I Will gather vp all things in the lande (saith the Lord) I will gather vp man and beast, I The Text. will gather vp the fowles in the ayre, and the fishe in the waters, and destructions shall be to the wicked, & I will vtterly roote out the men from of the lande, sayth the Lord, I will stretch out my hande vppon Iuda, and vppon all the indwellers at Ierusalem. Thus will I roote out the remnants of Baall from this place, and the names of the Chemarims, with the Priests, yea, and such as vpon the house toppes doe woor­ship and bowe themselues to the host of hea­uen: which sweare by the Lorde, and by their Malchom also. Which start backe from the Lorde, and neyther seeke after the Lorde, nor regarde him.

WE reade in the fourth Booke of Kings, & also in the seconde of the Chronicles, that after the death of good 4. Reg. ca. 21. 2. Paral. ca. 33. Ezechias: wicked Manasses succéeded king of Iuda & Ierusalem, who did euil in the sight of the Lorde, as did the hea­then whom the Lord cast out before the [Page] children of Israeil, for he set vp all the abhominations which his father put downe, as hill aultars, Idoll groues, & aultars vnto Baall, as Ahab did, and worshipped y ^t host of heauen. He offered his sonne in fire, brought an Idol into y ^e Lords temple, and gaue héede to witch­craft and sorcerie, and mainteyned workers with spirites, and fortune tel­lers. Whereby he made Iuda and the indwellers of Ierusalem to erre, and to doe worse than the Heathen whome the Lorde destroyed before them.

Wherefore the Lorde brought him into the handes of the Assirian Cap­taines his enimies, who bounde him in chaines, and led him prisoner to Babi­lon, where he repented and humbled himselfe before the Lord God. And be­ing restored to his kingdome, he sought a reformation according to the will of Afflictions profitable to Gods chil­dren. God, whome he learned more exactlye to knowe, by chaines and prison: than ever he did before by his crowne and [Page 2] scepter. And after Manasses death, his sonne Amon was made king in his place, who walked in all the abhomi­nations of his father, & did that which was euill in the sight of the Lorde. He neither regarded the commaundement of God, nor the example of his fathers repentance. Wherefore God punished his sinne by sinne, what time his ser­uantes conspired and slewe him in his owne house.

After whose death (about. 3312. yeares from the making of the worlde, In that wic­ked fathers haue good children, and good fathers wicked chil­dren, it is sene that goodnes is not of na­ture, but of grace. and. 658. yeares before the incarnation of Christ, the sonne of Amon, godlye Iosias, at the age of eyght yeares, was made king ouer Iuda and Ierusalem. He did that which was right in y ^e sight of the Lorde, and walked in the wayes of his father Dauid, & neyther bowed to the right hande nor to the left. Hée spéedilye began to séeke the Lorde, and in the twelfth yeare of his reygne, he beganne to purge Iuda and Ierusa­lem [Page] from Idolatrie, and so reformed Godly Prin­ces doe helpe their neigh­bours to re­forme abuses in religion. 2. Paral. 34. religion, not only in Iuda and Ierusa­lem, but also amongst his neyghbours that were left in Israell, when the most part of them were led away captiue by the Assirians, he destroyed the hill aul­tars, Idoll groues, and Images, and burnt the bones of the Idolatrous sa­crificers vppon their owne altars, as was prophecied of him aboue. 350. yeres 3. Reg. 13. 2 Ieremie. 1. before.

In the .xiij. yeare of his reigne the Prophet Ieremie began to prophecie, and the King in the .xviij. yeare of hys reigne, going about to repaire the tem­ple, the booke of Gods lawe was found, which long time before (through the 4. Re. 22. 23. 2. Paral. 34. Tirannie and negligence, darkners of truth. tyrannie and Idolatrie of Princes, and negligence of the Priestes) lay hid and vnknowne. Now when this good King vnderstoode of this booke, and had heard it reade: he rent his clothes through re­membrance of his fathers offences and his owne, and sent to aske councell of [Page 3] the Lord what was to be done concer­ning that booke. He read this Booke The godlye cease not ice­king: till they knowe Gods wil, and when they know it: they doe not neglect to doe it. himselfe vnto all the people when hée had gathered them togither, and made a couenant with the Lord touching the same to gouerne according to the pre­cise rules thereof.

In the .xx. yere of this Kings reigne, Sophony the Prophet began to speake in the name of the Lord. The beginning Sophonie. 1. of whose prophecie are these wordes, which first I read vnto you.

The same wordes doe contayne, an excéeding terrible or fearefull threate­ning Sophony be­ginneth his Prophecie with threates not as others doe. against the people of Iuda and Ierusalem, for their sinnes, but speci­ally for Idolatrie.

In handling wherof, I meane to vse none other methode: than that which the Prophet hath prouided for me, who first threatneth a rooting out of Idola­ters, and mixers of religion, with the remnauntes of Idolatry. And then A­postates, and those that neyther séeke [Page] after the Lorde nor regarde him. And for these offences it is: that God also threatneth to destroy the place, and the prouision. And that I maye intreate hereof. &c.

IN that God doth threaten here to destroy, not onlye men, but also vnreasona­ble creatures: wee maye learne howe detestable a thing sinne is, in the sight of God, and specially Idolatrie, for as wee reade, though Iosias had now reformed [Page 4] many abuses, put downe Idola­trie, and brought in place there­of the true seruice of God: it is sayde, that God was yet angrye for that peoples Idolatrie for­merly committed, and still secret­ly maintayned, notwithstanding the publike reformation. But here two thinges maye seeme straunge at the first vewe, thone, why now in the dayes of so good a King, who had reformed reli­gion, banished Idolatrie, and Two things seeme straūge here. executed the Idolaters to the vt­termost of his power: God doth thus threaten more grieuously: than he did in the dayes of Ma­nasses or Amon, those wicked Kings that had set vp ydolatrie.

The other, why Sophonie be­ginneth not his Prophecie or preaching with doctrine as com­monly [Page] other Prophetes and tea­chers doe: but thundreth euen at the first these horrible threates.

Howbeit, by good considerati­on of that state and time, we shall without difficultie perceyue in the one & the other, the iust and God doth most iustly and wisely proceede in his iudgementes. holye iudgements of God, most wisely & orderly put in execution.

For though God had now sent these people so good a Prince as had banished Idolatrie, execu­ted the Idolaters, and erected the true worship and seruice of God publikely so much as was in his power both in his owne dominions of Iuda and Ieru­salem, & also amongst his neigh­bours the Israelites: yet those Causes why God doth threatten so sharply in this good kings reigne. people for the most part playde the hypocrites, and secrete Ido­latrers, and kept remnantes or [Page 5] reliques of Baal, Moloch, or Mal­chom, and other Idols, they se­cretely worshipped the hoste of heauen, and gaue heede to Wit­ches and spirites of error as may appeare.

Yea though the Prophet Iere­mie (by the space of seauen yeres before Sophonie beganne) had Causes why Sophony be­gan his pro­phecie with threates. preached to them, shewed them their faultes, and preached doc­trine for their learning (if they woulde haue learned:) yet they neyther regarded that great good gift of god, namely so good a King, that trulye worshipped God, and defended true religion and iustice: nor yet his holy word and calling, sent them vnder the same king by the Prophete Iere­mie. And therefore it was, that now God raised vp this prophet [Page] Sophonie, as it were sodeinly to thunder oute these threates, for this their great ingratitude and pestilent perseuerance in their I­dolatrie, superstition, and other wickednesses, continued in this tyme of so gentle calling, good gouernement, and cleere light.

For the greater & better giftes and benifites that men doe con­temne Hebrues. 2. or neglect, the greater plagues or punishments are de­serued and procured by such in­gratitude. And certainelye a­mongst all thexternall giftes of God in this lyfe, there is none comparable to this, that GOD vouchsafeth to let men haue his holy and eternall word preached Aucthoritie ioyned wyth truth, a most excellent bles­sing in this lyfe. amongest them, and speciallye when hee ioyneth therewith the power of good magistrates. And [Page 6] therefore when such treasure is by men neglected or contemned: it is no maruell that GOD doth threaten extreme punishmēt, as here he doth by this Sophonie.

And though I contende not with those that do thinke Sopho­nie did this by aduyse and consul­tation with Ieremie: yet I am It was not by pollicie be­twixt Jeremy and Sopho­nie, that So­phonie began with threates, but Gods iust working vp­pon most apt occasion. not of their minde, but doe feele otherwise of it, euen that GOD who ministreth perfite medicine according to mens diseases: did stirre vp this Prophet Sophonie to go amongst that people, euen vpon iust and most apt occasion, as it were sodeinlye, thereby, the more to quicken them that were in their dead sleepe of Idolatrie and iniquitie.

And though it is most true, that this was not a pollicie or [Page] practise betweene Ieremie and Sophonie, but the worke of God: yet it is certayne that Ieremie did Ieremy not offended with Sophony for beginning [...] thr [...]ates. not blame Sophonie for vsing an other order than he had done be­fore him. But contrarywise did well lyke of his doing, knowing who had sent him. For they could in no wise dissent or iarre, being both messengers from God, and gouerned by one spirite.

And hereof, those that now do preach the Gospell haue a good A note for Preachers. rule, namely, that one blame not the other, though one vse sharp­nesse, and an other vse mildenesse in teaching, or that one teache that: which another hath not taught before him, except the doctrine be false and agaynst the truth, or that they preach placen­tia to the stubborne wicked, and [Page 7] threates and curses to the peni­tent Discretion in doctrine must be obserued. and broken harted, for ther­in discretion must be vsed, or else they are blame worthie.

Now we maye as I sayde, see by this text and consideration of that state and time, howe God doth proceede with them in mer­cie and iudgement, and he is still one and the same God.

He first sendeth them his word and true seruice, by the ministery of a good magistrate, and a holy Prophet, he sheweth them their God first calleth men by fayre meanes. faultes and offreth them pardon, and praieth them to forsake their lewde wayes, and to turne to him, and he wil yet receiue them.

When by these gentle callings & great benifits bestowed vpon them, they will not bee wonne, but continue in their vices, and [Page] vtterly thanklesse for those great benifytes: then God doth not yet sodeinly destroy them. But first threatneth that vnlesse they doe Secondly, God threat­neth, if mē do not regarde gentle calling. Ionas. 3. repent: hee will scurge, as wee read also that God sayd by Ionas yet forty dayes and Niniue shall be destroyed, and before the floud Genesis. 6. also: yet the dayes of man shall be a hundreth and twenty yeres, and I will bring a floud vppon the earth. &c.

If yet neyther by gentle cal­ling, nor by threates, they will bee reclaymed, then hee ceaseth speakynge to them, and pul­leth awaye his worde and good magistrates, and for their sinnes he setteth an hypocrite to rule o­uer When men re­gard not gen­tle calling nor threates: then God puni­sheth, and ke­peth silence. them, sendeth enimies in vp­pon them, spoyleth them of their ioye, bringeth them into captiui­tie, [Page 8] and so many wayes scurgeth them, that he maketh them know by stripes y ^t which they woulde neuer know by faire meanes: so it came to passe with these people of Iuda and Ierusalem. For neyther by gentle callinges, nor benifites, nor threates, they woulde cease from their owne wayes, as appeareth that within three or fower monethes after the death of this good king Io­sias, 4. Reg. 23. G which for their thanklesnesse was taken away, Idolatrie and superstition was erected again, and within lesse than. xxx. yeares after this prophecie was fulfil­led, 4. Reg. 25. they were led awaye captiue to Babilon, where they continu­ed in captiuitie. lxx. yeares.

But though the Lorde rooted out from that lande as well the [Page] people as the prouision, in such sort as they coulde not enioy it: yet the destruction and ruine was to the wicked, according to this Prophecie. For euen in the captiuitie, no doubt God had his beloued seruants, as he sayde of Though God punishe gene­rally: yet hee looueth hys children euen in captiuitie. 2. Samuel. 7. Psalme. 89. Psalme. 132. Actes. 13. Dauid. If his children forsake my lavves, and vvalke not in my co­uenant, I vvill visite their sinnes vvith scurges, but I vvill not take my louing kindnesse vtterly from them, nor suffer my truth to faile. So that thoughe this people were caried captiue, and the pro­uision and place destroyed for their sinnes, yet euen herein God sheweth loue to his seruants, in that hee bringeth them home, though by stripes, and that hee casteth them not away. So that though the punishment in this Psalme. 34. [Page 9] lyfe be generall: yet the ruine & Though pu­nishments be generall, the destructiō and ruyne is onely to the wicked. destruction is only to the wicked, as Dauid sayth: The godly shall be punished, but the vvicked shall be destroyed.

And whereas this good king Iosias, and the Prophete Ieremie, did know that religion should de­cay, 4. Regum. 22 2. Paral. 34. & that god would shortly af­ter rote out the people, & destroy the place and the prouision, yet they ceased not ech in his calling to doe the vttermost that laye in them to erect and teach the pure seruice and will of GOD, and though they preuayled not, nor The godlye wyll not o­myt their in­dustrie in do­ing good, though they looke for smal profite to in­sue thereof. had such successe as they wished: yet they ceased not to the ende they did their duties, and ende­uors, & left not God without his witnesse both to that people, and to all ages after them, and so de­liuered [Page] their owne soules, as sayth Ezechiel, wherein Magi­strates Ezechiel. 3. are taught, and Prea­chers also, howe they ought to deale in their seuerall charges, and if they minde to please God, and haue regarde to discharge Men may not neglect their charge. their duties, and so deliuer their owne soules, they will no doubt take patterne and follow the ex­amples of these.

Wee see also by that hath bene sayde, how fowly they are decey­ued, that in reformation of reli­gion, think it inough to remooue grosse ydolatrie, and superstiti­on, and for pollicies sake to re­tayne certaine (as they count A perfite re­formation re­quired in gods lawe. them) light abuses, which doe serue for pleasure, or profite.

For if this good king with all his power and industry, togither [Page 10] with the vehement exhortations of the Prophete Ieremie, coulde not roote out the remnants of I­dolatrie: but that within fowre monthes after Iosias death, all Idolatrie and superstition was vp agayne publikely. What con­tinuaunce maye we looke for of Ʋnperfite re­formatiō cau­seth the aduer­sarie to hange in hope. our halfe reformation?

If Iosias cast downe all Idols and monumentes of Idolatrie, and executed the Idolatrers, as farre as hee coulde come by the If to reforme religion all en­deuour be not ynough: than halfe endeuor will be much short, but neg­ligence will be much shorter. the knowledge of them, and yet after his death, Idolatrye vp a­gayne in so short space: what may wee looke for, that want so much of that perfection? Naye, that maintain and defend openly such things as hee destroyed. I would our Ieremie also were not to slack in these days. But it is to [Page] be feared in y ^t he is so slack: that our misery is the neerer at hand.

Our remnaunts of ydolatrie are not sought for to be destroy­ed, as Iosias sought for them in his time. But rather mayntey­ned, against his example: yet let vs marke diligentlye what God sayth by this Prophet Sophonie, to them of Iuda and Ierusalem, for retayning such remnants se­cretly.

I vvill, sayth God, roote out from of this lande, man and beast, fovvle and fish. I vvill stretch out my hand vpon Iuda and vpon Ie­rusalem, and so vvill I roote out from this place all the remnaunts of Baal. &c.

It is most like that this people was so stubbornelye addicted to Idolatrie and superstitions, that [Page 11] when they saw the king to ouer­throw the ydols, & to burne their monuments: they hid from him as many thereof as they coulde, with this minde, that though the King did what he coulde, yet he shoulde neuer roote out all, but Idolatrous and rebellious stubborne mindes. that they woulde keepe them se­cret, and worship them secretly. But, sayth God, by the Prophete, novv, I vvil. &c. as if God should haue sayde. My seruaunt Iosias hath taken away (as much as li­eth in him) Idolatrie and super­stition, with such monumentes thereof as he was able, euen as I willed. My seruant Ieremie also hath not ceased to call you from those offences. But you a­gainst Where men will not bee well ruled by men, and yet can hyde their sinne: there my will, and agaynst your publike magistrate, without re­gard of my goodnesse, and voyce [Page] sent amongst you, will maintain God will take the matter in hande for hee seeth the hart. your ydolatries and superstiti­ons, and retayne the remnantes of them. My seruaunt Iosias can not see your rebellious heartes, and secret practises of Idolatry: But I see you throughly, and I God did fetch Broomes to sweepe, or ra­ther firie fla­mes frō Ba­bilon to con­sume awaye those things that displea­sed him when his seruaunt Iosias could not reforme them. will deale with you accordingly, you shall knowe that I am able to sweepe away your Idols and remnantes of Idolatrye, be they neuer so secrete. For I will sweepe you cleane from this place, yea, and all the prouision of beastes, fowles, and fishes will I gather vp from you, and you from them. Thus will I roote out the remnantes of Baall. Doe you think then that you can kepe any remnantes of Idolatrie by you, when I shall thus roote out you and all these things from off [Page 12] this lande?

I made beastes, fowles, and fishes to serue your turne, but for this your great and continu­all ingratitude: I will gather them vp from you, with all other prouision that I appointed for If God will saue: none can destroye. If God will de­stroye no po­wer can saue. you in this lande: yea, and I will roote you oute also, least you might say, your Idols preserued you. Let see if Baall or your o­ther Idols be able to fede, helpe, or deliuer you.

You wretched rebels that con­sider not from whence your help commeth, but ascribe the same to your Idols and Gods of your owne making, and wishe rather to wallow in that error, than to Folowers of error, wicked Idolatrers, doe call light darcknesse. &c. come into lyght, you esteeme darkenesse more than light, er­rour more than truth, and euill [Page] more than goodnesse.

And this is euer proper to I­dolatrers and Bellygods, that if they bee bridled of their willes, that they cannot haue their plea­sure, and Idols to worship them. Properties of Idolatours. Or that they be brought perforce to heare the true seruice of God: then they murmour and swell, & this is their sentence common­lye: it was merie with vs when we knew none of this geare.

As nowe in these dayes our Papists and irreligious bellials haue the same maner of grud­ging and saying: it was mery in Englande before this Byble and Englishe seruice came abrode, Papistes are grudgers, murmurers, and speakers agaynst the truth. men liued quietly when they had lesse preaching, when the Masse was vp, we had all things plea­sant and plentifull.

[Page 13] But so sayde this people here vnder this good king Iosias in Ie­remies The Idola­trers in Ie­remies tyme murmured. time, it was merye wyth vs when we serued the Queene of heauen. &c.

The like sayde the heathen in Cyprians time, which is aboute 1300. yeares past, that the Chri­stians by their religion brought in all vnquietnesse and miseries, and that it was well with them Idolatrous hethen in Cy­prians tyme murmured. when they serued theyr heathen Gods, and were not disturbed by the Christians, and so layd all the cause of their miseryes to the Christian religion.

The children of Israell in like maner, murmured agaynst Mo­ses, saying: it was wel with them Idolatrous Israelytes in Moyses time murmured. when they were in Egypt and serued Pharao. So thankefull they were for their deliuerance.

[Page] But as Cyprian answered the Cypri. contra Demetrianū. heathen Bellials and Idolaters of his tyme: so Ieremie aunswe­red these people vnder Iosias, Ieremie. 44. saying: did not al these mischiefes happen to you, bicause you sin­ned Idolatrie the cause of mi­seryes. agaynst the Lord in making such sacrifices to Idols?

And so doth this Prophete So­phonie threaten, that for this same detestable vice of ydolatry, these heauye plagues and mise­ries shall come vppon them, and their prouision, euē rooting out. Leuitie. 26.

And Moses in Deuteronomiū, sheweth also, that negligence, Deutero. 4. Deutero. 17. [...]7. and 28. contempt, and Idolatrie, is the cause of miseries, for that all the curses of God, in that booke, doe follow, ouertake, and roote out such offenders. Whereby is sene plainely, that these Papistes and [Page 14] Gatherenites, or beastly Belli­als Papistes and Bellials most pestilent tray­tors, for they procure God to plague and destroy our lande. &c. in this our time: are no bet­ter than murmuring Rebels a­gainst God and his doctrine, and traytours to their natiue Coun­trye, and to those noursing Fa­thers and Mothers, whom God Esay. 49. hath placed in aucthoritie, to re­forme abuses, and conserue his Church in godly peace.

And for this murmuring re­bellion and Idolatrous broode, God doth, as I said, by his Pro­phet, threaten a generall rooting out, both of man and beast.

The Prophete doth expreslye name Iuda, and Ierusalem, to Iuda and Ierusalem expressely threatned. be subiect to this plague threat­ned, which was done by Gods prouidence, least these people might haue thought the prophet had not ment them, for they did [Page] know, that Ierusalem was cal­led The Iewes trusted that place and pa­rentage made them honest, and shoulde defende them. Psalme. 78. the holy Citie: and that there was the Temple of the Lorde, vvhose foundation vvas layde to endure as the earth, and that they (being of Iuda) could not decay, what euer they did, for they had in memorie what excellent pro­mises both Iuda and Ierusalem had of safetie, as of Iuda it is sayde. Sceptrum non recedet de Genesis. 49. Psalme. 89. Psalme. 132. Iuda. &c. The Scepter shall not be taken from Iuda till Sylo come. And againe, God sayth. I haue svvorne by my holinesse, I vvill not fayle Dauid, his seede shall stand fast for euer. And this might be their minds and sayings also, we see the reast of the trybes ca­ryed captiue, and yet we see Iu­da and Ierusalem remaine safe, therefore these places cannot de­cay [Page 15] whatsoeuer we doe, we may doe as we lyst.

But hereby let vs Christian men note and beware, that wee make not the mercifull promises God wil sure­ly punishe the abusers of his clemency. Romanes. 2. of God, a defence for vs to work iniquitie by: for God aboue all thinges will surely scourge that offence, bicause naturally Gods kindnesse leadeth men to repen­taunce, and not giue boldnesse to sinne, nor licence to continue in sinne.

As here wee see the Prophet, (to frustrate the Iewes of suche vaine trust) doth expresly name that GOD will stretch oute his hande vpon Iuda and Ierusa­lem, and roote from those places by name both man and beast. &c.

And the Prophete Ieremie al­so before pulleth them from that [Page] their vaine trust, saying. Trust not in lying vvordes: saying, here Ieremie. 7. is the temple of the Lorde, here is the temple of the Lord, here is the temple of the Lorde. Let your deedes bee amended, and ceasse from Idolatrie, and so you shall enioy the place, otherwise do not think it to be my house, which is your theeuish den, or that I will preserue a denne of theeues, for Looke vpon Silo: and se that place sa­ueth not. by iustice I muste punishe and roote out both den and theeues. Loke vpon Silo vvhere my name 1. Reg. 3. 4. vvas, and vvhat I did thereto for the faults of the people there com­mitted. &c. but they gaue no eare to Ieremy, who by doctrine called them, for they perseuered in their Idolatrie and vnrighteousnesse, the publique reformation not­withstanding, and therefore God [Page 16] by this Prophete Sophonie doth threatē by name, both Iuda and Ierusalem, therefore holinesse of place is no prerogatiue for ini­quitie, Holinesse of place is no prerogatiue for y ^e wicked. but both the offenders and the place shall bee destroyed, the place for the offenders sakes, wherto Gregorie agreeth where he sayth. Si desit spiritus, non ad­iuuat locus. If the spirite of God Gregorie in Ezech. lib. 1. Homil. 9. bee absent: the place helpeth no­thing, for Lot vvas holy amongst the Sodomites, and a sinner in the Mountayne.

And againe, the same Gregorie sayth. Si locus saluare potuisset: Satan de Coelo non cecidisset. If the place could haue saued: Satan should not haue fallen from hea­uen, nor our parents frō Paradice.

And Cyrill doeth shewe that neyther holinesse of place doeth Cyril. in Le­uiticus. [Page] purifie or defende a sinner, nor vilenesse of place seclude the loue of God from the Saintes. But you (sayth he) vvhich follovvest Christ and doest immitate him. If thou abide in Gods vvorde and meditate his lavve day and night, semper in sanctis es: thou art al­vvaies The holye ones: are al­wayes in holy places. Yea, though in pri­son or exile. in holy places, neither shalt thou at any time depart thereout, for holynesse is not to bee sought in places, but in life, actes, and pu­ritie, vvhich if they bee according to the Lorde, and consonant to gods commaundements, although thou bee not in the house of God, yea, though thou bee in the Mar­kettē, naye, though thou be in the Theatre, thou art alvvayes in holy places.

Our Sauiour Christ taryed his fathers calling in Nazareth, [Page 17] which was a place so ignomini­ous amongst the Iewes: that as Iohn. 1. we read, Nathaniell asked whe­ther any good thing coulde come out of Nazareth.

Abraham was beloued of God amongst y ^e ydolatrous Chaldees, Genesis. 11. 3. Regū. 19. Exodus. 3. 1. Regū. 16. Amos. 1. Math. 4. Elizeus at y ^e plow, Moses, Dauid, & Amos at the shepefoldes, & the Apostles at their fisher botes. &c.

Which places and examples doe showe that place maketh not Place doth not make men holy. holye an yll doer, nor yet doeth condemne or defile a good man.

Whereby we see also the fonde and doltishe opinion of the Pa­pistes touching the holynesse of Rome, and other places of pil­grimages, as they account Rome caput mundi, and there is the A­postolicall sea, the holy see of the holy father, the seate of summus [Page] Pontifex. &c. The summe of di­uinity resteth in his brest bicause Papistes af­firme y ^t place ministreth ho­linesse, special­ly Rome. of the place, the place hath that prerogatiue, he hath so much of the place, for if hee were Bishop many other place, hee shoulde want that excellencie, Ergo, place ministreth holynesse by their say­ing.

Yea, and they haue an vnreaso­nable strong reason for it, that is, it must needes bee so, bicause Peters and Paules (but speciallye Peters) being present there, did sanctifye the place. Well, if they both were there (whereof many doubt) I am sure it was to their cost. For Eusebius sayeth, they Euseb. lib. 2. Capit. 25. Dorothe [...] Synopsis de vitis aposto­lorum. suffered death there. And I am sure Rome is as much to be pre­ferred or counted holye for that matter: as Ierusalem is for cru­cifying [Page 18] of Christ, if they were Saint Peter and Paule suffered death at Rome, if they were both there. not further drowned in Idola­trye and superstition than euer these Iewes were that dwelt in Iuda & Ierusalem, they would come out of their follies with shame, speciallye seeing their neighbours rounde about them, can poynt at their beastlye and palpable follie.

But the whore hath made them so sleepy drunken with hir Aqua­composita Papists dead­lye dronken with y ^e whore of Babilons Aquacom­posita. & glory, that they can­not awake, for if they coulde see a whit, they must needes see that Christes presence at Ierusalem was as holye as S. Peters at Rome, and that Ierusalem had more excellent elogies tho­rowe the Scripture than euer Ierusalem hath far more excellent elo­gies, than euer Rome had. Rome had. Nay, Ierusalem was a figure of Gods Church, and [Page] Rome being by the learned cal­led Babilon, is a figure of Sa­thans synagoge, and is in deede the seate of Antichrist. And yet that synagoge or Churche must holde the Papistes bounde in chaynes, and they must count it holy: euen lyke as they count the Crosse holy whereon Christ suf­fered, bicause an innocent was hanged theron. And in that, God The Crosse holy, bicause an innocent was hanged thereon. deferreth to plague Rome, it is a token that hee hath prepared the fulnesse of punishment to bee executed eternally vpon them af­ter death: Thus much for place.

These Iewes also trusted in their parentage, as I noted, but Parentage. as place did not helpe them, no more doth parentage longer thā they continue in their fathers steps of faith and honest doings, [Page 19] as Saint Paule noteth, and al­so our Sauiour Christ telles the Romanes. 2. Iohn. 8. Iewes they were of their father the deuill, and that it holpe them, not that they were of Abrahams seede after the fleshe, vnlesse they had the fayth, and thereof the deedes that were in Abraham.

No more doth it helpe the Pope to brag of Peters see, and Ʋaine Pope. that he is his successor, vnlesse he followed Peters steps, which hee abhorreth.

No more doth it helpe these yong Roysters and vaine frize­led Noddies with bumbasted Ʋaine boa­sters & brag­gers, vaine noddies. breeches to bragge of gentilitie, good parents, great houses and worthye Countries, when they themselues haue not a whitte of honest witte in their heades, nor good condicions in their lyues. [Page] But by these vaine claimes feede with pride their owne fonde de­uises, and so holde vp the noddy, and thinke they may worke wyth more boldnesse those euils which their naughtie nature or lewde affection doth mooue and insti­gate them vnto.

Like to Dionisius sonne that when his father blamed him for committing adultery with one of his Citizens wyues, affirming that hee had no such example of him, neyther by knowledge nor A kings sonne blamed. hearesay: aunswered his father in these wordes: Verum est pa­ter A wicked an­swere and ruf­fianlyke. Fulgosus. lib. 7. ca. 2. Children take pride in their fathers riches and honour. hoc abs te nunquā audiui. &c. True it is Father that I neuer knevv nor heard so much by thee, but that came to passe, bicause thou hadst not a King to thy fa­ther as I haue.

[Page 20] To whome the fathers replie was, Nec tu quidē mi fili. &c. Nei­ther A sober repli­cation by Dionisius. thou my sonne except thou ceasse from such villanies, shalt euer haue King to thy sonne. Which came to passe, for shortly after when hee came to succeede his father, such were his wicked and vnworthy actes that he was driuen out of his kingdome.

Macrobius reciteth an example Macrob. li. 2. Cap. 5. Satur. to this purpose, of Iulia the Daughter of Augustus Caesar, which Damsell being on a tyme Iulia the daughter of Augustus Cesar. admonished of hir pryde and im­moderation in apparell, by a friende which wished hir to fol­low the example of hir father in moderation and sobrietie, aun­swered, The answere of a vaine and prowd minde. Pater meus obliuiscitur. &c. My father forgetteth that hee A very fine mocke of a Gentlewomā. is Emperour of Rome, but I re­member [Page] vvell that I am the Em­perours Daughter.

These actes and answeres are by all wyse mens iudgementes noted for faultes, and thought blameworthie euen in the chil­dren of Kings and Emperours, Ʋice and va­nitie are to be blamed in the Children of Emperours and Kings. and are noted for reproches to them and that rightly.

Howe farre then doe these Cockescombes and Pumppets in this our time exceede in fault?

If a Kings sonne be iustly bla­med for vyce, and that his birth and countenance was no excuse for his offence: howe shall our lewde Ruffians by a bare name of a baser estate, thinke them­selues Ʋaine roy­sters and pup­pers of farre lower estate are in no case tollerable in their excesse. lawlesse, or without re­proch? And if it be a great shame for a Kinge or an Emperours daughter wantonlye and immo­derately [Page 21] to decke hir selfe, or to defend the same by hir estate and birth, with howe much shame may our Puppets in these days: declare their vnconstant mindes & variable delights, not onely in wordes: but also by showinge themselues in sundrie speckled Ʋnshamefast­nes & variable delightes she­wed by im­moderation in apparell. colours, and vaine ostentations, without all womanlye shame­fastnesse? and all vnder colour of the name of a Gentlewoman, when many of their coates with their furniture, maye happes be vnpayde for.

These are of farre baser estate than eyther Emperours or yet Erles daughters, many honest That which is reproued in the greater cannot be al­lowed in the inferiour. men do blushe in beholding such prowde peuish puppets, though their flutish frizled forheades do beare them through the matter [Page] with Ruffianlike boldenesse, and haue nothing to bragge of, but place and parentage, nay manye of them haue scarcely so much, None will so­ner boast of worship and worshipfull parentage, thā they that be of an vnknowne house. though they will bragge thereof. And yet if they were of great pa­rentage, that were no excuse of immoderation, for we see it re­proued in the Emperors daugh­ter, and that God regardeth not Iuda nor yet Ierusalem for pa­rentage longer than those people continue in his feare & sobrietie, for when they thus offende and will not be reclaymed he threat­neth their plague and will surely sende it.

It is not place therefore nor Wicked chil­dren doe aug­ment theyr owne shame by boasting of their good parentage. parentage y ^t can defend vs, nay, there is nothing more shame­full for wicked successours and posterities, than to bragge of [Page 22] godly predecessours and proge­nitours.

Sophonie sheweth it shall not helpe them more to bragge of parentage, than of place, consi­dering that God will stretche out his handes as well to roote oute from Iuda, as from Ierusalem, the people that there dwelt for theyr Idolatrie and wickednes.

God is sayde to stretch out his If God should speake spiritually of spirituall thin­ges, we could not vnder­stande him. hande, not that he hath handes, feete or other partes of a visible bodie: but this speach doth ex­presse to our senses and reason, that as a manne who hath hys sworde or rodde in his hande, in By the hande of God is here ment, the In­strumentes▪ whereby he punisheth. stretching oute the same hande to strike, doeth put strength to his action: so God hauing hys instruments of punishment redy to scourge them for Idolatrie, & By stretching out his hande is ment power giuen to those instruments. [Page] contempt of his clemencie: will put strength to those weapons, agaynst Iuda and Ierusalem, to roote them oute, therefore by this worde hande, in this place is ment, the instrumentes whereby God plagueth, and by stretching it out, is ment power, & strength giuen vnto them, and who is a­ble to withstand gods power and strength?

He that beleeueth God to bee true in his sayings, cannot chuse He that belee­ueth God will feare him. but tremble, when hee heareth God to saye. I will extende pu­nishment vpō thee in my power and strength. Alas mortall cay­tyfe what wilt thou doe, if God extend his strength in punishing thee? to the wicked no doubt hee doth extende this strength, and for iniquitie it is that God exten­deth [Page 23] it, and in thys place hee threatneth to extende it, specially for Idolatrie, and secrete wor­shipping of Idolles, and secrete retayning of Idolatrous priests and reliques of Idolatrie: con­trarie to Gods worde, and the publique reformation, made by the good Magistrate.

Thus, saith God, will I roote out the remnantes of Baall from this place, thus, euen by exten­ding my strength agaynst you, and sweeping you quite from this place and lande.

This Baall is thought to be the Idoll of the Sidonians, as Ierom Baall the Idoll of the Sidonians. in his Commentaries vpon Osee doth note, and the same that Bell was amongst the Babilonians, which Idoll was by decree of Semiramis Queene of Babylon, [Page] worshipped for a God, from whō Ierom. in Ose. the kings of the Sidonians tooke their beginning, as appeareth in auncient Hystories and Poets. Vergill wryteth that when Dido Virgil in Enei­dos lib. 1. receyued Aeneas into hir Court, she poured wine for him into that cuppe, whereof Belus and al that came of Bell were wont to drink.

The first that brought the wor­ship of this Idoll amongst gods people, was Ahab king of Israel Ahab brought Baall into Israell. (as it is thought) what tyme hee maryed Iesabell, daughter to the king of Sidon, and so from Isra­ell 3. Regum. 16. this Idolatrie ouerflowed Iuda and Ierusalem. Where we may briefly note by the way, Ill successe of vngodly ma­ryages. what good commeth of those ma­riages that are made betweene the Christians and the Heathen or Papistes, or in respect of [Page 24] worldlye dignitie and agaynst Gods lawe, for by such a match 3. Regum. 11. 4. Re. 9. &. 10 thys Achab became an Idola­trer, as also Salomon by the like, which tended to the destruction of their houses.

Also wee maye note of what weight and vprightnesse theyr iudgementes are: that woulde haue vs to agree with Rome and Spaine. &c. & to haue Masses a­gaine, then say they we shoulde We ought not beare the yoke with infidels. be in quietnesse and saftie. But let vs know that Except the Lord Psalme. 127. builde the house, their laboure is lost that builde it. They that will buylde their safetie by commit­ting Iosua. 23. The lawe of God forbid­ding true worshippers to looke on straūge gods. Idolatrie, may looke to sit as safely as Ahab, or as these Idolatrers that God threatneth destruction vnto by thys Pro­phete.

[Page] Nowe concerning these rem­naunts of Baall, they were no doubt reteyned secretelye, by manye that fauoured the Idoll, who also worshipped him in se­crete, the publique reformation and preaching notwithstanding. Like as in these dayes, we haue a great sort of those that fauour the Romishe Baall, and are secret reteyners of his remnantes, as Relikes of the Romish Baal retayned. Masses, Coapes, Ʋestmentes, Crosses, Images, Latine ser­uice, numbring of prayers, Sur­plesses, Albes, Stoles, Super­altares, and infinite I know not what, and not onely these monu­ments, but also the Priestes and worshippers, and fauourers or clokers of Baals religion: are here called remnants of Baal, al which the Lord saith, he wil thus roote [Page 25] out, euen by stretching forth his strength agaynst those that re­taine them, which must needes bee to their vtter ruine and de­struction, for god is euer one and the same, his iudgements are in Psalme. 104. all the vvorlde. Hee must needes smite vs if our offences concurre with those of Iuda, and Ierusa­lem, as no doubt they doe, and exceede them.

For although we haue publike reformation, and God hath sent vs a Queene that is a nursing Esay. 49. mother to Gods people, so that publique aucthoritie is ioyned with the truth: yet wee are so Our thankles hearts for be­nifites recey­ued: do shew that we shall not long en­ioy them. thankelesse to God for it, and so slacke and negligent in the im­bracing of such benifytes, that it cannot be thought we shall long enioy them.

[Page] Yet I speake nowe of the better sort. But when I consider what The better sort but a rem­nant in respect of Romishe remnants. a remnant of the romishe Baall, there is amongst vs, (in respect of whome the better sort is but a remnant:) alas what is to bee looked for?

The Prophete addeth to these another sort by name, the Che­marims, which God woulde also Chemarims. sweepe out. Some thinke these Chemarims, were an vnder sort of Nouices to the Priestes of Baall, and that they made hote the censors with fire, whereof it Chamar, sig­nifieth too make hote, al­so to make black or to resounde. is thought they tooke that name Chemarim, which commeth of the verbe Chamar, to make hote. Others think they were so called in respect of their hote zeale, and others thinke (bicause Chamar also signifyeth to make blacke) [Page 26] that they had their name of the blacknesse of their weede, as our blacke Friers or Monkes, for else it is not like that they had it of blacknesse (vnlesse they were Negros, or like the blacke garde through smoke of the fire:) or it might bee bicause Chamar is to resounde, that these were Eccos to the Priestes. But some thinke they tooke that name Chemarim of the Idoll Chamos, that was the Idoll of the Moabites, whose place and Altare this good king Iosias destroyed as we reade, for 4. Regū. 23. in deede these people had many Idols amongst them, not being contented with the true and onely God almightie.

It is knowne that God did con­secrate the Tribe of Leuie to himselfe, wherout his high priest [Page] should be taken, and beare chiefe rule in holy things, which highe Priests had alwayes Ministers One God, one order of priestes. Exod. 27. 28. 29. 30. 40. Leuit. 1. 8. vnder them seruing to the com­mon exercise in religion, & what things soeuer God appoynted in sacrificing and teaching: the same he appoynted to bee done by the children of Leuie.

But this people not cōtent with one God and his ordinaunces: would haue many gods, of which euery one must haue his seuerall Many Gods, many orders of Priestes, with sundrie names after their Idols. seruice, and ministers according­lye. And hereof it came that they needed, and made for their newe Gods, newe Priestes, with new names after the names of theyr Idols, as Priests of Baall, Che­marims. &c. of which, God by his Prophet, sayth. I will roote out also the names of the Chema­rims [Page 27] togither with the priestes.

This peoples heart no doubt (as I haue sayde) was altogy­ther rebellious, for when they coulde not (for they durst not) o­penlye Propertyes of Idolatrers and Rebels. haue their Idolatrous seruices, yet secretly they would, as it were in dispite of God and the king, and contrary to publike reformation worshippe and re­tayne not onely Baall and his re­liques: but also Chamos and his reliques, yea, Malchom and hys reliques, with many other more: as the hostes of heauē, the sunne, and Moone, and starres, as Ie­remie the Prophete exclaymeth at this time saying. O Iuda, looke Ieremie. 11. hovve many Cities thou hast and so manye Goddes hast thou made thee also. &c.

But this styffenecked people [Page] would haue it thus, let God and his magistrate commaund what they would, they woulde doe as Such as ney­ther regarde God, nor good Magistrates. they listed, they kept secret these Priests of Baal, and Chemarims, and by them and those reliques mayntayned their Idolatries, and superstitions.

Euen as at this daye amongst vs, are maintayned and kept se­cret many remnants of Baall, and morrow Masse Chemarims of the Popes broode, who not con­tent The romishe brood not con­tent with one order of priest­hood, wil haue many, as they haue many Gods. wyth one God, farre excee­ded in erecting sundry sortes of Idolatrie, and of new orders to supply the abundaunt superstiti­ons by him inuented.

Saint Paule witnesseth that Ephesians. 4. 1. Corin. 12. our Sauiour Christ made some Apostles, some Prophetes, some Euangelistes, some Shepeheardes, [Page 28] and some teachers. And for this only purpose they were ordeined Those that our sauior or­deyned: were to further the preaching of the Gospell, and mainteyn one seruice of one God. to serue for the edifying of the body of Christ, that the doctrine of the Gospell might continually be retained, whereby alone the Churche is gathered togither and conserned.

But when this one truth, namely, the euerlasting Gospell of Christ was neglected, and place giuen to Idolatrie and su­perstitions: then new & straunge worshippings deuised, did bring in a necessitie of moe ministers than Christ did ordeyne to guyde and instruct his Church.

And of these erections of newe worshippings, sprong more or­ders of officers in the Church, The romishe orders were to darken the Gospell prea­ched, and to e­rect straunge and sundrie worshipings of sundrie Idols. namely, Ostiarij, Lectores, Exor­ciste, Acolithi, Subdiaconi, Dia­coni, [Page] & Sacrifici. Wherof though some names were in the prima­tiue Church and did then office in Gods seruice, yet nowe they were drawen with the newe in­uented ones to doe Idols ser­uice. Wherevnto if you adde Monkes and Monials, Friers, Papists haue infinit orders: to serue infinit Idols, excee­ding both Ie­wes, and hea­then in Ido­latrie. Beguts, Maiors, Minors, E­remites, chast Nunnes, and vn­chast Nunnes (that is common harlots gathered into an order of religion) and moreouer the seuerall orders of Monkes, And euery one of these doe preferre theyr own master a­boue christ, as though Christ had not dyed for them, but Barnarde, Benedict, Francis, or some other of their maisters. Friers, and Channons, as Be­nedictes, Bernardines, Fran­ciscanes, Dominickes, Augu­stines, and such lyke. Wee shall perceyue the Pope & his broode to haue farre exceeded not onely these Iewes in sundrye Idola­tries and superstitions, but also [Page 29] all other ydolatrous nations of heathen folke.

And in seeing these their abho­minable If the stewes were vp again and all ruffia­nage and vil­lanye practised there, as in ti­mes past: yet being compa­red with the life of these, it would appere puritie & cha­stity, in respect thereof. &c. Idolatries, with also their ydlenesse, whoredome, so­dometrie, treasons, conspiracies, and other their most horrible vi­lanies, wherein they doe conti­nue by dispensation of their Mal­chom the Pope: if yet wee wyll mayntayne them, and seeke to preserue them, eyther in corners or openly, wee can not escape The worse things that men do pre­seruè: the worse or greater plague they do deserue. 4. Reg, 22. 23 2. Paral. 34. greater plagues than are threat­ned to these Iewes, by as much as we retayne more abhomina­ble enimies to GOD and to hys truth than they did: for wee doe not reade in all Iosias reygne which was. 31. yeare, that any of those remnauntes of Baall and Chemarims did cause insurrecti­on [Page] in Iuda: but wee haue expe­rience The Rebelli­ous and tray­terous Baali­tes and Che­marims in Iosias time: not so yll nor so hurtfull as our romishe broode at this tyme. of the Popes Chemarims pestilent practises in this behalfe here in our Realme, and dispen­sations and pardons graunted by their meanes to Rebels, for the same purpose.

And yet these are saued, and Rebellion and Popes pardō. Deutero. 13. Perillous to laue or main­taine such as ought to die. maintayned contrarye to Gods lawe, for which no doubt God is displeased with England. For by his lawe they ought to die, as also we see by this example of execution done by Iosias, who would not haue spared anye of them Chemarims, if hee coulde haue founde them, but woulde haue serued them as hee serued the reast, and as our Chemarims and Baalites ought to be serued. And if Gods law were our rule, I meane, if wee would be ruled [Page 40] thereby: it should not thus con­tinue. Gods lawe a most righte­ous rule to followe. Alas, what feare of God or zeale in Gods religion haue we? I saye the great Baalites & Che­marims neede not to hyde them­selues here amongst vs, for al­most no man seeketh for them, or Small re­dresse sought. if they once bee talked withall: what commeth thereof? is there any redresse of their mindes and Idolatries? maye they not vse their secret seruice at their will? God graunt that as our Prince and Magistrates doe allowe of Iosias doings in this point, nowe in the twelfth yere of his reigne, euen so they maye vouchsafe to The twelfth yere of Iosias reigne, the .xij. yeare of our Queenes reigne. put in practise after his example with like seueritie, the like exe­cution of Idolatrers and Idola­trous remnants, now in the .xij. yeare of our Princes reigne, re­membring [Page] the perpetuall prayse that remayneth to and for such an acte, as of Iosias it is sayde: There vvas no Kinge lyke vnto 1. Regum. 23. him, neither before nor after him, that so vvholy turned to GOD vvith all his hart. &c.

Surely, there is not this day a greater lette of the increase of Gods Churche, than these Pa­pistes & morrow Masse priestes are. For, where by preaching a­brode in Churches the flocke of Christ shoulde be encreased and Retayning of Papistes and morow Masse Priestes, a great hinde­raunce of the Churches encrease. instructed, looke what the Prea­cher buildeth by his doctrine, these domesticall Papistes doe peruert and destroy in most pla­ces where they are retayned, whereby they drawe after them many, and many they make lame in religion, that in continuaunce [Page 31] they become wearye, and the Gospell is lothsome to them, and so at length they grow to be ha­ters of the truth. And thoughe this sentence bee alwayes true and infallible, namely, that God 2. Timot. 2. knoweth his, and will preserue them: yet no man is thereby dis­charged of his dutie, but eche in his office and charge must put to his helping hande to roote oute No man may neglect his charge though Gods purpose and election is immutable. Idolatrie and errour, or else he shall dearely account for that hee neglected his charge.

For God doth make men his instruments, that men shall call men to him, and doth make men ministers of his iustice one to a­nother. And therefore man must God worketh by men, there­fore men may not neglect Gods worke in their charge carefully & diligently loke to his charge, y ^t he discharge his dutie to y ^e vttermost of his power, & let [Page] God worke the successe.

If Magistrates doe not what they can to exterminate these things: they know the perill. I leaue them to God. But if they Men must do what they can and leaue the successe to God. do what they can, and yet cannot preuayle: they shal deliuer their owne soules, and God will fy­nish the worke as he seeth good, Ezechiel. 3. like as here, hee sayth, hee will roote out the remnants of Baall, and the names of the Chema­rims, with the Priests.

Furthermore, the Lord sayth, that he vvill roote out all such as vvorship and bovv on the house tops to the host of heauen. &c.

Hereby we see that such there were in Iuda and Ierusalem Starre wor­shippers in Iuda. that did thus worship, we reade that this good king Iosias did put downe the horses of the Sunne, [Page 42] that the kinges of Iuda had gi­uen Worshippers of the host of heauen. 4. Reg. 23. to the sonne, which sheweth that the Sunne was worship­ped, and it is also written that he destroyed the aultars on the top of Ahas parlour, which the kings of Iuda had made, & the aultars that Manasses built in the courts 4. Regū. 23. of the Lords house, to the host of heauen, which thinges were built in highe and open places, It may ap­peare their houses were built with flat roofes that serued to walke vpon, and for other vses also. euen in y ^e face of the firmament, of lyke, to the ende, that this host of Sunne, and Moone, and Starres might see their seruice, and the higher they could climbe to doe their seruices, so much the nearer their Gods they thought themselues, and therefore their Why they of­fered in the open and high places. seruice the more accepted, they vsed the same by night tymes al­so, that the starres myght vewe [Page] their actions the better as they thought.

The Plannettes and Starres are called the host of heauen ey­ther for the continuall and order­lye course which they haue kept from the beginning, and in res­pect of their multitude or num­ber. Sun, Mone, and Starres, called the host of heauen: for the multitude or for the con­tinuall course, or for power of gouernmēt thought to be in them. Or else for that men did at­tribute to them the power of go­uernance in earthly thinges, as mighty Gods. And this errour came first as it is thought from amongst those of the East parts, and was now receyued amongst the Iewes, which caused them so to worship, and to buylde aul­tars to them.

The Astrologians of our time are not fullye so blockishe as to builde aultars, and to worshippe the same hoste of heauen as they [Page 33] did: though they strayne a veyne out of course, in attributing to Astrologians of our time, to much enclined to error this way. them the power of gouernment. I think them not much inferiour in that point to these Idolatrers, and therefore I councell them, and others, that are to much ad­dicted vnto them, and to their knowledges, to beware least they runne ouer the heade into the myre. For I am in feare they are already ouer the shooes, and vp to the hammes.

We see y ^t our Astrologians wil take vpon them to know by a fi­gure of our birth time, who hath a good fortune, & who contrary: also fortunate dayes, and vnfor­tunate: also to bring agayne à Bolde confi­dence, predic­tions and at­tempts of A­strologians in these dayes. thing that is lost or stollen. How long one shall liue, of conspira­cies, deathes of noble persona­ges, [Page] and alterations of king­domes and states, howe longe Princes shall lyue, and religion These twirle the worlde vpon their thomme, to preuent Gods prouidence. shall continue, and such others I cannot tell howe manye, as plentye and scarsenesse, fayre weather and foule. &c.

Now if they can doe in deede these things which they take vp­pon them (as I am perswaded they cannot) their cunning is for the rarenesse straunge.

But manye godlye and sober These practi­ses esteemed of the godly, neyther godly nor profitable. men, thinke it neyther godly nor profitable.

And this is certayne, that their calculations and demon­strations are vncertayne, what knowledge soeuer they haue.

If any thing come to passe ac­cording Calculations of our Astro­logians are vncertayne. to their foretelling, I count it but an illusion to nouzell [Page 34] them, and such as seeke after If any thing chaunce: it is an illusion. them, in that vayne estimation which they haue of their practise, and power of the Starres and Planets, wherein they draw as neere to the Iewes superstition and Idolatrie here exclaymed a­gaynst, as they can: excepting the external offrings which these Iewes made to them.

But admitte their knowledge were certaine, that they could tell how long a man should liue, and howe fortunate or vnfortunate he were: yet what of this? what are they or any man else the bet­ter for it? The nature of man is suche, that if hee did knowe his Mans na­ture peruerse. dayes certainly: he would liue in all pleasure till he sawe his ende Knowledge of destinies, not fit nor profi­table. at hande, if he knewe him fortu­nate: he woulde be carelesse, and [Page] if vnfortunate: then desperate: for suche are the fruites of mans affections commonly by extreme motions.

Then forasmuch as this know­ledge helpeth not, but rather Ʋncertainty spoken for cer­taintie, is de­ceyt. hurteth if it were certaine: what doeth it auaile, beeing altogither vncertaine? certainely it may be counted rightly, a vaine trauaile Astrologie iu­diciall a vaine studie, and ir­religions. of an irreligious braine.

Dauid was well content, and affirmed that hys tyme and for­tune Psalme. 31. were in the hands & know­ledge of almightie God, and did not desire to knowe his ende by any other meanes than by Gods worde. All the Godly and sober minded haue counted GOD the onely knower of our dayes and Iob. 7. 14. destinies, and haue had alwayes this sentence: there is nothing [Page 35] more certaine than that we shall Godly men content to be ignoraunt of their dayes and destinies. die, nor more vncertaine than when we shall die. Whereby we are warned to watche through­out the scriptures: we haue not one example that doth allowe of these vaine searches: but rather reproueth them, and those that sought councell at them, for though the prediction fall out: yet it is but an illusion, euen as Mo­ses sayth. God vvill proue his peo­ple to see if they loue him. &c. Deutero. 13.

In the Prophecie of Mychea, we learne that the kingdome of Mich. 3. 5 6. Christ, hath no communitie with such things.

We reade that wicked kinges in Israell and Iuda, did allowe 3. Regum. 6. 4. Regū. 21. of such fortune tellers, and suche as consulted with Spirites, and that worshipped the host of hea­uen, [Page] as Ahab and Manasses. &c. for which they were sayd to haue done that, which was euill in the sight of the Lorde, and for which God by this Prophete Sophonie here now threatneth, plagues to come vpon the people that offen­ded therein: and further vppon such as sware by the Lorde and by theyr Malchom also.

These which swore by GOD Suche as sweare by God and by Malchom. and by Malchom, were suche a­mongest the Iewes, as had not vtterly reiected the true GOD, but woulde seeme to holde hym still, for they gloried in the God of their fathers, the God of A­braham, Isaac and Israell, and in their temple and externall sacri­fices and seruices. But withall they had gotten & ioyned to God: new Gods of their owne, which [Page 36] were Idols of the heathen, and These coup­led God and Idols togy­ther, by one worship or seruice. 3. Reg. 18. Oseas. 8. 13. so mixed religion. Agaynst such, Elias and Osee the Prophetes doe exclayme, saying, howe long will you halt on both the sides, if God bee God followe him, or if Baall be God, then follow him.

Saint Paule saith that the tem­ple 2. Cor. 6. of God doeth not agree with Images.

Our sauiour Christ sayth, you Luke. 16. Marke. 6. cannot serue god and Mammon. The Oxe and the Asse maye not be coupled togither. A field may not be sowed with mingled seede. Deutr. 22. Garmentes of Linsey woolsey are forbidden. All which sayings God cannot abide a double heart nor mix­ture in reli­gion. Ezechiel. 20. &. 14. do plainly set before vs, that God can not abide a double heart, nor mixture in religion. For by Eze­chiel he saith to such haulters: go serue your Idolles go, let mee [Page] alone.

And let no man think that God liketh or alloweth better of their seruice: that in one Countrie or Of suche as will heare ser­mons, and communicate in one place, and will heare Masse, and kneele to Images in an other place. place will heare sermons and be Communicantes: and when they come into other Countryes and places, will heare Masses, and kneele and offer candels thereto, or to any other Idoll. These are Ʋters, that can feyne voyces: as the Crocodile, and chaunge cou­lors Ʋters of eue­ry religion cō ­pared to the Dormouse, Crocodile, & Camelion. with the Camelion, & like to the backe or flitter mouse, that to deceyue one weazell, who loued to eate birdes fleshe, did shewe himselfe a mouse without fea­thers, and to deceyue an other weazell that loueth to eate mise, did shewe his winges and denie himselfe to be a mouse and affir­med that hee was a Birde as is [Page 37] fabled.

And while these Ʋters ende­uour to bee of all Religions, to please for aduauntage, they are in Goddes sight more detestable than Neuters, who are of no re­ligion, yea, while they endeuor to be more vnlike themselues, than Ʋters worse than Neuters and worse thā brute beastes. beastes are to birdes, or birdes to beastes: they doe shewe them­selues to bee in deede worse than beasts, or birdes, or anye vnrea­sonable creature: for though the Lorde doe punish beastes. &c. as here is threatned: yet it is not for the offence of the creature, but Beastes sinne not: it is for mans sinne that God de­stroieth them. for the wickednesse of these hypo­crites and such vngodly. God wil not giue his glorie to any other: God is a iealous God, and will not suffer anye other to haue his honour wyth him, nor aparte Exodus. 20. [Page] from him.

For as he alone, is altogither iust and true, almightie and most God wyll not suffer his ho­nor to be gi­uen to others, nor others to bee ioyned with hym. excellent: so is it right and meete that hee alone haue all and euer­lasting prayse, & thankesgiuing. And no reason nor equitie that a­ny should be accounted or named comparable to him, neyther that his office or Godhead, should bee attributed or thought to be in a­ny other, but onely in himselfe.

While men doe beleeue the al­mightie to be their god and king, & that their whole help commeth of him only, they are content with that god only, & to him alone they will do worship and seruice. But those that do thinke their helpe & While one god is thought a­ble to helpe: so long one God is thought suf­ficient of men. preseruation, or part thereof, to come of any other than of God only, those doe beleue God to be, [Page 38] but apart worker of their helth & safetie, & therfore they must haue an other God to make vp their help full, whom they account and ioine equal (in their beliefe) with almightie God. In which theyr thoughtes, they drawe so muche trust from the almightie, as they giue to any other, which distrust in God, and trust in the other, is Distrust in God, is the roote wherof all Idolatry springeth. in deede the roote wherof all ex­ternall Idolatrie springeth, and wherein the verie worshippings of straunge Gods do consist. For looke in whome a man hath his chiefe trust, to him doth that mā, reuerence and seruice, such as he thinketh shall please most.

These sort of Iewes seemed to The Iewes trusted in god and in Mal­chom, therfore they sweare by God and by Malchom. trust, partly to God, and partly to Malchom, & therefore they wor­ship GOD, and Malchom, they [Page] sweare by God and by Malchom, and so make Malchom equall with God. But God will not suf­fer this mixture and Idolatrie, he will roote out those that swere by hym, and by Malchom also, God will not be cowpled. 4. Regū. 23. Malchom the Idoll of the Ammonites, Moloch, Malchom, by interpretation is their king.

Malchom was the Idoll of the Ammonites, and the worde Mal­chom is by interpretation, theyr king, the Idoll (as some think) is the same which in other places is called Moloch, to whom the Pro­phet giueth this name Malchom the more to reproch them, in that they estemed and called an Idoll their king and defender, as if he shoulde saye: God almightie is king ouer all, and yet your king and preseruer most specially: but you thinke (and will haue) Mo­loch God was their king, but they woulde also to be your king, for you [Page 39] worship Moloch as God, and so haue Mal­chom theyr king also. you call him your king, & sweare by him euen as by God, and thus you make him equall with God, but God wil not suffer your Ido­latrie vnpunished.

It may be that the prophet na­med this speciall part of Idola­trie, swearing: bicause their swe­ring by the Idoll was then so Why the pro­phet nameth swearing spe­cially to bee ydolatrie. commonly knowne, that if anye would haue denyed and dissem­bled their Idolatrie, and haue answered the Prophet that they had beene no Idolatrers: theyr owne voyces woulde haue con­demned them, for all the multi­tude To sweare by Malehom then, was as common as swearing by the Masse is now. could haue borne witnesse of their swearing by Malchom.

Another cause why the Pro­phete threatneth such swearing by name, may be: for that other­wyse [Page] those blynde wretches would haue thought themselues small or none offenders, so long An other oc­casion why Sophony na­meth this part of Idolatrie, namely swea­ring. as they vtterly reiected not the true God, though with him they worshipped others, or thoughe they swore by their Malchō also.

And here wee are to note and well to consider, that to sweare in in the name & truth of god, in ca­ses Esay. 19. 45. 65. of neede, as to preferre right, and truth, and godly quietnesse, To sweare a truth by God, when neede requyreth: that is a high honor to God. is a high honor to God, and a chiefe part of his worship and seruice. Which we cannot doe in the name or truth of any other, without sacrylege and Idolatry To sweare by any other than God is to commit Ido­latry. committed.

Almighty God vouchsafeth to let vs serue our turnes in truth ioyned with necessitie, by the vse of his sacred name, and so doth [Page 40] commaund vs to sweare by hys Exod. 3. Deut. 6. &. 10. Iosua. 23. name, and when it is alledged in witnesse wherby iustice taketh place to extol right and suppresse Iust swea­ring by God is a chiefe part of Gods ho­nor & seruice. wrong: then no doubt God is highlye honoured by that othe, and such swearing is a chiefe part of Gods worship, and those that refuse so to sweare, doe re­fuse Annabaptists refuse to ho­nor God. to honor God.

On the other side, whosoeuer woulde bring to passe the mini­stration of true iustice, the extol­ling To sweare by any other is to transferre Gods wor­ship to that other. of vertue, or suppressing of vice, by the credite of any other, whose name they sweare by: they doe (so much as in them is) trans­ferre Gods worshippe to that thing whereby they sweare, and so doe commit ydolatrie.

And forasmuch as this swea­ringe by the Lorde and by Mal­chom [Page] also, is here shewed plain­lye to be ydolatrie: howe can the Papists denie themselues to be ydolatrers, yea, and much worse than these Iewes? It is well knowne y ^t not only in swearing, but also in praying, in mediatiō, and in redemption they eyther put God quite out of hys place, The Papists great Idola­trers by mixed othes. or else they ioyned with him one Malchom or other. Hee was not as they thought able to helpe a­lone, nor true ynough alone, nor mercifull ynough alone, nor our redeemer alone. And therfore in euerye one of these thinges they ioyned fellow helpers with him, and that no small number. They Papistes thought not God suffici­ent alone. thought God to bee ouer weake alone, & therfore they would put strength to his strength to make him strong. Hee was and is be­holding [Page 41] to them, as much & more than to these Malchomites, and for their seruice let them looke to be rewarded, with such payment as they were, and that double and tryple, yea, centuplum. &c.

Whereas Iesus Christ is our Mathevv. 11. 1. Iohn. 2. 1. Timo. 2. Esay. 63. Papistes doe couple others with Christ in mediation, & intercession, and therefore Idolatrers. onely Mediatour and aduocate: they haue placed w ^t hym in that office: aswell the saints of their owne canonising, as also many of the holy Saintes mencioned in the Scripture. Whereof they fayned the blessed Ʋirgin to bee such a one that they desired hir to be (as it were) a stickler in medi­ation betwixt god the father and the sonne for them. Where they besought hir in these woordes, Roga patrem, & iube natum. &c. Pray the father, and commaund the sonne. &c.

[Page] Likewise in redemption and Iohn. 1. 2. Corin. 5. Colloslians. 1. Hebr. 1. 9. 10. remission of sinnes, where God alone in Christ Iesus hath fully accomplished the same to our e­uerlasting stay and comfort, and therefore onelye is to haue the prayse for it: these endlesse Ido­latrers do ioyne with him in that Papists ioyne with Christ: other redee­mers, & there­in committe Idolatrie. woorke: the merites of deade Saintes, the bloude of Mar­tirs, works of Supererogation, merytes of prayers, fastings, al­messe deedes, Masses, and their owne good workes, and others infinite.

Furthermore, where our helpe Psalme. 121. Psalme. 124. Esay. 63. Ieremie. 29. Ioell. 2. and safetie standeth onely in the Lorde, that made both heauen and earth, & he onely, to be called vpon for helpe in time of neede: these Romanists teach vs to call vppon saintes departed both for [Page 42] helpe and safetie. Sometime vt­terlye Papistes call for helpe and safetie of o­thers than of God, and of­ten ioyne o­thers wyth God by inuo­cation, and therby cōmit ydolatrie. forgetting and excluding God, as when they say, O Lady Queene of heauen helpe mee, speede me, and saue me, and som­time ioyning them felowes with God, as where they saye, God and our Ladie, God and S. Pe­ter, God and S. Frauncis, God and S. Anthonie, God and S. Loye, saue, speede, or helpe this or that.

And as in these rehearsed, so doe they commit ydolatrie in this part of Gods worship, namely swearing, eyther by pulling it wholy from God, as when ex­cluding God, they sweare by the Masse, the Mattins, our Lady, Papists swere by Masses. &c. and exclude God. Saint Iohn. &c. Or else by ioy­ning companions with God, as when they sweare by God and [Page] by the Masse, by God and by the Papists swere by God and by their many Malchoms, and so couple thē with god. Mattens, God and our Lady, God and Saint Iohn, by God and by the Worlde, and by God and the Deuill. &c.

Thus in euerye part of Gods seruice, they haue made their Mammets, Malchoms, and toyes equall with God, by trans­ferring and attributing that glo­rie and prayse that belongeth on­ly to God, in, & for these things: Papistes rob God of that honor, which they giue vn­to their Mal­choms. to those whome they haue made fellowes and checkmates wyth God.

And the continuaunce of these abhominations and filthie mix­tures, Papistes Re­liques remaine yet. doth not cease to this day, though by writing, preaching, and exhortations, the same haue bene often reprehended.

God be thanked that many are [Page 43] reclaymed, and God send the rest knowledge and feeling. But cer­tainly, these remnantes sticke so fast in a number, that it is to bee feared and loked for, that God by punishing according to this pro­phecy (or more extreemely) must redresse these things, and sweepe them out. For they bee worse Romish rem­nants worse here, than Baals rem­nants in Iu­da and Ieru­salem. remnants of Idolatry here, than Baals remnants, or swearing by Malchom, were amongest them of Iuda and Ierusalem.

A more horrible vice than Ido­latrie there is not lightly in the sight of God: but flat blasphemy doth farre exceede it. And that is Blasphemie exceedeth I­dolatrie. committed when willingly and wittinglye men sweare by the mightie name of God, in deny­ing of truth, or affirming of falsehoode. For in so doing, they [Page] make God a witnesse to maine­tayne Blasphemie is committed when God is called to wit­nesse an vn­truth. Iohn. 8. and proppe vp a lye. But Sathan is the father of false­hoode, and the only mainteyner of lyes. Therefore whosoeuer thus offendeth: doth (so much as in him is) put God in Sathans place, and no more thanke to that man, than if he had in deede put God in that place, and what greater dishonor can man doe to God, than to make him most vn­like himselfe? not only to spoyle A most cursed crime. him of his truth and godheade: but also to make him a Deuill. Oh most horrible & cursed crime.

An endelesse trembling feare, maye that person haue that so hath endeuoured himselfe.

The commaundement of god is, that wee shall not name him To sweare by God in vaine: is more than simplie to take Gods name in vaine. Exodus. 20. Deutero. 5. in vaine, but simply to name god, [Page 44] is not to sweare by him, and if once to name God in vaine bee forbidden, than to sweare by him when no nede is, must be a grea­ter fault.

To sweare a truth when nede To sweare by God in truth when nede re­quireth: is an honor to God. is, by the name of god, is a true worship of God, but wittinglye and willingly to sweare an vn­truth by the name of God, is To sweare wittingly and willingly by God in vn­truth: that is blasphemie. most horrible blasphemy against the spirite.

The horrible estate of these of­fenders our sauiour Christ hath pronounced. O let vs beware of these mixtures, which are be­ginninges Beware of mixtures, the beginning of Idolatrie & blasphemie. of Idolatrie, for one mischiefe bringeth in another, with too too speedy increase. Let vs watch and looke about vs, for seeing that God will punish this mixt swearing, as here he threat­neth [Page] by the Prophet. Wee can­not looke to escape greater pu­nishments, being more guiltye, not only in mixtures of religion, and othes, but also in continuall God is not onely named in vaine a­mongst vs: but sworne by in vaine, and for trifles. vsing of Gods sacred name in vaine, yea, and swearing by it without neede, in buying, selling, and talke, both in matters of weyght and trifles, euen for the gayne of a halfepeny, god graunt it be not vntruly vsed also.

Some doe thinke (whome I dislyke not) that these Iewes Malchom is by interpreta­tion their king some therefore thinke y ^t these Iewes swore by God, and by their king. who sware by the Lorde and by their Malchom also, were such as did esteeme their king equall with God, and therefore they swore by God and by their king, and bicause Malchom is by inter­pretation their king, it is so like­ly, lyke as in Egypt where they [Page 45] knewe not god: they esteemed In Egypt they vsed to sweare by the soule of Pha­rao their king. their King most, and therefore they sware by the soule of Pha­rao. And if it were so: I doubt not, that they haue also num­bers of cosin germanes in Eng­lande at this daye, that to flatter for their owne aduauntage, will not stick to make the King equal with (yea, & aboue) god, though Belials and Athistes, and Gnatos in these dayes, do make their king equall with God, but that is flatterie onely for their own aduauntage. (if God shoulde sende another Prince afterwarde, that were contrarie in religion and all o­ther dispositions) those same Gnatos and flatterers, woulde yet haue him equall with god to.

The same estimation & grea­ter, haue the Papistes of their king with the triple crowne. For be he neuer so vicious and vyle a theefe, yet whatsoeuer he com­maundeth, must be preferred to [Page] the commaundementes of God, and whatsoeuer hee speaketh, must be esteemed equall with (or aboue) the scripture, and where the Scripture speaketh affirma­tiuely: hee hath authoritie to ex­pounde The Papists doe not lesse esteme of their Malchom the Pope. the same negatiuely, and contrary, if I shoulde prosecute throughly y ^e estimation that they haue of their king, I should ne­uer The Pope may correct y ^e Scriptures. haue done, let this serue for a taste: whereby may be felt that they make this their Kinge, not only equall with God, but grea­ter than God, though not so commonlye in swearing by him, Papistes thought the Pope to good to be ioyned with God in this swering. for they thought him to good, to be ioyned with God in that ser­uice, his trash they thought wor­thy ynough in this part, where­by the honour they gaue him, ap­peareth to be the greater, though [Page 46] subteller and more hidden.

The Prophete Sophonie pro­ceedeth, and sayth, that God vvill also roote out those, that dravv or Starters or drawers back threatned. turne backe behinde the Lorde, least they should learne to knovve him, and follovv him.

Like as in an other place God sayth. If man vvithdravv himself: Psalme. my soule shall haue no pleasure in him. Whereby wee are taught what perill it is: to withdrawe Perillous to draw back­warde. Hebre. 6. our selues behinde, to be slacke, and to detract oure comming to God: when by his worde he cal­leth vs. This vnwilling mind of Ʋnwilling mindes a to­ken of harde successe. ours to follow God, is a token of hard fortune, & vnlikely to haue good successe, true it is, that no man commeth to saluation vnlesse God by his spirit, dravv him. But Iohn. 3. 14. 16 when God calleth and men haue [Page] begonne a good waye, and then start backe, and desire not fur­ther to knowe God nor to follow Negligence bringeth loth­somnesse: and lothsomenesse, and all these bring con­tempt. him: it is a shrowde token, and speciallye as I saye, after they haue once begon in a good way, and then waxe wearie and slug­gishe, when zeale dyeth in them: for so at length the meditation & hearing of Gods word groweth to be lothsome to them, and after­ward many such fal to contemne it, we are therefore diligently to Wee muste watch and o­mit no good occasion, for we are weake. note this matter, and to stande at our watch, & omit none occasion that may helpe vs forward in fo­lowing of God, knowing howe worldly and weake weare of our selues, and easie to be drawne backward from God, we see and haue experience of our selues: howe soone we are wearie of ho­ly [Page 47] exercises, how small occasions in our worldly affayres: do draw vs from those exercises, we can­not intende to heare or read gods We are soone wearie of ho­ly exercises. worde, if we haue any thing else to doe in the worlde, nay, loth to be long at it, though it be Sun­day, Exod. 20. 23. 24. 25. Ezechiel. 20. wherein by the law we may not otherwise worke, yet had we rather be occupied in our playing and our owne delights, than in meditation of Gods will.

And what doth all this argue vs to be? but drawers back, and not to bee of that companie that desire to dvvell in the house of the Lorde all the dayes of their liues, Psalme. 23. Psalme. 26. Psalme. 27. to beholde the fayre beautie of the Lord. &c. Also farre vnlike those that haue the fountaynes of all Psalme. 87. their ioy and delight in the church of God, or that esteeme the pros­peritie [Page] of the Saintes and reli­giō Psalme. 137. to be the head of their mirth, nay, rather it sheweth vs to bee such as the Prophete Esay spea­keth Esay. 53. of, that see no beautie nor fayrenesse in the Lord, nor in his house, that haue no delight in the glory of Sion, and that we make the prosperitie of the Saints and religion, the tayle of our myrth, or rather no part of oure myrth, but griefe and lothsomnesse.

Well, forasmuch as the know­ledge of God and his will is the Knowledge of Gods will, a defence from Idolatrie. meane, to keepe men from Ido­latry, and to lead them after god: those that start backe least they should knowe God: are entered the way to Idolatrie and all kind To start back and to be ig­noraunt, is to enter the gate of Idolatrie. of iniquitie, and therefore Gods iudgements are iust, in rooting them out.

[Page 48] Now lastly he sayth. That God vvill also roote out, those that nei­ther Such as nei­ther seeke for God nor re­garde him, are Athistes and wicked world lings. seeke God, nor regarde him. By which sort, I think the Pro­phet meaneth generally the wic­ked, that wythout regarde of God, or any religion, did wallow in all worldly delightes, let God and religion sinke or swimme, it was all one wyth them, they would follow their vaynes and trades, they passed not for God, and therefore they sought not for him, they sought onelye to serue their turnes for the time.

I woulde there were none oc­casion to reprooue a fowle num­ber of this fault in this our time. But if liues and trades of men Mens doings in these dayes: do argue the multitude to be Athistes. be noted: we shall perceyue the like or worse Athisme, or God­lesnesse in the multitude: let them [Page] set what face or visor ofreligiō or ciuility they can: we shal see it to be but pollicy & hypocrisie in thē.

It were an endlesse worke to enter into all the perticularities, that woulde proue them such hy­pocrites, neither is it my purpose nor in my power to touch all.

Wherefore leauing the reast, I minde to speake at this time of a fewe abuses, but specially of one generall vice aboue the reast, One generall vice amongst many, namely Ʋsurye. namely Ʋsurie, which is so com­monly contracted in mens trades at this time, that the practise thereof will proue the greatest number amongst vs, to be as yll as these Iewes, that neyther seeke for, nor regarde GOD, to which men this Prophet threat­neth destruction.

But forasmuch as I haue here­tofore [Page 49] in two Sermons at the Crosse, sayde my minde partlye therein, according to my simple Somewhat sayde in two former Ser­mons of vsury knowledge. And also that the learned fathers both of olde time and in these our dayes, haue both spoken and written thereof, in much better wise, than I am a­ble, Learned haue written a­gainst vsury. and yet the multitude doe continue herein, rather increa­sing this vice, than ceasing from it, yea, and do account it no vice: What profite may I looke for to What shall I profite? come, of this my trauaile? what successe? or what redresse maye I looke for?

If I shoulde herein take vpon I shall bee said to speake arogantly. me to say more, than the learned haue done: I might bee counted arrogant and voide of discretion.

If I cannot saye more than they haue done: (as in deede I [Page] cannot say so much by much) then what shal it auaile that I speake I shall be said to speake in vayne. thereof? seeing those learned, cannot perswade these Ʋsurers that they be faultie?

And if I shal now say no more, than heretofore I my selfe haue I shall be said to bee still in one song. sayde: I shall be counted lyke to the Cuckooe, or Stockdoue, for being alwayes in one song.

If I shall touch the quicke by I shall get Iohn Bap­tists reward, that is, hatred. examination: I am like to winne hatred of the multitude, whose faultes I reproue.

And if I shall proue subiect the trades of this tyme, to the defi­nition or corruption of forbidden I shall be said to speake I knowe not what. Ʋsurie, then I shall bee counted not to vnderstande what is ment by the definition, and to haue spo­ken I know not what.

As some haue traueyled with [Page 50] me, to make me beleeue, that I Friendes of Ʋsurers doe accuse them of ignoraunce, which reproue that vice. Iohn. 20. did not knowe what vsurie was, nor wherein it consisted: but I was Didimus therein, as loth to beleue them, as they were to bee reformed.

So that all these thinges with the malice of men cōsidered, and specially seeing I shall speake a­gaynst such contracts as are coū ­ted lawfull, and therfore honest: (for so some conclude.)

If I had not an eie to an other matter from all these thinges: I Sisyphus trauayle. might looke to profit as much by mine industrie: as Sisyphus, qui Cicero. lib. 1. Tusc. quest. est versans saxum sudans nitendo neque proficit hylum, who (is fayned) tumbling a stone vp a Fayned to be his punish­ment in hell. steepe hill, and continually swea­ting through that labour: profi­teth not the blacke of a beane.

[Page] But when I consider that in all ages sinne hath beene repro­ued, and so already reproued that in substance more cannot be said agaynst it, and yet that the same is continued: also that this vice of vsury in these daies hath more ouerflowed and corrupted than Contynuall vice, must be contynually spokē against, and that most, which is most practised. at any tyme heretofore, and still rather increaseth, than ceaseth: and herewithall remember mine owne charge, being called to this office and place, that I must not ceasse to reproue and speake a­gaynst sinne, and speciallye that most: which I knowe to be most frequented: I am encouraged and partly driuen for discharge A Preachers charge to re­prooue sinne. of my dutie, to go on, and procede in this matter, thoughe I come muche short of others that haue gone before me, and short of my [Page 51] desire in the redresse.

And though the wicked will Oseas. 14. D. Though the wicked will not regarde: yet the godly will. not regard me: (for they regard not God) yet Gods children will giue eare to the truth & embrace it. For I am sure that the worde of God is neuer without effectu­tuall working, it falleth euer on the edge, being more sharpe than Hebrues. 4. Gods worde falleth not without effect and fruite, it cutteth to or from God. 2. Cor. 2. any tvvo edged svvorde, and ey­ther cutteth to God or from god, (as Saint Paule sayeth:) bona fragrantia sumus Christi deo. &c. VVe are a svvete sauour of Christ vnto God, both in thē that are sa­ued, and also in them that perish. Preachers are a sweets sauour of Christ to God. To the one part (are vve) a sauor of lyfe vnto lyfe: and vnto the other part a sauour of death vnto death. Therefore I for my part mynde not to leaue God w ^t out his wit­nesse God is neuer wythout hys wytnesses. Romanes. 1. here, nor his children with­out [Page] instructions: but mind to dis­charge my soule of this burthen, The wicked without ex­cuse. & to leaue these wicked Ʋsurers without all excuse before God.

And though I might with lesse daunger touch and shake a Hor­nets A Hornets neast. nest, than deale with them, (for so woluish and wise they are Ʋsurers wise and woluishe. growne, that to them the reast are but lambes and fooles) yet hauing the truth on my syde, I feare them not, but commit the successe to God, and thus I say.

To lend corne, wine, oyle, mo­ney, Definition of vsury, & what an Ʋsurer is. or such like, with couenant to receyue the like againe, or iust value thereof, with ouerplus for the lone: that ouerplus, I say, is forbidden vsurie, and such a len­der is an Ʋsurer.

This is proued by manye pla­ces in the scriptures aswel in the [Page 52] Lawe and Prophetes, as in the Gospell.

In the Lawe it is prooued, where God sayeth by Moyses: thou shalt not hurt thy brother by vsurie of Money, nor by vsurie of Corne, nor by vsurie of anye Proofe of the definition in the lawe. Deutr. 23. Leuit. 25. Exod. 22. thing, vvhereby thy brother may be hurt: thou shalt not take of thy pore brother vauntage, or in­crease.

In the Prophetes it is proued Ezech. 18. 22. Proofe in the Prophets. where God sayeth by Ezechiel: The godly man lendeth nothing for vsury, he taketh nothing ouer.

In the Gospell it is prooued, where our sauiour Christ com­maundeth to lende freely, or loo­king Proofe in the Gospell. Luke. 6. Marke. 12. Math. 7. 22. for nothing. Also, thou shalt loue thy neyghbour as thy selfe, and vvhat you vvoulde that men shoulde doe to you, euen so doe [Page] you to them. &c.

By all which places is seene, that vsury may be committed as Ʋsury is in more things thē in money. well in other things as in mony (though some thinke it consist in money only) and also, that what­soeuer is taken for lone more Ouerplus ta­ken for lone is Ʋsurye. than was lent, that ouerplus is vsurie.

If any man doe yet thinke that I wrest y ^e scriptures by this col­lection, let him vnderstande that these learned fathers did so vn­derstand them as I doe. For no man of good and sounde iudge­ment can otherwise collect of those places recited.

First Hierome, he saith, Putant Hieron co­mentarijs in Ezecheilem. lib. 6. quidam vsurā esse tantū in pecu­nia. Quod praeuidens diuina scrip­tura, omni rei aufert superabundā ­tiam, vt plus non recipias quam [Page 53] dedisti. That is: Some men think vsurie to bee onelye in money, vvhich thing the holye Scripture Ouerplus in any thing (for lone) is vsury. foreseeing, doth take avvay the o­uerplus in all things, so that thou shalt receyue no more than thou didst deliuer.

And the same Father further witnesseth. Alij pro pecunia foe­nerata solent munuscula diuersi generis accipere, & non intelligunt vsuram appellari & superabun­dantiam. &c. That is: Others for Hieron in Ezechil. li. 6. money lent vpon vsurie, doe vse to take giftes of diuers kindes, and doe not vnderstand that the scrip­tures call the same vsurye and o­uerplus. &c.

Then Ambrose, he saith, to the Ambrose de nabu. same purpose, Plerique refugien­tes precepta legis, cum dederint pecuniam negotiatoribus, non in [Page] pecunia vsuras exigūt sed in mer­cibus, ideo audeant quid lex di­cat neque (inquit) vsuras escarum accipies ne (que) omniū aliarum rerū, igitur esca vsura est, & quicquid sorti accedit, vsura est, & quod ve­lis nomen ei imponas vsura est.

Manye (sayth Ambrose) flying the preceptes of the Lavve, vvhen they haue deliuered their monye For money delyuered to Marchaunt men no ouer­plus must be takē for lone, for such ouer­plus is vsury. vnto Marchant men (or to occu­piers) doe not exact vsurie in mo­nye, but in vvares. Therefore let them heare vvhat the lavve sayth, neyther shalt thou take vsurie of meates, nor of anye other thing, therefore meate so taken is vsury: Lende freely, or else your borowing and lending is tur­ned into buy­ing & selling. & vvhatsoeuet is aboue the prin­cipall is vsurye, yea, vvhatsoeuer name thou giuest vnto it: it is v­surie.

Thirdly Augustine, he sayeth: [Page 54] Si foeneraueris homini, id est tuam August. in Psalme. 36. pecuniam mutuam dederis, à quo aliquid plusquam dedisti expectas accipere, non pecuniam solam, sed aliquid plusquam dedisti, siue illud triticum sit, siue vinum, siue oleū, siue quodlibet aliud, si plusquam dedisti expectas accipere, foenera­tor es, & in hoc improbandus non laudandus. That is: If thou lend for aduauntage to a man (that is) thou lendest thy money to him of vvhō thou hopest to receiue more than thou didst deliuer, not mony only, but any thing more thā thou didst deliuer, vvhether it be vvheat He is an Ʋsurer that taketh ouer­plus for any thing that he lendeth. or vvyne, or oyle, or anye other thinge, if thou expect to receyue more than thou hast deliuered, thou art an Vsurer, & in this not to be praysed, but to be dispraised.

Thus you see that these three [Page] learned Fathers doe beare mee witnesse that I do not wrest the Scriptures, whereto might be added the iudgement of manye moe agreeable to these, but it needeth not, or booteth not: the Scriptures are playne herein, The scrip­tures are plaine tou­ching vsury. that vsurie is commited, not only in lending of monie, but also in corne, wyne, oyle and wares, if any thing be taken ouerplus, for or in respect of the lone.

Which being true (as it is pro­ued true) this must needes fol­low thereof, that when there is In sale of [...] for tyme, if anye greater price be exacted for the lone: that which is co­uenaunted for (more) in re­spect of the tyme is vsury and that seller an vsurer. sold any victuall, wares, or mer­chandize for dayes of payment, and in respect of the time con­tracted and giuen, for the pay­ment there be taken anye more, that more which is taken in con­sideration of the lone: is ouer­plus [Page 55] and forbidden vsurie, and that seller is an vsurer.

And also when monye is deli­uered by exchaūge betwixt place and place, as from London to Hamborough. &c. to bee payde two, three, or fower monthes af­ter That which is taken for money deliue­red by ex­chaunge for any time more than for sight: is vsury, and that delyuerer is an vsurer. the deliuerye thereof, and in respect of that time contracted and giuen, any greater or more price be taken vpon the Pound, or hundreth Poundes, than the price is at sight by the market, and more than the deliuerer woulde haue taken to haue had payment with all possible speede at sight (as they call it) that ouer­plus or greater price taken for y ^e times forbearance: is vsurie for­bidden, and that deliuerer is an Ʋsurer.

For by the order or nature of [Page] true and simple buying and sel­ling, The nature of simple buy­ing and selling. whosoeuer doth simply buy a thing, ought forthwith to paye ready monye for the same, as by the orderly course of the Law is vnderstanded.

Also when exchaunge is made Simple ex­chaunging be­twixt Coun­try & Coun­try, no tyme contracted. betwixt Countrie and Countrie thus simply, that a price or quan­tities and qualities, and a place of payment is agreed vpon, and no time of payment spoken of: than it is vnderstanded that the taker ought to paye (for that which hee hath so taken) euen with all possible speede.

But if in buying and selling or making exchaunge, any dayes of payment bee contracted for, and Dayes gyuen for payment of thinges solde or ex­chaunged: is lending of that which must be re­receyued. graunted to the buyer or taker: than that tyme contracted: is in deede borowing and lending, not [Page 56] of the thing bought and sold, (I graunt) but of that: which the buyer or taker should haue payd by the order of simple buying and exchaunging.

For if sale of a thing bee made for tyme, or dayes of payment, or that money bee deliuered for dayes of payment: the propertie The property of a thing solde or dely­uered by ex­chaunge: is in the buyer or taker. of the thing solde and deliuered, is immediatly in the buyer or ta­ker, and no longer in the seller or deliuerer, as also by auncient course of the law doth appeare.

As for example, one selleth a Example. quarter of wheate for. xvj. shil­lings, and is content to giue to the buyer a moneth, or a yeares day, for payment thereof.

Now it is plaine the seller can not iustly, aske againe this corne at the daye: but money hee maye [Page] aske, namely. xvj. shillings. Ther­fore he lent not corne, but money, for that which a man lendeth, he may iustly aske againe, either the thing it selfe that is lent, or else That which is lent may be asked agayne: but y ^t which is solde or de­lyuered by ex­chaunge, can­not be lawful­ly asked again. the like thing of the same name, kinde, and equalitie.

Euen so examine the exchange and it shall be founde that when tyme of payment is giuen: that thing is lent, which the creditor maye by the same name and e­qualitie demaunde at the day of payment, which is reasonable, and not absurde in nature.

But if in respect, and by mea­nes of this lending and tyme gi­uen, the seller or deliuerer do ex­act more in the price of that they sell or deliuer, than the market is for readie money, and more than the seller or deliuerer would take [Page 57] to haue readie money for it: that To exact more in sale of a thing in re­spect of lone: that more is vsury. Luke. 6. Ezechiel. 18. more exacted for the loane, is as I sayde, vsury, and forbidden, bi­cause it is absurde in nature, and agaynst this rule, lend freely, and it is not the acte of a Godly man, for the godly mā lendeth nothing vpon vsurie, nor taketh any thing ouer.

And albeit y ^t some writers who haue seuerelye enueyed agaynst Their iudge­mentes not to bee allowed that thinke vsury may be taken of rich men. this vice, are of this mind, that to take ouerplus of the rich for lone is not vsury: yet I see no war­rant in Gods worde to approue that their iudgement & distinctiō. For though the scripture where­on they builde their opinion doth Leuit. 25. specially forbid it to bee exacted of poore men: yet in no place is it allowed to bee taken of rich men (except they be heathen rich mē.)

[Page] We finde that God forbiddeth Deutr. 24. to defraude an hired seruant that is poore. But if any man would col­lect hereof: y ^t one might defraude Ʋsury and fraude may be vsed ney­ther by, nor towards rich nor poore. a riche seruaunt: hee should col­lect amisse, and euen so of vsurie. for as god doth not allow fraude in any man, nor against any man: no more doth he allowe of vsurie to be taken of poore nor of riche, (especiallye in the Kingdome of Christ.)

Many in these dayes do thinke themselues well discharged (it should seeme) in that they can say they lend not to poore men vpon Many thinke that they may sende to the rich for vsury and alleadge colours of honestie. vsurie, but to such as are able to pay for it. Whereby (say they) we liue, and they gaine, and we haue something to gyue to the poore thereby, which else wee shoulde not long haue, for wee shoulde [Page 58] spende all.

But if that, last before spoken, do not fully aunswere these men: then I referre them to Saint Ambrose in the place before re­cited, Ambros. de nabu. Ambrose cō ­demneth such as tooke vsury of occu­piers or mar­chauntes. where he condemneth such as did lende for vsurie, to occu­piers generally without excepti­tion. And if neyther (the one an­swere nor the other) will satisfie these men: it is not like that my aunswere shall satisfie them, but yet to keepe my promise, I will not omit mine aunswere.

I say (and not I onely) that to To lende for vsury is for­bidden, to lend freely com­maunded, as also to gyue almes. lende for vsurie is forbidden. But to lend frely is not forbidden, but commaunded: euen as to giue al­mes is commaunded, and to ex­tort is forbidden.

To lende freely, and to giue al­mes as we are commaunded, are [Page] deedes of charitie and compassi­on: But to lend for vsury, and to extort, are contrary and forbid­den, Ʋsury nor extortion can­not be made honest by any colour. and cannot bee committed without offence, nor made honest by any colour.

To lende freely to the needy: To lend frely to the poore is charitie. that is compassion: but to lende freely to the rich, is no compassi­on, (though not wicked) but to To lende to the ritch, no charitie. lende for vsurie eyther to poore or rich is wicked.

And if we shoulde looke onely vppon the common wealth, wee shoulde finde, that lending to the riche for vsurie, is a more pesti­lent mischiefe: than is lending to the poore, and then in this sub­terfuge of theyres: they doe In respecting the common wealth, it is worse to lend for vsury to the ritch: more foolishlye than those that seeking to escape Sylla, doe fall vppon Charybdis, and shewe [Page 59] themselues much like those that than to the poore. flying the shippe to escape daun­ger, do drowne themselues in the maine sea. For, first they lende for vsurie, which is agaynst the com­mon lawes, then they lend to the riche man, who hauing the mo­ney, Sylla and Caribdis. doth ingrosse the Markets, bringeth heapes of commodities into his owne handes, and so ma­keth Ritche men hauing money doe engrosse markets, and the more mo­ney they haue: the more they engrosse. a Monopolion, and dearth without neede. The meaner sort are thereby preuented of theyr markets, and must gleane after the Ingrosser, & take small lea­uings or sit still, and so remaine meane, or rather become poore: the common sort weepe through the dearth, for the rich wil be sure to make hys common weale to beare out his losse, and paye for that vsurie, and when many are [Page] beggered for euer, one is holpen Common weale payth to the ingros­ser not onely gayne: but also y ^t which he hath payde for vsury. with a halfepenny, which is the Ʋsurers charitie. Oh, I would a good Orator had this matter in hande, to paint out this mischiefe to some purpose, for here is mat­ter ynough, if a man did respect, as I said, but the common welth onely. But when wee consider the commaundement of god, and his compassion towardes men, and therewith remember howe this Ʋsurer regardeth it, or how he is moued with compassion to­wardes the poore thereby: wee Gods mercy and kindnesse moueth not vsurers, but a penny losse will moue them. shall see him not onely a sleepe, but starcke deade and senselesse like a blocke touching the one and the other. But in his own de­uice and vaine, we shall find him awake, aliue, stoute, and strong, yea so sensible: that if he lose but [Page 60] a penny: and that a hundred my­les of: yet hee feeleth that with griefe. God sayth, thou shalt not oppresse thy poore brother wyth Ʋsurie, mary (sayth the Ʋsurer) Ʋsurers will lend nothing to the poore, bicause they will not op­presse them. no more will I, for he gettes no­thing of me, neyther for Ʋsurie, nor withoute, for seeing it is a fault, to take vsurie of the poore: I will lende him nothing.

But howe then (I say) doth he regard this commaundement of our Sauiour? Lende freely, or lende looking for nothing. Or how doth he regard this saying? Loue thy neighbour as thy selfe. Surely to lend vpon Ʋsurie we see is forbidden, but not to lende at all when we see our poore bro­thers neede: may seeme to bee a greater fault, by the parable of the Talents, for he which hid his [Page] money was the worst man. And They that wyll not lend at all, being able, worse men than the vsurer. Iohn. 3. Saint Iohn sayth: If any man haue this worldes good, & seeth his brother to want, and shutteth vp his compassiō from him, how dwelleth the loue of God in him? can that man be sayde to loue his neighbour as himselfe? If that man himselfe were in neede: hee would bee holpen, so well hee lo­ueth himselfe, and if hee so loued Ʋsurers and mercylesse doe not feele what charme is, nor howe they woulde be done to by o­thers in their neede. his needie brother: he would e­uen so helpe his brother. If hee did as he would be done too: hee would relieue his poore brother, euen as he himselfe would be re­lieued in like case, for wee muste consider in doing as we woulde be done to: what we shoulde de­sire (lawfully) if wee our selues were in necessitie. And surelye whether we be rich or poore, we [Page 61] had rather (when we borrow) to borrow freely: than to pay vsu­rie for that we borrowe, though Ritche and poore: desire when they borow, rather to borow free­ly, than to pay vsury. some Ʋsurers to cloke their con­science will say, that they woulde gladly giue. x. or. xij. pounde in the hundreth when they neede, and thereby they woulde colour their faultes in taking vsurie, but they bee hypocrites herein, for their owne conscience will styll say, I had rather borrow freely, than for Ʋsurie, yea though they be riche. And their neede wherof they speake, is, when they might haue. xx. or. xxx. pound profite by The vsurers neede: is hys couetous af­fections in de­sire of gayne. loane of a hundreth pounde. In deede then they woulde giue ten pound in the hundred, rather thā go without it: but yet still it is true that they would rather bor­row freely: yea, & if they were in [Page] such neede as their poore neigh­bours are: they woulde willingly be holpen by loane, and yet loth to pay any vsury for it.

But as these are vtterly voyde of compassion, and without re­garde, or feeling of their poore Ʋsurers without com­passion or re­garde of gods lawe. neighbours miserie or want: so are they vtterly without regarde of God, or good lawes, except onelye for a face, and to lyue to serue their turnes.

For if they lende to poore and rich vpon vsurie, the poorer man If ritch and poore doe take at vsury: the poore shall pay the grea­ter vsury. shal pay the dearer price. If they lende not vppon Ʋsurie to the poore, they will lende him no­thing at all, and yet they will be still Ʋsurers: for to the rich they will lende for vsurie.

Whereby is seene that the ex­presse will of God is contemned [Page 62] in diuers pointes by them. For Gods wil ex­pressely con­tempned by by vsurers. (as I saye) if they lende to the poore, those shall paye dearer than the rich. If they be blamed or reprooued for that fault, they pull lending quite from them, & giue that which appertaineth to them vnto the riche. Whereby Though rich men be bound to helpe the poore: yet the poore cannot chalenge nor take it from them as of right. those poorer sort are not onelye defrauded of that charitie that belongeth to them: (though by the compassion and good will of men, for the poore cannot cha­lenge it) but also further oppres­sed by that dearth, which is pur­chased The lender for vsury, in lending to the ritch: doth therby aug­ment the mi­series of the poore. through the greedy ga­therings, of those riche that haue the same credit and money in oc­cupying, which the poore should haue had.

And surelye euen those riche The rich ta­ker at vsury: is woorse man than the lender at vsu­rye, or fully as yll. men that be takers of credite, are [Page] not inferiour to the Ʋsurers in wickednesse.

We haue a common Prouerbe in Englishe, if there were no re­ceyuer, there would be no theefe, and it holdeth surer in vsurie, to If there were no taker at vsury, there could none de­liuer at vsury. say, if there were no taker at v­surie, there woulde be no vsurie committed.

But these takers at vsurie, and especially the riche, doe take awaye all the credite that apper­tayneth to such as neede credite, and doe maintayne that cursed trade of vsurie, not onelye in ta­king, but also in extreeme deliue­ring. The riche ta­ker at vsurye doth it to en­grosse and to make a Mo­nopolion, and dearth in the middest of plenty by ta­king all into one hande. They make a dearth euen in the middest of plentie, by their Monopolion, and so vndooe, not only such from whome they take the common credit, but also ma­ny other poore whome through [Page 63] dearth made by these takers are not able to liue of their labours, with other extreeme hurts pas­sing explication, to the great de­cay of the common weale.

We reade that the breade of the Bread of the poore, the lyfe of the poore. Ecclesiasti. 34. poore, is the life of the poore, and he that defraudeth him thereof is a murtherer. Let these takers vp of poore mens credite consider what they do in this case. Some Many poorer doe lyue onely vpon credit. men haue nothing else to liue on, but by credit, and when he that hath of his owne otherwise to liue, will not onely take awaye this credit simply, but also will The rich ta­ker at vsury doth not one­ly take thys credite from hym: but also buyeth it from hym: a cruell acte. buye it away from the needy by vsurie: I cannot thinke him to bee better than a theefe, and a murtherer, and euen as ill as an Ʋsurer, or woorse, if woorse maye be: yea, surely I think ra­ther [Page] worse man than that Ʋsu­rer The rich ta­ker at vsury a murtherer, and woorse than the plain vsurer that lendeth but hys owne stock. who lendeth oute but hys owne stocke at vsurie. For this is a sure rule, the rich man that taketh things at vsurie: will, no doubt deliuer for Ʋsurie at a more cutting rate. For he wyll gayne euen by that hee hath ta­ken The rich ta­ker at vsury: wyll delyuer for vsury at a more cutting rate. at vsurie. So then he main­tayneth the Ʋsurer of whom hee taketh: and is himselfe an Ʋsu­rer in lending, and a most pesti­lent spoyler of his cōmon welth. A spoyler of the common wealth. And such men are those that commit vsurie in sale of wares, Greatest cut­ting in sale of wares, and other ne­cessaries. and in making exchaunge, yea, the Clothier and Stapler in wooll and cloth, and the Fermer in corne and other victualls, and Landlords in fines and extreme raysing of rentes (though fynes and rents raysed, be not proper­ly [Page 64] vsuries, but rather extortions, or oppressions,) so that all these spoile the nedy, and so generally the common welth. For though the playne mony Ʋsurer be iust­lye reproched of his vnlawfull The money vsurer: yl, the ware seller vsurer worse. trade and gaine: yet I thinke in iudgement hee maye condemne manye of these colourable Ʋsu­rers: which cut more depely vn­der a cloke and name of lawfull trade. If God condemne him (as doubtlesse he doth) that lendeth mony for vsurie, and taketh but x. pounde, or. xij. ouerplus: let no man be so madde, as to think, that he shall be allowed of, (but much more condemned) that len­deth for vsurie vnder colour of a contract in sale: and taketh. xx. xxx. or. xl. pounde in the hun­dreth. Neyther he that vnder the [Page] name of exchaunge lendeth for vsurie, & taketh. xv. or. xx. pound in the hundreth. Gala. 6.

Bee not deceyued, God is not God cannot be mocked, though men can deceyue men and pre­uent lawes, which yet god wyll punish. mocked, men maye bleare the eyes of men, & preuent by fraude the penall lawes (wherein yet they doe offende) but God can­not be deceyued, though this vice be cloked and clothed with neuer so many honest names & things, as sometime in buying and sel­ling, sometime in borowing and lending, somtime in exchaūging, sometime in Wooll, in Cloth, in Canuas, in a bale of Fustian, in Silkes and Mercery wares, Ʋsury hath chaunge of apparell, and that costly and dyuers. in Spices and Grocery ware, in Tapistrie. &c. And sometime drowned in Wine and oyle, som­time packed vp with herringes and other victuals, many times [Page 65] eaten vp in breade and meate, Ʋsury some­tyme is dronk vp in drinke, and eaten in meate, to the poysoning of the receyuer. and drunke vp in drinke: to the extreme infecting and vtter poy­soning of our common welth.

Hee that most hurteth, is the most vnprofitable member in a common wealth, and most noy­some to the whole body, and the He that most hurteth is the worse man, the greatest doer in these vsurary con­tracts, doth most hurt. more is taken and deliuered by these vsurarie contractes, the more hurt is done: and hee that most vseth such trade, and ther­with hath greatest doings, doth most hurt, and so consequentlye the worst man. Euen as he that killeth two men doth worse than he that killeth but one man, and hee that killeth three men, doth He that kyl­leth two men, doth worse than he that kylleth but one. &c. yet worse than he that killed two men, and so the more the worse.

I am not ignorant that these Ʋsurers, haue many obiections [Page] and many colours to paint out Ʋsurers ob­iections vain, and their cou­lours de­ceytfull. their trade in a faire shape, and to approue it necessary and com­modious in a common welth.

But as their obiections are Ʋsury turned out of his cote: is more vgly than an Ape. friuolous and vayne, so their I­doll being turned out of his faire cote: maye be seene to want the beautie of a most vgly Ape. And their commodities to be most de­testable The commo­ditie of Ʋsury is poyson. poysons to a common wealth.

Manye of them cannot, naye, they will not be perswaded, that God forbiddeth it in this order, they imagine that GOD ment thereby some other thing which Ʋsurers doe say that their trade is not forbidden in the ten com­maundemēts. men cannot vnderstand. For (say they) if it had ben of such weight, it would haue bene forbidden in the law of ten Cōmaundements.

And though this neede no an­swere, [Page 66] it is so peeuish and vaine, that euery childe maye see their ignorance: yet I will still keepe An aunswere. promise with them, and let them see their follie if they will, but they will not.

It is sayd in the last commaū ­dement, Thou shalt not desire a­ny Deu. 15. thing that is thy neyghbours: no though he be a riche man, and thou a poore man.

If I may not desire ought that is my neighbours contrarye to Mā may not desire anye thing that is his neighbors his will, much lesse maye I take it agaynst his will. But the Ʋsu­rer spying his neighbors neede, doeth watch occasion to make a gaine to himself of his neighbors neede: and so by a most subtile stealth windeth from him, hys The vsurer spyeth his neighbours neede, & ther­of maketh hys gayne most subtilly by a constray­ned, and not by a naturall consent. goods or part thereof by Ʋsurie, when he getteth his neighbours [Page] Will tyed to an extremity, eyther of neede or couetousnesse, and not naturally or charitably bent to giue that, which the Ʋsurer taketh of him. Then conclude: to desire my neighbours goods is Deutr. 5. To desire my neighbours goodes: is a­gaynst Gods lawe, but to take them, is a further fault, and to steale them by sub­tile craft, or colour of ho­nestye: is most yll, ther­fore vsurye forbidden in the last com­maundement. agaynst Gods lavv, and so a fault, but vpon that desire to take them is a further fault, and yet to take them by subtile craft, and vnder a coulour of willing, contract, and honest trade, is more subtyltie and greater fault. Wherefore, in as much as the lesser is forbiddē, the greater is in no wise tollera­ble. As in this commaundemēt, thou shalt not name god in vain, and if to name God vainely, bee breach of the law: much more is To name god in vayne: is breach of the law, to sweare by him vainly is a greater fault: but to drawe his name for a false wytnesse is blasphemy, and most hey­nous, and yet blasphemy not named in the ten [...] cō ­mandements. blasphemie breach thereof. As when men would call God to be a false witnesse, and yet in that [Page 67] commaundement blasphemie is not expressely named. But as is aforesayde, the lesse offence being forbidden: the greater can in no wise be allowed of.

Others obiect, they haue no trade, but a stocke left them, and if they shoulde not put it out for profite: it would soone be consu­med, Ʋsurers ob­iect that they haue none o­ther trade. and other thing they haue not to liue vpon.

To aunswere this obiection, I turne saint Augustine to them, who sayth. The Vsurer dareth speake on this sort. Non habeo a­liud August. in Psal. 128. vnde viuam, I haue none o­ther thing vvherby to liue. So may the theefe saye (sayth Augustine) Theefes, housrobbers, bawdes, wyt­ches and sor­cerers, maye excuse theire trades as wel as vsurers. being taken in the deede doing, or house robber, beeing founde brea­king vp the vvall, or the Bavvde buying Maides for the Stevves, & [Page] also the VVitch and Sorcerer, may say so vnto me in the sale of their malicious inchauntmentes, to the hurt of man and beast. &c.

Thus we se Augustines minde He that rob­beth hauing no neede: de­serueth more punishment, than the theefe that stealeth by meere ne­cessitie. in aunswering them, wherevnto this may be added, that he deser­ueth much greater punishment, who robbeth hauing no neede: than he, that doth it of necessitie. As for example, one man hath a stock, and an other nothing at all: Example. if he that hath no stocke, shoulde steale for his liuing, hee shoulde deserue death by the lawe, but if he that hath the stocke should yet steale: hee were a muche worse man. And such are the Ʋsurers: so thankfull they are, that they neuer consider of Gods liberali­tie towardes them, in leauing to them: y ^t which many a one wan­teth. [Page 68] They remember not howe many thousands are left without Many haue no stock, and yet they may not steale. stocke, and yet that they must not liue by stelth. For betwixt a thefe and an Ʋsurer, I know not any great difference, except in name, no more than Bernarde did, when he sayd: Quid est vsura? venenum patrimonij. Quid est vsura legalis? Barnardes difference be­twene a theefe and an vsurer. latro predicens quid intēdit. That is. What thing is Ʋsurie? A poi­son of patrimonie. What is such vsurie as is permitted by lawe? A theefe that before hand giueth warning what he mindeth to do.

I remember a tale concerning a theefe, that was indyted of fe­lonie, for robbing by the highe wayes syde, and being indyted by the name of Latro, was condem­ned The diffe­rence made by Skelton be­tweene Fur and Latro. by y ^e name of Fur, for which the theefe quarrelled, and sayde [Page] the Iudge had done him wrong. And when he would not cease ex­clamation: Mayster Skelton Latro rob­beth by the way side, but Fur a theefe robbing in the towne. the Poet, being a maister of wor­des, and cunning in Grammer, was called to declare the diffe­rence betweene fur and latro: whose answere was, that he saw no great difference betweene fur and latro, sauing this, that fur did Skeltons difference may be scarcelye made betwene the theefe and the vsurer, for the vsurer is the worse man. sit on the bench, and latro stoode at the barre. Now if that Iudge were a briber: than Skeltons aunswere was to be allowed of: but if he were an vpright Iudge: than Skelton did rashely & wic­kedly, so to aunswere those: that Psalme. 82. Exod. 22. Iudges called Gods in the Scripture. are called Gods, in respect that they haue the execution of Gods office on earth amongst men.

If suche a distinction as thys that maister Skelton made, may [Page 69] pleasure the Ʋsurers: I wil not We can speake no more ho­nestie of Ʋsu­rers with honestie. greatlye striue for it, though in deede the Ʋsurer bee rather the woorse man. For the theefe doth rob and runne away: but the Ʋ ­surer Comparison of the theefes actes, with the acts of vsurers. doth rob & tarie by it. The theefe robbeth but in parte, and perhaps is cut off spedily: the Ʋ ­surer robbeth continually night Ʋsurer rob­beth continu­allye. and daye, and ceaseth not till hee haue all and more to. The theefe is in feare of true men, and of True men in feare y ^t theues will put them in prison. lawes: the Ʋsurer maketh true men afrayde of imprisonment af­ter he hath robbed them, and is not in feare of the lawes, for hee Ʋsurers stu­die not to kepe good lawes, but howe by craft to pre­uent them. subtillye preuenteth them. The theefe lyeth in Newgate for hys fault, and the Ʋsurer walketh a­brode with no small countenance Little theefe in prison. Great theefe at libertie. of honestie: therefore the Ʋsu­rer the worse man. Yea the lear­ned [Page] wryters both Christian men and Heathen, doe compare them also with murderers. Saint Am­brose Ʋsurers cō ­pared to mur­therers, cho­kers and kil­lers of men. sayth, Vsuram pettere suffo­care est. To take vsury is to choke a man.

Cato a Heathen man, being as­ked Cato. what it was to lende vppon Ʋsurie: answered interogatiue­ly: Cicero. lib. 2. officio. brus. lib. 2. cap. 47. Quid hominē occidere? vvhat is it to kill a man? esteeming the Ʋsurer to commit no lesse fault than homicide.

Alphonsus King of Aragon a De reb. gest. Alphonsi, Alphonsus. zealous louer of iustice, conside­ring the trappes and subtiltyes of Ʋsurers: was woont to saye, Foenus nihil aliud mihi videtur: Ʋsurye the death of lyfe. quam fu nus animae. That is: V­surie seemeth to mee nothing else than the death of lyfe. Thus to be short, the Ʋsurers are compared [Page 70] not onely with theeues: but also with murderers, and to many o­ther odious thinges for theyr crueltie.

Basill sayth: Canes accipientes Basil. in Psal. 15. mansuescunt. &c. Dogges in re­ceyuing things do become gentle, but as for Vsurers: the more they receyue: the more cruell they be. Ʋsurers woorse than Dogges. And therefore Ambrose for theyr rauening, compareth them vnto the Sea, and worse, saying: Om­nes torrentes vadunt in Mare, & Ʋsurers woorse and more rauenus than the ra­ging Sea. Mare non adimpletur. That is, all riuers or brookes doe fall into the Sea, and yet the Sea is not filled. This Sea is Vsury, vvhich suppeth vppe (as a deuouring Gulfe) the goodes, landes, and large patrimo­nies Ʋsury a de­uouring gulfe. of manye: and yet this Sea it selfe, cannot be filled. Many do vse the Sea for their profite, and there­by [Page] many finde profite: but in this In vsury is shipwrack of all that a man hath. sea of Vsurie is shipvvracke of all.

Most Nations haue so muche abhorred an Ʋsurer, that what punishmēt they esteemed a theefe worthie of: they would lay twise Well ruled common welths haue executed vp­on vsurers: double pu­nishments, ouer that theefes had. Licurgus. Alex ab Alex de diebꝰ geni. Lucullus. Cato. so much vpon an Ʋsurer.

Licurgus banished out of Sparta all Ʋsurie, and taking of ouer­plus for lone.

Lucullus so infringed the liber­tyes of Ʋsurers, that he purged Asia of this wicked trade, which was almost drowned therein.

Cato draue them out of Cicilia.

Agesilaus Capitaine of the La­cedemonians, perswaded Agis, (who before him was king of the same people,) that the reconning bookes of the Ʋsurers, might be burnt. Which beeing graunted: the sayde Agesilaus to declare his [Page 71] hatred agaynst the vice and Ʋ ­surers, entred their houses, fette Ʋsurers bookes burnt vnder Agis king of Lace­demonia by Agesilaus, who was king after­warde. out theyr bookes, and heaping them togither in the Markette place: set them on fire before the Ʋsurers faces, who departing in heauie cheare: were derided of y ^e same Agesilaus: who laugh­ing Agesilaus laughed the vsurers to scorne in their heauynesse. at their sorrow, sayde: that he neuer sawe puriorem ignem, a more purer fire.

Claudius, and after him Vespa­sian, Claudius. Vespasian. Alexander Seuerus. and after him Alexander Se­uerus, made sharpe and bitter lawes agaynst Ʋsurers, which were put in execution accor­dingly.

And besides these punishments executed by heathen men, (who had good experience in common weales, what was cōmodious, and what hurtfull:) we are to re­garde [Page] with great heede that the Punishments of vsurers in the primatiue Church. primatiue Church did banishe, & excommunicate Ʋsurers frō the publike seruice in the Church: and also from perticipation of sa­craments, and after death, their bodies were cast out and not suf­fered to be layde with the deade bodies of such as were esteemed Ʋsurers not buried amōgst christen men. Christen men.

Wherby appeareth playne that Ʋsurers and their practises, were esteemed by the primatiue Church, worse than the eues and theft, and as ill as murtherers and murther.

And in deede it is no marnell, for besydes the extreeme mis­chiefes that they bring vpon the common wealth, (as before is partly shewed) their vsurie is the Ʋsury the ex­treme pulling in sunder of vnitie in the Church. extreme pulling in sunder of the [Page 72] vnitie of the Churche. Chryso­stome calleth it grauissimum ec­clesiae morbum, the most pesti­lent disease of the Church: for howe can there be an vnitie and There is no loue where one cutteth & scrapeth from another. loue amongest men, when one cutteth anothers throte by this wicked trade?

If a man will take vsurie for lone, he is voyde of all true loue and compassion, and by his acte procureth hatred to hymselfe: that as he loueth no man, so hee maketh that no man loueth him: Hee that wyll take vsury is voyde of com­passion. but the one against the other, beareth a warrelike and spoyling mind, though it lie subtilly hiddē, & be not in open wrath & anger, Ʋsury wor­keth hate, and subtilly hiddē. yet is it in desire to scrape one from another. And in this y ^t war­like hate consisteth, that y ^e one, so he may haue, though to the losse [Page] and hurt of the other: he is plea­sed, 2. Timo. 3. Ʋsury a fruit and seede of selfeloue, and a choker of christen loue, also a disoluti­on of christen loue and vni­tye in the Church. 2. Timo. 3. Iude. and glad, whereby selfe loue (but no Christen loue) is main­tained, and therefore the vnitie of the Church torne a sunder hereby. For Christen loue is the perfite bonde and knitting togi­ther of the Church, which vsury desolueth, and placeth selfeloue and common hatred.

Surely, if this poynt be noted, and this our time examined by No christen loue (almost) nowe: ther­fore vsury playde hys part. this rule of Christen loue, euen by the vnitie of the Church, wee shall finde that Ʋsurie hath now playde this hir part at full, and doth still poison more grieuously Ʋsury see­deth & poy­soneth styll. than at any time heretofore. The want of this vnitie in the church, namely, of Christen loue in the Want of chri­sten loue: a proofe of in­fidelitie and vsury. &c. multitude, will make men, if they consider their trades, to confesse [Page 73] themselues vsurers, yea, and in­fidels, and voyde of no fault.

For what man is he, from the Prince to the prisoner, that of loue or compassion will sell anye thing for dayes of payment, so No man will sell for tyme so good cheape as for money. good cheape as he would sell the same to haue ready money for it? Nay, what man will sell for rea­die money (except the needy) if No man will sell for money except the ne­dy: when. &c. hee may rayse a more gayne to himselfe by selling for time? or what is he that will deliuer hys money or other things by way of No man will exchaunge for tyme so good cheape as for money. exchaunge for a moneth, two or three, so good cheap: as he would to haue payment for the same, withall possible speede at sight? No man (ex­cept y ^t needie) wil exchaunge for sight vn­lesse. &c. nay, what is he y ^t wil deliuer his money or other thinges at sight (except the needie) if he can (by lone thereof for a moneth, two [Page] or three) make himselfe a greater gainer and get ouerplus? Sure­ly Argument that loue and compassion are extinct. 2. Tim. 3. Iude verye fewe. Rara auis in terris. Which argueth men generally to be voyde of christian loue and compassion. And yet some there Some (thou­ghe a small some) haue ceased selling of tyme. be, that haue left off dealing in that sale of time: God increase the number, for it is a small num­ber. Heathen men detested those that woulde witholde fyre, or the running streame from the Tyme more vniuersall thā fyre or water. needy, or that would sel the same bicause fyre and water are gene­rall. But the time is more vni­uersall, and therfore the sale ther­of more vnnaturall. But nowe I knowe the multitude, who are faultie will cry out and saye, this man meaneth to pull downe all Exclamation of the multi­tude. trade and occupying, why? take away the profite that men haue [Page 74] by selling and exchaunging of things for time: and take awaye all, for no man can liue without Pull awaye abuse and then the Deuill is dead. that benifite. Therefore surelye this man must needes be decey­ued, and vnderstandeth not right­ly of Ʋsury. For to sell wares for dayes, and thereby to aduaunce the price is so generall: that it cannot be Ʋsury, but must nedes be honest trade, for al men occupy it. And for the exchaunge, that The vnruely, desperate, and infidels: think men cannot lyue, except they do euyll to get their liuing therby. is so vncertaine a profite: that there may be disprofite therein. And therefore these thinges can­not be Ʋsurie, for if they shoulde, then al men in maner were Ʋsu­rers. Tushe, this is not possible, why how should men liue? And so they gather infinite absurdi­ties (as they thinke) to follow of this doctrine. &c.

[Page] Howbeit, I saye that I am so farre off, from condemning or hindering of all trade and occu­pying: that without trades (as borrowing and lending, bying Common wealthes can­not stande, nor men lyue wyth men: without trade and selling, and exchaunging) I saye neyther the common wealth can stande, nor men liue togither one with an other.

But as I doe allowe and like well of borrowing, lending, buy­ing, sellyng and exchaunging, in Bying, sel­ling. &c. allow­ed, yea to gain and to make of one hun­dred two hun­dred: so it be lawfully done. their owne nature, and as they are well vsed, and of the gaines that cōmeth thereby, ye though it be Centum pro cento: So doe I dislike vtterly, for God forbid­deth that such good trades should Ʋsury and a­buse of trades forbidden, and euery penny gotten that way wicked. be abused: or that anye pennie shoulde be gotten by abuse.

And yet it is to to lamentable, y ^t Sathan hath so much preuayled: [Page 75] as thus to make men count abuse to be a right vse, & Ʋsury a law­full Right estee­med wrong, & è contra: Sathans subtiltie. gaine. As for the vncertain­tye, that is alleaged in the gaine, had by the exchaunge: that I wil answere anon God willing, and Aunswere referred for the exchange. proue such a certain gaine therby as the same gayne shall be vsury.

And though there be sufficient­lye sayde already to proue, that a greater price taken of things sold for time, than else woulde haue bene made of them, is Ʋsurye: Yet take one example more by the way, and so an ende for that matter.

A man bringeth a horse to the Market, and would sell him for An example by a horse that vsury is com­mytted when any thing is solde deerer for tyme than for money. fiue pounde ready money, and so muche the horse is worth by the Market. There is an other man would haue the horse, but wan­ting [Page] money to paye for him pre­sentlye: desireth to haue a mo­nethes day of payment. The ow­ner of the horse is content to giue a moneth for payment: but than he wil haue. ij. shillings more for the horse: the buyer to serue hys nede, will not striue for two shil­linges, Horse seller will not for­beare fiue pounde for a moneth, but he wyll haue two shillings more for it. but is content to giue him at the day appoynted fiue pounde two shillings for the horse. Then I say, that the same two shillings taken for the time: is ouerplus, Hee lendeth not the horse but y ^e money, for he selleth the horse. and vsurie, for it is all one: as if the seller had taken fiue pounde out of his owne purse, and said to the buyer, here is fiue pounde take it, and giue me for the same, fiue pounde two shillings a mo­neth hence, and buye this Horse nowe of mee for fiue pounde, I haue lent thee fiue pounde in mo­ney [Page 76] to doe it.

Let no man dallye or thinke a difference where none is, or al­leadge varietie of Market, as Alteration of market no ex­cuse for the tyme seller. though perhaps some mā would afterward haue giuen fiue pound two shillings readye money, for the same horse.

The varietie of prises in one Market maye chaunce dyuers Ʋarieties of prises in one market, chaū ­ceth through the malice of men comonly. wayes, but commonly it chaun­ceth through the malice of men, who spying their neighbors nede doe make gaine thereof to them­selues.

But howsoeuer the markets doe vary in price of things, if any man doe take the more for lone, The tyme seller an vsu­rer, though he sell not so deere, as he might haue done for money. and bearing the time, hee is an Ʋsurer: the variety of the mar­ket excuseth him nothing at all, though such an horse as hee solde [Page] for fiue pounde two shillings, might within an houre after bee worth by the same Market ten pounde. For he that lendeth and taketh ouerplus in respect of hys lending, is an Ʋsurer.

Men that desire to cauill will Men neede not to cauill in narow points, for their actes are brode and manifest euyll. striue, and question in narrowe poyntes: but in their dealings & trades, no such narrow poyntes or difficulties neede to be questi­oned of: they are so apparantly wicked. As he that lendeth forty shillings, and for the lone there­of taketh. v. shillings a weke. Or he that lendeth a Portiguise, and taketh for lone thereof ten shil­lings These cruell Serpentlike vsurers: doe most com­monly spende their vnlaw­full gayne, wastfully. a moneth, (which being so euil gotten is often spent thorow Waste.) Or hee that selleth for time, wares, or other, fortie poūd (admit but ten pound) in the hun­dred [Page 77] aboue that he can make of thē in mony, (though he haue as­said y ^e market a moneth togither and more:) such men neede not to doubt or mooue question, whe­ther their gaine be vsurie or not: and yet euen those bee most apt to cauill, and to striue in narrow The cruellest vsurers are most apt to cauill in nar­row pointes, and to picke quarrels. These are such as re­gard not god. points, not to learne, but to driue their gaynesayers to the wall, and so scoffe at them. Which ar­gueth them to bee such as the Prophete Sophonie here threat­neth, namely, that neyther seeke for God, nor regarde him.

Nowe for the exchaunge it is true, that to make exchaunges: is by nature good, euen as buy­ing, To make ex­chaunge is in nature law­full. selling, lending and borrow­ing, are necessarie and good, of themselues being rightly vsed. For one man, one towne, and [Page] one country: hath plenty of those thinges, which an other lacketh, and such maye lawfully, buy and It is lawfull and necessary for countryes and men to make ex­change of mo­neys and cō ­modyties. sell, borrowe and lende, and ex­chaunge one with another, either ware for ware, or ware for mo­ney, or money for money: accor­ding as time, good occasion, mar­kets, and neede requireth for the commoditie of eche partie. So that in euery of these things men deale: as they woulde bee dealt In all lawfull exchaunges and bargains: vsurye and frawde must be excluded. withall according to Gods lawe, and that Ʋsurie, be vtterly exclu­ded their bargeins.

But as in buying, selling, bor­rowing, & lending, so in exchaun­ging it is to too manifest: that this rule of Gods law and chari­tie, In these dayes vsury and fraude are included, in ex­chaunges and bargaynes. is in these dayes vtterly ex­cluded mens bargayns, and Ʋ ­surie with vncharitablenesse in­cluded, [Page 78] to the great dishonour of GOD, slaunder of his Gospell, The Ghospel slaundered by vnlawfull trade in thys tyme. griefe of the Godlye, hurt of the common weale, and confusion (in the ende) to the offenders.

And to prooue that Ʋsurie is committed in exchaunge, I will first put an example by exchaun­ging That vsury is committed in exchaunge, a proofe by an example of corne. of corne, as Rie for Wheat.

Admit two men meete togi­ther, A. and B. the .xxvij. day of March. Anno domini. 1570.

A. would deliuer here in Eng­land. xx. bushels of Wheate, and for the same hee woulde haue in Flaunders. xxiiij. Bushelles of Rye, deliuered to him at sight, which might be the first of April.

B. woulde take this Wheate, and giue. xxiiij. Bushels of Rie for it in Flaunders, but hee can­not paye or make deliuerie of the [Page] same Rie, before the first daye of Maye.

A. Is content to giue the tyme which is a Moneth longer, but than he will haue a pecke of Rie The delyue­rer will haue a peck more vpon a score bushels: for a months for­bearaunce. more for tarying so long, for so is the course of exchaunge, and after that rate (sayth A.) if you will haue it you may take lōger time. Take if you will the first daye of Iune, and pay me then. xxiiij. and a halfe bushels of Rie, for I will not giue time, except I haue al­lowance for loane.

B. Why sir, that were vsurie? The taker is grieued wyth his bargains before he haue concluded it, and thinketh it vsury.

A. No sir, not so, for Rie may bee so plentifull there, within a Moneth or two: that my. xxiiij. and halfe Bushelles of Rie, will not then be worth to be deliuered backe into England. xix. bushels of English Wheate, and then I [Page 79] shall lose more by giuing of the The deliue­rers excuse by vncertaintie of gayne. tyme: than I take profite for the loane.

B. Yea sir, and it is euen as like­lye (and more likely) that by that tyme such scarcitie of Rie will be there: that for. xx. Bushels ther­of, you shall finde men ynowe, The deliue­rers obiection of vncertaine gayne answe­red by the ta­ker. will exchaunge wyth you and giue you here. xx. Bushelles of wheat, and then you haue a grea­ter gayne, than the ouerplus cer­taine that you take for lone: ther­fore y ^t is your hazard, by plentie or scarcitie, to gaine or lose.

A. Well, choose, whether you will take it or not, for I wil haue so much certaine onward, name­ly, Though the exchaunge vsurer doe knowe hys gayne to bee vsury: yet he will haue it. a pecke of Rie vpon the score, for euerye moneths forbearance, or else I will not giue time but be payde at sight.

[Page] Nowe, B. needing bread corne here, doth take this. xx. bushels of Neede ma­keth the olde wyfe trot. Wheate, to paye for the same in Andwarpe the first day of Iune: xxiiij. and a halfe bushels of Rie.

A. desireth to haue his Rie de­liuered in Andwarp the first day of Iune. 1570. according to bar­gein, being. xxiiij. bushels & half.

B. is disappoynted, and must therefore borrowe to pay. A. and so telleth hym, and that he hath The debtor disappointed or vnable. none other way of borowing but by exchaunge.

A. is content to deliuer the same Rie to B. by exchaunge, and to take wheate for it in England, as The creditor content to giue longer credit for more vsury. the exchaunge goeth the first day of Iuly, which is a moneth after.

B. woulde take it according to the rate of exchaunge, and giue The debtor would take day of pay­ment for his owne ad­uauntage. him Wheat for it in England the [Page 80] first of September.

A. No sir? I will deliuer none for that tyme, for then I knowe haruest will be had in, and a bu­shell The creditor foreseeth har­uest as well as the debtor, and therefore will delyuer none for that tyme. of Wheat will then be scarce woorth in price, that a bushell of Rie is nowe worth, euery man will then haue corne ynough. &c. But pay me Wheate in England The creditor wyll gyue a yeares day: to haue vsury according to the rate of ex­chaunge. this day twelue moneth, and al­lowe mee for the tymes forbea­rance after the rate of exchaūge, and you shall haue it.

B. The exchaunge is now that for euery. xxiij. Bushels and a A rate of ex­chaunge for a moneth. halfe of Rie here deliuered: the taker should pay in England at a Moneth. xx. bushels of Wheate.

A. And you knowe that for e­uerye monethes forbearing of a score of Wheate: the rate of ex­chaunge yeeldeth a pecke of Rie. [Page] Nowe I shall forbeare it a. xj. Monethes aboue vzance, which is a. xj. pecks of Rie for the single score of Wheate, which taken out The exchange creditor (by the neede of the debtor) buyeth with 83. pecks of Rie deliuered afore hand: so much Wheate as woulde haue cost him 94. pecks of Rie, if he had then presently receiued the same Wheate. of. xxiij. Bushels and a half, there will remayne twentie Bushels, and three peckes of Rie. And if xx. Bushelles and three pecks of Rie do yeelde me. xx. Bushels of Wheate: than. xxiiij. Bushelles and a halfe of Rie, will yeeld me (after that rate) xxiij. Bushels and almost thre pecks of Wheat: whiche you must paye to mee in England this dya. xij. monethes.

B. It lacketh more than halfe a pecke, but I will answere you Misreconing is to be re­vewed. at the daye according to the ex­chaunge, although I had of you at the first, but. xx. bare Bushels Wheate is in­creased and yet was ne­uer sowne, but eaten and con­sumed in the vse, which must needes be a miracle. of Wheate: and you must haue of me aboue. xxiij. and a halfe bu­shels, [Page 81] which is more than after xvij. pounde ten shillings in the hundred that I lose by taking it.

A. And for that, you haue the The creditor selleth. 14. months time for. 14. pecks of wheate, he might wyth as good au­thoritie haue soulde hym 14. moneths wynde. occupying thereof aboue. xiiij. moneths.

B. It was eaten in ten weekes, and so consumed in the vse, and yeelded mee no profite, neyther shoulde you haue had any profite thereof: but that you take a pecke vpon the score for euery moneths Wheate yeel­ded the taker no increase: for it was ea­ten vp in ten weekes. forbearaunce, and mee thinketh that is Ʋsurie.

Thus you see by this example, that a certaine ouerplus is taken A certaine gayne by ex­chaunge, namely a peck of corne taken for twenty bushels for­born a month. by exchaunge for lone, namely, a pecke of Rie vppon euerye score Bushels of wheate forborne for a moneth. And so you see that a­gainst nature it begetteth vsury, although in the vse it bee consu­med [Page] as such like thinges be.

And thys I haue put here, not to approue that corne is in thys sort exchaunged, but onely for an This, afore­sayde, not in vse: but an example and liuely Image of y ^t exchange corrupted with vsury. example to shew a proportion of the exchaunge and certain gaine thereby.

And least Marchauntes and such as frequent the exchaunge should be ignorant what I mean Examination of the thing it selfe in vse. herein: I will also expresse it e­uen in moneyes, wherein their common trade is, and will take for an example, the exchaunge passing betwixt London & And­warpe.

Suppose that the exchaunge on the Burse at London for And­warpe Exchaunge. this daye is at. xxiij. shil­lings. iiij. pence sight, that is, for xx. shillinges sterling deliuered Exchaunge at London, for Andwarp at sight. this daye in London: the taker [Page 82] must pay. xxiij. shillings. iiij. pence Flemish, at the arriuall of his bill in Andwarpe, which commonly is within foure or fiue dayes af­ter the taking at the farthest.

Nowe there is one that hath a hundred pounde to deliuer, and A deliuerer meeteth wyth a taker, the taker requi­reth vzance for payment. there is another that desireth to take the same, and will paye him Flemish money for it at vzance, which is a iust moneth after the taking.

The deliuerer is content to let the taker haue the tyme required The deliuerer content to graunt tyme to the taker that wyll pay for it. which is a Moneth, but for the same tyme hee will haue three pence, or foure pence Flemishe more, vpon euery pound sterling, which the taker knoweth to be a custome, and agreeth to take the hundred pounde so, being glad if he can haue it for a moneth, pay­ing [Page] but three pence more vppon euery pounde: for the poorer sort The poorer sort shall paye foure pence for that which the rich shall haue for three pence. doe commonly paye foure pence more vpon euery pound for a mo­neths tyme, and three pence in a pounde is. xxv. shillinges in the hundred pound, and if a hundred Three pence for a moneths lone of twenty shillings: is after. xv. pound in the hundred by the yeare. pounde gaine. xxv. shillinges in one moneth, in will gaine in. xij. Monethes after that rate. xv. pound, and this is the easiest losse that commonlye the taker doeth Fiftene pound pro cento per annum is the easiest losse by ex­chaunge. sustaine by the exchaunge.

And if the taker will haue two moneths day of payment (which is called double vzance:) than he shall pay six pence Flemish more Double uzans is. ij. months, and for that tyme the de­lyuerer wyll haue sixt pence vpon a pound. vppon euery pounde at the least. So that for the lone of a hundred pound for a moneth: the deliue­rer will haue. xxv. shillings Fle­mish at the least. And if he deli­uer [Page 83] it for double uzance (that is A hundered pounde at that rate, is. 25. shillings a moneth, by certayne co­uenaunt. two moneths:) hee will haue for the lone thereof, at the least, fiftie shillings.

And I am sure he that knoweth what Ʋsurie is: cannot denie but this is Ʋsurie, vnlesse he denye y ^t Certaine co­uenantings for certayne gayne for lone is vsury. which he knoweth to be true.

For, besides this, that it is a­gainst nature, to make money a Marchaundize: yet when it is Against na­ture, that mo­ney should be made a Mar­chaundize to rise & fall: as the pounde sterling is bought and solde, some­tyme deerer, sometime bet­ter cheape. &c. and also in re­spect of tyme, which is the certaine ouer­plus: & vsury. made a marchādize, ouerplus is taken for the lone of it. For when by the market a pound sterling is worth. xxiij. shillings foure pence Flemishe, if any man will bor­row it for a monethes tyme: hee must paye. xxiij. shillinges seuen pence Flemish for it at the least, and if he wil borrow two months tyme for it: hee must pay. xxiij. shillinges ten pence at the least. [Page] So that a very certain ouerplus is couenaunted for aforehande, and taken for the lone.

Nowe for their obiection tou­ching y ^e vncertaintie of gaine by exchaunging, whereby exchaun­gers woulde excuse and deliuer Exchaungers obiection of vncertaintye: is nothing but to proue them woorse vsu­rers: than the plaine money vsurers. themselues, and the exchaunge from the cryme of Ʋsurie: it may be seene alreadie to bee nothing: but yet further, I saye, the same obiection is eyther nothing to purpose: or else suche a thing as doth proue this vse, (I shoulde say abuse) of the exchaunge, to be worse than plaine Ʋsurie, rather than in anye respect qualifie the haynousnesse of the vice, as shall appeare.

The obiection is this, that the deliuerer in giuing of a moneth, or two moneths time to the ta­ker [Page 84] for payment, may haps lose Perhaps a blinde manne may catch a Hare. more than that which hee taketh ouerplus for the same tymes lone: the reason is, that the price Perhaps the skie may fall, and so wee may haue Larkes. of money is so variable, through plentie or scarcitie thereof, that when he shall receyue his. xxiij. shillings. x. pence Flemish at the two moneths ende, it is (by rate But in deede it is past per­haps that (if thys exchange vsurer doe not repent) hee may go to the deuill. of exchaunge, as the price then may haps to be) not woorth his principall, namely the pounde sterling which hee deliuered at the first, and then the deliuerer getteth nothing but loseth.

To this their obiection I aun­swere, that as there is hazarde An answere to the obiecti­on of vncer­taintie of gain in y ^e exchange. to haue the market better or worse for the deliuerers turne, when he shall haue giuen time for his money: so there is euer (or most commonly) more like­lyhode [Page] of profite to growe to the Commonly more gayne by selling tyme ouer and a­boue the cer­tayne coue­naunt, than by deliuering at sight. deliuerer by giuing of time, than by selling his money for readye money: I meane hazard of more gayne, ouer and aboue the cer­taine ouerplus couenaunted for, being three pence or foure pence in the pounde sterling for euery moneths forbearance. As part­ly is seene in this, that the deli­uerer will not deliuer his money The deliuerer will not dely­uer for sight, which argu­eth that to de­lyuer for tyme is his more profite. at sight, but at vzance or double vzance (as they call it) except he spye a more profyte to growe thereby to him, and then the ta­ker gettes no money of him at double vzāce. For note this, that Exchaunge vsurer not lesse prouident to foresee hys owne gayne, than the mo­ney vsurer. the exchaunging Ʋsurer is not lesse prouident to foresee his market: than the plaine money Ʋsurer. And except they both foresee good markets to fall out [Page 85] on their side, the taker may take If vsurers doe not fore­see a gayne by letting their money by ex­chaunge, or other: the ta­ker, may take his cap, and go take But­terflyes, hee gettes no mo­ney of them. his Cap and go take Butterflies for any money he shall take of thē how great soeuer his neede be.

And in deede the playne vsurer maye obiect thys vncertaintye of gaine, as well as the exchaun­ging vsurer, and as honestlye it serueth his turne. For hee maye saye: I lende my money for sixe Monethes, bee it an hundreth The playne vsurer maye obiect the vn­certainety as well as the craftye ex­change vsurer poundes, and for the lone I take but fiue or sixe pound, and before that time (perhaps) there maye chaunce such an abasement of the coyne, that for my ounce of siluer Perhaps an abasement of the coyne: and so per­haps losse that way to the vsurer. deliuered, I shall receyue per­haps but three quarters, or halfe an ounce, and shall I not then lose? yea, and though this ex­tremitie happen not, yet hee to whom I lende my money maye [Page] proue a bankrupt, and so I may May haps the vsurers debtor may be banckrupts, and then he looseth that waye. lose the principall and all, and though I haue landes bounde in statute or otherwise, yet there maye prooue such a iarre in the May haps the vsurers assurance may be vnsure and nothing woorth, and then he maye lose that way. title, that when I thinke my selfe most surest of it, the right heires may keepe mee from it, for the worlde is full of starting holes. And though none of these things happen, yet the Merchants may It is most likely and common that Marchaunts may be full of money by sale of their com­moditie, when the vsurer shal receyue hys money of the debtor. (in that tyme) haue broughte home, and made money of their commodities, and then euerye mans handes may be full of mo­ney: and so shall I haue no mar­ket for my money, but must bee forced to lende it for a trifle, or else let it lye deade on my hande, This reason hath most af­finitie wyth the exchaunge vsurers ob­iection of vn­certaintie. and therfore my gaine is vncer­taine. So farre the vsurer.

But yet all these colours not­withstanding, [Page 86] besides a number But it is past perhaps, that the vsurer is not the lesse an vsurer though hee make these obiections or a thousande such lyke. more which vsurers haue: he is not the lesse an vsurer, for in the bargaine making he couenaun­teth for a certayne ouerplus for lone besides his principall, be it after ten or twelue pound in the hundreth by the yeare.

And so doth thexchaunger take a very certain ouerplus for lone, No more doth the ex­chaunge vsu­rers obiecti­ons excuse them, but is therby proued y ^e worse men, in that they take grea­ter vsury. which he couenanteth for afore­hand, euen as the Ʋsurer doth, sauing that where the playne v­surer lendeth for ten or twelue pounde gaynes in the hundreth, this subtill exchaunging vsurer will haue twentie pounde, seuen­tene pounde ten shillings, or. xv. pounde at the least in the hun­dreth for a yeares lone. And it is further seene that there groweth a certaine gaine to the deliuerer, [Page] by this, that the taker loseth so much, if he doe continue a taker, that he is sure to become as pore as Codrus, though before he had The takers certayne or extreme losse: doth prooue that the deli­uerer hath an extreme and sure gaine by exchaunge. bene as riche as Craessus. And so their obiection of vncertainty (as I sayd) proueth them worse Ʋ ­surers than the playne vsurers, rather thā in any respect quallify their crime in such exchaunging.

Therefore I councell all the exchaunging Ʋsurers (whereof the worst sort are such as deliuer their money to and fro, vpon this exchaunge, and make it a conti­nual trade to gaine by:) that they The worst vsurers by ex­chaunge, be such as dely­uer money to and fro, and make a trade thereof to gaine by. no longer flatter themselues in this vnlawfull and vngodly get­ting, vnder such light coloures of vncertaintie. For whatsoeuer they saye, to excuse them from fault, and to bleare mens eyes, [Page 87] yet if they haue herein any good Let not vsu­rers by ex­chaunge flat­ter (or think) themselues as none offen­ders, bicause of these cou­lours of vn­certaine gaine. Psalme. 1. iudgement, their owne conscien­ces doe yeelde them guiltie, for they know they walk in the path of sinners. And if they knowing their faultes, will yet continue the same: they stande in the way of sinners, and maintaine sinne. And if they doe not speedily giue eare to God, and come out, they When men haue know­ledge of their faultes, and yet wyll con­tynue therein: they may loke for yll successe. maye looke to become pestilent scorners of God, and deriders of his worde, and then wo worth them for euer: for they are such as neyther seeke for God, nor yet regarde him, to whom this Pro­phet Sophonie here threateneth destruction & euerlasting ruine.

And though fooles (as Salo­mon Prouerb. 12. Prouerb. 15. sayth) doe hate to be reproo­ued, and despise correction, and care not for instruction, but in [Page] their foolish rage (as Dauid wit­nesseth) Psalme. 2. Thoughe fooles and godlesse will not regarde: yet the godly wyll cease from their faultes. would breake all honest bondes, and cast aside farre from them the cordes that should bind them, in louing and christian o­bedience: yet the godly will con­sider with regarde of God, and will come out from amongst thē, by ceassinge from such wicked trades. Knowing that it is better to bee a doore keeper in the house Psalme. 84. of GOD: than to dvvell in the glorious tentes of the vngodlye: and that God loueth the verie ga­tes Psalme. 87. or entryes of Sion: more than he loueth all the gorgious dvvel­lings of Iacob besides. Knowing also that God careth for his chil­dren, God careth for the righ­teous. Psalme. 84. and that no good thing shall be vvithholden from them that liue a godlye life, and that a small thinge that the righteous hath, is The godly shall haue things suffi­cient, and shal not want that which is good for them. [Page 88] better than great riches of the vn­godlye.

Knowing on the other syde, that those who drawe backward from God, and will continue in their wickednesse: The Lord shal Psalme. 122. Psalme. 2. God shal lead forth the wic­ked, with e­uill doers, and vexe them in his wrath, and burst them in peeces Psalme. 45. leade them forth vvith euil doers, and that he shall speake to them in his vvrath, and vexe them in hys heauie anger: also that he hath set his king vpon his holy hill, vvho hath fulnesse of povver vvith hys righteous Scepter, to burst the vn­godlye in peeces, euen as a potter vvith an yron rodde should burst in peeces an earthen potte.

And though Townes, Cities, Countryes, and Kingdomes, be No nation free from v­surie at this time. so vniuersallye drowned in thys vice, that few or none are free, so that it may seeme a wonder past wonders, if this should be Ʋsu­rie: [Page] how so wicked a thing should Though all the worlde were Ʋsu­rers: yet that were no ex­cuse sufficient for any one to continue in taking vsury. so ouerflowe, that the vice should come to be accoūted honest trade as nowe it is thought to bee: yet let the godly not maruel so much hereat, as to consider howe all Christendome was for a longe Not so great a maruell that vsury is counted ho­nest trade: as that Idolatry was counted the pure ser­uice of God. tyme drowned in Idolatrie, and the same Idolatrie thought and accounted to be the pure seruice of God.

For if in religion, men were so deceyued generally through chri­stendome: it is not so great mar­uell Heathen as great doings in trades: as christians haue. to see common trades cor­rupted, wherein the vngodly and heathen, haue had as great exer­cise & doing as Christians haue.

The way is to come out from 2. Tessa. 3. Apocalips. 18. Numbers. 16. amongest them by ceassing from their wicked trade, and to buye, sell, and exchaunge, according as [Page 89] Gods lawe doth allowe, whiche the Godly will do, and those that Those that will not cease from vsury are wicked. will not, but wil continue in their Ʋsuries, and wickednesse: are vngodly, and so may they well be called, though all the cappes and Cappes or knees, or o­ther reuerence done to vsu­rers: cannot make them honest men. knees in a kingdome should prop vp their estimation.

And though they say that men cannot otherwise liue by trade, and that vnlesse this bee vsed all trade must cease, & that there shal The vsurers thinke all is marde, when they must leaue their wickednesse. be nothing to doe, yea, & though they aske how men shall liue, and moue other questions infinit: yet I aunswere and say, that howso­euer men shall liue, though they be neuer so poore, they may not Howsoeuer men lyue: they may not break Gods law to lyue, no more than a man may steale for his lyuing. breake Gods lawes to liue, as to murder, or steale for liuing. For as the Iudge maye iustlye con­demne the theefe or murtherer, [Page] bicause he got not his liuing by labour truly: so the high Iudge may say to those that breake hys lawes for their liuing, why didst thou seeke otherwayes to lyue than I commaunded thee? Why hast thou so wickedly aspired and set thy selfe aloft in higher place, than I appoynted thee, by dea­ling in trade which my lawe for­biddeth thee?

If fyre had consumed all that Though all our goodes were lost by fire or water: yet might we not steale for lyuing. thou haddest, or waters ouer­flowed thy dwelling and liuings: yet were it not lawfull for thee to steale or to rob for thy liuing.

But if thou haue anye thing to When men haue some­thing and yet will steale or commit vsu­ry: they are more guilty then y ^e neede­full theefe. liue on, and yet to climbe higher wylt vse theft or Ʋsurie to main­taine thee aloft and at ease: thou art then a manifold offendor.

And in deede while men are [Page 90] generally so disordred, that with­out regarde of Gods loue or his lawe, they all runne oute of the Ʋnlawfull port & coun­tenaunce wyll haue vnlaw­full meanes to gayne for the maintenance thereof. waye, and for the most part will climbe vp aboue theyr owne pla­ces and degrees, while they will haue large houses, costlye proui­sion, dainty diet, & braue apparel, Chest filled with money, and ser­uauntes ynowe to worke while they play, and take their ease, and so call that necessitie, whiche is superfluitie, and call that resona­ble spending, which is prodigali­tie, call that comelinesse which is Loftie minds, and costlye prouision: are forerun­ners of mans desiruction. totoo far costly and garish, & that to be moderate dyet, which is ex­cesse, and will maintaine a coun­tenaunce in the world as world­lings: in suche a Chaos and con­fusion Chaos. (so long as it continueth) there is no redresse to bee looked [Page] for. For such vngodlye and inor­dinate spending: muste needes haue vngodlye and inordinate getting to maintaine it. For God The vngodly like not of gods blessing: and therefore wyll blesse themselues in the Deuils name. hath not promised to blesse mens labours: vnlesse they keepe them within the limits of his law. But these vngodlye like not of those limits, nor blessing: and therfore they will blesse themselues tyll Gods cursse roote them out.

And though the niggard be not such a countenaunce keeper, or so costly a spender: yet he desireth The niggard and the prodi­gall or vayne man: will feede their de­sires by hooke and crooke, and tushe for Gods law. &c. as muche to fill his Coffers, as these desire to maintayne theyr port & pleasure: so that they may go togither. For the greedinesse of their desyre is such: that they will still feede the same desyre with gaine: be it by stelth, extor­tion, oppression, vsurie, or anye [Page 91] other meane, bee it with Gods lawe or agaynst it: followe and feede theyr desyre, they will not of necessitie (let them so conclude as long as they lyst:) but to fulfill their couetous affections and Ʋsury in cō ­mon trade at thys tyme the fittest, & grea­test mayntey­ner of vayne ostentation and pride. worldly pleasures. And amongst all things, that maye serue theyr turne: there is not one so com­mon and generall for them, at thys tyme (trades being as they are,) as is this vice of Ʋsurie. Wherin not onely y ^e rich, but also the meane man, yea and the pore Riche men and poore: faulty in vsury. (so farre as he can) is a doer, ey­ther by lending or borrowing at Ʋsurie.

And surelye though the poore man may allege neede for his de­fence in borrowing at Ʋsury: yet I cannot account him cleare of fault therein. For, besides thys, [Page] that he may be perhaps through The poore man doth not well in taking at vsury. his owne negligence or prodiga­litie fallen into that neede: when he is in that neede to go borrowe vpon Ʋsurie: is to make himself more needie, and to maintayne a Ʋsurer in his wicked trade. And if the needie bee not excusable in The riche manne doth worse in ta­king at vsury. taking at Ʋsury: much lesse are these excusable that hauing no neede, will take at vsurie. For, those doe it (as before is shewed) for a further mischiefe.

And for the better vnderstan­ding Three sortes of takers, and three sortes of deliuerers at vsury. hereof: admitte three sortes of takers, and three sortes of de­liuerers at Ʋsurie.

Of deliuerers, one sort are such as lend their mony or wares after the rate of. x. or. xij. pounde by the yere, and so content them­selues.

[Page 92] Another sort do thinke after. xv. xx. or. xxx. pound in the hundred to little, which they will cutte out by sale of wares and exchaunge.

The third sort are such as will lende money or wares, or both, and cut that waye as deepely as they can, & get landes and leases for assurance, or Plate in pawne, double or treble the value of that they lende: and in the end scrape all into their owne hands, or else The worst vsurer. they will fayle of their purpose, though in deliueraunce of theyr wares and money: they preten­ded great friendship toward the Ʋsurers friendship like the Serpent Cerastes vait. Isidor. lib. 12. taker. And these I doe account the worst sort of Ʋsurers or ex­torcioners. And their friendship is much like the bayte of the ser­pent called Cerastes, which ser­pent hath so lothly a bodye: that [Page] euery eie (but specially the Birds eie) doth abhorre to beholde him. And yet aboue all meate: his de­sire is to eate birdes flesh. But he The Serpēt Cerastes hornes: lyke two wormes, baytes for birdes to their destruction. cannot flie, for he is a creeper and hath not wings, and therefore to obtaine his pray or desire, he co­uereth himselfe in sand, al sauing his two lyther hornes that grow in his forehead: which he layeth aboue vpon the sande, like two wormes that were comming out of the earth: when the birds espy y ^e same like Wormes, & suppose to haue foode thereon, they light downe to take them, and so are thereby made foode to the Ser­pent, which they woulde neuer If y ^e pore ta­ker did know the venomous baytes of v­surers: they would be­ware of their byting. haue beene: if they coulde haue seene the lothly beast. No more think I would such men as take of these worst Ʋsurers: if they [Page 93] sawe theyr foule and rauening mindes towardes them.

And of takers at vsury, one sort taketh, hauing no neede, but to engrosse markets, & so to make a Monopolion of thinges, and cōsequently a dearth in the midst of plentie, and free markets to This taker worse in a common weale than he that runneth away withall, and therefore a vengeaunce honest man. be bound to his couetous desire: to what hurte of the common weale, a man of meane iudge­ment may partly see.

Another sort of takers at vsu­rie, are such as take with one hande, and deliuer it with the o­ther hand out at vsurie to a more cutting rate, eyther money or wares: and these are suche as lacke stocke, and yet will bee oc­cupiers. And though some of He that thry­ueth mosts after thys sort: is the worst in a cō ­mon weale. these thriue, yet is their stocke accursed: beyng vnhonest gayne. [Page] And though they thriue, yet it is to the great hurt of the common weale, and therfore better than they and their trade were both cut off.

But for the moste parte, they thriue at the three termes (as they say) & become bankruptes. The thirde sort of takers at vsu­rie The purse ta­ker maketh speede. Psalme. 36. are such as will take all, (and more to if they coulde come by it) with a minde aforehande neuer to repay that they borrow.

And sometime this extreeme taker doeth match with the ex­treeme deliuerer. And being as craftye as the deliuerer, doth so Courtly cur­tisie, and gay greeting. surely espie his Cerasticall lither horns that he pulleth them quite out of his head. For the deliuerer Like vnto like quoth the deuill to hys derling. seeing the takers neede: mindeth to rake him euen to the harde [Page 94] bones, yea, to pull out his bow­els, and to make him anotomie. But the taker giueth him fayre wordes minding to requite hys gentlenesse: by running awaye One friend­ship asketh an other. with all, when he seeth his most aduauntage. Surely if euer the One theefe robbeth an other. Deuill make good cheare, he is at dinner and daunceth for ioye The Deuill at dinner with hys guestes. when these two cleane mindes are thus met togither. Nowe in comparing these sortes of Ʋsu­rers Comparison of vsurers. one with another: the plain money Ʋsurer who occupieth but his owne stocke, shall bee found to doe least hurt, and ther­fore the best of this broode. But there bee lacke of Saintes, Lack of saints where the de­uill beareth the Crosse. where the Deuill beareth the Crosse, and therefore a pure pro­cession.

I knowe it will bee sayde that [Page] a fault is easilye founde, but to A fault more easily founde than amended. bring a redresse herein, maye seeme vnpossible, vnlesse al trade should be taken away.

Howbeit, I am not ignorant, that if mercy, or compassion, did possesse rich mens heartes, and If mē would be honest: faults were soone amen­ded. truth and fidelitie the hartes of the poorer: a redresse were sone had of these mischieuous abuses.

And though some rich men wil neuer regarde God nor his law, Psal. 28. Though the vngodly, riche nor poore will neuer regarde God: yet all men may not so contynue in euils with them. nor compassion, nor though some poore men will neuer bee trustye nor honest: shall all riche and all poore men therfore go on still in euils with them? Nay, Goddes worde must bee regarded aboue lyfe: much more then must it bee Gods worde must be re­garded aboue lyfe. regarded aboue our affections. God by his worde doth call men from their euils to repentaunce [Page 95] and holye life. And though the hartes of the wicked bee so har­dened that their eares bee stopped Psal. 81. Math. 3. Psal. 58. God by hys worde doth call men from sinne. Psal. 11. 82. 74. &. 109. The wicked wil not turne. God prepa­reth the harts of the godly. Psal. 33. 10. like the deafe Adder, and that they vvill not turne nor feare God, as Dauid sayth, yea, though all the foundations of the earth be out of course, yet the godlye shall and will regard God, and sigh in de­testation of their faults, and call to GOD for redresse, and they shall be hearde. For as Dauid in another place, sayth: Thou Lord hast prepared their harts, and thine eare hath harkened thereto.

And once to begin a redresse in trades, and to abolish this vice of vsurie: let the rich giue to the The amend­ment of abu­ses: in occu­pying. poore liberallye, and lende to the needy freely. For therefore God made him riche.

Let the rich buyer buye of the [Page] poore seller, and giue him his Let rich men lende to poore men, and yet freely. money without cutting him.

Let the riche seller sell to the poore buyer, and giue him time as good cheape as if the buyer Men are made riche: to helpe the poore. had payde ready money.

Let the needy that can get free Let poore men take no credit by gy­uing vsury. credit take it, and vse it in Gods feare, whether it bee wares or money. And if God blesse his la­bours with encrease: let him Let poore men pay their creditours truly, and re­warde them if they be able. thankfullye consider his creditor (though he looke not for it) with some of the gayne, for hee was Gods good stewarde in lending The riche man is Gods stewarde. to him and helping him in his neede.

Let the riche delyuerer by ex­chaunge: deliuer his money to Exchaunger must not post his money to and fro lyke a hackney horse. the needie for a moneth or two, as good cheape as for sight, and let no man make a hackney horse [Page 96] of exchaunge. Let the riche men Rich ought to take no credit, but lyue of their owne. take no credite from the poore: but let the rich liue of their owne stocke.

Let no man, poore nor rich lend Riche nor poore ought not to lende vpon vsury. eyther wares or money, or anye thing else vpon vsurie (that is) to haue more for it by the tyme, than he would take in readie money.

Let no man, poore nor riche, Riche nor poore ought not to take at vsury. take or borrow eyther money or wares, or ought else, vpon vsu­rie, (that is) to paye more for the tyme: then they might haue the same for readie money. For Bar­narde sayth: Doe any slauerie ra­ther Sel patrimo­ny rather than borrow at vsury. than sell thy patrimonie: but yet rather sell thy patrimony: than to borrovv at vsurie.

Let not him that is minded to buy (or may buy) lands or other things (at aduauntage) though [Page] he see to haue them: borrowe at vsury to compasse such bargeins. For I thinke such a bargeine is Thoughe gayne be seene aforehande: yet that gaine doth not be­long to hym that without taking at vsu­ry: cannot attayne it. not allotted to him by Gods al­lowance: vnlesse hee haue of his owne to buye the same. For be­sides that, we see the hurt in brea­king Gods law by vsury: we also see commonly, what ciuil discom­moditie groweth by such doyng: If patrymo­nye must be solde, rather than for neede to take at vsu­ry: then men ought not to take at vsury to buy patrimony landes or other. namely, that he who taketh mony vpon vsurie, to buy and compasse the same: is forced to rayse it vp­pon his poore tenaunts by extor­tion, or vpon the common weale otherwayes, or else vndo himself at vsurie. Eyther else hee hath craftilye caught from his neigh­bour Men that make a gayne of their neigh­bours neede or folly: doe not as they would be done to. in spying his neede: a thing that was muche better than the mony he payed for it, and so done otherwyse than hee woulde bee [Page 97] done to.

Thus by a taste you may con­sider Thus good trade, not de­stroyed, but mainteyned. howe redresse may be had: and yet no trade destroyed, but rightly maintayned. As the right Marchant men, will beare mee witnesse. For onely agaynst cor­ruption of trades I speake, and Corruptions of trades only spoken a­gainst. cannot doe lesse, vnlesse I should neglect my charge, and so leaue to heauye a burthen vpon myne owne backe.

Put away therefore this cor­ruption Ʋsurie, and deale fayth­fully, truely, and charitably one Gods law is our best rule, if that be not regar­ded, no good­nesse can folow. with another. Let eche man doe to others: as he would bee done vnto, according as Gods lawe doth limmit, for to such God hath promised his blessing. And rather Gods blessing foloweth them that re­gard his law, than such shoulde want thinges conuenient: God will make An­gels, [Page] & men, yea enimies, & fow­les Aungels and fowles shall feede them be­fore they shall want things conuenient. of the ayre to minister to thē.

And this vprighte charitable dealing betwixt man and man: shall encrease loue amongst thē. Men shall liue with men quietly Ʋpright dea­ling as Gods law requireth: doth increase christen loue and quietnesse. and comfortably. Honest trade shall be augmented: and corrupt trade diminished. The vnitie of the Church shall be restablished: It increaseth vnitie in the Church and Christian o­bedience. &c. and christen obedience and other spiritual vertues, shal be encrea­sed. The riche shall haue quiet consciences: and the poore shall It maketh merry hearts and quiet con­sciences. haue merry harts. The peace of God shall possesse men: and the mouthes of the wicked shall bee It stoppeth the mouthes of slaūderers. stopped. And so Gods glorie. and prayse shall be ioyfully song out, It prayseth and extolleth Gods good­nesse and en­creaseth all vertue. and blowne abrode: by the con­gregation of christen men, whose good conuersation as a light shal [Page 98] shine: to the conuersion of many, and glory of God also. Let vs A small com­panie of iust dealers. pray for this state, for of these we haue yet but a small fellowship. Our Sauior hath taught vs to pray for the encrease of this com­panie. O let men pray, and striue Men ought to striue for, and pray for, to be of the good companie. to bee free of thys corporation. For all the rest are yet out of the waye, they are all become abho­mynable, there is not one that Those y ^t are out of the cō ­panie of Gods children are out of the way and abhomi­nable. Psalme. 53. doeth good: there is no feare of God before their eyes, they ney­ther beleeue God when hee pro­miseth benifites, nor yet when he threatneth plagues: they neither seeke for God nor regard him, as all their actes do beare witnesse.

The riche man of this wicked companie, neither giueth liberal­ly nor lendeth freely: but cleane contrary. He scrapeth all that he [Page] can by right or wronge into his The wicked riche mans greedie minde and couetous actions. own hands, it grieueth him y ^t any mans cofers should fill so fast as his. He regardes neither rich nor poore, King nor subiect, kindred He regardes nothing in re­spect of hys gayne. nor common weale, no not God in respect or comparison of his owne priuate gaine. Only he ke­peth an outward face of ciuilitie, If he keepe any measure: it is not wil­linglye but through hy­pocrisie. (wherin yet he is holden by law, feare and corrupt affection) and through hypocrisie perhaps to get him a good name, or to flat­ter himselfe, he giueth a messe of Feare, or cor­rupt affectiōs. pottage to a poore neighbour, or a penny to a vagabonde.

But if he lende to the riche, ey­ther He lendeth nothing, but selleth tyme, which he hath no more right to sell: than to sell y ^e winde or the sunne shyne. money or wares, or by ex­chaunge: hee will cut that waye for lone as farre as he can. If he lende to the poore needy or infe­riour, hee will cut much deeper, [Page 99] yea, cut his throte, (as it is ter­med) and he that is most needy, shall pay most (if he trust him) or else hee gettes no credit of him. For cōmonly he will haue good assurance, either landes or plate, The wicked riche man wil be sure: at lest he will thinke himselfe sure by pawne of greater va­lure: or else he gyueth no credit. or other pawne, wrapped in co­uenaunt so: that in the ende hee lightly wypeth the debters nose of all, and so gettes by extremitie aboue his vsurie no small valure as many times hath bene seene. And I doe not saye that vsurie and oppression is all his fault. For eyther he is a niggard with­all, or else a belly god. And be­sides Ʋsury is not all the fault, that wicked rich men haue. that, he wanteth no fault, as woulde appeare if hee might doe as him listed.

The meane man of this fel­lowshippe, he will not bee long meane, but he will flourishe and [Page] haue a countenaunce with the prowdest. And to maintaine that The meane man that is wicked: will not be long meane. vsurped countenance, he will bo­rowe at vsurie other mens mo­ney and wares: (for his owne stocke will not beare this) and taking in with the one hande at vsurie: hee must needes deliuer out with the other hande at vsu­rie, He will bor­row at vsury, and vp aloft with other mens money, and will deli­uer at vsurie to more cut­ting rate. for a greater price: or else what shall his borrowing at vsu­rie profit him? Now, if he thriue by such trade; who seeth not that hee hath robbed his common welth? and taken from others If many such thriue, that cōmon welth wringeth. by extreme occupying that which hee counteth lawfull and honest gaines? And therefore the more that thriue by this trade: the The mo: the worse. Many of these come downe as Sathan came from heauen. worse it is to the common welth. But manye such that climbe so highe doe come downe tumbling [Page 100] (as Satan fell from heauen) These often fal with shame ynough. with broken neckes. And manye w ^t shame ynough. They may be compared to Icarus, or to Esopus Icarus and Esopus crow and the wing­lesse fowle. Crowe, and like to the winglesse fowle, that in flight would con­tende with the Eagle, and ther­fore they are iustly punished. For besides their owne shame and harme: they giue occasion of much slaunder to Gods people, Bankrupts giue occasion of slaunder by the enimies, of religion. whereof they will seeme to bee. And further they waste, by losse, and expences: other mens goods and moneys, in maintenaunce of their inordinate countenaunce. As by daintie dyet, sumptuous Meane men that be wic­ked: will kepe countenaunce with the grea­test world­lings. apparell, prodigall spending, royall ventring, loftie dealing, and costlye housekeeping, past their powers and degrees: and so past order & honestie. Which [Page] God will punish eyther by shame Their shame and punish­ments are iust in this worlde: or else eternallye in the worlde to come, or per­haps both (except they repent.)

If such men woulde soberlye haue occupied their own stocks, and cut their garmentes accor­ding Gods blessing preuēteth and foloweth those that regarde hym. to their cloth with regarde of Gods lawe: the blessing of God shoulde haue gone with thē according to his promise.

But for that they will run out of rule, to maintain their wicked aspired state and countenaunte: God hath not promysed to blesse their trauayle: that trauayle for glory, plea­sures & brag­ging in thys lyfe. they haue no promise to bee hol­pen at Gods hand, but contrary, that is: to bee supplanted and rooted out. For GOD wyll not maintaine superfluitie: vnder the name of necessitie. Certenly God doth not allow, that men shoulde dissemble, and shewe themselues [Page 101] otherwise than they are, one to God detesteth that men doe showe them­selues other­wyse one to an other, thā they are in deede. another. But these men care not for god, for they set more by their painted sheath: than by Goddes lawe. It is true, that he is a foo­lish man, who vnorderly or vain­ly spendeth all his owne goodes: He is a foole that wasteth his owne goodes: but he is wicked that wasteth an other mans. but hee is a wicked manne that spendeth other mens goodes: Whiche thing Bankruptes doe. Of which occupation (for so it is made in these dayes) the worste are suche as before hande take Banckrupts spende other mens goodes, and make an occupation of banckrupting mens goodes, or moneys, wyth minde to defraude the Creditor: and suche a one is worse than a theefe, and ought to die as well as the theefe. The better sort, or Banckrupts ought to dye as well as the theefe. rather such, as are not so yll (for there are no degrees of goodnes in euill things:) are those that borrow mens money or goodes, [Page] at happe hazarde withall, and so One sort of bankruptes, not so ill as an other, though neuer a good. make their creditors to beare the aduenture, though vnknowne to the Creditor: till in the ende, that it so prooueth. And then if the Borrowers ought to shew their creditors what aduen­ture they bere by lending to them. bankruptes doe pay all, or almost all that is left, to their Creditors they think thēselues discharged.

And though these men bee not so euill as the other: yet certain­ly Though the bankrupt doe pay all that is left: yet he is faultie, and ought to be a bond man to his creditors. they are greatly in fault, and worthye of sharpe punishment, and to be bonde men to their cre­ditor. But if the matter be well considered of: it will appeare that these vsurary contracts and bargains: are the chiefest main­tayners of this occupation of Ʋsury and v­surarie, con­tractes are baytes to make bank­rupts and to maintain that occupation. bankrupts. For euery man will giue credit nowe: euen hee that scarcely hath credit himselfe, bi­cause he woulde haue gayne by [Page 102] the lone. Whereby to much cre­dit is amongst men: though none lawfully.

And by this muche vnlawfull No lawfull credite, but to much vnlaw­full credite in these dayes. crediting: the bankrupte hath oportunitie to take muche, and play his part. Yea, and the same taking (as before is sayde) at Ʋ ­sury doth in continuaunce eate Whereby bankrupts do breede. out the taker, that of force hee must be bankrupte.

And then hee complayneth of the creditors lending at vsurye: for that hee hath consumed hym by deare peniworthes. And the Mans natu­rall propertie in his corrup­tion is: for his owne excuse to accuse an other. creditor may haps crie out vpon the Broker, as though the fault were there. And the Broker ex­claymeth agaynst the straytnesse of the retaylor: that commonlye doth buy in shifts for money. And so they play Adam and Eue, and Genesis. 3. [Page] the Serpent, in laying fault one vpon the other. But that helpeth them not more than it holpe our parentes in Paradise, and the Adam, Eua, and the Ser­pent. Serpent vpon whome the curse of God came, as it will doe vpon these vnlesse they spedily repent. For they are all coacters in these mischiefes, that is: vsurie and bankrupting.

The poore men of this compa­nie which neyther seeke for God The poore man that is wicked lack­eth no fault: but habilitie to worke hys wickednesse. Whereby gods goodnesse and holye iudge­mentes are sene: in short­ning by po­uertie the po­wer of such. nor regarde him: they murmur, they curse, they steale, they lye, they rebell, they slaunder, and care not what they doe agaynst God or man: so they may liue. If they borrow they will neuer re­pay by theyr willes. And if they had abilitie: they would exceede in vsurie, extortiō, oppression. &c.

These three fortes of men (by [Page 103] which vnderstand al the wicked) that neyther seeke for, nor regard God: do abound in euery vnlaw­full dealing. They lacke no fault, they will euery one doe theyr en­deuour in hys place: to applie Rich, meane, and poore, be­ing wicked, doe endeuour to set vp Sa­thans king­dome, and to anoy, and pull downe the kingdome of christ, though they will deny it. Sathans pleasure, and to main­taine his kingdome. Yea and say: that is the best gouernment. For what doe they else: when they say it is better to take vsurie: thā to lende freely? And it is better to scrape all into one hand: than to let it be deuided amongst ma­ny? And it is better to oppresse: than to lacke prouision? And bet­ter to maintaine a port amongst worldlings: (yea though by per­iury and colouring of forreyners Conlouring of straungers goodes and periury. and straungers goodes) than to abate a iote of their iolitie.

But here let no man take me, [Page] as though I blamed any man for showing compassion towardes No compassi­on towarde straungers spoken against but colouring & periury. &c. straungers, that are here nowe for their conscience in religion: for then I shoulde not onely doe yll, but also bee vtterly agaynst my selfe, hauing many tymes ex­horted men to extend compassion Exodus. 22. Leuit. 19. that way, according as God com­maundeth. But I blame those that wythout regarde of theyr othe taken, and against the prin­ces lawes, doe colour forreyners or straungers goodes: who are Colourers of straungers goodes, doe hurt the Ci­tizens, deceiue the prince, and periure them­selues. not here for religion: but rather are here to take away the liuings of our owne Citizens and coun­trimen, and to eate by trade the breade out of their monthes. I will not stande to shewe which way: least I should seeme to bee ouer cunning in mens doyngs. [Page 104] But as with the rest of this wic­ked traine, I place suche colou­rers, and blame them: so I wish a redresse therein, and in all other matters that are amisse. For god doeth threaten punishments to 3. Esdras. 8. Iohn. 3. Romayns. 3. men, euen rooting out: for these and like offences, and he is true, he cannot deceyue.

By the consideration whereof men haue good cause to looke a­boute No obstinate sinner shall cōtinue vnpu­nished, except he repent and ceasse from his wicked wayes. them, and to bridle theyr owne affections, to pull downe their loftie lookes, and vnlawfull actes: seeing that suche faultes will bee their destruction, if the same bee not left, and speedilye repented.

Plinie, noteth that Cranes be­ing naturallye bent to make a creaking as they flie: will yet (when they shall flye ouer the [Page] Mountaynes of Phenitia) take little stones in their mouthes to The wisdome and pollicie of Cranes. bridle their naturall inclination, least by their noyse: the Eagles should be awaked, and take them for their pray. It is wonder that vnreasonable fowles should bee In the crea­tion man was the wysest of al Gods crea­tures, but as he is corrup­ted, he may learne at the creatures. more prouident and carefull for sauegarde of their bodyes: than reasonable men are for theyr sou­les, for men will not bridle theyr earthly affections to escape dam­natiō, so great is our corruption: and many mens harts are seared or marked with the hote Iron, whereof saint Paule to Timothe 1. Tim. 4. speaketh.

Well, to conclude: let vs looke aboute vs, and not make a mocke and a trifle of our iniquities, and Gods threates.

Let not men trust their subtile [Page 105] braynes to much, nor make light of their vyces. Lette them not count vices to be vertues, nor v­surie to be honest trade. Saint Augustine sayde in hys tyme, I will not haue you Ʋsurers. And addeth this reason. Et ideo nolo: August. in Psalm. 36. quia Deus non vult. That is, therefore I will not haue you Ʋsurers: bicause GOD will not.

Euen so say I, with saint Au­gustine: Ʋsurers. Idolatrers. Recayners of Baals rem­nants, or of y ^e Chemarims. I will not haue you v­surers, I will not haue you I­dolatrers, I will not haue you retayners of Baals remnants, nor supporters, neither yet maintey­ners of the Chemarims, or re­bellious Papistes. I will not Mixers of religion. Masse and Malchom. haue you minglers of religion, I will not haue you swearers by the Lorde, and by the Masse [Page] your Malchom also, I will not haue you to trust in places or pa­rentage, Starres, Planets, Fortune tel­lers, Witches, Coniurers regarded. I will not haue you to put confidence in Starres and Planets, nor to regarde fortune tellers, Witches, nor Coniurers. I wil not haue you starters back from God, I will not haue you Carelesse. to be resisters of godly reforma­tion made by the Magistrate: neyther will I haue you to bee neglecters and carelesse, nor such Apostates. as neither seeke for the Lord nor regarde him.

And I will not haue you to be God will not. such, bicause (as Augustine said) God will not. And that God will not: this Prophet Sophonie doth plainelye prooue by thys: that God threatneth a destruction and rooting out of such offenders.

For Sophonie saith: Thus sayth [Page 106] the Lorde. Therefore God spea­keth and forbiddeth these things. And so I (hauing to doe with such a people as Sophonie prea­ched vnto) may iustly say to you, thus sayth the Lorde.

For he is euer one, & the same, and immutable. This doctrine Numeri. 23. Malachi. 3. Iames. 1. appertayneth to this our time: as well as to the Iewes. For vvhat things soeuer are vvritten: Romans. 15. 1. Cor. 10. they are for our instruction. Al­mighty God doth send his word God by mans ministerie hath in all ages in­structed men. Math. 1. 6. 7. &c. to men by men. As before the lawe, and in the law, yea, he be­came man himselfe to teach man. And left his Apostles in the worlde to teache men: and so Actes. 1. doth continue forth this order of mans ministerye throughout all ages. Saint Paule was called Actes. 8. by miracle: but instructed by [Page] mans ministerie. The Enuche did reade the Prophet Esay: but Actes. 9. God prouided Philip to teache him the meaning. And though God sent an Aungell to Corneli­us the Centurion: yet the Aun­gell did not instruct in doctrine, but sayd, & nunc mitte viros Iop­pen. Actes. 10. &c. And nowe sende men to Ioppa for Simon Peter: that Peter might instructe him, and so by mans ministerie bee brought to the knowledge of GOD. And though the vngodlye doe still de­ride and mock at the Preachers, and doe despise and resist both messengers and the message: yet Math. 10. Luke. 10. Iohn. 13. 1. Tessa. 4. let them knowe that they resist not men, but God, who sendeth them.

Such mockers there were in the Apostles time, that woulde [Page 107] say, vbi est policiatio aduentus e­ius. 2. Peter. 3. &c. VVhere is the accom­plishmēt of his cōming as he hath promised. &c. And others sayde the Apostles vvere full of nevve Actes. 2. vvine. And here in Ieremies time they sayde: come on, let vs ima­gine Ieremie. 12. some thing against this Iere­mie. &c. come let vs smyte him vvith the tongue, and let vs not marke all his vvordes. &c. There hath bene no age without some suche, and no small some. As at this day, there are to many by a Blasphemous mockers in these tymes. fowle sort, that blasphemouslye mock against the spirit of God in mans ministery: despising y ^e mi­nisterie These grieued Dauid more than all his troubles: and greeued Christ more thā his crosse. bicause the ministers are men. As is seene by these their derisions, he is of the spirit, he is currant and of the right stampe, he is of the newe cut, and steele [Page] to the backe: you maye smell the smoke of the Gospell hanging These are the most horri­blest tyraunts of all, & shall not escape their punish­ments. on his clothes: and he is inspired with the holy ghost, the deuill is wythin him: which is, most hor­rible to heare.

To these mockers and such Swete meate require sowre sawce. wicked ones: Sophonie here threatneth rooting out, ruine and destuction. And vseth (the more to terrifie them) these wordes: Esay. 1. Ieremie. 1. 2. Peter. 1. thus sayth the Lorde. The Pro­phets Esay and Ieremie vsed the same wordes, or lyke wordes.

Saint Peter sayth also: Non enim voluntate hominis allata est olim The holye ghost is auc­thor of y ^e holy scriptures. prophesia. &c. That is: Pro­phesie in time past came not of the vvill of manne: but holye men of GOD spake, as they vvere moo­ued by the holy ghost. Math. 22. Mark. 12.

Our sauiour Christ affirmeth [Page 108] the same of Dauid. Nam ipse Da­uid Psal. 110. dixit afflatus spiritu sācto. &c. For Dauid himselfe inspired vvith the holy ghost sayde: The Lorde sayde vnto my Lorde. &c.

Saint Paule sayth, that the Scripture is giuen by inspiration 2. Tim. 3. of God.

Saint Peter affirmeth that he and the other Apostles taught no­thinge, 2. Peter. 1. but that vvhiche they had learned of the Lorde Christ, and out of the Scriptures of the Pro­phetes. &c.

And Paule in an other place 2. Cor. 4. sayeth: Habemus autem thesau­rum istum in vasis fictilibus. &c. VVe haue this treasure in earthen vessels: that the excellencie of the glorie might bee Gods, and not oures. And novve vve are messen­gers, in the rovvme of Christ: euen 2. Cor. 5. [Page] as if God did beseech you by vs.

By all which places, it doeth planly appeare that the ministe­rie The excellen­cie of prea­ching y ^e word of God, is set forth by these places. of the worde of God: is the message sent from God, and the minister is Gods Messenger, in the rowme of Christ.

Therfore whosoeuer dispiseth or derideth this ministerie, doeth not dispise poore earthly men: but Wisdom. 5. the almightie GOD, who sent them, and then wo woorth suche Galat. 6. dispisers. For God will not bee mocked, but will punishe, whip, rote Men maye mocke them­selues, but God cannot bee mocked bicause all things are na­ked and bare before his eies as in a Sea of Glasse. out, and destroy the wicked: for thus sayth the Lorde here, by this Prophete Sophonie.

And here to make an end for this time, hauing troubled you almost iij. houres, I say with S. Paule, for that wee haue this excellent message to bring to you, namely, [Page 109] that you haue peace with God, and saluation by Christ, (if ye re­pent Mark. 16. Actes. 3. and beleue) and that euer­lasting tormentes doe abyde the Math. 16. Romanes. 2. impenitent: we in Christes stede, euen as thoughe GOD did be­seeche 2. Cor. 5. you by vs: doe beseeche you, to ceasse from, and detest all iniquitie: and so to be at one with GOD, by the meanes of Iesus Christ our Lorde. To whom in vnitie of the holye ghost, three persons and one almightye God: be all honor, prayse, and glorie, worlde without ende.

Amen.