such as do wickednes shalbe as straw and the day that is for to come shal bouâ—n them vp saieth the Lord of Hostes so that it shall not leaue them nether roote nor branch But vnto you that fear my name shall the Sonne of righteousnesse arise health shalbe vnder his wings IEsus went out and departid from the Temple And his Disciples came to him for to shew him the bulding of the Temple in Ierusalem and Iesus sayd vnto them sée ye not all these things Verely I say vnto you ther shall not be left here one stoue vppon an other that shal not be cast down And as he sat vppoÌ„ the mount Oliuet his Disciples came vnto him saying tell vs when these things shalbe and what signe shallbe of thy comming and of the ende of the world Iesus aunswerid sayd vnto them take head that no man deceyue you for many shall come in my name saying I am Christ and shall deceyue many and ye shal here of warres of the rumors of warres but sée that ye be not troublid for all these things must come to passe but the end is not yet For nacion shall rise against nacion and realm agaynst realm and ther shalbe Pestilence hunger and earthquaks in certeyn quarters all these are the beginning of sorows Then shall they put you to trouble and shall kill you and ye shalbe hated of all nacions for my names sake then shal many be offendid shall betraye one an other and shall hate one an other and many false Prophets shall aryse and shall diceyue many and because iniquite shall haue the vpper hand the loue of many shall abate but he that indureth vnto the ende the same shalbe safe MOreouer when ye sée the abhominacion of desolacion whereof is spoken by Daniel the Prophet Stand where it ought not let him that readeth vnderstand then let them that be in Iuery flée to the mountayns and let him that is on the house top not decend down into the house let him that is in the féeld not tourn back agayn vnto the things that he left behind him for to take his clothes with him wo shalbe to them that are with child and to them that geue luck in those dayes but pray that your flyght be not in the Winter for ther shalbe in those dayes such tribulacion as was not froÌ„ the beginning BUt before all these they shal lay their hands on you and persecute you deliuering you vp to the Sinagoges and into prisons bring you before Kings and Rulers for my name sake c. Yea ye shalbe betrayd of your fathers and mothers and of your brethren and kinesmen and friends and some of you shall they put to death and hated shall ye be of all men for my names sake yet ther shall not one heare of your heads perish by your paciens possesse your souls after these and other things ther shalbe signes in the Sonne and in the Moone and in the Starres and in the Earth the people shallbe in such perplexite that they shal not tell which way to tourne them selues the Sea and the waters shall rore and mens hearts shal fayle them for fear and for loking after those things which shall come on the earth for the powers of heauen shall moue and then shall they sée the sonne of man come in a cloud with power and great glory when these things beginne to come to passe then loke vp and lift vp your heads for your redempsion draweth neygh VErely verely I say vnto you hereafter shall ye sée heauen open And the Angels of God ascending and descending vnto the sonne of man These things haue I sayd vnto you because you should not be offendid They shall excoÌ„municate you yea the tyme shall come that whosoeuer killeth you wil think that he doeth God seruice and such things will they doo vnto you because they haue not knowen the father nether yet me but these things haue I told you that when that houre is come ye might remember them that I told you THe spirit speaketh euidently that in the later tymes some shall depart from the faith shal geue héede vnto the spirits of errour and diuelish doctrine of men which speak false through Ipochrisi c. THis vnderstand that in the last dayes shall come perelous times for meÌ„ shalbe louers of their owne selues couetous bostars proud cursed speakers disobedient to father and mother vnthankful vnholy vnkind trucebreakers stobberen false accusers riotous ferce dispisers of them which are good traytours heady hie minded gredy vppon volupteousnesse more then the louers of God hauing a similitude of godly lyuing but haue denyed the powre therof and such abhore THis first vnderstand that ther shal come in the laterdays mokers which will walk after their own lusts and say where is the promise of his coming for since the fathers died all things continue in the same estate wher in they were at the beginning for this they know not and that willengly how that the heauens a great while a goe were and the earth that was in the water aperid vp out of the water by the word of god by the which things the world that then was perished ouerflowid with y e water but the heauins verely the earth which are now are kéept by the same word in store reseruid vnto fier against the day of Iudgment perdicion of vngodly men BEhold the Lord shal come with thowsands of Saincts to geue iudgemeÌ„t against al men to rebuke al that are vngodly among theÌ„ of all their vngodly déeds which they haue vngodly committed of al their cruel speakings which vngodly sinners haue spokeÌ„ against him VNto him that louid vs and wasshid vs from sinnes in his own blood and made vs kings and prestes vnto god the father be glory and dominion for euer and euer Amen ¶ Ane aduised prophesie ¶ In Anno 1041. this picture was found in the temple of the Iacobines in Geneua against the wicked gouernement of papall dignite This picture was made by Iacobus Iaquiri de C ui tate Taurini 1041. Iudicabit iudices iudex generalis Hic mihi proderit dignitas papalis Siue sit Episcopus siue Cardinalis Reus coÌ„damnabitur nec dicetur quales Hic nibil proderit quinquam allegare Neque exciperere neque replicare Nec ad apostolicum sedem appellare Reus codamnabitur nec dicetur quare Cogitate miseri qui vel quales estis Quid in hoc iudicio dicere potestis Idem eâ—it dominus iudex actor testis The substance of the Latin hâ—rce THe mighty Ioue the iudge of all which fitteth in throne aboue Shall iudge each Papal dignite the rable whole remoue Such as the one the other is and Cardinals like wise For their deformid flattery the Lord wil them dispise And iudge of al both quick and dead wheÌ„ Popes shal boyle in bulles of lead AS from
vppon all fléesh and your sons your daughters shal prophisie your old men shal dreame dreames and your young men shal sée visions yea in those dayes I wil poure out my spirit vppon seruantes and maydens I wil shewe wonders in heauen aboue and tokens in the earth be neath blood and fier and the vapour of smook the Son shalbe turnid into darknesse and the Moone into blood before that great and notable day of the Lord come And the tyme shall come that whosoeuer callith on the name of the Lord shalbe sauid And the Lorde sayd vnto Moyses speak vnto the children of Israel and say in any wise sée that you kepe my Sabboths for it is a Signe betwéen me and you in your generacions for to know that I the Lord am he that doth sanctifie you kéepe my Sabboths therfore for it is holy vnto me he that deâ—ileth it shalbe slayne for whosoeuer worketh therin the same soule shalbe rootid out from among his people Six dayes shall men work and in the seueÌ„th day is the Sabboth of the holy rest of the Lord whosoeuer doeth any work on the Sabboth day shall dye Wherefore let the children of Israel kéepe the Sabboth that they obserue it throughout their generacions that it bée an appoyntement for euer for it is a Signe betwéen me and the children of Israel for euer Such wonderous Signes hath the Lorde shewed from tyme to tyme to the end that euery Christian man should haue dew regard to this so holy a commauÌ„dement from Mount Sinai y e thundering voice was a signe of force which ought not to be brokeÌ„ not a rest for man only but also the whole familie and cattaile The obseruacion of the Sabboth had his originall beginning of that that is sayd written God blessed the seuenth day and sanctified it bicause that in it he rested from all his workes the Isralites gathered the vi day a double quantitie of Manna bicause that on the Sabboth they should rest to the intent that man should labour to get the true rest And on the Sabboth day ther wer offered two lambes vpon the other dayes but one except in solom feaâ—ts The man that was taken gathering of stickes vppon the Sabboth day was by gods commaundement stoned to death of Nehemias the Gentiles Iudas Machabeus Nichanor with others Concerning the obseruacion of the Sabboth for farther proofe réede the auctorities The Pharises said vnto the disciples of Christ that did pluck and eat the eares of corne ye do that which is not lawful to doo on the Sabboth day but the lord said vnto them haue ye not read what Dauid did c. Then foloweth the sonne of man is also Lord of the Sabboth day there are diuers insamples why it was lawfull for Christ to heale the diseased on the Sabboth day for that being perfect God and man he did not only heale the festerid or putrified bodies but also their sowles The Sabboth day for vs Christians is moste apte and conuenient to heare the word and law of God and the Prophets The which are red euery Sabboth day Likewise our sauiour Christ in fulfilling the law gaue vs this commaundement saying which of you hauing an Oxe or an Asse fallen into a pit and wil not pul him out on y e Sabboth day Num licet Sabbato sanare they to whoÌ„ Iesus spake which were y e Lawiers Pharises Answered nothing therfore as the sabboth ought to be kept holy from bodely workes so ought all men to eschue vicious thoughtes and craftie imaginacions And when any occasion of doing good by any maner of way ought to be shewed that then it be don with Christian endeuour and puritie of mind In which â—o doing the sabboth is both reuerently and holily obserued But the crabbed wayward natures of this time present haue so much presumed vpon this text and others that some hath and doth as blind baierâ—s not spared to labour and trauayle on the Sabboth day without any need or occasion at all aleaging notwithstanding that necessitie hath no law so that vnder the culler of necessitie they vse al daies a like Applying the text of the sacred scriptures not to the will and commaundement of god but after their owne carnall fancies for the which ther so great abusing of the reuerend Sabboth The Lord will show strang signes from heauen fier brimstone storme and tempest which shalbe the porcion for the wicked The Sonne and Moone shalbe darkenid and the starres shall withdraw their light the Lord shall rore out of Sion and crye out of Ierusalem that the heauens and the earth shall quake with all but the Lord shalbe a defence vnto his own people and a refuge for the children of Israel I haue rysen vp early I haue geuen you warning in season but you would not heare Behould therefore the words of the Lord that are at hand to plage vs as he hath plagid others and that euery obstinate shalbe scatterid as dong vppon the earth Pray therefore to God to blesse his preachers that the Gospell may flourrish as it ought or els we perish ¶ Prophecis by perticuler VVHen thou art in tribulacion and when all these things that be here spoken of are come to passe thou shalt retourne agayn to the Lord thy God and be obedient vnto his word THis is the word that was openid vnto Esaie the son of Amos vppon Iuda and Ierusalem it will be also in the last days that the hill where the house of the Lord is buldid shalbe the chéefe amoÌ„g hils and exaltid aboue all little hils and al nacions shall pray vnto him the multitude of people shall goe speaking thus one to an other let vs go to the hill of the Lord and to the house of the God of Iacob HHare the word of the Lord O ye children of Israel for the Lorde must punish them that dwell in the land And whyle ther is no truth ther is no mercy ther is no knowledge of God in the land but swearing lyeng manslaughter thefte athoultry haue gotten the vpper hand and one bloud gyltinesse foloweth an other Therfore shall the land â—e in a miserable case and all they that dwell therin shalbe rootid out IN the later days it wil come to passe that the hil of the Lords house shallbe set op hygher then any mountayns or hils yea the people shall prese vnto it and the multitude of the gentils shall hast them thither saying come let vs go vp to the hill of the Lord to the house of the God of Iacob that he may teach vs his ways and that we may walk in his pats for the Law shall come ont of Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem and shall geue sentence among the multitude of the heathen and reforme the people of far countris FOr mark the day cometh that shall bourn as an ouen and all the proud yea and all
¶ THE NEW ARIVAL OF the three Gracis into Anglia Lamenting the abusis of this present Age. ¶ Esay 58.34.24 ¶ Cry now as lowde as thou canst leaue not of list vp thy voyce like a Trumpet and show my people their offencis and the house of Iacob their sinnes To his moste Louing and frendly Father V. Villiam Beeston Brewer S.B. wisheth continuall health with end-lesse felicitie WHen and at such time beloued Father I had called to my remembrance the great good wil and wished benefites proceeding from you towardes me and on my part very slenderly deserued in comparison the acquiting of suche curtesie After many inuentions had by what meanes to shew forth some such occasion howe to gratifie you as a sure shewe of obedience thereby to occasion no lesse good will to folowe then formally by you was begon And calling to ininde one of the graue sentences of Seneca which sayeth That the remembrance of benefites ought not to be forgotten and that a smal thing geuen willingly is more acceptable then great riches with euell will And that the will of the geuer and not the value of the gift is to be regarded rhese documentes and such like vrged me to deuise some thing whereby you might perceiue in me not only my obedience to fatherly parentage but also to proue such a sonne good will being first preferred to be more worthy a benefite then to haue geuen which benefite that I looke for is your continuall societye and fatherly affection to abide wyth no lesse good will then hitherto it hath bene To that end therfore I haue taken vpon me to write this worke folowing for you to loke vpon And although it seeme barren for lacke of a more furniture and altogether pore like vnto the wryter Neuertheles I hope you wil except it with no les good wil in comparison of mortall fieshe then Iesus the sauioure of mankinde who excepted the two mites put into the treasury by a pore widow being all the substance that shee had so this small worke of mine being all the substance that I possesse as touching good will haue with no les imparted the same vnto you which woorke beareth the name of the three graces Thankfulnes Plenteousnes and Liberalitie which if you peruse thorowly I doubt not but it wil content your minde so as occasion may serue to further remembrance considering that to attain vertues we haue good desire but to obtaine vices we put to all oure workes such is our corruption for the which cause euery desiring minde to obtaine knowledge oughte to take heede where vertue is to be learned for the les time man hath to liue which may be perceiued from the day of birth to the houre of death with what spede it hasteneth and the time stayeth for none to be ready prepared to the hauen of peace to the ende our mortal enemy raigne not ouer vs the more earnestly ought man in vertues study to be proceding in my louing Father therfore ler this my worke be so accepted as good wil in his continuaunce may further a greater And as concerning this already finished there can nothing be amended or rightly corrected but by that which surmouÌ„teth and is better then it as vice by vertue falshode by truthe wrong by iustice folly by wisdome ignorance by learning and such like For the which cause euery perticular being considered I doute not but that you wil as fauourably receiue this my trauaile with no les good wil then I in presuming to dedicate the same vnto you whome I account moste worthiest not for affection but for your godly life and christian religion in the which the almighty father sonne and holy ghost strengthen with continuance that bothe father and sonne by the holy ghost with father sonne and holy ghost may praise the almight in the celestial heauens worlde without end Amen Your obedient sonne Steuen Batman THE EPISTLE TO THE READER WHen and at such tyme belouid as the miserable state and maners of men were espied the vntruthes the craftie imaginacions and wicked practises of peruersse and frowarde persons TheÌ„ by diuine sufferaÌ„ce diuers learned and auncient Fathers began no soner the euils perceiued to set foorth against such their abusis with the threatnings of gods vengance for y e same diuers and sundry ensamples to the withdrawinge of such as much as in them lay from the infernall pit prepared for offence to that ende that as carefull Parents perceuing their children to wander from the line of obedience mought in time by mesurid correction bring theÌ„ from such their disorder to a better passe In which so doing although some children by ouermuch sufferance in the beginning of their enterance through induranci hardnesse of heart not only neglect theyr tymes from such obedience but also as froward Imps continew in their vngodlynesse shall for their so doing reape no lesse infamy then the Zodomits dyd who refusing the intreaty of that auncient Father Lot were consumid with Fyer or as when Moyses rebuked him that wrongid y e Hebrwe very charitably but he tooke it ill and spake iniuriustye saying bout thou kill me as thou dyddest the Egiptian c. Not far unlike are the aunswers of sundry Scctarians in these dayes who for brotherly repprehensions geueth the like answers Note hâ—w discreetly Nathan y e prophet rebuked Dauid after he had committed adoultery murder he said not angerly thou hast don wickedly but with an apt â— meete â—militude he intrappid him by the wordz of his owne mouth Steuen being with the Iewes in couÌ„sail dyd boldly reprehende them sayinge among other things Dye stiffenecked and of vnuÌ„â—â—umcised heartes and eares ye haue alwayes resisted the holy ghost as your forefathers did so do ye a worthy note to such as will enter into iudgment in matters of religion before they know what it meaneth and although that among many some may haue iudgment yet after the maner of meÌ„ it is not iustice therfore most metest to be reformed when the Thessalonians walked vnquietly y e Apostle Paul with brotherly reprehension saide vnto them why walk ye in ordinaâ—ly working not at all but being curius and busibodies and therfore he rebuked them Many diuerz and sundry ensamples ther are which moueth brotherly affection to consider such substaunce for the which cause after many auctorities vewid and diuers historis redd being moâ—id not with a few griefes to see this present tyme so alterid from kinde deuised this slender and vnfurnished woork to the profit of my Countrey yet not altogither so vnfurnished but that by diligent perusing some good thing may be founde It was good will that forced me to write according to my skill yet considering w t my selfe how far vnable I was to frame that which affection monid after good will had inforcid In remembring the Bee with the same affection went forwarde For among the Bees such
soule from vertue flyeth it waxeth beastlike and naturally dieth For as the soule geuith life to the corsse so iustice in the soule is cause of liuely force NIchil cum fidibus graculo nihil cum amaracino sui What Musick doth dame Graco yeald that pratling Iaye bedect Though faire as Fezand fresh in féeld her corpes is still infect What both auayle the smarting wound with foysterid oyntment ill No more then Porcus granting sound when pearels are found in swill SO it may happen for this my toyle to haue a small reward of such as nothing lesse doeth mean each vertues to regard For such reward who lookes forgayn as wordlings do desier shall misse of vertues iust report small guerdon for their heyr And those which gapes for future ioys aspiering kings to bée not being caulid shall shure fall these Gracis so agrée Sith plentifull Saturitas by soferaygne Quéene we haue to pray I wish each wight with spéed that God her state may saue And so to raygne in quietnes in Secures safety still that crafty Cacus may be spied and shortnid of his will Euphrosine Liberalitas VNto liberalite belongeth mercy and largnes which hath had her proceading sence the first creating of all things a vertue no lesse worthy then eyther of the rest through mercy compassion hath béen ouer all which is the principal cause of our continuance by mercy we are sauid by obedience redemid by liberalite sanctified who is able to acquite such kindnesse which prouoketh through plenty in manyfould forewarnings dew thankfulnesse for as those things worldly séemeth vnfit neither is conuenient to be red being vntermixed with contrary matter so ensamples diuine requier to be ioyned with none other then auctorite aduised will alow as fit examples to the same what greater liberalite was ther euer then this which when the eternall God plasmator of all things had made the round world so sure that it may not be remouid The Sun to rule the day the Moone to gouerne the neyght the gréene hearbes for all liuing beasts of the field the Seas fluds and waters not only for euery kind of fish but also for ships to flote vppon the same wherby man may sée the great works of God and out of the substance of earth trées of diuers fruits growing from out of the same with sundry sorts of hearbs as wel for beasts of all kynds of Serpents Byrds worms as mā in bestowing the same what greater liberalite could be showed But aboue al these things so liberall was our euerliuing God that he prouided a continuall mancion for all obedient and beleeuing soules in the heauens ther to dwell and abyde after this our passid pilgrimage neuer more to be molestid and troubled these and diuers other liberalites geueth occasions to euery carnall creature to consider so great a liberalite Rebecca Batuels daughter did most liberally aunswer Abrahams seruants sayng drink my Lord. Moyses in defending Iethros daughter from the sheperds that would not suffer them to water their shéepe The children of Israell with most prompt deuout minds did geue to the work of the tabernacle and the holy vestments all thing that was necessary and the artificers were enforcid to say vnto Moyses the people bring to much and more then ynough In which so doyng behold the large lyberalite of the Israelites but in these our dayes it is growen to the contrary as conserning temples ther néeds no new erecting thanks be to God ther are sufficient and moe then are well ocupied in stead of liberalite couetous desier hath brought two parishes to one and the lyuing of both to half of one and yet out of that halfe a thyrd by inordinat oppressiō and although the word of God continue liberall to the prouoking of each liberalite in his kind yet is it not so amōg the sonnes of mē for the which it is to be feared not long to be among vs. A hungry man being vsed to some slender apetite and when of that little day by day he be abrydged and lessenid of that little must needs in the ende consume his corrupt carcase so like wise spirituall liuings being alredy so néere sifted that the doner of many such liuings knoweth before he geueth it as some of thē haue reportid the valew therof yet notwithstanding the princis dewty which euery good subiect yeldeth willingly if he reserue no passel of ȳ same yet some part of the fleise he wil be sure of besid some brybe at the enterance ether in money or ware In what state shal that poore minister liue in consideracion of dayly payment when the liuing to be in valew xx or xxx pounds by the ycare he pay out of xx pound x. pound I will not say out of xxx pound xx pound or out of xv x Such a doner forgiuing diserueth no lesse reward then Ahab for taking of Nabothes viniard or Iehezi for taking a brybe of Naaman the Assirian contrary to the sayng of Eliza the Prophet as for such a minister he cannot escape vnpunished if vnlernid then is it for néed if learnid then God hath séen according to his wisdome therby to cut of from the kindom imperiall both geuer and receuer Such gredy doners or patrons are glad when they haue gotten them vndiscréet I will not say Idiots considering they would sayne haue somwhat as Esopes Dog de Cane carne hoping of better prosperite found lesse being glad of somwhat excepting it acommodite as he or they thinks for that before they had nothing not expecting the charge but the gayn not able to gyde him or them selues much lesse the congregacion in the mean space the shéepe starue for want of food and what shal be come of such shepperds or shéepherds although by auctoritie of mā alowid y e auctoritie will not discharge them before god except they haue such consideration of their vnabilitie that they cease not dayly to frequent the counsaile of the learned and so by little and little through diligent endeuour come to a better perfection very fewe ther are that so bestow their time I omit such as he carders dicers ale knightes fornicators lasciuious spenders coūterfet christians disquieters of cōmon welth sedicious persons quarrellers studientes in vayne and friuolus Arttes And tourne them ouer to the Prophet Ieremi as foloweth Vae pastoribus qui disperdunt dilacerant gregem pascuae mae Wo vnto the shepherds that destroy and scatter my flock saith the Lord wherfore this is the commaundement of the lord God of Israel vnto the shepherds that féed my people ye scatter and thrust out my flocke and looke not vpon them Therfore will I visite the wickednesse of your imaginacions sayth the lord and will gather to gither the remnant of my flock from all lands that I had driuen them vnto I will bring thē againe to their pastures that they may grow and increase I will set
that frindship such scape very well if nothing be not taken from of the sayd liuing for some yerely reward such wicked dealing of men consumeth the one and other as rust doth the yron as mothes the closh as sinne doth the soule which is not to be recouered The occasion which moued Euphrosine to speake is bicause the world should better vnderstand the liberalitie diuine and seing all things from thence proceadeth of loue we therby should so loue each other that the frutes of playâ— dealing without Ipocrisie might 〈◊〉 â—â—ode to our mortall fame and 〈◊〉 â—elicitie which till it be reâ—â—â—red and vsed in his kinde nonâ— other thing is to be loâ—ed for then a subuerâ—ion generall The greate aboundant liberalities from God should moue vs to such liberalitiâ— as worketh each saluacion and not damnation But for as much as Sathan the enemy of all flesh hath to blinded the eyes of the greater noumber no maruaile why the world continueth in such great wickednes for the which may wel be sayd Multi enim sunt Vocati pauci Vero electi For many be called and fewe are chosen If to speak of the liberalitie of the heathen read the auncient Philosophers whose notes are sufficient to reasonable mindes and although far from the knowledge of the true god yit notwithstanding in their liues maners more iust for that the one sought not to oppresie nor vâ—â—s the other neuerthelesse confessed one principall God whom they called Iupiter y â— which they held as chiefe aboue their other gods by whose intelligence the world was made And that he was the first before al other creatures O you auncient Britons who hath bewitched you to flye from the vengaunce to come bring forth therfore the workes of repentance and behold how mightely god hath deliuered you froÌ„ falling into many vayne supersticious errours aboue those Nations which for ensample folow be no more such gréedy gatherers for y â— which shall perish but be liberal with such Christian consideracion as may increase a perpetuall fame for wher honest vertuous men be aduancid and well rewarded it stireth the courage of them y â— haue any sparke of vertew to increase therin with all their force and endeuour wherfore next to the helping the reléeuing of a commonaltie y e greater part of liberalitie is to be imployed on men of vertew and good qualities wherin is to be required a good election iudgement that for hope of reward of fauour vnder the clâ—ke of vertew be not hidden the most mortal poyson of flattery Liberalitie that is vpon flatterés imploied And vpon gréedy Caterpillers which when they know not how to liue procure aduantages of actes to spoyle a common wealth not sparing temporall nor spirituall though for a time florish is not only perished but also spoyled and deuoured â—e is liberall that delighteth more in good renoume then in money for as liberalitie maketh frendes of enemies So pride maketh enemies of frindes Paucunius reporteth y e greatest part of godlines is to knowledge y e greatest part of gods goodnes toward vs to giue only prayses vnto him from whence all thinges are yeldid to our purposis The aunciant Panimes had gods of dyuers sorts how beyt the chese of all were these which they callid Dijs electi chosen gods from heauen which godes as they thought somtime dycendid from heauen to earth as Ianus Saturnus Iupiter Geminus Marcurius Apollo Mars V Vlcanus Neptune Sol Orcus Vibar Tellus Ceres Iuno Minerua Luna Diana Venus Vesta with as many strange seuerall gods and goddesis esteming some of more dignite then other as of one Cautius a God so namid among the rest whom they much honoryd also the goddice Lunica whoÌ„ they comendid their women quick and great with child to send them safe deliuerance the God Opes among the gentils was callid the God of the Babe new borne euen as Lucina was goddice of the mother which bâ—re it their custom was that during the time of y e mothers quickning she carried the image of their God Opes vppon her belly made fast to her girdle or garment till the houre of her deliuery so that if the child were wel born the parents that day made greate oblacions to the Idol if it happenid the child to bée dead born strayght way the parents of the child dyâ— beate the image to poudre or els bourn it or drown it The gentils also had an other God callid Vaginatus which God was hanged about their childers necks to kepe them that they wéept not much for that they supposid if their children dyd wéepe much in thier youth they should suffer great troubles in ther agée with diuers other Gods as Cumius Victoria The old Romayns lykewise had also diuers godes as Ruminus Stellinus Adeon Mentallis whom they called the God of wit such wit among the supersticius Romaynes transformid into ydolatry as it appearech not shaken of vnto this present The Iewes also had diuers godes for the which they were diuersiy plaged in that they reuoltid from the trew and eternall God as for ensample the golden Calf as for Baalim Astaroth among the Israelites Rempham Moloh Rimmon a God of the Assirians Dagon among the Philistians Nefrah Baal Bell the men of Babilon made Socote Benoth the men of Cutha made Nergall the men of Hamath made Asima the Auites made Nibbaz and Tharthake the Sepharnites burnt their childreÌ„ in the fier for Adramalech Anamelech with a peâ—â—iferus coÌ„pany of gods besid it doth appere in the sacaryd scripturs how in what maner they were plaged which ensamples are left vnto vs to beware whoÌ„ y â— â—nds of the world are come vpoÌ„ or at y â— least not far of it is come to passe in these dayes among such as are namid Christians to haue as many godes as euer had any other nacions before vs which seemeth very strang which is the only cause why the greater nâ—umber are draweÌ„ froÌ„ the feare and obedience of the myghty God by whom we haue our being As Maechus Morosus Carnifex Pantolabus Pertinax Rapax Colax Philopolemus Philosarchus Pigricia Inuidia Luxuria Auaricia â—a Gula Insolentia Poliphagus Inuentus Mergus cum Asinus with such araâ—lement as were not to be supposid to dwell in one such so little eyle where as so many godes are raygning possessing the bodies of men no maruayle though their be so littel liberalite for y e euery such person hath not inough to make dew sacrifice to each of their gods no maruayle though mens mynds be thus wandering dayly forgetting of their dew obedience to God Prince and cuntry when they are drownid by carnall corruption to be aquainted with so many no maruayll thought man hath ben likeâ—id to the Moone which seaceth not her changing for that man continueth not in one stay nether in mind nor body and that in the midest of