blesse and praise ye the Lord. It is saide that Dauid after the victorye that God gaue hym against Goliah the Philistian 1. regum 17 made this psalm Blessed be the Lord my God Psal. 144 whiche teacheth my handes to warre and my fingers to fight When Hyram had hard the words of Saloman 3. regum 5. he reioysed greatly and said Blessed be God which hath geueÌ„ vnto Dauid a wise sonne ouer thys people The Temple being finished Salomon in the presence of all the people 3. regum 8. sayd Blessed be the LORDE GOD of Israell whyche spake with his mouthe vnto Dauid my father Dauid did appoynt chefely Asaph and his brethren to thanke our Lord. 1. Par. 26 It foloweth then blessed be the Lord God of Israel for euer and euer and let al the people say Amen King Dauid was very pleasaunt and ioyful 1. Para. 16 and blessed our Lorde before the vniuersall multitude Esdras perceiuinge Arthaxerses to be wel minded towards the Iewes said 1. Esdras 7 Blessed be the Lord God of oure fathers whiche so hathe inspired the kinges harte to garnishe the house of our Lord that is at Ierusalem When Esdras hadde opened the boke of the lawe Es. 2. ca. 7. all the people stode vp and Esdras blessed our Lord god with a loud voyce and all the people answeared Amen 2. Esdras 9 After that the wall of the citye of Ierusalem was finyshed vnder Esdras and Nehemia the Leuites said Stand vp and blesse the Lorde foreuer and euer When Sara the doughter of Raguel had made an end of her prayer To. 3. she saide Blessed is thy name o God of our fathers Tobias instructinge and teachyng his sonne Tob. 4. Amonge all other thinges he said vnto him Blesse thou and be alway thanckful vnto God beseche him that he will order and direct thy waies Raguell and his wife perceiuynge that Sathan had not hurte nor touched yonge Toby Tob. 8. sayde Blessed bee thou o Lorde God of Israell for it is not hapned vnto vs as we thoughte Raphaell dyd diligentlye monyshe Tobye and his sonne Tob. 12 that they shuld blesse and be thanckefull vnto God and tell oute al hys wonderous workes After that Tobye hadde recouered his sighte Tob. 13 and had harde Raphaels communication he opened hys mouthe and praised our Lord and sayde Greate arte thou O Lorde for euermore Osias the chefe ruler of the people of Israell Iudi. 13. seing Iudith with the hed of Holofernes sayde Blessed bee oure Lorde the maker of heauen and earthe A mistery was reueled in the night to Danyell by a vision and he praysed our Lorde of heauen saying The name of God be blessed for euer and euer Dani. â— for wisdome and strength ar hys owne and he chaungeth the tymes and ages Ananias and his fellowes beynge cast into the burning ouen did walke in the myddest of the fyre Dani. 3. praysyng blessing our Lorde And kyng Nabuchodonoser afterwardes perseuynge and seinge so greate a myracle sayd blessed be the God of Sidrach Misach and Abednago After they had obtayned of their enemies the victorye 1. Mach. 4. and had builded an aulter the children of Israel worshypped gaue thankes to God that he had prosperd them and geueÌ„ them the victory Forasmuche as Heliodorus that woulde haue spoyled the temple of oure Lorde 2. macha 3. was through the vertue of God moste terribly scourged they praysed our Lord that had magnified his place and temple Whan Machabeus and suche as were with hym perceyued that God had sent them ayde 2. Mach. 11. they blessed and praised our Lorde altogether whiche had shewed them mercye and were comforted in their myndes When Iohn the baptist was borne zacharis mouthe was opened Luke 1. And he prophesied saying Blessed be the Lorde God of Israel When Mary Ioseph had brought the childe Iesus into the temple Symeon toke him vp in hys armes Lu. 2. and blessed oure Lorde God saying Now lettest thou thy seruaunte departe in peace And after Christes ascention Lu. 24. there were in the temple that praysed and lauded God And Paule suffering tribulacions 2. Corin. 1. sayd blessed be God the father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. 1. Pet. 1. And lykewyse Peter To blesse god is as it were a heauenlye worke and office Apoca. 5. And I hearde them all saye blessinge honoure glorye and power be vnto him that sitteth vpon the seate and vnto the lambe for euermore ¶ Of the benediction and blessing wherwith man doth blesse man ¶ The viii chapter MElchisedech kinge of SaleÌ„ met Abraham and blessed him Gen. 14 saying Blessed be Abraham vnto the high God Genesis 27 Isaac blessed Iacob sayinge God geue the of the dewe of heauen and of the fatnesse of the earth and plenty of corne and wine When that Esau cried oute aboue measure Genesis 17 Isaac sayde vnto hym Thy blessinge shall be the fatnesse of the earth and of the dew of heauen from aboue And with thy swerde shalt thou lyue and shalt be thy brothers seruaunt And Ioseph broughte in Iacob his father to Pharao Genes 47. And Iacob blessed him And Pharo asked him how olde he was Iacob blessed his sonne Ioseph and sayde Genes 48. God before whom my fathers did walk blesse these laddes He spake of Manasses and Effraim whom Iosephe desired that hys father shoulde blesse Gene. 49 For after this Iacob blessed euery one of his children with proper and seuerall benedictions Our Lorde spake vnto Moses sayinge On this wise ye shall blesse the chyldren of Israell Numer 6. Our Lorde blesse thee and kepe thee Our Lorde make his face shyne vpon thee And Aaron lyftynge vp his hande ouer the people Leui. 9. blessed them Balaam the sonne of Beâ—r sayde vnto Balach Numer 23. I am brought and conueyde hether to blesse and it is not in me to alter it The poore mannes pledge shal not remayne with thee all the nyght but thou shalt deliuer hym the pledge againe or euer the sunne goe downe Deuter. 24 that sleping in his owne raiment he may blesse thee Moses the manne of God blessed the children of Israell before hys deathe Deuter. 33. and said our Lord came from Sinai and shewed his beames from Seir vnto them Iosua called the Rubenites the Gaddites and the halfe tribe of Manasses Iosue 22. and saide vnto them Haue ye kept all that Moses commanded you so he blessed them sent them away In the songe and thankes geuynge for the victorye againste Sisara we read Iudi. 5. Blessed be thou Iahel the wyfe of Haber the Kenite amonge all women and blessed shall she be in her teÌ„t and tabernacle Noemi perceiuinge Ruth his doughter in law to be honored of Boom ruth 2. said blessed be he of our Lorde for the lyke fauor grace that he
and fought saying We fynde no euell in thys man Though a spryte or an angel hath appeared and spoken to him let vs not striue against God When that Paule after the shypwracke that happened in the wynter was warminge him selfe at the fyre ther came a viper out of the heat and caughte him by the hande when the straungers saw that they sayd amōg them selues Act. 28. No doubte this man is a murtherer whome though he haue escaped the sea yet vengaunce suffreth not to lyue Paule shoke of the viper into the fyre and felt no harme But when they sawe no harme come to him they chaunged their mynds and said that he was a God ¶ Of good operations and workes ¶ Capitu. Cxv. OUr Lord put man in the garden of pleasure to dresse and keepe it Gen. 2.3 In the sweate of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread And after that our Lord put hym out of the garden of pleasure to labor the groūd of the whyche he was taken made And so note thou that oure LORD woulde manne to laboure bothe in the state of innocencye and also after hys fal Dauid when other kynges were wonte to goe forthe to battayle 1. regu 11. tarryed at home and in that idlenesse commytted bothe aduoutry and treason Salomon did build our lords house and his owne 3. regu 6.7 But yet note that hee builded our Lordes house fyrste And although the worke was much greater yet he accomplyshed all in a lesse time The workmen wrought industriously 2. Para. 24. and sette vppe the house of our Lorde in as good estate and condytyon as it was before and strengthened it Hezechias the Kynge of Iuda wrought it that was good 2. Para. 31. right and true before our Lord and sought hys God and that did he withal his hart and prospered In the second yere that the children of Iuda wer returned from Babilon 1. Esd. 3. they began to lay the foundation of the temple Iosue the sonne of Iosedech and his brethren ouer loked the work men that laboured 1. Esd. 6. Kinge Darius commaunded that our Lordes house shuld be buylded in Ierusalem that the expences shuld be geuen out of the kinges cofers for hindring of the worke 1. Esd. 4. Note that the workes the whyche the children of transmigration made as concerninge the foundation of the temple and the wals of the city had many hinderers Iona. 3. God beheld the workes of the Niniuites and had mercy on them Mat. 20. Idle workmen if they bee called to wages are reproued Our Lord commendeth the seruāt whiche receiued fiue talentes and vsing them Mat. 25. gaind other fiue And him likewise that receiued two and gayned other two But he reproued hym which receiued one talent and encreased it not but kept and reserued it vnprofitablye The two disciples which constrained our Lord to abide with thē Luc. 24. knew him not by hys woordes as longe as they wer wyth him But by his work of hospitality and breaking of breade they knew him Our Lord approued the woorke of Mary Magdalen when she anoynted him euen as he sat at meat Mar. 14. notwithding that his disciples grudged with in them selues there at Christ dothe declare that chyldren should ensue and follow the laudable workes of theyr fathers Iohn 8. saying If ye bee the children of Abraham do the dedes of Abraham Paule the Apostle doth cōpare good workes to sede 2. Cor. 9. of the whyche a man soweth litle inough and yet reapeth plenteously for he which soweth little shal reape little Paule reprehended the Thessalonians for theyr idlenesse verye sharplye 2. Thes 3. althoughe in a nother place hee commendeth them And saythe that if anye woulde not woorke the same should not eat Tabitha was Christes dysciple the same was full of good workes and almes dedes Act. 9. which she did And therfore when she was dead many were moued to praye Peter for her and he reuiued her againe In all people he that feareth oure Lord Act. 10. and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him Paule beinge at Corinthe abode with Aquila and Priscilla Act. 18. because he was of the same craft wrought Their craft was to make tentes ¶ Of mans true intention in doing of his workes Cap. Cxvi CAin kild his brother Abel Dauid Goliath Ioab Abner and Amasia Herode Antipas Ihon the Baptist. Agrippa Iames. Peter wyth a word slew Ananias and Saphira but consider their diuers intentions and causes Abraham when our Lord promysed him a childe laughed and Sara laughed within her selfe Gen. 17.18 But Abrahams laughing was commēded and Saras reprehended Pharao sayd I haue sinned Ex. 9. Dauid said I haue trespassed .ii. Re. xii Manasses said the same .2 Par. 33. Iudas saide also that he had synned Math. 27. But the affections and intentions of theyr heartes were verye diuers Moses in a maner spake like words at Raphidi Exo. 17. when the people asked water to drink And at the waters of strife But at the fyrste tyme he was in no doubt as he was in the second As it appeareth by the payn that followed Nume 20. The chyldren of Ruben and Gad and halfe the trybe of Manasses Iosu. 22. builded an aultare but in an nother intent then the children of Israell beleued Our Lord cōmended the good will 2. regu 7. of Dauid intending to buylde hym a temple although he woulde haue no temple of his buildinge Dauid sent not for Urias whyche was in the host to exalte hym 2. regu 11. but to cloke his synne the which he had committed with Urias wife Iudith decketh her self very curyously but all that deckinge came not of voluptuousnesse Iudi. 10. but of vertue to deliuer the people of God oute of the handes of theyr most enemy That Mardocheus wold not worshyp Aman Esth. 3. nor bowe bys knee vnto hym he did it not vpon any disobedyence or contempt but that he woulde not as hee saythe geue the honoure due vnto God to anye mortall creature Herode said vnto the wisemen that when they had found the childe Math. 2. they should send hym word that he might worshyppe hym also But hee intended one thynge and pretended an other Our Lord charged the two blynde men to whome he restored their sight that no man shoulde know of it mat 9. Yet there followeth that they spreade abrode hys name in al the land wtthout the reproch of any transgression Our Lord dothe adde notablye the end and intention whych euery man ought to haue doyng wel or suffryng euill Blessed are ye Mat. 5.10.19 when mē reuile you c. For mee or for my names sake And who soeuer shal geue a cup of colde water c. Or who so leaueth hys house c. Our Lord commaunded that men should geue almes and faste Mat. 6. but not for the loue and fauour
it vnto her frendes although it was to the hindraunce of her husband Iudi. 16. Dalida by great importunitye obtayned that Sampson tolde wher in his mighty strength did reast Anna Samuels mother wepte and coulde take no sustinaunce 1. Reg. 1. for the greate desyre she hadde to haue Chyldren 3. Reg. 3. She was verye greadye to haue a Chylde that tooke awaye an nother mannes Iezabel was so desirous and greadye to delyuer vp Nabothes vineyard to her husband 3. reg 21. that she brought forth false witnesses and thrise procured and caused Naboth to be stoned most cruelly When that the Sunamite woulde go to Elizeus 4. reg 4. and that her husbande would not fullye consent there to she said I wil go so immediatly she prepared an asse and sayde vnto her seruaunt by the waye looke thou by no impedimeÌ„t or let vnto me but do that I commaund thee Athalia Ochozias mother coneting to raign ouer the land 4. reg 11. destroyed al the kinges sede except Ioas thinfant the which was secreatly hidden and taken away Anna Tobias wife daily loked went about the stretes Tob. 10. where by she thought there shoulde be any hope of his comming that she might see hym comming a farre of Esther was not contente that the kinge had geuen her Amans house Esther 9. that he had destroyd and slain in Susan the chefe city 500. men But also the next day folowing she caused 300. mo to be slain The woman of Canane obtayned her doughters healthe throughe importune Math. 15. prayer The mother of Zebedes children taried not that our lord shuld reward her children after thexcelleÌ„cy of theyr merits Mat. 20. But preuenting the time she desyred that the one mighte be set on his righthand in his kingdome the other on his left Herodias laid such wait and so hated Ihon the Baptist that she chose that her doughter should rather ask his body Mat. 14. then the half of Herodes kingdoÌ„ Our lord doth put an ensample of a widow Luc. 18. the whiche was so molestious and greuous vnto a iudge which feared not God nether regarded man that at the last he aduenged her of her aduersary Act. 12. A maid named Rhoda perceiuinge that Peter knocked at the doore dyd not open it but for gladnesse leauing hym wythout ran in and told theim that were wythin ¶ Of the deceitfulnesse of wemen Ca. Cxxviii ADam by the occasion of Eue was deceyued although he was not seduced in that Gen. 3. that Eue was but then onely when he by her perswasion and counsell did eate of the tree forbyden Sara hearing the promise that she shoulde conceyue a chylde Gen. 18. laughed within her selfe But when she was reproued of her mystrust with a lye she excused her selfe Whilst Lothes ii doughters desiring to haue childreÌ„ by theyr own father Gen. 19â— durst not induce him there vnto with wordes but with wyne they accomplished their purpose They woulde sone haue deceaued an other when they spared not their owne father Rachel with a proper inuention beguyled her father Gen. 31. seekynge hys Idoles Iosephs lady and mestres to excuse her selfe Gen. 39. accused him vniustlye to her husbande and afterwards at her husbandes handes reuenged her selfe of Ioseph most wickedly Al be it the Hebrues mydwyues hadde a good and a deuout intente in reseruynge of the chyldren Exo. 1. yet by the fyndinge oute of a lye they deceiâ—ed Pharao the king of Egipte The wemen of Moab deceyued the children of Israell Nume 25. when that Balaam the sothesayer wyth all hys magicall crafte coulde doo nothinge against them Rathab the harlot hyd Iosues spyes and caused those that inquyred for them Iosu. 2. to runne and pursue after them vnto the ferye of Iordan sayinge that they wente forthe at the shuttinge of the gate Iahel wente forthe to mete Sisara and sayed vnto him Iuhi. 4 tourne into me my LORDE and feare not and yet at length she kylde hym beynge a sleape Sampfons wyfe wept before him and sayed Surelye thou hatest me and therefore thou hast not tolde me the ryddle Iudi. 14. And he reuelde it vnto her to his owne destruction Dalida was continuallye molestius vnto Sampson Iudi. 16. and sufferde him not one daye to be at rest and quyet so that his soule was faynte and incombred euen vnto death thus strong Sampson was ouercomde and folishlye opened all thynges vnto her When Michol vnderstode that Saule her father soughte Dauid 1. regu 19 her husbande to slaye him she caused him to departe and layed an Image vpon his bed The men that should haue brought worde vnto Dauid of Absolons estate and condition 2. Re. 17. were let downe into a well and a certayne woman spreadinge a couerlet ouer it as thoughe she had bene dryinge furmenty corne thereon fayned that they were departed and gone Iudith al be it she dyd it of a good zele and intente Iudith 10. deceyued Holofernes of whome all the earthe stode in awe and feare Herode feared Iohn the Baptist knowinge that he was a iust manne Mar. 6. and yet Herodias labourd the mater so that she causde him to be beheaded in prison Saphira and Ananias her husbande dyd lye vnto Peter as concerning parte of the price of the land Act. 5. But Peter punyshed that lye mooste greuouslye ¶ Of the folyshe and vndiscrete coÌ„munication of wemen Ca. C.xxix WE reade that Eue spake fyrste with the serpente or euer she spake with god how to worship him Gen. 3. or wyth her husband to receaue any erudition of him Sara when our Lorde did promise that she should haue a childe mistrustinge it dyd laughe Gen. 18. and afterwardes denyde that she laughed When Rachel sawe that she was vnfrutfull and baren Gen. 30. she sayed vnto her husbande Geue me children or els I am but deade asthoughe it had bene in Iacobs power to make the baren frutfull Assone as Sampsons wyfe knewe her husbandes obscure and darke riddle Iudi. 14. she disclosed it to her cityzens to the greate hynderaunce of her husbande Assone as Dalida saw that Sampson had coÌ„fessed and opened his hole minde vnto her Iudi. 16. how he mighte be depriued and lose his strengthe she caulde his ennemyes vnto her and eftsones dysclosed the thynge vnto them Because Dauid vpon greate deuotion did daunce before the arke of our Lorde 2. regu 6. Michol Saules doughter sayd scornefully vnto hym O how gloryous was the kynge of Israell thys daye When Tobias spake of the kydde Sayinge Take hede and looke that yt be not stolen Tob. 2 Anna his wife being angrye answered Nowe is thy hope become vayne openlye When Sara the doughter of Raguel dyd iustlye rebuke her mayden she answered her impaciently and verye iniuriouslye Tobi. 3. sayinge God let vs neuer see sonne or doughter of
were fainte and weary of their iourny and laboure And they said wherfore hast thou brought vs out of Egipt Acham the sonne of Charmi pearished with all that euer he had Iosu. 7. because he tooke of the excommunycate thinges of Iericho For the crime committed agaynste the Leuites wife Iudi. 20. the whole trybe of Beniamin excepte sixe hundreth men pearished by Goddes Commaundemente Hely corrected hys Children that hadde trespassed but meanelye 1. regum 2. and therefore he was punyshed for them and wyth theym What shal we then saye of those that do not correct their children but intice them to euil both by word and dede 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 For as muche as Saule dyd offer burnt at sacrifice contrary vnto Samuels commaundemente he was reproued And likewise because he reserued kynge Agag 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 Amalech and hys shepe and oxen For Saules offences they of hys owne house and familye were punyshed euen after his deathe 2. regu 21. and because of them there fell a great hunger in the land As Dauid was bringing our Lordes Arke vppon a carte 2. regum 6. Oza put hys hand to the Arke and helde it 1. para 13. for the Oxen beinge a litle wilde stombled and our Lord smote him for his fault and ther he died For the elation and pride of Dauid causynge hys people to be nombred 2. regu 24. there dyed two and seuenty thousand men The manne of GOD that came out of Iewrye 3. reg 13. and declared vnto Ieroboas the successe of the office of hys priestes was slaine with a Lion because that he contrary to Gods commaundemente did eate breade in the house of a certen prophet There were two and forty children deuoured of two beares 4. reg 2. because they mocked Elizeus saying Go vp thou bald head If Echezis sinne be so greuouslye punished 4. reg 45. because he tooke giftes and rewardes of Naaman geuen him with good will what shall be said of those that eract many thynges fradulently or extort them violentlye Ozia king of Iewry tooke the censar and woulde haue burnt insence like as the priestes were wont to do â— para 20. and by and by the leprosy sprange in his forehead For as muche as Ezechias shewed the messengers of the kinge of Babilon al his treasures 4. reg 20. he lost them and yet they came out of farre countries and as it semed they should haue ben muche made of ioyfullye receiued Our Lorde deliuered his peculiare and well beloued people into Nabuâ—hodonosors handes 4. reg â—0 the whiche dyd captiâ—ate the people most cruelli burnt the holy city destroied the Temple Because the daughters of Sion are become proude c. In steade of good smell there shal be stinke among theÌ„ and thy goodly and mighty men 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 〈◊〉 shal hearith with the swâ—â—â—de in battaile The kinges of Babilon cruelly entreated the children of Israel afterwardes they them selues also with their noble city wer destroied Esa. 14. euen as our Lorde threatned Io. 30.51 Heliodorus was greuouslye scourged because he was willinge to conuey away the stuffe and goodes of widowes and peoples committed to the priestes custody 2. Mach. 3. King Antiochus was smitteÌ„ wyth so greuous a plage that the wormes scrauld oute of his wicked bodye and his hoaâ—t was greued with the smell 2. Mach. 9. and stinke of him Our Lord being wroth deliuered the vngracious seruant Mat. 18. the which wold not forgeue his fellow the C. pence to the saylers vntill he had paid all the was due vnto him Our Lord commaunded the vnprofitable Mat. 25. seruaunt that would not study to multiplye the Talent deliuered vnto him to be depriued of that he had to be caste into vtter darknes That fraud and guile that Ananias coÌ„mitted act 5. his wife Saphira knowing of the same was sore punished Herode arayed with royall apparel set him in his seate and made an oratioÌ„ vnto the people Actes 12. the which lifting vp their voices saide It is the voyce of a God and not of a man And immediately the aungell of oure Lorde smote him because he gaue not God the honoure and he was eaten wyth wormes and gaue vp the ghost ¶ Of the anger and fury of God NOte and take hede that the anger of God De ciuitate dei Lib. 15 Capitu. 25. after the mind of S. Augustine is not the perturbation or motyon of his minde but his iudgement by the whiche paine is appoynted to synne his cogytatyon and recogytation of thynges mutable is hys immutable reason and iudgemente Nor GOD dothe not so repente hym of hys dede as the yrefull manne dothe whose sentence of all thinges is as fixed and stedfast as his prescience foreknowledge is certaine But if Scrypture vse no such wordes yet it doth not insinuate it selfe familiarly to all kynde of menne vnto whome he woulde it shoulde be knowen and that to feare the proud sturre vp the negligente exercise those that inquire and seeke and nourishe those that vnderstande the whiche thinge he woulde not do if hys wyll were not fyrste to bowe and incline him self and as it were to descend and come down to those whiche are weake and feble Our Lord was angry with Moses Exo. 4. that so oftentimes he refused to take vpon him the gouernaunce and leading of the people God commanding the same Our Lord was angry with the Egiptians that kepte Exo. 15. and afflicted hys people and woulde haue persecuted them goynge theyr wayes Then it followeth Thou haste sente thy anger Moses prayed vnto oure Lord saying Exo. 32. why doth thy wrath O lord waxe hote against thy people For the calfe made of molten metal to the whyche they offered burnt offeringes By the occasion of Corah sedition and his companions Nume 16. Moses and Aaron said vnto our Lord. O most mighty God of the sprites if one man hath sinned wilt thou be wroth and angri with all the multitude The people both sittinge and wepinge were muche desirous of fleshe Nume 11. Then it followeth The fury of oure Lorde was prouoked vnto wrath exceadinglye Al the multitude of the children of Israell murmured against our Lord Nume 16. Moses and Aaron sayinge ye haue killed the people of our Lorde Then there foloweth There is wrath gone oute from oure Lorde and the plage waxeth fearce and cruell The people beganne to commytte whoredome with the Doughters of Moab Nume 25. It followeth And oure Lorde beynge angry said vnto Moses Take al the heads of the people and hange them Because of Moses vnbelefe doutfulnesse at the water of stryfe Nume 20. Oure Lorde was wrothe with him as it is wrytten Our Lord was angry with me Moses for your sakes and said vnto me Deu. 1. Thou shalt not go in thither that is into the land of promise Beware
Act. 16. the congregations were stablished in the faithe and encreased in nombre daily When the keper of the prysone in the which Paule and Silas were detained Act. 16. saw the earthquake and the prison open beyng sore troubled and afraid fel down at their fete saying what must I do to be saued and they said beleue in oure Lorde Iesus and thou shalt be saued When Paul had disputed at AtheÌ„s against Idolatry Act. 17. certaine men cleauing vnto him beleued amonge the which was Dionisius c. ¶ Of the fidelitye that ought to be kept to man Capi. xxxv ELiezer Abrahams seruaunt dyd the message coÌ„mitted vnto hym Gen. 24. by his master verye faithfullye when he went for Rebecca to Bathnals house Iacob serued his vncle Laban faithfully when that he keping his shepe by day was consumed with heat Gen. 29.31 and by night with frost Ioseph shewed him self faithful vnto his maister Gen. 39. in that he woulde not touche hys wyfe And in his counsail that he gaue vnto Pharao Gen. 41. and in suche seruice as he exhibited and dyd for hym Rachab the harlot did faithfullye with the spies which Iosue sent Iosu. 2.6 and likewise Iosue afterwardes vsed her faithfully again Althoughe the Gabaonites had deceiued Iosue and the children of Israel Iosu. 9.10 yet they kepte their othe and promise wyth them and after that faithfully defended them against theyr enemyes Ionathas did faithfully disclose his fathers yre and wrathe vnto Dauid 1. regu 20. and as much as laye in hym excused hym and afterwardes coÌ„forted hym Abiathars father beynge slaine by the occasion of Dauid 1. regu 22. I am saythe Dauid the cause of the deathe of all the soules of thy fathers house Abide with me and feare not For if anye seke my soule he shal seke thine also with me thou shalt be in sauegarde Dauid would not smyte nor laye his handes vpon Saul hys Lord and king 1. regu 24. Notwithstanding he was euel and did persecuâ—e him and yet if hee had woulde hee myghte twyse haue slaine hym The harnesse bearer of Saule was a greate signe and token of fidelitye 1. regu 31. and yet he did but vndiscretely when that he seing his master was deade woulde liue no longer but fel vppon his sweard and died with him what oughte we then to do for oure Lorde that was crucified for vs The men and inhabitours of Iabes in Galaad 1. regu 31. shewed them selues faithfull to Saule theyr Lorde notwythstandinge he was euell and wicked when they reuerently buried hym Urias the Hethite would not liue in delite and pleasure 2. regu 11. as long as hys Lord Ioab labourd and was in warfare When the city of Rabbath was in ieopardy to be loste and taken 2. regu 12. Ioab as long as he beseged it sent for Dauid to come thither to take the citye that the honor of the victory might be geuen to his master not to him self When Dauyd fled from Absolon Ethai sayde vnto him As trulye as God lyueth 2. regu 15. in what place my Lorde the kynge shal be whether in death or lyfe euen there also wyll thy seruaunt be Dauids menne woulde not that he should goe forthe with theim to battayle 2. regu 18. Saying Thou art compted to be worth ten thousand of vs. Wherby it appeareth that faythfully they loued hym And in another place Thou shalte notte goo oute with vs to battayle 2. regu 21. that thou quenche not the light of Israell All Israell separated them selues from Dauid 2. regu 20. and folowed Selon the sonne of Bochri But the Iewes cleaued vnto their kynge bothe faythfully and constantly Thre robust and stronge menne moste faithfully defended Dauid fightygne agaynste the Philistians 1. Para. 11. and brought him water out of the well of Bethelem the whyche he greatlye desyred Ioiada the hye priest dyd exceding faythfully with Ioas the sonne of Ioram kynge of Iuda 4. regu 11. Notwithstanding that he afterwardes regarded it but slenderly Onias the byshop and other priestes did faythfully trauell and labour 2. Mach. 3. to kepe such thinges as widowes and pepylles had deposed and geuen them to kepe Oure Lorde dothe commende the Mat. 25. fidelite of those seruauntes that encreased the thynges delyuered vnto them Paule wyth great faithfulnes procured 2. Cor. 9. the gatherynge of mennes almes to be done for the necessite of the poore in Iewry Paule sent faythfull and effectuous letters to Philemon for his fugitiue seruaunte Onesimus Philip. 1. Certain of the chefe of Asia gaue Paule discrete and faythfull Counsayle Act. 19. desirynge hym that he would not prease nor come into the common hall ¶ Of quietnesse and illustration of the minde Cap. xxvi AFter that Abraham went from Hur of the Chaldees Gen. 12.13.15.18 Our lord apâ—eared sondrye tymes vnto hym and visyted hym wyth dyuers reuelations Gen. 18. Our Lorde appeared vnto AbrahaÌ„ in the plaine of Mambre as he sat in his tent dore in the heat of the daye The whiche maye he expounded of a contemplatiue man Gen. 24. Isaac dwelt in the south countrey and was gone out in his meditations or to pray in the field Gen. 25. Esau became a cunning hunter a tiller of the earth but Iacob was a quiet and a symple man and dwelled in the tentes Gen. 28. Iacob departed from Bersabe to come to Haram and purposynge to reast there in a certaine place because the sonne was downe he tooke of the stones that were in that place and put them vnder his heade and layde hym downe and slept in that same place and he sawe in a dreame a ladder standinge vpon the earth c Moses kept the shepe of Ietro his father in lawe Exo. 3. and he droue the flocke to the back side of the desert and came to the mountaine of god Horeb. And Oure lorde appeared vnto hym in a flame of fire Iethro Moses father in lawe seinge hym occupied from morninge vnto euen in geuinge of iudgement to the people he sayde vnto him Exo. 18. Thou consumest and weriest thy selfe and those that are with the with vayne and vndiscrete labour Be thou vnto the people in those thinges that pertayne vnto god Our lord came doune to the mount Sinay Exo. 19. and called Moses vp to the top of the mountaine and there he reueled vnto hym the iudgementes the commaundemeÌ„tes and the ceremonies the which he should teache the people Our lorde spake vnto Moses face to face as a maÌ„ speaketh vnto his frende And Moses was with oure lorde .40 dayes and fortie nightes and did neither eate bread nor drinke water Oure Lorde spake vnto Moses saying get the vp into this mountayne Deu. 32. and frome thence beholde the lande whiche I geue vnto the chyldren of Israell Samuel did slepe in the temple and oure Lorde calde Samuell
and hewed them eueÌ„ vnto Horma King Arad fought against the children of Israel and toke some of them prisoners Nume 21. But Israel vowed a vowe vnto our Lord and ouercame them and destroyed the cityes of theyr enemies The children of Israel fighting by Moses commaundement against the Madianites Nume 21. hadde and obtained so great a victory that they toke for a pray 3200. virgines and yet of the Israelites there was but 1200. fighting men of the whyche ther was not one man slaine When the people shouted blewe wyth trompets Iosu. 6. as Iosue coÌ„maunded them the walles of Iericho fel down and so was the city taken By the accasion of Achams preuarication the chyldren of Isrell were dryuen from the citye of Hai. Iosu. 7.8 But after the synne was pourged at goddes coÌ„maundement the citye was taken and ouerthroen When Iosue fought against the .v kinges which came to destroi the Gabaonites Iosu. 10 Our lorde cast downe from heauen great stones vpon them And there were mo dead wyth the hayle stones then they were whome the childreÌ„ of Israel slew with the swerd Then the sunne and the moone stode styll at Iosues worde and commaundement for the space of a daye that he might vtterly destroye his enemyes And it is to be noted that notwythstandinge it be written that Iosue in the conquering of the lande of promise did smite and destroy al the land with the kinges therof and the fightinge he toke theÌ„ all except Gabaon Yet it is red there Iosu. 10 That our lorde fought for Israel NotwithstaÌ„ding therfore that the childreÌ„ of Israel did fight strongly wyth theyr handes yet the victorye was ascriued to god Iudi. 1. We reade not that the chyldren of Israell after the death of Iosua went to fight except that they fyrst counseled with oure lorde And oure lorde deluered the Cananites and the pharesites into theyr handes Iudi. 3. Oure lorde lefte many nations amonge the childreÌ„ of Israel to instruct Israel And all that knew not the warres of the Cananites that their children myght learne to fight with their enemies haue the custome of fightiÌ„g Iudi. 3. Oure lorde styrde vp a sauioure vnto Israell named Ahud the whiche slew Eglon the kynge of Moab And the chyldren of Israell wente downe wyth hym goynge before them The whyche sayed vnto them folowe me for oure lorde hathe deliuered youre enemyes into oure handes And they slew of the Moabites vppon a ten M. menne Delbora sayed vnto Barach vp for this is the day Iudi. 4. in which our lorde hath delyuered Sisara into thy handes oure lorde feared and destroyed Sysara all hys charettes and all his hoost with the edge of the sweard With .300 menne that with theyr handes did cast water into their mouthes Iudi. 7. oure lorde deliuered Israel from the hande of Madian and Amalech the which in Gedeons tyme wer many in numbre Abimelech Gedeons sonne through his concubine slew .70 of his brethren vpon one stone Iudi. 9. to th entent he might raygne alone After that a certayne woman whilste he beseiged the tours of Sichem cast a pece of a mylstone vpon his head and all to breake his brayne panne Iâ—phethe went to fight agaynst the chyldren of Amnon Iudi. 12. whome our lord delyuered into his hands And he destroyed with a very great plage .xx. of the chyldren of Amons cyties Samson through the great strength that oure Lorde gaue hym Iudi. 15. obtayned against the PhilistiaÌ„s many victoryes the which did oppresse kepe the children of Israel in greate seruitute and bondage 600. men of the tribe of Dan came to Lais Iudi. 18 euen to a people that were at rest and without mistrust and smote them with the edge of the swearde and burnt the city with fire And ther was no manne to healpe because Lais was farre from Sidon And they hadde no medlynge with any other manne Althoughe the chyldren of Israell were iustely moued agaynst the chyldren of Beniamin Iudic. 20. and were .vii. tymes as many mo as they were yet thei trusting to their fortitude numbre were of them ouercomed Afterwardes they wepte and fasted before oure lordeâ— and oure lorde sayed vnto them To morowe I wyll delyuer them into youre handes And then they hadde a full vyctory ouer them In the tyme of Eli the preaste the philistians ouercame the chyldren of Israell 1. regu 4. the whyche afterwardes as thouge they woulde tempte GOD brought the Arke of oure lorde wyth them presumptuously trustinge that by it they shoulde obtayne the victorye But the philistines comfortinge one an other ouercame them againe And tooke the Arke of god in the battayle Samuel dyd crye vnto oure lorde for the chyldren of Israell 1. regu 7. and offerd vp sacrifice for them And oure lorde thundred a greate thunder amonge the philistines and they were put to flyte and slayne When the townes of Iabes Galaad were besieged by Nahaz the king of the Ammonites Saul did sone succur theÌ„ 1. regum 11. for he with a great multitude of men of war came in vpon the hoost in the mornyng watch scattred their enemies so that two of theÌ„ were not left together Ionathas Sauls sonne seynge the station and watche of the philistines sayd vnto his harnes bearer 1. regum 14 it is no hardnes with our lord to saue ether in many or in fewe And there chaunsed as it were a myracle of god for the multitude was slayne by them 1. regu 14. and fleynge hether and thether were scattered in euery place At Samuels commaundemeÌ„t Saul slew Amalech 1. regu 15. and tooke Agag the kynge of the Amalekytes alyue And vtterly destroyed al the people There was a maruelous fyght betwene Dauid Goliath of Grath the gyante 1. regu 17. Dauid was a chylde vnmete and vnapte for suche a purpose without armure yet he trustinge in our Lorde preuayled agaynst the armed gyante that was stronge and experte in sâ—ynge and stone When Dauid hearde saye that the Amalechites had burnt Sicelag 1. regu 30. and had led their wyues awaye captiues he toke counsell with our lorde whether he should folowe those theues or no. Our lorde sayd vnto him folowe and with foure hundred men he vanquished them and brought the whole praye agayne After many wrong and vniust persecutions moued by Saule agaynste Dauid the Philistines foughte against him 1. regu 31. the wait of the battail was turned against Saul Then toke he hys sweard and through desperation fell vpon it And so Saule dyed and hys thre sonnes and al his men There was cruell warre betwene Dauids xii seruaunts 2. regu 2. and Isboseths xii seruauntes when they slewe eche other When the Philistines hard that they had anoynted Dauid king ouer Israel 2. regu 5.8 they came al vp to seke Dauid and Dauid asked counsail of oure Lorde and smote
Mardocheus bowed not hys kne vnto hym Holy Iob was a gentile and as it is sayde hee descended of Esau and yet it is certaine Iob. 30. that he was maruelous noble both in faith and maners The which saide of him selfe I was the brother of dragons and the felow of Estriches Ieremy was wyth the people whithe remayned in Iudea after the destruction of Ierusalem Ier. 43. and he prayed for theym and declared the wyll of oure LORDE vnto them But they sayde vnto hym Thou liest our LORDE hathe not sente thee But Baruche prouoketh the against vs that hee myghte brynge vs into the handes and captiuitye of the Caldees Eze. 2. Our Lord sayd vnto Ezechiel thou sonne of man feare them not for the vnfaythful and prouokers are wyth the and thou dost dwel among Scorpyons Daniel Ananias Azarias and Misael dwelt among the Caldees Idolaters Dani. 3.6.14 the which labourd to induce bring them to Idolatry and to draw them from the worshipping of the very true God Dani. 13. Susanna liued in Babilon mooste chastly wheras the two olde priestes were vnchaste and vntrue iudges It semed that in Antiochus Epiphanis time that the Iewes were translated and brought to the rites and customes of the gentiles 2. Mac. 6.9 But yet there was found Mathathias and his sones Eleazarus and manye moe whyche were stable and stronge in the law of God Our Lord commending the faythe and deuotion of the Centurion Math. 8. sayd I haue not found so great faith in Israel Nicodemus a ruler of the Iewes cam to Iesus by night cōfest plainly Rabbi Iohn 3.19 we know that thou art a teacher come from God And after that our Lorde was crucifyed he came to bury him and brought a C. pound of precious oyntment Ioseph of the citye of Aramathia Mar. 15. a noble counselloure was also the dysciple of Iesu but yet a secreat disciple for feare of the Iewes But laying al feare a syde he went in boldlye vnto Pilate and made a deuoute peticyon askyng of an vndeuout tyraunte the body of Iesu. Gamaliell an honorable doctour of the lawe Act. 5. was a Pharisey and gaue good excellent counsaile to the chefe priestes for the Apostles There was a certayne man in Cesaria called Cornelius Act. 10. a deuout man and one that feared God wyth all hys housholde whiche gaue much almesse to the people prayed God alway ¶ Of the mobility and inconstancy of the people Ca. Cxiiii MOses returning out of the lād of Madian into Egipt told al the wordes of oure Lorde for the whych he had sent him Then foloweth And the people beleued And when they hard that oure Lorde had sanctified the chyldren of Israel they bowed theyr head and worshypped But afterwardes when they wer afflicted by Pharaos task masters Exo. 4.5 they said to Moses and Aaron Our Lorde loke vpon you and iudge which hath made the sauor of vs stink in the eyes of Pharao and in the eies of hys seruauntes and haue put a swearde in theyr hand to slea vs. When that the children of Israel after mani plages of Egypt came out of Egipt enriched armed our lorde going before them shewynge them the way by a cloud and fire Exo. 14.15 they saw the Egiptians folowyng after them and were sore afraid And saide vnto Moses because there were no graues in Egipt haste thou therfore brought vs awaye for to dye in the wildernesse After that they were comforted by Moses when our Lord deuided the sea that they passed ouer dry foted and that Pharaos host was drowned then the people feared oure Lorde and beleued him and hys seruaunt Moses saying we wyl sing vnto the Lord. And sone after commynge to Marath the people murmured because the waters were bytter when they were made swete by castinge in of a lyttle wodde Exo. 15.16 they murmured agayn for lacke of meat and sayde vnto Moses and Aaron would to God we had dyed in the lande of Egypt when we sate by the flesh pots and oure Lorde at the euen tyde sente them quayles and in the mornynge he sente theym Manna After thys when he shuld geue thē the law Exo. 19. they said All that our Lord hath said we wil do And whē Moses had shewed them the wordes and preceptes the whych he had receyued of our Lord Exo. 24. they sayde All the wordes whych our Lord hath sayd wyl we do But when Moses staid long in the mount with our Lorde about the description of the tabernacle Exo. 32. the people gathered them selues together vnto Aaron and said Make vs Gods to go before vs. After that the Tabernacle was reared vp Nume 11. and that the chefe men after that the fighting menne and Leuites were nombred had made theyr oblations and that all thynges were ordayned howe they should go on their iourney the people a non after began to murmur Nume 21. as greaued by muche labour After that the people had hard the spies relation they murmured and wept Nume 14. And sayde one to another Let vs make a captain and retourn vnto Egipt again They hearynge that theyr murmuring dyspleased our LORDE ascended vppe into the Mountayne and against Moses wyll and pleasure did fight and wer ouercomde by their ennemyes Nume 14. Agayne in the sedition of Chore there rose many agaynste Moses and Aaron Nume 16. and when they were most terriblye punished the multitude of the children of Israel murmured against Moses and Aaron sayinge ye haue kylled the people of oure Lorde And when oure Lorde hadde by the miracle of Aarons rod caused them to ceasse from their grudginge Nume 17. they sayed Beholde we are wasted away and consumed we all come to noughte who so euer cōmeth nye the dwelling of our Lorde dyeth Forthermore they proceded came to the waters of strife Nume 20. where they chode in suche manner wyth Moses and Aaron that they lykewyse mystrusted the diuine power And therefore oure Lorde punished them After that the people beganne to cōmit whoredome wyth the doughters of Moab Nume 25. whyche called the people vnto the sacryfice of theyr goddes Israell coupled hym selfe vnto Baall Peor And oure Lorde commaunded the heads of the people to bee hanged vp agaynst the sonne When Gedeon hadde delyuerd the chyldren of Israell from the hande of Madian and had slain zebee and Salmana the men of Israell sayed vnto him Iudi. 8. raygne thou ouer vs both thou thy sonne and thy sonnes sonne But after that he was dead hauinge .70 sonnes they went not aboute to take any of them to be their Lorde ruler Samuel the prophet delyuered the people of Israel from the hand of the Philistines 1. reg 7.8 and recouered the cityes whiche they had taken from Israell Afterwards they gathered thē selues together demaunded a king both against our Lords will and
Samuels Although that Dauid ruled and gouerned the people wel 2. regu 15. and had wonne many victories yet they sone conspired against him And the people departing froÌ„ him encreased with Absolon It is to be noted that when Dauid shoulde returne vnto Ierusalem the people would haue brought him thyther with greate honoure 2. re 19.20 But inasmuch as the men of Iuda had coÌ„moned and spoken with them of the ten tribes all Israel went from Dauid folowed Siba the sonne of Bochry In kinge Salomons time the children of Israell had aboundance of all temporall thinges 3. reg 10.12 and floryshed in great honour and yet by the occasion of a rughe worde all they for the most parte dyd sone leaue and departe from his sonne Roboam When the children of Israel hearde of the terrible power of Holofernes they occupyed all the toppes of the mouÌ„taines Iudith 4.7 and made fast the townes with walles and prepared corne for them against the battail Afterwards when they felte them selues streyted of the host they came al to Osias and sayed God be iudge betwixte vs and thee for thou haste dealt euyll wyth vs because thou speakest not peaceablye wyth the kinge of Assirians When Ieremy hadde ended all the words that our Lord had coÌ„maunded hym to speake vnto the people then the preastes and all the people tooke holde vppon him Iâ—re 26. and sayed Thou shalt dye And afterwardes the Rulers and people saied vnto the preastes This man maye not be condempned vnto death All the people from the least vnto the most came to Ieremy the prophet and sayed we wyll do all that oure Lorde commaundeth vs Iere. 4â— 43 whether it be good or euil But they tenne daies after that Ieremy hadde declared the wyll and pleasure of our Lorde vnto them saied vnto him Thou liest our Lord hath not sent thee But Baruch the sonne of Neria prouoketh against vs. Nor thei wold not heare the voice of oure Lorde The multitude dyd sone beleue the two preastes Dani. 13. and condempned Susanna to death And a non after there foloweth The people returned with hast and came vpon the two preastes and dealte with them euen as they woulde haue done wyth their neyghboure Simon knew that Triphon dissembled in his woordes when he asked Ionathas two sonnes and a C. talentes of siluer yet he commaunded that it shoulde be deliuered 1. Mach. 13. least hee shoulde be the greater enemy against the people of Israel and say because he sente not the money and the chyldren therfore is Ionathas dead On a certaine daye when that our Lorde was in the citye of Nazareth the Iewes gently desyred him to do such miracles there Luc. 4. as he had done at Capernaum But after he had a litle rebuked and checked them they were fylled with wrath and thrust him out of the citye and would haue cast him downe hedlyng froÌ„ the edge of the hyll When our lord had satisfied .5000 men with .v. loues and two fishes thei would haue caught him to make him king Iohn 6. But sone after the vnfaythful begaâ—ne to dispute and aske questions sayinge What sygne shewest thou that we maye beleue thee When the Iewes sawe that Lazarus was reuiued and that our Lorde had done many other miracles they came and met hym wyth greate honoure Iohn 12. And yet at euen tyde when he had well behelde them he founde not one that inuited or that calde hym whome to his house The people .v. dayes before Ester receiued Iesus with great myrth and and honoure Iohn 18.19 all that weke the people were muche desirous to heare hys woordes and in the mournynge they came to him into the temple to heare him But on the .vi. dayâ— folowynge all they dyd crye crucifye him After that the spirite sate vpon ech of the disciples Act. 2. the mutitude came together and were astonyed Other mocked saying these men are full of new wyne But Peter stode slyffe in thys mater and excusynge the dyscyples spake many thinges vnto them alleging the words of Iohel the prophet When they hearde thys they were pricked in theyr hartes askinge what they shoulde do And the same daye there were Baptyzed aboute .3000 soules Upon a certen Sabothe daye the whole city came almoste together to heare the worde of God Act. 13. the whyche Paul and Barnabas preached The Iewes spake against it blaspheming At length Paule and Barnabas turned them selues to preache vnto the gentiles Whan the gentiles hearde this they wer glad A while after the Iewes moued the deuoute wemen the chefe men of the citye and raysed persecution against Paule and Barnabas and expelled them out of theyr coastes But they shoke of the dust of theyr fete against them and came to Iconium When Paule and Barnabas were at Listris a citye of Lycaonia that Paule had cured there a certen creapell Act. 14. the people sayde that they were Gods and would haue done sacrifice vnto them But they declaring that thei wer but mortal meÌ„ pacified the people that they did them no sacrifice Thither came certain Iewes which wheÌ„ they had perswaded the people stoned Paul and drue him out of the citye supposing he had bene dead Certaine men which had a mayde the prophesied the which Paul deliuered of the deuil did so moue stir the magestrates rulers of the city that the people ran so against Paule and Silas his felow Act. 16. that they reÌ„t theyr clothes bet them with rods cast them into pryson and made their fete fast in the stockes And the next after they praid them to departe Paule being at Ephesus and doinge there many miracles a certayne manne name Demetrius a Syluer smith which made siluer shrynes for Diana called together workmen of lyke occupaâ—ion and moued so great trouble in the city Act. 19. that it was all in a rore and confusyon and they rushed into the commen hal with one assent and the most part knewe not wherefore they were come together Then were Paule and his felowes in great daunger of body but the town clarke speaking faire and discreatlye to the people ceased them and let the congregation depart euerye man to hys owne house On a certen day ther was in IerusaleÌ„ such a coÌ„course of people agaynst Paule that they bet hym and drewe him so out of the temple that scarcely the hie captayne the whyche came thither with his Souldioures coulde come by him Afterwardes when hee had declared what thinges had chanced vnto hym al they of Damasco lift vp their voyces and said Away with him Act. 21.22.23 for it is no reason that he should liue The next day following Paule cryed out in the counsel men and brethren I am a Pharisey the sonne of a Pharisey then there arose a debate betwene the Phariseis and the Saduces and the multitude was deuided And certaine Phariseis rose vp
yeare Deute 26. and theyr clothes waxed not old nor their shoes were not consumed vpon their fete Ther was a certain man at Listra the which was a crepel from his mothers wombe Actes 14. and neuer had walked vnto whome Paul loking vpon him saide with a loude voyce Stande vpright on thy fete and he start vp and walcked Nume xxii Balaam commyng to curse gods people was reproued of the asse that he rode vpon Iosu. iii. After that the children of Israell were entred into the floud of Iordan the waters that came downe from aboue did swell and rise vp vppon an heape like a mountaine and the waters that were beneath departed into the dead or salt Sea Iosue vi After that the children of Israell had compassed the city of Iericho vii times the wall fell downe Iosu. x. Our Lord obeyed to Ioâ—ues vow sayinge Sunne stand thou still vpon Gabeon Iosu vii Our Lord sent the sweard into al the hostes of the Medianites they slue one a nother so that by a fewe many were ouercommed and discomfited iii. Reg. v. By our Lordes Arke the whiche the Philistines toke were many miracles shewed i. Reg. xiiii Ionathas and his Harnesse bearer destroyed so manye of the Philistines that it was taken for a myracle and al the hostes were troubled This likewise was no smal thing that Dauid 1. regum 17 beinge but yonge inexpert and vnarmed preuailed against that stronge and armed Philistiane Goliah It is red 3. regum 17 that Helias did miracles as when he asked of God such a drought that it rained not vpon th earth for the space of thre yeres and a half Likewise the rauens brought him bread and flesh twise euery day 3. regum 17 Consequentlye he reuiued the womans childe 3. regum 17 Afterward through praiers 3. regum â—8 he obtained of God fire that wonderfully consumed the burnt sacrifice and after hys Prayer there was a greate raine After this the angell of oure Lorde shewed him breade and water 4. regum 1. And throughe his praiers the fire burnte vp ii captains ouer fiftye with theyr fiftyes At length he deuided the waters of Iordan with his mantel 4. regum 2 and was taken vp in a charet of fire into heaueÌ„ 4. regu 4. Many like thinges are wrytten of Helizeus for the increased the poore widowes oyle that was indetted 4 regu 4. The selfe obtained a childe for the sunamite And after it was departed he reuiued it againe 4. regu 4. He cast meale into the pottage that was firste bitter and made it sweete And multiplied the loues for the prophets children 4. regum 5. He healed Naaman the Sirian of his leprosy 4. regum 6 He maketh yron to swim vpon the water 4. regum 6 He knew many thinges being absent as though he had bene present And caused his seruaunt to see the firy charets of Aungels And he smote the hoastes of the Assiryans wyth blindnesse 4. reg 7.8 Uery often he prognosticated thinges that were to come 4. regu 13. The carkase of a certain dead man touchinge the bodye of Elizeus reuiued 4. regu 19. Whan king Sennacherib besieged the city of Laâ—his three were slayne of his men in one night an hundred foure score and fiue thousande in the daies and time of king Ezechiell The children of Ammon 2. Para. 20. of Moab of the mount of Seir gathered theÌ„ selues together against kinge Iosaphat and what time the Leuites began to laud and praise GOD in the hoast of Iosaphat their aduersaries tourninge theyr weapons agaynste them selues and murthered one an other Thys thynge was verye maruailous 4. reg 20 that the Sunne at the peticyon of Ezechia wente ten lines or degrees backewarde in the Dyall of Achaz Tobias was foure yeares blinde Tob. 11. but afterwardes by the angels counsell he annoynted his eyes wyth the gall of the Fishe and receyued hys sighte The myracle of Daniels three fellowes Daniel 3. and howe magnificentlye they were deliuered from the fornace of burning fire is worthye to be remembred Daniell 6. Likewise how that Daniel remained vii daies with the Lions vnhurted Ionas 1.2 By Ionas occasion the Sea was sore troubled but after they had cast him into the Sea a fishe swallowed him vp and he liued there thre dais and afterwardes escaped and came out safe and sounde 2. Macha 3 Heliodorus proued the mighte and power of God when he woulde haue spoyled the temple For he was beaten and scourged of two yonge men very greuously 2. Macha 8 There pearished againste the Galathians in Babilon .6000 menne throughe the aid of 12000. men sente vnto them from heauen Luke 1. The Angell of our Lord appeared vnto Zachary declaringe vnto hym from God that Helizabeth his baren and old wife shuld beare him a sonne the which geuinge no credence to the Aungels wordes was made domme vntil the childe was circumcised and then his speache was restored him againe And this was very maruelous that Ihon Luke 1. being yet in his mothers woÌ„b reioysed and sprange at the salutation of blessed Mary the whiche hadde newly conceiued oure sauioure And when blessed Elizabeth knewe it she reioysed saying Blessed arte thou among women And also that there came wise men from the East to Ierusalem Mathe. 2. a starre leading and going before them Oure Lorde Iesus beinge called to the marriage Ihon. 2. at the beginnynge of hys miracles tourned water into wine Nor this was no small miracle of our Lord Luke 4. that he whan they of Nazareth filled with wrathe led him euen to the edge of the hill that they mighte caste him downe headlonge went hys way euen thorow the middest of them And Iesus wente aboute Math. 4. and they brought vnto him all sicke people he healed them As for the miracles which oure sauioure vouchsaued to do beinge conuersaunt amonge the people are gathered out of the Euangelicall historye For he reuiued thre deade men that is the Doughter of Iaâ—rus the Archsinagoge Math. 9. and the widowes soÌ„ne that was caried oute of the Citye Luke 7. The thyrde was Lazarus Ihon. 11. After that he healed a leuen leapers Of the one Math. viii Luke v. Of the other ten Luke xvii Afterwardes he gaue syxe blynde men theyr syght Of two Math. ix of other two Math. xx Of one other Mark viii Of hym that was borne blinde Ihon. ix He deliuerd vii specially that wer possessed of Deuils Of two of them Mathew viii Of the one of them the whyche was mooste famous whose name as he saide was called Legio is touched Luke viii Of one other the whyche was blinde and dumme Math. xii Of a certaine Lunatyke the whiche coulde not bee delyuered but by Prayer and Fastinge Math. xvii Marke ix And of an other vncleane spirite that was caste
shewed to the liuing he reserueth for the dead Boom did commend Ruth that fled to the GOD of Israell ruth 3. and sayde Blessed arte thou in oure Lorde for thou hast shewed more goodnesse and mercy in the latter end than at the beginning Hely blessed Elkana and his wife and saide vnto him 1. regum 2. Oure Lorde geue the seede of this woman for that she hath lent our Lord or for the peticion that she hath made vnto the Lorde The Ziphites sēt word vnto Saul 1. regum 23 that Dauid lurked in theyr countrey And Saule said Blessed are ye in our Lord for ye haue compassyon on me It was told Dauid that they of Iabes had buried Saule 2. regum 2. and hee sayde vnto them Blessed are ye vnto oure Lord that ye haue shewed such kindnesse vnto your Lord Saul and haue buried him King Salomon turnes his face 3. regum 8. and blessed al the congregation of Israel and all the Congregation of Israell stode still When Dauid had made an ende of the burnt offeringes 1. Para. 16◠and peace offeringes he blessed the people in the name of our Lord. And he dealte to all Israell bothe man and woman a craknell of bread and a good peece of fleshe and a flacket of wyne Raguel takyng the right hande of hys daughter Tob. 7. gaue her into the right hand of Tobias saying The God of Abraham the God of Isaac and the God of Iacob be with you Ioyne you together and fulfyll hys blessynge in you He kyssed Tobye and wepynge toke hym aboute the necke and sayd Tob. 9. Gods blessinge haue thou my sonne for thou arte the sonne of a good vertuous man Gabelus goyng into the house found Tobi he wepte and sayde the god of Israel blesse the for thou art the sonne of a ryghte vertuous and iuste man and of one that feareth god Osias the chefe ruler of the people of Israel sayd vnto Iudith blessed art thou of Our lorde the hye god Iudi. 13. aboue all wemen vpon earth And afterwardes all the elders began to prayse her wyth one voyce Iudit 15 sayinge Thou worshyp of Ierusalem thou ioye of Israell c. And it fortuned that when Elizabeth heard the salutacion of Mary LuK. 1. she cryed with a loude voyce and sayde Blessed art thou amonge wemen c. ¶ Of the malediction and cursse wherwith man dothe cursse man ca. ix IT is red that Noah amonge all other menne was the fyrst that cursed Chanaan his nephew Gen. 9. because that C ham hys father disclosed the nakednesse of Noah to the reste of his brethren when that he should rather haue kept it close Amonge the wordes of benediction that Isaac gaue to Iacob hys sonne Gen. 27. He sayd Cursed be he that curseth thee and blessed be he that blesseth thee Iacob sayd vnto Simon and Leuis father Gen. 49. cursed be their wrathe For it was shamelesse their indignation and fearcenesse for it was harde and cruell Balac sente messengers vnto Balaam Nume 22. that he should come curse the people of Israel Nume 22. for he had heard him to be acursed vpon whom maledictiō or curse fell or chaunced Who so curseth hys father or his mother Leui. 20 let him dye Moyses writeth and setteth for the Deu. 27. manye maledictions curses agaynst those that transgresse goddes cōmaundementes deliuered vnto them The Citie of Hiericho beynge destroyde Iosua sware Iosu. 6. saying cursed be the mā before our lord that riseth vp and buildeth this cyte Hiericho The Sickemites when they were eating and drinckinge and mery Iudi. 49. dyd curse Abimelech Goliah the philistine cursed Dauid in the name of his goddes 1. reg 17. Saule purposinge to ensue and folowe the philistines 1. regu 14 charged the people with an oth saying Cursed be the man that eateth anye foode tyl night vntil I be auenged of mine enemies Semei came out cursing he caste stones at Dauid 2. reg 16. sayd come forthe thou bloudsheder and thou man of Belial Eliseus cursed the chyldren that mocked him 4. reg 2. saying go vp thou balde head go vp thou bald head And there were torne in peeces with .ii. beares .xlii. chyldren When Machabeus layde sege to a certen holde named Gazer 2. mach 10. they that were within curste and bande excedingly And made great craking with wycked wordes The Pharisees berated and cursed him that was borne blynd whom our Lord Iesus dyd illuminate Iohn 9. And they sayd Be thou his disciple The Iewes reproued Paule saying Reuilest and cursest thou goddes hye Priest Actes 23. But Paule excused hym selfe and sayd I wyste not brethren that he was the hie priest and gouernoure ¶ Of the seuerite of god against the wicked ca. x. GOd punished the sinne of our first parentes greuously Gen. 23. the whiche as they beleued was veniall that it shuld not haue ben punished so extremely God spared not the original world but welnye destroyed it wholye with water Gen. 7. The .v. cities were consumed with stinkinge fyre be the angels sent from god Gen. 19. for bogery The Egiptians perceyued that the chyldren of Israel were drowned and sanke as leade Exo. 14.15 god cōmaundinge the same in the mightie waters Because Amalech people did let the children of Israel goinge to the lande of promise Exo. 17. Oure lorde sayd to Moses I will vtterly put out the remēbraūce of Amalech from vnder heuen For the calfe sake that the people worshipped Exo. 32. there fell in one daye aboute 3000. men There went a fyre oute from oure lorde and consumed Nadab and Abihu Leui. 10. the sonnes of Aaron because they tooke eyther of them his censor and putte straunge fyre therin and cens thereupon And offered it before oure Lorde Oure Lorde cōmaunded the cursed Leui. 24. speaker to be broughte wythoute the hoste and let all the multitude stone hym And while the fleshe that our lorde sent Nume 11. the children of Israell beholding and seing the same was yet betwene theyr tethe Our Lord smote the people with an exceading great plague Our Lorde plaged Marye with the Leper Nume 12. because she spake against Moses Of 600. thousand men the whiche were nombred shall none come into the land of promise and that for their sinnefull dealinge Nume 14 saue Caleb and Iosue as our Lorde did threaten them He that was found gatherynge of stickes vpon the Sabboth daye Nume 15. was stoned to deathe by Gods commaundement Our Lord consumed Chorath Dathan and Abiram Nume 16 wyth a terryble deathe Oure Lorde punished Moses greuouslye at the water of strife Nume 20. because he doubted and yet vntil then he had born him self very holily faithfully as wel vnto God as to man Our Lord sent fiery serpentes amonge the people Nume 21. because they
I may proue them whether they wyl walk in my law or no. And whan oure LORDE spake wyth Moses Exo. 20. all the people hard their voyces and the sounde of the trompe and sawe the Lampes the Lyghteninge and the mountaine smokinge And beinge afraid they said vnto Moses Talk thou with vs. c. Moses said feare not for GOD is come to proue you and that his feare may be in you that ye sinne not Oure LORDE dyd not put all the people cleane away from the land of promission Iudi. 2. that through them Israel might proue whether they wold kepe his commaundementes Our Lord lefte Ezechias to be proued that all suche thinges as was in hys heart and minde 4. reg 20. at the comming of the king of Babilons messengers might be knowen It is written that God after that Toby was made blinde Tobi. 2. suffered that temptation to happen vnto him that they whiche came after myghte haue an example of his pacience Iudith speakinge of the children of Israell Iudi. 8. the whyche Holofernes thoughte to destroye sayd that they shuld call to remembraunce how theyr fathers in times paste were tempted that they in like maÌ„ner might be proued whether they worshypped theyr God a right or no. Iob for the great tribulations that he suffred Iob. 23. said of him selfe He hathe proued and tride me as the golde in the fyre Dauid desyred of our Lorde sayinge Examen me O Lord psal 25. psal 138. and proue me O Lord thou hast proued me c. Our Lord Iesus walkynge on the sea commaunded Peter to come vnto him Mat 14. But when he saw a myghty winde he was afraid Oure Lorde saide vnto Phillippe whence shall we by bread Iohn 6. that these maye eate Thys he sayde to proue hym Peter said maruail not that ye are proued as golde by fire 1. pet 4. which thyng is to try you ¶ That man should not tempt God ¶ The .xiiii. Chapter ABraham going towards Egipt did wiselye that he confessed not that Sara was his wife Gen. 12â— 20. for if if he had so said he might haue brought both him self and her into daunger And Isaac did in like manner For if he had done so Gen. 26. he in a manner as saithe s. Augustine had tempted oure Lord. The children of Israel teÌ„pted oure Lord very often in wildernes Nume 14. When the children of Israell were ouerthrowne in battaile by the Philistines 1. regu 4. they brought the Arke of our Lord with them into the battail it was taken and they were smitten with a great plage Dauid knewe that he was anoynted kinge 1. reg 22.23 and that he shoulde raigne after Saul as Samuel had promised and yet he wold not put him self in any ieopardy but did to kepe him selfe that he might possible When that an horrible great fishe inuaded Toby Tob. 6. he taried not that thangel shuld deliuer him that which thyng he might easely quickly haue done but he toke the fishe by the gil drue him to the dry land Ozias had promised and appoynted with the people Iudi. 8. that he if there came no healpe after fiue daies were paste would geue vp them selues and the city to Holofernes Iudith said vnto the elders of the city what are ye that ye do tempt our Lord Thys deuice or woordes optaineth no mercye Our Lorde was tempted by the deuil that he shuld cast hym self downe headlyng from the pinacle of the temple Mat. 4. But he saide to him Luke 4. Thou shalt not tempt the LORDE thy God For he mighte haue descended other waies The Pharises wyllynge to tangle Iesus in his wordes Mat. 22. caused to be demaunded of him whether it wer lawful to geue Cesar tribute or no. Iesus perceiuinge their wickednesse saide why tempt ye me ye hipocrites When he had caste out the Deuel the dombe spake certaine there were that teÌ„pted him Luke 11. and requyred of hym a signe from heauen Peter rebuking Saphira Ananias wife verye sharplye Act. 5. saide wherefore haue ye conspired together to lie and to tempt the holy ghoste Paule in that thinge that by humaine industrye he could do him self Act. 9. loked for no miracle or healpe And therfore whan the Iewes laid watch for him at Damasco he caused hym selfe to be let downe through the wal in a basket And whan they hadde hym bounde with thonges Act. 22. and that the Tribune would haue punished Paule he saide that he was a Citezen of Rome Act. 23. And againe he saide that he was a Pharisey and that to make dissention amonge the Iewes Act. 25. And whan he had an vnrighteous iudge he appealed vnto Cesar. Of vowes Ca. xv Iacob goinge vnto his vncle Labans house Gen. 18. after the vision that was shewed him vowed a vow saying If God will be with me c. King Arad the Cananite fought againste Israell Nume 21. and hauing the vpper hand and victory ouer them He toke some of them prisonners But Israel vowed a vow vnto our Lord and afterwardes ouercame them Iepte foughte against the chyldren of Ammon Iudi. 11. vowed a vowe vnto oure Lord sayinge If thou wilte delyuer the chyldren of Amon into my handes c. Anna praide vnto oure lorde and sore weping vowed a vow 1. regu 1. and saide O lorde of hostes if thou wylte geue me a man childe I wyl geue him vnto our lord Absalon willing to rebel agaynst his father king Dauid 2. regu 15 said vnto him I wil go nowe to Hebron and paye my vowe whiche I haue vowed vnto oure lorde For thy seruaunt vowed a vow when he was in Gesur in the lande of Siria saying If oure lorde shall brynge me again to Ierusalem I wil do sacrifice vnto our lord Asa the kinge of Iuda offered vp 2. Para. 15. those thinges in the house of our lord that his father had vowed and dedycated vnto our Lord euen siluer gold and diuers other vessel And the people reioysed when they were so willinge to make theyr vowes 1 para 19. for wyth all theyr heartes they offered theyr goodes vnto our Lorde And Dauid the kinge reioysed wyth great gladnesse And the children of Israel and Iuda brought in and offred their tithes 2. para 31. which they had vowed and consecrated vnto our Lord. King Artarerzes commaunded Esdâ—as and the people 1. Esd. 7. that they shoulde brynge giftes vnto our Lorde God of Israel the which they had vowed and promised our Lord. All the people after the victorye came to Ierusalem to praise and geue thankes vnto our Lord Iudi. 16. and they all offered burnt offeringes their vowes and promises The men that were in the shyppe where Ionas the Prophet was Ionas 1. feared exceadingly doing sacrifices and making vowes vnto our Lord. 2. Mach. 3. Heliodorus purposing to spoile
Nume 28. and vppon other daies but one except in solempne feastes kalendes And that to declare that in festiual daies men shuld honor god more reuerently and aboundauntlye then other daies The man that was takē gathering of stickes vpon the Saboth day Nume 15. was by Goddes commaundemente stoned with stones of all the people Nehemias saw some treading wine presses 2. Esd. 13. and bringing of burthens to be solde vpon the Saboth day and he rebuked them as breakers of the Sabothe The gentiles which held with Antiochus appoynted to fighte vpon the Sabboth daies against certen Iewes that were fled out of Iewry 1. mach 2. but they casted not one stone at thē nor made faste theyr preuy places but said we will die all in oure innocencye But yet it is to be obserued and noted that notwythstandynge that in thys thing they shewed a Deuotyon towardes Goddes commaundemente yet inas much as they perceiued afterwardes that therby Gods people myghte be scattered and loste they toke better counsel sayinge What soeuer he be that cometh to make battell wyth vs vpon the saboth day we wil fight against him for why to fighte for the defēce of mans life or for the lawe of God is no seruile worke or labour Iudas Machaheus his companye fought against Nicanor his hoste 1. mach 7. slue 5000. men put the rest to flit◠But yet they followed not the chase because it was the day before the saboth Nicanor thought withal his power to strike a field vpon a Sabboth day Neuerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to go with him 2. mach 15. said O do not so cruelly and vnkindlye but halow the Saboth daye The Pharisies saide vnto the Disciples that did plucke and eat the eares mat 12. of corne 1. regu 21. ye do that which is not law full to do vpon the Sabboth day But the Lorde saide vnto them haue ye not read what Dauid did c. Then followeth The sonne of manne is also LORDE euen of the Sabbothe daye We do read that oure sauioure dyd many miracles vppon the Sabbothe day Mat. 12. as it is manifest thorow oute all the Gospell and for that ther may be assigned thre causes Fyrste to shewe hym self to be the Lord. Mat. 12. The seconde to open the true vnderstanding of the precept and commaundement for mē oughte not to cease from all woorkes vpon the Saboth Luke 6. Whether is it lawful on the Sabboth dayes to do good or to do euel Luke 12. to saue ones lyfe or to destroy it The thyrde that he myghte edifye and profet all that sawe hym and hard him When Christe had healed the woman which was bowed together the ruler of the Sinagoge disdayned Luc. 13. because that he had healed on the Sabbothe daye and saide There are syxe daies in which men ought to worke in them come that ye maye be healed and not on the Sabboth day But the Lord answered hym and said Thou hipocrite doth not eche one of you on the Sabboth day lose his Oxe or hys Alfe from the stal and lead him to the water And ought not this doughter of Abraham whome Sathan hathe bound lo 18. yeares be loosed frō this bonde on the Sabboth day And when he thus sayd all his aduersaries were ashamed all the people reioysed on all the excellent deedes that wer done by him The holy women which had prepared swete odours Luke 23. to anoynt our lords body kept the sabboth day so strictly that on that they would not anoynte so precious and holy a bodye So they rested the Sabboth daye according to the commaundement Oure Lorde laye in the Sepulchre on the Sabboth daye Ihon. 1◠The Sabboth day was moste apte and conuenient to heare the worde lawe of God Act. 13. and the prophetes The whiche are read euery Sabooth day ¶ Of the reuerence that ought to be done exhibited to Gods Temple ca. xx OUR Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying Exo. 30. Thou shalt make a lauer of brasse to washe withall and putte water therin Aaron and hys sonnes shall washe their handes and theyr feete therin euen when they goe into the tabernacle of wytnesse Nume 4. It was lawfull but for a fewe to entre into the tabernacle or to touch the vessell 3. regu 6.7 Salomon was muche more dylygente and feruente in the edification and buyldynge of Goddes Temple then in buildynge of hys owne house For he accomplyshed Goddes house in seauen yeares and hys owne in thyrtene Yea he began soner to build the Temple than his owne house 3. regu 8. Salomon made greate solemnite in the buyldyng of the Temple 4. regu 11. Ioiada the byshoppe commaunded that Athalia shoulde be brought oute and not to be slayne in oure Lordes Temple Oure Lorde semed to haue greate cure and care for the Temple when that he commaunded Sirus the kyng of Percia Esd. 1. ca. 1. Esd. 45. to buylde hym an house at Ierusalem And it is vnderstanded of a materyall Temple As the texte dothe declare And Esaye declared the same two hundreth yeares before After that the Iewes were returned from the captyuite of Babilone they beganne to buylde the Temple 1. Esd. 3. or euer they edified or made the walles of the Citie notwythstandynge that they hadde manye ennemyes whome they feared bothe daye and nyghte Tobias is muche coōmended which wente to Ierusalem vnto the Temple of our Lord Tobi. 1. and ther worshypped and prayd vnto the Lorde After that they had optayned the vyctorye of theyr enemyes the which had defyled the Temple 1. Mach. 4. Iudas and hys brethren or euer they made any mention of theyr owne houses sayd beholde oure ennemyes are dyscomfyted Let vs nowe go vp to clense and to repayre the Sanctuary Kynge Demetrius ordayned that who soeuer fledde vnto the Temple at Ierusalem or within the liberties or coste thereof 1. Mach. 10 shoulde as thoughe they wer fallen into the kinges daunger for anye maner of busynesse be pardoned The Iewes goynge to make battayle agaynste Nicanors hoste 2. Mach. 15. hadde pryncipally more solycitude care and feare for the holye Temple then for theyr wyues chyldren brethren and kynsfolkes At the fortie dayes ende Our lorde woulde be broughte and offerd in the Temple Luke 2. And when he was twelue yeares olde Luke 2. he was founde disputing in the Temple Afterwardes he droue oftentymes the byers and sellers out of the Temple Ihon. 2. Luke 19. And manye times he taughte and did miracles in the Temple Oure Lord doth reproue the Pharises whiche sayde that the golde of the Temple was more holy Mat. 23. than the Temple After that the Apostles had receyued the holye ghoste Peter and Iohn went vp into the Temple Act. 3. at the nine houre of prayer And euen then was the fyrste myracle of healthe shewed
that was done after the assention of oure Lorde The aungell of oure Lorde whiche by nyghte opened the pryson doores Act. 5. and brought the Apostles forth sayd goe stande and preache in the Temple to the people all the woordes of this lyfe The Enuke Quene Candace of the Ethiopians chamberlayn Act. 8. is commended that he came oute of Ethiopia to Ierusalem to worshyppe And note that he sittynge in hys Charetâ— Reade Esaye the Prophette The whyche thynge maketh verye sore agaynste manye goynge to sanctyfyed and holye places the whyche nether read nor yet declare any holy documents or lessons but multiply vain and trifling wordes only Thoughte the Iowes persecuted Paule wyth muche hatred Act. 21. yet they woulde not murther hym in the temple but drue him out of the temple the they myght kill him withoute the region of the temple beinge vntouched and vndefiled ¶ Of the adoration and worshipping of God Ca. xxi IT came to passe Gen. 4. the Caine broughte and offered of the frute of the grounde an Oblation vnto the Lord. Abel also offered of the first â—inges of his shepe and of the fat ther of and our Lord had respect vnto hys oblation Enoch the sonne of Seth began to call vpon the name of God Gen. 4. Noe builded an aultare vnto oure Lord Gen. 8. and toke of euery cleane beast and of euery cleane foule and offered sacrifices and oure Lorde smelled a swete sauour Oure Lorde appeared vnto Abraham in the land of Canaan Gen. 12. and saide vnto hym Unto thy seede wil I geue this lande And there buylded hee an aultare vnto our Lord that appeared vnto him When Abraham had lyfted vp hys eies ther appeared iii. men standyng by him Gen. 18. And wheÌ„ he saw them he fel to the grounde and worshipped them saying Lorde if I haue founde grace and fauour in thy sighte go not from thy seruaunte Abraham being prepared and ready to offer vp in sacrifice vnto GOD his onlye sonne Isaac Gen. 22. oure Lorde otherwise prouiding therfore he offered a Ram. Our lorde appeared vnto Isaac in Bersabe Gen. 26. and said feare not for I am with thee And he builded an aultare there vnto our Lord. And God saide vnto Iacob aryse and get the vp to Bethell Gen. 35. and dwell there And make there an altare vnto God that appeared vnto the when thou fleddest from the face of Esau thy brother When the children of Israell harde that our Lorde had visited them Exo. 4. and had loked vppon theyr trybulatyon they bowed theyr heade and worshypped And after that our Lord had spoken vnto Moses of the religion of Phase and of the destruction of the first born in the land of Egipt Exo. 12 Then there followeth The people bowed them selues and worshypped Ietro sayde to Moses bee thou vnto the people to godwarde Exo. 18 that thou mayste bringe theyr causes to God And thou shalte teache them the ceremonies and ordinaunces the waye to worshyp god And oure Lorde sayd vnto Moses come vp vnto the Lord Exo. 24 thou and Aaron Nadab and Abihu and the 70. elders of Israel and ye shal worship far of And after a few words ther dothe folow They offred peace offrynges that is xii calues vnto the Lorde And our Lord coÌ„maunded to make him a tabernacle Exo. 25 with diuers vtensiles and ministers to be ordayned to minister to his honor and worship as it is manifest in diuers Chapiters of Exodus The firste of the ten Commaundements is Exo. 20 Thou shalt haue no straÌ„ge gods Thou shalt make the no graueÌ„ Idoll Thou shalt not worship them neyther serue theim Deut. 6. And in a nother place Mat. 4. Thou shalt worshyp the Lord thy God and hym onlye shalte thou serue The angell of God sayd vnto Manne Samsons father Iudi. 13. if thou wilt offer a burnt offering thou muste offer it vnto the Lord. Elcana Samuels father wente vp out of his city at certain appointed or feastful daies 1. regu 1. to pray and to offer vnto the lord of hostes in Silo. The sin of Helis children was very great before our lorde 1. regu 2. for they wythdrue meÌ„ from the sacrifice of the lord And as Samuel offred the burnt offring the Philistines came to fyghte against Israel 1. regu 7. But our lord thuÌ„dred a great thundre the same daye amonge the Philistines and put them in such a feare that they fel and were slayne before Israell Salomon wente to offre vnto oure lord at Gabaon 3. regu 3. he offred a thousaÌ„d burnt offringes and the lord apeared vnto him in a dreme by night Salomon after the temple was edified stode before thaltare of our Lord 3. regu 8. in the sight of al the congregation of Israel stretching out his hands toward heauen kneled vpon bothe his knees and praid King Dauid gaue muche diligeÌ„ce to amplify increse the worship honor of our lord 1. Para. 15. vnto 25 in the number of singing men and prestes After that the children of Israell were returned from the captiuity of Babilon 2. Esd. 9. they red in the booke of the law of our lord iiii times on the day and iiii times on the night and worshipped the lord their God When all the Children of Israell wente to the golden Calues Tobi. 1. Thoby fled al theyr companies and got him to Ierusalem vnto the temple of god and there worshipped oure Lord god of Israel When Iob had hard the wordes of the messengers declarynge vnto hym the losse of his substance Iob. 1. he stode vp and fallinge downe vppon the grounde worshypped and sayde Naked came I oute of my mothers wombe and naked shall I tourne thither agayne Notwithstanding it was prohibyted that no manne should desyre any peticyon Dani. 6. eyther of anye God or man wythin thirtye dayes but onlye of kynge Darius yet Danyell kneeled downe vppon hys knees three tymes a daye in hys house and made hys peticion and prayer and praysed hys Lord God The wyse men went into the house and founde the Chylde wyth Marye hys mother Mat. 2. and fell downe flat and worshypped hym Beholde the deuotyon of a meruelous humility what shuld we christianes then do to the lord our god that now doth raygne if the gentyles did such reuerence to a child that wept When Iesus was come down from the mouÌ„tain Mat 8. ther came a leper worshipped him saying Lord if thou wylte thou canst make me cleane The manne that was borne blynd fallynge on hys knees worshypped hym Iohn 9. The disciples after the Lordes resurrection worshipped him Mat. 28. The priest and the people of Listra lokynge vppon Paule and Barnabas Act. 14. beleuing them to be Goddes wold haue done sacrifice vnto them But they forbode them Ihon fel before the angels feete to worship him
Apo. 19 he said vnto him Se thou do not for I am thy fellowe seruaunt worship God ¶ Of Idolatry Ca. xxii ANd when the people saw that it was long or Moses came downe from the mountaine Exo. 32. they gathered them selues together againste Aaron said Make vs Gods to go before vs. The people of Israell commytted Whoredome with the doughters of Moab Nume 23. whiche called them vnto the sacrifice of their gods And the people did eat and worshipped theyr gods When Iosua the son of Nun was dead Iudi. 2. the children of Israell dyd wyckedly in the sight of oure Lord serued Baalim and Astraroth and forsake the Lord God of their fathers All Israel went a whoringe in Ephod that Gedeon made Iudi. 8. which thing became a ruine vnto Gedeon and to all his house Salomon was old women depraned and turned his hart to folowe after other Gods 3. regu 11. and his hart was not perfect After that Ieroboam hadde taken counsel 3. regu 12. be made two calues of gold and saide Beholde Israel these are thy Gods whiche broughte you oute of Egipt It suffised not Achab king of Israell to walcke in the sinnes of Ieroboam 3. regu 16. but furthermore he serued Baal and worshipped him Iuda made them altares Idolles and groues on euery hie hil 3. reg 14 and vnder euery thicke tree Achaz king of Iuda walked in the way of the kinges of Israell 1. regu 16. and Iuda yea and consecrated his soÌ„ne and made him to go thorow the fire after the abhominations of the heathen wheÌ„ the children of Israel wer translated and caried amonge the Assirians diuers natyons and stronge people wer brought and put into the cyties of Samaria 4. râ—gu 17. And euerye natyon made them gods of their owne And when they shuld serue our lord they serued their goddes also after the custome of the people Sennacherib being confounded and put to rebuke and shame 4. regu 19. retourned from the impugnatyon of Esechia kynge of Iuda to Niniue And as he was praying and worshippynge hys Nefrach in the temple Adramelech Sarasar his ii soÌ„nes smote him with the sweard and escaped Manasses king of Iuda rered vp altares for Baall 4. regu 21. worshipped all the host of heauen and serued them Iudi. 6. Holofernesse taking great indignation against Achior that setforth and much coÌ„mended the power of the god of the Hebrues Said that he woulde shew him that there was none other God but Nabuchodonozor Dani. 3. Nabuchodonozor made a golden Image and commaunded that al people kinreds and tounges should fall downe and worship it Darius king of Pers made and put forth a commaundement Daui 6. that no maÌ„ within 30. daies should require anye peticion of God or man but onely of king Darius There was at Babylon an Idoll called Bell Dani. 14. hym the kynge dyd worship and honor dailye But after that Daniel had destroied him they of Babilon worshipped a dragon Antiochus coÌ„manded idols to be worshipped 1. Mach. 1. that they should edifye set vp altares aâ—d temples and offer vp swines flesh and that meÌ„ shuld leaue their children vncircumcised When Paul was abiding at AtheÌ„s his sprite Act. 17. when he saw the city geueÌ„ to worshippinge of Idols was moued in him Of blasphemy against God Ca. 23. THe Israelitish womans sonne was stoned to deathe by Gods commaundemente Leui. 24. because he blasphemed the name of our Lord. Hely saide vnto his sonnes 1. regu 2. If one man sin against an nother our Lord maye be pacified and pleased but if a man sinne against the Lord who shal pray for him Nathan the Prophet did agrauate the sinne of Dauid 2. regu 12. sayinge because thou hast geuen the ennemies of the lord a cause to rail and to blaspheme his name The manne of God said vnto Ahab kinge of Israel 3. reg 20. Because the Sirians haue said Our Lorde of hilles is but theyr Lorde and he is not god of valleis therefore will I deliuer all thys greate multitude into thy hand and ye shal know that I am the Lord. 3. reg 21. It semeth that wicked Iezabel could not excogitate nor inuent a more greuous or a greater synne to cause Naboth shortly to be stoned to death theÌ„ blasphemye where wyth she falsly accused him 4. regu 19. The blasphemies that Sennacherib king of the Assirians seruauntes spake and vsed did greatlye displease God And therfore the anger of oure Lord smote in the hoste of the Assiryans an C.lxxx and .v. M. It is not expedient for symple men to dispute agaynst the blasphemies 4. regu 18. of infidels And for that cause kyng Hezechias forbad that the vnlearned people should not aunswere the blasphemies of Rabsaâ—is the Assiriane Holofernes disdayning that Achor had commended the powre of the god of heauen Iudi. 6. said vnto him for so muche as thou haste prophecyed that the people of Israell shal be defended of their god I wyll shewe the that their is no god but Nabuchodosor ye wheÌ„ we slay them all as one man When Hieremy rebuked the people because they dyd sacryfyce vnto straunge goddes Iere. 44. they answered we wyll in no wyse heare the worde of God but we wyll do sacryfyce vnto the quene of heauen like as we oure forefathers haue done For then were we in prosperitie nor no misfortune came vpon vs. Nabuchodonosor kyng of Babilon said vnto Daniell and his companions that woulde not worshyppe the golden Image Dani. 3. what god is ther that may deliuer you out of my handes In the daies and time of Antiochus certen wicked people of Israell gaue counsell sayinge Let vs go and make a couenaunte wyth the Heathen 1. Mach. 1. for sence wee departed frome them wee haue had muche sorowe Iudas Machabeus laying siege to a certen stronge holde 2. Mac. 20. A companye of the Hethen that were within it craked spake manye blasphemous and cursed wordes But within few dayes after they were burnt and consumed with fyre The Iewes saying vnto Nicanor There is a mighty Lorde in heauen 2. Mac. 15. that commaundeth the seuenth daye to be kept The wicked Nicanor said And I am myghtye vpon earthe to commaunde them for to arme them selues to performe the kings busines After that our Lord had healed and caste the deuyll oute of the blinde and the dumme man Mat. 12. LuKe. 11. The people were a mased but the Pharises blasphemed saying This fellowe driueth the deuyls no otherwise out but by the help of Belzebub the cheif of the deuyls Our Lord hanging vpoÌ„ the crosse Mat. 27. they that passed and went by reuyled and blasphemed him waggyng their heades c. The Iewes spake agaynste those thinges that Paule spake Act. 13.18 blaspheming and rayling against it ¶ Of Goddes preceptes
daunger of the fysh and his wise from the deuil he restored old Toby to hys sight and throughe him as well hys parentes as his companions and felowes were repleanished wyth dyuers consolations As truly as our Lord lyueth sayth Iudith Iudi. 13. hys aungell hathe kepte me going thither remaining there and comming hither again froÌ„ thence One of the Seraphins flewe vnto Esay Esa. 6. and cleansed him with a stone whyche he toke from the altare wyth the tonges The angell of God descended with Azaria and his felowes into the ouen or fornace of fyre Dani. 3. Daniel beynge wythin the den of Lions Dani. 6. sayde vnto king Darius commyng vnto him My God hathe sente hys aungell whyche hathe shutte the Lyons mouthes so that they myghte not hurt me Afterwardes the angell of our lord brought the prophet Habacucke oute of Iewry into Chalde Dani. 14. to beare Daniel his dinner There were diuers and great misteries shewed vnto Danyell by the ministery of angels Dani. 9.10.11 Machabeus and they that wer with him praid our Lord 2. Mach. 11. that he woulde send a good aungel to deliuer Israel Then there followeth Ther appeared before them an aungell in white clothyng The angel Gabriel to auaunce and â—pon the conception of Iohn the Baptist Luke 1. appeared vnto zachary And to denounce the conception of our sauiour Luke 1. the self angell Gabryell was sent of God vnto a city of Galile named Dauid or Nazareth And againe when oure Lord was borne the aungell of our Lorde slode harde by the Shepheardes Luke 2. and there was wyth the angel a multytude of heauenly souldyors praysing God c We rede also that thangell of our Lord appeared spake vnto Ioseph Mat. 1. fyrst before his natiuity saying fear not to take vnto the Mary thy wyfe Secondly after the adoration worshipping of the wise men Mat. 2. Mat. 2. Aryse and take the child and his mother goe into Egipt Thyrdly after Herodes death Take the child and his mother and go into the land of Israel After the departure of the deuil that tempted hym Mat. 4. the angels came and ministred vnto him And after hys supper and in hys prayer made in the garden Luke 22. there appeared an angel vnto hym from heauen comforting him Mat. 28. At the tyme of hys resurrection the angel of our Lorde came downe from heauen Iohn 20. Mar. xvi Lu. xxiiii At our Lords assencion behold two men stode by them in white apparell Act. 1. The chefe prestes rose vp and all they that were wyth hym laid handes on the Apostles Act. 5. and put them in common pryson But the aungell of oure lord by night opened the prison dores and broughte them forthe and fayde go and preache in the Temple to the people The angel of our Lord spake vnto Philip Act. 8. saying Arise and go toward the South c. Cornelius saw euidently about the ninth hour of the day Act. 10. an angel of god comming into hym and saying Cornelius c. And Peter being a slepe in Herodes pryson Act. 12. the aungel of oure Lorde was then present c. Kyng Herode arayed hym in royall apparel Act. 12. and set hym in hys seat and made an oration vnto theym and the people gaue a shoute saying It is the voyce of a God and not of a manne And immedyatelye the aungel of the lorde smote hym because he gaue not the honoure to God and he was consumed and eaten of worms and gaue vp the ghost There stode an aungell of God by Paule in the ship Act. 27. counsellyng him to be of good cheare sayinge feare not Paule Our Lord signifyed thinges which must shortly come to passe Apoca. 1. And after that he spake by hys angell vnto hys seruaunte Ihon whyche bare recorde of the woorde of GOD. c. And that booke is full of angelycall reuelatyons ¶ Of euill Spirites Ca. xxxii EUil spirites are sayd to be oure Lords 1. regu 16. because they are in gods power and what so euer they do they do it by God The euil spirit of God vexed Saule The deuyll killed Saras Raguels daughter vii husbandes Tobi. 3.8 but yet by the comming of Raphael the good angel was eiected Sathan had euen so muche power vpon Iobs cattell his house wherein his children did eat Iob. 1.2 and vpon his body how much the deuine prouydence did suffer him to haue The euil sprite made the maÌ„ fearce and cruel Mat. 8. And also he maketh a man vncleane for those ii demoniakes or possessed with deuils wer out of measure fearce Luke 8. dwelt laye in graues And the deuils desired to goe into the swine not into Lambs One of those ii was more famous then thother he ware no clothes he abode in no hous but in graues he was bounde wyth chaines kepte wyth fetters and he brake the bandes and was caryed of the fende into wildernesse This euel sprite maketh a manne bothe deafe and domme Mar. 7. and when the spirite taketh hym he knocketh and teareth him and he fometh and gnasheth with his tethe pineth away LuKe. 9. Mar. 9. often times he casteth him into fire water to destroy and lose him Oure Lorde refused the laude and praise of maligne spirites LuKe. 8. Holde thy peace quod he come out of the maÌ„ Mar. 1. Our Lord dyd forbid his discyples to reioyce that the euill spirites were vnder them Luke 10. and subdued vnto them as though they shuld not esteme that thing very greatly A certaine damsel possessed wyth a sprite the prophesied Act. 19. cryed out many a day after Paule hys fellowes But Paule being heuy therfore turned about and said to the sprite I commaÌ„d the in the name vertue of Iesu christ that thou come oute of her and he came out the same hour And note that Paule would not that the doctrine of truthe shuld be confirmed by the spirit of deceitfulnesse and falshode Certain of the Iewes toke vpon theÌ„ to cal ouer theÌ„ which had euil sprites the name of our Lord Iesus sayinge Act. 19. we adiure you by Iesu whome Paule preacheth And the euyl spryte answered and said Iesus I know and Paul I know but who are ye and the man in whome the euyll spryte was ran on them and ouercame them and preuailed againste them so that they fled out of that house naked and wounded ¶ Of the immortality of the resonable soule Ca. xxxiii FOr as much as it is saide of Abraham that he was put to his people Gen. 25. it is supposed that he had people in a nother world that is men which liued wel as he dyd We haue the lyke saying of Isaac He was put vnto hys people Gen. 35.49 And of Iacob And when Iacob beleued that hys
12. iustelye thynkynge and relygyouslye of the resurrection There was a manne in Ierusalem whose name was Simeon Luke 2. And the same manne was iuste and godly and loked for the consolation of Israell Oure Lorde goynge and ascending vp into heauen commaunded his disciples that they should not depart frō Ierusalem Act. 1. but to waite for the promise of the father When Paule perceiued that the one parte were Saduces Act. 23. and the other Pharisies he cryed oute in the counsell Men and brethren I am a Pharisy the sonne of a Pharisye Of the hope and resurrectiō from death I am iudged The Apostle doth monishe Timothe to charge them which are ryche 1. Timo. 6. that they be not vse minded nor trust in vncertaine richesse but in the lyuing God ¶ Of the feare of God Capi. xxxviii Gen. 3. UNtill the time that our beatitude and saluation be confirmed and stablished there can be no security nor sauegarde for the angels in heauen our first parents in paradise did trespasse Lot euen amonge those that were moste wycked Gen. 19. was good and yet departynge from Sodom with his two doughters vpon the mountaigne he sinned The want and lack of the feare of God Gen. 20. is the cause of synne and therfore Abraham sayd vnto Abimelech I thoughte wyth my selfe sayinge Parauenture the feare of God is not in thys place and they shal slaye me The midwiues feared God and he made them houses Exo. 1. Our Lordes wil was to make the children of Israell sore afrayde and therfore he gaue them his law wyth thunder Exo. 20. fire lightnyng noyse of the trumpe smoking mountaine and other signes most terrible A man oughte not to truste in the honesty of hys parents 1. regu 8. for Abraham hadde manye euyll chyldren and but one good Samuell hadde two and both naughts Dauid had many that wer euil Salomon had one euil sōne and folish and there are found many examples of other After the children of Israell were gone ouer the red sea Exo. 14 and that Pharaos hoste was drowned the people feared the Lord and beleued our lord and his seruaunt Moses Abdias which was the gouernour of Achabs house 3. regu 8 feared greatlye the God of Israel For when Iezabel destroyed the prophets of our Lorde he toke an hundred prophetes and hyd them fifty men in one caue and fifty in an other and prouided breade and water for them The men which the kinge of Babilon sent to inhabite Samaria feared not God 4. reg 17 and therfore our Lorde sent Lions among them the whyche destroyed and slue them Iosaphat set iudges thorowout al the cities of Iuda 2. Para. 19 commaunding thē aboue al other thinges that the fear of God shoulde be wyth them and to do al thyng wyth diligence For ther is no vnrighteousnes with the Lord our God Tob. 1.2 The elder Tobias taught his sōne from hys youth vp to fear God and to refraine from all sinne and caused those that feared God to be caulde to dine and to be meary with hym And he fearing God more then the kyng toke the bodyes of the slaine and buryed them And Sara Raguels daughter in her oration and prayer to our Lord Tob. 3. confessed saying An husbande haue I consented to take not for my pleasure but in thy feare The yonger Tobias hys frendes with the fear of our Lorde Tob. 9. helde the feast of the maryage Iudith was a widowe of a verye good report wyth euerye one Iudith 8. for she feared oure Lord greatlye and there was no body that spake an euil word of her Amonge al other thinges that Iob is commended for Iob. 1.2 the fear of God is most specially touched And therfore he saide I haue euer feared God as the swelling waues and floudes Thys is specially spoken of a strōg woman Iob. 31. a woman that feareth oure lord is worthy to be praised When Eleazarus was tormented and pressed with plages 2. Mach. 6. sore martirdome he said Thou o Lord knowest that wheras I might be delyuered from death I suffer these sore paines of my bodye but in my mynde I am wel content to suffer them because I feare thee A greate tempest beinge moued in the sea Ionas 1. the shypmen in whose companye was Ionas caste hym into the sea and the sea lefte ragyng and the men feared our Lorde exceadynglye doyng sacrifices and making vowes vnto our lord If any lord ought to be feared because he maye geue vnto man muche good a great deale more should God be feared because he can geue the hiest and greatest goodnesse of all For Thobias saithe Tobi. 4. My sonne hee not afraid we shal haue great good if we feare God And because that god can geue that Mat. 10. that is euyil also Chryste doth say feare hym whych is able to destroye bothe soule and bodye into hell If the seruaunt vnto whome a talent was committed Luke 19. was greuouslye punished because he dyd not multipli and encrease the same but kepte it and brought it again bound in a napkin what shall become of him that doth wast and spende all that euer he hath luxuriously and as much as lyeth in hym doth cōtrary and against our Lord They shall be greuouslye punyshed that haue done wickedly And so it apeareth that they shall be confounded that haue not done the works of mercy Mat. 25. For it shal be thus said vnto them departe from hence ye cursed into euerlasting fire Simeon was a iuste man a fearful and loked for the redemptiō and consolation of Israell Luke 2. And the fearfull and deuoute men dressed Steuen that was stoned to death by the Iewes Act. 8. and made great lamentacion ouer him It is wrytten that the churche or congregations after Paules conuersyon was edyfied and walked in the feare of our Lorde and was repleanished by the comforte of the holye ghoste By the occasion of Cornelius that feared God Act. 10. Peter sayde In all people he that feareth god and worketh rightousnesse is accepted with him ¶ Of the fear wher with the euill feare those that be good ¶ Capi. xxxix ABimelech said vnto Abraham God is with the in al that thou dost Gen. 21 And therfore sweare vnto me euen here by God that thou wilt uot hurt me The Egiptians that followed the children of Israel passyng by the middest of the sea Exo. 14 saide Let vs flye from the face of Israell for the Lord fyghteth for them againste the Egyptyans Saule consideryng that our Lorde was with Dauid 1. reg 18 began to fear him The captaine ouer fifty that came the thirde tyme to Hely 4. reg 1. spake reuerentlye vnto him and because the other two dyd not so they were consumed with fire that came downe from heauen It happened that when the wall of
compassion he bound vp his wouÌ„des and poured in oyle and wine It is declared that S. Steuen had a meruelous great loue to his neighbours the which praid more deuoutly for those that stoned hym to death Act. 7. than for hym selfe For them he kneled downe and cryed wyth a loude voyce But for him self he spake thus simplye Lorde Iesu receiue my spirite Paule did loue his neighbours inestimablye for he was to them as a mother that is in trauel Gala. 4. For he sayd vnto the Galathians My lyttle chyldren of whome I trauel in byrthe againe Item Paule is to his neighbour as a father that correcteth 1. Cor. 4. In Christ Iesu I haue begotten you thorowe the Gospel And a litle after Shal I com vnto you wyth a rod And to the Thessalonians Ye are wytnesses how that we haue prayed 1. Thes. 2 you comforted you as a father doth vnto his children And as a nourse the chearysheth and flattereth her chyldren And in a nother place Euen as to babes in Christ 1. Corin. 3 I gaue you milke to drynke And as a master and a Doctor instructing I am apoynted a preacher 2. Timo. 1 and Apostle and a teacher of the gentiles in faith and veriâ—y And as a labouring and a helpyng brother Phil. 4.1 My brethren dearly beloued and longed for I beseche Germaine my yoke felow And in a nother place I haue you the companyons of my ioye in the defendinge and stablyshyng of the Gospel And againe we be not Lords ouer your faith 2. Corin. 1. but are helpers of your ioy And as it were a Legate to those that be reconciled 2. Corâ—n 5. Now are we messeÌ„gers in the roume of Chrisâ— And Apostle bringing good tidinges ye know that I wold kepe backe nothinge that was profitable vnto you Act. 20. but to shew you teach you openly throughout euery house And in a nother place Act. 17. whome ye ignorauntlye worshyp him shew I vnto you 1. Corin. 3 And as a builder buyldynge As a wise builder haue I laid the foundatyon And yet neuerthelesse it maye be said that Paule by other wayes and meanes shewed him self to be a most feruent louer of his neighbours Because he did many thinges for them For he ether sustained them or eâ—sse he gaue them and procured for the power that he had not to geue them of those that had it Paule him selfe doth testify that he counselled and did for the vtility profit of hys neyghbors saying Act. 20. These handes haue ministred vnto my necessities to them that were wyth me For it is more blessed to geue then to receiue and al though it was a worke of supererogation considring he might haue receiued somwhat of them yet he did it to spare those he preached vnto I am ready saith he 2. Corin. 12 to come vnto you and yet wil I not be chargeable vnto you for I seke not yours but you Secondarely he toke nothynge that he myght cut of from the Pseudapostles the occasion of gloryfying In all things I kept my self so that I should not be chargeable to any man 2. Cor. 11. and so wyl I kepe my self What I do that wyll I do to cut away occasyon from them which desire occasioÌ„ that they might be found lyke vnto vs in that wherin they reioyse And again he procured that thereby he shoulde haue the greater rewarde We haue not vsed thys power to receiue any reward of you 1. Cor. 9. What is my reward then Uerely that when I preach the Gospell I make the Gospel of Christ fre Paule procured also of the congregatyon of Achaia to dystrybute geue to the pore that were in Iewry and therefore he caused collectyons 1. Cor. 16. 2. Cor. 9. to be gathered and induced the faythful effectuously to the same Item he that soweth lytleâ— shal reape lytle And he distributed vnto his neighbours the word of God wherwith he plentifullye abounded Ye and gaue him self to be profitable vnto his we woulde haue dealte vnto you not the gospel only but also our own soules because ye were dear vnto vs. ii Thes. ii And again he saith ii Cor. xii I will very gladlye bestowe and wyl be bestowed for your soules Furthermore Paule euen wyth hys owne body did meruelous thynges to conuert hys neighbours to the faith and to spiritual health by preaching disputing and iournyinge froÌ„ Damasco to Arabia and Ierusalem and to Antioche And then by the coÌ„maundement of the holy ghost wyth Barnabas he wente from Antioche to Cipers and from thence they sayled by Cicill and came to Persida Iconium Lycaoniam and ordeyned prestes and elders in euerye congregation And after that they had done muche good they retourned to Antioche Afterwardes Paule purposing to visite his brethren vnto whom he had preached the word of god he toke Sila with him and went to Siria Cilicia and from thence to Phrygia and Galatia and came to Mysia and after that beinge called he sailed into Macedonia And when he had done muche good at Thessalonia and in many other cities of that regyon he went to Athens and ther he disputed with certayn curious Philosophers And from thence he wente to Corinthum and there he conuerted muche people to our Lord. And then he toke his iourny to Ephesus and entred in to the sinagoge and dysputed wyth the Iewes And from thence he went to Cesaria Act. xvii and from Cesaria he cam to Antioche and after hee had taryed there a certaine time he tooke hys iourny towardes the country of Galatia and Phrigia and confirmed stablished al the disciples And when he had wandred ouer all the hye partes of the country he came agayne to Ephesus and taried there two yere disputing of the kingdome of God did so much that all they that dwelte in Asia both heathen and Iewes dyd heare the worde of God From theÌ„ce he returned by Macedonia Troyade and Miletum passing by manye other cities and Iles he came to Tire and from Tire he toke his iorney by Ptolomaidem and Cesaria came from thence to Ierusalem And there the Iewes toke hym drew hym bet him and falsly accused him before diuers iudges and manifestlye greued was constraind to appele vnto Cesar He was deliuered vnto the captain after the shyppe was broken many other pearyls he being bouÌ„d with chaines came to Rome ther beyng geuen to preaching and teachynge purposed to go into Spain Behold now how he loued those for whose sakes he suffred such and so manye paynes and pearils And Paule sayth we do all thynges dearly beloued for your edifying ii Cor. xii Also the sygnes of loue appeare when a man wil sustaine and suffer that is greuous for his frendes sake For it is wrytten Thou shalt not be ashamed to salute or defend thy freÌ„d and if any euill or hurt chaunce vnto
Hebrues 2. Cor. 11. Heb. 1. ¶ Of vndiscrete zele Capit. lii WHen Iosue Moses seruant saw two menne in the hooste that Prophesyed Nume 11. he sayde mayster Moses forbyd them And Moses saide vnto hym what enuyest thou for my sake Abisai the sonne of Seruia was willing to haue cut of Semeis head 2. regu 19. because he cursed Dauid that suffred Absolons persecutiō but Dauid wold not suffer that he shoulde haue anye harme or dammage The children of the Prophets constrayned Elizeus to sende menne to seeke hys mayster 4. regu 2 leaste happely the spirit of our Lord had taken him vp and cast him vpon some mountain or into some valey Ionas fled from the face and sight of God when hee commaunded him to preach to the Niniuites And afterwardes he was sorye and discontent Ionas 1.4 that the city pearyshed not as he had preached When oure LORD had shewed hys Disciples howe that he shoulde suffer manye thinges of the hye priestes and elders of the Iewes Mat. 16. and bee killed Peter began to rebuke hym sayinge Mayster fauor thy selfe this shal not happen vnto the. The Pharises did greatly contend for the obseruation of the Sabbothe Mar. 2. when they saw oure Lorde heale the sycke LuKe. 6. and hys disciples pluck the cares of the corne and rubbe them in theyr handes on that day The Pharises contended more for the traditions of man Mat. 15. than for the cōmaundementes of God And the people contēded more for the gould of the Temple Mat. 23. then for the temple and for the giftes of the aultare then for the aultare They brought children to our Lord that he should laye his handes vppon them Mar. 10. and pray And his disciples rebuked those that brought them But Iesus said suffer the children to come vnto me for bid them not for of suche is the kingdome of God When Mary had poured the pretious oyntment vpon the Lordes hed some of the disciples disdained Mar. 14. wer not content with her for the wast and losse of the oyntment Ihon forbade a certain mā that casted out deuils in our Lorde Iesus name Luke 9. because he folowed not them with other Disciples And Iesus saide vnto him forbid him not for he that is not against vs is with vs. LuKe. 9. When Iames and Ihon hard that the Samaritans wold not receiue the messengers of our Lorde they sayde Lord wilt thou that we commaunde fire to come downe from heauen and consume them Iesus turned about rebuked them sayinge ye wotte not what manner sprite ye are of Luke 22. Our Lord reproued Peter because he had stroken of the eare of the high prestes seruaunt For it was not christes time then to shew his power but his patience It appeareth that Ihon the Baptist Disciples bare no great good zeale towardes oure Lorde Iohn 3. when they sayde vnto Ihon their master Rabby he that was wyth thee beyonde Iordan the same baptiseth and all men come to him Ihon answered them rightwel and said a man can receiue nothyng except it be geuen him from heauen When that many sick folkes were brought out of the city Act. 5. and wer healed of Peter the chefe priest rose vp and all they that were with him wer ful of indignation Paule was a great folower of hys fathers traditions againste manye of his owne felowes when he made hauocke of the congregation Act. 8.9 entrynge into euery house and drawynge oute both men and women and thrustyng them into prison Likewise he obtayned letters of the hie Priest to the sinagog◠that was at Damasco that he if he found any ther that cald vpō the name of Christ might bringe thē bound vnto Ierusalem Act. 13. The Iewes perceiuing that almost the whole city came together to hear the worde of GOD that Paule and Barnabas dyd preache they wer ful of zeale and indignation and spake rayling wordes against those things which were spoken of Paule When Paule was come to Ierusalem the brethren saide vnto hym Act. 21. how manye thousandes of Iewes be there that beleue and are earnest folowers of the law And of such speaketh Paule Roma 10. sayinge I bare them record that they haue a zeale and a feruent minde to Godwarde but not according to knowledge ¶ Of prudency and discretion Capitulo .liii. ABraham comming into Egipt dyd wysely and warely Gen. 12.20 as touchynge hys wyfe for he cloked the truthe and yet affirmed no falshode saying She is my sister He did the like when he came to Abimelech And Abraham did prudently seperate hym self from Lot Gen. 13. because theyr herd menne shoulde not stryue together Abraham discretelye while he yet liued Gen. 25. did deuide and geue euery child hys portion least that they after hys deathe shoulde stryue and hee at debate Rebecca did wiselye enstructe her sonne Iacob Gen. 27. how he should obtayne and come by his fathers blessing and prudently she caused hym to departe from those partyes vntyll hys brothers fearsnesse wer swaged Iacob by crafte dyd euen very wel begyle Labans craftinesse Gen. 30. when Laban denyed to geue hym competente wages for hys seruyce Iacob dyd prudently that he whē he shoulde meete wyth hys brother Gen. 32. sente hym Presentes and when hee deuyded hys Substaunce leaste that hee euen at one brounte shoulde lose al and put such thinges as he loued best in daunger Gen. 41. Ioseph spake prudētly before Pharao expounding the dreame vnto him and geuing him counsell againste the famine that was to come Gen. 44. Ioseph did warely and wiselye deprehend and accuse his brethren and put them in feare Iethro gaue Moses good counsaile saying Exo. 18. prouide thy selfe men of power and such as feare God true men such as hate couetousnesse Or euer Moses inuaded the land of promise Nume 13. he sent spies thither to consider the state and condition therof The spies that Iosue sente lurked and wisely kept them selues close Iosu. 1. vntil they that sought for them were returned to theyr owne agayn Iosue vsed greate policye and wisdome when he laide awaite vnto the towne of Hai Iosu. 8. and afterwards made as though he had fled his way The Gabaonites thinking by craft and subtlety to beguile Iosue by hys discretion were broughte into seruytude and bondage Iosu. 9. Phinees and other messengers that were sent to the children of Ruben Iosu. 22. spake discreately vnto theym and wyth wyse communication appeased them Ahud bringinge a present vnto Eglon kyng of Moab Iudi. 3. craftely deceyued hym Gedeon did smite and destroye the hoost of his enemies Iudi. 8. the whiche beinge wythoute care dyd cast no peryls Iephthe like a wyse man dyd signifye Iudi. 11. by messengers vnto the kynge of the chyldren of Ammon that he dyd wrong to warre agaynst him but
yet afterwardes he made an vndyscreate vowe Iepthe dyd wyttely perceyue who were Ephraites Iudi. 12. and who were Galaadytes by the pronouÌ„syng of thys word Schibbolech that is an eare of Corne when they sayde Schybbolech For they coulde not so pronouÌ„ce it The chyldren of Israel fyghtynge agaynste the Beniamites by policie craft fayned them selues to flye Iudi. 20. and by that meanes drewe theym oute of the City and vtterly destroyed them Saule when certayne menne dispised him 1. regu 10. and sayed how canne thys manne healpe vs dissembled the mater and made as thoughe he had not hearde them It was a poynte of greate wysedome when Dauyd beynge armed wyth Saules armour 1. regu 17. proued whether he coulde so go agaynst Goliath or no. Dauid went oute to all thynges whythersoeuer Saule sent hym 1. regu 18. and behaued him selfe wisely Dauid in the presence of Achis fained hym selfe madde 1. regu 21. and as though he hadde bene in a furye so to scape from him Abigail dyd wiselye pacifie Dauyd beinge angery wyth Nabal her husbande 1. regu 25. 2. regu 12. Nathan goinge aboute to reproue the Prophete Dauyd of hys excesse and fautes doone to Urias and hys wyfe toke and vsed wysely the manifest parable of the rich manne that tooke a shepe from a pore man Ioab vsed a wise cautel 2. regu 17 when that by a wise woman he caused Absolon to be reuoked A wise woman of Abel 2. regu 20. retourned Ioab from the obsidion and seige of the citye Bersaba hearinge that Abdonias woulde raygne for his father 3. regu 1. spake wisely vnto Dauid for her selfe and her sonne Salomon Salomom desired ofâ— god discreation and wisedome 3. regu 3â— the whiche thinge pleased god exceadyngly and wyth wisedome he graunted him many other thinges Salomon iudged wysely betwene two wâ—men that conteÌ„ded and stroue for one childe 3. regu 3. Kinge Roboam answered his people very hardely 3. regu 12. and forsakinge the good and discreate counsell that hys sadde and olde Senators gaue him he spake after the counsel of yong meÌ„ and did vnwisely When Achab king of Israel should be rebuked 3. regu 20. a certayn man of the children of the prophetes discretely proponed a parable of a man that was comended and euil kepte and saued By the whiche the king might easely perceiue his synne and wickednesse Iehu did studiuslye and prudentlye when he fayned that he would do reuerence and honoure vnto the prophetes and preastes of Baall 4. regu 10. And yet afterwardes he slewe them and destroied Baals aulter Ezechias kinge of Iuda 4. regu 18. did studiously and discreately forbyd that hys people shoulde make no answer vnto blasphemus messengers of the kinge of the Assirians For it is not expedient for faythfull people to haue vnfaythfull disputations wyth and against litigious persons Ioiada the hye preast purposing to make Ioas the sonne of Ioram kinge of Ierusalem 2. Para. 23. vsed hym selfe bothe warely and wisely Ezechias vnderstandinge that the kinge of the Assirians would come againste Ierusalem 2. Para. 32. did sâ—oppe all the well headdes without the citye and reparde the walles of the citye and couraged his menne wyth confortable wordes and at length turned him selfe to praise oure lorde Nehemias with greate discreation dyligence 2. Esd 2.3.4 solicitude and care dyd buylde a wall aboute Ierusalem The worde that zorobabel spake was a woorde of greate wisedome 3. Esd. 3. and woorthelye approued that is women haue yet more strength But aboue all thinges the truthe beareth a waye the victorye Tobias beleuinge that he shoulde dye shortelye Tob. 4. he gaue his sonne documentes and Preaceptes of greate wysedome And amonge all other he sayde Aske euer counsell of the wyse Iudith shewed greate wysedome in her woordes Iudith 11 And all Holofernes seruaunts marueled at her wisedome and sayed one to another There is not suche a woman vppon earth in bewtye contenaunce and discreation of wordes Mardocheus required Esther with greate wisedome to helpe the Iewes Esth. 4. Sayinge yf thou holdest thy peace at this time the Iewes shal be otherwise deliuered and thou and thy fathers house destroyed And who knoweth whether thou art come to the kyngedome for this causes sake God gaue vnto Daniel and his felowes connyng and learnyng in all scripture and wisedome Dani. 1. but to Daniell speciallye he gaue the vnderstandinge of visions and dreames Daniell did expounde Nabuchodonosors dreames most wisely Dani. 2.4.13 And afterwardes we do reade although it chaunced before of two olde preastes the whiche hadde geuen as he moste wyselye perceyued false testimonye and wytnes agaynste the Innocent Susanna It was tolde Iudas that Nicanor came vnto him but vnder deceyt 1. Mach. 7 and that he would take him wherfore he gate him wisely away from him and would se his face no more Simon knew that Tryphon disseÌ„bled in his wordes 1. Mach. 13 yet commaunded he a hundred talentes of syluer and Ionathas two sonnes to be deliuered vnto hym least he should be the greater enemy against the people of Israel and say because he sent him not the monye and the children therefore is Ionathas dead The vii brethren with their good mother 2. Mac. 7 by theyr words whych they had one to another and to the tirant declared that they had great wisdom There was a certain day appoynted when Iudas shoulde speake secreatlye alone wyth Nicanor 2. Mach. 14 Neuerthelesse Iudas commaunded certaine menne of armes to be set and to wait in conuenient places least ther shuld sodenly arise any euil thorowe the enemyes It appeareth by the coÌ„munication that the blessed vyrgin had wyth the aungel that she had great discresyon and wisdome Luke 1. For she casting in her minde what maner of salutatioÌ„ that shuld be said how shal this be seyng I know not a man And when the childe Iesus of xii yeare old taried at Ierusalem was founde in the temple sitâ—ynge in the middest of the doctors LuKe. 2. hearinge them and posing them al that hearde hym were astonied at his wisdom vnderstanding and answers Our Lord commended the vniust steward Luke 16. because he had done wisely Our Lord verye well deluded the curious interrogacion of the priestes and elders askinge him Luke 20. by what authority he did those miracles he said I also wil aske you one thing From whence is the baptime of Iohn When Paul and Sylas wer put in prison the Magestrates sente the next day after Act. 16. and commaunded that they should be losed Paule said wisely They haue beaten vs openlye vncondempned Notwithstandyng that we are Romaines and haue caste vs into prison and now wold they send vs away priuely When the citye of Ephesus was sore moued and in a confusion Act. 19. Paul did wisely and humblye agree to the counsaile of his frendes that
heary clothes withall theyr hartes cried vnto oure Lorde that he would viset hys people And in the prayse of Iudyth it is wrytteÌ„ that she ware a smock of heer and fasted all the dayes of her life except the Sabothes Iudith 8. and new mones and the solempne dayes of the house of Israell Notwithstanding that Iob was a simple Iob. 1.42 a true and a iust man such one as feared God and eschued euyll yet he sayeth I do penaunce in duste and ashes The captiuity of Ierusalem beyng at hand Esaias said Esa. 22 Our Lord God cald men in that day to wepynge and mourning to bauldnesse and gyrding about wyth sackcloth The Niniuites at Ionas preching beleued GOD Ionas 3 and Proclaimed fastynge and arayd them selues in sack cloth as well the greate as the small of them Timotheus host drawynge neare Machabeus and they that were wyth hym 2. mach 10. prayed vnto our Lord sprinkled ashes vpon their heds beinge gyrded with heary cloth about theyr loynes fel downe before the aultare and besought our Lord that he woulde bee mercifull to them and an ennemye to theyr ennemyes Ihon the Baptist was sanctified or euer he came out of his mothers woÌ„b math 11. and nourished with his holy parents and fled into the desart whâ—re he led so austere and so hard a life that as it is sayd he nother dyd eat nor drinke ye and adde thys to that he was not clothed for Camels heere is no mete garment for man How gladly our Lord receiued the sinneful to penaunce math 4. it appeareth by this Lu. 5. Lu. 7 that he began hys preaching with penaunce Also he saith that he came for that math 9. math 26 And declared the same by hys workes and by the example of Mary And of zacheus Lu. 15 Luk. xix And by the example of Peter And by diuers symylytudes the whyche hee wrote of the Sheape that was loste in the desarte And of the groate that the woman loste in her house And of the Prodygall chylde whome the Father thoughte was deade and after reuyued Mary Magdalen the example patrone of penance came vnto our lord vncommaunded Lu. vii nor was not ashamed of those that were at table wyth hym she stode at hys fete behind him weping And to brynge menne to penaunce he put an example of certain vppon whome fel the tour in Siloe and slue them Lu. xiii And then he saith Except ye repent yee shall al likewise perysh And as touchynge the example of the sheape that pearyshed and the grote that the woman lost and afterwardes was found Our Lord dothe say Lu. xv that there is in heauen more ioye ouer one synner that repenteth and doth penaunce then ouer ninety and nyne iust persones whyche neade no penaunce Oure lorde gaue vnto the woman that was taken in aduoutry Ihon. viii a lyttle and a short penaunce saying Go and synne no more Iudas seynge that oure lorde was condempned Math. xxvii repented hym self and brought againe the xxx plates of syluer saying I haue synned betraying the innocent bloud Truely he sayde the truth but inasmuch as he dispeared he deserued no forgeuenesse Peter denying his master in the hie preastes courte dyd synne Math. 26. but when hee was willynge to wepe and to do penaunce Luke 22. he went oute And note that Luke dothe ad to this that our lorde turned backe and loked vppon Peter Certaine Iewes which were compuncte and prycked in theire hartes Act. 2. sayed ye menne and brethren what shall we do Peter sayed vnto them Do penaunce and be baptised euery one of you When they hearde Peters reasons wherefore he came to Cornelius Act. 11. and that he hadde baptised hym the brethren helde they re peace and gloryfied god sayinge Then hath God also to the gentyles grauÌ„ted repentauÌ„ce and penaunce to life ¶ Of the honoure due vnto our parentes Capitu. lxii Sem and Iaphet deserued theyr fathers blessinge Gen. 9. in asmuche as they dyd theyr dewtye vnto hym beynge bare But his sonne Cain was cursed because he deryded the nakednesse of his father The fathers blessinge was a thing of greate estimation amonge oure elders Gen. 27. As it appeareth in Iacob and Esau for they carefully soughte for the same Although Esau was a wicked man reproued of god and hatinge his brother Iacob Gen. 27. yet hee woulde not kyll him duringe the lyfe of his father Isaac For he sayed The dayes of my fathers sorowe will come In that he honoured his father beinge a frayde to offende him Iudas bounde him selfe to a greate paine Gen. 42.43 When he saied to his father If I bringe not Beniamin againe and deliuer him vnto the. Then lette me beare the blame for euer And yt is to be noted that wheÌ„ Ruben said slaye my two soÌ„nes if I bring him not to the again that he agreed not vnto him But yet he agreed vnto Iudas sayinge the other forsayde wordes The selfe same Iudas desiring Ioseph to sende Beniamin again to his father amonge other things he repeted the forsaide wordes by the whiche he bounde him selfe to his father Gen. 44. And saied more ouer I caÌ„not go vp to my father if the childe be absent onelesse I would se and be a witnes of the calamite wretchednes that shall come on and oppresse my father Iacob blessinge his chyldren spake thus against Ruben Gen. 4â— Thou art caste out vnstable as water Thou shalt not growe and be cheafeste because thou wentest vp to thy fathers bedde and dydest defile it Our lorde commaunded by Moses that if a man haue a son that is stubburn and disobedient Deut. 21. that the people of the citye shoulde stone him to death Our lord recompenst the euell that Abimilech did vnto his father in sleynge his .lxx. brethren Iudi. 9. The childreÌ„ of Hely wold not heare theyr father rebukinge corrâ—tynge them 1. Reg. 2.4 and therefore they felt the Uegeaunce and punishment of god Because that Ionathas tasted a litle honye against his fathers inhibition 1. Regu 14 his father iudged him to death but yet the people deliuered him that he dyed not Dauid flâ—ing from the presence and face of Saule beinge in great necessite remembred his parentes 1 Regu 22. and diligentlye commended them to king Moab Absolon labored to expel his father Dauid oute of his kingdome 2. regu 15 but yet his chaunce was not good Salomon rose to mete hys mother comming vnto him and bowed him selfe vnto her 3. regum 2. And there was a seate set for the kinges mother Two of Sennacheribs sonnes slew hym 4. regu 19. and yet nether of them raigned after him Olde Tobias instructing his soÌ„ne amonge other things he saied Tobi. 4. When God taketh awaye my soule burye thou my bodye and holde thy mother in honoure all the dayes
Nabuchodonozor saied vnto the elders and captaines of his wars that this was his thought and purpose to bring the hole earth vnder his dominion Nowe when that thynge pleased them all c. Kinge Ahasuerus beinge wrothe with Quene Uasthi questioned with his wise counsellers Esth. 1. what senteÌ„ce or law shuld be executed vppon the Quene The which counsellers did not coole the kinges furye nor excuse her that was absent but one answered wyth indignation saying The kinges indignation is iust Amans frends Esth. 5 his wife not perceiuyng the cankerd and euel minde that he had towardes Mardocheus did not reproue nor rebuke hym but said Commaund thou a hye payre of galowes to be framed and made The princes and hie estates of Darius the king of Perse Dani. 6 hauing a desire that the king shuld make an vniust decree dyd purpose a thinge that semed to pertain to his honor Alchinus that wicked traytor willing to be made the hie priest i. mach 7 said vnto kinge Demetrius Iudas and hys brethren haue destroyed thy frendes after ther foloweth the the king made Alchinus the hie priest commaunded him to be reuenged to punyshe the children of Israel After that Ihons disciples wer departed and gone Mat. xi oure Lorde began wonderfully to praise him the which thynge maketh agaynste those that doe openlye prayse menne and seacreatly detract and backbite them The Pharises going about to take Christ in his wordes Mat. 22 began to praise and to flatter him saying Master we know that art thou true and teachest the way of God truely Herode Agrippa that greate kyng perceiuing that he pleased the Iewes because he had taken certaine of the congregation Act. 12. and had killed Iames the brother of Ihon proceaded further to haue taken Peter Act. 12 The people gaue a shout to Herod that wicked king the which had slain Iames and incarcerated Peter saying It is the voyce of a God and not of a man Act. 24. Tertullius the orator whyche was brought in against Paul by the president Felix did at the beginnynge of his oration flatter Felix ¶ Of derision and contumelious reprofe Ca. lxx THe men of Sadoch and Phanuel derided Gedeon persecuting Zebee and Salmana Iudi. 8. but of that folowed mischaunces For afterwardes he intreated them very rigorously and euel Nabal contemned contumeliously the woordes of Dauids messengers saying 1. regu 25. what is Dauid And what is the sonne of Isai Ther is plentye of seruauntes now a dayes that breake away from their masters Michol seing king Dauid dansinge before the Arke of the Lord 2. regu 6. despysed him because she sawe him bare And afterwardes deriding mocking him she said O how glorious was the king this day Wicked Iezabell spake scornfull mocking wordes vnto Achab. 3. regu 21. Thou art a man of great authority and dost gouern thy kingdom well For as muche as the children deryded and mocked Elizeus the prophet 4. regu 2. saying Go vp thou bald head Two beares tare and deuoured xlii of theÌ„ King Hezechias postes went swiftly from city to city 2. Para. 30. warnyng the chyldren of Israell to retourne vnto oure Lord. But they laughed theÌ„ to scorn and mocked them 2. Para. 36 Our Lord sent his prophets daily vnto them warned them to spare his people and his dwellinge place But they mocked the messengers of god and litle regarded hys wordes misused his prophets When Sanabalat Tobias hard say that the walles of Ierusalem wer a buildinge 2. Esd. 4 they mocked the buylders When Tobias was blynde hys frendes kinsfolk laughed his liuing to scorn Tob. 2. sayinge where is nowe thy hope for the which thou hast done almes and buried the dead Nicanor seing the burnt sacrifices that wer offred for the king laughed them to scorn with comtempt 1. mach 7 spake proudly and disdainfullye ye swore in his wrath Antiochus that cruell tiraunte beinge kindled in anger by the wordes of the seuenth brother 2. Mach. 7. was more cruell vpon him then vpon all thother and toke indignation that he was so lightly regarded Oure lorde was dyuers maner of wayes derided as it shall afterwards apeare in the chapiter of pacience Certayne Iewes Act. 2. when they sawe that our lordes disciples after the infusion of the holy goost spake diuers languages and tongues sayed mockingly These menne are full of new wyne When the Athenienses had hearde Act. 17 of the resurrection of the deade that Paule preached Some mocked And other sayed let vs heare the agayne of this matter ¶ Of Detractors and euel speakers Capi. lxxi IOsephs lady and mestres spake wickedly to her husband of him beinge Innocent and chaste Gen. 39 Pharo sayed who doubteth but that ye haue some mischefe in hande Exo. 10 wherby it appeareth that euell men doo affirme and at sometymes doo laye to good mennes charges wyth vniust boldenes the thinge whiche is vniust and false Mary and Aaron vpon a light occasion spake against Moses Nume 12. but quickly after ther folowed a pain and punishment that reuenged the matter Nume 14. The children of Israell dispraysed the lande of promise to theyr greate pain and punishment Nume 16. By the occasion of Chores and his felowes sedition many were mooste fearfully slain And yet after that the multitude murmured against Moses and Aaron saying ye haue kylled the people of our Lord. Although Balaam was euell yet he said Num. 23. that he in no wise wold curse the pâ—ople which our Lorde had blessed And as touchinge that there are many worse found then be the which do gladly and more oftentimes curse and backbite the good then the peruerse and euel Saul at the beginning was exceading gooâ— 1. regu 10. but yet the children of Beliall said how can he saue vs By the occasion of Doeg the Idumite declaring vnto Saule that Abimelech â—he priest had comforted and refreshed Dauid 1. re 22. he slue .lxxxv. men that did weare a linnen Ephod And many mo wemen and children The lords of the Philistines caused Achis the kynge of Seth 1. reg 19 to remoue Dauid the which by his iudgemente was good from his honest office and place that he had preferd him vnto Dauid commauÌ„ded the yonge man that shewed of kinge Saule and his sonnes death 2. reg 1 to be slayne And yet he thoughte that he hadde brought him prosperus and glad tydinges The chefest of the children of Ammon saied vnto theyr lorde 2. re 10 Tâ—inkest thou that Dauid for the honour of thy father hath sent comfortours to the And so they peruerted the simple and pure intention of Dauid Absolon ambitiusly desyringe the kingdome 2. regu 15 saied vnto one that hadde busynesses before hym There is no man deputed of the king to heare the. Siba Mephiboseth seruant did wickedly bacbyte
afterwardes to their pain Nabal vsed hiÌ„ self vnliberally towardes Dauid that desired him to geue hym somwhat 1. re 15. After that Dauid had obtained the victorye of the Amelechites 1. reg 30 he sente giftes and part of the praye vnto the elders of Iuda and to hys frendes neighbors sayinge see here is a blessyng for you Dauid commaunded that Mephibo seth should eat bread alway vpon his table 2. re 9. And he gaue him all that pertained to Saule Soby Machir and Berzillai dyd profer vnto Dauid flyinge from the face and presence of Absolon 2. re 17 manye necessarye thinges for his hoaste as wheat barly and flour This Berzillai did aid Dauid wheÌ„ he fled from his sonne Absolon 2. re 19 And after that Dauid hadde obtained and won the victory he retained Chymeam his sonne as one of his family The Quene of Saba gaue SalomoÌ„ manye thinges 3. re 10 And Salomon gaue her according to her desire what so euer she asked besides that he gaue her of a fre wil with his owne hand Certaine good men of Israell clothed the naked prisonners 2. Para. 28 and set all that were feble vpon horses brought them to their brethren King Cyrus brought forth the vessel of the temple of our Lord 1. Esd. 1. whych Nabuchodonozor had taken and sent them again to Ierusalem al the vessels of gold siluer were 5000. and 400. The children of Iuda returnynge from Babilon 1. Esd. 2 offred willingly to the building of the house of God gaue gold after their hability King Darius commaunded that the house of God should be builded in Ierusalem 1. Esdâ— 6 that the charges should be taken oute of the kinges cofers Although ther were some enuious persons that by theyr letters laboured to let and hinder the worke 1. Esd. 7 King Artaxerzes gaue a glorious a liberal epistle to Esdras the priest that came to Ierusalem to coÌ„fort the Iewes 2. esd. 2. King Artaxerzes vsed him self liberallye to Nehemias comminge into Iewry and gaue him euen suche letters as he required Nehemias was a very liberall Legate the which did not greue the people with vitall exactions 2. esd. 5. he dyd much good to those that he was seÌ„t vnto Tobias did study how to deuide all that euer he had among his brethren that wer prisoners Tob. i. and of his kin he fed the hungry and clothed the naked Raguel deliuered to yong Tobias with his daughter the half of all hys substaunce Tob. 10 Tobias the yonger was very kind vnto Raphael Tob. 12 whom he toke to be a man and well acknowledged the benifites that he had done vnto hym where vpon bothe he and hys father did offer him most liberally the moity of al theyr goodes Kinge Ahaswerus commaunded a greate feast to bee made for Esthers mariage Est. 2. caused the landes to be in quietnesse and gaue giftes as it became the royalty of a king WheÌ„ king Ahasuerus saw Quene Esther Esth. 5 he safd vnto her what wilt thou Esther what is thy peâ—icion if it bee euen the halfe of my kingdome thou shalt haue it Esth. 6 King Ahasuerus enquired what honour or rewarde Mardocheus had gotten for the fidelity that he had shewd vnto him And when he vnderstode that he was vnrewarded hee caused hym magnificently to be honoured Iobs sonnes made bankets eche of them on the daye that he made hys feast Iob. 2 sent for theyr sisters to eate and to drinke with them Blessed Iob doth declare that he was merciful to the poore Iob. 29.31 saying I comforted the widowes harte and I was a father vnto the pore Again he saithe If I haue eaten my meat alone For mercye hathe growne wyth me euen from my childhode The chefe captain of Babilon gaue Ieremy meat Iere 40 and rewardes and let him go whether so euer he wold promising him great humanity kindenesse if he wold go with him to Babilon and yet he gaue him free leaue and licence to cary Seleucus the kinge of Asia in the time of Onias the hie priest â— mach 2 payed al the charges pertaininge to the minysterye of the Sacrifices of his owne rentes and heritage The wise men opening their treasures not their litle purses with half pence Math. 2 offred vnto a pore Lord gold frankensence and mirrhe Our Lord is a liberall and a large rewarder math 19 the which to those that leaue these temporal goodes for hys cause dothe geue an hunderfolde in thys worlde and life euerlastynge in the world that is to come It came of a benigne and a gentle liberality that our Lord defended the disciples math 12 whiche vppon the Saboth day did plucke the eares of corne Lu. 6 and chafed them with theyr hands to eat against those wicked Pharises And also of the Publicanes synners that came to heare him Lu. 15.19 And of zacheus math 26 And there is an ensample of Mary Mar. 14 that kissed oure Lordes feete And of Iudas for the which signe of gentlenesse the vnhappye and wycked manne oughte to haue the soner repented The people folowed our Lord on fote into the desert and left the cities and when the euen drue on Mat. 14 his disciples said vnto him Let the people depart that they may go and bye them vitailes But hee as a liberall Lorde master answered geue ye theÌ„ to eat Zacheus in distrybutyâ—ge of hys goodes Lu. 19 and makynge of restitucyon was verye large and liberall Thus hee sayde vnto oure Lorde Beholde Lorde the halfe of my goodes I geue to the poore and if I haue done anye maÌ„ wrong I restore hym four fold The gift of the pore wydow which cast two miâ—es into the treasurye Lu. 21 is preferd of our Lord aboue the giftes of the rich Our Lord was very bountiful and liberal to the thefe that hanged asked sayinge Lu. 23 Lorde remember me when thou commest into thy kingdome And Iesus saite vnto him verelye I saye vnto thee to daye shalt thou bee wyth me in paradise Our lord vouchsaued to shewe hys benignitye and liberalitye Iohn 2 when that he beyng called to the pore maryage went thether and ther turned water into wyne to chere the poore that were there at dyner The great liberality of God apeareth in the parable of the vngratious seruant math 18. vnto whom our lord saide I forgaue the all the debt because thou desyredst me Ioses whose syr name was Barnabas had land sold it Act. 4 broughte the price and laid it downe at the Apostles fete When the disciples that wer at Antioch hard say that ther shuld be great dearth throughout al the world Act. 11 thei purposed to send socour vnto the brethreÌ„ which wer in Iewry The which thing thei also did and sent it to
the came to take him 4. regu 6. to haueâ— anye hurte but caused meate to be sette before them and when they had eaten he sent theÌ„ away Tobias beynge blind shewed wonderful great patience Tobi. 23. as wel against the deuine scourge plage of blindenes as againste the derisions of hys wife and his frendes Iob when he lost hys goodes hys chyldren Iob. 1.2 and almoste hym selfe â—o was pacient And it is to be noted that at once he lost his goodes hys chyldren and the Temptation was the more vehement But yet such frendes as were lefte were rather a desolation then a comfort vnto him as it is euidente in those his frendes the which were ouerous and heauye comforters vnto him Daniels companions that wer cast into the burning fornace did exhibit a mearye and a ioyfull pacience Dani. 3. and our Lord was more praysed by theyr pacience then by the sapience or wisdome of Daniel Sara Raguels daughter toke paciently the greuous rebuke and slander of one of her fathers handmaideÌ„s not answering her again Tobi. 3. but incontinently turning her self to prayer When Eleazarus was sore plaged and punished 2. Mach. 6 he saide O Lorde thou knowest that wher as I might be deliuered from death I suffer these sore paines of my bodye but in my minde I am well content to suffer them because I fear thee The seuen brethren and their mother did ioyfully suffer sore torments and punishments 2. mach 7. When Peter hadde demaunded of our Lord how oft shal I forgeue my brother if he synne againste me tyll seuen times Mat. 28. He hard our Lord saye I say not vntil seuen times but seueÌ„tye times seuen times And that we shoulde remit and forgeue oure brethren euen from the hart oure Lorde brought forth the Parable of the vngratious seruaunte whome he moste liberallye forgaue a thousande Talentes When Iames and Ihon had harde that the Samaritanes had not receyued our Lords messengers they said wylt thou that we commaund fyre to come downe from heauen Luc. 9. and consume them euen as Helias dyd And our Lorde rebuked them sayinge ye wot not what maÌ„ner sprite ye are of The woman that was taken in aduoutry and accused before our Lord answered nothinge to her accusers Iohn 8. but our Lord toke the matter in haÌ„d and mercifully absolued her Nowe and than a man muste geue place and auoid the fury of those that persecute him Luke 4. For oure Lorde that came to suffer and to die dyd not as fearful but as wise and lokynge for a competent houre of hys passion auoid and eschue oftentimes the fierce rage of the Iewes Iohn 8. Iesus hydde hym selfe LuKe. 4. and went oute of the Temple And he departed and went hys waye euen thorow the mids of them Mat. 11. Our LORD saythe of hym selfe learne of me for I am meke and lowly of heart Our Lord toke paciently the iniuries that wer done vnto him by word and deede By backbitigne woordes contradictorius tauntinge and contumelious woordes They slaundred hym bothe priuelye and openly pryuelye within them selues and iudgynge hym temerariously and falsly if thys manne were a Prophet hee woulde knowe what manner of woman this is Againe Thys manne blasphemeth Luc. â— Openlye whan the Pharises saide to his Disciples Lâ—c. 5. why doth your master eat and drynk with Publicans and sinners Mar. 2. Also when they depraued his miracles saying Mat. 12. He dryueth oute deuels by the helpe of Belzebub the chefe of the deuels Iohn 9. We know that this man is a sinner And again they saide that he was possest with the deuil He suffred contradictorius words Iohn 8. as when they said Thou bearest record of thy self thy record is not true And againe Thou art not yet l. yere old Mat. 9. and hast thou sene Abraham and scornfull wordes he suffred when he said The maid is not deade but slepeth And contumelious wordes As Say we not wel that thou art a Samaritane and haste the deuell Iohn 8. And who is this that speaketh blasphemies Luc. 5. But specially he heard these wordes in the time of his passyon or euer he came to the crosse in Annas and Caiphas house and before Pilate and Herode And at the last euen haÌ„gyng vpon the crosse he hard suche wordes spoken against him Likewise in dedes he hathe suffred greuous iniuries for as he was preching all they in the Sinagoge were filled with wrath and thrusting him out of the city Luke 4. they would haue caste him downe headling from the toppe of the mountaine Ihon. 8 And againe they toke stones to stone him And when he went out of Ierusalem minedynge to goe by Samaria LuKe. 9. but the Samaritans woulde not receiue his messengers the whyche he sent before him And when he preached and rebuked the Iewes of theyr malice sinne they gathered vp stones to haue stoned him Ihon. 8. But all this was in a manner nothing in respect of those thynges which he sustained in his passion wher vpon thou maiste note that he euen as he foretolde it was mocked scourged and crucified mocked in Caiphas house For it is wrytten that the men that held him Mar. 15. did scorn him saying All haile king of the Iewes And likewise in Pilates iudgements house mat 27. they mocked hym bowynge their kne And in Herodes house Herode wyth hys men of war despysed hym Lu. 23 and mocked hym Item oure lorde Iesus was illuded hanging vpon the crosse Luc. 23. and mocked of the souldiars preastes and commenly of those that passed by and of the theues Of the souldiours it is writteÌ„ Luc. 13. The souldiours dyd mocke hym and proferd him vineger Mat. 27. And of the preastes Also the hie preastes mocking him with the Scribes and the elders sayed he saued other Mar. 15. him selfe can he not saue They that passed by blasphemed him shaking their heddes Luc. 23. And the theues whiche were crucified with him rayled on him Furthermore note that he was scorned with beâ—kys signes whan thei wagged their headdes and bowed theyr knees And wyth woordes As whan thei that did salute him sayde ma. 15. All hayle kynge of Iewes And with dede when they crownde hym wyth thorne and in place of a cepter put a rede in hys hande and defyled with spittle and now clothed with a purple vesture now with a white Oure sauioure shewed mekenes in his passion to Iudas the traytoure Mat. 26. whom he called frend and to Malcas the sergeant whose eare he restored and healed Iohn 18.19 And to Annas Caiphas and Pilate before whome he was accused he answered very gentely and mekely And to those that crucifyed him for the whiche he prayed and to the theefe Luc. 23. vnto whome hee aunswered so courteously We must thinke and â—ounder the diuers sâ—ourginges
theÌ„ Afterwardes he smote the Philistines again and tooke the bridle of bondage out of theyr hands Hesmote Moab the whiche was tributary vnto him Also he smote kyng Soba and xii M. of the Sirians And our Lord kept Dauid what so euer he toke in hande When Ioab saw that the fronte of the battaâ—l was againste him before and after hee saide vnto hys brother Abisai If the Sirians preuayle agaynste mee thou shalt healpe mee if the children of Amnon preuaile against thee 2. reg 10 I will come and succoure thee Therfore quite the like a man and let vs fighte for oure people and for the city of our God and our lorde shall do that whiche is good in hys owne eies And when the battayle was begun all his aduersaryes fled from him Absolon made vnhonest warre against his father Dauid 2. regu 18. and therfore he and his people that held with him sped there after to the entent thou maist knowe and learne that they whyche vniustly consent to an euill Prynce can neuer prosper Benadab the kinge of Syria wyth xxxii kinges besieged Samaria and at our Lordes commaundemente hee was ouerthrowen and put to flight the onlye seruauntes of the gouernours of the shyres 3. regum 20 whyche were in nomber euen CC.xxx. and two fighting againste them The nexte yeare after Bennadab came againe with a greate hoste and there were slaine of the Sirians an hundred thousande fotemeÌ„ in one day because they said The Lorde is but God of the hylles and not God of the valleis When the king of Iuda the kynge of Israel 4. regum 3. and the king of Edom were gathered to fight against Moab and had great scarsity of water the Prophet Elizeus said This broke shal be filled with water And furthermore our Lord shal deliuer Moab into your handes Samaria was so long besieged by the king of Syria 4. reg 6.7 that an Asses head was solde for lxxx siluer pence And the fourthe parte of a Cab of Doues donge for v. sicles And at the worde of Elizeus the Syrians were put to flight and by that they had greate aboundaunce of all thinges After the Amasias king of Iuda had obtaynd the victory against EdoÌ„ he seÌ„t vnto the king of Israell prouokynge him to battaile 4. regu 14. but yet he put hym to the worse And through Amasias elation and pride a great part of the wall of Ierusalem was destroyed Althoughe Ieroboam the sonne of Ioas kynge of Israel and hys people were euell 4. regu 14. yet he healped them and dyd them muche good by the hand of Ieroboam Our Lord fought wel and meruelously for Hezechias the kinge of Iuda 4. regu 19. against Sennacherib the kinge of Assyria When that the angell of our Lord slue in one night of Sennacheribs hoaste .185000 And he him selfe was slaine afterwardes of hys owne children When Abia the king of Iuda and his host saw that the battail was before and behind He cryed vnto our Lord and the priestes blew the trompets 2. Para. 13. our lord made Ieroboam and al Israel afraidâ— and ther fel down wounded of Israel 50000. stronge men so the childreÌ„ of Israel wer brought vnder and the children of Iuda comforted because they trusted vnto our Lorde Zara the Moryan came out against Asa the kynge of Iuda with an hoste often hundred thousande Asa cryed vnto our Lord saying Lorde it is no 2. Para. 14. difference wyth thee whether thou healpe in many or in fewe Then foloweth Ourâ— Lorde made the blacke Mores afrayde and they fell downe dead For they were consumed of our Lord. The children of Moab and AmmoÌ„ were gathered together to fyghte against Iosaphat 2. Para. 20. but he wholye gaue him self to pray vnto our Lord. And what time as the singing men began to laud and praise our lord he turnd the deceites of theyr aduersaryes among them selues for euery one with mutuall woundes destroyed an other Phacee Romelius son kinge of Israel slue in one day in Iuda 2. Para. 17. an hundred and twenty thousand fyghtinge men and that because they had forsaken our Lord. The victory which our Lord gaue vnto the chyldren of Israell Iudi. 16. by the handes of Iudith is famous and notorius wherfore she said after the death of Holofernes our lord almighty hindred him and deliuered him into the handes of a woman Iudas Machabeus perceiuing the Serons 1. Mach. 3. host was great his felowes beyng fearful 1. Macha 3 sayd It is a smal matter for many to be ouercome with a few yea there is no difference in the sight of God of heaueÌ„ to delyuer by a great multitude or by a smal company and Seron and his hoste was destroyed And the selfe Machabâ—us wyth three thousand men 1. macha 4. whych hadde neyther harnesse nor sweardes to theyr mindes ouerthrewe Gorgias and hys great â—ost Bachides came with a great power to fight against Ionathas and Ionathas saide vnto his menne 1. macha 9 Let vs fight and cry now vnto heauen that we may be deliuered from the hands and power of oure ennemies and so they were It is worthye to be noted of Iudas Machabeus that he which fought so often times and did so manye honest and worthy actes did so oft wynne as oft as he whan he shuld fyght did pray and call to God for healpe 1. mach 6.9 But yet we read not that he prayd in two of his most notable battailes Thone was againste Antiochus Eupator The second againste Bacchides and Alchimus and then he was slain in the battel ¶ Of Impacience and murmuring Cap. lxxxii AGar Saras maide that coulde not suffer the correction of her mistresse the which fared â—oule wyth her Gen. 16 because of her pryde fledde her wayes but at the aungels commaundemente she retourned agayne vnto her The officers of the children of Israell said vnto Aaron Exo. 5. and Moses oure Lord loke vpon you and iudge you which hathe made the sauoure of vs stincke before Pharao The children of Israell beholding the Egiptians said vnto Moses perauenture because ther be no graues in Egypte Exo. 14 haste thou therfore brought vs awaye for to dye in the wyldernesse The fyrst murmurynge of the children of Israell in the desarte was for lacke of dryncke Exo. 15. And the people murmured against Moses sayinge what shall we drincke After that the hole multitude of the congregation of Israell dyd murmur for meate sayinge Whye haue ye broughte vs into his wildernesse to kil this hole multitude with honger Exo. 16. Againe they murmured for lacke of drink after that our lord had sent theÌ„ quailes and Manna And when they suffred hoÌ„ger in the desart with murmur and impacience thei remembred the flesh which they did eat in Egipt but of the hard bondage and seruitute wherwith they were oppressed they made no mention And when the
people â—awe that it was long or Moses came down out of the mountaine Exo. 32. they gathered them selues together against Aaron said vnto him Up and make vs Gods to go before vs. The people as though they hadde ben heauy and wearied with much labor Nume 11. began to murmur agaynste oure Lord and the fire of our Lord burnt among them and deuourd the vttermoste part of the hoste And note the peruersity of them that said We remember the fish we did eat in Egipt for noughte And yet they boughte it ful dearly After the terrible death of Chore his fellowes Nume 16. the multitude murmured agaynste Moses and Aaron saying ye haue kylled the people of our Lorde Againe they murmured and chode wyth Moses at the waters of stryfe Nume 20. for faut of drinke and frute Achitophell perceiuinge that they did not after his Counsaile 2. regu 27. was so moued and so impacyent that he departed from Absolon and wente home and hanged hym self Because that the Chyldren spake roughlye wyth those of the tenne tribes 2. regu 20. Israell wente from Dauyd and followed Seba the sonne of Bichri When Tobias spake of the kydde whyche he heard cry Tobi. 2. sayinge Looke that it be not stolne his wife dyd answer him impaciently When Sara Raguels daughter rebuked one of her maydens for her faut Tobi. 3. she answered her again to iniuriously saying God let vs neuer see sonne or daughter of thee more vppon earthe thou kyller of thy husbandes When worde came to Holofernes that the children of Israell prepared them selues to make resistaunce Iudith 5 hee was exceading wroth Iudith 6 When Achtor had left of speaking Holofernes toke sore indignation Because Mardocheus woulde not worship Aman Esther 3. he toke suche indignation and was so impaciente that he seemed to procure not his deathe onlye but the death of al the Iewes Elihu the sonne oâ— Barachel perceiuing that Iobs frendes Iob. 32. the which disputed with him coulde not ouercome him shewed by his wordes many tokens of impaciency Daniell 3. Nabuchodonozor hearynge that Daniels felowes would not worship the golden Image whyche he madeâ— In anger and furiousnes caused theÌ„ to be brought before him When Herode hearde that there was borne a kinge of Iewes Mat. 2. he was troubled and all the citye of Ierusalem with him Our lorde syttinge at meat in Mathews house Luc. 5.15 the scribes and pharises murmured sayinge vnto his disciples Why do ye eate with publicanes and synners And at zacheus thei murmurd sayinge He is gone in to tary with a maÌ„ that is a synner Luc. 19. And the elder brother of the prodigall sonne Luc. 15. hearinge of the feast that his father made for hys yongest brothers cominge home disdained at it and woulde not go in When the chefe preastes and Scribes sawe the wonderfull myracles that he did Mat. 21. and the children cryinge in the temple Hosanna to the sonne of Dauid they disdayned When the pharises saw that thei wer with effectuous wordes confuted by Iohn 9. him that was borne blinde and restored by oure lorde to his sight againe they cursed him and sayed Be thou hys discyple Thou art all together borne in synne dost thou teache vs Ther arose a murmur and a grudge among the Grekes and the Hebrues Act. 6. because their wydowes were dispised in the dayly ministration ¶ Of Pusillanimity Capitu. lxxxiii WHen the Angels had saied vnto Lot Gen. 19. Saue thy selfe in the mountaine he answered I caÌ„not be saued in the mouÌ„tain lest some misfortune fal vpon me yet a worse chaunce chauÌ„ced euen then vnto him When the children of Israell saw the Egiptians behynde theÌ„ Exo. 14. they wer sore afrayde although thei had sene so many miracles done for them by the diuine power of god As Moses was speakynge wyth oure lorde in the mounte Exo. 20. the people hearde the thunder and the noyse of the trumpe and saw the lyghtninge and the mountayne smokinge And beynge very feareful they stode a far of and saied vnto Moses Talke thou with vs and we wil heare but let not god talke with vs least we dye After that the conditions and estate of the lande of promise was reueled opened Nu. 13.14 the which hadde mighty and stronge inhabitours whose cities wer walled exceading great Deu. 1. The whole congregation saied woulde God that we hadde dyed in the lande of Egipt And they sayed agayn The messengers haue feared and discouraged vs. Balaac seynge al that the children of Israel had done vnto the Amorites Nume 22. and that his people were sore a frayde he trustinge more in wordes then in armes sent vnto Balaam to come and cursse the children of Israell Rachab sayed vnto the spies that came from Iosue Iosu. 2. I know that our lorde hath geuen you the land for the feare of you is fallen vpon vs and the inhabitoures of the lande faynt at the presence of you After that Achior had taken of the excoÌ„municate thynges of Ierico the menne of Hay put the chyldren of Israell to flyght Iosu. 7. and slew .36 menne The hartes of the people wer a fraid and melted a waye lyke water And Iosue rent his clothes When the Gabaonites heard what Iosue hadde done vnto Ierico Iosu. 9. and Hai they feared and comminge to Iosue they euen as he woulde made a grement with him Gedeon hauing .3200 menne in his hoost Iudi. 7. made a proclamation that if any dyd dreade or were afrayde he shoulde returne And there departed and retourned of the people .2200 menne When Saul and all Israell hearde the wordes of Goliath the philistine askinge a man to fight with him 1. regu 17. thei were euen a stoned and discouraged Saule gathered all Israell together and came to Gelboe 1. regu 28. And when Saul sawe the host of the philistines he was a frayed and hys hart was sore astonyed 2. Para. 3. Roboam beynge rude and fearfull of hart coulde not resyste the hooste that Ieroboas had gathered against him When all the hoost of the Assirians hearde that Holofernes was headed Iudi. 15 theyr mynde and counsell fell from them and beynge moued and styrde with feare defended theÌ„ selues with their feet It was declared vnto the house of Dauid that the kinge of Israel the king of Siria wer coÌ„federated to fight agaynst Ierusalem Esa. 7. Dauid and hys people hartes were moued as the trees of the wode before the face of the winde And Esay descriuinge the burden of Tyre sayed fearfulnesse the pit and the snare vpon the. Esa. 24. O thou that dwellest on the earth When that Ieremy by goddes commaundemente dyd prophesie that Ierusalem shoulde be taken Iere. 38. The princes and rulers of the people sayed vnto the kinge Sir we beseache you let this maÌ„ be put
vow a vow to be sāctified Nume 6. or did consecrate or appoint thē selues vnto oure lorde they abstained from all suche kyndes of dryncke as myght caste them into dronckennesse The Aungel appearinge vnto mānas wife which should conceaue him Iudi. 13. that shoulde deliuer the people commaunded her to abstayne This maketh muche to the cōmendation of sobriety the which doth stande in the vse of fishe and in the abstinence from flesh that our lord in his gospel doth euen often times multiply fishe Luke 5. and not flesh And at oure lordes commaundement the disciples in closed a great multitude of fishes Marke 6. furthermore we reade that he twyse multiplied bread fishes Luke 9. And of .v. loues Ihon. 6. ii fishes in Marcke Math. 15. Luke Iohn And of .7 loues a few fishes the which our lord multiplied Marke 8. mentiō is made ī Mat Marke Peter purposinge to shew that the disciples Actes ◠which wer replenished with the holy ghost wer not drunken saied that it was not yet the thyrd houre of the daye Geuynge vs to wyt that it was not conuenient to drincke before the thyrd houre The people of Israell were a hungerd there was hony in the fyeld 1. regu 14. but no man eat thereof but Ionathas the sonne of Saul When Dauid desyred water of the well or cesterne of Bethelem it was broughte hym 2. regu 23. but yet he woulde not dryncke thereof because he longed to greadely after it A small and a slender sustenaunce contented Elias 3. regu 17. the which asked only of the wyddow Sereptane a lytle water and a morsell of bread Ieroboās wyfe goynge to Helias the prophet 3. regu 14. toke with her .10 loues and a cruse of hony There is no mētion made of any flesh For he supposed that the prophet dyd eate no suche meate And it is notable that the rauens fed Helias wyth fleshe twyse in one daye 3. regu 17. 3. regu 19. And how that the Aungell of oure Lorde shewed him bread and a vessell of water onely Achab hearinge after he had put Naboth to death 3. regu 21. our Lordes cōminatiō and threatning declared vnto him by Helias the prophet put a shyrt of here vppon his fleshe and fasted and laye in sackcloth and went barefote and helde downe hys head And therfore oure Lorde did temper the payne and punyshmente the whyche hee threatned Esdras proclaimed a fast and caused all men to afflicte and humble thē selues 1. Esd. 8. for they desyred of oure Lorde that hee woulde geue them a ryghte waye Then there foloweth So we fasted and besought our lord for this and he hearde vs. The children of Hely of Amnon wyth certayn of the Amonites gathered them selues together 2. Para. 20. to fyghte against Iosaphat the king of Iuda And when he hearde it he set hym selfe to seke and to praye our LORDE and proclaimed a fasting throughout all Iuda And there foloweth that he obtayned the victorye When Paule and Barnabas had ordained elders and priestes in diuers cities Act. 14. and in euery cōgregation had prayed and fasted they cōmended thē to our Lorde on whom they beleued When Nehemias shuld praye Arthaxarses for the holy citie 2. Esd. 1. and that the walles thereof might be repaired He sayeth of hym selfe I fasted and prayed before the God of heauen It is sayed of yonge Tobias and of his father in lawe ToBi 8.12 other his frends that wyth the feare of God they helde the feaste of the marriage And the Aungel sayed afterwarde to both the Tobias prayer is good with fastinge and almes When the chyldren of Ierusalem hearde of the terryble and fearefull power of Holofernes Iudith 4. they humbled theyr soules wyth fastinge and prayers Also it is sayed of Iudyth that she ware a smocke of heere and fasted all the daies of her lyfe Iudith 8. excepte the Sabothes and newe mones and the solempne dayes of the house of Israell When Esther shoulde speake vnto king Ahaswerus she saide to Mardocheus Go and gether all the Iewes together that are founde at Susan Esther 4. and pray ye for me Loke ye eate not nor drinck not in thre dayes neyther day nor night I and my maids wyll fast likewise Our Lorde commendeth the abstynence of the Rachabites Ieremy 35. because they would drink no wine as their father had commaunded them Our Lord caused Ezechiel the prophet to keepe an harde diet Ezechiel 4 sayinge Take vnto the wheat barly beanes gromel sede Millium and fitches Daniel was at a poynt wyth hym self that he would not be defiled thorow the kinges meat Daniell 1. There followeth God gaue those springaldes conninge and learninge in all scripture and wisdome Daniell for the space of iii. wekes eate no bread as for fleshe and wyne there came none within his mouthe Daniel 10. And our Lorde shewed him a maruelous vision Sainte Gregorye in hys Homely of Pentecost saithe that the holy ghost did fil the abstinent childe and made the Prophet iudge of the old men Our Lord sente to Daniell by the prophet Abacucke Daniell 14. bread and potage beinge in the denne of Lyons but he sent hym no fleshe nor no other delycate meates Eleazar an aged man had rather die a cruell death 2. Mach. 6. thē contrary to the lawe to eate or to faine to eate anye swines flesh It chaunced the vii brethren wyth theyr mother to be compelled by the king against the law 2. Mach. 7. to eate swines flesh but they chose rather to sustaine and suffer most cruel torment It is wrytten of Ihon the Baptist that his meat was Locustes wylde hony Math. 2.11 and liued so as though he neyther eat nor dranke Anna the prophetisse the doughter of Phanuell is among other thinges commended Luc. 2. that she departed not frō the temple but serued GOD wyth Fastynges and prayers nyghte and day Our sauioure after he was baptysed by and by was led into the wyldernesse and there he fasted tyll hee hōgred Luc. 4. which thing maketh against those that faste with a filthye conscience nor will not for the tyme of fasting suffer nor sustain no honger The children of Israel which were of the xii Tribes Iudi. 20. were twyse ouerthrown by the children of Beniamin afterward they wept before our lord and fasted the same day and so ouercame theym and preuayled agaynste theym In the tyme and daies of Hely the Philistines◠1. regu 4.7 preuayled agaynste the children of Israell once or twise and the Arke of oure Lorde was taken Thirdly the Philistines gathered together in Samuels daies but the chyldren of Israell fasted the same day saide we haue synned agaynste oure Lord. And it foloweth that the chyldren of Israell destroyed them After oure Lordes resurrection he manyfestlye shewed hym selfe to the .vii.
prelates men of actiuity and power and suche as feared God true men and hatyng couetousnesse Our Lord commaunded Moses to take xii rods after the nomber of the tribes of Israel Nume 17. the name of Aaron was in the tribe of Leui. And when he had put thē in the tabernacle on the morow he found Aarons rod budded Moses purposing to reuenge Israel of the Madianites Nume 31. said Let ther be chosen a M. out of euerye tribe of Israel to the warres When Moses which had disobeied the wil of God Nume 27. shuld die he praid our Lord deuoutly saying Let the Lord of the sprites of all flesh set a man ouer the congregation and our Lorde ordained that Iosue the sōne of Nun should be his successor and guyde of the people in his steade After the death of Iosue the childrē of Israel asked counsel of our Lorde saying Iudith 1. who shal go vp before vs and be the captain of the warre And our Lord said Iudas shal go vp When the men of Israel saw that Gedeon had fought strongly and māfully for them Iudi. 8. they said al vnto him raign thou ouer vs. The elders of Galaad wente vnto Iepthe Iud. 11. sayd vnto him come and be our prince and captaine and fight against the children of Amnon Ther was a man of Beniamin named Eis 1. regu 9.10 the same had a sonne called Saule a chosen and a good man nor there was not a better in all Israell Oure Lorde disclosed vnto Samuell that he shuld be chosen and anoynted vpon the people of Israel Samuel at the special commaundement of our Lord went to Bethleem 1. regu 16. and anoynted Dauid the son of Isai king vpon Ierusalem and Israell Saule being dead the menne of the tribe of Iuda came and anoynted Dauid king ouer the house of Iuda 2. regu 2. after that 2. regu 5. al the tribes of Israell came vnto him and anoynted him king ouer all the people of Israel And therfore he saith in his Psalmes he hathe chosen his seruaunt Dauid And in a nother place 1. Para. 28. It hath pleased our Lord to chuse me kynge ouer all the people of Israel And Dauid drawynge towardes hys deathe 1. Para. 28. saide vnto the elders of Israel Of all my sonnes our Lorde hath chosen Salomon my sonne to sit vpon the seat of the kingdome of our Lord in Israel Ieroboam by the terrible iudgement of God was chosen and taken to be king ouer ten tribes of Israell 3. regu 12. And yet he was the occasion that the people departed and went from god Iehu wrote letters and sent to Samaria vnto the rulers and best of the city 4. regu 10. Of all our masters sonnes chuse the best and him that shal please you and set him on his fathers seate and fight for your Lordes house All Iudas frendes came together and said vnto Ionathas 1. mach 9. for so muche as thy brother Iudas is dead ther is none like him to go forth against our ennemyes Wherefore we thys daye chose thee for him to be oure Prynce and captaine to order and to fyghte our battaile Our Lorde called his disciples and of them he chose twelue Luc. 6. whom he called apostles After the assention of our Lord the disciples appoynted two Ioseph and Mathias Act. 1. and when they praied they said Thou Lord whiche knowest the hartes of all men shewe whether of those two thou hast chosen to take the ministration of thys apostleshyp vpō hym The sayinges of the apostles pleased the whole multitude Act. 6. And they chose Steuen a manne full of fayth and full of the holye ghost and Philippe c. As the Discyples minystred to our Lord and fasted the holy ghost saide Seperate me Barnabas and Saule Act. 13. for the worke where vnto I haue called them ¶ Of good Princes and Prelates Ca. Ci. MOses the good prelate wente in oftentimes to Pharao to deliuer the people from the Egipeiacal seruitude and bondage Ex. 67.8.9 Moses did comfort the people that wer afraid saying Fear ye not stād stil Exo. 14. our Lord shall fight for vs and ye shal holde your peace He spake wyth his mouth but praid our Lorde with hys hart as it appeareth there Exo. 15 Moses cried for the people vnto our lord whē they murmured agaīst him A good prelate must refer all thinges to our Lord. Exo. 16 And so Moses sayde your murmuringes is not agaynste vs but against our lord Moses when Israel fought against Amelech went not to the battail but sent his seruaunt Iosue only and yet as touching his part the warre was iust Exo. 17. But he standinge in the toppe of the hil applied and turnd him to prai vnto our lord When Moses should depart from the people Exo. 23 and ascend vp to the moūtaine he left them two good vicares and gouernoures that is Aaron and Hur. Our lorde semed to be willynge to confound and destroy the synfull people Exo. 32 and promised vnto Moses greate dignity and honoure And yet Moses did pray instantly for the people And note with what seueritye he punyshed the people for whome he prayed our Lord so instantly Moses gaue vnto the Leuites xii oxen and vii charettes Numer 7. the whyche the lordes of the tribes of Israell had offred But he gaue nothing to the children of Caath althoughe they were nearer of kin vnto hym because their office was to heare all thynges vpon their shoulders Moses wished and desired that all the Lordes people could Prophecye Notwithstanding that his honor as it semed Nume 11. should therby haue bene deminished After that the spies were retorned our Lord said to Moses Nume 14 how long do thys people prouoke me how long will it bee or they beleue me I wyll smite them therefore with the pestylence and wyl make of the a prince of a greater nacion and mightyer then this is But Moses wold be preserde no hier The people pearishing for the tumult murmuringe that they made againste Moses and Aaron Nume 16. Moses saide to Aaron Take a censare and put fire therin out of the aultare and pour on cense and goe quicklye vnto the congregacion that thou mayste praye and obtayne the forgeneuesse for them When Moses shuld dye Nume 27. he prayed our Lorde mooste diligentlye that he woulde prouide the people of a meete and a good captain But yet in speciall he would name none Israell serued oure Lorde all the dayes of Iosue c. Iosu. 24. For why a good prelate is very mete to direct the people in the waye of our Lorde Samuel iudged al Israel and went about Bethel Calgala 1. regu 7. and Masphat that they whiche hadde nede of hym might the easlyer come vnto hym Samuel saied vnto the people God kepe me from this synne 1.
regu 12. that I shoulde cease to pray for you and I wil teach you a ryght waye and a good When Dauid sawe the Aungell that smote the people 2. regu 24. he offerd him selfe to be beate for them let thyne haÌ„d I praye the tourne agaynst me Al they of Israel hard of the iudgement whyche the kynge had iudged betwene the two wemen 3. regu 3. and they feared the kynge for they saw that the wysedome of God was in him to do iustice It is a signe and a token that oure Lorde dothe loue the people when he geueth them a good prelate 3. regu 9. For the Quene of Saba saied our Lord loued Israell and therefore he made the king ouer it to do equity righteousnes 3. regu 20. Oure Lorde beynge purposed and wyllinge to deliuer the king of Siria into the kinge of Israels handes sent him worde by his prophet that the kinge shoulde beginne to fighte and geue battaile As longe as Ioiada the byshoppe lyued 4. regu 12. Ioas the kynge of Iuda was good and did that whyche was good in the sighte of oure Lorde But the byshoppe beynge dead he did muche harme Iosaphat the kinge of Iuda set iudges in the lande ouer the people and dyd faithfullye 2. Para. 19. and wysely instruct them Take hede sayeth he what ye do for ye execute not the iudgemeÌ„t of man but of God whiche is wyth you in the iudgemente Wherefore nowe let the feare of God bee vpon you and take hede and be doynge the thinge that pleaseth hym for there is no vnrighteousnesse with the Lord oure GOD that he shoulde haue any respecte of persons or take rewardes Hezechias kinge of Iuda caused thâ— brasen serpent to be broken in peces 4. regu 18. because it was vnto the people an occasion of committinge ydolatry The postes wente with letters thorowoute all Israell and Iuda at the kynges commaundemente and hys Lordes 2. Para. 30. sayinge Turne againe vnto oure Lorde c. As Esdras was prayinge and wepyng for the transgression of the people 1. Esd. 9. there resorted vnto him a greate company of men and women and the people folowinge his ensample wept and lamented very sore Eliachim the hye preast hearinge of the power of Holofernes Iudith 4. wente rounde aboute all Israell and spake vnto them sayinge Be ye sure that oure Lorde wyll heare youre petitions if ye contynue stedfaste in fasstinges and prayers in the syghte of oure LORDE And thus he comforted the people wyth good exhortations A good prelate must be as a good father vnto the people coÌ„mitted vnto him For it is writteÌ„ by Esai of Eliachim whome oure lorde set and dyd constitute in Sobnas the rulers place Esa. 22. he shall be as a father of such as dwel in Ierusalem After that Iudas Machabeus was dead 1. mach 9. ther spronge vp wicked persons throughout all costes of Israell and exhorted all such as did euyll to wickednes And in those daies there was greate hunger c. When men thought that Ionathas was slayne by Tryphon 1. Mach. 12. Then all the heathen that were rounde aboute them soughte to destroye them For they saied now haue they no captain nor any man to helpe them Therfore now let vs ouercome them and rote out their name from amonge men It is well sayed that the prudencye and pitye of Onias the hye preaste 1. Mach. 3. and the goodnesse of other godly subiectes was the cause of peace and good estate of the holy citye Onias did wel resyste Heliodorus goynge aboute to spoyle the temple 2. mac 3. and to take awaye suche thynges as was layed vp for wyddowes and fatherlesse chyldren Our sauiour and lord Iesus where he calleth him selfe a good shepherde Iohn 10. by and by he submitteth the cause sayinge a good shepharde geueth his lyfe for the shepe And agayne I geue my lyfe for the shepe Whereby he dothe vs to vnderstande what thinge is required that a maÌ„ may be called a good shephearde When our Sauiour after his resurrection was mynded to committe the coÌ„gregation of the church to Peter first he proued him Iohn 22. saying SimoÌ„ louest thou me more then these And note that he examined him of dilection not of knowledge not of practice or contemplation but of the dede not of the lawe Nor he asked hym not once but thryee If thou loue me fede my shepe clyppe them not nor slaye them For whye a good prelate muste feede hys shepe wyth worde example and bodely foode Peter perceyuinge that the Iewes marueled and iudged euyll of the discyples lifted vp his voyce and sayde vnto them Act. 1. Ye menne of Iewrye c. where he defendeth his flocke mooste constantly and most holsomlye ouercommeth his aduersaries We maye consider here by Paule the prelate of all excellent goodnesse that dilection dothe mooste specyallye pertaine to a good prelate Iohn 10. For the prince and chefest of all pastoures did so loue his sheape that hee gaue hys life for hys sheape The whych loued theym euen to the latter ende And Paule was meruelous feruente in that kynde of dilectyon and loue And therefore he saide I wyll verye gladlye bestowe and wyll be bestowed for your soules 2. Cor. 12. thoughe the more I loue you the lesse I am loued agayne Item there oughte to bee in a prelate the science knowledge of scripture Chuse and loue the lyghte of wisedome Sapi. 6. the which doth profyt the people Or elsse howe can he dyscerne Leprosy 1. Cor. â— 3 from no Leprosye or iudge the people coÌ„mitted vnto him Paule had an excellent knowledge bothe in deuine humain matters he gaue vnto babes in Christ milke to dryncke spake wisdome among those that are perfect And he was takeÌ„ vp into the third heauen 2 Cor. 12. harde secreat wordes which no man can vtter The loue of subiectes and knowledge of scriptures causeth a presydent or a prelate to be dilygent Roma 12. Lette him saithe Paule that ruleth doe it with diligence The which solicitude and diligence Paule vsed mooste feruently towardes his neighbors And therfore he saithe beside the thynges whych outwardlye happen vnto me I am combred dailye and do care for all Congregatyons 2. Cor. 11. And in a nother place I woulde ye knewe how great solicitude care that I haue for you Collo 2. Of and by these three foresayd thynges thinstruction of the learned doth follow and therfore our Lorde dothe promyse by Ieremy sayinge I wyll geue you herdmen after mine owne minde whiche shall â—eade you wyth learning and wisdome As Artaxerzes said to Esdras and to the iudges of the people 1. Esd. 7. Teache the vnlearned frelye the whiche thynge Paule the doctor of the heathen hath done euidently teaching the vniuersall world other by word or wryting a teacher of the gentiles wyth faythe
verity and openeth the sauor of hys knowledge by vs in euery place i. Timo. 2. 2 Cor. 2. Also a good prelate ought to dispose and orden his offices among his subiectes Exo. 18. as Moses did the which by the counsell of Iethro made amonge the people rulers ouer hundreds ouer fifty and ouer ten Paul dyd the lyke in the church i. Cor. 11 Other thinges wyl I set in order when I come And for that thyng he said vnto Tite For thys cause left I thee in Creta that thou shouldest reforme the thinges that are vnperfect Tite i. and shouldest ordayne elders and priestes in euery city as I had apoynted thee Item a good Prelate must animate and comfort the weaklings and fearful exo 14. as Moses did when he saide vnto the fearful people feare not our lord shal fyght for you And Paul did that thing very wel sayinge Be stronge and of good comfort in our Lord Ephe. 6. and through the vertue and power of hys might put on al the armor of god c. And again Consider how that he endured such speaking against hym of synners Heb. 12. least ye should be wearyed faint in your mindes A good Prelate should defende the oppressed as Onias the hie priest did the which did constantly resist Heliodorus going about to spoyle the temple 2. mach 3 and how valiantly Paule wythstode the false Prophets 2. Cor. 11. it is manyfest in the Actes And he saith wher in so euer any man dare be hold I dare be bold also And therefore he sayde that he fought So fight I. not as one that beateth the ayre And I haue fought a good fyghte 2. Timo. 4. I haue fulfylled my course A good Prelate shoulde be a comforter of thafflicted as Eliachim did when Holofernes besieged Bethelia And Paule was equal wyth hym in this part and saithe Blessed be God the father of our Lord Iesus Christe which is the father of mercy and the God of all comfort 2. Cor. 1. which comforteth vs in all our tribulation in so muche that wee are able to comforte them whiche are in any maner of trouble And againe I beseche you brethren suffer the worde of consolation or exhortation Heb. 13. And such wordes of consolation he vsed specially to the Philippians and Thessaloniās as it is manifest to those that wyl searche loke for it It good prelate must stirre vp those that be flouthful and colde Gen. 42 As Iacob the Patriarch did the which hearing that there was vitailes and corne to be sold in Egypt said to his children Whye do you neglecte it And that thyng could that noble Paule do full well It is nowe time sayeth Paule that we should awake oute of sleape And he saythe Awake thou that sleapest and stande vp from deathe Roma 13. and Christe shall geue thee lyghte And againe Ephe. 5. I warne thee that thou stirre vppe the gyfte of GOD whiche is in thee by the puttynge on of my handes A good prelate in as muche as hee maye 2. Timo. 1. muste helpe the neady to haue that that is necessarye for them We haue an ensample of that in Elizeus the whyche dyd distribute to the children of the prophets twentye loues 4. regu 4 The whyche thynge Paule dyd fulfyll moost diligentlye hauyng in remembraunce these words It is more blessed to geue Act. 20. then to receyue as he saithe And when he had not what to geue he procured it of other mē as it doth wel apeare to the Corinthians 1. Cor. 16. Concerning the gathering c. and againe He whiche soweth lyttle 2. Cor. 9. shall reape little It pertaineth to a good prelate to brynge those lowe that are proude And Moses purposing to do the same sayed rebukyngly Nume 16. Ye make much to doe ye children of Leuy And Samuell sayde vnto Saule Wherfore hast thou not harkened vnto the voyce of our Lord. And Paule was very well learned in this art saying Some swel as thoughe I wold come no more to you i. regu 15. but I wil come to you shortly if God wil and wil know not the words of them which swell 1. Cor. 4. but the power And in another place Charge them whyche are riche in this worlde that they be not proud and hie mineded 1. Timo. 6. Againe a good Prelate ought personally to viset those which are farre of i. regum 7 and are not able to come vnto him the which thing Samuel dyd fulfyll For he went about Bethel Calgala and Masphat and iudged the people And who at anye time exercysed that thing as Paule did the whyche from Ierusalem to the latter sea Roma 15. fylled all places wyth the Gospel of Christ and so that he named hys lyfe a certayne course i. Cor. 9. I therfore so run not as at an vncertaine thing 2. Timo. 4. And I haue fulfylled my course Also a good Prelate oughte to punish transgressors exo 31. as Moses did whē they worshipped and prayed vnto the molten calfe Nor Paul was not neglygente in this parte but sayde The weapons of oure warfare are not carnall thinges 2. Cor. 10. but thinges myghty in God Then there foloweth And are ready to take vengaunce on all dysobedyence And also i. Cor. 4. Shal I come vnto you with a rod or elsse in loue and in the spryte of softnesse A good Prelate oughte to extirpe wede oute the stubburne and pestyferous from amonge the people as Moses did with Chore and hys whyche claue vnto hym Nume 16. Seperate sayeth he and stand thou and all the congregation alofe And then vnto thother he sayd Depart from the tentes of these wycked men And Paule saith of him that kept hys mother in lawe I haue determined to deliuer him vnto Sathan for the destruction of the fleshe 1. Cor. 5. And afterwardes Pourge ye the old leuen And he deliuered vnto Sathan Hymeneus and Alexander 1. Timo. 1. to learne not to blaspheme And to make an end this good prelate must pray for all men Exodi 32. as Moses dyd the whych prayed vnto our lord And as Samuel did God forbid that I should synne againste oure Lorde 1. regu 12. and cease praying for you And Paul did fulfil this thyng most diligently Roma 1. wythout ceasing I make mention of you in my prayers And againe We praye alwaies for you that oure God wyl make you worthy of his calling 2. Thes. 1. c. And he exhorted that it mighte be done I pray you that aboue all thynges prayers may be had for all men i. Timo. 2. and kynges ¶ Of euil princes and prelates Capi. Cii OUr Lord commaunded Moses saying Nume 15 Take all the heades of the people and hange them vp before the Lord against the sonne Moses said vnto Aaron what dyd this people vnto
of men least perchaunce such good workes should be corrupted depraued throughe an euel intention Some there were that ensued and folowed our Lord Iohn 6. to take him in hys words some other to eat of his bread And other that he or his frend might be healed of theyr diseases and some to be eternally saued Herode was desirous of a long season to se Iesus Luc. 23. not of any deuotyon but vpoÌ„ hope to se some myracle done by him And therfore it profited hym not to se Iesus ¶ Of Slouthfulnesse and negligence ¶ Capitu. Cxvii IAcob hearynge that there was vitayles and corne to be solde in Egypt Gen. 42. saide vnto hys sones Whye neglect you this mater Get you downe and by vs that that is nedefull The chyldren of Israell in the desert hadde Aungels breade Nume 11. and yet being blinded they desyred the metes of Egypte Slouthfulnesse and tediousnes is vnto manne the cause of impacience Nume 11. and carnall desyre and the occasion of many lyes as it is euidente in the boke of numbers We remember the fishe which we did eate in Egipte for naughte The chyldren of Israell departed from mount hor Nume 21. and began to fainte by the way and war weary of their loboure and iourney And they spake against God and Moses saying Our soule lotheth this light breade wherfore our Lorde sente fyerye serpentes amonge the people Abner kept Saule his Lorde verye neglygentlye 2. regu 26. for when Dauid came downe into hys hoste he founde noman that watched Isboseth Sauls sonne being a slepe was slayne 2. regu 4. When other kinges were wont to go a warfare 2. regu 11. Dauid taried at whom wher that he by thys occasion coÌ„mitted aduoutry and most hainusmurther It pleased Ioas the kinge of Iuda to repayre oure Lordes house 2. Para. 24. and he commaunded the Leuites to be diligente aboute the same But yet they did theyr parte but negligentely and therefore the kinge reprehended Ioiada the hye preaste Whylste the men were a slepe the enuious man came and sowde tares amonge the corne Mat. 13. The slothful and idle are reproued and they that do work rewarded Mat. 20. A greate tempest arose in the sea Ionas gaâ—e hym vnder the hatches fell a slepe Ionas 1. So the master of the shyp came and saide vnto him Why slombrest thou Up and call vpon thy god Our lord did reprehend veri sharply Mat. 25. the slouthful seruaunt which neglected to multiplye and encrease the talent commytted and delyuered vnto hym Mat. 25. The sleping virgins whose lampes were not prepared wer afterwardes excluded from the mariage Mar. 14. The disciples semed to be at the hour euen very heauy and slouthful when that they after our Lord had prayed them to watche dyd sleape continually ¶ Of the good towardnesse of children ¶ Capitu. Cxviii IT is not red that Isaac when hys father at Gods commaundemente woulde haue offered hym vp in a sacrifice Gene. 12. did either murmur ther at or run his waies Ioseph accused hys brethreÌ„ to hys father of an exceading greate cryme Gene. 27. the whych accusement in hym was a signe that he detested sinne And wheÌ„ his father said vnto him come for I wyl send thee to thy brethren he most obediently answered here am I. Samuel beinge yet a childe was a minister in the sighte of God 1. regu 2.3 where the arke of God was When Dauid should be anoynted king 1. regu 16. he was a little one in the fielde and kept sheape obeyinge hys father humbly and abiectly Ioas the sonne of Ioram kynge of Iuda 2. Para. 24. was but a childe of 7â— yere old when he began to raign he dyd that which was right and good before our Lorde all the dayes of Iehoiada the priest Iosias was viii yeare olde when he began to raign He did that which was righte 4. regu 22. good and pleasant in the syght of oure Lorde and yet he had a very euell father and graundfather Though Tobias wer yonger then all other in the tribe of Nephtaly yet did not he behaue him selfe childishly in hys woorkes Tob. 1.4 And afterwardes when hee hadde begotten a sonne he taught him from his childhode to fear God and to abstain from all synne Dani. 1. Daniell and his thre companions obseruing the lawe of God without Prophete priest or master lyued soberly iustly and deuoutlye amonge the gentyles chyldren The seuen brethren yonge men had a wonderfull wysdome in their aunswers 2. Mach. 7. and a maruelous pacience in their tribulations Iohn the Baptist grew and waxed stronge in spirite Luc. 1. and was in wyldernes tyll the daye came when he should shewe him selfe vnto the Israelytes Our sauiour a childe of .xii. yeares of age Luc. 2. was founde in the temple in the middes of the doctours hearinge them posing them And after that he went downe with Mary Ioseph and was subiect obedient vnto the. ¶ Of the societie and felowshyp of good men Ca. 119. Gen. 18. THis is greatlye to be considered that if ther had bene found ten iuste men in the v. synfull Cities that for their sakes our Lord would haue spared all the reast Iacob said vnto Laban it was but tittle that thou haddest before I came to thee Gen. 30. and nowe thou art increased made rich and our Lord hathe blessed thee for my sake Our lord blessed the house of Egipt for Iosephes sake Gen. 41 and increased it Iacob was well accompanyed that sayd Gene. 35. let vs make and reare vp an altare vnto our Lord for he hath heard me in the day of mitribulation was wyth me in the way which I went Israell serued our Lord al the daies of Iosua Iosu. 24. and the elders that ouer lyued Iosna the whyche knewe all the workes of our Lorde that he had done for Israel The children of Dan tooke Lachis and flue the men Iudi. 18. whiche dwelt carelesse without castinge of pearyls and hadde no society nor businesse with other men Saule sent sergeauntes and messengers to take Dauid that was wyth Samuel and other prophets 1. regu 19. that which began to prophesy and Saule came and prophecied with them For the reuerence and honor of Iosaphat king of Iuda which worshypped God 4. regu 3. Elizeus the prophet obtayned water for the host in the whych were two euil kinges Tobias would haue such gestes to dine with him Tob. 2.4.5 as feared God and he saught his sonne the same Eate not with the sinful And he most diligently wold know wyth whom his sonne should go wythall YoÌ„g Tobias wife said I haue not kept company wyth those that passe their time in sporte Tobi. 3. Neyther haue I made my self partaker with theÌ„ that walke in light behauour When they hearde the cruel commaundement of king