they see sin vnpunished What crueltie is it to se women children almost starued the whole countrie grow into decaie The mercifull God open the eies of our Magistrates make thē see a difference betweene mercifull seueritie cruell pitie We haue an English prouerbe which saith that foolish pittie marreth a citie but it is little thought vppon They maie perhappes thinke they shall bee well thought of by suffering the wicked to go scotfree but it can not be The people shal curse such a one the multiude shall abhorre him but to them that rebuke the wicked shalll be sweetenesse vpon them shal come the blessing of euery good man Pro. 24. 23. For open rebuke is better then secret loue And though the parties punished winch a little at the first yet hee that reproueth a man shall finde more fauour at the last then he that flattereth with his tongue If men wold but open their eies experience would teach them the truth of that which I say For by reason of their fearefulnesse and loosenesse this waies men make no account of them they despise the Lord therfore the Lord despiseth them Now they do nothing they are accounted as a king in a stage play that only maketh a show whē he hath done he goeth his waies wheras otherwise the Lord would cause men to loue honor them To keep their court dinners or to haue their men officers to waite vpon them is but an outward thing an accessarie matter to giue some countenaunce to their office but the chiefe thing the essentiall part of their dutie is to doe iustice iudgement But men are hard to be intreated in this matter I therefore beseech all pastors teachers that they would not suffer themselues to be deceiued witht he disguised names of parson or viccar which names the scripture knoweth not but that they would remember that they are appointed as continuall watch men to ring the alarum bell to beat to knocke at the consciences of men especially of the Magistrates which maie do all in all in this matter For it is great pittie that they shuld wāt so great a benefit as is the putting them in minde of their dutie especially seing the whole Church receiueth so great losse by their slackenesse If I spake of mine owne head my words might be little set by for who am I that any mā shuld esteme of my saying But because they be the words of the great God they must be set by Apollos was a very eloquent learned man yet he was very well content to be more thē admonished of a poore simple man I desire my Reader that he would do the like For I protest before the Lord his Angells before all the world that I haue not spoken anie thing for any delight that I haue in reprouing the truth whereof the Reader may easily see if he consider that I haue reprooued no mans fault so much as mine owne If I seeme to be more vehement then needeth the cause thereof is because it is both long since this our good statute was made also a contrary custome hath almost ouergrowne it It hath bene smoothered shamefully kept vnder of a long time And it is noted of one that a Law the farder it is from the first authoritie which is as it were the first stroke wherewith it is first sent abroad the weaker it is And that a custome the longer it cōtinueth the stronger it is I speak not this to end any should be discouraged from labouring against this sin for the word of God is mightie to bring down euerystrong hold euery high thought that lifteth vp it selfe against the almightie but that we shold rouse vp our selues to fight more manfullie against it seeing it hath so manie so mightie enemies to defende it And because there is little hope that the Lord will take awaie this losenesse of life from vs either by preaching or by the seueritie and diligence of the godlie magistrate so long as we cast away from vs so churlishlie his blessed discipline that hath bene so louingly offered let vs throw our selues downe and craue forgiuenesse for this our great rebellion giue enterteinmēt to it at the last that the vse praise of our catholike religion maie bee seene and that it maie appeare in hir perfect beautie We see nowe that euerie bodie maie do what him listeth without controlement The Church maie seeme to bee nothing els but a companie of outlawes And what reproch is this to the holy and righteous Lord Iesus Christ which is the Lord thereof What Christian heart doth not bleed to see open common dronkards to come to the Church and to be accounted catholikes How wonderfullie doth this sinne preuaile for want of church discipline Know you not saith the Apostle that a leauen sowreth a whole lumpe of dowe How manie are infected whilest the corrupted parties are not cut off What great commoditie is the whole Church depriued off for want of this communication If these filthie persons were thus banished the Church deliuered vnto Sathan vntill they had acknowledged their fault and washed their faces with teares of repentance before all the congregation this fearfull punishment would make others afraid to offend The parties that hath offended shall receiue a singuler commoditie by this thing for now they be not of the Church and yet are accounted to be of the Church they thinke their case is verie good and harden themselues in their sins and so goe to hell as it were in a sleepe before they be aware wheras by this wholsome discipline they would be awakened out of their deepe sleepe they would be made ashamed and so repent Thus if they were confounded in this world they should bee glorified in the world to come vpon their repentance they should be receiued againe then should they not onely be in the Church but of the Church theyr sinnes which were so fast bound in heauen but not in earth should then be loosed both in heauen in earth These things are confessed wished for in our cōmunion booke as it were by a generall consent of the whole Realme that manie yeares ago yet we stand at a staie and account those good men our enimies that perswade vs to the practise of it The Lord for his mercies sake that sitteth in the heauens and laugheth his enimies to scorne that can bring to passe with the turning of an hand whatsoeuer he wil bring this thing to passe Wherfore shall the Papists saie We neuer saw the like wickednesse in our fathers daies O Lord deliuer thy word from this reproch and deliuer vs from the slauerie of sin Sathan our own rebellious practises to freedome libertie which is no where els to be found but in putting on the easie yoke of Iesus Christ in being gouerned by his word We shal not thē anie longer
vse the name of Christ as men are wont to vse an olde cloke which put it on when any stormy tēpest is towards thē are ashamed of it when the storme is ouer Men shall not then anie longer vse the calling vppon the name of God as they vse Aqua vitae only when they lye a dieng but they shall professe the calling of his name throughout the whole course of their life then shall not the son of God be ashamed of vs before his father If the glorious kingdome of Iesus Christ were thus set vp we should haue euen an heauen vpon earth I am afraide I haue troubled my Reader with loking an Epistle and therefore I will heere take my leaue of him wishing him well to fare in the Lord. Thine in the Lord Samuel Byrd The summe of euerie Chapter VVhat pleasures are lawfull and that we maie offend by vsing them too little or too much Chap. 1. fol. 1. VVhat games are simplie vnlawfull Cha. 2. fol. 12. Continuing to much at lawfull games maketh Chap. 3. fol 29. That our kind of daūsing is vtterlie vnlawfull Chap. 4. fol. 34. Of Dice and Cards Chap. 5. fol. 37. A remedy against such euils as haue ben before spoken of Chap. 6. fol. 70. FINI◠¶ A friendlie communication or diōloge betweene Paule and Demas wherein is disputed how wee are to vse the pleasures of this life The first Chapter DEmas I am come to sée how you doe sir for me thinke it is long since I sawe you Paule It is long since I sawe you in déede but I will not saie you are therefore welcome for if you would come oftener you should be much more welcome De Well bicause as you saie I come so seldome I will tarrie with you so much the longer if it were not for hindering your studie you should haue me dwell with you this whole after-noone for I haue manie things to talke with you off you shall sée I will make you werie of me before I go The last time we were in companie together if you remember there was much talke had to and fro how we should vse this present world And me thinke it was well said of one that séeing it is the will of God to haue vs liue in this world It is likewise his plesure to haue vs inioy the pleasures of this life And yet on the other side the riotous life of a great manie was found fault withall that also not without good cause I would therefore gladlie learne some certeintie in this matter I would gladly learne I saie when we vse the pleasures of this world aright and when we abuse them But to the end you might vnderstand my meaning aright you shall vnderstand that I call those the pleasures of this life not which are simplie euill as adultrie is or such things as we inioie by stelth but I speake of such as maie be both vsed not vsed without anie breach of the commaundement And bicause I am somwhat doubtfull what those are that are of this kinde I praie you tell me what they are and how a man maie be bolde to vse them Paule The pleasures of this life maie verie well bée diuided into such as are common to all men as meate drinke such like or else into such as are vsed but of some men of this kind are games for all men you knowe are not gamesters Concerning the first kinde the Apostle telleth vs that the earth is the Lords all that there in is And therefore we maie boldlie féed on anie thing that is solde in the Shambles We maie be bolde I saie to delight our tast with anie kinde of foule that flieth in the aire with anie kinde of liuing thing that goeth on the earth with anie kinde of fish that liueth in the water or with anie kinde of fruite that groweth out of the earth It is lawfull to delight our hearing our eie-sight our smelling our tast our féeling with the vse of anie thing that the Lord hath made for example it is lawfull to delight our hearing with the singing of birds or with anie other kind of honest melodie It is lawfull to delight our eies with beholding the glorious maiestie of the heauens that are drawne out like a curtein We maie behold the Sun when he commeth out of his chamber like a bridegrome to run his race we maie beholde all the host of heauen and all the glorie of the earth we may delight our eies with looking vpon anie amiable coulour or pleasant sight we may take pleasure in anie fresh swéet smelling sauour We may féed as I said before on whatsoeuer is pleasant to our tast we maie refresh our selues with heat in Winter and with cooling things in Summer And 1. Tim. 4. 1. as the Apostle is bolde to call the forbiddng of anie kinde of meat the doctrine of diuels Bicause the occasiion of giuing God thankes therefore is therby taken awaie so I dare boldlie saie that the forbidding a man to refresh anie of his other senses with anie honest delight is likewise the doctrine of diuels so far am I frō condēning anie honest pleasures We maie therefore sport our selues as I haue said or to speake more particularlie we may with delight view the earth the is apparelled with flowers hearbs trées with all kinde of fruite The incredible multitude wherof is distinguished with an insatiable vareitie whervnto we maie adde fountaines Tullie de natura deorum 2. booke goodlie springs cléere waters riuers with their gréene bankes The huge height of mountaines the largnesse of the wide fields to conclude the whole earth with the rich treasures that are hid in the bowels therof what a comelie grace haue golde and siluer aboue other mettels what also and how manie kinde of beasts are there both wilde and tame how trimlie doe the birds fall vpon the earth the ground is diuided by the diligence of man some to pasture some to tillage and some is taken vp for places to dwell in The sea is full of fishes both great small If we consider the beasts of the earth it is wonderfull what care the dammes haue to defend their little ones how louinglie do the hen gather her chickins vnder hir wings Now if we shall come to the comelie proportion of euerie liuing thing especiallie of man how trimlie are our bones knit together fit for the mouing and for euerie action of the bodie The sences beeing the interpreters messengers of things are verie fitlie placed in the head as it were in a castle the eies as spies possesse the vppermost part of the face as it were a tower by their warning the bodie auoideth manie harmes All sounds and all sauours doe naturallie assend vpward our eares therefore and our nostrels which are made to receiue sounds sauours are verie fitlie placed aloft Our tast which trieth all those kinde of meates and drinks which we féede on dwelleth
a generall thing wherevnto all men are called but dailie to exercise himselfe in some certeine trade to the profit of others this is it which I terme a calling But because you do not yet vnderstand my minde I will speak more plainlie This calling which I speake off consisteth either of the dailie laboure of the minde or of the dailie trauell of the bodie Those callings which consist of the labour of the minde are Phisicke Lawe or Diuinitie He which doth diligentlie séeke wiselie to applie those Phisicke helpes which the Lord hath apointed for the preseruing or restoring of our health he behaueth himselfe well in his calling In the profession of the Lawe likewise he which bendeth his pleading his counselling or giuing of sentence to this ende that euerie man maie enioie that which is his he liueth well in a good calling In Diuinitie he which féedeth his flocke diligentlie liueth honestlie in an honest calling He I saie which exerciseth himselfe painefullie in anie of these professions or teacheth the tongues or anie liberall art whereby men maie be made fitte to practise more profitablie anie of these professions He liueth in an honest calling the like maie be said of anie occupation or bodilie trauell whereby the necessities of this present life are conuaied vnto our bretheren But euerie bodie will not graunt me that euery man is bound to labour in some one and certeine calling and therefore I will stand somewhat in the proofe of it The Scripture saith that man is borne vnto trauell And Iob. 5. it was said to Adam and in him to all his ofspring In the sweate of thy Gen. 3. face shalt thou eate thy bread Euerie man will graunt that this commaundement laieth holde of that ofspring of Adam that is poore and not otherwise able to mainteine it selfe But whether it laieth hold of those that haue sufficient to followe their pleasures that is a question with some Belike they thinke that if a man haue enough for himselfe he néedeth not to haue anie care of other Euerie man for himselfe as they saie and God for vs all But whosoeuer saith so God will not subscribe to this their saieng for it is flatte contrarie to his commaundement Loue saith the Apostle is the fulfilling of the Lawe not that loue that hath respecte to himselfe but that loue that hath respecte to others And the Scripture bindeth him Ephe. 4. 28. that liueth euen of his handie worke to labour that he maie haue to giue 2. Cor. 8. 13. vnto him that néedeth neither yet was it the Apostles minde that others should bée eased and hée grieued but that that which remained of the honest prouision for him and his should bee bestowed vppon such as haue more néede of such I saie as either by reason of age or sicknesse coulde not labour for their owne maintenaunce Now if the Apostle asketh thus much at the handes of a labouring man shall wée not thinke that hée would haue that money which is spent vppon superfluous gaming bestowed vppon the poore If this be true as it is most true then is not a man to make an ordinarie trade in sporting himselfe anie waie séeing that asketh great charges which might be bestowed much better vpon those that haue neede Neither is he onlie to abstaine from these néedlesse expences but he is also to sée that his house be well gouerned He is to haue a care not onelie to those reuenewes which he hath but also by all honest meanes to increase them not that he might enlarge his worldlie delights but that hee might haue to minister to such as haue need as the Apostle commandeth In the last chapter of the Prouerbs where the properties of a vertuous woman are set down it is said that she laboureth chéerefullie with her hands And lest some should cauill and saie the scripture speaketh of a poore woman which could not otherwise liue We are giuen to vnderstand that it speaketh of a wealthie woman she maketh herselfe carpets saith the text fine linnen and purple is her garment shée stretcheth out her hand to the poore and putteth foorth her hand to the néedie Naie though there should come no profite either to a mans own selfe or to anie other yet labour is so well pleasing in the sight of God that he will haue a man occupied in it Hée will not haue a mans minde wander about he cannot tell what In the sweat of thy face shalt thou eate thy bread saith he vnto Adam although he had all the earth before him and had none to prouide for but for himselfe and his wife Euen before man sinned when the earth brought foorth all things of her owne accord when there was no néede to labour yet the Lord would not haue him liue idlie but put him in the garden of Eden that he might dresse and kéepe it how then dare we saie that a Gentleman and one that hath inough maie liue idlie and as he list Doth not the Scripture tell vs plainlie that the Ezech. 16. sinnes of Sodom and Gomorre were pride fulnesse of bread and abundance of idlenesse Doeth not I saie the Scripture tell vs that idlenesse was one of those faults which pulled fire and brimstone from heauen vpon the stinking Sodomites The Cities of Sodom and Gomorre were fruitefull Cities they were as the garden of the Lord like the land of Aegypt as thou goest vnto Zoar and the people thereof had as little neede to labour for their commodities by reason of the fruitfulnesse of the soile as anie people vnder the Sunne yet was idlenesse one cause of their destruction Why then should a man that hath all commodities brought him to his hand thinke he maie liue idlie There is no man whom the Lord hath created for naught Hée will haue euerie one placed in some calling that one maie bée for the benefite of another those therefore that followe gaming what doe they but trouble the order that God hath appointed And therefore the Apostle speaking of those that liued idlie saith that they liued inordinatelie 2. The. 3. 11 thereby he giueth vs to vnderstand that it is an order set downe by the Lord that euerie one should labour But men are meruailous suttle now a daies and verie cunning to deceiue themselues They will easilie graunt you that a man which sitteth buzzing all daie long liueth idlie but hée which vseth such pleasures as aske the exercise of the bodie though hée doeth nothing els yet it will not sinke into their heades that such a one liueth idlie Shall we thinke then that the idle Sodomites did nothing but lie and tumble all daie long Naie the Scripture telleth vs that an idle bodie doth occupie himselfe more in his kinde then anie labouring man Hée maketh a signe with his eies hée signifieth with his féete hée instructeth with his fingers lewde things are in his heart hée imagineth euill at all times and raiseth vp contention saith the
ladie The woman must set out hir bodie and minse it farre vnséemelie either for the bashfull modestie of a virgin or the chast behauiour of a married woman A man maie suppose in déede that fire and flaxe maie be together without anie daunger But what a straunge fondnesse is this Wée condemne the popish Pharesies of intollerable pride for lifting vp the power of man and for saieng that they are able to keepe themselues from anie sinne And yet we thinke our selues so strong that we maie delight our eies with gasing vpon anie woman that we maie beholde anie kinde of wanton looke or light iesture whatsoeuer without anie harme done or anie wicked thought so much as once conceiued thereby either of the dauncers themselues or the lookers on If we thought not our selues so strong whie would we suffer such prouocations which are as bellowes to inflame the hearts of young men and to set on fire the heartes of young women towardes them againe He that loueth daunger must néeds fall into it And the diuell knoweth that temptations come no waie so forceablie to our fancie as by the eiesight And therefore he did not tempt Christ by describing vnto him in manie wordes the glorie of the world but he taketh him vp on high and sheweth it him he knew Math. 4. that this was the better waie The courtier confesseth that a wanton loke is of greater force to ingēder filthilie lust which he calleth loue then a thousand words The godlie man Iob knowing the weaknesse of man how great it was had alwaies a godlie suspition of himselfe and was so farre from vsing trifling wordes or light gestures towards anie woman that hée made a couenant with his Iob. 31. eies least by looking wistlie vppon hir he should thinke on a maide How dare anie of vs then giue ouer our selues to daunsing where such light gestures are not onelie vsed but also openlie professed Howe Esaie 3. 16. can wée beholde the stretched out neckes and the wandering eies but that as Salomon saith wée shall bée in as great daunger as one that sléepeth in the middest of the sea and as he that sléepeth in the top of a mast And yet hée that shall finde fault with vs for it is a new fangled fellowe nothing can please Pro. 23. 34. him In other thinges we will easilie graunt the force of temptations by our eie-sight sée for your loue saie the merchaunts and bye for your moneie They knowe by looking vpon their wares we are sooner brought to bye them and therefore the thriftie husband giueth counsell to kéepe purse at market onelie in this thing we will acknowledge no such matter Demas Yet we read that godlie women haue daunced And Dauid Exo. 15. 20. a man according to God his owne heart did daunce Paule The modest and sober daunsing that godlie women vsed a part by themselues after some notable victorie to giue thanks therefore ought to be no cloke for our wanton daunsing For we count it no sport except men women daunce together wherby is easilie perceiued the filthy ende of our dauncing Dauid daunced in déede but is his dauncing and ours anie thing like Dauid lift vs his bodie and daunced before the Arke because béeing a signe of the fauourable presence of God it was brought home from the Philistines vnto the people of God againe But marke I praie you what the text saith Michol sawe his dauncing and mocked him belike it was no courtlie daunce for then it should haue pleased hir well inough And Dauid aunswering hir 1. Sam 6. mockes saith I will be yet more vile then thus and will be lowe in mine owne sight We vse to braue it and to shewe our selues as gallant as maie be in our dauncing But Dauid abased himselfe in his dauncing and for this cause was he contentemned of Michol He chose no wanton Dame to daunce withall neither daunced hée after anie vaine Heathenish song but after a Psalme of thankesgiuing Neuer compare Dauid his daunsing with ours for there is no more likelihood betwéene them then is betwéene heauen and hell Dauid caused not so manie instruments to be made to serue God his glorie as we doe to serue our wanton lusts as the prophet Amos telleth vs. So that if we will haue our daunsing approued of the Lord we must vse some other kinde For I dare boldlie saie vpon my reasons alleadged the word of God is my warrant that the daunsing we now vse is abhominable Those that are desirons to heare more of this matter maie read a learned treatise written in French and dedicated by the French Ministers of the reformed Churches vnto the king of Nauarre the argument whereof is altogether against our filthie kinde of daunsing Of Dice and Card-plaie Chap. 5. DEmas You haue prooued that we offend in daunsing not onelie as we doe in hunting and hawking by vsing of it too much but that we offend if we vse our wanton kinde of daunsing at all Ther be other things wherein I would gladlie haue your iudgement but that I am afraid I haue troubled you too long alreadie I told you when I came I would make you wearie of me before I went and I am afraid I haue bene as good as my word Paule Naie trulie sir you doe not trouble me and therefore I praie you doe not thinke so we méete you knowe but seldome and therefore I wold be loth to part from you so soone Demas Séeing you will néedes haue mée trouble you I will goe forward with that which I was about to speak Among all games that are vsed Dice and Cardplaie are worse reported of then anie other kinde of game and yet is no other of game vsed halfe so much Either gamesters themselues for vsing this game are much to blame or els those that giue it so euill a report I praie sir how thinke you Paule I will tell you Demas if we will well marke the riotous and outragious dice and card-plaie that hath spread it sElfe and now ouerfloweth euerie part of the land If I saie we shal way with our selues vprightlie the innumerable sleights and falshoods that are incident to gaming the infinite mischiefes that haue come thereby both to the church of God also to the common wealth we shall not one whit meruaile if the godlie sorrow that a Christian heart conceiueth thereby makes him euen to crie out vpon thē The diuel indéed doth couer his crafts in all occupations but he is nener lightlie so suttle but that the chapmen in vsing those things they haue bought euermore lightlie spie him out Onelie in this kinde of Merchandise hée doeth excell hée hath shewed héere what he can doe A man shall be deceiued yet can hée neuer lightlie tell who hath hurt him The Cards must be clipt for some kind of games at the toppes for some other at the sides When it commeth to a mans course to deale he hath taught vs how
as cannot gouerne theÌ„selues Those that beare office are sworne to put downe dice card-plaie yet if they kéepe an alehouse theÌ„selues they wil allure poore men to these vnlawfull games and rather then they should not play they will play with them themselues This hath bene told to him that may remedie the matter yet there is nothing done A notable iudgement of God hath bene shewed vpon periured persons at Thaxted not farre hence and yet are we not afraid to forsweare our selues Séeing therefore these things are thus I beséech the Preacher in the name of the liuing God that he wold not sooth vp the officers as if all things were well when indéede there is onlie a vaine flourish of discipline vsed which is as much as nothing For who knoweth not that these games are vsed yet who hath ben reprooued for it Ther be indéed gouernours appointed but ther is not that diligent inquiring after these things as shuld be yet when things are complained of other men are not discouraged from sin by the punishmeÌ„t of the offender The Magistrate thinketh that he doth discharge his dutie highlie if he punisheth when a falt is brought before him otherwise though they heare men swearing at cards as they walke in the stréetes it maketh no matter Good Lord wher is that merciful seueritie that was in that good man Iob â—â—b 29. 8. 6. which made the vnrulie young meÌ„ hide themselues for feare when they saw him He did not waite til a complaint was brought to him but wheÌ„ he knew not the cause he sought it out diligeÌ„tlie This thing as all other things wer was written for our lerning we must therfore do the like We shuld put down all vitling houses but such as must néedes be had to intertaine straungers those vitling houses that remain we must search them diligentlie if there be anie cards or tables found we must bring them to the market place there burne them before all the people And if the Law will giue vs leaue we shuld take all the cards tables out of the haberdashers shops burne them I know not what the Lawe saith in this point but trulie I can sée no reason how it can be lawfull to buie or sel cards or tables wheÌ„ as the vse of theÌ„ is forbidden Idle persons must be hunted after at such places as are suspected their haunt must be brokeÌ„ then shal the earth bring forth her increase and God euen our owne God shall giue vs his blessing If the Preacher be afraid to preach these things as we are all the sort of vs cowards dastards in Gods matters if we be afraid we know of whoÌ„ to aske strength euen of that mightie valiant God that is fierce in battell the Lord of hosts is his name What art thou faith the Prophet Esay that thou shuldest Esaie 51 feare a mortal man and the sonne of man which shall be made as grasse and forgettest the Lord thy maker that hath spred out the heauens Let vs not therefore feare the reproch of men for their breath is in their nostrells the moath shal eate them vp like a garment the worme shal eate them like wooll If we will not speak the Lord is a iealous God Trusse vp thy loines saith the Lord vnto Ieremie arise and speake vnto the people all that I command thée be not afraid of their faces least I destroie thée before them If thou hast this boldnes with thée though men fight against thée they shall not preuaile the Lord euen the Lord shal deliuer thée Thou must not cease from speaking when some little abuse is amended Wicked king Pharao yéelded somwhat to Moses peticion but Moses would not content himselfe with a litle The Lord must haue an absolute obedience We must indéed yéelde obedience to all magistrates good and badde so that it be in the Lord but yet we must not commend them before they walke roundlie in their office as they shuld No no if the officers did their duetie we shuld not haue such disorders as we haue If a subtile fellowe to make those that should looke to it secure giue it out that plaie is well ceased then all is safe Demas But you knowe the magistrates cannot punish men for plaieng in Christmas time as they call it Paule But they maie and ought to punish them to for euen then when they haue most libertie they must not plaie at Alehouses but in their maisters house or when their maister looke on them when an inch is giuen they must not take an ell but I haue before shewed the abuse of this time and therefore I will not speake of it anie more Demas You haue done so indéed but yet you haue not aunswered one reson that hath bene vsed in defence of abusing the time in this order The reason is taken out of the third Chapter of the Preacher where the wise man saith that to all things ther is an appointed time and that there is a time to cast awaie stones or to trifle as they expound it Paule Yet casting of stones were a great deale better exercise then to sit moping and dreaming at a paire of cards But the truth is they shamfullie abuse the place For it hath bene proued before that whether wée eate or drinke or whatsoeuer we doe we must doe it to the glorie of God When we exercise or recreate our selues our recreation must tend to edifieng and to the building vp of our faith for example When we plaie at tennis we refresh our wearied spirits and memories by the which meanes we are better able to studie and to get knowledge whereby our faith is strengthened For aunswere to their place this I saie that the holie Ghost doth not set downe what maie be done without breach of that coÌ„mandemeÌ„t but he telleth vs what is commonlie done among men as it is plaine in the text as it is easie to perceiue by the argument of the whole booke Among other thinges that are there rehearsed it is said that ther is a time to hate and a time to loue but we knowe there is no time wherein we ought for to hate If anie alledge that we ought to hate sin they say nothing to the purpose For our hatred against sin must not be restrained to anie one time but we must bid it battle all our life But ther it is euident that the text speaketh of the diuersitie of time so that they are still to séeke for the defence of their vanities Demas If the lewde example of the vniuersitie were not truly I thinke and partlie by report I vnderstand so much that manie Gentlemen would leaue this game and also cause all their household to leaue it Paule I will not defend the vniuersitie in this sin of theirs notwithstanding so far foorth as the truth will giue me leaue I will speake somwhat in their defence Least therefore anie should think
that the Cap. 16. 49. sinnes of Sodom Gomor were fulnesse of bread pride and idlenesse the place is plaine inough it néedeth no interpetation onelie a godlie meditation will serue the turne This kind of men that I speake of thinke that little sinnes are not to be made account of yet we will laugh at that foolish papisticall distinction betwéene mortal veniall sinnes For whorebome theft murder is not that deadlie sin that the Apostle speaketh of No sinne is veniall euerie sin is deadlie For 1. Iohn 5. 16 the reward of sinne is death all vnrighteousnesse is sinne as Iohn teacheth vs accursed is he that shall not continue in euerie thing that is written in the booke of the Law to do it we must loue the Lord with all our hearts with al our thoughts When men chafe at cards or at tables we vse to speake fauourablie of this sin It is in their heat but afterward they are good fellowes againe But the holie Ghost when he intreateth of this matter he sets it out after an other sort He that worketh wrath Pro. 21. 24. in his arrogancie proud hautie and scornfull is his name A théefe maie lessen his sinnes by considering that vnworthinesse of the partie from whom he stealeth he is a churle and doth no good with his monie and therefore it were a good turne to rob him So likewise may the murderer if he be a godlie man whom he killeth he may say he did him a good turne if hée bée a wicked man that he killeth then he did the common wealth a good turne but where is the coÌ„mandement of the great God all this while It is true that so long as we liue the roote of sinne shall dwell with vs in our mortall bodie We are not pure as that Familest supposeth but yet we must striue to be pure as the scripture teacheth Lust after it hath conceiued it bringeth forth sin as Iames teacheth We ought therefore to be vexed and wearied with it to desire after a patient manner to haue this tickle estate changed The Apostle Paul crieth out not onelie in his owne person but in the person of euerie regenerate man Wretched man that I am who shall deliuer me from this bodie of sinne If so singuler a man was not throroughlie cast downe before hée had wrasteled with the iustice of God in this commaundement we are to take héede least in suspecting that to be in vs which we want we become carelesse in séeking the mercie of Christ without the which there is no helpe We must iudge our selues least we bée iudged of the Lord wée must be confounded in our selues our deliuerie must be from the gates of death wée must knowe that our saluation doth coÌ„sist in his frée grace séeing euen our thoughts are poisoned If this doctrine séemeth to rough we must remember that it was the saieng of our mercifull louing God euen of that God that loueth man déerelie and sent his onelie sonne to suffer a most horrible and a shamefull death for vs miserable men and that also euen when we were his enimies I saie it was the saieng of this God Whensoeuer thou eatest of the forbidden trée thou shalt die that deth CoÌ„trariwise it was the saieng of the enuious serpeÌ„t which was a manslaier froÌ„ the beginning the father prince of tyraÌ„ts which gapeth continually for bloud goeth about like a roaring Lion séeking whom he may destroy I say it was the saieng of this our profest sworne enimie that can abide no truce with vs you shal not die at al. But if we mark to what a sower death the swéet words of this flatterer tended we shall be forced to confesse that they wer more bitter theÌ„ wormwood that the wounds of him that loueth are farre better theÌ„ the kisses of him that hateth We must therfore resist that diuel theÌ„ he wil flie froÌ„ vs I grone for the amendmeÌ„t of these men what shold I saie vnto theÌ„ I wil shew vnto theÌ„ yet a little their owne estate to the end they may repeÌ„t I wold desire theÌ„ therfore in the feare of God to examine theÌ„selues by such places of scripture as I will shew theÌ„ We read in ye. 4. verse of the. 28. of the Prouerbs that those that forsake the lawe praise the wicked but those that kéep the law do fight against theÌ„ We read in ye. xv psalme that he shall dwell in the tabernacle of God in whose eies a wicked man is despised which doth honour those that feare God He that approueth the wicked condemneth the innocent both of theÌ„ are an abhominatioÌ„ to the Lord. Now let them marke themselues whether they be more readie to blaze abrode that infirmitie of those which are not ashamed openlie to professe Christ his religion theÌ„ they are to vtter the lewd behauior of those that for any thing they can perceiue lie still in their accursed estate when an vnsatiable man resident or a wicked vaine man is but a little touched then we must iudge that best we do not know their hearts we cannot indéed sée directlie into their hearts no more then I can sée the hart of him that hath coÌ„mitted actual whoordome or actuall murder but by their couetous vaine proud behauiour words we knowe they haue proude hearts vaine and couetous heartes for out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaketh How can I set my selfe against a wicked man How can I dispise him if I cannot tell without iudgeing who is wicked In the Chapter of the Prouerbs that I last alledged it is said that he that hideth his sinne shall not prosper but he that confesseth forsaketh them shall haue mercie Happie is he that alwaies staÌ„deth in awe but he which hardneth his hart shall fall into euill Reioice O youÌ„g man saith the Precher in thy youth walke in the waies of thine heart and in the sight of thine eies but knowe that for all these things God will bring thée to iudgement We vse to alledge the naturall inclination to naughtinesse that is in man to the end more libertie of sinning might be graunted him we are no Angels and so foorth but the consideration thereof ought to make vs more warie and more afraide of sin of the occasions of sinne as the 12. verse of the. 6. Chapter to the Ephesians teacheth vs. We thinke if wée maie haue so much time a litâ—â—â— before we die as to saie Lord hauâ— mercie vpon me they shall doe well enough But the Scripture saith not euerie one that saith Lord Lord shall enter into the kingdome of heauen They shall call vppon me saith the Lord and I wil not heare them The Pre. 1. reason is because they aske not in faith for euerie man beléeueth not faith is no light opinion We thinke we maie repent timelie enough wheÌ„ we are olde or wheÌ„ we are gréeuouslie sicke but the Scripture saith driue not off from daie to daie to turne to the Lord for sodeinlie shall his wrath come Christ saith to all such that their maister wil come at such a time as they least looke for him Hieremie in his lamentations giueth vs better counsell then so It is good saith he for a man to beare the yoke in his youth contrarie to that diuellish saieng of some A young Saint and an olde diuell For teach a childe in the trade of his youth when he is olde he wll not depart from it I remember maister Ascham saith that there was a Iudge in England that had a companie of wilde Gentlemen brought before him for their misbehauiour they desire the Iudge that he would consider their case by his owne because he himselfe had ben somtimes wilde as they were But the Iudge willeth theÌ„ in anie case not to presume of his recouerie for wheÌ„ I was young ther was twelue of vs saith he that rioted then as you do now but onelie two of vs came to good the rest were hanged I doe not speake this to the end that anie gamester that hath a misliking of his present estate should dispaire of himselfe for though the waie be straight that leadeth vnto life yet the Lord can make vs crucifie our affections denie our selues his yoke shall then be easie and his burden light the keping of the commandement as Iohn saith shall not then 1. Iohn 5. 3. be gréeuous for all that is borne of god ouercommeth that world Salomon speaking of these waies of wisdome saith that her waies are waies of pleasure all her paths prosperitie Throw thy selfe downe therefore before the footstole of Iesus Christ whatsoeuer tâ—ou art with sighing sobbing then hough gamsters haue ben thine onelie ioie darling yet he can make thée forget all euen by that mightie power whereby he is able to subdue all things vnto himself shal he bring this thing to passe Though by this meanes thou doest well perceiue that thou shalt forgoe the louing counteuance of a great manie yet the Lord will be vnto thée in stéed of all For he will comfort thée on this manner If you were of the world that world wold loue you for the world loueth hir owne such loue as it is wont to vse you should haue part of it but now you are not of the world therefore the world hates you If the world hateth you it hated me before you be of good chéere I haue ouercome the world feare not little flock for it is your fathers will to giue you a kingdome Those that sow in teares shall reape in ioie FINIS ¶ Imprinted at London by Thomas East for Iohn Harison the younger dwelling in Pater noster Roe at the signe of the Anker and are there to be solde