that hath done vvrong Housekeepers Masters of familyes are taught That possession gotten vvith iniquitie fleeteth awaye Of Charitie it is wrytten That loue couereth the multitude of sinnes Of Magistrates it is written Geue vnto Caesar those thinges vvhich belong to Caesar and to God those things that are Gods. Of othes and remembring of iniuries Haue I commaunded your fathers comming out of the lande of Aegipt that they shoulde offer sacrifice and burntofferinges but I commaunded this rather That euerie one thould forget iniuries and offences and to loue no vntrue oath Lyers prowde men heare this threatning VVoo vnto those that call sweete bytter and bytter sweete and againe VVoo be vnto them that are vvyse in their owne conceytes And he that humbleth himself shal be exalted and he that exalteth him selfe shal be brought lowe Those that shewe pittie and mercy are pronounced blessed Because they shal obtaine mercie Enuie and displeasure is accoumpted a hurtfull thing Because it destroyeth those that be wyse And as for enemyes we are commaunded To loue them to blesse those that curse vs And vnto him that smyteth thee vpon the one cheeke offer vnto him the other Our seruauntes are to be vsed gently for they are men as we be and there is no respect of personnes before god Vainglory is also beaten downe VVoo be vnto you Pharisees because you loue the highest seates in the Synagoges and salutations in the market places Of almes deedes it is wrytten Come ye blessed children of my father receyue the kingdome prepared for you from the begynning of the vvorlde for I vvas hungrie aad you gaue mee meate I vvas thirstie and you gaue me drinke Fayth trouth in word déed are highly commended VVherfore laying asyde lyes let euery one speake truth vnto his neighbour for vve are members one of another let not the Sūne set vpon our vvrath neyther let vs geue place to the Deuyll He that stole let him steale no more but rather let him labour vvith his handes that he may be able to geue vnto the needy Let all bytternes and vvrath and fiercenes and cursed speaking be remoued from amongst you vvith all that vvhich is euyll Be gentle and mercyful one toward another doing good one to another as Christ hath done good vnto you Be you vvyse and follovvers of God as deare children and vvalke in loue as Christ hath loued you You vvyues be subiect to your ovvne husbandes as vnto the lord And you husbandes loue your vviues as Christ loued his church You sonnes obey your Parents Fathers prouooke not your children to vvrath but bring them vp in the nurtour and admonicion of the lord You seruaunts obey your Maisters after the flesh vvith trembling and feare in symplicity of your harts as it vvere seruing Christ from your hartes vvith good vvyll And you Masters do vvell vnto your seruaunts remitting threates knovving that both their Maister and yours is in heauen and is no accepter of persons If vve lyue in the spirite let vs vvalke in the spirite Let vs not be desirous of vainglory enuying one another and prouoking one another Let vs beare one anothers hurthen Let vs not deceaue our selues for God is not deceyued And againe VVe beseeche you brethren vvarne them that are vnruly comfort the feble minded lyft vp the vveake be patient toward all men See that none recompence euyll for euyl vnto any man but euer follovve that vvhich is good both among your selues and vnto all men Reioyce euer pray continually In all things geue thanks for it is the vvyll of GOD in Christ Iesus tovvard you Quenche not the spiritte despise not Prophesyings Examine all thinges hold fast that vvhich is good abstaine from all appearaunce of euyll Let your speache be alvvayes in grace powdred vvith salt to knovve hovve you ought to answere euerie man And againe Godlynes is profitable to all thinges hauing promises of the lyfe that is nowe and of that vvhich is to come And of serrauntes it is wrytten And they vvhich haue beleeuing Maisters let them not despise them because they are brethren but rather let them doo seruice for asmuch as they are beleeuing and beloued and partakers of the benefyte And that generall exhortation is worthy remembraunce Seeing that vve haue diuerse giftes according to the grace that is geuen vnto vs eyther prophesie after the measure of faith eyther offyce in administration or he that teacheth in teaching or hee that exhorteth in exhorting he that geueth in singlenesse he that ruleth in dilligence he that is mercifull in cheerefulnesse Loue vvithout dissimulation hating euyll cleaning to good Affectioned one to another vvith brotherly loue in geuing honor goe one before another Not lyther in busines feruent in spirite seruing the Lorde Reioycing in hope patient in trouble instant in prayer distributing to the necessitie of Sainctes geuen to hospitalitie Blesse them vvhich persecute you blesse and curse not Reioyce with them that reioyce weepe vvith them that vveepe Being of lyke affectioned one towardes another be not high mynded but making your selues equall to them of the lower sort not vvise in your owne opinions Recompence to no man euyll for euyll prouiding aforehande thinges honest not onely before God but also in the sight of all men If it be possible asmuch as lyeth in you haue peace vvith all men These fewe things I haue chosen from amongst many out of the holye scripture which I thought good to offer vnto my schollers that they might learne to plucke vp sinne and iniquitie by the rootes The body of the holy scripture conteyneth a plentyfull stoore of many other preceptes meete for an kyndes and callinges of men for the Cleargie and for the layetie for Princes for Priestes for gouernours and for subiectes of the which occasion may peraduenture be geuen to speake more aptly in another place Our heauenly father hath lefte his wyll vnto vs in his holye worde And whereas the horse is broken with the bytte and brydle the Ore with the yoake the wylde beast is caught with the nette the fishe with the hooke he hath ordeyned his word to alter and transformer resonable men Let vs most humblye beseeche him to gyue vs his grace that we may obey his word and followe his preceptes and commaundementes that we maye wade through the floodes of sinne and come into the quyet hauen of eternall peace there to be thankfull and alwayes to extoll the heauenly Father with his onely sonne together with the holy ghost world without ende Amen A Philosophecall posy Two principall partes of wisedom The Philosophers ignorante in the practise of their precepte Esai 29. 33. 1. Cor. 1. True wisdome is only in Gods. church 1. Cor. 1. Psa 36. Iohn 8. Christe is a perfecte example for vs to folowe in faythe and lyffe Christe an example in our liffe Iohn 13. 2 Tim. 3. Rom. 2. 1. The. 4
¶ THE CHRISTIAN Manuell or of the life and maners of true Christians A Treatise wherein is plentifully declared how needefull it is for the seruaunts of God to manifest and declare to the world their faith by their deedes their words by their works and their profession by their conuersation VVritten by Ihon VVoolton Minister of the Gospel in the Cathedral church of EXCETOR Imprinted at London by I. C. for Thomas Sturruppe dwelling in Paules Church yarde at the singe of the George 1576. To the râ—â—â—te worshipfull Sir VVilliam Cordell Knight Maister of the Rolles Iohn VVoolton wissheth prosperus suecesse in al worldly affaires and in the life to come ioy and immortall felicitie AMongest those seauen wise Men of Greece there was one that commeÌ„ded to his hearers this Posie Follow God Which sentence he willed them to haue continually before their eyes to the end that they might be stirred vp with an earnest desire to know loue and serue God who is the last and perfect ende of true wisdome For whereas there be two principall partes of trew wisdome after the opinion of Philosophers the firste that a man shoulde know himselfe the second that he should know God wherein true felicitie is as it were a marke or goale proposed and offered vnto vs the wise man had good cause and great reason in that pithie clause to commende the last and perfect ende of true wisdome vnto his Schollers and disciples The precept therefore is most commendable profitable but when he came to the actioÌ„ and execution of this immitatâ—â—â— the wise man swarued very much from that scope mark which hiÌ„self had purposed He could not by his wisdome attaine to the knowledge of God neither finde out the right way neither yet had he any guide to lede him out of that deep darknes in the which he was more then drowned wherby it came to passe that he wandered miserably somtime on the left hand and somtime on the right hande from God whom he willed his disciples to follow For the wisdome of this world is so weake and infirme that it cannot bring man vnto the souÌ„taine of goodnes felicitie euen whose fruicion is his righte and perfect blessednes VVhich thing is found true both by experience in all worldly wise men also by the testemonie of Saint Paule who speketh out of Gods mouth I will destroye the wisdome of the wise will cast away the vnderstanding of the prudeÌ„t Although theÌ„ the wise man gaue a good precept yet no man came to blessednes therby which thing should haue commen to passe if hee had bene hable to point out the way vnto his followers This true wisdome the Churche of God onely hath and knoweth VVhereof the same apostle speaketh after this manner For after that in the wisdome of God the world through their wisdome knewe not God it pleased God through folishnesse of preaching to saue them that beleeue That is to saye because that men in the frame and woorkemanship of the world wherin the singuler wisdome of God is ingraued and open to the eies of men dyd not know God It pleased God of his free and infinit goodnesse to deliuer vnto the worlde his wisdome before time vnknowne euen the gospell of his sonne Jesus Christe whereby he purposed to saue al beleeuers that thei might ther by through Grace atteine to the perfect end of their condicion whiche by reason of their corrupt nature through original sinne they could of them selues neuer come vnto Of this light spake the prophet Dauid saying In thy light shal we see light and Christe himselfe more plainly I am the light of the world he that followeth me shal not in any wise vvalke in darknesse but shall haue the light of life In which sentence our sauior Christ calleth his seruants froÌ„ the immitation of all others and vvilleth them to set him before their eies as a perfect patterne and absolute example for them to follovv The ancient writers and best expositors haue vvell obserued that in the holy scripture Christ is proposed and set out as an example rule to follow two maner of waies First they teach vs that he is the author giuer of remission of sins iustice life and eternall saluation to all beleeuers VVhich thing is so proper and peculier vnto him that no part or porcion therof may be in any respect imparted vnto others vvithout manifest sacralege and blasphemie Secondly they discribe him as an exquisyte tipe and rule of a godly and christian life framed after Gods moste holy lavv vvhich as he taught vvith mouth and voice so did he fulfil the same in his owne life and proposed him selfe as an example to al those that would be accoumpted and be in deede Christians whereof we haue a plaine testimonie in the gospell of Saint Iohn I haue geuen you an example saith Christ that you shoulde doe as I haue done vnto you This our heauenly Maister was much vnlike those whom Saint Paule describeth to haue a fourme of godlinesse but denie the power therof and againe Thou knowest Gods will and allowest thinges that be excellent and hast the fourme of knowledge and of the trueth of the law thou therfore which teachest another teachest not thy selfe and makinge thy boast of the lawe through breaking of the law dishonorest God. But Christe saide and did taught and followed to th end that all his schollers might learne to performe in worke that vvhich they professe in vvord The Apostles of Chrste also the best expositors of their masters will as they alwaies teache men to beleeue and trust in him being the fountaine and welspringe of iustice and life so doe they euery vvhere vrge them with earnest exhortations to follow his life and conuersation Saint Paule sayeth That he hath not caled vs to vnclenenes filthynes of life but to holines Neither was he made to beleeuers wisdom and iustice only but also saÌ„ctification and redemtion For as by his wisdom and iustice he hath expelled darknes naturaly bred in mans brest and hath kindled the true light of the knowledge of himselfe and his father and forgeuing our sinnes doth adorne vs with his ovvne iustice wherwith we being couered and clothed please God his Father euen so doth hee giue vnto vs the holy gost vvho doth regenerat and renew our mindes whereby they doe conceiue holy desires and affections vvhich at the laste are plentifull and fruitfull in bringing foorth good woorks A godly life is alvvaies conioyned with a liuely faith in sutch sorte that these two cannot be seperate one from another no more then light can be deuided froÌ„ the sun or heat from the burning fire For Christ as the apostle saith gaue himself for vs to purg vs a peculier people to himselfe reasons of good woorks and to redeeme vs from all iniquititie And if Philosophers giue rules precepts of maners not
the Fathers and prophets were inspired which is to be had onely out of the holye scripture and to bee vnderstoode by the ayde of Gods spiryt wherein the saluation of mankinde is conteyned They knewe nothing of God as he reueled him selfe in his word euen from the beginning then the which benefyte none can come or bee more wyshed of mankinde These cheefe and princypall vertues then the true knowledg of God loue feare and reuerence of God togeather with perfyt trust and confydence in God calling vppon him in distresse and necessity was wanting vnto them Besydes this they knewe nothing of originall synne and naturall corruption they knewe nothing of the cause of synne nothing of mannes mysserie nothing of true and effectuall consolations eyther against calamityes or against death it selfe They knewe nothing of the redemption of mankynd by Christe nothing of the tyranny of the Deuyll nothing of the reparration of Gods Image name nothing of the olde man in Adam and newe man in Christe They knewe nothing of the resurrection of the dead nothing of the daye of domme nothing of the eternall blysse and immortallytie with the faythfull shall enioye in boddye and soule in the heauenly kingdome Albeit then the actes and déedes of the Ethnikes geue outwardly a godlye shewe as Aristides and Phocion in iustice and equitie Socrates in pittie Xenocrates in contynencie Lucretia in loue of Chastytie which they pursued let vs graunt so much to some good ende admyt not for any desyre of glorye and renowne but fyrst because the verye face and countenaunce of vertue séemed honourable vnto them secondly to leaue vnto theyr countrey men domysticall examples whiche they might followe lastlye to styrre vp in others an emulation and desyre of vertue if I saye all these good thinges were in them yet we sée howe farre they were from perfection The crowne and garland as it were wanteth in theyr workes to wytte the knowledge of God and an harte puryfied by fayth Wherefore Saint Augustine spake of them after this manner There is no good thing without the chiefe goodnesse and where the true knowledge of the eternall trueth vvanteth there is no true vertue no not in the best manners And another VVithout the relygion of the true God that which seemeth to be vertue is vyce neyther can any man please God without God c. For those that are ignoraunt of the true God can not haue true and perfyte vertue but onely a shewe or shaddowe therof vanishing awaye And whereas Reason and VVyll doo concurre in all honest and good actions the one admonishing what men ought to doo or not to doo the other pursueth and practyseth the same It is most certayne that humaine reason after his fall is oppressed with great ignoraunce and errour and therefore most commonly iudgeth corruptlye and VVyl also to be caryed to the worst in the execucion of all thinges The knowledge of God then puryfying the hart is doubtlesse the orygion and fountayne of all vertues which is pleasaunt and acceptable vnto god It is that which illuminateth and informeth Reason rightly and correcting corrupt vvyll reneweth a man after God in iustyce and true holynesse Moreouer the Ethnikes in their deedes respect not the right ende which make a true and perfyt difference betwéene all actions ▪ for example sake To releeue and geue almes to the poore is acoumpted and in deede is a vertue if it procéede from the loue of God and man but if it proceede of a desire to purchase prayse and commendation of the world it is synne and hipochrysie Wée do not reiect in the meane time theyr Polyticall vertues in humayne society but commende and imbrace them so farre forth as they swarue not from right reason and Iudgment of the mynd and especiallye from the tenne commaundements But we admonysh therewithall that Chrystians ought to haue a farre other respect then the Ethnikes had For they auoyded vice and folowed vertue through desire of praise honour and glory or through desyre of dygnity and aucthoryty or for comon concord and quyetnesse or else through reuerence of men and feare of the lawes or some suche lyke matter Whereas the Christians dyrect all theyr doing to the glory of God and profit of their neighbours They weigh more the feare of God then worldlye glory the loue of Iustyce then deceytful prayse and eternall blysse more then temporall pleasure The Ethnikes if there were any notable thing in them vaunted as of their owne gyfts but the Chrystians acknowledge God to be the geuer and aucthour of all good gyftes The vertue of humilitye then which Christ so earnestly requireth of vs was wanting in the Infydelles The same that hath bene sayd generallye of the Ethnikes may be perticulerly extended to the Iewes and Turks who woulde séeme to acknowledge one God onely to detest all Idols and to excell in holynesse of lyfe yet because they worship not God as he hath reueled and appointed in his word neyther beléeue that Christ is the sonne of the lyuing God al their works must nedes be fowle in Gods sight For without that ther is no true vertue no knowledge of God nor syncéere worshipping of God no pure loue toward God nor towarde our neyghbour They fayne vnto them selues a God or rather an Idoll who is not the Father of our medyatour and redéemer Iesus Christe Therefore they worshyppe not God a ryght for Hee that knoweth not the Sonne honoreth not the Father nor yet calleth vpon his name And because the holy ghost is geuen for the Sonnes sake vnto beléeuers to styrre vp newe motions in theyr hartes it is euident howe farre from all goodnesse Iewes Turkes are whyles they despyse the sonne of God who onelye sendeth the holy ghoste vnto men to bréede in them all perfyte goodnesse Moreouer for that the true loue of God from whence all loue towarde our neyghbour is deryued ryseth in vs vppon that aboundaunt mercie which he hath shewed in geuing his onlye sonne Christ to be crucyfied for our sinnes whome the Iewes Turkes contempne and blaspheme it can not bée that they contempning him shoulde syncerely loue God or theyr neyghbour for Gods sake So then both Iewes and Turkes want the chéefe and principall vertues of Christians the true knowledge and feare of God fayth Charyty hope inuocation of Gods name gyuing of thanks obedience in sorrowes and myseries with others of that sorte And if happely there be any shewes or pyctours of Politicke vertues in them those are so defiled and spotted wyth impure affections that they loose all their bewty We sée in beasts them selues some thing resembling vertue as in the Lyons clemency toward suppliants in the Dogge faythfull toward his Master in Shéepe softnesse and meekenesse and yet these are not true vertues it is euen so almost in the Infidelles whose reason being voyde and destitute of the lyght of Gods spirite
pleasure It is wisedome to auoyde deepe and stypperie places our féete are tycklishe inough vppon the fyrme grounde Thou wylt bappely obiect that common voyce of the Stoikes You promise great thinges and you commaund ouer harde things VVe are men and can not thus brydle our selues VVe wyll lament but a lyttle vve wyll desire but a pyttance VVe wyll bee angrie but soone pleased But doost thou knowe why wee can not doo these thinges wée can not because wee thynke that wée can not For the trouth is otherwyse wée defende our faultes because wée are delyghted in doing of them and wée had rather nourishe them then neglect them Yll wyll is the cause and wee pretende want of power But to returne to my matter The godly make no difference of meats in respect of saluation for they know ryght well that Christianisme consysteth not therein but in other farre more wayghtye matters To conclude wee muste dryue awaye hunger and thyrste with those meates and drynkes and suche dyette and apparell are to bee vsed as the constitution of mennes bodyes and conseruation of theyr healthe seemeth to requyre for no certayne and exquysytte precepts can be prescribed in these matters And if it come to passe that wée fall into some sycknesse and dyssease let vs desyre the Physytions counsayle and helpe whose knowledge and ayde yet we ought so to vse that we put our chiefe confidence in the heauenly Phisition the lyuing God least the same betyde vs that came vppon Asa king of Israell who was stryken with a dyssease in his legges Whereby he was excéedingly payned tormented sought not for helpe at Gods hande Men ought fyrst of al to craue Gods ayde helpe then séeke for the Phisition For the vvyse Syrache commaundeth men to honour the Phisition whome God hath created for our necessitie he addeth that this arte was geuē by God to men that he might be praysed in his wonders and they recouer their health Let vs marke those wordes which follow a lyttle after My sonne sayth he in thy sicknesse call vpon the Lord and he wyll heale thee Ceasse from sinne and cleanse thy harte from all offences Then sende for the Physition for the Lorde hath created him neither let him depart from thee at such time as thou hast neede of him I thought good to vse thus much spéech in this matter because of some men that both think and speake amysse of Physitions and in the Phisitiō impiously contempne God and in Phisicke a singular gyft of Gods goodnesse toward man For by the Phisition as by a mynister God expelleth disseases and by Physicke as by an instrument he conserueth health and restoreth the same againe being lost Great consideration we ought to haue then of our duetye towarde our selues when we are alone Marcus Cicero highly praysed Scipio the Africane for that he was woont to saye That he was neuer lesse ydle then when he had leysure nor neuer lesse alone then when he was alone Which was a worthy spéech sayth he and fytte for such a man And the Epicure is commended by Seneca for y he willed his schollers alwaies to imagine that they had one at their elbowe viewing their doinges Many offences are auoyded sayth he if a wytnesse stand by vs. But Seneca his counsayle in another place is more graue and holsome that we shoulde certainly perswade our selues that God is alwayes present his wordes are these So I saye in deede Lucili the holie spirite sytteth within vs as if were a watchman and an obseruer of our life and as wee behaue our selues toward him euen so he dealeth with vs surely there is noe good man without God. Which lesson let euery Christian man learne and thinke with hym selfe as the troth is that when he is most alone he hath many witnesses and eyes watching and beholding him For into what séecret place soeuer he withdraue him selfe he hath present with him the lyuing God his holy Aungell his owne Conscience from whome it is not possible with any pollycy to hyde and kéepe secréete his cogitations and actions When therefore wée haue shut our closet doores and windowes and drawn the curtens of our beddes and fall to deuise or do any thing let vs fyrst consider whether it be honest or vnhonest if reason tell vs that it is fowle and vyle and yet wanton wyll and furious affections forcibly cary vs to doo that which reson diswadeth the rather because we see no man present to controwle vs then let vs remember that Gods eyes are open euen our doings and his presence in all places and therefore not absent from vs That saying of Saint Augustine is memorable God is in him selfe as the beginning and ending in the worlde as the aucthour and gouernour in the Aungelles as sweetnesse and comelynesse in the Churche as the goodman is in his house in the soule as a brydegrome in his chamber in iuste men as a helper and desendour in vvicked men as terror and horrour And Saynct Gregory God is absent from no place and yet hee is farre of from euyll mennes cogytations for he is not farre distaunt where hee is most absent where hee is absent in grace hee is there present in vengeaunce Nowe if we would be loth to haue a man or a lyttle chylde to come vppon vs as we are working wickednesse howe much more ought we to stand in aw and reuerence of Gods maiesty do we blush at the eyes of a chylde and care wée not for the sight of the lyuing God especiallye seeing that hee beeing nowe a wytnesse wyll one daye be our Iudge Let vs pause a lytle as it were reason the matter thus with our selues Shall I make the holy spirit sorrowfull that the wicked spirit may reioyce Hathe Christ therefore redéemed mee with his precious bloud that I should wylfully become Sathans bondslaue Shall I come to the Lords table with thys lyfe Shall I thus looke for the comming of Christ Shall death take me in this case These and such lyke considerations if we vse in the myddle of Temptation we shall not so forwardly commit sinne and wickednesse Herevnto we may adde this worthy consyderation and admonytion that we are made the sonnes and heyres of God and the fellowe heyres of the Lord Iesus Which dignyty in Gods mercy if we remember as we neuer ought to forget the same we shal be moued with a certayne lyberall feare and shamefastnesse to abstayne from vice Surely he that calleth to mynd that he is the sonne and heyre of God and the brother and fellowe heyre of Iesus Christ wyll represse sinne and staye him selfe from wickednesse not so much for feare of the last daye and torments of hell as least he should offende and dysplease so louing and mercifull a father He that beléeueth with Saint Paule that his bodye is the Temple of the holye ghost dwelling in him wyl not wylfully wallowe
wandereth in Ignoraunce and darknesse and can do no true and sinceere vertue but happelye nowe and then some vayne maske and shewe of vertue and thus much of the works of Paynyms and Infydels Thirdly and lastly those good works are to be consydered which are done of those who from the bottome of theyr harts embrace true holynesse and righteousnesse And it were requisite if a man woulde prosecute euery thing exactly dyligently to consider the signifycation of the word VVorkes but because that matter in Englysh would rather séeme to be vaine ostentation then serue to edification I wyl omit the same for this tyme and wyth some description open the meaning or signification of good workes Good workes are actions which are don of men regenerat by the ayde of Gods spirit through fayth according to the rule of Gods worde hauing their respectes as chéefe vses and endes to wyt The honor and glory of God the ornament and honestie of our lyues and the profite and commodity of our neighboures I wil open euery part of this discription largelye after I haue shewed howe earnestly almighty God in his word requireth of his seruants good works which are established and not reiectted by fayth Fyrst therefore al sincéere and faythfull professors of the gospell ought most certainly to perswade them selues that they are adopted fréely by God and alreadie iustifyed through Christ by faith and regenerate and sanctifyed by Gods spyrite that they might in worde and deede expresse and somewhat resemble the nature and disposition of their heauenly Father and therewithall declared vnto the worlde by theyr workes that they are the sonnes of god For that cause I haue againe againe repeted before that a Christian faith ought to be garnished with al kind of good works And therfore as the Apostle S. Paul after that propositiō VVe gather therfore that a man is iustified by faith without the workes of the Lawe In the waye of questioning sayth VVe make the Lawe therefore in vaine through faith He answereth by by God forbid Naie we establishe the Lawe Euen so I presently affirme that we do not now a daies dissolue good workes by the doctrine of faith Iustifiynge but we rather establishe the same For without faith there can be no good works and faith cannot be vnfruitfull or ydle in those that are iustified Moreouer almighty God him selfe requyreth of his seruants the good works of a true fayth and greeuously accuseth cōdemneth by the Prophets Apostles those that are neglygent and slouthfull Moyses sayth in the Lawe And nowe Israell what doth the Lorde thy God require of thee but that thou should feare thy God and walke in his waies and loue him and serue the Lord thy God with al thy hart and with al thy soule and keepe the commaundementes of the Lord and his ceremonies which I commaund thee that it maie bee well with thee What should I speake of that that the Law of God is geuen from heauen that it may shew vnto them theyr infirmitie and offences their natural corruption and iust condemnation and so leadeth vs as it were by the hande from trust and confidence in our selues to depende vppon Christ And yet that is but one scope or vse of the Law which was geuen to the ende that it might be a rule of mans life exhybiting a perfyte dyscipline to those that are iustifyed by fayth So sayth the Prophete in the booke of Psalmes Blessed is that man whome thou O Lorde instructest in thy lawe And againe Hee hath geuen a testimony vnto Iacob and a lawe vnto Israell that the posteritye maie knowe and put their trust in God and not forget the workes of God but keepe his commaundements The Prophetes euery where teache a true fayth in God his sonne Christe and also call for good workes of the true worshyppers of god Blessed is he sayth Ieremie that trusteth in the Lorde hee shall be like a tree planted by the waters whiche sendeth his moysture vnto the rootes and he shall not feare when sommer commeth And his leafe shall bee greene and he shall not be in daunger in the tyme of drought neyther shall he ceasse to bring forth fruicte Which worde he translated no doubte out of the first Psalme And in Esai the Prophet mencion is made of a Vineyarde that was planted to bring forth fruicte And Iohn Baptist the foreronner of the Lord appoynted dyscipline and order of lyfe to those that asked of him what they shoulde doo and amongst other thinges he spake thus to the Pharisees and Saduces Yee generacion of vipers who hath taught you to flye from the vengeaunce to come bring forth the fruites of repentaunce And Zacharie his father songe and sayde before That vve being vvithout feare and delyuered out of the handes of our enemies might serue him in holynes and righteousnes all the daies of our lyfe Our Lorde and sauiour Iesus Christ in that his Sermon made vnto his Disciples in the Moūtaine exhorteth them in them all the faithfull to good works but especiallye in the ende concluding with these wordes Not euerie one that sayth vnto mee Lorde Lorde shall enter into the kingdom of heauen but he that doth the vvyll of my Father vvho is in heauen And immediatly after he subioyneth two Parables of one that buylt his house vpon a fyrme Rock and of him that layd his foundation vpon the sande The hearers and doers of the worde of God are lyke vnto them the hearers only resembled vnto the others And when a woman cryed out saying Blessed is the vvombe that bare thee and the paps that gaue thee sucke Our sauiour answered But blessed are they that heare the word of God and keepe it And euen the lyke answere he gaue vnto the Iewes bosting that they were Abrahams sonnes If ye vvere Abrahams children ye vvould doo the vvorkes of Abraham you are of your father the Deuyll and fulfyll the desires of your father And againe I am the true vine and my Father is the husbandman hee cutteth off euerie braunche that doth not bring foorth fruite in mee and euerie one that bringeth forth fruite he purgeth that he maye bring forth fruite more plentifully In lyke manner the holy Apostles commending the doctrine of theyr Maister to all Nations doo most earnestlye call for good workes As obedient chyldren not fashioning your selues vnto the former lustes of your ignoraunce But as he vvhich called you is holy euen so be yee holie also in all manner of conuersation And if so bee that yee call on the Father vvhich vvithout respecte of personne iudgeth according to euerie mannes vvorke see that yee passe the tyme of your dwelling heere in his feare For asmuch as you knowe howe that you were not redeemed with corruptible things as syluer and golde from your vaine conuersation which ye receiued by the tradition of your Fathers But
our charge For as we deny mans merit so do wée teache Gods rewarde which we referre to his grace and mercye We adde also the Gods holy spirite dwellyng in the faythful workes effectually in their hartes that they bringe foorth good frutes For God hath geuen vnto his seruants not the spirit of feare but of power loue and sobriety So that the godly being indued with holy moderation and humilyty are afrayde to ascrybe that to their owne merits which of right belongeth to the grace of God the merites of his sonne Iesus Christ herevnto consenteth the holy Father Saint Augustine Let no man saye that grace is geuen vnto him by his merites as heretikes falsely affirme Not because there is no good merite of the godly nor euyll meryt of the vngodly for if it were so how shold God iudge the world But the grace and mercy of God conuerteth man whereof the Psalme speaketh The mercye of my God shall preuent mee Which thing séeing it is most euident let no man leaue the only perfit fouÌ„dation which is Christ through whom we are iustified by fayth and not by works and yet wée being setled vpon this foundation as lyuelye stones ought lykewyse buylders to laye vpon the same in ryght and decent order true and perfytte good workes It appeareth by that which hath bene spoken before what great dyfference there is betwéene the vertues of Chrystians and Infydelles Surely so great as there is betweene a beast and a child betwéene a wyse man and a foole or betwéene a blinde man and one that seeth well For vnto Christians is the secreete wyll of God reuealed and that mysterie which as the Apostle sayeth was hyd many ages Vnto Chrystians God the father of glorye hath by his spirite in his worde reuealed wisedome and the knowledge of him selfe To conclude Christians are translated out of the power of darknesse into the kingdome of his dearely beloued sonne by whome wee haue redemption through his blood and remyssion of sinnes In whome it hath pleased the heauenly father to dwell with all fulnesse and by him to reconcyle all things toward him selfe and all thinges pacifyed through the blood of his crosse whether they be in heauen or in earth Séeing then the excellent dignitie of Christian men is suche let them also thinke that theyr lyfe and conuersation ought to be most excellent and to passe all other Nations or professions For Paynimes and all faythlesse people doo leade a lyfe without any faith or hope they know nothing of eternall lyfe And although amongst many of them some do holde the immortality of the soule yet their arguments depend of naturall reason and haue not force and effecte to perswade weake mynds Neyther touching matters of this lyfe do they procéede any further then the bare letter of the seconde table of Gods commaundementes and so much as apperteyneth to the shaddowe of honestie in externall manners and actions They being ouercome with the lustes of the fleshe and drawne into vices knowe not the occasion of the same muche lesse the meane to amende the same naye they often fréely confesse that they are violently drawen with their fylthy appetytes they sée better thinges and allow of them but they choose and embrace the worst they desire those thinges that are forbidden them they pursue such things as fléete awaye and refuse those things that are offered vnto them Such is the corrupt nature of all men that lyue without the direction of Gods spirit and the light of the gospell But the Christians beléeuing in the sonne of God and walking in the cleare light of his gospell do know that they are redéemed not with any corruptyble thinges as syluer gold but with such a matter whose lyfe hath no end doubtles euen with the blood of Iesus Christ And for as muche as hee beyng both God and man lyueth for euer and therefore became man to redéeme vs and couple vs vnto him selfe wée doo knowe that wâ—e shal liue in him throughout al eternytes and in this faith we looke for eternall lyfe when as God shal be all in all And in this lyfe we resist carnall concupisenses â–ª and suffer not synne to beare rule in our mortall body We resyste not the holye ghoste wée serue not the fleshe but that serueth vs Yea and although somtyme this carnall nature of ours wyll shewe it selfe yet wée accoumpt it a thing vnworthy to followe the bent thereof and being the chyldren of God are ledde with Gods spirite onlye Let vs for example sake vewe these greate courtyers and noble men placed in dignytye and aucthorytye who puffed vp with ambition and hautinesse of mynde throughe a vayne con eyte of theyr offyce and countenaunce contempne the acquayntaunce and famylyarytye of poore symple men or vse them onelye to serue they re tourne and gayne Some other are become so doltyshe and arrogaunte that they wyll not vouchsaufe a becke or nodde to those that with bothe legges moste humblye salute them They are growne into all madnesse and follye blynded with theyr hyghe offyce and callynge whiche is a thynge méere vaine for it is not theyr owne but anothers not in them but without them as all other the goodes of Fortune are Which thing if such men doo in their fléeting and miserable estimation of this fyckle worlde Why doo not Christians a great deale more call to minde theyr dignitie and estymation who are alreadie redeemed with the pure and precious blood of Christ the soÌ„ne of God Surely it is our partes once to begin to haue consideration of our worthy offyce and calling We are the sonnes of God why doo we therfore geue the raynes to sinne and wickednesse for as a certayne wryter finely sayth I maie not accoumpt my selfe vyle in whome God was so greatlie delyghted that he chose death rather then he would loose mee We are nowe the sonnes of God endewed with the Iustice of God and washed from our sinnes by the blood of his sonne Let vs then resist wicked and impure affections and let vs thinke them to bee too vyle for vs to obeye to the which ende those wordes of the Apostle doo serue Haue no care for your fleshe to satissye the lustes of it Be you sayth he Maisters and let the flesh be your seruants for the seruaunt of the fleshe wandreth in darknesse But the nyght is passed and the daye shyneth vppon vs Christians let vs cast awaye the workes of darknesse and put vppon vs the armour of lyght let vs walke honestly as in the day tyme let vs geue continual thanks to our mercyful and louing Father who hath promoted and called vs into the most noble and diuine fellowship of his sonne Christ Let vs haue a careful care that we neuer commytte any thing vnworthy so excellent a calling and with a kinde of holy and heauenly contempt despyse this wicked worlde with the Prince thereof Let vs
make not a mock of the Passion of Christ that they treade not his blood vnder their feete that being purifyed washed with his precious blood they wallow not wylfully in synne wyckednesse and of the chyldren of God become by theyr owen default the bondslaues of Sathan and fyrebrands of Hel euerlastingly And hitherto I haue spoken of a Christiā mans duetye pryuately toward him selfe and publikely towarde others Nowe remayneth the last parte of the duetye of a Chrystian lyuing eyther in the estate Ecclesiasticall Politicall or Oeconomicall in one of the which thrée callyngs all good men indeuour to leade theyr lyues as the scopes and endes whervnto all mans studyes and labours are to be dyrected and referred But because that mater requireth a long and dylygent tractation if God permyt I wyll handle the same in another voloume Glory be to God. ¶ An addytion translated out of that learned Father of the Greeke Churche Clemens Alexandrinus Who wrytte within three hundred yeres after Christ wherein the whole duety◠of a Christian man is comprehended in a bréefe sume necessaryly seruing for the practise of such precepts as are conteyned in the former Treatise LEt euery man then learne his duetye and passe the tyme of his pylgrymage in feare and humilytye knowing that we are redemed not with corruptible things of syluer and golde but with the precious blood of the immaculate and vnspotted Lambe Iesus Christ For it is sufficient that vve haue spent the tyme that is past of the life after the vvyll of the Gentiles vvalking in vvantonnes lustes in excesse of vvines in excesse of eating in excesse of drinking and abhominable idolatrie We haue Christ his crosse as our marke and lymytte with whome wée are crucyfyed and by whome we haue remyssion of our fourmer sinnes Let vs fixe our myndes therefore vppon the truth let vs repent and amende our lyues For the eyes of the Lord are open vppon the Iust and his eares vnto theyr prayers The countenaunce of the Lord is vppon them that do euill And who is it that will hurt you if you do well The best education or institution is moderation which is perfyt comlynesse together with stable and ordenarie power rightly distributing those things that are coherent amongst them selues Nowe if you doo not marke those precepts which are geuen you shall dye the death but if you do attend you shall enioye the blessings of the earth meaning no doubt health wealth ryches foode strength For those be true and perfyt good things which neyther the eye hath seene nor the eare hath heard ▪ neither yet hath entered into the hart of man But to returne to the way lyfe of a perfit Christian the heauenly scholler comprehendeth bréefly his offyce and duety As you would that men should do vnto you euen so do you vnto them And as Christ him selfe sayeth all the commaundements maye be referred to these two precepts Thou shalt loue the Lord thy God vvith all thy hart vvith all thy soule and vvith all thy might and thy neighbour as thy selfe for herein consist the lawe and the Prophetts And when one asked him what he should doo to possesse eternall lyfe he aunswered knowest thou the commaundements and when he sayd yea do this quoth he thou shalt be saued But we wyll more partycularly leade you through the plentyfull stoore of treasures to the ende you maye haue alway some wholsome preceptes in readynesse Fyrst let vs behold the Dyalogue geuen by Moyses Thou shalt not commytte adulterie thou shalt not vvorshippe Idolles thou shalt not steale thou shalt not beare false vvitnesse honour thy father and thy mother vvith many other such preceptes as are contained in his holy lawe And by the mouth of his Prophete Esaias he sayeth VVas he your selues and be cleane and take away the foreskyn of your hartes from before my eyes learne to do good seeke iudgement delyuer him that suffereth vvrong helpe the fatherlesse to his ryght let the vviddowes complaint come before you And then goe to sayth the Lord let vs talke togeather Many other like precepts occurre euery where as for example sake of Prayer and good workes The holy scripture much commendeth Prayer and the fourme or maner of making our prayers is expressed VVhen thou seest the naked couer him and hide not thy selfe from thy owne flesh Then shall thy light breake forth as the morning and thy health florish right shortly righteousnes shall go before thee and the glory of the Lord shall embrace thee Then if thou callest the Lord shall aunswer thee if thou cryest he shall say here I am And of Fasting he speaketh thus Behold vvhen you fast your lust remaineth styll for you do no lesse violence to your detters loe you fast to strife and debate and to smyte vvith your fyst vvithout mercie now you shall not fast thus that your voice may be heard aboue Thinke you this fast pleaseth mee that a man should chasten him selfe for a day and to hang downe the head lyke a bulrishe and to lye vpon the earth in an heaircloath should that be called fasting or a day that pleaseth the Lord Doth not this fasting rather please mee That thou loose the vvicked bandes that thou ease the ouer heauy burdens that thou let the oppressed go free and breake al maner of yoake To deale thy bread to the hungrye and to bring the poore vvandring home vnto thy house vvhen thou seest the naked that thou couer him and hide not thy selfe from thine owne flesh c. And of Sacrifices he speaketh thus also VVhy offer ye many sacrifices vnto me vvyll the Lord say I am full of the burnt offeringes of vvethers I haue no pleasure in the bloud of bullockes lambes and goates VVhen ye come to appeare before mee treading in my courtes vvho hath required this at your handes Offer me no mo oblatiōs for it is but lost labor Incence is an abominable thing vnto me I may not avvay vvith your new moons VVhen ye hold out your hands I vvyll turne mine eyes from you and though you make many praiers yet vvyll I heare nothing at al seeing your hands are ful of bloud How shal I then sacrifice vnto the Lord A contrite spirite is a sacrifice vnto god What incense shal I offer vnto the Lord. He is an odour of sweete smell vnto the Lorde that glorifyeth his creatour And as concerning Patience Christ him selfe sayeth If thy brother offende thee rebuke him and if he be sorie forgeue him If he offende thee seuen tymes in a daye and returne seuen tymes saying I am sorie forgeue him The Souldiour heareth Bee content vvith your vvages And the Publycanes Require no more then your duetie The Iudge hath this commaundement Thou shalt not accept one personne in iudgement Bribes do blinde the eyes of those that see and corrupte iuste vvordes to delyuer him