A Sparing Restraint of Many Lavish Untruths, Title page – Dedication
¶ A SPARING Restraint, of many lauishe Vntruthes, which M. Doctor Harding dothe chalenge, in the first Article of my Lorde of Sarisburies Replie. By Edward Dering student in Diuinitie. With an answere vntounto that long, and vncourteous Epistle, entituled to M. Iuel, and set before M. Hardings Reioinder.
Hieremie. xxiij. ¶The Prophet, that hath a dreame, let him tell a dreame, and he, that hath my worde, let him speake my worde faithfully. What is chaffe to the wheat, saith the Lorde?
¶Imprinted at London, by Henry Denham, for Humfrey Toy, dwelling in Poules Church yarde, at the signe of the Helmet.
¶ TO THE RIGHT worshipfull, Maister Thomas Wotton Esquire. Edvvard Dering vvisheth all health and peace in CHRIST….
AS ofte as I doe consider the estate of man, here placed to accomplishe his appointed pilgrimage, I remember the saying of the rightuous IO…. that mannes life is a wa…fare vponupon the earth. But when I further see, what maner of fight we hauehave, what enimies to encounter with vsus, howe great of force, how cankred of will, how subtile in deuise, how continuall in assault, & on the other side how weak we be of our selues▪ I remember the saying of our sanioure Christ, that if it were possible the very electe should be deceiued. There is no condition without his enimie, no calling without temptation, no estate sure. The world deceiueth those, who will not see that the worlde doth pearishe. The fleshe defileth other, that think filthinesse to be pleasure, and make vnclennesse their felicitie. And where these two can not bring forth the shamelesse breache of the law of God, there rageth that Dragon, and olde Serpent, that seducer of the world, that li…r, and father of lyes, and he soweth cockle among good corne, superstition and heresie, among the seedes of obedience, and good b…hauiour, where of it cometh, that suche as will not be partakers with SODOME, and GOMORRA, nor hauehave felowship with those rotten woundes, and stinking sores, that make the blaspheming of Gods holy name their honoure, yet they should be drowned in wicked doctrine, that by some meanes their saluation might be hindred. This estate of man; so muche the more to be lamented, how much the lesse it is regarded, would make a Christian minister to muse muche, and oftentimes, howe he might be a frutefull labourer in Gods vineyarde. For sith the children of wrathe doe not cease to walke disobediently, and with al care, and studie, some in example of euill life, some in profession of vngodly doctrine doe allure and entice other to walke with them in their open, and wide iourney of euerlasting wretchednesse: how shall not the children of light, according as eueryevery one hath receiued giftes, so apply their endeuoure, that godlinesse, and good religion might call againe the lost children vntounto the narow way of euerlasting happinesse? The latter dayes are come, and impietie dothe abound, iniquitie hath so spredde hir selfe, that she is plentifull bothe in worde and deede, and that, not in secrecie only, and in priuate assemblies, but in the face of the worlde, and in open wryting, while some preferre the present state before eternall life: other delite more in dreames, than in the worde of God. It behoueth therefore eueryevery true christian in all places to rebuke sinne, to set forthe Gods glory in open meetings, and to maintaine his worde before the enimie, knowing that his rewarde is the saluation of his owne soule, and his place is prepared in the kingdome of God his father. From this duety, neither King, nor Queene, Duke, nor Earle, honourable nor other, are exempt, but eueryevery one as he is higher in dignitie, so his accompt is the greater in the day of iudgement. It helpeth not the lay man to say he is no minister. Where the cause is Gods, we are all a chosen generation and a royall priesthode, an holy nation, and a peculiar people to shew forth his vertue, that hath called vsus out of darknesse into his maruellous light. If we will not walke in this light, we abide in darkenesse, and in the shadow of death. If we will not shew forthe his vertue, we are not his chosen generation, nor his peculiar people. If we hauehave not his name wrytten in our foreheade, we shall not stand among the electe with the Lambe in Mount Syon. If we hauehave not the pleasant smel of life vntounto life, we hauehave not Gods gosple engrafted in vsus. As many, as be Christians, hauehave giuen their faith vntounto Christ in their baptisme, vnderunder the witnesse of a great many. They hauehave forsaken the flesh, the world and the deuil. If they wil now be at league with the sinner, and at agrement with the euill doer, they hauehave broken their first promise, and they are founde vnfaithfull. And for their faith thus violate, giuen vntounto the immortall God, God againe will breake with them his couenaunt of merciemercy, if in time they repent not. This made me, right worshipfull sir, according to the talent, which God hath giuen me, so in these euill dayes to apply my laboure, not doubting, but that little light, with which he hath endued me by his free mercy, may shine through the cloudes, and mistes of errour, which the prince of this darknesse hath blowne abroade. God turne their hearts, that builde vponupon his euill foundations, and God encrease their number, that be setters vp of vertue, and zealous in the house of the Lord. And of this number bicause God hath made you one, of good will desirous, and of authority able to defend the profession of a christian man, I could not but chuse your worship, vnderunder whose name my little labor should appeare, both for a testimonie vntounto all men, that you are one, in whome your countrey doth reioyce, and a prouocation vntounto other, that by your example they might learn to liue. Ther be diuers that louelove the worde of God, and in common talke make a glorious profession, but the world wil not let them go vprightly vntounto the truth of the gosple. There be other, whose conuersation is not amisse, and in ciuil behauior giuegive good exāple, but they be so drowned in error, that their estate is very lamentable: they be the little flock, and few in nūber, that do ioyne vertue and good religion togither. It is hard, and laborous to fleshe, and bloud, and therfore we turne vsus frō it. The way is narow, wher they are both coupled, therfore few do finde it. Frō the princes priuie chāber vntounto the pore cottage they hauehave rare dwelling. It would make a Christian heart to bleede to consider duely the maners of eche estate. The scarlet and purple garmēts do hide and couer vnchast and vnpure bodies▪ The ornaments of gold, and siluer are had to beutifie most horrible othes: good learning and wisdome are abused to al deceit and craftinesse. Simplicitie, and plainenesse is a cloke of many subtile cogitations. Neede, and pouertie are common dwelling places of muche dissolute life. Truthe is well nigh forsaken, and faith is almost perished from the face of the earth. But Macte ista virtute tua▪ yet let your worship reioyce in Gods mercies, for not withstanding these daungerous rockes, yet you are passed in to narrow way, and the Lorde God be praised, who shall encrease the number, you hauehave some companye. There be men of great honoure, and estimation, yet louers of Gods truthe, and voide of all courtly wickednesse. Would God their doings were registred in Ceder trees, and they had golden pictures in the Citie OLYMPIA▪ that they might be spectacles to all noble posteritie. God hath sure giuen them double happinesse. Their liues shall ende here in honoure, and then it pleaseth their father to giuegive vntounto them his kingdome. There are other great gouernours of this common wealth, beautifull, and comely members of Christes body▪ which make not policie their religion, nor blasphemie Gods ordinaunce, where mannes lawe doth not establishe it. They hauehave chosen the good parte, which shall not be taken from them. God shall make their dwelling places sure, when the aduersarie shall be throwen downe out of his seat. Some other there be of good estat…, and vertuous, not entangled with vanitie, nor blinded with superstition, which make not gaine their rightuousnesse, nor contempt of Gods ministers their estimation. They shall receiue an hundred folde in this life, and when they hauehave run their course, they shall hauehave the crowne of glory. And as in the time of ELIAS, when the Prophet thought that all the children of Israel had forsaken Gods couenaunt, broken downe his altares, and slaine his Prophets with the sworde, yet God made answere, I hauehave reserued vntounto me 7000. men, which hauehave not bowed their knee to DAAL: euen so at this present time there is a remnant through the election of grace, that hauehave not their inwarde thoughts spotted with papistrie, nor their outwarde life with especiall crimes. With these and other, bicause your worship doth walke togither in the straight path of true obedience, God hath giuen vntounto you this fruit of your aucthoritie, to be beloued among them where you dwell, and this comfort of your conscience, that by your example they learne to know God. Nowe what remaineth, but that you pray vntounto God, that he which hath b…gon this good worke in you, will make it perfect vntounto the ende, that as your youth hath not bene fed with suche wantonnesse, as in like estate, and fortune do the vsually abounde, so your further yeares should be voide of all vngodly desires, and you found faithfull vntounto your death: in the which hope, and confidence the Lorde God through his sonne Iesus Christ, sende you long life, and happy yeares to the maintenaunce of his glory, and comfort of his Church.
Fare you well in the Lord, from Christes colledge in Cambridge the .2. of Aprill, 1568. Youres bounde as his owne. Edwarde Dering.