A06832:1369
A06832:1369
The governance of virtue teaching all faithful christia[n]s, how they ought daily to lead their life, & fruitfully to spend their time unto the glory of God & the health of their own souls. Newly corrected & augme[n]ted by Thomas Becon. 1566The gouernaunce of vertue teaching all faythful christia[n]s, how they oughte daily to leade their lyfe, & fruitfully to spend their time vnto the glorye of God & the health of their owne soules. Newlye corrected & augme[n]ted by Thomas Becon. 1566
London: printed by John Day, 1566London: printed by Iohn Day, 1566
Modern spelling is a reading aid: the words are the author’s, only the spelling is modernized. Original shows the page as printed, with the transcription marks.
IF the devil go about to pluck down thy mind from the love of gods word, and to move thee to despise the doctrine of thy salvation, so that thou shouldest no more delight in the most comfortable gospel of Christ, which is the power of god to save so many as believe, but rather in things of vanity, •ake heed that thou leanest not to his subtle suggestions, but standing in awe of gods judgements▪ and fearing his plagues, valiantly resist Satan with these holy scriptures following.
IF the deuil go about to pluck downe thy minde from the loue of gods worde, and to moue thee to despise the doctrine of thy saluation, so that thou shouldest no more delight in the moste comfortable gospel of Christe, which is the power of god to saue so many as beleue, but rather in thinges of vanitie, •ake hede that thou leanest not to his subtile suggestions, but standing in awe of gods iudgementes▪ and fearing his plagues, valeauntly resist Sathan with these holy scriptures following.
IF ye will not hearken unto me sayeth the Lord nor keep my commandments, but despise them. &c. then will I do this again unto you. I will set my face against you, and ye shall fall before your enemies, and they that hate you, shall reign over ⟨image 125⟩you. I will make the heaven over you as hard iron, and your land as hard as bras. I will send my wild beasts upon you which shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattle. I will send a sword up on you that shall avenge my Testament with you. I will send the pestilence among you. Read the Chapter to the end.
IF ye wil not harken vnto me saieth the Lord nor kepe my commaundementes, but despise them. &c. then wil I doo this againe vnto you. I will set my face against you, and ye shall fal before your enemies, and they that hate you, shall raigne ouer ⟨image 125⟩you. I will make the heauen ouer you as hardyron, and your land as hard as bras. I will sende my wilde beastes vpon you whiche shall rob you of your children, and destroy your cattel. I wil send a sword vp on you that shall auenge my Testament with you. I wil send the pestilence among you. Reade the Chapiter to thend.
If thou wilt not hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God to keep and to do all his1 commandments and ordinances, then all these curses shall come upon thee, & overtake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the Town, and cursed in the Field, cursed shall thine almery be and thy store. Cur sed shall the fruit of thine body and the fruit of thy land be, and the fruit of thy oxen, and the flock of thy sheep. The Lord shall make the pestilence clean to thee, until he have consumed thee from the land: The Lord shall smite thee with madness blindness, and dazing of hart, because thou servedst not the Lord thy god with joyfulness and with a good hart for the abundance of all things, wherefore thou shalt serve ⟨image 125⟩thine enemy which the Lord shall send o• thee in hunger and thirst, in nakedness, & in need of all things: And he shall put a yoke of iron upon thy neck until be have brought the to nought. Read this Chapter diligently from the beginning to the end.
If thou wilt not harken to the voice of the Lord thy God to kepe and to do all his1 commaundements and ordinaunces, then all these curses shall come vpon thee, & ouertake thee. Cursed shalt thou be in the Towne, and cursed in the Fielde, cursed shall thine almayrye be and thy store. Cur sed shall the fruite of thine bodye and the fruite of thy lande be, and the fruite of thy oxen, and the flock of thy shepe. The Lord shall make the pestilence cleane to thee, vn til he haue consumed thee from the lande: The Lord shall smite thee with madnesse blindnes, and dasing of hart, because thou seruedst not the Lord thy god with ioyfulnes and with a good hart for the aboūdācs of all thinges, wherefore thou shalt serue ⟨image 125⟩thine enemie which the Lord shal send o• thee in hunger and thirste, in nakednes, & in neede of all thinges: And he shall put a yoke of iron vpon thy necke vntil be haue brought the to nought. Read this Chapiter diligētly from the beginning to thend.
They have caste away the law of the Lord of hosts, and have blasphemed the1 word of the holy one of Israel. Therefore is the wrath of the Lord kindled against his people and he shaketh his hand at them, yea he shall smite so, that the hills shall tremble. And their carcasses shall lie in the open street.
They haue caste away the lawe of the Lord of hostes, and haue blasphemed the1 word of the holy one of Israel. Therefore is the wrath of the Lorde kindled against his people and he shaketh his hand at thē, yea he shall smite so, that the hils shal trē ble. And their carcasses shall lie in the open streate.
They have offended the law, changed1 the ordinances, and made the everlasting testament of none effect. And therefore shall the curse devour the earth, for they that dwell thereon have sinned, wherefore they shall be burnt also, and those that remain shall be very few. The sweet wine shall mourn, the grapes shall be weak, and all ye have been merry in hart shall sigh.
They haue offended the law, chaunged1 the ordinaunces, and made the euerlasting testament of none effect. And therfore shal the curse deuoure the earth, for they that dwel thereon haue sinned, wherefore they shall be brent also, and those that remaine shalbe very fewe. The sweete wine shall moorn, the grapes shalbe weake, and all ye haue bene mery in hart shall sighe.
The mirth of tabrets shall be laid down, the cheer of the joyful shall cease, and the pleasure of the Lutes shall have an end. There shall no more wine be drunk with ⟨image 126⟩•irth, the beer shall be bitter to them that drink it, the wicked cities shall be broken down, all houses shall be shut, that no man may come in.
The mirth of tabrets shalbe laid down, the chere of the ioyful shall cease, and the pleasure of the Lutes shall haue an ende. There shall no more wine be dronk with ⟨image 126⟩•irth, the beere shalbe bitter to them that drinke it, the wicked cities shalbe broken down, al houses shalbe shut, that no man may come in.
Woe is me saith the Prophet all is1 full of sinners which offend of purpose & malice: And therefore (O thou that dwellest upon the earth) there is at hand for thee fear, pit, and snare. Whosoever escapeth the terrible cry, shall fall into the pit, and if he come out of the pit he shall be taken with the snare, For the windows above shall be opened, and the foundation of the earth shall move: The earth shall give a great crake, it shall have a sore ruin, and take an horrible fall: The earth shall stagger like a drunken man, and be taken away like a tent: Her misdeeds shall light so heavy upon her, that she must fall and never rise up again: Read •e whole chapter2
Woe is me sayth the Prophete all is1 full of synners which offend of purpose & malice: And therfore (O thou that dwellest vpon the earth) ther is at hand for thee feare, pit, and snare. Whosoeuer escapeth the terrible crye, shall fall into the pitte, and yf hee come out of the pytte he shall bee taken with the snare, For the windowes aboue shalbe opened, and the foundation of the earth shall moue: The earth shall geue a great crake, it shal haue a sore ruine, and take an horrible fal: The earth shall stacker like a dronken man, and bee taken away like a tent: Her misdedes shal light so heauy vpon her, that she must fall and neuer rise vp againe: Reade •e whole chapter2
These people are obstinate they provoke me unto anger, they are lying children and even such children that will not hear the law of God.
These people are obstinate they prouoke me vnto anger, they are lying childrē and euen such children that will not heare the law of God.
They say to them that see, see nothing: and to the Soothsayer, tell of nothing for to come if it be either good or honest, but ⟨p. 68⟩[…] pleasant things unto us, and preach us false things.
They say to them that see, see nothing: and to the Southsayer, tell of nothinge for to come if it bee either good or honeste, but ⟨p. 68⟩〈…〉 pleasant things vnto vs, and preach vs false things.
Tread out of the way, go out of the path, turn away the holy one of Israel from us. Therefore thus saith the holy one of Israel: forasmuch as ye have cast away his word, and have comforted your selves with power and nimbleness, and put your confidence therein: therefore shall ye have this mischief again for your destruction, & fall like an high wall that falleth because of some rift or blast, whose breaking cometh suddenly. And your destruction shall be like an earthen pot which breaketh, no man touching it, but breaketh so sore that a man shall not find a sheu•r of it to fetch fire in, or to take water out of the pit. For the God, even that holy one of Israel hath pro missed thus.1
Treade out of the waye, goe out of the path, turne awaye the holye one of Israell from vs. Therfore thus saith the holy one of Israel: for asmuch as ye haue cast away his worde, and haue comforted your selues with power and nimblenes, and put your confidence therein: therefore shall ye haue this mischiefe againe for your destruction, & fall like an hye wal that falleth because of some rift or blast, whose breakinge commeth sodenly. And your destruction shalbe like an earthen pot which breaketh, no mā touching it, but breaketh so sore that a mā shall not finde a sheu•r of it to fetche fyre in, or to take water out of the pit. For the God, euen that holy one of Israel hath pro mised thus.1
Who suffered Jacob to be trodden under foot, and Israel to be spoiled: was it not the Lord himself, against whom we have sinned? we had no delight to walk in his ways, neither were we obedient to his laws. Therefore hath he poured upon us his wrathful displeasure, and strange battle, which maketh us have to do on every side, yet will we not understand. He ⟨image 127⟩burneth us up, yet it sinketh not into our hearts.
Who suffered Iacob to be troden vnder foote, and Israell to be spoyled: was it not the Lord himselfe, against whome we haue sinned? we had no delight to walk in his waies, neither were we obedient to his lawes. Therfore hath he poured vpon vs his wrathfull displeasure, and straunge battayle, which maketh vs haue to do on euery side, yet will we not vnderstand. He ⟨image 127⟩burneth vs vp, yet it sinketh not into our hartes.
Because they have forsaken my law1 that I gave them, and have not hard my voice, nor yet walked thereafter but follow ed the wickedness of their own hearts, & run after strange gods, as their fathers taught them:
Because they haue sorfaken my lawe1 that I gaue them, and haue not harde my voyce, nor yet walked therafter but folow ed the wickednes of their owne hartes, & runne after straung gods, as their fathers taught them: