Howe the spirituall Prelates ought to vse thē selues towar­des the Comune People.

BEholde / I sende you forth as shepe amonge wolues. Math. 10. b

Go ye your waye ande teach all nations and bap­tyse them in the name of the father / and of the son­ne / ād of the holighoost. Math. 27. c And teache them [Page] to kepe all thinges / what soeuer I haue commaunded you.

Iohn. 15. b. Col. 1. a.Yea haue not chosen me / but I haue chosen you / and ordeined you / that ye go / and bringe forth frute.

Iohn 25. c. Act. 1 [...]. and 2. [...].And ye shall beare me witnes / not one­lie at Ierusalē / but also through oute the lande of Iury / and Samaria / and to the vttermust coastes of the earth.

Ioan. 20. c.Receyue the holyghoost. Whose syn­nes soeuer ye remit / they are remitted vn­to them ande whose synnes soeuer ye re­taine / they are retained.

Mat. 18. b. Math. 16. c.Verely I saye vnto you what soeuer ye shall binde vppon earth / shalbe bounde also in heauen / and what soeuer ye lowse vppon earth / shalbe lowsed also in heauē.

Act. 20. d.Take hede vnto your selues / and to all the flocke / amonge the whiche the holy­ghoost hath set you to be Bysshoppes / to fede the congregation of God / whiche he hath purchased with his owne bloude.

Ephes. 4. a.Iesus christ which came downe from heauen / ande is gone vp againe aboue all heauens to fulfyll all / hath set some to be Apostles / some to be Prophetes / some to 1. Cor. 12. c. [Page] be Euangelistes / some to be shepheardes and teachers / wherby the saintes might be coupled together / thorowe comē serui­ce to the edefying of the body of Christ. A Bisshoppe must be blamelesse. 1. Tim. 3. a. Leuit. 21. b. Ezec. 44. d. Tet. 3. b. The hus­band of one wife sober / discrete / manerlie / harberous / apte to teache / not geuē to mo­che wine / no fyghter / not geuen to fylthy lucre / but gentle abhorring stryfe / abhor­ring conuetuousnes / and one that ruleth his owne house honestlie / hauing obediēt children with all honestie. For yf he can not rule his owne house / howe shall he ca­re for the congregation of God?

The seruaunt of the lorde ought not to striue / but to be gentle vnto euerye mā / apte to teache / one that can forbeare the euell / one that can with mekenes enforme them that resyst / if God at any tyme wyll giue them repentaunce for to knowe the trueth / and to turne againe from the sna­re of the deuell / which are holden in pry­son of hym / at his wyll. 2. Tim. 2. c. Gal. 6. a

Preach the woorde / be feruent be yt in 2. Tim. 4. a season or oute of seasō / Improue / rebuke / exhorte wyth all longe sufferynge ād doc­trine. [Page] For the tyme wyll come / whan they shall not suffere wholsome doctrine / but after theyr owne lustes shall they (whose eares ytche) get thē an heape of teachers / and shall turne theyr eares from the tru­eth / and shalbe geuen vnto fables. But watch thou in all thinges / suffer aduersy­tie / do the worke of a preacher of the Gos­pell / fullfyll thyne offyce vnto the vtter­must.

Pro. 27. c. Ioh. 10. aSee that thou knowe the nombre of thy cattell / and loke well to thy flokes.

Tito. 1. .bA Bysshoppe must cleaue faste vnto the true woorde of doctrine / that he maye be able to exhorte with wholsome learning / and to improue them that saye against it.

1. Pet. 5. c. Act. 5. c. Act. 20. d.The Elders which are among you I exhorte / whiche am also an Elder / ande a witnes of the affliction in Christe / ande partaker of the glory that shalbe opened. Fede Christes flocke which is amōg you / ande take the ouersyght of them / not as though ye were cōpelled therto / but wil­linglie / not for the desyre of fylthy sucre / but of a good minde / not as though ye were lordes ouer the parysshens / but that ye Tit. 2. a. [Page] be an ensample to the flocke.

Who soeuer wilbe great amonge you / let hym be your minister / and who soeuer wilbe chefe let hi be your seruaunt. Mat. 20. a. Euen like as the sonne of man came / not to be serued but to do seruice / and to gyue hys life to a redemption for many. Mat. 10. a.

Go and preache the Gospell / sayinge. The kingdom of heauē is at hande. Hea­le the sycke / clense the lepers raise the dea­de / cast out the deuelles. Frelie ye haue receiued / frely giue againe.

Who is nowe a faithfull seruaūt / who­me his Lorde hath made ruler ouer his housholde / that he maye geue them meate in due season? Mat. 24. a. Mat. 25. b. Blessed is that seruaunt / whome his lorde (whā he commeth) shall fynde so doinge / verelye I saye vnto you / he shall sect him ouer all his goodes. Apoc. 16. c. But and if the euell seruaunt shall saye in hys harte Tush it wilbe longe or my lord co­me / ād beginne to smite his fellowes / yea / and to eate and drinke with the dronkē / the same seruaūtes lord shal come in a da­ye / whan he looketh not for him / ād in an houre that he is not ware of / ād shall hea­we [Page] him in peces / and giue him his rewar­de with ypocrites / where shalbe waiting and gnasshing of tethe.

Ezech. 33. bI haue made the a watchman vnto the house of Israell / that where as thou hea­dest any thinge oute of my mouthe / thou maist warne them on my behalfe.

ij. Para. xixSee that ye do thus in the feare of the lorde / and faithfully in a parfet harte / In all causes that come vnto you from your bretheren (whiche dwell in their Cities) betwene bloude and bloude / betwene la­we and commaundemēt / betwene statu­tes and ordenaunces ye shall enforme thē that they synne not against the lorde / and so the wrath to come vppō you and youre bretheren.

Luk. 10.Possesse neyther golde nor siluer. For the labourer is worthy of his rewarde. Go not from house to house. And into what soeuer citie you entre / and they receaue you eate soche thinges as are set be­fore you.

Howe the Comen People ough [...] to [...]se and behaue them selues to­wardes the spyrituall Prelates.

Let euery man this wyse esteme vs / e­uen for the ministers of Christe / and ste­wardes of the secretes of God. 1. Cor. 4. a 2 Cor. 6 a Deu. x ix Iere. xx [...] c Nowe is there no more required of the stewardes, then that they be founde faithfull.

Humble thy soule vnto the elder / and bowe downe thy heade to a man of wor­shyppe. [...]. iiij. a

Eccli. 7. d. Deut. 12. c. Num 1 [...]. d. and c.Feare the lorde with all thy soule / and honoure his ministers / loue thy maker with all thy strength / and forsake not his seruauntes. Feare the lorde with all thy soule / and honoure his priestes.

2. Tim. 5. c.The Elders that rule well / are wor­thy of double honoure / moost specyally they which labour in the worde ād in tea­chinge. Deut. 25. a. 2. Cor. 9. b. Mat. 10. a. For the scripture sayeth. Thou shalt not mosell the mouth of the oxe that treadeth oute the corne. And the labourer is worthy of his rewarde.

1. Thes. 5. b Gal. 5. a. 2. Tim. 5. bWe beseke you brethrē / that ye knowe them whiche laboure amōge you / and ha­ue the ouersyght of you in the lorde / ande geue you exhortacion / that ye haue them the more in loue / for theyr woordes sake / and be at peace with them.

Hebr. 13. a.Remembre them which haue the ouer­syght of you / whiche haue declared vnto you the worde of God. The ende of who­se conuersacion / see that ye loke vppon / ād followe their faith. Obey them / and sub­mit your selues vnto thē / for they watch for your soules / euen as they that must giue accountes therfore.

Who goeth a warrefare at any time / vppon his owne wages? 2. Cor. 9. Who planteth a vinyarde / and eateth not of the frute ther­of? Who fedeth a flocke / and eateth not of the milk of the flock? Rom. 15. d. Gal. [...]. a. If we haue sowē vnto you spiritual thīges / is it a great thīg if we reape your bodelie thynges? But if o­ther be partakers of this power on you / wherfore are not we rather? Knowe ye not that they which labour in the temple / haue theyr liuing of the temple? And they that waite at the aulter / enioie the aulter? Euen thus also hath the lorde ordeined / that they which preach the Gospell / shuld liue of the Gospell. Mat. 10. a.

Ezechias commaūded the people that dwelt at Ierusalem / that they shulde giue porcions of theyr goodes vnto the pries­tes / that they might the more stedfastlye endure in the lawe of the lorde. 2. P [...]. 3 [...]. [...].

If a matter be to harde for the in iud­gement / betwene bloude ande bloude / betwene plee ande plee / betwene stroke and stroke. Deut. 17. Thou shalt ryse / and go to the priestes / the leuites / and to the Iudge which shalbe at that time / and shalt axe of [Page] them / and they sha [...]l shewe the howe to iudge / and thou shalte doo therafter / as they saye vnto the. And if any man deale presumptuouslie / so that he harkeneth not vnto the priest (which standeth to do ser­uice vnto the lord thy god) or to the Iud­ge / the same shall die.

Howe the Wordlie and supe­riour powers / as Emperour / Kinges / Princes / Iudges and Rulers ought to liue with theyr subiectes.

Heare (Oye Kinges) and vnderstand. Sapi. vj. [...] O learne ye that be Iudges of the endes of the earth / giue care / ye that rule the multitudes / and delite in moche people. Rom. xiij. [...] For the power is geuen you of the lorde / and the strength from the highest / which shall trye your workes / ande search oute your Imaginacions / howe that ye / being offy­cers of his kingdome / haue not executed true iudgement / haue not kepte the lawe of ryghtuousnes / nor walked after the wyll of God.

A Kynge shall not haue many horses / neither shall he haue many wiues / neither shall he gather him siluer ande Golde to moche. Deut. xvij. He shall not lift vp his harte abo­ue his bretheren / and shall not turne a sy­de from the commaundementes of God / neither to the right hand nor to the lifte hande.

Mercy and faithfulnes preserue the Kinge / ande with louinge kindenes his seate is holden vp. Pro. xx. [...]

The seate of the kinge that faithfullye iudgeth the poore / shall continue sure for euermore. Pro. xxix. [...]

Like as a roaringe lion and an hungrie beare / euen so is an vngodlie prince ouer the poore people. Where the prince is without vnderstanding / ther is great op­pressyon and wronge. But if he be soche o­ne as hateth couuetuousnes / he shall lon­ge raigne.

M [...]c [...]e. 2. a. Deut. 17. d. Ierem. 5. a. Psal. 132. a.Heare o ye heades of the house of Ia­cob / ād ye leaders of the house of Israell. Shulde not ye knowe what were laufull and right? But ye hate the good / ande lo­ue the euell / ye plucke of mens skinnes / ād the flesh from their bones. Iere. 22. a. and 21. d. Zachar 7. b and 8. c. Kepe equitie and rightuousnes / deliuer the oppressed frō the power of the violent / do not greue nor oppresse the straunger / the fatherlesse nor the widdowe / and sheade no innocent bloude in this place.

Psal. 2. a. Ezay. 37. c.Be wise nowe therfore (O ye Kinges) be warned ye that are iudges of the earth. Serue the lord with feare / ande reioyce before hym with reuerence. Kisse the son­ne least the lorde be angrie / ād so ye perish from the ryght waye.

Sapiēt 1. a 3. Reg. 3. a.O set your affection vppon wysdome / ye that be Iudges of the earth.

Make no labour to be made a Iudge / excepte it so were that thou couldest mightelie put downe wickednesse. Eccle. v [...]. a Iob. ix. a [...]d c Luk. xix b

Take hede ye Iudges what ye doo / for ye execute not the iudgement of man / but of the lorde. ij. Par. xix. And he is with you in iudge­ment. Therfore let the feare of the lord be with you / ād beware / ād do it for with the lorde oure God there is no vnrightuous­nes nor respect of parsones / nor accepting of giftes.

In iudgement be mercyfull vnto the fatherles as a father / ande be in steade of an husband vnto their mother. Eccle. iiij. b

With true Iudgemēt the King setteth vp the lande / but if he be a mā that taketh giftes / he turneth it vpsid downe. Pro. xxix. a

Be no accepter of parsones / neither be desyrous of giftes for they make wyse mē blinde / ande chaunge the wordes of the rightuous. Deut. xvij.

He that hath respect of pariones in iudgement doth not well / and why? Pro. xxviij. He wyll do wronge / yea euen for a pece of bread.

A wise iudge wil ordre his people with discretion / and where a man of vnderstā ­ding [Page] beareth rule / there goeth it well. As the iudge of the people is him selfe / euen so are his offycers / and loke what maner of man the ruler of the citie is / soche are they that dwell therin. Pro. xxix. b

Pro. xvij. d Apoc. xxiij aThe vngodlie taketh giftes oute of the bosome to wraste the waies of iudgemēt.

Exod. xxiij.Thou shalt not wrast the right of thy poore in his cause. Kepe thy farre frō fal­se matters. Susan. viij Deut. xvij. The innocent and rightuous shalte thou not slea. Thou shalt take no giftes / for giftes blinde euen them that a­re sharpe of sighte / ande wrast the rygh­tuous causes. Eecl. xx. d

Leu. xxiiij. Ezay. v. e Prou iij. a Deut. xvij. Ezec. xiiij.Cursed is he that wrasteth the right of the widdowe. Wo vnto them that are cō ­ning men to suppe oute wine and experte to set vp dronkennes. These gyue sentē ­ce with the vngodly for rewardes / but cō ­dempne the iuste cause of the rightuous.

Ezay. x. a Luk. xij. f Mat. xxiiij.Wo be vnto you (o ye Iudges) that make vnrightuous lawes / ande deuyse thynges whiche be to harde for to kepe / wher thorow the poore are oppressed on euery syde / and the innocentes of my peo­ple / are therwith robbed of iudgemēt / that [Page] widdowes maye be youre praye / and that ye maye robbe the fatherles. Esa. xxviij

If thou be made a ruler / pride not thy selfs therin / but be thou as one of the peo­ple. Eccl. 32. a Deut. xvij.

Let him that ruleth be diligent. [...]o [...]na. xij. b

Howe subiectes shall behaue thēselues towardes theyr superiours and tempo­rall Rulers.

Exod xxij. Act. xxiij. aThe rulers of the People shalt thou not blaspheme.

Pro. xxiiij. and xx. aFeare the lorde and the kinge / and kepe no companie with the slaunderous / for their destruction shall come sodenlye.

i. Timo. ij.Praye for kynges and Rulers.

Tito. iij. a Rom. iv. a i. Petr. ij. aWarne the people that they submite thē selues vnto Princes / ande to the higher auctoritie and to obeye the offycers.

i. Petr. ij. aSubmitte your selues vnto all maner ordenaunce of men for the Lordes sake / whether it be vnto the kinge / as vnto the chefe heade / or vnto Rulers / as vnto thē that are sent of him for the punishment of euell doers / but for the praise of them that do well. Tito. iij. a

Rom. xiij. aLet euery soule submitte hym selfe to the auctorite of the hygher powers. For there is no power but of God. Sap vi. a i. Petr. a. b The po­wers that be / are ordeined of God / so that who soeuer resysteth the power / resysteth the ord [...]naunce of God. And they that re­syste shall receyue to them selues dampnation. For rulers are not to be feared for good woorkes but for euell.

Rom. xiij.And the ruler beareth not the swearde [Page] for nought. For he is the minister of God a taker of vengeaunce / to punish him that doth euell / Wherefore ye must nedes obe­ye / not onely for punyshment but also be­cause of cōscience. For this cause must ye giue tribute also. For they are Gods my­nisters / which maintaine the same defen­ce. Rom. xiij. b Mat. [...]vij. [...] Giue to euery man therfore his due­tie / tribute / to whome trybute belongeth / custome to whome custome is due / feare / to whome feare belongeth / honoure / to whome honoure pertaineth.

Geue vnto the Emperour / that which is the Emperours. Mat xxij. c Mat. [...]vij. d Rom. xiij. d And giue vnto God / that whych is Gods.

Howe parentes / as father and mother / ought to rule and brynge vp theyr Chil­dren in the feare of the lorde.

Eccl. vij. c and c. aIf thou haue sonnes / bringe them vp in nurtoure and learning / and holde thē in awe from theyr youth vp. If thou ha­ue doughters / kepe theyr body / and shewe not thy face cherefull towarde them.

Marie thy doughter / ande so shalte thou perfourme a weightie mater / but giue her to a man of vnderstandinge.

Eccl. 30.Who so loueth hys childe / holdeth him styll vnder correction / that he maye haue [Page] Ioye of him afterward. Prou. 23. e and 23. Deu. vj. e. He that teacheth his sōne / shal haue ioy of hī / ād nedeth not to be ashamed among his acquaintaunce. Who so enformeth ād teacheth his sonne / greueth the ennemy / ād before frendes he maye haue ioye of him. If thou dye yet arte thou as though thou were not dead / for thou hast left one behinde the / that is lyke vnto the. An vntamed horse wylbe harde / and a wanton childe wilbe wilfull. If thou bring vp thy chylde dylycatelye / he shall make the afrayd / and if thou pla­ye with hym / he shall bringe the to he auy­nes. Laugh not with him / least thou we­pe with him also / and least thy teeth be set on edge at the last.

If thy doughter be wanton / kepe her strayghtlye / least she cause thine enne­myes laughe the to scorne / and the whole citie to giue the an euel reporte / ād so thou be faine to heare thy shame of euery man. Eccl. 4 [...]. Eccl. 26. b

Thou shalt not holde thy doughter to whoredome / that the lāde fal not to who­redom / ād waxeful of wickednesse. Leuit. 29. If thy [Page] doughter be not shamefaste / holde hee strayghtly / least she abuse her self thoro­we ouermoch lyberté. Beware of all the dyshonestie of hereyes.

Deut. xxiij Num. xxv. Deu xxij. c Mich. 1. b Eccle. xxij.There shalbe no whoore amonge the doughters of Israell / neither whoreke­per amonge the doughters of Israell.

A misnurtered sonne is the dishonour of the father. A folish doughter shalbe li­tle regarded. And she that commeth to dis­honeste bringeth her father in heauynes. A doughter that is paste shame / dysho­noureth both her father and her husbād.

Collos. iij. cYe fathers / rate not your children / least they be of a desperate minde.

Prou. xiij. c Psal. x [...]iij. Hebr. xij. b Psal. xxxiii. Ephe. vi. aHe that spareth the rodde / hateth hys sonne / but who so loueth him / holdeth hī euer in nurtoure.

Ye fathers / prouoke not your children vnto wrath / but bring them vp in the nurtoure and information of the lorde.

Prou xxiij. and xiij. c Eccl. xxx. aWitholde not correction from the chil­de for if thou beatest hym with the rodde / he shall not dye therof. Thou smitest him with the rodde / but thou delyuerest his soule from helle.

Let the elder men be sober honest / dys­crete / sounde in the fayth in loue / in pa­cience. Tito. ij. 2

Let the olde womē shewe them selues as it becommeth holynes / that they be no false accusers / not geuen to moche wyne / that they teache honest thinges / that they enforme the yong women to be sobermin­ded / to loue theyr husbandes / to loue their chyldren / to be discrete / chaste / hus­wiflye / good / obedient vnto theyr husbandes that the worde of God be not euell spoken of. Genes. iij. [...] Let the yongmen lykewyse be sober.

Howe youth shall obey their elders / honouring them in the feare of the lorde.

ephes. vj. a Collos. iij. exod. 20. bYe childrē obeye your elders in the lor­de / for that is right. Honoure thy father / and thy mother / that is the fyrst cōmaun­dement that hath any promys / that thou maist prosper ād lyue longe vppon earth.

Tito. jj. aLett the yongemen be sobermynded.

i Petr. ij.Ye yonger submitte your selues vnto the Elder.

eccl. vij. c and iij. aHonoure thy father from thy whole harte / ande forgett not the sorrowfull [Page] trauayle that thy mother had with the. Remēbre that thou wast borne thorowe them / ande howe canst thou recompense thē the thīges that they haue done for the? Tobi. iii e

Holde thy mother in honoure all the dayes of thy lyfe. Tobi. iiii a For thou oughtest to remembre / what ande howe great parelles she suffred for the in hyr wombe.

My sonne / care ande bewyse / so shall thyne harte prosper in the waye. Prouer. 23 Let not thyne harte be gelous to followe synners but kepe the styll in the feare of the Lorde all the daye lōge. Prouer. 22 Kepe no company with wine bibers and riottous eaters of flesh / for soch as be drōkards ād riotours shall come to pouerte / ande he that is geuē to moch slepe / shall go with a ragged coate.

Geue eare vnto thy father that begatte the / and despise not thy mother whan she is olde.

The lorde will haue the father honou­red of the children / ād loke what a mother cōmaundeth her childrē to do / he wil haue it kept. Eeccel. iiii Exod. 20 [...] Deut. v [...] Who so honoureth his father his synnes shalbe forgeuen him ād he that honoureth his mother / gathereth treasure [Page] to gether. Who so honoureth hys father shall haue ioye of his owne children / and whan he maketh hys prayer he shalbe hearde.

He that feareth the lorde / honoureth his father and mother / and doth them seruice / as it were vnto the lorde hym selfe. Honoure thy father in dede / in worde ād in all pacyence / that thou mayste haue his blessyng / for the blessyng of the father / buildeth vp the houses of the childrē / but the mothers curse / rooteh oute the foun­dacions. Genes. xxvi [...]n [...] ii [...]. deut. xx [...] iij

My sonne / make moche of thy father in his age / and greue him not as longe as he lyueth. And if his vnderstanding faite / haue pacience with him / and despise him not in thy strength. He that forsaketh his father / shall come to shame / ande he that defieth his mother as cursed of God.

Pro. xix. dHe that hurteth father / or shutteth ou­te his mother / is a shamefull ande an vn­worthy sonne.

Leuit. xix.Thou shalt rise vp before a graye head / and shalt geue reuerence vnto the aged.

Howe the Master ād mastres ought to vse thē selues towar­des theyr / seruauntes.

He that delycately bringeth vp his ser­uaunt from a chylde shall make hym hys master at length. Prou. xxix.

Whereas thy seruaunt worketh tru­ly / intreate hym not euell / nor the hyre­synge that is faithfull vnto the. Eccl. vij. c Loue a dyscrete seruaunt as thine owne soule.

The fodder / the whippe ande the bur­den belongeth vnto the asse / meate correc­tion and worke / vnto the seruauntte.

If thou lett thy seruaunt labour / thou shalt find rest / but if thou let him go Idel / he shall seke lyberte.

The yoke ād the whippe bowe downe the necke / but tame thou the euel seruaūt with bandes and correction.

Set hym to worke / for that belōgeth vn­to him and becommeth hym well.

If he be not obedient / bind his fete / but do not to moch vnto hym in any wyse / ād without discretion do nothing.

If thou haue a faithfull seruaunt / let hym be vnto the as thine owne soule / for in bloude hast thou gotten hym / if thou entreatest him euel / and kepest him harde / he will ronne awaye from the.

Col. iij. cYe masters / do vnto your seruauntes that whyche is iust ande equall / ande knowe that ye also haue a master in hea­uen.

thes. 6. a. eccle. 33. d Collo. ij. cYe masters / put awaye your threate­ninges / and knowe that theyr GOD / is your God also / neyther is there any res­pect [Page] of parsones with hym.

Be not as a lion in thyne owne house / destroying thy housholde folkes / and op­pressynge them that are vnder the.

Who so euer worketh any thynge for the / Immediatly gyue him his hyre / and loke that thy hyred seruauntes wagis re­mayne not by the ouer night. Tobi. iiij. c Deut. 24. c

The workemans labour shall not by­de with the / vnto the mornyng. Leuit. 19. c Tobi. iiij. a

He that defraudeth the labourer of his hyre / is a bloudesheader. eccl. 33. d Deut. 24. c eccl. vij. c

Howe seruauntes ought to be haue themselues in the ser­ui [...] [...] or lordes. Dames or mastresses.

Timo. vi.Let as many seruauntes as are vnder the yoke / counte theyr masters worthy of all honoure / that the name of God and his doctrine be not euell spoken of.

[...]bide [...].Se that they which haue beleuing ma­sters / despose them not / for they are bre­thren / but rather do them seruice / for so­moche as they are beleuing / and beloued / and partakers of the benefyte.

Ye seruauntes / be obedient vnto your [Page] bodely masters in all thinges / not with eye seruice as men pleasers / but in syngle­nes of hart fearinge God. Col. iij. e Ephes vj. a Tit. ij. b i. Petr. ii. c Whatsoeuer ye do / do it hartely / euen as vnto the lord / and not vnto mē. And be sure / that of the lord ye shall receiue the rewarde of the en­heritaunce / for ye serue the lord Christ.

Ye seruauntes be obedient vnto your masters / ād please them in all thinges / not answering them againe / neyther be ye pi­kers / but shewe all good faithfulnes / that in all thinges ye maye do worshippe vnto the doctrine of God oure Sauioure. Tit. ij a Ephes. [...]j. a Col. iij. a

Ye seruauntes / obeye your masters with all feare / not onely if they be good ād curteous / but also / though they be frowarde. For that is grace / if a man for conscy­ence towarde God endure grefe / and suf­fre wronge. For what praise is it / if whan ye be buffeted for your fautes / ye take yt paciently? But if whan ye do well ye suf­fre wronge / and take it paciently / that is grace wyth God.

The duety of maryed menne towarde their wyues. [Page] The duety of maried menne towardes theyr wyues.

Eccl. vij. cDeparte not from a discrete and good womā / that is fallen vnto the for thy por­cion in the feare of the lorde. The gifte of her honeste is aboue golde.

If thou haue a wife after thyne owne minde / forsake her not / but committe not thy selfe to the hatefull.

Eccl. ix. bVse thy selfe to liue ioyfully with thy [Page] wyfe whome thou loue it / all the dayes of thy life (which is but vaine) that god hath geuē the vnder the sonne / all the dayes of thy vanitie / for that is thy porcion in this lyfe / of all thy laboure ande trauaile that thou takest vnder the Sonne. Mark. vj. b Prou. v. c

Ye husbandes / loue your wiues / euen as christ loued the congregaciō / and gaue him selfe for it / to sanctifie it / ād clensed it in the founteine of water by the worde / to make it vnto him selfe a glorious congre­gation / hauing no spotte nor wrinkle / nor any soch thing / but that it shuld be holy ād without blame. Ephe. v. c Gal. 2. c Tet. 3. a. i. Petr. iij. c So ought mē also to lo­ue their wiues / euē as their owne bodies. He that loueth his wife / loueth him selfe.

Who so euer putteth awaye his wyfe (except it be for fornicatiō) causeth her to breake matrimonie. Math. v. a And who so euer marieth her that is deuorsed / breaketh wed­locke. i. Pe. v. iij. i. Tess. iiij. Ye men / dwell with your wiues accordinge vnto knowleadge / geuing ho­noure vnto the wife / as vnto the weaker vessell / and as vnto them that are heyres with you of the grace of lyfe / that youre prayers be not let.

Num. xxx. Deu. xxiij.If any man make a vowe vnto the lor­de / or sweare an othe / so that he bynde his soule / he shall not breake his woorde / but do all that is proceded out of his mouth.

The duetye of marryed wo­mē towardes theyr husbādes.

Ephes. d. c Col. iij. c i. Petr. iij. aLet the women submytte them selues vnto theyr husbandes / as vnto the lorde. For the husbād is the wiues head / euē as [Page] Christ also is the head of the congregatiō and he is the sauiour of his body. Cor. xj. a Ther­fore as the congregatyon is in subiection of Chryst / lykewyse let the wyues be in subiection to theyr husbandes in all thyn­ges.

Ye women / be subiect vnto your hus­bandes / that euen they whiche beleue not the woorde / maye without the woorde be wonne by your conuersatyon / whan they beholde your conuersation in feare. i. Petr. iij. a 1. Cor. xj. a Ephes. v. c Col. iij. c. 2. Tim. 2. b

Whose apparell / shall not be outwarde wyth broyded heare / and hanginge on of gold / or in putting on of gorgious araye / but lett the inwarde man of the harte be incorrupt wyth a meke ande a quiet spy­rite which before GOD is moche set by. For after this maner in the olde time / dyd the holy women whyche trusted in God / tyer them selues / and were obedient vnto theyr husbandes / euen as Sara obeyed Abraham and called hym Lorde. Gene. xviij.

Let the women aray them selues in comely 1. Tim. 2. apparel with shamefastnes ād discrete behaueour / not wyth broyded heare / or gold / or pearles or costly araye / but with [Page] soche as it becommeth women that pro­fesse godlinesse thorowe good workes.

1. Cor. xiiij. ephes. v. cLet the woman learne in scilence with all subiectiō. Suffer not a woman to teache nor to haue auctoritie ouer the man / but for to be in scilence. For Adam was first formed / ande then Eue / Adam also was nor deceaued / but the woman was decea­ued / ande hathe brought in the transgres­sion. Henes. iij. c Notwithstanding thorowe bearing of children she shalbe saued / if she cōtinue in faith / and in loue / ād in the sanctifying with discretion.

Let your wiues kepe scilence in the cō ­gregation / for it shal not be permitted vn­to them to speake / but to be vnder obediē ­ce / as the lawe saith. But if they will lear­ne any thinge / let them axe their husban­des at home. For it becōmeth not women to speake in the congregation.

A man shalbe lord ād ruler in his hou­se / ād the woman shalbe subiect to her hus­bande.

Num. xxx.If a maried woman make a vowe / ād if she haue letten go out of her lippes a bō de ouer her soule / and her husbande heare [Page] it / and holdeth his peace therat / the same daye that he heareth it / then her vowe and bonde wherwith she hath bounde her sel­fe ouer her soule / shall stande in effect.

But if her husbande forbidde her the same daie that he heareth it / thē is the vowe lowse that she hath vppon her / and the bande also that she hath letten go oute of her lip­pes ouer her soule.

Of the state of matrymony in generall.

Mat. xix. a Genes. ij. dIn the beginninge God created man and woman / for this cause shall a man leaue father ande mother / ande cleaue to hys wife. And they two shalbe one flesh / now are they not tweyne but one flesh. Let no man therfore putt a sonder whyche God hath coupled together.

i. Cor. vij.To avoide whoredome / let every man have his owne wife / and let every womā have her owne husband / let the man geue vnto the wyfe due benevolence / lykewyse also the wife vnto the mā. The wife hath not power ouer her owne bodye / but the husbande / and lykewise the man hath not power ouer hys owne body but the wife.

Tob. vj. d and vij. a Ioel. ij. [...]Wythdrawe not your selues one from an other / excepte it be with the consent of bothe / for a tyme / that ye maye geue your selues vnto fastinge and prayer / and then come to gether againe / least sathan temp­te you for your incontinencie.

Hebr. xiij. aLet wedlocke be had in price in all poī tes / ande leet the chamber be vndefyled. For whorekepers and aduouterers God wyll iudge.

The Lorde fauoureth man ande wife [Page] that agre well together. Eccl. xx [...]. and xi. d Eccl. xx [...]. [...]

Happie is the man that hath a vertu­ous wyfe / for the nombre of his yeares shalbe double.

A woman shall not separate her selfe from her husbande / but if she separate her selfe / that she remayne vnmaried / or be re­consyled to her husbande. i Cor. 7. d

A woman that is in subiection to the man / is bounde vnto the lawe whise the man lyueth / but if the man die / then is she lowsed from the lawe that cōcerneth the man. Rom. dij. [...] Math. v. d If she be with an other man / while her mā liueth / she shalbe called a wedlo­kbreaker. But if the man be dead / then is she free frō the lawe / so that she is no wed­locke breaker / if she be with an other mā.

Of the state of Vyrgyns.

i. Cor. vij. aI saye to them that are vnmaried / and to widdowes (saieth S. Paule) It is good for them that they abyd [...] also as I do. i. Tim. v. b But if they can not abstaine / let them mary / for it is beter to mary / thē to burne.

i. Cor vij. cAs concerning virgins / I haue no cō ­maundement of the lorde / neuertheles I saye my good meaninge / as I haue obtei­ned mercy of the lord to be faithfull. I suppose it is good for the present necessite / for it is good for a mā so to be. Arte thou boū de vnto a wyfe seke not to be lowsed. Ar­te [Page] thou lowsed frō a wife / seke not a wife.

If a damsel make a vowe vnto the lord / while she is in her fathers house / and vn­maried / ād her vowe or bāde that she ma­keth ouer her soule / cōmeth to her fathers eares / ande he holde his peace therto / then all her vowes ande bandes that she hath bounde hir selfe with all ouer her soule / shall stande in effect. Num [...]. x [...]

Of the state of Wyddowes.

2. [...]imo. 5. [...]. ij. [...]. Cor. j.She that is a ryght widdowe / and de­solate / putteth her trust in God / and con­tinueth in prayer and supplication night and daie. But she that liueth in pleasures / is dead / euen yet alyue. Gala. v [...]. b A wyddowe must be without blame. But if ther be any that prouideth not for his owne / and speciallie for them of his houshold / the same hath denyed the faith / ande is worse then an in­fydell. i. Petr. ij.

i. Tim. v. bLet no widdowe be chosen vnder thre score yere olde / ande soche one as was the wyfe of one man / and well reported of in good workes / if she haue brought vp chil­dren well / if she haue bene harbarrowes / if she haue wasshed the saintes fete / if she haue ministred vnto them which were in aduersyte / if she were continually geuen to all maner of good workes. i. Petr. iiij.

But the yōger wyddowes refuse. For whan they haue begonne to waxe wan­tonne against Christ / they wyll mary / ha­uinge their dampnation / because they ha­ue broken the fyrst faith. Besydes this they are ydell / and learne to ronne aboute from house to house. Not onely are they [Page] ydell / but also tryflynge and busybodyes / speakinge thinges which are not comly.

The vowe of a widdowe / ande of her that is deuorced / all that she bindeth her selfe withall ouer her soule / shall stande in effecte vppon her. Num. [...].

Exhortacion to the Ryche of this worlde.

If riches encrease / sett not your harte vppon them. Psal. lxj. b

Eccl. xiiij. aIt becommeth not a couetous man ād a nigarde / to be riche / ande what shulde a niggarde do with golde? he that with all his carefulnes heapeth to gether vnrightuously / gathereth for other folkes / ād an other man shall make good chere with his goodes. He that is wicked vnto him selfe howe shulde he be good vnto other men? Howe can seche one haue any pleasure of his goodes? There is nothing worse / thē when one disfauoureth him selfe and this is a rewarde of his wickednes. If he do any good / he doth it not knowing therof / and against his wyll / and at the last / he de­clareth his vngraciousnes. Prouer. 17 Eeccl. iij a A nigard hath a wicked eye / he turneth a waye his face / and despiseth his owne soule. A couetous mans eye hath neuer ynough in the por­cion of wickednes / vntill the tyme that he wyther away / ād haue lost his own soule.

eccl. xiiij. b eccle. iiii a Tobi. iiii. b Luk. 16. bA wicked eye spareth bread / and ther is scarcenes vppon his table. My sonne do good to thy selfe of that thou hast / ande geue the lord his due offerīges. Do good vnto thy frende before thou dye / ād accor­ding to thy abilite reache oute thyne han­de [Page] / and geue vnto the poore.

A rich man ought to submitte him self / and not to reioyse in his goodes. Iob. i. [...]

Charge them whiche are riche in this worlde / that they be not proude / nor trus­te in the vncerteine riches / but in the liuīg God (which geueth vs abundauntly all thinges to enioye thē) That they do good that they be riche in good workes / that they giue and distribute with a good will / gatheringe vp treasure for them selues / a good foundaciō / against the time to come / that they may laye hande on eternall lyfe. i Timo. v [...]. Math. 6. c

Gyue almes of thy goodes / and turne neuer thy face frō the poore for almes de­liuereth frō death / ād suffreth not the sou­le to come in darkenes. Tobi. iiii b A great cōforte is almes before the hye God / vnto all them that do it. Genes. iij Let neuer pride haue rule in thy minde nor in thy worde for in pride begā ne all destrucciō. Eccll. iij. Happie is the riche that is foūde without faute / ād he that turneth not frō the right waye for golde / neither putteth his trust in money or treasure.

Go to nowe ye ryche menne / wepe / ād howle on your wredchednes that shall come vppō you. 1. Timo. 6. Your riches are corrupt / [Page] your garmentes are moath eaten. Your golde and your siluer are cancred / and the rust of them shalbe a witnes against you: and shall eate your flesh as it were fyre / ye haue heaped treasure to gether in your last dayes. Leu. ix. c Deut. 24. c Toby. iiij. c Beholde the hyer of the labou­rers whiche haue reped your owne feldes (which hyer is of you kept backe by frau­de) crieth / ād the cries of them which ha­ue reaped / are entred into the eares of the lorde Sobaoth. Luke xv. c Ye haue lyued in pleasu­re on the aerth and in wantonnes / ye ha­ue condempned and haue killed the iuste / and he hath not resysted you.

[...]ccle. x. bThere is nothing worse them a coue­tuous man. What pridest thou the / O thou asshes? There is not a more wicked thing then to loue moneye. And why? so­che one hath his soule to selle / yet is he but a fylthy dounge while he liueth.

Although the Phisitian shewe his hel­pe neuer so longe / yet in cōclusion it goeth after this manner / to daye a king / to mor­rowe dead. For whan a man dieth he is the heyre of beastes / serpentes ande wor­mes.

Wo be vnto the proude welthy in Siō / to soche as thinke thē selues so sure vppō the mount of Samaria. Amos vi [...] Luke vi c Which hold / thē selues for the best of the world / ād rule thē house of Israell euen as they lift / beholde / is the border of the land of the philistines wider then yours? Ye are taken oute for the euell daye euen that sitte in the stole of wilfulnes / ye that ligh vppon beddes of yuorie / and vse your wantonnes vppon your couches / ye that eate the best lambes of the flocke / and the fattest calues of the droaue / ye that synge to the lute / ād in playinge of instrumentes compare your sel­ues vnto Dauid / ye that drinke wine out of gobblettes / ande anointe your selues with the best oyle / but no man is sory for Ioseps hurte. Iob. xxi. b E [...]ay v. b i. Reg. xvj. d

Who so trusteth in his riches / shal perish. Prouer. xj. Psal. xl. a

Blessed is he that considereth the po­re for the lorde shall deliuer him in the ty­me of trouble.

See that ye gather you not treasure vppon earth / where rust and mothes cor­rupte / and where theues breake through and steale. Math. vj c Luke xij. d Eccl. 39. b But gather you treasure toge­ther [Page] in heauen / where nether rust nor mothes corrupt / ande where theues nether breake vp nor yet steale. Pro. xxiij a Luke xij. c For where you­re treasure is / there is your harte also / ye can not serue God and Mammon.

Luke xv. aMake you frendes with the vnrigh­tuous Mammon / that whan ye shall ha­ue nede / they maye receaue you into the e­euerlasting tabernacles.

i. Tim. vi. b Prou. 23. aAll they that wilbe riche / fall into tem­tacion and snare / and into many folysh ād noysome lustes / whiche drowne men in destruccion and dampnation. For coue­tuosnes is the roote of all euell / which whyle some lusted after / they er­red from the fayth / and tan­gled them selues wyth many sorrowes.

Exhortacyon to the poore­sycke and impotent Parsones.

Blessed are the poore in spirite / for theirs is the kingdome of heauen. Math. [...]5. a Luke vj. c

All the dayes of the poore are misera­ble / but a quiet harte is as a continuall fe­ast. Prouer. 15 Psal. xxxvj Better is a litle with the feare of the lorde / then great treasure.

Better is the poore that liueth Godly / then the blasphemer that is but a foole. Pro xix. a

A poore man leading a Godly lyfe / is Pro. xxvij. a [Page] better then the riche that goeth in frowar­de wayes.

Psal. xxxvj. Pro. xv. b Eccl. xxix. d 1. Tim. vj. bA small thinge that the rightuous hath is better then great riches of the vngod­lie. The lorde knoweth the dayes of the Godlie / and their inheritaunce shall endure for euer.

Psal. ixThe lorde is a defence for the poore / a defēce in the time of trouble. For the lord forgetteth not the complainte of the pore.

The lord shall deliuer the poore from the mightie / and the wretched and misera­ble pore sely people / which haue no helpe.

The lord will not forget the poore / the paciente abiding of soche as be in trouble shall not perish for euer.

Psal. xxj. bHe shalbe fauourable to the simple and poore / he shall preserue the soules of soche as be in aduersite.

He shall deliuer their soules from ex­torcion and wronge / and deare shall their bloude be in his sight.

Eccl. 21. a Exod. v. bThe prayer of the poore goeth out of the mouth and commeth vnto the eares / and his vengeaunce (or defence) shall co­me and that hastelie.

A symple man which laboureth ād worketh / is better then one that is gorgious and wanteth breade. Pro. xij. b Eccl. 10. d

Thou arte the poore mās helpe (o lor­de) a strength for the nedeful in his ne­cessyté. Esay. xxv. a

Thou art vnto him a defence against euell wether / ande a shadowe against the heate.

The poore shall not alwaye be oute of remembraunce / the pacient abiding of so­che as be in trouble shall not perish for euer. Psal. ix

The lord shall kepe the simple folke by theyr right / defende the children of the po­re / and punish the wrongeous doers. Psal. lxxj. a

The poore fely people couet water / ād they can get none / ād their tōgue is waxē drie for thrust. Esaye xij. I the lord shal heare thē. I the God of Israell will not forsake thē.

Hath not God chosen the poore of this worlde / which are riche in faith ād heires of the kingdome which he promised to thē that loue hym? Iacob. ij. a

The poore that wanteth strength / ād hath great pouerte / Eccl. xj. the eye of GOD lo­keth [Page] vppō him to good / setteth him vp frō his low / estate and lifteth vp his h ade.

Exhortation to the artificer or handycraftes man.

Genes. iijIn the sweate of thy face shalt thou rate thy breade / tyll thou be turned agay­ne vnto aerth whence thou arte taken.

Iob. v. aMan is borne to labour / like as the byrde for to flye.

An ydle hande maketh pore / but a quic­ke labouring hand maketh riche. Prouer. x. a

Who so gathereth in Sommer / ys wise / but he that is slougysh in haruest / bringeth hym self to confusyon.

In all thy workes be dyligent ande quicke / so shall there no sycknes happen vnto the. eccle 31. c Roma. xij. b

Be not proude to do thy worke / ande despayre not in the tyme of aduersyte. eccl x. d

Who so is slouthfull and slacke in his labour / is the brother of hym that is a waister. Pro. xviij. b

Slouthfulnes bringeth slepe / and an ydle soule shall suffre hunger. Pro. xix. c

The deuises of one that is diligent / bringe plentuousnes / but he that is vn­aduised / commeth vnto pouerte. Prou. xxj. a

He that laboureth not / shall not eate. ij. Tess. iij.

A man shall goo forth to hys worke / and tylle hys lande vntyll the eueninge. psal. 103. c

Thou shalt eate the laboures of thyne owne handes / so shall it go well with the / and thou shalt be blessed. psal. 127. a Thy wife shalbe as a frutefull vyne vppon the walles of [Page] thy house. Thy children like the oliue braunches rounde aboute thy table. Lo­thus shall the man be blessed that feareth the lorde.

eccl. v. b Iob. x. cA labouring mā slepeth swetelie / whe­ther it be litle or moche that he eateth / but the aboundaūce of the riche wyll not suf­fer him to slepe.

Prou. 23. a Iere. xvij. bTake not ouer great trauayle and la­boure to be riche.

Eccl. xix. aA labouring man that is geuen vnto dronkennes / shall not be riche.

Prou. x bDelyte not thou in slepe / least thou co­me vnto pouerte / but open thyne eyes / ād thou shall haue breade ynough.

eccl. xxxij. bAll that a man eateth ande drinketh / yea / what so soeuer a man enioyeth of all his labour / the same is a gifte of God.

Exhortation to Religious or deuoute Parsones.

Pure deuocion and vndefiled before God the father / is this. Iaco. 1. c To vysit the frēdles and widdowes in theyr aduersite / and to kepe him selfe vnspotted of the world.

If any man amonge you seme deuou­te / and refraine not his tongue / but decea­ue his owne harte / this mannes deuocion is in vaine.

The feare of the lorde is the right god seruice that preserueth and iustifieth the harte / and geueth mirth and gladnes. eccl. [...]

Exhortacion to the marchaūt.

prou. xx. [...]It is nought / It is nought saith the byer / but whē he hath it / he doth praise it.

prouer. xi. aA false balaunce is an abhomination vnto the lorde.

Leuit. xix.Deale not wrōgfully with thy neygh­bour / with metyarde / weight or measure.

Whan thou fellest ought vnto thy neighbour / or byest any thynge of hym / deceaue nor oppresse him not. Deut. xxv. Leuit. xix b

Thou shalt not haue in thy bagge two maner of weyghtes / a great and a small. Neyther shalt thou haue in thy house diuers measures / a great ād a small / that thy lyfe maye be longe in the lande / which the lord thy God shall geue the / for who soe­uer do [...]h so [...]s an abho­minacion vnto the Lorde thy God.

God knoweth both the deceauer / and hym that is deceaued. Iob. xij

Exhortation to the hus­bandman.

Prou. xij.Who so tilleth his grounde shalbe fyl­led with breade.

Prouerb. xjWho so hoordeth vp his corne / shalbe cursed among the people / but blessing shal lyght vppon his head that selleth it.

Deu. xxiiij. Leuit. 19. cWhan thou hast reaped downe thyne haruest / and hast forgotten a shefe in the felde / thou shalt not turne again to fetche it / but it shalbe for the straunger / the fa­therles and the widdowe / that the lorde thy God maye blesse the in all the workes [Page] of thy handes.

In like case when thou hast plucked thine oliue trees and viniarde.

Whan thou reapest thy lāde / thou shalt not reape downe the vtermust borders of it rounde aboute / nor gather it all clene vp. Liuit. xix. c Deut. 24. d Euen so likewise thou shalt nor pluc­ke thy viniarde clene also nor gather vp the grapes that are fallē downe / but shalt leaue them for the poore and straungers / for I am the lorde your God.

Exhortation to Souldiours or menne of warre.

Deut. x aWhā thou goest oute to bataile against thine ennemies and seest horses and cha­rectes of the people more thē thou / be not a trayde of them.

Nowe whā ye are come nigh vnto the battaile / the priest shall steppe forth / ande speake to the people / and saye vnto them. Heare (o ye people) ye go this daye into the battayle against your ennemies / let not your harte faint. Deut. xii c Num. xiiij. 2. Marc iiij. Deut. 28 a Feare not / be not a­frayde of them. For the lorde your God goeth with you to fight for you agaynst your ennemies / that he maye saue you.

Numer. xxjWhan thou commest nygh vnto a ci­tie to fyght against it / thou shalt offre thē peace. But if they wyll not deale peacea­bly with the / ād wyll warre with the / then besiege it.

Deu. x [...]Whan thou must lighe a lōge season be­fore a citie / against the which thou makest warre to take it thou shalt not destroy the trees / nor heawe them down with the axe for thou mayest eate of the frute / for it is but woode vppon the felde / and no man / ande can not come ande be bulwarkes a­gainst the. But the trees that thow kno­west [Page] that men eate not of / those shalt thou destroye / and rote oute / and make bulwarkes therof / against the citie that warreth with the / tyll thou haue ouercome it.

Let hym that is a fearde ande fainte / turne home againe.

It is a small matter for mannie to be ouercome with fewe / yea / ther is no diffe­rence to the God that is in heauen / to de­lyuer by a great multitude or by a small companie / for the victorie of the battel stā deth not in the multitude of the hoost but the strength commeth from heauen. i Mach. iiiv i Reg. xiiij

Ye Souldiours do no man wronge / and be content with your wages. Luke. iij. [...]

Exhortation to Custumers Tolners and Publicanes.

Ye Custumers ād co [...]ners / require no more of the people thē is appointed you.

Exhortation to Lombardes and vzurers.

Leu. xxv. exod. xxij. c Deut. xxiij Ezech. 18. aIf thy brother waxe poore / and fall in decaye besyde the / thou shalt receaue hym as a stranger / or gest / that he may lyue by the / and thou shalt take no vsurie of him / nor more then thou hast geuen / but shalt feare thy God / that thy brother maye liue besides the. For thou shalt not lende hym thy money vppon vsury / nor deliuer hym thy meate vppon advauntage.

Let no man take vsurie of his brother.

Thou shalt occupie no vsurie vnto thy brother / neither with money nor with fo­de / ner with any maner of thinge that v­sury maye be vsed withall / that the lorde thy God maye blesse them all that thou takest in hande. Deu. xxiij. Exod. xxij. Leu. xxv.

Whan one of thy brotheren is waxed poore / in anye citie within thy lande / whiche the lorde thy God shall geue the / thou shalt not harden thine harte / nor with­drawe thyne hande from thy poore bro­ther but shalt open thine hande vnto hym and sende him / according as he hath nede. Deut. xv. a 1 Ioh. vij. c Beware that there be not a pointe of be­liall in thine harte / that is / thinke not that he shall not geue it the againe. Rom. x. [...] For if thou lokest not frendly vppon thy brother / and giuest him nothing then shal he crye ouer the vnto the lorde / ande is shalbe counted synne vnto the. But thou shalt giue him. For because of it / shall the lorde thy God blesse the in all thy workes / and in all that thou puttest thy hāde vnto. The lād shall neuer be without poore / therfore cōmaūd I the and saye / that thou open thine han­de vnto thy brother / whiche is nedy ande [Page] poore in thy lande.

Deut. xxiiijIf thou lende a poore bodie (saith god) thou shalt not lye downe to slepe with his pledge / but shalt delyuer hym his pledge againe whan the Sonne goeth downe / that he maye slepe in hys owne raiment / and blesse the / so shall the same be rekened vnto rightuousnes / before the lorde thy God. Psal. xiiij. a Lord (saith Dauid) who shall dwel in thy tabernacle? Who shall reste vppon thy holy hyll? He that sweareth vnto his neighbour and disapointeth him not. He that geueth not his money vpon vsurie / and taketh no rewarde against the inno­cent.

Ezec. xviij.If a man be Godly ande do the thinge that is equall and right / he greueth no bo­die / he geueth his detter his pledge again / he parteth his meate with the hungrie / he clotheth the naked / he lēdeth nothing vp­pon vsurie / he withdraweth his hand frō doyng wronge / he handleth faithfully be­twixt man ād man. Math. xxv. Psal. xiiij. a This is a rightuous man / he shall surely lyue / sayth the Lorde God.

E [...]h. xxijThou haste receaued gyftes to shed [Page] bloude Thou hast taken vsurie ād increa­se. Thou hast oppressed thy neighbours by extorcion / ande forgotten me / sayth the lorde God.

He that hath pitie vppon the pore / len­deth vnto the lord / and loke what he laieth oute / it shalbe paide him againe. Pro. xix. c

Exhortacion to Whooremon­gers and Fornicatours.

Prouerb. v. Prou. vij. aThe lyppes of an harlotte are a drop­ping honycombe / and her throte is softer than oyle. But at the last she is as bitter as wormewoode / ād as sharpe as a two-edged swerde. Her fete go downe vnto death / and her steppes pearse thorowe vnto hell. She regardeth not the path of life / so vnstedfast are her wayes that thou cāst not knowe them. Heare me therfore (O my sonne) ād departe not from the wor­des of my mouth. Kepe thy waye farre from her / ande come not nygh the doores of her house. That thou moorne not at the last (when thou hast spent thy bodye and goodes) and then saye. Alas / why ha­ted I nurtoure? Why did my harte despi­se correccion? Wherfore was not I obe­dient vnto the voyce of my teachers / ande harkened not vnto them that enfour­med me?

Prou. v c Iob. 31. aMy sonne / why wylt thou haue plea­sure in an harlot and embrace the bosome of an other woman? For euerye mannes wayes are open in the sight of the lorde / ād he pondereth all their goinges.

Prou. 23. cThe mouth of an hariot / is a depe pit / [Page] wherin he falleth that the lorde is angrie wythall.

A folish restlesse woman / full of woor­des / and soche one as hath no knowledge / sytteth in the doores of her house vppon a stoole aboue in the citie / to call soche as go by / and walke strayght in their wayes. Prou. ix. [...]

Who so is ignoraūt (saith she) set hī come hither / and to the vnwyse / she saith stolen waters are swete / ande the breade that is priuelie eaten / hath a good taste.

But they cōsyder not that death is the­re and that her gestes go downe to hell.

He that loueth harlottes / spendeth a­waye that he hath. Pro. xxix. a

Turne awaye thy face from a beauty­full woman and loke not vppon the fay­renes of other. Eccl. ix. a Mat. v. c Many a man hath peris­shed thorowe the beautie of women / for thorowe it / the desyre is kindled as it we­re a fyre.

A whoore is a depe graue / and a harlot is a narrowe pytte. Prou. xxiij Proue. xx [...] She lurketh lyke a thefe / and those that be not a ware she brī ­geth vnto her.

Let vs not committe whooredme as [Page] some of them did / and fell in one day thre and twentie thousand. i. Cor. x. a

i. Tess. iiij. Ephes. iiij. Toby. vj. d Rom. i. eThe will of God is / that ye shulde ab­staine from whooredome / that euery one of you shuld knowe howe to possesse hys vessell in holines and honour / and not in the lust of concupiscence / as the heathen / which knowe not God.

Ephe. i [...]. c Math. xij dLet no fylthie communication procea­de oute of your mouth / but that which is good / to edify withall. And greue not the spyrite of God / wherwith ye are sealed vnto the daye of redemption.

1 Cor. 6. [...]Flee whoordome. All sinnes that a mā doth / are without the bodie. But he that committeth whooredome / synneth agaīst his owne bodie. Knowe ye not that your bodie is the Temple of the holighoost? Whome ye haue of GOD / ande are not your owne.

Gal. d. c i. Cor. vj. bAduouterers / whooremongers / forni­catours ād vnclene parsons / shall not in­heret the kingdome of God.

Ierem. v. dShulde I then (saith the lorde) for all this haue mercy vppon the? Thy childrē haue forsaken me / ande sworne by them [Page] that are no Gods. And albeit they were bounde to me in mariage / yet they fell to aduourrie / and haunted harlots houses.

In the desyre of vnclenly luste / they a­re become lyke the stoned horse / euery mā neieth at his neighbours wife. Ezech. xxi Ierem. ix. Shulde I not correct this / saith the lorde? And shuld I not be auenged of euery people that is lyke vnto this?

Exhortation vnto dronckardes.

Iob. xxj. [...]Wo be vnto them that ryse vp earlye to vse them in dronkēnes / ād yet at night are more supperfluous in wine. In who­se companies are harpes and lutes / [...]abrettes and pipes. But they regarde not the worke of the lorde / and consyder not the operation of his handes.

Prou. iij. aWo be vnto them that are conning mē to suppe oute wyne / and experte to set vp dronkennes.

Pro. xxiij.Where is wo? wher is sorrowe? where is strife? where is brawling? where are woundes without cause? where be reade eyes? Is it no [...] amonge those that be euer at the wine / and seke oute where the best is / and occupie them selues to drinke oute g [...]b [...]e [...]s glases ād cuppes? Loke not thou vppon the wine howe read it is / ād what colour it is ī the glasse. It goeth doun softlie / but at the last it biteth like a serpent / ād stingeth like an Adder. And when a man is dronk / he casteth his eyes vnto straun­ge women / ande dothe muse vppon fro­ward thinges.

Luk. 21. c Rom. 13. bTake hede vnto your selues / that your hartes be not ouerladen with excesse of [Page] eating and with dronkennes.

Wyne is maruelous stronge and ouer commeth them that drinke it / it deceaueth the minde ād bringeth both the poore mā and the kinge to dotage ād vanite. iii. Esdras ij Prou. xx. a Thus doth it with the bōdman ād with the free / with the poore and riche. It taketh awaie their vnderstanding and maketh them ca­reles and merie / so that none of them re­membreth any heauines / dette or duetie. It causeth also a man to thinke that the thinge which he doth / is honest and good / and remembreth not in what auctorite he is / and that he ought not to do soche thin­ges. Moreouer whan men men are drin­kinge / they forget all frēdship / all brother­ly faythfulnes and loue. But as sone as they are drōken / they drawe oute the swe­arde / and will fight. And whan they are laide downe from the wine / ande so rysen vp againe / they can not tell what they did.

Wyne is a voluptuous thinge / ande dronckennes causeth sedicion / who so de­liteth therin / shall neuer be wyse. Prou. xx. a Ephe. b. b

Be not thou a wyne bebber / for wyne hath destroied many a man. Prou. 21. a Ephes. v. b

O howe well content is a wise man with a litle wine? The fyre proueth the harde yron / euen so doth wine proue the hartes of the proude / whan they be dron­ken.

eccle. xxxjd Prou. xxxj. 1. Timo. 5.Wyne soberly dronken / quickeneth the life of man. If thou drinkest it measura­bly / thou shalt be temperate. Wyne was made from the beginnīg to make mē glad (and not for dronkennes) Wine measurably dronken / is a reioycing for the soule and body.

But if it be dronken with exces / it ma­keth bitternes and sorrowe vnto the minde. Dronkennes fylleth the minde of the foolish / with shame ande ruine / dimy­nissheth the strength / ād maketh woūdes.

Ephe. v [...]Be not droncken / for therin is excesse.

Exhortation vnto all synners generally.

Ezech. xviij Deut. xiiij. 4. Reg. 14.The same soule that sineth / shal die. The childe shall not beare the fathers offence / nether shal the father beare the childes offence. [Page] But the rightuousnes of the rightuous shalbe vpō hī selfe / ād the wickednes of the wicked shalbe vppō hī self also. ii. Para. 25. Iere iii. 18. a But if the vngodly will turne awaye from all his synnes that he hath done / and kepe all my commaundementes / and do the thin­ge that is aequall ād right / doutles he shall liue ande not dye. And I will thinke no more vppon all his synnes that he did be­fore. ezech. 18. a For I haue no pleasure in the death of a synner (saith the lord God) but rather that he conuert and lyue.

A generall exhortation vnto all men.

Thou shalt reprehend thy brother whan he synneth / least his offence come ouer all. Leuit. 19. c

Be ye all of one mynd / one suffer with an other / loue as bretheren / be pitifull / be curteous. i Petr. iij. b

Recompense not euel for euell / neyther [Page] rebuke for rebuke / but cotrary wise / bles­se / and knowe that ye are called therto / e­uen that ye shuld be heires of the blessinge. For who so listeth to liue / and wolde fai­ne see good dayes / let him refraine his sōg from euell / and his lippes that they spea­ke no gile. Genes. xii Math. xv. Let him eschue euell / ande do good. Let him seke peace and ensue it. For the eyes of the lorde / are ouer the righ­tuous / and his eares are open vn­to their prayers. But the face of the lorde beholdeth them that do euell.

Howe a man shall behaue him selfe in the morning when he ryseth.

When thou risest in the morninge / loke that thou with all humblenes of minde / knele downe / ande lifting vp thy harte / thy handes ande thyne eyes into heauen / vnto God the father almightie / praie on this manner.