [Page]and counsailes (among many others) these are to be attayned vnto, to be beloued, embraced and folowed,Iob. 1. Gala. 6. as the lyuely cleare sparkes of goddes grace, to the lyghtnynge of our darkenes, to the brydlyng, repressing, and treading vnder foote, oure rancoure, our priuye enemitie, malyce, pryde, couetousnes, and vncleannesse: oure obstinacie and stiffeneckednes, our hartes hardenes, oure rebellion, oure cankred natures and stoughtnes. Christ hath taught vs and lefte behynde hym, quicke sparkes of his heauenly doctrine amongest vs, and as it were lyuelye and euerlasting vaynes, of hys moste pure and godlye mynde. He hath opened his mynde vnto vs and amongest vs, by hys holye worde, to pourgeand cleanse our stubburne hartes, of all contagion and filthe: yf we woulde happily apply (with diligence) oure affections there vnto: & enforce our selues by carefull trauell: to knowe these sparkes of lyfe: to feele and putte in practyse the operacion of theym (leauynge the deade synders or smokinge shrubbes of cursednesse:) wherby it shall then be manyfest vnto [Page]vs, thorow the light of goddes grace,The grace of god is redy at all tymes to enter into vs, if vve thorough obstinat ma [...]ice [...]epe it not backe it is the good gift of god, and descendeth frome about, euē frome the father of light: vvhi [...]he shall soone [...] coined [...] vs, [...] increased in vs, yf we make cure [...] and fe [...]ēt praiet to god for it: yea he wyl [...], stablishe it in vs for euer. shinyng in vs, that in the profession of a very christian, constancy in loue and godly charitie, is also an high and principall vertue: whereby we forsake the state of wyckednesse, embracynge a godly lyfe, and ar loosened from darknes, and from the thraldome and bytter bondage of our slye ennemye, the prince of this worlde, and be frankely sette at libertie in the kyngdeome of Christe: thende of whose course in the shorte race of thys lyfe, was to leaue amongest vs, thys moste preciouse and heauenly gyfte: without the felowship wherof no vertue (in anye wyse) from the hart of man may appeare to be vprighte, cleare, and perfect. For he that lacketh this singular and blessed gifte of god, it is not possyble for hym to do any thyng well to the plealure of god, neyther is he wourthie amonge the godly to be had in estimation and honest regarde (howe hyghelye soeuer of his lyke, or amonge the vaynglorious of thys worlde, he seeme to be extolled (lifted vp, and magnified) because that he whiche loueth not his brother with [Page]singlenes of hart, according to ye bond of charitie, which is the perfectiō of a christen mā, but respecteth persons, is not of god, nor to be cōpted among the rightuous, & therfore the lesse apte to attayne the preseruation & blessyng of god: which he hath promised to al those that loue hym, & be obedient to his cō mādemētꝭ. But alas with what great sorow may we lament, in these our vnhappy and moste wretched daies: If we consider the sharpenes of goddes late visitation amongest vs,Goddes visitation. for oure vnthankfulnesse sake, diuersely to bee layde vppon vs, by withholdynge specially the lyghte of his countenaunce vpō vs, yt w•drawīg of his grace frō vs to the darknyng of our vnderstāding, to the plucking back of his loue & godly charitie in vs, to the makyng of vs hard herted & pitiles, to yt kendlyng amōgest vs, dishonorable warre & discē tion: to the supportation also wherof, hath risen throughout this cōmon welthe, greate & meruailous charges, importable & greuous exactions, to thincrease of pouertie, great wo, and myserye, scarcitie and ramine: the cursed motion, in deede, of the dyuell, and [Page]the fruites of hys malignaunte and wicked membres, wherby the christen regions are thus afflicted, an opē and most manifest shewe of goddes wrathfull indignation agaynst vs: namelye vpon this our christen church of Englād, whervpon the brightnes of his glorye for the shewe of his mercy in rightuousnes, hath heretofore most bright lye shyned: and now of late dayes, thorough his iust wrath, for our vnthank fulnes sake, hath wythdrawne it: and by wicked and wilfulle warres (the swourds of hys vengeaunce) not only to sustayne the losse of suche peeces,VVarres. beyōd yt seas (wherof England somtime wt honour greatly reioyced) but rather amongest vs here wythin the realme greate and intollerable miserye, and the destruccion of the people by color,Famine. & famine. O how greuously, thorough out these whole dominiōs, were, & yet are yt poore creatures of god & tender mēbres of Iesus Christ, most greuouslye therwt afflicted? And cōm [...]nly also, how ye harts of those were, & yet be hardened agaīst thē, which ī their vocatiō and habilitye, (being here but stewardes of goddes treasures) were bound, [Page]and ought in consciēce,Of pitilesse welthy mē. to haue sought their preseruation and naturall comfort, soeyng we are not onely borne to our selues, & wastfully to support our vayne affectes: but also accordyng to our duetie, state, & habilitie, for others succour, helpe, and necessite: And how they were constrained for want of naturall feedyng, and accordynge to the vse of mankynde, to be conuerted into the state of brute beastes, and to eate for the vpholdyng of their wretched & moste wofull lyues, acornes, grayns, and draffe, the fylthy swynes refection. And howe naturall and deare parentes, throughe wretched pouertie, weryly wandryng the wastful pathes of lyfe,Against nature. were inforced agaynst nature, to leaue sleapyng in fieldes, and vnder hedges, or losynge in corners of cities and townes, their yonge babes & tender infantes, the beloued fruit of their bodies, tournyng them at aduenture, frome theyr owne armes of compassion, into the moste vnkynde and pitilesse worlde, bycause they coulde not abyde to heare their contynuall mournyng noise, their great lamentation, [Page]theyr pituous cōplayntes, & most heuy countinaunces, alwaies fixed for help vpon theim, their moost wretched and vnable parentes: whose wofull hartes abhorted to see (in suche wyse) the destruccion of their owne fleshe, and the violente crueltie of death by colde and famyne, ready to take their liues from them. Either how sorowfull a thynge was this to heare, and more pitifull to see (by the reporte of credible & honeste mē) that in Hertford shire, beside saint Albons, as they passed by the high way side, they sawe there, lyeng and sitting together, a poore woman,A pitifull syght. with her six or seuen younge children. And as they approched nere vnto them, to comfort theim with their godlye charitie, they see the mother of them, lye dead amongest them, consumed by famyne to the bones, and a younge suckynge infant also dead in her armes, another of her children dyeng by her side, and the rest pituously making lamentation about her. And as I haue here made relacion (by credible reporte) but onelye of one companye, and a fewe personnes, that haue sustained (through mannes most [Page]wretched vnkyndnes) this greate wo and miserye: so coulde I name of dyuers, both men, women and children: either in villages without the citie, or within, in backe lanes, desolate corners, or vppon carraynely stinkynge donghilles, that hath ben bothe quicke and deade, wrapped in dust and horselytter, amonge the dogges, pygges, and fylthye swyne. O howe lamentable is it, to heare and vnderstande, of the greate fall of Englande, from the grace of God? O the hardnesse of our hartes that hasteneth vnto vs the wrathe of God. O howe greattely appeareth the yre of God to hange ouer vs? Yea howe heauyly already layeth he is hande vpon vs?Math. 18. O cursed be the occasion, by synne, for euer: that goddes heauy indignation should so lyght vpon vs, and his grace so clerely withdrawen from vs, that we haue no pity vpon our poore neighbours, but suffre theim in suche wyse, to wourke desperatelye agaynste nature: the parentes to forsake theyr chylderne, and the childerne to bewaile the losse of theyr parentes, lamentablye sorowynge, [Page]crying, yellyng, sighing, sobbyng, and groning on both sides, ye one for the other, & the one not able to help thether, but abide to ye death, the bitternesse or their hard & most wretched fortune. O dolefull desteny, & most heuy aduēture. O lamētable losse and most greuouse departure. O pitifull parentes. O forsaken & comfortlesse infantes. O rēder mēbres of Iesus Christ, fe [...]ly creping always for lyfe, and findyng in theno nothing but death: whose irremediable and moste wofull signes ye beare:Miserable pouerue. apparaunt pearcynge lookes, pale faces: leane chekes, wanne lippes, torne coates, gante bealies: withered skins bodies consumed to the bones, and waightynge alwayes deathes mooste deadly brunt, for the banefull breache of lyfe. O lorde, if we now lyuyng in these daies, & in the [...]yme also of lyght and knowledge of the gospell, shonsds but in this one onely point, cōpare our selues, with the good disposition of the people in other ages past, although in the daies of vtter darknes and ignorāce, for the great pitie & tender cōpassion that was amongst them towardꝭ the cōmon welthe, & for thadusidyng [Page]of suche vnnaturall, most horrible and monstrouse sightes, amonge the poore membres of Christ and of the commō wealth: what an vntowarde most pitt les, and vnnaturall generation, shuld we now thinke our selues to be, in cō parison of the other: but rather muche more wicked: moste wourthie also the wrath of god: most wourthie reproche among the very Infidelles: yea, & to be reproued also of the vnreasonable and very brutishe wilde beastes of the field whiche against nature (to the reprofe of their owne beastelye natures) committeth not at any time, any one suche wretched euyll: but wylle naturally seke to nourishe, saue, and defend that thinge, which nature hath naturallye in their owne kynde, most gladly desyred, most aptlye framed, inwardly preserued, tenderly nourished, & brought vp in tyme amongest theim: by whose vertue also, constancie, and tendernes in their rude natures, the name of god their maker or is, or should be praised & magnified by mankynde, the only reasonable creature, and Lord of all creatures nexte vnder hym, as by the chiefe louer and speciall maynteyner of all [Page]causes necessarye to natures good affecte. O what natural good man then or man of god, except he were the verye deuell hym selfe, or the diuelles owne dearelynge, in whome restethend possibilitie of pitye or good nature but woulde lamente and haue compassion vpon these good creatures of god in such necessitie: namely of mankinde, theyr owne flesshd and bloude: whom God hym selfe so derely loueth, for our example: whome he so blesseth, and vpon whome he poureth so abundantly his good graces and gyftes aboue all other his creatures? Doo not (as I sayd,) the lyke of kynd helpe their lyke?The loue of beastes. Are there anye so brute beastes vnder the sonne, or vyle crepyng wormes vpon thearthe, but wold in their kynd loue one an other, and ioyn their hartes in amitie, to withstand to their power, the crueltie of vnnaturall and straunge aduersaries? Are there amōg wourmes and beastes of the earthe, more cruell or vnnatural aduersaries one strang beast or worm against another, then is either nakednes, colde, or famine against mankynd, whose furious [Page]and deadly force, we oughte euery of vs myghtily withstand (accordyng to the wyll of god) for one an others preseruation?Dishonour to mannekinde. Can there be greatter shame and dishonour to mankynd, the lorde & ruler ouer al vnder god, thā to be reproued in this special point of natural amitie, of most inferiour & base creatures? Truly I am of this opiniō before heauen and earthe, and thynke in coscience, I offed not: that as god neuer sent his sharpe plages & cruel chastismentes, vniustly vpon the earth: but wourthili by his iustice, for the punishment of synne, and that vpon all estates and degrees of men: whether it be by warres, pestilence, or famine, all or some at ones: as hys iustice, notwythstanding hys greate mercy, respecteth the stonye and harde heapes of synne: whereby hys wrath is the more largelye kendled vpon this or other regios: so wyth the greate and moste wycked offendours,The inno [...] vvith the [...] are plag [...]d And vvhy. the innocentes, (I so term them in respect of the other offendors) are also then plaged to this good ende and purpose, that the godly and repentaunte synners, and suche as are of sufficient [Page]habilitie, shoulde wyth prayer and fastinge, bountifully and freelye, reache forthe their hande of compassiō to the poore and nedy personnes: whiche by warres are eyther wounded or maimed, by dyuers diseases visited, or elle [...] greuously by famine afflicted, to the asswagynge of goddes greate furye and wrath, and that the spirit of desperation therby put a parte, the good creature of god maye haue pacience in pouertie, and thankfully reioice in his mercye, which aboundantly spreadeth ouer all fleshe: whereas the onely compassiō and mercy of mā, so to succour & helpe, his poore and neady neighbour: vpon whome, our eies (with compassion) ought to be euer fixed,Eccle. 28. that God in our charitie maye bee blessed. O howe faire a thing is mercy & pitie in yt time of necessitie, in the tyme of heauynes,Eccle. 25. anguyshe and trouble? Is it not lyke a cloude of rayne, that commeth in the time of drought? But alas, how greatlye to the contrary hath the diuel now blīded our eies, robbed vs of our good vnderstandyng and memory, and hath also stripte vs naked and bare of all [Page]compassion and charitie? What pitiles seedes hath he sowen in our harts? What scornefulnesse and contempte? What nicetie, leude wantonnesse and foly? O what may we thynke of oure selues, that glory so muche to be called christians, that cannot abide the name of hereticke, turke, scismaticke, or papist, that so muche deny Christ in conuersacion: beynge vtterlye conuerted into wourse state and behauioure, then the most vyle estate of Ethnickes and infidelles, and suffre our selues to bee reproued of beastes, and ouercomme with these most horrible monsters, fylthie couetousnesse, pride, and excesse: & to be blyndelye ledde in suche singuler and vaine affectes, that we regard not but rather contempne, the most gloriouse and lyuelye Images of God,Gene. [...]. the redemed mēbres of Iesus Christe, our christen brotherne and naturall countreymen, but suffer theim wythout cō passion (in suche lamentable wyse) to appeare before oure eyes in euery corner: In fieldes, in high wayes, in churches, in stretes, in by lanes, in commē Iaquesses, vnder stalles, at rych mens [Page]doores and vnder their walles? Ah most lamentable & wofull case: wherby, if we do enter into oure owne consciences, what shall we there fynde? What good matter of reioycinge and perfecte peace, shall there (before god appeare in vs? What remaineth in vs wanting the charitie of god, to be quiet in our selues, and to liue in the state of goddes grace? Remaineth there nothyng vprightly in vs? What nothing at all? No no verily, of any inwarde or heauenly ioy: but a terrible out cry,VVhere the charitie of god remayneth not, there the conscience abideth vn quiet and alvvaies in terroui [...]. and an open accusation agaynste vs, and the iust terrour and vengeance of god vppon vs: because we haue not in tyme to our powers (accordyng to the order of charitie and perfect compassion) preuented these most notable and cursed euils: or at the least, for not preparyng present comfort in suche tyme of necessitie: makynge our frendes of wicked mammon, whereby the poore myght be relieued, & that there myght be also layed vp in store for our selues, a good foundation in Iesus Christe against the tyme to come,Rom. 12. 1, Timo. 6 Eccle. 11. and obtayne-thorough hym euerlastynge lyfe. Ryches [Page]is a good thing, for it is the gift of god, and so likewise is pouertie: and as god hath made somme men riche (with an holye and good spirite) to despyse worldlye gooddes: so hathe he also appointed some, to beare the bourden of pouertie, that they might happilye receiue his benefites, at suche charitable and rich mennes handes. O how blessed are those that haue riches (the good gyfte of god) where by they maye not only make many frendes: to the praise of God,Pro. 19. and their owne comforte: but seeke also the fauour of the poore: that are often through pouerty (for saken of their frendes, whose continuall praier and swete blessinge) by the promises of god, shall purchase vnto theym the fauour of god, healthfulnes, ioy, prosperitie, and plentifull encreace. For the charitable acte of the rightuous & godly man, god alwayes beholdeth and accepteth as an hygh and wourthie sacrifice: whiche he (at any tyme) vaynelye receyue not, and without recompence but as his acte is worshyppeful accordynge to Salomon, to doe good and to help the poore in their necessity, which [Page]be calleth lendinge vnto the Lorde, or layed out for a season: so the Lord god that is all goodnesse and truths, that delighteth in well doing, and reioiceth in hys people, wyll not wythholde hys bountyfull hande, but see him largelye requighted agayne.Prou. 19. Prou. 29. Prouer. 12 The poore and the lender ofte meete together: but it is the Lorde that lightneth both their eyes. It is the lord that prepareth pouertie. It is the lord that geueth vnto ye poore strengthe, and consolation, thoroughe faith by the power of his spirite, to ask in his name, and to attaine reliefe: It is the lord also that geueth ryches,Eccle. 17. and wourketh in the hartes of the rich, tender compassion and mercye towardes the poore, by the same spirite: whereby hys name in theym bothe is hyghlys reuerenced and magnyfied. And he that thus geeueth or lendeth vnto the poore in the name of God, shalbe blessed, and not want him self. For the mercye that a mercifull man sheweth here vnto his neighbour, in these terrestrial & vain earthly thynges: is as it were a purse wyth hym, or a treasure house, [Page]plentuousely stuffed with thin comparable and endlesse treasures of god the father: in, and by oure Lorde Iesus Christe: thorowe the loue and faith in whom, a mans good dedes preserueth hym, euen as the apple of an eye. So that al vertuous and charitable dedes God louyngely beholdeth in Christe, and largely agayn requiteth, If grace wer amongst vs to consider the same, and practise it. But we are (I saye) to the contrary, so blynded and sore infected with earthely and vayne affectes and felse loue so preuayleth our senses to rule, that wee forgette god and his wourde: we neglecte Christe and his gospelle: we haue embraced but a benummed and deade faythe: wee haue not reuerentely in price, the onely merites of Christes deathe, but wee rather heare the name of Christyanitie and holynesse, secludynge the true faithe in the waye of rightousnes, and are in deede enuironned and cloked in with all kyndes of maliciousnesse and wickednesse. we haue professed (in Iesus Christ) to loue god aboue all thynges and our neighbours as our selues [Page]but we contempne God and Christe, our creatour and sauioure, and the rather neglecte oure poore neighboures and christen brotherne, our companions in Christ, and felowe heyres with him in his kyngedome: bendynge our whole affectes, to the onely dead will of the flesh: we loue so much the world the diuelles snares hath caught vs:The deuell the vvorlde and the flesh preuaileth against vs. Ena hath deceyued vs: light fātasies are obeyed: excesse beareth rule: our callinges are abused: our eies must be satisfied: our bodyes must go gaye: our feding must be fyne: our pastymes must be kepte: and what so euer earthly vanitie, the deuill motioneth, the worlde proeureth, or the fleshe coneteth, therevnto our corrupted hartes immediatlye consenteth. Trulye, Sathan, that cursed enemy and prynce of impietie, syns his firste fall from the kingdome of god into vtter darkenes, neuer better bestirred hī, to the nereace of his helly kingdom, thē now in these our pitiles and most vnhappy daies. And how he preuaileth, and in victory triūpheth god to oure plage suffereth, his grace he withdraweth, which our wickednes [Page]serueth, and that the godlye most greuously feeleth and with teares also lamenteth. And if herein, we now consider mennes ingratitude: amongeste whome, in their degrees they greatlye differ: as some are muche more to bee noted then some, namelye of such thinges as shal immediatly folowe: considering how merueilously we be mixed with what diuersitie of spirites we bee guided: and how variable in al our doynges: we are alwais affected: for we haue not amōgest vs: one only faith we leane not zelously to one only true god: neyther doo we seeke one onelye eternall and heauenlye father: whose wyll of all men shoulde onely be receyued & folowed, if our hartes in dede, were onlye to him vnited. But as we bee apparauntly and to euel deuided, and some to one way, and some to another addicted, so the powers of darkenesse hathe mightilie preuailed, and wroughte open contempte to our iust reproche.
Therfore, respectinge these two natures thus deuided, I wyll humbly now wyth reuerence, leaue here wourthylye vntouched, all vertuous, ryghte [Page]prudente, honourable, and godlye gouernours: whose harts I acknowlege in their doinges, to be alwayes moste aptly tempered with the reuerēd feare of God, from whome springeth (wyth beautie) the comfortable, free, & lyuely fruites of compassion, christen charity and frendly liberality: and vnto whom (aboue all others) most wourthilie doo appertayne such thinges, as hereafter foloweth, accordinge to their right reuerend estate and dignitie: In whome goddes people reioiceth, & vnto whom they owe due honor, harty prayse, and dayly praier: amongest whome also, I meane nothinge lesse, then arragantely to kendle (herein) offence against thē or against any godlye man of anye degree: but charitablie with humblenes, do touche (in fewe wourdes) this familiar abuse, which is: whereof it cōmeth that among the riche and wealthy mē of this world, we se (for their pleasures wythoute numbre) their fatte fed dogges of euery kind: their pampered horses: their fair mules & gay glisterīg Genettes: And to ye contrary is many starned & forlorn creatures & christē soules [Page]miserablie passing by thē, lyenge in the stretes before thē, or standing at their gates to try them, with pituouse cries in their necessitie, through sorenes, hū gre, and nakednes: and rather receiue succour of the dogges then of them selues (if in their kyndes their toungues licking wyll ease & asswage these griefes) so pitiles are they and colde of charitye, to the comforte or mankynde in his necessitie. And to aunswer truelye the question: what other cause is there, then that they are more affected vnto them? their hartes are bente towardes them: they glory in thē, & haue their felicity and pleasure in them (as they are in deede in their kynde and creation, & for their good gyftes of nature, wourthie to bee beloued and estemed, to be prepared for and nourisshed:) but how much more shoulde manne, that noble and most excellent creature, aboue all other his creatures, be looked vnto, be beloued prepared for and nourished? if we thinke it conuenient, to make preparation for the nourishement of beastes, that are seruiseable to vs earthely & mortall creatures: how muche more [Page]one man for an other, after thensample of Christ, that hath entred the bondes of christen amitie, and are sworne seruantes to the celestiall and euerlyuyng god? What lefull let is there to the contrarye?Beastes in their kinde ought to be beloued. but that we maye and oughte, by natures good consente, to loue euerye creature of God in their kynde, and be carefull for them: specially for those, by whom we fele not only to haue great pastime and pleasure, but suche also as bryngeth vs muche profite and welfare: whether it bee by laborious tillyng the earth: by payneful trauailing in iourneis: by greuous caryeng of burdeyns: by couragious re [...]i [...]tynge enemyes:VVe maye not be so affected to fantasies, that vve leaue the people of god vnprouided for. or such as also serueth to feede our bealies? All whiche are louelye, necessarye, and wourthye due preparation, with thanks geuyng to god: yet we maye not so loue theim, and haue theym in price, nor seeke so with excesse to fufyll our affectes, that we forget or neglecte our high charge and duetie towardes our poore neighbours and christen brothern: whervnto we are bounde by goddes will, and the lawe of nature: And whome [Page]god (aboue all other hys creatures) so dearely loueth: and whome he hath so beautifullye adourned, wyth reason, with wytte, wysedome, and vnderstanding: by whose vertue also and deuine state of life,Psalm 9. the glory of god doth shine: In whome through Chryst he is well pleased, he sheweth his ioyfull countenance vpon vs, he plucketh hys wrath from vs, he blesseth vs, and hathe also mercy vppon vs. And although we, in our health, wealth, & vain felicitie, thorough the hardenes of oure hartes, bee vnmindeful of them, regarde them not, nor passe anye thinge of them, in theyr greate extreme agony and misery: beatinge alwayes oure heades to the supportation of our owne state, to the encreace of our owne felicitie and vayne pleasure, and to stablishe our posterity in the estimation & glory of the worlde as though oure doynges therein were sure, and founded vpō an immouable rock: yet god that is omnipotent, rightuouse, and mercifull, who iustly waieth the true ordre and meanynge of all oure carnall ententes, will accordinglye preuent vs, and with the vehement [Page]storme of his furye, beate downe, ouer throw, and destroy our sandy and stubble foundatiō: And at the day or houre when he shall make inquis [...]tion for the bloude of hys saynctes, and call to remembraunce the complayntes of the poore, and how wyckedlye we haue in this life abused theym: he will bee aduenged of them: & for the euerlastinge loue that he hathe towardes theym: he will haue mercy vpon them, he will be perpetuallye myndfull of them: he wil regarde and visite theym, and not forsake them in such tyme of trial,psalm. 14. psal. 106. psal. 138. psal. 140. but geueth them the comfort and strength of his spirite, pacientlye a shorte tyme to beare the crosse of Christ, and the extremitie of their great payne and pouertie, through the vnkyndnes of vnnaturall and pitiles people, and that their ioyes eternallye shalbe afterwardes with him in heauē. For he is alwayes the comforte, preseruation, strength, and defence of all suche as pacientlye beare the hande of GOD, abyde hys wyl, and walke alwaies innocentlye beefore hym. He is attendannte [Page]vpon theim: he guideth theim: he keepeth them in the right pathe, and preserueth the waie of his sainctes: vnto whom he gyueth thunderstandyng of rightuousnes,Psal. 9.14. Prouer. 2, iudgement, and equitie: yea, and euery good pathe: and deliuereth the poore when he crieth, the nedy, and hym that hath no helper: for he shall be fauourable and frendly to the simple and nedy, and shall preserue also the soules of the poore. Of whome in their great agony and bytternes of paine, he torneth forth other whiles, wt out numbre, before our eies, and in suche misery, to thende we shuld beholde in theim, as in a glasse, the face of Iesus Christe, his greate pouertie and moste greuous afflictions and tourmentes. Vnto whome as vnto Christ hymselfe, in their hungre, thieste, and nakednes, we ought chari [...]ably to minister breade, drynke, and cloathe, as also in their sycknes to confort theim,Math. 25. and in their bands and imprisonment to visite theim. They are the price and redemption of Christe: they beare before oure eyes the Image of Christe, and also in whome we partely doo se [Page]the great anguysh & dolour of Christe: And what so euer we be hold in theim, we beholde in Chryste: and what so euer we geue vnto them: we geue vnto Christe:Math. 25. And what so euer wee wythdrawe from them, we withdraw from Christ: for those are they, whō Christe spake of to be lefte alwayes amongest vs (his beloued poore membres) representinge his most deare personne: and vpon whome we shoulde for hys sake, and in the remembrance of him, haue compassion vpon them, vse frendly familiaritie amongest them, and dispose our godlye charitie to the vpholdynge of their lyues, and the asswagynge of their most wofull payne and miserye, their great anguish & dolour in soule & body, as we would wyshe vnto our selues (beynge now altogether in the handes of god) if we were in the lyke aduersitie. Let it not nowe be spoken by any tonge from an vnfained hart,Eccle. 31, Tobi. 4. Math. 7. Luke. 6. VVe muste doo, as vve vvoulde be done to. that euer specially within the mind of mā, in this famous region and noble angle of the worlde, a countreye heretofore no lesse feared then beloued of all nations for our vertues, strengthe and [Page]great wealth, was sene the like multitude of pouertie,Pouertie. raysed vp, encreaced, and spred for the amongest vs, by gods sufferance and visitation, through the hardnes of our hartes, through forced warres, greate speknesses, and famin [...] where shal a man now wtin these dominions, eyther ryde or go, but stil there shall be great occasion ministred vnto hym of pitie? Which way shal he now turne his face, but the poore membres of Christe shall appeare before hym, in extreme necessitie and miserye, and cal vpon him for his charitie, in the name of Iesus christ? whose name we ought to reuerence, [...]say. 65. Math. 1. Roma. 14 Philip. 2. and to extende freely for his sake our charitie, according to our habilitie, and as we see iustly occasion of necessitie, to content well god. Or at what time shal we in conscience better dispose oure charitye to the people of god? Was there euer by theym the like wofull attempte? O that the spirit of god our synnes through his mercy beynge remitted woulde yet happilye descende vppon vs, and amongest vs, to wourke in vs, and to pourge, and mollifie our corrupted and flintie hartes, [Page]of impietie, vnnaturall slackenes, selfe loue, and all vayne affectes:A nedefull request of God. that wee maye wyth the more lyuelye diligence in the fears of GOD, tender hys beeloued people: and so prepare for theym, that oure holye and moste iuste GOD, maye in all oure dooynges, be well contented and pleased. O howe happy shoulde we bee to fulfill the wyll of GOD, yf oure eares were opened, and oure heartes by the dewe of goddes grace, softe tempered that wee myght aptlye heare and worthily receyue the voice of god [...]h [...]e calleth vnto vs, sayenge: Be not ashamed of thy neygboure, in hys dystres and miserye: Defende the poore and father lesse! Delyuer the out caste and poore: Shutte not thyne hande whenne thou shouldest geeue:Eccle. 4. psal. 82. Eccle. 4. Distribute thy breade vnto the poore and hungry, bringe the poore fatherles home into thine house: geeue hym lodgynge: clothe hym yf he hee naked:Esay. 18. and tourne not thy face frome thyne owne fleshe: that is to saye, from thy poore neyghboure: thy Chrysten brother or Syster. And lykewyse to hyde thyne Almase in [Page]the bosome of the poore, that god may be blessed, and thy synnes pourged.
Not by thy merites, I saye, but tho) rough the lyuely faithe and loue that is in thee towardes Iesus Christ, and for his onely merites sake: who loued thee fyrst, who preciously wt his bloud hath redeemed thee, and inspireth thee with his holy spirite, to loue agayne: and thankefully to wourke his wyll: wherby thou maiest than vnderstand, that as water quēcheth fire, so almose deedes also proceedynge from suche a louely faith, quencheth synne and asswageth the wrathe of god.Luke. 11. Geue al, mose therfore by this lyght of grace, foreshynyng in thee, and then as shalbe pure and cleane vnto thee. And although he be thyne ennemye, yet forgeue hym for the loue thou haste to Christe: and yf he bee in necessitie and hungry, yet feede hym for his sake: If he be thirsty, geue him drinke if he be naked, cloathe hym: or if he be in prisone, visite hym. For in so doyng the charitie of god shall cleerely shyne in thee, and thou shalt heape coales of fyre vpon his head,Prouer. 25 The grace of god [Page]is offered vnto thee:Prou. 25. Roma. 12. Eccle. 34. psalm. [...] bee not ouercome myth euil, but do thou ouercome euyll with good: For therevpon dependeth the blessinge of god, as vnto the charitable and rightuouse man, accordinge to this sayenge. The blessinge of God hastneth to the rewarde of the ryghtuouse, & maketh his fruites to flourishe and prosper. Agayne, blessed is he that considereth the poore and neady, for in the troublesome day, the lorde shal delyuer him. And contrary wise, he that stoppethe hys eares at the crye of the poore, he hym selfe shall also cry in the day of necessitie, but the lorde shal not heare hym. For the whole congregation of the people of God, are euer cryinge out (wyth great lamentation and sighinge) agaynst hym or agaynste the whole rablement of them, that are so wicked and harted agaynst them. For they are the cause in deede, that so many men are hungrye, naked and bare, or to wante sufficiencie for their naturall succoure and comforte.Iob. 24. Eccle. 13. Those are they that detest or abhorre the poore & nedye man. They are proude, stought, blasphemouse, and scornefull. They be [Page]vnkynde, pitilesse, and reioyce at the decaye of the rightuous. But the lorde laugheth them to scorne, and his vengeaunce lurketh for theim,Eccle. 27. euen as a lyon. They shalbe taken in the snare, and anguyshe of hearte shall consume theym before they dye. It highlye dyspleaseth the ryghtuous and most iuste god, when we, whome he hathe made of habilitie, sittyng at home at ease and in securitie, be not moued with pity, at the great calamitie, miseries and troubles of the poore people of god, as the prophete Amos complayneth,Amos. 6. saying: Wo be to the people, that are of habilitie and wealthie, whiche are not moued wyth heauines, compassion, and pitie, to se the poore creatures and people of God in wofull distresse, affliction, and misery, and will not with tendernesse, of their hartes, seeke meate, and necessaries to ease them, relieue theim, and comforte theim. O that our,The curse of god folovveth mannes iniquitie. vntowardnesse (with tremblyng feare) woulde suffre vs, to waye well this wo or curse of God: whiche signifieth vnto vs the greatnes of this our [Page]iniquitie, & howe largelye (in tyme) his vengeaunce is lyke to fall vpon vs.
And howe outwarde so euer we bee in deede and without regard, in this wise to mynister vnto the poore membres of Chryste, and to seeke or deuise by all meanes possible, to helpe and relieue theym: yet our consciences therein, alwaies openeth vnto vs the good mind of God whyche (before hym condempneth vs vtterlye of oure disobedience, ingratefulnes, and most wylful slacknes, of what so euer estate and degree we be of, or of habilitie in the commen wealthe. For the charitie of God, vninersally & of duetie, tendeth to all estates and degrees of men, frome the higheste to the lowest,Charity be longeth to all estates: but it appereth not from al m [...] alike. that haue professed hys name: And it is rather apparannt (by due ordre) in some estates, of, and for the commen wealth of goddes people, thenne in somme. The excellencye and noblenesse of whyche vertue, shynethe not frome all personnes alike: for as there bee diuersities of degrees, and somme in moore auctoritye or of more habilytye thenne other [Page]that should rule in a cōmune wealthe, for an assured good state and comfort of the people: so this moste louely and pearelesse vertue (goddes heuenly charitie shoulde breake foorth more abundantly, and shine more clearely frome suche as beare rule and bee in auctoritie, then frome other thinferiour and base people of the cōminaltie, or from suche as be not of habilitie, for examples sake and encrease of vertue: althoughe euery of vs in our vocation, shulde seeke an others cōmoditie. And agayne, as there duely, by the promyses of god, belongeth vnto vs the blessynges of God for oure charitable demeanour and well dooyng, throughe our lyuely and sounde faithe in Iesus Christe, so for thabusyng of our profession, state, or holye vocation, dependeth ouer vs, the malediction and iust wrathe of god.Princely or spiritual gouernemet. Thou arte called in the churche of god, to princely or spirituall gouernement: thou arte a lorde, a maister, or a father, ouer the seruants and people of god, thou hast a charge cōmitted vnto thee by the power and will of god, for their healthe, wealthe, [Page]consolation, strengthe, and defence. Thy charge herein & vocation is greatest, and most straight aboue al others for the lyuelye settyng forth amongest them in bodye and soule, the glory and prayse of god. But thou beynge in honour, and wanting the felowshyp of a good guyde (namely the spirit of god) art now without vnderstanding, thou art forgetfull, thou art wedded to vanities, thou arte verye negligente, or an abuser of thyne office: Thou considerest not directely, wherevpon truelye thyne honour dependeth: Thou sek [...]st not aboue all thynges the glory of god in rightuonsnes: Thou art not careful nor tēder ouer the people: neither hast thou compassion nor pitie vpon them: Thou art not a good shephard among thy shepe: Thou watchest not ouer thē to nourysh, saue, and defend thē: Thou blowest not thy trompe amongest thē. to kepe them together in the obedience of ryghtuousnesse, lest they straye and be in daunger of the swourde of God:Ezech. 34. Thou harkenest not, what furiouse & deuouring beastes assaileth them.
Thou art slouthefull, careles, and not [Page]continually studious for their bodilye and ghostly comforte: but rather singulerlye (for thyne owne glorye) corruptlye infected wyth vayne affectes, and so sufferest theym to straggle and wander, to starue, and diuerslye to stande in greate peryll and daunger. Thoroughe whyche vnnaturall and noisome euelles, thyne estate is abused thyne honour disteyned, thy personne defamed, and the glory of god thereby greatly hindered. Whereby also most plainely appeareth, that the bright beames of rightuousnes shineth not from thee: namelye, the good fruites of loue & charitie, which should chiefly breake forth, for the peoples felicitie: and therfore (before God) thine owne open wickednes shall iustly condempne thee.
He wyll poure oute hys cruell displeasure vpon thee: he wyll vndoubtedlye confounde thee, roote the out, and consume thee in the fyre of his wrath. The bloude of hys people, wyll he requyre at thyne hande:Eze. 22.32. and thyne owne crooked and vayne wayes shall he recompence, vppon thy verye heade. Thou arte a gentle manne, a man of worship [Page]or a landed man:Gentlemen or men of vvorship. thou arte peraduenture raysed vppe of nothing, to a ryght honourable or wourshippefull estate: thou art a lawyer, a iudge or a iustice, an officer, or a minister in the commē welth: thou art endeued with the good gyftes of god: with wytte, wysedome, learnynge and grauitie: thou hast also in thee, an apperance of vertue: by reason whereof thou growest into effimation, and art auctorisod & put in truste vnder god & the highe magistrate oure soueraigne, to be in the commen welth a diligente ouerseer, a faithfull & true minister, a shielde and mighty pro [...]ection, by auctoritie aforesayde, that the simple poore people or flock of Christ, be not ouercomme with these outragious and deuourynge beastes: rebellious idle vacabundes, sturdy beggers, murderers, theues or robbers, conspirators, priuy pickers, extortioners, oppressors, whisperers, wilful deceiuers & crafty deuisers. Thy charg cōmitted vnto ye is great, & requireth at ye hād of god, a iust & straight accompte. But yu also arte negligente and s [...]ongtheful: thou duelye lokeste not to thy charge: [Page]thou wyckedly appliest the gift of god or thou thy selfe wyth somme of these foresayde euelles are spotted: whereby thou cāst not worthily reproue others accordyng to thyne office, least peraduenture thyne owne shame, should thē be opened, and so thou sufferest muche wyckednesse in thy selfe and in others rankely to abounde: thou art therfore fled from God: thou wantest in thee the charitie of God: thou hast offended thy maker, thou hast bene vnthankfull to hym: thou hast bene hurteful to hys people: thou hast deceyued thy prynce: and arte knowne and so noted in the common wealth, to be but a monster, a corrupted and lewd officer, a pernicious enemy, and most subtile deceiuer. The diuyne iustice hangeth ouer thee, the curse of the people shall preuaile against thee: yea, thy state shalbe chaunged, and thy glory abated. And where thou by thyne auctoritie, hast disorderlye ruled or abused others, to the great offence of god, to the dishonour of the kyng: and great griefe of the commen wealth, thou thy self shalt also by some other, be rightly vsed: to the glory and [Page]prayse of god, to further the kinges honour, and to the reformacion of thyne abuse in the commen wealthe. Thou art called a marchaunte man, or vsest the trade of marchaundise.Merchaunt men. Thou bearest the face of a frende in the commen wealth: and that thy vocation therein (thou saiest) is of necessity: thou hast at thy disposition, the cōmodities of thy countreye: thy charges and trauailes are great, thy iourneys be far: thy dangers bee not smalle: thou cariest ouer: thou recariest, thou makest exchange, thou preparest & bringest in such thinges, as ye time orderly wil permitte: in apperāce, for the good state and necessitie of the commen wealth: secludyng in secrete all priuy and corrupted auarice, all craft or deceipt, al falsehode or subtletie. Thy pretence herein is honest, wel pleasyng, and commendable and wourthye due supportation, by princely autoritie. But if thou swarue from the forsaid straight trade of simplicitie, vertuous good demeanor, and sinceritie, into doublenes, auariciouse dealyng and subtilte: thou shewest thy selfe an approued ennemye, verye vnfrendly [Page]and vnnatural is thy countrey and therfore cleane voyde of gods heauenlye charitie: for the whyche, his indignation shal fall vpon thee, to the encreace of thy wofull mishappe, spoylynge thee of thy pleasures, and plagynge thy posteritye.Fermer. Grasier. Vitailers. Thou arte a ryche farmer, a stoughte frankelyne, a graster, or a vittayler in the commen wealthe of thy countreye. God (vnder thyne hande) blesseth the earth, thy fieldes, and pastures: & geueth thee greate encreace of corne and all maner of cattaile, for the assuraunce, firste of thyne owne welfare: that thou wyth a reioycyng hart, and thankes geuing to him for his bountifulnesse, shouldest accordingly as a good seruaunte and faythful stewarde of hys benefites, not onelye to receyue theym, preserue theym, and in due tyme distribute theym, as thine habilitie shall requyre, either free lye with a charitable hart, to thy poore coūtreymen, in their necessitie, for the deare loues sake thou hast to God: but also (at the least) for a sufficiet and competent gayne to make sale: that the cō men wealth of thy countreye, may the [Page]rather, through moderacion and good order of thy prises, lyuelye flourysihe, and the poore membres of Christ, wel contented and nourished: which is the ground of thy vocation & dutye, & that ye name of god in thine obedience may bee lyfted vp and magnified. If yu woldest in this behalfe obiect for thy selfe, the raisinge of rentes to be an impedimēt, ye yu canst not as yu woldest, vse thy vocation duly for the welth of thy coū trey: I passe ouer with silence, ye auaricious & most notable euil, cōmendyng it to the deuil from whense it camme: humblye beseching almyghty god, for the greatnes of his mercies sake, & for ye loue yt he hath to his people, in Iesus Chryste, so to wourke the confusion thereof, that al thinges in time, to hys prayse, maye be broughto to their pristinate and former state: onelye requirynge of thee, that arte a manne of god, the vertu of thy good wil and charity, to bewaile vnfainedlye this great wyckednes crept in amongest vs, and to plucae it downe (as much as in thee shall lye, and not to vphold it) to the cō forte of the people: whyche shalbe thy [Page]sufficient discharge before God to his praise, to the quietenes of thyne owne conscience, to the good encouragemēt of others, and to the purchasyng vnto thy selfe, praier, frendly report, and all honest and good mens fauours. But yf thyne harte be otherwise corruptly fixed vpon fylthy auarice, onely without the feare of God, regardynge the state of thyne owne welfare, and to enriche thy selfe with craftye abuse: in withholdynge,VVho so ho [...]deth or hideth vp corne, shal be cursed among the people: but the blessing of god shal light vpon his heade that selleth it. Prouer. 11 secrete hoordynge, hydyng, buryeng, wilfull spoylyng, raisynge of prices, or vncharitable denyeng, not to haue that, whiche in deede thou haste: or to withhold thy diligent good will, from labouryng, tyllynge, temperyng, and sowyng the erth, And so foorthe, to seeke as muche as in thee shall lye, good encreace and frendely furtherance of all thynges vnder thyn hande, ioynynge thy good wyll to the wyll of god, to put by dearthes, and further a common wealth in thy countreye, to the comforte spectally of the poore people, and that they maye happilye lyue by thee: or elles that thou of a naughtys and euyll conscience, [Page]onely for priuate wealthes sake: flatteringly thoroughe the coloure of necessitie, or fallynge into pouertie,Deceiptful enemies of the commē vvealth. by chargeable seruyce in marciall affaires, or otherwyse: thou suest to the vertuouse and noble coūsaylours, and other thy frendes, to be frendelye vnto thee, and to bee thy gracious good lordes and medyatours in thy beehalfe, vnto the kynges maiestie, for ye graunt of a lycence, in recompence of thy seruyce, to carye ouer beyonde the seas, a certayne sūme of grayne: peraduenture by requeste one thousande quarters. &c to make thy market: or otherwyse certayne dyckers of leather: or suche lyke commodities of the realm, whereby thou shouldest bee relieued: sygnifienge vnto theyr honoures, formallye forgyng a false tale, not wayeng the vertues of suche godlye actes, and lawes, as hath bene from tyme to tyme, for suche purpose appointed and stablished: neyther charitably considerynge in deede, the present scarcitie of thy countrey, to the increace of famin and destruction of the people: neither yet regardyng the wrathe of God, the [Page]indignation of thy prince, nor heauys displeasure of hys nobilitye) doest declare (I saye) what super [...]luous store is thorougheoute the realme, and that there is largely and more thenne sufficiente, bothe for the countreye, and also to serue thy tourne, yf yt would please their honours to graunt thee thy requeste: doubtynge also the lesse to obtayne thy sute, because (thou sayeste) it is not chargeable to the Kynge, wherebye thou shouldest bee welle recompenced, and the Kynge not charged. And the rather binding theym to creditte thee (because thou knowest their honours to be both wise, vertuouse, and faithful to their countreye: and that they will not in anye wyse, as nere as they canne, graunt any thinge corruptlye, that shoulde bee preiudiciall or hurtefull to the cō men wealthe, forasmuche as they be honourable, pityfull, and sworne fathers to the same) thou craftily vndermyneste theym, thou diligentlye pliest thē, and art euer before their faces, and rounding in their eares, bringinge in before their honours certaine [Page]wytnesses (peraduenture one at the least, of whome they haue some knowledge) to testifye of thyne honestye, of thy good seruice, of thy pouerty, and so forthe, and that thy suite maye not bee hurtefull to the commen wealthe: for all thynges are true that thou sayest: they beare the face of honestye, of good estimation, or peraduenture lyke gentlemenne: althoughe in verye deede, nother so, nor so, but by due probation thoroughe suche vnnnaturall and vngentle sutes, playnelye tryed menne lyke vnto thy selfe: and approued enemies of ye commē wealth, if men should creditte the whole voyce of thy countreye, for that ye are all partakers or one commoditie. And whenne thou hast thus by this meanes, or such lyke simple pretēce, obtained thine vnsemelye sute, and caryest wyth thee, thy cō mission into the countreye, fullye to serue and satisfye there, thy hungey or gredy turne, thou abusest also the vertue of thy commission: thou art vnreuerent: thou art vnquiet, troublesome, & an outefacer of the people: thou rangest at libertye, thou ouer reacheste, [Page]and straynest thy conscience tylle it cracke agayne: for thou art entred into the sweete: thy luste muste be satisfied: and thou art fully fixed, to haue thorowly at the least, thy full fraighte for thy vyage how so euer in what order the pryses be made, or the moneye to the sellers disbursed and payed.
These doings (I say louing brothern) or such seke out of order: wher, or whē so euer they be committed and done in any common wealth, are truely very villanous, and vnsemely base shiftes of reprochefull and lewd shifters, and not meete for the degree of honestie: whether of gentlemen, men of wourship, seruisable souldiours, landed mē, scruyng men, or such also as only and insufficiently lyue by arte, by seruice, by office, frendship or fee: for they may vndoubtedly by the grace of god, seke manye other waies, honestely, and in good order, according to vertue, to the augmentation of their well wisshed and wourthy honeste lyuyng. But as there bee in euery common welthe, among the degrees of men, some naturall, frendly, and charitable men, that [Page]seeketh gladly the preferment of their countrey by their vertue and wisdō: so to ye cōtrary, there be many other also, that are vnnaturall, very vnfrendlye, & vnlouinge to the same, and alwaies seeke the hynderaunce therof by their craste and subtletie. Of whome we maye saie with compassion and pitie, because worthilie there hāg ouer them the daunger and pricke of misfortune: O vnnaturall and strange people, peruerse and vntoward to the vse of vertue, And vnfrendly for the comfort of your countrey: before whom standeth alwaies the vrefull face of goddes iustice. For yf in these or such other like thinges, offence be committed, shall it not then be manyfest of thee, what so euer thou bee, that the charitie of God abideth not in thee, or that an euyl spirite possesseth thee? What is this, but that the deuyl preuaileth againse thee: when thou art rebellious againste the wil of god, or hateful to thy countrey? Thou hast not sought thaduancement of Goddes glorye. Thou haste not directly answered to thy vocation: thou hast sought onely thyne owne wealth [Page]and commoditie: Thou art disobediēt and false to the kyng: thou hast craftily deceyued hym, and his moste vertuouse counsaylours: thou lyuest vnder hym, an vnnaturall and wicked subiecte: thine hert is vnsounde towardes hym: thou art sclaunderous to his personne: Thou careste not for hys lawes: Thou dishonorest hys nobilitie: neyther loueste thou hys people: thou haste shutte vp thy compassyon from theym, thy poore neyghboures: thou haste not soughte theyr commoditye, whome thou oughteste to loue as thy selfe: but rather haste styrred theym vp, as muche as in thee hathe lyne, to dispeyre of the grace of god, to disobey the wourde of god, to breake withoute feare, the true peace of god, to hasarde in madnes both body & soule, & to make rebellion and vproure, agaynste hym theyr annoynted Kynge and naturall prince, as in the dayes of darkenes or great ignorāce of god, to dāger his person, & to put in hasarde vnder him, his whole dominiō & empire, although (of late dayes) the myghtie hande of god, thorough ye power of his grace, to his [Page]onely praise, hath so stayed the hartes of the people, that thy most wicked attempte hath not taken place, O blessed therfore be the name of God for euer, that hath wrought so mercifully in vs, to the lyghtnyng of our darknes, and to works in vs his reuerent feare and obedience: wherby the people of god, (the cōmons of this realme) hath bene quiete, paciently in all thynges to susteyne the sharpe rodde of his iustice: whiche he of late hath bitterly layde vpon vs, for oure former disobedience, and great vnthankfulnes, in the daies of his mercyfull visitation amongest vs: who in tyme, accordynge to the greattenesse of his mercye in Iesus Christ, and for the loues (sake in hym) he to his elect, hath and wyll retourne againe his ioyfull countenaunce vppon vs, and wourke myghtily for vs, contrary to the expectation of his and our moste wicked enemies:Psal. 89. yea euen in such wise, that thei shal se & peciue it & be ashamed, because he our god, hath mercifully leaned vnto vs, blessed vs, holden vs vp, and cōforted vs. Thou therfore, what so euer thou be, ye arte a [Page]maynteyner of thyne owne only state rather by corrupted auarice, vntrewe dealynge, or fylthy gayne, then truely in the feare of god without dissimulation or doublenes, accordynge to the duetie of goddes faithfull seruaunte, and the kinges obedient subiect, to the prayse of God, to the honoure of the kyng, and comfort of his people, thou playnely approuest thy selfe the verye ennemy of God, a disobediente rebellious subiect to the kyng, and a wilfull spoyler or murtherer of his people.
Thou arte wourthy no better to be termed amonge the people in a common wealth, before God, and to the knowledge of the kyng, than an open ennemy, a secrete sower of sedition, and a priuie worker of rebelliō: wherby the kyng (the appointed high minister and seruant of God, thy liege lorde and soueraigne) and his derely beloued people, the flocke of Christ, may be greatly vexed, and in daunger of confusion: althoughe I saye, suche cursed instrumentes and workers of mischiefe as thou arte,God prospereth good ententes. ar oftentymes by the grace of GOD, swyftely preuented, and [Page]the iuste confusyon, thorough thy very occasion, to lyghte vppon thine owne pate. Thynges that are well deuised and entended, from a good hart to a good ende god prospereth theym, & bringeth theim well to passe: but the wicked deuises and ententes, of an euill hart to a wycked ende,VVicked de [...] of [...] god prenented. are often of God preuented, and comme not so to passe, but as a stone vehemently reboū ding from the rocke or hard wall, doth stryke or hurte hym that threwe it, to his greate perill and danger. Reuoke therfore thyne euell ordre, to the supportacion of thyne own state. Preuēt betimes an incōuenience, and beware that thou be not rightly vsed, and susteyne the curse of god. Feare him, and honour thy kynge: be obediente to his lawes, and loue dearelye his people.
Bridle (I lay) thyne vnlauful attemptes: least thorow the iustice of god, the Kynges auctoritie also fall vpon thee: for he beareth not a sword for nought, but wourthily for the sharpe punishemente and cuttinge of, of suche rotten membres, noysome and destroyful caterpillers,Roma. 13. engendered in the commen [Page]wealthe, of an euyll wynde and pestilent ayre of the deuil: that spileth and deuoureth the louely buddes, tender grene leaues, faire freshe fleures, and plesant frutes, plentifully flourishyng ouer all, the head, the braunches, and the beautyful renoumed stocke of this Englishe common wealth. And finally, what soeuer member thou be, or artificer, inhabiting within thy cuntrey,Artificers and other. that bearest the name of a christen subiect, and abusest thyne honest estate & vocation, through corrupted auarice, falseboode or subtletie, not duely wayeng the true order and frendshyp in a common wealthe, appointed and stablyshed by thauctoritie of god and the kynges lawes, to the comsorte of the people, thou shalt also manifest thy self to be void of grace, not to be of Christ, not to haue in thee the charitie of god, nor to lyue in his feare, and vnder the obedience of thy kynge: and therfore as a disobedient and wylfull malefactour both to God and the kyng, thou shalte wourthyly, by due iustice, stand in daunger of them bothe, to thyne vttre ouerthrowe and destruction: thone [Page]iustely condempnynge thee, and the other mynystrynge his vengeaunce vpon thee. For as thou art the very aduersary of god, mischeuouse, hard harted, and euill willynge to goodnes: so wyll he by some meanes,Eccle. 21. sende the bitternes of his wrath vppon thee, and it shall destroye the euen as the stubble. Therfore, O thou enemy of rightuousnes, thou vncharitable, vnnaturall, & wycked man: Herken in few wourds vnto the voice of the holy ghost, by the mouthe of the prophete (who narowly respecteth thyne euell fixed state, and wicked vayne lyfe:) These things (saieth he) hast thou done.Psal. 50. And because in thy doynges I staied my tong against thee, and haue not presently according to iustice reproued thee, and poured my plages vpon thee, but haue gently delayed to trye thee, after the greatnes of my mercye, for thy better amendement: thou haste therein contempned me: thou haste vnthankfully forsaken me, and repined agaynste me: thou haste abused this my blissefull state of gentlenesse, longe susterynge, and pacience: and hast styll moste wyckedly [Page]contynued and wandred forth in wickednes, in vnfaithfulnes, pride, lieng, and deceitfulnes, & thoughtest me thy creatour, thy rightuouse Lorde, merciful, and omnipotent god, to be as no God: or to bee euen lyke vnto thy self (that ys) vnrightuouse, verye vaine, most feble, fantasticall, and foolyshe: and to be but a sleepinge, double faced, or drousie god: either not to know thy dooinges, or wantonly wynkyng at thy wickednes, as one that alwaies looketh thorow the fingers at thee, as though I were but a dalier with thee, forgetfull of thee, an hider of my face from thee, or without earnest regarde of thy behauour, and not recompensing thy condicion in thende: But be thou well assured (O thou very worldelyng and most vaine creature) that as thou art vtterly deceyued, greatly blinded, and wilfullye led in the damnable waies of darkenes: so shalt thou vtterly be vnexcused. For if thou (in suche wise, thou earthie slime and slipper filthines) wilt nedes be ignorant of me, not knowynge, or rather not regarding the state of myne eternitie [Page]greate power, and maiestie, but styll euyl affected, to fondenes and vanitye: neyther yet confessing thy faultes before me wyth repentaunce and hūble submission, thou shalt both know and feele, that I the onelye omnipotente, rightous, and most true god, do plain lye perceiue thee: and as my soule doth abhorre thee: so wyll I duelye also reproue thee: and vnwares set before thy face, to thy confusion, the wickednesse whiche thou haste done, yea I wyll in deede so visite thee, and lay iustly mine hande vpon thee: that I wil make thee as ye filthy & rottē dūg vpō ye erth, or as ye light fliēg stubble, before ye face of ye wynde. For I do thee truely to vnderstād, that as I, the great god of heuen and earth, haue sworne by myne holines, to kepe faithfully my promises, & to be merciful vnto the charitable and faithfull christians (the generation of the rightuouse) that wyllynglye wyll walke in the right waye: so will I also vpon all fleshe, and al faithles and pitiles generations, that leadeth vnkindlye their liues in wickednes, performe straightly the rigoure of my iustice, in [Page]the truth of my promises. For as mercye is highly annexed, to the exaltatiō, most wourthy aduauncemēt, & supportation of myne eternall glorye, or the excellency of my diuine maiesty, in the incomprehencible state of my deitie, among such as loue me, & treade gladly thappointed plain pathes of piety: so ye brightnes also of my glory, my potent power or omnipotēcy, my wisedō, godly loue, faithfulnes, & veritie, hath ben is, and for euer shalbe, both sene, selte, knowne, embraced, aduaunced hyghlye, and feared most emdētly: because iustice is ioyned so aptlye to mine etertistie, for the defence of my louing trē des against the ennemye: whose lyues hath bene traded, euell spent, & wasted in the hurtefull steppes of impietie.
The Prophete therfore goeth loorthe with this most gentle and myld exhortation, sayeng: Regarde and consider this, O ye ye forget god, of what estate or degree so euer ye be: whether ye bee hyghe or lowe, ryche or poore, of the clergy or laitye, natural countrey mē, or strangers, ye haue office, auctoritie, or any kynde of ministery, in the churche [Page]of God, and in the cōmon wealth of his people, least his wrathe be thus kendled against you, and that he sodē ly rēt you, & pluck you away, & not one els of powerable to help or deliuer you &c. For touchuīg this point of ingrate fulnes, what thīg is it cōmitted by vs & amongest vs, vpon thearth, through out all degrees, that more greuousely offendeth God, & causeth him to tourn vpon vs ye terrible face of his iustice, then the want of an vniuersall eare, to thvse of gods charitie, naturall frendship & amite, wherby the cōmon welth is vpholden & florisheth? Hath not the wrath of god falne vpon great cities, whole kingdoms, & coūtreis. for vsing themselfes to the cōtrary? Either hath not particularly suche wicked people ben worthily plaged, that hath wāted this vertue of charitie? we fele daily (if we haue wyll to regarde it) the swete fauour of god, for chuse of vertue, procedyng from the true faith in Christ: & what displeasure also by his iustice doeth fall vpon vs,The [...] of god respecteth not [...]. for our incredulitie vice & great wickednes. The iustice of god hāgith by egal balāce nuer āl flesh [Page]that disobeieth his holy preceptes and lawes. And lyke as his iustice for oure Ethnike disobedience, is ready to fall vpon vs: so his mercy, for our christen obedience, shall euer remayne amongest vs. Looke whiche waie we apply our selues, and dispose oure lyues either wickedly, or in the waie of godlynes, so our rewards with ioy or paine, are accordyngly prepared vs, and shal assuredly lyght vpon vs, at his appointed and most certain tyme Are we not at libertie to sinke or swymme, and to ascende or descende through our behauiour, to God, or to the diuell? Either wyll we nedes wylfully walke in the waye of wickednes? Let vs leaue god if we lyste:Note [...]. let vs set lyght by Christe, and his wourd: let vs folow the dyuel: let vs styll loue the worlde: let vs yet leane to our old lewd lustes and flesshly foolishnes, with obstinate and hard hartes, so to accomplysshe the fulnesse of our moste fickle and vayne affectes through our filthte auarice, pride, and excesse, that we elles regard nothing, in this lyfe, touching eyther god and chri [...]t, or his poore afflicted membres, [Page]but suffre them without compassion, to wander abrode and perysh, or to minister occasions, whereby the commen wealth shal decay: by his iussice (I say) he wyll also leaue and forsake vs: He will wythdrawe his grace frome vs: we shalbe vnwourthi the ioy of his coū tinaunce:Math. 18. Iacob. 2. And as we shewed no mercy or comfort vppon his poore people, according to his word, nor were studious for their naturall preseruation, but wt drewe our carefull diligence and charitye, both to the losse and greate daunger of their bodies and soules: so wyll he also withholde his mercy from vs, and poure duely his heauy indignation vppon vs: he wil be vnmyndeful to doo vs good: he wil diuersly visite vs,Leui [...]. 26 Deu [...]. [...]. Iob. 7. he will not cease his wrath ou [...]r vs: he wil vexe our spirites and fyll vs wyth bitternes: he will sodenly shorten oure daies: he wil plucke vs from our pleasures: other shall enioy our winnings he will leaue vs euill heires, vicious, & wastfull spenders: for we oure selues are vniust and corrupted gainers, and haue craftily deceiued our neighbors: we are gone backe from god uns haue [Page]ben disobediēt to the voyce of god:Daniel 9 for we haue she wed our selfs vnthankfull a faithles:Esav. 59. 1. Iohn. 3. we are also pitiles: our hartes possesseth maliciousnesse: we haue brokē yt peace of god: our hādes are ful of bloude: we haue cōmitted murther: we haue slaine yt innocent: we are gyltie of our brothernes death: & therfore their bloud in yt way of (reuengemēt) crieth from the erth with terrible and shyrle sound, for the swifte vengeance of god to come vpon vs: who also hath promysed to reuenge the quarel of his deare people & louing frendes, vpō his and their moste cursed and malicious enemyes.Deut 3 [...]. Psal. 11 [...]. Rom. 12. Vengeaunce is myne (sayth the lord god) and I will reuenge. I wil rose vp at the exclamation and crye of the poore It is I that wil visit the wickednes of the people vpon them selues and vpon their childres children, vnto the third and fourth generation of thē that hate me,Exod. 54 Iere. 32. and breake my cōmaundementes. And in the parable, betwixt the wicked slowe iudge, and the poore wydowe, that cryeth for vengeaunce against her enemye:Luke 18. whiche although at the begynnynge he woulde not harken [Page]vnto her, to performe shortely her gladde desire: yet thorough her importunacie and busye callynge on, dydde graunte her, her suite in the ende: So (saithe Christe) shall not God also reuenge the quarell of his elected & dere people, whiche with their extremities and necessities, cry day and night vnto hym, for succour, strength or deliuerance, although he seeme somwhat, at their fyrst cries, to deferre in helpinge thē? Yes yes I tell you plainly, he will notwithstāding be reuenged for their sakes: yea, he will poure our the bitternes of his wrath vpon their enemies,Abacu. 2 & yt without delay. And the prophet Abacuk saith of gods coming to performe his wil: If he tar [...] (saith he) loke for him assuredly, for he will shortly appere, & not be slow in coming. After this maner, in sundry places, & for dyuers causes, yt lord in the scriptures, thundreth vnto vs his sharpe thretninges & most hytter reuengementes, to remembre our selues, if we coulde happily with due reuerence, receiue thē into our hartes. O Lord, in what dangerous state stande we nowe in, if we shuld wourthily ioyne with oure wycked desettes [Page]the due iustice of God?Math. 25. Rom. 3 14 2. Cor. 5. Hebre. 10 What shal we be able herein (in the terrible day before the iudgement state of God) to lay for our selues, for the escapyng of our damnation to come? Howe shall wee then excuse our lyngryng and lyghtenes, and our flacknes to tourne vnto god? O let vs remembre, howe fearefull a thynge it is, to fall into the handes of the lyuyng god. He is the God whose wrathe and great fury no man mate withstande:Iob. 9. but the proudest and most stought of theim all, must stoupe vnder hym. It shall therfore be moste expedient for vs, christen brotherne, and louyng frendes, (accordyng to the mynde of the prophete of God,Psal. 119.) to call to our remembraunce our owne wicked waies, and to tourne our selues to the testimonies of god: and not to vse dalyaunce and prolongynge the tyme to keepe his lawes. The waye of lyfe (at any time) may not vs neglected: It may not slouthefully be applied vnto, neither fearefully, but with moste assured purpose, with all our hartes and with ryghte confident and forwarde myndes. The spirite of god calleth vnto [Page]vs: sayenge. Make no caryeng: seeke no delayes to tourne vnto the Lorde god: put not of frome daye to daye, for sodenly shall hys wrathe come, and in the tyme of vengeance shall he destroy you. Turne in tyme: set not your felicitie in vayne thynges: mortifie your affectes: trust not in wycked riches,Eccle. 16. nor in the pleasures of thys fickle lyfe: for they shall not helpe you in the terrible day of goddes sharp wrath and ponishment: but beinge abused, they shall rather stance as witnesses agaynst you, to your vtter condemnation for euer.Psal. 119. We maye not deferre nor dalye wyth the voyce and counsayles of god offered vnto vs, at what tyme, by whome, or by what meane soeuer he shal sende theim (our owne consciences beynge iudge) least thorowe our slackenes and most beastly negligence, there appere wickedly in vs open contempte: and so the spyryte of grace bee vtterlye taken frome vs: and fall into the like daunger of the obstinate, blynde, and stiffenecked Iewes: whose vncyreumsised heartes were possessed with the spirite of vnquietnesse, instabilitye,Iere. 19. and [Page]lyghtnesse: whyche also whenne they knewe GOD,Roma. 11. Esay. 6. Math. 13. Iohn 12. Act. 28. Rom. 1. glorified hym not as God: they were vnthankefull for hys benefyttes: they were vaynely addicted in their imaginations: their foolish heartes were blynded: neyther regarded they their obedience and duetye to the voyee of GOD: whose voyce is gloriouse, and (as the Prophete sayth) mighty in operacion:Psal. 29.81 Prou. 1. and therfore he wythdrewe the swetenes of his grace from theim, and gaue them vppe vnto the bytternesse of theyr owne heartes lustes: and wyckedly to followe their owne fylthy and vayne fantasies: whiche was, to leade theyr lyues in al abhomination and vnrightuousenes: as the holye ghost by the apostle doth shew vnto vs: amonge the whyche, he toucheth contempte of god, dysobedience, maliciousenesse, murther, enuye, debate, backebightynge, truce breaking, vnmercyfull and vnlouynge (the fruites of an euill and most wicked spirite) whiche their hartes blyndly thorough pryde and obstinacye, wylfully possessed: whose filthy familiaritie, we must hate and not haunt: but with an humble [Page]and make spirite, for the more speedie preuention of gods yre and wrath, to yelde vnto hys voyce: and wythoute delaye to receyue the diuyne and most neadeful request of the holye ghost,Iere. 11. Hebre. 12. by the mouth of the apostle, which saieth: See that ye despise not hym that speaketh vnto you. By whiche heauenly and dyuyne aduertisement, (although the sentence hee but shorte) it comprehendeth yet a greate charge: for wee muste therebye learne, and consider, who it is that the apostle meaneth doth speake vnto vs: what a louīg GOD, he is: a GOD of rightuousnesse: a mercyfull GOD: an euerlasting god: almyghtye, iust, and terrible: and to what good ende be speaketh vnto vs, & in what danger also we shal stād in, If we vnreuersely do neglecte his voyce. For if they in those daies (in the time of Moses) escaped not yt wrath of god, which thē refused to here hym, yt spake vpō the earth: much more shall we not escape the greate yre of God, if we tourne our eares frō him,Exod. 19. that speaketh vnto vs from heauen, whose terrible and mightye voyce, hydde thenne [Page]mooue and shake the earth. God diuer sly and oftentymes speaketh vnto vs, esther by his faithful ministers, accordinge to the scriptures, or one godlye man (in tymes of necessitie) to wright vnto another, or conferring, and reuerently counsallyng one wyth another: eyther as we, in readyng to our selues with hūblenes of hart, desire to know god, to loue and feare hym, and obediently to keepe his commaundementes, All that is conteyned in the booke of lyfe,Psal. 116. is written for our learnynge: it is the wourde of truthe, and the lanterne vnto our feete: It lightneth our vnderstandinge: It cleanseth vs of al darkenes, filth and corruption: and guideth vs vnto the lyghte of lyfe, healthe, strength, ioye, and euerlastinge saluacion: whyche ought to be amongest vs most gladlye retayned, reuerently embraced, obedientlye folowed, and in no wyse to bee in anye thynge contempned:Prou. 1 [...]. for he that is an abuser or cōtempner of the wourde of GOD, or settethe lyghte by the counsayles of GOD, he slippeth frome hys welfare, he wandreth astraye, and seketh [Page]the bye pathes of deathe and destruccion. And Chryste our good shepherde and pastoure, because he woulde haue vs harken vnto hys voyce, and bee obediente to hys call, and folowe him, he sayeth vnto vs of hym selfe:Iohn 10. I am the good sheppeharde, and know well my sheepe, and they also knowe me, and wyll heare my voyce, and folowe me: And I wyll geeue vnto theym eternall lyfe, and they shall neuer perys [...]he. I am the waye, the truthe,Iohn. 14. Iohn. 8. and the lyfe. I am the lyghte of the worlde: and he that foloweth me, doth not walke in darkenesse, but shall haue the lyghte of lyfe. &c. In consideration of whyche heauenlye and comfortable sayenges, and that they maye the rather take good effecte in vs to a good ende, lette vs fyxe oure selues to bee reuerentelye constante in the doctrine and waye of Chryst, and not be doubtfull of oure preseruation, healthe, ioye, strengthe, and saluation by him: and so contemptuously thinke Christe and his wourd, to be vnto vs, onelye a voice or vain sound, without significatiō or good effecte: but to be vnto vs in dede [Page]al rightuousnes, truth, and mercy: and that be also in his owne person (for our liuelye exaumple) to be approued charity, simplicitie, innocency, pacience, cleannes, and finallye, what soeuer thing he him selfe vsed, most holilye to teache vnto others. But as the Iewes, which were the peculiar & picked out people of god, among all nacions of the world,Roma. 9. the naturall and true Olyue braunches (to whom perteined the adoption, the glory, the couenauntes & the law that was geuē, & the seruice of god & the promises: whose also were yt auncient & holy fathers: of whō also as concernynge the fleshe Christe came) were not spared, but sustayned the wrath and heauy hande of god, for their incredulitie, vnthankefulnesse, and dysobedience: howe muche more shall wee, the vnnaturall and wylte olyue braunches, (althoughe for a season, thorough theyr vnbeleeue, we bee grafted into the true & perfecte flocke) bee torne forthe agayne,Iohn. 15. Roma. 1 [...]. yf wee abyte not gree [...]e and fruitefull braunches in oure callynge, but vaynelye bos [...]e oure selues, wyth wycked lyues, in so holye and most pure profession? Verilye, [Page]strayghte and of greate charge is our bonde, to that oure magnificente, moste glorious and gelous god: before whoms, our wayes muste be straighte and right foorth: we maye vse no tournyng daliaunce: we may not be nowe goyng, and sodenly turne backe again: we may not stande to day of good assuraunce, and fall to morow of very wilfulnes: But must leane strongly at all times, to our assured and ready stases: And all flatterynge fantasies, putte a parte, to loue and followe oure good guyde Chryste: by whose most vertuous and wyse gouernemente, we shall haue preste wylles and good encouragement, at all tymes to resyste oure enemies, and to preuail against them, by whome we haue bene dysceyded, [...] nercome with vanities, or blindlye seduced. Let vs not (to the contrarye) so vaynelye bost our selues, in name and title of Christ only, when in deede our conuersacion appeare cleane contrary Shal we onely glory in our selues, and say: Are we not called christiās?Question. Beare we not vpō vs yt name of Christe? haue not we the liuinge god to be our God? [Page]Do we not call him our lord,To be called a christian preuaileth nothinge, except vve so lovve the steppes of Christ. our maister, & father? Are not hys holy lawes, and the truth of his wourd, more liuelye flourishynge amongeste vs (called christians) then among other the bar, batouse nations of the worlde? And is not this our priuslege and profession, of all others, called moste acceptable, most rightuous, and holye? Yes verilye, al this is true:Ansvvere. there is no religion, nor no profession of holynes vnder the sonne (what so euer name or vain shew it beare to the face of the world) that is like it, or to be compared vnto it, because it is most straighte, moste holye, ryghtuous and pure. And muste it also be of necessitie, that as we haue professed and beare the name of Chryste, wee muste take hym for oure patrone, embrace hys wourde, and follow him in strayghtnesse of lyfe? Ye truly, onlesse wee shewe oure selues but fained and dyssemblynge christians, we must counterfeyte him in conuersacion and followe hys sleppes: we muste be obediente to hys voyce: and that wyth all synglenesse of harte, yf we wyll seeke the fauour of god, and his eternall salvacion, [Page]by the benefittes of his deare sonnes death and passion.The true christian obeyeth the voice of Christ, and obtaineth by [...]. For what auaileth this title, and al thys glorye amongest vs, onely in conceipte: when in stead of humility, loue, paciēce, chastitie, godly liberalitie, and modestie: our hartes are inwardly enforced and rankeled, wyth pryde, enuye, wrathe, murther, couetousenesse, leachery, self loue, vayne sloughtnes, and such like? What lothsom spottes are these in the most holy church of Christ, and greatlye discentyng from christianitie?
Shoulde not our lyues so shine in holines,Math. [...]5. yt by the light of good conuersaciō others might be conuerted vnto christ? Do not the chaunge of their incredulitie, and corrupted state of lyfe, greatelye depende in the puritie and good behauour of our liues? Beare we in sufficientlye and onelye, the good name of Chryste, wythoute regarde of hys heauenly exaumples and doctryne, to oure owne greate reproche, and to others decaye and fallynge, whereby the name of GOD, is vnreuerentlye spoken of?1. Peter. [...] Rom. 2. Esay. 42. Lette vs herein iudge truelye of oure selues and examyne [Page]rightlye, oure vntruth and doublenes, what folowshyppe (amongest vs) hath light wyth darkenes, Christe wyth beliall, or GOD, wyth the deuell? Are they at vnitie maye we thinke? No no, they haue bene deuided frō the begynninge: neither will they euer be at vnitie: for the one guydeth vnto lyfe, and the other vnto deathe: let vs not therefore be deceyued (brotherne.God requireth the very hart.) For it is not the outwarde shew onely, and the name or title of Christ, that came dyscharge vs, and satisfie rightlye a God of ryghtuousenesse: who requireth the very harte, & the whole sūme of faythefull fruites therein conteyned. For as the law is boly, and our profession of al other most pure: so the puritie of oure liues, must in suche wise appeare, that the law of god and our profession, may shyne aboue all other. In vayne to the contrary shall we bost of our holynes, of god, and Chryste, and of their moste holy and vndefiled lawes: how so euer in accustom we vse to commend them, to beare them in oure handes, to hādle theym, to carye theym at our gyrdles, in our bosomes, talke of them, here thē [Page]reuerentlye preached of preachers, or at any tyme elles read of our selues.
For the booke or holye table, wherein the law of god shoulde be imprinted or depely grauen, are the hartes of men, and such as he hath chosen to him self, which is according to this sayenge of Dauid:Psal. 36. The law of god is in their hartes. From whense procedeth the very perfection and true meaning of the holy law of god, to the good exaumple of the heathen, or such as know not god, & for their cōuersion to yt praise of god. whereunto we are coūsailed of saincte peter, to shew forth yt truth of our professiō yt is: to lead an holy cōuersaciō, amōg yt heathen & straūg natiōs: yt they which backbighte vs, as euell dooers, may behold our holy & good workes,1, Pet. 2. yt ye name of god, in yt day of his visitatiō amōgest vs, may be lifted vp & magnified.Roma. 2. Iacob. 1. Math. 7. And S. Paul saith: Not yt herers of ye law, but yt fulfillers of ye law shalbe iustified before god. neither shal euery one yt saith: lord lord, enter into the kingdō of heuē, but such as do yt wil of our father, which is ī heuē, & those are they also, whome Dauid, speaketh of, [Page]to be vndefiled in the way of the lorde,Psal. 119. and that they shalbe blessed, beecause they keepe hys testimonies, they committe no wickednesse, neyther are they double faced dissēblers, but seeke hym right forth & simplye wyth their whole hartes: whose heartes are sounde and pure: and vnto whome in such wise belongeth the blessynge of god, that they shall cleerely see the face of god.Math 5. The ioyes whereof, no eare hathe herde, no tongue can speake, nor the hart of man at any tyme can thinke: which ioy and euerlasting rewarde, god the father in Iesus Chryste, hath promised vnto the rightuous, for their obedient and holy lyues, for the cleannes and puritye of their hartes by the power of hys holye spirit, and shalbe perfourmed trulye vpon thē, at his gracious and most godly appointed time. But if we that haue professed the law of god, only beare an outwarde face of loue towardes god, confessynge hym wyth oure mouthes, and denye hym inwardlye in our hartes, thorough oure euell and corrupted conuersation, wourke we not then, rather oure iust dampnation then saluacion? [Page]or rather to be cursed of god then blessed? The true knowledge and lous of GOD, amongeste vs: effectuallye consisteth herein: that is, in wourking, in folowynge, and in good ordre of lyuynge, accordyng to his most perfecte exaumple by the rule of hys wourd: rather then in vayne talking, [...]ayned fauouring, or in colde or slipper louing.1. Cor 4 [...]. And touchynge the sayde capital vice of pryde amongest others, (A poisoned [...] of perdicion) If we woulde happily enter into our selues, [...]. with sincere iudgemente and secrete examination, what we bee of oure selues: what substaunce wee are made of: of what base matter: of how fraile and fylthye flesh: what lothsome frutes commeth thereof: vnto how many miseryes, diseases, and daungers, we be in subiection vnto, lyuyng in the fleshe:The misery of makind, in this life. the filthines of our conception: the place, and manner of our byrth: wyth how great daunger we be borne (ryther touchynge our selues, or our mothers that beareth vs:) how naked we also are: howe neadye: how brutishe: how sore: how wretched and howe myserablye we creepe into [Page]thys chaungeable lyghte of lyfe: and that oure race then beynge but shorte, death in the ende, must of necessitye ouercome vs: These few thinges (I say) among other, well noted of vs, would some thing mortifie in vs (I think) our corrupted & grosse affects, they would be a meane the rather, to cleanse in vs among the rest, that pestilent insectiō of pryde: a vyce moste ougly, hatefull, and detestable before God and man, & the originall of all synne: whereby also we are fylled wyth the cursynges of God:Eccle. 1 [...]. who hathe promised that greate wretchednes and misery shall come vpō vs, that in the latter time shal dwel in the worlde, for the greatnes sake of that lothsome and cursed vyce. And how it aboundeth now in these da [...]es,Esd [...]as. 8. we maye well note and thinke, the appointed tymes of gods vengeaunce, to be wourthilye entred amongest vs.
And because that in the lyfe and welfare, of the proud people of this world, dependeth greate and manye mischieues, to the griefe and vexation of the poore and rightuous, the prophet crieth in this wyse, for the hastenynge of [Page]Gods vengeance amōgst thē:Psal. 9 [...]. Arise O lord, thou iudge of the world, & recompence in thy fury ye great pride of this people, euen after their just deseruing. O forget not ye voice of thyn enemies: for the presumption of thē that be hatefull agaynst thee, encreaceth yet stylle more and more. Again: Let the proude be confoūded, O Lord for they go wickedly about to destroy me. And tholde sayenge, hathe bene from the begynnyng: Pride wyl haue a fall. Whiche agreeth to the saying of Salomō; Presūptiō goth before shame & destrucitō: & after a proud stomack ther foloweth a fal. May we not no we think it at the highest, and neuer so like to fall?Pro. 21.29 Was there euer sens god created heuen and earth, yt like abuse & abhomination wt out measure reignyng? Can it by any meanes more horribly appere amōgst vs? Can it with possibilitie,Excesse in pride. frō any fā tastical head yt beareth life, be more diuersly deuised & chargeably, to ye painting forth & setting out of our rottē carrainly carcases? Or can it be by other more vainly or fōdly deuised, thā is of our selfs fōdly cōsēted & to receued? Of ther cōsider we as we ought in al such [Page]our doinges, our poore and hase estate, or the sleandernes of our habilitie, for the supportation of such a chargeable fantasie?In pride vve forget po [...]tie. And dothe it not also by oure wourkes appeare, that as we are gloriouse, gaye, and ryche without: our hartes are wretched, deformed, and full of pouertye wythin? yes vndoubtedlye, both in the presence of god and all godly men, it is to to plaine and euidēt: and that we are presently thereby (among other euelles:) greately entred into the hatred of god. Our Lord haue mercye vpon vs, for his sonne Iesus Chrystes sake, and temper oure heartes wyth the spirit of his feare, that we may in al our doynges, better consider our christen profession, and declare it more holylie in our outward conuersatiō, that the terrible threatnynges of gods vengeaunce, do not light vpon vs. Temperance in the lyfe of a christiā, is a moste precious and bright shynynge vertue, to shew forth gods glori, and to declare the beautifull lyuely state of the christē commen wealth. It is a true sayenge, that the wourdes, countinaunce, gesture, and the apparell of the outwarde man [Page]Gods vengeance amōgst thē: Arise O lord, thou iudge of the world, & recompence in thy fury ye great pride of this people, euen after their iust deseruing. O forget not ye voice of thyn enemies, for the presumption of thē that be hatefull agaynst thee, encreaceth yet stylle more and more. Again: let the proude be confoūded,Psal. [...] O Lord for they go wickedly about to destroy me. And the prophete also foreseing ī hīselfe by the spirite of god, how horrible and lothsome this synne of pryde was in the sight of god, and how hurtful and daungerous a thyng [...] it was, both touching the poisoned nature thereof, either raingning in him self, or ī any other persō: & what power also to mischiefe, was therein approued oftē: he cryed in this maned vnto god, sayeng: O Lord that art my strength, keepe me thy seruaunt I beseche thee, from the sinnes of presumption: O defende me, leaste they get the dominion ouer me: then shall I O god be cleane, innocent, and vndefiled, end from the great offence. O lette not the foute of pride come against me: neither lette the hande of vngodly crosse ouerthrowe [Page]me, and cast me downe. Thus this good man of god (for his own safegarde and defence, and for the auoyding of goddes vengeaunce) declareth his owne weakenes, and crieth vpon god for hys assistence and strength, against this pestilent vyce, and against the possessoures thereof: leaste by fastnyng (specially) vpon hymselfe, susteining thereby the violence of hys ennemyes, he shoulde bee confounded and throwne downe, as experience diuerslye hath taught at all tymes and vpon all estates, either vpon the proude people them selues, by goddes only hand, for the proude to be plaged and subuerted by the proude: or also vpon anye other, that haue sustayned (in innocencie) the violente crueltie of the proude. And because, as he him self was a fearer and feruents louer of god, and had experience (as before mētioned) of this infectuous vyce, and woulde haue all men in lyke maner to reuerence God, to loue hym, and to eschewe the daungers of this vice: what the nature therof is, what it wourketh in theym that possesseth it, and what they cōmenlye [Page]are that sustayne the violence thereof, and what the rewarde also shalbe vnto theym that embraceth this euell, he him self besides other, wrighteth thereof in this maner: Pride saith he, engendreth forgetfulnes of god. Pride wourketh in ye hartes of the wicked, cōtēpt of god. Neither is God in ye thoughtes of the proude. Their wa [...]es are continually greuouse. Their mouthes are full of cursing, spight, bitternes, scornefulnes, wilines, lyeng, deceipte, & fraud: & vnder their tonges is vngodlines, and vanitie: they are lurkers, they are dyggers of pyttes, setters of trappes, and layers of snares, to catche the rightuous and lowlye: they are priuye murtherers of the innocent, and they haue their eyes fyxed and full bente to the destruction of the poore.Psal. [...] &c. What euelles are there that bee noysom vpon the earthe to the hurte of man, ye springeth not frō ye hart of ye wicked proude mā? For pride is the original of al sin & wickednes: ye begynnynge whereof, is wickedly to slippe and fall from God, his creatoure and maker: for his hart is wythdrawne from dym. Ecclesi. [...] [Page]There is no feare of God before his eyes: The proude flatter theimselues in their owne syght, euen tyll their abhominable synnes be found out. Tush say they, in the pride of their heartes: we shall neuer bee caste downe: there shall no harme happen vnto vs: God hath forgotten: he hydeth awaye his face, and he shall neuer see it. Psal. 10. But contrarywyse the holy ghost men cloneth of the proude, respectyng the affectes of their corrupted hartes, that the myghtye hande of God, scattereth theim in the imagination of their hartes. Luke. i. The Lorde shall roote out all wycked and deceiptful lyppes, and the tungues also that speakethe suche prowde thynges. Psalm. 12. Agayne, as God beyng moste hygh, respecteth gently, the humble and lowely: so beholdethe he the wyckednesse of the prowde people afarre of. Psal. 138.
And agayne: who so hathe a prowde [...]oke, and an hyghe stomacke: hym wyll I not suffer (sayeth the Lorde) Psal. 101. And in an other place: The glorye of the Lordes maiestie casteth downe the [...]aute and hygh lookes of [Page]the presumptuous, and bryngeth full lowe the vayne pride of man. Esay. 2. And this also in an other place: All people that are forgetfull of God, and of their duetie, in humilitie and obedience vnto hym, shall bee tourned into hell. Note also touchynge pride,Psal 9. amonge other places of the scriptures what the prophete Esaye saieth: and what the terriblenes of gods wrathe: is there mencioned agaynst the same. And here also I thynke it not oute of the way,Esay. 3. that we cōsyder and note wel the blyssefull state sometyme, of the mosse glorious, cleare, and beautyfull creature Lucyfer: that gloried so muche in hym self, and sought in his pride beyng but a creature, to aduance and to exalte hym selfe vp into heauen, and to sette his throne besydes the starres of God his Creator and maker. He desired in his proud hart, to clyme aboue the cloudes, and to bee in comparison lyke vnto the mooste hyghe God. But what happened therby vnto hym? Receiued he not his reward accordingly, whē he was wourthily thrown down, euen to the verye deapthe of helle: [Page]where he remayneth in steade of a fair bryghte aungell of heauen, an horrible fowle deuell of hell, abyding in dampnacion and darkenes, wyth hys companions for euer, the ryghte father of pride, and of al wycked presumptuous persons, and the onelye rynge leader, high capitaine, prince and ruler, of all abhomination and iniquitie? Esay. 14 Seynge then that the apparaunte and iust vengeaunce of god, hath bene felt from the begynnynge, for such disobedience and pryde, and that he hath promised by hys wourd, to perfourme truly hys wrathe, for suche wycked offences: O why woulde pride spring (by anye meanes) from the harte of man: ouer whome hangeth the yrefull power of so terrible a god: man beyng of hym selfe most feeble, and a frayle creature, very corruption, earth and asshes?
Eccle. 10. O blessed therfore is the mā that is lowly, & meeks spirited, ye hathe only wt reuerence, set his hope in ye lord god, & hath not tourned vnto the wais of the proude. For vndoubtedly when ye wrath of god, shall fall by his iustice vpon thys generation for the synne of [Page]disobedience & pride, as in all ages before it hath ben greuously felt: O how great shall the fall thereof be vpon vs? yea, how (alas) shall we wretched creatures bee able to abyde it? The olde sayenge, hathe bene from the begynnyng: Pride wyl haue a fall.Pre. 21 2 [...] Whiche agreeth to the saying of Salomō: Presumption goeth bee fore shame and destruction: and after a proude stomack ther foloweth a fall. Maye wee not nowe thinke it at the higheste, [...] pride. and neuer so lyke to fall? Was there euer sens GOD created heauen and earth the like abuse and abhomination (with oute measure raignynge? Canne it by anye meanes moare horribly appeare amongeste vs? Canne it wyth possibilitie, from anye fantasticall heade that beareth lyfe, bee more dyuerslye deuysed and chargeablye, to the payntynge foorthe and fettynge oute of oure rotten carraynlye carcases? Or can it bee by other more vainely or fondly deuysed, then is of our selues fondely consē ted to and receyued? Eyther consyder we (as we oughte) in all suche our dooynges, oure poore and base estate, [Page]or the sleandernes of our habilitie,In prvde vve forget pou [...]tie. for the supportation of such a chargeable fantasie? And dothe it not also by oure wourkes appeare, that as we are gloriouse, gaye, and ryche without: our hartes are wretched, deformed, and full of pouertye wythin? yes vndoubtedlye, both in the presence of god and all godly men, it is to to plain and euidēt: and that we are presently thereby (among other euelles:) greately entred into the hatred of god. Our Lord haue mercye vpon vs, for his sonne Iesus Chrystes sake, and temper oure heartes wyth the spirit of his feare, that we may in al our doynges, better consider our christen profession, and declare it more holylie in our outward conuersatiō, that the terrible thretnynges of gods. vengeaunce, do not light vpon vs. Temperance in the lyfe of a christiā, is a moste precious and bright shynynge vertue, to shew forth gods glori, and to declare the beautifull lyuely state of the christē commen wealth. It is a true sayenge, that the wourdes, countinaunce, gesture, and the apparell of the outward man, expresseth plainelye, the naturall [Page]disposition and lust of the inward man But what diuersitie is there now touching the present state of our liues betwixte vs,VVe diffre nothinge frō the sodomites. & the most vyle people some tyme of the world, that were moste detestable in the light of god, for the gretnes of their wicked company, and the multitude of their terrible synnes: ouer whome god rained from heauen, sulpher, fyre, & brymstone, wyth great darkenes and horrible stinch, for their reward and destruction:: (namely the filthy sodomites and stinking Gomorreans:) whose ioy and felicitie was in pride, delicacie, fulnes of meate, abundaunce, and ydlenes: neither reached they their hande to the poore, but were harde harted and pitiles, and full of al fylthye abhomination. Vnto whom in the fulnes of their pride, and stynkyng felicitie, the Prophetes of God preached repentance, to tourne them from their great abhominatiō, & wickednes and to escape the heauye wrathe of God, presentely hanging ouer them, if they could haue preuailed: whose heuē ly doctrines from time to time, sharpe threatninges, gētle warnings, & faire [Page]promises from god offered vnto them,Preaching preuailed not against the Sodomites. The destruccion of the sodomites. were no lesse bytter and vnsauery vnto theim, then their accustomed haunted fleshlines, or beastly filthines, was pleasaunt and sweete vnto theim. And so without leauing of, or fearing daunger, they stil contynued in their beastelye wickednes, vntill the vnquencheable fyre of gods vengeaunce fell down vpon them, to their perpetual confusion of body and soule. The signe of whiche horrible destruccion, and great vē geance of god, remayneth in the place vnts thys daye, for an exaumple vnto the wycked inhabitours of the earthe: wherebye, they maye learne to knowe and feare the mighty at me of so terrible and iuste a God, agaynst hys obstnate, styffenecked,VVe are carelesse of gods vengeaunce. proude, vncharitable, and filthy enemies. O howe careles also are we of such thinges? Howe slacke and farre of are we, from due cogitation of that mightie god, and of his iustice, that shoulde bee alwayes a terrour in our consciences? And of his humilitie and great example also of loue, lowlynesse, cleannes, and puritye, that should mooue vs to charitie, mekenes, [Page]holynesse, and chastitie? Neyther consyder wee the frailtie, rebellion, and vilitie of our fickle and frayle flesshe,VVe seeke not to vvith stande the rebellion and greate frailetie in our fleshe. to withstand the corrupt motions therof, that euer yeldeth to euyll, and reeleth alwayes wyth greate daunger to fall. Yea, and other whyles the fall is suche, as we maye here and knowe (through our willfull presumption, longe suffering, lyngerynge daliaunce or fylthye wantonnes) that it descendethe frome synne to sinne,VVe fal thoroughe the flesh neuer to ryse againe and from one iniquitie to another, tyll the staye of gods grace be vtterly takē away, & so neuer to rise again, but fal wt ye sinking Sodomites, by what ordre of corporall deth so euer it be, frō god to ye deuel, to eternal deth, hel, & dāpnacion for euer. O pleasaunt purchaced end, & wourthy reward for such pleasures. Hath it not ben as wel truly known as often spoken, ye sweete meate, wil haue sharpe & soure sauce: haue we not also knowne, yt after a few vain, short, & foolish pleasures: there foloweth many bitter, woful, and endles miseries? ye after laughter, ioy, & iolitie, there foloweth lamentacion, greuous & cruel desteny? yt after health, wealth, [Page]and worldlye prosperitie: there foloweth the troden trace of infelicitie? And finally, after an vnrepētant & wycked shorte lyfe: there foloweth gods iuste iudgemēt to eternal death? These thinges wel noted: May we not thinke our tymes welle spente, that serueth for so louely recompence? For a fewe dayes of vain pleasures, to enioy euer lasting paines? Thou O man, that art in such wise disobedient, a contempner of god, a refuser of hys grace, or obstinate and heady agaynst hym, that is so mightye, so mercifull, pitifull and gentle: & thou an apt folower of the deuel, that is so merciles and cruell a tiraunts: be thou well assured hereof, that in thys case, thorough thyne owne wylfull malyce, and beastly obstinacie, both their mindes shalbe sette and ioyned together agaynste thee: that is: the one to wythdrawe hys mercye from thee,God fotsaketh the refuser of his grace. The deuell receiueth him. and vtterly to forsake thee, and the other maliciously to take thee, and mercilesse to torment thee. Thou shalt not deuise to do more wickedly, then he wil prepare wayes to cruciate thee. And thoughe thy tyme of fylthy pleasures and to do [Page]wickedly, be but short:Our filthye pleasures are but short: but the revvard of iniquitio endureth for euer. yet the iuste rewarde for thine iniquitie, shal for euer endure, whether thou escapest or not the diuersities of gods wrathfull visitation in this present life, as partly before is touched. Truelye therfore, I thynke, If the remembraunce of these thinges were happily planted in oure hartes,The remē braunce of goddes iustice vvold temper vvell oure doynges. they would not a litle asswage our statelye and haught courage: they would brydle and pluck back our fleshly affectes: they would wourke temperaunce in vs to vse well thys lyfe: they would make vs in deeds beare our sailes lower, and keepe more close our pecockes tailes. Our lord prepare vs apt vesselles: to possesse his holy spirit,Prayer. that by the vertue and myghtye operation thereof, our hartes may be pourged of this most lothsome and filthye vyce of pryde, and of all vnrightuousnes: that our lyues beynge reformed, or conuerted into holynes, the blessynge of God may shortly ensue vpon vs. And to procede further in thys foresayde pryde. wherewyth we are so greatelys deformed: If it bee puffed vp in vs,pride thoroughe rycher. because of ryches: whereby wee feele oure selues [Page]lusty and in great iolitie: and that the worlde estemeth vs, the simple people croucheth vnto vs, and the grosse multitude honoureth vs (whyche seemeth a gloriouse, and a thing greately contenting the vaine fleshe:) let vs not in any wyse staye there: let vs quickly remooue our affect, for most wretched therein is our state to stande, and the curse of god hangeth nere ouer vs: but let vs humble our selues with thankefulnes to god, and descende into the vs tome of our owne consciences, & there see and and consider, the most miserable estate and pouertie of the mynde, & the fowle blaynes, botches, and leaprosy, whereby our soules also are so greatly disfigured: whose deformitie and vyle basenesse, the good spirite abhorreth, and all godly and wyse men vtterly detesteth. Yea, lette, vs haue in remembrance the lorde of glory,VVe muste remembre the humilitie of christ and his simplicitie and humblenes: whose moste excellente and glorious estate, was of the vyle worlde despised, and of the proude people vtterlye abhorred and defyed, but of GOD the father most highly blessed, estemed, and [Page]glorified. Let vs consider, howe he in his natiuitie, confoundeth pride. It pleased hym that made vs and all the worlde, to descende humblye frome aboue, euen frome the worlde of all worldes, in to thys earthe and worlde of al wretchednes, to bee incarnate, to be borne, and to shew him self destitute of all glorye, in mooste base estate, in pouertie and in humilitie, that oure pride might the rather be pardoned our insolen [...]te abated, & our vanities confounded: and that thorowe his pouertie, we might be enriched: and by his humilitie also highly exalted vnto god the Father, and with hym to remayn for euer. This vertue of humilitie,The vertue of christes humilitie [...] so greatly appeared in hym, that he was contented for our sakes, to bee of this worlde despised and hated, that we of his heauenly father, myghte be esteemed and loued. Whose loue, we assuredlye wante not, yf we in contempnynge these worldely and vayn thynges, haue oure hartes fyxed vppon permanente and heauenlye thynges, accordynge to the exaumple of oure gentyll and meeke sauioure Christe: [Page]who take vpon him our flesh, and suffered all kynde of affliction in the fleshe. O to what ende, shall all these oure fugitiue & flitting pleasures serue, wherin we are so greatly blinded, and wher vnto we are so sīgulerly affected, if god in castyng vs away from hym, shal despise vs, and the celestiall spirites both abhorre and defye vs? If God blesseth vs, and maketh vs fortunate and happye with hys giftes, let vs thē acknowledge the geuer, and vse them without abuse, that alwayes in theym, glorye may onely redounde to hym.The vertue of gods spirite against pryde. Certainly, wher the good spirit of god abideth, there, neyther wealth, nor abundance of richesse, ar any prouocation at al to pride or wantonnes: nor yet any bar or [...]efull lette, to withholde free libertie, to vse and bestow the benefites of god, to his due laude and praise: but rather (to theim that haue them) a sharpe and quicke spurre, to pricke theym forwardes: that by the vse of charitie and frendely liberalitie, the grace of God maye clearely shyne in theym, to the quiete state in theim selues, and to others moste happye reioycynge. [Page]The vertuous and wyse manne ought to thynke,VVhat the vertuous and vvyse man thinketh. that as longe as he liueth in thys worlde, he holdeth all earthelye pleasures but at aduenture: and that oure felicitye is geeuen vnto vs, but in most slipper wise to abide amongest vs: whyche the course of tyme consumethe, and causeth vs to leaue yf, and it to leaue vs. We muste remembre also (as beefore wrytten) that god is Lorde of heauen and earthe, and of al thynges in them conteined:Gene. 1. Ier c. 32. Psal. 8. he with hys owne hande hathe bothe created theym and vs: he is the Lorde god omnipotence: he hath putte all thynges in subiection vnder hys feete: he dysposeth hys gyftes at hys pleasure: he bestoweth theim after the measure of his grace, where, whenne, and to whome him lusteth: and wyl at hys godlye and appointed tyme, take all away againe, God geeueth and taketh:1. Reg. 1. Psal. 113. Eccle. 8. God encreaceth and dymynisheth: GOD lyfteth vp and throweth downe: god exalteth, and bryngeth agayne full lowe. And Iob full well descrybeth oure miserye; namely of such as are couetous,Iob. 27. proud and vayneglorious in thys worlde: [Page]that haue theyr delyghte in vayne ryches, and that holdeth their felicitie vpon the consumynge trasshe of thys worlde: that whenne we dys, wee shall carye nothynge awaye wyth vs: and in the twyncklinge of an eye, we shall bee gonne,Iob. 1. Eccle. 5 and leaue altogether beehynde vs. Naked wee camme oute of oure mothers wombe, and so without caryeng any thynge wyth vs, we shall thether retourne agayne.Pride thorough dignitie. Furthermore, yf we swell in pryde, because of dygnytie, wytte, wysedome, learning, healthe, strengthe of bodye, beautye of face, and suche other lyke gyftes and graces of nature; do we not slippe then from oure marke, and shewe oure selues forgetfull of God oure cratoure, vnthankefull for hys benefyttes, and greatlye to abuse hym in hys gyftes? Fynallye, what good thynge is in vs? What is to be sene vpon vs? Or what good thynges are those that belongeth vnto vs,1. Coe. 4. Eccle. 17, ye we haue not receiued? If we answer, we haue not any good thing, but that, we haue receiued, & acknowledge also the geuer, which is god: why do we then (forgetters, or rather despisers [Page]of Godd vainely glorye and proudlye hoste in our selues, is though suche thynges camme of our selues: and apply not rather our studies, (wyth humblenes) to seeke his glory in his giftes,Iere. 13. Act. 12. that is onelye wourthye all exaltation and glorye? Let no mariesteeme more of him selfe, then becommeth hym.
Erre not my brotherne: Euerye good gifte, and euery perfect gyste, is from aboue, & cometh down frō the father of light.Prou. 2. Iohn. 3. We must be in submission therfore vnder the mighty hād of god, that he in time to come may exalte vs For as God resisteth the proude,Iacob: [...] so geueth he grace to ye hūble? Haue we not often experiēce of gods doings in his wrath, ye long before age or deth, or other whiles by death for vnthankefulnesse sake the honourable of this world & men in auctority, are thrown down, & al theyr glory troden in the duste?Psal. 14 [...]. that of tyche men there haue becomme poore men? Of the vs neglorious, most witty, and wise personnes,1 Cor. [...]. theyr wysedomes are tourned to foolyshnes? that healthfull and stronge menne (by syckenes and manye daungers) are made weake [Page]and enfeebled? that of semelye personages becommeth deformed creatures? Yea, and of faire faces, lothesome and fowle visages? Are not these the wourkes of God (to a good ende) wourthye the notinge of vs? And yf we only consider the state of our flesh (wherein we so greatly glorye and delight,Gene, 6, R [...]m. [...]. nourysshing it and settinge it forth wythoute respect of charge) what are we? What appeareth in vs? Are we any thing els, thē erthly creatures in ye hāds of yt creatour, and as the clay pot in the handes of the potter? Are oure bodyes anye other then earthly vesselles, duelye proportioned of the maker,Iob. 10. VVhat vve are to [...] [...] my, only the fleshe. couered wyth skynne and fleshe, and ioined together wyth synewes and bones? Eyther are we any better, then very dungeons of darkenes, vile donghilles of all filthynes and stinche, wourmes meate, and a fowle synke or puddle, that floweth wyth infections and all noysome corruptions? Are not our bodies flesh and bloude, of lesse substaunce thenne shadowes?The shornes of mannes lyfe. our lyues more swiftlye vanishynge then the smoke? or of as shorte contynuaunce, as the sodayne ryuyttyng [Page]bubbles? Are we not also compared for our shorte abydyng to the swift trace of a cloud? to a consuming mist, to a vapoure or smoke, to a lighte flyeng lease, to drye dustie stubble,Sapi. 2. Iob 1 [...]. to wythered hay, or to the floures and grasse of the fielde, whose flouryshyng times are but shorte, and that the swaye of death (in tyme) by the sickle or sithe do lyghte vpon theim?Psal. [...] Eccle. 14, Iacob 1. 1. Pet. 1. Are not the cruell strokes of the ineuitable dart of death in all tymes frome the firste lyfe of the younge and tender infante, vnto the last breath of the most old and crooked aged mā, felte with most dolorous pā ges to end this life? What are al these discriptions vnto vs, and innumerable suche other, but familiar and lyuelye exaumples, perfecte and true layinges, to make vs myndefull of god, to knowe well our selues, and to remenbre oure ende? to fashion our wylles to his wyll, and to wythdrawe wythoute delaye, oure fyxed hartes from vayne thinges. Maye it no the thought verye madnes and a greate folye in vs to be vnmyndefull of suche thynges, as wee daylye bothe feele, and see? or to be forgetfull [Page]of oure saylynge wyth paynfull trauailes,It is greate follye, not to remember the dangers of this life, and that vve Shall dye. thorough the great and daungerous perilles of this life? And that wee are sodeynely at one becke, commaunded (in tyme) of necessitie, to take lande, to discharge vs of oure flesh, and to take the earth in the sepulcre? The myghty lorde and creatoure, the rightuouse god and iust iudge him selfe, hath thus plainely determined against vs: and hath geuen euer vs (touching our end &) shorte and terrible sentence, sayenge:The determinate sentence of god. Thou shalte dye the death. Thys his briefe sentence is irrevecable: It is not nowe: but hath bene experimented vpon all fleshe from the begynnyng: neyther wyl his ambassadour be corrupted in hys Embassage with gold nor siluer, nor for the whole treasure vpon the earth, to withdrawe one title or iote of hys commission,Deathes extremities. vvithoute respecte of personnes. but wyll wyth all rygoure and sharpened, execute the extremitie of hys apointed office: not respectinge the vayne estate or stoughtnesse of anye personne: violentelye he stryketh theym: he cruellye wyth hys deadely darte yearceth their hartes in sonder; he ryddeth theym of [Page]their lyues, and rolleth theim together in the dust. It is the fatal destiny of vs all earthly creatures, that we must nedes dye: we ar borne to dye: And as we haue known the death of many, so manye also shall knowe vs dye.VVorldlye [...]ros [...] [...]. We are nowe youthfull, lyuelye, and at lybertie: healthfull, wealthye, and full of solitie: we haue presently all thynges at pleasure, and lyue in securitie: yea, we wysshe not for anye thynge, but it frameth luckily: suche is the good disposition of god otherwhiles vppon vs, to put vs in remembraunce of hys goodnes, wyth due reuerence and thankesgeuing. but what doth thā ensu? [...]. Note the vntowardnesse, the cursed abuse, and vnthankefulnes of mankind. We are so rapte and ouer ronne wyth our own blindnes, wyth obstinacy, pryde, and beastlye folly, swymminge in vanities and earthly felicite, that we are then forgetfull of god, vnkynde, vnrē uerent, stiffenecked, and brutishe. [...] And as wee at suche tymes are vnmyndefull of GOD, and of death, the messenger of god, and thynke all thinges, [Page]to be coch sure on our side, saieng with in our selues: tusshe, let vs be mery: let vs be iocunde, lustye, and liuely: what impedimentes are there to the contrary? we haue peace: al thynges are safe, we stande in no perel: we thynke of no daunger: we care for no chaunge: wee passe of no warres: wee remembre no famin: neither pestilence or murrain; we dread no subuersion, nor feele none affliction: So destruccion or sorow hastille approcheth vs, or death immediatlye (by the will of god) cometh swiftlye vppon vs: lyke an outragious and moste vehemente runnynge streame, wyth hys terrible chastisementes, and wyth hys impytuous and mooste roughe rorynge soundes of horroure and desperation: renewinge into our conscyences the sharpo sentence of GOD, sayenge vnto vs: Thou shalte dye,The [...] Thy time is nowe expired, therfore nedes muste thou dye. I death, the messenger of the most high, immortall, and iuste GOD, am sente vnto thee for thy presente confusion.
My charge and and comyssion is so grayghte agaynste thee, that I maye [Page]not deferre to styfle thee, or geeue thee thy deadly wounde. Nay nay, striuing preuaileth not: ther is now no remedye, for the swourde of god is whe [...] against the. What, couldest yu not haue thought of thys before? Hast thou not ben often aduertised to remembre the ende? Hast thou not had (by the doome of thy conscience (often and sufficiente admonition of goddes myghtye hande and power? Haste thou not sent by all meanes possyble the experience of thys bryckle lyfe? Remembrest thou not, that with one only blast,Iob. [...]. ye dimme lyghte of thy candle of lyfe, is vtterlye extincts and put oute. And that it is in suche wyse dynged, that there remayneth in it no spark of hope for thy light to retourne agayn? And that the lyght beyng ones loft, the waxe lieth waste, the heate abateth, the [...]nuffe smoketh, it corruptly stinketh, it quickly consumeth, and sodeinely falleth to asshes? Haste thou not thus thought of mans mortalitie and falle? Eyther haste thou presumed vppon Goddes sufferaunce, or wantonly fyxed thyne hart to daliaunce? Hast thou not yet aptely [Page]prepared thy selfe to God, a repentant synner, for the multitude of thy sinnes and iniquities? Haste thou not in thee ye charitie of god? Haste thou presently wrath in thee agaynst thy neyghbour? Either hast yu maliciouslye of wicked & set purpose detracted thy neighboure, to the spoylyng of hys good name and same,He that is stiffenecked, and vvill not yeld to the grace of god and he reformed, shal sodainly (vvithout helpe) bee rooted out and destroyed. Prou. 29. losse of goodes, losse of frendes, or losse of lyfe? Haste thou not soughte with a sorowfull harte, to bewaile thy wickednesse to God, and to be reconciled agayne vnto thy neighbour, accordyngs to the wyll of god? Hath the deuell so blynded thee, or poysoned thine harte wyth pryde, malyce, contempt, or scornefulnes, that then wylt contynue in stoughtnesse and be ashamed of well dooynge, to knytre thy selfe in the bonde of peace and amitie, wyth thy frend or enemy, thy poore neighbour, thy christē brother or sister? Hast thou oppressed hym, or craftilye deceyued hym? Hast thou bene slacke in doynge thy duetie to hym? Hast thou ben pittles, or vncharitable to hym? Hast thou thus sette at naught the preceptes and holye counsailes of God? Eyther haste thou so fyred thy selfe to the worlde, [Page](refusynge the grace of GOD,) that thou hast not yet found time, to be stowe and set in good ordrs (to his glorie) the vaine things of this world, fore seing the sodaine visication of God, or the swiftnes & cruelty of me deathe,Eccle. 24. Eccle. 41 ye messenger of god? Hast thou not herd, that at my commyng I tary not? Hast thou not bene taughte to byspase thy goodes, and to be charitable vnto thy freende: and accordynge to thyne habilytye, to reache out thyne hande and geeue vnto the poore, and to wourke ryghteousnesse before thy death, to the sāctifieng of thy soule in. Iesus christ? Examine thy self: what thinkest thou? Feelest in thy cōscience the due iustice of god, and the terrour of me deth hys messēger? Doth ye sorows of deth now compasse thee, and the huge flouds of iniquity make the afraid? hath the paines of hel fastned vpō thes, & the strāgling snares of deathe ouertaken ther? Shrinkest thou now at mee? Feelests now in thine hart my deadlye gripes? Seest thou nowe no waye to flye, nor longer dayes to amende thy lyfe? And is ther therfore now in thee, a feareful hope of ioyful life, and condempnatiō [Page]in thy conscience to eternall death, for thy leuds folly and forgetfulnes of the wille of God? Ah, the more accursed and dampnable is thine estate, neither do I pitie thee: no no, lette hell fyre deuoure thee, or all the tormentes of hell fasten vpon thee. for as I fynde thee, so muste I surelye take thee: I maye not passe the boundes of my commission. And as I thy mortal enemye,Death [...] regarde not thy present state of dampnacion to eternal death: so wyll I now not defer so [...]uruec thy soule from thy body, and wyl byolently wyth my force deforme thee, waite and consume thy beautye, and take from thee my breath of lyfe.
And as thou hast hath hards and seene or manye, that haue sustayned my p [...] [...]es [...]urye and ouerage: so wyth [...] my moste violent cruet [...], I new take [...]om thee thy me O the arear terrour and sharpenes of [...]eam. [...] O sodayn and [...]r [...]or crueltie. O the mercyles meisenger or the [...]: most [...]euere god, than thus in [...]o [...]yne cutteth vs thorre from [...] curshly rei [...]e. [...]e [...], rather wer may [...]ny with lamentation: We for euer [...]ee [...] th [...]ie [...] and damnnable [Page]sowles: whose benummed and dull senses hath ben wylfully stopped from the apte seelynge and receiuyng of the diuine grace and voice of god: wrootyng and cumblyng lyke swine, in the myre of their carnall and filthye affectes: wandryng the byepathes of Sathan, refusyng the straight wate of Christe, and contempnyng the moste pure and vndefiled law of the highe [...] Whose byrthe whenne they be borne, [...] shall bee to cursynge: and when they dye, the curse shalbe their portion. For horrible is the death of the vnrightuous. He shall neuer come our of darknes, the flame shall drie vp his braunches: and with the blast of the mouthe of god, he shal be taken awa [...]e. O [...]ure wilful and stiffnecked wickednes, that hasteneth vpon vs goodes heauy [...]o [...] gnation and wrath: heapes of his plagues to torment our flel [...]he, & the violence of deathe to shorten this lyfe. If we a [...]er escape euerlasting death. For as [...]ynne preuaileth against vs, to the iustice of God hangeth ouer vs. And because we are the seruauntes of [...] we shal also receiue the reward of [...] [Page]whiche is death:Rom. [...].6. as it was playnely signified vnto vs from the beginnynge by the mouthe of God,Gene. 2. when Adam (whose children we are) disobeied and transgressed the wourde of God. We with our forefathers (to the destruction of thys lyfe) must all drynke of the cuppe of death:VVe muste drinke all of the cup of death. who dyuersely knocketh before he stryketh, to warne vs of our ende. But who regardeth that? Who harkeneth gladly to the knocke or call of death? Eyther who alwaies duely receiueth that monishementes of deathe, for a remembrance of his ende by deathe, thorough innumerable sygnifications and exaumples of lyuynge thynges: whether it hee in their rysynge or fallynge, in theyr quicknyng or decaying: or in their vncertaine liuyng and moste certain dying: besides the fickle course of mans short life, felt & approued in al times & ages, euē frō the yong & tender infant, to the youthful & middle age, & so forth to the gray heded & croked old age, as also these daily & familiar messengers, that is: Many & strange diseases, violent plagues, great perils, hard fortunes, [Page]& sodein deathes (with such other like, as before mencioned & prepared for sinne) eyther partly & worthily felt vpon his owne flesshe, or fully performed before his face vpon others? wh [...] I therfore consider but a little, the forgetfulnes, great frailtie, and vsual disorder of mankynd in this behalfe: and behold (to the contrary) the great workes of God, and the most mercyful order of all his doynges towards man, for thvpright conuersation, good life, and saluation of man: As I can not (herein) but highely magnifie & praise the good name of god, for such his fauorable & most gracious doinges: So again, I must most greuously lament & bewaile sorowfullye, the fraile state of man, through vnthankfulnes, disorder of lyfe, and great forgetfulnes [...] namely of goodes determination touchyng our short and familiar passage or thend of this life: wherby (with godly & good vnderstanding) we should alwais the better frame our selues in liuynge, and with the more ioyfulnes, peace, & quietnes of conscience, & that the terror of deth also shuld euer ye lesse [Page]molest vs: by whome, we feele in oure selues, that moste horrible and poysoned bitter stinge, which so defileth and woundeth oure weake consciences: drawynge vs to enemitye, to impaciencie and rebellion, to forgetfulnes, to incredulitie and distruste of gods mercye, wyth suche other, euen the spottes and foule deformities of synne and iniquitie: whereby also we muste iudge, & that iustly of our selues to be but ye seruātes of sin, & stand therfore in daūger of gods wrathfull iudgemēt to eternal death: and occasion therfore geuen, to expresse wyth sorow and wo, our most wretched and frayle estate: feelinge in oure selues, iuste reproche, shame and confusion of face, fearefull trembling deadly sighing, bitter wayling, & most harty and inwarde gronynge, for thys our weakenes and greate imperfection: These thynges (I saye) thus consydered of vs, how cā we in suche distres but lamente all the sorte of vs, and say wyth groninge desires: for grace and better memorye, as subiectes continuallye in handes to the slaughter, vnder suche a careles, most pitiles, and publique [Page]enemy: O death deth, thou most cruell and deadly aduersarye, seeynge we are not at any tyme of power, able to preuayl bodily against thee, or with force to wythstande thee,Iere. 13. Act. 12. nor can finde fauoure in thy sight to staye thee, neyther canne wage thee by anye meanes to deferre thy doynges: I woulde most ioyefully wyshe, that we were at least so happye, alwayes to remember thee, for our health and felicitie, as we continually haue experiēce of thee,Prou. 1. Iohn. 3. seeing we must assuredly and vnwares abide thy dint. I say therfore, how it is ordeined that we shal al die: neither may we escape in the ende) the force of deathe:Iacob. 5. For we plainly se from tyme to tyme, that goddes power by death, shal styfle our breath, and fynyshe our ende. Ah, what shall we then sale? Seynge there is no resystence agaynste the violente force of thys messenger deathe,Psal. 147. what shall we then vnreuerentlye agaynste god, esteeme of our selues? What shal then auaile amongest vs,1. Cor. 1. our vnprofitāble and vayne studies: and our busied heades for fantasies? Where shall then become our nice and light affections, [Page]our solitie, our deyntie desires, & earthelye delyghtes? What shall wee then gaine by our haught courage, & the moste foolyshe and vayne brute of stoughtnesse,? Where shall thenne lye our lifted vp heades, our hygh lookes, our forged canntynaunces, our fayre faces, and our stretched out neckes?
Euen there full lowely truely, where our [...]mble and fyne feete, oure tripping toes, and the whole body of erth shallye.By the order and decaye of all things, m [...] nes deathe is signified. The ordre and state of al thinges vpon the earth, beynge or lyuyng in theyr kynde vppon the earth, dothe playnelye signifie vnto thee, (O thou man or woman, euen in the middest of she ruste and folitie,) what thou arte, and whereunto also thou shalte. For as they are altogether but earthly, verie vanitie, transitorious and flitting: sommetime beautifull and seemelye, frethely in floures flourishyng, youthfull, frutefull, and well pleasynge the eye: healthfull, puissaunte, fortunate, and happy: to the contrarye (in tyme) foule and vnseemelye, wythered and deformed, [...]loe and vnfrutefull, infected, enfebled,Man is in the number of vayne thynges. infortunate & vnhappy: So thou also, in the numbre of vaine [Page]thinges: (although of greater estimation and price before god: who hath endued thee wyth hys good graces and gyftes, aboue all the rest of his creatures) to hys prayse and thy ioye, if thou well note it, haste thine order and turnes in tymes prescribed thee: nothyng auaileable to grounde vpon, nothyng certain or sure, nor neuer abide in one state. God,Goddes immortalitie is not more certayne then the mortalitie. of man is certaine. touchynge the state of hys most pure, immortall, and incomprehensible maiesty, is not more certaine by hys own power, for euer to endure and raigne in glory, wyth his aungels and blessed sainctes in heauen worlde wythout ende, then thou, corruptible, mortall, and earthelye creature, shalt here holde thy felicity, but earthly and at aduenture: nothynge certayne nor stable, nothyng pleasaunte or sweete, nor nothynge wourthye any hungrys delyghte, whereunto thou maiest happily cleaue or leaue of assurāce, but altogether shalbe vnto the but vnstable, lightnes & vanity, very fōdnes, misery and most certainlye to ende. It maye well bee sayth of those, that onely seke this lyfe, and glory in the pleasures of [Page]thys worlde: they folowe but fantasies and a vayne shad owe: Whyche, when they thynke to be surest of, vanyssheth away, and is nothynge: For let vs nener so muche applye to thys lyfe: beewrappe oure selues,Vayne trauell. frame, fashion, and flatter oure selues wyth the vayns delyghtes thereof: and seeke by al meanes possyble, to now sell and stablys [...]he oure selues therein: in vayne and most foolyshe shall be our trauaile: we haue our tymes prescribed to dye: we are al planted within the limits of death: all flesshe is but as grasse: death muste be oure ende: frome the earthe we came, yea, verye earth we are: And as we beynge but earthe, were bredde in the entrayles of the earth, and are nourished vppon the earthe, and by the earthe: so are we also cyted by deathe, to retourne to the earthe agayne. For the graue muste bee oure house,Eccle. 11. Psal. 104. Iob. 16. Iob. 7. and from whense also, wee shall neuer retourne agayne, vntill the day of Christes generall iudgemente: Neyther shall oure eyes see any more, the vayne pi [...]asures of the earthe. O full well described Ieremy of oure vnstable, lumpysshe, [Page]and moste grosse nature,Iere. 22. and of the shorte contynuaunce of our lyues, when he called vnto vs in fewe wourdes, faleng: O thou earth, earth, earth. And as we earthlye creatures, are not able to saye, that we holde any thynge certaine in this lyfe, whether it be life yt selfe, tymes belongynge to lyfe, or thinges necessary for this life: so there is nothynge so certayne against life,Luke. 12. as death, though the times of death be vn certayne, in what kynde so euer we sustayne hys force: either in bedde, or out of bedde: by force of lawe: by dinte of swourd: by rage of fyre: by peril of water: or by innumerable other wais and casuall chaunces: vnder all whiche,Roma. 5. Hebre. 9. we liue in subiection to dye. And notwithstandinge, that wyth greate griefe and careful studies in the fiesh, we rub thorough this vale of misery in many dā gers of the flesh, vncertaine to attaine the hungry delightes of the fleshe: and of a few things doutfully attained vnto, we do not onely doubtfully kepe thē, therby to enioy ye fruites of our trauail & to take the sweete with ye soure (for as we haue the proofe in getting thē with [Page]perils, so we often also in perils for go them, whych sygnifieth vnto vs, most manifest and open misery, besides the vncertayne howre of the bodyes most certayne deathe: and that as we heere lyue a whyle deliciously, we sodaynly departe hense most bitterly, but we be also in further daunger by gods sharp and extreame iudgement in the latter daye,Esay. 52. Apoca. 1. The revvarde of the vvicked of the seconde deathe: that is: the death of the soule: A death most dolorouse: A deathe most horrible & euerlastyng: euer more in tormentes: euer dyenge and neuer to dye: whose intollerable paynes no hart can thinke nor tonge can expresse. In vayne shall we their [...] [...]laine and lament our grieses and wycked state of lyues:Sapi. 4. psal. 49. Sapi. 4. 4. Esdr. 16 psal. 49. we shal lye for euer amonge the dead in shame and dishonoure: hell shalbe our dwellyng, & we shall for euer be laied waste vnto the highest: we shall now mourn for euermore, and our memoriall shal peryshe: We shall remember our sinnes, and our owne wickednes shall euer condempne vs: we shall lye in hell lyke sheepe: death shal gnawe vpon vs incurable shalbe oure woundes: most [Page]outragyouse and stoughte, shalbe the strokes of goddes myghtye arme vppon vs, to dryue vs downe headlonge into the dolefull dungeon and deepe botomelesse pyite: where perpetuallye is stynche, darkenesse, languysshynge and yellynge, endles horrour,Math. 13.22.25. 2. Pet 2. Iude. 1. and gnashynge of teethe. Frome whense wee shall beholde, wyth the eyes of oure tormented and most wicked soules, the buckled browes and moeste terryble countynaunce of that rightuous and iuste GOD: by whose irreuocable sentence (thoroughe oure owne wyckednesse) we shall for euer lye bourninge, in the perdurable lake, and vnquencheable fyre of hell:Hebre 10. a place prepared for the deuell and hys Aungelles, hys moste fylthys and malygnaunte membres: the dungehylles of synne, the vesselles of venguaunce, the chyldren of perdicion, and the mooste cursed aduersaries of Chryste, and of hys dearelye beloued churche. As the blessing, toye, and saluacion of god, shall comme vppon all them, that hunger and thirst for ryghtuousenesse, and preuayleth in syght, [Page]agaynste the furiousenes of our bodylye and ghostlye enemyes, hauyng the eternall God to be theyr God, their onlye waye, and theyr onelye strengthe, thoroughe hope, as the children of hys kyngedome:Apoca. 21 so the louers of wyckednes, the cōtempners of rightuousnes, the fearefull, the vnbeleuers, and the abhominable, and murderers, adulterers, filthy whoremongers, beastlye drunkardes, sorcerers, deceyuers, idolatoures, scorners, lyars, flatterers, & all wrongefull dealers, shal haue their parte in the lake, that bourneth wyth tyre and brymstone,Psal. 89. whyche is the seconde and euerlastynge death. Ah, terrible is the Lorde our God, and greatlye to be feared among his sainctes: of whom he must be pleased and reuerenced with godlye feare: yea, (I saye,) he must be feared, & his great wrathe thorough his grace preuented: for he is against his enemies in cases of reuengemēt,Deut. 4. Psal. 105. a terrible & cōsuming fire: whose mighty arme & most sharp punishmentes: are felt through out ye whol world. Therfore in [...]ope of goddes mercy, although we haue committed iniquity, & [Page]haue paumpered our flesh deliciously, and withdrawne our godly charitie.
(And therfore haue or doo sustayne in this lyfe greate affliction and miserye [...] in the fleshe for our whole imperseend truly and vnrightuousenes of lyfe, so marueilousely hath iniquity preuailed amongest vs,Iere. [...] to the hastnyng vpon vs the sharpe Iustice and wrath of god:) yet let euery of vs, yea the most rightuouse of vs, wythout seekynge the condempnacion of others, straightlye appeale to the iudgemente of our owne cōnsciences: and there see,Es [...]v. [...]4. how verye foule and filthye we are (as witnesseth the prophet) in the sight of god: whose most cleare and lyuely quicke eies, penetrateth the heues: where through he seeth & sercheth ye secretes of ye hartes & raines:Iere. 1.27 Psal. 3 before whō also (notwithstandinge his diuine counsailes and moste bitter threatnynge, often ryngynge in oure tares, we shew our selues inflexible, stought, stonye harted, and sturdy, vntowarde, sloughthful, and vnprofitable seruantes: And doo the rather merite to haue poured vpon vs the vialles of his heauye indignaion and wrath, [Page]throughout the race of this shortlyfe, and in the ende corporall death: yet let vs (I saye) reuerentlye in tyme,Psal. 119. Iere. 4. haue peace wyth God, seeke to content wel God, with troubled spirytes, broken, contryte, and meeke hartes: lette vs mourne and weepe: let our laughter, oure lyghtenesse, and oure folitye, bee tourned into lamentation and mournyng, and our earthly ioies and vaine foolyshenesse, in to bytter weepynge and heauines: let vs plucke down our pryde:Iacob. 4. lette vs subdue the lustes of the fleshe, and vse temperaunce in all our affectes, accordynge to oure honest estate and calling: let neither pride nor excesse, in suche wise preuayle against vs, but that vertue and reason maye partely beare rule: lette vs be charitable, and loue better one another: let vs bee more liberall, to the comforte of the poore, that GOD may agayne blesse vs, and wythorawe hys furye frome vs. And if he will feeme yet further to visite vs, then pacientlye wyth repentance, to beare al kynde of affliction, and the crosse of Chryste:Hebro. 12. for we maye not despise the chastisinge of the [Page]lorde: neyther fainte when we are rebuked of hym: for whome the lorde loueth, hym doothe he chastise: yea, he scourgeth euery son that he receiueth.Prouer. 3. Whereby: we doo and shall feele the loue of God in Christ, and his fatherlye kyndenesse towardes vs: who by hys sharpe rodde of iustice,Iacob. 4. Iob. 13. Psal. 32. Luke. 15. 1. Iohn. 1. putteth vs in remembraunce of oure iniquitye: a way to prepare vs vnto repentance: & wyth all lowlynesse also and humble submission, to fall prostrate beefore hym, to confesse from our hartes oure synnes, to acknowledge our weaknes, and to appeale to his grace for mercy and forgeuenes, that by hastnyng his heauenlye benediction, and the wourkynge of his spiryte in vs, we tourne from presumption to humilitie:To be tourned frome oure vvye [...]ednes and sinne, is the gift of god. Iere. 31. from carnall fooolyshenes, to cleannes and puritye: frome vayne superfiuitie, to temperaunce and modestie: from vnmercifulnes, to compassiō & pity: frō enemity to amitie: from discorde & discentiō to peace & vnitie: and so foorthe frō strēgth to strēgth, to ye happy amēd mēt of our vntoward & most peruerse liues.Iere. 3 [...]. And though we haue long tyme [Page]heretofore stopped our eares,Let it repēt you and be conuerted (sayeth Christ) that your sinne: and iniquities may be done avvay Math. 4. Act. 3. tourned oure faces, and fledde backe from the voice of our most holy and rightuouse God, in the lare dayes, specially of hys mercyfull visitation: yet lette vs repentauntely tourne in tyme, and embrace hym moste louely with our readye spreadde armes of faith, charitie, and constancye. And as we haue ouer longe, wyth corrupted and vaine hartes, bene vaynely addicted to vaine thynges, and our wylles greatly dissenting from the wil of god: so let vs now make haste, that wyth all puritie and cleannes of harte, suche fondnesse and impuritie may be refected, and goddes most diuine wyll obediently retayned. Yea, and though God (in deede) by his iustice, hathe some thing of late dayes and presētly also touched vs,Gods heauye and bitter vvrathe vpon Englande. and hath seemed to laye vpon vs cruell strokes, and rough chastisementes, whether by our late kynges death, that most godly and christē prince, either by the breach of vertuous and good lawes: by the alteration of Chrystes holy religion, by takinge awaye the lyght of the gospel, by cruell persecution and destruction [Page]of the pastoures and flocke of Christe: And in stead of mercy and pitie, bitter tyrannye, and most shamefull effusion of innocente and christen bloude, by bournynge, famishinge in prysons, buryenge in dungehylles, rackynge, headinge, drawynge, hangynge and quartering, as in the dayes of goddes slaughter by his greate and most heauie indignacion: besides strange diseases, sodein deathes, dishonorable warres, greuouse exactions, meynteinyng of straungers, vniuersal famyne, losse of goods, losse of frends, or otherwise, yet for the auoidynge of further daungers, that by ye bytternes of his wrath maye yet fall vpon our fleshe, and specially escapynge the second death, secludinge wilfull ignoraunce, obstinatie,Good coū sayle. and stiffeneckednes, let vs humbly geue thankes vnto gods diuine maiestie for all thinges, and namely for the present shewe and ioiefull lyght of his countynaunce, now shynynge agayne vpon vs: dailye besechinge him to contynue his goodnesse, to assiste vs wyth his grace, and to prepare vs lyuelye and apte folowers of his holye and diuine [Page]wylle, wythout murmurynge, vnreuerente talkynge, secrete conspirynge, or cursed rebellynge: for they are euelles greately dyspleasing god, and wourkes of the deuell and of hysedicious membres, vpon whome, he wyl assuredly poure downe his determinate plages to their swyfte confusion of bodye and soule. Lette vs feare therefore to offende the maiestie of so mighty a God:VVe maye not vvith. stande the vvil of god. who is rightuous and a ieolous god ouer rightuousnes: let vs not repugne his wyll, or stryue against the streame, preparyng newly vnto our selfs the cup of gods wrath, and to drynke double the dregges of his vengeaunce: but spedyly with a lyuely faythe, to retourne and leane towardes hym, and not be doubtefull of his mercy: for he hath promised (in Iesus Christe) that our synnes shall be consumed, oure transgressions couered, and oure iniquities pourged. He is mercyfull,Daniel. 9. he beholdeth vs in Christe, and reioyceth in the conuersion of synners: he wyll haue mercye vppon vs, after the multitude of his mercyes: whyche wyll not the death [Page]of synners,Math. 3. Eze. 18.33. 1 Timo. [...] 1. Peter. 3. The tyme and houre vvhen god vvill vifite vs and take accomptes of vs, vvee knovv not. but rather that they repentantly tourne and lyue: and aptly receyuynge the grace of god, readily to prepare theim selues, that in what so euer tyme and place, deathe (by the hande of God) shall assaild them: they bee not founde vnprepared, in that so shorte and sodayne warnyng. And not withstandinge this moste apte preparacion touchyng lyfe and death, or tymes appointed for them, let vs referre all (with a liuely hope) to the good disposition and wyll of god, and say with saint Pauie: whether welyue or whether we die, to god and to goddes good pleasure wee lyue or dye. For herein shall consist greate perfection in oure spirituall profession, if in our redines, and moste apte preparacion, we humblye embrace rightuousnes, shewyng our selues always well pleased and reioycing in god, and desire accordynge to the wyll of god, to be dissolued from this frail and corruptible body, and to lyue vncorruptible wyth Chryst for euer. And we may be sure, yf god see in vs such apt towardnes, yt we hunger & [Page]thirst for the waye of ryghtuousnesse, and that we earnestly seeke the mortification of our olde grosse affectes, and shake frome oure shoulders that greuous packe, and reprocheful bourthen of malice,Collos. 3. fearcenes, wrath, bloudshed cursed speaking, cōspiring, rebelling, lieng, octractiō, false accusation, pride couetousnes, drūkennes, vncleannes, selfe loue, vayne affection, and suche lewde fondnes: and in respect of gods he auenly felicite and endles treasure, to neglect the fugitiue and shorte pleasures of this life, he will not deferre to help vs, to assist vs, and strēgthen vs, such is the accustomed goodnes of his deuine nature towardes vs, but wyll be myndefull of hys promyse to haue mercy vpon vs, as he in thys wise sayeth of hym selfe, by the prophet Esaye: I haue forsaken you (sayeth hee) for a small season:Esay. [...]. I haue tourned my face from you. I haue sharply with plages visited you, & haue stretched out myne arme agaynste you: to stryke you, and make you stoupe for the greatnesse of your pryde and iniquity, ye haue bene agaynste me, so stoughte, so stonye harted [Page]and sturdye: but now I see you agayne relented, repentaunse for your synnes, and tourned agayn vnto me, I wyl with great mercyfulnes tourne me vnto you, embrace you, receyue you, take ye vppe agayne vnto me, and for euer holde ye vp and preserue you. And where in my wrathe (as it were the twyncklynge of an eye,) I hydde my selfe frome you: I haue nowe, thoroughe myne euerlastynge goodnesse, tourned me agayne vnto you, and pardoned you: sayeth the LORDE GOD youre auenger. I am he,Psal. 102. I am he (sayeth the Lorde) whych taketh awaye your iniquities: for mine owne sake, and will no more remember youre synnes. Thus we vnderstande the greate mercye and goodnesse of God towarde vs dysobediente and wretched synners: who wylle not onelye here vs, and tourne hym mercyfullye agayne vnto vs, by oure humble sute and peticion, or by oure happye amendmente of lyfe, thoroughe the true faythe and loue in Iesus Chryste, and staye his presente indignacion now raygnynge vppon vs, [Page]and the greate terroure of hys vengeaunce to comme, eyther in cases generall, touchynge thys our already afflicted realme or countrey, our lord blesse it and defende it: or properly touch [...] our owne personnes, for euerye of vs see in our selues, our due dosertes: but wyll henseforthe blesse vs: he wyll renewe styll hys ioyfull countynance vpon vs: he wyll wythdraw the power of the diuell from vs, that he preuayle not agaynst vs in no kynde of temptacion: he wyll not suffre vs to be tempted aboue our strength, but wyl in the myddeste of temptation prepare vs awaye to escape:Numc. 23 1. Cor. 1.10 1. Thes. 5. 2. Pet. 2. he wyl so strengthē vs that when his grace is offered vnto vs wee shall not receyne it in vayne: hys good spirite shall poisesse vs, & cleanse oure hartes of the deuelles infections, he wyll not suffce vs to be ouercomme or drowned in theym: for he wyll sowe in oure hartes, the lyuely seedes of his grace, and fill vs full of the wisedome of Chryst:By thereare of god sin is eschevved. he will putte his feare into oure heartes (whyche the proude and scornefull people of thys worlde, and they that maliciousely meddle against [Page]god do want:Iob. 18. his grace is taken from such, for they dwell without his feare, he will so knitte our hartes in vnitie, that hauynge but one harte and one waie, we shall feare his name all the daies of our lyues, that we and oure children after vs,Iere. 32. Psal. 118. maie bee blessed and prosper the will delyuer vs frome all daungers and misfortune: he wil take warre and discention frome vs: he will geeue vs victorye ouer our ennemyes: he will prepare vs quietlye to [...] inioie oure wynuyngs: he wyll not suffre vs to be confoūded, our children destroied, our goodes spoiled, nor our wyues, our daughters, our maydens to be rauished and defyled, he wyll be our mighty protection, at all assaies, & geeue vs longe life:Iob. 8. he will blesse oure posteritie: he wil fil our mouthes with laughter, and our lippes wyth gladdenesse: he wyll blesse the lande wherein we dwel, & take from vs, famine, pestilence, & all strange dyseases, specially of the mynde: that oure soules beynge foūd, we may behold him with a pure saythe, and serue hym ioyfullye wyth [Page]a cleane harte: he wyll bee vnto vs a GOD of ryghtuousnesse, truthe, and mercye: he wyll be faithfull to fulfill and keepe hys promises: He will sette vppe an euerlastynge couenaunt with vs: namely, that he wil neuer ceasse to doo vs good, and that he wyll put his feare into oure hartes,Iere. 32. so that hensefoorthe wee shall not runne nor goe astraye frome hym: hee wyll make vs walke in the good and perfecte waye, and to keepe the pathes of rightuousenes. Yea,Prou 2. he wyll haue a luste to do vs good, and faythfullye to plante vs in the lande of the lyuynge, wyth hys whole harte, and with all hys soule.
For lyke as he hathe broughte vppon vs,Iere. 32. great and diuers plages: so will he also of hys mercye, take theym againe frome vs: and in steade of hys greate vengeaunce yet to come, he will bring vpon vs all the good that he hath promised vnto vs. I foure hartes haue in possession, thys precious and lyuelye vertue (the feare of God) the grace and fauoure of God, shall abundauntly be poured vppon vs. Neyther shall we at anye tyme in suche wyse offende him, [Page]that his wrath shalbe kendled ageynst vs. There shall nothinge be wantyng in vs, or neadefull for vs, that shal bee to the comforte of soule and bodye, yf we haue in vs the sayde vertue. It is the begynnyng of wisedome:Prouer. 1. It is the verye entrye, to attayne the fauoure and blessyng of god.Iere. 31. psal. 24. In whom so euer it abydeth, the secretes of our lord god are euer vnlocked vnto theym, layed foorthe and spredde amongest theym, and sheweth also vnto them,Psal. 25. Act. 13. psal. 23. psal. 147. Psal. 34. Psal. 102. his comfortable and most ioiefull couenaunt. Vnto theim also (as vnto the faithfull seede of Abraham) is the wourd of saluation sente. They that feare him, and putte their truste in his mercye, beholde, hys mercyfull eyes are euer fixed towardes theym, his delyghtes in theym, hys aungell pitcheth his tente round aboute thē. He is their strength and delyuereth theym, his saluacion is nygh vnto them. And looke how hygh the heauens, are in comparison of the [...]arth, so great is his mercy towardes them that feare him. Looke how wide [...]he East is from the west, so far hathe [...]e sette oure synnes from vs: yea, and [Page]like as a father pitieth hys owne chyldren, euen so is he merciful vnto them that feare hym.psal. 103. The mercyfull goodnes of the lorde endureth for euer and euer vppon theym that feare him, and his ryghtuousenes vpō their childres children.psal. 111. psal. 112.182. He geeueth meate to theym that feare hym, and towardes theym, he is euer myndefull of hys couenant. They are blessed that feare the Lorde. The feare of the lorde maketh a longe lyfe.Prou. 10. Prou. 14. The feare of the lorde is a well of lyfe, to escape the daungers of deathe. The feare of the Lord preserueth life, yea, it geueth plentuousnes, withoute the visitation of any plage: We are sure it shall goe well wyth theym that feare the lorde, because they haue him before their eyes.Prou 19. Ecclesi. 8. Ecclesi. 1. The feare of the lord is wourshyppe and triumphe, gladdenes, and a ioyfull crowne: it maketh a mery hart, and it driueth out synne.
The feare of the lorde is in the hart of the wyse, whereby he departeth from euell and walketh in the pathe way of ryghtuonsenes. The feare of the lorde is wyth the wyse manne in all hys doynges,Prou. 14. Eccle. 28. and in the dayes of transgression [Page]he kepeth him self from sinne.Eccle. 25. The feare of the lorde, setteth it selfe aboue al things: It is the beginning of loue. and the beginning of faith, is to cleaue fast vnto the feare of god. The feare of the Lorde wanteth nothyng,Eccle. 40 and neadeth no helpe. The feare of the lorde is a pleasaunte gardeine of blessing, and nothynge is so beautyfull as it is.Eccle. 25. psal. 128. O blessed therfore is the mā, vnto whom it is graunted to haue the feare of god. For (as Esay saith) it is the power of goddes holy spirite: whereby we reuerence god by auoidinge euell and embracynge good, accordyng to this sayenge: The wyseman feareth god, and auoydeth from euell. And Iob sayeth: Beholde, the feare of the lorde, is euen verye wisedome it selfe, and is wholly cōtinuyng for euer: for it is the strēgth of the diuine spirit, to the reuerencing and wourshypynge of God: whyche strength, is not (in vs) the wourke of nature, but the grace of god bath planted: not the wil of mā, but the purpose of god, towardes his beloued & chosen people: vnto whom (in Iesus Christe) [Page]pertaineth the great strength & myghtys wourkyng of hys gracē, to the renewing of their mindes, that through a reuerēt life in rightuousnes, the promises of god maye (in this lyfe) be atrayned vnto and felte: And after thys lyfe,Math 25. Iohn. 5. to haue a ioyfull resurrection into euerlastynge lyfe, thorough the onlye merited and death of hys dearelye beloued sonne Iesus Christ, our lorde and sauiour: who liueth and raigneth wyth hym in the vnitye of the holys ghost most blessed for euer and euer.
Amen. The grace of god. (O dearelye beloued) abounde in oure hartes to the shewing forth of hys glorye in rightuousnes that all we knowynge our duties and obedience to hys dyuyne and most gloriouse maiestie, may be ryche and plentyfull in all good wourkes, to the pleasynge of oure neighbours, for their wealth and co [...]yeng,Roma. 15. Gala. 15. accordyng to the exaumple of Iesus Chryste, the true patrone, comforter and sauioure of the worlde: who for the tendernesse of compassion that he had to hys people, and to saue them from destructiō, sought not to please hym selfe, but beeyng [Page]innocent, and a lambe vnspotted, suffered as a wicked offendour, moste shamefull reproche, bitter tormentes, and paynes in the flesh, as also bodilye death, as it was written of hym by the prophet. The rebukes of them wihche rebuked thee, sel on me.psal. 69. Roma. 4. What so euer thynges are wrytten aforetyme, they are written for our learning, that thorough pacience & comfort of the scriptures we myght haue hope. The god of hope, pacience and consolatiō, fil vs wyth all ioye and peace in beleuynge, that we may be ryche in hope, thorow the power of the holy ghost,Leuit. 19. and be like mynded one towardes another after the ensaumple of Christ: that we al together agreeyng in vnitye, may wyth one mouthe, praise God, the father of our lorde Iesus. Amen.
The God of peace, treade Sathan shortelye vnder our feete.Roma. 6.