sinceritie the which is ioyned to an obedience due to the pure worde of the LORD Such hath bene and is yet at this day the custome and manner of those which doe tourne all things into the euil euen as did of late the Iewes who seeing that Iesus Christ healed him which was possessed with a Diuell sayd that he driueth the Diuels no otherwise out but through Beelzebub the prince of the Diuels And then as he magnified and declared his mercy in the conuersion of sinners murmured and sayde within themselues that he was the friende of publicans sinners and harlots yea they cryed with a loude voice beholde a glutton and drincker of wine a friende vnto publicans and sinners To be short when hée declared the kingdome of GOD his father and that hée did miracles his owne rebuked him and sayd that hée was madde and besides himselfe The which also was afterwardes obiected against Sainct Paul by Festus then bicause he declared the Christ shoulde suffer and that he shoulde bée the first that should rise from the dead and should shewe light vnto the people and to the Gentiles And as he thus aunswered for himselfe Festus sayde with a loude voyce Paul thou art besides thy selfe much learning doth make thée madde Héerein wée sufficiently declare what we be I meane but of small charitie when the thinges the which ought to moue vs to pitie and compassion doe incitate and pricke vs forwarde to a more greater crueltie and in humanitie The which I will more at large declare by a familier example One can not denie that the right of burying among the christians but that it is a worke verie charitable and pitifull for the which Tobiah is greatly praysed in the holy scripture and in whose fauour the Iabanites were greatly agréeable vnto king Dauyd for the burying of the bodie of Saul Insomuch that the olde lawe would not suffer the the bodies of those which were put to death by authoritie shoulde abide any long time hanging vppon the gybet But it would that they should be incontinently taken downe and buried And neuerthelesse a man shall finde at this daye among the christians so much vnkindnesse and vngentlenesse that they are not content to haue put to death their neighboures without the leaue of the Magistrate and authoritie of the Iustice But they exercise towardes their bodies of cruelties more then Barbarous or Sithian the which of late the kingly Prophet Dauyd lamented of his people when he sayd the dead bodies of thy seruauntes haue they giuen vnto the foules of the ayre to be deuoured and the flesh of thy Sainctes vnto the beastes of the lande Their bloud haue they shed like water on euery side of Hierusalem there was no man to burie theÌ„ Furthermore I would willingly demauÌ„d if it be not a work of pitie or loue to burie a dead bodie What crueltie is that to rage on a dead bodie if he bée cast into the fire as sayth Sainct Augustine which hath not giuen meate vnto the néedie where shall he be sent which shall steale the breade of the poore if hée which hath not clothed the poore be put into eternall punishment where shall he be placed which shall spoile the poore of his raiment if hée be dampned with the diuell who harboured not the wayfaring man and the trauailer where shall hée become which hath pilled and deuoured the house of the trauayler Finally if hee ought to perish which hath not visited them that are in prison what shall one doe with him which hath wrongfully imprisoned them Beholde my brethren saith that good man what hope can they haue which doe euill when they are dampned and cast into euerlasting fire which doe no good What shal I say in this matter woe be vnto mée If I do not speake it if an hâ—athen Poet named Ampedocles hath written that all things were established and kept by amitie As also an other Historigrapher hath taught that through concorde and amitie little thinges become great And greate thinges through discorde and enmitie do come to decay and perish According to the same which our Lorde Iesus Christ doth witnesse the euery kingdome deuided against it selfe is desolate and a house deuided against it selfe falleth Insomuch by this marke the LORD doth knowe his true desciples forasmuch as they haue â–ª peace and loue one to an other how much is the charitie or loue of the true Christians to be praysed by the which not onely humaine thinges are kept but all thinges are reconciled to GOD through Iesus Christ The which hath moued Salomon to saye that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hel Hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the lord And although that that loue be agréeable vnto God and men yet truely such are the debates and diuisions amonge the christians insomuch that it should séeme that we are come to the time of which the Prophet Micheas speaketh off saying There is not a godly man vppon the earth there is not one righteous amonge men They laboure all to shedde bloode and euery man hunteth his brother to death yet they say they doe well when they doe euill As the Prince will so saith the Iudge that hée may doe him a pleasure againe The great man speaketh what his heart desireth and the hearers allowe him The best of them is but as a thistle the most righteous of them is but as a brier in the hedge And doe giue none eare vnto the voyce of him which sayth that if wee bite and deuoure one an other Let vs take héede that we be not consumed one of another Wherfore forasmuch as it is so that this commaundement is so much commended off in the holy Scripture as Iesus Christ himselfe doth call it a newe commaundement sometime also he calleth it his commaundement And the Apostle Sainct Paul doth call it the bonde of perfection saying let vs forbeare one an other and forgiue one an other if any man haue a quarell to an other Euen as Christ hath forgiuen vs euen so doe wée And aboue all these thinges put on loue which is the bonde of perfectnesse and the peace of GOD rule in our heartes to the which peace wée are called in one bodie of our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer and euer So bée it 1. Iohn 4. c. 16. ¶ God is loue and he that dwelleth in loue dwelleth in God and GOD in him and this commaundement haue wee of God that he which loueth God should loue his brother also Beloued let vs loue the one the other for loue commeth of god euerie one that loueth is borne of GOD and knoweth god He that loueth not knoweth not God for God is loue Psalme 41. d. ¶ Blessed is he that considereth the poore the Lord shall deliuer him in the time of trouble A Prayer O Lord which hast sayde by the
vs besides the saying of the Painim that through concord amitie little things become great the great doo perish It is most certeine true that the assuraunce of a kingdome consisteth not onely in an armie or number of people no more then-the force of a king in his royal scepter But in the amitie and obedience that his subiectes doe owe vnto him And verie well the historiographer saith when he did write that sport or pleasure is not durable wherein one is established and set in by swoord According to that another doth teach that those doe abuse themselues greatlie which doe thincke better to assure the realme by force then by amitie Euen so Theopompus béeing asked how a king may easelie kéepe a kingdome aunswered if he doe suffer his friendes to speake fréelie of laweful things And that he doe right and iustice vnto those which are wicked and euill For he which is much feared cannot choose but that he haue many enimies For as it is conteined in a common prouerbe men doe hate willingly those whom they doe feare and they doe desire gladlie the death of him whom they hate We must conclude that the most rediest meanes for to kéepe a realme is to kéepe the people vnder his obedience by gentlenesse and amitie According as Salomon doth write That mercie and faithfulnesse preserue the king and with louing kindnesse his seate is holden vp Furthermore I will not occupie my minde to search the examples of prophane histories All men doe knowe very well howe the kingdomes of Dauyd and Salomon his sonne haue prospered in respect of those of Pharao Saul and Nabuchodonosor As the Lord doth witnesse vnto vs of Saul that he hath giuen him in his wrath and in his displeasure will take him awaye agayne But as that is not mercy to desire one so great gentlenes bicause that mercy ought to gouerne hir selfe with all righteousnesse equitie and iustice Forasmuch as with true iudgement the king setteth vp the lande and the Lorde doth establish the seate of him which doth iudge the poore in vertue To conclude that the scepter of the kingdome of GOD is a right scepter To bee shorte as he which sitteth in the iudgement seate ought not to bee much enflamed and moued against these which are wicked or to weepe with the people that are gréeued or afflicted But to iudge with all vprightnesse without béeing affectioned through too much clemencie or rigorousnesse Also a vertuous and stout prince ought not indiscretly to repute for his friendes all those which do offer themselues sodeinly to his friendship But to consider diligently vnder what condition they do bear him fauoure That is the cause wherefore Isocrates Amonge other precepts that he did write vnto a Prince did commende vnto him three thinges aboue all others First that he would not repute for faithfull all those which do praise or allowe al that that he sayth or doth But those which doe rebuke him when he hath fayled Secondly that he would seperate those which doe flatter him by some kinde of deceipt from amonge them which doe honoure him by amitie Least that the condition of the wicked should be better then that of the good people Finally that he doe permitte and suffer the prudent and sage people to speake vnto him fréely to the ende that he may haue people which may aunswere to the purpose and satisfie him And truely that great orator of the Latines hath very well sayd that wée must first iudge before that we loue For that there are some men which doe loue a great deale better the body then the soule and doe not seeke but to fulfill their desire For the true friende as sayth Plutarch doth not followe all things but the thinges good and honest That is the cause wherfore a vertuous prince ought to be prudent euen to discerne and iudge of men to the ende not to beléeue too lightly all those which doe cal euill good and good euill which make darkenesse light and light darkenesse that make sower swéete swéete sower which doe sow pillowes vnder al arme holes and bolsters vnder the heades both of younge and olde to catch soules withall For as Quintus Curtius sayth That flattery is a pernitious thing and an ordinarie euill of kings by which their riches are sooner wasted then by the enimie I will content my selfe at this time with the example of Ieroboam who refusing to comfort his people according as hee was taught of the elders was the cause of the diuision and ruine of his kingdome And I will not make mencion of king Achab who for that he beléeued more the voice of the false prophets then the holesome admonitions and warnings of Micheah doth let all christian Princes vnderstand what it is to beléeue the counsaile of the good As often times it chaunceth bicause we receiued not the loue of the truth that we might be saued God shall send vs strong delusion for to beleeue lyes euen as Iob doth wryte that the Lorde chaungeth the heart of the princes and kings of the earth and disapointeth them So that they goe wandering out of the way and grope in the darke without ltght staggering to and fro lyke dronken men And Dauyd doth declare that the same Lord doth make the princes hatefull and doth let them wander out of the way in the wildernesse The which ought to serue for the christian princes chiefly for to kéepe their subiectes in their obedience rather by gentlenesse and amitie then by seueritie and cruelnesse The example is manifest of Denys the tyraunt of whom Cicero speaking off sayth that he was shutte into a merueilous prison fearing very much his subiectes for the crueltie that he vsed towardes them I will not rehearse the common saying of the Emperour Anthonius Pius that is to say that he loued rather to keepe one of his Citizens then to kil a thousand of his enimies I doe leaue willingly the sentence of Silla surnamed the happie which aboue all his prowesses did aduaunce him selfe of two thinges I doe meane of the amitie of Pius Metellus and for that hee did not destroye the Citie of Athens but did spare it As also Salust speking of the aūcient wals of the Citie of Rome doth write that the Romaines were become great puissant bicause they pardoned their enimies I wil ende this matter by the sentence of Agesilaus king of the Lacedemonians warning oftētimes his souldiers not to wrong and hurt those that they dyd take as people vniust But to kéepe them and acknowledge them as men If then the Painims and heathen men haue vsed such gentlenesse and humanitie towardes their enimies shall the christian princes vse crueltie towardes their subiectes If that one ought to kéepe faith among the straungers as we doe reade of Marius Regulus who loued
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
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
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
veritie of the christian doctrin as it is said that there must be euen heresies among vs that they whiche are perfect among vs might be knowen By that meanes we will not here denie but that alwayes ther hath ben some smal contention in the doctrine as it appeared that for the same cause was the counsell of the Apostles assembled together To conclude the scripture doth declare the difference whiche was offered betwene Peter and Paul Apostles And the Christian histories doe make mention of some little controuersies concerning the doing of the religion betwéene Peter Alexandrinus and Myletus Epiphanius and Chrisostome Hierome Augustine but we do exhort the Christians not to abuse the giftes of GOD through vaine glorie or contention for to be séene and estéemed the one aboue the other On the other side to humble them selues vnder the wisedome of him which hath saide that he hath not determined with himselfe to knowe any other thing saue Iesus Christe and him crucified And in an other place of the same Epistle he saith be assured that the kindome of God is not in words but in the power of the spirit Nowe the remedie helpe in such differences as Cyprian saith is to haue recourse to the beginning of Iesus Christ and of his gospel to the tradition of the Apostles To the end that from thence may rise and come foorth the reason of our doing whereof the order hath taken his beginning For inasmuch as Iesus Christ ought to be heard aboue all we ought not to consider that which some haue done before vs But that which Iesus Christ hath done obserued which is before all Insomuch that we must cast all the counsailes opinions definitions of men vnto the holy scriptures and in the to depose put downe all hautinesse arrogancie and enuious contencion and where it shal happen that the holy scripture hath nothing concluded determined In that case they ought to follow the manner and fashion of the most auncient Churches with whom the Apostles haue bene conuersant To conclude when the tradition of the apostles do faile they must beléeue the tradition of the churches which haue bene ruled and gouerned be the disciples and successours of the Apostles or those which haue had charge of them beholde how they ought to resolue the doubtes cōtrouersies which are in the Churches rather then by vaine disputations and vnprofitable contentions which do serue to none other end but to engender strifes And it maketh me afraide howe that in these latter dayes for the ignoraunce and calamitie of the time they haue thought to declare and expounde the darke places of the scripture and the debates moued in the Churche by questions of naturall Philosophie rather then by the scripture rightly vnderstanded and applied vnto his true sense Also Sainct Paule doeth admonishe and warne vs to beware least any man come and spoile vs through Philosophie and deceitfull vanitie through the traditions of men according to the ordinaunces of the worlde not after Christ Also sithens the Apostles Tertulian an auncient authour hath called the Philosophers the patriarkes of heriticks Also Saint Hierome hath confessed that the opinions of heritickes are founde amonge the subtilties of Aristotle and of Crisippus I will content my selfe at this time with the witnesse of a certeine Philosopher whereof mention is made in the counsaile of Nyce who being wonne and brought to the christian religion yea without any kinde of disputation by a poore simple and foolish man as the texte saith and being asked how the same was happened vnto him forasmuch as before the most learned men of the counsaile could not vāquish ouercome him by disputations and naturall philosophie aunswered that as long as they did speake against him by subtiltie of reasones he knewe verie well to aunswere to the arguments of his aduersaries by the same meanes But when the vertue was manifested vnto him by the mouth of him which hath pronounced it the words could not resist vertue nor man coulde speake against God. The same doth learne vs first of all to submitte our selues vnto the auncient church and best reformed as it is saide in Sainct Iohn my shepe heare my voice Secondly not to do any thing through enuie contention or vaine glorie but to beare with a patient minde one an other in all méekenesse and humilitie Thirdly not to presume so much that they would applie and referre the christian doctrine or rule the doing of our religion to mannes philosophie but to bring it againe to the true beginning and originall of the Scripture and to the traduction of Iesus Christe and of his successours Finally to beléeue that although that the slaunders and herisies doe come and happen vnto the church as well for the aduauncement of Gods glorie as for to proue and trie the true faithful christians yet truely he which is the causer thereof shall beare the condemnation Wherfore inasmuch as the scripture doth teach vs that the multitude of them that beléeued in the primatiue church were of one heart and of one soule that from thence we haue taken the beginning of our religion and doctrine going about and endeuouringe our selues as much as in vs is possible and according to the portion and measure of the giftes and graces which we haue receiued of the Lorde to make our selues agréeable confirmable to that auncient church insomuch that we being all of one minde may liue in peace and loue in the which we are called and the God of loue and peace shal be with vs Amen GALATH. 5. c. If we doe bite and deuoure one another let vs take heed least we be consumed one off another A prayer O Lord which art not the God of confusion but of peace yea whiche hast taught vs by thy welbeloued sonne that euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shal be desolate Giue vs grace that we all being vnited by one loue and vnitie of doctrine our enimies may knowe that not onely we are the true disciples of thy sonne But that they may witnesse by workes that the church to the which thou hast incorporated vs by one faith one baptisme one God and father of all that beléeue is the true christian church and the piller and staye of the trueth to the end that we all being ioyned together in loue in all riches of the certitude of vnderstanding may increase in thy knowledge and be ioyned altogether as liuely stones for to be made an holy temple Offering vnto thée a sacrifice of praise that is the fruit of our lippes confessing his name Through our Lord Iesus Christe to whom be glory for euer Amen THAT IT IS THE DVETIE of a chrstian prince to watch take good heede that the estate of the religion doe abide cōtinue vndefiled impoluted as well in the true seruing of God as
The same Philosopher did crie out sometime on the people of Athens O ye people of Athens I do loue you greatly but I loue rather to obey God then you Wherevnto we will aunswere that we will not depriue the Philosophers from the grace which the Lorde hath promised vnto the blessed for the Lambe hath béene killed from the beginning of the worlde But forasmuch as there is none other name giue vnder heauen vnto men whereby we must be saued then the name of Iesus We do say in this matter that the philosophers do differ from the loue which the true christians do beare vnto the Lorde forasmuch as the true christians doe acknowledge one Iesus Christ and him crucified which is the brightnesse of the glorie and the image of the personne of the father of whom the same father hath saide This is my welbeloued sonne heare him Also for to knowe perfectly the father and his wil we must know the sonne for this is life eternall that they do knowe the onely very God he whom the Lord hath sent to witte our Lord Iesus Christ according to that that the same Iesus Christ doth protest that the world knew him not that he hath giuen the name of his father to be knowē of his that the loue which the father hath loued be in them and he in them Wherefore if the onely begotten sonne which is in the bosome of the father hath declared him Who doubteth but that the Christians haue a more perfecter knowledge of the will of the father séeing the sonne by whome the father hath spoken vnto them in these later dayes and hath left vnto them the sacramentes as seales markes of his promises are not I say more moued to loue him then the Philosophers Inasmuch as the sonne hath said vnto Philippe Philip he that hath séene me hath séene my father Beleuest thou not that I am in my father my father in me And yet although that some Philosophers by the law natural haue had knowledge of God consequently they haue béene moued to loue him yet as saith Saint Paul they glorified him not as god Finally some may here say inasmuch as the Lorde desireth his that they do loue him perfectly that he desireth of them a thing either impossible or els too harde Wherevnto we will aunswere that the great perfection that the Lord desireth to loue him is not for vs to commaunde a thing which is too rigorous for he hath said that his yoke is easie and his burthen light But he hath regard to our imperfection fearing that thorough our infirmitie we should forsake him for to declare vnto vs the care that he hath of vs to gather what is the greatnesse of the precept Furthermore in that that he saith with all thy heart with all thy soule with all thy strength he requireth of vs a perfect obediēce insomuch that he would that we should consecrate our selues to his obedience loue The which also Saint Paul requireth of vs when he saith let not sinne reigne therfore in your mortall body that ye should obey sinne in the lustes of the bodie Neither giue ye your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne but giue your selues vnto God as they that are aliue from death giue your members as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God. And in an other place I beséech you therefore brethren by the mercifulnesse of God that ye offer your bodies a quicke sacrifice holy acceptable vnto GOD which is your resonable seruing of god And fashion not your selues like vnto this world but be ye chaunged in your shape by the renewing of your minde that yée may proue what is the will of God which is good acceptable and perfect in such sorte that the Lord would not that we shoulde lende him the tongue onely as the hipocrites do who do make profession to know God but with their déedes denie him But he would that we shoulde giue him both the word and the worke Vnto this Saint Iohn exhorteth vs saying my litle children let vs not loue in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede and in trueth That is the cause wherefore the lorde rebuked the Iewes by his Prophet that his people did approch nigh vnto him with their mouth and praised him highly with their lippes where as their heart neuerthelesse is farre from him Furthermore in this he comprehendeth a singuler perfection for the regarde of his commaūdementes For whosoeuer shall kéepe the whole lawe and yet faileth in one point he is guiltie in al. Forasmuch as he which hath said Thou shalt not commit adulterie he hath also said Thou shalt not kill At the end he concludeth So speake ye so do as they that shal be iudged by the law of liberty He would also by this cōmaūdemēt that w◠should loue him aboue al things yea aboue our owne life For he protesteth that he that loueth his father or mother more then him is not méete for him And he that taketh not his crosse and foloweth after him is not méete for him To conclude by these wordes he requireth of vs that we may be so carefull to loue him and with such affection that we may referre all our thoughtes wordes workes to his glory Whether therefore we eate or drincke or whatsoeuer we do let vs doe all to the praise of god For none of vs liueth to himselfe neither doth any of vs die to himselfe For whether we liue we liue vnto the Lord or whether we die we die vnto the Lord whether we liue therefore or die we are the Lordes One may finde at this day such a man vnto whom if one demaunde if he loue God he will aunswere franckly and fréely that which Sainct Peter aunswered vnto Iesus Christ Yea Lord thou knowest that I loue thée yea will say with the same Apostle I loue thée so much Lord that I am readie to go with thée into prison and to death And neuerthelesse if it were a question to endure and suffer some daunger for the Lord he will protest with an othe yea at the worde of a simple maiden I meane for a small occasion that he knew him not It maketh mee to remember for this matter of the same Apostle who seeing Iesus Christe transfigured in the mountaine his face shining as the sunne and his clothes as white as the light said vnto Iesus Maister here is good beeing for vs if thou wilt let vs make here three tabernacles but when the Lord said vnto him that hee must goe to Hierusalem and suffer many things did finde the things so straunge that hee began to rebuke Iesus saying maister looke to thy selfe this shall not bee vnto thee Those are they who in prosperity willingly loue the LORDE and in aduersitie doe denie him For there is no feare in loue but perfect loue casteth out
all thinges forasmuch as it is not subiect to any filthinesse or corruption as are the other creatures Insomuch that the soule of a true Christian regenerated through grace and wounded of that heauenly loue is sicke for that true spouse which is Iesus Christ And which is more it sigheth incessantly for the deliueraunce of this body which of it selfe is subiect to corruption Euen soe Dauyd did crye out saying wo is mée that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech and to haue mine habitation amonge the Tentes of Cedar My soule is a thirst for God yea for the liuing God saying Alas when shall I come to appeare béefore the presence of God These are also the words of Sainct Paul I am saith hée compassed in on both sides desiring to be loosed and to bée with Christ The which is a great deale better for mée that if for their vertue we doe loue them whom we neuer saw as saith Cicero and if such is the force and strength of vertue which if one may behold it with the eyes it will stirre vp and imbrace in vs a meruailous desire to loue it how much more ought wee to loue God of whom as of the Nurse of al things doth descend euerie good and perfect gift To conclude if wée loue them whiche may helpe vs with all things which are necessarie for vs How much more ought wee to loue God which is all in all and with whom all pleasure dwelleth as Dauid witnesseth that fulnesse of ioy is with his countenance and at his right hand there is pleasure and ioy for euer That men shal be satisfied with the plenteousnesse of his house and hee shall giue them drink of the riuer of his pleasures for by him is the well of life and in his light shall wee see light I do say this not onelie for the eternall goodnesse which are promised vnto the blessed in the resurrection to come but also for the goodnesse whiche the Lorde giueth vnto vs in this present life Euen so the same prophete saith so is this wide and great sea also wherein are thinges créeping innumerable both small and greate beastes There goe the ships ouer and there is the Leuiathan whome thou hast made to take his pastime therin They waite all vppon thée that thou maist giue them meate in due season When thou giuest it them they gather it and when thou openest thine hande they are filled with good But when thou hidest thy face they are sorowfull And if thou takest away their breath they die and are turned againe to their dust Againe when thou lettest thy breath goe foorth they are made and so thou renuest the face of the earth And in an other place hee saith O feare the Lorde ye that be his saincts for they that feare him lacke nothing Furthermore in the that the Lorde desireth that wee shoulde loue him so perfectly we are sufficiently aduertised that those which doe giue vnto other creatures the homage and obedience which is due vnto the Lorde be they deade creatures or liuing creatures they loue not GOD perfectly forasmuch then as God hath chosen vs as a chast virgin for to be presented to his Christe according as hée hath foreshewed by the Prophet Oseas that he will marie his owne selfe vnto her in righteousnesse in equitie in louing kindenesse and mercie and in faith yet when we doe seperate the loue which we owe vnto the Lorde for to giue of that whiche apperteineth vnto him vnto other creatures truely we are vnto him vngentle Bicause he is a gelous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vpon the children vnto the thirde and fourth generation That is the cause wherfore Moses saith in the same booke Thou shalt worshippe no straunge god For the Lorde is called gelcus because he is a gelous GOD. For that same cause Sainct Peter seing that Cornelius fell downe at his féete to worshippe him he tooke him vp saying stande vppe for euen I my selfe am a man Acknowledging verie wel that Cornelius for the affecttion that he did beare vnto him did forgette the homage and obedience that he owed vnto the Lorde In like manner Barnabas and Paul séeing that the inhabiters of Listria woulde doe sacrifice vnto them they rent their clothes and ranne in among the people crying and saying O men why do ye these things We are mortall men like vnto you In like manner it is written in the Reuelation of S. Iohn that the Angel séeing that Sainct Iohn was fallen downe at his féete to worshippe him he saide vnto Sainct Iohn sée thou doe it not I am thy fellowe seruant and one of the brethen whiche haue the testimonie of Iesus worshippe god Euen so hath not Herod done for vpon a day appointed Herod being aâ—aied in royall apparell and sitting in his â—eate made an Oration vnto the people And the people gaue a shoute saying it is the voyce of a God and not of a man And immediatly the Angell of the Lorde â—mote him because he gaue not God the honour so that he was eaten of wormes Asmuche also happened vnto Alexander the greate for hauing taken the Citie of Babilon raised him selfe against the commaundement of the liuing GOD and woulde that his people shoulde worshippe him and offer vnto him Sacrifices Wherefore within a little while after he died through Gods punishement for hee being ouer drie for lacke of drinke fell into a gréeuous sicknesse of whiche hee dyed And that great personne who as the worlde thought feared not to bee ouercome of men was ouercome and vanquished of wine The same doth learne vs and sufficiently declare vnto vs that the loue the whiche wée ought to beare vnto the creatures ought to be ruled and gouerned by the worde that wee ought not to compare it to the loue which we ought to beare vnto GOD our creator I do speake this for those whiche according to their priuate affections and indiscréete zeale do beare such honour as it pleaseth them vnto the creatures and in the meane time consider not that the Lord is gelous of the loue and obedience that they owe vnto him What shall I say of those who making profession of the Christian religion do beare vnto wicked spirites the loue that they owe to their lord And in what aduersitie or affliction that they finde themselues in haue recourse As Saul vnto the Magicians and Witches not trusting themselues of the promise of the LORD Who saith Call vppon me in the time of trouble so will I heare thée that thou shalt thancke me Things truely which are verie much forbidden in the lawe of God where Moses admonished the people of Israel saying Turne not your selues to them that work with spirites neither regarde them that obserue dismall dayes that ye be not defiled by them for I am the Lord your god And in the booke of Deuterenomium
exhortinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter Wherfore if wée bée double hearted as sayth Sainct Iames let vs cleanse our hearts Forasmuch I saye as GOD is righteous let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name and forget not all his benefites Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him and hee will beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer So bée it Ecclesiastes 12. d. 13. ¶ Feare God and keepe his commaundementes for that toucheth all men 1. Iohn 2. d. ¶ The world passeth awaie and the lustes thereof but he that fulfilleth the will of God abideth euer A Prayer O Lord which hast taught vs by the mouth of Salomon the sonne of Dauyd that loue is mightie as the death and gelousie as the hell hir coales are of fire and a verie flame of the LORD So embrace our heartes in thine heauenly loue chiefly by thy holy spirite that wée knowing that thou hast loued vs first hauing sent thy sonne to make agréement for our sinnes that so of our part we may loue thée againe and shewe by our conuersation that we loue thée not in worde neither in tongue onely but in déede in trueth Honouring thée as our celestiall and heauenly father and fearing thée as our souereigne LORD all the dayes of our life In such sorte that neither death neither life neither Angels nor principialities neither powers neither thinges preseâ—â— neither thinges to come neither heigth neither depth neither any other creature shall be able to departe vs from the loue of GOD which is in Christe Iesus our LORD To the ende that when thou shalt appeare we may be bolde and not ashamed before thée at thy comming nor by the maiestie of him who béeing in the worlde loued his vnto the ende our Lord Iesus Christ vnto whom be glorie for euer So bée it ¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVERtisment vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour Cap. 17. Deuterono 15. b. ¶ The land shall neuer be without poore wherefore I commaunde thee saying open thine hande vnto thy brother that is needie and poore in the lande Prouerbes 3. b. ¶ Honour the Lord with thy substaunce and with the firstlings of al thine encrease so shall thy barnes be filled with plenteousnesse and thy presses shall flowe ouer with sweete wine Iob 1. c. ¶ When the poore desireth any thing at me haue I denied it them haue I caused the widdow to stand waiting for me in vayne haue I eaten my portion alone that the fatherlesse hath had no parte with me For mercy grew vp with me fro my youth and compassion fro my mothers wombe haue I seene any man perish through nakednesse and want of clothing or any poore man for lacke of raiment whose â—ides thancked me not bicause he was warmed with the woll of my sheepe did I euer lift vp my hande to hurt the fatherlesse yea in the gate where I sawe my selfe to be in authoritie then let mine arme fall from my sholder and mine armeholes be broken from the ioyntes Iob. 29. c. ¶ I haue deliuered the poore when hee cryed and the fatherlesse that wanted helpe He that should haue bene lost gaue me a good worde and the widdowes heart praised me And why I put vppon me righteousnesse which couered me as a garment and equitie was my crowne I was an eye vnto the blinde and a foote to the lame I was a father vnto the poore and when I knewe not their cause I sought it out diligently I brake the chayers of the vnrighteous and pluckt the spoile out of their teeth ¶ An exhortation to loue towardes ones neighbour THE Apostle Sainct Paul â—peaking of the excellencie of loue sayth Though I speake with the tongues of men and Angels and haue not loue I am euen as lounding braue or as a tinckling cymball And though I coulde prophecie and vnderstand all secretes and all knowledge yea if I had all faith so that I coulde moue mountaines out of their places and yet had not loue I were nothing And though I bestowe all my goodes to to feede the poore and though I giue my bodie that I be burned and yet haue not loue it profiteth me nothing Loue lustereth long is courteous loue enuieth not loue doth not boast it selfe swelleth not disdaineth nothing as vnbeseeming seeketh not hir owne things is not prouoked to anger thincketh not euill reioyceth not in iniquitie but reioyceth in the trueth suffereth all thinges beléeueth al things hopeth al thinges endureth all thinges Loue doth neuer fall away though that all prophecyings shall be abolished And in the end of the said chapter he concludeth now abideth faith hope loue euen these three but the chiefest of these is loue And forasmuch then as the life is more worth theÌ„ meate the bodie more of value then raiment And also that Iesus Christe doth commaunde vs to séeke first the kingdome of heauen and the righteousnesse thereoff notwithout cause if wee mainteine that loue consisteth chiefly to helpe our neighbour in that whiche is necessarie for him for his life Insomuch that if the Lorde hath giuen vnto vs any talent I meane any grace perfection or vertue we ought not to hide it in the earth as vnprofitable seruaunts but ought to bestowe it to the profite of euerie man For the manifestation is giuen to euery one for to profit to the ende that as euerie man hath receiued the gifte so admister the same one to another as good ministers of the manifold graces of god And euen as in geuing some little part of our goods we do multiplie that which the Lord hath giuen vnto vs also in administring the spirituall things to our neighbour we augment in vs the fruites of pietie Iustice These are the wordes of Sainct Paul when he tolde the Corinthians that he that findeth séede to the sower will minister likewise breade for foode and multiplie their séede and increase the fruites of their beneuolence that on all partes they may be made ritch in all singlenesse And as we be not maisters nor owners of our goods Inasmuch as we enioy and possesse them of the hande of the LORDE so we are not but ministers of the giftes of the holy Spirite whiche worketh in vs all things Euen so saith Sainct Paul writing to the Corinthians Let a man so thinke of vs as of the ministers of Christe and disposers of the secretes of GOD. This declareth vnto vs what was gods prouidence in the dispensation bestowing of his giftes who woulde not that they shoulde abounde altogether in one man alone to the end that by them helping one an other euery one may