Christian Equity and Moderation, Title page – To the reader
Ε'ΠΙΕΙ'ΚΕΙΑ OR, A TREATISE OF Christian Equitie and moderation.
Deliuered publikely in Lectures by M. W. Perkins, and now published by the consent of his Assignes in Cambridge by a Preacher of the word.
Eph. 4. 31.
Forgiue one another, as God for Christs sake doth forgiue you.
PRINTED BY IOHN LEGAT, Printer to the Vniversitie of Cambridge. 1604.
And are to be sold in Pauls Church-yard at the signe of the Crowne by Simon …
To the right Honourable the L. Sheffeild, Lord Lieuetenant, and L. President. Sir Tho. Heskith, S. Iohn Benet Knights. Charles Hales, R. William, Cutbert Pepper, Iohn Ferne, Esquires, and the rest of his Maiesties Hon. Councell, established in the North parts, and vnderunder his Highnes the highest Patrons of Equitie: Grace and peace from Iesus Christ.
RIght Honourable and W. how famous in all writers the yeare Eightie eight, and how fatall it was made by all the old and later Coniecturers, is not vnknown to any of you: but how the issue answered the expectation, I see not, saue only in that notable ouerthrow of the enemies of god, the Papists: whereupon our reuerendaFulk. in pr… in T…st. Rhe… countreyman, and Christs Champion for England, said very well: Octogesimus octavus, mirabilis annus Clade Papistarum, faustus vbi que pijs.
But if euer yeare deserue to be famous in English Chronicles, it is this yeare, I cannot tell whether I should say 1602, or 1603: wherein, whether Gods anger was more, in taking from vsus such a Queene (as for ought I reade) the world neuer had: or his merciemercy, in giuing vsus such a King, as England neuer had, I leaue it to better heads to be determined. How is the name of our God to be magnified, by whose merciemercy so great a losse is made no losse, but a gaine vntounto vsus? for who seeth not, that all her Princely vertues, doe not only liue in him, but are also in him (beeing a man) more perfect and accomplisht. Shee is dead, but her Heroicall zeale and louelove to Religion is aliue; shee bequeathed it with her kingdome to his Highnesse, who doubtlesse will make both her Religion, and her Kingdome, to flourish as much more, as a man doth excell a womā. And who knoweth not, that the enemies of our Religion, and our peace, (notwithstanding all their politik dissembled brags to the contrarie) doe finde his Maiestie so little for their purpose, that now they would sing a thousand Masses to hauehave her aliue againe, against whom they thundred outbPius Grego… Sixtus … so many Curses and Excommunications, and after whose blood they so thirsted whilst shee liued: what straights are they driuen into? who would wish her aliue againe, at whose hands (though a woman) they neuer gained, nor got one inch of ground in 44 yeares;Paulus …ius 4. Pius 5. Gregor Sixtus 5 Vrbanu… Gregor. Innocen Clement though nine or ten Popes, and 10000 of their slaues, wrastled with her all the while, with all the power, and policie, craft, and trecherie, which the Deuill could lend them. Nay, her end was as glorious as her beginning, and her last Proclamation against them, was more to their shame, and lesse to their comfort, then euer any, in her life before: and so farre was shee, from allowing them a Toleration, of their intolerable religion, in her old, and therefore weakest age, as that it neuer entred into her royall heart: nor euer thought shee it worthie to be made a question, whether it should be or no. No, shee halted not betwixt two religions: but to her Baal was Belial:1. King. 18▪ & therfore shee banisht him; and God was the Lord, and therefore shee serued him. Shee was resolued that Dagon must downe,1. Sam. 5. 2▪ if Gods Arke stand; or els if Dagon stand, the Arke must away. For both together cannot stand vpright. Shee held that as, when the enemies themselues brought the Arke into Dagons temple, Dagon fell downe: so if the Israelites should hauehave admitted Dagon into Gods temple, that the Lord himselfe would hauehave remooued his Arke from them. Blessed was shee in her life, & twise blessed in her end: she lost not her first louelove,… 4, 19. and her works were more at the last, then at the first: and blessed are we that enioyed her so long: and more blessed, who vnderunder her enioyed such 44 yeares, as all the bookes in the world cannot shew vnderunder a woman: but most blessed of all, in that after such a Dauid, God hath sent vsus such a Salomon, after such a woman, such a man, after such a Queene, such a King,… who will make an ende of many a Ioab, and many a Shimei, which shee could not so well doe, and finish that Temple which shee so well beganne:… and who (I doubt not to affirme it) doe the Deuill, and the craftie Papist, all they can, is the chiefe Champion of Christ Iesus vponupon the face of the earth.
And how happie a yeare shall this be, if the losses which learning hath sustained be as well recompenced. Iunius of Leiden, Tossaine of Heilderberg, Perkins of Cambridge, hauehave this yeare bin taken from vsus, besides many other, of inferiour note: happie should those three famous Vniuersities be, if the like were seated in their roomes. Let vsus leaue the first, to the lower, the second to the higher Germanie, to praise them, to lament them, and to make supply for them. It is the third who especially concerneth vsus: what losse the Church of God, and in the Church, England: and in the Church of England, the Ministery: and in the Ministerie, the Vniuersities: & in the Vniuersities, the younger students hauehave sustained by the vntimely death of that Reuerend man, I thinke is not vnknowne to any of you. For how should he be vnknown to any (of any note) in England; whose name and estimation is such in other natiōs, as that at oneaNund ver. 603. Mart we find, that in one halfe yeare, two ofbCatho reforma de mort de vita. Prophet his books were translated into Latine, & foure were were printed beyond the seas. The best recompence of this losse, is the fruit of his labours, which he hath left behind him, whereof some were written by himselfe, and others taken by other men from his mouth: all which, at least so many of them as may be perfected, there is hope we shall intime inioy. Had not Iohan. Budaeus, Calr. in.and Carolus Ionvillaus done so to Calvin: Vitus Theodorus, Ioh. Frederus, and Iustus Ionas done so to Luther, many worthy… workes of those two great instruments of God had vtterly perished: and had not some done so to this worthy mā, no doubt many sweet blasts of that siluer trumpet of God, had vanished away. For my part, though time be pretious vntounto me otherwaies, yet thinke I that time well spent, which I may bestowe in preparing to the Presse, any thing of his. This discourse of Equitie now made readie, as a child borne after his fathers death, I present to your Honourable viewe and patronage. If any aske why I dare tender so small a gift, to so great personages, my onelyonly answer is, I make the Iudges of Equitie, the Patrons of Equitie. God graunt you a long and Honourable state, vnderunder our worthy Salomon. Amen. From my studie, Sept. 10. 1603.
Your Honours, and Worships in the Lord: W. Crashawe.
To the Christian Reader whosoeuer.
I Doe here present vntounto thee, (Christian brother) a small discourse of Equity, deliuered by that faithfull labourer in the haruest of God, Mr. William Perkins, in a fewe Lectures. The discourse is litle, and briefe, but the matter is pithie, and the vse profitable. Equitie and Christian moderation whether publike or priuate, is the true badge of Christianitie. Without publike Equitie, what is the court of Iustice, but turned into the seate of Iniquitie? and without priuate Equity, what is mans life, humane societie, neighbourhood, nay friendship, nay kindred, nay marriage it selfe, but euen a potion of poyson in a golden cuppe? Art thou therfore a Magistrate? here is taught thee, howe to discharge thy place, in the execution of the lawes, as shall neither be vnbeseeming the lenitie of a Christian, nor the seuerity of a Magistrate. Art thou a priuate man? here is taught thee howe to carrie thy selfe, in all dealing and bargaining with another: howe to demeane thy selfe towards thy wife, thy seruant, thy child, thy friend, thy neighbour, in such manner, as if thou hadst all the comforts and contentments of this earth, yet the practise hereof, shall make them all ten times more comfortable: and the want hereof, shall turne all their sweetnesse into gall and wormewood. When therefore thou readest this little booke, and withall, (laying it to thy life) doest finde the truth of it in thy course & conuersation, then acknowledge the spirit of God in this holy man, (who now sleepes in peace) praise God for him, be waile his losse, and helpe me and others with thy holy praiers, that wee may still goe forward in this good worke, of publishing these his godly labours: and in deliuering out to the church of God these Iewels: which the Lord from his mouth, gaue vsus to keepe, not for our owne, but for the common good.
Thy brother in Christ Iesus, W. C.