cause them to denie a God which is the principall and fundamentall argument of all the bookes of the Prophets and Apostles especially considering that if this foundation should bee false all the rest were but lies and vanitie Likewise these men that registred the holy Scriptures neuer labored after the glorie of man by ostentation of anie new inuention For al of them euen from Moses to the Apostles haue had one the same matter subiect of their writings namely this selfe same diuinitie Neither haue they sought after glorie reputation nobilitie of descent or vertues but haue set downe as in sundrie places we may perceiue euen their owne infirmities and transgressions yea somtimes matter of reproch to themselues to their posteritie Prophane writers do ordinarily tend to magnifie the vertues valiant actions of men to the end to giue thē the praise But the holy scripture euery where tendeth to glorifie God euen in euery thing that may becōmendable in man Shewing that al victories deliuerance aduancemēt to dignitie vertue to be briefe that all goodnes cōmeth of God not of man 5 As concerning the contents of the holy scripture it is the same that only laieth open the verie fountaine of mans corruption that sheweth how great and pernitious it is The multitude and grieuousnes of his sins The horrible punishmēt that they deserue not only in this world but in the world to come Only this holy Scripture teacheth the assured remedy against these horrible inconueniences so that man feeling himselfe worthie of all misery euen of eternall death doth notwithstanding find himself cōtent ioyfull in the midst of the tribulations of this life blessed in the assured expectation of an incomprehensible eternal felicitie This Scripture laboreth wholy to humble man and to exalt God It exhorteth man to renounce wickednes to apply him selfe to righteousnesse to despise present and temporall goods that he may aspire to those that be spirituall inuisible and eternall To be briefe it teacheth as well true holinesse and pietie towards God as true loue peace and concord among men earnestly exhorting them to these duties Who is it then that ought not to haue a feeling of this in his owne conscience that this holie scripture proceedeth from God 6 Moreouer in other bookes we find counsels exhortations and reasons to perswade Heer we haue expresse and precise commandements wherby it appeareth that a superior speaketh that giueth commandement to his inferior namely God to man The holie Scripture prescribeth a Law not onely to the bodie or in externall causes but also to the spirite cogitations and affections of the soule It is therefore the spirit of God that speaketh who onely hath dominion ouer the soule and knoweth the affections and passions of the same In this holie Scripture we find promises and threates of eternall weale and woe as well to the soule as to the bodie It is then the Eternall and the Almighty that both promiseth threatneth This holy Scripture teacheth vs the same thing which the creation of the world doth namely that there is a God almighty all-wise most good and beneficiall He therefore that is the Auctor of the creatures is also the Auctor of the holie Scripture In this Scripture we find predictions of matters which mans vnderstanding could neuer foresee yea the verie time of the performance of the same is many times noted sometimes a hundred yeares a thousand yea three thousand before they came to passe Yet are they alwaies fulfilled in their due time of necessitie therefore God must be the Auctor of the same 7 Again all the Philosophers together in their many volumes haue neither said nor taught so righteous so holie and so necessarie matter as doth this holie Scripture in the ten wordes of the law yea euen in these two short sentences That we should loue God with all our hart with all our strength and with all our soule our neighbour as our selfe From God onlie therefore must this doctrine proceed The style likewise of this Scripture is simple and without affectation and yet it penetrateth and pierceth the hart and conscience far more deepely then the writings of the most excellent Orators in the world Whence should such efficacie proceed 1. Cor. 2.4.5 but from the spirit of God which is the Auctor thereof This is it that S. Paul expresly noteth saying Neither stood my woord and preaching in the entising speech of mans wisdome but in plaine euidence of the spirit and of power That your faith should not be in the wisedome of men but in the power of God 8 This holy scripture propoundeth vnto vs the history from the beginning of the world with the doctrine euer since continued among both Iews Christians yet which is wel worthy to be marked we find no contradiction or disagreement either in the histories or doctrine that may not easily be vnfoulded and reconciled But as for other books they begin their Histories two or three thousand yeares later And what discorde do we find in their writinges both in their histories and in their doctrine Againe there are no books for the maintenance and confession of the doctrine whereof both men and women euen by thousands from age to age Princes marchants artificers learned and vnlearned haue voluntarily resolued euen with cheerfulnes to abandon fathers mothers husbands wiues children goods dignities yea life it selfe and suffered torments that cannot be sustained by any one that is not holden vp by some diuine power Yet heer may you behold Martirs that is to say authentical witnesses that this holie scripture proceedeth from God This also is the reason why of all other bookes the Deuill an enemie to God and to the saluation of mankind hath most endeuored to falsifie to corrupt and to abolish this holie Scripture therby as it were confessing that proceeding from God it is repugnant to him necessarie for mans saluation And yet hath the same bin miraculously preserued and kept in his integrity euen with the danger of their liues that were guardians thereof yea which is more euen by the Iewes themselues the sworn enemies to Iesus Christ of whom the Law the Prophets do beare witnes And therfore S. Augustin compareth them to Stationers who in their shops do keep many books but for the vse of other men They haue bin preserued therefore vndoubtedly by his only prouidence who was their Auctor And to this purposeis the example of the time of Antiochus most notable For in his daies 1. Mac. l. 57 59. namely in the hundred and fiue fortieth yeare of the Grecian Monarchie did they deface and burne all the books of the Law that could be found and yet within two yeares after 1. Mac. 3.37 48. euen in the hundred and seuen fortieth yeare of the said Monarchy was the book of the Law foūd again among the Iewes Yet who did euer obiect either to the Iewes or Christians
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
more of man than of God and that confessing God with our lips we renounce denie him in our hearts and workes That we may therefore Amend our liues let vs renounce this so pernitious solly to esteeme more of man than of God And contrarywise let vs loue and feare God reposing our whole confidence in him onely as in him who only is vnto vs all in all for man is nothing but in God The third Folly To thinke that we shall liue euer Chap. 4. ANtigonus who succeeded Alexander the great in parte of his dominions beeing recouered of a certaine sicknesse sayde Plut. in his Apothegines That by the same among other documentes hee had learned that hee was mortall Wherein hee layeth open the common opinion of man who thinketh that hee should liue euer And in deede such is our inclination to incredulitie that vppon the long delaâ—e of anie thing that wee haue a while expected wee conclude that it will neuer come to passe So the euill seruant mentioned by Saint Mathewe seeing his master tarrie awaie so long Mat. 24.48 imagined and concluded that hee woulde neuer come 2. Pet. 3.3 Heereto hath the saying of Saint Peter relation In the last dâ—ie there will come mockers which will saie Where is the promise of his comming for since that our fathers dyed all things continue alyke from the beginning of the creation Thus wee see how the scorners only of the delaâ—e of the comming of Christ can take occasion to beleeue that hee wyll not come at all As also when God himselfe by his seruants threatneth them wyth death they turne it to a scorne saying Let vs eate and drinke Esa 22.13 Esa 28.15 to morow we shall die Again We haue made a couenant with death and with hell we are at agreement Though a scourge run ouer and passe thorough it shall not come at vs. Euen so we likewise when we heare of death yea and dayly see the examples thereof yet because it forbeareth vs a while taketh no hold of vs do imagine with our selues Cicero in hiâ— booke of old age that it shall neuer come at vs. And this is it which a certain Ethnike the prince of all Latine Orators signified Where he sayde that there is no man so ouer taken with age but that hee weeneth to liue yet one yere longer Thus doth he thinke to liue euer considering that albeit he hath liued a hundred yeres yea two hundred yet still he is of opinion that hee may liue one yere longer and when that is past yet one yere more and so by one and one for euer 2 This doth the common course of man confirme Wee all with our lippes do confesse that once we must die and that death is the gate either to heauen or to hell which not withstanding what one person doth liue as either hoping to goe to heauen or fearing to goe to hell If we see that resolutely within two or three dayes we must die then is there none of vs but is sorrie that he offended God that euer he liued in fornication drunkennesse deceit ryot and other excesse in a bad conscience deuoide of the feare of God Then will we desire to recouer that we may Amend Then will we vow to God that if he will prolong our liues we will walke vprightly Then will euery one with that he had cut off some of his pleasures and excesse to the end therewith to haue releeued the necessitie of the poore Then who could not be content wholy to haue beene giuen to the seruice of God to haue had more care of his soule then of his bodie of the life to come then of the life present We confesse that when death draweth neere we will vse these and such like complaints and lamentations Yet now whiles God graunteh vs time and meanes to liue according to the same why doe we it not Wherefore do we not make hast to liue in like sort as being at deaths doore we wish we had Surely because wee neuer thinke to die 3 When a man after condemnation is returned to prison all his mind runneth vpon death he detesteth his former life he falleth vpon his knees to pray to God he regardeth no soft bedding delicate fare or costly apparell Yea if he bee such a one as feareth God all his cogitations are bent to life euerlasting and forgetting the world and worldly businesse hee conceâ—â—eth great ioy in that he is so neere the gate and possession of the kingdome of heauen This sentence of death passed vpon vs the first day that wee came into this world Our soules are as in a prison in our bodies wee attend onely the time of execution wee all confesse wee must die yet wâ—t wee not whether within a day or an houre All this notwithstanding who either feeleth or sheweth himselfe readie or who prouideth to die as doth he that hath receiued his sentence from an earthly iudge But what is the cause of this our dulnesse and folly Euen because wee thinke not to die but doe imagine that our liues shall last for euer 4 If either woman or maiden preparing costly rayment with exquisite attires wherein to shew her selfe at some marriage feast shoulde beginne to finde her selfe euell at ease and withall that her Doctor or Phisition hauing felt her poulse shoulde assure her to dye within one fortnight would shee thinke any longer to proceede with her pompe feasting and pastimes No shee would then fall to weeping and prayer to giuing of almes and reprouing the vanitie of the world shee would aduertise her coÌ„panions to beware and to auoid the same But God who knoweth the length of our daies hath alreadie warned vs of our death hee saith it is at hand he hath not promised fourteene dayes neither two nor one no not one houre Wherefore doe our mindes then runne vpon the course of the world Why doe we so delight in vanitie ryot and excesse Wherefore doe wee not rather employ our selues vpon meditation of heauenly and eternall felicitie And why doe we not bestow our time in such workes as in our death may minister comfort and ioy Forsooth because we thinke to liue euer 5 Wee do reade of Philip king of Macedon and father to great Alexander that euery morning one of the gromes of his chamber at his first waking saide vnto him O king remember thou art a mortall man There is also a common posie written vpon many tablets and ringes Cogita mort that is Thinke to dye Why Was kinge Philip so forgetfull of his mortalitie that hee must be put in minde thereof euery day Or must wee Christians bee put in minde of death by painted tablets or ringes But as the end as well of the speech to the king as of this tablet tendeth onely to aduertise vs to liue as wee shoulde dye so are they likewise obiections to conuince vs of such folly and giddinesse as maketh vs to thinke that we
from vs all trueth To be briefe he practiseth cunning in time of peace and violence in persecution Is it not then extreame folly yea euen desperate rage to beleeue such an enemie 9 But you will saie who will bee so vnaduised as to aske or take counsell of him When speaketh hee vnto vs Euen when vnder the pretence of Gods prouidence hee giueth or offereth vnto thee ritches honour dignitie pleasures carnall commodities to bee briefe prosperitie in all thy affaires For thinkest thou that he will not propound with them the like condition as hee did to Iesus Christ when he said Mat. 4.9 All these will I giue thee if thou wilt worship me Indeede hee doth not alwaies speake so like a deuill But comming as a friende to serue thy turne and to please thee in thy desires thou shalt well finde that in effect he tempereth some poyson or pernitious counsell among either that thou shouldest dissemble the knowen truth yea euen renounce it or to neglect the holy ministry or to dispence in practises nothing agreeing with charitie equitie or vpright dealing yet couered with the cloke of custome iniquitie of the time which will not beare better dealing telling thee that if thou be a sheepe the wolfe will deuour thee that the simple are not to deale in the world and that thou must liue and houle with the wolues 10 Neither is this all he mixeth yet another poyson that is hee lifteth thee vp in thy wealth that he may make thee to trust therin to employ it in pleasure and superfluitie to forget that thou art a mortall mā In summe to imagine that thou needest not the help either of God or man On the other side for he can turne all into poyson he will take away thy goods and bring thee into pouertie he will molest thee with long and tedious sickenesse he will make thee a skorne vnto men Hereupon he will seeke to perswade thee that thou maist iustly murmure against God complaine of him forsake him reiect and euen driue him away when hee offereth himselfe as did the Gaderinites when they driue away Iesus Christ because of their hogges whome the deuils had carried head-long into the sea Mat. 8.34 yea which is the tipe of all mischiefe euen to curse God whereof the historie of Iob is a manifest mirrour Againe art thou a great sinner Hee will set before thee the rigour of Gods iustice to plunge thee in dispaire Dost thou trust in his mercy Iob. 1. Hee will prouoke thee to sinne vnder pretence of friendship both to God and thee alledging that Where sinne aboundeth grace doth more abound Also that one Peccaus before thou diest Rom. 5.20 will suffice for all If thou appliest thy selfe to walke vprightly in the feare of God he wil counsell thee to thinke thy selfe a Saint and of great merite in the sight of God Doth hee finde thee wel resolued in the doctrine of Gods prouidence as he found Iesus Christ Mat. 4. when he alledged that Man liueth not by bread onely but by euery word that commeth out of the mouth of God He will sollicite thee to abuse it by tempting of God as he thought to haue surprised Iesus Christ when he exhorted him to cast himself from the toppe of the temple To be breefe his illusions and temptations are infinite 11 Now let vs marke the common course of men yea euen of many of those that professe the knowledge of God let vs iudge whether most of their workes be not euen so many examples witnessing that they beleeue and follow the counsell of their enemie Sathan let vs remember that al such thoughts imaginations motions affections and temptations afore mentioned be the counsels of our enemie Sathan That it is an extreame folly and madnesse for a man to beleeue his enemie that for the amending of our liues we must bee better aduised and beleeue him who is our true perfect friend euē our God who speaketh to vs in his holy Scriptures which onely doo containe assured holy healthsome counsell Of his loue towards vs we cannot doubt sith he hath giuen vs such a pledge as his sonne crucified for vs. He cannot neither will he lie or deceiue his children whome hee hath vndertaken to make blessed Let vs therfore oppose the counsels of Gods word against whatsoeuer the counsell of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill Let vs followe the example of Dauid Psal 119.105 24.9 who protested that Gods worde was a light to his pathes that the testimonies of the Lord were his counsels that a young man shall amend his waie by walking according to the worde of God Let vs take heart in the example of Christ agaynst the illusions of the deuill and our other enemies Ephes 6.17 laying holde vpon the sworde of his spirite which is his word and with him let vs saie It is written It is written Psal 9.5 Let vs remember that Iesus Christ from God his father tooke the name of a counseller to aduertise vs that wee ought to receiue and beleeue his counsels onely Iosua 1. and not the counsels of our enemies the world the flesh and the deuill To bee briefe let vs put in practise the same which God in olde time enioyned to Iosua namely daie and night to reade and meditate vpon the booke of Gods lawe to liue after the contents of the same And so let vs assure our selues that according to his promise wee shall direct our course wiselye and prosper in all our attemptes Thus wee see that to the end to Amend our liues and hereafter to be better aduised we must beware of this Folly and neuer beleeue our enemies better than our friends The seuenth Folly To thinke our selues wise Chap. 8. THis seuenth folly sheweth man in all extremity and perfection to be a foole For being intangled in the sixe follyes afore mentioned many others he neuertheles thinketh himself wise and well aduised Among a hundred men that walke vp downe the streetes you shall not finde one that will bee contented to bee called foole or mad man but will thinke himselfe iniured for euery man desireth to be thought wise Yet they that beleeue not that there is a God they that esteeme better of man than of God they that thinke to liue euer and yet know not wherfore they liue they that iudge of mans felicity or misery by the outward shew they that beleeue their enemies rather than their friends Are not all these in thinking themselues wise euen perfect fooles yes and so haue we at large proued them 2 Yet may this folly be more generally considered in that man at the least for the most part thinketh himselfe to be but a man created for this temporall life and not a Christian beleeuing lyfe euerlasting For therof it falleth out that man being wise discreet and aduised as concerning the worlde yet a Christian foolish and senselesse
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
man is content wyth the same estate that hee hath attained vnto but seketh a higher Man is neuer satisfied so long as one may go before him for Ambition suffereth him not to see whence hee came howe farre thee is gone or whether hee doeth aspire Euerie souldier desireth to be Captaine beeing a Captaine he climbeth higher and seeketh from degree to degree to come to bee a king yea if hee might attaine to be Emperour of all Europe he then would couet to be Emperor of the whole world Great Alexander was not content wyth the realmes that his father left him therefore vndertooke the conquest of all the world yea when he had obtained a great victorie agaynst Darius king of Persia refusing the offer that he then made of his daughter in marriage and halfe his dominions he answered That as there was but one Sunne in the world Iustin in his 11. booke so would he bee the onely king in the world How many such Alexanders are there in these latter daies Whereto tended this roiall deuice taken of the increase of the Mooâ— Vntill shee fill her whole compasse Also of an Emperour Farther Bee not these euident testomonies that mans heart is ambitious and vnsatiable that it is so farre from beeing satisfied by increase that the same increase doth whet the appetite and still minister more increase to the vnsatiable coueting of more honor and glorie 2 There is not anie that in estate or dignitie either in towne prouince or kingdome is second but hee aspireth to climbe and to bee first if not in the principall degree as king yet to bee next to his person as Ionathan sayde to Dauid Thou shalt raigne and I will bee next to thee 1. Sam 23 17. Math. 20.20 The mother of the Apostles Iohn and Iames made a petition to Iesus Christe that in his kingdome the one might sit vppon his right hande 3. Iohn 1.9 the other on his lefte Saint Iohn also taxed one Diotrephes that coueted to bee chiefest in the Church Plu. in the life of Iuli. Caesar The Romane Emperour Iulius Caesar when some maruelled that in a little towne where they passed through there was strife who shoulde be greatest freely sayde that himselfe had rather bee the chiefest in that litle towne than the second at Rome Were not the Apostles at controuersie who shoulde bee greatest And dyd not they demaund of Iesus Christ who shoulde be greatest in the kingdome of heauen Mark 9.34 Math. 18.1 They imagined that Christe shoulde raigne vppon earth as Salomon before had doone and before they saw the crowne vpon his head they demanded which of them shoulde haue the chiefest offices Which is more he that might attaine to the soueraigntie of the whole worlde woulde yet seeke to bee greater and if it laie in him to climbe euen into heauen and as Adam dyd to bee lyke vnto God Some are of opinion that the sinne of the Angels that were turned to deuils proceeded of the lyke ambition Esa 14.13 taking it to be the same which Esaie noteth where hee speaketh not directly of them but of Nabuchadnezzer king of Babylon declaring him to be in deede of the race of Adam in these woordes I will ascend into heauen and exalt my throane aboue besydes the starres of God I will syt also vppon the mount of the congregation in the sides of the North I will ascend aboue the height of the cloudes and I will bee lyke to the most high All the kingdomes of the earth coulde not satisfie the ambition of greate Alexander Valerius in his first booke who by the readinges of Anaxarchus vnderstanding that his master Democritus maintayned that there were sundrye worldes cryed out saying Woe is mee wretch that I am that haue not yet attained to the possession of one of them Wherevppon Valerius fitly noteth yet speaking as a Heathen man that mortall man esteemeth his glorie to bee straighted because it is bounded in one worlde which neuerthelesse might suffice for the habitation of all the Gods Hee also writ to the Lacedemonians requiring them to place him among the Gods and to offer sacrifice to him Plutarch in his Apotheg as vnto a God Wherevppon one named Damis scorned his ambition and sayd Well let vs giue Alexander leaue to bee called God 3 It is no maruell that the Heathen so exalted themselues considering that some who not onely take vppon them the name of Christians but also doo boast to bee Saint Peters successors haue growen to as great ambition For the Bishops of Rome not contented with the title of Bishops of the first sea haue taken vppon them to be called vniuersall Bishops heads of the Church vppon earth placed themselues aboue kinges and Emperours compared themselues to the Sunne and Kings and Emperors to the Moone because as the Moone hath no light but from the light of the Sun so kings and Emperors do hold their power dignity from them yea they proceed farther share with God Cap. Satis Dist 69 suffering themselues by their parasites to be called Gods vpon earth Whervpon Pope Nicholas concluded that sith God might not be iudged by man neither might the Popes And this is it which Saint Paul foretold 2. Thes 2.4 that Antichrist should exalt himself against al that is called God or that is worshipped so that he doth sit as God in the temple of God shewing himselfe that he is God Thus we see that the ambitious man is vnsatiable and cannot be satisfied with all the glorie of the world but that hee must also climbe into heauen to become God euen hee who beeing a poore worme vppon the earth and coueting to bee great like vnto God through his ambition fell so lowe that he is not now worthie to be mentioned among the least creatures in the world 4 As this ambition burning in the hart flameth euen vp to heauen so is there no vice corruption sinne or iniquitie Bern. in his 40. Serm. but it engendereth and in deede the eldest daughter of the first sinne namely of the incredulitie of Adam and Eue coulde not but bee a fruitfull mother and plentifull in vicious pernitious and damnable children Ambition sayth Saint Barnard is a secrete poyson a hidden sinne a forger of fraude a mother of hypocrisie a spring of enuie a fountaine of all vice a moath to holynesse a blinding of the heart conuerting remedyes into diseases and medecines into languishing First what poyson or plague is more mortall than ambition whereby man seeking to bee equall wyth God was made lyke vnto the deuill not onelye worthie of death but also so vicious and corrupt that at euerie moment hee hastneth more and more to death Psal 51.7 Ephes 3.2 2. Sam. 15.2 â— 4.5 This vnthankefull ambition which was also the breeder of disobedience hath infected vs with this plague and scabbe that wee are conceiued in sinne borne in iniquitie and by nature the children
Ephe. 5.16 we are in these long sittings to consider the losse of time for Saint Paul to the contrarie commandeth vs to redeeme time But how By forsaking the lustes of the flesh that wee may the better and the rather employ our selues in our vocation If sitting at such long feasts we would enter into meditation and think that we sit there in the presence of God who beholdeth how vnprofitably we wast time which is so precious glutted with delicacie when many others starue for hunger we would be euen ashamed and say what doe we here Doth this life beseeme the children of God Doe we thus watch for death and the day of iudgement Likewise albeit the soule bee not fed with past three or fower Sermons in a weeke while the bodie hath at the least fourteene yet will we complaine of the preacher if he stand aboue his houre and neuer finde fault with a feast that lasteth fower or fiue For custome and inclination breedeth content It would be thought strange if a man to a feast should bring his black hower glasse for a full end as he must to a Sermon 10 Some excuses men will aledge yet grounded likewise vpon vice And indeede this obstinate continuance in excessiue and sumptuous banquets proceedeth of the ambition and vaine glorie before mentioned Euerie man seeketh to make shew of his riches and liberalitie aboue his companion No man will remaine endebted to him that inuiteth him to a feast Euerie one thinketh that he shall be noted of pouertie or pinching if he do not as an other man But why should he not rather looke to bee reputed sober a reformer a man willing to giue example to others to chaunge vice into vertue Poâ—tius Cato Liuie lib. 34. A certaine heathen sayth Where there is a law for sobrietie and modestie which a man obserueth it is not to bee imputed to pouertie couetousnesse or sparing but to obedience and obseruation of the law How much rather ought wee Christians whome God by so manie preceptes and decrees hath commaunded to keepe modestie and sobrietie constantly to reiect such reproches of the world and the flesh and to bee content with the testimonie of our owne consciences that our modestie and sobrietie proceedeth from the feare of God and a feeling of our owne duties which bindeth vs to yeeld obedience to his ordinances But we cannot resolue so to doe Why Because that still wee will seeme better then other men greater then wee are and of more abilitie then wee may beare Oh cursed ambition and pride Which to maintaine wee doe reiect the will of God wee offend our neighbours and wee neglect the releefe of the poore If thou sayest thou art able Remember that thy abilitie commeth of God who hath not giuen it thee to boast of but that thy plentie may bee an argument to releeue those that neede and to magnifie the riches of the goodnesse and power of God to his glorie 11 Well doe wee confesse that God aloweth vs to feast and thereof we haue examples in the holie Scriptures neither doe wee restraine men to bread and water or halfe an howers respite God hath created meate and drinke to bee vsed Yet that according to the exhortation of Iesus Christ wee may Amend our liues it must bee in sobrietie and modestie They must bee powdered with Christian speeches and discourses beseeming Gods children There must bee no excesse either in plentie in delicacie either in long sitting Wee must remember the needie and such as are in tribulation Amos. 61 Our guestes must bee such as to maintaine amitie and to take occasion to prayse God To conclude the roote of ambition that lurketh therein must bee plucked vp that contrariwise in the aboundaunce of Gods benefites wee may confesse his liberalitie to his glorie Let vs not expect others to bee examples of our duties but let vs purchase this holie glorie in the sight of God to bee the first that through his grace shall reforme our selues in practise of the saying of Dauid O Lorde I haue made hast Psal 119.60 and delayed not to keepe thy commaundementes Of Voluptuousnesse in generall Chap. 15. THe vanitie and excesse in banquetes before reprooued doeth heere minister occasion to speake of the lustes and pleasures of the flesh first in generall Then perticulerlie in some kindes as in drunkennesse gluttonie licorousnesse and fornication As concerning voluptuousnesse in generall wee haue a number of sayings euen of the heathen whereby with common consent of all the world and in all ages the same haue beene reproued and condemne as daungerous pernitious and not beseeming man Architas the Tarentine sayde Cicero in his booke of olde age there is no pestilence more mortall then voluptuousnesse adding that thereof proceede all treasons against the countrie subuersions of common wealthes secrete communications with enemies to be short that there is not any enterprise so wicked but by voluptuousnesse a man may bee wrought thereunto And proceeding in his argument by many reasons he proueth that nothing is more repugnant to the excellencie of man or more detestable and pernicious then the same And concludeth that there can bee no fellowship betweene lust and vertue and therefore that in the kingdom of voluptuousnes vertue cannot subsist He saith farther that about the same time that Cayus Fabritius was sent to King Pirrhus hee heard that at Athens there was one that maintained that euery thing that man doth ought to haue relation to voluptuousnesse and that when two Romaine Lordes heard him talking thereof they wished that the Samnites and King Pirrhus then their enemies might be perswaded to that doctrine that so they might with greater facilitie be ouercome The like did Antistenes hearing one commaund pleasures also wish to his enemies As also the like counsell did Cyrus follow and put in practise against the Lydians Iustine in his first booke whom he had subdued for taking away their horse and armour hee commaunded them to follow theyr lustes and pleasures to the ende that thereby loosing their accustomed valour and vertue they might together therewith forget also all courage to rebell 2 This voluptuousnesse engendereth so manie vices and villanies that such as compare it to a dreame the pleasure whereof at a mans waking vanisheth awaie doe say somewhat yet nothing to the purpose The Emperour Adrian goeth a little farther when he compareth it to pils outwardly fairely guilt and rouled in Sugar but within full of bitternesse Yet goeth he farther then they all which sayth that pleasure and sorrow are twinnes For pleasure is no sooner hatched but repentaunce is at hand holding her as it were by the head readie to supplant her And thereupon some haue saide that shee resembleth a smile which presently is turned to sorrow and teares And indeede pleasure flyeth and slideth away leauing rather cause of repentaunce then occasion of remembraunce Other haue compared her to a painted sepulcher faire without but within full
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
sayde Abiah was ouerthrowen wyth a great wound and there remayned dead in the battell fiue hundred thousand choice men of Israel Moreouer as there be two meanes sayth Cicero to decide controuersies Cic. Off. l. 1 the one by wordes and lawe the other by force also that the first is proper to man the other to beasts so ought we neuer to proceed to force but in case it cannot bee otherwise decided And in deed it is not lawfull to leuie warre against him that is readie to determine the controuersie by lawe and to make satisfaction yea Thucid. l. 1 as it is better to loose some parte of a mans right than to goe to lawe so ought wee to beare much before wee resolue vppon warre For as the Surgion doeth neuer proceede to cauterising or cutting off of the member vnlesse the whole bodie bee in daunger to be lost so are wee neuer to enter into warre but vppon the necessarie good and safetie of the people and theyr preseruation from destruction 56 Let Magistrates also remember Salust in Iugurth Thucid. l. 1 Cicero for the law Mamlia that the enterie into warre is easie but the returne most difficult in that the ende resteth not in the power of man as doth the beginning and therefore before the warre beginne wee are to thinke what maye followe For not the warre onely but euen the verie feare thereof breedeth great calamities Augustine of the city of God lib 19. Augustine against Faustus lib. â—2 c 74. Neither can wee enter into warre albeit most iust but with horror yea euen the name whereby the Hebrewes doo signifie war sufficiently declareth that it is as a consuming of all namely of godlynes and good manners of goods and of the liues of a number of men Let them withall remember what Saint Augustine writeth that a desire to hurt a crueltie in reuenge difficultie to be appeased couetousnesse of dominion the brutish passion of rebellion and all other lyke affections are iustly to bee reprehended in warres As in deede all warres arising of ambition and couetousnesse are vniust and as an ancient historiographer sayth doo breed great inconueniences Tacitus lib 4. Euripides as also the Greeke Poet noteth who sayth He that warres vniustly craue Happie issue shall neuer haue But those warres sayth Saint Austen are lawfull that are followed August of the of the word of the Lord. Cic. offic lib 1 Liuy lib 9. not vpon couetousnesse or crueltie but for the purchasing of peace the suppressing of the wicked the releeuing of the good The end of war saith Cicero is to get peace and that warre is iust saith Liuie that is necessarie and the weapons lawfull where there is no hope but in weapons Augustus Caesar was accounted happy and great Suetonius in the life of August c. 20. Liui. li. 5 because hee neuer prosecuted anie warres but wyth iust and necessarie cause For warres are to be followed with no lesse iustice than courage neither shuld a prince notwithstanding whatsoeuer confidence in his power and strength hazard an estate certaine for an vncertaine 57 Moreouer as princes magistrates haue their lawes statutes and ordinances wherwith to contain their subiects in their duties in the time of peace so shuld they take order for good gouernment in the wars to the end their iust wars may iustly holyly be prosecuted So did God in olde time by the handes of Moses deliuer lawes to his people Deuter. 20 whereby they should be guided in the warres But especially a prince is to prouide that warlike discipline well deuised be strictly obserued likewise that his souldiers may bee restrained from blaspheming from forcing of women maidens from dronkennes as S. Iohn Baptist taught them from dooing wrong or iniurie to any But that by paying them their hire faithfullye Luke 3 14 hee may giue them cause of contentment as Saint Iohn commanded them withall may haue authoritie and iust reason to punish transgressors 58 To conclude Magistrates are to remember that in old time God commanded that the sonnes of Aaron the priest shuld sound the trumpets wheresoeuer there was anie question of warres Numb 10.9 Deut. 20.1 Also that the priest should then speake to the people to exhort them not to feare or doubt and to assure them that God marched with them to fight for them against their enemies For herein princes magistrates are admonished and taught first not to leuie anie war but that which is iust approued by God and as it were summoned thereto by Gods trumpet secondly so to behaue themselues as in his presence vnder his conduct thirdly not to trust to their own strength neither to feare the strength of their enemies but to repose themselues vppon God the captaine and conducter of the war so that albeit their enemies be more in number yet they may be assured through Gods assistance to ouercome them Thus wil he giue them grace either to preuent the tribulations of war or els to vndertake leade happy blessed wars whereby ouercomming their enimies they may keep their subiects in peace prosperity 59 We haue already declared how far the duty of the magistrate doth extend namely so to imploy his authoritie that his subiects may liue religiously in all godlynes and peaceably in tranquilitie There yet remaineth the third point namely that they also leade their liues in all honestie Now this honestie consisteth principally in two things first that among subiects ther be found no pollution in fornication lust other villanies secondly that al dronkennes gluttony such like excesse riot be suppressed bannished and driuen awaie As concerning the first point God in his word doth sufficiently testifie and by the examples of diuers his vengeances declare that he detesteth all fornication and the magistrate is the seruant of God it is therefore his dutie to conforme his will to the will of his God by making coÌ„uenient decrees to restrain all whordome fornication by abolishing all occasions Exod 20.19 Leuit. â—0 11.13.15 c. by punishing such as giue themselues thereto Neither is God satisfied with the simple prohibition of fornication but he also addeth politike decrees which he commandeth the magistrates to put in execution for the punishing of such as shall transgresse his lawes prohibitions aforesaid Deut. 22.22.24 c. First therfore he commandeth them to put to death all such male female as do abandon themselues to anie vnnaturall carnall coniunction Also all incestuous persons that is all that by carnall copulation ioyne in any degree prohibited in his law and all adulterers men or women this taketh place in him that coÌ„panieth with a woman vnmarried or betrothed to another 60 This sinne of adulterie hath euermore bin accounted so worthie of punishment that wee shall scarce finde anie people or nation in the worlde that hath not from time to time exemplarily and notably punished
the same as before wee haue more at large declared In the second booke c. 17. of Adulterie and all fornicatiō Princes therefore and Christian magistrates that inflict no punishment for adulterie are vnexcusable in the sight both of God and men And they must thinke that as such iniquitie doeth prouoke Gods wrath not against the adulterers onely but also against the whole nation where it is tollerated so by not punishing it themselues doo maintaine the wrath of God as a fyre kindled to consume both them and their subiects To whom by such slacknesse and conniuence they also giue head to commit it wythout all feare The Emperour Iustinian in a decree whereby he ordayneth death to baudes that make sale of women or maidens for fornication In the Nouell Constitutions Rub. of Bauds Gen. 38.24 doth adde this Wee beleeue that thorough this our care to maintain chastitie our common wealth wyll take great increase and that God will graunt vs all prosperitie We reade that the Patriarke Iuda when hee sawe that his daughter in law Thamar whome hee had promised in marriage to his sonne Sella had played the harlot hee condemned her to die euen to bee burned Wherein the Magistrates of our time are to note three points that may induce them to doo their duties First that albeit the persons bee not yet married but betrothed onely yet as is aforesayd this adulterie deserueth death Secondly that adulterie was punished wyth death namely by fyre euen before the lawe giuen by Moses Thirdly that no kindred or friendshippe shoulde withholde the Magistrate from punishing adulterers And heereof we haue an instance in Zaleucus the Locryan Lawyer Val. Max ca. 5 Aelian l 1◠hee hauing ordained that both the eies of an adulterer shoulde bee pulled out when his owne sonne was taken wyth that fault would needes haue two eyes lost and so caused one of his owne and another of his sayde sonnes to be plucked forth 61 It is therefore a great reproch and slacknesse in Christians so to mitigate the punishment of this sinne that they haue shewed themselues in manner neuer touched with the abhomination of such iniquitie In the dayes of the Emperour Iustinian adulterers were put onely to some fine of monie which might in deed somewhat restraine the poore but the rich thereby tooke occasion to commit it the more as thinking themselues quit for a smal summe of monie True it is that by vertue of some decrees of the said Iustinian the women taken in adulterie were thrust into some monasterie But what else was this but formally to oppugne the saying of Saint Paule who commandeth that the woman who cannot containe should marrie In the Councell of Tibur it was decreed that if the woman that had committed adulterie Counsell of Tibu◠holden the yeare 895. cap. 46. Counsel of Orleance cap. 1. Causaid constitui mus 17. q. 4. could retire and saue her selfe in the Church shee should not bee redeliuered into the handes either of her husband or of the Iudge The lyke was also decreed in the first Councell at Orleance where it was moreouer ordained that if her husband or the Iudge did redemaund her shee should be redeliuered but with an oath that they should doo her no hurt vpon paine of excommunication And thus dyd the Cleargie in those daies drawe vnto them the notice and iudgement of adulterie whether to purchase thereby the fines for their owne profite or for anie more vilanous or detestable purpose But as by that meanes they were wylling to saue and preserue the bodyes of the adultresses so haue they strained the soules to the end to cast them headlong into euerlasting death The Counsell of Elibertin cap 18. In deed in a Councell holden in Spaine it was decreed that if a Bishoppe a priest or a Deacon were taken in adulterie hee should neuer againe be receiued into the peace and reconcilement of the Church no not in the houre of death Also that this rule should bee in force against all other persons vpon theyr seconde offence And therefore sayth Saint Cyprian in his dayes some Bishoppes woulde not receiue adulterers to the peace of the Church But hee was of opinion to vse some moderation least sinners should fall into desperation and that desperation should draw them on headlong into all wickednesse And therefore sayth hee The Councel of Ancyra Cap. 20. it were good they shoulde trye theyr repentaunce wythout limitation of time which notwithstanding by one Councell was appointed to be seuen yeres 62 Thus may wee see whereinto those men do fall that will be wiser and shew more mercie than God But mortall man notwithstanding whatsoeuer authoritie hee pretendeth must not alter the decrees of the liuing Lord. And the Lord hath commanded that adulterers should bee punished with death Neyther is there in manner anie nation in the world but agreeth to this iudgement of God as wee haue before declared If therefore wee would obeye God in punishing adulterie with death his wrath would be turned from vs and wee should bee freed from thousands of questions difficulties that growe vppon the sparing of theyr liues and men standing in more feare of God would not so soone abandon them selues thereto In olde time theeues were not by anie lawe eyther of God or man punished wyth death but adulterers were but now contrarywise theeues must die for it and adulterers must escape in manner scotfree Is not this a token that Christians are more feruently bent to the preseruation of their goods than of the chastitie or honour of their wiues They alleadge the example of Christ who dismissed the woman that was taken in adulterie with out condemnation Iohn 8. But as Christ came not to execute the office of a Iudge neither would vsurp it so when he had asked her whether the sentence of the Iudges had condemned her and vnderstood no before he dismissed her hee sufficiently declared that if sentence had bene passed he would not haue hindered the execution 1. Cor. 10.8 And therefore by the premises let all Christian Magistrates vnderstand that it is theyr dutie to punish such iniquitie and with all remember that whatsoeuer slacknesse or negligence shall bee found in them shall not remaine vnpunished And so let them in holines resolue straightly to forbid this abhomination of adultry to stop the course of it and to take away all allurements entisements thereto and that with such punishment that all other may feare to commit the like iniquitie Let them also diligently see to other fornication that it escape not vnpunished as remembring the vengeaunce that the Lorde did take of the like when for the same in one daie he slew twentie and three thousand 63 Namely let them not suffer among their subiects any stews tauernes or other receptacles of adulterie for hire which serue as baites allurements and meanes to defile and destroy both bodies and soules for euer also to prouoke Gods