one day, and so taken down, and buried without any kind of honour. Lib. iv. Ant. Cap. vi.

Divers other most noble princes made divers other most holy laws for the eschewing of customary swearing and perjury. Would that some method might be devised, for the abolishing and putting away of the most wicked and detestable custom of swearing, by every prince, as he shall think most convenient for the state of his realm. Laws are made and penalties appointed for divers mean things, which only concern worldly matters; why then do not Christian princes also make laws, acts, and decrees, for the glory of God, that his name may be had in honour and reverence, as most worthy of all it is! Worldly matters may not so be esteemed, that things pertaining to the glory of God and the salvation of Christian men's souls shall be neglected. For rulers are appointed of God, not only to look upon mundane and worldly, but also upon divine and spiritual matters. And it is their duty, no less to tender the glory of God, and to make acts concerning the same, than to see that public tranquillity, and all things decent and comely for an honest outward order, be maintained, preserved, and kept. And as they are the supreme heads and chief rulers of the spirituality and temporality, so ought they to travail in spiritual no less than in temporal matters. Look what enormities, wickednesses, ungodly customs, superstitious and unrighteous manners, &c. reign in realms. All these ought to be abolished, and put away by the worldly potentates and earthly rulers. God grant that we may see it shortly, not only in this realm, but in the kingdoms of so many as profess Christ. Amen.*

Remedies against Swearing.

If thou art bent to leave the wicked custom of swearing,

* The laws of England now in force, enact, that if any person shall profanely curse, or swear, and be convicted thereof before a justice on the oath of one witness, he shall forfeit, if a day labourer, common soldier, or seaman, one shilling; every other person under the degree of a gentleman, two shillings; every person of or above the degree of a gentleman, five shillings; for a second offence after conviction, each shall forfeit double, and for every subsequent offence treble the above-mentioned sums. Every constable that hears a person curse or swear is required to prosecute, or is liable to a penalty of forty shillings.

First, Pray fervently unto God, that he will take away thy heart, which is defiled in such sort, and so hardened with the customable usage of sinning, that there can enter no virtue nor godliness into it.

Secondly, Desire him, for his great mercy's sake, to create in thee a new heart, and to pour his Spirit so abundantly into thy breast, that by the influence of it thou mayest be able to drink in virtue, and all that ever shall be pleasant to the divine majesty.

Thirdly, Be so at defiance with all vice and sin, that by no means at any time thou have pleasure either to think, hear, or talk of it; so far let it be from thee to meddle any thing at all with it, in thought, word, or deed.

Fourthly, Set this saying of Christ ever before thine eyes, that at the day of judgment account shall be given of every idle word that is spoken. This shall bring unto thy remembrance how grievous an account shall be required of them that customably swear, vainly usurp the name of God, blaspheme God, are falsely forsworn, &c.

Fifthly, That thou mayest the more easily eschew swearing, fly the company of them that use customably to swear, or have a pleasure to interlace their talk with blasphemous oaths. And whatsoever thou hatest in others, look that by no means thou do the same.

Sixthly, Busy thyself continually in giving praises unto God, and setting forth the glory of his name. Delight thou in nothing so much as in doing those things that make unto the advancement of the divine majesty. This shall not a little make unto the putting away of swearing, and make thee to have a mouth which shall be the organ and instrument of the Holy Ghost, to set forth and publish the glory of God.

Finally, let nothing come forth of thy mouth until it be thoroughly considered in thy breast, as Epictetus, the Greek philosopher warns; and so order both thy tongue and thine acts in all thy conversation, that it never repent thee afterward of any thing that thou hast done. So shalt thou not only eschew the damnable custom of swearing, but also garnish thy life with all kinds of virtues, unto the great glory of God, and the health of thy soul.

SO BE IT.

GIVE THE GLORY TO GOD ALONE.

THE

CASTLE OF COMFORT;

IN WHICH IS EVIDENTLY PROVED, THAT GOD
ABSOLVETH AND FREELY FORGIVETH THE SINS
OF SO MANY AS UNFEIGNEDLY REPENT
AND TURN UNTO HIM.

ALONE

COMPILED

BY THOMAS BECON.

THE NAME OF THE LORD IS A STRONG CASTLE, UNTO THAT DOTH THE RIGHTEOUS RUN, AND HE SHALL BE PRESERVED.-PROVERBS XVIII.

1549.

I am he only that for mine own self's sake do away thine offences, and forget thy sins, so that I will never think upon them.-Isaiah

xliii.

If any man be thirsty, let him come unto me and drink.-John vii. O taste and see, how sweet the Lord is; blessed is that man that putteth his trust in him.-Psalm xxxiv.

DEDICATION.

To the most honourable and virtuous lady, Maria, duchess of Richmond, her grace, Thomas Becon wisheth from God the Father through our Lord Jesus Christ, a faithful

It was not without a great cause, most godly lady, that the holy apostle, saint Paul, desired the Thessalonians to hold fast the doctrine that he had taught them before, and not suddenly to be moved from their knowledge and understanding, nor to be troubled, neither by spirit, neither by words, nor yet by letter. For he undoubtedly did before see, by the revelation of God's Spirit, that there should arise false anointed, and false preachers, which should work great miracles and wonders, insomuch, that if it were possible, the very elect and chosen people of God should be brought into error. Which also should say, Behold here is Christ, or there is Christ, bringing in damnable sects, and utterly denying the Lord that bought them; as Peter saith, He considered the imbecility, weakness, and childish hearts of men, which, except they are corroborated* and fortified with the strength of God's Spirit, are soon carried about with divers and strange learnings, embracing no less greedily that which is to themselves noisome and pestiferous, than that which is good and profitable, as we at this present time see daily before our eyes. Therefore, this most excellent apostle desired the Thessalonians, (yea, and so many of us as profess Christ unfeignedly,) to persevere and abide in the word of truth, even unto the end, that we may be saved; and not lightly to be moved with the subtle and crafty persuasions of them that teach weak and beggarly traditions with human constitutions; which give heed to fables and men's commandments, that turn away the followers of them from the truth; which profess that they know God, but with their deeds they deny him, insomuch * Strengthened.

age

as they are abominable and disobedient, yea, and unmeet to all good works; which love their own pleasures more than God, having an outer appearance of godly living, but denying the power thereof; which run from house to house, and bring into bondage both men and women laden with sin; which are led with divers lusts, ever learning and never able to come unto the knowledge of the truth; which are enemies of the cross of Christ; which call that which is evil good, and that which is good evil, &c.; in short, which are ravening wolves, not sparing the flock. Does the world want these enemies of God's glory? Have not we also need to take heed unto the aforesaid wholesome admonition of the holy apostle, saint Paul? Does not the world at this day nourish such ungodly monsters? What has been without them since the beginning of the world? What need I to speak of that great harlot of Babylon, the mother of fornications and abominations of the earth, which hath made drunken with the wine of the wrath of her harlotry all the nations of the earth; yea, the very kings and rulers of the earth have played the adulterers with her. (Rev. xviii.) And would God, that as the name of this Babylonical strumpet is exiled out of men's mouths, and erased out of books among us, so in like manner her whoredom, I mean, the popish and devilish decrees, which fight against the manifest word of God, might once be utterly exiled, banished, and for ever driven away from the bounds of Christendom; that all things in the Christian public weal, both in this and in foreign realms, might be instituted, ordered, and appointed, according to the verity of Christ's most blessed gospel. But besides this monstrous beast, are there risen not a few, which are plain antichrists, and daily labour to obscure the glory of God.

No marvel, seeing that in the apostles' time, blessed John confessed that there were many antichrists and false prophets. What need I to speak of them which teach that Christ by his precious death delivered us only from original sin? Which teach that man is justified by his own works, and not by the faith alone that he hath in Christ's most blessed death? Which teach that by observing men's traditions everlasting life is gotten? Which teach that external ceremonies justify and put away sin? Which teach that man is able of his own strength to fulfil the law, and to satisfy the justice of God? Which teach that our prayers cannot be heard, without the intercession of others?