A Motive to Good Works, Title page – Errata
A MOTIVE TO GOOD WORKES. Or rather, To true Christianitie indeede.
WHEREIN BY THE waie is shewed, how farre wee are behinde, not onelyonly our fore-fathers in good workes, but also many other creatures in the endes of our creation: with the difference betwixt the pretenced good workes of the Antichristian Papist, and the good workes of the Christian Protestant.
By Phillip Stubbes, Gentleman
MATHEW .5. verse 16.
Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your workes, and glorifie your father which is in heauen.
LONDON, Printed for Thomas Man, dwelling in Pater Noster rowe, at the signe of the Talbot. 1593.
To the Right Honorable Cutbert Buckle, Lord Maior of the Citie of London, P. S. wisheth all prosperity in this life, and in the life to come euerlasting saluation by Iesus Christ.
HAuing a desire (right Honorable) to see the state of this our noble Ilande (in the bowels wherof as in the womb of my mother, I was both bread and borne, and wherein I hauehave liued euen to this present day) I tooke my gelding about the Annunciation of S. Mary last past, and so trauayling from place to place, within one quarter of a yere (or a little more) I performed (by Gods good prouidence, and his blessed protection) as much as I purposed, compassing the whole realme (in effect) round about. Which long and wearysome iorney, (albeit to my great charges, and paynes) I vndertooke, partly for my priuate pleasure and recreation, partly for the auoydance (if it might please God) of this generall infection of the plague, which now raigneth and rageth not only in this honorable City, but also almost throughout the whole realme vniuersally, and partly to acquaint my selfe with the maners and dispositions of the people, and finally, to see and viewe all such monuments, edifices, and memorable deedes as our good Ancestors hauehave left behinde them. In all which my progresse (right honorable) obseruing eueryevery little circumstance as neerely as I could, I found (if not all) yet very many things out of order, and farre from that perfection, which I hoped, and loked for. For as concerning the people, I founde them in most places, dissolute, prowde, enuious, malicious, disdaynefull, couetous, ambicious, carelesse of good workes, and almost altogether irreligious. For the Cuntreys themselues, I found them both pleasant, and delectable, and abounding with all kinde of commodities and store, so as nothing seemed to be wanting that mans hart could desire vnderunder the sunne, saue only good people, and the same thankfull to God for his so great, so inestimable, and so infinite blessings bestowed vppon them. And as for the ancient monuments which our good forefathers lefte vsus (as namely Hospitalls, Spittles, Almes houses, Churches, Chappels, Schooles of learning, Bridges, high wayes, pauements, causies, and the lyke) I founde them, some quite dissolued, (so as scarse any small remembrance thereof is in many places to bee seene) and othersome so ruinate and decayed, as if the first founders thereof were nowe liuing and shoulde see them, they would not take them for their owne, but rather for some disproportioned miscreants foysted in, in their places. Which generall decay of all good workes, or rather playne defection and falling away from God, (right honorable) when I considered, returning to London from my long and paynefull iourney, and hauing reposed my selfe there a little, I was moued (I protest before God) euen in conscience to write this little treatise, to the end, that eyther by example, exhortation, or one meanes, or other, I might stirre vp the mindes of men, (at least of those whose hearts God hath touched) if not to doe good workes themselues, yet to maynteyne those which our predecessors hauehave left behinde them. The want whereof, as it is a blemish to our profession, so is it a cause that maketh the enemy to barke against vsus, as if our Religion were nothing else but playne talking, and not walking, nay playne Atheisme, and Libertinisme, for so they falsely beare the world in hand. And therefore I pray God we may, if not for conscience sake, yet for feare, or if not for feare, yet for very shame now at the last indeuour our selues to do good works, and to leaue some monuments and testimonies of our christian zeale, and charitie behinde vsus. For else I am afrayde, least not onelyonly our good forefathers, but also those which we accoumpt prophane and wicked persons (as Christ speaketh) shall goe before vsus into the kingdome of heauen. But of these matters we shall hauehave occasion to say more in the further discourse of this booke, and therefore to bend my stile towards your honor. After that I had in some sort penned this little treatise, I considered with my selfe to whome I might dedicate the same, and so after many ratiocinations pro & contra, I was at the last resolued to consecrate the same rather to your Honor, than to any other, and that for two causes: First, for that it hath pleased God, to call you (and that most worthely) to the regiment of this so famous and populous a City, to this end (no doubt) that by the sword of authoritye you might suppresse vice, and by the scepter of wise gouernment, you might commaund and enioyne men to the practising of good workes. And secondly, for that the same God hath made you not onelyonly zealous of religion, but also of good workes, all which heereafter (Christ willing) shall be registred in theyr due tyme and place, to your immortall fame, honor, and renowne. Accept therefore (my very good Lord) according to your pristine affabilitie this little Treatise, published in your Honors name, and admit both it and the Author thereof, into your patronage and protection, so shall I thinke my selfe sufficiently remunerate, and the Church of God being edified thereby, shall prayse God for you to the end. And thus I most humbly take my leaue. From my lodging by Cheape side this 8. of Nouember. 1593.
Your Honors in all duty,Phillip Stubbes Gentleman.
To the curteous Reader.
COnsidering with my selfe, (gentle Reader) the great decaie, or rather the plain abolition and extermination of good workes, in these our vnhappie daies, I was perswaded to publish this little Treatise, to the ende I might stirre vp (if it bee possible) the mindes of men to the exercising and practising of the same. The Argument (I appeale to thy conscience in the feare of God) is good, the end and purpose of the Author also commendable, and therefore I doubt not, but it will be both well liked, & also no lesse esteemed of al those that feare God, and then for the liking or disliking of the other, I am so farre off from caring for it, that I pray God I may neuer, neither say, doe, nor write anie thing, that may be liked or applauded of them. For the manner of the handling heereof, I hauehave not desired to be curious, neither to affect filed phrases, culled or picked sentences, nor yet loftie, haughtie, or farre fetched epithites, but a plaine, bare, and naked stile, for I seeke not vaine-glorie, nor worldly prayse, (which many greene heades make so much account of,) but profite to the reader, and gaine of Christian soules vntounto GOD. And for those faultes which hauehave passed eyther my penne in writing, or the presse in printing, I pray thee (friendly reader) either amend them with thy pen, or else couer them with the vaile of modestie. And if thou reapest anie commoditie by these my labours, ascribe the glorie to him whome the heauens doo worship, the Angels reuerence, and the powers adore. And thus I commit thee to God, and my booke to the censure of the godly wheresoeuer dispersed vponupon the face of the earth.
Thine in the Lord, Phillip Stubbes, Gentleman.
Faults escaped in printing.
Fol. 89. line 23. for chase, reade chastise.
Fol. 94. line 1. blot out these words, Let vsus rest contented with whatsoeuer he doth.
Fol. 95. line 22. for renumeration, reade remuneration.
Fol. 96. last line, for in that famous, reade to that famous.
Fol. 102. line 2. for per sanctis, reade pro sanctis.
Fol. 102. for supereminentibas, reade supereminentibus.
Fol. 113. line 2. for chiefest worke, reade chiefest marke.
Fol. 120. line 1. for a moment, reade a monument.
Fol. 122. line 12. for pessessions, reade possessions.
Fol. 154. line 20. for at last, reade at least.
Fol. 159. line 17. for what soeuer, reade wheresoeuer.
Fol. 164. line 1. for willingly, reade willinglier.
Fol. 168. line 22. for defile, reade defileth.
Fol. 188. line 13. for momentary, reade momentany.
Fol. eodem line 21. for holy Iob, reade the holy man Iob.