Sermon 24 August 1578, Title page – Dedication
A SERMON Preached at Paules Croſſe on Barthelmew day, being the 24. of Auguſt. 1578. Wherin, beſides many other profitable matters meete for all Chriſtians to follovv, is at large prooued, that it is the part of all thoſe that are fathers, houſeholders, and Scholemaiſters, to inſtruct all thoſe vnderunder their gouernement, in the vvord and knovvledge of the Lorde.
By IOHN STOCKVVOOD Scholemaiſter of Tunbridge.
Pſalme. 119. verſe. 104.
By thy precepts I hauehave gotten vnderſtanding, therefore I hate all the vvayes of falſehood.
AT LONDON, Imprinted by Henry Bynneman for George Byſhop.
¶ To the VVorſhipfull the Maiſter, the Wardens, and Aſſiſtantes of the vvorſhipfull Companye of Skinners in London, IOHN STOCKVVOOD, Scholemaiſter of their free Grammer Schole in Tunbridge, wiſheth proſperitie in this life, and euerlaſting felicitie through Chriſt our Sauioure in the lyfe to come.
BEeyng my ſelfe (Right vvorſhipfull) earneſtly requeſted of many that feare GOD, and ſundry of my friends, being laboured by others of the godly to perſuade vvith me, for the publiſhing ſuche doctrine, as it pleaſed God to giuegive me to vtter at Paules Croſſe not long ſithence, I hauehave at length yeelded vntounto their earneſt ſute, not beeing ignorante hovve manye ſharp cenſures vvill paſſe vponupon this my doing, nor yet vvhat diuers iudgements ſhall be giuē of this my trauell. But hovvſoeuer mē iudge or thinke, as touching my ſelf,1. Cor. 4.3. I ſay vvith Paule, I paſſe very little to be iudged of them, or of mans iudgement, no, I iudge not mine ovvn ſelfe. There is a God that iudgeth, vvho knovveth my ſingleneſſe in this behalf, and that the only marke I ſhoote at in the putting it to print, is his glory, and the further profiting of hys Churche, and greater edifying of his people: for if it pleaſed him in greate merciemercy to graunte ſuch ſucceſſe vntounto that vvhyche vvas then ſpoken by mouth vntounto a fevv, that they vvere therby inſtructed to amendmente of life, I doubte not, but of lyke goodneſſe he vvill graunte, that the making heereof by vvrighting common vntounto manye, as it vvill longer and more ſurely remaine ſettled in their memories, ſo it vvil alſo vvorke more frutefully, to their putting it in dayly vre and practiſe. And as all the vertues vvhiche are heere ſette dovvne to be in Cornelius, are ſuche, as ought of eueryevery good Chriſtiā to be follovved: ſo the godly bringing vp of all his family in the feare of the Lorde, being on our parts after his example faithfully performed, the Lord vvil in like ſort bleſſe this needefull trauell in vsus, as he did in him. Wherfore I am humbly in Chriſtes name, to requeſt all your Worſhips, vvith the reſt of Cornelius his vertues, chiefly to bee carefull to practiſe this, of trayning vp your children and families in the word & knovvledge of the Lorde, and ſo ſhall you hauehave them godly, obediēt, gentle, truſtie, and faithfull, like as othervviſe you vvil find them vvicked, vnruly, ſtubborne, pickers and ſtealers, vntrue and vnfaithfull. Novv concerning my purpoſe, of offering this my ſimple labour and trauaile, ſuch as it is, vntounto youre vvorſhips fauourable acceptation, there bee many cauſes and reaſons mouing me therevnto, but chiefely that this vvay I might leaue vntounto the vvorlde a teſtimonie of a dutifull and thankefull mind for your good vvilles tovvards me, in placing me Scholemaiſter of your free Schole of Tūbridge, honorably foūded by that vvorthy Knight Sir Andrevve Iud, ſometime Lord Maior of youre famous Citie of London, and vvorſhipfullye and liberally to youre great coſtes and charges mainteyned, againſt the bad attemptes of thoſe that vvente about to hauehave made it their ovvn priuate poſſeſsion, vvhiche facte of him, the honorable founder, and you the vvorthye mainteyners & defenders, I truſt the L. vvill vſe as good examples, to moue others to do the like, for the training vp of youth in the feare of God, vvhichwhich dutie I beſeech him to grant me faithfully to performe tovvardes youre Schollers, vnderunder my charge, to his glory, your ioy and cōforte, and the benefite of his Church in time to come: and that finally according to his good pleaſure, he vvould long bleſſe and proſper youre Worſhips, to the maintenance of all good learning & godlines. Fare you vvel. From your free Schole at Tunbridge this .4. of Septem. 1578.
Your VVorships moſt humble in the Lord to be commaunded, Iohn Stockwood.