FOrasmuche as the holy Scripture doth teach vs, that the wordes of the Lord are pure words: Psal. 12. b. euen as the siluer, whiche from the earth is tryed and pu­ryfied seuen tymes in the fyre: and the gos­pell is the puissaunce of God to the salua­tion and health of all that beleue therein, insomuch that the Prophets speaking of the dignitie of the Herolds and Embassa­dours of the gospel, doe crye out: Esaie 52. b Rom. 10. c O howe beautifull are the féete of the Embassadour, that bringeth the message from the moun­teine, and proclameth peace▪ that bryngeth [Page] the good tidinges, and preacheth health, and sayth vnto Sion: Thy God is the king. The wyse, Daniel. 12. a (suche as haue taught others) shall glyster as the shining of Heauen: and those that haue instructed the multitude vnto godlynes shalbe as the starres, world without ende. Truely we may perceiue with our eyes what default it is to declare or shew forth the ordinaunces of the Lord, & to take his alliaunce or promise in vaine: In like manner, what temeritie and rash­nesse it is to take the childrens breade and to cast it to dogges, Math. 15. c to declare the holy thinges vnto brute beastes: and to giue the pearles vnto swyne: Sapi. 1. a Forasmuch as wys­dome shall not enter into a frowarde soule, nor dwell in the body that is subdued vnto sinne. For the holy Ghost abhorreth fay­ned nourture, and withdraweth himselfe from the thoughts that are without vnder­standing: and where wickednesse hath the vpper hand, hée flyeth from thence. I do say the same to the ende that euery one haue a regarde to apply the holy scripture to his proper vse, 2. Tim. 3. d for all Scripture giuen by in­spiration of God, is profitable to teach, to improue, and to instruct in ryghtuousnesse. Also, Rom. 15. a that we through patience and comfort [Page 2] of the scripture, might haue hope, & may ap­ply it to y ^e in which it is dedicated, without prophaning it, or wresting it to any wicked purpose or vnlawefull thinges: Gregorie Naza. li. 11 of his The­ologie. For as hée that hath dimme eyes can not well & easely behold & looke vpon the sunne, so he which is wicked and corrupt in his soule, can not rightly consider and knowe the meruailes conteined in the holy scripture. Basil vpon the begin­ning of the prouerbes. And euen as we ought not to put into a vessell that is mustie or infected, any precious licor, so we ought not to giue vnto a malycious and fro­warde heart, one so riche and precious ta­lent: Esaie. 66 a For the Lorde hath regarde of him which is afflicted, and of a lowly spirite, and which standeth in awe of his words: & the holy spirit is he which doth open the senses for to vnerstand the scripturs: To conclude, the scripture came neuer by the wil of man, 2. Peter. 1. d but by the holy men of God, being moued by the holy Ghost did speake it. Iob. 32. b. To that end doth Iob write: I say (saith he) that it becommeth olde men to speake, and the a­ged to teach wisdome: euery man (no doubt) hath a minde, but it is the inspira­tion of the almightie that giueth vnderstan­ding, wherefore we doe conclude here that thrée thynges are greatly necessarie vnto [Page] those which wyll cause that precious ta­lent and inestymable treasure of the holy Scripture to profit. First of all to watche dayly vnto praiers and supplycations, to the end that the Lord do open their vnderstan­ding for to comprehend the secretes of hys Lawe. Psal. 119. e. As Dauid doth say, Teach me O Lorde the way of thy statutes, and I shall kéepe it vnto the ende, O giue mée vnder­standing and I shall kéepe thy law, yea, I shall kéepe it with my whole harte: Open myne eyes, that I may consider the mer­uelles of thy Lawe. Euen so (I say) doth Solomon his sonne witnesse, Sapience. 7. a that he hath desired, and vnderstanding was giuen him: hée called, and the spirite of wisdome came into hym. Ephe. 6. d That is the cause wherefore saynct Paule doeth exhorte so often hys to pray for hym, that vtteraunce might be gi­uen vnto him, that hee might open his mouth boldly, to vtter the secretes of the Gospell. And also doth admonyshe and warne the Thessalonians to pray for him, 2. Thessae. 3. that the word of god may haue frée passage, and to gloryfie the Lorde. And saynct Hie­rome sayth, S. Hierome in his Epi­stle vnto Lutus. that the reading ought to suc­céede and followe prayer, and prayer vnto the reading: Besides that, I doe desire a [Page 3] pleasant hearte, gratious and gentle: I do vnderstande and meane him which doth humble himselfe vnder the law of the lord, for to beléeue and obey willingly his com­mandements and ordinaunces: For Iesus Christ doeth protest before God his Fa­ther, Math. 11. that he hath hid these thinges from the wise & prudent, and hath opened them vnto Babes. Ieremy. 8. c And the Lorde did by his Prophete checke the Scribes & Doctors of the lawe, that they, may not vaunt themselues that they are wyse in the Lawe, and that the lawe of the Lorde is with them, that it is in vayne that there are Scribes: and that the wyse shall be confounded, and that they shall be afrayde and taken, as it is written, that God hath giuen vnto them a sléeping spirit, and eyes that they should not sée, Rom. 11. b and eares that they shoulde not heare, euen vn­to thys present day. Rom. 1. c. And sainct Paule spea­king of the Philosophers, sayth, that they hauing knowen God, did not gloryfie him as God, neyther were thankefull, but wax­ed full of vanities in their owne imagina­tions, and their foolish hartes were blinded: To cōclude, as saith Lactantius Firmianus, Lactantius Fir. in his booke of Institutiōs. Although we estéeme the Philosophers to be wyse, yet truely they haue erred in their [Page] owne knowledge here & there as in a déepe sea: For they haue regarded neyther the way nor the leader, all their doctrine is without a head, bicause that they doe not knowe God, which is the heade of all veri­tie and doctrine.

Finally I do desire a long studie and me­ditation of the holy letters, vnto the which Iesus Christ doth sende vs: Iohn. 5 g: saying, Search the Scriptures for in them ye thinke yee haue eternall lyfe. And Sainct Paul doth admonishe Timothe, 1. Timo. 4. d. to giue attendaunce to reading, Act. 7. c. to exhortacion, & to doctryne: So was Moses learned in al manner wisdome of the Egyptians, & was mightie in déedes & in wordes. Act. 22. a. And sainct Paul was brought vp at the féete of Gamaliel, & informed dili­gently in the Law of the fathers. 2. Tim. 3. d. And Ti­mothe did know the holy Scriptures of a childe: And truely we do not make any dif­ficulte that the studie and dayly laboure is not necessary to the knowledge of holy let­ters, as it is required of other disciplines, chiefly to the true ministers of God. Foras­much as Sainct Paul doth desire, Titus. 1. c. that they would embrace the true worde of doctrine, that they maye be able to exhorte with holesome learninge, and to improue them [Page 4] that say against it. Heb. 5. d. To conclude the holy A­postle doth witnesse, that strong meats be­longeth to them that are perfect, which tho­rough custome haue their wits exercysed, to iudge both good & euil. Furthermore Sainct Peter doth aduertise vs, 2. Peter. 3. d. that there are ma­ny thinges harde to be vnderstanded in the Epistles of S. Paul. Gregory Nazaren. in his Apo­logie. For that same cause the Ebrwes did not accustome to all age, all kynde of doctrine, fearing that the dull and folyshe people woulde be offended with the hardnesse of the same: S. Herome in the be­ginning of Ezechiel. Insomuch that the things which do containe a simple & plaine hystorie, were proposed and set forth vnto the common people: & the secrets vnto those the which with their age do bring a iudge­ment more whole and sound. Wherfore as sainct Ambrose doth witnes, S. Ambrose vpon the psalm. 35. he which will aduaunce himselfe in the scriptures, that he do take that which is necessarie for him, he which doth desire things more easie & com­mon, that he do refreshe his spirite in the valle, as the litle ones, he that doth feare the floud, that he do drinke of the Riuer, & he which doth feare the déepe water, that he doe swim by the shore side. Wherin we are taught, that the holy Scripture doth apply and giue it selfe vnto al sorts of men, so that [Page] they do referre it to his right vse. In that respect there doth consist and lye a meruei­lous wisdome and discretion: chiefly for the respect of the ministers of God. For as Cle­ment saith, Clement in his boke of recogn. one ought not to take any sense newe and straunge from the scripture for to confirme it by the scripture, but to take or choose from the scripture the true & natural sense of the veritie. And as Sainct Hilarie S. Hillary vpon the Psal. 134. doth write, that he doth reade rightly the holy scripture, which doth vnderstand the sense and meaning of the scripture by the same meanes, and will not take from or put to the scripture a straunge sense or con­trarie vnto the same. Such are the wordes of the songes of the spouse of the Lord, S. Augustin in his boke of the spi­rite and of the letter. the which we may ofte refer rather and to ap­ply it to some disordinate pleasure, than to the fruite of a feruent loue or charitie: I wyll recite besides that whiche is before, thrée or foure notable examples of the olde lawe.

First, that of the Prophete Fsaie, Esay. 20 a vnto whom the Lord did commaunde to loose off the sackcloth from his loynes, and to put off his shoes from his féete, and to goe naked and bare foote. The other is of the Prophet Ieremie, Ierem. 27. a vnto whome the Lorde did de­clare [Page 5] expresly, that he did make bands and chaines, and put them about his necke, and did sende them to the kinge of Edom. The third shalbe of Oseas, Ose. 1. a. 2. vnto whom the same Lorde did ordeine and commaunde to take an Harlot to his wife. The last shall be of Ezechiel, Ezech. 4. [...]. 12▪ vnto whom the Lord commaun­ded him to sléepe sometime vpon the right side, sometime vpon the left side, to eate Barly cakes and to strike them with mans doūge. Things truely that one should finde very straunge & farre from the veritie, were not, but the lawe hauinge the shadowe of the good thinges to come, be the thinges which are ther presented, giuing an assured witnesse that all doth serue for our instruc­tion and learning. If any doth demaunde wherefore the Lorde hath not giuen hys holy Scripture in all, or by all, more easie & familiar? I do answere with Basil, Basil in the exposton vpon Esai. that the same was, to the ende that our spirit be­ing occupied to meditate & vnderstand such secretes of the scripture, should draw it so much the more from euill things and hurt­full: For as it dayly happeneth or chaun­ceth, that the things which are gotten with greate paine and labour, are best estéemed and set by, and those are more durable, and [Page] wyll continue longer whiche are brought forth by longe space and continuaunce of tyme. Basil in the same booke To be shorte, as that which is offe­red at commaundement, without any tra­uayle, is despised: there will bee also daun­ger that the carnall men would not abuse the holy scripture, without knowledging the price and worthines of the same. Euen saith Basil, Basil. as the Lord would not that we should hate and abandon, incontynent­ly (as other brute beastes) all that which is necessarie vnto the vse of mans lyfe: but is willyng and desirous that man doe resist such defalte by hys industrie and la­boure. Euen so the Lorde hath lefte a cer­teine difficultnesse and hardnesse in the scripture, to the end that our spirite should exercise it selfe more & more to the know­ledge of the veritie. That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth not permit e­uery one to teach. And sainct Hierome S. Hierome in his Epi­stle to Pau­linus. 1. Cor. 12. d. doth complaine of some which doe presume, first rather to teath then to learne. And the Lord hath made some to bée Apostles, some Pro­phetes, some Euangelistes, some shéeperds and some teachers. And all are not Pro­phets and teachers, and all do not speake with diuerse tongues, and al doe not inter­prete: [Page 6] but the selfe same spirite doth all those thinges, diuiding to euery man, seue­rall giftes, euen as he wyll. 1. Pet. 4 [...] To the end that as euery man hath receyued the gifte, minister the same one to an other, as good ministers of the manyfolde grace of God.

Furthermore the same doth declare verie wel, that we ought to haue in great honour and reuerence, the holy Scripture, and not to abuse it, as do the Panims of their wri­tinges, I do meane to all matters of laug­hing, bawdry and dyssolution. Ephe. 4 c For Sainct Paul doth not suffer, that any fylthy com­munication should procéed out of our mou­thes: but that which is good to edifie with all, to the end that it may giue fauour and grace vnto the hearers: yea, Ephe. 5. [...]. and doth expres­ly forbid, that fornication and all vnclean­nesse or couetousnesse bée not once named among vs, neither filthynesse, neither folish talking, neither gestinge which are not comely. Also he would not that wée should mingle the holy wordes of the Scripture, with so many vile and dissolute matters. For as saith Sainct Ambrose, S Ambrose in his boke of his offi­ces cap. 23. although that it haue pleasures pleasaunt and honest, yet notwithstanding they are very farre from the Christian and ecclesiasticall rule: [Page] bicause that that which we can not finde in the holy scriptures, we ought not to vsurp. To that purpose Eusebius Eusebius in his booke of the pre­para. of the gospel. ca. 1 doth recite the example of a Tragicall Poet, named The­odotus, who in applying certeine places of the Hebrewes, vnto a fable, was taken blinde: and beléeuing that the same afflicti­on and punishement was happened vnto him for the same occasion, did acknowledge his sins, & as that good aucthour saith, y ^t with in a litle while after his sight was restored to him againe. What shall we say of those which do wrest the holy scripture after their own fātasie, & do abuse it to y ^e arte of y ^e Ma­gicians, & inuocations of wicked spirits? Al­though that the Apostle doth admonish and warn them so many tymes, 2. Cor. 6. [...]. y ^t rightuousnesse hath no felowship with vnrightuousnesse, or light hath no company with darkenesse, or what concorde hath Christe with Belial, either what parte hath hee that beléeueth with an Infidel? or howe agréeth the Temple of God with images? Also that such disciplines are forbydden throughout the whole scripture, I wil not forget those which do abuse it to their priuate and per­ticular profite, as did of late the Scribes and Pharises, who vnder the coloure of [Page 7] paying their dismes and tythes, August. in his booke of the Christian doctrine. which the Lorde did vow for the seruice of his Tem­ple, do defraude & deceiue in the meane time theyr proper & owne parentes of the dutie which nature hath commaunded thē, accor­ding as Iesus Christ did rebuke thē, saying: But ye say, Math. 15. a. euery man shall say vnto his father and mother, that which thou desirest of mée to helpe thée with: is giuen GOD: and so shall he not honoure his father or his mother. And thus haue yée made that the commaundement of God is without effect, thorough your traditions. As at this day many of the Romishe Church doe han­dle the places of the scripture, not so much for to establishe the kingdome of the sonne of GOD, as for to maintaine their vti­litie and profite, and truely it is very harde that amonge such people one may finde the true wysdome: For as Iob sayth, Iob. 28. c wysdome is not found, nor the place of vnderstanding, in the lande of those which do lyue easely, and which haue great riches: Plato. Sicero in his offices. for the feare of the Lorde is the true wysdome, and to retyre and drawe himselfe from euil, is the vnderstanding. We must not then be asto­nied or amazed, if they do abuse the scrip­ture after their owne sense, forasmuch as [Page] they do not estéeme but their owne plea­sure, which is the enemie of reason: It doth gréeue me verie much to speake of those which for to please the will and minde of their Auditors: And least they should hurte or gréeue them, do apply the Scripture, I know not to what matters of iesting and laughter, yea being set in Moses Chayre, in which place especially and chiefly it ought to be intreated off, withall reuerence and grauitie. I do say furthermore, that they are not ashamed to play by maskings and counterfaitlike, that which ought to be taught with feare and al humilitie. To con­clude, they do serue more willingly to the pleasures of other, then to the honour of the Lord, and to the edification of his congre­gation. Tertuli. in Apo. agaīst the Gētiles. Cap. 45. What shall I saye of those which will referre and attrybute vnto the holy scripture, vnto the bookes & writings of the heathen Phylosophers, as if we had bo­rowed the rule to lyue well of them, and not they of vs? Euseb. in his x. boke of the pre­paration of the Gospel. Cap. 2. I will not denie but that the Philosophers, chiefly the Platoni­cians haue written many thinges verie néere vnto the christian rule, and very much confirmable and agréeing vnto good man­ners. S Ambrose in his secōd booke of the christiā doctrine. Cap. 3. & .12 But as Sainct Augustine saith, bi­cause [Page 8] that they haue made it their owne, y ^e true Christiās ought to serue to a better vse, in asking it again of thē as vniust & vnlaw­ful possessours: euen so as the Israelites haue applied the treasures & riches of the Aegyp­tians, to the honour of the Lorde. And as it was lawful for y ^e people of Israel to take to wife an estraunger captiue, Deut. 21. c. so y ^t she do shaue hir head & pare hir nailes, & put the raiment that she was taken in, from hir: also it is not forbidden to apply the writings of the hea­then men & Panims to our religion, S. Hierome in his epi­stle to the great Ora­tor. so y ^t we do cut off y ^t which doth concern their idola­trie and supersticion, and that we doe apply vnto the honour of the Lorde, that which doth serue to y ^e veritie of our doctrine. That is the cause wherfore sainct Paul disputing in the citie of Athens, Act. 17. d. against certeine Philosophers, did not feare to recite the saiyng of a Poet, for to proue the doing of our religion. Titus. 1. c And the same Apostle in ano­ther place of his Epistles, did not make it a doubt to alowe the saying of Epimenides against those of Crete: for all that, I will not taxe those which haue the charge in the Church: 1. Thess. 5. b. But I desire that they may be so discrete and well aduised in their profes­sion, that they may trie & proue all things: [Page] but to kéepe that which is good, after the example of the good chaungers, S. Herome in his Epis­tle to Mu­nerius and Alexander. which doe knowe verye well to separate the good money from that which is false and vn­lawfull, to the ende they do not bring any thing from other learninges which might defile the worde of God, or marre the doing of the christian veritie, in so much that the word of preaching be receiued of all men, not as the worde of man: but euen as it was in déede, the word of God, which wor­keth in you that beléeue, 1. Thes. 2 c. to the aduaunce­ment of the kingdome of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, to whom be glorie for­euer, Amen.

THAT THE LORD IN THE middest of afflictiōs, doth reserue alwayes certeine places of refuge for his, and cer­teine true prophetes to his Church, yea certeine valiant men for to withstande the tyrannie of the wicked.

Cicero in his booke of [...] para­doxes. IF the Panim or Heathen man saith, that the exile & banishment is terrible & fearefull vnto those, which of a priuate & singuler affection, do prouide for them­selues [Page 10] an habitation for to dwell euer: not vnto those which haue the whole worlde for a Citie.

And the Poet Ouide Ouide. hath written, that euerie countrie or land is an habita­tion vnto a vertuous & couragious man: As the sea is a floudde for all kinde of fi­shes. If (I say) the auncient Patriarkes, Heb. 11. c. Abraham, Isaac and Iacob, by faith did dwell in the promised lande, as stran­gers in tentes, looking for a citie hauing a foundation, whose builder and maker is God, although that some of them had not but the light of nature, for a rule and dis­cipline: the others had not so euident a witnesse as we haue of the reuelation to come of the children of God, in the which our vile bodies shalbe made like vnto the glorious bodie of the sonne of God. Truely somuch the lesse our exile and banishment ought to be vnto vs gréeuous and feareful, in asmuch as we are assured by the mouth of Iesus Christ & of his Apostles, Heb. 13. c that we haue not héere a continuing Citie: but that our conuersation is in heauen.

Also as Sainct Paul writing vnto the Corinthians, 2. Cor. 5. a. doth assure vs, that if our earthlie mansion wherein wée nowe [Page] dwell, were destroied, that we haue a buil­ding ordeined of God, an habitation not made with handes, but eternall in heauen. And herefore sigh we, desiring to be clo­thed with our mansion which is from heauen. And although that that hope bée sufficient, for to assure the true christians and faithfull, of the goodnesse promised in that Citie, Ierusalem celestiall: yet true­ly they ought to beléeue also, that the Lord Iesus Christ by such meanes and afflicti­ons, did prouide a certaine better thing for his in this world, to the ende that they be not swallowed vp with too great sor­rowe or heauinesse. In the same respect and consideration, Genes. 19. d. the Lorde did retire and draw away Lot, his faithfull seruant from the citie of Sodome, to the ende hée should not perish with the vnfaithfull. And in like maner the Lorde made Abra­ham to goe out of his owne countrey, Genes. 12. a. for to assure him more and more of his holy promises & blessings, in a straunge coun­trey. 2. Cor. 4. Insomuch, that although that the faithfull are troubled on euery side, yet they are not without shift, they béeing in pouertie, are not vtterly destitute or with­out somewhat, béeing persecuted, but not [Page 11] forsaken, being cast down, perish not. Genes. 28. b Iacob shall be witnesse, who flying by the com­maundement of his father, did laye him downe to sléepe vpon the earth in the mid­dest of an open féelde, and he dreamed, and did sée a ladder vppon the earth, whose toppe did reach vp to heauen, and the An­gelles of GOD went vp and downe vppon it, yea, and the Lorde stoode vppon it, and saide: the lande which thou sléepest vppon, will I giue thée, and thy séede. For more greater witnesse, I will rehearse Ioseph, who béeing fledde into Aegypt, Genes. 41. a. for the persecution of his brethren, is so kept of the Lorde, that he is exalted: yea, a­boue all others, to the gouerning and ru­ling of all the countrey of Aegypt, and made as a father & norisher of the house of his father: vnto this I will adde the ex­ample of the people of Israell, who béeing strayed and scattered abroade in the wil­dernesse, Exo. 13 d. were fed with the celestial Man­na, and conducted and lead in the night by a piller of fire, and by day in a Cloude. Numb. 11. b Furthermore I will ioyne vnto this, that good prophet of GOD Elias, who flying into the wildernesse of Bersabe, 3. Regum. 17. b. from the persecution of kinge Achab and his wife [Page] Iesabel, did receiue daily the meates that were necessarie for him by the Angell of the Lorde. I will conclude with that disci­ple of the Lorde, Apo. 1. c. who béeing banished in the Isle of Pathmos, and depriued from all the commodities and pleasures of the worlde: Is comforted of the Lorde by so many heauenly visions: and creaping yet on the earth, is made as a bourgesse and Citizen of Heauen. The same doth suf­ficiently declare, that we béeing depriued from our goodes, are not therefore desti­tute of all mannes ayde and succour, for as of late the Lorde did stirre vp those good patriarckes, Abraham and Lot, for to ayde and succour the néede of the poore tra­uailers and wayfaring men, Deut. 19. a and did or­deine places of refuge vnto those which were not culpable of the faultes laide vn­to their charge: Iosua. 2. a Or as we doe reade, that the Lord by a diuine prouidence did moue and stirre vp the spirite of Rahab the har­lot, for to hide the spies of Israel, sent into Iericho. 3. Reg. 17. a A widowe of Sareptha, for to assist and ayde Elyas, béeing in extreme oppression of hunger. 3. Reg. 18. a. One Abdias, for to hide an hundreth Prophets, & [...]ead thē. An Ethiopian, Ierem. 38. c. béeing an Eunuch, for to moue [Page 12] and intreate the king for the deliueraunce of the Prophet Ieremy, beeing in prison. A Daniell, Historie of Susanna. g. for to adnull and call backe a­gaine the arest giuen against that chaste Susanna, being accused of adulterie. Luc. 10. g. A Mar­tha for to receiue Iesus Christ. To con­clude, 2. Tim. 1. d. an Onesiphorus for to assist and helpe Sanct Paule in his chaynes and bandes: euen so the Lorde, in what part so euer that it be, doth reserue alwaies cer­teine places of sure refuge for his, to the ende, that they may not be altogether deso­late and comfortlesse. Psal. 2. a. And although that the people doe rise vp and doe murmure in vaine, and the kinges of the earth doe aduaunce themselues and stande vp, and the Princes do consulte together against the Lorde and against his sonne Christe: yet truely our God doth suscitate & stirre vp alwayes some Dauyd, 1. Reg 17. c. for to offer himselfe against a Goliath. Some Gedeon, 2. Cro. [...] [...]. for to withstand the pretence of the Madi­anites. Some Ezechiah, Iudg 7. a. for to represse the wickednesse and blasphemies of a Senna­cherib. 2. Cro▪ 2 [...]. Some Iosophat for to repulse the forces, strengthes & embushments of the Ammonits, Mohabits & Assirians. Iudith. 10 [...] Some Iudith, for to confute the audacitie & bold­nesse [Page] of an Holophernes: To conclude, to drawe as from the midst of y ^e flame of fi­er, a certeine number of his for to repaire and amend the ruines and decayed places of his temple. As in the time of the sub­uersion and destruction of Ierusalem, hée did raise and stirre vp Daniel, Ezechiel, Aggeus, Zacharie, & Esdras. It shal suffice me besides that which is before, to rehearse two or iii. examples. The first is of Pharao, who thincking altogether to put out of the lande, Exo. 1.2. the memorie and posteritie of the Hebrewes, coulde not doe so much by his trauailes, but that Moyses was saued from the middest of the waters, for to magni­fie and praise the name of the Lorde, and to encrease the posteritie of the Hebrewes. The second, is of the Quéene Athalia, who hauing ruled the kingdome by force and violence, 2. Cro. 22. d. caused to be slayne al those which of the linage and séede roial, did then offer: could not watch so narowly, but that Ioas was stolen frō among the midst of thē y ^t were slaine, and afterwarde established king, for to repaire & builde vp the Tem­ple, Mat. 2. c. and to ordeine diuine seruice. The last is of Herode, who purposing to kill all the childrē which were in Bethelem, and in all [Page 13] the coūtrey round about, as many as were two yéere olde and vnder, to y ^e ende to abo­lish y ^e name of y ^e true Messias, our sauiour, could not hinder nor let, that Iesus Christ should not accōplish & fulfill the course pre­ordeined of God his father, for the health and saluation of his. And therefore it is sayd in Daniel, Daniel. 12. a that the great Prince Mi­chaell, which standeth on thy peoples side, shall arise vp, for there shall come a time of trouble, in that time the people of God shall escape, yea, all those which are found written in the booke of life. The which is figured vnto vs in Iosua, where Iosua Iosua 15. d. béeing come to the citie of Iericho, did lift vp his eyes and looked, and beholde there stoode a man before him with his swerde drawen in his hande. And Iosua went vnto him, and sayd vnto him, art thou on our side, or on our aduersaries. And he aunswered nay, but I am the Captaine of the hoast of the Lord, & am nowe come for to succour & helpe it. Beholde howe the Lord is assistaunt daily or alwaies vnto his, and vnto his church, in what aduersi­tie so euer it bée, according as hée hath promised in Esaie, Esay. 59. d. where hée sayeth: I will make this couenant with thē (saith y ^e Lord) [Page] my spirite that is come vpon thée, and the wordes which I haue put in thy mouth, shall neuer go out of thy mouth, nor out of the mouth of thy childrens childrē, frō this time foorth for euer more. According vnto that which Iesus Christ hath promised vnto his, Mat. 28. d. saying: I am with you alway, euen vntil the ende of the world, and in an other place Iesus saith: Iohn. 14. b. I will not leaue you comfortlesse. Furthermore it is open­ly knowen, though that y ^e Lord do tarie: yet neuerthelesse he doth put and fasten certeine markes and lymits, vnto the wic­ked, & tyrantes, y ^t which they cannot passe. The which this scripture doth teach vnto vs, which did appeare vnto Balthazar bée­ing set in his bancket with the princes of his people and his concubines: by the which Daniel Daniel. 5. e. did declare vnto Balthazar, that GOD hath numbred his kingdome, and brought it to an ende: that he hath wai­ed in the balance his dooings, and those of Nabuchodonosor his father. Where we shal note in the first palce, Mat. [...]3. d. that the lord doth permitte and suffer often times, that the wicked shoulde fulfill the measure of their Fathers, deferring their punishment vn­to the thirde and fourth generation. Se­condly, [Page 14] that the Lorde is not slacke to ful­fill his promise, as some men count slack­nesse: but is patient to vs warde, and woulde haue no man lost, but woulde re­ceiue all men to repentance. Thirdly that we must not limit and appoint the time of the mercy of the Lord, nor to binde the counsailes of our God: As the quéene Iu­dith, Iudith. 3. c. doth very well declare vnto the inha­bitauntes of Bethulia: 1. Pet. 5. c. but to submit our selues vnder the mightie hande of GOD, that he may exalte vs when the time is come, and to cast all our care vppon him, for he careth for vs. Finally, that wée must beléeue that God woulde be exalted, in the patience of his, and knowen to bée the onely soueraigne Lord aboue all, in the destruction of the wicked: Esay 30. d according as the scripture saith, that GOD standeth wayting, that hée may haue mercy vp­pon vs, and lifteth himselfe vp, that hée may receiue vs to grace. For the Lorde GOD is righteous: happie are all they that waite for him. And in the booke of Exodus, Exo 9. d Rom. 9. c the Lorde sayde vnto Pha­rao, for this cause I haue constituted thee, for to make thee knowe my power and strength, and to declare my name [Page] throughout all the worlde. I doe speake vnto those, who by our exile, banishment, and losse of our goods, haue thought euen hitherto to constraine vs vnto an extréeme indigence and pouertie, and do not consider howe the Lorde hath led his people in the wildernesse fortie yeres: Deut. 29. a. & their clothes did not wax old vpon them, nor their shooes are waxed old vpon their féet. Besids this, they do imbraide and reproue vnto vs our exile and banishment, as if the paine did note the persons of infamie, and not the cause.

Vnto the which we may aunswere with that great Oratour of the latines, that the townes and Cities are, The lawe Ictus fusttū vnder the title of those which are noted of in­famie. Cicero in his para­dox. Cicero in his oration for Cluent. Salust in his warre of Catiline Sainct Au. lib. 4. of the citie of Cod Chap. 4 those which are ruled by all right, equitie and iustice, which are the true sinowes and cordes of all common wealthes, and without which the kingdomes and cities can no more endure then the bodie without life: consequently that we haue not bene driuen from towns and cities, in asmuch as in them (as saith Salust of the citie of Rome) there was no difference of the good from the euill, but ambition and couetuousnesse did possesse all the rewards of vertue, the which doth ap­proch nigh vnto the sentence of Sainct Au­gustine, where hée doth declare, that the [Page 15] kingdomes without iustice, are the verie dennes and retraytes of theues & robbers.

I do report me vnto the cruelties more then barbarous and Scythian, which haue béene executed euen here, in the best towns of this realme, within thrée yeare past, in the meane time they do aunswere vs, that they wil not endure & suffer two religions.

To the first place I woulde demaunde of them willingly, if it doth apperteine vn­to them to make the lawe vnto the king, and if they may doe it without charge of conscience and faulte of rebellion. Second­ly, if the religion that they do obserue and kéepe, be not a double religion. Finally, if our doctrine and the foundation of the same be any other then the same of the prophets and Apostles, if I say we doe ac­knowledge any other head in our Church then Iesus Christe, and him crucified.

As touching the first, Rom. 13. a it is most certeine that it belongeth vnto the higher powers, to giue the lawe vnto their subiectes, & not the subiects to giue vnto them the law, Prou. 8. b. for they do beare the sworde as the seruants of God, for to do iustice in the wrath of him which doth euill, & vnto such doth apper­teine to discerne iustice: 1. Pet. 2. c for they are sent of [Page] God for the punishment of euill doers, and vnto the laude and praise of them that do well. Which if the lawes haue so sure­ly prouided against those which haue mar­red and defaced the edict or statute of a magistrate or a gouernour, which doth not regarde but a thing altogether ciuile and politicke: The lawe siquis, id quod. what punishment doe they de­serue to haue, which by assembles, bands, and companie of people, and by feate of armes, haue broken in this time, all de­uine and humaine lawes? if the ciuile law doo punish gréeuouslie him which doth not obey the magistrate, what paine cruell ynough can one ordeine for the magi­strate, which not onely hath wincked and dissembled at the wickednesse and faults of the people? But for to do that, without authoritie of the prince, Esai. 10. a hath constituted & made vnlawfull ordinances and lawes, & deuised thinges which be to hard to kéepe: thorowe the which the poore are oppressed on euerie side, Valerius lib. 6. ca. 3. Example of Cam­bises. and the innocentes of my people are therwith robbed in iudgement. I will not here alledge the arest, giuen a­gainst the vniust iudge, which was slain, and his skinne was hanged vppe ouer the iudgment seate, for to be an example [Page 16] vnto others, and for to learne his sonne to exercise iustice, in all equitie and right: it shall suffise me to conclude with the wise man, which saith, Sapience 6. [...] that an hard iudg­ment shall they haue that bere rule. Mer­cie is graunted vnto the simple, but they that be in authoritie shalbe sore puni­nished: and the mightie shall haue the so­rer punishment. As to the seconde matter, there is no man that is wise which doub­teth, but that their religion is double, not onely forasmuch as it is painted and set out with the vaile and false apperaunce of true religion, but also forasmuch as it is builded and grounded, partely vppon the commaundemēts of God & partly vpon the traditions of men. Insomuch that the vice is greater among them to leaue the tra­ditions of men, then the commaūdements of God: forasmuch then as God is the pure veritie, yea in all things whole and perfect, truely those doo greatly erre from the true way of saluation, which doo offer vnto him a double heart, 2 Tim. 3. c I do meane those which haue the shewe and apperaunce of Godly liuing, but haue denied the pow­er thereof: whiche doe confesse him with their mouthes, and honour him with their [Page] lippes, Math. 6. d. in the meane time haue their heart farre from him: to be short, they will serue two maisters together, as to please God and men. I do remember for this matter, that which is written in the booke of Deu­teronomium, Deut. 25. d. where the Lorde did com­maunde that we shoulde not haue in our bagge two maner of weightes, a great and a small, neither diuerse measures: a great & a small. But we must haue a perfect & a iust measure. Malachi. 1. d As also the dissembler was cursed, by the prophet whiche hauing in his flocke one that is male, and when he maketh a vow offereth a spotted one vnto the Lord. The Lord meaning & declaring thereby, that we ought not to offer vnto him an vncleane and dissembling heart, & to giue vnto an other the honour whiche doth apperteine and belong vnto him. In­asmuch then as those of y ^e Romish Church, do steale away the honour which doth be­long vnto the Lorde, for to giue it vnto men: turning their siluer into drosse (as saith Esaie) and do mingle their wine with water. I do meane, do confounde and min­gle y ^e true Christian doctrine thorow their t [...]aditions, it is most certeine, that of the Christian Religion, they do make a dou­ble [Page 17] religion: As for vs, the holy simpli­citie of the Scripture doth please vs for al religiō and doctrine, as saith Sanct Ierome. S. Hierome in his epistle to Pannar­chius. Or the simple & naked veritie of the same, as sayth Lactancius, Lactancius lib. 3. cap. 1. and we will not adde vnto it, or diminish frō it of our owne head: bicause that the scripture giuen by inspira­tion of GOD, is profitable to teach, 2 Tim. 3. d to im­proue, to amende, and to instruct in righte­ousnesse, that the man of GOD may bée perfect and prepared vnto all good woorkes: The which ought to suffice our enimies, for to know, that it is too great iniurie and wrong done vnto the Lord & vnto his holy Scripture, that they will not make them­selues captiues and obedient vnto the li­mittes and boundes of his commaunde­mentes and his lawe. But will adde so many vaine traditions, considering that of that which is conteined in the same, the man of God is made perfect and prepared vnto all good workes. Furthermore, that which doth make vs yet more odious and hatefull vnto the church of Rome, is, bi­cause that wee doe not acknowledge any other head of the christian church, then Ie­sus Christ. Ephe. 1. d Who (as saith S. Paule) y ^e Lord hath made him aboue all things, the head [Page] of the Congregation which is his bodie, and the fulnesse of him that filleth all in all thinges, Collos. 1. c. and which is the first begotten of the dead, that in all things he might haue the preheminence: no more also then we doe admit and allow for to be Bishoppes other then those who being called, Hebr. 5. ae accor­ding to the christian rule, by their doctrine and good conuersation, geuing assured wit­nesse vnto the people of their vocation and election: And therefore wée doe remoue from the church of God, that man of sinne the sonne of perdition, which doth rayse and lift vp himselfe, against all that which is called God: And we do not holde or take for ministers of the church, so many vnpro­fitable & hired pastors: of whom Zacharie Zacha. 11. d. speaketh off saying, O vnprofitable shep­herde that leauest the flock, cursed be thou. And Iesus Christ in S. Iohn Iohn. 10. saith, an hyred seruant which is not y ^e shepherd flyeth, bi­cause he is an hiered seruant, & careth not for the shepe. It should serue for nothing here for vs to alledge y ^e dignitie of s. Peter, for as (saith s. Cyprian Ciprian in his boke of the simplicitie of the Prelates.) the other Apostles were that y ^e S. Peter was, & in lyke degrée of honour and of power: But among y ^e A­postles one is chosen, to the ende y ^e vnder [Page 18] one head, we may auoide all occasion of scisme, discention and diuision. And our enimies doe deceiue themselues in the same part, when thy do aledge vnto vs for a title of the seculer possession, that the bishopps haue succéeded immediately the Apostles: For after that the bishops haue chaunged and altred the discipline and christian Doctrine, by good aucthoritie we may disauowe them, as vnlawfull disciples and successours of the Lorde, and of his A­postles. And to haue recourse vnto the first rule of the Scripture: that is to saye, to the institution of ministes, to the ende that from thence should spring and come foorth the reason of our dooinges: (as sayth Sanct Ciprian) whereof the order and the originall haue taken their beginning. Ciprian in his epistle to Pompili­us. And notwithstanding al that, our enimies are not ashamed to crye aloude and clere­ly, yea, daye and night: that they wyll not suffer two religions. Ierem. 2. c. Be astonished (O ye heauens) be afrayde and abashed at such a thing sayth the LORD. Those in the Romysh Church doe suffer in their Cities, the Iewes and Mahomettes, and doe permitte and suffre them, with all li­bertie to buylde temples, and to erecte [Page] and set vp Sinagogs: yet haue they lesse shame to take tribute dayly of baudes and harlottes, Deut. 23. c although that the Scripture doth forbid them: I dare not say further, and doe make it a conscience, to suffer in their cities, those which for all Christian rules, do content themselues with that, that the Lord hath prescribed vnto them by his Te­stament and last wil, the which he hath ra­tified by his bloude. But as then hée that was borne carnally, Galat. 4. d. persecuted him that was borne spiritually, euen so is it nowe. And as we doe reade, that the Idol Dagon, the God of the Azotiens or Philistians could neuer stand vp before the Arke of the Lord, 1. Sam. 5. a. but Dagon did fall down groue­ling vpon the earth before it. So this Ro­mish church, béeing builded and grounded vpon al idolatrie & superstition of y ^e Gentils, seing themselues almost beaten downe and destroyed by the sworde of the woorde of God, in the presence of the true and refor­med Christian Churche: hath chosen the remedy of tyrants, and is armed with all felony and crueltie for to driue away, and to banish the children of God. And God willing, Daniel. 2. c. that wil happen in the ende which is shewed by Daniel, that that great and [Page 19] mightie Image, yea grimme to beholde, shalbe broken by that little stone hewen out of the Rocke, without mans hand, and shalbe established for euer, the kingdome of the sonne of God. Apoe▪ [...]8. [...] Insomuch that we will sing all with one accord: great Babi­lon is fallen, is fallen: bicause that she hath made dronke so many people with the wine of hir fornica­tion.

¶ THAT THE CHRISTIAN Religion cannot be tied or bound to any limittes and bounds. Cap. 3.

IF it be written that the king being sette vpon the seate of his kingdome, Deut. 17. d. shal write the Law, and shall reade therin al the daies of his life, that he may learne to feare the Lord his God, and for to kéepe all the woordes of his lawe, and his or­dinaunces, for to doe them: and the same LORD doth promise vnto his Church, Esay. 49. g that kings shalbe her noursing Fathers, [Page] and Quéenes shalbe her norishing mo­thers. It is certeine that as righteousnesse and truth are the estabishing of the throne or feate of the Lord: Psal. 89. c. Prouer. 11 so doth he preserue and keepe the kinges, and doth mainteine their scepter by godlinesse and trueth. (I doe saie further) if the Egiptians haue in such recommendation and praise the prac­tise of their religion aboue all things, Plato lib. 6 of the kingdome. (as saith Plato) that they will not create and make a king, except that he were promoted and consecrated a priest: yea, greatly oc­cupied or exercised in the dooings of the priestes. And the Persians will not a­lowe or admitte for their prince, but him which hath the knowledge of the science and discipline of the magiciens, Plato li. 16 of the kingdome. which doth conteine the true vse of their religiō: Inso­much as vnto y ^e young Princes of y ^e coun­trey were ordeined foure schole maisters, of whō the first did teach them y ^e magicke of Orcastrus y ^e sonne of Oroniasus, which did conteine the dooings of the religion. Plato in his booke c [...]l­led Alcibi­ades. Truely we ought not to doubt but that the estate & duetie of a christian Prince, is first of al to establish & mainteine y ^e dooing of the religion, Plutarch li. of the doctrin of princes. and to acknowledge y ^t he is the minister of God, for y ^e health of al men, [Page 21] to the ende, that the goods which the Lord hath giuē vnto him, he should kéepe part of thē, & distribute part of thē, & y ^t he do mani­fest & delare him self by works: as Aristotle doth write vnto Alexander, Aristotle writing vn to Alexan­der. y ^t the kingdome is giuen vnto him, to y ^e end to doo wel vnto man kinde. To the end also that vnder his obedience, the good may be defended from iniuries and oppressions of the wicked: lea­ding a quiet and peaceable life in all god­linesse and honestie, 1. Tim. 2. a. loking for that blessed hope and glorious appearing of the migh­tie God and of our Sauiour Iesus Christ. Titus. 2. d. Titus. 1. d. Forasmuch then as it is nothing to pro­fesse to knowe God, and with the déedes to denie him: 2. Tim. 3. b. to haue a similitude of godly li­uing, but haue denied the power thereof, that is not also much to mainteine a religi­on for certeine and true, and in the meane time do depriue themselues from y ^e exercise of y ^e same, Ephe. 4. c for as the woorks do declare our faith, so the exercise of the religion, doth as­sure vs that we be no more as children wauering and caried with euery winde of doctrine, but y ^t we following trueth with loue, we may growe and increase altoge­ther in him which is the head: y ^t is to say, Iesus Christ. To conclude, y ^t the Lorde [Page] would be knowen chiefly in the assembly of the true christians, as Dauyd sayth, I will praise thée in the great congregati­on, Psalm. 22. f. and performe my vowes in the sight of all them that feare thée: and in ano­ther place he sayth: Psalm 149. a Sing vnto the Lorde a newe songe, Psalm. 68. f let the congregation of the Sainctes prayse him: and in an other place he sayth, giue thanckes O Israel vnto God the LORD, in the congregations from the grounde of the heart. And Ie­sus Chryst hath promised his, that where there shall bée two or thrée gathered toge­ther in his name, Mat. 18. c. that he will be in y ^e midst of them. Psalm. 119 Furthermore if the Prophet Da­uid hath written that the woorde of God is a lanterne vnto our féete, and a light vnto our pathes: & Iesus Christ would not that that lyght shoulde bée hid vnder a bu­shell, Math. 5. b but that it be set vpon a candlesticke, that it may gyue light vnto all them that are in the house. Therefore he woulde that our lyght should so shine before men, that they may sée our good workes and glorifie our heauenly father which is in heauen.

Otherwise he that would limit and bind the dooing and exercise of the true christian [Page 22] religion in a certeine place, as did of late certeine of the Iewes at the temple of Ieru­salem, and the other at the Mountaine of Garizen, that should be to giue occasion of sclaunder, not onely vnto the Christians, estraungers and others: but also vnto the auncient enymies of our Relygion, Act. 10 f to blame the name of the LORD. For as the LORD hath no regarde vn­to the appearaunce of men: But in all people, hée that feareth him and worketh righteousnesse is accepted with him: So his worde ought not to be limitted in cer­teine places or persons, inasmuch as by his word wée haue knowledge of him, for vnto y ^e end he hath sent vs (by his welbelo­ued disciple) saying: search y ^e scriptures, Iohn. 5. g for in them ye thincke ye haue eternall life: & they are they which do testifie of mée. And for that cause chiefly the Lord will y ^t the dispensatiō of his word & of his sacraments be open & manifest vnto all the worlde: to the ende that we may seperate the church and congregation of the true chrystians, from so many sectes and companies of he­ritickes, whych doe boast themselues to haue the Churche with them, according as Lactancius Lactancius in his boke of instituci­ons. doth write.

There would be also daunger, or it is to be feared that ceasing the exercise of y ^e re­ligion, ther would happen that which is written in the booke of Iudges: that is to saye, Iudg. 21. d. that euery man doe not that which séemed right in his owne eies, or y ^t which we doe reade in the time of king Asa, 2. Cro. 15. a that ther was no peace to them that go out and in. But great vexation of the inhabiters of all lands: for one nation shall destroye an other, and one citie another: for GOD will trounce them with all aduersitie, as oftentimes it happeneth, that the Lord be­ing not knowen of his, Rom. 1. c as he ought to be, did take from his vnderstanding and wis­dome, and did fill them with blindnesse or darkenesse: & did giue vnto them a sléeping spirite, Psalm. 69. d & eyes that they cannot sée, & eares y ^t they cannot heare, & doth tourne their ta­ble into a snare, & that for their rewarde. Beholde what doth force & constraine me to say, y ^t it is in the great cities, in y ^e which we ought to establish first the exercise of y ^e true christiā religion, bicause y ^t oftentimes in the great cities are committed y ^e greatest wickednesse, Oseas. 4. extorcions & tyrannies: as the Lord so many times hath rebuked by his prophets the inhabiters of Ierusalem, that [Page 23] according to the benefites that he hath done vnto them, they did multiply & increase their iniquities & offences. Daniel. 5. a. And by his pro­phet Daniel, that y ^e iniquitie hath begun of the auncients and doctors of the lawe, Esay 2. [...] al­though that the law was come out of Sion, and the word of God from Ierusalem.

Not without cause y ^e Lorde hath establi­shed his temple, & ordeined his ceremonies in Ierusalem, the chiefe citie of, Iuda, for to repr [...]sse the sinnes of his people, and to holde and kéepe them in the obedience of his holy precepts & cōmaundemēts, Ierem. 23. f. bicause that his word is like a fire, & like a ham­mer, y ^t breaketh the hard stone: quicke & mightie in operation, and sharper then any two edged swoord: Hebr. 4. e and entreth through euen vnto the diuiding a sunder the soule and the spirite: wherein the scripture doth teach vs that there is no meanes more greater to same and to bridle the heartes & affections of men, then the woord of God.

The which ought to serue for an exam­ple vnto all true Princes, for to establish & mainteine the exercise of religion, I doe meane y ^t, in the which y ^e woord of the Lord doth sound daily, and is purely and rightly administred: for in that point doth consist [Page] their power, aucthoritie and greatnesse.

Xenophon lib. 4. of the sayings and doinges of Socrates.I doe remember for this matter that Licurgus the writer of the lawes of the Lacedemonians, could find no time more fitter for to cause y ^e citie of Sparta to florish then to accustome the inhabitaunts of the same to obey the lawes, bicause (saith hée) that the lawes doe teach two things: that is to say, to commaund and to obey to the commaundement, adding ouer and be­sides the same that the obedience doth con­sist and lye in the exhortation, wherein we are learned & taught, Xenophon lib. 1. of the expedition of Cirus. that the exercise of y ^e true christian religion is so much more necessarie for to mainteine and kéepe the rightes of Princes and Lordes: the which by the word of God we doe learne to obey him as our Prince and soueraigne Lord, & to giue vnto all our superiours y ^t which is due vnto them. Tribute to whō tribute belongeth: Rom. 13. b Math. 22. b. Custom to whō custome is due: Feare to whom feare belongeth: Ho­nour to whō honour perteyneth: not onely for the anger, but also for the conscience. And although that this onely argument be sufficient for to proue that we haue no­thing attempted agaynst the person of a Prince, his lawes and preheminences, [Page 24] yet truely our enimies haue thought by y ^e meanes to make vs odious & hatefull, not onely vnto those of the countrey, but also vnto straungers. Act. 15. a But as it happened of late amonge the disciples of the Lord, the dooing of y ^e religion béeing troubled, for certeine differences or controuersies which were among thē at y ^t time there, the Apo­stles did assemble themselues together, and hauing ordred the dooing of the religyon: Notwithstanding that they could not do so much, but y ^t they were forced afterward, both in their persons and in their religion, and declared to bée rebels and sediti­ous throughout all the Sinagogges: Euen so is it happened of our time. For though that by meere deliberation and aduise of the counsaile, learned men and of good consciences, haue agréed vnto some diffe­rences, for to mainteine the vnitie of the kinges subiectes, yet truely so many peo­ple haue risen against vs, from all places, that in y ^e end haue declared vs to be rebels & seditious: to conclude we haue bene for­ced in our persons, goodes & conscienses. In so much that we may bewaile & lament, y ^t which S. Peter in his time did deplore & la­ment, after y ^e saying of y ^e prophet Dauid: [Page] Why do the heathen rage together & why do the people imagine vaine things: Psalm. 2. a. the Kings of the earth stande vp, and the ru­lers take counsaile together against the Lord, and against his annoynted.

And we must not héere excuse our selues vnder colour of some (yea of y ^e most greatest part of the people) speaking against the Edict and statute of the king, for the gift to interprete the scriptures, or to sée & per­ceiue the differences which are done in the church, is a light and knoweledge which the Lorde hath printed and imbraced in the heartes of the true and faythfull Christians, and of those whiche of redie courage and frée will, do beléeue the word of God. And it is not bounde or tied to the number of personnes, aucthoritie or greatnesse. According to that which Iesus Christ did promise his Apostels in Saint Iohn, Iohn. 14. d Iohn. 6. e that the holy Ghost shall teach them all things, and that they shalbe all taught of God. 2. Peter. 1. d. The whiche Sainct Peter doth declare more at large, shewing, that the scripture came neuer by the will of man: but holy men of God speake as they were moued by the holy Ghost.

It is not then in the number of per­sons, [Page 25] that we must way the dooing of the Religion, but to the aucthoritie of the scripture and to the aduise of those, which with a good conscience doe bring an emi­nent and ouerpassing knowledge. Euen so the auncients in the primitiue Church do condempne Samosetanus and Arrius, & do take none other iudges for to discerne & perceiue the differences then y ^e word of God, with the consenting of those which haue béene Disciples or successours of the Apostles: I doe meane Policarpus, Ireneus, and Denis Nereus. For who­soeuer will haue regarde in that matter to the number of persons, he must preferre the opinion of the Scribes and Pharisies vnto that of Marie, Anna, Simeon, Eliza­beth, and Zacharie. Bicause that the Scribes & Pharisies, were more in num­ber then those which did holde of the part of Iesus Christ.

And our enimies do abuse themselues greatly, to thinke to stay or kéepe backe the course or passage of the gospell, or to winne vs to their Romish Church, hinde­ring the exercise of our religion: For if our exile, losse of our goods, and so much shedding of bloud thorowe out all the [Page] Realme, could not force or compell euen there, the true Christians, to make them cleaue or sticke to the Romish religion, so much lesse shal it serue to depriue vs from the exercise of the religion, which hath bene permitted vs with good deliberation & aduise of counsell. And when we shalbe driuen or chased into straunge countries, yet truely, Psalm. 137. a fréely we shal sing the songs of Syon, Similitude of S. Au­gustine in his booke of the spirit & the letter and the Lords songs. For euen as y ^e course of a floud being stopped & stayed, doth shew it selfe to be more vehemēt and of greater force: so y ^e true faithfull people being letted & constrained in the doing of the religion, doe giue themselus more willingly and with a better will to the true seruice of God, and to the meditation and studie of the holy scriptures.

And to the end not to dissemble and cloke that déede, what is he that will binde that, that the Lorde woulde shewe foorth euen to the vttermost endes of the earth? Who shall stay or let that, which hee hath shed abrode as a water floude, and as a mightie flowing streame, Esa. 66. d. for the helth and saluation of his? Who shall let that which he hath set vp and established for euer? Or who shall binde that which [Page 26] he hath ordeined for euer? The Lorde hath not bounde or tied his word, & shall man shut it fast in a certeine place? Ie­sus Christ hath shewed and declared it openly, & shall man hide it in darkenesse? He which hath receiued the talent of the Lord for to gaine or winne thereby, Mat. 25. b. shall he hide it in the earth, Rom. 1. b. he (I say) whiche is debter both to the Greekes and to them which are no Greekes, vnto the learned and also vnto the vnlearned, shall not hée preach the gospel? I doo speake vnto those, who following the Acts more then barba­rous or Scithian of one Antiochus Antiochus & Epi­phanus, Epiphanes not being cōtēt to haue shed hether to y ^e bloud of the faithfull, without leaue & aucthoritie of the magistrate, haue procée­ded to so great wickednesse, that they haue burned holy bookes of the Lorde: I doe meane those which doe make mention of the eternall alliance of his sonne our Lord Iesus Christ, thinking by that meanes more easely to establish & kéep in their tem­ples and Churches their idolles and God Marsin. And yet neuerthelesse they coulde not do so much by their trauailes & iour­neis that the Lord hath not raised for vs of the Machabeans, euen as he did vnto [Page] the Iewes, from sixe yeares to seuen, af­ter the persecution of Antiochus, for to giue some libertie vnto his people, to re­paire the ruinous places of his Temple, & to assure more and more the true faithfull people in their religion.

Vnto you O Christian Princes, these matters are directed, to the end that to day if you do heare the voice of the Lorde, you harden not your heartes. Heb. 3. b. Psalm. 95. c. For if the father bée compted cruell, whiche ha­uing manie children, doth giue of his goods: yea, of those whiche GOD hath giuen him, to some, and not to other some, which (I say) doth administer the corporall foode and other necessaries to some, and denieth it to other some: Truely the Christian prince cannot ex­cuse him selfe of ingratitude, to giue some Christian libertie and exercise of the Religion vnto some of his subiects, and to denie it vnto other some. Forasmuch as the materiall breade, is not the proper meate of the bodie, Mat. 4. c. as the worde of God is the nourishing of the soule: also that the princes (as saith Socrates in his booke of Xenophon Xenophon lib. 3. of the doinges and sayings of bo [...]es.) be towards their subiects as y ^e shepherds are towards their flocke, & [Page 27] the fathers towardes their children: that is the cause why Homere Homere. did call a prince, gratious and louing shéepherd of the peo­ple. Plutarch in his first A­potheg. And Agasicles king of the Lacedemo­nians being asked howe a king can com­maunde without a bodie of defence and companie of people: aunswered that he would commaunde his subiects, as the father his children.

Nowe I woulde demaunde willingly what dishonour that shoulde be vnto a Christian Prince vnto whom doth apper­teine to establish and to kéepe the doing of the religion, to shewe him selfe so negli­gent and vnthankefull towards his, Lamen. 4. a. that the little ones or young children should demaunde or aske of him y ^e heauenly breade, and there was no man that giueth it them. I do meane that the young children should suffer, not the hunger of breade nor the thrist of water, as saith the Prophet A­mos, Amos. 8. d. but an hunger to heare the worde of God. Let vs consider in this matter what reproch Iesus Christ did make vnto the Scribes and Pharises, when he said, Mat. 13. b. Woe be vnto you Scribes and Pharises, hypo­crites, for ye shut vp the kingdome of hea­uen before men, ye your selues goe not in [Page] neither suffer ye them, that come to enter in: the which words are applied, not to the Scribes and Pharises onely, but vnto all ministers ordeined of the Lord, for to de­clare and mainteine his worde.

Shall I speake of those who hauing ta­ken or snatched away that heauenly bread from the hand of the children of God, de­uowring also the children themselues, not being content to suppresse by force and vi­olence the exercise of the religion, but doe condempne to a most slaunderous and cruell death, the professours of the same: they are those of whom the Lord speaketh off by his prophet Dauid, which eate vp my people, Psalm. 14. b as it were breade. I cannot here forget that which Plato Plato lib. 3 of his lawes doth write off, that is to say, that it shoulde be a thing verie gréeuous and vile to nourish doggs for for to kéepe the flocke, and in the meane time thorow glouttonie, & impati­ence of hunger, or any other custome, the dogs do lifte themselues vp, for to deuoure the flocke, or for to hurt it, in what sorte soeuer it be, in such maner and sorte that the doggs were made like vnto y ^e Wol­ues. We must also (as the same Author doth write) take héede that they do not the [Page 28] like (against the Citizens) which are go­uernours of the townes, and in stéede to liue with them in amitie, Ezech. 34. as familier and domesticall, they do not rule ouer them in duritie and rigorousnesse. I will not here blame the honour of some Magistrates or gouernours. Exo. 22. c. For it is written thou shalt not curse the ruler of the people: Acts. 23. a Their conscience may bere them witnesse in that matter, what it is to let the true Christi­an religion, I do meane those which are confirmable and agreable to the Chri­stian rule, and good manners. On the con­trarie I beséech them to remember a lawe of the Aegyptians, by the which, Plutarch in his Apo­theg. the kings of the countrie did adiure and sweare the iudges, not to iudge any thing wrongful­ly, yea, when the king hath commaunded them expresly, and if they do disalowe me in this matter, I wil put before their eyes, the exhortation which Iehosaphat made vnto the Iudges of Iuda, admonishing and warning them to consider that they doe not exercise the iudgment of men, 2. Cor. 19. [...] but of GOD, and that it shall be with them according to the thing iudged: to haue the feare of the Lorde before their eyes, & to know that there is no vnrighte­ousnes [Page] in the Lord your god, nor y ^e regar­ding of persons, nor taking of rewardes.

2. Cor. 3. a.They haue written this lawe, not with ynke, but with the spirite of the liuing God: not in tables of stone, but in y ^e fleshly tables of their heartes. To the end that by their arrestes and Edictes, they haue moued by that afore the people vnto a rage and furie, more then barbarous and Scythian: Esay. 2. a. they may be also an occasion that hereafter the Christian people doe breake their swordes and speares, to make sithes, sickles and sawes thereof. From that time foorth shall not one people lift vp weapon against another, neither shall they learne to fight from thencefoorth: but (as the prophet Iob Iob. saith) that we may all walke in the feare of the Lord: let vs ac­knowledge also on our parte, that God hath ben prouoked iustly against vs for our demerites, and transgressions, accor­ding as he doth menace and threaten some time his people, Esay 3. a. by the Prophet, that he wil take from them y ^e Captein & the Soul­dier, the Iudge and the Prophet: the wise and the aged man: the worshipfull of fiftie yeare olde, and the honourable: the Se­natours and men of vnderstanding the [Page 29] maisters of craftes and Oratoures, and shall giue vnto them to be their Princes, children, and babes shall haue the rule o­uer them. The people shalbe pilled and polled, & one shall euer be doing violence and wronge to an other. The boye shall presume against the elder, and the vile per­son against the honourable. Bicause saith the Prophet, that both their wordes and counseils are against the Lorde, they pro­uoke the presence of his maiestie vnto an­ger. Wherefore O Christian and faithfull people: let vs consider our wayes and search them, Lamen. 3. e. and let vs returne vnto the Lorde, and bewaile vs for our sinnes. Let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lorde that is in heauen: say­ing, We haue bene dissemblers, and haue offended, wilt thou therefore not be in­treated? thou hast conuerted vs in thy wrath, and persecuted vs, thou hast slaine vs without any fauour, thou hast hidde thy selfe in a cloude, that our prayers shoulde not goe thorowe, thou hast made vs outcastes, and to be dispised among the heathen. All our enimies gape vppon vs, feare and snare is come vpon vs, yea, dispite and destruction. O Lorde be not [Page] so sore displeased and kéepe not our offen­ces too long in thy remembrance, Esa. 64. c but con­sider that we are all thy people. The ci­ties of thy Sanctuarie lie wast. Syon is a wildernesse, & Ierusalem a desert. Our holy house which is our beautie, where our fathers praised thée, is brent vp: yea, all our pleasures and commodities are wasted away: remember not Lorde our offences, but finish the worke which thou hast begunne in vs in this meane liber­tie of the religion, that we may all sing in great hope and assurance with the Pro­phet Dauid: Psalm. 85. b mercie and truth are met to­gether: righteousnesse and peace kisse each other, truth shal rise out of the earth, and righteousnesse shall looke downe from heauen. Graunt vs O Lorde that grace, in the name and fa­uour of thy welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe, vnto whome be glo­rie for euer A­men.

AN ADVERTISEMENT VN­to these which doe crie dayly, that wee must not suffer two religions. Cap. 4.

IT is most euident and knowen by the discourse of the holy scripture, that as the Lord is true, entire & perfect, so doth hée re­quire of vs an acknowledging of him, neither fained nor cloked. That is the cause wherfore he did regard rather the sacrifice of Abel then of Cain, Genes. 4. [...]. & did commaunde in the lawe that is writ­ten, that wée must haue a perfecte and [Page 31] a iust measure and weightes, and not to haue two manner of weightes, he did re­buke Saul, 1. Reg. 15. [...]. because that he did not wholy and fully accomplish his will and desire, inasmuch as he did reserue some of the spoiles which they had gotten against the king of Amalech. Luc. 18. c. And in the Gospell is more praised the prayer of the Publican, Act. 5. a then that of the Pharisie: To conclude, in the booke of the Actes of the Apostles, Ananias is punished bicause he deceiued the Apostles of the price of his possession.

In the same respect, also we do great­ly abhorre, those which do mingle the sa­crifice of the liuing God, with that of Ba­al: the doings of the Iewes, with the fame of the Samaritans: the baptisme with the circumcision: the Christian lawe, with that of Antichrist. And yet at this day we shall finde more straunge, that vnder co­lour of some ordinarie tribute: they doe suffer vnpunished, the Iewes with the Christians: the common harlots, with the married women, the Temples consecra­ted vnto strange & vnknowen Gods, amōg the middest of the Christian Churches.

But for all that it followeth not y ^t they ought to chase & driue vs out of the realme [Page] to depriue vs from our goods, to exile and banishe vs from our landes: to con­clude, to force vs in our bodies and con­sciences, except that it be first decided and determined by the word of GOD, that the Romishe Churche is the true Churche: on the contrarie side that they doe knowe by the same Iudgement that ours is contrarie vnto the true Chri­stian Churche. For as the Lorde doth sende vs by his Prophet vnto the lawe and to the witnesse, Esa. not vnto the deade. So doth he commaunde vs by his wel­beloued sonne, Iohn. 5. g to search diligently the Scriptures, because that they are those which do beare witnesse of our saluation.

And euen as (I say) that it was but a small thing that the Iewes did reproch Ie­sus, that he was a Samaritane and had the deuill. Iohn. 8. f And that they did call his Apo­stles deceiuours, and sowers of newe doc­trin. To conclude, that amōg the Romain Emperours they no more estéemed the Christian religion, Swetonius in the lyfe of Nero. then of a new supersti­tion or dangerous profession: Also it shall not muche serue to crie dayly that they ought to kill vs, banish and exile vs from our landes, except that they doe declare [Page 32] vnto vs by the worde of God, wherein we do swarue from the Christian church. For it doth not followe that our religion is false, because that it is contrarie vnto the Romish Church, no mor then we must say that the doctrine of Iesus Christ was euil because that it was contrarie to the tra­ditions of the Scribes and Pharises.

And it shall yet lesse serue in that mat­ter to alledge vnto vs the prescription of the time, S. Cipria [...]s in his seed [...] booke of his epistles the 3. epist. in asmuch as the gospel doth rule vs, or the greatnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church, in regarde of ours, forasmuch as they doe knowe, y ^t thorowe force and hypocrisie, the ministers of the same haue vsurped such power, aucthori­tie and greatnesse. For in those foundati­ons the scepter & reigne of Antichrist is shored vp & mainteined. And such are the markes of all false religion & doctrine, as doth witnesse vnto vs (besides that which is said in y ^e scripture, of the sonne of perdi­tion) the good Cosba which did reigne in y ^e time of Hely, Adrian Emperour of y ^e Ro­mains, & him which doth call himselfe at this day the great Lord. S Ambro▪ Can. con­uenior. For the true Christian religion doth not consist and lie in weapon or strength, but in weeping [Page] and in bewailing, no more then the bright­nesse and clerenesse of the same in the force and strength of handes: but in the patiēce and hope of men: To conclude, the perfecti­on of our law doth not consist in visible & outwarde thinges; but in the most déepest places of mens hartes and imaginacions.

That is then without any purpose to conclude that we must be exiled from our countrie, bicause they cannot suffer two re­ligions, except that the subporters & main­teiners of the Romish church doe confesse by the same meanes, that the truth is odi­ous vnto them.

Valerius li. 5. cap of the vnthākeful.Euen so the people of Athens dyd chase and driue from their Citie, and did put to death him in Cyprus, which hath establi­shed the lawes: Cicero lib. 5. de Tuscu. ques. Euen so Licurgus was banished of those, whom he instructed in all good dysciplyne and ordinances: Euen so Aristides was exiled and banished his countrye, although they could rebuke him of none other thing, but y ^t he was too iuste. The tyme will not serue mée to speake of the Patriarkes, Prophets, and Apostles, it suffiseth me to send or apply the rest vnto that, which the Apostle speaketh off, vnto the Hebrewes, the xj. Chapter.

To conclude, the confession of so many martyres of our religion ioyned with the worde of God, doth giue most sure wit­nesse that wée are not the disciples of the God of the Gentiles, for to deceiue men through ambiguitie and obscuritie of mat­ters, nor of an Idol Dagon, 1. Reg. 5. a God of the Philistians, for to make vs afrayde in the presence of the Arke of the Lorde. The humblenesse and obedience of ours, and the despising that they haue of worldly goodes, doe euidently declare, howe abhominable the pride of Babilon the mother of forni­cation is vnto them. Apo. 17. b Finally their blood­shed in all places, doth sufficiently teach our enimies what fayth and hope they haue vnto the promises of the Lorde, and to the merite of Iesus Christ, and what defiaunce and distrust they haue of the power and might of creatures.

I will not héere compare the pollicie and rule of our Church, vnto that of the A­postles, and yet lesse the manners of ours, to the life of them: I doe leaue off to speake to them, which with right conscience, doe bring some meane knowledge to the ho­ly scripture, what difference there is be­twéene the church of Iesus Christ, & that [Page] of Rome, what deformitie they doe finde of ours, to that of the Apostles, I doe meane for the regard and respect of the doctrine and pollicie: assuring my selfe in that mat­ter that if they doe consider it throughly, rightly, and without affection, they shalbe more attentiue to correct and amende their owne vices, then enclyned to condempne so lightly ours.

Furthermore, it is easy to iudge that our religion is neither double, neither fayned, in that chiefly wée do holde nothing lesse then of the superstitions of the Gentiles, nor of the ceremonies of the Hebrewes, Hebr. 10. a knowing that they were a shadowe of thinges nowe come. No more then of so many traditions of the scribes and Pha­rises, but that the simplicitie and plainnes of the holy scripture doth please vs, or for to speake better, Saint Hie­rome in his epistles. Lactācius. the playne and simple ve­ritie of the same, making our selues a­gréeable to the worde of hym which hath sayde, that GOD woulde bée wor­shipped in spirite and truth, our LORD Iesus Chryst, vnto whom be glorie for euer, Amen.

¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTIS­ment vnto those which do blame the true Christian religion, for the poorenesse and littlenesse of the same, or doe slaunder it for the euill conuersation and abuse of those which doe professe it. Cap. 5.

IN the lawe of nature man béeing created, vnto a dig­nitie and singuler perfec­tion, Genes. 12. d. Genes. 11. a sodeinely did forsake the ordinaunce and com­maundement of God, and within a little while after the chyldren of Adam did ryse vp for to builde a Tower called Babell. In the lawe that is writ­ten, the people did erre and goe astray from the way that GOD commaunded them, they made a Calfe of molten mettall, and bowed themselues before it, and delited in the woorkes of their owne hands. B [...]o 32. [...] In the booke of Nombers they murmured so much [Page] against Moses, Nomb. 11. c that Moses cryed vnto the Lord saying: I am not able to beare all this people alone, for it is to heauy for me, kil me I pray thée, if I haue found fauour in thy sight, and let me not sée my wretch­ednesse. In the booke of the kings, so ma­ny false prophets did cōspire against Elias, 1. Reg. 19. a that he desired to die, bicause that the chil­dren of Israel haue forsaken the couenaunt of the Lorde, and haue broken downe hys Alters, and slaine his prophets with the sworde. The which we doe reade of Iere­my, Ierem. 20. d when of a meruaylous zeale that hée did beare vnto the house of God (more thē through impatience of sorowe) he did ex­claime and crie out, saying: Cursed be the day wherein I was borne: vnhappie bée the day, wherein my mother brought mée foorth. Cursed be the man that brought my father the tidings to make him glad, say­ing: thou hast gotten a sonne. In the lawe euangelicall, so many of the scribes & pha­rises did conspire against Iesus Christ and his word, that he himselfe did reproch and checke them, that he was come in y ^e name of his father, and they receiued him not: & if an other do come in his owne name, they do receiue him, and therefore y ^e same Lord [Page 36] doth admonish and warne his, Mat. 7. e that they should beware of false prophets which come vnto them in shéeps clothing, but in­wardly they are rauening wolues. In the time of the Apostles, so many of y ^e Empe­rours enimies of y ^e christian law: As Nero, Domitian, Herode, and others. So many false prophets, as Simon Magus, Iudas, Ga­lileus, Therdas: & after y ^e Apostles so many people corrupt in the lawe and manners that S. Paule did exhort his for to beware of things to come, saying: Act. 20. f Take héede ther­fore vnto your selues, and to all the flocke, whereof the holy Ghost hath made you o­uerséers, to rule the congregation of God, which hée hath purchased with his bloode. For I am sure of this, y ^t after my depar­ting shal gréeuous wolues enter in among you, which will not spare the flocke.

The same doth not learne or teach vs therefore to blame the religion of the LORD, Psal. 19. c for the lawe of the Lorde is a perfect lawe, it quickeneth the soule: The Testimonie of the LORDE is true, and giueth wisdome euē vnto babes, but to acknowledge the mallice of men, and the presumption of those which do rise vp against God. And besides it, teacheth vs not [Page] to beléeue to lightly euery spirite: but to proue the spirites whether they are of God or not. 1. Iohn. 4. a.

Furthermore, not to way or measure the true Christian religion to the opinion of men: but to the rule and word of the Lord, according as it is sayde in Moses. Deut. 6. c Thou shalt doe that which is right and good in the sight of the Lorde, not all that which thou doest thincke to bée good. And not to slaūder vs, in y ^e mallice of some Apostates, for through the incredulitie & vnbeléeuing of some which haue not beleued, y ^e promise of God is not abolyshed or without effect: bicause y ^t God is true, & all men are lyers. Furthermore, to acknowledge our imper­fection and weakenesse after the example of those which haue despised the giftes, graces and liberalities of the Lorde, Rom. 3. a and to praye without ceasing and intermission, that he doe increase in vs the fayth, to the ende we doe not vary from his lawe, either to the right hand, nor to the left.

Act. 3. dFinally, to suffer patiently y ^e wicked, vn­till the day of the later resurrection, which is the time of the restoring of all things, 1. Cor. 4. a and to iudge nothing before the time, vn­till such time as the LORD doth come: [Page 37] which will lighten things that are hyd in darkenesse, and open the counsailes of the heartes, and then shall euery man haue praise of God.

Euen so Aaron suffered the people rising vp against him: Bxo. 32. a. Saint Augu­stine epistle 163. Nomb. 11. e and did consent that they should make and worshippe an Idoll. E­uen so Moses suffered so many thousande persons which did murmure against him. Euen so Dauyd did suffer patiently the manners of Saul, his persecutor and deadly enimie, and did acknowledge him for king, and auenged his death. Euen so Samuel did discemble and cloke the manners of the children of Ely. Euen so Esaie did beare the rebellion and contumacie of his people. Euē so Ieremy, those of whom he suffered so many wronges and iniuries: and all that to the ende to kéepe the vnitie of the spirite in the bonde of peace. Ephe. 4. a As also Ie­sus Christ did suffer and abide in his com­pany, one Iudas, a théefe and a betrayer of his bloode, and did permitte and suffer him amongest good men, to take our price. Fi­nally, euen so did the Apostles suffer the false Apostles, and those which did séeke y ^e thinges which were their owne, not those of Iesus Christ.

Saint Augu­stine epistle 119.Not without cause saint Augustine saith, that the church béeing established in the myddest of chaffe and darnell, doth suffer many things, yet notwithstanding y ^e things which are against the faith or the good life, she doth not allow them, she doth not hide them, she doth them not.

And truely those doe abuse themselues greatly, which of y ^e same do thinck to make a citie platonical, I do meane which are an example of all infirmities, vices and im­perfections.

What is the cause y ^t we are not asha­med to confesse y ^t ther are in vs companies of the immitators & folowers of Peter, ad­uowing themselues faithfull seruants of the Lord, Iohn 13. d. and yet neuerthelesse do disauow and denie it at the voice of a simple maide, I doe meane for a light and small occa­sion.

Iohn. 13. gYea, of Pilates consenting vnto y ^e death of the iust, against their owne consciences, for the feare that they haue to lose their estates, dignities and promotions.

And wée will not denie that one can not méet with the Nicodemians the secrete disciples of Iesus Christ.

And if it wer néedeful to require so néere, [Page 38] they should ther finde of Iudasses, which do marchaundise and sell the innocent bloode, and doe betray the iust for money.

What shall I saye more, Iohn. 19. f there lacked not a souldyer, for to pearce the side of the iuste, I doe meane which doe speake euill of him through false reportes, iniuries and wronges.

And besides this, Math. 27. c so many wicked people which doe wagge their heades with the Iewes, and doe mocke the iust hanged on the crosse, saying, that we doe promise ma­ny things, but that we do execute nothing rightly.

And to make an ende of this matter, one may there sée a thiefe hanged on the crosse for his wickednesse and faultes, and yet accusing the iust, hauing him in dys­daine. But euen as Iesus Christ béeing deliuered to death by the Iewes, and forsa­ken of his Apostles and disciples, was kno­wen to be the sonne of God, by the things mute and without vnderstanding. For the elements forsaking their right course, May. fh [...] haue sufficiently declared his greatnesse: y ^e stones which did rent & break asunder haue openly declared what his puissaūce was as­wel in heuē as in earth, y ^e graues which did [Page] open, and the bodies that did rise, haue de­clared that he had power ouer the liuing & the dead. Also, if al the men of this world did violence vnto Iesus Christ and hys woorde, the stones and dome thinges, shall declare his praise, and shal publish & shew foorth hys lawe. According as he did re­buke sometime the Scribes and Phary­ses, y ^t if the little ones do hold their peace, sodeinly the stones would cry out, Math. 3. b. Luc. 3. b. Nom. 22. e. 2. Pet. 2. d for God can of these stones raise vp children vnto Abraham: As of late the LORD did stirre vp a dome Asse (speaking in a mans voice) for to rebuke the madnesse of the prophet: Psal. 119. m Let vs then conclude with Dauid that the worde of the Lord endureth for euer in heauen. Psal. 33. c And that his trueth also remayneth from one generation to ano­ther. The Lord bringeth the counsayle of the heathen to naught: and maketh the deuises of the people to be of none effect, and casteth out the counsailes of Princes: But the counsaile of the Lord shall endure for euer, and the thoughts of his heart from generatiō to generation. Mat. 24. c Marc. 13. d For he hath buil­ded his witnesses for euer. Heauē & earth shall passe, but his words shall not passe. In this matter those of the Romish church [Page 39] taknig occasion of that place, wil say, y ^e one ought not to forsake their religion, for the abuses, which one doth se ther daily, chiefly in their prelates: But they ought to know that there is two marks, amonge other which doe seperate y ^e true church from the false, that is to say, the true vsage of y ^e word and of the administration of y ^e sacraments ordeined of God pure & whole, forasmuch then as in the Romish church, there is no­thing of al this, forasmuch as in it the com­maundements of God are forsaken, for the traditions of men, & the sacraments pro­phaned and applied vnto a hyre & ordinarie traficke. It is not without cause, Mat. 15. a if we doe disalow or denie that church, for although that their foundation (as they say) be Iesus Christ and him crucified, 1. Cor. 3. c. yet truely they do build vpon y ^e foundation, so many vaine and vnprofitable things, that one can scant know in their church any marke or signe of true religion. And as we do read in Esay, Esay 53. [...] that Iesus Christ was so despised of the Iewes, that euery one did hide their faces frō him, insomuch as he had neither beauty nor fauour in him: So we séeing daily so many kindes of wrongs by those of y ^e Ro­mish church, y ^t is to say, in his word, in his [Page] person & his members, that one can skant­ly knowe that he doth reigne in the mid­dest of those, which doe call themselues Christians, and our enemies ought not to ground or build themselues vpon that that the bishoppes haue succeded the Apostles, for the discipline and christian rule being chaunged by y ^e abuse of them, their estate and charge hath bene altogether chaun­ged and adnulled: I do not meane to blame the bishops which haue followed the Apo­stles in their life and doctrine.

Furthermore, one may the better know y ^t the marks of y ^e true christians, are those whereof our Lord speaketh of in Esay say­ing. Esay 8. d Lay the witnesses together, & seale the lawe with my disciples. And Iesus Christ in his Gospell saith, Iohn. 10. b my shéepe do heare my voice. Forasmuch then as those of y ^e Ro­mish church do forsake the word of Iesus Christ our true shepheard, and do harken vnto y ^e voice of straungers: turning their eares frō y ^e veritie, & doe giue themselues vnto fables: to conclude, giuing héed vnto spirites of errour, 1. Tim. 1 & 4. [...] & diuelish doctrine of thē which speak false through hipocrisie, it is to plaine that we ought not to séeke y ^e church in their companie.

And they do deceiue themselues greatly, if they do thincke that for their euill con­uersations onely, we do abandon their re­ligon, for although that for such things, the name of the Lord is blamed not among y ^e christians onely, Rom 2. d. but also among the Gen­tiles. Yet truely we haue not so much re­gard vnto their maners, as to their doctrine by y ^e which the men are enclined vnto ido­latrie & meruailous superstition. And ther­fore y ^e scripture doth exhort vs, to depart frō the citie of Babilon, Esay 48. d. Apoc 7 a least we be partakers of hir sins, & to holde him accursed which doth preach vnto vs any other gospel then y ^t which we haue receiued, Gal. 1. a we will follow those which are marked with this marke Thau vpon their foreheades, Ezech. 9. b Apoc. 7. a I do meane those which haue in a singuler recōmenda­tiō y ^e law of y ^e Lord (for as saith y ^e scripture) whersoeuer y ^e dead carkas is, Math. 24. c. Luc. 17. g. thither wil y ^e Eagles resort: wherein Iesus Christ doth teach vs, y ^t nothing shal hinder or let, y ^t the christians be not vnited & knit vnto their head. Wherfore (as it is said) it shalbe to no purpose to say, y ^t ther are amōg vs so many false brethren, inasmuch as Iesus Christ doth likē his church vnto a net cast in y ^e sea & gathereth of al kinds of fishes. For y ^e true [Page] mark of the Church of God, doth consist in the lawe, and in witnesse, vnto the which the Lord doth sende vs by his prophet whē he sayth: Esay 8. d. Is there a people any where, that asketh not counsaile at his God: whether it be concerning the dead, or the lyuing. If any man want light, let him looke vpon the lawe and the testimonie, whether they speake not after this meaning. Notwith­standing then, Deut. 4. b. that our enimies doe glori­fie and boast themselues in the outwarde appearaunce of their ceremonies and sa­crifices, crying (with the Iewes) that there is no nation or people so great, that hath ordinaunces and lawes so righteous, as al this lawe which they set before the peo­ple. Although, saye I, that they doe boast themselues of their Temples and sump­tuous presentes, and goodly endowmentes, and that they do exclayme so many times dayly. ere. 7. a. This is the Temple of the Lorde, despisinge the Christian and reformed Church, for the poorenesse, basenesse, and littlenesse of the same. Esay 8. c Rom 9. g. 1. Pet. 2. b. Luc. 2. c. They are not ignoraunt that Iesus Christ hath not ben as a stone to stumble at, and as a rocke to fall vpon, a snare & a net to both y ^e houses of Israell, and shalbe the fall & resurrection [Page 41] of many in Israel, and for a signe whiche shalbe spoken against. Insomuch that Saint Paul doth witnesse that Iesus Christ crucified is an occasion of falling vnto the Iewes, 1. Cor. 1. d 2. Cor. 2. d and vnto the Grekes of foolishnesse, and his doctrine a swéete sa­uour of life vnto those which were saued, and of death vnto those which do perishe. What is the cause that their reasons doe serue to no purpose for to abolish or change the veritie of our religion, grounded vp­pon the word of the Lorde, but rather for to condempne the malice of those whiche do abuse it (as the hoggs do of the good pearles, and the doggs of the childrens breade) which if they doe consider well what their Romish Church is, they shall finde it in nothing differing from a policie or gouernement altogether prophane and worldly, hauing it subiect not vnto the worde, but to their opinion and priuate will, Math. 20. d a thing asmuch contrarie vnto the Christian doctrine, as Iesus Christ doth teach vs that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them. And they that are great exercise power ouer them, but it shall not be so among them.

That is the cause why we do not sée [Page] any other thing to reigne in the Romish Church, then an excessiue ambition, and inordinate desire, Saint Hie­rome in the life of Malchus. to encrease & augment their greatnes, as saint Hierome doth te­stifie of his time, that the Churche beeing augmented & increased, in temporall ry­ches, was also weakened & diminished in christian vertues, in suche sorte that hee durst well call the Church of his time, a sinke and puddle: in respect and regarde y ^t it had, and did beare vnto the Churche of of Iesus Christ, and of his Apostles.

For the Christian Church is not bound vnto titles, nor vnto dignities: But to y ^e word and to the true vsage of the Sacra­ments ordeined of the Lord, nor limitted vnto a certeine place (as of late the Iewes did referre the doings of their religion vn­to the Temple of Salomon, the benedicti­ons & blessings of the Lord to the mount Garizim) but in all people he that feareth him & worketh righteousnesse, Act. 10 f is accepted with him, and his welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christe is in the middes of two or thrée gathered together in his name. Mat. 18. e

What shall I say more? the greatnesse of the Christian church doth not consist [Page 42] in the number of persons, Mar. 20. b for as Iesus Christ saith, many are called but fewe are chosen. And as Esdras doth witnesse, 4. Esdr. 8 a the most highest made this world for ma­ny, but the world to come for fewe: As when thou askest the earth, it shall say vnto thée that it giueth much moulde, whereof earthen vessels are made, but lit­tle of it that gold commeth off, euen so is it with the worke of this worlde. There be many created, but few shalbe preserued. Insomuch that the Lord doth make some­time his Church like vnto a wilde and barraine vyne, Esa. 4 [...]. a in the whiche one can finde but a fewe grapes, yea, vnto a budde, in the which one can finde but one grape: And he saith, doe not destroye it, for it is blessednesse. Esa. 29. e. Luc. 12. d. And therefore the Lorde called his number the little flocke, Math. 7. b and doth tell vs that straite is the gate, and narrowe is the way which lea­deth vnto life, and fewe there be that finde it.

I do say moreouer, that we ought not to applie or referre the christian church vnto mans commoditie and felicitie. For in y ^e lawe of nature, we do sée an Abel, the figure of the true christians put to death, [Page] and killed by his brother: Genes. 4. b Genes. 9. d Genes. 28 a Noe, despi­sed of his owne sonne: Iacob & the other prophets, banished and constrained to flie: that people of Israel, Exo. 1 c. so much praysed or estéemed of God, compelled by Pharao, vn­to a great and miserable seruitude and bondage: Nom. 10 A little while after, did wander & stray abrode by the wildernesses. The king and his people, 4 Reg. 25. b taken captiue in Ba­bilon: the Prophets constrained to hide themselues, for the crueltie and tirannie of the kings. In the Christian lawe, the first Herolde and Ambassadour of Iesus Christe and of his gospell, Iohn Baptist put to death by king Herod. Math. 14. b Mat. 2. c Iesus Christ from his birth or assoone as he was borne fledde into Aegypt. The Apostles coun­ted as shéepe to be slaine, and after the A­postles, I do meane from the time of the Romaine Emperours a verie bucherie and slaughter of Christians. Euseb. in the ecclesi­astical Hi­storie.

For all the same we haue none occasion to be offended or to be angrie with our selues, seing the peace of the wicked and vngodly, or to withdraw vs from y ^e Chri­stian Church, for the aduersities of the same: for euen as in the time of the vni­uersal floude, Genes. 7. c Noe and all his family were [Page 43] preserued from the waters, and the Arke coulde not be forced with the windes and tempests, or as the people of Israel, erring and wandering in the wildernesse and vn­knowen places, Exo. 13. d were conducted and gui­ded by the Lorde, in the night by a piller of fire, and by day in a piller of a cloude. Finally, Math. 14. d as that ship wherin the Apostles were, being tossed vppe and downe in the sea, did séeme to manasse the Apostles, of drowning: if it had not béene that Iesus Christ at his comming caused the windes to cease and the sea to be calme. Euen so this heauenly Arke (I do meane the Chri­stian Church or congregation) being buil­ded vpon the foundation of the Apostles and Prophets, Ephe. 2. d & that corner stone which is Iesus Christ (yea him which hath pro­mised vnto his, that he wil aide and helpe them euen vnto the end of the world) for­asmuch as he doth fortifie him in his af­flictions, that nowe of late the Arke of Noe did lifte vp it selfe aboue the waters, stormes and tempests.

Wherefore it should be in vaine for to no purpose for vs, here to alledge the mag­nificence and greatnesse of the Romishe Church, for that is as if one shoulde leane [Page] vppon a stafe of a broken reade, that is to say, vpon mans force and strength. Or for vs to blame the poorenesse and little­nesse of our church, forasmuch as it is stai­ed vpon the worde of the Lorde, which a­bideth for euer. But we must rather ac­cuse the malice of those which do rise vp against vs for to destroy and ruinate that principall foundation, whiche is Iesus Christ, Ephe. 2. d in whom all the building coupled together, groweth vnto an holy Temple in the Lord, in whom we also are built together, & made the habitation of God by the spirite: for as we ought not to blame Moses, Exo. 1. c nor to attribute vnto his doctrine, that the people of God did not multiplie and increase, but vnto king Pharao, which did force them vnto an extréeme and mise­rable seruitude and bondage: euen vnto y ^e killing of the first borne of the people: nei­ther vnto the prophet Helyas that in his time the true Prophets were no more at commaundement: but rather vnto king Achab and Iesabel his wife whiche did followe and chase them vnto death.

No more also then we ought to blame Sainct Iohn Baptist, Mat. 14 b the messenger or forerunner of the sonne of God, or the A­postles [Page 44] of Iesus Christe, because that so many people did put themselues against the Christian lawe: But to accuse the ambition of the Romaine Emperours to­gether with the priuie hatred of y ^e Scribes and Pharises, willing to deface in the earth the memorie of Christ. In like manner we ought not to condempne the true Christian religion, or to stay vs or tarrie vppon the default of those which do professe it, but to acknowledge the rage & furie of the enimies of the crosse of Christ, 2. Timot. 2. d and in the meane season to beare patient­ly y ^e manners of our domesticalls, teaching them with gentlenesse, prouing if God at any time will giue them grace, that being conuerted they may know the trueth. And because that the haruest is great, but the labourers are fewe, Mat [...]. [...] let vs on our parte pray vnto the Lord of the haruest, to send foorth labourers into his haruest and that for so many hired and vnprofitable shep­herds he do send good shepherds into his folde, Iohn. 10. a looking for or beholding the cōming of the true shepherde of our soules, our Lorde Iesus Christ, vnto whom be glory for euer, Amen.

¶ THAT NONE CAN HIN­der or stoppe the course of the religion, by fire and sword, threatnings and bonds. Cap. 6.

IF the Scripture doth teach vs in diuers places that the Gospel is none o­ther thing but a message of peace, Esay. 52. v. 7. Rom. 10. c. 15. according as E­saie saith, that beautifull are the féete of him that bringeth the mes­sage from the mounteine, & proclaimeth peace: that bringeth the good tidings, & pre­cheth health, & saith vnto Syon, thy God is [Page 46] the king: if say I, the same prophet (spea­king of the vocation and calling of the Gentiles and message of the gospel) doth write in the persone of the Lorde, Esay. 66. d. 12: that he will let peace into her, like a water floud, and the might of the heathen like a flow­ing streame: and that in that same time men shall breake their swords and spears, Esay. 2. a to make sythes, sickles & sawes thereof. From that time forth shall not one people lifte vp weapon against another, neither shal they learne to fight from thenceforth according to that we do reade, that at the fist or new comming of the sonne of God that there was with the Angel a multi­tude of heauenly souldiers, lauding God and saying, glorie be to God in the hie heauens, and peace in earth, and towards men good will. Luc. 2. b As it is most euident that Iesus Christ our sauiour was borne vnder Cesar Augustus reigne, a kingdome full of tranquilitie and peace, truely the Am­bassadour and herauld of one such message ought to obserue and kéepe a great méeke­nesse and gentlenesse, in his charge & pro­fession.

For it is most certeine that Moses and Iesus Christ, in that haue had a singuler [Page] prerogatiue aboue all other: of Moses, the scripture saith, Nom. 12. a that he was a verie méeke man, aboue all the men of the earth, what Iesus Christ was, he himselfe doth mani­fest and declare it, when he cried with a loude voice, come vnto me all ye that are wearie and laden, Mat. 31. d. and I will ease you. Take my yoke on you, and learne of me that I am méeke and lowely in heart. In somuch that the Prophet speaking of his méekenesse, Esa. 42. a saith, he shall not be an out­crier, nor an hie minded person. His voice shall not be heard in the streates. A bru­sed reade shal he not breake, and the smo­king flaxe shall he not quench, he wil not be hatefull or odious vnto him selfe, nor yet werie him selfe. 1 Pet. 5. a That is the cause wherfore Sainct Peter did exhort y ^e past­ours & shepherds to féede Christes flock, which is commited vnto them, taking the ouer-sight of thē, not as though they were compelled thereto, but willingly: not for y ^e desire of filthy lucre, but of a good minde, not as though they were Lordes ouer the parishes: but that they shoulde be an ensample to the flocke. Euen so dothe Saint Paul say, writing vnto the Thessa­lonians, 1. Thessa. 2. b we haue béene, saith he, tender a­mong [Page 47] you, euen as a nursse cherisheth her children, so was our affection towarde you: our good will was not to haue delt vnto you, not the gospel of God onely, but also our owne soules, bicause ye were deare vnto vs. Euen so saide Iesus Christe vnto his Apostles, Mat. 20 b behold I sende you foorth as shéepe among wolues. Be ye therfore wise as Serpentes, and innocent as Doues. And in an other place of the same booke, Ye know saith Christ that the Lordes of the Gentiles haue domination ouer them. And they that are great, Mat. 20. d exer­cise power ouer them. It shall not be so a­mong you. But whosoeuer will be great among you let him be your minister, and whosoeuer will be chiefe a mong you, let him be your seruant. As the Lorde also doth witnesse by his prophet, (speaking of the remnants) I meane of the faithful con­gregation that the remnant of Israel shall doe no wickednesse, nor speake lyes: Sopho. 3. c nei­ther shall there any disceitful tongue bée founde in their mouthes, for they shall be fedde, and take their rest, and no man shal make them a fraide. And it is verie well saide of Plato, Plato in [...] 9 book [...] his la [...] that he which doth sta­blishe and make Lawes in cities, ought to [Page] hold and kepe the office of a father and mother: Insomuch that his writings shold conteine in them, rather a kinde of loue and wisedome, then of a tirant, thret­ning and ruling by rigor and cruelnesse. And therefore the Lorde did rebuke some­times the shepeherds of Israel, Ezech. 34. a for y ^t they did rule ouer their flock in duritie and ri­gorousnes. Math. 23. a. And Iesus Christ did declare vnto the Scribes & Pharises, that they did binde heuie burthens and gréeuous to be borne, and lay them on mens shoulders: but they themselues will not heaue at them with one of their fingers, and loue to sit vppermost at feastes, and to haue the chiefe seates in the sinagogs, & gréetings in the markets, and to be called of men Rabby. As it did appeare that the chiefe priest asked the Apostles, Act. 5. e saying, did not we straitely commaunde you y ^t ye shoulde not teach in his name? Such is and hath béene alwayes the manner and condition of those which haue little regarde to the christian religion, so that they may get vn­to themselues powre & aucthoritie. As we do reade that king Nabuchodonosor did cōpell and constraine the people to do ho­mage & worship vnto his idoll: Daniel. 4. b one Anti­ochus [Page 48] which did cause the Iewes and Ma­chabees to forsake the diuine seruice and preceptes of the elders, 1. Mach. [...] one Cozba in the time of the Emperour, Elyas Adrianus would y ^e men should take or acknowledge him for the true Messias, promised in the lawe, or as we doe se in our time, an Emperour of the Turkes, by force of armes did go about to mingle the hea­uen & earth, for to obscure and darken the name of Christ, and to deface his remem­braunce. Not without great cause Saint Hierome Saint Hie­rome in the life of Malchus. did cōplaine sometimes, y ^t when the powre was vsurped by the prelats of the Church: that the Church being in­creased in goods and riches, hath ben also diminished and made weake in vertues, things much more dampnable and con­trarie to our religion, as the worde of the Apostle doth admonishe and teach vs that the weapons of our warre are not carnall things but things mightie in God, to cast downe stronge holdes, 2. Cor. 10. b wherewith wée ouerthrowe imaginati­ons, and euerie hie thing that exal­teth it selfe against the knoweledge of GOD. And verie well a certeine aun­cient authour saide, that the Church doth [Page] not knowe the corporall weapons, and that for her onely aide and helpe she doth patiently abide and tarie patiently the Lordes leasure when it will please him to haue pittie on her, Le Can. porro. 16 caus. que. S. Amb. to the same ende a Bishoppe of the Church of Rome saide. When I shalbe cōpelled, I may not resist: I may besorrie, I may wéepe and lament: against the armies & weapons of the men of Gotia, my teares & weepinges are my weapons. Behold saith that good authour, the munitions and weapons of priestes, otherwise I can neither speak against, nor resist. Now for asmuch as our enimies do goe about and endeuour themselues to mainteine their Religion by fire and sworde, threatnings and bandes, they do sufficiently declare that they cannot assure it by the scripture. Exo. 1. & 2 Euen as king Pharao desiring to raigne ouer the people of God, fearing that he should not treade vnder­foote all other nations, did lay vpon them importable burthens, and at the last, cau­sed to be killed all the first borne of the people of Israel. Euen so (I say) as Herode being troubled for the homage & obedi­ence y ^t men did beare vnto Iesus Christe, Mat. 2 c of his natiuitie, & considering the promi­ses [Page 49] of the sauiour of the worlde accompli­shed and fulfilled in him, dyd slaye all the children that were in Bethelem, and in all the coastes thereof, as many as were two yeare olde and vnder, fearing least that the aduauncement of the kingdome of Christ should be the ruine of other people. Be­holde the ende of those which haue no re­garde what become of the kingdome of Iesus Christ, so that they may establish & set vp their puissaunce and greatnesse to the ende they may reigne and beare rule in this world. Mat. 6. d. But the meaning of the true christians is altogether otherwise, for­asmuch then as they doe seeke first y ^e king­dome of God and the righteousnesse ther­of. Yet they care not what their auctho­ritie, power and greatnesse be, so that the word of God haue his frée passage, and the name of the Lord be glorified. For that same reason they put not their hope and strength in carnall weap [...]ns, but in spi­rituall. Their sword is the word of God, Heb. 4. [...] quicke and mightie in operation, and shar­per then any two edged swoord, and ente­reth through euen vnto the deuiding asun­der of the soule and of the spirite, and of the ioyntes and the marie: and iudgeth [Page] the thoughtes and intentes of the heart. Their victorie is that, 1. Iohn 5. that ouercōmeth the world, euē our faith, by the which (as saith the Apostle vnto the Hebrewes). Hebr. 11. f The aun­cient fathers, patriarks and Apostles, haue subdued kingdomes, wrought righteous­nesse, obteined the promises, stopped the mouthes of y ^e Lyons: Apo. 2. e And as Iesus Christ said, that he will fight against his enimies with the swoorde of his mouth. Ier. 1 b Also hée doth giue power and strength vnto his, in the vertue and power of his woord to roote out, breake off, destroy and make wast, to build vp and plant, as he promised in Iere­my, and afterward confirmed by the mouth of his sonne, sending his Apostles through out the whole world. Then let all those bée confounded and put to shame which doe thincke to abolish the true christian religion by force of armes, or with a great companie of people, or by threate­ninges.

Tertulian in his boke of the persecution in y ^e flyinge to Scupula.For as an auncient author hath very wel written, that it is no religion to constraine the religiō, the which men ought to receiue with a willing heart, our religion cannot be forced and constrayned by force of armes, but by woordes. As for vs bi­cause [Page 50] that the Gospell hath bene preached throughout the whole worlde, Lactanciu. lib. 5. ca. 20 amonge the horrible persecutions of the martyres, and that the bloode of them hath bene the séede of the Church, yea, that the Church is come to her perfection and greatnesse, S. Augus [...] li. 18. of th [...] city of god Tertulian. Saint H [...]e­rome in y ^e lyfe of Malchus. by those persecutions, and hath ben crow­ned by the punishments and witnesses of the true faythfull christians: we do make it no doubt to mainteine and defende our religion, by the same meanes by the which she hath bene established, I doe meane by patience and gentlenesse: in such sort that although that our enimies doe yet mur­mure, yet we are assured that the gates of hell shall not ouercome vs, Psalm 69. b Ma [...] [...]6 c forasmuch as the church is the house of God, the pyller and ground of truth. 1. Tim 3. d We doe beléeue al­so that the persecutions which we do suf­fer, doe not serue for any other thing, then to witnesse the tyrannie and crueltie of our enimies, and to assure more and more, the veritie of our doctrine, in our constant­nesse and patience.

Euen as the persecution of Lot did figure none other thing but the vtter subuersion of the Citie of Sodome. Genes. 19. [...] [Page] The affliction of the Israelites did declare and teach none other thing, Exo. 1. d but the wast and destruction of the people of Aegypt to be nigh at hand: Lamen. 4 a To conclude the blood of y ^e prophets did demonstrate & declare the vengeaunce of God, vpon that citie of Ierusa­lem, so goodly and excelent: According to that which is saide in Iesus the sonne of Siraach, Eccles. 10. a that bicause of vnrighteous dea­ling, wrong, blasphemies, and diuers de­ceites, a realme shalbe translated from one people to an other. Phil. 1. b And sainct Paule doth shewe and declare that the thinges which haue happened vnto him are tourned to the great furthering of the Gospell: So that his bands in Christ were famous through out all the iudgement hall, and in al other places. Insomuch that many of the bre­thren in the Lord were boldened through his bands, and dare more franckly speake the word. I do speake vnto those which doe thincke to abolysh the true christian religion, by the bloode of the faithfull, as some which are so madde and senselesse, willing to quench the fire, doe put into it oyle. Luc. 12. f For the Lord is come to sende fire on the earth: And what desireth he more but that it be kindled. If he himselfe hath [Page 51] embraced it in the heartes of the faithful, who shall quench it? Finally, Rom. 8. g who shall seperate them from the loue of Christ? shal tribulation, or anguish, or persecution, either hunger, either nakednesse, either pe­rill, either swoord? God forbid: for in the same they are more thē vanquished, by him which hath loued them. Wherefore those are to much deceiued which doe thinck by some meanes whatsoeuer it bée, to put out and quench in vs that lyght & knowledg of Christ, and celestiall veritie, and doe not consider that sure loue is mightie as the death, and gelousie as the hell, Canci. 8. b her coales are of fire, and a very flame of the Lord: so y ^t many waters are not able to quench loue, neither may the streames drowne it. Héere some will saye vnto me, that the dooing of the religion ought to mainteine it selfe, not by force of armes, but by pati­ence and méekenesse: who haue moued and stirred vp those of the reformed religi­on, to put themselues with force & armes against the tyrannie of their enimies? I doe aunswere that as it was lawefull by the olde lawe for the people of God, to take weapons against the Philistians, Moa­bites, Madianites and other nations con­trarie [Page] vnto the people of the Iewes, then for that they were forced and constrained of them in their religion, personnes or goodes. Also it hath not bene lesse lawfull vnto those of the reformed religion: ha­uing expresse commaundement of the king to kéepe & defend by weapons, that which hath bene concluded and determined so holily, by the priuie counsayle for the doo­ing of the religion and the ecclesiasticall pollicie: Inasmuch as all was confirma­ble and agreeing to gods lawe and expresse commaundement of the king, who dyd aduowe them to doe the same, by many letters and writings. Euen as Dauid did take the weapons against Goliath, 1. Reg. 17. a forcing and troubling the people of God. Iudg. 7. a And Gedeon did rise vp against the Madianites for to deliuer his people. Iudith against Holophernes willing altogether to destroy and exterminate the Iewes. Iudith. 13

Furthermore, if the warre bée lawe­full, as it appeareth, that the LORD did alowe so many warres of the Israelites. And our LORD Iesus Christ dyd not despise the estate of the souldiers, Mat. 8. a. Luc. 7. b and of the Centurian. In the Gospell, chiefly and principally in two thinges, weapons [Page 52] may be lawefull: As king Alphonsus doth very well declare, y ^t is to say, for the lawe and for the flocke, I doe meane for the religion, and the tuition of his person and of hys subiectes, and for that the consci­ences, the bodyes and the goodes haue bene forced and compelled euery where: and that there was no more redyer helpe for to remedy that disease, then to take wea­pons: Not without cause then wée fol­lowing the expresse commaundement of the king, & the aduise of the best reformed Churches, together wyth the counsell of the most learned straungers of the realme, haue taken the weapons, for to withstand such iniuries and violences, pretending none other thinge, but the honoure of GOD, the aduauncement of his king­dome, and the health of his: with the preseruation of the scepter of our king. Which if the Painim or Heathen man hath wrytten, Cicero li. 1. of his ofices that men ought to take weapons, to the ende that without wrong they maye liue in peace: In such sorte that the intente of those whyche doe carie them, is none other thing, but to séeke peace. Who shall bée so shamelesse or [Page] madde that dare say that it is euill done, to haue vpholden and mainteined by wea­pons the assaultes and force of our eni­mies for to liue in rest, both of our goodes and of our consciences? Furthermore, if those children of the Machabeans are prai­sed to haue constantly suffred death, for to mainteine the lawes of their countrey: shal it be compted vnto vs dishonoure & shame to haue bestowed our life and our goodes, for to mainteine the lawefull & christian lawes of the king? Cicero in his oration for Clemēt Saint, Au­gustine in his boke of the citie of God. Without the which (as the bodie without the soule) a common wealth can not long endure and continue, as béeing destitute of her partes and her sinewes: yea, without them, the kingdomes are none other thing, but the very harbour of théeues, runnagates and robb [...]rs. As it is written of Lycurgus, Xenophon in his 4 bok of the say­ings & do­inges [...]f So­crates Esay. 30. d that he could finde no greater meanes to make the Citie of Sparta to florish, then to accustome the in­habitauntes thereof to obey lawes. Final­ly it is welknowen that in quietnesse and hope our strength doth lye, stayinge our strengthes haue patiently attended, euen vntil y ^e bloode of y ^e true christians, shed out euery where, and in the best townes of the realme, doth commaund vs to repulse [Page 53] and stand against such cruelties, forces and tirānies, and we haue not taken that vpon vs for any ambition, desire of glorie, priuate profite or desire of vengeaunce: But for the zeale of the Lordes house, of the which those godly persons, Moses, Hely, Iehu, Mattathias, Math. 21. b Iohn. 2. b. and Iesus Christ our sauiour béeing godly moued, could not suffer that of the Lordes house, they should make a house of marchandise and a denne of théeues. On y ^e other side al men do know y ^t our enimies haue taken those weapons, of their own proper & priuate authoritie: wil­ling to force and constraine against their owne consciences y ^e diuine and humaine lawes, & to defile the name of the Lord, and to oppresse y ^e iust. To conclude, what other thing hath moued them to inuade & striue against vs, but a desire to hurt, a gréedinesse and ardency of vengeaunce, a courage and desire against vs, and an vnreconciled ha­tred and enmitie, an vnlawfull affection to speake against the edictes and statutes of the king, a desire to reigne and beare rule: things most damnable in matters of warre, as sainct Augustine doth write. Seint Au­gustine in his booke against Faustus Mam­ [...]ius. Whereby our enimies doe sufficiently de­clare their slaunderous and wicked faith. [Page] When they doe accuse vs to bée rebelles against the kinge, our naturall and so­ueraigne Prynce: and of that onely pointe they themselues doe vncouer and shewe sufficiently a rebellion, which haue dispised the Edictes and statutes of the king, they doe exercise still dayly their cruelties and tyrannies towardes the faithfull. Which thing if the great men (especially those which are in degrée & dignitie of a maiestrate and gouernoure? doe vaunce and bragge themselues to bée so obedient and faythfull seruauntes of the king, howe doe they dissemble and cloke such cruelties without prouiding by the rigoure of iustice and seueritie of their lawes? Rom 13. a. And wherefore doe they beare the word? If it be not to take vengeaunce on them that doe euill? If they do saye that they can not resist the force and strength of a people so furious and madde, I would demaunde of them willingly, who hath moued them to put weapon in the handes of a people so foolysh and rash: except it bée to giue them libertie to doe all kinde of euill? Or wherefore doe they nowe make any doubt to forsake the weapons: [Page 54] especially in thys time so quiet and full of tranquilitie, but for bicause that their consciences doth accuse them of so ma­ny murthers and robberies? Sapien. 17. [...] For it is an heauie thing when a mans own consci­ence beareth recorde of hys wickednesse & condemneth himselfe. And why? a vexed & wounded conscience, taketh ouer cruell thinges in hande. Fearefulnesse is nothing els, but a declaring that man séeketh helpe and defence to aunswere for himselfe. If they doe replye that some of our owne countrey men haue had sithens the E­dictes and statutes of the kinge, the wea­pons readie in their handes, I doe aun­swere that that was not to abuse it to thinges vnlawfull or to let or hinder the office of a magistrate, as our aduersaryes doe dayly, shedding of their owne head and aucthoritie the innocent bloode, and doe put them by force and violence to the punishment of the seditious and rebels. But to the contrarie that by that meanes the ordinaunces and statutes of the king which should be kept, and the good defended from iniuries & oppressions of y ^e wicked: le­ding a quiet & peaceable life, 1. Tim. 2. [...] in al godlines [Page] and honestie. Titus. 2. d Finally to the end that wée should liue soberly, righteously and god­ly in this present world, looking for that blessed hope and notable appearing of the glorie of the mightie God, which is of our sauiour Ie­sus Christ, vnto whom bée glorie for euer, Amen.

¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISMENT, wherein is declared that the true Christi­ans ought to auoid parcialities & conten­tions, and to keepe the vnitie of the spirit through the band of peace. Cap. 7.

FOrasmuch as the Scrip­ture doth teach vs, 1. Cor. 14. f that God is not the God of confusion but of peace. And that the Gospell of the Christians is called by the Prophet, the message of peace. Esay. 52. b And the christian church the congregatiō of saincts which doe liue in the peace of God. Inso­much that the propht Esaie speaking of the church of God, saith, Esay. 66. d that God will let peace into her, as a water floud, and the might of y ^e heathen as a flowing streame. And in Baruch Baruch. 5. b y ^e god shal name his church with this name, that is to say, the peace of righteousnesse and the honoure of gods feare. Finally, 1. Timot. 3. d forasmuch as the Church of GOD is the piller and staye of gods [Page] truth, Ephe. 4. a Rom 15. a truely they maye knowe plaine­ly howe wee ought to bee all diligent to keepe the vnitie of y ^e spirite through the bande of peace, to the ende that wée all a­gréeing together may after the ensample of Iesus Christ with one mouth (as saith Sainct Paule) praise G [...]D which is the Father of our Lorde Iesus Christ. Ephe. 4. c And that we hence foorth be no more as chyl­dren wauering and caried about with eue­ry winde of doctrine. But let vs followe the truth with loue, and in all things grow vp in to him, which is the head, y ^t is to say, Christ. On the other side we are taught to auoide as much as we may possible, the debates and contentions of the lawe, and the parcialities touching the dooing of the religion. 1. Cor. 1. b According as Saint Paule did ex­horte the Corinthians, in the name of our Lorde Iesus Christ, that they all speake one thing, and that there be no discentions among them: But that they be knit toge­ther in one minde and in one iudgement, that they doe continue of all one minde: al fighting of one courage by faith. And also hee dyd warne and admonish the Phi­lippians Philip. 2. a that they bée lyke minded, hauing the selfe same loue, béeing of one accorde [Page 57] and of one iudgement, that nothing be done through strife or vaine glorie, but that in méekenesse of minde, euery man e­stéeme other better then himselfe. On the other side he writeth vnto Titus, that he do suppresse foolishe questions, Titus. 3. c and gene­logies and brawling, and strife about the lawe, as vaine and superfluous. Also the same Saint Paul doth complaine to y ^e Philippians, Philip. 1. b that some there are which preach Christ of enuie and strife, and not purely. Also in his seconde Epistle to the Corinthians he saith, 2. Cor. 1. d that hée and Siluianus haue preached vnto you Gods sonne Iesus Christ, not in double worde, yea, and nay: but in this worde which is true, that is to say, yea. The same A­postle doth giue vnto vs the reason of this doctrine, 1. Tim. 6. b when he saith that questi­ons and strife of wordes, do ingender en­uie, strife, railings, euil furmising vain, dis­putations of men with corrupt mindes. And saith also in an other place, 1. Cor. 3. a y ^t if there be enuy [...]ng, strife, & sects among vs, we do declare that we are carnall, and walke after y ^e manner of men. For verily he that is contentious in y ^e church, especially tou­ching the doing of the religion, he sinneth [Page] many wayes.

First, in that hee breaketh the vnitie of the Christian Church, which ought to be vnited and ioyned together: not onely by naturall coniunction and a­mitie, but also by vnitie of doctrine. For as Iesus Christ saith, Iohn. 13. d that by this, shall al men knowe that we are his disciples, if we haue loue one to an other. Rom. 16. c Also saint Paul doth warne vs to beware of them which cause diuision and offences, contra­rie to the doctrine which they haue lear­ned, and auoide them. Consequently he which is contencious in the church con­cerning the doctrine or doing of the reli­gion. Collos. 1. [...] First of all he sinneth against Iesus Christ, which is the head of the Christian church, and prince of peace (as saith the prophet) inasmuch as he hath reconciled all things vnto himselfe, & to set at peace through the bloude of his crosse, both things in earth and things in heauen. Se­condly, he doth giue occasion vnto the sim­ple and foolish people to erre and go astray from the christian Church, in the which doth lie and rest the piller of our saluati­on.

And that the same is greatly odious [Page 58] and hatefull vnto God, Iesus Christ doth teach and declare it, when he saith, Luc. 17. a Wo be vnto him through whome offences come, it were better for him that a great mil­stone were hanged about his necke, and that he were cast into the sea, then y ^t he shoulde offende one of these little ones. The which his Apostle doth confirme, shewing vnto the Galathians, Galat. 5. b that he that troubleth them, shall beare his condemna­tion, whosoeuer he be, and desireth that they that trouble them, may be cut off from them. Finally, he doth giue occasion vnto straungers, and enimies of our religion, to blame the name of God. Mala. 1. b According as the prophet did rebuke the gouernours & priestes of the house of Israel, that they haue caused the multitude to be offended at the lawe. Rom 2. d And Sainct Paul writing vnto the Romanes, saith, that the name of God is euil spokē off, among the Gentiles through them. And by good right, a cer­teine auncient authour did complaine, S. Hierome vpon the 4 chapter of Ezechiel. that we many wayes in the church do teare and rent Gods coate through our contentions, the which the Souldiours durst not deuide in his passion: the whiche did moue sometime the Iewes [Page] (as Clement Alexandrinus doth witnes) to swell and rise vp euen there, Clement li 7. stro. against y ^e Christians, to say y ^t the Christian religion was not of God: but some pernicious sect and false religion. Because that the Chri­stians had debates and contentions in the church. For the same occasion, that great heriticke Celsus, and chiefest enimy of the christians, Origene li. 3. againste Celius. did rebuke daily the christi­ans of their diuisions and parcialities, say­ing: that it were not expedient that they shoulde growe and increase to any more greater number. Bicause that being but a fewe in number, they would be of one ac­corde and agrée well together: but assone as they did multiplie and waxe many, they woulde fall into diuersities of opinions. Also Samosetanus in y ^e ecclesiastical history doth witnesse, Samosus in the ecclesi­astical historie. that the Emperour Con­stantine did suffer verie impatiently the controuersies and contentions of the christians, saying that by that means they do turne many men from the christian re­ligion. Vnto whome Themistus, a chri­stian Philosopher aunswered, that the dif­ferences & controuersies of the christians were nothing, in respect of the confusion of the sect of the Gentiles. Also the same [Page 59] authour saith moreouer, that for certeine small contentions which do chaunce and happen to the churches, the church must not therefore leaue and forsake the prin­cipall foundation of the true religion, nor to be y ^e true churches: but y ^t by that means the Lorde doth trie and proue the hearts of many, & doth declare & make plaine the veritie of the christian doctrin, as it is said, that there must be euen heresies among vs, that they whiche are perfect among vs might be knowen. 1. Cor. 11. d By that meanes we will not here denie, but that alwayes ther hath ben some smal contention in the doc­trine, as it appeared, that for the same cause was the counsell of the Apostles assembled together. Act. 15. c To conclude the scrip­ture doth declare, the difference whiche was offered betwene Peter and Paul A­postles. And the Christian histories doe make mention of some little controuersies concerning the doing of the religion, be­twéene Peter Alexandrinus and Myletus Epiphanius, and Chrisostome, Hierome & Augustine: but we do exhort the Chri­stians not to abuse the giftes of GOD, through vaine glorie or contention, for to be séene and estéemed the one aboue the [Page] other. On the other side to humble them selues vnder the wisedome of him which hath saide, that he hath not determined with himselfe to knowe any other thing, 1. Cor. 2. a saue Iesus Christe, and him cru­cified. 1. Cor. 41. d And in an other place of the same Epistle he saith, be assured that the kindome of God is not in words, but in y ^e power of the spirit. Nowe the remedie & helpe in such differences (as Cyprian Cyprian in his epistle [...]o Pompey saith is to haue recourse to y ^e beginning of Ie­sus Christ and of his gospel & to the tradi­tion of the Apostles. Cyprian li. 2. epistle 3. To the end that from thence may rise and come foorth the rea­son of our doing, whereof the order hath taken his beginning, For inasmuch as Iesus Christ ought to be heard aboue all, we ought not to consider that which some haue done before vs: But that which Ie­sus Christ hath done & obserued, which is before all. Saint Augustine lib. of baptisme a­gainste the Donatistes. Insomuch that we must cast all the counsailes, opinions & definitions of men vnto the holy scriptures, and in y ^e to depose & put downe all hautinesse, arro­gancie and enuious contencion: and where it shal happen that the holy scripture hath nothing concluded & determined: In that case they ought to follow the manner and [Page 62] fashion of the most auncient Churches, with whom the Apostles haue bene con­uersant: To conclude, Ireneus li. [...] cap. 41 when the traditi­on of y ^e apostles do faile, they must beléeue the tradition of the churches, which haue bene ruled and gouerned be the disciples and successours of the Apostles, or those which haue had charge of them: beholde how they ought to resolue the doubtes & cōtrouersies which are in y ^e Churches, ra­ther then by vaine disputations and vn­profitable contentions, which do serue to none other end but to engender strifes. And it maketh me afraide, howe that in these latter dayes, for the ignoraunce, and calamitie of the time, they haue thought to declare and expounde the darke places of the scripture, and the debates moued in the Churche, by questions of naturall Philosophie, rather then by the scripture rightly vnderstanded and applied vnto his true sense. Colos. 2. b Also Sainct Paule doeth admonishe and warne vs to beware least any man come and spoile vs through Philosophie, and deceitfull vanitie, through the traditions of men, accor­ding to the ordinaunces of the worlde, & not after Christ. Also sithens y ^e Apostles [Page] Tertulian Tertulian in his boke of the soule S. Hierome in his epist­les. an auncient authour, hath called the Philosophers the patriarkes of heriticks. Also Saint Hierome hath con­fessed that the opinions of heritickes are founde amonge the subtilties of Aristotle and of Crisippus. I will content my selfe at this time with the witnesse of a cer­teine Philosopher (whereof mention is made in the counsaile of Nyce) who being wonne and brought to the christian religi­on: Euseb. li to of his ecclesiastical hystorie cap. 3 yea, without any kinde of disputation by a poore, simple and foolish man (as the texte saith) and being asked, how the same was happened vnto him, forasmuch as be­fore the most learned men of the counsaile could not vāquish & ouercome him by dis­putations and naturall philosophie, aun­swered, that as long as they did speake against him, by subtiltie of reasones, he knewe verie well to aunswere to the ar­guments of his aduersaries, by the same meanes: But when the vertue was ma­nifested vnto him by the mouth of him which hath pronounced it, the words could not resist vertue, nor man coulde speake against God.

The same doth learne vs, first of all to submitte our selues vnto the auncient [Page 61] church and best reformed, as it is saide in Sainct Iohn, Iohn. 10. [...] my shepe heare my voice.

Secondly, not to do any thing, Philip. 2. a through enuie, contention, or vaine glorie, but to beare with a patient minde, one an other, in all méekenesse and humilitie.

Thirdly, not to presume so much, that they would applie and referre the christi­an doctrine, or rule the doing of our reli­gion, to mannes philosophie: but to bring it againe to the true beginning and ori­ginall of the Scripture and to the traduc­tion of Iesus Christe and of his succes­sours.

Finally, to beléeue, that although that the slaunders and herisies doe come and happen vnto the church, as well for the aduauncement of Gods glorie, as for to proue and trie the true faithful christians: yet truely he which is the causer thereof shall beare the condemnation.

Wherfore inasmuch as the scripture doth teach vs, Act. 4. g that the multitude of them that beléeued in the primatiue church were of one heart and of one soule, & that from thence we haue taken the begin­ning of our religion and doctrine, going about and endeuouringe our selues as [Page] much as in vs is possible, and according to the portion and measure of the giftes and graces which we haue receiued of the Lorde, to make our selues agréeable & confirmable to that auncient church: insomuch that we being all of one minde, 2. Cor. 1 [...]. d may liue in peace and loue in the which we are called, and the God of loue and peace shalbe with vs. Amen.

THAT IT IS THE DVETIE of a chrstian prince, to watch & take good heede that the estate of the religion doe abide & cōtinue vndefiled & impoluted, as well in the true seruing of God, as in the dispensation of his worde. Cap. 8.

IF that king Dauid be so much praised in the scrip­ture, 2. Reg. 6 1. Cro. 15 & 16 bicause he prepared a place for the Arke of God, and ordeined Leuits for to serue: to make remem­braunce, to confesse and praise the Lorde for euer. [...]. Reg. 6. And Salomon his sonne is ho­noured and praised of all nations, bicause he builded and consecrated vnto the Lord that proude & sumpteous temple of Ieru­salem: 4. Reg. 18 & 22 To conclud if the remembrance of those good kings Ezechias and Iosias, doth endure & continue for euer: bicause they haue forgotten nothing, nor spared any thing to clense the Temple of the Lorde from all idolatrie and superstition of the Gentiles: haue destroyed the aulters of the Balamites, broken their images, and comaunded the people to reade the booke [Page 63] of Gods, appointment, and to kéepe al the ordinaunces of God. Truely the true christian princes ought to acknowledge and beléeue, that their duetie is not onely to establishe the true religion, but al­so to haue regarde and a respect that the Temple of God doe abide and continue impolluted and vndefiled from all kinde of Idolatrie and mans supersticion. That is the cause wherefore the scripture doth commaunde so often the children of Israel to honour God in his temple, and to ab­staine and refraine themselues from the merchandise, companie and societie of the vncircumcised people. For as the church is the spouse for God, 2. Cor. 11. [...] and a pure and chaste virgine, forasmuch truely as the sonne of God, is deliuered vp of her: So he woulde that she shoulde be kept vnto him irreprehensible, holy and glorious, aswel for the regarde of the true seruice which is due, as for the respect that they ought to haue to his worde and vsage of the Sacraments ordeined in the Church. And to that end are repeated so often in y ^e scripture those two precepts, that is to say, Exo. 20. a Thou shalt haue none others Gods in my sight, for I am a gelous God. And this [Page] yée shall not doe, euerye man that sée­meth good in his owne eyes: But whatso­euer I commaund you, that take héed yée doe: and put nought therto, nor take ought therfro, declaring by those two preceptes, that they ought not to mingle the seruice of God, with the seruice of so many false gods or of creatures: nor to ioyne & com­pare the commaundements of God to the traditions of men. Iere. 7. b For that occasion the Lord did complain of his people, that, they had polluted his temple by a false seruice: and that their siluer was turned to drosse, Esay 1. f and their wine mixt with water. And Ie­sus Christ did declare vnto the Scribes, & Pharises, Math. 25. a that they did transgresse the commaundementes through their traditi­ons. Béehold as I thinke whervnto chief­lie the Christian Princes ought to ende­uor themselues, that is to say, to purge & clense the temple of God from a false ser­uice, for to establish the true Religion, & to foresee & prouide y ^t the Christian doc­trine be purely declared, and that it be not defiled with so many of mens traditions. I wil recite for this mater two examples, the first shall bee of Ptolomaeus Phila­delphus, Ptolome. Philades. who caused the bookes of the [Page 64] Hebrewes to be translated in to y ^e Gréeke for to aduaunce the religion of the people of God & his doctrine: & furthermore did remit and set at libertie the Iewes, which then were captiues in Egipt. The second, is of Constantine the Emperoure, Constantin Emperour. which did rise vp for the quarell of the christiās, against Licinius Cesar: willing to compel and force all the world to follow y ^e lawes of y ^e Painyms. Insomuch that Constan­tine hauing vanquished Licinius, not on­ly caused the state of the Religion to bee established: but also the deede of Iustice, which before was subuerted and marred through the tyrannie and cruelty of Dio­clesian, Maximinian, Maximinius, and Mazentius, his predecessors. And truely in this duety the christian princes cannot excuse themselues, for if they are so dili­gent to foresee and prouide that theire Townes and Cities be not taken by their enimies: shall not this bée their estate to bée careful & diligent, that Gods tem­ple do abide and continue impoluted and vndefiled with Idolatrie and humaine su­perstition, if that be the propertie of a ver­tuous Prince to watche diligentlie, [Page] that his subiects be kept vnder his obe­dience without oppression & iniurie: shall not this be the true duetie of a Christian prince, Iere. 50. d Apo. [...]7. a to kéepe that his subiectes be not hurte with the hammer of the whole world, nor that they doe not drinke in that cup of gould of that great Babilon the mother of fornication, and be dronke with the wine of her fornication: To conclude, if the Christian princes are so curious and carefull to beware that their subiectes be not giuen to wickednesse and turned from their obedience by straun­gers, Gene. 34. a (as of late was Dina the daughter of Iacob) shall not they be carefull that they be not seduced and led here and there by straunge doctrines? Heb. 13. b The spouse of the Lord doth crie out in the booke of y ^e Can­ticles of Salomon. Can. 2. d Saying, get ye Foxes, yea, the little Foxes that hurte the vines, whilest that the vines do beare blossomes. The Prophet Ezechiel doth complaine, saying, O Israel, thy prophets are like y ^e Foxes vppon the drie fielde. And the chri­stian princes will suffer so many false priestes which deuoure widows houses: and that vnder a coulour of praying long pray [...]rs. And of others, whiche peruerte [Page 65] whole houses, Titus. 1. [...] teaching things which they ought not bicause of filthy lucre: Insomuch y ^t those which ought to preach a gospel of peace, doe preach a message of trouble and sedition amonge the Christians: Those which ought to wéepe and be sorie for the sinnes of the people, doe reioyce to sée eue­ry where the bloode of the true Chrstians shead: Those which doe take the qualitie of the Apostles, and doe vaunce and boast themselues to be as shéepe among wolues: wise (I say) as serpentes and innocent as doues, Mat. 7. b. doe deuoure the shéepe and doues of the Lord. Mat. 10. d Those vnto whom the Lorde hath not sent for a sworde but his worde, doe arme themselues for to suppresse hys worde and the kingdome of his welbelo­ued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. Luc. 9. [...] Those vnto whom y ^e Lorde commaunded to take nothing to succour them by the way: nei­ther staffe nor scrip, neither bread neither money, neither to haue two coates: doe heape vp infinite treasures, for to afflict and trouble the people of God: Math. 23. c They doo tithe the Mint, Annise and Commin, and leaue the weightier matters of the lawe vndone: iudgment, mercy and faith. Iere. 2. c Bee astonished (O ye heauens) be afrayd and a­bashed [Page] at such a thing: Those which doe boast and bragge themselues to be lawfull successors, of those good auncient fathers, doe make it a conscience to transgresse the least of the commaundements of men: And doe make it no conscience vnder coloure of true religion, to bringe to vtter ruine & distruction the children of God. And they dare not (as they say) to bée founde faultie in one smal fault fearing to lose their pre­bendes dignities and prerogatiues, and in the meane time doe make it no conscience to bée founde dailie with conspiracies and threatnings, for to put an whole realme in a pray, & for to shed as water the innocent blood. O time: O manners: the prince doth vnderstande it: the Senate doth sée it. And yet neuerthelesse such good Lords do liue, (what sayde I) liue: yea, doe sitte in coun­sell, which if they are so curious to marke the dooinges of their fathers for to serue them in their owne dooinges. They will remember verie well the saying of Sainct Ambrose, S. Ambrose Can. porro 16. Cause quest 3. béeing printed and set in their Canons, that is to say, that the true mu­nitions of Gods ministers, are wéepings & teares. Insomuch that thys good author doth crye so often, that béeing forced and [Page 66] constrayned he may sigh and wéepe, other­wise he cannot resist: In such sort that he did not determine to take for his weapons against the iniuries of the men of Gotia, 8. Ambrose canon con. 23. cans questio 5. but his wéepings and his teares, I wyll not héere referre the dooing of Moses, He­ly and Iehu (vnto our time) and of an espe­ciall and perticuler acte to make a gene­rall rule among y ^e christian princes, for to arme and moue them vnto some kynde of cruelnesse against so many false priests. I doe accorde with them that they doe kéepe the zeale of them, and leaue the déede such as it is: So that according to the example of Iesus Christ, king of kinges, and Lorde of Lordes, Iohn. 2. c they doe cast out of the christian Church, so many marchaunts and hyred priestes, 1. Reg. 3. c and doe not suffer that of Gods house, they doe make it a market or a denne of théeues. For euen as Ely was grieuously punished, for hiding and coueringe the sinnes of his children: Also it is to bee feared that the lyke doe not chaunce and happen vnto those which are establyshed by the LORDE, for to mainteine and keepe the estate of the religion, and in the meane time doe suffer freely and vnpunished the sinnes of the [Page] pastors and teachers of the people, and it is to be feared but that the Lord will send in the ende, that which is spoken of in E­zechiell, Ezech. 3. that is to say, calamitie vpon ca­lamitie, crie vpon crie: that the lawe of the priest doe not perish, and the counsaile of the elders. As the same Lorde did me­nace and threaten his people in an other place of the Prophet saying, Agge. 1. c that hée wyll forbid the heauen to giue them any dew, and the earth to giue them increase. And will call for a drouth vppon the earth, both vpon the land and vppon the moun­taines, vppon euery thing that the ground bringeth, vpon men and vpon cat­tel, yea, and vpon al handie labour. Bicause saith he, that his house lyeth so wast, & that euery man runneth to his owne house. The Lord shewing and declaring the fault and ingratitude of those which for to vn­derstand the affaires and dooings of this worlde, doe negligentlie passe their duetie in that which apperteineth vnto y ^e affaires of the religion. They cannot abide that any thing should bee attempted, either in déede or worde, against their personnes or goodes. And they do not thinke it straunge to crucifie Iesus Christ, for to saue a théefe [Page 67] and a seditious Barrabas: or for to cut off the head of Iohn Baptist for to gratifie and please the desire of others. Haue not, haue not then (O ye christian princes) re­garde: to the brightnesse and magnificence of the Romish Church: And beléeue not lightlie all lying spirites. 1. Iohn. 4 a But proue the spirites whether they are of God or not, for many false prophetes are gone out in­to the world, and way not the dooing of y ^e religion to the opinion of the common peo­ple: But to the word of God according to the which the Lord would bée serued and honoured, and not according to the mindes of men. Forasmuch thē as such professors of the truth do goe in shéepes clothing and inwardlie are rauening wolues. Also doe shew outwardly in their temples, some ap­pearaunce of religion (as of late y ^e Aegyp­tians did) yet in the meane time vnder co­loure of deuotion, Similitude of Clemēt Alexandrinus. doe worshippe the crea­tures and workes of their handes. And forasmuch as the Lord hy his prophet doth call you Noursses of his church: chase & driue away from his shéepefolde, so many vnprofitable and hired shéepheardes: Esay. 49. f And in their place, send workemen approued, workemen that néede not to be ashamed, [Page] which doe deuide the word of truth iustly. 2. Tim. 2 [...] Cause that those which doe professe to teach, doe put from them foolish and vnlear­ned questions, 2. Tim. 2. d 1. Tim. 1. a & that they doe nothing in declining to one side: To conclude that they doe not giue heede to ieerish fables and genealogies, nor to the commaunde­ments of men, for to turne them from the truth, but that they doe handle the woorde purely, & as by God, before God: by Christ, not through enuie, contention or discorde: But purely as those which are constituted for the defence of the gospell. In that doo­ing (as saith Sainct Paule of the true ministers of the church) you shall saue your selues, 1. Tim. 4. d and those that doe here the word, Amen.

¶ THAT IT IS THE RENOWNE of a Christian prince, to be beloued of his Subiectes. Cap. 9.

Luc. 11. e. FOrasmuch then as euerie kingdome deuided within it selfe shall bée desolate: And euery house deuided within it selfe shall fall one vpon an other. And experience doth teach vs, Salust. besides y ^e saying of y ^e Painim, y ^t through concord & amitie, little things become great, & the great doo perish. Salust in y ^e w [...]rre of iugurth. It is most certeine & true y ^t the as­suraunce of a kingdome consisteth not one­ly in an armie or number of people, no more then-the force of a king in his roy­al scepter: But in the amitie and obedience that his subiectes doe owe vnto him. Xenophon lib 8. of his pedie And verie well the historiographer saith, when he did write that sport or pleasure is not durable, wherein one is established and set in by swoord. [...]int Cur [...]. 8. According to that another doth teach, that those doe abuse themselues [Page 69] greatlie which doe thincke better to assure the realme by force then by amitie. Terentius. Euen so Theopompus béeing asked how a king may easelie kéepe a kingdome: Plutarch [...] of his Ap [...] theg. aunswe­red, if he doe suffer his friendes to speake fréelie of laweful things: Isocrates in his precept y ^t he wrote vntoo the princes. Cicero li. 1 of his offi­ces. And that he doe right and iustice vnto those which are wicked and euill. For he which is much feared cannot choose but that he haue ma­ny enimies: For as it is conteined in a common prouerbe, men doe hate willingly those whom they doe feare: and they doe desire gladlie the death of him whom they hate. We must conclude that the most rediest meanes for to kéepe a realme, is to kéepe the people vnder his obedience, by gentlenesse and amitie. Pro. 20. d. According as Sa­lomon doth write. That mercie and faith­fulnesse preserue the king, and with louing kindnesse his seate is holden vp. Further­more I will not occupie my minde to search the examples of prophane histories. All men doe knowe very well howe the kingdomes of Dauyd and Salomon his sonne haue prospered in respect of those of Pharao, Saul and Nabuchodonosor. As the Lord doth witnesse vnto vs of Saul, Oseas. [...]3. c. that he hath giuen him in his wrath, and in his [Page] displeasure will take him awaye agayne. But as that is not mercy to desire one so great gentlenes: bicause that mercy ought to gouerne hir selfe with all righteous­nesse, Psal. 29. a equitie and iustice: Forasmuch as with true iudgement the king setteth vp the lande, and the Lorde doth establish the seate of him which doth iudge the poore in vertue.

Psalm. 45. b.To conclude that the scepter of the kingdome of GOD is a right scepter: To bee shorte as he which sitteth in the iudge­ment seate, ought not to bee much en­flamed and moued against these which are wicked, or to weepe with the people that are gréeued or afflicted: But to iudge with all vprightnesse, without béeing affectioned through too much clemencie or rigorousnesse.

Also a vertuous and stout prince, ought not indiscretly, to repute for his friendes, all those which do offer themselues sodein­ly to his friendship: But to consider dili­gently vnder what condition they do bear him fauoure. That is the cause where­fore Isocrates. Amonge other precepts that he did write vnto a Prince, did com­mende [Page 70] vnto him three thinges aboue all others: First, Isocrates in certein precepts y ^t hee wrote vnto princes. that he would not re­pute for faithfull, all those which do praise or allowe al that, that he sayth or doth: But those which doe rebuke him when he hath fayled.

Secondly, that he would seperate those which doe flatter him by some kinde of deceipt from amonge them which doe ho­noure him by amitie: Least that the con­dition of the wicked should be better then that of the good people.

Finally, that he doe permitte and suffer the prudent and sage people to speake vn­to him fréely, to the ende that he may haue people which may aunswere to the pur­pose and satisfie him. And truely that great orator of the Latines hath very well sayd, Cicero in his boke of amitie. plato in his booke of loue. that wée must first iudge before that we loue: For that there are some men which doe loue a great deale better the body then the soule, and doe not seeke but to fulfill their desire. Plutarch of y ^e differenc of a flatte­rer & of a friende. For the true friende (as sayth Plutarch) doth not fol­lowe all things: but the thinges good and honest.

That is the cause wherfore a vertuous [Page] prince ought to be prudent euen to discerne and iudge of men to the ende not to be­léeue too lightly all those which doe cal e­uill good, Esay. 5. [...]. and good euill: which make darkenesse light, and light darkenesse, that make sower swéete & swéete sower, which doe sow pillowes vnder al arme holes, Ezech 13. c. and bolsters, vnder the heades both of younge and olde, to catch soules withall. For as Quintus Curtius Quint. Cur [...]ber 8. sayth. That flattery is a pernitious thing and an ordinarie euill of kings, by which their riches are sooner wasted, then by the enimie. I will content my selfe at this time with the example of Ieroboam, 3. Reg 12. b c who refusing to comfort his people, according as hee was taught of the elders, was y ^e cause of the diuision and ruine of his kingdome. And I will not make mencion of king Achab, 3. Reg. 22. b who for that he beléeued more the voice of y ^e false prophets, then the holesome admonitions and warnings of Micheah, doth let all christian Princes vnderstand what it is to beléeue the counsaile of the good. 2. Thessa. 2. c As often times it chaunceth bicause we receiued not the loue of the truth that we might be sa­ued: God shall send vs strong delusion for to beleeue lyes, euen as Iob doth wryte, [Page] that the Lorde chaungeth the heart of the princes and kings of the earth, Iob. 1 [...]. and disa­pointeth them: So that they goe wande­ring out of the way, and grope in y ^e darke without ltght, staggering to and fro lyke dronken men: Psal. 107. [...] And Dauyd doth declare that the same Lord doth make the princes hatefull, and doth let them wander out of the way in the wildernesse. The which ought to serue for the christian princes: chiefly for to kéepe their subiectes in their obedience, rather by gentlenesse and amitie then by seueritie and cruelnesse. The ex­ample is manifest of Denys the tyraunt, of whom Cicero Cicero li. [...]. of his ofices speaking off, sayth, that he was shutte into a merueilous prison, fea­ring very much his subiectes for y ^e crueltie that he vsed towardes them. I will not rehearse the common saying of the Empe­rour Anthonius Pius: Anthonius pius that is to say, that he loued rather to keepe one of his Citi­zens then to kil a thousand of his enimies. I doe leaue willingly the sentence of Silla surnamed the happie, Plutarch in his apotheg which aboue all his prowesses did aduaunce him selfe of two thinges. I doe meane of the amitie of Pi­us Metellus, and for that hee did not de­stroye the Citie of Athens: but did spare [Page] it. As also Salust Salust in y ^e warre of Cateline. (speking of y ^e aūcient wals of the Citie of Rome doth write that the Romaines were become great & puissant, bicause they pardoned their enimies. I wil ende this matter by the sentence of A­gesilaus, Xenophon in his boke of y ^e praise of Agesila­us. king of the Lacedemonians, war­ning oftētimes his souldiers not to wrong and hurt those that they dyd take, as peo­ple vniust: But to kéepe them and acknow­ledge them as men. If then the Painims and heathen men haue vsed such gentle­nesse and humanitie towardes their eni­mies, shall the christian princes vse cruel­tie towardes their subiectes? If that one ought to kéepe faith among the straungers as we doe reade of Marius Regulus, Cicero in his para­doxes. who loued rather to retourne vnto the punish­ment then to breake the faith that hée promised vnto his enimie: As also the auncient histories doe witnesse vnto vs, that the othe of Agesilaus, Xenophon in his ora­tion of the praisee of Agesilaus. king of the Lacedemonians was holden so certeine and sure, that his enimies haue so assured it as the same fayth and amitie that they doe beare the one to the other.

By what excuse can a christian prince excuse himselfe, to breake the fayth that he hath promised vnto his subiectes? what [Page 72] shall I say, if the Machebeans 2. Macha. 7. are pray­sed to haue giuen their liues for to main­teine and kéepe the lawes of the countrey? Shal the christians bée blamed and coun­ted to bée rebelles to haue repulsed the force and strength of those which haue euen heere violated al diuine and humaine lawes.

To conclude, if the ciuile lawe hath saide that it is the interest of a Prince to haue of his subiectes riches and goodes: who can thinck that the Christian Prince will destroy the best part of his subiectes, for to fill the ambition and vnmesurable couetuousnesse of some of his realme? The histories of the Romaynes doe teach vs that Marcus Marcellus did bewayle bitterly the ruine and destruction that was to come vppon the Citie of Syra­cusia.

And as Sainct Augustine sayth, S. Augustin lib. primus of the citie of god ca. 6 be­fore the same Citie hée did first shedde foorth his teares and weepings, then his victories and prowesses. And shal y ^e christi­ans take pleasure to see to be shed as water the innocent blood, in the middest of y ^e most famous cities of this realme? shall they pill and spoile the goodes and substance of so [Page] many good people? The Grecian (saith Pla­to plato Dia­logue 5. of the commō wealth.) will not destroie Greece, forasmuch as they are Grecians: nor burne their houses nor will take from them their landes and possessions. And the Christians wil beat downe & race the beste Cities of Fraunce, & will take away the goods of the French­men: doe take pleasure to see the rich and famous Cities of the realme to come to decay and to be destroyed. If the examples of the painims can not moue vs: yet at the least wise let vs remember the humanitie and gentlenesse of the Hebrewes, Deut. 20. e Eusebius li 8. of y ^e pre­paration of the gospel. cap. 2 who did not suffer that one shoulde destroye by fire or swoord the landes, or that one shoulde spoile those wich were fallen downe, or slaine in battaile, or that one should not do any wrong vnto those which wer taken prisoners, chiefly vnto women. For (as Cicero Cicero li. 3 of his ofices saith) of the nature of man, y ^e which we ought principally to follow, crueltie is greatly an enimie: & there is no difference saith the same author, whether that man be chaunged and turned into a brute beast, or whether that vnder the figure of a man he hath a brutish cruelnesse. Inasmuch thē as our Lord Iesus Christ doth teach vs that blessed are the méeke: Math. 5. a for they shall [Page 73] inherite the earth. On the otherside, the Lorde doth threaten the princes of Iacob and the dukes of the house of Israel, Iere. 26. c that he will make Syon to be ploughed like a fielde, and Hierusalem shalbe an heape of stones, and the hill of the Lordes house shalbe turned into an hie woode: for the tyrannie of the princes, and abuse of the false priestes and prophets. By good right we doe exhorte the christian Princes to all gentlenesse and humanitie towardes their subiectes. To the end that they may be mainteined in their puissaunce, autho­ritie and greatnesse.

And moreouer we do warne & admonish them not to beléeue too lightlie, euerie ly­ing, spirite, fearing that they be not de­priued of that blessed temple, that heauenlie Hierusalem. Furthermore we doe be­séech them to acknowledge howe perniti­ous and noysible vnto a realme, are so many flatterers, false bretheren and hypo­crites, which doe honour them, not for to teach them, or aduaunce them to some thing: but for to drawe them from pro­fite, according as Plato plato in his boke of phi doth declare, that the flatterer is a daungerous beast and hurtfull vnto mankinde, and is like [Page] vnto a wicked spirite, féeding and alluring the simple and foolish people, vnder the colour of pleasaunt meate & full of plea­sure. plato in his boke of me nexenus. And in an other place the same au­thour doth write, that the flatterer doth followe the good after the nature of the inchaunter and poysoner: Plutarche in his boke of y ^e diffe­rence of a flatterer & of a friend yea that hée is more pernitious then is the the thefe and homicide. Bicause that he doth not steale away the money or the life onely: but also as a sacrileger, an halowed thing: that is to say, the iudgement of reason vnder the colour of good. Where­fore O ye kings of the people: and you, O Christian princes which delite in roy­all seates and scepters, Sapien. 6. d loue that benig­nitie and gentlenesse, that ye may reigne for euermore. Remember that souereigne prince, Esay. 42. d which hath not béene an outcrier, nor an hie minded person, nor which hath not broken the brused réede, and the smo­king flaxe he hath not quenched, whiche hath not (I say) iudged according to the outward appearaunce of the eyes, Esay. 11. a neither reproueth a matter at the first hearing: but with righteousnesse hath he iudged the poore, and with holinesse he reformeth the [Page 74] simple of the worlde. our Lorde Iesus Christe, vnto whome be glorie for euer, Amen.

THAT IT IS THE HONOR and renowne of a Prince and his sub­iectes, to cause the lawes and politicke or­dinaunces of his countrie to be kept inui­olated. Cap. 10.

FOrasmuch then as the lawes doe teach vs two things, that is to say, Xenophon in his boke of pedie. 1. Reg. 15. c to commaunde, and to obey vnto the commandement, and that the Lorde doth witnesse, that to obey is better thē offering and to giue héede is better then y ^e fatte of Rammes, because that rebelliousnesse is as the sinne of witches, and stubburn­nesse is wickednesse and idolatrie. It is most true that more greater goodnesse cannot happen vnto kingdomes, common wealthes, and cities well dispensed and gouerned, then to make them to obey the lawes. Inasmuch chiefely as they doe teach none other thing but the obedi­ence due vnto the superiours. As Xeno­phon [Page] doth witnesse, that Lycurgus could finde no better meanes to make the citie of Sparta to florishe, then to accu­stome the inhabiters of the same to o­bey vnto the lawes. As more amplie Ci­cero Cicero in his oration for Clemē ­cius. doth declare, that the spirite and the counsaile, and the sentence of the cōmon welth doe consist in the lawes, and as the bodie without the soule, so the common welth without the lawe cannot stand: the which ought to be vnderstanded, not one­ly for the regarde of the subiectes but al­so of the Magistrates, Xenophon in his first boke of his pedie. princes and other superious: and verie well Cyrus the king of the Persians, did declare vnto his sonne, that he must be [...]elie iust, and a greate obseruator and kéeper of the lawes. Lex digna vox vnder the title of lawes. As also the lawes of the Emperour do wit­nesse, that it is a kingly voice, and wor­thie for a vertuous and he royeoll prince, to confesse him selfe to be subiect & bound vnto the lawe. That is the cause where­fore the Egyptians did adiure their Iud­ges and Magistrates, Plutarch in his booke of his Apo­theg. to iudge nothing vniustly and wrongfully, although that they had expresse cōmaundement. Euen so Anthonius, y ^e third of y ^e name, did signifie sometime by letters vnto his officers, that [Page 76] when he did cōmaund any thing cōtrarie vnto y ^e lawes, y ^t they should not obey him. And verie wel the ciuil law hath prouided in that matter, Lex si vindica vnder y ^e constitu­tiō of The­odosibus de si pe. which would that y ^e Magi­strate should not execute so sodeinly y ^e will of a prince: who being moued with anger or with some vnlawfull desire of venge­ance, should commaund a thing contrarie or repugnaunt vnto the lawe: The saying of Solon. But as So­lon did complaine in his time, that y ^e lawes were like vnto the spiders webbes: the which doe suppresse & easely take y ^e little beastes: but are broken & destroyed by y ^e great beastes. Do demonstrate & declare y ^t y ^e simple people & of a base & poore conditiō, were constrained to obey y ^t laws: & that y ^e ritch & puissāt of this world do transgresse them w ^t all licence & without punishment. Also it is to be feared, y ^t not onely the like shall happen in our time (what say I) the like: but also y ^t the lawes be not violated, of y ^e poore & of the ritch. And it doth greue me verie much to confesse plainly, y ^t there are so many Magistrates in y ^e realme of Fraunce, & that they do beare so little obe­dience vnto y ^e princes lawes: & I do no lesse meruaile, y ^t there are so fewe Magistrates in other countries: and great obedience of [Page] the subiectes. So many lawiers there are (I say) in this Realme, and yet neuerthe­lesse they doe regarde neither the lawe, nor yet the right of the subiectes. On the contrarie parte among other nations a fewe people which doe professe the lawe, and yet neuerthelesse Iustice duely admi­nistred and executed: insomuch that it sée­med (as saith Cicero Cicero in his oration for Roscius a in certeine oration) that we doe not holde any thing of that which is of right and of true Iustice: but that we doe vse onely the shadows and images of things, in the meane time we doe knowe verie well to recite with the same Orator, Cicero in his oration for Cecin­na. that there is nothing that we ought better to kéepe and reteine in a citie, then the ciuill righte: without the whiche, saith that authour, that no man should be master of his owne, or he should not knowe which is his owne, or which is an other mannes: and there is nothing which may be ruled or gouerned among men with right equalitie and iustice. But some will demaunde of me where is the faulte, I will aunswere with Plato, Plato in his 3. booke of the common welth the lawes although they are good, are deade without the Magistrates. But that the Magistrates without the lawes, are [Page 77] liuely lawes: and because that the Magi­strates of this realme, haue more regard to their priuate profit, then vnto y ^e commō welth: and doe traficke in administring their estates as they haue bought them to haue them: the lawes do abide as deade and buried, because that no man can bée founde that doth obserue and kéepe them. The Iewes, Turkes, and other barbarous and rude nations, doe kéepe their edictes and statutes, and shall the Christians des­pise the lawefull ordinaunces of their prince? The Christians wil obserue and kéepe diligently y ^e which is established in their fauour, & shall they not be careful to kéepe and mainteine the edictes and sta­tutes which do concerne y ^e common welth? If they doe take it vpon them, although it be litle vpon their persons or landes, they doe complaine by and by: alledging the custome of the countrie, and the ordi­naunce of the prince: if it be not of force or effect, they haue the reason. And in the meane season shall they not haue care and respect to mainteine the right of the innocent & afflicted, of the people of God? Things truely, which doth make me to say, that there is verie little loue or chari­tie [Page] among the Christians: 1. Cor. 13. b For loue seketh not her owne things: but the commodi­ties of other. Historye of Susanna. g That little Daniel did re­turne in iudgement, for to saue the inno­cie of that chast Susanna, and did put him selfe for her notwithstanding the credite and aucthoritie of the iudges. And shall, the Christian princes sée before their eyes the iust to be oppressed and shall holde their peace? 3. Reg 3. c That worthie king Salomon did sit in iudgement for to doe right bée­twéene two harlots, and shall the christi­an princes sée in all places, the bloud of their subiectes vniustly shedde: yea in dis­pising and contemning of their edictes & statutes, and will suffer it patiently: if y ^e voice of the bloude of Abel hath cried vengeaunce after the Lord: Genes. 4. b shal the bloud of so many christians, so vngently intrea­ted and killed, holde their peace: if Iesus Christ did rebuke the Scribes and Pha­rises, Mat. 23. d for the bloud of the prophet Zacha­rie. which was killed betwéene the tem­ple & the aulter: shall not the lord iudge & auenge the bloude of so many good chri­stians, shed in the middes of his seconde temple and christian Church, for the word of Iesus Christ, and for the witnesse of [Page 78] his name: Finally, Leuit. 35. [...] if it be written that the homicide or murtherer shall die the death: howe shall those scape vnpunished which are an occasion of infinite mur­thers, thinking thereby to pull downe and suppresse all diuine and humaine lawes against their owne consciences: for to get vnto themselues fame and renowne, and to deface the memorie of the true & faith­ful christians? I wil vse no long discourse, I do beléeue y ^t they will confesse vnto me willingly, that the edicts and statutes of a Prince are either laweful or vnlawful: if the [...] are lawful, as we ought to presume of the edicts and statutes made with good deliberation & aduice of counsaile: truely we ought to kéepe them, although that the end of them are hurtfull: Deut. 12. c For we must not do euill to the end that there doe come no good: but to do that which is right, & that which the Lord cōmaundeth. If they are vnlawfull, I doe meane contrarie vn­to the religion and good maners, although we ought not to kéepe them: yet truely we ought not to breake them by an euill meanes: But with all gentlenesse and patience to shewe what the faulte of thē is. We doe reade in the holy scripture [Page] that the children of the Hebrewes did not obey the commaundement of king Nabu­chodonosor, Daniel. 3. e constraining and commpel­ling his subiects to worshippe his image, bicause that it was altogether contrarie to their religion: but we doe not reade that they haue made any rebellion against the king or his subiects, for to breake and infringe the edict of the king: but that they haue modestlie and soberly declared y ^e doing of their religion, and the righteous­nesse of their cause. In like manner the bookes of the Machabees 2. Mach. 7. a do teach vs that those seuē bretheren of y ^e Machabees haue formeably & in good order spokē against y ^e ordinaunce of king Antiochus, compel­ling them to eate swines fleshe, contrarie vnto the lawes and ordinaunces of their countrie: but we do not sée that they haue threatned, or y ^t they did confederate thē ­selues against the edict of the king. It is most true that they are forbidden vppon the commaundement of their lawe. As the booke of the actes of the Apostles doth teach vs, Act. 5. [...] that the hie Prieste did com­maunde expresly the Apostles that they shoulde not declare remission of sinnes, in the [...]ne of Iesus Christ. And notwith­standing [Page 79] the Apostles not regarding the edict and commaundement of the hie priest, did as apperteineth to their vocati­on & calling: aunswering that it is better to obey God then men. And in all that while we doe not reade that they haue made any violence or force, for to with­stande the edict of the hie priestes. Fur­thermore the ecclesiasticall historie doeth teach vs, that there was in the Citie of Nicomedia, Eusebius li S. of the h [...] ­storie clesiastical cap. [...] li. 6. of the historie triperte ca. 30 a certein man come of an aun­cient house, and of great Aucthoritie: who séeing that there were in all places edicts verie cruel published against the Christi­ans, being moued and constrained of an earnest faith, did take the saide edicts and did teare them in péeces before the people. As also we doe reade in like manner of one Artemenius a martyr, & of a woman named Publia Artemenius martir Publia. who did breake a great nū ­ber of idolles, and crying with a loude voyce (y ^e Emperour being present. Psal. 115. a) Their images are but siluer and gould, euen the worke of mens handes: But it is not written that those people haue shedde the bloude of the subiectes, or robbed their goods for to breake such edictes, although that they were cruell & full of tyrannie, [Page] and yet neuerthelesse a man may finde at this day so many wicked and rash people among the Christians which are not asha­med to violate the edictes of the Prince, although that they are confirmable to all diuine and humaine ryght: Thincking thereby to hinder and let the course of the religion.

Some myght héere replie, that y ^e same doth charge greatly those of the reformed religion: Inasmuch as they doe put them­selues by weapons against the force & pow­er of their enimie. Vnto which I doe aun­swere first y ^t they haue done it by y ^e autho­ritie of the prince. Furthermore, that there is great diuersitie to make a company of people, and to take weapon without the lawe and authoritie of the magistrate, for to breake the edictes of the king as our enimies haue done: and to put themselues against the force and strength of an other for to defend the edyctes and authoritie of the king, as those of the reformed religion haue done. For in vpholding and mayn­teyning the edyct of the king, they doe maintayne it in the authoritie & puissance which the Lord hath giuen vnto him: And by the same meanes they, do kéepe his sub­iectes [Page 80] vnder y ^e obedience of him, in all gen­tlenesse and friendship. On the contrarie, in forcing the edicte of the prince, they do dispise the prince and him which hath set him vpon his throne. And besides they do giue an occasion vnto the people to giue themselues to all liscenciousnesse and vn­godlinesse. And consequently he whiche doth violate the lawe of his prince doth sinne many wayes. Pro. 8. e First of all he sinneth against God: thorowe whome the kings reigne, and the princes make iust lawes, y ^e Lordes beare rule, and all iudges of the earth execute iudgement. Secondly, he doth offende the Prince vnto whome he ought to yelde himselfe subiect, as sainct Paule saith, Rom. 13 c not onely for feare of ven­geaunce: but also bycause of consci­ence.

Finally, he doth giue an occasion of greate slaunder vnto his neighbour, tho­rowe an euill example: inasmuche as he doth dispise the commaundement of his Prince.

And truely if any will aske me howe the common welth of Venice hath con­tinued so long in his authoritie, puissance & greatnes, & at this day is more richer & opulent [Page] then euer it was. I will aunswere that the same was, because that she did know howe to kéepe her people vnder the obedi­ence of her lawes and statutes. In like manner experience doth teach vs what is the force and puissance of the Cantons or Suisse for the pollicie whiche they ob­serue and kéepe in their common welthes. It is to no purpose then y ^e men do vaunce themselues to haue a Souereigne parlia­ment in their citie, and that they do mag­nifie themselues vnder colour of so many honourable and proude Senatours. And that in the mean time Iustice doth so­iourne in their pai [...]s and houses. Ciprian in his Epistle vvhich be­ginneth bene ad noue. donate. Also it is to no purpose that from day to day they doe publish and set forth so many newe statutes, and that the poore subiects are oppressed, spoiled and robbed eue­rie where in their personnes and their goods. Amos. 5. e We do reade that the place to exe­cute iustice, among the Hebrewes, was set at the gates of the cities where Sainct Hierome Saint Hie­some vpon the 5. chap. of Amos. saith, that the same was to the end that the labourer and poore man, arriuing into the citie for to defend his right: shoulde not be moued at the frequence of the citie and of so straunge [Page 81] a spectacle and beholding of the same. Al­so that the Citizen should not goe farre for to séeke iustice, or that he was afrayde to finde the iudgement seat, which doth make me to say, that it is a very straunge thing among the christians, that not onely they are constrayned to make so many iourneis for to demaund iustice: But also that they must pursue it with so great charges and expenses. I doe remember a certeine king of Aegypt, which ordeined sufficient and honest wages for his Iudges and magi­strates: saying, that the Iudge ought nei­ther to giue nor take. Where a certeine christiā author did exclaime and crye out, Erasmus in his apotheg O howe willingly I desire that the Prin­ces of our time would followe that exam­ple: who selling the estates, doe de­stroy the Iudges, and in the meane time it must néeds be that the Iudges doe liue by stelth: and doe get againe through disho­nest gaine, that, that they haue vnlawful­ly disboursed. Furthermore I wil not muse or studie to marke and discouer the faultes of ours, it is inough for me that euery one doe knowe that the puissance and great­nesse of the cities and common wealthes, doe not lye and consist in an excessiue and [Page] madde number of magistrates: [...]endinge and seruing rather to the ruine and de­structiō of the people, then to the comforting of them: No mor [...] then the iustice and true rule to liue well, to so many newe E­dictes and statutes: But to the wisdome of the magistrates, and true vsage and ex­ercise of the religion and iustice. And I will not bee abashed if an Emperour of Rome called Licinius Cesar, The empe­rour Licini­us. did call some­time a heape and companie of officers, mothes and rattes.

As also one may daylie sée, that they do despise so many waies the edictes and sta­tutes of the Prince and of the superiors. Bicause that the number of magistrates serueth nothing to the common wealth: no more then so many edictes and statutes of the magistrates, to the helping and com­forting of the subiectes. I will ende this matter by the prayer which king Sa­lomon made, aswell for his owne regarde as for the regard of all his people. O Lord forasmuch as thou hast caused a younge Ladde to reigne ouer thy people: 3. Reg. 3. b giue vn­to him a heart full of knowledge to iudge thy people and to knowe the good from the euill, that he may walke in thy waies, in [Page 82] truth and righteousnesse and kéepe thy sta­tutes and commaundements. Giue vnto him grace that he may duely and rightly rule his subiectes vnder the obedience of thy lawes and ordinaunces, teaching them the way by the which they shall walke in the worke that they shall doe. Finally, O Lord, cause that the same Prince doe pro­uide among the people vertuous men and fearing God: Exo. 18. d. men louing truth and hating couetousnesse: and which doe iudge thy people at all seasons, in all right, equitie & iustice. Esay. 12. a In y ^e fauour of him which iudg­eth the poore with righteousnesse, and with holynesse reformeth the simple of the worlde. Our Lorde Iesus Christ, vnto whom be glorie for euer, Amen.

A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION, vnto those which doe make it no consci­ence to shed the innocent bloode, vnder pretēce, I know not of what foolish zeale, Wherein is shewed by examples of the scripture how odious before God, such cruelties are. Cap. 11.

Pro. 6. b SAlomon doth witnesse in his prouerbes that ther be sixe things which the Lord hateth, and the seuenth he vtterly abhorreth: A proud loke, a dissembling tongue, handes that shed innocent bloud, an heart that goeth about with wicked immagina­tions, féete that be swift in running to doe [Page 84] mischiefe, a false witnes y ^t bringeth vp lies, and such one as soweth discord amonge bretheren. That is the cause wherefore Dauyd prayed the Lord that he will not destroy his soule with the sinners, nor his lyfe with the bloude thirstie. Psalm. 26. c Where that good Prophet speaking vnto GOD, doth crie, thou (O God) shalt cast them downe into the pitte of destruction: Psal 55. d For y ^e bloud thirstie and deceiptfull man shal not liue out halfe their daies. The Lord trieth the righteous, but his heart hateth y ^e wick­ed and him that loueth violence. The which is sufficiently declared vnto vs by examples of the scripture: yea, who will begin from the creation of the world. For frō the lawe of nature, Cain killed his brother Abel: for that cause the Lord said vnto Cain: Genes. 4. b What hast thou done? The voice of thy brothers bloud cried vnto me out of the earth. And nowe cursed be thou as perteining to the earth, for when thou tillest the ground, she shall hence foorth not giue hir power vnto thée: a vagabund and a runnagate shalt thou be vpon the earth.

In the lawe that is written Pharao, king of Aegypt went about by all meanes to afflyct the people of GOD, vntill that [Page] he caused to be killed al y ^e men children of the Hebrewes: Exo. 1. d. But in a little while after all the first borne in the lande of Aegypt were killed, Exo. 12. e Exo. 14. g. Pharao and all the Aegiptians were drowned in the seas.

Iudg. 9. gIn the time of the Iudges, Abimelech desiring to reigne ouer Israel, caused to bée killed all the children of Gedeon, except Ioatham, insomuch that Abimelech was made king in Sichem. But within a little while after, this vengeaunce happened vn­to him: For Abimelech hauing besi­ged the Citie of Thebes and taken it: and going to take a tower wherein the people were gotten together, a woman did caste a peace of a milstone from the wall vp­pon his head, and all to brake his brayne panne▪ So (as sayth the Scripture) all the wickednesse of Abimelech which hée did vnto his father in sleying his thre score and ten bretheren, God did bring vpon his head.

The Quéene Iezabel caused Naboth to bée killed for to haue his vineyard: 3. Reg. 21. f But the Scripture doth teach vs that the Lord spake against Iezabel, saying: that the dogges shal eate Iezabel vnder the walles of Iezrael, the which came to passe: For [Page 85] Iehu caused Iezabel to be throwne downe out of a windowe, 4. Reg. 9. f and Iezabel was eaten vp with dogges, according to the woord of Hely.

At the same time Athaliah the mother of Ochoziah, séeing that hir son was dead, rose vp, and slew al y ^e séede of the kingdome, 4. Reg. 11. [...] except Ioas the sonne of Ochoziah, whom Iehosaba the daughter of king Iehoram did steale from amonge the middest of the kinges sonnes that were slaine, and hid him from Athaliah, y ^t he was not slayne: But within a little while after, Athaliah is caried out of the Temple, & when she was come to y ^e gate where the kings hor­ses went out, they killed her there.

Iehoram did rise against the kingdome of his father, 2. Cro. 21. a and when he was setled he slew all his other brethren with the swoord, and diuers of the Lordes of Israell there too: For which cause the Lord did smite him with an incurable disease in his bowelles: And in processe of time, euen aboute the ende of two yeares, his guttes fell out, by reason of his sickenesse, and so he dyed of euill diseases.

Iehoas after the death Iehoida, 2. Cro. 24. f did for­sake the Lord: and caused Zachariah the [Page] Prophet to be killed in y ^e court of y ^e house of the Lord: And when the yeare was out the hoast of the Syrians came against him: and they came to Iuda and Hierusalem, and destroyed all the Lordes of the people from among the people, and sent all the spoyle of them vnto the king of Damasco: And when they were departed from him, though they left him in great diseases: yet his owne seruauntes conspired against him, for the bloude of the children of Iehoiada the priest, and slewe him in his bedde, and so he dyed.

2. Cro. 33. e Manasseh shed much innocent bloud, so much that he filled Hierusalem from the one side vnto the other. But afterwardes he was taken by the Assirians and ledde captiue to Bablilon. Act. 12. d

I wil not here forget Herod who hauing vexed certeine of the congregation, and killed Iames the brother of Iohn with the sword: by and by after he was smitten of the Lord, and béeing eaten of wormes, gaue vp the Ghost.

Furthermore, if we will know wherefore y ^e childrē of Israel were led captiue to Babi­lō, 2. Cro. 36. e in y ^e time of Zedekiah & Iehoachin. The scripture doth aunswere, that y ^e Lord God [Page 86] sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes: for he had compassion on his people and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of God & despised their wordes, and misused his Prophets, vntill the wrath of the Lord so rose against his people that it was past remedie. And so he brought vpon them the kinge of Cal­dey and slewe their younge men with the swoorde in the holy Temple, and neyther spared young man nor maide, neither olde man, neither so much as him that stow­ped for age: but gaue all into his hande.

The Prophet Ieremy doth giue the same reason of the later destruction of Hie­rusalem, Lamen 4. c which was in the time of Titus and Vespasian, when hee sayth: neither the kings of the earth nor all the inha­bitors of the wolrd, woulde haue beléeued that the enimie and aduersarie should haue come in at the gates of the Citie of Hie­rusalem. Which neuerthelesse is come to passe for the sinnes of hir Prophets and for the wickednesse of hir priestes that haue shedde innocentes bloulde wyth­in hir.

To that same fault the sonne of Sy­rach did attribute the destruction, Rom. 2. c not of a [Page] Citie and of a cōmon wealth onely: Ecclesi. 10. a Tea­ching that the kingdome bicause of vnrigh­teous dealing, wrong blasphemies and di­uers deceipts, shalbe translated from one people to an other. So our Lord Iesus Christ doth crie so often against y ^e Scribes and Pharises, for the bloode of the righte­ous, Mat. 23. d saying, Hierusalem, Hierusalem, which killest the Prophtes and stonest them which are sent to thée: How often woulde I haue gathered thy children together, as the henne gathereth hir chickens vnder hir wings, but ye wold not: Beholdy our habi­tatiō shalbe left vnto you desolate. These are y ^e same matters which that first Dea­con of y ^e church did direct vnto them, when he saith: Act. 7. g. O ye people stifnecked & of vncir­cumcised hearts & eares: Ye haue alwaies resisted the holy ghost: As your fathers did so doe ye. Which of the prophets haue not your fathers persecuted? And they haue slaine them, which shewed before of the comming of the iust, whom ye haue nowe betrayed and murthered.

What shall I say more? the time will not serue mée, if I would speake of Nero, Sueton in the lyfe of Nero. Domitian, Caligula, and other Empe­rours of Rome. Who hauing exercised in [Page 87] their life, more cruelties thē Barbarous or Scithian: Also in their death haue bene cruellie entreated of their owne subiectes.

For the like cause it was forbidden the children of Israel not to eate the bloude, Leuit. 17. c for the life of all flesh is in the bloud. For that same cause (I say) Dauid was not suffred to build the Lordes house: 1. Cro. 22. a bicause saith the Scripture, that he had shed much bloude and made great battailes, although that he had no warres, but against the eni­mies of God & of his people. These things doe sufficiently declare vnto the Kinges and Princes of the earth, how odious be­fore God all effusion of bloud and crueltie is: According as Salomon doth teach vs, Pro. 20. d that mercy and faythfulnesse preserue the king, and with louing kindnesse his seate is holden vp. Math. 5. a And Iesus Christ doth wit­nesse, that blessed are the meeke, for they shall inherite the earth.

What néede is it to serch the places of the auncient fathers, inasmuch as the examples of our time, doe giue vnto vs certeine witnesse of the vengeaunce of God against those: Who according to their ambition and priuate affection had shed euery where the bloud of the iust? [Page] which although the Lorde doe suffer ma­ny at this time to reigne: yet let vs praise his goodnesse, and let vs acknowledge that his mercy and long taryinge shall bringe them to repentance. Let vs also feare on the other side, that through their stub­burnnesse and heart that cannot repent, they heape vnto themselues the wrath of GOD agaynst the daye of vengeance, when shalbe opened the righteous iudge­ment of God. Mat. 23. d Euen as Iesus Christ did menace somtime the S [...]bes and [...]harises saying: Fulfill ye the measure of y [...] fa­thers, that vpon you maye come all the righteous bloud that was shedde vppon the earth, from the bloode of righteous Abel vnto the bloude of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whom ye slew betwéene the tem­ple and the Alter.

Num. 25. eTo no purpose, some do couer and cloke themselues with the zeale of Phinees which did take a speare in his hand and did thrust through Zambry, and Cosby, bicause they committed fornication together. Alledging the frée will of Hely, [...] Reg. 18 g 4. Reg. 10. a which killed all the priestes of Baal. Furthermore they doe propounde vnto vs the ardent affection of Iehu, which caused the lxx. sonnes of Achab [Page 88] to be slayne. Also they doe shew foorth the zeale & feruentnesse of Mathathiah, which killed a Iewe, 1. Math. 2. b which did sacrifice vnto I­doles in the Citie of Modin: For such men besides the expresse commaundement of the lawe (which will that the Prophet which shal presume to speake ought in my name, Deut. 1 [...]. d which I commaunded not to speake, and he that speaketh in the name of straunge Gods, the same Prophet shall dye) do holde the place and office of a magistrate, and they do it not without iust and great occa­siō. S. Augustin in his boke of the chri­stiā doctrin But at this day it shall not be permitted for certein perticuler exāples, chiefly in our lawe euangelicall, for euery priuate person without leaue & authoritie of y ^e magistrate or knowledge of y ^e cause to cōmit such vn­lawfull acts, for to hide thē afterwardes w ^c y ^e cloke of religion. Math. 26. [...] The which Iesus Christ doth teach vs in rebuking Peter for draw­ing his sword, & smiting y ^e high priests ser­uant: for to shew vnto vs y ^t the vsing of the same is forbiddē vnto priuate persons & re­serued to y ^e magistrate. Rom. 13. b Of whō S. Paul saith y ^t he is the minister of God for thy wealth. But & if y ^u do euill thē feare. For he beareth not a sword for naught, but is y ^e minister of God to take vengeaunce on thē y ^t do euill. [Page] The same sentence is repeated by Sainct Peter in these wordes: [...]. Peter. 2. c. Submit your selues vnto all manner ordinaunce of man for the Lordes sake, whether it be vnto y ^e king as vnto the chiefe heade: either vnto ru­lers, as vnto them that are sent of him, for the punishment of euill dooers, but for the laud of them that doe well.

Woe then vnto you which desire the possessions, and haue spoiled them: and the houses, and haue taken them: And haue done wronge to a man and to his house, to a man and to his inheritaunce: Which haue stolen the coate and cloke from those which went by safely retourning, from the battayle: which haue thrust out women from their houses, of pleasure. And you also, marke this ye prophetes which doe seduce the people, which doe byte with the téeth and crie: peace, and if any doe gyue you nothing in the mouth, yee prepare a­gainst him battaile. And vpon thée also, thou bloudy Citie, altogether full of lyes and of stealth, and defiled with the bloude of the iust▪ which hast not receiued disci­pline & which hast not had confidence in y ^e Lorde: and art not aproched or come nigh vnto thy God. Sopho. 3. a For thy princes were in the [Page 89] middest of thée as roring Lyons. Sopho. 3. a And the [...]dges are as wolues in the euening which [...]aue nothing behinde them till the mo­ [...]owe. The handes of your Prophets are [...]efiled with bloude, Esay. 59. [...] and their téeth with vnrighteousnesse. Their lippes speake lea­singes, and their tongue setteth out wic­kednesse. Their féete runne to euill, & they make hast to shedde innocent bloude, their counselles are wicked counsels, harme and destruction are in their waies.

I doe speake vnto those which haue the knowledge, Malach. 2. b and in whose mouth men may séeke the lawe. Where is it written in the lawe, that one may put a man to death without knowing the cause and authoritie of the magistrate, vnto what matter doth Sainct Paule defende himselfe in the pre­sence of the capitaine which ordeyned that he should be examined by the whippe, or wherefore did he aunswere the Centurian y ^t it was not lawfull to scourge a Citizen of Rome, and vncondemned: Act. 22. f except it were but for to shewe howe odious and hatefull before the Lord those are which doe shed the bloud of the righteous? Hystorie of Susanna g For what pre­tence did the Lord awaken and stirre vp the spirite of holie Daniel, béeing a younge [Page] childe: but for to make knowē the innocen­cye of that chast Susanna, condemned to death? And for to speak better, what mo ue the said prophet to returne in iudgement, and to crye with a loude voyce, O ye chil­dren of Israel are ye such fooles that ye haue here condēned a daughter of Israel to death, and knowe not the truth wherefore? ex­cept it were but for to teach vs, that it is better to let the wicked go vnpunished then to condemne the innocent? And ne­uerthelesse, The lawe absence of Pocus. not onely ye consent vnto mur­thers: but doe perswade the people (béeing set in Moses chaire (to do such cruelties and murthers. That heauenly father hath not done so, as he doth teach vs, whē he saith y ^e crie of Sodome and Gomorra is great, and their sinne is excéeding gréeuous. Genes. 18. e I will go downe to see, whether they haue done altogether accordinge to the crie whiche is come vnto me or not, and if it be not so, that I may knowe. Iohn. 8. b Euen so I say, hath not Iesus Christ his sōne done, which is y ^e true pastor & sheaperd of our soules and chiefe pastor of the bishoppes: who being called for to iudge that poore sinneful woman, did not pronounce incontinently iudgement a­gainst [Page 90] her (as the Scribes and Pharises desired being all bloudie with the bloude of the Prophetes) but said vnto them: Iohn. 8. [...] Let him that is amonge you without sinne, cast the first stone at hir. Admoni­shing and warning all true christians that gentlenesse and clemēcie is more séemely or better becommeth pastors then cruel­tie and rigorousnesse.

Furthermore, I would willingly aske, wherein the people can excuse themselues of such wickednesse, to put a man to death, of whom he knoweth nothing, and to con­demne him as a schismaticke, heretick and imposter, when he himselfe knoweth not any thing what religion is, and belée­ueth onely vppon the credite and sight of other.

And yet neuerthelesse in that matter, his ignoraunce shall not excuse him. By what coloure of iustice, can a iudge saue himselfe in y ^e midst of such cruelties: which hath neither let the murthers, nor condem­ned the murtherers? On the other side haue made vnrighteous lawes, and deuised things which be to hard for to kepe. Esay. 10. [...] Wher­through y ^e poore are orpressed on euery side, & [Page] the innocentes of my people are therewith robbed of iudgement.

To conclude, what punishments do those deserue to haue, who béeing ordeyned for to declare the Gospell of peace, doe incite and stirre forwarde with all their pow­er, the people to troubles and seditions? I that great lawe géeuer of the Athenians, Cicero in his oration for Roscius and one of the seauen sages of Greece, na­med Solon, hath not published any lawe a­gaynst the Paricides: estéeming that such a shamefull crime could neuer be commit­ted: What punishment are they worthy off, Heb. 12. e which doe put to death the fathers of our soules? if with one onely respect (as sayth Cicero) that fatherly pitie is hurted: Cicero in the sayde boke Gal. 4. e What shall that bée of vs, if wee put to death those which daylie doe trauayle to beare vs agayne vntill Christ be fashioned in vs? 2. Pet. 2. e Wherefore let vs not be lyke vnto brute beastes, who following their sensu­alitie: and béeing made to be taken and de­stroyed, speake euill of that they know not, for they shall perish through their owne destruction. Iohn. 4. a But let vs iudge the things in veritie and righteousnesse, and before we condempne any man, let vs proue by the word, whether the spirites are of God or [Page 91] not. In so dooing we shall bée afrayde to condempne vnto death so lightly him for whō Iesu Christ fréely hath shed his bloud: In such sort that we leauing all disordi­nate desire of vengeaunce and carnall affection, as spirituall men, 1 Cor. 2. d may discerne and discusse spi­rituall thinges, Amen.

¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRA­tion vnto those which of a set purpose do turne themselues from the knowne veritie, without any force and compulsion.

FOrasmuch then as the lawe of the Lorde hath bene published with thun­deringes and lighteninges Exo. 10. [...] and that the same Lorde did sometime manifest and [Page] shewe him selfe vnto the people, in figure and shewe of a burning bush. As also it appeareth, Exo. 3. a that the holy Ghost descending vpon the Apostles, there came a sound from heauen as it had bene the comming of a mightie winde: Act. 2. a Truely we cannot be ig­noraunt what the troubles are to the mani­festation of the lawe, bicause of those which doe speake against the true religion, Luc. 2. e as it is written, that Iesus Christ shall be the fall and resurrection of many in Israel, and a signe which shalbe spoken against. Sapi. 17. [...] Also that the lawe doth ingender in vs trouble, vnder consideration of the paine appointed for the transgressors of the same. Foras­much as it is an heauie thing that a mans owne conscience beareth record of his wic­kednesse and condemneth him.

Collo. 1. eInsomuch that there is no meanes to appease such differences, but in the peace of him who hath reconciled all thinges vnto GOD his father, and to set at peace by the bloud of his crosse, Numb. 21. d both things in heauen and thinges in earth. Euen as in the olde lawe there was no better remedy for the biting and stinging of the Serpent, then by the beholding and looking vpon y ^e brasen serpent, lifted vp in the wildernesse. Accor­ding [Page 93] as Iesus Christ sayth in saint Iohn, Iohn. 3. [...] that as Moses lifted vp the Serpent in the wildernesse, so must the sonne of man bée lifted vp: That none that beléeueth in him perish, but haue eternall life. And nothwith­standing y ^t there was as wel in the law of Moses as in the christian lawe, great trou­bles and contradictions: yet truely there is great difference of the one and of the other. Antithesis▪ For the one doth set before vs threatnings, the other doth declare vnto vs peace: the one doth represent a Moses terrible and fearefull, the other doth represent vnto vs in persō a gentle and gracious Iesus Christ. The one doth rebuke our faultes & trans­gressions: the other doth bring vnto vs our grace and satisfaction.

Finally, the one doth condempne vs of eternall death: the other doth iustifie vs be­fore God in the death of his onely & wel­beloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ. And euen as in the lawe that is written, Moses is iustly condemned for that hée fayled to­wardes GOD at the waters of striefe. Numb. 20. e And the children of Israel are rebuked bi­cause they murmured against y ^e same Lord desiring the pleasures of the countrey of Aegipt. Euen so in the lawe euangelicall, [Page] Iesus Christ will not hold for vngiltie those which for common afflictions, doe d [...] strust of his grace, puissance and goodnesse For he hath said, whosoeuer shall knowledge me before men, Math. 10. c him will I knowledge also before my father which is [...] heauen.

But whosoeuer shall denie me before men, Luc [...]. 12. c him wil I also denie before my fathe [...] which is in heauē. That is the cause wherfore he requireth of vs y ^t our lamps may b [...] alwaies burning: (burning I say) of tha [...] heauenly fire, whereof our Lord speaket [...] in this manner: I am come to sende fire on earth: Luc. 12. g and what is my desire, but that it were all ready kindled? and he would that we should not be betweene both or luke▪ warme: Apo. 3. c but that we should be hotte or colde, and that we should cast our sorowes and afflictions vpon the loue of him which hath borne our paine, Esa. 53. b. and taketh away our infirmitie: and hath bene wounded for our offences, and smitten for our wicked­nesse. For in all those thinges we are more then vanquishers, bicause that he hath first loued vs.

Furthermore, inasmuch as the same Lord [Page 94] doth admonish vs that he will be with vs alwaies, euen vntill the ende of the worlde: Mat. 28. d Truely, in what kinde of affliction so euer it bée, wee ought alwaies to assure our selues in that woorde, and not to bee lyke vnto that disciple of Iesus Christ our Sauioure, the whiche did feare the windes and outragiousnesse of the wea­ther, in the presence of him which hath the power not onelie to commaunde both the sea and the lande: but by one breath of his mouth, can at one moment bringe to naught and destroye all the crea­tures of the worlde: yea, Phillip. 2. b in whose name euery knee shall boowe, both of thinges in heauen and thinges in earth, and thinges vnder the earth.

On the other side, let vs followe rather king Iehosophat, who beeing assieged in the Citie of Hierusalem, 2. Cro. 20. c and destitute of all mannes helpe, dyd crye vnto the LORD saying, O our GOD, forasmuch as there is not in vs any might for to re­sist and withstande this greate compa­nie that commeth against vs, neither knowe we what to doe: But our eis will be vnto thee.

The which that good Quéene Iudith di [...] knowe very well to practise, udith cap. 9 & 10 who séeing hi [...] enimies at the gates, and the Citie béeing forced on euery side. To be short the inha [...]bitaunts of the same altogether amased and discomforted with feare: with a manly and couragious heart did leane & stay hir selfe vpon the strength of him, which béeing infinite in puissance, cannot be tied and bound in his mercy and goodnesse. Wherefore i [...] the Lorde doe giue vs the grace that wé [...] shall die for the name of his welbeloued sonne our Lorde Iesus Christ, let vs me­ditate with our selues that we doe not giue vnto him, 1. Ioan 4. d but that which doth apperteyne▪ and belong vnto him: forasmuch as he loued vs first, and gaue himselfe to die for vs: that is to say, when we were all solde vnder sinne, he hath fréely pardoned and redéemed vs by the blood of his welbeloued sonne our Lord Iesus Christ.

Secondly, let vs confesse boldly that al­though that we do render vnto the Lorde life for life, death for death: yet truely that we doe not render vnto him the egalitie of that, Saint Amb vpon Saint Luke. y ^t he hath giuen vnto vs. Forasmuch then as our sinnes were infinite, so the re­déeming of the same was inestimable, and [Page 95] therefore there was no creature, either ter­ [...]estiall or celestiall, which can appease the [...]nger of that heuenly father, but hée which was GOD and man, that is to saye, the [...]onne of God.

Finally, let vs well consider what the Lord [...]oth propounde vnto vs, when he doth giue vs the grace that we should not onely be­ [...]éeue in his welbeloued sonne our Lord Ie­sus Christ: But also we should die for him. In this, that for a frayle and transitorie life, he will giue vs a life eternall and per­ [...]urable: As he hath promised, that whoso­euer shall lose his life for his sake, the same shall saue it.

This is then a very straunge thing a­monge the Christians, Luc. 9. c to feare death in a quarell so iust and resonable. And to thinke that he which doth giue the heauenly goods will depriue vs of temporall and necessarie goodes for mans life. It is, I say, yet more greater wrong done vnto the Lorde, to for­sake him for to saue their goodes, & to feare to die for him which humbled himselfe euen into théese lowe places for to redéeme vs from sinne, hell, and eternal death: And not­withstanding all that which is sayde, al­though that in our death we doe offer vnto [Page] him that which is not ours, yet truely hee doth accepte the smallnesse of our power and wil, when we do leane vnto him by faith, vpon the merite of his welbeloued sonne. He I say, which hath protested be­fore the maiestie of the father, & hath cried with a loude voyce. Psal. 40. b Heb. 10. b Behold I come: in the beginning of the booke it is written of me, that I should fulfill thy will, Heb. 5. e O my God: and in the dayes of his flesh, hauing offered vp with great cries and teares, prayers & supplications, vnto him which was able to haue saued him from his death, and being heard, hath bene the author of eternall life vnto those that obey him. Wo be vnto those then which do blame y ^e Lord against their owne conscience, and doe blaspheme his maiestie, by othes and vnlawfull witnesses, for to perswade the people that they are not the disciples of Iesus Christe.

As Peter did, denyinge his master, in the presence of a maide, those are they which do repulse the gyftes and graces of the holy spiryte, Heb. 6. a without any force, vyolence or feare, & hauing tasted of the good words of GOD, and of the power of the world to come, doe cal agayne in their owne filthi­nesse and villanie.

Insomuch that it happened vnto them ac­cording to the true prouerbe. 2. Pet. 2. d The dogge is turned to his vomite againe, and the sowe that was washed to hir wallowing in the mire. For if those children of the Hebrewes, that is to say, Sydrach, Misach & Abednago, Dan. 3. e had rather to bée cast into y ^e hot burning ouē, then to do homage or adore y ^e Idole of king Nabuchodonosor: If I saye y ^t chast Susanna, Hystorie of Susanna. g hath not so much feared to fall into the handes of men, then to sinne before the maiestie of God. To be short, if those Machabeans 2. Mach. [...] haue not spared their [...]iues for to mainteine the honour of God: yea, against all the force and strength of y ^e tyrauntes. Shall we be so vngratefull, 1. Cor. [...]. d for certeine priuate commodities, to abandon him which hath ben made for vs wisdome, & also righteousnesse, sanctifying and re­demption? I doe say yet more, if the Pa­nims haue valiantly fought for to increase the honoure of their Princes, not seekinge thereby but a vaine glorie and worldly re­compence: shal the christians make it diffi­culte and a harde matter to giue their goodes, dignities and prerogatiues for the name of him whiche hath endowed them with all heauenly benedictions, [Page] hath also gotten for them by his bloud an e­uerlasting kingdome in heauen. The Lord doth complaine sometime of his people, for that they hauing forsaken him: and digged them pittes, Iere. 2. c yea, vile and broken pittes, that holde no water. And in an other place also he rebuketh them of their ingratitude, saying. The oxe knoweth his Lord, and the asse his masters stall, Esay. 2. a but Israel (which was his people) knoweth nothing and hath no vnderstanding. And shall the same LORD at this day holde his peace, of so many apo­states, which of a set purpose doe tourne themselues from the knowen trueth against their owne conscience? Forasmuch then as y ^e holy Scripture doth tell vs, y ^t in death, an euerlasting life: in the ignomie and slaun­der of men, a glorie before the maiestie of GOD: Luc. [...] [...] in the losse of our goodes of of such treasures which the eie hath not séene, nor the eare hath heard, neither hath it entred into the heart of man. To conclude, for a despising of our fauourable parentes and friendes, a glorie before the maiestie of God, and a blessed reioising in y ^e companie of Angels and heauenly spirites. Let vs then willingly embrace this crosse, that we may get an immortall life, & let vs [Page 97] reioyce after the example of the Apostles, Act. 5. c when the Lord doth giue vs that honoure to suffer rebuke for his name. Likewise let vs receiue ioyfully the rauishment of our goodes, knowledging with our selues that we haue a better reward in heauen, Heb. 11. d which is permanent and endureth for euer. Final­ly, let vs not at all desire the absence of our parentes and friendes, forasmuch as that true shéephearde of our soules, our LORD Iesus Christ, doth promise vs that whosoeuer shall doe the will of his fa­ther whiche is in heauen: Mat. 12. a that he will be his brother, sister and mother. And that our heauenly father doth assure vs that he will gather vs vp: yea, 1. Cor. [...]5. d when we shalbe forsaken of all our pa­rentes and friendes; at the time of the restoring of all things, when he shall bée all in all, Amen.

¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRA­tion vnto those which haue susteined euen hetherto the dooing of the reformed re­ligion for to confirme them more and more in their first will. Cap. 13.

THE Scripture doth wit­nesse that at the comming of the sonne of God, Mat. 24. a many false Prophetes shall arise & shall deceiue many. And bicause iniquitie shal haue the vpper hande, the loue of many shall abate. But hée that endureth to the ende, the same shall bée safe. 2. Tim. 2. b: As it is written, that hée whiche striueth for a ma­strie is not crowned, excepte hée striue lawefully. And the husbandman, Luc. 4. f. must first by laboring receiue the fruites. And what he is among you (sayth the Lord) y ^t is [Page] disposed to builde a towre, sitteth not downe before, and counteth the cost, whe­ther he haue sufficient to performe it? Least after he hath laide the foundation, and is not able to performe it, all that beholde it, begin to mocke him: saying, this man be­gan to build, and was not able to make an ende. Heb. 3. c. I speake this my bretheren least ther be at any time in any of you an euill heart & vnfaithfull to depart away frō the liuing God. But exhort one another dailie, while it is called to day, least any of you waxe harde harted through the disceitfulnesse of sinne. For we are made pertakers of Christ if we kéepe sure vnto the ende the begin­ning, wherewith we are holden vp. And we doe exhort you of this, fearing that in forsaking him whiche hath called you by grace, you doe transport your selues vnto an other gospell, and séeing nowe ye know God, Gal. 4. b yea, rather taught of God, you doe turne your selues backewarde vnto impo­tent and beggerlie ceremonies obseruing (with the Iewes) daies and monethes, and times and yeares: not for that I doe dis­trust of your good will. But to the ende y ^t I may so assure you in the faith of y ^e Lord, that the course of this present life finished, [Page 99] euery one of you may say with the Apostle Sainct Paule. I haue fought a good fight, 2. Timot. 4, b. and haue fulfilled my course, and haue kept the faith. From hencefoorth is laide vp for me a crowne of righteousnesse, which the Lorde that is a righteous Iudge shal giue me at that day: not to me onely, but vn­to all them also that loue his comming. In like manner, to the end that ye bée not as children caried about with euery winde of doctrine, as cōmonly chaunseth vnto men. But let vs followe the trueth in loue, and in all thinges growe vp into him which is the head, that is to say Christ. Ephe, 4. d The pro­phet doth complaine in the olde lawe, that his people doe halt betwéene two opinions neither following the liuinge GOD nor Baal. 3. Reg. 18. d Apo. 3. d The Lorde did rebuke the Angell of the Laodicians bicause that hée was neither hot nor colde, insomuch that therfore he will spew him out of his mouth. On the other side hée doth promise to him that ouercommeth, Luce. 16. e to sit with him in his throne, as it is written, no man can serue two masters, for either he shall hate the one and loue the other, or els he shall leane to the one and despise the other. 2. Cor. 6. e Righteous­nesse hath no felowship with vnrighteous­nesse, [Page] neither light hath companie w ^t darke­nesse, neither Christ accordeth with Belial. If then ye haue receiued the word of God, be ye not like vnto him which hath sowed his séed vpon stonie ground. Mat. 7 d. I do meane him which heareth the worde, and anone with ioye receiueth it. Yet hath he no rootes in himselfe, and therefore dureth but a season: for as soone as tribulation or persecutiō ari­seth bicause of the word, by and by he is of­fended. Also be ye not followers of that foo­lish man, Mat. 7. d which builded his house vpon the sande: and the raine fell, and the floudes came, and the windes blewe, and beat vpon the house, and it fell, and great was the fall thereof. Luc. 11. b He that is not with me is against me (saith the Lord): And he that gathereth not with me, scattereth. That is the cause wherefore Sainct Iohn did complaine of some in his time, which did beare office in the church, 1 Iohn. 2. d and neuerthelesse did drawe themselues away from the same, when hée saith, they went out from vs, but they were not of vs: for if they had bene of vs, they would doubtlesse haue continued with vs. But this cōmeth to passe, that it might ap­peare, that they are not all of vs. The Apo­stle sainct Paule speaking of the Apostates, [Page 100] saith, Heb. 10. e y ^t if we sinne willingly after that wée haue receiued the knowledge of the truth, there remaineth no more sacrifice for sinnes. For if we, after we haue escaped from the filthinesse of y ^e world, 2 pet. 2. d through y ^e knowledge of the Lord, and of the sauiour Iesus Christ, are yet tangled againe therein, & ouercome: then is the latter ende worse with vs then the beginning: for it had bene better for vs, not to haue knowen the way of righteous­nesse, then after we haue knowen it, to turne from the holy commaundement giuen vnto vs, according to the true prouerbe. The dog is returned to his vomite againe: and the sowe that was washed, to hir wallowing in the mire. Know then my bretheren, Deut. 8. a. e that God hath nourtered you, euen as the father nourtereth his children:: And beware that thou forget not the Lorde thy GOD, in not keeping his commaundementes, lawes and ordinaunces. That when you shall haue the thinges that you desire, and your riches and goodes increased, then your hart rise, and you forget the Lord your God which hath deliuered you frō the hand of your enimies.

Learne by y ^e example of y ^e people of Israel, y ^t he which ought to be right hath kicked: he [Page] I say, which was made fatte, thicke and smooth, hath forsaken and let God go that made him, and despised the God of Israel that saued him. As also the same Lord doth witnesse by his Prophet, that the iniqui­tie of Sodome was pride, Eze. 16. b aboundance of bread, and idlenesse. On the other side sub­mit your selues therfore vnder the migh­tie hande of God, 1. Pet. 5. c that he may exalte you when the time is come. Cast all your care on him: for he careth for you. Be sober and watch, for your aduersarie the diuell as a roring Lyon walketh about séeking whō he may deuoure. Sée that ye loue not the worlde, 1. Iohn. 2. c neither the things that are in the worlde. For all that is in the worlde, as the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eies, and the pride of life, is not of the father, but of the worlde: and the worlde passeth awaie and the lust thereof, but he that fulfilleth the will of God, 1 Iohn. 5. d abideth for euer. And true­ly we knowe that we are of God, and that the world lyeth in wickednesse. Déerely beloued, absteine from fleshly lustes which fight against the soule: 1, Pet. 2. c And as obedient children, not fashioning your selues vnto y ^e olde lustes of your ignoraunce: 1. Pet. 2. c But as he which called you is holie, euen so be ye ho­ly [Page 101] also in all manner of conuersation. And in al sobernes, Apo. 17. [...] & trust perfectly on y ^e grace y ^t is brought vnto you by the reuelatiō of Iesus Christ. And beware my brethrē of y ^e great Babilon, y ^e mother of fornicatiō, with whom haue cōmitted fornicatiō y ^t kings of earth, y ^t they are droncken with y ^e wine of hir fornication. For although that that woman was araied in purple and crimson, and guilded with golde and precious stones and pearles, yet truely she had in hir hand, a cup ful of abhominations and filthines of hir fornication. Genes. 19. c And as it happened at the subuersion and destruction of Sodome and of Gomorra, that Lots wife looking backe was turned into a piller of salt. Genes, 34, [...] And euen as Dina the daughter of Iacob, going out to sée the daughters of the lande, was ra­uished by the Princes of the sayd lande. Feare on your part that ye taking to great pleasure in worldly things, ye be not sedu­ced and deceiued: and forsaking the com­maundements of the Lorde, ye be not de­stroied. Num. 25. [...] 31, b For as it happened that the chil­dren of Israel being induced and prouoked by the wiues of the Madianits did trespasse against the Lord bicause of Peor. It is al­so to be feared, that you following to much [Page] that which is of y ^e world. You do altogether forget the homage & obedience which you doe owe vnto the Lord.

Ephe. 6.To be short, if y ^e enimie doth oppresse you, stand therefore, and you loynes girde about with veritie, hauing on the brest plate of righteousnesse: and your féete shode with the preparation of the Gospell of peace. Aboue all, take to you the shield of faith, where­with ye may quench all the fierie dartes of the wicked. And take the helmet of saluati­on, the swoord of the spirite which is the worde of God. And pray alwaies with all manner prayer and supplication.

Be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might, put ye on the whole armoure of God, that he may stande stedfast against the craftie assaultes of the Diuell, for we wre­stle not against flesh and bloude: but against rulers, against powers, & against y ^e worldly gouernours, the Princes of darknesse of this world, against spiritual wickednesses, which are aboue. If y ^e world do pursue you, set your faith as a fort in expugnable against hir pleasures, for this is y ^e victorie y ^t ouercōmeth the world, euen our faith. By which meanes Samuel, ohn. 5. [...] vbr. 1 [...]. f Dauid, and the other prophets haue subdued kingdomes, wrought righteousnes, [Page 102] obtained the promises, stopped the mouthes of Lyons, quenched the violence of fire, esca­ped the edge of the sword. If your flesh bée weake, watch and pray, that ye fall not into temptation. And beléeue that y ^e Lord which is faithfull shall not suffer you to be tempted aboue your strength: 1 Cor. 10. c but shall in the mid­dest of the temptation make away, that yée may be able to beare it. To conclude, assure your selues vpon the word of God, when he saith, that his shéepe do heare his voyce, Iohn. 10. c and he knoweth them, and they followe him: and and he will giue vnto them eternall life, and they shal neuer perish, neither shall any man plucke them out of his hand, bicause that his father which gaue them him is greater then all. Nomb. 20. [...] Remember that Moses and Aaron did not enter into the lande of promise, bicause they beléeued not the LORD: that he might be sanctified by them, in the eies of the children of Israel. No more then those which were gone out to search the lande shall sée the same lande which I the LORD sware vnto their Fathers. But his seruaunt Caleb: Nomb. 24. [...] bicause there is an other manner spirit with him, and bicause he hath followed the Lorde vnto the vttermost, God gaue him the saide lande for an heritage. [Page] Finally, 4. Reg. 6. & 7. d bicause that the capitaine of Sama­ria, would not beléeue the promise which the Lord made vnto him, by the mouth of the prophet Eliseus: foreshewing the great aboundance & plentiousnesse, within a little space was depriued from the fruites therof, and troden vnder foote y ^t he died. Wherfore be not as some faithlesse people, distrusting of the promises of him which is the God of veritie: But rather be ye imitators and followers of Gedeon, who béeing come to the assault, blewe with his trumpet, helde his lampes in his hande, Iudg. 7. c and brake his pitchers, figuring vnto all true Christians, that they ought alwaies to kéepe that light of faith, & to be like vnto the seruaunts at­tending their masters, when they shall bée retourned from the mariages. And as the trumpet, to lift vp their voice in the mid­dest of all daungers, for to magnifie and praise the Lord.

2. Cor. 4. cFurthermore, if néede bée, or if the case so require, not to spare their bodies, which are but as earthen vessels to that heauenly treasure. In so dooing beléeue assuredly that by the same meanes, by them which they doe thincke to destroy and ruinate the worke of God, by the same meanes it shall [Page 103] be established & amplified. The which is al­so figured vnto vs by examples in y ^e booke of Exodus, Exo. 1. c where the king of Aegypt pur­posing to exterminate, and altogether to ruinate and destroye the people of God, af­flicting them through a long seruitude and bondage: in making morter, bricke, and o­ther bondage worke in the fieldes, was partly a cause that the Lorde did multiplie and increase his people aboue al other peo­ple, and prospered his faithfull seruaunt Moses amonge the middest of all his eni­mies. In like manner, Exo. 2. d the Lord did set vp Ioseph in the house of Pharao, then though his brethren did sell him to the Ismaelites thincking thereby altogether to deface his memorie from the earth. Genes. 37. f

Furthermore, did bring to naught all y ^e deliberatiōs of Haman, conspiring y ^e death of Mardocheus and of the Iewes. Hester. 7 Finally the same Lord did drawe from those that were slaine a little Ioas, against the rage and fuerie of quéene Athalia his mother. The same doth sufficiently teach vs that the meanes y ^t our enimies doe take for to subuert the true christian religion, 2. Cro. 23. c the same meanes doe serue for to encrease and defend it against all the enimies of the crosse of [Page] Christ. For euen as the good hearbe, the more y ^t it is pressed, the more smelling it is. Euen so the good men, the more that they are afflicted of the world, the more they do mag­nifie the religion of the Lord. The which the Apostle doth witnesse by his owne ex­ample, when he doth write vnto the Phil­lippians, Philip. 1. b that the thinges which haue hap­pened vnto him, are turned to the great fur­thering of the gospell. So that his bandes in Christ are famous throughout all the iudgement hall, and in all other places, inso­much that many of his bretheren in y ^e Lord are bouldned through his bandes, and dare more franckly speake the word. And truely God doth not measure his workes, accor­ding to the thoughtes of men. As it is written by the prophet Esaie, Esa. 55. c y ^t his thoughts are not our thoughtes, nor our wayes are not his wayes, but as farre as the heauens are hier then the earth, so farre doe his waies excéede ours, and his thoughtes ours.

Thou doest sée in Daniel Dane l. 2. c that greate and meruailous Image, yea, of which the behol­ding of him was terrible and grimme, bro­ken by a little stone hewen out of the rocke, without mannes hande. Figuring that [Page 104] eternall kingdome of Iesus Christ, which [...]ought to bring to naught and breake all the monarches and kingdomes of the worlde, and be established for euer.

Thou doest reade in the Scripture of one little Dauyd a figure of the true Di­sciples of the LORD all readie to fight against the great Philistian: without swoord, 1. Reg. 17. f buckler, or speare: but in the name of the Lorde of hoastes, the GOD of the hoast, and him whom the sayd Goliah hath railed on and despised. Within a little while after, Dauyd hauing the victorie, did bring y ^e head of Goliah into the citie of Hierusalem, and he put his armoure in his tent. Further­more the holy scripture doth teach thée, that Iosua Iosua. 6. [...] which was the leader of the people of God, at the sound of the trumpets made the walles of the Citie of Iericho to fal downe: yea, that the Angell of the LORD at the praier of king Ezekiah did kill a hundreth foure score & fiue thousand men, 2. Cro. 32. e of y ^e campe of the Assirians. To be short, we may not bée ignorant that Iesus Christ béeing pur­sued to death, Iohn. 18. b and béeinge asked of the Scribes and Pharises, if hée were Iesus of Nazareth, at that simple worde, I am he, [Page] did so stonish and amase a bande of soldi­ers and officers, sent by the high priestes & by y ^e Pharises, that they went backwards & fell to the ground. Finally, we may better knowe that the Apostles of Iesus Christe, and those simple and idiotes haue brought to good order, a number of people to the o­bedience of our Lorde Iesus Christ. 1. Cor. 1. c. d In such sort that by the preaching of the crosse hath bene destroyed the wisdome of the wise, and hath cast awaye the vnderstan­ding of the prudent: Forasmuch as the foolishnesse of God is wiser then men: and y ^e weaknes of God is stronger thē men. Also that the Lord hath chosen the foolish things of the world to confounde the wise. Assure your selues then of the promises of y ^e Lord, though that the world doe conspire, & men doe imagine mischiefe: Fortifie & strength­en your selues with a liuely fayth, after the example of that good patriarke Abraham, and father of all them that beléeue: who besides hope, Rom. 4. d did beléeue in hope, & doubted not in the promises which the Lord made vnto him through vnbeliefe: but was made strong in y ^e faith, & gaue honour vnto God, full certified that what he had promised, he was able to make good. And beléeue [Page 105] that the worke which the Lord hath buil­ded in you, shall continue for euer: if such and lyke admonitions will not suffice, be­holde what punishments haue followed those, who distrusting of Gods promises, haue forsaken the knowen veritie, and the true seruice which was due vnto him.

It is written in the booke of Exodus, Exo. 32 a b that when the people sawe that it was long or Moses came downe out of the mountaine; they gathered themselues together & came vnto Aaron and sayd vnto him: vp & make vs a god to go before vs. For of this Moses the fellowe that brought vs out of the land of Aegypt, we wote not what is become of him. And Aaron sayd vnto them: pluc [...] of the golden rings which are in the eares of your wyues, your sonnes and of your daughters: and of them to make a Calfe of molten metall, & made an aulter and wor­shipped it. Then y ^e Lord sayd vnto Moses: go get the downe, for the people which thou broughtest out of the lande of Aegypt haue marred all, they are tourned at once out of the way which I commaunded them. And the Lord sayd vnto Moses, suffer me that my wrath may waxe hot vpon them, and that I may consume them. Moreouer the [Page] children of Israel did committe idolatry and whoredome with the daughters of Moab, Nomb. 25. a for that cause the LORDE was angry againste Israel, and sayde vnto Moses: take all the heades of the people, and hang them vp vnto the Lord against the sunne, that the wrathe of the Lorde maye tourne away from Israel.

Iudg. 2. c.The said children of Israel did wicked­ly in the sight of the Lord, and serued Ba­alim, and forsoke the Lorde God of their fathers which broughte them out of the land of Aegypt, & followed straunge gods, euen of the gods of the nations that were rounde about them, and bowed themselues vnto them, and angred the Lord. And so they forsooke the Lord and serued Baal and Astaroth. Wherefore the Lord wared an­gry with Israel, and deliuered them into the hands of raueners, to spoyle them, and solde them into the hands of their enemies rounde about them, so that they had no power any longer, to stande before their enemies. But vnto whatsoeuer thinges they went, the hande of the Lord was v­pon them with euill lucke: afterwarde the Lord raised vp Iudges, which deliuered thē out of y ^e hands of their opressours. After y ^e [Page 106] y ^e Iudge was deade, they tourned and did worse then theire fathers, in followinge straunge gods, & in seruing them. Wher­fore the Lord waxed angry, and sold them into the handes of Chusarim king of Me­sopotamia. Within a litle while after y ^e chil of Israel cried vnto the Lord. Iudg. 3. b And the Lord stirred vp a sauer and saued them: one O­thoniel the sonne of Kenes, Calebs youn­ger brother and the lande had rest fortie years. And Othoniel being dead, y ^e children of Israel did wickedly in y ^e sight of y ^e Lord, Iudg. 3 b & the Lord deliuered them into y ^e hands of Egloh king of Moab, whom they serued by the space of xviij. years. And then they cried vnto the Lorde. And the LORD stirred them vp a sauer, Ahud the sonne of Gera. Iudg. 4. a Incontinently after the children of Israel began again to do wickedly in y ^e sight of y ^e Lord, whē Ahud was dead. And the Lord sold them into the hands of Iabin king of Canaan, whose captaine of warre was Sisara. At which time Debora a pro­phetesse, the wife of Lapidoth iudged Isra­el, who exhorted Barack y ^e sonne of Abino­am, to deliuer the people: but the Lorde at the prayer of Debora, trounsed Sisara and all his charyottes, and all his heaste [Page] with the edge of the sword, before Barack: insomuch that Sisara lighted downe of his chariot, and fled a foote. And of all the hoast of Sisara, there was not a man left.

Iudg. 6 [...] 7And sodeinly the children of Israel did be­gin againe to do wickedly in the sight of the Lorde. And the Lord deliuered them into the hands of the Madianites by the space of seauen years. The Lord had pitie on them, and ordein [...]d Gedeon for a deliuerer of the people, [...] that tyme there the Madianites were discomfited of a meruailous fashion.

Iudg. 13 a 4 15.The same people began againe to com­mitte wickednesse in the sight of the Lord. And y ^e Lord deliuered them into y ^e hands of the Philstians fortie years: but the Lorde hauing compassion of them ordeyned Sam­son for their deliuerer.

Saul in the beginning of his kingdome did prosper greatly against his enemies, Reg. 15. a for­asmuch as he obeyed the Lord & the voice of Samuel: But Saul hauing transgressed the commaundement of y ^e Lord, who com­maunded him to slay all the Amalekites both man and woman, infant and suckling and Oxe, shéepe, Camell, and Asse. Bicause that he reserued the spoyle, is forsaken of y ^e Lorde, and his kingdome geuen vnto an o­ther, [Page 107] in which place is declared that rebelli­ousnesse is as the sinne of witchcrafte, and stubbernnesse is wickednesse and idolatrie: yea, to obey is better then offering.

Dauid bicause that he made alliaunce with the Lorde, 2. Reg. 11. a did profite in going and in­creasing, and the Lord of hoastes was with him: insomuch that he wonne many victo­ries, that is to say against the Philistians, Idumeans & Sirians. Assone as he had defi­led Bethsabe, and caused hir husband to bée slaine, & contemned and despised the word of the Lord. The Lord said vnto him, 2. Reg. 12. c be­hold I will stirre vp euill against thée, e­uen of thine owne house, and will take thy wiues before thine eyes and giue them vn­to thy neighboure, which shall sléepe with them, in the sight of y ^e sonne. And although that the Lord had put away his sinne, after his repentaunce, notwithstanding, bicause in doing this déede, he hath giuen the ene­mies of the Lord a cause to rayle, it was sayd vnto him, that y ^e childe that was borne of Bethsabe shall dye surely.

After that time, 2. Reg. 2 [...]. a king Dauid being tou­ched wyth greate pride, did number his people: and the Lord being angry with him, did offer him by the prophet Gad to choose [Page] of thrée plagues one: that is to say, famine, warre or pestilence. And Dauyd choosinge rather to fall into the handes of the Lorde then into the handes of men. The Lorde sente a pestilence in Israel. And there dyed of the people, betwéene Dan and Bersabe, lxx. thousand men.

3. Reg. 11. a. Salomon as long as he serued the Lord, prospered wonderfully. In the time of his olde age, his hearte was tourned after straunge gods: the LORD stirred vp aduersaries, that is to say, Hadad, Razon, and also Ieroboam.

2. Cro. 12. a Roboam, as soone as his kingdome was stablished and made strong, forsoke the law of the LORD, and all Israel with him, wherefore the fith yeare of king Roboam, Sesac the king of Aegypt came vp againste Hierusalem, bicause he had transgressed a­gainst the Lorde. And they toke the strong cytyes that were in Iuda, and came to Hierusalem. Then came Semeiah the pro­phet, to Roboam, and to the Lordes of Iu­da, that were gathered to Hierusalem for feare of Sesac, and sayd vnto them: Thus saith the LORDE; ye haue left mée, & therefore will I leaue you also in y ^e hands [Page 108] of Sesac. Wherevpon the Lords of Israel and the king humbled themselues, & said, the Lord is righteous. And when the Lord saw that they submitted themselues, the word of the Lorde came to Semiah say­ing. Forasmuch as they humble them­selus I wil not destroy them, but I wil de­liuer them somewhat. 2. Cro. 13. d

Ieroboam, and the children of Israel, were discomfited by Abiah, and the chil­dren of Iuda fortified: bicause they leaned vnto the Lord GOD of their fathers. And Ieroboam recouered no strēgth again in the dayes of Abiah. And at the last the Lorde plaged him, that he dyed.

Asa the sonne of Abiah reigned in his stéede, 2. Cro. 14. a in whose days the land was in quiet tenne yeares. And Asa did that was good and right in the eyes of the LORD his God. And Zarah a blacke Morian made warre against him. And Asa cryed vnto the Lorde, and the LORDE smote the blacke Mores before Asa and Iuda, that they fledde. 2. Cro. 15. a

Then Azariah, the sonne of Obed, which had the spiryte of GOD in him: went out againste Asa, and sayde to him: heare me Asa, and all Iuda and Beniamin. [Page] The Lord is with you, while ye be with him, and if ye seeke him, he will be founde of you: but and if ye shall forsake him, he will forsake you. Then Asa and his, made a couenant to seeke the Lorde God of their fathers with all their heartes, and all their soules: so that all that sought not y ^e Lord God of Israel should die for it, whether he were small or great, man or woman. And they sware vnto the Lorde with a loude voice, and shooting, and with trumpets and hornes. And the Lord gaue them rest round about them on euery side.

2. Cro. 17. a Iehosaphat his sonne reigned in his steede, and was mightier then Israel. And the LORDE was with Ieho­saphat, bicause hee walked in the olde waies of his father Dauid, and sought not Baals. But sought the Lord God of his fa­ther, and walked in his commaundements, and not after the dooing of Israel. There­fore the Lord stablished the kingdome in his hand, & all Iuda brought him presents, so that he became excéeding riche and glo­rious, and prospered, and grew vp on hie. The Moabites and the children of Ammon came against Iehosaphat in battell, 2. Cro. 20. a and Ie­hosaphat bowed himselfe with his face to [Page 109] the Citie, and all Iuda and the inhabiters [...]f Hierusalem fell before the Lord, to bowe [...]hemselues vnto the Lorde. And as Ieho­saphat rose early in the morning to get him [...]ut vnto the wildernesse of Thekna, he said vnto them: heare me Iuda and ye inhabi­ters of Hierusalem. Beleeue in the Lorde your God, and so shall ye continue: and be­ [...]eeue his Prophetes, and so shall ye pros­per. Then the enimies of Iehosaphat killed themselues, and the children of Israel had great victorie.

Iehoram reigned after Iehosaphat, 2. Cro. 21. c and bi­ [...]ause he walked in the waies of the kings of Israel, and committed fornication with those of Iuda, and with the inhabiters of Hierusalem, after the fornication of the house of Ahab and killed his bretheren. It was said by the Prophet, that the Lord will smite his people, his children, his wiues, and all his goodes with a mightie plague: and that he shall haue much dis­ease through infirmitie in his bowels, vntil his bowels fall out.

Iehoas, after the death of Iehoiada, 2. Cor. 4. f be­came an Idolater, and the hoast of the Si­rians came against him and came to Iuda and Hierusalem, and Iehoas was killed of [Page] his owne seruaunts. Amaziah after that time that he did tourne away frō the Lord, [...]. Cro. 25. g they conspired treason against him in Hierusalem, he fledde to Lachis. Whether they sent after him and slewe him there.

2. Cro. 26. h Oziah did that pleased the Lord in all pointes as did Amaziah his father. And he sought God while Zachariah y ^e teacher to sée god liued, & as long as he sought y ^e Lord, God made him prosper. And helped him a­gainst the Philistians, against y ^e Arabians, & against the Ammonites.

2. Cro. 27. c Ioathan the sonne of Oziah became migh­tie, bicause he directed all his waies before y ^e Lord his god, he warred against y ^e king of y ^e children of Ammon and vanquished them.

2. Cro. 28. a Ahaz did not y ^t pleased y ^e Lord, as did his father Dauid. But he offered burnt incense in hil alters & on moūtaines, & vnder euery gréene trée. Wherefore y ^e Lord his God de­liuered him into the hand of y ^e king of the Sirians: which b [...]at him and caried away a great multitude of his, captiue into Damas­co. And also he was deliuered into the hand of y ^e king of Israel, which slew of his a mightie slaughter. For Phaketh sonnne of Ro­meliah, slew in Iuda an-hundred & twentie thousand in one day, and all fighting men, & [Page 110] that bicause they had forsaken y ^e Lord God [...]f their fathers. 2. Cro. 31. [...] Hezekiah throughout al Iu­da, did y ^t which was good, right & truth, be­fore y ^e Lord his God. And in al y ^e works y ^t he [...]egan in y ^e seruice of y ^e house of God to séeke his God after the law & cōmmaundement, y ^t did he w ^t all his heart, & prospered greatly.

Manasseh succéeded Hezekiah, 2. Cor. 33. b & did wic­kedly in y ^e sight of y ^e Lord, like vnto y ^e abho­mination of the heathen: & he made Iuda & the inhabiters of Hierusalem to erre, & to do worse thē y ^e heathen, which y ^e Lord destroied before y ^e childrē of Israel. And when y ^e Lord spake to Manasseh & to his people, they at­tended not to him, wherfore y ^e lord brought vpon them y ^e captaines of y ^e host of y ^e king of Assur, which tooke Manasseh in an holde & bound him with chaines, and caried him to Babilon. And when he was in tribulatiō, he besought y ^e Lord his God and humbled him selfe excedingly before y ^e God of his fathers, and made intercession to him: & he was en­treated of him, & heard his praier, & brought him againe to Hierusalem into his king­dome. And then Manasseh knewe howe that the Lorde was the very God. 2. Cro. 33. d Amon did y ^t displeased y ^e Lord, like vnto Manasseh his father, for Amon sacrificed vnto all [Page] the kerued images which Manasseh his fa­ther made, and serued them, & méekened not himselfe before y ^e Lord as Manasseh his fa­ther had méekned himselfe: but Amon tres­passed greatly, wherfore his owne seruants conspired against him: & slewe him, in his owne house.

2 Cro. 34. g Iosiah & his people tourned not aside from after y ^e Lord God of their fathers, as long as he liued: but did put away al manner of abhominations out of all lands y ^t perteined to y ^e children of Israel, & brought al y ^t were founde in Israel, to serue y ^e Lord their god.

2. Cro. 36. a Iehoahaz the sonne of Iosiah is made king for his father in Hierusalem. For y ^e king of Aegypt put him downe at Hierusa­lem, and made Eliakim his brother kinge vpon Iuda & Hierusalem, and did that dis­pleased y ^e Lord his God. Against him came Nabuchodonosor king of Babilon, & bound him in fetters to carye him to Babilon.

2. Cro. 36. b Iehoachim reigned iij. moneths & x. dayes in Hierusalem & did that displeased y ^e Lord & when the yeare was out, king Nabucho­donosor made Zedekiah his fathers bro­ther king ouer Iuda & Hierusalem.

2. Cro. 36. c. Zedekiah did y ^t displease the Lord his god, & humbled not himselfe before Ieremiah the [Page 111] prophet at y ^e mouth y ^e of Lord. And y ^e Lord God of their fathers sent to them by his messengers, sending them betimes: for hée had compassion on his people, and on his dwelling place. But they mocked the mes­sengers of God, and despised their woordes, and misused his Prophets, vntill y ^e wrath of the Lord so arose against his people, that it was past remedie. And so he brought vp­pon thē the king of Chaldey, and slew their young men with the swoorde in their holy temple, neither spared he younge man nor maide, neither olde man, neither so much as him that stowped for age. But gaue all into his handes. And forasmuch, as such & like examples do teach vs y ^t the eies of the Lord are vpon the righteous, Psal. 34. c and his eares are open vnto their prayers. But the face of the Lord beholdeth them that doe euill, to destroy the remembraunce of them out of the earth. That the Lord doth shed out his wrath ouer them which doe despise him: and doth shew himselfe tractable and gentle vn­to those which serue him with a contrite & perfect heart, Phil. 2. b I doe meane in all holinesse and righteousnesse. Let vs keepe as much as in vs in possible, the faith which we haue promised vnto the Lord, and assure our [Page] our selues, that he which worketh in vs both the will and the déede, according to his good pleasure, will finish y ^e worke which he hath begon in vs, to his honoure, to the ad­uauncement of the christian Church, and to the health of his. Furthermore let vs retire and drawe our selues from the thinges which may seduce vs, and make vs varie from the true seruice which is due vnto him. 1 Cor. 9. d Do we not know how that they that proue masteries, absteine from all things, and they doe it to obtaine a corruptible crowne: But we, to obtaine an vncorrup­tible: Let vs rūne then, not as at an vncer­tain thing, let vs fight, not as one that bea­teth the ayre: But with patience in dooing wel, séeking immortalitie & life euerlasting. Amen.

¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTISMENT, for to shew that we must simplie obey the voyce of the Lord, without further inqui­ring of the cōmaundement: & to beleeue that euē as he is iust in al his works, he is as puissāt for to fulfil in vs his wil. Cap. 14. e

IT is written in the booke of Iesus Siraach, Eccle. 3. c. that ma­ny are excellent & of great renowne, but vnto y ^e wise are the secretes reuealed. For great power belong­eth onely vnto God, and he is honoured of the lowely. Séeke not out the things that are aboue thy capacitie, and search not the ground of such things as are too mightie for thée: But looke what God hath com­maunded thée, thincke vpon that alwaie, and be not curious in many of his works: For thou hast not to doe, to sée with thine [Page] eyes the things that are secrete, where the sonne of Syrach doth exhort vs to execute willingly and with a frée will the com­maundement of the Lorde, without en­quiring any further what is the cause of his commaundemen [...] bicause that the seruaunt that knoweth his maisters will and prepareth not himselfe, Luc. 12. f neither doth according to his will, shalbe beaten with many stripes. And truely as a certeine christian authour hath verie well said, Saint Amb. in his book of y ^e calling of y ^e gentils the Lord hath left y ^e effect of many things, of which he hath hid from vs the causes. In­somuch that we séeing with our eye the fulfilling of them: & yet for all y ^t we know not to what end the Lorde hath ordeined them, 1. Reg. 15.5 and in the meane time he would be obeyed. The which is taught vs by an exā ple in y ^e booke of Samuel, where y ^e Lorde commaunded Saul to destroy wholy all y ^e Amalechites, both man & woman, infant & suckling, and oxen, shepe, camels and asses. But Saul spared a liue of the shéepe and of the oxen and fat things, and the lambes and al that was good, for to haue sacrificed it vnto the Lorde. Then the Lord saide, it repenteth me that I haue made Saul king, because he hath not perfourmed my com­maundementes. [Page 114] In which place is shewed, that to obey is better then offering.

The like example is witten in the booke of the kings, 5. Reg. 13. c where the Prophet which did contrarie vnto that that the Lord said vn­to him, that is to say, that he shoulde not eate breade, nor drinke water, nor to turne againe by the same way he went: and he doing contrarie, was torne in péeces and deuoured of a Lyon. In all this we ought not to take any excuse vpon the difficult­nesse and hardnes of the commaundement, or smalnesse or weakenesse of our streng­thes. For he which maketh the commaun­dement doth giue vnto vs also y ^e meane to execute it. Let vs remember, Exo. 4 d y ^t Moses being called of God for to deliuer the children of Israel, excused him selfe, saying: Oh, my Lord, I am not eloquent, no not in times past & namely since thou hast spoken vnto thy seruaunt. But let vs marke what the Lord vnto him. Who hath made mannes mouth, or who hath made the dum or the deafe, the seing or y ^e blinde? haue not I y ^e Lord? Go therfore & I wilbe in thy mouth, & teach thée what thou shalt say. Euen so Ieremie Iere. 1 b being chosen of the Lorde to bée a Prophete vnto the people of [Page] Hierusalem, excused himself, saying: Oh lord God, I am vnméet, for I am yet but young, and the Lord said vnto him, say not so, I am to young. For thou shalt goe to all that I shal send thée vnto, and whatsoeuer I com­maund thée, that shalt thou speake. And although that the commaundement of the Lord doth séeme to be sometime (according to mans sight) either to hard or contrarie vnto that, y ^t they do ordinarily. Yet hée or­deineth all to a good end, and for iust occa­sions. Exo. 14 d As we do sée that it séemed (to mans iudgement) that y ^e children of Israel should haue bene vanquished or taken by Pharao king of Aegipt: hauing the red sea against them as a fort ineuitable, for to stop them of their way: It séemed also that they go­ing to the promised lande, vnder the con­ducting and leading of Iosua, should neuer haue entred the floud of Iordain, letting them: But the LORD which hath com­maundement vpon all his creatures, deui­ded the waters, and the children of Israel went in through the middest of the sea vpon the drie ground. And the water was a wall vnto them, both on their right hand and on their left hand.

Iosuae. 3. dAs much chaunced of the floud Iordain, [Page 115] for the waters which came downe from aboue, did stoppe and stoode vpon a heape a great way off. And the waters that were on y ^e side of y ^e salt sea vanished and dried vp, & y ^e people went rightouer against Ieri­cho. Furthermore, the Lord séemeth some­time to commaund thinges altogether a­gainst the order of nature and good man­ners: Genes. 22.2 as when he cōmaunded Abraham to sacrifice his onely sonne Isaac, for to proue his obedience. Also he commaunded the Prophet Oseas Oseas. 1. a Ezech. 4. c to take an harlot to his wife. Also he commaunded an other Pro­phet to vse meates, not vsed of men. And neuerthelesse all that was not done with­out a greate secrete and misterie: and ne­uerthelesse a man would neuer haue be­léeued nor thought that a virgin shoulde beare a childe, Mat. 1. c Luc. 1. e nor Elizabeth to conceaue in hir olde age. To be short, he commaun­ded king Hezekiah to make the sunne to goe backewarde, Esa. 38. b contrarie from his ordi­narie course. And yet the thinges are hap­pened after the will of the LORD. Also after our outward sences, we doe distrust our selues often times of strengthes, in y ^t that the Lord commaundeth vs: Luc. 28 a although that the things which are vnpossible with [Page] men, Philip. 2. b are possible with God, which wor­keth in vs both the wil and also the déede, (as saith the Apostle) euen of his frée be­neuolence. Furthermore, we must not me­sure the commaundement of the Lorde, af­ter the commaundement of men, for often times men being moued with anger, doe commaunde vnlawfull & vnhonest things: as did the Emperour Theodosius, The lavve Si vindica of pocus. c. Eusebius in the ecclesi­astical historie. whiche caused to be slaine a great number of peo­ple, in the citie of Thessalonia, in y ^e time of Ambrosius, Bishop of of Millan. And for that cause the Emperour Theodosius was excluded, from the companie of the faith­full, & afterwarde the same Emperour ac­knowledging his offence, caused a lawe to be proclaimed, which was, that the Iudges shoulde not execute so soone the commaun­dement of a prince, conteining to great se­ueritie and cruelnesse. That same reason moued the consultes, not to admit a libell of Refus vnder the title of Refus, The lavve quod calore vnder y ^e ti­tle of Refus. giuen of anger: that is to say, except it do appeare that it was ordeined with a good delibera­tion & aduisement. The others being mo­ued or stirred forwarde with some kinde of ambition or couetousnesse, do commaunde often times thinges contrarie vnto the [Page 116] trueth and also vnto good maners: as Pha­rao which commaunded all his people: Exo. 1. d. that they shoulde cast into the riuer all the men children of the Hebrewes, & saue y ^e maide children aliue. Mat. 2. c A Herod which caused to be slaine all the male children that were in Bethlehem, & in all the coastes thereof, as many as were two yeare olde and vn­der. A king Ahab, which caused Naboth to be slaine for to haue his vineyarde. 3. Reg. 21. d Fi­nally, some being puffed vp with a disordi­nate desire of vengeaunce, or rather at the request of others, haue no regarde to that that they doe commaunde, 3. Reg. 22. c as Ahab which caused Micheah the Prophet to be put in prison, because be tolde him the trueth. A king Ioas which caused Zachariah the pro­phet to be stoned to death. 2. Cro. 24. f Mat. 2 [...]. b A Herod who commaunded the heade of Sainct Iohn baptist to be cut off at y ^e request of his wife & of his daughter. A Annanias y ^e hie priest: Act, 23. [...] which commaunded them y ^t stode by saint Paul, to smite him on the mouth. But with y ^e Lord it is altogether otherwise, for there is no vnrighteousnesse in y ^e Lord our god, Cro. 26. c nor regarding of persons, nor taking of re­wards. I wil say yet moreouer, men do cō ­maund often times y ^t which is not in their power: [Page] yea, y ^t they which haue the tharge giuen them, knowe not howe to execute it: as those men which would build the Towre of Babel. Genes. 11. a Mat. 4. b And therein they resembled the Diuell: For as the Diuell tooke Iesus vnto an excéeding hie mountaine, & shewed him all the kingdomes of the worlde, pro­mising to giue them vnto him, if he would fall downe and worship him, although hée had nothing of all that in his power to giue: so there are some which many times do promise thinges which are not in their power to giue. Forasmuch then as all thinges are in the handes of the Lord, Philip. 3. b also it is he that worketh in vs both the will and the déede, euen of his frée beneuolence. And neuerthelesse, although y ^e commaunde­mentes of the LORD are easie, Psa. 119 and are none other thing then righteousnesse and truth. On the other side, that y ^e com­maundements of men are full of deceipt, guile and hipocrisie: forasmuch as man of himselfe is but vanitie, yet truely often times through the traditions of men and mens commaundementes, we doe leaue and forsake the holy precepts and admoni­tions of the Lorde: euen as the children of Israel did despise the Manna of GOD. [Page 117] And in the meane time desired the flesh of Aegipt: Nomb. 11. b the which Iesus Christ rebuked the Scribes and Pharises, when he saide, Mat. 13. a wherefore do ye transgresse the commaun­dements of God through your traditions? Euen so haue not the Apostles done, Act. 4. d vnto whom although y ^t it was forbidden thē by menasces and threatenings, that in no wise, they should speake or teach in the name of Iesus, yet truely they answered in the pre­sence of all. Iudge ye, whether it be right in the sight of God, to obey you rather then God. For we cannot but speak those things which we haue séene and heard. As much sayd the Philosopher Socrates, Plato in his Apologye for Socra­tes. a little be­fore he died, speaking vnto the Athenians, O ye people of Athens (saith that good Phi­losopher) I loue you very much: but I loue rather to obey God then you. Those are the wordes of those children of the Hebrewes, Daniel. 3. c being compelled to worship the Idol which the king Nabuchodonosor had made, protesting and declaring in the pre­sence of the king, that they will not serue the gods of the Gentiles, & will not wor­ship the Image which the king hath made. The which also in like manner, one of those seauen Machebeans, 2. Mach. [...]. b being neere vn­to [Page] death, doth witnesse, and crying with a loude voice vnto those which persecuted him, what séekest thou, and what requirest thou of vs? I wil not obey the kings com­maundement: but I will obey the com­maundement of the lawe, which was gi­uen vnto our fathers by Moses. Héere some will saye vnto me: that I am young, weake of body and spirite: and not able to suffer so many tormentes and afflictions, which are ordeined for those which wil not obey the comaundementes of men. I doe aunswere, that euen so were those children of the Hebrewes. And those seuen Ma­chebeans, Mach. 7. b and that notwithstanding they suffered death with a good courage, bicause of the hope & trust that they had in God. The other will excuse hir selfe, saying. I am a woman, and weake of nature: Fur­thermore, if I doe nowe dye, I shoulde leaue so many small children, which dailie will bewaile my decease. So was y ^e mother of those little Machebeans, & neuerthelesse it was she y ^e most stirred them forward to kéepe the commaundement of the Lord, and moreouer she exhorted them to be patient. Others ther are which considering y ^e great­nesse of their familie wil mourmure against [Page 118] God, and as the Painims wil blame our re­ [...]igion. To conclude, will saue the earth for to lose the heauen. To those kinde of peo­ple, I would gladly demaund whether they are worthier thē Dauyd which was a king and a Prophet: yea of the stocke from whō Iesus Christ the sonne of God is come. And notwithstanding that he was afflicted on euery side, yea of his owne sonne, yet truely he was not dicomforted: but blessed y ^e name of GOD, which gaue him grace to suf­fer for him. Let vs leaue off then al such excuses, when it is a question to obey the commaundement of the LORD: for when the will is readie the powre is lack­ing. Forasmuch as wée doe staye all in the strength of him which hath loued vs: bi­cause that he which is in vs, 1. Iohn. a is greater then he that is in the worlde. Let vs haue for example that liitle Dauyd, 1. Reg. 17. f who going to fight with that great Goliah, measu­red not his strengthes: but the power of him in whose name hée did fight. Mat 21. [...] Let vs remember that the Apostles hauing ex­presse cōmaundement of the Lord, to go in­to a towne that lieth ouer against thē, to the ende to vnlose an Asse and hir colte, did not consider y ^e difficultnes of y ^e cōmaundement [Page] but staying themselues vpon the autho­ritie of him which commaunded them, did execute incontinently their charge. When Iesus Christ did send his Apostles thorow out the whole worlde for to preach & de­clare his gospell, Mat 10. a they regarded not y ^e daun­gers that might haue happened vnto them by the way: the force and puissaunce of the enemies of the crosse of Christe. Fur­thermore, they excused not themselues of their ignoraunce: but fortefying themselus in this word, I wil giue vnto thée a mouth and wisedome, to the which your ene­mies cannot resist, did execute incontinent­ly the commaundement of the Lorde.

Let vs then take example of those whom Iesus Christ hath sometime called for to followe him, Luc. 9. g whereof the one excused him­selfe, saying: suffer me first to burye my father, the other sayde: suffer me firste to bidde them farewell, which are at home at my house. Vnto whome the LORD aunswered, no man that putteth his hande to the ploughe, and loketh backe, is apte to the kingdome of GOD. Wherefore, when the LORDE doth commaunde vs any thinge, or when he doth call vs, let vs doe as that good Samuel did, 1. Reg. 3. a [Page 119] who as often times as hée was called of the Lord, as often times aunswered, I am here, for thou diddest call me. Or as sainct Paule, Act. 9. b who sodeinly at the voice of the LORD, aunswered. What wilt thou haue me doe? To conclude, let vs kepe sim­plie that which is commaunded vs for to doe: without putting too, Deut. 4. c Deut. 12. d or taking from the word. Dooing, not that which seemeth good in our eies: but that which God hath ordeined. For the Lord doth protest by his Angell, Apo. 22. d vnto euery man that heareth the wordes of the prophesie of this booke: that if any man shall adde vnto these thinges, GOD shall adde vnto him the plagues that are written in this booke. And if any man shall minish of y ^e words of the booke of this prophesie, God shall take awaie his part, out of the booke of life, and out of the holy Citie, and from those thinges which are written in this booke.

¶ A BRIEFE DEMONSTRATION, vnto those which doe make profession of the true christian Religion, and neuerthe­lesse doe refuse the ecclesiastical discipline, wherein is described somewhat the vse & fruite thereoff. Cap. 15.

THe Prophet Ioel Ioel. 2. c did com­plaine of his people, calling them to repentaunce, say­ing: Tourne you vnto the Lord with al your hearts, with fasting, wéeping and mourning, rent your heartes and not your clothes, and tourne vnto the LORD your God, for he is gracious and mercifull, long suffering, and of greate compassion: and readie to pardon wickednesse. Then (no doubt) he also shall tourne and forgiue: and after his chastening, he shall let your en­crease remaine, for meate and drincke of­ferings, vnto the Lorde your God: blowe out with the trumpet in Sion, proclaime a fasting, call the congregation, and gather the people together: warne the congrega­tion, gather the elders, bring the children & sucklings together. Let the bridegrome goe foorth of his chamber, and the bride out of hir closet. Let the priestes serue y ^e Lord betwixt the porch and the aulter, wéeping and saying: bée fauorable, O Lord, be fauo­rable [Page 121] vnto thy people: let not thine heritage be brought to such confusion, least the hea­then be Lords thereof. Wherefore should they say amonge the heathen: Where is now their God? Esa. 1. e Nowe goe to (sayth the Lorde) we will talke together. It is not so? though your sinnes be as redde as scarlet, shall they not be whiter then snowe? And though they were like purple, shal they not be like white woll? Esa. 30. d Ezech. 18. g The Lorde standeth waiting that he may haue mercy vppon you, and lifteth himselfe vp, that he may re­ceiue you to grace. Be conuerted and tourne you cleane from all your wicked­nesse, so shall there no sinne doe you harme. Cast away from you al your vngodlinesse, that ye haue done, make you newe heartes, and a newe spirite. Wherefore will yee die, O ye house of Israel? séeing I haue no pleasure in the death of him that dyeth, saith the Lorde God. Mat. 11. d Tourne you then and ye shall liue. Forasmuch then as the voice of the Lorde is commune to all, as y ^t of his sonne Iesus Christ hath bene com­mune, who hath sayd, Come vnto me all yée that are wearie and laden, and I will ease you. Take my yoke on you, and learne of me that I am méeke and lowly in heart, [Page] and that God is not parciall. Act. 10. e But in all people he that feareth him, and worketh righteousnesse, is accepted with him. True­ly the vse of the worde which consisteth chiefly in the conuersion of a sinner, ought to be referred to all those which haue hope of the eternall life. And we ought no more to thincke straunge that the ecclesiasticall discipline, be publike for iust occasiōs, then we shoulde thinke straunge that the word be publicke. Forasmuche as the ec­clesiasticall discipline and correction is as a sinewe & corde, for to preserue and ke [...]pe the worde in his aucthoritie, puissaunce & greatenesse. To the end that euen as by our transgressions & faultes, we haue gi­uen occasion vnto many to doe euill: Rom. 2. d yea, that the name of God is euil spoken off, by the enimies of our religion: euen so let the Lordes name be magnified and ex­alted in our conuersion: and the sinnes a feare to all thorowe our repentance and contrition. Furthermore, we ought not to thinke it straunge, to manifest our sins openly, if the case so require, with true re­pentaūce & contrition, inasmuch as in him we haue takē pleasure in the company of many: for although that the Christian [Page 122] Church doth not pray generally for all poore sinners, chiefly for those which are of his bodie. Yet the Lorde will not that we be vnprofitable seruauntes, despising the meanes so plesaunt and gratious the which he doth propounde vnto vs, for to obteine his grace and mercy. If thou hast regarde to thy dignitie, excellencie and greatnesse, that thou doe remember that Sainct Paul an Apostle of Iesus Christ & a chosen vessell, Act 9. c was not ashamed to ma­nifest vnto the congregations, and before his verie enimies what he was before his conuersion in the Iewish lawes, and how he persecuted the church of god by wrong. If the puissance and aucthoritie the which thou hast in the worlde doth make thée to be a shamed: put before thée Dauid which was both a king and a Prophet, crying with a loude voice. Psa. 51. a I acknowledge my faultes: and my sinne is euer before me. Against thée onely haue I sinned, and done this euill in thy sight. Forget not Manasses The power of Manass. c who confessed before God and men, that he hath sinned aboue the num­ber of the sands of the sea, & reputed not himselfe worthy to looke vp towards he [...] ­uen.

The ecclesiastical trip. historie.Also one Theodosius an Emperour, and wonderfull riche, being excluded from the company of y ^e Christians: And afterwards making open repentaunce. If thou arte a­shamed bicause thou arte young, consider the children of the Machabees, 2. Mach. 7. e who con­fessed in y ^e middest of their torments, and before all, that they haue suffered for iuste occasion, bicause that they haue offended the maiestie of God. If the fragilitie of thy kinde doth make thée weake and féeble, as­sure thy self vpon that poore sinful woman: who was not ashamed to bewaile hir sins and to wash with hir tears the féete of Ie­sus Christ our Lord, Luc. 7. f as he sate at meate in the Pharises house: yea, in the presence of all those that were with him. If olde age doth kéepe théee backe, with the greatnesse of thy faults: Mat. 26. S. Peter the head & most aun­cient of all y ^e apostles will giue thée bolde­nesse, weping bitterly for that he denied his master Iesus Christ. 3. Reg. 15. c Learn then y ^t the lord will haue mercy & not sacrifice, and that he came not for to call y ^e righteous: but y ^e sin­ners to repentaūce. Mat 9. b Luc. 15. b And be ye assured y ^t ther shalbe more ioye in heauē ouer one sinner that repenteth, more then ouer nintie and nine iuste persons which néede not repen­taunce. [Page 123] Despise not the chastening of the Lord, Heb. 12. b neither fainte when thou arte rebu­ked of him: for although no manner of cha­stesing for present time séemeth to be ioy­ous, but gréeuous: but afterward, it bring­eth the quiet fruite of righteousnesse, vnto them which are thereby exercysed.

Consider king Achab despysing the cor­rection of the prophet Micheas: 2. Cro. 18. e was begy­led by the false prophets, & afterward was slayne in battayle. Also king Ioas who was slayne by his owne seruaunts, 2. Cro. 24. e and all the princes of his people destroyed, bicause they obeyed not the word of Zacharye, the sonne of Ioiada the priest, admonishing thē to retourne vnto the Lord. Finally, 2. Cro. 16. e king Asa king of Iuda, who was grieuously pu­nished: bicause he toke not in good parte the holy demonstrations and admonitions of Hanany the prophete. Pro. 1. d And take héede that the Lorde laugh not in your destructi­on, and mocke you, when the thing that ye feare commeth vpon you, bicause that thou hast despised his counsel, & set his correction at naught. For God complayneth some­tyme in the person of Dauyd, saying: Psal. 50. c Why doest thou preach my lawes, & take my co­uenant in thy mouth, whereas thou hatest [Page] to be reformed? 2. Cor. 7. c These thinges doe serue not to make you sorie or wearie: but for to bring you vnto true and Godly repen­tance, to the end that ye be nothing hurt by vs: for godly sorrowe causeth amende­ment vnto saluation, not to be repented off: but the sorrowe of this worlde causeth deathe. 1. Thess. 5. c Of our part we do admonishe you as the father doth his children, and we do desire you to comforte the féeble minded, and to forbeare the weake: to the end that you do admonishe those who are vnruly, and be patient towards all men, to the end that he which is of a contrite and humble spirite, 1. Cor. 9. d be not ouercome thorowe too much heauinesse. What I say: to the weake I became as weake, to winne the weake, & to be made all things to all men: to saue at the least some, and this I doe for the gospels sake, that I might haue my part thereof. Vnto you also, O ye true ministers of our Lord Iesus Christ, they do addresse these wordes, to the end ye may féede the flocke of God, 1. Pet. 5. a which dependeth vpon you, caring for it, not as though ye were com­pelled therto, but willingly: not for y ^e desire of filthy lucre, but of a good minde: not as though ye were lords ouer Gods heritage: [Page 124] but y ^e ye be ensamples to the flocke. For the seruant of y ^e Lord must not striue: 2. Timo. 2. d but must be peaceable vnto al men, apt to teach & one y ^t can suffer the euill men patiently. And can informe thē y ^t are cōtrary minded prouing if God at any time wil giue them grace, y ^t being conuerted they may knowe the truth. And béeing deliuered out of the snare of y ^e diuell, may come to amēdement & performe his will. Then rebuke, checke, & exhort in al gentlenesse of spirite of doc­trine. 2. Cor. 10. b For y ^e weapōs of our warfare are not carnall things, but strong by y ^e power of God, to cast downe holds: wherw ^t we ouer throw imaginations, & euery hie thing y ^t is exalted against y ^e knowledg of god, & bring into captiuitie euery thought, to y ^e obedi­ence of Christ. Ezech. 34. a The Lord by his Prophet doth cōplain of y ^e shepherds of Israel, bicause they haue not holdē vp y ^e weake, & y ^e sicke they haue not healed, & they haue not boūd together y ^e broken, & because they haue not brought againe y ^e outcastes, & because they haue not sought after y ^e which was lost: but churlishly & cruelly haue they ruled o­uer thē. And al you which are strong, Rom. 1 Rom. 14. a ought to beare y ^e frailnes of y ^e weake, him that is weake in the faith, take vnto you but not [Page] to enter into doutfull disputacions of con­trouersies, Gal. 6. a & againe, if any man be falne by occasion into any faulte, yée which are spirituall helpe to amende him in the spi­rite of méekenes, considering thy selfe least thou be also tempted. Beare ye one an o­thers burthen, & so fulfill the law of Christ. Which if any man obeye not the lawe of Christ, 2. Thess. 3. d send vs word of him by a letter: and haue no company with him, that he may be ashamed. Yet count him not as an ene­mie: but warne him as a brother, desiring no other thing then the helth of euery man. Euen as Sainct Paul did deliuer the man (who committed fornication with his fa­thers wife) vnto Sathan, 1 Cor. 5. a for the destruc­tion of the fleshe, that the spirite maye be saued in the daye of the Lorde Iesus. In lyke maner Hymmenaeus and Alexander, [...] TImo. 1. d that they do learne no more to blaspheme. For I aduise you, Iam. 5. d or let you knowe that he which conuerted the sinner from going astraye out of his way, shall saue a soule from death, and shall hyde the multitude of sinnes. To no purpose, some menne héere doe alleadge, that Iesus Christ and the Apostles haue not alwaies vsed suche [Page 12] modestie and gentlenesse. As when Iesus Christ said, wo be vnto thée Chorasin, Mvt. 11. c wo be vnto thée Bethsaida: For if the miracles which were shewed in you had bene done in Tyre and Sydon. They had repen­ [...]ed long agone in sackcloth and asshes. Such are the words of S. Iohn towardes the Scribes and Pharises, crying against [...]hem. O generation of vipers, Mat. 3. b who hath taught you to flée from the vengeance to come? Bringe foorth therefore the fruites belonging to repentaunce. Euen so said S. Paule, writing to the Galathians: O foolish Galathians: Gal. 3. a who hath bewitched you, that ye should not beléeue the truth? To whō Iesus Christ was described before your eies, & among you crucified. Now we will aunswere briefly, that whē Iesus Christ or his Disciples or Apostles do rebuke, chide, and exhort by any seueritie or rigorous­nesse of wordes. That is not that they do not teach in all gentlenesse of spirite and of doctrine, applying themselues to the simpli­ [...]itie, rudenesse or malice of the hearers. Wherin is to much manifested the impu­dencie of those who without any discre­tion, doe laye the heauie burthens and which are not able to be borne vpon mens [Page] shoulders: and regard not that the Lorde hath regard or respect to him which is of an humble spirite and a broken & a contrite heart: Psa. 52. d Esa. 57. d And that he dwelleth hie aboue, and in the sanctuarie, and with him also that is of a contrite and humble spirite: that hée may heale a troubled minde, and a contrite heart: these are they which doe let passe the commaundement of God by their ordinaunces, and consider not that the commaundements of God are easie and gentle, Rom. 10. a Deut. 30. c for the righteousnesse which cōmeth of faith, speaketh on this wise: Say not in thy heart, who shall ascende into heauen? (that is nothing els then to fetch Christ downe). Either who shall descende into the déepe? (that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death). But what saith y ^e scrip­ture? the worde is nigh thée, euen in thy mouth, and in thine heart. This worde is the worde of faith which we preach. For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord, and shalt beléeue with thine heart, that GOD raised him vp from death, Iamen. 3. c thou shalt be safe. Wherefore let vs lift vp our heartes with our handes vnto the Lord that is in heauen, and con­fesse boldly that we haue bene rebelles, and [Page 126] let vs séeke him, and let vs retourne vnto [...]he Lorde, and he will not cast vs awaye [...]or euer: which if he doe giue vnto vs an­guish, then he will haue compassion of vs, according to his great goodnesse, for he doth [...]ot punish and afflict willingly the sonnes [...]f men. Daniel. [...]. Let vs not be ashamed to entreat [...]im, in fastings, praiers, sackloth & ashes: [...]ea, in the open assemblie of the Sainctes: to confesse that vnto him belongeth iustice, and to vs vtter confusion, inasmuch as we haue sinned against him. Ephe. 4. c Finally let [...]s walke worthy of the vocation where­with we are called, in all humilitie of minde, and meaknesse, and long suffering, forbearing one an other through loue, So be it.

¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTIS­ment vpon the commaundement to loue God. Cap. 16.

THe Lorde saide in Sainct Iohn, Iohn. 14. a he that hath my com­maundements and kéepeth them, the same is he that loueth mée: and he that lo­ueth mée, shall be loued of [Page] my father and I will loue him, and will shewe mine owne selfe to him manifest­ly. If a man loue me, he will kéepe my say­ings: and my father will loue him, & we will come vnto him, and will dwell with him. Where Iesus Christ doth testifie vnto vs, that the loue which we do owe vnto y ^e lord, Basil vpon y ^e Psa. 37. consisteth in the obseruing of his pre­ceptes and commaundents. And herein is to be noted, y ^e some obey y ^e cōmaundemēts of the lord, as seruaunts fearing y ^e paine of sinne, & the vengeaūce of our heauenly fa­ther. Rom. 2. b For y ^e Lord doth giue vnto euery one accoring to his works: that is to say, vnto those which with patience to do well, se [...]ke praise, honoure and mortalitie: eternall life. But vnto them that are contentious and disobey the trueth, and followe iniqui­tie, shalbe rendred indignation & wrath: tribulation and anguish vpon the soule of euery man that doth euill. Luc. 22. f Forasmuch as the seruaunt that knewe his masters wil, and prepared not himselfe, neither did ac­cording to his will, shalbe beaten with ma­ny stripes. Others obey the commaunde­mentes of the Lorde, bicause of the gaine & profit. And in that they resemble the hired seruaunts which serue their master but for [Page 128] the hire or reward. Of those Dauid spea­keth off, when he said: psa. 19. c the iudgements of y ^e Lord are true & righteous altogether, more to be desired are they then golde, yea, then much fine golde: swéeter also then y ^e honie, and the honie combe. Moreouer by them is thy seruaunt taught, and in kéeping of them there is great rewarde. 1. Cor. 2. b Esa. [...]4. b For the eie hath not séene, and the eare hath not heard, neither haue entred into any mans minde y ^e things that God hath prepared for them y ^e loue him. Finally, some loue y ^e Lord, & obey him through beneuolence and christian amitie, béeing stirred forwarde of a vertu­ous loue, the which moueth them to loue him who hath giuen vnto them the lawe, & which hath the wordes of eternall life: Act. 17. f let vs acknowledge him in whō we liue, moue and haue our béeing: and doe loue him as the true children doe loue their fathers. For (as saith the same Lorde) by his Pro­phet, the sonne doth honour his father & a seruaunt his master: if I be then a father, Malach. 1. b where is mine honour? if I be the Lorde, where am I feared? where we conclude, y ^t in these two things chiefly, one may know those which do loue God: y ^t is to say, when they beare a singuler affection to the holy [Page] worde of the Lord, Psa. 119. b n and that they do kéepe the commaundementes conteined in that worde. As to the first, Dauyd saith, my de­light shall be in thy statutes: and I will not forget thy wordes. O what loue haue I to thy lawe? all the day long is my studie in it. O how swéete are thy wordes vnto my throt? yea, swéeter then honie vnto my mouth. Iohn. 8. f He that is of GOD (sayth Iesus Christ) heareth Gods wordes. As touching the second, saith the same Lorde, if any man doth loue me, he doth kéepe my word. That is the cause wherefore it is written in the lawe. Deut. 6. h Thou shalt loue thy Lord thy God: And these words which I commaund thée this day, shalbe in thine heart, and thou shalt recite them vnto thy children, and shalt talke of them when thou art at home in thine house, and as thou walkest by the way, and when thou lyest downe, and when thou risest vp: and thou shalt bind them for a signe vpon thine hand. And they shalbe papers of remēbraunce betwéen thine eies, and shalt write them vppon the postes of thine house, & vpon thy Gates. Euen so the LORD commaunded Iosua Iosua. 1. h that he kéepe and doe according to all the lawe which Moses his seruaunt com­maunded [Page 129] him, & that he do not turne there [...]rom, neither to the right hande, nor to the lefte: that he may haue vnderstanding in all he taketh in hande: let not the booke of this lawe depart out of his mouth but that he studie therein day and night, Deut. 17. d that he may be circumspect to doe according to all that is written therein. Yea the law would expresly, that when the king is set vppon the seate of his kingdome, he shall write him out this second lawe in a booke taking a copie of the priestes the Leuites. And it shalbe with him, and he shall reade therein, all dayes of his life, that he may learne to feare the Lorde his God, for to kéepe all the words of this lawe, and these ordinaunces, for to doe them▪ In that same, Dauid delighted, when he sung, Psal. 119. b I haue as great delight in the way of thy testimonies as in all manner of riches. I will exercise my selfe in thy commaundementes, and haue respect vnto thy foote pathes, my de­light shalbe in thy statutes, I will not forget thy wordes. I will speake of thy tes­timonies euen before kings, and will not be ashamed: my delight shalbe in thy com­maundementes whiche I loue. And they must not here excuse themselues vpon the [Page] difficultnes & hardnesse of the commaun­dements. For as saith Saint Iohn, 1. Iohn. 5. a his cō ­maundements are not gréeuous. That is the cause wherefore, Rom. 10. a Sainct Paul saide as Moses, Say not in thine heart, who shall ascende into heauen? either who shall descende into the déepe? that is nothing els but to fetch vp Christ from death. But what saith the scripture? The word is nie thée, euen in thy mouth and in thine heart. This worde is the worde of faith which we preach. For if thou shalt knowledge with thy mouth that Iesus is the Lord, & shalt beléeue with thine heart that GOD raised him vp from death, thou shalt be safe. Here some men wil say vnto me, and howe can the commaundements of y ^e Lord be easie, Math. 7. b forsomuch as the Lord commaun­deth to enter in at the straite gate, shew­ing to his people that wide is the gate and brode is the way that leadeth to de­struction. Where we wil briefly conclude, that if they haue regarde onely to the cala­mities of those which suffer for the name of Iesus Christ, truely the way is rude & gréeuous. For the lawe is certeine, which saith, 2. Timo. 3. c that we must enter into the king­dome of heauen thorowe many oppressions [Page 130] & griefes. Euen as the Lord Iesus Christ himselfe saide, to some of his disciples, Luc. 24. [...] y ^e Christ ought to haue suffered these things, and to enter into his glorie. But if they haue regarde to the frée wil of those which suffer persecution, Rom. 8. g all things are easie and gentle vnto them, and in all those thinges they are more then conquerours, through him that loued them. Act. 5.9 Euen so the Apostles departed from the counsell reioycing, that they were counted worthy to suffer rebuke for the name of Iesus Christ. And verie well hath Saincte Augustine Sainct Au­gustine in his booke of y ^e persecution of righteous­nesse. declared, y ^t all thinges are easie and gentle to charitie, to y ^e which onely y ^e charge of y ^e Lord is light & easie. Some other will say here, y ^t if to loue God, be to kéepe his com­maūdemēts. The philosophers hauing not y ^e law writtē, doing neuertheles naturally the things which are of y ^e law, haue loued god: for they haue obserued y ^e law natural, which wil, Math. 7. h y ^t whatsoeuer ye would y ^e men should do vnto you, euen so do ye vnto thē: for this is y ^e law & y ^e prophets. To this pur­pose we may recite the sentēce of Socrates when he said, I do not knowe whether y ^e Lorde will allowe our workes, although it be y ^t we haue taken paine to please him. [Page] The same Philosopher did crie out sometime on the people of Athens, Plato in the apology for Socrates. O ye people of Athens: I do loue you greatly: but I loue rather to obey God then you. Where­vnto we will aunswere, that we will not depriue the Philosophers, from the grace which the Lorde hath promised vnto the blessed: Apo. 13. c. 8. for the Lambe hath béene killed from the beginning of the worlde. Act. 4. b But forasmuch as there is none other name giue vnder heauen vnto men whereby we must be saued, then the name of Iesus. We do say in this matter, that y ^e philoso­phers do differ from the loue which y ^e true christians do beare vnto the Lorde: foras­much as the true christians doe acknow­ledge one Iesus Christ and him crucified, which is the brightnesse of the glorie, and the image of the personne of the father: of whom the same father hath saide. Heb. 1. c This is my welbeloued sonne, heare him. Also for to knowe perfectly the father, and his wil, we must know y ^e sonne, for this is life eter­nall, Iohn. 17. a y ^t they do knowe y ^e onely very God, & he whom the Lord hath sent: to witte, our Lord Iesus Christ, according to that that the same Iesus Christ doth protest, Iohn. 1. b. c that the world knew him not, & that he hath giuen [Page 131] the name of his father to be knowē of his: that the loue which y ^e father hath loued be in them, and he in them. Wherefore if the onely begotten sonne, which is in the bo­some of y ^e father, hath declared him. Who doubteth but that the Christians haue a more perfecter knowledge of the will of the father, séeing the sonne, by whome the father hath spoken vnto them in these la­ter dayes, Heb. 1. a and hath left vnto them the sa­cramentes, as seales & markes of his pro­mises: are not (I say) more moued to loue him then the Philosophers? Inasmuch as the sonne hath said vnto Philippe: Philip he that hath séene me hath séene my father: Iohn. 14. [...] Beleuest thou not, that I am in my father, & my father in me? And yet although that some Philosophers by y ^e law natural, haue had knowledge of God, consequently they haue béene moued to loue him: yet (as saith Saint Paul) they glorified him not as god. Rom. 1. c Finally, some may here say, inasmuch as the Lorde desireth his, that they do loue him perfectly, that he desireth of them a thing either impossible, or els too harde. Wherevnto we will aunswere, that the great perfection y ^t the Lord desireth, to loue him, is not for vs to commaunde a thing [Page] which is too rigorous, for he hath said, y ^t his yoke is easie and his burthen light: Mat. 11. c But he hath regard to our imperfection, fearing y ^t thorough our infirmitie we should forsake him, for to declare vnto vs the care that he hath of vs: to gather, what is the great­nesse of the precept. Furthermore, in that y ^t he saith, w ^t all thy heart, w ^t all thy soule & w ^t all thy strength: he requireth of vs a perfect obediēce, insomuch y ^t he would y ^t we should consecrate our selues to his obedi­ence & loue. Rom. 6. [...] The which also Saint Paul requireth of vs when he saith, let not sinne reigne therfore in your mortall body, that ye should obey sinne in the lustes of y ^e bo­die. Neither giue ye your members as weapons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne: but giue your selues vnto God, as they that are aliue from death, & giue your mem­bers as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God. Rom. 12. a And in an other place, I beséech you therefore brethren by the mercifulnesse of God, that ye offer your bodies a quicke sacrifice, holy, acceptable vnto GOD, which is your resonable seruing of God. And fashion not your selues like vnto this world, but be ye chaunged in your shape, by the renewing of your minde, that yée [Page 132] may proue what is the will of God, which is good, acceptable and perfect: in such sorte that the Lord would not that we shoulde lende him the tongue onely, as the hipo­crites do, who do make profession to know God, but with their déedes denie him: Titus. 1. d But he would that we shoulde giue him both the word and the worke. Vnto this Saint Iohn exhorteth vs, saying: my litle children let vs not loue in worde neither in tongue onely: 1. Iohn. 3. d but in déede and in trueth. That is the cause wherefore the lorde re­buked the Iewes (by his Prophet) that his people did approch nigh vnto him with their mouth, Esa. 29. d and praised him highly with their lippes, where as their heart neuerthelesse is farre from him. Further­more in this he comprehendeth a singuler perfection, for the regarde of his commaū ­dementes. For whosoeuer shall kéepe the whole lawe, and yet faileth in one point, Iam. 2. b he is guiltie in al. Forasmuch as he which hath said. Thou shalt not commit adulte­rie, he hath also said. Thou shalt not kill. At the end he concludeth: So speake ye, & so do, as they y ^t shal be iudged by y ^e law of liberty. He would also by this cōmaūdemēt y ^t w [...] should loue him aboue al things: yea, [Page] aboue our owne life. For he protesteth y ^t he that loueth his father or mother more then him, is not méete for him. And he that taketh not his crosse, and foloweth after him, is not méete for him. To conclude, by these wordes, he requireth of vs, that we may be so carefull to loue him and with such affection, 1. Cor. 10. g that we may referre all our thoughtes, wordes & workes to his glory. Whether therefore we eate or drincke or whatsoeuer we do, let vs doe all to y ^e praise of God. For none of vs liueth to himselfe: neither doth any of vs die to himselfe. For whether we liue, Rom. 14. b we liue vnto the Lord: or whether we die, we die vnto the Lord, whether we liue therefore or die, we are the Lordes. One may finde at this day such a man, vnto whom if one demaunde if he loue God, he will aunswere franckly and fréely that which Sainct Peter aun­swered vnto Iesus Christ. Iohn. 21. e Yea Lord, thou knowest y ^t I loue thée: yea, will say with the same Apostle, Luc. 22. e I loue thée so much Lord, that I am readie to go with thée in­to prison and to death. And neuerthelesse if it were a question to endure and suffer, some daunger for the Lord, he will pro­test with an othe: Mat. 26. g yea at the worde of a [Page 133] simple maiden (I meane for a small occasi­on) that he knew him not. It maketh mee to remember for this matter, of the same Apostle, Mat. [...]7. a who seeing Iesus Christe transfi­gured in the mountaine, & his face shining as the sunne, and his clothes as white as the light, said vnto Iesus, Maister here is good beeing for vs: if thou wilt, let vs make here three tabernacles: but when the Lord said vnto him that hee must goe to Hierusalem, and suffer many things, Mat. 16. did finde the things so straunge that hee be­gan to rebuke Iesus, saying, maister looke to thy selfe, this shall not bee vnto thee. Those are they who in prosperity, willingly loue the LORDE, and in aduersitie doe denie him, 1. Iohn. 4. d For there is no feare in loue, but perfect loue casteth out feare, for feare hath painefulnesse, and hee that fea­reth, is not perfect in loue. Let vs propose the example of Sainct Paul, Act. 20. e who beeing ad­uertised by the holy Ghost, that bands and troubles abide him at Hierusalem, aunswe­red, that none of these things moued him, neither is his life deare vnto himselfe, so that hee might fulfill his course with ioy, and the ministration whiche hee receiued of the Lord Iesus, to testifie the Gospell [Page] of the grace of God, the whiche hée did not onely of mouth, but also hee accompli­shed it by workes. Let vs remember those good women, Marc. 16. a I meane Marie Magdalen, and Marie the mother of Iames, and Sa­lome: who were not only assistent to Iesus Christ before his afflictions: But also in his crosse: and after his death, bought sweete oyntementes of Aromatica, for to embalme him: yea they folowed him long time after his death. I do speake vnto those, who making profession of the true Christian religion, and beeing drawen from the cares of the world, thorow the knowledge of our Lord and sauior Iesus Christ, for a smal occasion afterwards are fallen into them againe & haue beene ouer­come. Insomuch that that is happened vn­to them according to the true prouerbe, The dogge is turned to his owne vomit againe: 2. Pet. 2. d and the sow that was washed, to hir wallowing in the mire. Mat. 19. e Truely such people are like vnto the young man which told our Lord Iesus Christ that hee hath obserued al these cōmaundements from his youth: but when Iesus saide vnto him, that he must sell all that he had and giue it to the poore for to get a treasure in heauen [Page 144] hée went away mourning. We must al­ [...]o note that there is an other regarde or [...]espect to the amitie which we doe beare vnto GOD, and to the amitie whih we doe beare vnto men: S. August. in his boke of y ^e Christian doctrine for GOD ought [...]o be loued for his regarde onely, I doe meane, bicause that of himselfe hée is alto­gether good, perfect, puissaunt and mercifull. Man ought to bée loued, for the respect that we haue vnto GOD: that is to saye, forasmuch as he is created to the image of GOD, as wée: endued with the giftes and graces of GOD aswell as wée, and called to the ecclesiastical heritage as wée. For he that wil consider man in himselfe, he is nothing els, but altogether vnrigh­teous, ful of impietie and imperfection. The Prophet Esaie Esa. 64. b shall be my witnesse, when he saith, we are all as an vncleane thing, & al our righteousnesse are as a stained cloth. The which the roiall Prophet Dauyd doth speake off more at large in his verses, Psae. 14. [...] say­ing. The Lord looked downe frō heauen v­pon the children of men, to sée if ther were any that would vnderstand and séeke after God. But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become vnprofitable: there is none that doth good, no not one. [Page] The like matter we do read off in Iob, Iob. 25. b whē hée confessed most cléerely, that man can­not iustifie himselfe towardes God. And how (saith hée) can hee bée cleane which is borne of a woman. Behold, the moone shi­neth nothing in comparison to him, & the starres are vncleane in his sight. How much more then, man that is but corrupti­on: and the sonne of man, which is but a worme? wherefore man of himselfe is not amiable, but inasmuch as he is regenerate of God: who through the merite of his welbeloued sonne, doth couer & hide wholy all those imperfections and impieties. And in that respect wee haue greatly to consi­der the ingratitude and miscognisaunce of those which loue not the Lord, but for their proper respect, I do meane when the Lord doth sende them the thinges euen as they demaund and desire: as great abundance of worldly goods, a blessed life, great prosperi­tie of the thinges which appertaine vnto them, and also to their friendes & kinsfolke, and other pleasures of mans life: of whom, saith Dauid, [...]sal. 144. c happie are the people that bée in such a case: but when any affliction hap­peneth vnto them, then they murmure a­gainst God, and do demaund if there bée [Page 135] any prouidence in Heauen. The whiche Salomon forbiddeth expressely, Eccles. 5. [...] when hée saith, vse not thy mouth to cause thy flesh for to sinne, that thou say not before the Angell: my foolishnesse is in the faulte. Such manner of people are like vnto those which séeke Iesus Christ, Iohn. 6. c not bicause they sawe his miracles, but because they eate of his loaues, & were filled. prouerb. 1 [...] e For he which is a friend, as Salomon reciteth vnto vs, al­way loueth, and in aduersitie a man shall know who is his brother. Which if it bée so that loue ought to bée loued againe: truely, wée haue most greatest occasion to loue God, and which is more wee cannot without the vice of ingratitude, but that wee should loue him: Iohn. 4. d inasmuch as hee lo­ued vs first. And herein is loue, not that wee loued God, but that hee loued vs, and sent his sonne to make agréement for our sinnes: For God so loued the world, Iohn. 3. b. that hee hath géeuen his onely begotten sonne, that none that beeléeue in him shoulde pe­rish, but haue euerlasting life. If a man demaund, what is the goodnesse that hée hath done vnto vs at this present. Saint Paul doth aunswer vnto the same, saying: that he spared not his owne sonne, but gaue [Page] him for vs all to death: Rom. 8. f how shall hee not with him géeue vs all things also? In this matter what can wee render vnt [...] the LORD which may bee equiualen [...] to the amitie that he hath borne vnto vs, for the iniuries that his sonne our LORD Iesus Christe hath suffred in his flesh, S. Ambrose vpon sainte Luke. for the stripes that hée hath receiued on his bodie, for the crosse, for his death, for his buriall? woe bee vnto mée if I doe not saye it, I dare well saye it: Peter hath not rendered or restored: neither Paul hath rendred or restored, although he hath restored death for death: but yet neuerthe­lesse he hath not altogether restored, for he oweth a great deale. Rom. 11. d Marke, when he him selfe confesseth who hath giuen vnto him first, and hee shall bee recompensed a­gaine? For of him, and through him, and for him are all things, to him bee glorie for euer. S. Ambrose in the same booke. And although wee restore vnto him the crosse for the crosse, and the graue for the graue: that is to say, whether wee restore vnto him that whiche wee haue re­ceiued of him and through him: no true­ly. Wherefore the same Author conclu­deth, let vs restore vnto him loue for [Page 13] loue: for debte, loue: for the goodnesse that he hath doone vnto vs, a géeuing of thanks for the price of his bloud. I say moreouer that from our birth, nature hath put in vs a certaine mouing and pricking forward to the end to incitate and stirre vs to loue our God.

Forasmuche then as (by the same saying of Plato) beautie hath gained that aduauntage aboue all other things that of her selfe shée is very much amiable: Basil in his rulers am­pli disputed 2. question. and for that cause wee desire verie much the faire things. Yet truely the heauenly beawtie excelleth and passeth all thinges: foras­much as it is not subiect to any filthinesse or corruption, as are the other creatures. Cant. 2. c Insomuch that the soule of a true Christi­an, regenerated through grace and woun­ded of that heauenly loue, is sicke for that true spouse, which is Iesus Christ: Rom. 8. g And which is more, it sigheth incessantly for the deliueraunce of this body, which of it selfe is subiect to corruption. Euen soe Dauyd did crye out, saying: Psa. 120. [...] wo is mée that I am constrained to dwell with Mesech: and to haue mine habita­tion amonge the Tentes of Cedar.

Psal. 44, aMy soule is a thirst for God, yea, for the liuing God, saying: Alas when shall I come to appeare béefore the presence of God? These are also the words of Sainct Paul, I am (saith hée) compassed in on both sides: phil. 1. c desiring to be loosed and to bée with Christ. The which is a great deale better for mée, that if for their vertue we doe loue them, whom we neuer saw, Ciciero in his offices after plato. as saith Cicero, and if such is the force and strength of vertue which if one may behold it with the eyes, it will stirre vp and imbrace in vs a mer­uailous desire to loue it: how much more, ought wee to loue God: of whom as of the Nurse of al things doth descend euerie good and perfect gift? Iam. 1. c To conclude, if wée loue them whiche may helpe vs with all things, 2. Cor. 15. d which are necessarie for vs. How much more ought wee to loue God, which is all in all? and with whom all pleasure dwelleth, psal. 16. b as Dauid witnesseth, that fulnesse of ioy is with his countenance, and at his right hand there is pleasure and ioy for e­uer. psal. 36. b That men shalbe satisfied with y ^e plen­teousnesse of his house, and hee shall giue them drink of the riuer of his pleasures: for by him is the well of life, and in his light, shall wee see light. I do say this, not onelie [Page 137] for the eternall goodnesse which are pro­mised vnto the blessed, in the resurrection to come: but also for the goodnesse whiche the Lorde giueth vnto vs in this present life. Euen so the same prophete saith, Psa. 104. d so is this wide and great sea also, wherein are thinges créeping innumerable, both small and greate beastes. There goe the ships ouer, and there is the Leuiathan, whome thou hast made to take his pastime ther­in.

They waite all vppon thée, that thou maist giue them meate in due season. When thou giuest it them they gather it: and when thou openest thine hande, they are filled with good. But when thou hidest thy face, they are sorowfull: And if thou takest away their breath, they die, and are turned againe to their dust. A­gaine, when thou lettest thy breath goe foorth they are made, and so thou renuest the face of the earth. And in an other place hee saith: O feare the Lorde, Psa. 34. b ye that be his saincts: for they that feare him lacke nothing.

Furthermore, in y ^e that the Lorde de­sireth that wee shoulde loue him so per­fectly, we are sufficiently aduertised that [Page] those which doe giue vnto other crea­tures, the homage and obedience which is due vnto the Lorde: be they deade crea­tures or liuing creatures, they loue not GOD perfectly: forasmuch then as God hath chosen vs as a chast virgin, for to be presented to his Christe, according as hée hath foreshewed by the Prophet Oseas, Oseas. 2. d that he will marie his owne selfe vnto her in righteousnesse, in equitie, in louing kindenesse and mercie, and in faith: yet when we doe seperate the loue which we owe vnto the Lorde, for to giue of that whiche apperteineth vnto him, vnto other creatures, truely we are vnto him vngen­tle. Exo. 20. a. Bicause he is a gelous God visiting the sinne of the fathers vpon the children vn­to the thirde and fourth generation. That is y ^e cause wherfore Moses saith in y ^e same, booke. Exo. 34. b Thou shalt worshippe no straunge GOD. For the Lorde is called gelcus, because he is a gelous GOD. Act, 10. e For that same cause Sainct Peter seing that Corne­lius fell downe at his féete to worshippe him, he tooke him vp, saying: stande vppe, for euen I my selfe am a man. Acknow­ledging verie wel that Cornelius, for the affecttion that he did beare vnto him, did [Page 138] forgette the homage and obedience that he owed vnto the Lorde. Act. 14. [...] In like manner Barnabas and Paul séeing that the inha­biters of Listria woulde doe sacrifice vn­to them, they rent their clothes and ranne in among the people, crying, and saying: O men, why do ye these things. We are mortall men like vnto you. In like man­ner it is written in the Reuelation of S. Iohn, that the Angel séeing that Sainct Iohn was fallen downe at his féete to worshippe him, he saide vnto Sainct Iohn, Apo. 19. b sée thou doe it not: I am thy fellowe ser­uant, and one of the brethen, whiche haue the testimonie of Iesus, worshippe GOD. Euen so hath not Herod done, for vpon a day appointed, Act. 12. d Herod being a­ [...]aied in royall apparell and sitting in his [...]eate, made an Oration vnto the people: And the people gaue a shoute, saying, it is the voyce of a God, and not of a man. And immediatly the Angell of the Lorde [...]mote him, because he gaue not God the honour, so that he was eaten of wor­mes. Plutarche. Asmuche also happened vnto A­lexander the greate, for hauing ta­ken the Citie of Babilon, raised him selfe against the commaundement of the [Page] liuing GOD, and woulde that his peo­ple shoulde worshippe him and offer vn­to him Sacrifices. Wherefore within a little while after he died through Gods punishement: for hee being ouer drie for lacke of drinke, fell into a gréeuous sick­nesse, of whiche hee dyed. And that great personne, who (as the worlde thought) feared not to bee ouercome of men, was ouercome and vanquished of wine. The same doth learne vs and sufficiently de­clare vnto vs that the loue the whiche wée ought to beare vnto the creatures, ought to be ruled and gouerned by the worde, that wee ought not to compare it to the loue which we ought to beare vnto GOD our creator.

I do speake this for those, whiche ac­cording to their priuate affections and in­discréete zeale, do beare such honour as it pleaseth them vnto the creatures, and in the meane time consider not that the Lord is gelous, of the loue and obedience that they owe vnto him, What shall I say of those, who making profession of the Christian religion, do beare vnto wicked spirites the loue that they owe to their Lord. And in what aduersitie or affliction [Page 139] that they finde themselues in, 1. Reg. 28. b haue re­course (As Saul) vnto the Magicians and Witches, not trusting themselues of the promise of the LORD. Who saith. Psa. 50. [...] Call vppon me in the time of trouble, so will I heare thée, that thou shalt thancke me. Things truely, which are verie much for­bidden in the lawe of God, where Moses admonished the people of Israel saying: Leuit. 19. [...] Turne not your selues to them that work with spirites, neither regarde them that obserue dismall dayes, that ye be not de­filed by them, for I am the Lord your god. And in the booke of Deuterenomium, Deut. 18 [...] it is saide: when thou art come into the lande which the LORD thy GOD giueth thée, sée that thou learne not to do after the abhominations of these nations. Let there not be founde among you that ma­keth his sonne or daughter to go thorowe the fire, or that vseth Witchcrafte, or a chooser out of dayes, or that regardeth the flying of foules, or a Sorcerer, or a char­mer or that councelleth with spirites, or a prophecier, or that asketh the aduise of the deade. The which also the Prophet Esay confirmeth by the like wordes, say­ing: and therefore if they say vnto you: [Page] aske counsell of the Southsayers, Esa. 8 d Wit­ches, Charmers▪ and Coniurers: then make them this aunswere: Is there a people any where, that asketh not coun­sell at his GOD: whether it be concer­ning the deade or the liuing? If any man want light, let him looke vpon the lawe, and the testimonie, whether they speake not after this meaning. Also the Pro­phet Ieremie saith in this manner. Iere. 27. b And therefore followe not your Prophetes, Southsayers, Expounders of dreames, Charmers and Witches, which say vnto you: Ye shall not serue the king of Babi­lon. 1. Cor. 6. c For as righteousnesse hath no felow­shippe with vnrighteousnesse neither light with darkenesse, or Christe agréeth not with Belial, or the faithfull hath no part with the infidell, or the temple of GOD agréeth not with idols: and no man can serue two maisters, Math. 6. d for either hee shall hate the one and loue the other: or els he shall leane to the one and dispise the o­ther. Such people doe euidently declare that they loue not God perfectly. Iere 3. a That is the cause wherefore the LORDE rebuked his people, bicause they haue plai­ed the harlotte▪ with many louers. And [Page 140] in the Prophet Oseas, Oseas. 2. c the Lorde threat­neth the same people that he will discouer their foolishnesse, euen in the sight of her louers. These thinges are so muche more dampnable of our time that the sonne of God manifested him selfe to vs, for to declare vnto vs the eternall lawe of his father.

For as saith y ^e Apostle writing vnto the Hebrewes. Heb. 2. [...] If the worde whiche was spoken by Angels was stedfast: and euerie transgression & disobedience receiued a iust recompence of rewarde: How shal we es­cape? if we dispise so greate saluation? asmuch will we say of those whiche giue their bodies to an other kinde of vngodli­nesse and of sinne. For as long as they giue themselues to vices: so long doe they drawe themselues from the loue and obe­dience that they owe vnto y ^e Lord. These are the wordes of the prophet Esaie, when he saith, your misdéeds haue seperated you from your God and your sinnes hide his face from you, y ^t he heareth you not. Esa. 59. [...] For­asmuch then as our members are the tem­ple of god, yet truely in consecrating them both to y ^e one & the other, we make them [Page] members and temples of an other then of GOD. And consequently forsaking the LORDE for our true spouse, we doe altogether so as harlottes who committe fornication with all sortes of men. 1. Cor. 6. d That is the sentence of Saint Paul writing vn­to the Corinthians, know ye not saith he, that your bodies are the members of Christ? shall I then take the members of Christe, and make them the members of an harlotte? GOD forbid, the bodie is not for the harlotte: but for the Lorde, and the LORDE for the bodie, ye are dearely bought for a price: therefore glo­rifie GOD in your bodie, and in your spirite, Rom. 6. c for they are Gods. Knowe ye not saith the same Apostle, that to whome soe­uer ye commit your selues as seruauntes to obey: his seruaunts ye are to whom ye obey: whether it be of sinne vnto death, or of obedience vnto righteousnesse? Euen so Iesus Christ séeing that the Iewes ad­uaunced themselues, saying: we are of A­brahams séede, Iohn. 8. d and were neuer bounde to any man: aunswered them, that whoso­euer committeth sinne is the seruaunt of sinne. For as the same Apostle witnes­seth, for to bee the séede of Abraham, [Page 141] they are not therefore all children: but in Isaac shall the séede be called, that is to say, those which are children of the flesh, are not therefore children of God: but those which are children of promise, are reputed and taken for children, 2. pet. 2. d and in vaine doe they promise libertie which are themselues the bonde seruauntes of corruption: for of whomsoeuer a man is ouercome vnto the same he is in bondage. Rom. 9. b Let not sinne reigne therefore in your mortall bodie, that we shoulde obey sinne, in the lustes of the bo­die, neither giue we our members as wea­pons of vnrighteousnes vnto sinne: but giue our selues vnto God, as béeing dead, bée­ing made aliue, and let vs giue our mem­bers as weapons of righteousnesse vnto God. Let vs here conclude, that as the Lord is perfect, he desireth also of vs a perfect loue, and a whole and sounde heart. I meane not fayned nor dissmbled. In such sort that those which thincke to loue God and the worlde together, those (I say) abuse themselues greatly. For as saith saint Iohn: if any man loue the world, 1. Iohn. 2. c the loue of the father is not in him. Knowe yée not saith Sainct Iames, Iam. 2. [...] that the friendship of the worlde is enmitie to God ward? Who­soeuer [Page] therefore will bée a friende of the world, is made the enimie of God. Beholde that which moued S. Paul to confesse, Cal. 1. b that if he studied to please men, he should not bée the seruaunt of Christ. Deut. 17. a The which is also figured in the olde lawe, where it was com­maunded not to offer vnto the Lord, no oxe or shéepe, Malach. 1. d wherein is any deformitie. And cursed be the dissembler which hath in his flock one that is male, and when he maketh a vowe offereth a spotted one vnto the Lord. Deut. 27. d As also the same lawe woulde that we should not haue in our bagge two man­ner of weightes, that is to say, a great and a small. But y ^t we must haue a perfect & a iust measure, For that cause was Ananias greatly punished, as we doe reade in the Actes of the Apostles, who hauing solde a possession, and kept away parte of the price, his wife also being of counsell: and brought a certeine part and laide it downe at the Apostles féete. Act. 5. a▪ Then said Peter: Ananias, Howe is it that Sathan hath filled thine heart, that thou shouldest lye vnto the ho­ly Ghost, and kéepe away part of the price of the possession? Thou hast not lyed vn­to men but vnto GOD. When Ananias [Page 142] heard these wordes, 1. Iohn. 8 he fell downe and gaue vp the ghost. The like happened vnto his wife. The same doth sufficiently de­clare vnto vs, that we ought not to offer vnto GOD a heart that is vicious and full of dissimulation. As the lawe doth not permitte that wée shoulde offer vnto GOD a foule thing, and vncleane.

And as it desireth and commaundeth that wée shoulde haue a iust measure and weight, so the LORDE woulde that man shoulde kéepe towarde his neigh­boure all fidelitie and equalnesse follow­ing the saying of the Apostle Sainct Paul, writinge vnto the Thessalonians, 1. Thessa. 4. b exhor­tinge them that no man defraude and oppresse his brother in any matter. Wher­fore if wée bée double hearted, as sayth Sainct Iames, Iam. 4. b let vs cleanse our hearts. Forasmuch (I saye) as GOD is righ­teous, let vs loue him with an entire and perfect heart, Psal. 103. [...] that our heart may blesse the LORD and all that is within vs may praise his holy name, and forget not all his benefites. Let vs poure out our hearts like water before the Lorde, Lame [...]. 2. f and let vs lifte vp our handes vnto him, and hee will [Page] beholde vs with pittie in the fauoure of his welbeloued sonne our LORD Iesus Christ, vnto whom bée glorie for euer and euer, So bée it.

¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVER­tisment, vpon the commaundement to loue a mans neighbour. Cap. 17.

¶ A CHRISTIAN ADVER­tisement vpon the commaūdement to ho­nour our father & mother. Chap. 18.

THE Apostle Sainct Paul writing vnto y ^e Ephesians, Ephe. [...]. a saith: children obey your fathers and mothers in the Lorde. For so is it righte, Col. c. 3. b And in an other place [Page] he sayth. Honoure thy Father & thy Mother, which is y ^e first cōmaundement that hath a­ny promise, y ^u maist bee in good estate & liue lōg on earth. The which Iesus the sonne of Siraac, declareth more at large, when hée said, that the Lord would haue the Father honored of the children, Siraac. 3. a and looke what a mother commaundeth her children to do, hée will haue it kept. Who so honoreth his fa­ther, his sinnes shalbée forgeuen him: and he that honoreth his mother is like one that geathereth treasure together. Whoso hono­reth his Father, shall haue ioye of his owne children, and when hee maketh his praier he shalbe heard, he that honoreth his Fa­ther, shal haue a long life: And hee that is obedient for the Lordes sake, his mother shall haue ioy of him. Hee that feareth the Lorde, honoreth his Father and Mo­ther and doth them seruice, as it were vnto the Lord him selfe. Now when we do speake in this matter of honor, wee take not simply the honor for an honor, by the which we do go the one before the other: Rom. 1 [...]. g be it by any outward signe, or by friendely & amiable wordes: 2. Timo 5. a But wée doe take it as the holie Apostle Sainct Paul when hee [Page 162] saith. The Elders that rule well are wor­thy of double honor, most specially they whiche labour in the worde and teaching. And in the same place he saith further, 1. Timo. 5. [...] ho­nor widowes whiche are true widowes: Insomuch that that honour doth compre­hend a subiection and obedience: also a na­turall bond, the which doth constraine vs to assist those with necessarie thinges in this present life, vnto whom wee owe honor and obedience. The which the Lorde himselfe rebuked sometimes the Iewes: For al­though the lawe commaundeth, that the children should nourishe their fathers and mothers, & to rēder vnto them pleasures in their olde age, the which they haue first re­ceiued of them in their youth. The Scribes and Pharises, learned the children to say vnto their fathers, Mat. 15. a by euery gift that procee­deth from mee, thou shalt be holpen: though hee honor not his father, or his mother: And thus haue they made, that the com­maūdement of God, is w ^tout effect, Hierome [...] his epistle to Gern [...] through their traditiones: And so by that meanes they defraude their fathers, of the duetie y ^e nature cōmaundeth them. Siraac 3. b But marke what the sonne of Siraac saith: honor thy father [Page] in déede, in worde, and in all patience, that thou maist haue his blessing: for the bles­sing of the father buildeth vp the houses of the children, but the mothers curse rooteth out the foundations. Reioyce not when thy father is reproued, for it is no honour vnto thée, but a shame. For the worship of a mans father is his owne worshippe, and where the father is without honour, it is the dishonestie of the sonne. My son make much of thy father in his age, and gréeue him not as long as he liueth. And if his vnderstanding faile, haue patience with him, & dispise him not in thy strēgth. For the good déede that thou shewest vnto thy father, shall not be forgotten: & when thou thy selfe wantest it shalbe rewarded thée. Saint Am­brose vpon y ^e 8 chap. of S. Luke. And verie well for this purpose a certeine auncient authour saide, that the sonne of GOD honoured his parentes. As we reade that he came into Nazareth, and was subiect vnto them, and honoured Marie and Ioseph: not by duetie of nature, but by office of pietie: hath honoured his father, being obedient vnto him to the death, euen the death of y ^e crosse. Nourishe then thy father and thy mother, and when thou hast nourished them, thou hast not [Page 163] done that which thou owest vnto thy mo­ther: thou hast not rendred vnto her all the paines and trauailes that she hath suf­fered for the loue of thee, thou hast not also rendred vnto her the seruices that she hath done for thee, bearing thee in her bel­ly: thou hast not rendered vnto her the aliments and nurrishments that she hath giuen vnto thee: of a tender affection and motherly loue, pressing her pappes vnder thy lippes: thou hast not rendred vnto hir the hunger that she hath suffered for thee, fearing least that she shoulde eate any thing which should hurte thee, or that she shoulde eate any thing which shoulde bee noysome and hurtefull to her milke: shee hath fasted for thy loue: and for thy loue she hath eaten: and for the loue of thee she hath not eaten the meate that she lo­uid: & wilt thou suffer her to be in neede and to lacke: that whiche thou hast thou owest vnto her, vnto whome thou ow­est that whiche thou arte. The like mat­ters we do reade off in Xenophon, Xenophon in his secōd boke of y ^e sayings & doinges of Socrates. when he declared that there was noe people that receiued more greater goodes, then the children doe of their parentes, the whiche are the cause that they liue. Fur­thermore, [Page] there are not that see so greate goods, and are also partakers of that which God hath geuen vnto men. The wife (as that good author saith) in conceauing her child, suffereth that charge with most great werinesse and daungers of hir life, and of hir proper substaunce nourishing hir fruite, goeth about the day that she must trauaile and bring foorth hir childe, with great and diuerse trauailes, and afterwarde she nourisheth him, and besides she is carful for him of whom shee neuer receiued any pleasure: and who, not onely forgetteth what he was which did him good: but also can not onely expresse the things which are necessaries vnto him. Insomuch that the mother, by coniectures and pre­sumtions, hath regard to geue vnto him that which is agreeable and profita­ble. Beehold the cause wherefore (that good Philosoper, Plato plato in his 2. dialogue of his laws said) that hée of whom the father or mother, or their kins­folkes, do lay vp in the house as a treasure: hee ought to beeleeue, that hee can­not haue one suche Image not more precious in his house, if hee honoure them as hee ought.

To that pourpose the same author reciteth the example of Oedippus, Plato. who being de­spised of his own children, wished vnto thē y ^e affliction that happened vnto thē, as wée doe reade in the holy scripture of Cham, one of the sonnes of Noe: at the ende hée concludeth that there is not a thing that we ought so much to honoure, as the fa­thers and mothers in their olde age: who when they are honoured, GOD is well pleased thereby: for otherwise God will not heare our prayers, and this purtracture and Image of the father is a great deale more admirable, then so manie other Ima­ges. For the liuely Images when they are honoured of vs, they doe praie for vs, and doe beare vnto vs dayly fauour: when they are despised, they doe altogether the contrarie: but those which haue no life, do nothing of all the same. For conclusion the sayd Philosopher Plato, sayth, that hée which doth gouerne himselfe wel towards his father and mother, and towardes his graundfathers, hée hath with him an Image verie fitte for to winne the loue and amitie of the LORDE. Ho­noure then thy father, from thy whole heart, Siraac. 7. b and forgette not the sorrowefull [Page] trauaile that thy mother had with this. Remember that thou wast borne thorowe them, and howe canst thou recompence them the thinges that they haue done for thée? Here one may demaunde this question? that is, whether we must o­bey in all and thorowe all the commaun­dement of the father: the which was thought to haue béene proposed by Aulus Gellius, Aulus Gel­lius. li. 2. ca. 7. an heathen author, and neuerthe­lesse a learned man and verie auncient. The saide authour aunswered, that the thinges are either honest, wicked, or indif­ferent. And concludeth in the ende, that to things honest & indifferent we must obey him, but to thinges that are wicked, wee must not obey him: calllng the meane things and indifferent, the ordinarie acti­ons of this common life, which are suche as we do gouerne our selues: that is to say to go to the warre, to labour and tille the earth, to be a Magistrate, to defend causes and to marrie. Furthermore this learned man doth teach vs, that in the places and common charges, the deutie and right that the children owe vnto their fathers, ought to cease for a certeine time: for the childe or sonne beeing in degree of a [Page 165] Magistrate, & sitting in the iudgment seat, before whom there must bée no accaption of personnes. 2. Cro. [...]. [...] And it is often times great­ly to be feared that through to great fami­liaritie, there woulde growe a contemning or despising of the dignitie: in that cause, I say, Rom. 15. e the father ought to acknowledge the sonne, as him which is Gods minister. In other places and priuate houses, the sonne ought to giue all honour and obedience vnto the father. S. Hierome in his epist to Furia. Let vs then conclude with an other christian and verie aunci­ent author, that wée must honour our fa­ther: so y ^t he seperate not vs frō the heauen­ly father: & we ought to acknowledge this carnall alliance, as long as our carnall fa­ther shall acknowledge his creator. O­therwise we héere the voice of Dauyd, Psa. 45. e which sayth, hearken (O daughter) consider and incline thine eare: forget thine owne people, and thy fathers house. So shall the king haue pleasure in thy beautie, for hée is thy LORD, and thou shalt wor­ship him. S. Hierome in his firste epistle to Heliodorus The same author hath written in the first of his Epistles, that if the ne­cessitie doth so require, that the loue of pa­rentes is against the same of GOD, and that both of them cannot be kept of him: [Page] that he must incurre the blame of his parentes, for to kéepe pietie and godlinesse towardes GOD. Beholde the warre the which Iesus Christ hath opened of the father to the sonne, and of the sonne a­gainst the father at his comming saying: Thincke not that I am come to sende peace into the earth. Mat. 10. d I came not to send peace, but the swoorde, for I am come to set a man at variance against his father, and the daughter against hir mother, and the daughter in lawe against hir mother in lawe. And a mans foes shall bée they of his owne housholde, he that loueth his father or mother more then mée, is not méete for mée. Furthermore, I will saye with the Philosopher Plato, plato li. 4. of his lawes that such is the duetie of the childe towardes the fa­ther, that he ought to thincke that all that which belongeth to him, belongeth proper­ly to the father, I meane the goodes of the bodie, the externall goodes, and those of the spirite: forasmuch as of them the sonne may comfort the father. If our father haue néede of our counsell for to aide him in some thing, truely we ought not to forsake him. I doe except aboue all, the LORD, vnto whom all things apperteine. Plutarch [Page 166] doth amplifie that duetie towardes our fa­thers and mothers, as followeth. plutarch in [...] treateh of y ^e loue of fa­thers. The brute beastes, a little while after they haue brought foorth their young ones, are out of all care, and are verie well: but the nourishing and bringing vp of man is ful of all trauaile: the aduauncement of him verie slowe: and to acquire and get ver­tue y ^t is a thing of long continuaunce: And often times y ^e fathers before that their chil­dren do come to perfection do die. Euen as Ariston did neuer sée Plato to professe phi­losophie. Also the victories of Tuchitidus & Sophocles were neuer knowen vnto their fathers and mothers. And verie well hath Valerius Valerius li. 5. cap 5. said, that nature is the mister is of pietie, who without any minister & aide of voice, without the vse of letters of hir own proper force and strengthe hath shed out into y ^e heartes of children the loue that they ought to beare to their fathers. Wher­fore thē doth learning profit in this matter (saith this good author) he aunswereth, y ^t it doth profit, not for to make their spirites better: but more easie to bée taught and instructed. In the same booke the same author doth propunde vnto vs the exam­ple of a vertuous and good woman. Who [Page] of longe time nourished hir father, béeing prisoner, altogether aged and lame of hir owne milke. Furthermore, the seueritiē and crueltie of the olde lawe against the obstinate and rebellious children, doth sufficiently declare what ought to bee the obedience of the children towardes their parentes. Witnesse of this shall Moses bée, who sayeth in this manner. When a man shall haue a wicked and rebellious childe, which will not obey nor hearken vnto the voyce of his father or mother, and they shall chastise and correct him, and he will not obey them: then the father and mother shall take him and bring him to the auncientes of the towne, and from the gate of their place, and shall saye vnto the auncients of their towne: our sonne whom ye sée héere is wicked and rebellious, and will not obey vnto our voice: hée is a glutton and a drunckarde: and all the men of the towne shall stone him with stanes to death: and so thou shalt put away the euill from amonge the middest of thee. And in an other place he saith: Deut. 37. c Cursed be he that courseth his father or his mother, an all the people shall say, amen. For hée that curseth his father and his mother, his [Page 167] lampe shall be put out in the trouble of [...]arknesse. Pro. 19. [...] And he that hurteth his father or shutteth out his mother, is a shamefull and an vnworthy sonne. And in an other place the same Salomon doth declare, Pro. 30. c that who so laugheth his father to scorne, and setteth his mothers commaundemente at naught: the Rauens picke out his eies in the valey, and deuoured be he of the young Eagles. That same reason hath induced the Romaine Emperours, The lavve vnder y ^e ti­tle of y ^e pa­ricides. to inuent & find out against the paricides, a meruailous cruell and straunge punishment: that is to saye, to shut and keepe them fast with an Ape, a Cocke, and a Serpent, and to cast them into the water or riuer: to the ende (sayth the lawe) that they shoulde be de­priued of all the elementes. To be short, that in their life, they might be remoued from heauen, and in their death from the earth. And Plato Plato in his 9. dialogue of his laws in his lawes hath verie well sayd, that the paricide doth merite all the paines of the wicked: yea, chiefly of sacriledge. For by an homicide he hath ta­ken the life from him, who hath begotten him, wherfore he concludeth, that if it were possible that a man might die many times, it should be most right and reasonable that [Page] the paricide should die of manie deathes. For as that great Orator of the Latines writeth. Cicero in his boke of his paradoxes. In violating the life of the father, we doo sinne many waies: we doe wrong vnto him, who hath created, nourished, in­structed, & aduaunced vs into the degrée of honour, and hath placed vs in the common wealth. Insomuch as witnesseth Iustin Iustine in his histories the historiographer, that there is no coloure or pretence, so that it be right, which can ex­cuse the paricide▪ Cicero in his oration for Roscius A­merinus. And for that cause, Solon the lawe giuer of Athens, béeing on a time asked, wherefore he did not establish any lawe against the paricides: aunswered that neuer no man had perswaded him that one could commit an offence so hainous. The like aunswered Licurgus, Plutarch for the regarde of the vnthanckfull. In this paine and ma­lediction of the auncient lawe: we doe not onely comprehend those which doe vio­lence or wronge of a set purpose to their fathers: but also those which blame them through disdaine of certaine checkes and rebukes▪ for if he which hath said vnto his brother Racha, Mat. 5. c is worthy to bée punished, by the counsell: by a more stronger rea­son, he which shall doe iniurie to his fa­ther, or which shall make him sorrowfull. [Page 168] Woe be vnto him then, Esa. 45. b that saith to his father, why begatest thou me? I speake vnto those, who although y ^t they do no kinde so wrong vnto their fathers: yet if they durst they would willingly shorten their dayes. L. cogitacioons regis iu­ris. And although that the ciuile lawe doe say, that of the onely thought wée doe not merite the paine of the lawe, Mat. 5. d yet it is much punishable towardes God: as y ^e Lord himselfe doth witnesse, that whosoeuer lo­keth on a woman to lust after hir, hath cōmitted aduoulterie with hir all readie in his heart. Cicero in his oration for Rosci [...]s Amerinus. And verie well that great Ora­tor of y ^e Latines hath sayd, y ^t through one onely vaine sight or beholding that father­ly pietie is hurted. If these thinges be not sufficient, Genes 42.43 let vs declare the example of Io­seph: who not onely when he was pre­sent, but also being absent, did beare all ho­nour, homage and obedience to his father, and was verie careful to helpe and succour him. Let vs remember the obedience of the Rechabites, whom the Lorde himselfe put downe at the rebellion of the Iewes: shew­ing vnto them that they haue bene obe­dient to their fathers in all thinges that hée commaunded them: yea, Iere. 35. [...] not to drincke wine, neither to build any houses, [Page] neither to sowe corne, nor plant vineiardes, but to dwell in tentes all their life longe. On the other side, let vs consider what hath ben the cursse of Cham the sonne of Noe, Genes. 9. d bicause he discouered his fathers priuities, and did not beare vnto him the honoure the which he deserued. Insomuch that of that curse, S. Augustin in his boke of y ^e city of God. a certaine auncient author speaking, sayd: that we doe not finde in any place of the holy scripture, this woorde seruaunt: vntill such time as the iust man Noe had auenged the sinne of his sonne. That name then merited vice, and not na­ture. Let vs haue feare, and let vs be ama­sed with feare, when we doe see the venge­aunce of the sinne of Absalom, [...] Reg. 18. f procuring the death of his father, and let vs beholde that the same which serued him to couer his head, hath holden vp his bodie hanged to a tree. Let vs meditate in our selues the sorowe and heuinesse that this good king and Prophet did beare: Not so much deploring and bewailing the death of his sonne, as his craftinesse: crying with a loude voice, my sonne Absalom, my sonne, my sonne, my sonne Absalom, woulde to god I had died for thée Absalom, my sonne, my sonne. And verie well a certaine [Page 169] auncient authour said, that, that good man feared, what should happen and into what paines a soule so cruel and inflamed with the bloud of his father might be in. Final­ly, let vs regarde and marke that the Lord doth foreshew the ruine & destruction of his people: chiefly for the faultes and trans­gressions committed by y ^e children against their fathers and mothers. Beholde, the children of Israel, saith the Prophet, euery one hath béene according to his strength with thee, for to shedde bloud: they haue in thée, defiled their father and mother. De­claring by those wordes, that they haue despised both their father and mother. When I doe here speake of the honour due vnto our parentes, I doe comprehend also those who are the parentes of our soules, and instruct vs to saluation. Gal. 4. c To bee short, which trauaile (as saith the Apostle) in birth againe, vntill Christ be imprinted in vs. I will vse in this matter the argu­ment of the Apostle, writting to the He­brewes, Heb. 12. c saying: Forasmuch as we haue had the fathers of our bodies which corrected vs, and we gaue them reuerence: Siraac [...] 38 [...] should we not much rather be in subiection vnto the father of our spirites? If the Phisition be [Page] honoured, because of necessitie: shal not we honoure him which hath administred vn­to vs the worde. Of the whiche the wise man Salomon speaking off, Sapien. 16. saith: It was neither herbe nor plaister, that restored thē to health, but thy worde (O Lorde) whiche healeth all thinges. If I say, the Father ought to be honoured of the sonne, bicause hee serued to him as an instrument, for to giue vnto him the corporal life: what ho­noure, what homage, & what obedience owe wée vnto him, which dayly doth shew vs y ^e meanes for to conduct and leade vs to eter­nall life? And what shall hée bée which will not receiue, those whom the Lorde by hys prophet speaketh off, Esa. 52. b saying. O how beauti­ful are the feet of y ^e Embassador that bring­eth the message from the mountaine, and proclaimeth peace, that bringeth the good tidings and preacheth health, and saith vn­to Sion, Dan. 12. a thy God is the King. And in Da­niel, The wise (such as haue taught other) shal glister, as the shining of heauen: and those that haue instructed the multitude vn­to godlinesse, shal bée as the starres, worlde without end. 1. Tim. 5. c. Wherefore Sainct Paul doth teach vs, that the Elders that rule wel, are worthy of double honoure: most specially [Page 1670] they which labour in the word & teaching. The same Apostle exhorted the Thessaloni­ans, 1. Thessa. 5. e y ^t they should know thē, which laboure among them and haue the ouersight of them in the Lord, & which giue them exhortati­ton. That they may haue thē y ^e more in loue for their works sake. Also y ^e same Apostle, in his Epistle vnto y ^e Hebrewes, Heb. 13. b doth aduer­tise them to remēber them which haue the ouersight of thē, which haue declared vnto them the word of God: and to follow their faith, considering what hath béene the end of their conuersation. Also the same Apostle in his Epistle which he sent vnto y ^e Galati­ans, desireth thē, y ^t he y ^t is taught in y ^e word, minister vnto him y ^e teacheth thē in all good thinges. Galat. 6. b For as he himselfe witnesseth in an other place, saying: if we haue sowē vnto you spiritual things: is it a great thing if we reape your carnall things? [...]. Cor. 9. b do ye not vnder­stand, how y ^t they with minister about y ^e sa­crifice, eate of things of y ^e temple? and they which wait at y ^e aulter, are partakers w ^t the aulter? Euē so also hath y ^e Lord ordained y ^t they which preach y ^e gospel should liue of y ^e gospel. Euē so sayth y ^e sonne of Siraac: feare y ^e Lord w ^t al thy soule, & honor his priestes. The same sufficiētly declareth y ^t euē as we Sir [...]ac. 7. d. [Page] owe vnto our carnall fathers, honoure and obedience: with the things which are ne­cessarie vnto them for their life: also we ought to owe vnto our spiritual fathers, & to the conductours of our soules the like dueties. And forasmuch then as the Lorde hath cruelly punished those whiche haue shead the bloude of their carnall fathers or haue done vnto them any other wrong. Also the Lord hath shewed his vengeaunce vpon those which haue despised the holy admonitions of the pastors of our soules. My witnesse shalbe Achab, 3. Reg. 22. c who dispising the voice of Micheas: within a little while after was slaine in battaile. 2. Cro. 16. c Also king Asa which caused the prophet Hanani to be im­prisoned, bicause that he declared y ^e truth, which was partely the cause that the king Asa fell into a certeine disease in his féete whereof he dyed. 4. Reg. 2. d Aso Ioas which caused the prophet Zacharie to be stoned to death, and for that déede he fell into greate griefes & diseases. Insomuch y ^t his owne seruants conspired against him, for y ^e bloud of the children of Iehoiada y ^e priest, & slew him on his bed. What shall I say of Heliseus, who being mocked of y ^e little children: at the same instant was reuenged by Gods puni­shment [Page 171] of y ^e iniurie & wrong the which they did vnto him: when two beares came out of the woode and eate fortie and two of the boyes? Ciciero in his oration for Caius Rabitius. Woe be vnto thée then thou Alex­ander, how great so euer thou hast béen, for thy renown and worldly prowesses, when y ^u didest cause Clytus to be slaine, who pre­serued so carefully thy life. When I say, thou hast caused to be slaine that great phi­losopher Calisthenes, bicause he would not worshippe thée: telling thée that such duety & homage apperteineth to one onely God, our true and soueraigne Lord. I wil omit willingly to speake of Parmeno and Philo­tas, Herodotus. who were the conductors of all thy en­terprises, and vpon whom thou diddest put an repose all thy force & strength, whome thou hast recompēsed with the like reward: for so many good seruices. I do speake al­so vnto thée, O thou people of Athens: Iustine after Trogus pompeius. which hast chased and driuen out of thy Citie, & put to death in Cyprus, he which established for thée the lawes, for to assure thy puissance and greatnesse among so ma­ny enimies. Shal I forget Licurgus, Valerius in his first bok of vnthankfulnsse. which hath béene banished and driuen away of them, whom he hath instructed: by which meanes one of his eyes was put out in a [Page] common sedition? In like maner Aristides banished from his countrie, Cicero, li. 5. of his Tus­can questiōs whom his own could neuer rebuke, but y ^t he was too iust. The time will not serue mee to speake of Socrates, y ^e great Philosopher: which was choked with poyson by those whom he hath nourished, in all religion, godlines & righte­ousnesse. Sueto n in the life of Nero. Also Seneca which was slaine by Nero, although that he lead his younge life in all good manners & disciplines. These matters here are referred vnto those, which do honoure their fathers, & feare to disobey thē. And sometime y ^t rather for their autho­ritie & puissance, then of a christian charitie & faithful amitie: and do not beleeue, that so many wrongs and violences committed a­gainst the true ministers of God, do merite & deserue a worthy and open punishment. They will nourish rather in their houses, some Iester and one that is plesaunt at y ^t table, then a good man, which would teach their children in good learning, & to feare God. What, say I? wo bée vnto mee, if I do not speake it: they do giue the great char­ges and Ecclesiastical dignities, to their do­mesticall seruants, so ignorant are they: and do chase & driue away those, whiche for [Page 172] their wisdome & excellent knowledge, will do greatly their endeuor to instruct them in al good disciplines. Wherof cōplained some­time Basil the great, speaking of Gregory Naziāzenus, as he doth write. Basil in his 10. Epistle. Of our time (saith that good author) this name of Bi­shop came from poore people, children, & ser­uants: Insomuch that of the Lordes hous­hold, there is no man which dare put him selfe against them. And neuerthelesse they haue driuen away my brother Gregory of Nazianzenus, & haue brought in his place a­mā, what say I a man? yea, a villaine & bond seruant. In such sorte that it seemeth that wee are also returned to the time of Iero­boam, where it is said that Ieroboam, 3. Reg. 13. g tur­ned not from his wicked, way: but turned away, and made of the lowest of the people priests of y ^e hilaulters: & whosoeuer would, he filled their hands & they became priests of the hilaulters. Or rather to the time, of whom it is spoken in the second booke of y ^e Machabees, 2. Mach. 4. c at which time the priestes were no more occupied about the seruice of the aulter, but despised the [...]iemple, regarded not y ^e offrings: yea, gaue their diligece to learn to fight, to wrastle, to leape, to daunce, & to put [Page] at the stone: not setting by the honor of their fathers. Béehold briefly that which wée thinke to bée due, aswell towardes the parents of our bodies as of our soules. I will end by the same sentence, whereof came this word: Ephe. 6. a Children, obey you fa­thers and mothers in the Lord. For so is it right. Honor thy father and mother (that is the first commaundement that hath any promise, that thou maist bee in good es­tate, Heb. 13. c and liue long on earth.) Obey them that haue y ^e ouersight of you, & submit your selues to them: for they watch for your soules,, euen as they that must giue accomptes. To the end that in all things God be glori­fied through our Lord Iesus Christ, vnto whom bée glo­rie for euer, So bée it.

¶ A BRIEFE ADVERTIS­ment vpon the duetie of the Fathers to­wardes their children. Cap. 19.

IT is written in the sixte Chapter to the Ephesians: Ye fathers moue not your children to wrath: but bring them vp in instruc­tion & information of the LORD. Now we may plainely per­ceiue, that the true office of a father to­wardes his children consisteth chiefly in two thinges: that is to say, to instruct them in the lawe of GOD and other honest disciplines: and also to correct them in all modestie and christian gentlenesse. As [Page 174] touching the first, Salomon in his pro­ [...]erbes sayth: Pro. 3. a O my sonne forgette not [...]y lawe, but sée that thine heart kéepe [...]y commaundementes. For they shall [...]olong the dayes and yeares of thy life, [...]nd bringe thée peace. Pro. 2 [...]. c. For as witnesseth [...]e same Salomon: Where no Prophet [...], there the people perish: but well is him [...]hat kéepeth the lawe. And as touching [...]he seconde, it is sayde in the same place, that the rodde and correction ministreth wisdome, pro. 29. c but if a childe bée not looked vn­to, hée bringeth his mother to shame.

Nourture thy sonne with correction, and he shall comfort thée, yea, hée shall doe thée good at thine heart. The which is [...]eclared more at large in Siraac, Siraac. 30. a as fol­loweth, An vntamed horse will bée harde, so a wanton childe will bée wil­full. If thou bringe vp thy sonne de­licatelie, he shall make thée afrayde: and if thou playe with him, hée shall bringe thée to heauinesse. Laugh not with him, least thou weepe with him also, and least thy teeth be set on edge at the last. Giue him no libertie in his youth, and ex­cuse not his follie.

Bow downe his necke while he is young, hit him vppon the sides while hée is yet but a childe, least hée waxe stubbourne and giue no more force of thée, and so shalt thou haue heauinesse of soule. Teach thy childe, and bée diligent therein, least it bée to thy shame. Pro. 23 l. And Salomon in his prouerbes saith: withholde not correc­tion from the childe, for if thou beatest him with the rodde, hée shall not dye ther­off. Thou smitest him with the rodde, but thou deliuerest his soule from hel. The same Siraac, doth set foorth vnto vs the instruction which we ought to kéepe, as well towardes the sonne, as towardes the daughter, when hée saith: If thou haue sonnes, Siraac. 7. c bringe them vp in nourture and learning, and holde them in awe from their youth vp. Siraac. 26. b 42. b If thou haue daughters, kéepe their bodie and shewe not thy face chéerefull towardes them. Marrie thy daughter, and so shalt thou performe a weightie matter: But giue hir to a man of vnderstanding. If thy daughter be not shamefast, holde hir straitely, least shée a­buse hir selfe through ouer much libertie. Wherefore, inasmuch as the children are willingly moued with certaine little giftes [Page 175] and honest presents. It should also be verie good that their fathers should let thē vnder­stand and knowe the great goodnesse which the Lorde hath ordeined to them which obserue and kéepe his lawe: and the daun­ger and persecutions which doe followe and haue alwaies followed those which are transgressors of his lawe. That is the cause wherefore in y ^e lawe of Moses are so often repeated, the blessings vnto the kéepers of the lawe, and to the transgres­sors of the same, Deut. 2 [...]. a the cursinges which are contained: chiefly in the bookes of Le­uiticus and Deuteronomium. And also in the prophesie of Esaie, the Lorde sayde: Leuit. 26. a If ye be louing and obedient, ye shall en­ioye the best thing that groweth in the lande. But if ye bée obstinate and rebel­lious, yée shall be deuoured with the sword: for thus the Lord hath promised with his owne mouth. And by his prophet Baruch Baruc. 3. b he saith: O Israel, heare the commaunde­mentes of life: ponder them well with thine eares, that thou maiste learne wis­dome. But how happeneth it Israel that thou art in thine enimies lande? thou art waxen olde in a straunge countrie and defiled with the dead. Why art thou be­come [Page] like them, that goe downe to their graues? Euen bicause thou hast forsaken the well of wisdome. For if thou haddest walked in the way of GOD, truely thou shouldest haue remained still safe in thine owne lande. That is the verie cause which hath induced oftentimes the Lorde to cause to be set vp for the people a cer­taine marke, and perpetuall monument in the places in which he hath giuen wit­nesse of his puissance and greatnesse: to the ende to declare and shewe vnto the people that he was fauourable vnto them. Also that the little children regarding, be­holding, and marking such tropes and mo­numentes: they shoulde be admonished by their parentes, of the goodnesse and benig­nitie of the Lorde. I will recite for this matter three examples of the olde lawe: the first is in the booke of Deuterono­mium, Deut. 6. b where the LORD hauing gi­uen his lawe and preceptes vnto the peo­ple: commaunded them to write thē vpon the postes of their houses and vppon their gates. And to haue them as papers of re­membraunce betwéene their eies, and that which followeth. To the ende that by that meanes y ^e young people should be induced & [Page 176] perswaded to obserue them. In like maner it is written in Exodus, Exo. 12. b▪ g how he exhorted thē to kepe y ^e ordinaunces of y ^e Lords passe­ouer for euer, and of the vnleauened bread, in remembraunce of y ^e deliueraunce out of the land Aegypt. To y ^e ende saith Moses, y ^t when your children aske you what man­ner of seruice is this ye doe? ye shall say: it is the sacrifice of the Lordes passeouer which passed ouer the houses of y ^e children of Israel in Aegypt, as he smote y ^e Aegyp­tians, and saued our houses. Besides these things he ordeined that they should take y ^e bloude of the sayd Lambe, & strike it on the two side postes, & on y ^e vpper dore post of the houses, wherein they eate him. In like manner the Lord commaunded Iosua, Iosua. 4. [...] saying: as soone as the people shall goe ouer Iordan: to take them twelue men out of the people, of euery tribe a man: and to take with them twelue stones, and to erect and set vp a trope and a perpetu­all monument, for a signe betweene them and their posteritie, that the waters of Iordin deuided at the presence of the Arke of the appointment of the LORD. In so doing the children taking counsell by the examples of others shoulde acknowledge [Page] the grace of God towardes those which obey his lawe, and his rigor & iustice to­wards the transgressors of the same. Plato li­theaget. Now the chiefest marke and ende that the fa­ther ought to trauaile in, is to make his sonnes honest men: euen as the good la­bourer ought first to be carefull to till and dresse the young plantes, and afterwardes to prouide vnto others. All the whole con­sisteth specially in two thinges: plato li. writen to Euphr on I meane to feare the Lord, and to tourne them as much as we shall possible from all euill. The which Iob Iob. 28. c verie well declareth, when he demaunded, howe that a man commeth by wisdome, and where is the place that men finde vnderstanding? verely no man can tell howe worthy a thing she is, (that good man aunswered) neither is she found in the lande of the liuing. The déepe, saith: she is not in mée. She cannot be gotten for the most fine golde, neither may the price of hir be bought with any money. No wedges of gold, of Ophir, no precious Onix stones, no Saphirs may be compared vnto hir. In the ende he concludeth: Beholde to feare the Lorde is wisdome, and to for­sake euill is vnderstanding. Euen so the Lord sayd vnto the Iewes, as it is written, [Page 177] in the prophet Esay, saying: washe, you [...]ake you cleane, put awaye your euill [...]houghtes out of my sight, cease frō dooing [...]uill and violence, learne to do right. Timot. 3. d And [...]rasmuch then as the whole scripture gi­ [...]en by inspiration of God, is profitable [...]o teach, to improue, to amende, and to in­ [...]truct in righteousnesse. That the man of GOD may bée perfect, Rom. 15. [...] and instructed [...]nto all good woorkes: also whatsoeuer things are written afore time, are writ­ten for our learning, that wee through patience and comfort of the Scriptures might haue hope: yet truely the true of­fice of a father, is to cause his children to reade the holy Scriptures: Heb. 13. b To the ende (as sayth the Apostle) they bée not carri­ed about with diuers and straunge lear­ning: yea, Ephes. 4. c that they bée no more chil­dren, wauering and carried about with euery kinde of doctrine, as commonly chaunseth vnto men, and with craftinesse, whereby they lay in waite to deceiue. For as Plato Plato in his booke of vowes, hath verie well declared in his booke of vowes: that the possession of all sciences is but of little profite. If that man doth not acquire and get the science and knowledge of all good things: againe it [Page] is noysible and hurtfull vnto him which doth possesse it. That is the cause wherfore Homer Homere. speaketh of one named Margites, that he did know a great many of thinges: but he doth very euill knowe all thinges. For the same cause, the Lacedemonians (as saith Valerius) caused the books of Archi­laus, to bee caried out of their Citie: bi­cause that they esteemed the reading of them not to bee honest: and therfore would not that the minds of their children, should bée learned or taught of them. Fearing also on the other side that it woulde bee more hurtefull vnto their manners, then profitable to their wittes. Wherefore Pla­to in his booke that he hath intituled Pro­togoras, Plato in his booke pro­togoras speaking to a young man, ad­uertised him, to take heed to put in daun­ger the thinges which are vnto him ve­rie deare and precious: acknowledging that there is a great deale more daunger to disciplines, then to the buying of victail or drinke, bicause that hée that buyeth vic­taile or drinke, may beefore hée vse and occupie them, put and chaunge them in­to other vessels, and carrie them into his house, and enquire diligentlye of [Page 178] those whiche haue the knowledge of the thinges, what hee ought to eate or drinke. Insomuche that hee maye reiect the meates and drinkes whiche are hurte­full vnto him. To bee shorte, to learne of others what quantitie hee oughte to take and in what time. As touching the disciplines and learninges, it is not lawfull for vs to transport them into an other vessell: But it must bee, that hee that buyeth them, must take them in his minde and leauing the price of them to beare and carrie them within him. plato. And that by them hee is eyther made better or worse. Plutarch i [...] his boke [...] Nursing & bringinge vp of ch [...]l­dren. That is the cause wherefore the same Author requireth that the Nurses, should not con­tent and please their children with vaine vnprofitable and vnhonest fables, fea­ring to defile their mindes with so ma­nye folyes and euill manners. Euen as Sainct Paull exhorted the Christi­ans, to despise and caste awaye pro­phane and olde wiues fables: and to ex­ercise themselues vnto godlinesse. In suche sorte that the same Philosopher, doeth declare, that the Poets ought to sing in their Poeticall verses, that man is a [Page] good man forasmuche as hée is gouerned and iuste: and thereby blessed or [...]ppa: bee hee great or stronge: bee hee little or féeble: Plato dia­logue 2. of a legistes. bee hee riche or poore: and that the wicked and vniust man, althoughe that hee bée more rycher then Cymras or Midas, is miserable, and p [...]sseth awaye his life in extreme miserie. I speake this to the ende that those whiche disdaine to learne true pietie and religion of the true Christians: at the leaste wise maye ac­knowledge their faultes and transgressi­ons: by the same saying of the pan [...]ms and gentiles. And therein, truely, con­sisteth the great duety of a father towards his children: But the like is no lesse neces­sary: that is to say, in the conuersation: In­somuch that euen as the father ought not to spill and marre his children through wicked and vaine doctrines: euen so hee ought not to bee vnto them as an example to do euill, for to draw them away from y ^e lawe of the Lord. The father then which is a true Christian shal do nothing in the presence of his children, which may make them swarue & stray away from the lawe of the Lord. To this same purpose hee exhorteth al men generally, where he saith, [Page 179] Let no corrupt communication proceede out of your mouthes: But that which is, Ephes. 4. f good: to the vse of edefiyng, Ephes. 5. a that it may minister grace vnto the hearers. Also in the same Epistle hee doth aduertise them, that fornicatyon, and all vncleanenesse or couetousnesse, Gregory Naziāzenus in his orati­on that he made a­against Iuli­an the Apo­state. bee not once named amonge them as it bee commeth Saincts, neyther filthynesse, neyther foolyshe tal­king, neyther iesting, which are thinges not comely: but rather gyuing of thanks: For as witnesseth a certaine auncient and Christian authour verie learned. Among o­ther thinges wee ought to keepe the word, as a thinge consecrated vnto the Lorde: yea, as our owne bodies, bicause that by the worde wée ought to fighte for the trueth. The reason is great and verie proper, of him whiche hath sayde that it is easye to followe vices: In suche sort. that when wée cannot immitate and fol­low easely the vertues, wée doe followe the faultes or vices. Hierō in his Epistle to Leta. This authour doth giue the example of Alexander, the great, who forgetting the vertues of Laonides, his maister, coulde neuer refraine him­selfe from the vices of him. And the Philosoper Plato hath Christianly spoken [Page] when he did write y ^t a father must not get for his children greate abundaunce of golde: but a greate deale of shame and feare. The which they can not doe, but in correcting the impudencie and vnshame­lesse boldenesse of the children. For the wise lawegiuer, I meane him which garnished the cities and other common wealths with good laws, will commaund rather the auncientes, that they bée shame­fast and fearefull before the younge men, and that they take good héede that not a younge man heare, sée, nor speake any wicked and dishonest thing. plato in his 5. d [...]alogue of his lavvs For when the olde men haue but a little shame, it is necessarie that the younge men bee muche vnshamefast. That is then an excellent discipline of the younge and of the olde: Plato in the same booke not only the correction the which they doe by woorde: but if hée which doth rebuke and checke, do in all his lyfe time, that which hée teacheth. When I doe speake héere of the couersation of the fathers or auncientes, I meane not one­ly their domesticall seruauntes: but also other people that liue wickedly, which maye tourne the spirites of the children [Page 180] from the veritie: as it is euidently séene, 1. Cor. 15. [...] that euill wordes corrupte good man­ners. Who soe toucheth pytche, shall [...]ée filed withall, sayth the sonne of Si­raac, Siraac. 13.2 and hée that is familiar with the proude shall clothe himselfe with pride. That is the cause wherefore Dauid did confesse, that hee hathe not sitten a­monge vaine personnes, and hathe no felowshippe with the deceitefull. That hée hathe hated the congregation of the wicked, and that hée will not sit amonge the vngodly. In the same Psalme Psal. 26. h hee prayeth the Lorde that hee will not de­stroye his soule with the sinners, nor his life with the bloudthirsty. In whose hands is wickednesse, and theyr righte hande is full of gytes.

Beholde the doctrine of Salomon, cry­ing with a loude voyce, saying: My sonne heare thy Fathers doctrine, and forsake not the lawe of thy Mother: For that shall bringe grace vnto thy head, prouerb. 1. c and shall bee as a chayne aboute thy necke. My sonne consent not vnto sinners, if they entise thee, and saye come with vs, lette vs laye wayte for bloude, [Page] and lurke priuely, for the innocent without a cause: let vs swallow them vp like y ^e hell: let vs deuoure them quicke and whole, as those that goe downe into the pitte. So shall we finde all manner of costly riches, and fill our houses with spoyles. Cast in thy lot, amonge vs, we shall haue all one pursse. My sonne, walke not thou with them, refraine thy féete from their wayes. For their féete runne to euell, and are hasty to shead bloude. These pla­ces of the Scripture teacheth vs suffici­entlye that the duetie of a father consisteth not only to instruct well his children a­mong his domesticall & those of his fami­lie: But also (if it bée possible) among straū ­gers. I wil rehearse vnto thee for this matter the example of Dina, Gen. 34. a the daughter of Iacob, who being departed from her fathers house, & desiring earnestly to see the host of the children of Sichem, was rauished and defloured by Sichem: I wil rehearse for the same purpose, the example of the children of Israel: Numer. 25. a who beeing not content to dwell in Sittim: But willing to communicato with the Moabites, were seduced by them, and committed fornication with the daughters of Moab.

In like maner the women which were rauished by the Beniamites which came out to daunce. Iudg. 21. d I speake this for some men that are carefull inough, that their daugh­ters be not hurt or stoung with the serpent or snake, Iere. 50. d and feare not that they be woun­ded with the hammer of all y ^e whole world: neither regarde they, I say, that they doe not drincke of the wine of that great Ba­bilon, the mother of all fornication. Apo. 17. a Hierome in his epistle to Leta Inso­much that Plutarch Plutarch in his boke of the nurture of children complained not with­out a cause, as of a straunge thing, that we accustome our children to take their meate with the right hande: which if it happen y ^t they do take it with the left hand, we doe chastise and correct them grieuous­ly, and haue no regarde what disciplines we learne them. The sayd author doth re­cite one Crates, a verie auncient man, which was accustomed to saye, O that it were permitted me to goe vp to the high­est place of the Citie, I would crye aloude. O ye Citizens what doe you: that you bestowe all your trauaile to heape toge­ther money, and haue no regarde or care of the children for whom you hoorde it vp, and to whom you will leaue it? That is one of y ^e vanities, y ^t which Salomon in his booke [Page] of Ecclesiastices did bewaile, whē he said: I was wearie of all my labour which I had taken vnder the sunne, Eccle. 2. e bicause I should bée faine to leaue them vnto an o­ther man, that commeth after mée, for who knoweth whether he shall bée a wise man or a foole? And yet shall hée be Lorde of all my laboures, which I with such wis­dome haue taken vnder the sunne. Is not this a vaine thing? For all the same which wée haue spoken off before we will not incitate or moue the fathers to shewe too great seueritie towardes their chil­dren: but to shewe vnto them howe diffi­cile and harde the nurture and gouerning of the children in their youth is. Accor­ding to that which the Philosopher Plato Plato in his 7. dialogue of his la [...]es. doth witnesse vnto vs, that the childe is a greate deale worse to bée entreated and gouerned then all other beastes: Foras­much as he hath not yet perfectly tasted the fountaine of wisdome, and euen as (saith hée) it happeneth vnto plantes: that is to say, that it is verie easie to prepare and dresse the grounde before that we doe plant: Lib. 3. vvritten The [...]gates. but when we doe sée and perceiue the budde or sciences begin for to growe, it is verie harde and diffcctle to perceiue [Page 182] and kéepe it vntill that it doth bring foorth fruite. Euen so is it of man: for the gene­ration is verie easie: but the bringing vp of him is full of great trauaile and weari­nesse. Also we wil not counsaile those which haue a certeine charge to instruct or teach the children, to conduct and guide them with force, feare, or with too greate bon­dage. For as the same author witnes­seth, plato li. 7. of his lawes euen as too much laboure and tra­uaile is noisome and hurtfull vnto the bo­die, chiefly when it is taken by feare and compulsion: euen so no manner disci­pline of the soule forced and compel­led, is profitable. Wherefore he conclu­deth that wée must nourish and bringe vp the children in learning, not as compel­led: but as a playe and pastime, to the ende that we may the easelier knowe the propertie of the spirites and mindes of the children. And to a verie good pur­pose hath the Poet Terence spoken, Terencius in Adel­phis. which saide, that it is better to kéepe the chil­dren by shame and liberalitie then by feare. That is the cause where­fore in the time of the Lacedemonians, the childe béeinge taken in any faulte [Page] was compelled to make certaine Towers ouer against the temple, and to pronounce and declare a prayer, the which was com­posed and written to his shame and disho­noure, which was none other thing but to blame himselfe of his owne mouth: gée­uing vs to vnderstand by the same edict & statute, that y ^e children who of themselues are cleane, Plutarch in his apotheg are ledde to honest thinges through shame and gentlenesse, and that it is the propertie of seruauntes, to be con­ducted and ledde by feare. Finally, this shall serue to the fathers, for to aduertise and warne them not to slacke so much the bridle to their children, that they doe not committe a thing which maye tourne to their shame and dishonour, as it chaunced vnto Hely, as it appeareth in the first booke of Samuel: who for that he had borne too much with his children in their faultes, 1. Reg. 1.2.3. was rebuked by the Prophet, & afterwards hee and his children cruelly punished. And the same which Sainct Paul speaketh off, is greatly to be noted, L. title pa­tria potestate cap. de pa [...]i q [...]i fit [...]ist. in the instruction and demonstracion of the LORD: from the difference of some panimes, who haue the power of life and of death towardes their children, & may sell them for certaine [Page 183] occasions. The which the christian lawe doth not permit and suffer: for the cor­rection and discipline of the fathers ought to be ruled after the worde of GOD: that is to say, in all gentlenesse and loue, for to proue whether God will giue them sometime repentaunce for to knowe the truth, and that they may amende for to do the will of him: 2. Timo 2. d béeing escaped from the snare of the Diuell, wherein they were holden, 1. Cor. 5. b that their spirites may bée saued in the day of the LORD Iesus. 2. Cor. 7. e To con­clude, that they may bée sorie with a godly sorowe which causeth amendement vnto saluation, not to bée repented off. Briefly, I desire that the father, in all his life time: yea, vnto the last breath of his daies: that hée woulde regarde asmuch as in him shalbe possible, to kéepe his children in the obedience and feare of the Lordes lawe: Gens 49. a the which the good patriarke Ia­cob doth teach vs: who not onely in his life time: but béeing nigh his death, exhor­ted his children to kéepe the lawe of the Lorde. And particulerly to declare and shewe vnto euery one of them their faults, the which wee doe reade of Moses, Deut. 33. a the conductour and leader of Gods people, and [Page] spirituall father of our soules: who before he died, blessed the twelue tribes of Israel, declaring vnto them wherein they haue varied and declined from the lawe of God. To be short, hée declared vnto them the great benefites of the same Lorde, for to assure them more and more in his pro­mises. I will recite the aduertisement that Dauid made vnto his sonne, 3, Re.g 2. [...] as followeth. My sonne, I must walke by the way of all the world, neuerthelesse, be thou strong, & quite thy selfe manfully. And sée that thou kepe y ^e appointment of y ^e Lord thy God, that thou walke in his waies, and kepe his com­maundements, ordinaunces, lawes, & testi­monies, euen as it is written in the law of Moses: that thou maist vnderstand all y ^e thou oughtest to do, & al that thou shouldest meddell with. Shal I sorget that good and holy man Tobiah, who besides that hée instructed his sonne in all his life time, in the feare of GOD: counsailed him in his death to flée from Niniue, and to flée and auoide the companie of the wicked: Tobia [...]. 14. also to kéepe the lawe and commaunde­ments of the Lorde, and to bee mercifull and righteous? Shall I speake of that vertuous woman the mother of the se­uen [Page 184] Machebeans, 2. Macha. 7. béeinge enuironed and compelled on euerye side, with tyrantes & hangmen, and neuerthelesse exhorted them with a manly and couragious heart, to lay all things to the commaundements of the Lord? I will ende this matter with Iesus Christ, head of y ^e church & chiefe shepheard of our soules: who before he yelded his soule vnto God his father: when he loued his which were in the worlde, vnto the ende hée loued them, Iohn. 13. a. admonished them al­so to kepe & obserue his commaundements, and to kéepe like humilitie as they haue séene in him. By these examples wée are taught that the Father ought to haue suche an eye vnto his children: yea, all his life time, that they may haue none oc­casion, if it bée possible, to varie or decline neither to the right hande, nor to the left hande, from the LORDS lawe. Zenephon li. pedi. I doe speake vnto those which in their life and at their death doe make accounte of nothing els vnto their children, but of their inheritaunces, possessions and dominions, and haue no regarde to de­clare and propounde vnto them the lawe of GOD, his loue, and his feare. Cirus king of the Persians, and verie riche, [Page] hath not done so: Cicero of his olde age. for he béeing nigh vnto his death, spake of none other thing vnto his sonne, then of the immortalitie of the soule, and of the resurrection of the blessed. Of his bodie, he cared or set so little by, that he desired his sonne not to regarde it any longer then he hath closed the eyes, and not to shut or laye it in Marble, Alibla­ster, or in any other precious sepulcher: but to yelde it vp incontinently to the earth, which doth bring foorth and nourish all goodly thinges, good and profitable. Wher­fore let vs not estéeme that the principall and chiefest duetie of the fathers towards their children, is to heape vp treasure for their children, or to giue them the meanes not to be poore: but rather to admonish them that they put not their hope & trust in the vncertaintie of riches, but to put it in the liuing God, who doth giue vnto vs all thinges abundantly for to vse them and enioye them, and that they doe good, and be rich in good workes, & readie to giue & di­stribute. Laying vp in store for themselues a good foundation against y ^e time to come, that they may obtaine eternal life, through the merite of our Lord Iesus Christ, vnto whom be glorie for euer and euer, So be it. [Page 184] A Praier which a christian father ought to make for his childe.