The Fortress of the faithful against the cruel assaults of poverty and hunger newly made for the comfort of poor needy Christians, by Thomas Becon.  
prover. xviii. 
A mighty strong fortress is the name of the Lord, Unto that flieth the righteous, and is in safeguard.   
1550.  
¶ Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.   
David. P●al. xxxvii. 
I Have been young, and am old, and yet saw I never the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging their bread. The righteous is ever merciful and dareth, and yet shall his children have Gods plenty and enough▪  Solomon ●●●ouer xxx 
Two things have I required of thee, O Lord, that thou wilt not deny me before I die. Remove from vanity and lies. give me nether poverty nor riches, only grant me a necessary living, least if I be to full, I deny the and say: who is the Lord? & lest I being constrained thorough poverty fault unto stealing, and forswear the name of my God.  Christ. Math. vi. 
Take no thought, saying, what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or wherewith shall we be clothed? after all these things seek the heathen. For your heavenly father knoweth, that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God and the righteousness thereof and all these things shall be cast unto you.   

To the right worshipful Sir John Robsarte knight, Thomas Becon wisheth continual health both of body and mind from God the father in Christ jesus our Lord.  
SO oft as I behold the wretchid and to much miserable face of this needy and beggarly world, yea so oft as I consider the lamentable & pitiful, state of the poor people, which are now grown unto such a number, that they be almost innumerable, and so assailed with the cruel darts of poverty and hunger, that they in a manner despair of necessary food and convenient apparel for the sustentation of their poor wretched karcasses, and by this means for a redress of these their to manifold miseries part of them, whose brains are not perfectly settled, whose judgements are not thoroughly stayed in the way of perfect reason, not patiently bearing the cross of poverty, contrary to Christian order and their bounden duty attempt unto the great dolour of all good men, ungodly and unlawful enterprises, as wicked counsels, unjust assembles, abominable seditions, devilish insurrections, detestable conmotions, unrighteous spoylynges of other men's goods, uncharitable railings upon their superiors. 
Deut. xxviii, two. Reg. xvii. Ie●●m. xviii. Eze●h. iiii. v. iiii. x●ix. xxxii ●xxiii. ●se. two.  etc. Utterly defacing, so much as in them is, the face of the common weal, not considering this plague of famine and hunger to be sent into the world for sin according to the ●hreatnynges of God expressed in the holy scriptures: I can none otherwise than lament and heartily wish better and more prosperous things to the needy and poor creatures of god universally. For although according to the common Proverb, 
Common pro●rbes.   
Lyt●el wo●e the full sow that is in the s●ye, What the hungry sow aileth, that goeth by.  
Yet so many as are of God, and led with any natural or humane affection, they remember this old saying:  
It is merry in hell, When beards wag all, and can not even in the mids of their wealth, but repent the misery of the miserable, the poverty of the poor, the famine of the famished, 
The nature of Charity. romay. xii.  and to the uttermost of their power study to re●eue the distress of the needy both with their goods and council. As a true Christian man joyeth with them that are glad, even so sorroweth he with them that are sad. charity seeketh not her own, but both wisheth & doth well to all men, 
●. Corin. xiii  even to her enemies. charity putteth on the property of Christ, which became poor to make other rich. charity joyeth not at her own joy, 
two. Corin. viii  if other sorrow. Charity delighteth not in her own fullness, if other want. Charity abhorreth her own rest if other be disquieted. I am cumbered daily, saith S. Paul, 
two. Corin. xii  and do care for all congregations. Who is weak, and I am not weak? Who is offended, and I am not grieved? Yea Charity refuseth almost to be saved, if other enjoy not the like benefit. Did not that most excellent prophet Moses desire God either to forgive the children of Israel their sins 
Exodi. xxxii.  or else to wy●e him out of the book of life? 
romen ix   
Did not blessed Paul wish to be accursed from God so that the Israelites his kinsmen after the flesh, might be saved? 
Acts. seven.  Did not the glorious Martyr Stephen according to the example of Christ pray for his enemyts? So wholly doth Charity give herself to serve the health and wealth of other. 
Luke. xx●●   
And as touching the relief of the poor and needy, oppressed with the wā● of worldly things, what good and godly man hath not at all times, as occasion & ability hath served, sought it? Who being godly minded saying his Christian brother or sister in necessity, seeketh not all means possible to healye them? Can a Christian abound in worldly wealth and suffer his neighbour to famish or to die for cold? He hath not put on the bowels and tender compassion of Christ, which is not moved with pity toward his needy neighbour? 
Hospitality.  O what goodly and notable examples doth the holy scripture minister unto us of socouring the succourless? What a myrrou●e to behold is that most reverend Patriarch Abraham the father of the faithful, 
Gene. xviii.  unto the faithful? With what alacrity and cheerfulness of mind did he receive into his house the Angels of God being in men's likeness? With what diligence prepared he all things necessary for them, as he thought, weary bodies? When Loth saw the two angels of God, whom he judged to be men, coming into Sodom at night▪ how reuere●●ly did he behave himself toward them, & instantly desired them to come into his house & there lodged the night? 
Gene. nineteen.  I beseech you sirs, saith he, turn into the house of your servant, & abide ther. Wash your feet, & in the morning ye shall go forth on your journey. And afterward he made them a feast, saith the Scripture. These two godly ancient father's thought is not meet to suffer strangers and way faring men to pass foreby their houses without relief. They did according to God's holy will expressed by the prophet, saying. Break thy bread to the hungry●, 
Esay. ●viii.  and led the needy and the way faring into thy house. When thou seest a naked man, cover him, so shalt thou not despise thy flesh. Forget not hospitality, saith S. Paul, for by it, certain unwares have received angels into their houses. 
hebrews. xii.  How ready patient job was to succour the succourless, & to relieve the needy, it is evident by these his words: When the poor desired any thing of me, 
job. xxxi.  have I denied it them? Have I caused the widow to stand waiting for me in vain? Have I eaten my portion alone that the fatherless hath had no part with me?  
For mercy grew up with me fro my youth, and compassion from my mother's womb. Have I seen any man perish thorough nakedness and want of clothing? Or any poor man for lack of raiment, whose sides thanked me not because be was warmed with the will of my sheep? Again he sayeth, I have not suffered a stranger to lie without, but I opened my doors unto him, that went by the way. As I may pass over many other examples, contained in the old Testament, which declare how merciful divers godly both men and women were toward strangers and poor people, 
Mark. viii.  how tender hearted and full of most loving pity and unfeigned compassion, did our Saviour Christ show himself when he fed so many people with seven loaves and a few small fishes? I am inwardly moved with compassion toward the people, sayeth he, because they have now been with me iii days, and have nothing to eat, and if I send them away fasting to their own houses, they shall faint by the way. Moreover, as I may let pass divers other miracles, which he did for the relief of the poor, as turning water into wine at the marriage in Cava Galilee, 
joan. two. ●oan. vi.  and feeding five thousand with five barley loaves & two fishes, did he not show himself to take great care for the poor, when he gave the rich men this commandment? When thou makest a ●ynner or supper, 
Luke. xiiii.  cast not thy friends, 〈◊〉 thy brethren, neither thy kinsmen, nor thy rich neighbours, lest they also bid the again, and a recompense be made the. But when thou makest a feast call the poor, the feeble, the lame, and the blind, and thou shalt be happy, for they cannot recompense the. But thou shalt be recompensed at the resurrection of the just men. 
Math xxv.  In the description of the general judgement, which shallbe at the last day, is not the reward of everlasting life sir forth to the merciful, 
jacob. two. Math v.  and eternal damnation to the merciless? The judgement, saith S. james, shall be without mercy, to them that hath showed no mercy. Blessed are the merciful, fo● they shall obtain mercy. 
Luke. x●.  give alms of that ye have, and behold all things are clean unto you, saith our saviour Christ. 
Luke. xvi.  Was not the rich glo●to● damned, because he was led with no piety toward the poor?  
O how diligent were the Apostles after Christ's ascension to appoint Deacons to minister unto the poor, 
Acts. vi. xi.  and to provide that they lack nothing? 
A●tes. xxiiii  How earnest was blessed Paul in exhorting the Christians to make collections for the poor? 
●oma. xv.  Yea how wrought he with his own hands, 
i Corin. xv  that he might have whereof to give unto the needy? 
ii● Cor. viii.  What a friendly lesson in the poor peoples behalf writeth he unto Bishop Timothe to be declared unto the rich worldings? 
Acts. xx.  Command them that are rich (saith he) in this world, 
two. Thess. iii  that they be not high minded, 
i Timo. v●.  nor trust in uncertain riches, but in the living God, which giveth us abundantly all things to enjoy them, that they do good works, that they be ready to give, and glad to distribute, laying up in store for themself a good foundation against the time to come, that they may obtain eternallife. How is Dorcas a noble and virtuous woman commended in the holy Scripture? She was full of good works & alms deeds, saith blessed Luke, 
〈◊〉. ix.  Yea she with her own hands made coats and garments for the poor. 
mirrors 〈◊〉 Gentle, 〈◊〉.  An example worthy to be followed of our Gentle women and Ladies now a days, which in tyringe and garnishing themselves know neither measure nor end, but of preparing garments for the poor, they for the most part do not so much as once dream. Dorcas could not abide, that she herself should have a rich waredroppe full of sumtuous apparel, and see her Christian Brethren and systern go naked and die for cold, Yea rather than they should want, she will set her own hands to work, which thing many of our fine white fingered gentle women, yea and some inferior to them disdain to do.  
How instantly did a certain woman named L●dia desire. 
●etes. xvi.  S. Paul and his companions to come into her house, and there to have all things necessary for them? 
●reachers unprovided.  If ye think (saith she) that I believe on the Lord, come into my house, and abide there. Would God the like affection toward the Preache●s of God's word were found in our● men and women at this present, then should not so many of them be oppressed with poverty, and wander abroad without livings as they do now, unto the great slander of the Gospel, which they preach. Is it not a shame that they should want temporal things, which minister unto us spiritual and heavenvly things? 
i Corin. ix.  Hath not the Lord ordained, that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the Gospel? Are not they that rule well, and labour in word and doctrine, worthy of double honour? Is it not convenient, that the housbandeman which laboureth, should first take of the fruits? 
i Timo. v.  Are we not forbidden to mosel the mouth of the o●e that treadeth out the corn? 
two. Timo. two.  Is not a reward ordained for the workman? 
i Timo. v.  If we have sown among you spiritual 
Math x.  things, 
i Corin. ix.  is it a great matter, if we reap your carnal things? Do ye not know that they, which minister about holy things, 
Math. x.  live of the sacrifice? they which wait of the temple, are partakers of the temple. Even so also did the Lord ordain, 
i Timo. three Titus. i.  that they which preach the Gospel, should live of the gospel, saith S. Paul. The Apostle requireth that a Bishop, that is, a spiritual minister should maintain hospitality. How unseemly then is it for them that should feed other, 
Papists h● to fore bet● provided ●o them preaches now.  either miserably to live on other me●s trenchers, or else like vagabonds to hunt about for their living? Neither our ancestors nor we in times passed have so dealt with the sorcererlyke Sacryfycers, with the prat●yng Papists, with the monstrous monks, with the chatrering cannons, with the flattering foyers, and such other mumryshe mummers, as under the vysar of painted holiness have deceived almost all the world, leading us from God's blessed word to man's trifle inge●radicions, from the way of salvation unto the state of damnation, from heaven to hell, from God to the devil. But so hath it ever gone for the most part with the true Preachers in this wicked and unthankful world. In the time of king Achab, the true Prophets of God were slain, and then that remained alive, were secretly kept in caves and there fed with bread and water of good Abdy●, which unfeignedly feared God. 
〈◊〉. xviii.  If they had not been preserved by that godly man, they had either been slain, or else famished. But the priests of Baal abounded with all kind of wealth. Eight hundred and fy●ty, saith the scripture, did eat of jesabels' table.  
Who knoweth not, 
●remie. xx. ●viii.  that the Prophet Hieremie was thrown into prison, cruelly entreated and like to die for hunger, when ●hashur. the priests, and such other false prophets even men pleasers, 
●ath. xii.  lived in all wealth and abundance of worldly things? With what poverty the disciples of Christ were grieved, 
●athe. viii. 〈◊〉.  it may easily be known, when they for very hunger were compelled to pluck the ears of corn & to eat. 
joan. xviii. zachary. ●x. Math. xxi.  And how poor Christ was, not a few places of the Scripture do declare, when in the mean time Annas, Caiphas, Alexander, the Scribes, the Pharisees, layers, the bishops, the Priests, the sacrificers with all the rabble of Hypocrites lived in all pomp and pleasure. This in gratitude, churlishness & illiberality toward the ministers of gods word shall not escape unpunished. 
Luke. x  He that despiseth you, despiseth me, sayeth Christ, & he that despiseth me, despiseth him that sent me. 
Luke. x.  But let us return unto our matter. 
Luke. nineteen.   
What need I rehearse, 
Acts. ix.  Martha, Zache, Simon the tanner, 
Acts. xvii.  jason. Aquila, Philip the Evangelist, 
Act. ●xi. xxv●●  Publius, Philemon, Gaius, 
Galath. vi.  and such other, which all showed themselves courteous, gentle & beneficial toward all the poor, but chiefly toward them that were of the household of faith, as s. Paul warneth. If we have recourse unto ancient histories, O how shall we learn of them the fatherly pity & Godly glad affection, 
O factum bene.  which was in the Bishops & Deacons toward the poor people when Christ's church began to flourish. Read we not, that for the comfort of the poor and oppressed Christians, the godly ancient bishops did not only sell the Ornaments, Treasures, and jewels of the church, but also the very boxes of Gold and Silver, wherein the lords brea●, which we commonly call the Sacrament of the altar, 
〈◊〉 or our By●oppes.  was kept? they had rather keep the Sacrament of Christ's body in a basket of wyckers, and to fell that they made of gold for the relief of the poor, than they should want. O godly bishops and faithful shepherds, which so diligently watched for the preservation of their sheep both bodily and ghostly. Is it not to be thought, that the sums of money, which the beneficed men yearly pay to the archedecon of every dioceise, were first of all freely granted and given of our predecessors to be distributed among the poor people of that diocease, as necessity required, and their discretion served? But how that money is now abused, who seeth not? the office of the archedecon, 
The of●yce of 〈◊〉 Archdecon.  is yearly to visit every parish in the diocese, where he dwelleth, and diligently to see, what the poor people of every parish want, and to make provision for them, & unto that use, as I said before, was that money given, which every beneficed man payeth to the archedecon again, to see whither parson or vicar be resident upon his benefice, and maintain such hospytalite, as the poor of the parish be the better for it. But now a days the archdcons ask not for the poor, nor in what condition they stand, but whether the hosts be well kept in the pyxe from moulding & furring, whither corpraise clothes be clean washed, whither the Chrismatory besafely locked up, whither the Priest useth any unhallowed garments or chalice in his sacrificing, whither the copes, vestments and albes be sufficiently repaired, whither the Church, Chancel, or Church yard be in case good enough, and such other trifles. God have mertion us, & sand us once a redress of these things. Furthermore with what a Godly pity & charitable affection did our ancestors burn toward the poor members of Christ, 
Follow these fore fathers.  which as I may speak nothing of Abbeys, Colleges, chantries, frechapels. etc. bilt with their great cost hospitals & such other houses, enduing the same with yearly revenues for the relief of the poor? Men●rie, fathers, fathers, but the manners of these fathers are clean forgotten. 
Philip. two.  All seek their own advantage, & not those things which pertain unto jesus Christ. Thus see we that all good men have ever pitied the poor, & sought all means possible to do them good. But the contrary is found among us now a days. 
two. Timo. iii.  For men according to s. Paul's prophecy, are the lovers of themselves & not of the poor. They are covetous to themselves, & not liberal to the poor They heap to themselves, they provide nothing for the poor, there be many signs of the last day to be at hand, but this cold affection, & more cold love, & most cold liberality toward the poor prove evidently that it is not far of. Among many other signs and tokens, which Christ declareth to go before the day of judgement, 
Math. xxiiii.  is not this one of the most evident? For asmuch, sayeth he, as iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. When did iniquity ever so abound? when was the love of men ever so cold toward the poor? The rich worldlings in times paste could build great monasteries for the bellied Hypocrites, 
Note.  great Colleges, chantries, and Freechappels, for subtle cariars and Purgatory rakers, but who build so much as a cottage now for to harbour a silly poor man? Men in times past disherered their lawful heirs to nourish in idleness a numbered of idle bellies ●nder the pretence of prayer, but who now even of his superfluities doth any notable thing for Christ's poor members? A number of people heretofore hath decked Idols and mammets, with silk, vel●et, and other precious veslures yea with gold, silver, pearl, and precious stones, how many now in so great a multitude do cloth the poor naked creatures of God with canuis and rug? They gave shoes of silver & gold set with rich stones to doom mammets, but who now giveth shoes of leather to the poor? O to●uche unmercifulness. Can these things escape unplagued? If the Lord liveth, plagues be at hand, except we amend. This our ingratituding toward God, and unmercifulness toward the poor, will surely accelerate & haste forward the vengeauns of God to fall upon us. For whether we respect and behold the spirituality or temporalty, their love toward the poor compared with the love of our Ancestors, is very cold, yea it is almost nothing. But if we compare their coue●uousnes with the desire of our Elders toward the goods of the world, 
Spiritual men covetous  we shall find it so far to excel and surmount, as the high heavens do the low earth. How do many of our spiritual men, as they are called, heap promotion upon promotion, benefice upon benefice, deanery upon deanery, prebend upon prebend, and prebend for advantage? Ah, one ●ylthy belly to devour so many wealthy livings? O abomination. And yet the careless swine are led with no pity toward the poor, whose sweat of their brows they lyk up, whose labours of their hands they cormorantlyke devour. Behold their pain in teaching, it is very small, behold their hospitality, it is nothing at all. Woe be unto these shepherds, saith God by the Prophet, that feed themselves. Should not the shepherds fede the flocks? 
Ezech. xxxi●●  Ye have eaten up the fat, ye have clothed you with the will, the best fed have ye slain, but the flock have ye not nourished. The weak have ye not held up, the sick have ye not hea●●d the broken have ye not bound together, the outcasts have ye nor brought again, the lost have ye not sought, but churlishly & cruelly have ye ruled them. 
Temporal 〈◊〉 covetous.  Again how do many of the temporal worldlings join farm to firm, office to office, lordship to lordship, pasture to pasture, land to land, house to house, & house for advantage? that the vengeance of God threatened by the Prophets may come upon them. 
isaiah v.  Woe be unto you, that join house to house, & couple land to land, so nigh one to another, that the poor man can get no more ground. Shall ye dwell alone upon the face of the earth? These things are come up unto my ears, saith the Lord of hosts. Shall not many great & gorgeous houses be so waste that no man shall dwell in them? 
●ab a●uk. two.  Again, woe be unto him, that heapeth up other men's goods. How long will he lad himself with the thick clay? Woe be unto him, that covetously gathereth evil gotten goods into his house, that he may set his nest on high, to escape from the power of misfortune. Thou hast devised the shame of thine own house. The very stones of the wall, shall cry out of it. O how doth our saviour Christ thunder against the rich worldlings, that live all in pleasure, & yet are not once moved with pity & compassion toward the poor? 
〈◊〉. vi.  Woe be to you, that are rich (saith he) which have your consolation. Woe be to y●u that are filled, for ye shall hunger. Woe be to you that laugh now, for ye shall mourn & weep. Thus see we what unmercifulness reigneth in the world almost universally. And how all the threatenings of God's vengeance can not quench in the wicked worldings hearts the insatiable thirst of gathering worldly goods, but that they go still for the to heap up thick clay against themselves, yea & that beyond all measure, not considering how vain & deceitful the possession of temporal things is in this world. He heapeth treasure upon treasure, 
Psal. xxxi●.  saith David, & yet knoweth he not for whom he gathereth these things together. Notable is the histori that our saviour Christ telleth of a certain rich man in the Gospel of. 
Luke. xii.  s. Luke The ground of a certain rich man, saith he, brought forth plentiful fruits, and he thought win himself, saying: what shall I do, because I have no room, where to bestow my fruits? And he said, thus will I do. I will destroy my barns, & build greater, & then will I gather all my goods that are grown unto me, & I will say to my soul, O soul y● hast much goods laid up in store for many years, take thine eas● eat, drink, & be merry. But God said unto him, the fool, this night will they fetch away thy soul again from the. Then whose shall those things be, which y● hast provided? So is it with him that gathreth riches to himself, & is not rich toward god. What then remaineth, but that they which are godl●ri●h, remember themselves to be the stewards of God, endued with worldly substance, not to spend it voluptuously or after their own foolish fancy about trifles, but upon their necessaries, and that they may conveniently spare, to distribute unto the poor, which are their brothers in Christ of the same flesh and blood, & fellow inheritors with them of one and of the same glory. O blessed is the rich, which is found without blemish, and hath not gone after gold, nor hoped in money and treasures. 
Eccle. xxxi.  Where is there such a one, and we shall commend him, and call him blessed. For great things doth he among his people. And that the Godly rich may be the more encouraged to gratify the poor and to do good unto the needy in this wretched and begerlye time, let them ever set these and such like sentences of the holy scriptures before the eyes of 
Sentences for ●he Godly ●yche to remember.  their mind. My son defraud not the poor of his alms, and turn not away thine eyes from him that hath need. Despise not an hungry soul, and despise not the poor in his necessity. grieve not the heart of him that is he alpelesse, and withdraw not the gift from the needful. Refuse not the prayer of one that is in trouble turn not away thy face from the needy. 
Eccle. iiii.  Cast not thine eyes aside from the poor for any evil will, that thou give him nove occasion to speak evil of the. For if he complain of the in the bitterness of his soul his prayer shallbe herd, even he that made him, shall hear him. Be courteous unto the company of the poor, humble thy soul unto the elder, and bow down thy head to a man of worship. Let it not grieve the to bow down thine ear unto the poor, but pay thy debt, and give him a frendli answer, & that with meekness. Deliver him that suffereth wrong from the hand of the oppressor, & be not faint hearted, when thou fyghtest in judgement. Be merciful unto the fatherless as a father, and be in stead of an husband unto their mother, so shalt thou be as an obedient son of the highest, & he shall love the more than thy mother doth. Help the poor for the commandments sake, and let him not go empty from thee, because of his necessity. Lese thy money for thy brother & neighbour's sake, 
Eccle. xxix.  and bury it not under a stone where it rusteth & corrupti●h. Gather thy treasure after the commandment of the highest, & so shall it bring the more profit than gold. Lay up thy alms in the hand of the poor, & it shall keep the from all yvyl. A man's alms is a purse with him, & shall keep a man's favour as the apple of an eye, & afterward shall it arise & pay every man his reward upon his head. It shall fight for the against thine enemies better than the shield of a Giant, or spear of the mighty. 
Eccle. xxxv.  Who so is merciful & giveth alms, that is the right thank offering. Look what thine hand is able, give with a cheerful eye. For the Lord recompenseth & giveth the seven times as much again. 
●o●i. iiii.  give alms of thy goods, & turn never thy face from the poor, & so shall it come to pass, that the face of that Lord shall not be turned away from the. Be merciful after thy power. If y● have much, give plenteously, if y● have little, do thy diligence gladly to give of that little. For so gatherest thou thyself a good reward in the day of necessity. ●or mercy delivereth from all sin & from death, & suffereth not the soul to come in darkness. A great comfort is merci before the high god unto all them that show it. Eat thy bread with the hungry and poor, & cover the naked with thy clothes. 
●rouer. xi.  He that is merciful, doth himself a benefit, but whoso hurteth his neighbour, is a tyrant. He that is liberal in giving, shall have plenti, & he that watereth shallbe watered also himself. Who so hordeth up his corn, shallbe cursed among the people, but blessing shall light upon his head, 
●rou●r. xiiii.  that giveth food. Whoso despyseeh his neighbour, doth amiss, but blessed is he that hath piti of the poor. He that doth a poor man wrong, blasphemeth his maker, 
●rouer. nineteen.  but who so hath pity of the poor doth honour unto God. He that hath piti upon the poor, dareth unto the Lord, 
●rou. x●ii.  & look what he layeth out it shallbe paid him again. He that is bend unto mercy, shallbe blessed, for he giveth of his bread unto the poor. He that giveth unto the poor, 
prover. xxvi  shall not lack, but he that turneth away his eyes from su●h as be in necessity, shall suffer great poverty himself. 
Psal. x●i.  Blessed is he that considereth the poor & needy, the Lord shall deliver him in the time of trouble, the Lord shall preserve him and keep him, & make him blessed upon earth, & not deliver him into the hands of his enemies, the lord shall comfort him, when he lieth sick upon his bed, yea & make his bed in the time of his sickness. 
Math. vi.  Lay not up for yourselves treasure upon earth, where the rust & moth doth corrupt, & where thieves break through & steal. But lay up for you treasures in heaven, where nether rust nor moth doth corrupt, & where thieves do not break thorough, nor steal. For where your treasure is, there will your heart be also. 
Luke. iii. Luke. vi.  He that hath two coats, let him part with him that hath none, & he that hath meat, let him do likewise. give to every one that asketh the. 
Luke. xii.  Be ye merciful, as your father is merciful. Sel that ye have, & give alms. And prepare you bags, which ware not old, even a treasure that faileth not in heaven, where no these cometh, neither mdth corrupteth. 
Luke. xvi.  Make you friends of the unrighteous Mammon, that when ye shall have need, they may receive you into everlasting habitations. If thou wilt be perfect, 
Math. nineteen.  go and sell all that thou haste, and give to the poor, and thou shalt have treasure in heaven.  
He which soweth little, 
●. Corinth. ix.  shall reap little, and he that soweth (in giving) largely and freely, shall reap plenteously. And let every man do according as he hath purposed in his heart, not grudgingly, or of necessity: For God loveth a cheerful giver. 
Galath. vi.  While we have time, let us do good unto all men, but chiefly unto them, which are of the household of faith. To do good and to destribut, 
Heb. xiii.  forget not, for with such sacrifices God is pleased. He that hath the goods of this world, and seeth his brother have need, 
joan. iii.  and shutteth up his compassion from him, how dwelleth the love of God in him? My babes let us not love in word neither in tongue, but in work and truth.  
Again that the ungodly rich may learn somewhat to bridle their covetous affects & by that means be the more occasioned not to be altogether unmerciful to the poor, let them grave these and such like texts of the holy scripture in their hearts and believe them to be as true, as there is a God. 
●entē●es for 〈◊〉 ungodly ●●che to remen 〈…〉.  Trust not unto thy riches, and say not: tush, I have enough for my life. For it shall not help the in the time of vengeance and temptation. 
Ecclesi. v. Ecclesi. x.  There is nothing worse than a covetous man. Why art thou proud, o thou earth and ashes? there is not a more wicked thing than to love money. And why? such one hath his soul to sell, yet is he but filthy dung while he liveth. He that loveth riches, shall not be justified, 
Eccles. xxxi.  & who so followeth corruption, shall have enough thereof. Many one are come in great misfortune by the reason of gold, and have found their destruction before them. It is a tre of falling unto them that offer it up, and all such as be foolish, fall therein. 
prover. xl.  He that trusteth in his riches, shall have a fall, but the righteous shall flourish as the green leaf, take not over great travail & labour to be rich, 
prover. xxi  beware of such a purpose. why wilt thou set thine eye upon the thing which suddenly vanisheth away? for riches make themselves wings, & take their flight like an Eagell into the air. He that giveth unto the poor, 
Prou. xxvi  shall not lack, but he that turneth away his eyes from such as are in necessity, shall suffer great poverty himself. The bread of the needy is the life of the poor he that defraudeth him of it, 
Eccle. xxxii  is a manslayer. He that loveth money, will never be satisfied with money, and who so delighteth in riches, shall have no profit thereof. Where as much riches is, 
Ecclesi. v.  there are many also that spend them away. And what pleasure more hath he that possesseth than, saving that he may look upon them, with his eyes? a labouring man sleepeth sweetly whether it be little or much that he eateth, but the abundance of the rich will not suffer him to sleep. Ye can not serve God & Mammon, 
Math. vi.  that is, the worldly riches. Uerylye I say unto you, a rich man shall hardly enter into the kingdom of heaven: 
●ath. nineteen.  and again I say unto you, it is easier for a gable rope to go thorough the eye of a needle, than a rich man to enter into the kingdom of God. Woe be to you rich men which have your consolation. 
●●ke. vi.  Woe be to you that are filled, for ye shall hunger. Woe be to you, that laugh now, for ye shall mourn and lament: Take heed & beware of covetousness. For no man's life standeth in the abundance of the things, which he possesseth. 
●●ke. xi●.  Neither thieves, nor covetous parsons, nor yet extortioners shall inherit the kingdom of God. 
●or. vi.  Let not covetousness be once named among you, as it becometh Saints. For this ye know, that no covetous parson which is a worshipper of Idols, 
●phesians. v.  hath an● inheritance in the kingdom of Christ, and of God. Godliness is great riches, if a man be content, with that be hath. For we brought nothing into the world, neither may we carry an● thing out. 
●im●. vi.  But when we have food and raiment, we must there with be content: they that will be rich, fall into temptation & suates, & into many foolish & noisome lusts, which drown men into perdition & destruction, for covetousness of money is y ● ●ote of all evil, wh●ch while some lusted after they erred from the faith, & tangled them selves with m●ny sorrows, but y● man of god ●e such things, follow righteousness, godliness, faith, love, patience, meekness: let your conversation be without covetousness, & be content with such things as ye have all ready. 
Hebru. xiii.  For he hath said, I will not fail thee, nor forsake y●. The judgement shall be without mercy to him, 
jacob. two.  that showeth no mercy. Go to now ye rich men, weep & howl on your wretchedness, that shall come upon you. Your riches are corrupt, your garments are moth eaten. Your gold & silver is cankered, & the rust of them shall be a witness unto you, 
jacob. iii.  & shall eat the flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together in your last days. Behold the hire of labourers, which have reaped down your fields (which hire is of you kept back by fraud) crieth, & the cries of them which have reaped, at entered into the ears of the lord of hosts. Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, & been wanton. Ye have nourished your hearts as in a day of slaughter, ye have condemned & killed the just, & he hath not resisted you. If both the godly & ungodly rich would ●et these sentences before the eyes of their mind continually, surely it should go much better with the poor people, than it doth at this present For then would not the rich men so greedily gripe to themselves the goods of this world, nor so niggardli keep them after they have gotten them, as they do now. Then would not many gentlemen, as they are called, so grow out of kind from their name by showing little gentleness to the poor, nether by enhancing their fermes, by taking fines, by receiving great incomes, nor yet by putting the poor out of their houses, and suffering the tenements to fault down, as they do now, then would not the rich worldings join farm to fearme, & heave other men out of their livings, as they do now. Then would not many of our spiritual ministers like insatiable wolves, get so many ecclesiastical promotions into their hands, as they do now, but having one living and that sufficient, be content, and remain upon it, teach their flock, lead a good life, and maintain hospitality among their Parysheners, that the poor of their parish in time of need may have bread, broth, beef and bear, as they say. 
●alach. three ●ote.  Bring every rythe into my barn, sayeth the Lord, that there may be mea●e in my house. The parsonage or the vicarage is God's house, & ●ythes are paid unto them, that they should have meat in their houses to nourish & comfort the poor, 
●hillip. two.  but while all men, as Saint Paul sayeth seek their own, & not jesus Christ's, while all, 
●ere. vi. viii.  as the prophet testifieth, even from that lest to the greatest give their minds to covetousness have no regard to the poor & to their commodity, the poor live misserably: the poor mutter in corners & grudge against the rich the poor break the bond of peace, the poor run headlong into all kind of mischief, which thing we of late have seen unto our great sorrow, trouble & disquietness, yea some of the poor misers for lack of bodeli sustenance fall to picking, robbing, stealing & murdering of other, some kill, drown, hang themselves, because they do not presently see how they may be able to feed them selves, their careful wives, their lamentable children, & their altogether wretched family, wishing rather thorough desperation desperately to end this their needy, careful & weary life, than so to much wretchedly for to live. Oh what good man is not moved with pity to hear, se, and know these things? Yea what good man thinketh not himself bound even of duty to help unto the redress of these inconveniences, yea pestilences? they are enemies to God, to man, to the country, to the public weal, to our posterity, yea to heaven & earth, which wallowing in all kind of wealth like Eth●ysh Epicures, & living all in pleasure like effeminate Sardanapalus, & heaping the goods of the world together as though they should never hence depart are nothing moved with the miseries of the poor miserable people. Woe be to that glutton, which enfarcing his own stinking & draffesaked belly with all kind of pleasure & dainty dishes, suffereth his poor needy neighbour to perish for hunger. Woe be to that coverous cankered churl, which so joineth house to house & land to land, that the poor man knoweth not, where to hide his head, nor how to live. Woe be to that wicked worldling, which decking him self gorgeously with sumtuous apparel, suffereth his poor Christian brother to go naked, & to die for cold. Woe be to that rich ravening raker, which hath raked together plenti of worldly goods, & yet is unmerciful to the nedi members of Christ. Woe be to the benificed man, which having whereof to cherish the poor of his parish, is absent from his benefice nothing caring what becometh of them, so that he may live pleasantly & wealthily of the sweat of other men's brows. Yea & woe be to all them, which being able to help the need of the nedi, & to relife the misery of the miserable, refuse to do it. Great is their damnation. But forasmuch as every man godly affected is by the order of charity for his power bound to seek & further a redress in things that are amiss. I for my part considering that nothing in this world disquieteth a man more than pensive care & careful pensiveness for a living (if not tomuch, yet convenien) considering also how many incommodities do chance to a man, that is continually vexed with grievous thought taking for the provision of the belly, I thought it good to gather together, as time hath suffered, certain sentences & histories of the holy scriptures, which declare & setforth unto us the unmeasurable bounty & exceeding large liberaliti of god toward all them that cast their care on him, & travail according to their vocation & calling, that by reading or hearing of them, the weak in faith may wax strong in faith, & be fully persuaded, that the god which nourished them in their mother's womb, will not leave them now succourless▪ when they be able thorough his grace to cleu unto his promises, to call upon his name, & for their power endevout themselves by one honest go●l● means or other, to get their living, ever casting their care on God, & yet not being idle, but labouring in their vocation according to gods good will & pleasure. I doubt not, but if they diligently weigh & earnestly ponder these comfortable sentences & histories of the holy scripture, they shall not only cease to attempt any unlawful means, but they also shall find great quietness procure much rest to their minds, & so long as they live, live with a meri conscience. If I had been as able to redress the miserable state of the poor with worldly goods, as my will is to stay their consciences with the word of God, that they may not despair of a living, I would have been as ready to do the one, as I have laboured to do that other. But seeing froward fortune goth forward to frown upon me, & daily ceaseth not to pierce me with the cruel darts of poverti, I must do that I mai, when I mai not that I would, laughing foolish fortune to scorn with all her vanities, & pleasures, thinking myself sufficientli rich, solong as I have such a lord, 
Romay. x.  as is plenteously rich for so many as call on him solong as thorough god's grace I am endued with this faith to believe that while I travail in my vocation for my power according to God's will, I shall want no good thing, that is necessary for the either covering or feeding of this my mortal body. And would God all men could so quiet themselves, & with Democritus the Philosopher laugh this foolish world with all the voluptuous worldlings to scorn, or with the blessed Apostle even from the very heart say, 
Galath●. vi.  the world is crucified to me, & I to the world. This little treatise after I had once finished it, I thought meet to dedicate unto your right worshipful Mastership, partly for the Godly affection & Christian zeal, which both you & that good virtuous Lady your wife have borne toward the pure religion of God these many years, partly for the good report that both you have among all good men for your charitable liberality, & plentiful alms toward the poor people, unto the notable example of all rich men, specially of such as profess the Gospel, 
Gross Gospelers.  whereof many in these our days, alas for pity, have the gospel swimming in▪ their lips, & yet in their deeds live no part of the Gospel, but abuse the name thereof to cloak their beastli living & to shadow their carnal liberti, they themselves being the bond slaves of Satan, further from the true faith than the very Turks and jews, more estranged from all godly works, both of fasting, praying, giving of alms, mortifying their carnal affects. etc. then the very papists, so cotouse, proud, hateful, vain glorious, diss●blyng, bankering, lying, slandering, disdainful, uncharitable, unmerciful, wicked, and unclean in conversation, that I know not to whom I may justly compare them. They profess that they know god, 
Tit. ●.  as S. Paul saith, but with their deeds they utterly deny him, being abominable, bisobediente, and wholly estranged from all good works. What shall we then look for, but (except we repent and emend) even as Christ did prophecy, 
Math. xxi.  the kingdom of god shall be taken from us, and given to a nation, which shall bring forth the fruits thereof. He loved not blessing, therefore it shall be far from him, 
Psal. nineteen.  saith David. This unthankfulness toward g●d, this unmercifulness toward our neighbour, this dissolucion of life toward ourselves, can by no means scape unpunished. The Lord have merci upon us, and turn our hearts, 
〈…〉.  that we may serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life.  
God which hath begun a good work in you, mought continued & finish the same unto the glory of his holy name, and the profit of his christian congregation.  
Amen.   

The Fortress of the faithful.  Philemon. Christopher. Theophile and Eusebius talk together. Philemon. 
WHO soever (most dear brethren) with a single eye beholdeth the corrupt manners of this most corrupt world, he shall easily perceive that Satan our old enemy sleepeth not, but as. s. Peter saith walketh about like a roaring lion, 
i. Pe●. v  seeking whom he may devour. For if a tre may be known to be fruitful by her green leaves, flourishing blossoms and pleasant fruit, if a workman may be proved by his labours & pains not to be idle, if the sun may be perceived to shine because of his fiery & glistering beams, surely Satan by the works that he bringeth forth in the children of this world, may justly be judged not to be idle, not to sleep, not to slack his office, but to behave himself in all points like very Satan. For when at any time sense the beginning of his infernal empire brought he forth so large testimonies of his devilish travails, and showed himself so diligent & painful in procuring things meet for the enlarging of his empire as he doth in these out days? Let our time be compared with any age that hath been from the beginning (I speak even of that age which was most ungodly, most wicked) and it shall more right well seem to be most godly, most virtuous. For although the pride, the covetousness the whoredom, the unmercifulness, the malice, the banqueting, the building the bieng and selling. etc. exercised in the days of Noah, 
〈◊〉. seven. 〈◊〉. xxi●●. ●●ke. xvii.  or at any other time, was without doubt great & abominable, & justly deserved the vengeance of god, as it came to pass, yet compared with the outrageousness of vices used in this our time, yea & that so universally & unmeasurably, they may be judged but trifles seeing the number of them compared with the infinite multitude that now most wickedly live, is almost nothing. The pride of these our days is lucifer like, the covetousness is unsatiable, the whoredom is monstrous, the unmercifulness is bo●herlike, the malice is immortal, the banqueting is tomuch Epicurelike the building is infinite, the buying and selling is full of falsehood, craft, & dissimulation, & soforth of other vices, which are already grown unto such an exceeding height, that they can stretcheout their branches no further, 
i. Iho. ●.  so that it is truly said of. s. John, the world is altogether set on wickedness. They are corrupt and become abominable in their doings 
Psalm. ●  there is not one that doth good, no not one, saith David. The lord looked down from heaven upon the children of men, to see if there were any that would understand & seek after god. But they are all gone out of the way, they are altogether become abominable, there is none that doth good, no not one. And although every christian heart beholding this most ungodly state of the world can not but lament & bewail the abominations used in these our days, and right heartily be sorry, that the ●ares have so overgrown the good wheat, that vice doth so abound that virtue can take no place, that sin hath so overflowed the whole world, the true godliness is not only neglected and contemned, but also hissed at and utterly abhorred, yet these traitorous conspiracies and hell-like commotions, 
●surreccions 〈◊〉 commocion, come o● 〈◊〉 devil.  which we of late have seen, wherewith also the common weal of England hath both been disturbed, defaced, and greatly impoverished, who except an enemy to all good order, sorrowfully sorow●th not? Who if not an adversary to our succession with large tears lamenteth not? The inferior members to envy the principal parts of the body? O unnatural disposition. The servant to rule the master, the inferior to rise against his sovereign, the subject to disobey his governor? O cumbrous confusion. The brainsick, yea rather the brainless head to attempt redress of matters in a common weal, unsent, uncalled? O preposterous order.  Christo. 
It can not the denied but divers of the commons have gone far beyond their limits, & taken in hand that hath not become them, for asmuch as they contrary to 〈◊〉 calling have presumed to do the office of magistrates, of men lawfully called to rule in the common weal.  Theo. 
Those their rash & disobedient behaviour can by no means please god.  Phil. 
Please? yea it rather most highli displeaseth god 
●or. xiiii.  which is the author of peace, & not confusion, which will all things to be done seemly & in comeli order, 
〈◊〉. xiii. 〈◊〉 ii  which commandeth the subject to obey his superioure in all things, not only for fear of punishment, but also for conscience sake. How greatly god is & ever hath been offended with disobedience & rebellion, with order breaking & disturbance of a common weal, the holy scriptures sufficiently do show. 
●ne. xiii  Was not Adam our grandfather thrown out of paradise for his disobedience toward his lord god, the most high & most excellent magistrate, & both he & all we his offspring damned for ever, if we had not been redeemed by the precious 
●it. i.  blood of the undefiled lamb jesus Christ? Thus from the beginning se we how greatly god abhorreth disobedience, though the faute in our eyes seemeth very little & not to be passed of.  Euse. 
Truly therefore is it said of Samuel, 
●. Reg. ●v.  behold to obey is better than sacrifice, & to hearken is better than the fat of rams. For rebellion is as the sin of whoredom, & stubborns is as the sin of idolatry.  Phi. 
But that I may declare to you how god in common weals hath ever punished disobedience, 
Rebellion paged.  rebellion, conspiracies, insurrections, commotions. etc. against lawful magistrates, I pra● you give ear & mark what shall be said. 
E●odi. xiii,   Chri. 
We gladly hear.  Phi 
Ye know right well, that when god determined to deliver his people the Israelites out of Egypt the land of bondage & slavery, he made Moses their guide & ruler under him.  The. 
Ye sai trut●  Phi. 
Here was Moses chosen and appointed of god to be the supreme magistrate and principal governor of god's people. And as he had here by god's commandment authority to rule, even so were the Israelites bound by god's word to obey, which thing so long as they did, they right well prospered, they lived quietly, god favoured them, Moses as a loving father cherished them. But when they shaken of the yoke of obedience, sought carnal liberty, murmured against their magistrate, troubled the common weal, oh how did god punish and plague them? The lord hath heard your murmurings saith Moses, 
〈…〉  which ye murmur against him. For what are we (he speaketh of himself and Aaron) your murmuring are not against us, but against the lord. The Israelites murmuring against Moses, murmured against god, whose officer Moses was. Therefore sayeth the scripture, behold the countenance of the lord was moved against the people & the lord five the people with an exceeding great 
Nun. xi.  plague. 
Psalm xviii.  And as David sayeth, the heavy wrath of god came upon them and slew the wealthiest of them, yea and smote down the chosen men that were in Israel. For there is no power, saith S. Paul but of god, 
Rom. xiii.  the powers that be, are ordained of god. Whosoever therefore resisteth power, resisteth the ordinance of god. But they that resist, shall receive to themselves damnation. 
Nun xi.  With how grievous and horrible leprosy did god strike Mir jam for murmuring against Moses? How plagued god the Israelites for murmuring 
Num. xxii.  against him & Moses his servant with fiery serpents, which stonge them unto death? Corah, Dathan and Abirom, because they did not obey Moses gods magistrate, 
Num. xvi  but disdained that he should reign over them, although appointed of god, were they not swallowed up of the earth both they, their wives, their children, & all their goods? Went not they, & all that they had down alive unto hell, & the earth closed upon them, and they perished from among the congregation?  Chri 
A meet plague for rebellion.  Phi. 
On the morrow after when the people of Israel murmured against Moses, saying: ye have killed the people of the lord, & so unreverently railed on him, what, escaped they unpunished? The scripture saith, there died in that plague xiiii M. and vii hundred, besides them that died about the business of Corah. Thus see we, that in the beginning of the Israelites public weal, god by no means could abide rebels & seditious persons, but punished them with most horrible & notable plagues.  Eus. 
If god so grievously plagued them which did but murmur against his magistrate, how extremely will he punish them that do not only vn●cuerētly speak of the high powers, 
Take head ye rebels  but also gather unlawful assembles against them and enarme themselves on such manner, as though they should rise against a common pestilence of the public weal? Surely the end of such must needs be toomuch miserable.  The. 
These things were done to show how greatly god approveth the office & dignity of a lawful 
Note  magistrate, & that he will be avenged of all such as despise his holy ordinance, again that we by these examples may learn to fear the high powers, to honour and obey them, and by no means to resist them, except we will prove the same or worse plagues.  Philemon. 
Well said. Absolom King n1g-nn's son made an insurrection against his father, and thorough the counsel of wicked Ahithophel wrought most villainy 
〈◊〉 Reg. tv xvi. ●vii. ●. xviii.  against his father's honour. What followed? was not Absalon miserably slain? Did not his ungodly councillor hang himself? Were there not also twenty M. men slain in battle, the took Absoloms part? See to what point sedition bringeth both the authors, councillors, and maintainers thereof.  Chri. 
It is therefore wisdom for all men to follow this council of the wiseman, my son fear thou the lord and the 
Prou. xxiiii.  king, & keep no company with seditious persons, for their destruction shall come suddenly. And who knoweth the adversity that may come of them both? Again wish the king no evil in thy thought, and speak no hurt of the rich in thy privy chamber, 
eccle. x.  for a bird of the air shall betray thy voice, and with h●● feathers shall bewray thy words.  Phil. 
Who knoweth not that Seba the son of Bichri, which conspired also against David and dissuaded the people of Israel 
two. Reg. xx  from obedience to their liege sovereign lord, had his head cut of?  Euse. 
A meet death for a traitor.  Phile. 
Baasa the son of Ah●a conspired against Nadab king of Israel, 
three Reg. ●v.  s●ue him, & reigned in his stead. But what followed? though Baasa in the sight of the world died no shameful death, yet died he in the displeasure of god, & afterward all his succession with all his 
three Reg. xvi  friends & kinsfolk were all destroyed, so that there was not one left alive. Again zimri conspired against Ela king of Israel, slew him, & reigned in his stead. But shortly after he was driven to such misery and straight, that he f●ed into the kings palace at Thirza, & setting it on a fire, brent himself, & so wretchedly ended his life.  Theo. 
An end worthy of such a beginning.  Phil. 
What shall I rehearse unto you the histories of the ii seditious men, Theudas and judas of Galilee, 
●●tes. v.  of whom blessed Luke writeth in his book of the apostles acts? The one boasted to do great things, and so alured much people to follow him, the other counseled the jews by no means to pay tribute to Cesar, but to maintain their old liberties, and by this means moved great sedition among the people. What became of them? were they not put to death, and so many as followed them either s●ayne, or else scattered abroad, and so brought to naught? We read not in all the scriptures, that any traitor or notable seditious parson hath at any time escaped without notable punishment. God can not suffer his magistrates to be disobeyed, his common weals to be disturbed, his polltique or civil laws to be contemned●, his godly and honest orders to be broken. etc. Who soever attempteth any such wickedness, god will be avenged of him, as it is evident not only in the holy scriptures, but also in the profane histories. For god, even among the Heathen cannot abide his ordinance to be despised.  Chri. 
Would god that all they which either were authors of sedition, or consented thereunto at any time in this our realm, had known these things, than would not they so greatly have forgotten themselves and their duty.  Euse. 
If they had been as well trained up in learning such godly histories, as they were ●ouseled in hearing popish masses, & such other trifling trumpery, they had raised up no such tragedies. If there had been but the tenth part of true and learned preachers, that there were of popish priests among them, they had never fallen to such disorder. But it is truly said of the wiseman, 
〈◊〉. xxvi.  when the preaching of gods word faileth, the people run out of order, perish and come to nought.  The. 
Yet have I heard it reported that these new preachers, 
preachers.  as they call them, thorough their undiscrete sermons, opened a large window unto dissolution of life, and by this means caused the common people to aspire and breath unto carnal liberty, which while they hunted they forgot both themselves and their duty.  Phil. 
I will not excuse all preachers. For some, as I have heard, have taken upon them the office of preaching uncalled, unsente, and such disordered preachers for the most part, bring all things to a disorder, yea to an utter confusion, mask they with never so pleasant a visare, and babble with never so painted eloquence in the sight and ears of the simple and ignorant people. How shall they preach except they be sent, 
Roma. x.  sayeth Saint Paul? I have not sent the preachers, sayeth the Lord, and yet they run. 
jere. xxiii  I have not spoken to them, and yet they preached. But as I may speak in the faithful and discrete preachers behalf, which are lawfully sent of the high powers, and called thereunto by the secret motion of god's spirit in their hearts, how soever they be reported, certain I am they never taught such doctrine, as should minister occasion to godly people to shake of the zeal of obedience, or to break any good order or politic law.  Chri. 
Yet have I heard some preachers, whom I know to be both prudent and faithful, slandered, that they by their preaching have caused these uproars.  Philem. 
Ye said well, slandered. Were they preachers or rather massemungers, that caused the insurrections in devonshire?  Chri. 
Massemungers & papists, as it is reported.  Ph●lem. 
Then are the godly preachers free from giving any occasion of that sedition.  Euse. 
But what of Norfolk?  Phil. 
Even in Norfolk also or else where, I am sure the veri rebels themselves will confess, as I have partly heard and known that the preachers were not the authors nor provokers of their commotion. Can the sermons of them which teach all obedience, humility, and patience, move men unto disobedience, haughtiness of mind, and desire of revenging? Can light be the occasion of darkness, or truth of salsehead? But what is so prudently, godly, and circumspect lie spoken, that envy can not wrest and corrupt? Neither is it strange for the christian preachers to be misreported of the voluptuous world lynge and covetous carls. How earnest a setter forth of god's glory was the Prophet Elias, & yet how was he reported, not only of the base sort, but even of the king and of the Queen? Art thou he, saith King Achab, 
three Reg.  that troubleth Israel? As though he should say: art thou he which thorough thine undiscrete and rash sermons movest the people to sedition, makest them disobedient to me their king and to all my officers, causest them unlawfully to assemble together, and to make havoc of all things? But y● Prophet boldly answered. It is not I that have troubled Israel, but thou and thy father's house, in that ye have forsaken the commandments of the lord, and followed the way of Baal, as though he should have answered: Dost thou O king, lay to my charge, that I troubled thy realm, which teach thy subjects to obey the in all those thy commandments that fight not with god's word? Then untruly thou accusest me. There is, I grant, in thy realm sedition and much hurly-burly: what then? Impute not the fault to me, but corie thyself on the head, & say: I myself and my wicked progenitors, which have not tendered the glory of god, nor loved to hear his blessed word, nor to maintain the preachers thereof, but rather have slain them and followed the way of that foul Idol Baal, and nourished his priests at our own table, and have not ruled the Realm with such justice and equity, with such clemency and gentleness, as becometh righteous and godly rulers, but have polled and pilled our subjects, oppressed the widows and fatherless, received bribes, condemned the guiltless for gifts, and shed innocent blood like unmerciful & Bochercyke tyrants, we, we are only the occasion of all these tumults, seditions, conspiracies. etc. wherewith this my Realm at this present is so greatly does quieted. As I may let pass the other Prophets, 
Math. v  which for their godly sermons sustained the like displeasure at the worldly tyrants hands, how was the self master of truth, the wisdom of the father, I mean jesus Christ our Lord, 
●. Pet. 〈◊〉  in whose mouth was found no guile, no deceit, haudeled for his Sermons?  
When they brought him before Pilate, 
●e. xxiii.  did not his adversaries & accusers lay to his charge, that he sowed sedition among the people? that he corrupted and perverted the commons with his doctrine, that he forbade men to pay tribute to Cesar, and that he said, he himself was Christ a king? How unjustly Christ was here accused, the holy scriptures abundantly testify. How could he be the author of sedition, 
〈…〉  which came in to this world to make peace? How could he corrupt and pervert the people with his doctrine, when he taught nothing, but that which he had heard of his father? Can heavenvly things corrupt the minds of mortal men? 
●th. xvii. xxii.  Forbade he to pay tribute to Cesar, which himself paid tribute to Cesar & commanded other so to do? Boasted he himself a king which ●●ed away from the people, when they would have made him their king? 
Iho. vi.  Said he not unto Pilate, my kingdom is not of this world? 
Ihon. viii.  Was he disobedient to the temporal rulers, 
Math. xvii.  which disdained not to be brought before them, to be judged of them, yea and to suffer death under them? 
acts. vi.  Moreover was not the blessed martyr. S. Steven accused that he spoke blasphemous words against Moses & against god? when of God no man ever spoke more godly, nor of Moses more reverently. Yet must Steven to the pot, and be condemned for an heretic, when Steven deserved rather praise and promotion. But Steven had offended enough, saying it was the chief priests pleasure, & the other ravening rabines, that Steven should live no longer. Again when. s. Paul & Silas came to Tessalonica, 
Acts. xvii.  and. S. Paul preached in the synagogue the passion & resurrection of Christ, how did certain of the jews complain of them unto the heads of the City, and rushed into the house of jason thapostles host, and violently plucked him out, saying: These that trouble the world are come hither also, whom jason hath received privily. And these all do contrary to the decrees of Cesar, affirming another king one jesus. Here are th'apostles accused both of sedition and treason, and yet were they neither seditious persons nor traitors. They troubled not the world, except the world here be taken for the devilish people of the world, to whom it is a trouble to hear any thing of Christ, or to hear their abominable living rebuked. The good people of the world, they quieted & made them merry in their conscience, 
●phe. two. ●olo. i.  for asmuch as they persuaded by the word of god, which thapostles preached, that they had gotten free remission of all their sins thorough faith in Christ's blood. Thapostles did not contrary to the decrees of Cesar, if they were not against god's word, but rather taught men to obei them. And though they preached jesus to be a king, yet did this nothing derogate Caesar's honour, for they taught Christ not to be a temporal, but a spiritual king, not to rule with sword or polare, but with his spirit & word, not to reign in Princes palaces, but in the hearts of the faithful. Is not here great sedition, great treason? 
Act. xxi.  When. s. Paul was but seen at Jerusalem in the temple how cried the jews out, saying: O ye men of Israel, help: this is the man that teacheth all men every where against the people, & ●he law & this place, & violently drew him out of the temple, 〈◊〉 him, & would have slain him if the high captain had not come. What had Paul offended? He spoke nothing, he did nothing, bu● as other jews did. It was enough to kill Paul, because he was that Paul which had preached Christ to be the son of god. At another time when he told the jews, that god appointed him to be a teacher of the Gentiles, how lifted they up their voices, saying. Away with such a fellow from the earth, 
Acts. xx●i.  for it is no reason that he should live. Paul must die, because at the commandment of god he turneth the Gentiles from Idolatry to the true worshipping of god. And as the wicked world linges cruelly entreated the apostles of Christ, so do the worldly tyrants handle the good bishops and faithful ministers in the primitive church. If any mischief, plague, or evil chanced in the con●●ey where they were, it was strait ●ay laid to their charge. Even so ●●kewyse doth the world at this time ●eal with the true preachers of the lories word. Dearth, famine, hunger, plague, pestilence, battle, insurrecci●ns, commotions, treasons, heresies, Epicurism, licentious living. etc. all is imputed to the preachers of Christ's gospel. They, they, and ●one but they, are the occasion of all that nought is, when no kind of people is farther from doing harm to a common weal them they, neither doth a common weal receive more benefits of any man, then of the godly preacher. If the old world had heard and obeyed the sermons of Nohe, they had not perished with waters. If the Sodomites and gomorianes had hearkened to the sermons of Loath, 
Gene. seven. two. Pet. two.  they had not been consumed with rain, fire and brimstone from heaven. If the Israelites had given ear to the warnings of the Prophets 
Gene. nineteen.  they had not so oft be plagued and led away into captivity. If the jews had received the doctrine of Christ and his Apostles, they and their city with all their posterity had not come to such a destruction. But when the lord raiseth up his Prophets & preachers, to admonish the people of their wickedness, and to exhort them to repentance, and yet they will not amend, but cruelly entreat them, slander them persecute them, kill them, than cometh destruction. The lord god of their fathers, 
two. Para. xxxv●.  saith the scripture, sent to them by his messengers, rising up betimes & sending, for he had compassion on his people & on his dwelling place. But they mocked the messengers of god, and despised his words and misused his Prophets until the wrath of the lord arose against his people, & till there was no remedy. And so brought he on them the king of Chaldees, which siue their young men with the sword in their holy temple, and spared neither youngman, maiden, old man, nor him that stooped for age.  Chr. 
The scholar is not above his master, 
Math. x.  nor the servant better than his Lord. If the world hate you saith Christ, ye know it hated me before it hated you. If ye were of the world, the world would love the is his. 
Ihon. xiiii.  But for asmuch as ye are not of the world, but I have choose you from the world, therefore the world hateth you.  Eus. 
Preachers are commanded of god under pain of damnation to tell the people their faults & yet if they rebuke covetousness, them the covetous worldlings are mad. If they inveigh against pride, the proud are displeased. If they condemn whoredom, whores, bawds, and rufianes are wood.  
Look what soever sin they reprove, the guilty can not abide, but malign the preacher, and seek to do him displeasure. The Gergesens had rather Christ should never come among them, yea they had rather go to the devil, than they would have their filthy swine drowned. 
Math. vii●.   Theo. 
They own him evil will saith the Prophet, that reproveth them openly, 
〈…〉  and whoso telleth the plain truth, him they abhor.  Phile. 
Well, thus see ye it is no new thing for godly preachers to be slandered & burdened with those faults, wherein they be nothing guilty.  Chri. 
I have heard it reported, that diverse Gentlemen have ben the occasion of all these tumults and seditions thorough the great oppressions and wrongs that they have done to the 〈…〉, as by making common pastutes several to themselves, 
Of gentlemen  by enclosinge more ground to their own use, than heretofore hath been accustomed, and by this means take away the necessary food from the poor men's cattle, without the which they can not live: again, by getting so many farms in to their hands, and letting out their own lands unto their tenants and farmers for so great price, or else take such large fines and great incommes, that they can never live of it. These & such like things have I heard.  Phil. 
Ye have heard my mind of preachers, which were slandered (I speak of the godly) in this behalf. I will now speak somewhat of gentlemen. As I do not allow all that be called preachers, so do I not approve the doings of all them that be called gentlemen. And as I do not condemn all preachers, so do I not dispraise all gentlemen. For as they are, which are true preachers in deed, so likewise are there which are true gentlemen indeed. But some abuse the name of preachers, by teaching papistry, a nabaptistry, Epicurism, etc. & are no preachers in deed, but rather praters & deceivers of the people: so likewise are there many which are called gentlemen, & are no gentlemen in deed, but pollers and pillars, rakers and catchers, bribers and extortioners, yea and very caterpillars of the common weal. For they abuse the name of a gentleman, which is unfeignedly a name of much worship and great honour, and worthy to be had in reverence and high estimation. Without the true gentleman the common weal can no more safely be, than the body without eyes. For as the eyes are the principal co●●forte of an whole body, so likewise are the true gentlemen of the common weal. And look what the nose is without smelling, the tongue without speaking, the hands without feeling, the feet without going, the very same is a common weal without them that are true gentlemen: as the wiseman sayeth. 
Prou. xi  Where no good council is, there the people decay, but where as many are that can give good counsel, there is wealth. For such as are true gentlemen, are fathers of the country, maintainers of the poor, defenders of the widows & fatherless, socurers of the needy, comforters of the comfortless, & upholders of the common weal, in fine, gentlemen both in name & deed. These be pearls & jewels to a realm, & as necessari for the conservation of a public weal, as fire, water, and heat is for the health of man's body. For their pricipal respect is not unto their own private lucre, & singular commodity, but their whole study is how they may profit the common weal and do good to many, as Solomon sayeth: 
〈…〉  the righteous laboureth to do good, but the ungodly useth his increase unto sin. Not only their goods, but their very life also will they bestow to do good to other, so far is it of, that for their own advantage they will enpoveryshe or hinder any man.  Euse. 
Would god we had many such gentlemen.  Phi. 
We have without all doubt many, although not so many as I would wish, for of good things we can never have enough. Then is there another sort, which glory in the title of gentlemen also. And they are such, as this common proverb noteth: As riseth my good, so riseth my blood. They think all nobility to consist in the abundance of worldly goods, in wearing of golden chains, and costly apparel, in having fair houses and pleasant gardens. And to set forth this their gentlemanry, they poll they pill, they wake they ●ake, they sweat they fret, they gripe they nip, they face they brace, they semble they dissemble, yea they move every stone, as they say, to maintain and set forth their unnoble nobility, not caring how they come by it, so they have it. All is fish that cometh to the net: it is good to be taking. Bonus est odor lucri ex re qualiber. These study not as the true gentlemen do, to profit many, to do good to the country, to maintain the poor, to relieve the socurles, to nourish the weak, to cherish their needy tenants, neither seek they the commodity of the common weal, but their own private advantage. They labour to possess much, 
Eccle. iii  but they distribute nothing. Their hand is stretched out to receive, but shut when they should give. If they once exempt in to a town or village, they for the most part never cease, till they have devoured and eaten up the whole town. What soever is pleasant or profitable, must be theirs by hook or by croak. It lieth handsomely for them & so near their nose, though it be a mile of. If there be either farm or shepeground, upon the which some honest poor man liveth, both he and his family, out he must. Had it must be whatsoever it cost, though the poor man & all his should go a begging, it lieth so commodiouslye for our newecome gentleman. If they buy any tenement, & let it out again to the poor man, O how do they rack it, and stretch out the rents thereof, almost from a penny to a pound? yea and some of them buying house and land in a town, suffer the houses to fall down, and turn the ground unto pasture, the poor man not having where to hide his head. Who will be troubled, say they, with such a sort of shake ragged slaves in a town, which do nothing but burn up our hedges, eat up the common, fill the town full of beggars brawls? Who? No man I trow, namely where such fine and longnosed gentlemen dwell. Some buying the lordship of a town, handle the inhabitants thereof on such sort, that they lose diverse of their liberties, being in much worse case than they were afore. Thus the poor people be so wrounge of these ungentle gentlemen, that the silly souls are like unto dry haddocks. Some Irish men beholding them, might well think, that they came lately out of saint Patrick's pargatorye. They are so withered away even to the hard bones for cold and hunger. Against such churlish gentlemen speaketh god by the Prophet, saying: O ye heads of the house of jacob, & ye leaders of the house of Israel: 
●che. iii.  Should not ye know what were lawful and right? But ye hate the good, and love the evil, ye pluck of men's skins and the flesh from their bones, ye eat the flesh of my people, and flay of their skin, ye break their bones ye chop them in pieces as it were in to a cauldron, and as flesh into a pot.  Theo. 
These greedy gripes, and hungry horseleeches, by usurping the name of gentlemen, do much obscure the renown, worship and honour of true gentlemen, and cause the name of a gentleman to be much disdained among the common people, as we have both heard and seen now of late days. And though they challenge to themselves never somuch the name of a gentleman, by their goods, by their ancestors, by antiquity, by the worthiness of their stock, and many god morrows, yet if they do degenerate and grow out of kind from the natural manners of a true gentleman, they are no gentlemen in deed, but carls & churls, yea and in hurting their neighbours they are tyrants and murderers, 
Eccle. xxxiiii.  as the holy scripture calleth them, 
E●ai. i  and in polling and pilling them, 
Miche. two.  they are thieves, 
Sopho. iii.  lions, and wolves as the Prophets term them. An ape shall be an ape, though she be clad in purple and gold. Esop's crow was still a crow, even when he had decked himself with the pleasant and goodly feathers of other birds. 
T●●e nobili●●  It is virtue, and not gross flesh & blood, which thing we all are, that maketh the true, noble and gentleman. It is a mind disposed to do good, yea & doth good in deed when occasion serveth, and not sumptuous apparel and golden chains, that setteth forth true nobility. It is justice, mercy, liberality. kindness, gentleness, hospitality for the poor, and such other godly gifts of the mind, and not the multitude of riches, that declare who is a gentleman, and who a churl, who is noble, who unnoble. He that can nighest approach unto lady virtue, and most lively set forth her natural disposition in his conversation and behaviour, he is the best gentleman, be his parents never so base, and his kindred never so vile in the judgement of the world.  Christo. 
Socrates the Philosopher beholding a man very rich and wealthy in deed, but an asshead in the knowledge of goodness, and notwithstanding gorgeous and galant in apparel, said: Behold a golden slave. Socrates nothing esteeming the rich man for his riches and sumptuous rayement, called him a golden slave, meaning: that though he were laden with never so many golden chains, golden rings, golden apparel, yet so long as he himself is but filthy in his conversation, and hath a mind subject to carnal lusts, as covetousness, pride, ambition. & cete, he is but a very slave, so far is it of that he is a gentleman. At an other time that same Philosopher saying a man both rich and galauntlye apparelled, said: Here is a horse trapped in silver. His apparel showed him to be a gentleman, but his manners and conditions declared him to be but a horse and a beast. Diogenes hearing a certain man bragging and boasting of his kindred, riches, beauty, costuous apparel, and such other worldly visars, knowing not one point of nobility to be in him, nor ought else worthy of praise, said: loo, here is a sheep with a golden flese. Cato the elder was wont to say, that the little thieves did wear fetters, but the great thieves went up & down galauntly apparelled with purple and gold. I pass over diverse other sayings of the wise men, which without any respect had to carnal nobility, worldly riches, gorgeous apparel. etc. called the wealthy worldlings, by such names, as their manners and behaviour deserved.  Euse. 
Would god all they which will be taken for gentlemen were gentlemen in deed. Then should it go much better with this realm of England.  Christ. 
This endless encroaching of worldly possessions show evidently, that they which use it are not frindlye to the common weal, seeing thorough it the poor commons are brought to beggary. Solomon hath a notable saying and would god all men would learn it. 
Prou. x●iii.  It is this. The increase & prosperity of the commons, is the kings honour: but the decay of the people, is the confusion of the prince.  Theo. 
Frindely to the common wealer Marry sir they are not frindlye to the king by salomon's saying, that enpoverysheth the commons: if the commons increase, wealth, and prosperity be the honour of the king, and if the decay and enpoveryshement of the commons be the confusion and destruction of the prince, then are they extreme enemies to the king, which without any respect had to the common weal, seek thorough their unsatiable covetousness to beggar the Kings subjects, whereby they shall be the less able both to serve the king, and to bear for their portion, the charges of the Realm, when time requireth.  Philemon. 
Certes a King can never be poor, so long as his subjects be wealthy. And better it is to have many that should help in time of need, than few, and easier is the burden and the gladlier it is borne that many bear then few.  Christo. 
If that same gentleness and liberality were found at this present among the rich men of this world, that hath been here tofore in men of like degree, the commons should not only at all times be quiet, but also the realm should flourish with great wealth, yea and that universally, where as now it resteth in few men's hands. Gentlemen to be enchrochers of Farms, notable shepemongers, Graziers, Bochers, Clothiers, Weavers, Brewers. & c●. as I may speak nothing of their parsonages, vicarages, prebends. etc. having otherwise whereof abundantly to live? O unworthy act. O unseemly sight. O abomination. What is it to beggar the Realm, to famish the Kings subjects, to bring slavery in to this realm, if this be not? Do they not suck the poor men's blood, that suffer them not to have whereof to live? The wiseman sayeth: 
Eccle. xxxiiii.  The bread of the needy is the life of the poor, he that defraudeth him of it, is a murderer.  Philemon. 
Well neighbours, although I doubt not, but that the Kings majesty and his most honourable council will see redress in these things when they have convenient leisure, yet if the world should go forth & continue as it is, & the rich worldlings more miserably oppress the poor than they heretofore have done, god forbid that the common people, or any kind of people should raise up tumults, stir up seditions, lift up their hand against the high powers.  
For that is a sin, which by no means can escape unplagued, yea they that so do, run into the danger of eternal damnation, as ye have heard afore.  Chri. 
I say god forbid also: but ye know the come● proverbs, the belli hath no ears, hunger is sharper than thorn, necessity is an hard dart, need maketh the old wife troth.  Philem. 
Saint Paul had rather never to 
Rom. xiiii 〈◊〉. viii.  eat flesh nor drink wine, than he should offend his weak brother▪ Would he then think you, trouble an whole common weal, make uproars, raise up commotions, come armed in the field, assemble a sort of idle brains and brainless people together, rob men's houses, spoil their goods, break up their hedges, make several pastures common to all men, hunt carnal liberty, make a communion, yea con●usion of all things, and all for the belly? Paul would rather like unto the poor Lazar have died for hunger, 
Luke. xvi.  than once violently and unjustly to take away other men's goods.  Chri. 
Ye see the unmercifulness of the rich, what, would ye have the poor people starve for hunger?  Phil. 
Rather starve and die for hunger as poor Lazar did, then to trouble a common weal. As riches, so likewise poverty cometh from god: And both are to be taken thankfully, and not to be grudged at. If oppression be done to the poor of the rich worldlings, shall they avenge themselves? God forbid, yea rather take that cross patiently, and think that they have deserved far worse things, which have so oft deserved hell, and pray to god to give those rich men merciful hearts, that according to their duty they may be moved with pity and compassion toward the poor. Again if they have injuries done unto them, if they can not otherwise be redressed let them complain to the Magistrates and officers of the common weal, which are appointed to hear men's causes.  Christo. 
If the poor oppressed complain to the justices of peace or such like in the country where he dwelleth, that hath the injury done unto him, little redress, as I hear, can be had, one so serveth another's turn, even as the Mules scratch one another's back.  Philemon. 
If there be any such partial officers, which are not indifferent, but judge for favour, yet remaineth there another refuge, and that is, to complain unto the Kings Majesty and his most honourable council, which without all doubt will both gladly hear their lamentable complaints, and redress their matters according to justice. But who so leaveth godly means, and attempteth wicked ways, both he and his enterprise must needs come to nought, as we have seen of late days. 
Math. xxv●.  The lord himself hath spoken it. All they that take the sword, shall perish with the sword. All they that are private men, and go about with force and violence to avenge their own cause, and to redress their own matters, shall surely come unto destruction. For they be order breakers and despisers of gods holy ordinance, which hath appointed magistrates and head rulers justly to judge between man and man in all matters of controversy, that peace and quietness may be maintained in a common weal.  Theo. 
If men were christian men in deed, as they profess in word, they would never for the bellies sake go about to disturb, trouble, and disquiet all the members of the body. There is a proverb no less true than common, God never made mouth, but he made meat. And truly I am thus persuaded, that god, which made me a living soul, and fed me in my mother's womb, will not, after he hath brought me in to this world, suffer me to perish for hunger, if I hang on his fatherly proui●●●e, cast my care on him, seek to please him, and live in my vocation according to his word.  Phil. 
I am glad neighbour Theophile this to hear you speak: for as I may tell you truth, the principal occasion why I so greatli desire to speak with you & with my other neighbours here, was to comfort and strengthen you against this solicitude and thought taking for the belly, wherewith many at this present are much vexed. For I am not ignorant what importune su●er the belly is, and how she is ever craving and casting doubts, fearing that she should never have enough, and therefore continually knocketh at the door of the mind, to put him in remembrance to provide for her, saying: Adfer, Infer, bring hither, bring in. For the idle belly continually consumeth, wasteth, but getteth, provideth nothing. Therefore is she full of thought and care for her living, even as a beggar is, which is so jealous over his drink, that he will not suffer the little fly to sit upon the brim of his cup, lest she should beguile him of his drink. This belly care causeth the layers to corrupt the law, the judge to give false sentence, the officers to be untrue to their Lords and masters, the Hypocrites to corrupt the holy scriptures, the rich men to be unliberall, unmerciful, the Beneficed men to receive much and distribute little, the patrons of benefices, to sell to unlearned Priests their benefices, parents to sell their children like calves and sheep for money, the papist to hate the truth of god's word, the merchant to for swear himself in selling his merchandise, the crafts man to make and utter false and sleighty wares, the temporal Lord to raise his rents, or to take great fines and incommes, the I●ne keepers to poll and pill his geastes, the servant to rob his master, the maid her masters, the single or married woman to play the whore, the single or married man to play the Rufian, and the thief, the subject to rise against his superioure. etc. Innumerable evils doth this belly care bring unto men, against the which except they be well furnished both with strong faith in gods holy providence, and also fortressed with the knowledge of holy scriptures, wherein lie buried so great consolations for the faithful, they can not abide the importune & continual futes of the sluggish belly, but must needs despair of satisfying her requests, and by this means not only have an unquiet mind, but also throw themselves into desperation, and so to much wretchedly finish this their careful life  Chri. 
This belly care without doubt is a great temptation to man, and very much disquieteth him, namely when he seeth all things so dear as they be now, and despair of a redress, for asmuch as they which should amend this thing, are the cause of this dearth and famine, I speak of Graziers, Shep mongers, and rich farmers'. Therefore neighbour Philemon, ye can not entreat at this present in your communication among us of a thing more meet for this beggarly and needy wretched time, then to declare unto us by the holy scriptures, how merc●full and bounteous l●de we have in heaven, which will not suffer us to perish for hunger, if we hang on his fatherly providence, and cast all our care on him.  Phil. 
This your bent good will to hear, doth not a little encourage me to speak that which I have purposed, yea and that in few words, because I will not be tedious unto you.  Eusebius. 
Speak I pray you, we will give good ear.  Phil. 
That ye may be thoroughly persuaded of god's liberality toward his faithful servants, I pray you first of all consider gods order in the provision for his creatures. Before god made man, whom he was determined to make the high ruler under him over all things in this world, he made and prepared every thing necessary for him, and for the conservation of his body, that he might abundantly have, what soever is expedient for him, and by no means perish for hunger and lack of food. first placing him in paradise that garden of pleasure, he gave man liberty to eat of all the fruit that grew in the garden, 
Gene. two.  except the tre of knowledge of good and ●uel. After the transgression of god's commandment, when man was justly driven out of paradise, and worthy for his disobedience not only to starve for hunger, but also to be condemned for ever, if god for his mercy's sake, promised in that blessed seed Christ jesus, had not favoured & forgiven him. 
Gene. iii.  God sending forth man into this vale of misery, did not leave him confo●●les and without provision for his bodily sustenance, neither scent he him into a barren, desert or ●alte ground void of all fruit, but into this world, where he found plenty and abundance of all things, and gave him liberty to eat of all fruits and seeds growing in it. Increase, saith he, and multiply and replenish the earth, and subdue it and have dominion of the fish of the sea, 
Gene. i. ●  and the foul of the air and of every living thing that moveth upon the earth. And god said: Behold, I have given you every herb, sowing seed, which is in the upper face of all the earth, and in every tree in the which is the fruit of the tree, and that sow●the seed, that they may be meat unto yo●. With this kind of food was Adam and his posterity content until the flood of Nohe. After the flood, God purposing as it were, to repair man kind, and to be man's good and merciful lord, & no less but much more bounteous to him, than he was afore●sayed: bring ye forth, and multiply and replenish the earth. 
Gene. i●.  The fear of you, & the dread of you shall be upon every beast of the earth, and upon every foul of the air, and in all such as the earth bringeth forth, and in all the fishes of the sea, into your hand are they delivered. Every thing that moveth itself, and that liveth shall be meat for you. Even as the green herb, have I given you all things. As god afore gave man liberty to eat all kind of herbs, sedes, and fruits that grow upon the earth, so likewise giveth he man authority now to eat all kind of fish or flesh as he lysteth.  Christ. 
O exceeding great is the liberality of our lord god, which dealeth so favourably with wretched man: Not only to give him liberty to eat all kind of herbs, seeds, and fruits, bu● also all manner of flesh and fish. This is with out doubt a singular benefit and great token of gods inestimable goodness toward man.  Phi. 
Here even from the beginning and repairing of man doth the kindness of god burst out and show forth itself toward man abundantly, so that now all things are pure, 
Tit. i.  to them that are pure. Nothing is common or unclean, neither is any kind of meat to be refused, 
i Timo. iiii.  if it be taken with thanks giving. For that which god hath purified & made clean, 
Acts. x.  ought no man to call unpure, unclean. And all these things hath god given us to eat. Now that ye may be thoroughly persuaded of god's truth in performing his promises, call to remembrance the histories of the holy scriptures, which do declare and evidently prove, 
Psalm. ●xlv  that god is faithful in all his words, and dealeth no less favourably with his servants in deed, than he promiseth in word. GOD commanded Absolom to get him out of his country and out of his nation, 
〈◊〉. xii.  and from his father's house unto a land that he would show him. Abraham did as the lord commanded him. If Abraham had not been fully persuaded of god's constancy and truth in accomplyshing his promises, would he have forsaken his native country, and gone out of his own house, where he was qui●tely placed and wealthily settled, and wandered abroad like a masterless hound, he can not tell whither?  Eusebius. 
A carnal and worldly wise man would have thought it great madness to leave a thing certain, for that that is uncertain.  Philemon. 
So judgeth the wisdom of this world, 
●or. iii.  which is foolishness afore God. notwithstanding Abraham nothing doubting of god's promise, forsook country, nation and house, and obeyed the voice and commandment of God. Neither was he any thing at all thereby impoverished. The scripture sayeth, he was very rich in cattle, silver, and gold. For his native country, God gave him a country that flowed with milk and honey, 
Gene. xiii  that is, with the abundance of all things. For one house, he gave him many houses. For one nation, he made him a father of many nations. 
Rom. iiii.  So recompenseth God the losses that any man sustaineth for his sake.  Theophilus. 
The like thing is promised of our saviour Christ in the gospel. There is no man saith he, that hath forsaken house, 
Luke. xviii.  either father or mother, either brethren, or wife or children for the kingdom of god's sake, which shall not receive much more in this world, and in the world to come, life ever lasting.  Phil. 
Who even by this one exemple is not greatli encouraged to believe the promise of god, and to be fully persuaded, that as god dealt with Abraham, so in like manner will he deal with us if we obey the voice of god, as Abraham did? For there is no respect of persons with him, 
〈…〉  but in all people he that ●●areth him & worketh righteousness, is accepted unto him. The promise of god is universal. Whosoever therefore layeth hand on it with strong faith, he shall have of god, whatsoever he hath promised. There is no difference between the jew and the Gentile, 
●oma. x. ●el, two.  for one is lord of all, which is rich unto all that call upon him. For whosoever calleth on the name of the Lord he shall be safe.  Chri. 
It is not without a cause, that thapokles prayed: Lord increase our faith. 
Luke. xvii.  For if true and undoubted faith were in the hearts of men, they would neither distrust the promise of God, nor yet despair of convenient living.  Phil. 
Faith is much, yea faith is altogether. Whatsoever ye axe when ye pray, saith Christ believe to have it, 
Mark. x●.  and ye shall have it in deed: as god showed himself faithful in his promise to Abraham, which is the father of the faithful, 
Rom. iiii.  so likewise did he to other, because no man should doubt of his liberality, which is commune not to Abraham only, but to all the faithful in like manner: ye remember that Hager was the hand maid of Sara Abraham's wife & because Sara herself was barren & 
Gene. xvi  childeles, she gave to her husband her maid to be his wife that she might be edified by her.  Christo. 
We remember it well.  Phil. 
This Hagar brought forth a son called Ishmael, by her master Abraham, which child was a mocker, in somuch that after Sara had brought forth Isahac her son, 
e'en. xxi.  she would not suffer neither the lad nor his master to tari any longer in her house, but caused Abraham to put them both out.  Eusebi. 
Ye say truth.  Phi. 
Abraham rose up early in the morening, and took bread and a bottle of water and gave it unto Hagar, putting it on her shoulders with the lad also, and sent her away. Now marc●● Hagar is put out of her master's house with her child. She knoweth not whither to go. She hath no house wherein to hide her head, but wandereth up and down in the wilderness of Berinthia Seba. To comfort her no man is bent: For no man is present. As touching her victual, it is all spent. The bread is eaten, the water is drunk up. There remaineth now in sight no more but utterly to despair of soucoure, and miserably to die. Which thing Hagar considering, casteth the lad Ishmael under a bush, goeth her way, and sitteth on the other side a great way, as it were a bow shoot of, because she would not see the death of the child. With how great sorrows her heart was stuffed, wha● plenty of tears gushed out of her eyes, what careful fayntenes occupied her whole body, no man is able to express. A child to die for hunger, the mother knowing of it, yea and as it were in her sight, in her bosom, O dolour unspeakable. The mother likewise to be pierced with the same dart, O in comparable pain. All things are brought here to extreme desperation There is no way to escape this present mischief. The child crieth, the mother weepeth: Both look for present death. But what? Is god untrue, unjust, false in his promise? Stoppeth he his cares, that he may not hear the lamentable complaints of the to much wretched? Despiseth he the tears of the mother, and the cryings of the child? Yea rather when no remedy is looked for, god is present, 
〈…〉. ●on. xiiii. 〈…〉.  god comforteth, god helpeth, because he will be found a god which is faithful in all his words, which is the self truth and can not lie, which leaveth no man socurles that calleth on him. He sendeth his holy angel to the miserable woman, 
〈◊〉 xxi.  when no mortal creature is present to help. He comforteth her, and biddeth her not fear: for god hath heard, saith he, the voice of the child where he ly●th. He showeth her a well of water to comfort both her & her child withal, and afterward promises that the lad Ishmael shall be a noble man, and great multitudes of people shall rise of him.  Theo. 
O history full of most sweet consolation. This is a comfortable & pleasant mirror for all people to behold, specially for them that are married, and yet see not (such and so great is their poverty) how they may be able to nourish them. If the married folk live according to their vocation, and travail in their estate in the fear of the lord, though they have never so many children and great family, yet shall the sea sooner be without water and fish, and the land without grass and cattle, than any of them shall perish for hunger. If god provided for Ishmael and his mother in the wilderness, where no sustenance was to be gotten, where no man was present but brute beasts, & fowls of the air: will he leave them succourless, that put their trust in him, be-being in cities, towns, and villages, and conversant with men, where all things do abound?  Chri. 
If the poor married men did earnestly weigh, and diligently ponder this most sweet and comfortable history, they should never despair of a living, neither for themselves, nor for their children and family, neither would they seek any unlawful means, as by stierring up commotions, making insurrections, spoiling other men's goods etc., how to avoid their misery: but rather labour to answer their vocation, and without ceasing call on the name of the lord, which will deal no less favourably with than, than he did with Hagar and Ishmael. Put thou thy trust, 
〈◊〉 xxxv●i.  sayeth David, in the lord, and do good, so shalt thou dwell in the earth, and be fed with the best dainties thereof. Delight thou in the lord, and he shall give the thy hearts desire. Commit thy way to the lord, and put thy trust in him, and he shall bring it to pass. He shall make thy righteousness as clear as the light, and thy just dealing as the noon day. Hold the still in the lord, and abide patiently upon him. etc. Again: Put your trust in God alway, 
Psal. lxii.  O ye people, power out your hearts before him, for he is our hope.  Philemo. 
In the days of Isahac Abraham's son, there fell a great dearth in the land where he dwelt, in so much that he removed from that place, and took his journey toward Abimeleche King of the Philistines, 
Gene. xxv●  even unto Gerer. And while he was yet in his journey, god spoke unto him and said.  
Go not down into Egipte, but abide in the land which I shall show unto thee, soieorne in this land, and I will be with thee, and will bless the. For unto the and to thy seed, I will give all these countries. Behold gods careful providence for his servants. Isahac wishing to escape the cruel daries of hunger, hunteth about where he and his may conveniently dwell. And rather than he would die for hunger, he after the example of his father Abraham, 
●. xii.  determineth to go down into Egipte. God which is able to feed and to save his people in every place (for the earth is the lords 
●l. xxiiii.  and all that is contained therein) for biddeth Isahac to go down into Egypt, willeth him to tarry still in the country, and promiseth to bless him, yea to give to him and to his seed, all the countries of that land. Isahac obeying the voice of god, tarried in that country, & waxed exceeding mighty, wealthy & rich. For god gave him great abundance of corn, of sheep, and of oxen, yea with a mighty household did the lord bless him, insomuch that the king himself came unto him, & desired to make acovenaunt of peace and amity with him: unto such & so great power was Isahac grown. He which afore knew not where commodiously to live, and in the country which he would have forsaken for penury and hunger, even he now is become so rich, that the king himself is glad to come to him, and to desire his favour.  Eus. 
O wonderful works of god.  Chri. 
Here find we that true, which is spoken by the wiseman: Put thy trust in god, and abide in thine estate, for it is an easy thing in the sight of god, 
Eccle. xi.  to make a poor man rich, yea and that suddenly. The blessing of god hasteth to the reward of the righteous, and maketh his fruits soon to flourish and prosper.  Theo. 
This in deed was proved true in Isahac. phil. Not in Isahac only, but in so many as ever obeyed the voice of God, and lived according to their vocation. God is the same god to us all, that he was to Abraham and Isahac, if we by strong faith hang on him and on his fatherly providence, as they did, if the same integrity of manners and innocency of life appeareth in us, that shined in them.  Euse. 
This beneficence and liberality of god toward Isahac ought to encourage all men to tarry at home in their own countries and house's, to be content with their estate & calling, and not to stray a broad for livings, as many idle brains do now a days, leaving their wives and their children in great care and misery, and many of them never returning unto them. Neither ought men to doubt, but that god which is almighty, and able to do what soever his good pleasure is, will as well provide for them at home in their poor cottages, as in the haulles of Princes. The blessing of the lord maketh men rich, 
Prove. x.  as for careful travail it doth nothing thereto.  Phil. 
When Isahac sent his son jacob to Mesopotamia, 
Gene. xxviii.  that he might take to wife one of the daughters of Laban, jacob as he passed forth on his journey, made a vow, & said: If god will be with me, & will keep me in this journey which I go, and will give me bread to eat & clothes to put on, so that I come again unto my father's house in safety, them shall the lord be my god, & this stone which I have set up an end, shall be gods house, and of all that thou shalt give me will I give the tenth unto thee. Here jacob desireth gods assistance in his journey, that he may go and come safe. And as touching worldly goods, he desireth no more but food and raiment. And so nothing doubting of god's help, he goeth forward on his journey according to the commandment of his father. Now behold the loving kindness of god toward jacob. God which never leaveth them succourless that call on his holy name, appeareth unto jacob in his sleep, and promiseth that he will give him & his seed the land that he sleepeth upon, and that his posterity shall be great and many, that they shall be as the dust of the earth, and shall spread abroude to the west, to the east, to the north, and to the south, yea and that in his seed all kindreds of the earth shall be blessed.  Chri. 
Here are more benefits promised to jacob, than he asked.  Phil. 
Yea more than he durst have required of god  Euse. 
But what of the requests concerning his journey?  Phil. 
Ye shall hear. Where as jacob desired god to be with him, and to keep him in his journey, god said unto him on this manner: Behold I am with the and will be thy keeper in all places whither thou goest, and will bring the again into this land, neither will I leave the until I have made good all that I have promised the. According to god's promise jacob had a prosperous journey travailing into Mesopotamia. Of whose coming, when Laban heard, unto whom he was sent of his father, 
Gene. xxi●.  Laban for very joy ran to meet him, embraced him, and kissed him, and brought him to his house  Theo. 
This was good luck.  Chri. 
Good luck in deed.  Phi. 
So worketh god for his servants, which hath all men's hearts in his hand.  Theo. 
But what entertainment had jacob afterward?  Phil. 
jacob tarried with Laban twenti years: in the which time, God did not only send him bread & clothes according to his request, but also such wives as his heart desired, with many goodly children. Yea God so blessed jacob, that he was exceeding rich in gold and silver, in maid servants and men servants, in sh●pe, Camels, Asses, 
Gene. xxxi.  goats, kine. etc. And afterward God brought him home again into his country both saffelye and wealthily. Who will now distrust the promise of such a Lord, so liberal, so bounteous so beneficial?  Euse. 
This history is greatly comfortable for all godly traua●lers by contreies', hereof may they learn, that god will not forsake them nor leave them succourless, but sand them all things necessary in their journey, defend them from their enemies, and safely bring them whom again, if they call on his holy name & cast their care on him.  Chri. 
So saith the psalmograph, 
Psal. xci.  he shall give his Angels charge over thee, to keep the in all thy ways. They shall bear the in their hands, that thou hurt not thy foot against a stone. God shall defend the under his wings, & thou shalt be safe under his feathers. His faithfulness & truth shall be thy shield & buckelar. Thou shalt not be afraid for any terror by night, nor for the arrow that flye●th by the day. 
Psal. cxx●.  Again, my help cometh even from the lord which hath made heaven & earth. He will not suffer thy foot to be moved, & he that keepeth thee, will not sleep. Behold he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep. The Lord himself is thy keeper, the Lord is thy defence upon thy right hand.  
So that the sun shall not burn the by day, neither the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve the from all evil, yea it is even he that shall keep thy soul. The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth for evermore.  Theo. 
Thes●e be sweet and comfortable scriptures  Phil. 
I grant to the faithful, which depend altogether on God and on his fatherly providence. But the unfaithful, which trust on themselves, on their own wisdom, and policy, feel no savour nor sweetness in them, as saint Paul saith: a natural man perceiveth not the things that belong to the spirit of god 
〈…〉  for they are foolishness unto him. But let us behold more histories, which shall declare & set forth god's hi● providence & singular liberality toward his servants, that we mai learn perfectli to hang on the lord our god. Ye read in the first book of Moses, that in the time of jacob whom we spoke of a little afore, 
Gene. xli.  there was a great dearth in all countries, in somuch that in the land of Canaan there was no victual to be gotten for money. Now behold the providence of god. God aforeseing this plague of famine, to the intent that his servants should not perish in time of hunger for lack of food, 
Gene. xxxvii.  wonderfully sent joseph afore into Egipte. And although his brothers sold him in to a strange land, by this means seeking his destruction, yet god turned this his servitude unto his honour, and the evil that they did to their brother, unto their profit, wealth, 
Gene. iiii.  and commodity. For god exalted joseph, and set up his honour above all the lords and princes of Egipte: even next unto the King was he in dignity, in somuch that he had the rule of all the kings dominions, & did what seemed him good in his own eyes, such favour found he in the sight of the king thorough gods working. Now when this dearth was also felt in the land of Canaan, and jacob with his family in great danger thereof, 
e'en. xlii.  jacob hearing that corn was to be sold in Egypt (for thorough joseph's wisdom was there corn enough laid up in the store houses of every City in Egipte) 
e'en. xli.  sent his sons thither to buy corn for their money, that they might live and n●t die. To be short, seeing the history is known, when the sons of jacob came thither for victual, there was joseph their brother in high authority, whom they judged either to be dead, or else to live like a bond slave and drudge, not able either to do himself good or any other. In few, they had victuals home with them, and their money also, with many precious gifts, and at the last a commandment given them that they should bring their father and his 
Gene. xlii ●●. xiv.  household with all that he had, and provision should be made for them even in the best parts of the land of Egipte. Yea the king himself sent char●ttes out of egypt to fetch jacob and all his family, and bade them not regard their stuff, for the good of all the land of Egipte is yours, saith he. jacob and all his were honourably brought thither, liberally and gently entertained of the king, 
Gene. x●v●.  quietly and wealthelye placed in the land of Egypt. And all this came to pass by the providence of God, which afore saying things to come, worketh wonderfully for the safeguard and health of his servants.  
For the cause that jacob and his children found such favour in the sight of king Pharaoh, was not fortune, nor chance, but god's providence: again, that joseph was exalted unto such dignity, the cause thereof was not joseph's fair face, nor yet his goodly parsonage, but gods good will, which gave him such wisdom, as none had the like in all Egipte, neither was there any in all the dominions 
〈…〉  of king Pharaoh found like unto joseph, whom the king might make governor over his realm. And all these things wrought god for the preservation of his servants as joseph himself said to his brethren: 
〈◊〉 xlv.  I am joseph your brother, whom you sold in to Egipte. Now therefore be not grieved therewith, neither let it seem a cruel thing in your eyes that ye sold me hither. For god did send me before you into Egipte for your wealth, and to save your lives. For this is the second year of dearth in the land, and five more are behind, in which there shall be neither ear-ring nor harvest. Wherefore god sent me before you to make provision, that ye might continue in the earth, and to save your lives by a great deliverance. So now it was not you that sent me hither but god, which hath made me a father unto Pharaoh, and lord of all his house, and ruler thorough out all the land of Egipte. God himself also spoke unto jacob in a vision by night, saying: I am god, the god of thy father, fear not to go down into Egipte, for I will there make of the a great people. I will go down with the into Egipte, and I will also bring the again.  Chri. 
O the unspeakable good will of god toward all them that trust in him. What other nation, saith Moses, is so great that gods come so nigh unto, 
●eut. iiii.  as the lord our god is nigh unto us in all things, so oft as we call unto him? The Lord our god is a merciful god, he will not forsake us, neither destroy us, nor forget the appointment of our fathers, which he swore unto them. The lord our god cherisheth us even as a father doth his son. Will a mother forget the child of her womb, saith god, 
〈◊〉. xlix.  and not pity the son, whom she bare? And though she doth forget, yet will not I forget the. Behold I have written the up upon my hands. etc.  Theo. 
The last history which you rehearsed, neighbour Philemon, is very comfortable, and teacheth us that although the plague of famine be cast upon any realm, & the wicked thereof perish for hunger, yet will god so provide for them that fear him, & call on his holy name, that they shall want no good thing.  Phil. 
Well noted neighbour Theophile. So would I have you both hear and read the histories of the holy scriptures, that ye should persuade yourself that what soever comfortable history ye find in the sacred bible, is there written for your comfort. And to prove your saying true, 
Esa●. l●v.  hear what god saith by the Prophet. Behold my servants shall eat, but ye shall hunger. Behold mi servants shall drink, but ye shall suffer thirst. Behold my servants shall be merry, but ye shall be confounded. Behold my servants shall rejoice for a very quietness of heart, but ye shall cry for sorrow of heart, and complain for vexation of mind.  Eusebius. 
The saying of King David doth not much differ from this. 
Psal. xxx●i●i.   
Behold the eyes of the lord are upon them that fear him, and upon them that trust in his mercy, that he may deliver their lives from death, and nourish them in time of hunger. 
Prove. x.  Solomon also saith: the lord will not let the life of the righteous suffer hunger.  Phil. 
After god had delivered the Israelites out of Egipte with an out stretched arm, and brought them into the wilderness of Sin, where they saw neither meat nor drink (for god was determined to prove them whether they were faithful or not) they grudged against Moses and Aaron, 
Exod●. xvi.  saying: would to God we had died by the hand of the lord in the land of Egypt, when we sat by the flesh pots, and when we did eat bread our bellies full. For ye have brought us out into this wilderness to kill the hole multitude with hunger.  
Ye see the unthankfulness of this people for whom God had wrought so many wonders, and to whom God had showed so great tokens of loving kindness, even as a father doth to his child. Ye have heard how they murmured against Moses & Aaron God's lawful ministers, which is nothing else then to murmur against God himself. Ye see their unfaithfulness, & how they are altogether swerved from God and from his holy providence, so that they are worthy no benefit at the hand of God: but what then? Is God false of his promise? yea rather even for his promise sake (where unto God hath ever chief respect) which he made to their father's Abraham, Isahac and jacob, he wonderfully sent them down meat from heaven, even manna, & so fed them as the wise man sayeth: thou hast fed thine own people with angel's food, & sent them bread ready from heaven without their labour, 
●●pi. xvi.  being very pleasant & good of taste. And to show the riches and sweetness unto thy children thou gavest every one their desire, so that every man might take what liked him best.  Theo. 
If God for his promise sake feedeth the unfaithful & no les unthankful Israelites from heaven, we that believe his promises, and hang only on him and on his fatherly providence, may be sure not to want but abundantly to have what so ever is necessary for us, 
●sal. cxliii.  as the psalmograph sayeth: The eyes of all things look and wait upon the O Lord, and thou givest them meat in due tyme. Thou openest thy hand, and replenishest all things living with thy blessing.  
again: They that fear the Lord shall have no scarceness. 
●sal. xxxiiii.  They which seek the Lord, shall want no● good thing.  Chri. 
God shall sooner cease to be God, than such as unfeignedly trust in him, shall perish for hunger.  Phil. 
As the Israelites murmured for meat, so likewise did they for water. 
Exod. xvii.  They came to Moses & chide with him, yea they were almost ready to stone him, and said. give us water to drink. Wherefore haste thou brought us out of Egipte to kill us and our children and cattalle with thirst? The Lord God still considering his promises, and not weighing their in fidelity nor unthankfulness, wonderfully and against all natural and human expectation, gave them plenty of sweet waters out of the hard stony rock.  Euse. 
O the marvelous works of God. He is not called almighty without a cause. For he doth what so ever his good pleasure is.  
It is truly said of David: 
Psal. cxlvii.  great is our Lord, and great is his power, yea his wisdom is infinite. Who will now doubt of necessari food, seeing God so marvelously feedeth the unfaithful, unthankful & disobedient people?  Phi. 
At another time the rascal people that was among them, being weary of the meat sent down from heaven, fell a lusting, and turned themselves and wept (even as did also the children of Israel) and said: who shall give us flesh to eat? We remember the fish which we did eat in Egipte for nought, and the cucumbers, and melons, lekes, onions & garlecke. But now our soul is dried away, 
●ume. xi. &. xxi  for we can see nothing else save Manna. And our soul loatheth this light bread. Ye see that these people are still like themselves, that is, unfaithful, unthankful, disobedient. O froward and crooked generation, 
Deut xxxii.  saith Moses, do ye so reward the Lord, O ye foolish people and unwise?  Chri. 
It is not without a cause, that saint Stephen called that nation stiffnecked, 
Acts. 〈◊〉.  uncircumcised hearts and ears, and such as alway resist the holy ghost.  Phil. 
Well yet note: notwithstanding their infidelity, unthankfulness, and disobedience God continued still just in his promises, faithful in his words, & true in his dealings, for according to their desire for his promise sake, he would not suffer them to want, but gave them whatsoever they lusted for. There went forth a wind from the Lord, saith the scripture, 
Nun. x●.  and brought quails from the sea and let them fall about the host, even a days journey round about on every side of the host, and they did fly in the air as it were two cubits high over the earth.  
And the people stood up, & all that day, and all that night, and on the morrow they gathered quails. And he that gathered a little, gathered ten homers full. And they spread them abroad round about the host. Thus see ye how God for his promise sake, cherished the israelites although unfaithful, unthankful and disobedient, even as the Nurse doth her sucking babe, and fed them by the space of xl years in the wilderness without their pain, care, trayvayle or labour.  Theo. 
If God showed such gentleness to the unfaithful and disobedient for his promise sake, how much more will he show himself a gentle and loving father to them that fear him, believe in him, love him, and for their powers labour to walk in his holy path-ways?  Phil. 
Such shall never want. Now mark what followeth. As god provided meat for the Israelites, so in like manner suffered he them not to go naked, nor to perish for cold, but all that time of forty years, when they were in the wilderness, he so preserved their clothes, that they waxed not old, and so saved their shoes that they were not worn: but both garments and shoes so whole at the forty years end, as they were at their first coming into wilderness. 
Deu. xxix.  I have led you forty years in the wilderness, sayeth god: and your clothes are not waxed old upon you, neither are the shoes of your feet, worn. Ye have eaten no bread, nor drunk wine, or strong drink, that ye might know that I am the Lord your god. Moses also saith: god humbled thee, & suffered the to hunger, & fed the with Manna, which neither thou nor thy fathers knew of, to make the to know that man doth not live by bread only, 
duty. viii.  but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of the Lord, doth a man live. Thy rayement waxed not old upon thee, neither did thy foot swell those forty years. Here of may ye perceive, how bountiful God is in giving food and apparel, to them specially that fear him, and keep his holy commandments. Who will now be careful either for the belly, or for the back, as they say? God made them both, God will nourish them both  Eus. 
These histories do so set forth the kindness of God toward man, that none except very infideles have just occasion to despair of God's liberality, if they call on his name and travail according to their vocation.  phil. 
There is no thing more certain. But lest any man should think, that this kindness of god ceased in them, of whom I have hitherto spoken, I will rehearse one or two histories more out of the old testament, and then allege certain out of the new, whereof ye may learn that other proved the like kindness at the hand of god even as well in the new testament as in the old, that by this means ye may be perfectly persuaded god to be the Lord of the same liberality now, that he was afore, & alike kind to his servants in all ages. Who knoweth not that Elias was an excellent Prophet of god, fervent in spirit, vehement in word, and jealous for the glory of god?  Chri. 
The scriptures testify no less of him. 
Eccle. xlviii.   Theo. 
Elias stood up as fire, saith the wiseman, and his word brent like a cresset. While he lived he was afraid of no Prince, and no man might overcome him. Of his praise writeth jesus the son of Syrache.  Phil. 
This man of God lived in the time of Achab king of Israel, in whose days God sent a great dearth into the world, for it reigned not upon the earth by the space of three years and vi months. In this plague of famine, whereof innumerable without died, see how God provided for his servant Elias. first when the waters began to be dried up, 
Reg. xvii.  God sent him to the brook Cherith, where he promised to give him drink, which thing he unfeignedly performed: so that when other perished for lack of drink, he had God's plenty & enough, as they use to say. Now as touching his meat, behold the wonderful power of God, which commanded the Ravens to feed him and to bring him meat. The Ravens, saith the scripture, brought him bread and flesh in the morning, and likewise bread and flesh in the evening, & he drunk of the broke. Behold & mark well, how god provideth for his servant. He maketh the fowls of the air to be Elias cooks, & to bring him meat, and god himself is butler & giveth him drink at the broke Cherith. O what a god have the faithful, how tender & gentle, how loving and kind is he to all them that put their trust in him? Rather than his servant should die for meat, he maketh the fowls of the air to bring him things necessary for the sustenance of his body. O behold & diligently mark the fatherli care, which the lord god hath for his servants Even as a father pitieth his own children, 
Psal. ●iii.  even so is the lord merciful to them that fear him. It is truly said of the Psalmograph: 
Psal. xlv.  The lord is at hand to all them that call on him, yea to all them that call on him in truth.  Theo. 
Elias might right well say, as david writeth of himself. 
●●al. xxlil.  The Lord fedethe me, therefore can I lack nothing. He shall feed me in a gre●e pasture, & lead me for the beside the waters of comfort.  Eus. 
As God dealt with Elyas and David, so will he deal with us, if we labour to please him as they did.  Chri. 
So I trust, for there is no respect of parsons with God. 
●m. two.  And what so ever is written, is written for our learning, 
●es. x.  that thorough patience & comfort of the scriptures 
●●o two.  we may have hope. 
●ma. v   Phil. 
Ye say truth. Neither did the care of God cease for his servant Elias with that benefit, whereof ye have hitherto heard. For God is no chaungelinge, whom he loveth, he loveth to the end. Therefore when the brook was dried up because there fell no rain upon the earth, 
● Reg. xvii.  God, which never leaveth his servants succourless▪ said to Elias, up and get the to Sarepta, which is in Sidon, and dwell there, behold I have commanded a widow there to sustain the. So he arose, and went to Sarepta. And when he came to the gate of the city, the widow was there gathering sticks. And he called to her and said: fet me I pray the a little water in a vessel, that I may drink. And as she was going to fet it, he cried after her, and said: Bring me I pray the a morsel of bread also in thine hand. She said: As truly as the Lord thy God liveth I have no bread ready, but even an handful of meal in a barrel and a little oil in a cruse. And behold I am gathering two sticks for to go in, & dress it for me & my son, that we may eat & die. And Elias said unto her: fear not, come and do as thou hast said, but make me thereof a little cake first of all, and bring it unto me, and afterward make for the & thy son. For thus sayeth the Lord God of Israel: the meal in the barrel shall not be waked, neither shall the oil in the cruse be diminished, until the Lord have sent rain upon the earth. And she did as Elyas said. And she and her house did eat a good space, and the meal wasted not out of the barrel, neither was the oil spent out of the cruse according to the word of the lord, which he spoke by the hand of Elyas. Here again ye see what provision God made for Elyas, and how beneficial he also was to Elyas hostess, and to her household, because she entertained him so gently & did what so ever he commanded.  Theo. 
These be comfortable histories.  Euse. 
And written for our comfort.  Phil. 
At another time when he fled from wicked jesabel king Achab's wife, 
〈◊〉. Reg. xi●  which swore that she would surely slay him, because he had killed all Baal's priests, whom she full daintily nourished at her own table, how did god, even when he was a sleep, send his Angel unto him with a loaf of broiled bread, and a vessel of water, and bade him eat? For thou hast yet, saith he, a great journey to go. And in the strength of that meat, sayeth the scripture, walked he forty days and forty nights, even unto Horeb the mount of God. Here see ye, that when we sleep, god watcheth and careth for us, even as he cared for Peter, 
Acts. xii.  and sent his Angel to deliver him out of prison, when Peter was in a sound sleep, and thought nothing at all of the matter. Behold sayeth the psalmograph, 
Psal. cxxx●  he that keepeth Israel, shall neither slumber nor sleep. Note again, that with one meals meat God is able to preserve us forty days and forty nights, as he did the Prophet Helyas, yea all our life time, 
●ute. viii.  if it be his pleasure, so that it is truly said, man shall not live with bread alone, but with every word, that cometh out of the mouth of God: And as God made provision for Elias even so stoored he up Abdia Governor of wicked king Achab's house to petye his Prophets and to provide for them: 
〈◊〉 Reg. xviii.  which when devilish Queen jesabel destroyed the Prophets of God, took an hundred of them, and hid them, fyfti in one cave, and fifty in another, & provided bread and water for them: such and so great is the care, which the Lord taketh for his servants universally.  Chri. 
It is therefore truly said of the princelike Prophet, 
Psal. xxxiiii.  they that seek the Lord shall want no good thing. again: I have been young and am waxed old, 
Psal. xxxvi●.  and I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his children begging their bread on the earth.  Theo. 
These be comfortable histories for christian and Godly preachers, whom for the most part the wicked and unthankful world neglecteth, despiseth & set nought by, yea and maketh les provision for them, then for their malt horses and bandedogges. Here may the true preachers see, that although the world regardeth them nothing at all, and suffereth them so much as in them is, not only miserable to live, but also to perish for hunger, yet God, whose ministers they are, whose word they preach, will not suffer them extremely to want, but will either wonderfully feed them himself, as he did Elyas, or else store up some good Abdie to make provision for them, as this Abdi did for the Prophets of the Lord, when they hid them in the caves from the tyranny of queen jesabel, & provided things necessary for their living.  Phil. 
We read also that a certain woman of the wives of the Prophets came unto Heliseus the Prophet, 
iiii. Reg. iiii.  declaring unto him, that her husband was dead, & that for debt which she ought and was not able to pay, the creditor was come to fet her ii sons to be his bond men. This woman was a prophets wife. Her husband is dead, which left her both poor and in debt. Comfort hath she none, but only the company of her ii sons which also the creditor would take away and make his bond men, because she is not able to discharge the debt. O in what misery is this careful woman? She hath nothing at all in her house, but a pitcher of oil. But what is that to the dispatch of the debt. And if that be gone, there remaineth nothing whereof she & her sons may live. What is then to be done?  
Det must be paid. Her substance will not reach so far. To make her children bond slaves, should be to her present death. This therefore remaineth. The sorrowful widow lamenteth first of all her cause secretly in her heart unto god, which is the helper and patron of all true widows and fatherless children, and afterward uttereth the same to Elizeus the Prophet of god, which thorough god's blessing of one pitcher of oil, filleth so many empty vessels full of oil, that she selling part of the same, was not only able to pay her debts at the uttermost, but also had enough of the rest to find her and her children.  Eus. 
O notable miracle. Here find we true that holy Thoby said to his son: 
●obi. iiii.  My son, be not afraid.  
Truth it is, we lead here a poor life, but great good shall we have, if we fear god, and depart from all sin, and do well.  Chri. 
This woman's husband was a Prophet, and feared the lord, therefore could not she and her children remain long comfortless. For god hath promised to be a husband to such widows, and a father to such godly men's children. 
Psal. xxxvii.  I have not seen the righteous forsaken, nor their children begging their bread on the earth, 
Psal. cxii.  saith the psalmograph. Again: Blessed is the man that feareth the lord, he hath great delight in his commandments. His seed shall be mighty upon earth, the generation of the faithful, shall be blessed. Riches and plenteousenes shall be in his house, & his righteousness endureth for ever.  Theo. 
This is a comfortable history for such godly women as are christian preachers wives. Hereof may they learn, that though their husbands be never so poor, when they depart out of this world, yet if they remain faithful, and in the fear of god, and diligently call on his blessed name in their adversity, he will neither suffer them nor their children to lack necessaries for their living, but by one means or other send them all good things, so that they shall not want. 
josu. i.  I will not fail thee, nor yet forsake thee, 
Psal. clu  saith god. The lord giveth meat to the hungry. 
Psal. xxxiiii.  Behold the eyes of the lord are upon them that fear him, and upon them that trust in his mercy, that he may deliver their lives from death, and nourish them in the time of hunger. God despiseth not the desire of the fatherless nor the widow, 
Eccle. xxxv.  saith the wiseman, when she poureth out her prayer before him. Doth not god see the tears that run down the cheeks of the widow? or heateth he not the complaint over such as make her to weep? For from her cheeks do the tears go up unto heaven, & the lord which heareth them, doth accept them.  Phil. 
At another time also we read, that thaforesaid Prophet in the time of dearth fed the Prophet's children, 
three Reg. iii●.  & with a few loaves nourished a great number of men, in so much that they did not only eat enough, but also left much of the bread, so greatly was it multiplied thorough the blessing of god, which is able of a little to make much, seeing of nothing he made al. give unto the people, that they may eat, sayeth the Prophet. The minister answered: What, should I set this before an hundred men? Set it before the people, saith he, and let them eat, For thus saith the lord: They shall eat and leave. And he did set it before them, and they did eat and leave according to the word of the lord. See ye not here, what the blessing of the lord is, and how all things increase and abound, 
Psal. cxlv.  when the lord openeth his hand? If we depend on god's goodness, he will surely increase our victual in our store houses, upon our table, yea in our mouths and bellies.  
The Prophet's servant though it not possible, that so great a number of men could be sustained with so few loaves. 
Math. nineteen.  But that which is impossible with men, 
Mark. x.  is possible with god. 
Luke. xviii.   
Who therefore will doubt any more of god's liberality, have he much, or have he little? It is all one before God to feed with much, or to feed with little.  
If god bless us, we can not want, but if God's blessing be taken from us, we must needs perish.  Euse. 
So saith the psalmograph: 
Psalm. iiiii.  All creatures depend upon the O lord, that thou shouldest give them their meat in due time. For thou giving it them, they take it, and thou opening thy hand, they are well satisfied. But thou hiding thy face, they are sorrowful, & thou taking away their breath, they are but dead, and turned into the earth, that they came of.  Phil. 
How wonderfully did God fede Daniel the Prophet, when he was cast in to the Lion's den of the high rulers, because he said that the great Dragon, whom they of Babylon worshipped as god, was not god? 
●an●. xiiii.  Did not the Angel of the lord take the Prophet Abacuk by the top, when he was going in to the field to bear meat to the mowers, & carried him by the herre of the head, and thorough a mighty wind set him in Babylon, upon the den, where Daniel was? So carry thy meat, saith the Angel, that thou haste into Babylon unto Daniel, which is in the lions den. And when Abacuch eryed and said: O Daniel thou servant of God, have take thy breakfast, that God hath sent the. Daniel answered: O god hast thou thought upon me? well: 
☜  Thou never fayleste them that love the. What a lively example is this of gods singular providence and fatherly care, which he hath for his servants? Notable and worthy to be written in letters of gold, is this saying of Daniel. Thou never failest them that love the.  Chri. 
This history is very comfortable for all them that suffer inprisonment for the glory of god, and the confession of his truth. Hereof may they learn, that god will not lean them succourless, nor destitute of help, as David sayeth: The lord is my light and my health, 
●al. xxvii.  whom then shall I fear? The lord is the defender of my life, of whom then shall I be afraid? When mine enemies came upon me to eat up my flesh, they stoumbled and fell. Therefore though an host of men were laid against me, yet shall not my heart be afraid, yea and though there rose up war against me, yet will I put my trust in him.  Phil. 
As I may leave of the histories of the old Testament, and rehearse certain out of the new, that we may learn god's liberality toward his servants to be one and the same at all times, and in all ages, let us call to remembrance the wonderful miracles that christ wrought for the sustenance of his people. Read we not that our saviour Christ at a certain time fed almost five 
Math. xiiii.  thousand men beside women and children with five loaves and two fishes? 
Mark. vi.  And yet when they all had eaten enough, 
Luke. ix.  they gathered up so much of the fragments that be left, 
john. vi.  as filled twelve baskets full. At another time, when the people had been with Christ three days, and were ready to depart, having nothing to eat, and some of them had far to go, so that if they had gone away without meat, they should have fainted by the way, what a fryndlye care had Christ for them? I have compassion on the people, saith he, because they have continued with me three days, 
Math. xv.  and have nothing to eat. 
Mark. viii  And I will not let them depart fasting, lest they perish by the way.  
And when his disciples said: whence should we get so much bread in the wiloernes, as should suffice so great a multitude, & told him that they had but seven loaves, and a few little fishes, he commanded the people to sit down on the ground, and took the sevenloaves and the fishes, and giving thanks, broke them, and delivered them to his disciples, and the disciples to the people, and they all did eat and were filled.  
And they took up of the broken meat that was left, seven baskets full. And yet they that did eat were four thousand men besides women and children. Here see ye, that the loaves and fishes were multiplied in the hands of the disciples, and in the mouths and bellies of them that did eat thorough Christ's blessing, so mighty is he to preserve the lives of his servants in the time of need.  Theo. 
This is a comfortable history for all them that love to hear the word of god, & to frame their life according to the same. Such may be sure not to want the liberality of god in their necessity, which, 
i Timo. vi.  as S. Paul sayeth, giveth us all things abundantly to enjoy them.  Chri. 
This affirmeth that princelike Prophet, 
Psal. xxxiiii  saying: The rich shall want & suffer hunger, but they which seek the lord, shall want no good thing.  Phil. 
When Christ & his mother with his disciples were at the marriage in Cana a city of Galilee, 
john. two.  ye know that the gests wanted wine. What, spared he his liberality from them? Yea rather did he not command the seruitoures to fill the water pots with water? And when they had filled even unto the bryme vi water pots of stone, containing ii or three fyrkins a piece, did not he turn all the water in to sweet wine? Certes they can want nothing, which have Christ present with them. Let us provide that we have Christ among us, & we may be sure to have abundance of all good things.  Euse. 
This history is very comfortable for all married persons, which marry in the lord. All such that so marry, & continue in the fear of god, may be sure, that the water in their wells shall sooner be turned into wine, & the stones of their walls in to bread, & the clay of their flores into meat, & the thatch of their houses in to cloth, than they shall extremely want necessary things, either for themselves or for their family.  Chri. 
Would god all men believed this. Then should they have merry and quiet minds, where now thorough infidelity they be miserably disquieted with the care of worldly things.  Theo. 
Say thy care on the lord, saith David, 
●sal. lv.  and he shall nourish the. 
i. Peter. v.  Also. S. Peter: Cast all pour care on god, for he careth for you.  Phil. 
Again, 
Math. x.  how did our saviour christ provide for his disciples, when he sent them forth to preach, without money or meat? as he himself sayeth in the gospel of Luke. 
Luke. xxii.  When I sent you without wallet, and scrip and shoes, lacked ye any thing? And they said: No. The disciples according to their vocation, went forth and preached the gospel, nothing doubting but he that sent them, would provide for them. For what master can find in his heart to see his servants lack?  Chri. 
This is very comfortable for the true Preachers of god's word. Hereof may they well be asserteined, that if they do their master's message faithfully, they shall not want, though the wicked world be never so unthankful and nyggardely unto them.  Phil. 
O how comfortable are these words of our saviour Christ to a faithful christian man: 
Math. vi.  I say unto you, be not careful for the life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink, nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more worth than meat, and the body more of value then raiment? Behold the fowls of the air, for they sow not, neither reap, nor yet carry into the barns, and yet your heavenly father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they?  
Which of you (though he took thought therefore) could put one cubit unto his stature? And why care ye then for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow. They labour not, neither spyn. And yet for all that I say unto you, that even Solomon in all his royalty was not arrayed like unto one of these. Wherefore if god so clothe the grass, which is to day in the field, & to morrow shall be cast into the furnace, shall he not much more do the same unto you, o ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought saying: what shall we eat, or what shall we drink, or where with shall we be clothed? After all these things seek the gentiles. For your heavenvly father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But rather seek ye first the kingdom of god, and the righteousness thereof, and all these things shall be cast unto you. Behold what goodly and natural examples our saviour christ bringeth forth here, that he may allure us to trust only on god's providence, & not to be careful for the necessaries of this life, which are not gotten by painful travail, but received of gods mere liberality. And because we should not be careful for meat, he first setteth before our eyes the fowls of the air for an example, whom seeing god the father feedeth so plenteously that they want nothing, when they neither sow nor reap, nor cari in to the barns, much more will he feed us, and send us what soever is necessary for the preservation of this our natural life, if we call on his holy name, and live according to our vocation. If he feedeth the birds because they be his creatures, which notwithstanding so once die, that they never live after, much more will he provide for us, which are not only his creatures, but also created after his own Image, endued with an immortal soul, and made unto this end, that we should set forth his glory, praise his blessed name: and after the general resurrection, our bodies and souls being knit together, live with him in glory worlds without end, as his lawful heirs, thorough jesus christ our Lord. And as touching our apparel, to dissuade us from thought taking for that, he biddeth us consider and diligently mark the lilies and flowers of the field, which although they neither labour nor spin, are so clothed with fine and pleasant colours, that not King Solomon in all his royalty and glory was appareled like unto one of them. If God so decketh the transitory flower, which this day is in the field pleasantly growing, and to morrow shall be cut down and cast into the furnace, how much more will he send us convenient apparel for our bodies, which though they once die, yet shall they rise again, and for ever live with God in eternal glory?  
Christ therefore concludeth, that all these things shall be cast unto us, if we seek the kingdom of god and the righteousness thereof. Let us seek heavenvly things, and things worldly shall abunde unto us. Let us labour to garnish our minds with virtues, and god will not suffer our bodies to perish for lack of transitory things. 
Psal. cxxxvi.  For god is the lord which giveth meat to all flesh. 
Psal. cxlvii.  He giveth, as the psalmograph saith, food to the cattle, and feedeth the young ravens that call upon him. He feedeth the Turk, the Saracen, the jew, and all the rabble of Infidels for their creation sake, and for his mercy's sake. He therefore will not leave them that be his faithful people unprovided, succourless and destitute of help. He giveth the vile worms of the earth not only their being, but also where of to live: he therefore will not see the faithful man lack, which is made like unto his own similitude and image. Let us therefore never despair either of food, or of apparel. God gave us the life, god will preserve the life. God gave us the body, god will cloth the body. Away therefore with careful pensiveness, and pensive care. Let us cast our eyes on gods most holy and infallible providence, which is certain and never faileth. 
Luke. xii.  Take heed and beware of covetousness, saith our saviour christ, for no man's life standeth in th'abundance of the things, which he possesseth.  Euse. 
I beseech god give us all grace so to do.  Theo. 
Amen good lord, I most heartily beseech the.  phil. 
Furthermore that we should be certain of corporal necessaries, 
Math. vi.  Christ our saviour hath commanded us in that prayer which we commomlye call the Pater noster, and so likewise taught us, that we should axe our bodily sustenance of our heavenly father. This would he not have done without doubt, if he had not been certain, that according to our requests our heavenly father will deal with us, & give us our desires.  Chri. 
Of whom should the child crave but of his father?  Phil. 
Again to make us thorowli assured of this thing, what comfortable promises have we in the holy scriptures? 
〈◊〉. seven.  Axe & it shall be given you: Seek & ye shall find: Knock & it shall be opened unto you. For who soever asketh receiveth, and he that seeketh, findeth, & to him that knocketh it shall be opened. Is there any man among you, which if his son axed him bread, would offer him a stone? Or if he axed fish, would he proffer him a serpent? If ye then which are evil, can give to your children good gifts, how much more shall your father which is in heaven, give good things to them that axe him? 
Mark. xi  What soever ye desire when ye pray, believe that ye shall have it, & it shall be done unto you. 
john. xvi.  Uereli, verily I say unto you, what soever ye shall axe the father in my name, he will give it you. Axe and ye shall receive, that your joy may be full. The lord is at hand, 
Philip. iiii.  saith. S. Paul. Be not careful, but in all things show your petition unto god, in prayer, and supplication, with giving of thanks. Many other most sweet and comfortable promises have we in the holy scriptures, wherbi we be assured to obtain of god, what soever we axe of him being agreeable to his most holy will. 
i. Ihon. v.   Euse. 
To axe necessaries for our living, is according to god's will.  Phile. 
Truth. For God hath commanded us so to do, and promised that he will hear us.  
jacob and Solomon, 
e'en. xxviii.  as the scripture witnesseth, 
●roue. thirty.  axed of god necessaries for their living, and were heard.  Chri. 
Although we ought to depend on god's providence, and by strong faith and fervent prayer look for all good things at his hand, yet may not we be idle, and lie wide open, gaping when godwyll put meat into our mouths like careless swine.  Phil. 
God forbid. 
〈◊〉. v.  For as the holy man job sayeth: A man is borne to labour, even as the bird is to fly. From the beginning, god appointed man to labour, 
e'en. iii.  saying: In the sweet of thy face shalt thou eat thy bread, until thou return unto the earth, whence thou wast taken: For earth thou art and unto earth shalt thou return. 
●sal. cxxviii.  David also sayeth: Thou shalt eat the labours of thine own hands. 
●essa. iii  The holy apostle saint Paul giveth a commandment, that if any man will not labour, the same should not eat, and giveth a charge that all men work with quietness, and eat their own bread. We beseech you brethren, saith he, that ye study to be quiet, 
two. Tessa. ii●●  and to meddle with your own business, and to work with your own hands, as we commanded you. 
Ephe. iiii.  Again, let him that stole, steal no more, but let him rather labour with his hands some good thing, that he may have to give unto him that needeth. Saint Paul calleth it theft for any man to live of the labour of other men's hands, idly and without any certain vocation, and commandeth that all such should labour and get them some honest occupation, whereby they may be the more able both to find themselves, and also to distribute unto other, 
Gene. iii.  that have need. Our first father Adam toiled in the earth according to god's commandment, and so ga● his living. 
●nt. iiii.  Cain was a ploughman. Abel was a shepherd. jubal exercised music. Thubalcain was a smith, and a graver in metal. No he was a planter of vineyards. Abraham, 
●●ne. ix.  Lot, Isaac, and jacob were plowmen and shepherds. joseph was a Magistrate, 
〈◊〉 xiii. xxvi. 〈◊〉. x●●.  and a public minister in the common weal of Egipte under king Pharaoh. 
●odi. iii.   
Moses was a Shepherd, and kept the sheep of jethro his father in law, 
●od. i.  Priest of Madian. The Children of Israel got their living with hard and painful labour in egypt under King Pharaoh. 
Reg. xvi  David before he was anointed King of Israel was a shepherd. All the Priests and Levites of the old law, 
●od. xxviii.  every man according to his vocation laboured by giving attendance in the temple, by killing of beasts, and offering sacrifices, 
Luke. i.  by studying the Scriptures of God, 
Mala two.  and teaching the same unto the people. 
Amos. i.  etce. Amos the Prophet, was one of the shepherds at Therna. 
Daul. xiiii.  Abacuch the Prophet travailed in husbandry. 
Mark. vi.  Christ himself was a carpenter. 
Math. iiii.  The Apostles of Christ were fishers. Paul laboured with his own hands, and got both his own living, 
Acts. xx.  and others that were with him. Saint Luke was a Physician, 
Collo. iiii.  and as some writeth a Painter also. Aquila was a maker of tents, of the which occupation saint Paul was. 
Acts. xviii.   
Simon, 
Acts. x.  saint Peter's host was a Tanner. 
Acts. ix.  Dorcas that virtuous woman made garments with her own hands, and gave them to the poor.  
There was no good & godly man even from the beginning of the world, which hath not practised somewhat to get his living, and lived in some certain honest and godly vocation, wherein he might with a good conscience eat his bread.  
The Magistrate is called of god to rule with the temporal sword, to be governor of the people, to promote god's word, to nourish the preachers of the same, to exercise justice, to defend the widow and fatherless, to conserve the common weal, to banish all false religion out of his realm, and to seek the quietness and commodity of his subjects, even as a father seeketh the health and profit of his natural son. The spiritual minister is appointed of God to rule with the sword of the spirit, which is the word of god, to rebuke sinners with the law, yea and to excommunicate them, if they be obstinate and will not repent, to comfort and cherish the weak with the sweet promises of the holy scripture, to encourage the strong, & to exhort them to go forward until they wax ancient, and be perfect in Christ's religion, to minister the sacraments, to make collections for the poor, to maintain hospitality, for the relief of the needy. The subject is called of god to obey, and to be in subjection unto his superiors, and every one of them is bound by the commandment of god, to live in their vocation. The Lawer, in pleading and defending poor men's causes: The Shoemaker, in making shoes, the Tailor, in making garments, the Merchant, in occupying merchandise faithfully and truly, the Schoolmaster, in bringing up his scholars godly and virtuously, the Father of the household, to provide for his family, the Mother of the household, to look upon things pertaining to the house, and to see her family well governed, and so forth in all other persons, in what soever state God hath called them. Every man in his vocation ought to labour, and by no means to be idle. And who so doth, God will bless his labours, and send him wherewith abundauntlie to live.  Theo. 
The wise man saith: the slugherde ploweth not for cold, 
●roue. xx.  wherefore he beggeth in harvest, and getteth nothing. He that gathereth in harvest, is a wise son: but he that is idle in summer, is the son of confusion. Again: He that tilleth his field shall be satisfied, but he that is idle, shall suffer hunger. 
●ro. xxviii.   Philemon. 
God in deed hath promised to feed us, but yet so, that we ourselves labour for our living. God hath promised us salvation in christ jesus, yet so, that we believe his promise, and labour to the uttermost of our power, to frame our lives according to his blessed will.  
David saith not only, 
Psal. xxxvii.  Spera in domino, trust in the Lord, but he addeth unto it, et fac bonitatem, and do good. All our affiance and trust, must be reposed in God, and all good things must be looked for at his hand, yet must we do that lieth in our power concerning all those things that we desire to obtain of God.  
Therefore christ saith: 
Math. vi.  Take no thought. He saith not, labour not. The pensive care and thought taking for our living, wherewith the Heathen be so greatly disquieted, we must cast away from us, and lay it upon God, which careth for us: but as for labour, which is laid upon us of God as a Cross for our sin, and disobeience in Adam, we may not refuse, every man in his vocation, but joyfully take it upon us, and give god thanks, that by such means without our care and thought taking, he will feed us according to his word. For what are all our pains, labours, and travails, if god bless them not? 
sal. cxxvii.  as the Psalmograph sayeth: Except the lord build the house their labour is but lost that build it. Except the lord keep the city, he watcheth but in vain that keepeth it.  Chri. 
Me think the occasion of this dearth, wherewith we are now oppressed, is not so greatly to be ascribed unto the covetousness of certain greedy gripes, as unto our own selves, unto our ungodliness and dissolution of life, which so live, as though there were no God at all, so behave ourselves, as though there were neither heaven nor hell. They which have the gospel swiming in their lips, so live clean contrary to the doctrine of the gospel, as though there were no gospel at all. In ambition, in pride, in covetousness, in envy, in malice, in wantonness of life. etc. they give place to none. Another sort are so drowned in papistry, in superstition, in hypocrisy. etc. and burn with such an immortal hatred against god's word, that they can neither abide that (otherwise than it shall serve their fancy) nor the preachers of it, nor yet such as a vaunce it. Can God do any otherwise then send his plagues, where such impiety & ungodliness reign? It cometh from gods great mercies, that we be not consumed, and handled as Sodom & Gomorre. But our own damnation sleepeth not, if we do not both shortly and earnestly repent and amend.  Phil. 
Truth it is in deed, that god many times sendeth the plague of famine into the world for sin, as it came to pass in the time of that most wicked an idolatrous king Achab, and at diverse other times. 
●ute. xxviii.  And Moses that most excellent Prophet of God, saith: If thou wilt hearken diligently unto the voice of the lord thy god, to observe & do all his commandments, which I command the this day, the lord will set the up on high above all nations of the earth. And all these blessings shall come on thee, and overtake thee, if thou wilt hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy god. Blessed shalt thou be in the town, and blessed in the fields. Blessed shall be the fruit of thy body, the fruit of thy ground, and the fruit of thy cattle, the fruit of thy oxen, and thy flocks of sheep. Blessed shall thy almerye be and thy store. Blessed shalt thou be both when thou goest out, and blessed when thou comest in. etc. The Lord shall command the blessing to be with the in thy store houses, and in all that thou setteste thine hand to. etc. The Lord shall make thee plenteous in goods, in the fruit of thy body, in the fruit of thy cattle, and in the fruit of thy ground. etc. The Lord shall open unto thee his good treasure, even the heaven, to give rain unto thy land in due season, and to bless all the labours of thine hand. etc. But and if thou wilt not hearken unto the voice of the Lord thy god, to keep and do all his commandments and ordinances, which I command thee this day, than all these curses shall come upon thee, and overtake the. Cursed shalt thou be in the town, and cursed in the field. Cursed shall thine almery be, and thy store.  
Cursed shall the fruit of thy body and the fruit of thy land be, and the fruit of thy oxen, & the flocks of thy ●hepe. And cursed shalt thou be when thou goest in, and when thou goest out. And the lord shall send upon the famine, hunger and going to nought in all things that thou settest thine hand to, until thou be destroyed and brought to nought quickly, because of the wickedness of thine inventions, in that thou haste forsaken the lord. And the heaven that is over thy head shall be brass, and the earth that is under thee, Iron. And the Lord shall turn the rain of thy land unto powder and dust, even from heaven shall they come ●oune upon thee, until thou be brought to nought. etc. Thou shalt carry much seed out in to the field, and shalt gather but little in: For the vermin shall destroy it. The Prophet isaiah also saith: 
isaiah. i.  If ye be loving and obedient, ye shall eat the good things of the earth. But if ye be obstinate and rebellious, ye shall be devoured with the sword. For thus the lord hath promised with his own mouth. These sentences, with many other in the holy scripture ●d● evidently show, that the plague of famine and hunger is sent unto us of god for our sins.  Euse. 
It is convenient therefore, that we all hearken to the admonition of God given by the psalmograph, 
Psal. lxxxi.  which is, that there be no strange God among us, nor that we worship any other God, but him alone, which only is the lord our god that delivered us out of the spiritual Egipte, that is, from the servitude and tyranny of Satan. If we so do, God promiseth that he will give us what soever we ask of him. He will feed us with the finest wheat flower, yea & satisfy us with honey out of the stony rock. But to obtain of God this abundance & wealth, we may worship, and have no strange gods. These strange & new found gods, are not only idols and maumettes made of wood or stone, which in times past the simple and foolish ignorant people worshipped as gods, but the abominable vices, which reign so commonly now among us, I mean covetousness, pride, ambition, gluttony, lechery, malice. etc. These are strange gods. These must we put out of our breasts, if we will have god merciful and liberal unto us.  
For is this reasonable for us to serve strange gods, and to give over ourselves as bond slaves to them, and yet to require our wages and reward of the true and only living God? What fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? 
two. Cor. vi.  What company hath light with darkness? What concord hath Christ with Belial? Either what part hath he that believeth with an infidel? How agreeth the temple of god with idols? 
Roma. vi.  Know ye not saith. s. Paul how that to whom soever ye commit yourselves as servants to obey, his servants ye are to whom ye obeis, whether it be of sin unto death, or of obedience unto righteousness? Every one that doth sin, is the servant of sin, 
john. vii●  saith Christ. We must first of all be gods servants, before we flatter ourselves with the obtaining of the good things promised by god, or else we deceive our selves. If we be once the servants of god, and faithfully continue in his service, then may we be bold to axe of him our wages, and to persuade ourselves, that all the comfortable Histories and sentences, which we read in the holy scriptures, pertain unto us, otherwise we have no more to do with them, than the turk or the jewe. And if we receive any good thing at the hand of god being not his servants, we receive it as all other Infidels do, unto our damnation.  phil. 
I confess neighbour Eusebius all this to be true, which you have now spoken. Neither meant I by talking so much of god's gentleness and liberality, & by alledgeing all these comfortable histories and sentences, to stablish the Idolaters in their Idolatry, the wicked in their wickedness, the covetous worldings in their covetousness, the proud in their pride, the lecherous in their lechery, the idle bellies in their idleness. etc. and yet notwithstanding to look for all those good things at the hand of god, which belong unto his servants, as he witnesseth by the Prophet, 
isaiah. lxv.  but to declare for your comfort and mine, that so many as give themselves over to God, believe in him, fear him, serve him, and live according to their vocation, shall never perish for hunger, but at all times have what soever is necessary for them. And if any should chance to famish (which seldom or never happeneth) God suffereth them so to do, partly that he may the sooner call them unto his glory, partly, that their death may turn unto the greater damnation of such unmerciful monsters, as suffered the servants of god to perish for hunger.  Theo. 
We know your godly intent, brother Philemon, neither doth our neighbour Eusebius otherwise take the matter. And I for my part thank you right her tely for your godly admonitions, freely confessing that I am much edified by your talk, and strongly enarmed against the darts of poverty and hunger, when soever they shall go about to oppress me.  Christo. 
We all confess no less.  Euse. 
I spoke that I spoke, to this end, that men should not flatter themselves with the sweet & comfortable promises of god, when they live in all wickedness, and abomination, which promises pertain not unto them, but unto the faithful servants of god, which shall enjoy no less at the hand of god, than he hath promised. If they will enjoy the like commodity, they must do the like service. They must away with their strange and new found gods, I mean, pride, covetousness, gluttony, whoredom, malice. etc. and serve the only true, and living God.  Philemon. 
Well neighbours, to knit up our talk with few words, ye have heard how beneficial God is to them that put their trust in him, and live according to their vocation: so that those that be faithful need not to despair of comfort, seem the scarceness of things so great, that it bringeth present death almost with it. For in that dearth and penury, the faithful man that casteth his care on God, and hangeth wholly on his fatherly providence, 
Psal. xxii.  may well say with the Psalmograph. If I walk in the mids of the shadow of death, I will not be afraid of any evil, for thou art with me. God is ever present with his people in all their tribulation, 
Psal. xci.  & he will undoubtedly deliver them, & save them harmless. This now remaineth, that when ye come among the poor needy Christians, ye comfort them with these sweet scriptures that ye have heard, which without all doubt shall greatly stir and quiet their minds, and refrain them from attempting any unlawful redress of things after this. Again, according to your ability, relieve their poverty with your riches.  
Exhort your rich neighbours likewise to be beneficial to the poor, as the faithful stewards of God, remembering that unto that end god hath endued them with their possessions. Pray unto god that he may give unto the covetous worldings, a merciful and liberal heart, that after this they may no less willingly seek the profit of their neighbours, than hitherto they have sought their own private lucre, and singular commodity. To conclude, pray unto god, that every one of us may so live, and so frame our life according to his will, that he may vouchsafe to bless us, and send us necessaries for our living, that we may the more freely, and with the more quiet minds, serve him in holiness and righteousness all the days of our life. 
Luke. i.  Well neighbours, I pray you take the pains to come into the parlour with me. Ye shall take your part of such homely fare as I have. And I pray yond be no strangers: The ofter ye come the more welcome shall you be.  Euse. 
We thank you most gentle neighbour Philemon, and praised be the lord for your godly and comfortable exhortations. Chri.  
AMEN.  
give the glory to god alone.   

¶ Imprinted at London by john Day dwelling over Aldersgate, and William Seres dwelling in Peter College. Anno. M. D. L. The fontrene day of Februarye.  
¶ Cum privilegio ad imprime●dum solum.