Fifty Godly and Learned Sermons (The Decades)

Like unto this are the words of the Lord in the Gospel, where he saith: I send unto you Prophets and wise men, some of whom ye shall scourge and kill, that all the righteous blood may light upon you, which hath been shed upon the earth from the blood of the righteous Abel, unto the blood of Zechariah the Son of Barachias, whom ye slue between the temple and the altar: and so forth: for the place is known to you all (dearly beloved) and is to be seen in the. 23. Chapter after S. Matthew. We must beware therefore in any case, that we do not despise God, who speaketh to us in his word, by his servants the Prophets.

Like vnto this are the wordes of the Lorde in the Gospell, where he sayth: I sende vnto you Prophetes and wise men, some of whome ye shal scourge and kyll, that all the righteous bloud may light vpon you, whiche hath bene shead vpon the earth from the bloud of the righteous Abel, vnto the bloud of Zacharias the sonne of Barachias, whom ye slue betweene the temple and the altar: and so foorth: for the place is knowne to you all (dearely beloued) and is to be séene in the. 23. Chapter after S. Mathew. We must beware therefore in any case, that we doe not despise God, who speaketh to vs in his word, by his seruants the Prophets.

We owe by the force of this commandment, all love, reverence, help, ¹comfort, and humanity, to our kinsfolks and alliance. In this commandment are they condemned, that show them selves to be, [Greek or Hebrew], that is to say, men without all natural affection and friendly love to their own blood and kinsfolks. There is a certain natural affection, goodwill, love and pitiful mercy (which the Scripture calleth the bowels of mercy) in the father and mother toward their children, in brother toward brother, and in cousins toward their kinsfolks and friends of their alliance. We have notable examples hereof set down in the Scriptures, of Abraham's love toward his son Isaac, and of Josephs affection toward his father Jacob, and his brethren, but èspecially toward Benjamin his brother by one mother. Mothers and daughters in law have a notable example to follow in Noemi and Ruth. Mothers and daughters in law (for the most part) do bear a deadly hate the one to the other, which is the cause of much mischief in the houses where they be. Let them learn therefore by this pretty example, how to behave them selves on both parts. Let the mother in law think the daughter in law to be her own daughter: and let the daughter in law honour and reverence her mother in law, even as if she were her own mother. Many things must be winked at on both sides, many things must be taken in good part, and many things put up with a quiet mind. Many things must be forgiven, and they must both have their ears stopped against tattling talebearers, and wrongful suspicions. Concorde in every house is the greatest treasure that may be, and discord at home, is the most perilous and endless mischief that can be invented. Paul his words touching good turns, and honour to be given to our kinsfolks, are very well known, and extant to be seen in the fifth Chapter of his first Epistle to Limothie.