Caput I. What the lawes is.

SEing that the leste part of the scripture requirithe ī the writer boothe iudgment / an circūspection / that the interpretacion of one place / repung not the text of godes worde / in an other place: Howe mouche more diligence / circumspection / fere / and loue / requirythe the too tableis of the ten commaundementes / in the whiche is conteinid theffect / and hole somme of all the scripture. And what so ouer is sayde / or wroten by the Prophetes / Christ / or the Aposteles / it is no­ne other thing / but the interpretacion / and expositiō / of these ten wordes / or ten cōmaundemen­tes. So that it were no nede at all / to require the mind of ony Doctor / or expositour to know the will / and pleasure of God / manifestid vnto the worold in his word / would they that hathe lea­sure to rede the scripture / studie therin themsel­fes. Or souche as be appointid / to the ministerie [Page II] of the churche / in there sermones declared / vnto the vnlernyd what / and whiche commaunde­ment / the Euāgelist / Prophet / or Historie that he prechith / declarithe. If this were donne: then were it no nede / to bestowe so manye yers in re­ding the glose / and interpretation of man. For let him writ / or say / what he pleasithe: he that vnderstondithe the text / shalbe allwaies able / to iudge / whether he writ trew or false. and so stablyshe his faithe / and knolege / vpō the word of God: and not vpon the interpretacion of mā. conforme all his liffe to this rule and canone of the ten commaundemētes / and not vnto the de­crees of man / as God commandithe Deut. 4. These ten wordes / hathe ben largely / and at lenghe wroten vpon / by many great / and famous Clerkes. So not withstonding as they haue yet lefft sufficient mater vnto there successors / where vpon they may exercise / bothe there lerning / and eloquence / as in a thyng moost inscruta­ble. There is no acuite / nor excellencie of witt / no lernyng / no eloquence / that can cōprehend / or compasse the doctrine / and misterie of the ler­ning / that is conteinid in these commaunde­mentes. They teache aboundantlie / and suffi­cientlie / in few wordes / how to know God / to folow vertew / and to com to eternall lyfe. Wherfore it behouythe euery man of God / to know as perfetelie these commaundementes / as he [Page III] knowithe his awne name. That all his workes / wordes / and towghtes maie be gouernid according vnto the mind / and pleasure of this law. like wice be cause we maie / by the knolege here of / vndrestond other mēnis writinges / and cōmaū dementes / whether they be of God / or of man / profetable / or pernicious: ledīg to liffe eternall / or to deathe euerlasting. They reache what God requirithe in the hart / and what in externall cōuersation / boothe to God / and man: what is to be doune in the cōmoune wealthe / and what in euery priuate cause. What is the superioures deutie / and what the inferioures: What the housboūdes deutie / and what the wiefes: what the fathers / ād what the sonnes: what to be doune to a citicene / or landes man / and what to a stranger: what in the time of peace / and what in the tyme of warr. So that in these ten prece­ptes / euery man may se what his office is to do: without farther trauell or studie / [...]n ony other sort of othere lerning. I purpose therfore by Godes grace / as well as I can / to open by other places of the scripture / the trew sense / and mea­nyng of these ten cmmmaundementes / simple / and plainely / that the vnlernyd / may take profe te by the same. This order I will obserue.

Fyrst shew what this word law / or cōmaun­dement meanythe.

Then how the law shuld be vsyd.

[Page IIII]Thyrdely / prepare the Readers mynd / that he may allwayes rede / and hyre / these commaun­dementes withe frute / and commodite.

Forthelye interpretat euery cōmaundement seuerally / that the Reader may perceaue / what god the yeuer of the law requirithe of euery mā / that professithe his name.

Iustinian. lib. 1. pandect. tit. 1. saithe that the law is a facultie / or sciēs of the thing tat is god and right / as celsus there definithe. Or thus the law is a certaine rule / or canon / to do well by / whiche awght to be knowē / and kept of all men. Cice. de leg. saithe / that the law / is a certaine rule / proceding from the mynde of God / perswa­dyng right / and forbydding wrong.

So that the law / is a certaine rule / a directorie shewing what is godd / ād what is ile: what is vertew / and what is vyce / what profetable / and what disprofetable: what to be doune / and what to be lefft vndoune. This declaration of the law generall / apperteinithe vnto all the kin­des / mēbres / and particuler lowes / made other for the body / ether for the soule. So that who so euer be ignorant of the law / and rules that apertaine vnto the sciens / or art / that he professithe can neuer com to thend / or perfection / that his profession requirithe. As for example. thend of a Christiane man is eternall liefe / and his pro­fession is / to know / and lerne the law and [Page V] canones / that moost plainely / and sincerlie / le­dithe him vnto this end / of eternall felicite. As the lawe of God / whiche is a certaine doctrine / shewing what we shuld be / what we shuld do / and what leaue vndonne. requiring perfet obe­dience towardes God / and aduertising vs / that God is angre / and displeafid withe sinne / and will punishe eternally / souche as performe not all thinges perfetlie / cōteinid in this lawe. as ye may rede Mat. 22. Exod. 20. Deu. 6. Those places / shew that God requirithe of vs / perfect obedience. What payne is dewe / to the strans­gressour / ye may rede / Deut. 28. Cursid be he that fulfillith not the law. and like wisse / Mat. 24. Depart from me ye workers of iniquite / in­to eternall fier. I declare now / good reader / what the law is / and not how it may be fulfil­lid. that I defer vnto thend of thexposition / of the law. Howbe it I would thow shuldes most diligentlie marke this diffiniciō / or declaratiō / what godes law is that thou maist kno / what differēs is betwen the law of God / and the law of man. Mannes lawes / only requirithe exter­nall / and ciuile obedience. Godes lawes boothe externall / and internall.

Now he that is ignoraunt / of themeanis / is ignorant of thend. Benig ignorarunt of the causes / must nedes be ignoraunt of theffect. Onlie by the law of God / the meanes is kno­wen [Page VI] / therfore onlye the law of God if we will com to thend that God would vs to do: is di­ligentlie to be lernyd. For like as the phisicion / cannot communicat his healthe withe the sick patient: or the lyuing man his liese / withe the ded body of an other (but euery man e­nyoythe his awne healthe / and lyuithe withe his awne liefe) so profetithe not / him that is vnlernyd / the knolege of an other man. but e­uery man must know / and lern himselfe / the law of God / if he wilbe sauyd / Io. 6. Deut. 4. As he that wilbe a phisiciō / must lern the prece­ptes / that teachith phisick. A musitiō / the rules of musick / the oratour / the rules of Rethorick. The plowgh mā / the rules of husboundre: and so euery person the rules that belong vnto his profession / or else he shall neuer profet in his sciens / or art: nor be accomptid a craustes man / that knowith not the principles / of his crauffte. Nomore / before the maiestie of god / is he accō ­ptid a christiane mā / that perfetlie knowith not the commaundementes of God / thowghe he be christenid / and braggithe of the Name / neuer so mouche. And because that no man shuld ex­cuse his ignoraunce / and saythe Bible is to lōg / and conteynithe so highe misteris / and secrea­tes / that the laboring man / hathe nether suffi­cient tine / nether conuenient vndrestonding / to lern the law / and commaundementes of God: [Page VII] it pleacid his infinite goddenis / to collect / and gather the contentes / and somne of the whole law / into so short / and cōpendious abridgmēt that no sciens of the worold / hathe his princi­ples or generall rueles / concludid with so few wordes. Experiēce / and proue / declarith the same. The logicion / hath no lece / then Ten gene­rall rules / callyd predicamentes / wherin is conteynid thole mater of his art. The Retho­ricion / thre maner / and dyuerse kyndes of causes / Demonstratiue / Iudiciall / and delibe­ratiue. Thole body of the law Ciuile / these thre principles / liue honestlie / hurt noman / and ye­ue euery man his / Iustinianus / libr. 1. Institu. The phisition / as many principles / as be kindes of diseaces. The heuenlie God eternall / hathe concludyd all the doctrine Celestiall / in ten wordes / or cōmaundementes / Exo. 20. Deu. 5. And yet / for a farther healpe of our vnapt memorie / to retaine the will of god: he hathe gatherid / the saide ten commaundementes / into too / Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Loue God with all thy hart: and thy neyghbour as thy selfe / Deut. 6.26. Leuit. 19. So that euery dull / and hard wittid man / may soner lern / the principles / and generall rules of Christes religion / thē of ony other art / or sciens / if he yeue his diligence / ony thing at all / for the space of one monethe.

There be many causes / that shuld prouoke [Page VIII] man vnto the studye / and knolege of this lawe. First / the profet that Cummith therof / whiche is expressid / Ioan. 17. This is liffe eternall saith Christ / to know the / O father: and him that thow hast sent / Iesus christ. Dauid the pro­phet / desirid the knolege of this lawe / and so co­piouslie / expressithe the commodite ther [...]f / in the moost holie Psalme 118. that nothing of this worold may be comparid to it / for it le­dithe to eternall lieffe. What commodites / it bringithe in this worold / it is declarid Deut. 28. et Psal. 128. if thow hirethe wice of thy lord God / and obserue it / thow shalt be blissid in the fild / and at home / blessid in all thynges that thow takest in hand / to do. rede the Chapiter. if thow wilt not lerne / the will of thy lord: thow shalt be cursid in the feld / and at home: and vn­fortunate in all thy actes. farther / without the knolege and obedience of this law / no person in the worold can iustlie / and conuenientlie serue in his vocation / or condition of liefe / of what degre so euer he be. Wherfore Moses commaun­did / Deut. 4. that noman shuld decline / from this lawe / nether to the right hand / nether to the leiffte: mening by these wordes / that noman shuld add / or take ony thyng from it / but sim­ple / to be obserue it / as it is yeuen / and wroten vnto vs / Ffrom this rigth line / and trewe regle of Godes word: man arrith diuerse waies. som [Page IX] time by ignorance / because he knowithe not / or will not know / that onlie thexpresse word of God sufficithe. He holdithe withe the moost part and cōdemnithe the beter / as it is to be se­ne / at this present daye. This reason takithe place: it is alowid of the moost part / and stablishid by so many holie / and lernid bishopes / therefo­re it is trew. When / they can not by the scriptu­re proue / neither the lerning / nether the lief of there doctors / to be good.

The second waie / that ledith from the word of God / is mony times / the poure / and authorite of this worold. As we se / by the bishope of Rome. and all his adherentes / who yeuith mo­re credenc / and faithe onto one Charter and gift of Constantinus / then to all the hole bible. An other errithe / by mistakyng of the tyme / making his supersticiō / far elder then it is / will not for sake the faulshed for the truithe. An sai­the / thus my father beliuide / and shuld I beli­ue the contrarie? thus rather / will giue credit to his father being blind / then vnto God his great graunt father / that seith. to the law of man more credit / then to the law of God. As the knolege of man is thus with drawē / frō the word of God / be ignorancie / and ile vsid customes / so is the liue / and conuersation of man like wice. Not gouernid withe the word of god / but with accustomid fraude / an gile: euery man in [Page X] his uocation / and condition of lyffe. The spiri­tualite with false receauid / and ile deseruid / tea this. The temperaltie / with false cōtractes / and preposterous bying / and sellnig. The princes / and superiour poures of therthe / for the moost part / and all lernid men / other in mayntaining a wrong religion / or in not restoring the trew / decline / far from this simple / and sincere verite conteinyd in godes word. Some dispense with a lesse yle / to a voyede a greater harme. Some prescribe lawes / for the consciens of man / for ati­me / vntill it may be / farther deliberatid vpō / or approuid godd / by a generall counsell. These men / greuouslie offend thē selfes / and causith other / to do the same. In case the law: made for the time / seme not godd / vnto souche / as shall at amore leasure / haue thexamination therof: the lawe for the meane time / shalbe condemnid / as hereticall / and pernitious.

Then put the case / that many / or at the leste / so­me of those that ledd there consciens / after the lawe / made for the meane tyme / dye. How stondithe then the case / withe these departyd sou­les / that were deceuyd / whiles they liuyd / by false doctrine. Thei doutles / ar loost / for euer / and without tyme / if they dyed / in ony errour of the Catholice faith / as Crist saythe Luce 6. spekyng of false interpretoures / of the word of God. If the blynd / lede the blind / he sayth / [Page XI] not / only he that ledith shall fall into the dy­che: but boothe. Therfore it is not sufficient / that people haue a lawe for the meane tyme: but what so euer / the consciens begynnithe with all / it must end / in the same. That is to say: no law at all shuld be spoken of consernyng the consciens / but thonlie word of God / whiche neuer alteryd / nor cannot be alteryd / Matt. 5. Luce 16. Psal. 18. Dauyd Psalmo 119. prouithe the immutabilite of Godes worde / by too stron­ge reasones. if heuens / and Erthe made by thy worde can not be alteryd / how mouche more the word it selfe? Rede the too verses that be­gynne withe the letter lamed. in Englisse thus. Thy word lord abidithe for euer / as the hea­uens testifye. Vnto the whithe law / the consciēs of man / in maters of faithe / is bound onlie. for when so euer / or who so euer prescribythe ony law / for the cause of religion / and yeuith it this title / for the meane time / vntill it may be iud­gyd by a generall counsell / or other wyce de­creyde / by thassemblaunce of lernyd men: thau­ctor of the law / declarithe hime selfe / not to know / whether his law be trew / or false / leding to hell / or to heuē / to saue the cōsciēce of man or to dāne it: but leuith it in dowt / ād makith it as vncertaine / as these that shall haue the cēsure / ād iudgmēt therof / preferrid ūto there discretiō ād lerning. I would wishe therfore / ād hartel [...] [Page XII] pray vnto almightye God / to put into the har­tes of all superior poures of the Erthe / grace / and knolege / to chose 4. indifferent iudges / to apeace all contrauerses in religion. If the Cler­gie shuld iudge / the worold would / and might say / they ar to partiall. and for many re­spectes / would to mouche fauour / there awne cōmodite. If the Temperalty shuld iugde / the Clerge would think / som̄ thing to be downe of displeasure / or malice / that allwaies in maner / hathe remainid betwene the partes. Farther if Apapist / Lutherion / or Zuinglion shuld iud­ge: they agre / so ile / one with tother / that the mater could not want suspicion. Therfore I wo­uld haue / ons these iiij. indifferent iudges to breake the striffe. The Bible in Ebreu / the Bib­le in Greke / the Bible in Latine / and the Bible in Englisse / or in ony other oulger tong / according to the speache of the Realme / where this communicatiō shuld be had. Then doutles / these iudges that fauorith not / moreth one part / then the other: no more one person / then the o­ther: Would sone set men at peace: incase they louyd not dissention. But as long / as thauctorite of ony generall counsell / or iudgment of mā / is accomptyd equiualent / and egall withe the word of God: the truythe / cannot be sincerelie knowen. Souche as can interpretat / nothing well / but lokithe to fynd occation / to calumniat [Page XIII] the good meanyng of the thing well spoken / wil say I haue an ile opinion of God the eternall in heauen / and like wyce of the superiour poures in hearthe / bycause I damne the disciples of the false Doctors / withe the doctors: and take from all poures of the erthe auctorite to prescribe ūto there subiectes / ony law / touchyng religion / of the solle. As consernyng the iudgment of God / agaynst those that be seducyd by false prechers / or makers of false lawes / Sainct Luce capit. 6. Ezech. 3. et 13. iudgithe as I do. And as tou­ching the question. What I shuld then say of oure fore fathers / that euer sithe the tyme of Cō stantine temperour and Syluester the Bishope of Rome hathe allwaies in maner / byn seducid by the false docrine of man: I can iudge / none other then / the scripture teachithe. Boothe he that ledithe vnto damnatiō / and he that is led / fallithe into the pytt. And in the same place / Christ saythe / that it sufficithe the disciple / to be as his master is. Sainct Paule describithe the nature of souche as preache false doctryne thus 2. Tim. 2. they lede vnto iniquite: and there communication / eatithe as the diseace of a cankre. Meanyng that fal se doctryne / hurtithe not on lye him / that is seducyd: but like wyce / souche as shalbe his hereres. And as this diseace callyd a canker / if it be in ony part of mannes body / it infectithe allwaies the next partes vnto it as Ga­lenus [Page XIIII] writithe de causis morborum: like wice Leonhardus Fuchsius, De compendio medici­nae. And Ouidius thus. Vt (que) malum late so­let, immedicabile cancer serpere, & illaesas vitia tis addere partes: whiche is the same description of the diseace wroten afore / so dothe false doctrine. And as euery membre of man / may be in danger of this diseace / yet chefflie the membres that wantithe syneues / and bones. ut foeminarum mammae, quod rarae & laxae sint. ac crassissimā atrae bilis materiam prompte excipiant.

Euen so the preaching of false doctrine / may deceaue euery man but specially the simple and on lernid / as it is to be sene at this daie / the more petie euery where. Easier for a soule / that can do nothing / but blisse a tubbbe of water / to ke­pe and hundrethe in supersticion / and the adul­terous doctrine of man: thē for him that is well lernyd in the law of God / to winne ten vnto Christ. Not withstonding I beliue / that in the middes of darkenes / whē all the worold (as far­re as man might iudge) had sworen vnto the Bishope of Rome / that Christ had his electes / that neuer consentyd vnto his false lawes / ne­ther walkyd not / after stronge Godes. thowghe vnknowen vnto man / as it was in the tyme of Elie the Prophete / 3. Reg. 19. where God saiede / he had preseruyd seuen thowsand that neuer bowyd there kneis / nor kyssyd Baal.

[Page XV]In euery aige / so god preseruithe somme / that [...]o false doctrine may corrupt them: thowghe [...]e nature therof be / as Paule saithe / to infect [...]s a canker. so God impechithe many times / ād would not thinges to execute there naturall ope [...]ation / as we rede Exo. 3. where the bowshe bur [...]d / and yet consumid not. like wice of the thre [...]ildrē in the firy furnis / Dan. 3. and as Chryst [...]ithe / Io. 10. that his shepe harkenid not / vnto [...]e voice of the false preachers. As many therfo­ [...] / ad died before vs / seducid by false prea­ [...]ers without penaūce / the scripture condemni [...]e. As many as beliuid thē not / but trustyd to [...]e scripture (or else deceauid / yet callid to grace [...]fore they died) liue eternally in loy and solace. [...] ar sauid / as Iohn saithe / Apo. 13. in the blud the lambe. I iudge therfore in this point / god [...] be nomore seuere / thē the scripture teachithe / [...]herī he teachithe vs / what we shuld beliue: ād [...]dge of him. Thus I haue spoken largely / and [...]ewly / to admonyshe my godd reader / to bewa [...] of mannes lawes: in the cause of religion. As [...]ching the superior poures of therthe / it is [...]t vnknowen vnto all [...]hem that hathe [...]eden / [...]d markid the scripture / that it apertainithe [...]thing / vnto there office / to make ony law / to [...]ern the cōsciēs of there subiectes / in religiō. [...] to raigne ouer thē in this case / as the word God cōmaundethe / Deu. 17.1. Re. 12.2 Par. Sap. 6.

[Page XVI]How be it in there Realmes / prouinces / and iu­risdictions / they may make what lawes they will / and as many as they will. Commaunde them to be kept as long as it pleasith them / and chaunge them at there pleasure / as they shall se occation for the wealthe / and commodite of the­re Realmes▪ as we se in all the notable commu­ne wealthes. Among the Greakes / and Romai­nes with other. Vnto the whiche superiour poures: we owe all obedience / boothe of body / and goddes / and likewice our dailie praier for them vnto allmightie God / to preserue there honors / in grace / and quietnis: Ro. 13.1. Tim. 2. 1. Pet. 2. Mat. 22. Mar. 12. Luc. 20. and as many diuerse commune wealthes as there be / so many diuer­ses lawes may there be. How be it / all Christe­nid kinges / ād kingdomes with other magistrates / shuld raigne by one lawe / and gouern the churges of there Realmes / solie by the word of God / whiche is neuer to be chaungyd / as I de­claryd afore in the diffinitiō of Godes law. that it is a rule neuer to be chaungyd / by superior poure / or inferiour: Psalm. 18. et 1 [...]8.. so doothe the holie Prophet Dauid (that honorid God / reuerencid the poures of therthe / louid the com­mune sort of people) teache / Psal. 27. Shew me God lor thy way / and lede me in aright pathe / for fere of those that lay wayghte / for me. so commaūdithe / Iob ca. 22. to lern the law at the mou­che of God.

[Page XVII]I folow therfore the coōmaundemēt of god / perswading euery man to lern his faithe in his lawe as Moses dyd / Deu 31. cōmending the lawe vnto the pristes / the sonnes of leui. Not onlie that they shuld know it / but to shew it vnto thole multitude of the people: men / women / chil­dren / and strangers that they might hire it / lern it / fere the lord God / and obserue his commaundementes. So Christ commaundid his Apostel­les to preache / and there audiens to hyre / the thyng he commaunded / Mat. 28. Mar. 16. wi­the what diligence / and how it shuld be prea­chid / lern in the 8. and 9. chapiter of Neemi.

Caput II. Of the vse of the law.

IT is well knowen by the places afore rehersid / that the law of God requirithe an inwarde / and perfete obedience / vnto the will of God / the whiche this nature of man corruptyd by Originall sinne cannot performe / as sainct Paule prouithe manifestlye in the 7. an 8. chapi­ter to the Romaines. There remainithe in man as long as he liuithe ignoraunce / and blinde­nis / that he knowith not god / nor his law as he awghe to do. But rebellythe by contumace a­gainst God. For noman suffrith Godes visita­tious [Page XVIII] / and punishmentes / with souche pacien [...] as is requirid. Noman can abide to hire his defaultes rebukyd by the law / but hatithe his ad­monitours / and would that there were nether God / nether law so that he might vnpunishyd satisfye his pleasure. Like wyce the will as fra­warde / and peruerse that it willith nothing of God / ner of his law / if it demynyshe ony part of souche goddes / or pleasure / as the worold requirithe / as we may se / by dayly defection / and departure from the knolege of Godes wor­de / in those that ons were as ardent as fyer. But now as the Gadarenes dyd / Matth. 8. Luce 8. Marc. 5. They desire Christ do depart out of there countre / rather then they would loost there swyne. Where is now the will / that frely and Franklye shuld for sake all the goddes of the worold / and also this mortall liffe / rather then to leaue Iesus Christ / which as Iohan sai­the / onlie hathe the word of eternall liue cap. 6. it is not nede to proue this peruersnys and wy­ckyd resistence agaynst God and vertew by the­xample of othere: but euery man may fynd him­selfe to mouche infectyd with this diseace / would he loke vpon his awne liefe / and be as egall a iudge of him selfe / as he is temerous in iudging of other. Then shold he file the sa­me ile in himselfe / that he seithe in an other and euery man damnyd before God / except souche [Page XIX] as belyue in Iesus Christ / Rom. 5. And study to lyue after his law / 2. Cor. 5. Lu. 1. Tit. 1. Matt. 7. Psalm. 6.

Seing the workes of the law cannot de­serue remission of synne / nor saw man / and yet God requyrythe our diligens / and obe­dionce vnto the Lawe: it is necessary to know the vse of the law / and why it is yeuen vs.

The fyrst vse is ciuile / and externall / for byd­dyng / and punyshyng the transgression of po­lytike / and ciuile ordinaunce / as Paule wry­tythe. [...]. Timoth. 1. The law is yeuen to the vn­iust. Wherfore God commaundythe the Ma­gistrates and superiour poures of the Erthe to punishe the transgressours of the law made for the preseruation of euery commune wealthe / as we rede / Deut. 19. thow shalt remoue the ile / doune in the commune wealthe / that other may fere to do the same. Thow shalt haue no pytye vpon the transgressoure. for souche petye as is vsyd of man agaynst this commaundement to­wardes the transgressours: is rather amayntenaunce of ile then workes of mercye.

The second vse of the law is / to informe and instruct man aright what synne is / to acuse vs / to fere vs / and to damne [Page XX] us and oure iustice / because we performe not the law as it is requiryd / Rom. 1. et 7. howbe it the law concludithe all men vnder sinne / not to damne them but to saw them / if they comme to Christ / Rom. 11. Gala. 3.

These too vses of the law / appartayne as well vnto the infideles / as to the fideles. To souche as be not regeneratyd / as to those that be rege­neratid: for those that she cānot bring to Christ / she damnythe.

The thyrd vse of the law is / to shew vnto the Christians what workes God requirythe of them: For he would not that we shuld fayne workes of our awne braynes to serue him wi­the all: as the Bishoppes lawes that teachithe an othere faythe / and other workes then the old Testament or the new. but requirythe vs to do the workes commaundyd by him / as it is wro­ten / Matt. 15. they worshipp me in vayne with the preceptes of men. Therfore Dauid saithe: thy worde lorde God is the light vnto my fette / Psal. 119. By the knolege of this law / we iudge all other mēnes writinges / Christianes / ād Ethnyches / wether they writ well / or yle. And withe out a right knolege in this lawe / no doctrine cā be knowen whether it be trew / or false.

This law iudgithe / who defendid the better part / Marcion / or Tertulliō: Augustine / or Arrius / Christ and his Apostelles / or Caiphas / ād [Page XXI] his colege of scribes and pharises: the poure preachers that withe danger of liefe set forthe the glory of God / or the Pope withe his colege of Cardinales: that with wyckid lawes / study to deface the glory / and maiesty of Christes churche. where and what is the Catholike churche of the chrystians: and where the Synagoge of Antechrist. No falshede can be hydd / if men syke the truythe withe this light. If we examyne our deades / or other mennes by this lawe or Canon: we shall soone perceaue / whether they pleace God / or displeace. If we be preasyd / and haue an honest estimation among people: bring boothe our consciens / and preace of the wo­rold / vnto this rule of Godes worde: and then shall euery man iudge himselfe / whether he be inwardely the same man: that people esteme him for vttwardlie. Incase man / sustayne li­ke wyce dispreace / and contempt / of souche as be in the worold / if the law of God bare testi­mony with his consciens / that it is rather the Malyce of the worold / then his demerites / that oppressith thus his godd fame withe the burden of slaunder: he shall rather reyoyce / that God hathe preseruyd him from the cry­mes that he is falsely accusyd of / then impa­tientlie souffre the malicious worold / maly / cyouslie to iudge good / to be ile / as it is his accustonyd maner.

[Page XXII]This law iudgithe that Aristotell in his mo­rales teachithe better doctrine when he cōdem­nithe thexternalle fact incase the mynd and will concur not to the doing therof: then the Bishoppes in there decreis that attribute the remissiō / of sinne nether to contrition / ner faithe / nether to Christ / but vnto thexternall sprynglyng of a droppe of water. for thus they say of the water / and of trebred. in the exorcisme / or coniuration of the water: Fias aqua exorcizata ad effugan­dam omnem potestatem inimici &c. That is to say. I coniure the: in the name of God / as it is at the beginning of the coniuration / to be a wa­ter blessyd / to expell all the poure of the deuyll. Of the breade thus: Benedic domine istam creaturam panis, ut omnes gustantes ex eo, tam cor­poris, quam animae recipiant sanitatem. That is to say: Blysse lorde this breade that as many as taste therof / may receaue healthe / boothe of body / and solle. By this law thow maist iud­ge who defendithe the better opinion. Numa Pomp that for byd ymages: or else the Bishop­pes lawes / that say Idoles can teache the vnlernyd people / and be / to be vsyd. Bring the mater to iudgment / and se whiche opinion Godes law will defend: Non facies, inquit Deus, scul­ptile, aut ullam similitudinem. Thow shalt ma­ke no ymaige &c. Who is law is more consonant withe Godes lawes / the decrees / and preceptes [Page XXIII] of Cato / that saithe: Parentes ama, Magistra­tum metue. That is to say loue thy father / and fere the Magistrate: or the Bishopes lawes that park yong children in Cloysters that neuer know there parentes nede / and like wyce ex­empt the clerge from all obedience of the hig­her poures

Godes lawes saithe with Cato: Honora pa­rentes. Omnis anima potestatibus supereminen tibus subdita sit, Roman. 13. Exod. 20. that is to say / Honor thy father: and euery man be sub­iect vnto the superiour poures. The Romaines Reprehendid and deposyd like wyce the tyran­ne / Nero for his crueltye: and kyllyd the vitious Prince Tarquinius Sextus for vitiating of the chaste Matrone Lucretia. the Bishopes la­wes saithe thus. Si Papa suae, & fraternae salu­tis negligens deprehenditur, inutilis, & remis­sus in suis operibus, & insuper [...] bono tacitur­nus, quod magis officit sibi, & omnibus, nihilo minus innumerabiles populos cateruatim secū ducat primo mancipio gehennae, cum ipso pla­gis multis inaeternū uapulaturꝰ. Huius culpas isthic redarguere praesumit mortaliū nullꝰ, quia cunctos iudicaturus, ipse a nemine iudicandus. That is to say / If the Pope care nether fore his awne healthe / nether for his brothers / befound vnprofetable and negligent in his workes / far­ther aman apt to do no godd (so I Englyshe: tacitur [...]us ā bono .i. qui sua natura oī honestate, [Page XXIIII] probitateque facile tacet) that hurtythe himsel­fe and other: ledythe withe him / people innumerable / by legions vnto the deuill / to be punyshid with him / in paynes / moost dolorous for euer being Pope no mortall man shuld presume to reprehend his faultes / for he iudgithe all men / and is to be iudgid of Noman. What law was there euer wroten more pernitious / or contra­ry vnto Godes lawes / then this. Syrillus a­gainst Iulianum alegithe the wrytinges of the philoyopher Pythagoras: who prouyth to be one only God / who made / and preseruithe on­ly / the thinges made: so doothe Sophocles: Cicero 2. lib. of the Nature of Godes. 1. lib. Tuscul. quest. 1. lib. Delegibus Seneca Vnto Lucilius Epist. lib. 15. Bryng these Ethnickes lawes vnto the word of God / withe the lawe of Bishopes that teachithe the inuocation and ayde of sain­ctes departyd out of this worold: and then thow shalt se / that the Ethnickes lawes / ar aprouid by Godes word: and the Bishopes lawes condemnyd. For Godes lawes saythe / I am the lord thy God / and thow shalt haue no mo­re / before my face Exod. 20. Deutt 5. and if we pray for ony thing / Godes word commaun­dith to aske in christes name. Io. 14. Seing the knolege / and vse of Godes worde / is so necessa­ry / and only tellithe vs / what is godd / ād what is ile: what trew / and what false: Euery man [Page XXV] shuld yeue diligente to know it: Setting all o­ther busynis of the worold apart.

Caput III. A preparation vnto the Ten commaundementes.

MOses before he repetithe the Ten commaundementes in the booke of deut. Pre­scribythe certaine necessarie rules / and instru­ctions / whiche he vsythe as preparatyues / and meanys / to dispose and make apt the hartes of the people / to receue this holie / and moost blys­syd sermon of all mightie God / the Ten commaundementes / withe conding honor / and reue­rence. and that this law / and preceptes might worke there operation / and vertew in manne / whiche is to purge / and clense the solle / and mynd / from all vnholsome / and contagyous diseace / and fyckenis of synne. And to preserue the bodye in healthe / and all honestye o [...] lyffe.

As Apurgation made for the bodye (whithe Galenus callithe humorum qui sua qualitate molestant, euacuationem. That is to say a clen­sing of souche humors / as be hurfull) many ti­mes workithe not his operation / by reason of the ile temperature of the bodye / or else of the [Page XXVI] region / that to mouche / by reason of het / draw [...] the humors of mā / into texteriour partes of the body so the word of God / porid īto the eares / ād vnderstanding of man workythe not mani ty­mes / his operation / inclensing the solle frō the humors / and corruption of sinne: by reason of [...]hi [...]e tēperature / and disposition of the person­nes / that vsithe to rede / and hyre the scripture. As the phisicion therfore / yeuit the paciēt / fyrst some preparatiue to dispose / and make apt the body / to receaue the purgatiō withe frute / and commodite: so doothe Moses prepare / fyrst to make his auditours apt to hyre the cōmaunde­mentes / that after ward they might receaue thē withe frute / and profet. How to procede in the science / and practise of physicke / lern of Galene and Hippoc. or of souche as professithe that art. My purpose is / to shew how Moses procedithe in the celestiall science of diuinite: to cure the sol­le of man. Heprescribithe vnto his audience 7. rules / or preceptes / where withe he preparythe them / vnto the receauing of the Ten commaun­dementes. and withe out them / it auaylithe no­thyng / to hyre / or reade the cōmaundementes / or ony other place of the scripture.

The fyrst rule is: confidence / and Aright per­swation of Godes word / that all his prmeses be trew: and willl doutles / yeue the godd promi­sid vnto the godd / and the ile promisid vnto the [Page XXVII] ile / towghe it seme / neuer so impossible vnto the fleshe. This preparatiue / is moost necessarie for all men / that will be the disciples / and hyrers of Godes word. for when mē thyncke / that God is not in deade / as seuere / and will punishe sinne / according as it is wroten in his cōmaundementes: and like wyce fauor / and preserue them that fere him they neuer take profete / nor neuer shall do / inhering / or reding the scripture. for they haue no more credence to it / then to a vayne and faythelistale. This misbeliue / and incredulite to wordes godes word: is thoccation / and let / that the word hard / or redē / workithe not his operatiō / and the mā no better at night / then in the morning: in a [...]ge / thē in youthe. Moses therfore persuadithe thē [...]nto a certaine right cōfi­dence / saing. Ecce dedi in cōspectu uestro terrā, uenite & possidete terrā, quā iurauit dn̄s patri­bus uestris Abrahā, Isaac, & Iacob, ut daret eis, at (que) semini eorū posteos Deut 1. That is to sa [...] / behold / I haue presētid before your face / the lād whiche the lord promisid to yeue vnto [...]oure fathers Abrahā / Isaac / and Iacob / and to there posterite: cū and possesse ye / the lād. Iacob / and his posterite were in souche bōdayge in Aegipt / that it sem [...]d impossible that euer they shuld possesse the lōd of Canaan / promisid by God. Rede the 14. first chapiters of Exod. and se Thē as [...]how canst not those / but beliue him to be trew [Page XXVIII] in thone promisse of his helpe / to wardes the godd / so be lyue him / that he will like wice po­nyshe the ile / thowghe he suffre / and dissemble for a tyme at oure synne / to call vs vnto penaunce Ro. 1. yet at lenghe we shall be assurid / he will kepe promes as well in punishing the ile: as in doing godd / to those that repent. If thow rede the scripture: thow shalt fynd examples of boo­the how he fauoryd / and kept promes / withe the godd / and the bad. Noha sauyd / and his fa­mile / the hole worold damnyd with water: lot sauyd / and the cites burnid. Iosua / and Ca­leb Entrid the lond promisyd: all the rest dyed for there synne in the desert. If thow canst not rede to stablishe thy faythe in the word of God / yet canst thow lack no master / to teache the thys confydence in God. Torn thine Iye / of whyche syde thow lyste. vpp: or downe. Behold the byr­des of the ayre / and the flowrs of the fyld / Mat. 6. Luc. 12▪ and acknolege / not onlye the poure of God / that made them: but also his prouyden­ce / in fedyng / and apparellnig them. for they be seales / and confyrmations of Godes promisis that will clothe the / fyde the / and helpe the / in all necessites. They were not creatyd / only to be ea / ten / and spellyd vnto: but to teache the to cre­dit / and belyue Godes promises Matth. 6. Luc. 12.

The second rule / or preparatyue is: that thow [Page XXIX] haue aright opinion / of the magistrates / and superiour poures of therthe / that thow yeue thē nomore / nether no lese honor / nor reuerence / then the word of God commaundithe. This he declarithe by the 12. Princes that were sent to explorate / and sarche the priuites and conditiō of the lond of Canaan / too of thē perswadid the people to beliue Godes promes / and not to fere the people / that dwellyd in the land. vnto these Godly Princes / was no faithe / nor credit yeuē of the people. The Princes that perswadid the thing contrary vnto God / were beliuid of the people / and there counsell admittyd. by this we lern / that souche Magistrates / as perswade the people by Godes word / shuld be beliuid and obeide / the other not / in the cause of consciens. There / must God only be hard Act. 5. Matt. 10. Or else people shall faile of a right faythe / for he that knowith not / what his deutye is to God / and his lawes: will beliue rather alie with his fore fathers: then the truithe with the word of God. and this mā is no mete auditour nor disciple of the word of God.

For lacke of this preparatiue / the worold / ha­the erryd from the truithe this many yers / to the dishonor of God / and danger of Chrystia­ne solles. Men doothe not loke what godes worde saithe / but extollithe the auctorite of man­nes lawes / preferring the decre of a generall / [Page XXX] or prouinciall consell before the word of God / whiche hathe browghte this abhomination / ād subuersion of all godlye doctrine / in to the churche of Christ.

The thyrd preparatiue / is obedience: boothe vnto God and man. It were as godd / neuer to reade the scripture / nor to hyre sermon / incase we mind not to obey vnto the word of God spoken / or reden. Therfore doothe Moses abraide / and reprehend them / Deu. 1. whē they knew the lond to be godd / by the frute that the 12. princes browght vnto them / they would not procede forthe in there iurney to possesse the land / but murmuryd against God / wherfore they perys­hyd in the desert. Therefore / we must brīg with vs vnto the reding of the word of God / obediē ce / and be redy to do euery thing / it commaun­dethe / thowghe it seme neuer so difficile / As Abraham did in leuing his countre / Genes. 12. and offryng his sonne / Gen. 22. and as christ commaundith all that will be his Disciples / Matth. 10. Luce. 14. the thing that God com­maundithe must be obeyd / what danger so euer happen. Ye if it be the lost of oure lieffe / Luce. 9.17. Matth. 16. Like wyce the commaundement of the superiour poures / and noman shuld de­tract / nether denye his obedience beccuse he is a Christiane / 1. Pet. 2. Ro. 13. Ephe. 6. Col. 3. Tit. 2. not onlie with Iye seruice / but from the hart. sustaining [Page XXXI] not onlye souche chargis as the necessi­tes of the cōmune wealthe shall require / but al­so withe liefe / to defend the same / not ferīg how strong an ennimie is agaynst hym / nor how manye: but rather to consider / how strōg / God is that hathe promisid to preserue euery mannes right / and yeuen commaundement that nomā shall do the other wrong. Deut. 5. Exod. 5. Non facies furtum. commit no thyffe / againe: Hono­ra parentes. Honor thy father. The whiche com­maundement requirithe obedience to all supe­riour poures. only obey the word of God / what so euer shall happen vnto man / in his godlye vocation as Moses cōmaūdyd / Deut. 20. if thow see horsmen and cheriotes more then thow hast / fere not god is withe the / as we haue example in Abraham / Gedeon / Iosaphat and others.

The fourthe preparatiue is / that they shuld obserue / the commune lawes vsyd among all people whiche is callid ius gentium. that they shuld peaceable passe by the possessions of the children of Esau the Mount Seir and like wi­ce by the Moabitis / not to molest thē / nether there Godes. but by souche thinges as they wantid for monie / till they passid there limites / ād bon­des the whiche law bound them / not to spoyle / robbe / and barne / wher so euer they came as well there frendes as there fores / as it is vsyd in oure tyme among Christianes / that say silent [Page XXXII] leges inter arma, That i [...] to say: lawes be dispensid withe all in the tyme of war. contrary vnto this deuillishe opinion / God requirid them to passe as trew men / and not as thyffes / as those that were obedient vnto all honest / and godly lawes / and not as exempt and priuilegyd perso­nes from all vertews / and godlynys.

The fyghithe preparat [...]e is / that they shuld esteme this doctrine of the commaundementes as it was worthy. And declaryd the estimation therof withe mony reasones. The fyrst / of the v­tilite / ād profete that it bringithe wherof he spe­kythe in the 4. cap. Deut. Haec est sapientia, & intelligentia vestra coram populo. That is to say / this is youre wysdome / and prudence before the people: this is the doctrine onlie and law that teachithe how to lyue well / ād to auaide the displeasur / boothe of god and man / and ledithe to eternall felicite. what other people is there of the worold / saithe Moses that hathe there godes as present / as oure lord God as many times / as we inuocate and call vpon him. This doctrine was yeuē from heauē / and the auctor there of is God. A doctrine allwaies to be lernid and ob­seruid: not in Paper / or parshment / but in the hart of man. And dailie tawghte vnto the wo­rold / as the maner of the yeuyng of it declarithe Exo. 20. vnto all the people it was preachyd / not in an obscure / ād darke place: but in the moūe / [Page XXXIII] cletely and openly that noman shuld dout of it / as thowghe it came out of Trophonius caue / sainct Patrice purgatory / or the priuey cham­bre of the Bishope of Rome. Boothe the law / and the law yeuer / knowen of all the people. Minos was familier withe Iubiter / as the Poe­tis fayne. Numa had communication withe Aegera the Godes / but noman was record the­rof. He might therfare feyne what he list. As many superstitious hypocrates hathe donne. There apperyd vnto Gregorie a child in the bred of the aulter / the whiche visition if it we­re trew was deuillishe / and wrowght by the deuill to deceaue the people of God. Brigitta saw like wyce in here contemplacions woun­ders. The Bishoppes in there decretalles seyth like wice meruelles and misteris that noman else can se: except he be sworen to renownce Go­des lawes. For they teache one faythe / and the gospell an other / one kynd of godd workes and Christ an other.

This law / is of an other sort / and perfection. Openly manifestyd by God / not vnto one pryn­ce or lernyd man / not vnto 12. or 70. heddes and principalles among the people: but vnto all the hole congregation / and not sodenly but with great deliberation / and preparation of the people for the space of thre dayes: Exod. 19. this law therfore Moses would the pedple to [Page XXXIIII] esteme as a thing of all thinges moost to be estimyd. As they do nothing at all / that say the Scripture containithe not / all necessarie do­ctrine for the healthe of man. But nedithe man­nes decres.

The sixt preparatiue is a trewe / and right vnderstanding of the lawe. Not to constrayne the letter agaynst the mynd of the text / but be­hold allwaies the consent of the Scripture / and to do no wrong vnto the auctor therof. Somme men call this a dispensation of the law: when the extremite therof cannot with iustice / and equite / be excutyd agaynst the trans­gressour / as we se Deut. 4. where Moses ap­poyntythe certayne Cites / to be as refuges / or sanctuaries for them / that be chance or agaynst there will shuld happen to kill ony man. The law is / that who so euer shed the blud of man shall satisfye the law withe his blud agayne: Gene. 9. Matt. 26. Apoc. 13.

This law extendithe not as farre as the wor­des sound: [...]ut as farre as the mynd of the let­ter permittithe. that is to say vnto souche as of hatred / rashe / and willfull maddenis / or to sa­tisfie an ile and vndigestid passion / that haty­the his neighboure / killythe his neighbour / cō ­temnithe God in the superiour powres / who shuld reuerenche and punishe the ile doar / and not he hym selfe. Those / and souche like / shuld [Page XXXV] suffie deathe agayne: and not souche as kylla­gaynst there will. Thus doothe the scripture of God interpretat it selfe / and shewithe how euery law shuld be vnderstand. The whiche is a very necessary rule / and precept / to be all wayes obseruyd euery where / leste the rigure / and forse of the letter shuld do iniuries vnto ony cir­cumstaunce of the text. therefore I would eue­ry man in the r [...]ding of the Scripture / shuld mark too thinges / in euery doutfull text.

Fyrst the consent of other places: then the al­legorie of the letter. as for an example. Thys proposition / Matth. 26. this is my bodye: fyrst loke the other places of the scripture / what chrystes body is / and what qualites it hathe / how it was conceauyd and born / and whether it is a­scendyd: then thow shalt by the consent of other places / be constrayed to vndrestond these wor­des according to the analogie / or proporsion of faith / and not after the letter. then consider by the scripture why Christ by an Allegory / callyd the bread his body / and the wynne his blud. then it shalbe easy to vnderstand / that they be rather confirmations of our faythe / then the body it selfe. Sacramentes / and memorial­les of the thynges paste / and not the thyng they represent / and signifie. Rom. 4.

The seuenthe preparatiue is / to add nothing [Page XXXVI] vnto this law nether to take ony thing from it. who can be a conuenient disciple of God / and his doctrine / that belyuithe not all thinges / and euery thing necessarie / for the saluation of man / to be contaynid openlie / and playnely / in the scripture Canonicall. or how can he be a Christiane man that beliuithe one commaundement of God / and not the other. He that sayd / thow shalt haue but one God / saythe likewyce / thow shalt nether add / ner take ony thing from the scripture / Deutt 4. but shalt obserue it / at it is yeuen. so sayd Christ Matt. 28. so saythe saynct Ion. cap. 21. like wice in the reuelations of Ie­sus Christ oure redemer cap. 22. What is more necessarie for him that will reade the scripture / or hyre it preachid / then this preparatiue. Fyrst to be perswadyd that all verite / and necessarye doctrine for oure saluation is contaynyd there in / and that the holy churche of the Patriar­ches / Prophetis / and Apostelles beliuid / prea­chyd / and died for the same / and in the same do­ctrine. if thy hart be not thus preparyd: but iudgist that godes law cōteynithe one part of souch doctrine as is necessary for mannes saluation: and the Bishopes lawes an other part: thow cō temnist and dishonorist the hole law / and yeuer therof / and offendist the commaundement ye­uen Deut. 4.12. and Prouerb. 30. rede diligent­lie those places. farther remembre that this opi­nion [Page XXXVII] is so vngodlie that the hole scripture endithe with this sentence if ony man add vnto the word of God / God will put vpon him / all the maledictions conteynid in the booke. and if ony man demynishe ony thing / of this prophetie / God will take from him souche part as he ha­the in the booke of liffe Apocalip. 22.

Caput IIII.

THis precept or Commaundement hathe too membres. The fyrst requirithe that we accept / accompt / and take the God that made / and perseruithe all thinge / the God Saday / omnipotēt / and sufficient / not onlie to be God: but also to be oure God / that helpithe vs / suc­currithe vs / sauithe vs / and onlie defendithe vs. The secund part for byddithe all false go­des. This fyrst part is the ground / originall / [Page XXXVIII] and fundation of all vertewe / godlie lawes or Christiane workes. and where as this precept and cōmaundement is not fyrst layde / and takē as thonly well where of springithe all othere vertews / whatsoeuer be donne seme it neuer so glorious / ād holie vnto the worold it is nothīg but very supersticion / and hypocrisye as Paule saythe / Ro. 14 Ebr. 11. What puttithe differēce betwene the deathe of Socrates / and Esaias: Diogenes / and Hieremie: Sophocles / ād Za­charie Euripides / and Steuine: Homere / and saint Iohn Baptist: sauing onlie the knolege / and cōfidence in this cōmaundement: I am the lord thy god. what differēce where there betwene the Churche of the pharises / scribes / and Hypocrites / ād the churche of god were not the knolege of this cōmaundemēt. that containithe too moost necessarie thinges. The trew knolege of God▪ and the trew honor of god Deu. 4.12. E­xod. 19.20. Gē. 12.17. The whiche fundatiō / and groūde of oure religiō / boothe the Testamētes euery where teachithe. also the ymaige of god in oure soule thowghe we be borne in seruitude of sinne and blind [...]nto all godlinis: souche a sparkell / and dimme light notwithstonding remai­the in the soule / that oure awne cōscience criethe out against vs / whē we vtterly contēne / the re­uerence / and diuine maiestye of God: as it ap­perithe by the horrible / and ferfull deathe / of souche [Page XXXIX] as thowght it more easye to destroy there awne liuing bodies / then to endure the conflict and dolours of there awne conscience withe the iudgment / and contempt of Godes lawes / as it is to be seene leuing profane exēples a part in Saul / and Iudas: withe all other souche in oure time / that ar the causers of there awne dea­the. The subtiltes of the deuill must be takē hede of therefore / and knowen betime / lest he shew vs God in an other forme then he shewithe himselfe in his word and this cōmaundement. Where he saithe that he is oure God. to say: as well re­die to punishe vs / if we cōtemne him: as to healpe vs if we loue him. The deuill goithe a bout an other thing: ād would all mē / as lōg as they haue a purpose / and bent will to synne / thinke that God is a mercifull God / agentle / swete / and fyggie god / that winkithe / and will not see thabhomination / and accustomid doing of ile. but when the conscience felithe the displeasure of God and sekithe redresse / he amplifyithe / and exaggeratithe the greatnis of sinne / shewithe it as fowle / ād as horrible as it is in deade / ād more. extenuatithe the mercie of god / makithe him / thē a cruell / and an vnmercifull tirāt / as impossible to optaine mercie of / as to sucke water out of the drie pumpesse / or burning cole. Wher­fore seing his maiestie is inuisible / and can­not be knowen of mortall man as he is: and like wyce be cause man yeuythe litle credit / [Page XL] or none at all vnto his blyssid word he presentia the all his workes / heuen / and Erthe vnto mā / to be testimonies / and wyttnis of his great powre / that man seyng those creatures / and woun­derfull preseruation of the same / might thinke of god the maker of all thinges / and thanke him withe all the hart: that he would say these wor­des vnto him vile creature / and wormes mete. I am the lord thy God. by his workis he she­wid himselfe thus vnto Adame Gen. 2. ād vnto the naturall phi. Ro. 1. also vnto euery resonable mā Deu. 30. how be it so far hathe the deuill blindid many (would to God only the infideles / and not souche as be accomptid Christians) that they take as mouche knolege of God by the contemplation of his workes / as Midas the knig by the contemplation of his gold. Wherfore seing we belyue with souche difficultye this worde of God / I am the lord thy God: and the deuill hathe blindfoldyd / and darid oure sight / and so be wicchid all oure senses / that we hyre / nor see ony thing to the glory of God / and saluation of oure saules: he addithe yet other testimonies to acertaine vs that he is oure God. and le­uīthe nothing vndon / that might drawe vs vnto a firme / and constant biliue in him: setting before oure Iyes the glorious and wounder­full deliuerance / and defence of the people: whē he browght them our of Aegypt. souche testi­monyes [Page XLI] addyd he vnto his word / to stablishe oure faithe allwaies. to Adame / and Abell / whē the fyre from heueane / burnid there sacrifice Gene. 4.9.17. Exod. 12. so vnto vs: vnto whō he hathe yeuen the same word Ro. 1. hathe yeuen for the confirmation therof his dere sonne Iesus Chryst / born / ded / and resuscitatid from dea­the to shew vs him selfe and to teache vs that he is our God to sawe vs from the seruitude of hell / and sinne / and to healpe vs as many times as we call vnto him in christes name. for only in him we cum to thacknolege of God that he­will be oure God. Thowghe the Iew / and the Turke / know there is but one God / and after there religion would honor him: yet dout they whether he takith cure of them / will hyre there 2peticions / wil be honorid of them / and how he wilbe be honorid. for they haue not the word of God / as Christ gaue it but as they falsely inter­pretat it / to the contumelie / and dishonor of Christ. But we know him to be oure God as this commaundement saithe: in Christ Iesu / Ioan. 1. Matt. 11. Io. 16. When we haue a trew knolege of him by his word / we must yeuen him the same honor / that his commaundement requirithe / to say: obedience and fere / faythe / and loue. Repete the wordes agayne of the commaundement / and marke them. I am the lord / thy God. if he be lord: then hathe he powre ouer [Page XLII] body and soule: obey him therfore lest he destroy them boothe. thy God if he be God / all thinges be in his powre / and hathe sufficient / boothe for the / and all other / and will yeue it the / because he is thy god. he nedithe for him selfe nether heauen / nether Earthe / nor ony thing / that is there in▪ ād to put the out of dout therof / he browght not onlie the people out of Aegipt / to warant his promisse: but also send his only sonne / to dye for thy sake / that he might be thyne / and thow hys. Rom. 6. Esa. 53. Theffect now of this part of the commaundement is: to declare / and bring man vnto a knolege of God as ye se. and ons knowen by his word / requirithe also man­nes dewtye / to honor him / in trew / and perfete religiō. the whiche cōsistythe in fere / faythe / and loue. the whiche thre poyntes Moses diligētlie / and at large declarythe / in the 6.7.8.9.10.11. Chapiters of Deut. and doothe nothing else in all them / but expound this fyrst commaunde­ment. I will shew the partlie how / and then rede the places / and lerne more by thy selfe. In the begymyng of the 6. chapiter he shewithe wher­fore thow shuldest fere him / and kepe his cōma­undementes / sayng it shalbe to thy profet. this is the maner of all men / that would haue [...]y thing donne: fyrst to shew what profete folowithe the doing of it / that the commodite / myght excitat the mynd / and studie of him that shuld [Page XLIII] do it. Moses saithe it shalbe well withe the. god will multiplie thy sede / and yeue the a land flo­wing withe milke and hony. Now if thow fere the lord god / this shalbe thy reward. and the same selfe promesse thow shall fynd / many times / annexid withe the fere of god / before thow cō to the end / of the 11. chapiter. al healthe / and loy fo­lowithe the fere of god. Marke those wordes well / and print thē in thy hart. fere of no ile / nor sickenis / contagious aer / or diseace: so thow haue this medicine of godes fere / in thy soule whi­che preseruithe healthe / and expulsithe all diseacis. Galenus hathe wrotē bookes de tuenda sa­nitate. That is to say to preserue healthe. so ha­the Hippocr. Cornelius Celsus and other. They prescribe those syx thinges to be obseruid of as many / as would liue in godd healthe. The tēperature / and cōdition of the aire. 2. Moderate v­se of mete / and drink 3. Motiō and exercise of the body / and rest of the same 4. Slepe and wacche as the complection by nature shall in tyme conuenient require. 5. fullnis and Emtenys of the bode Gale. lib. 2. aph. comment. 17. et lib. 2. de Compos. medic. 6. perturbations / and passions of the mynd. for many hathe died with souche passions of the mynd with soden so­row as P. Rutilius. Plinius libr. 7. Cap. 36. and M. Lepidus. some withe soden loy as the [Page XLIIII] Noble woman Policrata as Arist. wrytithe. so dyed Diagoras as Gellius wextithe lib. 3. Cap. 15. and other as ye may rede Plin. lib. 2. Cap. 53. Valer. Max. lib. 9. cap. 12. Some died for shame as Diodorus Plin. lib. 2. cap. 53. Homere Vale. lib. 9. cap. 12. The phisicions promisithe healthe if these 6. rules be obseruyd▪ but God saythe all those be inuayne withe out the fere of him Deu. 27.28.30. there se the word of God / And loke the secound boke of the kniges cap. 24. How it was prouid trew / where as the pestilence infectyd the hole lannd of Canaan / from the Cite of Dā / vnto the Cite of Bersabee / in thre daies. so that there died 70. thowsand mē in that short space. In the end of the 6. chapiter of Deu. Moses exortithe the people to fere God. to a vayde the pu­nishement / that folowithe the contempt of Go­des commaundement. and this is the moost apt / and best way / to perswade people / that ca­rithe for no vertew / nor will not be mouid with ony promesse / or reward / that folowithe well doing. I am a Ielous God / and the lord thy God is in the mydle of the. Whiche wordes de­clarithe / that when people will not obay his cō ­maundementes / and receaue his loue / and fa­uour: he waxithe angre / and vsithe thextreme remedy / the skurge of aduersite / that who so e­uer will not willingly be fere meanes boghe / be forse shalbe cōstrainid to breke. for nothing cā [Page XLV] resist / when he will punishe. The fyrst poynt the refore / of religion / is the fere of God. The second is faithe / and confidence in his word. Therfo­re saithe Moses: Audi Israel, dominus Deus noster unus est, That is to say: Hire O Israel / the lord / oure God / is one God. Deut. 6. in this one God / thow shalt put all thy trust / and bely­ue. To perswade this faythe into there hartes Moses put not onlye the deliueraunce out of Egypt before there facis / But also the Seuen moost mighty princes of the worold. Hitthe­um. Girgaseum / Aemorreū / Cananeum / Phe­rizeum / Hiueum / and Iebuseum. Deut. 7. and in the same chapiter he repitithe and inculca­tythe into the ere this religiō and faythe / saing / scias itaque quod dn̄s Deus tuus ipse est Deus, Deus fidelis &c. That is to say / know thow that the lord / thy God / he is thonly / and trew God / and so forthe. Then rede vnto the end of the 11. chapiter how busie and diligent Moses is / he­pyng argument / vpon argument to perswade the people to belyue God / and his word / and to stablishe this commaundement / and rout it in there / and oure hartes. All the workes of God heauen and Erthe / all the Miracles wrowght in the old Testament / and in the newe were donne to proue vnto mortall man this precept to be trew. I am the lord / thy god / and be none o­ther thing but interpretations of this com­maundement [Page XLVI] to stablishe the verite of his word. The thyrd is loue / wherfore he saythe loue the lord / thy God with all thy hart / all thy soule / ād with all thy poure Deut. 6. Moses in thend of the chapiter / shewith wherfore this oure God shuld belouid. he will giue youe saithe he the lād that ye neuer deseruyd frely for his promisse sa­ke. ād in the 7. chapiter / he promisithe to destroy a people more strong then they be. in the 8. chapiter he saithe that he fed them in the wildernys / withe met from heauen / whyche they / nether there fathers neuer knew. By these and other many reasones / he prouokyd the people to this part of religion / the loue of God. In case ony bene­factour / or he that doithe good to an other / be to be louyd / spetiallye this oure god is to belouyd saythe Moses. We may like wyce consider his benefytes to wardes vs and so expulse this de­testable and horryble vnkyndenis towardes him. As is the leauyng vnto vs of the scripture wherby we know his blessyd will for the grace of the holie gost that ledithe vs to knolege / de­fendithe vs from ile / and presetuithe vs in ver­tew. The greatist Argument of all / the byrthe / and deathe of his only sonne / yeuen for oure re­demption. Then doothe Moses teache how we shuld loue him / Deut. 6. with all oure hart / all oure soule / and all oure forse. Of these partes cōsystythe man for the hart is the origynall of all [Page XLVII] affectes and desires. when the law requirithe the loue of God with all the hart / it requyrythe all mßnes affections to be syncere ād pure / and holy directyd into the loue and obedience of God. For he is a gelous God: he is not content with the fourthe part / or the halfe / but requyry the the hole hart mynd / will / affectious and liefe of man. He is not content that we loue him / withe one part / and the worold withe the other. These wordes for byddythe not / but that we may loue oure honest frendes / parentes / and other as it is wroten / Exod. 20. Deut. 5. so that there loue be in God / and for God: not e­quall / nor aboue the loue of God. if Election happen / that in the louyng of the one / folow the hatred of the other: thow art bound to hate thy father / thy frendes / and also thyn awne liffe for the loue of God / Mat. 10. last of all thow must loue him with all thy forse. by the whiche word is vndrestond all the powres boothe of bodye and soule / the senses interioure / and exteriour what so euer they be and as the holye gost hathe yeuen them. so that nether the inward man / nether the vtwarde man be defylyd by synne / as Saynct Paule saythe 1. Thessal. 5. These wordes must be thowght apond: that man aplye the yefft of the holye gost aright to the glorye of God and profet of his churche: wherof we be all membres. one hathe the yeffte [Page XLVIII] of prophetie / to iudge of thinges to cum: an o­ther of knolege to open the misterijs hyd in the scripture / an other the yeft to confort and yeue consolation to the afflyctyd / thother the yeffe trewly to dispence and distribute the goddes of this worold with out fraude / the other the yefte to perswade by the word of God people to amē ­dement of liefe withe the tong / an other withe the pen / one the gyfft to serue God in the ministerye of the churche / the other to serue God in the ministery of the commune wealthe / the one apt and strong / wisse and prudēt in affers of warr / the other to kepe good rule and gouerne in pea­ce / thone apt to one thing / the other to an other. Euery man therfore remembre this commaun­dement. Loue God with all thy forse: and ap­plye the yefft that the holye gost hathe yeuen the to the glorye and seruyce of God. it is an horri­ble synne before god / theabuse of his yefftes whether they be of the bodye or the soule / Matt. 25. Moses now as thow seyst / hathe tawght vs to know God / and shewid vs how to honor him in faithe / fere / and loue: and shewyd many rea­sones why whe shuld yeue him this honor and obedience: so that the fyrst part of the fyrst com­maundement I am the lord / thy God: may be vnder stond of euery man that is willing to know God and his awne saluation. Be­fore he expundithe the second part of the com­maundement. [Page XLIX] Thow shalt haue no strange Go­des before me: he admonyshythe the people of a very necessarye doctrine. That is to say: how they shuld behaue them selfes in prosperite and wealthe: and vse the commodites of this wo­rold. we know by experience and dayly proue that nothing more with drawithe man from the hononor / loue / and fere of God / then those too. felicite / and aduersite. As Christ teachithe oure sauiour / Matt. 13. Marc. 4. Luc. 8. by the similitude of him that sowyd and part fell by the way syde / part vpon the stones / part amōg the thornes. by the sede in the stonye ground Chryst vnderstondythe souche as leue his word for the calamites / and affliction of this wo­rold. By the sede among the thornes souche as here the word of God: how be it / it bringythe forthe no frute by reason of the cures of this worold / and decete of rychis. Moses therefore she­withe like a good Prince and faythfull prea­cher what is to be don in boothe these states / ād conditions of liffe. in prosperite / and aduersi­te. so that if is consell be folowyd: there is nether prosperite / nether aduersite / can withe draw man: frō the will and pleasure of god. The first doctrine to kepe man from the displeasure of God in prosperite is wroten / Deut. 6. Erit cum introduxerit te dominus Deus tuus in terram, quam iurauit patribus tuis, Abraham, Isaac, & [Page L] & dederit tibi ciuitates magnas atque bonas, quas nō aedificasti: Domos quo (que) plenas omni bono, quas tu non impleuisti, & cisternas exci­sas, quas tu non effo disti, uineas et oliuas, quas non plantasti, comederis (que) & satiatus fueris. Cauebis tibi ne forte obliuiscaris domini, qui te eduxit de terra Aegypti, de domo seruorum.

That is to say / when the lord / thy god shall bryng the into the land / whiche he promisyd to thy fathers Abraham / Isaac / and Iacob / and shal yeue the / great cites and good whiche thow neuer buldyst / howses furnyshyd withe all ne­cessarys / whiche thow replenyshyds not / and water pittes that thow dyggyst not / uynes and olyues that thow plantyst not / and thow eate and be satisfiede beware thow for gote not the lord / that browght the out of Aegypt / from the howse of seruauntes. Here seist thow what danger and perill is anexyd whith abundaunce ād prosperous fortune in this worold / and how commune an ile it is: in maner takyng effect in all men that possessythe the goddes of the wo­rold. As Esai saithe: let us eat and drynke / to morow we shall die. As Moses saythe Deut. 32. the people replynyshyd thē felses withe the gyff­tes of god / and rebellyd / vsing prosperite and god fortune for soke god. And Luc. 12. the ryche man sayde. My Soule thow hast great ryches and shalt vse them many yers: take thyn eace / [Page LI] eat / drynke / and be merye. By these examples thow seyst that Moses prescribyd not with out cause this regle / how to vse oure selfes in pro­sperite. The whiche rule contaynythe too pre­ceptes: thone to vse moderatlie the yefftes of god / and not to abuse them: the other to ackno­lege them to cum from god and to put no trust in them. The ryches of the worold abusyd engē drythe pryde / and for gotefullnys of god. Therefore Moses admonyshythe Chefelye man in his wealthe to be ware he forgote not god. And in the 8. cap. he shewithe the cause why we shuld not glorye / nor trust in thē / allthowghe they be must iustlye and rightwysly goten. god yeuythe thē saithe he / and be not gotē with oure labours and payne. I know what men ar wont to say. when hard ony of these new gospellers that a­ryche man acknolegid not god for god / ād cōfesse the same vnto other. So mouche may euery man that is not out of his wytt cōfesse. Dauyd saythe not / the foole saythe withe his tong there is no god / but in his hart psal. 12. verely to a­cknolege only god to be God / only to trust vn­to him / and not vnto the creatures of the wo­rold it is a rare thing in prosperite. few thincke by how smale a threde all the certayntye of ry­ches hangythe / and that sodenly they may pery­che. then shuld man moost suspect the fortune of this worold whē she smylyth moost / be cause [Page LII] she is brytytl and vnconstant as the Poet Horace teachith when prosperite promisithe securyte and rest in the goddes of this worold: it is a hard thing / and rare / verely to think only God to be the yeuer therof / and can sodenlye take the thinges away that hathe bē gather withe great paynes and trauelles. Therfore he makithe ma­ny tymes of Aryche man / apowre man / of one that ruled all / contemnyd of all / of Cresus Irꝰ. and so punishithe because men folowithe not this precept and commaundement of Moses abuse not the yestes of God / and for gote hym not in the tyme of prosperite. The other impedi­ment that ledithe vs from this religion of God fere / faithe / and loue: is aduersite. wherof he spekithe cap. 8. Deut. God led the xl. yers in the de­sert / to punishe the / an to tēpt the / to know what was in thy hart whether thow wouldest kepe his commaundemēt or not. Punishyd the / and suffrid the to hungre / fed the from heauen whithe met thow knewist not / nether thy fathers knew not / to declare vnto the that mā onlye leuithe not by bred but by all thinges that procede from tht mouthe of God / lyuith man. when mā is oppressyd withe aduersites / ād troble in this liefe: then commithe thowghtes as thicke as haile whether God loue him that is punishyd: di­sputithe why ād what shuld be the cause of these trobles / and aduersite / then he reuoluithe / tos­sithe [Page LIII] / and turnithe boothe the nature of God and man in his cogitations: knowithe God to delite in doyng well vnto man / and that man of all creatures is the moost excellent. he fyndithe God seuere / and of all creatures / man moost miserable / and subiect to aduersites. and the more man applyethe vnto the commaundementes of God: the more miseris of this worold ar hepyd vpon his hed. it is not therfore with out cause that Moses prescribythe a remedy / lest man shuld depart / being in the thrall and brake of aduersite from this religion / fere God / beliue in God / and loue God. Moses would kepe man in his obedience / and offyce towardes the law in declaryng the causes why God punyshithe. Shewythe that it is for no hattred that he punishyth but for loue. and that he fyndythe all wayes in man / iust mater worthy punishemēt as Paule saythe Ro. 5. that deathe by reason of synne entrid into the worold / so that the integrite and perfetnis of mannis nature by synne is loost / and made like vnto the nature of the bru­te bestes / frutes / and herbis of the fyld. Iob. 14. and Isay cap. 22.40. Eccl. 14. Psal. 102. therefo­re god for synne being angre / punishithe the miserable nature of man being spoylid of his ory­ginall and fyrst perfection withe many calamites as Dauid saythe Psal. 89. Defecimus in ira tua. That is asmouche to say / thow being angre [Page LIIII] for synne we arre subiect vnto deathe. Rede the hole psalme if thow canst. it is Moses praier wher in is declaryd how bryffe / and miserable the liefe of man is for synne. vnto this naturall corruption is annexid oure wilfull malyce and contempt of God / as we se in Cain / and Esau / like wyce in this people of Israel / whiche were diligently instructyd / and godly browght vp­pe by Adame / Isaac and Moses: yea in oure selfes that dayly rede and here the word of God yet nothing the better. Therfore Moses saythe that God led them in the wilder / nys to punis­he there synne. Whiche is the pryncipall cau­se of all calamites. then punishythe he to pro­ue souche as be his / whether they will perseuer withe his commaundement or not. Thus tem­tyd he Abraham / and Iacob for the space of all his liefe. and laythe more aduersites many tymes vpon souche as be of his trew churche then vpon other / As these examples declare. Manasses the tyraunt cut Esai the prophet a sondre with a sawe / Apryes killyd Hieremie The Byshopes Zacharie / Herode Iohn Bapti­ste / withe other. When souche aduersites hap­pen: let noman depart from the trew word of God / but say withe Micheas the prophete cap. 7. I will sustayne the punishement of God / for I haue offendyd him. withe Esa. 64. cap. behold we haue offendyd / and long contyne­wid [Page LV] in synne wherfore thow art angre. God when he punishyth: workythe too godd deades at one tyme. Corectyth the synne / and callythe the synner to penaunce / as we haue Examples in Dauyd / Osias and Manasse. and saynct Paule saythe 1. Cor. 11. We ar punyshid of the lord / lest we shuld be damnyd withe the wo­rold. if thow be a godd man / and yet punys­hyd / reyoyce: for the punyshement is a testimo­nie of the doctrine / and religion that thow pro­fessist / and hast many felowes. The patriar­ches / prophetes / Christ / and the Apostelles / whiche would rather suffre deathe / then deny the profession of the gospell / Matt. 16.2. Tim. 3. Psal. 123.115. There be many other causes why God punishythe / and why the punysh­mentes shuld be patientlie taken / It were a booke mater to reherse them. I will only speke of o­ne cause more that Moses wrytithe in the sa­me 8. cap. and passe ouer the rest. God made thē hungre / and fed them withe mere from heauen / that they shuld know / man lyuyd not only by bred: but of all thinges / that procede from the mouthe of God. Some men vndrestond that Moses menythe that the body ly­uithe withe bred corporall / and the soule wi­the the word of God / seing that man consisty­the of those too partes: the body / and the soule. It is trew / and a godd interpretation / how [Page LVI] be it / if these wordes be referryd only to the bo­dy in this place of Moses / it shalbe consonaunt withe the circumstaunce of the text / and decla­re his purpose the better. Thowghe man put mete into his body that of his one nature men iudge to norishe / yet except the fauoure and grace of God digest / and dispose it / into euery membre of the body / it norishithe not: as we se in mo­ny men that eatithe mouche and many times in the day: yet is nothing the stronger. The phisitions call this diseace apepsian / cruditatem whē there is no digestion at all somtyme dispepsian Deprauatam concoctionem / when the mete is turnyd in to a contrary qualite. somtime vrady pepsian / Tardam concoctionem. When the stomacke digestythe withe difficultie and long protract of tyme. this I speke only to this purpose that nether mete / nether medycine / nether phisition a vaylithe: except God say amē. if thow wilt take profet of the thyng thow eatyst: folow the phisycke of Paule 1. Tim. 4. speking of the met. sanctificatur per sermonem Dei, ac precationē. it is sanctified by the word of God and prayer. it is not onlie lawfull for the to eate it / but also God will yeue the norishmēt. That the met and dryng fedythe not the body withe out the fauor and blyssing of God: it is declarid Leuit. 26. Ose. 4. Miche. 6. ye shall eat and yet not be satis­fied. Thus doothe Chrystis Answer vnto the deuill [Page LVII] proue Mat. 4. when he vngryd in the body and not in the soule. Therfore his answer must be referryd only to the body. Godes punishmēt therfore tawght the Israelitis this doctrine that God yeuithe not only mete / but also ver­tew there vnto to norishe him that eatythe. Se­ing now that the Israelites by aduersite were browght vnto the knolege of there synne and instructid withe this farther doctrine that God yeuithe as well vertew vnto the mete to norishe him that eatithe as the mete it selfe: there is no occasion that they shuld therfore leaue god / but rather accept the punishment withe thankes as a good scole master send to teache them there he al [...] he and the will of God / as Dauid saythe psa. 1.8 Vtile mihi est quod in miseriā deiectus sum ut discerem decreta tua. That is to say. it a vayli­the me greatli / that I am punishid / to lern thy commaundementes.

The fyrst part of the fyrst commaundement contaynithe as thow seyst by the interpretation of Moses the fōtaine and Originall of all trew religion and is as the fundation and rowt frō whence spryngithe all the other commaundemē tes / and is cōprehendid in these 4. wordes. knolege of God / fere of God / faythe in god and loue of God. farther in the interpretation of the sa­me: he hathe tawgth his people / and vs: how to vse oure selfes in prosperite and aduersite. For [Page LVIII] eche of them drawithe man from the 4. a fore rehersyd vertews: except the mynd of man be ful lyd perswadid by the word of God / how ame­nes / and godlie moderation may be kept / when man hathe abundance. and how / to whom / and when / vse liberalite / and dispensation of his goddes. like wyce how man shuld withe patience susteyne the hand of God in aduer­site for the time of this present liefe whiche Iob describythe cap. 14. to be nothing but a vani­te / by these wordes Man born of a woman / ly­uythe but a few daies and is replenysshyd with affliction / spryngythe and wethrythe a way as a flowre / fleythe as shadow and comot long indure so saythe Esai 22.40. If thow rede the booke that wyse Salomon wrote de contemptumundi. to say of the contempt or vanite of the worold: Callyd Ecclesiastes thow shalt not on­ly lern what the worold and man is but also take aduersites in the better part if thow fo­low his counsell. the booke contaynythe but 12. chapiters rede and marke euery monethe one Then at the yers end thow shalt rede it o­uer. if thow put the richis therof into thy hede think thow hast gaynyd well that yere thow­ghe by the ponyshment of God / thow hast lo­ost other wayes all thy goddes in the worold vnto thy shurt.

Now folowythe the second part of the fyrst [Page LIX] commaundement.

Thow shalt haue no strange Godes before my face.

This part of the commaundement remouy­the all false religion / and supersticion / where with all the glorie and maiestie of God might happen to be demynishid or darkenyd in the so­ule of mani whiche chaunsythe as many tymes as man attributythe vnto ony creature the thyng that is dewe only vnto God. or when we would honor God or do ony thing acceptable vnto him as we fayne of oure awne brayns and not as his word teathithe. This honor we aw only vnto God. Faythe / loue / fere / and prayre. now to attribute ony of these to ony creature is Idolatrie and to haue false Godes before his face. onlie God shuld be our hope / faythe / loue and fere. Hyme only shuld we pray vnto Esa. 8. Psal. 18.28. To pray / or trust in ony ded saynct departyd our of this worold is Idolatry and agaynst this commaū dement and those that do it hathe nether cōma­undement nor exāple in the scripture to appro­ue there doynges. souche as fere The menaces and threteminges of the deuill or of deuillishe people that myndythe the subuersiō of godes holie word and persecution of souche as folow it / and belyuythe not that god hathe powre to kepe [Page LX] them under and will so do for his wordes sake hathe false godes before his face for onlie he is to be feryd Matt. 4.10. Esa. 51. Souche as be ye­uen to Astronomie / or other that supersticious­lie obserue the course and reuolution of the heauens thinke they can do good or harme / yeue good fortune or ile as those think ād iudge that eleuate the figure of heauen to iudge whatshall folow them / when they perceaue by there Naty­uites vnder what signe the were born: offend against this commaundement. the whiche ab­homination hathe not only byn vsid before ou­re time of superstitious persons / but also now a daies of thē that hathe a right knolege of God. Souche as yeue ouer mouche faythe vnto Me­dicines / or the nature of stones / ād herbes as ye se 2. Paralip. 17. commit Idolatrie. souche as yeue faythe vnto the coniuration or sorsery of superstitious persones as to pristes that blisse water / wax / boue / bred / ashes / candelles / or other. to wycches or southsaiers wher they abuse the name of God / to sing out the fire of him that hathe burnid his hand / to stanche blud / to hea­le man or best: or to souche as destenith what shall happen vnto man / and what plentie shall folow of graine ād frute in thearthe / healthe or sickenis in the ayre / committithe Idolatrie Le­uit. 17. Deu. 18. I speake not against the knolege that man sekithe for / whether it be in the heauēs [Page LXI] or in the earthe / so that they extēd there studie to this end / to glorifie god īn his workes ād not to make the workes god. well we be assurid by the scripture Hie. 10▪ and also by those that kew not the scripture that no constellation of heauen / mistemperature of the ayre / water / or earthe can hurt him that ferythe god / as the testimonys of the scripture declare. only the disobediēce of mā to wardes god makith man subiect vnto these diseacis and sikenis that mā is troblyd withe all Ex. 5.9. Leui. 26. Nu. 14. Deu. 28·2. Re. 24.3. Re. 8. [...]. Pa. 21.2. Pa. 6. Eze. 6.7.14.28 33.38. Rede the 90. Psa. that begynnithe: who so restithe in the secreates of the highist / logithe in the harbor of the omnipotent. in latine it begīnithe after the oldtrāslaciō. Qui habitat in adiutorio altissimi in protectiōe Dei celi cōmorabit. in the whiche Psalme / is shewid how suer ād fre from all ile / ād diseacis he is / that puttithe his trust in god / and that heauen nether earthe or ony thing that is in thē shall molest him. rede ād se. Cic. ī the first booke of diuinatiō Mockithe these blind cōiectures / ād fore destenis. querit ūde Iubiter cornicē à leuaet coruū à dextra canere iubet. askythe ī derisiō of those southe saiers / how appenithe it / that Iubiter cōmaūdithe the Croe to sing at the lefte hand and the Rauen at the right hand. Esa. ca. 30. and 31. shewithe an other kind of Idolatrie whiche was vsyd and punishid in oure fathers [Page LXII] ād likewice daily we se the same with oure Iye [...]. cōfidence ād trust in the powre of the fleshe. whē souche as be in lege / ād cōfederatie to gather / to mouche trust in there awne strēghe / and powre. rede those too chapiters how the Israelites en­trid lege withe the Egyptians / and what was there end / ād cōfer the same ūto owre tyme what Cities / what Princes / and what strenght after the iudgmēt of the worold was vnyt to gather. but because God was out of the lege / se thend / how it auaylid nothing. to the same confusion shall at lenghe com / all kinges / and kingdomes that trust more in there riches / munitions / and confederacie with mē: thē in God. There is for biddin in this part of the cōmaūdemēt: that no­mā shuld yeue thākes for ony thyng receaued in this worold / to ony other sauing to god. Therfore Ose the Prophete callithe the synagoge of the iewes a hore / because se attributid the giftes she receauid of god vnto here false godes. the same teachithe Esa. 57. this idolatrie is at large wro­tē Hie. 2. rede the chap. ād conferre it with oure time that partithe the thankes / ād preasis / that only shuld be yeuē vnto god / withe the sainctes departid / out of this worold. Euery mā as his superstitiō ledithe him. he cōmendith his ryches to god / ād S. Eras. his ox to god / and S. Luke / his horse to god / and S. Loye / for euery diseace he hathe a diuerse patrone / and honorythe hym withe the prayer / that only shuld be saied vnto [Page LXIII] god allmighti / ī the name of christ. Io. 15.16. this Idolatrie hathe in maner infectid all the latine churche. the nature of his secrrate / ād pernicioꝰ ile / must be / by the word of god well markid / lest vnder the cloke / ād shadow of trew religiō / it deceaue mē of the trewthe. for this idolattie saithe / ād barithe mē in hād / that she doothe not so de­sire helpe of sainctes / or thanke thē for the benefites receauid / as thogh she neglectid / or offendid the highe / ād only God: but graūtithe ād cōfessithe god / to be the cheffe yeuer of all thgīes / how be it / not only for his mercies sake / and the merites of christ his sonne / oure sauiour / but also at the intercessiō ād praiers of the ded sainctes / thꝰ crafftelie ād vnder a pretēce of trew religiō / doothe she sondre / ād deuide / the glorie / and honor / dew only vnto the father / the sonne / ād the holy goost / with the saīctes in heauē / that knowithe nothing of oure cōdiciō / ād state / ī this worold 63. Esa. by this meanes oure helders / boothe the iewes / ād the gētiles / minglid the rable / ād multitude of godes / withe the onlye god / ād maker of all thing not that they thowght the idoles / or ymagis / to be God. But thowght that waye / God would be honoryd. the whyche is vere ido­latrye. for the law saythe / Thow shalt not do the thynge / that semithe good in thy Iye / but the thyng I haue commaundyd the to do. The­refore to auayde all false religion / and su­persticion [Page LXIIII] of the mynd / and inward man / God saythe thow shalt haue no strange Godes before me. the conscience therfore / must be pure / and nere / from all priuie / and secreat thowghtes / of i­dolatrie / apostasie / or defectiō: if we would god shuld approue our religion / to be trew. Euery thing that we do for the honor of God / not com­maundid by his word / is as strange / and not acceptid of God. As all godd intencions / faynyd workes by man / and all thinges commaundyd by generall coūselles / not expressyd in the word of God / by the Patriarches / Prophetes / Christ and the Apostelles / whiche be / and euer were / before God / the holy / and Catholike churche. and shewithe vs ho so euer add ony thing to there lawes / ar the churche of Antechrist Deut. 4.12. Apo. 22. so callyd God the fyer of Aharone son­nes / Nadab and Abihu a stronge fyer. to sai / souche as he commaundyd not. God will haue no­ne other workes of man then he requirithe in his expresse word. He condemnythe by this law the wickyd sacryfice / ād Idolatry committid in the priuate masses / where as people doothe not only take frō God / and Christ there dew honor / but also make an other God of bred / whiche is nomore the lyuing God / then the golden calfe / of the Israelitis. as not only the scripture / but also the reason of mā / and the senses of all brute bestes of the feld / ox / an shepe / with all other. The birdes of the ayre / ād fishis of the water doo [Page LXV] the bare record. This vnspeakable and moost abhominable ile / is taken for the principall article / and cheffe piller of the trew / and Apostolicall churche / of souche as beliue not / the Apostelles writinges. But how can it be the Apostolicall churche / when it repugnithe and is clene cōtra­rye / to the Apostelles wrytīges / Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22.1. Co. 10.11. like wice cōtrary to the te­stamēt / will / and institutiō / of Christ Iesu oure only sauiour / the auctor / and fyrst yeuer of this blissid sacramēt / of his moost honorable ād pretious blud / in his churche. If it be not lawfull to change manes testament / nor to add / or take ony thing from it / but to execute / and do euery thīg as it is there expressid / ād none other wice: Mouche more / nomā shuld take vpō him to chā ge the testamēt of christ. Oh that people for whō Christ hathe shed his moost innocēt blud / wold vnderstōd and perceaue this sensible / and manifest abhomination. why they belyue these seduc­tors / ād deceauers of Christiane soules / that hathe not as mouche as one Iote / or pricke of the scripture to belpe themselfes with all. Rede / Rede I beseche the christiāe reader Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Luc. 22. and se how fare there abhominable masse / is frō the word of god. And thincke who was the prist that ministrid this sacramēt / and what people receauid it. Then shalt thow fynd the sonne of god / the wysdome of the father / the [Page LXVI] light of the worold / the lamme that died for thy saluation / to be minister of this holie sacramēt and the churche / or people that receauid it to be the elect / ād chosen Apostelles / christes frendes / that towght the gospell in all the worold / and died for the same / as testimonies / of the truith / Ac. 1. thē dout not but thow wilt sone / perceaue this idolatrie. except (whiche god forbyd) thow dout whether christ / ād the Apostel be the trew / old / ād Catholicke churche or not. They that de­fend this idolatry deceaue the with lies ād false faynid lawes out of there awne hedes / ād not takē out of the scripture. beliue christ / ād his word whiche shewithe the truithe onlie / and thē thow canst not err / no more thē christ him selfe errithe nether be dānid / except christ / all the patriarche / prophetis / ād apostelles be dānyd with the. the [...] make the beliue that holie sacramēt vsid as a cō munion vnder boothe kindes / is a new / ād late inuētid doctrine by mā. thow shalt fyond the cō trarie ī the word of god Mat. 26. Mar. 14. Lu. 22. that it is a thowsand / fiue hūdrithe / and odyers old. ād that christ / ād his Apostelles so vsid it. Let those / be thy fathers / ād folow thow / the­re faithe / ād let the r [...]st go. souche as teache cōtrary doctrine be like wyce the folowers of the Apostelles / ād disciples / but not of Peter / nor steuē / but of Iudas / as S. Bernhard saithe of the Poep. who hathe bē the cheffe doer ī the defacing of godes [...] word / ād ī plāting of this idolatir [...] [Page LXVII] Souche as trust in aduersite to be holpe by ony sainct / ād not ōly by god in christ / make thē strā ­ge godes. as they do that call vpon the sainct departyd in the time of warr. As in time past / The English mā vpon S. George. The frēche mā v­pon S. Denys / the Scote vpon S. Anrey why­che is nothing else / but a very gentilite ād ethnycke custome / as thowghe theer priuate godes / ād singuler patrones / could yeue the victorie ād vpper hād in the feld. or S. George fauore him / that S. Andrey hatythe. what thing is this else / but to set too soules at bate: as the gentiles dyd there godes / Iuno / ād Minerua / withe Venus Verg. Aeneid. 1. & 2. Ouid. Metamor. 12. Hector adest, secum (que) Deos, in praelia ducit. That is to say: Hector is cum / ād hathe browght is godes withe him to the feld. what is there betwene the Grekes that trustid in Iuno / ād Neptunus / ād the Englyshe mā that trustithe in S. Gorge. or betwene the Troianes that trustid in Venus ād here frendes / and the Scotes that trust in sanct Andrey / if they hope by there helpe / there war­ris shall prospere. but preasyd be the mercy of God / I hyre saye and belyue it / that Englyshe man / hathe resignyd saynct Georgis vsurpyd title / to the lyuyng God / the God of batell. No godd man will take me as thowghe I ment Iuno / Pallas / or Venus / were as godd as Andrey or the Saynctes that be in glorye [Page LXVIII] for euer with god. But I say that these supersti­tious persones / that makithe there patrones / or singuler helpers of the sainctes / differ nothing in this point frō the ethinne or gentill. for as the one honorithe he knowith not what / so doothe the othere. boothe folowīg there awne imaginatiō / ād superstitiō without testimonie ād cōmaū dement of the scripture. Rede the cōmentaries of Thom. valois / ād Nicol. triueth in the 4. booke of S. August. De ciuitate Dei / ca. 30. ād they will tell the / if thow beliue not the scripture what supersticiōe is: where as be these wordes. Supersticio aūt uocatur oīs cultus superfluuius, quocun (que) modo superfluus, siue ex superfluitate eorū quae colunt: siue eorū quae in cultū assumū ­tur: siue ex modo assumendi. Hoc em̄ istud intel­ligitur noīe superstitiōis, undecum (que) nomen originē habuerit. That is to say / supersticiō is a su­perfluous religion / what waies so euer it be su­perflous: whether it be of the superfluite of the thīges honorid / or of the thīges vsid for religiō or of the maner in religiō. This doutles is vnderstād by the name of supersticiō / from whens so euer the name hathe his begīning. what so euer thow do / to pleace the allmihtie / if it be not commaūdid in his word it is superflous spersticiō. Remēbre therfore this part of the commaunde­mēt. thow shalt haue no strāge godes before my face / ād honor god / saue thy soule / auoide Idolatry [Page LXIX] as his only word teachithe: and beware of mannes lawes.

Caput V. The second commaundement.

IN the fyrst commaundement we lernid / that God is the onlie / and sole God. and that we shuld not thinke / nor fayne ony other besydes him. farther that commaundement / ex­pressythe what this oure one God is / and how affectionatyd / or myndid towardes vs. full of mercy / and redy allwaies to succur / and ayed / boothe soule / and body / in all affliction. shewi­the vs farther / how we shuld honor / and reue­rence this / oure allmighty and mercyfull God. so that thend / and hole sommne of the fyrst commaundement is / that onlye God would be knowen / of his people to be God / and honoryd as god. so doothe god fyrst instruct the mynd / and soule of man / before he require ony outward [Page LXX] worke / or externall reuerēce▪ or els all together / were hypocrisie / what so euer shew / or perfe­ction it s [...]mythe to haue / in the Iye of the wo­rold. He laithe therfore the fyrst cōmaundamēt as a fundation of all trew religion. as the originall / and spring of all vertewe: and openythe the well / and fountayne of al misheife / and ab­hominatiō / in these wordes / thow shalt haue no strāge godes / before my face. this secōd precept and the too other / that folow in the fyrst table / teachithe vs / how to honor god in externall religion / or outwarde workes / and to shew the fere / faithe ād loue that we bare vnto god in oure ha [...] tes / vnto the worold. Too of these last cōmaun­demētes / shewithe what we shuld do / and the third whiche now Iexpoūd / what we shuld not do. The purpose / end ād will of this secōd cōmaundemēt is: that godes pleasure is / ūto vs / that we shuld not prophane / or dishonor / the trew religiō / or honor of god / withe superstitious ceremonies / or rites / not cōmaūdid by him. wherfore by this secōd cōmaundemēt / he callithe mā frō all grosse / and carnall opiniōs / or iudgmentes of god. the whiche the folishe / and ignoraūt prudēce / and witt of mā / cōceauithe: where as it iudgithe without the scripture ād forbidithe externall Idalatrie / as in the fyrst internall.

This cōmaundement hathe thre partes. The fyrst takithe frō vs / all libertye / and lycēce / that [Page LXXI] we in uocase represēt / or manifest the god inui­sible / and incōprehensible withe ony figure / or ymaige / or represēt hī / vnto our senses that can not be cōprehēdid / by the witt of mā nor angel.

The second part for byddythe / to honor ony ymayge.

The third part shewithe vs / that it is no nede to present God vnto vs / by ony ymayge.

Moses Deut. 4. yeuithe a reason of the fyrst part / why no ymaige shuld be made. Remēbre saithe he / to the people: that the lord spake to the in the vale of Oreb: thow hardist a vaice / but sawist nomaner similitude / but only a vaice (har­dist thow) Esa. cap. 40.41.45.46. diligētlie she withe / what an absurdite / and vndecēt thing it is to prophane the maiestie of god incōprehēsib­le withe a litle block or stone: a sprit / with ā ymayge. The same doothe Paule / act. 17. the text therfore for biddithe all maner of ymagys / that ar made / to expresse / or represent allmyghtie God.

The second part for byddithe to honor ony y­mayge made.

The first word honor / signifijthe: to bow hed legg / kne / or ony part of the body / vnto thē / as all those do / that say they may with good consci­ence / be suffrid in the churche of Christ. To ser­ue them / is to do somme what for there sakes / as to sense them withe incense / to gild / to run­ne on pylgrymayge to them / to knele / or pray-before them / to be more affectionat to one / then [Page LXXII] to the other / to set lightes before them withe so­uche like supersticion and Idolatrie. God be preacyd / I may be short / or writ nothing at all in this mater / because souche as I write vnto / my countre men: be perswadid all redy aright in this commaundement.

This second part shewithe vs / how Idola­trie procedythe / and takythe place in mennys cō science. The mynd of man when it is not illumynatid with the spryt of God / nor gouernyd by the scripture / it ymaginythe / and faynithe god / to be like vnto the ymagination / and concept of his mynd / and not as the scripture teachythe. When this vanyte / or fond ymagination is cō ­ceauyd in the mynd / there folowithe a farther successe of the ile. he purposythe to expresse / by sommne fygure / or ymaige / God in the same forme / and similitude / that his ymagination hathe fyrst pryntid in his mind. so that the mind conceauythe the Idole / and after ward the hād workythe / and representythe the same / vnto the senses.

Therfore / God fyrst for biddythe / this in­ward / and spirituall Idolatrie / of the mynd / when he saythe / thow shalt haue no strange Godes before my face. if the mind be corruptyd and not perswadid a right: then folowithe the making of ymaiges / and after / the honoring of them. The cause therfore of externall Idolatrie [Page LXXIII] is internall / and inward ignoraunce of God / and his word / as Lactantius wrytithe in his booke / of the oryginall of errour. As it cannot be other wyse / but where as the ayre is corruptid / there must folow pestilence / and infection of the blud Galen. lib. 1. De diffe. feb. cap. 5. So where the mynd is not purely perswadid of god / must folow this grosse / and sensible Ido­latrie / that wold honor God in an Idole. The oryginall cause why the ar made is / that man thinkythe / God would not be present / to healpe him / except he be / presentyd somwayes vnto the recarnall Iyes / as the example of the Israeli­tes declarythe. that requiryd Aron to make thē Godes / that might lede them in there Iourney. They knew right well / that there was but one God / whom they knew / by the miracles / that he wrowgth among them. but [...]hey thowght / he would not be present / and at hand with them / except they might se him in somme corporall fy­gure / and ymaige / and that the ymayge / might be a testimony of his presence. so se we that no­man fallithe into this grosse Idolatrie: but souche as be fyrst infecryd with a false opynion of God / and his word. then say they / they wours­hippe not the ymaige / but the thing representid by the ymaige. against whom writithe sainct Augustine in Psal. 118. et 113. in the 4. booke of the cite of God cap. 5. that ymaiges take a way [Page LXXIIII] fere from men / and bring them into errour. The aunciant Romaines more religiouslie say­the he / honoryd there godes / withe out ymagis. Seing there is no cōmaundement / in ony of the boothe testamētes / to haue ymagis / but as ye se the cōtrarye. ād likewice the vniuersall / catholike / and holie churche / neuer vsid ymagis / as the wrytinges of the apostelles / and prophetis / testifie: it is but an ethnicke verite / and gentiles Idolatrie / to say / God and his sainctes be honoryd in them / when that all Histories testyfie / that in maner ffor the space of fyve hundryth yers / after Christes ascensiō / when the doctrine of the gospell was moost sincerly preachid / was no y­magy vsyd. would to God / the churge were now / as purely / and well instructid / as it was before these auaricious ministers / and dōme doctors of the lay people / were made preathers / in the churche of god. Rede August. Epist. 49. et Psal. 113. therfore saynct Iohn biddith vs / not only beware of honoring of ymagy / but of the ymagis selfes. Thow shalt fynd the origynall of ymagis ī no part of godes word: but in the wrytinges of the gentiles / and infideles / or in sou­che that more folowid there awne opinion / and superstitious ymaginations / then the auctorie of Godes word. Herodotus li. 2. saythe that the Aegyptions / were the fyrst that made ymagys / to represent there Godes. and as the gentiles fashenyd [Page LXXV] there godes withe what fygures / the ly­styd: so doothe the Chrystians. to declare God to be strong / they made him the forme of a ly­on. to be vigilant / and diligent / the forme of a dogg. and As Herodotus saythe libr. 2. Mendesij / formyd there God Pana withea gotes face / and gotes legges / and thowght thei did there god great honor / because among thē / the herd men of gotes / were had in moost esti­mation. So doothe those that would be accom­ptyd christianes / peynt God / and his saynctes with souche pyctours as they ymagine / in there fantazies. god like an old man / with a horehed / as thowghe his vthe were past / whiche hathe nether beginning / nor ending. S. George / with a long spere / vpon a Iolie hakeney / that gaue the dragon his deathe woūd (as the Peinters say) in the throwght. Sainct whit with as many round cheses / as may be peītid a bout his tabernacle. No differēce at all betwene a christiane mā and gentille in this Idolatrie / sauing onlie the name. for they thowght not there ymagis to be god / but supposid that there godes would be honorid that waies / as the christianes doothe. I writ these thinges rather in a contempt / and hatred of this abhominable Idolatrye / then to lern ony Englishe man / the truythe. For my belyue / and hope is / that euery man in Englond / knowith prayng to saynctes / [Page LXXVI] and knelyng before ymagies / is Idolatrie. and instrumentes of the deuill / to lede men / from the commaundementes of God. And that they ar apoyntid in many places to be as doctours to teache the people: these doctors / and doctrine the bishopes / and pastors / shall bewaile / before the iudgment sete of god / at the hore of deathe. and like wice the princes of the worold. Who is office is / daily to rede / and lerne the scripture / that they them selfes / might be able to iudge the bishoppes doctrine / and also / se them applie the vocation they ar callyd vnto. it is not only a shame / and an vndecent thing for a prince / to be ignorant what Curates his soubiectes hathe / throwghe all his realme / but also a thing so cō ­trarie vnto the word of God / that nothing prouokythe more the Ire of god / against him / and his realme / then souche a contempt of godes cō ­maundement.

The thyrd part declarithe / that it is no nede to shew God vnto vs / by ymaiges. and proui­the the same / with thre reasones / fyrst. I am the lord / thy God: that louythe the / helpithe the / defendithe the / is present withe the. belyue and lo­ue me / so shalt thow haue no nede / to seke me / and my fauorable presence / in an ymaige.

The second reason. I am a Ielous god / and cannot suffer the to loue ony thyng / but in me / and for me. Whē we too were maryd / and knit [Page LXXVII] to gather / for the loue that I bore vnto the. I gaue the certayne rules / and preceptes / how in all thinges / thow mayst kepe my loue / and godd­will towardes the / and thow promisydes me obedience / vnto my commaundementes / Exod. 19. so honor me / and loue me / as it stādithe wro­ten in the writinges / and indētures wroten betwen vs boothe. I cannot suffre / to be other wy­ce honoryd / then I haue tawght in my tables / and Testament.

The thyrd reason is that God reuenchithe the prophanatiō / of his diuine Maiestie / if it be trā scribyd to ony creature / or ymayge. and that not onlie in him / that committithe the idolatrye / but also in his posteryte / in the third / and fourthe generatiō / if they folow there fathers idolatrie / as I yeue mercie / in to the thowsand generation / when the chyldre folow there fathers vertewe Then to auoyde the Ire of god. an to optaine his fauoure / we must vse no ymaigis to honor him with all. this ye may rede Nu. 12. Ie. 32. ād Esa. 39. how Kyng Ezechias sonnes / loost there fa­thers kyngdomme / an were caryd / into capti­uite for there fathers sinne. Rede the 13.14. and 15. chap. of Deu. and se how Moses interpreta­tithe this second cōmaundemēt more at large. Godes lawes expulsithe and puttithe ymages out of the churche / Exo. 20. Deu. 5. then nomannes lawes / shuld bryng thē in. As for there do­ctrine [Page LXXVIII] / they teachethe vnlernid: it is aweake reason to stablishe them withall. A man may lern / more of a liue ape / then of a ded ymage if boothe shuld be browghte in to the scole / to teache.

Caput VI. The thyrd Commaundement.

The end of this precept is / that we allwayes vse reuerētlye / the name of god. that is to sai the maiestie and essence diuine / that consistithe in one diuine nature / and essence / and in there persones. the father / sonne / and the holye goost.

This moost honorable / ferfull / ād blyssyd name / nomā shuld vnreuerētly prophane / or temerouslie without godd aduismēt / ons thīcke v­pō / or speake of. but diligentlie take hede of these thre thīges. first / that what so euer we thīcke / or speake / be agreable / ād cōsonāt / vnto the excellē ­tie / ād holīis of his name / ād extēd to the settīg forthe of his glory. Secōd / that we abuse not his holie worde / nor peruert the meaning / ād miste­rijs ther of / to serue oure auarice / ambitiō / or folie. but as he hathe openid him selfe / ād his will in his word / so to know him / so to fere him / so to loue him / so to serue / so to īstruct oure selefes in faithe / ād so to teache other. Thyrdly / that we reuerētlie speake / and iudge / of all his workes / withe out detraction / or contumelie / acknolegyng [Page LXXIX] his inscrutable prudence / and iustice in all thinges / withe laude / and preace / as well in aduer­site / as in prosperite / Psalm. 34.

They obey this commaundement / ād vse the name of god aright / that preache allmighti god as he cōmaundithe in his word. that pray vnto him as it teachithe / to giue him thankes for ad­uersite / and prosperite / as it teachithe / to cōfes­se hī before the worold / as it teachithe. these be the workes of this thyrd cōmaūdemēt / ād be cō mēdid vnto vs / in all the scripture. As well ūto the princes ād magistrates of the worold / ād euery priuate person / as vnto souche as be appoyn­tyd vnto the ministerie / ād office of the churche. That euery priuate person is boūd to teache souche / as be vnder him / the fathers there childre / the elders the yonger / thow maist reade in these places of the scripture / Deut. 4.6.11. Psal. 77. Tob. 1 That the princes shuld do the same vnto there subiectes / reade. Deu. 17.2. Re. 1.3. Reg. 10. Iob. 4. Psa. 30.50. As for the ministres dewtye / there be as many places that cōmaūdithe thē to do there office / as be names of bookes / ād in maner chapiters in the Bible. As be for prayers ūto god / ād thākes yeuing / how / ād whē it shuld be dōne / the booke of Psalmes / writinges of the prophetis / ād apostelles / like wice the cōmaūde­mēt of our sauiour christ declarith / Mat. 6. Io. 14. The confession of God / and his word before [Page LXXX] the worold / is cōmaūdid in boothe testamētes.

And confirmyd withe the extmple of all mē / that louid the truithe / from the begynning as Abel / Seth / Noha / Esaias. Christ / and his Apostelles. Yea of the simple and mayed / and pryso­ner in the howse of Naaman syrus 4. Re. 5. that feryd not to confesse the liuing God / in a strāge countre / before thē that were Godes ennimies. this maide shall dāne in the last iudgmēt all those that for fere not onlye in a strange countrey / But also at Home / dar not confesse the truyth. In these foure workes / ar cōteinid all other that appertayne / to the settīg forthe of godes glorie / as be these. To lern the word of God / teache it ūto other to promote it with exāple of honest / ād godly lieffe. whē the glory of god / the defence of the truithe / the conseruation of iustice / and deliueraince of innocency requirithe: to make open / an vnknowen truithe / and to confirme the sa­me. To swere / or take an othe / before a lawfull iudge / is the worke also / of this cōmaundemēt / and settithe forthe Godes glorie / Deu. 4. for as Paule saithe / all cōtrauersis ar endid by the vertew of an othe. So haue we examples in Paule Ro. 9. in Abrahā / and Isaac / with Abimelech. Iacob / and Labā / Gene. 31. betwene Booz and Ruth / Ruth. 3. so of God Abdias / 2. Re. 18. The othe thus taken / declarithe him / that receauid it / to acknolege / and yeue vnto God only / this [Page LXXXI] honor. that he alone knowithe what is in man­nes hart / and like wyce byndithe Gdd / to reuenge / and punishe him / if he swere false. vnto the whiche paine / the condicione and tenor of the o­the / bindithe him. And makythe himselfe / the vessell wherin / god may exercise his displeasu­re / and iustice. for God will not leaue him vn­punishyd / that takythe his name in vayne / as it is wroten in the second part of this commaun­dement / Exod. 20. Deut. 5. These be the wor­kes requirid of vs in this thyrd commaunde­ment. the whiche can be don of noman / but of suche as fyrst know God in Iesu Christ / and for his merites be reconsilid / and hathe his synnes for yenen. then they spring out of the fountaine / and originall of all godd workes / faithe / loue / and fere of God / whiche be workes of the fyrst commaundement. All other / whe­ther it be prayer / preaching of Godes word / cō ­fession of his name / or yeuing of thāckes / withe souche as folow in the next commaundement / and likewice in the second table / pleasythe god / none other wyce / then they procede of faythe in the mercie of God / throwghe Christ Iesu / oure sauiour. As these workes agre withe the cōmaū dement / so be there workes contrarye / and re­pugnant vnto this commaundement / that sai­the / thow shalt not take the name of the lord / thy God in vayne▪ the whyche is donne diuerse [Page LXXXII] wayes as it shall appere in the Nombryng of certaine dayly vsyd vices / and horrible blasphe­mis / dayly vsyd / not only vnpunishyd / but al­so as a thing commendable / and worthy prea­ce of the moost part of people. The moost horri­ble abuse of this holy / and moost ferfull name is / among souche as thynke there is no God to renumerat vertew / nor to punishe vyce / as the Epicures say. would to God the same bla­sphemie / had corruptyd none / that bare the na­me of Christianite. There were allwayes in the churche souche / as it aperythe Esai. 22. cap. and Luc. 13. and be at this daye agreat nombre / that say not platlye and playnly there is no God / but by certayne circumloquutions / and para­phresis as well by wordes / as ile conuersation of liffe / thinck there is no heauen / nor hell. and beliuithe not asmouche the Scripture of God as the wordes of him that knowithe nether god ner godlinis.

The second sort / that abuse this holie name of God / be those that vnder the pretēce / and name of God his word / and his holy churche / sekethe reawne glorie / and profete. As the Pope / vnder the title / and pretence of Godes ministerie / ha­the gotē him selfe / not only a Bishope ricke / but also the hole monarchie / ī maner of all Europa. A rychere kingdom / then ony prince of the wo­rold. whyche neuer sessid from his beginnyng / [Page LXXXIII] to moue Christiane princes / to moost cruell / ād bludy warre. vnder the cloke and mantell of go­des name. what meanes and crafft / hathe he found to mayntayne this horyshe / and Ante­christ sete / of abhomination: Idoles / peregri­nations / masses / dispensations / absolutions / defencions of all thinges abhominable. Tyran­nies agaynst vertew / stablishmentes of his aw­ne lawes / abrogations of Godes lawes / Em­ptyng of heauin / and filling of hell / blyssyng of thinges exteriour / oyle / bell / bred / water / withe other that be not cursyd / and cursing of the soules / that Christ redemyd withe his pretious blud / with a thowsand more / souche abhominations vnder the name and pretence of god / and his holie churche. the whiche nether the patriar­ches / nether the prophetes / Christ / nether his A­postelles / neuer knew of / as the boothe testamentes doothe bare record. The same doothe souche as preache in the churche of God / there awne y­maginations / or decres of men. for be there do­ctrine neuer so false / it hathe a fere title / and na­me of Godes word / when it is / but a subtile quidite of Suns / a vayne sophisme of Aristotelle / a superstitious d [...]cre of the bishopes lawes / a copie of vayne glorie / and craftie connection of wordes to satisfie the moost part of the audience / and to flatter the richeste. wrethyng and wresting the simple verite of Godes wordes / [Page LXXXIIII] into as many formes / and diuerses sentences / as be vayne / and carnall affections / wrowght within his vngodlye hart. so for the law of god / they preache the law of man: for the gospell / iu­daicall supersticion / for Christ / them selfes / whiche honor not Godes name / as the lawe of the holy / and catholick churche of Christ / teachithe / but dishonorithe / and takythe it in vayne / wi­the the churche of Antychrist / and the deuyll. for christ bid his disciples preache none other then he hymselfe commaundyd them Matt. 28. cap. yea he shewyd that the holie goost / the sprit of truythe shuld teache none other thyng / then by him was tawght Ioan. 15. therefore souche as will ocopy the office of a preacher / fyrst must be well lernyd / in the thinges that appertayne vn­to the gospell. thē fre from all souche affectiōs / as rather sykythe him selfe / and the worold / thē the fartheraūce of the doctrine he preachithe. it is not inowghe that he preache the truithe / but that onlye he haue a respect vnto the glorie of Christ. then shall he boldlye speake the truithe without respect of persones / not temperyng his oration withe colours of flaterye / but hardelye call vertew / vertew: and vyce / vyce / as he seythe occasion who so euer be his audience. S. Ian­in his Epistole capit. 3. shewithe who is apt for this office to preache the word of God. so doo­the christ Matt. 10. so doothe Paule / 1. Timo. [...]. [Page LXXXV] Tit. 1. so doothe Moses / and the prophetes. no­thing more blasphemythe the name of God thē false doctrine / and souche as sekythe them selfes and can vse the word of God / as the se there audience / and not as it is commaundyd them / by the word of God. souche preachers hathe browght the superiour poures of the erthe vn­to a contempt of godes word / hatred of the preacher when he tellythe truythe / and the vnler­nyd into blyndnis / and ygnorancie.

Those abuse the name of God / that sike helpe of damnyd sprytes or of souche soules as be de­partyd out of this worold. as Saul dyd 1. Reg. 28. or those that by Necromancie or souche like incantamentes abuse the name of god to resuscitat ded bodies / or call sprites departyd vnto the bodie agayne / whiche is nothing else but an il­lusion / and craffte of the deuill / to make men belyue lyes. Those men in Englyshe be callyd coniurers who vsithe artes for byddin by Go­des lawes / And also by the lawes of Ethnikes / before Chryst was born. Titus Liuius lib. 1. de vrbis origine wrytithe of Numan pomp. that was instructid disciplina tetrica. the whiche discipline. S. Aug. callith / Hydromanciam ether necromantiam lib. de Ciuit. 7. cap. 35. the whiche artes were forbydding as it aperythe by Apuleius / whiche in his booke de magia / defendythe him selfe / agaynst one that accusyd him of N [...] ­cromancie. [Page LXXXVI] The law of the 12. tables / that were in Rome lōg before the byrthe of Christ / for by­dithe those artes / As Cicer. wrytythe De Re­pub. the more I wondre / that ony souche supersticious bookes / shuld be pryntyd vnder the pryuyleige / of ony Christyane prynce / or Ma­gistrates. as be the bookes of Iohn Tritemius / and Henrye Cornelius Agrippa. spetialli his thyrd booke de occulta philozophia / that is to say / of secreat philozophie. Withe many other / that sparyd no labor / in settyng forthe souche vngodlie workes. They browght fyrst thabuse of Godes name in to christiane mennes hartes / and tawght them the same superstityon / that ons was namely among the Persians / and Ae­giptians. Valerius lib. 8. cap. 6. for as amōg the gentiles there were sommne callyd Augures that by obseruation of the byrdes of thaire / in there fleyng / criyng / and eating / made men be­lyue / the knew thinges to comme: so among the Christyanes be somme / that thynke they can do the same. As if the Pye Chatter / they loke for gestes. If the croo cry / they say we shall haue rayne. If the hole hoyle / it is signe of dea­the.

And as there were somme / that by the ob­seruation of the Sterres / toke vpon them to speke of thinges to com / by certayne supersticious / and dyuyllishe incantacions / whiche the per­sians [Page LXXXVII] call Magos / the Grekes philozophos / the Latynes sapientes / Galli druidas / The Ae­giptions sacerdotes / the Indies gymnosophi­stas / the Assyrians chaldeos / so is there among the Chrystianes the same sort of people / whiche be callyd soothe sayrs / or pronosticatours / that writ / and speake of thinges to comme. as when Iubiter rulythe the constellations aboue / and is not impeachyd / nor let by the coniunction of his contrary planete / we shall haue a godd yere / and aplentyfull. If Saturn / and sou­che as astronomers attribute / contrarye qua­lites vnto raigne / we shall haue scarsetye / and derthe of thynges. Plin. lib. 18. wrytithe of sou­che as by only wordes / or withe some other thīg annexid withe the wordes / workithe thinges aboue nature / as the deuill hathe dōne all waies as Histories record. Luca. lib. 6. Valer. li. 8. cap. 1. wrytithe of one of the Godes vesta Nunnes that was falslie accusyd of an vnchast lieffe / desyrid the Godes to delyuer here innocen­sie in that cryme by somme miracle. As she dyd. The mayde went to the ryuer callyd Tyber withe a seue and browght it ful of water into the temple of the Godes. So among Chrystyane men be the same sort of people / that by thabuse of Godes name thro­wghe the helpe of the deuyll doothe many ty­mes worke the same / in helyng man / and [Page LXXXVIII] lest. as not many yers sithe I was born in hand of a pore man that erryd by ygnoraūce that this Medycine could hele all diseaces. † Iesus. † Iob † habuit † vermes † Iob † patitur † ver­mes †. In † nomine † patris † et filij † et spiritus sancti † Amen † lamazabathani. † God o­penyd his hart after ward to know the truythe. Souche as be yeuen to the artes practyue as Geometrie / Musycke / Astrologie / and Arithmetice takythe vpon them to iudge of mennes con­ditions / by the sight of there faces / Gell. lib. cap. 9. lib. 14. cap. 1. so be there among people Chrystenid / that know nether art / nor science / that take vpon them / to know the same by there countenaunce / the lynes of there handes / or by there passis / or goyng. Lucane the Poete wry­tithe that one / resuscitatyd from deathe to lyue / shewyd vnto Sextus Pompeius what shuld be the successe / and end / of the batell in the fel­des / of Thessalie. so wrytithe Plin. lib. 37. ca. 11. and Tullie lib. 1. Tusc. Quest. so dyd the shadow of Samuel shew the deathe of Saul 1. Reg. 28. The same doothe the deuyll shew vnto many that by thabuse of Godes name vse supersticious coniurations / and inchauntmentes / when they syke the truythe of the deuill / and ded bodi­es / and leue the word of the lyuing God. Au­gustus themperour for byd this supersticious art / and Claudius themperour clene abolishyd [Page LXXXIX] it / Cesar lib. 6. How the law of Chrystiane Emperours hathe for byddin / and punyshite this vngodly artes thow mayst rede Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. The law ciuile punishythe it / withe banysh­ment / withe the swerd / and to be toren with be­stes. Culpa similis est, tam prohibita discere, quam docere. that is to say. the fault is one / to lerne / and to teache the thynges for biddyn. Re­de the 18. cap. of Deut. and there thow shalt fynd / as many names of those that vse for byd­din artes / as be reherhersyd by Cōstantine / and Iuliane the Emperours / Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. and like wyce the same artes. and as Moses for by­dith all the people those vngodlie artes / so doo­the those Emperours. Boothe Moses in Godes lawes / and these Emperours in mannes lawes punishythe withe deathe / the transgressours of this commaundement. Moses Deut. 13. prescribythe this payne. Propheta ille, aut somniator somniorum occidi debet, eo quod auersionem loquutus sit ā domino deo uestro. that is to sai. that prophete / or dreamer of dremes must be slayne / be cause he hathe spoken a defection / or apostasie from the lord / youre god. more at lar­ge / is this payne wroten Leuit 20. and Esa. ca. 47. rede the places. The exequution of the paine agaynst the transgressours Rede 1. Reg. 28.4. Reg. 23. in the law of man / we rede thus. Sileat omnibus perpetuo diuinādi curiositas. etenim [Page XC] suppliciū capitis feret, gladio ultore prostratus, quicunque nostris iussis obsequiū denegauerit, Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. that is to say / the supersticion of fore destening / is for bydden allwayes vn­to all men / and who so euer obey not oure com­maundementes / is cōdemnyd vnto the swerd / and shall suffer the loste of his hedde. Thowghe I do by the thauctorite of Godes lawes / and mannes lawes / damne this damnable art Mathematicall / I do not damne souche other ar­tes / and sciences as be associatyd / and anne­xid withe this vnlawfull Astrologie. as is Geometrie / and Arithmetice / those be necessarie for euery man: spetially Arithmetice / for she ex­tendithe as an necessarie ayede / not only vnto all sciences / but also to euery liberall art / and con­dicion of liefe. and among all artes Mathema­ticall / Arithmetice is accomptyd the fyrst / Musyke / Geometrie / and Astronomie wantythe he­re ayede / and she not thers. Plin. lib. 35. cap. 10. They be the gyfftes of God / and to be honoryd because they com from him onlye / that gyuythe all goodnis Iac. 1. Farther the Emperours of the worolde Dioclet. and Maximian. Tybe­rio. Cod. lib. 9. Tit. 18. doothe permit these ar­tes. Artem Geometriae discere, atque exercere publice interest. Ars aūt Mathematica dānabi­lis interdicta est. that is to say. it is expedient / or profetable / to lerne / and exercyce the art of Geometrie. [Page XCI] but the damnable art mathematicall / is for bydden. The law menythe Astrologie / and Astronomie whiche ar vsyd well but of a few men. The Astrologer / is he that knowithe the course / and motions of the heauens / and teachy­the the same / whiche is a vertew / if it passe not his bondes / and be come of an Astrologer / an Astronomer. who takythe vpon him to yeue iu­dgment / and Censure of these motions / and course of the heauens / what they pronosticat / and destenye vnto the creatures of the earthe / man / best / and other. what shalbe the tempera­ture of the ayre / the condition of the Erthe / the state / and successe of souche frute / as it bryngythe forthe. By this knolege they fore spe­ke of pestilence / and other diseacis / and seythe the deathe of great men to cum / and souche commotions / and warres / as shall folow / betwene the prynces of the wotold. And Thus they sey they know / by the course of the hea­uens. Where as they sethe coniunctions of ma­ny planetis of rygures / and fatall dispositi­on / and qualite concurre: by reasone of who­is influence / into these inferiour partes / all those calamites must happen. Here they abuse not only the name of God / and the Naturall discurse of reason / whiche hathe comprehendid the motions / and course of heauens: but also hea­uens it selfe. and attribute vnto the heauens / [Page XCII] the thing that onlie appertainithe to god: to sai / the healthe of man / and sichnis of man / the plē ­tie of the earthe / and scarsite of the same. the re­gimēt of commune wealthes / and the lyffe and deathe of the gouerns therof. There knolege and practise in these thynges is nothyng att all: for allmightie god hathe not made the heauens / to that end / and purpose that man shuld lern of them / good fortune / or ile / as it is playne Gen. 1. in the second daye God made the fyrmament / and the superiour speres / whiche the text cally­the rakiah. to this end / that it shuld seperat The waters that be vnder the firmament / from those that be a boue the firmament. and God callid the firmament heauen. in the 4. daye God ma­de the Sonne / the Mone / and the Sterres. And shewithe to what purpose / and end he made them. the one to haue dominion in the daie / the other in the night / and God put them in the f [...]rmament of heuē / to yeue light vnto the erthe▪ those rule in the day / and night / and put diuersite betwene light / and darkenis / to deuy­de the yere into his partes. The spring / Somer / Autumne / and wynter. They ar in signes like wyce saythe the text. The whiche the housbound mā that tylythe / and sowith the growne / obseruithe withe out supersticion / to sowe / and repe his corn. he castythe it into the wynter / and re­ceauythe it agayne in the Somer. So doothe [Page XCIII] the Mariner / marke the reuolution of the Mone / his decrese / and increse wher by he knowithe the tydes / the Ebbe / and flow of the see. and the later phisicions Auicenne / and Auerroys hathe like wice assignid there vse in mannes bodye. Therefore they apoynt diuersite of dayes / in the practise of phisike. one to be more apt for letting of blud then other / to purge / and to balne / thē the other. If they may be obseruyd without su­perstition / it may be suffryd. so notwithston­ding / that souche as obserue not these later ru­les / may booth ministre / and receaue medicins. for the heuenes were made to serue vs / and not to master vs. were creatyd for man / and man not for them. Therfore it is a false supersticion / to saye good / or bad / plentythe / or scarsite / sick­nes or elthe / warr / or peace / dependithe of the influence of the heauens. Or he that is borne vn­der one signe / to be more fortunate / then he that is borne vnder the other / as this Egyptiacall / and Ethnycke folyshnis / barythe men in hand. The Pronostication of these blynd Prophetis / is good to be born in a mannes besōme to know the day of the monethe. The rest of there pra­ctice / is not worthe one hawe / as Moses teachi­the / Deut. 28.29.30. Leuit. 26. Thre. 2. Malach. 2. Where as ye may se / that all these illes and many more / then the Astronomers spekythe of / commythe vnto vs for synne / and the transgression [Page XCIIII] of Godes commaundement It is nether Son­ne / nether Mone / Iupiter nor Mars / that is the occation / or mater of wealthe / or who / plen­tythe / or scarsythe / of warr / or pece. Nether is the cause of penitence the putrefaction of the ayre as Galenus wrytythe / libr. 1. De diffe. feb. cap 5. But the contempt of Godes commaundement is the cause / as thow maist rede in the cha­piters of the scripture alitle afore rehersyd. The Ayre / The Water / and the Erthe hathe no poyson in them selfes / to hurt there lord / ād master man. But fyrst man poysenithe him selfe with synn: and then God vsythe these Elemen­tes ordeynyd for the lief of man / to be thocca­tion of his deathe. Rede the places and know that godd healthe is nom bred among the blys­synges of God / and apperteynythe vnto tho­se that fere and kepe Godes Commaundemen­tes / ād not to those / that be destenyd to lyue lōg / by the fauour / ād respectes of planetes And the ile / of what kynd so euer it be / is the maledicti­on of God / agaynst synne. The phisicians say that the chefyst remedy agaynst pestilence is to fle from the place where the Ayre is corrupt.

Godes law saithe / fle whether thow wilt. Adherere faciet tibi Dominus pestilenciam, do­nec consumat te de superficie terrae, Deutero. 28. That is to say: The lord shall make the pestilen­ce [Page XCV] cleue and associat the till it consume the from the worold. Agayne in the same chapiter. the di­seace or syckenys shalbe faythefull. that is to say sticke fast to the / vse what medicines thow wilt. Galenus saythe libr. 1. De differ feb. capit. 4. that the cheffe remedy / to preserue from pesti­lence / is to purge the body from superflous hu­mores / to haue a fre / and liberall wynd / and to auoyde the abundaunce of mete / and dryn­ke. God saythe / nothyng preseruythe / but the obseruation of his commaundementes. If we offend / the best remedy is penence / and amen­dement of liefe. It makythe no forse how cor­rupt the Ayre be / so the conscience / of man in Christ be clene from synne. Thoghe there dye / a thowsand of the one syde of the / and ten thowsand one the other syde / thow shalt be sauffe / Psalm 90. He will let the lyue / to serue lenger in the worold / to the glorye of his na­me. And if tbow die / it is because / no ma­lice of the worold / shuld corrupt thy lieffe / and bryng the from God. Farther to take away the miseries of this worold. If souche as care not for God / escape in the time of pestilēce / or warr: it is to call them vnto a better lyffe / Ro. 1. If they amend not: they ar reseruyd / to agreater payne. this is spokē not as thowghe I contēned the yefftes of god: philosophie / and phisick / but to: take from mē / all vaine hope in the artificiall medi­cyns [Page XCVI] / and yeue only the glory vnto the name of God.

They abuse the name of God / that performe not the thing they promes / in Godes name / by ony othe / or vow / made according to the law of God / whether it be betwene man and God / as in the holie Sacrament of Baptisme / and the holie super of the lord / where as we swere / and promes to lyeue after his will and pleasu­re. Or when man / to man byndithē him selfe / to ony condicions / or promeses by the inuoca­tion of Godes name / or testimony of his aw­ne consciens. If the one kepe not touche and promese withe the other: he that offendith / abusythe not only his awne faythe / whicht shuld be allwyes simple / and trew: but also contem­nythe the Maiestie / and omnipotencie of God / in whois name / the othe was taken. And not only the law of God But also the law of man / punyshithe this horrible periurye / as ye may rede / Leuit. 24. How he that toke the name of God in vayne / was stonyd to deathe: so saythe Dauid / Psalm. 5. So saythe this Commaundement / God will not leue him vnpunyshyd / that Namythe him in vayne. Examples we ha­ue in Ananias / and his wief / Acto. 5. The chil­dren of Israel were slayne for periurie / Esa. 10. Temperour Iust. Nouellis constitut. 77. com­maundithe to put to deathe the blasphemours.

[Page XCVII]Souche as trust in there awne strenghe / or ryches / abuse / and hlaspheme / this name of God. Which neuer was / nor neuer shalbe / vn­punyshyd in this worold / in the worold to cum / or in booth. Examples we haue in Assur / Esa. 10. Holofernes Iudith. 13. Aiax / that sayd he could ouer com his ennymyes / without God. At lenghte was not ouercom of his ennymyes / but kyllyd him selfe.

Those that swere by the name of God / and li­ke wyce by the name of Saynctes / offend this commaundement. As when the forme of there othe is thus. AS HELPE ME GOD and all Saynctes. For the othe must be only in the name of God / Deut. 6.10. Iosu. 23. How this synne in sweryng by ony then God is pu­nyshyd Rede / Hiere. 5. Soph. 1. Red the 7. cha­pit. of Iosua / and lerne the forme of a trew o­the there / when he constraynyd Achan to con­fesse the truythe / by the vertew of an othe. It is a manifest Argument of impiete / and false belyue / when people swere by ony crea­tures.

Souche as yeue there bookes a holie / and relegious title / and the contentes therof / is no­ne other / then the defence / of supersticiō and in­quyrye / of vayne glorye / or his awne priuate commodite / abuse the name of God.

[Page XCVIII]They offend greuouslie this commaunde­ment / that swere without necessite. More gre­uouslie / when for euery light tryfell / or mater of nothing. Moost greuouslie / when men swe­re to mayntayne a false cause / to optayne an ile purpose / to oppresse the truythe / or to iu / stifie the wrong. The othe therfore must be as Hiere saythe / cap. 4. in verite / iudgment / and iustice. There the Prophete ex [...]tithe the Israe­lites / to reuerence the Name / and glory of god. And that they beliue stedfastlye / the vniuersall prouidence of God. That they abstayne from false othes / and periurie. For God seith not on­ly / the workes of man / but also the wordes / and thowghtes of the hart. Therfore noman shuld swere / except he know perfetly the thyng to be trew / that he swerythe.

That is the fyrst thyng that man shuld ha­ue in his consciens / before he swere. The second / that he swere not temcrou [...]lie / nor lightlie wi­thout reuerēce of Godes maiestie / but with iudgment / that is to say / when necessite constray­nythe / for the glorye of God / or defence of ver­tew / at the commaundement of a iust / and laufull appoyntyd iudge. Thyrdly that it be in iu­stice / that the othe extend to nothyng / that is a­gaynst Godes lawes. if the othe haue not these thre cempanyons / it is periurye / what so euer [Page XCIX] be sworne / and blasphemithe Godesname. As all those that swere to pleace / and flater the su­periour powres / when they make vngodly la­wes. And those that swere / in the lawes of men vnder the pretence of holye churche / and perse­quute christes / trew membres.

As for those that be commune swerers / and be suffryd to blaspheme / withe out punishmēt / it is so ahhominable that the magistrates / they that swere / and all the commune wealthe We­re as the dwell / shall at lenghe smart for it. Re­gulus the Romayne and the Sagumines / sha­mythe Christyane men: that would not for ony payne or punishment of the worold / violat / or breake there othe / made by there false Godes of whom wrytythe / Sainct Augustine libro de Ciuita. Dei. 22. capit. 6. libro 1. capit. 15. Cicero lib De officijs 3. Valerius libro 9. The Sagun­tines burnyd them selfes. Regulus returnyd from his natyue contrey / and Cite of Ro­me / to his moost cruelle Ennymies in Africa. and would rather suffer thextreme tyrannie of his ennymyes / then violat / or breake his othe / that he had sworn.

Caput VII. The fourthe Commaundement.

THe cause / and end / why this commaunde­ment was institutyd / is diuerse. Fyrst be­cause man shuld apon this daye call his inten­dement / and thowghtes from the lustis / pleasures / vanites / an concupiscens of the worold vnto the meditacions of godd / and his workes / to the studie of scripture herīg of the word of god / to call vpon God withe ardent praier / to vse and exercise the Sacramentes of God / to con­ferr [Page CI] / and geue according to his abilite almose / to the confortyng of the poure. Then like wyce God by this commaundement prouidy the for the temporall / and Ciuile liefe of man / and like wyce for all thynges that be necessarie and ex­pedient for man / in this liefe. if man / and best / that is mannes seruant / shuld without repose / and rest / allwaies labour / they might neuer in­dure / the trauell / of the Erthe. God therfore / as he that intendithe the conseruation / and weal­the of man / and the thyng creatyd to mannes v­se / commaundithe this rest / and repose from la­bour that his creatures maye indure / and serue as well there awne necessarie affayrs / and busynis / as preserue the vthe / and offrynge of man and best / till it com to a sufficient ayge and con­uenient forse / to supplie the place / and rome of souche as deathe / or diseace shall pryuate / or di­sable / from the execution / and vse of souche trauelles as this carefull liefe shall necessaryly re­quire. So saythe Ouid. ‘Quod caret alterna requie, durabile non est.’ That is to say. the thyng cannot endure / that la­kythe rest. That man and best therfore / myght brethe and haue repose / this sabbothe was institutyd. Not onlye that the body shuld be restoryd vnto strenghte and made able to sustaine the trauelles / of the weke to cum / but also that the soule and sprit of man / whiles the body is at rest / [Page CII] myght / vpon the Sabbothe / lerne and know / so the blyssid will of his maker. that onlye / it le­ue not from the labour / and aduersite of syn­ne: but also by Godes grace / receaue souche strenghe / and forse in the contemplation of Godes moost mercyfull promes / that it may be able / to sustayne all the trobles of temptaci­on / in the weke that folowithe. for as the bo­dye being allwayes oppressyd withe labour lostythe his strenghe / and so peryshythe: so do­othe the mind of man / opprossyd withe the cures / and pleasures of this worold / loost all here forse / lust / and desyre that she had to the rest to cum of eternall liefe. And so dye­the not onlye the deathe of synne / but hasty­the what she can / to hate / and abhor all vertewe. allmyghty God therfore not only in his commendementes / but also at the fyrst creation of the worold / sanctifyed the seuen­the daye / Gene. 2. that is to say / apoyntyd it to an holy vse. or separatyd it from other dayes / wherein men trauell in the busynes of this worold. So is the meanyng of this Ebrew phrase / or maner of speache / as ye may rede Iosuah 20. Capi. Sanctificauerunt Kades in Galilea. That is to say / they sanctifi­ed Kades in Galilea. it is asmouche to say in Englyshe / they chose / or apoyntyd the Citie of Kades / to be a refuge / or sanctuarie for Mur­therers [Page CIII] to be saufe there / till the cause of the murderer might be knowen. How be it / ye may not thynke that God gaue ony more ho­lynys / to the Sabboth then to the other da­yes. For if ye consyder fryday / and Satur­ne day / Saturne day / or Sonday in asmou­che as they be dayes / and the worke of God / the one is nomore holye / then the other / Cod. lib. 3. Tit. 12. de Ferijs. but that day is all­wayes moost holie / in the whyche we most applie / and yeue oure selfes vnto holie wor­kes. To that end he sanctifyed the Sab­both day. not that we shuld yeue oure sel­fes to ylnis / or souche Ethnicall pastyme as is now vsyd among Chrystyane people. But being fre that daye from the trauelles of this worold / we might consyder the wor­kes / and benefites of God withe thankes ye­uyng. Here the word / and law of God. ho­nor him / and fere hym. then to lerne / who / and where be the poure of Chryste / our bro­thers in necessite that wantythe our healpe. The obseruation therfore of the Sabboth / doothe extend aswell vnto the faythe we ha­ue in God / as vnto the cherite of oure neygh­bour. And not only that / but also vnto the bestes / that trauell in oure busynys / and be our necessary seruantes. The whiche we shuld in no wyce abuse / not only [Page CIIII] for there labours sake but also / for the lo­ue of him / that hathe commendyd them / vnto oure seruice / allmightie God. Thyrdly the sab­both hyther vnto from the begynnyng of the worold / was / and is a type / and fygure of the eter­nall / and euer lastyng rest / that is to com. as S. Paule diligently shewythe in the Epistole to the Ebrews cap. 4. so dothe. S. Aug. lib. 11. cap. 31. de Ciuit. Souche as beliuyd the promes of God / declaryd by Moses / were led by losuah the prince / in to Palestina and restyd in Chana an: souche as hyre the word of God / and obey­the it / shall be caryd into the celestiall heuens / by Iesus Christ / and rest in eternall joy. Rede diligentlye that chapiter / and thow shalt fynd a very necessary doctrine / what is the cause that the moost part of men / entre not into this eter­nall rest. The contempt of our capitaynes wor­des Iesu Christ / who would lede vs thether / halyd we not backe / and lefte not his commaun­dementes. Cōsider the persons rehersyd in this commaundement. Thy sonne / thy dawghter / thy man seruant / and thy woman seruant / thy best / and the stranger within thy dowres. those thow must not withe out necessite constrayne to ony seruile worke vpon the sabbothe. but se that they exercyse them selfes vpon the sabbothe / in hering the word of god. and se they frequēt / the place of commune prayers / and vsethe sacramē tes [Page CV] / as God commaundithe. Ffor those God hathe cōmaundyd vnto thy charge / as lōg as they be withe the. not onlye that thow yeue them the­re wagis that is dew: but also se them aright instructyd in the law of God / and lyue there after. for if they peryshe by thy negligence / there blud shall be requirid at thy hand. the stranger like wyce within thy port / thowghe he be of an other religion: thow shuldest assay to wynne him vn­to the knolege / and rites of thy religiō / as thow seyst here commaundyd vnto the Israelitis / ād consequentlie vnto vs all. for wear bound no lease / but rather more then they / to the loue of God / and oure neighbour. and by expresse wordes / commaūdid to do the same Mat. 22. Iac. 5. Here let vs all crye out / ād say (peccauimus) we haue offendid / and studie to amend. for the­re is here condemnid / the Auarice of all men / that care not for God / nor his law a dele: but vsithe vngodly / and vncheritable there seruaū ­tes / and bestes / as thowghe they were made on­ly of God / to serue his auaricious appetis / and not rather to serue the necessaris of there Ma­sters: and like wice to glorifie god / as his word commaundithe. like wice in this commaunde­ment is condemnid oure vncheritable behauo­ur / to wardes our neighbour. and like wice the vngodlie / and carnall fere / that we haue to tea­che astranger the knolege of God. we yeue him [Page CVI] the thynge we owe him not sauyng by the law of nature. And the thyng that he may well lacke / or else optayne of an other. A supper / or denyr for his mony / or loue. And neuer make mencyon of the thyng we owe him in as­mouche as we be Chrystianes. thus can Aristo­tell intret his gestes / and Plato yeue his al­mes. oure offyce is / to communycat the kno­lege of God withe hym / so to moue a commu­nycation / that the one might know the others faythe. but this Cherite / and Hospitalite / is v­syd but of few men. Incase a man shuld ma­ke mencyon of ony souche almose / or intre­te ony place of the scrypture at dyner / or sup­per / it were a cloyng of the stomake / and ta­kyng awaye of the appetyt / a nyle saueryd mes­se / and the warst dysshe that can be browght to the table. men say that folke shuld be mery at the table / and let the peracher talke of scrip­ture as thowghe the law of God made men sory / whiche conteynithe not only the solace / and loy of man / in this worold / but also in tyme to cum for euer. God take out of the har­tes of men / all fere and shame / that we frelye confesse him / as occasion shalbe yeuen withe Looth / Genes. 19 cap. that sate in the gates of So­doma to inuitat the strangers that came to the citie into his awne house to kepe them in ver­tew [Page CVII] / and preserue them from vyce. Rede the chapiter and se where in consyttythe trew hospita­lite farther thow seyst by this commaundement that the Israelites might constraine the the strā gers within there citeis / to hire and see there re­ligion vpon the sabbothe / as euery well orde­ryd commune wealthe / now in the tyme of the gospell shuld do the same / and constrayne all people to hyre the word of God / and se the my­nistration of there sacramentes. This daie is apoyntid also for man / to consider / and expend the workes of God the whiche he made in syx daies. for the leste creature that God made shall teache man a knolege of the creator / if it be con­sideryd accordynglie. So that man shuld not only vse them / but also yeue God thankes for them / to augment faithe / corroborat hope / and prouoke loue. Therfore / God blessyd the sab­both▪ to say / made it honorable / sanctified it / a­pointid it to an holie vse / gaue it certaine pry­uilegis / and would men to be / that day ho­lye. Ffor as he hathe appointid syx daies for vs to exerci [...]e oure selfes in the busines / and tra­uelles of the worold: so hathe he appoyntid the seuenthe to exercise the Ceremonies of the chur­che / whiche ar insty [...]udid for the preseruation of the Ministerie of the churche As to vse com­ume praier / here the sermon / vse the blyssyd [Page CVIII] supper of the lord / and to yeue almes / 1. Cor. 1 [...].14.16. althowghe the Ceremonie of the Sab­both be taken awaye Col. 2. whiche appertaynyd only vnto the people / and commune wealthe of the Ebrews / yet one daye of the weake / to preserue / and vse the word of God / and his sacramē teo / is not abrogatid. therfore in this commaū ­dement / ar too thynges to be obseruyd. The one ceremoniall / during for the time: the other Morall / and neuer to be abolyshid / as long as the churche of Christ shall contynew / vpon the Er­the. The patriarches before the lawe / Gene. 2. the prophetes in the tyme of the law / Exod. 20. Deut. 5. we being delyueryd from the damnation of the law / 1. Cor. 16. haue one daie / to rest frō labour / and applie oure selfes to the workes of the sprit / whiche secreatlie in oure selfes / shuld be dōne euery daie / with our hādie labour / apō ­the Sondaie openly without the labour of our handes. This Sonday that we obserue / is not the commaundement of man as many say / that would vnder the pretence of this one law / bynd the churge of Christ to all other lawes / that men hathe vngodlie prescribyd vnto the churche. But it is / by expresse wordes commaundyd / that we shuld obserue this daye (the Sonday) for oure Sabboth / as the wordes of S. Paule declarythe / 1. Cor. 16. commaunding euery man to appoynt his almes for the poure / [Page CIX] in the Sonday. The text saythe in one of the sabboth. It is an Ebrew frace / and is asmouche to saye / as in the Sonday. As ye may rede the same maner of speache / Luce. 24. and Ioan. 20. of the womē that came / to the sepulchre / to anoynt the ded body of Christ. Luke saythe / in one of the Sabboth / erly they came to the Sepul­chre / and so saythe Iohn / by the same wordes. the whiche was the sonday / as noman dowti­the. for it is oure faythe / that christ rose the third day. So may ye rede / Gene. 1. where the text say­the. it was euenyng / and it was mornyng / one dayt that is to say the fyrst daye / Whiche we call the sonday. and thus also saythe those that were best lernyd in the tonges among Christiane wryters. Ioan. Chrysost. Lactant. and Erasmus. for the preseruation of the trew meanyng of the word of God / and right vse of his blessyd Sacramentes / he hathe yeuyn vnto the chur­che Apostelles / Prophetes / Pastors / Doctors / and other / Ephes. 4. That shuld teache vs the Scripture / and wrytynges of the Prophetes ād Apostelles / whiche was declarid to be trew / withe many signes / and tokens / that we shuld not wauer with euery wynd / and be caryd in­to errours by the doctryne of man. That we shuld not fayne new doctrine / out of our awne braynes / but belyue as the holye churche of the Patriarches / Prophetes / Christ / and the Apo­stelles [Page CX] whiche tawght the people as they wrote / and wrote as they tawght / that noman after there deathe / shuld deceaue the people / that Christ redemyd withe his precious blud / with false / and impostorous doctrine. Those Eth­nyck and Iewyshe doctors of the Pope / how so euer the Bragg of the Name of holye churche / be none other then the defenders of the Syna­goge of Antechrist.

Sure we be that Christ / the Patriarches / Prophetes and Apostelles be sauyd. and belyuyd no more / nor none other wyce / then they haue lefte vnto vs by writinges. Better it is to be certaine of oure doctrine / and saluation withe this ho­lie churche / then to associat our selfes with the rabull of lyers. that bostythe / and braggythe there abhominable / and Ethnicall ceremoni­es / which be condemnyd in the scripture / to be lawes for the holye churche. God yeue the gra­ce to rede the holie Bible / and to haue a litle vn­derstonding of it / then shalt thow se who / and where is / the holie churche / that these dreamers / attribute vnto there father the deuyll / and Antechrist of Rome. And if they say vnto the / that thow must not take the text / after thy awne mynd / but after the mind of the holie Doctors / that hathe wroten in the scripture: thynck wi­the thy selfe / that God hathe yeuen the / the Scri­pture to rede therin / to thy suluation / as well / as vnto the Doctor. Farther that thy Doctor [Page CXI] preache not alie / for the truithe: god hathe yeuē the / the scripture to iudge thy Bishope / doctor / preacher / ād curate whether he preache gall / or hony / his awne lawes or Godes lawes. Farther say boldly / and fere not / for it is trew / that in maters / and causes of wayght / the doctors agre not / one withe the other. No many tymes / not withe them selfes / as euery man knowithe / that hathe rede them / withe iudgment. and as godd Argumentes shalt thow fynd in them / to dis­proue / as to proue / the thinges that this late found Catholicke churche of the deuill / would stablyshe. Agayne thinck whiche was the moost pure churche / and fre from heresis. The chur­che before the Doctors wrote / that only was tawght by the simple text / and wordes of the A­postelles / or the churge that hathe byn tawght this many yers by the blynd doctrine of men. thē thow shalt se that those doctors that they speake of hathe put out godes lawes and browght in there awne. as the pharises and Rabbins did in the old churche. be not afraid of there holi name / but trust to he holinis of scripture / thē shalt tho not be deceauid. they say the holie churche moost be hard / ād obeide: trew it is. but oure faithe is not groundid vpō those / that be of the churche thowghe they be the trew ministres of Godes word. but vpon the word it selfe as it aperithe. Mat. 16. therfore whē the auctorite or testimone [Page CXII] of the churche / is alegyd: man that louythe his saluation / must sarche where / and what the churche is: what tymes / and when / the wryters were moost syncere / and not belyue these yester­dayes byrdes / that syng as the Papegay they know not what: as they be tawght out of a shamelis scole / that began withe murther / is mayntaynyd withe sacrileige / and shalbe destroide with the clertye / and brightnis of the Sone of man / cumming to iudgment.

In appertainithe vnto no man / in what auctorite so euer he be: to iudge who preachithe false / or who trew / but vnto the word of god onlie whiche īterpretatithe it selfe / whē it is with iud­gmēt cōferrid. But of this / his requirid amore prolix worke: whiche God shall giue in tyme.

Now the workes of this precept / be also these Godly to preache his word / and to vse the sacramentes as the reachithe in his word. to hire thē reuerently that trewly preachithe. To honor the word of God / and helpe to the preferment the­re of asmouche as may be. to succour the profes­sors therof whiche be / hathe bin and euer shal­be (if they preache trewly) in the moost misera­ble condicion of the worold. Matth. 10. Luc. 21. Mar. 13. Io. 15.16. To neglect the preaching of godes word / as these do that loke for the flyse / and care not for the shipe. To abolishe the prea­ching of the word / As those do / that hathe [Page CXIII] browgte into the churche Massing / and Mumling of canonicall houres (as they call thē) whi­che nether they / that say them / nether those that here them / onder stondithe not. they say god vnderstondithe them. what then? so he vnderstan­dithe like wyce the cucko / and the lowyng of the cowe. whiche is as godd / and better prease vnto god / thē the supersticious / ād vnknowin praier that thow mūmelist. for they vse the yeffte that god hath yeuē thē / to sound an vnknowē voyce. ād thow abusist the yeft of god / whiche gaue the a tong / to edifie thy selfe / and thy negbowr / like wice to preache the lord omnipotent. But thow makist thy tong / an instrument to speak thow wotest not what. whē thow sholdist cry for mercy / and say: Sana animā meā, quia peccaui tibi. that is to say: lord hele my solle / for I haue offen did the. Thow saist: Custo diui uias dn̄i, necim­pie gessi ā Deo meo. That is to say: I haue kept the waies of the lord / and haue not departid by iniquite / from my God. Thus the Psalmes / ād bookes of the sceipture / thow redist with out iudgmēt / ād knowist not / what psalme is mete for thy necessite / ād state of the people that be present / nomore thē he that neuer saw the scriptu­re. Yea somtyme thow redist a false historie / ād ether thow attributist the honor dew to god vnto the sainct thow worshippist / or honorist him in the erthe / who is solle perauenture is in hell. [Page CXIIII] For Augustine so saithe / that all be not glorified solles withe God / who is reliques mē worshipp in the erthe.

To teache false doctrine / is a work agaīst this cōmaūdemēt. like wysse to deprauate the vse / of the sacramentes / other wysse thē they be tawght in the scripture is against this cōmaundement. to vse them to an other end / then they were insti­tutyd. To honor them as they doo / that inchaūt the water of the font / and chafe it withe many a suspire / and depe fet brethe. souche as honor the bred / and wynne whiche the scripture doothe not only teache / to romaine in there substāciall essence / and nature / withe out changyng / but al so the reson / and all the wyttis of man. farther the bestes of the erthe / fowles of the ayre / and fishis of the water / knowithe there is no change of bred / nor wynne. ād barythe record that the scripture is trew. bred to remaine bred / and wyne wyne / 1. Cor. 10.11. farther to augment the cere­monyes of the churche / and bring in a new Iu­daisme and Aaronicall rites / is against this cō ­maundement. as the Bishopes hathe vsyd the mater / there be more ceremonies in the churche of Christ / thē were in the churche of the Iewes / as it shall easily apere to him that will cōfer our churche withe the bookes of Mofes. Seneca in his boke contra superstitiones / reprehendid the rites of the Iewes / and cheffely the sanctifyyng of the Sabboth. what wold he say if he saw / our [Page CXV] churges that haue not the ceremonijs cōmaūdid by god / but by man / to the dishonoring of god. to neglect a cheritable dede to oure neighbowr vpon the sabboth day / is to breeke the sabboth / Ma. 12. Lu. 6.13. not to ceasse frō doīg of ile / but to abuse the rest / ād eace of the sabbothe / in spor­ties / games / ād pastimes / keping of merkettes / ād feres vpō the sabbothe is to abuse the sabbo­the. it is asmouche as to fery unto god / ād work to the deuill. for specially all vnlafulle plaies / and sportes be vsyd vpō that daye. It is against this cōmūdemēt to kepe / or dedicate ony fest to ony sainct of what holinis so euer he be. therfore saithe the law ye shall celebrat the fest ūto the lord Exo. 23. this honor shuld be gyuen only ūto god in the old testamēt was no fest euer dedicatid ū ­to ony sainct / nether in the new. it happenyd af­tee the dathe of the Apostelles / as it is wroten in Euse. Eccl. Hist. li. 4. ca. 15. and better auctorite haue they not / that be the auctors of these holye dayes / the whiche the cōsell of lugd. hathe yeuē vs. they haue not aboue 273. yers in aige. and is the leuyn of the Pope. in Trip. hist. li. 9. ca. 38. there is no mencion of sainctes holie dayes. few of S. Hier. ī 4. ca. ad Gal. ād likewice of S. Aug. ad Ianu. 118. epi. The sonday / ād the howres the rofapoītid for a decēt ord / to preache the word of god / vse the sacramētes / to haue cōmūe pray­ers / to ꝓuide for the pore / is to be obseruid: that [Page CXVI] all thinges may be don in order. 1. Cor. 14. asfor the other lawes that they haue made / concer­ning fastyng / and satisfaction for synne / and would defend them vnder the pretence / and title of mortification of the fleshe: that glose seruithe not for there purpose. But there / hypacrisie laythe wayte / to destroy the trew doctryne of Christ / if it be not auoydid. They teache nether what mortification is / nether how the fleshe may be best kept vnder / to obey the sprit. Mor­tification signifythe / ether patienc / whiche god requirithe in the tyme of aduersite: other tempe­raunce commaundid of God / to refrayne the lustes / and cōcupiscens that fihtithe against the sprit. it signifiethe not souche volūtarie fastis / celebrating of masses / or ony souche other doin­ges of superstitious ceremonis as man chosi­the to do / without the cōmaundement of God. of patiēce vnder the crosse / ād of aduersite sainct Paul speakithe 2. Cor. 4. we / allwaies saithe he / bare about with us the mortificatiō of the lord Iesu in the body / to that end / that the lief of Iesu / may be manifestyd ī the body. And in the same place / allwaies we that beleuīg for the loue of Iesu / ar deliuerid to deathe / that the lief of Iesu / might apere ī oure mortall fleshe. this callithe S. P. Mortification / that is like vnto the the afflictions of Christ / and spekythe of the sa­me / Roma. 12. and Dauid Psalm. 50. Mich. 7. [Page CXVII] of temperaunce / and sobriete in meat / drynke / and all other thynges / it is wroten Luc. 22. be ware youre hartes be not oppressyd with gloto­ny / and dronkynnis. Mat. 17. thes kynd of spri­tes / be not cast out / but withe fastyng / and pra­yng. like wice Ephe. 6. whether we speak of pati­ence in aduersite / or temperancy in felicite / boo­the these be workes commaundyd of God. and it is lawfull for euery man to chose for him selfe souche exercises as best be conuenient to his awne ayge and conditiō of his body. therfore Pau­le saythe 1. Cor. 9. I chaste my body / and bring it into seruitude. to this end / that intemperan­cie lettid not the holy gost / with drawid not his mynd from prayer / made him not vnapt to stu­die / and to the uocation he was apointyd vnto. This is thend / why we shuld do these workes / not to merit oure reconciliation for synne / but to labour against the deuill / the worold / synne / and the fleshe withe the holye gost / to preserue o­ure selfes in the fauour of God. Temperancie is in generall commendid vnto al men / and all tymes / how be it not one maner of exercise / in this vertew / can be appointyd for all men. but euery man / may chose for him selfe / what exercise he listithe / and is most conuenient / for his di­seace. souche as be passyd in aige / and with cu­res of this worold: hathe loost the strēghe of there bodyes / nedith not so great abstinence from [Page CXVIII] metes / and drinkes: as these that be yong / and in the myddis of there strenghe. As we may se / in one man Dauyd / that nedyd more exercy­ses before he was put into Exile / then after. When scarse could the bones / bare about the weake body / that was far broken / withe the trobles / and care of this worold. Heal [...]he is the great gyfte of God / Deuter. 28. and fe­ryst bewty of man or woman Arist. lib. Rhethori. therfore it must not be hurt / nether with o­uer mouche abstynence / nether withe dissolute lyuyng. would to God people would folow the scrypture in this mortification / then the wo­rold would amend doutles. but there is now nothyng / but a carnall libertye of the gospell / whiche hyndrethe mouche the glorye of God.

The payne of souche as violate this comma­undement / and doothe ony vile worke withe out necessite / is wroten Num. 15. that he shuld be stonyd to deathe.

Thus I haue rudely openyd the fyrst table of the ten wordes that conteynythe iiij. com­maundementes. The whiche diuision doothe Ioseph. antiq. lib. 6. cap. 3. Origen. Homil. in Eyod. 8. Ambros. in 6. cap. Epist. ad Ephe. Au­gust. lib. 3. ad Bonefac. aproue. In his Quest. in Exod quest. 71. he Numbrythe but 3. in the fyst. and 7. in the next table / by reason of a cer­tayne [Page CXIX] Allegorie. and him doothe the Master of the Sentence folow lib. 3. Distinct. 40. How be it / the fyrst Diuision is trew / as the Text in Exod. 20. is playne. Whereas the Tenthe com­maundement / Thow shalt not couet / is but one commaundement / as I haue dili­gentlie sharchyd / all the edicyons that we ha­ue in the Ebrew tong. Withe one punct / pe­riode / and sentence he concludithe the hole ten­the commaundement / whiche many men deeuyd into too. Thow shalt not couet thy Neygh­bours howse. that is one withe them. Thow shalt not couet thy neyghbours wief / is an o­ther. But the text declarythe manifestlye / that it is but one. for all is comprehendid withe in o­ne and vnder one sentence. In Deut. cap. 5. cer­tayn later edicions makythe diuisiō of the text. but that is nothing to the purpose. there Moses repetithe the wordes vnto them that knew be­fore the diuision of the tables. farther the prin­ters therin folowith the mynd of one May­mon an Ebrew / and not the orygynall in E­xod. cap. 20. farther in the oldest edicion / and prynt that I haue sene (affar as I know the­re is none elder / if there be / it is but one) the tenthe commaundement in Deut. is not deuydyd the whiche edicion venis gaue vnto vs Anno 1494. Ffarther onkelos the Caldey interpretour in Deut. makythe but one cōmaundemēt of the [Page CXX] Tenthe. I wounder that some / whiche be not ignoraūt of the tonges / folowe not the truythe of the text: but makythe the commaundement that forbiddithe ymagis: a precept ceremoniall. so I might say / this were also Ceremoniall. Thow shalt haue no strange Godes before my face. for all the commaundemētes be of one ver­tew / and strenghe. if the one may be in effect Ce­remoniall / so may the other. but these opinions I passe ouer at this tyme.

Caput VIII.

AS in the fyrst Table ar comprehendyd all the workes / that apertayne vnto souche religion / and honor / as belongithe onlie vnto god / as in the fyrst precept / knolege / fere / faythe / and loue of God. In the second is for byd all exter­nall Idolatrie. In the thyrd Externall professi­on [Page CXXI] of Godes name / his word / and his workes. as by prayer / thankes yeuing / preachyng / and confessing his trewthe before the worold. In the fourthe: how we shuld Honor him withe publike Sacramentes / and ceremonies in the churche. so in this Second table / is comprehendyd all souche workes as apertayne vnto God / and man. and in this table is prescribyd how / and by what meanes / one man may lyue with an o­ther in peace and vnite / in this Ciuile liefe / du­ring the tyme / of this mortall bodie / vpon the Erthe.

Many Noble wyttis hathe applied great di­ligence / and studye / to prescribe souche lawes as might best / and moost commodiouslie gouerne and kepe the people / in a politike felicite. To lyue quietlye / prosperously / and wealthelie. as li­gurcus the Lacedemonians / Solon / Plato / Aristotell / the Grekis. Numa Pomp. Cicero / and other / the Romaines. Amongest Christianes / Constant. Iustin. and other. Those men hathe dōne somwhat / to assotiat people in Cites / and Realmes by wysdom / to kepe them in an honest order withe vertewse lawes / and to remoue the occasion of vyce / and discord by iustice.

How be it none of themall / nor all they to gather / hathe not prescribyd so perfet / and absolute a forme of a politike wealthe / as allmyghtie God hathe donne vnto his people in this Se­cond [Page CXXII] table / and syx rules. Nether so equally ponderyd the diuersite of synne / and transgression of iustyce as this lawe doothe. not so indifferently prescribe the correction and punyshement ac­cording to the grauite and greatnis of the fault but is to cruell in the lesse offence / and to mercy­full in the greater. As ye may se the iniuries of thefft punyshyd / and blasphemie of God / with adultery vnpunyshyd.

After that he had gatheryd togather this people into one company and multitude / browght them out of Aegypt / and apoyntyd them a lond and cites / where they shuld lyue / as membres of one commune wealthe. He prescribyd vnto them / certayne lawes / without the whiche / no commune wealthe / can lōg indure. for it is no lease maiestre to kepe a Royalme in wealthe / frō the dangers to cum: thē to wynne it frō aduersite / whē aduersiteis presēt. The first law / to preserue a cōmune wealthe is / that the people the­rof / know how to reuerence / and honor God a right who is the presidēt / ād the defender of all cites / ād realmes. If he be neglectid / therfolowithe doutlis aruine, ād chāge of the cōmune wealthe. Thus saw all those that wrot lawes / for the preseruatiō there of not only Moses / ād christiane wyiters / but also the Ethnykes. Arist. li. 7. polit. ca. 8. Where as he Nūbrythe the workes to be dōne in the cite. Quintū, inquit, acprimū circa [Page CXXIII] aram diuinam, cultus quod sacrificium uocant, that is to say. the fyghe and principall worke / is religion at the aulter of God. whiche mē call sacrifyce. They knew / that no cite / nor Realme could contynew long in wealthe / except they had the fauour of God thowghe they could not tell / how to honor him a ryght. We like wy­ce know the same. the fauor of God / fyrst and chefely to preserue the commune wealthe Psal. 127. Deut. 31. and be assuryd by his word how we may honor him / to say as it is towght vs / in the fyrst table / and foure fyrst preceptes.

The second law Necessary for euery com­mune wealthe is / that the people among them selues lyue in peace / and concord withe out discord / and dissencyon. As Sallust. say­the / Litle thynges by concord incressethe / and great thynges by discord decresse. that saw the pore shepord Melibeus in Virg. when he sayd: ‘En quo discordia ciues perduxit miseros?’ that is to say. lo whether (or into what miseris) hathe discord browght the wrecchid citicens. Not onlie Rome / ād other moost noble cōmne wealthes / lost there libertes / and thē selfes by discord / but also the cōmune wealthe of the Israelites as ye may rede 3. Re. 12. how of one kingdō / was made too for the discord / that god suffryd to be among thē selfes for the idolatrie of kyng Solomō 3. Re. 11. where as ye haue ā exāple that [Page CXXIIII] no commune wealthe / can indure where as the preceptes of the fyrst table be neglectyd. Allmyeghty God therfore / after that he hathe tawght the people / what is to be don towardes him in the fyrst table: he shewythe in the Second table / what we shuld do one / to the other of vs. that peace / and concord myght be amonges vs. Whi­che cannot be / where as one knoythe not / what reuerence / and honor shuld be don to the other. for where as all men wilbe lyke / there is nether wealthe / ner vertew: but contencyon / and ha­tred / whiche is the mater / and ground / of all calamites / and myscheffe. The law of God therfo­re / in the fyrst front of this Second table / doo­the apoynt / and institute a certayne Imperie / and dominion / to be had amōg his people that one person might be knowen from the other. Conmaundithe obedience vnto the superoure powres / Sayng / Magnifie or reuerence thy father / and mother. if this order be kept / there is a reward apoyntid for the obseruation therof / as the text saythe. thow shall lyue long vpon the erthe. after that people of a commune wealthe / know / eche of them there dewtes: it is necessa­rie / there folow a law to mayntaine them in peace / and vnite. therfore folowithe it / in the table. Thow shalt not kylle / whiche precept is / amunicion / and defence of the peace. How beit because there folowithe alteracyon / and change [Page CXXV] in euery cōmune wealthe / by reason of deathe / and the persones present cānot liue for euer: the law maker for the commune wealthe / must pro­uide / how the places of those that die / may be a­gayne furnishid / that withe the departure / of one / may folow the successe of an other. wherfo­re god puttithe the syxt canō / that defēdithe mariage wherby is preseruid this cōmune wealthe ād as godly continewid as it beganne. the whi­che law is not only necessary for the preseruatiō of the cōmune wealthe to cū: but also to preser­ue the state present / in peace / ād tranquillite. for neuer was there greater occasion of discord / ād bate / betwene cōmune wealthe / ād cōe wealthe / prince / ād prince / priuate persones / ād priuate persones: thē for thabuse ād violating of mariage / ād cōmitting fornicatiō / withe souche like vices as it is to be sene by Dina / Gen. 34. by Tha­mar 2. Reg. 13. by the pristes wief abusyd of the Reniamites Iudicū. 9.20. rede the place. for the rapt of Helena Troie perishid. for the oppres­sing of Lucrece at Rome and other. Then as there be lawes to preserue the persones thelfe of the cōmune wealthe so must there be lawes to pre­serue souche goddes as appertayne vnto the mē bres of the cōmune wealthe. that one do no wrō ges vnto the other but euery mā be contēt withe his awne cōdiciō ād propre goddes ād nor to v­surpe auctorite ouer his neigbowrs. thefore the [Page CXXVI] Eight law is conserning the defence of propre and priuate Godes. Thow shalt do no theffte. How be it / seyng we ar fraile and so ile that many tymes / we transgtesse / somme / or all these lawes that preseruithe the cōmune wealthe it is necessary to fynd ād prepare some remedie to haue the transgressour punishid ād the persō that is hurt ād offendid restorid vnto his right. therfore is there this clause ād rule ī the law. Thow shalt yeue no false testimony against thy neigh­boure: whiche is the Ninthe cōmaundemēt. ād bidithe as well the superiour powres to se equyte ād iustice withe out respect of persones as the cause requirithe obseruyd / as souche shall be te­stimonies in a dutfull mater to say as they know trewlie. And likewyce that in bying and sellyng and in all other contractes mē vse no fraude to gote there godes. these lawes now I will opī in order as they standithe plainely ād simple as I cā: to the vnderstōding of the text. as for the thē ­the law I will speake of seuerally. these be the fō tayns and originall of all politicke lawes. The fyrst law that stablishithe the auctorite of the superiour powres begnīithe withe the name of the father ād mother. for after ād next vnto god we awe moost reuerence vnto thē / of whō we haue receauid this naturall liefe by the helpe of God / and they likewice hathe susteinid the paines of our education and bringing vpp. thē vnder the [Page CXXVII] name of the parentes is cōcludid all other persones to whō we awe oure obedience and loue. As the countrey were we were born or were we ha­ue oure liuing that we be trew and faithfull vn vnto it Garnyshe it what we may and inryche it withe all godlie knolege / artes and other commodites. not to hurt it but to die for it as iustice shall require. Thē the Prince / or magistrat that hathe the defence of the coūtre and the people of the same cōmittid ūto his charge. Tutors apointid for vthe / souche as teachithe ony cranffte or hādi meanes to liue by. The doctors ād teachers in the ministerie of the churche whō the scriptu­re callithe the father of the people / 1. Co. 4. Then souche as be by nature and parētaige our kind [...] folke. also all that be oure elders vnto whom we awe obedience. These be the persons that be vn­derstand by the father and the mother. The text saithe that I shuld honor thē. the whiche word ī the Ebrew hathe a greater energie and strenghe thē one word in latyne or Englishe can expresse (Cabad) signifythe to set mouche by / to haue in estimatiō / to preferre and extoll: and requirithe these affections in the hart / and not only exter­nall reuerence as be fere wordes / outworde ge­stures without the loue of the hart. To obey them in all thinges honest agreyng withe the law of God. not contemne them / neglect them / hate them / or be vnkynd to them. To helpe [Page CXXVIII] them as we be able if necessite requyre. To put oure liues for them and to pay them there dew. Ro. 13. and that without murmur and grugge. For all those that I haue rehersid be as oure fa­thers / and at is were a second God apointid for vs vpon the erthe. Therfor se if thow will haue a very trew ymayge to expresse god omnipotēt thi sole god ād maker / vnto thy reason ād externall sēses: set those superiour poures before thinne Iye / whyche hathe or do the trauell for thy wealthe and commodite. thy father and mother as is before sayde. The prince and King how to kepe the in thy nawne countre in wealthe and felici­te / that thow be not made prisoner nor bound man to astrainge nation / thy contraries / ād thy mortall Ennimyes. The land it selfe bryngythe the frute ād all thinges necessarie for thy lief the whyche thy fathers wan withe there bludd / ād maynteinid withe there bodie and goddes. Thy preacher tellythe the will of God and all his stu­die is to bring the to eternall felicite vnto those tho awist of dewty a filiall reuerēce and honor. To thy father Exo. 20. Deu. 5. Prouer. 10. Ephe. 6. Eccl. 3. To thy Prynce and lawfull Magistrate / Ios. 1. Rom. 13. Ephe. 6. Tit. 3. Heb. 13.1. Pet. 2 To thy Eldres / Leuit. 19.1. Timo. 5. The whiche was obseruid also amang the gentilles as iuuenal the Poete saithe thowght it that afaut worthy deathe if the yōger honorid not the elder. As for the defence of the countrey it was and is of [Page CXXIX] all natutall men that there nedithe / nor testimo­nij nor Example Moses / Deu. 20. The propha­nè wryters as Horace thus: ‘Dulce & decorum pro patria mori.’ That is to say. it is swete / and decent to die for the contrey. The Lacedemō that were slayne in Termin. had this Epitaphe one there graues.

Thow stranger say that thow sawyst vs hyreded whiles we obeid the holie lawes of oure coū trey. as for our honor and reuerence to souche as teache vs the word of God it is shewyd / ād also the Examples of the corynthions and life wyce of the Galathiens that were so prompt to obey Paule before they were seducyd that they would haue pluckyd out there awne Iyes to haue donne Paule honor Galat. Valerius Maxi­mus libro 2. capit. 1. How in Rome the elders were allwaies taken as fathers of the yonger and that no vthe shuld sit at ony fest / till there elders had place. they shold be the last that sate and the fyrst that rise from the table. Euery man shuld reuerēce and honor these superiour pow­res not for fere / but for loue and consyder that God begynnythe not this second table withe the dominion and imperye of the father in vay­ne or withe out cause. But menithe that we shuld none othere wyce loue the superiore pow­res [Page CXXX] of the erthe and be affeccionatyd vnto them then vnto oure naturall parentes and obey thē in all thinges that is consonant or not agaynst the lawe of god like wyce the superiour poures shuld be none other wyce affectiō with loue to­wardes there subiectes thē the father is against the sonne. Consider the worke and ordinance of God in this superiorite and dominion that preseruithe the godd / punishithe the ile / auaūsithe vertew / and oppressithe vice / to the preseruatiō ād wealthe of the. Republick. Thyne office is to cōsider in what place the superior is set / and how the deuill trauelythe withe out ceassing to troble the trāquillite / peace / ād godd order of e­uery cōmune wralthe / by sediciō / traison warre ād lasciuous / and dissolute maner of liuing. farther he laborythe cōtinewlye to subuert the prince and gouerner therof / to bring him from ver­tew to vice. that they may boothe withe vngod­ly lawes / ād ile example peruerte the people / ād bring them from God. As thow mayst se by Dauid and Saul too verteewes and godly kinges at the beginning of there raigne. Saul he vtterly loost in this worold / and in the worold to [...]ū. He so intricatid ād wrappid Dauid in the snares of sinne. that scarse could he fend his colou­re / and returne to grace. Marke how he did da­re and blynd Salomon the wysist that euer ray­gnyd and browght him to idolatrie. Remēbre [Page CXXXI] that they that Rule be men ād hathe like wice there infirmites and withe out a singuler grace cā not gouern well. as Salomon saythe: ut oculus uideat, & auris audiat, Deus facit utrum (que), that is to say / that the Iye se / and the Ere hyre / God yenithe boothe. the meaning of the wiche text is. that if the Magistrat haue good counsell and se what is best for the commune wealthe / ād the people obey it / it be the workes of god. no humane sapience / diligence / and industrie is sufficiēt for this vocation therfore Paule saithe 2. Cor. 3. oure abilite ād sufficiencie is of god. whē we haue cōsiderid the malice of the deuill against sou­che as rule in the worold ād likewice the rulers propre infirmites thē let vs cōsider likewice ou­re awne sinnes / ād nawghtie liffe for the punishmēt where of God yeuithe many times cruell / and vngodly gouerners: Iob. 35. as he yenithe good / wise / and louing princis / to souche as fe­re his name / 2. Para. 9. if they happen to fall frō god ād folow vice / it is not thy dewty straight way to cālūniat / speake / moue sediciō / cast of o­bediēce / loue / and fere that thow a wist vnto thē but prai for thē: studie what thow cāst to call thē agaīe to god / be prone to for gote ād remitt thoffence / remēbre Sau. ād Sal. that fell ād yet returnid dissēble at souche fātes as be curable lest the publicke peace be troblid. remēbre thowghe he be nawght that rulithe the place and office that [Page CXXXII] he is in / is the order and worke of God / so if thow put difference betwene the office it sel­fe whiche is good / and the offycer that is ile / it shall kepe the in afere that thow reuerēce a godd and godlye gouernaunce in a nyle gouerner. As Paule louyd the polycie and lawes of Rome and neuer tawght sedicion / thowghe he hatyd Caligula / and Nero themperours that ocopied the imperye and dominion. Beware therfore of contumacie and disobedience agaynst the superiour powres obey them in all thynges where they commaund the nothing agaynst Godes lawes. so commaundithe Paule Ephe. 6. for they ar apointid vnto that place of gouernaunce to be Godes Vycars / to execuet his lawe / his will / his pleasure / to bring men to god / and not to carimen from god / for in case they instigat the­re subiectes to the transgressiō of godes lawes / we must obey nether them nether there lawes / they be not then oure fathers but rather stran­gers that would drw vs from the obedience of God whiche is oure very father. It is not de­cent that there auctorite shuld be aboue and Godes auctorite vnder. for as mannes aucto­rite dependithe of Godes / so shuld it bryng mē and lede men to God. Where as they cōmaund nothing against Godes law: thow hast hard be­fore what reuerēce thow owist vnto thē. A thīg [Page CXXXIII] more vnnaturall is there not / then to sethe sonne dishonor the father / the subiect his superiour. As we lern not only by the scripture but also by the examples / of all other bestes of the ertht / ād fowles of the ayre except a fewe. therfore the booke of Iob sendithe vs vnto them to lern wysdō cap. 12. So doothe Plin. lib. 8. cap. 27. Nat. hist. shew what wysdome the bestes of the erthe ha­the tawght man. Be not as the vipere that gnawithe out the bely of here damme. and sekithe here awne liefe / withe here dammes deathe. folow the nature of the Cicone that in here vthe noris­hithe the old daies of here parentes Plin. lib. 10. cap. 23. Nat. Hist. thus thow art bound to do. if thow do it / thow shalt haue thy reward whiche is to lyue long vpon therthe. Exod. 20. Deut. 5. if thow do it not: be assuryd that God will pu­nishe it / thowgh man do not Deu. 17. Eyod. 21. Prouerb. 15. Rom. 13. Rede the 35. chapiter of Hier. the prophet. and marke how God punys­hyd the children of Israel for disobedience / and rewardyd the Rechabites for obedience of there fathers will.

Now it is necessarie to know the superiours deutye / fyrst the fathers to the sonne / then of o­thers that bare rule in the worold.

The fathers offyce is to teache and bryng vp­pe there chyldren in the knolege and discipline of God to know him aright / and kepe them from [Page CXXXIIII] wantenis and vngodlie liefe. Ephe. 6. Deut. 6. Exod. 21. not to prouoke them to ire / but gent­le wynne them to vertew and loue with out se­uerite and rigure if fere meanes can awaile. If not to / vse rod and the punyshemēt as he sey the cause requyre and not to be remisse / and negligent incorrectyng his chyldes faut / nother to wynk at his ile doynges Prouerb. 13. 23.10. Eccle. 30. rede the place. but alas how can this be donne / where as the Parentes thē ­selfes / can scarse repet by hart the Articles of the faythe / the pater noster / and ten commaun­dementes. How can those miserable persones / teache there children the meanīg of there beliffe / the vertew of prayer / the danger of synne / or right vse of the sacramentes. This the worold o withe / vnto the Holie churge / that is extollid in to the higher heauens / that hathe robbyd people not only of the scripture in a knowen tong but also preferrid vnto the cure of solles / souche as syng solle / fa / and can do nothyng lesse / then the thing that apertainithe to there offyce. Now what the Prynce / and Magistrate shuld be: what there offyce is towardes there subiectes / what is there reward if they gouerne well: and what there payne if they do the contrarie / it shall apere by the scrypture.

What the kyng shuld be it / is wroten / Deut. 17. and like wyce what thinges the shuld do / or [Page CXXXV] not do. if thow wilt saythe God vnto the Isra­elites haue a kyng / thow shalt take him that I-chose in the myddes of thy boothers (vnderstand that now all kynges / be they good / or bad or put in there auctorite by god) thow cāste make no stranger kyng ouer the. in these wordes is declaryd / that who so euer will gouern a com­mune wealth aright / must loue it / and the membres therof / as the father his chyldren. As Xenophon saythe / a godd prince / differithe nothing / from a good father. Arist. lib. Politicorū 5. ca. 9. shewithe many condicions that ar necessarilie requirid in him / that shuld be preferryd to the gouernaunce of a commune wealthe. The fyrst is / that he loue it / and the state therof. Thus requiryd like wyce Chryst in peter / when he commendyd the people vnto his charge. Sayng peter louyst thowme: yea lord sayd he / and that thow knowest. then Peter fede my shepe Io. 21. He shall not profet in the regiment of the Ciui­le wealthe / nor ecclesiasticall / without a singu­ler loue vnto the preseruation therof. The Kyng there / is for hyddyn to multiplie horses / and to cary the people agayne / into Egypt: not that the kīg shuld haue no horses / or permit none of his subiectes / if occasiō requirid / to trauell into Ae­gipt / but that he shuld not glorie in his owne strenghe / and cause the people to trust in the might / and poure of the fleshe / as thowghe by [Page CXXXVI] mā / there cōmune wealthe might be preseruyd / or there Ennimies / so euer cō in tyme of warre / as Pharo / and the Aegyptians dyd. farther it is for bydden the kyng / to haue manie wiefes. And the cause is / lest they shuld withe drawe his hart from god. Nether shuld the kyng / multiplie for himselfe / great abundaunce of gold / and syluer▪ But thus the kyng must do / when he raignythe in his kyngdome. cause an Exam­pler of Deu. be wrotē out / and that booke shuld be with him / and he to rede therin all the daies of his liefe and lerne to fere the lord / his God / and to obserue all the preceptes therof / and la­wes / to do them. Ffarther his hart shuld not be lifft vpp / aboue his brothers and shuld not de­clyne from the preceptes of the booke / nether to the lefte hand / nether to the right / that he may prolong his daies / in his raygne / he and his children in the myddes of Israel Deut. 17. The fyrst cure ād charge of the magistrat or prynce must be / to se there subiectes instructyd in the fyrst ta­ble / and the preceptes therof. Whiche cannot be except they appoynt lernyd / and conuenient ministres in the churge / that teache none other do­ctrine / then the Hole bible conteynythe. Conser­nyng there offyce in Ciuile gouernaynce / it is describyd Psal. 100. to lyue well him selfe and to obserue mercy and iustyce. to punyshe vyce / and to extoll vertew. rede that psalme. there shalt [Page CXXXVII] thow se a prynces office / his liefe / and familie describyd. How he shuld lyue after the word of God / gouerne his people there by / what seruantes he shuld haue in his curt / and what perso­nes shuld be banyskyd out the curt. to vse the in­dustrie of souche as be good / in publick / and priuat busynes / as it is in the 6. verse. it may hap­pen Aprynce to haue ile seruantes / extorsiners / pollers / pyllers / oppressors of the pore / nor commodious for his maiesti / nor for the people of his realme. Souche as lyue in illenys / blasphe­me God / and can do none other thyng then de­uoure / the bred of the pore. those Dauid say­the in the Eight verse / he will banisheout of his court.

In the nynthe / and last verse / he saythe / he will not only ryd his court / of souche ile perso­nes / but also dayly yeue diligence / to purge / and clēce all his realme of souche ile doers. The princes that hathe this studie to mayntayne the glo­rie of God / and to preserue iustyce / and equite / if by infirmites they fall sōtymes: must be born withe all / and there faultes otherehidd / or he­lid▪ As it is to be sene in Solomon / and Dauid. if there offence be hurfull / and slaunderous to the word of god / and pernicious to the commune wealthe / the preacher of Godes word / must not dissemble to correct it / by the word of God / playnly without coloure / or circumloquncion [Page CXXXVIII] as Nathan dyd Dauid / Elias Achab. Iohn Herod. Ffor that / that is spoke to all men / is as thowghe it werke spoken / to noman. so doothe paule teache. The princes ar callyd reges / a regē do / that is to say. They ar callyd kynges whiche name commythe of a verbe that signifiethe to gouern / they must led the people / and them selfes by the law / and not agaynst the law. to be mynisters of the lawe / and not masters of ouer the law. Cato saythe well therin. obey the law / that thow madist thy selfe. it shuld not offend the Magistrates to be reprehindyd by the preacher of the law of God / but rather take it in go­od part / and thank God that he hathe one / to admonyshe him of ile in tyme. Remembryng the wordes Eccl. 10. cap. Rex hodie, & cras morie­tur. that is to say. to day a kyng / and to morow shall dye. All the estates of the worold in there honor / shuld remēbre the wordes wroten / Ge­ne. 2. Formauit Dominus deus hominem, lutū de terra. that is to say. the lord God made man / clay of the erthe. Whiche wordes shuld admonishe all mē of there condiciō and originall. Quid igitur superbis cinis & lutum, Eccl. 10. that is to say / why art thow prode / aisshis / and clay. thus shuld all other remembre that boste so there nobilite / and thyncke there be no men but they. In tyme past / men were accomptyd noble for vertew / and iustyce. souche as had donne [Page CXXXIX] somme noble act / ether in peace / ingouer­nyng the commune wealthe / or in warre / for the defence of the his countrey / and the hed­des therof. They were born no gentile men / but made gentle men / for there noble / and vertews actes. The nobilite now adaies is de­generat. it applyythe no studie to folow the wysdome / lernyng / and vertews of there pre­decessours / but thynkythe it Inawghe to haue the name / without effect. There wysdome / and lernyng ons rulyd other: now they contemne lernyng / and scarse can vnder stand alernyd man / when ye talkyth of wysdomme / and ler­nyng. Traianus the Emperour sayd vnto the capitayne of his Horse men / when he gaue hym a swerd / vse this swerd for me / if I commaund the thynges: that be right if not / vse it agaynst me. There shuld no uyce be excu­syd / nether defendyd vnder the pretence / and cloke of Godes workes / nether for the dig­nite of ony place / manifest iniuries / and wy­kednys permittyd to raigne: but the word of God / shuld allwayes without respect of per­sones / stand in his full strengh / and poure. whose [...] offyce is / to teache the ignoraunt / rebuke the transgressours / chastine the intractable / and to institute man in all kynd of vertew 2. Tim. 3. They shuld remembre / that kyngdomes be al­teryd / and changyd by cause of synne Iob. [Page CXL] and that God remouyd likewyce princes frō there dignites / by reason of synne / as it is to be seene by Saul the fyrst kyng among chrystiane people / 1. Reg. cap. 16. all kynges and commune weal this of chrystiante / were institutyd spetial­ly / to preserue the ministerie of the churche / and the estimatiō of godes word / that people might know / and lyue accordyng to it / ād as it teachi­the to declyne all iniust wartes / and battelles / to defend them selfes / there realmes / and all o­ther / that be persequutyd for iustyce / as Abrahā did his Neghbours / and Loth / is neuew / Gē. 14. to promote peace / and make concord / that they may be / the chylder of God Mat. 5. No christiane man will take me hyre as thowghe I ex­tenuatyd the Pryncely honor of kynges / and o­ther Magistrates / commēdyd vnto vs by god: Whom I honor / reuerence / loue / and know by the scripture what I awe vnto them. to say / bo­othe goddes / and liefe Rom. 13. Eph. 6. farther what mannes lawes gyuythe Cod. lib. 11. Tit. 74.75. I would all men shuld obserue. The subiectes of euerye Ciuile wealthe / must bare the charges / and burdon that is necessarie for the preseruation therof. and must not refuse to pay tribute / vnto the superiour powres / vnder the pretence of a chrystiane libertie / but pay it with out grugge what so euer lawfully / and of dewtie / is demaundyd. Remembring / the liberty [Page CXLI] that Christ hathe yeuen vs / is deliuerance from synne / from deathe eternall / the Horror of hell / and to restore vs to euerlasting liffe / and not to deliuer vs from the obedience of princes / in souche ciuile cases / Mat. 22. Lu. 20. Ro. 13. geue thē thyng to Cesar / that is dew to Cesar. and to god the thing dew to God. Christ puttithe differen­ce betwene those to great lordes God / and the ciuile Magistrat / that people shuld bewa­re / the yeue not the thing that is dew to on / vn­to the other. But this order is changyd for where God commaundithe to yeue tribute / and o­ther exactions / helpes / or subsides vnto Cesar: the people ar made so blynd by the falshed of Antechristes ministres / that they will rather gyue a gold crowne / to the byldīg of an Abbay / fundation / of a chantre / or for a Masse of Requiem / then one syluer peny for the defence of there commune wealthe. and the thyng that is dew to God / they gyue vnto Cesar / or the Ciuile Ma­gistrat / to say / there beliue / and knolege of god. this is only dew vnto God / and his word / and not to Kyng / nor Rayser / or ony other Magi­strat. Thus is to change Godes institution. we se daily / how the Princes of the worold persecute the gospelle and the gospellike vse of the sacra­mentes. we peruert therfore Godes lawe: whiche commandithe to yeue tribute to Prynces of the commune wealthe for the preseruation [Page CXLII] therof / and in matres of religion / to yeue our selfes booth body / and solle / vnto God and lern not only by the scripture to loue the superiour poures / Godes ordinaunce / but also consider other examples / where as he shall se obedience / and loue of the subiectes to there prince: to be the strenghe of there realme.

Scipio was demaundyd when he cam in warfare / into Affrica / how he durst to entre so strong / and mighti a realme. He sayd / the obe­dience of his soulders. for they were so obedi­ent / that if he bade ony of them / fall from the toppe of a stiple into the water / they would not haue disobeyd him. Se the order / and concord amonges the bestes in the Ayre / as long as the­re Kyng liuythe Among the cranes / Plinius li­bro 10. capit. 23. Natur. Hist. and the litle Beee / Virgilius Georgicorum 4. lib. Now if they gouerne not the people well / whiche be there bro­thers / they may rede there awne damnati­on Ecclesiastes 9.10. Ezechiel. 19. Hierem. 39.42. and likewyce the yre of God / that they harke nyd not / to the voyce of the preacher / Deut. 17. It is therefore the office of euery Magistrate / to lern how to rainge ouer the people by the law of God. ād to desyre wysdome of him / to know and folow the thynges / that appertayne to the ministration of the cōmune wealthe. for of hym alone commithe all wysdom / lac. 1. Psalm. 127. [Page CXLIII] Thus knew the godly rules / and were fortunate in there gouernaunce / 2. Re. 6.7.3. Re. 3. if the Magistrat would rede euery morning / before he intreat ony mater for the commune wealthe / the 101. Psalme it shuld lede him to a singuler wysdō / and meruelous dexterite in iudgment. The people shuld dalie praie for there Magi­strates. for of thē dependithe the peace and tranquillite of the cōmune wealthe / 1. Tim. 2.. Psal. 20.21. it is a great iniquite for people to neglect there office herin. There be propre Psalmes wrote by the Prophet Dauid / that appartayne ūto this purpose. At the creation / coronatiō / or in­auguratiō of the magistrat: Psa. 10 [...]. where the people made supplicātion / at the coronation of Kyng Salo. 1. Par. 28.29. for a prosperous go­uernaunce of the cōmune wealthe. when te Magistrat shall take ony batell / or war in hand / Psal. 20. when god yeuithe victory [...]. and so for all other necessaries tha they may defend the orphalinges / and poure wydous with all other oppressid wrūgfully. for the palace of a prynce / or Magistrat / shuld be the refuge / ād Sāctuarie of the poure / where as they might offer boldly / as before God / there greues / and oppressiōs so it aperithe in the prayer of the people / for kyng Salomon / Psal. 101. Saing: Da Deus Regi iu­dicia tua. that is to say: Gyue o God / thy iud­gmentes; vnto the Kyng. For no Magi­strat [Page CXLIIII] can gouern / withe out some forme of iud­gment / and certaine lawes. But because all in / dicialles / and decres / statutes / ād lawes / made be man / doo the many tymes fayle / ether for the­re awne propre imperfection / ether by the per­siall / and corrupt ministration of the iudge: the people deserid God / to gyue there Kyng / his iudgmentes. whiche ar wroten in his lawes / and those the magistrat must obserue / Deu. 1.10. ād 16 / as Moses did Exo. 18. Leuit. 24. Nu. 15. Io­sua Ios. 1. by the whiche wordes we know that all godly lawes / shuld be askyd / and sowght out of the scripture.

The some and conclusion of this 5. precept / and of all that I haue spoken in it / is: that sou­che as the lord hathe appointyd in the Earthe ouer vs to rule: those we must reuerēce / honor / and obey / withe all fere / and loue. and that we derogat nothing of there dignite / withe con­tempt cōtumacie / or vnkyndnys. for seyng god would his ordinance that he hathe instirutid / to be inuiolatyd: it is oure office to obserue the de­gres / and order of preeminence / as he hathe in­stitutyd.

Caput IX. The syxte Commaundement.

[Page CXLV]I Sayd before / that concord / and peace / best preseruid allwaies the commune wealthe. whiche dependithe of the loue of God and oure neighburs. Therfore doothe gode immediatly after the institution of the cōmune wealthe and ciuile assemblance of his people / before set in or­der / and euery man apointyd to a certayne pla­ce / and vocation / the one to be father / the other the Sonne / the on to be Master the other seruant / the one to be a disciple / the other an in­structor / the one to be the yonger and the other the elder: and eche of these knowithe by the pre­cept and commaundement afore / what his of­fice is / and how he shuld liue in his vocation: in this precept he remouythe thoccation of di­scord / and debat / that might happen betwene the membres of this commune wealthe / by rea­son of murder / and mannes slawghter. Ther­fore for byddythe he all iniuries / violence / for­se / and othere vncheritable meanes where wi­the all we might hurt our neighbours bodye. And likewyce requirythe that in case we can do ony thyng for the healpe of oure Neighbour / we diligently applye oure seruice in his vsee and to procure the thynges that appertayne vnto his tranquilite / to saue him from aduersites / and to yeue him oure helpyng hand when his trobles shall requyre Seyng there his nothing more dere to man / then his bodie / and liefe / [Page CXLVI] as the law of nature teachithe / God by this law defendythe it agaynst the deuyll and de­uilishe willfull hatred of man. that somme ty­me is so caryd awaye withe affectiones of the fleshe / that he honorithe not this precept / but contemnythe the ymayge of God in his neigh­bowre / hatithe his awne fleshe and executythe abestly raige / and tyranny in his brothers body: more like a furious lyon / and mad dogg then a resonable creature. not only to the destruction of him that is kyllyd but to the loost / and perdi­cion of his awne body and solle for euer: if he re­pent not. God in this commaundement for biddithe not only the murder donne wythe the hād but also the murder of the hart / and of the tong: Matth. 5.1. Ioan. 1. in the murder of the hand is for byddyn all pryuat reuenchyng betwene pryuate persones that wilbe iudges in there awne causes. Whyche begynne with blowes / then folowythe or hurtyng of some membre of the body / or clene destruction of it / at the last mur­der of the hole body. Somme kyll wythe the swerd / somme withe poyson / somme with in­chauntementes / somme Dessemble as thowg­he they playde / and so in burdyng puttythe him out of the waye that he hatythe. Somme kyll not them selfe nor will not besene to breke the peace but shut there boltes by other men and wound and kill him that is an hundrythe mile [Page CXLVII] from him. These the lawes punishe with dea­the / Gen. 9. Mat. 26. like wice the lawes of men / Iust. lib. 4. tit. 18.

Souche as procure and sarche the deathe of man priuelie the lawe punishithe more cruelli. Not with the swerd / nether fyre / or ony other so lemne maner of deathe / but he shuld be inclo­syd in a tronke withe a dogg / a cocke / a snake / and a nape and so be cast into water / and dye a­monges these rigures bestes.

Those yet lesse offend / then souche as conspy­re the deathe of ony prynce / or gouerner of the commune wealthe. Or by treason intend the de­struction of the commune wealthe or ony man that gouernythe therin. Those haue there paine of deathe apointyd / lege Iulia. Inst. lib. 4. ti. 18. Depublicis iudicijs. So hathe the law respect of the persones and will know who is kyllyd / a priuat person / or gouerner / a mā / or a womā: one of his awne blud / or a strāger / that the paīe may be according. In the ministration / wherof the Magistrate / or Prynce shuld allwayes ob­serue iustyce / as well agaynst one man / as the other withe out respect of persones. Re­membryng that it appertaynythe nothyng vn­to there office / to saue / or damne / to yeue one a charter of liefe / and put an other that hathe don [...]e the like offence to deathe.

The Magistrate is but a minister of [Page CXLVIII] the law / and is bound for the lawes sake to sus [...]fre him to liue / that transgressithe not the law / so is he bound / to put him to deathe / that hathe offendid the law. So God commaundithe / Deut. 19. that the iudge shall haue no mercy v­pon the offender / ād shewithe thre causes why. The one that he shuld take the ile out of the commune wealthe. The other is a promiss of Go­des grace for his so dyng.

The thyrd is / that other might fere to do the same we haue examples therof in the Capitan [...] that were hāgyd against the sonne / Nu. 25. and of Marie the Emperoure Moses Syster that when she was a lepre was compellyd to obey the law as well as the pouryst of the congrega­tion / Num. 21.

It is ile donne therfore of princes / and Magistrates to yeue charters / and priuelegys to saw souche / as by the law shuld die. And asbrode example for other / that thinck when nede is / I shal [...] haue frendes like wyce to begg my perdon. In case it cannot be optaynyd / he that labory­the in the cause / will scarse be contēdyd / that his request can take none effect / the mater beyng of no greater waight / then before by other optay­nyd grace. Thus in dispensing of an ile fact: is boothe God and man offendyd. And the Pryn­ce / or Magistrat that dispēsithe withe the fault of an other / makithe him selfe culpable of the sa­me [Page CXLIX] cryme as it is wroten. Prouerb. 17. cap. S [...] pien. 6. Of the other part / the iudges that con­demne the right / and delyuer the wrong / com­mitt the same horrible offence. and worthy by the law to suffer the paine / that is dew vnto him that shuld for his offences dye. like wyce shuld souche as be letters / or other wyce defice / or procure the let / or delay of iustyce in sauing or repryyng the offender / whiche is an horrible offence / and dayly vsyd the more petye in euery assyce ād sessions. The pretēd a work of cherite and good dede to saw a man that is worthy of deathe. but the iudge of all equite / mercye / and iustyce / say­the they shuld not extend there mercye to souche a person / nor in souche a case / but commaundy­the without mercy to put them to deathe that iustyce condemnythe. Men wilbe in an ile cause more mercyfull then the fountayne selfe of mer­cy. but where as they shuld be mercyfull in re­mitting a pryuate displeasure / donne vnto thē by a pore man / then will they exequte not only iustyce / but also tyranni. So peruerte they / the law of God / and iudge ile good. and godd ile / and like wice reprehend the ordinaunce of god. God gaue certayne preuilegis that who so euer kyllid agaynst his will might fle to a saynctua­ry to saw his liefe. but he that kyllyd of malyce or of a pretencyd purpose / might be browght to the Galaus not only out of the sanctuary / bu [...] [Page CL] from the aulter Deut. 19. and this is not only the law of Moses but also the law of christ that saythe Math. 26. cap. he that strykythe withe the swerd / withe the swerd shale peryshe. when it pleasythe God souche a transgressour to be taken / the iudge that iudgithe and the person that is iudgid shuld thinke / this is the tyme that the commune wealthe / shuld be delyuerid from an ile person. and he tha [...] must suffer / shuld thynk this is the tyme that God will punyshe me for my synne / and call me to his mercy.

The prince huld suffre the ordinaunce of god to take place. for as Teren. saithe male docet fa­cilitas multa. Heautonei. that is to say ouer mouche pyte teachythe many thinges ile. the whiche vyce he teachithe men beware / of in Hecy. Etsi ego meis me omnibus scio etiam ad prime obseruantem, sed non adeo ut facilitas mea illorū corrumpat animos. Therfore he that would pur­chese a charter / shuld rather com to the prison to confort the afflictyd man and say. this trob­le is the preacher sent from God to bring the to acknolege of thy synne / and to call the to pena­unce. Thow seyst how the deuill hathe preuay­lyd agaynst the. Ffolowyng the blyndenis of thine affection thow gauyst place to the deuill that delytithe in the ile doinges of men therfo­re thow must suffre the payne of the lawe. and from hensforthe thow shalt gyue no place mo­re [Page CLI] vnto hym. know Christ / and belyue that in him thow shalt suffre no payne for thy trans­gression but only the deathe of the bodye. he shal now carye the / from the Galowes into eter­nall loy as he dyd the thyffe in the crosse. Obey therefore the commaundement of God in this publike ministracion of iustyce for now is thy tyme to die / not that God hatythe the / but of a singuler loue that thow shuldest hurt no­more thy selfe and other. begg withe me in chryst thy charter of God / and his mercy shall yeue the eterna [...]l lief which thow mayst bold­ly by the law a [...]cleme. And not to put him in a false hope of mannes remission that can yeue no pardon at all if they dowell. in case a priuate person / a man that louythe peace happen to be op [...]ressyd at ony tyme of those breakers of peace / [...] robbers by the highe way sy­de or other wa [...]es / cannot defend his lief / and body / wit [...]e out vsing resistaynce / and the oppressoure will not be cōtent / nether withe reason / nether withe fere wordes / nether the mā oppressyd may in nowyce fynd place / to a voy­de the fury of this appressour indefendyng his awne liefe / if he kill his aduersaries he no­more offendythe goddes lawes / nether man­nes lawes then thowhe he kyllid awoulfe / or mad dogg as Moses killyd the Aegyption or as the godlie magistrate kyllyth pryūat­lye [Page CLII] the thyffe / or openly / defendithe him selfe by warr when he cannot mayntayne / or recoure the right of his commune wealthe other wyce. Then to vse the extreame remedye of batell / he offendithe not. So is it to be iudgyd of those that will oppresse by vyolēce other: that ether offend not / ether be redye to offre there causes to the vycars of God / the iudges off the erthe if they fynd there awne deathe / it is to be iudgyd that it is none other thyng / then the iust iudgment of god that the one shuld defend his liefe / and the other perishe. A great ile is it / that those ile men that dar not bryng there cause to be iudgyd before the lawfull Magistrat ar permittyd so licensiouslie / to troble the peaceable people / of a realme with out punyshement. Whiche is against Go­des lawes / and mannes lawes / and thoccation of great murder / whiche prouokythe the jre of God against the Magistrates for the suffera­unce of so great / and ile. I know / how men that gouern after Aristotelles politikes / will excuse this ile. They will say that lawes must be made according to the nature of the people / to whom they ar prescribid. But Godes lawes saythe / man must obey the law / and not the law man. if they be christians it shall not be a seruitude / to liue after the lawes of Christ / who shuld gouern cheffelie boothe the superiour and the inferiour. And so saythe also Aristot. libr. 5. Polit. cap. 9. [Page CLIII] Non est seruitus uiuere ad formam reipub. sed salus. I Englyshid this the second verse before: it shuld not be difficile to remoue this ile: if euery man that shall se the peace broken in a cite / had auctorite to sondre the personnes / and bynd the peace breakers to apeace / by there wordes / and he that brake his faythe / ād promes to him that requiryd it / to lose his hed in the name of apay­ne. as it is vsyd in some commune wealthes. Murder is commyttid like wyce by hand / by souche as ar euery mannes men for mony. As the­se ronne agates / and launce knyghtes ar / that sell boothe bodye and soule to souche as will hy­re thē. They care not whether the cause be wrōg or right. They shuld nether receaue / by the lawe of God nether ony christianeman yeue them o­ny thyng except the cause be godd. if it be: euery man is bund to defend it. If not: noman. This cannot be knowen of all men: but if the cause be nowght / God excusythe noman / but estimithe hym a murderer of his awne liefe / and the Magistrat that hyrithe him thoccation the­rof.

This precept is not vnder stond onlye of ex­ternall murder / but forbiddythe also the mur­der of the hart. which thowghe it deserue no punishmēt in the worold / yet God accomptythe is worthy of deathe / as it is to be sene / Gen. 4. where as God accusyd Cain for the murder of his [Page CLIIII] hart / before he layde handes on Abell / to kill him. so doothe saynct. Io. 1. Epist. 3. say. he that hatythe his brother / is a murderer. Then is there the Murder of the tong / worthy deathe before God / not only of the bodye / but also of the soule. The wiche is commyttid by a cursyng slandering and a conuicious tong. of a cur­syng tong / Christ speakyth Math. 5. he that saythe to his brother Raah is gilty of councell. the whiche word Raah in Englishe signifyythe ile / or affliction. Christ meanythe there / that he only is not a murderer that by hand killyd his brother / but also he that cursythe / or desy­rithe ile to his neygbour. as those do that byd the pestilence / the feuer quaterne / saynct Anto­nes ile / or souche other execrations. And shuld be punishyd as heretikes / and blasphe­mers of God / as ye may rede Leuit. 20. Gen. 27. Leuit. 19. 1. Cor. 5. 1. Pet. 4. souche ile sayers hathe no part in the kyngdom of God. He that callythe his brother folle. that is to say contem­ne him / moke him / or as men call it now a day lowtyng of a man / commyttithe souche mur­der / as is worthy hell fyer / and eternall dam­nation. The whiche vyce is reprehendyd / Psal. 56. and was so abhorryd of the gentilles / that many would rather suffer deathe / then su­stayne the slaunders of a pestilence tong.

The derision of the simple how great a syn­ne [Page CLV] it is / and equiualent withe murder / we se by the punyshment of Cham / who was so cur­syd of his father Noah / that his posterite suf­fryd for his offence. Maledictus Cham, seruui seruorum erit fratribus suis. that is to say. Cur­syd be Cham who shalbe vnto his brothers the seruaunt of seruantes. Gene. 9.

Samson was accomptyd of the Philistians for a folle but he would rather dye then suffre that opprybrye vnreuenchyd Iudic. 16. Dauid was lowtyd of Michol Sauls dowgher but she was made therfore barynne all here liefe 2. Reg. 6. How Dauid reuengyd the contumelie of his Ambassadours contemnyd of the Ammonites rede 1. Reg. cap. 10. and thē thow shalt perceaue that mocking is none other but murder, In the 4. book of the kynges cap. 2. see how the boyes mockyd the preacher of Godes word / Elizeus the prophete / and how God punyshid the same withe deathe more cruell / then the Magistrat punyshyte the murderer. Of the­se places / we se what murder is / and how many ways it is committyd. The occasion the­rof / is ire / enuye / hatred / disdayne / indignatiō and souche like. we see also the payne appoyntid by Godes lawes / and mānes lawes / lib. 4. inst. Cod. lib. 9. But of these places inferre not / that it is not lawfull for the Magistrat to pu­nyshe the ile doer by deathe / the father to [Page CLVI] correct his child / the master hi [...] seruant / or the preachers the vyce of the people these lawes ap­pertayne vnto all priuate persones / and not vnto souche as God hathe yeuen iurisdiction ones other. of the Magistrates we haue Roman. 13. which offend not in punyshing the ile of the fa­thers correction Ephe. 6. Stephane callyd the Iewes traytors ād murderes Act. 7 and Paul the Gallathyens folles Gal [...]. yet offendyd no­thing at all against this law / thow shalt not kyll. but seruyd the place of there vocations as it was commaundyd them by God. Angre is no syn̄e / so that the origynall therof / and the end whether it extendithe / be vertews and procede with cherite. Moses was angre and brake the tables of God in his zelous / and godlie passiō. He put the idolatres to deathe. but the end was to destroy vyce / and to maintayne vertewe. So was Dauid / so was Paule / so was Christ but it sprange of a loue to wardes God / and exten­dyd to a vertewes end the punyshment of vyce / and commendation of vertew.

Caput X. The seuenthe commaundement.

[Page CLVII]THat there shuld neuer faile successiō / and posterite to preserue the commune weal­the that God had ordainyd for man / as well before his fall in Paradice / as after in this vale of miserie: he ordainid matrimonie betwene man and woman. Whiche is the instituciō and ordinaunce of God / aprouid by the law of na­ture / the law of Moses / and the law of Man / and the law of the Gospell. Meanyng / and wyllyng this ordinaunce to be reuerentlye obseruyd of all men hathe yeuen this precept: that noman shuld dishonor / defile / or conta­minat himselfe withe ony vndecent / or intemperat kynd of liffe. This is the end / and purpose Why this law was yeuen. to auoyde a dissolute / commune / and libidinous liefe with other vn­clenlinis. To loue / and kepe chastite / and purite of life: whiche consistithe / ether in syncere virginite / or faithfull matrimonie / as Chrysost. wri­tite Homil. de inuent. cruc. Primus gradus casti tatis est, syncera uirginitas. Secundus, fidele ma­trimonium. That is to say: The fyrst degre of chastite is / pure virginite. The second / faithfull matrimonie the same diuision of chastite / apro­uithe the scripture / 1. Corin. 7. where as Paule definithe / and shewithe / that virginite is a chastite of the bodie / coniunyd withe the purite of the mynd. By these wordes: Caelebs cogitat, quae domini sunt, quomodo sancta sit corpore [Page CLVIII] & spiritu. That is to say: she that is vnmaryd think [...]the the thinges that be of God / how she may be holie / boothe in bodie / and in sprite. Of matrim [...]nie / and the purite therof: it is wrotē / Ebr. 13 Honorabile est inter oēs matrimonium, & cubile impollutum. That is to say: Matrimonie is honorable / among all (nations) and the bed impollutid. no man shuld continew in a sole liefe / but souche as hathe no nede of matrimonie / folowing the word of God / and ordinaunc in mannes nature / according to the exāples of the Patriarches / Prophetis / ād the Apostelles: whiche were not excludid frō matrimonie / al­thowghe they were ministers of the churche. nor neuer made / law to exclude there succes­sours. but recitithe the matrimonie of the ministers / among the vertews and necessarie giftes that is requirid in the minister. 2. Timo. 3. Tit. 1. and callithe the prohibition of matrimonie the doctrine of the deuill. The whyche the iniquite of oure Doctors. that defend withe swerd / and fyre / the sole liefe of the ministres / would put from them / vnto the old Heretikes / the Ta­tians. who for byd matrimonie to all men. And they damne not it / but only for byd it / to the order of Ecclesiasticall ministers. As thow­ght they damnid not matrimonie because they for bid it not to all / but to sommen. It is like / as if the phisicion shuld say to too men of one [Page CLIX] ayge / one disposion / and sicke in one diseace / that the medicine / that helythe the one / will kyll the other. But the scripture is agaynst thē / and also the fathers for the moost part. the councell of Nice condescendid to the mynd and sentence of Paphnutius that sayd / faythfull mariage was chastite: and not vnto supersti­cious persones that allwayes dreame somme nouelties to be accomptid glorious. The teme­rite of these lawes and law makers / hathe byn godly / and lernydlye all tymes confoundyd. It sufficithe vs / loyallement / and with good faythe / to hyre this commaundement / commit no adulterie. whiche for biddithe not only to abstayne from an other mannes wieffe / the whiche boothe Godes lawes and mannes lawes / Chri­stians / and Gentiles punishithe withe deathe / Deut. 22. Leuit. 20. libr. Inst. 4. Tit. De publ [...] iudicijs. Also the desyre / and lust of the hart is forbyddyn / Exod. 20. Deut. 5. Matth. 5.

Farther all orther womē ar for byddin / whe­ther it be virgine / widow / or other cōmune wo­mā. The policie of Moses putt to deathe / onlye the man and woman that committid adulterie How be it all kyndes of vlterie in this precept ar for bydden as Paule wrytythe / 1. Corinth. 5. Where he equalithe and makythe lyke / fornication / and rape / withe adulterie / [...]ede the place. And byddythe to fle fornication. [Page CLX] So doothe he / Ephes. 5. and saythe that the Ir [...] of God accustomithe to cum for souche synnes. Like wice we se by the punishment of fornica­tion / and oppression of virgines whiche is not inferiour to adulterie. The citie of Sichem / and the inhabitantes therof were destroyd / for the oppressing of Dina Iacobs dawghter Genes. 34. Iudas commaundid Thamar the wy­dowe to be put to deathe / for dishonoring of widowed Gene. 38. Pinehas kyllyd Simri the Is­realite / withe his hore Casbi the Midianite / Nume. 25. so that all kynd of adulterie is for bid­den / and nothing in this case to be admittid / but the lawfull coniunction betwene man and woman. But this is not all that this precept for biddithe. for as it for biddithe the act it selfe so doothe it adulterie of the hart / and of the Iye like wice the adulterie of the mouthe / as vnchast and filthi communication. The adulterie of the handes that prouokythe or mouythe the person that is not his. Solomon saythe he shall borne his cote / that barythe fyer in his besomme: and burne his fette that walkythe vpon the coles. Here is for bydden likewice the adulterie of ap­parell / and so consequentlie all excesse of mete and drinke / and other occasions / that ar indu­ctions to this ile / and commith of the concupi­scens of the hart / for bydden in the scripture. Peter saithe / 1. Pet. 3. The habit / and apparell [Page CLXI] of a woman shall not be in brodyd and splayde here nether in laing on of god / or costley aray. ye se in oure tyme / that many bare more vpon the­re backes then they be worthe. A woman pam­perid vpp with precious stones and gold: knottyd be hind and afore with more periles / then here housbond and she bestowithe in almes all dayes of there lieffe. An other sort / that lackythe where withe all to bestowe these charges: ar a dilling / and burling of there here a longer ty­me / then a godlye woman that redithe the scry­pture to folow it: is in appareling of thre or fo­wre yong infantes. If this were onlie in the women / it were the lesse harme: but it is also in men for there is not asmouche as he that hathe but 40. Schillinges by the yere but is as long in the mornīg / to set his berd in an order / as a godlie crawstis man would be / in loming of a pea­ce of karsey.

And not only they / but also souche as shuld yeue there seruantes an example of sobriete: as well in the Clerge / as among the Ciuile gouer­ners of the erthe. I speake not against a decent and semely apparell of man nor / woman: euery person in his degre. But that eche of them shuld auoyde the excesse and ile therof that is for bidden in Godes lawes: and rather studie to commend him selfe by vertews / then to be estimyd by his apparell. thus doothe not God / but [Page CLXII] but also Ethnykes teache / as Cicero. 1. of­fic. Adhibenda est mundicia: non odiosa, nec exquisita nimis, tantum quae fugiat agrestem. & inhumanam negligentiā. That is to say / souche amens shuld be kept in apparell / that shuld be nor to net / nor to fylthy / but souche as might auoyde a rude / and bestlie negligence. In the 5. Matth. and Luc. 6. we se how Christ interpretithe this precept: not onlye to a voyde the ile it selfe / but also thoccasions of it / sayng if thynne Iye / or yight hand offend the / cast them of. Where as Christ shewythe there is no occasion that can excuse adulterie or fornication. As this sinne hathe degreis in it selfe as ye se / and may perceaue by the paynes rehersid: so is it more offence in one person then in the other. more in ayge then in uthe: more in the Magistrat / or Prince / then in a priuate person / more in the teacher of Godes word / then in the herer.

And as the condicion of the persones agra­uat the offence / so shuld iustice agrauat the pu­nyshment therof. and not to punyshe the one / and lett the other go. There is noman more preuilegyd then the other. As iustice is executyd a­gaynst the inferiour / so shuld it be agaynst the superiour. For as the one is subiect vnto the law / of God so is the other. There is an other kynd of adulterie for bydden in this precept [Page CLXIII] whiche Christ speakythe of Matthei. 5. and 19. capit. whiche is vnlawfull diuorsemement of matrimonie where as the man puttythe awaye the woman or the woman / the man for vnlaw­full causes.

The same auctorite hathe the woman to put away the man / that the man hathe to put away the woman / Marc. 10. Christ saythe there is no lawfull cause to dissolue matrimonie / but adulterie. For when the woman yeuithe the vse of her bodie to an other man / she is no more here fyrst housboundes wiefe. Nor the housbound no no lenger the housbound of his wief / then he obserue the faithe of matrimonie withe her: where so euer this fault happen / and canne be prouyd by certayne signes / and lawfull te­stimonies: the persones may by the auctorite of Godes word and ministerie of the Magistra­tes be separatyd so one from the other / that it shalbe Lawfull for the man to marie an o­ther wief / and the wief to marie an other hous­bound / as Christ saithe Matt. 5. and 19. so that the man shall not nede to kepe at homme wi [...]he him a woman / that is nomore his then an other mannes.

Nether the woman souche a housbound as is nomore hers / thē an other womānes: Mar. 10. S. Pau. [...]. Co. 7. shewithe and other cause of [Page CLXIIII] deuorsment / when the one of the personnes be­yng marid is an infidele / and of a contrarie faithe. If this person will not dwell with the other that is his felow in matrimonie / ād a Christia­ne. it is lawfull to breke the faithe of Matrimo­nie / and marie with an other. So saithe S. Ambros. wrytyng in the same place / of S. Paule: Non debetur reuerentia coniugij ei, qui horret autorem coniugij. That is to say / the reuerencie of matrimonie is not dew vnto him / that con­temnithe the autour of matrimonie. And in the same place / Contumelia enim creatoris soluit ius matrimonij, circa eum qui relinquitur, ne ac­cusetur alij copulatus. That is to say / the con­tempt of God breakithe the right of matrimo­nie cōserning him that is for saken / lest he shuld be accusyd beyng marid to an other.

Thow seist that the lord Matt. 5.19. yeuithe li­cence for adulterie / to deuorse / ād marie againe And Paule for infidelite. The diuorse that the Bishopes permitt in there lawis / is no diuorse but onlie the name of it. For they wyll not per­mitt those persones / thus deuorsid to marie a­gaine. They say / what God hathe coniugnid / man shuld not separate. Who denyythe that? God speakythe of the woman that standithe by the law / and ordinaunce of God / beyng lawfully maryd / an dothe office of awyffe. If adulte­rie / or the case of infidelite chaunce / man dissol­nythe [Page CLXV] not the Matrimonie / but the person selfe that offendithe. and the Magistrat is but a testimonie of his / or her ile fact / that hathe broken / and dissoluyd that / that God coplyd. And pro­testythe to the worold / that they thus dissoluyd / may marye agayne / not withstondyng the for­mer mariayge. Thowgh mannis lawes admit it not / Godes lawes doothe. whois wordes / may not be wrestyd out of tune / but all waies applied to the end / they were spoken. The phari­sees Mat. 19. cap. demaundyd of Christ / whe­ther it were lawfull for a man / to deuorse his wiefe / for euery cause / and to marie a nother: as all those dyd in the tyme of Mosen Deut. 24. Christ answerd directlye to the question / and sayd / it was not lawfull for aman to put away his wiefe / and marie and other / Except she committyd adulterie. Then / and for that cause / it is Lawfull now in the tyme of the gospell / as it was in the tyme of Moses lawe. But for the frawardnys of condicions / or tediousnis of ma­ners / men shuld not separat there wiefes / ne­ther from bed nether from bord. Mouche lesse marie an other. He or she / that cannot withe wysdomme amend the displeasaunt / and cro­ [...]yd maners of his / or her mate: must patientlie bare them. Remembring / if Christ commaund vs to be of souche a tollerancye / and patience to indure the obloquie / and iniuries of all men [Page CLXVI] thowghe they be oure ennymies: how mouche more the morosite / and iniures of a domesticall companion? A hard crosse / but patience must ligthen it / till God send a redresse. Christ yet speakythe of an other adultery Mat. 19. whiche those commit / that marie at one tyme / too wiefes / and say / if a man haue an hundrythe (as he may haue / as well as too) yet all be but too / and one fleshe in the lord. Chryst doothe not so interpre­tat too / Matth. 19. cap. but referrythe too / to o­ne man / and one woman / as the text that he ale­gythe out of Gene. cap. 1.2. declarithe / sayng. haue ye not reden that he / that made from the be­ginnyng: made them male / and female. Therfo­re shall man leue father and mother / and offici­at his wieffe / and shalbe too / in one fleshe. this text admittythe no pluralites of wiefes / but destroythe playne the sentence of those that defend the coniunction of manie wiefes with one mā. for as at the begyming of Matrimonie was but one man and one woman / creatyd / and maryed to gather: nomore shuld there be now in o­ne matrimonie as Christ there teachite / and ex­poundith too in one fleche / and not thre or fore in one fleshe. the word of god must be folowid / and not thexamples of the fathers in this case. It is also for hydden by mannes lawes / Codic. lib. 5. Tit. 5. de incestis & inutilibus nuptijs. Ne­minem, qui sub ditione sit Romani nominis, bi [Page CLXVII] nas uxores habere posse uulgo patet, &c. it is cō munely knowen that no man being under the iurisdiction of Rome can haue too wiefes / saythe the emperours Dioclet. and Maximiā. S. Paule 1. Cor. 7. giuithe a godlie precept if it were godlie vsyd. rede the chapiter at the begiming. the cō clusion of the sentence is thus / speaking to the persons marid. depart not thone from the other except it be by cō [...]ent for a tyme / to applie fastīg / and praing / and then com to gather againe / lest the deuill tempt youe for youre intemperancie. If Paule could do ony thing with men that be maryd / they would not for there pleasures / or priuate lucre make so manye vyages out of the­re countreis / or within there countreis leauing there wiefes / children / and housholdes as for saken orphelynes.

How light so euer this vngodlie people ma­ke there gaddynges / or peregrinations: they shalbe culpable / and actomptable / for as many faultes / as is donne by his familie / trowghe his absence / and negligence / before god. How this synne of adulterie is punyshyd. Rede Genes. 12.20.39. Iob. 31. legem Iuliam Iust. lib. 4. Tit. 18. de pub. iudicijs. and loke not how man vsythe now to punyshe it / that rather accomptithe it a vertew then a vyce / but see what pu­nyshment god appayntythe fore it in the scripture.

Caput XI. The eyghthe commaundement.

THis eyghthe law / extendithe to this end / that we yeue vnto euerye man that / that is his. And in so doyng we resemble the master of this law God allmighti / that aborrythe all in iustes / and louythe equite and right. As here is for byddin to stele the godes of other: so is there commaundid / and requirid to employ diligen­ce in keping the goddes / that be oure awne. Re­membryng that euery man receauythe at Go­des hand his goddes and parselles therof / and not by fortune or his awne trauell. Therfore to abuse them is not only a lost of the goddes / but also Iniuries / vnto the dispensation of God / who willythe the ryche to yeue gladly and withe thankes vnto the poure / the poure to receaue religiously as out of the spence / or seller of the lord withe thankes yeuing.

The ryche to exercise his faythe in yeuyng / ād to thynke that the waye to beryche / is not to mu­cke vpp in the chofer / but to be liberall / and to put out mouche to the poure / for the commaun­dementes [Page CLXIX] sake / and thynck the promes of God will send it in againe. The poure to exercise his faythe in receauing / when he hathe nothyng at home / yet God hathe openyd the hart of one or other to yeue hym his necessaries / and that all­waies God is faythfull in his promes / and will yeue bred to the hungre at all times oportune / Psal. 145.4. Reg. 4. cap.

This law principallye / for byddythe all iniuries that afflict / or diminishite the ryches / facultes / glorie / estimation / fame / and all other thinges expedient for bodie and soulle. all actions / and trauese of the law / that might be endyd cheretable withe out breache of loue / and all other vncheritable expenses. all violent / and forsable oppressions be night / or daie / as well of them as robbe withe the hand by the highe waye syde / as of them that by counsell / affection / auaryce / hatred / or by request of letters inuert / and per­uert iustyce. like wyce all fraude / and gile in by­ing / or selling / and breeking of promys in all barginnes / and contractes. Or when there is taken from the law / that whiche is hers. that his to say / when she takythe exequution and punishment of one ile doer / and not of an other / not because there causes differ or be vnlyke / but that she is robbyd by forse of here iustyce / by the in­iust persones / and iudges / that iudge not by the law / but agaynst the law. As this robberye of [Page CLXX] iustyce is vsyd communely against godes lawe [...] and mānes: so hathe it optainid a commune so the sayng among all people. Dat ueniā coruis [...] uexat censura columbas. that is to say / he yeui [...] the pardō to the rauens / and oppressithe the do [...]ues with exaction the sentence meanythe / that the great thyffes and robbers ar at libertie / and somtime o copie the sete of iustyce / whē the litl [...] thyffes ar hankyd. He is not onlie a thiffe / tha [...] by day robbithe / ād breakithe mēnis houses b [...] night / but also those that by ony meanes let th [...] thīg to be paid / that is dew / whether it be to th [...] law / or to those that be vnder the law. Too ma­ner of waies all iniuries / ād wrōges ar donne The one in with holdīg an others right: ād the other in takyng a wax an others right.

The thinges vniustely with holdin / ar the goddes of the bodie or of the mind. of the bodie ar th [...]se. the housbōd / the wiefe / the childer / the seruan [...]tes / the patrones / ād the pupilles. Mony / war [...] and all souche other thinges as is vsyd in the lie [...]fe of mā necessary for the body. if these thīges b [...] trewlie gotē / the honour must godlie vse thē to his glorie ād to the profet of his neighboure. i [...] they be gotē withe fraude / g [...]le / and deseite. kep [...] them not / for they be none of thynne / restore the [...] to the right honour / or else it is thifft / and no­man can dispence with the for them: thowghe thow shreue thy selfe to the pryst and cause al [...] [Page CLXXI] [...]he massis of the worold to be sayd for the. or if [...]how be delyuerid from that supersticion bost of the gospell neuer so mouche.

Let thē that trade the curse of Marchaundes in there vocatiō / beware of this danger. souche as hathe the cure of soules beware they hold not there stipendes / and deserue thē not. Souche as be seruātes that they eat not there masters bred / ād receaue there wages for nowght. As for tho­se men that yeue there wayges / to souche as lyue an ile / and vnocopyd lieffe as the moost part of the nobilite doothe now a daie: it is against go­des lawes to kepe ony souche in there house / for they mentaine ilenys whiche is for bydē 1. Thes. 4.2. Thes. 3. and the seruaunt that receauythe it commyttythe thyfft. for he is cōmaūdyd to la­bour withe his handes / to fede him selfe / and o­ther. Thowh it be vsid of princes / potestates / ād all men of the worold / yet that excusythe not the fault before god. for it was neuer reden in the law of god nor in the law of ony man that had knolege in a commune wealthe / that an ile mā was accomptyd as ony membre there of. as ye may rede in Plato. and Aristot. what perso­nes be mete to dwell in a commune wealthe. How vnrewlie a sort of people the ile men be thow mayst se by the wrytynges of Cicer. When the Impire of Rome fell out withe it selfe by sedition libr. 6. de Republi. and in an Epistol. [Page CLXXII] ed Varronem. Crudeliter enim otiosis minabā ­tur: erat (que)ijs & tua inuisa uoluntas, & mea oratio. Noman shuld retayne the wages of his ser­uant / but satisfie all waies his couenauntes. farther they offend agaynst this lawe of God that by forse or violence / fraud or ony other waye vniustly with hold and kepe ony mannes childe / or seruātes / as those do / that by forse or fraude marie ony mannes child against the will of his parentes. Souche as hathe great foreftes / or parkes of dere / or Conyes / that pasture / and fede vpon there neygbours ground. Or Columbaries where as doues assemble and haunt / and those fede / of the poures corne: I refer it to the cherite of euery man whether the keping of souche bestes be not against Godes lawes / and mannes lawes. and whether it be not suffryd rather for a few mennes pleasure / then for many mennis profet.

If ony man shuld kill ony of those bestes / it were felonie in many places. Where as the law Ciuile callythe those wild bestes the goddes of the honour / no lenger then they byde at home / or haue a purpose to returne home. Which will neuer be as long as they fynd good byte in the poure mannes pasture or corne / except they be cha­syd home. whether those bestes be not as well the poure mannes / if he can take them in his pasture / as the honours / rede the law / Inst. lib. 2. [Page CLXXIII] [...]. De rerum diuisione & acquirendo illarum do­minio. I cannot tell withe what good conscience ony man can fare well with the detriment of his neighbour. let euery man iudge withe cheri­rite whether it be well donne or not. As it is sin­ne to retaine vniustly these Godes of the bodye / whether they be ours or other mens: so it is to retaine the goddes of the myne. As good coun­sell / lerning / wysdomme or ony other thinge el­se / that maye ayde our brother in thynges of re­ligion and vertew. And as euery man that sey­the his brother waunt thynges necessarie for the bodye / in case he helpe him not hathe no che­rite in hym / as Ioan saythe / 1. Ioan. 3. so he that seythe his brother want the knolege of God / and Good counsell / in case he ayede him not the best he can / is culpable of his brothers damnation.

The other part that conteinithe the transgression against this law is / in takyng away an o­ther mannes right / or goddes. whiche goddis like wyce be of the body / or of the soule. of the bodie as I rehersyd before / whiche ar taken awaye beforese / or violence secreatlye / or apertly. As by thefes / pyrates and other / that against Godes lawes / and mannes lawes spoyle / and robb. li­kewice souche as warre in the defence of ony cō ­mune wealthe / and vnder the pretence of warf [...] re / thinckyth all spoyles / ād rapes to be lawfull [Page CLXXIIII] as those do that vnder the name of iustice cōmit [...] vnpunishid all iniustice. Souche as be fraude and crauffte in byyng or selling / making of bargaines or other contractes deceaue ony man is condemnid by this law of theiffte. As those that sell wares that be nawght / or corruptid / for thinges lawfull. The thynges that be godd / for more then they be worthe. whiche vsithe not there crauffte to profet many / but for there awne priuate commodite. Of this auarice / cōmithe vsurie / fraude / false contractes / breakyng of faithe and promises / contempt of all trewthe and honestie / for stallinges / and ingrossinge of mar­kettes / cōpactes / and agremētes betwene the ryche / that thinges may not be sold / as the be wor­the / but as there auarice hathe agreid vpō. This makithe scarsite of all thinges / and robbithe the poure mēbres of euery cōmune wealthe / ād brīg hithe the greater part of souche cōmodites as be in euery realme into a few ryche mēnes hādes. so that they cānot be sold as cōmune goddes of the ciuile wealthe. but as the goddes of one priuate persō. the whiche Monopolie or sellī of one mā / is for biddin / not onlie īthe law of god: but also by the law of mā / Cod. li. 4.79. ād that vnder a­great paine: Bonis proprijs expoliatus, perpetuitate dānet̄ exilij. That is to say: forfeting his awne goddes ād to be dānid to perpetuall exile / or banismēt. Iustinian. saw well / when one solie [Page CLXXV] bowght / because only he might sell againe / was not profetable but hurtfull for the cōmune we­althe. As it is in byyng / ād selling of thinges mouable for byddin to vse fraude: so is it in the goddes of the erthe vnmouable as lādes / houses / ād possessiōs / whiche now in maner ar onlie the godes of the ryche. And so haūsid that the poure cā not gote as mouche as a cotaige to put hīselfe / his wiefe / ād his childrē in whiche cryythe vēgē ce ī the aeres of the god of batell / Esai. 5 rede the chap. ād se / the curse of god agaīst those infaciable rauēers / ād eters of the poure. yet whē they haue all to gather and suffrithe not the poure to haue nor house nor rēt: they will ocopie yet all craufftes ād trade of bijng / ād selling that the poure mā shaall haue nor goddes not handie crauffte to helpe hīselfe withe all. How doothe these men hyre / or rede the word of god that biddithe them yeue there awne goddes to the poure: whiche nether yeuithe there awne / nether sufferithe them not / to by at a resonable price the thīg that is not thers. The Emph. Honor. and Theod. cod. li. 4. tit. 63. de cōmer. et mercat. gaue other lawes for there cōmune wealthes / writing in this maner. Nobiliores natalibus & honorū luce cōspicuos, & patrimonio ditiores perniciosū urbibus mer­cimo niū exercere prohibemus, ut inter plebeios & negotiatores facilius sit emendi, uendendi (que) commertium. That is to say / souche as he [Page CLXXVI] of noble parentayge / and baryng rule [...]n the cō ­mune wealthe and ryche by patrimonie we forbid to exercise byyng and selling whiche is hurt­full to cites / that among the cōmune sort of peo­ple / ād ocopiers in the trade of byyng ād selling might be the more facile or cōmune. This facultie and trade of merchaūdis / that now is vsyd for auarice / was inuētid for a good purpose to cōmunicat souche thinges as was necessarie for the liefe of mā ād not to the vse that now it is applied / Plin. in pan. Diuersas (que) gentes ita cōmer­tio cōmiscuit, ut qd gētiū esset usquā, id apud omnes gentes natū esse uideretur ▪ souche as god hathe yeuen godes vnto or possessions of the worold / shuld liue apō the same. and he that hathe one craffte to liue by / shuld not ocopij too / for fere of doing wrong to his neighbour.

As for vsury and applyyng of monij or ony thing else to an vnresonable gayne: it is none o [...] then thiefft. I would men shuld rather refraine frō giuing of mony to agayne all to gother: thē breake the law of cherite / that helpithe without lokyng for gaine / Lu. 6. Leui. 19. and also / Exo. 22. Deu. 23. because vsurie is plaine for bidden. The lawes and cōstitutiōs of the magistrates ciuile admittithe certaine gaine / and vsurie / as yered cod. li. 4. ti. 32. thowghe they be in many thin [...] scarse to be born with all / yet I would they were well obseruid. but souche is oure tymme [Page CLXXVII] that euery man is in this case / alaw to him selfe and takythe what he can. Here is for boden also all games for mony as disse / cardes / cloysshe / ād other. whiche is very theffte / and against cheri­te that would rather augment his neighbours Godes then make them lesse. so the diminution of ony mannis fame as when for vayne glorie ony man attribute vnto him selfe the wit / or lernīg that an other braine hathe browght forthe: where of many hathe cōplainid as this of Virg. ‘Hos ego uersiculos feci, tulit alter honores.’ They make a fere shewwith an other byrdes fe­thers as Aesopes croe dyd. This offence Mart. 3. callithe plagiū. Imponēs plagiario pudorem. speking of him that stale his bookes. Souche as ar apointid to be cōmune / ād publick receauers that twysse aske the thīg dew of the people / ons for them selfes and ons for the lord. Or souche as bare office to se the treasure of a commune wealthe preseruid / and augmētid as it is nede / withe the reuenewes that belong to the same as receauers / auditours / tresurours / pay masters with other / cōmitt more then th [...]ffte / if they vse ony part of the goddes belonging to a cōmune wealthe to a priuate vse / pandect. libro. 48. lex Iul. and causithe the superiour magistrates to charge there subiectes with newe exactiō / which shuld not nede to be donne if all thinges payed by the people / were trewlie browght home / and [Page CLXXVIII] faythfully leyde vpp to the vse it was gatheryd for. Agreater thefft yet is it to constrayne ony person that is fre / to do ony thyng agaynst his liberty / as many tymes the fader doothe his sonne / selle him as abound man / and marie hym whe­re he list / and to whom he list. thus offend like wise those that perswade ony mannes chyld to for sake his parentes / or ony seruantes there master / and is punishid in the lawe with dea­the. or exile.

It is also th [...]fft / to oppresse ony iust cause that is in contrauersie / by forse / affection or au­thorite of ony superiour poure / or request by letters / not only against Godes lawes / Deute. 25. But also against man [...]is lawe / Codic. libro. 2. tit. 13. where as by these wordes.

Diuine admodum constituit D. Claudius con­sultissimus parens noster, ut iactura causae affi­cerenturij, qui sibi patrocinium potenciorū ad­uocassent: ut hoc proposito metu iudiciariae li­tes, potius suo marte discurrerent, quam poten­ciorum domorum opibus niterentur. That is to say: the Godly and moost prudent prince / oure father Claudius vere godlye decreid / that those shuld lost there sute / that optaynyd the healpe of noble men: that by this fere / all causes of con­trauersis might be vsyd indifferentlye / rather then to depend of theestimation of ony superi­our poure. If this th [...]fft where auoydyd poure [Page CLXXIX] mennis causis shuld fynd more grace / and ry­che mennis consciens more vertew. Espetially the iudges that for gote what place they be in / and serue the wor [...]ld more then God. How deuillishe and great offensse it is before God / thus to corrupt iustice they may lerne of Da­uid Psalm. 82. that begynnythe in Latin: Deus constitit in coetu Dei. That is to say / God sett [...]the / or is present in the Senate / or place of iud­gment. This Psalme all iudges shuld lern be­hart / and practise it, likewyse marke the second verse of the Psalme / that saythe thus. How lōg will ye iudge peruerslie / and corrupt iustice at the request of the ile. In the ēd of this verse is / a word ī Ebrew Sela / the which of the Ebriciōs is diuerslie interpretatid / Psal. 4 but to passe ouer other meanīges / wher so euer thow rede it: think there is in the same verse some speciall and notable thing to be markid. As is in this verse Sela here signifithe asmouche in Englyshe as thowhe Dauid had said / oh how great offēce is it before God / to peruert at ony mannes re­quest iustice. Or else Dauid put this word Se­la there / as thowghe he had said / It is a commune faulte / and acustomid maner of iudges to haue respecte of persones in iudgment. The Psal­me conteiníthe but 8. verses. The iudges may the soner lerne them / and the better bare them in mynd.

[Page CLXXX]The grettist thyffdomme of all is / Sacrilege in robbing of the goddes appointid to an holye vse. The Godes appointid for the poure / for the maintenaunce of scoles to bring vpp uthe in / in souche lerning as shalbe necessarie for the ministerie of the churche / and gouernaunce of the commune wealthe.

Or in taking from the ministers the condici­on and Godes where vpon the leue. Who shuld by Godes lawes honestlie / be prouydyd for / by the hedes of the commune we [...]lthe / 1. Thessal. 5. [...] an horrible offence to take these godes away frō the godlie vse they be apointid to: so is it the like offence to enioy them vndeseruyd. As those do that hathe hospitales / Spyttelles / and other souche almose apointid for the pore / and aplie it to there awne vse / the which criethe vengece before God. Also those that ar apointid in Cole­ges / or Scoles to lerne / or teache for the stipend they receaue / if they do not there office commit sacrilege. Souche as lyue of spiritualltithes pensions / landes / or other Godes appointyd to teache the people the word of God / and mini­ster his holie Sacramentes / in neglecting ther office and dewty / offend in the same offence. Or when one man / and souche a one (whiche chan­sithe many tymes that doothe not / or cannot do halfe amannis office for souche a place) hathe many mennis liuinges. But of whatso euer [Page CLXXXI] yeftes he be of / he shuld not haue too mennis ly­uynges which the Bishopes lawes admitt by pluralites / ād Totquotes / But this is clawe me and I will clawe the. If the bishopes permittyd not there prystes to haue too benefyces / it may fortune the pryst would like wyce say / the Bishope shuld be byshop / but of one cite. and indede so it shuld be. and vntill the Magistrates bryng them to that poynt / it shalbe as possible to hyre a Byshope wade godly / and simple throwghe the scripture in all cases of religion / as to dryue a camell throwghe the [...]ye of an nele▪

A great petie it is to se / how far that offyce of a byshope is degeneratyd from the oryginall in the scripture. It was not so at the begymyng / when bishopes were at the best / as the Epistole of Paule to Tit. testifyythe / that willyd him to ordayne in euery cite of Crete a bishop / Tit. 1. ca. And in case there were souche loue in them now as was then to wardes the people / they would say themselfes / there were more to do for the best of them in one cite / then he could do. They know that the primatyue churche had no souche bishopes as be now a daie [...] as examples testifie vntill the tyme of Siluester the fyrst. alitle and alitle / ryches crept so into the churche that men sowghte more her / then the wealthe of people. And so incresyd within few yers / that bishopes be came princes / and prynces were made seruauntes. [Page CLXXXII] So that they haue set thē vpp with there almose and liberalite in so highe honor: that they can­not pluke them downe againe withe all the forse they haue. what blindnis is there befall the wo­rold that cannot se this palpable ile / that oure mother the holie churche had at the beginning souche bishopes as dyd preache many godlie sermones in lesse tyme / then oure bishopes horses be a brydeling. There houshold was the scole / or treasure house of godd ministers / to serue the word of god / and ministration of the sacra­mentes. If it beso now / let euery indifferent man iudge. The Magistrates that suffer thabuse of these godes / be culpable of the fault. If the fourthe part of the Byshop [...]rike remaynyd vnto the bishope it were sufficient. the thyrd part to souche as shuld teache vthe good ler­nyng. The second part to the poure of the diocesis. And the other to mayntayne men of warr for the saue gard of the commune wealthe: it were better be stoyd a great dele. Ffor it is now ile vsyd / and be stowyd for the greatist part vpon those that hathe no nede of it / or else vpon souche ile men as shuld be mayntainyd withe nomānis godes. It were well don to proui­de for souche as be ile bryngīg vpp / cānot now other wyse liue / and prouide souche meanes / that here after nomore offend in that kynd of lyfe [...]. if ony man be offendyd with me for my thus [Page CLXXXIII] sayng / he louythe not his awne healthe / nor Godes lawes / nor mannes / out of whiche / I am allwaies redie / to proue the thyng sayed to be trew. farther I speke it of loue and of no ha­tred.

The actes of the Apostelles doothe shew that in the primatiue churche souche as were conuertyd vnto Christ vsyd a singuler liberalite towardes the poure: and likewyse other wryters na­melie. S. Augustin. lib. 1. Deciuitate dei. that many men were found ryche in Rome when it was taken by the Gothes / and againe within 14. yere after by Geysericus the kyng of Vanda­le but they were ryche for the poure / and not for them selfes or souche as were ryche / and maky­the mentyon of one Paulinus the bishope of Nole a cite in Cāpania. That was exsedīg riche / but for the poure. as oure bishopes shuld be / that now applie the best part of there bishoppe rykes to a prodigal vse in there awne houses / or in larg [...]fyes / and yeftes / hospitalite / ād other beneuolence vpon the ricche. let all men / yea they themselfes (affection put a part / and the loue / or studie of mony) iudge in this case whether euer they rede in the new testament / or haue ony one godlye Byshope in the primatyue churche for an Example that vsyd the goddes of the ho­lie gost / the ryches of the poure / the posses­sions yeuen for the preseruation of godlie [Page CLXXXIIII] doctrine / and the ministerie of the churche as they do. Ff it seme godd vnto the Higher poores that this ile may be tolerable / and borne withe all / for the honor of the realme / and doynges of souche expedicions as shalbe expedient for them to do when they be commaundyd.

There honors knowithe right well / that no­thyng commendithe A realme more / then were euery man in his degre / is as ryche as the scrip­ture of God permittythe. and that bishope do­the moost honor vnto the realme / that kepythe his houshold / and disposythe the same / accor­ding to the forme / and rule of the word of god / 1. Tim. 3. Tit. 1. asfor souche expedicions in the eiuile wealthe as shuld be committyd vnto the­se ministers of the churge / the commune treasure house shuld bare it. they shuld be resonable prouidyd for / and the rest / and ouer plus taken from them and put to some other godlie vse. lo­ke apon the Apostelles cheffelie / and vpon all there successours for the space of 400. yers / and thē thow shalt se godd bishopes / and souche as dili­gentlie applyed that paynfull offyce of a bishope to the glorie of god / and honor of the realmes the dwelt in. Thowghe they had not so mouche apon there heddes as oure bishopes hathe / yet had they more within there hedes / as the scrip­tures / and Histories testifie for they applied all the witt they had vnto the vocation / and mini­sterie [Page CLXXXV] of the churche / wherevnto they were cal­lyd. oure Bishopes hathe so mouche witt they can rule and serue as they say in boothe states. Of the churche / and also in the Ciuile policie. When one of them is more then ony man is ab­le to satisfie / let him do all waies his best dili­gēs. If he be so necessarie for the court / that in ciuile causes and gyuing of godd counsell he can not be sparyd: let him vse that vocation and lea­ue the other / for it is not possible he shuld do bo­othe well. And a great ouer sight of the princes / and Higher poures of the Erthe thus to charge them withe too bourdens / when none of them is able to bare the lest of them boothe. They be the kynges subiectes and mete for his maiestie to chose the best for his court that be of the real­me / but then they must be kept in there vocation to preache onlye the word of God / and not to put them selfes or be apoyntid by other to do thing it belongythe not to a bishopes vocation.

This is thyffte of souche goddes as appartayne vnto the bodie.

There is an other kynd of the soule / as when the ministers yeue not vnto souche as be committyd vnto there charge the word of God / simple / and plainlye in atong knowen / and lede not the people to wardes the lyffe euerlastyng as the word of god teathythe. to know that for christes sake onlie with out all respect of workes / synne [Page CLXXXVI] is for yeuen / and that we ar bound to do the workes that God commaundithe vs to do / and be expressyd in the scrypture. whyche is the re­gle ād rule to lede the churche by / Io. 15. Souche as preache mannis lawes and workes / not commaundid in the scripture robbithe the scripture of here riches. like wyce those that attribute more then is dewe / or lesse then is dew / vnto the holie Sacramentes institutyd by Christ cōmittithe sacrilege. They take from the sacramentes to mouche / that say thei be but externall signes to know the churche of christ by / from souche as be not of the churche. As the Romaine ons was knowen frō an other citicene by his gowne. or those that say they may be donne and leffte vndon as it pleacythe man / that vsyth them. They add to mou­che to the sacramentes that attribute asmouche vnto them / as vnto the grace and promis that they confyrme. As to the Sacrament of Bap­tisme remission of synne / when it is but an ex­ternall confirmation of it Rom. 4. and vnto the holie supper of the lord they attribute a distri­bution delyueraunce or exhibition of Christes naturall bodie / where as it is but a confirmatiō of the grace / and mercy that he bowght for vs vpō the crosse / with sheddīg his pretiōs blud / ād deathe of his innocēt bodie / as the wordes she­withe plainlie Luc. 22. 1. Co. 11. where christ say­the / he dyd not institute his last supper / that mē [Page CLXXXVII] shuld bodely eat his body: but that they shuld do all waies the same / in the remēbraūce of his dea­the. And cōsider the grace / that he optainid for vs in his bodie ād blud / ād be thākfull for the same. Great petie it is / that the deuill hathe so pre­uailid in many mē / that obstinatlie without reason / and auctorie of the scripture / preache there phantasies vnto the people of God / and would perswade that there ymagination / or dreme of christes holie bodie / were a trew / and substāciall bodie. but souche is the deuill is malice. now that many mē ar perswadid that the substaūce of bred remainithe / ād can no lēger deceaue thē in sensible thinges: he carithe them to as great an ile / or wors thē that / and would mak them be lyue that a phantasie / or dreme of a bodie / that hathe nether quantite / nor qualite to be a trew body. my good reader without all affecti­on consider the reasons / and auctorite of godes word / that I shall reherse hyre bryuely against those thiues that robb the humanite of christ of all humane qualites and quantites. Ffyrst they iudge the bodie of christ / that is in heauen to haue all properties / and condicions of a trew mā. and of the same selfe body in the sacrament / they take a way all the condicions / and qualites of a trew mannis bodie.

They must shew by the scripture. that one / ād the same bodie / Iesus of Nazarethe the sede of [Page CLXXXVIII] the holie virgine perfet god / perfet man / consi­sting of mannes fleshe / and a resonable solle ha­the / ād hathe not / at one / and the same tyme abodye with all dimensions / qualites / and quanti­tes of a trew man in heuen / and with out all di­mensions / qualites / and quantites at the same tyme in the sacrament. This put as apyller / and fondation of thy faythe / that as he is a perfete God / with all the properties / and condicions of a trew God / where so euer he be. so is he perfet man / with all the qualites of a trew man were so heuer he be / consistyng of a resonable soule / and mannes fleshe / Io. 1. Ebr. 1. They say thow must not iudge so carnally and grossely of christis bodie. belyue thow the scripture / and byd them shew the / the place in the scripture that thow shuldest not iudge so of a trew phisicall / and mathematicall bodie which christ now ha­the / as the fyngers of S. Thomas barythe. re­cord / Ioan. 21. the handes / and Iyes of all the Apostelles / 1. Io. 1. and also his ascension bary­the record / Act. 1. let them proue / that they spea­ke / by the scripture and shew where christ was euer present in one place visible / and in an other place present at the same tyme / inuisible.

They say / we must speake as the scripture speakithe / that saythe by the brede Mat. 26. Marc. 14. Luc. 22. this is my body: and of these few wordes ile vnder stond they dreame wounder­full [Page CLXXXIX] misteries / that the substanciall body of christes humanite is present / by miracle / and away celestiall / passing all mēnis capacites. withe many other for fet imaginations and new foūd ter­mes / which the scripture neuer knew of. how be it / if thow marke there conclusion thow shalt find nothīg but the name of a body whiche they haue yeuē to this chimere / ad monstre that there phanthasie hathe conceuid. They speake of the letter: and none goithe farther from it then they. Christ saide: This is my bodye that is betrayed for yō. the whiche was a visible ād sensible bodie as the Iyes of those that sawe him hange vpon the crosse / testifie. They say it is an īuisible bodie that ocopyythe no place: but the scripture saythe the the contrarie as thow seist By the wordes of the supper / Luc. 22.

Hold them therfore by the scripture fast / and when they name the most holie humanite of Christ / and would haue it with the bred. bid thē shew the / the bodie. for the text saythe that he shall cum as visible vnto vs as he departyd frō vs / Act. 1. if they say / that place speakithe / of his cōming to iudgment and not of his presence in the Sacrament denye there sayng. For the text saythe that he shall be in heuen till that tyme of iudgment / Act. 3.

It is ile donne of ony man to speake as the scripture speakythe / and not to take the [Page CXC] meaning of the Scripture. God of his mercye yeue men grace to know the trewthe. Before Christ in his supper callyd the bred his bodie: se how he fore sawe this after ile / and phantasti­call dreames / that mē would take his wordes / contrary onto his mind. In the 6. of Ioan. he tellithe his disciples / that to eate his body / was to belyue in him. That avaylid not / but streight way saied / the wordes that I speke be sprit and liefe: and callyd them from the letter. Yet agay­ne the thyrd tyme in the same place saythe / what if ye se the sonne of man ascēd where as he was fyrst. By these reasones he toke away all bodely eating / and rigure of the letter. like wyce after the supper / lest they shuld dreme yet of abodely presence / Because Sacramentally he callyd the bred his body he repetid agayne the same wor­des / Ioan. 16. It is expedient that I depart. Againe / I go to my father. I came from my father into the worold. I for sake the worold a­gaine / and go to my father. Why shuld not the­se places hold there autorite / and teache vs to vnderstād these wordes / this is my body. seyng that boothe before / and after the supper / chryst told them be playne wordes / he would not be in the worold. and so dothe institution of it de­clare / That this Sacrament was / and shuld be a memory of his blessyd passion / and paynes suffryd [Page CXCI] in the fleshe: and not a distribution of the fleshe it selfe / Luce. 22.1. Corinth. 11. None of them that put this corporall presence in the bred yet hether vnto / neuer could interpretat the wordes of the supper aright. I would be glad to hyre it ons if they will not admit the al­teration of the bred with the Papistes / they will / ād can do no nether wice / but interpretat the wordes thus. This is my body. That is to say / very bred / and my body / and referr the verb (is) to too diuerse substaunces. to the bodye of Christ / and to the bred / whiche is plaine against the nature of a verbe substantiue / to be atron [...] too diuerse substantijs. Seing Sainct Paule doothe interpretat / and expund this word (is) in the Sacrament of circumcision (and all Sacramentes be of one nature) by this word si­gnifythe / or confirmithe / Roma. 4. what shuld men meane thus to troble and vex the churche of Christ with new doctrine. Also it is a com­mune maner of the Scripture / to attribute vnto the signe / the thing ment by the signe. God knowithe / what a weake reason this is to say people must speake as the Scripture doothe / ād would proue there by / a reall / and bodely pre­sence of oure sauiour that died for vs / and a­scendyd into heauen. Syttythe at the right hand of god all myghtie. And from thens shall [Page CXCII] com to iudge the quyck / and the ded. did not Ar­rius defend his heresie with as good an argu­ment as this / when he spake as the scripture do the / and sayd: Pater maior me est. My father is greather then I. Or might not aman proue by the same reason / that Elie / Esaie / and all other Prophetes / before Christ came / to be deseauers of the people / ād false preachers. For Christ said / Io. 10. as mā [...] as came before me werethiffes ād murderers he that spekithe thus spekithe as the scripture spekithe. there is not / nor neuer was chrystiane Reader / Heretick but spake in the defense of his heresie / as the Scripture speakythe. But toke not the meaning withe the word / as we must do except we intend to robb the holye scripture of here trew sense and vngodlie for­se the letter / from the trew meanyng therof: as those do / that rather constrayne the vnlernyd conscience with fere: then persuade them / with godd Argumentes out of the Scripture.

They intricat the wyttis of men with sophi­stre and illusion that the know not what they hyre / nether they them selfes what they say whē the oration is endid. for a trew bodye / they shewe a blancke shadowe / or rather phantasie of a bodie and all there wordes hathe browght forthe no­thing lesse then a bodie that they promessid to deliuer vnto him that they would perswade. As those that Horace spekythe of: ‘ [Page CXCIII]Parturient montes, nascetur ridiculus mus.’ They say he that beliuithe not there wordes that they haue atrew body withe: Hoc est corpus me­um. Was neuer well perswadid of the fyrst ar­ticle of his faithe / scilicet, I must beliue that God is omnipotent. so we do. But withe this reason they subuert them selfes. Because ye se in the Sacrament God doothe not make the thing they speke / and therfore it is not there / for if he would it shuld be: it must be a mānes bodie withe all the qualites therof / for Christ hathe none other body / but that he toke of the holie virgine / and is allwaies visible and subiect vnto the sen­ses whereso euer it be / Ioan. 21.1. Ioan. 1.

When they troble the withe the wordes of the supper (this is my bodie) returne vnto all the sacramentes of the old Testament / Gene. 17. Exo. 12. and thow shalt fynd that they were the con­confirmations of the thinges they were cal­lid and not the thing it selfe / Roman. 4. Then loke vpon other places of the Scripture / Ioan. 6.16. Marc. 16. Luc. 24. Act. 1.3.7. belyue thy credo. He ascendid into heuens / Syttythe at the right hand of God the father all mightie from thense shall cum to iudge the lyue and the ded. Woult thow not beliue all these places / as well as the dreame of them that Cholythe the withe one place / of the Scripture ile vndre­stand. [Page CXCIIII] Let those vntractable men iudge / what they list of the Sacrament and holye supper of the lord. Beliue thow withe the Scripture that it is but a memorie of Christ deathe: a confir­mation and mistery of oure redemption / Luce. 22. 1. Corinth. 11. Luc. saythe / do it in the memo­rie of me / and lest ony man shuld say that me­mory is to receaue the corporall bodie of Christ Sainct Paul. 1. Corinth. 11. interpretatytht it plainly and saithe the eathing of the bred / and drinkyng of the wynne is donne to shew the deathe an passion of Christes body / till be cum.

We must therefore in this kind of thifft / and all other: studie to make restitution / and to pay euery man his as it is wroten in the law / and Prophetes / Exod. 22. Esa. 3. Amos. 3. Luce 10. of the whiche restitution writithe Sainct Au­gustin. ad Macedonium Epistol. 54. The whi­che noman shuld prolong / nor commēd the do­yng therof vnto his exequutors but he that ha­the committyd the fault must make the menni [...] in this case / vnto him that he hathe deceauyd. If thow canst not remembre whom / nether how mouche thow hast defraudid: let that be thy dayly studij to call to remembraunce somme way as well to restore the Godes ile goten / as thow foundist meanes to optaine them. And be no more ashamyd to returne to grace / thē thow were to lost it. If thow find no persones to whō [Page CXCV] thow shuldest restore it / yeue it to the poure / ād not to souche as shall synge Requiem for the af­ter thy deathe. And yeue no lesse then thow hast taken away.

The godes that be trewlie thyne / thow shalt vse aright if thow obserue these too rules

Fyrst if thow put no trust in them. Red the 61. Psalme / Matth. 6. 1. Tim. 6.

Second if thow vse thē to the honor of God. to the necessite of this present lieffe without ex­cesse. moderately with thy frendes for humani­te / and aboundantlie withe the poure for cheri­te. so shalt thow haue I nowghe / and leue I nowghe as Abraham did to his sonne Isaac.

Caput XII. The nynthe Commaundement.

IN the eyghthe Commaundement ye se how God bound the handes of manne frō rob­byng of his neighbours Godes the whiche is / as it were a ma [...]acle or hand sacle / to kepe them from doyng of ile.

[Page CXCVI]So dothe he in this nynthe commaundement bridle the tong / from hurting his neighbour. Whiche is if it be well vsyd the moost pretious membre of man. if the contrarie moost detesta­ble / and pernicious / an ile incorrigible / full of pestiferous poisonne. Ioc. 3. this precept cōmaū dithe a moderation of the tong and requirithe the truithe allwaies to be saide as occasion re­quirithe / that no man hurt his neighbour whi­che may happen where this law is neglectid many wayes. In the soule / in the body / in his na­me / or in his Godes. an is committid ether by word / writinges / simulation / dissimulation / or be ony other becke or signe / whiche ar all there for biddī. likewice that nomā being callyd to bare testimonie in ony mater shuld spek other / thē the truithe. for he that is a false wittnys offendi the boothe against God and his neighbour. He­re is for biddin all kind of lies that be contrarye to cherite. There be thre kindes of lies.

The fyrst men call iocosum mendatium. whē in bording they merelie speke of thinges vntrew that rather extend to exhiler at the companie / thē to ony mannes harme. This kind of bording is not commendable among christian men that shuld seke other meanes / to ocopy the tyme with all / and hathe more vice and lightnis then ver­tew / and grauite.

The second sort of lies is callyd mendatium [Page CXCVII] officiosum. and is requirid / when otherewyce ile / or murder cannot be avoydid as ye rede E­xod. 1. where the mydwyues being commaun­dyd of Pharo to kyll all the males among the I­sraelites / at the tyme of there byrthe / sayde the women of the Ebrewes were deliuerid before they came to thē. 1. Sam. 19. Michol Dauid wi­effe by the same meanis sauid Dauid. So did Ionathas cap. 20. Dauid in the 21. by this mea­nes optaynid bred of Ahimelech the Highe prist in Nobe. and avoidid the handes of Achis the kyng of Gath. The third kynd is callyd mēdac [...] ̄ perniciosum. a pernicious and hurtfull kynd of lying that cummythe of malice / hatred / enuye or disdayne and extendithe to the hurt of his ne­yghbour. this kynd is damnable whether it be in ciuile causes / or maters of religion. spetially to be abhorryd in diuines and preachers of the churche that cause men to erre from the way of saluation tawght vs by the scripture. and to bring people from the old lerning of the Patriarches / prophetes / and Apostelles / to the new lernyng of men. from our mother the holie churche and the spouse of Christ Eph. 5. fr [...]m a churche buldyd apon the doctrine / and fundation of the Prophetis / and Apostelles Ephe. 2. vnto the synagoge of the deuill / buld vpon the doctrine of Antechrist. Here is for bydden all thinges that hurtythe / and not the thyng that can ho­nestlie [Page CXCVIII] and cheritable profet the truythe / and a good cause.

This law extendithe against those that by ony false meanes contend in iudgment to ouer com a right cause / or molest an honest persone with slaunders / and lyes. or souche as fayne vn­trew accusatione / and crymes agaynst ony man. Who is not onlie damnyd by this law of God / but also by the law of man. For when an vngodlie / and malicious person is suffryd to lye and speake what he lystythe vn­punyshyd / there is nothyng more pernitious in the worold to make debate and to breake cherite. therefore not onlie Godes lawes requiry­the the slaunderer to be punyshyd with the sa­me payne that is dew for the offence that false­lye he hathe accusyd his brother of / Deut. 19. Matth. 7. Luc. 6. But also by the law of the 12. tables in Rome. August. de Ciuit. libr. 21. cap. 11. Instit. lib. 4. Tit. 18. libr. Pandect. de ijs qui infamiam irrogant, slaunderours be not vnpunishyd. likewyce those that secratly inten­de dissention / or debate betwene persones / and barers of tales / that they thē selfes haue fainyd out of there awne malicious interpretyng of a thing donne to a godd purpose / or the wordes spoken to an honest end / contrary to the trew meaning of thē. Against souche spekythe. S. Aug. de ciuit. lib. 19. cap. 6. qui ponit in iudicio debet [Page CXCIX] poenam similem sustinere, quamuis sint uera, quia occulta manifestanda non sunt. that is to say he that propounythe the thing he cannot proue / thowghe it be trew / he shuld suffre the like payne him selfe / for thinges secreat shuld not be openyd. Vndrestond that if the mater apertay­ne vnto God / cherite / the gouerners of the commune wealthe / or vnto the commune wealthe it selfe: then shuld the ile cheritable be openyd / if it cannot be secreatlie remedyd. Deut. 13.

Here is for bydden all flattery and curyng of fauour. An ile that destroythe / cite / and worold Raignythe in Moses cheyre / in the court of prī ces / and euery pryuate house. where as men ca­rythe not so they may kepe them selfes in fauour or com into fauour what the preace / or what they dispreace. So it pleace there maisters / these Parasites / and seruile sort of men hold vpp I / and nay as the wynd blowithe. whiche is of all seruytudes the greatist. It is not without cause that so many wysmen hathe yeuen counsell to be ware of this pestiferous kynd of people. Cato ‘Cum quis te laudat iudex tuus esse memento.’ That is to say if ony man preacethe / remembre to be thyne awne iudge. Cic. de Offic 1. Cauen­dum est ne assentatoribus patefaciamus aures, ne adulari nos sinamus. that is to say / we must beware we open not oure eares to souche as pre [...]sythe vs falslie / and not suffre oure selfes to be [Page CC] slatteryd. None be so mouche in danger of these ile men / and daungerous synne as the prynces nobles / and superioure poures of the erthe. therfore Ouid. saythe: ‘Agmen adulantum media procedit in aula.’ that is to say. The Cluster of flatterers walke in the myddes of the court.

To this inhonest and fylthy gayne ether pouertie / or auaryce storithe them as Cic. writithe ad Heren. lib. 4. Duae res sunt quae possunt homi­nes ad turpe compendium commouere, in opia at (que) auaritia.

Ffarther there is here for byddin the iudge to admit / or ony man to offre in iudgment / ony partiall / fore wrowght / or condudyd / cause. in case it be knowē: the person accusyd / may appele to a higher iudge ād refuse the testimonies / that speke of hatred / or being corruptyd other way­es by loue / or mony / whether it be all redye pay­ed / or yet to be payd / Cod. lib. 4. Tit. 20. whē the law saythe thow shalt not answere as a false wyttnis against thy neighbour / it declarythe that it is lawfull to shew the truythe when he is requiryd which cōdemnythe the opinion of tho­se / that thynke it not lawfull for a Chrystiane man / to contend in ony cause / before the ciuile Magistrates of the Erthe. Remembre those 4. thynges in yeuing of testimonie / and then thow shalt not offend. Ffyrst remembre God / and [Page CCI] the truythe / and do for them asmouche as thow mayst. 2. Put a part all affections / fere / loue / and hatred. Cōsider what the cause / is / and not who is the cause is. if ony man speke godd / or ile / kepe one eare stoppyd with thy fynger / and here him that speakythe withe the other. So dyd Ale­xander the great. and when he was demaundid why he dyd so: he sayd he kept thone eare close / to hyre the other part. And that is the greatist te­stimonie that ony man can haue to cōmend his wisdomme / and so we be commaundid Exod. 23. Leuit. 19. rede the chapiter. 3. se thow faine nothyng / nor add nothyng / to the cause whe­ther it be godd / or bad. as the Pharises did against Christ / and his holie Martir. S. Steuen. 4. se thow hyde nothing / nor dissemble / but speake platle / and playnly asmouche as thow kno­wist. if thow obserue not these. 4. thinges it is not only thyffte agaynste cherite / but also sacrilege agaynst God. Whiche he abhorrythe Pro­uer. 6. rede the cap. and shall not be vnpunishid. Deut. 19. cap. rede the place. The end of this precept is that we vse in all thynges a simple verite to wardes all men / without fraude / deceat / or gyle in word / and dede. and all that is before spoken in many wordes / the somme and hole is / that we uiolat not / nor hurt with slaunderous wordes / calumniat not the thing well spoken or donne / nor other waies / our brothers name / [Page CCII] but be glad in all thynges / to promote him / bo [...]the in Godes / and fame.

Caput XIII. The Tenthe commaundement.

ASmouche as is necessarie for man to lyue an vpp right and godlie lyffe in this wo­rold boothe to wardes god and man is repetyd in the Nynne commaundementes afore if they be obseruyd accordin to there institution / and mid of allmightie the yeuer of the same. As he desyrithe all thexternall actes of man to extend vnto the glorie of god / and utilite of oure neighbour: so doothe he in this last precept require / that the mynd and solle of man be replenys­hid withe all affections and disyre of loue and cherite / That what so euer we do / it be donne with out vayne glorye / and hypocrysye from [Page CCIII] the hart / not shewyng one thyng vttwardlie / and haue an other secreatlie in the hart. and this commaundement is referryd to all the other as Chryst saythe Matth. 5. Thowghe the wordes of the commaundement make mency­on onlye of the concupiscens of souche thyn­ges as be oure neyghbours possession. As his house / his wiefe with other souche Godes as be his. and in this precept is declaryd spetially oure infirmite / and weakenis that we ar all miserable synners Roman. 7. for neuer was there / or euer shalbe / onlye Chryst exceptyd but offendyd in this precept / to what perfection or degre of holinys so euer he came vnto. No creature born into the worold could sa­tisfie this lawe / and all holie sayncts had synne remaynyng in them as long they lyuyd Psal. 14.2.1. Ioan. 1. Rpm. 7. 1. Cor. 4. Psal. 129.16.31. Iob. 9. Exod. 34. of the whiche places we may lern to call for the great / and inestimable helpe of God that we may be quit / and sauyd from this imperfection / in Christ Iesu / and accomp­tyd in him the childre of God and satisfiers of the law Roman. 8. for by this law is requyryd souche a cherite / and syncere loue towardes God / and man: that the mynd shuld not ha­ue asmouche as ony contrary motion / or o­ny resistaunce at all / to stayne the glorie / and bewtye of this loue. Whiche comprehendyth [Page CCIIII] all those commaundementes a fore rehersyd as Christ saythe Matth. 22. Marc. 12. and like wy­ce Matth. 7. all thynges that ye would men shuld do to youe / the same do ye to them. This is the lawe / and the prophetes. So that by these wordes ye may know what is the scope and end of the law. trewlye none other thyng then to bryng men to iustyce and honestie of lif­fe / and to make him lik vnto the law / and so vnto allmightie God / who is ymayge the law ex­pressythe. and the more man conformythe him selfe to lyue after the lawe / the more resembly­the the almighty God yeuer of the law. Moses when he would bruely call vnto remembraunce the somme of Godes lawes saythe / Et nunc Israel quid petit abs te Dominus Deus tuus, nisi ut timeas Dominum, & ambules in uijs eius: diligas eum, ac seruias ei in toto corde, & tota anima, custodias (que) mandata eius, Deut. 20. That is to say / Therfore now Israel what dothe the lord / thy God aske of the / sauyng that thow shuldest fere the lord / and walke in his cō ­maundementes / loue hym / and serue him / wi­the all thy hart / and lieffe / and to kepe his com­maundementes. and repetythe the same wor­des agayne. 22. cap. the law would that our hartes shuld be replenyshid withe the loue of God. of the whiche loue prosedithe the loue to war­des our neyghbour as Paule writithe 1. Tim. 1. [Page CCV] The occasion of all hatred that we bare vnto God / his holie word / and oure neighboure / is the loue of oureselfes / and the vanite of this worold. In this Commaundement is not only forbyd theffect of ile / but also thaffect and desyre towardes ile. Not onlie thaffect / lust / concupi­scens / prones / inclination / desyre and appetite towardes ile: but also when man is moost desti­tute of synne / and moostfull of vertew: moost ferrist from [...]he deuill / and nerist to God: out of hell / and in heauen / Philippens. 3. Yet is his workes so vnperfeyt / that if it were not for the fre / liberall / and mercyfull imputation of iu­stice in Christ Iesu man were damnyd / Rom. 7.8. Psalm. 143. He that considerithe this pre­cept well / shall the better perceaue the greatnys of goddes infinite mercy: and vndrestand the article and doctrine of fre iustification by fay­the. For all thowghe grace preuent the doyng of godd / and folowit neuer so mouche / yet is the worke vnperfet / and satisfyythe not the perfe­ction of the law. onlie it is Christes merites that we be sauyd by. the whiche article the deuill moost enuyythe / and goithe about to oppresse as mouche as is possible. Confesse thy selfe ther­more in thy moost perfection and say: lord God haue petie and compassion vpon me allwayes / and for euer: thy vnprofetable seruant / L [...]. 17. and when thow speakyst of grace / remembre is [Page CCVI] is not only the fre giffte of God to preuent the in doing well / and to folow the in the same / but also fre imputation of lieffe eternall whiche thow canst not merit nether withe grace / ne­ther without grace. For as I sayde before to what perfection so euer thow be com vnto: this law accusithe the. Thow shalt no couyt. But be cause thow trowist / and beliue in Christ Ie­su thow shalt be sauyd / Ioan. 3.4.5.6. and wher as the law promisythe nothing but v­pon souche condicion as we performe it to the vttermust / Christ Iesu take the frō here / the ri­gure and extremite of here iustice in vs / and laythe it vpon himselfe. So that the blysse eter­nall that the lawe promisythe for workes: God yeuythe vnto vs by grace / for his sake that on­lie satisfyed the law Christ Iesus / Roman. 5 Ephes. 1. Colloss. 1. Galat. 4. And in this Argu­ment of fre iustification wrytythe / Saynct Paule in the leuen fyrst chapiters in the Episto. to the Ro. where as in the 4. he puttythe Abra­ham for an example that is the father of all belyuers. in whom we may see how the fren­des of God ar iustifyed / or optayne the fauour of God. And saythe that Abraham was iu­stied by faythe / Genes. 15. and before circum­sition. Whereas thow seyst / too thynges.

One that the vncircumcysyd was iustifyed▪ [Page CCVII] the other that noman was iustified By the me­rites / or bentfites of the Sacrament. Like wy­ce he was promisyd to be the here of the worold because of him shuld be born Christ Iesu the lord of the worold / Id credidit, non per Legem meruit.

This he beliuyd / and not by the lawe mery­tyd / Galat. 3. an other reason Paule alegythe that Abraham / and all other ar iustified by faythe.

It is not possible that the promes of God shuld be irritatyd or made vayne: but if it de­pendyth of the iustice of the law / it could not be certain. therfore addithe he / frely by faythe. whyche faithe in optaining remission of synne beholdithe only the mercy of God in Christ Iesu / and lokithe apon none other merites. Yet marke mo­re: he saithe that grace is the heritayge of the be­lyuer / by the iustice of faythe / Roman. 4. Then it is no merit. Haeredes nascimur, non emimus. We ar born heres / and bye it not as those say that attribute remission of synne to workes or Sacramentes whiche doothe testifye or confyr­me / the frendes of God / and not make them Godes frendes / Roman. 4.

Thus thow seist what the law is / how thow or bound studiouslie to obey it / and how it is fulfyllyd in Christ Iesu / who is iustyce is thyne / If thow belyue in hym / as thowghe [Page CCVIII] thow haddest perfetlie satisfied the Law thy selfe.

Caput XIIII. 1. Of tyme / and place.

AS it is the maner of all Ora­tors not onlie to stablishe the mater they intreat of / withe souche reasones / Argu­mentes / and probations as best may confyrme / and stablishe there purpose / but also ad souche reasones / as may inclinthe herers to fauour the thing spoken: and like wyce leauein there mindes souche perswations / as might in ma­ner prycke them forthe / and beforse constrayne them to put in effect and practyse the thyng spo­ken of / and then to remoue souche impedimen­tes / and breake the forse of souche contrarie Ar­gumentes / as may be obiectyd to let the thyng / the would optayneand proue. So doothe Mo­ses in the booke of Deuteronom. as thow har­dist [Page CCIX] before / leaue no Argument nor reason vn­spoken of / that might excitat / store vpp / prouoke and forse vs to the loue / obedience / and execution of Godes Lawes / as the 28. cha­pit. of Deuterono. shewithe. In the 29. and 30. he remouythe all the obiections / impedimentes / and lettys that with oldythe vs from the obediē ce / and doyng of Godes Lawes.

The fyrst Sophisme or carnall obiection is when men say it is no place / nor tyme now to lerne / or obey the word of God / we be not in a­monasterie / in the scole / or in the temple: we be in the brode worold / and must do as other men do and rather serue the place we be in / & ulula­re cum Lupis. Barke withe the Wulfe / then speake of the Scripture. so dothe they reason of ty­me likewyce. now it is to dangerous a season to reason ony maters / let it passe till he worold be more quyet / and souche like. As the Israeli­tes might haue sayd to Moses that cōmaundid to obserue this law when they came into the lād of Canaan.

We obseruid not these preceptes in the wil­dernys / wherfore then more in Canaan. we kept them not for the space of 40. yers / nomore will we here affter. This obiection he breakythe / and prouithe that the law shuld be allwaies obser­uid / and in euery place: and shewithe how the obseruation of the law was rewardyd / and the [Page CCX] neglectyng of it punishyd. And declarithe the same by examples. God fed his frendes in the desert by miracle from heauen / and preseruyd all there apparell that it consumyd not / nor pe­eyshyd in the waring / for the space of 40. yers. Then of Pharao and the too great Kynges of Hesbon / and Basan. Sehon / and Og.

Caput XV. 2. Exception of persones.

THe second obiection is / when men put from them selfes the obedience of the law vnto other. Saing. let the Prystes / and Mon­ckes kepe the law and lērne it. what shuld a Prynce / Magistrat / or Gentle man be bound to lerne and kepe all those holie rules. farther / vthe cannot be tyed to so streight canonnes it must not so be brydelyd.

Souche as be parkyd in / with highe wales and separatyd from the worold must obserue these Commaundementes of God. This wy­ckyd acceptation of persones. Moses destroy­the / and most Godlye repetythe and numbry­the the membres of the churche / the orders / [Page CCXI] and decrees of the same. Repetythe the wordes of the aliaunce. Sayng: Vos omnes hodie sta­tis coram domino Deo uestro. Principes uestri, tribus uestre, Seniores uestri, Praefecti uestri at (que) omnes uiri Israel. Paruuli quo (que) uestri, uxores uestrae, & Peregriuus tuus &c̄. That is to say / All ye this day stand before the lord youre God / youre Prynces / youre trybes / youre Elders / youre Officers / and all men of Israel. Youre Chyldren / youre Wieues / and thy Gest. and so forthe / Rede the place. And why they stode be­fore the lord / the text dyclarythe. To entre ali­aunce withe him. No maner of person is exclu­dyd from the lege. Wherby we know as Godes mercy is commune for all men / whiche is the fyrst part of the condicion expressyd in the lege so a like is the obedience towardes the law re­quiryd of all men: specially of souche as be the gouerners of the people in the ministerie of the churche / or else in the gouernaunce of the com­mune wealthe. If the Preacher be ignorant of Godes worde / and of a dissolute liefe what Godlinies or vertew can there be in his herers. If the Kyng / Prince / Magistrat / or Rulers of the commune wealthe / nor know godes lawes / nor folow iustice / equite / temperancye / nor so­briete / What honestye or vertew can they loke to haue in there subiectes. They must gyue [Page CCXII] example of all vertew. Let them beware betyme that vse these obiections / for if they thick to haue God for there God / let them obserue his ali­aunce. For he will punishe the transgressoure withe our respect of persones who so euer it be.

Caput XVI. 3. Presumption.

THe thyrd obiection / or Satanicall sophis­me is presumption or securite of Godes will / when men knowithe what is to be donne yet against his knolege presuming of Godes mercie dothe the thing that is ile. This horrible sinne extendithe wounders far. Thone sittithe in iudgment and falslie iudgithe. The other clymmithe to honor / and ryches by flattery / v­sury / simonye / extorsion / fraude / and pylling of the poure. The other holdythe in the truithe to bespoken / and lettythe out the lies that shuld be kept ī: with all souche other like vices / as raigne now aday in the worold. They hyre by the wor­des of God / that those iles and abhominations be cursid of God / yet hope they the contrary and think yet to haue Godes fauour / as the text say­the▪ Deut. 29. rede and marke it: Cum audierie uerba iuramenti huius, benedicat sibi in corde [Page CCXIII] suo dicens: pax erit mihi, etiā si incessero in ima­ginatione cordis mei, ut addat ebriam sitienti. That is to say / when he hyrythe the wordes of this othe (where God swerithe to punishe the i­le Deut. 28.) he promisythe godd to him selfe / sayng in his hart / yea if I walke in the ymagination of my hart / and take my pleasure there is no danger. This diabolicall presumptiō is thoccation that men not only fall into dyuerse kyn­des of abhomination / but all so perseuer in the same ile. let euery man iudge his awne consciēs and se. Agaynst the word of God he takythe ho­pe / as it semythe him of Godes mercy / whiche is no hope at all / but the very withe / and halter of the deuill to strangle at length him / that is this perswadid in this ile / and dangerous opinion. They thinke it is faythe / where as it is very arrogancy / a trew knolege of God / when it is but a­deuyllysh illusion / and false opynion of man as it aperythe in the same place by Moses wordes Non agnoscit Dominus ut propitietur ei, sed fu­mabit tunc furor Domini, & zelus eius in uirū istum, & cubabit super eum omnis maledictio, quae scripta est in libro isto, delebit (que) Dominus nomen eius sub coelo, Deut. 29, that is to say / the lord will not fauour him / but then be angre / and kendle his Ire against this man / so that e­uery malediction wroten in this booke shall rest vpon him / and the lord shall destroy his name [Page CCXIIII] vnder heauen. Rede the place / and lern to a vayde souche securite and sinister iudgment of god and his nature. The originall / and fontaine frō whēs this presumptiō springithe is ignorācie / and a trust in other men̄es vertewes for whois merites the thinke to be sauid. Sōme say they haue Angellis / and Archāgellis / and many other holie saynctes in heauē that cōmend there salua­tion to God. An other trustythe to souche wor­kes as may be donne apon the erthe for hym / and he do nothing hym selfe but liue as he list in a vayne hope / to haue solace in iniquite. This great offence is noryshyd diuerse Wayes. fyrst when men iudge not aright of Godes na­ture that he is as angre with synne as the scri­pture saythe. The second when men iudge amisse of Godes workes. When they se / he punishyd one for synne / he thynkythe not that the sa­me punysment apertaynythe vnto hym. Mo­ses teachyth / and settythe before the people the workes of God / his wounders and meruelles donne in Aegypt / in the cites of Sedom / and Aemora / Adma and Zeboijm the whiche the lord subuertyd in his Ire / and furie and sayd these workes only punyshyd not those that of­fendyd / but also shuld teache all other men to avoyde Godes displeasure: for to that end mi­racles of punysmentes be don / as Chryst saythe Luc. 13. to fore warne men of the ile to com. [Page CCXV] and thus hathe he all wayes callyd men to pe­naunce. If they would still be nawght / a lenghe he punyshyd cruellye / as not only the ho­lie Histories of the Bible testifie where as ye se kynges / and kyngdomes / changyd and de­stroyd / but also in prophane wryters ye shall se / by what miracles God callyd the Magi­strates / and people of the commune wealthe to repentaunce. Titus Liuius libro tertio de secundo bello Punico writyt he that an ox cal­uyd a horse. in the 7. booke a Pigg varryd withe a mannis mouthe. and a child borne withe an Elephantes hed. Valerius wrytythe lib. 1. ca. 4. that a Mare folyd a Hare in the kynge of the Persians campe callyd Xerxes. Who as som­me wryters record / browght against the Athe­niens 1700000. men of warr. Whom Themisto­cles the Capitane of the Grekes ouer came in the See. Herod. wrytythe this Historie at large. Had kyng Xerxes consideryd the worke of god he might haue lernyd that there was a god that would torn the forse / and corayge of his hors­men / into the fere ād timidite of the timerous / and ferefull hare. Liuius lib. 3. de vrbis origine writithe how the heauēs burnyd / and deuidid it selfe in too li. 2. de 2. bello Punico. the see bākes burnid. The sonne was seene to fyght with the Mone. and like wice too Mones to be seē in the day. lib. 3. he saythe that the See burnyd. These [Page CCXVI] supernaturall workes might haue tawght the people of those dayes amendement of lief had they not byn blynd as we be that neuer take profet by ony worke of God / other wyce thē to eat the reuēwes of the earthe as the brute bestes of the same. nor no more knolege of god by the motions of the heauens then the ox / or horse / that like wyce see them / and yet nether the wyser nether the better. if we markyd the 8. and 19. Psalm. we shuld know they were made to an other end. The gentiles shame vs / all a waie thar lernid by the reuolution of the yere that nothyng was durable in this mortall lyffe Horat. Carmi. lib. 4. Immortalia ne speres monetannus, & almum

The thyrd reason is that men iudge amisse of Godes promisis that saythe he will punyshe doutles for synne all maner of people / be they ne­uer so strong as the prophetis all waies testifie / Hier. in espetiall. He sayd if the people conuer­tyd not from there doyng of ile / God would ke­pe promese withe them / and destroy there land. but they belyuyd it not but sayd. Templum do­mini, Templum domini, Templum domini. The temple of God / the temple of God / the tem­ple of God. They iudgyd then as many doo now aday when they se there cites / and contre strong they thynke it is not possible to be ouercom. So thowghe the Troianes and deceauyd [Page CCXVII] themselfes as the prophetie of Nerci fore spake.

An other so estemythe the forse of the people and puttythe there confidence in the same sayng / let this bablyng preacher say what a lyft God is not so cruell as he spekithe of. It shall cost many a broken hed before ony enemy entre ony par­sell of oure commune wealthe. but trust to it if sinne be not banyshid / the Ire of God will find away in at last / and the deferring therof is on­lie to call vs to a better liefe and not that he is a slepe / or aprouithe our ile lyffe. Rom. 2. as thow feist example of the Israelites in the land of Ca­naan whiche was passing strange / and the in­habitauntes therof the onlie commune weal­the of God / as they sayde The temple of God / the temple of God. yet at the last Nabucadne­zer that thy lokyd not for was there destruction Esai. 22. marke the punishment and the cause there of whiche was sinne and lerne to be ware. tawght be an other mannes ile.

Caput XVII. 4. Curiosite.

THe ffourthe let or impediment is curiosite and ouer mouche sarchyng the pryuytes / [Page CCXVIII] and secreates of God when men of an ile / and licentious liefe returne not to penence as the scri­pture byddythe. But mountythe streighte waie into Godes prouidence and predestination. cō tēnynge the will of god that is made opē to him in the scripture / that god would him now to repēt / ād to receaue grace / Sarchithe to know the thing that neuer was made opē to mā or angell the euēt / ād ēd of thinges to cū. thus reasonithe withe him selfe / who knowythe what his last houre shalbe. wherfore fauorithe god the one / and not the other. Some time the good makitbe an ile end / ād the ile a godd. In this opiniō / and inscrutable misterie he werithe all his wittes / and at the end of his cogitacions / fyndithe more ab­struse / and doutfull obiections thē at the begin­ning / so that he cummithe from this scole nether wyser nether better Moses Deu. 29. remouithe this vngodlie let / and impedimēt saing: Secreta domini dei nostri reuelata sunt [...] obis & filijs nostris us (que) in seculum, ut faciamus omnia uerba legis huius. That is to say / the secreat of the lord our Gdd ar made open vnto vs / and vnto ou­re chyldren for euer / that we do all the precep­tes of this lawe. The whiche wordes playnlye condēnithe oure folyshe / ād audatious presum­psion that sekythe to know what shall happē vnto vs in the houre of deathe / and will not know the thyng that shuld be don in all oure lieffe [...] [Page CCXIX] to say that God would haue vs know the thing that is openyd vnto vs in the sceipture Godes mercy promysyd in Christ Iesu / and folow him in all vertew. if we offend to repent / and lea­ue synne then hathe he promisyd mercy / and will yeue it as Moses saythe cap. 30. Deut. Do the thyng that thow art bed to do / and folow the will of God made open vnto the in his word. as for thy disputation of Godes prouidence is a curiosite / and no religiō / a presum­psion / and no faythe / a let of vertew / and fartheraunce of vyce. When thow heryst penence spo­ken of / lerne that lesson out of hand lest pera­uerture thow be neuer good scoler in Theolo­gie / ot Godes lawes. It farythe many tymes withe vs that long go to scole in diuinite / and yet neuer godd deuines / as it farythe in the sco­le of Rethorike where as if at the begynnyng the scoler profet not as Arist. saythe shall neuer [...]e good oratoure. Therfore Moses saythe in the 29. cap. Deut. Non dedit dominus uobis cor ad intelligendum et oculos ad uidendū, at (que) aures ad audiendum us (que) in presentem diem. That is to say / God gaue youe not a hart to vnderstād / Iyes to see / nor eares to hyre vntill this present day. Here doothe Moses speke ironice / ād semythe to deny / the thīg he would affirme. As Arist. or Cicero might say when they haue applid all there laboure and donne the best they cā to make [Page CCXX] there scolers lernyd yet profetythe nothyng. thē depart out of the scole / and say vnto there audi­ence I neuer openyd vnto youe the sciēs that I towght youe. Not that the fault was in them / but in the auditours that / neglectyd there dili­gence ād doctrine. So doothe Moses now speake of God / not that the fault was in him / that those vnkynde people vnder stode not the doctrine he towght / but in them selfes as it apperithe in the text. for he vsith now the rode of persequution / punishythe them / betythe them / yea and killythe thē because they would not lerne the thing he towghe them. Ffarther he shewythe that his pleasure was / they shuld chose the godd and leaue the ile / to be in wealthe / and avaide the wo / This argument he prouythe of his awne natu­re / whiche is amiable / louyng / and holie incly­nyd to do well vnto man / and to be at peace wi­the him. But because man of his awne malyce contemnythe the word / and doctrine of Go [...] he is not onlye rigurouse / and seuere agaynst man / but also he waxithe so angre for synne as he that chafythe / and monythe him selfe that all men may preceaue be his countenaunce he is offendyd. Therfore saythe the text. Fumabit furor Domini, Deut. 29. that is to say / the furie of god shall smoke against the synner. Oure gospellers be better lernyd then the holie goost / for they wyckydly attribute the cause of punishment / and [Page CCXXI] aduersite to godes prouidence whiche is the cau [...] of no ile / as he him selfe can do no ile. and of e­ [...]ery mischeffte that is dō they say it was Godes [...]ill. the holie gost puttithe an other cause as it is wroten here / Deu. 29. that is to say / Sinne in man and the cōtempt of his holie word. farther the payne is not inflictid by predestinatiō to lost man / but boothe predestination ād the afflictiō extendithe to call man from damnation / Ezech. 33. 1. Cor. 11. Psal. 118. Apoc. 3. Esa. 26.28. Heb. 12. Prouer. 3. Mat. 11. Rom. 11. Esa. 61. The blind soothe saiers that writ of thinges to cū ar mo­re to be estemid then these curiouse ād highe climming wittis: for they attribute the cause of ile vnto the ile respectes and sinistre coniunctions of the Planetes. Refuse not therfore the grace of frid / nor ons receauid banishe it not with ile cō uersation. If we fall / let vs here allmightie god that callithe vs to repentaunce withe his word and returne / let vs not cōtinew in sinne / nor hepe one sinne apon the other / lest at last we come to a contempt of God and his word / for remis­sion is promisid to asmony as repent as Moses shewithe in the 30. chap. Deut. and like wyce all the scripture / and examples therof. But remembre what the text saithe that thow must conuert vnto God / that by the meanes and mediation of Christ / and that with all thy hart and then thow maiste fynd remedie. cōuert not / to super­sticion [Page CCXXII] and by a Masse for thy synnes / or lo [...] helpe of ony sainct: but onlie of god as his wor [...] teachithe / Ioan. 15. for he that strake the for syn­ne can heale the agayne. Say not in aduersite as Cicero dyd: Nisi quis Deus, uel casus aliquis sub uenerit, salui esse nequeamus, lib. 16. Epist. 148. For there is nothing in heauen nor erthe that sauithe but God alone.

Caput XVIII. 5. Desperation.

THe fygthe let or impediment is desperati­on / when as men thincke they cannot be sauyd / but ar excludid from all mercie. And this is not alight and smale let for men that hathe offendyd. And is contrarie vnto Presumption / for presumption hathe somme simile and shew of hope / for all thowghe man offend the will of God / yet doothe he trust in the doyng and per­seueraunce of ile that God will not punyshe.

The whyche impiete and wyckidnis / takythe from God his iustice. Of the contrarie nature is desperation / it takythe from God his mercye. For when they offend and continew in synne / they thincke there is no mercie leffte for them. The whiche sinne and blasphemie thus procedithe [Page CCXXIII] ī mā. the desparat person hathe now his Iys in Godes iustice / redithe / hyrithe / ād seythe how cruelly / ād withe rigure he reuengythe the trās­gression of his law. Beholdithe the examples in whom God exequutid the same rigure and pu­nishment / that his cōscience is oppressyd with all. considerithe his awne strenghte / whiche is prone vnto nothing but vnto ile. Seythe how difficile / and hard the thinges be / that God commaundithe / specially because of his accustome and long contineaunce in synne.

This discurse / and progresse in thacknolege of sinne barythe him in hand that it is impossi­ble to returne vnto god. Thē doothe they for the more part abrydge and shortynne there awne daies / or else chose an other kynd of lyffe then God appoyntythe in the Scripture. As Sar­danapalus the last Kyng of the Assyriaunce prescribid at his deathe this rule to liue by / and leffte the word of God. of whom Iustinus lib. 1. wrytythe.

That is to say / Eat / drincke / play / for after deathe there is no Ioy.

Moses like a godd phisiciō teachithe a remedie [Page CCXXIIII] against this dangerous diseace / and shewithe the way vnto God / declarithe that God is full of mercy / and redie to for yeue / and begynni­the his oration in this maner vnto souche as be afflictid / and oppressid with sinne: Cumita (que) uenerint super te omnia uerba ista. That is to say / when there commithe apon the all those thinges / Seuteron. 30. Rede diligentlie the chapiter and marke it. Moses saythe there when God hathe afflictid the for thy sinnes and thow retur­nist vnto him withe all thy hart: he shall deliuer the from captiuite and receaue the to his mercy agayne. of the whiche text lerne this doctrine / that God will allwaies for yeue how many / and how horrible / so euer the synnes be / Rom. 5. Ezechiel. 33. Romano. 11. Ioan. 3. Mat. 11. and lerne to fere of presumption and to beware of desperation. God desyrithe thy obedience towar­des the law thowghe thow canst not fullfillid it. Like wyce he desirithe to do well vnto the / and not to punyshe the. Hieremi. 29. Rede the place and also Esai. chapit. 49. Luce. [...]5. and se what paternall and more thē fatherlye loue god allmightie barithe vnto all vs miserable syn­ners in Christ Iesu his onlie sonne. Who is ou­res be faythe / whiche faithe / solie / ād onlye ledi­the vs to eternall lieffe as Christ saythe / Io. 3. so the father louyd the worold that he would gy­ue [Page CCXXV] his onlie sonne for it / that all that belyue in him / cannot peryshe / but hathe liefe euer la­styng / and so / Ioan. 6. He that belyuythe in me hathe euer lasting liefe.

But vnto this way of lieffe (to Christ by faith) all men be not browght after one sort. For as mannis lieffe is not mayntainid withe one kynd of mete / but the childed withe pap­pe / the full ayge withe stronger meates / the elthe withe commune metes / the syckenis wi­the souche as be of lighter digestion: so is it in bryngyng man to faithe in Christ Iesu oure sa­uioure. one doctrine and lerning cannot do it / because there be diuerse sortes of people / in the worold. Somme Hypocrites / that would iustifie them selfes by there workes.

These know not the greatnis of sinne / nether there awne imperfection / nether the damna­tion of God agaynst synne / Ioan. 16. This man shuld not haue the fre remission of syn­ne in Christ Iesu preachyd vnto hym / but the lawe and tenne commaundementes / that by it / he lerne fyrst to know the horror of sin­ne and greatnis of Godes Ire against it.

An other sort lyue without all fere / and ho­nestie / a filthie lieffe / as well of those that confes­se the gospell / as those that hatihe it: those because [Page CCXXVI] they know not the abhomination of there syn­ne / and the seuerite of Godes angre against it / be not mete to haue the gospell of remission of synne preachyd vnto them / but to be instructyd in the lawe / and rather browght to afere of Godes punishment / that remainithe for all impe­nitent persones. they shuld be excommunica­tyd / and punishyd withe the discipline of Go­des word / that fyrst they might know there syn­ne / and acknolege there damnation. Thus Christ tawght the yong man that trustid in his awne workes / Matth. 19. Marc. 10. Luc. 18. because he was an Hypocryte / he preachyd not vnto him the gospell of fre remission of synne / but send him to the law and to the workes therof / not that he ment man could fulfyll the law / or iustifie him selfe by the worckes therof: or that Christ would not he shuld be part taker of his mercy / but that the hypocrite might cum to a­cknolege of his synnes / the Ire of God / and damnation of him selfe by the lawe.

The whiche thinge knowen / he shuld be con­strainid of necessite / to syke his saluation by faythe in Christ Iesu / except he would peryshe in his synne. Sainct Paule dyd not byd the Corin­thions preache faithe and remission of synne vnto the adulterour that continewyd in sinne: but byd them excommunicat him / and as many as [Page CCXXVII] dyd like offence / and that no man shuld eat or drynke with him / 1. Corinth. 5.

But vnto souche as know there synnes / and be troblyd withe the heuynys therof as Dauid was / that sayd Psam. 38. Thy dartes lord ar shut in me / and thy handes oppressithe me. No part of my bodie fre from payne / because I ha­ue synnyd. For I am drownyd in synne and the punishment there of is more wayghtie then I can bare. The sores and woundes that thow hast stryken me with all for my synne / styncke / and spewithe out / fylthe and corruption for my transgression / and so forthe withe a dolorous and lamentable oration. Rede the Psalme / it begynnythe / lord chastynne me not in thy Ire. There shalt thow lerne trew penitence. To hym and souche like as the lawe hathe wrowghte he­re office in / appertaynythe the preachyng of the gospell / of remission of synne / and deliueraun­ce from Hell in Christ Iesu. So Christ prea­chyd vnto Marie Magdalynne Luce. 7. For as she had moost grounslie offendid / so knewe she here selfe / and was afflictyd with the do­lours of hell. whē she came to Christ to know the way to heauen / he send here not vnto the law / for the law had fyrst donne here offyce in here and made here aferd. Therefore poure wreche / [Page CCXXVIII] she hard thy sinnes be for giuen / and thy faythe hathe sauyd the. There is an other sort mete to hire the gospell / and not to be feryd withe the la­we. To say / souche as hathe trowghe Christ re­mission of there sinne / and walkithe by faithe in the vocation of God / yet duryng this mortall liefe barithe about with them / the reliques and remanent of sinne in there bodys. to these men preachithe Saynct Paule the Gospell / Rom. 8. Nulla condemnatio estijs, qui insiti sunt Chri­sto Iesu. That is to say: There is no condemna­tion vnto them that ar graffyd in Christ Iesu / lest this man shuld to mouche sustaine the wai­ght of the lawe as Paule makythe exclamation for fere of the rigure of it in the 7. chap. Rom. Farther vnto this man it is also necessarij to mē gle the law now / and then / to this end to kepe him in his office / in the fere of God / that by the law the affections of the fleshe may be kept vn­der / and by the Gospell / may be preseruyd the sprit / and ardor of faithe.

This is to preache in the churche of God. Not to fere the sorowfull cōsciens withe the rigure of the lawe: nether to flatter those Hypo­crites / Epicures / and lasciuious gospellers wi­the the promesse of faithe / vntill souche tyme as they amend / and the law donne his office in thē. And in case preachers had vsyd / ād applied the scripture to the vse it was wroten / and as there [Page CCXXIX] auditours had nede / there had neuer bin souche a soden / and horrible defection from the gospell in many places as now we see.

Caput XIX. 6. Ignoraunce.

THe syxt let or impedimēt where withe mē excuse them selfes from the obediēce of the lawe of god / is the pretence of ignorauncie / the whiche they thinke shall excuse them. Thus they say: the scripture hathe so many misteries in it selfe / and is to hard for oure capasite. Some tyme the letter / somtyme the sprit / and somtyme boo­the must be vnder stand. farther they say the do­ctors braule / and chyde betwene them selfes / ād how shuld the vnlernid vnderstād it aright. Who can tell saythe an other whether this be the trew law or not. if it were the trew law of god / then shuld it conteyne all verites / and haue no nede of mannes lawes. Now the greatist part of souche as hathe the name of Christiantie / say that Godes lawes sauithe no man / instructithe noman aright / no it is not holsome for man / except it be holpe / and aiedid by the law of the bishopes. thus the worold o wythe to the bishopes decres that haue callyd the auctorite of the holie testament / that contaynithe all trewthe (who is [Page CCXXX] sufficiencie / and verite is sealyd withe the pre­tious blud of Christ) into dout / and not into dout onlye / but clene abrogatyd it / and pre­ferryd there awne lawes. Confer there preachinges / and ministration of the Sacramentes wi­the the Holie word / and law of God / and se. Other say I haue no witt to vnder stand the word of God / and if I had yet haue I no leasu­re to lerne it. Against this obiection Moses an­swerithe / ād saythe this law is sufficient / is simple / and plaine / ease to be vndrestand / a perfet doctrine / and requirid of all men. Thus he pro­uyth it. Preceptum istud quod ego praecipio tibi hodie non est mirabiliter supra te, nec procul positum, Deut. 30. that is to say the cōmaundemēt that I prescribe vnto the to daie is not far abo­ue the / nor put far frō the. Rede the last halfe of the chapiter. By the whiche wordes it apperithe that God hathe made his will / and pleasure / simple / and playnly open vnto his people / with apt sentencis / and open wordes / and also put the same nere vnto vs that we shuld not seke it with great danger of oure lieffe / to sayle into the Indies for it / or loke it in heauen a boue as those that receaue all thynges by reuelation or apparitions of Angelles / or othere souche meanes. But Moses saythe it is no nede of ony souche Embassadours / and so faythe Abra­ham Luc. 16. for man may lerne out of the [Page CCXXXI] scripture what is to be donne / and what not to be donne / what is the condition of the good / and of the bad. No nede to seke the knolege there of in Aegypt / Athenes / or Rome. Sed ual de propinquum est tibi uerbum, in ore tuo, & in corde tuo, ut facias illud. That is to say / the word is present / and at hand with the in thy mouthe / and in thy hart / that thow shuldest do it. By these wordes we se / that in the greatist synner that is / is a cer­tayne rule / and knolege to lyue welby / if he dyd folow it. So confundyd. S. Paule the gen­tiles Roma. 1. of synne / because they knew the ile they dyd / was condemnyd by the te­stimonie of there awne conscience. For the law of God to do well by / is wroten natural­ly in the harte of euery man. he that will dili­gentlye sarche hym selfe shall sone fynd the sa­me / and incase man would be hold his aw­ne ymage boothe in bodye / and in soule tho­wghe there were no law wryten / nor heaue­nes ouer oure hedes to testifye the gaddenys / and iustyce of God / and the equite of an honest liefe: mannis conscience would tell hym / when he doothe well / and when ile / Roman. chapit. 2. Farther the iudgment / and discurse of reason desyrythe not onlye to lyue iustlie in thys worold / but also to lyue for euer in eternall felicite / Without end / [Page CCXXXII] and that cummythe by the similitude of God whiche yet remaynithe in the soule / after the sin­ne of Adame. Where by we seplainly that those excusis of ignoraunce be damnable. when man seythe he could do well if he folowid the iud­gmēt of his awne mind and culd not lyue an ile lieffe. for when he doythe ile he knowithe that he doothe against the iudgment of his awne con­sciens. So that we se that the lawe of god / is ether vttwardlye / or inwardlie / or boothe / ope­nyd vnto mā. and by godes grace might do the good / and leaue the ile / if it were not of malyce / and accustomyd doing of synne. The whiche excusythe the mercie / and goddenis of god / and makythe that noman shalbe excusid in the later iudgment / how subtillie so euer they now excu­se the mater / and put there ile doinges from thē and laye it apon the predestination of God / and would excuse it by ignorancie. or say he cannot be godd / because he is othere wyce destenyd. this stoicall opinion reprehendid Horat. Epist. 1.

That is to say. Noman is so cruell / but may wa­xe meke / So that he yeue a willing eare to disci­pline. All thowghe thow canst not comme to so farre acknolege in the scripture / as other that be lernyd / by reason thow art vnlernyd / or else thy vocation will not suffre the / all daies of thy [Page CCXXXIII] lieffe to be a student / yet mayst thow know / and [...]po [...] paine of damnatiō art bound to know the articles of thy faithe / to know god in christ / and the holie catholicke churche by the word of God wrotē. The tenne commaundementes to know what workes thow shuldest doo / and what to leaue vndonne. The pater noster Christes pra­ier / whiche is a bridgment / epitome / or cōpendious collectiō of all the psalmes / and praiers wrotē in the hole scripture. In the whiche thow praist for the remission of sinne as well for thy selfe / affor all other / desyrist the grace of the holie gost to preserue the in vertew / and all other / yeuyst thankes for the goddenis of god to wardes the / and all other. He that knowithe lesse thē this / cā not be sauyd / and he that knowithe no more thē this / if he folow his knolege can̄ot be dānid. Io. 17. There be too commune verses that all men in maner knowith / and doutlis worthy / that telly the vs to know christ / thowghe we know nomor [...] / is sufficient:

That is to say / to be ignorant / is to know many thinges without Christ. If thow know Chryst well / it is sufficiēt thowghe thow beinguoraūt of all other thinges. Thus I haue saide in the tenne holie preceptes of allmightie God / accor­ding vnto the scripeure. And where as thow [Page CCXXXIIII] shalt fynd in ony word a letter to mouche [...] to litle / or perchaunce one for an other / or [...] thographie not obseruyd. The sentence [...] well at all tymes / and aright poyntyd / [...] lacke of puttyng on of ynke / or slacke drawyng of the presse / the letters not playnely expressyd / Remēbre. I pray the that it is not in maner pos­sible to prynt in a knowen tonge a hole worke / with out faultes. how mouche more impossibl [...] where as the Setters of the prynt / vndrestandithe not one word of oure speche / and wanty­the also souche as knowithe the art of trew cor­rectyng. Where as souche faultes or other shall happen / thow shalt without all difficultie / and laboure / by the lesson / and processe of the mater strayghte waye vnder stand my mynd / and meanyng / and as nede requirit he / add / or take a­way a letter from a word / or change the ho­le worde / if one be put for an other / in an open / and playne sentēce / as in the letter H. at the Nō ­bre xciiij. in the v. verse / thow shalt fynd penitence / for pestilence. Souche faultes cheritale ba­re with all I pray the / for all thowghe it be not as well dōne as I would wyshe / and as euery Christiane reader would desyre: yet is it as well as I could haue it dōne. take it therfore welle [...] wourthe / and remembre the saing of Hor. li. i. Epi. 1. Est quoddā prodire tenus, si nō da [...]ultra. Ffare well in oure onlie / and sole Ioy / and consolation Christ Iesu.