The right rule of Christian chastitie profitable to bee read of all godly and vertuous youthes of both sexe, bee they gentlemen or gentlewomen, or of inferiour state, whatsoeuer. Collected and written by one studious to gratifie his freendes, and profit his kindred: first (priuately) for the instruction, forewarning and forearming of certayne younge gentlewomen his neare and deare cosins: and after published by the same, in hope to profit the Church & common wealth, according to his talent. The methode wherof is to bee seene immediatly after the preface to the reader.

Hipocrifie, the eleuenth vice, forbidden by this commaundement, what it is.

HIpocrisie, [ 11] or Dis••imulation, is wh••n a man or woman pratendeth to bee honest and chast, and yet will play the Wh••re, or Knaue, priuily and secreatly: when a Woman is chaste and hon•••• in opinion, and outwarde apparaun••e beefore men but (in very deede) and beefore God is a foule filthie strumpet. This vice is contrary to euery vertue, and is most odious and ab••ominable before God. For it i•• 〈…〉〈…〉: yea the breach and transgression of two commaunde 〈…〉〈…〉, yea of both Tables: for it offendeth against this commaundemente of the seconde Table, in very deede and action. And against the thirds commaun∣dement of the first Table, 〈◊〉〈◊〉 taking the name of God in 〈◊〉〈◊〉 that is by taking the name of vertue which is pro∣per onely to God, the Well heade, Authour and giuer thereof, and puttinge it vpon their priuie vice or sinne, callinge them selucs Virgins and chaste persons, wher∣as, in very deede, they are stronge whores, and bawdy kna••es. And ••eeings displeased with their equalles or interiors, would not sticke so 〈◊〉〈◊〉 call them if they could prooue so much by them, as they know by them selues.

But such should remember that the estimation, valuati∣on, accompt, and iudgemente of God alone, who seeth, marketh, and iudgeth, euen the very se••••ent thoughtes of the harte (so far of is it that hee is ignorant of wicked∣nesse doone in corners out of sight and view of men) is infinitely of more value, of more exedite, and more to be feared, then all the sightes, viewes, opinio••••, and iudge∣mentes of all men, and therfore should rather studis to thun, decline & auoyde the shameful actions them selues, that procure and bringe such odious titles, then the re∣prochful names by all y^e godly & vertuous giuen vnto the same, and that by the iudgement and 〈…〉〈…〉 of all good and ciuill honest persons condingly, aptly, and worthely. Such Hipocrites as more feare the smeake and winde of the mutable multitude, and dregges of the people, then the sound iudgement of the thundring God, and more dread a mortall creature, that can annoy but onely the body for a time, then the immortall Creator that can cast both body and soule into Hell fler 〈◊〉〈◊〉 euer: And finally, more feare to be counted vitious & infamous then to bee so in deede, are so far from remembring, kée∣ping, and followinge Gods worde, that they forget euen the groundes & principles of nature, wherof this is one: Be in deede as thou doost preten••. And 〈◊〉〈◊〉 as it were lay the Diuel in Gods Robe, or 〈◊〉〈◊〉, and hide a stinking carion in a beautifull Tombe, whose portion is in the Lake that burneth with fler and Brimstone, which is the second death vnles they speedily repent. They that vse this vice, and yet will pretend to bee Christians, are hypocrites, dissemblers, and stinking swine or rammish Goates in sheepes skinnes before God, what so euer the world accompt of them, or they of them selues.

Notes

• In feruorum fecem inu••c∣tio. Against the drosse and dregges of decemblinge scruants, a short inue••∣ture.
• 〈…〉〈…〉.