The Fortress of the Faithful Against the Cruel Assaults of Poverty and Hunger, Title page – Prologue
The Fortresse of the faythfull agaynst ye cruel assautes of pouertie and honger newlye made for the comforte of poore nedye Christians, by Thomas Becon.
Prouer. xviii.
A myghty strong fortresse is ye name of ye Lord, Unto that flieth ye righteous, and is in sauegarde.
1550.
¶Cum priuilegio ad imprimendum solum.
Dauid. P…al. xxxvii.
I HaueHave bene young, and am old, and yet sawe I neuer y• rightous forsaken, nor hys children beggyng theyre breade. The ryghtuous is euer merciful and lendeth, and yet shall hys children hauehave Godds plenty and ynough▪
Salomon …ouer .xxx.
Two thinges hauehave I required of the, O Lorde, that thou wylt not deny me before I dye. Remoue frome vanytye and lyes. Geue me nether pouerte nor riches, only graunt me a necessarye lyuing, least if I be to full, I denye the and saye: who is the Lord? & least I beinge constrained thorowe pouertie faul vntounto stealing, and forswere the name of my God.
Christe. Math. vi.
Take no thought, saying, what shal we eat, or what shal we drynke, or wherwith shal we be clothed? after al these thynges seke the Hethē. For your heauenly father knoweth, that ye hauehave nede of all these thinges. But seke ye fyrste the kyngdom of God and the righteousnes therof and al these thinges shall be caste vntounto you.
To the ryght worshipful Syr Ihon Robsarte knyght, Thomas Becon wysheth continuall health both of body and mynd frō God the father in Christ Iesu our Lorde.
SO ofte as I behold the wretchid and to much miserable face of thys needye and beggerl… world, yea so ofte as I consyder the lamentable & pytifull, state of the poore people, whych are nowe growen vntounto suche a number, that they be almoste innumerable, and so assayled wyth the cruell dartes of pouertie and honger, that they in a maner despaire of necessary foode and conuenient apparel for the sustentation of theyr poore wretched karcasses, and by thys meanes for a redresse of these their to manyfolde miseryes parte of theym, whose braynes are not perfectly setled, whose iudgementes are not thorowly staied in the waye of perfecte reason, not paciently bearynge the crosse of pouertye, contrary to Christen order and theyr bounden dutye attempte vntounto the greate doloure of al good men, vngodlye and vnlawful enterprises, as wycked councels, vniust assembles, abhominable sediciōs, diuilyshe insurreccions, detestable conmocions, vnryghtuous spoylynges of other mennes goodes, vncharitable raylynges vpō theyr superiours.Deut. xxviii, ii. Reg. xvii. Ie…m. xviii. Eze…h. iiii. v. iiii. x…ix. xxxii …xxiii. …se. ii. &c. Utterly defacynge, somuche as in theym is, the face of the common weale, not consyderyng thys plage of famyn and honger to be sent into the world for synne accordynge to the …hreatnynges of God expressed in y• holy scriptures: I can none otherwyse thē lament and hartely wysh better and more prosperous thynges to the nedy and poore creatures of god vniuersally. For although according to the common Prouerbe,Commō pro…rbes.
Lyt…el wo…e the ful sow that is in y• s…ye, What the hungrye sow ayleth, that goeth by.
Yet so many as are of God, and ledde wyth any natural or humaine affeccion, they remember thys olde sayinge:
It is mery in hel, Whē berdes wag al, and can not euen in the myddes of their wealth, but repent the mysery of the myserable, the pouerty of the poore, the famyn of the famished,The nature of Charitie. romay. xii. and to y• vttermost of theyr power studye to re…eue the dystresse of the nedy both wyth theyr goods and councel. As a true Christē mā ioyeth wyth them that are glad, euen so soroweth he wyth them that are sad. Charitye seketh not her owne, but both wisheth & doth wel to al men,…. Corin. xiii euen to her enemies. Charytye putteth on the propertye of Christ, whych became poore to make other ryche. Charytye ioyeth not at her owne ioy,ii. Corin. viii if other sorowe. Charitie delyteth not in her own fulnes, if other wāt. Charitie abhorreth her owne reaste if other be disquieted. I am combred dayly, sayth S. Paule,ii. Corin. xii and do care for all congregacions. Who is weake, and I am not weake? Who is offended, and I am not greued? Yea Charitie refuseth almost to be saued, if other enioye not the lyke benefyt. Dyd not that most excellēt prophet Moses desyre God either to forgeue the chyldren of Israel theyr synnesExodi. xxxii. or else to wy…e him out of y• boke of lyfe?romayne… ix
Dyd not blessed Paule wyshe to be accursed from God so that the Israelites hys kynsmen after the flesh, myghte be saued?Actes. vii. Dyd not the gloryous Martyr Stephen accordynge to the example of Christ praye for hys enemyts? So wholy doth Charitie geue her selfe to serue the health and wealth of other.Luke. xx…
And as touchynge the relyefe of the poore and nedy, oppressed wyth the wā … of worldly thinges, what good and godly man hath not at al tymes, as occasiō & habylitie hath serued, sought it? Who beynge godlye mynded seynge his Christen brother or syster in necessitie, seketh not al meanes possible to healye theym? Can a Christiā aboūd in worldly wealth and suffer hys neyghbour to famyshe or to dye for colde? He hath not put on the bowels and rēder compassion of Christ, whych is not moued wyth pitie toward his nedy neighbour?Hospitalitie. O what goodli and notable examples doth y• holy scripture mynyster vntounto vsus of socourynge the socourles? What a myrrou…e to beholde is that most reuerende Patriarke Abrahā the father of the faythful,Gene. xviii. vntounto the faythfull? Wyth what alacritie and cherefulnes of mynde dyd he receaue into hys house the Angels of God beyng in mens lykenesse? Wyth what diligence prepared he al thynges necessary for them, as he thought, weary bodyes? When Loth saw the two aungels of God, whom he iudged to be men, cōming into Sodome at night▪ howe reuere…ly did he behaue hym selfe toward thē, & instantly desyred thē to come into his house & ther lodged y• night?Gene. xix. I besech you syrs, saith he, turne into the house of your seruaunte, & abide ther. Washe your feete, & in the morning ye shal go forth on your iourney. And afterwarde he made them a feast, saith the Scripture. These two godly aunciēt fathers thought is not mete to suffer straū gers and way farynge men to passe foreby theyr houses wythoute relyefe. They dyd according to Gods holy wyl expressed by the prophet, sayinge. Breake thy breade to the hungry…,Esay. …viii. and led the nedye and the way faring into thy house. Whē thou seest a naked mā, couer him, so shalt thou not despise thy flesh. Forget not hospitalite, saith S. Paul, for by it, certeyne vnwars hauehave receaued angels into theyr houses.Hebrues. xii▪ How ready pacient Iob was to socour y• socourles, & to relyue the nedy, it is euident by these his wordes: When the poore desyred any thyng of me,Iob. xxxi. hauehave I denied it them? HaueHave I caused the widow to stande waityng for me in vaine? HaueHave I eaten my porciō alone that the fatherles hath hadde no parte with me?
For mercye grewe vp wyth me fro my youthe, and compassion frō my mothers wombe. HaueHave I sene anye man peryshe thorow nakednes and wāt of clothyng? Or any poore man for lacke of raiment, whose sydes thanked me not because be was warmed with the wol of my shepe? Agayne he sayeth, I hauehave not suffered a straunger to lye wtout, but I opened my doores vntounto him, that went by the way. As I maye passe ouer many other examples, contay…ed in the olde Testamente, which declare how merciful diuers godly both men and women were towarde straungers and poore people,Marke. viii. how tēder harted and ful of most louynge pitie and vnfayned compassion, dyd our Sauiour Christ shewe hym selfe when he fedde so manye people wyth seuen loaues and a fewe small fyshes? I am inwardelye moued wt compassyon toward y• people, sayeth he, because they hauehave nowe bene wyth me .iii. dayes, and hauehave nothynge to eate, and if I send them away fasting to theyr owne houses, they shal faynt by the way. Moreouer, as I maye let passe diuers other miracles, which he dyd for the reliefe of y• poore, as turnyng water into wyne at the mariage in Caua Galile,Ioan. ii. …oan. vi. and feedynge fyue thousande wyth fiue barly loa…es & two fishes, did he not shew hym selfe to take great care for the poore, when he gaue the ryche men thys commaundemente? When thou makest a …ynner or supper,Luke. xiiii. cast not thy frendes, … thy brethren, neyther thy kynsmen, nor thy ryche neyghbours, least they also byd the agayne, and a recompence be made the. But when thou makest a feast cal the poore, the feble, the lame, and the blynde, and thou shalt be happy, for they cannot recōpence the. But thou shalt be recompenced at the resurreccion of the iuste menne.Math xxv. In the descripcion of the generall Iudgement, whyche shalbe at the last day, is not the rewarde of euerlastynge lyfe ser forth to the mercyfull,Iacob. ii. Math v. and eternal damnacion to the merciles? The Iudgement, sayth S. Iames, shall be without mercy, to thē that hath shewed no mercye. Blessed are the mercyfull, fo… they shall obtayne mercye.Luke. x…. Gyue almesse of that ye hauehave, and behold al thinges are cleane vntounto you, sayth our Sauioure Christ.Luke. xvi. Was not the rytche glo… to… damned, because he was ledde wyth no pietie towarde the poore?
O how diligent were the Apostles after Christes ascencion to appoynt Deacons to mynyster vntounto the poore,Actes. vi. xi. and to prouyde that they lacke nothyng?A…tes. xxiiii How earnest was blessed Paule in exortynge the Christians to make colleccions for the poore?…oma. xv. Yea howe wroughte he wyth hys owne handes,i. Corin. xv that he myghte hauehave wherof to geue vntounto the nedye?ii… Cor. viii. What a frendly lesson in ye poore peoples behalfe wryteth he vntounto Byshop Timothe to be declared vntounto the ryche worldlynges?Actes. xx. Cōmaund them that are rych (sayth he) in this worlde,ii. Thess. iii that they be not hie minded,i. Timo. v…. nor trust in vncertayne ryches, but in the lyuynge God, whych geueth vsus abundantly al thinges to enioye thē, that they do good workes, that they be redy to geue, and gladde to dystrybute, layinge vp in store for theym selfe a good foundacion agaynste the tyme to come, that they may obtaine eternallife. How is Dorcas a noble and vertuous womā commended in the holy Scripture? She was ful of good workes & almes dedes, saith blessed Luke,…. ix. Yea she with her own handes made coates and garmentes for the poore.…irrours … Gētle, …. An example worthi to be folowed of our Gentle women and Ladyes now a dayes, whych in tyringe and garnishynge thē selues know neyther measure nor ende, but of preparynge garmē tes for the poore, they for the most parte do not somuche as once dreame. Dorcas coulde not abyde, that she herselfe shuld hauehave a ryche waredroppe full of sumtuous apparel, and se her Christen Brethrē and systern go naked and dye for colde, Yea rather then they shoulde wante, she wyl set her owne hādes to worke, which thynge many of our fine whight fingred Gentyl women, yea and some inferioure to them dysdayne to do.
How instantly dyd a certayne womā named L…dia desyre.…etes. xvi. S. Paule and hys compa…ions to come into her house, and there to hauehave all thynges necessarye for them?…reachers vn…rouided. If ye thynke (saith she) that I beleue on the Lorde, come into my house, and abyde there. Wold God the lyke affeccion towarde the Preache…s of Gods woorde were founde in our… menne and women at this present, then shoulde not so manye of them be oppressed wyth pouertie, and wander abrode wythout lyuinges as they do nowe, vntounto the greate sclaūder of y• Gospel, which they preach. Is it not a shame that they should want temporal thynges, whych minister vntounto vsus spiritual and heauēly thynges?i Corin. ix. Hath not the Lorde ordeyned, that they which preache the Gospell, shoulde lyue of the Gospel? Are not they that rule wel, and laboure in worde and doctryne, worthy of double honoure? Is it not conueniēt, that the housbandeman whyche laboureth, shoulde fyrst take of the frutes?i. Timo. v. Are we not forbydden to mosel the mouth of the o…e that treadeth out the corne?ii. Timo. ii. Is not a rewarde ordeyned for the workeman?i. Timo. v. If we hauehave sowen among you spiritualMath x. thynges,i. Corin. ix. is it a great mater, if we reape your carnal thynges? Doo ye not know that they, whych minister aboute holy thynges,Math. x. lyue of the sacrifyce? they whych wayte of the temple, are partakers of the temple. Euen so also dyd the Lorde ordayne,i. Timo. iii. Titus. i. that they whych preache the Gospel, should lyue of y• gospel, saith S. Paule. The Apostle requireth that a Bishop, y• is, a spiritual minister shoulde mayntaine hospitalitie. How vnsemely thē is it for thē that shuld fede other,Papistes h… to fore bet… prouided …o thē preaches nowe. eyther myserably to liue on other me…s trē chers, or els lyke vagaboundes to hunt aboute for theyr lyuinge? Neyther oure aūcestours nor we in tymes paste hauehave so dealt wt y• sorcererlyke Sacryfycers, wt y• prat…yng Papistes, wyth the monstrous Monckes, wyth the chatrerynge Channons, wyth the flatterynge f…yers, and such other mumryshe mummers, as vnderunder the vysar of paynted holynes hauehave deceyued almost all the worlde, ledynge vsus from Gods blessed worde to mannes tryfle inge…radicions, from the waye of saluacion vntounto the state of damnacion, from heauen to hel, from God to the dyuyl. But so hath it euer gone for y• moste parte wyth the true Preachers in thys wycked and vnthankeful worlde. In the tyme of king Achab, the true Prophetes of God were slayne, and thē that remained alyue, were secre…lye kepte in caues and ther fedde wyth bread and water of good Abdy…, whych vnfaynedly feared God.…. xviii. If they had not bene preserued by that godly man, they hadde eyther bene slayne, or els famished. But the Preistes of Baal abounded wyth all kynde of wealth. Eyght hundred and fy…ty, sayth the scripture, did eate of Iesabels table.
Who knoweth not,…remie. xx. …viii. that the Prophet Hieremie was throwen into prysō, cruelly entreated and lyke to dye for hōger, whan …hashur. the priestes, and suche other false prophe…es euen men pleasars,…ath. xii. lyued in al wealth and aboundaunce of worldly thynges? Wyth what pouertie the disciples of Christe were greued,…athe. viii. …. it may easly be knowen, whē they for very honger were cōpelled to plucke y• eares of corne & to eate.Ioan. xviii. zachary. …x. Math. xxi. And how poore Christ was, not a fewe places of the Scripture do declare, whē in ye meane time Annas, Caiphas, Alexander, ye Scribes, ye Pharises, Lawers, ye Byshops, the Priestes, y• sacrificers wt al ye rable of Hipocrites lyued in al pompe and pleasure. This in gratitude, churlishnes & illiberalitie toward y• ministers of gods word shal not escape vnpunished.Luke. x He y• despyseth you, despiseth me, sayeth Christ, & he that despiseth me, despiseth hym yt sent me.Luke. x. But let vsus returne vntounto our matter.Luke. xix.
What nede I reherse,Actes. ix. Martha, Zache, Simon the tanner,Actes. xvii. Iason. Aquila, Philip the Euangelist,Act. …xi. xxv… Publius, Philemon, Gaius,Galath. vi. and suche other, whyche all shewed thē selues courteous, gētyl & beneficial toward al ye poore, but chefly toward thē yt were of y• houshold of fayth, as s. Paule warneth. If we hauehave recourse vntounto aunciēt histories, O how shal we learne of thē the fatherly pytie & Godly glad affecciō,O factum bene. which was in ye Bishops & Deacons toward the poore people when Christes churche began to florishe. Read we not, that for the comfort of the poore and oppressed Christians, the godly auncient Byshoppes dyd not onelye sell the Ornamentes, Treasures, and Iewelles of the churche, but also the verye boxes of Golde and Syluer, wherein the Lordes brea…, whych we cōmenly cal y• Sacramēt of the aulter,… or our By…oppes. was kept? they had rather kepe the Sacramente of Christes bodye in a basket of wyckers, and to fell that they made of golde for the releife of the pore, then they shulde wante. O godly Byshoppes and faithfull sheppardes, whiche so diligently watched for the preseruation of their shepe both bodily and ghostly. Is it not to be thought, that the sūmes of money, which the beneficed mē yerelye paye to the archedecon of euerye dioceise, were fyrste of all frely graunted and gyuen of oure predecessoures to be distributed amōg the pore people of that diocease, as necessitie required, and theyr descrecion serued? But howe that money is nowe abused, who seeth not? the office of the archedecon,The of…yce of … Archdecō. is yerely to visit eueri paryshe in the diocese, wher he dwelleth, and diligently to se, what y• pore people of eueryevery paryshe want, and to make prouision for them, & vntounto that vse, as I said before, was that mony geuen, which eueryevery beneficed mā payeth to the archedecō agayne, to se whither parson or vicar be resident vponupon hys benefice, and mainetaine such hospytalite, as y• pore of y• parish be y• better for it. But now a dayes y• archdcōs aske not for y• pore, nor in what cōdiciō they stād, but whether y• hosts be wel kept in y• pyxe frō moulding & furring, whither corpraise clothes be clene washed, whither the Chrismatory besafely locked vp, whyther the Prieste vseth any vnhalowed garmētes or chalyce in hys sacrifisynge, whyther y• copes, vestmētes and albes be sufficiētly repayred, whither the Church, Chaūcel, or Church yard be in case good ynoughe, and suche other trifles. God hauehave mercion vsus, & sēd vsus once a redresse of these thynges. Furthermore wt what a Godly pitie & charitable affecciō dyd our auncestours burne toward y• poore mēbers of Christ,Folowe thes… fore fathers. which as I may speake nothynge of Abbeyes, Colleges, Chaūtries, frechapels. &c. bilt with theyr greate cost hospitals & suche other houses, enduing the same wt yerely reuenewes for the relife of y• poore? Men…rie, fathers, fathers, but the maners of these fathers are clene forgottē.Philip. ii. All seke theyr own auaūtage, & not those thinges whych pertaine vntounto Iesu Christ. Thus se we y• al good mē hauehave euer pityed the poore, & sought al meanes possible to do thē good. But the cōtrary is foūd amōg vsus nowe a daies.ii. Timo. iii. For mē according to s. Paules prophecy, are the louers of them selues & not of the poore. They are couetous to thēselfes, & not liberal to y• poore They heap to thēselfes, they prouide nothing for the poore, ther be many signes of y• last day to be at hand, but this colde affecciō, & more cold louelove, & most cold lyberalitie toward y• poore proue euidētly y• it is not far of. Amōg mani other signs and tokēs, which Christ declareth to go before the daie of Iudgemēt,Math. xxiiii. is not this one of the most euident? For asmuch, sayeth he, as iniquitie shal abound, the louelove of many shal waxe colde. When dyd iniquitie euer so abounde? when was y• louelove of men euer so colde towarde the poore? The ryche worldelynges in tymes paste could buylde greate monasteries for the bellyed Hypocrites,Note. greate Colledges, Chauntries, and Freechappels, for subtle cariars and Purgatorie rakers, but who buylde somuche as a cotage nowe for to harbour a sely poore man? Men in tymes past disherered theyr lawful heyres to nouryshe in ydlenes a numbre of ydle bellies …nder the pretēce of prayer, but who now euē of his superfluities doeth any notable thyng for Christes poore mēbers? A number of people heretofore hath decked Idols and mawmets, with silke, vel…et, and other precious veslures yea wyth gold, syluer, pearle, and precious stones, how many now in so greate a multitude do cloth y• poore naked creatures of God wyth canuis and rugge? They gaue shoes of syluer & golde set wt rych stones to dome mawmets, but who now geueth shoes of leather to y• poore? O to…uche vnmercyfulnes. Can these thynges escape vnplaged? If the Lorde lyueth, plages be at hande, excepte we amende. Thys oure ingratytude towarde God, and vnmercifulnes toward the poore, wyl surely accelerate & haste forwarde the vengeauns of God to fall vponupon vsus. For whether we respect and behold the spiritualtie or temporalty, their louelove towarde the poore compared wyth the louelove of our Aūcestoures, is very cold, yea it is almost nothing. But if we compare theyr coue…uousnes with the desire of our Elders toward the goodes of the worlde,Spiritual mē couetou… we shal fynde it so farre to excel and surmount, as the hie heauens do the lowe earth. How do many of oure spiritual men, as they are called, heape promocion vponupon promocion, benefyce vponupon benefyce, deanrye vponupon deanrie, prebend vponupon prebend, and prebēd for auaūtage? Ah, one …ylthy belly to deuoure so many wealthy lyuinges? O abominaciō. And yet the carelesse swyne are led wyth no pitie toward the poore, whose sweate of theyr browes they lyk vp, whose laboures of theyr handes they cormorantlyke deuour. Behold theyr paine in teaching, it is very smal, behold their hospitalitie, it is nothinge at all. Woo be vntounto these shepherdes, saith God by the Prophete, that fede thēselues. Shulde not y• shepeherdes fede the flockes?Ezech. xxxi… Ye hauehave eatē vp the fat, ye hauehave clothed you wyth y• wol, the best fed hauehave ye slayne, but the flocke hauehave ye not nourished. The weake hauehave ye not holdē vp, y• sycke hauehave ye not hea…d the brokē hauehave ye not boūd togither, y• outcasts hauehave ye nor brought againe, the lost hauehave ye not sought, but churlishly & cruelly hauehave ye ruled them.Temporal … couetous. Agay…e how do many of the temporal worldlinges ioyne ferme to ferme, office to office, lordshyp to lordshyp, pasture to pasture, land to land, house to house, & house for auauntage? that the vengeaunce of God threatned by the Prophetes maye come vponupon thē.…saye v. Wo be vntounto you, y• ioyne house to house, & couple land to lande, so nyghe one to another, that y• poore man can get no more ground. Shal ye dwel alone vponupon the face of the earth? These thynges are come vp vntounto my eares, sayth y• Lord of hostes. Shal not many great & gorgious houses be so waste that no man shal dwell in thē?…ab a…uk. ii. Agayne, wo be vntounto hym, y• heapeth vp other mēs goodes. How lōg wyl he lade hym selfe wt the thycke clay? Wo be vntounto hym, y• couetously gathereth euyl gotten goodes into hys house, that he maye set his nest on hye, to escape frō the power of misfortune. Thou hast deuised y• shame of thyne own house. The very stones of the wal, shal cry out of it. O how doth our sauiour Christ thunder against y• rich worldlings, y• liue al in pleasure, & yet are not once moued wt pytie & cōpassiō toward y• pore?…. vi. Wo be to you, y• ar rich (saith he) which hauehave your cōsolaciō. Wo be to y…u y• are filled, for ye shal hōger. Wo be to you y• laugh now, for ye shal mourne & weepe. Thus se we what vnmercifulnes reigneth in the world almost vniuersally. And how al the threatninges of Gods vēgeaūce can not quēch in y• wicked worldlynges hartes y• insaciable thyrst of gathering worldly gooddes, but that they go styl for the to heape vp thycke claye agaynst thēselues, yea & that beyond al measure, not consideringe how vaine & deceatful y• possessiō of temporal thinges is in this worlde. He heapeth treasure vpō treasure,Psal. xxxi…. saith Dauid, & yet knoweth he not for whō he gathereth these thinges to gether. Notable is the histori y• our sauiour Christ telleth of a certaine rich mā in y• Gospel of.Luke. xii. s. Luke The grownd of a certaine rich mā, saith he, brought forth plētyfull frutes, and he thought win him selfe, saying: what shal I do, because I hauehave no roume, wher to bestow my frutes? And he sayd, thus wil I do. I wyl destroy my barnes, & buylde greater, & thē wyl I gather al my gooddes y• are growē vntounto me, & I wyl say to my soule, O soule y• hast much goods laid vp in store for mani yeres, take thine eas… eat, drinke, & be mery. But God said vntounto him, y• foole, this night wil they fetche awai thy soule again frō the. Thē whose shal those things be, which y• hast prouided? So is it wt him y• gathreth riches to him self, & is not rich toward god. What thē remaineth, but y• thei which ar godl… ri…h, remēber thēselfes to be y• stewardes of God, endued wyth worldly substaūce, not to spēd it voluptuously or after their own folyshe fansye about trifles, but vponupon theyr necessaryes, and that they may conueniētly spare, to distribute vntounto the poore, which are their brothers in Christ of the same fleshe and bloude, & fellowe enheritours with them of one and of the same glory. O blessed is the riche, which is founde wythoute blemyshe, and hath not gone after golde, nor hoped in mony and treasures.Eccle. xxxi. Wher is ther such a one, and we shal commend hym, and call hym blessed. For great thinges doth he amōg hys people. And that the Godlye ryche maye be the more encouraged to gratify the poore and to do good vntounto the nedye in thys wretched and begerlye tyme, let thē euer set these and such lyke sētences of the holy scriptures before the eyes ofSentēces for …he Godlye …yche to remē …er. theyr minde. My sonne defraude not the poore of hys almes, and turne not away thyne eyes from hym that hathe neede. Despyse not an hongry soule, and despise not y• poore in hys necessitie. Greue not the herte of hym that is he alpelesse, and wythdrawe not the gyft frō the nedeful. Refuse not y• praier of one y• is in trouble tourne not away thy face frō the nedye.Eccle. iiii. Cast not thine eyes asyde frō y• poore for any euil wil, yt thou geue him noue occasion to speake euyl of the. For if he complayne of the in ye bytternes of hys soule his prayer shalbe herd, euē he that made hym, shal heare him. Be courteous vntounto the cōpany of ye poore, humble thy soule vntounto the elder, and bow downe thy head to a man of worship. Let it not greue the to bowe downe thine eare vntounto ye poore, but paye thy debte, and geue hym a frēdli answer, & that with mekenes. Deliuer hym that suffereth wronge frō ye hand of ye oppressour, & be not faint harted, whē thou fyghtest in iudgemēt. Be merciful vntounto the fatherles as a father, and be in steade of an husband vntounto theyr mother, so shalt thou be as an obediente sonne of the hiest, & he shal louelove the more then thy mother doth. Helpe the poore for ye commaundementes sake, and let him not go emptie frō the, because of hys necessitie. Lese thy money for thy brother & neighbours sake,Eccle. xxix. and bury it not vnderunder a stone wher it rusteth & corrupti…h. Gather thy treasure after the commaundemēt of the hyest, & so shal it bryng the more profitte thē golde. Lay vp thy almes in the hand of the poore, & it shal kepe the from al yuyl. A mans almes is a purse wyth him, & shal kepe a mās fauour as y• aple of an eye, & afterward shal it aryse & pay eueryevery mā his reward vpō his head. It shall fight for the agaynst thine enemies better thē ye shyld of a Giaunt, or speare of y• mighty.Eccle. xxxv. Who so is merciful & geueth almes, that is the ryght thanke offeringe. Loke what thine hand is able, geue wt a chereful eye. For y• Lord recōpēceth & geueth the seuen tymes as muche agayne.…o…i. iiii. Geue almes of thy goods, & turne neuer thy face frō the poore, & so shal it come to passe, y• the face of yt Lord shal not be turned away frō the. Be merciful after thy power. If y• hauehave much, giuegive plē …eously, if y• hauehave litle, do thy diligēce gladlye to giuegive of yt litle. For so gatherest yu thy self a good reward in ye day of necessitie. …or mercy delyuereth frō al syn & frō death, & suffereth not ye soule to come in darknes. A great cōfort is merci before ye high god vntounto al thē that shew it. Eate thy bread wt the hōgry and poore, & couer y• naked with thy clothes.…rouer. xi. He yt is mercyful, doth him self a benefit, but whoso hurteth his neighbour, is a tiraūt. He yt is liberal in geuing, shal hauehave plenti, & he yt watereth shalbe watered also him self. Who so hordeth vp his corne, shalbe cursed among y• people, but blessinge shal light vponupon hys heade,…rou…r. xiiii. yt geueth foode. Whoso despyseeh his neighbour, doth amisse, but blessed is he yt hath piti of y• poore. He that doth a poore mā wrōg, blasphemeth his maker,…rouer. xix. but who so hath pity of y• poore doth honor vntounto God. He y• hath piti vpō y• pore, lēdeth vntounto y• Lord,…rou. x…ii. & loke what he laieth out it shalbe payed him agayne. He yt is bēt vntounto mercy, shalbe blessed, for he geueth of hys bread vntounto y• poore. He y• geueth vntounto y• poore,Prouer. xxvi shal not lacke, but he y• turneth awai his eyes frō su…h as be in necessitie, shal suffer great pouertie hym selfe.Psal. x…i. Blessed is he yt cōsidereth y• poore & nedy, the Lord shal deliuer him in y• time of trouble, y• Lord shal preserue hym and kepe him, & make him blessed vpō earth, & not deliuer him into ye hands of his ennemies, y• lord shal cōfort him, whē he lieth sicke vpō his bed, yea & make his bed in y• time of his syckenes.Math. vi. Lay not vp for your selues treasure vpō earth, wher the rust & moth doth corrupt, & wher theues breake through & steale. But laye vp for you treasures in heauē, wher nether rust nor moth doth corrupt, & wher theues do not breake thorow, nor steale. For wher your treasure is, ther wil your hart be also.Luke. iii. Luke. vi. He y• hath two cotes, let him parte wt him y• hath none, & he that hath meat, let him do likewise. Geue to eueryevery one that axeth the.Luke. xii. Be ye merciful, as your father is merciful. Sel y• ye hauehave, & giuegive almes. And prepare you bags, whych ware not old, euē a treasure yt faileth not in heauē, wher no these cōmeth, neither mdth corrupteth.Luke. xvi. Make you frendes of y• vnrighteous Mammon, that when ye shal hauehave nede, they may receaue you into euerlastynge habitacions. If thou wylt be perfect,Math. xix. go and sell all that thou haste, and geue to the poore, and thou shalte hauehave treasure in heauen.
He which soweth lytyll,…. Corinth. ix. shall reape lytyl, and he that soweth (in geuinge) largelye and frelye, shall reape plenteouslye. And let eueryevery man do accordynge as he hathe purposed in hys hart, not grudgyngly, or of necessite: For God loueth a chereful geuer.Galath. vi. Whyle we hauehave tyme, let vsus do good vntounto al mē, but cheifly vntounto them, whiche are of the housholde of fayth. To do good and to destribut,Heb. xiii. forget not, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. He that hathe the goodes of thys worlde, and seeth hys brother hauehave nede,Ioan. iii. and shutteth vp hys compassion from hym, how dwelleth the louelove of God in him? My babes let vsus not louelove in worde neyther in tounge, but in worcke and trueth.
Agayne yt the vngodly rych may learn somwhat to bridle their couetous affects & by that meanes be the more occasioned not to be altogether vnmercifull to the poore, let them graue these and suche like textes of ye holy scripture in theyr hartes and beleue them to be as true, as there is a God.…entē …es for … vngodlye …che to remē …. Truste not vntounto thy riches, and saye not: tushe, I hauehave ynoughe for my life. For it shal not healpe the in the time of vengeaunce and temptacion.Ecclesi. v. Ecclesi. x. There is nothynge worse then a couetouse man. Why art thou proude, o thou earthe and ashes? there is not a more wycked thyng thē to louelove mony. And whi? such one hath his soule to sel, yet is he but filthi doung whyle he lyueth. He yt loueth riches, shall not be iustified,Eccles. xxxi. & who so foloweth corruption, shal hauehave ynough therof. Many one are come in great mysfortune by the reason of gold, and hauehave found their destruction before thē. It is a tre of falling vntounto them that offer it vp, and al such as be folishe, fal therin.Prouer. xl. He that trusteth in his riches, shall hauehave a faull, but ye righteous shal floryshe as the greue leafe, take not ouer great trauayle & labour to be riche,Prouer. xxi beware of such a purpose. Whi wilt thou set thyne eye vpō the thyng whych sodenly vanysheth awaye? for ryches make thē selues winges, & take their flyght like an Eagell into the ayer. He that geueth vntounto y• poore,Prou. xxvi shal not lack, but he yt turneth away hys eies frō such as are in necessitie, shal suffer greate pouertie hym selfe. The bread of y• nedy is ye life of ye poore he that defraudeth hym of it,Eccle. xxxii is a mās…ayer. He that loueth monye, wyll neuer be satisfyed with money, and who so delyghteth in riches, shal hauehave no profyte therof. Where as much riches is,Ecclesi. v. ther are many also that spend thē away. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth thē, sauinge that he may loke vponupon them, wyth hys eyes? a labouryng man slepeth swetly whether it be lytle or much that he eateth, but the abundaunce of the ryche wyl not suffer hym to sleape. Ye can not serue God & Māmon,Math. vi. that is, the worldly ryches. Uerylye I say vntounto you, a rich mā shal hardly enter into y• kyngdom of heauē:…ath. xix. and againe I say vntounto you, it is easyer for a gable rope to go thorowe y• eye of a nedle, then a ryche man to enter into y• kyngdome of God. Wo be to you riche men which hauehave your consolaciō.…ke. vi. Wo be to you that are filled, for ye shall honger. Wo be to you, that laugh now, for ye shal mourne and lamēt: Take hede & beware of couerousnes. For no mans lyfe stādeth in the abundaunce of y• thinges, which he possesseth.…ke. xi…. Neyther theues, nor couetouse parsones, nor yet extorcioners shal inherit the kyngedome of God.…or. vi. Let not couetousnes be once named amonge you, as it becometh Sayntes. For this ye know, that no couetous parson which is a worshypper of Idolles,…phesians. v. hath an… enheritaūce in the kyngedome of Christe, and of God. Godlynes is greate riches, if a man be content, wyth yt be hath. For we brought nothing into ye world, neither may we cary an… thing out.…im…. vi. But whē we hauehave foode and rayment, we muste ther wt be cōtent: they y• wyl be rytch, fal into temptacion & suates, & into many folyshe & noysome lustes, which drowne men into perdiciō & destructiō, for couetousnes of money is y• …ote of al euil, wh…ch while some lusted after they erred frō y• fayth, & tāgled thē selues wt m…ny sorowes, but y• mā of god …e such thinges, folow ryghteousnes, godlynes, faith, louelove, paciēce, mekenes: let your cōuersatiō be without couetousnes, & be cōtēt wt such things as ye hauehave al ready.Hebru. xiii. For he hath sayd, I wyl not faile the, nor forsake y•. The Iugemēt shal be wythout mercy to hym,Iacob. ii. y• sheweth no mercy. Go to nowe ye ryche mē, wepe & houle on your wretchednes, yt shal come vpō you. Your ryches are corrupte, your garmentes are moth eatē. Your gold & siluer is cākred, & y• ruste of thē shal be a witnes vntounto you,Iacob. iii. & shal eate ye fleshe as it were fyre. Ye hauehave heaped treasure together in youre laste dayes. Behold the hire of labourers, which hauehave reaped down your feldes (which hire is of you kept backe by fraude) cryeth, & ye cryes of thē which hauehave reaped, at entred into y• eares of y• lord of hostes. Ye hauehave liued in plesure on y• earth, & ben wanton. Ye hauehave noryshed youre hartes as in a day of flaughter, ye hauehave cōdēned & kylled y• iust, & he hath not resisted you. If both y• godly & vngodly rich wolde …et these sētences before y• eyes of their mind cōtinualli, surely it shuld go much better wt ye pore people, thē it doth at this presēt For thē wold not y• rich mē so gredily gripe to thē selues the goodes of this world, nor so niggardli kepe thē after they hauehave gottē thē, as they do now. Thē wold not many gētlemē, as thei ar called, so growe out of kind frō their name bi shewīg litle gētilnes to y• poore, nether bi enhaūcing their fermes, by taking fines, bi receauīg great incomes, nor yet bi putting y• pore out of their houses, and sufferynge the tenemētes to faul downe, as they do nowe, then wolde not the ryche worldlynges ioyne ferme to fearme, & heaue other men out of their lyuinges, as they do nowe. Then wolde not many of oure spirituall ministers lyke insaciable wolues, gett so mani ecclesiasticall promociōs into their handes, as they do now, but hauyng one lyuynge and that sufficient, be contente, and remaine vponupon it, teache theyr flocke, lede a good lyfe, and maynetayne hospitalitie amonge their Parysheners, yt the poore of theyr paryshe in tyme of nede maye hauehave bread, broth, befe and bere, as they saye.…alach. iii. …ote. Brynge euerye rythe into my barne, sayeth the Lorde, that there maye be mea…e in my house. The parsonage or the vicarage is Gods house, & …ythes are payd vntounto thē, that they shuld hauehave meat in theyr houses to norysh & cōfort ye pore,…hillip. ii. but whyle al men, as Saint Paul sayeth seke their own, & not Iesu Christs, while al,…ere. vi. viii. as ye prophet testifieth, euē frō yt lest to y• greatest giuegive their mindes to couetousness hauehave no regard to y• poore & to their cōmoditie, y• poore lyue misserably: y• pore mutter in corners & grudge against y• rich ye pore breake ye bond of peace, y• pore rune hedlong into al kynde of myscheif, which thing we of late hauehave sene vntounto our great sorow, trouble & disquietnes, yea some of y• pore misers for lack of bodeli sustenaūce fal to pyckyng, robbing, stealyng & murthering of other, some kyl, drowne, hang them selues, because they do not presently se how they may be able to fede thē selues, their careful wiues, their lamentable childrē, & their altogether wretched family, wishing rather thorow desperaciō desperatly to ende this their nedy, careful & wery life, then so to much wretchedly for to liue. Oh what good man is not moued wyth pytye to heare, se, and knowe these thynges? Yea what good man thynketh not hym self bounde euen of duty to healpe vntounto the redresse of these inconueniēces, yea pestilences? they are enemies to God, to mā, to y• contrey, to ye publyke weal, to our posterity, yea to heauē & earthe, which walowing in al kind of wealthe like Eth…ysh Epicures, & liuing al in pleasure lyke effeminat Sardanapalus, & heaping y• goodes of y• world togyther as though they should neuer hēce depart are nothynge moued wt the miseryes of y• poore miserable people. Wo be to that gloton, whych enfarcing hys own stinckyng & draffesaked belly with al kynd of plesure & deintie dishes, suffreth his pore nedy neighbour to perish for hōger. Wo be to yt couerous cākred churle, which so ioyneth house to house & lande to land, y• the poore mā knoweth not, wher to hyde his head, nor how to lyue. Wo be to that wicked worldling, which deckinge hym self gorgiously wt sumtuous apparel, suffereth his poore Christē brother to go naked, & to die for cold. Wo be to that riche rauening raker, which hath raked together plēti of worldly goodes, & yet is vnmerciful to ye nedi mēbers of Christ. Wo be to y• benificed mā, which hauing wherof to cherish y• pore of his parish, is absēt frō his benifice nothing caring what becōmeth of thē, so yt he may liue pleasātly & wealthely of y• sweat of other mēs browes. Yea & wo be to al thē, which beyng able to healpe y• nede of y• nedi, & to relife ye misery of the miserable, refuse to do it. Great is their dānaciō. But forasmuche as eueryevery mā godly affected is by y• order of charitie for his power boūd to seke & furder a redresse in thinges y• are amisse. I for my part considering yt nothyng in this world disquieteth a mā more thē pē siue care & careful pēsiuenes for a liuing (if not tomuch, yet cōueniē) cōsideryng also how many incōmodities do chaūce to a mā, yt is cōtinualli vexed wt greuous thought taking for y• prouisiō of y• belly, I thought it good to gather togither, as time hath suffred, certain sētēces & histories of y• holy sciptures, which declare & setforth vntounto vsus y• vnmesurable boūtie & exceding large liberaliti of god toward al thē y• cast their care on him, & trauaile according to their vocaciō & calling, y• bi reading or hearinge of thē, the weake in fayth may waxe strōg in faith, & be fully perswaded, that y• god which nourished thē in their mothers wōbe, wil not leaue thē now socourles▪ whē they be able thorow his grace to cleu vntounto his promises, to cal vpō his name, & for their power endeuout thē selfes bi one honest go…l… meanes or other, to get their liuing, euer casting their care on God, & yet not beynge idle, but laboring in their vocaciō according to gods good wil & pleasure. I doubte not, but if they diligētly weigh & earnestly pōder these cōfortable sētences & histories of y• holy scripture, thei shal not only cease to attēpt any vnlawful meanes, but thei also shal find great quietnes procure much reast to their myndes, & so lōg as they liue, liue wt a meri cōscience. If I had bene as able to redresse y• miserable state of y• pore wt worldly goods, as my wyl is to stay their cōsciences wt the word of God, y• they may not despaire of a liuing, I wold hauehave bene as redy to do the one, as I hauehave labored to do y• other. But seing froward fortun goth forward to frowne vpō me, & daily ceaseth not to pearse me wt y• cruel dartes of pouerti, I must do yt I mai, whē I mai not yt I wolde, laughing folish fortun to scorne wt al her vanities, & pleasures, thincking my self sufficiētli rich, solōg as I hauehave such a lord,Romay. x. as is plēteously rich for so many as cal on him solōg as thorow gods grace I am endued wt this faith to beleue yt while I trauayle in my vocacion for my power according to Gods wyl, I shal want no good thing, yt is necessary for the eyther couering or feding of this my mortal bodye. And wold God al mē coulde so quiet thē selues, & with Democritus the Philosopher laugh thys foolish worlde wt al y• voluptuous worldlings to scorne, or wt the blessed Apostle euen frō y• very harte say,Galath…. vi. y• world is crucified to me, & I to the worlde. Thys lytle treatyse after I had once finished it, I thought mete to dedicate vntounto your right worshipful Mastershyp, partly for y• Godly affecciō & Christē zele, which both you & that good vertuous Ladye youre wyfe hauehave borne toward y• pure religiō of God these many yeres, partly for y• good reporte yt bothe you hauehave amōg al good mē for your charitable liberalitie, & plentiful almes toward ye poore people, vntounto ye notable example of al rich mē, specially of suche as professe y• Gospel,Grosse Gospellers. wherof many in these our daies, alas for pitie, hauehave y• Gospell swīming in▪ their lips, & yet in their deedes liue no part of ye Gospel, but abuse ye name therof to cloke their beastli liuing & to shadow their carnal liberti, thei thē selues being ye bond slaues of Sathā, further frō y• true faith thē the very Turkes and Iewes, more estraunged frō al godly workes, both of fastinge, praiyng, geuyng of almes, mortifiyng their carnall affectes. &c. then the very papistes, so cotouse, proud, ha…eful, vain glorious, diss… blyng, bankeryng, liynge, sclaundering, disdainefull, vncharitable, vnmercif…ll, wicked, and vncleane in conuersacion, that I know not to whom I may iustlie compare them. They professe that they know god,Tit. …. as S. Paule sayth, but with their dedes they vtterly deny him, being abhominable, bisobediente, and wholye …straunged from al good workes. What shal we thē loke for, but (except we repēt and emende) euē as Christ did prophecie,Math. xxi. the kingdom of god shal be takē from vsus, and geuen to a nacion, which shall bring forth y• frutes therof. He loued not blessing, therfore it shal be far frō him,Psal. xix. saith Dauid. This vnthankefulnes towarde g…d, this vnmercifulnes towarde oure neighbour, this dissoluciō of lyfe toward our selues, can by no meanes scape vnpunished. The Lord hauehave merci vpō vsus, and turne our hertes,…. that we may serue him in holines and righteousnes al the daies of oure lyfe.
God whiche hathe begonne a good worke in you, mought cōtinue & finishe the same vntounto the glory of his holy name, and the profite of his christen congregacion.
Amen.