in all Churches sayth hee vnder thy charge as also in those that bee vnder other Bishoppes Priests and Deacons ye be diligent to restore such as be decaied likewise to build new in places conuenient And thy selfe and all other in thy name shall call to the gouernours and magistrates of prouinces for all things necessarie for the reparations or building of the same for I haue commanded them with al speed to prouide whatsoeuer your holynes shall call for Lykewise as it is requisite that there shoulde bee some prescript forme of Christian faith and Ecclesiasticall order and gouernment so haue they also extended theyr care in that dutie as we reade of the Emperour Iouinian of whome Ruffin writeth that the businesse of the Church was not the least parte of his care also that calling Athanasius Ruffin 〈◊〉 Eccl hist â— c. â—â— from him receiued he a forme of faith and order for the erecting and gouernment of the Churches 12 But to the end that magistrates may bee instructed and moued to the due practise of the matters aforesayde and so to cause theyr subiectes to liue in the feare of God It is also their dutie to procure the diligent reading of Gods worde and profiting in the same And some there haue beene that haue shewed great zeale in that behalfe Socr. l. 7. c. 22 Among others wee reade that the Emperour Theodosius would conferre of the holy Scriptures with the Bishops as if himselfe had bene a Bishop In this respect did God in old time command that the king that should be chosen ouer Israel so soone as he should be placed in the throne of his kingdome shoulde for himselfe write out a copie of the lawe in a booke Deut. 17.18 which he should take in the presence of the priests that it might remain with him and that he should reade therein all the daies of his life to the end to learne to feare God and to keepe all the wordes of his lawe and his ordinaunces to doo them The lyke commandement dyd hee giue vnto Iosua saying Let not this booke of the lawe departe out of thy mouth Iosua 1.8 but meditate therein daie and night that thou mauest obserue and doo according to all that is written therein for then shalt thou make thy waie prosperous and then shalt thou haue good successe The hundreth and nineteenth Psalme declareth how necessary this dutie is also how diligently Dauid emploied himselfe therein therby shewing himselfe to be a true patterne or myrror of pietie to all kings princes and magistrates Eusebius in the life of CoÌ„stantine l. 4 13 They are moreouer diligently to pray vnto God also to cause others to praie for them that they may duly discharge theyr dueties Heereto it seemeth that Constantine the great was much addicted For as Eusebius reporteth of him hee knowing verie well that the prayers of such as feared God might greatly profyte him in the due gouernment of all sought after such as might praie for him and besydes his owne prayers required also the praiers of the gouernours of the congregations for him In peeces also of golde that hee caused to bee coyned himselfe was portrayed wyth his handes lyfted vp to heauen as it were praying vnto God yea which is more hee tooke order that his souldyers shoulde learne to praie to God Pulcheria the daughter of the Emperour Arcadius Sozom. his Eccle. hist li. 9. cap. 1. vppon her fathers death at the age of fifteene yeeres taking vpon her the gouernment of the Empire caused her brother Theodosius the heire thereunto to bee brought vp in godlynesse and accustomed to much praier and hee thorough such bringing vp beeing much giuen to this godly exercise afterwarde in a matter of great importance founde the fruite of his praier for hauing on a time receiued from diuerse Bishoppes diuerse seuerall doctrines and confessions concerning the diuinitie of Christ Socrat. hist Eccl. l 5. c. 10 he went into a secrete place where hee feruently prayed vnto God to giue him grace to make choice of the same which contained the truth of that doctrine Then reading ouer all theyr confessions hee allowed and kept the same which taught that Christ was of the same essence wyth his father and defaced the rest as repugnant to the holy Trinitie Lykewise beeing to go to warre after the example of Dauid hee had recourse to prayers as knowing that it was in God onely to dispose of warres and as the same authour addeth hee executed his warres by praier and supplications Socrat. hist Eccl. l. 7. c. 22 c. 23. And after his victories ouer his enemies hee so acknowledged them to be from God that on a time as hee was looking vppon certaine triumphes and publike pastimes hearing of the death and ouerthrow of a certine tyrant that was risen against him immediatlye crying out to the people hee sayde Leauing these carnall pleasures let vs go to Church to giue thankes and praises vnto God And at the same verie instant leauing the pastimes being come into the Church they spent there the rest of the daie in praysing and blessing the Lorde 14 Some also there haue beene that so ordered theyr houses in the exercise of Christian religion Euseb in the lyfe of Constan li. 4 that theyr Courtes resembled Churches as Eusebius reporteth of great Constantine that hee had consecrated his whole house to the seruice of God the onely king of kinges that the domesticall multitude of his Court was euen a Church of God yea hee retayned aboute him sundrie ministers of God that ordinarilie praied for him Lykewise the Emperour Valerian in the beginning of his Empire so greatly fauoured the Christians that his Court beeing replenished wyth greate store of all sortes of people that feared God Eusebius tearmeth it The Church of God Eus hist Eccl. li. 7. ca. 10 They lykewyse verie well vnderstoode and perceiued that euen the prosperitie of theyr persons and estate depended vppon pietie and the establishment of the seruice of God according as the holie Apostle Saint Paule verie well noteth where hee sayth Godlynesse hath promise of the lyfe present and of that that is to come 1. Tim. 4.8 As also God speaking vnto the Prophet Samuell sayde I wyll honour those that honour mee Among others 1. Sam. 2.30 Constantine the greate writing vnto Anilin confesseth and acknowledgeth that by diuerse and sundrie experiences hee knewe that if Relygion wherein wee are to obserue wyth greate zeale a singular reuerence of holynesse and godlynesse bee anie whit neglected or diminished such neglect wyll prooue in time verye daungerous and hurtefull vnto the Common wealth And contrarywyse that being vpholden and maintained it breedeth great felicity and prosperitie to all men Zozom hist Eccl l. 9. c. 1 thorough the grace and blessing of God Heereupon Zozomenes rehearsing the wonderful prosperitie that God graunted to the Emperor Thedosius and wythall noting that this blessing proceeded of
let him hast his worke that we may see it let the counsell of the holy one of Israel drawe neere and come that we may know it Secondly of those that call euill good and good euill that make darknesse light and light darknes that make bitter sweet sweet bitter Thirdly of those that are wise in their owne conceits and skilfull in the consideration of themselues The explaning therfore of these seuen follies afore mentioned may stand as a commentarie and opening of these cords and cables mentioned by Esay as also to shew that these follies tende onely to persuade man that he is a beast and that after his death he is to attend neither good nor euill thereby to staie all his thoughts and affections vpon this temporall life to plunge him in the pleasures of the world and the flesh and consequently to take from him all holines and religion Inasmuch therefore as we are now to amend our liues we must learne to renounce these seuen follies and to be wiser hereafter Of the first Folly Not to beleeue that there is a God Chap. 2. THe first principall folly is the same whereof the Prophet Dauid speaketh Psa 14.1 53.1 speaketh saying The foole hath said in his heart that there is no God Of those that in their heartes doo saie thus there be two sorts the one pronounce it with their lips the other with their woorks Aâ— for the Iewes of whom Dauid heer speaketh they in their woorks shewed that their harts did say that there is no God And tâ—is doth he note where for proof therof he addeth They are corrupt and become abhominable But among Christians there are some a matter of extreem terror that say both in hart and mouth that there is no God Yea and this impietie hath taken such hold of diuers that they will not stick to say it and that not whisperingly mumbling or between the teeth but euen with open throat And in deed in many places they dispute no longer of differences concerning the hope of saluation seruice of God but now the question is whether there be a God Yea it is a common phrase when a man affirmeth that there is a God Who did euer see him that we may beleeue him 2 The sole representation of such a blasphemie might suffise to terrifie our harts and to make vs to sweat euen water and blood for anguish That Christiandome should afford any so abhominable monsters as should denie God God I say not onely the creator whom we may behold in his works but also the redeemer that is to say God reuealed in the flesh iustified in the spirite 1. Tim. 3 16 seen of Angels preached to the Gentils beleeued vpon in the world and lifted vp into glorie This verelie is a iust and terrible iudgement which God executeth vpon those whose harts and mindes are plunged and so swallowed vp in the pleasures of the world and the flesh that they neuer think vpon God no more then if there were none It is a horrible vengeance that God layeth vpon those who to the ende without remorse of conscience to giue themselues ouer to their owne abhominations and corruption do maliciously go about to choak vp these reliques or remainders of the image of God namely That there is a God a prouidence a righteousnes in God As Dauid also noteth Psal 10 4 that all the imaginations of the wicked do concurre that there is no God It is the punishment that those men doe deserue who when they sweare for affirme any thing do spue out of their polluted lipps this blasphemie I renounce God To be briefe It is the payment wherewith God iustly punisheth the extreem ingratitude of such as contemne the incomprehensible treasure of the doctrine of the Gospell treading vnder foote the most precious blood of Iesus Christ And himselfe hath pronounced that such people do deserue a more horrible iudgement then the inhabitants of Sodome and Gomorrha Math 10 15 It is also the last plague and persecution wherewith Gods children toward this end of the world shall be tried when these monsters shall scorne their simplicitie and constancie in refraining from euill vpon their assured hope in God and for feare of his name 3 But as there is no wound more mortall than the same that plucketh foorth mans heart or soule so is there no poison or pestilence of greater force sodainly in men to kill all faith hope charitie with the feare of God and consequently to cast him headlong into the pit of hell than to deny the principle foundation of all religion namely that there is a God To the end therefore to arme the elect against such an extreame and pernitious temptation to make those that shall suffer themselues to be carried awaie with so bitter a temptation the more inexcusable in the daie of iudgement we will produce against these Atheists sundrie witnesses against whom no exceptions can bee taken and first all Iewes and Christians because they allow of the olde Testament secondly all men liuing thirdly all creatures as well those that haue essence onely as those that with essence haue life and those that with essence and life haue motion and feeling and lastly man although he speake nothing who besides his essence life and motion is also indued with reason And in deed the creation preseruation and guiding of all these creatures doo with a loude voice proclaime that there is a God And first we will begin with those that allow the olde Testament to be the word of God and consequently with all Iewes and Christians that are or euer were For as in the olde Testament the testimonies that there is a God are most euident infinite and of sundrie sortes so is it a desperate presumption and impudencie to go about to denie that which by so many millions both of Iewes and Christians haue euermore beene beleeued and confessed 4 If these Atheists do saie that both Iewes Christians haue all bin deceiued by beleeuing the holy Scripture whether of the olde or new Testament and consequently all testimonies of the diuinitie therein contained What booke haue they so authenticall or ancient as the Bible wherwith they may to the contrarie proue that there is no God Againe how can they shun the conuiction of their owne consciences which will force them to acknowledge that the holie Scriptures proceeded from God if they wil consider but these reasons folowing First they make no doubt whether the bookes attributed to Plato Aristotle Polibius Liuie Demosthenes Cicero Homer Virgil such others were writteÌ„ by those men to whoÌ„ they be attributed What reason theÌ„ haue they to demand whether the Bible were written by Moses Iosua Esdras Dauid the Prophets and Apostles They also at the least in general termes do approue the contents of the said prophane bookes whether for historie or for doctrine With what mallice are they then possessed that should
that the bookes of the old new Testament were foisted in or inuented by men except these Atheists because they would deny that ther is a God 9 Againe many of those that from time to time haue made warre against the holy Scriptures seeking either to falsifie or vtterly to abolish the same and persecuted the professors thereof haue felt the smart of Gods horrible iudgements poured vppon them and departed this life in most wonderfull terrible manner which no doubt was a vengeance that God the author of this Scripture executed against them As in deed many of them haue bin likewise forced of themselues to confesse their torments to proceed frō the hand of God stretched forth to punish their impietie By the premises therefore it sufficiently appeareth that the disaduowing and denying of the holy Scripture to bee the word of God proceedeth not of ignorance but euen of peruerse obstinacie and mallice and therefore that we haue iustly produced so many millions both of Iewes Christians professors of this holy Scripture as witnesses that there is one God against all those that in mallice reiect the same least they should be forced to confesse that there is a God 10 If this suffice not we will secondly produce for witnesses all people nations of the world that haue bin spred ouer the whol earth from the creatiō of the world to this day For they all with one consent do acknowledge that there is some God or Gods A certaine philosopher heathen Orator hath written that there is no nation so barbarous as not to confes that which these wretches do denie namely that there is some God and these bee his words Among all men of whatsoeuer nation this is one constant and resolute opinion that there be Gods for it is a matter euen borne with man Cicero in his second book of the nature of Gods and as it were grauen in his soule What these Gods are there are sundrie opinions but that there are Gods no man doth denie And all his second booke hee applieth to proue that there are Gods All philosophers historiographers Poets do make mention of theyr Gods whom they inuocate call vpon Would man who by nature is proud stout stoope to Images of wood stone siluer or gold either offer anie sacrifice to the same or looke for any goodnes in the seruice and worship of them if this opinion that there is some God whom if they think to prosper they must inuocate and call vpon were not grauen in his heart Admit most men throughout the whole world do worship false Gods yet doth their said worship testifie that this is common among them to beleeue that there is some God Likewise that in their seuerall opinions they all do suppose that they worship one true God so do manifestly condemne those that thinke there is no God Which is more Euen the diuersitie of Gods that is in the world doth euidētly declare that to beleeue a diuinitie is no doctrine learned in the schoole of man neither anie agreement among men but rather that nature the common mother of all hath taught them that there is a God thus they that denie it are no partakers of mans nature Moreouer swearing or the oth that is commonly in vse with all nations either for the maintenāce of the truth or for the true performance of what soeuer is inuiolably promised is another plain proof that al men liuing doo confesse that there is a God who knoweth the secrets of all harts loueth truth and punisheth falsehood 11 Some replye that whatsoeuer the worlde beleeueth concerning God proceedeth onely of the craft and pollicie of those that haue sought to purchase authoritie for their laws decrees vnder colour of communication with the Gods from whom say they they haue receiued whatsoeuer they haue commanded to men But this glosse which they pretend would bee of small account with men were not this perswasion that there are Gods whom they should feare to offend first grauen in their harts For had they not beleeued it they would boldly haue scorned those that shuld boast of such cōmunication with the Gods And therfore euen those men whō they charge with such policies are also witnesses that al men do beleeue that there is a God Again peruse al books that euer wer writtē frō the beginning of the world to this day and see how many notable persons we shall find that euer maintained this blasphemie that there is no God Plut. in the decrees of Philo. li. 1. c. 7 Cicero in the first booke of the nature of Gods Well do they make mention of one Diagoras a Melian and a poet of one Theodorus a Grecian of one Ephemerus a Tegaean some others accounted to be Atheists But why were they so accounted Not because they vtterly denied a God for euen Diagoras beginneth his verses with a confession that all things are ordered by a diuinitie but rather for that they scorned the Idols multitude of Gods As Ephemerus was termed an Atheist because he writ that the Gods of the Gentiles haue beene excellent personages whose portraitures hauing bene reserued for remembrances were after conuerted into Idols We also read that Protagoras the Abderite Cicero in his first booke of the nature of Gods for writing in the beginning of his booke I wot not what to saie whether there bee Gods or whether there bee none was by the commandement of the Athenians banished their towne and territories his bookes openly burned whereby many were made more slacke in the profession of the like opinion considering that the only doubt whether there were Gods could not escape punishment True it is that certain Philosophers tearmed Sceptiques called the same againe into question But the reason was because their profession was to doubt of all things euen of those which they did both see and touch yea and whether themselues were or were not They that beleeue not their owne senses that blacke is blacke that fire is hot that snowe is white that I se is colde in briefe that doubt of euerie thing that is and whether each thing be such as we see it feele it heare it c. are surely deuoide of sense and yet not so senselesse as the Atheistes for those men doe but doubt whether there bee Gods but these men doo vtterly denie that there be anie Thus wee see the testimonies and confessions of all people and nations in the worlde for the space of fiue thousand yeres for so long it hath continued who all with one consent do condemne the blasphemie of those that to the contrarie dare affirme that there is no God 12 Moreouer the very deuils do beleeue that there is a God and doo tremble Iam. 2 19. as saith Saint Iames. And heereof we haue many testimonies among the writings of the Heathen Among others Apollo that God or rather deuill so famous among the Ethnikes sayth thus We deuils
than himselfe But Solon answered that no man was to bee called blessed before his death Rightly did Solon there reproue the folly of Croesus who thought himselfe blessed in vncertaine prosperitie As Solon lykewise being accounted so wise shewed his follye by signifying in such an answere that Croesus had bene blessed if he had continued in such prosperitie vntill his death Yet if Solon iudged that Croesus coulde not thinke himselfe blessed in all his prosperitie what would hee haue iudged if he had beene a Christian and had seene the change of Croesus prosperitie not into that calamitie that befell him when Cyrus afterward tooke him prisoner but euen into hell and death euerlasting Might hee not and that iustly haue sayd that Croesus notwithstanding his prosperitie euen albeit the same had stuck by him vnto his death was neuer blessed but most accursed 6 Plato a Heathen confirmeth the same by a notable discourse Plut. in his consolation to Apolonius which Plutarch indeauouring to comfort Apollonius vppon the death of his sonne doth alleadge This euermore sayth hee was one resolute opinion that whosoeuer departed this lyfe had liued vertuously at his death he was transported to the Ilands of the blessed and there feeling no inconuenience inioyed soueraigne felicitie And contrarywise they which liued wickedly and vniustly were sent into the prison of iustice and vengeaunce called Tartarum At the first sentence was awarded by liuing Iudges and while men were yet aliue but the same daie that they were to die Howbeit there grewe such abuse heerein that complaint was brought from the Ilandes of the blessed that some were sent thether that had beene wicked and peruerse liuers And thereuppon was the occasion of such abuse examined which was sounde to proceede of this that iudgement was giuen while the men yet liued clothed with honourable carcases wyth riches nobilitye and other lyke qualities In respect whereof they found many witnesses who making their apparaunce before the Iudges affirmed for them that they were men that deserued to passe to the sayde Ilandes of the blessed The cause of the errour once found out it was decreed that from thence forth ther should no iudgement passe vntill after death when the soules should bee depriued of theyr bodies and that also not by men yet aliue and subiect to bee abused by the outwarde shew but by spirites who should see nothing but the spirits and naked soules of those whom they were to giue sentence vppon to the ende that they which in this world had wrought wickednesse in theyr honourable bodies clothed with nobilitie riches and such other qualities might bee sent to tormentes and contrarywise that they who during theyr liues had kepte righteous hâ—lye and vertuous soules albeit in poore abiect and afflicted bodies might passe into the Ilandes of the blessed This was the discourse of a Heathen man who had attained some sight of the truth albeit intangled in ignorance and errour yet fitly confirming our argument namely that wee must not iudge of mannes felicitie or miserie by the outwarde apparance 7 This folly of iudging by the outward apparance doth yet proceede farther For it can take no place at the least wherein to stay and settle it selfe in mans heart but onely among those that denie Gods prouidence namely those that thinke there is no righteous God that administreth iustice For confesse that there is a God and that hee is righteous and thou canst not iudge of mans felicitie or miserie by the outward shew Thou canst not I saie iudge whether hee that liueth in prosperitie be blessed or another in affliction cursed For sith most vsually the wicked do prosper in this lyfe and contrarywise the children of God haue most trouble what should become of Gods iustice whose nature is to rewarde euill to the wicked and good to the good A certaine Bishop of Verdune in his Chronicle reporteth that one Almauri king of Ierusalem on a time demanded of a certaine Doctor howe he could proue another life after this The Doctor asked him whether he beleeued there was a God Which when he had graunted It sufficeth sayd the Doctor For if there be a God he is righteous if hee bee righteous he must administer iustice in rewarding the good and punishing the wicked Nowe thy selfe sayde hee hast knowen such a wicked man who alwayes liuing in pleasure and honour slept in peace Thou knewest such another a verie good man in continuall tribulation euen to the death If therefore there bee a righteous God it cannot bee chosen but there is another lyfe wherein this good man resteth nowe in blisse and the wicked man in woe Whether this was a true reporte or but a fiction for example and doctrine yet doeth it surely most playnelye teach vs that hee that by outwarde prosperitie iudgeth a man to be blessed and by tribulation to bee accursed denyeth a God in that hee denyeth his iustice The doctrine of this historie or example doeth Saint Paul also confirme saying That the tribulations of the faithfull layde vppon them by the wicked that are in prosperitie are a manifest testimonie of the iudgement to come farre other than the fooles do by the outward apparance imagine The reason hee also addeth saying 2. Thes 1 For it is a righteous thing wyth God to recompence tribulation to them that trouble you and rest to you that are troubled Which iustice if it be not executed in this life he concludeth that it shal be in the latter comming of Iesus Christ to iudgement 8. It is blasphemie against God sayth Dauid to saie that he will not regard mans transgressions to punish them according to his iustice Wee will not therefore saie Psal 10.13 that the sinner liuing in pleasure alreadie condemned in the sight of God and waiting but the houre of eternall death can bee blessed or more blessed than the faithfull and troubled man who walketh through tribulations to take possession of the kingdome of heauen For if by outward apparance wee iudge the wicked man that is in prosperitie to be blessed and the good man that is in affliction accursed we shall abolish Gods iustice yea euen God himselfe And this is the rather to bee noted to the end that when the children and seruants of God doo finde themselues sometime pricked with this temptation they may the better stand vpon their gard with constancy to resist the same 9 Some men in olde time reiected the booke of Ecclesiastes Philast in his catal of heretikes c. 132. Iac. Chrisost polit in the preface before the com on the Canticles thinking that Salomon wrote it in his olde age after hee had beene carryed awaie by the multitude of his wiues Alleadging that in that booke hee placed mans soueraigne and chiefe felicitie in the pleasures and lustes of the flesh as if there were no other lyfe after this Some Epicures lykewise in our time doo abuse it to the lyke purpose alleadging that there
gaue giftes vnto men And what giftes He gaue some to be Apostles some Prophets some Euangelists Ephes 3.8 some Pastors and teachers for the gathering together of the Saintes for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the bodie of Christ If therefore wee desire to be reestablished into life gathered vnto Christ and made liuely stones in the temple of God Iohn 21.15 1. Pet. 4.2 Act. 20.28 wee must vse this gift of Christ euen to heare sermons by the ministerie of the pastors Iesus Christ commandeth Saint Peter to feed his lambes and Peter exhorteth his companions in the holy ministerie to feed the flocke of Christ As also Saint Paul speaking to the Bishops of â—phesus who were come to Miletum sheweth them that the holy Ghost had established them in that vocation to the ende they should seede the Church of God which he had purchased with his bloud Hee therefore that seeketh the foode of his soule least it should famish die Math. 16 15 must labor that it may be fed with the worde of God through the preaching of the same Which is more Preaching is named the key of the kingdome of heauen thereby to declare that as by preaching of the Gospell heauen is opened to all that giue eare thereunto and do beleeue the word preached so al such as condemn the hearing therof are excluded from the same 3 Experience hath euermore borne witnes and euen to this day do testify what numbers haue bin illuminated reconciled to God and drawen to saluation life euerlasting through the preaching of the Gospell In one daie saith S. Luke by the preaching of the Apostles there were added to the Church about three thousand persons This efficacie of the preaching of the Gospel Act. 2.41 Luke 10.18 doth Christ confirm saying that when his disciples did preach it he saw satan like lightning fall downe from heauen therein shewing vs that satan by the ministerie of the pastors preaching the Gospell is banished destroied Doo we not euen in our daies see how by the ministerie of men Math. 13.31 preaching the Gospell the little graine of mustard seede as Christ tearmed it is growen into a great tree that with the branches and fruit thereof ouerspreadeth many prouinces and kingdomes As therfore there is no famine more dangerous than is that whereof Amos speaketh Amos 8.11 Math. 9.48 saying God shall send a famine not of bread but of the hearing of the word of God so is there no haruest more necessarie and blessed than that which is reaped by the workemen of Christ when they preach the Gospell 4 And in deede albeit men when they preach the worde haue not in them vertue and power to illuminate to giue faith to conuert harts and to saue soules 1. Cor. 3.7 for he that planteth and he that watereth as S. Paul saith are nothing but he that giueth increase yet is this one point which most soueraignlye commaundeth the holye ministerie of the worde that God who hath ordayned it doth also accompanie it with the efficacie of his holy spirit that it may illuminate and saue men Esa 59.21 This is my couenant with them saith the Lord My spirit which is vpon thee and my wordes which I haue put in thy mouth shall not departe out of thy mouth nor out of the mouth of thy seed nor out of the mouth of the seed of thy seed from henceforth for euer 2. Cor. 3.8 Gal. 3.2 And this is most singularly performed in the preaching of the Gospell Heereupon Paule calleth it The ministery of the holy Ghost And in another place he sayth that the Galathians receiued the holy Ghost by hearing of the faith preached And therefore speaking of himselfe and his fellowes 1. Cor. 3.9 he saith thus We are Gods laborers because that God imploying them in his seruice wrought in them by his spirite 5 Yet for the more commendation and authoritie of the ministery of the word Luke 10.16 Iohn 13.30 Iesus Christ aduertiseth vs that it is not so much that mortall men speake vnto vs as in deed it is God in them and by them He that heareth you saith Iesus Christ to his Apostles consequently to all preachers heareth me and hee that receiueth you receiueth me In this sense did the Prophets vsually begin their sermons Ier. 1.9 saying Thus saith the Lord Heare the worde of the Lord and made an end saying For the mouth of the Almightie hath spoken it And where Ieremie rehearseth that God speaking vnto him sayd Ezech. 33 I haue put my wordes in thy mouth it importeth the same that Ezechiel setteth downe Apoc. 10.8 saying God gaue me a scrowle to eate commanded me to declare his wordes thereby signifying that his preaching was but an vtterance of the words declared in the scrowle that hee had deliuered him to eate As also S. Iohn at the commandement of the Angell eate a booke which the Angell gaue him with this addition Thou must yet prophesie to many nations Therein declaring that his sermons were a deliuerie of that which God had written in that booke Psal 95.1 Heb. 7 18. 4.7 2. Cor. 5.20 1. Thes 2. Dauid likewise exhorting the people of his time to conuert to the Lord for the authorizing of his doctrine saith thus If at this daie ye will heare the voice of the Lord harden not your hearts The Apostle exhorting the Hebrewes to giue credit to the Lord vseth the same sentence saying This daie if ye heare the voice of God harden not your hearts The same doth S. Paule expresly confirme saying We are the embassadors of Christ as if God exhorted by vs. And thereupon he testifieth to the Thessalonians that they receiued his doctrine not as the word of man but as the word of God Adding as in truth it was True it is there is a difference betweene the ministers of the word and the Prophets Apostles neuerthelesse if we be bound to receiue the doctrine of the Apostles Prophets as the word of God and that the faithful ministers preaching their doctrine do likewise preach the word of God then they that in these daies do contemne the preaching of the faithfull ministers doo as Christ said to his Apostles contemne and reiect God in them and therfore the vengeance by Iesus Christ himself denounced against those that would not heare his Apostles who said That it should be easier for Sodome Gomorrha in the daie of iudgement than for them Math. 14. will likewise fall vppon the contemners of the preachinges of the faithfull pastours of our time And they who for their contempt incredulitie and obstinacie in euill dooing shall at this day bee bound in earth by the ministery of the word Math. 16.19 shall also be bounde in heauen It is not therefore because man hath this power in him selfe neither is it so great an offence not to heare men
speaking vnto vs but because God speaketh by them and therefore whosoeuer despiseth or resisteth them when they preach the worde of God hee doth despise and reiect God in them 6 The premises doo sufficiently shew in what reuerence wee are to holde the ministerie of the worde what a blessing it is to enioye it how earnestly and diligently wee shoulde frequent sermons especially in consideration of the benefites which wee reape by them as illumination reconcilement to God and participation of saluation and lyfe euerlasting For this cause doth the Deuill our auncient enemie labour to diuert men heerefrom and to bring them out of taste saying vnto some If God woulde speake vnto vs either by himselfe or by his holie Angelles wee woulde verie willingly beleeue and obeye him alledging to others That they can reade Gods word in their houses that they haue verie good bookes and that they can heare no better instructions in the sermons of men than in the preachinges of Iesus Christ written by the Euangelists neither anie better doctrine than in the writings of the Prophets Apostles But hereto we aunswere that our selues are also in duetie to read the holy Scriptures as hereafter we will more at large declare In the meane time it is abhominable rashnes and presumption in man to seeke to alledge reasons against the expresse declaration of the will of God Albeit we should not vnderstand for what cause God would speake vnto vs by the ministery of men or that thereby he would bring vs to saluation yet might it become vs to humble our selues in his sight and without replying to obey his commandements ordinances as certainly beleeuing that to his elect hee appointeth nothing but in his wisdome goodnes to his owne glorie and to their felicitie and saluation And in deed first euer since the fall of Adam men haue bin so estranged from God by reason of sin and their own corruptioÌ„ that they cannot abide the presence of God especially when he speaketh to them And therefore this was in olde time a common saying Iud. 13.22 We shal die for we haue seene God Likewise the people of Israel hearing God speaking vnto theÌ„ in mount Sinay Exod. 20.19 sayd vnto Moses Speake thou vnto vs and wee will heare thee but let not the Lord speake least we die And God accepting this confession of their infirmitie together with their demaund saide vnto Moses They haue sayd well and therefore I will heereafter speake vnto them by the ministerie of men Deut. 18.17 raising them vp Prophets and putting my words in their mouthes This experience of the people of Israel that they were not able to heare God speaking vnto them theyr demand that hee would speake to them by men the approbation thereof and Gods promise to send them prophets do declare that it is an intollerable presumption if in stead of vsing the ministerie of men we wil needs haue God himselfe to speake vnto vs. 7 Neuertheles albeit God would not offer himselfe in such maiestie as to terrifie men when he speaketh vnto theÌ„ yet may we note sundrie notable reasons that moue him to vse the ministerie of men First it is a good proofe of our humilitie obedience in that he is content we should be taught and brought to saluation by the ministrie of men that be like vnto our selues sometime our inferiors for so will God haue the glory of our faith and saluation to himself but if himself shuld speak vnto vs or send his Angels some might say It is no maruell though men obey for who will not beleeue God when himselfe speaketh vnto vs Who dare disobey him But sith they bee men and many times of lowe degree yea euen such as want the perswasiue wordes of mannes wisedome 1. Cor. 2.4 â— as Saint Paul confesseth of himselfe then as hee also addeth Faith must bee from God and not from man And therefore is it not requisite that the holye Ghost shoulde perswade vs that when vve heare men speaking vnto vs wee heare God speaking by them and so doo receiue their worde not as the woordes of men but as the worde of God In this sense doth he also say that the pastors doo beare the treasure of the heauenly doctrine as it were in earthen vessels to the end to trie our humilitie and faith 2. Cor. 4.7 whether without respect of the base and meane estate of the men wee can finde in our hearts to esteeme of and accept the heauenly treasure which they present vnto vs. Secondly is it not a great honour that God doth to man when from among men hee chooseth some to bee his embassadors as it were his owne mouth to preach and proclaime his will together with the mysteries of our saluation and to beare witnesse of his great mercie goodnesse and loue towardes vs and of that eternall glorie which he hath prepared for vs in heauen 8 Thirdly the establishment of preaching is an excellent conuenient meane to maintaine loue vnion and truth among men If there were no preaching but onely priuate reading of Gods word we shuld presently find a horrible confusion in the doctrine when euery one shall expound the holy Scripture after his owne sense vnderstanding As also by experience we doo but too plainly see that they which contemne preaching doo finally fall into diuerse opinions and errours Heereto had S. Paul especiall regard when he writ to the Ephesians There is one bodie and one spirite Ephes 4. â—4 euen as yee are called in one hope of your vocation There is one Lord one faith one baptisme one God and father of all which is aboue all and thorough al in al. But vnto euerie one of vs is giuen grace according to the measure of the gifte of Christ Wherefore hee sayth when he ascended vp on high hee led captiuitie captiue and gaue giftes vnto men Hee gaue vnto some to bee Apostles others to bee Prophets others to be Euangelists and others to be pastours and doctors for the gathering together of the saints for the worke of the ministerie and for the edification of the body of Christ till we all meet together in the vnitie of faith knowledge of the son of God vnto a perfect man and vnto the measure of the age of the fulnes of Christ that we henceforth be no more children wauering and carried about with euerie winde of doctrine but let vs follow the truth in loue and in all things grow vp into him which is the head that is Iesus Christ by whom all the bodie being coupled and knit together by euerie ioynt receiueth increase of the bodie vnto the edifying of it selfe in loue through the grace that is ministred according to the measure of euerie member 9 By this discourse the Apostle Saint Paule doeth manifestlye declare that this gathering together of the Saintes this building vp of the bodie of Christ our full growing vp in him that is
he carefully commendeth himselfe to their praiers and by his example exhorteth vs to pray without ceasing and to perseuere in prayer with watching and thankesgiuing 5 That we may the better therefore employ our selues in this dutie it is meete that we practise the saying of Iesus Christ When thou prayest enter into thy chamber Mat. 6.6 and when thou hast shut thy doore praie vnto thy father which is in secret and thy father which seeth in secret shall reward thee openly True it is that this exhortation tendeth especially to reproue the hipocrisy of those that seek to make a shew and to boast of their deuotion yet with all it ministreth a generall and very profitable instruction that wee should exercise our selues in praiers not onely in publique but also priuate withdrawing our selues solitarily apart to employ some time therin with assurance that it shall not be without fruite And to that purpose wee reade that Isaac went from among his familie into the field to pray That Peter went into the toppe of the house among the Iewes the roofes of the houses were flat to pray Did not Iesus Christ many times goe a side alone to pray to God his father Gen. 24.63 Act. 10.9 Mark 6.46 Mark 1.36 Luk. 6.12 Saint Marke saith that he went vp into the mountaine to pray Also that rising while it was yet night hee went forth into a desert place and prayed And Saint Luke saith that beeing gone into the mountaine to praie he spent the whole night in praier As therefore by his example we ought to seeke out all secret opportunities wherby we may the more freely lift vp our hearts to God in praier So when we find our selues alone vpon occasion or otherwise in the house or in the fields by night or by day such solitarinesse should be vnto vs as a warning and allurement by and by to thinke vpon God that we may praie and praise him For as the spirite cannot be Idle so being alone from noise companie or companion to talke with it giueth occasion to the children of God that are not to much entangled in worldly affaires to enter as it were into familiaritie with God and to call onely vpon him 6 And in as much as we are but meanely enclined and giuen to these spiritual exercises it might well beseeme the childreÌ„ of God to binde themselues to certaine houres not in superstition but for a remedie to our in firmities because otherwise we will many times ouerslippe the whole day without this dutie But hauing limited some certaine houre for that employment the striking of the clocke will admonish vs of our dutie that wee shoulde not let it escape Dauid a man greatly exercised in praier practised this course as he sheweth saying that he called vpon the Lord at night Psal 55.18 Dan. 6.10 August 10 Proba in the morning and at noone daie Daniel also thrice a daie entered into his chamber to pray to God And Saint Augustine writeth that the brethren of Egypt in his time vsed many prayers to God but verie short cast forth as darts into heauen least through tediousnes the seruencie that ought to be in prayer might quaile By the premises therefore it appeareth that for the amendement of our liues we ought according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ to correct the negligence and sloth that hath taken holde of vs to imploie our selues in praier and priuate supplications thereto heereafter to giue our selues with such zeale Luke 21.36 Psal 4.6 that by continuall watching and praying to God our petitions in all things may bee made knowen to him by praiers and supplications with thankesgiuing as beeing assured that the more that we exercise and accustome our selues thereunto the greater shal be our comfort and affection to abide therin to Gods glory and the benefit and saluation both of our neighbors and our selues Of our dutie to reade the holy Scriptures Chap. 7. AS for the reading of the holy Scriptures wherein euerie one ought diligently to exercise himselfe experience sufficiently teacheth that when without daunger of fire it was prohibited vs wee then burned in seruent affection to reade but nowe when lawfully wee may doo it and that we bee thereto dayly exhorted either wee haue no bookes or if wee haue anie wee neuer looke vpon them How many whole families admitted to the holy supper shall wee finde that haue not among them all one Bible no not a new Testament And howe many of those that haue them doo bestowe daily one quarter of an houre in reading vpon them Nay how many dayes yea euen weekes doo they passe ouer without reading anie one woorde therein They surelye thinke it enough that they haue them to make shewe of them vppon some cupboord or deske Chrisost in his third Ho. vpon Iohn cap. 4 Saint Iohn Chrisostome noted the lyke corruption in his time Let vs bee ashamed sayth hee that a woman hauing had fiue husbands and she a Samaritan should bee so diligent and attentiue to learne that neither the time neither her businesse could withdrawe her from Christs mouth where she might bee taught and yet that wee doo neuer enquire anie thing concerning instruction in heauenly matters Which of you at your returne to your houses doo applie your selues to anie thing worthie Christians Which of you seeketh after the sense of the holye Scriptures Truely none Wee many times finde you in hand with the Chesse boord and playing Tables but seldome with bookes If ye haue bookes it is as if yee had none for they bee locked vp and kept in coffers your onely care is to haue them of fine parchment and sayâ—â— written not that yee may reade them but to make them an ostentation of your wealth and ambition Heereto hee addeth The vse of the Scriptures is not to haue them in bookes onely but to reade and print them in our heartes As in those dayes there was no printing so were bookes rare and very dere and in that respect did men vse them for an ostentation of their riches and shewed theyr ambition in this that hauing bookes fayre written and in fine parchment they referred them not to their right vse namely to reade them and so to take profite to saluation But in these dayes where there is such plentie of bookes through the helpe of printing men care not for hauing them much lesse for reading in them 2 Before the new Testament was translated into our tongue some would take pains to copie our Chapters which their Curates beeing wel minded to religion had secretly translated now many will grudge a small portion of monie for the price of a Bible yea euen of a new Testament And this hath beene a perpetuall infirmitie Poore men sayth Chrisostome doo excuse theyr neglygence in reading Gods word Chrisostome vpon Iohn Tom. 5. â—o 10 vpon tâ—e first Chapter â—lledging want of bookes meanes to buy anie A lyttle will I â—â—â—ake vnto them
himselfe from this duetie beeing in his iourney yet riding on his chariot hee read the Prophet Esaie but wee Christians will almost be ashamed to shew our selues so religious Yet might this diligence of a great Heathen Lord as yet ignorant together with his feruent affection to reade the holy Scripture make vs to blush for shame for that we do neglect so many our conuenient opportunities and great leasure to reade the doctrine of the Gospell so cleere and full of singular consolations 5 Saint Augustine reporteth that himselfe was conuerted to the true Christian religion by reading the holy scriptures In his confessions also that he was mooued to the sayde reading by hearing the voyce as it were of some little childe singing and saying Take and reade Rom. 13.14 And that obeying that voyce he lighting vppon this place Put on the Lorde Iesus Christ and take no thought for the flesh to fulfill the lusts thereof was conuerted to the Lorde whome hee had so mightily wythstood How many thousands euen in our dayes haue there beene conuerted and illuminated by reading the Scriptures and other good bookes written vpon the same But this is the mischiefe that many are content with some small tast and darke or weak beginning and neuer thinke it necessarie dayly to goe forwarde albeit vndoubtedly such a beginning of lyght and comfort shoulde kindle theyr heartes and cause them to imitate the labourers in the mines of siluer and golde who when they haue found a good vain of mettall doo followe it to the end But the end of this golden vaine of the holye Scripture will neuer bee sounde for the farther wee reade the more wee shall finde and such are the pleasures thereof that the more wee eate the more will our appetite increase 6 It is surely maruellous that all the endeauours of sathan euer seeking to depriue vs of the holye Scriptures cannot bee vnto vs a manifest aduertisement assured testimonie of the commodity or rather necessitie of reading the same For to what ende did he in the dayes of Antiochus seeke to abolish all the bookes of the lawe 1. Mac. 1 Or to what purpose dyd hee in the Romish Church procure that the people might not bee permitted to reade the holye Scriptures especially in a vulgar or knowen language Could hee more euidently declare himselfe to bee the prince of darknesse and father of lyes than by taking from the people of God the light and truth of Gods most holy and sacred worde May wee not thereof gather that in vs hee feareth nothing so much as the reading of the same Or ought wee not wyth greater courage to growe more diligent and feruent in this duetie This zeale did appeare when by Sathan wee were oppressed wyth this effecte that wee myght not reade but as violence is asswaged so our zeale is quayled The fire appeareth not because the stone lighteth not vppon the steele Yet sayeth Saint Augustine hee that careth not for reading the holy Scriptures August in his 56. sermon to the brethren in the wildernes Esa 5.13 1. Cor. 4.38 sent out of paradise is to feare not onely depriuation of eternall felicitie but also that hee can neuer escape euerlasting punishment For the neglect of reading Gods holy worde is so daungerous a matter that the Prophet in greate sorrowe cryed out My people are gone into captiuitie because they had no knowledge For hee that is ignoraunt shall bee ignorant Vndoubtedly God will not vouchsafe to knowe him in eternall felycitie which in this lyfe careth not to seeke after God by reading the holy Scriptures It were good that we feared Math. 25.12 least wee shoulde heare the same that was sayde to the foolish virgines when the doores were shutte I knowe you not Why shall hee not knowe those whome hee wyll sende into euerlasting fyre Yes so farre foorth as not to aduowe those who in this lyfe cared not to knowe him to bee his in the daye of iudgement Prou. 28.9 And therefore are wee dilygently to note the saying of Salomon Hee that turneth awaie his eare from hearing the lawe euen his prayer shall be abhominable Hee therefore that desireth that God shoulde heare him must first heare God For how can hee pretend that God shall heare or graunt his petitions considering that himselfe careth not for hearing of God when hee speaketh vnto him in his holy Scriptures Then proceeding in his purpose hee addeth this complaint Some Christians yea euen some of the Cleargie when they are vppon a iourney doo prepare bread wine oyle and so foorth or other things sith they care so much for the flesh or bodie can they not also care for feeding their soules by diligent reading of the holye Scriptures 7 Bee diligent sayth Chrisostome before the Sermon Chrisost vpō Iohn Ca 1 Homil. 10. Tome 5 to take into your handes the Gospels that wee are to reade and in your houses repeat them many times seeking diligently the vnderstanding of the same then giue attentiue heede to the Sermon so shall I more easily teach you by reason of your perfectnesse in the sentence which you shall haue read at home and beeing your selues soone instructed you shall bee the more readie to teach others If anie man pretend excuse vppon his businesse and employmentes eyther publyke or priuate surely it is a great abuse so much to giue himselfe thereto that for temporall affayres and worldly commodities hee shoulde neglect the studie of such as bee eternall The time that they sometimes spende euen by whole dayes together in conuersing with their friendes in walking for theyr pleasures in playes and pastimes and in long sittinges wherein they neuer excuse themselues by anie of theyr businesses will take from them all excuse whatsoeuer in the daie of Gods iudgement You vse such dilygence sayth he about these base abiect and vaine trifles that you account such as bee spirituall and concerne heauen to be vtterly vnprofitable and of no value 8 Some there are which thinke reading to bee a studie to belong onely to the Minister and for the most parte they will content themselues wyth a Sermon and as for the rest they wyll dispense therewyth that they may the more liberally employe the rest of theyr time in the affayres and businesse of this lyfe Neyther is this anie newe corruption crepte in of late For it had taken root in the time of Chrisostome who also then complained thereof and sharply reprooued it Chriso in his 2. Tom. 2. hom vpō the first of Math. Also in his 3. sermon of Lazarus as vtterlye dislyking of the same You will aunswere sayth hee I am no Monke I haue a wife and children and charge of familie and householde But see this is the plague that corrupteth all that yee wyll laye the whole burden of holy reading vppon the Monkes as if it belonged vnto them onelie notwithstanding contrarywise it be more requisite and necessarie for you than
for them For such as through worldly conuersation doo dayly receiue wound vppon wound and one infection vpon another are in the greater neede of celestiall and heauenlie phisicke Chriso 3. sermon of Lazarus And heereunto hee addeth also That it is a greate deale worse to thinke or imagine the holye Scriptures to bee fruitlesse or vnprofytable for them than to bee vtterly ignoraunt in them And in another place prosecuting the same argument he sayth Therefore I desire you not onely to come hether often to heare the holye scriptures read vnto you but also that in your owne houses you take in hand the holy Bible and with feruent desire to profit you receiue what so euer you finde therein And soone after Loose not I beseeche you by your neglygence such a commoditie but euen in your houses attend the reading of the holy scriptures Chrisostome vpon the Epistle to the Colos Hom. 9 The same Chrisostome vppon these woordes of the Apostle Let the worde of God dwell plentifully in you sayth thus You that liue in the worlde you that haue wiues and children marke how the Apostle commandeth you especiallye to reade the holye Scriptures and that not slightly or for a fashion but plentifully and with great diligence Then hee addeth Buy the Bible which is the medicine of the soul at the least the new Testament the writings of the Apostles the Acts the Gospels that therein you may diligently reap daily instruction for the ignorance in the scriptures is the cause of all euill 9 Others there are that care not for reading the Scriptures because therin they find no tast or comfort and this is an euill signe For as hee that for a while hath beene kept eating and therefore refuseth good meat for want of appetite must thinke that his stomacke is not wel so he that findeth no tast in the reading of Gods word may well feel that his soul is sick Yet should he follow the counsel that the Phisition giueth to his patient to whom he saith Eate by eating your stomacke will come to you But this theyr want of tast proceedeth heereof that they be not acquainted with the phrase of the holy Ghost and so doo resemble those who hearing a sermon but not beeing perfect in the language doo therein reape neither instruction nor comfort to saluation It were good for those men many times to heare God speaking vnto them by reading the holy scriptures so shall they by little and little learne the speech of the holy Ghost euen as men vse to learne other languages through the exercise of hearing reading speaking Some spices there are which without brusing doo yeld no smell but the more they bee chafed the sweeter they are euen so is it with the holy scriptures such as reade but little can finde no taste but the more they bee perused and read the more doo they yeelde foorth the treasures and pleasant fruites hidden in them And in deede sayth Chrisostome the cause why many doo vnderstand nothing procedeth not so much of ignorāce as that they wil not dayly haue the writings of the Apostles or reade them That which we know Chrisostome in his preface on the Epistle to the Romanes sayth hee afterwardes if wee knowe anie thing commeth not so much of the excellencie of our vnderstanding as of this that beeing as it were tyed to the writings of the Apostle we neuer leaue reading them If you therefore will in heart applie your selues to diligent and earnest reading you shall vnderstand that which you desire For the saying of Iesus Christ Seeke and you shall finde is true 10 It is likewise a vaine and friuolous excuse to alledge that the holy Scripture is darke and profound and that we vnderstande it not Plato sayth Ierome writ for few Hiero on the 86 Psal To. 8. Chriso in his 3. sermon of Lazarus and few doo vnderstande him but the Apostles writ not for few but for all And therefore Chrisostome saith Truely the grace of the holy Ghost hath so disposed and moderated the holy Scriptures that both publicanes fisher-men tent-makers shepheards and Apostles fooles and men vnlearned may by those bookes bee saued Least also some foole might haue recourse to anie excuse in the difficultie therof he hath vouchsafed that the thinges there spoken shoulde bee easie and that handy-craftes men and seruantes widdowes and the most ignorant among men shoulde reape some benefit and profit by the reading thereof For they whome God from the beginning hath accounted worthy the grace of the holy Ghost haue not set down all these things for anie vaineglorie like the Heathen but for the saluation of their hearers The Prophets and Apostles haue written their bookes easie plaine as publike Doctors for the world so as euerie one may learne their contents by reading and meditating onely Againe how wilt thou vnderstand the contents of the Scriptures when thou wilt scarse so much as looke vppon them Take the bookes in hande reade the whole historie remember such thinges as are playne and referre darker places to another time But if by continuall reading thou canst not finde the meaning get thee to some wiser man or to some Doctour and impart to him those thinges that are written declaring thy feruent desire then if God seeth such a readynesse and diligence albeit no man woulde teach thee yet woulde he himselfe vndoubtedly declare them vnto thee Remember the Queene of the Aethiopians Eunuch who albeit hee was a Barbarian Act. 8.28 a man troubled with many cares one that vnderstoode not what hee read yet woulde not passe his iourney without reading howe much lesse beeing at home in his owne house Also if hee read so diligently when hee vnderstoode not what dyd hee after hee was instructed And in deede God seeing his zeale and diligence sent Philip to teache him Neither wyll God at this time despise our desire to profyte in his woorde but wyll make vs to feele the fruite of this promise They shall all bée taught of God And therefore sayth Saint Augustine Iohn 6.45 Augustine of Christian doctrine the holye Ghost hath so moderated the holy Scriptures that hee hath prouided to remedie the darke places by others more easie and playne For hardly is there anie obscuritie but is layde open and expounded by some other place in the same Scripture Augustine of blasphemie against the holy Ghost And heerein doeth the wisedome and goodnesse of God appeare For as hee sayeth in another place as by easie places wee are fedde so by the more harde and difficult are wee exercysed by these wee put awaie sorrowe by the others famine 11 Others there are that take no profit by reading Gods word because they reade it as it were some prophane booke and neuer thinke that it is God that speaketh to them neither giue anie attention to the reading thereof and so feele no feruent desire to profite to saluation or to reforme theyr
hath yet farther scope for not contenting themselues with that naturall colour which God hath bestowed vppon them eyther with the vse of common water for cleanlynesse they daily imploie their waters wherewyth to make them seeme fairer than they are yea which is worse some doo euen paint themselues daubing theyr faces and laying on some colour wherewyth hyding the handie worke of God they maye seeme to haue more beautie than hee hath vouchsafed to giue vnto them This vanitie was in vse in the dayes of wicked Iezabel and hath euer since successiuely continued in many others that haue and doe imitate this accursed woman deuoured by dogges together with her painting 2. King 9.30 Augustine in his Epistle to Possidonius Tertullian of womans apparell Cyprian in his 5. Sermon of the fall and in his booke of virgins apparell Chrisostome hom 31 vpon Mathew Ierom against Heluidius Ierome to laeta of the instruction of maidens Ierome in his Epistle to Furia This corruption hath likewise beene euermore reproued by the holy fathers Saint Augustine hath written one expresse treatise thereof wherein hee at large condemneth all such paintings Tertullian protesting that God neuer created man so patcht or painted demandeth whether in their resurrectiō frō the dead their colours wil hold and seeing it is vnlike they should he exhorteth them to desist therfro as from things repugnant to their creation and resurrection and termeth such as paint themselues the deuils handmaides Cyprian by this similitude confirmeth the premises If when a painter hath finished a peece of worke and an other comming in should thereto set his hand and lay on other colours it would displease him how much rather will our creator be offended when a mortall man whom himselfe hath created shall by such painting take vpon him to correct the image and workemanship of his God Chrisostome resembleth such as paint themselues to those that daube clay or mire vpon an Image of golde And as Ierome termeth it what is it but a reproch to his creator who as hee imagineth hath not made him faire enough And hauing in another place reported the historie of a woman visited by the hand of God for painting her daughter he addeth that they that vse it doe pollute the temple of God and termeth their paintings firebrands to enflame youth nurses of fornication and tokens of vnpure harts 4 But to returne to the corruption in pompous and sumptuous apparell Euerie man can confesse that this excesse is ouer plentifull and common among vs. They can speake of it They can complaine of it they can say there is no amendement in vs but euery one doth giue occasion of offence They can grant that we deserue stripes that God will punish vs and that iustly and all these speeches be euen so many iudgements registred in heauen which in the end we shall find to be but an execution against vs because no man amendeth but euery one looketh who shall first beginne Euery man imagineth that himselfe may well weare such apparell and that he may better doe it then another of his like calling Euerie man condemneth excesse and vanitie yet wil he therby declare himselfe to be more rich then an other allowing that in himselfe which he reproueth in others Wee confesse the obiections made vnto such as flee from their owne habitations for religion to bee most true namely that they bring their pompe and sumpteous apparell with them into the townes that receiue them thereby alluring the naturall inhabitants who before liued in greater simplicitie and modestie to the like vanitie and corruption To bee short it seemeth that we who vnto others should be as lampes and ministers of reformation are growen to be auctors of infection offence And this may be but too truely obiected euē to our great confusion and to the slaunder of the doctrine which we doe professe Remembring therefore the exhortations of Christ and Saint Iohn importing that we should Amend our liues let vs lastly resolue to leaue off forsake and detest all this excesse vanity pompe and sumptuousnesse in apparell 5 But truely neither the Censors of Rome who made so manie good lawes concerning this matter neither the wisest reformers of our time could euer so bridle this ambition and excesse but that as an cele it would slide forth and shew it selfe transformed into some new fashion To be short there is not any lawgiuer that can sound the depth of this corruption but onely one God who teacheth vs to beginne reformation at the hart And indeed as euery seede bringeth forth hearbes or fruite according to his kind as Lettice seede Lettice Thistle seede Thistles so if the hart be humble and modest the garment for the bodye will bee euen so but if the heart bee proude and ambitious it will shew foorth some kinde of excesse and pride notwithstanding whatsoeuer lawes to the contrarie Gen. 3. 6 The first thing thereof that the Christian which mindeth to roote out pompe and excesse in apparell is to note is as well the qualitie of the garments that God made for Adam and Eue after their fall as the occasion of the same Their first garmentes were of the skinnes of beastes thereby to declare that they were become as beastes by transgressing the commaundement of God The occasion of the garmentes was shame to see themselues naked whereinto they sell by transgressing the saide commaundement of God The first vse of the garmentes therefore is vnto vs an euident reproch of their sinne to the end to humble vs in the sight of God as when a man weareth a plaister it is a signe hee hath some wounde And therefore such as seeke glorie in garmentes are like vnto those that builde faire sepulchers for their dead corps For where as their sepulcher shoulde bee a warning to them that they must dye and thereupon cause them to reiect all ambition and pride yet thereof they take occasion to boast so where as our garment shoulde bee a continuall memorie of sinne to humble vs yet wee as if wee woulde euen spite God doe procure sumptuous and gorgeous apparell to testifie our ambition and pride As a theefe by law burned in the foreheade for theft ought so oft as he looketh in a glasse and perceiueth the scarre thereof to thinke vpon and detest his inclination to that vice so our garmentes being as the scarre in the foreheade of our first fathers and our selues for their ambition in that they sought to bee like vnto God should by the onely sight of them put vs in minde to renounce all pride and ambition Let vs therefore couer our bodies decently to hide our shame and not proudly to augment it 7 The second vse of garmentes is to defend vs from colde from raine from the heate of the sunne c. What argument can we gather hereof to grow proud Hereby we ought to cal to mind Gods wrath against sinne considering that had it not beene for sinne man shoulde
theyr comfort and instruction to saluation As also it were theyr partes to vse them dayly to reade some Chapters of the holy Scriptures thereby to incline theyr affections to the word of God to inure them in the phrase of the holy Ghost by lyttle and lyttle to learne the heauenly doctrine to note the examples of Gods vengeance poured vpon the wicked and disobedient and of his blessinges vnto those that walke in his feare Athanasius to this purpose sayth verie well If thou lookest that thy children shoulde obey thee Athan. vpon the 6. to the Ephe. ioyne and accustome them to Gods woorde it wyll redound greatlye to thy profyte Let thy children heare and reade the holy Scriptures for in them shall they learne Honour thy father and thy mother But if thou doest otherwise thou trainest them vp in the Scriptures of deuilles whereout they learne most wicked things But it is not so when they are instructed in the holy Scriptures 4 Parents therefore are diligently to applie themselues to this which God commandeth and so often and earnestly commendeth vnto them namely to instruct theyr children in the knowledge feare of God Plut. in his Lacon Apotheg and in the faith of Iesus Christ When one asked of Agesilaus king of Lacedemon wherin it were best to instruct children Hee answered In those things which they are to vse in theyr age This aunswere sheweth what a folly it is to linger children in the learning of vaine trifling and vnprofytable things which as they grow in yeres they will contemne and forget Parents can be carefull enough to bring vp theyr children in some course trade or other estate wherin to get their liuings wheÌ„ they come to be men and in deede such fathers as doo neglect that are vnworthie to haue children and in that consideration dyd a certaine lawe giuer in olde time ordaine Solon that the child whom his parents had not trained vp in some conuenient course whereby to get his liuing should not be bound to nourish them in their olde age But as the soule is more precious than the bodie so is it the duetie of parents in youth to traine vp their children in the practise of those thinges wherewith in age euen in this life they may glorifie God and bee heires of the Lord. 5 And to that end they are to consider especiallye so many the commandements of God so expresly inioyning parents to instruct their children in the heauenly doctrine Deut. 6.6 These words which I command thee this daie sayth Moses shall be in thine heart thou shalt continually rehearse them vnto thy children and shalt talke of them when thou tarriest in thine house as thou walkest by the waie when thou liest downe and when thou risest vp Now the worde whereby wee doo saie Thou shalt teach in that language wherein Moses wrote signifyeth Thou shalt sharpen Therein shewing that as when wee should pitch some stake in a hard ground by making it a point we sharpen it so parents are to sharpen instruction to theyr children But how By often repeating vnto them the heauenly doctrine that it may enter euen into the dullest wits Moses hauing written that excellent song which containeth so many notable aduertisements and is rehearsed in the two thirteth chap. of Exodus Deu. 32 4â— doth adde Set your heartes vnto all the woordes which I testifye against you this daie that yee may commaund them vnto your children Ephes 6.4 that they may obserue and doo all the wordes of this lawe The Apostle Saint Paule exhorteth Christians to the lyke duetie commaunding parents to bring vp theyr children in the instruction of the Lorde 6 The examples of such as haue shewed themselues faythfull and obedient to these commaundementes of God ought to moue our heartes to imitate them This testimonie doth God himselfe giue of Abraham Gen. 18.19 1. King 2.1 1. Chro. 28.9 that he knew that he would command his children and his familie after him to keepe the wayes of the Lord and to minister iustice and iudgement Dauid before his death gaue notable and holy preceptes vnto Salomon admonishing him to keepe the commandements of God and to walke in his feare And it is not the dutie of fathers onely but also of mothers to bring vp their children and to instruct them in the knowledge and feare of the Lord. Prou. 31 2. Tim. 1.5 Act. 16.1 As Bethsheba Dauids wife gaue notable instructions to her sonne Salomon as appeareth in the booke of Prouerbes And as Saint Paul beareth witnes that Timothie euen in his childhood was instructed in holy writ thereby commending the faith of his grandmother Loys and his mother Eunice by whom no doubt hee was taught especially considering his father was a Gentile 7 Saint Hierome writing to Leta not only exhorteth her to instruct her daughter in her youth in holy writ but also telleth her that her selfe must teach her Let her sayth he in stead of precious stones and silks loue godly bookes and in those bookes let her delight not in the leaues beautifyed with sundrie colours but in the distinct and pure doctrine according to faith First let her learne the Psalter that by such Canticles she may forsake the world and in Salomons Prouerbes let her bee taught to liue vertuously In Ecclesiastes let her accustome her selfe to tread vnder foot and to contemne worldly matters in the booke of Iob let her imitate his example of vertue and patience Let her laie holde of the Gospels and still keepe them in hand and with her whole hart let her learne the Acts and Epistles of the Apostles Thus when she hath stored the closet of her heart with such treasure let her by heart learne the Prophets the bookes of Moses of Kings of Chronicles Esdras and Hester last of all let her learne Salomons song For if shee shoulde reade that first shee might take harme as not vnderstanding the holye songes of spirituall marriage vnder carnall wordes But let her forbeare all Apocrypha let her bee still busied in the bookes of Cyprian Athanasius and Hillarie It maye seeme that Saint Hierome requireth much more than a christian maiden albeit zealous is able to performe But let this exhortation make the maidens of our daies to blush yea euen men and women who are so farre from this dutie that they are not able to alleadge one sentence of holy Scripture either for their own comfort or to resell the errour of heretikes or to instruct their neighbours 8 Moreouer Parents are commanded to instruct their children not onely in the worde but also in the vnderstanding of the Sacraments sacrifices and other of Gods holye ordinaunces When thy childe Deut. 6.20 sayth Moses shall hereafter aske thee saying What meane these testimonies ordinances and lawes which the Lorde our God hath commanded you Then shalt thou saie vnto thy sonne Wee were Phaâ—aohs bond men in Egypt but the Lord brought vs out
they haue discharged themselues of a great care for it is theyr partes to thinke thereof 1 Cor. 7 and generally to prouide for the marriage of theyr children not to tarrie vntill through their negligence peeuishnesse and other difficulties in that prouision for them the children take occasion of lewdnesse or so ship themselues without the knowledge of their parents that afterward they bee forced to proceede to that that may redound to theyr greate sorrow and heartbreaking So dyd Abraham thinke vppon the marriage of his sonne Isaac to that end committed the charge thereof to his eldest and most faithfull seruant Gen. 24.3 whome hee wylled to seeke a wife for his sonne as in truth it is not properly for the children but for the parents to thinke vpon and prouide for the same The same doth Ieremie teach where writing to the Iewish Fathers in the captiuitie of Babylon hee sayth Iere. 29.6 Iud. 14.2 Take wiues for your sonnes and giue your daughters in marriage Heereupon when Sampson had found a maiden to his lyking himselfe dyd not demaunde her in marriage but comming to his parents hee sayd Gen. 34.3 Giue mee her to Wife Likewyse Sichem the sonne of Hemor hauing bent his heart vnto Dina the daughter of Iacob sayde vnto his father Giue mee this maide to wife Yet is it meete that as the parents make the motion so the children giue the consent Gen. 24.57 This dyd Laban declare when talking of Rebecca whome Abrahams seruant craued in marriage for his masters sonne Isaac he sayde Let vs call the mayden and aske her consent So calling her they sayde vnto her Wilt thou goe with this man And shee aunswered I will go For of matching eyther sonne or daughter agaynst theyr wylles there doo many times arise great inconueniences and much sorrowe and griefe yea the lawyers are of opinion that a free wyll is not so expedient in anie thing as in marryage 27 Now 1. Cor. 7.40 as it is the dutie of parents to prouide to match their children so are they diligently to see it be done as Saint Paul saith In the Lord that is not to demaund anie maiden for their sonne or to accept anie sonne for their daughter vnlesse the same bee affected to true religion and make profession thereof hauing a good reporte of pietie the feare of God and other Christian vertues which qualities and giftes of God are to be preferred before wealth or anie other worldly or carnall considerations So when Abraham sent his man to seeke a wife for his sonne Isaac Gen 24.3 he sware him that hee shoulde not take anie Daughter of Chanaan So when Sampson required his parents to giue him a wife of the daughters of the Philistians they aunswered Is there neuer a wife among the daughters of thy brethren Iudg. 14.3 or among my people that thou must go take a wife of the vncircumcised Philistines If Parents would consider of the daunger of the losse of theyr childrens soules by matching them with such as are of a contrarie religion or otherwyse giuen more to the world than to pietie and the seruice of God eyther what strife or contention doo for the most part ensue of such marriages how small comfort is taken in the same how slenderlie the dutie of praier is performed and what a neglygence or hinderance they are to the bringing vp of children in the feare of God they woulde abhorre euen to thinke of anie such match and in few speeches preferre him that were endued with godlynesse other vertues before riches and all other carnall and worldly considerations They would put in practise the wise aduertisement propounded by Salomons mother albeit but simply folowed by her sonne which wee reade in the Prouerbes Many daughters haue done vertuously Prou. 31.29 but thou surmountest them all Fauour is deceitfull and beautie is vanitie but the woman that feareth the Lord shall be praised But if the difficultie rest in question of maintenance for the familie let parents remember that it is better to choose knowledge than wealth that is skill and industrie howe to get than goods alreadye gotten and in his possession that hath no skill or knowledge howe to vse them Heereto may wee referre the answere of Themistocles Plutarch in his life Ci. in the first booke of offices who purposing to marrie his daughter and beeing asked why hee preferred a vertuous man before a rich answered That he liked better of a man without monie than of monie without a man or as some doo write that hee had rather match his daughter to a head of a man than to a head of siluer And therefore to conclude this speech we may wel say it is better to match our children with Christian vertuous heads that haue litle monie than with much treasure in the possession of worldly and vicious heads 28 Heereto will we yet adde two points concerning the duties of parents to their children first that in all their wordes workes they be vnto them continuall examples and myrrors of pietie and vertue so shall their admonitions exhortations be still of greater efficacie and themselues shall haue more authoritie to reproue admonish chastise their children And in deed the same that Marcus Aurelius saith that to make children vertuous they shall more profit by good example in one month than by instructiō in a whole yere may be most truely applied vnto parents He that teacheth a childe to write may sometime saye yee must make this letter long this short this straight c. But the chiefe meanes to make him to profit in writing is to set him good examples or coppies to write before him And so is it in the instruction of vertue and the feare of God For contrariwise he that teacheth well and liueth euil buildeth with one hand and pulleth downe with another And experience teacheth that more may be pulled downe in one hower then will be built vp in one day The euill example of parents is as a line to draw the children to follow them And therefore the Prophet Ezechiell reprouing the people of his time for their Idolatrie and other corruptions declareth that therin they haue taken the ordinarie course that is Ezech. 16 42. they haue followed the example of their parents Behold saith he all that vse prouerbs shall vse this prouerbe against thee saying like mother like daughter Thou art thy mothers daughter that hath cast off her hushand and her children and thou art the sister of thy sisters which forsooke their husbands and their children your mother is an Hittite and your father an Ammorite Here are three olde prouerbes which proue that children ordinarily are ready to imitate the bad examples of their parents First Like mother like daughter Secondly Thou art thy mothers daughter Thirdly Thy mother is an Hittite and thy father an Ammorite That is to say Thy parents forsaking the seruice of God haue
most liuely teach all Christians to feare God to serue him to put their trust in him and to set forth his glory 8 As for Cyrus Esay 44.28 45.1 as God a hundreth yeeres before the captiuitie had chosen him and by the Prophet Esaie named him to bee his minister in the deliue ie of his people so hee after hee had attayned to the monarchy of the Chaldees did declare a commendable zeale to the seruice of God in licensing his people to returne to Iudea and in restoring vnto them the golden and siluer vessells of the temple which hee suffered them to reedifie in commaunding his subiects to releeue with golde siluer goods and horse all such as were not able to furnish theyr iourney True it is that as those Heathen kings were possessed wyth great ignorance so their zeale to the seruice of God was of small continuance yet shall they in the daie of iudgement rise against our Christian kings and magistrates vnlesse more amplie and constantly than they they employ themselues in the establishment and maintenance of the pure seruice of God and in effect declare the same to bee the scope and principal end of theyr vocation and office Psal 2.10 Also that Dauid speaketh to them where hee sayth Bee wise now therefore yee Kinges bee learned yee Iudges of the earth Serue yee the Lord in feare and reioyce in trembling Kisse the Sonne that is to saie Doo homage to the sonne For it is not the meaning of the holy Ghost that onely in the title of priuate persons they shoulde doe homadge to Iesus Christ But also as magistrates in maintaining and establishing the pure seruice of God And in the same sence are wee to vnderstand the promise of Esaye saying Kinges shall bee the Nursing fathers Esay 49.23 and Queenes shall bee the nurses of the Church And indeede it is one thinge to bee the suckling or nursed childe of the Church as are all the faithful and another to bee the nursing fathers or nurses that doe employ themselues to nurse vp the Church Augustine to Boniface Ep◠50 As also Saint Augustine sayth A Kinge doeth seruice after one sorte as hee is a man and after an other as hee is a Kinge As hee is a man hee serueth God in leading a faithfull and Christian lyfe But as hee is a Kinge he serueth him in making lawes pertinentlie with authoritie commaunding that which is iust and prohibiting things contrarie 9 Christian Emperours in olde time did well vnderstand and declare the same to be the end and dutie of theyr vocation namely to establish the pure seruice of God and to maintaine the truth of the heauenly doctrine Socrates in his Eccle. hist li. 1. cap. 9. Among others great Constantine in an Epistle written to the Churches sayth Because that by the prosperitie of the publike estate I doo in deed perceiue the greatnes of the heauenly grace and power I haue thought it requisite before all things that I should bend my whole endeuour to this euen among the blessed of the Catholike church to maintain one faith one true charitie and loue and one vniuersall deuotion towardes God almightie Theod. in his Eccl. hi. l. 5. c. 6 When the Emperor Theodosius accepted the gouernment of the Empire his first care tended to establish concord vnitie in the puritie of doctrine throughout the whole Church And therupō he assembled sundry Bishops to confute suppresse the error of Arrius For as in all times there haue beene heretikes that haue assalted the truth of the heauenly doctrine Ruffin in his Ecc. hi. l. 1. c. 2 The Tripartit hist li. 1 c. 8 Socrat. hist Eccl. li. 1 ca. 9 Gracian Valent Theo. li. 2. cap. de Summa Trin. fide Cath. Euseb in the lyfe of Constan li. 4 so haue christian Magistrates opposed agaynst them the remedies of generall counsels As the afornamed Emperor Constantine the great in the yeere 333. summoned the famous Counsell of Nice whether hee brought three hundred and eighteene Bishoppes to maintaine the truth of the diuinitie of Christ against Arrius So they dyd moreouer publish decrees concerning hereticall bookes and writinges importing theyr abolishment As great Constantine commanded the writings of Arrius to bee burned So other Emperors lykewise hauing commaunded to maintaine the truth haue also expreslye forbidden both the doctrine of heretikes and theyr assemblyes and haue made notable decrees for the abolishing of Idolatrie and superstition as the same Emperour Constantine the greate by many lawes and decrees prohibited all sacrificing to Idols all enquirie of Sorcerers and Charmers all erection of Images and all secret sacrifices Theod. Eccle. hist li 5. ca. 2 10 But aboue all things they tooke care to establish good Bishoppes and Pastors And in deede Gratian the sonne of the Emperour Valentine consecrating as Theodoret writeth the first fruites of his Empire to God made a lawe for the restoring of good pastors that had beene banished to theyr Churches and commanded that such as preached the blasphemies of Arrius shoulde as beastes bee put from their Churches Socrat. hist Eccle. li. 6. c. 2 and the same to bee restored to the heauenly flockes and faithfull shepheards We also reade of the Emperor Arcadius that by the common petition of the Clergy and people of Constantinople he called home Iohn and to the end to reestablish him in the Bishoprick wyth lawful authoritie he summoned sundrie Bishoppes and so hee was chosen to be Bishop of Constantinople To this purpose is the exhortation of the Emperor Valentinian verie notable Theodor. his Eccl. hist l c. 5 After the death of Auxentius the Arrian Bishoppe of Millaine hauing assembled sundrie Bishoppes he sayde Your selues hauing beene brought vp in heauenly doctrine cannot bee ignorant what manner of man hee ought to bee to whome the dignitie of a Bishoppe should bee committed Likewise how hee ought to instruct the people not onelye by doctrine but also by good example of manners and to be vnto them a myrrour of all honestie to the end that the exercise of such his duetie may beare witnesse of his doctrine and therefore establish in the Bishoppes sea him to whome wee gouernours of the Empire maye sincerely submit our heades and from whome in that beeing men wee bee all subiect to sinne wee maye bee content to receiue reprehension and admonition as healthsome phisicke for our soules 11 Which is more Eus hist Eccl. li. 10. ca. 7 Socrat. Eccl. hist l. 1. c. 9. such was theyr care that Bishoppes and pastors should not bee withdrawen by politike functions from the exercise of theyr vocation that Constantine the great writing to Anilin ordained that they that gaue themselues to the exercise of diuine matters whome he called the Cleargie shoulde be free and exempt from all publike charge The building and repairing of Churches was also commended to them as the same Constantine declareth writing to Eusebius See that
indeed Philip wondring at her speech in hart touched gaue audience not onely to her but from thenceforth to all men Artaxerxes Mnemon followed not the austeritie and cruell maiestie of his predecessors kings of Persia for he was not onely redy to heare all commers but also opened shewed himselfe in his chariot that all might see such as hil to speake to him might draw neere We also reade that the Emperour Traian being on horsebacke ready to go to the battel alighted to heare the complaint of a poore woman Lewes the ninth of France tearmed S. Lewes may in this vertue be a mirrour to all Magistrates of our time and therefore consider heere what the Lorde of Ionuille who liued in his time hath written Hee sayth hee vsed to sende vs the Lordes of Nesse of Soissons Ionuille in his hist ca. 94 cited by Hâ—toman in his French Gaul and my selfe to the pleas of the gate and then would enquire of vs the state of all matters and aske whether there were anie such as could not be determined without his presence And many times vpon our report he would send for the parties content them by ministring reason and iustice Otherwhiles he would walke for recreation in the parke at Boys de Vincennes and there sit downe at the root of an oake euen vpon the grasse and cause vs to sitte with him there woulde hee giue free audience to euerie one that stood in need of him yea and many times aloud he would take whether there were anie man that were in strife or sute Then if anie stepped in he would presently heare him and giue sentence according to right and equitie Otherwhiles hee woulde charge Peter Fountain and Geoffrey Vilette to heare the parties and to determine the cause yea I haue sometimes seene this good king walking in a garden in the suburbes of Paris verie simply apparelled and there calling sutors command them to open their griefes and presently minister iustice to them 30 Thus this king was not onely affable and readie to heare such as had to doo with him but also ended theyr causes and determined their sutes without anie long delaies And in truth that is one great point which the magistrates ought mightily to regard namely the speedie ministration of iustice to euerie man without admitting any long sutes or delayes which many times ouerthrow good causes for want of meanes to prosecute In this respect doeth the Prophet Esaie commend Dauid Esay 16.5 whome hee tearmeth a seeker of iudgement and one that would hasten iustice The Emperor Marcus Aurelius a little before his death exhorting his sonne to minister speedie iustice to the fatherlesse widdow saith thus I commend vnto thee Drusia a Romane widdowe who is in great sute with the Senate In a book intituled a golden booke of M. Aurelius because in the former commotions her husbande was banished I take great compassion of her for shee exhibited her petition three moneths since but in respect of my great warres I had no time to doo her iustice Then to stirre him vp to his example he addeth Thou shalt in truth finde my sonne that in fiue and twentie yeeres for so long haue I gouerned Rome there was neuer widdow that followed sute or other busines before mee aboue eight daies Let therefore all Christian magistrates continually fixe the mirror of this heathen Emperor before their eies that they may follow his example so purchase the title attributed to Dauid that he was a magistrate that wold minister speedy iustice 31 Herein is iustice by name spoken of which as Cicero sayth is a constant and perpetuall will to euery man reason Cicero offic lib. 2 Hierom. to Demetrius For aboue all things it is the duty of magistrates to yeald to euery man his due so to minister iustice Al vertue saith S. HieroÌ„ is comprehended vnder the onely name of Iustice And Aristotle termeth it the general vertue And indeed the heathen haue noted that the first cause of the establishmeÌ„t of kings magistrats was to administer right iustice without the which no estate can subsist For without iustice saieth S. Augustin Aug. of the Citie of God lib. 4. Plato in his fourth booke of the common wealth what are kingdomes but thieueries And therefore hath Plato written that the most excellent gift that euer God gaue to man considering what miseries hee is subiect vnto was a gouernment by iustice which brideleth reshameth the presumption of the furious preserueth and mayntayneth the inocent in their honesty and yealdeth equally to euery man his due And in this sence saith Solon The safety of the common wealth consisteth in these two points That rewards bee distributed after the desert of vertue and punishments after the qualitie of the offence And this doth Plato confirme saying Cicero in his booke entituled Brutus Arist Polit. lib. 5. cap. 10 that publik coÌ„cord shal hereby be maintayned And therfor haue some iustly tearmed the magistrates Guardians of iustice in respect that in duety they are to prouide that the Poore wrong not the superiors or ritch men also that the ritch oppresse not neither tread the poore vnder foote To bee short iustice in gouerments is as the Sunne mercy as the moone other vertues as the starres Psal 82. Exod. 18. And to these ends are they to thinke that in their functions they present God as also that in that sence the holy ghost termeth them Gods And Moses sayth that hee that commeth to them seeketh God that is to say the iudgement of God And this shal be to them a most liuely argument so to moue their harts that they shall not administer wrongfull iudgement vnworthy the maiestie of God This did Iehosaphat declare to the magistrates of his time saying 2. Chron. 19 Take heed what ye doe for yee do not admimister the iudgement of men but of God and he wil be with you in the cause of Iudgement Wherefore let the feare of the Lord be vpon you Take heede and doe it for there is no iniquitie with the Lorde our God neither respect of persons Psal 82.2 neither receauing of reward In this respect doth the holy ghost so sharpelie reproue those that polute this so honorable title of God by wrongfull iudgements How long saith he will ye iudge vniustly and accept the persons of the wicked Do right to the poore and fatherlesse Doe right to the poore and needy Deliuer the poore and the needy saue them from the handes of the wicked Also because many do the rather presume to wrong the widow the fatherlesse and others in like tribulations for that they neuer thinke to giue accompt to God for their wickednesse he addeth I haue said yee are Gods and yee all are children of the most high Here you see that yee are exalted into high estate and honor But yee shall die as a man and yee princes shall fall like
wrath against theyr subiects Autenticalls in the title of Baudes Especially let them rigorously punish and banish out of their dominions all baudes and ruffians the cursed instruments of satan to allure and put forth women and maidens to fornication who liue vpon so abhominable iniquitie The Emperour Iustinian doth expresly command all baudes to bee punished with death as is aforesayd Withall decreeing that whatsoeuer hath bene giuen to women or maidens for the prostituting of their bodies they shall not be bound to restore August in his booke of orderings 64 But some to the contrarie will alleadge a sentence of Saint Augustine saying Take awaie the stewes and yee shall replenish the whole towne with fornication But when he wrote that he was but a nouice and meanly instructed in religion and therefore him selfe in another place confesseth that in sinne there is no tolleration that a man of two euils should choose the lesser Neither must we as Saint Paul saith doo euill that good may come of it Rom. 3.8 or allowe one mischife for the eschuing of another But we must obey God who forbiddeth vs all wickednes and remit the issue and successe into his hands who cannot allowe that the wisedome of the flesh should dispense with the offending God in one sort for feare of offending him in another Basil expounding these words Psalme 1. And hath not sit in the seate of the scornfull saith that adulterie neuer stayeth is one man but infecteth the whole Citie First one will come alone to the strumpet then he wil take a companion and that companion another companion whereby as fire once kindled if the wind be high doth somtimes inflame a whole citie so this wickednes once kindled spreadeth all ouer Ambrose proceedeth fâ—rther for he expounding this sentence of Salomon Who can carrie fyre in his bosome and not be burned saith Prouerb 6. Who doth thinke that tollerating whoores in a towne young men will not resort vnto them wherein we gather this sentence which vtterly repugneth the former of Augustine Tollerate whores in a towne and ye replenish the whole towne with whoredome as God vndoubtedly for the auoiding thereof did in olde time command that there should not be anie whoore in Israel And therefore wee will conclude this argument with this saying of Tertullian Deut. 23 17 That stewes are abhominable in the sight of God Let the Popes therefore aduise with them selues what answere they will make to God for this Tertul. of the Soule that in Rome they doo not onely publikely tollerate theyr whoores and bauds but also that they take tribute of them therin shewing themselues likewise to be baudes in that in lieu of punishing expelling and banishing of them as plagues in a Christian common wealth they participate with them in their cursed gaine 65 As concerning the other point touching tipling and dronkennes Seeing that God curseth all bibbers and dronkards by his prophet Esay also that S. Paul protesteth that they shal not inherit the kingdome of God the magistrates do sufficiently vnderstand Esay â— 11.12 1. Cor. 6.10 that they in dutie so much as in them lieth are to stop the course of all such excesse The inconueniences of quarrels strife therof arising the troubles in houshold as wheÌ„ the husband or the wife do come drunke home the extreme miserie whereinto many doo bring their wiues children in suffering theÌ„ almost to starue for need whilest theÌ„selues haunt tauerns The abuse prophaning of Gods good creatures with other inconueniences that daily arise of dronkennes do cry for vengeance in the sight of God do cal the magistrates set before them their dueties wherein they are bound to remedie the same For with what conscience can they suffer such corruption among their subiects when they may remedie it by prohibiting not lodging for strangers but tauernes from their inhabitants or by punishing of tiplerrs dronkards and those tauerners that maintaine them in such excesse and riot 66 Hauing before declared how Magistrates ought to imploie themselues to bring theyr subiects to leade a quiet and peaceable lyfe in all godlynesse and honestie wee are now to intreate them to beleeue thinke that theyr authoritie shall take great increase and efficacie when theyr greatnesse and power shall be accompanied wyth the excellencie of vertue aboue theyr subiects when themselues shall bee examples vnto them in all things beseeming the children and seruants of God wherein also they are to haue such respect that they admit not in themselues euen that which may bee somewhat tollerable among theyr subiectes so farre are they from power to dispense with that in themselues which shuld not bee permitted to men of meaner calling And in deede wee may in many notable examples note that God hath greuously punished in great personages those faultes which in apparance seem small Nomb. 20. 2. Sam. 24. Esay 39. as that of Moses at the waters of strife that of Dauid when hee numbered the people that of Ezechias when hee shewed his treasures to the Embassadors of the king of Babylon and so in others In all which God doth teach vs that the authoritie of princes to dispense wyth themselues to worke wickednesse is so small that contrarywise hee wyll punish such transgressions in them as many times hee will beare with in theyr subiectes Deut. 17. And this instruction doth hee confyrme in that in olde time he declared that the king that shuld be chosen ouer his people Israel shuld haue the booke of the lawe that hee might reade therin all the dayes of his lyfe and that he might rule himselfe according to the will of God that hee shoulde not haue many wiues yet was that tollerable among his subiectes The younger Scipio knewe and put in practise his duetie in this respect for when hee had by force taken the city of Carthage Plut. in his Apoth Plut. in his Lacon Apoth Plut. in his Apoth and some of his souldyers brought vnto him a most beautifull mayden Truely sayde hee I coulde fynde in my heart to take her were I not in office or a magistrate but a priuate man To this purpose dyd Agesilaus verie wisely saie That the Prince must outgo his subiects not in pleasure lust but in temperance and magnanimitie And thereupon sayd Cyrus He is not worthie to gouerne that is no better neither more vertuous than they ouer whome hee is to commaund 67 Reason lykewise would that princes and magistrates should giue good examples to theyr subiectes leading the waie to all vertuous commendable actions that they require of them As Iustine writeth of Lycurgus Iustin lib. 3. that hee set downe no law for any thing whereof himselfe had not shewed an example and practise in his owne person Plutarch sayth that Agesilaus woulde bee the first dooer of that thing that he commanded those to doo Plutarch in his Lacon Apotheg ouer whom hee
may well and prosperously guide their subiects together with all other vertues requisite and perseuerance in their duties also Iames 8.17 the blessing of the father of light from whom come all good gifts and who onely is able to giue successe and happie issue to all their labours Secondly that they put in practise the commandement of God to Iosua Iosu 1.8 saying Let not this booke of the law depart out of thy mouth but meditate therein day and night that thou maist take heed to doo all that is written in the same for in so doing let them be assured that they shal prosper as the Lord addeth saying For then shalt thou make thy way prosperous then shalt thou haue good successe And in that sense let theÌ„ expect the performance of the same which God said to Samuel 1. Sam. 2.30 I wil honor those that honor me they that despise me shal be set at naught 71 Let them remember that two things are required in a prince or magistrate namely holines in time of peace and magnanimitie in wars in both discretioÌ„ Aurel. Vict. in his lyfe Polibius wherof the Emperor Traâ—an shewed him selfe as a patterne for he was indued with both these vertues That two things maintaine the commonwealth Force and magnanimitie against enimies and concord among subiectes That the preseruation of the Princes estate consisteth first in the integritie of religion Secondly in the loue of the subiects That they which are in office of magistrates must as sayth great Cato vse soberlie their power authoritie Plutarch in his Apoth Plato in his comonwelth that they may stil vse it That that com-wealth is happie wherein euerie man obeyeth the prince and the prince obeyeth the lawe That the magistrate as the same Cato sayth must not tarrie for exhortation to gouerne iustly neither by exhortation bee mooued to beare himselfe vniustly That it is a calling both steadfast and to bee desired Polib l. 6 when euerie one in priuate doth liue in peace and holynesse and that iustice and mercie doo abide in publike persons That the prince must make his subiects to loue him and his enemies to feare him and as well to remember that he is a man Tacitus Annal. 11 Plinie in his Panegiricks Curtius l. 7. as that he is established ouer men That there is nothing so firme strong but is subiect to inconuenience and danger euen by the feeble and weake And to this purpose let them call to minde that great trees are long in growing but cut downe in an houre Let them not forget that they beare the image of God in regard of theyr office and are called Gods to the end they should neither speake nor doo anie thing vnworthie the maiestie of God Tacitus Let them beware of abating theyr authoritie either by too much lenitie or the peoples loue by like seueritie Let them not prefer the aduise of young Counsellors before the iudgement of the auncient and to that purpose make vse of the example of Roboam 2 Chro. 10 who by the contrarie alienated the ten Tribes of Israel and lost his dominion ouer them Let them neuer pronounce sentence in wrath neither vndertake anie thing in displeasure but remember the saying of Saint Iames Wrath in man fulfilleth not the iustice of God Let this saying of Saint Augustine bee printed in their heartes Iames 1 20 Augustine in the 13. a-abuses of degrees Degree 6. Three things are requisite in a gouernor Calling feare of him and loue towards him Calling is requisite to the end he may beare himselfe in a good conscience cheerefully yet if hee bee not both loued and feared he cannot subsist in his calling Let him therefore aduise himselfe to procure loue by benefites and affâ—bilitie and â—eare by punishing wrong done not against himselfe but against the lawe 72 Let him consider of the titles that Iulius Pollux who was gouernor of the Emperor Comodus in his youth attributeth to the prince whome hee calleth father of the people gentle louing mercifull wise iust courteous couragious despising monie not subiect to passion but commaunding ouer himselfe ouercomming lust vsing reason quicke of conceit sober religious carefull for his subiectes constant no deceiuer adorned with authoritie readie in his affayres prouided to doo well slowe to reuenge affable gracious in speech open hearted a louer of the vertuous desyrous of peace valiant in warre an example of good manners to his subiects a maker of good lawes and an obseruer of the same Let him remember these wordes of Lewes the ninth lefte by his last will to his eldest sonne and successour Philip and are recorded in the chamber of accounts Be deuout in the seruice of God bee in heart pittifull and charitable to the poore and comfort them wyth thy good deedes keepe the good lawes of thy realme take no subsidies or releef of thy subiects but vpon vrgent necessitie and for the profite of thy common wealth vppon iust cause and voluntarily 73 Let them continually looke vpon the table of Ptolome Arsacides which the Emperour Marcus Aurelius found at Thebes an auncient towne of Aegypt and was alwayes layde at the kinges beds head when hee was chosen and by the sayde Marcus Aurelius at his death giuen as a singular treasure to his sonne Comodus This Table was written in Greeke Characters and contayned the protestations and sentences following I neuer exalted the proud rich man neyther hated the poore man that was iust I neuer denied iustice to the poore for his pouertie neither pardoned the wealthie for his riches I neuer benefited or gaue rewarde for affection neither punished vpon passion onely I neuer suffered euill to escape vnpunished neyther goodnesse vnrewarded I neuer committed the execution of manifest iustice to another neyther determined that which was difficult by my selfe alone I neuer denied iustice to him that asked it neither mercie to him that deserued it I neuer punished in anger neither promised benefite in mirth I was neuer carelesse in prosperitie neyther faint hearted in aduersitie I neuer dyd euill vpon mallice neither committed villanie for couetize I neuer opened my gate to the flatterer neither gaue eare to the backbiter I alwais sought to be loued of the good and feared of the wicked lastly I alwaies fauoured the poore that was able to doo little and God who was able to doo much fauoured me 74 To conclude wee will adde these short excellent sayinges of Saint Augustine Augustine of the degrees of abuse Degree 9. wherein he representeth vnto vs the duties of princes and magistrates The iustice of the king saith he is that he doo not wrongfully oppresse anie man by his power that he iudge without acceptance of persons betweene man and man that hee bee a defence to the straunger the fatherlesse and the widow that he suppresse theft punish adulterie exalt not the wicked maintain no quarrellers or lasciuious persons root out the
he is not a God a farre off onely as is aforesaid but also a God neere at hand As likewise how often is it noted by the Euangelists Math 9.4 Luke 5.22 Math. 12.25 Luke 6.8 that hee did both see and know the thoughts of those that went about to tempt him or that hatched anie other conspiracie or that had any bad opinion of him 12 Dauid in his owne person doth very aptly represent vnto vs this prouidence of God seeing all things and beeing in all places saying O Lord thou hast tried me and knowen me thou knowest my sitting and my rising Psalme 139.1 thou vnderstandest my thought a farre of thou compassest my paths and my lying downe art accustomed to all my waies For there is not a worde in my tongue but loe thou knowest it wholy O Lord Thou holdest me straight behinde and before and laiest thy hande vpon me Thy knowledge is too wonder full for me it is so high that I cannot attaine vnto it namely in all and by all to comprehend it Whether shall I go from thy spirit or whether shall I flie from thy presence If I ascend into heauen thou art there if I lie downe in hell thou art there let me take the wings of the morning and dwell in the vttermost parte of the sea yet thether shall thy hand leade me and thy right hand holde mee vp If I saie yet the darknes shall hide me euen the night shall bee a light about me yea the darknes hideth not from thee but the night shineth as the daie the darknes and the light are both alike For thou hast possessed my raines thou hast couered me in my mothers wombe Thine eies did see me when I was without forme for in thy booke were all thinges written which in continuance were fashioned when there was none of them before Beholde heere an excellent description of Gods prouidence which declareth vnto vs the efficacie of this title Emanuel giuen to Iesus Christ and consequently teacheth vs that hee seeth and knoweth all that wee thinke saie or do for all is open in his sight for he is with vs and in vs wheresoeuer we become 13 The knowledge and feeling of this truth may bee to greate purpose to induce and resolue vs to amend our liues For what I praie you is the spring of such abundaunce of iniquitie as wee see at this daie among men Euen this false perswasion or rather astonishment to imagine that God is blinde and seeth not the works and thoughts of men Psalme 59.8 They prate with their tongues sayth King Dauid speaking of his enemies and swordes are in their lippes For saie they who heareth vs Heereof haue wee a notable example in the ninetie foure Psalme O Lord sayth Dauid how long Psalme 94. how long shall the wicked triumph They prate and speake fiercely all the workers of iniquitie vaunt themselues They smite downe thy people O Lorde and trouble thy heritage They slaie the widdowe and the straunger murther the fatherlesse yet they saie The Lorde shall not see neither will the God of Iaacob regard it But let vs now see how hee reprooueth the blindnesse and pride of these wicked ones Vnderstand yee vnwise among the people and yee fooles when will yee bee wise Hee that planted the eare shall hee not heare And hee that formed the eie shall hee not see Or hee that chastiseth the nations shall hee not correct euen he that teacheth man knowledge The Lorde knoweth the thoughts of man that they are vanitie As Dauid also hauing rehearsed the wicked cruell enterprises of his enemie obiecteth vnto him that in his heart hee sayth God hath forgotten him hee hath hidden his face Psalme 10.11 and will not see him What moued Caine to bring his brother into the fieldes and to bee so bolde as to kill him Euen this false opinion that God dyd not see him And this dyd hee verie manifestly declare in that when God asked him where his brother was hee aunswered I knowe not Haue I the keeping of my brother Gen. 4.8 As if hee woulde haue sayde that God had not anie reason to put that question to him considering that hee was not appointed to keepe him and therefore without blame hee might bee ignorant where he was 14 But what shall wee saie of Dauid a man that did so greatlie feare God when he committed adulterie with the wife of Vrias made him dronke and afterward slew him by the handes of his enimies thereby thinking to hide his iniquitie from men Must it not needes bee that at that time hee was much ouerseene when hee woulde imagine that God dyd not see him Yet is this the ordinarie perswasion of those that giue ouer themselues to wickednesse and consequently the fountaine of an infinite number of sinnes and iniquities that they commit vpon an imagination that God seeth them not Otherwise what an impudencie were it in man to commit adulterie to bee dronken to deceiue his neighbour to backbite c. if hee coulde thinke within himselfe God is with mee I am in his fight hee heareth me he seeth me commit this wickednesse And yet how often doo men commit all these iniquities euen whoredome dronkennesse deceit and backbiting in the presence of God from which they will verie diligently forbeare in the sight of men 15 That wee may the rather therfore amend our liues let vs remember Emanuel that is that God is with vs euen in vs ioyned and vnited vnto vs. And withall let vs well thinke that hee seeth and knoweth all our thoughts words and workes as is before declared yea let it be a strong bridle to withholde vs from wickednesse as Salomon teacheth vs saying Why shouldest thou my sonne Prou. 5.21 delight in a straunge woman or imbrace the bosome of a straunger Seeing the wayes of man are before the eyes of the Lorde and hee pondereth all his pathes Prou. 15.3 And in another place The eyes of the Lord are in all places to beholde both the good and badde Ribby one of the wise men of the Iewes in olde time to this purpose dyd verie aptlye saie Graue these three thinges in thy minde and thou shalt neuer sinne Drus Apoth of the Hebrues Arabians l. 1. namely that there is an eie that seeth thee an eare that heareth thee and a booke wherein all thy wordes and deedes are written Neyther let vs thinke when wee neglect our dueties in releeuing the poore that God knoweth it not albeit wee alleadge that wee knowe nothing of theyr want or had not wherewith to helpe them If thou forbearest sayth Salomon to deliuer those that are ledde to bee slaine and such as are at deathes doore by thinking that thou wilt saie I knew not of it hee that pondereth the heartes doth hee not vnderstand it And hee that keepeth thy soule knoweth hee it not Or will not hee recompence euerie man according to his workes God knoweth