AN exhortation TO charity, very needful at this time for each man and woman to inbrace, Compiled by William Conway.   

The contents  
CAstificantes animas vestras in obediencia charitatis, infraternitatis amore simplici, ex cord invicem diligite attencius, renati, non exsemine corruptibili, sed incorruptibili, per verbum dei vivi: et per manentis ineternum. Petri. Episto i. Capi. i.  
chastise your souls in the obedience of love, even in brotherly love, with out feigning, earnestly love ye one an other, even from the heart, being regenerate not of corruptible seed, but incorruptible. And by the lively word of God everlasting. Petri. Epis. i Chap. i.  
The contents of this treaties.  
IN this little volume is contained a mirror for some men to behold, wherein when they have looked, I would that they should use one condition, that I espy, some Maistresses of Lendon, with other Bentylwomen use. And that is, when they look in their glass they have a wit sponge ready, that so soon as ever they espy a blot or spot upon their face, by and by with the same they make it fair and clean.  
So likewise (in good faith) I would that the readers hereof, as soon as ever they espy their faults in this mirror or glass, by and by would I that they should amend and cleanse away the same blot, or else were it as good that they looked not in this at all. But this treatise most chiefly in deed tendeth to charity, it entyceth and provoketh every man to charity, in which is contained all other virtues, for if men be chartable they shall not only love God fear God, and serve God above all other creatures, but also shall help, further sucker and sustain their poor neighbours, with all their strength and might, so that charity good reader, is even the hole content of this little work. And in deed to my judgement charity is a thing most necessary in this present time to be treated on. (:)   

TO ALL THE gentle readers of this treatise greeting in our Lord jesus Christ.  
FOrasmuch (good reader) as the most thing that we good christian men should look for now in this age, being fixed fastened, and rooted in the faith of jesus Christ this. xv. C. and l years is charity, which bringeth with him in company all other virtues. And maketh a perfect full and sufficient faith to the salvation of man. For as holy Writ saytk, and all holy Doctors, and as the catholic Church teacheth, faith without charity availeth no more the soul, than the sape of sour onions availeth sore eyes. If faith I say then be nothing without charity, for god's sake let each man that hath faith use therwiih charity. Now what charity is anon by god's grace, I will show you. And in the mean time (good reader) Let us somewhat talk of faith. And how many faiths as I perceive and all men shall know, that will not be dumb when they should speak, death when they should hear, and blind when they should see, there is now used faith faint, faith feigned and faith faithful. Now how these kinds of faith are used, hereafter shallbe declared. This I know well and am assured, and thou reader knowest so well as I, that each man in this realm hath faith, or at the least wise sober faith. And I think in like manner, that each man supposeth himself to have a right and a good faith: yet in deed it is not so: For as saint james saith. Cap. two. The devil hath faith. But now to end this preface. first I shall desire all men of pardon, if by my schaunce any thing shall escape me the author hereof, for as it is commonly seen, a stranger shall espy a fault in a man's house sooner than he himself shall. And so I think a man shall quyclyer espy a fault in this work, than I myself, wherefore if there be any man that shall so do, most heartily I require him for to mend it. Secondly I shall desire the good reader not to be discontented with me for any thing herein written. least thereby thou shake of clean all the fruits of my book which tendeth chiefly to charity, perhaps I will say somewhat that shall touch some men, wherefore   

then full worthy art thou to be called charity or a chartable man. This that I write good reader is true, wherefore I exhort the to follow it, if thou deny the following thereof, thou art no Christian man thou art neither good nor virtuous. For that I herein teach is charity, and if thou have no charity, thy faith is nought and of no value. There be now a days as me seemeth. three kinds of faith used. The first is faith faint, and that is he which I talk of even now, for he hath faith but it is not a right faith, and so it seemeth by his behaviour, for he taketh so fervent pains in persecuting his brother, that he waxeth so faint he may no longer bear any goodness or charity, but like a faint man faintly letteth all fall from him. Some other have a feigned faith, that is to preach one thing and believe an other, I pray god we have none of these anabaptists, libertines, Arians, and Maris adversaris, of which sort last resyted we had one not long since. A great adversary to that most blessed and pure virgin, and not only to her, but also to her son jesus Christ, and to us his members. I pray God I say that we have no more of these heresies raining, I fear lest many may be likened to an apple which is fair with out and rotten within: If there be any such feigning people: I pray god soon open their hearts, lest they should infect simple souls: and make them like to their selves, past all remedy, than there is faith faithful, and those be they. Math. v.  Qui persecutionem patiuntur propter justiciam. 
Which suffer persecution for a just and right cause, of them I will not much speak, for although some have so done, yet not so many as aught, the more pity, and all for lack of charity. For if they had loved Christ, so well as Christ loved them they would not have stopped: but willingly with all their heart, have suffered some pain for his sake, that paid so great a price for their redemption, this charity is good love, and good love is none other thing but charity, for whether it be love to god or to thy neighbour, so thy love be good it is charity itself. But if it be a feigned love, or a naughty love, then may it in no wise bore the name of charity, for this word love, without any other consequence or matter following, is a word indifferent both to good and bad as in example. I have hard a man say to his wife, wife I love thee, to whom she answered again and said, ye marry husband but your love is so little, that I can neither feel it nor see it. Now (quoth he) thou hast judged as justly as though thou hadst known my meaning, for in deed I said that I loved thee, but I told the not how, nor after what fashion, so that I say, if love be left alone, she may choose whether she will love well, or love ill, but if charity be once named it can none otherwise be understanded, but of good love, without which a man's faith is nothing worth, as witnesseth with me the blessed apostle saint Paul writing unto the Corinthyans'. Epist. i. Chapi. xiii. On this wise. If I have all faith so that I may remove mountains, and have therewith no charity. I am nothing, that is to say, my faith is nothing, ye here now this little piece of saint paul's Epistle telleth you what your faith is without charity, wherefore still I desire you continually to call for charity, and to use charity, as needful it is now to preach charity, as it was in the premityve church to preach faith, sith faith is no faith without charity. But a lack who shall preach charity, our priests? Now in good faith it grieveth me sometime to here charity so scant among them, some of them be not so charitable as I would wish them, for one preacheth against an other, one despiseth an others promotion, one an others learning, & one an others belief: so that a man can not well tell how to avoid the venemus envy of this world, but yet I would advise each pressed to love other, considering that all the epistles saint Paul wrote almost, he hath in them a treating for unity. saint james in his Epistle willeth that if we fall at variance we should reconcile ourselves one unto an other, and open our sins before god, he willeth us alway to love one an other, he specially there putteth rich men in remembrance of their duty toward their poor neighbours. saint Peter also giveth great comfort for one to love an other, declaring to each man his duty toward magistrates, for where disobedience is, there is no charity. Saint john in his epistles fervently doth declare what charity is, first exhorting all men to keep gods commandments, declaring that if they do otherwise charity and fervent love to god is excluded, he showeth the love that god bore toward us, when he sent down his only begotten son to suffer death for our sins: and he concludeth of charity, saying, that who so hath charity hath god: and who so loveth not his brother, hath no charity in him. Our saviour Christ saith also to his Apostles john. Chap. xiii.  
Diligite invicem, that is to say. Love ye together, and then afterward he telleth them how they should love together saying. Sicut dilexi vos. That is even as I have loved you. Now how Christ loved us to each man it is known, part thereof might herein be expressed but for tediousness, it is omitted, wherefore let us all use charity and especially I say▪ to you that be priests show charity one unto an other, remembering that Christ our master saith unto you. Math. v. Let your light shine so before men that they may see your good works and glorify your father which is in heaven. Now sith you should be a light to the world, for god's sake let charity be used among you, that other men may the rather through your good ensamples learn to live charitably: then shall each man lovingly live in this world, then shall sedcyyon cease and charity flourish: then brotherly love shallbe among us. And without this as I have already told you, your faith is nothing worth, if you list not to believe me, look what saint Paul saith in his first epistle, and xiii. Chapter to the Corinthyans', read forth that charity and then shall you soon see what fruits charity bringeth forth. Again I say that faith and charity so charyshe one an other, that the one in no wise can be without the company of the other. Wherefore still I cry after one sort and manner, for God's sake let each man endeavour himself to attain charity, and then use it and love God (as I know no good Christian man doth otherwise) above all things and thy neighbour as thyself. Marry there be some that show small love towards him, for they fear not to blaspheme him, to swear and stare by him, as though he were more viler than any creature that liveth, his wounds, his soul, his heart, his blood, his sides, his nails, so that from the crown of the head to the sole of the foot, they leave not one member of Christ unrecyted, ye and for a most common oath they take his hole precious body and make it their swearing stock, ye and this is done in the most excess of filthiness that they use, for when they are most drunk, then swear they most, when they are most angry than they swear and teere Christ in pieces. But O wicked people, O blasphemers of God, O torments of christ, O ye worse than beasts, what shall I call you, what shall I say unto you, ye fearless people, ye shameless people, have you no regard of nature, have you no respect to Christ? Know you not what you are, what you were, and what you shall come to? O thou earth and ashes wilt thou blaspheme him so rygruslye, which came down from his majesty to deliver thee, whom the devil fast had bound in the chains of sin? Thou art much like unto the Adder or Serpent, of whom Ysope telleth a pretty fable, a husband man found this Adder in the cold snow, and of his gentleness brought her home, and laid her by a fire, where she was well recovered and rendered to her former state again. (But now mark the gentleness of this Adder) when the good husband man came to her and touched her, to see how she fared, for his kindness she caught hold about his body and stung him sore, wherewith the good man being vexed (and not without great cause) took his Axe in his hand and cut her in pieces. Even so our master and saviour jesus christ, perceiving us vile and poisoned wretches, lying and quivering in the cold snow of sin: to our everlasting comfort, he descended from his high throne, noryshinge us with the hot fire of fervent love, in preaching and working for our behoof, and washing us in the sweet bathe of his most precious blood, through the warmth and sweetness whereof, we were brought again into the favour of God, for which kind act and unspeakable benefit, we torment him a fresh, we do our diligent to vex him, we blaspheme him: we set his most precious body in the fore front of all our merchandise, we are most ready to do those things which most earnestly he doth forbid. Beware beware, beware be time, beware lest by your importunable vexing of God through your venemus and blasphemus oaths and abominable living: without either virtue, shame or fear, he suddenly with his axe or sword (the sharpness where of can not be expressed) cut and solder you from the lively members of his mystical body, and cast you into the deep Dungeon of hell, where shallbe weeping and gnashing of teeth, where you shall suffer eternal pain, where you shall continually blaspheme, and never cease though you would, and yet shall you always suffer the torments due for the same, I think if you loved god, you would not on such wise blaspheme him, you would I think fear somewhat the punishment duly ordained for such blasphemers. Are you passed fear? remember ye not that the beginning of wisdom, is fear of our lord? Wherefore wisely look upon your sinful soul: and lose not wilfully that thing which Christ so dearly bought, but leave your swearing, leave your blaspheming. iwis you learn it not in the new Testament, for I am sure that our saviour and redeemer jesus christ saith. Math. v. Thou shalt not swear by heaven for it is the seat of God, neither yet by the earth, for it is his footstool. Now in this word heaven, is comprehended all things therein contained, and likewise by this word earth, is understanded every thing contained within the same, so that Christ leaveth you nothing to swear by, as appeareth by his words following in the same Chapter where he saith, let your communication be ye ye, and nay nay. O my lord & God where be they that keep those sayings? verily never so few in England, and again I think that there was never so many that red these sayings But now we may see that there be many readers and few followers. What, now there may not a boy tell a tale but or he come to the end thereof, he must other swear by Christ or by some member pertaining to his most blessed body, nor now a woman can not sell a poor pot with ale, but she must swear some oath to set it forth withal, ye, even though it be stark nought. O good God what mean these people? think they to have here (Eternam mencionem an eternal resting place? Will they be of the Adder's kind we spoke of even now? Will you so uncurteouslye handle him that so gently ordered you? I must needs say you love not Christ, for he saith himself. john. xiiii. If ye love me keep my commandements. Now you break his commandments, whereof it must needs follow, that you love him not, and in that you do not love him, you commit sin. And Stipendium peccati mors. The reward of sin is death. Rom. Cap. vi. wherefore for god's sake look well upon yourselves. But ye drive of the time till the hour of death, or at the least till sickness or some other grief happen to you▪ and then will you cry. Escchyel. Cap. xviii. Thou wilt not lord the death of a sinner, but rather that he should live and mend. But if you will follow my council, rest not to much upon that point, for there is nothing more certain than death, neither any thing more uncertain than the hour of death. Remember, remember well these words spoken by the Prophet Escchyell. Cap. xviii. Turn unto me, and you shall be saved. Here christ by ddeth you turn unto him, and the form how you should turn unto him, is written by the holy Prophet johel, look upon it, and turn to christ, while you have time, turn from your blaspheming and swearing, from your perjury and evil living, give your perfect charity unto god. Loving him and fearing him with all your heart. If you turn unto Christ on this wise, leaving your former living, and applying yourself to follow gods commandments: I doubt not but God of his infinite goodness will look upon you, refresh you, and save you, because he willeth not the death of a sinner, but rather that he should live and mend, such is the mercy of God towards man. But ever take heed of boldness, bolden not yourselves so much upon his mercy, to leave all his commandments unfulfilled. For if you run so far at rovers, like wantoness and unbridled colts, he must needs scourge you, and beat you, wherefore I say play not the part of blind bayerde. But give all honour, praise, glory, fear and love, to god above all things heavenly and earthly, for he is to be loved above either Saint, soul, Emperor, King, Father, Mother, wife, Child, or any other creature. And also bear fervent love and charity towards thy neighbour, of which charity I have somewhat spoken before, and wylmore hereafter by god's licence taking by the way these words of Criste. Math. nineteen. Si vis ad vitam ingredi serva mandata. If thou wilt enter into life keep the commandments. Now who so endeavoureth not himself with all his power to follow and fulfil the commandments of god, can not claim any interest or title justly in the kingdom of heaven, and all the ten commandments received of us Christian men resteth only in this word charity, the one towards god, and the other toward our neighbour Well then sith without keeping of the commandments. a man can not enter into heaven. I fear sore lest our Basmongers shall not enter into heaven, our raysers of rents, our usurers with such like, as they that buy their neighbours houses over their heeds. O ye moles ye may well be likened to these rich men, ye cast up the earth hurting the good garden herbs. and the earth so cast up you let it lie, and putteth it to no good use, but you go further and scrapes up more, in which doing is much hurt, but at last cometh master Moulecatcher with his spade and casteth you up prevely, and then destroy you. Even so those rich men casteth and scrapeth up the goods of this world, which is the carthe of man, and hurdeth it on heepes' profitable, neither to themselves nor other men (but rather hurtful.) And at the length cometh death and catcheth the moles by the back and then the devil destroyeth them. But O ye Leasemongers, ye usurers, ye raysers of rents above the value of that you set it, and ye that buy your neighbours houses over their heeds, give ear a little to saint Paul, and to the charge that he gave unto Timothe. The bishop commanding him to charge other therewith saying. Timothe.  
Epist. i Cap. vi. Charge thou the rich men of this world not to be high minded neither to trust in the uncertainty of riches but in the living god which giveth us all things abundantly to do good, to be rich in good works, to give with a good will etc. Let this one piece of saint Paul's Epistle be marked among our rich men, and then shall they soon know whether that they do well in heaping their goods and trusting in their riches or no. But I pray you to what use do they keep and store them up? verily even to buy their neighbours houses over their heeds, which is a thing very detestable: and the smoke of such men's doings assendeth up to the throne of God, and there stinketh odiously before the face of his divine majesty▪ wherefore take good heed in time, least God suddenly plague you. O ye wicked and uncharitable men, that do buy your neighbours houses over their heeds, will you for the entering into a wretched house hear in earth, exclude and banish yourself from the everlasting kingdom of heaven, surely in those your doings, you transegresse sore the commandments of God, and show yourselves to be both unfaithful and uncharitable, in handling your neighbours so uncharitably, whom you should love & favour as your own self. Remember that your life flieth as a shadow, and never abideth in one state and place, wherefore most heartily I beseech every good man and woman to look upon their selves: And even as they would other men should do to them, so would I them to do unto their neighbour, calling unto their mind, that hence they must depart, but how soon, how early, or how late they know not, therefore (as the common proverb goeth) live to day, as you would die to morrow. Shake of your old man, purge your sour leaven: put not sweet wine into musty bottles: suffer not the devil to rule you any longer: play the man according to the promise that you made at the font, which was to forsake the devil and all his works, go not back from thy word, but like a good Christian man take for thy defence the buckler of faith, and to fight with, take the sword of Gods most holy word, stand manfully that thou mayst say with saint Paul. Timo. Episto. two. Cap. iiii. Bonum certamen certavi. I have fought a good fight. Good reader this mayst thou do through the grace of God, for which I pray the call, that thou mayst overcome the temptations of the devil, which is a thing soon done of a good willing man, for as saint Paul saith. Phil. Cap. iiii. Omnia possum in eo qui me conferrat. I can do allthing through him that comforteth me. Wherefore I say once again, stand steadfastly against the devils temptations, and blaspheme not our saviour and redeemer jesus Christ, at the hearing of whose name: all the devils in hell do tremble and quake, and all the Angels in heaven give reverence to it: on the other side be not rygorus and cruel to thy neighbour, consider that he is thy own brother, a christian man as thou art and bought with as great a price as thou wast, although thy house be full of gold and silver, and his body full of scabs, though there be as much difference between you two as was between poor Lasarus and the rich man, yet at the day of judgement God will regard that silly soul with all his scabs upon his body as much as he will do you with all your gold and silver, ye and may fortune more to, unless you occupy it well whilst you be hear. Thus far good reader, have I said my mind, because I would you should bear a fervent love to God: and charity towards your neighbour, in the doing whereof you shall not only please God most highly, but also show thyself a good steward and bailiff over that God hath left to the in custody which is thy faith. And now I will leave thee, trusting that thou wilt follow this little lesson, by me set forth for thy furtherance in grace, remembering that the chief point thereof is for the augmenting of charity, and increase of good love, which joined with faith, and so used catholykely, bringeth each good man and woman (after their progress in this world) to the everlasting kingdom of heaven, there perpetualy abiding in joy, whereas with most melodius armony Angels continually sing without ceasing, Gloria in excelcis. to which most glorius tabernacle and celestial kingdom, our Lord for his painful passion and incogitable love towards us borne, grant thee, the reader, and me the writer to come. Amen.  
DEcetero fratres, quecunque sunt vera, quecunque pudica, quecunque justa, quecunque sancta, quecunque amabilia, quecunque bone fame, si qua virtus, si qua laus discipline, hec cogitate, quae et didicistis, et accepistis, et audistis, et vidistis in me, hec agite, et deus pacis eritvobiscum. Phil. Cap. iiii.  
BRethren as for other things, what so ever be true, what so ever be shame fast, what so ever be just, what so ever be holy, what so ever are to be loved, what so ever be of good report, if there be any virtue, if there be any praise of learning, be mindful of those things, and all which you have learned and received, and hard, and seen in me, those things do you, and the god of peace shall abide always with you.   

¶ Imprinted at London in Fleetstreet at the sign of the Gedrge, next to saint Dunston's church by William Powel.  
¶ Cum privilegio ad imprimendum solum.