wept for her hart had a sure trust in the Lord. After that Antiochus had caused a great murther of men in Ierusalem 1. Mach. 1. there arose a greate heauinesse in all the lande of Israel The maried men mourned and the Bride and Brydegrome lamented Israel made great lamentation for the death of Mathathias 1. Mach. 2. Al the people of Israel made greate lamentation for the deathe of Iudas Machabeus 1. Mach. 9. and mourned long saying Alas how was this worthy slain which deliuered the people of Israel After that Ionathas his ii sonnes and a 1000. other men 1. Mach. 12. the whyche he had of Triphon were slaine Israell bewailed Ionathas and theym that were with him right sore Antiochus was sory in his mind for thuniust death of Onias 2 Mach. 4. and moued with pity wept remembring his sobernes manerly behauiour modesty After that Herode had caused at the children that wer ii yere old to be slain Mat. 2. then was fulfilled that whiche was spoken by the prophet Iere. In Rama was ther a voyce hard lamentatyon weping and great mourning Iere. 31. The father of the childe that was lunatike cried wyth teares sayinge Lorde I beleue Mar. 9. healpe thou mine vnbelefe We read that Mary MagdaleÌ„ wept thre diuers times Luke 7. Fyrst at our Lordes fete for her sinnes Secondarilye for the death of her brother And thirdly for the Lordes passion Ihon. 20.11 We finde that our Sauioure wept thrise First vpon Lazarus whom he reuiued againe Ihon. 11. Secondarily vppon Ierusalem the which he knew should be destroied for sinne Luke 19. And thirdly vp on the crosse when he offred him self as a sacryfyce for the synnes of the worlde Heb. 5. As Paule sayeth Offerynge vp prayers wyth stronge crying and teares After that Peter had denied his master thrise Luke 22. he went out and wept bitterly But note that Lucas premytted saying Oure Lord loked vppon Peter A great company of people women folowed him vnto the crosse whiche bewailed and lamented him Luke 23. Paule the Apostle did serue the lord with teares Act. 20. for when he â—ad his brethren fare wel he said Ye knowe after what manner I haue bene wyth you at all seasons seruing the Lorde with all humilitye and wyth manye teares Also he monished his neyghboures with teares Act. 20. and prouoked theym to weepe sayinge By the space of three yeares I ceased not to warne euerye one of you night and day wyth many teares Then followeth They wept very sore Also Paul wrote his Epistles with teares 2. Cor. 2. Out of great affliction and anguish of heart I wrote vnto you with manye teares And manye walcke of whome I haue told you often Philip. 3. now tel you wepinge And to the Romaynes he saith the spriâ—e maketh intercession for vs with groninges whiche cannot be expressed Rom. 8. Such groninges are not wont to be without weping When Peter was come to Ioppa al the widowes stode rouÌ„d about him weping Act. 9. and shewing the coâ—tes and garments which Dorcas made while she was with them ¶ Of swearing ca. xviii ABimelech spake vnto Abraham sayinge Gen. 21. God is with thee in all that thou doste And therefore sweare vnto me And Abraham sayd I wil sweare Gen. 31. Iacob and Laban made a couenaÌ„t and Iacob sware by the feare of his father Isaac Moses was content and sware that he wold dwell with Ietro Exo. 2. take hys doughter Zephora to his wife 1. regu 20. Ionathas made a couenaunt wyth Dauid in the Lord they sware both Dauid hearinge of the hardnesse of Nabal â— regu 25. sayde So GOD do vnto the ennemyes of Dauid If I liue of all that pertaineth to him by the dawning of the dai any thing that pisseth against the wall 2. regu 19. Dauid mourning for the deathe of his sonne Salomon Ioab saide vnto him Arise and come out and speake kindelye vnto thy Seruauntes for I sweare by the Lord. Except thou com out ther wil not tarye one man with thee this night Dauid sware vnto Bethsabe Salomons mother 3 regu 1. that Salomon shoulde raigne after him After that king Salomon had hard his mothers peticyon for Adonia 3. regu 2. he sware by the lord saying God do so so to me if Adonia hathe not spoken this word against his owne life Helias the Thesbite saide vnto Achab the king of Israell 3. reg 17. As truely as the Lord God of Israel liueth before whome I stand there shal be neyther dew nor rain these yeares but according to my worde Benadab king of Siria disdaining at Achabs aunswer 3. reg 20. saide Thus and thus do the Gods to me if the duste of Samaria be inough for al the people that folow me Wicked Iesabel that slewe Helias the Prophet 3. reg 19. made the like oth Helias said vnto Helizeus tary here for our Lord hath sent me to Bethel He saide 4. regu 2. As surelye as the Lorde lyueth and as thy soule liueth I wyll not leaue thee Nabuchodonozor swore by hys throne Iudi. 1. that he wold be auenged King Antiochus the sonne of Antiochus sente vnto the Iewes to make peace 1. Mach. 6. And made an othe vnto them and afterwardes brake it againe immediately Herode the Tetrarch sware vnto Herodias doughter Mar. 6. whatso euer thou wilt aske I wil geue it thee euen vnto th one half of my kingdome Peter to those that said vnto hym Mat. 26. And surely thou art euen one of them for thy speache bewrayeth the began to cursse and to sweare that he knew not the man We read that Paule in hys Epystles dyd oftentimes sweare Philip. 1. Thus he saythe Rom 1. GOD the father of oure LORDE Iesu Christ doth know that I lye not 2. Cor. 1. And againe Beholde before God I lie not God is my witnes whom I serue I cal God for a record vnto my soule ¶ Of the obseruation and keping of the Sabboth day Capit. xix THe obseruation of the Saboth had his originall beginning of that Gen. 2. that is saide and wrytten in Genesis God blesseth the seuenth daye and sanctified it because that in it he reasted from al his worke And the children of Israel gathered in the wyldernesse on the .vi. daye a double quantitye of Manna Exo. 16. Because that on the Sabboth they should reast from all worke And amonge all the ten commaundementes Exo. 20. there is only a reason geuen of thobseruayâ—on of the Saboth because that amonge carnall men it semed to haue lytle reason And thys precept is very often times founde in the law to thintent that man should diligentlye obserue and keepe it and laboure to get and obtayne the true reast And on the Sabboth day ther wer offred two lambes
Nume 28. and vppon other daies but one except in solempne feastes kalendes And that to declare that in festiual daies men shuld honor god more reuerently and aboundauntlye then other daies The man that was takē gathering of stickes vpon the Saboth day Nume 15. was by Goddes commaundemente stoned with stones of all the people Nehemias saw some treading wine presses 2. Esd. 13. and bringing of burthens to be solde vpon the Saboth day and he rebuked them as breakers of the Sabothe The gentiles which held with Antiochus appoynted to fighte vpon the Sabboth daies against certen Iewes that were fled out of Iewry 1. mach 2. but they casted not one stone at thē nor made faste theyr preuy places but said we will die all in oure innocencye But yet it is to be obserued and noted that notwythstandynge that in thys thing they shewed a Deuotyon towardes Goddes commaundemente yet inas much as they perceiued afterwardes that therby Gods people myghte be scattered and loste they toke better counsel sayinge What soeuer he be that cometh to make battell wyth vs vpon the saboth day we wil fight against him for why to fighte for the defēce of mans life or for the lawe of God is no seruile worke or labour Iudas Machaheus his companye fought against Nicanor his hoste 1. mach 7. slue 5000. men put the rest to flit◠But yet they followed not the chase because it was the day before the saboth Nicanor thought withal his power to strike a field vpon a Sabboth day Neuerthelesse the Iewes that were compelled to go with him 2. mach 15. said O do not so cruelly and vnkindlye but halow the Saboth daye The Pharisies saide vnto the Disciples that did plucke and eat the eares mat 12. of corne 1. regu 21. ye do that which is not law full to do vpon the Sabboth day But the Lorde saide vnto them haue ye not read what Dauid did c. Then followeth The sonne of manne is also LORDE euen of the Sabbothe daye We do read that oure sauioure dyd many miracles vppon the Sabbothe day Mat. 12. as it is manifest thorow oute all the Gospell and for that ther may be assigned thre causes Fyrste to shewe hym self to be the Lord. Mat. 12. The seconde to open the true vnderstanding of the precept and commaundement for mē oughte not to cease from all woorkes vpon the Saboth Luke 6. Whether is it lawful on the Sabboth dayes to do good or to do euel Luke 12. to saue ones lyfe or to destroy it The thyrde that he myghte edifye and profet all that sawe hym and hard him When Christe had healed the woman which was bowed together the ruler of the Sinagoge disdayned Luc. 13. because that he had healed on the Sabbothe daye and saide There are syxe daies in which men ought to worke in them come that ye maye be healed and not on the Sabboth day But the Lord answered hym and said Thou hipocrite doth not eche one of you on the Sabboth day lose his Oxe or hys Alfe from the stal and lead him to the water And ought not this doughter of Abraham whome Sathan hathe bound lo 18. yeares be loosed frō this bonde on the Sabboth day And when he thus sayd all his aduersaries were ashamed all the people reioysed on all the excellent deedes that wer done by him The holy women which had prepared swete odours Luke 23. to anoynt our lords body kept the sabboth day so strictly that on that they would not anoynte so precious and holy a bodye So they rested the Sabboth daye according to the commaundement Oure Lorde laye in the Sepulchre on the Sabboth daye Ihon. 1◠The Sabboth day was moste apte and conuenient to heare the worde lawe of God Act. 13. and the prophetes The whiche are read euery Sabooth day ¶ Of the reuerence that ought to be done exhibited to Gods Temple ca. xx OUR Lorde spake vnto Moyses saying Exo. 30. Thou shalt make a lauer of brasse to washe withall and putte water therin Aaron and hys sonnes shall washe their handes and theyr feete therin euen when they goe into the tabernacle of wytnesse Nume 4. It was lawfull but for a fewe to entre into the tabernacle or to touch the vessell 3. regu 6.7 Salomon was muche more dylygente and feruente in the edification and buyldynge of Goddes Temple then in buildynge of hys owne house For he accomplyshed Goddes house in seauen yeares and hys owne in thyrtene Yea he began soner to build the Temple than his owne house 3. regu 8. Salomon made greate solemnite in the buyldyng of the Temple 4. regu 11. Ioiada the byshoppe commaunded that Athalia shoulde be brought oute and not to be slayne in oure Lordes Temple Oure Lorde semed to haue greate cure and care for the Temple when that he commaunded Sirus the kyng of Percia Esd. 1. ca. 1. Esd. 45. to buylde hym an house at Ierusalem And it is vnderstanded of a materyall Temple As the texte dothe declare And Esaye declared the same two hundreth yeares before After that the Iewes were returned from the captyuite of Babilone they beganne to buylde the Temple 1. Esd. 3. or euer they edified or made the walles of the Citie notwythstandynge that they hadde manye ennemyes whome they feared bothe daye and nyghte Tobias is muche coōmended which wente to Ierusalem vnto the Temple of our Lord Tobi. 1. and ther worshypped and prayd vnto the Lorde After that they had optayned the vyctorye of theyr enemyes the which had defyled the Temple 1. Mach. 4. Iudas and hys brethren or euer they made any mention of theyr owne houses sayd beholde oure ennemyes are dyscomfyted Let vs nowe go vp to clense and to repayre the Sanctuary Kynge Demetrius ordayned that who soeuer fledde vnto the Temple at Ierusalem or within the liberties or coste thereof 1. Mach. 10 shoulde as thoughe they wer fallen into the kinges daunger for anye maner of busynesse be pardoned The Iewes goynge to make battayle agaynste Nicanors hoste 2. Mach. 15. hadde pryncipally more solycitude care and feare for the holye Temple then for theyr wyues chyldren brethren and kynsfolkes At the fortie dayes ende Our lorde woulde be broughte and offerd in the Temple Luke 2. And when he was twelue yeares olde Luke 2. he was founde disputing in the Temple Afterwardes he droue oftentymes the byers and sellers out of the Temple Ihon. 2. Luke 19. And manye times he taughte and did miracles in the Temple Oure Lord doth reproue the Pharises whiche sayde that the golde of the Temple was more holy Mat. 23. than the Temple After that the Apostles had receyued the holye ghoste Peter and Iohn went vp into the Temple Act. 3. at the nine houre of prayer And euen then was the fyrste myracle of healthe shewed
and commaundemeÌ„tes of the obseruation and kepinge of them ca. xxiiii OUr Lorde gaue vnto our fyrst parent Adam a lyte and a easy coÌ„maundement to be fulfilled Gen. 2. Saying Thou shalt eat of euery tree of the garden but as touching the tre of knowledge of good and euyll thou shalt not eate of it But he kepte this coÌ„maundement but euyl and therfore he fel into a great and greuous paine and punyshement Notwithstanding the commaundementes seme at some tymes to bee of lyte slender maters Gen. 2. yet they oughte and with no small diligence to be obserued in asmuch as the transgressors are greuously punished For our Lorde sayde vnto Adam In what day or houre soeuer thou eatest of the tree of knowledge of good and euel thou shalt dye the death Noe dyd euery thynge euen as the Lord commaunded him Gen. 7. When the people of Israel should receyue the Commaundementes of God Exo. 19. they were commaunded to bee sanctyfyed Goe vnto the people and sanctyfy them to day and to morowe And therfore he commaunded the chyldren of Israell to make them gardes of yellow sylke in the quarters of theyr garments Nume 15. to haue a contynual remeÌ„brance of the celestyal coÌ„mandemeÌ„ts Oure Lorde when he made Iosue ruler ouer hys people Iosu. 1. gaue hym a specyall monytyon of the medytatyon and obseruatyon of hys lawe and commaundementes Balaam the sorcerer sayde vnto Balach the kyng Nume 23. Tolde not I thee saying Al that the Lord commaundeth that must I do Beholde nowe what reuerence thys euyl man had to gods commaundement Iosua omytted nor mynyshed no word of all that our lord coÌ„maunded Iosu. 11. Saule the whych was specyallye chosen 1. regu 15. was vtterly reiected and caste away for the trangressyon and breakyng of Gods commaundement Dauid instructynge and teaching Salomon hys son 1. Para. 22. the whych shoulde raygne after hym sayde Then thou shalt prosper when thou fulfillest the statutes and lawes whych our Lord gaue to Moses After the ordynaunce of Ioiada the byshoppe 2. Para. 23. they brought oute the kynges sonne and put vpon him the crown and gaue hym in hys hande the lawe that was to be kepte and made hym kynge Syrus kynge of Persia and Monarch of all the worlde 1. Esd. 1. was not ashamed to saye Oure Lorde God of heauen and earth hath commaunded mee to buylde hym a house at Ierusalem Our Lord eueÌ„ complaining doth say The commaundements of Ionadab the sonne of Recchab the whych he commaunded his children to kepe and that they should drincke no wine preuailed and were better kepte then mine Iere. 35. For they obeyed theyr fathers commaundement I haue spokeÌ„ vnto you and yet haue ye not bene obedyent vnto me Susanna putting her life and good name in pearell and daunger Dani. â—3 iudged it better to fal into the hands of man then to forsake and leaue the lawes of God Ther were two wemen accused to haue circumcysed theyr sonnes 2. Mach. 6. whoÌ„e when they had led rounde aboute the city the babes hanging at their brestes they cast them down headlinges ouer the wals Eleazar an aged maÌ„ sustayned greuous pains of the body 2. Mach. 6. and at length he was put to deathe because that he against the law of god wold nother eat swines flesh nor yet fain or dissemble that he had eaten it For the law of god the vii brethren with their mother suffred greuous intollerable pains vnder Antiochus 2. Mach. 7. Other creatures that obey the lord do induce vs to obserue his commandementes 2. regu 24. of good aungels ther is no doubt the which are his mynysters doynge hys wyll and hys worde Of euell angels 1. Para. 21. He commaunded the euell sprite to go oute of the man Luke 8. He commaunded the Rauens to fede Helias and they did so 3. regu 17. And the Psalme doth say generallye He hathe geuen them a law which shal not be brokeÌ„ Fire and haile Psal. 148. snow and Ise winde and storme fulfyll his word Iob. 9. He commaundeth the Sunne and it ryseth not The parentes of Ihon the Baptist walcked so in all the lawe Luke 1. ordinaunces and iustyfications of oure Lorde that no manne could fynde faut wyth them Our Lord answered the yong maÌ„ that axst him Mat. 19. what good he should do to haue euerlastinge life sayinge If thou wilte enter into life keepe the commaundementes ¶ Of obedience and disobedience Ca. xxv GOD willing that man beyng in the state of innocency should liue vnder obedience Gen. 2.3 bounde him wyth preceptes and lawes and punished him right sore and greuously liuing disobedyently Noe spedely obeyed our Lord in althinges that he Gen. 7. at the instant time of the floud commaunded him Notwithstanding that Gods commaundement of the circumcisioÌ„ was a greuous and an vnwont thing Gen. 17. yet Abraham made no procrastinatyon nor no delay to fulfill and accomplish the same For euen in the self same day that god coÌ„mauÌ„ded it he fulfilled it Abraham without any stop or delay offred vp his only soÌ„ne in a sacrifice Gen. 22. Beholde and consider his meruelous and wonderfull obedyence Ioseph did spedely obey his father that sent him to his brethren Gen. 37. although he had accused them wher vpon he and not without a cause might a feared to haue gone vnto them Moses obeyed our Lorde that made Exo. 3.4 him the capitayne and guyde of hys people But marke yet wyth what difficultye For he excused hym selfe fiue times The children of Israell promysed greate obedience Exo. 24. saying Al the wordes whiche oure LORDE hathe sayde wyll we doe But yet afterwardes they did the contrary in their deedes The children of Israell walkyng in the wlldernes at Gods commaundement pitched their tentes Nume 9. and at hys coÌ„maundement they toke theÌ„ downe Also the children of Israell were afraid to ascende and to go vp into the land of promise Nume 14. when God commanded them but wheÌ„ God forbad them they stroue to goe vp but it was to their paine Manye of the chyldren of Israell that went to warre againste the commaundement of God and Moses Nume 14. Nume 31. wer ouerthrown of a fewe but whan they foughte by obedience and commaundement a few ouerthrew a multitude and wan the victory In as much as Achan transgrest the commaundemente of Iosua the people wer ouercome in battaile Iosu. 7. and all Israell stoned him with stones 1. regu 13. Saule offeringe burnte sacrifyce againste the commaundemente of Samuel was reproued And likewise because he spared Agag the king of the Amalakites and theyr sheepe and other pretious chefest of their goods which shuld haue bene destroied 1. regu 15. and then Samuel saide vnto him Better is obedience then sacrifice Althoughe Dauid was annoynted king by Samuel 1. regu 17.
to the Corinthians Some saye that our epistles are greuous but our bodely presence weake and our spech and communication rude ¶ Of Treason Capitu. lxviii SAule beynge vered wyth the deuel Dauid sung and plaied before him 2. Cor. 10. and Saule wente aboute to nayle him to the wall with the iauelynge that hee helde in hys hande Saul promised to geue Dauid his daughter in mariage 1. Re. 18.19 that throughe occasion the Philistians myghte kyll hym Dauid saued and defended the inhabitours of Seely froÌ„ the philistines 1. regu 18. hooste that besieged them And yet they would haue betrayed and delyuered him vnto Saul his enemy 1. regu 23. that euen to death did persecute him After that Saule had lamented the persecution of Dauid 1. regu 24. and that Dauid was sworne vnto him he persecuted and folowed Dauid as wrongfully and as sharpely as euer he dyd before Urias caried from Dauid to Ioab letters of hys owne death Amnon Dauids sonne caulde vnto hym his syster Thamar as thoughe he would haue eaten meate at her hand 2. regu 11. 2. regu 13. and afterwardes defiled her Absolon called his brother Amnon to a banket 2. regu 13. and slewe him When Ioab had saluted Amasam and hadde taken hym by the chyn as thoughe he woulde haue kyst him 2. regu 20. he smote him in the side and he shed out his bowels to the grounde zambry the capitayne of halfe the horsmen 3. Re. 16. slewe Hela his Lorde and mayster and did raigne after him seuen dayes onely He was besieged and he burnt him selfe and the kings palace Selum Iabes sonne conspired against zacharias the kinge of Israell his lorde and master 4. regu 15. and slewe him and after hym he raigned in his slede one moneth onely As Sennacherib was praiyng and woorshippinge his god in the temple 4. regu 19. hys two sonnes smote hym wyth the sweard But yet neither of his sonnes raigned after hym Certayne of Nehemias ennemyes would maliciusly haue made a confederation wih him 2. Esd. 6. thought to haue done him a displeasure gaue money that he might be brought to synne Two of kyng Ahaswerus porters or chamberlaines that sate at the comynge in of the Palace Esth. 2. would haue layed handes on the kynge and haue slaine him Ismael the sonne of Nathania came and many moe with him to dine with Godolia 4. regu 2â— whome the kyng had made capitayne ouer the men of Babilon whiche were in Iewry And after diner they rose and slew him that wold not haue thought nor beleued no such euel in them King Antiochus sent his chefe treasurer into the cities of Iuda 1. Mach. 1 whyche came to Ierusalem and spake peaceably but yet deceitfull woordes vnto those that were wythin For when they had geuen him credence hee fell sodenly vppon the citye and smote it sore and destroyed muche people of Israell When kynge Antiochus Eupator besieged Ierusalem and coulde not take it 1. Mach. 6. He sent vnto those that were wythin to be at peace with them and they receyued it He sware vnto theÌ„ and sone after brake his othe that he had made Ptolomeus the king of Egipt weÌ„t about through disceit to obtain Alexanders his Nephews kingdom 1. Mach. 11. And entring into the cities of Alexandria with a great host of men and receyued by the kings commaundement in to them very honourably he left meÌ„ of war to kepe them When Triphon saw that Ionathas came with so great an hoste he commaunded him to kepe but a few with him 1. Mach. 12. and to send away the reast and when he had done so he was taken and a thousand that were with hym and the other returned home again As Triphon went forthe to walke wyth the yonge kyng Antiochus hys Lord and master 1. Mach. 13. he slue him trayterously and raigned in his stede Ptolomy the sonne of Abobus the hie priestes sonne in lawe 1. Mach. 16 made a banket for Simon and his ii sonnes And when they had dronken well he slue them When Apollinus was come to Ierusalem fainingly he kept hym selfe quiet and stil vntyl the Saboth daye 2. Mach. 5. And then when the Iewes kept holy day he slue a great multitude of theÌ„ Iudas Machabeus hearing that they which besieged the towers where in theyr ennemies the Gentiles were 2. Mach. 10 had taken mony and let part of their ennemies goe he slewe them as traytoures and sellers of theyr brethren And went in hand and toke the tours The treason that the most wycked Iudas vsed against his Lorde Mat. 26. passed al other treasons in iniquity and peruersity LuKe. 22. the which sold his Lorde and master for a litle mony Iohn 18. and deliuered him with a kisse into the handes of his ennemies Certaine of the Iewes came to the chefest of the priestes and elders Act. 13. desiring them to do so muche as to cause Lysias the Tribune that had Paule in hold to bring him forth amoÌ„g theÌ„ as though they would haue knownâ— somthing more perfectly of him And they were euen readye by and by to kill him ¶ Of adulation anf flatery Cap. lxix WHen Chore and his companioÌ„s sâ—ode vp against Moses AaroÌ„ they said Num. 16 it is sufficient inough for vs that all the multytude are holye and that oure LORDE is amonge theym In the whych wordes if appeareth that they flattered and sought for the beneuolence and fauor of the people The yong man that brought Dauid tidinges of Sauls death and his soÌ„nes was slain by Dauids commaundemeÌ„t yet he thought that he hadde brought prosperous and good tidinges 2. reguâ— 1. The two theues that slew Isboseth Sauls sonne 2. regu 4. and brought hys heade vnto Dauid thought to please hym But he declared wel vnto them that it displeased him for he commaunded them to be slain and theyr hands and fete to be cut of and hanged ouer the poole in Hebron Absolon said vnto the maÌ„ that had matters before kinge Dauid 2. regu 15. thy wordes and communication seme to me good and iust But there is no maÌ„ deputed to heare thee The euell and false Prophets told Achab the kynge of Israell that hee should prosper in hys wars 3. regu 22. for they knew that he would be glad to heare such tidinges After the death of Ioiada the priest the lordes of Iuda came and made obeisaunce to the king 2. Para. 24. the whiche beinge pleased with their adulation harkned vnto them And so they lefte the house of our Lorde serued groues and Idols The Iewes ennemies that edifyed the temple after theyr returne out of captiuity 1. Esd. 4 wrote thus vnto the king We remembring the salt that we haue eaten in thy palace thoughte that it was against reason to se thy damage and losses c. Iudith 2
The ensamples of Uertue and vice gathered oute of holye scripture By Nicolas Hanape patriarch of Ierusalem Uery necessarye for all christen men and women to loke vpon ¶ And Englyshed by Thomas Paynell Anno. 1561. To the moste noble most excellent and mooste vertuous Lady Elizabeth Quene of Englande Fraunce and Irelande defender of the faith c. Thomas Paynel wisheth all felicity ALthough youre gracious life to all mens iudgementes is so cleane and pure that it neade no maner of incitatyon or ensample of vertue to vertuous charitable liuinge yet when I bethought me how corrupt how caduke how bryttle and howe sliding from vertue to vice mans nature is euen from the beginning with how diuers and manifold instigations the concupiscences and lustes of this deceitfull worlde doth embrace and intangle maÌ„ with all and that our aduersary the deuill is moste vigilante and diligente daily to deuoure the soul of manne and to alure him to his waies and tradityons â— Peter 5. I estemed it irreprehensible if I your daily orator shuld at any tyme I say not quicken youre grace for thaâ— were but lost labor but exhort your grace to the continuance of your godly and vertuous liuing and iudged my selâ— vnblameable if I in this tempesâ—ious and blustryng time shuld send your grace as it were an anker or a staffe to stay you by and fermely to stablyshe your grace least that your grace should that God forbid wauer or slide from the Catholike and true faith of God from his true and liuelye worde or from the trace of your charitable and vertuous liuinge For who is sure to stand fast and not to fal Paule saith Let him that standeth take heede he fall not Or who can say I am without syn or my harte is cleane What is more surer then to auoide thys fall than to leane to thinfallible and mighty word of God than to ensue the life of Christ our sauior and redeamer and the ensamples and vndoubted hystories gathered out of holy scripture by me your highnes most hable obedient subiect traÌ„slated for the vtilitye consolation of the vnlearned into english this is doubtlesse a verye profitable colection and the anker staffe that I spake of containing most compendiously the wonderfull miracles the noble historyes the worthy actes the wise sayinges the politike stratagemes the wicked coÌ„spiracies the due obedience faith and fidelitye of a christian with other innumerable and meruelous thynges and the parables of all scripture Rede it therfore most gratious Ladye and take good holde at the godlye ensamples and doctrines there of for in so doing youre grace shall not neade to slide from the faithe of Christe nor yet from the trace of youre godlye and vertuous life but shall stand as Christes souldier against sathan the worlde and the flesh to your eternal felicity and comfort most victoriously For where there is no pain nor battaile there can be no victory nor no triumphe For Sayncte Paule saithe Act. 14. that we throughe muche tribulation and payne must enter into the kingdom of God And again he saithe 2. Cor. 4 that this our tribulation and aduersity which is momentanye and light prepareth an exceadynge and an eternall waight of glory vnto vs yea and that a crowne of righteousnesse is laide vp for all those that suffer tribulation and aduersity 1. Timo. 4. and haue fought a good fyghte and haue kepte their faith the which our Lord that is a righteous iudge shall geue vnto all theym that loue his comming And for as much as this our slidinge life is as it were but a warfare and a continual battail against our ghostly enemi the deuil fight ye must yea and that earnestly and continually euen to the latter end for so your grace shal ouerturne sathan your enemye moste victoriouslye and be crowned with the crowne of eternal ioy and felicity ¶ An exhortation to the study of holy scripture THou shalt shewe thy sonne in that daye saying Deute 12. Thys is that which our Lord did vnto me when I came oute of Egipt And it shall be as a signe vnto thee vpon thine haÌ„d and for a remeÌ„braunce before thine eyes that our Lordes law may be alwayes in thy mouthe For in a strong hand our lord brought thee out of Egipt Ye shall not do that that semeth good in your owne eyes Deute 13. but that I commaund you that do you only vnto our lorde nor thou shalt put nought thereto nor take ought there from Thou shalt read thysâ— lawe before al Israell in their eares Deute 31 Gather the people together men women and chyldren and the stranger that is within thy gates that they may heare and learne and fear our Lord your God And kepe and obserue all the wordes of thys law Let not the boke of this law depart oute of thy mouthe but record therin day and nyghte that thou maist obserue and do according to al that is wrytten therin for then thou shalt make thy waye prosperous and then shalte thou doe wiselye Iosu. 1. Thou shalt not decline from the wordes of thys law neyther to the ryght hand nor to the left that thou maist do al thinge wiselye that thou takest in hand All the wordes of God are pure and clean for he is a shield vnto all them Prouer. 30. that putte theyr trust in him Put thou nothyng vnto hys wordes leaste he reproue thee and thou be found a lier Crye nowe as loud as thou canste leaue not of lyfte vp thy voyce lyke a trompet and shew my people theyr offences Esay 58 and the house of Iacob their sinnes Wo be vnto those folish prophets that followe theyr owne spirite Ezech. 13 and speake where they se nothing Searche the scriptures Iohn 5. for they are they whych testifye of me What so euer thynges are wrytten 1. Mat. 15. they are wrytten for our learning that we thorowe pacyente and comforte of the scriptures might haue hope 2. Timo. 4. Al scripture geuen by inspiration of God is profytable to teache to improue to amende and to instruct in rightwisenes that the man of God maye be perfecte and prepared vnto al good workes ¶ A Table of the Chapiters i. OF miracles shewed by the deuine power of God ii Of Gods prouidence secreate iudgementes iii. Of the benignitye of God toward his seruauntes iiii Of deuine consolation v. Of the benediction and blessing that God geueth vnto manne vi Of the malediction and curse wherwyth God curseth man vii Of the blessing wherwyth man blesseth God viii Of the benediction and blessing wherwith man doth blesse maÌ„ ix Of the malediction and curse wherwith man doth curse maÌ„ x. Of the seuerity of God agaynst the wicked xi Of the anger and fury of God xii That God dothe more regarde the intent of the doer then the worke it self xiiii That God at times doth tempt
said Moses that your hart be not deceiued Deu. 11. and that ye turne not aside from God and serue straunge Gods and worship them And then oure Lorde beyng wroth shut vp the heauen The children of Israel haue transgressed the couenaunte Iosuâ— 7. and haue vsurped the excommunicate thynges There followeth And the wrathe of our Lord waxed hot against the children of Israel for the sinne of Achan Our Lord was greued and angrye with Osa and smote hym 1. para 13. because he touched the arke Our Lord was wroth with Salomon because his minde was tourned from our Lord. 3. reg 11. The fury of our Lord was against Israel 4. reg 13. and he deliuered them into the handes of Hazael kinge of Syria because of their Idolatry for they worshipped the calues that Ieroboas made Our Lord was wroth againste Israell and he moued Dauid agaynste them 2. reg 24 in that he saide to Ioab go and nombre Israel and Iuda After Idolatry witchcraft enchaÌ„tmentes and other diuers synnes and wickednesse 4. reg 17 the Children of Israell prouoked oure Lorde And our Lorde was exceading wroth and angri with Israell and putte them oute of hys syghte The Prophet Iehu sayde vnto Iosaphat the kynge of Iuda 2. Para. 19 that came to battaile with Achab the king of Israell Thou helpest the vngodly and dost loue those that hate oure Lorde Therfore yre and wrath come vppon thee from oure Lorde Neuerthelesse there are some good actes founde in thee Ioas the kinge of Iuda his rulers serued groues and Idols 2. para 24. then came the wrath of God vpon Iuda for this their trespasses sake Amasias kinge of Iuda ouercame in battayle throughe the healpe of GOD 2. para 25 the Edomites and broughte theyr goodes awaye and bowed hym selfe before them wherefore oure LORDE was angrye and wrothe with him Hezechias did not again vnto God according to the benefites that he had shewed him 2. para 32 for hys harte arose and there came wrath vpon him and vpon Ierusalem Iosias king of Iuda when he had hard that was wrytten in the boke of the lawe 2. para 34. sayde great is the fury and anger of our LORDE that is fallen vppon vs because your fathers haue not kepte the woordes of oure Lorde They did eat Esd. 2.9 and wer filled and became fat and liued in wealth thorow thy great goodnesse and they prouoked the to anger And Artaxerzes the gentle commaÌ„ded that all thinges shoulde be done to the mooste highest 1. Esdras 7 after the lawe of God Least his anger arise against the realme and against the king and his children Our Lord said to Eliphas the Themanite I am angrye and displeased with thee Iob. 42. and thy two frendes for ye haue not spoken before me the thing that is right Thus it is wrytten of Babilone be Iere. 50. hold she shal be the least set by among the nations voyde wasted and dried vp no man shal be able to dwel there for the fear and anger of oure Lorde but she shal be whole desolate When Machabeus had gathered a multitude together 2. Mach. 8. he was to mighty for the heathen for the wrathe of our Lord was turned into mercy And it is written in the parable of the vngratious seruaunt that would not haue compassioÌ„ on his fellow Mat. 18. his Lord was wroth and deliuered hym to the â—aylers Also it is wrytteÌ„ against those that excused them selues that they coulde not come to supper Luc. 14. Then was the good man of the house displeased and said vnto his seruaunt c. He that beleueth on the soÌ„ne hath euerlastinge life Iohn 3. he that beleueth not the soÌ„ne shall not se life but the wrathe and anger of God abideth on him The ire anger that shal be shewed at the day of iudgement is greatly to be feared Apoca. 6. Of the which it is wrytten in the reuelation of Sainte Ihon. Kinges of th earth the great men c shall say to the hils and rockes fal on vs hide vs from the presence of him that sitteth on the seate and from the wrathe of the lambe ¶ That God dothe more regard the intent of the doer then the worke it self ¶ The .xii. Chapter CAine brought of the frute of the ground an oblatyon vnto our Lorde Gen. 4. Abel also broughte of the firstlinges of his shepe Then folowâ—th Our Lord had respect vnto Abel and to hys oblation but vnto Caine and to his offering he had no respect After that promys was made to Abraham that he should haue a child by Sara Gen. 8. he laughed and so did Sara Whose laughing our Lord reproued but not Abrahams We rede that when Moses Aaron shewed wonders before Pharao Exo. 6. that Pharaos wise men and enchaunters dyd in like maner with their sorrerye Chore and his companye had euen suche censers as Aaron had Nume 16. and perchaunce of as good metall or rather better and yet god did not equally accept their censing The Bethsames lifted vp their eyes and spyed the Arke and reioysed 1. regu 6. and offered a burnt offering vnto our Lord. And although they semed to do a good worke yet oure Lorde plaged them with a greate plague because they had seene the Arke the whiche they should not haue seene 1. regu 19. Whan Saul was amonge the prophetes he strypte of hys clothes and began to prophecye but it auayled him but lyttle Oza putte foorthe hys hande to houlde the Arke that it shoulde not faull 1. para 13. and oure Lorde smote him incontynently and there he dyed Notwythstandynge it is a verye good thinge to offre incence vnto our Lorde 2. para 16. yet it pertayneth notte to euery man to doe the same For Ozias the kynge of Iuda was smytten with the leper because he would burne insence vppon the aulter of insence Oure LORDE dothe reproue by hys Prophete Esay the oblations Esa. 1. that he hym selfe dyd institute to be offerde and that because of the wickednesse of those that offerde Why offer ye so manye sacryfyces vnto me sayeth our Lord Then there foloweth Your handes are full of bloude Oure Lorde preferd the offering of the widdowe which cast two mites in to the treasury Luke 21. aboue the offeringes of the riche menne Herode desired very greatlye to see Iesus And when he saw him he was exceading glad but yet he gate no profit therby LuKe. 23. thoccasion and cause where of was nother pitye nor charitye but curiosity and vanity ¶ That God at times doth tempt and proue man The .xiii. chapter GOD did proue Abraham and said vnto him Gen. 22. Take thi sonne c. Our Lord saide vnto Moses behold Exo. 16. I will raine breade from heauen to you and the people shal go out and gather There foloweth that
Esther shuld speake vnto kinge Ahasuerus Esth. 4 she saide to Mardocheus Gather all the Iewes together that maye be founde and faste ye and pray for me but howe deuoutlye and howe humbly they praid howe Mardocheus praied for hym selfe and the people It is wrytten in the .xiiii. Chapter of Esther The praier of Ieremy was of great reputation with God Ihere 11. when our Lord said vnto hiÌ„ pray not for this people Azarias standing in the mydst of the fornace Dani. 3. praid thus Blessed art thou o Lord God of our fathers Daniel for al king Darius acte and decre Dani. 6. left not of kneling downe vpon his knyes to pray vnto the Lorde lyke as hys manner was to do afore time three times a daye See now how precious and howe profitable a thyng he estemed it to pray vnto our Lord. Daniel perceiuynge the tyme of the Captiuitye to be compleate and at an ende prayde the more instantly for the people that were in captiuite And note howe mekely and howe feruently he maketh his intercession and prayer Dani. 9. When Susanna perceiued that she lacked all humaine ayde and counsel Dani. 13. she made her recourse to the helpe of prayer and her prayer was heard Ionas prayed vnto our Lorde out of the fyshes bellye Ionas 2. and sayde in my trouble I called vnto our Lorde and he heard me The congregation were ready gathered to fight 1. Mach. 3. to pray to make supplication vnto God for mercy grace When that Iudas Machabeus should geue battayle with Gorgias he made his praier and said i. Mac. iiii blessed be thou O sauiour of Israel i. mach Vi. In other .ii. principal battaylles we rede not that he praied The one was against king Antiochus then he wanne not but departed his wayes i. Mac. ix The other was agaynst Bacchides Alchimus and then he was slayne in the battaille i. mach xi Ionathes perceiuing that al his coÌ„pany except a few left him fightinge against straungers he rent his clothes and praid and afterwardes obtayned the victory The Iewes beinge in tribulatyon praied vnto our Lord. The priestes hauing on them their priestly stoles and vestimentes fel downe before the aultare and called vpon God ii mac iii. whych had made a law concerning stuffe geueÌ„ to kepe that it might be safely preserued for such as deliuerd it to be kepte And al the wemen held vp their handes toward heauen and praid Onias the hie priest praid for Heliodorus that was greuously scourged by God for spoiling of the temple ii mac iii. oure Lord restored him to life again Iudas Machabeus they that wer with him iii. Mac. viii praid and besought our Lorde to deliuer theÌ„ from wicked Nicanor and though he wold not do it for theyr sakes yet for the couenaunte that he made with their fathers and because they called vppon his holye and gloryous name The wycked Antiochus praid vnto our Lord of whome he should haue obtained no mercy 2. Mach. 9. Nicanor and they that were wyth him 2. Mach. 15. drue nie with shaumes songes but Iudas and his company with praier and calling vpon God They buckled together with their handes they smote but with their hartes they praied vnto our Lord and slue no lesse theÌ„ 35. thousand men for thorow the present helpe of God they were gloriously comforted Mat. 8. The Leper had a short a profitable and an humble maner of praying Luke 5. the which knelinge before oure Lorde did worship him and saide Marke 1. master if thou wilt thou canst make me cleane The Centurion vsed as it wer by a certain insinuation Mat. 8. the like manner of prayer Luke 7. when he saide Master my seruaunt lieth sicke of the palsy Ihon. 11. And also Martha and Mary for Lazarus that was dead and buried Our Lord at times will be prayed for that Luke 10. that he purposeth to do praye ye the Lord of the haruest to send forth labourers into his haruest Mat. 9. Then there followeth immediatelye Calling together c. And when the people were sente away he weÌ„t vp into a mountaine to pray alone Mat. 14. Wherby we are taughte that when we inteÌ„d to pray we shuld fie the company of man lest we shuld be troubled Our Lord and sauiour in hys holye Gospels Mat. 6. hath taughte vs to praye by word of mouth saying Thus shall ye pray Our father c. Men oughte alwaies to praye Luke 18. not be weary Also our Lord hath animated vs to praye by his promise Luke 11. Ihon. 14. Aske saithe he and ye shall haue Item what soeuer ye aske in my name that wil I do He hathe lykewise informed and taughte vs to praye by hys example Mat. 14. For he that might commaund would pray And specially he did the same Mat. 26. for the persecution of this Passion beynge at hand he prayed and warned other to pray saying watch and pray When Mary Magdalen obtaind forgeuenes of her sinnes of oure Lord saying Luke 7. Thy sinnes are forgeuen the we rede not that she vsed anye loude prayer but that she wept only where by the efficacye of the inwarde desyre appeareth without any vocall or loud praier Our Lord doth induce vs to instant and coÌ„tinual praier by thexample of one that went to his frend at midnight Luke 11. Luke 18. And by thexample of a widow the which desired wyth great importunity of the wicked iudge to auenge her And to instruct vs to pray with huâ—mility without pride Luke 18. or any auaÌ„cement of our selues Our Lorde inducâ—th thexample of the proud pharisy and the lowly humble Publicane Act. 1. After our lordes assention into heauen the Disciples returned vnto Ierusalem and they al continuedâ— with one accord in prayer and supplication with the women and Mary Thapostles being minded and willinge to chuse one of the disciples in Iudas place Act. 1. apoynted two Ioseph and Mathias and when they praied they said Thou Lord which knowest the hartes of al men shew whether of these two thou hast chosen In the primitiue church al faithful people continued in the Apostles doctrine and fellowship Act. 2. and in breaking of bread and in prayers Peter Ihon weÌ„t vp together into the temple at the ninth hour of praier Act. 3. And assone as the disciples had praied the place moued Act. 4. where they were assembled together and they were all filled with the holye ghoste and they spake the word of God boldly The Iewes stoned Steuen callinge on Act. 7. saying lord Iesu receiue my spirite And he kneled downe and cryed with a loud voyce saying Lorde laye not this sinne to their charge Peter and Ihon prayed for them of Samaria Act. 8. that they might receiue the holy
escape tyll all be fulfylled And the scripture cānot be losed or broken And the new Testamente is of no lesse aucthoryte Ioan. 10. but rather of more then the olde Of the whiche oure Lorde sayth◠Mat. 14. Heauen and earth shall passe but my wordes shall not passe Oure Lorde oftentymes ouercame the hie priestes mat 21. Scribes and Pharisees euen by Scriptures the whiche reproued him Oure Lorde reproued the Saduces of ignoraunce mat 22. saying Ye do erre not knowyng the scriptures Peter in his firste sermon after the holye sprite was sent Act. 2. conuerted vnto Christ bi the declaratiō of the prophet Iohels auctorite .3000 men The Enuche or chamberlaine the whiche comming oute of Ethiopia to Ierusalem Act. 8. red the prophete Esay sitting in his charette is muche cōmended praised And Philip by the commaundement of God toke an occasion to preache the gospell of Christ vnto him that by the auctoryte of Scripture that he found him reding whom beyng fast in his belefe he christened Act. 17. Paule cōminge vnto Berrheham entred into the Iewes Sinagoge Certein of them receyued the worde very gredely Dayly searching the Scriptures whether it were so or not And many honest good women of Grece beleued of the cheife men not a few Apollos an eloquent man mighty in the scriptures Act. 18. helped them muche whiche had beleued throughe grace For he ouercame the Iewes myghtely and openly shewing by the scriptures that Iesus was Christ. Our Lorde sent the lawyer that inquired of him what he should do to obtain life euerlasting LuKe. 10. to the scrypture saying what is wrytten in the lawe how readest thou ¶ Of good exhortation and predication of the word of god Cap. xxvii CAine being admonyshed by the exterior voyce of God Gen. 4. lefte not of hys pretenced iniquitye And by this it is patent and manifest that the exterior exhortation withoute the interior is of very litle smal efficacy The iust man Lot dyd mekelye admonyshe and exhorte the Sodomites saying Nay for gods sake my brethrē do not so wickedly Gen. 19. Do not thys euyll vnto whō they answered very contumaciously get the hense Thus it appeareth that peruers people are hardly cured and corrected It happened and chanced wel with Iacob Gen. 27. for as much as he agreed vnto his mothers exhortation counsels Ruben hearynge the wycked wordes of his brethren againste Ioseph Gen. 37. sayde Lette vs not kyll him nor shedde hys bloude and Iudas gaue counsell not to slaye but to sell hym that so the lesse hurte myghte ensue and followe Moses sister perswaded Pharaos doughter euen wel Exo. 2. that an Hebrues womā might be cald to nurse the child Iethro for the vtility of the people and to alleuiate and lyghten Moses burden gaue him good counsell Exo. 18. that he shoulde appoynt and orden meane iudges for the people Dauid by the good exhortatyon of Abigaile 1. regu 25. was tourned and drawne from his intent and purpose that is from shedding of Nabals blud Abner gaue good counsell to Asaeli that followed after hym 2. regu 2. sayinge folowe me not leaste I be compelled to smite thee to the grounde But because he woulde not heare hym hee slue him The olde menne gaue Roboam Salomons sonne good Counsell 3. regu 12. but he to hys greate hurte and dammage ensued the counsel of the yōger sortes of men When Naaman the Syrian because of Eliseus answer 4. regu 5. was departing with displesure his seruauntes counselled and perswaded him to accomplish and fulfil the prophets commaundement and he did so As long as Ioiada the bishop liued whiche instructed and exhorted Ioas the king of Iuda 4. regu 12. so long he was good but after that hee was departed hee waxed very euil The postes wente wyth letters by the commaundement of Ezechiell the king 2. Para. 30. and of hys Lordes and prynces thorowout all Israell and Iuda And saide Ye children of Israell tourne againe vnto oure Lorde God of Abraham Isaac and Israel and let euery one retourne to the remnaunte that are escaped oute of the handes of the Assirians When the Iewes were buyldyng the temple 1. Esd. 5. they that were retourned from Babylone were exhorted and Aggeus and zacharias dyd healpe them Nehemia desyring to build a wall in Ierusalem sayde to the noble men and rulers 2. Esd. 2. Let vs get vp and builde and they strengthened theyr hands to good At Nehemias exhortation they that toke vsury of the people cōsented both to restore it againe 2. Esd. 5. and also from thence forth to take no more Tobias being in captiuitye wente vnto all them that were in prysone Tobi. 1.4.14 and gaue them wholesome exhortations Also he preached verye wel vnto to his sonne It chaunced wel with Toby that he obeyed the counsels of Raphaell Tobi. 6. whome he estemed and toke for a man and specially in drawynge out of the fyshe in demaundynge and askyng a wife and whether he shoulde marrye her or no. The parentes of Sara yonge Tobies Tobi. 10. wife did monysh and exhorte her to honoure her father and her mother in law to loue her husbande to rule well her housholde to kepe her house in good order and to shewe her selfe fautlesse Iudith made a good exhortation vnto the people Iudi. 8. reprouinge that that was vndiscretely ordeined and teachynge them what oughte to bee doone Mardocheus efficacelye perswaded Esther Esth. 4. to go into the kynge wyth danger and pearel of her life to pray for the wealth of her people After that Esay had sene the wonderfull vision Esa. 6. he hym selfe saide wo is me because I holde my peace but after that he perceyued that hys lyps were cleansed with the stone or hote coale that was taken from the aultar he said vnto our Lorde that inquyred whome he shuld send vnto the people here am I send me Oure Lorde sayde vnto Esaye Crye as loude as thou cansie leaue not of Esa. 58. Lyft vp thy voyce lyke a trompette and shewe my people their offences and the house of Iacob their synnes Ieremy fyrst execused hym selfe frō preachinge Iere. 1. and after he graunted folowed the wyl of God Abimelech the Mortan sayde vnto king Sedechias Iere. 38. My Lord the kynge All thy seruauntes that haue cast Ieremye the Prophet into the dongyon or lake haue done euel And the king commaunded that he shuld be drawn out of the lake before he died Our Lord spake vnto Ionas saying Arise Ionas 1.2 and get the to Niniue and preache there vnto them the predication that I shall speake and declare vnto thee Daniell gaue Nabuchodonozor the kynge of Babylon good Counsell Dani. 4. Sayinge be contente with my counsayle and redeame thy synnes wyth almesse When that Mathathias should die he exhorted his sonnes to do
Ierusalem was finyshed 2. Esd. 6. that all the hethen which were there about were afrayde All the heathen on euery side were afrayde of Iudas and his brethren 1. Mach. 3. so that the rumoure of hys name came vnto the kinge Theire aduersaries heard that Ionathas was ready with his menne to the battayle 1. Mach. 10. they feared and were afrayde in they re hartes After that Lisias was ouerthrone be Iudas Machabeus 2. Mach. 11. he was wyllinge to make peace with him and promised that he woulde consent to all thinges whiche were reasonable euen as Iudas woulde Herode feared Iohn knowing that he was a iust manne Mar. 6. and an holy and he kept hym After the terrible death of Ananias and Saphira the disciples wer all together in Salamons porche And no man durst ioyn him selfe to them Act. 5. but yet the people magnified them When Paule and Silas were both in prisone together Act. 16. and their feete made fast in the stockes sodenly there was a greate earthquake The keper of the prison beinge afraide fel doune at the fete of Paule and Silas saide Sirs what muste I do to be saued ¶ Of the loue of god Capi. xl WHen God shoulde geue the law vnto Moses he said vnto hym Exo. 20. I am thy lorde god shewynge mercy vnto those that loue me and keepe my commaundementes The chefest of al the coÌ„maundemeÌ„tes is the loue of god Deu. 6. For Moses said after he had repeated the commauÌ„dementes vnto the people Thou shalt loue the lorde thy god with all thine harte c. Moses willinge specially to printe in the peoples mynde the feare and loue of god Deu. 10. saide and nowe Israell what dothe the lorde thy god require of thee but to feare the Lorde thy god and to walke in all his wayes to loue him and to serue the lorde thy god with all thine harte c. Iosua beinge olde and stryken in yeres calde all the people of Ierusalem vnto him Iosua 13.13 and wareninge them of many thinges amonge all other he sayde Take hede most deligentlye of this that ye loue your lorde god It is wrytten of Dauid that with his whole hert he did prayse our lord and loued god that made him Eccle. 47. ye and be hym selfe sayde a lorde that arte my fortitude and strengthe I wyll loue the. The Apostle Paule hathe geuen this sentence Psal. 17. If any manne loue not our lorde Iesus Christ the same bee cursed For oure lorde that shall reuenge thinges shall come In asmuch as loue is a vertue that moueth a man to christ wards 1. Cor. 16 Paule â—adde greate Loue the whiche was crucified vnto Christ. And it may be noted that Christ was his wisdome Nether shewed I my self that I knew any thinge amonge you 1. Cor. 2. saue Iesus Christe euen the same that was crucified And his substaunce I haue counted sayth Paule all thinges losse Philip. 3. and do iudge them but vyle that I maye winne Christ. And hys iustice He is made vnto vs our wisdome 1. Cor. 1. our Iustice our sanctification and our redemption It may be sayd that Christ spake in Paule 2. Cor. 13. Seke ye experience of Christ whiche speaketh in me Also Christ did worke by Paule I dare not speak of any of those things Rom. 15. which christ hath not wrought by me Againe Christ did lyue in Paule I liue yet now not I but Christ lyueth in me Gala. 2. And agayne he saythe Christ is to me lyfe Philip. 1. Item Christ doth triumphe in him Thankes be to god whiche alwaies geueth vs the victory in Christ 2. Cor. 2. He may also be called Christes seruant Paule the seruaÌ„t of Iesê° Christ. And the Apostle of Christ. româ— 1. Paule the Apostle of Iesu Christ. And the legate or messenger of god Now then are we messengers in the roume of Christ 2. Cor. 1. 2. Cor. 5. euen as though God did exhorte you throughe vs so praye we you in Christes stede that ye be reconciled vnto God And he was Gods helper We are goddes helpers or labourers And Gods champioÌ„ 1. Cor. 3. I haue fought a good fight And againe So fight I not as one that beateth the ayre 2 tim 4. And againe 1. Cor. 9. If I haue foughten with beastes after the maner of men 1. Cor. 15. Item a runner I so runne not as at an vncertaine thinge 1. Cor. 9. And a speciall folower Be ye folowers of me 1 Cor. 1â— as I am the folower of Christ. Saint Iohn sayth Let vs therfore loue god for he loued vs first 1. Iohn 4. ¶ Of the loue that man ought to haue to his neighboure Cap. xli CAyne was greuously reprehended of oure Lord Gen. 4. and punished because he did wickedly against his brother and sayde that he was not hys brothers keper Note how diligently and carefully Abraham prayde oure lorde Gen. 18. that he would spare the Sodomites the whiche thinge was a great signe and token of loue Moses had so greate dilection and loue to his neighbours exodi 32. whyche were hys subiectes that in hys prayer to God he sayde eyther forgeue them their sinne or wype me oute of thy booke Moyses did wyshe in hys prayer that oure Lordes people coulde prophecy Nume 11. notwithstaÌ„ding that his honor should seme to be deminished therby Moses would haue no greater dominion then he had Nume 14. and yet our lorde promysed him it Suche was his loue towardes his neyghbours whome he ruled Iudi. 21. The chyldren of Israell after the occision and death of the chyldren of Beniamin wept very sore and sayd O lorde wherfore is this euyl chaunsed in Israell The soule of Ionathas was knyt with the soule of Dauid 1. regu 18. and Ionathas loued him as his owne soule Dauid shewed that he loued his enemye 2. reg 1.3 when he mourned for Saul and his frende when he wept for Ionathas and Abner Dauid likewise bewailed the death of Absolon his sonne 2. regu 18 althoughe he was euyl and his aduersary Nehemias dothe shewe his greate loue towardes the children of transmigratioÌ„ esdra 2. per totum as it appeareth by the thinges that he did for them Because Tobias hadde shewed the works of charity to many Tobi. 1. many did loue him and therfore when he was commaunded by the king to be slain he was hiden and not found Oure LORDE wolde that we should haue suche loue to our neighbors Mat. 18. that he said vnto Peter that he shoulde not forgeue his brother that sinneth against him till seuen times but seuenty times seuen times The Samaritane is much extolde and lauded for the great loue and charitye that he had to his neighboure Lu. 10. For comming vnto him being halfe deade he was moued with pytye and
When proud Aman saw that Mardocheus would not worshyp hym he through that occasion counsailed the kyng by false surmising and lyes to destroy all the Iewes Iob. 1. Because that Sathan could by no meanes deny before our Lord Iobes vertues he imagyned deceytfullye to depraue hys intentyon saying Doth Iob feare God for nought Note likewyse how that vpon one day the deuyl depryued hym of all that euer he had and caused messengers to come vnto hym that throughe manifolde sorowes he myghte weaken breake him be impacâ—ence The great estates of the realme of Perâ—ia procured that Darius should put out such a decre or coÌ„maundemeÌ„t the whiche they estemed and thought that Daniell would not obserue nor kepe Dani. 6. that be suche subteltie and craft they myghte wynde hym oute of the kinges fauour Two olde preastes inuented a detestable deceyte Dani. 13. to deceaue Susan and afterwardes cruelly to be reuenged of her Alcimus beinge full of malignite 1. mach 7 came to Demetrius accused Iudas Machabeus of many thinges And after that hee presented hym wyth a crowne of golde and with other gyftes as that day he helde his tonge 2. Mach. 14. but afterwardes he did and spake so muche that the king gaue him the hie preesthode Iason sent Menelaus with money vnto king Antiochus 2. Mach. 4. but Menelaus beinge commended and praised of the kyng turned the preesthode vnto him selfe laying vp .300 talentes of syluer for Iason When Herode priuely called the wise men enquired diligently and learned of them what time the starre appeared Math. 2. sending theÌ„ to Bethleem sayd Go your way thither searche diligently for the childe But for what intent he dyd so it appeared by the murthering of the chyldren The Pharises wyllyng to tangle oure Lorde in his woordes sent oute vnto hym their discyples Mat. 22. with Herodes seruauntes saying Master we knowe that thou art true Is it lawful that tribute be geuen vnto Cesar or not The hye preestes and chefest of the Iewes gaue large moneye vnto the keepers of the Sepulchre Mat. 28. that they should say how that Iesus was stolen awaye by night The Pharyses sought manye cyrcutes and wayes to cause the blinde man that had receyued his syghte to confesse and say Iohn 9. that he receaued not his sight of Christ. Ananias his wife Saphira hauing knowledge thereof defrauded kept away parte of the price of the lande Act. 5. The Samaritanes regarded much Simon Magus because that of longe tyme he with hys sorceryes had bewitched them Act. 8. The Iewes perceiuinge that the worde of God was sowen and published throughe all the countreye bye Paule and Barnabas Act. 13. steered vp and moued the deuoute and honeste wemen and the chefest of the citie of Antioche and raised persecution against them and expelled them oute of their coostes When Paule and Barnabas were at Listra Act. 14. and in so greate fauoure that men would haue doone sacrifyce vnto them as vnto Goddes There came certaine Iewes the whiche perswaded the people so that Paule was stoned and drawen oute of the cytie supposing he had bene dead Certaine craftes men with a damsell possessed with a spirite that prophesied which were minded and willynge to complayne of Paule sayed not that through him they loste their gaines Act. 16 but lyingly they sayd These men trouble oure cytie and preache ordinaunces whiche are not lawfull for vs to receiue neither to obserue seynge that we are Romaines The Iewes malitiouslye did purpose to desire the Tribune that Paul might be brought forthe Act. 23. as thoughe they would haue knowen something more perfectly of him but many layd waite to kyll him had bounde them selues with a vowe that they would eate nothing tyl they had slaine him ¶ Of the erudition of Chyldren Cap. lv IAcob seynge and marking Iosephs dreames Gen. 37. rebuked hym least he shoulde stere vp the indignation and enuye of his brethren against him Iacob hearing that ther was corne and sustinaunce to be solde in Egipt Gen. 42. reproued the negligence of his children The blasphemer and cursed speaker was stoned to deathe in the wyldernesse his father was a manne of Egipie Leui. 24. and his mother an Israelitishe woman Suche chyldren are oftentimes euyll instructed Our lorde commaunded by Moses that the children of Israel shuld teach Deu. 4. theyr chyldren suche thinges as they hadde sene A contumacius a stubburne child that will not obeye the commaundement of his parentes Deu. 21. but contemne them is coÌ„maunded by Moses to be stoned to deathe Holy the preaste corrected hys children but slenderlye 1. re 4. and therefore aswell he as they wer punished of our lorde Aâ—onias was but meanelye corrected of his father Dauid 3. Re. 1.2 And therfore he beynge pufte vp in pryde exalted hym selfe sayinge I wyll raygne and be kynge But at length kynge Salomon hys brother caused him to be slayne Dauid approchinge and drawinge nye vnto hys deathe did diligentely instruct Salomon his son the which shoulde raygne after him 1. Para. 28 Tobias the elder taught his sonne from his infancye and tender age to feare oure lorde Tobi. 4.13 to abstayne from all synne and when he beleued that he shoulde dye he holsomely instructed him And likewyse when he shoulde departe and dye The parentes of Sara yonge Tobias wyfe did suffer theyr daughter to departe and to goo wyth her husbande Tobi. 10. Exhortinge her to honoure her father and mother in lawe to loue her husbande to rule well her housholde to gouerne and kepe her house in good order and to shewe her selfe fawtlesse Iob had greate solicitude and care for his children for when they hadde eaten and banketed to gether Iob. 1. dailye he offered for euery one a burnt offerynge leste peraduenture they hadde done some offence The parentes of Susanna beynge iust and godlye people taughte theyr Dani. 13. doughter accordynge to the lawe of Moses When the time drew faste on that Mathaâ—hias should die 1. Mach. 2. he healthsomly instructed his sonnes and animated and encouraged them against the wicked That mother more theÌ„ meruelous the which saw her 7. soÌ„nes suffer and dye in one day 2. Mach. 7. exhorted euery one of them with godly wordes and said I canne not tell howe ye came into my wombe c. ¶ That it is a pearillous thing not to agre to good counsell Ca. lvi THe aungels that appeared vnto Lot gaue hym thys good counsel that he shoulde depart from Sodome and take his sonnes in law wyth hym and that they should not loke behynde them but saue theÌ„ selues in the hyll The which Lot said vnto hys sonnes in lawe that they shoulde bee goyng but hee seemed to them as though he hadde mocked Gen. 19. And therefore Lotte sonnes in lawe that woulde not departe from that wycked
be offred shoulde bee sold in the temple And for this cause the goulde of the Temple was calde more holye then the temple and the gifte that was vppon the aultare to be of more reuerence then the altare it selfe The couetousnesse and cupiditye of gaine semeth to be the Pryncipall motion mat 26. whye that Iudas betrayed oure Lorde For hee sayth what wyl ye geue me and I wyll delyuer hym vnto you By mony the kepers of our lordes sepulchre were corrupted mat 28. and sayde falsly that our Lorde by nighte was stoln away by his disciples Our Lord Iesus the true lawyer Luc. 12. would not meddle with the diuisyon of the worldly heritage notwythstaÌ„ding that he was required but saide who made me a iudge or a deuider ouer you Our Lord against those that heape vp temporall goodes Luc. 12. and thyncke that they shall manye yeares delyte and haue pleasure in theym dothe propounde the Symylytude of the riche man whose grounde broughte forth plentiful frutes Luke 16. Our Lord againste these rich glottons that vse these precious and delicate garments which are straighte and neady to releaue and healpe the pouertye of theyr neighboure dothe put forth the parable of the rich glotton And note that it semeth not to be a parable but an history Again note that if hee bee so punished that gaue not hys owne proper goodes what shal become of them that steale other mennes Luke 14. The biers of Oxen and Farmes that is the biers of things moueable and vnmoueable excused theÌ„ selues that they coulde not come to the greate supper vnto the which they were inuited and cald For by suche thynges men are oftentimes withdrawne froÌ„ the celestial glory The couetous Pharises hearynge our Lordes monitions Luke 16. and that they should make them frendes of the vnrighteous Mammon laughed hym to scorne The auarice of Ananias and Saphira the which kept away parse of the price of the land Act. 5. was most terribly punished Certaine craftes men which had a damsell possessed wyth a spirite that prophesyed Act. 16. whome Paule deliuered of the Deuell perceiuinge that they had lost theyr gain and lucre caught Paule and Silas hys fellowe and brought them to the rulers and officers saying and accusyng them that they troubled the city and preached vnlawfull obseruaunces customes The magestrates rentinge their clothes commaunded them to be beaten and to be cast into prison to be kept wyth all diligence Paule beyng at Ephesus and doing there many miracles Act. 19. a certayne manne named Demetrius a Syluer smith whiche made siluer shrines for Dyana was not a litle beneficial vnto the craftes menne whome hee called together and sayde that Paule hadde perswaded and tourned away much people sayinge that they be no Goddes which are made wyth hands but deuels and hathe so trouled the City that it is al in a rore and ful of confusion And they rushed into the common hall wyth one assente and caught Gaius and Aristarcus Pauls companions When Paule was wyth Felix the presideÌ„t Act. 24. being bound of the Iewes accused as a seditious and a pestiferous person Felix hoped mony shuld haue bene geuen him of Paul Wherfore he called him the oftner and commoned with him But in as much as it came not so to pas he did not quite him but left him bound to Fest us his successor ¶ Of Pouerty Ca. lxxiiii Gen. 32. WE reade not that Iacob had eyther beast or man when he departed from his parentes and went to his brother Laban but that he went ouer Iordan with his staffe And at a certaine time beinge disposed after the Sunne was downe to reast him self 28 he toke a stone put it vnder his head and laide him downe in the same place to slepe Moses kâ—pt the shepe of Iethro hys father in law Exo. 3. priest of Madian wher by it appeareth that he had no shepe of hys owne that kept other mens Ruth the Moabite hadde no great store of richesse Ruth 2. when she went a glening the eares that the reapers lefte behinde them the whiche pertayned vnto the pore Saule beynge contente wyth one ladde 1. regu 9. wente for to seâ—ke his fathers asses And Saule not long after said vnto Samuell that his kinred was the least of al the kynreds of the tribe of Beniamin Dauid was the least of all hys brethren so that when Samuel came to annoynt one of Isais children Dauid was in the pastors 1. regu 16.17 nor he was not cald at the beginning as though he had bene of no reputation afterwardes his brethren beinge in the hoste hys father sent him loden wyth vitayles vnto them Helias suffred great penury when he prayed the widowe of Sarept to geue him a morsel of bread 3. regu 17. and a lytle water The children of the Prophets dyd liue vnder Elizeus in great pouerty 4. regu 4. the which had but a litle breade and vnsauery pottage Anna Tobias wiâ—e went dailye to the weauing work Tobi. 2.4 wherby it appeareth that they were but pore whyche could not haue their loum iÌ„ their own house And Tobias said vnto his son my sonne be not afraide truthe it is we leade heare a pore lyfe but great good shall we haue if we feare God and depart from all syn and do well The children of the Rechabytes build no houses Iere. 35. sow no seede plante no vine haue no vineyardes dryncke no wine but did dwel in tents Nabuharadan left the rascall people and those that hadde nothynge to dwel sâ—il in the land of Iuda Iere. 39. He spared the pore but he slue the mighty rich or els he led them as prisonners and captiues vnto Babilon We haue an ensample of pouerty in the Lord our sauioure Luke â— the whych was born of a pore mother and nourished of a poore carpenter semelye fed wrapped in cloutes and not in furres laid in a maunger and afterwardes when his glorious mother was churched his parents offered in the temple the offringe of the poore And anon after Ioseph fled wyth the child and his mother into Egipt Mat. 2. And when the child was xii yeare old he abode stil in Ierusalem vnknowyng to his father and mother Luc. 2. And so it appeareth that they had no great family to associate and serue the child Iesus going aboute from towne to towne Mat. 8. had not wher vpon to lay his hedâ— and therfore he saith The foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the air haue neastes but the sonne of manne hath not wher to reast his head Iohn 19. And for this it makethâ— that he hunge bare vpon the crosse The disciples for the moste parte wer chosen out of the porest sort Mat. 4. IhoÌ„ and Iames did mend theyr nets Mar. 1. and did wash them Luc. 5. In our lordes sermon that he made in
do And all this he suffred not for hym self but for vs. For he prayd that the sinnes might be taken away whych he neuer committed And so hee dyed for our necessity and vtilitye and not for hys owne but for all hys frendes For why to deliuer vs he would be taken to redeme vs he wold be sold that we might be honored he would be confounded and crucified He was bound that we might be losed scourged that we shoulde not be scourged he died that we shoulde not die eternally And Paule saith I lyue by the faithe of the sonne of God whiche loued me and gaue hym selfe for me And in a nother place Christ died for our sinnes Gala. 2. And Peter saithe Christe suffred for vs 1. Cor. 15. leaninge vs an ensample that we should folow his steppes 1. Pet. 2. And Esay Esai 33. he was wounded for oure offences and was smitten for oure wickednesse and with his stripes we are healed And it is wrytten I geue my life for my shepe And it is wrytten of the Apostles whiche were beaten Act. 5. They departed from the counsel reioysing that they wer counted worthy to suffer rebuke for his name Steuen was so pacient and benign to those that stoned him that he made more diligent intercession for them Act. 7. then for him self for he kneled down and cried with a loud voyce Lord lay not this sinne to theyr charge when he prayed for him self we reade not that he kneled or cried Paule and Silas being in a harde prison Act. 16. prayed at mydnight and lauded God ¶ Of constancy and continuaunce in purposes Cap. lxxx AFter that we bee once departed from the society and felowshyp of those that be euill Gen. 19. we shoulde not loke behinde vs as Lots wife did the which was turned into a piler of salt Iosephes mistresse was daily molesâ—ius and greuous vnto him Gen. 39. but yet continually he resisted that nepharius and wicked dede Moses could by no meanes be chased or ouercomd other to remain and to sacrifice to our Lorde in Egipt Exo. 8.9.10 or to leaue vnto Pharao the peoples children or cattell Dauid was sore reproued of hys eldest brother and also disswaded by Saule 1. regu 17. and yet he left not of his purpose but fought manfully and ouercame Golyath Ioaâ— continued in the siege of Rabbath vntil the city was taken and in the battaile againste Absolon 2. regu 11.18.20 and in the siege of the citye Abela agaynste Seba the sonne of Bochius Although Nehemias in buyldinge of the wall of Ierusalem 2. Esd. 4.6 suffered manye lettes and impedyments yet he neuer lefte of nor ceased not from hys woorke vntyl the wal was wholy ended In so much as Tobias â—uer feared God from hys youthe vp Tobi. 2. he grudged not againste God that the plague of blindnesse chaunced vnto hym but remained stedfast in the feare of God thanked God all the daies of his life Eliachim the hie priest spake vnto al Israel sayinge be ye sure that our Lord wil hear your prayers and peticions Iudi. 4. if ye continue stedfaste in Fastinges and prayers in the syghte of our Lord. King Ahaswerus seruauntes desyred to knowe whether Mardocheus coÌ„tinued in his purpose that he wold not honoure and worship Aman Esth. 3. the whiche Mardocheus did so contynue in his purpose that he would not only worship him nor yet arise or when he came by bow his kne vnto hym Daniels fellowes said constantlye vnto the king of Babilon know thou O kinge Dani. 3. that we will not serue thy Gods nor do reuerence or pray vnto thy Image Daniell lefte not of for all Darius wicked and cruel deâ—re Dani. 6. to pray in the day time vnto our Lord as his manner was to do Susanna did constantly resist those two old priestes Dani. 13. that tempted her so vehemently There were many of the people of Israell which determined with them selues 1. math 1. that they woulde not eate vncleane thynges but chose rather to suffer deathe then to be defyled wyth vncleane meates Eleazarus had a wonderfull constancy and perseuerance in his pains and tormentes 2. mach 6. for he chose rather to die with a moste greuous death then against the law to eat swines flesh or to dissemble to haue eaten it Those same seuen brethren wyth theyr good and deuoute mother 2. Mach. 7. dyd wel contynue vnto the latter end nor they coulde not be induced to the preuarication and breche of the law nother by fair meanes nor yet by foul The blessed virgin Marye hadde a mooste ferme and stedfast purpose to kepe her virginity Luc. 1. the whych would not consente to the conception of her chylde vntyll she vnderstode that it shuld not be done by man but by the vertue of the holy ghost Our Lord doth put an ensample of him that beginneth to build a tour Luc. 14. was not able to make an end The man that was borne blynde and restored to his sight by our Lord Iohn 9. did constantly continue againste the Pharises confessing and defendynge the truthe Act. 1. And al our Lordes disciples continued wyth one accorde in prayer and supplication with the wemen Mary the mother of Iesu. When the Princes of the Iewes saw the constancye of Peter Ihon Act. 4. and vnderstode that they wer vnlearned and idiots or laye menne they meruailed Barnabas perceiuing that manye of the Antiochens were turned vnto the faith Act. 11. exhorted them al that with purpose of hart they wold continually cleaue vnto our Lord. Paul Barnabas exhorted the brethren to coÌ„tinue in the grace of god Act. 13. The holy ghost witnesseth in euery city vnto Paule Act. 20. that bandes and trouble abide him in Ierusalem but I feare saith he none of these thynges neither do I make my life dearer vnto me then my selfe ¶ Of bodelye warre and victory most commenly obtained Capi. lxxxi ABraham with a fewe of his felowes ouerthrew four kings Gen. 14. the which wer so mighty that they wasted and destroyed great couÌ„tries and at length they ouercame the kinges of the v. cities and spoiled the men of Sodome and Gomor But Abraham recouered the spoyle and deliuered Lot his nephew And it is to be noted that in iuste warre a man is not bounde to Proclaim warre vnto his enemyes Ca. 8.10 or to foretell them yea it is lawfull to deceiue them as it appeareth by Abraham Iosue and Gedeon Moses sent Iosue to fight agaynste Amalech that went aboute to let and hynder the chyldren of Israel Exodi 17. Moses went not in hys own parson but coÌ„tinued in Prayer and dyd more by prayer then he with hys hands fyghtynge The children of Israell beinge moued went couragiously to fight Nume 14. Moses forbiddinge them againste the Amalechites and the Cananites whiche smote them
hys body dwelt and abode in graues And the deuels desired praied our Lorde Iesu that they goyng out of the man might enter into the swine Not into the oxen lambes the which are cleane beastes The ensample of the rych glutton the whyche complayneth that he is specially tormented in his tonge Luc. 16. maketh very sore agaynste these greate eaters and haunters of feastes and bankettes ¶ Of matrimony Capitu. lxxxix IT is euident that a wyfe ought to be in many thinges vnto her husbande a felowe and equale Gen. 2. but not a mistresse nor a maid because that our lord made her of Adams ryb and not of his heade nor of his foote Againe it is manyfest that manne is the heade of the woman for asmuche as he is in a maner the begynnynge of her beynge and the woman was made of the man not the man of the woman And therfore the man muste be the master and the instructer And the coÌ„mmaundement was geuen vnto Adam by God by Adam to Eue. Because the one man oughte to haue but one wife Gen. 2. therfore our lord saieth They shall become one fleshe It is red Gen. 4. that onely Lamech before the flud had two wyues Our Lord coÌ„maunded that in Noes Arke shoulde bee reserued so many males as females Gen. 7. that there myghte be one for one The Egiptians in Abrahams time semed more to abhor aduoutery than murther Gen. 12. And therfore Abraham feared least they woulde fyrst slaye hym and then present hys wife vnto Pharao Asthoughe he woulde not haue knowen her so longe as he beleued that she had an husband Sara AbrahaÌ„s wyfe was obedieÌ„t vnto her husbande Gen. 21. and calde hym Lorde And Abraham in like manner condescended vnto her wil and minde in some thinges Oure Lorde punyshed Abimelech wyth greauous plages for Sara Abrahams wyfe Gen. 20. The consent of the partie is requyred in mariage Gen. â—4 We will cal the damsell and know her wyll and minde The blasphemer that was stoned to death in the desert was the sonne of an Israelytishe woman Leui. 24. and gotten of a man of Egypte Where out a man maye gether that it is not expedient to make mariages of diuers and contrary tribes for the chyldren begotten of suche persons are euell brought vp and nurtred That secreat the which Sampson woulde not shewe nor declare vnto his parentes Iudi. 14. hys wyfe to hys great losse wryngde it out of hym Helcana sayed vnto Anne his wife Am not I better to the theÌ„ ten sonnes 1. regu 1. Nabal was hard euell and folysh He had Abigail to his wife 1. regu 25. the which was very wyse and beutifull All be it Dauyd hadde maâ—y wyues yet he committed aduoutry with Bersabe 2. regu 11. Ioram the kynge of Iuda did euell in the syght of oure Lorde and walked in the wayes of Achab 4. regu 8. the cause is this for the doughter of Achab was his wife The chyldreÌ„ of transmigration and captiuity that had taken straunge wiues 1. Esd. 10. refused and put them a waye at Esdras commaundement Nehemias perceyuing that the Iewes dyd mary straunge wyues 2. Esd. 13. dyd chyde and cursse them and did chasten and beate parte of them Sara Raguels doughter sayed in her prayer Tobi. 3. O lorde I haue consented to take an husbande not for my pleasure but in thy feare The Aungell sayed vnto Tobias They that receaue mariage of such a fashion Tobi. 6. that they shut god oute from them from their hart and geue theÌ„ selues to theyr owne lust euen as it were horse and mule whiche haue no vnderstandinge vpon suche hath the deuyll power The fyrste nyghte when Tobias was broughte into Sara his wife he exhorted the virgyn saying vnto her Up Sara let vs make our prayer vnto God to day Tobi. 8. to morow and ouermorow For these thre nightes wyll we ioyne and reconcile oure selues wyth God and when the thyrd night is paste we shall ioyne together in the dewty of mariage The Angell declared vnto Tobias an honest cause and fashion of taking a wyfe Tobi. 6. Thou shalt take the mayden in the feare of God saith he and more for the desire of children then for any fleshly lust Saras elders dyd monyshe her to honoure her father mother in lawe Tobi. x. to loue her husbande to rule well her housholde to kepe her house in good order and to shewe her selfe fautlesse The wemen that were caryed out of Iewrye into Egypte Iere. 44. the whyche did sacryfice vnto the quene of heuen excused them selues by theyr husbandes the whyche dyd the like thinge Susan to kepe the faythe and promise of matrimony was content Dani. 13. and offred her self to infamy and deathe but that the iuste Lorde by Danyell made other prouision for her Our Lord disdained not to be present at the mariage and at the feast in Cana a city of Galile Iohn 2. Ihon the Baptist was beheaded because hee reproued Herode of aduoutry Mat. 14. When the Phariseys asked whether it were lawful for a maÌ„ to make a deuorcement with his wife for any maÌ„ner of cause Mat. 19. Our lord answered let no man put a sonder that whyche God hath coupled together They that were calde to the greate supper went not and he that had taken and maried a wife Iuâ— 14. desired not to be excused for the state of mariage doth vehementlye prouoke and drawe a man back from that that is godly As touching the act of matrimony the apostle iudgeth the man and the wife alike 1. Cor. 7 The wife hath not power of her own bodye but the husbande And likewise the husbande hathe not power of his own body but the wyfe Ananias his wife Saphira hauing knowledge therof deceitfully kept away part of the price of the land that was sold Act 5. but they wer both greuously punished ¶ Of Chastity Cap. lxxxx AS long as our first parents wer in Paradise so longe they were virgins Gen. 4. but after that they wer caste oute it is wrytten That Adam knew Eue his wife When Sichem hadde defiled Dina Iacobs daughter her brethren were very angry because he had wrought folly in Israell Gen. 34. in that he hadde lyen wyth Iacobs doughter whych thyng ought not to be done At length they slue hym that had defyled her and his father and all the people And note that that thynge was done vnder the lawe of nature and before the lawe wrytten How muche more then oughte virginitye to be honoured vnder the lawe of grace and fornicatyon punished Althoughe Ioseph was a seruaunt that was bought Gen. 39. a beutifull yonge man without a wyfe and prouoked by his mistres yet he refused aduoutery and hadde rather to offende her and to be cast into prison then to lese his chastity
of trouble they cryed vnto thee and thou hardest them froÌ„ heauen 2. Esdra 9. And thorowe thy great mercye thou gauest them sauiours whych healped them out of the hand of theyr enemyes Tobias after many good dedes god suffring the same Tob. 2. waxed blynde and afterwardes was laughed to scorn of those that shuld haue comforted him But our Lord after that dyd dyuers maner a waies recreate and comfort him againe Iudith speaking of her owne people said Iudi. 8. Ye ought to remembre that whan your father Abraham was teÌ„pted and tried thorow manye tribulations that he was made and found a louer and a frend of God Iob sustained tribulatyon by hys wyfe and by the reproches and contumelious woordes of his frendes the which thing ought to haue prouoked him to heauines Iob. 1.2.30 And in body he was diseased with a meruailous sore infirmity euen from the sole of hys foote to the crowne of his heade And in the losse of his substaunce and chyldren In the taking away of hys solace and comfort for hys wife abhord him and could not abide his breath Other yoÌ„g and vile persons derided him staind his face with spittle Ieremy which was saÌ„ctifyed in his mothers wombe Iere. 15. and ful of the spirit of prophecye said thus of hym selfe that he was a brauler a man of dyscord and dissention and a rebuker of the whole land and that all men cursed and spake euil vpon him Ieremy for preaching the truth vnto the people Iere. 16.18 was now and then punyshed and ofte imprysonned and at lengthe the people stoaned hym to deathe Ezechiel being in Caldea as a banyshed man Ezech. 1.5 saw in the middes of the Captiues the wonderfull visions of God Wherby it appeareth that god doth oftentimes comfort those whych are in tribulation It appeareth wel by Daniels coÌ„panions that our Lord is with him that is in tribulation Dani. 3. for Nabuchodonozor saw wyth theym a fourth lyke the sonne of God Nabuchodonozor in hys prosperity was arrogant and proud Dani. 4. and therefore he was cast out of mens companye and chaunged into a beast But after that he recouered hys vnderstaÌ„ding the which he being in dignity honour lost by elation and pryde he praysed the hyest whome before hee blasphemed Our Lord was as highlye or more praysed throughe the pacience of the iii. children Dani. 2. the which they toke in the tribulation of the fornace as he was with the sapience and wisdom of Daniel the which he had in the expositioÌ„ and interpretation of dreames Susanna being condeÌ„ned to death Dani. 13. hauing no recourse to any humayne aid or healpe weping loked vp vnto heauen as doth the bird which coÌ„pased on earthe with men and dogges hath no refuge except it eleuate it self into the ayre After the death of Iudas Machabeus wicked men came vp ther was a great dearth in the land 1. mach 9. And wycked Bachides toke away the Lordes rulers of the country And there be came great trouble in Israel There went forth a very vniust decre and commaundement against the Iewes 2. mach 6. that who so would not do sacrifice after the lawes of the gentils shuld be put to death And there was great tribulation in Israel Antiochus being in good healthe was a cruell and a proude homicide 2. mach 9. but afterwards smytten by god with a greuous and vncurable plague he chaunged bothe hys wordes and his purposes After that our Lord was borne he sone after felt and suffred the pressures and torments of the world so that Ioseph tooke him and his mother math ii fled into Egipt Of diuers and many afflictions and iniuries whych our lord hath suffred read in the titles of mercy and pacience The Apostles beyng scourged by the precepte and commaundement of the Magestrates Act. 5. departed from the couÌ„sel reioysing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesu. And although Paul was not euen theÌ„ wyth the Apostles ii Corin. xii yet he sayde afterwardes of him self we reioyce in our tribulations And again Uery gladly wyl I reioyce of my weaknes that the strength of Christe may dwell in me Act. 8. After that Steuen was stoned too death there was a great persecutyon agaynste the Congregatyon whiche was at Ierusalem and they were all scattred abrode thorow out the regyons of Iewry and Samaria excepte the Apostles But yet note That it was muche profytable for the dinulgation of the gospell It may be well knowen by the actes of the Apostles that Paule after his conuersion suffered tribulations and persecutions Act. 9. For the Iewes toke counsell together 2. Corin. 11. to kyll hym by nighte And when they went aboute their deceitfulnesse he was let downe thorowe the wall in a basket When Paule and Barnabas wer in Antioche Pisidia Act. 13. they sowed and preached the word of God thorowout al the country But the Iewes raysed persecusion agaynst them and were expelled oute of theyr coastes But they shoke of the dust of their feete against them and came to Iconium In the citye of Liâ—tris they wer had in such honoure Act. 14. because of the creapel whome Paule healed that they wold haue done sacrifice vnto theÌ„ But thyther came certain Iewes which wheÌ„ they had obtained the peoples consent had stoned Paul thei drewe him out of the city supposing he had bene dead And in Macedonia by the occasion of a damsell oute of whome Paule cast forth a sprite that prophesied her master beynge heauye for the gayne that they lost thereby Act. 16. they apprehended and toke Paul and his felow Silas and saied that thei wer disturberâ— of the citye The rulers coÌ„maunded theÌ„â—o be chastened with rods to be cast in prison to set their feete in the stockes Afterwards at Thessalonica when many of them beleued the disdainfull Iewes by certaine euell men slyrde vp Act. 17. and set all the citye in a roar But the brethren immediatly sent awaye Paule and Silas vnto Berrea But when the Iewes perceyued that they had receyued also the word of God at Berrea they came and moued troubled the people there And theÌ„ immediately the brethren sent away Paul and by sea brought him to Athens Paule in lyke manner preached at Corinthe and testified to the Iewes that Iesus was very Christ. And wheÌ„ they saide contrary blasphemed Act. 18. he shoke hys raymente and sayed vnto them youre bloude bee vpon youre owne headdes When Callio was a ruler of the countrey of Acaia the Iewes made insurrection with one accorde against Paule Act. 18. and brought him to the iudgement seate sayinge This felowe counceleth men to worship God contrary to the lawe Paule departinge from Ephesus and preachinge boldely the worde of God and doynge there many myracles Act. 19. A certain manne named Demetrius a