A Motive to Good Works, Section 4
The 4. Section.
Containing a description of such workes, as the Protestants doo account for good workes, and which in deede are good workes, and grounded vponupon the worde of God. Wherein by the waie also is shewed euerie ones dutie in his seuerall calling in this life.
OVR sauior Christ in the fiue & twentith of Saint Mathewes Gospell, setteth downe a notable Catologue of good workes, amongst which hee accounteth this to be one, namely, to feed the hungrie, to giuegive drinke to the thirsty, to cloath the naked, to visite the sicke, and those that bee in prison, to lodge the harbourlesse, and to entertayne straungers, and way-faring men. This dyd good Abraham well vnderstand and practise, who is sayde to hauehave sate in his tent doore in the heate of the daie,Gen. 18.1.2 of purpose, to inuite and call in straungers, way-faring men, and trauelers, & to relieue them. And therefore when the Angelles came to him in the forme of men, he is noted by the holy Ghost, to hauehave intreated them, nay, to hauehave compelled them to eate meate with him in his house. Good father Lot dyd the very same, watching in his dores or gates, to harbour poore straungers: and therefore when the Angells came into Sodome, like strangers & pilgrimes, hee compelled them in some sort,Gen. 19.1.2 3. to enter into his house, and to take such lodging and entertaynment, as the countrey would yeeld, and his state was able to affoord. And hereby many, (as the Apostle noteth) hauehave receyued Angels into theyr houses at vnawares in the formes of men. But now adayes there are many, that are so farre off, from this kinde of liberality towards poore strangers, or beggers as we call them, that they wyll shut vp their gates, when there is any meate or drinke stirring. And which is too bad, I hauehave knowne some, that hauehave caused the poore to be whipped away from their gates. Again, othersome althogh of great reuenews, because they wil not keepe hospitality, nor relieue the pore at home, they will geue vp house, and eyther go soiorne, & table with some friend, or els take a chamber in some city or town, where they will kepe no house at all, but with a man, & a boy (and it is wel if that too) liue both meanely, basely, and obscurely, to the blemishing & steyning of their worship & credit for euer. Euen they whose lands and possessiōs are worth (peraduenture) 500. pounds a yeare, yea, it may be 1000. pounds a yeare, whose parēts & ancestors kept 20. or 40. mē in a liuery, mainteind great hospitality to the reliefe of all the cuntrey about them, euen they I say wil not stick to do so. And yet wil all their reuenews scarse serue to maynteyne this small port withall, notwithstāding that they so racke their lands, rayse their rents, & exact such fines and incomes, as they make twentie times so much more of their liuings now, as their forefathers did in times past.
Now if it be demanded, how they carrying so low a saile, can spende so great reuenues, which were wont to maintayne so many score, and to releeue so many thousandes of poore soules. I aunswere. They spende it, (as I suppose) for the most part, either in sumptuous apparel, gorgeous buildings (both which are at this daie too rife in England, if it pleased God) or els in feasting and banketting, in roieting and gourmandizing, besides other chamber workes, which I blush to name. For (as the Apostle sayth) it is a shame once to speake of those things, which are done of them in secrete. God turne their heartes, and giuegive them grace to contayne themselues within themselues, to mayntaine hospitalitie for the releefe of the poore, and to vpholde that porte, worship, and credit, which their forefathers dyd.
Our sauiour Christ saith, that a cup of cold water giuen in his name, shall not bee lefte vnrewarded at the later daie. And the Apostle Paul commendeth hospitalitie, as one of the works of merciemercy, calling it in many places, a sweete smelling sacrifice, pleasaunt and acceptable to God. Alasse, let them consider, wherefore dyd God giuegive them such great store of riches, and large possessions in this lyfe, aboue theyr fellows brethren, was it not to doo good with them, and to helpe those that hauehave neede? Let them knowe it was not giuen them to misspend in ryot and excesse, in pride, in gluttonie, or dronkennesse, in whooring, no, nor in hawking, and hunting, nor in anie other such kinde of vanitie. No, no, it wyll not goe for payment at the daye of iudgement, when it shall be sayd vntounto them, redde rationem villicationis tuae, come, geue accoumpt of thy Stewardship. I woulde wishe them therefore to learne euen of the vniust Steward, spoken of by our Sauiour Christ, to make them friends of the wicked mammon. And surely (to bend my style to all in generall) I would councell all men to studie to be more carefull and diligent in doing of good workes, to feede the hungrie, to cloth the naked, to harbor the harborlesse, to visite them that be sicke, and in prison, and to doe to all men, as hee would wishe all should do to him, if he were in like condicion. Say not (as Saint Iames noteth, the rich mercilesse men of hys tyme to hauehave sayde) I hauehave not for you now, come agayne an other tyme, God send you comfort, and so they geue them nothing, themselues notwithstanding in the meane tyme, flowing, nay, ouerflowing with the aboundance of all things. Saint Augustine tells vsus, that looke what apparrell we hauehave in our presses, what clothes in our chests, what garments in our warderobes, more than we weare on our backes, they are (sayth this holy Father) none of ours, but the poores, and to withhold them from them hauing neede, is to robbe and spoyle them. And as the same author sayth, if he shall burne in hell, that hath not clothed the naked, fed the hungrie, nor harbored the harborlesse, oh where shall he burne, that hath robbed and depriued the poore of that that they had? And yet I am not of that foolish pity, that I would hauehave a man to geue to eueryevery one without exceptiō: for herein there is great discretion to be vsed, & many circumstances to be considered. First, we are to conferre with them (before we geue them any thing) of the word of God, and of religion, to the ende, wee may knowe, whether they bee true christians indeede, or no. Secondly, wee are to consider whether they be old, blind, lame, or otherwise diseased and infirmed. Thirdly, howe they came to this pouertie, whether by the hande of God, as by fire, shipwracke, death of cattell, or anie other the like iudgment and visitation of GOD. And fourthly, what hath beene, and is his lyfe and conuersation, and in what sorte he spendeth and imploieth his goods, all which, if we finde to stand with the feare of God, and a good conscience, then are wee to releeue such a one to the vtterwost of our abilitie. But to those that be either Atheists, or obstinate Papists, yong, lustie, & able to worke, and yet wil not, I am not to giuegive any thing, for in releeuing of such, besides that, I maintain them in their idlenes still, I also offend both God and my brethren. Of such, the Apostle geueth a peremptorie commaundement, that they who will not labour, should not eate. Now in the geuing of our almes, we must hauehave regard specially to these sixe things. First, we must see that we geue our almes for the louelove we beare to God, and to our brethrē for his sake. Secondly, that we geue them not for vayneglory, to be magnifyed and praysed of men, as the Pharises did, who sounded trumpets before them when they gaue theyr almes. Thirdly, we must geue our almes voluntarily, willingly, and without cōstraint, grudging or murmuring: for the Lord (sayth the Apostle) loueth a cheerefull geuer. Fourthly, we must geue liberally, and not niggardly, for (as the same Apostle in an other place noteth) they that sowe sparingly, shall reape sparingly. Fiftly, we must giuegive our almes whilest we hauehave tyme in this life, as Paule sayth, dum tempus habemus, faciamus bonum ad omnes, whilest wee hauehave tyme let vsus doe good to all men. Wee must not leaue it to our executors to doe after vsus, who (peraduenture) wyll part stakes, and geue one penny to the poore, and reserue three for them selues. It is not worth a blewe peese to geue them, when thou seest thou must needes leaue them, and canst inioy them no longer. Sixtly, and lastly, wee must geue freely, looking for no reward, merite, or recompence for it againe. But to leaue this, and to goe forward to the rest.
It is also accoumpted by Christ a good worke and a worke of mercy, to visite those that be sicke, and in prison, and to relieue them. Those that be sicke, we must comfort, exhort, dehort, counsayle, and perswade, as we see their present state and condicion doth require: and besides, if they want any necessary thing, that eyther we hauehave, or can any way procure them, wee are to helpe them to it, and to relieue them. And those that are in prison, wee must visite also, and not only relieue them with meate, drinke, & clothes, but also with our counsayle and wisedome, to the vttermost of our abillitie. But as wee are in this case to relieue all, so are wee much more bound to relieue those that are indurance for the word of God, & the testimony of a good conscience, not suffering such to lacke in any case. It is also a good worke to set vp hospitalls, spittles, & almes houses, for the reliefe, and sustentation of the poore. In which kinde we hauehave many good men (thankes be to God for them) that hauehave done notably, I pray God increase the number of them. But because I hauehave spoken of thys matter somewhat more at large in the beginning of this booke, I will nowe therefore say no more of it, referring the reader to the same place. It is also an excellent good worke to erect Colledges and Schooles for the increase and propagation of good letters, as without which, barbarisme, and palpable ignorāce would quickly ouerflowe vsus (as I hauehave noted before) and we in short time should become little differing from bruite beastes, I pray God therfore to open the harts of all men and women that be able, to be more beneficiall to them, but of this I hauehave spoken more largely before in the second Section of this booke.
It is also a good worke, and a worke wherewithall God is highly pleased, to contribute liberally to the mayntenance of godly Pastors, and Preachers. For (as the Apostle Paule reasoneth) if they minister vntounto vsus heauenly things, it is a small matter, if they reape of vsus earthly things. And yet there are some, nay too many Machianelists, that thinke, and say, they hauehave too much, and that all is well got, that is got from them. But if they knew the excellency of theyr office, and the incomparable dignitie of their high calling, if they knew whose place they supply, and whose person they represent in their office, if they knew how deere they are to the Lord (in so much as in a certaine place he sayth, they are as deere vntounto him as the apple of his eye) if they knew that epithites, and names of honor are attributed to thē by God himselfe in holy scripture, as namely, angels, lights, ambassadors, messengers, legates, pastors, preachers, doctors, besides many other titles, and denominacions of honor. Briefely I say, if they knew that to detract from them, is to withdraw from God, and from his holy ministery, they would not thinke all wonne that is extorted from them. God sayth, touch not myne annoynted, and doe my Prophets no harme. And our Sauiour Christ sayth, he that receyueth you, receyueth me, and he hath reiecteth you, reiecteth mee, accoumpting what soeuer iniury or wrong is done to them, to be done to him selfe. And therefore doe I hould this as an infallible maxime, that who so euer deteyneth, or withholdeth any thing of that which is right from his Pastor, or Preacher, neyther loueth God, Christs Iesus, nor yet his holy ministery: for so our Sauiour affirmeth, hee that loueth you, loueth me, and he that hateth you, hateth me: and agayne, the Prophet speaking in the person of God, sayth, bring corne into my barnes, that there may be meate in my house, calling the barne and house of the minister hys owne barne, and hys owne house. And yet there are some so straight laced, that they would not hauehave the ministery to liue vppon tythes (forsooth) but vppon contribucions, that is, playne almes indeede: so that eueryevery one should giuegive them what they would, little or much: which if it were once effected, then might the ministery quickly goe a begging, as they doe nowe almost in Scotland. If this be not the way to bring the ministery into contempt, the Sacraments and word of God into hatred and religion into detestacion, Say if this be not the way to bring in playne Atheisme, and consequētly confusion and ouerthrow of all things, I knowe not what is. For take away reward frō learning, & who will set his sonne to learning? who I say will set his child to the Vniuersitie, and bestowe almost all hee hath vppon hym to get him learning, wheras afterwards he shall liue but as a begger all dayes of his life? But as I would wish that they, who be good, able, and sufficient preachers indeede, should hauehave liuing enough, so would I wish, that those who hauehave too much, should part with some of their superfluitie to others that eyther hauehave too little, or iust none at all. For you shall hauehave some, that can speake but little congrue latine, much lesse preach the word of God (nay would God they could reade english well) and yet they hauehave, some of them two, some of them three, and it is well if not four benefices a peece, you shal hauehave othersome fine schollers, and famous preachers indeed, want euen competent mayntenance. And therefore could I wish (if it might possibly be brought to passe) that a more equall distribution of liuings were had amongst vsus. But it may sooner (I feare me) be wished for, than hastely effected. Now as this is a great plague to our Church, so (I doubt) least in time, these impropriacions will be the bane of the same: I pray God to moue her Maiesties royall heart, and the heartes of her honorable Councell to redresse this great calamitie, if it be his blessed will. But whether am I caryed? It is a good worke in a Bishop to preache the worde of God truely, to minister the Sacraments sincerely, to execute ecclesiasticall discipline, and other censures of the Churche seuearely, to rule and gouerne the Churche of God vprightly, according to the word of God, to constitute and place in eueryevery seuerall Church and congregation (as neere as is possible) a good and sufficient preacher, and to see that eueryevery one in hys perticular charge, and calling, doe hys duety diligently. He must bee an example to his flocke, as well in life, as in doctrine, else what hee buildeth with one hand, hee pulleth downe with the other. Yea, hee must bee of that holy conuersation, and integritie of life, that euen they that are without (as the Apostle speaketh) may bee wonne, and reclaymed thereby. Briefely, hee must be in all poynts such a one as Paule describeth to Timothy, 1. Timot. 3.1,and to such a one is all honor due,2, 3,as 4,the same Apostle sayth in an other place,5, those Elders that gouerne well,6, 7,are worthye of double honour.
It is also a principall good worke in a King, or Prince, fyrst, and aboue all things to establish the true religion and worship of God, to abolish all superstition, idolatrie, and Popery, to roote out all vayne tradicions, ordenances, and constitutions of men, eyther not grounded vppon the word of God, or else repugnant to the same, euer taking the worde of God for hys tutchstone, and square rule, to leuile all hys actions by.
It is also a good worke in a King of Prince, and his very duty, to publish, & enact good lawes, and wholesome Statutes, tending to the aduancement of vertue and godlynes, and to the suppressing and ouerthrowing of all sinne and wickednes, to see iustice ministred to all men alike, without parcialitie, fauour or affection, to restrayne, and inhibite all gnawing vsury, extortion, and exaction, to suppresse all robbing, murthering, slaying and killing one of an other, to defend the pore from the iniury and violence of the mighty, to punish sin in all men, according to the nature and quality therof, as well in the nobility, gentry, and yeomanry, as in them of the lowest degree, knowing that the iudgement is the Lords, that they be the Lords ministers, and that they carry not the sword for naught, as Paule witnesseth,1. Cor. 14. being also assured of this, that the Lord respecteth no mans person, neyther hath he graunted any greater charter to the mightie, than to the poore, to sinne. No, no, they hauehave neyther commission nor priuiledge, eyther of immunitie or impunitie, no more than the poorest swayne or meanest peasant that lyueth vppon the face of the earth hath. But the soule that sinneth shall dye, sayth the Apostle, of what condicion, estate, or degree soeuer they be. Yea, the greater honor, or dignitie that the Lord bestoweth vppon any one in this life, the greater innocency and perfection he requireth at his hands, so farre off is hee from dispensing with any to sinne. Princes therefore Noble men and Gentlemen should be examples of godlynes and holynes to those that bee theyr inferiors, for it is an olde prouerbe and verie true, Quales Principes, Nobiles, & Gubernatores, tales populi, & subditi, Such as the Prince, Nobles, and Gentlemen are, such are commonly the people and subiects also.
It is also an excellent good worke in a Prince, to see that eueryevery one, man, woman, and childe, be Cathechised and taught the true Religion of God, and to compell them to heare, reade, meditate, conferre, and talke of the same, contrarie to that blasphemous opinion of the Papists, who teach, that the knowledge of the word of God amongst the Layty (as they call them) doth make them Heretiques. But our Sauiour Christ teacheth vsus another lesson, Scrutamini Scripturas, Search the Scriptures, for in them, yee hope to hauehave eternall life. And in an other place agayne, Search the scriptures, for they are they which testifye of me. Also in the Acts, we reade, that the Byrreans searched the Scriptures dayly, to see whether those things preached by the Apostles were so, or not, and they are wonderfully commended therefore by the holy Ghost in the same place. Agayne, when the Pharises came to Christ, tempting him, concerning the faith of the resurrection, he answered them, yee erre, not knowing the scriptures, nor the power of God. So that whereas the Papists contrary to all truth, do hould, that the knowledge of the scriptures is cause of heresy, we finde heere by our Sauiours owne words, that the ignorance of them is cause of all errors, heresy, and supersticion. Dauid in his first Psalme verse 1.2.Psal. 1.1.2. accoumpted hym blessed that was conuersant dayly in the word of God, saying, Blessed is the man, that doth not walke in the councell of the wicked, nor stand in the way of sinners, nor sit in the seate of the scornefull, but his delight is in the lawe of the Lord, and in this lawe doth hee exercise himselfe day and night. Agayne, in the syxt of Deuteronomie wee are commaunded by expresse wordes,Deut. 6. that the word of God shall neuer goe out of our heartes, that wee shall teache it to our children, that wee shall talke of it when wee are in our houses, when wee goe by the waye, when wee laye vsus downe, and when wee ryse vp agayne, and to bynde it as a signe vppon our armes, and as a frontlette before our eyes, and whych is more, to write it vppon the postes of our houses, vppon our walles, and vppon our gates: so farre off ought wee to bee, from not reading, or studying, or meditating of it. Our Sauiour Christ in the Gospell after Saint Mathew,Matth. 4. sayth, non solo pane, man liueth not by bread only, but by eueryevery word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God. Why then, if we liue by the word of God, and if it bee the spirituall foode of our soules (as it is in deede) what cruell tyrants, and bloudy soule-quellers are the Papists, to depriue vsus of that whereby our soules shoulde liue? But yet I cannot greatly blame them, for since the word of God came abroade, and that it was lawfull for eueryevery one to reade it in their mother tongue, the least child that is (almost) can spye out theyr knauery, theyr shuffling, and iugling: whereby it commeth to passe (thanks be to God) that both they, and their pestilent religion is out of conceipt with most men, and I pray God they may be dayly more and more, till neither the memorie of the one, nor yet the mention of the other be once heard of vponupon the whole face of the earth. To conclude this point, it is a good worke in a prince, to protect, & defend his subiectes and people, as well from all extreame violence of forraine foes, as also from all oppression and wrong of domesticall enemies, & finally to compel euerie one in their seueral callings (as well of the spiritualtie or cleargie, as also of the temporaltie) to doe theyr duties, and to keepe theyr standinges, that the common wealth be peaceably maintained, and God glorified, who bee blessed for euer.
It is a good worke in inferior Magistrates and rulers, to execute theyr princes lawes indifferently, without respect of persons, neither regarding the rich and mightie for their wealth, nor contemning the poore for theyr pouertie. And to this end it behoueth them to carry a single eie, and to hauehave the feare of God before their faces, & a good conscience in their breasts, that they take nor receiue no bribes, nor rewards: for as Salomon sayeth, Giftes blinde the wise, and rewardes peruert iudgement. And as it is their dueties to minister iustice to all, so must they doo it with expedition: for he that delayeth iustice, is as culpable before God, as hee that giueth false iudgement, and both are abhomination to the Lorde. And yet for all that, you shall hauehave some sutes (which peraduenture might bee decided in halfe a daie) continue notwithstanding seuen yeres, yea, sometimes twentie yeres, to the vtter vndooing, if not of both, yet of one of the parties at last, and in the ende, he that hath money, and is able to wage his lawe lustily, goeth awaie manye times with the game. But howe euer it bee, let iustice bee ministred with expedition, cut off all delatoryes, all Tardè venits, all put-offs, all quirkes and quiddities coyned in the deceitfull mint of mannes braine for filthy lucre sake.
For by this delaying of iustice (though in the ende it goe on the poore mannes side, as sometimes it doeth, though not verie often) the poore man, with his wife and children, hauing spent all in the law, are constrained, eyther to begge, or at least, to liue in extreame miserie all dayes of theyr liues after: so that it had beene as good hee had lost it at the fyrst, as to spende more than it is woorth, and to recouer it at the last.
To the ende therefore that iustice might bee ministred with expedition, I coulde wishe there were men of discretion and iudgement deputed and appoynted in euerie shiere, & furnished with sufficient authority to determine all matters, quarrelles, sutes, or controuersies, whatsoeuer might arise within that particular shiere or countie: so as none (except vponupon some speciall occasion) should neede to goe further for iustice. For now many men are forced to trauell two hundred or three hundred miles in the deapth of winter, in which one iourney some spend euen all they hauehave, and more too, and yet when they come where they woulde bee, theyr sute is as farre from an end, as it was at their comming foorth. And thus is the poore man thorough pure neede, not beeing able to prosecute his seuen yeeres sute, forced to loose all, and constrayned to begge home, peraduenture two hundred or three hundred miles, as I hauehave sayd, in the middest of cold winter. To proceed.
It is a good worke in a subiect to louelove, honour, and obey his Prince in all things not repugnant to the word of God, for so the Apostle commandeth, Let euerie soule bee subiect to the higher powers,Rom. 13.8 3.for there is no power but of God,4. and the powers that be, are ordayned of God.6. And in his Epistle to Titus, 7.Tit. 3he willeth Titus to put vsus in mind, that we bee subiect to principalities, and powers, and obedient, and readie to euerie good worke.
It is also a good worke in a subiect and his duetie, not onelyonly to beare faithfull allegeance to his Prince in his heart, but also to wish him wel, to louelove him, to speake well of him, and most heartely to praie for him, for so the Apostle to Timothie, Timoth. 2.the seconde Chapter, exhorteth vsus, saying, I exhorte therefore, that first of all, supplications, prayers, intercessions, and giuing of thankes bee made for all men, for kings and princes, and for all that bee io authoritie, and hee rendereth a reason why wee shoulde praie for them, that wee may leade a quiet & a peaceable lyfe in all godlynesse and honestie vnderunder them. But heere ariseth a question, whether wee are to obeye our Prince in all thinges or not? I aunswere, If our Prince bee a good prince, and doeth publish good and wholesome lawes, agreeable to the word of God, then are we to obey them in all things, and to aduenture and hazarde both our liues and goods, as well in defence of him and of his lawes.
VponUpon the otherside, if our prince bee a wicked Prince, bloudie, cruell, and tyrannicall, and doeth constitute lawes and statutes cleane contrarie and repugnant to the word of God, then we are thus to doe, we must submit our selues vnderunder his scepter, and in all humilitie & humble obedience lay downe our liues at his feet, rather choosing to die, than to do any thing contrary to the word of God, & good conscience, so far off ought we to be from taking armes against our prince for anie matter whatsoeuer. For the Apostle saith flatly, that those who do resist the powers,Rom. 14… doo resist the ordinaunce of God, and doe purchase to themselues eternall damnation. And hēce is it, that we neuer read so much as of one traitour or proditor of his prince and country, that euer prospered, or had good successe, but in the ende they were ouerthrowen and brought to confusion, & I pray God they may so still, that hammer anie matter, or contriue anie plots against the Lords annointed in anie country or nation of the worlde whatsoeuer.
It is a good worke also in subiects to louelove one another, to praie one for another, and to doo to others, as they woulde wish others shoulde doo to them, for this is the whole lawe and the Prophets, saith our Sauiour CHRIST, that is, hee that loueth God aboue all things, and his neighbour as himselfe, fulfilleth the whole lawe.
And truely not without cause is it sayde, that louelove fulfilleth the law: for if I louelove my neighbor as my selfe, then will I doo him no wrong, neyther in worde nor deed, I will speake no euill of him, I will not detracte him, slaunder him, nor anie kinde of waie hurt or annoy him. This caused our sauiour Christ to saie, By this shall all men knowe that you are my disciples, if yee louelove one another. This caused the Apostle Saint Paul to crie out, Owe nothing to any man but this, that you louelove one another. This caused the same Apostle in an other place to saie, Though I speake with the tongues of men, and of Angelles,1. Cor 13 and hauehave no louelove, I am as a sounding brasse, and tinkling cimball. And though (sayth hee) I had the gifte of prophesie, and knew all secretes, and acknowledge, yea, if I had all faith, so that I coulde remoue mountaines, and yet had no louelove, I were nothing. And though I feede the poore with all my goods, and though I giuegive my bodie to bee burned, and hauehave no louelove, it profiteth me nothing, sayth this Apostle. Yea, such a precious thing is this louelove, that in the last verse of the same Chapter, he preferreth it before either faith or hope, and that verie worthely, for faith and hope shall both cease, and hauehave an ende, when wee shall hauehave attained the full fruition and possession of those thinges which wee looke for after this life, but louelove shall euer remaine, and neuer hauehave ende, amongest the Saintes of God in the kingdome of heauen, when all things else shall bee vanished awaie lyke vntounto a scumme. Then if wee must louelove all men, wee must hate none, no, not our verie enemies, but contrariwise, louelove them, praie for them, and eueryevery kinde of waie seeke to doo them good: for so our Sauiour byddeth vsus, If thine enemie hunger, giuegive him bread, if he thirst, giuegive him drinke, for in so dooing, thou shalt heape coales of fire vponupon his head, as the Apostle speaketh.
And in another place, Christ biddeth vsus, LoueLove your enemies, blesse them that curse you, doo good to them that hate you, for, sayth hee, if you louelove those that louelove you, what great thing doo you? Doe not the verye publicanes and sinners the same? Wee must neither curse nor banne them (as they saie) nor in anie sorte seeke to bee reuenged of them, what wrong so euer they hauehave done to vsus, but referre the reuenge to him who sayeth, Mihi vindicta, & ego retribuam, Vengeance is mine, and I wyll rewarde. For to reuenge euerie wrong, and to contende for euerie strawe one with another, is euen as if one member of the bodie, shoulde rise vp and rebell agaynst another. Therefore euen as the members of our naturall bodyes, doe agree together in a most pleasant harmonie and sweete consorte, doe louelove one an other, suffer one with another, reioyce and sorrowe one with another, and one helpe another, in case anie bee distressed: So let vsus agree together one amongest another, one louelove an other, one helpe, comfort, and releeue another, to the vttermost of our power. Let the counsell of the Apostle sinke deepe into our hartes, where hee sayth, Weepe with them that weepe, mourne wyth them that mourne, and be of like affection one towardes another.
Let not bruite beastes and vnreasonable creatures teach vsus wysedome, who louelove all other of the same kinde, and doe willingly conuerse with them, than with any other of a cōtrary kinde. Let vsus not fall out amongst our selues for eueryevery trifle, nor goe to law for eueryevery light occasion, or rather many times for no occasion at all. Let not the greedy Puttocks the Lawyers make you beggers, and thēselues Gentlemen with your goods. Let your controuersies rather be decided at home, by your honest neighbors & friends, & rather be content to lose a peece, than to go to law and spend all thou hast, and in the end peraduenture lose all too. It is a good worke, if any be falne to extreme pouerty, eyther by piracy on the seas, or robbing on the land, by fire, by death of cattell, by suretiship, or any other like accidēt whatsoeuer, to relieue such a one, to help him, & to restore him again to the vttermost of thy power, that afterward by gods good blessing & thy good meanes, he may do good in the common weale, & thanke God for thee all days of his life after. It is a good worke in eueryevery one that is able, to lend either money or goods, or whatsoeuer els his neybour stādeth in neede of, without vsury, interest, or gaine, according to the saying of our Sauiour Christ, lend to him that would borow, not loking for any thing againe, and thy reward shall be great in heauen. But some are of minde, that vsury is nothing els but an eating, a gnawing, a cōsuming, & an vtter vndoing of my brother (for so indeed the etymology of the word soundeth) so that say they, as long as we eate not, gnawe not, nor consume not our brother (though in the meane time they take neuer so much interest of hym for their money) it is no vsury. But if this be not a eating, a gnawing, a cō suming, and an vtter vndoing of my brother, to take after twenty pound, yea, thirtie pound in the hundred (as many doo) then I knowe not what is. But if they woulde knowe what vsurie is in deede, according to the sense of the worde of God, I will tell them,
Vsurie is anie thing ouer and aboue the principall which was lent, be it neuer so lyttle, eyther in monie, corne, grasse, groundes, landes, meat, drinke, clothes, or anie thing else whatsoeuer. But now a dayes there is no sinne so grosse, which is not blanched and smeered ouer wyth such counterfait coulours, that except a man hauehave an eye illuminate by Gods spirite, hee shall take it eyther for a vertue, or at least for no sinne at all, But woe bee to them (sayeth the Prophet) which call euill good,Esay. …. and good euill, sweete, sower, and sower sweete, light, darknesse, and darknesse light. I doubt these excuses and gloses will not go for paiment at the day of iudgment, let them flatter themselues as much as they will in theyr foolysh imaginations.
It is also a good worke in euerie one to fast from sinne, as much as hee he can, and from all excessiue vse of meates and drinkes, which might anie waie moue or stirre vp the bodie to dissolutenes and wantonnes. And therefore the Papists doo belie vsus, in that they affirme, that wee neuer fast, and that our preachers doe preach against it, as against a thing altogether vnlawfull. But as they speake truth in this, so let them be beleeued in eueryevery thing else. Indeede wee holde, (and that truely) that all meates may bee eaten at all times, and at all seasons of him that hath faith, for so the Apostle teacheth, saying: Nowe the spirite speaketh euidently,Tim. 4… that in the later daies, some shall depart from the faith and shall giuegive heede to spirites of error, & doctrine of deuils, which speak lies thorough hypocrisie, and hauehave theyr consciences burned with a hot yron, forbidding to marry, and commaunding to abstaine from meates, which GOD hath created to be receiued wyth thankes-giuing, of them which beleeue, and knowe the truth. And in another place hee sayeth, Euerie creature of God is good, and nothing ought to bee refused, if it bee receiued with faith and thankesgiuing, for it is sanctified by the worde of God, and by praier. So that wee holde it a matter meerely indifferent, to eat, or not to eate at all times. Wee repose no religion in eating or drinking, but hold it rather for a matter of pollicie than of diuinitie.
Our Sauiour Christ sayth, there is nothing that entereth into man, that defile the man, but those things which come out of a man, those defile a man.
It is sayd also in another place, All things are cleane to those that be cleane. And further we reade in the history of the Acts, how the Apostle Paule himselfe was commanded in a vision (as it were by oracle from heauen) to eate of all meates conteyned in the sheete, being also forbid to call that vncleane, which God had sanctified, & made cleane. And therefore (I say) we hould it lawfull by the word of God to eate all meates at all times, yea though it were in Lent it selfe. But yet if it please the Prince for pollicy sake, and for a common wealth (for that, at that time of the yeare, all creatures do breede and ingender together, and therefore, besides, that they are not so wholesome as at other times of the yeare, if they should then be killed and eaten, as they are at other times, there must needes growe great dearth & scarsity of them) to commaund vsus to absteine from eating of flesh that time of the yeare only, we willingly obey it, as a matter of pollicy, and not of diuinitie, religion, or conscience. And albeit, it be obiected, that Christ fasted 40. dayes, and 40. nightes, yet it followeth not, that of necessity we should absteyne from flesh only for so long; no more than it followeth, that we must absteyne from all other meates, because Christ did so. Wee hauehave no one sillable in the word of God for our warrant to do so. Nay, if we would imitate Christs example in this, we are not able. For can wee absteyne from all kind of sustenance whatsoeuer 40. dayes, and 40. nights as Christ did? And yet if wee wyll follow strictly hys example, we must doe so. Therefore it is true, omnis Christi actio, nostra est instructio, non imitatio, eueryevery action of Christ is our instruction, but not a president to follow in eueryevery thing. And doubtlesse, if he would that we should hauehave absteyned from the eating of flesh in Lent only, he would hauehave geuen vsus some precept or other, or at least some one word or other sounding that way. To conclude therefore, we hould, that fasting from meates and drinkes, is both good and godly, and many times very necessary, to tame the wanton affections of the flesh, and to subdue them to the spirit. And yet we looke not to merite by our fasts, neyther yet doe wee fast in honor, or worship to any dead Saints, as the Papists most blasphemously doe. And thus much of fasting. Now to go forward.
It is a good worke in eueryevery one, to preuent, and as much as lyeth in hys power, to hynder and stay eueryevery euill action, or vngodlye deede, which eyther hee knoweth of hys owne knowledge, or else is informed, and aduertised of by others, is like to come to passe, if he do not, he is as guilty of the mischife whatsoeuer it be, that hapneth, as he that committed it. And therefore it standeth eueryevery one in hand, to take heed to himselfe, that he be not partaker of other mens sinnes, for eueryevery one hath inough, and too many of his owne to answere for, God be mercifull to vsus. It is a good worke in eueryevery one to practise sobrietie, temperancie, and frugalitie, as well in his meates, as also in his drinks, to eschew all gluttony, drunknes, ryot, & excesse, to vse such apparell and attyre, as is decent and comely, rather obeying necessity, than seruing curious phantesie, knowing that our apparell was geuen vsus to couer our nakednes withall, & to hide our shamefull parts, and not to puffe vsus vp into a prowde humor, or vayne conceipt of our selues. And trust me truly, I see no greater reason that we hauehave to be prowde of our apparell, than the poore Lazar hath to be prowd of his rags & clouts that wrap his sores. It is a good worke in eueryevery one to moderate his affections so, as he neyther thinke, meditate, nor practise any euil against any man, that he refrayne his tongue from all maner of swearing and blaspheming of Gods most holy name, that he fall out with no man, curse nor ban not any, finally, that he keepe his eyes from beholding of vanitie, his eares from hearing of filthines, or ribaldry, and his hands & feet from committing of euill. Now if these be good works (as they are indeede) then most vnhappy are they, that be so farre from doing any of them, that they dayly and hourely practise the contrary, and will iustifie themselues too by the word of God. For sayth one, is not swearing tollerable? doth not God say, thou shalt honor me, and sweare by my name? and therefore they conclude, that God is rather honored, than dishonored by swearing. Othersome, when a man reprooues them for it, will aske hym, why? Is it not lawfull for a man to hauehave God in hys minde, and to name hym often? yea, the oftner, the betters. Thus these reprobate miscreants iustifye themselues in theyr sinne, and abuse the word of God to their owne destruction. For answere to the first. I graunt indeede, that God is honored by swearing by his name, in this sence, when a matter or controuersie falleth out, which can not otherwise be determined than by an oth, then are we (being called by the Magistrates, and those that are in authority) to depose the truth, by the inuocation, and calling to witnesse of the name of God; or else, in a priuate action betwixt party and party, to end a controuersy, we may lawfully take an oth, for so the Apostle sayth, let an oth make an end of all controuersies. In these two respects it is lawfull to sweare as I hauehave sayd, and God is honored thereby, if we depose the truth, as he is truth. But as he is honored by these two kindes of othes, so is hee dishonored, and displeased with swearing by him at eueryevery word, in our ordenary talke, and that vppon eueryevery trifle, or light occasion, or rather for no cause at all. This kinde of vsuall swearing, is altogether forbidden by our Sauiour himselfe,Math. 5.33. where he sayth, Sweare not at all,34. neyther by heauen, for it is the throne of God,35. nor yet by the earth, for it is his footestoole, neyther by Ierusalem, for it is the City of the great King, neyther shalt thou sweare by thy head, because thou canst not make one hayre white or blacke: but your communication shall be yea, yea, nay, nay, for whatsoeuer is more than this, commeth of euill. The Apostle S. Iames also warneth vsus to the same effect,Iacob. v. 12. saying, but aboue all things (my brethren) sweare not neither by heauen, nor by earth, nor by any other kinde of oth, but let your communication be yea, yea, nay, nay, least you fall into cōdemnation. The very same doth Salomon teach vsus, when he sayth, The man that vseth much swearing, shall be filled with iniquity, & the plague of God shall neuer goe frō his house. And yet notwithstanding all this, there are not a few that make euen as it were an occupation of swearing, and forswearing, of blaspheming, cursing and banning at eueryevery word, accoumpting him a peasant and no man, that cannot sweare it out lustely. In which point the diuels are better than they, for (as the Apostle Iames recordeth) they tremble and quake at the very name of the Maiestie of God: but these desperate roagues, and shagd hayred ruffians are so farre off from trembling or quaking at the name of God, that they rent, and teare him in a thousand pieces at eueryevery word as much as lieth in their powers, blaspheming both him, and his glorious name, without all remorse or conscience. But let them take heede, for surely I am of this minde, that it were better, (though both in the iustice of God be damnable) to kill a man, than to sweare an oth, or once to blaspheme the name of God any maner of way, for the one is the breach of the first Table, which respecteth the worship of God only, the other is but the breach of the second Table, which compriseth our duties one towards an other. And as it is forbid to sweare vaynely by the name of God in our ordenary talke, & familiar communication at eueryevery word, & for eueryevery trifle, so is it also forbid to sweare by any other, than by God alone in the two respects before remembred, and neither by Saints nor Angels, Sunne, nor Moone, Starres, nor Planets, bread, nor salt, fire, nor water, nor any other creature else what so euer: neyther is it lawfull to sweare by any counterfaite oth, as fay, or fecke, gogs bud, gogs lownes, nor the lyke, for all these kindes of swearings are abhomination before the Lord, who hath geuen vsus an expresse commaundement, that wee neyther sweare by their idolls, nor yet once make mention of theyr gods in our mouthes. For whatsoeuer we sweare by, we make an idoll of it, and a false God, attributing that honor and worship to the creature, which is due to the creator, who only is to be inuocate and called vppon as a witnesse in all our actions, and none but hee. And nowe to the second part of theyr blasphemous allegacion. Whereas they say, that it is lawfull to hauehave the name of God often in our mouthes, and the oftner, the better. I aunswere, true it is, wee ought indeede to hauehave the maiestie of God both in our heartes, and in our mouthes, and the oftener the better, but how? not in blasphemous sort, to make a stale or a iesting stocke of hym, (for we are forbid to take the name of God in vayne, and the Lorde wyll not hould hym guiltlesse that taketh hys name in vayne) but in all holy reuerence, deuotion, and obedience, yea, in all holy feare, and trembling. This the Apostle meant, when he sayde, If any man speake, let hym speake as sayth the word of God: againe, let your cōmunication be such as may minister grace to the hearers. Let these lusty Caueliroes take heed, how they dally with the Lord any while, for (as the Apostle noteth) God is a consuming fire, and in an other place, it is a terrible thing to fall into the hands of God, yea, he is that stone, that vponupon whom soeuer he falleth, he grindeth to powder. But to draw towards an end. It is a good worke in eueryevery one to be carefull of his brothers good name, neyther backbiting, detracting, slaundering, nor any way discrediting him by word or deede, but rather seeking by all meanes possible to conserue his credit as much, yea, and in some respects, more than his owne. And if he knowe, or heare any thing which might sound to the impayring of his credit, or blemishing of hys good name, to bury it in the graue of obliuion, that it may neuer rise agayne, nor come to light, to the disparagement or preiudice of his brothers good name for euer. What shall we say then to those vile persons, and scummes of the worlde, not worthie to hauehave cōmon breath amongst christians, who are so farre off from christian charitie, that albeit they neither knowe, nor in truth neuer heard anie euill of their brother, will yet in the fulnesse of their mallice, coine and forge matter defamatorie agaynst him, and when they hauehave done, publish it to the view of the world in railing pamphlets, and paltrie libels, to his vniust infamie, and their owne perpetuall shame?
The badge or cognisance of the children of God, whereby they are knowen and discerned from the children of the deuill, is louelove, as our sauiour Christ saith himselfe, By this shall all men knowe that you are my disciples, if you louelove one another. Again, the badge or cognisance of the children of the deuill, whereby they are discerned from the children of God, is hatred, rancour, mallice, enuie, lying, slaundering, detracting, and backbiting of theyr brethren, and the lyke. Now then, these fellowes are so farre off from wearing the cognizance of the children of God, that they marshall themselues vnderunder the standard of the deuill, being inuested with his cognizance as his seruants and vassals. Is this to doe to an other, as they would wish an other should doe to them? Is this the nature of that louelove, which Paule describeth, where he saith, LoueLove suffereth long,1. Cor. 13. is bountiful, enuieth not, doth no euill, is not prouoked to anger, thinketh no euill, reioyseth not in iniquity. Is this the fruite of that louelove, which the Apostle Peter goeth about so earnestly to perswade vsus vntounto,1. Pet. 4.8. where he sayth, But aboue all things (my brethren) hauehave feruent louelove amongst your selues, for louelove shall couer a multitude of sins. The Apostle S. Iohn sayth,1. Ioh. 4.16. that God is louelove, and that those that dwell in louelove, dwell in God, and God in thē: Then it must needes follow, that if those that dwell in louelove, do dwell in God, then those who dwell in hatred, rancor and malice, dwell in the deuill, and the deuill in them: Now then, whether these men dwell in God, and God in them, or not rather in the deuill, and the deuill in them, let the world iudge. Agayne, the same Apostle Iohn in the same place aleaged, sayth, If any man affirme, that hee loueth God, and yet hateth his brother, he is a lyer, and the truth is not in hym. Nowe then, what kynde of people these are, and how vnsufferable in a common wealth, who delight in nothing so much, as to broch lyes & slaunders against their brethren, and where they heare any thing against any man, without examination of the quality and property of the party that told thē of the person whome they concerne, or of the matter it selfe, they presently spue out their mallice in libelling & pamphletting agaynst him, as though all were true that is reported of euerie man.
These kind of fellowes are worser than the caterpillers or locusts of Aegypt, who deuoured but the fruits of the earth, these the good names of men, yea, and of such men, as in comparison of whome, they are notworthie to be named, the same daie the others are named in. They are worser than rauens, or kites, who will not eat theyr praie before it bee dead: but they will deuour the good names of theyr brethren beeing on liue. Such curre dogges woulde bee hanged vp, as will snappe euerie bodie by the shinnes, liuing to the hurt of all and good of none.
And therefore I cannot a lyttle meruayle, that our graue and reuerend Bishops, and other inferiour magistrates and officers, to whom the ouersight and charge of such thinges are committed, will either lisence, (which I trust they do not, for I wyll hope better of them) or in anie sorte tollerate such railing libels & slanderous pamphlets, as hauehave beene of late published in print one man against another, to the greate dishonour of God, corruption of good manners, breach of charitie, and in a worde, to the iust offence & scandall of al good christians. And truely to speake my conscience freely, I thinke there cannot a greater mischiefe be suffered in a common wealth, than for one man to write against another, and to publish it in print, to the viewe of the world. I wis the noble science of printing was not giuen vsus to that end, being indeede one of the chiefest blessings that God hath giuen to the sons of men heere vppon earth. For is not this the next way to broach rancor, hatred, malice, emulacion, enuie, and the like amongst men? nay is not this the next way to make bloudshed, and murther, to rayse vp mutenies, insurrections, commotions, and rebellions in a christian common-wealth? and therefore would I wish both the bookes, and the authors of them, to be vtterly suppressed for euer, the one by fire, the other by the halter or gallowes, if nothing else will serue. But what should I say? I can not but lament the corruption of our time, for (alas) now adayes it is growen to be a hard matter to get a good booke licensed, without staying peraduenture a quarter of a yeare for it, yea, sometymes two or three yeares, before he can hauehave it allowed, and in the end happyly reiected too, so that that which many a good man hath studyed sore for, and traueyled long in, perchance all dayes of his life, shall be buryed in silence, and smothered vp in forgetfulnes, and neuer see the light, whilest in the meane tyme, other bookes full of all filthines, scurrilitie, baudry, dissolutenes, cosonage, cony-catching, and the lyke, (which all call for vengeance to heauen) are eyther quickely licensed, or at least easily tollerate, without all denyall or contradiction whatsoeuer.
And albeit it may be answered, that such filthy baudy bookes are not licensed by the Magistrates, as I thinke in deede they are not (for what man can with a good conscience licence those bookes to be printed, which are seared with a hote iron, and branded with the blacke cole of Gods cursse) yet notwithstanding, as long as they tollerate, or suffer them eyther to bee printed, or to bee soulde in theyr Shops, they are as culpable and as guiltie before God for them, as the authors of them, and looke what euill commeth by them, they shal one day aunswere for before the tribunall seate of God, because it was in them to hauehave suppressed them, and did not. But I will leaue them to theyr iudge, to whome they either stand or fall, and who will one day reward eueryevery one according to his dooings. It is a good worke to meditate, and to thinke, that this lyfe is but momentarie, short, and transitorie, no life indeed, but a shadow of a life, or rather a meditation of death (for so good men hauehave called it) a pilgrimage, a thorough-fare, an Inne, or hostrie, a place of trial, of aduersitie & calamitie, a vale of woe, & a sea of all afflictions and miseries. The consideration of this, caused the holy Iob, that mirror of patience,Iob. 14. to burst forth into these speeches. Man that is borne of a woman hath but a short time to liue, and is ful of misery, he springeth vp as a flower, and is cut downe, he vanisheth also as a shadow, & cōtinueth not.
It is a good worke for the children of God, to set their minds of heauen, and heauenly thinges, to meditate of the ioyes of heauen and of the glorie prepared for such as walke here with their God in all holy obedience and christian humilitie before him. Finally & last of all (because I would draw towards an end, though there bee no end indeede of good workes) it is a good worke to mortifie our carnall lusts, and to slay our inordinate affections, to crucify the old man, with the whole bodie of sinne, and to put on the new man Christ Iesus, walking & going on from faith to faith, frō hope to hope, from repentaunce to repentance, from holines to holines, from grace to grace, from perfectiō to perfection, and from one good worke to another, till wee attaine to the end of our hope, which is euerlasting life, in the kingdome of heauen. These bee those good workes indeede which (as the Apostle witnesseth) Christ hath ordeyned, that wee shoulde walke in them. These bee those good workes which Zachary prooueth to bee the ends of our redemption,Luke. 1.74.75. that wee being deliuered out of the hands of our enimies, myght serue hym without feare, in holynes and righteousnes all the dayes of our lyfe. These are the oyle which eueryevery Christian is to hauehave in hys Lampe,Matth. 25. and whiche the foolish Virgins wanting, were shut out, and excluded the kingdome of God. These bee they that I would councell eueryevery Christian man, and woman, that hauehave any regard of their saluacion, to practise in this life, leauing the Antichristian workes of the Papists, as abortiues, and miscreants, to their father the Diuell, from whome they fyrst came. For perswade thy selfe whosoeuer thou art, that without these good works, and the like, it is vnpossible for thee to see the face of God to thy saluacion, otherwise than the deuils, and the reprobate, who shall see the face of God (I graunt) but to their euerlasting condemnation: So thou without good workes mayest see the face of God with thē, but to thy vtter cōfusion & destruction both of body & soule for euer. Be zealous therefore (good Christian) of good workes, do good whilest thou hast time, for the night of death will come when thou canst not work, redeme the time with wel doing, as the Apostle speaketh, yea, withdraw from thy sleepe, from thy meate & drink, and frō thy necessary affaires, to do good. Remember thy yeres are few vpō earth, & thou hast but a short time to liue, & to work in. Admit thou attainest to fortie, fiftie, sixtie, or it may be eighty yeres (wherto fewe doe come, in comparison of those that die before) alas that time is nothing neither, in regard of the perpetuity & eternity of the life to come. HaueHave euer in thy minde that golden sentence of the Apostle, He that soweth little shall reape little, and he that soweth plentifully, shall reape plentifully. Let the words of our sauior neuer slip out of thy remembrance, Beatius est dare, potius quam accipere, It is a thing more blessed to giuegive (meaning to the poore) than to receiue. GiueGive therefore, & lend freely to them that hauehave need, loking for nothing again, and thy reward shall be great in heauen, sayth our sauiour Christ. Consider it is sayde, What is giuen to the poore, is lent to the Lorde, and looke what thou laiest out, it shall bee paide thee again. Distrust not Gods promises, for he is yea, and amen, in all his sayings, and faithfull and true in all his dooings. Hee both can, for that he is almightie, and also will, for that hee is mercifull, most bountifully remunerate, and most liberally rewarde them for whatsoeuer good thou dost in this life, yea, so precise is he herein, that he hath bound himselfe with a promise, that he wil not leaue so much as a cup of colde water giuen to anie in his name, vnrewarded at that day.