to god both the pore and riche So the blind led the blind both fel in the diche And of this sort the number was not smal Therfore do I much wonder now at the That thou thignoraunt for witnes wouldest cal In a matter wherin they do nothing se. But yet I wonder lesse I remembre me Sith into learned men ignoraunce hath crept Which did the ignoraunte to that office accept And also where thou sayest that experience Doth teach that selfe loue is so inordinate That taken it can not be in a good sense Thy foly herein thou dost demonstrate For sith man in this must gods word imitate To loue his neighbour as him selfe alwaye Would God man by selfe loue should him disobay Thou hast not yet qd I proued to me How a man and why him selfe he should loue Forsoth that shortly thou shalt here qd she First man must consider how that god aboue Made him to his image this should man moue So to loue him selfe that with filthinesse He should not spot him selfe made to his likenesse Also in mans heart this must be inrolde How that he being lost by Adams fall Was bought againe neither with siluer nor golde But with the precious bloud of Christ most royal For this ought man to his minde to call How he should to Christ do great iniurie To defraude him of that he bought so dearely Againe after his bitter passion In his graue dead thre dayes his body lay And then man for thy iustification Triumphantly he rose on the third day And then vnto heauen for thee to make away When of his heauēly doctrine he had made an ende Miraculously to heauen he did ascende Then cal to minde how god hath made thee A membre here of his bodie mysticall ▪ Oh what feare and shame vnto the shoulde be When Christ in his glory shal come to iudge all If thou by sinne here from his mercie fall His woundes thou shalt see then freshly bleding If thou be in sinne to thy condemning For then shal the boke of thy conscience Be opened before thy face so playne Thou shalt nede then none other euidence But wishe that thou mihgtest presently be slayne Which can not be but in eternal payne Thou shalt euer die and neuer be dead Because thou diddest fal frō Iesu Christ thy head Al this considered that I haue sayde here How much art thou bound to haue a respect Such a loue towardes thyne owne soule to beare That with filthy sinne thou do it not infect Onlesse at the iudgement God do it reiect With these terrible wordes which he shal say Go thou cursed auoide fro me away But if thou folow the wise mans counsel That is on thyne owne soule to haue mercie If thy flesh against the spirite doth rebel Do not thy loue vnto thy flesh applie But sith that thy soule shall neuer die Loue so thy fleash that thou mayst be sure Soule and flesh together in heauen may endure Oh what ioyful voyce to the shall it be When Christ shal say at the iudgement general Al ye my blessed children come to me And inherite ye the ioyes eternal Prepared for you before the worlde 's al To this ende must man loue him selfe I say That he may with Christ raigne in ioy alway For to that ende God did man only create And in good workes here his life for to spende Which if he do not his soule he doth hate And that very nature doth reprehende Therfore to my counsel do thou attende ▪ Loue so thy selfe thy loue be not in vayne So shal thy loue truly turne to the agayne Loue louingly as loue doth the binde Loue God louingly as the lord of al. Loue louingly thy selfe as he hath assinde Loue louingly thy soule as the principall Loue so thy flesh it make not thy soule thrall Unto deadly sinne by thy wilfulnesse Loue louingly the life which is endlesse By loue thou shalt gods commaundemēt fulfyl By loue our lorde in thy heart shal raygne By loue al wicked thoughtes thou shalt kyl By loue thou shalt auoyde thinfernal payne By loue for gods seruāt thou shalt be knowē plaine By loue that orderly from god doth procede So loue thy selfe as that loue doth lede In loue to thy selfe kepe this order true Then in loue to thy selfe thou shalt not erre In loue to thy selfe do thy fleash subdue Then loue to thy selfe thou dost wel preferre And dost loue thy selfe in a right order And where as selfe loue is not on this rate Man loues not him selfe but doth him selfe hate Now I se qd I how I was begilde Selfe loue may please our lorde very wel Then sith that qd she is from the exilde I nede no more therof to the to tel And god graunt that no man do this loue repel Amen qd I and graunt me that I may Imbrace this loue to mine ending day ¶ Here foloweth the loue that man ought to haue to man THus hast thou heard nowe briefely qd she Of the loue of God whiche he shewed to man And also of the loue which in man shoulde be Towardes his owne selfe as nature doth scan Now remaineth to shew shortly as I can Of the loue that man vnto man doth owe As nature doth wyl naturally to growe First for an entraunce I wyl beginne How god did worke in mans creation In making him pure and cleane without sinne Hauing in him none euyl cogitation Tyl the deuil by his subtile temptation Caused man against our lord to offende Wherby god his iustice to man did extende Then was man driuen out of paradise The worlde for to increase and multiplie Where God after by natures exercise Gaue him children which indifferently Were like to him selfe proporcionally Wherby I note that god would by this thing That man to his like should euer be louing That rule of nature did sone ende qd I For as the boke of Genesis doth tel Though Adam had children like him selfe truly In proporcion yet from loue one fel I meane Caine which slew his brother Abel And what enuie wrought in other beside In the same boke may easely be tride Therfore I say though God did ordayne That man should bring furth by generation Man like to him selfe because loue should raygne Betwene mankinde without mutation Sith breach of this loue we se probation Was betwene brethren in the beginning Your rule failes therfore fal must your building This hath qd she some apperaunce in dede As though this foundation were not sure But yet in Genesis yf thou doest reade Though Cayne wickedly agaynst nature Slew his brother wherby he did procure The curse of God to him and hys progeny Al Adams children were not curst therby For Adam had children which vertuous were On whose line Christ did naturally descende Therfore al those that any malice beare Towardes their neighbours do
like extende Also Salomon doth geue this precept Honour thou the Phisition sayth he Ought not this precept more to be kept To those that of your soules the Phisitions be Therfore to ende this loue here I do wyl the If thou wilt not resist gods ordinaunce Loue those that of thy soule hath gouernaunce Now to knit vp with a worde or twayne Of the loue that one man to another owes It must be such a loue no man may disdayne Him that is his like as the scripture showes Be he riche or pore charitie thus growes She hath no respect of persons at al Nor fro patience she doth neuer fal By the bande of charite al men are knit To make truly one body mysticall No deformitie ought to be in it Christ being head ought to rule the bodie al The hande to hurt the fote is vnnatural Or the fote thoffice of the hande to take A deformitie in the bodie doth make But when eche membre duely doth attende Unto his office as S. Paul doth say The bodie shal encrease and in welth amende If one membre bring not another to decay Which in this realme it hath done many a day Because charitie with them hath no place From their head Christ thi can receyue no grace The middle part of this body mystical I take to be noble men of eche degre As lordes knightes squiers being principal Under the head which enuironed be With armes handes legges fete as thou dost se The head and middle partes to serue and obay In order as God hath appoynted alway By armes handes legges fete I vnderstand Al the common sort eche in his exercise Some on the water and some on the lande For the bodies welth as their callinges lies The noble man should not vse merchaundise The lord nor knight no fermer shoulde be In the bodie that is a deformitie The merchauÌ„t ought not wode and coles to sel Neither to take fermes into his handes But liue by merchandise as his calling fel So al landed men should liue on their landes For sence they fel to this common welth standes In an euil case and the cause is why Eche man his owne calling doth not applie How chaunceth it qd I that thou dost now Shew causes of the common welthes decay Which before to me thou wouldest not auow To poynt meanes to mende it qd she I did say I left to wise men but here by the way Because where loue is coÌ„mon wealth doth raygne Which sith it is decayed loue is gone plaine I pray God qd I mende al thinges amisse And that eche man may loue other louingly In dede qd she so gods commaundement is For to Christ your head ye are knit therby And by the lacke therof as I before did trie Ye are deuided from Christ therfore I say Labour for loue that dwel in Christ ye may Then loue by loue man shal of God obtayne For loue by loue doth knit al men in one Then loue by loue auoydeth all disdayne And loue by loue in loue is not alone For loue by loue briÌ„geth loue wher loue was none So loue by loue fulfylleth gods precept Then loue louingly of all men must be kept Now as thou hast hard before thiÌ„ke on gods great loue Fyrst for that he made the to his owne likenesse Of his owne good wyll nothing did him moue But onely his loue whiche he did expresse After suche a sorte thy selfe can wytnesse Otherwyse thou knowst he mought haue made the Geue him prayse therfore as most mete shal be Yet notwithstanding this thy creation It had been a profite to the very smal For thou wast made the childe of damnacion By the synne of Adam when he did fall But God spared not his sonne natural To dye for synne as I proue before Therfore geue thankes to him for euermore Then in loue to thy selfe haue euer a respecte Remembryng what a shame for the shal be Beyng made like to God that image to infecte And thynke how with his bloud he did redeme the Then in loue to thy selfe let it so agre In an order to God and him not forget Then loue to thy selfe ryghtly thou dost set Then last of all as I haue declarde When loue to thy selfe thou hast placed right To thy neighbour by that rule thou shalt awarde True loue louyngly pleasaunt in Gods sight So shalt thou shewe thy selfe the chylde of light Hauyng that loue whiche accords to Gods wyll Wherin and whereby thou shalt Gods lawe fulfyll Nowe qd she I haue fulfylde my purpose Taking occasion as thou didest heare Of Gemini the signe whiche doth man dispose To natural loue and that thou couldest not beare Thou thoughtest suche fylthynesse in it to appeare That no good matter made theron could be But nowe thou seest thy foly as I tolde the. Truth it is qd I nowe I see it well Then wryte it qd she if thou wylt take payne I am content qd I though I my foly tell Syth that it may turne to my neighbours gayne Then farewell qd she tyll we mete againe With that she toke hâ—r flight I sawe her nomore Then I went wrote all as ye heard before Finis Imprinted at London by Robert Caly within the precinct of the late dissolued house of the gray Freers nowe conuerted to an Hospital called Christes hospital Loue is an affection of mans heart which works to diuers affectes as mans wyll doth applie it Charite caÌ„ not be taken in an euyll sense The loue that God hath plaÌ„ted in maÌ„s hart by nature sith he is a reasonable creature Certayne heatheÌ„ chaÌ„pions Certayne heathen philosophers Iohn x. Thoâ—â—â— hethen philosophers would not flatter The naturall loue in maÌ„ is a gift of god indifferent to all men The order of gods precept in loue geuen to man There is no charitie without fayth Howe can they call on him on whoÌ„ they do not beleue to 〈◊〉 The great loue of god to man iÌ„ creating heaueÌ„ and earth all creatures for man The loue of god to maÌ„ iÌ„ his creation The loue of god for that he sent hys son for maÌ„s sake to die Howe man excelleth angels in nature Iohn vi Thinstitution of the sacrameÌ„t of the aulter wherein is shewed the loue of christ in geuynge vs his flesh to eate Iohn vi The loue of Christe shewed to man in his redeÌ„ption Iohn xv Prou. xxiii Thinordinate loue of man to him selfe Math. x â–ª Man by nature muste loue hiÌ„ selfe To take witnesse of experieÌ„ce iÌ„ tyme paste is to take witnes of ignorantes in matters of faith Howe faith is faith and no fayth â— Pet. â— matth 25. Roma x. thei taught that if a maÌ„ once fell in deadly siÌ„ne he losse his faith which is agaiÌ„st the scripture as here is proued so is the opinion of onely faith to iustifye c. Iames. â— Ignoraunt techers thei woulde bee doctours of the law and yet vnderstoode not what they spake neyther wherof thei affirmed i. Timo. i. Luc. vi Why man should loue hym selfe how i. Peter i. matthe 28. Luc. 24. mark xvi i. Cor. 10. math xxv Matthe 25. Eccle â–ª 30. Math. 25. â— Timo. 2. He that loues iniquitie hateth his soule Psalm xi Roma xiii i. Iohn iiii i. Cor. xiii Prouer. x. i. Pet. 4. Iohn xiii Gene. ii Gene. iii. Gene. iiii Gene. iiii Ibidem Gene. 4. .5 Roma ix Ozee ii Roma xi Psal. 118. math xxi Rom. 2. 3. Roma ix i. Cor. x. i. Tes. iiij Iames. 2. Roma viii Hebre. xiii Luc. xix matth 25 â–ª The ê“sperite of the coÌ„mons is the kinges honour but the decay of the people is the confâ—â—â—on of the prince Prouer. 1â— â–ª The loue of god shewed to vs by our noble quene in forgeuiÌ„g vs that we might haue lawfully taken whiche is a rare thing The loue of our queue iÌ„ restoring vs to the churche againe â— Peter iiii Catholike kinges make no martyrs by ê“secutioÌ„ Roma xiii i. Reg. 8. .9 math vii They are cursed children whiche haue forsakeÌ„ the right waye â— Peter 2. Matthe 12. Eccle. x. 1. Reg. 15. The loue of a pastour to his flocke matthe xi matthe v. 2. Timo â—â— i. Peter â— Actes xx i. Cor. ix Iere. xxiiâ— Ye haue eaâ—teÌ„ of the fac and clothed you with the wolle but the flocke ye haue not fedde c Iohn xxi Iohn x. Ezech. iii. The repentaunce of some of our weddid preistes would god that I did lye in this saiyng Matth. 27. Iohn xxi I haue not seÌ„t these prophetes saith our lord yet thei ran I haue not spokeÌ„ to theÌ„ and yet they preached c. Iere. xxiii Luce. 16. The loue of the flocke to the pastour i. Timo. 5. Gene. ix The charite of Constantine the great The practise of the ArriaÌ„s against Athanasius when learning would not serue Oure sacrameÌ„taries caÌ„ lie as the Arrians did malach iii. Leui. xviii i. Corin. ix Eccle. 38. Of the loue that eche maÌ„ owes to other generallye Eccle. xiii Iames. â— Leui. xix i. Cor. xiii Ezech. iiii Roma xii i. Cor. xii i. Iohn iii Hereby is the order of charitie broken whiche S. Paule reproueth Roma xii i. Corin. xii Ephe. iiii Ephe. iiii i. Iohn iii. i Iohn xiiii i. Cor. xiii Roma xii i. Timo i. A short recitall of the three loues beforâ— entreated
by their actes is playnly exprest By my trouth qd I I iudge the same Of al men with such men I cannot away A dissemblyng man is worthy of shame But here in dede deceyue the worlde he maye Yet shal he not deceyue God I dare saye Nor can not qd she for God doth see all But now agayne to our purpose to fall I thought qd I thou haddest forgot it cleane Nay qd she though I made a digression Thy foly as I did saye shal be seene In concluding with such a fonde question Thou thinkest that there is no condition Betwene the loue of a true christian And the loue proceding from a pagan In dede to speake of the loue natural The gift of God to both is indifferent But I thinke these Pagans loues would appal Many Christians at this time present For the vse of loue standes in mans consent Who loues his neighbours that such paines wil take Now to shed his bloud for cōmon welthes sake In that poynt qd I they kepe Gods precept And then as I did saye I maye conclude That those men sith they Gods wyl therin kept Out of the right loue thou canst them not exclude And then I saye further I am not so rude As thou wouldest make me sith thou dost graunt The same thing for which thou gauest me a taunt Thou farest qd she as some do at this daye In answering before thou dost vnderstande And one thing more here to the I wyl say As heretikes hath scripture falsely skande In taking a patch as came to their hande And leuing the rest their errours to frame So to defend thy foly thou dost the same Thou must marke thorder of gods commaundement Thou shalt loue thy lord god saith he aboue al thīg That loue hath first place as most excellent Then thy neighbour as thy selfe according So loue to thy selfe fro the first loue doth spring And then to thy neighbour in order ryght This pleaseth our lord wrought by any wyght Then those that I named before qd I Louing their neighbours as they did expresse Did wel please our lord thou canst not denie As the stories playne do beare them witnesse Nay soft qd she I ment nothing lesse For pagans wanting the light of all grace The true loue of god with them had no place Than lacking that loue for lacke of true fayth Their loue to please god coulde neuer attaine For as I did saye and as scripture sayth True order in loue al men must kepe playne Or els al our workes our lord doth disdayne They must first loue God as I did the show Which they coulde not do which do not god know I am in this qd I wel satisfied But alas one thing I do much lament That we confessing Christ deified Do from god further in our workes dissent Then did these Pagans we se euident All vertue they did not only commende But studied their liues in vertue to ende The cause is qd she mans forgetfulnesse Of the benefites which God for him wrought As first the great loue that he did expresse Making heauen and earth all thīges of nought For mans behoufe therfore how much he ought To geue thankes to God what tonge can declare Yet in respect of other these the least are Oh wonderful loue that God shewed to man That being in glorie vnspeakeable Before al worldes were yet would vouchsafe than To create the heauen by power i◠effable With thorders of angels to be seruisable Honouring him as thonly lord and kyng Aboue his creatures for euer raignyng This talke qd I passeth my capacitie I pray the of this let me no more heare I confesse it doth so in dede qd she But this much may we talke with reuerent feare Sith no curiosite in it doth appeare But to thee the loue of God to expresse Proceding from him selfe by his owne goodnes But of such high matter to make an ende I wyl come lower and vnto the tell How mercifully his loue did extende When angels by their pride out of heauen fell He made man al his creatures to excell And the place of angels for to supplie In nature higher he did him dignifie Was man qd I higher in his nature Then angels were in their creation In substaunce qd she he was not so pure For out of the earth God did him facion A grosse substaunce thou seest probation Where angel is a substaunce spiritual But in soule man is to angel equal Yf betwene them qd I be equalitie How is man higher in his nature than In that appeared Gods great loue qd she That he of his goodnes shewde vnto man When man from God by his owne foly ran And folowing his lust was disobedient He lost Gods fauour therby continent And so became the childe of damnation Prepared as it were vnto hel fire Then God of his owne mere inclination Which doth not the death of sinners require Shewde so great a loue y t there could be no higher Though man was become Gods vtter enemie He sent his only sonne for mans fault to die And not the like death that killeth al mankinde Whiche is as we say gods visitation But the most shameful death that could be assinde By wicked tyrauntes imagination Which was on the crosse to suffer passion Hauing his body al to torne and rent Not one droppe of bloud he spared vnspent But to our purpose agayne to come nere To show how man was brought to high estate Aboue al angels that loue did appeare When gods sonne was first for man incarnate In the virgins wombe neuer to separate By which coniunction mankinde did attayne In nature aboue all angels to raygne Yet though our nature was in Christ qd I Knit to the godhead in perfect vnitie It foloweth not that al mankinde therby Should aboue angels in his nature be Yes it doth folow I wyl proue qd she When the time was come as god had decreed That Christ should suffer man to heauen to leed His exceding loue to his church to showe Because that he would the figures fulfyl Both of Melchizedech as thou dost knowe And of the paschal lambe which the Iewes did kil He showd his disciples the great good wil That he had the pascal with them to eate Because he would place a more heauenly meate Which he had promised to them before Saying the bread that I wyll geue truly Is mine owne fleshe and then furthermore Which for the life of the world I wil geue to die And he that doth eate my flesh fruitfully I in him and he in me truely shal dwel By this mans nature doth angels excel This promise he perfourmed styl to endure Untyl his comming to the great iudgement When he toke bread into his hande so pure Speaking these wordes with a louing intent Take ye and eate yet there he did not stent But said this is my body which geuē for you shal be Oh most tender
with Cayn affeÌ„de And of his line I take them to depende But those which are knit in one by charitie Of the line of Christ I take al such to be Thou knowest qd I we are but gentiles borne That is true qd she mary then qd I Out of Gods fauour al vs thou hast worne For Gentiles did liue in Idolatry And Gods people they hated vtterly Belike then al we descended from Cayne I like not that sequele by god I tel the playne Thou harpest so qd she on ignoraunce stringes That in wisdoms melodie thou felest no tast Yet thou wouldest appeare to know many thinges As many haue done which learning defaste Yet for high preachers in pulpittes were plaste But thine ignoraunce in a worde or twayne I intende here to set before the playne The Iewes thou knowest were gods only elect And he their god by promise to them made Which for their desertes he after reiecte And Paul that to proue profoundly doth wade Where as he doth the Romains persuade Not to be proude lest from God they fal Sith they were planted braunches vnnatural And Christ is called the head corner stone Which Iewes and Gentiles together did knit In building his church he made them both one Without any respect to them had in it He made them his children that is to wit By adoption though of Abrahams sede After the flesh they were not in dede But by fayth in Christ God indifferently Is father to al which do him professe Then are ye al brethren by this conclude I That loue ech to other ye ought to expresse Without respect of persons sith Gods goodnesse As his owne children doth accept you all Fro the band of loue ye ought not to fall In this qd I thou hast sayd very well Forth in thy purpose I pray the procede Mary before qd she as I did the tell Sith no respect of persons is with god in dede But that by fayth in Christ al men he doth lede Into such vnitie of brotherhode That before him is none acception of bloude Yet kinges and princes qd I I haue heard say Shal be in much higher reputation Before our lorde God at the latter daye Then those whiche had no suche gubernation That saying qd she is ment on this facion To those that most is geuen most wil god requier Who would then qd I goueraunce desier Yes qd she that doth with vertue wel agre For those that God doth to aucthoritie call So godly in that their liuing maye be That higher glory in heauen haue they shall But and if that from godlinesse they fall Deper damnation shall they haue in hell Then shal the begger that in like offense fell But now shortly to touche the loue that a king Ought to his subiectes euer to haue Chiefely he must before eche other thing Se that gods honour he do not depraue For therby him selfe and his he shal saue Contrary where God is not honoured right Thonour of that king shal faile in Gods sight The loue of a prince ought such loue to be Towardes his subiectes that aboue al thing None euyl example in him they should se Lest to like offense he do his people bring Therfore as Tully doth say in writing A ruler offends more in gods presence By euil example then by his offense Also the wise man Salomon doth say The state of a king in his people doth stande Wherby he doth wyl that a kyng alway Must them maintaine for defense of his lande Which if common wealth be not truly skande His subiectes decay then what doth ensue Right â—onâ— his enemies may him subdue Common welth hath been qd I skand in dede But I se common wealth litle amende I pray the if corne be ouergrowen with wede What would it helpe that many wordes to spende In talking therof if no man extende His helping hand the same wedes out to roote The talking therof thou seest would litle boote Trueth qd she I know wel thine entent But I trust that god wyl so worke by his grace That if the people would hold them content And obediently gods lawe imbrace Such a commoÌ„ welth god in this realme wil place That the king quene in studies wil not cease Tholde yeomanry of England againe to encrease That is the thing qd I that al men do craue For in them the welth of the realme doth rest Sence couetousnes did them depraue As we haue sene here ouer much exprest What welth we had to speake in ernest We haue bene so longe wrapt in misery That to discerne wealth we can not scarsely Lo man beholde thine owne madnesse qd she In what misery thou knowest thou hast bene Yet when god sent a noble queene to thee To ridde the out of that misery clene Shortly such madnes in the was sene Thou neither regardest thy bodely welth Nor yet before God thine owne soule helth Which hereafter in place conuenient Manifestly to the I wyll declare With that qd I I am wel content But me thinke thou hast left this matter bare Thou tellest not what would ridde me out of care Touching the lacke of common welth thus gone No for wise men qd she I let that alone But touching the loue shewde here by your quene Hath bene expressed to you in suche sort That the like in England hath not bene sene As to your cronicles yf you resort Tel me if they any such loue report That a king hath forgeueÌ„ that was his own right As her grace hath done which now ye set light No more of that qd I wherfore qd she Trowest thou qd I that I wyl report this Then for a flatterer taken I shoulde be Which is a vice that I hate moste ywis Therfore in vayne by the that spoken is Yf thou wilt not qd she another shall I passe not qd I so I medle not withal If thou dost not qd she it wyl be confest Of al such as be louing subiectes true For by reporting trueth I haue not transgrest Sith I speake it thunkindnesse to subdue Of al those which rayseth false rumours new Using vayne wordes not mete to be spoken Whereby they show al benefites forgotten But yet the chiefe loue by your quene declarde To you her subiectes as ye knowe it al WheÌ„ you wer quite out of Christes church debarde By your wicked errours most scismatical God which your iust quene to the crowne did cal By her meane to the church doth you restore Yet scarsly ye do geue god thankes therfore This loue of your quene example may be What loue al kinges to their subiectes should show Thou flatterest so qd I that beleue me If I in writing should this abrode blow Such a fame therof towardes me would grow That I should haue a great cause to be proude Therfore by me it shal not be auoude If not qd she yet thou canst not denie But that it is most true that I