¶ Be wise and be warned SIRACH V. Make no tarying to turne vnto the Lorde and put not of from day to day for sodenly shal his wrath come and in the time of vengaunce hee shall destroy thee PROVERBIVM xlâ— Giue eare vnto good councell and be content to be reformed Per. I.S. ¶ Printed by Thomas East for Fraunces Coldock the first day of Ianuary 1573. ¶ The Preface to the Reader FOrasmuche according to the saying of Sainct Paul as although I spake with the tungs of men and Aungels and yet had no loue I were euen as a sounding brasse or a tinkeling Simbal so that no worke without loue preuaileth any thing no man loueth God that hath not a care for diligeÌ„tly loketh to his neighbour or brother bicause the giftes of the spirit are giuen vs to do seruice to and to profite the congregation and therfore muche doth he that loueth much and much doth he that doth something well and well doth he that serueth the common welth and being therfore good alwaies to be zelous in a good thing and any thing ought willingly to be enterprised for the loue of God euen so of my loue and dutie to God and louing care for the continuall prosperitie of my countrey I haue enterprised this little worke beseching you my bretheren louingly to suffer hearin the wordes of exhortation and to haue as carefull consideration of the same that we go not to waste and be made a iesting stock to all nations that our wits be not giuen to Aleants and our fields to destroyers And we made bondslaues of corruption but rather taking heede to our selues and keping well our soules our life may be agreable vnto the doctrine which we professe wherby we may auoyd the danger of the like miserie that of late yeares we tasted and thus gentil reader in recompence of thy trauell in the reading of this little worke God graunt thee to reape such benifite as may be for the comforte of thy soule â—nd bodie Giue God the prayse Be vvise and be vvarned _â—S vnto A Christian there can be nothing more commodious more comfortable nor more beneficial â—â—n the exercise know◠〈…〉 of the scripturs beâ—â—◠〈…〉 of God the very food 〈…〉 the soule Euen so 〈…〉 the great loue of god 〈…〉 â—ower of the same God 〈…〉 â—eyther the inestimable 〈…〉 by him can eyther be k◠〈…〉 â—n nor yet man knowe bi◠〈…〉 â—nce to so gracious and me 〈…〉 and sauiour Whereby to r◠〈…〉 all possible thankes and 〈◊〉 apperteineth and againe as 〈◊〉 scriptures and holy word sheveth him selfe a God of mercy redy to supporte ayde and assist help comforte and in all perrils and distresse to haue a care to defend those that feare him So is he ther likewise found a seuear terrible Iudge to punish destroye condemne and bring to death all such as the which being obstinate and wilfully ignoraunt of his worde and gospell muste néeds be desperately carelesse of his wil of which both in the same scriptures are plenty of examples for our instâ—uction and learning And as by the â—â—â—es we fynde the law to condem◠〈◊〉 so fynde we ther the gosp◠〈…〉 â—he promes of mercye 〈…〉 â—epent and acknowled◠〈…〉 â—e preaching of the law 〈…〉 selues to be scollers 〈…〉 and fulfil the law whic◠〈…〉 law is a fast fayth in 〈…〉 coupled with our prose◠〈…〉 â—tyng our selues to lea◠〈…〉 and to learne to beleue 〈…〉 is promised them we fyâ—◠〈…〉 â—res the stories liues of 〈…〉 â—oth what chanced them by 〈◊〉 â—â—es theyr scole master taught 〈…〉 â—ade them perfect and how he try 〈◊〉 â—rue from the false Wherfore the scriptures are by al means so requisite and necessary as of necessitie they are to bée â—sed with all reuerence not alone of the lâ—arned but also of other sortes degrées of people of what estate or calling so euer be they riche be they poore be they olde be they yong for as Fulgentius sayth in the scriptures there is sufficient and aboundance for men to eate and for children to suck yea whatsoeuer is mete for all ages which wordes of Fulgentius as they be true so ought all men to giue credit to the same and to beleue them specially and chiefly bycause he buildeth vpon so substantial so sure and infallible foundation the worde of God for this commaundement gaue Moyses in the name of the Lord to the hole congregation of Israell Sée that thou reade this lawe before all Israell in theyr eares bothe men wemen children and strangers that are with in thy gates to what purpose it followeth that they may hear learne and feare the Lord theyr God be diligent to keepe his law lo hear is the cause but hear is no exceptioÌ„ of person hear are none exempted but al must hear men wemen and children for there is sufficient for al ages And yet further Christ sayth come vnto mée all yée that labor and are laden and I will refreshe you but hear agayn none are forbiddeÌ„ Wherfore my brethern euen as foorth of a wel by gods prouidence we do with materiall buckettes draw water for the necessary vse of our naturall bodies so likewise as good scollers let vs obedyently follow the swéete and profitable councell giuen vs by Christ pronounced by the mouth of his beloued Apostel Search the scriptures saith he for in theÌ„ ye haue eternall life and from thence euen from the scriptures we must with the buckettes of willing harts minds draw out of the word of god which is the fountayne and spring of spirituall felicitie from thence I say we must draw the swéete water of life which plentifully floweth from the rock Christ to refresh our thursty soules for the scriptures doo cause that in the mind of man may shine assured knowledge of God in the soule holines and in al the powers obedience to be performed according to the presisenes of the word The scriptures is as a salue wherewith our soules are healed It is thy word that preserueth them that put theyr trust in thee so that in the scriptures which is the onely and holy worde of god Wee fynde the very plat forme and ready broade beaten pathe way that leadeth to the vnderstanding and knowledge of that inestimable treasure and Iuel Iesu Christ whose death hath fully wrought the perfection of eternal saluation to as many as beleue as sayth Saint Paule if thou knoweledge with thy mouth beleue with thy harte that God raised Iesus from death thou shalt be safe For the beleue of the hart iustifieth but as iustification commeth thorough faith so cometh faith by hearing so that without the Scriptures of God there is no knowledge of him For the ignorance of the scriptures is the ignorance of Christ and not to know Christ is to be in darknes for without the knowledge of god ther is no saluation for he that beleueth on the
Sonne hath euerlasting lyfe and he that beleeueth not the sonne shall not see lyfe but the wrath of God abydeth on him And how shall wée beleue on him that we knowe not And how shal we know him but by the scriptures for in them is hée perfectly séene and knowne Gods worde and the holy ghost are the glasse wherein Christ will be beholden and with this beholding we must be content vntill him selfe come to iudgement for afterwards we shall enioye the fight of him for euer If by thâ— scriptures then we receyue suche vnspeakable benefite euen the sauetie of soule and body if no Christian can comfort him selfe in God Christe without the knowledge of them And therefore of meere necessitie must nedes be acquainted with theÌ„ and know howe to vse them as a chief sauegarde and defence for him against the malice of the enemie Sathan who seldome leaueth vnassaulted by one meanes or other the famely of the faithfull What haue wée then to thinke or iudge of them that by their pollicies practise to disarme vs to leaue as it were naked and weaponleâ— to be a pray vnto our so hateful and auncient an enemie sathan the Deuill of whose continuall endeuoure to anoy vs the stories of all tymes do enstruct teache vs For in likewise as he set him selfe agaynst our first parents and that by taking gods word out of their harts so employeth he him selfe wholy with like endeuour at all times that thâ— word being preached may be taken froÌ„ gods people and being greedely desirous to haue our neckes vnder his yoke as Peter witnesseth goeth about leke a roaring lyon seeking whom he may deuoure For in lyke manner as Iapheth by Ipocrisie superstition and Cayne by crueltie persecuted the true church vsurping vnto them selues the tytle of the church and changed the true woorshippinge of God into heathenish Ipocrisie and superstition and as the enuious Philistines stopped the welles of Abraham filling theÌ„ with earth to put the memorial of them out of mynd that they might challenge the ground Euen so at all times hathe ben and dayly are like practises by men estranged from God and to make hym vnknowen vnto vs by shadewinge his gospell from vs hyding couering the same with monsterous cloudes of corrupt doctrine to robbe and spoyle vs of the gospell which is the very ground of our faith in Iesus Christe alluring and forcing vs to set our affections vpon the inuentions deuyces dreames and traditions of men to bring vs to vtter confusion but woo vnto them saieth the Prophet that call euill good and good euill which make darknes light light darknes the wrath of the Lorde is kindleâ— against them and their karkases shal ly in the open streates like myer but thus it wil be that Christ his kingdome shall alwayes haue enemies according to the fyrst promys The seede of the Serpent shal lye in wâ—ite for the séede of the woman and true this is the storie of the church from thenceforth that the séede was promised vnto this present day teacheth vs for where so euer is an Abell there is also some a Cain where soeuer is an Isaac ther is also an Ismael wher is a Iacob there is also some Esau or other where is a Dauid there is also a Saul where is a Christe there is also a Iudas and whereas is a Paule ther is some Nero. And wée muste not looke to haue it otherwyse for Sathan lyeth alwayes in wayte for Christ his churche which he endeuoureth eyther vtterly to abolishe or els to defile it with wicked doctrine and manners But now behold I pray you a pleasant Allegory for here shal ye haue the state and Image of the church as it were paynted out The sea is the world the Ship is the church the deuill is the winde the Disciples are the godly companie of beléeuers Christe is the truth and the gospell is fayth And firste note that before Christe with his Disciples entered into the Ship the sea was calme which is to be vnderstand the world slept soundly in his own sins but as soone as Christe entered into the ship there arose a mighty tempest in so much as the ship séemed to be ouerwhelmed but what ensued Christ ther who could comaund the sea and wyndes and heare wee maye learne that out of this little ship that is to say the church ther is no sauegard but yit it behoueth vs to looke wel about vs heere that wee take not our enemies ship for the true ship for they haue subtelly wrought to deceyue vs The enemies Ship is better decked and garnished outwardly and of greater receyte within but the trwe ship hath her decking inwardly hath a much more stately master namely the holy ghost all the maryneâ—s that it hath are godly it hath the worde of god and the sacraments in right vse obedience to the ministery and with these treasures this ship holdeth it selfe contented in so great waues and boisterous billows For ye must know that this ship saileth not in the calme sea but is tossed with the waues and sourges whiche dryues and tosses it hither and thither which thing to be moste true the storie of the worlde sheweth when god had made the world he put his ship in the middest of it And by and by the deuill the enemy of Gods sonne tossed it with stormes which froÌ„ thence forth was miserably turmoyled vnto the tyme of Noe. And after Noe to Abrahams tyme from Abrahams too Moyses and from thence to Christ his time who to the intent to saue the ship came into the worlde yet sâ—aced not the wauâ—s therof as then But what is the cause that the world cannot abyde this little ship truely because the church reproueth the workes of the world blamâ—th the worldly â—yse men of folly condemneth the righteous men as gilty of sinne aduaunceth not rich men but pronounceth them vnhappy and wretched onles true godlynesse be the gouernour and ruler of theyr ryches And this the Christ promised wheÌ„ he said the holy ghost shal reproue the world of sin of righteousnes and of iudgment But if a questioÌ„ might be now asked what had Abel offendâ—d Cain who horribly murdered him Iohn aunswereth Abels woorkes were good and his Brothers euill What had Noe done wherin had Ieremy offended what and wher in had Esai traÌ„sgressed and what Christ in whoÌ„ was no sinne to be short wher-had the Apostles or all the Martyrs froÌ„ the beginning of the world to this daye offended onles bicause they would haue brought the world back from sinne froÌ„ darkenes to light that men might liue godly honestly vprightly in the world according to the word but this is the rewarde that the world is wont to requit his benefactors with all but as the vertues of childrâ—n haue very large promises of good successe in this lyfe So the vices in children wâ—iche fight against these vertues haue threatnings of most
we must through much tribulation enter into the kingdom of god ye shal be hated of al men for my names sake but he that indureth to the ende shal be saued Now seing that greate are the benefites that bearing of the Crosse bringeth doubte not neyther feare thou to take vppe thy Crosse by the which thou goest to a kingdom for suffering of affliction for Christ his sake maketh aptnes to comprehend heauenly thinges Blessed are they that suffer persecution for righteousnes for theyrs is the kingdom of heauen Wherfore be euen of Paules mynde and say God forbid that I should reioyce but in the Crosse of our lord Iesus Christ for surely no man feleth the PassioÌ„ of Christ so much in his law as hée vnto whom it chanceth to suffer the like thinges for in the Crosse is ayde agaynst the enemy in the Crosse is streÌ„gth of mind in the Crosse is ioy of spirit and the Crosse and afflictioÌ„ of the Godly procedeth of the fatherly loue of the heauenly father towardes his children whom he chastiseth in this world only therby putting vs in remeÌ„brance of our sinnes yet not that by our Crosse we make satisfaction therfore for that hath Christ him selfe done vpon the Crosse once for all But that we should therby mortifie our selues our fleshlye members and being gentely corrected for our sins should turne vnto our God and repent and not be damned with the worlde but become pure vessels being therfore exercised with the Crosse Let vs séeke comforte at the fatherly mercy of our God through Iesus Christ who grauÌ„t vs grace to glorify him with true patience vnder the Crosse and this order is in the Crosse saluatioÌ„ wherof to make vs partakers and therby to try our patience behold sayth he I send you foorth as shepe amongest wolues and yet not that he therfore leaueth you destitute of helpe For the Lorde hath such care for you that he preserueth the soules of such as be in aduersitie yea I am with him in his trouble sayth hee And I deliuer him and bring him to honor Striue therfore for the truth vnto the death God shall fighte for thée agaynst thine enimies yea as a father pittieth his owne children euen so the Lord is merciful to those that feare him â–ª he loseth the prisoners geueth sight to the blynd helpeth them that are fallen and defendeth the fatherlesse and widdow And Ioseph being in Egipt did not God deliuer him oute of all his trobles Peter likewise being in prison his chaynes by the prouidence of God fell from him and he was gyded foorth by the Angel of the Lorde The Apostles of the Lord being imprysoned were deliuered by night by the Angel of god who opened the dores and brought them foorth Peter and other Apostles being in daunger of death were deliuered by the power of god through the words of Gamaliel for to those that séeke after the kingdome of God al things néedful shal be ministred cast therfore your care vpon him for hee careth for you And let them that be trobled according to the will of God coÌ„mit their soules vnto him with weldoiâ—g as vnto a faythful creator For whyle wée liue the Lord protecteth vs and if we dy with him we shal also liue with him Let patience therfore in all extremities take place for patieÌ„ce enioieth peace of mind patience in aduersitie maketh frendship with Christ the patient man euery man prayseth and worthely for he is like vnto Christ whose life was the true pattern of patience the more aduersitie suffered with patience the greater peace is enioyed patience is a token of wisdom and a patiente man is better then one stronge And he that can rule him selfe is more worthy then hée that winneth a Citie Tary the Lordes leysure be stroÌ„g and he shal comforte thine hart ye haue néede of patience that after ye haue don the wil of God ye might receyue the promes and bicause he that is patient hath much vnderstanding let vs runne with patience the race that is set before vs for whether pouertie or banishment imprisonment or shame sicknesse or losse of parentes or children or any other lyke do moue vs we must thinke that none of these thinges doe happen but by the will and prouidence of god And that he doth nothing but by most iust order for why our innumerable and dayly offences deserue to be chastised more sharplye and with more greuouse correction theÌ„ such as the merciful goodnes of the Lord layeth vpon vs wherefore seing patience is so profitable and bryngeth so singuler commodities and being so great a vertue when a mans mynde is not moued nor broken in aduersitie God graunt vs therfore to be so moued to the study of patience and that by the authoritie of Gods worde that being exercysed tryed therby we may constantly perceuer and coÌ„tinue in the course of Godly lyfe throughout all kynde of aduersities after our longe continuance be saued But now a little to returne againe to the words that went before I send you foorth as shéepe among wolues wherby is easely deserued who be the shepe who be the wolus The shepe deuour not but are deuoured the wolues are not deuoured but they deuour the shéepe So the Church of Christ is knowne from the Church of Antechrist by this difference the church of God is persecuted and the church of the Deuil persecuteth of which church of the Deuil that Antichrist the Pope is the cheife Champion the ringleader of false Profets the ouerthrower of true godlines who neither teacheth nor reproueth by the worde but feareth the godly with crueltie not only by striking but also imprisoning them that withstaÌ„d him And persecuteth to the death the Profets of the Lord for theyr preaching of the truth and constancie so that we may sée that the crosse of the godly procedeth of the loue of God towardes them and is to theyr comforte in Christ Iesu euen to life euerlasting But the enemies of Christ his Crosse and rable of reprobates voyde of theyr crosse Nay truly for the Scriptures make mention that God leaueth not his enemyes vntouched as for example Caine for his bloody facte was not leaft vnpunished but Abels blood crying vengance in the eares of god Cain was banished oute of gods fight and made a vagabond and a renegate vppon the earth The Amorites being enemies to Iosua the chosen Seruant of God were in the féeld destroyed by the mightie power of God with stones from heauen and fâ—ue of theyr Kings deliuered into the hands of Iosua wer haÌ„ged Holofernus a mightie Prince and enemy to God was by the prouidence of God conquered by the hands of women Pharo pursuing Israell the sea being to them a sauegard was to Pharo and his hole armye an ouerthrow and present destruction Herod an enemy to the people of God being in his chéefe pompe