iudge or lawyer are permitted to a christian man For it is lawfull for a christian to vse ciuil ordinances these ordināces are of force not only for reasons sake but also because of the authority of y e magistrate Let a christian man therfore so instruct his conscience y t it may vnderstand y t these things are permitted bicause God doth allow lawes and magistrates and will haue vs to vse ciuil ordinances and in bargaynes let him be content with that meane with that equalitie that the lawes and the magistrates doe appoynt except they doe playnely varye from the ten commaundements and from the law of nature This rule doth first admonish vs that we do iudge reuerently of y e lawes and ordinances of a good magistrat Secondly that we iudge not rashly too sharply of y e bargaines which the lawes do approue Now as we haue purposed let vs see y e orders and states of men In the first state may be the poore and beggers whiche being hindred with old age or grieued with sicknesse or otherwise with some great calamitie oppressed are not able to liue without the almes of other no nor to make any gaine To these we doe by bond owe the duties of charitie and almes Wherefore we must giue vnto these without al expectation of recompence or dutie agayne for the commaundements sake of God and for charities sake which by nature we owe one to an other And this det is so necessary that he that doth refuse to pay it doth obstinatly violate the commaundement of God doth vngodly refuse to obey the precept of Christ doth cruelly oppresse the members of Christ doth wickedly reiect the lawe of charitie and purchaseth vnto himselfe certayne destruction Hereuppon therefore it may easily be knowne how necessarye a duty it is to giue almes and to relieue with his abilitie those that doe in very deede stand in neede But because I see that there are many causes by which the most parte are hindred whereby they are not occupyed in this necessary and dutiful office as in many there is a studie of couetousnes ignorance of the prouidence of God heathenish diffidence riot abuse of thinges to much folly much vnprofitable spending and alas cruel vnmercifulnes in the most parte whereby it commeth to passe that they are not moued with the neede of them that be in miserie I will here somwhat at large handle the place of almes and that for this purpose that both the necessitie of our dutye whereby we are bound to them that neede in deede may be vnderstand and also we being admonished may more wyllingly and readyly doe our dutie and be made more liberall toward the poore First therefore I will shew where almes is to be giuen and what are the kindes therof Secondly I will rehearse the causes with which the godly ought to be stirred vp to giue almes Thirdly I will note the affection of him that giueth almes and I will also prescribe a maner and measure to be obserued in giuing almes Lastly I will intreate of the endes of almes which is godly bestowed and of the fruite that commeth vnto them that giue almes with a cherefull mind according to the commaundement of Christ Of Almes WHo soeuer hath determined to giue almes let him giue his almes in this order First of all let him be mercifull to himselfe that is let him giue the first almes to himselfe which then is done when a man leauing his owne euill wayes doth turne himselfe vnto the Lorde by true repentance For no mercy for so the word almes doth signifie can be shewed of him which as yet is not vnder the mercie of God Wherefore Iesus the sonne of Syrach doth well admonishe when he sayth Chap. 30. Haue mercie on thine owne soule pleasing God and comfort thine heart driue sorrowe farre from thee When he sayth Haue mercie on thy soule pleasing God he sheweth in what thing that mercy doth consist which we ought to shewe to our selues to wit in turning vnto God and in fayth without which it is vnpossible to please God After this sort Abraham did begyn his almes according to whose example all the rest of the godly haue begun their almes at them selues To this pertayneth that saying of Augustine If thou wilt giue almes begyn at thy selfe For howe can he be mercifull to another which is cruell to himselfe He that hath begon his almes after this maner will forthwith turne himselfe to his neighbour and will shewe mercy vnto him Herevpon riseth the first distinction of almes that there is one kynde of almes which euery one bestoweth vpon himselfe which is by nature the former another which euerye man giueth to other which is by nature the latter Nowe this latter may also be made to be of two sortes one spirituall another ciuill That which is spirituall pertayneth to the spirite which he bestoweth which calleth him into the right way that erreth from the folde of Christ and bringeth him into Christes shepefolde There is no almes more diuine than this none more profitable finally none more necessarye For as the soule doth excell the bodie so almes whereby the soule is refreshed is by many degrees to be preferred before the almes with which the necessities of this frayle bodie are relieued and as eternall good things are more to be esteemed than all the commodities of this lyfe which continue but a short time so the almes which helpeth to the attayning of eternall life is more to be esteemed than the almes that serueth for this frayle life There is great commendation hereof in Iames the Apostle who sayth Brethren if any of you hath erred from the truth and some man hath conuerted him let him knowe that he which hath conuerted the sinner from going astray out of his way shall saue a soule from death shal hyde a multitude of sins Ciuill almes doth belong to this present lyfe to wit when we being touched with pitie doe succour the neede of the poore To eyther kynde of mercie Christ doth exhort vs by the example of his father when he sayth Be ye mercifull as your heauenly father also is mercifull Let euerye one remember this precept which acknowledgeth Christ for his maister The causes with which the godlye ought to be stirred vp to giue almes are very many among which these are the chiefe The first cause is Christianitie it selfe or the profession of Christian religion For this doth require that we abounde in euerye good worke and that we embrace and cherishe one another as the members of one body the head whereof is Christ When this is done of faith in Christ we doe in the feare of God practize true christianitie that is we do truly imitate the diuine nature For seeing God whom christianitie biddeth vs follow is rich in mercy we by following his mercy are after a sort sayde to be followers of the diuine
refuse or at the least vvise little regarde such godly instructions as God hath in these dayes his name be highlye praysed therefore by his faythfull Ministers both by preaching and vvriting offered vnto them let them remember that they that are of God heare and receiue Gods vvord and if they doe the contrarie that they are not of God let them knovv if they be novv vvearie of it and come to the lothing of it that their soule is fallen into a daungerous disease For as a good appetite to naturall foode is a token of the helth of the body and to refuse and loth the same is a sure signe of some sickenes or disease so is it likevvise in the soule refusing or lothing the heauenly foode of Gods vvord Againe let them call to minde that it vvas aunsvvered to the rich glutton being tormented in hell vvhen he vvould haue one sent from the dead to admonish his brethren least they came into that torment that his brethren had Moses and the Prophets vvhom they ought to heare if they vvould auoyde the like fierie flames and hellish torments Let them assure themselues that the day vvill come vvhen Christ Iesus shall vvith vnspeakable maiestie and infinite power come to iudge the quicke and the dead vvhen from the furthest corners of the vvorld shal be heard the sound of the trumpet vvherevvith all shalbe called to the iudgement seate then the secretes of all heartes shall be layde open and the doinges of euery man playnely discouered Then the vngodly and vvicked ones vvhich haue in this life despised the vvord of God neglected his commaundements and will contayned therein and not repented them of their wickednes shall in stede of comfort on euerye side feele extreme dread and horrour If they looke behinde them they shall see the world consuming with fire if they looke on the right hand they shall perceiue a sinnefull conscience accusing them if they turne to the left there shall be the deuel readye to receiue them into endeles paynes if they looke before them they shall see a terrible and iust iudge comming to iudge them according to their wicked works VVhereas the godly voyde of all these dreadefull terrours shall see a most louing Sauiour who shall then admitte them wholy into the ful fruition of eternall ioy and blessednes Seing then the case thus standeth it is requisite that all men which minde to be saued doe search the Scriptures which testifie of this Sauiour doe diligently heare and reade the worde of God doe vse such meanes as God hath appoynted to come to the knowledge thereof and knowing it doe follow it in their life and conuersation yea and doe become most heartely thankefull vnto God that it hath pleased him in mercy to sende to reigne ouer vs not a tyrannicall Herod to oppresse vs but a most gracious Princes so in peace and godlynes to gouerne vs that the Gospell of Iesus Christ hath not in any age had freer passage nor hath bin more abundantly and truly preached and set forth which God for his Christes sake graunt long to cōtinue So farre then ought all to be of from despising or neglecting the worde and the Preachers and Ministers thereof that they ought to acknowledge the enioying of it to be an inestimable benefite of God and to shewe themselues thankfull for so great a benefite not onely in hearing reading and meditating of it but also according to their abilitie and power it setting in forth and making it knowne vnto other VVherefore I according to that small talent which God hath bestowed vpon me haue employed my trauell in translating this treatise into our mother toung that those my godly country men vvhich are ignorant of the Latine tongue may become partakers of such Christian doctrine wholesome admonitions and godly instructions as are contayned therein VVhich treatise reuerend Father I thought good to publishe the rather vnder the protection of your name that therby it might be the more vvillingly accepted and the better lyked of many vvho haue of a long time knovvne you to be a learned and faythfull preacher of Gods vvorde and an earnest furtherer of all godlynes vvhich God graunt that you may long be to the great aduauncement of his glory the singular commoditie of his Church and the dayly comfort of your ovvne conscience Your worships humbly at commaundement VV. Gace ¶ Faultes escaped in the printing of this treatise gentle reader correct as followeth Fol. 17. pag. 2. lin 5. for tabernanacle reade tabernacle Fol. 55. pag. 1. lin 11.14.16 Passe ouer this worde part as being superfluous Fol. 62. pag. 2. lin 21. for dutie reade benefite The Argument of the Epistle of Iames the Apostle FOVRE THINGES IN MY IVDGEment are diligently to be vveighed and considered in the beginning of the exposition of euery treatise of the holye Scripture to vvit vvho is the author of it vvhat occasion there vvas to vvrite it vvhat is the ende and purpose of it and vvhat is the maner methode or order of handling it For these four being aptly and rightly declared are as it vvere a certaine light before the reader to guide him to the entrance of euery treatise of the holy Scripture Of these therefore I vvill speake in order vvhereby the argument of this Epistle may be the better vnderstande The author of this Epistle vvas Iames the Apostle vvho is called the brother of the Lord. He togither with the rest of the Apostles vvas not onely the space of three yeares instructed by the voyce and spirite of the Lorde but also after the resurrection of Christ vvith the other Apostles receiued the holye Ghost and a commaundement to preach the Gospell to all nations and on the day of Pentecost vvas againe by a visible signe authorised and confirmed in his Apostleship Hereof it appeareth vvhat is to be iudged of this Epistle to vvit that vve must giue no lesse credit to it then to the voyce of God for the author thereof is the Apostle of Iesus Christ vvho at the last sealed the Gospell of Christ vvith his blood For vvhen he taught Christ to bee the conquerer of death and to sit at the right hand of God in heauen the Ievves did cast stones at him and at the length he kneeling vpon his knees and praying for his persecutours vvas slayne vvith a fullers clubbe and that not long before the citie vvas assaulted by Vespasian VVhether therefore thou considerest the ministerie of God vvherin this man did labour eyther his life eyther his confession or his ende thou hast a testimonie of the infallible truth of his doctrine The occasiō which Iames had to write seemeth to be double one the persecutiō of the Church an other the hypocrisie in many Hovv great the persecution of the Church vvas in the time of Iames the Ecclesiasticall historie doth teache at large For the Ievves were not onelye afflicted by being dispersed through the vvhole vvorld but also they vvere euen
mercifull and to shew mercy and compassion He is mercifull inasmuch as he is in deede moued with our miseries and doth as it were suffer with vs. He sheweth mercy and compassion because he reacheth his hand to vs being in miserie and deliuereth vs out of miserie I will briefly reherse what thinges ought to come into our mind as often as mention is made of the mercy of God toward vs. First y e obiect of mercy is to be thought vpon which is y e miserie of mākind wherby y e whole race of mankind is in it selfe most miserably lost subiect to the tyrāny of y e deuil in danger of al calamities spirituall corporall Secondly the cause of this miserie is to be considered which is sin the most horrible and most filthie thing of all things y e most iust punishment whereof is euerlasting torment of soules bodies Thirdly the infinite loue of God toward mākind is to be reuolued in the minde that God hath not vtterly cast away mankind for so great filthines and vncleannes Fourthly let the sacrifice of the sonne of God be thought vpon whereby he helpeth our miserie and maketh a full satisfaction for sinne By thinking vpon this sacrifice the holy fathers haue comforted themselues in their sacrifices To this sacrifice Dauid hath regard as often as in the Psalmes he earnestly desireth the mercye of God which psalme 51. doth sufficiently shew where he maketh his prayer in these wordes Haue mercy on me O Lorde according to thy louing kindenes according vnto the multitude of thy mercies wipe away my wickednes Whē he saith wipe away he hath respect vnto the bloud of the mediatour as he doth more plainly shewe in the seuenth verse where he maketh mention of the satisfaction for sinne for so he saith Purge thou me with hysop and I shall be cleane Fiftly repentance or conuersiion is here required without which we are not made partakers of this vnspeakable price of the sacrifiee of the sonne of God Hereunto pertayne many sayinges of the Prophets 2. Paral. 30. The Lord your God is gratious and mercifull and will not turne away his face from you if ye conuert vnto him Iere. 3. Turne againe ye children and so shall I heare your backturninges Againe chap. 18. Let euery man turne from his euil way and take vpon him the thing that is good and right and your iniquitie shal not turne to your destruction To this conuersion the Gospell calleth vs Repent for the kingdom of God is at hand And Christ him selfe saith I cam no to call the iust but sinners to repentance Sixtly a continuall thankfulnes in our whole life with extolling and setting forth the glorie of God is required and a certayne holy carefullnes is to be had in gouerning our maners that we may seeme in heart mouth tongue and in our whole conuersation to extoll the mercy of God Seuenthly because our weakenes is great which is increased by thinking sometime vpon our particularitie sometime vpon our vnworthines we must thinke that the mercy of God is not contayned within narrow bounds neither that the greatnes of our sinnes doe exceede it but that it is extended to all the endes of the world and doth by infinite meanes abound aboue sinne The blessed Virgin sayth The mercy of God is from generation to generation on them that feare him And Peter sayth The Lord is patient towarde vs and would haue no man to perish but would all men to come to repentance Of this most rich mercy of God S. Cyrill writeth in this maner The mount of Oliues doth signifie the heigth and aboundance of the diuine mercy plentifully shewed vnto vs by the comming of the sonne of God in the fleshe The mercy of God is often times in the Scriptures expressed by the name of oyle because the nature of oyle doth agree with the maner and condition thereof For oyle is caried aboue other licours and swimmeth aboue them so the mercy of God is aboue all his workes and doth more appeare vnto men then the rest For mercy exceedeth iudgement and his mercy is ouer all his workes Moreouer oyle doth mitigate the griefes of woundes and doth heale swellings and sores but the mercy of God doth heale the sores of our soules and driueth away all faintnes of sinne as the Prophet sayth Who forgiueth all thy wickednes and healeth all thine infirmities who satisfieth thy mouth with good things and crowneth thee with mercy and louing kindnes Finally they that should come into the place of wrastling or striuing did come forth into the middest being annoynted with oyle whereby their bodyes might be more pliable and fitte for that kinde of exercise so the Lord sheweth vnto them his mercy which are about to striue against the ayrie powers with it he preuenteth vs and giueth vs strength whereby we being fortified in so harde a fight with his helpe maye at the last goe awaye conquerers In thee saith the Prophet I shall be deliuered from tentation and with the helpe of my God I shall leape ouer the wall And agayne God is my light and saluation whom then shall I feare God is the strength of my life of whom then shall I be afrayde Though an hoste of men were layde in campe agaynst me yet shall not myne heart be afrayde and though there rose vp warre agaynst me yet I will put my trust in him Lastly in another place My strength will I ascribe vnto thee for thou art the God of my refuge My mercifull God will preuent me Augustine in a certayne sermon sayth His mercye is most abundant and his beneuolence large which hath redeemed vs with the bloud of his sonne when because of our sinnes we were nothing For he did some great thing when he created man to his owne image and similitude But because we woulde be made nothing by sinning and tooke the issue of mortalitie of our parents were made a masse of sinne a masse of wrath neuertheles it pleased him by his mercie to redeeme vs with so great a price he gaue for vs the bloude of his only sonne innocently borne innocently liuing innocently dying who hath redemed vs with so great a price He wil not haue them perish whō he hath bought he hath not bought them whō he wil destroy but he hath bought thē whō he will quicken make aliue 12 But before al things my brethrē svveare not neyther by heauen nor by earth nor by any other oth but let you yea be yea and your nay nay least ye fall into condemnation As he condemneth a rashe custome of swearing setting down the punishment therof so he prescribeth a maner of affirming and denying when he sayth Let your yea be yea and your nay nay that is that which is to be affirmed simply and without an oth affirme and that which is simply to be denied denie Of an Othe BIcause