Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall.

  • Stubbs, Philip, active 1581-1593.
Date:
1877-1882
Catalogue details

Licence: In copyright

Credit: Phillip Stubbes's Anatomy of the abuses in England in Shakspere's youth, A.D. 1583 / edited by Frederick J. Furnivall. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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    Such runaways, to save their bodies, will hazard a thousand souls. Sig. N. 4. back] But God will follow and strike them. Cannot God protect his servants now from death! 96 II. 2, No good Pastor will run away in Plague time. from his flocke, for feare of infection, at the houre of death, when the poore people haue moft need of comfort aboue all other times, them. When they ftande vppon the edge, as it were, of faluation or damnation, then permits he the wolfe to haue the rule ouer them. Our Sauiour Chrift faith Bonus pajlor animulam dat pro ouihus, A good fhepheard giueth his life for his flieepe, but thefe felowes are fo far from giuing their liues for their fheepe, that they feeke to faue their owne liues with the deftruftion of their whole flocke. This is the loue that they beare vnto their flocke, this is the care they haue ouer their foules health, which Chrift lefus bought fo deere with the price of his blood. Out vpon thofe fhepheards that for feare of incurring of corporall death (which is to the Godly an entraunce into parpetuall glorie) will hazard manie a thoufande to die a corporall and a fpirituall death both, yea, a death of damnation both of body & foule for euer. Do they thinke that their blod fhall not be alked at their haudes y* gf^t day of the Lord. Do they thinke that their flieng away from their flock, is a mean to preferue their liues y' longer vpon earth ? Is not God able to ftrike them as well in the fields, as in the city, as well in the country as in the towne, in one place, as well as in another? Is not his power eueriewhere? Is not his meflenger death in al places ? Saith he not in the booke of Deu- teron. that if we doe ^not thofe things which he hath commanded vs in his facred word, curfed fliall wee bee at home, and curfed in the fields. And faith he not further, that the plague and peftilence, the botch, bile, blaine, or elfe what deadly infedion foeuer, fliall followe vs, and lay hold vpon vs, in what place foeuer we be, and fliall neuer depart from vs, till it haue quite confumed vs from the face of the earth ? And doe thefe fugitiues that ouerrun their flocks in time of infedion, thinke that they fliall efcape the heauie wrath and vengeance of God for their tergiuerfation and backfliding from their duties ? Doe they thinke that God cannot faue them from corporal death but with the breach of their duties towards God ? Is not the Lord as well able to defend them from any deadly infedion, if it be his good pleafure, as he was to defend Sidrach, Mifaach, and Alednego from the flaming fire ? DanielL from the mouth of the lions, lonas from the iawes of the mightie whale, with manie others that trufted