An excellent new Commedie, Intituled : The Conflict of Conscience Contayninge, A most lamentable example, of the dolefull desperation of a miserable worldlinge, termed, by the name of Philologvs, who forsooke the trueth of Gods Gospel, for feare of the losse of lyfe, & wordly goods |
 | 1. |
| 1. |
| 2. |
Sceane. 2:
|
 | 2. |
| 3. |
| 4. |
| 5. |
| 6. |
|
 | An excellent new Commedie, Intituled : The Conflict of Conscience |  |
Sceane. 2:
MATHETES.PHILOLOGVS.
My mynde doeth thirst deare friende Philologus,
Of former talke to make a finall ende:
And where before we gan for to discus,
The cause why God doth such afflictions sende,
Into his Church, you would some more time spende.
In the same cause, that thereby you might learne,
Betwixt the wrath and loue of God, a right for to discerne.
Philologus.
With right good will, to your request, heerin I doo consent,
As well because, as I perceiue, you take therein delight,
As also for because, it is most chiefely pertinent,
Unto mine office, to instruct, and teache eche Christian wight,
True godlynesse, and shew to them, the path that leadeth right,
Unto Gods kingdome, where we shall, inherite our saluation,
Geuen vnto vs from God, by Christ our true propitiation.
As well because, as I perceiue, you take therein delight,
As also for because, it is most chiefely pertinent,
Unto mine office, to instruct, and teache eche Christian wight,
True godlynesse, and shew to them, the path that leadeth right,
Unto Gods kingdome, where we shall, inherite our saluation,
Geuen vnto vs from God, by Christ our true propitiation.
But that a better ordered course, heerein we may obserue,
And may directly to the first, apply that which insue,
To speake that hath bene saide, before, I wil a time reserue:
And so proceede, from whence we left, by course and order due,
Unto the ende: At first therfore, you did lament and rue,
The miserie of these our daies, and great calamytie,
Which those sustaine, who dare gainsay, the Romish Hypocrisie.
And may directly to the first, apply that which insue,
To speake that hath bene saide, before, I wil a time reserue:
And so proceede, from whence we left, by course and order due,
Unto the ende: At first therfore, you did lament and rue,
The miserie of these our daies, and great calamytie,
Which those sustaine, who dare gainsay, the Romish Hypocrisie.
Mathetes.
I haue iust cause, as hath eche Christian hart,
To waile and weepe, to shed out teares of bloud:
When as I call to minde, the torments and the smart,
Which those haue borne, who honest be and good,
For nought els, but because, their errors they withstood:
Yet ioyed I much, to see how paciently,
They boare the crose of Christ, with constancie.
So many of vs, as into one bodye bee,
Incorporate, wherof Christ is the liuely heade,
As members of our bodies which wee see:
With ioyntes of loue together bee conioyned:
And must needes suffer, vnlesse that they be dead:
Some part of griefe in mynde which other feele,
In bodie though not so much by a great deale,
Incorporate, wherof Christ is the liuely heade,
As members of our bodies which wee see:
With ioyntes of loue together bee conioyned:
And must needes suffer, vnlesse that they be dead:
Some part of griefe in mynde which other feele,
In bodie though not so much by a great deale,
Wherfore by this it is most apparent,
That those two into one bodie are not vnyted,
Of the which, the one doth suffer, the other doth torment:
And in the woundes of his Brother is delighted:
Now which is Christes bodie, may easely be decided:
For the Lambe is deuoured of the Wolfe alway,
Not the Wolfe of the Lambe as Chrisostom doth say.
That those two into one bodie are not vnyted,
Of the which, the one doth suffer, the other doth torment:
And in the woundes of his Brother is delighted:
Now which is Christes bodie, may easely be decided:
For the Lambe is deuoured of the Wolfe alway,
Not the Wolfe of the Lambe as Chrisostom doth say.
Agayne of vnrighteous Cayne murthered was Abell,
By whom the Church of God was figured:
Isaac lykewise was persecuted of Ismaell,
As in the Booke of Genesis is mencioned:
Israell of Pharao was also terrifyed,
Dauid the Sainct, was afflicted by his Sonne,
And put from his kingdome I meane by Absolon.
By whom the Church of God was figured:
Isaac lykewise was persecuted of Ismaell,
As in the Booke of Genesis is mencioned:
Israell of Pharao was also terrifyed,
Dauid the Sainct, was afflicted by his Sonne,
And put from his kingdome I meane by Absolon.
Elias the Thesbit, for feare of Iezabell,
Did fly to Horeb, and hid him in a Caue:
Micheas the Prophet, as the Story dooth tell,
Did hardly his lyfe from Baalles Priests saue:
Ieremy of that sawce tasted haue:
So did Esay, Daniell, and the Children three,
And thousandes more, which in stories we may see.
Did fly to Horeb, and hid him in a Caue:
Micheas the Prophet, as the Story dooth tell,
Did hardly his lyfe from Baalles Priests saue:
Ieremy of that sawce tasted haue:
So did Esay, Daniell, and the Children three,
And thousandes more, which in stories we may see.
Mathetes.
In the new Testament, we may also reede,
That our Sauiour Christ, euen in his Infancy,
Of Herod the King might stand in great dread:
Who sought to destroy him, such was his insolency:
Afterward of the Pharises, he did with constancy,
Suffer shamefull death, his Apostles also,
For testimonie of the trueth, did their crosses vnder go.
Iames vnder Herod, was headed with the Sworde,
The rest of the Apostles, did suffer much turmoyle:
Good Paul was murthered by Nero his worde:
Domitian deuised a Barrell full of Oyle,
The body of Iohn the Euangelist to boile:
The Pope at this instant sondrie tormentes procure,
For such as by Gods holy word will indure.
The rest of the Apostles, did suffer much turmoyle:
Good Paul was murthered by Nero his worde:
Domitian deuised a Barrell full of Oyle,
The body of Iohn the Euangelist to boile:
The Pope at this instant sondrie tormentes procure,
For such as by Gods holy word will indure.
By these former stories, two thinges we may learne,
And profytably recorde in our remembraunce:
The fyrst is Gods Church from the Diuels to discerne:
The second to marke, what manyfest resistaunce,
The Trueth of God hath, and what incombraunce:
It bringeth vpon them that will it professe,
Wherfore, they must arme them selues, to suffer distresse.
And profytably recorde in our remembraunce:
The fyrst is Gods Church from the Diuels to discerne:
The second to marke, what manyfest resistaunce,
The Trueth of God hath, and what incombraunce:
It bringeth vpon them that will it professe,
Wherfore, they must arme them selues, to suffer distresse.
Mathetes.
It is no new thing, I doo now perceiue,
That Christes Church doo suffer tribulation,
But that the same crosse I might better receiue:
I request you to shew me for my consolation:
What is the cause, by your estimation:
That God doth suffer, his people be in thrall?
Yet helpe them so soone as they to him call.
Philologus.
The chiefest thing, which might vs cause or moue,
With constant mindes, Christes crosse for to sustaine:
Is to conceiue of Heauen, a faithfull loue:
Wherto we may not come, as Paul doth proue it plaine:
Unlesse with Christ we suffer, that with him we may raine:
Againe sith that it is our heauenly Fathers will,
By worldly woes our carnall lusts to kill.
With constant mindes, Christes crosse for to sustaine:
Is to conceiue of Heauen, a faithfull loue:
Wherto we may not come, as Paul doth proue it plaine:
Unlesse with Christ we suffer, that with him we may raine:
Againe sith that it is our heauenly Fathers will,
By worldly woes our carnall lusts to kill.
Moreouer, we do vse to loath that thing we alway haue,
And doo delight the more in that which mostly we doe want,
Affliction vrgeth vs also, more earnestly to craue:
And when we once releeued be, true faith in vs it plant,
So that to call in eche distresse on God we will not faint:
For trouble bring forth pacience, from pacience dooth insue
Experience, from experience Hope, of health the ankor true.
And doo delight the more in that which mostly we doe want,
Affliction vrgeth vs also, more earnestly to craue:
And when we once releeued be, true faith in vs it plant,
So that to call in eche distresse on God we will not faint:
Experience, from experience Hope, of health the ankor true.
Againe, oftimes, God doth prouide, affliction for our gaine,
As Iob who after losse of goodes, had twice so much therefore:
Sometime affliction is a meanes, to honor to attaine:
As you may see, if Iosephes lyfe, you set your eyes before:
Continually it doth vs warne, from sinning any more:
When as we see the iudgements iust, which God our heauenly king,
Upon offenders heere in earth, for their offences bringe.
As Iob who after losse of goodes, had twice so much therefore:
Sometime affliction is a meanes, to honor to attaine:
As you may see, if Iosephes lyfe, you set your eyes before:
Continually it doth vs warne, from sinning any more:
When as we see the iudgements iust, which God our heauenly king,
Upon offenders heere in earth, for their offences bringe.
Sometime God doth it vs to proue, if constant we will be.
As he did vnto Abraham: somtime his whole intent,
Is to declare his heauenly might, as in Iohn we may see:
When the Disciples did aske Christ, why God the blindnesse sent
Unto that man that was borne blinde? to whom incontinent,
Christ saide: neither for Parentes sinnes, nor for his owne offence,
Was he borne blinde, but that God might shew his magnificence.
As he did vnto Abraham: somtime his whole intent,
Is to declare his heauenly might, as in Iohn we may see:
When the Disciples did aske Christ, why God the blindnesse sent
Unto that man that was borne blinde? to whom incontinent,
Christ saide: neither for Parentes sinnes, nor for his owne offence,
Was he borne blinde, but that God might shew his magnificence.
Mathetes.
This is the summe of all your talke, if that I gesse a right,
That God doth punnish his electt to keepe their faith in vre,
Or least that if continuall ease, and rest enioy they might:
God to forget through hautinesse, fraile nature should procure:
Or els by feeling punishment, our sinnes for to abiure:
Or els to proue our constancy, or lastly that we may,
Be instruments in whom his might, God may abroad display.
That God doth punnish his electt to keepe their faith in vre,
Or least that if continuall ease, and rest enioy they might:
God to forget through hautinesse, fraile nature should procure:
Or els by feeling punishment, our sinnes for to abiure:
Or els to proue our constancy, or lastly that we may,
Be instruments in whom his might, God may abroad display.
Now must I needes confesse, to you my former ignoraunce,
Which knew no cause at all, why God should trouble his elect,
But thought afflictions all, to be rewardes for our offence:
And to proceede from wrathfull Iudge, did alway it suspect:
As doe the common sort of men, who will straightway direct
And point their fingers at such men, as God doth chastice heere,
Esteeming them by iust desert, their punishment to beare.
Which knew no cause at all, why God should trouble his elect,
But thought afflictions all, to be rewardes for our offence:
And to proceede from wrathfull Iudge, did alway it suspect:
As doe the common sort of men, who will straightway direct
And point their fingers at such men, as God doth chastice heere,
Esteeming them by iust desert, their punishment to beare.
Philologus.
Such is the nature of mankind, himselfe to iustifye,
And to condemne all other men, wheras we ought of right:
Accuse our selues especiall, and God to magnfie:
Who in his mercy doth vs spare, whereas he also might,
Sith that we doo the selfe same things, with like plagues vs requight
Which thing our Sauiour Christ doth teach, as testifyeth Luke,
The thirteenth Chapter, where he dooth vaine glorious men rebuke:
And to condemne all other men, wheras we ought of right:
Accuse our selues especiall, and God to magnfie:
Who in his mercy doth vs spare, whereas he also might,
Sith that we doo the selfe same things, with like plagues vs requight
The thirteenth Chapter, where he dooth vaine glorious men rebuke:
But for this time let this suffice, now lets homeward goe,
And further talke in priuat place, if neede be, we will haue:
And further talke in priuat place, if neede be, we will haue:
Mathetes.
With right good will, I will attend on you, your house vnto:
Or els goe you with mee to mine, the longer iourney saue:
For it is now high dinner time, my stomack meat dooth craue:
Philologus.
I am soone bidden to my friende, come on let vs departe,
Mathetes.
Goe you before, and I will come behinde with all my harte.
| An excellent new Commedie, Intituled : The Conflict of Conscience | |