¶ The Gouernaunce of Uertue teaching all faythful christiaÌ„s how they oughte daily to leade their lyfe fruitfully to spend their time vnto the glorye of God the health of their owne soules Newlye corrected augmeÌ„ted by Thomas Becon 1566 ¶ Imprinted at London by Iohn Day ⧠CVM PRIVILEGIO Regie Maiestatis THOMAS BECONVS SACROSAÌ„CTAE THEOLOGIAE PROFESSOR AETATIS SVAE 41 AN o. DNÌ„I 1553. Ora expressa vides viuos immitantia vultus Quod potuit calamo pictor arte vides Mentis quam Nullus potuit tibi redere pictor Effigiem scriptis prebuit ipse suis To the Godly Reader GRace groweth after gouernaunce Is an olde saide saw in eche place If gouernaunce hath good resemblance Grace delighteth to folow the trace Grace glorieth in godly gouernance Grace hasteth â—…o her haule and palace Grace doth godly gouernaunce auaunce And cause it to excel in eche place Where gouernaunce is godly wise Sage Sober Honest and Prudent There doth grace gloriously deuise To haue her seate aye permanent But if gouernaunce be wicked Idle wanton vndiscrete and vaine Grace whiche is godly disposed With such gouernaunce can not remaine This boke shall thee instruct therfore Thy life vertuously to leave That grace with thee may euermore Remaine as Gods moste blessed seede To fight against Sathan and sinnes To represse errours and heresies To pray to God his grace to winne In this boke to learne thou maiest deuise Take thou it therfore in good part As a ioyful Iewel for thy welth And geue God thankes withall thy hart Which by his worde worketh thy helth As for my trauaile and paine I craue none other recompence But thy life vertuously to traine That thou maiest enioy gods presence â–ª FINIS 3. Regum 1. If a man be vertuous ther shal not an heare of his fal to the ground But if wickednesse shal be found in him he shall dye for it Tobi. 4. Loue vertue all the dayes of thy life and walk not in the wayes of wickednes For while thou studiest for vertues thou shalt haue good successe in al thinges that thou goest about and so shall all they that loue goodnesse A Table to fynde the principall matters contayned in this booke AN exhortacion to the Reader The Epistle dedicatory How a man should be haue himself in the morning when he riseth A prayer in the morning A confession of our sinnes vnto God the father How thou shouldst behaue thy selfe before thou go to dinner A prayer before dinner Of the behauiour at the Table in dinner time A thankes geuinge after dinner What is to be done after dinner Of Supper A prayer before Supper Of the behauiour at the table in supper time A thankes geuing after supper Of going to bed A prayer to be sayd when we goe to bed A prayer to be sayd â–ª when thou art in bed Remedies against all kindes of temptacions Against Idolatry Against infidelity or misbeliefe Against the heresy of such as deny Iesus Christâ—… to be god Against the heresy of them which holde that Iesus Christe the sonne of God tooke no fleshe of Mary his Mother Againste the grosse and fantasticall opinion of the Papistes which affirm that Christes naturall body and bloud is carnally eaten and dronken in the Lords supper Against the plucking away of thy trust and confidence from Christ and his merites to put in the merites of other creatures or in thine own good workes or in the intercession of Saintes or in sacrifice of the popish Masse Against such as go about to diswadâ—… the christian people from the studiing reading or hearinge of Goddes woorde Against strange religion or newe found woorshipping of God Against mens traditions and vnwritten verities Against the folowing of vngodly forefathers Against the wicked olde customes longe vsages Againste suche as slaunder Christes gospell by cal linge it newe learninge Against pensiuenes and thought taking for the life Against hunger pouerty or carefulnes of liuing Against keping of euill company Against idlenes Against swearing Against lying slaundering â–ª and filthy or vncleane talke Against pride or vayneglory Against feasting glotony and dronkennes Against fornication and adultery Against couetousnes Against rebellion and disobedience Against malice grudge enuy hatred and anger Against the temptation of the faythfull in consideringe their owne miserye and contrarywise the wealth of the wicked Against the most horrible and dampnable sinne the sinne against the holy Ghost Against the despising of gods word and of the plagues that folow the same Against carnall security and fleshly liuing without the feare of God Against the flacknes of doing good workes Against the troublous tempestes of sicknes of losse of goods or any other kind of aduersity Against the temptation of the Deuill for noâ—…t satis fieng the lawe of God and for thy sinfull liuing â–ª Against desperation for thy late conuersion and tur ning vnto God Against sinne death and helâ—… To the right honorable and moste vertuous young Lady Iane Semer daughter to the highe and mightie Prince Edward Duke of Somerset his grace Thomas Becon wisheth increase of godlye knowledge in Christe Iesu our Lord. THere are no Parents most godlye Ladye that deserue better of the Christen publique weale then they whiche thorow gods gift hauing Children employ all their endeuours to traine them vp euen from theire verye cradels in good letters in the knowledge of gods moste blessed wil that with their young yeres learning vertue and godlines may grow and encrease and the younglinges by this meanes be made at the last auncient and perfect schollers in the mistery of Christes schole This careful study and studyous care for the vertuous bringing vp of youth god in time paste earnestlye required of all Fathers and Mothers in the common weale of hys people the Israelites and according to gods holy commaundement suche as vnfainedlye feared the Lorde their God and wished wel to their countrey refused no laboure no paine nor cost that their children might be made profitable members of the publique weale As I may pas ouer the auncient and holye Patriarches whiche were before the law of Moyses of whose diligeÌ„ce in the vertuous bringing vp of their yonglinges it is more than double wickednesse to doubt seing we haue this euident testimony of Abraham euen of gods own mouth Shall I hide froÌ„ Abraham saith god that thinge which I entend to do Seing that Araham shal be a great and a mighâ—…ye people and all the nations of the earth shal be blessed in him I know this also that he wil commaund his Children and his housholde after him that they keepe the way of the Lorde and do after righte and conscience What earnest diligence did the moste noble and vertuous King Dauid shew in the godly bringing vp of his Children speciallye of Salomon that he might become a Prince worthye both for his godlynes learning wisedome and pollicye to rule in the common weale after him What godly
instructions also gaue he him when he was at the point of deathe Beholde saieth he I muste walk by the way of all the worlde neuerthelesse be strong and quite thy sel◅ manfully and se thou kepe the appointment of the Lorde thy god that y ◠walke in his wayes ▪ and kepe his commaundement ordinaunces lawes and testimonies as it is written in the law of Moyses c. Likewise rede we of the auncient Father Toby which taught his young Sonne Toby to f◅are god from his infancye and to abstaine from all sinne His exhortations are to godly and so meete for all persons to learne that I think it not conuenient to passe them ouer with silence His wordes are these Herken my Sonne what I wil say and lay my wordes in thy harte as a foundation My Sonne when I am dead bury me and after despise not thy Mother but honoure her all the dayes of her lyfe and do to please her and not to displease her My Sonne remember howe greate perill she suffered bearing thee in her wombe and when she is deade bury her in the same graue by me Sonne reuerēce our Lord God at all times sinne not nor break not his commaundements ▪ but loue vertue all the dates of thy life and walk not in the waies of wickednes For while thou studiest for vertue thou shalt haue good successe in all thinges that thou goest aboute and so shall all they that loue goodnes Do almes of thy substance and be no ◅igard in doing of it Turne not thy face awaye from any poort man as thou wouldest that God should not turne away his face from thee Geue as thou shalt be able if y ◠haue much geue much and if thou haue little geue of that little For thou shalt lay vp for thee a good treasure against the daye of necessitie For almes deliuereth from death and suffreth not the soule to come into darknes Alms is a great comfort before the highest to all that vse it My Sonne beware kepe thee from all whordom and vse no euil company besides thy wife Suffer pride neuer to ryse in thy minde no not in word for death is ioyned to pride and muche trouble and to hautines is ioyned displeasure and great pouertye and she is mother of honger Let no mans hire remaine with thee whose seruice thou hast had but forthewith pay his wages for vnto thee also seruing God reward shal be geuen Sonne be circumfpect and ware in all thy deedes and in all that thou doost while thou liuest be wise and do not to any man that thou wouldest not to be done vnto thee Drink not wine vntil thou be drōk nor cary it not with thee by the way geue thy bred to the hungry and with thy clothes couer the naked What soeuer thou hast more then is sufficient geue it to the poore and neuer grudg to be liberall set thy bread vpon the Sepulcres of the iuste ▪ and bestow it not vpon the noughty Aske councel alwayes of the wise and despise no good councel Be alwayes praying vnto the Lord and beseeche hym that he willorder thy footesteppes and wayes and prosper thy deuises for no people are wise but the Lord him selfe is the geuer of all good thinges and thrusteth down whome and who hee listeth My Sonne be not afrayde we leade a poore life in this world notwithstanding if thou feare god and studye to please him thou shalt haue goodes inoughe Therefore my sonne remember my preceptes and put them not out of thy minde Againe being redye to dye he called vnto him his sonne and his sonnes Children and among all other things he spake vnto him on this wise kepe thou the law and cōm◅un dements and shew thy selfe merciful and iust that thou mayest prosper Haue god euer in thy remembrance and praise him at all times w t all thy might In like maner reade we of the Parentes of that most godly and chast woman Susanna whiche be ing righteous thē selues taught their yong daugh ter to feare the Lord her god euen from her verye cradle and diligently brought her vp according to the law of Moyses Luke also in his boke of the Apostles maketh mē cion of the foure daughters of Phillip the euangelist whiche did Prophecy that is to saye were so godly brought vp in the knowledge of gods moste blessed lawe that they were able to declare and expounde the holy Scriptures and misteries of God according to this prophecy I wil poure out of my spirit vpon all flesh and your sonnes your daugh ters shall prophecye Dooth not blessed Paule also commende Timothe because he had knowen the holy scriptures euen of a childe Diuers histories mo mighte be alledged out of the holy Scriptures to declare the carefull studies and earnest labours which the holyfathers in time past tooke for the godly and vertuous bringing vp of theyr younglinges that they mighte be fathers not onely of the bodye but also of the minde and for theyr power satisfy the good will of God which re quireth of all parents an earnest diligence a watching ye in bringing vp theyr children in his nou◅ ture and feare in his word and doctrine but these for this present may seme aboundauntlye to suffice Furthermore as touchinge the heathen whiche of them all euen from the lowest both amongest the Romaines and the Greekes with diuers other na tions although hauing respecte not vnto the glorye of God wherunto the end of all studies oughte to be directed but only vnto the auauncement of thēselues vnto the maintenaunce of good politique ciuill and honest orders vnto the hability of rulinge in a comom weal vnto the polishing of their wit vn to eloquence vnto immortality of their name Enforced not both them selues to bee learned but also soughte all meanes possible to haue their children brought vp in good letters That their yonglings might become learned what paynes or costes refu sed the parentes They sente theyr children from country to country from one learned man to an other Many of them called learned men home vnto theyr houses gaue them honorable intertainmente great giftes and large stipendes for teaching theyr children There was no burthen to heauy no laboure to paineful no cost to charge able for them so that theyr children might proue learned If they obtayned that they thoughte themselues worthye and righteous parents and to deserue well both of theyr children and of the publike weale And as euery one of them excelled in worthines and auctority so laboured they that both themselues their children should excell and passe the baser sort in lear ninge iin knowledge in vertue honest behauiour in so much that if any wer vnlearned and wanted the godlye qualities of the minde albeit he wer of an honourable parentage he was counted of no re putation called a stone a blocke a beast a golden slaue a sheepe with a golden Flcese an horse trapped with
and likenes in righteousnes true holines Suffer vs not to geue ouer our selues againe vnto our olde lusts and concâ—…piscences where with we were led when we knewe not thee nor thy Soâ—… Christe but eueÌ„ as thou whiche hast called vs art holy so likewise graunt y t we mayâ—… be holy in all our conuersation O mercyful god not the hearers of thy law but thâ—… fulâ—…llers of it shal be iustified Neither shaâ—… euery one that saith vnto thee Lord Lord enter into the kingdom of heaueÌ„ but the that do the wil of thee our Father which art in Heauen To confes thee with our mouth and to deny thee with our deedes worketh rather our damnation then saluation For the true knowledge of thee consisteth not in talking but in working not in fauouringe but in folowinge not in louinge but in liuinge To promise thee by mouth that we wil worke in thy vineyarde and yet worke nothing at all declareth not vs to bee thy sonnes but rather bastardes To bragge of the iustification of faith and not to bringe forthe the fruites therof to glorye in the merites of thy sonne Christe in his bloude death and passion and not to liue worthy in his kind nesse to profes thy holy gospel and not to walk according to the doctrine thereof to be baptised in thy name and not to mortiâ—…y our members which are of the earth nor to walke in a new life to be partakers of the deuine misteries and not to bee made one spyryte wyth thee what auayleth it Wee are thy freendes if wee doo those thinges that thou commaundest vs. We are thy seruauntes if we be obediente to thy will Wee are thy Sonnes if we honour and reuerence thee according to thy woord We seeke thy glory if we attempt nothing whereof thou shouldest be dyshonoured Leadinge a life confirmable to thy blessed will wee shall prouoke the ve ry enemies of thy truth to prayse thee but coÌ„trariwise thou shalt be euel spoken of Graunt therfore we beseech thee that our life may answer to our professioÌ„ and that the light of our good workes may so shine before men that they seinge our godly coÌ„uersation may gloryfye thee our heauenly father Amen ¶ A short praier to be sayd at the receiuing of the mystery of Christes bodye at the holy communnion O Heauenly and blessed father I render vnto thee most harty thanks for all thy benefites which thou hast shewed vnto me most wretched sinner but specially for y â— most swete smeling sacrifice which thy only begotten son offred vnto thee on the aulter of the crosse by geuing his most pure and vndefiled body vnto the deth for the redemption of mankind in the remenbraunce wherof according to thy welbeloned sonnes ordinance I now receiue this holy bread most entierly beseching thee y e I may both be partaker of the merites of thy deare sonnes body breaking and also lead a life worthy of so great a benefit vnto the glorye of thy name Amen A Prayer to be sayd at the receyuing of the mistery of Christs bloud in the holy communion O Blessed and merciful Father thy loue toward me sinful creature is so exceading great and vnspeakeable that I cannot but geue vnto thee most huÌ„ble thaÌ„ks â–ª namely for the sheding of the moste precious bloud of thy dear Sonne Iesu Christ by the vertue wherof thy wrath stirred vp against mee wretched sinner is pacified My raunsome is payed the lawe is fulfilled my enemies are ouercome and put to flight In remembraunce of this so noble a victorye and of so great a benefite I am come to this thy table O mercifull father to drink of this cup. Desiring thee that as my outward man is comforted by the drinking of this wine so likewise my inward man may be comforted and made stronge by true faith in the precious bloude of thy moste deare son O Lord my heauenly father geue me thy holy spirit which may so rule and gouerne my hart that I neuer be vnthankful nor forgetful of this thine exceading great kindnesse But so traine my life according to thy blessed wil that what soeuer I do speake or thinke may be vnto the glory of thy blessed name and the helth of my soule thorowe Iesu Christe oure Lord. Amen For all them whiche lye in the extreme panges of death or otherwise O Pitiful Phisicion and healer bothe of soul and body Christ Iesu Uouch safe to cast thine eyes vpon this poore sinfull creature Nâ—… who lyeth heere captiue and bouÌ„d with sicknes turning his weaknes to thy glory and to his helth And bout safe good Lorde to send him pacience and sufferance that he maye with a true and perfect faith fight manfully against all teÌ„tations of the Deuil that he maye no longer continue So be it ☞ A confession for all people to be sayd in the morning O Merciful and most louing father whose loue is infinite whose mercy endurethe for euer We sinful creatures trustinge in thine vnspeakable goodnes and loue towards vs do appeare this morninge before thy deuine maiesty most lowlye confessing our manifolde sinnes and in innumerable transgressions of thy commaundements and fatherly wil. Against thee onlye against thee O Lorde haue we sinned therfore we confesse our sinnes we knowledge our offences we accuse our selues vnto the O mercifull Lord and wil not hied our vnrighteousnes We find in our selues nothing but ignoraunce of thy wil disobedience mistrust doubtfulnes in thy goodnes incredulitie hatred and con tempt of al spiritual thinges selfloue con fidence in our selues and fâ—…ruent lustinge after carnal thinges of this worlde And this tree of our corrupt nature bringethe forthe continually in vs none other fruit but rotten and vnsauery workes of the flesh in thoughtes wordes â–ª and doinges vnto condemnation Wherfore we humbly besech thy fatherly goodnes euen for thy sonne Iesus christes sake whom thou hast set forth for a purchaser toÌ„wardes vs of mercy throughe faithe in his bloude to make our hearts cleane Take away our stony hartes and geue vnto vs a true and a liuelye taith whichshal worke continually by loue through Christe Haue mercy vpon vs forgeue vs our sins for thy sons sake Certefy our coÌ„science of remission of the same by thy holy spirit by whose operation we maye so mortefye in vs our old man the whole body of sinne that we continually dyinge vnto sinne may walke in newnes of life to the glory of thy name through Iesus Christ our lorde So be it Then say this 86. Psalme treatably BOw downe thyne eare O Lord and heare me for I am pore and in misery O preserue my soule for I am holye my God saue thy seruant that putteth his trust in thee Be mercifull vnto me O Lorde for I will call dayly vpon thee Comforte the soule of thy seruaunt vnto thee O lord do I lift vp my soule For thou lord art good and gracious and of great mercy vnto all them that cal vpon thee
riche in mercy thorow his great loue wherewith he loued vs euen when we were dead in sin hath quic kened vs to gether in Christ for by grace are ye saued and hath raysed vs vp together and made vs sit together in heauenly thinges thorow Christ Iesus By grace are ye made safe thorow faith and that not of your selues For it is the gift of God and commeth not of works least any man should boast himself We were straungers and farre of but nowe we are made nigh by thy bloude of Christe Christ is our peace By Christ Iesu our Lord are we bound to draw nighe in the trust which we haue by fayth on him Christ is ascended vp on high and hath led captiuity captiue and hath geueÌ„ gifts vnto men In Christ haue we redemption thorow his bloude that is to saye forgeuenes of sinnes By Christ thorowe the bloude of hyscrosse are all things reconciled to God the father and set at peace both in heauen and in earth This is a true saying and by all means worthy to be receiued that Christe Iesus came into this world to saue sinners There is one God and one Mediatour betwene God and man which is the man Christ Iesus which gaue himselfe a raunsome for all men God hath not saued vs for the dedes of rightousnes which we haue wrought but of his mercy hath he saued vs. We are not redemed with corruptible siluer and gold from our vayne conuer sation which we receiued by the tradicions of the fathers but by the precious bloud of Christ as of a Lambe vndefiled and without spotte Christe is the shephearde and bishop of our soules The bloud of Iesus Christ Gods soÌ„ne maketh vs cleane from all sinne If any maÌ„ sinne we haue an aduocate with the father Iesus Christ that ryghteous one and he is a mercye stocke for our sinnes not for our sinnes onely but also for the sinnes of all the world Our sinnes are forgeuen vs in y e name of Christ. For thys purpose appeared the sonne of God to loose the workes of the deuill In thys appeareth the loue of God towardes vs because that God sent his onely begotten Sonne into the worlde that we myght liue thorowe him Herein is loue not that we loue God but that he loued vs and sent his sonne to be a sacrifice for our sinnes Christ in hys owne person hath purged our sinnes Christ thorow death put down him that had rule ouer death that is to say the deuill and hath made vs free from the daunger of bondage In that Christ himself suffred and was tempted he is able to succor them that are tempted We haue not an high priest which can not haue compassion on oure infyrmities but was in all poyntes tempted lyke as we are but yet without sinne Let vs therefore goe boldelye vnto the seate of grace that we may receaue mercye and fynde grace to helpe in tyme of neede Christ hath an euerlasting priesthoode Wherefore he is able also euer to saue them that come vnto God by hym forasmuch as he euer liueth to make intercession for vs. Christ being Byshop of good thinges to come came by a greater and a more perfecte tabernacle not made wyth handes that is to saye not of thys manner buildyng neyther by the bloude of Goates and Calues but by hys owne bloude he entred in once for all into the holy place and founde eternall redemption For if the bloud of Oxen and Goates and the ashes of an Heyfer when it was sprinckled purifyed the vncleane as touchyng the purifyeng of the fleshe howe muche more shall the bloude of Christ which thorowe the eternall spirite offered himselfe without spotte to God purge your consciences from dead workes to serue the liuing god And for this cause is he the mediator toure of the newe Testamente that thorow death which chaunced for the redeÌ„tion of these transgressions that were in the first Testament they which were called might receiue the promise of eternall inheritaunce Christ now in the end of the world hath appeared once for al to put sinne to flight by the offering vp of him selfe We are sanctified by the offeringe of the body of Iesu Christ once for all With one offring hath Christ made perfect for euer them that are sanctifyed Christe loued vs and washed vs from our sinnes in hys owne bloud and made vs kings and priests vnto god his father Christe liueth for euermore and hath the keyes of hell and death Christ is Lord of Lordes and king of kings and they that are on his side are cal led and chosen and faithful ☞ Examples out of the new Testament Christ is that welbeloued Sonne of god for whose sake the heauenly father is well pleased with man Christ is that kyng which forgaue the seruaunt the ten thousande talentes that be oughte Christ is that moste louyng Samaritane which healed the wounded man that was halfe dead Christ is that tender shepeheard which fetched home vnto the shepefolde euen vpon hys shoulders the lost shepe Christ is that most gentle father which wyth so great ioy and with embracinge armes receiued home againe the lost son Against suche as go about to disswade the christen people from the studying readyng or hearing of gods worde IF Sathan or any of his impes goe about to disswade thee and to plucke thy minde from studying readyng or hearyng gods woorde that thou mayest walke in darkenes and neuer come to the knowledge of the truth least by this meanes thou shouldest be saued leane not vnto hym but enarm thy selfe against his wicked teÌ„ptations with these scriptures followyng ☞ Sentences out of the olde Testament THou shalte tell thy sonne at the same dai say because of that which the lord dyd for me wheÌ„ I departed out of Egipt Therfore shall it bee a signe vnto thee in thyne hand and a token of remembrance before thine eyes that the law of the lord may be in thy mouth how that the Lord broughte thee out of Egipt with a mightye hande Speake to the children of Israell and say vnto them that they make theÌ„ gardes vpon the quarters of their garmentes amongst all your posterities and put yellow râ—…handes vpon the gardes in y e quarters And the gardes shall serue you that ye may looke vppon them and remember all the commaundements of the lord and do them y â— ye order not your selues after the meanyng yf your owne harte nor go a whoryng after your owne eyes Therefore shall ye remeÌ„ber do all my coÌ„maun dements and be holy vnto your God Take heede to thy selfe now and kepe well thy soule that thou forgette not the thynges which thine eyes haue seene and that they depart not out of thy harte all the dayes of thy lyfe And thou shalte teach them thy children and thy childers children Heare O Israell the
yet if I haue no loue it profiteth me nothing at all Brethren if any mā be fallen by chance into any fault ye which are spiritual helpe to amende him in the spirite of mekenes consideringe thy selfe least thou also be attempted Beare ye one an others burden and so fulfill ye the law of Christ. Let not the sunne go downe vpon your wrath Be gentle one to another mercifull forgeuing one another euen as GOD for Christes sake hath forgeuen you Let euery man be slow vnto anger For the wrath of man worketh not that which is righteous before God Aboue all thinges haue feruent loue among you For loue shall couer the multitude of sinnes If anye man saye I loue God and hateth his brother he is a lyer For he that lo ueth not his brother whom he hath seene god whome he hathe not seene how can he loue And this commaundement haue we of him that he that loueth god shoulde al so loue his neighbour He that loueth not his brother a◅ideth in death Whosoeuer hateth his brother is a murtherer And ye know that no murthe rer hathe euerlasting life abidinge in him ▪ My babes let vs not loue in worde nor in tongue but in worke and truthe Examples out of the new◅ Testament Christ so dearly loued vs yea and that when we◅ were yet his enemies that hee gaue him self euen vnto the death for our sake Yea he hanginge on the cros prayed for his very◅ enemies vnto his heauenly◅ Father Blessed Stephen in the middest of his tormentes prayed for his enemies S. Paule wished him self to be cursed from Christ◅ so that his kinsmen might◅ be saued Against the bitter stormes of persecution of Gods worde IF at a◅y time thorow the frailti of nature thou be troubled in thy minde when the cros ◅f persecution is laid vpon thee for the word of God looke that thou shrinke not backe from the truthe nor discourage thy selfe but think thy selfe blessed of G◅d call these scriptures that follow vnto rei membrance for thy comfort Sentences out of the old Testament THe Lorde killeth and geeueth life again◅ hee bringeth euen to Hell and back agayne The righteous cry and the Lord heareth them and deliuereth them out of all their troubles The Lord is nigh vnto them that ar of a troubled heart and wil saue such as be of an humble spirite Great are the troubles of the righteous but the Lord deliuereth him out of thē all He kepeth all his bones so that not one of them is broken But misfortune shall flea the vngodly and they that hate the righteous shal be desolate The Lorde deliuereth the soules of his seruauntes and all they that put theyr trust in him shall not be comfortles For thy sake O Lord are we killed all the day long and are counted as shepe ap pointed to be slaine Up Lord why sleepest thou awake and be not absent from vs for euer Wherfore hidest thou thy face and for gettest our misery and trouble For oure soule is brought low euen vnto the duste our belly cleaueth vnto the ground Arise and helpe vs and deliuer vs for thy mercies sake Thou O god hast proued vs thou also hast tryed vs like as siluer is tryed Thou broughtest vs into the snare and laydest trouble vpon our loynes Thou suffredest men to ride ouer our heades we went thorow fire and water and thou broughtest vs out into a comfortable place I beleued and therefore haue I spoken but I was sore troubled Righte deare in the sighte of the Lorde is the death of his saintes The way of the righteous is iudged to be vtter destruction but they are in rest Althoughe they suffer paine before men yet is their hope ful of immortality They are punished but in few things neuertheles in many thinges shall they be well rewarded For God proueth them and findeth thē mete for hym selfe yea as the golde in the furnace dooth ◅e try them and receyueth them as a burnt offring and when y e time commeth they shal be loked vpon My sonne if thou wilt come into the seruice of god stand fast in righteousnes and feare and arme thy soule to temptation Setle thine heart be patient ◅ow down thine eare receiue the wordes of vnderstāding and shrink not away when thou art entised Holde thee faste vpon god ioyne thy selfe vnto him and suffer that thy life may encrease at the last Whatsoeuer happeneth vnto thee receyue it suffer in heauines and be paciēt in thy trouble For like as gold and siluer are tried in fire euen so are acceptable mē in the fornace of aduersity Beleue in God and he shal helpe thee For righteousnesse take payne with all thy soule and for the truth striue thou vnto death and God shall fyghte for thee against thy enemies Examples out of the olde Testament Abell was cruelly slaine of his brother Cayne whome he neuer offended Ioseph was cast into prison because he woulde not leane to the fy◅thy requeste of his lordes wyfe Moses Aaron and the Israelites were greuously entreated persecuted of King Pharao Saule with great diligence soughte to destroy Dauid Quene Iezabel pursued the Prophete Helias Zachary the sonne of Barachias was stoned to death for telling the king truth Achymeleche with certayne other holy men of god was slaine at king Saules commaundement because he shewed kind nes to Dauid the harty beloued seruant of God Sydrac Misac and Abdenago were cast into a firye fornace because they wouldnot worship the golden Image that king Nabuchodonosor had made but only the God of Israell Daniel was cast into the den of Lions because that contrary to king Darius commaundement he had prayed vnto his Lord God the God of Israel At an other time also he was caste into the den of Lions because he sayde that Bell and the Dragon were no Gods The vertuous and chast woman Susan was at the point to be stoned vnto death because she woulde not breake the commaundement of god and consent to the vn lawfull and filthy requests of the two Elders Eleazarus was miserably put to death because at the kinges commaundemente he woulde not eate swines flesh contrary to the lawe of god A certaine woman also with her vii sonnes were with moste extreme cruelty put to death because they would not obey the wicked precepte of the moste wicked kyng The prophets were vnmercifullye slain because they rebuked synne and taught◅ the wyll of God The most excellent Prophet Esay for his libertye of speach in re◅uking the sins of the princes and of the people and prophe◅iyng of Gods vengeaunce to fall vpō the countrye and people was cut in two partes asunder with a saw and buried vn der an Oke Ieremy after much enprisonment was stoned onto death of his people at Taphu as in Egipc◅ because he warned them of
peace ☞ Sentences out of the new Testament FEare not litle flocke for it is your Fathers plesure to geue you a kingdom Euerlasting life is the gift of God thorow Christe our Lord. Whome god hathe predestinate them hath he also called whome he hath called them also hath he iustified whome he hath iustified them hathe he glorified The eye hath not sene and the eare hath not heard neither hath it entered into the hart of man what thinges god hath prepared for them that loue him By grace are ye saued thorow faith and that not of your selues For it is the gifte of god and commeth not of workes least any man should boast him self God saued vs not for the dedes of righ teousnes whiche we wrought but for hys mercy and louing kindnes God hath geuen vs euerlasting life and this life is in his Sonne he that hathe the Sonne hath life and he that hathe not the Sonne of god hath not life Be faithful vnto the death and I will geue thee the crowne of life To him that ouercoÌ„meth will I geue to sit with me in my seate euen as I ouercame and haue sitten with my father in his seate Examples out of the newe Testament The reuerent auncient father SimeoÌ„ being nothing apalled with y â— remeÌ„brauÌ„ce of his sinnes after he had seene and embra sed Christ in his armes knowinge him to be the alone Sauiour of the world shewed himselfe ready glad and willinge to dye that he might enioy that heauenly enheritance purchased by the same Iesus Christ our Lorde S. Paule being fully perswaded that al his sinnes were washed away in Christes bloud desired to be loosoned from that his mortall body and to be with Christ. Virescit vulnere virtus Geue the glory to god alone Here endeth the Gouernance of vertue ¶ Here followeth certayne godlye prayers for sundry diuers purposes A prayer for the Queenes Maiesty O Lord our heauenly father high and mightye king of kinges lord of Lords the onely ruler of Princes which doest from thy throne behold al y â— dwelllers vpon earth most hartely we besech thee with thy fauour to behold ourâ—… moste gratious soueraigne lady Queene Elizabeth and so replenish her wyth the grace of thy holy spirite that she may alway incline to thy wil and walke in thy way Indue her plentifully with heauenly gifts graunt her in health and wealth long to liue strength her that she maye vanquish ouercom al her enemies And finally y â— after this life she may attayne euerlasting ioy and felicity through Iesus Christ our Lord. Amen A generall confession O Lord God almighty father of mercy and God of all comfort we thy poore creatures resort vnto thee knowledgyng and confessing our selues before thy gloryous maiestye that we are all greuous sinners and can of our selues do nothing but sinne For all our imaginations intentes and thoughts are enclined and disposed vnto euel from our youth vp Our damnation coÌ„meth of our selues wee our selues are not able to thyncke a good thought It is thou onlye that doest worke in vs both the will the dede We are but earth and naturally the children of wrath We of our selues are but vaine yea lighter then vanitie it self We can do nothing without thee theris not one of vs whole we are all vnclene al our rightousnes is but as a filthy cloth We haue no more power to doo good of our selues then a man of Inde hath power to chaunge his skinne or the leoparde her spottes Nowe accordinge to this euell and corrupte inclination of our nature so haue we liued in thoughtâ—… worde and deede We haue finned we haue offended we haue gone backe from thy lawe haue not harkned vnto thy worde We haue not loued thâ—… O Lorde with all our strength with all our heart with all our power We haue bene sore transgressors of thy commaundementes wee haue not putt oure whole truste and confidence onelye in thee Wee haue in oure troubles and neede not soughte for helpe onely in thee We haue not called onely vpon thy name but with false confidence with vaine supersticion and vnlawfull otheâ—… haue we blasphemed thy name We haue prayed and made intercession vnto stockes stones made the creatures oure aduocates mediatours coÌ„trary to thy word We reposed our trust and affiance in our own deedes â–ª and in such workes as haue bene deuised by mens fantasies besides the scripture We haue wandred on vaine pil gremages offering vp mony candels and tapers to Images and reliques with such like supersticion We haue bene slouthful in our busines We haue not bene ferueÌ„t and diligent in doing of our duty Special ly on suche dayes as be appointed for the preaching of thy word we haue not plyed our selues wholly to learne it nor occupied our time in prayer geuing of thanks vnto thee And as touching the loue that we ought to haue vnto all men women for thy sake we haue not bene ernest in it at al times We haue not loued our neigh houre as our selues we haue not done as we would be done vnto we haue bene vngentle vnpacieÌ„t vncurteous froward angry and displeased we haue reioyced in our neighbors hurte and bene sory of his welfare We haue bene led with false doc trine errours from the way of thy truth We haue sinned w t our fathers we haue don amisse we haue delt wickedly therfore our most deare father whiche art in heaueÌ„ forasmuch as we haue blasphemed thee not soughte alway the glory of thy name graunt now that from henceforth thy name may be saÌ„ctified and halowed in vs. Graunt now that thy kingdome maye come and that in steede of sin and errour thou onely maiest raigne in vs graunte now that our wil may be coÌ„formable vnto thine and that in al aduersitie we may be hartely wel content to suffer thy wil to be done in vs. Graunt now that we bee neuer destitute of our daily food but that we may alway be nourished w t thy worde in our soules and haue such a competent liuing in this life as is necessary for our body GrauÌ„t now that we may euen from our heart rootes forgeue one another all maner of trespasse as y â— for Iesu Christes sake thy Sonne haste mercifully forgeâ—… vs. GrauÌ„t now that where the world the deuill and our owne flesh doth dayly tempt and prouoke vs to sin we may thorow thy strength be able to resist all their temptation Graunte nowe that thorow thy helpe and grace we may be deliuered from all euill from all daunger and peryll of soule and body from all synne hel and dampnation from all pryde and enny from all wrathe and slouthfulnes froÌ„ couetousnesse vnmeasurable and filthy lyuing Graunt now that from hence forth we may be content with such fatherly pro uision as thou haste made for vs already graunte now that we may