The Observer of Time, Title page – Dedication
¶The Temporyſour (that is to ſaye: the obſeruer of tyme, or he that chaungeth with the tyme.) Compyled in Latyn by the excellent Clarke Wolfangus Muſculus, and trāſlated into Frenche by M. Vallerain Pullain. And out of Frenche into Ingliſhe by R. P. 1555.
iij. Regum xviij.
☞How long will ye hault on both ſydes, yf the Lord be God, folowe him. But if Baal be he, then go after him.
☞☞IMPRINTED.☞☞ Anno Domini. 1555. In the MonethMonth of Iulij.
❀Grace mercye and peace from God oure euerlaſtinge father in the bloude of Ieſus Chriſt, by the communication of his holy ſpyryte be multiplied vntounto the (O Ingland) into the imbrafinge of the trew honour of God in his word, and the forſakinge of al Idolatrye and Ypocreſie.
IN calling to my remembraunce (O Ingland) thou coūtrye of my natiuitie, thy miſerable preſent ſtate, ouerwhelmed with iniquitie, wherin veritie is exiled, godlynes ſecluded, vertue defaced, fidelitie ſuppreſſed, and trueth impriſoned. And on the other ſyde, Falſhod retayned, lyes imbraſed, impiete cheriſhed, vyce auaunced, Infidelitie extolled, and vntrueth ſet at lybertie, wherein trew relygion is altered into ſuperſticion, the worde of God into mens traditions, the holy Sacraments into blaſphemous ſacrifices and ſuperſticious Ceremonies, and the trew worſhipping of god into execrable ydolatrie, wherin thy faythful naturall natyf Kyng is chaunged into a ſuperſticious vnnaturall forreyne Prince. Thy worthye Maieſtrates, Nobilitie and Rulers, into faynt harted tymerous perſons, ruled of other theyr inferiours. Thy vygelant Biſhoppes and faythfull Miniſters, into greuous wolues and bloudthurſtye murtherers. And thy infinite numbre of Goſpellers and faythful Chriſtians, into diſſembling ypocrites, and hollow harted Papiſtes.) I cō ſydered with my ſelfe what mighte be the vndoupted cauſe of this ſo miſerable an alteration:Pſa. c. vij for the certaynte whereof I repayred vntounto the worde of God,Num. 16 ij. eſd. ix. the onelye diſcloſer of all trueth in doutfull matters: wheras notably I found,prou. 28. Sinne, to be the vndoupted cauſe of all theſe alterations,Eſa. 3. 13. plagues, and mutacions. For Sinne was the cauſe of Adams expulſion outIer. 5. 30 of Paradyſe,Ezec. 23. of the ouerflowinge & drowning of the worlde,Amo. ix. of the conſuming of Sodome & Gomor with brunſtone and fyre,Dani. ix, of the often captyuitie and ſlaughter of the people of god:Iudi. 5. 8. ſometyme by the Egiptians,Gene. iij. ſometyme by the Madianites,Gene. vij Moabites, Amorites, Philiſtians, Aſſyrians,Ge. 13. 19 Caldians and Babilonians, & the finall ſubuerſion of Ieruſalem by the Romaynes.Iudi. 3. 4 6. 11. 13. iiij. Reg. xvij. xxv. Euen ſo is Sinne now the cauſe that God taketh awaye the light of his word from vsus, and geueth vsus ouer to errour & darkenes. Sinne is the cauſe that he hath takē away ourMat. 24. vertuous Kinges and Princes,Lu. 19. 21 and in ſtede of them hath geuen vsus ypocrites to raygne ouerAmos. 8. vsus.Ioh. xij. Sinne is the cauſe that he hath taken away the hartes of our Nobilitie,Iob. 18. xxxviij. Counſayl & Captaynes in makinge them fayntharted & weakelinges,Iob. 34. being contented to ſubmit theyr neckes vnderunder the yocke of ſtraungers.Dani. iiij Sinne is the cauſe that God hath taken away from his people,Eſay. iij. his trew Preachers,Leui. 26. vertuous Miniſters, and faythfull Shepeherdes,Deut. 28. in geuinge them ouer into the mouthes of moſt cruell wolues,Iere. iiij. rauening thefes & fugitiue hyrelinges.1. Reg. 28 Sinne is the cauſe that God hath ſent a daſinge intoEſay. lix. the heartes of his people,Iob. xij. to beleue lyes, & not to credyte the truth: but to grope after vanite,Iere. vij. thinking by playing the ypocrites,Eze. xiij. to kepe the thinge that they ſhall moſte certaynely forgo.Naū. iij. ij. Teſſ. ij Finally to conclude. Sinne is the vndoubted cauſe (as teſtifieth the ſcriptures) of al plagesAmos. ix miſfortunes,Leui. 26. ruynes, mutacions, captiuities, and deſtructions.Deut. 28. And vnles thou repente in tyme (O Inglād) it wylbe the cauſe of thy finall deſolation and vtter confuſion. For thou doeſt euen now noriſhe within thee, thoſe that ſhal conſume thee.Eſai. vij. The Lord hath whiſled for them out of a farre countrye, and they are ſpedelye come, euen thoſe that ſhall ruynate thine honour, adnichelat thyne auncient worthines, and bring thy prayſeworthy fame to ignominy and ſhame. Oh Sinne, how odible art thou in the ſight of ye moſt higheſt, that bringeſt ſuch confuſion vponupon them that hath ſo frendly imbraſed thee. O Ingland, thou receyuedſt an yl geſt to herborowe, whē thou waſte contented that ſynne ſhould lodge with thee: whoſe louelove and frēdſhip is the wrath and enmite of God: whoſe payment and recompence is, captiuitie, deſtruction and deſolation: for now thy pryde ſhalbe rewarded with pouertie,Eſay. iij. thyne abundaunce with ſcarcitie, thy gredye purchaſinge with diſpoſſeſſing.Eſay. v. Thy ſumptuouſe buylding with raſing downe, and thyne ambytion with deſolation: yea the gorgiouſnes of thine apparell ſhalbe tourned into ragges and ſackcloth: thyne abundant delicate fare, into famyne and honger,Eſay. iij. and the cheriſhed beautye of thy Ladyes and dayntie Miſtreſſes into wytherednes and ſunne burninge. Theyr fayre layde out yelowe lockes into baldneſſe, for the tyme approcheth that of force they muſte forgo theyr trinkettes of pryde, the which at the admonicion of Gods word they would not abandon, as are theyr abyllements of gold, tawdrye laces, bongraces, fardingals, tablettes, ringes, with theyr garded and brodered raymente of ſundrye faſhions, counterfeyting all nations: and becauſe theyr huſbandes hauehave vaynly ſupported them in the ſame. Theyr bloud ſhalbe ſhed in the ſtretes, ſayth the Lord. Eſaye. iij. This ſhalbe the reward of Sinne thy geſt (O Ingland) beſydes the greuous Idolatry wherin thou now lyueſt, to the vtter woundinge of thy conſcientie, agaynſt thy knowledge by ypocriſye: the onelyonly meane to accellerat & bring ſpedye damnation vponupon thy head.Exod. 32. iij. Re. 13. For this Sinne of ydolatry is ſo odious in Gods ſight that at no tyme (as teſtifieth the ſcriptures)Num. 25 hath ye Lord lefte the ſame vnpuniſhed: wherfore be thou moſt certaynly aſſured of his intollerable wrath and indignation, that after ye committing of ſo manye ſinnes, in ſtede of repentaunce doeſt ende in Idolatrye: yea, it is a playne argument that thou art forſakē of god, and geuen ouer into reprobation,Ier. xliiij for this is ye ſinne (as witneſſeth the Prophetes) that comonlyEzec. vi. goeth before captiuitie, ſlaughter, peſtilence, famyne, deſolation and vtter deſtruction. Oh conſyder,Luke. xv. I pray thee (O Ingland) how farre thou art alreadye ſtrayed from the ſhepefold of Chriſt, by one lytle ſtorme of tēptacion. Oh how cleane art thou blowen awaye from the port of health, by one bluſtring blaſt of a buſie Biſhop. Oh how is the ſhippe of thy comon wealth now toſſed through the vnſkylfulnes of one that ruleth the helme. O how are thy faythfull Chriſtians induced to playe the diſſemblinge ypocrites, in communicatinge at vnlawfull ſeruices and blaſphemous ydolatries, by the inſtigation of a fewe vnlearned Papiſtes.ij. Tim. ij Wher haſt thou learned in the time of a ſtorme to abandon the helme,Math. x. in the tyme of warre to contracte amyte with the enemyesi. Pet. iij. of thy Captayne, and in the tyme of tryall, to cloke and diſſemble thy fayth? This hath not the worde of God taught thee, although thou pretende dyuers excuſes for the ſame: but rather the louelove of thy ſelfe, of the worlde, of thy goodes and ryches, thy landes and poſſeſſiōs, thy wyfe and chyldren, thy fylthy pleaſures, and fleſhly delites, the which al, thou thinking by thy diſſimulate ypocriſie to ſaue and preſerue, thou ſhalte moſt certaynly loſe and forgo, as witneſſeth the verytie, ſaying: Whoſoeuer goeth about by any fraudulent meanes toMath. x. ſaue his lyfe,Mar. viij he ſhall moſt certaynly loſe theſame: yea,Luke. ix euen this tranſitory lyfe, beſyde the perpetual damnation of ſoule and body in the lyfe to come. For the Lord wyl reteyn no ſuch ſouldiers in his Campe, as ſhall beare a flattering face towardes his enemies, and aſſociate them ſelues with his aduerſaries, he wyl hauehave no ſuch ſeruing men in his Court,iij. Re. 18 as ſhall halt on both ſydes,Apoc. iij. beyng neyther whote nor cold, ſekinge to pleaſe two cōtrary mayſters,Math. vi God, and Mammon: yea, he accoumpteth all thoſe pretenſed frendes, for vtter enemyes, that wyl vyſite the table of deuylles,i. Corin. x ij. Cor. vi and his alſo: that ſeke to couple Chriſt with Beliall, lighte with darkenes, righteouſnes with vnrighteouſnes, the beleuer with an infydell, and the Temple of god with Images. In al theſe thinges thou art coulpable O Inglande, through thy diſſimulate ypocriſie, in declining from the trueth: notwithſtāding thine earneſt promyſe, vowe, and conſente, to continue a faythfull Souldiour, a trew ſeruaunt, and an vnfayned frend: for who is he in thee, at this preſent (a few only excepted) that ether for feare of men, or louelove of the worlde doeth not abandon the perſecuted, impriſoned and exyled congregation of God, his faythful ſeruauntes, and ioyne himſelfe with the company of Idolaters and maſmongers hys enemyes? who is he that is not now contented to abandon the table of ye Lord the holy communion and Sacrament of Chriſtes body and bloud, and to vnyte himſelf vntounto that ſacrifycing bloudye aultar of the blaſphemous breddē God, the romiſhe Idol? who is he that doeth not now with all diligence (inſtede of the lyuely water of Gods holy worde truely preached) repayre vntounto the fylthy puddels of mennes ſuperſtitious doctrines, therwith to ſatiſfye theyr thyrſte? yea, who is he now in thee, that notwithſtāding before tyme he condempned with knowledge of conſciēce all maner of Images and Idols, that doth not now dayly repayre vntounto the Temples of Idolaters, in whoſe cōpany and that before theyr Idolles, they praye, they knele, they are bareheaded, they lifte vp theyr handes, they receyue holy water, and holy bread, with dyuers other exteriour ieſtures of the bodye: And yet (that worſt is) thei affirme they do not offend in as muche (as they ſaye) they do it not with the conſente of theyr harte, but onelyonly with the outward ieſture of the body, and therefore no ſinne, in as much as the Lord onelyonly requyreth the harte,Roma. x. the whiche they geue vntounto hym: as though there myghte be made a ſeperation of the ſoule and the body, in dedicatinge the one vntounto the ſeruice of God, and the other to Idolatrie: as though the Lord had not created thē Gene. ij.both, in vnyting and knytting them together, making but one man, reſeruing them bothe to immortalitie:Deu. 6. 11 as though the Lorde God dyd not earneſtly requyre in his lawe of eueryevery oneMat. 22. of vsus,Mark. 12 our whole ſoule, harte, mynde, ſtrength, power and outward man:Luke. x. and yet they contrarye to this knowledge, do make a ſeparation, whereas the Lord hath made ſo perfyte a coniunction. But I feare me this theyr ſeparation tendeth to none other ende, but to deuyde thē ſelues wholy from God both in ſoule and body, for he wyl not hauehave the one without the other, neyther is he pleaſed with halfe of hys creatures. Wherefore yf he yt deteſteth whoredom, fleeth the ſtewes and cōpany of whoremongers: yf he that hateth ſwering, auoydeth the felowſhip of blaſphemers: and yf he that loueth quietneſſe refrayneth the companye of ruffians & quarellers. How much more oughteſt thou (O dearly beloued) yf thou dydeſt in dede hate Idolatrye, as thou pretendeſte in word, to auoyde and flee the companye of all Idolatres in the committing of theyr Idolatrye: how much more I ſaye oughteſt thou to auoyde theyr brothell houſes & ſtewes, theyr ſinke and puddel of fylthy Idolatrye, & that not onelyonly with the hart & minde, but alſo with the body and outward ieſture. For the Lorde doeth not onelyonly requyre (as wytneſſeth ſaynte Paul)Roma. x. the confydence and belefe of the harte vntounto iuſtifycation, but alſo the outwarde confeſſion of the mouth and exteriour conuerſatiō vntounto ſaluation.Num. xi. Let not the greaſy fleſhpottes of Egipte, I meane the pleaſures of this lyfe, ſo muche ſincke into thy mynde, as for the enioyinge thereof, thou be contented to abandon the church of God in the deſert,ij. Petr. ij and retourne to thy fylthye puddel agayne. Set rather before thyne eyes the examples of the holye Patriarkes, Prophetes, Apoſtles, and all other godly men from the beginning, who all as neceſſytie requyred hauehave abandoned wyllingly theyr pleaſures,Ebre. xi. forſaken theyr commodites, relinquiſhed theyr natyue countrye, haſarded theyr lyues, ſhedde theyr bloud, and paciently indured the moſte greuous tormentes of tyrauntes for the teſtimony of the truth, rather then they would ether in body or in mynd cō municate with the vngodlye in any vntrueth. Why rather doeſt thou not practyſe in this raging ſtorme of temptacion, the worthy examples of Daniel, Tobias, Eliezar, Sidrach, Miſech, and Abednego, with dyuers others,Dani. vi. contayned in the holy ſcriptures:Tobie. i. ij. mac. vi who all woulde geue no place, (as touchinge theyr religion in the trew worſhipping of God) vntounto the cōtrary cōmaūdemēts of wicked Princes.Dani. iij. Then the examples of Nicodemus,Ioh. iij. Ioſeph of Aramathia, and Naaman the Syrian,Ioh. xix. which ſeme to you to couler your ypocriſy withall.4. Reg. … But they beyng rightfully wayed and truely vnderſtanded, meaſured with the lyne of God his holy word, ſhal lyttle defend your wicked attēptes, but rather dyrectly cōfute the ſame. The which thing to accompliſhe, becauſe I of my ſelfe am vtterly inſufficient and vnable, and for the tender louelove that I beare vntounto my natiue country, whoſe ſaluation in Chriſt Ieſu, I continually wyſhe for as myne owne. I hauehave taken vpō me to reduce into our natyue tounge (according to my promyſe in my former tranſlated Boke) a worthye worke that latelye happened into my handes, no les neceſſarye then profytable and no les profytable then Godly for this preſent tyme. The which doeth moſt dyrectly and inuincyble aunſwere to all maner of obiections and wronge alleged examples that may be produced for any diſſimularion in religion. Compiled iu. iiij. Dialoges, by the faythful ſeruaūt of Ieſus Chriſt, and excellent learned deuine, Wolfangus Muſculus, for the comfort, edifycation and inſtruction of his contryemen the… Germaynes, then oppreſſed by the tyrannye of Antechriſt in his fylthy mēbres. And nowe I dedicate the ſame vntounto the (O Inglād) with theſame mynde for thy ſinguler premonition & conſolation in theſe thy dayes of aduerſytie & myſerye, oppreſſed with the lyfe (or rather greater) Antechriſtian crueltye and tyrannye. In this Boke are .iiij. Collocutors or ſpeakers aptly ſet forth of the Author. The fyrſte is named, Euſebius, who according to the ſignification of hys name occupieth the place of a faythful Chriſtiā, alwayes perſeuering in the feare of God, voyde of all diſſimulation, hauing alwayes a trew and lyuelye fayth, without declining at any tyme frō theſame, for any thing that the deuyl, the world, or the fleſhe cā do, or ymagine. The .ij. is called, Irenius, who as his name importeth, is all together peace able, and a louer of vnyte and concorde, & therfore he perſeuereth in his accuſtomed maner of lyuing, without caring for any trouble that ryſeth through any alteratiō of religiō, wherin he differeth from the other two, in as much as he doeth not condemne all religion, as doth the Mondayne, nether yet is he ſo variable as is the Temporiſour, but for all that he ſwarueth from the rules of a trew Chriſtiā, in that the peace and tranquilitie of the cōmen welth is more deare vntounto him, then is the glorye of God, the floriſhing of his word, and his own ſaluacion. The .iij. is named the Temporiſour, becauſe of his diſſimulation, who obſerueth more the tyme, then the rules of a Chriſtian, tendering his owne ſaluation. The laſt is called Mondayn, that is to ſaye: a worldly man, or an infydell, who hath neyther God, nor any religion, in any reputacion. Theſe .iiij. perſons thou ſhalt heare ſpeake in theſe Dialoges, and that ſo aptlye and decentlye, that (yf they had the lyke grace in the Ingliſhe, as they hauehave in the Frenche) thou wouldeſt rather iudge them the lyuely voyces of men then otherwyſe. As it is, take it in good worth, as a teſtimonye of my good wyll and earneſt zeale vntounto my natiue countrye. Truſting gentle Reader, that after thou haſt diligently peruſed theſame, and examined it wt the touchſtone of Gods word, and thyne owne conſcience, thou wilt ſearche no more excuſes to couer thy diſſimulatiō and impiete withall. For truely ſuche inuented excuſes are manifeſt argumentes of the vtter cō tempt of the ſonne of God and his Kingdom, as the Parable of thoſe that were inuitated to the mariage doeth notably teſtifye:Mat. 22. wherfore flee all excuſes,Luk. xiiij and come vntounto the banket now whyle thou art called, leaſte thou with thyne excuſes be for euer excluded, and peraduentur neuer after called agayn.Mat. xix. Wo worth thoſe oxē, that farme,Luk. xiiij that wyfe, or anye other earthlye pleaſure, that ſhall ſtaye vsus from comming to that celeſtiall ſupper, whereas thou ſhalte behold the ſonne of god frendly imbraſing thee, ſayinge: Come thou bleſſed of my father, and poſſeſſe the lyfe euerlaſting, mate merye, and reioyce, the Lord graūt you to be found in the noumbre of thoſe his geſtes in that daye,Mat. xxij xxv. hauing on the wedding garment, & not amongſt the foliſhe ſlepinge vyrgins, who, hauinge no reſpect vntounto the comming of the brydegrome,Mat. 24. were ſhut out from the mariage,Mar. xiij whoſe triumphant coming I aſſure you is not farre of,Luk. xix. xxi. for the ſignes goyng before theſame, hauehave already appeared.ij. Teſſ. ij The ſonne of perdition is reueled, Iniquitie hath alreadye the vpperhande,i. Tim. 4. The louelove of many is abated. What a noumbre is there that depart from the fayth, in geuing hede vntounto ſpyrytes of errour, and deuyliſh doctrines of them that ſpeake lyes through ypocryſye. Howe are men nowe become louers of them ſelues?ij. Tim. iij Couetous, boaſters, proude, curſed ſpeakers, diſobedient, vnthankful, vngodly, vnkynde, trucebreakers, falſe accuſers, traytours, highmynded, deſpyſers of them which are good, gready vponupon voluptuouſneſſe more then the louers of God, hauing a ſimilitude of godlines, but hauehave denyed the power thereof: whoſe madnes is now made apparant vntounto al menne. Theſe are the tokens as wytneſſeth the ſcriptures, that ſhall immediatly go before his coming, as ye bloſſome & leaues of ye fygtree before the Sōmer. The which tokēs yf they hauehave lately appeared, or no: I appeale to all mens conſciēces. Wherfore ye holy ones of the lord reioyce, for the day of your redemption draweth nyghe. And in the meane tyme the Lorde Ieſus, the onelyonly Sauiour of our ſoules graūt vntounto eueryevery one of vsus his holy ſpyrite, to thend …hat we vnderſtandinge theſe thinges maye …yefullye beare in oure bodyes the mortification of the LORDE Ieſus, to thend that the lyfe of Ieſus Chriſt maye appeare in vsus, his grace and peace be with you all. AMEN.
¶ R. P.