A Prayer LOrde God heauenly father and altogether mightie which hast drawen away and saued thy faithfull seruants Lot and Daniel from the flaming fire Moyses from the middest of the waters one Ioas from amonge them that were slaine and hast reserued in the persecution of Achab and of Iesabel so many thousand men which haue not bowed their knées vnto Baal yea hast lefte alwayes vnto thy people some prophets and true ministers of thy law in the captiuitie of Babilon Giue vnto vs thy grace in this ciuill warre and persecution of our owne countrey men yea our domesticall seruantes to acknowledge that thy hande is not so shortned that it cannot saue or helpe neither is thine eare so stopped that it cannot heare But that our iniquites haue made the diuision betwéene thée and vs and that our sinnes haue hid thy face frō vs To the end that we staying on thy mercy may not be altogether desolate Giue O Lord such feare vnto our enimies that they may haue cause to inuocate and call vpon thy name in such sort that we all with one spirite and will may confesse that thou art the ayde of the humble and little ones the helper of the weake and féeble the protectour of them that are forsaken the sauiour of the abiectes yea thou art the Lord of hoastes which doest reserue alwaies for vs a fewe aliue to the ende that we shoulde not be made like vnto Sodome and like vnto Gomorra and not to fal in dispaire with the vnbeléeuing And therefore wée praye thée in the fauoure or for the loue of him which hath cried with a loude voice that the Foxes haue holes and the byrdes of the ayre haue neastes but the sonne of man hath not whereon to rest his head he I say which deliuered himselfe vnto death for to assure vs of our dwelling in the heauenly kingdome our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen ¶ THAT THE CHRISTIAN Religion cannot be tied or bound to any limittes and bounds Cap. 3. 2. TIM 2. b. The worde of God is not bounde IF it be written that the king being sette vpon the seate of his kingdome shal write the Law and shall reade therin al the daies of his life that he may learne to feare the Lord his God and for to kéepe all the woordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces for to doe them and the same LORD doth promise vnto his Church that kings shal be her noursing Fathers and Quéenes shal be her norishing mothers It is certeine that as righteousnesse and truth are the estabishing of the throne or feate of the Lord so doth he preserue and keepe the kinges and doth mainteine their scepter by godlinesse and trueth I doe saie further if the Egiptians haue in such recommendation and praise the practise of their religion aboue all things as saith Plato that they will not create and make a king except that he were promoted and consecrated a priest yea greatly occupied or exercised in the dooings of the priestes And the Persians will not alowe or admitte for their prince but him which hath the knowledge of the science and discipline of the magiciens which doth conteine the true vse of their religiō Insomuch as vnto the young Princes of the countrey were ordeined foure schole maisters of whō the first did teach them the magicke of Orcastrus the sonne of Oroniasus which did conteine the dooings of the religion Truely we ought not to doubt but that the estate duetie of a christian Prince is first of al to establish mainteine the dooing of the religion and to acknowledge that he is the minister of God for the health of al men to the ende that the goods which the Lord hath giuē vnto him he should kéepe part of thē distribute part of thē that he do manifest delare him self by works as Aristotle doth write vnto Alexander that the kingdome is giuen vnto him to the end to doo wel vnto man kinde To the end also that vnder his obedience the good may be defended from iniuries and oppressions of the wicked leading a quiet and peaceable life in all godlinesse and honestie loking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the mightie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ Forasmuch then as it is nothing to professe to knowe God and with the déedes to denie him to haue a similitude of godly liuing but haue denied the power thereof that is not also much to mainteine a religion for certeine and true and in the meane time do depriue themselues from the exercise of the same for as the woorks do declare our faith so the exercise of the religion doth assure vs that we be no more as children wauering and caried with euery winde of doctrine but that we following trueth with loue we may growe and increase altogether in him which is the head that is to say Iesus Christ To conclude that the Lorde would be knowen chiefly in the assembly of the true christians as Dauyd sayth I will praise thée in the great congregation and performe my vowes in the sight of all them that feare thée and in another place he sayth Sing vnto the Lorde a newe songe let the congregation of the Sainctes prayse him and in an other place he sayth giue thanckes O Israel vnto God the LORD in the congregations from the grounde of the heart And Iesus Chryst hath promised his that where there shall bée two or thrée gathered together in his name that he will be in the midst of them Furthermore if the Prophet Dauid hath written that the woorde of God is a lanterne vnto our féete and a light vnto our pathes Iesus Christ would not that that lyght shoulde bée hid vnder a bushell but that it be set vpon a candlesticke that it may gyue light vnto all them that are in the house Therefore he woulde that our lyght should so shine before men that they may sée our good workes and glorifie our heauenly father which is in heauen Otherwise he that would limit and bind the dooing and exercise of the true christian religion in a certeine place as did of late certeine of the Iewes at the temple of Ierusalem and the other at the Mountaine of Garizen that should be to giue occasion of sclaunder not onely vnto the Christians estraungers and others but also vnto the auncient enymies of our Relygion to blame the name of the LORD For as the LORD hath no regarde vnto the appearaunce of men But in all people hée that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him So his worde ought not to be limitted in certeine places or persons inasmuch as by his word wée haue knowledge of him for vnto the end he hath sent vs by his welbeloued disciple saying search the scriptures for in them ye thincke ye haue
is as the sinne of witches and stubburnnesse is wickednesse and idolatrie It is most true that more greater goodnesse cannot happen vnto kingdomes common wealthes and cities well dispensed and gouerned then to make them to obey the lawes Inasmuch chiefely as they doe teach none other thing but the obedience due vnto the superiours As Xenophon doth witnesse that Lycurgus could finde no better meanes to make the citie of Sparta to florishe then to accustome the inhabiters of the same to obey vnto the lawes As more amplie Cicero doth declare that the spirite and the counsaile and the sentence of the coÌ„mon welth doe consist in the lawes and as the bodie without the soule so the common welth without the lawe cannot stand the which ought to be vnderstanded not onely for the regarde of the subiectes but also of the Magistrates princes and other superious and verie well Cyrus the king of the Persians did declare vnto his sonne that he must be â—elie iust and a greate obseruator and kéeper of the lawes As also the lawes of the Emperour do witnesse that it is a kingly voice and worthie for a vertuous and he royeoll prince to confesse him selfe to be subiect bound vnto the lawe That is the cause wherefore the Egyptians did adiure their Iudges and Magistrates to iudge nothing vniustly and wrongfully although that they had expresse coÌ„maundement Euen so Anthonius the third of the name did signifie sometime by letters vnto his officers that when he did coÌ„maund any thing coÌ„trarie vnto the lawes that they should not obey him And verie wel the ciuil law hath prouided in that matter which would that the Magistrate should not execute so sodeinly the will of a prince who being moued with anger or with some vnlawfull desire of vengeance should commaund a thing contrarie or repugnaunt vnto the lawe But as Solon did complaine in his time that the lawes were like vnto the spiders webbes the which doe suppresse easely take the little beastes but are broken destroyed by the great beastes Do demonstrate declare that the simple people of a base poore conditioÌ„ were constrained to obey that laws that the ritch puissaÌ„t of this world do transgresse them with all licence without punishment Also it is to be feared that not onely the like shall happen in our time what say I the like but also that the lawes be not violated of the poore of the ritch And it doth greue me verie much to confesse plainly that there are so many Magistrates in the realme of Fraunce that they do beare so little obedience vnto the princes lawes I do no lesse meruaile that there are so fewe Magistrates in other countries and great obedience of the subiectes So many lawiers there are I say in this Realme and yet neuerthelesse they doe regarde neither the lawe nor yet the right of the subiectes On the contrarie parte among other nations a fewe people which doe professe the lawe and yet neuerthelesse Iustice duely administred and executed insomuch that it séemed as saith Cicero a in certeine oration that we doe not holde any thing of that which is of right and of true Iustice but that we doe vse onely the shadows and images of things in the meane time we doe knowe verie well to recite with the same Orator that there is nothing that we ought better to kéepe and reteine in a citie then the ciuill righte without the whiche saith that authour that no man should be master of his owne or he should not knowe which is his owne or which is an other mannes and there is nothing which may be ruled or gouerned among men with right equalitie and iustice But some will demaunde of me where is the faulte I will aunswere with Plato the lawes although they are good are deade without the Magistrates But that the Magistrates without the lawes are liuely lawes and because that the Magistrates of this realme haue more regard to their priuate profit then vnto the commoÌ„ welth and doe traficke in administring their estates as they haue bought them to haue them the lawes do abide as deade and buried because that no man can bée founde that doth obserue and kéepe them The Iewes Turkes and other barbarous and rude nations doe kéepe their edictes and statutes and shall the Christians despise the lawefull ordinaunces of their prince The Christians wil obserue and kéepe diligently the which is established in their fauour shall they not be careful to kéepe and mainteine the edictes and statutes which do concerne the common welth If they doe take it vpon them although it be litle vpon their persons or landes they doe complaine by and by alledging the custome of the countrie and the ordinaunce of the prince if it be not of force or effect they haue the reason And in the meane season shall they not haue care and respect to mainteine the right of the innocent afflicted of the people of God Things truely which doth make me to say that there is verie little loue or charitie among the Christians For loue seketh not her owne things but the commodities of other That little Daniel did returne in iudgement for to saue the innocie of that chast Susanna and did put him selfe for her notwithstanding the credite and aucthoritie of the iudges And shall the Christian princes sée before their eyes the iust to be oppressed and shall holde their peace That worthie king Salomon did sit in iudgement for to doe right béetwéene two harlots and shall the christian princes sée in all places the bloud of their subiectes vniustly shedde yea in dispising and contemning of their edictes statutes and will suffer it patiently if the voice of the bloude of Abel hath cried vengeaunce after the Lord shal the bloud of so many christians so vngently intreated and killed holde their peace if Iesus Christ did rebuke the Scribes and Pharises for the bloud of the prophet Zacharie which was killed betwéene the temple the aulter shall not the lord iudge auenge the bloude of so many good christians shed in the middes of his seconde temple and christian Church for the word of Iesus Christ and for the witnesse of his name Finally if it be written that the homicide or murtherer shall die the death howe shall those scape vnpunished which are an occasion of infinite murthers thinking thereby to pull downe and suppresse all diuine and humaine lawes against their owne consciences for to get vnto themselues fame and renowne and to deface the memorie of the true faithful christians I wil vse no long discourse I do beléeue that they will confesse vnto me willingly that the edicts and statutes of a Prince are either laweful or vnlawful if theâ— are lawful as we ought to presume of the edicts and statutes made with good deliberation aduice of counsaile truely
fearing the paine of sinne the vengeauÌ„ce of our heauenly father For the Lord doth giue vnto euery one accoring to his works that is to say vnto those which with patience to do well seâ—ke praise honoure and mortalitie eternall life But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the trueth and followe iniquitie shal be rendred indignation wrath tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill Forasmuch as the seruaunt that knewe his masters wil and prepared not himselfe neither did according to his will shal be beaten with many stripes Others obey the commaundementes of the Lorde bicause of the gaine profit And in that they resemble the hired seruaunts which serue their master but for the hire or reward Of those Dauid speaketh off when he said the iudgements of the Lord are true righteous altogether more to be desired are they then golde yea then much fine golde swéeter also then the honie and the honie combe Moreouer by them is thy seruaunt taught and in kéeping of them there is great rewarde For the eie hath not séene and the eare hath not heard neither haue entred into any mans minde the things that God hath prepared for them the loue him Finally some loue the Lord obey him through beneuolence and christian amitie béeing stirred forwarde of a vertuous loue the which moueth them to loue him who hath giuen vnto them the lawe which hath the wordes of eternall life let vs acknowledge him in whoÌ„ we liue moue and haue our béeing and doe loue him as the true children doe loue their fathers For as saith the same Lorde by his Prophet the sonne doth honour his father a seruaunt his master if I be then a father where is mine honour if I be the Lorde where am I feared where we conclude that in these two things chiefly one may know those which do loue God that is to say when they beare a singuler affection to the holy worde of the Lord and that they do kéepe the commaundementes conteined in that worde As to the first Dauyd saith my delight shall be in thy statutes and I will not forget thy wordes O what loue haue I to thy lawe all the day long is my studie in it O how swéete are thy wordes vnto my throt yea swéeter then honie vnto my mouth He that is of GOD sayth Iesus Christ heareth Gods wordes As touching the second saith the same Lorde if any man doth loue me he doth kéepe my word That is the cause wherefore it is written in the lawe Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God And these words which I commaund thée this day shal be in thine heart and thou shalt recite them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house and as thou walkest by the way and when thou lyest downe and when thou risest vp and thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand And they shal be papers of remeÌ„braunce betwéen thine eies and shalt write them vppon the postes of thine house vpon thy Gates Euen so the LORD commaunded Iosua that he kéepe and doe according to all the lawe which Moses his seruaunt commaunded him that he do not turne there â—rom neither to the right hande nor to the lefte that he may haue vnderstanding in all he taketh in hande let not the booke of this lawe depart out of his mouth but that he studie therein day and night that he may be circumspect to doe according to all that is written therein Yea the law would expresly that when the king is set vppon the seate of his kingdome he shall write him out this second lawe in a booke taking a copie of the priestes the Leuites And it shal be with him and he shall reade therein all dayes of his life that he may learne to feare the Lorde his God for to kéepe all the words of this lawe and these ordinaunces for to doe them â–ª In that same Dauid delighted when he sung I haue as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all manner of riches I will exercise my selfe in thy commaundementes and haue respect vnto thy foote pathes my delight shal be in thy statutes I will not forget thy wordes I will speake of thy testimonies euen before kings and will not be ashamed my delight shal be in thy commaundementes whiche I loue And they must not here excuse themselues vpon the difficultnes hardnesse of the commaundements For as saith Saint Iohn his coÌ„maundements are not gréeuous That is the cause wherefore Sainct Paul saide as Moses Say not in thine heart who shall ascende into heauen either who shall descende into the déepe that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death But what saith the scripture The word is nie thée euen in thy mouth and in thine heart This worde is the worde of faith which we preach For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death thou shalt be safe Here some men wil say vnto me and howe can the commaundements of the Lord be easie forsomuch as the Lord commaundeth to enter in at the straite gate shewing to his people that wide is the gate and brode is the way that leadeth to destruction Where we wil briefly conclude that if they haue regarde onely to the calamities of those which suffer for the name of Iesus Christ truely the way is rude gréeuous For the lawe is certeine which saith that we must enter into the kingdome of heauen thorowe many oppressions griefes Euen as the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe saide to some of his disciples the Christ ought to haue suffered these things and to enter into his glorie But if they haue regarde to the frée wil of those which suffer persecution all things are easie and gentle vnto them and in all those thinges they are more then conquerours through him that loued them Euen so the Apostles departed from the counsell reioycing that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus Christ And verie well hath Saincte Augustine declared that all thinges are easie and gentle to charitie to the which onely the charge of the Lord is light easie Some other will say here that if to loue God be to kéepe his commauÌ„demeÌ„ts The philosophers hauing not the law writteÌ„ doing neuertheles naturally the things which are of the law haue loued god for they haue obserued the law natural which wil that whatsoeuer ye would the men should do vnto you euen so do ye vnto theÌ„ for this is the law the prophets To this purpose we may recite the senteÌ„ce of Socrates when he said I do not knowe whether the Lorde will allowe our workes although it be that we haue taken paine to please him
to take his alliaunce or promise in vaine In like manner what temeritie and rashnesse it is to take the childrens breade and to cast it to dogges to declare the holy thinges vnto brute beastes and to giue the pearles vnto swyne Forasmuch as wysdome shall not enter into a frowarde soule nor dwell in the body that is subdued vnto sinne For the holy Ghost abhorreth fayned nourture and withdraweth himselfe from the thoughts that are without vnderstanding and where wickednesse hath the vpper hand hée flyeth from thence I do say the same to the ende that euery one haue a regarde to apply the holy scripture to his proper vse for all Scripture giuen by inspiration of God is profitable to teach to improue and to instruct in ryghtuousnesse Also that we through patience and comfort of the scripture might haue hope may apply it to the in which it is dedicated without prophaning it or wresting it to any wicked purpose or vnlawefull thinges For as hée that hath dimme eyes can not well easely behold looke vpon the sunne so he which is wicked and corrupt in his soule can not rightly consider and knowe the meruailes conteined in the holy scripture And euen as we ought not to put into a vessell that is mustie or infected any precious licor so we ought not to giue vnto a malycious and frowarde heart one so riche and precious talent For the Lorde hath regarde of him which is afflicted and of a lowly spirite and which standeth in awe of his words the holy spirit is he which doth open the senses for to vnerstand the scripturs To conclude the scripture came neuer by the wil of man but by the holy men of God being moued by the holy Ghost did speake it To that end doth Iob write I say saith he that it becommeth olde men to speake and the aged to teach wisdome euery man no doubt hath a minde but it is the inspiration of the almightie that giueth vnderstanding wherefore we doe conclude here that thrée thynges are greatly necessarie vnto those which wyll cause that precious talent and inestymable treasure of the holy Scripture to profit First of all to watche dayly vnto praiers and supplycations to the end that the Lord do open their vnderstanding for to comprehend the secretes of hys Lawe As Dauid doth say Teach me O Lorde the way of thy statutes and I shall kéepe it vnto the ende O giue mée vnderstanding and I shall kéepe thy law yea I shall kéepe it with my whole harte Open myne eyes that I may consider the meruelles of thy Lawe Euen so I say doth Solomon his sonne witnesse that he hath desired and vnderstanding was giuen him hée called and the spirite of wisdome came into hym That is the cause wherefore saynct Paule doeth exhorte so often hys to pray for hym that vtteraunce might be giuen vnto him that hee might open his mouth boldly to vtter the secretes of the Gospell And also doth admonyshe and warne the Thessalonians to pray for him that the word of god may haue frée passage and to gloryfie the Lorde And saynct Hierome sayth that the reading ought to succéede and followe prayer and prayer vnto the reading Besides that I doe desire a pleasant hearte gratious and gentle I do vnderstande and meane him which doth humble himselfe vnder the law of the lord for to beléeue and obey willingly his commandements and ordinaunces For Iesus Christ doeth protest before God his Father that he hath hid these thinges from the wise prudent and hath opened them vnto Babes And the Lorde did by his Prophete checke the Scribes Doctors of the lawe that they may not vaunt themselues that they are wyse in the Lawe and that the lawe of the Lorde is with them that it is in vayne that there are Scribes and that the wyse shall be confounded and that they shall be afrayde and taken as it is written that God hath giuen vnto them a sléeping spirit and eyes that they should not sée and eares that they shoulde not heare euen vnto thys present day And sainct Paule speaking of the Philosophers sayth that they hauing knowen God did not gloryfie him as God neyther were thankefull but waxed full of vanities in their owne imaginations and their foolish hartes were blinded To cōclude as saith Lactantius Firmianus Although we estéeme the Philosophers to be wyse yet truely they haue erred in their owne knowledge here there as in a déepe sea For they haue regarded neyther the way nor the leader all their doctrine is without a head bicause that they doe not knowe God which is the heade of all veritie and doctrine Finally I do desire a long studie and meditation of the holy letters vnto the which Iesus Christ doth sende vs saying Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke yee haue eternall lyfe And Sainct Paul doth admonishe Timothe to giue attendaunce to reading to exhortacion to doctryne So was Moses learned in al manner wisdome of the Egyptians was mightie in déedes in wordes And sainct Paul was brought vp at the féete of Gamaliel informed diligently in the Law of the fathers And Timothe did know the holy Scriptures of a childe And truely we do not make any difficulte that the studie and dayly laboure is not necessary to the knowledge of holy letters as it is required of other disciplines chiefly to the true ministers of god Forasmuch as Sainct Paul doth desire that they would embrace the true worde of doctrine that they maye be able to exhorte with holesome learninge and to improue them that say against it To conclude the holy Apostle doth witnesse that strong meats belongeth to them that are perfect which thorough custome haue their wits exercysed to iudge both good euil Furthermore Sainct Peter doth aduertise vs that there are many thinges harde to be vnderstanded in the Epistles of S. Paul. For that same cause the Ebrwes did not accustome to all age all kynde of doctrine fearing that the dull and folyshe people woulde be offended with the hardnesse of the same Insomuch that the things which do containe a simple plaine hystorie were proposed and set forth vnto the common people the secrets vnto those the which with their age do bring a iudgement more whole and sound Wherfore as sainct Ambrose doth witnes he which will aduaunce himselfe in the scriptures that he do take that which is necessarie for him he which doth desire things more easie common that he do refreshe his spirite in the valle as the litle ones he that doth feare the floud that he do drinke of the Riuer he which doth feare the déepe water that he doe swim by the shore side Wherin we are taught that the holy Scripture doth apply and giue it selfe vnto al
sorts of men so that they do referre it to his right vse In that respect there doth consist and lye a merueilous wisdome and discretion chiefly for the respect of the ministers of god For as Clement saith one ought not to take any sense newe and straunge from the scripture for to confirme it by the scripture but to take or choose from the scripture the true natural sense of the veritie And as Sainct Hilarie doth write that he doth reade rightly the holy scripture which doth vnderstand the sense and meaning of the scripture by the same meanes and will not take from or put to the scripture a straunge sense or contrarie vnto the same Such are the wordes of the songes of the spouse of the Lord the which we may ofte refer rather and to apply it to some disordinate pleasure than to the fruite of a feruent loue or charitie I wyll recite besides that whiche is before thrée or foure notable examples of the olde lawe First that of the Prophete Fsaie vnto whom the Lord did commaunde to loose off the sackcloth from his loynes and to put off his shoes from his féete and to goe naked and bare foote The other is of the Prophet Ieremie vnto whome the Lorde did declare expresly that he did make bands and chaines and put them about his necke and did sende them to the kinge of Edom. The third shal be of Oseas vnto whom the same Lorde did ordeine and commaunde to take an Harlot to his wife The last shall be of Ezechiel vnto whom the Lord commaunded him to sléepe sometime vpon the right side sometime vpon the left side to eate Barly cakes and to strike them with mans doūge Things truely that one should finde very straunge farre from the veritie were not but the lawe hauinge the shadowe of the good thinges to come be the thinges which are ther presented giuing an assured witnesse that all doth serue for our instruction and learning If any doth demaunde wherefore the Lorde hath not giuen hys holy Scripture in all or by all more easie familiar I do answere with Basil that the same was to the ende that our spirit being occupied to meditate vnderstand such secretes of the scripture should draw it so much the more from euill things and hurtfull For as it dayly happeneth or chaunceth that the things which are gotten with greate paine and labour are best estéemed and set by and those are more durable and wyll continue longer whiche are brought forth by longe space and continuaunce of tyme. To be shorte as that which is offered at commaundement without any trauayle is despised there will bee also daunger that the carnall men would not abuse the holy scripture without knowledging the price and worthines of the same Euen saith Basil as the Lord would not that we should hate and abandon incontynently as other brute beastes all that which is necessarie vnto the vse of mans lyfe but is willyng and desirous that man doe resist such defalte by hys industrie and laboure Euen so the Lorde hath lefte a certeine difficultnesse and hardnesse in the scripture to the end that our spirite should exercise it selfe more more to the knowledge of the veritie That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth not permit euery one to teach And sainct Hierome doth complaine of some which doe presume first rather to teath then to learne And the Lord hath made some to bée Apostles some Prophetes some Euangelistes some shéeperds and some teachers And all are not Prophets and teachers and all do not speake with diuerse tongues and al doe not interprete but the selfe same spirite doth all those thinges diuiding to euery man seuerall giftes euen as he wyll To the end that as euery man hath receyued the gifte minister the same one to an other as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God. Furthermore the same doth declare verie wel that we ought to haue in great honour and reuerence the holy Scripture and not to abuse it as do the Panims of their writinges I do meane to all matters of laughing bawdry and dyssolution For Sainct Paul doth not suffer that any fylthy communication should procéed out of our mouthes but that which is good to edifie with all to the end that it may giue fauour and grace vnto the hearers yea and doth expresly forbid that fornication and all vncleannesse or couetousnesse bée not once named among vs neither filthynesse neither folish talking neither gestinge which are not comely Also he would not that wée should mingle the holy wordes of the Scripture with so many vile and dissolute matters For as saith Sainct Ambrose although that it haue pleasures pleasaunt and honest yet notwithstanding they are very farre from the Christian and ecclesiasticall rule bicause that that which we can not finde in the holy scriptures we ought not to vsurp To that purpose Eusebius doth recite the example of a Tragicall Poet named Theodotus who in applying certeine places of the Hebrewes vnto a fable was taken blinde and beléeuing that the same affliction and punishement was happened vnto him for the same occasion did acknowledge his sins as that good aucthour saith that with in a litle while after his sight was restored to him againe What shall we say of those which do wrest the holy scripture after their own fātasie do abuse it to the arte of the Magicians inuocations of wicked spirits Although that the Apostle doth admonish and warn them so many tymes that rightuousnesse hath no felowship with vnrightuousnesse or light hath no company with darkenesse or what concorde hath Christe with Belial either what parte hath hee that beléeueth with an Infidel or howe agréeth the Temple of God with images Also that such disciplines are forbydden throughout the whole scripture I wil not forget those which do abuse it to their priuate and perticular profite as did of late the Scribes and Pharises who vnder the coloure of paying their dismes and tythes which the Lorde did vow for the seruice of his Temple do defraude deceiue in the meane time theyr proper owne parentes of the dutie which nature hath commaunded thē according as Iesus Christ did rebuke thē saying But ye say euery man shall say vnto his father and mother that which thou desirest of mée to helpe thée with is giuen GOD and so shall he not honoure his father or his mother And thus haue yée made that the commaundement of God is without effect thorough your traditions As at this day many of the Romishe Church doe handle the places of the scripture not so much for to establishe the kingdome of the sonne of GOD as for to maintaine their vtilitie and profite and truely it is very harde that amonge such people one may finde the true wysdome For as Iob sayth wysdome is not found nor the
eternall life they are they which do testifie of mée And for that cause chiefly the Lord will that the dispensatioÌ„ of his word of his sacraments be open manifest vnto all the worlde to the ende that we may seperate the church and congregation of the true chrystians from so many sectes and companies of heritickes whych doe boast themselues to haue the Churche with them according as Lactancius doth write There would be also daunger or it is to be feared that ceasing the exercise of the religion ther would happen that which is written in the booke of Iudges that is to saye that euery man doe not that which séemed right in his owne eies or that which we doe reade in the time of king Asa that ther was no peace to them that go out and in But great vexation of the inhabiters of all lands for one nation shall destroye an other and one citie another for GOD will trounce them with all aduersitie as oftentimes it happeneth that the Lord being not knowen of his as he ought to be did take from his vnderstanding and wisdome and did fill them with blindnesse or darkenesse did giue vnto them a sléeping spirite eyes that they cannot sée eares that they cannot heare doth tourne their table into a snare that for their rewarde Beholde what doth force constraine me to say that it is in the great cities in the which we ought to establish first the exercise of the true christiaÌ„ religion bicause that oftentimes in the great cities are committed the greatest wickednesse extorcions tyrannies as the Lord so many times hath rebuked by his prophets the inhabiters of Ierusalem that according to the benefites that he hath done vnto them they did multiply increase their iniquities offences And by his prophet Daniel that the iniquitie hath begun of the auncients and doctors of the lawe although that the law was come out of Sion and the word of God from Ierusalem Not without cause the Lorde hath established his temple ordeined his ceremonies in Ierusalem the chiefe citie of Iuda for to reprâ—sse the sinnes of his people and to holde and kéepe them in the obedience of his holy precepts coÌ„maundemeÌ„ts bicause that his word is like a fire like a hammer that breaketh the hard stone quicke mightie in operation and sharper then any two edged swoord and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder the soule and the spirite wherein the scripture doth teach vs that there is no meanes more greater to same and to bridle the heartes affections of men then the woord of God. The which ought to serue for an example vnto all true Princes for to establish mainteine the exercise of religion I doe meane that in the which the woord of the Lord doth sound daily and is purely and rightly administred for in that point doth consist their power aucthoritie and greatnesse I doe remember for this matter that Licurgus the writer of the lawes of the Lacedemonians could find no time more fitter for to cause the citie of Sparta to florish then to accustome the inhabitaunts of the same to obey the lawes bicause saith hée that the lawes doe teach two things that is to say to commaund and to obey to the commaundement adding ouer and besides the same that the obedience doth consist and lye in the exhortation wherein we are learned taught that the exercise of the true christian religion is so much more necessarie for to mainteine and kéepe the rightes of Princes and Lordes the which by the word of God we doe learne to obey him as our Prince and soueraigne Lord to giue vnto all our superiours that which is due vnto them Tribute to whoÌ„ tribute belongeth Custom to whoÌ„ custome is due Feare to whom feare belongeth Honour to whoÌ„ honour perteyneth not onely for the anger but also for the conscience And although that this onely argument be sufficient for to proue that we haue nothing attempted agaynst the person of a Prince his lawes and preheminences yet truely our enimies haue thought by the meanes to make vs odious hatefull not onely vnto those of the countrey but also vnto straungers But as it happened of late amonge the disciples of the Lord the dooing of the religion béeing troubled for certeine differences or controuersies which were among theÌ„ at that time there the Apostles did assemble themselues together and hauing ordred the dooing of the religyon Notwithstanding that they could not do so much but that they were forced afterward both in their persons and in their religion and declared to bée rebels and seditious throughout all the Sinagogges Euen so is it happened of our time For though that by meere deliberation and aduise of the counsaile learned men and of good consciences haue agréed vnto some differences for to mainteine the vnitie of the kinges subiectes yet truely so many people haue risen against vs from all places that in the end haue declared vs to be rebels seditious to conclude we haue bene forced in our persons goodes conscienses In so much that we may bewaile lament that which S. Peter in his time did deplore lament after the saying of the prophet Dauid Why do the heathen rage together why do the people imagine vaine things the Kings of the earth stande vp and the rulers take counsaile together against the Lord and against his annoynted And we must not héere excuse our selues vnder colour of some yea of the most greatest part of the people speaking against the Edict and statute of the king for the gift to interprete the scriptures or to sée perceiue the differences which are done in the church is a light and knoweledge which the Lorde hath printed and imbraced in the heartes of the true and faythfull Christians and of those whiche of redie courage and frée will do beléeue the word of god And it is not bounde or tied to the number of personnes aucthoritie or greatnesse According to that which Iesus Christ did promise his Apostels in Saint Iohn that the holy Ghost shall teach them all things and that they shal be all taught of God. The whiche Sainct Peter doth declare more at large shewing that the scripture came neuer by the will of man but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy Ghost It is not then in the number of persons that we must way the dooing of the Religion but to the aucthoritie of the scripture and to the aduise of those which with a good conscience doe bring an eminent and ouerpassing knowledge Euen so the auncients in the primitiue Church do condempne Samosetanus and Arrius do take none other iudges for to discerne perceiue the differences then the word of God with the consenting of those which haue béene Disciples or successours of the
at this day we shall finde more straunge that vnder colour of some ordinarie tribute they doe suffer vnpunished the Iewes with the Christians the common harlots with the married women the Temples consecrated vnto strange vnknowen Gods amōg the middest of the Christian Churches But for all that it followeth not that they ought to chase driue vs out of the realme to depriue vs from our goods to exile and banishe vs from our landes to conclude to force vs in our bodies and consciences except that it be first decided and determined by the word of GOD that the Romishe Churche is the true Churche on the contrarie side that they doe knowe by the same Iudgement that ours is contrarie vnto the true Christian Churche For as the Lorde doth sende vs by his Prophet vnto the lawe and to the witnesse not vnto the deade So doth he commaunde vs by his welbeloued sonne to search diligently the Scriptures because that they are those which do beare witnesse of our saluation And euen as I say that it was but a small thing that the Iewes did reproch Iesus that he was a Samaritane and had the deuill And that they did call his Apostles deceiuours and sowers of newe doctrin To conclude that amōg the Romain Emperours they no more estéemed the Christian religion then of a new superstition or dangerous profession Also it shall not muche serue to crie dayly that they ought to kill vs banish and exile vs from our landes except that they doe declare vnto vs by the worde of God wherein we do swarue from the Christian church For it doth not followe that our religion is false because that it is contrarie vnto the Romish Church no mor then we must say that the doctrine of Iesus Christ was euil because that it was contrarie to the traditions of the Scribes and Pharises And it shall yet lesse serue in that matter to alledge vnto vs the prescription of the time in asmuch as the gospel doth rule vs or the greatnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church in regarde of ours forasmuch as they doe knowe that thorowe force and hypocrisie the ministers of the same haue vsurped such power aucthoritie and greatnesse For in those foundations the scepter reigne of Antichrist is shored vp mainteined And such are the markes of all false religion doctrine as doth witnesse vnto vs besides that which is said in the scripture of the sonne of perdition the good Cosba which did reigne in the time of Hely Adrian Emperour of the Romains him which doth call himselfe at this day the great Lord. For the true Christian religion doth not consist and lie in weapon or strength but in weeping and in bewailing no more then the brightnesse and clerenesse of the same in the force and strength of handes but in the patiēce and hope of men To conclude the perfection of our law doth not consist in visible outwarde thinges but in the most déepest places of mens hartes and imaginacions That is then without any purpose to conclude that we must be exiled from our countrie bicause they cannot suffer two religions except that the subporters mainteiners of the Romish church doe confesse by the same meanes that the truth is odious vnto them Euen so the people of Athens dyd chase and driue from their Citie and did put to death him in Cyprus which hath established the lawes Euen so Licurgus was banished of those whom he instructed in all good dysciplyne and ordinances Euen so Aristides was exiled and banished his countrye although they could rebuke him of none other thing but that he was too iuste The tyme will not serue mée to speake of the Patriarkes Prophets and Apostles it suffiseth me to send or apply the rest vnto that which the Apostle speaketh off vnto the Hebrewes the xj Chapter To conclude the confession of so many martyres of our religion ioyned with the worde of God doth giue most sure witnesse that wée are not the disciples of the God of the Gentiles for to deceiue men through ambiguitie and obscuritie of matters nor of an Idol Dagon God of the Philistians for to make vs afrayde in the presence of the Arke of the Lorde The humblenesse and obedience of ours and the despising that they haue of worldly goodes doe euidently declare howe abhominable the pride of Babilon the mother of fornication is vnto them Finally their bloodshed in all places doth sufficiently teach our enimies what fayth and hope they haue vnto the promises of the Lorde and to the merite of Iesus Christ and what defiaunce and distrust they haue of the power and might of creatures I will not héere compare the pollicie and rule of our Church vnto that of the Apostles and yet lesse the manners of ours to the life of them I doe leaue off to speake to them which with right conscience doe bring some meane knowledge to the holy scripture what difference there is betwéene the church of Iesus Christ that of Rome what deformitie they doe finde of ours to that of the Apostles I doe meane for the regard and respect of the doctrine and pollicie assuring my selfe in that matter that if they doe consider it throughly rightly and without affection they shal be more attentiue to correct and amende their owne vices then enclyned to condempne so lightly ours Furthermore it is easy to iudge that our religion is neither double neither fayned in that chiefly wée do holde nothing lesse then of the superstitions of the Gentiles nor of the ceremonies of the Hebrewes knowing that they were a shadowe of thinges nowe come No more then of so many traditions of the scribes and Pharises but that the simplicitie and plainnes of the holy scripture doth please vs or for to speake better the playne and simple veritie of the same making our selues agréeable to the worde of hym which hath sayde that GOD woulde bée worshipped in spirite and truth our LORD Iesus Chryst vnto whom be glorie for euer Amen Ieremie 2. c. My people hath done two euils They haue forsaken mee the wel of the water of life and digged them pittes yea vile and broken pittes that holde no water A Prayer O Lord which art full of compassion and mercy shed out thy mercy and fatherly goodnesse vpon that mad and furious people which doe gather themselues daily against thée for to abolish thy glorious name and to deface from the earth the remembraunce of thy sonne Christ Regard with pittie all those which go about by all meanes to obscure and darken thy lawe for to establish their traditions and do enforce themselues daily to chase and dryue away him whō thou hast sent in thi name for to receiue him which of longe tyme hath vsurped the seate of thy sonne in his owne name yea which are not ashamed to presente vnto the Chrystyan people in steede of a Iesus
example of all infirmities vices and imperfections What is the cause that we are not ashamed to confesse that ther are in vs companies of the immitators folowers of Peter aduowing themselues faithfull seruants of the Lord and yet neuerthelesse do disauow and denie it at the voice of a simple maide I doe meane for a light and small occasion Yea of Pilates consenting vnto the death of the iust against their owne consciences for the feare that they haue to lose their estates dignities and promotions And wée will not denie that one can not méet with the Nicodemians the secrete disciples of Iesus Christ And if it wer néedeful to require so néere they should ther finde of Iudasses which do marchaundise and sell the innocent bloode and doe betray the iust for money What shall I saye more there lacked not a souldyer for to pearce the side of the iuste I doe meane which doe speake euill of him through false reportes iniuries and wronges And besides this so many wicked people which doe wagge their heades with the Iewes and doe mocke the iust hanged on the crosse saying that we doe promise many things but that we do execute nothing rightly And to make an ende of this matter one may there sée a thiefe hanged on the crosse for his wickednesse and faultes and yet accusing the iust hauing him in dysdaine But euen as Iesus Christ béeing deliuered to death by the Iewes and forsaken of his Apostles and disciples was knowen to be the sonne of God by the things mute and without vnderstanding For the elements forsaking their right course haue sufficiently declared his greatnesse the stones which did rent break asunder haue openly declared what his puissaūce was aswel in heuē as in earth the graues which did open and the bodies that did rise haue declared that he had power ouer the liuing the dead Also if al the men of this world did violence vnto Iesus Christ and hys woorde the stones and dome thinges shall declare his praise and shal publish shew foorth hys lawe According as he did rebuke sometime the Scribes and Pharyses that if the little ones do hold their peace sodeinly the stones would cry out for God can of these stones raise vp children vnto Abraham As of late the LORD did stirre vp a dome Asse speaking in a mans voice for to rebuke the madnesse of the prophet Let vs then conclude with Dauid that the worde of the Lord endureth for euer in heauen And that his trueth also remayneth from one generation to another The Lord bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect and casteth out the counsailes of Princes But the counsaile of the Lord shall endure for euer and the thoughts of his heart from generatiō to generation For he hath builded his witnesses for euer Heauē earth shall passe but his words shall not passe In this matter those of the Romish church taknig occasion of that place wil say the one ought not to forsake their religion for the abuses which one doth se ther daily chiefly in their prelates But they ought to know that there is two marks amonge other which doe seperate the true church from the false that is to say the true vsage of the word and of the administration of the sacraments ordeined of God pure whole forasmuch then as in the Romish church there is nothing of al this forasmuch as in it the commaundements of God are forsaken for the traditions of men the sacraments prophaned and applied vnto a hyre ordinarie traficke It is not without cause if we doe disalow or denie that church for although that their foundation as they say be Iesus Christ and him crucified yet truely they do build vpon the foundation so many vaine and vnprofitable things that one can scant know in their church any marke or signe of true religion And as we do read in Esay that Iesus Christ was so despised of the Iewes that euery one did hide their faces frō him insomuch as he had neither beauty nor fauour in him So we séeing daily so many kindes of wrongs by those of the Romish church that is to say in his word in his person his members that one can skantly knowe that he doth reigne in the middest of those which doe call themselues Christians and our enemies ought not to ground or build themselues vpon that that the bishoppes haue succeded the Apostles for the discipline and christian rule being chaunged by the abuse of them their estate and charge hath bene altogether chaunged and adnulled I do not meane to blame the bishops which haue followed the Apostles in their life and doctrine Furthermore one may the better know that the marks of the true christians are those whereof our Lord speaketh of in Esay saying Lay the witnesses together seale the lawe with my disciples And Iesus Christ in his Gospell saith my shéepe do heare my voice Forasmuch then as those of the Romish church do forsake the word of Iesus Christ our true shepheard and do harken vnto the voice of straungers turning their eares frō the veritie doe giue themselues vnto fables to conclude giuing héed vnto spirites of errour diuelish doctrine of thē which speak false through hipocrisie it is to plaine that we ought not to séeke the church in their companie And they do deceiue themselues greatly if they do thincke that for their euill conuersations onely we do abandon their religon for although that for such things the name of the Lord is blamed not among the christians onely but also among the Gentiles Yet truely we haue not so much regard vnto their maners as to their doctrine by the which the men are enclined vnto idolatrie meruailous superstition And therfore the scripture doth exhort vs to depart frō the citie of Babilon least we be partakers of hir sins to holde him accursed which doth preach vnto vs any other gospel then that which we haue receiued we will follow those which are marked with this marke Thau vpon their foreheades I do meane those which haue in a singuler recōmendatiō the law of the Lord for as saith the scripture whersoeuer the dead carkas is thither wil the Eagles resort wherein Iesus Christ doth teach vs that nothing shal hinder or let that the christians be not vnited knit vnto their head Wherfore as it is said it shal be to no purpose to say that ther are amōg vs so many false brethren inasmuch as Iesus Christ doth likē his church vnto a net cast in the sea gathereth of al kinds of fishes For the true mark of the Church of God doth consist in the lawe and in witnesse vnto the which the Lord doth sende vs by his prophet whē he sayth Is there a people any where that
we ought to kéepe them although that the end of them are hurtfull For we must not do euill to the end that there doe come no good but to do that which is right that which the Lord coÌ„maundeth If they are vnlawfull I doe meane contrarie vnto the religion and good maners although we ought not to kéepe them yet truely we ought not to breake them by an euill meanes But with all gentlenesse and patience to shewe what the faulte of theÌ„ is We doe reade in the holy scripture that the children of the Hebrewes did not obey the commaundement of king Nabuchodonosor constraining and commpelling his subiects to worshippe his image bicause that it was altogether contrarie to their religion but we doe not reade that they haue made any rebellion against the king or his subiects for to breake and infringe the edict of the king but that they haue modestlie and soberly declared the doing of their religion and the righteousnesse of their cause In like manner the bookes of the Machabees do teach vs that those seueÌ„ bretheren of the Machabees haue formeably in good order spokeÌ„ against the ordinaunce of king Antiochus compelling them to eate swines fleshe contrarie vnto the lawes and ordinaunces of their countrie but we do not sée that they haue threatned or that they did confederate theÌ„selues against the edict of the king It is most true that they are forbidden vppon the commaundement of their lawe As the booke of the actes of the Apostles doth teach vs that the hie Prieste did commaunde expresly the Apostles that they shoulde not declare remission of sinnes in the â—â—ne of Iesus Christ And notwithstanding the Apostles not regarding the edict and commaundement of the hie priest did as apperteineth to their vocation calling aunswering that it is better to obey God then men And in all that while we doe not reade that they haue made any violence or force for to withstande the edict of the hie priestes Furthermore the ecclesiasticall historie doeth teach vs that there was in the Citie of Nicomedia a certein man come of an auncient house and of great Aucthoritie who séeing that there were in all places edicts verie cruel published against the Christians being moued and constrained of an earnest faith did take the saide edicts and did teare them in péeces before the people As also we doe reade in like manner of one Artemenius a martyr of a woman named Publia who did breake a great nuÌ„ber of idolles and crying with a loude voyce the Emperour being present Their images are but siluer and gould euen the worke of mens handes But it is not written that those people haue shedde the bloude of the subiectes or robbed their goods for to breake such edictes although that they were cruell full of tyrannie and yet neuerthelesse a man may finde at this day so many wicked and rash people among the Christians which are not ashamed to violate the edictes of the Prince although that they are confirmable to all diuine and humaine ryght Thincking thereby to hinder and let the course of the religion Some myght héere replie that the same doth charge greatly those of the reformed religion Inasmuch as they doe put themselues by weapons against the force power of their enimie Vnto which I doe aunswere first that they haue done it by the authoritie of the prince Furthermore that there is great diuersitie to make a company of people and to take weapon without the lawe and authoritie of the magistrate for to breake the edictes of the king as our enimies haue done and to put themselues against the force and strength of an other for to defend the edyctes and authoritie of the king as those of the reformed religion haue done For in vpholding and maynteyning the edyct of the king they doe maintayne it in the authoritie puissance which the Lord hath giuen vnto him And by the same meanes they do kéepe his subiectes vnder the obedience of him in all gentlenesse and friendship On the contrarie in forcing the edicte of the prince they do dispise the prince and him which hath set him vpon his throne And besides they do giue an occasion vnto the people to giue themselues to all liscenciousnesse and vngodlinesse And consequently he whiche doth violate the lawe of his prince doth sinne many wayes First of all he sinneth against God thorowe whome the kings reigne and the princes make iust lawes the Lordes beare rule and all iudges of the earth execute iudgement Secondly he doth offende the Prince vnto whome he ought to yelde himselfe subiect as sainct Paule saith not onely for feare of vengeaunce but also bycause of conscience Finally he doth giue an occasion of greate slaunder vnto his neighbour thorowe an euill example inasmuche as he doth dispise the commaundement of his Prince And truely if any will aske me howe the common welth of Venice hath continued so long in his authoritie puissance greatnes at this day is more richer opulent then euer it was I will aunswere that the same was because that she did know howe to kéepe her people vnder the obedience of her lawes and statutes In like manner experience doth teach vs what is the force and puissance of the Cantons or Suisse for the pollicie whiche they obserue and kéepe in their common welthes It is to no purpose then the men do vaunce themselues to haue a Souereigne parliament in their citie and that they do magnifie themselues vnder colour of so many honourable and proude Senatours And that in the mean time Iustice doth soiourne in their paiâ—â—â—s and houses Also it is to no purpose that from day to day they doe publish and set forth so many newe statutes and that the poore subiects are oppressed spoiled and robbed euerie where in their personnes and their goods We do reade that the place to execute iustice among the Hebrewes was set at the gates of the cities where Sainct Hierome saith that the same was to the end that the labourer and poore man arriuing into the citie for to defend his right shoulde not be moued at the frequence of the citie and of so straunge a spectacle and beholding of the same Also that the Citizen should not goe farre for to séeke iustice or that he was afrayde to finde the iudgement seat which doth make me to say that it is a very straunge thing among the christians that not onely they are constrayned to make so many iourneis for to demaund iustice But also that they must pursue it with so great charges and expenses I doe remember a certeine king of Aegypt which ordeined sufficient and honest wages for his Iudges and magistrates saying that the Iudge ought neither to giue nor take Where a certeine christiaÌ„ author did exclaime and crye out O howe willingly I desire that the Princes of our time would followe that example who selling
it is saide when thou art come into the lande which the LORD thy GOD giueth thée sée that thou learne not to do after the abhominations of these nations Let there not be founde among you that maketh his sonne or daughter to go thorowe the fire or that vseth Witchcrafte or a chooser out of dayes or that regardeth the flying of foules or a Sorcerer or a charmer or that councelleth with spirites or a prophecier or that asketh the aduise of the deade The which also the Prophet Esay confirmeth by the like wordes saying and therefore if they say vnto you aske counsell of the Southsayers Witches Charmers ▪ and Coniurers then make them this aunswere Is there a people any where that asketh not counsell at his GOD whether it be concerning the deade or the liuing If any man want light let him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie whether they speake not after this meaning Also the Prophet Ieremie saith in this manner And therefore followe not your Prophetes Southsayers Expounders of dreames Charmers and Witches which say vnto you Ye shall not serue the king of Babilon For as righteousnesse hath no felowshippe with vnrighteousnesse neither light with darkenesse or Christe agréeth not with Belial or the faithfull hath no part with the infidell or the temple of GOD agréeth not with idols and no man can serue two maisters for either hee shall hate the one and loue the other or els he shall leane to the one and dispise the other Such people doe euidently declare that they loue not God perfectly That is the cause wherefore the LORDE rebuked his people bicause they haue plaied the harlotte ▪ with many louers And in the Prophet Oseas the Lorde threatneth the same people that he will discouer their foolishnesse euen in the sight of her louers These thinges are so muche more dampnable of our time that the sonne of God manifested him selfe to vs for to declare vnto vs the eternall lawe of his father For as saith the Apostle writing vnto the Hebrewes If the worde whiche was spoken by Angels was stedfast and euerie transgression disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde How shal we escape if we dispise so greate saluation asmuch will we say of those whiche giue their bodies to an other kinde of vngodlinesse and of sinne For as long as they giue themselues to vices so long doe they drawe themselues from the loue and obedience that they owe vnto the lord These are the wordes of the prophet Esaie when he saith your misdéeds haue seperated you from your God and your sinnes hide his face from you that he heareth you not Forasmuch then as our members are the temple of god yet truely in consecrating them both to the one the other we make them members and temples of an other then of god And consequently forsaking the LORDE for our true spouse we doe altogether so as harlottes who committe fornication with all sortes of men That is the sentence of Saint Paul writing vnto the Corinthians know ye not saith he that your bodies are the members of Christ shall I then take the members of Christe and make them the members of an harlotte GOD forbid the bodie is not for the harlotte but for the Lorde and the LORDE for the bodie ye are dearely bought for a price therefore glorifie GOD in your bodie and in your spirite for they are Gods. Knowe ye not saith the same Apostle that to whome soeuer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey his seruaunts ye are to whom ye obey whether it be of sinne vnto death or of obedience vnto righteousnesse Euen so Iesus Christ séeing that the Iewes aduaunced themselues saying we are of Abrahams séede and were neuer bounde to any man aunswered them that whosoeuer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne For as the same Apostle witnesseth for to bee the séede of Abraham they are not therefore all children but in Isaac shall the séede be called that is to say those which are children of the flesh are not therefore children of God but those which are children of promise are reputed and taken for children and in vaine doe they promise libertie which are themselues the bonde seruauntes of corruption for of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome vnto the same he is in bondage Let not sinne reigne therefore in your mortall bodie that we shoulde obey sinne in the lustes of the bodie neither giue we our members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue our selues vnto God as béeing dead béeing made aliue and let vs giue our members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto god Let vs here conclude that as the Lord is perfect he desireth also of vs a perfect loue and a whole and sounde heart I meane not fayned nor dissmbled In such sort that those which thincke to loue God and the worlde together those I say abuse themselues greatly For as saith saint Iohn if any man loue the world the loue of the father is not in him Knowe yée not saith Sainct Iames that the friendship of the worlde is enmitie to God ward Whosoeuer therefore will bée a friende of the world is made the enimie of god Beholde that which moued S. Paul to confesse that if he studied to please men he should not bée the seruaunt of Christ The which is also figured in the olde lawe where it was commaunded not to offer vnto the Lord no oxe or shéepe wherein is any deformitie And cursed be the dissembler which hath in his flock one that is male and when he maketh a vowe offereth a spotted one vnto the Lord. As also the same lawe woulde that we should not haue in our bagge two manner of weightes that is to say a great and a small But that we must haue a perfect a iust measure For that cause was Ananias greatly punished as we doe reade in the Actes of the Apostles who hauing solde a possession and kept away parte of the price his wife also being of counsell and brought a certeine part and laide it downe at the Apostles féete Then said Peter Ananias Howe is it that Sathan hath filled thine heart that thou shouldest lye vnto the holy Ghost and kéepe away part of the price of the possession Thou hast not lyed vnto men but vnto god When Ananias heard these wordes he fell downe and gaue vp the ghost The like happened vnto his wife The same doth sufficiently declare vnto vs that we ought not to offer vnto GOD a heart that is vicious and full of dissimulation As the lawe doth not permitte that wée shoulde offer vnto GOD a foule thing and vncleane And as it desireth and commaundeth that wée shoulde haue a iust measure and weight so the LORDE woulde that man shoulde kéepe towarde his neighboure all fidelitie and equalnesse following the saying of the Apostle Sainct Paul writinge vnto the Thessalonians
7. h Plato in the apology for Socrates Apo. 13. c. 8. Act. 4. b Heb. 1. c Iohn 17. a Iohn 1. b. c Heb. 1. a Iohn 14. â— Rom. 1. c Mat. 11. c Rom. 6. â— Rom. 12. a Titus 1. d 1. Iohn 3. d Esa. 29. d Iam. 2. b 1. Cor. 10. g Rom. 14. b Iohn 21. e Luc. 22. e Mat. 26. g Mat. â—7 a Mat. 16. 1. Iohn 4. d Act. 20. e Marc. 16. a 2. Pet. 2. d Mat. 19. e S. August in his boke of the Christian doctrine Esa. 64. b Psae 14. â— Iob. 25. b â—sal 144. c Eccles 5. â— Iohn 6. c prouerb 1â— e Iohn 4. d Iohn 3. b. Rom. 8. f S. Ambrose vpon sainte Luke Rom. 11. d S. Ambrose in the same booke Basil in his rulers ampli disputed 2. question Cant. 2. c Rom. 8. g Psa 120. â— Psal 44 a phil 1. c Ciciero in his offices after plato Iam. 1. c 2. Cor. 15. d psal 16. b psal 36. b Psa 104. d Psa 34. b Oseas 2. d Exo. 20. a. Exo. 34. b Act 10. e Act. 14. â— Apo. 19. b Act. 12. d Plutarche 1. Reg. 28. b Psa 50. â— Leuit. 19. â— Deut. 18 â— Esa. 8 d Iere. 27. b 1. Cor. 6. c Math. 6. d Iere 3. a Oseas 2. c Heb. 2. â— Esa. 59. â— 1. Cor. 6. d Rom. 6. c Iohn 8. d 2. pet 2. d Rom. 9. b 1. Iohn 2. c Iam. 2. â— Cal. 1. b Deut. 17. a Malach. 1. d Deut. 27. d Act. 5. a â–ª 1. Iohn 8 1. Thessa. 4. b Iam. 4. b Psal 103. â—â— Lameâ— 2. f Cant. 8. b 1. Iohn 4. c 1. Iohn 3. d Rom. 8. g 1. Iohn 13. b. Iohn 13. a 1. Cor. 13. â— Mat. 6. â— Mat. 25. â— 1. Pet. 4. c 2. Cor. 9. d â— Cor. 4. a 1. Cor. 12 a Cicero in his oration for Roscius Amerinus Iam. 1. c. Iohn 1. c Luc. 12. f Iere. 9. g Collo 2. a Luc. 24. g Apo. 5. b Apo. 4. â— Apo. 19. d Daniel 7. c Luc. 16. b Tob. 4. b Psa 41. a Iam. 5. d Basil in his short rules disputacion questioÌ„ 175. Exo. 32. g Rom. 9. a Phil. 3. d 2. Cor. 11. a Psa 119. g. 2. Cor. 7. c Iam. 2. e Gal. 6. a Rom. 15. a Ezech. â—4 a Luc. 10. f Saint Augustine in his boke of the christian doctrine Heb. 13. a. 2. Reg. a 4. Reg. 4. â— Deut. 24.19 Saint Ambrose lib. 3. of his offices cap. 17. plato in his â— dialogue of his laws Basil in a sermoÌ„ made of Aluies Eusebius li 9. hystorye ecclesiastical lib. 9 historie trip li. 9. cap. 26. Gal. 6. c Saint Augustin li. of his christiaÌ„ doctrine Luc. 14. d The error of plautus Lactantius li. 6. cap. â— The error of Ciciero The error of the same Author plato in his booke of Phedrus Saint Ambroâ—e li. 2. of his offices ca 37. Historie triÌ„ lib. 5. cap. 37 Mat 6. c Mat. 15. a Siâ—aâ—c 14. b Basil in his treatise of almes 1. Thessa. 4. c Pro. 3. b Siraac 34. â— Deut. 23. c Ephes 4. â— Cicero lib. 1. of his offices Cicero li. 2 of the nature of Gods. Cicero in his booke of amitie Ephe. 4. â— 1. Cor. 10. d 1. Cor. 14 f 2. Reg. 16. â— Iob. 2. b Amos. 3. b Rom. 12. d Pro. 17. c Mat. 25. d Iob. 11. a Act. 28. a Mat. 27. d Mat. 12. b Marc. 3. a Mat. 1â— c Aâ—â— â—6 â— Tob. 2. b 1. Reg. 31. d Luc. 1.2 d Psa 79. a S. Augustin of the worde of the Lorde Cicero in his boke of amitie Saluste Luc. 11. c Iohn 13. d Cant. 8. b Miche 7. a Gal. 5. c Iohn 13. d Iohn 15. b Collo 3. c 1. Iohn 4. d Iohn 3. b Gal. 6. a Rom. 12. c Mat. 6. c 2. Cor. 8. b Ephe. â— a Col. c. 3. b Siraac 3. a Rom. 1â— g 2. Timo 5. a 1. Timo. 5. â— Mat. 15. a Hierome 〈◊〉 his epistle to Gernâ—â—â—â— Siraac 3. b Saint Ambrose vpon the 8 chap. of S. Luke Xenophon in his secoÌ„d boke of the sayings doinges of Socrates plato in his 2. dialogue of his laws Plato Siraac 7. b Aulus Gellius li. 2. ca. 7. 2. Cro. â—â— â— Rom. 15. e S. Hierome in his epist to Furia Psa 45. e S. Hierome in his firste epistle to Heliodorus Mat. 10. d plato li. 4. of his lawes plutarch inâ—treateh of the loue of fathers Valerius li. 5. cap 5. Deut. 37. c Pro. 19. â— Pro. 30. c The lavve vnder the title of the paricides Plato in his 9. dialogue of his laws Cicero in his boke of his paradoxes Iustine in his histories Cicero in his oration for Roscius Amerinus Plutarch Mat. 5. c Esa. 45. b L. cogitacioons regis iuris Mat. 5. d Cicero in his oration for Rosciâ—s Amerinus Genes 42.43 Iere. 35. â— Genes 9. d S. Augustin in his boke of the city of God. â— Reg. 18. f Gal. 4. c Heb. 12. c Siraacâ— 38 â— Sapien. 16. Esa. 52. b Dan. 12. a 1. Tim. 5. c. 1. Thessa. 5. e Heb. 13. b Galat. 6. b â— Cor. 9. b Sirâ—ac 7. d. 3. Reg. 22. c 2. Cro. 16. c 4. Reg. 2. d Ciciero in his oration for Caius Rabitius Herodotus Iustine after Trogus pompeius Valerius in his first bok of vnthankfulnsse Cicero li. 5. of his Tuscan questioÌ„s Sueto n in the life of Nero. Basil in his 10. Epistle 3. Reg. 13. g 2. Mach. 4. c Ephe. 6. a Heb. 13. c Genes 8. d Heb. 12. â— Luc. 2. â— Pro. 3. a Pro. 2â— c. pro. 29. c Siraac 30. a Pro. 23 l. Siraac 7. c Siraac 26. b 42. b Deut. 2â— a Leuit. 26. a Baruc. 3. b Deut. 6. b Exo. 12. b â–ª g Iosua 4. â— Plato litheaget plato li. writen to Euphr on Iob. 28. c Timot. 3. d Rom. 15. â— Heb. 13. b Ephes 4. c Plato in his booke of vowes Homere Plato in his booke protogoras plato Plutarch iâ— his boke 〈◊〉 Nursing bringinge vp of châ—ldren Plato dialogue 2. of a legistes Ephes 4. f Ephes 5. a Gregory NaziaÌ„zenus in his oration that he made a-against Iulian the Apostate HieroÌ„ in his Epistle to Leta plato in his 5. dâ—alogue of his lavvs Plato in the same booke 1. Cor. 15. â— Siraac 13.2 Psal 26. h prouerb 1. c Gen. 34. a Numer 25. a Iudg. 21. d Iere. 50. d Apo. 17. a Hierome in his epistle to Leta Plutarch in his boke of the nurture of children Eccle. 2. e Plato in his 7. dialogue of his laâ—es Lib. 3. vvritten Theâ—gates plato li. 7. of his lawes Terencius in Adelphis Plutarch in his apotheg 1. Reg. 1.2.3 L. title patria potestate cap. de paâ—i qâ—i fit â—ist 2. Timo 2. d 1. Cor. 5. b 2. Cor. 7. e Gens 49. a Deut. 33. a 3 Re. g 2. â— Tobiaâ— 14. 2. Macha 7. Iohn 13. a. Zenephon li. pedi Cicero of his olde age Pro. 17. d. Pro. 5. â— Luc. 2. f Ephe. 6. a pro. 30. â— 1. Cor. 3. b. 6. Iob. 1. d. 20. A TABLE CONCERNING the matters contained in this booke A Briefe aduertisement wherin is shewed that we ought not to abuse the holy scripture but to applie it to his proper vse Cap. 1. fol. 1. That the Lord in the middest of afflictions doth alwaies reserue certaine places of refuge for his and certaine true Prophetes to his church yea certaine valiant men for to withstand the tyrannie of the wicked Cap. 2. fol. 10 That the christian religion can not be tied and bound to any limits or bounds Cap. 3. fol. 20. An aduertisement vnto those which doe crye dayly that we must not suffer two religions Cap. 4. fol. 30. A briefe aduertisement vnto those which doe blame the true christian religion for the poorenesse and littlenesse of the same or doe slaunder it for the euil conuersation and abuse of those which doe professe it Cap. 5. fol. 35. That none can hinder or stoppe the course of the religion by fire and sword threatenings and bonds Cap. 6. fol. 45. â— briefe aduertisement wherein is declared that the true christians ought to auoide parcialities and contencions and to kepe the vnitie of the spirit through the band of peace Cap. 7. fol. 56. That it is the dutie of a christiaÌ„ prince to watch take good heed that the estate of the religion doe abide and continue vndefiled and impoluted as wel in the true seruing of God as in the dispensation of his word Cap. 8. fol. 60. That it is the renowne of a christian prince to be beloued of his subiectes Cap. 9. fol. 96 That it is the honor renown of a prince and his subiectes to cause the lawes and politike ordinaunces of his countrie to be kept inuiolated Cap. 10. fol. 75. A briefe demonstration vnto those which doe make it no conscience to shed the innocent bloud vnder pretence I know not of what foolish zeale wherein is shewed by examples of the Scripture how odious before God such cruelties are Cap. 11. fol. 84. A briefe demonstration vnto those which of a set purpose doe tourne themselues from the knowne veritie without any force or compulsion Cap. 12. fol. 92. A briefe demonstration vnto those which haue sustained euen hitherto the doing of the reformed religioÌ„ for to confirme them more and more in their first wil. Cap. 13. fol. 98. A briefe aduertisement for to shewe that we must simplie obey the voice of the Lord without further enquiring of the commaundement and to beleeue that euen as he is iust in all his workes hee is as puissaunt for to fulfill in vs his will. Cap. 14. fâ—l 113. A briefe demonstration vnto those which do make profession of the true christian religion neuerthelesse do refuse the ecclesiasticall discipline wherin is described somwhat the vse fruit ther off Ca. 51. fol. 120. A briefe aduertisement vpon the coÌ„maundement to loue god Cap. 16. fol. 127. A christian aduertisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. fol. 144 A christian aduertismeÌ„t vpoÌ„ the comauÌ„demeÌ„t to honor our father mother Ca. 18 fol. 161. A briefe aduertisment vpon the duetie of the fathers towardes their children Ca. 19. fol. 174 FINIS